Queensland Fishing Monthly September 2017 by Fishing Monthly

FLATTY CLASSIC TECHNIQUES • 2017 BEST PRODUCT AWARDS

Features Update your flathead techniques • Bass lolly basics • 2017 Best New Product awards • South Burnett bass country • Wild River Bass 3 review • Lure Making: Doc’s Shallow Minnow • Retune your spoons for a mack attack •

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September, 2017 Fishing Monthly G R O U P

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September 2017, Vol. 29 No. 11

Contents NORTHERN NEW SOUTH WALES Yamba 20 Ballina 22

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Hopefully, being across several organisations, I can help unify recreational anglers’ feelings into a loud voice to government, and help protect our birthright to fish. Already on the boards of Australian Fishing Trade Daiwa TD Association (AFTA) Sol and III the Queensland tagging program (Suntag), I’ve now been elected as AFTA’s representative to the national Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation (ARFF) and have been chosen to be on the working group for the Queensland East Coast Inshore fishery. For years, we have all relied on a small band of volunteers who put in countless behind-the-scenes hours to make sure that anglers are a voice to be heard. If I can help to take some of the load off these stalwarts, then we can really, truly claim Queensland Fishing Monthly to be the Recreational Angler’s Voice. S

fuzzy inside. Those products got a ‘Thumbs-up’ trophy for their efforts. Totally subjective, we know, but sometimes the media’s perspective is different from the retailers who vote on the AFTA awards. It’s all a bit of fun, but we have collated the Thumbs-up products inside the AFTA feature as well. All up, there’s 12-pages of cool new stuff that we’ve distilled down from the entire show. It’s a tough gig - we know that - but somebody has to put in the hard yards for BEST FISHING the readers. AND BOATING ACCESSORY RAMPING UP THE RUNNER UP REPRESENTATION After several decades of building a business in this industry, I’ve finally got to a position where I can start giving something more back, and have allocated a proportion of my time towards volunteering to help steer BEST recreational fishing FISHING AND BOATING ACCESSORY representation. PRO

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BEST CLOTHING ACCESSORY CATEGORY WINNER Wilson Fishing Hooded Headscarf

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Wilson Kids Fishing Shirt 61

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ZMan Finesse Wilson Fishing has designed a range of The fishing and outdoor market is full of fishing apparel just for the kids, which took FrogZ headscarves of all descriptions, but the out runner up position in the Best Clothing little new Wilson Hooded Headscarf is unlike any Accessory category at AFTA. Now your SINCE 1987 Come and visit Fishing Monthly Group’s official BEST CLOTHING BEST CLOTHING you've seen before. It was this uniqueness tackers can enjoy wearing the same style of Facebook page for allUP your monthly fishing ACCESSORY RUNNER contributed to its win in the Best Clothing fishing shirts that you do. ACCESSORY The Wilson Kids Fishing Shirts are all UV Accessory category at AFTA 2017. information. Download QR Reader to access. So what is this difference? Well, the Wilson rated to 25+, and provide a comfortable Advertising Business Office: option for Enquiries: the kids when Hooded Headscarf combines the comfort and cool looking and protection of a UPF15+ headscarf with they are out on the water with you. These Peter Jung 1, 11 Court, theUnit warmth of a Knobel fleece hood, making it a great comfortable, quick drying little shirts are all long-sleevedads@fishingmonthly.com.au for maximum sun protection, choice in cold conditions. Shailer Park, Qld, 4128 The materials used to construct the and the size range is designated by age, so will fit your average 6 year old Hooded Headscarf wick moisture away from that a size 6Advertising Sales: (07) 0800 the Phone: skin, allowing the3387 angler to be comfortable child. 3387 0800from – There arePh: four(07) colours to choose while fishing in any conditions. Fax: (07) 3387 0801 Classic Ideally suited for use in cooler pink, pink/purple, Michael Fox Wilson colours, environments, the Wilson Hooded Headscarf and light/dark blue. Available sizes are 4, 6, mfox@fishingmonthly.com.au is also sure to find favour with many anglers 8, 10 and 12. Michael Fox with a cracking Managing Editor: The Wilson Fishing apparel range also travelling long distances in low light periods Nicole Kelly flatty from the Gold Coast. Steve across Morgan includes men’s and ladies’ fishing shirts in anywhere Australia. of sizes and colours, along Machine washable and with a one-size fits a wide range nkelly@fishingmonthly.com.au s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au A Stephen Booth image. all build, the Wilson Hooded Headscarf will with soft shell jackets, caps and headscarfs. Wilson Fishing help make your day on the water far more Check out the Printing: APNwebsite – Printto find comfortable. Editorial Manager: Jacqui Thomas out more. www.wilsonfishing.com.au www.wilsonfishing.com.au Production: FISH

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QUEENSLAND FISHING MONTHLY

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Qld Fishing Monthly Pty Ltd ABN 72-010-542-195 IN

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All material is © copyright, and cannot be reproduced in part or in full, by any means, without written permission of the Managing Editor. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher.

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Karen Millward Keith Hawley Jenna Milburn

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Sub-Editors: Bob Thornton Nicole Penfold Cordelia Adams

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SPECIAL FEATURES Update your flathead techniques Flathead Classic run down Lure Making: Doc’s Shallow Minnow 2017 Best New Product awards Bass lolly basics South Burnett bass country

REGULAR FEATURES Back to Basics 16 Camping and 4WD 91 Cooking 92 Dam Levels 86 Freshwater 86 Fun Page 55 Junior Northern 66 Junior Southern 35 Sheik of the Creek 83 Tech Tricks 18 Tournament News 94 Track my fish 100 Trades and Services 102

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BOATING AND KAYAK

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Ayr 60 Townsville 61 Hinchinbrook 62 Lucinda 63 Cairns 64 Cairns NFZ 65 Port Douglas 64 Cooktown 66 Cape York 65 Weipa 66 TNQ Freshwater 67

AFTA FISHING TACKLE, MARINE AFTA GETS THE magazine will be available AND OUTDOOR TRADE SHOW THUMBS UP! straight away. BEST OF SHOW AWARDS We always love the September Within the slew of new of AND Fishing Monthly. products launched, nearly 300 BESTissues FISHING BOATING ACCESSORY CATEGORY It’s like Christmas a few WINNER RUNNER get UP entered into the 19 divisions early. of Spring ‘Best-of-Show’ at the AFTA Simmsmonths Guide Pliers Rapala Mag Pliers Why? Show. Best of Show trophies Rapala Precision Line Scissors Simms’ superior Guide Pliers put rusty, Becauseon we’ve all been are awarded to the that If you're looking for some great tools products on decrepit needle-nosers notice. These high quality pliers have corrosion-resistant, the boat or in the backpack, look no further to the latest AFTA (Australian get the most votes from retailers replaceable 17-4 stainless-steel jaws and than the Rapala Custom Design Series, Magattend Spring Pliers and the There are powerfulFishing 6061-T6, type II anodized Association) aluminium specifically, the Trades who the show. Precision Line Scissors. arms. the Gold Rapala's strict patent rules pendingand Magevery Spring store only OtherTrade featuresShow include: on tungsten carbide Coast cutting blade; ergonomic and textured grip; mechanism on the the pliers has two and been exposed tobottle the latest gets to Distributors opposing magnets thatvote push once. away from Kydex holster and utility leash; and each other and pliers open for aren’t an opener and with bevelled notch for tighteningtackle greatest fishing of hold thethe products even easy one-handed operation. Unlike springs, knots. that’s been launched into the power Best of Show the magnets allowed won’t break or lose their Measuring 7” x 2either 1/4” x 3/8”, these brandnew pliers are now available in Australia. in use. The durable stainless steel jaws with or favourite has made precinct after the trophies their gun metal finish haveuntil serrated tips for Keep anateye the out forshow them at your a secure grip, and ergonomic, co-moulded tackle store. the journey from overseas have been awarded at the Simms is distributed in Australia and New Soft Grip handles for a comfortable grip. earlier launches GalatheDinner. For line cutting, spring-loaded singleZealandand by Manic Tackle, who stock a hugeat the range of Simms waders, footwear, shirts, hand operation tool for intricate work and American ICAST show the cuts make the It’sPrecision serious business. line Scissors pants, jackets, headwear, backpacks, bags, orprecise to offset shears, these all of the accessories and more.EFTTEX Log onto the Show. Manic a winner. Thanks European We’ve collated Tackle website for more information, photos scissors excel in cutting micro super lines What sucks for the general Show and all other Best non-wireof fishing lines. winners on the and videos. www.rapala.com.au www.manictackleproject.com fishing population is that pages inside. these shows aren’t open to the What we’ve also done public. Luckily, the media gets are some awards of our own. to come along and document While presenting products the latest gear to present to on our multiple TackleJunkie you. With launch dates varying LIVE shows that we broadcast from ‘immediately’ through during the event, there were to ‘close to Christmas’, not some products that made us everything you read about in (that being Simon Goldsmith the ATFA Special inside this and I) feel all warm and RA

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Rainbow Beach 49 Hervey Bay 48 Fraser Island 49 Bundaberg 50 Lake Monduran 50 Rockhampton 51 Stanage Bay 51 Yeppoon 52 Gladstone 53 Mackay 54

From the Editor’s Desk... AUST

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND The Tweed inshore 25 The Tweed 24 Southern Gold Coast 26 Gold Coast Canals 28 Gold Coast 30 Jumpinpin 32 Southern Bay 34 Brisbane 38 Brisbane Offshore 40 Northern Bay 42 Noosa 44

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Flathead

Are your flathead skills up to the challenge? BRISBANE

Bob Thornton

We’re finally at that stage along the east coast where the weather is warming but the water is still cool, and for the estuarine angler this can only spell one thing – dusky flathead! Whether or not you’re planning to fish the famous Gold Coast Flathead Classic this year, I’m sure you’ll be keen to hear what’s hot in the world of flathead fishing. I’m going to go through some of the innovative techniques that emerged around last year’s Classic, and also touch on some proven methods of fooling flatties. There are many species of flathead, but this article will focus on dusky flathead. UNDERSTANDING FLATHEAD Tides Anyone who has spent a bit of time chasing flatties will tell you that they don’t mind getting up real shallow, especially if there’s food up there for them. But exactly how shallow should you go? And at what stage of the tide? As a general rule, the high tide will see them hanging out over flats that would otherwise be high and dry at low tide. During this time, they will be spread out,

running into them. The mouths of creeks and drains are classic points of ambush for our flat-headed friends, and they’re seldom alone in their ceaseless search for

Michael Fox doesn’t mind chasing a few flathead, and feels at home chasing bigger models in shallower water. food, with other predators like bream, tailor and trevally often hanging out in these same places.

While flathead are a highly sought-after table fish, smart anglers will choose to release the bigger models. so it goes without saying that an angler needs to cover water to find them. As the tide drops away, however, flathead will feel more comfortable sitting in the channels and holes, preferably with current 10

SEPTEMBER 2017

holes or any rock or mud is usually a pass for me. I find flatties don’t like stuff that’s hard to bury themselves in. Additionally, these barren areas offer nothing for small

Terrain The type of bottom is something that some anglers fail to take into consideration, but it should be one of the first things you assess when you pull up to a spot! Hard sand, with no yabby

aquatic life like baitfish, crustaceans or cephalopods, which flathead eat. I usually like something with a bit of softness. Squishy sand, or even mud, with yabby holes and uneven topography is perfect for flatties, and a bit of structure in the form of weed, rubble, pylons or even the odd rock is a bonus, and should attract some potential food items. Behaviour If you can find areas like the ones mentioned above, and you start catching flathead, there’s one other rule to remember: keep fishing the area! If you catch a flathead at this time of year, even if it’s tiny, it should have others around it. If you’re lucky enough, you may find yourself locking horns with a big female. During the spring months in South East Queensland and northern NSW, groups of sub-legal male flathead will congregate around a single big female in the hope of mating with her. A single large female can have dozens of tiny little boyfriends that she could eat (and probably does) if she wanted to, so keep casting in an area that’s producing, even if what you’re catching is small! LURES All the tried and tested lures we’ve been using for flathead for years are still working incredibly well, and we’re also saturated with new gear to choose from. It’s just a matter of finding lures that suit your fishing style,

and this is where a little trial and error can come in. Diving lures Diving lures from Lively Lures, Zerek, Lucky Craft, Rapala, Attack Lures, RMG and many others still work very well for flathead, particularly when trolled. Divers can also be cast, and provide a very easy method of covering water, particularly in shallower water. Soft plastics Soft plastics are also still catching many flathead, and recent years have seen so many different plastics added to the range we already had. Shad-styles, creature baits, paddle-tails, curl-tails, twintails, jerk shads, flukes and grubs will all work – it’s just a matter of fishing them with the correct weight. With my plastics, I tend to fish as light as I can get away with, taking depth and current into account. Plastics that plummet to the bottom look less natural and don’t give the plastic the fall time that flathead like, as they’ll often scoff a plastic on the drop. Vibration baits Vibration baits have become a stalwart in flathead anglers’ boxes in recent years, in both the hard and soft varieties, and there’s so many to choose from now. Once we only had vibes in small sizes, but now they range from tiny bream-sized options to stuff designed for impoundment barra, so whatever the situation, you should be able to find a vibe or blade for your needs. Surface lures Believe it or not, surface

Long shallow flats are great places to chase flatties on fly, even if they are just little scrappers. lures can actually be an entertaining and sometimes effective method of catching flathead, especially in shallow water. Flathead are implosion feeders, so they make quite a commotion when they eat a topwater offering. Next time the water gets a bit shallow, make sure you give it a peppering with a popper or small walking bait – you might be surprised. Fluff Who could forget the

fluff chuckers? Flyfishing for flathead is incredibly effective if you go about it in the right way. In my opinion, you only need one type of fly for flatties, and that’s the Clouser Minnow in a variety of colours and weights. Sure, some anglers experiment with different patterns like bendback style flies, and various shrimp and crab imitations, but the Clouser has one thing that is advantageous

Calm and clear days make shallow water flathead fishing much easier, with just about everything visible to the naked eye.

Flathead to a flathead angler – it’s simple. Flathead chew flies, and having something that is both cheap to buy or tie yourself is a big plus. Additionally, they ride hook point up, which makes them slightly more

user-friendly to use around structure. Other presentations I’ve done a fair bit of experimentation over the years, and have found flathead aren’t particularly fussy – this is what makes flathead such a

Chris Byrnes has run a lot of tournaments in his time, but still doesn’t mind competing in the Classic each year. This fish was caught trolling.

great sportfish. My experimentations have led me to try lures such as flippin’ jigs, spinnerbaits, swimbaits, metal slugs and more. Getting a bit creative can sometimes give you an edge and present the flathead with something they haven’t seen much of. TECHNIQUES Trolling Trolling is of course the best way to rack up numbers of fish, and has won a number of Classics in recent times. Despite the opinion that it is an easy ‘cop out’ technique, there are a number of subtleties that go into making a seasoned troller. Experimenting with different amounts of line out the back of the boat can be beneficial, particularly with lures of different sizes and diving capabilities. I know some people who like to troll lures around 3-4m back, basically in the prop wash! Others prefer to send their lures to around 30m back, so as not to spook the fish with the boat. A good way to hedge your bets is to fish two smaller presentations around 20m back, and have a larger diver in the middle only 4-6m back to dredge up the bottom and create some commotion. It may be obvious, but when trolling for flathead, you want your lure making at

Fishing deeper water seems to be a way of finding concentrated larger fish, but a good sounder is important for taking on this challenge. least occasional contact with the bottom, whether you’re trolling a bibbed lure, a soft plastic or a vibe. While rough terrain can be good for flathead, it can be frustrating to troll through,

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with constant hang-ups and snagging. The trick is usually to find a balance between uneven ground that harbours bait and a barren, featureless sandy shoal. Remember, as with all

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Flathead From page 11

Casting This is perhaps the most popular method of tangling with flatties, and for good reason. Casting for flathead is a very active style of fishing, and often it can be very visual as well. Any areas with water running over or off them, such as sand bars, drains or creek mouths are excellent places to cast at. Casting into the shallows and bringing your lure into the deeper water with the current is about as deadly as it gets, as flathead sit and wait for their quarry to

be brought to them. Big and obvious pieces of structure can also hold good numbers of flathead. Snag piles and pylons can be good places to fish, as they often hold bait. Small baitfish like to use big pieces of structure to escape the current, and this will in turn attract the larger predators. Even in the shallowest of water, these current-breaking baitfish havens can hold flathead. Always work the front and back sides of these structures. Fishing deep is another way to cast for flathead, and is a relatively new technique,

made popular by the Whyte brothers, who won a Classic a few months back. Using a high-tech sounder, anglers can find structure and bait in deep water, and hopefully larger flathead will be in the area. Another technique that has emerged recently has been fishing the super shallow water with huge soft plastics, sometimes up to 9” long! By working long muddy flats gliding these huge jerkshads just off the bottom, anglers have found some massive fish in the 90cm+ range. Franco Martinese, who won the

Every year some truly massive fish are caught in the Flathead Classic, but no angler has ever cracked the magic metre mark. Maybe this will be the year!

individual competition in the Classic last year, told me big flathead will sometimes get airborne while attacking the lure when fishing this way. I’ve no doubt this technique will feature heavily in this year’s Classic! Flyfishing As a bit of a fluffknuckle myself, I feel I need to add in that this is a worthy technique. I’ve already spoken about flies, so now it’s time for the technique. You can essentially fish fly the same way you would when casting in shallow water, but waiting for the fly to sink can be tiresome work, particularly in strong current and with wind. Where the fly is most deadly is in shallow flats, shallower than 1m, where an angler can get away with using a floating line and a long, tapered leader. With the sink time required, a flyfisher can walk or motor his or her way along a flat, covering water with probably the most natural artificial presentation available. In areas of high boat traffic and angler pressure, this can bring a lot of solid flathead undone. GO FORTH Thousands of people, whether fishing the Flathead Classic or not this year, will hit the water in search of flathead in the coming weeks, because it’s such

Flathead colours can vary greatly, but often reflect the environment they’ve come from, and this flathead is a perfect example. an enjoyable pastime, and accessible to so many people – you don’t even need a boat! Each year, inventive and innovative anglers set the

scene for what’s going to be the coolest way to fish for flathead for the next year. Who knows what it will be this year?

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Flathead

Flathead Classic bigger and better than ever SOUTHERN GOLD COAST

Mark Ward

Imagine a fishing competition where you don’t have to catch a fish to walk away with the grand prize. Imagine being at a tournament where there

are displays and experts on hand to advise you on how to fish, what to fish with and even where to fish. Imagine an event where the winners come to the clubhouse after the event to teach anyone who is interested how they caught all their fish.

Imagine a three-day event that gets all competitors together at the end of each day to share a meal and cold beer while exchanging stories of victory as well as hard luck, and an event held in the school holidays to encourage junior anglers

The 2017 prize boat revealed at a recent Gold Coast Sportfishing Club meeting.

to fish and even have their own lucky draw to win a boat. Sounds too good to be true doesn’t it? But that is exactly what the Gold Coast Flathead Classic is all about. While it is a competition taken seriously by many, the real winners are the families and team mates that get to spend three days on the water chasing southern Queensland’s lure munching dusky flathead. With over $250,000 worth of sponsor merchandise given away last year, little wonder it is known as the ‘Ultimate Fishing Event.’ Despite conditions being a little tough, 2016 saw 4195 flathead caught. This is largely due to September being prime time for targeting flathead on the Gold Coast. More often than not, the flathead have finished spawning and are moving throughout the waterways still concentrated in good numbers. This is a catch and release event and it’s important all fish are released in good condition, especially the bigger spawning females. This is a lure-only

Trolling can be a very productive way to catch flathead in the Classic and is an awesome way to get the kids into flathead fishing.

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Flathead event and the field is evenly divided between those trolling hardbodies and those flicking soft plastics. Incredibly, out of the 4195 flathead caught during last year’s event, 2121 were caught on plastics and 2074 on hardbodies, so they’re equally effective. If you need help picking lures, stick with pink. Almost one in every four fish was caught on a pink lure. For anglers that have fished the Classic before, there has been one big change to this year’s event and that is that fishing is Wednesday through to Friday. Previous events have had anglers at the competition site on Saturday afternoon and into Saturday evening. As all footy fans know, this is finals time. There is nothing more frustrating than being in the draw to win a thirty thousand dollar boating package during the AFL grand final. The entry cost includes an awesome Switchbait tournament shirt, a tournament bag full of sponsor merchandise and dinner on the Tuesday night registration and briefing, as well as Wednesday to Friday after fishing. Prices are $290 for seniors and $140 for juniors. You can enter online

thought about fishing the Classic, now’s the time to stock up on those pink lures and get into flathead fishing. Long time supporters of the event include BCF, Doug Burt’s Tackle World and

Gold Coast Fishing Tackle, and all these outlets will be happy to help you gear up. For all your boating needs, Surf Coast Marine and Broadwater Boating Centre have also sponsored

this year’s event, so make sure you mention that you’re fishing the Classic and they will be happy to help out with whatever you need. – Gold Coast Sport Fishing Club

Summer Ward with a flathead that was so big she needed dad’s help. through the Gold Coast Flathead Classic website. This must be done as early as possible to guarantee the shirts are ordered and

delivered on time. If you’ve fished the event, this year is going to be bigger and better than ever. And if you’ve always

Tigar Halliday on a trip to Miara camping area north of Bundaberg. This 40cm jack is Tigar’s first and was caught on a yabby. After hearing so much about these powerful beasts, no wonder he’s happy!

SEPTEMBER 2017

Find the bait, find the fish! NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.com

It makes sense: find the food that predatory fish like to eat and those hunters shouldn’t be too far away! If you hang around

herds of wildebeests and other potential prey across the vast African veldt, so predatory fish tend to follow concentrations of pilchards, krill, squid or other so-called ‘bait’ in the aquatic world. Naturally enough, the actual definition of ‘bait’ varies, depending on where

tackle is little more than a snack! Some predators also favour certain prey types over others. We’ll probably never know for sure whether this preference has to do with the actual taste and texture of the food, or its availability and familiarity. Whatever the reason, some predator/prey relationships are well-known. These include GTs (giant trevally) and fusiliers, mahimahi (dolphin fish) and flying

Smart anglers recognize these hardwired, predator/ prey relationships and respond by seeking out concentrations of those preferred food items when hunting their chosen target fish. They also use those favoured prey items as bait (alive or dead), or attempt to closely imitate them with their lures and flies. This is one of the core tricks that separates the ‘10 percenters’ (that small portion of the fishing community who

Squid are the favoured food of many marine predators. Schools of baitfish aren’t always easy to spot. Can you see the patch of bait over the sand? other anglers long enough, you’re sure to hear the expression, ‘find the bait and you’ll find the fish,’ or some version of it. This concept is especially well established in the ranks of offshore fishers chasing tuna, billfish and so on, although it’s also a popular concept with many inshore

you fish and what you hunt. While anchovies, sprats, pilchards, garfish and whitebait are all obvious contenders for the title of ‘bait’, it’s worth remembering that larger predators can consume surprisingly hefty prey. Billfish, for example, can swallow items weighing

The presence of worm burrows and yabby or nipper holes on an estuarine tidal flat is a strong indicator that feeding fish won’t be too far away.

catch most of the fish) from the rest of the pack – the anglers from the danglers, if you like! Intelligent observation and an understanding of core predator/prey relationships is a skill worth honing. It will definitely make you a

better and more consistently successful angler, wherever you choose to cast a line and whatever species you chase. It all begins with simply opening your eyes and your mind to what’s going on all around you… and looking for the bait.

fish, blue marlin and skipjack (striped tuna), yellowtail kingfish and squid, mulloway

Here’s a closer look at a baitfish school. and estuary anglers, and even amongst some savvy freshwater fishers. It makes absolute sense when you think about it. Just as lions will shadow

at least 10% of their own body mass. So, for a big, bruising blue marlin, the sort of yellowfin tuna most of us would be happy to target on light or medium

(jewfish) and small tailor, barramundi and popeye mullet, or even trout and mudeyes (dragonfly larvae) in freshwater environments.

One angler’s proud catch is another angler’s bait. This handsome skipjack or striped tuna would be little more than a snack for a big marlin.

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Tech Tricks

How to retune your spoons for a mack attack BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

September is a prime month for anglers to target school mackerel in the channels and adjacent the ledges and banks in Moreton Bay. There are numerous techniques that can be employed to catch

these succulent silver streaks, however trolling spoons would have to be one of the more popular and successful methods. Even commercial fishers troll spoons behind paravanes or trolling boards now that specifically ring-netting school mackerel has been banned. You can often see the pros in the eastern end of the Rous Channel and numerous

other areas plying their trade during September, which is a sure-fire way to ascertain that the schoolies are on the chew. Spoon lures are one of the oldest lures around and have been used to catch everything from tiny trout to spectacular Spaniards. The curved, dished shape of these commonly metal lures means that they will spin when trolled. This produces

a constant flashing and even a slight sideways swagger, which many fish find irresistible, as it resembles a struggling baitfish. As spoons constantly spin, a swivel (preferably ball-bearing) is necessary to prevent line twist. Being metal (commonly stainless steel), spoon lures will last many seasons and can catch hundreds of fish in their

To recondition your spoons you will need a few basic tools and other items: a pair of pliers, screwdrivers to suit the bolt in your lure, a hook file, sidecutters, stainless steel cleaner and scourer, some basic grease, replacement hooks and ball bearing snap swivels. You will also need additional nuts and bolts to match those in your lures if they are too corroded to remove or reuse.

How the hooks are affixed to your lure may vary. Most are attached with either a bolt and nut or a bolt that is threaded directly into the metal of the lure. Lures with this extent of hook corrosion and blade discolouration are common after a season or two of use. While they may still catch fish, a little care will have them working to their optimum performance.

Disassembling the lure is the first step, so you can then replace the hooks and clean the blade. If they are a little rusty, you’ll probably need to hold the nut with pliers or a small shifter while you unscrew the bolt using the appropriate screwdriver. If the nut is badly corroded and you can’t loosen it, simply cut it off using a hacksaw or angle grinder. You’ll then need to source a replacement stainless steel bolt and nut, which should be available from a chandlery outlet.

back into action. There are many different brands of spoons on the market including Halco Barra Drones, Luhr Jensen Reflecto Spoons (also called ripple spoons) and Makka Spoons. All are great products, however, the most commonly available are the Halcos. I used these for this article, but the basic practices, hooks and methods will apply to most brands.

lifetime. Although spoons are sometimes lost due to being bitten off or broken off, you’ll probably have your spoons for many years. Over time, their hooks will rust badly and the metallic finish of the lure will often become dull, tarnished and rust-stained. This does not make them throwaways, because a little maintenance will have them ready to go

Once the rust is removed, wash away the rest of the cleaner and dry the spoon blade. You can even polish the metal further with a lamb’s wool buffer. Even like this the lure has plenty of flash. Adding some reflective tape is another option to increase flash.

SEPTEMBER 2017

To clean the stainless steel spoon, you can use some stainless steel cleaner or other products such as CLR, Silvo and other metal cleaners. Use steel wool or a scourer to remove any rust stains. Larger lumps or rust will generally just break away with a bit of pressure from the tip of a flat blade screwdriver. To get a replacement hook you can take the rusted hook down to your specialist tackle store so they can match it up. Most spoons come with a standard carbon steel hook, which is often Duratin coated, but you can replace it with a stainless steel version. Although these are a little more expensive, they last a lot longer and the slightly thinner hook aids penetration. The hook you choose must be an inline (not offset) pattern, usually an O’Shaughnessy pattern. If you choose a chemicallysharpened hook, ensure you add some anode tape to prevent electrolysis, which makes the hook points brittle.

Tech Tricks

Some hooks may need slight bending to make them fit the curved shape of the spoon snugly. Use pliers to bend the shank of the hook and possibly widen the gape until the hook suits the spoon. You can use the old hook as a template to assist you. Chemically sharpened hooks may need heating to enable you to bend them without snapping.

When finished, the hook should follow the curvature of the spoon snuggly while the eye of the hook corresponds with the bolt hole in the spoon. The author used 6/0 Mustad 34007 stainless steel hooks for his #3 Halco Barra Drones and they don’t need any reshaping to fit.

Usually the eye of the hook is too small to allow the bolt to fit through. Making it larger is achieved by pinching the gap in the hook eye with a pair of side-cutters to open it a little.

12 11

You can add a little grease (reel, bearing or marine) or anti-seize to the thread of the bolt so you can undo it in the future, if you need to change the hook again due to damage or corrosion.

Reassemble your spoon, tighten the nut and bolt and then use a hook file to sharpen the hook if necessary. Stainless steel hooks often aren’t that sharp straight out of the box, but they hold their point well once honed.

At the start of the season, the author puts new ball-bearing snap swivels on his spoons. He prefers to keep these small and opt for a Shogun #2 40lb ball-bearing snap swivel, which is suitable for the #3 spoons that he uses for Moreton Bay schoolies. These hold up well, even when swinging fish aboard on the leader. With your spoons now ready to roll, the next step is to get up and go fishing.

PRODUCT

New Raymarine Axiom Pro launched in Aussie

FLIR Maritime Asia (Raymarine) were pleased to be hosting the Australian launch of the new Axiom Pro – a high-performance multifunction display – recently at Sydney International Boat Show. Axiom Pro is engineered for captains that want it all. Available with RealVision 3D, 1kW CHIRP sonar, and Raymarine HybridTouch control, Axiom Pro is the new standard for ‘all-in-one’ displays. With a blazing fast quad-core processor, a super bright IPS display,

and the smart LightHouse OS, Axiom Pro delivers a fluid and intuitive navigation experience. Axiom Pro is easy to expand into an advanced navigation network that includes multiple Axiom displays, CHIRP radar, Evolution autopilot, FLIR thermal night vision technology, and more. With the RealVision 3D, anglers can easily identify structure and locate fish with lifelike clarity. RealVision 3D also combines with precision GPS to construct the most accurate 3D model

of the underwater world, in real-time. Adjustments to sonar gain, sensitivity and filtering can also be applied to recorded sonar history, enabling you to reveal previously concealed fish and structure. Rewind, pause and play back recorded sonar history to take a closer look fish and structure, and easily plot waypoints. For more information visit www.raymarine.com/ multifunction-displays/ axiom-pro. – Raymarine

Simon ‘Pliers’ Box made the most of a recent trip to Yamba. He cast ZMan Slim SwimZ and Zerek Tango Shads into shallow pockets of water at low tide and got a nice feed of flathead. SEPTEMBER 2017

September southwesterlies blow YAMBA

Dave Gaden

September normally means wind. Consistent southwesterlies making it choppy offshore seem to be the norm for this time of the year. I personally don’t like westerly wind for offshore fishing. There’s no science behind this dislike, I

just find it harder to catch fish with the wind in the west. Similarly, when I used to do a lot of freshwater fishing on the western side of the ranges, I struggled to consistently catch fish with an easterly blowing. That being said, my diary entries show some really good catches for September in past years. Things change at this time of the year; the

leatherjackets that have run ragged over the last few months have usually left the wider grounds around 50 fathoms. They’ve eaten everything that moved and left. The snapper, having finished their spawn in the shallows, will move back out once the jackets have gone. This makes these grounds very fishable for other species like teraglin, pearl perch and more.

The current in September is usually mild as well, so if you can pick the days with light wind or just put up with the horrible offshore slop, there may be a feed out wide. If going to the horizon for a fish is not for you, then the trag and mulloway will be in good numbers north of us. Black Rock, the Italian Grounds and South Evans Reef will have great fishing this month. A dead giveaway will be the shoals of yakkas or yellowtail hanging off the reef. Some people avoid these as they steal a lot of bait, but I love them. Even a just-legal trag of 38cm will swallow a 15cm yakka with ease and a 12kg mulloway will swallow a 38cm trag just as easy. Catch the yakkas and send them back for the bigger fish. You’ll catch great snapper and other species on the north grounds. I prefer the grounds off Red Cliff and Brooms Head to the south for snapper, pearl perch, Venus tuskfish and others. I’m not sure why, but the south reef seems to hold more of the round-bodied fish and the north more of the long-bodied ones. I like to fish around 40m on average in this

Luca Topolini was all smiles when he pulled up this whopper 16kg mulloway. at Grafton, a new bridge at Lawrence, new bridges at Harwood and Mororo on the highway and the widening of the bridge at Romiaka on Yamba Road.

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area. There’s no shortage of reef at that depth, either. You would have around 2x6.5km of area to play in. The Clarence River is a fantastic system with the water being tidal all the way to Grafton – almost 100km by water upstream. Most who have fished this river know how good the fishing can be. Recently, though, our part of the world is having one of the largest booms in infrastructure it’s ever seen. What’s that got to do with fishing? There are a lot of things happening in or adjacent to our water that will affect where you should fish in order to catch a feed. Under construction at the moment is a new bridge over the river

Kael from Buchan, Victoria with a snapper.

Fish will move away from these areas pretty quickly, so you need to find spots that are far enough away for the fish to feel comfortable. That being said, lately there have been some great catches made by people who have been prepared to find

those backwaters away from the noise. Flathead should be found in reasonable numbers in places like the North Arm behind Goodwood Island and the entrance to Lake Woolaweyah around Joss Island. They will also be around the middle wall

thing about westerly winds is they do make rock fishing safer and easier. Good luck this month and remember if you’re coming to Yamba for the

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Hamish looks pretty chuffed with his pearl perch.

Young Seb caught this great snapper.

this month. Try drifting on the Iluka side of the eastern end of the middle wall with a run-in tide, as close to the wall as you can, with just a humble prawn and running no. 4 sinker set about 60cm from the bait. It might surprise you how many are there. Luderick (blackfish) have had a good crack this winter again. There’s no sign of them slowing up much. With the work noise upstream they may just be content to stay in the lower reaches of the system,

making them an easier target for us. Bait for them (weed), will be harder to get than the fish themselves this year. Along the beaches there will be good tailor and nice mulloway in the gutters. Late afternoon and into the night as the wind dies off will make for excellent fishing. Easy access to the gutters on the south side of Pippi Beach makes for a good fish and if the gutters don’t produce then Flat Rock should. One good

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Kingfisher protecting you from the elements Spring is here! The days are getting longer and hotter, which thankfully means we find ourselves outside more often, enjoying our favourite part of the year doing the things we love the most – fishing, boating and spending time with family and our mates. But it’s also 2017, and we know the harm we can do to ourselves, so being sun smart and protecting yourself and your family from potentially harmful UV rays and other elements is more important than ever. When you’re out on an open boat the best way of creating shade is to invest in a shade cover or bimini that fits your craft. There are plenty of options on the market and they will all do a job for you – but they are not always fishing friendly. This is what instigated the thought process and design of the Kingfisher Canopy range by Grant Jenkins and Phil Chapman. Phil and Grant are the owners of Undercover Canvas in Ballina and are renowned for their quality

work and expertise in all things canvas, shade and vinyl upholstery. With their staff on hand, they have over 60 years experience servicing the northern NSW and Southern QLD region. Both men are keen fishos who had issues when putting up and taking down traditional biminis while out on the water. Frustrated with not being able to maximise the usable space, the boys put their heads together to design a boat canopy that is user and access friendly. Out of this frustration the Kingfisher Canopy was designed and developed and has not looked back. The patented design has no struts at the front or the back of the canopy, which means you have more freedom to move around and fish within the shaded area. The product also has independently collapsible front and rear sections that allow you to fold up one area if you wish to stand up and fish while the other section of the boat stays under shade. Each canopy is tailored and manufactured to suit the boat it’s fitted to, and

uses only the best quality materials, fixtures and fittings. The canvas used is Polyester Surlast, which is UV rated. The quality of craftsmanship is second to none by the Australian owned and operated company with the product backed up by a lifetime manufacturers warranty to the original owner. Another strong feature of the Kingfisher Canopy is its strength under speed. The Kingfisher has been tested to 60km/h in its fully extended position. As well as producing the Kingfisher Canopy range, Grant and Phil at Undercover Canvas also produce other quality custom made products to protect the angler’s most valued possession – the boat! From engine socks to boat covers and tops, these guys do some great work! For any information on the products and services they provide you can contact them on (02) 6686 5116 or you can check out their websites: w w w. k i n g f i s h e r c a n o p y. com.au or www. undercovercanvas.com.au – Undercover Canvas

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Opportunities to catch a feed this month BALLINA

Joe Allan

There have been nice catches of mulloway offshore recently and the best seem to come from the night time expeditions. Live bait has been by far the standout. There have also been some snapper in good numbers and quality sizes around the close reefs off South Ballina. Most of the fish are in the 35-50cm range with the odd

bigger fish around 70-80cm thrown in there. If you’re after a feed, then there are plenty around. The best baits for snapper would be cut bonito or squid, however the bigger fish will be coming on the soft plastics. Don’t be caught up in chasing the snapper in close on good days. If the weather allows, get out to the 100 fathoms and try for some blue-eye trevalla and bar cod. Good baits for these guys are fresh squid and cuttlefish. It can be hard work on tradition

The author with a bass caught on the new Atomic Metalz 1/4 blade while chasing deep bream.

tackle fishing this deep, so electric reels are essential in this style of fishing. On the 32s there are good numbers of pearl perch and trag jew. If you’re after having your arms pulled off, try jigging for some amberjack around the 48s. Off the beaches and headlands there are some quality tailor showing up. Get out your spinning gear and throw metal slugs for these fish. This can be a great way to spend a morning and catch some fresh fish for brekkie. At night, try some cut bonito and blue pilchards on gang hooks. There are good numbers of dart and whiting along the gutters of South Ballina. There are still heaps of these fellas around and these are dynamite. You’ll come across some pretty nice snowy bream too. Towards the end of September when the westerlies start to blow the swell flat, it’s definitely worth throwing some soft plastics into these gutters. You’ll get everything from flathead to whiting, tailor, bream and dart. It can be great fun with young kids. The luderick numbers will start to dwindle around the end of August and the

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The author with a solid bream on an Atomic Crank 38 in ghost gill brown. start of September. There will still be a few good fish around. The bream will be around in very good numbers through the middle reaches of the river around Broadwater and Wardel. Fresh prawns and yabbies are always the best baits at this time of year – the fresher, the better. If you’re into throwing lures, start by throwing 1/4oz blades deep and work your way shallow up the rock walls until you find the active fish. If there has been some pressure on the fishery, drop your line size to 4-6lb leader (6-7ft). This should bring on a few more bites. Keep your crankbaits handy as well, as the fish should start to hold on the rock walls rather than the deeper holes. Towards the end of September we should see some mud crabs show up. The best baits for these at this time of year are your leftover luderick skeletons. Until next month tight lines.

Bryce Cameron with a cracking night time mulloway caught on live bait off Byron.

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Bryce Cameron with a beautiful snapper off Ballina.

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SEPTEMBER 2017

September fishing options abound in the Tweed THE TWEED

Anthony Coughran

Spawning time sees pelagic species chasing fry in the rivers, creeks, bays and on close reefs. September is such a great time of the year for fishing in the Tweed region, and with light westerly winds and small swells, it opens up many locations anglers normally can’t fish in the summer period – wide offshore areas, beaches, headlands and groins. The water temperature rose slightly and was sitting

and most creeks. Big female flathead are moving through the systems looking to spawn, with most sand banks around the river mouths holding good fish. Mud crabs should start coming out of hibernation and start moving around a lot of the sand flats and lakes. OFFSHORE This time of year sees a lot of northern species and southern species mixing together to feed on fry and coral spawn. It’s all about the big bumpy headed reef munchers this month, with the bigger fish sitting in the shale between most shallow

Nick Dillon with a knobby snapper on a jig off Brunswick.

Brett Stevens with a stonker tusky taken on an isolated bommie off of Tweed. around 20°C recently. This will see large bumpy headed snapper visiting the close reef in good numbers. Mulloway are still taking advantage of the mullet run around headlands and rock walls, while bream have been schooling up for spawning on most rock walls. Luderick are starting to school up around most bridges, rock walls and headlands. Tailor, GTs and bigeye are chasing prey around the breaking wave on the beaches, headlands, rivers

reefs. The smaller pan-sized juvenile are sitting on top of the reefs. Large 3-7” plastics in pearl before sunrise and natural colours such as pumpkin seed after the suns up are catching more of the bigger snapper. Drift baits such as half pilchards and strip baits are catching more of the pan-sized fish over the reefs. For a good feed of mixed reefies, try Fidos, the Five-Mile, Nine-Mile, South Reef, Mudhole and the 10-Minute Reef, which are

all holding good pan-sized fish. Pearl perch, tuskfish and the odd cobia can be caught out on the 24 and 36 fathoms. Kingfish are around the bommies off the Tweed reefs. Live baits are catching more over the reef, where micros, pangolin and octa jigs are catching more kings and mulloway out wide. Try Deep Southern, the 200m line, Windarah Banks, the back of Nine-Mile and isolated bommies and wrecks. Large packs of tuna should be gracing us with their presence this month. If you see busting tuna, don’t just drive up to them or over them; you’ll send them down and they won’t resurface until they are a fair way away from you. Your best bet is to drive around them by at least 100m and position yourself on the windward side of the pack. Tuna will always feed into the wind, so this way they will come to you. Flicking 20-60g metals always works best on these speedsters and they’re a lot of fun on light gear. They make really great snapper

Christian Cochrane with a solid mulloway caught in the mouth on a live mullet. 24

SEPTEMBER 2017

baits too. You can grab tailor and yakkas at the sand pumping jetty, or macks, bonnies, pike and snapper around Kirra Reef if you need any fresh baits. Bait jigs, small plastics, metals and small baited hooks are working best. ESTUARY There are still a lot of mulloway in the system chasing the mullet on their annual run. Soaking a big live bait such as mullet, pike or tailor is still your best bet for a big mulloway. Try the south wall at the mouth, Blue Hole, Barneys Point Bridge, Boyds Bay Bridge and the various holes throughout the systems. These fish like to move around at the moment, so you might have to find which one holds more bait. Bream have been schooling up for spawning. Most rock walls, bridges and holes are holding good numbers this month. Try small plastics, crab lures, blades, vibes, hardbodied lures and drift baits for the best results. Luderick are starting to school up around most bridges and rock walls with stringy weed catching more fish. Try Barneys Point, the Chinderah rock walls, Blue Hole, Boyds rock wall, Dry Dock, Cobaki rock wall, Kingy rock wall and Hastings Point. Tailor, GTs and bigeye are in good numbers in the rivers this month. Try plastics and metals at Barneys Point Bridge, Boyds Bay Bridge and the Jack Evans rock wall. This is the month for big female flathead to start to enter our systems to breed up.Try the river mouth and sand banks around the mouth of the river for the best results. If you find a few smaller models, keep casting around that area; chances are there is a bigger one sitting there. Big females will emit an odour to attract smaller males to breed with and eat

them. Vertical jigging with a heavier weighted jigs and a 3-5” plastics works best. The mud crabs should start moving around this month with the rising water temperatures. Try shallow water where the water temperature is warmer, then the holes and main river. These areas will catch more crabs. Please note they will be a bit empty due to hibernating. BEACHES Beaches are looking

sunset at the moment. The south wall at Kingscliff is fishing really well with snapper, mulloway, tailor and large bream sitting in the gutter at the moment. Try a half pilchard on a single hook rig for a bit of fun. A few bigger greenbacks are at Flat Rock at the moment. Try ganged up pilchards of a night. There are heaps of beach worms and pipis on most south beaches if you need fresh baits. FRESHWATER The water temperature rise and high barometric pressure should see more bass firing up in local rivers, creeks and dams. Cicada lures are working best around sunup and in structure. Deep diving lures work best once the sun is up. For a bit of fun try soaking a grub, maggot or earth worm around the timber. This can produce bigger and better fish. NEXT MONTH Summer species such as mangrove jack should start coming out of hibernation and move around chasing mullet, fry and bait. Whiting should start to thicken up in spring. Targeting these species with beach worms and yabbies will be the best way to get a feed, but popping is a very fun way to catch a few bigger models. Bass will

Malcolm Scott with a solid flathead caught in the lakes on a plastic. really good this month, with good gutters right down to Byron Bay. Try soaking a ganged up pilchard or whole beach worm. Big plastics and metal lures are catching more and larger fish out of these gutters. Crushing pilchards at your feet will keep the fish in the gutter in front of you. Spinning metals off headlands and rock walls is doing well at sunup and

start to bite and thicken up in the creeks and dams. Look for a barometric pressure above 1020hPa for them to really fire up. Winter offshore species will be feeding up this month, trying to fatten up before they move on to their summer homes. Now is the best time of the year to get a whopper snapper, large tusky or pearly.

Can’t get any better than spring on the Tweed River whole water column. Make sure you make constant contact with the bottom using short rips of the rod tip and work the lure right back to the boat as by-catches of mulloway, tailor and even trevally are quite common. Please remember to only take what you need for lunch, as our tiny system cops a fair share of pressure

THE TWEED INSHORE

Tim Latter

September is here and that means crisp early mornings on the river chasing big flathead. Historically, spring time produces quality fishing on both baits and lures and is a favourite time of year for many anglers who enjoy a cool start to the day with the anticipation of a beautiful lunch of fresh fillets. Most stretches of the river will fish well for flathead this month. Just like the rest of the year, I prefer to fish the drains and drop-offs on the run-out tide and the flats or flooded sandbanks on the run-in. You can try different approaches, however the tried and tested methods usually come up trumps. Try plastics on the run-out and trolled hardbodies on the run-in. If you are a numbers fisho,

from both commercial and recreational fishers. Ethically, all fish over 60cm should be released to go on and reproduce and keep the dream of landing a lure-caught Tweed River flathead over the magic metre mark alive. Be kind and courteous on the water this month and remember it’s just lovely being out there.

Brock Perry with a quality fish taken from deeper water. covering lots of ground trolling pink lures could see you reaching your targets. This is a technique used

An early morning flathead in the lakes means lunch is sorted.

by many diehard flathead fishers, especially around this time of year when the Gold Coast Flathead Classic on. Those chasing the bigger specimens tend to up their lure size in order to ween out the smaller fish. During the start of the run-out tide a lot of the big girls will sit in the deeper holes of the river. Persistence is key. Good numbers of smaller males hitting the net can only mean that a big breeding female is within close proximity. As far as trolling lures for the bigger fish go, just run them long to get them deep in 5m+ of water. The early morning run-out tide in Cobaki Lake can produce some awesome fishing. Sit in 3-5m of water and hit the edges. You’ll find when the sun first hits the water, the flats will come alive with bait and the flathead sit just off the edge waiting to ambush. ZMan 4” Curl TailZ are my go-to for this style of fishing. The colour depends on water clarity, but golden boy is usually the first colour I try. Long hops and short pauses work well, but different techniques work on different days. Casting small bream style crankbaits and

suspending shallow running jerkbaits over the flats and weed beds of Terranora Lakes on a late afternoon run-up tide can prove successful. Small stickbaits and poppers will also work as the sun almost drops. Mid-week when there is less boat traffic you’ll have better catch rates as this area gets hard hit and the flathead spook easily in this part of the river. In the middle reaches of the main river between Chinderah and Tumbulgum a lot of anglers hop small metal blades along the bottom and achieve great success. The weight of these lures allows you to cover lots of ground and fish the

Ben Phillips with a monster flathead going over the metre mark.

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Early anglers catch the fish SOUTHERN GOLD COAST

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That’s a good thing because the fishing can be amazing in September, and it’s worth getting out there nice and early. ESTUARY September’s estuary fishing on the Gold Coast is dominated by flathead. Winter may be all about catching good numbers, but spring is all about catching big ones. Please keep in mind that the big fish are females, and to keep stocks in healthy numbers we need to take care of these breeders. Flathead are starting to move towards to river mouths to spawn. Drop-offs, rock walls and weed edges are all prime locations, and

technique will catch plenty of fish, and this can done land-based as well as from a boat or kayak. Making sure that the lure hits the bottom between lifts is vital. Hardbody lures that also bounce along the bottom will be just as productive. Bream are now spreading through the estuaries, however they are still schooled up in areas of the Tweed River. I’ve always found them to be in good numbers around the rock walls of the Tweed, Boyds Bay and the Kennedy Drive stretch of Terranora Creek. September’s clear water can make them a little shy, so fish with

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Trent Carr with a beautiful spangled emperor caught jigging off the Tweed. the Tweed, Currumbin and Tallebudgera areas are all loaded with this kind of structure. Flathead will also sit under the baitfish that seem to move in with the cool, clear water of the incoming tide. Find the baitfish and you’ll find the flathead. Working soft plastics with a simple lift-and-drop

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light fluorocarbon leaders during the day and keep lead as small as possible. Other species that have been around have included good numbers of chopper tailor, unusual numbers of flounder and plenty of delicious squid. BEACHES Beach fishing in September is all about the tailor. Both the rocks and beach have been fishing very well this year, and while they can still be a little patchy, persistence will always pay off. Early and late starts are a must, and for a little bit of fun from the rocks, try big poppers. Mulloway have been caught in the gutters during the evenings. Big baits are needed, but expect to lose a few to sharks. Deep gutters that are close to shore at low tide are the most productive, as well as being the easiest to fish. September is also a great time for dart and whiting, which can be caught all day long. Look for a gutter that is close

to the shore break, and if it has a little white water for cover, it should hold a lot of fish. Worms and pipis are the best baits, and will out-fish store-bought frozen bait every time. OFFSHORE It’s been a cracker snapper season, and I have a few mates that have been fishing around the Tweed Nine Mile and have been landing some very impressive catches. Snapper catches will taper off this month, but there should still be a few about. The close reefs between 18 and 24 fathoms have been holding fish, and the shallower water allows for jigging soft plastics. Nothing hits a soft plastic as hard as a snapper, which makes this a very addictive form of fishing. The current can be unpredictable at this time of year, so take plenty of jigheads of various weights,

along with a few plastics around the 5” mark such as Berkley Gulps. Snapper aren’t too fussy but they do like a stickbait. Kingfish and amberjack can be found in the deeper water. If the current allows, jigging the 50-fathom reefs will be very productive. Going even deeper again will give anglers the chance of catching some big yellowfin as well this month. A few of the boys from around the Tweed have been chasing them, and have promised to keep me posted, so stay tuned. Overall, September is an awesome mouth in the rivers and beaches. It’s a little bit slower offshore but the big flathead will make up for it. Good luck to everyone fishing the Flathead Classic this year. Let’s hope for better weather than we had to put up with last year.

The snapper fishing has been awesome this year, and Brendan Carr was so impressed with this beast that he ate his fishing rod.

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Low light fishing is producing great mixed bags GOLD COAST CANALS

Josh Dunn

As the water starts to warm and we head into prime flathead season, it’s time to start throwing around

some larger plastics. September is a good month for big flathead and the odd mulloway. Some anglers are fishing heavy in the Seaway and Jumpinpin, as there are still good mulloway

Zane Fraser got amongst a few bream around the lights where plenty of baitfish were congregating.

around. New gear is just hitting the markets after the AFTA Tackle Trade Show, so remember to keep an eye out! The Gold Coast Canals have been fishing really well lately, with some quality fish being caught. Early morning is definitely the key time to fish with late afternoon close behind. As always at this time of year, when the weather starts to warm up a bit, early morning and late afternoon are perfect times to fish. Fishing with surface hardbodies around the shaded areas of the canals as the sun is starting to peak over the horizon, is a great and fun way to fish. Throughout the Nerang River, early morning fishing can last up until around 10am, as the shade from the highrises will cover one side of the canal for quite a while. This gives you more fishing time and more time in the strike zone! Trevally have been caught this way, as well as bream, the odd mulloway, tailor and flathead. Over the next month or two we will see warmer weather heading into summer, which will see more activity throughout

The author with a mid 50s GT caught casting a ZMan 2.5” Slim SwimZ on a midnight session. the canals and estuaries. Baitfish will congregate in more numbers, ensuring that predatory fish won’t be too far away. Weather-wise, we could see a little rain in September and October, although it won’t be much to stress about. The tailor have started to slow down, but some fishers are still getting them around breakwalls. The Seaway north wall would be a perfect place to start.

Throwing metal spoons into the whitewash and burning them back fast should see a hook-up at the right time. Quite a few bream have been caught at night time, especially on the run-out after a big tide. A lot of baitfish seem to sit under the lights. Bream sit in the dark, attack the bait and will feed up all night long. If you can’t find many lights, try casting small weighted plastics around jetties and

other structure. Scent up the plastics and work them slow along the bottom. Over my last few sessions I’ve been getting at least three bream over 40cm from midnight to 4am. September can be a great month, both for fishing and for the weather. Plenty of quality fish are being caught all around, on plastics, hardbodies and also bait! Fish hard, and I’ll see you on the water!

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Flathead month hits the Gold Coast waterways GOLD COAST

David Green

September can be hampered by strong westerly winds, but on the wider grounds the bottom fishing can be very good. We usually see our coldest water temperatures of the year in September,

with the inshore grounds dropping to around 19°C and it’s around 21°C out on the continental shelf, although each year seems a bit warmer as far as water temperatures are concerned. Be careful if the weather forecast is for moderate to strong northwesterlies – it can get extremely rough

out on the 36 and 50 fathom lines. Snapper are a good target species to chase this month and so far it has been the best snapper season in about five years. Most of the fish have spawned by this time and are feeding hard to put on condition. Both the inshore grounds and the 36 fathom

A decent tailor from the Broadwater caught on a metal lure.

reef will produce good fish this month. Tide changes, dawn and dusk seem to fish the best. A bit of berley is a definite help, and deep soft plastics, slow jigging and the ever-reliable pilchard are all effective strategies. Fish over 80cm have turned up regularly throughout the winter months and these should continue into early spring. On the 50 fathom line there should be good numbers of pearl perch, pigfish and amberjacks. There are a few isolated pinnacles located in about 120m of water that have been producing fantastic pearl perch up to 5kg in recent months. While the location of these is locked in secrecy, it shows that if you explore wide of the 50 fathom line, it’s still possible to find new and relatively untouched spots. In closer to shore there should be mulloway at night and a few cobia around this month. Live baiting can be very productive. Slimy mackerel and tailor are my favourite baits at this time of year. Most of the mulloway will be caught at night. Some of

Michael Green with a cracker 72cm flathead caught from Tipplers on a Gulp lure.

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the pinnacles just off the Seaway and the artificial reefs to the north of it have been fishing well. Most of these fish have been around a metre long. It pays to be quite patient when chasing cobia and mulloway. In general a bit of berley and a well-anchored boat are the keys to success. You need to be fishing right on the ledge, wreck or pinnacle, rather than drifting. The usual scenario is that nothing much happens for an hour or two, then there is a period of frantic action as the fish find your baits. I’ve waited three hours for a bite then caught our bag limit of mulloway in ten minutes! Game fishing is generally slow this month, but there are a few options. There may be good concentrations of yellowfin tuna out on the 1000m line, and there will probably be quite a few striped marlin from the 36 fathom line out to the 300m line. If the sauris and gannets are around, there is a very good chance of a fish. If the water temperature is over 22°C, there is always the chance of a blue marlin as well. RIVERS AND ESTUARIES Overall, September is predominately ‘flathead month’ on the Gold Coast,

but there are plenty of good options both on the offshore grounds and in the estuaries. The estuary water will warm up a bit this month, and when the wind is a northwesterly it can severely shut down the fishing. This month usually sees a lot of big female flathead move towards the entrances and fish over 75cm are common. The deep entrances at Jumpinpin and the Seaway can be very productive using both large soft plastics and soft vibes. Make sure your jighead is sufficient to get to the bottom. I generally use weights of 30-90g in the deep water. This method will also produce quite a few mulloway. In shallower water, big fish can be targeted using long soft plastic stickbaits. This exciting method, pioneered by Chris Metcalfe on the Gold Coast, uses large long white stickbaits like big Sluggos, Silstar Slapstix and the Storm Jigging Eel in shallow water. The lure is unweighted, so it glides over the top of the flats. This is a fantastic and innovative method that is extremely effective on large flathead. The lure is rigged with a large worm hook at the front and a stinger at

the rear of the lure. Tr o l l i n g should also be effective this month, working shallow hardbodies across the

flats. Already this season, catches of over 40 fish per session have been quite common. Most of the fish have been between

40 and 60cm, but in September the average size generally increases as the spawning run gets into full-swing.

Joey Bonnici with a great pearl perch.

While most of the activity is focused on flathead, there are other good options. As the water warms up a bit and the days get longer, mangrove jacks become a lot more active in the canals of the Coomera and Nerang Rivers. Casting both hardbodied lures and paddle-tail plastics around the hundreds of floating pontoons can be quite effective in September, and a few fish over 50cm will turn up this month. As well as mangrove jacks, this tactic produces estuary cod, big-eye and giant trevally and the odd oversized tailor. There should be plenty of tailor around on the run-in tides this month. Big schools of white pilchards often move into the estuaries and the tailor schools are easy to find by looking for terns and seagulls. There may also be a few Australian salmon mixed in with the tailor, but it’s hard to predict whether the salmon will push far enough north to reach Queensland. The Gold Coast Sportfishing Club’s Flathead Classic will be held later this month, and the fishing over winter has been very good. Good luck to all teams fishing the 2017 Flathead Classic.

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SEPTEMBER 2017

Jumpinpin springs into life JUMPINPIN

Mick Morris gembait@tpg.com

Spring has brought the fish on the bite. With the weather always good at this time of year, I suggest we get out and make the most of it while the conditions are this good. The flathead season is well

and truly upon us with lizards feeding in the shallows around Cabbage Tree Point right through to the deepest water from Kalinga Banks to the Pin bar. Fishing the shallows for flatties is the easiest way to score yourself a few, as they are more concentrated in areas. You can target specific areas where they will be hiding like drains, weed patches and small

Sam Hill is making the most of a bumper flathead season.

drop-offs. When fishing the shallows, pay attention to how much bait is in the area, either by sight or using your sounder. If there are baitfish everywhere then that means that there are predatory fish in the area and the bait is getting stirred up. If it’s dead quiet and there’s no surface activity, you can bet that the fishing is going to be slow as well. When fishing the deeper water, it’s harder to locate and see what bait is about and harder to find those places where the fish are holding. Use your sounder to look for snags, weed or dropoffs where a flatty could be. As always, if you find some fish, guaranteed there will be more in the same area. Use bigger baits and lures in the deeper water with enough weight to get down to the bottom. Use slightly heavier gear, as at this time of year the flathead can be up to 1m long and quite a handful to get in. Remember, all fish over 75cm must be released and the bag limit for flathead is five per angler. The best spots to try for flatties this month are the flats just north of Cabbage Tree Point and across from Rocky Point, from the Pig Styes to the dead trees at the bottom of North Straddie, Pandannus Bank,

the green bank and around Tipplers Island. It’s also tailor season and they have turned up in good numbers. There are some real thumping greenbacks amongst them, too. They have been showing up in the surf across from the Bedrooms to the top of South Straddie and making their way inside the ‘Pin bar in search of baitfish. Early morning or late afternoon into the first few hours of dark will give you your best chance at these beauties. Bonito fillets and pillies are proving to be the best baits. There were reports of a few longtail tuna coming through the bar, but they’re extremely hard to stop on tailor gear. It just goes to show that when you see birds diving, you never know what’s lurking underneath. Bream are still thick at this time of year around any rocky areas or spots where there are a lot of snags. Try to use baits that hold the hook better like squid or flesh, as bream are experts at stealing baits. While yabbies and prawns are the pick of the baits when bream fishing, they are easily pinched off your hook by cunning bream. This should be a good month on the mulloway as well around the deep water

This cracking greenback tailor caught by Trevor Spann went over 4kg from the surf on South Straddie. off Swan Bay, Giants Grave and the eastern point of Short Island. Use big baits like mullet, gar, pike or 6-9” plastics when chasing mulloway to avoid the pickers knocking your bait off. Be sure to set the hooks when you get a run; I’ve seen fishos fight mulloway hard for a few minutes before the mulloway

simply let the bait go. It’s a heartbreaking way to lose a big fish. • Thanks for all your reports and keep those fish coming in. If you’d like any advice or up to date fishing information drop us a line at Gem Bait & Tackle on (07) 3287 3868 or email gembait@tpg.com.au.

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There are plenty of great targets in September SOUTHERN BAY

Nick Whyte

This month should see the strong westerlies ease and we’ll have some nice clean water around the southern bay. The main targets for this month will be snapper, choppers, bream, winter whiting, flatties and the odd mulloway.

Tailor have been terrorizing bait throughout Jumpinpin and the southern bay. There have been decently sized fish taken around the Bay Islands on trolled lures around the reef edges. Green Island, Mud and Peel have given up their fair share. Down around Jumpinpin the choppers have been following the bait in and out with the tides. Small slugs and

A great bream from the ‘Pin.

poppers have been working on the busting schools. A high-speed plastic burned up from the bottom also seems irresistible to them. Bream and luderick have been off the hook throughout the Jumpinpin with these fish congregating around the sunken timber. There has been plenty of fish on the southern side of Short Island as well as the deep hole on the northern side of Crusoe Island. Fresh cabbage is best for the luderick, and small vibes or curl-tailed soft plastics are best for the bream. Chicken gut or yabbies work for those who want to soak a bait. Mulloway have been around in good numbers through the southern bay. Great fish to just under the metre mark have been hanging around the Peel and Coochie artificial reef balls. There have also been a few around isolated rock bars and wrecks. Using your Sidescan to locate these fish is the trick. They move around a lot and will react to a soft plastic or micro-jig dropped in front of their faces. Live baits are irresistible to them or a slow sinking well-presented, pilly will do the trick. Around the ‘Pin bar the big tides have returned the best results. Try working around the tide change for best results. Big plastics or live baits are the go. Live pike would be the go-to bait down there. Sound out the big balls of bait and these big silver ghosts won’t be too far away. Big baits or lures won’t catch you plenty of fish, but if you’re after that trophy fish, your best

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Glen and Claudia had a ball catching great fish like this flathead and bream. bet is to use legal size tailor or mullet, or 8” plastics and large hardbodies. There have been some really big snapper caught in the southern bay over the last few weeks. Most of the reports have come from the deeper water along the western side of Peel, the Harry Atkinson Artificial Reef and the trench to the east of Green Island. The big fish have fallen to live winter whiting or large soft plastics fished close to the bottom. Flathead have been in great numbers through the middle section of the bay with plenty of fish coming from all around Garden Island. The top end of Pannikin Island has been holding good bait, along with the western side of Russell Island around Giants Grave. The best techniques have been to troll small hardbodies around until you find the fish and then target the areas with soft plastics. You can also drift with large hardiheads or pillies. Winter whiting are everywhere at the moment. There have been some

big numbers coming from the Pelican Bank and the Naval Banks to the north of Peel Island. The best baits have been fresh worms, but they’ll take squid strips quite readily as well. A little red tube above the hook and drift fishing until you find the school will see the best results. Look for the weed edges as a drift line. If you have a great capture from the southern bay area you would like to share, email pictures and details

An early morning mulloway caught on a 5” ZMan PaddlerZ Bad Shad.

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through to techfishing@ hotmail.com. Until next month, tech-it-easy. • If you would like to learn more about targeting fish on artificial lures or would like to learn how to get the most out of your sounder, please call Nick on 0422 213 669 to customize an on-water session to suit your fishing or sounder needs. Check out the Tech Fishing Facebook page for further information. Your boat – his knowledge – more fish!

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Low light is when the fish bite MORETON BAY

Ryan Smith

September is always an exciting month, because all the winter species peak and the summer fish start to show up.

around rock drop-offs and deeper holes during the middle of the day. I have found the final stages of the sunset to be the best time to catch a few, because there is a temperature drop that brings them on the bite. Flicking small to

sun started to go down, we found that the juvenile snapper were moving out of these deeper holes and into the shallows looking for a feed. A number of mulloway have been getting around the southern bay islands recently with soft vibes and plastics being the standout lures. Fishing the top of the tide or the bottom of the tide is key, because there is less

of fishing, bream have been the most common catch. Areas with rocky outcrops or weed beds are a great place to start looking for bream. Low light periods are best for this; however, you can still catch them during the day. Small soft plastics and hardbody lures are great for these areas, because you can cover ground quickly. Flathead are also a great species to target when land-

The author with a juvenile snapper caught on a ZMan 3” Minnow in a natural colour on sunset.

This bream took a liking to the author’s Bassday Sugapen on a recent land-based session. There has been a variety of fishing options in the southern bay for juvenile snapper, mulloway, bream and squid. Juvenile snapper have been on many anglers’ minds including mine. I have been chasing them

medium sized soft plastics with a jighead to suit the depth and conditions is my preferred approach. On a recent session during the middle stages of the day, it was quiet with a few smaller fish coming from the deeper sections. As soon as the

Chris Pell with a mulloway from the southern bay caught on a soft vibe. run so the mulloway don’t need to use as much energy to chase food. On the land-based side

based, and they’re great for people who are just starting out with lures. Flathead love a soft plastic bouncing off

the bottom and are great fun to catch on the light gear. When chasing flathead, a small 3” soft plastic with a paddle-tail or curl-tail and a jighead to suit is a great starting point. The technique for flathead is fairly simple. All you need is long casts over the chosen area. Let the soft plastic sink to the bottom. Use small lifts of the rod to give the plastic a little action to draw the flathead to it. Squid have been on all angler’s minds with plenty of them showing themselves around the local

foreshores at night. Small to medium sized jigs are perfect for these areas and always remember to have a loose drag. September is looking to be a key month for the bay with a variety of fish being caught. I hope all of you get a chance to wet a line this month. If you want to know any more info or ask me any questions, come into Dave’s Bayside Bait and Tackle in Victoria Point and we are always happy to have a chat. Until next month, tight lines and screaming drags.

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Going old school on the schoolies in the bay BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

As conditions begin to get a little warmer, we will see a gradual change in some of the more prominent species. September’s best options can include flathead, school mackerel, threadfin, cobia, squid and mangrove jack. Species such as mulloway, snapper, tailor, crabs and numerous others should still be on your radar. Crabbing will start to improve, however water temperatures can still dictate how prevalent they are in certain areas. September can be a bit of a mixed month, but there is still plenty to chase with a seafood smorgasbord of options available. Let’s explore a few of your possibilities. SCHOOL MACKEREL During September, large numbers of school mackerel often accumulate in some of the major channels through the bay. The Rous is probably the best known and the northern end of the Rainbow Channel, Kianga Channel (Western Rocks area) and Pearl Channel can all fire. Additionally they are sometimes plucked from around the beacons along the edges of the NE and NW shipping channels and around the edges of the major banks systems in the middle of the bay. Mackerel presence is very tidal in these areas and they will often come on the chew just before or after the changes. In the Rous, I often find the start of the run-out to be good, however this can change depending on how much tidal difference there is. The larger tides seem to be the best from my experience. In this area, a good indication that the mackerel are on the chew is the commercial line fishers from Straddie transiting along the edges of the banks with lines aft. They will generally be trolling small spoons, using paravanes to get them down deep. Recreational anglers can also employ this highly successful yet sometimes tedious method to score a feed. The common rig consists of a monofilament handline around 25kg, which is attached to a paravane or trolling board (the Yamashita No.6 is a popular board). A 4-5m fluorocarbon leader is attached to the rear of the trolling board or paravane and the other end is then attached to a small ball38

SEPTEMBER 2017

Trolled lures and drifted pilchards will produce school mackerel for anglers fishing in the major channels and around the bay islands during September. bearing snap swivel that is clipped to spoon. This trolling rig is generally deployed 20-30m behind the boat and dragged at 4-6 knots. Once a mackerel is hooked, constant pressure and a hand over hand retrieve is required to avoid the hook falling out. The fish is commonly swung aboard by the leader once it’s close to the boat. A gaff or landing net can be used at times, however a single hook combined with a larger than normal penetration hole, due to skull-dragging the fish in, will often result in the hook falling out when the retrieve is paused and the mackerel gives a few head shakes. Therefore, swinging the mackerel aboard is generally the safest option, unless you have another person on hand with a net or gaff. Make sure the hooks on your lure are very sharp and check them regularly. Check out my techniques article in this issue for options on changing out rusted or damaged hooks on your spoon lures. Minnow lures also produce strikes from mackerel when trolled along the edges of these channels and ledges. Lures

to around 120mm that dive between 4-6m are good choices for this pursuit when trolled using a rod and reel outfit (no paravane

good choices from my experience. Troll these as fast as you can without them blowing out of the water. Using braided line (10-20lb is ideal) and getting the line as flat to the water as you can by either using flat line riggers or a rubber band system to pull the line closer to the gunwale will allow you to troll faster. Drifting the channels with gang-hook rigged pillies is another successful way to connect to a few mackerel. You may need a little weight to get the bait down when the current is running hard, or a balloon to keep it up from the bottom during the changes of tide. Often, once one mackerel is hooked, another two can be hooked by casting and retrieving chromed slugs and slices at speed. I generally fish on the drift. Anchoring and berleying with thin slices of pilchard will also get you into the action. Squid will often attack your pilchard baits in these channels, so having a squid jig handy is a good ploy. When you see your rod bend and slightly pulse under the weight of a squid, wind it in slowly and then drop the squid jig (or a baited skewer) close to the squid before pulling the pilchard away from it. The squid will usually attack the jig or skewer and get hooked. Jigging beacons along the edges of the major shipping channels with chromed slugs and slices is a fun way to get a few September schoolies. Use

until you are back to the surface. Try several zones around a beacon before moving on to the next one. Although a beacon may not produce initially, another try a few hours later may reap rewards. SQUID September still provides anglers with some quality squid fishing around the bay. The major channels will hold good numbers of both tiger and arrow squid. The shallows around the Bay Islands and foreshore areas such as Manly, Wellington Point, Scarborough, Wynnum and Cleveland can all hold good numbers of both cephalopods. They are commonly taken on cast and retrieved squid jigs, however some anglers use high-powered LED headlamps and torches to spot them in the shallows at night before they cast to them. Dragging a squid jig or baited skewer behind the boat while you drift adjacent the bay islands, or scour the flats chasing whiting, will often reward you with a calamari feast that evening. If the current is slow, use a small float to suspend the squid jig a few metres below the surface. Retrieving squid jigs over areas of reef, rubble, rock and weed beds is a fun way to chase squid, with most attacks and strikes being visual. In the channels further in the bay, increased numbers of arrow squid are usually around during

Often while you’re drifting pilchards, squid will attack your bait. Slowly winding the bait towards the surface and presenting a squid jig to the squid will generally result in a tasty cephalopod being secured. or trolling board). This is a lot of fun once the fish is hooked. Metallics and other natural finishes are

a 30-50g chromed lure, cast it close to the beacon then allow it to sink until it hits the bottom. Crank flatstick or in an erratic fashion

September. Sometimes they ignore the conventional squid jig, only attacking a baited skewer. The arrows are a longer, thinner squid

than the tigers, often having a deep orange to purple colouration straight from the water. When lightly cooked, arrows are just as tasty as tigers and are well worthwhile targeting. COBIA With waters beginning to warm, cobia numbers increase throughout Moreton Bay and on the shallow offshore reefs. Indications are it’s going to be one of the better years since 2011, when cobia numbers seemed to dwindle considerably. Already I have seen reports of specimens better than 30kg caught. Many of these early brutes have been taken from offshore reefs. However, with a baitfish influx, numbers of cobia should improve throughout the bay. Cobia can be located and targeted around shipping channel beacons, ledges or coffee rock areas and occasionally around the fringes of large baitfish schools. Cobes are mainly caught in the northern bay from the Four Beacons north. Occasionally one gets caught around Peel or the Harry Atkinson. The Comboyuro Ledge, Benowa Track Grounds and Curtin Artificial always produce a few quality cobia during September. Large live baits are definitely the best way to tempt these large predators. Large fish baits, including whiptails, bonito, yakkas and slimy mackerel, as well as whole sand crabs (legal sizes need to be adhered to), squid and several others will get results. Overhead and heavy spinning rod outfits are great with 10-24kg line. Cobia can be dirty fighters and will often head to the nearest piece of structure to bust you off. Heavy leaders of 80-130lb are recommended, but some are virtually impossible to land in some areas. FLATHEAD September is considered one of the best months for targeting flathead throughout South East Queensland. Large numbers head to inshore grounds on their reproductive journey. From the channels at the entrance to the estuaries all the way up the creeks and rivers to brackish zones, flathead can be encountered either with specific targeting or by chance. In the lower reaches of the estuaries, flathead are common around the sand and mud bank areas. They can move around a lot during the tidal phase and are more common up on the tops of the banks during

the higher stages and along the edges of the banks and in the channels during the falling tide. Targeting these areas at the appropriate times with baits or lures will generally work. If you get one flathead, you can find several more in the same area, so it pays to work it over thoroughly. Drifting the channels and edges of the flats with whole fish baits such as hardiheads, whitebait, pilchards, mullet and herring can be very rewarding and a great way to get amongst a few flathead, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the estuarine area you are fishing. Use just enough lead to get your bait to the bottom and a leader of around 50cm, so your bait will waft around as you drift. Bream, whiting, mulloway, trevally and numerous other specimens

Live baits of herring, mullet, prawns, pike and the like are also highly attractive to jacks. These are generally fished adjacent to structures and in deeper holes along rock walls and around the scoured-out zones at the bases of bridge pylons. Use a minimum of lead, a long 15-25kg fluorocarbon leader, a super sharp suicide or kahle pattern hook and 10-20kg main line – either braid or monofilament. You will need to hold the rod to sense the vibrations of the panicking bait as a jack lurks nearby and also to strike hard and work the fish sternly. Jacks will increase in prominence over the coming months and September will often produce some rather creditable captures. OTHERS Even though water temperatures will be on the rise during September,

though, even though the bay fishery has been a little hit and miss. Casting lures or soaking quality baits around the margins of the Bay Islands and artificial reefs should still reward you with snapper, cod, tuskfish and sweetlip this month. The lower reaches of the Brisbane River and numerous zones along the Logan will hold quality threadies, with numbers increasing with the water temperatures. These quality sport and table fish will just get better in coming months, and anglers can have a lot of fun targeting them on vibration baits, soft plastics and numerous other artificials. Naturally, live offerings are well worth using, and anchoring up along the edges of the decline into the main riverbed at high tide then fishing several hours of the

CREATE YOUR ADVENTURES

390 STALKER Flathead will be present in huge numbers throughout the estuaries, creeks and rivers, and can be taken on a broad array of lures and baits over the coming months. can be caught this way. MANGROVE JACK With water temperatures on the rise, mangrove jack activity will be heightened during September. Keen and knowledgeable anglers target them with an array of lures including diving minnows, soft plastics, topwater offerings, vibration baits and numerous others. Casting close to prominent structure such as rock walls, mangrove snags, jetties pontoons, bridge pylons and the like will get your lure clobbered. The closer you get to the structure the greater the likelihood of a strike. Fast reactions and some swift and powerful rod work are required to pry these crimson attackers away from their snaggy sanctuary. Hesitation or a lack of concentration will result in a frayed line and one less lure to grace the tackle tray.

there will still be plenty of the classic winter fare to be taken. Mulloway, tailor, snapper and bream numbers will still be healthy throughout South East Queensland. Tailor can show up almost anywhere and are taken in the channels and around oceanic bars as well as up the Brisbane and Logan rivers. Lighted areas are often good places to search at night, because baitfish activity will attract tailor to the light. Mulloway and threadfin will also be taken around these areas at night along the Brisbane River. Snapper numbers should be fairly good throughout Moreton Bay and in the Brisbane River. It hasn’t been a great season for them based on reports and my personal observations on the water. Quality specimens have been caught offshore

run-out will generally be productive. CONCLUSION September has a lot to offer anglers fishing in the estuaries, rivers and Moreton Bay. A healthy array of species are present with both winter and summer fare on the angling menu. Crabs will become a more prolific, so setting a few pots is worthwhile in the bay, rivers and even well up the smallest creeks filtering into the estuarine systems. With air and water temperatures now on the rise, anglers will find conditions a lot more favourable for being in the great outdoors. Combine the climate with some quality fishing and you will have an experience to remember. With numerous fish species available, plus crabs, squid and a few prawns, you should be able to rustle up a good feed. Enjoy!

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SEPTEMBER 2017

Spring fishing is even better BRISBANE OFFSHORE

John Gooding

A month can make a huge difference. July and August turned on both the weather and the fishing. We’ve managed to do plenty of charters back-to-back and the snapper fishing has been very consistent with fish up to 7kg. The snapper have been widespread and we’ve caught good fish from areas such as the 33s, 35s,

Round Patch and the 90m line between Square Patch and Deep Tempest on the 42 fathom line. Normally at this time of year we would spend a few sessions fishing Deep Tempest. With the other areas fishing consistently there has been no need to venture up there. Along with the snapper, we’ve been pulling a few pearl perch and amberjack that have taken a liking to floatlined pillies. Most of the fish have

come that way, but we’ve also caught good fish on flesh strips of bonito or mac tuna we’ve caught. The Australian bonito works well fresh, as it breaks up easier than the mac tuna and puts a berley in the water. Mac tuna isn’t quite as good but if I fillet it down and freeze it, it’s a little easier to get on and off the hooks than when it’s fresh. It catches its fair share of fish. The quality of the snapper lately has been pleasing and it has been good not to have to put many on the

Some happy boys with a couple of snapper caught floatlining.

SEPTEMBER 2017 Fishing Monthly Ad 0417 HR

measuring stick. This month the snapper should continue to hold along the main lines of reef and they’ll be well worth the effort to target. Remember when targeting snapper, you don’t need to have the sounder all lit up with shows to catch good fish. Sometimes all you need is a few flecks on the sounder or just to drift around the structure where you have caught fish previously. One area where this can work well is the 33 fathom line where you can often get a good driftline between the bits of broken structure. As I said quite often you will pull good fish without seeing a lot on the sounder. If I’m getting a good driftline between my GPS points, I regularly turn my sounder off to reduce the risk of spooking the fish. Also if you are pulling fish from a particular driftline, when returning for your next drift, don’t sound back over your driftline; go well wide of it again to reduce the risk of spooking feeding fish. Other options east of the south passage this month include working the shallow reefs around Point Lookout for mixed reefies and working the wider grounds with livies or jigs for kings and amberjacks.

A quality snapper that would put a smile on anyone’s face. • Until next month, enjoy your fishing, take care on the coastal bars and if you’d like to join me on charter (max.

eight persons), give me a call on (07) 3822 9527 or 0418 738 750 or visit my website outlawcharters.com.au.

A bonus 18kg amberjack that gave this angler a solid workout.

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The fishing action is heating up NORTHERN BAY

Grayson Fong graysonfong@bigpond.com

With the cooler months behind us for another year, the longer days are a welcome change and anglers will enjoy this beautiful spring weather. After our annual dose of westerly Ekka winds through last month,

the fishing heat has really started to rise along with the mercury, letting many anglers enjoy a sneaky little fish before and after work. With the mildness of our winter this year, water temperatures didn’t hit their usual low, so the fishing has been somewhat steady with no temperature fluctuations to stir the fishing activity. Flathead numbers

have been constant and underwhelming over the winter. Juvenile snapper and bream activity have been somewhat of a flat line in the northern bay. Spring is usually a great time to fish in the northern bay, with easterly winds expected to push bait up from the southern bay and into our many estuaries, bringing feeding pelagics along with them. The

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rise in water temperature also brings an increase in feeding aggression, as their roaming increases their appetites. Surface activity is sure to pick up with bream, trevally and flathead working the fast flowing areas of our estuarine systems. The Pine River is a great example of this activity with the bread and butter species like bream, whiting and flathead feeding patterns really accelerating over this next few months. PUMICESTONE PASSAGE After a non-eventful winter, Bribie has really started to fire with many anglers finding a little bit of rain goes a long way. Bream numbers have risen with Cooks and

Tiger Rocks showing good form, especially on the surface at high tide. A decrease in the weed has seen the canals fish a little better with the Ningi flats also starting to fish well. Glasshouse Creek and the 112 have been the surprise packets with anchored up anglers using fresh baits for great success in these two areas. Slow rolled hardbody lures and soft plastics have been working well on the flathead front in the main channel. Sylvan Beach and Turner Camp have been noted hotspots. Coochin Creek has started to produce some sand whiting on the receding tides with freshly pumped yabbies yielding the most success. PINE RIVER The Pine is starting to shine over the last few weeks with the bulk of the fishing activity happening at the lower reaches of the system. Natural colours like bloodworm and gudgeon work the best in lower light hours for flathead and bream. The mouth of Bald Hills Creek and Dohles Rocks have been firing at the start of the run-out tide with sand whiting thrown into the mix. Upriver bream have been steady on the top of the tide with anglers anchoring up near the bends for success. Small mulloway and threadfin salmon have also been caught in some of the deeper holes upriver, which is an excellent sign that baitfish are starting to hold in this system. REDCLIFFE PENINSULA After a rather non-eventful winter, the peninsula is slowly starting to fire, now that

Edward Berry with a decent sand whiting. the weed infestation is calming down. Shallow water activity is increasing with bream and juvenile snapper feeding well over the bommies on the top of the tides. Slender jerkbait style lures have been working well for many kayak anglers as their stealthy approaches have been paying dividends. Bait schools have been prominent with roaming bream usually not far from the mix and tailor ripping through the bait hoards on the surface. Bream numbers have been good with the water temperature rising.

Lightly weighted plastics have also been working well for bream and flathead on the Peninsula with Clontarf Foreshore being an area of interest for good flathead on the bottom of the tide. Hays Inlet still has some whiting and the ebbing tide has worked well in that area. TIP OF THE MONTH There is a lot on the market, but polarized sunglasses are a must when fishing all day in our bay. Polarised sunglasses cut through the glare and protect your eyes. Be sure to do your research and buy a reputable brand.

Jelisa Zielke and her fiance went fishing at Jumpinpin one Saturday and she managed to get her PB flathead at 84cm on a 5” ZMan paddle-tail. It was an awesome fish that was later released.

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Got to love the spring fishing! NOOSA

Peter Wells

The top end of the beautiful Noosa River has really been firing, with some large flathead exceeding the upper size limit of 75cm. These big girls are the reason we have such a great fishery. Working soft plastics in brighter colours has been a great way to tangle with big flatties. Whiting catches are also

improving, and as the weather warms these tasty fish will really start to come on. Fish the lower end of the Noosa River with live beach worms and freshly pumped yabbies and you will achieve great results. If you get the right conditions, fishing surface walkers and smaller poppers is also a great way to tangle with these fish. For those with boats, venturing up around the Ski Run should reward anglers with good numbers of

Jeremy Hoover caught this quality snapper from the Gneerings just off Mooloolaba.

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trevally, and even the odd mulloway in the deeper sections. For the best results try using soft plastic lures such as the Squidgy Paddle Prawn, Zerek Prawns and Samaki Thumper Tails. The Woods bays are also firing when it comes to trevally, with the highly prized goldens in good numbers. The early morning and late afternoons have been the most favourable times. Micro-jigs like the Blue Blue and Ima Jigs have been perfect for the job, with the quick lift-and-drop technique seeing some good-sized fish boated. Tailor are also making their presence felt in the Sunshine Coast river systems. Plenty of anglers have been complaining of bite-offs, with their lures or bait getting snipped off before the fight has even begun. This is usually the work of the mighty tailor, and there are some big fish cruising the rivers at the moment. We recommend a fluorocarbon trace rather than a wire trace, as these fish tend to see the wire and shy away. Using 20lb fluorocarbon is a good choice; you’ll still get snipped off sometimes, but you will get more bites than you would with wire. The Maroochy River has been running hot with whiting over the past few weeks. Wading the sand flats around Chambers Island or fishing the Black Banks area has seen anglers tangle with some nice elbow slappers. Flathead are in great numbers in the Maroochy River and can be found right through the system. Fishing soft plastics is a great way to get a feed of these tasty fish. Flathead tend to collect in breeding groups at this time of year, so where there’s one there will usually be plenty more. We’ve had good success lately on Keitech 3” Easy Shiners, which have realistic colouring and a great swimming action. The upper reaches of the river have started to turn it on with good size school mulloway and a few jacks on the bite. Getting out early in the morning is the key, as the fish usually feed more aggressively as the sun starts to rise. You will also find that darker lures in low light

periods work that bit better, as the fish can more easily see the lure’s silhouette. On the beaches, tailor are still in good numbers on Noosa’s North Shore. Fishing north of Teewah has been very productive, with the good old pilchard on three ganged hooks the proven method. Night anglers have been getting the bigger greenbacks as well as the odd mulloway. Tailor fillets are a great bait for mulloway, so if you are planning to spend the night make sure you put a couple aside for bait. Whiting have made their way onto the beaches, with live worms being the best bait. Bream and dart are also in those closer gutters, with the high tide producing the better fish. Both the Maroochy and Noosa river mouths have been prime areas for tailor anglers, with the last two hours of the run-in tide the most productive. On the southern beaches around Marcoola and Yaroomba, dart along with quality whiting and bream have been in good numbers. There are some good gutters down toward Pincushion Island which have been producing fish. Peeled prawns and cured worms have been the go-to baits. OFFSHORE When the weather has allowed, large numbers of boats have been doing the big steam out to the Barwon Banks. Anglers that have picked the best of the conditions have been well

SEPTEMBER 2017

rewarded with some quality snapper, pearlies, amberjack, tuskfish and Moses perch. North Reef has also been delivering the goods, with boats filling their eskies with pearl perch, Moses perch, quality snapper and some excellent tuskfish. Sunshine Reef has been the most popular with the smaller craft, with some good snapper, trout and sweetlip all boated. Out of Mooloolaba, the Inner Gneerings has seen decent size squire along with small kingfish. Micro-jigs around the 20g size have been

Milan Milne with a very nice Maroochy River flathead.

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Alex Qualischski was happy with this great whiting from the river.

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claiming their fair share of fish. When fishing the close reefs, berley is key – and if you can freeze it and get it to the bottom in a berley pot, that’s even better. Caloundra 9-Mile and 12-Mile have been firing for snapper, amberjack, pearl perch and cobia. Fishing live baits hard to the bottom has been the most productive approach. FRESHWATER In the freshwater there are good numbers of big bass in Lake Borumba, with the bigger fish holding in the deeper water near the spillway. Spinnerbaits that are allowed to sink to the bottom then slowly ‘hopped’ through the suspended fish are attracting plenty of hits. Saratoga catches are also becoming more common as the water temperatures increase. In Lake Macdonald, schools of bass are holding in the deeper sections, and as the weather warms up fishing the surface around the edges will also start to produce fish. • For all the latest information log onto www.fishingnoosa. com.au for up to date bar and fishing reports. Drop into Davo’s Tackle world Noosa or Davo’s Northshore Bait & Tackle at Marcoola to find out where the fish are biting, and remember tight lines and bent spines!

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Fisheries news

Watch out for white spot disease prawns White spot disease is a highly contagious viral infection that affects crustaceans such as prawns, crabs and yabbies. It was first discovered on prawn farms in South East Queensland in December 2016, causing the largest response to an aquatic disease in Queensland’s history. When found in high intensity production areas, like prawn farms, white spot results in the rapid mortality of prawns. This can have a devastating effect on our aquaculture industry, as prawn farming is an important and valuable sector for Queensland. In the 2015-16 financial year, for example, there was an estimated 4300t of prawns produced in Queensland, representing a value of approximately $80.5 million and employing around 295 fulltime staff. Since its detection on prawn farms, the causative agent for white spot syndrome virus has also been found in a number of wild crustaceans in the Moreton Bay area, prompting movement restrictions to be put in place. This means that

If you buy or catch prawns or crustaceans that you think may have white spot disease then remember to report it immediately. raw prawns, yabbies and marine worms cannot be removed from the movement restricted area. The restricted area extends from Caloundra to the New South Wales border, following a line 100m off the eastern coasts of Bribie, Moreton and Stradbroke Islands. These restrictions are in place to reduce the likelihood of the disease

spreading through humanassisted movement. Surveillance for white spot has been conducted outside of the restricted area, along the east coast of Queensland up to Cairns, to see whether the white spot virus has spread further north. However, to date, all prawns that have been tested in these areas have returned negative results

for the white spot virus, which is a great result. In order for Queensland to regain an internationally recognised white-spotfree status, and to lift movement restrictions, surveillance must continue within the restricted area for a minimum of two years, during which time all samples must return negative results.

In a bid to eradicate white spot disease from South East Queensland, the Queensland Government has committed more than $15 million dollars and is intending to commit further funding over the next two years. This will assist affected prawn farms to return to operation and will help Queensland to once again regain a white-spotfree status. It is not yet known how the white spot virus was introduced into Queensland, however, to ensure the ongoing health of our extraordinary marine habitat and protect our local industries, it’s important that fishers only use Australian wild-caught prawns as bait. Imported, raw prawns, especially those bought from the supermarket, should not be used as they may carry unwanted diseases, which could then be introduced into Australian waterways. As we have seen with white spot, these diseases can have devastating consequences. To help stop the spread of white spot there are a number of things you can do. Firstly, make sure you

don’t move raw prawns, yabbies or marine worms out of the white spot restricted area. Heavy penalties may apply if you do so. If going fishing, check your bait to ensure it is Australian wildcaught from a quality bait supplier and not from the supermarket. Prawns bought from the supermarket are for human consumption and should not be used as bait. Make sure you put all unwanted bait and seafood in the bin and not into natural waterways, as imported crustaceans such as prawns could carry diseases. Lastly, have a go at catching your own bait, that way you know where they come from and that the fish already love them. If you buy or catch prawns or crustaceans that you think may have white spot disease then remember to report it immediately by contacting Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23 or by filling out an online reporting form at www. daf.qld.gov.au/wsd – you can also find out more information about white spot here and view a map of the movement restricted area. – DAF

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For more info, visit www.qld.gov.au/checkyourbait Authorised by the Queensland Government, William St, Brisbane 46

SEPTEMBER 2017

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for Australian conditions different from designing a rod for fish in other parts of the world?” The easiest way to answer that is that the majority of light tackle rods that get imported to Australia come mostly through Japanese or American companies. These companies are predominately designing rods for largemouth bass. Even though largemouth bass are somewhat similar looking to some of our Aussie fish, they are in fact very different in the way they breed and, more importantly, very different in the way they eat and feed. So, when purchasing your next rod, make sure it has been designed for Australian species and conditions. This series has been designed for both bait and lure angling, and features three ranges: Estuary, Offshore and Barra. The Estuary Series has six spin models: from designated individual surface and crankbait models, to the finesse special 70SUL designed for ultra-light bait and lure fishing, to the heaviest model in the series, the 70ML. This series delivers refinement, precision, and lightness.

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Wonderful weather on offer at Fraser Coast HERVEY BAY

Dane Radosevic

It’s hard to believe just how good the weather has been here on the Fraser Coast recently. Weekend after weekend has rolled on with light winds and clear skies, and the mid-week weather has been just as good. The fishing has ranged from outstanding to somewhat disappointing, depending on the fishery and the impact of good weather and increased fishing pressure.

the way to the boat and they will take a variety of plastics, micro-jigs and blades. There are some great diamonds, goldens and GTs out there worthy of a pose for the camera, with longnosed, brassy, bludger and other trevallies all willing to get in on the fun. Throw in a few cobia (a couple of which have exceeded the old-fashioned 100lb) and you can nearly fight yourself to exhaustion at times. While the gutters are never sharkfree, sharks are thankfully a rare concern this time of year.

Matty O’Brien with a quality Spanish mackerel taken from the wider grounds. Crews heading out wide of the bay and offshore have probably burned more fuel this past winter than the last few winter combined. The southern and northern gutters due north of Hervey Bay have copped a hammering. Modern techniques of tea-bagging large heavyweighted plastics for trout have proven deadly effective. Live baiting continues to produce a few of the bigger trout, along with cod and the odd red or other reefy. Grass sweetlip, scarlets, snapper and reef jacks make up the rest of the larger esky occupants from the gutters at this time of the year. All of these species are much more willing during low light periods and after dark. Good tuskfish can be found on the rubbly grounds near the gutter edges on the bigger tides. The bane of reef fishos chasing trout and snapper on plastics out that way is trevally. They are thick! Those who enjoy the sport are loving it though, as every trevally species pulls hard all

Further south, the 25 Fathom Hole and its surrounds are producing a few good catches of snapper over the bigger tides. Bag limits are achievable on the

SEPTEMBER 2017

Kurt Rowlands landed this solid 104cm threadfin salmon while fishing in one of the creeks down at the Straits. snapper have been caught in the area on plastics and micro-jigs, along with a host of trevally species, cobia, scarlets and grunter. School mackerel are in numbers over some of the reefs closer to Rooneys and they are moving further south. Wafting down an unweighted pilchard on a set of gangs or spinning with 35g spoons can pay dividends. A quick reminder – be wary of whales throughout Hervey Bay and surrounding waters. They are most concentrated in Platypus Bay and off Rooneys, but can turn up anywhere (as noted with the recent strandings on the Sheridan Flats halfway down the Straits). Another local came away with 20 stitches to the face and some broken ribs after a recent collision north of Fraser, which could have been far worse. Take extra care at night! Schoolies have turned up in the southern and western bay, with the best catches coming from the reefs off the Burrum, from Gatakers Bay, the beacons in the shipping

channels and the reefs off Coongul and Arch Cliffs. Our incredible run of sand crabs has waned substantially, but a good feed can still be potted in these areas, as well as closer inshore along the Booral Flats south of Urangan. Spend a bit of time down around the Great Sandy Straits at this time of year and you’ll be rewarded with good flathead from around the creek mouths, many drains and gravel banks. You’ll also find quality grunter in the larger creek systems, along with a few lethargic threadfin salmon and blue salmon. Small GTs and tailor will be carving up the hardiheads and herring at Kingfisher, Ungowa and other rocky outcrops, and mulloway are a possibility over the tide changes on vibes and plastics fished deep along the ledges. Find a dynamite colour that resembles a hardihead in the gin-clear waters, whether in a paddle-tail presentation for flathead and mulloway, or a jerk shad style designed

Luke Harvey was stoked to land this golden trevally on a well-presented ZMan 5” Jerk Shad in electric chicken. right day or night, but you are more likely to be throwing back the excess 70cm+ fish beyond the solitary model we are allowed to keep over that size.Why recreational anglers are limited to only

59 Torquay Rd, Hervey Bay QLD 4655 Ph: (07) 4128 1022 www.fishermanscorner.com.au 48

one snapper over 70cm while pros can keep any number defies all logic, particularly when any other species with a maximum size limit sees that limit applied to all parties (like flathead, cod and barra). Some of the best action has been over the Breaksea Spit, the shoals and the nearby continental shelf. A huge variety of reefies is on offer from the shoals including reds, red throat, coronation trout, green jobbies, Maori cod, tuskies, snapper and host of other species. Big baits of hussar, mullet and squid work well for the larger species as do live and fresh yakkas. Traditionally most shelf fishing has been limited to the 100m line, tangling with a mix of snapper, pearlies, rosy jobfish and others while grimacing at the pain of pulling double-headers on conventional deep sea tackle. Nowadays though, many crews are gearing up with electric overhead reels and specialised ‘deep drop’ bent butt rods, metered braid and heavy leads to enable them to fish deeper. Snapper and pearlies, plus a variety of jobfish (ruby, goldband, iron-jaw), bar cod, flame snapper and trevalla can all be found in waters up to and exceeding 300m on the right tackle. Local and

visiting crews have recently taken to spending part of their day trolling with heavy tackle for blue marlin while marking new spots to head back to and drop baits for deep water ooglies. Beware, the sharks that haunt Hervey Bay in the warmer months never go that far away and often they’re a real nuisance outside at this time of year. Within easy reach of smaller vessels, the Platypus Bay area would normally see good schools of snapper at this time of year. This season is an odd one so far, with water temperatures remaining quite high. Subsequently less yakkas and less snapper are migrating to this area. All the same, some great

The author with a ‘small’ bar cod. These fish can grow in excess of 50kg!

for a rapid retrieve to entice speedsters like chopper tailor. Don’t forget the squid jigs if heading down the Straits, as there have been better numbers of tiger squid down there recently than in the bay. Blue salmon, broadbarred mackerel and tailor are likely catches from River Heads and its surrounds this month, as are good flatties around the drains and rock bars. Bream can be caught in numbers from the rocky shores of South Head, with some sizeable fish to over a kilo to test the light line devotees. The Burrum River has been quiet until recently, when a few whiting, bream and flatties started to turn up in catches from the mid-lower reaches. Small trevally and queenfish can be located in early spring in the mid reaches in deeper holes adjacent to sand banks and eddies. More than a month without any significant wind (or rain) has left our inshore waters very clear, offering less forage for our smaller inshore species. For this reason our beaches have been very quiet, and the best shore-based action has come from bream and flatties under the Urangan Pier. Mackerel and tailor are good targets from the pier over the coming month, with some of the year’s biggest longtails usually turning up off the end of the pier around now. From the eastern side of Fraser Island there has been nothing but glowing reports. The most important thing to note is that there has been no weed along the beaches. Chopper tailor have been in plague proportions tantalising most anglers fishing north of the Maheno wreck. With the relatively new introductions to slide baiting and drone fishing, anglers have had consistent catches on large Spanish mackerel. Yidney Rocks has been providing quality mulloway to anglers with night time producing the bigger jewels. The beach conditions are best at low tide as the typical weather for this month makes driving on the beach on a rising tide a bit difficult. Here’s hoping for a continuation of the spectacular weather patterns we’ve had lately. There is a lot to look forward to on the Fraser Coast in the months to come with the arrival of the billfish – in particular the little blacks – and if temperatures remain high we could expect an earlier start to our hot spring fishing with the likes of barramundi and threadfin salmon becoming more prolific.

Anglers converge on Fraser for tailor season FRASER ISLAND

Phil James p_j_james@bigpond.com

If you are heading for the ocean beach of Fraser Island this month, then you will have plenty of company. This will be the island’s busiest period, particularly during the last two weeks of the school holidays. It’s not difficult to understand why. We usually have great weather, it’s the peak of tailor season as well as school holidays, and it’s all too much to resist. Readers will be tired of me mentioning the floating brown weed that menaced the beach in September 2017. Don’t worry. I’m well and truly over it too. As you would understand, my reports need to be made before the September mag reaches you. However, the latest reports I have received have been encouraging with weedless water along most of the beach. The tailor that have been taken have been of surprisingly good quality for this stage of the season.

Transport services will be in great demand, particularly during the school holidays. With most people crossing to the island at Inskip Point, it’s likely there will be queues waiting to board a barge. This would be particularly so for barges reaching the island over the low tide. Crossings from River Heads require prior booking and these could be hard to arrange on short notice. With most holiday rentals being fully booked for the holidays, most of the visitors will be setting up camp. If you haven’t made any arrangements, I suggest you check out National Parks camping information at www.npsr.qld.gov.au/parks/ fraser/camping. Here you will be able to see where the camping zones are located, pay for beach camping and vehicle permits as well as check whether a booking for a particular zone is necessary. Of the nine zones north of Dilli Village, zone six, between the Pinnacles and Dundubara is likely to be most popular. Why? Firstly there are

the excellent low-level sites close to the beach. Access to this zone from the southern end of the island is pretty much trouble-free. It’s mostly open beach with a few creek crossings. The most difficult section is likely to be the Poyungan Rocks bypass if the state of the tide requires its use. There are many sites in zone six that are caravan and trailer friendly with reasonable access from the beach. Of course there are many other sites along the coast that these can access, but to travel too much further north, it wouldn’t be easy for caravans crossing the Indian Head bypass and then the sand tracks beyond Middle Rock to Waddy Point and Orchid Beach. More importantly, the beaches along this zone usually hold reliable long gutters and other features, particularly to the liking of tailor at this time of the year. Other species, particularly dart and whiting, can also be expected. This is a great beach for families. It’s always great to see young kids excitedly

A tailgate full of Fraser Island tailor from this time last year. Image courtesy of Peter Grundy. catching big dart out of the gutters. With many family groups returning each year, some real social interactions

Bagging out on fantastic fish RAINBOW BEACH

Ed Falconer

We continue to be blessed with amazing weather and great fishing offshore. Beautiful calm conditions have allowed us to do many trips offshore and catch lots of fish.

We had a great run of snapper around the new moon, with a lot of them around that 4kg mark and bigger. Pearl perch were the other dominant spices, which saw us bagging out on these fantastic fish on quite a few occasions. Plain old pilchards have been the best bait for both the pearlies and snapper.

develop along the tent cities. You certainly don’t need to be camped in zone six to score well with the tailor. In fact, a campsite in any one of the nine east coast zones will be close enough to some good tailor features. You might not be fishing in a crowd, but you will have the opportunity to check out the features and come up with some good fishing. Just a couple of reminders before signing off – if you’re

tempted to try for a few fish off one of the headlands, forget it, at least until noon on 30 September. This is when the August and September closure comes to an end. This does not mean that you can’t explore the headlands. In fact, climbing Indian Head is a must-do. For those who might not have visited the island for a while, the track to the top starts at the southern side of the headland. The old northern track has been closed for safety reasons.

FISHING EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME! There are plenty of pearlies to go around at the moment.

On this angler’s first time deep sea fishing, she caught the Holy Grail of the reef: the mighty red emperor.

Other fish on the chew are tuskfish, Moses perch and hussar, along with some beautiful red emperor. When it comes to pelagics, we have been picking up amberjack, cobia and heaps of longtail tuna on live bait. Dart have been the easiest fish to catch off the

beach; almost every deep gutter is holding these guys at the moment. • To enjoy a day on the water with Keely Rose Fishing Charters phone Ed Falconer 0407 146 151 or visit www. keelyrosefishingcharters .com.au.

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Waiting on wind to bring the barra bite LAKE MONDURAN

Rob Howell

I can’t remember a month with as little wind as the

August we just had. It has been awesome weather for offshore enthusiasts in this region, but lack of wind always makes for tough barra fishing in a stocked

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

impoundment. Aside from this, there has been the odd day when the wind picks up and the barra bite. The next few months should bring with them warm northerly winds, which in turn fire up Monduran barra. In preparation to your arrival to this impoundment, it’s always a good idea to have a look at the previous weeks and the following week’s wind forecast. This information can be priceless and should be used to determine likely windward points and bays to start your search for feeding

fish. With predicted northerly winds, bays and points throughout SDA Bay, Bird Bay, Rainforest Bay and Cow Bay in the north arm of ‘B’ are great places to start. LURES Suspending hardbody lures like the Jackall Squirrels, Smash minnows and Rapala X-Raps have produced the majority of the bites. These lures have worked best on a slow retrieve with a subtle twitching method. In the soft plastic range, 4”and 6” plastics have been working well on a dead slow retrieve.

One of six barra boated while on charter with the author. BA RR A PA RK

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Jason Medcalf topwater@bigpond.com

August didn’t really deliver the usual late winter blast, and it currently feels more like summer than spring. I am thinking September is going to really heat up quickly, giving us plenty of fishing options. Flathead are of course at their best in spring and that is certainly the case in our region. The Burnett river has

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SEPTEMBER 2017

The MASA Family Fishing Competition will be running from 14-15 October. The WIN TV Family Fishing Competition has been successfully running for over 15 years now. Major prizes include $1000 for the biggest barra, $500 for the biggest bass and $500 for heaviest catfish. These attract anglers and their families from all over the state and the prizes don’t stop at that. Just for entering the competition your name goes into the lucky draw for 10 major prizes, the biggest prize being a boat, motor and trailer package worth around

$10k. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks are also available throughout the weekend. The MASA restocking group are all volunteers and they do a great job every year donating their time to running the competition to raise funds for restocking Lake Monduran with healthy fingerlings. • For all accommodation and camping enquiries you can contact us on (07) 4157 3881 or email us at info@lakem. com.au. For fishing updates and charter bookings you can call me on 0410 599 147 or go to my Facebook page Lake Monduran Guidelines Fishing Charters.

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Tommy was one happy angler when he nailed this beaut barra.

been fishing exceptionally well, mainly because of the amount of baitfish and prawns getting around. Flathead will be a real focus over the next month or so, and trolling small to medium sized hardbodied lures is a great way to catch them. Once you have caught one it’s a good idea to keep fishing in that area, as spring is flathead baby-making time, and they will be all hanging out together. The rising water temperatures will also fire up many other species, including mangrove jack and barramundi. There have been quite a few fishfinder screenshots getting around of schools of barramundi from the Burnett and surrounding rivers, with some persistent anglers getting a few to bite over winter. These fish will start to really fire up this month, and it will pay to get out and find them as their bite windows will be more frequent as they bulk up for their breeding season. Dropping soft vibes and rolling big soft plastics are both great ways to get these fish to bite, and don’t be surprised if you nail a few big flathead this way as well. The smaller creeks in our area warm up pretty quickly, and this will attract more baitfish and of course predators. Exploring them in a kayak or small boat over the next month or so should see a few nice jack and barramundi caught. At this time of the year

Amity Rae Medcalf with a nice flathead trolled up on her favourite lure. I like to fish with surface lures a lot. Well, at any time of the year I like to fish surface, but at this time of the year the bigger jacks fire up first. There are a lot of new surface lures on the market and I am looking forward to testing them out. You just have to make sure their hardware is up to the task, as jacks and barramundi can straighten cheap split rings and bend soft hooks. Creeks worth a look will be Coonar, the top of the Elliott, Littabella and Theodolite creek at Woodgate. Again, a kayak or small boat

will give you access at the best time of the tide, which is the last of the out and the first on the incoming. Baffle Creek has been fishing really well with grunter, heaps of flathead and a few mangrove jacks showing up. The flathead have been like a carpet, and the locals are enjoying some great fishing and it’s great to see. This month will be no different, and I highly recommend a trip up there on the building tides. It’s a beautiful spot.

Fish firing as Rocky warms ROCKHAMPTON

Clayton Nicholls clay94_fishing@live.com.au

The fishing in the inshore, coastal and estuary regions has been great over the past month and should stay like this while the weather looks to stay calm. August finally gave us many days of great weather and September is shaping up to do the same. The river has been

LAGOONS AND FRESHWATER The freshwater lagoons and creeks around the region have been producing some good fish, particularly Hedlow Creek. Hedlow has been producing many barra just shy of the magic metre mark. The Woolwash has been going strong for tarpon and perch, and small soft plastics have been working best. Unfortunately a large amount of our freshwater

Matt with a great threadfin from his recent visit to Rockhampton. holding great stocks of fish, the islands have been full of bait and pelagics, and the reefs have been full of fin fish!

system is now plagued with tilapia, and if they are caught they cannot be released, they must be killed and buried above the

high water line or disposed of in a bin by law. ESTUARIES Threadies, grunter and golden snapper have all been pretty active in the estuaries. Around beach headlands and pressure points there have been many queenfish, salmon, dart and trevally. Bait holding at the mouth of the estuaries has been attracting smaller pelagics like school mackerel and mac tuna. Targeting the headlands for the smaller pelagics is quite easy using 15-30g metal slices. Whiting have been found just along the drop off line around the estuaries coming around the flats. Fresh yabbies and worms will see you catch a great number of these fish in no time. Flathead have been a great species this year, showing up in good numbers. Live prawns are working a treat for these fish, with live herring coming a close second. Lures are more productive for these species, however, as they enable you to cover a lot of ground. Flathead are not very picky, and will eat anything with a good action. FITZROY The town reach of the

Fitzroy has produced some great thredfin recently, with many being taken on live baits at night, and lures being a better option during the day. The areas you would be looking for to target these fish at the moment would be the gravel patches along the deeper sections. Any sounder will pick this up, but side imaging for these fish is definitely an advantage. The 3” Gulp Shrimp has produced a lot of these fish recently, and soft vibes have been working a treat too. INSHORE REGIONS The Keppel Group

Les Thorne with his first-ever golden! This was also his first time flicking metals, and he landed the beauty on 6lb braid.

The author with a nice tuna caught off Emu Park on 0.8PE Sunline Super 5 and a Palms Molla 4-12lb rod.

has been fishing great lately, with many of the surrounding islands and rock bars great for pelagics. The shallow reef and rubble areas have been producing great reef species like nannies, trout and snapper. There has been a huge amount of whale activity, so keep your eyes peeled when heading over to your spot X at the islands. If you have any fishing photos of the Rockhampton/ Gladstone region feel free to send them through to clay94_fishing@live.com. au with a brief description of where you caught the fish and how you caught them. ‘Fish light get the bite’

Good weather, fishing and road conditions STANAGE BAY

Von Ireland

Howdy to all visitors to Stanage Bay, Shoalwater Bay, the Dukes and Percy Isles. The road into Stanage is still in good repair with a little corrugation and a few

sharks. The few muddies caught at the tops of the gutters and deep water near the rocks around Long Island have been huge and full. The islands and reef have shared decently sized snapper, mulloway, mackerel, grassy sweetlip, redthroat emperor and coral trout. Sad

earlier in the year ploughed the bottom bringing balls of bait. Snapper are not the most common fish here at Stanage, although this year has seen both juvenile snapper and big snapper, meaning a lot of excitement for locals. The sharks are still targeting the best reef fish, with dolphins and whales of all shapes and sizes frolicking amidst them. September should prove to be a huge month up here, with expected catches of red emperor, nannygai, trout, black jewfish,

month for Stanage with the armed forces using the local beach, which they commented was the best amphibious landing beach in the world – what an honour. This was the first time the ADF actually used the township, so there was some apprehension for the unknown. However, the road, boatramp and whole of Stanage Bay functioned the same as usual with no problems. It’s a bit of a shame, though, that fishers and renters were given the incorrect

Chives looks pretty chuffed with his 16kg Spanno.

Brad with an awesome Spanish mackerel. potholes showing between the army turn-off and the Plumtree Boat Ramp. The Thirsty Sound estuary and beaches have given up some nice salmon, whiting and flathead. Porters Creek offered the eskies bream, cod, grunter and

as it was, red fish proved elusive in the rough, much to the dismay of visiting fishers. The weather, as per usual, came good soon after with the reds on the chew. The only way to describe our fish up here is ‘not obese,’ even though the cyclone

Snapper aren’t the most common fish at Stanage. This year has seen both juvenile snapper and big snapper, meaning a lot of excitement for locals. GTs, and all forms of reef fish and estuary fish. July was an exciting

information and missed out on seeing the ADF amphibious landing and fishing trip.

Let’s just put it down to a silly mistake. Don’t forget I still have camo fish designed shirts in stock to commemorate the first year of the ADF using our township as part of their base for their big exercise, Talisman Saber. Until next time, do the right thing when visiting Stanage Bay. Buy local, and keep the local businesses profitable and here; if you don’t, they’ll close. Spread the love and buy bait and ice from the tackle shop in the boatyard. Weigh in your fish

and have a pic taken. Get your fuel, food, gas and alcohol from the local store. Good, honest and polite fishers are always welcome up here. We will do all we can to help you catch fish of your dreams. • Don’t miss out on the amazing fishing and crabbing at Stanage Bay! Call us at Stanage Bay Marine & Accommodation on (07) 4937 3145, check out www.stanagebay.com, email stanagebaymarine@ bigpond.com or look us up on Facebook. SEPTEMBER 2017

Leaving the winter that never really happened mackerel and Spanish too. They usually enter the bay around the islands at the southern end of the bay and work their way north along the coastal reefs. Spots such as Quartz Rock, Cave and Wedge isles seem to hold the schools of spotties for a longer duration than the

YEPPOON

Scott Lynch ifishcq2@bigpond.com

September is here, and apart from a slight chill on a couple of days there really was no winter to speak of. This has definitely changed the outlook for the fish for rest of the year. We are reaping the benefits of a clean bay with the numbers of mackerel schools passing through that would usually detour around the Keppels when there is a lot of fresh. Spanish, spotted, doggies and grey mackerel are all making a showing this month. Conical, Outer, Man and Wife, Forty Acre Paddock, The Pinnacles, Flat, Barren, Liza Jane and Perforated are all serious spots for Spanish. Spotted mackerel should be arriving or will be well on the way at least. As long as we don’t get any big rain and the bay remains in current shape, then it promises to be a great year for not just spotties, but all of the lesser

Shara Vanhaeren nailed this quality barra from the river. spots in the northern end of the bay. As the month moves on, the spotties progress towards Rita Mada, Ironpot, Rosslyn Bay, Ross’s Reef, Forty Acre Paddock, Half Tide

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Rocks and The Keppels, Farnborough and Corio Heads. The Harbour wall, Claytons and some of the headlands work very well on the calm, foggy September mornings. Most of the smaller mackerel species can be found in many of the same spots. Lately we have

had a few larger doggies, upwards of 5kg, around the reefy patches just out from the southern side of Barren. Like most mackerel, spotties love a strong current line with an eddy on one side. The use of electric motors giving us the ability to ‘spot lock’ on a particular feature or jog a little bit until you sit in exactly the right position has changed nearly all types of fishing, and mackerel fishing is no different. The electric makes it easy to position the boat in places that are near impossible to anchor, particularly when the breeze and the current are in different directions. Using metal slices, we prefer to fish casting into the run, letting the lure sink a little before making a fast retrieve. Varying the motion can make all the difference so you can find what works on the day. The bait fishers usually like to sit facing the other direction, so their lines hang out the back

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A top quality flathead for Ron Chappman. to attract the predators. One bonus of trolling is that you cover a lot of area and have the time to mark features and spots worth fishing in future. Another bonus is by-catch. I was watching a tinny trolling past us in about 2m of water when he nailed a just legal barramundi and a couple of keeper cod within a hundred metres. The estuary outlook is

Dean Smith scored this top goldlined jobfish on a local reef.

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of the boat. Floating pilchards is the next best to lures. Try different size pea sinkers just above the gang hooks to vary the depth of your pilly, until you find where the fish are sitting. On a recent run the boat next to us was getting only the odd strike while we were continually getting nailed. He was just letting his unweighted pilly hang in the current almost at the surface. As soon as we suggested putting a weight on, his luck changed for the better. Black jew, cobia, nannygai, red emperor, coral trout, hussar, cod, bluebone and sweetlip are firing at the moment from the close patches just past the islands and out to the wide grounds. I find that if you can’t see bait on a spot, it pays to keep moving until you do. Wherever there is bait, there will be predators. September is flathead time, and these flat fish are on the chew. They will congregate around the creek mouths and bays for breeding. The big females are normally surrounded by smaller males. Corio Bay, Coorooman Creek and The Causeway are all good spawning grounds. We will take a male or two, but always put the big girls back to do their job. Poddy mullet, prawns, hardiheads, yabbies and greenback herring are the best baits for flatties. These baits are great livies and work well as dead baits. Drifting the sandbanks using livies is

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a sure way to find where the fish are feeding. These days the majority of keen fishers use lures, and flathead are one of the easiest species to capture on virtually anything that is close enough for them to grab. These days there are more people trolling for flatties than I’ve noticed in previous years. The lure choices available have opened up plenty of options on how to fish. The go is to work out the average depth of the channels or banks and pick a lure that will just touch bottom regularly. The idea is to puff up bits of bottom and create a small disturbance

expected to be pretty good, as many of the mid-year fish are still about in good quantity and the summer favourites never shut up shop at all this year. Barramundi, golden snapper (fingermark), mangrove jack, bream, whiting, and king and blue threadfin have continued in good form. The Fitzroy, as usual, is going great for big barra from the town reaches down to Port Alma and Connors Creek. The average size fish is bigger than previous years and the figures are showing that the NFZs are starting to work very well. Live baits

and lures are both doing the trick. Plastics and vibes are probably the most popular option because of the country you can work and the depths you can target using the same lure. The area between the rock bars and around the bridges is as good as anywhere. The fish seem to school in a few different spots, and a good sounder can locate them easily. The hard part is getting them to play the game, except for the short bite periods. Depending on conditions and tides, they can be difficult. It may take a few changes in colour or style of lure before they decide they like it. Livies can be very hard to get in the town reaches, so many of the locals get their baits down at the beach or at other locations prior to coming to Rocky. Corio Bay and Coorooman Creek are other fine barra spots that are turning out quality barra regularly. At present the bigger fish are out in the bays or around the headlands. Golden snapper have been going strong over recent weeks, and the numbers turning up lately are well above the norm. The Fitzroy River delta, Coorooman Creek and Corio Bay all have plenty of golden snapper, and the anglers who chase them in the estuaries mostly use live baits. Double Heads and the majority of other local headlands have populations of these guys. The local wrecks are another option for quality fish. Most of the fish caught in these areas are caught on lures and, like barra fishing, many of the anglers are using big soft plastics and vibes.

Good weather has been great for anglers All the usual spots should still be holding fish, like Quoin Island, Grahams Creek, Ramsay Crossing and any rock bar throughout the Calliope River. Small live mullet or decent-size live prawns are by far the standout baits. Once you get a few salmon around the boat, have a go with a small soft vibe. This is certainly more fun than waiting around with a livie out the back.

GLADSTONE

Liam Jones

The good weather just keeps turning up. The 5-10 knot days throughout August saw plenty of fish hit the decks for those who got out. Spanish mackerel turned up and hung around in great numbers with some massive fish to boot. Fish upwards of 40kg are common lately. The standout bait has once again been slow trolled whole wolf herring. To rig these wolf herring, use a SureCatch Ribbonfish troll head rigged with a Mustad 7766 9/0 or Konan O’Shaughnessy 9/0s. The amount of hooks depends on the size of the fish. I tend to have the last hook sitting 2-3” from the tip of the tail. I run a good quality

Anthony Cobb with one of many Spanish caught in a red-hot session trolling Halco Laser Pros in the recent good weather.

Aaron Small with a solid bar-cheek caught on a slow pitch jig. swivel between each hook. I know a lot of people will say this is just another thing that can fail. I can assure you, if you use a good quality strong swivel, they will not let you down. The main reason behind the swivels it to prevent the hooks from fighting against

month. There is no better way to chase these guys than small surface lures and small crab imitations. Expect more of this in next month’s issue as they really fire up. Until then, tight lines and happy fishing. • For more information on what’s biting, or to stock up with all the tackle and bait you need, drop into LJ’s Compleat Angler Gladstone at the Gladstone Marina on

much better condition, if you are trolling for long periods without hook-ups. The reefs have been hit and miss throughout August with some reports coming in of great catches while others seemed to struggle a little. The wider reefs have been fishing a lot better, and deeper water seems to be better again, possibly due to the fact they’re not affected by the winter westerlies as much. XOS snapper have been coming from the 120m line along with the normal big pearlies. Just inside that in the 60-80m mark have been good schools

can really have some fun with these guys on plastics and slow pitch jigs. Barra are still popping up throughout the harbour, the Calliope River, Boyne River and the Narrows. Vibes seem to be getting the bite. The hot water outlet hasn’t produced its normal numbers of big fish this year. Once again, this is most likely due to the fact the water temperature hasn’t really dropped to what it needs to. Big grunter are in good numbers in just about every estuary and inshore reef or wreck on the central Queensland coast at the

each other in the fish’s mouth and tearing from the fish once hooked. I also only put one hook in the fish – the one closest to the head. The others are held in place by a series of rubber bands. I find this prevents the fish from tearing off and keeps it in

Simone Lovelock was pretty impressed with her first Spanish mackerel. The big bream are starting to move in around most of the artificial structures. Some 40cm+ bream will be common this

Bryan Jordan Drive. You can also check out the latest news, photos and specials at Facebook Compleat Angler Gladstone.

Aaron Small with one of many black jew that fell victim to a well-worked 60g Yakamito Rager jig.

Crabs have been hit and miss this month, but Belle Smillie was pretty happy with this chocolate buck.

of red emperor along with big redthroat and some monster trout. Trout were still going crazy throughout winter and I can honestly say I haven’t seen so many trout caught in winter in my entire life. In saying that, we haven’t exactly had any cold water move in! Further north the nannygai have been on the chew around the new moon. Fresh squid and cuttlefish will make the difference when chasing these guys Once you have them around the boat and rising off the bottom, you

moment. Everyone I talk to has been catching big grunter. They’re in the Boyne, Toolooa Bends, Calliope, the Narrows, Colosseum and just about every inshore wreck we have. Try fresh prawns, vibes, small curly-tail grubs and micro-jigs. Salmon schools seem to be dropping off as we get into spring, which is to be expected. Those that do remain should be much better quality. Traditionally we get the big salmon coming through in late autumn and early spring.

An awesome double hook-up on slow pitch jigs, caught working an isolated bommie. SEPTEMBER 2017

Mackerel and reef species turn up the heat MACKAY

Keith Day habdays@bigpond.net.au

Wow, September is here already and three quarters of the year have gone. Anglers in Mackay are looking forward to the spring weather – the increased heat and humidity

For barra, the increased water and air temperatures will get them moving and on the chew in both salt and freshwater. The headlands, close inshore islands and the mangrove creeks will all get solid work-overs by anglers chasing the mighty barra. Somewhat neglected are the beaches, which feature

Hot weather means hot fishing. Aaron Sturdy nailed this jack by casting a Fuze vibe hard up against some rocks beside the mangroves. and the northerly winds. Why? Because all of these factors mean plenty of fish species to chase in various habitats. How lucky are we? Let’s look at increased temperatures and humidity and what they bring to the equation. The first and very obvious answer is that the barra and jacks will be more active after their winter sluggishness. Our winter this year wasn’t very cool, but 23°C days and 10°C nights are still cold compared to summer.

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some fantastic barra fishing, especially at night around the full moon. The key to fishing any of these spots in the salt is, of course, bait. Anywhere bait congregates, the barra won’t be far away. Anglers can expect to find barra around the headlands like Halliday and Ball Bays, Cape Hillsborough (all net free zones), Eimeo, Slade Point, Mackay Harbour and Cape Palmerston. All these headlands feature rocks, deeper water nearby and a

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SEASON

supply of bait – just what the barra ordered. The headlands are best worked from boats anchored back off the rocks and by floating baits or casting lures in very close and working them through the suds. Expect to hook stud barra in these spots, and look for similar country on the close islands. Mangrove creeks are probably the hardest fished saltwater in our district, but they continue to produce. The net free zone centred on Seaforth will really come into its own this summer and will just keep getting better and better. Barra are both ‘cruisers’ and creatures of habit, with the overriding attraction always being bait. Look for barra at creek junctions, the mouths of gullies and any rock bar, isolated rock or single mangrove, and check for the presence of bait. If bait is there, fish it. Livies are always best, but lure and flyfishing are becoming more popular. Good live baits include prawns, whiting, mullet and herring. Really, any small fish in the right place will attract a barra. For the lure fisher, have a good selection of shallow and deep divers in hardbodies and look for reputable Aussie brands. Plastic vibes, big plastic paddle-tails up to 200mm long and big jerkbaits will all take barra. Don’t forget the surface action either; poppers, frogs and walk-the-dog style lures are all great fun to fish with. Surface fishing for barra is my favourite. The jacks are also coming out of hibernation and will provide plenty of sport and delicious feeds for anglers. Any of the baits, lures or flies used on barra will work on jacks. Use smaller sizes and get them hard into cover for the best results. Rocks, logs, collapsed banks and freshly fallen mangroves are all havens for jacks. Dam barra are also on the chew just like their salty cousins and will respond to a large variety of lures and flies. Kinchant, Teemburra and Eungella (later on) will all give up good numbers and sizes of barra, so plan your trips around the full moon for the best results. MAFSA stocks limited numbers of barra into the

IS HERE!

Every Saturday 4.30pm on 54

SEPTEMBER 2017

Delicious reef fish like this beaut coral trout caught by Troy Taylor can be found around all our Islands, even those within reach of a 4m tinny. Pioneer River system and they are also on the move. Generally the freshwater river fish are smaller but a 70-80cm barra in the river will give an angler plenty of fun. Some great news for the tinny anglers is the arrival of schools of small mackerel with the northerly winds and the movement of large schools of bait close inshore. As I put this article together, we already have heaps of undersize doggy and spotted macks in the waters off Seaforth and there have been some solid mac tuna and longtails working out from the harbour. All are good signs that spring is here and the fishing will pick up too. Spanish mackerel have been prolific further offshore. As the bait moves closer in, the Spaniards follow and 20kg fish off the harbour walls are not unusual. When the fish are on, there will always be plenty of shore-based anglers working the harbour rocks. It’s not a bad spot to spend a few hours if you don’t have a boat, and both lures and baits (even the old pilly) will work. The local tackle shop staff can give you advice on lures, baits and rigs. Their experience is invaluable for visitors and locals alike. If a small tinny is available, there are literally hundreds of great spots close to the harbour and river mouth. A good sounder to locate bait is a great help, but larger schools of bait are readily seen with the aid of good polaroids.

Try the harbour mouth, the run-through at Slade Island, Slade Rock, and anywhere in between where there is bait or surface activity. Often the macks and bait will be right in close to Lamberts Beach, so keep an eye out for birds working those areas and follow them – they have sharper eyes than humans and the advantage of looking down from an elevated position. Expect to catch all the small macks, greys, Spaniards, trevally, queenfish and tuna species. They can be all mixed in together, which makes for memorable fishing fun. Casting slugs, soft plastics

and trolling hardbodies will all score fish. For the bait man, live small gar, live herring or IQF pilchards will get plenty of hits too. But springtime action is not just about barra, jacks and macks – plenty of other species are on the chew. Flathead and whiting are prolific in the estuaries, the Pioneer River and along the beaches and will provide plenty of tasty meals. Throw in a good run of grunter, plenty of pikey bream and cod and the creeks can really turn up a great mixed bag. Don’t forget the crab pots either as the muddies are also on the move. If we get a decent storm and run off, the muddies will move right down and out onto the flats, otherwise chase them up the side gullies and in deeper channels. Remember the size and bag limits and take only enough for a feed or two. If you own or can access a larger trailer boat, the reefs, shipping channel and the farther out islands are all running hot with surface and reef fish. With the lighter winds, September is an ideal month to head out for some top quality fish. The biggest challenge for anglers in Mackay during spring is deciding what fish species to chase and where. It’s a delightful problem to have, as we always have plenty of choices and options. Why not come to paradise and join in the fun? See you at the ramp.

You beauty! Sam Mercer just loves the thrill of a good Spanish mackerel’s powerhouse runs, and this fish sure took some fight to get it into the boat.

OUTDOOR & FISHING SHOW

Listen on 5am-6am Every Saturday

FUN PAGE AND COMPETITIONS FISHY SONGS PART II

BLUE SKY LINE BONEY AND IVORY BREAM LOVER BUOYS LIGHT UP CHAINED TO THE REEL COLD AS ICE JIG EAGILL ROCK FISH ON EELEEN FLY ME A RIVER HEY JEWDE

HOO ARE YOU JAIL BRAID KELP ME RHONDA LADY IN REDFIN RIG OF FIRE RUN TO BARRADISE SPACE CODITY TRUE BLUEFIN WALK THIS RAY

Loaded For Bass Sudden In-Pact Baits are jig/ spinnerbait trailers that soak up a huge amount of catch scent and continually release it. These supple trailers are very durable, won’t tear off, dry out or become distorted, and their absorbency prevents your catch scent from washing away after a few casts. There are nine models, ranging in size from 2.25” to 5.25”, and colours include red, green, yellow, blue and white. To place an order visit www.loadedforbass.com.

Name: Address:

P/Code:

The first correct entry at the end of each month will win the prize pack. SEND ENTRIES TO: QLD Find-a-word Competition, PO box 3172, Loganholme Qld 4129

QLD SEPT 2017

Phone (day):

BARRA COUNTRY by Brett Currie

SPOT THE

10 DIFFERENCES

GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy

ORIGINAL

FIND-A-WORD

Congratulations to S Luckie from Ormeau, who was last month’s winner of the Finda-Word Competition! Monthly winners receive a sponsor prize. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – QFM

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE

The subscriber prize winner for July is E Noye of Turkey Beach, who won a Mako sunglass prize. All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

R & D Kelly of Colosseum, R Dowden of Bundaberg, G McGrath of Avoca, R Schefe of Point Vernon, W Robinson of Raceview, B Fisher of Roma, R Maher of Woombye, B Hale of Maroochydore, P Fielder of Everton Hills, B Haines of Laidley, A Scott of Proserpine, T Ramm of North Rockhampton, R Whillans of Bellara, G English of Bowen, D Richter of Toogoolawah, N Hogbin of Coominya,

N Humble of Rockhampton, M Roots of Cowley Beach, J Beattie of Ferny Grove, D Leciej of Hervey Bay, J Wogandt of Urangan, G Green of Currumbin Waters, D Stewart of Hermit Park, P Friis of Idalia, J Rossato of Home Hill, B Hardwick of Kewarra Beach, P Martin of Narangba, A Adams of Newport, L Pirlo of Modanville. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS

FIND THE COASTAL BLACK LOGO

The answers to Find the Coastal Black Logo for July were: 11, 14, 19, 22, 28, 34, 38, 42, 46, 50, 57, 94, 106, 116, 120. – QFM

This month’s Guess the Fish Answer: Golden Perch

The Find the Coastal Black prize winners for July were: C Couper of Chinchilla, B Lobley of Silkstone, E & V Jackson of Long Flat, F Heiniger of Woombye, G Pitt of Qunaba, P Fill of Turkey Beach, M Davidson of Bundaberg East, S Herrmann of Cooroibah, W Sommerfeld of Toowoomba, J Nock of Kallangur, R Ramsay of Taylors Beach,

GUESS THE FISH?

Answer:

DIY Lure Making

Doc’s Shallow Minnow 70mm BRISBANE

LURE EYE

Greg Vinall support@makewoodenlures.com

My lure-making obsession has little to do with money and everything to do with adrenaline. If you reckon nailing a trophy fish on a ready-made store-bought lure is a rush, try it just once on a lure you designed and made with your own two hands! Over the next six months, I will be getting back to basics and sharing how to make six simple wooden lures. Lures that anyone can make and designed to catch bread-and-butter species like bream, lizards, small trevally, trout, bass and so

Twist eyes are ideal for beginners as they are simple to do. They are designed for small, light duty lures like the ones we’ll make in this series, but if you’re making lures that will be fished on lines greater than 6kg breaking strain you’d be better to use a through-wire and/or harder timber. on. There will be a total of two crankbaits, a stickbait, a lipless crankbait, a popper and a glider, which is enough to cover a wide range of fishing scenarios. The tools and materials list is super simple. In fact, it’s pretty much identical for all six lure designs. You probably already own the tools or you’ll get most of them pretty cheaply at Bunnings or online.

Template: 1 Square = 1cm

As for timber, I’m going to use balsa. Yes, it’s soft but it’s easy to work, readily available and gives lures an incredibly crisp action. Plus, balsa is pretty forgiving if your skills aren’t quite 100%. DOC’S SHALLOW MINNOW 70MM The 70mm shallow running minnow is a great pattern for slinging around rivers and estuaries. It’s great for casting up-current on the

flats during a run-out tide, then cranking it back just a little faster than the current – flathead city! Alternatively you can paint it brown trout colours and take it into the sweet water. PAINTING AND CLEAR COATING I use water-based airbrush acrylics to paint my lures, then I clear coat them with a super clear, tough PAINTING For a free beginners course on airbrushing lures, go to lure painting website: www.crazylureart.com/ free-lure-paintinglessons-register/

100% Scale

Tools Utility knife, battery drill and bits, hacksaw, pliers. Materials • 12.5mm x 75mm balsa plank • 120 and 240 grit sandpaper • 240 grit wet sanding paper • 1-1.2mm stainless steel wire • Epoxy adhesive (with syringes and mixing sticks) • Ball sinkers (size 00) • Methylated spirits • 1.5-2mm thick clear polycarbonate offcuts epoxy. If you have an airbrush or can borrow one, great! But if you’re just getting started then the odds are that you won’t have an airbrush – and that’s fine! Just get to work with artists brushes, aerosol packs or whatever you have. I know some awesome lure artists who use nothing but brushes and toothpicks to paint their wares.

One thing to watch out for though is that not all paints play nicely together. If you are going to use model makers enamels, for example, you’re best to use only these paints, not mix them with acrylics or urethanes. It can take some experimentation to figure out what works, so test paints on some scrap wood first and have fun figuring it out.

TOOLS AND MATERIALS

Cut out the template, place it on the balsa and trace the side profile onto the wood. Use an utility knife to slice between the outlines and separate the blanks.

Glue 120 grit sandpaper onto a square block of scrap wood. Then place the block on its edge on a flat surface like a table top. Keeping your lure blank flat on the table, rub it back and forth against the sandpaper to square up the sides. Use a curved sanding block to reach the concave part of the lure body.

Mark a centre line on the underside. Then lay your side profile template on the lure blank and mark the location of the tow point, hook hangers, weight and diving lip. Use the tip of a nail, small drill bit or pen to make a tiny dent for your drill bit to centre on.

Now make all the holes and slots for your hardware. These need to be properly aligned, or your lure will be off balance, which is why it’s best to do it while the wood is still square. I’m using a 1.5mm drill bit for the tow point and hook hangers and a 4mm one for the weight. These can be opened up with bigger drill bits later if necessary.

Use a thin bladed saw to cut the slot for the diving lip. A tenon saw is fine, but a band saw is better as it provides a more precise cut to ensure that this slot is as accurate as you can get it. A crooked diving lip can make it difficult or impossible to tune your lure when it’s finished. So if you’re not 100% happy, throw your lure out and start again – don’t waste time finishing it.

Pare away the bulk of the waste using the utility knife. It’s important to keep the wood square at this stage as later on it will make it easier to get the components all properly aligned.

SEPTEMBER 2017

It’s time to rough out the top profile, so centre the top template on the lure blank and trace around it. Then slice away the bulk of the waste, and use your sanding block to refine the final shape, just as in Step 2. The two sides of the lure need to be mirror images, so the lure body is well balanced and the action is crisp. By the time you’re done, the lure body should still look square when you view it from the front and back.

DIY Lure Making 8

This is now the fun part, final shaping of the lure body! Working by eye, mark centre lines on all of the long sides of your blank, then mark carving guidelines. The carving lines should be halfway between the edge of the wood and the centre line you just drew. Go to work with your utility knife, trimming the waste between the guidelines. It’s much easier to control the cuts if you slice off lots of small slivers, rather than large chunks.

Use a small piece of 120 grit sandpaper to smooth out the lumps and bumps – be careful not to sand too much and spoil the shape. The trick is to not press too hard on the sandpaper and to do a few strokes on one side, then switch and do a few strokes on the opposite side. Keep checking the lure from in front, behind and above to make sure it’s symmetrical. Left: Using the template as a guide, cut your diving lips from polycarbonate sheet - don’t use Perspex, it will break. Strong scissors make this job very easy, but make sure to smooth the edges of the lips with wet sanding paper to avoid burrs or barbs that can snag or cut fine leaders. Glue the diving lips in with slow curing epoxy and your lures are ready for painting. Glaziers are a good source of polycarbonate offcuts.

FINISHED LURE

Now it’s assembly time. Start by twisting up some small pieces of stainless steel wire to make eyelets. The idea is to make these as long as will fit into the lure body. Then use a good quality, 24hr cure time epoxy adhesive to glue these into the lure. Don’t be tempted by the convenience of 5 minute epoxies, they’re not strong enough and will weaken more over time. Using a flat stick, work as much epoxy into the hole as possible, then smear some epoxy onto the shaft of your twist eye. Rather than push it into the lure, twist it like it’s a screw. By twisting the opposite direction to the thread, you’ll push the glue into the hole, rather than squeeze it out. For the weight, use half of a size 00 ball sinker. I simply split these in two using my utility knife. Fill the hole with epoxy, push in the weight and fill over the top with a little more epoxy. Now put the lure aside for at least 24 hours to cure. • For extra information and video tutorials please go to Greg’s website MakeWoodenLures. com/Fishing-Monthly/ and complete the free registration. To check out Greg’s other work visit crazylureart.com and his Facebook page Wooden Lure Making.

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SEPTEMBER 2017

boating news

GOLD COAST (SOUTH) MARINE TUNE

64 Kortum Drive Burleigh Heads, QLD, 4215 Phone: (07) 5576 7388 Fax: (07) 5576 2278 www.marinetune.com

GOLD COAST (NORTH)

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

GOLD COAST (NORTH) STEFAN BOATING WORLD

27 Waterway Drive Coomera, QLD, 4209 Phone: (07) 5665 8400 Fax: (07) 3844 4777 www.stefanboatingworld.com.au

BRISBANE (SOUTH)

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

BRISBANE (BAYSIDE) WYNNUM MARINE

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

BRISBANE (NORTH)

BUNDABERG

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

GLADSTONE

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

MACKAY

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

WHITSUNDAYS

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

BOWEN

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

CAIRNS

NORTHSIDE MARINE

BILLS MARINE

2294 Sandgate Road Boondall, QLD, 4034 Phone: (07) 3265 8000 Fax: (07) 3265 8099 www.northsidemarineyamaha.com.au

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

SUNSHINE COAST

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

HERVEY BAY BUCCANEERS

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

Northside Marine crowned Stacer Dealer of the Year

KARUMBA

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

In the boat (left to right): Wayne Cross, Mark Golden, Danny Jordin, Rod Keats. In front of the boat (left to right): Ricky Gleeson, Bill Hull, Greg Nickerson, Cameron Wood. Brisbane’s Northside Marine has been crowned Stacer Dealer of the Year for 2016-2017 for their outstanding performance as a Stacer Dealer. Northside Marine is situated in a purposebuilt 10,000m² dealership located in Boondall, only twenty minutes north of the Brisbane CBD. Starting from humble beginnings in 1965, Northside Marine has gone from strength to strength with the expansion of their dealership, stock and staff. The one thing that hasn’t changed is that the business is still run by the Nickerson family. Northside Marine’s motto is “Your Boating Partners For Life!” This resonates throughout their dealership as many of their 35 staff members have been with Northside Marine for over 20 years. Dealer Principal Greg Nickerson said the entire team at Northside Marine played a part in one of their most successful years to date. “The phrase that we live by at Northside Marine is ‘your boating partners for life.’ From a sales point of view, 2016 was our strongest year. This has rolled over into 2017 with our numbers continually increasing,” Greg said. When asked about their secret to success, Sales Manager, Bill Hull credited tailor-made systems and embracing continual change. “We run a software system that we have designed and built ourselves, which allows us to build boat packages, controls, options and ensure costs are spot on. We now live by this program as it controls our whole boat sales department. “We have been on our current three acre site for close to 20 years and have been doing a number of upgrades over the last few years with a number of other facelifts to come,” Bill said. Stacer Account Manager Cameron Wood said the

Stacer National Dealer of the Year award goes to the ‘best of the best’ and that describes the entire team at Northside Marine. “From the moment you arrive at the dealership you feel welcome and appreciated. Their customer feedback is always positive and their CSI (Customer Satisfaction Index) is well above the industry standard. “The professional approach to boat show attendance and presentation is a credit to the team and makes it a pleasure to work with them.” Cameron also said the dealership’s presentation contributed to winning the award with the external

boat display, offices and the internal showroom all spotless. “The attention to detail is everywhere right down to the well-presented staff in their Northside Marine uniforms. The marketing covers all areas of the media and is focussed and pointed. “As they say, ‘stock sells stock’ and Northside Marine have no shortage of both numbers and variety,” Cameron said. Visit the Northside Marine team at 2294 Sandgate Road, Boondall QLD, or for more information on the Stacer range visit www.stacer.com. au. – Telwater

Gary Hocking and son Johnny had a cracking day on the water at the mouth of the Kolan River. They caught this 1.1m Spaniard trolling a Halco Laser Pro. SEPTEMBER 2017

Bumping big Burdekin bluewater blowout AYR

Steve Farmer

At last, a brief break in the strong winter winds recently saw Burdekin bluewater anglers enjoy a well-deserved blowout. The calmer weather even coincided with a weekend, allowing many boaties to fuel up Friday afternoon and hit the water before dark for an overnight trip to the shoals and reefs. That’s what Russell Sutcliffe, Matthew Farmer and Jack Hawkins did. The keen trio launched early and were clear on Ocean Creek just ahead of the Friday afternoon rush, settling into a perfect run to the outer reefs on a flat sea. Their 32 knot armchair ride was interrupted slightly just before dark when they spotted a couple of whales and pulled back on their revs a little as a precaution. After months of strong winds, most boaties saw the weather alone as a bonus, but they were further rewarded for their patience by some great fishing. Like most crews who headed to the reef on Friday night, Russell, Matt and Jack were pretty happy

with their catch. Their night’s fishing produced largemouth nannygai of around 7-8kg, coral trout to 2.5kg, a good bag of quality redthroat and two Spanish mackerel around 6kg. The mackerel were taken on a floating pilchard rig and Russell said they could have continued catching these speedy pelagics, but they were happy with the quality bottom fish they already had in the ice box. He said their only complaint was that, as usual, the sharks gave them a bit of trouble in some spots. After a night of rewarding bottom fishing the weary fishers were back in the creek before midday. They had timed it well. On Saturday afternoon the winds began to build and by late Sunday the Burdekin bluewater fishing scene was again shut down by a strong southeasterly. In the estuaries the fishing has also been pretty good, although mainly for the winter standbys of whiting, flathead and bream. Prime territory for these species has been almost any estuary with extensive sandflats at its mouth. Groper, Phillips Camp, Plantation and Ocean creeks have all featured in recent reports – although

possibly because they are the most popular estuaries in the district. A morning session luring for lizards at Phillips Camp just a few days ago was disappointing, not because of the fishing (we were happy with two flatties to 65cm and a 35cm bream), but because many of the usually pristine sandflats we fished were coated with a layer of mud. I’m guessing the mud has come from either a fresh in the Burdekin River or it has been stirred up and moved around by big tides or strong winds. Hopefully it will clear quickly as Phillips Camp is a popular and handy estuary to fish on the right tide. OUTLOOK FOR SPRING It’s official – we’re into September and winter is now gone for another year. We’ve got a great couple of months ahead. September can produce some howling weather (known as the ‘Mango Winds’), but there are often also calm periods perfect for bluewater boating. While the temperatures are definitely climbing, they are still pretty comfortable during September. But the biggest bonus this month is the large variety of species on offer across North Queensland’s tropical waters.

Russell Sutcliffe, Matthew Farmer and Jack Hawkins made the most of a break in the weather to fish the outer reefs off the Burdekin coast. Species are changing with the seasons, but slowly. In the creeks anglers will soon be tangling with more summer species such as mangrove jack, barramundi, golden snapper, grunter and threadfin salmon. At the same time flathead and bream should still be on the chew right through into the

summer months. Bluewater anglers can still expect small and large mouth nannygai and trout from the shoals and there should still be a few Spaniards cruising our inshore waters. Other likely pelagic captures on the shoals or in Upstart waters could include cobia, trevally and tuna.

Freshwater fishing should also be warming up as the temperatures rise and anglers will be keen to lure up a few barra over the next two months, before the closed season comes into force again. Water clarity in the Burdekin River isn’t good at the moment and we can only hope it will improve soon.

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Making the most of rare good-weather days TOWNSVILLE

Dave Hodge

Since last month, the weather has been the biggest restraint on anglers. While everyone’s keen, not too many are mad keen. This is obviously a good thing, as the Coast Guard have enough work as it is. We’ve seen some pretty horrendous

informed on the wheres and whens of the game. Speaking with Ross from Ultimate Sport Fishing Charters working out of Townsville, the offshore fishing has been spectacular, with a long-missing favourite species showing up more regularly again. The redthroat emperor have made a bit of a comeback in recent weeks, and these hard-fighting glamorous

fish are right up there with trout and red emperor as a table fish. Apparently the sizes are very large as well. Wherever they’ve been, the tucker must have been pretty good.

Creek the doggies are still thick, and just quietly, very bloody easy to catch. Our routine is to stop the boat just upwind or up current from the marker, which will allow

The last of the incoming tide coinciding with sunrise allows the odd stint before work. Light outfits are all that’s needed for these open water fish as they tire quite quickly. A 20lb leader seems light, but you don’t get busted off very often at all. Some days are diamonds. The author and his mate Ryan got over 70 fish for a session, with plenty of doubles to get them giggling.

Walking the beaches looking for nervous jelly prawns and then presenting the best imitation you can is a great way to spend a couple of hours. The Atomic 3” Prong is a good imitation and accounts for many barra locally. conditions recently, and those days that let you go and do what you want are few and far between, but when you get the chance, it has been well worth it. Mackerel and billfish are the obvious surface targets and they have been around in big numbers with some boats raising seven or eight marlin in a single day with a few staying connected long enough to get a tag in. Trolling skirted skipping gar has been the most successful method to target them and if you want more detailed information from those who know much more about these amazing sportfish, you can jump on the Townsville Game Fishing Clubs website, as they’re more

They have been thickest in depths of 25-30m on the southern reefs. Further north depths of 15-20m have fished well, with soft plastics being the best option. A big specimen is around the 3kg mark, and you’d be forgiven for thinking that 30lb braid and 40lb leader would be overkill for a fish of this size, but don’t fall for that ‘go lighter’ trap, as it will cost you plenty of fish and lures.

It’s quite obvious that cod will eat anything that fits in their mouth. In this case it was a baby salt water croc that wasn’t given the chance to grow big enough to be a threat to anyone. Nature is just cool!

While not sought-after for their table qualities, GTs will test you on the lighter tackle. This MadEye Paddle Prawn with an Octo Skirt is a killer trout and golden snapper combo, but the GTs still make you grin.

Good mate Carl Romano went for a run with one of his other mates recently chasing Spanish mackerel with all sorts of stuff like gar, wolfies and trolled bobbed minnows – both shallow and deep – with no results. It was only when his mate put out the Halco Max 130 that they turned the day into a success, landing four Spanish in quick succession on these high-speed, small profiled lures. Trolled in between all the other lures, that lure was the only one to be smashed, which means fish swam past the other lures to get to it, and it was too consistent to be a fluke. The best speed to troll for them was 12km/h. Out the front of Ross

several casts to be made before having to reposition. The longer casts seem to be the ones that get nailed, so they may be a bit spooky if your boat shadow gets too close. A small 20-40g lure rigged on around 100-150mm of 20-30lb Staybrite wire is all that’s needed to get amongst them. Simply cast close to the pylon and allow it to sink. Be prepared to set the hook at any stage. Once you’ve touched down on the bottom, give 2-3 long fast jigs, allow the lure to sink to the bottom again before commencing the next jig, then retrieve flat-out back to the boat. XOS queenfish, the odd Spanish and tuna can be unexpected catches with this type of luring. Beaches are a peaceful place to break the monotony of boats, waves, wind and the like. As an added benefit, they allow the young fella to step out and stretch his legs. I’m amazed now at how he has learned to control himself on the boat, because when he hits the beach he just bolts up and down the beach burning off energy. Between these sprints and cartwheels he stops to rebait his hook or pull in a fish, which is fine by me, as these days aren’t about lots of big fish, but more a chance to get a feed of whiting. Braided line of between 4-5lb and leaders of around 6-10lb are going to produce the best results on the whiting. You won’t believe how much difference the lighter leader makes until you try it. A running sinker is important, as is a small quality swivel as a spacer between sinker and hook. The trace between the swivel and hook is about 40-50cm in length and the hook should be a no.1 or 2, in either a bait holder pattern or the traditional long shank design – the long shank aids in unhooking fish more easily.

Peeled prawns are the best bait and with the run of prawns we had recently in the Ross River, we ziplock bag up about 300g lots, and they’re as fresh as you can get, apart from live. You’ll hit plenty of bream and flathead along the way too, along with small queenies and trevally. River and creeks are a real lure caster’s mixed bag lately. If you can find that little bit of water warmer than the rest of the system, there’s half the battle won. We’ve had a couple of pretty full-on days, but you still have to work for most of your fish. Recently there was a cold snap and the barra were sulking on the deeper ledges and drop-offs. As the tide changes and the water moves over the flooding flats, you can find some decent fish in the dirty water line right on the edge. Tiny lures are still the go for this stuff and this obviously means lighter outfits to be able to fish them on. Even snag casting has seen the small lures reign supreme and the little weedless rigs are getting the most attention. In the faster and deeper

water the vibes – both hard and soft – are catching a range of species. I’ll be doing a bit more with some of the metal vibes in the near future. Fast sink rates and strong actions at slow speeds make them very suitable for a range of species and, to be honest, they’re a lure that I need to put a bit more research into. We used to use them a lot down south on bream, bass, flathead and so on, but I’ve neglected to do much with them in the north. Bassman Mumblers are another lure that I’ve let fall off my radar in recent times for some reason. They’re a tool that used to result in plenty of big fish hook-ups in a lot of situations. We used to sell heaps of them in the shop, with some fanatics using them for everything from golden snapper (fingermark) to cobia, trout and barra. If you’re from the southern parts of the state and are planning a trip up this way, there are plenty of lures more known for the impoundment scene and inland rivers that just brain the fish up this way, so don’t leave them at home.

Quality grunter are getting around as well, and this one was taken by talented local angler Ryan Tully using a 1/4oz head fished on 6lb braid. A black and yellow blended colour looks less appealing than the sparkly and reflective type colours, but the fish don’t think so. SEPTEMBER 2017

Return of the black jewfish HINCHINBROOK

Ryan Moody info@ryanmoodyfishing.com

The past month has been once again plagued by periods of strong winds, which is not unusual for this time of year. This makes it hard for many to get out wide and I guess its one way that Mother Nature takes care of itself.

been good producers of late during the smaller gaps of good weather and for once, I have not heard too much about shark problems. I suspect, however, they will get active again once the big schools of migratory Spaniards head to the inner reef entrances during the later part of September. The small black marlin have shown up in reasonable numbers, but some days are

on these fish for a bit of sport, always keep an eye out for the gannets diving in the distance, as they prefer to feed on the same small pelagics like yakkas and the herring schools. If you see the small white terns diving, then its most likely tuna schools, as it’s a much smaller baitfish they are feeding on. Hopefully, they will hang around until October before making their

Mick Beil found this nice 120cm black jewfish. There have been some reports from out the front that suggests the coral trout have been plentiful. Otter and Brittomart reefs have

tougher than others as its just a matter of running into the right bait schools in the shipping lane that have the fish on them. If you’re keen

way south. It has been a good month for the big black jewfish and we have witnessed some really good schools this

year compared to the poor results in previous years. These fish must be migratory to show up in the numbers they have, and their sizes are impressive. My brother has had an exceptional run on jew on charter, giving clients something to talk about. We don’t really know enough about them over here, as they are sometimes very scarce, although they were very plentiful back in the 70s and 80s. Overfishing seems to have an effect on them, which is surprising considering they are supposed to have a growth rate better than a barramundi. We just hope their populations keep on the up in coming years. Barra reports have been scratchy, with the best results coming from school-sized fish during the periods of better weather. Pretty soon, with the water temperature climbing, we will see an improvement, especially on the larger fish. Mangrove jack have still been consistent this winter for those who like getting up tight in the mangroves. Hinchinbrook is a haven for this species and many switched on anglers have lots of fun with them. The

Here’s hoping for some nice size golden snapper in September! best tip is to take the insect spray because they love the same areas as the sandflies. That’s one way you know you’re in good jack territory. You must flick your lures or plastics in tight to gaps and gutters in the red mangrove roots, otherwise you are minimising your chances substantially. During September, we will see much the same as this past month, but with the water warming towards the end of the month we may see more golden snapper (fingermark) move back into the channel. We always look forward to these guys, as they are such an awesome fish and are good on the table. They are very susceptible to barotrauma, so

any caught in water deeper than 10m have a small chance of survival, so if you run into a school of undersize fish in this depth or greater, its best to move on and leave them alone. They are suckers for small vibes and live herring, but will take a vast array of plastics in general. We have an online course coming in a few months on golden snapper, so keep an eye out for it if you are interested, it will be up on www.fishsmarter.com.au. • If you would like to book a charter or join our fishing community for some great fishing competitions etc, head on over to www. ryanmoodyfishing.com. And you could also win a free charter drawn twice a year.

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Jacks aren’t fussy when it comes to what they will eat. If they are in the mood, they will smash the daylights out of anything you swim in front of them. jigheads, they are simply deadly. Being able to rig plastics snag-proof puts you closer into the strike zone more regularly, which means you will have your plastic in front of fish more often. Barra will be starting to feed more actively as well as the waters warm. Finding some good mud flats that have plenty of bait about and hopefully some drains and structure will have barra in close proximity. Using lightlyweighted plastics and also surface offerings is the best idea, as sometimes they are feeding in such shallow water the only way to get strikes is off the surface. JETTY, ISLANDS AND REEF The last few months have seen the best coral trout fishing we have had for years. I’m not sure if it’s the fact that the weather has been consistently bad all year, meaning fishers haven’t been able to dent the fish stocks. Whatever the reason, I hope it continues. It’s great filling the esky with delicious trout for the dinner table. We have had so much success fishing in water of all depths. Around the 20m mark, some good bommies and bait

ground often it means you can pull a few trout from each new location. Trout rigs are simple – it’s as easy as a ball sinker straight down to your hook. Use a strong, tough trace, as the bottom is very unforgiving and can cut through line like a knife. A fast action rod and a reel capable of good drag are necessary. You don’t want to give trout any line or they will get home and it will all be over. Trout can hit hard and will be going straight for their home. You have to turn their heads immediately or you’ll have to retie another rig. Bait is also simple for trout, as the good old pilchard will never get ignored, but as it’s a soft bait it can easily be picked away by small fish before the quality fish find it. Fresh fish flesh like fusilier is deadly and tough, so it will stay on the hook. This way, instead of striking at small fish you can wait for the solid bite from a trout. The jetty has been quiet for the last few months and if you could hook a fish, it would get sharked. Although sharks are a common occurrence here (and everywhere), this year they have been especially bad out

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It’s September and this is an exciting time of year here at Lucinda – the water starts to warm and the fish really move about and get active. With a few months of cold water and persistent southerlies, the fish seem to hibernate and this can prove rather frustrating. But that’s over and I’m not the only one who loves this time of year. Everything seems fishy and both the pelagic and estuary fish are feeding up. It can also be a very busy time on the water with plenty more windows to get out into the bluewater and stuck into some terrific fishing. Read on to see what should be bending rods in September here around Lucinda and the magnificent Hinchinbrook Island. HINCHINBROOK CHANNEL It’s a great time to be breaking out the lures and plastics and hitting the estuaries for barra and jacks. Mangrove jack will hopefully become really aggressive and active. This time last year had some of the best mangrove jack fishing we have experienced for years. It was very common to hit double figures off one good stretch of creek, if you got the timing correct. For those new to chasing mangrove jacks, I must warn you they are an addictive fish. Jacks are aggressive thugs that can leave you shaking as you sit down to retie another leader after getting absolutely smoked out of nowhere. I enjoy watching anglers’ reactions, especially when it’s slow fishing – casting away then out of nowhere there’s a bang, a short ripping of drag and the game is over. Whether you prefer spin or baitcasting gear, make sure it’s got a medium to fast action and the drags are smooth, but pretty much locked up. Give a jack the slightest amount of line and it will most probably bury you, even the rod bending allows enough room for them to find their home. Jacks love current pushing into their lairs and keeping a close eye out for heavy structure that cops good current flow should have jacks in residence. It’s possible to find multiple fish on bigger snags, especially if there is plenty of bait around. Larger fish are normally always in the best spot; this will in most cases be the first good snag after a featureless bank that has good water depth and gets good tidal flow. Jacks aren’t fussy when it comes to what they will eat. If they are in the mood, they will smash the daylights out of anything you swim in front of them. I love soft plastics – matched correctly to the right

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The temperature and fishing are turning up CAIRNS

Garry Smith garrysmith@fishingmonthly.com.au

September is the most exciting month on the fishing calendar in the Cairns area. The temperature is on the rise along with the fishing, and the winds are on the decline. That’s the norm, but this seems to be a year of anything but norms.

odd chance to venture out has arisen. The problem this year has been another failed wet season, which generally starts to impact the fishing through the dry. While there has been continual light rain year-round and Copperlode Dam is near capacity, the same can’t be said for the flooding downpours, which didn’t eventuate again this past wet season. Tinaroo Dam, which I look to as an

Paul Ulcoq caught this great golden snapper on a live sardine while fishing the headlands north of Cairns. Here’s hoping at least the transition to the warmer months will return some sort of familiarity to the weather patterns. Typically Cairns anglers are blessed with extended periods of calm weather beginning in September. For some reason, nature just keeps throwing curved balls this year. The big plus has been when anglers have been able to get out wide, the fish have been up to the task and boaties have returned with good catches and big grins. Inshore has been less consistent, though still productive, when the

indicator of the overall sign of rainfall in the area, was below 50% capacity recently and falling. The general impact is that the fishing becomes sporadic with few big runs of fish. The good thing is variety tends to come to the fore. With this in mind, try and diversify your techniques and target species this month for the best results. Don’t head out with just one species on the target list and a limited arsenal of approaches. Use the shotgun approach and go with a wide range of target species in mind and an even wider plan of attack. You

should come up trumps on most occasions. September is renowned as one of the best months on the reef, with coral trout and largemouth nannygai the main targets. Red emperor are also around and there has been a resurgence in smallmouth nannygai numbers in the past few months. For the best chance of finding what’s on the bite at the reef, divide your time between chasing trout up shallow and reds in the deep water. Look for areas where it’s not a big distance between significant depth changes. You can snooker yourself at times by heading to an area where there are extensive areas of water below 30m, but it’s a long way to deep water if the trout and shallow species aren’t cooperating. The same can happen in reverse, where you can head to an extensive area of deep water with no shallow areas close by, thus limiting your options if things are quiet in the deep water. If you can’t locate fish in the deep water by anchoring on likely country, try drifting through good looking areas and marking spots where you get a few bites. You can then try anchoring on those spots to see if you can bring on a consistent bite. There are times however, when continually drifting through a productive area is the best option rather than anchoring up. Mackerel will be on the way out, but still worth a

look at all the usual spots. Always have a floating pilchard or live bait out the back at the reef. Further inshore, the islands, wrecks and Trinity Inlet leads will

worth a flick off the rocks when the seas and winds cooperate. If the winds are up then focus on the estuaries, particularly around the river mouths and junctions, which

fall for live prawns or squid, so if you can get them, they are the first choice on the bait front. Soft plastics rigged with a weedless setup work best, as they can be retrieved deep and

Largemouth nannygai will be on the chew this month in the deep water. all be worth a look when conditions are right. In the estuaries, September is generally considered the month when barramundi become more active again, even though they have been taken throughout the colder months by those prepared to put in the time and effort. Barra tend to move a bit more as the water temperature rises and anglers find them a bit easier to locate. Their feeding window tends to be a bit longer too, which increases anglers’ chances of getting onto a bite. The headlands have been holding barra for a while and they will be there for some time to come, so it’s always

have likely snags, rocks or bait schools. Golden snapper have been around in good numbers this year, along the headlands to the north and south of Cairns, as well as in the deep water areas of the estuaries and Cairns Inlet. They have mainly been in the 40-50cm range, but there have also been a few brutes landed by those with the gear to handle them. The Cairns Net Free Zone seems to be having a particularly positive impact on golden snapper, along with salmon and barra. Live sardines and mud herring have been producing the goods, along with soft plastics worked slowly along the bottom. They will always

slow without snagging up too often. Golden snapper seldom venture far from cover, so you need to work tight to structure for the best results. Mangrove jack numbers should increase as low water levels push them out of the freshwater down into tidal areas. Small live baits and lures or fresh dead baits of all the usual bait species will do the job, like half a pilchard with a well-hidden hook. Grunter will be on the bite on the hospital flats and grit areas in Cairns Inlet, especially on the bigger tides around the new and full moons. Fish light and well away from the boat for best results. Here’s to a return to a more familiar weather pattern this month.

High hopes for more settled offshore conditions PORT DOUGLAS

Lynton Heffer www.fishingportdouglas.com.au

We have just come through one of the windiest winters on record. Hopefully this wind is a thing of the past and we can settle into a better weather pattern moving forward. Traditionally this is the case at this time of year and there’s still plenty of good fishing to be had to make up for a lot of lost time over the last few months. We are in peak time for outer reef fishing. It has been a matter of dodging the winds to gain access to the reef. The best days in recent times have coincided with the week leading into the new and full moons (with good weather to assist). These days have exploded with activity, particularly when targeting the red brigade, including small and largemouth 64

SEPTEMBER 2017

nannygai. There have been numerous reports of vessels having to drive away from the bite in fear of going over bag limits on these species, which are already very generous. This has only occurred a handful of times, but is still an indication of what can happen if the weather allows. Once one or two fish decide to have a go it sends the whole school into a feeding frenzy. The key is to always have one fish battling away on the end of a line through the water column to maintain this hype. Sometimes the school will collectively come up towards the boat and will feed halfway down ready to pounce on anything put in front of their noses. This is the best-case scenario and the action is nothing short of full-on. A cardinal sin is to drop a fish on the end of the line, which can shut down a ravaging school just as quick as it started. This particularly applies to the largemouth nannygai.

The red reef species have been plentiful. Other than this there have been real mixed bags being caught, especially when anglers are forced to fish up in the shallows due to the winds. Coral trout have remained very handy. There have been some big days on the gold-spot and tea-leaf trevally and reef mangrove jack have been eager. There has been a constant flow of bread and butter species

such as stripies, Moses perch and sweetlip. When these golden days of weather arrive, be prepared for total chaos down at the local boat ramps. Just in the last month or so we had one of those rare moments where seemingly everyone was out for a fish, despite it being a weekday. I’ve never seen anything like it and it was a very

slow process launching and retrieving boats. It’s nice to know that some things never change in the Far North. If the weather is fine, expect to see a ‘Gone Fishing’ sign on a lot of business doors. On the pelagic scene, the Spanish mackerel have been around. Trying to access them sitting on top of isolated reefs and pinnacles out in the deep has been the dilemma, due to the persisting winds. The same can be said about the small black marlin, which are currently around on known grounds. So far, few have been able to take on the weather. If conditions can settle right down then we’ll see a really good run on both species in the coming month. The general consensus is that there appears to be enough bait around to keep these fish interested for a while to come. In the rivers and creeks it has been a very tough season. With water temperatures due to slowly rise, we should start to see

a bit more movement from its residents. To date there have been smatterings of smaller trevally and queenfish around, a lot of juvenile barracuda, a few good mangrove jack and your usual suspects such as bream and grunter. There have been nice barra caught at the mouths of some systems along the beaches. These have coincided with bright sunny days and calm conditions, which have been rare. This can change very quickly with better conditions on offer and we’ll start to see better results on the likes of barra, golden snapper and mangrove jack. Other species will also appreciate the change and there will be a lot more to offer in our calm water systems. September is always earmarked as a changing of the guard as the season changes. There is a spring in everyone’s step, including our tropical fish species.

Barron River and Thomatis Creek CAIRNS

Dan Kaggelis dkaggelis@gmail.com

Just north of Cairns lies the mighty Barron River and its side branch Thomatis Creek. The Barron River winds all the way down from the Tablelands down the Kuranda Range and eventually to the sea.

self, with a reputation of being a quality fishing spot for king threadfin salmon, mangrove jacks and big barramundi. This estuary is best accessed at Stratford, next to the Captain Cook Highway Bridge. This ramp has ample parking, is well lit and has a pontoon for ease of access. Thomatis is a smaller system and is best accessed by the Holloways Beach Boat Ramp

Barra can be found in the deeper holes. The Barron River and is one of Queensland’s most amazing catchments and while it has had its water quality issues in the past, much has been done to reduce sediment and phosphates being washed into the river. Coupled with the removal of nets from the system, the Barron River is beginning to return to its old

at Holloways Beach. Both ramps are accessible all tide, however the Stratford Ramp is much more family friendly. It is also much safer to use than the Thomatis Creek Ramp, which has its fair share of crocodiles that are renowned for having a bit of lounge on the ramp in the colder months. When starting your Barron

River Fishing trail from the Stratford Creek Ramp, launch your boat and head towards the mouth of the creek. You will have to pass under the highway, but when you do make sure you take the time to sound around the highway bridge, as this is a renowned spot for some very big barramundi. This spot can be particularly good at night when bait schools are drawn to the lights on the bridge. If you can sound up bait, or even better, fish, try using either vibe style lures or suspending deep diving hardbodies. With vibes, it’s best to cast into the structure and rip them up slowly, letting the vibration draw in the fish. You may have to put in plenty of casts to get them to bite, but it will be worth it in the end. The other option is using hardbodied lures like the Lucky Craft Pointer XD 100. These are great to rip down along the pylons before letting them suspend in the water column. This gives the barramundi plenty of time to check out the lure and seal the bite. Make sure you are using some highly quality leader, as the pylons are not very line friendly. Another option is live baits, and the bigger the better in this spot.

Moving further down the system, you will see many mangrove-lined banks, which hold good numbers of mangrove jacks. Casting small 3-4” paddle-tail plastic like ZMan SwimmerZ amongst the roots and snags on the incoming tide is an excellent option to nail a few jacks. When the tide is a little higher, try using weedless frogs flicked under the overhanging mangroves. This is an exciting way to fish and is plenty of fun. While there are plenty of mangroves to cast at, it is the deeper holes mostly found on the bends of the rivers, especially the last bend of the river before nearing the mouth and mouths of smaller feeder creeks, that are worth fishing. Fishing this deeper water on the slack of the tide, preferably the bottom of the tide with live prawns and mullet or vibe style lures, will see some excellent fishing. Threadfin salmon and large barramundi are found in the Barron, especially when fished for at night. The mouth of the Barron is also excellent and this is best fished on the outgoing tide with more run the better. In its day, the Barron was also renowned for its black jewfish, however they have not been seen regularly

Jacks are right through the system and are best targeted on the mangrove banks of both the Barron River and Thomatis Creek. for a while, so here’s hoping this population will bounce back.The best baits to use here are herring, mullet and prawns and can all be caught using a cast net in this creek. If you don’t like using live bait, then prawn style soft plastics like the Zerek Cherabin and Hot Legs Prawn are the best options. Flick these lures into the deeper holes and bring them back to the boat with slow, deliberate hops. Barra and threadfin will often take these on the drop, so be ready. Closer to the mouth of the Barron are lights, which are used for the nearby airport. These are awesome for attracting bait and very large tarpon, so if you love your fly fishing, then

this will be an ideal spot. Thomatis Creek is a much smaller system, but also worth a fish. It offers some very deep timber strewn banks at the mouth that fish well with vibes on the run-out tide. Thomatis is a very sandy system at the mouth, so flathead and grunter are very much an option. The mouth closes off and is shallow at low tide, so be aware of this. Further upstream are some great snags and artificial rock bars, which are also worth a flick. The Barron and Thomatis are right slap bang in the middle of the NFZ, and with a few good wet seasons and some recruitment behind them, will see some awesome fishing to come!

Brilliant spring Cape fishing CAPE YORK

Tim O’Reilly wildrivercompany@gmail.com

After what could only be considered a fairly mild winter, many of the tropical northern species will fire to life in September. In most years, this is a month where variable winds and

neap tides, barramundi will venture out wide of their usual haunts and lairs. They can be trolled and cast to in shallow gutters, bays and current lines. Don’t be surprised to see fish on the sounder hanging well wide of the bank or any apparent structure. Trolling shallow divers and casting sinking plastics

barra to bite. Patience and a keen eye for fish trailing your presentation are keys to success. Visual reaction is a big thing when chasing barra on lures. Reacting to a fish by its size and behaviour can make a huge difference to the scorecard. Getting the second and third casts in the perfect spot leading to a fish, which just rolled on your lure, is a fun and competitive way to fish. Down the east coast of the Cape, some of the big game boats will be venturing wide of Cooktown to the north and

south of Lizard Island chasing black marlin. September to November marks the season where these world-renowned monsters are targeted around the Ribbon Reefs. All manner of other species are available to trailer boat fishers along this coastline. Some brilliant trolling, jigging, popping and bait fishing can be had around most accessible reefs at this time of year. On the western side of the Cape, this is a settled month where conditions are quite idyllic. There are vast stretches

A thumper trout taken on far northern reefs.

A classic East Coast Cape York creek mouth setup. pockets of calm weather can produce moments of brilliance. Spring conditions are typically fantastic up in Cape York. Things can start to dry up and get a little dusty. For the most part, conditions will be still be dry and mild. Barramundi will usually kick into gear at some point in September and catches of small to medium-sized barra can be plentiful. With clean water and

and vibes may bring fish holding in open territory around for a look. Vibration, colour and flash may all play a big part in barra captures at this time of year. The angler with the lucky lure can sometimes strike a team of barra fixated on their particular offering and ignoring other similar options. Slow twitching lures just under the surface and a long pause as a diving lure floats up are two effective methods for getting these smaller

Catching a jack on a snag.

of clean sand, punctuated by headlands, creeks and river systems and not a whole lot of people around. Travel a line just a few kilometres from shore all the way down the west coast and you are bound to bump into actively feeding fish anywhere, anytime. Queenfish, giant trevally, golden trevally, tuna, mackerel and cobia are just a few species that will show up with consistency around the contour lines and bait schools. Juvenile black marlin and sailfish may be just a little farther out, ripping into larger baitfish in marauding packs

during calm conditions. September will hold a plethora of opportunities for sport fishers and those who just want to catch a feed. This is a month of plenty, where almost all species will be available at some stage. Be ready for those pockets of calm weather and take advantage of them. It might not be long until the next strong southeasterly blow. • For information on remote charter operations for tailored fishing adventures, please email Tim on wildrivercompany @gmail.com SEPTEMBER 2017

Cooktown breeze backs off COOKTOWN

Paul Prokopuk

At this time of the year, the annual ‘Cooktown breeze’ is beginning to back off. More opportunities will arise each week to sneak out to the reefs in small boats. Blackbird Patches, Dawson and Cowlishaw reefs are only a few kilometres from the Endeavour River’s boat ramp and if the winds spring up, it’s only a short trip home. Lighter winds have been infrequent over the past month, but keen Cooktown anglers haven’t stopped producing some nice catches when those short windows of opportunity have arisen. With the consistent southeasterly winds blowing, cooler winter days and sporadic patches of rain, the water temperature has

stayed below 30°C over the past month. These slightly cooler waters have ensured a vast improvement on the reef fishing scene with quality fish coming aboard thick and fast on recent trips. Deep water rubble patches, gutters and larger wonky holes have been firing at night with fantastic catches of largemouth nannygai, spangled emperor, reef jacks and red emperor. When searching for new areas to target the above species, we have found the most productive grounds consist of either a hard, rubble-like broken bottom or small car-sized mounts that protrude from the seabed. Trolling for Spanish mackerel is a productive way to search for new ground and plenty of them are still on the menu. Pilchard coloured hardbodies or a skirted lure in a darker colour will have

good hook-up rates. An unweighted live bait or fresh dead bait is another proven method to land some monster fish. The trout have also been biting really well, with big hauls coming in.

Squid and pilchards have been productive baits for trout. Anglers using big soft plastics are doing just as well with these top quality table fish. The water is crystal clear

Young Jessie Wright putting the older anglers to shame with this ripper red emperor.

Jimmy Mann with a solid largemouth caught using a 7” Berkley Jerk Shad.

around the river headlands and in the estuaries at the moment. Queenfish have been chasing the bait right up into the estuaries and 1m specimens are being caught. Trevally can be caught in prolific numbers using the same method as chasing queenies. Down towards the mouth of the Annan River is a well-known spot to find these sporty crusaders. Another good spot to fish for queenies and mackerel is at Cooktown’s wharf. Using metallic coloured poppers has been a successful method. Metal slugs with a high-speed retrieve are also effective. The cooler water hasn’t slowed the river fishing too much with barramundi and mangrove jack still being

Dylan Gilmore with a cracking Spanish mackerel caught on an unweighted bait. caught for those putting in the time and effort. There have been some quality catches come from the wharf in Cooktown recently. Simply send down a live bait around the pylons and wait. Landing them can be an issue, because there are many obstacles. If you have a boat, then head up to the upper sections of the river.

With the big tides around the full moon, fish the first of the run-out tide. As the bait starts to come out of the mangroves, the predators will be waiting for a feed, so a well-presented live bait should see some action. While fishing the rivers, it would be silly not to take the pots out with you as mud crabs are still being caught in good numbers.

Cooler weather will still be around in spring WEIPA

Jackson Bargenquast

The river fishing has been quiet with barramundi, mangrove jack and threadfin being quite difficult to catch, especially during the day. Even the pelagic action has been quiet with far fewer bait balls consisting of tuna, cobia and mackerel available. Given a calm day, however, the reef fishing is still going off with bait and lure fishing action red hot. Recently we had the grandparents and uncle from back home in Maryborough visit for a fishing trip and they had a great time catching a variety of species that you don’t catch in the 66

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Sandy Straits every day, such as golden snapper (fingermark), tuskfish, coral trout and big cobia. They really got their arms stretched on some reefies and had fun catching rat barra, juvenile golden snapper and big pikey bream up the creek on light tackle. They also enjoyed croc spotting and taking in the scenery of the Cape. It was great to get them hooked into some fish. Lately the best places to catch a barra have been land-based at night time around the Evans Landing Jetty and Mission River Bridge. A few nice barra over 70-80cm were landed on various lures such as plastics, vibes and livies. Since a variety of prey items such as prawns, mullet, herring and squid

The author and his grandfather who landed this cracker golden snapper on a recent holiday to Weipa.

congregate around lights at night time, the sluggish barramundi wait in the shadows and on the light lines to pick off an easy meal. The cold temperatures make them very doughy, so the barra won’t attack a lure or bait as quickly and aggressively as they might in warmer months, meaning that they bite quite similar to a humble bream or grunter. Slow rolling lures with few small, sporadic twitches seems to be the most effective way to work the lures in this situation. The flyfishing on the flats has been quite successful lately. With water clarity at its clearest for the year, it’s easy to spot the ghostly shadows of fish as they cruise the To page 67

Hard-fighting fish FRESHWATER

Angus James Instagram: @jimmygusjames

I’m often asked when my favourite time of the year to be fishing is and my answer is always September. It’s the time of the year when the temperatures begin to heat up again, resulting in most of our tropical species

The freshwater mangrove jack fishing is starting to heat up and it’s a great time to start throwing a few surface presentations around to tempt a few out from the snags. Cast your lures tight into the structure and hold on! The jack is a super intelligent ambush machine that will be ready to attack in an instant. Be ready to pull them out hard and fast and get the upper

solid hook-ups. JPs will assault just about anything that will fit in their mouth, so always take a few different presentations to throw. Once again, surface lures work a treat and produce some exciting visual action. A favourite to all Queenslanders and known for their tough attitude is the sooty grunter. These football-shaped

The mangrove jack fishing is starting to heat up and it’s a great time to start throwing a few surface presentations around to tempt a few out from the snags.

Jungle perch are a go-to target for any keen lure angler and will test every bit of your finesse fishing skills. really starting to fire up and become super aggressive. Some insane fishing is sure to be had this month! There are so many landbased options around this part of the country from the many sweetwater streams to the urban lakes and beaches that surround us. If you want some serious line peeling action then I suggest you give the milkfish a go. These fish, once hooked, often produce some of the hardest and fastest drag screaming action. They can be found in most tidal lakes and upper reaches. From page 66

shallows. Species such as permit, blue bastards, giant trevally and tuskfish are among the contenders. While the water is quite clear, the amount of wind and swell lately may vary the clarity of inshore

hand before they wrap you around their front porch. Not only are they one of the most stunning fish to look at, they will also take you into some of the most breathtaking country imaginable. Jungle perch are a go-to target for any keen lure angler and will test every bit of your finesse fishing skills. When possible, try to always walk upstream when stalking these cunning fish. Casting your artificial offerings upstream and allowing them to naturally drift down with the flowing water is a sure way to produce

critters go hard and give you plenty of entertainment when it comes to wetting a line. Sootys love a nice bit of timber to hang around, so again get your lures hard up in the structure. Little spinnerbaits and blades are great lures to throw in low light conditions. You will find these tough natives in most freshwater rivers and streams in the north. They’re such a cool fish. Good luck out there folks. It’s a great time to make some new adventures and memories. Fish on!

areas such as river mouths and beaches. Always be armed with a fly rod and crab pattern when heading around inshore areas. The truth about it is the fishing up here has been quiet lately, but fish can still be caught. With the

wet well over, the inland swamps are beginning to dry up and expose small deep holes that teem with life. Freshwater barra, saratoga, big sooties and endless stocks of ravenous spangled perch are a regular sight.

A solid winter barra around 75cm the author took on a vibe recently on a solo land-based mission.

If you want some serious line-peeling action then I suggest you give milkfish a go. It is also the time of the year to be chasing a pig and mobs will travel between billabongs and any swamps that still contain water to feed. While it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, pig hunting, like fishing, is a very addictive sport and can

really get the heart pumping. Culling pigs also helps our pristine environment out by removing a devastating pest. Overall there is still a large array of species to be caught up here in the Cape with reefies, flats fishing, and some pelagic action still

going off. Barra have been tough lately, but they still have to feed, and there are also other options like freshwater fishing or hunting to practice as well. Good luck to all anglers and think like a fish.

Fly fishing has been very successful lately. SEPTEMBER 2017

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AFTA Show gets the thumbs-up If you follow fishing and didn’t know the AFTA Trade Show was held on the Gold Coast in July, you must have had a dodgy internet connection for the last month! Plenty of new products were released, some making their Australian debut after being launched at the ICAST show in the USA mere weeks before, and others being displayed for the first time. Like always, AFTA ran Best of Show awards that were contested by over 280 entries in 19 categories. The winners are published here. Fishing Monthly’s own www.tacklejunkie. fish, which powers the What’s New sections of the magazines, also handed out its own ‘Thumbs Up’ awards that were presented on the five live shows that Steve Morgan and

Simon Goldsmith broadcast from the show floor. You can watch recordings of the live shows on the www.tacklejunkie.fish Facebook page or just the Thumbs Up products on the Fishing Monthly YouTube channel. The award winners as well as Hall of Fame inductees and Industry Awards were presented at the AFTA Gala Dinner. Hosted by Nova Brisbane radio star Ash Bradnam, and attended by a who’s who of the industry and government, it was great to see people like Bruce Alvey acknowledged for their decades of tireless service to the industry. Was the AFTA Show a hub of activity for the Australian tackle industry? You bet! We gave it the thumbs-up. - FM

HALL OF FAME INDUCTION - John Millyard John Millyard joined Basser Millyard in the early 1970s to assist his father with the heavy workload. Upon joining the business John went on to acquire some great agencies including Pradco, Scotty, AFTCO, Everol and Mr Twister. In 1993, John decided to expand the business and acquired Killalure. He used his training and expertise in plastic moulding to take this brand to a new level by re-tooling existing models into plastic. New models were designed in the coming years, and the Killalure range firmly established its place as a major player in the Australian market. In 2000, John bought Classic Lures from

Rob Gaden and again used his skills and knowledge to upgrade the brand’s foam lures to injection plastic. Many new models were developed, and the brand has gone on to enjoy great success in both Australian and international markets. John was a founding director of the Australian Fishing Trade Association (AFTA) in 1981, and took on the role of running the industry trade show with the goal of promoting fishing to the public. The first show was a public show held at Birkenhead Point in Sydney in 1981. John ran the AFTA show for many years in venues including Homebush, Rosehill Racecourse, Penrith Panthers, Flemington Racecourse, the Brisbane Showgrounds and finally the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre where it continues to be held to this day. Together with John Dunphy, John Millyard spent countless volunteer hours lobbying state and federal governments for the benefit of recreational fishing.

HALL OF FAME INDUCTION - Trevor Maundrell Trevor Maundrell started with Jarvis Walker in 1984 as a sales representative, alongside his brother Max. He quickly progressed through the ranks, becoming the NSW State Manager, then the National Sales Manager and finally was appointed at CEO in 1988. Trevor took Jarvis Walker from an Australian rod building business to the international fishing tackle company we know today.

Over the years Jarvis Walker has had overseas ownership by companies including the Penn Fishing Tackle Company and Ryobi. One of Trevor’s proudest achievements has been bringing Jarvis Walker home to 100% Australian ownership. Trevor has dedicated many volunteer hours to working with recreational fishing industry bodies. He served two terms on the board of the Australian Fishing Trade Association and continues to serve of the board of the Future Fish Foundation. During his time on the AFTA Board, Trevor oversaw many initiatives that raised the profile of recreational fishing in Australia, and made the nation’s leaders sit up and take note. Trevor’s leadership is described as ‘nothing short of inspirational’, and the loyalty and years of service of the staff at Jarvis Walker is testament to the team environment that he has created.

HALL OF FAME INDUCTION - Dick Lewers Richard ‘Dick’ Lewers was best known for his long running Modern Fishing column ‘Ask Dick Lewers’. Dick was also involved in various recreational fishing bodies, and was a fixture at both the Sydney and Melbourne boat show fishing clinics for many years. Dignified, quietly spoken, but with a devilish sense of humour, Dick personified the term ‘nature’s gentleman’ and was revered by all who had contact with him. The ‘Ask Dick Lewers’ column was the

longest running question and answer column in the world. Aside from his column writing, Dick was an accomplished book author, with his first work being published way back in the 1950s. Understanding Fishing Tackle was the ‘bible’ in the 1970s, and Fabulous Bass and How to Catch Them, published in 1995, was a true labour of love for this warm, genuine and humble man. A superb communicator, it wasn’t just about tackle and technique with Dick though. A number of past and present day fishing writers sought his advice about becoming magazine contributors, and his well considered, thoughtful replies were of sufficient encouragement for them to put down the rod, pick up the camera, and get their thoughts down on paper. With Dick’s passing in December last year, at the age of 92, Australian recreational fishing lost one of its true champions.

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NS Black Hole make rods for jigging, popping, and slow jigging in their brand new Boca range, but it was the popping model that got runner up for Best Rod at AFTA. The Boca Popping rod beat a large number of excellent rods to snag this title, as the Best Rod division is always hotly contested at AFTA, with a large number of entries. Popping has become very popular in the last few years, and this addictive fishing demands the best quality in hardwearing equipment. This is why the Boca Popping rods are such a good option. The Boca Popping rods come in four sizes, with a 7’9” PE 2-4 stick that will throw baits up to 125g, an 8’3”, PE 6-10 stick capable of casting baits to 180g, an 8’6” version of the PE 6-10 that will cast up to 150g, and a 10’ PE 3-6 stick that can throw baits weighing up to 140g. All rods are 2-piece, come with Fuji LRV Titanium guides and have nano carbon blanks and a double locking reel seat. Keep an eye out for them at your favourite tackle store in the coming months, or for more information on the NS Black Hole range head to the EJ Todd website. www.ejtodd.com.au

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The Best Rod division of the AFTA Best of Show Awards always attracts a large number of entries, and this year was no different. After a flurry of voting, the rod that came out on top in 2017 was the 6’6”, 4-piece Combat Beast Travel Baitcast (PE 1-4, 70g) from Wilson Fishing. The Combat Beast series of rods, as the name suggests, is built specifically to take on the biggest predators that fishing can throw at you. Crafted using high performance Toray carbon material, the blanks have a fast taper that allows for a solid hook set and a high back bone that allows the angler to turn the heads of powerful fish. An ingenious 4 axis carbon slit cross wrapping eliminates blank twist and reinforces the overall structural stability giving these rods an incredible strength and ultimate performance in the field. The rods are fitted with high quality Fuji components including Fuji K-SIC guides that have been optimally placed to maximise blank integrity, making the Combat Beasts the ultimate performance rods developed to take on the ultimate beast. www.wilsonfishing.com.au

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Shimano Sustain 2500 HGFI

13 Fishing Concept Z

The brand new Shimano Sustain FI comes in 4 sizes, but it was the smallest version, the 2500 HGFI, that won out over others at the AFTA trade show. By leveraging the benefits of the Aluminum Hagane Body, the Sustain FI possesses the rigidity of a metal outer shell that maximizes impact resistance whilst eliminating body flex under load. To provide enhanced sensitivity, a Magnumlite Rotor has been fitted and offers an effortless low inertia rotation – a significant improvement on the previous Sustain FG model. X Protect technology provides the Sustain FI with Shimano’s highest degree of waterproofing protection. Such technology leverages both a water repellent treatment and labyrinth structure that blocks any saltwater entry into the reel’s internals. The cold forged Hagane Gear and X-Ship provide a gearing system that is smoother and stronger than any other on the market. This gives the reel a much smoother gear transition but also unrivalled pulling power. The 2500 HGFI has a gear ratio of 6.0:1, can put out a maximum of 9kg of drag, and weighs just 235g! Make sure you add this one to the wish list! www.shimanofish.com.au

It’s time to rethink everything you know about bearings! Introducing the newest member of the Concept range of baitcasting reels from from 13 Fishing, the Concept Zero. The Concept Zero features bearings that use 13 Fishing’s proprietary new space-age polymer material to replace all ball bearings. This is where the Concept Zero gets its name – it has zero ball bearings! That means there will be no more performance loss due to debris, no more corrosion and environmental wear, and no more noise. Some of the other cool features include 6-way centrifugal braking, 22LB Bulldog drag and Japanese Hamai cut gearing. The Concept Zero is currently available in 6.6:1, 7.3:1 and 8.1:1 in the right hand wind configuration, and 7.3:1 in the left hand configuration. The Zero is a fantastically durable reel that won’t break the bank, and it looks pretty damn good too! Welcome to the future of baitcasting. For more information on the 13 Fishing rod range, visit the Nomad Tackle website or like them on Facebook. Price: SRP $349 www.nomadtackle.com

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The runner-up for Best Combo at the 2017 AFTA Show was the Penn Conflict II and Regiment II. Incorporating a lightweight yet strong RR30 (Rigid Resin) body and rotor, the Conflict II can withstand the high pressures that braided lines and powerful fish generate,while being light enough to comfortably cast all day. Housed with the RR30 body are seven stainless steel bearings and a computercontrolled CNC gear technology system. HT100 carbon fibre drag washers ensure smooth and consistent drag pressure. There are four models, covering everything from snapper on plastics through to pelagics on metals. Gear ratios range from 6.2:1/83cm on the 2500 to 5.6:1/90cm on the 5000, and maximum drags range from 5.5kg to 11kg. Penn Regiment II rods are new gen super light but powerful graphite rods featuring SLS3 construction with dual layer graphite wrap for added twist resistance. Other features include strong and furable Fuji Alconite K-Guides and a lightweight Fuji graphite reel seat. SLS3 construction uses inner and outer spiral wrap layers of carbon fibre to sandwich middle layers of alternating longitudinal carbon and glass. The spiral wraps maintain a round cross-section in the blank when under load, which helps the blank handle higher loads. The middle layers of unidirectional carbon and glass create the backbone, delivering a strong, balanced, and thin rod blank. www.pennfishing.com.au

For a winning combo designed for throwing big lures at big fish, look no further than the Jewel Swimbait 7120 rod paired up with a Tranx 300A reel, both from Shimano! The Shimano Tranx 300A is designed to go toe-to-toe with the toughest predators. The Tranx series comes in a range of sizes, but the 300A comes in 5.8:1 and 7.6:1 ratios, and has an ergonomic double handle. The Hagane Body provides a rigid yet highly durable outer shell that’s free from body flexing. Additionally, High Efficiency Gearing (HEG) leverages an enlarged drive and pinion gear that is further supported by X-Ship for the ultimate in smooth operation. The Jewel Swimbait rod is 7’10” and comes as a 2-piece. This beast is rated at 8-15kg, and can cast baits weighing up to 5oz! Like all the rods in the upgraded Jewel series, the Jewel Swimbait rod is built on a T45 blank and fitted with Fuji K Alconite guides, combining high end contruction and superior value. The construction of the T45 blank sets the Jewel apart from traditional graphite construction, where a graphite tape is linear rolled at 45° and is then reinforced by two opposing angled premium graphite sheets, creating a light yet extremely strong blank. The Tranx 300A and Jewel Swimbait rod are definitely a match made in heaven for the big bait lovers! www.shimanofish.com.au

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The Zerek Stalker was created to make a unique sound while being retrieved, appealing to large surface-feeding predators. The Stalker has a snake-like swimming action that rocks the internal rattles and knocks the lure’s section together creating the unique sound this lure emits. A jointed, three-piece wakebait with through wire construction and large boot tail, the Stalker is built to handle the extreme tackle anglers are using with these lures. Fitted out with 5x strong Mustad trebles to ensure a solid and secure connection, the Stalker exudes strength in all areas. Make no mistake, this lure is designed to be fished hard for big predators that includes Murray cod, barramundi, trevally and a range of other reef thugs. Initially released in the 250mm Mega version, the Zerek Stalker will be also be available in an 18cm version by the end of the year. The Stalker will add a tough lure to your kit that will take on the biggest predators in your area. Available in eight colours. www.wilsonfishing.com.au

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The Best Hard Lure category was hotly contested at the 2017 AFTA Show. There were many quality contenders, but the Gillies Bluewater Saury lure topped the pack. It's designed to mimic the popular pelagic baitfish and will be in its element chasing tuna, mackerel and all other predatory species. The Saury comes with 10/0 VMC single hooks and heavy-duty rings and hardware. The heavy duty, stainless steel, wired through construction ensures the lure will stand up to the toughest sports fish. A new reinforced bib design compliments the nose wired tow point to ensure the lures swim perfectly out of the box and require minimal tuning after use. The Saury is available in 10 colours and some of those feature the patented ‘LiveGlo’ fluorescent technology. The technology incorporates luminous and ultra violet additives that are somewhat invisible to the human eye but not to predatory fish. The innovation and design in Lance Butler’s lures is something that sets his lures apart from most mainstream lures. www.jmgillies.com.au

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Halco's Madeye range has been winning fans ever since its release. A big part of this is their new soft plastic Rubber Stretch Technology . RST is a unique rubber copolymer that's up to 5x more durable than standard plastic, and is also boyant, enabling the lure to float and wriggle when sitting on the bottom. One of the most popular models in the range is the Paddle Prawn. It was initially released in 3”, 5” and 7” sizes, and is now also available in a 4" version. With its RST technology, the 4" Paddle Prawn is very durable, and can withstand repeated savage strikes. It's enhanced with a natural squid scent, and many colours are highly UV reactive. These babies are unbeatable in the water! All Paddle Prawns have a thin, lightweight yet durable tail that is buoyant and sends irresistible vibrations through the water when jigged or in a current. In addition, the legs and feelers add to the natural appeal, making the Paddle Prawn look incredibly lifelike in the water. The Madeyes 4” Paddle Prawn is available in all your favourite colours, including 200 amber oil, 204 ivy flash, 206 jelly prawn, 207 fluoro orange, 211 raw prawn (new colour), 212 fluoro pink, 215 pearl. It’s available in packs of six. www.halcotackle.com

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The new Chasebaits Smash Squid from River2Sea looks exactly like a real squid, right down to the wings that ripple through the water. It’s so lifelike that a video of it swimming received over 214,000 views in a matter of days! Creator Grainger Mayfield from River2Sea says it’s the most realistic squid ever made, but added that creating it wasn’t an easy journey. “It took 18 months to get the design right,” he explained. “The rolling wings were particularly challenging. Early versions simply vibrated or flapped in the water. We had to get the thickness and shape absolutely spoton to achieve that perfect roll.” Other features include lifelike 3D custom squid eyes, supple tentacles and a potent squid scent for maximum attraction. You can work the Smash Squid in a variety of ways – twitching, jigging or just adding it to a dropper rig to waft naturally in the current. In field testing the Smash Squid has been smashing the snapper, catching them even after its tentacles are gone. As well as catching every predator in the salt, lateralthinking anglers should also be able to catch freshwater species too. Keep an eye out for it in stores later this year! Price: from SRP $19.99 www.river2sea.com.au

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Live Target has combined nature’s best with modern technology to create an exciting new collection of swimbaits, and it caught the eye of many industry members at t There are 11 different types in the series, all representing different forages such as mullet, sardines and perch, but the one that received the most appraisal at the AFTA show was the Trout Swimbait! The Trout, as with every other swimbait in the range has been fitted with a strategically engineered oscillator that generates a sideto-side tail swing action. Each swimbait has been anatomically scaled, so they look ridiculously realistic. As a bonus, they also feature a hook guard built into the dorsal fin of each swimbait, so you can throw them into some gnarly cover! The Trout will be most at home in Murray cod fisheries, where trout often dine on these foreign delights. It’s 190mm long, weighs 3.25oz, and comes in two colours, representing brown and rainbow trout! www.ejtodd.com.au

After the release of the hugely popular 100 Smash Crab, the Chasebaits team were flooded with requests to make a smaller version to appeal to more species. The end result is the 75mm Smash Crab, which promptly achieved runner-up position at the ICAST 2017 tackle trade show in the USA. In Australian field testing the 75mm Smash Crab has been picking up flathead, trevally, snapper and more. You can work the Crab by dropping it down ledges or pylons and let the legs create all the action on their own. Alternatively, you can jig it back to you, or even add it to a dropper rig. The leg vibration is very tight and erratic, with little to no angler input needed. The 75mm Smash Crab is made from 10x material with a custom Shogun 4/0 hook rated to 20kg+, and it comes in five lifelike colours. It’s perfect for all estuary and shallow offshore species. Price: from SRP $16.95 www.river2sea.com.au

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Fins ‘Evolve’ is constructed from a next generation Hybrid Fibre Concept (HFC), meaning it’s hardwearing and perfect for going up against some of the toughest animals with fins in the world. It has been formulated and designed for the tough Australian conditions and Australian fish. State of the art fibres combine to provide maximum casting distance, ultra smooth presentation and yet still meets all the toughness and reliability that you come to expect from Fins lines. Ultra-thin diameters combine with silky smooth outer coatings to provide the softest and most efficient casting line on the market, and also ensures that you get some serious mileage out of one spool. The round profile suits both spin and bait casting reels and is available in hi-vis chartreuse for all water visibility. Make sure you give this stuff a look when it’s time to re-spool your favourite reel! www.jmgillies.com.au

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Sunline’s newest braid, Siglon PE, comes in both 4-carrier and 8-carrier, but it was the x8 that won praise at the AFTA show! Made from EX-PE fibres, Siglon PE is a tightly woven braid that provides superior abrasion resistance, a very thin diameter for its breaking strain, and minimal stretch. It is very easy to manage, with a stiff yet ultrasmooth and round profile, and is available in striking colour options. Both the PEx8 and PEx4 are Japanesemade, featuring great lineal and knot strength. The PE fibre provides high sensitivity and low colour bleed. Siglon PEx8 is available in light green, orange and multicolour. It comes in breaking strains of PE0.3 (5lb) to PE3 (50lb) in 150m spools, and PE0.6 (10lb) to PE10 (130lb) in 300m spools Siglon represents absolute quality at an affordable price, and is a definite winner, whatever you plan to fish for with it. www.ejtodd.com.au

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The new Bluewater Trolling lures from Gillies feature unique hand-poured heads, attractive graphics and finish detailing their trademark Bluewater logo in the eye. Other features include a supple silicone skirt, a quality finish to the resin head and skirt attachment, two different swimming actions, and tried-andtested, fish-catching colour combinations. The 6”, 8” and 10” Bluewater Lures are considered small to medium in size and ideally would perform better if rigged with a single hook. The 8” and 10” versions could accommodate a two-hook shackle rig, however if the gauge of the hook is heavy this could dampen the action of the lure. It is recommended that chafe tube be used over the leader through the lure head to avoid abrasion, and a stopper used above the rigging inside the lure skirt to stop the rigging inside the lure skirt to stop the rigging pressing against the head at the point of connection. There are two head types – plunger and pop – and the target species are billfish, tuna, wahoo, mackerel and mahimahi. www.jmgillies.com.au

The FatBoy Devil is a slant-face, short plunger-style design with a gentle angle and moderate taper, which gives a consistent and reliable action that works well across all sea conditions. This very stable and easy to use slant design pumps out a strong bubble trail. The Devil comes in two sizes, 8” (pictured) and 6”, and both models are keel weighted for prefect balance and true running performance. It’s versatile enough to be used from any position in the spread, although the short and long rigger are recommended as the best positions to try it. The FatBoy Devil has proven to be deadly for all marlin species, as well as yellowfin and southern bluefin tuna. Like all FatBoy lures it features a hand-poured head that uses high-impact, UV-pigmented resin which makes it extremely durable (it will not chip or crack). Chrome mirror inserts reflect sunlight and throw off a great flash underwater which, when combined with the blood red eyes, acts as a powerful strike trigger for sharp-eyed predators. www.unitedtackle.com.au

Gillies Bluewater Trolling Skirt

Fatboy 8.5” Devil

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Sage Salt HD

Hardy Zephrus Ultralite

Building on the success of the X using KonneticHD technology, Sage introduces the Salt HD. This rod offers more pulling authority and increased line lifting power than standard fast action rods, and will ensure anglers can tame any saltwater species. The Salt HD features KonneticHD Technology for ultralight, strong, and slim blanks to help reduce fatigue and slice through the wind. The oversized hard chromed snake guides and tip-top ensure large saltwater knots slide smoothly, and the heavy-duty anodized aluminum reel seat is uplocking to ensure stability. Combined with a full-wells cork handle and a laser etched line weight on the slide band, these rods are ready to go when the fish of a lifetime swims by. Available in 6-16wt, each model is purpose-built for a specific saltwater application. The Squid Ink blank colour pairs perfectly with black thread wraps and blue trim wraps. The Salt HD comes with a custom rod bag, powder coated aluminum rod tube, and of course is backed by Sage's lifetime warranty. For more information visit the Sage website. www.sageflyfish.com

New for 2017 is the Hardy Zephrus Ultralite range, which came runner-up in the Best Fly Rod division of the 2017 AFTA Tackle Trade Show. Hardy Zephrus Ultralite Fly Rods are premium rods made for the most technical and delicate presentations to wary fish – the ultimate light line, technical fly rod for the advanced angler. Designed and manufactured with Sintrix in the 440 configuration, the Zephrus Ultralite sets a new standard for durability in an ultralightweight rod. Custom design reel seats reduce the weight further, and the slim, cigar-style grip adds feel and refinement to what is sure to become the ultimate technical fly rod on the market today. The medium-fast blanks feature Fuji titanium-framed stripping guides, REC blackpearl snake guides, and are equipped with beautiful custom reel seats. All rods in this series are 4-piece, measuring from 8’8” to 9’9” long in 2–5wt sizes. A custom aluminium rod tube is included. For all the latest information on Hardy releases in Australia, plus recent captures, go to their Facebook page at www.facebook. com/hardyflyfishingaust. fly.hardyfishing.com

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Hardy Ultralite MTX 5000

Sage Spectrum

It was no surprise to show-goers when the Hardy Ultralite MTX took out top spot in the Best Fly Reel division of the AFTA Best of Show Awards. A new benchmark in reel design, the Hardy Ultralite MTX is Hardy’s first fly reel to feature a hybrid carbon fibre/alloy main frame construction. Strong, lightweight and with a stunning industrial design, the Hardy Ultralite MTX features a carbon fibre drag system with 340° colour-coded regulator, captive spool release and high line capacity. There are currently three sizes in the range, going from a smallwater 3/4/5 through to a 7/8/9. For more information on the Hardy Ultralite MTX, as well as other new Hardy releases, log onto the Hardy website. It features videos, catch photos and more. You can also find them on Facebook (www.facebook. com/hardyflyfishingaust) and Instagram (#hardyfishing). fly.hardyfishing.com

Modeled after the popular 4200 series, the Sage Spectrum is a true large arbor performance fly reel. With concave spool surface, for optimal line capacity and drag-assisting smoothness, the Spectrum is lightweight, extremely durable, and packed with features you’d expect on higher priced reels. The features of the new Sage Spectrum include an SCS Drag, one revolution drag knob with numbered and detented settings, a large arbor for fast line pick-up, concave arbor for greater strength and capacity, fully-machined 6061-T6 aerospace grade aluminium construction, cold forged and tempered for superior strength and rigidity, hard anodized for surface protection and corrosion resistance, and a machined and anodized aluminium ergonomic handle. Additionally, there’s easy conversion from left to right-hand retrieve, and vice versa,, as well as a neoprene and embroidered ballistic nylon reel case. www.jmgillies.com.au

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BEST FLY LINE CATEGORY Airflo Forge

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BEST FLY LINE RUNNER UP

BEST FLY LINE

Airflo Forge is a new, all-around line designed for all levels of fishing and casting experience. It takes advantage of the latest material technology to improve distance and accuracy without breaking the bank. With a total head length of 40’ and a working head length of between 33’ to 42’, it is a very versatile performer that will work for all levels of casting ability. A relatively long front taper of 8’ (incl. tip) allows for smooth turnover and precise deliveries, superb for nymphs, dries and any top of the water presentation. The warm olive head colour will help reduce any line flash in the air, and a sunrise yellow running line allows you to easily see the transition at the rear taper and help you gauge the optimal amount of line to aerialise when going for distance. The surface is ultra-smooth to the touch and holds a dry lubrication system that not only improves casting performance, but also helps significantly with water repulsion. The core is a braided multifilament, similar to those found in top end PVC fly lines. www.manictackleproject.com

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Some lines cast far with ease, but leave you flailing when fish show up at your feet. Others do just the opposite, like the new DC (DirectCore) Flats Pro line from Rio. It was no surprise when it won the Best Fly Line category at the 2017 AFTA Best of Show Awards. DC Flats Pro has easy annealing, a lowmemory core that lays perfectly straight on the water. It also has a low stretch Direct Core for hard solid strip sets, and a midlength head and long rear taper for complete line control. It has a high floating running line that will not sink and impede the cast. After refining the weight distribution grain by grain, Rio created a line to make delicate presentations to twitchy bones yet drive bulky crab patterns into serious wind with equal efficiency. Available in floating options in two colors in WF6F through WF12F and StealthTip with a full floating head with six feet of clear intermediate at the tip. The StealthTip is available in WF8F/I through WF12F/I and is ideal for permit or wary tarpon. www.rioproducts.com

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BEST OUTDOOR/ CAMPING PRODUCT

The Elite series Anywhere Cordless light switch received a lot of attention from visitors to the 2017 AFTA Tackle Trade Show, so it was no surprise when it achieved Runner Up position in the Best Outdoor/Camping Product category at the Best of Show awards. The Elite Anywhere Cordless light offers a huge range of applications, from general household use to remote outdoor locations. You’ll never have to deal with messy cords and power outages again. Its new 200 lumen LED technology delivers outstanding brightness for minimal battery power required. This portable light will never catch you fumbling in the dark again, as its low cost will ensure you have one in the car, boat, camper trailer, cupboards, emergency kit, and so on. Like the name says, it can be installed virtually ‘anywhere’ using its screw hole hooks or the included hook and loop. The switch's flat, space saving design acts just like a fix-mounted light switch with the added convenience of relocating where you need it most. Price: SRP $19.99 afn.com.au

The award-winning Smokin’ Hot Rocket Stove has three times more thermal efficiency than a camp fire, with almost no smoke. It’s compact, light and easy to use, keeps you warm, and provides a raised cooking platform, so no more sore back leaning over the camp fire, or singed arms picking up your pot. The Rocket Stove runs most efficiently on timber less than 25mm in diameter, which is easy to find. The stove can take larger pieces, however it does not burn as efficiently so there’s no need to carry around massive, expensive bags of timber as you would with a conventional fire. The Rocket Stove provides instant cooking heat once alight. With the advantage of low to high cooking temperatures, you can cook everything from stews to stir fries or steaks to bacon while camping or just in your backyard. Because it’s an enclosed fire it’s a good choice when you’re in a forested area (check local regulations). So while you won’t be missing out on the great feeling of sitting around a warm camp fire, your eyes won’t burn, you won’t wake up smelling like a bushfire! www.rpminnovations.com.au

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Spotters Grayson

Mako Apex

The newest offering from the Australianmade Spotters’ stable is the fashionable Grayson. Designed as a perfect all-rounder, the Grayson is suited for protection in low light and full sun situations. Sporting the classic matt black frames, the Grayson design is everything you would expect and more. Light weight and durable, the Grayson comes in a wide choice of lens material and colour tints to suit your fishing style. The copper-based lenses give incredible colour definition and depth perception delivering 100% UV protection and perfect visual clarity. Using only the best quality materials, Spotters specialise in the industry’s thinnest distortion-free polarised crown glass and CR-39 lenses. Price: SRP $290 (available October 2017) www.spotters.com.au

Mako Sunglasses have once again produced a sleek new fashion eyewear ideal for outdoor enthusiasts. Their new Apex sunglasses are the perfect example of Mako’s top notch technology at its finest. What separates these sunnies from the pack is their innovative new gradient colour lenses. Providing darker shading on top where you need it most, the lighter shades gives clarity for close up work. Available in a grey light polycarbonate or tough crown glass distortion-free lenses in brown or rose tint with their classic green or blue mirroring. Made from tough warp-resistant nylon composite, these sleek matte black frames look fashionable and are designed for all outdoor situations. Price: SRP $299 glass www.makoeyewear.com.au

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The River2Sea Shogun Swordfish Rig took out top spot in the hotly-contested Terminal Tackle category in the AFTA Best of Show Awards. Its design was based around the most popular swordfish rigs that anglers use, and it has been thoroughly tested in waters off Victoria and Tasmania with great success. Unlike some of its competitors, the Shogun Swordfish Rig has been built with reliability and strength in mind, so the angler can have confidence that their rig won’t let them down. The Shogun Swordfish Rig comes with two multi-coloured LED lights, 16/0 Shogun tuna circle hooks, 400lb mono, lumo tubing and a high-glow squid. Specifically built for catching swordfish, these rigs have caught numerous specimens of 150kg and up. Keep an eye out for them at your favourite tackle store, or for more information visit the River2Sea website. Price: from approx. $35 www.river2sea.com.au

BEST TERMINAL TACKLE

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Mustad Fastach Rig Link System The Mustad Fastach Rig Link system is unlike anything else on the market. Designed to give the options back to the angler, the system brings together the most popular flasher hooks with a variety of mainlines that can be interchanged to suit your conditions. Mustad has deliberately moved away from dictating to the angler just what they will be using and given the power back to those in the field. With multiple mainline options and dozens of flasher hook options, this rigging system has been developed around the exceptional Mustad Fastach, a clip that, with the flick of

your wrist, allows ultra-quick changes of the flasher hook. All the popular flasher hooks have been included in the range, with all knots hand tied on quality Mustad monofilament. Don’t miss the revolution and never miss out on any opportunity whether that’s collecting bait or chasing snapper, whiting, reefies and more - the Mustad Rig Link system has arrived. www.wilsonfishing.com.au

RUNNER UP TTs RevlockZ TT Lures new RevlockZ jighead takes the popular ‘head lock’ grub keeper and brutally strong Mustad black nickel, chemically sharpened hook that have made their HeadlockZ HD jigheads so popular, and adds the flash and vibration of an underspin blade. Available in sizes from 1/8oz #2 for creek bass and trout, right through to a 1oz 7/0 for barra, mulloway, reef and pelagic species, the RevlockZ have proven a game changer on tough bites, and when a presentation change is required to switch on the bite. The ‘head lock’ grub keeper secures your soft plastic in place and the new head design concentrates the weight toward the lower section of the head to handle the torque of the blade and ensure the presentation tracks true. It’s available in both willow and Colorado blades, in both nickel and gold (brass) finishes to suit different water types, species and techniques. Available sizes are 1/8oz (2, 1, 1/0); 1/4oz (1/0, 2/0, 3/0); 3/8oz (2/0, 3/0, 5/0); 1/2oz (3/0, 5/0, 7/0); 3/4oz (7/0) and 1oz (7/0). The 1/8oz and 1/4oz weights come in packs of three, and the 3/8oz, 1/2oz, 3/4oz and 1oz weights come in packs of two. Price: SRP: $9.95 www.tackletactics.com.au

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The all-new Evolution 360, rotating rod holder is more of a revolution than an evolution. It completely revolutionises the conventional flush mount rod holder that bind you to a fixed rod position with no ability to adapt to environmental factors that can affect your rod and reel at any time while fishing. Factors like wind, tide, current and wave action can all now be accounted for with these new rod holders, which allow you to rotate the rod up to 360° with the push of a button. As an added benefit, there are also three sleeve angles (0°, 15° and 30°) for even more flexibility. The upshot of all this is that you can adjust your spread and angles at will when you are trolling, drifting, at anchor or bottom fishing, and bring your rod tip inboard to adjust your rig. You can now even turn your rods in to protect them while you are underway or docking. This brand new invention will be available in stores later this year, so watch this space! www.explodingfish.com

The SwellPro Splash drone 3 auto has been designed to fly and land on or off the water, and has a payload release mechanism that lets you carry a line far out to sea and drop the bait at the desired location. The brand new propulsion system with new custom motors gives the perfect balance between power and efficiency. You can operate it in all weather conditions, whether over land or sea. With its advanced modular design, Splash drone 3 can quickly adapt to all types of missions, from aerial filming to fishing. The new waterproof 4k camera with integrated 2-axis gimbal lets you take smooth and stable videos and stills while flying, or under the water’s surface. The drone’s waterproof fuselage can be submerged for sustained periods, and its components are designed to withstand saltwater corrosion. The new S3 flight controller has been optimized to provide safe and reliable flight. Even if you are beginner, flying the Splash drone auto will be stress-free. www.dogtoothdistribution.com.au

RUNNER UP Evolution 360 Rotating Rod Holder

Swell Pro Drone 3.0

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ZMan Bait BinderZ are the ultimate storage solution for your ZMan soft plastics, allowing you to find the model and colour you’re after in seconds. Bait BinderZ feature nickel-plated, corrosion-resistant rings that have been spaced to fit the reinforced, pre-punched holes in the bottom of standard size ZMan packets. This means you can store your ZMan plastics in their original packs, away from other plastics. In addition, there’s no space taken up by plastic sleeves and no double handling opening sleeves to get packets out, or leaving loose packets where they can blow out of the boat. Quick, simple and more time for fishing. Constructed from 500-denier nylon for durability, embroidered with the ZMan logo and featuring a carry handle for easy transport and securing to your vessel, the Bait BinderZ will hold 10-15 packets of ZMan plastics, depending on the model. Bait BinderZ are available now, so keep an eye out for them at your local tackle store. Price: SRP $16.95 www.z-man.com.au

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It’s no coincidence the world’s most successful competitive angler, Kevin Van Dam, trusts Plano to protect and transport his gear. The durable new KVD Series of tackle bags and Speedbags from Plano provides avid anglers with customizable storage and unmatched access to all of their lures and other gear. There are four bags in the range. Three of them are Wormfile Speedbags, which come in small, medium and large, and are all designed to carry soft plastics. The fourth bag in the range is the Signature Tackle Bag (3700). The Signature Tackle Bag has a moulded top with elastic tie-down strap, holds two StowAway utility boxes for quick access to your favorite baits, large mesh pocket on back, compartmentalized front pocket for multiple uses, and a padded removable shoulder strap. It also boasts plier and tool holder slots on the front and side pockets, and a clear, zippered pocket under the top cover. Power on and fish fast, just like Kevin Van Dam, and catch more fish! www.jmgillies.com.au

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GoPro Hero5 Black

Bladerunner Torch

The GoPro Hero5 Black is the most powerful and easy-to-use GoPro ever, thanks to its 4K video, voice control, one-button simplicity, touch display and waterproof design. Ultra-smooth, super slow-mo opportunities are now possible with a 1080p resolution at 120fps. Stills can be taken in single, burst and timelapse modes, and saved as raw files. In addition, a new WDR (Wide Dynamic Range) mode, which is GoPro’s version of High Dynamic Range (HDR), makes shooting perfectly exposed still images much easier. The 2” touch display lets you preview and play back your shots, change settings and trim your footage, all on your GoPro. With the Quik Stories feature, you can capture and then kick back as your footage moves to the GoPro app and transforms into a finished video – automatically. Durable by design, the Hero5 Black is waterproof to 10m without a housing. With advanced video stabilisation, it can capture smooth video either handheld or mounted to your favourite gear. A single press of the shutter button turns the camera on and starts recording, or you can use simple voice commands. Price: SRP $569.95 www.gopro.com

The new Blade-Runner TDBR013 Dive Torch, created by outdoor equipment specialist Tacspo, was a hit with visitors to the 2017AFTA Tackle Trade Show. This 700-lumen LED torch is made from a durable aluminium alloy, and has a magnetic switch with four light modes: 100%, 50%, 10% and strobe. You can safely take this torch down to depths up to 100m, which makes it IPX8 waterproof – the highest waterproof rating there is. It’s rechargeable with a single 18650 battery plus a charger. Sandy Corrie said he created the Blade-Runner light range in response to customer requests. “We had so many customers wanting us to do a range, but it took us a long time to find factories that could meet our high standards, and which would provide a 2-year warranty,” Sandy explained. “We are very happy with the final product, which delivers high quality without a premium price tag.” The new Blade-Runner Dive Torch measures 42 x 29 x 166mm and weighs 254g, and comes with an adjustable lanyard. Price: SRP $129.95 www.tacspo.com.au

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Coming in at equal first place in the Best Marine Electronics category is the Power Pump aerator series from Japanese company Fuji-Toki. On display at the AFTA Show were the 1000 and 2000 models. The basic 1000 model is powered by two D-type alkaline batteries, providing approximately 70 hours of continuous operation, with a piston valve pump that delivers 0.6L of air per minute. The Power Pump 1000 comes with a hanging bracket and is IPX5 water resistant. The larger 2000 model provides a powerful oxygen supply of 2.0L of air per minute. It’s fully waterproof (IPX6) and noiseless, thanks to its 3-valve rolling pump. It’s powered by two D-type alkaline batteries, providing roughly 65 hours of continuous operation, and comes with a hanging bracket. Price: SRP $55 (1000 model), $100 (2000 model) www.vivafishing.com.au

WINNER TIED Lowrance HDS Carbon 16

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The Lowrance HDS Carbon 16 has a clear SolarMAX HD 16" display with a new dual core high-performance processer, leading-edge fishfinder technology like Live Network Sonar and the latest advances in integrated wireless service tools. There’s more agility, speed and brute power all in one easy-to-use multi-touch display. The enormous, 16" ultra-clear SolarMAX HD display is the equivalent of four 7” screens. It delivers wider viewing angles in any light, and also through polarized sunglasses.

Users will also benefit from superior colour accuracy and boosted high-resolution viewing panels, which maximize today’s leading sonar. With a dual core high performance processor, HDS Carbon delivers faster redraw speeds and quicker response times for CHIRP sonar, Live Network Sonar, StructureScan 3D and StructureMap plus split-screen views showing all this and mapping at the same time. Price: SRP $6999 www.lowrance.com/en-au/

RUNNER UP Casio Quad Sensor The new Casio G-Shock Gulfmaster Quad Sensor analog model is equipped with all the top level sensor equipment essential to coordinating time on the water. A dualcoil motor drives a retrograde dial hand to provide the wearer with instant feedback on the constantly changing natural environment. Standard features include depth sensor, a barometric pressure sensor that can be used to predict upcoming weather changes, an air and water temperature sensor, and a digital compass that can be used to determine wind and tide directions. For boat lovers, there is a clever auto level correction function that detects the angle of the watch during digital compass readings and compensates accordingly, which helps to ensure correct readings while on a rocking boat. A dial at 5 o’clock is used to alert the wearer to sudden changes in barometric pressure, and acts as a tide graph to indicate high and low tide information. Price: SRP $999 www.afn.com.au

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BEST FISHING AND BOATING ACCESSORY

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If you're looking for some great tools on the boat or in the backpack, look no further than the Rapala Custom Design Series, specifically, the Mag Spring Pliers and the Precision Line Scissors. Rapala's patent pending Mag Spring mechanism on the the pliers has two opposing magnets that push away from each other and hold the pliers open for an easy one-handed operation. Unlike springs, the magnets won’t break or lose their power in use. The durable stainless steel jaws with their gun metal finish have serrated tips for a secure grip, and ergonomic, co-moulded Soft Grip handles for a comfortable grip. For line cutting, the spring-loaded singlehand operation tool for intricate work and precise cuts make the Precision line Scissors a winner. Thanks to offset shears, these scissors excel in cutting micro super lines and all other non-wire fishing lines. www.rapala.com.au

Simms’ superior Guide Pliers put rusty, decrepit needle-nosers on notice. These high quality pliers have corrosion-resistant, replaceable 17-4 stainless-steel jaws and powerful 6061-T6, type II anodized aluminium arms. Other features include: tungsten carbide cutting blade; ergonomic and textured grip; Kydex holster and utility leash; and bottle opener with bevelled notch for tightening knots. Measuring 7” x 2 1/4” x 3/8”, these brandnew pliers are now available in Australia. Keep an eye out for them at your favourite tackle store. Simms is distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Manic Tackle, who stock a huge range of Simms waders, footwear, shirts, pants, jackets, headwear, backpacks, bags, accessories and more. Log onto the Manic Tackle website for more information, photos and videos. www.manictackleproject.com

Rapala Mag Spring Pliers Rapala Precision Line Scissors

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BEST CLOTHING ACCESSORY

Wilson Fishing has designed a range of fishing apparel just for the kids, which took out runner up position in the Best Clothing Accessory category at AFTA. Now your little tackers can enjoy wearing the same style of fishing shirts that you do. The Wilson Kids Fishing Shirts are all UV rated to 25+, and provide a comfortable and cool looking option for the kids when they are out on the water with you. These comfortable, quick drying little shirts are all long-sleeved for maximum sun protection, and the size range is designated by age, so that a size 6 will fit your average 6 year old child. There are four colours to choose from – pink, pink/purple, Classic Wilson colours, and light/dark blue. Available sizes are 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12. The Wilson Fishing apparel range also includes men’s and ladies’ fishing shirts in a wide range of sizes and colours, along with soft shell jackets, caps and headscarfs. Check out the Wilson Fishing website to find out more. www.wilsonfishing.com.au

The fishing and outdoor market is full of headscarves of all descriptions, but the new Wilson Hooded Headscarf is unlike any you've seen before. It was this uniqueness contributed to its win in the Best Clothing Accessory category at AFTA 2017. So what is this difference? Well, the Wilson Hooded Headscarf combines the comfort and protection of a UPF15+ headscarf with the warmth of a fleece hood, making it a great choice in cold conditions. The materials used to construct the Hooded Headscarf wick moisture away from the skin, allowing the angler to be comfortable while fishing in any conditions. Ideally suited for use in cooler environments, the Wilson Hooded Headscarf is also sure to find favour with many anglers travelling long distances in low light periods anywhere across Australia. Machine washable and with a one-size fits all build, the Wilson Hooded Headscarf will help make your day on the water far more comfortable. www.wilsonfishing.com.au

ION

Wilson Kids Fishing Shirt

Wilson Fishing Hooded Headscarf

RUNNER UP

WINNER

BEST CLOTHING ACCESSORY CATEGORY

ING TRA

AS DE

FISH

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PRO

THUMBS UP

THUMBS UP AWARD THUMBS UP

Daiwa TD Sol III

Techniice Can Dispensing Ice Box

ION

AUST

ING TRADE

THUMBS UP AWARD

Daiwa TD Sol III

ZMan Finesse FrogZ

Daiwa’s TD Sol III is the first reel to feature the all-new future design concept LT or ‘Light Tough’. The new concept LT Zaion body is the lightest, most compact and strongest body frame Daiwa has ever produced. Zaion is composed of carbon resin and long carbon fibres, and it far exceeds the strength of magnesium in strength per unit weight comparison. Zaion transmits vibration through the reel more efficiently than ever before, and it is lighter and stronger than a conventional reel made with similar resins or graphites. Other features include Air Rotor, ATD (Automatic Tournament Drag), Magseal, Tough Digigear, aluminium Airspool ABS, Perfect Line Stopper and aluminium Air Handle. The combination on all of these advanced innovations makes the TD Sol III one of Daiwa’s most technically advanced reels. You will feel more connected to lures, detect more bites and fight fish with ease. www.daiwafishing.com.au

The team at TTs have been pressuring the designers at ZMan to release a bite-size version of the successful 4” Hard Leg FrogZ, and now it’s here: the 2.75” Finesse FrogZ. The Finesse FrogZ has the same design and buoyant ElaZtech construction as its popular bigger brother, letting it float at rest and withstand multiple vicious strikes. Its twin paddle feet create a bubbling surface action that draws in pretty much any fish that loves taking prey off the surface. With its scaled-down profile, it’s the perfect choice for chasing the likes of bass, jacks and saratoga in dams and creeks. The Finesse FrogZ has a belly slot underneath and a large slot on the top, to effectively hide the hook to make it snagless. Being soft and flexible, when the fish strikes the hook comes free for a solid hook set. Available in six colours, the Finesse FrogZ comes in packs of four. TTs recommends rigging it on a 2/0 ChinlockZ weedless hook. www.tackletactics.com.au

THUMBS UP AWARD Shadow Rap 3X

THUMBS UP AWARD Techniice Can Dispensing Ice Box

Samaki ZING Gen ii Rods

Techniice Classic Series ice boxes have become a firm favourite with Australians looking for a tough, high-performance ice box. Now Techniice has built on this proven design and created something entirely new – an ice box that dispenses drinks without you having to lift the lid. The top of the box is where the most heat enters, so not needing to lift the lid means you’ll keep the contents colder for longer – up to three times as long. Another benefit is that the cans are dispensed from the bottom, which is the coldest area, so you can enjoy perfectly chilled drinks without digging around in ice. The 100L model has a 2-door dispensing system, can fit around 72 cans, and you only need to open the lid when you’re loading the cans in the dispenser. There’s also a 200L model in the works, and another that has a wine (or water bottle) cooler recess at the back. These innovative new ice boxes will be rolled out in the coming months, and custom branding is available (minimum order quantities apply). Price: from approx. $700 www.techniice.com

Shadow Rap 3X THUMBS UP

THUMBS UP AWARD Yeti Hopper Two 30

ZMan Finesse FrogZ

Yeti Hopper Two 30

The Yeti Hopper Two is the evolution of Yeti’s first soft cooler, the original Hopper. The original version provided anglers with a portable, leakproof, and tough-as-nails cooler that delivered superior ice retention. However, Yeti believed there was room for improvement. Now, with some design changes, the designers have increased its cold-holding power, thanks to Yeti’s ColdCell Insulation – fulfilling Yeti’s promise of ice for days. There’s also a wider opening to make packing (and unpacking) much easier, and a tapered body to make it more comfortable to carry. And with its impenetrable DryHide Shell, this clever cooler is fully waterproof and won’t leak in the field. The Yeti Hopper Two comes in 20, 30 and 40L options, and the 30 model won a Tackle Junkie ‘Thumbs Up’ trophy at the 2017 AFTA Show. This model measures 18” x 25” externally and 14” x 17” internally, and weighs 2.5kg. It can hold 24 drink cans, using a 2:1 ice to can ratio, or 30lb of just ice. www.au.yeti.com

The Rapala Shadow Rap is getting an Australian upgrade. No other fishery demands more of its equipment, and anglers fishing for iconic species like barra demand a lure that can be fished straight out of the packet with no upgrades needed. The new Rapala Shadow Rap 3X and Shadow Rap Shad 3X feature upgraded VMC Coastal Black 3X strong 7556 Spark Point trebles and upgraded split rings. Comprising the 110mm Shadow Rap 3X in both deep and shallow bibs, and the smaller 90mm Shadow Rap Shad 3X in both depth varieties, the new range reinforces Rapala’s reputation of building some of the best barra lures available. Available in eight colours, these new lures feature the same unmistakeable Shadow Rap finish and action. Tuned to suspend in freshwater, the Shadow Rap 3X will turn back on itself with each twitch of the rod tip, bringing the biggest fish out of the shadows for a look. www.rapala.com.au

THUMBS UP AWARD Samaki Zing Gen II Swimbait Rod With modern trends turning towards using larger plastics and jointed baits for catching big fish, and after the success of the Samaki Zing Xtreme Swimbait series, Samaki have released a high quality swimbait rod for a fraction of the price you’d expect. These rods are built on premium Toray carbon fibre blanks that have RAW technology, making them ultra strong with an unsanded finish. Other features include Samaki’s XO 316 marine grade stainless steel guides with ZR Zirconia inserts, super hard EVA camo grips, high gloss reel seats and rubber end caps. The new Zing Gen II really does have it all. The Zing Gen II Swimbait rod is 7’9” long with a split butt enhancing the action of the blank, and making it feel like an extension of your arm. It has a line rating of 15-30lb and a cast weight of 1-5oz, and will be available from October 2017. Price: SRP $199.95 www.samaki.com.au

BASS

Understanding the basics of bass lollies this category is football style jigs, which have made the transition from the US largemouth market to our golden shores. They’re particularly effective in dams, where you can work them quite slowly with minimal movement and really annoy the bass into the strike. The fun part is doing it with a reasonably soft rod and setting the hook like everyone’s expat hero Carl Jocumsen and his FLW tour mates. It’s a lot of fun and can keep your lure in front of the target for a long period of time. Personal preference and past success sees the lures in my tackle box being predominantly crayfish colour variations, as that’s what I feel I’m closely imitating.

FMG

Rupe Instagram: @rupeisfishing

After spending the weekend at the Australian Lure & Fly Expo at the Ipswich show grounds insisting to just about everyone who walked through the gate that I’m not a lure collector, I actually started to wonder how much truth was in my answer and in reality, there’s not a lot! I lied to the good people at the lure show. All weekend. I am a lure collector! Maybe not in the truest sense of the word – I don’t have a cabinet lined with timber treasures or a shelf above the bar with retired relics as reminders of simpler times, but I do have around 30 tackle boxes of all shapes and sizes stacked in my shed begging me to pick them up and take them close to water so they can feel alive again… Perhaps this is why I was asked to write a piece on bass lures to coincide with the ‘opening’ of the bass season in NSW, which in reality is never really closed but that’s an argument for another day. The not so humble Aussie bass has been a mainstay for me since I was a little kid and has held a place in my heart ever since. I just love them. Big, small, wild, impoundment bruiser – I don’t care. I just want to catch them and there lies the reason of why I own so many (too many) lures that I’ve forked out cash for, hoping each will be the one to catch me my PB, which would get me over the fabled unicorn mark of 60cm.

The visual aspect of catching bass on lures is perhaps the most thrilling. This Hinze Dam fish ate the author’s OSP iWaver in the morning sun; a special experience that won’t be forgotten any time soon.

Soft plastics and soft vibes Soft plastics really don’t vary as much as their hardbodied relatives, so can be covered without too much fuss or expense. In the bass world, you’re probably using a soft vibe, a paddle-tail, or a flick bait. Advances in technology have meant soft vibes have exploded in popularity. Older models had some trouble staying together, but if you invest in quality you’ll find plastic, wire and terminal tackle that are more than up to the task. These lures come in a variety of sizes and with different tails for different actions and appearances under water. Forked, thumping and curly tails make up the majority of what you’ll find in stores and unsurprisingly, catch the majority of bass.

This fish ate a 70mm Samaki Vibelicious fork tailed soft vibe. The author likes to fish these lures by casting them over the ledge of a drop off and fishing them back towards the boat. Pound for pound a decent bass, especially one living in flowing water, is right up there for the hardest and dirtiest fighters an angler is likely to encounter, so not only is choosing the right lure important, that lure and the gear you’ve used to get it to the ‘strike zone’ had better be up to the challenge as well! Let’s take a look at what you should be equipped with when you next head out to tame a bronzed brawler. LOOKING AT LURES The reality of a species that will live in dozens and dozens of different habitats means your tackle box should consist of a good mix or lures both hard and soft, surface, diving, sinking, metal and bladed models. 80

SEPTEMBER 2017

Paddle-tail plastics for me have a place when searching for lone fish in medium to heavy cover situations. Think fallen timber intermingling with weed beds and rocks. They are virtually snag free when rigged correctly and with the help of a well set up spin combo, you can punch a cast a million miles and slow retrieve it with the odd ‘wiggle of the tip’, as recent ABT BASS round winner Tommy Slater describes it. Just keep pinging it ‘til you’re buckled. The flick bait style of plastic in my experience is best applied when fishing a school. You’ve probably spotted them on the sounder and now you just need to get one to eat to turn the rest on. A frantically worked flick bait jerking up, down and darting side to side should get you the eat and hopefully rile its school friends up for a fight too! My biggest tip here is don’t go too big with your jighead and hook selection and totally kill the lure.

Jigs On the hard side of the ledger, let’s start with the sinking type and work our way up the water column. For me, the first type of lure that comes to mind in

Bladed lures Slightly higher in the water (depending on retrieval speeds) will be your bladed lures. Spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, mumblers, buzzbaits and a host of others have all caught a lot of people a lot of bass. Simplistic in their approach of using flash and vibration to draw the strike, they can be used by even the most novice angler with a simple cast, sink, retrieve method and will catch fish from 1 foot to 100 feet deep. Maybe not the most exciting lure in the bunch, but right up there on my scale of effective bass lures. The big pluses here are that they’re relatively snag friendly and there’s a host of fantastic Australian made brands available and they’re very customizable, limited only by your imagination. If you’re in the market, start with something around 1/4-3/8oz and pick a couple of colour variations. If we were standing in a tackle store together like two wide-eyed little bass buddies, I’d recommend a black/purple and a white/chartreuse.

Bob with the rewards of a well worked soft plastic bait.

BASS

Lipless crankbaits The next lure type is the lipless crankbaits. They’ve been around almost as long as anyone has been fishing for bass in this country, with American lures like Rattlin’ Spots and Rat-L-Traps accounting for big bass since the ‘50s, but nothing really took off or was accepted as the ‘go-to’ bass lure, particularly in dams and especially at $25 a pop, as quickly as the Jackall TN series – mostly the TN50 and TN60 in their many variations.

Get the point about the chemically sharpened black nickel hooks? This bass probably missed his target a little but was still close enough to get stung. Much the same as the bladed lures, they can be swum at just about any depth and retrieve speed. You can slow roll them or hop them like a soft plastic, and fish will often eat them on the drop or while at rest on the bottom.

Any of your major lure companies will have their own versions of a lipless crankbait nowadays, and all will work in the right circumstances. Walk into your local tackle store tomorrow and you’ll find that they not only come in a billion colours, there’s also variations on sound. Silent, wood rattles, soft tungsten, single ball bearing and steel rattles are some options. My suggestion with these is fish them low and slow. Just start casting, rolling them in and hang on tight.

Diving hardbodies Next up is your bibbed diving lures. Every seasoned bass angler has a favourite with battle scars to show their mates. My personal favourites range from some cool (expensive) Japanese versions that I had to hide the receipt from the wife when I got home for to some proven timber battlers that my old man used knock up for me if I nagged him hard enough. Ideally you want something from 35-70mm (yes, they will eat bigger) with a rounded bib to give the lure a smooth, subtle wobble. If they don’t come as standard, I prefer to swap most of my hooks out to something with a black nickel finish. These hooks are chemically sharpened and very sticky when a bass swims close enough. They can be the difference between a big hit followed by many, many swears and a big bass hitting the deck of your boat. The only down side to this category is that in my experience they are the most likely to swim into, and get stuck in timber. You want to rattle the cage so to speak and stir up the fish, but a lure retriever won’t be the worst investment you make in your bass fishing life. My tip here is to go for natural, baitfish type colours in most cases. Match the hatch as they say. Pay attention to what sort of food is around in your local waterway and offer them a beefed up version of that. If bass can get a meal of out one movement they will. OK, if you’re still with me, we’re just about to get to the activity that to me is the absolute most fun you can have with your clothes on.

This girl couldn’t resist a silent model Imakatsu Piranha vibe worked in front of her in around 20ft of water. Jackall TNs, Atomic Vibs or any number of metal blades will do the trick equally as well.

Kaboom! This bronzed battler ate a Tiemco Soft Shell Cicada and towed the author’s kayak around before being landed.

SURFACE FISHING FOR BASS Surface fishing for bass on a calm spring afternoon as the sun sets behind the hills is as good as it gets. Many a pair of underpants have been ruined and discarded in shame from the instant, in your face sensory overload given when the surface of the water erupts and your line comes tight. To get to that point though, you first need to select your lure and how you’re going to treat it. Whether you go for a paddler, walker, popper, fizzer, floating

swimbait or any other type, you still need to keep a few things in mind. They can call be worked in many ways and the hardest part is that none of them are necessarily wrong. Each fish will react in different ways to different techniques, so my suggestion would be pick something and stick with it until you find fish that like what you’re doing. I personally prefer paddler style lures like the Tiemco Soft Shell Cicada or the smallest jointed Arbogast Jitterbug and like to use a nice long cast and a slow, steady retrieve with minimal pauses. The only time I like to stop is if I do land a cast right near a snag. I’ll bring it around 4-6 feet, then stop it dead for up to 20 seconds. The first turn of the handle after that pause you’ll need a tight grip on the rod, as there’s every chance that’s when you’ll get belted. To page 14

ABT angler Tom Slater used a Pro’s Factory jig to perfection adjacent to the lillies on the steep drop off pictured. SEPTEMBER 2017

BASS From page 13

Success is still a long way away though. You’ve successfully enticed the target out of its home and fooled him or her into eating your lure, but they’re a long way from being beaten. You’d better hope your knots are sound, your terminal gear is up to task and that $6.50 blue Powerade from the servo that you necked on the drive to the water has filled you with the energy it promised, as these guys will play up deluxe and do

whatever they can to escape with whatever lure you’ve thrown overboard to tempt them. At the end of the day, no matter how you do it, if you’re catching bass on lures, you’re having a blast. That’s living. While they’ll most certainly eat bait, the difference in ferocity you’ll feel on that crunching bite and first big surge through the water as you scramble to compose yourself just cannot be matched. I have goose bumps just thinking about it!

You should all have your tax returns back by now, so there’s never been a better time to head into your local tackle store with a fist full of cash and a glint in your eye and boldly/loudly declare to your rod bending brothers and sisters that you, are ready to lure some bass. Or estuary perch, they’re fun too, and everything above applies to them as well! Now, go forth and bass. They are waiting for you.

A typical NSW Mid North Coast bass, caught in clear, swift-running water. Try to land your lure as close to structure as possible in this type of environment.

Surface Lure

Hard Bodied Diver Soft Plastics Spinnerbaits

Lipless Crankbait and Soft Vibe Football Jig

Kit put the hurt on this football shaped impoundment bass, which couldn’t resist the call of a perfectly weighted, baitfish coloured soft plastic.

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Product Profile

Wild River Bass 3 The Journey Just in case you needed more encouragement and inspiration to hit the water in search of wild river bass this season, Wild River Bass 3 The Journey, filmed and produced by NSWFM writer Dave Seaman, has just become available! With the success of Wild River Bass and Wild River

a place to cast, while behind you a chorus of whistling and cracking from birds and insects picks up as the activity under the surface reaches a crescendo. With smell of flowing freshwater and wet earth in your nostrils, the rod is nearly ripped out of your hands as a bass makes a spirited attempt to take your small plastic offering home. After a short battle, a beautiful slab of bronze Aussie native lays spent beside the canoe.

Bass 2, comes the third instalment of this series, this time, focussing on the journey. On this disc, you’ll find 72 minutes of some of the best footage of wild river bass fishing anywhere. After a while, you’ll soon feel as though you’re on a babbling bass stream, dodging spikey over hangs and looking for

This is what the DVD is all about. This is not a how-to production, as there is plenty of that out there already, although it did teach me a thing or two about night fishing… What this DVD is to me, and will be for many others, is the affirmation that us bass tragics aren’t alone, but it also

BRISBANE

Bob Thornton

offers a window to those who don’t understand the addiction into the mind of a bass angler. This is a celebration and appreciation for the nature we immerse ourselves in when taking on this caper, the people we share these experiences with, and most of all, the little bronze animals that keep us coming back for more. Many non-addicts ask why, and Wild River Bass 3 attempts to answer that question with some amazing footage, photographs and spoken word, with Dave offering a very personal account of what bass fishing is to him. A non-fisher who sat next to me during the screening at my place asked me about half way through ‘Is this what you do when you disappear for days and come back with scratches all over

you?’ Obviously, I replied in the affirmative. ‘Looks kinda fun,’ he remarked. The Journey may refer to the journey that is bass fishing that starts from the first fish, it could also refer to the physical journey of every trip down to these beautiful waters. It may even be Dave’s journey of filming and producing this DVD all by himself, with this production dedicated to the late David Scarlett, who co-filmed and co-produced the first two DVDs with Dave. I believe it’s all three of these things, and more. As Steve Starling’s review on the back of the case says, ‘It’s so real and raw I had to check my hands for scratches and bass spike cuts after watching this one!’ and he’s certainly not wrong with this one… It captures every aspect

of river bass fishing, from the heart-stopping topwater strikes and stunning displays of nature, to the clumsy mishaps and inevitable calamities that we can only laugh at – it’s all part of the package. This DVD offers a perspective of river bass

fishing that is only exceeded by being on the water itself. There really is no better way to get keen for the river bass season coming! Make sure you give this a watch before you load up the gear for the first bass adventure of the 2017/18 bass season! – Bob Thornton

THE SHEIK OF THE CREEK

The Sheik leaves the creek for a trip to Tassie BRISBANE

The Sheik of the Creek

Apparently travel broadens the mind. It certainly doesn’t broaden my wallet. In fact, it makes it look like it’s just spent several weeks on a diet of bread and water, which is what a lot of the convicts down at Port Arthur in Tasmania got fed when they did naughty things like steal a piece of grass. The Minister for Finance, War and Thermal Underwear and I recently went south to deep dark wilds of Tasmania, to see how things happen in that part of the world. Long distance travel for me usually involves putting another tote tank in the tinny, so Tassie left me a little bit out of my comfort zone. Stepping out of the plane didn’t make any lasting impressions. It was late at night, and cold, but that happens in Queensland. It was the next morning that slapped me, held me down on cold concrete and kicked the crap out of me. It didn’t get warmer. In fact, it got colder. I know. What’s that about? Nights are cold, days are warm, right? Not in Tassie. Nights are cold and

days are colder. Part of the trip was down to the old convict town of Port Arthur where the bad eggs were sent when they racked and made slight mistakes in Hobart – slight mistakes like drunkenness in a public place or swearing. Lucky the Dudds weren’t convicts is all I can say. But anyway, Port Arthur was the place the ratbags got sent to. Creepy place. But one good thing is that it’s on a glorious stretch of calm water away from ocean swells. I managed to lure the Minister onto a ferry with a chocolate bar so we could head out on one of the big ferries to “See the area from a different perspective.” In actual fact, I was dying to see what fish were hanging around the jetties and piers. That was a mistake. From a distance the water looks dark, cold and lifeless, but when you get above it you realise first impressions aren’t always on the money. In actual fact, it’s darker and colder than you thought. And there’s more life in Clive Palmer’s Twitter account. The water is clearer than you first think because of the weed that covers the rocks and sand on the bottom. Old mate driving the boat tells me there aren’t many jacks caught off the

jetty. Maybe that’s because your arms would snap off at the elbows if you tried cast netting for livies. I got bored when I couldn’t see any herring or mullet schools and they said we had to leave the boat

because you’re not supposed to throw things into the water... Well that American tourist shouldn’t have pushed into the hot coffee queue... And we didn’t spend much more time there when they found that kid locked

in the haunted cellar. All I’ll say is that he was annoying. Bloody grandkids. So the trip wasn’t a complete waste of time and effort. I came to understand why so many Mexican boats are half cabs with

wood fired heaters. And I’m not convinced there’s not a healthy school of jacks under those Tassie bommies. I just need to find the livies. And a cast net with a solar powered heater. SEPTEMBER 2017

Lake Barambah in the South Burnett Region BRISBANE

Matthew Langford

Now is a great time of year to get out and explore what Queensland has to offer. As an angler, most

the dam, it’s located in the beautiful South Burnett Region. It’s a comfortable driving distance from the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane, and holds some of the best freshwater fishing anywhere in the country.

shallow flats and a longsubmerged creek bed (Barkers Creek) that runs from the back of the dam to the dam wall. The dams’ construction was completed in 1988 and covers almost 2000ha and holds back 120,000ML of water that is delivered via a catchment area of 1600km, mainly running off into Barkers Creek from the Bunya Mountains. The great thing about BP is its abundance of shallow flats and seasonally warmer water. This encourages the growth of biomasses of bait species like, shrimps, red claw, bony bream, barred grunter and gudgeon. In a case where the bait is in abundance, the fish tend to gorge themselves on these flats. Within the stocked populations of bass,

A pair of nice fat winter fish from the edge of Lake Barambah.

Releasing Australian bass into Lake Barambah. of our travels revolve around new and exciting fishing destinations. For me, the cooler months really get me keen to hit the impoundments in search of our beloved freshwater species. Many impoundments come to mind, but I can’t help but continually go back to one of the great little gems that we have right on our doorstep. Lake Barambah or BP Dam is just that place. If you’re not familiar with

HISTORY Many who travel to the area are confused by the name of Lake Barambah – it is also known as Bjelke-Petersen Dam or BP. The lake itself is Lake Barambah, but the dam is called Bjelke-Petersen Dam after the late Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen. The lake was named after an original property in the area called Barambah. Lake Barambah is a reasonably shallow dam that has an abundance of

Targeting the edges is a great way to catch yellowbelly at this time of year. yellowbelly and silver perch, a massive annual growth rate occurs. Fish that were released in 2013 now have the food and capacity to grow up to 50cm in 4 or 5 years. Recently Lake Barambah was sitting just

RRP

120w ONLINE ONLY 84

SEPTEMBER 2017

STOCKING The BP Fish Management Committee is a local fish stocking

($749)

STARTING FROM

499

above 23% water capacity, so it would be great to see some inflow in the next 12 months.

Casting to the edges is a productive way of extracting the bigger fish in the cooler months.

group based out of Murgon that releases large amounts of fish into the dam annually, thanks to the funds generated by the SIP (Stocked Impoundment Permit) funds. The group releases roughly 50,000 Australian bass, 70,000 yellowbelly and 15,000 silver perch. The fish are born and raised locally, thanks to the hard work of Hanwood Fish Hatchery. Every year the fish are transported from the hatchery to the timbered bays at the back of the dam and are released by the many volunteers that are part of the stocking group. As this in an annual event, there are thousands upon thousands of freshwater fish to catch and enjoy in this small, well-stocked impoundment. FISHING Fishing for our freshwater species in colder weather can change vastly to the techniques we use during the summer months. The lures, rod and reel setups and techniques used to target them will seasonally change. We start to look to the shallow water, edges and structure, as the fish are usually looking for bait and warmer water. During winter and spring, there are a few things that I like to do to get the bigger fish to bite. I look for edges that have a bit of structure like trees, rocks or weed. I’ll position the boat 30-40m from the bank and cast up as shallow as I can. When doing this, I like to target them using lures like small blades, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits or lipless crankbaits. The bigger fish tend to go up shallow looking for an easy feed and these lures are always a standout to catch a few, because they can be worked slowly.

Once the cast has been made, slowly retrieve the lure back out into the deeper water, remembering that a slower retrieve will work best as the fish in spring tend to be a little more sluggish than in the summer months. Try several banks around the dam for this style of fishing until you get a bite or a fish, as you’ll usually get a couple in the same area. Another option for those

When a show of fish is located, position the boat on top of them and try vertical jigging. Jigging small blades and ice jigs is a great way to get those sluggish fish to bite. The key is being persistent in this scenario. As the deeper fish may take a while to fire up. Commonly, once you get that first bite the fish tend to wake up and actively feed. Bait fishers have it a bit

is available. You can go fishing along the lake shore or use one of the two boats ramps to launch your boat. There is a public ramp adjacent to the park at the picnic area, and another just below the caravan park itself. Both ramps have the added bonus of fish cleaning stations. Camping and accommodation options are great at BP as the caravan park is positioned right

If you’re looking for that relaxing destination that’s only a couple of hours’ drive from the hustle and bustle of the city or the coast, look no further than Lake Barambah in the South Burnett.

Carl Jocumsen taking a break from the BASS PRO circuit to chase yellowbelly and bass at the lake. who don’t like casting too much is fishing deeper. In cold weather the fish also like to sit deep on the flats or along the main creek bed. They can be more sluggish and stubborn compared the fish up on the edge. Sometimes, these fish can be hard to get to bite – I like to target them if the fishing along the edge is slow. It’s recommended that you use a depth sounder to sound around the deeper sections of the dam, particularly up near the dam wall and along the submerged creek bed through the middle of the dam.

easier during spring as the fish respond well to a live bait, particularly along the edges of the dam. Shrimp and worms are always a great bait on BP. You can either anchor just out from any point or edge on the dam or out in the deep along the old creek bed. I can almost guarantee you’ll catch a couple fish if you persist long enough. YALLAKOOL PARK AND FACILITIES If you’re planning on staying at the dam for a few days, the Yallakool caravan and tourist park

on the banks of the lake and has fully furnished cabins, ensuites, powered and non-powered sites available. It has a large playground, tennis courts and a pool for extra entertainment as well as a well-maintained camp kitchen, toilet and shower blocks. If you’re looking at visiting BP Dam, give Corey and Nikki a call on (07) 4168 4746 to make a booking. THE SOUTH BURNETT The South Burnett offers plenty to see and do with a variety of destinations

to explore and events to attend. You can start at the Bunya Mountains or go wine tasting at the plethora of wineries. You can explore the region on your push bike via the South Burnett Rail trail, attend the annual Lake Boondooma or newly revised BjelkePeterson Dam fishing competitions, get all the tastes from the region at

the local Food and wine festival, visit Boondooma Homestead or have a punt at the Nanango races. To top it off, the South Burnett has some of the prettiest and most productive farming country in Queensland and the peanuts are a testament to this as they are worldrenowned. The icing on the cake is the other great

fishing options you have all within a short distance of Kingaroy, Nanango, Wondai, Murgon and Blackbutt. If you’re looking for that relaxing destination that’s only a couple hours’ drive from the hustle and bustle of the city or the coast, look no further than Lake Barambah in the South Burnett, you won’t be disappointed.

Available now from www.droplizardmedia.com.au “It’s so real and raw that I had to check my hands for scratches and bass spike cuts after watching this one!”

— Steve ‘Starlo’ Starling

There are a few tips to get the bigger fish to bite in the colder weather.

Drop Lizard Media

@dlmedia SEPTEMBER 2017

The spring fishing switch has finally flicked TOOWOOMBA

Jason Ehrlich fishability1@bigpond.com

September signals the start of excellent fishing. Even though we have had a relatively mild winter, the extra warmth and longer days wake the fish up. Expect to encounter fish more willing and responsive to lure presentations on a regular basis. Different fish behave in different ways as the season rolls on. Let’s have a quick look at what to expect from some of the more sought-after species. BASS Bass are one of the first fish to fire up in the dams. The closed season is also lifted for the tidal rivers this month. Bass feel the breeding urge and school up thick. Even though they don’t go through with the actual breeding in freshwater, they still feel the urge and

because at this time of year the goal posts are moved. No longer is the target fish a 50cm model. Just after winter, the fish bulk up with roe and carry a lot of extra weight. I set my sights on 3kg+ fish and Somerset is the home of the giants. Other lakes can produce fish of a similar calibre but they are far less common. Expect a 2kg fish as a big model in other lakes and plenty of these line peelers will be caught. GOLDEN PERCH A little slower to respond to the warming water, golden perch activity will increase, but it won’t reach its peak until November. Goldens love the warm water and when it does finally warm up, they will chase down lures with ferocity. From this month on there will be a notable increase in the number of goldens caught trolling and casting. Hopping small blade baits is likely to

The Queensland lakes stocked with cod can still be fished, but keep in mind they can carry on with their breeding behaviour. Cod have been in the spotlight over the winter months with Copeton Dam in Northern NSW producing some monster fish over 120cm long. These bigger fish will get tougher to catch during the breeding season. Smaller models will still be common until the bigger and more dominant fish finish their business. Lakes like Coolmunda, Leslie and Glenlyon will all fish well from the end of September onward. BARRAMUNDI The dams are set to fire up over the next month. Pick the warmer days and better, stable weather patterns as the cool water can still shut the fish down or make them move about. The full moon periods will be prime times to experience night time

David Brace worked his tail spinner through the bass schools at Somerset with aggressive hops. The fish responded by hitting it on the drop as it helicoptered back down. instincts see them behave in a different manner. After resting over winter, these fish will be ready to feed in force. This excites me,

be the most effective way to produce numbers of fish. MURRAY COD We enter the closed season for cod in the rivers.

DAM LEVELS

        

JUNE JULY AUG 6 6 6 97 96 95 23 22 21 49 31 43 82 82 80 99 95 92 90 87 86 98 96 95 9 9 8 52 52 51 97 95 94

         

Copeton Cressbrook Dyer/Bill Gunn Eungella Fairbairn Glenlyon Hinze Julius Kinchant Koombooloomba Leslie Macdonald

14 31

Weipa

Toowoomba

BRISBANE

IMPOUNDMENT DAM

caught in all of the dams. Some good sessions over the winter months can only be a good sign for spring onward. These are just some of the better-known natives to tangle with. We are spoilt for choice and this can be one of the best months to hit the fresh. Dust off your rods and reels and start planning your next trip. Here’s a rundown on how the lakes should be fishing. Until next month, buckled rods from The Colonel!

47 52 53 67 66 64 9 9 7 100 100 99 43 41 41 75 75 75 101 101 99 90 89 87 99 97 95 42 39 32 17 16 16 98 98 89

Gold Coast

24 1 Tinaroo Falls Dam 2 Peter Faust Dam 3 Burdekin Falls Dam 4 Eungella Dam 5 Teemburra Dam 6 Kinchant Dam 7 Cania Dam 8 Lake Monduran 9 Isis Balancing Storage 10 Wuruma Dam 11 Lenthalls Dam 12 Boondooma Dam 13 Bjelke-Petersen Dam 14 Lake MacDonald 15 Gordonbrook Dam 16 Borumba Dam 17 Somerset Dam 18 Wivenhoe Dam 19 Pindari Dam 20 Copeton Dam 21 Moogerah Dam 22 Maroon Dam 23 Leslie Dam 24 Connolly Dam 25 Coolmunda Dam 26 Clarrie Hall Dam (NSW) 27 Hinze Dam 28 Lake Cressbrook 29 Callide Dam 30 Lake Awoonga 31 Lake Samsonvale 32 Fairbairn Dam 33 Koombooloomba Dam 34 Cooby Dam

23 25

Cairns 1

Townsville 2

3 4

Proserpine 6 Mackay

Rockhampton

Emerald

29 7

Highlighted dams are covered in this issue

Gladstone

30 8

Bundaberg 9

Roma BRISBANE

SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND CRESSBROOK CLOSEST TOWN: CROWS NEST Cressbrook Dam has been fishing quite well even over the winter months. It’s not a bad time to hit the lake, as it receives a lot less pressure and the fish are therefore more willing to bite. This is often the case at Cressbrook. You can catch a few fish from

a school before they work out it’s time to stop biting. When this happens, you may as well move on and give the spot time to rest. Now spring is here, the fish tend to drop their guard a bit more and often you can catch heaps of fish before the school stops biting. Bass around 50cm are not uncommon in Cressbrook To page 87

Dam............................ % Full           

Maroon 99 100 99 Monduran/Fred Haigh 100 99 98 Moogerah 97 96 94 North Pine/Samsonvale 70 70 68 Peter Faust/Proserpine 78 78 77 Pindari 100 100 100 Somerset 76 76 76 Teemburra 100 100 100 Tinaroo 50 49 48 Toonumbar 100 101 101 Wivenhoe 71 71 68 Wuruma 98 98 97

For fortnightly updates on Sunwater dams visit www.sunwater.com.au This symbol indicates that a Stocked Impoundment Permit is required to fish these dams. All figures are % readings Current as of 15/08/17

(All levels correct at time of going to press. Dam levels can change at any time, so please check with local authorities to ensure safe boating and fishing.) 86

SEPTEMBER 2017

Maryborough

w w w. b a r g a i n b o a t b i t s. c o m . a u

Dam............................ % Full 

brought to you by

Dam............................ % Full DAMS Atkinson Awoonga Bjelke-Petersen Boondooma Borumba Burdekin Falls Callide Cania Clarendon Cooby Coolmunda

action around the shallow points when the fish freely move and hunt these areas. Despite the floods earlier this year, fish have still been

Gympie

From page 86

with most fish being around 40cm or smaller. Casting lures is the way to tempt the bigger models. Soft plastics were rumoured to be working quite well last month. With the masses of bony bream in the lake, this pattern may change when the fish decide to feed up this month. Flashy offerings like blades, tail spinners and spoons do a good job of imitating the bony bream. The faster presentation can also be a good way to weed out the smaller fish and stand a better chance of nailing better quality. It is likely the bass will form into bigger schools. Look in water 7-11m deep for schooling fish concentrating on the points from the boat ramp to up past The Eagles Nest rock wall. The fish won’t be hard to find if you are in the right area. A good sounder will soon reveal their presence

SOMERSET CLOSEST TOWNS: ESK, KILCOY The action has already started and this is likely to do with the warmer weather experienced in August. The bass fired early and were nailing spoons, tail spinners and mask vibes last month. Big schools of fish were found out from the log cabin on the flats near Kirkleigh, out from Queen Street timber and also out from Red Rock. Deep water was holding good numbers and after sitting on a school for some time, the fish would stack up from 7m down to the bottom around 17m deep. When the fish are so widespread through the water column, it makes placing a lure in front of them pretty easy. Spoons are one of the best lures to use if you encounter good numbers of fish. They sink fast and stay down deep and effectively work through the strike zone at speed. All

store has a trailer, which can be located in the day use area at Kirkleigh. The opening days could change to include more weekdays, but you can expect them to be there Friday, Saturday and Sunday each week. Somerset Tackle has a great range of lures and gear suited to fishing the dam. They also have the knowledge and skills to help steer you in the right direction. Call in and see them or consider doing a phone or internet purchase, as they mail order fishing gear all over the place. For some of the most competitive prices around visit the website www. somersetfishing.com.au. WIVENHOE CLOSEST TOWNS: FERNVALE, ESK The edge bite at Wivenhoe has slowed down a bit. The bass are fewer but golden perch are still around in reasonable numbers. Trolling medium diving lures close to the steep banks is the way

Blake with the author’s PB 56cm (fork) bass that is as fat as a pig. This is what bass fishers long for at this time of year – big, fat fish that pull hard. MOOGERAH CLOSEST TOWNS: BOONAH, ARATULA Ever since the rain flooded into the dam earlier this year, the action has been slow and the bigger

bass hard to find. It seems some may have escaped over the wall as most fish being caught are below 40cm long. The action has been slow so far with ice jigs and small blades accounting for a few.

SUNSHINE COAST REGION

Nigel Middleton found some quality bass at Somerset Dam rolling Gang Banger spoons through big schools. and then it’s just a matter of working out what they want to eat. Long casts are usually the best way to prolong a bite. At this time of year, the fish can really fire up, so experiment with vertical presentations as well. For all your fishing supplies and the latest reports on Cressbrook and the surrounding dams, call in to see Fish’n’Bits in Alderly Street. They have a great range of lures and fishing gear. The boys can sort you out with the right gear and give you some tips on where to find them. Just remember there is a speed limit of 8 knots and a restricted area at Cressbrook Dam. Check out the signage to ensure you stay out of trouble and abide by the rules. The gate hours for the boat ramps and day use area will be extended this month to 6am until 8pm.

types of spoons from 15-30g can do the trick, but different styles may need to be fished differently. Spoons like the Halco 20g Twisty are a good example; these are great for ripping and hopping through the water. You can also burn them up through the fish and pause when the bass are stacked right through the water column. Spoons like the 20g Gang Banger can be fished in a similar way, but are also great for a slow winding retrieve as they have a swimming action at speeds up to 6km/hour. Not only does a slow wind off the bottom make the swimming spoons easy to fish, but it puts them in front of more of the big bass. As the bass see more lures and feel the pressure the big bass will hug the bottom most of the time – this is where you’ll want to be. For the latest reports, check out Somerset Fishing Tackle online and on Facebook. The

to get into the action. You can also try flicking lipless crankbaits or spinnerbaits to the same areas. The bass may move to deeper water and the slower fishing could be the start of this transition. I am still tipping they will turn up on the flats out from Billies Bay in bulk some time over the next month. Trolling very deep divers on these flats is a good way to locate bass. Often they will be mixed in with catfish schools, so persist for a while if the dreaded catties are plaguing you. Working faster presentations like spoons and tail spinners can help to keep the catties away. Explore the edge of the old creek channel and look from 7-12m deep. C-Map Genesis maps which run on Lowrance and Simrad sounders are invaluable in this lake. You can pinpoint the best areas and flats to search using the detailed charts of the lake.

MACDONALD CLOSEST TOWNS: TEWANTIN, NOOSA It’s a bit hard to predict what the bass will be doing this month. Normally after a cold winter the first sign of spring would send them into a frenzy. It was exceptionally warm last month so this could have thrown things out of whack. If the fish can still work out what time of year it is, they will be chewing hard and schooling in the lower part of the dam. Locating the bulk of the schooling fish will be the trickiest part. It’s not a big area, but being electricmotor-only restricts how much water you can cover in a session. Start your search around the mouth of

the Botanical Gardens bay and then along the northern shore. Once found, the bass will be keen on hopped blade baits and tail spinners. Davos in Noosaville is just a short drive away and they carry all the right lures to use on the lake. Check in with them to see if they have heard the latest news on how the lake is fishing. BORUMBA CLOSEST TOWNS: IMBIL, NOOSA Bass numbers should increase this month. Fish have been found just inside the timber in around 10m of water over the last month. The same area and the main basin points will be worth prospecting. If

As we move into spring, they will fire up and maybe we will see some better quality ones show up. Try throwing blades, masks and tail spinners this month. you have the luxury of a sounder running maps like C-Map Genesis, put it to use to locate the prominent points and humps inside the timber. The dam is hard to read with the naked eye and this is a big help if you haven’t fished it much before. Once the bass are located try blades, tail spinners, soft plastics and ice jigs on them. It will be a case of rotating lures to find what they want to eat most. Davos at Noosaville has all the gear you’ll need to tackle the fish at Borumba and Lake MacDonald. The store caters well for fresh and saltwater anglers. They can be found in the Homemaker Centre on the corner of Mary and Thomas streets.

Richard Turk from Townsville with an awesome 65cm grunter caught on a low tide with live mullet after a cold snap. SEPTEMBER 2017

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COOBY CLOSEST TOWNS: HIGHFIELDS, TOOWOOMBA The golden perch fishing at Cooby has been slow. Bait fishing is still the better option with saltwater yabbies the best bait. Fishing late in the afternoon from a boat or off the steeper rock wall bank will see you in with a good chance. There is always the chance of scoring a Murray cod, but these fish may be a bit tougher during their breeding months. Last month local angler, Chris Achillies proved this with a fat 105cm fish caught on a Jackall Chibitarel. Cooby Dam’s proximity to Highfields and Toowoomba makes it a very popular fishery. If you are looking for somewhere close to home to drop the boat or kayak in, Cooby is definitely worth a visit. The dam hours are now 6am to 8pm, which is perfect to fish into the dark for a late arvo cod. Just remember, no outboard motors are allowed to be used on the dam. The concrete boat ramp is on a shallow angle when the dam is full and can be slippery in places. A big electric powered boat can still be launched with care. Outboard motors can be left on the boat, but must not be used. LESLIE CLOSEST TOWN: WARWICK The golden perch fishing has been steady and some quality fish were caught over the last month. Expect this action to only get better as it warms up more. Blade baits hopped on the bottom in the dam’s main basin have accounted for some goodsized golden perch. This will be the best way to land numbers on lures this month. A few fish will start taking trolled offerings. To better your chances, slow the troll down and use your electric motor at 2-3km/h to troll a lure in 3-5m of water. Some quality cod were caught last month with one of the better fish reported measuring 106cm long. Spinnerbaits have been the standout lures for these fish. There is plenty of structure to cast to around the edges and out wider. Granite formations litter the dam and the cod love to hang around these. Along with getting a fishing report, stock up on all your gear while at Warwick Outdoor and Sports at 115 Palmerin Street, Warwick. For a small store, it carries a great range at a very competitive price. Warwick is only a ten minute drive from the dam and you can pick up any supplies you might need. COOLMUNDA CLOSEST TOWN: INGLEWOOD The golden perch look like they will really fire up this year. Quality fish have been

caught in the deeper areas of the creeks and basin. Working blades has been the secret. Small hops to bounce these lures off of the flats and over a drop-off ledge has paid off for several anglers. Things should only improve this month.

caught from the timbered flats. Spinnerbaits have been the standout lures as per usual. By the end of September some of the bigger fish should be finished with breeding and ready to chow down to relieve their hunger pains. The Coolmunda Caravan Park is only around 1km away from the lake. The park is just

Smaller cod will be common at the start of the month, but it won’t be long until the big mummas are ready to play again. Expect a few of this size at Coolmunda, Leslie and Glenlyon. The drop-offs at the start of the timber, out in the basin (around submerged structure) and along the rock wall are all worth a shot. It’s interesting the golden perch are taking lures so well, yet refusing to eat shrimp. On hitting the deck they are coughing up shrimp, so they’re definitely feeding on them. Maybe this month they will respond better to bait and you know you can find the shrimp in the dam, since the fish are full of them. Cod have been a bit quiet. Still, a few are being

off the Cunningham Highway and 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

WIDE BAY AND SOUTH BURNETT REGION BOONDOOMA CLOSEST TOWNS: PROSTON, KINGAROY The upper reaches of the lake have been holding resident bass and golden perch. Both timbered arms are worth a try in the mornings and afternoons with spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits. Out in the basin of the dam bass should now be schooling. These fish were scattered all over the dam, but the flats in the middle reaches were showing signs of better numbers of fish schooling together. They have been willing to eat, which is a good thing. Heavy fishing pressure in the lead up to last month’s Bass Nation Grand Final tournament should now be relaxed and the fish returning to normal behaviour. Tail spinners, spoons and

blades were all successful last month. Be prepared to mix it up if the fish are there and don’t want to eat. Even soft plastics slowly wound can do the trick if the mood of the fish has changed, so make sure you pack the full box of tricks. Boondooma is a great place to camp right near the water and sit by the fire while enjoying the view. You could also stay in more style and comfort by booking into one of the cabins overlooking the dam. The kiosk at the main office does hot food and other basic items including an excellent range of proven fishing tackle. For campsites, cabins and bunkhouse rooms, call (07) 4168 9694. BJELKE-PETERSEN CLOSEST TOWNS: MURGON, GOOMERI The warmer weather last month attracted fish back

below, give the park a call on (07) 4652 4171. GLENLYON CLOSEST TOWNS: TEXAS, STANTHORPE The big cod have arrived at the dam wall and are quite a spectacle. From the high vantage point the fish can be observed jostling for position to stake their claim on prime breeding real estate. The big models of 1-1.5m long are first to line up, then the smaller fish tend to follow. This means the big cod will be hard to catch until the females have played their part. They will then be hungry and looking for something to smash towards the end of the month. The males then do all the work and guard the nests for the next month, so they will be next to emerge and be super hungry. This is the way things work in the cod world and not all fish breed at the same time. It’s still a great time to target them as once they are finished doing their duties they emerge with a rumbling tummy. Golden perch will step it up another notch this month. Bait has been fooling them with saltwater yabbies a favourite. Lures will again start to perform well and continue to get better towards the end of the year. Hopping blades on concentrations of fish is by far the best way to produce numbers. The kiosk at the lake has a great range of cod lures. They pride themselves on stocking quality Australian-made lures that work. If staying at the lake, you can book a cabin (not self-contained), a powered or an unpowered site. There are BBQs, a playground, two boat ramps (depending on level) and ice, fuel, bait, and lunchtime food like wraps, pies, hotdogs and tea and coffee. No domestic pets are allowed at Glenlyon Tourist Park. Brian and Debbie can be contacted on (02) 6737 5266. towards the shallow edges. Bass Point rock wall, out from the wineries, the bay near the caravan park boat ramp and the ‘Quarry’ are all places worth a look. Shallow edges with a deeper water drop-off nearby are ideal. Working lures like soft plastics, and smaller blade bait will draw the strikes from small to mid-sized bass. There is also the occasional larger bass and golden perch mixed in. Live shrimp will work well on bass and golden perch from boats when fished in 4-6m of water in similar areas. It is also worth chucking in a bait from the shore around the boat ramps for golden perch and eel-tailed catfish. For help catching Bjelke and Boondooma fish, call into Bass 2 Barra. The store stocks an awesome range of gear suited to To page 89

CAPRICORN REGION AWOONGA CLOSEST TOWNS: BENARABY, GLADSTONE Awoonga Dam has fished quite well through the winter months. Smaller barra around 70cm have been common, but there have been some brute fish around 1m mixed in. The numbers of fish being seen on sounders is great news. Things are looking very positive for the next few months. It is likely the fish have moved up from deeper water and found new homes in shallower water due to the cold winter temperatures. Until things get too hot later in the year, there should be plenty of fish to catch. The main technique for getting the bites has been simple. Cast a suspending lure at thick timber in the bays off the main basin of the lake. The thicker the timber is, the higher the chance of it holding a barra. Once you find a patch of fish, give the area a thorough working over.

Smaller classes of barra have been mixed in with the bigger ones, so don’t

Kinchant barra should pick up the action this month. This is just an average specimen and their size is the reason we love to catch them.

WHITSUNDAY REGION PETER FAUST CLOSEST TOWNS: PROSERPINE, AIRLIE BEACH It’s all set to fire up again. The winter fishing was tough at times, but fish were caught right through. Last month the main river produced a few for lucky From page 88

chasing our freshwater fish and the boys have all the knowledge to guide you on how to use it. You’ll find the stores at 119 Youngman Street Kingaroy. Matthew Mott also runs fishing charters on the dams and you can reach him through the

be surprised if you hook something in the trees. Mark from Awoonga Gateway Lodge has a few productive secret spots he’s always willing to share.

anglers fishing surface lures throughout the day. Quite a few smaller barra have been active up in the shallows as well as during the colder months. Out in the basin the barra have turned up at times in bigger numbers with good concentrations of fish located store for bookings and enquiries on (07) 4162 7555. The Yallakool kiosk is all set up with a great range of tackle if you don’t happen to 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.

ELECTRIC PROPULSION SYSTEM This Electric motor drive can be used on any SUP, Kayak or Canoe. It’s attached easily by any of the 3 universal mounts. The LAGOON has 300Watts of power control by a convenient wireless Bluetooth. Controller with built in safety features. 1.5hr MAX running time. Less than 4kg

on the sounder. These schools can come and go with some believing they tend to school more around the turn of the tide in the saltwater. It’s certainly been proven that tide changes or moon phases plays a role in barra activity when fishing in the lakes. The full moon is a crazy time for this dam attracting a lot more anglers. The moon tends to see better fishing into the hours of darkness. The barra become mobile and hunt for food around the points up the back of the dam and any healthy weed edges. These fish like to whack soft plastics. There has been a trend to use big plastics and this may again be successful once the fish fire up. In the meantime, opt for smaller offerings, as there is a lot of smaller bait

The Gateway Lodge is on the way into the dam after turning off at Benaraby. The accommodation is great with plenty of boat parking space right beside the comfortable air-conditioned, selfcontained cabins, each with its own veranda. To book in a stay, give Mark or Lyn a call on (07) 4975 0033. KINCHANT CLOSEST TOWNS: MACKAY, MIRANI After winter, the barra have had a spell and should be ready to chew as things start to warm up. Most anglers will base their efforts around the full moon on the beginning of September and October. Working the dam’s main points and waiting for feeding fish to move through is the key. Try casting 130mm soft plastics up into the chosen point and working back to the boat with a slow and steady wind. Another successful method is to hop vibes like the Transam 95 or slowly wind them so they are just vibrating. Sometimes the nights can be quiet on the moon, especially if there are a lot

of boats on the water. When this is the case, it can also pay to rise early and fish the darkness before the sun comes up. If there is a period of no moon before the sun rises, barra can often be heard boofing baitfish off the surface. This commotion can give away the whereabouts of bulky fish. If you are planning on fishing Kinchant, Teemburra or Eungella, be sure to call in and see Bruce and Ash at Nashy’s Compleat Angler

around. Once the fish are really on the move switch it up to bigger presentations. Barra will be found in the creeks leading into the timber during the day. Casting lures to the trees in deep water and floating them back up through the top of the trees is the way to call the barra out. This is a technique that requires patience and to master. If you want to know more about it or how to best target the lake’s barra, ask the boys at Barra World in Proserpine. For all your fishing supplies or a guided trip on the lake call Lindsay or Dane at Barra World (formerly Proserpine Bait and Tackle) on (07) 4945 4641. The store is right on the highway in Proserpine and specializes in barra fishing tackle.

The BEST place in QLD to catch Australian Bass and Yellowbelly

THIS SPIRIT 1 electric outboard is powered by a built in 1KWH Lithium-ion Battery. Giving 1.5hrs of MAX power running or if your leisurely using this motor the battery can last up to 5 hrs of use. Equivalent to a 3hp petrol outboard. Just without the noise and pollution. It weighs 16kg including the battery. The inbuilt battery can be changed with the simple lift of a release handle.

THE FUTURE IS HERE

For more information call (02) 9532 0002

on Harbour Road, North Mackay. Ash works in the store, but also as a fishing guide on the lakes. Some firsthand information as to where they are biting always goes a long way. Nashy’s has a great range of tackle suited to the dams as well as all the other fishing options the Mackay area is blessed with. You can call the store for more information or to put some gear on hold on (07) 4957 2272.

2 Dams

1de stination H

South Burnett

· Boondooma Dam · Bjelke-Petersen Dam ·

STAY

NIGHTS AND

SAVE

CATCH

of the month BOONDOOMA DAM

BJELKE-PETERSEN HARRY WITH A NICE BP BASS

PADDY ENJOYING DAM FISHING

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

10HP OF POWER This is the most powerful electric motor in the ePropulsion range. Pumping out a massive 6KW of power which is equivalent to a 10hp petrol outboard. This motor is available in either tiller control or forward control. Forward control uses a wireless throttle and gear shifting control box. Silent, zero emissions and maintenance free makes this motor a pleasure to own.

Email: info@islandinflatables.com.au

www.epropulsion.com.au SEPTEMBER 2017

BOATS FOR SALE on

Somerset starts to shine LAKE SOMERSET

Matthew Taylor

PHOENIX 920 Location: NSW

$85,000

Over the past month at Lake Somerset, the fishing has improved considerably and treated anglers well. A number of large fish have been caught on a variety of techniques from several areas. Bass over 2kg and yellowbelly over 50cm and 3kg have been caught on a regular basis. It won’t be long before the spring edge bass bite comes on. For the anglers who prefer to cast for bass, the fishing has been exceptional

the start of Queen Street, which produced a cricket score session for one angler recently. These fish have been caught on a variety of lures and the lure of choice changes daily. Ice jigs have been catching good numbers of fish. Golds, blacks, olives, purples and baby bass colours have worked well. Anglers have also recently had great success using different types of spoons. On the cool or tough days, slow is the go. Using spoons that flutter down slowly on the drop has been the best option. On the hot days, quality fish have been

ATTACK 470 Location: NSW

$15,500 520 MAKO ESTUARY Location: NSW

Somerset Fishing Tackle co-owner Robbie Rayner with a quality bass caught on a Halco Twisty. Photo courtesy of Robbie Rayner.

$35,000 SKEETER ZX190 Location: NSW

at times. In the typical Somerset Dam fashion, the fishing seems to be better during the weekdays and tougher on the weekends, turning on and off very quickly. The schooling fish have been located at the ‘Hump,’ Pelican Point, Red Rock, Bay 13, Kirkleigh (specifically in an area known as ‘The Dogleg’) and

caught using both spoons that flutter and ones that don’t. Both slow and fast retrieves are working well when it’s warm. Quick, erratic retrieves after letting the lure hit the bottom recently rewarded one angler who fished the dam with a Smak Knife in the nuke colour. Tail spinners are also working well in a variety of colours.

Somerset Fishing Tackle Pro Angler Brett Klaws with a by-catch yellowbelly from a school of bass. A number of fish are also being caught off of the edges, however the size of these fish has been relatively small. The majority are coming off rocky areas. Targeting fallen trees is producing well, but the edge bite seems to only be during the morning and late afternoon. Lighter colours are the best option in the shallower water. If you prefer to troll for bass, there are fish being caught throughout the entirety of the lake. Anglers who are trolling near rock walls have been rewarded. Trolling through the Kirkleigh areas and in the timber has accounted for the occasional fish as well; the key is to keep your lures as close to the steep banks as possible. For the bait anglers, fishing in the timber or on steep rock walls has worked to great effect. Using live shrimp has accounted for a number of fish, with other baits seeming to be less effective. Yellowbelly are being caught in a variety of areas. Anglers who have been

lure to stay on the bottom where the majority of fish are holding. A small number of fish are also being caught off rocky edges on an assortment of blades. Trolling heavy white spinnerbaits on steep edges has also accounted for a number of large fish. If you are heading to Lake Somerset and are fishing or boating, there are two main boat ramps to use – one located at the Spit, and the other at the Kirkleigh end of the lake at the Lake Somerset Holiday Park. From September to April, the gates open at 5.30am and close at 6.30pm, and from May to August opening hours are 6.00am to 5.30pm. • During your time at the dam, if you are after any fishing tackle, information on the lake or fishing tips, make sure you drop in and say g’day at Somerset Fishing Tackle, which is located about 200m from the Kirkleigh day use boat ramp. Just look for a blue trailer and you won’t miss it. Don’t let the size of this shop deceive you – they’ve

$30,000 SKEETER SX180 Location: QLD

A solid Australian bass from Lake Somerset that engulfed one of the new colours from the Smak Wild range. Photo courtesy of Brett Klaws.

$32,500 Like us on facebook for automatic updates 90

SEPTEMBER 2017

Brett Klaws with two bass over 40cm, caught using Smak Knives with an erratic retrieve from the Queen Street area of Lake Somerset.

fishing schools of bass have been rewarded with good numbers of by-catch golden perch. Ice-jigs have been catching fish well over the 50cm mark. In addition, tail spinners fished through these schools have worked well. Allow the

got it all. Just jump on their recently updated website to check out their fishing tackle range. To see more from Matt, check out his Instagram @ matthew____taylor and his Facebook page @ matthewtaylorfishing.

Upgraded Nissan Series 2 Navara ST 4X4 ute BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

The Nissan Navara I drove early last year was a very different car to the one I had the pleasure of driving this month. Last year’s Navara featured some very good ideas – starting with the great styling, which hasn’t changed to any degree – and was a great all-round drive, thanks to a peppy twin turbo 2.3L diesel engine seamlessly mated to a beaut 7-speed auto gearbox. It had an interior layout and finish more akin to a family car than a work horse, with doors that opened widely to make entry extremely

some serious weight behind the cabin, the tail tended to sag a little. Nissan strive to improve their products and in late 2016 things in ‘Navara Land’ changed with the Series 2 N23 model. The company obviously listened to dealer feedback and got to work on the rear suspension, which received a good work-over. The results were a ride that’s a little firmer (and way better than rebounding rear leaf springs) due to revised front and rear shock absorber dynamics, changes to the rear coil spring and multilink setup to provide improved damping as load rate increases. The changes are subtle, but they’re definitely real. A good ute – ideal for work or play –

The Navara made easy work of towing the Galeforce centre console around the country for a weekend of fresh and saltwater fishing. The fuel consumption was a creditable 8.2L/100km.

A dash that’s attractive rather than merely functional is a Navara feature. easy, very comfortable and supportive seats and a bold suspension overhaul, which saw the fitting of coil springs in the rear of most models, apart from the cab chassis units. SUSPENSION CHANGED The new coil suspension setup was designed to get around the rebounding sensation that unladen leaf

has become even better. WHAT THE SERIES 2 IS ALL ABOUT With a discussion on tweaked suspension to offer better ride and handling out of the way, let’s take a more in-depth look at today’s Nissan Navara and see what makes it such a useful vehicle for working weeks and water-

The Navara’s touchscreen was user-friendly and commanded a host of functions for the driver. sprung utes seem to suffer from (some more than others). The Navara ride, improved as it undoubtedly was, came across as imperfect. There was a tendency for the ride to be too soft on corrugated and rough unsealed surfaces. When the 1 tonne ute was loaded with

side weekends. Firstly, like all Navaras, the new ute has been designed as a work vehicle. The 3.5t towing capacity, and near 1t carry capability point directly to this fact, but Nissan understand that when people hand over close to 50k for

a motor vehicle, they also want to enjoy it for recreation, hence the 228mm of ground clearance, a 32.4° approach angle, a 26.7° departure angle and a wading depth of 700mm. As the Navara’s a genuine 4WD, a dashlocated switch offers instant change from high range 4x2 to high range 4x4 with low range requiring a brief stop prior to engagement. The Navara ST sits on 16” alloys, so bush and beach work is just as easy as loading up tools and material for a day on a worksite. A VERY ENJOYABLE DRIVE With improvements to ride and handling, the overall drive experience of the near top-of-range ST (reviewed) remained exceptionally good. The cabin ambience was very pleasing with plush cloth-lined seating (very comfortable on long trips) subtle curves and gently contrasted tones of ebony black and chrome, with not too much hard plastic and storage aplenty. The second row seating has just as much head and leg space as the front area, along with aircon

vents to keep passengers cool when spring turns to summer. Curtain air bags extending along the entire side of the Navara are just part of a secondary safety package that ensures that comfort is there in spades for those travelling within the Series 2 Navara. The driver is treated to a leather-bound wheel, electric controls for most functions, including the interesting slide section of the rear window, which is designed to cool the cabin down rapidly on a hot day. There’s a decent touchscreen for a host of items including Sat/Nav (with the map showing speed limits) plus traffic updates

ON AND OFF THE ROAD The Navara’s 2.3L fourcylinder twin turbo diesel

that the gearing kept the turbos working at optimum output, which removed any sensation of turbo lag, whether moving away from the lights in the city or overtaking on the M1 at 110km/h. At 100km/h the smooth diesel was turning over at 1750rpm with ample power in reserve. After towing our Galeforce 4.5 centre console over a weekend of fishing in both fresh and saltwater, the Navara returned fuel figures of 8.2L/100km, which was quite creditable. The fuel tank capacity is 80L. SUMMING UP Nissan deserve credit for their upgraded Series 2 Navara. The company obviously considered that many Navaras would rightly spend more time on the driveway at home than on site and have aimed at passenger comfort and

The author loved that reversing camera when hooking up the Galey.

A rear cargo area of 1560mm by 1503mm is great for trips to Bunnings. and a reversing camera. I found the touchscreen’s multimedia system userfriendly and I quickly connected a phone with Bluetooth for streaming.

with its output of 140kW of power and 450Nm of torque had seamless power thanks to the paired in-line turbos mated to the 7-speed auto unit. Nissan have ensured

Rear seat travellers will find plenty of leg and headroom and useful aircon vents for summer days.

easy performance as first considerations, with work capability not sidelined to any great degree. It’s a big call, but Nissan seems to have it right. The rear cargo area still remains at 1560mm wide and 1503mm long, so you could pack a lot of camping and fishing gear in there for a fun weekend with our finny friends. There’s a fivestar ANCAP rating, services specified every 20,000 or 12 months with capped price servicing for the first six services up to 120,000 or two years of ownership. The warranty is 100,000km or three years. SEPTEMBER 2017

Cooking

Mussel orecchiette with spring flavours BRISBANE

Lynn Bain

It’s mussel season and this recipe is one wonderful, hearty and warming partnership of

flavours and textures. With a combination of soft pasta, delicious mussels and the crunchy, zesty fried breadcrumbs, the lingering cold nights in early spring won’t be a bother at all.

There are several extra handy hints that might help you customise this dish. If you love a bit of kick in your pasta try adding dried chilli flakes. Likewise, vary the spices and herbs to suit

your preferences. While orecchiette is a great companion to this recipe any type of dried pasta can be used. This recipe will serve four generously, and will have mouths watering.

Ingredients Ingredients for orecchiette and mussels • 1 pack dried orecchiette • 4 tbsp olive oil • 3 cloves garlic, finely grated • 1-2 teaspoons dried chilli flakes • 2 ripe tomatoes, finely cubed • 500g mussel meat • 1 handful of chopped flat leaf parsley • 1/2 cup lime juice • Freshly ground salt and pepper Ingredients for breadcrumb topping • 2 tbsp chopped butter • 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs • Zest of 1 lime •10g chopped flat leaf parsley

6 92

Add the mussel meat, a good handful of chopped flat leaf parsley, the juice of 1 lime and the (retained) pasta cooking water into the pan. Mix together thoroughly.

7 Now grate the lime zest onto the mixture and add the rest of the chopped parsley.

SEPTEMBER 2017

Cook the orecchiette (small ear) pasta in boiling salted water with half the olive oil. Drain the pasta thoroughly and then rinse under cold water to prevent the cooked pasta from sticking together. Place the pasta to one side and retain half a cup of the pasta cooking water for later use.

Add the cooked pasta to the mussel mixture in the pan. Stir together thoroughly and continue to cook for a few minutes to warm through.

With a wooden or no-scratch spatula, fold the bread mixture over itself to incorporate the melted butter through the breadcrumbs, zest and parsley. Continue to cook the breadcrumb mixture until golden brown.

Pour the remaining olive oil into a heavy-based frypan. Heat the oil over a medium low heat. Add the crushed garlic and the chilli flakes to the hot oil and stir-fry for a minute. Now add the chopped tomato cubes to the pan, stir well and continue to cook for a couple of minutes.

While your mussel and pasta mixture is heating through, add the butter to a clean frypan. Melt the butter over a medium heat then add the breadcrumbs.

Serve the orecchiette and mussels onto a plate. Add the golden breadcrumb mixture to give the pasta a crunchy topping.

FIND THE

LOGO COMPETITION 1ST PLACE

MAJOR PRIZES

2ND PLACE 3RD PLACE

1000 500 200

Value of Rapala VMC prizes

There are 15 pages of Fishing Monthly.

Value of Rapala VMC prizes

MONTHLY PRIZES

Logos hidden throughout the

Find the Logo and page number, fill in the entry form and go in the draw to win! The first 40 correct entries drawn at the end of the month will win a PACKET OF PREMIUM VMC HOOKS. All entries will go into the major prize draw (NOVEMBER 30, 2017). *Prize may vary month to month depending on availability

www.vmcpeche.com/coastal-black

PAGE NO: 1

NAME ............................................................................................................

MAIL ENTRIES TO:

QLDFM Find the Coastal Black Logo Competition, PO BOX 3172, Loganholme QLD 4129 Entries must be received by 30TH SEPTEMBER 2017 Original entries only. No photocopies. Images for illustration purposes only.

SUBURB .................................................................P/CODE ........................... PHONE ..................................................................MOB ............................... EMAIL ............................................................................................................

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Tristan Taylor trumps Taigan Tristan Taylor is no stranger to the ABT BREAM competition, but it’s been a while since he’s tasted success at the top level. It only took a northern New South Wales deep winter bite for him to break the shackles and stand atop the podium once again. His two-day combined limit of 10/10 for a 6.24kg bag was good enough to edge out a fast finishing Taigan Heath by 110g and seal Tristan’s entry into the Costa BREAM Grand Final in December. Taylor has proven himself as a contender any time the winter bite is running in northern NSW. During the cooler months,

THE FUTURE IS HERE Self-contained Electric Outboards

only 20m from Taylor further out on the tip of the north wall. “Going into day two I just wanted to repeat what I had done on Saturday. I was the first out to the wall and I had made an agreement with both Nabeel and Mark Crompton that we would all resume our positions from the day prior, so Nabeel was right on the tip, then Mark and then myself all within 50m of the end of the north wall.” The plan was solid, but the fish didn’t play the game. Sunday’s session proved much tougher for the anglers concentrating on the north wall. “It was brutally slow for most of the day,” explained Taylor. I only managed

WINNING TACKLE Rod: Samurai Infinite 4-8lb Reel: Megabass Idaten 256 Line: 8lb Unitika Aorika PE Leader: Unitika fluorocarbon Lure: Heavy Cranka Crab in a mix of colours

STORM

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888. 94

SEPTEMBER 2017

yellowfin bream congregate in the deeper sections towards the mouth of rivers and estuaries and this is what Taylor concentrated on to claim victory. Fishing the tip of the northern seaway wall both days, Taylor was able to catch the bigger than average winter bream down deep on the seaway wall and ride them to victory. Saturday’s first day of competition saw Taylor fish the same location all day. It wasn’t just Taylor around this area. With a line of boats fishing the north wall, Taylor was patient and knew the tip of the wall was going to be the key area. “The tip of any seaway wall is often the best section. There were so many boats fishing the wall both days and on the first day I didn’t get there quick enough to get a spot on the tip. I stuck it out and played the waiting game until I slowly worked my way to the tip as other boats came and left. That’s when I began catching fish,” explained Taylor. Fishing a technique that has dominated most fisheries in Australia, Taylor chose to throw a heavy Cranka Crab in a mix of colours, which he tried to ‘walk’ down the rocks plummeting into the 25ft depths of the Richmond River seaway. “You had to cast up really tight to the wall. The current runs so fast out in that area that if you don’t, your crab gets washed away and it’s hard to keep in contact with it as it works down the wall.” Taylor’s day one bag of 5/5 3.67kg was the second biggest of the tournament, bettered only by day one leader Nabeel Issa, who unsurprisingly, was fishing

Tristan Taylor was all smiles with his champion boater title at the Costa Richmond River BREAM Qualifier.

my fifth keeper with seven minutes to go in the session. Without that fish I would have finished third or fourth; I was cheering when the fifth bream came on board!” Again Taylor relied on the ever-faithful Cranka Crab

and used one trick to keep in contact with the lure in the heavy current. “I actually slide on one small ball sinker onto my leader before I tie on the heavy crab; it sinks it down faster and helps you keep in contact, which is important for

Darren Borg value added his winnings with his $500 Big Bream Prize.

preventing snags and getting the bites. You’d think a heavier lure would snag more, but it’s actually the opposite. The better you can feel the bottom, the quicker you can control your lure to slide it over the rocks, thanks to the floating hooks on the crab.” Taylor used a Samurai Infinite 4-8lb rod and a matching Megabass Idaten 256 spinning reel to deliver his winning baits. He says the rod has just the right amount of bottom end power to pull the fish away from the wall and the sensitivity in the tip to feel the lure when it’s down 30ft deep. He spooled his reel with 8lb Unitika Aorika PE and fished a mix of Unitika fluorocarbon leaders throughout the weekend. Taylor pocketed $3200 for his victory and qualified himself for the Costa BREAM Grand Final in Lake Macquarie in early December where both the champion boater and champion non-boater will walk away with brand new Bluefin boat/ motor/trailer packages worth over $20,000 each!

RESULTS – BOATERS Place

Angler

TW (kg)

Payout

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Tristan Taylor Taigan Heath Heath Blaikie Mark Crompton Kristoffer Hickson Nabeel Issa Tom Slater Chris Gates Matthew Finney Darren Borg

10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 9/10 10/10 10/10 9/10 9/10

6.24 6.13 5.73 5.67 5.66 5.32 5.27 5.10 4.83 4.72

$3200 + 1st Mercury Bonus ($250) $1400 + 2nd Mercury Bonus ($150) $1100 + 3rd Mercury Bonus ($100) $950 $800 $550 + Duffrods Big Bag $500 + Yamaha Bonus ($300) $500 $500 Big Bream (1.04kg)

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

Taigan tips South Wall NSW BREAMer Taigan Heath narrowly missed claiming his maiden ABT BREAM victory after a Sunday’s best 5/5 3.16kg bag dropped the scales at the staged weigh-in in front of the crowd at the Ballina Trawler Harbour. Heath’s 10/10 6.13kg limit was one of only two limits over 6kg, which so often earns victory on the ABT BREAM tour. Heath’s roadmap to runner-up followed an almost identical pattern to that of the victor Tristan Taylor, although Heath fished by himself for almost the entire tournament. “I really wanted to fish the north wall on the first tournament day; I even went to slot into the line, but it was just too busy.

The southern wall is not normally as popular, because it lacks the depth. I saw that no one was fishing it so I made the choice to spot-lock right on the tip of the southern wall and slug it out by myself,” said Heath. It proved to be the right decision, with Heath and his non-boater enjoying an afternoon of almost constant hook-ups on the way to his day one 5/5 2.97kg bag. “For day two I thought the north wall was going to receive a lot of pressure again, so I went straight back to the southern tip and hit spot-lock on my MotorGuide again and went to work.” Although Sunday’s fishing wasn’t as frantic as the day before, Heath found a better size than the

previous day and managed to weigh Sunday’s biggest bag to almost run down Tristan Taylor for his first ABT BREAM victory. Heath’s go-to lure was again the heavy Cranka Crab. Although every colour he used caught fish, he preferred the spotted crab colour over all others. He fished the Cranka Crabs on a mix of Palms Pinwheel and Gemtek Custom fishing rods both outfitted with Daiwa 2000 size spinning reels which he spooled with Sunline Super PE in 6lb and matched to a Sunline FC Rock Bream Special 6lb fluorocarbon leader. Heath is one of the best fishers on the NSW north coast, so it was no surprise to again see him towards

Taigan Heath cashed in with his runner-up result at Richmond River. the top of the leader board come Sunday afternoon. Heath’s runner-up placing assures him of a Costa

BREAM Grand Final berth in December where he’ll battle Australia’s best BREAM fishers for

the chance at the ultimate prize in tournament fishing, a brand new boat/motor/ trailer package!

BIG BREAM

Cranka Crab

Past AFC and ABT champion Darren ‘Dizzy’ Borg won the tournament’s $500 Big Bream prize. His day one 1.04kg kicker was enough to last the distance despite many other quality fish coming to the scales from the mouth of the river. Borg caught the kicker within the first 500m of river down deep on the base of a rock wall. For more information on the next ABT BREAM event, head to www.abt.org.au.

DUFFRODS BIG BAG Nabeel Issa sacked up the tournament’s Duffrods Big Bag during the first day of competition. The Brisbane BREAMer parked himself on the tip of the north seaway wall and fished heavy Cranka Crabs down the rock wall to weigh a 5/5 3.71kg limit. Nabeel won himself a custom-made Duffrod valued at over $500 for his day one heroics.

Reeves wrestles winter winners

Justin Reeves found himself an ABT BREAM champion after compiling the only 10/10 full limit of bream over the course of the Costa Sunglasses presented Richmond River BREAM Qualifier. Fishing with Warren Carter on day one and Chris Findlay on day two,

Reeves was always going to be around the fish. Day one found Reeves aboard Warren Carter’s Mercury powered Legend fishing the popular Porpoise Wall just inside the river mouth. Reeves began targeting the base of the rock wall with a mixture of lures including Cranka Crabs and soft plastics. Half way

through the session, Reeves was struggling with only one fish. “That’s when I remembered that during my pre-fish with Mark Crompton we sounded fish sitting halfway up the walls,” said Reeves. “I tied on a 40mm Ecogearaqua Bream Prawn

RESULTS – NON-BOATERS Place

Angler

TW (kg)

Payout

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Justin Reeves 10/10 4.88 Costa Sunglasses & Prize Pack Jarryd Aleckson 8/10 4.07 Costa Sunglasses & Prize Pack + 1st Hobie Bonus ($100) Wally Fahey 6/10 3.86 JML Alliance Rod & Prize Pack + 2nd Hobie Bonus ($50) Russell Winters 8/10 3.80 Prize Pack James Morgan 7/10 3.55 Prize Pack Michael Maas 7/10 3.22 Prize Pack Glen Sturrock 7/10 3.17 Prize Pack, $300 1st Pro + 3rd Hobie Bonus ($35) Rodney O’Sullivan 7/10 3.15 Prize Pack Jeffrey Espiritu 5/10 3.03 Prize Pack Paul Langley 7/10 3.02 Prize Pack For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

and rigged it on either a 1/60 or 1/40oz jighead and cast it tight to the wall.” Reeves would let the lure drift down the wall very naturally, and was able to pick up fish others were missing holding tight to the wall in the crevices of the rocks. Using this technique, Reeves was able to fill his bag and actually out-fish one of ABT’s finest from the back of the boat. “Warren was so good out on the water, he had us on the fish and, unfortunately for him, just didn’t have things go to plan. Luckily my fish stuck and I could put five in the boat and bring them back to the scales,” said Reeves. Sitting in third place overnight, Reeves was keen to put another five fish in the boat come Sunday’s final session. Jumping on board with Chris Findlay, Reeves was given all the opportunity he needed to fill his limit. Fishing again down the front of the system, Reeves employed the same strategy as day one. Targeting the fish holding up high on the wall, Reeves fished his

Justin Reeves secured the non-boater title with the only 10/10 non-boater limit for the tournament. lightly weighted Ecogear Bream Prawn slowly, letting it waft in the current and watching his line for any signs of movement. With a full limit in the boat by 9am, you would have thought the pressure would have been off, but that wasn’t the case. “He was stressing pretty hard, not thinking

he had enough weight to seal a good finish,” said Reeves’ day two boater Chris Findlay. In the end he had no reason to be worried; with overnight leaders Walley Fahey and Jarryd Aleckson failing to catch a full limit, Reeves was easily the best of the weekend winning by over 800g. SEPTEMBER 2017

THE F Self-co U ntaineTURE IS H d Elec tric OuERE tboard s

West proves best

THE FUTURE IS HERE Self-contained Electric Outboards

STORM

Charles West has continued his dominant season taking his third win of the season at the Toonumbar round of the 2017 ePropulsion Bass Electric series with 4/4 for 2.504kg, relegating local favourite Joseph Urquhart into second place with 4/4 fish for 2.498kg. Charles West headed into the Toonumbar event full of confidence, with a last start win at Borumba Dam and previous podium placings at Toonumbar. “I knew the dam had been fishing tough and I felt if I could find some clear water holding resident fish, I would be in the hunt for the win,” explained West. West headed up the lake and began fishing in the area known as the ‘Narrows.’ Early in session one West focused his attention on areas without broken weed and with shady pockets. Once he found his key locations, West would slowly move down the bank casting a 3” Gulp Minnow in pumpkinseed rigged on a 1/6oz jighead tight to the edge, allowing it to sink to the bottom and then starting

a slow roll back to the boat. Once West got a bite he would then move the boat wide of the spot and pepper the spot with another 5-10 casts to entice the fish to return. “The bites were so soft and the fish were coming with the lure, so at times I wouldn’t know I had hooked the fish until I lifted up my rod and felt the weight,” explained West. Once West and fishing partner Adrian Wilson had found the formula, the pair expanded the pattern to find a key run that they could focus on for the remainder of the tournament. “Adrian and I had a good rotation of spots with similar characteristics; we looked for shaded banks with unbroken weed in 4-5ft of water. We knew it would just be a process of rotating of spots and converting every bite,” said West. West’s tackle of choice for the weekend was a 13 Fishing 7ft medium light Omen Black rod matched with a Daiwa Certate spooled with Sunline Castaway PE

BASS EL ECTR SERIES IC

Charles West claimed his third win for the year with victory at Toonumbar. and 6lb Gamma fluorocarbon leader. After taking the win West went on to say, “It is always super exciting to take the win, but it wouldn’t

be possible without the support of my wife Kelly, Adrian Wilson, 13 Fishing, Dogtooth, Haswing, Costa and Pro’s Factory.”

Urquhart agonisingly Close Previous Toonumbar event winner and local favourite Joseph Urquhart came close to another win on the bass Electric tour falling a mere 6g behind Charles West with 4/4 fish for 2.498kg. “At Toonumbar I tend to find the better quality fish holding in cleaner water. With the water temperature so low I knew I needed to find banks with clean and warmer water,” explained Urquhart. With this in mind Urquhart headed up the lake focusing his attention around the area where the dirty and clean water met, spending most of his fishing time on banks holding thick weed in 5ft of water. To target these weeddwelling bass Urquhart would cast his Keitech Easy Shiner rigged on a 1/6oz Dam Deep jighead

into the weed bed and rip the lure out from the weed before allowing it to sink to the bottom. If Urquhart didn’t get a bite once the lure hit the bottom, he would then start a slow roll back to the boat and repeat the process. For this technique his tackle of choice was a Edge Black Widow 701S rod matched with a 2500 Daiwa Generation Black reel spooled with 12lb Toray Seabass PE and 6lb Toray Upgrade Leader. Securing Urquharts tournament limit was the event big bass of 906g, which he caught during session one. “I found a small creek coming off the main arm of the river at 2:30pm on day one, I could see a little clearing of weed with a good amount of shade covering it” said Urquhart. Once he cast into the pocket he saw a large swirl and then loaded up on

the fish. “It was a super exciting way to get my first big bass in any tournament and combined with second place it was a great weekend” said Urquhart “I have to thank my sponsors Dogtooth Distribution and

my family who always make me feel supported.” The tour heads south from here to the famed shores of Lake St Clair, for information on this event or any other ABT event head to abt.org.au.

Joey Urqhart continued his run of form at Toonumbar to finish second.

RESULTS

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888. 96

SEPTEMBER 2017

West, Urqhart and Bostock claimed the top three places.

Place Angler

Bag

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3

Charles West Joe Urquhart Peter Bostock Craig Aha-Sigh Adrian Wilson Sean Conneelly Tom Reynolds Matthew Flynn Darren Painter Scott Bryant

Total Weight (kg)

2.50 2.49 2.39 2.37 2.31 1.98 1.69 1.69 1.69 1.62

Pryke pulls ‘em up to take out Round 9 Strike Pro Round 9 of Hobie® Kayak Bream Series 9 was contested at the Gold Coast, in sunny Queensland on the weekend of 22-23 July. A Queensland record-breaking field of 51 anglers from Queensland, the ACT, Victoria and New South Wales headed to the same stunning location where the 2016 Australian Championship was contested at the mouth of the busy Nerang River. On both days anglers headed off from the Power Pole starting line off Mitchell Park in Broadwater Parklands, located in Southport at 7am. The weather was perfect throughout the tournament with warm, sunny winter weather, clear skies and temperatures in the mid 20°C. The tide was just on high, as they blasted off on day one, and about an hour short of full tide on day two. The water temperature hovered around 20°C across the fishing arena. On day one most anglers headed north towards Runnaway Bay and other northern canal systems, Wave

TOURNAMENT STATS Day One Fish Caught...................................... 160 Day One Anglers with Fish........................... 50/51 Day Two Fish Caught....................................... 151 Total Fish Caught............................................. 311 Total Weight............................................. 144.91kg Average Weight.............................................. 466g Total Cash Payout....................................... $3,720 spawn. They appeared to be gathering in heavy pre-spawn and lighter weight post-spawn schools, but either way they were hungry and eager to take to the lure temptations that were presented to them. The top 10 anglers shared total cash prize payout of $3720 and over $2500 in sponsor prizes were shared by Open and other divisional winners. THE MIGHTY PRYKIE Steven Pryke from Lakes Entrance made his massive trip up from Victoria totally worthwhile by moving up from his day one second place to squeeze out day one leader Brendan Pieschel and take out Round 9 of Series 9. Pryke, the youngest competitor of the tournament at nineteen years

A Queensland record-breaking 51 anglers from all over Australia headed to the Gold Coast to fish the tournament. Break Island, Crab Island and further up to Paradise Point and Sovereign Island. A smaller group of around a third of the field pedalled towards the city skyscrapers to fish navigation markers at the edge of the main channel, the trawlers around the fish co-op, the Gold Coast Highway Bridge pylons and the pontoons and wharves along the Nerang and its southern canals. Each day the bite was on right from the start. While those who headed north were still travelling, with kilometre after kilometre already under their belt, many anglers with plans of attack that had them fishing closer to home already had full bags of four bream. The pre-fish reports had been excellent with anglers bringing back news that there were plenty of good-sized fish across the system. Predictions proved to be correct when the tournament got under way, with a lot of fish moving to the front of the river system and schooling in large numbers. Winter on the Gold Coast is spawning time when yellowfin bream head out offshore to

old, earned himself the young gun title, catching himself four fish on day one weighing in at 2.34kg and backing it up on day two with four for 2.34kg. The catch gave him a two-day accumulative winning score of eight bream for 4.93kg. Pryke won $1430 and an excellent sponsor prize pack for his competitive edge. In only his third season of Hobie tournament fishing, and with his first major win, he has also guaranteed himself a place in the Australian Championship to be contested in Western Australia later this year. He has also accumulated 100 Angler of the Year (AOY) points which has placed him in a strong position to pick up a spot on the team to represent Australia – with three qualifying rounds yet to be completed – at the upcoming world championship in May next year in Amal, Sweden. Pryke outlined his weekend on the Gold Coast. “Each day I started out on the channel markers, straight out in front of the take-off area. There were a lot of school fish there, so I got a bag on

both days within the first 15-20 minutes, which gave me a long time to upgrade. I was able to get my bag throwing Berkley Shrimps and Hitec Minnows at them. “I would then head up towards the bridge [Gold Coast Highway Bridge]. I’d work the bridge pylons and pick up a few upgrades from there. The most consistent place for upgrades, for me, was the area out in front to the pool [Gold Coast Aquatic Centre]. I managed to pick up a lot of my bigger fish from that area, especially the 880g fish I caught yesterday [Saturday day one].” Pryke’s rods were a Millerods Control Freak CF XF 6’10 1-3kg and a Daiwa Harrier 6-10lb. His reel of choice was a Daiwa Luvias 1000 and the line was Berkley Fireline 3lb or Daiwa J-Braid. He used Sunline FC Rock 3lb leader and his go-to lures were the Berkley Gulp 2” Shrimp in banana prawn on a 1/8oz jighead and a EcogearAqua Bream Prawn on 1/0 Owner worm hook PIESCHEL SECOND TO THE POLE Brendan Pieschel, from the Manning River district in New South Wales, led the field of anglers after day one with the second largest single bag over the two days of fishing, with four fish for 2.84kg. Pieschel followed it up with a four bream bag of 2.01kg on day two to finish with eight fish for 4.85kg just 80g behind the leader. Pieschel won a hefty $750 cash prize and an excellent sponsor prize pack valued at over $250. Brendan offered these comments. “Pre-fish was good for me, I did well in that, going into day one. On day one the marinas I wanted to work [Versace and Mirage Marinas] were taken out of play. I wanted to go in there, so that threw me out a bit. Instead, I slugged it out on both days on the flats to get the good fish. I hit the flats with a lot of grubbing, blades, ZMans and Gulps; that was pretty much it. I dropped a few good ones today [day two] unfortunately, but that’s fishing. I chased Steven out from the start today, out to the channel markers. He beat me to the mark and got his fish pretty quick. I wasn’t in a rush because I knew the school was there, I just wanted to get four in the well. After Steve did his thing and then got his, I

got my four. Then I went and chased some others on boat hulls, but couldn’t get any upgrades, so I came back onto the flats and they started hitting again. It worked for me the rest of the afternoon except when the wind came up later in the afternoon and when jet boats were around.” Third place went to Mark Young from the New South Wales Central Coast who had a fantastic tournament finishing. It was great to see his young family there with him and sharing his moment on stage receiving his accolades and prizes. Young followed up his solid day one bag of four for 2.27kg, with the second heaviest bag of day two with four for 2.57kg. He took home a handy $480 and a sponsor prize pack for his weekend in Queensland. ATOMIC BIG BREAM Michelle Carmody from New South Wales won the Atomic Big Bream $100 cash prize, for the biggest fish of the round. She pulled her 930g yellowfin bream near the Gold Coast Highway Bridge on a Berkley Gulp Crabby 2.5” in camo on a TT Hidden Weight 1/16 jighead. DIVISIONS Steven Pryke from Victoria took out the Youth Division with eight fish for 4.93kg. Michelle Carmody from New South Wales won the Womens Division with her three fish for 1.92kg The Masters Division was taken out by Queenslander Lex Irwin with eight fish for 2.99kg Callum Sprott and Koji Maki from Queensland had three fish for 1.38kg to take the PA 17T Tandem Division. Paul Delos Santos from New South Wales was the winner of the First Timers Division with eight fish for 3.16kg. MORTGAGE CORP MONSTER MOVER Billy Howard from Queensland won the Mortgage Corp Power Pack, jumping from 44th position with 0.47kg

on day one to finish in 35th position with a day two bag of four fish for 1.72kg. SPECIAL THANKS Well done to the team from Sunstate Hobie in Queensland for their dealer support and for the delicious pizzas and drinks on both days.

Thanks also to our fantastic sponsors Daiwa, Berkley, Atomic, Lowrance, RhinoRack, Strike Pro, TT Lures, Pro Lure, JML Anglers Alliance, Mortgage Corp, Power-Pole, and Hobie Polarized for their much appreciated support. – Hobie Cat

The fish were gathering in pre-spawn and postspawn schools, all eager to crunch on lures.

Available through our Facebook page

Seniors $35 Juniors $10 Catch, Snap & Release Fun for the whole family Major Sponsors:

SEPTEMBER 2017

THE F Self-co U ntaineTURE IS H d Elec tric OuERE tboard s

West and Wilson win

THE FUTURE IS HERE Self-contained Electric Outboards

STORM

Brisbane Basser Charles West has continued his dominant 2017 ePropulsion Season taking victory at the Lake St Clair round with 2/2 fish for 2.02kg. In the process he took his fourth win of the season and third in as many starts. Hot on his heels was longtime fishing partner Adrian Wilson, with 2/2 for 1.97kg adding another podium to his achievements. With momentum on his side West again came into the event in hot form, keen to get himself closer to winning the 2017 Angler of the Year Title. West and Wilson started their sessions fishing the main points in the 8 knot zone of the Carrowbrook Arm. “During the pre-fish we noticed the weed had started to die off, but where we did find concentrations of weed we found good numbers of quality fish. We knew we were in for an awesome day when we landed a fish first cast and bagged out on the first point we fished,” explained West. With West finding the better fish on points with

weed, he and Wilson began to work their way up the Carrowbrook Arm of the lake in search of more productive weed beds. Once in location, West’s lure of choice was a cut-down smoke yellow core Slider matched to a 1/8oz jighead. Early in the session West would cast his lure onto the weed and begin retrieving the lure as soon as it hit the water. To keep the lure out of the weed West would point his rod up in the air at a 45° angle and give his lure a subtle twitch as he would feel it burrow into the weed. “I was having lots of fish take the lure as I ripped it out of the weed. On a few occasions I would rip it out of the weed and keep ripping it as if there was still weed on it and it was already in the fish’s mouth,” said West. As the wind began to pick up West and Wilson had to move closer into the weed to ensure their lures stayed in the strike zone. Once tighter to the weed West would cast his lure into the pocket of water between the weed bed and shoreline before rolling and twitching his lure back

BASS EL ECTR SERIES IC

Charles West made it four wins for the year with his victory at Lake St Clair. out over the weed. “I got an inside word from Peter Phelps that the big bass tend to come from the inside line of the weed. With that in mind I knew it was a high risk trying to get the fish out, but it was worth it,” said West. West’s tackle of choice for the event was a 13 Fishing Envy Black 7’1 Light spin rod matched with a Daiwa

Certate spooled with 10lb Sunline Castaway PE and 6lb Gamma FC. “I have to dedicate this win to my wife. We have had a great week on the road fishing and it has been a very special week to share with her. I also have to thank 13 Fishing, Valleyhill, Dogtooth Distribution, Costa and, of course, my fishing partner Adrian Wilson,” said West.

Wilson works his way to Second R

Adrian Wilson has shown he is coming into form at the pointy end of the season with another podium finish secured with his 2/2 fish limit for 1.97kg. “It’s the first time I have come down to St Clair. While I am sure it’s not this hot every weekend, I had a ball fishing this lake and to walk away with second place is just icing on the cake,” said Wilson. With long time fishing partner Charles West targeting fish at the rear of the weed bed, Wilson decided to target fish holding deeper on the front edge of the weed. Wilson focused his attention on the channels and cutbacks in the thick weed beds. Wilson would then cast

his lure onto the weed and twitch and shake his lure into the channel before starting a slow roll back to the boat, allowing the lure to slowly track down the front edge of the weed. “If I didn’t get a bite as I ripped the lure out of the weed, I would wind the plastic as slowly as possible to allow it to work down the face of the weed,” explained Wilson. For this work Wilson used two key plastics, a cut-down Slider in watermelon and cut-down Keitech Swing Impact rigged on a 1/6oz jighead. He presented his plastics on a Barrabass Revs 7’2 Spin rod matched to a Daiwa Certate spooled with 6lb Super 8PE and 6lb FC Rock leader.

“I would switch between each plastic as I felt the bite begin to slow,” said Wilson. This rotation of baits allowed Wilson to progressively upgrade throughout the session. “We both had one of those special days on the water, lots of fish hitting the deck and lots of laughs,” said Wilson. “I have to thank my fishing partner Charles

West for a great weekend on the water, Brad from Barrabass Rods, and Tackle Warehouse.” With one round of the 2017 ePropulsion Bass Electric season still to go, can Charles ‘Westy’ continue his hot run at Moogerah Dam or will someone else rise to the top? For all the details on this event, head to abt.org.au.

King, Wilson, and West filled the top three places.

RESULTS

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888. 98

SEPTEMBER 2017

Adrian Wilson claimed second at Lake St Clair.

Place Angler

Bag

Total Weight (kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2

2.02 1.97 1.91 1.80 1.76 1.70 1.64 1.59 1.02

Charles West Adrian Wilson Mark King Brett Dinham John Picton Leesa King David Lane Joe O’Sullivan Andrew Jeavons

The 2017 Baffle Creek Family Fishing Festival Well it’s back, and bigger and better than ever! The Baffle Creek Family Fishing Festival will be held from midday Friday 29 September to Sunday 1 October 2017.

Centre – an essential facility used by many for sporting, educational, social, health and community care activities. We value our river systems and the viability of fish stocks for the future,

The Baffle Creek Family Fishing Festival will give everyone the chance to have a great time on the water. The Baffle Creek Community Inc grounds (previously Baffle Creek Sport & Rec) will come to life with bush style entertainment, festivities and fun for all walks and ages, while the recreational fishers take to the fantastic waters of our local river systems vying for great prizes. The event has a twofold benefit to the Baffle Creek Community: a means of showcasing the magic and lifestyle of Baffle Creek to the outside world, and raising funds to maintain the Baffle Creek Community Inc

so the competition will be held a little differently this year, with a ‘catch, snap and release’ (or keep for dinner) format. Competitors will be issued with a measuring mat to measure and take a photo (on their smartphone or digital camera) of their catch before returning them to the water. The five targeted species are mangrove jack sponsored by Agnes Water Bendigo Community Bank, barramundi sponsored by Wilsons Fishing, flathead sponsored by Baffle Creek Rural & Fishing Supplies, grunter bream sponsored by

Bundaberg Marineland and whiting sponsored by Baffle Hideaway 344. Any legal size catch could be a winner, as the daily prizes will be drawn for a mystery length and the overall longest legal fish for the whole weekend will be awarded some great prizes at the completion of the competition. Saturday evening from 5pm and Sunday from 10am, the grounds will come alive with food and entertainment by Rustic Roots on Saturday night and Deano on the Sunday. Kids rides and activities for all ages will also feature. There will be the famous mullet throw, sponsored by Mr Ed’s Coffee as well as stacks of prizes and raffles to be won. All are welcome to attend these events, not just competitors. The football grand final will be aired on the Sunday in the bar area, so there’s no need to go home early to watch the football. There will be plenty of local accommodation options available like major sponsor, Rocky Point Retreat, Baffle Creek Camping & Caravan Park, Baffle Creek Retreat, Baffle Hideaway 344 and Broadwater Haven. Limited bush style camping is available on the grounds as well (no showers). Please email us to book a space. If you want to have the best of both worlds, then stay in Agnes Water at our sponsor

Agnes Palms Beachside apartments or any of the other available accommodation places. One sponsor, Discover Oz 4x4 Adventures, based in Agnes Water, are offering

to bring competitors down through the Deepwater National Park to the event. Enter via the Baffle Creek Family Fishing Festival Facebook page, or in person at

Baffle Creek Rural & Fishing Supplies. Any enquiries should be sent to familyfishingfestival@ gmail.com. – Baffle Creek Family Fishing Festival

North Coast Bonanza If you’re looking for something to get the kids involved in, look no further! The 2017 North Coast Fishing Bonanza presented by Gamakatsu and Evinrude is on again from 28 September through to the 2 October. The format involves 4-days of fishing starting Thursday night finishing Monday. Last year the event was a hit with over 350 boat and land-based competitors chasing a wide variety of inshore and offshore species taking home a share in a massive $80,000 in giveaways and prizes. This year, adult competitors compete in a variety of fish categories from snapper, pearl perch, mulloway, tailor, king/cobia, amberjack/samsonfish, whiting, bream/tarwhine, blackfish, mangrove jack, flathead and bass, plus the all new category trag. For cadets, there is a range of offshore and inshore species, including snapper and mulloway, bream and flathead to target. Juniors can fish for the usual estuary

suspects, flathead and bream as well as whiting and bass. There are a host of prizes on offer with a total prize pool over $80,000 up for grabs again. All adult competitors have the chance to win a Quintrex boat motor trailer package, Evinrude E-Tec plus Lowrance sounders and other prizes include Hobie Kayaks. Cadets have a Hobie kayak up for grabs as well as electrical products, bicycles and fishing gear. At the show site on the banks of the Richmond

River, daily talks will attract plenty of interest with some enthusiastic youngsters sure to be involved in the soft plastics demonstrations and kids’ fishing demonstrations. This year there will be a host of winners receiving sponsors product from Frogleys Offshore, Wilsons Fishing, Samurai rods, Atomic, Shimano estuary packs and eskies courtesy of the Ice Box Bloke just to name a few. To enter or find out more visit www.fishingcomps. com.au/ncfb – Gamakatsu

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 2017

SEPTEMBER

2-3 Sep

Clarence River BASS Pro Qualifier #6 Clarence River

www.abt.org.au

10 Sep

Round 7 Hobie Polarized Southern Bream Series Botany Bay

Lynette Kime 0490 762 188

16-17 Sep

BASS Electric Convention TBA

www.abt.org.au

16-17 Sep

Round 12 Hobie Kayak Bream Series 9 Forster

hobiefishing.com.au

16-17 Sep

Bowen Family Fishing Classic Bowen

Russ 0428 776 653

28-30 Sep

WTF Women That Fish Fitzroy River Rockhampton

Shara VanHaeren 0429 923 243

28 Sep-2 Oct

North Coast Fishing Bonanza Richmond River

www.fishingcomps.com.au/ncfb

29 Sep- 1 Oct

Baffle Creek Family Fishing Festival Baffle Creek Community Inc grounds

Facebook: Baffle Creek Family Fishing Festival familyfishingfestival@gmail.com

30 Sep-1 Oct

Saratoga Spectacular Bedford Weir Blackwater

Dennis Linke 0438 635 840

30 Sep-1 Oct

St Georges Basin BREAM Qualifier #8 St Georges Basin

www.abt.org.au

Add your tournament or competition to this list by emailing jthomas@fishingmonthly.com.au or calling 07 3387 0800 in office hours. Just supply a date, venue, tournament name and a telephone number and contact name. SEPTEMBER 2017

A day in the life of Steve Morgan (with data) SUNTAG

Stefan Sawynok

Last month I took a bigger picture look at the ABT experience for fishers. This month I thought I’d zoom in on an ABT fisher and look at the fishing experience in more detail. During two of the latest events for ABT, Steve Morgan livestreamed his fishing day and recording catches via the Track My Fish app. We have combined the two sets of data, performing

becoming a better fisher series; I want to take advantage of Steve’s data to highlight a part of fishing that is talked about, but not very often with data – casting. THE IMPORTANCE OF CASTING Allow me to tell you a story; it’s a cold morning as you hit the ramp. That nip in the air is a good sign. Clear skies and just enough breeze add to mounting anticipation for the day ahead. There are three minutes and 42 seconds until the first structure – each a valuable marker on the journey that lies ahead. How do you use three

Steve’s effectiveness in finding fish over the four days. a review of the livestream – every cast, every rod change, every bathroom break for at least six hours a day. That’s 24 hours of video we have looked at, or rather, the reviewer Phoenix has looked at. It’s fair to say she knows every inch of his backside. I have to say it has been entertaining sitting at the desk across from her getting a running commentary. Doing this work is not a chore, it’s a privilege. The best part of the review day is when Phoenix comes over with the next hour’s data. I’ve had no idea what was coming. I lost count of the number of times I got the data and found out I had more questions than answers. Steve has been fantastic and always willing to provide insights on things we don’t understand. With that in mind, I’m respectful of what we discuss. It’s not often you get to look in detail at a fisher and I’m grateful that Steve is always happy to share. I intend to cover quite a bit of his day including: • Steve’s method • How he uses time • A deeper look at things like his casting data and success rates • What his data tells us about the habits of bream. For those that are exercise-inclined, I even did a calculation of how many calories he has burned (with all that movement of the buttocks.) First back to my 100

SEPTEMBER 2017

minutes and 42 seconds to the full? Pulling up, you realise the good fortune you detected at the ramp – a lack of cars on an early midweek run that confirms everyone else is stuck in traffic right now. You own the river today. It sucks to be them. On this day, there is time for a deep breath, to draw the sea salt into the bloodstream and dismiss any temptation to descend into electronic distraction. Today, it’s just you and the fish, renewing the ancient battle of wits. Drawing your favourite weapon from the rack, and gripping it under an arm, you take a moment to rub hands, the friction loosening up tendons and awakening the nerves at the very tips of the fingers. The rod is perfectly balanced, its weight naturally guides the compression of muscle as the tension in your shoulders builds up for that first sighter. You lick your lips, take one more breath then release the stored energy, watching the lure make a perfect arc tracing a path from the last of deep blue night into the warm orange of the morning then finally landing exactly where you imagined only moments before. You will never understand how your body knows how to metre out just the right dose of energy in the cast. There is a click as the bail tips over and engages for the slow wind back. An instant later, the line tightens and in the thrill you find yourself looking down at the

scene of a man leaning into the strike and whooping as he lets the world know that the battle is on. In that next instant you are back focused on one thing and one thing alone. Hell itself could open up underneath the boat, but that fish is not getting away. The reel starts to scream. This is a solid fish and it too has a plan – instinctively it knows that rocks are safety and in this battle it has the jump on you. There is a bump on the line as the leader shears against stone. Somehow it holds. Then that vital moment comes, that moment when one of the combatants makes a mistake and this time it’s the fish. Sensing that the pressure hasn’t relented, the fish makes a break for open water and it’s in this space that the odds turn your way. With each second you know that fatigue is turning the tide and while it’s a battle of inches, you will take each and every one of them. A flash of silver confirms that this is a seriously solid fish. The sight of the boat gives it a last burst of energy and the lump in your throat grows as you feel the thump, thump, thump of its tail on the leader. You loosen off a little on the drag and decide that it’s never wise to underestimate the adversary, especially when cornered. Time crawls as the fish decides to use the weight of the water to hold its ground and there is no way to push the line without risk. Slowly, ever so slowly, you draw it to the boat. You know it’s cooked, but that doesn’t mean you’re the boss. One mistake is all it’s going to take. At last the leader breaks the surface looking more like a piece of postmodern art than a secure tether on the kraken beneath you. It’s time for a short prayer and you’re not sure if it’s for landing the fish or the fact you made it this far. It doesn’t matter. Your wingman has the net and, while you don’t dare say a word, your eyes let him know this isn’t the day for messing around. Water sprays as the fish gives an almighty kick and you hear the line ping as the leader

gives way, sending you hurtling onto the gunnel. You can’t see what’s happening, but you know it can’t be good. Then your wingman turns to you, grinning ear to ear. Question: how much do you want that kind of day? Hello? Are you still there? Put down that rod and get back here now! I grew up on fishing stories. I have a few of my own; weirdly, many involve the one that got away. Anyway, I love helping people to create their own story. That’s why I want to double back to my article a few months ago where I talked about Bayesian maths and probability, because it really helps to understand why good casting skills are so vital. Figure 2 shows the level of success in each of the hours we assessed for Steve. As you can see, hour one was the best in terms of fish (though not legal fish). For the sake of this exercise, we will look at hour one and hour three. For the first hour, Steve cast 381 times in the four sessions for 19 fish in total. In this case the maths is pretty simple; Steve is catching a fish every 20 casts. In other words, if you bet a dollar a cast for 20 casts at odds of 19:1 you would get your money back. On top of that, three of the 19 fish (15.8%) were keepers. All up you end with 126 casts per keeper. Here is where Baysian maths kicks in. The probability of Steve catching a fish on a given cast in hour one is 5%. The chance of that fish being legal is 15.8%. To get the probability of a keeper you multiply the two probabilities so you end up with the probability of catching a keeper on any given cast at 0.8%. That translates to odds of 124:1. How often do you place a bet like that? I want to rest on that figure for a second. Even Steve, a serious fisher, is looking at a less than 1% chance of a keeper on a cast in good conditions. Steve casts at around 95 casts per hour when targeting

Catch matched up to tide levels in the day.

Steve’s success by hour. structure. That sort of casting requires a high degree of accuracy. I say this because Steve knows his stuff. Most people will hit the mark far less often. If you’re, say, half as good accuracy-wise then you can expect to pick up a keeper once every 252 casts. Given that the ‘magic’ hour is fixed and assuming you can cast at 95 casts an hour, you are looking at three days in the magic hour to land a keeper in similar conditions. Let’s look at hour three. In this case, Steve cast 431 times for 11 fish (1 in 39 casts). This is where success is relative because in this case he landed a keeper six times in 11 (55% of the time). That conversion ratio reduces the 126 casts back to 72 to get a keeper. Nonetheless at half Steve’s efficiency you are still at around 144 casts for that keeper, which is well outside what is realistic in the hour. In the third hour, Steve manages to make it above 1% for a keeper – a massive upgrade to 1.4% and odds of 70:1. These are still long odds, but it shows how good technique benefits you in the magic hour. Have a think about what sort of odds you would give yourself. Steve’s style of fishing is a game of hours and every day is different. If you are feeling tempted to raise your hand and say, ‘but I have all day,’ put your hand down. Based on Steve’s ability to find fish (not just legal fish), there are some patterns, but overall the lesson is that every day is different, which means you can’t just rely on turning up at the right time to catch fish. In a competition that goes double, if you’re hoping for the fish to do the work for you, then there is nothing but bad news ahead. Like any decent game of football, there’s only so much of the game where you get the run of the play. You want to make sure you can put the score on the board when it’s running your way. On the first day assessed, Steve put no fish on the board at all and over the next three he managed six fish per

day in the well with at least one possible upgrade. ACCURACY VS WHERE TO CAST The first part of improving casting is simple, spend time in the backyard with a bucket and you can tighten up technique. That of course doesn’t account for things like wind, but then practice on the water makes perfect. On this point, I want to be very specific – ‘muscle memory’ develops based on deliberate awareness of the motion. There is a point you reach where if you do a motion enough times and focus on the elements of that motion, your subconscious takes on that information and turns it into a routine that can be replayed again and again without thinking about it. This is called ‘unconscious competence.’ On the other hand if what you do is practice poor technique (or fail to pay attention to your technique) then that is what the unconscious mind takes on. Once the unconscious mind takes on a routine – good or bad, it’s a huge battle to change it. Try this, if you brush your front teeth first, swap to the back teeth first. Set yourself an alarm for a week later and see if you make it to the end of the week before reverting. If you maintain the new routine, reflect on how much effort it took to stay in that new habit. It’s much easier to build good habits from the start. In the case of Steve in the period we assessed, he averaged around 90 casts an hour. Across his bream tournaments he has fished 209 days, which means he has cast somewhere in the vicinity of 132,000 times. Given he has an average of 4.1 legal fish per day from those 132,000 casts, it follows that his ‘muscle memory’ is high in quality, which brings me to the second part of casting. It’s said that Warney could land a ball on a 20c piece. If that 20c piece is 1ft outside off stump though, chances are he wouldn’t

have been successful as often. Warney had a knack of knowing where to bowl to the batter. His ability to know when to adjust his line of attack, combined with the control to execute, is what made him a super cricketer. Top fishers are no different. Warney, to be as good as he was, needed to be able to get inside the head of the batter. Great fishers are able to get inside the head of the fish. This comes back to the function mapping I discussed last week; fish use structure and the water column in a certain way. Every cast teaches you something. As I walk through how Steve’s day is structured, it will pay to reflect on this point – his day is based on 130,000 casts’ worth of experience. That his routine is so consistent is a reflection of the fact he has used those 130,000 casts to refine his knowledge of how to fish, and to perfect his ability to land the lure in the right place. Here’s one last note; a good figure casting-wise to think about is 10,000 casts. By that time your technique is embedded in your ‘muscle memory.’ If you cast around 75 casts an hour for four hours, that’s 30 days of fishing. Ask yourself – can you find 30 fishing days to get your casting technique right? That magic day is waiting for you if the answer is yes. STEVE’S METHOD Before I start on the main topic, I have a recommendation. Don’t watch the highlights reel from the ABT days if you want to learn something about fishing. I recommend watching hours 1-3 of each day of Steve, Kris and the other fishers who livestream. There is gold in there for anyone interested in improving their fishing skills overall. I really enjoy watching Steve fish because he blends the traditional fishing methods with some modern lure magic rather than technology. He has a very simple plan and technique – fish the structure where fish are likely to hang around based on the time of the tide. Steve’s range of lures includes Cranka Crabs, soft plastics and hardbodies. His

Cast rates across the four days. cast rate varies by tactic. When the fish are on, he lifts his cast rate by minimising the time between casts, rather than speeding up his retrieve. This is one of the reasons he is so successful, he gives himself a serious shot at catching a fish every cast. Like most competitors, Steve has a set of rods rigged up with different lures that he can swap between as needed. This saves time re-rigging during the day. Steve’s rod changes are higher in the first couple of hours where he is working out the conditions and what is going to work, then it settles down to a much narrower set of tactics. HOW STEVE USES TIME If you watch his livestreams, you are going to feel like Steve’s reality TV version of the ABT events has a single script. Pay attention though, because there is method in that script. In the first hour he travels the least – rarely more than a few minutes, which is just the distance from the start to a bridge. Steve spends his first hour around a bridge (or large structure), working through a range of rods and tactics. In the second hour his fishing time drops – that’s where his travel time is highest and his fishing results are weakest. I don’t know if that’s a deliberate sacrifice of fishing time, or if there is just a historical context that says that once that first

light is done the fish go a bit quieter making it a good time to travel. Hours three to five tend to be the money hours where the bigger fish start to appear and Steve puts the runs on the board. During this time he is fishing rock structure, moorings or mangrove areas where the fish have cover

like a bit more data and a few other fishers to compare to (our next mission), but I have run his results by experts and there is something kind of spooky (good spooky) going on. He makes the most of the times when the fish are on, so his effort peaks when he is most likely to gain success. On most days Steve

WHAT STEVE’S DATA TELLS US ABOUT THE HABITS OF BREAM Now that you know some of Steve’s tactics and how he uses his time and lures, you probably have one last piece of information you need before you go out there and practice beating him at his own game. Tide is important. The ABT events reviewed (NSW) followed the pattern of early morning low time (6-9am) with an early-mid afternoon high. The time Steve spends first thing in the morning is either on the last of the run-out or at the change. I did a breakdown of the tide across the day and mapped the fish caught and you get the graph in figure 10. Note that this is specific to Steve’s method of fishing structure. There may well be a different pattern based on fishing deeper water – that’s something we are looking at right now. HOW MANY CALORIES HAS STEVE BURNED You already know I am a nerd who can’t help but ask

STEVE’S PERFORMANCE OVER TWO EVENTS Day/event D1/MR D2/MR Steve’s bag weight (kg) 0 3.63 Avg. fish weight (kg) 0 0.73 Avg. fish weight all competitors (kg) 0.54 0.56 Steve’s long-term avg. per fish (kg) 0.61 0.61 Diff vs. group average -100% +29.8% Diff vs. Steve’s long term average -100% +5% for ambush feeding. This is why accuracy is important in casting; if you’re targeting a fish that’s looking to ambush, you need to get the lure in the zone that it wants to hunt in. After that, the day gets a little more random. I think if Steve has his bag then he’s open to alternative options such as giving his partner the call on where to fish. One thing that is really spooky is how consistent his downtime is. There are a range of reasons for downtime – bathroom breaks, snags, helping land fish and so on. Steve is a pro when it comes to keeping his daily downtime to a minimum. A DEEPER LOOK AT STEVE’S CASTING Steve’s casting rhythm and process is remarkably in tune with the tides and the rhythm of bream. I would

Cranka Crabs and crankbaits are popular go-tos for Steve.

manages at least 500 casts. His ability to make 150 casts in the first two hours with lots of rod swaps gives him the best possible chance to suss out what the fish are interested in. I think this is an important key to why Steve is successful; he has a discovery process every day that allows him to adjust his technique early on. If there is one thing I can pin Steve’s success down to, it’s his casting. His high quality, highly consistent casting has allowed him to work out the fishery to the point where he can be very efficient with his time on the water. I can’t say enough how important it is to get this basic skill right. As a footnote, Steve once shared that he put his fishing observational skills down to orienteering when he was younger. That makes sense to me, as that is that natural world functional map building learned at an early age. The stupid thing is that we know a lot about the science of good development practices for kids and despite that we apply almost none of them in schools. There is a very direct link between what happens early on in life and what happens later. Bottom line, if you want your kids to grow up like Steve, get them off the computer and send them outdoors, preferably with some serious challenges to overcome.

D1/RR 2.69 0.54 0.51 0.61 +5.5% -7%

D2/RR 2.03 0.41 0.49 0.61 -16.3% -20%

questions. I was just a little curious to see if I could work out the energy side of casting (how many joules per cast) and ‘yes’ is the answer, but it involves rigging up cameras and doing a bunch of maths that I didn’t have time for. I have done the maths for throwing a ball; casting is a bit trickier, because the rod

MACCAS ANYONE? Without being able to break it down to that level there has been quite a bit of work done in the US on the energy usage in a range of activities. On the fishing scene it’s unsurprising to find that commercial fishing is the highest energy user (around 300 calories per half hour). Recreational fishing is a bit more sedate and I used a couple of different calculators that estimated between 200 and 250 calories per hour. Given this is competition, I will go on the high side with 250 calories. So all up, that comes to around 1750 calories per day for Steve. That is the equivalent of around a 20km walk at a reasonable pace. The bad news is if you are fishing sitting down, the energy drops to half that or less. I wouldn’t be turning to fishing as your weight loss activity unless you want to fish competition style for at least six hours a day. HEALTH BENEFITS OF FISHING On that front, testing the health benefits of fishing is quite a difficult exercise. It involves being hooked up to machines, half hourly blood tests and so on to look at the physical changes that occur. On the exercise side alone, I think fishing struggles to make the case. I’ve sat with neuroscientists and watched their eyes light up when breaking down what goes on mentally while fishing and I’m a lot more convinced that there is a much bigger benefit mentally. Once again, there are a bunch of tests they do that are hard to do on the water, but there is no doubt in my mind that fishing is

How Steve uses his time across the day. is a mechanical enhancement that essentially reduces the energy required. Think about how much energy is released in pitching a baseball, then think most casting situations. Not even close to the same. A reasonable baseball pitch for the record uses about 547 joules (around 130 calories), which is around one and a half hardboiled eggs per pitch. A typical pitcher will pitch around 100 balls a game, so they use about 13,000 calories worth of energy per game.

one of the best things you can do to keep your upstairs in good shape, especially in the era of digital devices. One thing that I have found with all top fishers is they are high performing individuals in their real work. I don’t think there is any coincidence in that. Fishing is unique in its ability to tap into sections of our brain that are otherwise underused in the modern world. I have no doubt that becoming a better fisher gives you an edge in real life. SEPTEMBER 2017

101

Trades, Services, Charter BOAT PAINTING

BAIT & TACKLE GOLD COAST

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TRADES AND SERVICES ADVERTISING Line listing from $90 + gst 6 months* 2cm x 2 from $195 + gst 6 months* 5cm x 2 from $320 + gst 6 months* 8cm x 2 from $590 + gst 6 months* Rates exclusive to Trades and Services Directory *Conditions apply Call (07) 3387 0834 or email: nkelly@fishingmonthly.com.au

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Boat Collar (07) 5441 3636 CMC Marine Sales 0409 910 808 Iconic Boats Brisbane 0475 311 447

3201 6232

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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. 102

SEPTEMBER 2017

Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory MARINE TRAILERS Oceanic Boat Trailers (07) 5597 0577

FISHING GUIDES SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND

Spitfire Trailers (07) 0400 866 323 Tinnie Tosser (07) 5498 7339

Suncoast Barra Fishing Park www.suncoastbarrafishing.com

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MARINE ELECTRONICS

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Advertisers wanting to be involved in this directory can call (07) 3387 0834 or email nkelly@fishingmonthly.com.au SEPTEMBER 2017

103

Trades, Services, Charter Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND The Islander Retreat, South Stradbroke Island 0420 967 557

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Advertisers wanting to be involved in this directory can call (07) 3387 0834 or email nkelly@fishingmonthly.com.au 104

SEPTEMBER 2017

boats & kayaks

In the skipper’s seat 103 Cleveland yakking Inside story...

The inventor was a kayak and boat-based angler who knew there was an easier way. The goal was to take the experience and fishability you get when on the deck of a larger boat and combine that with elements that attract small boat owners. This is what created the Ultraskiff.

Made for...

Anglers who want the experience of fishing on the deck of a boat without having any boat ownership responsibilities. The round shape makes it stable enough to stand up and fish like you would in a bass boat.

This month...

Gary Brown took a drive out to Penrith Marine to pick up an Ultraskiff 360. See what he thinks of this curious design on page 118.

Jordyn Mogg kayaks through the ever-popular Cleveland waterway for a variety of species.

104 Offshore kayaking tips from an expert

Justin Willmer chats to ‘Paddle Guy’ Jason Milne about offshore kayaking, and how to get started.

106 Aquayak Scout

We’ve tested the tricked up version, and now Peter Jung is testing the basic version of this great kayak.

108 Bearing caring

Wayne Kampe takes a more indepth look at trailer maintenance, specifically checking your bearings.

110 Quintrex 590 Frontier Editor Steve Morgan has a run of this classy rig and puts their new hull through its paces.

SEPTEMBER 2017

105

Cleveland Coast’s yakking spots BRISBANE

Jordyn Mogg

Cleveland is a great spot around the Moreton Bay region that is accessible for all kayak anglers to go and chase some cracking fish. As the seasons change and the water and weather heat up, the fishing will change. Not for better or worse, but just the way you fish and the species you will target. The Cleveland area is an amazing spot once the winter coolness starts to fade away into some more warmer days and the year slowly brings us to summer once again. There are plenty of beaches and parks on the water for you and your family to go and spend a day. It also becomes a great place for recreational and serious anglers alike to come and chase some amazing fish. LAUNCH Finding somewhere to launch is easy in Cleveland, as there are so many options for a kayak. Obvious and popular launch spots, like the kayak boat ramp right out at the point and the small beaches

along the coastline, serve as the best and easiest places to get to some of the excellent fishing areas in the region. There are an abundance of parking spaces close to the beaches, however, up at the point itself there is limited spots available. Nevertheless, there are generally always parks there, so make sure to go check it out. The beach launch spots have some great public facilities. Public toilets are

available, and there are a heap of undercover areas with tables and barbecues for you to cook up a feed after a hard day’s kayaking. SPECIES In the Moreton Bay region, there are many different species to target. Most of these are close enough inshore for kayak anglers. Snapper, bream, whiting, flathead and a huge variety of reef species are just some of the sportfish available.

species as by-catch. Sweetlip and cod are two of the most common by-catch while chasing snapper, along with smaller junvenile snapper. TECHNIQUES The easiest ways to target fish on the flats is to use baits, such as fresh yabbies, prawns, mullet and squid. These bait will give you a great chance to catch anything that swims alongside them. Bream on the flats can be also be caught using any of

Local angler Dale Maveric with a cracker bream cranking the shallows. One of the many beaches that has proven to be an easy launch spot for kayak anglers.

The Cleveland Point kayak launch ramp.

In the shallow water areas, such as the flats and shallow water weed beds, whiting, flathead and bream can be targeted. These three bread and butter species are some of Australia’s most soughtafter fish, because they are great fun to catch and not too hard to find. As you come out into the deeper water off the point, you’ll come across the same species you find in the shallows. As you start drifting across the patches of reef, you’ll start to encounter a few different fish species. Snapper are the most commonly targeted species that live on these reefs, and you will most likely come across some of the other reef

the baits mentioned as well as using artificial lures. Throwing hardbody crankbaits and slow rolling them across the top of the weed will produce some cracking bream from these

Using a deep diving crankbait and rolling it across the bottom is another popular technique to entice one of these amazing fish to hit your lure and give you a great fight. TACKLE Once you hit the reef area and start to target the snapper, you generally need to step your gear and lures up a size.

throughout this article. I use Shimano Zodias JDM rods in the 2-6lb and 4-8lb; these suit perfectly well to a Shimano Stradic CI4+. If you plan on chasing big snapper, go up a size in the combo as snapper upwards of 80cm are commonly caught and will often cause havoc on the lighter gear. A 6-12lb

Seating is available along with barbeques for a feed after a long day of chasing fish!

Will Noffke (10 years old) caught this 55cm snapper on a recent weekend trip out off Caloundra.

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spots. Small poppers and walkthe-dog lures will also get you some awesome surface strikes, which are always amazing to witness. Whiting can be caught using these methods, but I have found bait is the best way to produce great catches. Flathead can be found in the shallow and deep water. Bait, as always, will produce results but my favourite way to chase flatties is to throw a soft plastic and hop them along the bottom. This will generally guarantee a lizard.

It may not always be the case, nevertheless for bigger fish, bigger tackle is recommended. Throwing large soft plastics is the most common form of targeting these iconic sportfish. Flickbaits and grubs in the 3-4” size are my favourite soft plastics loaded on a 1/8-1/4oz 3/0 jighead. The tackle needed to chase all these species is simple. A 2-4kg rod with a 2500 size spin reel will be a perfect all-round combo loaded with 8lb braid to chase all the species I have mentioned

or 3-5kg size rod with a 3000sized spin reel will prove perfect for the bigger catches. Load this with 10-12lb braid and you’ll be set for some great fishing. Hopefully some of my knowledge on fishing Cleveland Point will help you catch more fish in this spectacular area, whether you’re a recreational angler or even a pro. I rate the Cleveland area as an amazing fishery and living area in general, so come and score some cracking fish. See you out on the water.

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Product Profile

Versatility with the Deeper Wifi Sonar Pro+ THE HASTINGS

Mark Saxon castawayestuarycharters@bigpond.com

In the fishing game there aren’t too many products you could truly call ‘versatile.’ Let’s face it, we need a different rod, lure, reel, line and most times a different vessel for the various fishing methods

we involve ourselves in. Recently I got my hands on the Deeper Wifi Sonar Pro+ and it is possibly the most versatile sounding unit ever made. The deeper unit can be attached to a fishing rod and cast over areas you would like to fish and the info comes straight back to your smartphone or tablet. This takes literally half a minute

The Deeper Pro+ unit and accessories had the author excited to get out on the yak and chase some silver critters.

It wasn’t long before the Deeper unit combined with a smart phone put the author in prime position to get his rod bent. 108

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to set up and you can create your own bathymetric maps by putting your sonar in boat mode. This is then archived and stored on the smartphone or tablet and you can check it out later for further study. The unit is to be used mainly on our kayaks and believe me, after countless times changing transducers and redoing goop jobs, the Deeper is a godsend. Firstly the sonar unit is a small tennis ball size and has a few points for securing for whatever method you fish, be it casting or from the kayak. To secure there is a flexible arm mount; you attach your unit to this and bend it so that the bottom of the ball is in the water. The flexible arm clamps onto the kayak with ease and is out of the way. A safety lanyard is incorporated so you won’t have a lost arm mount. This takes less than a minute to set up. A fair few things impressed me with the smartphone app once I logged in. It’s so easy and has so much info. You can change the settings to suit the day. Who doesn’t like easy to read manuals? This one is great. Also on your sounder page you have weather, maps and a history that records your soundings of each trip. Now there is another app from Deeper called Lakebook which you can download at maps. deepersonar.com. This is also simple to use and you can go on your computer and analyse your maps. You’ll be able to click on any point for depth and GPS coordinates, and you have measuring tools for distances and area size. This will really help when you plan your next fishing trip. Here are some tips: obviously you want to secure your phone or tablet. A waterproof case is necessary, especially in the yak. I made up a holder and put my phone on this with no dramas. Make sure both your unit and phone are fully charged, as this unit runs off wifi, not internet. Recently I was on the water for approximately five hours and had 20% battery life in the phone when back at ramp. Perhaps a solar charger on the phone would be the go for longer trips. Overall this unit impresses me greatly. I managed some bream and mulloway and got a great reading in the deeper 10-12m depths that I fished at times. Did I also mention the convenience of no cables, the Deeper is removable in less than a minute and realistically if you do a mixture of shore-

The phone screen displays the bottom, bait, structure, water temperature and depth.

The Deeper Pro+ performed well in both shallow and deep water and didn’t drain phone battery anywhere near as much as anticipated. based, kayak and even small boat fishing, this can be used for all of these? Maybe the staff at Deeper can come up with

a mounting system for the bow mount electric and that’ll be the foredeck sounder sorted. If you haven’t checked these out

yet, think about it and check out what a lot of deeper users have to say about them. I think you’ll get a pleasant surprise.

It’s great to be able to combine your smart phone with the portable Deeper sonar to find and catch fish.

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Fishing offshore with Jason Milne the Paddle Guy BRISBANE

Justin Willmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

I have spent many moons on the water kayak fishing, however recently I’ve only had a handful of offshore adventures. The bulk of my time has been spent in the rivers, creeks, estuaries and impoundments around Australia. With the cooler weather firing up many offshore species, I thought this would be an ideal opportunity to gather some insights into the world of offshore kayak fishing from good friend, experienced paddler and accomplished offshore angler, Jason Milne. Jason lives, breathes and works in kayaking, helping out loads of new and experienced kayak anglers at www.kayakandsup.com.au on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and you can follow

Jason Milne the Paddle Guy with a great bass. by one of the leaders in this game, Stephen Tapp… and it just made sense. My addiction to this awesome sport began, leading me to the fortunate position of working within the industry and having access to great products and

each this year. The thrill of hooking up after so many casts is addictive and the new waterways I get to explore in search of these species in the freshwater are pretty spectacular. The options are almost endless, with the only limitation being not enough

A big snapper caught from NZ waters in the kayak. Jason’s adventures and even fire him through any questions via his Paddle Guy Facebook page. Let’s hear from Paddle Guy. JW: You are recognised as one of Australia’s more proactive and social media active kayak anglers. Give us a bit of a run down on your paddling and kayak fishing background. JM: I started my kayaking adventures as a sea kayak guide in the Abel Tasman National Park, on New Zealand’s South Island. At that time I hadn’t thought of fishing in the kayak, nor had many others. Back then the term ‘kayak fishing’ hadn’t been born. Instead, a kayak was used to access premium rock fishing spots that were inaccessible by land or to drag a long line/set line out off the beach. Some years later I stopped into a local North Island kayak shop, where I was introduced to a sit on top kayak rigged 110

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an endless knowledge base. I have now been involved in kayak fishing, both in Australian and NZ waters, for around 11 years. Through video and blogging I share useful knowledge and experiences from the water and it’s very rewarding when I hear from people that have been inspired to get into the sport through something I have shared. It’s equally rewarding meeting new likeminded people along the way. Seeing my kids’ faces when they hook up to a fish from the kayak is the best, too! With my background out on the ocean, I have always preferred to head offshore and explore the ocean for pelagic and reef dwellers, with my home waters here on the Sunshine Coast certainly offering a variety of string-pulling options all year round. That said, I have been bitten by the barra and bass bug after landing my first of

time to fish them all! JW: You have spent a lot of years kayak fishing in both Australia and New Zealand. In what ways do you think the two countries differ in terms of paddling and kayak fishing, and what are a couple of highlights of each? JM: They are both very different fisheries and yet many parts are similar from a kayak angler’s perspective. Starting with NZ, it has such changeable weather that you literally need to be prepared for four seasons in one day; 90% of the kayak fishing in NZ is done offshore, on relatively unprotected waters, requiring a higher level of preparation in terms of what the colder elements may throw at you. This can be much the same for the southern state anglers in Australia fishing in the winter. This makes it a little less appealing for the everyday angler to want to take up the sport seriously, but many give it a go in

fine weather conditions, so most coastal homes have at least one fishing kayak in the garage. A highlight would be that there are some very fertile waters in close on most of the NZ coastline, as is highlighted on the show Big Angry Fish. They really do get big and they don’t need a lot of water to hide. This lends itself perfectly to kayak anglers who use the stealth to their advantage, sneaking up on 20lb+ snapper and monster kingfish. Kayak fishing in Australia, however, offers endless opportunities and variety country-wide (I prefer to avoid croc territory in my yak, so my comfort boundary would be Bundaberg in Central Qld, unless it’s in the dams) with Northern NSW and Qld being fishable all year round in relative comfort. I imagine the same can be said for WA, but I have little experience there to comment. A highlight for me here in Australia is the endless waterways and species on offer both offshore and inshore. There are so many more than in New Zealand waters and I have only scratched the surface with the few I have landed. It’s

very exciting to know how many new species are out there to target and right now my freshwater bucket list fish would be a 1m+ Murray cod. For the salt water I am going all out this season to land my first coral trout of any size, with table-sized being preferred, as that’s high on the mouth-watering scale for me. With so many protected water options available more people have access to this great sport, which can only be a good thing both for the industry and for encouraging more people to get outdoors and explore what’s on their doorsteps. JW: What are a couple of your favourite species to target from the kayak and why? JM: That’s a hard one with so many new species still to be caught, but I will go with these two. On the sea, hearing

boy do they taste good! On the fresh, though I’ve only landed a couple so far and am yet to join to metre plus club, barramundi would be my favourite to target, as much as for that feeling when you hook one as for the adventure shared with mates on the hunt for the elusive metre plus barra. The bond created from hours of planning and exploring amazing country in search of the ultimate barra boof also rates pretty high. JW: You have an extensive offshore paddling and fishing history. What are a few tips and pieces of advice you would give kayak anglers around the following topics: kitting out your kayak for offshore fishing? JM: Seek the advice of experienced offshore fishers and ask to join them for a few safe trips to learn the ropes. Sometimes these people can be found in specialised kayak

A highlight for Milne while fishing in Australia is the endless waterways and species on offer both offshore and inshore. 200m of braid screaming off your reel before you even get your hands on the rod and then getting towed around until the fish is tired would certainly have Spanish mackerel up there as my favourite right now. They can be a frustrating fish to search for in a kayak, out in the big blue, but when you get one they really are special and

stores and these are the ideal people to find. There is no video or magazine article that can replace the knowledge passed on from one to another in a real-time environment. This is not a place to be trying to reinvent the wheel. Visit a few of the spots you’re thinking of launching at and talk to other kayak anglers

When looking for a paddle, ensure you ask for something that’s good for the surf. There are loads of good options, but remember you get what you pay for. This can be an unforgiving environment for paddles, especially when trying to propel and control a heavy fishing kayak in surf.

you meet. You will grow a network from this and the offshore fishing community is full of anglers only too happy to help newcomers. JW: Required skills and preparation? JM: This will depend on many variables, but specifically talking offshore

will already come standard with key features that will benefit you on the water as these have been designed by offshore kayak anglers or at least designers that have been influenced by these market leaders. But don’t take that for granted, as anyone who

useful when searching such a vast waterway with Navionics or a marine maps app on your phone, giving you GPS marks and reefs. JW: Beach/surf launching? JM: There is a lot to this and I regularly run free surf sessions with kayak

In the fresh, barra are an awesome species to target, as much as for that feeling when you hook one as for the adventure shared with mates on the hunt for the elusive metre plus barra.

Milne’s goal as the Paddle Guy is to pass on what others have shared with him through content that either helps or inspires others to get out and have adventures on the water. again, seek the advice of experience. There is a lot that can go wrong that can be avoided with some simple tips and advice, ideally from a specialised kayak fishing

believes in what they are selling will let you try it before you buy, so make sure you do that if in doubt. Non-negotiable in design would be a kayak with longer

Being able to fish offshore in a yak opens up a lot of different species for kayak anglers to catch, like this beaut spangled emperor. store – obviously it starts with the right kayak for the job and a Gumtree or eBay special might read like it’s suitable to take offshore, but do you really want to be 4km offshore being towed around by a tuna, only to find that it’s not quite right? JW: Kayak fit-out? JM: Starting out keeping it simple, you can add later. A true offshore fishing kayak

hull, low set seat position, facility for a rudder and watertight compartments. Essentially these are usually better sea-going craft; they’re stable and easier for you to paddle offshore. Leash anything on the cockpit. A PFD (personal floatation device) is non-negotiable and a VHF radio is highly recommended. A fish finder is extremely

anglers, helping them to gain confidence. I will just touch on a few key pointers, but highly recommend practice in the surf with no gear before attempting to take a fully loaded fishing yak out. Again, the kayak you choose needs to be fit for purpose. A longer, faster hull with good cockpit drainage and low seat position for greater stability is ideal, along with plenty of below-deck storage and watertight space to stow as much as possible away. Less is best to avoid gear damage or loss and to reduce weight. If you don’t really need to take it, leave it behind. The lighter and less cluttered the kayak, the better off you will be in the surf. A strong paddle, preferably glass or carbon, is important – this is not the place you need a paddle breaking. When looking for a paddle, ensure you ask for something that’s good for the surf as there are loads of good options, but remember you get what you pay for. This can be an unforgiving environment for paddles, especially when trying to propel and control a heavy fishing kayak in surf. It’s also

It’s always important to wear your PFD. These kids have got it right.

very important to go with a mate, watch out for each other and stay together. JW: Landing and handling fish? JM: When pelagic fishing I use either a gaff or have a glove on the hand used to tail grab a fish (making sure the fish is not green when you try this though, as gear gets lost and hooks can get stuck where they are not intended). Rubber nets are ideal for other fish, which I keep secured in a rod holder behind me until needed. JW: Describe your kayak selection and basic fit-out for us briefly. JM: My go-to offshore

kayaking, so they are in the business of making PFDs that are not only safe, but designed to remain comfortable over extended periods on the water. A VHF is non-negotiable for me, with a waterproof, floating model attached to the PFD, not stashed in a hatch where it’s no good to you if you’ve been separated from the kayak. This is not only for emergencies, but also to stay in touch with your mates on the water. It’s very easy to lose sight of one another and mobile phones in dry cases are not reliable. A spare paddle is a good idea

Paddle Guy on social media? JM: My goal with Paddle Guy has always been to pass on what others have shared with me, through content that either helps or inspires others to get out and have adventures on the water. Along with sharing useful tips and great products, I will continue to share my adventures on the water and am always happy for anyone to tag along for a trip… maybe you can help me get that metre plus barra or the tasty coral trout I am after this season. Experienced kayak anglers, like Jason, are a great resource for those

It’s always fun to get out on the water with some like-minded fishos. fishing kayak is the Viking Kayaks Profish Reload. At 4.5m, with a hull and cockpit designed for offshore fishing, this kayak is yet to disappoint. It has all the key features I have previously suggested you look for in a capable offshore kayak. Tackle storage and fish storage options are plenty and it can be a lot of fun on a wave. The large cockpit scupper drains water quickly after a wave dumps in. JW: What safety gear do you carry offshore? JM: A PFD absolutely and my go-to is the Yak Adventure equipment. This company has strong roots with white water and sea

on big trips, just in case, more so if someone else breaks a paddle. The first time I had to tow someone back for 5km was the last! I take a good set of pliers and they need to be able to cut hooks that might get stuck – that’s what I mean by good. A spare sharp knife, secured to your leg for cutting lines. Sunblock and spare water in summer months for me are safety essentials. That’s just a few, and an EPIRB is recommended if going out wide. As with any trip, make sure you tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to be back. JW: What can people expect to see if they follow

new to the sport and also a source of new information and ideas for those more experienced. The kayak community is growing steadily and we can all help by sharing information and ideas with other paddlers. As the pool of reliable and accurate information grows we can rapidly increase our knowledge and skill set, making our adventures safer, more comfortable, more productive and more enjoyable. Thanks to Jason for taking the time to answer these questions and if you would like to follow his adventures or ask a question of your own, give Paddle Guy a like and follow on Facebook. SEPTEMBER 2017

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Aquayak Scout is a great mix of fishing and pleasure FMG

Peter Jung pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au

Aquayak Kayaks are continually striving to offer a quality range of kayaks that are manufactured in Australia and offer a good mix of leisure and fishing-based activities. SPECIFICATIONS Length..................... 3m Width.................. 0.79m Weight...................19kg Capacity.............150kg Price: (standard)....... $699 RRP (with fish kit).... $799 RRP The third installment of testing for the magazines is on the Aquayak Scout with a fishing kit. This is not our first look at the Scout, as we have featured it before with a Torqeedo Ultralight electric motor fitted to it

All ready for a day on the water, Chris Jordan took the Aquayak Scout out at Lake Kurwongbah. was excited when the Scout arrived at our offices in its standard form and we organised to get it out on

size category for kayaks. What Aquayak has done with the space that the 3m affords is quite cleaver.

Heavy-duty carry handles assist in making the Scout easy to move around.

The spacious cockpit of the Scout has plenty of room for you and any gear you may need. (see December 2016). I was impressed with how it performed with the motor fitted, but not everybody has the need for this, so I

the water. LAYOUT AND FISHING KIT At 3m long the Scout falls into the small/medium

Their main focus is on the cockpit size and the storage behind the seat. My testing assistant Chris Jordan’s first thought

The centre hatch and bucket is handy to store a bit of gear or to keep baits out of the sun. 112

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on the seating area was that they had gone a long way to achieve it, “It’s nice to have so much space for you and all your things.” I feel the same way; you don’t necessarily want the entire tackle shop with you on the water, but it is nice to have what you do want within arms reach. If your intention is to spend many hours on the water at a time then

the seat will need to be as comfortable as possible. I’ve used a number of kayaks that claim to have a comfort seat and my numb backside after a short time on the water would beg to disagree. The comfort seat provided with the Aquayak Scout is a fully adjustable, clips in place easily and provides quite a bit of support for the user. So far so good – my backside isn’t

complaining yet. There is also a large rear well with a bungee for securing your gear. This easily fitted a small esky and had room for more if needed. On the test day we had an esky, tackle tray and net in the well and it was no problem at all. There is also an additional storage hatch at the front of the kayak. It gives you access to the hull

The Railblaza rail and port system is second to none.

for any fit-out requirements and is also large enough to store the dry bag with any items you don’t need access to while you are on

are also easy to use and give you the piece of mind that whatever you have mounted to it, it’s securely attached to the kayak.

The rear well area has plenty of room for an esky and some gear. the water. A huge feature of the layout is the Railblaza rail and port system. If there is a better system out there to provide this much flexibility in setup, then please let me know. The rail systems are standard and if you opt for the fishing kit set, you also get a rod holder and mini port. The beauty of the rail system is you can adjust where you position the many types accessories we all have these days, whether it’s the rod holder provided, a sounder or a camera setup. The ports

FEATURES (including fish kit) • Comfort seat, double paddle (split two-piece) • Two storage hatches • Four heavy-duty handles • Railblaza rod holder R • Railblaza mini port • Two accessory rails • Drift chute • Paddle leash • 12L dry bag • Self draining cockpit and a large self-draining aft well. the kayak even more fishing friendly. ON THE WATER Half the battle with any kayak is getting it to the water before you even contemplate taking it out. At only 19kg (kayak only) the battle is made that much easier with the Scout. It can easily be loaded or unloaded from a car or trailer by one person, with four heavy-duty carry handles systematically placed to assist with this. The true test as always is on the water. The tri-keel hull design of the Scout is excellent. It has impressive buoyancy and excellent speed and tracking. You get plenty of reward for each stroke of the paddle. The significance of the 150kg capacity is also not lost on me. The Scout coped with my 100kg+ and the rest of the bits and pieces with no dramas at all. The Railblaza accessories and two flush mounted rod holders ensure fishing rods can be kept out

Charlotte Jung was all smiles at Cudgen Lake. She is now keen to get out kayaking more often. Other items in the fish kit are a drift chute, a 12L dry bag and a paddle leash. All assist in making

of the way and the centre hatch with bucket is large enough to store a few extra lures, bait or items you

A forward hatch provides extra storage for items you don’t need while on the water and access to inside the hull for fit-outs.

want to keep out of the sun. The one thing I haven’t mentioned is stability. At this point I would normally be mentioning a close call or mishap while on the water, however, thankfully

The Railblaza ports are easy to use and will hold anything from your sounder through to a camera or rod holder.

The Scout is beautifully balanced on the water and very stable, making it a great fishing platform. for me I have no stories to tell. I have felt very confident using the Scout and Chris said the same thing after our testing day. RECREATIONAL USE Although my focus would always be to head out in a kayak for a fish, I also have a youngish family and their thoughts on kayaks are more recreationally focused. At 16 and 13, like most kids these days, a fair bit of their time is spent with their eyes glued to a tablet or smartphone. When the Scout came home to be tested they were keen to get out and give it a try, so a long weekend away saw the Scout come along as well. It was great to see the girls out using it. A true testament to the stability of the Scout was three girls all on the kayak (two seated in the main cockpit and one in the rear well). They spent hours mucking around on Cudgen Lake, which meant no fishing for dad. They loved using it and continue to ask me when we can go out again. GIVE ONE A TRY The Aquayak Scout in many ways ticks all of the boxes. It’s light enough for one person to load it, unload it and get it to the water. The layout is spacious and well thought-out and this includes the storage and rail systems. Once on

the water it tracks well, manoeuvres easily and is one of the most stable 3m kayaks I have tested. Couple this with the fact it is manufactured and made in Australia and that gives you plenty of

reasons to check out the Aquayak Scout and the rest of the range of kayaks they produce. To find out more about Aquayak Kayaks and where your nearest dealer is, go to www.aquayak.com.

Chris was impressed by the space in the Scout and enjoyed catching a few bass during the test day on the water. SEPTEMBER 2017

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Part II: Ongoing trailer bearing maintenance BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

In last month’s issue I mentioned the importance of keeping boat and trailer bearings in tiptop shape to avoid failure, which can easily involve the loss of

that common bearing components are usually of Ford or Holden origin on smaller trailers. A check up at home isn’t very difficult. The main tools required are a car jack, a large shifting spanner, a blade screwdriver for prying things and a pair of multigrips for extracting

a split pin along with nitrile gloves, a tub of grease and plenty of rags. With two sets of bearings to consider it’s the outer (nearest the Bearing Buddy), which is easiest to clean, check for damage and repack with grease, as this bearing will generally fall out by itself once the split

Starting to put the bearing back into place on the spindle.

A look at the rear of a trailer hub: a metal retainer rim is holding the seal in place so the only way of checking the bearing behind that seal is to prise the seal out from the back, or push the bearing and seal out from the inside.

A gentle side-to-side pull and push helps checks for any slack in the bearing.

The fun part: repacking the cleaned bearing with grease. a wheel and subsequently a major inconvenience. Plainly, it’s wise to keep a check on bearings for wear and tear and it’s a pretty simple procedure. The first step is to jack a wheel up and give it a spin with the hand; this can easily reveal possible trouble as bearings with corrosion or pitting will usually emit some noise when spun free from ground contact. With the wheel spinning there should be no grumbles, growls or other noise other than a slight whir. TWO BEARINGS PER TRAILER Boat trailers have two sets of bearings – an inner set near the rear seal on the axle and another (smaller) set up front, located just behind the Bearing Buddy or dust cap. Also, be aware 114

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pin, castellated nut and big washer are first removed and the hub and wheel are slid off the axle spindle. The inner bearing at the back of the hub –in the hub when the wheel is slid off the axle spindle – can be a little harder to work on, but is by no means too difficult.

TACKLING THE REAR SEAL Holden and Ford bearing sets use two types of rear seals. Ford use a metal

This latter operation can cause damage to the bearing cage (where the rollers are situated), so it’s a better option to simply pry

Reseating the Bearing Buddy is best done with the flat of the hammer as the wheel is slowly turned to ensure it seats evenly.

Repacking grease around the spindle is easy when using an old toothbrush handle or plastic knife.

retainer rim over a rubber seal to make things stay put. As the metal rim is a very snug fit, the only easy way of getting at the bearing under the seal is to first pry the seal off (which will often damage it so ensure a standby seal’s on hand) or knock the whole set out with a brass drift from the inside of the hub.

the metal retainer out of the way to remove the rubber seal. Then the bearing can be extracted for inspection. Seals are available as separate items to bearings, so it makes sense to always replace them on reassembly, simply because they need to be in tiptop condition to keep water out as best they can. With the rear seal out

of the way, it won’t take much effort to extract the rear bearings so they can be examined. Sometimes a push with a bit of dowel will be required. Like the front set they can be cleaned up

sits. If it’s also pitted or damaged, there is no option but to knock it out with a brass drift and carefully tap another one in – tapping all around the perimeter to ensure it goes in evenly – to

trailer bearings, have the work done by a professional. REGREASING A BEARING: GET THE GLOVES! Back to the job at hand, once a bearing is cleaned up

Having lost a Bearing Buddy, the author always put a bit of tape on them these days. with a dip into some petrol or other solvent for close examination. Any pitting or corrosion, or even distortion of the roller cage, means replacement is necessary. CHECK FOR DAMAGE If there’s a pitting on either front or rear bearing sets, take a close look at the cup within the hub in which that bearing race

replace it. The cup fits into a groove, so have a feel of it to understand where the new one needs to finish up. A tiny smear of grease will help the process. What I’ve outlined here is not rocket science and it’s a fairly easy DIY process, but if you’re not entirely confident with the process of removing and replacing your

and assessed as still being fine, and the cup it sits in is nice and shiny as well, more grease can be applied to the bearing. This involves physically forcing it into the cage by pressing it in with fingers while the bearing is held in the palm of the hand. Nitrile gloves are good here! You will know when the grease application is just

right when the stuff can be seen seeping from around the rollers as the bearing is gently turned. REASSEMBLY TIPS To reassemble things, firstly remove old grease from around the axle spindle with a rag before putting some fresh stuff on it. The wheel can now be pushed back on so the rear bearing seal makes perfect contact with the step in the axle it sits against. Then with the rear seal sitting in place against the step, some more grease can be pushed in and around the spindle section from the outside of the hub. Gently moving the wheel up or down, or from side to side, allows ample space for the grease to be packed gently in place. A small plastic knife is ideal for this purpose. Plenty of grease is good: it all helps to reduce friction and keep water out. Next, slide the newly greased front bearing onto the axle spindle and back into its cup. Then follow up with the big washer and the castellated nut. Tighten the nut to the point where the wheel will not turn. This seats both sets of bearings correctly, but we can’t leave things under this sort of tension, so slowly undo the big nut a quarter turn at a time until the wheel

is starting to revolve freely with a gentle spin. After testing side-to-side movement to ensure there’s no excessive play and the wheel is spinning freely, push the split pin back through the hole in the axle to ensure the castellated nut remains in the predetermined position. After a repack or replacement it’s wise to test the bearing’s temperature next time the trailer is used. Should the hub just behind the Bearing Buddy be warm, that’s okay. If it’s hot, the bearings are too tight and the castellated nut needs to be slackened just a little when

you are able to do so. The procedure I have outlined is easiest (by a long way) with unbraked trailers. Once override brakes or electric brakes are installed, the braking system must be removed in order to assess the bearing’s freedom of movement. This is more involved, but still a DIY project if you’re keen enough. Lastly, a very important tip is if you intend to service bearings, always do it at a time when replacements are available. Take a cleaned up unit with you, with the important numbers visible.

Rear bearing seals can be very different as seen with these two (Ford on the left and Holden on the right).

489 CROSSFIRE

• INCREASED STABILITY • SOFTER RIDE • DRIER RIDE • MORE SPACE The 489 Crossfire is the most versatile boat yet designed for 80% fishing and 20% fun meaning the entire family will be happy out on the water. The Crossfire comes in multiple configurations with a side console as standard but can be fitted with a second twin console.

GOLD COAST

BRISBANE

SUNSHINE COAST

10 Hinde St, ASHMORE Ph 07 5532 4402 sales@whitewatermarine.com.au

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

2294 Sandgate Rd BOONDALL Ph 07 3265 8028 info@nsmarine.com.au

264 Nicklin Way WARANA Ph 07 5493 9376 mail@northcoastboating.com.au

16 Project Avenue NOOSAVILLE Ph 07 5442 4872 info@lagunaboating.com.au

WHITE WATER MARINE

www.whitewatermarine.com.au

WYNNUM MARINE

www.wynnummarine.com.au

NORTHSIDE MARINE

www.northsidemarine.com.au

NORTH COAST BOATING

www.northcoastboating.com.au

LAGUNA BOATING CENTRE

www.lagunaboating.com.au

HERVEY BAY

BUNDABERG

GLADSTONE

ROCKHAMPTON

MACKAY

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

28 Ritchie St, BUNDABERG Ph 07 4153 1819 adriansmarinecentre@bigpond.com

40 Chapple St GLADSTONE Ph 07 4972 0135 sales@curtiscoastmarine.com.au

6 Dooley St NORTH ROCKHAMPTON Ph 07 4927 9150 rifen.boats@bigpond.com

24-26 Grandview Dr MACKAY Ph 07 4963 4500 redline1@bigpond.net.au

BUCCANEERS

www.buccaneers.com.au

ADRIANS MARINE CENTRE

www.adriansmarinecentre.com.au

CURTIS COAST MARINE

www.curtiscoastmarine.com.au

RIFEN BOATS

www.rifenboats.com.au

REDLINE MOTOSPORTS

www.redlinemotosports.com.au SEPTEMBER 2017

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Quintrex 590 Frontier with Evinrude 150hp - SC

TENT -

RE ONLINE MO

Main: A year ago, the only part of this package that existed was the Lowrance sounder. The new Apex hull Frontier combined with an Evinrude G2 E-Tec 150 HO outboard is exactly what your Quintrex dealer would serve up if you asked for an all-round boat with the lot. Above: Boasting the pickle fork bow design and a totally redesigned hull, the 590 Frontier rode brilliantly in a Broadwater that featured solid wind versus solid tide. Quintrex’s Nathan Shaw explained the advantages of the Apex. “The Apex hull has been developed over a two-year period. It’s super soft, there’s much more room inside, there’s more freeboard and it corners beautifully,” Nathan said as we dropped the test boat into the Gold Coast Broadwater.

PERFORMANCE RPM......Speed (km/h) Economy (km/L) Idle..............................4............................. 5 1000............................8.......................... 3.7 2000..........................12.......................... 1.7 3000..........................32.......................... 2.4 4000..........................47.......................... 2.2 5000..........................60.......................... 1.8 6000..........................72.......................... 1.5 6200..........................74.......................... 1.5 116

SEPTEMBER 2017

The Frontier is designed with the same ‘pickle fork’ bow that was initially released with their F-Series Hornets, however it’s below the waterline where the new design really makes a difference. Quintrex is now able to form the aluminium for the entire length of the hull sheets and the difference in ride is noticeable over its predecessor, the Blade hull. For me, the true test was while we were filming running shots for the video review (that you can watch by scanning the QR code on the top of this page with your smartphone). Rarely can I shoot running shots boat-to-boat. We usually have to stop one

craft and run the other boat past at speed to capture the movement smoothly. Even on a windy bay on the Broadwater, the Frontier

DE FOR EX

Quintrex boats have a long history of innovative design and huge sales. Originally, their stretchformed hulls and the shapes that they could make in sheet aluminium gave a look and ride that couldn’t be equalled in an aluminium boat. Over the years, Quintrex tinnies have evolved. From the original flared bow to the Hornet, to the curvier Millennium hulls, all represented steps forward in ride, looks and durability. Enter the Apex hull in 2017. It mightn’t look it, but the Frontier (with the new Apex Hull) is the new Top Ender – one of the most popular Quintrex models. The test model was a 590 fitted with the ballsy 150hp G2 Evinrude E-Tec and represented a full boat-motortrailer package delivered from the Queensland factory. You see, as well as making the hull and trailer in-house, Quintrex’s parent company – Telwater – is the Australian distributor for Evinrude outboards.

s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

Steve Morgan

CON

AN THE

provided a stable, on-plane platform to shoot boat-toboat while we were running. It was impressive. Like its predecessor, the Frontier will be expected to perform everywhere from freshwater lakes to the open ocean and at first

FMG

work well, without getting in each other’s way when they are needed. There’s a mountain of storage space underfloor and if you manage to fill it all with lure boxes, you’ll have as much money’s worth of tackle as you do boat.

SPECIFICATIONS Length.................................................... 5.99m Beam...................................................... 2.35m Depth...................................................... 1.30m Length on trailer...................................... 7.67m Height on trailer...................................... 2.09m Bottom...................................................... 4mm Sides......................................................... 3mm Hull weight...............................................708kg Rec hp.......................................................... 90 Max hp........................................................150 Capacity............................................7 persons glance, you’ll be able to tick all of the boxes. The layout cleverly combines ways to make this boat eminently suitable for anchored-bait or movinglure fishing. For once, an anchor well and bow mounted electric motor

Indicative pricing? Sitting on a Telwater-built aluminium trailer, the package as tested comes in at $57,790 (from Caloundra Marine in Queensland). For more information, like Quintrex on Facebook or visit www.quintrex.com.au.

Don’t be fooled – this is the same boat. Quintrex wrap their demo and press boats on one side and have the factory paint job on the other to show customers and dealers the options available.

The G2 Evinrudes have amazing low and midrange torque. The 150 HO (which means ‘high output’ or ‘hold on’ depending on your technical knowledge) is the maximum horsepower allowed and is a perfect fit for the craft.

Move the pedestal seats around to accommodate a variety of seating or cargo options. They fold over for trailering.

The test boat had a 9” Lowrance at the helm, however the dash holds a 12” display, flush mounted – a big tick.

All of the front hatches have a sub-floor that keep your gear out of the bilge water.

The cavernous front main hatch eats a lot of tackle, but it’s still not a truly waterproof space, meaning you still need to be careful where you store your expensive lures.

Check out the beam of the front casting deck. The Frontier combines castability, trollability and the ability to anchor and to use an electric motor. It’s the true crossover boat.

Quintrex have been rotomolding their own livewells for decades. They can be plumbed or drain straight to the bilge.

Keep your livies in here and you can check on their condition with a quick glance.

A couple of years ago we were all sitting on the sidelines wondering whether the ‘pickle fork’ design would be accepted. It was.

Massive cockpit? Check. Tons of freeboard? Check. Multiple seat bases? Check.

The true test of the Apex hull was on a windy day on the Broadwater and the results were impressive. It’s definitely the softest riding Quintrex in this size range the author has ever been in.

With a reinforced pad for mounting a trolling motor on the port side, there’s a conventional anchor well in the middle of the pickle-fork. A lid on the anchor well keeps it neat and tidy when you’re casting lures. SEPTEMBER 2017

117

Ultraskiff 360 Hull and Pedestal Mount

SYDNEY SOUTH

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

To say that I was a little bit surprised when I first laid eyes on the Ultraskiff 360 Hull and Pedestal Mount is an understatement. It was not the normal type of watercraft that I have tested before. Sure, it floats, it has a moulded front, there is a propulsion method and you can steer it. You can sit or stand on it. There are some storage areas, it’s lightweight and you can fish from it. So, what’s different about the Ultraskiff 360 Hull and Pedestal Mount? It’s round! The Ultraskiff 360 is the original, first and only patented user-friendly, portable design of a round boat. It’s a small lightweight, durable round watercraft that can be used for fishing, hunting and diving in both fresh and saltwater. Its lightweight construction of a rotomoulded polyethylene – giving it a hull weight of 56kg – makes it an easy option for a solo user. It can be easily transported on the back of a ute or in a trailer and once you arrive at your destination you can either slide it off and roll it on its side to the water. It also comes with flared handles to help with lifting. On the test day it was very calm and as much as I wanted to see how it performed when conditions 118

SEPTEMBER 2017

were rough it was hard. I did find that when I drove it over the wake of some passing boats, the stability of the craft was very good. There was little movement from side to side and there was water splashing out to the front of the craft. This would be happening due to the moulded lowered flare shape of the hull. As I was going over the wake I found that there was also a small amount of water splashing up in the air and on a windy day I would say that it would splash over the deck and your feet. Any water that does splash over the side of the Ultraskiff 360 will find its

way towards the centre of the craft and go down the drainage canal system and centre scupper. The centre of gravity of the Ultraskiff 360 when either sitting down on the pedestal seat or when standing up amazed me to a point where I felt very comfortable standing up and having a cast. There are three storage compartments with hinged doors. These would be good for storing your tackle as they have a lid for protection from the sun and there is a recessed edge around the edge of the lid. Even though the storage compartments are not sealed, any water that comes over the side or heavy

rain will find its way down through the draining canal system to the centre scupper. As an added precaution, I would make sure that your tackle boxes are watertight. Each of the access hatches has slots that are used for feeding cables, anchor ropes and hoses into the compartments while the doors are closed. Every door has a bungee latch that you can tighten and adjust anytime. The storage compartment where the battery fits is exposed to the elements and it’s not self-draining. I would suggest that you put your battery into a battery box with a lid to keep the water and spray away from

FEATURES AND ACCESSORIES • Three covered storage compartments. • One battery compartment large enough to hold up to Class 31 deep cycle batteries. • Four large cup holder/utility pockets. • 4-5” cleats with threaded inserts underneath, allowing you to take them out and replace them with external rod holders or fish finders. • Four bottom utility inserts hidden in recessed disks at all four corners of the hull bottom, allowing you to mount magnets, brackets and plates for transducers and pumps. • A moulded tow ring that can be also used as an anchor pushpin holder. • Two deep mould-in handles underneath the flare for lifting, carrying and dollying the boat by hand. • Eight strap guides, strategically positioned around the perimeter of the craft to enable different methods of securing the boat to roof racks and trailers. • Six rod holders, all equally spaced and perfect for creating custom duck blinds, tents, sun shades and anything else out of 1 1/4” PVC. • Six skegs for tracking and hull protection. • One bumper/roll bar. It protects the side when rolling, sliding or impact with a dock or piling. • One drainage canal that lets water drain around the ring of the pedestal mount and through the main tunnel access in the rear. You can feed hoses and wires through the main tunnel and into the pedestal mount or underneath the pedestal mount through the shock absorber hose. • Two transom plates that are stainless steel and removable. • Two circle magnets – one for deck installation and the other for hull installation.

SPECIFICATIONS Diameter...................................................1.83m Height.....................................................508mm Hull Weight................................................. 56kg Detachable Pedestal Mount Weight........ 2.3kg the battery and its terminals. The Ultraskiff 360 comes with a 55lb R3 Tiller Steer MotorGuide that is positioned at what I would class as the rear of the boat on a reinforced stainless steel plate. Driving the Ultraskiff, I used it while going slow and flat out. I was quite surprised that I was travelling at approximately four knots. You wouldn’t be able to do this all the time, as it would quickly flatten the battery. It has eight strap guides, strategically positioned around the perimeter of the craft to enable different methods of securing the craft in the back of a ute or on a trailer. The swivel adjustable and detachable pedestal mounted seat was very comfortable to sit on and has plenty of back support. There are a number of moulded threaded inserts that can hold rod holders, a variety of PVC attachments and a transducer. After carrying out some extensive research as to what type of craft Service NSW classes Ultraskiff as, the person I spoke to and showed some photos of the Ultraskiff to classed it as a sort of a row boat. His determination is that you need or don’t need the following for enclosed waters:

• You don’t need a boating licence, because it doesn’t go 10 knots or over. • It doesn’t have to be registered. • A safety label must be displayed. • You do need to wear a life jacket at all times. • You need to have a waterproof floating torch at all times. • It’s exempt from having other safety equipment (if not used as a tender). For further information, contact them to clarify. As you will also see from the accompanying photos, there is an AM/FM Fusion radio. This isn’t included in the overall price of $3999. The radio has an RRP of $399. For further information, you can contact Stuart or Gaye at Penrith Marine on (02) 4731 6250 or call in to see them at 4/133 Coreen Avenue Penrith or email then at sales@ penrithmarine.com.au or visit their website at www. penrithmarine.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.

The Ultraskiff 360 hull by itself weighs in at 56kg, has a diameter of 1.83m and a depth of 508mm, making it easy to transport on the back of a ute with drop down sides or a small trailer. You could use two tie-down straps to secure it in the back of the ute.

Unloading the Ultraskiff 360 is quite easy. This can be done by either one or two anglers. It’s just a matter of lifting it out and placing it on the water. If you’re by yourself, you could roll the craft off the back.

Quickly unload the rest of the gear and then move the car out of the way.

Make sure that you secure the Ultraskiff 360 while loading in your electric motor, battery and any other gear you may have.

The author couldn’t resist having a go at the Ultraskiff 360. The Pedestal Mount swivel seat will give you plenty of comfort and back support while fishing. Whether you are right or left handed you will be able to steer the Ultraskiff with ease.

The author was doing about four knots at top speed with the electric. Using a Ultraskiff 360 isn’t a race. You would need to conserve the deep cycled battery for maximum use.

When coming into dock, it would be a good idea to have the tie up rope already clipped to the craft. Remember to not come in too fast when docking.

The MotorGuide R3 Tiller Steer 55lb Salt Water series electric motor is just clipped in the recess about the battery compartment. As a precaution, you could padlock the two toggles together so they can’t come loose and make sure the cable is tucked in so that there is no trip hazard.

The volume of the AM/FM radio nearly blew the author out of the craft. It’s not bad for listening to the footy or catching up with the latest fishing news.

The Ultraskiff 360 comes complete with covered storage compartments, four drink holders, six different positions for putting a rod or two, four bollards and a pedestal swivel seat.

There are three great storage compartments for your life jacket, safety gear, anchor and rope, fishing tackle and more. You can’t have enough storage room on a boat.

Remember when lifting the Ultraskiff 360 to keep your back straight and lift with your knees. If you are by yourself, you could roll the Ultraskiff to your transport and then lift into onto the back.

Having two anglers carry the Ultraskiff is the better option. This makes it much easier to place the Ultraskiff on the back of your transport. SEPTEMBER 2017

119

NOBODY KNOWS YOUR ENGINE LIKE WE DO

PROTECT YOUR BOATING LIFESTYLE WITH MERCURY AUTHORISED SERVICE Keeping your Mercury running 100% has never been easier with a Mercury Authorised Service Centre… you can expect • Courteous, expert service • Fully trained technicians using only genuine Mercury replacement parts and lubricants. • The added peace of mind that all genuine replacement parts come with a full one year warranty. Simply put, no-one else has the knowledge and diagnostic equipment to ensure the best possible service. So why would you trust anyone else...