Victoria and Tasmania Fishing Monthly - June 2016

48-PAGE 2016 MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW GUIDE

T ried and Tested

Melbourne Boat Show

Northbank 650 HT • Robalo 206 Cayman • Clark 455 Dominator • Cruise Craft EX685 HT • McLay 611 CrossOver HT • Whittley SL22 •

SPECIAL FEATURE INSIDE

NEW

FIND THE

LOGO COMP

2016 Melbourne Boat Show

SEE INSIDE!

Best picks for the show • Exhibitors’ list and map • Choosing the right estuary boat • Paddling Hobson Bay • Kayak camping prep •

Features

Winter bream luring • Working the winter surf • How-to: release weight •

JUNE, 2016 Fishing Monthly G R O U P

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Fishing Monthly Magazines

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LET’S LET’S CUT CUT STRAIGHT STRAIGHT TOTO THE THE POINT POINT If you’re If you’re looking looking to increase to increase your your hook hook up up rate, rate, whywhy ® hook ® hook notnot try try a Black a Black Magic Magic C Point C Point on on your your next next fishing fishing trip? trip?

TheThe chemically chemically sharpened sharpened point point withwith it’s it’s three three micro micro cutting cutting edges, edges, coupled coupled withwith a smaller a smaller than than average average barb, barb, gives gives youyou a hook a hook thatthat penetrates penetrates withwith ease. ease.

You’ll You’ll hook hook them…and them…and you’ll you’ll hold hold them! them!

Billy Papageorgiou Billy Papageorgiou landed landed this 35lb this jewfish 35lb jewfish while while fishingfishing off the offFar theWest Far West Coast.Coast.

Billy used Billy used two Black two Black MagicMagic 7/0 7/0 ® Hooks Hooks to take to his take fish. his fish.

C Point C ®Point

LikeLike all Black all Black Magic Magic hooks, hooks, they they areare manufactured manufactured in Japan in Japan from from premium premium grade grade high high carbon carbon steel steel andand they they areare nickel nickel coated coated giving giving youyou a strong a strong andand rustrust resistant resistant hook. hook.

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PACK PACK SIZES SIZES TO CHOOSE TO CHOOSE FROM FROM

HookHook sizes: sizes: 04, 02, 04,01, 02,1/0, 01, 2/0, 1/0, 3/0, 2/0, 4/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0, 5/0, 7/0, 6/0, 8/0, 7/0, 10/0 8/0, 10/0

BlackBlack MagicMagic 6/0 C6/0 Point® C Point® Hooks Hooks and Black and Black MagicMagic 20lb 20lb Supple Supple TraceTrace “produced “produced great great results” results” for Neil for Neil Mackenzie.

Mackenzie.

He was Hefishing was fishing in Port in Phillip Port Phillip Bay, Victoria.

Bay, Victoria.

AA CLOSER CLOSER LOOK...

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• three • three micro micro cutting cutting edges edges • smaller • smaller than than average average barb barb makes makes for for easier easier penetration penetration

“I have “I have been been using using your your hooks hooks forfor thethe past past 2 years 2 years with with a lot a lot of success of success on on Jewfish, Jewfish, with with solid solid hookups hookups in the in the jawjaw bone”. bone”. - Clint >> >> - Clint Pavlidis Pavlidis - Newcastle, - Newcastle, NSW NSW A Black A Black MagicMagic 10/0 10/0 C Point® C Point® HookHook was used was used

by Clint

by Clint Pavlidis Pavlidis to land to this land33kg this 33kg jewie.jewie.

He used He a used freshly a freshly caught caught squidsquid as a as live-bait a live-bait and was and fishing was fishing in thein Newcastle the Newcastle Harbour Harbour duringduring low tide. low tide.

ForFor more more information information and and where where to to find find your your nearest nearest stockist, stockist, visit: visit: www.blackmagictackle.com www.blackmagictackle.com

n The Besl Moments are born aj l lhe 2016 MELBOURNE

BOAT SHOw

June 2016, Vol. 11 No. 8

Contents WEST COAST

96

A look at…

12 Back to Basics 10 Boating 43 Chappy’s Hotspot 34 Dam Levels 104 Fun Page 91 Inland Fisheries Service 95 Kayaking 43 Spearfishing 115 Tasmanian Lake Levels 95 Tournament News 116 Trade and Services Guide 128 Victorian Tide Times 130 VRFish Update 18 What’s New Boating 126 What’s New Fishing 112

SPECIAL FEATURES

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still be doing that, but we won’t be giving you a gift for doing so.

BYE BYE BRENTON! For a little while at least, you won’t be seeing Brenton Hodges’ reports in the pages of VFM. He’s travelling for a while interstate and then re-settling in a new area. We really do thank Brenton for his input over the years, and we’re sure that we’ll still be able to twist his arm to write a feature or three over the next few years.

I had the pleasure of fishing with Brenton’s dad, Mike, while on the ABT Costa BREAM

AUST

Winter bream luring Working the winter surf 2016 Melbourne Boat Show How-to: release weight

baitcast) and Silstar reels are up for grabs, so make sure you sign up at the show. Already a subscriber? We’ll give you the same gift if you do a renewal at the show.

Can’t make the Melbourne Boat Show? Give us a call on the free call number below (during office hours) and we’ll have a special deal for those who missed it.

I think that has everyone covered. Apart from those who wait a month and read the magazine on-line for free at issuu.com. Don’t worry – we’ll

Tour in Tasmania last month. I now know where the Hodges brothers get their fishing ability from. Mike pulled some great bream out of the racks and flats on techniques he’s honed back on his home waters on both soft and hard lures.

Good one, Mike.

THE ELECTION IS COMING With a federal election called just before we went to print, it’ll be interesting to see how the major parties roll out their recreational fishing policies. At all levels of government, there’s been some serious wins and some heavy losses in our battle for access and to protect our basic fishing rights.

Remember that you do fish and vote and if there’s nothing else to swing you, why not make a decision on recreational fishing policy? I can think of worse things to tip the balance.

Keep an eye on www. keepaustraliafishing.com.au for major policy announcements.

ION

TASMANIA WRAP REGULAR FEATURES

Holy Boat Show, Batman! It was just a week before our print date that we got the thumbs-up from the Victorian BIA that we’d be the official producer of the Show Guide. We’re honoured to do the job, too, because we’ve been quietly ramping up the size and quality of our Boat Show feature over the last few years.

So, you’ll find 48 pages of glossy Melbourne Boat Show lift-out in the centre of this month’s VFM. And everyone attending the show gets a free Show Guide, too.

Better still, we’ll have a pallet of the current Victorian and Tasmanian Fishing Monthly magazines on our stand at the show – just to help introduce new readers to the magazine that you know and love. The more the merrier, we reckon.

And, to reward new and renewing subscribers at the show, we’ll have plenty of free gifts to make your decision to subscribe an easy one – Daiwa travel rods (both spin and

AT

VICTORIAN FRESHWATER Horsham 99 Robinvale 100 Mildura 100 Yarrawonga 101 Shepparton 102 Wangaratta 103 Jindabyne 104 Eildon 106 Bonnie Doon 106 Central Gippsland 108 Melbourne Metro 108 Bendigo 109 West/South Gippsland 109 Crater Lakes 109 Ballarat 110

From the Editor’s Desk...

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NSW SOUTH COAST Mallacoota 92 Bermagui 93 Eden 93 Narooma 94 Merimbula 94

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EAST COAST Welshpool 36 Ninety-Mile Beach 37 Inverloch 38 Marlo 38 Gippsland Lakes 39 McLoughlins Beach 40 Lakes Entrance 40 Bemm River 41

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Geelong 20 Port Phillip West 22 Port Phillip East 24 Port Phillip North East 25 Mornington Peninsula 26 Western Port North 28 Western Port South 30 Phillip Island 36

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CENTRAL

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PRO

West Coast 14 Warrnambool 16 Portland 16 Apollo Bay 17 Cobden 17

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ING TRADE

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MEMBER

Melbourne: BL Marine | 03 9478 1420 | blmarine.com.au Koondrook: Molin Motorcycle and Marine | 03 5451 1500 | molin.com.au Tasmania: Coastal Marine | 03 6435 2200 | coastal-marine.com.au

JUNE 2016

7

Winter bream luring lessons PORT PHILLIP WEST

Brenton Hodges blhodgey@hotmail.com

It’s that time of year when the motivation to get out of a warm cosy bed early and be on the water at the crack of dawn waivers, even if ever so slightly. Admittedly, adverse weather in winter can pose a few challenges for southern anglers.

Indeed, it can get bitterly

seemingly barren deeper parts. Sounding is the key to locating the dense schools in open water; although it is worth commencing the search around more subtle fish holding features such as ledges, drop offs or sloping banks, adjacent to a prominent weed bank or mud flat. Sweeping bends, points, feeder creek junctions, patches of reef or gravel and depressions or mounds also attract schooling

winter bream.

Following periods of heavy rain and flooding, expect bream to push further downstream towards the entrance of any given system.

As the murky water clears with every incoming tide, bream will gradually move back upriver. If fortunate enough to find these post flood schools, they really can offer some mind-blowing action. The fish may bunker down and sulk for a few days

During the cooler months, bream school deep and close to the bottom, which is where metal blade lures do their best work. Use a short, but relatively fast rip of the rod tip, lifting the blade no more than 20-30cm, followed by a pause to allow it to return to the bottom, is the way to go. cold in costal parts of both Victoria and Tasmania, although thermal layering, a water/wind proof jacket, over-pants and a beanie generally provide adequate protection against the elements. In most instances, the greatest challenge is engaging a positive mindset, and that really shouldn’t be too difficult given there’s loads of big bream gathering in your local estuary right now!

BREAM DYNAMICS Bream often school in big numbers during the cooler months. By the time winter arrives, most have moved away from shallow estuary flats and timberlined banks in favour of

Cold fronts and periods of wild weather often make way for calm sunny skies and what better way to spend a winter’s day than battling a few bustling big bream.

Big numbers of bream school over wide open and seemingly barren ground during the cooler months. This is all the motivation one should need to get cracking this winter!

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around 1.5-2m and maybe a bit deeper.

As with all forms of fishing, luring bream on blades requires some skill in terms of presentation.

In comparison to other disciplines, however, the learning curve is far more achievable for beginners. For instance, winter breaming with blades generally takes place in wide-open spaces, such as the deeper sections of tidal estuaries, inlets, lakes and rivers, well away from snags, overhanging trees or other forms of obvious structure.

Therefore, the need for precise accurate casting and critical boat position is all but non-existent. This allows anglers to spend far more time concentrating on their technique and ability to detect hits, rather than stressing about manoeuvring the boat or losing hardware.

In addition, drifting in open water is far more relaxing and provides equal opportunities for all anglers on-board to cast at the prime real estate.

Depending on the size of the vessel, it may be feasible to fish 3-4 up reasonably comfortably, which is simply not an option when prospecting bankside structure.

waiting for floodwaters to ease and salinity levels to return to normal, but it won’t be too long before they’re on the lookout for a feed.

Vibrating metal blades are the perfect lure choice for this scenario and indeed whenever bream are holding deeper in the water column.

WINTER BLADING Designed to imitate tiny baitfish, prawns and shrimp or perhaps even broken pieces of shell, most blades range in size from 30-45mm in length and weigh about 3-6g. Due to a relatively fast sink rate, they’re ideal for working deeper channels and any open space where schooling bream are concentrated in depths of

Either side of high tide is widely considered the optimum time to target bream year round and winter is no exception.

When all the elements align, it’s possible to put together some monumental catch and release scores.

With two or more anglers on board, double hook ups are surprisingly common,

chucking out a tricked up hunk of metal, bouncing it up and down a few times and hooking up. The most basic retrieve involves casting down breeze ahead of a slow drift. As the blade

RECOMMENDED TACKLE Rod: 1-3kg Reel: 100-2500 size Line: 4-6lb braid Leader: 4-6lb fluorocarbon Blade: 30-45mm Soft Plastic: 3-4” Jig-Head: 1/16-1/32oz which is terrific sport for any season, let alone winter.

TECHNIQUE AND TACKLE One of the reasons metal blades are so effective during winter is that at this time of year, bream school deep and close to the bottom, which is where these lures do their best work. Even immediately following periods of heavy rain and flooding, when it stands to reason that most systems shut down for some time, blades continue to pull bream and plenty of them!

There is, of course, a little more to it than simply

descends, keep in contact by maintaining a slight bow in the line. If a bream bumps, nudges or intercepts the offering before it reaches the bottom, the line will flicker or twitch ever so slightly, which is your cue to set the hooks. If the blade makes it through the school without getting hit and comes to rest on the bottom, the line will relax. A short, but relatively fast upward rip of the rod tip, lifting the blade no more than 20-30cm, followed by a pause to allow it to return to the bottom, is the way to go.

At times, a double hop

Scented worm imitations offer an effective alternative to blades for bream holding on sloping banks, ledges and deeper channels.

may elicit a more aggressive response. Similarly, 3-4 short sharp jabs, barely lifting the lure, but at the same time generating plenty of energy and vibration, followed by a pause, often attracts some attention. Most bream intercept a blade as it sinks (on the drop) either immediately after casting or in between imparting some action.

Others pick it up while it’s lying motionless on the bottom. A pair of split ring pliers and spare supply of

watch the line carefully at all times and strike at any abnormal movement.

BOUNTIFUL BY-CATCH Chasing bream on light spin tackle with blades and soft plastics can inevitably lead to some impressive by-catch. Depending on the location, silver trevally, tailor, Australian salmon, luderick, estuary perch, dusky flathead and even the highly prized school mulloway are amongst the more likely to show up during winter.

smorgasbord.

Another factor to consider is the prevailing weather conditions and more specifically, wind and barometric pressure. Strong northerly winds generally coincide with an impending low-pressure system across southern parts of Australia, which often put fish off their food. Even so, the onset of a fast falling barometer can trigger a short burst of intense activity before the bite completely shuts down. Conversely, once the wind swings around to

Chasing schooled up winter bream with metal blades can lead to some impressive by-catch, including dusky flathead and the highly prized school mulloway, both of which are highly susceptible to these tiny vibrating gems. needle sharp treble hooks help ensure even the most tentative takes remain connected.

Rods suitable for working blades require some power in the tip to get the lure up off the bottom and vibrating with energy, but enough give to cushion and protect the tiny hook holds. Look for a medium to fast action blank from about 2.1-2.3m in length.

A small threadline reel spooled with 4-6lb braid or similar, connected to a rod length of fluorocarbon leader material of about the same strength is standard practice.

SOFT ALTERNATIVES Scented soft plastics, such as worm imitations and single-tailed grubs, also offer an effective option for working over schooled up winter bream holding on sloping banks, ledges and deeper channels. Rigged neatly on a suitably weighted jighead, just heavy enough to make contact with the bottom, very little angler intervention in terms of rod action is required to get a wriggly tailed softie swimming enticingly.

A basic lift and drop, raising the plastic up off the bottom no more than about 50cm before allowing it to swim back down on a semi-slack line, is a proven technique. Similar to fishing with blades, hits often occur within the early stages of the retrieve, sometimes even on the initial descent. Again,

ESTUARY BITE TRIGGERS Either side of high tide is widely considered the optimum time to target bream year round. Likewise, overcast or cloudy skies combined with a little surface chop are ideal for most estuary applications, irrespective of the season.

In addition, when a system is opened up to the sea (either naturally or through human intervention) after a lengthy closure, many species suddenly spring into hunting mode. As water levels decrease and all manner of food items, such as prawns, shrimp, worms, crabs, juvenile fish and many other morsels, are flushed out of the shallows, larger predators including bream, stake out the edges of deeper drop off points to feast on the

the southwest, signalling an approaching high-pressure system, more sustained activity can be expected.

PERCEPTION VERSES REALITY At times, severe or extreme weather is most definitely a legitimate deterrent; although perhaps the greatest hurdle is overcoming the negative perception that fishing through winter is miserable and unproductive. Indeed, once the winter doldrums take hold, it can be tough to break the cycle and adopt a more positive and confident mental approach. In reality, cold fronts and periods of wild weather often make way for calm sun-filled skies and what better way to spend a winter’s day than battling a few bustling big bream on blades.

Aside from battling the elements, often the greatest challenge for anglers is overcoming the perception that fishing through winter is miserable and unproductive.

JUNE 2016

9

Take better fishing photos NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.com

Everyone loves to capture a great photo of their catch, and in the era of social media, it’s fun to share those images with friends, family and fellow fishers. But how

can you ensure that your fishing happy snaps are up to scratch? These days, just about every angler takes a camera with them whenever they hit the water, even if it’s only the one built into their mobile phone.

Digital cameras (including the phone variety) are getting better, easier to use and more

affordable every year, so there’s really no excuse for not coming home with a few halfway decent images of your latest adventure.

What you do with those photos is a personal choice. You might e-mail them to friends, post them on your Instagram account or Facebook page, show them to club-mates at

Here’s a well-composed grip-and-grin shot of Adam Royter holding a lovely Kiwi brown trout. Sometimes it makes a nice change to have the angler look at the fish and smile, rather than straight at the camera.

You don’t always need a person in the frame to capture an interesting fishing image. The author used his Nikon AW1 held in one hand, with the fish in the other, to snap this striking bream portrait.

a meeting night, put them on an internet forum, blog them, or even submit them to a magazine like this one.

Whatever their fate, the better those images are, the more impact they’ll have… But what do I mean by ‘better’?

Any good photo needs to be in focus and properly exposed: neither too dark nor too light. It also helps if the horizon is reasonably straight and the picture is composed so the subject stands out, and extraneous objects in the background don’t distract the viewer. Beyond these basics, there’s a world of difference

between an adequate fishing photo and a brilliant one.

‘Grip-and-grin’ is a term used (sometimes disparagingly) to describe the photos that dominate fishing magazines, websites and anglers’ photo albums. These images consist of a delighted hunter proudly showing off his or her prize catch while smiling at the camera. If you’ve seen one, you’ve seen a thousand! There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this style of shot, especially if it’s done well. In fact, grip-and-grins are the bread-and-butter of fishing photography, and most fellow anglers love looking at them.

They also make great ‘brag shots’ and lasting memory joggers… if they’re any good!

To produce a quality gripand-grin, you need a live, wet, healthy-looking fish that’s being supported by the angler, with no blood, mud or sand clinging to it. The standard grip-and-grin can be further improved by slightly angling the fish’s head towards the camera, and by minimising the amount of its body obscured by the angler’s hands.

Avoid the exaggerated, extended-arm stance that supposedly makes the fish look bigger. Few people fall for this, especially when your subject’s hands appear twice the size of their heads! Instead, have your angler strike a

A reasonable grip-and-grin of a stud bream, but the image could be improved in several ways. Firstly, some flash or a different angle to the sun would help to remove the shadow on the angler’s face. Secondly, not having the other angler’s back and shoulder in frame would lessen clutter in the background. Thirdly, some would argue that the fish is being held too close to the camera’s wide-angle lens, distorting the proportions. right and your grip-and-grins will start to sing.

As an aside, I’ve spent my working life looking for the ‘perfect’ camera for anglers.

I haven’t found it, but I’m currently using something

Basics’ column each month (especially the underwater images) have been shot using Nikon’s AW1. If you’d like to see my full video review of this nifty camera, scan the QR code, or search ‘Nikon

Using flash has really helped to pump some life into a snapper snap taken on a drizzly, overcast and very grey day, but getting the horizon straight would have improved the shot, as would moving that tackle box at lower left out of frame. comfortable, balanced pose with bent arms and encourage them to look genuinely happy.

Work with the sun behind the photographer (so it illuminates the subject), or consider using flash to fill in the shadows under those ubiquitous hat brims. Finally, focus the camera on the eye of the fish, hold the shutter button halfway down to maintain that point of focus (or use the camera’s focus lock) and carefully re-frame (with a straight horizon) before shooting. Get those basics 10

JUNE 2016

that comes close to achieving that mark. It’s Nikon’s AW1: a compact, mirror-less camera with inter-changeable lenses that’s capable of capturing high quality stills (both JPEG and RAW), as well as very passable video. But the best thing about the AW1 is the fact that it’s waterproof to a depth of 15m, shockproof if dropped from a height of 2m, and extremely well sealed against dust and grit. It’s not indestructible, but it is tough!

A lot of the photos that accompany my ‘Back To

AW1 Fisherman’s Review’, or go to www.youtube.com/ watch?v=YX6sMZf1cBU. Until next time, happy snapping!

VIDEO

To see the full video review of the Nikon AW1.

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JUNE 2016

11

A Look At...

Getting jiggy on squid MELBOURNE

Luke McCredden www.thelongline.net

For a long, long time now, squid jigs have fascinated me. I honestly believe there is a reason to have a big range of colours and sizes in your tackle box.

Squid jigs for me are one of the things that remind me that there is no constants in fishing. Some days your old faithful jig will dominate, some days a jig you’ve never even taken out of the packet will surprise you by catching more squid than any. These are some of the reasons I love lure fishing in general and I can definitely put my hand up to say that I’m a sucker for a good looking lure. To be honest, I have

lures in my collection that have never seen water… but geez, they look good.

Squid jigs are in big numbers in my fishing room. Why? I guess I feel there is a time and place for them, not to mention I like to have a huge range of colours and sizes by many different brands to make sure I have the one that will work on the day.

I thought I’d ask a couple of mates, Paul Carter and Shaun Furtiere, who do a fair bit of squid fishing about their thoughts on the squid jigs.

Is there a constant in squid jigs?

PC: There are two things with squid jigs that have remained constant in 400 years, the first of which are the barbs.

Although materials of the

Paul Carter is no stranger to big squid, and loves the use of larger jigs to entice these bigger cephalopods.

O/W On/ Off Dimmer

5m Cig Lead

$119 RRP 1.2m O/W LED Strip

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JUNE 2016

barbs have changed from bone and cane to steel-based materials they have always had reverse facing barbs to keep the squid attached to the jig. The second is the shape of the back, although many people have had a crack at changing the way a jig is shaped they have ultimately always returned to the original raised back pattern that we are all so familiar with.

SF: It seems that size does matter. Sizes 3.0 and 3.5 are almost becoming the standard in many situations.

Smaller 1.8-2.5 size jigs seem to be more popular with beginner squidders as they are yet to understand the larger-jig-bigger-squid scenario on most occasions.

So the constant is that the size you use is important!

How do you select your jig when fishing?

PC: Initially it’s all about colour, and selection for me will always relate to the colour of the water and the available light. There is a reason a squid’s eyes are so big, and that is their hunting and defence mechanism is all about sight. All squid that we know of, with the exception of the firefly squid, are colour blind, but can see three of the six UV light spectrums we can’t.

So colour is important in making the jig more visible to the squid. Generally when I get out to my spot, I will look at the amount of light and make the first selection based on the reflective colour tape under the cloth. If it’s night or there is low light, I will select a red-based jig as it refracts light better than any other colour. Morning and afternoon I will always start with gold-based jigs, again as it refracts light better than any other colour for the time period. When the sun is high and lots of light is in the water I use silvers, blues, purples, greens and holographic colour based

The author doesn’t mind trying his hand on squid, and has an impressive collection of jigs. jigs. Once the colour has been determined, it all comes down to size. Generally I like a big jig as it creates a better profile so I start with a 3.5 and go up and down depending on flow and depth or food resemblance in the area I am fishing.

SF: For the most part, I’ll have clients use a size 3.5 jig in a bright colour to begin with. This year has seen a marked preference it seems for brighter hues in both green and orange. Typically, red or rainbow belly/foil patterns are a part of most of these jig selections and same goes for brown/red foil patterns.

What is your favourite location and jig for that location?

PC: My favourite location hands down is the southern end of Western Port. As mentioned in my jig selection, I have a formula that works by selecting a jig based on the environment around me. If I want to increase my chances of catching I can’t have a favourite jig, I have to stick to what works and it will be the jig best suited on the day at the time I am fishing.

SF: What works on the day is the best squid jig and favourite for that particular time and place! There have been times where a certain colour out performs another, however I really believe a lot of this comes down to angler prowess and sound technique.

Keeping the jig in the active strike zone is paramount for catching squid, particularly when the action is slower on some days. Sink rate, or free fall, can be the major difference between a couple of squid and a lot of squid.

Pinpointing the exact areas and correctly lining up your drift are also hugely important to consistently finding good squid action.

I enjoy spending time on Western Port chasing squid.

What do I choose when I am looking for a jig in a shop?

PC: Keep your purchases based on what is going to work best. I think it is important to have six jigs.

Two red-based, two goldbased and two silver-based.

Of the two jigs one will have a natural outer colour and the other will have a bright or light colour. This will cover all bases when fishing, I am also a massive fan of bigger jigs and do not own a jig smaller than 3.0. I will always start with a 3.5 and then go to

a 4.0 or a 3.0 depending on the situation.

SF: Most tackle shops these days stock a good selection of well-known and proven brands. Most well-known brands have been rigorously tried and tested in their respective countries of origin.

This trial and error R & D program largely sorts out what works best for squid. The end result is the current stock available here in Australia in tackle stores and numerous quality brands. I would say, keep using the well-known brands as they are proven.

Shaun Furtiere runs his own charter business in Victoria, so putting clients onto good numbers of squid is important to him.

R

100 years of experience Goes inTo every hook

JUNE 2016

13

Bream schooling up in numbers on the bottom WEST COAST

Shane Lowery

June is showing all indications of being a terrific month to fish the Glenelg River, and the lead

up has seen all sections of the river producing some exceptional fishing.

BREAM As expected through late April and into May, bream started to school up in large numbers. Although

this makes them easier to find, it certainly doesn’t mean they are always easy to catch. In fact, they can tend to be very finicky while in this schooling and recruitment mode.

Even with the bream

Top: There’s still plenty of smaller mulloway in the system, and June may see some much bigger fish enter the estuary.

Above: Bream can be in massive schools at this time of year.

tending to be out wider off the edges, usually in around 2-4m depth, they still seem to feed more actively both early morning and just before dark. During the day the bite can become very tentative and I find it tends to be much more of a reaction bite rather than an outright feeding pattern.

Deep diving hardbodied lures and plastics fished as slowly as possible along or near to the bottom with plenty of long pauses will often draw the fishes’ attention. Usually the bite comes as the lure sits static on the bottom or as you first start to move the lure again.

Being a reaction bite, it’s not unusual to foul hook a few fish in chins, cheeks and even fins as they often swipe at the lure seemingly to scare it away. Having said that, when one of these

schools decides to switch on and feed, the fishing can be fantastic, however those bites often switch on and off quite quickly.

ESTUARY PERCH Through June, estuary perch will continue their migration to the lower reaches of the river and this is a great month to find good numbers of them. In particular, the estuary itself attracts plenty of perch as they seek out the right salinity levels to begin spawning. Live baits and lures, and especially soft plastics and vibe or blade style lures will account for plenty of fish.

MULLOWAY As we begin to see increased inflows due to rain and environmental releases down the Glenelg, thoughts will also turn to chasing some bigger mulloway. There has been

no shortage of smaller fish spread right through the system and I know of legal size fish taken as high as Pritchards and Saunders in the preceding months.

However, the estuary will become the key target area in the wetter months with the larger fish congregating at the bottom end of the river. If we see either a natural or artificial opening of the mouth, there may also be more fish entering the system, and often this is when we get a run of very large fish turning up.

Colder weather and needing to be rugged up in the wet weather gear generally puts a few people off those early morning starts, but for those willing to get out and spend the time on the water, there is some great fishing to be had!

Fishing a bit deeper with a slow retrieve will account for some nice bream.

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JUNE 2016

15

Shelf offers great size albacore PORTLAND

Nigel Fisher

I can’t believe we’re nearly halfway through the year already! We are right into our tuna season now, and we’ve seen some great results coming in.

Some nice albacore have come in from those fishing the shelf, with some over 20kg, which is a great size for these great fighting fish. They have also been picking up school tuna, with some of them up to 30kg. On the real good days, the guys have bagged out on albacore and tuna and then bottom bounced for a bit and ended up with some blue eye, gemfish, knife jaw and ling just to top the days fishing off!

Other tuna have been caught around the Cape Nelson Lighthouse area from 30m of water. Some of these fish have been up around the 40kg mark, but

a lot have been around the 8-15kg mark.

We have seen some big tuna landed around Port McDonald and Warrnambool, with some over the 100kg mark, so I would think that we will see some more of these big fish in the coming months. Let’s hope the weather holds out a bit longer this year to make this season great.

Inside the bay at Portland has also seen some great fishing in the last six weeks, especially around the north shore from Wallys boat ramp right down to Fitzroy.

The main targets have been snapper and whiting. The snapper have been in great numbers and sizes, and the fishing has been better into the evening. Snapper up to 50cm have been common, and the whiting are ranging from 40-50cm. The odd gummy and school shark has also been getting in on the madness.

The Breakwater has been up and down, but some of the schools of salmon cruising along the wall have been massive, and the anglers have had a ball catching these fish, which are sometimes up to 3-4kg. The odd shark has also been caught by those anglers fishing at night.

There has been big schools of salmon from around The Corkscrew to Pivot Wall, with whiting and couta mixed in.

Good bags of whiting have been pulled from around Black Nose and The Rock, plus some good flathead in the 20-25m mark have also graced this area.

On the good days when weather permits, Bridgewater Bay is another great spot for flathead, gummy and school sharks in the 50-80m, and tuna will also pop in around this area if you’re lucky. The deeper water around Bridgewater Bay will produce trumpeter, sharks

and snapper. Cape Nelson and Bridgewater area is also a great hot spot to berley up a mako, which is a very popular sportfish in this area.

Generally, we should still see some good whiting around, but maybe not in big numbers we’re used to in summer. The winter can certainly produce some big whiting though! Flathead out in the flats are always popular at this time of year.

The pinkies will probably slow down, but the sharks around the North Shore, while fishing either from a boat or on land, are generally a good option in the winter months.

Salmon schools are always around this time of year, so it’s always fun to find and then hook into these guys.

The rivers are always a good option with bream being the main catch, especially now the weather can turn and make it hard to fish the ocean.

A nice bag of albacore for this happy young angler, which were all caught aboard Matthew Hunt Fishing Charters.

The Fitzroy and Surrey rivers are the closest to the Portland area, but we are only 70km away from the Glenelg River, which is

just a great place to relax, let alone experience the amazing fishing. Plus, you can always find a sheltered spot to fish.

Terrific tuna action continues WARRNAMBOOL

Mark Gercovich mgercovich@hotmail.com

It’s June and once again the winter is upon us, however, the fishing can still be hot if you can make the most of any breaks in the weather.

OFFSHORE We are in the middle of another excellent tuna season, with plenty of

action occurring at a variety of depths. Out near the shelf, albacore have been in massive numbers, from tiny jellybeans that would be lucky to push 3kg to some better fish over 10kg. There are also school-sized bluefin among them to keep things interesting.

Closer into shore in the 40-50m range, there are also plenty of school-sized SBT and despite them being a little mobile and at times

Nick Murrell with a solid inshore tuna definitely over the 20kg mark.

16

JUNE 2016

finicky, they have been of excellent quality. Many of these inshore fish have been in the 18-24kg range and put up a serious fight, particularly on spin gear.

Along with these more prolific smaller fish, there have been a couple of bigger tuna both lost and landed locally. Trav and Darcy Graham, Harry Bermingham and Jeff Dimech landed for a 99.9kg tuna in only 19m of water as they trolled back to the ramp at Warrnambool. A 64.2kg fish was also brought back into port by Wayne Dalton of Boat Charters Warrnambool.

ESTUARY After a particularly long period of closure, the Hopkins River finally opened. Only time will tell whether all the mulloway that were in the river have hightailed it out to sea or not. Maybe some new stocks come in!

With the high levels due to the closed mouth and lack of rain, it has been amazing how far some bream have been pushing up the river.

Many sections of the river

between Torram Stones and Allansford (usually regarded as the domain of freshwater species) have been holding significant populations of bream. The freshwater lifestyle has obviously been agreeing with them as they are in solid nick and pull hard.

The winter trout season was a bit of a non-event last year with the lack of significant rainfall. So far this year that pattern has continued with local rivers running clear and low, most unconducive to productive trout fishing.

With the closed season for salmonids in 2016 beginning from midnight on Monday 13 June, to midnight on Friday 2 September, there are still sections of some local rivers open for trout fishing due to their sea-run classification during June. These rivers are: The Merri River (downstream of the Bromfield Weir) the Hopkins River (downstream of the Hopkins Falls), the Moyne River (downstream of the Toolong Bridge) and the Gellibrand River

Freshwater bream are fun when things are quiet on the trout front. The higher river levels allowed bream to push into the domain of the freshwater species. (downstream of the Great Ocean Road Bridge.)

Hopefully the trout have had a good 18 months or more sitting at the bottom of some of the many deep and fairly inaccessible pools in

the local rivers, putting on plenty of condition. Once we get some decent flows these fish will begin to feed in the shallow runs, making them a more viable target for keen lure and fly casters.

Some gummy goodness APOLLO BAY

Daniel Kent apollobaysurfshop@bigpond.com

The tuna have arrived with plenty of reports of fish being caught and sighted south of Apollo Bay. There are large baitfish schools stretched right along this coastline from just offshore to 40km south of Cape Otway, which are keeping the tuna in this area.

Point Franklin out to the Nine Mile Reef has been the most productive, but always keep an eye out for bird or fish activity, as you just never know where they will turn up next. Trolling a spread of skirted lures is the best searching method, but if fish can be seen breaking

the surface then casting lures is also a fun and productive way to catch a few fish.

Most fish caught so far this year have been in the 15-20kg range, but I have heard of two separate stories of fish being fought for around an hour and lost. For the really keen guys with big boats, there has been large numbers of albacore caught out on the continental shelf, which is a 100km run from Apollo Bay boat ramp.

If catching tuna is not your style, then give the gummies a try in 35-40m of water off Cape Otway.

The gummy fishing has been excellent in recent weeks.

Using fresh baits of squid or fish fillets and fishing around the tide change is the key to catching a feed of flake.

A berley bag deployed on the anchor rope is also an effective method of bringing the sharks to your area. Don’t be surprised if you land a feed of snapper and flathead while fishing like this either.

The inshore reefs at Marengo and Point Bumbry are home to large King George whiting at this time of year. Fish the sandy holes and channels along the reef edges with pipis for bait and you should get into the action.

The Aire River is still the spot to fish for black bream, especially when the river is open to the ocean. As the river drops with the outgoing tide, fish close to the bank as this is where the bream are searching for food.

Another thing to note

Gummy sharks are biting off Cape Otway in 35-40m of water. is that trout season closes after the long weekend this month, so make sure you get out for a fish before it comes into effect. This is a great

time to fish the Aire River up above the Great Ocean Road bridge, as the fish start moving up into the rapids to spawn. Small hardbodied

lures cast along any sunken timber or into the larger pools up around the bush line should get the interest of the big resident brown trout.

Mega mythological mulloway proven to exist!

COBDEN

Rod Shepherd

The autumnal offshore scene is humming along nicely with plenty of tuna captures happening at present, which seems to point to yet another mind blowing season.

The fish have been sighted everywhere including right in close just off Thunder Point at Warrnambool in late April.

Many boaters are finding schools of SBT busting up bait balls in depths of only 50m. Some anglers are cracking the double when targeting school tuna as some solid yellowtail kingfish seem to be lurking near and under the tuna schools. Add to that albacore tuna, which have turned up recently in big numbers. Most of the albacore are averaging around 6kg, but further out wide right up close to the shelf they have been caught and weighing in at well over 20kg.

Just recently a 64kg

bluefin barrel was caught off Warrnambool and combining that with several reports of more barrels taken off Port MacDonnell in South Australia, it’s only a matter of time before these big’uns arrive in force!

Those dropping baits down deep in depths around 180m have come up trumps with some huge blue grenadier and pink ling.

Whole squid has been the proven bait.

Meanwhile closer inshore, some excellent pinkie snapper continue to be caught along with some sizeable gummy shark.

Although not many have been sighted this season, let alone snaffling large baits ballooned out the back, the odd mako shark to 70kg has also been hooked. Along with big bluefin, makos make up Victoria’s big game fish duo.

For those with smaller boats, the big news around this autumn is the bream fishing in the Curdies River.

The lake is very low due to a distinct lack of viable rain and is mostly off limits to boating, but bream to over 40cm have been caught right up and

down the river’s length. A popular spot is in and around the entrance to the lake. I and many others have landed some excellent fish lately.

Both bait and lure anglers have done well with plenty of fish on offer on a given day. There’s plenty of juvenile salmon about and slicing the salmon fillets into long, almost worm-like baits has been the number one bream bait without a shadow of a doubt. Earth and scrub worm, packet prawn and whitebait have also caught a few fish.

Soft plastics, metal blades and medium diving minnow lures have also accounted for some sizeable fish. You can easily spend up to 2-3 hours peppering the water with lures for not much in return, then the bream suddenly switch on into feeding mode and the action suddenly gets very hot indeed.

The Curdies definitely contains mulloway, which would have entered the river last year when it was finally opened after a long spell. Roughly five weeks later the sea’s swell closed

the mouth, which was a shame but during that time a school of mulloway entered via the very shallow mouth; probably after dark on a high tide. Since then reports of bream anglers being busted off by something sizeable and the odd fish coming in

of barely legal size (60cm) have fuelled the many rumours floating around of big fish lurking in the river.

In April, Timboon angler Wayne Sleep buried all those rumours once and for all hooking up to and landing a mulloway that

measured exactly1m in length! Wayne and a few others knew they were there and put much of their bream angling on hold for quite some weeks in an effort to land a decent one; and Wayne eventually did it and on 6lb line.

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JUNE 2016

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NORTHERN VICTORIA

VR Fish Update

Swordfish fishery set to boost economies VR FISH

Dallas D’Silva

VRFish, the peak body representing the interests of Victoria’s 838,000 recreational fishers is excited by the prospects of a new recreational game fishery for broadbill swordfish developing out of Lakes Entrance and Mallacoota.

Broadbill swordfish are highly migratory and are found throughout the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. They are mainly a warm water species that move into cooler, temperate waters for feeding during the Australian summer months.

They are known to return to warmer tropical waters for spawning over winter.

The broadbill swordfish is an iconic game fish in Australia with strength and power to test the most skilful anglers. The fishery has

recently seen a resurgence in Tasmania with fish to over 200kgcommonly encountered.

VRFish General Manager, Dallas D’Silva said, it could be the biggest thing to happen to game fishing in Victoria in the last 15 years.

“The capture was a matter of ‘when’ and not ‘if’. There have been reports over the years of incidental captures but the latest catches out of Lakes Entrance and Mallacoota have caught the attention of recreational fishers,” he said.

VRFish Chairman, Rob Loats said it could only be a good thing for Victoria.

“Victoria is already the southern bluefin tuna capital of Australia and we may now have a multimillion dollar fishery for broadbill swordfish about to emerge in the far east of the state,” he said.

Debate is continuing

about whether these are the first confirmed captures in Victorian waters. There are reports of catches by commercial fishers in the past. Either way, it is great news for game fishing in Victoria and the thousands of jobs that are supported by recreational fishing.

Recreational fishing already generates $7.1 billion in economic activity (including $2.6 billion in direct output) and supports 33,967 full-time jobs in Victoria. This latest capture will be a further boost to the Gippsland region, which contributes $381 million in direct output to the state economy.

New research is currently being conducted in Tasmania by the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies that tests the movements and survival rate of released fish using state of the art satellite tag technology.

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Local member of the Bemm River Angling Club, Don looks delightedly at some of the mulloway fingerlings.

Tamboon Inlet, near Cann River in East Gippsland, was stocked with 5,000 mulloway recently for the first time ever to improve recreational fishing opportunities for anglers.

Member for Eastern Victoria, Harriet Shing said it was all part of the Andrews Labor Government’s Target One Million plan to get more people fishing, more often.

“The 16,000 mulloway released into both estuaries were helped on their way by volunteers from the Bemm River and Lake Tyers Beach angling clubs and the East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority.”

Given their aquaculture expertise with the species, the NSW Fisheries at Port

Stephens grew the mulloway fingerlings. Lake Tyers was also stocked yesterday, receiving 11,000 mulloway.

“Mulloway are an iconic sport fishing species that grow to 180cm and 80kg, but are more commonly encountered

by Victorian anglers between 3 and 15kg.” Shing said.

Stocking mulloway is part of Victoria’s marine stocking program, which will run over two years and is a key element of Target One Million, which aims to boost participation to one million anglers by 2020.

Lake Tyers now boasts Victoria’s biggest marine stocking effort, having received 16,000 mulloway and 25,000 estuary perch fingerlings, with a further

25,000 estuary perch to be released in December.

“This is yet another boon for Gippsland – not only will it get more anglers, fishing more often, but will bring more tourists to our iconic region,” Shing reported.

Monitoring by angling clubs and fisheries scientists will evaluate the success of these stockings in coming years to determine the contribution these fish have made to mulloway populations and to anglers’ catches.

Victoria is home to 838,000 recreational fishers and stocking estuarine fisheries like Tamboon Inlet and Lake Tyers will help grow participation to the one million target.

JUNE 2016

19

Time to try for tasty tentacles GEELONG

Neil Slater slaterbunch@optusnet.com.au

June is the month of thermoses and beanies in the region, but quality fishing can be had for those willing to tough it out.

Wurdi Buloc Reservoir continues to produce XOS redfin to 45cm and quality trout for those prepared to put the hours in, flogging the water to a foam with lures. Winter can see the trout really fire up and the redfin decrease in numbers, but increase in size. For those keen on trout, try winged lures or mudeye suspended under a float while reddy anglers should try soft plastic lures worked slowly along the bottom.

The Barwon River in Geelong is also producing redfin to 35cm for anglers casting minnow styled lures parallel to the bankside weed. However, as we enter June, try casting to the middle of the river and working the lure back slowly rather than fishing the edges.

Southern bluefin tuna could well be on this month’s to do list. Last month, there

were 25kg models showing up off Apollo Bay, and this time last year we were talking big barrels, so let’s hope they drop in around the Surf Coast!

This year’s whiting season has been excellent for sheer numbers of fish around the Bellarine, and according to fisheries recruitment studies, it should taper off over the next few years. For this reason, I’d expect good to fair whiting fishing to continue throughout June.

Last month, King George whiting were biting well from Stingaree Bay near Geelong, Clifton Springs, St Leonards and Queenscliff around the Bellarine while Fishermans Beach at Torquay also produced a few quality fish.

Ross Winstanley has been catching a few whiting early mornings inside Stingaree Bay. Ross says things were reasonably quiet until they came on the bite when the incoming tide started to move. Ross finished up with two pinkie snapper and nine whiting from 33-36cm.

Brendan Brown from Ballarat fished in an Emergency Services fishing

competition inside Corio Bay last month. Brendan had a ball catching 17 flatties over 40cm, eight whiting and four pinkie snapper.

Brendan says there were some quality fish caught including a big snapper and a solid gummy shark.

Troy Longson fished the western end of Corio Bay land-based and also got stuck into a few whiting using pipis for bait on the run-out tide.

Australian salmon have been busy inside Corio Bay on occasions, but locating the school has been difficult. Andrew Hill and I caught a couple to 35cm trolling lures around Point Henry one arvo after work.

I’ve had a couple of goes out off Clifton Springs with limited success.

Firstly, with Andrew Hill where we caught a couple of whiting and flathead.

The same night, Stuart Liles fished down near the Turning buoy with a mate where they caught a couple of gummy sharks while fishing into the night.

I had another crack with Dave Reynolds and we were smashed by toadfish, but managed a couple of squid and whiting. We caught

the squid drifting over the shallow weed just north of the ramp and they definitely preferred smaller jigs.

The better size whiting have been caught from Queenscliff and the shallow reef areas from Barwon Heads to Torquay, while good numbers were best at St Leonards and Indented Head. Rod Ludlow from Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head says clients have done well fishing the areas from the Prince George Light, Governor Reef and down to the boat ramp at St Leonards. Both tides have been producing fish with pipis and squid proving the best baits. Rod says there have been bursts of fish either side of 40cm and they are fat, so they have provided some quality table fare.

Rod notes that the calamari have also been running hot with Governors Reef around to Grassy Point at Portarlington the best areas to try. Early morning have been the best times, but they have been available all day. Rod says that land-based anglers have been catching a few snapper after dark and whiting during the day from Portarlington Pier as well.

Some quality calamari have been biting around the Bellarine lately.

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Wayne Ellmer had a trip down to Indented Head recently for his ‘annual squid off’ with three other families.

Their annual event had Murphy, Moore and Williams family teams compete with the Elmers and they hired boats from Rod Ludlow at Beachlea Boat Hire. One of the Murphy sons, elevenyear-old Matthew Murphy said in the first 20 minutes most of the people on his boat had been inked, even though only one of them had caught some squid! But then again, it can be hard to get a squid off the jig without getting inked. Matthew says that his dad hooked a cuttlefish so big it broke the line and got away. The Murphys were victorious, however, with five calamari in the boat, and Matthew catching the biggest!

I knocked off early and fished out off Queenscliff with work colleague Andreas Rohringer last month. We trolled lures about hoping for salmon, but ended up heading up towards Swan Bay entrance hoping for a squid or three. We tossed a few jigs about but had no interest from cephalopods, so we anchored up, opened some chips and cool drinks as we sent some baits out for whiting.

We were just enjoying our first mouthful of chips

kept 22 whiting to 36cm.

We released a couple around 30-32cm, and I also released a few without seeing them… I chatted to a few anglers back at the ramp who also struggled to get a fish on pipis, and found squid to be the best bait.

Dean McDonald had an early start with his son Harvey and good mate Stewie. They planned for some Bass Strait work out off Barwon Heads, but were greeted with larger than safe waves at the mouth of

the Barwon estuary. They decided against Bass Strait and launched at Queenscliff instead. They found things tough going down there, only landing a squid, some small whiting and flathead fishing near Swan Island.

The Queenscliff harbour can be excellent for silver trevally at this time of year, and they were biting well last month on small soft plastic lures and pilchard fillets on slack water. Most were around the 30cm mark, but there were a few

caught around the 45cm mark as well.

• Catch a few around Geelong, Bellarine Peninsula or Surf Coast to Lorne recently? Send in a report to slaterbunch@optusnet. com.au with ‘VFM’ in the subject field or give me a call on 0408 997348. Please include where (without giving away your secret spot!), when, what on and who caught the fish. Pictures are always great, but please make sure they are at least 1mb (file size).

Andy with a bend only a salmon can give! when the rods baited with squid loaded up and we had a few on board! We could not get them to bite

on pipis, which is normally as good a bait you can get for whiting. Squid was the winner for the day, and we

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Run the rivers for quality PORT PHILLIP WEST

Brenton Hodges blhodgey@hotmail.com

After an extended warmer than average period weatherwise through much of autumn, those sharp

winter westerlies have arrived with a vengeance.

Melbourne anglers face some obvious challenges

Although it can get bitterly cold, fishing for pinkie snapper after dark is highly productive during winter. This one snatched a Gulp Alive Crazy Legs Jerk Shad in 6m of water.

Prospecting the swing moorings at Williamstown with soft plastics has the potential to turn up not only bream, but also pinkie snapper and even the occasional school mulloway at this time of year.

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in terms of battling the elements throughout the winter months, but the fish still need to eat.

When conditions inevitably take a turn for the worse across Port Phillip, perhaps consider a run up one of the local rivers.

AVALON TO POINT COOK Andy Smith from Hooked on Bait & Tackle says there’s loads of squid on offer across the western shores. In particular, shallow areas of weed and reef descending into about 6m of water, from Werribee South through to Point Cook, is where you’ll find some thumpers up around the 1.5kg mark.

Casting down wind ahead of a drift line, as well as trailing jigs behind the boat, has been equally successful.

Even if a cast and retrieved jig fails to hook up, often it attracts the attention of any squid in the area, enticing them closer to the boat.

Moments later, as the trailing jigs drift through… bang! As I’ve mentioned previously, try not to be in too much of a hurry to bring the first squid to the net. Since they usually hunt in groups, at times

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When conditions inevitably take a turn for the worse across Port Phillip this winter, perhaps consider a run up one of the local rivers.

double or even triple hook ups are quite achievable. The key, however, is to ensure a hooked squid remains in the water and preferably about 1m or thereabouts under the surface, until the others latch on.

Despite the cooler weather of late, flathead are also providing inshore anglers with some terrific sport and a tasty meal.

Fishing on the drift is the way to go, with soft plastics such as worm and baitfish imitations fairing best. Flesh baits including cut pilchard and bluebait are also a reliable option.

Hot spots include the sands flats extending from the entrance to Werribee River, as well as the stretch from Wyndham Harbour through to Campbells Cove.

ALTONA TO WILLIAMSTOWN Pinkie snapper should remain active on the inner reefs during the winter months. Depths ranging from 4-6m are turning up plenty of juveniles to 35cm, with just the odd larger specimen to 2kg reported.

The Williamstown Sportfishing & Game Club held an inter-club Soft Plastic Challenge event recently with more than 40 competitors across four clubs in attendance. Strong winds made it tough going

The major drawcard in Melbourne’s rivers this month, and indeed throughout much of winter, is the mighty metropolitan mulloway. Already fish either side of 90cm are showing up on baits, including fresh squid and live mullet, as well as soft plastics, vibes and blades presented close to structure. on the inner reefs, especially for those with smaller craft.

Unfortunately, the big reds failed to show up on this occasion, but there were plenty of pinkies to 36cm accounted for throughout the morning, along with snook to 59cm, Australian salmon to 51cm, plus a few red mullet and leatherjacket.

METROPOLITAN RIVERS The major drawcard in

the local rivers this month, and indeed through much of winter, will be school mulloway, along with pinkie snapper, and of course, the ever-reliable resident bream. At this time of year, it is possible to tangle with each of these species in a single session.

Tried and trusted target areas include the jetties and swing moorings at Williamstown, as well as

the rock groins that line the warm water outlet at Newport. A series of jetties and pontoons dotted along the western shoreline, from the mouth through to the West Gate Bridge, are popular with landbased anglers.

Limited opportunities to anchor at boat exist within the lower Yarra River. Fishing in general is discouraged within the

main shipping port, but drifting under electric power is permitted between the channel markers and the bank, unless of course exclusion zone signage indicates otherwise.

The area surrounding the base of Bolte Bridge adjacent to North Wharf is a popular location at this time of year. Somewhat surprisingly, mulloway, pinkie snapper and bream

are also available within sheltered waters of Victoria Harbour and well up the Maribyrnong River.

WERRIBEE RIVER Bream are in reasonable numbers at the mouth of Werribee River with those pitching fresh mussel and tubeworm from the jetty and floating pontoons picking up a feed either side of high tide. Further upriver, small freshwater yabbies, as well as metal blades and worm or grub pattern soft plastics are well worth a shot.

SIGNING OFF After six years and 72 reports, sadly this is my final Port Phillip West column.

Thank you to everyone who shared information and images during this period.

As of next month, my wife Katrina and I, together with our young girls, Zoe and Maddi, will be setting off on an extended 4-5 month adventure along the coast of NSW and southern QLD. Needless to say, we simply can’t wait!

Upon returning to Victoria later in the year, we’re planning to settle on the Bellarine Peninsula. As a result, I’ll be unable to do this area report justice.

Fortunately, Andy Smith from Hooked on Bait & Tackle has agreed to take over.

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JUNE 2016

23

Squeeze in a squid session PORT PHILLIP NE

Wayne Friebe wfriebe@bigpond.net.au

As I was reading through last month’s report the other day, I was amused with my revelation that the summer months were over, and the

days and nights were getting colder. Someone forgot to communicate this trend to the department of climate change, however, and we experienced a few weeks of very ‘summery’ conditions.

The main benefit from this is that anglers enjoyed more comfortable angling

conditions, particularly at night. Rain is what we badly need, and although we did receive some decent falls a while ago, more substantial rain is needed. Last month, we were due for a good drop of rain, so hopefully this holds and much needed rain falls throughout the state for the next month.

Once again, I have only received a few reports over the past month from anglers targeting ‘late run’ snapper in the southern end of the bay.

This is definitely a result of great fishing elsewhere in the bay and beyond, and not that the snapper are not about. The fish that have been reported have all been coming from 21-23m out from Mount Martha and Safety Beach, and also on the western side of the shipping channel. Most of the snapper caught have been around the 4-5kg mark, but I have recently seen photos

I’ve had reports from all over the bay, but in our part of the world the bulk of the action seems to be from Frankston to Safety Beach.

First and last light is best, and fresh local bait is the only way to go. Squid, pipis, mussels and prawns are all proven baits.

And even better has been the quality and reliability of the squid fishing over the past month or so. Big numbers of squid are currently holding on all of the usual inshore reefs, and anglers have been really cashing in, especially at the popular land-based locations.

Mornington Pier has resembled lunchtime on Main Street at times, especially during the finer nights. Small jigs in the 1.6-2.0 size have been best, especially in darker colours at night like brown, black and red. During the day, try using a brighter coloured jig in pink or orange. Other

Boat and land-based squid fishing has been first class over the past month right along the eastern shoreline. your eyes peeled for working birds or busting fish to give the salmon away. They will respond well to cast or trolled lures. Garfish will respond well to a good berley trail, especially in calmer waters.

Flathead and pinkie snapper are best targeted from a drifting boat, casting lures or baits. They will also readily take trolled lures, especially small deep diving minnows around reef in 5-8m of water.

The bream fishing has been very good over the past month, patiularly for the bait anglers in the Patterson River system. The lure guys have been teasing a few as well, but the better fish have been falling to baits. I’ve also had a few reports of some nice mulloway and even a few estuary perch being landed over the latter part of last month, so stay tuned for more news next month.

Bream fishing in the local creeks and rivers is a great way to get the kids involved in fishing.

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Land-based anglers have been getting in on the squid madness as well! of much bigger fish to 8kg coming from the same area.

Bite windows are generally shorter in these areas, and normally on the change of tide, but the quality of the fish at this time of year is worth the effort. Boating conditions are usually better too.

Not so long ago, the whiting fishing in PPB was largely confined to the south of the bay, but the recent and current whiting fishing right throughout our bay has been the best I can remember in a long time. Both boat and land-based anglers are still regularly catching good bags of whiting, many still fishing productive locations from last summer. Speaking to anglers in the know, they expect that this will only get better as the water cools, and the size and quality of the fish will improve. This is great news.

popular land-based areas have been Daveys Bay, Canadian Bay, Oliver Hill and Mount Martha Rocks.

The best local boat reports have been coming from Ansetts, Sunnyside, Pelican Point and Snapper Point and Mornington. I would recommend the use of a neutral coloured jig like green or purple, as the inshore water is still fairly clear. If you’ve got an electric motor on your boat, use it to sneak along the reefs, as the squid are getting a hammering from anglers at the moment, and can be a little flighty at times. Just like the whiting, however, they will always bite best around first and last light.

Good numbers of salmon, gars, pinkies and flathead are also still on offer in the same areas, and can make a good day on the water even better, especially for the family. Keep

Max Stevens caught this lovely rainbow trout at Lake Bullen Merri before the closed season.

Stock up on fishy feeds for winter PORT PHILLIP EAST

Lee Rayner info@fishingfever.com.au

Winter means it’s squid and pinkie time, and anglers are now getting out on the water and getting stuck into these great eating species.

The other great thing about the coming months is that the land-based fishing options in this part of the world really start to come into their own. In fact, many anglers who have boats tend to find themselves heading to a rocky bit of shoreline to cast a squid jig around for some calamari late in the afternoon on their way home from work.

MORDIALLOC TO BLACK ROCK With the water cooling down, it’s now getting to that time of the year when the creek beings to really fire with the big schools of mullet, and the best way to catch them is with a fine float that is carefully balanced with split shot. Then, use small hooks in size 8-10 and bait with tiny pieces of peeled prawn, dough or bits of chicken for bait. From there, you will also need a fine berley of mashed bread or a fine brand and pollard style powder mixed with tuna oil.

On the pier itself, the

mullet will often be out there and, fishing with the same method, should also see anglers into good numbers of garfish, which have also started turning up in good numbers over the past few weeks.

Late in the evening, pinkies are being caught on baits of half pilchards or small squid strips, and this will only get better in the coming weeks and months.

Out in the boats, anglers are getting into good numbers of pinkies and squid at locations such as the Parkdale Pinnacles and up towards Ricketts Point.

This month will also see the return of those solid blue-spot flathead that move into Beaumaris Bay, where either drifting with a small paternoster rig baited with whitebait or small soft plastics bounced along the bottom, with dark coloured soft plastics being particularly good.

I’m unsure what makes the flathead come to this area at this time of the year, but either way there are some great fish on offer and often in reasonable numbers. I would just ask that anglers show some restraint and not keep too many of the bigger fish to make sure there are plenty more for the future.

Beaumaris Pier has had a few squid coming off it each evening, but it should

Poppy and Mia Rayner love this time of the year, as they can get stuck into the pinkies with plastics!

really fire up this month, as the water will drop in temperature quite quickly, which they love.

From Ricketts Point to Black Rock, it’s now definitely pinkie season with any reasonable evening seeing a bunch of boats fishing the edge of the reef through here. If the past weeks are anything to go by, then this month should be great, with good numbers of 30-35cm fish on offer and some anglers are also reporting that they have been finding fair numbers of fish around 45cm when using bigger baits or 5-6”plastics.

SANDRINGHAM TO ST KILDA There’s plenty of landbased options at this time of the year in this part of the world, with everywhere from Sandringham Breakwall to the Hampton Rock Groynes and up off Brighton Breakwall all being top locations to set yourself up for some solid landbased pinkies.

One of my favourite places is the end of the Sandringham Breakwall, as it drops into relatively deep water and on a southerly blow the waves push everything around the end of the point and the pinkies tend to gather there.

On the rough ground that runs all along this part of the bay, it’s also a perfect time to fish for calamari as they are currently in good numbers and this will only get better as they increase in size over the coming weeks.

One good tip in this area is to fish with larger lightlyweighted jigs. As for colours, try brown and gold patterns, and if that doesn’t work, try clear prawn colours, especially on a bright day. Dark red patterns are usually my go-to during low light periods.

Up at Brighton either off the breakwall or out in the boats, the shallow reef areas are coming into their own with the pinkies with some solid fish to over 2kg being taken over the past weeks. On the inside of the breakwall, a few anglers have been finding good success on some trevally when they berley with a fine bran style or just mashed up pilchards After berlying, they then cast unweighted pilchard fillets or white bait out and allow it to slowly sink through the water column.

As you move further north this month, you will see the local red mullet population becoming very active, with the shallow reefs from Brighton through to North Road area being and excellent area to chase them.

It’s also worth getting a good fine berley trail happening as their should be good numbers

of garfish also in the area.

ST KILDA TO PORT MELBOURNE At St Kilda, it’s time to start looking for the bream that become quite active in this part of the bay at this time of the year. Prime areas to look at are along the breakwalls, as the bream will patrol the edges where the rock meets the sand, and working these areas with small plastics or the crab patterns can prove deadly on big bream.

The other option is to berley with mashed pilchards or crushed up mussel shell and use unweighted mussel as bait. This can also be done around the moored boats, which is another area where the bream love to hang around.

Out in the boats, the extensive cunjevoi beds in the area will provide anglers with some big pinkies and even late season snapper for those anglers willing to fish into the evenings.

If the water stays clean, there should also be some good numbers of garfish available over the coming weeks and months for both boat and land-based anglers fishing off Lagoon and Kerford Road piers.

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25

One more run before you crack out the surf gear January and February.

Gunnamatta Back Beach has been fishing well with most fish between 18-30cm. For my money, the best action has been on metal lure with greens, blues, silver and gold coloured slugs working best. Other beaches worth fishing at the moment include Portsea Back and the area around Sphinx Rock at Sorrento.

At about this point of the year, for the last two

MORNINGTON PENINSULA

Dan Lee info@peninsulatotaltackle.com.au

Although we are officially in what I consider to be our winter surf season, what really excites me is the fact that we have had such strong squid and whiting fishing over the last month.

So although it’s cool and chilly, it is well worth a trip to get yourself some quality table fare.

SOUTHERN CALAMARI In good years, squid are often one of the winter staples, and this year is certainly proving to be just that with big numbers of squid available in sizes that I don’t usually associate with this time of year!

The squid fishing is probably being helped along by the fact that we have some very healthy weed beds on the peninsula at the moment and although they may thin out a bit over the next couple

about staple fishing. Aside from those heading west to chase tuna, it’s a good time to keep it small and simple.

Locally, I like to focus on the basics. A couple of hours on the water chasing anything from whiting to flathead, squid or gars is about all I aim for.

If you keep it simple, you can often come home with a nice feed for the family. It’s also time to have a good think about what boat maintenance might be

Brad Parkinson with a lovely big winter gummy shark taken while fishing southern PPB! of months, they are certainly providing good habitat for calamari for the moment.

Jig size and colour has not been such an issue this year, with a range of both

Capt’n Baz got stuck into a bunch of nice southern calamari!

managing to put squid in the boat. As always however, there are a couple of colours that always sell (and fish!) well. Red foil and a dark back, whites, natural brown/ greens and chartreuse coloured jigs have been a favourite.

As far as areas go, we have seen good land-based fishing from the Mt Martha Rocks and some of the local pier platforms like Rye and Blairgowrie. Out in the boat, you can almost pick a weed bed and you are in with a chance. Local areas in 4-7m off Blairgowrie and Rye have been good, but equally there have been great calamari off the points at Portsea and over at Queenscliff, where some bigger models have been found in 7m of water.

WHITING Who knows whether the reduction in nets is already having an impact on King George whiting numbers in Port Phillip Bay, but it would nice to think it is, as the whiting fishing has been nothing short of sensational.

We have seen some of the better fishing for whiting we’ve had in many years.

Interestingly, by this stage of the year a lot of the

whiting action is often over at St Leonards. Whether it is the season or the water temperature, we often note that the whiting go quiet on the Mornington Peninsula and fire-up on the Bellarine through this period.

However, this year it’s not the case. We have seen really good fishing right along the peninsula. The Pinnance Channel grounds had a massive school for a number of weeks, but so too did the shallows off Rye and Tootgarook. It really has been a bonanza on the whiting – if in doubt you should get out and see for yourself!

AUSTRALIAN SALMON On an annual basis, Australian salmon come in peaks and troughs throughout the year. This year we had good schools in the rip and on the back beaches in the middle of summer. Autumn has seen consistent fishing although we are yet to again see some of the bigger fish that were being caught way back in

Jay Furniss with a welcome by-catch taken while fishing for whiting. At 70cm you have to be pretty happy with that! years running we have also seen good schools come into the mooring areas around Sorrento and Tootgarook. I am yet to hear if they have shown up again, but I still think it is pretty likely, so stay tuned as we may have news by this time next month.

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A healthy swag of King George whiting taken by Paul Cooney while fishing the shallow weed beds off Sorrento.

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Cooling water delight WESTERN PORT NTH

Adam Ring

Winter is knocking at our door and the nights and mornings are certainly getting quite cool, but it’s still impressive with just how well the top end of Western Port has been fishing! The elephant fish are well and truly into their annual run, the calamari and whiting continue to bite well, and the winter snapper have been a pleasant surprise!

THE TOP END I will start this month with a little bit of land-based action as the elephants have moved in in great numbers up on the flats around Lang Lang. Wayne Watson fished with the gang off the beach at Stockyard Point and had a cracking session on the elephants just recently. Like always, timing your trip with the low tide is a must, as it gives you amazing access to the channel that runs through the area. Half pilchards or a strip of squid are the gun baits at the moment.

Pat Ellaby with a beautiful Tyabb Bank calamari, typical for this time of year.

Elephants are a particularly good species to access landbased, so make the most of them while they are around.

Still on the land-based front, the beach at Lang Lang has been absolutely on fire!

The elephants are in massive numbers there and quite a few anglers have been getting amongst it. Local anglers Adam and Benedict had a great little session off the beach, where they easily got their bag of fish. High tide is a must at Lang Lang, as the long sweeping flats are not covered by much water on a low tide.

Staying at Lang Lang, but heading out in the boat now, we come to one of the more exciting reports of the month. Kane McDonald sat in the shallows armed with fresh salmon fillet in search of a late season red, and boy, was he not disappointed! Kane ended up leaving with a cracker of snapper that tipped the scales at 7kg!

The Boulton Channel is also holding some reasonable numbers of snapper, with some big fish feeding up before the water gets too cold. David Goldworthy landed his PB snapper of 7.5kg, which was taken on a fresh calamari tentacle. It just proves the point that if you go to the effort of gathering fresh bait, it still puts you in with a very good chance of capturing that PB fish!

The calamari have definitely kicked into another gear as we enter the cooler months, and will be one of the more dominant species throughout the winter. The Quail Bank has had some really nice fish settle in and locals Matt and Ben got stuck into a few on a recent trip.

The squid, however, were just a by-catch, as the boys also boated 30 odd whiting

Nick Peto and a bag of Hasting’s whiting, all were taken from deep water. on squid and pipi cocktail baits in 2-4m of water.

THE NORTH ARM It has been another solid month in the north arm with both whiting and calamari dominating the reports.

The Tyabb Bank is on fire for some really nice squid and the average size has jumped up nicely too.

Pat Ellaby landed a cracker that had a hood length of 40cm. Flicking artificial squid jigs around seems to be a preferred method up on the bank, as you’re able to really cover some ground to find those weed beds that the squid are sitting on. As far as jigs go, 3.0-4.0 sized jigs work a treat.

Joe Howes also spent some time up on the Tyabb

Bank, and while throwing around a white Shimano squid jig, he boated a really nice cuttlefish, which was a bit of a surprise! Cuttlefish are becoming a lot more common and although they are incredible on the chew, I know a few whiting anglers who would not use anything but cuttlefish for bait if they could.

The Middle Spit continues to be the whiting hot spot for the Port, with a lot of our local charter boats still getting a heap of fish in the shallow water.

Shaun Furtiere of Think Big Charters and Keith Diprose of Big Time Charters have both been doing exceptionally well in finding some great schools of fish.

Both operators have reported that the fish are starting to get a little bit finicky as the water cools down, so plenty of moves are necessary to find the feeding schools of fish. Mussels and squid strips have been the gun baits.

There are also some really nice whiting sitting in the deeper water out from Hastings. Lavente Peto and his son Nick had a great little session landing a heap of whiting on mussels and fresh cuttlefish.

Don’t let the cooling weather put you off just yet, the fishing is still red hot, so let’s continue to make the most of it! Good luck on your next trip, and keep those reports coming in!

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JUNE 2016

Kane McDonald with his beastly 7kg snapper from Lang Lang.

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JUNE 2016

29

Winter wonderland in Western Port WESTERN PORT STH

Jarrod Day jarrodday@iprimus.com.au

It is June and despite the fact that everything’s cold, the fishing is still productive if you’re tough enough to brave the conditions.

I love fishing Western Port throughout winter and not just because I am mad.

Along with the fishing being

quite good, there is very little boat traffic and other anglers on the water. The boat ramps are also nearly empty in winter.

Before getting into what’s happening in Western Port though, let’s look at the surrounding beaches, which are alive with fish.

Starting at Cemetery and Kilcunda beaches, the salmon have arrived in good numbers, but their size

has been a little down for so early on in the season.

Most of the fish range from 500-800g, but during strong southwesterlies, some larger fish have been showing up.

Mind you, in these conditions you do have to combat the kelp, which is ripped from the sea floor. Unfortunately you will go through quite a number of rigs attempting to drag the clumps up the beach so go prepared and take

Winter is also a good time to hunt sharks. Seven gill and bronze whalers are about in the deeper channels. Photo courtesy of Shaun Furtiere.

some extra leader, hooks and swivels or just a handful or pre-tied rigs and sinkers to get you through.

Cape Woolamai and Anzacs beaches are also showing signs of a good salmon season to come, but the larger fish don’t tend to show up until the end of June and the beginning of July.

These two beaches, in fact the majority of beaches along the southern side of Phillip Island, don’t tend to get too weedy throughout the season. Mainly because we have a westerly running swell, which pushes the majority of it towards Kilcunda.

Anzacs Beach is one of my all time favourites for a few reasons. Firstly, the car park is satisfactory and accommodates quite a number of cars and the walk to the beach is only around a 100m.

The beach itself is quite deep with two main gutters. The one to the right is rocky and this is where pinkie snapper can be caught along with salmon, mullet, silver trevally and the odd tailor. The gutter to the right runs horizontal before heading vertical and out the back of the breakers. This gutter usually holds excellent

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numbers of large salmon throughout the entire season, and berley works a treat.

I decided to have a fish at Anzacs just recently and along with some nice mullet, I also managed a few salmon to around the 1kg mark.

Pipis were the favoured bait

on this day.

Inside the Port has been very different. Shaun Furtiere flicked me a few images and reports from his success just before the water temperature dropped for the winter. Shaun had been targeting whiting along the

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bottom end of the Middle Spit, Tankerton and Ventnor areas with good success.

Fishing in depths ranging 4-6m of water, Shaun said that with the onset of winter, anglers can still catch them year round but are best to drop into 8-10m of water as well as heading to Flinders and Cat Bay where they’ll be on the bite all winter.

Shaun also mentioned that the winter gummy season is now upon us and for the next few months, they will be a regular catch for many anglers fishing the

Port. Although they can be targeted right throughout the Port, during the winter months anglers will tend to encounter smaller males rather than the larger females. This is because the larger females tend to be offshore and only enter the Port during the spawning season (autumn). In saying that, females to 12-14kg are still common, especially if you’re working the Western Entrance and those deeper channels where they frequent. If you’re just after a feed or the sport of catching

them, then concentrate on working the channel banks, especially the southern end of the north arm and or Corinella area on a high tide.

Land-based anglers can also get in on the winter gummy action by fishing the low tide at Stock Yard Point or high tide at Tenby Point, or Settlement Point at Corinella.

These three locations are some of the most productive if you get the moon phase and tide times right.

On the other side of the Port, winter fishing for gummy sharks is also

Working along the edges of the banks is where you’ll encounter some nice gummy sharks throughout the winter period.

Photo courtesy of Shaun Furtiere.

Don’t take any chances when fishing for winter whiting, a Mustad Demon Circle hook will keep the fish connected throughout the fight.

particularly productive at Point Leo, Balnarring and Somers beaches. Once again, a high tide is recommended, as the fish will come in close to the shore.

Another winter adversary if you want to get the boat out is the abundant southern calamari. Calamari thrive throughout the Port in winter and tend to be caught more by those fishing land-based. This is most likely because those in boats are targeting gummies and the like.

For the land-based angler, flicking from the Flinders Pier, Stony Point Pier, Cowes Pier or San Remo Pier produces calamari during the rising tides with night time the most

productive. Artificial jigs in a size 3.0 with red foil belly have been working a treat of late.

If you do want to escape the crowds of other anglers also trying their luck on a calm night, head to one of the many beaches and set yourself up with a baited squid jag and suspend it under a float.

While not all beaches will produce calamari, you do need to do some research and find out where some good reef lies within a 2m depth area.

As for a head start, try Cleeland Bight and cast towards the orange buoys.

Ventnor Beach, Mchaffies Point, Flynns Reef, Cat Bay,

Summerland Bay and Berrys Beach all produce quality calamari when a baited jag is cast out under a float and left to flow with the current.

This technique often produces big calamari and if you are going to try this method, choose your weather conditions. Calm weather is often the best, especially when fishing the ocean side of Phillip Island.

Although we are set for a long cold winter, there are plenty of days that are sunny and worthy of heading out to flick a line and it certainly beats sitting back on the couch whether you’re land-based or in a boat.

JUNE 2016

31

Working the winter surf WESTERN PORT STH

Jarrod Day jarrodday@iprimus.com.au

Tackling the surf beaches in Victoria usually kicks off in May and runs right through until August.

Although some species of fish can be caught year

the season.

GEARING UP Surf outfits can vary greatly from heavy to ultra light, and the outfit you use will all depend on where you’re going fishing, the conditions and the species you’re targeting.

Heavily weeded beaches and a strong side wash, which

is a common factor after heavy storms, will warrant the use of a heavy outfit in the 8-15kg range. This is due to the sinker weight required to hold bottom and enough strength in the rod to be able to pull in the huge clumps of weed up the beach that you may encounter.

On the flip side, no side

It’s not too hard to get yourself a feed of salmon off the beach in winter if you know where to look.

This is a very turbulent gutter, but definitely one worth prospecting for surf predators. round, including gummy sharks, silver trevally and yellow eye mullet, it is the Australian salmon that is the highest prized of all.

When the southerlies begin to blow around April and May, cold water currents push up from the south.

School of baitfish follow the current and large schools of Australian salmon are right on their tails working their way along the surf zones up and down the coast.

Although salmon are in abundance throughout the winter months, they’re not always caught from every beach. Frequently moving along the coast, different beaches will fire on different days throughout the season, knowing which beach to try will result in fishing different beaches right throughout

There’s plenty of great species on offer for those fishing the surf beaches in winter.

Casting lures for salmon is a very mobile way to work the surf.

32

JUNE 2016

wash, low surf conditions and no weed can have you fishing a 4-6kg outfit or even a 902 shore spin rod to cast metal lures to fish in the gutters.

I tend to opt for two specific outfits; the first is a Wilson Blue Steel 8-20lb rod matched to Shimano Stradic 6000 that is loaded with Mustad Thor 15lb braid. This is quite versatile allowing me to cast up to an 80g weight in rough conditions

right down to a 20g weight in calm conditions. My second outfit is another Wilson Blue Steel but an 8’6” shore spin version used for throwing lures when conditions allow. This rod is matched to a Shimano 4000 Stradic, which is also loaded with Mustad Thor 15lb braid.

Gummy sharks on the other hand also need a mention and while caught from many of our beaches at night during the lead up to the full moons, they require heavier tackle again.

In my case, I prefer to use a Snyder 8144 Fish Striker, which can not just handle big game like a gummy shark but also the sinker weight required to be thrown and enough mid strength to cope with bringing such a big fish through the shore break and up the beach.

RIGS AND TERMINALS Surf fishing techniques vary considerably between anglers, but as long as you have a line in the water, you’re in with a fair chance.

Pre-tied or pre-purchased rigs from your local tackle store work very well and despite the theory that they are cheap and worthless, are in fact tied under strict quality control measures making them quite high quality.

Obviously, there are some

that aren’t, but well-known brands such as Mustad, Black Magic and Icon Takeshi will serve you well.

These brands all have a surf style model in their range specifically designed for catching salmon off the surf, gummy rigs and those suitable for both silver trevally and yellow eye mullet.

If you enjoy tying your own rigs, especially for mullet, salmon and trevally, I’d suggest tying them from 15lb fluorocarbon leader.

Fluorocarbon leader has a more abrasion resistant coating than conventional nylon leader, which will withstand rubbing on and being tangled up amongst any clumps of seaweed that typically bust off standard rigs and leaders.

A paternoster rig is the typical rig style used in the surf and while you can make them with one or two droppers, a two dropper paternoster is most commonly used.

Deciding on hooks is also just as important as tying the rig itself. Due to sand crabs always stealing baits, instead of putting a hook with bait on the bottom dropper tie on a surf popper or something similar with a 2” grub style soft plastic.

Plenty of anglers will be braving the cold early mornings for a slice of surf action this winter.

This will keep the crabs away, allowing you to be able to still possibly catch two fish on your rig. The top dropper won’t see any crab action, so tie on a 1/0 hook that will hold your bait well without having them slip off the hook during a cast or

care. There is no point covering up the hook’s barb and point as you won’t get a solid hook set when the fish takes the bait. When you are placing the bait onto the hook, expose the hook point as much as possible and if you’re finding the bait’s not

When you hit the beach and cast out one piece of bait, the smell isn’t really going to attract a great deal of fish. When you use berley, a top blend is to mix around a kilo of pilchards with a bag of chook pellets and tuna oil.

Chuck this into an onion bag

Salmon will be the most targeted species in the surf gutters this winter.

Making sure your hook is exposed, as it is important for your hook-up rate. while being smashed around in the surf.

BAIT AND BERLEY Salmon aren’t particularly fussy in what baits they’ll take, however soft baits that are easy to swallow are recommended.

Of all the baits available, whole blue bait, white bait and pipi are the most popular.

Placing baits onto the hook should be done with

vantage point and scour an eye over the layout of the beach and sand. You’ll notice the sand isn’t quite flat, rather it runs in corrugations along its length. Within each trough of each corrugation, a gutter will be present extending out into the surf.

Looking at the water,

throughout winter. Even with so many beaches to fish from, there are a select few that standout season after season.

Of course, you can always try your luck at any beach, just toss some berley in the mix and something will come your way. If you

firm on the hook, grab some elastic and tie the bait to the hook. This will also ensure the bait doesn’t come off the hook with the surf surges and when small fish pick at the bait.

Berley is also essential in being successful on salmon and can really make the difference between not catching a fish and catching your bag’s worth.

Throwing metal slices along likely looking gutters also accounts for a lot of salmon each year.

Onion bags make excellent berley bags, which when filled and tied to a rod holder and placed just out of the wash zone can attract a lot of fish.

and secure it to a rod holder.

The bag can sit just out of the wash zone so each wave washes up the sand and over the bag. If you put it too far in the pressure of the waves can suck the entire bag out to sea.

If you set up the berley before rigging your rods, by the time you’re ready to make the first cast, the fish will already be in your berley trail.

FINDING FISH Although berleying will bring the fish to your area, you still need to locate a deep gutter. Locating a gutter is quite easy if you know what to look for but more times than not, I continually see anglers fishing over the sand bars and having no success.

Regardless of which beach, they are all set out the same. On walking down to the sand, stop at a high

you can also pick a gutter by the colour of the water.

It’s shallow where the waves break, but where the water is blue or green in colour, this is the gutter or rip.

Once you know what to look for, you’ll notice that not all gutters are vertical to the beach. Some are horizontal, diagonal or even just a hole with no exit point.

When you are looking for a gutter, the one mostly likely to have fish in it is a gutter that begins on the shore break and extends past the breakers back out into the ocean. This will have the most current of all and really suck your berley back out to sea, giving it a higher chance of attracting schools of fish.

VICTORIAS TOP BEACHES As the crow flies, Victoria’s coastline spans some 800km, all of which have beaches worth fishing

are looking to strike it rich and really cut your teeth on quality fish, then your best bet is to concentrate on those beaches that continually produce solid salmon year after year.

Of all the beaches around the state, the following at some of the best performers: Apollo Bay, Moggs Creek, Jan Juc, Portsea, St Andrews, Gunnamatta, Anzacs Beach, Cape Woolamai, Kilcunda, Cemetery Beach, Powlett River Mouth, Williamsons Beach, Baxters Beach, Andersons Inlet, Venus Bay, McLoughlins Beach, Woodside Beach and the rest of the Ninety Mile.

Fishing throughout winter on Victoria’s coastal beaches is very productive, especially when you combine bait, berley and the right location. Despite the cold mornings and southerlies sea breezes, catching salmon from the surf is a lot of fun, all it takes is a warm morning coffee and a passion to hit the sand.

This sneaky little salmon hit a metal slice intended for a much larger salmon.

JUNE 2016

33

Hot Spot

Tantalising Tambo River CRANBOURNE

Mitch Chapman

Three hours from Melbourne and only 30-minutes from Lakes Entrance is one of the most well known bream rivers in not only Victoria, but Australia. It’s iconic among all fishers whether lure or bait throwers, and over the years has seen a fair share of trophy-sized bream and other species captured.

PRIME TIME The Tambo can be fished with great success all year round. The best method to target bream in the warmer months when the shallow water heats up and the fish become more active, is to throw hardbodied lures around the edges and rockwalls. The fishing is exceptional in the winter months when the fish start to school up pre-spawn.

Cricket scores of fish can be caught during this time of the year, which can make for

some top-notch fishing.

THE GEAR Like most estuary fishing, a light 2-4kg graphite spin rod with a 2000 size reel is best to chase bream and flathead. A reel spooled up with 6lb braid and a long 4-6lb fluorocarbon leader is ideal for casting lures at bream. You might want to bump it up a little if fishing the snags, as light leader doesn’t last long around barnacleencrusted snags. If specifically targeting flathead, then 8-12lb

Thumping bream like this one is what has made the Tambo River famous. leaders are a good starting point with a 1/8oz jighead and your favourite plastic tied on the end.

BAIT AND LURES Softies for bream are a go-to, and you should make a Squidgy Bloodworm Wrigglers in 80 - 100mm your first choice in plastics.

Fishing blades in the open water and along rockwalls is very effective, and one of the easiest ways to catch bream and other species. Smaller hardbodies like Lucky Craft Pointers and Bevy Shad 50FCs are dynamite among the structure and rockwalls.

Fishing plastics in the snags is what Gerard Hawthorne is best at. He pulled this unit out, then released it shortly after.

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MOTHER NATURE Dusky flathead rules and regulations have changed recently so just remember that the size limit for dusky flathead is now 30-55cm with a total possession limit of five fish per angler. Letting the bigger fish go will ensure stock levels of fish are maintained and the

breeders are left to do their thing. Fish for the future.

HOT TIP It’s important to adjust the drag on your reel to suit the surrounding and environment that you fish. When fishing for bream in snags you want to have it locked up making it easier to pull fish from the timber and not get busted off.

Have the drag backed off when fishing in open water for bream and flathead. You won’t pull as many hooks from the mouths of fish as you aren’t required to pull them from timber in a white knuckled affair.

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JUNE 2016

35

Warm weather pushes into winter WELSHPOOL

Alan McFayden amcsayte@bigpond.net.au

Last month there were many positive reports of great fishing. No doubt this is due to the late run of continued warm weather and lack of wind, which makes for good returns.

Land-based anglers have been doing very well at the local jetty where there have been good bags of fish such as silvers, flathead, mullet, squid and whiting.

The best time has been on the run-in tide with baits such as pipis, Bass yabbies, strips of pilchards and squid. The eastern of the structure seems to be the most productive for some reason and if conditions remain fine, there is no reason why the positive results won’t continue.

As has been the case for some time, the Lewis Channel has been the best area for whiting where they

continue to be up to the 37cm mark, which is pleasing in anyone’s language. Andrew Sanders and a mate decided to see if they could catch a whiting in the Lewis Channel shortly before this report. They decided to try their luck on the last bit of the run-in tide, but failed to trouble the weigh-master.

They persevered with the run-out tide and after about an hour’s wait they were into the royals. The action was fast and furious and they finished up with a very nice bag of quality fish that were all caught on pipis and squid. They then decided to try their luck in the Franklin Channel and managed two very reasonable size snapper that were around the 5kg mark and taken on squid.

There have been other similar reports in the area that have included quality gummy sharks being taken in good numbers.

Young Harry Howell loves going out fishing with his dad Steve. On their last

trip just before this report they headed out on a fine day looking for whatever might come along. As it turned out, Harry hooked up and after a long battle, landed a very nice gummy shark. Of course, he also had bragging rights as far as his family and schoolmates were concerned. Well-done young Harry!

The entrance is also known as Singapore Deep where good-sized flathead are being caught along with snapper and flathead. The best time has been on the run out tide with pilchards and squid being the best of the baits.

Out wide around Cliffy Island, there continues to be kingfish making up for fairly good bags and mixed in with them are plenty of rats, snook and salmon.

A short distance from Port Welshpool is Port Albert. Rob Killury, who runs the local general store says that this is the best season he can remember,

and this opinion, he says, is backed up by locals and regular visitors.

He says that the jetties have been getting a real workout where fish such as whiting, silvers, salmon, mullet and eels being caught in good numbers. The best time to try your luck in this area has been on the run-in tide. There have been quality silvers also being taken off the jetties on soft plastic lures and as we all know well they do put up a great fight.

Boaters have been catching good numbers of whiting just a short distance off the jetties, but have also been bagged virtually all the way to the entrance.

I received a report from a boater, who with a mate decided to look for some flathead just a short distance from Robertsons Beach. As it turned out, they were in luck and soon were into their quarry and in short time had plenty for their needs. The boater said that the fish were

The snapper are still going strong for those who are braving the cold. all flathead and were up to the 500g mark.

McLoughlins Beach has also been productive at the time of this report, and there had been big whiting

and flathead making up very impressive bags. The best of the baits have been pipis, Bass yabbies, and for flathead, a variety of soft plastic lures.

Last chance for whiting!

PHILLIP ISLAND

John Dalla-Rosa

My last two trips to Western Port chasing whiting have resulted in just two fish on each occasion, so I think that they are really starting to slow up now.

Now it’s time for us to start chasing a few sambos from the surf beaches and some trout from the impoundments.

It’s been a patchy year for both whiting and snapper, although pinkies were around in good numbers in February and March in Western Port and all over the place in Port Phillip, which is a good indication

that we’ll have lots of fish around the 40cm range next year.

SURF BEACES All surf beaches are fishing reasonably well, with most salmon being caught around the 1kg mark, and now with the colder weather descending upon us, the fishing can only get better.

There’s no better feeling than a 2kg salmon ‘king hit’, followed by the line screaming off the reel at a rate of knots.

SAN REMO AREA Below the bridge In the Cleelands Bight area, there are still some good calamari about and the odd school of salmon working up and down the channel.

Outside the entrance,

even though we have had some calm days, there has been a big swell running on most days, making it difficult to fish. There have been reasonable bags of flathead in the 30-40m depth range coming in off the Glasshouse.

Above the bridge As mentioned, whiting mostly disappeared, but there are still a few coming in from Dickies Bay, Reef Island and Leola Shoal.

Squid are around in fair numbers off the Bass River mouth, and good reports are also coming in from the Tyabb Bank.

There are also a few elephant fish being caught off the Corals and around Coronet Bay, and the odd

A good bag of early morning whiting are still around if you persist in certain areas. big gummy has also been coming in from the deep water off Ventnor.

FLINDERS AREA There’s still the odd

whiting about if you are prepared to put the time in.

Snook and couta are now showing up in better numbers, and there’s still

some good quality calamari about if you can get out of bed early enough to target them around the rubble patches and weed.

Yellowbelly goes for gold A golden perch (Macquaria ambigua) has provided some inspiration for Australian swimmers on their way to Rio with a marathon

1923km swim that took six years to accomplish.

Scientist from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning’s

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JUNE 2016

(DELWP) Arthur Rylah Institute (ARI) Jarod Lyon said, “The fish was re-captured during fish monitoring work in the Goulburn River last week, after originally being tagged below Lock 3 in the Murray River, near Overland Corner (west of Renmark in South Australia), in October 2010.

“Our monitoring has detected this fish several times throughout its journey including visits to Yarrawonga and Lock 6 near the South Australian border.

Those detections have shown that nearly 1500km of the marathon swim took place in just seven months,” Mr

The marathon swimming tagged yellowbelly. Photo courtesy of Scott Raymond.

Lyon said.

“The fish also managed to grow by 10cm during its marathon swim – it was 36cm when it was tagged and is now more than 46cm in length.”

“We know these fish

move about quite a lot to spawn and in response to changing conditions in the river but this is a significant distance for this species to cover.”

“The biggest recorded movement we’ve had for

a Golden Perch is about 2000km so this fish is approaching that record.”

The surveys were conducted as part of a DELWP program looking at management of fish habitat in Victoria. – DELWP

Surf action making waves NINETY MILE BEACH

Will Thompson allwaysangling@bigpond.com

It’s been another great month of fishing off the surf and perhaps the best fishing we have seen this season, but as the water temperature cools we will see an influx of cold water species such as the Australia salmon.

I’ll talk a little about the past month first, and probably the main thing to note was a water temperature drop. It wasn’t a massive drop, but it got down to around the 17-18°C mark, which is, in fact, a great water temperature for all species available in Victoria.

Probably the most common catch were the elephant fish. Anglers were catching large amounts of these great fish, and some anglers reported catching up to 10 per session. Just remember elephants have a bag limit of one per person. All were caught during the evening, and mostly on squid baits. The elephants leave our area just yet either, we normally see them through until the end of May. However, if the weather holds up and some warmer currents stay around, they

Daniel Bates caught this massive salmon measuring up to 67cm and weighing almost 3kg at McGaurans Beach on bluebait. could go well into June!

The gummy sharks were fantastic as well, although we didn’t see any massive ones, with most around the 1m mark and lots of undersize ones as well. Most have been caught in the evening around that 7pm through until midnight

stage using squid and blue bait. Gummy numbers will drop off dramatically once that water temperature falls under 14°C, which is usually in June, but you can never be sure with gummies. Gummies usually get replaced by those muchhated draughtboard sharks.

The salmon really came on strong this month and we saw some massive ones caught, with some up to almost 70cm.

They were caught anytime during the day or night and were mostly caught on blue bait and occasionally squid.

They seem to bite hard between Golden Beach and Woodside, yet we heard of plenty around Loch Sport on as well.

A great activity for next month will be to spin for salmon. As that water cools, we will get larger numbers of salmon and if it doesn’t cool too much, those really big salmon that we have had over the past month will hang around.

If you want a lot of fun, try getting a 9ft spin rod and a small reel spooled with braid and take down a handful of metal lures and walk the beach casting. It’s some of the best fishing that can be had in Victoria, and when you hook one of those 3kg fish, it will make you wonder why you haven’t been doing this before!

• For more information, contact Will at Allways Angling in Traralgon on 5174 8544.

You will get expert advice and great deals on fishing bait and tackle. Tune into Rex Hunt and Lee Rayner’s Off the Hook on 1242 to hear Will’s report on what’s going on in Gippsland!

TOP ENDER RANGE

Daniel Bates and his family had a cracking night catch and releasing elephant fish down at Golden Beach. They were on the chew all night and Daniel left them biting!

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37

Indian summer brings the goods INVERLOCH

Alan McFayden amcsayte@bigpond.net.au

With the Indian summer last month, the good fishing and reports continue.

The weather was mainly fine over the last month and as a result there were many positive reports. According to quite a few boaters, the water temperature is still quite high for this time of year and while this continues, there is

These anglers were very pleased with the day’s catch.

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every chance of the summer species sticking around for a while longer.

Amanda Kellar and Terry Hendrikx have been doing very well off Kilcunda and recently they caught some very nice gummy sharks that were around the 16kg mark as well as a very good size red mullet. These fish are not caught in big numbers, but are so good on the table they seldom go back.

Mahers Landing has been very popular as far as boaters were concerned. Most were visitors and I came across some boaters that had just returned from a day out.

Skipper Jamie Brooksby said that his crew, Jamie and Dion, did reasonably well and caught a presentable bag of silvers, whiting and flathead, but he also said that they would have done better if they had not missed the tide. They are from Drouin, and will no doubt be back again to do it all again at the first opportunity.

There were quite a few other boats returning and most had a similar tale to tell. The last boat to come in was a small tinny that appeared to have very little free board. This no doubt would have been because of

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the weight of the two large men. There didn’t appear to be any safety gear in the boat and fortunately there was very little wind to make things awkward. Had there been a sudden change for worse conditions we could have had another causality on our hands, one that could have been avoided!

TARWIN RIVER I received a call from a visiting angler who decided to try his luck on the run-out tide. He had no troubles getting into the water off the ramp and managed a mixed bag of perch, silvers and a few good size mullet. When he returned at dead low water, he had a real challenge retrieving his boat through that awful black mud. He did learn something, and that was not to launch or retrieve in low water off Tarwin.

The area known as the rock wall, near the mouth has also been productive with silvers, mullet and for those who like them, eels. They are reasonable on the table but that also make very good bait for sharks, which are attracted by their high oil content.

SHALLOW INLET Information from Karen Starrett who runs the local caravan park is that the water

Wonthaggi angler Danny Luna with a very nice 41cm whiting caught on a Bass yabby. temperature is still on the warm side and very good size whiting are being caught in pleasing numbers to the 45cm mark. This puts them in the thumper bracket.

Quality flathead are also being bagged along with mullet, silvers and salmon. For the benefit of visitors or those not familiar with the area, there is no constructed boat ramp where watercraft can be launched or retrieved, but there is a soft patch, which of course must be avoided. If you’re not sure, then good advice can be obtained from Karen or Andrew at the caravan park who also have a good variety of baits for sale.

Outside the entrance

at Waratah Bay, there have been very good numbers of big whiting and kingfish being caught. A regular visitor, Ian Harvey, can often be found out on the water and recently he decided to try his luck. He said that he was fishing in no more than 3m of water looking for a whiting, but wasn’t doing all that good and put it down to the muddy colour of the water. Suddenly there was an enquiry, and the battle was on in earnest. After a long battle he landed his first kingfish that stretched the tape way out to 90cm! He said that it just goes to show that we can expect the unexpected with fishing, and this was just another example.

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JUNE 2016

I mentioned in last edition that the baitfish have arrived and the predators won’t be far behind them.

Now, it’s all happened, and the kingfish have shown up, although not in huge numbers, with only several reported to over a metre in length.

The big news was the capture of the first broadbill swordfish caught in Victorian waters and several striped marlin again making our bit of coastline the premium game fishing destination in Victoria. The sad thing is although Cape Conran boat

The Marlo system is renowned for quality bream like this 46cm model. ramp is the closest ramp to the shelf, the boat ramp can only cater for small boats with the larger trailer boats having to enter Bass Strait

The jetty at the boat ramp is a popular location for fishers of all ages. These young fellows had a ball catching tailor one after the other.

from Lakes Entrance, making the trip to the continental shelf many more nautical miles travel than it should be.

Fishing offshore from Cape Conran ramp is excellent for the anglers who prefer to fish closet to shore, and reports of good bins of flathead, gurnard, arrow squid, salmon, barracouta and gummy shark have been the norm from this area.

So far, there’s been no reports this month of marlin being caught just off the boat ramp, but lots of anglers have been hopeful.

The surf beaches are still fishing at a premium, with salmon and tailor in good numbers and anglers To page 39

Finally, a Gippsland Lake mulloway on lure GIPPSLAND LAKES

Brett Geddes b.geddes@bigpond.com

Surprises make our great sport engaging and addictive. The mystery, the extraordinary captures and the joys of discovery are all part of why we fish.

I have a mulloway story to share with you that has amazed bait anglers and

totally shocked everyone who throws lures in the Gippsland Lakes. Even more bizarre is the news of two gummy sharks caught in the system as well. This report will delight you with what anglers have discovered recently and highlights some of the secret treasures we are so blissfully unaware of.

A BIT OF HISTORY About six times every

Matt White with another cracker land-based bream.

From page 38

getting good results bait fishing with surf rods and using blue bait, squid, pilchards or eel for bait.

For the anglers who prefer to use light tackle, there are also getting plenty of good size salmon and tailor available for those spinning metal lures.

The adventurous young anglers who prefer to use game gear and target bronze whaler sharks by paddling their big baits out with a surf board are still getting good results.

While the prawns are

still here in good numbers, the fishing will remain excellent, and flathead can be found along the sand flats that run from the Marlo jetty all the way down to Frenches Narrows. The best results have come from anglers using soft plastic lures. Salmon and tailor are coming in with the tide, giving anglers plenty of action either trolling or casting lures.

Bream are here in good numbers and are being taken from the entrance up into both Lake Corringle and Lake Curlip. Sandworms, prawns, nippers and shell baits seem

year I have discussions or debates about Gippy Lake mulloway. I’m often asked the question – ‘do mulloway live in the system and can they be caught?’ More often than not, I don’t have a concrete answer to this.

Historically they have shown up here for decades, and I’ve heard plenty of long drawn out stories of big fish caught on rods and a few in nets.

Mostly from blokes who ‘know a bloke’ who caught one. Second-or third-hand stories and never pictures to back it up. They have always been a super rare capture, and I’ve heard of only one or two ever caught on lure in the last 20 years. I talked to a bloke at the Eagle Point boat ramp two years ago who caught four big mulloway in Jones Bay on tailor fillets during the middle of the night. Yet again, no photos but it probably had to be true because it’s hard to even make up a story like that!

I fish the Gippy Lakes at least 30-40 times a year and I throw lures for about 6-8 hours each time. Multiply that by 16 years. I know more than a dozen other lure anglers who put in a similar effort and not one of us has ever hooked even a little mulloway. I just need you to know how elusive and scarce they are in these parts. Most of us have realised they belong in the to be the best option.

Luderick can be found schooling along the rock groins and mud banks, and most so far have been taken on sandworm.

Golden eye mullet are also in good numbers and can be found throughout the whole system. If you’re after mullet, sandworm and shrimp are working brilliantly at the moment.

The weather may be cooling off, but there’s no reason why you can’t still catch fish. You just have to don your winter gear and tough it out!

Wayne Morley with a 72cm Gippsland Lake mulloway caught on lure. A once in a lifetime capture. ‘too hard basket’.

Wayne Morley changed all of that the other day when he landed the jackpot in the shape of a 72cm mulloway caught on a metal bream blade.

MULLOWAY IN MCLENNANS STRAIT Wayne and Mark Ramsay were in the boat up near Lake Wellington catching a few flathead and bream, when Wayne suddenly hooked and began to fight something big and heavy. Mark has caught mulloway with fellow VTFM scribe Stuart Hindson and knew what it was very early into the battle. Mark has often talked about his passion to catch mulloway and spent hours telling me how and where he was going to get them on lures. I always thought he was mad and dreaming! I even got sucked into trying to catch them with him as he showed me all the tricks Stuie Hindson has armed him with. Well Mark, I eat my words – you are right, it can be done!

Huge congrats to Wayne and thanks for sending me all the photos. I know this much mate – you tie very good knots!

METUNG MADNESS GUMMY SHARKS You would have to be hiding under two rocks to have missed all the talk about kingfish caught from Metung to Lakes Entrance this past summer. These fish have been an incredible addition to the variety of target species now on offer in Gippy Lakes. I have heard a report of one angler who tried to target kings with big pilchards and anchored his boat up at Metung in fairly deep water. About 30 minutes later his rod buckled over but there was no kingfish on the hook. Much to his surprise, up popped a gummy shark no less than 5ft long! But wait, there’s more. The next fish on board is once again not the target species. This time it’s ‘just’ a 4ft gummy! These two captures have fair dinkum shocked me. I’ve never heard of any species of shark caught in the Gippy Lakes and nor has anyone I know. Not from the Entrance, let alone right up at Metung; and not just any old gummies but a couple of thumpers. It may be rare, but I’m speechless!

BREAM NEWS So now for some

‘normal’ bream news! Matty White from Stratford has again scored some of the biggest bream recently using both lures and spider crabs.

His best two measured 44cm and 46cm and he sent me more pictures and stories of big fish from 40-43cm.

Once again the Straits have been the hotspot, with the odd trip to Metung or the Mitchell. Quite often Matty leaves the boat at home and takes the family down to Hollands Landing for a land-based trip and still gets his girls pulling in big bream. And to top all that off, I have just received pictures of his daughter holding up a 43cm river bass, one of four caught on a hardbody lure just before dark. Funny, he seems to have ‘forgotten’ where they found them!

STOP THE PRESS – ANOTHER MULLOWAY Just as I’m about to send this report I hear another mulloway has been caught in Lake Wellington. Wow, two of them now caught within a week and to think hardly anyone is even targeting them. I’ll have more news about this next time.

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39

Bruiser bream in tip top form LAKES ENTRANCE

Leigh McVeigh

The days are getting shorter the nights are getting colder, but the fishing has remained hot and fast over the past month and we are looking forward to the winter bite that’s just around the corner.

LAKES ENTRANCE Fishing in Lakes Entrance has been fantastic recently. Some very healthy luderick have been hunting the rock walls and jetties, and the blackfish mafia have been out in full force.

These fish have taken weed fished under a float, but good numbers have also been

caught by lure fishers using blades and plastics. First and last light has seen the best of the action, but if that time of day is a little chilly for you, daytime fishing an hour either side of the turn of the tide should see you tangle with a few fish. These fish have actively been feeding in large schools, so walk along the rocks or jetties with a good set of polarized glasses until you locate rolling fish, and you will get some great results.

There have been some nice bream to well over 40cm feeding in the same areas, but they have been a little more fussy than the luderick, with fresh local prawn, spider crab or a bag full of plastics and some patience your best

Flathead are a viable target, however the bite has slowed up a bit. The better models seem to be hanging around deeper drop-offs.

options. You will find these blue nose bream feeding and anglers should be in for a real treat with some trophy fish on offer.

The surprise this month is the estuary perch actively feeding on the surface after dark in the North Arm, despite the cold weather, but with a few straggling prawns still about in the system, my guess is they will continue to bite off the top until their food source changes.

Local anglers have been taking full advantage of the small crowds and good numbers of these fish after dark.

OFFSHORE Some good catches of snapper and gummy shark have been reported off all the major reefs, but the big news from Lakes Entrance this month has come from the first swordfish taken (in my living memory anyway) less than 100km out. With the trailer boats now able to do more miles, and the sounders getting better and better, I am sure the game fishing off Lakes Entrance is only just getting started, and catches like this one will become more common as time goes on.

I never thought I’d see the days of people cleaning marlin and swordfish at the local boat ramps, but the past few years has seen an explosion in the

game fishing scene locally and this is great news for our town, drawing in a new wave of anglers and much needed tourism dollars.

BEACHES The beaches are probably our only let down this month locally, with the sharks all but gone, and very few salmon taken. As the weather gets colder however, those huge winter schools of salmon Lakes Entrance sees every year should start to arrive. The action can be fast and furious off the sand when the salmon are on. You can experience some of the best sports fishing Lakes Entrance has to offer land-based, armed with a handful of laser lures and a light spinning outfit. Let’s hope the action picks up soon, I for one am chomping at the bit to get into them this season.

LAKE TYERS The bream fishing at Lake Tyers has been consistent and although you may have to look harder for the larger fish, there have been plenty of just legal bream on offer for both the bait and lure anglers. The bream have now moved off the flats seeking deeper water. We found better bream in 8-12ft of water in the structure of Nowa Nowa Arm or hiding in the weed beds in the same depth.

Bream of this quality can be expected in good numbers in June.

Prawn pattern plastics or 50mm flick baits seemed to be the most productive, but other anglers at the ramps say the fish were taking a wide range of baits, and finding them feeding seemed to be all you had to do to score a nice bag of fish.

Some big tailor are still terrorizing the lure army, and some are in excess of 3kg and are very hard to stop. The fight is hard and fast before they bite through leaders, but they make for some great sport if you choose to target them with heavier gear.

The flathead are still about, although the bite is starting to slow down dramatically. Late afternoons fishing the deeper drop-offs in

the main lake with large flick baits or bluebait have seen the best results, but some larger fish have been taken high in the Nowa Nowa Arm by the more patient anglers putting in the time.

With the fishing so consistent at this time of year, and the depths of winter just around the corner, things are really looking set to be a great season on the bream in the deeper water. If you are yet to fish Lakes Entrance or you haven’t been here in a while, there has never been a better time to plan your trip. With plenty of fish on offer and all the major holiday traffic gone, it really is hard to think of a reason not to stay a few days and catch a fish.

Kingfish charging into winter MCLOUGHLINS

Will Thompson allwaysangling@bigpond.com

A slight drop has brought the water temperature back to optimal fishing temperatures and last month we saw everything from gummies to kingfish caught in good numbers.

MCLOUGHLINS BEACH OFFSHORE Gummy sharks were the main target out wide last month, due to plenty of good reports of 10kg+ fish landed in 22m of water. Anglers

who fish early mornings and afternoons did the best, and it wasn’t uncommon for anglers to catch 2-3 good-sized gummies in a session.

Anglers heading down further along the offshore grounds were getting goodsized pinkies on the reefs in 18m. Pilchards and squid were the best baits, and again, whether you were anchored or drifting it didn’t really matter too much. Anglers drifting were getting good bags of flathead as well.

OFFSHORE PORT ALBERT We better talk about the

kingfish. Once that water dropped to around 17°C, they came on really strong and could be found out wide in 30m of water and more feeding on schools of whitebait. To find them, we trolled skirted lures of around 4-5” long. Trolling is effective, the real tell tale sign was the bird activity.

There are large schools of baitfish out wide, and the best method to find kings is to look for flocks of terns and gannets. Even if they aren’t diving, they are a good indicator that bait is in the area and the kings won’t be too far away.

Knife jigs have been a great method to use to find deep schools of kingfish and we have been using 150-200g jigs with great success.

However, micro-jigs have been getting a few fish as well and we have done a fair job on 60-100g microjigs fished very slow or on the drop.

In the same area, drifting with large fresh cut baits

We have been getting some good-sized kingfish over the past month offshore from Port Albert, with plenty of kings chasing bait schools in 30m.

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Ben Barnes with an 80cm kingfish caught on a 150g knife jig.

such as slimy mackerel, yakkas and salmon has been successful for bigger gummy sharks and there have been plenty around the 12kg mark caught in 35m of water.

There have still been good numbers of pinkie snapper of around 35cm as well on the reefs in 21-30m, but they will slowly get harder to find as the water temperature drops off.

It’s the same story with the kings, and I think we will have another month of great fishing depending on the quantity of bait around.

• For more information, contact Will at Allways Angling in Traralgon on 5174 8544. You will get expert advice and great deals on fishing bait and tackle. Tune into Rex Hunt and Lee Rayner’s Off the Hook on 1242 to hear Will’s report on what’s going on in Gippsland!

Bag a tagged winter bream at Bemm and win!

BEMM RIVER

Robyn Sturgess

Welcome to the first month of winter, which can get very cold down at Bemm River! Don’t let the cold keep you indoors, make sure you rug up and experience some of the great fishing that still goes on in winter.

June 1 sees the beginning

of our exciting winter promotion, Tag-A-Fish! We have tagged five bream and released them back into our system. If you catch one of the tagged fish, you can win big, with prizes ranging from boat packages to cash.

The past month has seen some amazing weather with warm still days and cool crisp nights. Early morning has been preferable to snag that desired fish,

particularly the bream.

The bream have been plentiful with great quality stock ranging from 30-42cm. Popular hot spots have been between the Mahogoneys and Siberia.

Last month the water was extremely high, but the entrance was looking to be opened shortly.

The odd flatty is still being caught around the sand beds and even as far

Early and late starts have been the key to scoring a fresh feed of fish.

The bream action has been at it’s best early in the morning.

as the deeper parts of the lake, and they prefer lures.

The fishing platform has also been popular for catching quality fish.

The river has been rather quiet with most anglers heading to the channel area, especially if they are targeting salmon and tailor.

The surf has been excellent, with salmon and

tailor making a regular bag appearance. The surf action will get better as the weather cools down. One angler reported a 20-minute fight with a kingfish, which sounds like an epic battle.

The odd shark is still being hooked, and long night sessions on the beach will soon become the norm for the toothy and toothless

shark species.

• For on the spot and up to date fishing reports check out Robyn’s website: www. bemmaccommodation. com.au or ‘like’ us on Facebook – Bemm River Holiday Accommodation Phone: (03) 5158 4233/ Mob. 0427 584 233 Email: bemmaccomm@ bigpond.com.

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Tag-A-Fish promotion The pristine location of Bemm River will be the scene of an exciting winter promotion this year in the form of ‘Tag-A-Fish’ competition conducted

by The Bemm River Progress and Improvement Association Inc. Entry is by registration, with no entry fee required. This promotion opens on 1 June and concludes 31 August.

Registration forms will be duplicated, so each business has records of participants. If you catch one of the five-tagged bream (tagged by Fisheries Victoria representative, Craig Ingram), you must present this fish (preferably alive) to the Bemm River Hotel. Anglers must not remove the tag! The tag will be removed, details recorded and you can choose to either

release your fish or keep it.

You must be registered and hand your registration form into the hotel with the tagged bream. If entrants decide to return at a later date, they must officially re-register.

Prizes include a boat, trailer and motor, BBQ, Karcher, miscellaneous rods, reels and tackle, sandwich maker, battery charger and lots more – sponsors have been extremely generous.

At the conclusion of this promotion, a major draw will

A lovely Bemm bream tagged and ready for release.

TO REGISTER

The release of tagged fish encourages sustainability and researches the behaviour and population of local bream.

Registration forms are available from the following business houses: Bemm River Cosy Nook Flats Rob and Christina Foster 93 Sydenham Parade Bemm River Holiday Accommodation & Boat Hire David and Robyn Sturgess 41 Sydenham Parade Bemm River Hotel Ray and Debbie Bowen 3 Sydenham Parade Bemm River Caravan Park Greg, Mandy and Carl Forrester 2 Sydenham Inlet Road Bemm River Bungalows Gordon and Annie Pearl Point Road Bemm River Holiday Houses Lisa Fitzgerald Banksia Street

take place at the Bemm River Hotel at 2pm on 3 September, if any tagged bream have been caught.

This is when we draw the lucky winners. Bream must be angled with the use of artificial lure, fly or legal bait only. The winner of the major prize (boat, trailer and motor combo) agrees to leave advertising details on the boat for a period of 12 months.

Winners will be notified after the draw.

When anglers register, they accept the ‘terms and conditions’ of this promotion.

The tagged fish must be caught within the Bemm River and Sydenham Inlet system. Please also note that prizes are not redeemable for cash. Members

of The Bemm River Progress and Improvement Association Incorporated or their family members or anyone else connected in any way with the competition or helping to set up the competition shall not be permitted to enter this promotion.

If no tagged bream are caught during the promotion, we contact all registered participants to offer them a ‘second chance draw’ to win the major prize of boat, motor and trailer combo. This will attract an entry fee of $25 per entrant. This also means that he boat package will definitely won by a participating entrant. –The Bemm River Progress and Improvement Association Inc.

Bemm River – Tag-A-Fish Promotion by Conducted gess iver Pro The Bemm R ement and Improv c.

In Association

Over $10,000 in Prizes

The pristine tranquil location of Bemm River will be the scene of an exciting ‘Winter’ promotion this year in the form of ‘Tag-A-Fish’ This comprises 5-tagged bream, tagged by Fisheries Victoria representative, Craig Ingram.

Entry is by registration, no entry fee required. This promotion opens on June 01, 2016 and concludes 31 August, 2016.

Registration forms are available from the following Bemm River business houses:

Bemm River Cosy Nook Flats Rob & Christina Foster 93 Sydenham Parade (03) 5158 4231

Bemm River Holiday Accommodation & Boat Hire David & Robyn Sturgess 41 Sydenham Parade (03) 5158 4233

TERMS AND CONDITIONS - BEMM RIVER – ‘TAG –A-FISH’ PROMOTION 01 JUNE – 31 AUGUST 2016 1. The promoter is ‘The Bemm River Progress and Improvement Association Incorporated’, whose registered office is at 41 Sydenham Parade, Bemm River, Victoria 3889 2. Members of ‘The Bemm River Progress and Improvement Association Incorporated’ or their family members or anyone else connected in any way with the competition or helping to set up the competition shall not be permitted to enter this promotion.

3. There is no entry fee and no purchase necessary to enter this promotion.

4. Registration/entry forms for this promotion are available from the participating business houses: Registration covers for days competing. If entrant returns at a later date, they must re-register.

5. Closing date for entry will be 31/08/2016. After this date no further entries to the promotion will be permitted.

6. No responsibility can be accepted for registrations not received for whatever reason.

7. The promoter reserves the right to cancel or amend the promotion and these terms and conditions without notice in the

42

JUNE 2016

Bemm River Hotel Ray & Debbie Bowen 3 Sydenham Parade (03) 5158 4241

Bemm River Caravan Park

Greg, Mandy & Carl Forrester 2 Sydenham Inlet Road 0428 557 438

event of a catastrophe, war, civil or military disturbance, act of God or any actual or anticipated breach of any applicable law or regulation or any other event outside of the promoter’s control. Any changes to the promotion will be notified to entrants as soon as possible by the promoter.

8. The promoter is not responsible for inaccurate prize details supplied to any entrant by any third party connected with this promotion.

9. No cash alternative to the prizes will be offered. The prizes are not transferable. Prizes are subject to availability and we reserve the right to substitute any prize with another of equivalent value without giving notice.

10. The winners will be notified by telephone, email and/or letter within 28days of the closing date.

11. The promoter will notify the winner when and where the prizes can be collected.

12. The promoter’s decision in respect of all matters to do with the promotion will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.

13. By registering in this promotion, an entrant is indicating his/her agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions.

14. The winner agrees to the use of his/her name and image in any publicity material. Any personal data relating to the

Bemm River Bungalows

Gordon & Annie Pearl Point Road (03) 5158 4225

Bemm River Holiday Houses Lisa Fitzgerald Banksia Street 0438 525 818

winner or any other entrants will be used solely in accordance with current data protection legislation and will not be disclosed to a third party without the entrant’s prior consent.

15.Registration into this promotion will be deemed as acceptance of these terms and conditions.

16. You are providing your information to The Bemm River Progress and Improvement Association Incorporated, not to any other party.

17. The tag must NOT be removed from the ‘fish’ and the ‘fish’ preferably kept alive.

18. The ‘fish’ must be presented to the Bemm River Hotel to have ‘tag’ number and details recorded. This will then go into the ‘draw’ at the conclusion of the promotion to determine the tag and the winning prizes. Prize draw will be Saturday 03 September, 2016 at the Bemm River Hotel at 2:00pm.

19.The tagged fish must be caught within the Bemm River and Sydenham Inlet system.

20. The ‘tagged’ fish must be angled with the use of artificial lure, fly or legal bait only.

21. The winner of the major prize, being boat, trailer and motor combo, agrees to leave advertising details on the boat for a period of 12 months.

t s e B e h T nts e m o M e h t t a n r are bo

Brought to you by

Boating Industry Association of Victoria

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A message from the helm - full speed ahead!

The Boating Industry Association of Victoria (BIAV) welcomes you to the 2016 Melbourne Boat Show!

Whether you are visiting for the first time, exploring the boating lifestyle, or you’re a seasoned boatie, we are excited to show what our industry is passionate about and what this great Australian recreational activity can give you, your family and friends.

As you walk down the aisles of the 2016 Melbourne Boat Show, you will see a spectacular showcase of the marine industry. In addition to what you see at the show, the BIAV proactively advocates for the boating community and industry on all levels. We remain at the forefront when it comes to issues such as access to water, training and employment, information, infrastructure and economic development. We are steadfast in our commitment to you – the boating community.

At the 2016 Melbourne Boat Show, you will gain access to the very best of the industry, with the experts and professionals of the boating world at hand. They will be able to inform and advise you of the latest products on the market, how-to subjects of boating, thoroughly answer questions you may have, and even give you their tips when it comes to boating and everything about a boating lifestyle.

Irene Hoe (President of the BIAV) and Steven Potts (CEO) are proud to be at the helm of the 2016 Melbourne Boat Show.

Melbourne Boat Show partners

Together with these experts, you will see the latest in boats and equipment that our industry has to offer. Exhibitors will also have special Melbourne Boat Show deals and packages, and are keen to offer a combination of product and price that you will find irresistible. Some exhibitors have new flagship models in boats, electronics, fishing gear and accessories, while others have added tempting models to their ranges, which cater for both the novice and seasoned boatie, and cutting-edge technology and features.

The 2016 Melbourne Boat Show has entertainment in the form of educational and informative shows and demonstrations for all ages. Wellknown boating and fishing personalities are sure to entertain you and enhance your boating and fishing knowledge.

For the kids there are activities including casting clinics for all levels that will keep your little ones entertained and engaged.

Together with having an enjoyable time, we hope you walk away from the 2016 Melbourne Boat Show having experienced the essence of what the boating lifestyle is about, and are moved to an even greater interest in pursuing boating and all the benefits it provides.

As we say – the best moments are born at the 2016 Melbourne Boat Show!

Let everyone know that Life’s Better with a Boat For all things boating in Victoria, there’s no better place to look to than Life’s Better With A Boat! Developed by the Boating Industry Association of Victoria (BIAV), Life’s Better With A Boat is an industry-wide initiative that aims to inform the public about the joys and benefits of boating and the boating lifestyle.

The newly designed Life’s Better With A Boat website gives you easy access to a wealth of knowledge and information.

You can find how-to boating and fishing videos from experts of the marine industry to get you up to speed with the basics.

There are guides to different types of boats and boating and fishing products, so you can make an informed decision when it comes to buying a vessel or products. Information and resources on

fishing webcams, boat ramps and weather resources is also available online as well as guides on Victorian boating destinations, so you can plan a great day out on the water. With an event calendar of boating

related events and news and updates from the best brands in boating and fishing, you can keep ahead of the game when it comes to all things boating.

If that’s not enough, there’s also the Weekly Boating Forecast from ‘The Boat Guy’ Darren Finkelstein delivered to you via email. So sign up now and get on board!

Remember – Life’s Better With A Boat!

Find us online at www. lifesbetterwithaboat.com.au. We are also broadcasting through several social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and Youtube.

Life’s Better With A Boat would like to thank its 2016 Partners HARRIS

®

at

The

Anchorage marina

Visit www.lifesbetterwithaboat.com.au today for everything you need to know about boating and sign-up for weekly updates and boating forecasts 2

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2016 Melbourne Boat Show guaranteed to inspire There’s no better way to create lasting and memorable moments, whether with family or friends, than on the water and experiencing the joy that boating brings. From June 17-20, these moments will be born at the 2016 Melbourne Boat Show where you can explore all that the boating lifestyle has to offer.

With a family-friendly atmosphere, this premier event is where you can speak directly to the experts of boating and get the right advice, explore the many boats and watercraft to suit you, and take part in activities that are sure to educate, inform and entertain you.

Experiencing all this, you’ll definitely be convinced that Life’s Better With A Boat!

Make your big boat dreams a reality ••••••••••••••••••••

Not only will you be wowed by the big boats at 4

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this year’s Melbourne Boat Show, but your dreams of owning one can definitely become a reality. Experience the elegance and cuttingedge designs of the structures that will be on display for you to make your dream

come true.

If it’s sailing luxury you are after, then let your eyes feast on the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 349 brought in by 38 South Boat Sales. Standing at over 10m in length, this is one vessel for you to escape

from the everyday and taste the pleasures of family sailing luxury.

For those into high powered boating, there are the award winning Axopar 37 Cabin and Sealine C330 brought in

by Windcraft. Their sleek and stylish designs and manoeuvrability make them ideal for an exciting day out on the water. Also within the powerboat category, the Beneteau Gran Turismo 40s and Antares 30 brought in by Sundance Marine. The GT 40s will make its Australian debut at the 2016 Melbourne Boat Show . This boat produces a driving experience with both comfort and safety at up to 35 knots. The Antares 30 is a great family boat with wide decks and a spacious cockpit, and is a fantastic option for a compact family-sized motorboat with a single shaft drive.

Another big powerboat that will make its debut at the 2016 Melbourne Boat Show is the Caribbean 2700 – Open (Runabout) from St Kilda Boat Sales. This beauty is created from an entirely new mould and is the outboard-powered version of the hugely popular twin sterndrive model.

Talk to the experts ••••••••••••••••••••

Whatever type of boating or watercraft you’re into and kind of budget you have, there is no other place than the 2016 Melbourne Boat Show to find the right boat to suit you, with expert advice to help you enjoy your moments out on the water.

At the Melbourne Boat Show, you can speak to industry professionals who have reliable, accurate and in-depth knowledge and expertise on boats and watercraft of all kinds, from the smallest boats to luxury yachts and cruisers.

The range of experts covers fishing boats, pleasure craft, wakeboards, jet-skis, paddle boards, kayaks, winches and trailers, electronics and accessories, and fishing gear.

The show gives anglers the opportunity to see a range of quality brands and models all under the one roof. As well as long-

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term favourite exhibitors with their latest models and a whole range of new releases, you can see some exciting new brands at this year’s Melbourne Boat Show.

There will also be engine manufacturers displaying their ranges to match with any model or size of boat you could want.

Trailer manufacturers will feature their ranges as well, with exhibitors of both aluminium and steel models.

Many brands will offer exclusive deals as part of the 2016 Melbourne Boat

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Destinations marina

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Marinas are more than just the place where you can store your boat.

Not only do they provide storage, security and ease of access for your boats,

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I N F O R M A T I O N

Adults (18 years and over):.......................... $20 2 Day Adult Pass:...........................................$30 Family (2 adults with up to 3 kids):...............$45 Pension Concession Card Holder/Full-Time Student:................... $14 Seniors Concession Card Holders:............. $18 Child (6-17 years):............................................$3 Child under 5 years: ................................. FREE they are the place to gather and socialise with fellow boaters, enjoy a meal with family and friends, and access boating knowledge.

A special hub with marinas from Port Phillip and

to boating safety, boating operation and the rules and regulations. The 2016 Melbourne Boat Show is the place where you can find all the resources and education to help you have a safe and

and regulations.

You’ve just purchased a new boat or PWC, at the Show of course, and now you’re in need of a licence!

No need to wait, because at the Melbourne Boat Show you can book in to take your boat or PWC licence – a service provided by the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard. Even if you didn’t buy your boat or PWC at the show, members of the public can book to come in and take their boat or PWC licence, no worries. To pre-book your boat or PWC licence, call Lyn with the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard at (03) 9698 9092 today!

Purchasers of boats Show, such as complete boat or watercraft packages and more, so be sure to check out what’s on offer!

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Western Port Bays has been created for showgoers to discover and experience all that marinas have to complement your boating lifestyle.

Be a better boater

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Whatever your experience level with boats, it always pays to be in the know when it comes

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Tickets for the 2016 Melbourne Boat Show can be purchased in advance online or at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre. Ticket booths at the MCEC will be open throughout show times and are located along the concourse. coming alongside; safe boat operations; after care of a vessel and more. It’s another reason why the Melbourne Boat Show is a great place to buy a boat.

Interactive stage and demonstrations

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What better introduction

in Mossy’s blood and he delivers a highly entertaining and exciting show that will be sure to engage kids and adults alike.

The Main Stage will also feature top fishing personalities and experts including the likes of Lee Rayner of Fishing Fever, Paul Worsteling of iFish, Darren ‘The Boat Guy’ Finkelstein, Paul ‘The

positive boating experience the next time you’re out on the water.

At the Show, you can speak to experts from the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard, Victorian Water Police, Maritime Safety Victoria, Parks Victoria and NSW Roads & Maritime Services. They will be on hand to provide you with the right advice and the right resources when it comes to boating safety and the rules

at the Melbourne Boat Show receive an exclusive offer of a FREE boat handling course from Gary Squire at Professional Powerboat Handling.

This comprehensive course covers: boat trailer maintenance; reversing, launching and retrieving safely and efficiently; close quarter manoeuvres;

for on-stage activities than well-known fishing presenter and enthusiast Dave Moss! Fishing is S H O W

D A T E S

Friday, 17 June: Saturday, 18 June: Sunday, 19 June: Monday, 20 June:

Squid King’ Carter, and Con Panayides with ‘Catch of the Day’, giving his insight on To page 6

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From page 5

different fish caught out on the bays and how to prepare and cook them.

The 10m long Shimano Fishing Tank will feature again this year. Mossy will have fun demonstrating catch and release techniques and will enlist audience participation, making for a fun and interactive show. There are heaps of fishing and casting demonstrations, prizes and giveaways each day.

Entertainment for the whole family

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As well as the many boats, watercraft, fishing gear and accessories you can explore at the Melbourne Boat Show, there’s familyfriendly fun and exciting entertainment and activities that will complete your Show experience.

When it comes to kids

Little ones aged up to six years old can try their luck catching a colourful plastic floating fish in the Junior Catch Pool, using a

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safety-conscious loop to hook their catch. Underneath each fish is a marker, with a prize awarded for catching a fish.

Help will be on hand to give the kids a fun time.

Getting there

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The 2016 Melbourne Boat Show will be taking place at one of Australasia’s leading venues, the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre. Situated along the banks of the Yarra River and in the heart of Melbourne, the location is easily accessible by car and public transport and is within walking distance of many of Melbourne’s premier attractions. ...by car The Convention & Exhibition Centre is easily

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options available visit www. melbourneboatshow.com.au. ...by taxi Taxi ranks are located at both the Melbourne Exhibition Centre and the Melbourne Convention Centre, as well as all major hotels, Crown Entertainment Complex, Southern Cross and Flinders Street Stations.

For interstate and overseas visitors, you can book a Taxi on the phone or online.

Alternatively, you can simply hail a taxi anywhere around Melbourne. ...by tram There are two tram stops outside the Melbourne Convention Centre and one stop at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. No. 12, 96, 109 travel along Clarendon Street from South Melbourne, Port

Trams run every 6-8 minutes during peak times (7am-9am and 4pm-6pm), and every 10-12 minutes between 9am and 4pm.

The City Circle Tram service also provides a free and convenient way to get around central Melbourne.

Tourists, shoppers, office workers and families can use the City Circle Tram to travel to major attractions, shops and city events. ...by train The Southern Cross Station is just a short stroll from the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre. The Dandenong, Frankston, Belgrave, Lilydale and Sandringham lines run every 15 minutes and St Albans, Williamstown, Werribee, Upfield, Epping and Eltham run every 20 minutes.

Melbourne and St Kilda and service the CBD via Collins and Bourke Streets.

No. 70 runs along Flinders Street stopping on the north side of the Melbourne Convention Centre.

...on foot Why not make a weekend of it and stay at one of the wonderful hotels in the CBD? You can enjoy the night life and all the great restaurants Melbourne has to offer, then simply walk along the Yarra to the Boat Show.

accessed by the City’s roadways and freeways. City Link connects the Centre with the airport in just 20 minutes.

The Centre is also serviced

by a number of parking areas suitable for public, exhibitor and bus parking with additional parking available within walking distance of the Centre. For more information on the parking entertainment, Flathead Fred has been a staple at the Melbourne Boat Show, and his appearance continues in 2016. A favourite with the kids, Flathead Fred will keep them entertained with his fishing tales and activities.

Fishing clinics and target casting will be hosted by River2Surf, who are passionate about teaching sustainable fishing knowledge and techniques to a wide audience. Both children and adults alike can take part in this treasured pastime at the Melbourne Boat Show. Kids taking part in the fishing clinic along the Yarra will have a chance to catch a real live fish. Not to mention plenty of prizes to be won, so book early and get your kids to try out their skills!

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Scan to win / people’s choice

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Don’t forget to scan your entry ticket at the six designated touch points around the show auditorium to automatically enter a draw to win some big prizes! In addition to this, attendees can win prizes by taking part in the judging of the Best Exhibit in Shell & Open Floor Space!

With all this and more, the best moments are born at the 2016 Melbourne Boat Show! If you haven’t already purchased your tickets, head to www.melbourneboatshow. com.au to buy them online, and start making plans to attend the show!

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Exhibition stalls guide – the best of the best The Melbourne Boat Show is the best place to see all the greatest boat and motor brands under one roof.

At this year’s show you’ll see your favourites return, as well as some of the newer players in the Australian market. You can also check out new releases from your favourite outboard brands, and browse the latest fishingfriendly kayaks.

The full range of boats on display at the show is huge, so we’ve narrowed it down for you by selecting some of the best boats for anglers. Here are our picks.

AUSSIE BOAT SALES •• • • • • •••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

In the past, so much emphasis has been placed on the need for cuddies with hardtops for fishing in Victoria. The reality is very different, however. Cuddy/cabin space in the average fishing boat wastes 25% of the available deck space.

It also creates the additional issues of extra weight, a higher centre of gravity, less casting room and higher cost. Yes, the hardtop/cuddy combo does offer somewhere to sleep out of STAND NUMBER D10

the weather, and maybe some extra storage for rods and other gear. In theory it’s supposed to better protect you from spray when underway, and is supposed to offer superior vision with the option of running windscreen wipers on a glass windscreen when compared to clears.

The flip side is that the added weight of all the fibreglass that goes with the cabin and hardtop buries the bow, making what was probably a good, dry hull a wet one. And windscreen wipers typically result in a blurry, vision impaired experience.

A cabin can be good for younger kids who get bored easily, but it’s a costly way to make them happy. The storage aspect is good, but as soon as you put your gear in the cuddy area, you’re adding more weight to the bow and using up sleeping space.

The extra protection does help in really bad conditions, but few of us go out when it’s that bad. And on calm, summer days, the heat trapped inside all of that glass is very uncomfortable.

The fact is, a well built centre console or new generation bow rider crossover will cover 99% of fishing applications and conditions. The Robalo product is a classic example of this, with offshore hull designs that run drier and softer than any other boat out there. Standard features such as high volume direct overboard drainage, massive fuel capacities, lockable rod storage, toilet systems, live bait tanks, raw water wash down, tackle lockers, kill tanks, toe rails, and interchangeable seating all add up. These are serious fishing boats that are just as comfortable 100 miles offshore chasing pelagic giants as pinging for cod on the Murray. The deck areas are twice that of a cuddy cabin so you actually get what you pay for: maximum fishing space.

It doesn’t end there; compare the build quality and content of a Robalo with a similarly priced local or imported

product and you will quickly see why Robalo are the market leaders from 16-30ft in the USA. Features include bronze sea strainers, top end gel coats that resist fading or chalking, acrylic epoxy resin used with woven roving and Kevlar in the construction, chrome plated 316 grade stainless hardware, high volume pumps, oversized circuit protected wiring, high density foam buoyancy and quality touches everywhere you look. The Robalo range really does set a new standard in boat design and construction.

The most important part of a boat is the hull. Some of the hulls being peddled at the moment are decades old designs, with zero new technology applied.

Robalo, by contrast, has been a leader in innovation for the past 46 years and has access to enormous resources, with an average R&D budget well into the millions annually.

This research is at the heart of Robalo’s success, with the unique patented Hydro Lift deep V hull design being the big breakthrough. The engineers have created an efficient, soft riding hull that offers a dry ride and phenomenal efficiency at all speeds. The variable deadrise combined with wide reverse chines provides exceptional stability at rest, and fuel consumption is taken care of with the patented extended V-plane running surface. A great hull is what the serious fishos look for, and so should you.

Robalo may not be a household name in Australia – although more and more anglers are familiar with the brand – but if the latest offerings from this experienced boat builder are any indication, we can expect to see a lot more of these clever boats on our waterways in the near future. www.robalo.com HIGHLIGHT: the latest Robalo centre consoles and new generation bowrider crossovers.

Australia’s Greatest Brands

At Australia’s Greatest Dealer...

See the team on stand # C3A 461 Mountain Highway, Bayswater VIC 3153 03 9729 8288 sales@streakermarine.com.au

www.streakermarine.com.au JUNE 2016

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BAR CRUSHER •• • • • • •••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

As Bar Crusher’s home state, we always expect big things from this iconic Aussie brand at the Melbourne Boat Show… and this year is no different!

Bar Crusher will have over a dozen of its Fishing Weapons on display, from the popular folding-roof cuddy cabin (C) series, centre console/walk-around (XS and WR) series, awardwinning hard top (HT) offshore series, right up to its hard top pilothouse (HTP) series.

The 2016 model range features a number of new design innovations, including Bar Crusher’s exclusive Game Lock coaming (575 to 780 hull series), which allows you to lock yourself into an extremely comfortable and secure position while fighting big fish. This new design also makes what was already a very spacious cockpit fishing area even bigger!

New hard top designs and dash layouts, re-designed rocket launchers, extra heavy-duty bowsprits and bow/grab rails, and fresh paint schemes are just some of the new features to be found on various models across the range –advancements which STAND NUMBER C4

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have been carefully-considered to further improve your boating and fishing experience.

Designed and built for Australian conditions, all Bar Crusher boats incorporate exclusive innovations such as the Waveslicer deep-V, non-pounding hull for an ultra-smooth ride; Rigideck engineered sub-floor system for maximum hull strength; and Quickflow water ballast technology for excellent stability at rest.

All models from the 490 through to the 615 are now built on Bar Crusher’s industry-leading Gen2 hull. This design combines key features including a wider negative chine running forward, optimised wider chine aft and the distinctive Delta Flare – a complex V-shaped planing plank that starts wider at the transom and narrows as it runs forward. The result is greater hydrodynamic lift for more efficient planing and improved fuel economy, a higher bow attitude and better spray deflection for a drier ride.

Renowned for quality construction, superior performance and maximum fishability (with a range of standard features other manufacturers charge as extras), every Bar Crusher boat is factory-packaged on a custom-designed trailer, which ensures towing, launching and retrieving is a breeze. Self-centring and aligning perfectly every time, Bar Crusher’s innovative Bar Catch system also allows for single-handed launch and retrieve.

Fishing Weapons on display at the show include 490C, 490WR, 535C, 535XS, 575C, 575HT, 615C, 615HT, 670C, 670HT, 730HT, 780HT and 780HTP. Whether you’re a first-time boat buyer or have owned 10 boats and you’re looking for your next one, drop by and say g’day to the team and pick-up a copy of Bar Crusher’s Boat Buyer’s Guide to assist with your research. www.barcrusher.com.au HIGHLIGHT: Game Lock coaming (575 to 780 series), which lets you lock yourself into a very comfortable and secure position while fighting a fish. Also makes the fishing area even bigger!

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BOATS & MORE • • • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Exciting times are ahead at Boats & More with the release of five new models at this year’s Melbourne Boat Show. Boats & More’s stand will be the only place you can see these new models at the show.

STAND NUMBER E9

There will be six Haines Hunter boats on display including the new 595 Weekender and the all new 2100R. The 595 Weekender forms part of Haines Hunter’s new range of cruisers, which have been designed to specifically cater to the family and cruiser market. This new Cruiser model greatly differs from the standard fishing range by offering plush carpet throughout the entire boat, a rear lounge with upgraded plush fabric and a rear table. There will be full cabin and deck lighting, moulded foot rests, stainless steel drink holders, padded side combings, increased storage compartments and new modern graphics and styling. The Weekender range has taken Haines Hunter’s world renowned soft ride and stable hulls and fit them out for a sector of the market whose main

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use is in cruising, skiing, watersports and general family fun.

The all-new 2100R (replacing the 2100so) is a dedicated sports boat that offers significant performance features over past models. Packaged with the Mercury 300hp Verado, speeds of 115km/h are easily reached, which is significantly faster than the previous model with the same amount of horsepower. A key point of difference with the 2100R is that it’s significantly wider, far more streamlined, offers a larger cockpit space and is rated to carry seven people. This boat is the first of the new build and the only one in Australia – a must see!

Other Haines Hunter models on display will be 495 Profish, 520R, 565 Offshore and the 625 Offshore Hard Top. On the aluminium side of things, there will be a huge range of Clark boats on display including the 395 Predator, 427 Fish Master, 430 Bay Hunter, 435 Kakadu, 455 Dominator, 449 Rebel Centre Console and the new 410 Cod Catcher. The 410 Cod Catcher has been jointly designed by Boats & More and Clark boats based on customer requests.

Also on display will be a range of Anglapro boats including the Getaway 484 Pro, Outlaw 434 Pro and new release models, 424 Sniper and Trixsta 46. The 424 Sniper is great for anglers wanting a tough and strong performing centre console that is packed full of features. The Trixsta 46 is the new release family/ crossover boat for fishing and watersports fun.

There will be a range of Mercury and Suzuki engines at the stand. Boats & More is also now a dealer for Skicraft and XFI boats and will have boats on display on the Skicraft/ XFI stand.

A full range of Mercury, Suzuki, Evinrude and Seadoo products are available from Boats & More. They are also a Compleat Angler store and have stores in both Shepparton and Echuca. www.boatsandmore.com.au HIGHLIGHT: The new Clark 410 Cod Catcher, created in response to customer requests and jointly designed by Boats & More and Clark.

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BL MARINE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

This is BL Marine’s 18th year displaying at the Melbourne Boat Show, and this year their display will feature Stacer aluminium boats, Crownline USA built bow riders, Australian built Matrix ski and wakeboard boats, Yamaha Waverunners, and Mercury and Yamaha outboards.

All brands on display will feature exclusive Boat Show deals, along with competitive finance and insurance programs, all of which is handled in-house at BL Marine.

Our Stacer display will include Baymaster and Seaway runabouts, console Outlaws and Proline Anglers, Easy Rider bow riders and the highly acclaimed Assault Pro. They will be powered by a variety of latest release Mercury and Yamaha outboards.

Crownlines on display will include the 18SS and 19SS trailerable bow riders, all powered by Mercruiser sterndrives.

Crownlines are recognised throughout the world as some of the best fibreglass boats available.

BL Marine has been a dealer for Australian manufactured STAND NUMBER C5

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Matrix ski and wakeboard boats for the past 16 years. Matrix are renowned for their excellent build quality, attention to detail, performance, design and value for money. BL Marine will have the full range of Matrix boats on display at the Melbourne Boat Show with packages starting from $61,990.

The stand will also include a range of Yamaha Waverunners featuring the latest release VXR and FX SVHOs, which include the unique Yamaha RiDE system. The BL Marine stand is located alongside the Yamaha Corporate stand where you can experience the benefits of RiDE on dry land with the Yamaha simulator.

With a wide range of products, there’s something at the stand to accommodate the needs of all families. Come and visit the stand and speak with any of the experienced staff about BL Marine’s products and exclusive boat show offers. www.blmarine.com.au HIGHLIGHT: Exclusive Boat Show deals on all brands!

HAINES HUNTER • • • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Haines Hunter are releasing three new models that specifically cater to the family and cruiser market. While the current Haines Hunter fleet is largely made up of marketleading vessels expertly catered to anglers, they have decided to take their world renowned soft ride and stable hulls and fit them out for a sector of the market whose main use is in cruising, skiing, water sports and general family fun.

Haines Hunter National Sales Manager Tim Davies said when they first discussed the idea of producing models for the weekender or family boating market, their first thought was that a soft ride and rough water ability shouldn’t be compromised for an interior that offers creature comforts.

“The whole idea of our new cruiser range is to provide To page 10

CHELSEA YAMAHA CREATE YOUR ADVENTURES IN A HORIZON BOAT

STAND

#

B160

CHELSEA YAMAHA

9772 1212

13 ASHLEY PARK DVE CHELSEA HEIGHTS chelseayamaha.com.au

Come and check them out

Finance is available to approved personal applicants of Yamaha Motor Finance. Repayments are based on an annual percentage rate of 8.43% with a 25% deposit and 35% Balloon. The comparison rate is 8.99% pa and is based on a secured customer loan of $30,000 for five years. Conditions fees and charges apply. Offer valid until 29/02/16 WARNING: This comparison rate is true only for the examples given. Different fees or other loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate. Yamaha Motor Finance ABN 29 101 928 670 Australian Credit licence 394553

JUNE 2016

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Haines Hunter’s unequalled performance in a boat that is aimed at a family wanting to spend a day skiing, swimming and cruising,” he said.

Three models will be released and based on three high performance hulls, the 565, 595 and 625. The new Cruiser models will differ from the standard fishing range by offering plush carpet throughout, including the rear deck, side pockets and cabin. There’s also a rear lounge in an upgraded plush fabric, and a rear table for easy food preparation and dining.

A passenger seat box includes a rear seat that incorporates a sink and stove for dinners on overnight stays. Ice boxes can be stored underneath the driver and passenger seats.

STAND NUMBER C8 Other features include full cabin and deck lighting, moulded foot rests, stainless steel drink holders, paddled side combings and increased storage compartments. And of course, there’s the excellent ride and build quality that boaters have come to expect from Haines Hunter.

Another new release is the 2100R sports boat, replacing the 2100so. Features include a completely new hull and a fully redesigned deck with modern lines and features that fulfill the needs of modern day sports boaters. It’s significantly wider than its predecessor, is much more streamlined, offers a larger cockpit space and is rated to carry seven people. With a 300hp Mercury Verado, speeds of 115km/h are easily reached.

The new hull also offers far greater stability and has been designed to provide superior performance in wind-swept bays rather than just smooth waters.

The new Cruiser can be viewed on Port Phillip Boating Centre’s stand, and both the 2100R and the new Cruiser can be viewed on Boats and Mores stand. www.haineshunter.com.au HIGHLIGHT: All new 565, 595 and 625 Cruisers with plush creature comforts.

CHELSEA YAMAHA •• • • • • •••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Gold Coast manufacturer Horizon Aluminium Boats will be backing its major dealership, Chelsea Yamaha, with a range of its latest models, from the popular Allrounder and Stryker series through to the ever popular 525 Scorpion Cuddy Cabin.

Horizon Aluminium Boats, based at the Gold Coast, is one of Australia’s oldest family owned aluminium boat manufacturers, producing an extensive range of boats with over 80 models to choose from. The company offers boats to suit every form of on-water activity, from fishing to water skiing, and wake boarding to family cruising.

STAND NUMBER B16D

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HAINES GROUP • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

This year’s Melbourne Boat Show will again see a great cross-section of product representation from marine industry icon and Queensland manufacturer, The Haines Group.

As the world’s biggest private distributor of awardwinning Suzuki outboards, visitors to the show will be spoilt for choice with Suzuki products on display across six Victorian dealer stands including JV Marine, Boats & More, TRE Motorsport, new dealers Geelong Marine World and Warragul Marine, and boat manufacturer Bar Crusher.

In addition to the Suzuki brand, the JV Marine World stand will also showcase 11 models of Haines Signature Boats, the flagship brand of The Haines Group, for boating and fishing enthusiasts to check out. These boats are all perfectly suited to Victorian waterways and conditions.

This will also be your chance to see the newest member of the family, as Haines Signature gives Melbourne Boat Show attendees the first glimpse of the all new 550F. With greater capacity and a wider beam (almost a foot more than its nearest rival), the 550F is the perfect all-rounder for Port Phillip Bay and inland waterways.

The Haines Group will also unveil two new boats from the Seafarer family: the 6.0m Victory and 6.2m Vagabond X-Series, built tough for the serious offshore anglers. This brand new series of special edition models will be on display at the JV Marine World stand.

VARIOUS LOCATIONS

A selection of Tournament Pleasure boats will also be available for sale and viewing on the Geelong Marine World stand. Head over to see the 2000 Bluewater Gen2, which recently received a stylish makeover including the addition of a hardtop and interior upgrades, and the 1900 Centre Console – a boat with proven offshore capabilities designed for maximum fishing space.

You can also find out more about the latest DF4A/5A/6A motors recently released to the Australian market. At just 23.5kg, these motors are the lightest 4-stroke outboard motors in their class and are packed with a range of new and improved features while boasting a sleek new look in pearl nebular black.

Whether it be Suzuki power for your boat, a complete package to get your family on the bay or you’re a serious angler set to brave all conditions, The Haines Group has a product for you at the 2016 Melbourne Boat Show. www.thehainesgroup.com.au HIGHLIGHT: Get the first glimpse of the all new Haines Signature 550F!

JV MARINE WORLD • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

“Create your adventures in a Horizon Boat,” said General Manager, Scott James. “Our hand-crafted boats are totally built on site, have wide beams and boast a large list of excellent standard features. They’re also great value for money.”

Chelsea Yamaha will have a range of Horizon models at the Melbourne Boat show. All will feature the latest outboard engines from the renowned Yamaha stable, including 2-stroke and 4-stroke variations, and come packaged on quality Dunbier trailers. www.chelseayamaha.com.au HIGHLIGHT: A wide range of Horizon Boats packaged with Yamaha outboards and Dunbier trailers.

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JUNE 2016

Australia’s largest boating retailer, JV Marine World, is bringing its largest stand ever to the 2016 Melbourne Boatshow. JV Marine is very excited about this year’s show, with some fantastic new models about to be released!

Quintrex has just released eight new models in the Yellowfin range with all new design and features perfect for the offshore angler looking for a no-fuss, sturdy plate boat.

JV Marine will have a 5.8m soft top, 6.7m hard top and the giant 7.4m hard top in a twin rig (powered by two Suzuki 115hp 4-strokes!) Attendees of the recent press and media day were very impressed with the performance and handling of these new boats.

As well as the new Yellowfin range, JV Marine will display over 20 Quintrex factory-fitted packages, including runabouts, bow riders, side consoles and the big offshore Trident range, all at special boat show prices for the 4-day event. With Quintrex now an official partner of Evinrude E-Tec Outboards, you can bet there will be some serious deals available at the show.

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The Haines Group acquired the Seafarer brand a few years ago and have been waiting for the right time to unleash this popular boat make back into the Australian market… and now they’ve done it. The new bigger, heavier design and a ton of new standard features will leave anglers drooling over these quality fibreglass boats. JV Marine and THG have fitted these boats up with absolutely everything to make them the centrepiece of the stand at this year’s show. Make sure you check them out!

STAND NUMBER D7

JV Marine World will have 12 Haines-Signature boats on their stand, including a new release 5.5m Cuddy Cabin perfect for fishing the southern bays and offshore. Along with the new release will be a full Suzuki 4-stroke powered selection of models ranging from the 4.93m through to the monster 650F Hard Top. The always popular Revival boats have two new Cruiser model boats coming into the show (5.8m and 6.4m) as well as some crafty changes to their popular 5.25m cuddy and runabout. One of the leading fibreglass models on the market, the Revival range punch well above their weight and deliver a soft riding hull full of great features at a great price. Legendary Australian Boat builder Sam Catanese will be on hand at the show to answer any questions on the Revival boats.

From Four Winns we have the latest American-made luxury bow riders on display. Four Winns have a reputation for building top quality bow riders and these new models certainly take it to the next level with a range of features and benefits for family skiing and cruising.

Suzuki Marine will again be a part of the JV Marine World stand with a massive range of Suzuki 2 and 4-stroke engines on display at great discounts for the 4 day show event.

JV Marine World will have the current range of Kawasaki jetskis on show, including the ever popular supercharged 310hp range!

If you’re looking for the best brands in the business at the best prices, make sure you visit the JV Marine World stand and see why it’s Australia’s largest boating dealership. www.jvmarine.com.au HIGHLIGHT: The unveiling of the new Quintrex Yellowfin range, the re-release of the Seafarer range, and special boat show deals.

HONDA MARINE • • • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Honda Marine has announced the extension of Australia’s leading 7 Year Domestic Warranty and 3 Year Commercial Warranty – available free of charge, on any outboard that is purchased between now and March 31 2017. To qualify, the outboard must be serviced for the entire warranty period

STAND NUMBER D9

by an authorised Honda Marine dealer, in line with the recommended service schedule.

Chris New, National Sales Manager for Honda Marine, said Honda was committed to ensuring that the end user has complete ease of mind.

To page 12

FROM

$ FROM

$

83 ,031

109,659 NORTHBANK 600C

Mercury 150XL EFI 4-Stroke • Dunbier SRW6.1M-13TB Trailer • Stainless Steel Rocket Launcher • Walk Through Transom • Plumbed Live Bait Tank • Deck Wash • Bimini Top • Front & Side Clears • Fusion RA50 Stereo & Speakers • Garmin 7408XSV GPS Map • Garmin GT51M XDCR • Safety Equipment • EPIRB with GPS

FROM

$

44,684

NORTHBANK 650HT

• Mercury 200XL Verado • Mackay PU6500T-14THE Trailer • Hydraulic Steering • Toughened Glass Windscreen • 250 Litre Fuel Tank • Seat Options with Storage • Rear Folding Lounge • Viper Drum Winch Kit • Plumbed Live Bait Tank • Deck Wash Kit • Walk Through Transom • Garmin VHF Radio & Aerial • Garmin 7408XSV GPS Sounder • Safety Equipment

FINANCE AVAILABLE

4 2 9 R A M PA G E

$13,149

|

COME SEE US ON STAND #5B FOR A DEAL

429 OUTLAW

$19,502

Mercury 30ELH 2-Stroke • Stacer TGSL749 Trailer • 3 Year Warranty • Safety Equipment for 4 People • Garmin 350C Fish Finder • GME GR300BT AM/FM Stereo/BT • 2x Adjustable Rod Holders • Esky With Vertical Rod Racks

Mercury 40HP ELPT EFI 4-stroke • Stacer Trailer • 12 months registration • Safety equipment for 5 people • Battery tray in casting platform • 3 year warranty • Transducer brackets x2 • Transom Step and Rail • 4 Rod Holders

4 8 9 B AY M A S T E R $ 4 0 , 8 4 7

509 SEARUNNER

Mercury 80HP ELPT EFI 4-stroke • TA1100S13SB T Alloy 1100 ATM S Braked Trailer • Safety Equyipment for 5 People • 12 Months Registration • Garmin Echomap Chirp 55DV • Pole Mount Baitboard • Transducer Brakets x2 • Underfloor Fuel Tank 77 Ltrs

NORTHBANK 500C

Mercury 75ELPT EFI 4-Stroke • Dunbier R5.0M-13B Trailer • 60 Litre Underfloor Fuel Tank • Alloy Rocket Launcher • Bimini Top • Front Clear with Zip • Side Clears • Deluxe Baitboard • 27Mg Radio & Aerial • Safety Equipment • Garmin 75DV Echomap • Tackle Tray in Seat Box • Live Bait Tank (not plumbed) • Walk Through Bow Access

$44,355

Mercury 90HP ELPT EFI 4-stroke • T Alloy 1400 ATM S Braked Trailer • 12 months registration • Safety equipment for 5 people • 27Mg Radio & Aerial • Garmin Echomap Chirp 55DV • Alloy Rocket Launcher • 77 Litre Underfloor Fuel Tank

4 2 9 S E A W AY

$23,998

Mercury 40HP ELPT EFI 4-stroke • Stacer TGSL749 Trailer • 12 months registration • Safety equipment for 4 people • Garmin Echomap 45DV • Pole Mount Baitboard • Bimini Top • 50 Litre Underfloor Fuel Tank • Transducer Brackets x2

589 OCEAN RANGER HT

$79,054

Mercury 115 EXLPT EFI PRO XS 4-Stroke • TP Alloy 2000 Tandem Braked Trailer • Safety Equipment for 5 People • 12 Months Registration • Side Clears • Garmin 7407XSV GPSMap • Garmin GT51M • Drum Winch • Trim Tabs • Hydraulic Steering Club Marine logo_NEW.pdf

3/7/06

5:10:31 PM

92 HALLAM SOUTH ROAD | HALLAM | VICTORIA 3803 | PHONE (03) 9703 2003

JUNE 2016

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“Honda outboards are the toughest and most reliable on the Australian market, so why wouldn’t we back our product with an industry leading warranty?” he said. “Honda outboards are designed to be depended on day in, day out and shine in the harshest operating conditions. With the extension of Australia’s industry leading warranty, Honda is showing their commitment to the customer. Best of all the warranty does not change – you will receive the same fantastic coverage on the last day of your warranty that you would on day one!”

Unlike other brands that exclude many high value engine components, every Honda part is covered. If it is a manufacturing fault, it is covered under the warranty.

Honda’s range of 4-stroke marine outboard engines are supported by Honda’s extensive national dealer network and Honda Australia’s dedicated after-sales support team.

To view the range get down to the Melbourne Boat show and visit MY Marine or Aussie Boat Sales to learn more about the industry-leading warranty, and to get a great deal! *To be eligible for the last two years of the warranty, the outboard must be: sold and set up by an authorised dealer; serviced for the entire warranty period by an authorised dealer, in line with the recommended service schedule; and serviced for the entire warranty period using genuine Honda parts and lubricants. marine.honda.com.au HIGHLIGHT: A new 5 + 2 = 7 domestic warranty, available for a limited time.

MELBOURNE MARINE CENTRE •• • • • • •••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

At the 2016 Melbourne Boat Show, Melbourne Marine Centre will have a great range of boats on display from Stacer, Northbank and Bayliner, all powered by Mercury outboards. New models have been released by all three brands in the last 12 months, and all will be on display.

Melbourne Marine Centre has also reviewed their boat packages over the past few months, and investigated ways to make them even better for customers. The staff have placed a lot of consideration into their Boat Show packages this year, and have come up with some new ways of fitting the packages together. These options are designed to deliver better boating experiences for customers.

Stacer have recently launched two new Plate Hardtop models, and Melbourne Marine Centre will have the 589 Hard Top, packaged with the new Mercury 115 Pro XS 4-stroke at the show. Visitors will also see the 509 Crossfire on display. This exciting new cross over package is designed with the family and committed angler in mind. There will also be the new 399S Proline on display, along with 10 other different Stacer models with some unique options that won’t be seen at any other dealership.

Melbourne Marine Centre has also been working closely with Northbank Fiberglass Boats over the past 12 months.

This year they will be showcasing five different models at the stand: the 500C, 550C, 600C, 650 Hardtop (similar to Patrick Dangerfield’s new boat) and 750 Hardtop fitted with twin Mercury 225hp Verado engines. The team are excited about the range that will be on display, with models featuring cosmetic tweaks and innovative ideas.

Bayliner has also introduced two new models in their bow riders: the VR5 and VR6. Melbourne Marine Centre STAND NUMBER B5

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will have the new VR5 Premium Edition on display, along with the 170 and 180 – both of which can cross over from the family day boat to a fishing boat, with some unique options that have been factory fitted. Show visitors can also see the new 18 Element Fish centre console, which will be on display in the foyer.

The team say they’re looking forward to speaking with anyone who is interested in a new boat or repowering their current boat. Competitive finance rates will be available, with Club Marine Insurance also available for all packages. Be sure to check out the Melbourne Marine Centre stand next to the Mercury stand. www.melbournemarine.com.au

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QUINTREX • • • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Quintrex is sure to guarantee some show stoppers at this year’s Melbourne Boat show with the debut of their new model range: Yellowfin offshore plate boats. Quintrex dealerships JV Marine and Streaker Marine will be showcasing all the latest and greatest from Quintrex. There will be a total of five brand new Yellowfin models on display between the two stands, paired with Evinrude, Suzuki and Yamaha outboards.

VARIOUS LOCATIONS

HIGHLIGHT: New packages designed to give customers a better boating experience

MERCURY MARINE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

The Mercury stand is going to be packed with a full line-up of cutting edge marine power technology – including a full range of outboards from 2.5-400hp, MerCruiser inboards and sterndrives, quiet and clean diesels, and MotorGuide trolling motors.

Mercury’s new 115 Pro XS FourStroke outboard will attract huge interest, as it delivers significantly better performance than any other 115hp outboard on the market today. Tested mercilessly to ensure reliability, the new 115 Pro XS FourStroke is 4% lighter than its nearest competitor and boasts a 2.1L displacement to deliver a superb combination of torque and performance.

No doubt visitors will also be eager to learn more about MerCruiser’s new 6.2L V8 towsport inboard, created to provide towsport enthusiasts with a flawless blend of torque, pulling power, and launch propulsion. Available in either a 320hp or 370hp configuration, MerCruiser’s new 6.2L V8 is highly durable, reliable, fuel efficient and delivers more of the muscle needed to pull people out of the water and get them STAND NUMBER B6

The new range of Yellowfin offshore plate boats feature a new design and identity. The new range is made up of eight new models: 5800, 6200, 6700 and 7400, all available with a hard or soft top. The Yellowfin models are so tough they now come complete with their own ‘body armour’. The 6200, 6700 and 7400 feature 6mm plate bottom sheets (5mm for the 5800), 5mm transom material and 4mm side sheets. These boats are really built strong for ultimate protection from the elements.

The Quintrex Trident offshore range will also be on display, so be sure to check out the legendary Quintrex construction techniques.

There will also be a large selection of smaller boats on display, including Explorers, Renagades, Hornets, Fishabouts, Cruiseabouts and many more. Visit the staff at the JV Marine and Streaker Marine stands for some great deals. www.quintrex.com.au HIGHLIGHT: The debut of the upgraded range of Yellowfin offshore plate boats.

MY MARINE • • • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

carving a line through it.

But Mercury’s not just about power, it also leads the way in controlling that power, to ensure the best performance for everyone on the water.

For example, visitors can check out Mercury’s new Active Trim system that automatically and effortlessly trims an engine (or engines) while also improving engine performance and cutting fuel costs. Active Trim leads the competition because its patented integrated GPS-based control system takes into account boat speed and rpm when deciding on the ideal trim position.

Show-goers will also be able to experience Mercury’s clever joystick control technology, which is now available for outboards and sterndrives. Mercury technology lets you move sideways, diagonally or spin the boat on its own axis. And with the wind and tide no longer a factor, even a novice can handle close-quarter docking with throttle, shift and steering right under their fingertips.

But of course, that’s only the start. Mercury also has the largest range of propellers in the world, with something suitable for every boat and every application. There will also be a selection of inflatable boats, from tiny tenders to serious blue-water craft. A massive range of parts and accessories will also be available and expert staff will be on hand to discuss Mercury’s finance and insurance products that have been specially created by Mercury to take into account the special needs of both commercial and recreational boaters. www.mercurymarine.com HIGHLIGHT: Active Trim system which automatically trims an engine(s) while improving performance and cutting fuel costs.

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MY Marine has been established on the Mornington Peninsula for over 16 years, and carries an impressive range of Surtees Boats. Surtees has produced award winning vessels for over 20 years, since Neil Surtees made the first Surtees craft in the early 1990s to fish New Zealand’s prolific offshore waters.

STAND NUMBER D9

At the MY Marine stand, show-goers will see six new Surtees models: the 495, 575, 610, 650, 700 and 750. All will be available in Workmate, Game Fisher and Centre Console versions. All models feature Surtees Boats’ non-pounding Super Deep V Hull, Stabilizing Ballast Technology, and Ultra-strong Deck System.

MY Marine will also have all the popular Stabicraft models on display, including the 1850 Supercab, 2050 Supercab, 2100 and 2400 Supercab and the 1650 and 1850 Fisher.

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For easy launch and retrieve Engineered sealed sub-floor strength

Water ballast for stability

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Smooth-riding deep-V hull

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POWERED BY SUZUKI

6 Quickflow® water ballast flap

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C SERIES 490C, 535C, 575C, 615C, 670C, 730C

Next-gen hull with Delta FlareTM

Bar Crusher’s C (Cuddy) series offers a cuddy cabin configuration that provides the best of both worlds – a clear and spacious cockpit fishing area protected by good cover forward, to keep you warm and your gear dry when the weather turns nasty. The folding gas-strut roof (with side clears) provides much-needed protection from the elements while on the water, yet when folded it reduces the on-trailer height for easy storage under carports and in low garages.

THE BAR CRUSHER DIFFERENCE

WHY CHOOSE BAR CRUSHER?

Designed and built in Australia for Australian conditions, Bar Crusher boats deliver a super-smooth ride (a far cry from the uncomfortable, pounding ride of other aluminium boats) and superior stability at rest.

They’re easy to tow, economical to power and low maintenance.

Incorporating exclusive innovations such as the Waveslicer® deep-V, nonpounding hull, Rigideck® engineered sub-floor system, Quickflow® water ballast technology, and the evolutionary Gen2™ hull design with Delta Flare™ (490 series to 615 series), Bar Crusher boats are renowned for their quality construction, superior performance and maximum fishability.

Every feature of every Bar Crusher boat has been carefully considered for its performance, practicality, versatility and – importantly – durability.

Bar Crusher boats are also fitted as standard with a range of fishing-related features other manufacturers charge as extras!

REAL PLATE BOATS The best definition of a ‘plate boat’ is a boat that’s built using an engineered sub-floor frame; heavy-gauge, high-tensile aluminium cut from flat plate; and has a welded-in aluminium floor.

Download FREE Boat Buyer’s Guide

Bar Crusher uses the toughest hull building system in the world. They’re real plate boats, using cutting-edge technology in their design and construction.

C SERIES

Every Bar Crusher boat is factory-packaged on a custom-designed trailer, which ensures launching and retrieving is a breeze. Self-centering and aligning perfectly every time, the innovative Bar Catch™ system also allows for single-handed launch/retrieve – no matter what size Bar Crusher you own.

HT SERIES

Head office: 5 Quality Drive, Dandenong South, VIC 3175 Phone: 03 9792 2999 Email: info@barcrusher.com.au Sales: 0408 776 080 Website: www.barcrusher.com.au

www.barcrusher.com.au

HTP SERIES

DEALERS AUSTRALIA WIDE

WR SERIES

XS/SC SERIES

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The big news is the all new 2500 XL Supercab – 7.5m of offshore excitement set up as a twin rig with a locking cabin will make its debut!

Bay and estuary anglers haven’t been forgotten either, with the all new 1600 Frontier. If your needs are a little smaller, the new 1410 (4.3m) range of Stabicrafts have been reworked with a number of new features.

There’s lots to see, so come and say hi to the friendly team at MY Marine. www.mymarine.com.au HIGHLIGHT: The debut of the 7.5m Stabicraft 2500 XL Supercab

PORT PHILLIP BOATING CENTRE •• • • • • •••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Port Phillip Boating Centre is proud to, once again, be attending the annual 2016 Melbourne Boat Show, displaying a large portion of the Haines Hunter range of boats. Having STAND NUMBER C8

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displayed at this prestigious Boat Show for 13 years, Port Phillip Boating Centre know a thing or two about what customers are after.

At the Port Phillip Boating Centre stand this year, visitors can check out one of the new boats from Haines Hunter’s Cruiser Series. Designed for the family boating market, this boat will feature plush carpet, plush rear lounge, rear table, under-seat storage for ice and drinks and a sink and stove for the weekend or overnight adventures. ‘Family’ is the key word.

In addition to the new Cruiser, the team will once again showcase a select range of Haines Hunter boats, from the popular Haines Hunter 495 Profish through to the 2015 Trader Boat of the Year, the 675 Hardtop/Enclosed. They’ll also have the impressive Haines Hunter 760R Limited on show.

Powered by reliable Yamaha outboard motors, and teamed with the popular Mackay Trailers, the Port Phillip Boating Centre team say they have the best packages available on the market.

Come along and speak to the friendly staff, who have many a fishing story and years of fishing experience, about your new fishing/family boat package.

www.portphillipboatingcentre.com.au

HIGHLIGHT: Haines Hunter’s new Cruiser Series, designed for the family boating market.

STACER • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

With an all new line-up for Stacer in 2016, show-goers are sure to be impressed with the models on display at this year’s Melbourne Boat Show.

There are four Stacer dealerships attending: Melbourne Marine Centre, Molin Motorcycle & Marine, Phillip Island Marine and SH Wallace Marine, with some great deals on offer.

Be sure to check out Stacer’s most versatile boat yet – the

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VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Cross Fire. It’s designed for 80% fishing and 20% fun, meaning the entire family will be happy out on the water. The beauty of the Cross Fire is the removable front casting platform so you get the practicality of two boats in one. When out on the water with the family, the casting platform can be removed to reveal a vee-berth with plenty of seating room that can be turned into a sunlounge with optional cushions and backrest.

Due to customer demand, Stacer has released two new models in their plate range: the 589 and 619 Ocean Ranger Hard Tops. These boats offer a more budget-friendly option that is still packed with power and strength. The new 589 Ocean Ranger now features more freeboard at 730mm, creating better stability and bringing the model in line with the rest of the range. The 619 Ocean Ranger Hard Top is built for fishing adventures, with all the features of the larger hard top models and offering more versatility when it comes to storage and towing.

Be sure to get down to the Melbourne Boat Show to check out all the latest models from Stacer. www.stacer.com.au HIGHLIGHT: Two Ocean Ranger Hard Top plate boats, offering a more budget-friendly option without sacrificing quality.

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STREAKER MARINE • • • • • • •••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Streaker Marine, located in Bayswater, is a family owned and operated dealership selling all things marine. Selling only the highest quality brands, Streaker represents Quintrex, CruiseCraft, Streaker and Yamaha Outboards Australia.

Streaker Marine also stocks an excellent range of used boats and accessories to suit all styles of boating and fishing adventures. Whatever boating you’re into, their Bayswater showroom and new accessories department, specializing in Navico products, will have something to suit your needs.

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If you are after friendly and professional advice and guidance to ensure boating remains a fun activity for you and your family, pay a visit to Streaker Marine stand. Not only will they have 30 beautiful boats on display but they are also running a Facebook competition with big prizes on offer. www.streakermarine.com.au HIGHLIGHT: Prizes and special discounts on boat packages, finance and insurance options.

If you are thinking about purchasing a new rig, there is no better time than at the 2016 Melbourne Boat Show – and if you are looking to buy a premium boat, you wouldn’t fit it with anything less than Yamaha’s premium range of 4-stroke outboards.

Streaker are Melbourne’s only exclusive Yamaha and Quintrex dealer and will be offering never before seen prices on boat packages, finance and insurance option to save their customers big bucks. Streaker Marine’s competitive prices and after sales service is something that is remembered long after the purchase of the boat.

To further the excitement, for all boats sold during the 2016 Boat Show, Streaker will offer each customer on water delivery which will include a free half-day boat handling course in your new boat.

Find your perfect boat at this year’s Melbourne Boat Show as Geelong Marine World and Warragul Marine display an extensive range of Savage boats.

Savage is Australia’s oldest brand of aluminium boats, with the fist model released in 1898. Savage has solidified their reputation for designing and building practical boats that last for generations of boating enjoyment. The boats on display at this year’s show will include open boats, scorpions, runabouts and cabin boats, as well as some brand new models for 2016.

VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Port Phillip BOATING CENTRE

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With models from the brand new Raptor range on display there’s bound to be a boat to suit any backyard or budget.

Raptor boats are full of useful features at the right size and the right price. These tinnies can be towed behind a family car and will also fit nicely atop most utes. Standard features include a glove box, drink holders, transom handles and plenty of storage.

Be sure to check out the Savage displays at this Year’s Melbourne Boat Show. www.savageboats.com.au HIGHLIGHT: New Raptor range of boats, with lots of features at an affordable price.

SAVAGE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

STAND NUMBER C3A

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VIC MARINE & TRAILER WAREHOUSE • • • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Vic Marine & Trailer Warehouse stocks a huge range of Ausmarine boats, motors, trailers and accessories. The range encompasses Seaking 2-stroke and 4-stroke outboards, To page 16

STAND NUMBER B3A

The home of

at the

Melbourne Boat Show Check out th e NEW “Cruiser” Mo dels Stand # C8

Unit 2/10 Wallace Avenue, Point Cook, Vic 3030

03 9369 0099

sales@portphillipboatingcentre.com.au

www.portphillipboatingcentre.com.au

JUNE 2016

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Seacraft aluminium boats and packages, and Seatrailer trailers.

At their stand at this year’s Melbourne Boat Show, visitors can browse a big range of Seatrail galvanised steel boat trailers and alloy frame trailers. There are lightweight folding small tinny trailers, PWC trailers in both single and tandem versions, and a variety of boat trailers all the way up to large 7.5m tandem braked trailers.

When it comes to Seacraft aluminium boats, Vic Marine and Trailer Warehouse will have a range from 2.5m car toppers up to 4.5m open and centre console versions. Also at the stand will be the newly released Seacraft Party 580 Entertainer pontoon boat. This is for 10 adults and rated to 150hp.

Seaking outboards will also be on display at super show prices.

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WARRAGUL MARINE CENTRE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Warragul Marine Centre have been appointed the sole distributor for NZ-built McLay plate alloy boats for Victoria/ Tasmania. McLay boats come with a great reputation for being built tough, with excellent safety, reliability and durability, and are the perfect boat for southern Australian conditions. With a range of boats to suit families looking for adventure, or the hard core angler, you are sure to be impressed with the quality finish and exceptional features of these boats.

STAND NUMBER E7

HIGHLIGHT: Exclusive Boat Show deals on Seaking outboards.

YAMAHA •• • • • • •••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Yamaha will be exhibiting the latest in outboard and personal watercraft technology at this year’s Melbourne Boat Show. They will showcase Yamaha’s latest VMAX SHO models, with the new game-changing VF115 and VF150 joining the Australian-range.

Also debuting for the first time at an Australian show is Yamaha’s new-addition F90 4-Stroke, which is the perfect option for those looking to extract the maximum performance from their 90hp rated trailerboat.

On display across the show through Yamaha’s Victorian dealerships is an array of Yamaha-powered, locally-built and imported boats. Powering a number of these boats is Yamaha’s all-new light-weight F130A outboard, which will be positioned front and centre on the Yamaha display.

Complementing the new Yamaha outboards is a new range of Yamaha-exclusive rigging. A shock and noisereducing, Shift Dampening System (SDS) Talon Series of propellers joins the range, giving boaters a ‘clunk-free’ propeller option on all Yamaha outboards from FT60 through to F350. These props are available in both alloy and polished stainlesssteel.

STAND NUMBER C6

The McLay Sportsman 591 Hard Top packages start at just $51,995, which is exceptional value. With models ranging from 4.4m to 11.4m in every configuration imaginable, there’s sure to be a boat in the McLay range to suit your needs.

Savage Aluminium Boats will also be on display with some new models presented in Victoria for the first time! Savage will be launching the new 525 Scorpion Pro, the new 485 Bay Cruiser, the all new Raptor range and the reintroduction of the Kestrel & Osprey boats, bringing back some favourite names from the past. The 5.25m Scorpion Pro Side Console will be on display, with loads of feature. This boat is ready to hit the bream tournament circuit.

Powering these boats are the unbelievably efficient, smooth and compact Suzuki Marine 4-strokes. With Lean Burn technology, the fuel consumption figures very impressive. Warragul Marine Centre are one of only a handful of elite Suzuki Marine dealers.

The team from Warragul Marine Centre, comprising of Simon and Kirsten Wakefield, David and Catherine Garcia, as well as representatives from all brands are looking forward to a busy and successful Show. www.warragulmarine.com.au HIGHLIGHT: The only place to see NZ-built McLay plate boats.

WHITTLEY • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Yamaha will also showcase the new all-in-one, HD colour LCD gauge that relays real-time information from the outboard and sensors, back to the helm. The new 6YC Command-Link Digital gauge is compatible with Yamaha’s complete EFI 4-stroke range from F30-F350.

2016 marks the 30th anniversary of Yamaha WaveRunners, and to celebrate this milestone a wide range of WaveRunners will be on display, along with a selection of key historical models that have made Yamaha the market leader it is today. Yamaha’s award-winning TR-1 Marine Engine and SVHO Marine Engine will also be on display, to give enthusiasts a rare glimpse into what beats in the heart of Yamaha watercraft.

Yamaha’s Time-Trial RiDE Challenge is also returning to the Melbourne Boat Show. This fast-paced WaveRunner simulator gives show-goers the chance to race against the clock to win some cool Yamaha prizes. www.yamaha-motor.com.au/outboard HIGHLIGHT: ride a PWC racing simulator for the chance to win cool Yamaha prizes.

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Whittley Marine Group has been extremely busy over the past 12 months and visitors to the 2016 Melbourne Boat Show are in for a treat. There will be three new models, a host of 2016 updates to the existing fleet, and a pair of high performance Volvo Penta sterndrives never-before-seen outside the US .

Building on the success of the FF210 fishing/cruising hybrid launched at last year’s show and buoyed by the extensive public interest in the outrageous SURF 24-7

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concept, Whittley continues to reimagine its popular hulls launching a new cross-sport series of adrenaline machines aimed squarely at thrill-seeking families. Measuring 20ft and 24ft respectively, the XS20 and XS24 are heavily influenced

by Whittley’s award winning Spy range of ski and wake hulls.

Sporting eye-popping trim, forward-raking wake towers and unique interior layouts, these compact live-aboard fun machines are sure to raise some eyebrows this season.

Despite its sterndrive focus, Whittley appreciates that some boating families prefer their engines hanging “off the back” and has responded by treating its popular CR2080 to an outboard makeover. Buyers now have the enviable choice.

For its 2016 Melbourne Boat Show launch, the CR2080 will sport a factory-installed Yamaha F150 (the maximum power for this new model) but is easily-powered by any outboard in the 100-150hp market.

Volvo Penta’s Next Generation series of sterndrives spawns two new additions that will make their Australasian debut at the 2016 Melbourne Boat Show. The V6-280 is a high-output version of Volvo Penta’s V6 platform released to critical acclaim last year. Finally, the full potential of Volvo Penta’s 4.3L Next Generation architecture is unleashed and the performance is staggering, even when powering maxitrailerable cruisers such as Whittley’s CR2800. Volvo Penta’s new 300hp 5.3L alloy V8 makes its Australian Boat Show entrance in Whittley’s flagship CR2800 Cruiser. Effectively replacing the 5.7L V8 in the Australian engine line-up, the new alloy platform boasts innovations such as VVT (Variable Valve Timing) and direct injection and features Freshwater Cooling as standard.

To keep boat buyers informed, Whittley will launch its new 2016 range via its new interactive digital brochure offering a completely immersive experience optimised for mobile devices.

Whittley Marine Group director, Neville Whittley can barely contain his excitement: “We’re looking forward to the Melbourne Boat Show and have pulled out all stops to showcase Whittley’s 2016 model range. We’re bringing plenty of new gear, showcasing much greater product integration as well as planning a few surprises that new and existing Whittley customers will be thrilled by.”

The new Whittley range will be on display at stand D4.

Be sure to drop by and have a chat about how you can make a new Whittley part of your family. www.whittleymarinegroup.com.au HIGHLIGHT: Outboard version of the popular CR2080 model.

WES FROST MARINE • • • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Wes Frost Marine, Victoria’s number one Mercury dealer, will again be attending this year’s Show. Their key focus will be to show off the Anglapro range of boats, from the everpopular Sniper series to this year’s latest Anglapro releases.

All Anglapro boats are designed to plane easily with minimal hole shot effort and offer stability at rest. They also corner comfortably and are designed to be comfortable underway though choppy seas.

STAND NUMBER E6C

STAND NUMBER D4

As a premier Mercury dealer, Wes Frost Marine will also provide very attractive repower offers on the full range of Mercury outboards.

If you need anything Anglapro or Mercury, come and see the friendly team from Wes Frost Marine at their Melbourne Boat Show stand.

www.wesfrostmarine.com.au

HIGHLIGHT: Special repower offers on Mercury outboards.

HUGE RANGE OF PACKAGES

NEW RELEASES ON SHOW Photos for illustration purposes only

BOAT SHOW SPECIALS W E – W S ON’T BE L A E D R E BEAT W O P EN RESHOW DEALS ON 2 & 4 STROKE OUTBOARDS

Pro XS FourStroke Performance Redefined Built on the legendary Pro XS reputation for superior hole shot, top end speed and durability. Mercury’s new 115HP Pro XS FourStroke redefines outboard performance.

Visit mercurymarine.com.au to find out more.

3 Satu Way, Mornington VIC 3931 | 03·5976 4622

www.wesfrostmarine.com.au

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more fish!

Native Watercraft kayaks are made in America and come with a Lifetime Warranty, and the premium quality and fit out is superb. The ergonomic First Class fully

STAND NUMBER B16

•• • • • • •••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

XTreme Marine will have the latest Harris Pontoon boats on display at their stand. Harris has dedicated more than 55 years to achieving excellence in the building of sophisticated, innovative, luxurious pontoon boats for the discerning boating enthusiast. Powered by the legendary Mercury/Mercruiser engines, Harris Flotebote are the ultimate in cruising style.

NORTHERN BAR

STAND NUMBER B1

The boats are delivered with a full 5-year, bow-tostern warranty, including motor, and a limited lifetime structure warranty. The trailers are built to full Australian standards. With a multitude of features and options, there is a Harris to suit every boater’s requirements.

Prepare to be noticed… the world of luxury pontoons has never seen anything quite like this before! Be sure to check out these impressive party and social boats at the XTreme Marine stand at the show. www.harrisboats.com.au HIGHLIGHT: Latest Harris pontoon boats powered by Mercury/Mercruiser engines.

HOBIE •• • • • • •••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Hobie’s newest innovation is the Mirage Stand Up Eclipse Series, which will take centre stage at the Hobie stand at the show. The patent-pending Eclipse Series capitalises on the appeal of stand-up paddling, and translates it into literally walking on water.

Hobie fans love the MirageDrive with Glide Technology. When the drive is pedalled the fins flex, powerfully moving the watercraft forward. In the Mirage Eclipse, designers have rotated the pedalling action from the familiar back and forth to up and down for use while standing. The cranks interact with a pair of large, flat pedals mounted to the Mirage Eclipse board. They flip up and out of the way for installation and removal.

The fins are different too. Although the new Flow Fin 90s are as long as ST Turbo Fins, their squared off shape generates greater resistance and transfers much more power. The resistance of the pedals is adjustable, accommodating users of all sizes and strengths.

The Stand Up Eclipse Series features two board sizes, a 10.5 and a 12.0. Both are constructed of strong and lightweight ACX Advanced Composite Epoxy. The Eclipse boards are wider than most SUPs for maximum stability, and glide easily through the water. Although the Eclipses are amazing, they’re just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to whats on offer at the Hobie stand. Be sure to stop by.

www.hobiecat.com.au

HIGHLIGHT: Eclipse pedal-powered stand-up boards.

CAPACITY SPORTS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Capacity Sports will showcase the latest Native Watercraft Propel kayaks, which are revolutionising kayak fishing around the world, with the ability to pedal backwards as well as forwards! Now you can back pedal to hold on to your catch, back away from structure or hold your position in current – with your hands free to catch

framed seat padded in cool mesh provides for relaxed fishing all day. The unbeatable stability gives you the option to stand to sight fish and cast. The Groove Track accessory system offers you endless flexible options to accessorise your kayak with no need to drill any holes.

Capacity Sports have a huge range of kayaks to suit your needs and budget, from basic recreational kayaks to have a bit of fun with in the waves to serious fishing kayaks for those that want to head out to deeper water.

There are great deals on kids and family kayaks, fitness and racing skis, SUPs, single and tandem kayaks, as well as sea and white water kayaks. Capacity Sports will also have inflatable and plastic dinghies and tenders.

If you’re looking for an option to have fun with the family, take a look at Capacity Sports’ Canadian-made Pedal Boats, perfect for pedalling around Docklands, Patterson River or lakes like Eildon, complete with canopy, cooler tub and rod holders.

You’ll find Capacity Sports at the Show alongside the Northern bar. There you can chat to the friendly team and discuss a custom package to suit your needs. You can also take advantage of an exclusive show special.

www.capacitysports.com.au

HIGHLIGHT: Boat Show deals on Native Watercraft kayaks.

R206

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COMPLETE TRIM TAB KITS Includes: Trim tab plates, actuators, wiring harness, led indicator switch panel & auto retract feature.

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STAND #B11

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DELUXE SPORTS FOLD DOWN SEAT Part No. 293703

$199

Boat S

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WATER IN YOUR FUEL? YOU NEED A SMART BOWL

$99

Boat S

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The “Smart Bowl” utilises a sophisticated, built-in electronic circuit with sensors for diagnosing water contamination in fuel.

As soon as the water trap reaches approximately 70%, the sensors will activate the alarm after 60 seconds.

Once the alarm activates, simply turn off the engine and extract the trapped water via the bung in the base of the bowl.

Then firmly tighten and you are ready to go.

The “Smart Bowl” is designed to work in conjunction with the fuel filter. Making this the perfect choice for boaties who wish to take their existing fuel filtration to a whole new level of protection. The Kit includes everything needed for a hasslefree installation.

PORTABLE LED NAVIGATION LIGHTS Compact in size, Suction cup and bracket mounting, Perfect for tinnies & kayaks

SAM ALLEN WHOLESALE MARINE, RV & INDUSTRIAL ACCESSORIES – www.samallen.com.au WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTOR, IMPORTERS & EXPORTERS - SPECIALISING IN ROPE & CORDAGE, WIRE ROPE, LED LIGHTING & STAINLESS PRODUCTS JUNE 2016

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Nothing completes an outfit like accessories The Melbourne Boat Show isn’t just the place to see boats – there’s also a host of electronics and boating accessories.

You’ll see the latest releases from your favourite brands, and you’ll also see a few clever accessories you haven’t seen before. You’re definitely going to enjoy browsing all these stands and seeing the goodies on offer!

BLA •• • • • • •••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

At the BLA stand you’ll see the latest releases from Humminbird, including the Helix 12 CHIRP. It has a super bright and sharp 1280H x 800V pixel colour screen, and an increased performance processor.

The Sonar performance on the HELIX 12 CHIRP is next level, offering a standard built in 1kW broadband CHIRP STAND NUMBER B11

on all models. It also features Humminbird’s class leading imaging sonar, with both Down Imaging and Side Imaging models available with CHIRP. Additionally, Humminbird AutoChart Live is now built in to the new Helix 9, 10 and 12 Series units, letting you create detailed maps of your favourite fishing spots in real time. Once your map is live, layer it with Side Imaging detail—or use it with i-Pilot Link’s Follow the Contour and other Humminbird AutoChart Live features.

Also on display at the BLA stand will be the Minn Kota Saltwater Ulterra. It’s available in 80lb and 112lb models with shaft lengths from 60” to a massive 72”. Features include i-Pilot, with an included remote that uses GPS to remember fishing spots and paths, along with control of speed, steering, cruise control and Advanced AutoPilot. Three new buttons let you stow and deploy your motor, or trim it up and down. www.bla.com.au

echo will be depicted in red on the screen, while everything else will appear as green. In the accompanying images, you can see two approaching targets in red when Target Analyzer is on.

Bird Mode is another feature of the DRS4D-NXT. When selected, the radar adjusts its settings to help you locate birds above bait balls.

STAND NUMBER B10A

HIGHLIGHT: Humminbird Helix 12 CHIRP series with Down Imaging and Side Imaging.

FURUNO • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

The experienced team from JN Taylor – Furuno will be on hand at the 2016 Melbourne Boat show to discuss a range of quality marine electronic solutions.

The compact Furuno DRS4D-NXT is a new solid-state radar with pulse compression and Doppler frequency shift sensing technology, built into a compact 24” Radome. This radar is designed for use with both NavNet TZtouch and TZtouch2 MFDs and it boasts the Target Analyzer feature.

If a target is getting closer at a speed of 3 knots or more, the

Bonito FACTORY DIRECT

Another enhancement is ActiveCaptain – a communitybased database of user-generated information about marinas, anchorages, marine hazards, fuel lists, and local knowledge.

Additionally, the TZtouch2 MFD now lets you back up user settings via a cloud and soon will enable you to back up your vessel data online, ensuring you will never lose your marks

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www.bonitoboats.com.au 20

JUNE 2016

VICTORIA’S Home of

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www.mymarine.com.au

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again. In the pipeline is a C-Zone interface that will enable users to control their on-board electrical switching directly from their TZT2 via a built-in interface.

As well as the latest from the Furuno, the JN Taylor – Furuno stand will have 2016 equipment releases from FLIR night vision, Maxsea PC based fishing and navigation solutions, and WASSP multi beam systems. www.jntaylor.com.au

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HIGHLIGHT: Bird Mode feature, where the radar adjusts settings to locate birds above bait balls.

BOATCATCH •• • • • • •••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Boatcatch is a coupling system that allows you to quickly get your boat on and off the trailer without setting foot on a boat ramp. The Boatcatch display at the show will let you get close up to Boatcatch couplings on simulator benches. This interactive display enables you to see exactly how this clever device works.

This system eliminates the need to stand near the water on a boat ramp. When launching it can be released by the skipper from the helm and when you retrieve it automatically locks you on with a sturdy pin than can never accidentally release. It is made from 100% marine grade stainless steel and is virtually unbreakable.

STAND NUMBER A15

The Boatcatch coupling comes in two sizes and is supplied complete with a universal mounting bracket, and all components usually necessary for fitting and operating. It can be fitted by the average handyman.

At the Boatcatch stand at the Boat Show there will be videos and large images of existing fit-ups on most styles of vessel, and staff will be on hand. Be sure to take a picture of your bow/winch post area so the team can give you the best information with regards to fitting. www.boatcatch.com HIGHLIGHT: Demonstrations of how to launch and retrieve using the Boatcatch.

GARMIN • • • • • • •••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Garmin will showcase its latest marine gear at the show via a number of retailers.

The new Strikers feature a rugged design and a keyed interface, advanced CHIRP sonar and a built-in highsensitivity GPS antenna and waypoint map. The 5dv, 7dv and 7sv versions also incorporate CHIRP DownVü and SideVü scanning sonar (75sv only).

The latest echoMAP CHIRP series units have built-in CHIRP and CHIRP DownVü scanning sonar, while the 75sv and 95sv also incorporate CHIRP SideVü scanning sonar and support Panoptix all-seeing sonar. All new echoMAP

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Multi-Zone technology, and it’s ideal for helms with limited space. The MS-BB100 supports Apple and Android Open Accessory audio playback, as well as USB/AUX connection options. It also features a Bluetooth module in the included wired remote.

The cost effective MS-RA70 and MS-RA70N deliver clear and dynamic sound. Engineered to replace any standard DIN-sized car stereo, these units have two separate audio zones. Other benefits include Bluetooth audio streaming, with access to apps such as Spotify with the option to control the unit from the connected device. The LCD display resists fogging, the front of the unit is waterproof, and the chassis resists corrosion. The MS-RA70N also has a NMEA 2000 connector for integration with existing networks. You can control the unit from a connected chartplotter or multifunction display. www.fusionentertainment.com HIGHLIGHT: Highlight: compact MS-BB100 entertainment system with NMEA 2000 control, Bluetooth audio streaming and Multi-Zone technology

LONE STAR MARINE • • • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

CHIRP models have an internal 5Hz GPS antenna, are pre-loaded with AU/NZ BlueChart g2 coastal charts and feature Garmin’s new Quickdraw Contours. Selected models also include NMEA 2000 support.

The GPSMAP 7400xsv series boasts 1kW true dual CHIRP sonar, and DownVü and SideVü scanning sonar with CHIRP technology. This sonar/chartplotter series has multitouch screen control, comes with BlueChart g2 coastal charts and is fully networkable.

Panoptix PS21-TR is a compact new transducer optimised for mounting on an electric motor. It delivers LiveVü Forward sonar to see ahead and around your boat in real time. The PS21 is compatible with Garmin’s new echoMAP CHIRP 75sv and 95sv, as well as the GPSMAP 7400series, GPSMAP 8000 series and GPSMAP 751xs, 820xs, and 1020xs series.

The new CHIRP transducers is compatible with the Striker, echoMAP CHIRP and GPSMAP series, as well as Garmin’s GSD 25 black-box sonar. The transducers are available with various configurations of CHIRP traditional, CHIRP DownVü and CHIRP SideVü scanning sonar technologies, in transom mount, thru-hull and in-hull options.

The Garmin quatix 3 marine GPS smartwatch streams NMEA 2000 data from compatible onboard Garmin marine electronics. Users can also start and stop recording video or take still images with a Garmin VIRB action camera, control their Fusion stereo and more. www.garmin.com.au HIGHLIGHT: new Striker models for anglers who want lots of features at an affordable price.

FUSION • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

The Fusion stand will feature a number of their latest releases. The first is the compact black-box audio entertainment system – the MS-BB100. It features FusionLink via NMEA 2000 control, Bluetooth audio streaming and STAND NUMBER B9C

At this year’s show, Lone Star Marine will be offering two ranges of anchoring systems, and a winch for every boat and price point.

GX winches have all the same innovative features as the Gen3 series, with the addition of new quality Italian made transmissions, all AU stainless steel, and fully sealed high output motors in a shorter design. There’s an easy to use manual release system in the event of loss of power, and truly oversized worm drive gearing with the smallest unit boasting a gearing system 50% larger than used on any similar sized drum today. There are three GX models for boats from 15-30ft.

Elite Anchoring Systems by LSM features an AustralianSTAND NUMBER A13

made hard anodized CNC’d billet (not cast) aluminium gearbox in marine grade alloy. Gear sets featured in the Elite range have the highest holding power at anchor of any gear sets.

LSM also have new motor technology to employ the highest output power density on a more compact frame.

LSM expects these winches to last for 20 years+ without corrosion. The Elite series will feature five models for boats from 18-70ft.

LSM has anchors to suit virtually all seabeds (with selected models featuring the popular ‘slide handle’) and a new range of bowsprits.

www.lonestarmarine.com.au

HIGHLIGHT: GX winches with high output motors in a shorter design for easier fitting and versatility.

LOWRANCE • • • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

The Lowrance stand will be showcasing the latest releases from both Simrad and Lowrance, and two of the newest products to hit the market are the Simrad GO5 and GO7 XSE chartplotter navigation displays.

The GO XSE series delivers powerful, full-featured standalone marine chartplotter/fishfinders packed into compact, easy-to-use 5” or 7” displays. They have multitouch controls that smartphone and tablet users will instantly find familiar.

The XSE’s Cruise Charting page combines crucial To page 22

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navigation data and charts into one easy to read display, plus new TripIntel technology. XSE displays connect to any NMEA 2000-compatible equipment including outboard and inboard engines, as well as fuel flow, fluid level, speed, heading, and water temperature sensors and more.

The chartplotter supports the widest available range of cartography options.

STAND NUMBER B13

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displays, eliminating the need for a separate stereo head-unit.

The GoFree Controller App gives boaters the capability to connect the GO XSE to Android and iOS devices.

Also on display will be the Lowrance Elite-5 and Elite-7 Ti touchscreen fishfinder/chartplotters. Features include an easy-to-use touchscreen interface, Bluetooth and wireless connectivity, proven Lowrance navigation technology and high-performance sonar, plus a highly accurate, built-in GPS antenna and wireless connectivity. www.lowrance.com/en-au/

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STAND NUMBER B9B

HIGHLIGHT: New product unveilings, prize giveaways and talks on how to choose and use electronics.

RAYMARINE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Anglers can add a suitable transducer for accurate, realtime depth tracking and fishfinding. A scrollable depth history view lets boaters track back and easily set waypoints. Other features include StructureScan HD Imaging, DownScan Imaging view, CHIRP Sonar and ForwardScan sonar.

The Simrad SonicHub2 marine audio system brings complete control of on-the-water entertainment to GO XSE

Raymarine’s new line of ClearPulse sonars feature game-changing digital filtering technology that eliminates unwanted clutter and allows anglers to distinguish bait from predator fish with stunning clarity.

Leading this powerful new bluewater line-up is the CP570 professional CHIRP sonar, with up to 4kW of power. Next are the high performance CP470 CHIRP sonar with 2kW output and the CP370 digital sonar with 1kW power output. These sonars can see through dense schools of baitfish, identify thermoclines, and target gamefish with exceptional clarity, so anglers can spend more time fishing and less time adjusting the sonar. All three models are compatible with Raymarine LightHouse II-powered multifunction displays.

Saving up to RRP $399 and available during the Melbourne Boat Show, Raymarine has launched a Dragonfly Value Pack that includes a Dragonfly 5M 5” GPS / Chartplotter and a Dragonfly 5DVS 5” Dual-Channel CHIRP Sonar.

The Dragonfly 5DVS is equipped with Raymarine’s wide spectrum CHIRP sonar technology and has an all-weather

Display, guaranteed not to fog. Combined with the Dragonfly 5M Chartplotter, this pack provides superior fish finding capabilities at a great price. www.flir.com.au/marine HIGHLIGHT: Dragonfly Value Pack – a Dragonfly 5M GPS/Chartplotter and 5DVS Dual-Channel CHIRP Sonar.

SAM ALLEN WHOLESALE • • • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Sam Allen Wholesale will be displaying their products on the CH Smith Marine stand, where visitors can see a range of Lenco trim tabs – the trim tabs of choice for Haines Hunter and CruiseCraft. Retrofitting a pair of Lencos

MELBOURNE’S MOST EXPERIENCED

DEALER

SERVICING THE BOATING INDUSTRY SINCE 1981

VIC/TAS Dealer /14 of the Year 2013 US AT THE COME AND SEE

OAT SHOW MELBOURNE B

STAND C5

BLE WITH EITHER PACKAGES AVAILA AHA OUTBOARDS MERCURY OR YAM 22

JUNE 2016

OVER

30 YEARS EXPERIENCE

E LARG display

range on

Financ & Insu e rance availab le

612-614 Plenty Road, Preston VIC 3072 | 03·9478 1420 | info@blmarine.com.au

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enhances performance and fuel economy, and they’re now even better value for money with electropolished plates included on all standard and edge mount 9x12 and 12x12 OEM kits.

Also on show will be new Relaxn seats, providing superior comfort at an affordable price, and new Relaxn portable LED nav lights for kayaks, PWCs and tinnies.

When it comes to traditional fuel/water-separating filters, it’s often hard to know when the water catchment bowl needs emptying. The Relaxn Smart Bowl fuel filter is the solution, as it sounds an alarm when the water catchment area is up to 70% capacity. Check out this and more clever products at the CH Smith Marine stand.

www.samallen.com.au

HIGHLIGHT: Dragonfly Value Pack – a Dragonfly 5M GPS/Chartplotter and 5DVS Dual-Channel CHIRP Sonar.

TORQEEDO •• • • • • •••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Torqeedo electric outboard motors are now available Australia-wide. The range extends from 1hp equivalent motors to 80hp powerplants. The 1hp equivalent Torqeedo Ultralight 403 is perfectly matched to any kayak or canoe, and pushed the Aquayak Scout (3m) at an impressive 8.6kph. When backed off to a cruising speed of 4kph, the included lithium-ion battery gives 4-5hrs of runtime.

Integrated with the kayak’s steering and tilting system, the Ultralight 403 is simple to operate and features a small easily mountable hand control for throttle.

The Torqeedo Travel 503 (1.5hp) and 1003 (3hp) have a modular design that incorporates the main motor leg, tiller arm and integrated lithium-ion battery. The Travel series is easily moved to and from the boat, and doesn’t require a bulky, heavy lead-acid battery.

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VRFish is made up of representatives from Victorian offshore, coastal, inshore, estuarine, inland and highland fisheries. It’s comprised of members from outside the well established clubs and associations, and includes grassroots fishers that are not members of clubs.

STAND NUMBER A28

Torqeedo Cruise offers 5hp, 8hp and 20hp equivalent models. Standing proud as a standalone electric outboard, the Cruises are powered with a separate Torqeedo Lithium-Ion Power26-104 battery, but can also be run off any suitably powered deep cycle battery. Even the smallest model produces excellent torque and thrust.

All Torqeedos have an on-board ‘brain’ that will tell you the ground speed, range to empty, wattage draw and current battery power remaining. The Torqeedo Torq Trac app links your smartphone to your outboard for even more info. Check out these and more at the JV Marine Stand. www.powerequipment.com.au/products/torqeedo/ HIGHLIGHT: Lithium-Ion batteries mean no need for heavy lead-acid batteries.

VRFISH • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Established more than 20 years ago, VRFish is the recognised peak body for recreational fishing in Victoria, providing a voice for fishers of all abilities and backgrounds.

The organisation is funded by fishers for fishers, and the board is determined annually by a democratic election process.

Feedback, questions and suggestions are always welcome, whether it be on fish stocking, habitat improvement, better boating facilities, sustainable and responsible fishing or how to join a club. VRFish will be at the show to talk to anglers about issues that are important to their fishing experience, so be sure to stop by and say hello. To find out more visit www. vrfish.com.au.

FISHING MONTHLY DEAL • • • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

To reward new and renewing subscribers at the show, Vic and Tas FM will have plenty of free gifts to make your decision to subscribe an easy one – Daiwa travel rods (both spin and baitcast) and Silstar reels are up for grabs, so make sure you sign up at the show.

Already a subscriber? We’ll give you the same gift if you do a renewal at the show.

STAND NUMBER B10F Can’t make the Melbourne Boat Show? Give us a call on 1800 228 244 (during office hours) and we’ll have a special deal for those who missed it.

I think that has everyone covered. Apart from those who wait a month and read the magazine on-line for free at issuu. com. Don’t worry – we’ll still be doing that, but we won’t be giving you a gift for doing so.

Subscribe at the Show $ 00

130

(2year Subscription)

and get your choice of:

PRESIA REEL

OR

PHANTOM X SPIN OR BAITCAST TRAVEL ROD

STAND #B10f JUNE 2016

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38 South Boat Sales AMI Marine Anchor Right Ausmarine Aussie Boat Sales Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Avalon Pontoon Boats Avtek Covers Bar Crusher Bayside Jeep Beneteau Sundance Marine BL Marine Blairgowrie Yacht Squardron Blue Bottle Fishing Blue Reef Vision Boats & More Boatcatch Boating & RV BRP Australia Capacity Sports C-Map C.H. Smith Marine Chelsea Yamaha Club Marine Insurance CoverCraft Boat Covers Crawford Marine Cumberland Charter Yachts

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DÉJÀ VU Destination Marinas Dock Pro Dunbier Boat Trailers Elite Motor Yachts - Eyachts EV Towbars Every Battery Evolution Boats Family Casting Zones Fish for Life Fishing Getaways Fishing Monthly Flathead Fred Forbes Trading Frank Marine Furuno Australia Fusion Entertainment Geelong Boating Centre Geelong Marine World Harris Pontoon Boats Hidden Harbour Marina Hidow Pain Pod Hobie Cat Australasia Horizon Committee iHealth Saunas Introfish Inverloch Marine

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Savage Seas Adventures Savwinch Sealegs Sirocco Marine Melbourne Ski Force Solas/Wizard Southern Cross Textiles St Kilda Boat Sales Streaker Marine Stressfree Winches Tacklebusters Fishing Tackle Tens Pain Relief The Marine Shop Transtyle Australia Transport Safety Victoria Tre Motorsport Marine Engines Turmerix Victorian Water Ski Association Victorian Water Police VRFish Warragul Marine Centre Wes Frost Marine Whittley Marine Wyndham Harbour Yamaha Motor Australia Yaringa Boat Harbour

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Paddling on Hobsons Bay KAYAK

Corey Gallagher

Hobsons Bay is located within a stone’s throw from the hustle and bustle of Melbourne’s CBD, at the northern point of Port Phillip Bay and at the entrance to the Yarra River.

Home to an abundance of piers, pontoons, pylons, wharfs, rock walls and marinas, the area is laden with fish holding, man-made structure. A perfect location for kayak anglers with plenty

several areas, mainly shipping ports that have restricted access. These areas are clearly signed and anglers will face substantial fines if caught fishing within a restricted zone.

THE FISHING Hobsons Bay has a mix of species available and all within a relatively short paddle from the ramp at Williamstown.

The main piscatorial attraction in the area for the majority has always been snapper, although I’m regularly drawn to the location to target bream. The challenge of first finding them in all that structure and then

whiting, flathead, mullet and salmon, as well as the ever elusive mulloway that show themselves from time to time.

When targeting fish holding in structure, casting lures is definitely the way to go. The lures you choose and the manner in which you work them is largely dependant on the type of structure you are fishing. Boat hulls are plentiful in the Hobsons Bay area and are a great place to target fish. Bream in particular enjoy taking cover under moored boats.

Look for boats that have

There’s plenty of access option for kayakers in the Hobsons Bay area. of tight spots that their chosen craft can navigate with ease.

ACCESS The Warmies boat ramp located off The Strand in Newport and is only a short paddle from Hobsons Bay. The facilities at Warmies are excellent, with a dual lane ramp, floating pontoons, parking for trailers and public toilets. Please note that if you trail your kayak, you will be required to pay a 24-hour parking charge of $17.

There are many other launch options littered around the Williamstown/Newport/ Port Melbourne area, however many are private and can only be used if arrangements are made individually.

Once on the water there are

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Jetties, wharfs, docks and marinas are also prolific in the Hobsons Bay area and they are all held up by pylons. Similarly to boat hulls, pylons provide a surface for mussels to grow, a favourite food source of many estuary species. Again, sinking lures cast in close to the pylons is extremely deadly. It is important to let your lure fall as naturally as possible, so keep your bail arm open and feed line to the lure as it drops.

Again, watch your line closely for any indication that a fish has decided to take your offering, then load up the rod and pray that you can get it out of cover. The kayak’s size can be used as an advantage here,

Hobsons Bay is on the doorstep of Melbourne’s CBD, and is accessible to anglers. trying to extract them using light tackle always has me coming back for more.

Many other species are on offer in the area including

Another big Hobsons Bay bream swims free.

JUNE 2016

Big angry black bream living tight in structure are best targeted under paddle power.

a thick cover of growth on the hull, the thicker the better, as this provides the fish with a source of food as well as cover.

I usually cast sinking lures in tight at the edge of the boat hulls, and as the lure sinks I watch the line closely, as often the bites will be very subtle and hard to feel.

Once on the bottom, I pause before employing some small hops. Current and wind can be used to your advantage in this situation, and the further you can get that lure under the hull, the more likely it is to be hit. Position the kayak on the shady side of the boat hull and put multiple casts in along the whole length of the hull for your best chance of tangling with a bream.

and I often paddle underneath wharfs to allow me access to pylons that boat or even landbased anglers can only dream of fishing.

Man-made rock walls are another feature of the area that are always worth a look. Bait love rock walls as they provide them with heaps of little nooks and crannies in which to shelter from predatory fish. Diving hardbodied lures get great results when fishing the walls.

For your best chance on the walls, position your kayak so it’s facing into the current and cast parallel to the banks.

Use a twitch pause retrieve to tempt a hungry bream or salmon into a strike. Snapper can often be found cruising the rock walls in search of bait, so throwing minnow or worm style plastics will often result in a great feed of snapper fillets for the table.

The list of fishing options in Hobsons bay isn’t just limited to those mentioned above. The bay is home to a number of shallow water reefs, sand flats, drop-offs, deeper channels and weed beds that can all hold fish at different times of the year.

Due to the many different species on offer in the Hobsons Bay area, there are options the whole year around. Australian

salmon, mullet and whiting can be caught all year round.

Bream are best targeted during the warmer months when they are actively feeding higher in the water column.

Moving into winter, the mulloway chase schools of bait into the area.

The spring months is all about snapper here in Victoria and Hobsons Bay is no different.

As always, make sure you are wearing your PFD and have either a manual bailer or bilge pump installed in your kayak as required by law in Victoria. Safety concerns aren’t just limited to your gear when fishing in this area. Hobsons Bay lies at the entrance to Australia’s busiest container port.

Needless to say that kayak anglers need to be mindful when moving around the bay to ensure they stay well away from any large ships and their wake.

The bay is also busy with both recreational and commercial boat traffic, so taking measures to make sure you can be easily seen is well advised.

Get on down to Hobsons Bay and you too can experience some great kayak fishing options.

Bream often live under the boat mooring with the most growth.

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Kayak camping – planning and preparation BRISBANE

Justin Wilmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

Recently we caught up with friends who were planning to hike The Overland Track in Tasmania. After digging through the lightweight camping gear and gadgets that I carry on my adventures camping, they selected a few items that may make their adventure more comfortable, safer and more enjoyable. One

further from your launch site, often in less pressured and more productive waters. It’s also a great way to explore this magic country, escape the hustle and bustle of the everyday and catch up with mates, sharing a few fishing tales around a fire or lantern. Whether it’s being dropped off at a local river and picked up downstream a day or two later, paddling to a picturesque island campground to make the most of a weekend, or embarking on a multi-day

The Light My Fire Meal Kit 2.0 is ideal for kayak camping. Bowl, plate, spork, two waterproof containers, Pack-up-Cup, cutting board/strainer and harness all packs up inside itself.

Kayak camping can allow you to explore some amazing locations. thing led to another and by the end of the night we also had a basic plan together for an upcoming overnight kayak camping and fishing adventure.

Planning and preparation are key components of any successful kayak camping adventure, so I thought I would take this opportunity to break down these components while planning our upcoming adventure.

Camping lightweight from a kayak allows you to make the most of available time, spend more time on the A lightweight bedding solution – air mattress, sleeping water at peak bite times (dawn bag, inflatable pillow and fitted sheet. The total weight of and dusk), and base yourself this set-up is under 2kg and fits in a medium dry bag.

Kayak camping can put you right where the fish are.

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kayak touring adventure, a quick Google for camping areas in your region of interest or a search for commercial kayak camping tours anywhere in the world could see you on the water.

GETTING STARTED Always remember safety first – assess the level of risk before making any decisions. It is important to consider your skill and fitness level, along with the payload of your kayak and whether it is designed to carry this payload over long distances. Then it’s

time to select a destination, taking into account your launch point, distance to be travelled, weather, available facilities, booking and permits, insects and wildlife, and the timeframe that you have available.

GEARING UP When it comes to selecting gear it’s often a balance between the available space and payload of your kayak, and the weight and pack size of the gear that you wish to carry. You need to tick all of the basic needs, such as shelter, bedding, cooking, lighting and food and water.

If you are travelling with others, sharing gear such as an icebox, cooker, area lantern and bug spray, can allow you each to carry a few

Water drums and iceboxes are just a couple of storage options. more luxuries. The evolution of hiking gear has created a multitude of equipment options that are perfect for kayak campers. Let’s take a brief look at each category of gear that you may want to consider.

FOOD AND WATER If you’re doing an overnighter you may be able to carry standard meals in an icebox. Alternatively you may opt for packet or tinned options. We often carry freeze dried meals designed for hikers and these are pretty tasty, nutritious, come in a wide variety of meal options, are lightweight and simply require the addition of boiling water. These can be eaten straight from the packet to minimise dishes, or

Even your cutlery can be lightweight – hard anodised aircraft grade aluminium on the right and polycarbonate on the left.

we often carry bread wraps and spoon these meals into the wraps for additional fuel.

Always carry more water than you think you will need for your trip. It’s a good idea to store water in multiple smaller containers rather than one large container, just in case this container leaks or is contaminated.

Carrying a means of making safe drinking water, such as water purification tablets, a Steripen or Lifestraw is also a good idea.

SHELTER Hiking tents are the most popular shelter option for kayak campers and important things to consider include the erected size and configuration, pack size and weight, and depending on your destination, mesh screens and ventilation.

BEDDING Sleeping bags are the most commonly used bedding option and it’s important to consider fit size, pack size and weight, temperature rating, left or right hand zip, tapering, hood and I would suggest, a quality synthetic bag over down (feathers) as they retain their loft and therefore ability to capture air and keep you warm – even when wet.

Sleep mats are the most common bed option for

Dawn and dusk are peak bite times, so why not camp in close proximity to productive waters.

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kayak campers, including lightweight foam mats, inflatable mats and selfinflating mats. In cooler weather, insulated mats are needed to reduce the cold rising from the ground, while in tropical regions you can go extremely light with simple uninsulated inflatable mats. To minimise weight and bulk further you can opt for a tapered mat or 3/4-size mat that run from the head

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Steel from Light My Fire, designed to produce high temperature sparks when struck with the included striker, even when wet.

KITCHEN When it comes to kitchen items it’s hats off to Sea to Summit again, a company that develops innovative, functional solutions for lightweight adventurers. I have a lightweight kitchen kit loaded with their products,

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Wipes. When travelling with your partner though, it may be worth including a Sea to Summit Pocket Shower in the kit to keep them smiling.

Simply warm up some water, pour it into the lightweight shower bag, hoist it in a tree, turn the nozzle and away you go. Pocket Soap and Trek & Travel Liquid Soaps are ideal options for showering lightweight and a lightweight Tek Towel will see you dry,

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SAFETY AND FIRST AID When selecting a first aid kit it’s important to consider how many people are in your group, how long you will be away for and how far you will be from assistance. Most of the major first aid kits have tables on their website to assist you with your selection, along with supplementary kits that may be relevant to your adventure, such as snakebite kits.

At the end of the day, if kayak camping can get you onto a few more fish I’m there!

The author’s MacGyver Kit. Safety first. to the hips. Sea to Summit has an excellent range of mats, pillows and pumps for kayak campers.

COOKING There are a range of cooking options available, with fuel options that include butane, methylated spirits,

including ultralight cutlery, folding plates, bowls, cups and pots, folding bucket and sink, spice holder, environmentally friendly wash and more.

LIGHTING There are two forms of lighting we carry, a

Some more lightweight gems from Sea to Summit – pocket towel, ultralight backpack, pocket soap, folding bucket and even the kitchen sink! without the weight and bulk of traditional towels.

No one really likes to talk about the toilet, however this has been made more user-friendly with products such as the Pocket Trowel, Outhouse Toilet Roll Holder and hand sanitisers.

There are some amazing environments out there just waiting to be explored – and fished! wood chips, fuel tablets such as hexamine and more.

A couple of my favourite options include the Jet Boil butane cooker, which is simple, fast and ideal for short trips and the Trangia which is ideal for larger groups, longer adventures and you can cook a lot of meals on a single Trangia bottle filled with methylated spirits, making it extremely inexpensive to run.

When it comes to lighting these appliances, or lighting a campfire for cooking, check out the Fire

headlamp each and an area lantern for the group. We prefer headlamps that are waterproof, LED and battery operated, allowing us to carry a spare set of batteries.

Area lanterns are available that are lightweight, compact and LED, offering longer run times. We use a lantern that pops open to spread and diffuse the light over a larger area for use when cooking.

TOILET AND SHOWER For overnight adventures you may be able to rough it, have a swim or use body wipes such as Wilderness

We also carry a ‘MacGyver Kit’ that includes items such as a signal mirror, whistle, emergency blanket, multitool, zip ties, electrical tape, chemical lights, sunscreen, bug spray, fire starter, length of venetian blind cord and a few other items that could get us out of a sticky situation. I also have an EPIRB that joins us on our adventures, while many adventurers prefer a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon).

NAVIGATION AND COMMUNICATION Navigation is made simple with modern GPS units, however it’s a good idea to have a backup such as a chart of the area in a waterproof map case, a compass such as those that can be mounted on your kayak and an idea of where the sun will track in relation to your travels and launch point.

In terms, of communication a mobile phone is a good starting point

Hiking tents are a popular option, and this one only weighs in at about 1kg.

and it’s a good idea to carry one of the portable charging options that are available.

There are now attachments available that can convert your mobile phone into a satellite phone, for those on more extreme adventures.

We also carry a pair of waterproof 5W handheld UHF radios, with VHF radios – an excellent option for those in remote and offshore areas. An EPIRB or PLB provides great peace of mind and is another option to alert the authorities should something go wrong. Most importantly, let someone know where you’re going, when you expect to return, how many in your group and your contact numbers.

Safety first.

CLOTHING The environment in which you are adventuring will often dictate your clothing, so consider heat and cold, humidity, wind and sun exposure. Technical developments in hiking clothing can be used by kayak campers, including lightweight waterproof and breathable outer layers, thermal base layers, a combination of layers rather than one heavy layer allows

you to add or remove layers to better adapt to changes in temperature. Sun protection options include headwear, buffs, sun shirts, gloves, footwear and sun pants such as the quick dry Stealth Wear from Sun2Sea UV Protection.

When it comes to storing your kit, iceboxes, water drums, waterproof boxes, crates and dry bags are all good options, along with octopus straps and tie down straps for securing them. We use different coloured dry bags to easily sort, manage and locate particular items.

Whether it’s the fishing, adventure, wildlife, escape, mateship, exploration or whatever else drives you and recharges your batteries, kayak camping can be as simple as an overnighter locally or a more involved multi-day adventure further afield. On our adventures we have landed some cracker fish, watched some amazing sunrises and sunsets, interacted with wildlife such as dolphins and dugongs, and made some awesome memories. Stay tuned for a wrap up of our upcoming overnight adventures in coming issues.

The Mini Trangia set up and ready to cook – just add methylated spirits.

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Buying an estuary rig – what you need to know BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Estuary rigs cover a whole range of boats, from the standard dinghy right through to the pointed punt style of rig.

The most popular sizes are from 3.2m right up to 5m, which means there’s a great variety of boats to choose from depending on the kind of fishing you want to do.

Most of the time estuary rigs will be used in waters that, while sometimes a bit choppy, are going to be user-friendly in average conditions. That said, some of the larger estuary/bay craft will find themselves offshore on the right day – such is the diversity of size in today’s estuary rigs.

THINK BEFORE BUYING Like every other facet of boat ownership, it’s always

Stacer’s Outlaw is a conventional dinghy that fulfils most estuary fishing requirements. Note the side console driving position. know what points to look for in a pre-owned craft – or if you know someone who can lend you their expertise. You definitely shouldn’t overlook the monetary benefits of getting a used boat.

3.65-4.5m range. Many get by nicely with low powered engines, which means that a lot of crabs, fish or prawns can come home for little outlay. At the end of fishing you just give the boat a hose down inside and out, pull the bung aft and let it drain and dry.

Dinghies also come in larger sizes, right up to 5m, and power can range well up towards the 90hp mark.

This extends the boat’s use from estuary to offshore in calm conditions. There’s definitely a lot of choice on the market – it just boils down to what you want to use your boat for and what you can afford.

of rig can handle a variety of water conditions and will suit a lot of people.

Additionally, if it’s high sided enough it will manage within a bay or estuary quite well. Alloy is the most common

The best attributes of a punt are seen here: a large work area, side pocket, under floor storage space and a centrally-located live well.

The Quintrex Renegade 460 is one estuary craft that could easily fulfil everything from sheltered to more exposed water fishing. best to look at your budget first. Then you should consider where you’ll use the boat most of the time, how many people will usually be aboard, and finally where the boat will fit in your yard or garage.

When it comes to the initial outlay, a basic package for a new estuary style craft that will take 3-4 anglers is relatively affordable.

Prices range anywhere from $20,000 - $30,000 in the smaller sizes. However, that price will increase significantly when you start looking at a larger rig.

If you want to save some money, a used rig can be just as good if you 30

JUNE 2016

DINGHY STYLE RIGS Choosing the precise style of boat comes down to a couple of things. The standard open dinghy (the ones we all knew so well for years before pointy punts took over) usually has seating arrangements for up to three or four, a sharp bow and open layout.

Some hulls feature a near flat configuration aft, while other larger ones are more sophisticated and sport some vee along with small reversed outer chines.

Driving positions vary from tiller steer in smaller craft right up to side console modules for the larger jobs. This sort

construction material due to weight advantages and maintenance-free durability.

Storage space is virtually everywhere in a ‘standard’ dinghy. It’s an open boat so you bring along your own storage box or boxes and snug things into areas where they will be out of the way.

Modern craft offer much improved rides these days and are relatively cheap, especially in the

Modern vee-nose punts come with under floor storage, and electric motor brackets are either fitted standard or are high on the options list.

Stacer’s Proline has many of the desired features that characterise modern punts.

PUNTS MUCH IN DEMAND Vee-nosed punts offer just as much work room due to entirely open areas all round, plus the advantage of a casting deck up front which conceals a lot of useful storage space. As with some dinghies, many punts come with an electric motor pad standard, or at least optional, which then opens the door to a world of thoroughly enjoyable stealth fishing.

Seating is usually something along the lines of buckets on pedestals. You get a choice of placement, courtesy of additional in-floor spigots.

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So we have virtually all of the boat as a fishing workspace, thanks to the great storage under the deck and variable seating. Could it get better?

Well… yes! Punts also have tremendous stability, and that’s a huge selling point. I’m not suggesting

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that standard dinghies aren’t stable, I’m just saying that the vee-nosed punt has a design that makes it more stable due to the extra in-water contact the punt has.

In a well designed punt the ride won’t be compromised as there’s usually enough rake (the

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angle of the bow) and clean entry up front to iron out chop.

Moreover, most punts have some additional weight about them due to the casting deck and other framework up front, and that bit of extra weight assists in ride quality as well.

Naturally, the punt style rig is going to require a bit

Horizon’s 438 Stryker is an estuary craft with potential to cater for a lot of fishing scenarios.

Open dinghies allow full work room. Some upmarket versions provide side pocket storage, but in most dinghies you just put your gear wherever there’s space.

more horsepower to kick it along and there’s some extra cost to consider. That said, a lot of folk enjoy their punts these days and virtually every serious alloy maker has one or more models on the books.

THE CHOICE So there we have it: two basic styles of boat for

the same job. The choice comes down to how much money you want to spend, the sort of fishing you’re planning to do, and whether you need covered storage and want a stand-and-fish casting deck up front, which is handy for a lot of finesse and sports style fishing.

Either way, provided the rig is a proven brand and comes with plenty of kudos from reviewers and owners past and present, it won’t be far off the buyer’s mark. Remember, all boats involves some compromises. The trick is to minimise them.

THE SNIPER IS DESIGNED AS THE ULTIMATE CROSS OVER FISHING PLATFORM. Stable and capable in enclosed waters and tough and comfortable in the rough stuff. The Sniper is fully equipped to target fish, anywhere. 3mm bottom and sides with X-Core Construction means you can have total confidence in your hull strength. A Sabre deep V dead rise means you don’t have to slow down in the chop. The Sniper package will give you the confidence to step your fishing up to the next level.

Sniper is available in the following models: 424, 444, 454, 484, 514

anglapro.com.au JUNE 2016

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Patrick Dangerfield’s Northbank 650 Hard Top FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

We’ve tested plenty of Northbank boats over the last couple of years in VFM – from the entry-level 500C right through to this weapon of a craft – but this is the first one we’ve done with someone famous.

Not that Melbourne Marine’s Andrew Stephen, Northbank’s Rob Cuming or I aren’t great big fish in a tiny pond, but Northbank is excited about their association with the Geelong midfielder, Patrick Dangerfield, and the fact that his second Northbank boat is the 650 Hard Top powered by a 225hp Mercury Verado.

We were there for the handover and got to see how S

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Cradled on a Dunbier twin axle trailer, the 650 is an imposing rig both on and off the road.

Pat reacted to the first drop of the throttle.

“Kid in a candy store” is cliché, yet Dangerfield summed up the experience in a way that only an angler can.

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Length........................6.5m LOA............................6.8m Beam........................2.44m Length on trailer..........8m Capacity............8 persons Fuel............................250L Deadrise...................... 21o Hull weight............ 1300kg Towing Weight.......2300kg 32

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Northbank’s Rob Cuming takes us on a walk through of the 650HT.

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“It’s like the difference between mono and braid,” he said, comparing the performance and feel of the supercharged, fly-by-wire 4-stroke to his previous power plant.

And there was no getting around the fact that Dangerfield seriously liked the aesthetics of this boat.

“It’s not the most important part about a boat, but it’s certainly one of the things that I enjoy about it [the motor is] matched really well with the black hull and the white top. I think the way that Northbank have designed the hard top, it’s impossible

not to like the look of it, especially matched with the nine rocket launchers off the top as well as the Garmin radar,” he said.

Indeed, the Northbank is a seriously good looking rig.

At the helm, Dangerfield was a little cautious at first, but was soon hammersdown and cutting through the foot-and-a-bit of northern bay slop.

Later, Rob Cuming took the wheel and really pushed the Northbank to the limits.

Tight turns under heavy throttle across and into the slop presented no problems, cavitation, or lack of things to hold on to.

The cockpit space in this rig is seriously massive. The gunwales are high and the windscreens and all round visibility is fantastic.

Take a look at the images of the fit out hereby and the two YouTube videos we created on the test day (by scanning the QR codes provided or visiting the Fishing Monthly YouTube channel).

Melbourne Marine Centre package the Verado with the Northbank 650 Hard Top for $119,999.

You can call visit www. melbournemarine.com.au for more details.

A 23o deadrise at the transom means that if you drive it right, the Northbank will land soft. All Northbank boats are built to survey specifications, although not supplied in survey.

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Speed . Economy (km/h). (km/L) 600................ 5..............1.8 1000.............. 8..............1.7 2000.............13..............1.3 3000............ 28..............1.1 4000............ 46..............1.1 5000............ 61..............1.0 6000............ 80..............0.7 Using Enertia 16” propeller

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Patrick Dangerfield talks about his history with Northbank and his new rig.

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“Imagination is the preview of life’s coming attractions” Headed out onto Port Phillip Bay in a new boat. Is there a better feeling?

Top: Astern of that beast of an anchor are a few pinstripes. Who chose those colours?

A Crows supporter? Above: Massive side pockets in deep gunwales with plenty of tow room are pretty high on Dangerfield’s list of ‘things I like about my new Northbank’.

The walk-through transom door offers easy access to the cockpit while in the water or boarding from the waterline.

The helm is simple and uncluttered.

Garmin electronics and radar, some simple SmartCraft gauges and the usual switches are all in easy reach.

92 HALLAM SOUTH ROAD, HALLAM, VIC TORIA 3803 A couple of big units here. Dangerfield is 100kg. The Verado is closer to 300. I know which one would win in a high speed clash, although both are quick off the mark.

PHONE (03) That’s a lot of windscreen, and on a cold Geelong morning, you’d need every piece of it.

9703 2003

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Robalo 206 Cayman - dream Aussie inshore boat Imported by Scott O’Hare from Aussie Boat Sales, Robalo is a brand with serious Stateside history. Founded half a century ago and owned by Chaparral – the world’s largest sports boat manufacturer – Robalo’s DNA is characterised by all of the little things that make a good boat great. Bronze throughhull fittings, tinned wire and the soft, dry, stepped HydraLift hull with Kevlar combine with the highly evolved deck design to make the Robalo a pleasure to fish from and own.

The smallest of the Cayman bay boat range (its bigger siblings are 22’6” and 24’6”) was put to the test, and the test hull performed remarkably well with a 135hp Honda. Given that the maximum horsepower is 200, the sub six-second hole shot was quite remarkable.

Scott O’Hare attributes

FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

I first saw a Robalo Cayman 206 at the Melbourne Boat Show in 2015. Like a lot of other patrons, I thought, ‘man, I could take that to some pretty awesome places and catch some kick-ass fish out of it.’ Seriously.

Dreaming about American-styled bay boats is virtually mandatory if you like casting lures and flies at inshore predators anywhere in Australia. Bream and trout anglers in Tassie, bass and flathead flickers in NSW or barra botherers in the north could all insert this Robalo into their daily fishing routine.

From what we’ve seen, they’d enhance their fishing experience because of it.

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RPM Speed (km/h) 650.............................3.7 1000...........................6.5 2000............................11 3000............................24 4000............................39 5000............................52 5500............................61

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Watch the QR code to see Steve Morgan’s interview with Scott O’Hare.

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The front casting deck is all business when the lids are shut, and all storage when the lids are up. All of these hatches are lockable, which means that your rods are safe on extended road trips. this to the extended vee-plane hull, where the planing surface extends past the transom where the outboard is attached.

“Some anglers who want to keep the purchase and running costs down will opt for a smaller outboard and it’ll perform just fine. Of course, if you’re a petrol head who needs the maximum horsepower, the hull will handle it no problems,” Scott said from Robalo’s home base – the Anchorage Marina

in Williamstown, Victoria.

The first thing I noticed when I jumped aboard was the port side gunwale mount for the bow mount Minn Kota iPilot. In a massive victory for common sense, there’s a place to stow this reasonably delicate and important piece of machinery that’s not right at the bow of the boat when making long and/or rough runs. And that includes trailering.

Many features of this boat

have been refined to make your boating easier. The rear boarding ladder folds away under a cover on the step and there are concealed buckets that aren’t banging around on the deck between spots. The rear seats also fold away to clear, flat decks.

Anchor storage for instance, is a standout. Vertical, hanging anchor storage has been a feature of this style of boat for decades, yet is difficult

to find in locally produced versions. Self-draining, all hatches and decks are made to be waterproof while being hosed down. Rods, tackle and dry gear don’t need to be soaked every time the boat is washed or it rains, so another big tick from me there.

Luckily, it was a wild and windy day at Port Phillip Bay when we tested the Robalo, and as expected, the hull ate up the smaller chop with ease. Of course, it wasn’t as seaworthy as the 26ft centre console Robalo that we also tested on the day, however, its rough water capabilities would be at home in any inshore waters Australia wide.

Of course, my inner petrol-head yearned for 200 ponies on the back, but I was quite surprised at the ease with which the 135 Honda got this boat up and running.

To keep prices under control, all Robalos in Australia are currently sold from Aussie Boat Sales’ headquarters in Williamstown, Victoria. As tested the boat sells for $90,000. Packages start from around $75,000.

You can call Scott direct for more information on 0417 511 340 or visit these sites: www. aussieboatsales.com.au or www.robalo.com.

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The deck layout seems simple and flat, but there’s a place for everything in this boat and the rig is self-draining – a feature of all Robalo craft.

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The front console seat includes vertical rod storage and under-seat storage. There’s no space wasted. And the soft ride of the hull means that it’s actually comfortable to ride here.

Three cheers for a practical solution for Minn Kota storage when it’s rough or for long trips.

Unplug, unclip, re-clip and you’re ready to do some miles without the electric taking the heat. This includes while trailering.

Top: Robalo livewells are built for comfort. With rounded corners and a dark blue colouring, your bait or catch will be blissfully unaware of their near future. Above: There are so many 1% features of the Robalo. Here, the boarding ladder folds away and fits under a flat deck panel. It’s a neat and practical solution.

Although the Cayman 206 is rated to 200hp, the 135 Honda fitted to it by Aussie Boat Sales delivers 5-6 second hole shot and a top speed of 61km/h.

Naturally, it becomes a weapon with the 200hp outboard, which is the maximum for this hull.

What about a hatch that includes a removable bucket? Another example of the practical design of the Robalo.

Top: American boats seem to always do this right – dedicated anchor storage that doesn’t impinge on the deck space. The Yanks have been doing this and doing it well for years. Above: Designed and built in the USA and imported by Aussie Boat Sales, the Robalo Cayman 206 is the smallest in their threestrong bay-boat range. With Kevlar incorporated in the hydra-lift hull and the planing surface extended past the transom line, this boat operated quite well on seemingly small horsepower outboards.

Go on – tell me that this isn’t the dream inshore boat for a lot of Aussie anglers. It’s able to travel comfortably across some nasty water, has a place for everything, and is the pinnacle of nearly 50 years of design.

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FOR THE LOVE OF FISHING. ®

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Clark 455 Dominator with a Suzuki 60hp 4-stroke the many rivers and estuary systems around Australia.

First impressions are always important when it comes to seeing a boat for the first time. The Clark 455 Dominator delivered more than expected. Standard features like a bow mount plate, fully carpeted extended casting deck and comfortable seating were obvious. It has plenty of fishing space (easily enough for two people to fish from the front casting deck), and the sports console has ample room to house any electronics and gauges you may want.

What really impressed me is that two plumbed live wells are standard design for the 455. A small plastic tank is situated in the rear deck, and a large aluminium tank is in the front casting deck

FMG

Peter Jung pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au

Clark Aluminium boats are an iconic brand manufactured in Queensland. They produce all manner of boats, from car toppers to offshore vessels. I recently visited Lake Mulwala on the border of New South Wales and Victoria to test a boat designed specifically for the sportsfishing market – the Clark Dominator 455 side console.

I met up with Simon Ryan from Boats and More in Shepparton and Echuca to test the Dominator out.

Lake Mulwala was the ideal location, as this boat is built to use on similar waterways, and S

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Overall length.......... 4.65m Beam........................ 2.05m Depth....................... 1.05m Weight (hull only).... 420kg Max hp....................... 75hp Max persons................... 4 Scan this QR code with your smart phone to see the Clark 455 Dominator

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The Clark 455 Dominator has everything a keen lake, river or estuary angler would want. With plenty of fishing space, storage and standard options to make fishing the number one priority, this boat is a pleasure. with a divider. Many fishing competitions require you to keep fish alive, as livewells in the front casting deck is normally an option rather than standard, the 455 stands out as a premium sportsfishing boat. There was also plenty of storage both underfloor (three hatches in the front casting deck) and via side pockets on either side of the rear of the boat. I am a fan of painted boats and the 455 Dominator comes standard painted – white internal and two-tone paint external.

A Suzuki 60hp 4-stroke motor powered the boat we

tested. I have done several tests for Boats and More with Suzuki motors and cannot help but be impressed with the performance of these motors.

The lean burn technology of the Suzuki 4-strokes maximises fuel economy during extended use, and the 60hp’s 44kW of power provided plenty of grunt to get on the plane quickly. The 455 Dominator has a 60L underfloor fuel tank, and you would get many days of use if you sat on around 4000rpm.

The maximum horsepower rating for the 455 is up to 75hp and Simon explained

that you could go as low as a 50hp if need be. However, the 60hp seems to be a good match in both price and performance.

Boats of this style are bound to cop a bump or two.

Lake Mulwala has millions of things to bump into and it is nice to know that the Dominator has 3mm bottoms and sides to deal with any mishaps.

Towing must always be considered when purchasing a boat. The tested boat was on a Dunbier 4.7m braked trailer. Able to be towed by a family sedan, the 455 was

easily launched and retrieved by two people and could be done by one if required.

Conditions at Lake Mulwala on the test day were a little tricky, with plenty of wind chop and lots of boat wake from competitors fishing the Cod Classic.

This is typical of this type of waterway and something that the 455 should deal with comfortably. It certainly did that. The vee-hull handled the conditions well, with the reverse chines cushioning the ride and keeping the driver and passenger dry. Handling was good with very little trim required to get the maximum from the hull and motor. It was very stable at rest, which is important when most of your time is spent casting from the front deck.

All in all, the Clark 455 Dominator provides standard features that will excite plenty of tournament and everyday anglers and is well worth a look if you are looking for this style of boat.

BMT packages start from $26,990 (with a 2-stroke motor). The boat we tested comes in at $29,990. For more information you can contact Boats and More on (03) 5822 2108, or go to their website www.boatsandmore.com.au.

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The Suzuki 60hp 4-stroke with its Lean Burn technology not only ensured the 455 has plenty of grunt, but also gives you plenty of mileage from its 60L underfloor fuel tank.

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There are two side pockets in the Dominator to keep all your bits and pieces handy when you are out on the water.

The Clark 455 Dominator came on a Dunbier 4.7m braked trailer and was easily launched and retrieved.

The seat configuration was really thought out, with plenty of room no matter whether you’re short or tall.

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The Sports Side Console provides plenty of room for any electronics you may ever need or want.

Storage and fishing space is important in a sportsfishing boat.

The front deck has plenty of room for at least two anglers to fish from, and plenty of storage below to keep it clear of clutter.

An option on most boats of this type, the 455 came standard with livewell under the front casting deck.

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Cruise Craft EX 685 HT too, as Port Phillip Bay had turned on a glass-out for us. There wasn’t going to be any white-knuckled wave jumping.

But that wasn’t really the focus of the day. This test is about taking a wellestablished and popular hull, paired with the industryleading naturally aspirated 4-stroke in Yamaha’s F300 and doing what you’d do to it if you were left with the options list and someone else’s chequebook.

So this is what the finished product looks like and what you’d get if you plonked around $200K on the front counter of Streaker Marine and told them to ‘go nuts’!

There’s a couple of videos we’ve compiled in

FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

Streaker Marine – a Melbourne dealer for iconic Cruise Craft Australianmade trailer boats – had a fairly simple goal with this EX 685 HT. To set up the ultimate snapper fishing boat and display it at the 2016 Melbourne Boat Show.

With Sean Savage from Streaker Marine at the helm of this project, there was zero chance that it’d be done half heartedly, so it was with excitement that Fishing Monthly met him at the ramp in the Patterson River.

To be honest, it was with a little disappointment, S

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Hull Length..................6.95m Length (with bow sprit). ...... 7.2m Length (overall on trailer).....8.7m Weight BMT...............2850kg Beam..............................2.5m Deadrise transom........... 20° Transom height............ Extra Maximum hp.............. 300hp Recommended hp......250hp Max persons.......................7 Fuel capacity................. 310L 40

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Scan to see the full boat test video.

tandem with this test (scan the QR codes to watch them, or visit the Fishing Monthly YouTube channel) – one is a detailed walk-through with Sean Savage and the other is our standard Boat Test compilation. They’re well worth the watch – even if only to dream.

For me, it’s no use having the best looking and fitted out boat in the world if it’s not practical.

And it’s evident that this package has evolved to a point where everything is done for a reason. Let me explain further.

I love the fact that the battery management system is accessible, welllabelled and addresses the most common problems boaties encounter – a flat cranking battery.

The fact that you only need to take a few seconds to remove the rear bench seat and you have access to all of the pumps and stopcocks you need to deal with a problem at sea is reassuring.

Little things – like the snapper rod racks being built with a hinge to allow access through the transom door. Mint.

And both fresh and salt running water? There

Unfortunately on the test day, Port Phillip Bay was as flat as the Patterson River.

Still, the Cruise Craft provided superior levels of comfort and convenience. shouldn’t be a boat of this size without it.

The 310L of fuel underfloor gives this boat a range of around 300km at cruising speeds – ample for the biggest of day trips.

If you like being informed at the helm, you can be supplied with everything you need via the two screens – one on the Simrad NSS12 (sonar, GPS, radar) and the Yamaha colour screen engine gauge. The helm is remarkably simple and well organised with nothing getting between you and your wast windscreen.

Supplied on the top-ofthe-line alloy Easytow twin axled trailer, this rig comes

in at just under three tonnes.

Although I could technically tow this with my twin cab Triton, but I’d feel safer doing it with a larger 4WD. Do yourself a favour and make sure that you drop in and see this rig at the Melbourne Boat P

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Show in 2016!

Yamaha/Cruise Craft packages with the EX685 HT start from $164,950. As tested, you can drive away this special Streaker Marine fitted craft for $196,000.

Visit www.streakermarine. com.au for more details.

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Speed Economy (km/h) (km/L) 6......................... 3.8 8.5...................... 2.3 13.3.................... 1.2 23.......................... 1 52....................... 1.1 70....................... 0.8 78....................... 0.7

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Scan to see the full walkthrough with Sean Savage.

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Yamaha’s F300 has always been a strong motor.

You don’t need a 300hp on the back of this boat, but given the level of fitout in this rig, there was no way that this Cruise Craft was going to leave the fitout bay with anything less.

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From this angle, you can see the vast amount of fishing room in the cockpit. Got some mates you want to take for a fish? No worries.

We’ve seen more switches in a 14-foot tinnie. The helm dash layout is super clean and practical. The enormous Simrad takes pride of place and nothing occludes the visibility through the windscreens.

Top: The rear bench seat folds flat in about 10 seconds. Nothing protrudes to get in the way of your activities at the bait board. Above: Deployed, the rear seat fits a couple of passengers comfortably.

It takes only a couple of seconds to remove it and gain access to the stopcocks in the bilge.

The Cruisecraft was kitted out for snapper fishing. Keeping live baits fresh can be the key at times. The plumbed livewell was large enough to hold the largest of live baits.

“I don’t like the look of that deck,” said nobody.

Ever. The dual cooler/fridge system is practical and bordering on luxurious for longer trips.

Clever design here – a stay-free shade system slides out under the rocket launcher.

There are a couple of options when it comes to closing the side door – you can use a Teflon panel or fill it with the original piece of cut-out gunwale. The Teflon option would suit most anglers and divers, as it’s small and easily stowed.

This is the bit that lands you softly when conditions get nasty. The trim tabs level out an uneven load, the Simrad side scanning transducer gives you imagery like you’ve never seen before and the Yamaha gets you where you want to be – quickly.

JUNE 2016

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JUNE 2016

PACKED WITH FEATURES FOR THE SERIOUS ANGLER

611 Crossover HT

• • • • • • • •

Hard top cabin Suzuki 4-stroke outboard Toughened glass windscreen Sliding side windows 2-pack paint & Nyalic clear finish 5mm hull, 4mm welded floor Walk through transom with LBT Dunbier drive-on trailer with alloy wheels

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INCLUDES REGO & SAFETY GEAR

172 Queen St, WARRAGUL VIC 3820 172 Queen Street, Warragul 03·5623 6250 | www.warragulmarine.com.au P 5623 6250 | E info@warragulmarine.com.au

• • • • •

Suzuki 4-stroke outboard 2-pack paint & Nyalic clear finish 5mm hull, 4mm welded floor Walk through transom with LBT Dunbier drive-on trailer

24 Sturt Street, Echuca

www.warragulmarine.com.au 03·5482 23333

www.xtrememarine.net.au

JUNE 2016

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McLay 611 CrossOver Hard Top with Suzuki 200 Centre, and was set up as a no-expense-spared dream rig for use on the southern coast of Victoria. Put together by David Garcia and the team at Warragul, we took the opportunity to chat to both the dealer and the customer on the test day.

“For us we were looking at either a sailboat or a powerboat to use for our on-water leisure craft”, said Christine, “but as soon as we saw the McLay boats, we fell in love with them.”

It’s easy to see why – there’s an attention to detail in the finish of a McLay that can be missed by other brands.

You notice immediately that the boat is only painted in the non-traffic areas. The hightraffic areas are coated in an anti-oxidation coating that

FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

I’d never been in one of the New Zealand built McLay plate hulls until my latest boat-testing sojourn to the eastern shores of Port Phillip Bay. The guys from Warragul Marine Centre have helped me broaden my experience, and I must say, what a pleasant experience it was. On the test day, we got to ride in a couple of the models in the range – both wearing the CrossOver label – the 581 Cuddy and the 611 Hard Top. The 611 Hard Top was recently purchased by Christine and Chris Gregory from Warragul Marine S

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Length........................ 6.1m Beam.......................... 2.3m Min hp...........................115 Max hp......................... 200 Hull weight.............. 780kg Fuel............................ 130L Total weight........... 1700kg Bottom....................... 5mm Sides.......................... 4mm Price as tested......$97,000 Priced from.......... $68,597 44

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See the full interview with Steve Morgan and David Garcia by scanning this QR code with your smart phone.

The McLay 611 Hard Top powered by a lightweight 200 Suzuki 4-stroke is a great looking rig. keeps the bare aluminium looking good. As McLays are a serious fishing boat there’s a good reason for this. You’ll be pulling pots, fish, kids and gear over the gunwales, and if it’s bare, you wont be worried about damaging the finish. Good thinking there, New Zealand.

If you’re in the market for a plate boat, you’ll know all the thicknesses of all of the sheets of the boats you’re researching. Add a 5mm bottom and 4mm sides to the mix, with a fully welded floor and under gunwale foam, and you end up with something that will take any punishment you can dish

out to it and still float if you somehow manage to get yourself in trouble.

We were impressed with the cockpit layout. The transom door was simple and effective. You step into the boat over the windowed livewell and if you want to deploy the transom-flush bench seat, you just twist two levers and the seat drops to into position in a couple of seconds. There are no legs to fold out that can get in the way.

But here’s the cool bit – the battery compartments are right behind the seat backrest and easy to work on if there areany issues. They’re not

buried out of the way.

The helm seats also feature smart use of space, with copious dry storage under the helm and an iceboxslot under the passenger seat.

Both are fantastic ideas.

Underfloor kill tanks and front bunks are standard in this style of boat however, the clever design continues forward. Add the bunk infill and most humans will be able to sleep comfortably – if that’s your thing. Again, there’s endless storage under the bunks.

At the helm, the McLay will fit all of the electronics you can afford. It’s fully carpet lined (as is the cabin), which helps deaden the noise.

The Gregorys had fitted a touch-screen Garmin and a sound system. The controls were all accessible from the helm, and the boat was a P

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RPM Speed (km/h) Idle (600).......................5 1000.........................10.3 2000.........................21.9 3000.........................29.8 4000.........................42.5 5000.........................53.9 5700.........................58.9 6.15 seconds onto plane

pleasure to drive.

David Garcia from Warragul Marine Centre described this boat succinctly, “This is McLay’s adventure boat. No matter what you want to do and where you want to go, this boat will do it in comfort,” he said.

I know that Aussies won’t be able to break it. From my time in New Zealand, I got the impression that kiwis don’t even go out unless it’s blowing at least 20 knots. They are hardened boaters and the boats are made to match.

As tested, this rig cost $97,000 to drive away from the boat yard, although packages start from as low as $68,597. Visit www. warragulmarine.com.au for more details or to organise a test drive. You can give them a call on (03) 5623 6250.

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From above, the lines look just as sharp as they do from the waterline. The gunwale width looks narrow, but with the handrails in the right spot, moving along these was remarkably easy.

Top: The 611 McLay boasts one of the most practical and well-designed transoms we’ve seen on an aluminium boat. The transom door is a simple, slidein piece of aluminium, handrails are in all the right areas and the live bait tank forms part of the step.

Above: The rear bench seat folds down seemingly from out of nowhere, giving prime access to the batteries.

The beauty of this design is that there are no legs to fold away and deployment takes, literally, five seconds.

Below: The 611 McLay is built for adventure. Where could it take you?

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Fitted with the maximum rating of 200hp the 611 jumps onto the plane with ease. Unlike its smaller brother, its weight doesn’t allow it to get right up and dance on the chines. The sweet spot is around 3,750rpm, where it slices waves easily, lands softly and runs economically.

Even the passengers get plenty of watertight storage room in the glove box. Check out all of the gear that can fit in there.

Clever options like the bow-boarding ladder are all well executed and practical in design.

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Naturally, the helm is well thought out. You can flush mount mega-sized MFDs and a frontopening side window to allow great airflow. The helm seat has mountains of storage underneath.

There’s plenty of space underneath, but when you drop in the infill for these bunks, any non-basketball players can stretch out and sleep on an overnighter.

The Dunbier twin-axle trailer is simple to drive on and drive off. The Gregorys have optioned their trailer with stone guards, as they live in a rural area.

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The sleek Whittley SL22 – a caravan on the water Coming from a free camping background, this is a unique craft that balances comfort, towability and fishing space with the ability to make multi-day trips to far corners of Australia.

AMENITY It was important for the Smiths to have a seating arrangement that included four guests. Instead of having a couple in the helm seats and a couple in the fold-down seats adjacent to the inboard cover.

The Whittley fit the bill perfectly with a neat seat moulding that incorporates the forward facing helm seats and also a rear facing seat in each. These allow four people to be sitting and facing each other. Add a small table and the ingredients are all there for a great social afternoon with friends.

FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

Melbourne’s Peter Smith is living the Australian dream.

He lives in Melbourne, is retired after running a successful business and now spends his time travelling around Australia with wife Caroline in his customised Whittley, treating his boat as others would a caravan – providing a home away from home on some of the most beautiful and remote parts of the country.

The first-time Whittley owner recently took us out for a spin in his customised Whittley SL22, powered by the inboard Volvo Penta petrol V6 that delivers 240hp through the counter-rotating duo-prop.

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Length:......................... 6.5m Beam:......................... 2.26m Fuel:............................. 210L Deadrise:........................23° Freshwater:................... 20L Max hp (outboard):... 225hp Scan this QR code on Max hp (sterndrive):.280hp your smartphone to Dry weight on trailer:.1950kg hear the full interview with Peter Smith.

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JUNE 2016

There’s no denying that the SL22’s lines are sleek. Peter was proud to keep his business local with a Melbourne built boat on a local trailer.

The bonus is that there’s a pile of storage under these seats, too.

Customising the standard storm covers, the Smiths have added flyscreen panels that allow air flow through the cabin for overnight and evening trips.

STORAGE Ample storage is even more important in boats that are used for more than day-trips. It keeps gear out of the tow vehicle and adds to the level of comfort on the water.

With their free camping background, a big cooking area wasn’t a priority for the Smiths, and I got the feeling

that the SL22 was just the right balance between comfort and frugality.

Everywhere you look in this boat, there’s storage – from under the floor with a massive sub-deck cavity that’s suitable from anything from your catch to excess gear, right through to the under seat and under bunk options.

If you fill this boat’s storage to overflowing, you’re taking too much!

PERFORMANCE Opting for the 240hp Volvo Penta (instead of the standard 200hp model), Pete displayed an attitude that should be ingrained in most boaters in

this country by now.

“In the past, I’ve sometimes regretted not buying the maximum power motor option available,” he said. “So the 240 option was a pretty easy choice for me. Hole shot is amazing with the counter rotating DuoProp system and there’s a sweet spot that the motor sits on at around 2500rpm.”

“It’s a dream to steer and manoeuvre and although this is my first Volvo, it definitely won’t be my last,” Peter said.

ON THE ROAD Towing the rig with a

Ford Ranger, the 22’ Whittley fit within the capabilities of their current vehicle.

“As I looked in the 24ft and 26ft boats, it became obvious that we’d need to replace our tow vehicle, so that was another factor in selecting this sized Sea Legend,” Pete said.

With a circa-2000kg dry weight on the trailer, even loaded, it fits well within the Ranger’s 2500kg towing capacity.

“And that’s important with the tens of thousands of kilometres that this boat will do around Australia,” Pete concluded.

COSTINGS Although prices for the Whittley SL22 packages start from $86,999, this package ended up at $99,990 driving out the door.

“I was very happy with the price this boat ended up at – it compared favourably to everything I looked at – both domestically and internationally. But I like the fact that the sale remained local. The finish in this Whittley is comparable to anything I’ve ever seen,” Pete concluded.

For more information on Whittley Boats, visit www. whittley marinegroup.com.au.

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This massive wet-well can chew up plenty of extra gear or a bag limit of snapper. It’ll definitely be handy for multi day trips in more remote parts of the country.

We liked the black carpet inlays in the side pockets. Classy. There’s toe room underneath and plenty of padding for when your out there in sub-optimal conditions.

The hull moulding includes recesses for the trim tabs.

The full cabin has a toilet under the front, centre inlay. Add the full inlay and there’s room for two up there and drop down the flyscreen cover and the air can flow freely – minus the mozzies.

Alan Whittley is a big advocate for the Volvo inboards. The SL22 was fitted with the Gen 5 model that generated 240HP and rocket-like hole shots.

It was important for Peter’s wife, Caroline, that the seating arrangements were ‘inclusive’ for four people. The rear-facing seats with mountains of storage underneath allow this, but don’t impinge too much on cockpit fishing space. A nice compromise indeed!

An immaculate day in southern Port Phillip Bay didn’t leave much room for testing the ride in sub-par conditions, but it did let us get a great interview with Peter about the logic behind his set-up. Scan the QR code on these pages to see the full interview.

As expected, the helm remains simple and neatly laid out. The all-in-one Raymarine sonar/GPS takes the centre stage. We hope Pete’s got country-wide mapping in there!

There’s a 240HP Volvo Penta under that bait station and plenty of room for the serious stuff. Side pockets are spacious.

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Don’t forget to see participating Partners at the 2016 Melbourne Boat Show for your free carry bag

Life’s Better With A Boat would like to thank its 2016 Partners HARRIS

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Visit www.lifesbetterwithaboat.com.au today for everything you need to know about boating and sign-up for weekly updates and boating forecasts 48

JUNE 2016

FIND-A-WORD COMPETITION THE MANY EMOTIONS OF A MULLET

AFRAID

FRETFUL

SCARED

ALARMED

FRIGHTENED

SHOCKED

ANXIOUS

JITTERY

STARTLED

APPREHENSIVE

JUMPY

TENSE

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TERRIFIED

DISTRESSED

PANICKED

UNEASY

EDGY

PETRIFIED

WORRIED

FEARFUL

RESTLESS

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Name: Address:

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The first correct entry at the end of each month will win the prize pack.

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VFM JUNE 2016

Phone (day):

FIND-A-WORD

Congratulations to G Whinney from St Albans, who was last month’s winner of the Find-a-Word Competition!

Monthly winners receive a Fishing Monthly prize pack. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – VTFM

BARRA COUNTRY by Brett Currie

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE BITE ME by Trisha Mason

The subscriber prize winner for April was W Drewry of Hillside, who won a Daiwa RZ Ballistic-X combo.

All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – VTFM

FIND THE ZEREK LOGO

The answers to Find the Zerek Logo for April were: 8, 13, 20, 25, 28, 30, 36, 39, 53, 56, 67, 80, 81, 83, 95.

GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy

The Find the Zerek logo prize winners for April were: K Carter of Shepparton, C Gios of Myrtleford, M De Voigt of Cranbourne, R McMillan of Grovedale, D Rhodes of Botanic Ridge, P Castle of West Rosebud , R Carson of Wheelers Hill, J Stoop of Norlane West, B Bell of Wodonga, R Meanley of Yarrawonga, B Craig of Colac, R Sanders of Lang Lang, R Poplin of Boorowa , G Lester of Bundoora, G Donaldson of St Arnaud, P Finn of Numurkah, R Bragg of Birchip, W Marshall of Wendouree, G Mayall of Maryborough, B Watson of Millicent, R Newton of Wangaratta, T Dron of Alfredton, J Kellett of Parkdale, D Dunn of Warrnambool, A Woolnough of Narre Warren South, M Adams of Graham Vale, D Hedley of Hamilton, L Gruar of Portland, R Waters of Temora, T Parker of Daylesford, S Stewart of Ballan, J Brumby of Nirranda, R Crossman of Echuca, B Meaney of Tungamah, N Bryant of North Albury, A Grant of Geelong West, M Fryer of Balwyn North, G Ball of Clifton Springs, P Cobb of Berrigan, L Davis of Moama.

Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – VTFM JUNE 2016

91

Hi-ho little silver away!

EDEN

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

The great autumn weather has felt more like summer than winter, with a good day of rain to keep things flowing, but with winter knocking on the door it won’t be long before it cools right down. The town has been busy with plenty of visitors to the area and with the good weather, there have been plenty of fishing options.

Fishing the local beaches has been good with bream and whiting caught and good numbers of salmon starting to build as we head towards winter.

REV G.T

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Early winter is a great time to fish the beach for mulloway, and many good fish are caught as the mullet start their migration north, with the mulloway in tow.

Good fishing has been had from the rocky headlands with some big black and silver drummer caught.

On the past month, the fishing out wide has been excellent with striped marlin, albacore tuna, and yellowfin tuna caught. This time of year brings some of the best weather for heading out wide. As yet there has been no sign of southern bluefin tuna, but it shouldn’t be too long before they make an appearance.

Yellowtail kingfish have been caught, but are

at times difficult to find – other times all you can see is kingfish! Troll and cover lots of ground to find the fish while keeping an eye out for birds or any sign of fish. Good-sized snapper are around and fish caught by anglers who use fresh bait are unsurprisingly catching plenty of quality fish are been caught by anglers fishing with soft plastic lures.

Leatherjackets, morwong, and other reef fish have also been caught along with some good-sized tiger and sand flathead on the flathead grounds. This year the water temperature is warmer than usual, so fingers crossed the fishing will hang around a bit

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Silver trevally are about in good numbers and more fish will start to turn up once the water cools. longer as well. The local estuaries have fished well; with the water temperature still warm there are a variety of fishing options still on offer.

Sand whiting continue to be caught, along with dusky flathead. As the water cools, the bream start to fire up and silver trevally and tailor start turning up

in numbers. Even though it’s getting a bit cold to be out fishing all night, this time of year sees some good mulloway caught in the local estuaries.

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JUNE 2016

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The secret’s out for ‘Coota bream off the beach MALLACOOTA

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

Mallacoota has been Victoria’s best-kept secret and judging by the amount of visitors in town and how busy it’s been over the past few months I’d say the secret is definitely out. The fishing is the reason most visitors find their way to Mallacoota, and with the beach, lake and offshore fishing all firing up, the visitors will be going home happy and no doubt already planning their next trip back to Mallacoota.

The fishing off the beaches has been good, and the warm water that has hung around has encouraged the silver bream and whiting to continue biting. The salmon

have started to turn up, and over the next few months big schools of fish will be on all the local beaches. Quarry Beach has plenty of sand pushed up onto the beach, which means deep water is only a short cast away.

This opens up a prime spot to find a big gummy shark especially at night. The past month has seen some excellent fishing had by those venturing offshore.

The boats heading out chasing a feed of flathead have done very well with good numbers of quality tiger and sand flathead caught. Some good gummy sharks have also been caught and fish have come out from around Gabo Island and down around the Ariels.

Some big game fish have been brought to the cleaning table over the past

Winter is on the way, which means bream, bream and more bream. month with striped marlin a standout and the big news of a number of big broadbills hooked during the

day a long way offshore by anglers targeting the depths with live bait. The southern bluefin tuna should put in an

appearance soon as the cold water is not far away.

The lake has fished well over the last few months,

with a variety of fish on the go. Bottom Lake has offered up some great variety with whiting, bream (both black and yellowfin), trevally, flounder, and tailor all regularly encountered. Bait anglers have caught plenty of fish fresh local prawns the best choice of bait. Those using lures have had success on a variety of blades, soft plastics and hardbody lures.

Mulloway are in the system, with the average fish caught in the Narrows weighing around 15kg with some bigger fish among them. The Top Lake has started to fire up as winter approaches, and the fish have started to move upstream.

The challenge will be to catch them. Recent rain has kept the rivers and creeks flowing, and the fishing over the coming months will not disappoint.

Montague still worth a look BERMAGUI

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

I remember a long time ago reading a comic strip in a fishing magazine of a police officer pulling up a guy towing a boat for speeding. When questioned the fisher told the officer that there was a hot run of kings up at Montague Island – the response, ‘well

to get into some interesting and spectacular action. On the bottom around the island, snapper and morwong are the main captures, while back towards shore out from Tilba, sand flathead and the odd gummy shark are regular catches.

The close in reefs south of Bermagui have good stocks of snapper hanging around that can be targeted in various ways. Soft plastic lure fishing is a popular choice

pursue them.

I suppose the attraction for me is the unpredictable behaviour of these sharks, whether they are on a line or in their feeding manner. As you berley for tuna you will often see the first indication of one around the boat when you catch a steely black eye looking up at you. Makos will take lures on the troll, live and dead baits in berley trails, or jigs intended for kingfish. Once hooked they

Take a look in the shallows of Wallaga Lake for bream like this.

I better give you an escort!’

Things haven’t changed, and Montague Island is still worth a look.

Up at Montague Island kingies and bonito are feeding on passing schools of sauries, alongside a few tuna. Troll live mackerel, or small bibbed and bibless lures to find some good models. Casting poppers on some heavy weight spin gear

close to the shore, while anchoring and berleying is popular on the slightly deeper reefs. Leatherjacket are still a problem, so you might have to move around a bit to avoid them.

GAME FISHING Do you have a favourite species in a particular form of fishing? When it comes to game fishing, I love mako sharks – and now is the time to

may come rocketing out of the water in a series of spectacular somersaulting leaps, tear line off the best game reels in uncontrollable bursts, or just sulk all the way to the boat like someone with a bad toothache.

What ever occurs they are a fantastic fish to target.

Both yellowfin and albacore tuna are around in good numbers, and the preferred way to target these

species is to berley. Cubes of mackerel, and whole or half pilchards drifted back will account for most takes, while live bait may produce a better fish. Makos are a common by-catch while chasing tuna, so I recommend you have a shark bait in the water at all times.

Sadly, not everything goes to plan and you may have to revert to trolling for tuna. This may be a result of bad weather or a means to cover some water to find where the fish are. Once you locate a good concentration, try berleying to see if they will respond. The fish this season have been in as close as 20 fathoms and the Four-Mile and Six-Mile Reefs are holding fish. Run your lures out early and you may be surprised as to where you find the tuna. If nothing else, striped tuna may be there, which will give you fresh bait for a day of berleying – and there is nothing that makes life better than fresh striped tuna!

REEFS The deeper Twelve-Mile Reef has seen some nice trumpeter captured, mixed in with morwong, snapper, ocean perch, and some huge jackets.

You can also berley for tuna and sharks at the same time to cover more options.

From the shore, rock fishing is firing and some very

Morwong are just one species you can find around Montague Island. nice drummer and groper have made the cut. The main rocky headland produces best and baits of cunjevoi, red crabs and cabbage weed have produced the goods. Early mornings and late evenings when the shadows creep over the water are best; also keep a spin stick handy for passing schools of salmon and bonito. These salmon frequent the beach and provide good angling on the high tides. There has also been lots of small mulloway this season. Expect to encounter

gummy sharks, schools of bream and tailor at night.

Sadly, the estuaries are going quiet and most of the best fishing occurs around the entrances of most systems. Luderick are the mainstay with some excellent captures coming from the break walls around the bridge in the Bermagui River, while bream, trevally and the odd flathead have been taken in the warmer water of the rising tide.

Salmon will often feature in catches within the estuaries in the cooler months.

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If you’re not sure – bream it!

MERIMBULA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

Winter is here again, but don’t let this deter you, as some excellent fishing still exists for those anglers prepared to brave the cold mornings and put in the time.

June is the pick of the months to fish one of my favourite estuary haunts, Pambula Lake. Winter pelagics like salmon, tailor and big silver trevally call this place home over the coming months and the action can be fast and furious at times.

Flathead, yellowfin bream, blackfish and legal snapper are also on the cards, these bread and butter species are year round prospects but for some reason they really fire up in this system when that water cools down. There have been some great captures from this system over the last weeks, with bream to 43cm, which are solid models for this area. There’s still some decent flathead around up to 85cm, with a lot of good tailor coming from the main Broadwater itself. All of the fish we have caught lately have been on soft plastics, and anglers who use bait have

found it hard to get a feed.

There are presently a few leatherjackets and smaller snapper in the system that are causing the bait fishos a little headache. I’d suggest fishing the margins for best results with the main basin in 3-5m a good place to start.

Outside, the game boats have had a good time with yellowfin tuna to 62kg captured and a few bigger models winning their freedom. Good-sized albacore have been mixed in with tuna catches, with some fish pulling the needle down to 18kg. This action should continue through June, with the water hovering around the 19°C mark. Large schools of slimy mackerel dominate anglers’ sounders

around the 70-fathom line.

This is certainly the place to both troll skirted lures or live bait, and cube for yellowfin and albacore. Depending on water temperature, marlin are still a possibility, it has happened this late in the season before, and I think the game seasons are definitely getting later in the year.

Inshore, the action has been patchy, with sporadic catches of snapper, morwong and flathead. The fish that have been caught are of decent size, so it’s certainly still worth a look out the front. Expect the snapper action to get better if last season is anything to go by. We had a ripper winter run with reds to 5kg last year, so fingers crossed it

happens again.

Reefs to try are Horseshoe, Long and Lennards Island with fresh cuttlefish, squid and soft plastics the best baits and lures to try. If the reds are slow, there are ample flathead if a feed is what you’re after, it’s been a cracking season for the flats.

The best depth to try is the 40m line off Pambula, it’s been firing nicely.

For the rock-hoppers, the bread and butter species will dominate this month.

Blackfish, drummer, yellowfin bream and smaller snapper will make up most bags. As the water cools even further, bigger drummer will make their presence felt.

Cabbage and cunjevoi are

A couple of nice gummy sharks caught on spin gear – these were destined for the table.

It gets cold in winter, but that doesn’t deter the black bream. the best performing baits.

Spots to try are Short Point and Tura Head. June is a great month if a decent red off the stones is your caper. Tura Head and Long Point near the main wharf in Merimbula Bay are the pick with fresh squid and cuttlefish the gun baits. It’s even better to target these guys after a heavy blow, if this happens your chances will greatly increase.

On the sand, the beach anglers have had a ball recently, which will certainly continue. Almost all beaches hold fish with Tura, North Tura, Haycock and the mouth of Pambula River firing at certain times. Big salmon to 3kg is the most common species caught,

but some XOS tailor have played the game. Expect a few bream on the beaches as they head out of the estuaries to do their thing. Paternoster and Ezy rig combinations on surf rods are ideal for these bigger fish. Pilchards, blue-bait and fresh squid are perfect for salmon and tailor, with live beach worms and pipis ideal for bream. A lot of the smaller salmon succumb to smaller laser lures up to 30g. They are great fun on lighter tackle with fish averaging 1.5kg on the metals. If you’re after bigger prey, a late night session with fresh tailor fillets might see a gummy shark or two, there’s been a few around and North Tura is the beach to fish.

Ocean offers up some surprises NAROOMA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

The local beaches around the Narooma region have been nothing short of exceptional, with some monster tailor making a welcome return. These greenbacks have nudged 6kg on some beaches, brutes for this area and great fun on the right tackle.

Most have fallen to bait fished on paternoster rigs with wire within the rig, anglers who fish mono rigs haven’t stood a chance against the tailor teeth. If you want to target them, wire trace is a must, yes you minimise the chances of catching other species, but at least you will land the greenbacks if they turn up.

Salmon numbers are also on the increase, with bigger fish to 4kg succumbing to bait and lures. The salmon action will only get better as we head further into winter.

These fine sportsfish love the cooler water temperatures that this time of year brings.

The best bait to use for salmon and tailor are 94

JUNE 2016

whole pilchards, bluebait, whitebait and metal shiners.

Most beaches will hold fish, but the better beaches are Tilba, Brou, Narooma Main and Blackfellows. Expect a few bream too, especially if you use beach worms or pipi for bait. Use a lighter outfit to target the bream – this will pay immediate dividends.

On the stones, the action has varied with some days great and others a little slow.

Blackfish and drummer numbers are on the increase now the water is cooling, with some drummer pushing 3kg. At that size they are brutes to hold, and heavy handed tactics are required to land them. Most locals get better bags when the seas are lumpy and with a lot of white water around.

This has varied a lot as winter generally has flatter seas than other months. The general rule is to find the white water and you will find the fish. The golf course ledges, Mystery Bay and Dalmeny Headland are the pick of the spots to try, with cabbage, cunjevoi, bread and prawns the best baits. This month is also the time to score a decent snapper from the rocks. These guys tend to move in close during June when the cuttlefish run. Try

High Rock at Mystery Bay plus the rocks off Jamieson Point at Potato Point.

Outside, the kingfish action at Montague Island has been consistent with most anglers catching fish every day. Bag sizes vary from day to day, as does the size of the kings.

Overall they have been good. Fish are averaging 4kg, and have been quite particular to live baits, with the odd hoodlum up to 12kg caught. The smaller fish are prolific on jigs with the best action happening down the southern end of the island around the pinnacles. A lot of these fish are under-sized, so getting the legal models can be time consuming but a lot of fun. This month the bigger kings could be on the surface around the North West corner or Fowl House Reef. Every year some massive kings turn up here smashing sauri schools – let’s hope this year is no different. Fish to 20kg are hooked regularly, but not many landed due to the shallow water. Troll live slimy mackerel or big bibbed minnows to target them. Expect some XOS bonito on live bait also!

Out wider, yellowfin tuna and albacore can be

expected with big fish on the cards. We have seen some solid tuna already and I believe we are in for a cracking season. The water is still 20°C out the front and if this stays around or gets slightly cooler, the action could be the best it has been for years. Troll big skirted lures and bibbed minnows, but for the bigger fish, berley, live bait and cubing is the dominant option. Look out for the vital signs –bait on the sounder, temperature breaks, working birds and current or tide lines.

The estuaries continue to fish well for most species and flathead are still on the chew. Wagonga Inlet has been a standout, with flathead to 88cm caught regularly. I know local guru Hoots recently captured an 88cm fish – a superb effort on bream gear. Soft plastics work well with smaller presentations certainly out-fishing bigger lures.

It’s interesting at times that these bigger fish will eat smaller presentations before bigger lures, not sure why, but the old saying elephants eat peanuts certainly rings true at times.

Bream, legal snapper and big tailor have also been around in the deeper

Flash with some nice eating ocean perch he caught while targeting blue-eye trevalla. sections of the main basin with Barlow’s Bay a good starting point. Lures and fresh bait both work, with the run-out tide fishing best. Up the back of the system, the bream have been alright on soft plastics and hardbodies with quite a few fish caught on poppers.

The mulloway action has slowed somewhat, but if you do get one this month it will be on the big side. The coolish waters seem to be best for big fish in this system.

Concentrate around the tailor schools that are

abundant. The main basin holds a lot of whitebait so this would be a good place to start. Up at Tuross it’s business as usual. There’s plenty of smaller flathead through the system, with the lower reaches holding a few bigger girls to 80cm.

There have been reports of mulloway encounters at night by baitfishers, so expect to see a few caught by anglers who fish soft plastics and bigger vibe lures. Again, the lower sections on the draining tide are the time and place to have a crack.

Inland Fisheries Service

Intruder redfin surveying in the Plenty River IFS

Tim Farrell

The Salmon Ponds has been run as a hatchery and fish rearing facility for 150 years. While visitation is now the primary role of the historic site, the facility does continue to hatch and rear trout on a small scale for stocking of waters around the state.

In the late 1980s, a Derwent pump and pipeline was installed to enhance water flow and improve water quality to ensure fish welfare at the Salmon Ponds. This has increased the risk of contamination of redfin perch entering the Salmon Ponds grounds and contaminating the Plenty River, compromising the operations and biosecurity of the hatchery and holding facility.

Although no redfin

perch were discovered within the display ponds this year whilst conducting routine cleaning and maintenance, previously, individual redfin perch have been sighted so IFS undertook a bio-security assessment this past summer.

Rigid sampling was undertaken to track any possible redfin perch translocation.

Using backpack electrofishing and capitalising on the skills and experience of the IFS Carp Management Team a threehour electrofishing survey was taken over 1.8km reach.

Two backpack electro fishers and three staff, Chris Bowen, Brock Cuthbertson and Brett Mawbey, systematically worked the stream targeting all habitat types in search of redfin perch. They started at the bottom weir (historic fish ladder site) adjacent to Redlands Homestead and

finished at the top weir above the Salmon Ponds.

The outcome of the survey was that no redfin perch were observed or captured.

Moving forward to ensure this remains the case we will isolate tanks holding fish that will be transferred from the Salmon Ponds screen outlets during the annual cleaning and maintenance, remain visually vigilant and sample the Plenty River next summer following the same protocol.

PENALTIES FOR POSSESSING AND TRYING TO SELL PESTS Adam David Robertson from Scamander was convicted on 6 April 2016 with three offences for the taking, possession and sale of the controlled fish Cherax destructor, commonly known as

The carp population is on the decline in Lake Sorrell.

This graph shows the carp reduction in Lake Sorrell. mainland yabbies.

Mr Robertson pleaded guilty to all three charges and was fined $1000 plus $68 in court costs.

Mr Robertson caught the fish from a dam near Scamander and placed an advertisement in a local supermarket stating ‘good for trout bait’ and ‘stock your dam.’ Obviously this was of major concern to Inland Fisheries Officers who acted promptly and seized the 70 live yabbies from Mr Robertson’s premises. Luckily no sales had been made.

Mainland yabbies, along with all controlled fish listed under the Inland Fisheries (Controlled Fish) Order 2007 pose a significant threat to Tasmania’s freshwater environment.

These yabbies, which have been introduced illegally into Tasmania have the potential to impact aquatic ecosystems through modification of natural

habitats, direct predation, competition with native species and introduction of diseases. Once populations have become established, eradication is almost impossible.

The harsh penalties imposed serve as a reminder of the seriousness of possessing controlled fish and transferring fish between different waterways in the state.

The Inland Fisheries Service requests that any information relating to the possession of controlled fish, the transfer of fish around the states waters, or any other illegal activities be reported as soon as possible to Stephen Hepworth, Manager (Compliance and Operations) on 0438 338 530.

CARP POPULATION SMASHED IN LAKE SORELL As the 2015/16 season comes to a close, a significant reduction in carp captures has been

confirmed. A massive 1,222 carp were captured in 2014/15, while only 750 carp were captured in 2015/16 despite a 260% increase in gillnetting effort.

This follows the historic trend of declining carp capture as the population is continually depleted.

The warmer weather this summer also provided favourable conditions for carp capture, over cooler previous years where colder water temperatures were attributed, in part, to low catch rates.

To succeed in completely eliminating the remaining carp a number of methods to supplement the use of gillnets will be applied. Historically, radio transmitter fish have been successful and six new radio transmitter carp were released into Lake Sorell in mid-March, and six more will be released at the beginning of the 16/17 carp season.

HYDROTASMANIAWATERSTORAGEINFORMATION Water Storage Information as at 12th May 2016 Lake/Lagoon

Metres from full

Comment

Lake Augusta ...................................0.67 ........................................................Rising Arthurs Lake ....................................3.73 .......................................................Steady Great Lake .......................................17.66 .....................................................Steady Trevallyn Pond .................................7.88 ........................................................Rising Shannon Lagoon ..............................0.24 .......................................................Steady Penstock Lagoon .............................0.17 .......................................................Steady Lake Echo ........................................12.11 .....................................................Steady Dee Lagoon .....................................0.26 ....................................................... Falling Bradys/Binneys/Tungatinah .............2.00.........................................................Rising Bronte Lagoon .................................0.43 .......................................................Steady Pine Tier Lagoon ..............................0.29 .......................................................Steady Little Pine Lagoon ............................0.87 .......................................................Steady Laughing Jack Lagoon ....................7.16 .......................................................Steady Lake St Clair ....................................1.18 .......................................................Steady Lake King William ............................12.24 .....................................................Steady Lake Liapootah ................................0.51 ....................................................... Falling Wayatinah Lagoon ...........................2.76 ....................................................... Falling Lake Catagunya ...............................1.05 .......................................................Steady

Lake Repulse ...................................0.42 ........................................................Rising Cluny Lagoon ...................................0.14 ....................................................... Falling Meadowbank Lake ..........................0.29 .......................................................Steady Lake Pedder ....................................1.09 ........................................................Rising Lake Gordon ....................................44.66 .....................................................Steady Lake Burbury ...................................6.05 ........................................................Rising Lake Plimsoll ...................................2.13 ........................................................Rising Lake Murchison ...............................3.57 ....................................................... Falling Lake Mackintosh .............................2.64 ........................................................Rising Lake Rosebery .................................1.71 ........................................................Rising Lake Pieman ....................................2.7 .........................................................Steady Lake Mackenzie ...............................1.69 ........................................................Rising Lake Rowallan .................................5.01 ........................................................Rising Lake Parangana ...............................1.25 ........................................................Rising Lake Cethana ...................................0.81 ........................................................Rising Lake Barrington ...............................0.22 .......................................................Steady Lake Gairdner ..................................n/a.........................................................Spilling Lake Paloona ...................................1.2 .........................................................Steady Woods Lake .....................................2.1 .........................................................Steady Whitespur Pond ...............................5.32 ....................................................... Falling Lake Newton ...................................4.28 ........................................................Rising Lake Margaret .................................5.14 ........................................................Rising

These levels are provided for an indication of lake level only and can vary from day to day. For more up-to-date lake level information please visit www.hydro.com.au/home/Tourism+and+Recreation/Lake+Levels.htm JUNE 2016

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Go Behind the Scenery

Tasmania

Time to tame the Tassie tuna TASMANIA

Kelly Hunt

Cue scary music of impending doom, not unlike whenever Darth Vader mooches into scene.

Unfortunately, this is what most people feel when they think of fishing in Tasmania in June. The start of winter can draw some people indoors and shut down their outdoor activities, but it doesn’t have to be like that. Let’s first deal with the undeniable facts.

Yes, there is less daylight hours to play with, and those daylight hours can be filled with overcast days with a southerly wind looking to cut you clean in half. Agreed, the water temperature has slipped back and some species have slowed down and moved out of their normal haunts. It’s cold outside, it’s bleak at times, and June can be wet.

But there are a whole heap of positives that can reward the angler in June.

The lack of crowds at the ramp and at your favourite fishing haunts can be a bonus. A lot of fishers fall

into the fair weather category and clear a path for the keen in June. There are a few species that come into the shallows looking for the warmer habitat the shallower coastal areas can provide.

These can be a real challenge to target and you must have your game plan down pat and your gear in good condition.

OFFSHORE Offshore, the view of snow-covered peaks traditionally signal the occurrence of jumbo tuna.

Someone has forgotten to tell the tuna as they have been around in good numbers for the last couple of months and this looks set to continue through June.

Dragging skirted lures of all shapes and colours has been the default position for many anglers over a lot of years. Then we had the advent of bibbed lures that would still hold in the water at skirt trolling pace. It took a little while before the ‘deep divers’ found favour, but a few good results soon changed that. You wouldn’t see a spread being dragged without at least one deep diver in the mix. I find the

term ‘deep diver’ rather amusing, as at the pace they are often trolled with skirts, and with those they are little more than a sub-surface lure.

The reason they work and work so well is because they allow flighty or nervous feeders to be a little more brazen and will incite a strike. Tuna in the right mood can be aggressive, but more often than not are timid and very careful feeders.

They are measured in their approach and have to be quite confident to strike any offering at the back of a boat. I have watched a heap of video footage of lures in boat washes and wakes and the amount of time lures are followed by tuna and not struck is amazing. The reason tuna come on with a bit of breeze and chop and shut down a little in calm bright conditions is open to healthy debate, but I have a few theories.

Bright calm conditions have the tuna on the back foot from the get go. They can see any surface disturbance that may spook them, and they can also see lines and leaders and the brightness

The author was super chuffed with this bream to say the least, and to catch it on his home river was icing on the cake.

NORTH WEST The bream fishing on the North West coast is often spoken about in hushed tones and behind closed doors. The east coast and the Derwent River are well known locally and around Australia as having sensational numbers of big bream. To put this into perspective, Tasmania is seen as the Mecca for most bream anglers around Australia.

Growing up on the Forth River, we used to catch small bream in a deep hole out of the normal water flow. They were not big fish, but they were there. The crafty little so-and-sos were tricky to catch, with bait their 96

JUNE 2016

undoing more often than not. This memory, along with a lot of whispers here and there about monster bream in certain rivers on the North West coast had me hatching a plan.

Bream on lures is a particular science and by lures I mean hardbodies.

The chat online about lures for bream is fierce and passionate. I spoke to a few locals who have the bream fishing pretty well wired and it was plain as day that I needed a suspending minnow. I played with a few other types of lures suggested, but really liked the finesse around lightweight suspenders.

This is no place for

old salmon rods and reels used to catch flathead either.

Bream time is gear up time.

I did a lot of research and played with a lot of rods that up until now, I was too scared to pick up for fear of breaking them. The space seems dominated by one-piece rods that I didn’t really get to start with. I like the ease of use of a rod I can pull apart and load in the car easily. That was before I started to use one-piece rods. The rod I was using was an Envy Black at 217cm in length or 7’1’’ on the old scale. It is rated 2-8lb and is a monster of a bream rod.

We used it as the demo rod at the Deegan Marine boat show on the fishing simulator. People thought I was mad, as rods on these

itself can cause them issues.

Have a look at a tunas’ eye.

It’s massive and is well attuned to letting light in and functioning in depths of well over 200m. The available light at 200m is the same as you would expect at twilight and decreases rapidly after that.

In effect, a species that is accustomed to functioning well away from harsh sunlight is not going to be comfortable feeding on the surface in bright sunny conditions. The next time you go to maccas, sit on the outside tables and eat your big mac while staring straight into the sun and see how you go with that!

The extra camouflage that some chop and white caps folding over supply us anglers with is worth it.

Throw a nice grey overcast day into the mix and we have the conditions to put us in the box seat. Fish will be more inclined to look up and see a dark shape with some froth and bubble around it and come up for a look. If they do, they will see mixed in with the chop and boat wash some things moving along looking like fleeing baitfish and instinctively strike.

Bibbed lures and divers really come into their own in these bright conditions for a couple of reasons. The sub surface nature and design brief of these lures allow them to get down deeper where the flighty tuna feels more at home. They also have an action that is very different to a skirt and by its very nature, screams “eat me.” When you can get these lures down nice and deep in and around the wash and turbulence of the boat, they can be dynamite.

There are now a number of skippers who are working out the optimum depth and speed for these lures and

finding fish when others don’t. Skirt trolling speed is not where these lures do their best work. Sure, they can and often do catch fish, but picture this – we have all been here, it’s super bright and very calm. There seems to be good numbers of bait about the points and drop-offs we normally fish, but we have yet to find a bite. We have done what we always do and that is to drag skirts over the surface with our ‘deep divers’ out as well.

In actual fact, at 8 knots a bibbed lure is hardly down a meter and its action is heavily impeded and reduced to a super-fast shimmy. So here is an idea to try next time it’s super bright and the fishing is super tough. If you have been out for 3-hours or more, try something a little different. Slow down and put out a spread of just divers. Divers love to be let

out long and the speed taken off them. They will actually start to perform how they are designed. Halve your speed to 4 knots. Hit those same spots and see if you can find a couple!

I have been very interested to see some anglers getting away from the usual seal locations and try some live baiting to good effect. This technique has no doubt been given a lease on life due to the good bluefin picked up as swordfish by-catch. It is very exciting to see and watch this style of fishing become more and more popular.

The fish are obviously there and in the right area.

The use of a good sounder is obviously an advantage, as finding bait deep and presenting a bait to them is better than trying to hit the shelf and draw fish to you with cubes. The cubes will work, but they also raise our flippered friends.

days get some serious abuse from the punters. It stood up to the challenge beautifully and impressed all that used it at another show in Launceston. It didn’t matter how hard you loaded it up or high sticked, it remained a one-piece rod.

I was super impressed and married it up to a Penn Conflict 2500. About now, all the bream gurus have thrown up in their mouths as they will deem the Conflict far too heavy and they may be right. However, there are more important things at play here, as both the rod and reel are satin black and look tough as. An added bonus is that the Conflict has been a sweet reel and I can cast it all day without any major medical emergency.

Armed with some gear that was fit for the purpose, I went east and honed my craft. There are a few tricks to bream fishing with lures.

Getting the tide right and finding the right amount of water over the right areas is crucial for success. Not roaring around and being stealthy is another good tip.

It is a stalking game as much as a casting one.

I managed to find fish on the east coast and now it was time to prove myself on my home river the Forth. It took me three days of knocking off in the afternoon and finding the right tide and on the fourth day, it happened. I found a very likely looking rock bar that was surrounded by some medium level flats. At half

tide or a bit better the water was making its way up the rock bar while having about 3ft of water over the flats in and around. I made a few casts to the left hand side and snuck deeper towards the side I really liked. On my second cast, I cast long and hard and pulled the lure down using its bib and a low rod tip and some brisk winds. This wakes the fish up and kicks them into gear. I then paused it for a little while, not for that long, and then gave the lure just the tiniest of rattles.

You do this by using good quality braid. I was using some Amigo Braid in 6lb and it’s a fabulous product. They even make an Amigo Plus, which is even

Brett Sharp and his son Adam with a nice southern blue.

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Go Behind the Scenery From page 96

better again. The ultra-feel of the braid and the fine diameter allows you to stay in contact with the lure and impart the finest of twiddles to the lure. Then it’s all about the pause.

The pause is king. It still amazes me at the length of pause that you need to use at times. The pause and its length can vary depending on fish mood, but it is a part of any cast for bream. On

this cast, I gave it a full 10 seconds.

‘Boom!’ I had a hit and at this stage hoped I had a bream, but had no idea. The fish instantly took line and sounded drag and I instantly thought I had a good salmon. Then I thought it might be a trout. The fish would not allow me to get a little bit of line and then took a considerable amount off me. Temptation and my ham-fisted inclination was to tweak up on the drag

knob and teach this fish a thing or two.

It was then that I saw it.

At that moment it could have been a marlin or a broadbill, a massive tuna or a meter long barra, but it wasn’t. It was a thumping bream. I walked the fish into deeper water, held the rod up high and let the ample power in the tip of the Envy Black do its job.

I didn’t even try to get too much line back at that stage.

I thought I would just lay on the fish with some curve on

Tasmania

the rod, and say a little prayer the trebles held and would tire that fish out.

Had anyone been on the bank or walking track behind they would have thought I was a mad loon. Around two minutes later when the fish had buckled and I gently slid the fish up the bank they would have been right! I was hooting, hollering and yelling like a madman.

I took a few pics and rang a mate who lives just up the road as I just had

to measure it. Once I had taken a few half arsed pics, I swam the fish gently until my mate arrived and measured it. The beast was 45cm to the fork, but just so thick and in superb condition. It is one of many I hope and I am super keen to really get stuck into the other rivers in the area.

The Rubicon and Port Sorrel areas are good bream rivers and the Leven at Ulverstone begs to be explored. So if you live

NORTH I encourage anglers to use June to explore places you might not usually fish or travel to. One such destination is the Tamar River system. It is massive and offers some great options for the shore-based and boat anglers. The shore fishing is said to be just as good as the boat fishing, and you have plenty of options. Not only are there some great shores to explore and cast about, but there are also some great jetty and pontoon based options.

Rosevears and surrounds and shorelines around Deviot have plenty of options for both. Beauty Point has Inspection Head Wharf, which is a great place for a mild winter’s day fishing.

Keep going further up the road and you will find the Kelso Jetty. I was talking to someone the other day who likes to fish the flats at Kelso with a fly rod to keep their skills up, ready for the next season’s trout. This way, they can keep their eye in and arm in good nick while chasing salmon and flathead.

I don’t see any reason why those super keen to stretch the boundaries on fly fishing can’t start to target the large King George Whiting in the area. I would think a dumbbell eyed crab pattern fly fished on a sinking line might get some interest. The big whiting could be a ‘Tassie bonefish’ fishery waiting to be broken.

Flathead are going to be your main staple in and around the wharfs in the area.

The humble mullet should also keep you amused. Do not go to any of these areas without a few squid jigs in the tackle bag. For squid, the best success will be in and around dawn and dusk.

Further north you can locate West Head Rock. It is a nice ledge for fishing in southerly or northerly weather patterns. You can find the ledge and the deep water in front of it about halfway round the walking track past Nudist Beach. It is situated in the national park, so remember to make sure you take your park pass.

Across the other side of the Tamar River is Low Head, and arguably the best spot all round for fishing. The breakwater at the Pilot Station is a local favourite for salmon, barracouta and snotty trevally.

If you need any advice on this area drop into Mowbray and see Steve Suitor at Fishing Gear. The lads have a massive amount of local knowledge built up over many, many years. Rod repair and reel service is another service they

area are all worth a shot.

They tend to drop away steeply and you should look for a gutter or a hole formed through wave action. The bread and butter species of salmon and flathead are often encountered, but with time and some finesse you will also catch some bream as well. These bream will be very silvery and not as dark as their lagoon and river dwelling friends.

Gummy shark and skates will also be found in good numbers and provide some fun and food. The rock points in the area are plentiful and so too are the leatherjackets and trumpeter. Hone the skills and you can also catch some nice luderick as well. If you have been a little naughty, karma may get you and you will load up on wrasse and pike.

I shouldn’t be so harsh as the good old wrasse and pike can keep you amused until you come across something good, like a trophy jack mackerel.

Any mention of the North

East cannot go without a mention of Georges Bay. It is a sensational fishery and June is no exception. It seems to be getting better and better and has been fishing well all year.

It’s a dead set treasure trove of species and those willing to throw lures or bait will be rewarded.

The bream fishing, while at times tricky, can be rewarding. Look for them on a half to high tide with suspending minnows and soft plastics on the flats. Those with the brave heart of a lion can take them on in the oyster racks across from Stieglitz boat ramp. When the water starts to fall away you can then resort to vibing them in the deeper channels.

Vibing is quite new to me, and I have been having a ball with them. I have been using the Sting 37 from Hurricane Lures. They are great to cast and sink swiftly.

They must flutter down nicely, as you often get bit on the drop. Simply work them by raising the rod tip sharply about a meter and let sit on

NORTH EAST The weather, while starting to get wilder through June will actually be milder on the East Coast.

The North East Coast will have plenty of beach fishing and rocky point fishing options available. When those weather fronts lash the West and North West coasts, there is often some joy in loading the car and heading east.

Swimcart Beach and the northern end of Binalong Main Beach are great places to wet a line beach fishing. Growing up in and around these beaches catching salmon was a tremendous way to fill in a day or two. Make sure you have a varied selection of baits, as they can be fussy.

Having some of the Black Magic Bait Keepers will keep your bait on the hook for ages. A small white and blue or red and blue popper is also the mainstay of a lot of beach fishers.

The beaches in this

This beast of a tuna was taken on a deep diver. provide. Experience and knowledge of things long forgotten is their speciality and I love calling in and having a chat. The friendly manner and willingness to share information will shortcut you to success, and rather than giving up frustrated, a chat with Steve will have you on the right track in no time.

I have not spent too much time on the Tamar in a boat, but it is said the best

fishing is below Windermere where the river deepens.

However, do not get sucked into thinking the deep water is the only place to try your luck. While the fish may go back into these deep holes on the falling and low tides, the shallow water on the rising tide is where the fun is to be had. Make sure you use some berley and your anchor to get the party started. The water to 10m and shallower will be full of

on the coast and want to try your hand at bream fishing, get into Reel Tackle and Bait and Seamaster Marine. They can share some really good hints and tips about where to start and what lures and baits to try. Bob Duncombe at Bluepeaks in Devonport is also worth having a chat to. Bob has been a sport angler for a good many years and has a great stack of great gear suitable for bream. fish looking to feed hard as the water comes up. Goodsized snapper are the main prize here, but you will find as by-catch a number of fun and tasty species, ranging all the way down to the humble cod.

Use some stealth when you are up in the shallows and prepare your bait presentation with care. Steve Suitor has said that people who go fishing for fish catch nothing. If you want to catch a certain fish, you fish for them with the right gear, with the right technique and at the right place. He also says you should know your target species and make sure you are up to speed on the correct rigs and baits. You will catch fish on most rigs at certain times and fluke all sorts of captures, but those looking to maximise their time and success will pay attention to the details.

The Tamar stretches to the mouth and as it does, it tends to open up and has some shallower flats. These are great to target salmon and flathead, and a wellpresented lure accounting for the bigger specimens.

Swimcart Beach gets a little busy from time to time, and especially around this time of year. the bottom. It is amazing, you will want to move it, but don’t. The fish like to pick them up sitting on the bottom and you will be amazed at what nails them.

Fishing light will be

most successful. Light 6lb braid and 6-4lb leader will have you feel every wiggle of the lure and let you know if it is working properly, with the added bonus of feeling if there is weed fouling your

presentation. Good news for vibers is that a lot of species will have a crack at them and Georges Bay have a lot of fish species. Silver trevally, flathead and even small snapper can be found.

JUNE 2016

97

Go Behind the Scenery

Tasmania SOUTH EAST Broadbill fishing is firing all along the coast from St Helens to Eaglehawk Neck, but it is the south that seems to be fishing better. I say that, but as it rolls off my lips, I think of two fantastic fish that have come from St Helens… It may just be that there are more anglers due to the localised nature of the fishery to Hobart and its larger population. In any case, my great mate Adrian ‘Mozza’ Morrisby has coined the phrase ‘The Tassie Car Park’ for the horseshoe formation off the back of the Big Hippolyte Rock.

This may need some brief deciphering.

Those mixed up with game fishing may have heard of ‘The Carpark.’ This

is an area off Port Stephens in NSW that has very heavy boat traffic for catching marlin of every sort. It is a bait holding ground and boats flock to it and so do the fish.

It is a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts.

Off the back of the Big Hippo out on the shelf is a formation shown in the navigation charts where the contour lines look like they fold around themselves a touch. This shape is inevitably called a horseshoe by anglers.

We were out there last month and there were six boats all trying for a broadbill, and all but one managed to get a bite and fight fish with two being landed.

One of those was to young angler Nathan

Plunket. It was a great result for Nathan as he has been learning the craft and making all his own rigs to get the job done. I can well imagine his Dad Greg will be making some noise about putting him on the right spot. Well, Mozz may be right, with his nickname for the area, ‘The Tassie Carpark.’

Last year, broadbill were found right through June, and there is not enough known about this species to suggest otherwise. Don’t miss out – put together an outfit to give this form of fishing a go. You could be forgiven for thinking it is the domain of the super switched on and well-heeled game fishing set, but this is not necessarily the case.

If you are looking to have a crack at these mighty fish, hold on and I will give

Nathan Plunket (left) and his cobber Corey Kingston (right) were very happy with their broadbill!

The King George whiting from the Tamar River are huge, as Tyson Digney found out!

a swift run down of what you will need.

The rod and reel you choose should be capable of 37kg line class. These are not small fish and should you hook-up a big girl, you will be in for the fight of your life. Sturdy 37kg stand up is the term used when fighting a fish on 37kg line without a

SOUTH EAST The D’Entrecasteaux Channel is an absolute nightmare to pronounce and spell, but luckily a great place to fish. It is the body of water between Bruny Island and the South Coast taking in the estuaries of the Derwent and Huon rivers. The big news for this area is that it is very well protected from any unsavoury weather. The area also boasts very good access for land-based and boat-based anglers.

There are some great jetty access points at Dover and Southport. The action can include salmon, couta and flathead.

The Esperance River is always a chance to find some escapee Atlantic salmon from the many fish farm pens in the area. It is a little early for this, but we will talk about the sea run trout that fire in the Esperance soon.

Back to Southport, and the squid will keep you busy and well fed. The rock platforms in the area are worth a look, as are the land-based spots at Gordon and Kettering. The squid will really start to fire down 98

JUNE 2016

there. Look to go when any fresh water from heavy rain has lessened.

Bruny Island is a great little trip and can be accessed via a short ferry ride. The fishing is awesome and a trip as a kid was always looked forward to as a great adventure. Surf fishing Adventure Bay was always a highlight, and so were catches of gummy shark and some good-sized salmon. The area has a good population of large skate that will keep you on your toes. Dennes Point is another favourite for squid as the light drops away, a bit of berley thrown in from the jetty can attract a mixed bag.

The beauty of the island is just that… it’s an island.

This means there is always a sheltered shore well out of any prevailing wind that is looking to ruin your keenness for a fish. If you are lucky enough to be on Bruny Island with some time on your hands and a fishing rod or two, you are in great form. It is probably one of the best areas to consistently offer up enough fish for a good feed. This spot is landbased, and if you have a boat

The author was having a ball honing his skills on east coast bream.

game chair.

The crews on the mainland with big wet berth boats would think we are mad for attempting this, but it is what we do in trailer boats. This style of fighting pretty much necessitates a technical fighting harness if you are looking to take the broadbill swordfish on in its

domain. The fish will put you and your gear under a lot of strain and pressure and the harness allows you to take the weight off your arms and bring your legs in to play.

This is good because the leg muscles are big and when locked in battle with the gladiator of the sea, you need something going for you!

and can get out further then you open up the possibility of some striped trumpeter and southern bluefin.

The group of islands to the south of Bruny known as the Friars attract bait. That bait in turn attracts predators like tuna and the bait are attracted to the same sort of bottom that striped trumpeter like to congregate on. On its day, it’s an awesome area to drag lures and use your sounder to locate some areas of interest to come back and try with some bait.

June is the time of year that Whale Head and South Cape come into their own.

It is spectacular country and the bait that sits on the underwater shelves and table tops can really fire up the bluefin. It is the sort of area that can be the target on a weekend away with plenty of safe anchorage should the weather turn, and turn it can!

Right on the doorstep of the Southern Ocean, this area demands respect. It is isolated, so a good working radio is a must and it pays to have an understanding of how the channels work. Clothing and wet weather gear needs to be in good order and so too should your boat electrics and engine.

It’s a place that can bite you, but it is also a place that will have you wanting to visit over and over. Many families and groups have annual trips that they wouldn’t miss for the world.

This area traditionally is the gateway to Pedra Branca, Eddystone and another favourite, The Flying Scud Rock. The Bluefin action in and around these oceanic features can be as hectic and fulfilling as anywhere in the world. The rock formations and views fill the senses with plenty of memories, making all trips ones to remember. For years Pedra was known as the jumbo tuna hot spot. If you want to find a fish over the magic 100kg mark, it’s Pedra or bust. Nowadays, the jumbos are frequenting Eaglehawk Neck and Tasman Island with such frequency that ‘The Rock’ has waned a little in the minds of some. It is still a sensational trip and on the bucket list for many. It is also worth wondering as well… Are the really, really big tuna out there in greater numbers now? There’s only one way to find out!

Is this the next Eildon?

HORSHAM

Trevor Holmes

The farmers, as well as the fishing fraternity are excited for the upcoming winter and rain anticipated to arrive soon. As the whole system is very low on water for stock and domestic use, the buzz of a normal winter and rainfall has raised the excitement for many and some very encouraging projects are on the table to enrich the region and bring back the much needed tourism. Wimmera could well become the next Eildon!

Fisheries and VRFISH recently announced that after extensive research, feasibility and habitat studies the prospects of Rocklands as a native fishery are well and truly about to be realised. Cod and golden perch would be the intended stockings at this stage, with the possibility of estuary perch. We can only marvel and dream of a wet winter, plenty of water and native stock liberated in Rocklands.

Exciting times indeed, and to have these two fisheries re-establish would encourage massive influxes of tourists to the region. All we need is the rain gods to be nice to us and the dream will become reality. Hats off to the guys at Fisheries for their foresight, as the potential has been there for many years and it has just taken some positive thinking and homework to get it over the line.

ROCKLANDS Rocklands is still producing some nice redfin and bass on the troll lately with smaller reddies becoming a bit of a pest.

Multiple hook-ups have been common as the fish school up prior to the cold weather.

StumpJumpers and RMG lures running around the 3m mark have been the best option as fish move into the shallows and food becomes less abundant. The bass will become almost dormant over the colder months, but those who persist and sound up

schools should do well if targeting them with bait.

Even in their quiet times, the bass can be enticed to bite by dropping a worm down among the school. Trout will become more active from now on too, and the aggressive strikes and takes should increase in winter.

Flatline trolling Tassie Devils in whites, pinks and oranges should produce fish in most areas.

TOOLONDO While the lake is very low now, we have seen signs

would be my choice, but don’t discount soft plastics worked hard and fast across the top and on the edges of the weed.

Trolling is not an option just yet, as there is still plenty of surface weed to frustrate anglers.

Small redfin are a pest at the moment, hitting and taking anything that moves in the water, but will become less active as it cools off.

WIMMERA RIVER There are still some nice yellas taken in the river

Neil Delaney landed this lovely bass at Rocklands.

Trent Shiells with his junior section winning Rocklands reddy. of fish starting to become active again as the water temperatures cool off. A few intrepid anglers have been able to launch and get among the action; producing some good browns to 3kg.

With a maximum depth of 1.9m and crystal clear water, the windier and overcast days are certainly going to be the more productive.

Surface lures such as poppers and bent minnows

Sam Leak with a typical Rocklands redfin taken trolling.

lately, and with a little rain I can see it firing up briefly before the normal winter quiet period.

Baitfishing has produced some good fish with yabbies and worms the best option.

The cod have been few and far between, but the odd smaller fish is being landed on bait by anglers targeting yellas.

Catfish have also been a by-catch for baitfishers. Carp, as much as we all hate them, provide good sport fishing and a great learning curve for juniors. Hopefully in the future, these pests become a thing of the past with the federal government testing a proposed carp herpes virus aimed at eradicating the river rabbits.

LAKE FYANS Fyans is probably the best option throughout the region for a crack at the freshwater trifecta of a brown, rainbow and redfin.

Schooling reddies have become more abundant and the trout are springing into action in cooler conditions.

Flatlining Tassies and

shallow running lures to 2m and avoiding the weed has achieved the best results.

Working tree lines and weed beds as well as the wall area should produce a feed in no time.

Mornings and late afternoons are the prime times, but those who persist will pull a fish or two during the day. I tend to go baitfishing in the brighter times of the day, as the fish go deeper and become less willing to take anything off the surface.

TAYLORS LAKE Once again, the yellas and cod have come to the fore and been the mainstay for visitors. Baitfishing the edge with yabbies and worms has been best options for yellas with some nice fish around 2kg landed.

Cod have been taken on the troll using big deep diving lures that smack the bottom and stir the fish up.

Oargees and StumpJumpers in flouro greens, purples and blacks have been ideal. A very slow troll is needed for the cod, so ideally an electric troll motor is best.

Spinnerbaits have also accounted for their fair share of both species and some of the cod are of XL size too.

The average fish is 60-70cm, but several up to 1.2m have been released.

LAKE WARTOOK Wartook has been a bit of a let down for many anglers the last couple of years and devastating bushfires have caused a loss of habitat. I spoke recently to an angler who had dived to retrieve a lost rod and he spoke of a barren bottom lined with ash and virtually nil aquatic life in sight. In time, weed will re-establish here and we will see the glory days restored, but it could take some time.

There’s been a few good reports of trout starting to emerge now the cooler weather has arrived, but disappointment for anglers who target redfin with very poor catches.

It’s a tough fishery for many, but regular visitors

seem to get a few trolling a mixture of surface and diving lures. Surface action should increase and working the wind lanes and rushes beds through the lake will see some great fish landed here over the winter. Gudgeon, minnow and mudeye will be a good option too as the fish will hunt down almost anything that moves, given the lack of habitat.

LAKE BELLFIELD Redfin of the smaller size have plagued fishos lately but a few nice eaters have been among them too.

Vibes and plastics are the best option to work the wall and edges, but also the tree areas, especially on the western edges.

Trout have started to become active as well, with both browns and rainbows starting to liven up finally.

You have to get down a bit

and work the deeper edges with plastics, as these fish are very shy.

Kayak anglers have done well too, flatlining both edges and deeper areas, but have also said the further they run the lure back the more hits they get, proving the shyness of these trout.

As yet, there have not been many reports of Chinook salmon landed, but I expect a few in these cooler months. Please let me know if you land one, as Fisheries would love to get the data of any catches.

Length and weights would help research greatly.

• Enquiries to Trevor on 0438 132 130 or (03) 5388 1338. Catch us on Facebook ‘Victorian Inland Charters’ or check our web site www.victorian inlandcharters.com.au

Tom Kulczynski landed these beaut browns at Lake Fyans recently trolling Yellowwinged Tassie Devils.

JUNE 2016

99

Deep diving discussion MILDURA

Darcy Scherger

The thought that dominates the mindset of many anglers is that the deeper the water, the better, and the closer the lure gets towards the bottom, the better. However, we face the question – is deep too deep for lures? Are deep holes actually worth fishing?

This is a situation that occurs in both fresh and salt water, and in many cases deep holes produce, but sometimes it pays to change things up when it comes to cod fishing. Especially during the winter months fishing around the Mildura area – changing things up could be the best thing you’ll do! The water temperature will drop significantly

leading into the winter months, and the smaller fish species will begin to die off due to that drop in water temperature, whereas the larger cod will be on the hunt to find food that will soon be scarce.

Working for ‘Go Outdoors Mildura’ for over three years has given me the opportunity to listen and learn from those out there fishing everyday. Every day I use to listen to anglers’ stories and successes with different techniques and strategies on how to catch fish is a day well spent. I use my days off to experiment and play around with what people have been doing to test out their theories.

Testing different depth divers in different depths of river, different lures for different trolling runs, and different

coloured lures at different times of year can pay off.

Looking up to great local anglers such as John Menhenett from a young age was a great way to break into the industry. John Menhenett is a teacher, and a very successful angler that I listened to growing up while trying my luck at catching a 1m+ Murray cod. Every spare chance I used to get at school I’d be in his office talking about fishing and how he had achieved the monsters he had.

Recently, he bought up using standard diving lures compared to deep divers.

With the winter months coming up, the standard divers will be the go-to lure.

The Koolabung Codzilla 6m+, and the JD Python 140mm standard diver will be two of the go-to lures while chasing the big boys

The author with a 90cm Murray cod taken on a 120mm Koolabung Codzilla. around this winter. The hard part will be pushing through the chilly morning and numb fingers this winter but to those that do will be the ones

ripping into awesome cod.

The standard-to-deep diving concept is definitely worth trying over the winter.

It is an important concept

that is worth keeping in mind when chasing your next monster Murray cod – you don’t always have to be deep to get that fish of a lifetime.

Ghosting surface cod ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

With the expected seasonal break running late this year, the intermittent hatching of ghost moths had our native fish looking top side for a feed.

Having just returned from a few days fishing along the Murray River, it was interesting to see the correlation between the hatching moths and the way Murray cod quickly see an opportunity to feed.

As the chops cooked on the campsite barbeque, a slight sprinkle of rain bounced

dead or dying moths were drifting the river’s course.

Their erratic flight patterns had seen many crash into the water and once wet they were doomed. As we made our way slowly down river, a distant explosion of water caught our attention. Had a giant cod just eaten one of the struggling moths as it

A ripper cod caught on the cast using a Bassman 4x4 spinnerbait.

Troy Harvey with a 114cm surface caught cod he landed on the Murray River.

A few weeks ago, before the metamorphosis period was complete, these giant months were hidden in their underground chambers in the form of large white bardi grubs, one of the best baits going for Murray cod. The transition from bardi grub to ghost moth is triggered by the threat of rain. Over the coming weeks these large moths will continue to emerge from their underground chambers to mate and lay their eggs, completing the cycle of life.

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JUNE 2016

and spat as each drop landed on the sizzling hot plate. At first it was just one giant moth that spiralled the overhead light ricocheting off almost everything in the well-lit radius. Within a few minutes, it was joined by several more and by barbeque’s end, there were dozens of out of control moths spiralling and crashing into anything including the embers of the glowing campfire.

The next morning on the water, the true carnage of the hatch could be seen. Large

worked its way towards the safety of shore?

I was fishing with Shepparton angler Troy Harvey and the prospect of catching a large cod from the surface had him scrambling through the tackle box in search of the right lure. His first choice was a jointed Cod Cracker, which has an excellent swimming action that displaces a lot of water at the same time, making the plop-plop sound of an easy feed.

Cast after cast returned across the surface unscathed,

and we were beginning to question our technique when an explosion of lip clad water engulfed the struggling lure just feet from the boat. It was a heartstopping take to say the least, as the rod buckled to breaking point and the cod looked for depth. It was a great fight that ended with a massive cod finning beside the boat with the lure pinned neatly in the top of its mouth.

At 114cm, it was Troy’s biggest Murray cod to date and one he will not quickly forget thanks to the close quarter detonation that moved enough water to wet us both. As we head into the cooler months, surface fishing still remains a good option for Murray cod.

As expected, the cod fishing at most locations along the Murray River has been very good, lifting in tempo as the water temperature has steadily cooled. Swan Hill, Boundary Bend, Robinvale and Wemen have all fished

well for Murray cod and golden perch this past month and the good bite should continue into winter.

anglers are also catching their share with grubs and scrub worms working best on the cod.

Dozor Collins with a large ghost moth.

These moths will continue to hatch in the lead up to the now late autumn break.

Water clarity has been excellent along the Murray with most of the bettersized fish taking lures. Bait

It’s not too cold, make sure you get out and try ghost a big goodoo off the top!

Lake Mulwala worth a visit!

YARRAWONGA

Tony Bennett codclassic@bigpond.com

The Lake has resembled a ghost town over the past couple of months, and it’s sad to know many have missed out on some great fishing opportunities due to an ill-informed scare monger campaign over blue green algae. I hope our local and state governments spend as much on promoting our area as they have on keeping people away once the all clear is given. As the weather cools and the rains continue, it’s only a matter of time.

The cooler months traditionally bring reduced catch rates, but overall the size of cod caught greatly increases. The trend these days is surface fishing.

You are sure to see many great fish taken out of the shallows by those prepared to put in time on either a cool crisp evening or chilly morning.

The 6th Cod Nationals was hotly contested through the month with 31 anglers gathering for five days of full on fishing. The cod were up and about with exactly 250 caught for the week and 84 of those of legal size or bigger. The standout fish for the week was a beautiful 112cm cod taken by Marty Smith off the surface on a cast Jackall

Pompadour. Amazingly, this was at 4.55pm when there was still plenty of daylight. The runaway winner for the week was Bryden Whitfield of Team Bassman Spinnerbaits who landed an amazing total of 47 cod, 24 of those were legal. In among these Bryden cracked the meter mark with a beautiful 102.5cm specimen. The runner-up team was Team Wilsons (Ian and Matt Rogers), while Anthony Pavlou from Team Venom took out the runner-up champion angler position.

Murray cray season launched on 1 May. As per usual, effort rewarded with return. Make sure you are fully up to speed on bag, size and net limits before you head out and be wary that you can now only go cray-ing in certain areas along the Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers.

Last month some anglers produced great fish. The following anglers deserve honourable mentions including – the Stephens family from Swan Hill, Steve and Tanya Cannon, Aaron Farrugia, Zane Heinjuis, Johnny Salvatore, Luke and Lola James, Paul Hobbs, Phil Cockshut, and Kev Wild and the Maryborough crew.

Anita and Helen Wilson, Marshall Elliot, Daneka Robinson, Ben Sharp, Margaret Pollock and Jock Pilmore also found

A U S T R A L I A

Margay 2016

$49,990

• 17’7” • Single axle Basscat trailer • 115 hp Mercury 4 stroke • 24v electric motor (Minn Kota or Motor Guide) • 2 x sounders (Humminbird 597cxi HD Di or Lowrance HDS 5)

Pantera II 2016 Daneka Robinson with an 80cm cod she caught off the surface. some crackers.

Some smashed the magical 1m mark including Matt Davis with a 116cm fish caught on a cast hardbody lure. Heath Hancock caught another 116cm taken on a Jackall Pompadour.

Malcolm Argus gets the chocolates for his 117cm taken off the top on a King Hit lure.

• If you are visiting town,

I urge you to call into Lake Mulwala Fish, Camp & Ski (opposite the post office) in Mulwala and say G’day. We are your largest Murray cod-specific shop in Yarrawonga/ Mulwala and specialise in all things ‘green’! For any information on the upcoming events or fishing reports, give us a hoy on (03) 5744 3133.

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Low flows in our North East waterways North East Victorian residents may have been noticing low flow levels in creeks and tributaries in North East Victoria recently. North East Catchment Management Authority (North East CMA) understands that this may cause concern about the impact of these low water levels to waterway health.

The low flows currently occurring are as a result of Victoria experiencing very dry conditions in the last 10 months. The latest information from the Bureau of Meteorology suggests that an El Niño event, which has been influencing weather patterns, is now abating.

Most climate models are suggesting a return to average/slightly wetter rainfall for April-June.

North East Catchment Management Authorities Executive Manager, NRM Delivery, Adam Dyde said that the low flows will have a temporary impact on water quality. This can also impact on fish species.

“As waterways experience long periods of low flows, the quality of the water also often declines,” said Adam.

“Rivers and waterways are more likely to become warmer when water depths become shallow, especially in the hotter months.”

“In these conditions, it is important that animals such as fish have areas of refuge that they can reside in,” said Adam. “This is why North East CMA instream habitat programs to create deeper pools, along with snags and rocks

flow through providing refuge habitat.”

Adam suggested that if the predictions are correct we will slowly see our waterways return to normal flow levels in the coming months.

“If residents have any

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As waterways experience long periods of low flows, the quality of the water also often declines.

Adam explained that in turn, this can reduce the amount of oxygen in the water which can become stressful to aquatic organisms such as fish.

are important. Rocks and snags can create larger pools behind them during periods of higher flow. This in turn assists native species to survive in periods of low

specific concerns regarding the health of a waterway in North East Victoria they are encouraged to contact North East CMA on 1300 216 513. – NECMA

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We finally got some essential rain in our region through late April and early May, and over this time the rain events have fired up the big fish. There have been weekly reports of fish between 80-100cm caught in the Goulburn River.

There are more fishers using bigger lures in the rivers and techniques that have worked in larger waterways in previous years are now being used in smaller rivers like the Goulburn.

Locally we’ve had a lot of great lure makers and bigger lures on the market, which will see bigger fish caught. Codgers, Old Mate, Balista, King Hit and Cod Dog lures are all designed, tested and owned by people in the Shepparton area – these lure brands are doing a lot of damage in the local waterways.

In the past months James Dalton from Balista has been in fine form with recent trips in the Goulburn resulting in fish over 1m on a Balista Dyno 90s. His partner landed an 83cm cod on the cast as well. James puts in a lot of hours on the water to ensure his lures are the right ones for our waterways. The Balista brand is growing worldwide, but it’s great to see James focus a lot of his testing and spare time fishing our local rivers. The Balista lures are perfect in the Broken and Goulburn rivers.

It hasn’t just been lures landing fish – a lot of goodsized fish have been caught around the Bunbartha and Murchison area on bait with cod caught up to 80cm on cheese, and few smaller cod on scrubbies. There have also been cod up to 77cm caught

James Dainton’s lovely 101cm Murray cod, caught casting his Balista Dyno 90 in the Goulburn River in Shepparton. on spinnerbaits in white and green colours.

Broken River now comes into the quiet period, with the colder weather approaching. This year we have seen another good surface season in the Broken, but that has come to a halt now. There is still the odd report of a ‘boof’ here and there, mostly on Jackall Pompadours. Walking the muddy banks can be tricky at this time of year, and those who have managed the slippery conditions have mostly come home with doughnuts.

If you fish the Broken in the coming months you should upsize your lures to turn the head of a sleeping giant. There are plenty of big cod in the Broken, but it can be tricky using bigger lures around the shallow edges. There are plenty of floating hardbodies around 100-120mm. Most importantly, keep your lure in the strike area as long as

possible hard up against the timber or bank drop-offs.

Baitfishing in the Broken can be frustrating, as there are plenty of crayfish in the river that seem to enjoy a feed of fresh worms. Make sure you try to keep the bait off the bottom, or you will spend a lot of time re-baiting your hooks.

LOCAL CHANNELS The local channel system has been reasonably quiet, with only reports of small redfin being caught out of the main eastern channel.

PowerBait or worms have been the best baits in recent times. Lure fishers have found it hard lately with next to no reports on lures. The coming months normally see a drop in water level and freezing water temperatures – not my number one location for winter, but if you work hard enough you can still manage a fish.

KIALLA LAKES The lakes are very quiet in winter, but hopefully

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Ally Macklan with an 83cm Cod caught on a Balista Lure.

the much improved water clarity sees a few more fish caught. If you’re in a kayak, target the big island or under the willows along the bank edges. There are a good number of redfin in the lake, and they will most likely be more active than the native yellowbelly.

SHEPPARTON LAKE There are still plenty of fishers fishing the lake, which can only mean one thing – fish are being caught. The majority of anglers target the area near Aqua Moves Grass Hill.

Baitfishing works well in the lake, with smaller trout loving a feed of worms or PowerBait.

In the coming months, the number of native fish reports will drop off, but there is usually an increase of trout caught.

WARANGA BASIN The Basin reports have been very hit and miss recently, with some locals managing to land good numbers of fish and some coming home with their tail between their legs. Last month I spoke about drifting off the schools to hopefully land ambushing yellowbelly – I can say this technique has worked for some. But it hasn’t been yellowbelly landed, rather the larger redfin working the edges of schools. I had a report of three fish over the 40cm mark towards the boat club in 20ft of water.

The schools have been harder to find recently, and this can mean plenty of time spent searching on the sounder or trolling lures to find them the old fashion way.

Trolling small codgers and Vikings in a pink or red colour has been the best way to find the schools.

From there cast Jackalls or plastics around the school or edges for your best results.

Hope you got your trout fix before closure!

WANGARATTA

Robbie Alexander

From the perspective of a Victorian fishing journalist, the hardest time of year to fish coupled with the trout season closure is approaching.

Monday 13 June is the final weekend of the current trout season. We can fish in the rivers and creeks up until midnight that Monday night, and

down south to the South West corner of Victoria where a few of the streams remain open to trout fishing all year round in their lower reaches. Before heading down there, you may wish to read up on exactly which streams are not subject to the seasonal closure.

In the last couple of weeks of the closed season, the trout will either be extremely hard to catch, or very easy. There is rarely much middle ground

day only to have trout after trout follow your lure to your feet but not strike it.

One way to combat this is to put on something large. A very long minnow with a tight sway, like some of the long 11 and 13cm Rapalas. This may evoke an aggressive strike from a territorial trout rather than a bite from a hungry trout.

This can be one way to turn your follows into hook-ups.

Another good way is to try something small and

A nice brown trout caught recently on a Wildbait Minnow. This fish is long, but quite lean. This often happens as the trout prepare to spawn.

During June you can still catch carp in the Ovens River in Wangaratta. They slow down a bit in the cooler weather, but will bite if you’re prepared to be patient. that’s it, the streams close to all trout fishing.

There are some streams around the state that are completely closed to all forms of fishing. I am not 100% sure exactly which streams they are, so it may pay for you to check your local fishing guide to find out more.

It doesn’t bother me, as I refuse to wet a line in any trout streams during the closed season. Firstly, the streams are closed for a reason, and that is to protect spawning trout, or trout that are vulnerable and on a post-spawn feeding frenzy. Secondly, you will not make many friends with the locals if you fish in their local fishing spots under the false pretence of ‘targeting redfin’. Thirdly, you may find it incredibly hard to convince a fisheries officer that you are targeting any species other than trout in a highland waterway in the depths of winter.

So for anybody really wanting to wet a line during the trout closed season, I suggest you head to the lakes, which remain open all year round, or head way

when the trout are already spawning.

When they are paired up and swimming over their spawning beds, known as ‘redds’, they can become extremely territorial. They love to escort fish out of their spawning area and away from their partners.

Quite often the result of this can be fishing all

fluorescent coloured, such as a fluorescent orange Super Vibrax bladed spinner, or one of the new Obsession bladed spinners.

These fluorescent coloured lures have a round body that mimics the freshly laid eggs of a trout spawning upstream, something which trout love to feed on and find hard to resist.

Towards the end of June, Victorian Fisheries will stock the family friendly fisheries with yearling rainbow trout in time for the school holidays. This is Holly Alexander reeling in a trout in Stanley Ditch Dam last winter.

A small brown trout caught recently in a tiny tributary of the Ovens River.

In early June, if you’re lure fishing, try a very long skinny minnow such as an 11cm Rapala Husky Jerk, or a fluorescent coloured bladed spinner, preferably one with a short fat body.

If you’re baitfishing for trout, it is really hard to suggest what to use at that time of the year. I would like to suggest that you use worms if you’re baitfishing, but I have no idea how much rain we are likely to get leading up to trout closing weekend.

Hopefully we have had plenty of rain, in which case worms will work well.

The Murray cod fishing is pretty much non-existent in the Wangaratta area in the winter months. I have caught cod in the Ovens River in June and in August,

but not often and usually only in dry years when we have not had enough rainfall to stir the waterways up.

Hopefully this winter is not one of them!

Your best bet during winter is to target a Murray cod in Lake Mulwala, which seems to tick over pretty well throughout the colder months each year.

Lake William Hovell will be well worth fishing during June for both redfin and trout. The redfin have usually slowed down a little by then, but the trout are usually fishing pretty well.

Towards the end of June there may well be a few of the larger trout returning from their spawning run up the King River or Evens Creek which will be underweight and hungry.

JUNE 2016

103

Plastic flavour of the month JINDABYNE

Steve Williamson swtrout@airlan.com.au

June has arrived and we only have a couple of weeks before the end of the river fishing season in the Snowy Mountains. This year we get another week of fishing, as the rivers don’t close until the second weekend so we have until midnight on Monday 13 June for one last flick for early spawning trout.

If we get a fair bit of rain leading up to the closing weekend then the fishing will be great, but if we don’t the fishing will be hard on the rivers. My suggestion is to fish the lake instead, as the trout fishing on the lakes has been

in the river early this year.

If the river is flowing hard, lure spinners with bigger minnow lures will do best or spin rods with drift-rigging rigs consisting of weighted nymphs and glowbugs are best. As the river level drops, the fly anglers seem to do better with the same nymph and glowbug rigs.

Flyfishing in June and July on Lake Jindabyne is the hardest and coldest months for flyfishing. With higher lake levels and fish hanging about the bays, the better areas are Creel Bay, Hayshed and Hatchery Bay, Mill Creek Inlet, The Claypits, and the Snowy Arm. Boat trolling over the last month has returned good reports with plenty of hard fighting rainbow trout in

represent the little gold fish in the lake are also great and a 7cm gold Rapala will do a similar job. Troll these and other gold coloured lures off leadcore lines (if conditions are bright) over the weed beds for the best results, as this is where the goldfish hide.

Other lures to use in the middle of the day are Tasmanian Devils in pink number 55 or orange number 56 colours. These are aggression colours in winter and the trout will strike these hard. Keep in mind a number Y36 Yellow Wing for the sunnier days and Tassie Devil holographic or say a number 48 or Y48 are always worthwhile early and late in the day (off three colours or lead core line).

The other good areas to troll

Luke Taylor holds up a beautifully colourful trout! great over recent months. Let’s have a look at what I think will happen over the month in more depth.

If you do decide to target the spawning trout on the Thredbo River, then you should know that good rainfall triggers the trout into action.

If the river water level is low and the water is clear then the fishing can be tough as the trout are spooky and not switched on.

If it rains and the river level rises, the fishing can be fantastic – and not just for the early spawning brown trout either as there are rainbows

excellent condition giving the lake trollers a lot of fun. I would expect this pattern to continue. We might even see some of those big Atlantic salmon caught over the coming month or two, and if you are lucky enough the brook trout should also come on the bite.

Winter trout are more aggressive and likely to take a bigger lure; so jointed minnow lures similar to the ones we spin the lake edges with are worth a try – the bigger the lure the better. We quite often troll 9-11cm lures for the bigger fish.

Stumpjumpers in gold to

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JUNE 2016

are in the shallow bays like Hatchery and Hayshed Bay, or Sids Bay at East Jindabyne – a favourite weedy bay with lots of food for trout. Lure spinning the lake in summer is a great time to catch a trout as the fish are in closer now that the water temperature has dropped to a more comfortable level. You can spin lures all day in winter, however on sunny still days choose the deeper drop-off where the fish are cruising looking for something to eat.

In winter, smaller 7g Tasmanian Devils are the best choice for the deeper water on still days and the 13g Tassies on windy days. Another lure that has been worth a throw is the 3” Stumpjumper (pink is a great colour in winter). Orange minnow spins are also great off the bank. Jointed Rapalas with a little bit of orange on the tummy are another lure that will get the trout to take notice, and if you work these jointed minnows like a wounded fish you will get a lot more strikes. Soft plastics are worth a try and the Strike Tigers in vodkar and orange and princess pink colours do

well. The Tasmanian Trout Frogs are also going great.

Overall, soft plastics for trout would have to work the best in winter. Flick them out and work them slowly through the snags and above weed beds when the lake is low. Like bream fishing down the coast, blades work well on trout both in the rivers and the lakes and are well worth a try. Some of the better blades are TT Switchblade Golden Boy, Strike Pro Cyber Vibe 35 BLG and Cyber Vibe 50JU009. Some of these look like our lake goldfish and the trout love to eat them!

Baitfishing – once again, with all the extra water this year I think the bigger trout will be cruising the bays and inlets for a feed so that is where you should also be fishing. You can fish all day during winter, but don’t fish too deep as the fish often feed in close to the shore. Baitfishing with scrub worms or artificial bait works well in winter, so long as you don’t mind sitting back and waiting, any time of day or night.

Artificial salmon eggs have been very good for catching bigger trout at the moment.

Both the worms and artificial baits are fished off the bottom with a running sinker. Remember to fish light and keep the bail arm open to let the trout run with the bait. Grease the line with muslin to reduce friction if the trout are running and dropping baits.

Artificial baits are great in winter and you only need to use a small ball of artificial bait, just a little bigger than a pea, and a small size 12 hook will catch more fish than big hooks and big bits of bait.

Gamakatsu do a fine wire hook called a single egg hook and these are great for power bait. You can use a size 8 or 10 hook for

Peter Winter’s first trout – happy man. trout in winter.

Over the next few months, the areas to catch a trout on bait are Wollondibby Inlet and Creel Bay at Waste Point and Stinky Bay nearer to town. Just remember,

personal guiding, I will be available over the coming months for fly-fishing tuition and lake trolling trips.

Lessons can be booked from 2 hours’ duration, and trolling trips from 3 hours

JUNE ROUNDUP – THE BEST OF THE BEST Best method: Baitfishing with scrubworms teamed up with artificial baits Best depth: Bottom fishing baits Best lake lure: Tasmanian Devil in pink 55 or Rapala Brook and perch patterns Best lake area: East Jindabyne pumping station and The Claypits Best fly method: Black Woolley Buggers on the lake Best river: Rivers closed to fishing from Monday 13 June until October long weekend the lake is weedy, but that’s where the fish like to hang out.

Rug up and enjoy your trip to the Snowys, and if coming down for a snow play trip – don’t forget your fishing rod!

• If you would like some

to a full day. If you want to know more about the latest in fishing conditions, just give me a call on (0264) 561 551 or check out my website at www.swtroutfishing.com.au.

You can also see our daily Facebook updates at https:// www.facebook.com/LJTFA.

DAM LEVELS

Lake/Dam........................ % Full

Lake/Dam........................ % Full

LAKE/DAM Mar Apr May Cairn Curran 18 14 11 Dartmouth 43 43 42 Eildon 38 32 29 Eppalock 26 23 22 Fyans 57 49 47 Greens 44 42 41 Hepburn 17 13 12 Hume 32 24 19 Lauriston 66 66 67 Malmsbury 21 18 14

Mulwala (Yarrawonga) 94 95 94 Newlyn 18 14 12 Nillahcootie 32 25 20 Rocklands 12 11 11 Taylors 39 31 30 Tullaroop 18 14 13 Upper Coliban 44 44 36 Waranga 17 14 12 Wartook 49 39 36 William Hovell 65 43 28

(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.)

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Images for illustration purposes only.

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105

Happy days ahead for the cod fighting squad EILDON

Andy McCarthy

The bottom end of the lake is fishing well, with reports of cod of all sizes

of two 1m+ cod in the past month, but I haven’t been able to track down pictures. I’m sure as the year goes on, if the water (hopefully) rises a bit there will be a lot of large cod caught right through winter and into spring.

punters to our beautiful area.

I love fishing for cod at this time of year, and as the water level starts to rise and smaller fish come in to feed off the edges, the big cod will come right up in the

A happy punter cradles a solid Eildon cod. coming in thick and fast. It seems the Main Arm is the place to fish.

There have been reports

It’s worth remembering, there is no closed season on cod in Eildon anymore, I’m sure the locals will enjoy the influx of

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Spinnerbaits come in to their own in the 5-15ft margin, and certainly don’t be afraid to get off your boat, cast out deep and retrieve up the bank.

This bank fishing works a treat at this time of year.

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A 75cm cod sits in a big cod net prior to release. Using these big nets will ensure that the best possible chance of survival.

Bonnie Doon quietens down BONNIE DOON

Available exclusively through:

Another technique worth trying is to throw deep diving hardbodies out and crank them into the bankside structure. It drives the cod nuts and gets them into feeding mode.

If you are fishing with a mate, one of you should fish the structure with a spinnerbait first, and one of you should fish immediately behind with a big hardbody. With this approach, the cod see a small school of baitfish (the spinnerbait) being chased by a larger fish (the hardbody) and the cod will take advantage of this and strike. I experienced one cod that picked up a mate’s lure, then had a crack at my spinnerbait as well, so I know it gets them excited!

You should really care about the health of the fish, so please get a bigger net if you don’t have one already. It’s so important to be able to release the fish in as good of condition as possible, so we can give them the best chance of survival.

On the trout front, the Big River is getting a flogging, but it always seems to produce the goods. Right now, it’s very low, so just be careful and mindful of other anglers on the water.

All things point to a good trout season, with good numbers of browns getting caught flatlining already.

Andy McCarthy

Things are looking pretty sad up the Doon end of the lake to say the least. We really need an absolute truckload of rain to bring the water level back up to at least 50% or we will be in a lot of trouble in the coming 12 months.

On a brighter note, it is going to be an amazing run through to spring with no closed season for cod on Eildon this year, which will attract loads of keen anglers to the area and do a fair bit for the local economy.

I don’t know about you guys but I’m a little bit concerned about the carp herpes virus, because of the sheer number of carp in Eildon. If released we would require a small army of vessels and people to even put a dint in the amount of dead fish that could potentially damage this pristine waterway.

I know that when the

time comes to infect Eildon with the virus I will be putting my hand up to volunteer to help the cause, as you would have to be a genius to predict how many carp are actually in this massive lake – it could be hundreds of tonnes. I hope Charlie Carp is getting involved with it rather than having to bury them – but who knows how it’s all going to pan out. Hopefully they will start on small waterways and come up with a solid functional plan to make sure things don’t get out of hand.

On the fishing side of things it’s all been pretty good up the top, with solid reports of cod up to 90cm.

Once again Neil Main is doing his thing picking up a 72cm model that was as fat as a pig. There have been steady reports of brown trout up to 3.5lb getting caught flatlining Tassie Devils with the clown pattern is a clear standout at the moment. Still no sign of reddies, which is very disappointing.

Neil Main’s fat 72cm cod.

Fishing Fill-its

2016 Adelaide Boat Show best for family fun

Family fun on the water will be the central theme of the 2016 Adelaide Boat Show, to celebrate the enjoyment that over five million Australians now find from recreational time afloat every year. The vast floorshow of latest release boats, kayaks, jet skis, engines, trailers and accessories, including stateof-the-art communications, safety and fish finding technologies, will be presented at the Adelaide Showground, Wayville from Thursday 30 June to Sunday 3 July.

“Australia has 34,000km

of spectacular coastline, enticing estuaries, beckoning islands and beautiful inland waterways, and our State has many of the best of them,” said George Bolton, General Manager South Australia of the BIA. “The Adelaide Boat Show will demonstrate the affordability, flexibility and accessibility that boating and water sports bring to family lifestyles and the pure pleasure that people find in our marine environment and inland waters.”

The show will appeal to people of all ages and

The Adelaide Boat Show holds an enormous display of recreational angling products to get you and your family onto the water.

interests – from power to sail, paddle and pedal – whether showgoers are new to boating or experienced in the ways they like to spend time on the water.

It is the premier and proud showcase of the industry and expertise in presenting a huge diversity of quality boats and other recreational craft, along with a wide range of associated products and accessories. For consumers, it is an unrivalled opportunity to compare and buy products at the best prices in a single location. The winter chill will be left outside, as the show takes place in the air-conditioned warmth of the Goyder and Jubilee Pavilions and Duncan Gallery. Industry leaders will be available at all times to provide trusted advice and guidance.

While there will be incredible show special prices, it is also an opportunity for people to engage directly with dealers about the recreational lifestyle investments they plan to make closer to the warmer months. All of our major South Australian dealers, including regional suppliers, will be at the show and able to offer many options for people entering the market for the first time, or others interested in adding the latest technologies to or investing in new craft.

The Show is the premier showcase of industry and expertise and presents a huge diversity of quality boats and other recreational craft, along with a wide range of associated products and accessories.

The BIA is working with its South Australian industry partner (Kym Jones Exhibitions) to present an exciting and compelling show with many dimensions.

“We are really excited that the Hobie Cat Company of California will be launching a fantastic new product onto the Australian market on the HobieCat/Binks Marine stand,” George said. “That in itself is a statement about the stage that the Adelaide Boat Show sets for Australian

families looking for fun on the water.”

Hobie has married the renowned MirageDrive pedal system with 65 years of board sports heritage to create a new kind of fun – the stand-up pedal board.

Adding value to the Adelaide Boat Show will be a range of fishing and boating seminars and workshops.

“There will also be a major lifejacket safety awareness focus at the show, which highlights the fact that recreational boating is a safe,

environmentally sound and responsible leisure pastime for Australians.”

The 2016 Adelaide Boat Show will be open on the Thursday (30 June) from 10am-5pm, Friday and Saturday from 10am-7pm and Sunday from 10am-5pm.

Entry for adults will be $16, seniors $14, pensioners $12, and children under 15 will be admitted for free.

For more information, go to www.adelaideboatshow. com.au. – BIA SA/Kym Jones Exhibitions

JUNE 2016

107

The birth of a Victorian barramundi fishery!

CTL GIPPSLAND

Will Thompson allwaysangling@bigpond.com

The fishing closure for trout is upon us and while most anglers will be gearing up to chase the

large trout in the lakes, there are still a few bass poking around in the lakes and rivers. However, with recent news, we have to talk about the Hazelwood Pondage barramundi stocking!

More on that later.

The day barramundi were stocked into Hazelwood Pondage will never be forgotten.

The trout as a whole have been a little slow due to the lack of rain. Most of the rivers are quite low and only the Thomson, Tanjil and Tyers rivers are holding good water. Out of those three, the Tanjil is probably fishing the best and although not every day produces fish, there have been quality trout just over a 1kg caught over the past month.

Trout season comes to an end in a few weeks and hopefully we get some well-deserved rain to increase the flows of our streams and get those trout moving upstream to spawn.

If this all goes well, we’ll have more trout to catch next season!

The bass have been ticking over well and the upper Macalister had a good little run a few weeks ago that produced different year classes of bass, from juvenile two-year-olds to bigger four and five-yearolds of around 27cm.

Worms have probably been the most consistent baits, however anglers have used small soft plastics or Celta style spinners to success.

Blue Rock Lake still produces some nice bass up in the sticks, but the lure fishing for bass is getting very tough now with the recent temperature drop. Most bass anglers are resorting to garden worms to get results. Anglers are still getting good numbers of bass to 35cm in Blue

Rock when using worms in the mornings or afternoons.

VICTORIAN BARRAMUNDI STOCKING A landmark event occurred last month on 20 April, when a trial stocking of 1600 barramundi in three size classes went into Hazelwood Pondage in Gippsland! Of the small, medium and large sizes that were stocked, the larger specimens consisted of 15, 30cm barramundi equipped with acoustic tags, that allow Fisheries to monitor the movement of the barramundi. There will be scheduled sampling implemented between July and October to further examine the survival, growth and diet of the barramundi.

The Pondage is currently closed for fishing and is due for potential reopening on 20 October, six months since initial stocking. This is part of the Target One Million initiative by the Andrews government and it will be very interesting to see how the barramundi survive and interact with this waterway.

This has certainly put Gippsland on the map for fishing and the potential for this fishery is enormous. We will keep you guys up to date with more info as it comes!

• For more information, contact Will at Allways Angling in Traralgon on 5174 8544. You will get

The largest size class of stocked fish, around 30cm, were all equipped with acoustic tags to monitor their growth, diet and survival. expert advice and great deals on fishing bait and tackle.

Tune into Rex Hunt and Lee

Rayner’s Off the Hook on 1242 to hear Will’s report on what’s going on in Gippsland!

Trout season is all over red rover in the streams MELBOURNE METRO

Dylan Brennan

Just a timely reminder that the salmonid closed season in Victoria is in place from midnight Monday 13 June until midnight Friday 1 September. There are some exemptions to this that can be viewed in the 2016 Rules and Regulations booklet, available at most tackle stores, along with the Vic Fishing app, which is available on both iPhone and android operating systems.

On the subject of trout, the local trout fishing has been good up until the close with the Yarra producing its share of typical sized river browns. Fish of around 25cm are about the norm when fishing the Yarra, but there have been some much bigger fish caught from the river. These larger fish usually take up residence in a substantially-sized pool 108

JUNE 2016

or deep run, where they will chase and attack smaller fish that move in too close to their territory.

When targeting larger trout, the use of bigger lures can be effective, with hardbodied lures up to 100mm provoking the fish to strike out of aggression.

Some of the better hardbodied lures for the Yarra are Daiwa TD95 minnows, Ecogear MW72, Rapala F9’s and even the 15A bombers. Most larger trout will kill and eat a smaller trout, so a 10cm lure is never too big!

Devilbend Reservoir has been a bit on the quiet side recently, with water levels still down a bit.

There have been some nice rainbows spotted cruising the weed margins during the day, but these fish can be super picky on what they’re eating, and in such clear water they can be frustrating to fool.

Some fly fishers have had success catching these trout, but as a whole they elude many anglers. The redfin

have made up for it though, with plenty of small fish to 30cm taking baits and lures around the pontoon. The key lately has been to cast a long way out from the shore, right out over the weed and then try and work your offering back over it. Plenty of fish are lost when tangled in the weed, and unfortunately it is one obstacle to overcome at Devilbend.

Another smaller waterway to try your luck for some decent redfin is Auravale Lake. The lake has produced fish to around 30cm along the drop-offs and hard against lily pads and snags. Small suspending hardbodied lures in trout and galaxia patterns have been good when twitched alongside the lily pads and left to sit within striking distance.

Otherwise another very good option is a spinnerbait in the 1/8-1/4oz size. Slow rolling these around lily edges and tree branches is a good way to get a redfin to come out and have a look.

Catching local redfin on small spinnerbaits just before dark is a good way to kill a few hours.

• For up to date fishing information, contact the guys at Compleat Angler in Dandenong on 9794

9397 or drop in and see us at 241-243 Princes Hwy, Dandenong, we are open 7 days a week. For our other

latest fishing reports and to download information sheets, go to www fishingcamping.com.au

Great fishing options despite the dry times CRATER LAKES

Rod Shepherd

Our region is in desperate need of rain. Most of our waterways are in dire straits and at least two big rain events will be needed just to put a halt on water loss.

Lake Elingamite continues to recede and an estimated 200mm of rainfall would be required now just to turn this around. Luckily, only several hundred browns were released last year as opposed to several thousand trout that is the norm, as there would simply be a distinct lack of space in what’s left

for them all to exist.

Mount Emu Creek has become a stagnant chain of pools and I seriously doubt if there are any trout left in the system at all.

This is all rather depressing at the moment, but at least there is still something being caught down our way on the freshwater scene. Lake Purrumbete currently sees the redfin schooling up in deep water in preparation for spawning. Although these fish are small due to stunting caused by overpopulation, anglers are catching cricket scores of them.

The schooling fish are holding in and around 10m

and can be easily identified on a depth sounder. By simply using a whiting rig baited up with garden worms, you can catch many of these fish in a single session. Remember not to return a single reddy back into the lake, as these fish seriously need to be culled.

That’s what the local angling club is trying for, but they are coming up against a wall of bureaucracy from various government bodies.

The odd brown and rainbow measuring over 50cm has been caught but these salmonoids are a tad on the skinny side thanks to all the redfin adding competitive pressure on the

existing food stocks.

Lake Bullen Merri has seen many rainbows move into the shallows, which means they are more excusable to bank anglers and boaters who do not practice downrigging. As the weather continues to cool, Chinook salmon and brown trout will no doubt follow suit.

The lake currently boasts a very healthy population of large minnow and bullheads and the trout are gorging on these, which means they are not easy to catch, especially on lures.

However, some anglers are doing very well.

Recently, Shane Stevens

Max and Zach Stevens with some of their catch from Bullen Merri.

Photo courtesy of Shane Steven

from Ballarat paid a visit with his two sons Max and Zach and they caught their fair share of plump rainbows

trolling Double Clutch and orange Rapala lures in depths around 4-5m. Well done, guys!

Go deep for Blue Rock bass WST/STH GIPPSLAND

Steve Haughton steve@habitatcreations.com.au

As I mentioned last month, the streams and rivers of the West and South Gippsland region are not stocked with trout but rely solely on natural reproduction, so it’s important to practice catch and release, particularly as we edge closer to their spawning season when females might be carrying eggs.

The closed season means that stream brown and rainbow trout can spawn and then migrate back downstream to feed, all in time for the season opening

in September.

If you are heading out to target stream blackfish or eel, or just happen to be passing through and spot illegal activities on our streams, please report to 13 FISH. Over May there was plenty of small stream trout activity and bigger fish were hard to find. Some females were already carrying eggs, but the streams have been flowing low with very little rain through autumn. We hope that over the next few months there is some decent rainfall activity to top up the catchments, as it’s been very dry since last winter.

This will determine whether the trout spawning season is a success.

As the trout streams close

up, our attention shifts to other freshwater opportunities in the West and South Gippsland region. Eel and blackfish are fun targets in the winter months and can be found in all streams and rivers. Eel are particularly tasty when smoked and the sizes they get to in this region are perfect for the smoker.

Blackfish size varies greatly on the stream size.

Larger fish are caught in deeper holes and are typically found along rivers like the Tarago, Latrobe and Tyers rivers, whereas smaller streams tend to hold large numbers of smaller fish.

The other option is Blue Rock Lake next to the small township of Willow Grove, just 30-minutes northeast

of Warragul. The lake’s reputation has vastly improved in the last couple of years with good fishing and more anglers able to get out with the restrictions on engine and boat size lifted.

Winter bass reports at Blue Rock seem to indicate that the fishing is best late in the day. Bass during the colder months will be found deeper in the water rather than up at the surface feeding like they have over the last six months.

Therefore, surface lures are out and deeper diving lures, soft plastics with heavier jigheads, jigs and baits are in and best worked deep.

Bass tend to feed on small redfin, which, like bass, will begin their descent down into

A chilly late autumn evening out chasing redfin on plastics ended up with a small bass bycatch caught and released at the dam wall. the cold deeper waters over winter, and they’ll also gorge themselves on the masses of shrimp that congregate around structure.

Lake trout are good fun and can be caught flatline trolling or on bait presented under a float or off the bottom in the shallow

waters, which is perfect for boat, kayak or landbased anglers.

Feel free to send me a report or photo, particularly if you have any success stories before the closure of the trout season or late autumn bass on Blue Rock.

Happy fishing!

Waiting on winter rains to fire up the fishing BENDIGO

Roger Miles codhuntertours@bigpond.com

The trend of below average rainfall has continued. The long-range forecasts are positive, and we are waiting for the rain to arrive.

Presently the catchments are extremely dry and good volumes of rain are desperately needed to produce some inflows into our waterways. Blue green algae is still present in the local waterways. This should improve shortly with the cooling water temperatures and hopefully some good rainfall.

Unfortunately, water quality is affecting the productivity in the fishing.

LAKE EPPALOCK Redfin have made up the majority of captures at Lake Eppalock. The numbers have been low, but the quality of the redfin caught has been good.

Redfin measuring 45cm+ have been caught lately. The majority of these fish have been caught in deep water with

depth ranges between 8-12m achieving the best results.

Trolling deep diving hardbody lures in redfin patterns has been effective.

Your best chance is to cast and jig soft plastics in natural colours. Locating the redfin has been difficult, and anglers need to be prepared to move around a lot in order to find a good concentration of fish.

The productivity in golden

perch fishing has slowed in recent weeks. Cast lipless crankbaits and troll mediumsized hardbody lures to find some yellowbelly.

Anglers casting spinnerbaits have caught small numbers of Murray cod, but the most effective method has been trolling deep diving hardbody lures.

CAMPASPE RIVER The yield of the

This 45cm redfin was caught slowly retrieving a Jackall Clone Fry soft plastic in 10m of water at Lake Eppalock.

Campaspe River remains good. Water clarity is good at most locations along the river system. Water clarity can change and deteriorate quickly at this time of the season though, especially if we receive a couple of significant rainfall events. Redfin and golden perch have made up the majority of captures at the present time. The size of the redfin caught is not large, with the majority in the 30-38cm range. The most productive techniques for redfin have been casting lipless crankbaits in redfin patterns and bright colours.

Anglers trolling spinnerbaits with dark coloured blades, casting lipless crankbaits, and suspending hardbody lures have caught the majority of golden perch. There have also been occasional captures of Murray cod. Small numbers of cod are still caught on surface lures.

Anglers casting spinnerbaits have been the most successful.

CAIRN CURRAN Unfortunately there aren’t many positives to report from

Cairn Curran. Water levels continue to decline and the volume of blue green algae is high. The blue green algae should improve shortly with the cooling water temperatures. Some good rainfall is needed though, to improve water quality and get water levels rising again. Redfin are making up the majority of captures.

The best results have been in the deep water, but locating a good concentration of redfin has been difficult.

Small numbers of golden perch and the occasional Murray cod have also been caught. The majority of these have been caught around the rocky shorelines and timbered areas. At this stage I have not received any report of trout caught. The trout fishing has been very disappointing over the last few seasons. Hopefully, if we get some good rainfall and the water levels increase we may see an increase in trout captures this season.

LODDON RIVER The fishing in the

Loddon River had been good up to the last few weeks. Unfortunately a flush was released down the system and water clarity has deteriorated.

The water clarity should improve again over the next few weeks. With the end of the irrigation season we will again see reduced flows down the system and water clarity will improve – unless we get some very significant rainfall. Prior to the reduction in water clarity golden perch made up the majority of captures.

Casting lipless crankbaits and suspending hardbody lures has worked best. Small numbers of Murray cod were caught in the shallower sections of the River on both spinnerbaits and surface lures. Unfortunately, until water clarity improves again, the fishing will be slow. The productivity in the shallow sections will continue to decline as water temperatures decrease.

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The lure of Wendouree BALLARAT

Shane Stevens

The lure of Lake Wendouree is large as it is certainly one of a few waters in the district that has really started to fire up as we move through the autumn months and slowly crawl into the cold old days of winter.

The fishing in lake Wendouree is sensational at the moment and I will probably be excited about Wendouree for the next

and become very aggressive towards lure, flies and baits.

During their breeding cycle the need to feed is only secondary, which will make them very difficult to catch, so now is the time to be out on the water – I know I will certainly be fishing as much as I can over the next few months.

SPECIFICS Finally the brown trout that have been in hibernation for what seems like an eternity have shown up and are on the chew! I would suggest the browns have been sulking

a drifting boat. This method seems to be the best to catch fish at the moment.

Brad Cox, a renowned angler, spent a session on Wendouree recently with Trev and nailed some lovely browns and redfin casting Fish Arrow soft plastics.

Damien How and son Jack fished Wendouree under the tutelage of Ben Young recently, casting lures and soft plastics in the main rowing channel and the open weed-free waters of Wendouree. The guys were blown away by the

Ray Rogers’ PB Lake Wendouree brown trout that came in at 65cm and 3.2kg. Photo courtesy of Trev Holmes.

Brad Cox’s Lake Wendouree brown trout caught casting a 3” Fish Arrow soft plastic. Photo courtesy of Trev Holmes. couple of months. The main reason for this is that there have been fish being caught of excellent quality.

down in Lake Wendouree’s ever expanding weed and now that the temperature and water temperatures have cooled

quality of the fish Wendouree produces, both brown trout and redfin. They managed to land a couple of brown trout to 52cm and a couple of nice redfin. Kelvin Baldwin who runs the Victorian Trout and Redfin Facebook page has also been out among the fishing action on Wendouree and has bagged some cracking redfin casting Eco Gear Power Shads, once again out of a drifting boat in

clear water.

Trev Crawford and Scotty Xanthoulakis have successfully caught trout on Wendouree flyfishing. Some lovely rainbow and brown trout have been caught by these guys Loch Style fly fishing – stripping wet flies at various speed with great success. The fly patterns that have yielded the best results include the olive coloured magoo with some variants like an orange bead head a black woolley bugger, coral and black pennel. The main ingredient for the best results to fishing is overcast skies and a good breeze, although fish have been caught in the bright sunshine and glassed out conditions. My top tips for Wendouree are; overcast days, medium breezes, minnow style hardbodied lures or soft plastics, and to cover plenty of water.

NEWLYN RESERVOIR Newlyn Reservoir continues to fish well, even though the water levels are really low. Anglers fishing in clear open water using baits, lures, plastics and flies have caught some lovely brown

trout and redfin. The best lure at the moment has been the Norries Wasabi Spoons in a variety of colours – it’s just a matter of trial and error until you come up with the winning formula, so keep changing lures until you find the one the fish are feeding on. This can change from day to day or even hour to hour – but if we knew what the secret was, it wouldn’t be a challenge!

Newlyn will continue to fish well over the cooler months

A thumping Lake Wendouree redfin caught

by Kelvin Baldwin on an Ecogear Power Shad. Photo courtesy of Tracey Kitchen.

Jack How’s magnificent brown trout of 52cm caught on an Ecogear Power Shad.

Photo courtesy of Damien How.

Additionally, others waters have gone very quiet due to various reasons, including low water levels and some have become un-fishable because of weed. It seems a lot of anglers have already started their winter slumber and decided they will wait until the spring months arrive before they dust off the fishing gear. The autumn months are the best months to fish as the fish really feed up before they get into spawning/breeding mode 110

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down the fish are in feed mode.

Anglers using every method in the book once again seem to be catching quality trout and redfin.

Trev Holmes from Victorian Inland Fishing Charters has guided a few clients on Wendouree with great success and some clients have caught the fish of a lifetime. Ray Rogers bagged a personal best brown trout of 65cm and 3.2kg – a true trophy fish. He caught this beast casting lures from

and the staple diet of the trout and redfin during these months will be small baitfish or smelt. This will be the case in most waters around the district so minnow/smelt imitations will be required, whether it is lures, plastics or flies for the best results.

MOORABOOL RESERVOIR Moorabool Reservoir has been off the radar. Moorabool offers some magnificent trout and redfin fishing, and over

Trev Crawford nailing a lovely Lake Wendouree rainbow trout flyfishing. Photo courtesy of Trev Crawford.

the winter months I expect there will be some crackers caught out there, mainly on lures. The water level is well down and the shoreline is very muddy, so waders are be essential.

TULLAROOP RESERVOIR Tullaroop Reservoir spells out trophy trout to me over the next few months. Once again, water levels are well down.

The trout in Tullaroop will be very aggressive towards lures, plastics and flies. I recommend you target the deeper areas for the best chance of nailing one of the monsters that are lurking there. Last year I heard of a couple of 10lb fish caught, and I certainly have my sights set on one these brutes. Ensure you have very strong hooks on your lures and your gear is ready for the fight of its life, as these brown and rainbow trout show no mercy.

Tech Tricks

How to make an effective release weight device BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

Barotrauma is a condition that affects fish brought to the surface too quickly. The fish’s swim bladder controls its buoyancy and is inflated and deflated by gas from the blood. However, when an angler brings a fish to the surface too quickly, this gas can’t be reabsorbed fast enough and the swim bladder expands way past its normal limits. The consequence of this is that

the fish’s internal organs are crushed, causing the eyes to pop from their sockets and extending the swim bladder out of the fish’s mouth.

This can be life-threatening for the fish, but not always.

Studies have shown that these effects will fade and the fish’s organs will return to their normal state when returned back to the depths. Generally, if a released fish can get to deeper water it will survive.

Releasing a barotraumaaffected fish back into the upper layers of the water column will rarely see it survive. Hampered by its

inflated swim bladder, the fish can’t dive. Instead, it will float off across the surface to die a slow death or be picked off by birds or other predators.

Reef fish species, especially cods, gropers, groupers and sweetlip, are particularly susceptible to barotrauma, even from water as shallow as 15m. We get many of these species locally on our reefs and rubble grounds, however threadfin salmon is the species that is more commonly encountered and known to suffer these effects. Threadfin are a common catch in the Brisbane

River and many other systems.

I have witnessed bloated threadfin drifting down the river several times, even though the angler had the best intention to release the fish in a healthy state.

We all want our released fish to survive, to protect the health of the fishery, and there are several ways to do this.

Numerous devices (some quite elaborate) have been used to drag fish back into the depths and then release them. Surprisingly, it is rare to find a release device for sale in a tackle store, as there are very few commercially-made

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You will only need a small selection of materials and tools for this project. A large snapper lead (12-24oz), a stainless steel crab bait hook, an empty hand caster, 10m or more of 1-3mm diameter cord (or some heavy monofilament), a hammer, a file, pliers, a drill and a drill bit which is just slightly narrower than the wire of your crab bait hook.

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Around the same distance down on the other arm, bend it in at a right angle with your pliers. Pass this arm through the eye of the snapper lead as shown.

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Using a drill bit, which is slightly smaller in diameter than the stainless steel wire, drill through the snapper lead on a slight angle. Note that the lead will quickly clog up and bind with your drill bit (probably snapping it) so don’t attempt to drill straight through.

Instead continually remove the drill bit for cleaning after you have drilled every few millimetres.

release weights on the market [the only one I know of is made

by Sunset Sinker Supplies in WA – Ed]. Therefore, most angler’s fashion their own crude, yet effective, deeprelease devices made from all manner of materials.

Some anglers use springloaded lip-grip devices. One of the simplest release tools is a large hook attached upside down to a weight.

However, most large, wide gape hooks are made from fairly thick steel; as this needs to go through the lower jaw of the fish, I prefer to use something of thinner diameter

to minimise the impact on the fish. Some years ago I made a simple release device for my own purpose. After seeing Wayne Kampe’s segment on releasing threadfin in the last issue of the magazine, I have decided to share my version of a release weight with you. This was made from some bits I had lying around the shed, but the materials will be easy to source from any half decent tackle outlet if you don’t have them at hand. Hopefully you will want to make one to allow you to release more barotraumaaffected fish safely back into the depths.

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Fold out the crab bait hook, leaving the loop in it, until it is roughly this shape with one side higher than the other. The loop is where we will attach our cord later.

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Cut this arm off so that it is just slightly shorter than the width of the snapper lead. Again you can round off the end into a dull point to make it easier to punch through the lead.

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Once you have drilled right through, place the snapper lead on a hard, firm surface, like the edge of your workbench. Insert the end of the stainless wire into the hole and bang it through the lead with the hammer. This will require repeated blows but persevere until the wire is flat against the side of the snapper lead.

Cut the higher side arm off at around 8-10cm of length and then sharpen the end slightly with the file. This will make it easier to insert into the fish’s jaw. If you have a decent pair of pliers then they should have a wire cutter on them. Otherwise use a hacksaw, side cutters or other cutting tool.

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Establish where the end of the wire coincides with the side of your snapper lead. You can just scratch the lead with the end of the wire to mark this point.

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Wind the cord onto your hand caster and attach the end to the wire loop with a sliding uni knot (or similar). Once inserted through the lower jaw, the release weight will drag a fish to the depths where it will return to its normal state, free of barotrauma. When you feel it kick, simply give the cord a sharp pull to eject the wire from its mouth and set it free. Such a simple device can go a long way to ensuring the health of our fishery!

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What’s New FISHING

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GEECRACK SWING CHATTER

The ‘Swing Chatter,’ manufactured by Japanese company Geecrack, is available in 22 colour combinations, and comes in three sizes (1/4oz, 3/8oz, and 1/2oz) with a size 2/0 hook. A compact lure that’s ideal for pitching, the Swing Chatter has been designed to easily probe different layers of water, from the bottom to the surface.

The Swing Chatter sports a thin adjustable metal blade, realistic head with 3D eyes, and silicon skirt, which all combine to create a swimming action that freshwater predators can’t resist. Combine this with one of Geecrack’s proven soft plastics, such as the Gyro Star, Leaf Shrimp or Moon Curly, the Swing Chatter is a force to be reckoned with.

Ideally suited to Australian bass, the Swing Chatter has also succeeded in landing other Australian freshwater predatory species such as bream, estuary perch, yellowbelly and Murray cod. The Australian distributor is Dogtooth Distribution, and you can find more info on their website. Trade enquiries welcome.

Price: SRP $13.95 www.dogtoothdistribution.com.au

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SUNLINE FINE FLOAT II

Sunline Fine Float II is a floating monofilament line with Sunline’s latest Plasma Ion technology.

P-Ion processing improves slickness, water repellency, abrasion resistance and longevity of your line by chemically altering the line’s surface to allow resin processing to bond at a molecular level. This processing increases line performance and allows the line to float longer and stronger. This new line is ideal for float fishing for bream, blackfish and drummer. The bright yellow colour allows for easy tracking of your line.

Sunline Fine Float II comes in 150m spools in 6-20lb breaking strains, and is available in all good tackle stores.

Sunline is a Japanese manufacturer that produces every type of fishing line for every target and method. Materials include nylon, fluorocarbon, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, polyester (polyethylene terephthalate), and metal. Sunline is the top selling line in Japan, and exports to over 40 countries worldwide.

Price: from SRP $21 www.ejtodd.com.au

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VANFOOK ASSIST HOOKS

Vanfook’s Deco Twin Assist Hooks are short drop, heavy wire assist hooks ideal for upgrading or replacing the assist hooks on light jigs (up to 80g). They are fitted with Vanfook’s blue Jigging Assist Line and fish skin on each hook for added appeal and movement. They also have a solid ring with one long drop and one short drop hook for the best hooking potential. These Japanese-made hooks come in packs of two, and are available in sizes #1, #2 and #3.

For those anglers who prefer to make their own assist hooks, Vanfook has created Jigging Assist Line. This top quality line is a tightly woven PE line which can be spliced back into itself to create professional assist hooks. Vanfook Assist Line is available in blue and comes in 80lb, 120lb, 150lb, 200lb and 300lb breaking strains.

Price: SRP $12 (Assist Hooks), $17 (Assist Line) www.ejtodd.com.au

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NEW STRIKE PRO HUMMERS

The Strike Pro Hummer 65 and 75 are bigger versions of the popular Hummer 45, which is a favourite with estuarine anglers.

The Hummer is a plastic vibe that is perfectly weight balanced to allow the lure to sit on the bottom perfectly on its lip. It has a superb action on the drop and lift. The Hummer also has two top tow points so you can change the lure’s action. The front tow point is better for casting and retrieving, and produces a tighter, faster shimmy, while the rear tow point is better for vertical jigging and produces a slower wobble.

The Hummer 65 is 6.5cm long and weighs 13.6g, and is effective on a range of species such as bass, yellowbelly, mulloway, jacks and flathead. The Hummer 75 is 7.5cm long, weighs 21.8g, and is dynamite on Murray cod, yellowbelly, barra and snapper.

Both lures come with quality Owner trebles and are available in eight colours.

Price: SRP $16.99 www.jurofishing.com

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3” POWERBAIT PRO GRUB

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GENERATION BLACK V2 RODS

JUNE 2016

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The PowerBait Pro Grub features a wider profile body that generates volume while working the bait in the depths. The ribs on its body adds more surface area, allowing more scent release. The tail design adds fluid-like motion to tail on light twitches.

On the drop or on the hop, the Pro Grub tail swims at the slowest of speeds, delivering continuous lifelike action.

Each PowerBait Pro Grub is loaded with Berkley’s exclusive PowerBait scent and flavour formula. This potent combination causes fish to hold on for longer, so you can feel more bites and set more hooks.

The 3” PowerBait Pro Grub now comes in nine fish-catching colours: black ice, firetiger, blue ice, chartreuse purple ice, opening night, pearl white, perch ice, pink ice and purple ice. Keep an eye out for them at your favourite tackle store, or for more information check out the Berkley Australia website. berkley-fishing.com.au Price: RRP $7.95

Daiwa’s Generation Black series have gained a popular following in recent years. Now Daiwa has released the next generation: Generation Black V2 Rods.

They have the same looks and trusted actions, but now have Fuji K guides, improved reel seats and grips.

Boasting some of the finest rod actions available at an affordable price, Generation Black V2 features Daiwa’s HVF graphite, Fuji’s lightweight K guides, high grip seats on the light models and custom made Fujis on the heavier models. The reel seats are complemented with tough minimalist EVA grips that provide excellent grip and help reduce the weight.

There are 28 technique-specific spin actions and 10 baitcast options, with ultra-light through to heavy offerings. Travelling anglers are also catered for with several 3-piece travel rods.

Generation Black offers tournament quality tackle without tournament quality pricing. If you have ever wanted one series of rods to cover all light tackle luring applications, check out Generation Black V2 rods. www.daiwafishing.com.au

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au 112

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

BY REDD BY WERE POWE PO

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

What’s New FISHING

BY REDD BY WERE POWE PO

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SURECATCH PREMADE RIGS

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ZEREK BULLDOG CRANK

An entirely new range of SureCatch rigs has been released to make the complicated task of rigging up for different situations a breeze.

Within the range there are rigs for all the popular species including bream, whiting, snapper and flathead as well as rigs to help you fish the deep reefs, surf, rivers, lakes and estuaries.

All rigs in the range – there are 41 different rigs – are hand tied to give the best result time after time, and the range of hook sizes means that you can tailor your rig to the fish you are chasing.

SureCatch ensure these chemically sharpened, circle, stainless and bronze hooks are used to create the perfect rig for each situation.

Best of all, these rigs will not break the bank, giving you a cost effective way to make the most of your time on the water. www.wilsonfishing.com

The latest addition to the Finesse Craft Series, the Zerek Bulldog Crank is a 38mm floating crankbait that weighs in at only 4g.

Ideal for targeting fish in shallow areas, this lure has a tight wobbling action as it dives to around 2m during retrieval.

The Bulldog Crank’s forward profile makes it less prone to snags as the bib knocks into structure before the hooks and the floating nature allows the careful angler to rise the lure above the snag triggering bites and avoiding fouling.

Available in 10 different colours, including ultra-violet highlighted colours to suit varying water conditions, the Zerek Bulldog Crank will make an immediate impact on estuary and freshwater fisheries country-wide. For more information on this and other models in the Zerek range, visit the Wilson Fishing website or like ‘Zerek Australia’ on Facebook. www.wilsonfishing.com

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DAIWA 16 CERTATE

In 2004 Daiwa introduced the Real Four Concept in the original Certate – Real engine, Real control, Real endurance, Real custom, setting the new standard in spinning reel design and innovation.

Since then, Certate has continually evolved and developed through its incarnations to become the world’s most advanced spinning reel.

Now a great reel has been made even better with the introduction of the 2016 Certate.

This innovative reel combines a one-piece Monocoque body design in the HD models, Magseal, Magseal Bearings, Air Rotor, ATD and Zaion, making it Daiwa’s most sensitive, powerful and technically advanced reel ever.

You will feel more connected to lures, detect more bites and fight fish with ease.

Other features include: Mag Sealed Line Roller, Airbail (one piece construction), ABS II, Rotor Brake, Silent Oscillation, Real Stopper and aluminium machine cut handle.

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

10

FISH ARROW FIN’S GILL

The Fin’s Gill from Fish Arrow comes in two sizes: a 120mm model that weighs 40g, and a 150mm version that weighs 78g. This realistic soft plastic swimbait is durable and is slow sinking, emitting medium vibration when retrieved very slowly. The Fin’s Gill has a magnet underneath its belly that holds the hook in position, and allows the lure to be dragged over structure. A swimbait weight can also be added to increase the sink rate.

This lure was originally designed to replicate bluegill for largemouth bass, but it’s also the ideal shape and size to replicate a juvenile golden/silver perch, medium redfin or large bony bream. This makes it perfect for big Murray cod, barra and other large predators. Its realistic shape and action entices bites in the toughest of conditions.

To see more info on the Fin’s Gill, or other lures in the Fish Arrow range, check out the Searing Tackle website. www.searingtackle.com.au

11

SAMAKI TORPEDO V2 SPINNERS

The all-new Samaki V2 Spinner has some serious attitude. With a range that starts from 10g all the way up to 85g, these spinners hit the bullseye with each cast.

You can throw Samaki Spinner V2s into a school of baitfish and you’ll be attacked by every predator swimming around in anticipation. Alternatively you can re-rig them with an assist hook and drop them down into the depths to attract the more aggressive species.

The elongated bullet design allows you to cast further, and additional features include lifelike colour combinations, a 6X strong treble hook, natural eye, an extra hard external coating plus the added feature of UV colours and glow properties. For more information and stockist locations head on over to the Samaki website, or like them on Instagram and Facebook.

Price: from SRP $4.95 www.samaki.com.au

12

GULP NEMESIS NOW IN 3”

Combine the fish catching profile of a Jerkshad and the enticing tail action of a grub and you get the Berkley Gulp Nemesis.

Designed in Australia, the Nemesis shape is now available in a bite sized 3” size. During testing by the Berkley Pro Team these lures have proven to be deadly on bream with an enticing tail action at any speed, easy to swallow profile and potent Gulp scent.

The tail action of this shape has to be seen to be believed. On the drop or on the wind, the Nemesis tail swims at the slowest of speeds delivering continuous lifelike action.

Each Gulp Nemesis is also loaded with Berkley’s exclusive Gulp scent and flavour formula, a powerful water based scent dispersion system that makes Gulp 100% biodegradable.

Price: SRP $11.95 berkley-fishing.com.au

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au JUNE 2016

113

What’s New FISHING TESTED: Ecooda I recently had a quick visit from Fishing Monthly’s Ryan Limpus who was travelling back from a boat show down Sydney way. On this visit Ryan had in his possession some of the Ecooda Mini Pops, and it was a bad decision on his part to show them to me. I informed him that he was going to have his work cut out leaving with them all from my premises!

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

POWERED BY

Mini Pops

The first thing that caught my eye was the colour schemes. I’ve used similar colours in the past with great success, so it’s clear the designers at Ecooda thought long and hard about getting eight colour schemes that will have whiting, bream and bass anglers salivating. The whitebait pattern stood out to me, and I felt sure this would be a winner. On initial trials this has definitely proved to be true.

Being a fishing guide and basing your livelihood on teaching people lure fishing you come into possession of some great looking lures. However, when your business relies on getting results you have to be sure of the product – and this is where it is essential to go out and test the performance and effectiveness of each lure. Then, if it ticks all the boxes, it will get the nod for use by our clients. The Ecooda Mini popper now fills quite a few positions in our surface fishing arsenal.

The first thing it has going for it is its size. At 50mm in length it is perfect for bream and whiting on most occasions.

Weighing in at 4.1g means when fishing a flats situation you should have no problems getting the distance that is absolutely necessary at times when chasing whiting.

Another reason this weight is so important is because when throwing into structure for bass or bream you don’t want to be struggling to load your rod for accuracy, as can happen with some of the lighter lures (especially if you’re just starting out).

When looking at the Mini Pop you will notice the tow point is close to the centre of the lure, which makes for a sensational

popping motion. A fast retrieve will create a pronounced splashy effect, which is something that whiting and trevally

find irresistible. On the other side of the retrieval coin, when throwing into bass lairs you can cast it in tight to snags, and while it sits in position you can easily get a noisy fish-attracting bloop with the slightest of rod movements.

On our first trials we have caught whiting, bream and trevally using the ghost bait, whitebait and pearl shrimp and we are looking forward to giving the brown prawn and olive shrimp a run on bass as those colour schemes are very bassy! Why don’t you check them out?

With a recommended price of around $14 they represent great value for money.

- Mark Saxon

TESTED: Murray Moth – perfect for mega cod When I dropped the news at work that I was taking time off to trek into cod country, it only seemed fair that I should take something to test out. NSWFM’s Ryan Limpus handed me Leavey Lures’ new Murray Moth, and looking back, I’m glad I didn’t leave without it!

OUT OF THE BAG On first inspection, I was impressed with the finish on this gargantuan 120mm long paddler, and the strong Owner ST56 size 2 trebles looked like they could handle some seriously big jaws. The mad keen anglers who fish Copeton during the cooler months would love this thing! Mick Leavey is known for making big lures for big fish, and the Murray Moth is no exception. Mick’s other lures have proven their worth time and time again on big

This chunky cod was happy to scoff the Murray Moth in pitch darkness in surprisingly shallow water.

mulloway in the salt, and I’m predicting this newest member of the line-up will make a big impact on the cod scene.

IN THE FIELD Once we got over the range and into our chosen pocket of God’s country, our spirits were slightly damped by some steady rain.

The rain went into the night, but finally stopped at about 11pm. At this stage, my energy to pursue our original plan to kayak to a bank somewhere downriver and fish topwater had almost gone.

I decided to tie on the Moth, and just mosey on down to the pool in front of camp and throw a few lazy casts, just to check out the action. Once I got down to the water, I couldn’t see a thing! I could only hear the rhythmic ‘plip-plop’ of the Moth and the clacking of the joints as I swam it back and forth at my feet. “That’ll get ‘em!” I thought to myself.

I lobbed a cast out into the pool, which was about 3ft deep at the most. I commenced the steady retrieve with the rod tip up, to get the most audible paddling sound possible. About halfway back to my feet, the sound of several litres of water disappearing into a big mouth interrupted my sleepy stupor! I didn’t feel any weight.

The silly bugger missed it! I wound the Moth back to my feet and called my friend Lachlan Hickey to come down to the water’s edge.

“What is it?” he asked me.

“Listen to this,” I said confidently.

I cast back to the same spot, and started the same retrieve I’d done before.

The almighty sound once again broke the deafening silence of the night. ‘Boof!’ This

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au 114

JUNE 2016

The heavy hardware stood up to a dozen or so cod over two days of fishing. time, I felt weight. A lot of weight!

I played the chunky Murray cod to the bank, measured her carefully and took a few happy snaps before release. At 76cm, this topwater terror was a good catch for these waters.

Now I needed something to calm down!

I walked up to camp to grab a beer, and as I started walking back down to the water to recalibrate myself, my friend was already peppering the water with a big fizzer.

In a few minutes I was ready again, and I threw the same cast for a third time.

‘Boof!’

I couldn’t believe it! Surely it couldn’t be the same fish having another look? When I got this one to the bank, a careful measurement showed that this was indeed a different fish, measuring 70cm.

At the end of the hour-long session, we had landed five cod between us. The Moth won the night against the fizzer, four

The Murray Moth and a real moth. There’ a fair size discrepancy, but to a hungry cod that just means a bigger meal!

fish to one. Lachlan was very keen to know where he could get one of these cod catching machines!

BACK HOME The Moth is still with me, with many cod to its name, and sporting only a few small scratches on the thick plastic bill. This lure mixes elements of a classic Murray cod paddler with the craftsmanship and durability of hardbodies designed for big mulloway off the rocks.

If you’ve ever wanted to throw topwater for big (or even small) Murray cod, you should definitely make a lot of room in your tacklebox, and slide this sucker in! At $26.95 it’s great value for money, and one of these should last you many big cod. I honestly can’t wait until I get the time to travel over the range again and lob one of these around in the dark… only this time I might remember to pack a good light!

- Bob Thornton

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

Brave the cold water for some hot fishing!

WEST COAST

Shane Lowery

June brings us to the coldest part of the year in both weather and water temperatures, but it also offers some of the hottest inshore and offshore diving.

As we enter winter proper at the beginning of

June, it would be easy to think that spearfishers start to wind down, but in fact, we actually start to get some of the most settled weather patterns of the year. Onshore easterly winds are replaced by more offshore and westerly patterns, which are far more conducive to both land-based inshore dives as well as the predominant

offshore bluewater hunting for southern bluefin and albacore tuna in the far South West.

There was a fantastic start to this tuna season, with bluefin in close on the north shore at Portland from mid January onwards making them very accessible for keen spearos. Late April and May saw plenty of fish turning up out wider, including one of the best runs of albacore seen for the last few years.

Unlike bluefin, the albacore never venture in close and are predominantly found out in the deep waters of the shelf. Open water diving on the shelf brings inherent dangers, so it is very important to remain aware of your surroundings. Avoid areas being actively fished by anglers and be sure to

An interesting inshore capture and pending Australian Record was Mick Maheny’s rays bream, more commonly associated with the continental shelf!

The ever-reliable inshore targets of crays and abalone are very viable at this time of year.

Leigh Elliot with his Australian record Bluefin of 139.4kg speared last season.

have your float with a diver below flag clearly displayed.

Boat-based diving requires you to have a diver below flag on the boat while divers are in the water.

Diving in teams or at least the minimum of pairs is also essential to back each other up as is having a boat handler

who can keep an eye on the divers and any approaching boats. The boat handler can also be in charge of keeping a steady stream of pilchards going into the water to both attract and hold the tuna near the boat.

Stable weather with low swell and flat seas also

means the inshore diving can be spectacular this time of year. The winter species to be targeted include King George whiting, sea sweep and southern rock lobster just to name just a few. Just keep in mind that from 1 June, female rock lobster begin their closed season and

only male rock lobster can be taken.

Sea sweep are in much larger numbers at this time of the year, whereas whiting schools tend to be a little more sparse but with the general size of the fish being much larger on average in the South West.

You never quite know what you may find, even while diving shallower inshore waters and recently Mick Maheny speared a rays bream. These fish are most commonly found out over the shelf in very deep waters and I believe it may be the first ever speared and a pending Australian record.

Winter also sees an influx of Australian salmon right along the Victorian coastline. Salmon can be best targeted on slightly rougher headlands and points of bays particularly when such areas are adjacent to beaches and are a great land-based dive target.

Winter can be one of the best times of the year for spearfishing, so don’t let the cooler water deter you from getting out and enjoying what our coastline has to offer.

FISHING FILL-ITS

Alan’s big day out

A wish came true recently for one of our fellow fishers, Alan Grieg. Alan is terminally ill with AL amyloidosis and multiple myeloma, and is one of only six diagnosed every year in Australia. He was told he had only two weeks to live, yet he has defied the odds. Alan spent most of last year in and out of hospital and the thing he missed the most was being able to go out fishing.

Alan’s wish came true due to Facebook – a lot of bad things are said

about social media, but here is a positive story. Victorian Trout and Redfin Fishing Group Administrator, Kelvin Baldwin heard about Alan’s story and got the wheels rolling to organise a fishing day for Alan. It wasn’t long before other anglers and businesses jumped onboard to show their support for a fellow fisher. In a matter of days, a date and venue was organised.

Lake Wendouree was the venue, with Trevor Holmes from Inland Fishing Charters offering his services to take Alan out on Wendouree to

try to catch a fish and make his wish come true. Lake Wendouree was abuzz with boats, canoes, and anglers lining the shoreline. A BBQ was organised by the local rotary club, and raffles took place with Alan’s wife Judy winning a Brave Fishing Rod. Everyone enjoyed the day of fishing and some lovely trout and redfin were caught. Alan unfortunately didn’t catch a fish, even under Trev’s guidance. Although they tried every trick in the book they were unable to land one for the day – but as

Left: Organisers of Alan’s day out from left to right – Trevor Holmes, Kelvin Baldwin, Alan Greig and Kev Girstun. Photo courtesy of Tracey Trenorden.

Right: Alan Greig on his day out fishing at Wendouree. Photo courtesy of Lachlan Bence.

Alan said, that’s just fishing.

Alan was almost speechless at the weigh-in and thanked everyone for their show of support, not only for him but

his wife Judy who fights the battle everyday with him.

A special thank you must go to the organisers of the day – Kelvin Baldwin,

Tracey Trenorden, Brad Andrews, Brad Cox, Trevor Holmes, Hooked on Bait & Tackle and Brave Rods. – Shane Stevens JUNE 2016

115

The 22nd annual Dartmouth Cup The Dartmouth Cup Yamaha Fishing Classic is in the 22nd year of competition. Originally held in November over the Melbourne Cup Long weekend (where the title of ‘Dart Cup’ originated), the competition then moved to the June long weekend in the early days.

I have been involved in the running of the competition for 19 years, and have witnessed the event go from strength to strength. In 2002 the

Dartmouth Alpine Anglers Club took over the running of the competition and this is when the competition realised its true potential as the major prize of a boat was introduced. It has since become one of the biggest inland trout competitions in Australia.

With increased advertising of the competition through television, newspaper and radio, now online registrations, and a boat wrapped by ‘All About Window Tinting’ has helped

boost our profile.

The competition is run over the three days of the Queen’s Birthday weekend, starting on the Friday. The weigh-ins occur on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon. There are winners of best species for all three days. We still have the two boats as prizes and the Best Species Prize pool to 1st and 2nd place getters.

The Club Team Championship goes to the best 10 trout caught over the two days. Clubs/Teams are now limited to 15 competitors each. There is

also a junior competition.

The boat, motor and trailer is won by a draw at the presentation night. Any competitor, who catches a trout and weighs-in, is in the running sponsored by Border Marine, Yamaha and Stacer. Pre-register by 23rd of May at www.dartmouth. net.au for a chance to win these great prizes.

This year we have also added a carp weigh-in station at the boat ramp at the breakfast tent run by Len Coggan. ou can weigh-in your carp at any time over the weekend from Friday

The competition attracts anglers of all ages!

Sunday at 7pm. Any prizes not collected at this time will be redrawn at 7pm on presentation night until all

prizes are gone. – Lorrae Saxton-Smyth (Secretary/ Treasurer Dartmouth Alpine Anglers Club)

A competitor releases a beautiful trout during last year’s competition.

10th Friday, 11th Saturday, 12th Sunday Queens Birthday Weekend-June 2016 Yamaha Fishing Classic

Hosted by Dartmouth Alpine Anglers

Ph:02 6072 4263





     

Stacer 409S Proline Angler Yamaha 25hp NMHL 2/Stroke Outboard Stacer Factory Gal Trailer Stacer 359 proline (2nd Prize)

Open Lucky Trout Draw for Boat, Motor & Trailer valued over $12,000 Junior Lucky Trout Draw for a Rod & Reel Combo & Tackle Box Open Best Species for Friday, Saturday & Sunday Club/Team Championship Best Live weigh Friday & Saturday Sponsors Lotto Draw Saturday

through to Sunday 12pm.

There is a prize for the biggest carp caught by an individual each day.

The Sponsor’s Draw is on the Saturday night with over 60 prizes up for grabs.

You don’t have to catch a fish to win a prize in this draw. The numbers draw will be held over and on display for collection until

Lure Casters Super Series

Round Three of the CVLCSS brings us to the majestic town of Mitchellstown, a small historical town situated along the Goulburn River and Majors Creek, 97km northwest of the Melbourne CBD. With an average depth of approximately 7m, the river is a very confusing waterway to fish, and the creek, which is at most 20m wide and with an average depth of 2m, narrows your options. Anglers were faced with a choice to either fish the river for the cod population, or rack points up fishing finesse for golden perch in the creek.

Mitchellstown offers many opportunities with a vast variety of species including Murray cod, golden perch, redfin, trout, carp and possibly even the odd silver perch. Friday night saw many anglers setting up camp and enjoying a nice warm fire as well as the sponsor stall To page 117

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JUNE 2016

The Dartmouth Cup is a fantastic family day spent enjoying the outdoors.

Jai Robinson with a golden perch caught on a spinnerbait.

Wrap up of SWAA Classic Comp The second annual South West Anglers Association, Albury/Wodonga Classic has been run and won for another year. The event was held in what can only be described as trying conditions, with a supposed blue green algae scare and scorching weather (around 40°C) on the day. However, 120 very keen Mums/Dads and kids registered to have a go anyway – and have a go they did.

Fish numbers were up a little from the previous year, and organizers were happy with both competitor and fish numbers under the

circumstances, however, most were undersize and returned to fight another day. There was also a good variety of cod, golden perch, carp and redfin. The fish care volunteers were on hand to answer questions and help

There were also many winners, with several huge meat trays and lots of random giveaways at the presentation held at St Ives Hotel Beer Garden. As always, all entrants under 16 years old received a goodies bag at registration

CLASSIC WINNERS Species Male Female Murray cod (kept): Graeme O’Reagan Melinda Lieshke Murray cod (released): Josh Flanagan Alyssa Mowath Murray cod (junior): Maddy McCormick Golden perch (kept): James Tucker Golden perch (released): Brian McCann Largest redfin: Scott Thomson Family combined length fish: Adam Brown Lucky entry: Hudson Miller

MAJOR RAFFLE WINNERS Place Name 1 Justin Carter 2 K Hornby 3 Kerry Radalj 4 Chris Beale 5 Paul Bothe

the kids with all things fishing, as well as having a static display and giveaways.

The organizing committee would like to thank all our sponsors for helping to make the event possible, we also thank St Ives Hotel and

all their fantastic staff for making us feel at home – it seems nothing is a problem for them, and once again they fed and watered us all with ease. It was fantastic to see more kids and families enjoying themselves at this year’s event.

Prize Engel Fridge Canoe Six-man tent Double cubicle $100 St Ives Hotel voucher

simply for turning up.

Once again, we would like to thank all our sponsors, both large and small; you have all contributed to make a wonderful day possible for families and kids to experience the joys of the outdoors and fishing.

The Albury/Wodonga Classic proved to be a hit for young and old, with many families getting out there for a great day of fishing.

A fantastic day, with prizes and smiles doing the rounds.

From page 116

setup. Friday night’s raffle was run and won and the briefing was underway for the next morning.

TAKEOFF With takeoff at 7am and a slight fog on the water, anglers had to take it slow going through the creek.

With plenty of dangerous stumps submerged, it’s fairly easy to damage a prop in this waterway. The morning started off slower than what was expected, but a few quick fish were caught in the creek along the reserve – most on either spinnerbaits or lipless crankbaits. Those chasing bigger fish ventured out on the Goulburn to target the deep water with larger spinnerbaits for big cod.

This plan [paid off for a few anglers who landed some nice cod, the biggest of which was a 98cm beast that fell just short of the elusive 1m mark caught by Kristen Gaehl.

As the day progressed, the water started to warm up to around 18°C – a perfect water temperature

RESULTS Total anglers: Total fish caught: Golden Perch: Murray Cod: Redfin: Carp: Largest fish:

A massive amount of prizes were awarded on the day, with many happy anglers taking home some goodies.

125 38 16 13 8 1 98cm Murray cod

for native fish, but this didn’t help anglers very much as the fishing started to slow down as the day progressed.

Fishing ended at 2pm and the fishers that had caught fish mostly had two and the rest of the unlucky

anglers bagged out on donuts. Presentations were underway at 2:30pm and anglers gathered around the presentation tents while the BBQ sizzled and sausages were ready for lunch.

Winners were more than happy with prizes received with 1st place taking well over $1000 in prizes including over $900 in cold hard cash. – Kaleb Oxley

I would also like to thank the committee for their tireless hours of work in the organising of the event.

South West Anglers Association is a collective of many individual clubs around the area and we always welcome new members and clubs to our meetings or email lists. We can be

contacted on our website, www.southwestanglers.org. au, through Facebook – South West Anglers Association, or by contacting the Secretary on email, terrymaloney49@ hotmail.com. Check us out, you may be surprised at what we have to offer. – Steven Malcolm (Chairman, South West Anglers Association)

ROUND 5:

JUNE

4

TORRUMBARRY LOCATION: HORSE SHOE BEND

2016 Super Series

• Each round will have a target species, either Murray Cod or Golden Perch • Catch and release lure tournaments • Entrance fee $30 per Senior • New for 2016 we will also be running team’s events (maximum 3 anglers) • Conditions Apply

Largest target species caught in each event wins a rod from

Fishing

For more information contact

David Nelson 0418 378 944

Simon Burke with a cracking cod on a Reaper Spinnerbait.

roundy@cvlcss.com – www.cvlcss.com JUNE 2016

117

Russell Wins the Two Fly Ballarat Fly Fishers Club member Russell Eldridge recently won the Lake Wendouree Two Fly Competition as well as the Jim Thomas Trophy for the longest fish during the competition.

The Lake Wendouree Two Fly Competition, now in its third year, continues to

two days on Lake Wendouree either from a boat or the shore.

The hours of the competition are 10am-4pm on the Saturday and 5am-12pm on the Sunday. Each competitor must supply two flies that are judged suitable for use on lake Wendouree. These flies are then placed in a ballot and drawn out and handed

longest fish the competition.

The Two Fly is a catch and release competition, with all fish measured, photographed and then released back into Lake Wendouree to be caught another day.

This year’s Two Fly started off with very ordinary weather conditions, including gusty winds and intermittent

Russell Eldridge, the Winner of the Lake Wendouree Two Fly Competition at the presentation of the trophy by the Ballarat Fly Fishers Club President, Alan Townsend. Photo courtesy of Alan Townsend. saw competitors and members of the Ballarat fly fishers club gather at the clubrooms for a social evening that comprised of a fully catered meal and a few raffles, stories were told again of the fish that got away, the ones that followed the flies right to the boat, the ones that got busted off and more.

Bacon and eggs were

skies and a light breeze. Once again all areas of Wendouree were fished, and a few more trout were caught measured,

2016 LAKE WENDOUREE TWO FLY RESULTS Place Length (cm) Species Angler 1 56 Brown trout Russell Eldridge 2 53 Brown trout Russell Eldridge 3 50 Brown trout David Bandy

Russell Eldridge with the winning brown tout of 56cm. Photo courtesy of Shane Jeffrey. showers on the Saturday morning and early afternoon, however the weather did improve as the day went on, with the competitors in boats able to fly fish in all areas of the lake trying to

Lake Wendouree Two Fly Competition winning Fly Patterns – Black Pennel and Green Magoo Variant tied by Trevor Crawford. Photo courtesy of Chris Doody. photographed and released during the morning. As the minutes wound down, Russell Eldridge still had the fish to beat from Saturday afternoon, and on the gong of 12pm, Russell Eldridge walked into the clubrooms with a massive grin on his face having landed an even bigger brown trout of 56cm at 11.45am. This fish meant Russell had scored

Russell Eldridge receiving the Jim Thomas Memorial Trophy for the longest fish in the Lake Wendouree Two Fly Competition. Photo courtesy of Alan Townsend gain momentum around the fly fishing scene as a must-do competition. In light of the results from this year’s competition, fly fishers from all over the state will certainly be attending the next Lake Wendouree Two Fly. The Two Fly is fished over

randomly to other anglers competing, they are the only flies that are eligible to be used in the competition, and if you happen to lose one you can only fish with the remaining fly until the end of the competition. The winner is the fly fisher with the

the two biggest fish of the competition.

A total of 28 fly fishers competed in this year’s

Two Fly Competition with 15 rainbow and brown trout caught.

Ballarat Fly Fishers Club member and competitor Trevor Crawford supplied the winning flies that Russell used throughout the competition. For Trevor’s effort he received a hand crafted wooden pen donated

by Bendigo Fly Fishers Club member Geoff Wiley.

Russell Eldridge was the winner of the Jim Thomas Trophy for the longest fish and now the proud owner of a brand new Stalker Glide Fly Fishing Rod valued at $650, kindly donated by Hurley’s Fly World the major sponsor of the competition.

A special thank you must go to the organising members of the Ballarat Fly Fishers Club and Trevor Martin from Hurley’s Fly World for sponsoring the event for the 3rd successive year. – Shane Stevens

Lake Wendouree Two Fly Competition scoreboard and trophies. Photo courtesy of Shane Stevens.

Scott Xanthoulakis landed a magnificent rainbow trout prior to release in the Lake Wendouree Two Fly Competition. Photo courtesy of Scott Xanthoulakis.

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JUNE 2016

catch that elusive brown or rainbow trout with many tales of the ones that got away at the end of the days fishing.

On Saturday afternoon Russell Eldridge was leading the competition with a 53cm brown trout. Saturday evening

supplied for breakfast at the clubrooms on Sunday morning, and then competitors hit the water with a target of 53cm to beat. The weather conditions on Sunday morning were ideal for Lake Wendouree with overcast

Peter Voterakis fly fishing during the competition. Photo courtesy of Shane Stevens.

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 2016 JUNE

Rnd 5 Central Vic Lure Casters Super Series

David Nelson 0418 378 944

Jun 4

Torrumbarry Horse Shoe Bend

roundy@cvlcss.com

Rnd 8 Hobie Kayak BREAM series

www.hobiefishing.com.au

Jun 5

Gold Coast

BREAM Qualifier #6

ABT 07 3387 0888

Forster

abt.org.au

Rnd 4 Metung Bream Classic

Bill Hartshorne 0409 823 070

Metung

www.vicbreamclassics.com.au

Rnd 9 Hobie Kayak BREAM series

www.hobiefishing.com.au

Jun 11-12

Jun 18-19

JUNE

Jun 26

JULY

Port Macquarie

Jul 2-3

Rnd 10 Hobie Kayak BREAM series

Mandurah

BASS Pro Qualifier #4

Jul 16-17

Boondooma

Rnd 11 Hobie Kayak BREAM series

Jul 23-24

Lake Macquarie

AUGUST

ABT BREAM Qualifier #7

Aug 20-21

Clarence River

ABT BREAM Qualifier #8

Aug 24-25

Gold Coast

Rnd 12 Hobie Kayak BREAM series

Aug 27-28

SEPTEMBER

www.hobiefishing.com.au

www.abt.org.au

www.hobiefishing.com.au

www.abt.org.au

www.abt.org.au

www.hobiefishing.com.au

Wallis Lake

Sept 10-11

Rnd 13 Hobie Kayak BREAM series

www.hobiefishing.com.au

Nelson

Rnd 6 Central Vic Lure Casters Super Series

David Nelson 0418 378 944

Cairn Curran

roundy@cvlcss.com

Rnd 5 Glenelg River Bream Classic

Bill Hartshorne 0409 823 070

Nelson

www.vicbreamclassics.com.au

Rnd 14 Hobie Kayak BREAM series

www.hobiefishing.com.au

Sept 17

OCTOBER

Oct 8-9

Oct 8-9

Oct 15

Bribie Island Rnd 7 Central Vic Lure Casters Super Series

David Nelson 0418 378 944

Eppalock Holiday Park

roundy@cvlcss.com

2016 Leigh Martin Marine Mercury Classic

Adrian Kent 0490 049 111

Oct 22-23

Lake Hume

Tea Tree Snapper Fishing Competition

teatreecontact@spac.net.au

Mornington Peninsula

www.spac.net.au

Hobie Kayak BREAM Aus Championship

www.hobiefishing.com.au

Oct 28-29

Oct 28-30

NOVEMBER

Nov 19-20

Nov 26-27

DECEMBER

Dec 2-4

Queensland Rnd 8 Central Vic Lure Casters Super Series

David Nelson 0418 378 944

Eildon

roundy@cvlcss.com

Vic Bream Classic Series Grand Final

Bill Hartshorne 0409 823 070

Nelson

www.vicbreamclassics.com.au

BREAM Grand Final

www.abt.org.au

St Georges basin

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

119

Captain Risky crushes ‘em CE 1ST PLA Taree’s Kris Hickson weighed the only full limit of Richmond River bass to claim victory in the Spotters Sunglasses presented BASS Pro event – the first ABT BASS event to run in a river system. Hickson is currently the number one ranked BREAM angler in the country, and he could well be on the way to becoming the first angler in ABT history to be ranked number one in both species at the same time.

Tim Morgan has been number one in both species, but has never held the titles simultaneously. Hickson piled on 12/12 fish over the weekend to take the win by over 2kg from local favourite, Ballina’s Adrian Melchior. After struggling to work out a solid pattern on the official pre-fish day, Hickson turned to his BREAMing roots, diving into his bag of tricks from years of experience catching bass on the tidal waters of the nearby Clarence River.

“The only rivers I’ve ever fished run one way, and that’s out,” said Hickson, referencing his time spent on the local Manning River usually via his Hobie Kayak.

“When I couldn’t find anything on the morning of the pre-fish, I ran downriver from Coraki and basically started doing the stuff I do on the Clarence, where we catch bass as by-catch chasing bream.”

The approach worked almost immediately, with Hickson boating a number of bass in the afternoon. Morning of Day 1 saw Hickson start

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JUNE 2016

off in 3rd position. Being up the top he chose to make a start on the town bridge of Coraki, and it paid off with a nice bass just as the last boat went past.

From there, Hickson worked his way downriver fishing grassy natural banks, which amassed a 4/4 limit with non-boater Tony Neal to have him sitting in first place after Day 1. Hickson

turned to what he considers an underused product for bass from one of his sponsors, TT lures.

“I used the TT Rev Head rigged with a soft plastic.

The difference was how I rigged it. The vegetation was so dense and the fish were really in the thick of it, so I had to rig the plastic weedless,” explained Hickson. The rig slightly

Hickson is starting to gather a rather large collection of 1st place finishes in ABT tournaments.

resembles what you’d see on the end of Carl Jocumsen’s line when he’s punching mats for largemouth, except the weight and hook are one item, unlike the sliding bullet weight and straight shank hook.

The Rev Head features a small spinning blade slung underneath the main jighead and Kris was adamant that was the big difference in drawing strikes.

“They definitely seemed to want the bladed baits, I missed fish on an Imakatsu Shakey Chatter on pre-fish, and a normal jighead rigged plastic didn’t seem to get the same attention. So the only thing I could put it down to was the extra flash put off by the blade.”

Day 2 saw Hickson return to his milk run of spots and he and non-boater David Simmons filled their bag fairly quickly. “We worked really well as a team,” said Simmons. “I’d work the more active fish on the edge of the bank with an OSP

Kris Hickson and David Simmons with the Day 2 bag that put Kris over the line.

High Pitcher spinnerbait, while Kris punched his plastic/rev head combo into the thick of it.”

This style of heavy cover ‘punching’ hasn’t featured in a BASS Pro win yet, and it’s because of the move into rivers that has opened up a whole new world of opportunities for anglers and manufacturers alike.

Hickson mainly used two combinations through the whole tournament, a Daiwa Black Label 701MLXS paired with a Caldia SHA 2500, and a Silverwolf Zantetsu 681MLXS paired with the matching 2500 reel.

He spooled the reels with Daiwa Evo 8 braid with 10lb leaders.

With the win, Hickson pocketed $2200 and has moved to second position in the Bassman BASS Pro AOY race.

Adrian Melchior settles for second CE 2ND PLA Local gun Adrian Melchior came into the event as the hot favourite. Having won the ABT Richmond River trial event in October 2015, Melchior was always expected to do well However, his first session failed to live up to the hype. “I started downriver around Woodburn and really struggled,” explained Melchior. “I had a backup spot up the Wilson River, but I’d run too far and committed myself downriver.” Melchior started slowly, finishing the first session with only one fish and lagging in 19th place.

Choosing to weigh the one fish in early to maximize the afternoon session, Melchior ran the opposite

Event runner-up Adrian Melchior was the hot favourite coming into the event, and he lived up to expectations with a strong rally on Saturday afternoon and Sunday to finish 2nd.

direction up the Wilson River almost all the way to Lismore before pulling up and starting to fish.

“There was a lot of boat traffic in the Wilson, and that had muddied up some of the banks, so I just kept driving until there was no more boats,” explained Melchior.

Melchior put on a power fishing 101 course, diving into his collection of Bassman Spinnerbaits and choosing a 1/2oz Bassman TW in colour #25. He customized the bait with downsized blades so that the lure would run deeper in the water column.

“I actually flattened my electric motor batteries on Saturday, I’ve never done that before” said Melchior.

Choosing to fish fast and target the more active fish, rather than picking apart each piece of structure on the river. It was textbook power fishing, with Melchior and his non-boater catching fish

quickly and easily, even having a double hook-up at one stage.

Day 2 started and Melchior returned to his honey hole up the Wilson River, quickly starting where he’d left off on Saturday.

Although the bigger fish from Saturday afternoon eluded him on Sunday, he still weighed enough to overtake young gun Joseph Urquhart and claim second place and the $1200 cheque that went with it.

Melchior relied on baitcasting tackle to deliver

-BOATER 1ST NON Tony Neal is making a habit of winning ABT BASS Pro events, as the NSW BASSer took his second victory in as many starts at the Spotters Richmond River BASS Pro. Tony fished with event champion Kris Hickson and Tom Slater over the weekend, and piled on enough weight on Day 1 to hold onto top position, despite weighing only one fish on Sunday.

Day 1 saw Tony paired with Hickson, and the pair targeted various spots downriver from the event start at Coraki. All types of banks produced fish, from timber laden snag hotspots, to open grassy stretches, however it was the grassy stretches that proved most fruitful. Tony, like Hickson

the tide had risen, Tony managed a 780g fish on a weedless rigged plastic and beetle spin combo.

Tony armed himself with his trusty Elite Industries 6-9lb rod by Gladiator Tackle, paired

Champion non-boater Tony Neal fished with Hickson on Day 1. to stay connected to the bites they encountered. Towards the end of the session once

with a Gladiator Psyborg 2000 reel. He spooled up with 10lb Super PE and

Winning Tackle

Rod: Daiwa Black Label 701MLXS, Silverwolf Zantetsu 681MLXS Reel: Caldia SHA 2500 Line: Daiwa Evo 8lb braid Leader: 10lb fluorocarbon

Winning Edge

Hickson turned to his BREAMing roots to identify a winning pattern. After failing to make the techniques he’d hoped to use work in the official pre-fish, Hickson went back to basics and ran downriver to find less pressured fish hiding among heavy cover on the riverbank. Rigging his plastics weedless on a TT Rev Head was the key tackle modification.“The Rev Heads are a standard shaped hook, so to rig a plastic weedless on them you need to nose hook it and then come back through the body so the plastic sits on a slight angle,” he concluded.

tied on 8, 12 and 20lb Sunline FC Rock leader through different stages of the weekend.

Tony’s not going to be left in need of any product anytime soon, taking home a second swag bag full of staple bass tackle thanks to major sponsor Bassman Spinnerbaits. With two first place finishes from as many events to start his 2016 campaign, Tony is in the hot seat to dethrone current Bassman AOY leader Aimee Thompson if he makes the road trip north to Boondooma Dam in July to attend the final round of the season.

“You bet I’m going to come to the final round, I’ve already spoken to my wife about the trip, with two wins from two starts there’s no better opportunity to win than this year, so I’ll be there with bells on!”

Tony thanked his long time sponsors Gladiator Tackle, Barz Optics and Haswing Marine for their support throughout the year.

TOP 10 BOATERS

Austackle Big Bass

The Austackle Big Bass was caught by Steve Kanowski on Day 2. Kanowski caught the 1.32kg kicker off a single small stick on the bank of the Richmond River. The lure of choice was a Smak 1/2oz spinnerbait in a blue/purple/pink colour. His gear of choice was a long 7ft baitcast rod, paired with an Abu Revo Premier reel spooled with 15lb Spiderwire Stealth braid and topped with a 15lb Stren fluorocarbon leader.

OSP Rookie Reward

Paul Vandenboom won the OSP Rookie Award courtesy of his 4th place finish in the nonboater section. Vandenboom weighed in 8/12 for 4.87kg to edge out Dom Jordon by 50g.

Vandenboom will take home a great selection of some of the hottest baits on the ABT tour courtesy of OSP and FishTec Solutions.

Aimee Thompson has taken the leader in the Edge Rods Rookie of the Year race, with the winner at the end of Round 4 taking home an Edge First Strike rod valued over $500.

TOP 10 NON-BOATERS

Place Angler

Fish

Weight (kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

12/12 9/12 11/12 6/12 6/12 7/12 7/12 6/12 6/12 4/12

8.70 6.79 6.60 4.95 4.85 4.54 4.42 4.13 4.06 3.53

Kristoffer HICKSON Adrian MELCHIOR Joseph URQUHART Daniel BROWN Paul GILLESPIE Daniel CLANCY Mark LENNOX Brian EVERINGHAM Mitchell CONE Stephen KANOWSKI

the bait accurately along the snaggy banks of the Wilson, reaching for a new Samurai Infinite B16-F66 rod paired with a Daiwa Steez 103 reel. He filled the spool with Unitika 18lb braid and chose to run 12lb Unitika fluorocarbon leader for the entire weekend.

Melchior thanked long time sponsors Frogley’s Offshore, Bassman Spinnerbaits and Ballina Marine Land for their continued support.

WINNING NOTES

Tony Neal wins two in a row relied on a bladed jighead with a weedless rigged soft plastic to catch fish throughout Day 1.

On Day 2, Tony couldn’t replicate his winning technique and himself, along with Slater struggled

BASS

Presente SERIES d by Spo tters

Payout

$2200 + Duffrods Big Bag $1200 $975 $725 $550

$500 Austackle Big Bass

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

Place Angler

Fish

Weight (kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

9/12 6/12 8/12 8/12 8/12 5/12 5/12 5/12 5/12 6/12

5.91 5.17 4.89 4.87 4.82 4.32 4.13 4.12 3.59 3.46

Tony NEAL David SIMMONS Matt CUSCHIERI Paul VANDENBOOM Dom JORDAN Paul PIPER Orton MARCHANT David WELFARE Brett HYDE Brendan PIESCHEL

Payout

Bassman Prize Pack 13 Fishing Rod & Prize Pack Spotters Prize Pack Spotters Pack + OSP Rookie Berkley Prize Pack Austackle Rod & Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack

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

JUNE 2016

121

Gilly a bridesmaid no more CE 1ST PLA Steve Gill (Gilly) has had seven, third place finishes in ABT BREAM Qualifiers.

He was almost the Gerald Swindle of BREAM competition in Australia, labelled the best to never win a BREAM Qualifier or Grand Final. Well, that monkey is well and truly off his back now with the Victorian blitzing the field at his favourite tournament arena. Gilly achieved an impressive 10/10 limit for an 11.65kg bag, which beat his nearest competitor by over 2kg.

“I couldn’t think of a better place to notch up my first ABT victory,” said Gilly when interviewed after the tournament. “Things happen for a reason and this place is red-hot, it can be tough at times to locate the fish, but when you find them you remember why you travelled so far to get there.”

Anglers were left cold and wet after a serious storm front rolled through on the Sunday morning, but that didn’t faze Gilly, who held the overnight lead.

“At one stage I nearly got blown off the front deck of my boat, it was that windy.”

The adverse conditions didn’t

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Scan this QR code to listen to Steve Gill and Rebecca Fazio outline their winning ways.

R

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JUNE 2016

faze him though, as he brought the biggest bag of his ABT career and the biggest bag of the tournament to the scales on Sunday afternoon. Faced with challenging low tides early in both sessions, the key to success at the Costa Derwent River BREAM Qualifier was to find an area with sufficient depth to catch fish before the tide started to rise.

“High tide on the Derwent makes it a much easier place

catching the biggest bream in Australia.

Arming himself with two different colours (reflect ayu and half mirror smelt) of the popular Nories Laydown Minnow (Shallow), Gilly fired long casts out over the flat, and began to methodically work the area with a textbook twitch and pause retrieve.

“You’ve got to fish slowly when fishing for black bream,” said Gilly. After watching his

Bridge proved perfect, with an almost 40cm bream caught on his first cast. Shortly after, the 41cm kicker came aboard and it was then that he knew he would be hard to chase down.

Gilly’s equipment for the weekend consisted of a quiver of Howler Custom Rods that he paired with the new Shimano Twinpower reel, which he had bought new, especially for the trip across the Bass Strait. He spooled

Steve Gill with the champion fish that took out the Derwent round! to figure out, I knew I had to work something out for the low tide so I could at least catch a few fish early before looking for upgrades as the water came in,” explained Gilly.

Starting each day on shallow muddy flats upstream of the Bowen Bridge, Gilly managed a number of fish early each session. As the tide rose over the rocky edges, he turned his attention to active fish that had moved up with the tide looking to feed.

Reflective coloured slim profile jerkbaits have always been the popular lure when the ABT tour rolls into Tassie, and Gilly didn’t try to re-write the books when it came to

non-boater Rebecca Fazio get off to a flying start on the first morning, Gilly hit his stride, putting together his then current personal best ABT bag of 5.73kg. Not content with that, Gilly went on and broke his mark again on the second day, weighing an impressive 5.92kg limit, which included the tournament big bream.

It wasn’t all high fives and smiles on Day 2 however, with four fish in the box early, Gilly struggled through until almost 1pm, when he knew the tide would be up. A move upstream of the Bridgewater

the reel with Yamatoyo Resin Sheller PE in 9lb and topped it off with Yamatoyo Rockfish fluorocarbon leader in 4lb.

Gilly was well rewarded for his efforts, taking home almost $2500 in prize money and instantly qualifying for the St Georges Basin BREAM Grand Final. He also now finds himself in a three-way tie for the PowerPole Angler of the Year title with two other ABT veterans – Warren Carter and Steve Morgan. The race is well and truly on as the BREAM tour heads to Forster for Round 6.

The Norries Laydown Minnow was a massive asset in Steve Gill’s tacklebox.

Lister lets loose for a 2nd place finish CE 2ND PLA Canberra’s Alan Lister remained consistent through the two tournament sessions to notch a runner-up finish, thanks to a 10/10, 9.3kg limit. Lister finished a disappointing 17th at the first event at St Helens, but turned his tour around at the Costa Derwent River BREAM Qualifier by focusing on the area he found on the Friday pre-fish.

“I actually came down to Tasmania with a friend of mine before the pre-fish ban started. We fished the Derwent for four days and caught a few fish. It’s such a big arena that come the official pre-fish day, I actually chose not to visit any areas I had explored on my

pre-practice trip.” said Lister.

He’s not wrong – the Derwent system is expansive and encompasses plenty of small bays and coves, as well as a huge area near the mouth known as Ralphs Bay. During his pre-practice Lister located a small bay off the main river in which he’d experienced a double hook-up of 1.2kg Derwent River brutes.

“I started the first day in that small bay. I had waypoints all over the place from where I’d caught fish a few weeks earlier, but it didn’t pay out during the tournament,” explained Lister.

Turning to Plan B, Lister moved to a bank he’d found in the main river and the first fish he managed to boat went over 1.2kg. Lister had visited the local tackle store before fishing the event, and picked up a Daiwa Presso Minnow.

He went on to use the lure for the entirety of the two tournament sessions.

“I had a box full of slim profile jerkbaits, but I don’t think I could have caught any more, or better fish by using something else.

So I just committed to the Presso Minnow and it paid off,” he said.

Lister went on to upgrade a number of smaller

fish through Day 1, and returned to the scales and was pleasantly surprised to find he’s weighed the magic 5kg bag. Sitting in 2nd place overnight, Lister was determined to continue fishing with the open mind that had led him to success the previous day.

Alan Lister came in 2nd with some monster fish.

BREAM Presente SERIES d by Costa

“I was a ball of nerves on the start line on the second day, I had to tell myself to just fish for fun and enjoy the day because I knew if I let it get to me I’d fish too fast and miss some opportunities,” he said.

Fishing slow was the key, after receiving some advice from other competitors that emphasised the need to slow down when fishing for the big black bream that call the Derwent home.

“I’d retrieve my lure with a twitch and pause retrieve, sometimes letting the lure sit for over 10 seconds” Lister said. On more than one occasion, Lister would turn his back to do something, and his braid would snap straight with the force of a Derwent kegger on the other end.

“Every single bite I had over the two tournament days came when the lure was stationary,” he said. This emphasises the need for a patient mind while tournament

fishing in Tasmania. At one stage, Lister witnessed a 1kg+ bream inhale his lure in front of his eyes, yet he failed to feel or see the bite.

Lister relied on a Shimano 3-Zero 1-3kg rod, paired with a Daiwa Aird 2000 reel. He strung up with 6lb braided mainline and his connection to his newly found Presso Minnow was 2 rod lengths of 4lb Sunline FC-Rock fluorocarbon leader.

With qualification now locked away for the Costa St Georges Basin BREAM Grand Final, Lister can fish carefree through the rest of the tournament season.

“Living in Canberra, if I had to name my local bream waters, it would probably have to be St Georges Basin. So I’m looking forward to hitting the water when I can over the rest of the year to prepare for the Grand Final.”

Fazio unfazed by the competition at Derwent -BOATER 1ST NON Rebecca Fazio has claimed her second ABT non-boater event win, four years after her first at St Georges Basin. The long-time non-boater was thrilled to

weigh her personal best 5/5 (5.07kg) bag during the first day of competition with event champion Steve Gill. With the pair catching an impressive 10.8kg combined limit for the day.

Returning to the scales on Sunday with a 5/5 3.7kg bag, Fazio was sceptical if it would be enough to retain her overnight lead.

“I didn’t think I had quite that much weight as I was

walking up to the bump tubs,” explained Fazio. In the end, it was more than enough to relegate St Helens non-boater champion Michael Alexander to second place. Paired with Steve Gill and Kris Hickson over the course of the weekend, Fazio was always going to be around the fish, it was up to her to convert them into weight on the scales.

“The first day with Gilly started perfectly, flying off

the mark with a number of good fish early on a Jackall Colt Minnow. I couldn’t believe how well the day went with Gilly, I landed twelve legal bream with the biggest just over 38cm to the fork,” explained Fazio.

Waking Sunday morning to the overcast and reckoning skies, Fazio was dealt a dose of the ‘who shares wins’ ABT motto. Hickson’s electric motor batteries had died within an hour of the start, and he selflessly paddled the boat around in blustery conditions so that Rebecca had the best chances of catching her five fish.

“It looked really funny to watch someone paddling

a 20ft bass boat around, and I must say I really appreciate what Kris did for me during that second day,” said Fazio.

Between the successful Colt Minnow from the previous day, Fazio also rotated in a Smith Panish and Cranka Crab to catch her Sunday limit and propel

her to victory.

“I can’t wait to get back to St Georges Basin for this year’s Costa BREAM Grand Final, I missed last year’s Grand Final because I ran out of annual leave, so I’m making sure I’ve got enough for when the Grand Final rolls around.”

WINNING NOTES

Winning Tackle

Rod: Howler Custom Line: Shimano Twinpower reel Line: 9lb Yamatoyo Resin Sheller PE Leader: 4lb Yamatoyo Rockfish fluorocarbon

Winning Edge

The trick to Gilly’s win was having the confidence to rely on his spot to produce very late in the day. He relied on the action of the tide, that once it got over the structure he could upgrade the smaller fish he’d caught during the day for bigger models.

Big Bream

Rebecca Fazio was stoked to take out the 1st place in the non-boater competition.

The biggest bream of the tournament was caught by Steve Gill and weighed a whopping 1.65kg.

Scan this to watch the Facebook Live broadcast from the final weigh-in.

TOP 10 BOATERS

TOP 10 NON-BOATERS

Place

Angler

Fish

Weight (kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Steve Gill Alan Lister Mark Crompton Cameron Whittam Gary Alexander Warren Carter Andrew Krushka Adam Crick Steve Morgan Jason Harrlock

10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10

11.65 9.30 9.26 8.84 8.63 8.57 8.34 7.93 7.86 7.69

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

Payout $1900 $1300 $900 $700 $550

Place Angler

Fish

Weight (kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

10/10 10/10 8/10 10/10 7/10 8/10 6/10 7/10 7/10 6/10

8.77 8.42 6.66 6.21 6.04 5.46 5.29 5.06 4.91 4.74

Rebecca Fazio Michael Alexander Bernard Kong Grayson Fong Mark Hayes Neil Chegwidden Josh Carpenter Paul Siemaszko Blake O’Grady Alex Franchuck

Payout

Costa Sunglasses Pack Samurai Reaction Rod Berkley Prize Pack Spotters Sunglasses Austackle Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au JUNE 2016

123

Hobie reveals World Championship location The details of the sixth annual Hobie Fishing World Championship (HFW6), presented by Rhino-Rack and hosted by Hobie Cat Company have been released.

Anglers from 25 countries are expected to compete for the chance to be crowned this year’s Hobie Fishing World Champion. Steve Morgan caught up with Matt Petrie, the Australian Hobie Team Captain of 2015 and Hobie’s Keeton Eoff to find out more

to fish the final event at Wallis Lake on 27-28 August.

Matt reports the camaraderie between the Aussies including Scott Baker and Richard Somerton, and the spirit of the competition, with many anglers sharing trade secrets and techniques to keep each other fishing successfully.

“The team we’ve taken over to China have worked together and shared information so we can get the best knowledge of the fisheries we are working.”

grand announcement in the location of the Hobie World Championship to be held in La Fourche Parrish, Louisiana, on 4-10 December this year.

Located 45-minutes south west of New Orleans, La Fourche Parrish is the gateway to Cajun Country and the Gulf of Mexico, and offers a distinctly Louisiana ‘bayou’ way of life. This series promises a memorable experience for both U.S. and international competitors.

According to Hobie’s Keeton Eoff, it is the kayak fishing capital of the world.

The target species for the Championship include redfish, flounder and speckled trout. Keeton describes the conditions as semi-salt water shallow flats surrounded by deep marsh with plenty of fresh water inflows from the Mississippi. “The brackish area is prime for good food sources such as crab, shrimp and oysters, and the fish are in there feeding like crazy!” he says.

Matt Petrie is confident in the ability of Aussie anglers to handle these Louisiana surroundings; “It’s right up our alley, just like bream fishing on the flats – we just have to upsize our tackle and lures,” he says.

Keeton says, “I would definitely say that the main target species in Louisiana and, most of the Gulf, would

The shallow flats are the perfect zone for fishing, as the salt water mixed with fresh inflows from the Mississippi call all sorts of aquatic life to breed and feed. be the redfish. These fish have a keeper slot of 20-28” and anything over that limit would be considered a ‘bull’ and is a fish we would prefer to be returned to the water so as not to interrupt the breeding schedule.”

Redfish are a phenomenal tidal fish, which resemble an Aussie mulloway, and go great guns on the topwater action. Keeton tells that the experience of hooking up to a 1m+ redfish from a kayak is called a “Cajun sleigh-ride.”

We’re sure many anglers are

dead-set keen on trying that out! Speckled trout belong to the same family as the redfish (the Croaker family) but look very different, school up more and respond to slightly different tactics.

The real make or break catch of the day will be flounder.

Keeton describes flounder as resembling a “dinner plate” on the bottom of the water with a similarity to Aussie flathead, as an ambush predator reliant on currents for a feed. He says any angler “versatile” enough to crack the code of

Another prime target species in Louisiana, the speckled trout will be on the list during the Championship. about the qualification process and the competition specifics.

For Australian anglers looking to qualify, there is only one round left. The rules have changed this year and selection is now points-based and depends on an angler’s top three performances in the qualifying rounds. If you’ve already competed in two qualifying rounds you’ll have

With the development of the World Championships, the rivalry has increased between anglers, and this has been noted by the massive increase of competitors in the recent Scamander qualifying round.

It’s definitely turning out to be a red-hot competition, with a golden ticket promised to six lucky qualifiers.

Hobie has made a

A Hobie angler gingerly pulls a massive redfish aboard.

Enter the last round, and this could be you!

The opportunity to fish completely foreign waters does not present itself often. Now is the time to try and win yourself a golden ticket.

124

JUNE 2016

all three species will be in with a great chance.

“I think the local anglers have an advantage but when it comes to versatility and travelling experience, the Aussies have done more, they’ve been there and have experienced catching different species in different countries.

We are going to put them through a couple of days of enrichment and education on this waterway and I have no doubt they’ll be competing in contention,” he says.

“We can’t believe we’ve come this far and we’re really excited to have our Aussie mates over,” concludes Keeton.

All competitors will fish from identically rigged Hobie Mirage Pro Angler 14’s, provided by Hobie Cat Company and outfitted with Lowrance Electronics and Power-Pole MICRO Anchors, which Matt believes is a great way of levelling the playing field between anglers.

Don’t forget to get your entry in for the Wallis Lake for your chance to qualify for this fishing experience of a lifetime!

For more information visit www.hobiefishing worlds.com. – FMG

A prime example of a ‘bull’ redfish. Anglers who qualify for the Hobie World Championship in December can look forward to hunting a few of these amazing fish.

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71-77 Chickerell Street, Morwell Phone: (03) 5134 6522 | Fax: (03) 5134 6455 Email: info@crawfordmarine.com.au

92 Hallam South Road, Hallam Phone: (03) 9703 2003 Email: info@melbournemarine.com.au

250 Portarlington Road, Moolap Phone: (03) 5248 3772 | Fax: (03) 5248 5913 Email: info@moolapmarine.com.au

139 – 141 Hotham Road, Sorrento Phone: (03) 5984 1666 | Fax: (03) 5984 1680 Email: nautical@surf.net.au

Tooradin P&J Marine Service Centre P/L

6 Holland Drive, Melton Phone: (03) 9747 0588 | Fax: (03) 9747 3999 Email: admin@themarineshop.com.au

117 Northgate Drive, Thomastown Phone: (03) 9465 8787 | Fax: (03) 9466 1418 Email: triplemmarine@dodo.com.au

3 Satu Way, Mornington Phone: (03) 5976 4622 | Fax: (03) 5976 4633 Email: sales@wesfrostmarine.com

514 Canterbury Road, Vermont Phone: (03) 9874 4624 | Fax: (03) 9874 6586 Email: sales@regalmarine.com.au

JUNE 2016

125

What’s New BOATING

1

YAMAHA VMAX SHO

Yamaha Motor Australia has announced the introduction of the full range of 4-stroke VMAX SHO engines to the Australian outboard line-up.

The VMAX SHO engine platform was previously only available in Australia in the 4.2L V6 models, which included horsepower variants from 200-250. The range will now include inline 4-cylinder models, VF115, VF150 and VF175. The line-up also includes 25”, extra-long transom models in the VF150 and VF250.

In addition to the VMAX SHO’s proven tournament credentials, these outboards are also extremely versatile and offer a reliable, high performance alternative for a wide range of boats.

When the VMAX SHO range was first launched in the USA, the engines range were billed as “game changers” and promoted as faster, smarter, stronger and lighter. Time has shown this to be true, with all engines in the range delivering on their game-changing design philosophy. www.yamaha-motor.com.au

2

HOOKED FISHING APP

GoFree, part of the Navico family of brands including Lowrance and Simrad, has released a new fishing app: GoFree HOOKED. This free app is a mobile tracking solution for anglers, with the capability to record and share every fishing trip – whether from a boat or the shore. HOOKED automatically saves the time, location and navigation track of each outing. The ‘Catch’ functionality quickly logs catch details like photos, size, weight and species. After you log a catch, you can share the details via text or social media.

The app also merges GPS data with catch details to provide a clear picture of catch patterns. All data is stored on secure GoFree cloud servers for easy access anywhere. This lets you overlay personal catch details as waypoints on your own private layer of the Insight Genesis Social Map, where personal catch details are kept confidential.

This app also has a “Compete” feature, so you can create and customise your own tournaments with friends. www.gofreemarine.com

3

NEW PORTABLE SUZI 4-STROKES

The Haines Group, distributors of Suzuki Marine outboards, has again released the world’s lightest 4-stroke outboard motors in their class with the introduction of the DF4A/5A/6A. Lighter, faster and with greater manoeuvrability, these motors are packed with features and have a sleek new look.

Re-engineered from the popular DF4/5/6 range, they showcase the latest in compact and lightweight design while featuring 3-way storage (port, starboard or front), a new tilt system and improved portability.

At just 23.5kg (S-shaft models), the DF4A/5A/6A is lighter than any other 4-stroke in its class. The carry handle at the front of the engine is integrated into the lower cover, and the rear handle given a rounder shape, making it easier to carry the compact motors with both hands.

Other features include easy afterstorage start, reliable lubrication system, quiet operation, new tilt system, offset crankshaft, first-in-its-class oil filter, excellent handle operation, lower emissions and efficient operation. suzukimarine.com.au

4

NEW GARMIN PANOPTIX MODELS

Garmin has released two new Panoptix transducers.

Compact and lightweight, the Panoptix PS21-TR is optimised for mounting on an electric motor to deliver LiveVü Forward sonar technology, allowing anglers to see real-time moving sonar images ahead of and around the boat. LiveVü Forward shows images of fish swimming and moving toward or away from the boat – even while stationary – in real time and up to 30m away. Anglers can see their lure and watch the fish react to it.

The Garmin Panoptix PS21-TM is a new transom-mount transducer that adds FrontVü for collision avoidance. It shows upcoming obstacles within a 100m forward range. It can be displayed on split-screen with LiveVü Forward or RealVü 3D Forward (offered on the PS31).

Like the PPS21-TR, the PS21-TM provides a digital depth number, so there’s no need to purchase a separate traditional transducer.

No black box is needed either.

A free software update will also be available for other Panoptix Forward transducers to add FrontVü.

Price: SRP $1499 www.garmin.com/panoptix

5

JUNE 2016

1 2

3

YAMAHA CUTS PRICES

Yamaha Motor Australia has announced a pricing adjustment on selected 4-stroke models from F4 to F130. Changes to Yamaha’s production process have increased the production, efficiency and streamlined stock supply, allowing Yamaha to lower its prices.

“You could say this pricing adjustment goes against the grain of current economic conditions,” said Nicolas Kitchen, Yamaha’s National Sales Manager. “With the changes to our cost structure, the time was right to review the recommended retail pricing of our engines. The price decreases are great news for our customers and dealerships. The market response from the implementation has been very pleasing.”

Yamaha has one of the most extensive ranges of outboard engines in the market, covering both high tech and innovative four stroke technology as well as trusted, traditional two-stroke engines. There are also competitive finance terms from Yamaha Motor Finance. www.yamaha-motor.com.au

6

4

MERCURY ACTIVE TRIM

Mercury’s ActiveTrim system automatically and effortlessly trim an engine or engines.

It doesn’t just make boating easier, it also improves engine performance and cuts fuel costs – while delivering a better overall driving experience.

“The integrated GPS-based control system takes into account both your boat speed and rpm when deciding on the ideal trim position,” said Paul McLean, Mercury’s Accessories Director. “It also solves issues with the engine trimming up too early or too late while the boat is getting up on the plane.”

Active Trim has five selectable trim profiles that accommodate nearly any boat application, so there’s no need to manually enter trim settings vs rpm – you just select the best profile for any application. You can then personalise Active Trim to your driving style and/or compensate for changes in boat load, operator preference and weather conditions.

Active Trim is compatible with any new Mercury Outboard or MerCruiser engine with SmartCraft capability, and can also be retrofitted to earlier model engines. www.mercurymarine.com

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

126

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127

BAIT & TACKLE WEST COAST

Melbourne Marine Centre (03) 9703 2003

U-Make-Em Soft Plastics www.u-make-emsoftplastics.com.au

Regal Marine (03) 9874 4624

Korr Lighting www.korrlighting.com.au

Streaker Marine (03) 9729 8288

She Left www.hdvcs.com.au

Triple M Marine (03) 9465 8787

Portland Bait & Tackle (03) 5523 5213

Warragul Marine (03) 5623 6250

Compleat Angler Portland (03) 5521 1844

Wes Frost Marine (03) 5976 4622

TRADES AND SERVICES ADVERTISING

EAST COAST

CENTRAL

Inverloch Marine (03) 5674 1502

Hooked On Bait and Tackle Hoppers Crossing (03) 9748 3811

FRESHWATER

Fishing Fever Mordialloc (03) 9590 9899 Compleat Angler Rosebud (03) 5981 1994

Boats and More Shepparton (03) 5822 2108

JV Marine World Braeside (03) 9798 8883

Boats and More Echuca (03) 5482 1992

Compleat Angler Ringwood (03) 9870 7792

Eades Xtreme Marine Echuca (03) 5482 2333

The Flyfisher Melbourne (03) 9621 1246

BOAT MODIFICATIONS & REPAIRS

EAST COAST Always Angling Traralgon (03) 5174 8544

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Compleat Angler Echuca (03) 5482 1992

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Compleat Angler Shepparton (03) 5822 2180 Compleat Angler Wangaratta (03) 5722 4622

MARINE MECHANICS

FISH TAXIDERMY Fish Taxidermist 0428 544 841 Neptune’s Treasures 0419 643 654

Naaj Marine 0421 955 371

SCREEN PRINTING

Unique Marine Accessories (03) 5427 1802 CMC Marine Sales www.cmcsales.com.au

Logan Specialised Screen Printing (07) 5546 4107

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BOAT IMPORTS

CENTRAL Chelsea Yamaha (03) 9772 1212

Boat Import USA 0435 476 177

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JV Marine World Braeside (03) 9798 8883 JV Marine World Laverton (03) 9368 7100

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128

BOAT HIRE Boab Boat Hire Shepparton (03) 5822 2108

“Over 250 patterns to choose from”

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PH: 03 5984 1666 W: nauticalmarine.com.au E: nautical@surf.net.au Nautical Marine: 139 - 141 Hotham Rd Sorrento Vic

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Lake Eildon Houseboats (03) 9397 6977

Adrenalin Flies www.adrenalinflies.com.au

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Boab Boat Hire Echuca (03) 5482 1992

HOLIDAY RENTAL WEST COAST Warrnambool Holiday Park (03) 5562 5031

EAST COAST

SHALLOW INLET CARAVAN PARK On the Waters Edge

FRESH BAIT | HIRE BOATS | ICE

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Shallow Inlet Caravan Park (03) 5687 1385

This section in V&TFM 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.

JUNE 2016

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION EAST GIPPSLAND

Kestrel Charters, Queenscliff (03) 5258 1783

Merimbula Marina, Merimbula (02) 6495 1686 or 0427 951 080

Queenscliff Fishing Charters, Queenscliff 0458 504 058

Narooma Charters, Narooma 0407 909 111

Pro Red Fishing Charters 0421 442 775

O’Brien Charter Service, Bermagui 0407 214 124

Rip Charters Fishing Trips, Sorrento (03) 5984 3664

MARLO

21 Marine Parade MARLO VIC

Saltwater Charters, Queenscliff (03) 5258 4888

OCEAN VIEWS CARAVAN & CAMPING PARK

NSW SOUTH COAST

03 5154 8268

Wilderness Fishing Tours, Mallacoota 0424 625 160

• Deluxe cabins HOSTS: Les & Kathy HEYNE • Cabins with ensuite • Budget cabins • Premium ensuite vans • Powered & Unpowered sites • Pet friendly • Undercover BBQ areas in Marlo • Large oval • Kitchen Largest park • Camp fires • Kiosk the beach Short walk to • Coffee shops

Ask us about our LONG RANGE

Aussie Fish Estuary Adventures (02) 6495 9902 or 0400 062 504

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www.marlocamping.com.au Marlo Ocean Views Caravan and Camping Park, Marlo (03) 5154 8268

FISHING GUIDES

For Bookings call

0418 107 071

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Sharkmen Charters, Carrum 0418 107 071 St Kilda Fishing Charters, St Kilda (03) 9770 2200 Western Port Fishing Charters, Hastings (03) 9769 5544

EAST COAST

Clean, Quality Self Contained Accommodation Overlooking Sydenham Inlet s • Kiosk om Unit 2 Bedro Bedroom • Ice Plus a 4 Available • Bait House • Boat Hire Owner Operated

Capella III Fishing Adventures, Port Welshpool (03) 5688 1585 37-41 Sydenham Parade, Bemm River 3889 Ph: (03) 5158 4233 – 0427 584233 E: bemmaccomm@bigpond.com www.bemmaccommodation.com.au

Bemm River Holiday Accommodation & Boat Hire, Bemm River (03) 5158 4233 or 0427 584 233

Lazy Acre Log Cabins 1, 2 & 3 BEDROOM SPACIOUS COTTAGES ♦ Solar Pool ♦ Free Wi-Fi ♦ Air-Con/Heating ♦ Fishing Advice ♦ Boat Parking

Quiet central location Ideal for all the family Close to 90 mile beach 5min drive to boat ramps

Far Out Charters, McLoughlins Beach 0428 401 819 Prom Coastal Charters, Yanakie (03) 5687 1248 or 0429 935 583 Razorback Bluewater Charters, Port Albert (03) 5183 2691

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QUEENSLAND Cairns Bed and Boat 0418 772 751

CHARTER BOATS EAST GIPPSLAND East Gippsland Charters 0400 564 032

WEST COAST Portland Fishing Charters, Portland (03) 5523 3020 Shipwreck Coast Diving & Charters, Warrnambool (03) 5561 6108

CENTRAL South-West Fishing Charters, Portland 0418 306 714 Gone Fishing Charters 0409 007 068 Off The Hook Fishing Charters 0419 554 916 Able Fishing & Charters, Williamstown (03) 9502 3777 ACE Fishing Charters, Bonbeach (03) 9773 4183 Adamas Fishing Charters, Barwon Heads (03) 5254 3320 Big Red Fishing Charters, Queenscliff 1800 805 587 Blue Magic Fishing Charters, Rowville (03) 9759 5301

pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au FRESHWATER Angling Expeditions Victoria, Tawonga (03) 5754 1466 Highland Trout Lakes, Ballarat (03) 5368 9574 Millbrook Lakes Lodge, Ballarat (03) 5334 0404

TASMANIA & FLINDERS ISLAND Ausprey Tours, Launceston (03) 6630 2612 Gone Fishing Charters, St Helens (03) 6376 1553 Fish Wild Tasmania, Hobart 0418 348 223 Flinders Island Adventures, Flinders Island (03) 6359 4507 Trout Territory, Northern Midlands (03) 6397 5001

NSW SOUTH COAST Reel Affair, Merimbula freecall 1800 233 247 Espirit Charters, Bermagui (02) 6493 4104 or 0407 260 110 Freedom Charters, Eden (02) 6496 1209 or 0415 602 446

Calypso Fishing Charters, Tootgarook (03) 5985 8463

Headland Fishing Adventures, Merimbula (02) 6495 1134

Geelong Charters & Fishing Trips, Geelong (03) 5275 7107

Island Charters, Narooma (02) 4476 1047 or 0408 428 857

Katrina Louise Charters, Cheltenham 0402 828 140

K9 Fishing Charters, Merimbula (02) 6495 1681

Members of the VTFM team had the pleasure of meeting Patrick Dangerfield from the Geelong Cats during the handover of his new Northbank 650 Hard Top. He clearly enjoyed his new boat and the Mercury Verado on the back of it.

Advertisers wanting to be involved in this directory can call (07) 3387 0800 or email pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au

JUNE 2016

129

Victorian Tide Times

2016

POINT LONSDALE – VICTORIA LAT 38° 18’ LONG 144° 37’ Times and Heights of High and Low Waters JUNE JULY

MAY Time

m

Time

m

Time

m

Time

m

Time

m

Local Time AUGUST Time

2 0357 1115

17 0324 1052

3 0505 1215

18 0432 1149

4 0000 0605

19 0533 1240

5 0059 0658

20 0036 0626

6 0152 0745

21 0130 0714

7 0240 0829

22 0220 0800

8 0324 0907

23 0308 0846

9 0404 0945

24 0356 0932

25 0319 0900

10 0444 1020

25 0444 1017

11 0428 1010

26 0405 0945

11 0523 1057

26 0536 1103

27 0415 0956

12 0514 1048

27 0453 1030

12 0605 1134

27 0633 1149

13 0540 1116

28 0502 1040

13 0602 1126

28 0546 1116

13 0005 0652

28 0024 0738

29 0429 1010

14 0638 1157

29 0555 1127

14 0006 0654

29 0647 1204

14 0044 0746

29 0117 0844

30 0514 1050

15 0041 0739

30 0006 0658

15 0046 0748

30 0042 0755

15 0128 0845

30 0223 0949

1 0017 0706

16 0129 0839

1 0058 0809

16 0130 0844

2 0616 1151

17 0109 0810

2 0112 0819

17 0221 0937

2 0155 0921

17 0221 0942

3 0032 0716

18 0208 0915

3 0214 0937

18 0321 1034

3 0301 1030

18 0321 1040

4 0128 0830

19 0313 1018

4 0323 1048

19 0420 1128

4 0413 1134

19 0423 1135

5 0235 0951

20 0415 1117

5 0432 1153

20 0513 1215

5 0519 1234

20 0519 1226

6 0347 1107

21 0509 1208

6 0536 1253

21 0600 1259

6 0015 0618

21 0003 0608

7 0458 1213

22 0555 1252

7 0036 0634

22 0034 0641

7 0112 0712

22 0057 0652

8 0010 0600

23 0027 0635

8 0130 0728

23 0121 0720

8 0204 0801

23 0146 0733

9 0103 0656

24 0109 0714

9 0221 0818

24 0205 0758

9 0254 0847

24 0233 0816

10 0154 0748

25 0149 0750

10 0310 0907

25 0249 0835

10 0342 0930

11 0242 0839

26 0229 0826

11 0359 0952

26 0331 0914

12 0329 0928

27 0309 0900

12 0447 1035

13 0416 1014

28 0348 0933

14 0505 1059

15 0600 1142

0.66 1.33 TU 1244 0.56 1959 1.44 0.64 1.35 WE 1347 0.64 2101 1.42 0.58 1.41 TH 1501 0.70 2207 1.43 0.49 1.52 FR 1623 0.72 2311 1.47 0.38 1.64 SA 1738 0.70 1.52 0.28 SU 1312 1.75 1840 0.66 1.57 0.21 MO 1405 1.82 1933 0.63 1.60 0.18 TU 1456 1.85 2023 0.60

1.61 0.19 WE 1545 1.83 2111 0.58 1.59 0.24 TH 1631 1.78 2157 0.58 1.54 0.31 FR 1717 1.71 2243 0.59

1.48 0.41 SA 1803 1.63 2330 0.61

1.41 0.51 SU 1849 1.55

Time

m

16 0220 0949

16 0017 0701

1.35 0.49 MO 1903 1.48

Time

1 0243 1011

1 0529 1108

1.38 0.43 SU 1815 1.53 2346 0.67

m

0.64 1.35 MO 1226 0.61 1936 1.47 0.66 1.31 TU 1315 0.71 2025 1.41

0.67 1.31 WE 1413 0.80 2115 1.37 0.65 1.35 TH 1523 0.86 2206 1.35 0.61 1.41 FR 1637 0.87 2256 1.35

0.55 1.48 SA 1740 0.85 2344 1.38

0.49 1.56 SU 1828 0.82

1.41 0.44 MO 1330 1.63 1909 0.78 1.44 0.40 TU 1406 1.68 1947 0.75

1.47 0.38 WE 1442 1.71 2024 0.72 1.48 0.38 TH 1518 1.72 2100 0.70 1.48 0.39 FR 1555 1.71 2137 0.68

1.47 0.41 SA 1633 1.69 2214 0.67

1.45 0.44 SU 1712 1.65 2251 0.65

1.43 0.49 MO 1752 1.61 2331 0.63

31 0604 1136

1.41 0.56 TU 1837 1.56

0.60 1.41 WE 1229 0.64 1928 1.52 0.56 1.43 TH 1329 0.73 2025 1.49 0.50 1.49 FR 1439 0.80 2128 1.48 0.44 1.57 SA 1556 0.84 2233 1.49 0.36 1.67 SU 1711 0.82 2337 1.52 0.29 1.76 MO 1816 0.77 1.55 0.25 TU 1347 1.81 1913 0.72 1.58 0.24 WE 1438 1.84 2004 0.67 1.59 0.27 TH 1526 1.82 2054 0.64 1.57 0.32 FR 1611 1.78 2142 0.61

1.53 0.40 SA 1653 1.72 2228 0.60

1.48 0.48 SU 1733 1.66 2313 0.60

1.42 0.57 MO 1813 1.59 2357 0.61 1.38 0.67 TU 1851 1.52

0.62 1.35 WE 1240 0.76 1931 1.46

0.62 1.34 TH 1329 0.84 2015 1.41 0.62 1.36 FR 1427 0.91 2103 1.38

0.60 1.41 SA 1536 0.95 2156 1.36

0.56 1.47 SU 1648 0.95 2251 1.36

0.51 1.54 MO 1747 0.91 2345 1.39 0.46 1.61 TU 1835 0.86

1.42 0.42 WE 1340 1.67 1918 0.81 1.45 0.40 TH 1419 1.71 1959 0.76 1.48 0.39 FR 1459 1.73 2038 0.71

1.49 0.39 SA 1537 1.73 2117 0.66

1.50 0.42 SU 1615 1.72 2157 0.62

1.49 0.46 MO 1652 1.69 2237 0.57 1.48 0.52 TU 1731 1.65 2320 0.53

1.47 0.60 WE 1814 1.60 0.49 1.46 TH 1217 0.68 1900 1.56

0.46 1.47 FR 1313 0.77 1955 1.52 0.43 1.51 SA 1417 0.85 2056 1.49 0.40 1.56 SU 1530 0.88 2204 1.47 0.36 1.63 MO 1646 0.87 2312 1.49 0.32 1.69 TU 1755 0.81 1.51 0.30 WE 1329 1.74 1855 0.74 1.54 0.30 TH 1419 1.77 1948 0.68 1.55 0.33 FR 1505 1.77 2039 0.62 1.54 0.37 SA 1546 1.74 2126 0.58 1.52 0.44 SU 1624 1.70 2209 0.56

1.48 0.51 MO 1658 1.65 2249 0.55 1.44 0.58 TU 1730 1.59 2328 0.54

1.40 0.66 WE 1803 1.54 0.54 1.37 TH 1206 0.74 1839 1.48 0.55 1.36 FR 1249 0.82 1919 1.43

0.56 1.36 SA 1339 0.89 2007 1.38

0.56 1.37 SU 1438 0.95 2100 1.35

0.54 1.41 MO 1548 0.97 2201 1.33 0.51 1.47 TU 1659 0.94 2304 1.35

0.47 1.54 WE 1758 0.88 1.38 0.42 TH 1312 1.61 1847 0.80 1.43 0.39 FR 1355 1.66 1931 0.72

1.48 0.37 SA 1436 1.70 2014 0.63

1.52 0.38 SU 1515 1.71 2057 0.56

1.54 0.40 MO 1554 1.71 2139 0.49 1.55 0.45 TU 1631 1.68 2223 0.43

1.54 0.51 WE 1710 1.65 2307 0.39 1.52 0.59 TH 1751 1.60 2353 0.37 1.49 0.67 FR 1837 1.55

0.37 1.47 SA 1256 0.76 1930 1.49

0.39 1.49 MO 1508 0.86 2145 1.42 0.39 1.53 TU 1628 0.84 2256 1.42 0.37 1.58 WE 1739 0.78 1.45 0.36 TH 1309 1.63 1841 0.69 1.48 0.35 FR 1358 1.67 1933 0.62 1.51 0.37 SA 1440 1.68 2021 0.55 1.52 0.40 SU 1516 1.67 2103 0.51 1.52 0.45 MO 1549 1.64 2142 0.48 1.50 0.50 TU 1619 1.60 2218 0.46 1.47 0.56 WE 1650 1.56 2253 0.45 1.44 0.62 TH 1722 1.52 2329 0.46 1.40 0.68 FR 1757 1.47

0.47 1.37 SA 1214 0.75 1836 1.41

0.49 1.35 SU 1257 0.82 1921 1.36

0.50 1.34 MO 1348 0.88 2015 1.31

31 0137 0903

0.38 1.47 SU 1356 0.83 2033 1.44

 Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2014, Bureau of Meteorology Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect New Moon First Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon

m

0.52 1.35 TU 1452 0.91 2119 1.29

0.51 1.39 WE 1605 0.89 2229 1.30 0.48 1.46 TH 1715 0.82 2336 1.35 0.43 1.53 FR 1813 0.72

1.42 0.39 SA 1327 1.60 1902 0.60

1.50 0.37 SU 1409 1.65 1947 0.49

1.57 0.37 MO 1450 1.67 2032 0.39 1.61 0.39 TU 1530 1.67 2118 0.32

1.62 0.43 WE 1608 1.65 2203 0.27 1.61 0.49 TH 1647 1.62 2249 0.26 1.56 0.55 FR 1730 1.56 2335 0.27

1.51 0.63 SA 1817 1.50

0.31 1.45 SU 1239 0.71 1913 1.43

0.37 1.42 MO 1337 0.77 2019 1.37 0.42 1.41 TU 1450 0.80 2133 1.34

31 0339 1053

0.45 1.43 WE 1613 0.77 2245 1.35

Last Quarter

Tide predictions for Port Phillip Heads have been formatted by the National Tidal Centre, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Copyright reserved. All material is supplied in good faith and is believed to be correct. It is supplied on the condition that no warranty is given in relation thereto, that no responsibility or liability for errors or omissions is, or will be, accepted and that the recipient will hold MHL and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology Australia free from all such responsibility or liability and from all loss or damage incurred as a consequence of any error or omission. Predictions should not be used for navigational purposes. Use of these tide predictions will be deemed to include acceptance of the above conditions.

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