Victoria and Tasmania Fishing Monthly - May 2014 by Fishing Monthly

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Features

Killalure’s 2Deadly • Electric Outboards • Stacer’s 2014 range released • Yamaha’s 115 and 175 4-strokes released •

Tried and Tested

Extreme 610 Game King • Surtees 6.7 Gamefisher • Rosco Duo Scamper •

Techniques orking the W Western Entrance • Mildura’s mighty Murray cod •

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May 2014, Vol. 11, No. 6

Contents WEST COAST

TASMANIA

REGULAR FEATURES Back to Basics 79 Boating 80 Chappy’s Hotspot 44 Dam Levels 54 Fun Page 45 Inland Fisheries Service 49 Kayak 74 Spearfishing 44 Tasmanian Lake Levels 48 Tournament News 68 Trade and Services Guide 84 Victorian Tide Times 88 What’s New Boating 80 What’s New Fishing 50

SPECIAL FEATURES

VICTORIA FISHING MONTHLY Business Office: Unit 3, 11 Knobel Court, Shailer Park, Qld, 4128 Phone: (07) 3387 0800 Fax: (07) 3387 0801 Managing Editor: Stephen Booth sbooth@fishingmonthly.com.au Sub-Editors: Jacqui Thomas, Nicole Penfold Field Editor: Neil Grose Publishers: Steve Morgan Matthew Drinkall Advertising: Ph: (07) 3387 0800 Fax: (07) 3387 0801 Copy and materials should be sent direct to: ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

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OUR COVER

Production: Melissa Carroll, Karen Millward, Jenna Moir

It’s time for big Murray cod to play the game and fish like this are the target as the water cools.

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the fishing industry in the first place – simply because I love fishing. Of course I’ll be doing some work as well while in Vic. There’ll be boat tests, area features, tackle testing and a host of other things to be done, but the majority of the stay will simply be relaxing and I can tell you I am well looking forward to the break. Next issue will have the Melbourne Boat Show preview. This will include everything you will need to know about the show including some sneak peeks at what will be on display. The show is already looking to be a massive event and I hope to see you all there so we can talk about Victorian fishing and any articles or areas you’d like to see the mag cover. The dates are from June 12-16, so pen it into the diary and we’ll see you there.

6 66 72 76 78 81

nice times and times that we just don’t talk about anymore. Neil was our longest serving editor at V&TFM and I can’t thank him enough for his help and support over the years. Directly to Neil, thanks mate I am so happy to have had the opportunity to work with you. From knowing you as an occasional writer at Freshwater Fishing mag so many years ago to being a work colleague and also being a good mate, a sounding board and the guy who simply helped. I appreciate your efforts and wish you all the best in your new role down in Tas. NEXT ISSUE The next issue of V&TFM will be without me. I’m on long service leave and I am heading down to Victoria for my annual Murray River trip. This trip is all about unwinding, catching a fish, catching up with mates and remembering why I got into

AUST

Working the Western Entrance Mildura’s mighty Murray cod Killalure’s 2Deadly Electric Outboards Stacer’s 2014 range Yamaha’s 115 and 175 released

if you scale everything down and target them. Out on the salt the SBT will be in full swing and hopefully a run of monster fish occurs giving all a chance to beat their best or go down trying. Tuna are hard work at the best of times and getting the hook-up is only the start of the pain. Anglers love it! So while the weather is cooling, the fishing certainly is not and there are plenty of options for anglers out there. SEE YA LATER This issue is the last time good mate and co-worker for many years Neil Grose will organise the Tasmanian section of the magazine. What can I say about Neil? Unreservedly he has been a big help to me over the years. It’s an incredibly lucky situation to find yourself in when you can entrust someone with a job and know that it will be done. We had some good times, some great times, some not so

ION

Western Districts 54 Mildura 55 Crater Lakes 55 Robinvale 56 Bendigo 56 Shepparton 57 Moama 68 Melbourne Metro 58 Ballarat 60 Yarra Valley 60 Eildon 61 Bonnie Doon 61 Kiewa Valley 62 Yarrawonga 62 Wangaratta 63 West/South Gippsland 64 Central Gippsland 64 Jindabyne 65

May is the start of the great freeze. The weather gets cooler, the nights get cold and the fishing really changes. Note that I said changes as it certainly does not stop. For starters the trout are magic at this time of year. All the trout lakes will have lost that overheated top layer and with cooler water, the threat of dying trout is diminished. Hopefully some decent pre-winter rain occurs in vital areas and disasters from lack of water can be avoided – hopefully. If native fish are your game, don’t despair. This cooling down period is the best time to fish in my opinion. I love the crisp Murray mornings, the thump of a big lure and the excitement of another green monster being boatside. Oh yeah, the river golden perch all move downstream as well and provide hours of fun

VICTORIAN FRESHWATER

From the Editor’s Desk...

NEW SOUTH COAST Mallacoota 39 Eden 39 Merimbula 40 Narooma 40 Bermagui 42

EAST COAST Welshpool 31 McLoughlins Beach 32 Ninety-Mile Beach 32 Inverloch 34 Gippsland Lakes 35 Lakes Entrance 36 Marlo 37 Bemm River 38

Geelong 16 Port Phillip West 18 Port Phillip North East 20 Port Phillip East 22 Rosebud 24 Western Port North 26 Western Port South 28 Phillip Island 30

CENTRAL

PRO

Robe 10 Portland 10 Warrnambool 12 Apollo Bay 14 Cobden 14

ING TRADE

MEMBER

Working the Western Entrance WESTERN PORT STH

Jarrod Day jarrodday@iprimus.com.au

Amongst Western Port’s maze of deep channels and vast shallow flats is the Western Entrance, which runs from The Nobbies to Sandy Point, and is undoubtedly the most productive fishery in the Port, although it comes with its dangers. Fast running current, ocean swells and being exposed to all wind

The Western Entrance is around 18km long with plenty of fishing opportunities.

Gwayne Blake displays a solid gummy shark taken while fishing the run-in tide at Buoy 14.

Fishing along the edge of the main channel is where you’ll encounter some very big gummy sharks.

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directions, the Western Entrance can be an angler’s nightmare but extremely productive at the same time. Being the widest entrance into the Port, it is the main thoroughfare for all species that enter and this entices anglers to its waters. As productive as it is, the Western Entrance does require some knowledge before fishing it. Understanding the tides in conjunction with the weather will provide you with the best knowledge of where you can access to escape the wind and

THROUGHOUT VICTORIA, SOUTHERN NSW, QUEENSLAND AND TASMANIA

AND

or ocean swells that push in. Going out on a whim can be dangerous if you haven’t fished there before. BOAT SETUP Before fishing the Western Entrance it is imperative your boat be setup correctly. At different times of the month tide strengths can vary, so it is vital that the correct anchor setup is used. Many boats come standard with a sand anchor and while these may suit some scenarios, they are not going to do the job when attempting to anchor in the Western Entrance. Due to the force of the current, using the wrong anchor can cause a few problems, such as not digging in or grabbing, that will cause you to drift. This can be dangerous particularly if you’re heading towards another boat, channel marker or towards the Middle Bank where the ocean swells break on the shallow sand bar.

When fishing the Western Entrance it is imperative you have the right anchor setup otherwise you could find yourself in a sticky situation.

During the slack tide it pays to put down a whiting rod, there are some thumping fish in the deep that are rarely targeted. Anchors, such as a Plough, Sarca or Mud Magnet, come highly recommended when used in conjunction with a minimum boat length of an 8mm chain. Although you can have the right anchor, if you haven’t enough chain, the weight won’t keep it dug in, especially if there is any swell action.

McHaffies Reef is a popular location for whiting. There are plenty of productive sand holes in close to the beach.

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Even so, you also need to have enough rope. Most rope lengths come standard as 50m lengths but when fishing in 30m of water with swell, you’ll need to let the majority of this out so I suggest doubling it to a 100m length. Manually lifting an anchor of this weight can be back breaking work, especially

When fishing the Western Entrance conditions can change rapidly so always check the current weather forecast.

when the tide is running, so to make the job easier use an anchor retrieval buoy or, if you’re lucky enough, an electric anchor winch. Either of these will make the job a whole lot less work. FISHING OPTIONS The Western Entrance abounds with a rather extensive variety of fish species. From the highest prized being gummy shark, school shark, snapper, whiting and calamari, seven-gill shark, kingfish, thresher shark, bronze whalers, yellow-eye mullet, leatherjacket, salmon, silver trevally and elephant fish the

WESTERN ENTRANCE ow shall ell Very ks in sw brea

swe ll

Whiting, gummy shark, flathead

Gummy Shark

Bre aks in

most common. Depending on the species you’re interested in catching, fishing specific locations will give you a better chance at catching them. GUMMY SHARK/ SCHOOL SHARK/SNAPPER Gummy sharks roam the deep waters of the entrance and are available year round; larger females are abundant from January to April. Snapper are available from September to March and school sharks can be caught from September to December. Gummy sharks, schoolies and snapper are more common in the deeper sections of the entrance with specific attention paid to the areas between Buoy 16 and Buoy 8. These are the red coloured buoys that run up the northern side of the channel. Another popular location for sharks is at Buoy 5. There is an oval shaped contour that rises 4m from the bottom. Fishing the run-out tide is more effective in the winter months. A running sinker rig is recommended with a size 6/0 circle hook or snelled 6/0 suicide hooks. School sharks will take a bait on mono and shy from wire, but when using mono you will be bitten off when you get a fast high speed hook up, so take it easy and try to work the fish to the boat. Go hard and it will bite you off.

Snapper Oct - Nov

Good whiting NOT TO SCALE

Gummy Shark COWES

ell d sw san vy low a he al in Sh ks k ea ban r B le dd Mi

Mussel Farm Flinders Pier

Good calamari in winter

Good whiting

McHaffie Reef

FLINDERS

Good whiting and calamari

VENTNOR Big calamari Sep - Nov Good Gummy Shark water Good Gummy Shark in calm weather

Good snapper Dec - Feb

PHILLIP ISLAND

Good calamari Sep - Oct Hen and Chickens Reef

Good whiting year round

Cat Bay

Fairway Buoy

Flinders Bank Good flathead drift with tide

Jan - Mar Troll kingfish

POINT GRANT

THE NOBBIES Breaks in swell SEAL ROCKS BLACK ROCK

Snapper will prefer softer baits, such as calamari, rigged on the same running sinker rig. Heavy sinkers will be required as the current runs very fast through this section. Favourite gummy baits include salmon,

yellowtail scad, silver trevally and calamari. WHITING Whiting can be caught along the edges of the entrance particularly on the Phillip Island side. There are some very productive locations

spread right down the entrance and the area is quite thick with weed and sand holes. From Cowes Pier to Mchaffies Reef, the fishing is very good and fishes its best on a run-out tide. Providing conditions are calm, fishing on the southern side of

Mchaffies Reef to Cat Bay is where you’ll find larger models. Whiting can also be caught in the same locations that you’d fish for gummy shark and snapper, although you will need to wait until 30 minutes either side of a tide change. The

current won’t be as strong and you will have a short window to catch a few. Whiting in the deep water are quite big and you can expect to catch 6 fish, which will all be over 45cm. Pipi baits are by far the most effective with a

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paternoster rig recommended due to the thick weed growth. CALAMARI Over the same ground as youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d find whiting, calamari thrive. During the high tide, they are more active in the shallows, especially along Ventnor Beach and around Red Rocks Point. Behind Mchaffies Reef lies Hen and Chickens

Reef, this is a very productive calamari location during the months of September and October along with Tyro Reef and inside Cat Bay. Calamari respond well to artificial jigs and while the calamari are not heavily targeted in the same rate they are in Port Phillip Bay, their size is much bigger. Size 3.0

During October, big calamari enter the Port. Flynns as well as Hen and Chickens reefs are known haunts to find calamari.

and 3.5 jigs work best in a white or red foil belly colour. Bait fishing for calamari is another effective method when silver whiting suspended under a float are used. In calm conditions, anglers can anchor, set a berley trail of mashed pilchards and fish the silver whiting in the trail on a squid prong. This is a very effective technique that often gets the larger models. KINGFISH Kingfish are almost an elusive species but throughout the summer months have become more frequent than ever before. Kingfish can be caught inside Western Port from the Fairway Buoy to Buoy 2. Most are unexpected catches when fishing for

The Western Entrance is open to Bass Strait and can be heavily affected by wind against tide situations, which can make fishing tricky and sometimes dangerous.

Fishing around The Nobbies can see a large variety of species caught including kingfish, calamari, snapper, whiting and a variety of sharks.

gummy shark but certainly welcomed. To be specifically targeted, the most effective technique is to troll live baits around the Nobbies and Seal Rocks if you have the right boat and conditions are safe to do so. INTRIGUING PLACE The Western Entrance is an intriguing location with hundreds of locations to explore. You could spend a lifetime fishing it and still not scratch the surface on the best locations to find fish. Providing you have your boat setup correctly and are willing to put in the time searching and finding new areas to fish, the Western Entrance should be the next location you begin to explore.

Kingfish are a common catch in the Entrance throughout the summer/autumn period.

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Slow start to the tuna season PORTLAND

Nigel Fisher

The tuna season has started a little slow in Portland but they are starting to filter through now. However, on a brighter note the deep bottom fishing has been very good with catches of blue-eye, ling, grenadier and trumpeter. Most anglers are using electric reels for these fish due to the depths. Best baits for these fish seem to be the California squid. We have also had a very good run on makos in the last month from 40kg up to 100kg+. Best method is a very good berley trail on these mighty jumpers with good fresh baits. When the weather has been favourable the flathead fishing around Bridgewater Bay has been good with gummies and schoolies mixed up with them. Squid’ems are great for these guys with squid, pilchards and pipis being good baits. The bay and north shore is fishing well for good size pinkies up to 50cm and some good whiting mixed in. Pipis, blue bait, pilchards and squid are always good bait for these fish. They are also still picking up schoolies, bronzies and seven-gillers in this area. The breakwater has been a little slow but there always seems to be something around. Surf fishing is okay, with gummies and schoolies and the odd mulloway coming up on the beaches and the salmon are starting to number up. Good fresh baits for the surf, such as squid, mullet

A group of happy guys with a nice feed of albacore from Mathew Hunts Fishing Charters. Photo courtesy Mathew Hunts Fishing Charters.

and salmon, do the job well. Salmon lures and blue baits are great for salmon. Fitzroy and Surrey rivers are a great option chasing bream, mullet, salmon and the odd mulloway. Soft plastics, hardbody lures and baits are great in these rivers. This May should certainly see the tuna in good numbers and a lot off people are trying their luck on these mighty fish. Remember the X-Rap lures and skirts around 6” are generally the best to catch these great fish. Don’t forget if the tuna don’t fire on the day, a deep bottom bounce may still get you a good feed of blue-eye or similar. This time of the year is good for the hard fighting salmon around our bay and certainly a great fish to chase. Casting metal lures is a great way to catch these fish and there is a huge range of these lures on the market. Blue baits are good for salmon too. Generally the breakwater will fire up with salmon and

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some good size sharks taken off the wall at this time of year. A lot of fishers use the left over tuna frames for bait and berley for the sharks off the

breakwater and the beaches. The bay should still see the pinkies, whiting, squid, salmon and sharks around. Trolling for pike or snook is also another good option. If you love chasing bream and mulloway, then the rivers around our area can produce some of these great fish in good sizes, from the Glenelg River system to the Fitzroy and Surrey rivers. • For any fishing and weather reports you can call us at Portland Compleat angler on 03 5521 1844 or call in at 61 Bentinck street portland next to the Gordon hotel. We also have all your tuna needs for this season from rods and reels to a big range of hard body lures and skirts. Also a big range of bait and general fishing needs plus licences and regulation books and stickers.

Just one of many good makos that have been caught around Portland. Photo courtesy Mathew Hunts Fishing Charters.

Fish heat up as weather cools ROBE

Daniel Peart

While the weather starts to drop off and cool down, the offshore season is starting to pick up with tuna and albacore making their presence across the shelf. PORT MACDONNELL Solid numbers of albacore and tuna in the 15-25kg range are now being boated over the continental shelf in approximately 500-700m of depth. It looks like we have now missed our usual early run of fish in close for smaller vessels, but again it is only early in the season and these fish should start pushing in closer if the current lines are in our favour. With the recent balmy weather creating plenty of calm days, gummy and school shark have been on offer for boat anglers. There’s no need to travel out far as great catches have been coming from 8-12m, which consist of 2m ledges creating a fish highway. If the school sharks turn up it pays to have some wire handy or at least some good quality circle hooks to avoid bite offs. Green Point and Danger Point are always good starting points, but with the use of technology these days it’s not too hard to find some untouched territory. Crews bottom bouncing out deeper in the 70-100m line will also pick up these tasty and great sports fish. Drifting is a common technique and a great way to cover ground and potentially pick up

a different species. This technique has been turning up some surprises in recent years. A well sought-after pelagic, the samsonfish, have been reported from the same grounds at just about the exact date from previous years. So making sure your tackle is up to scratch is a must if you wish to get one of these hard fighting specimens to the surface. SALT CREEK It’s this time of year when the funny little critters called elephant sharks take over the coastline’s surf beaches. A face only a mother could love and not really known for their fighting capabilities they certainly won’t let you down dished up on the table. Target these fascinating little creatures the same as you would target salmon or mulloway, only on slightly

down graded equipment. Snelling up a gang of 3/0 or 4/0 octopus hooks on 60lb mono (to handle other species just in case) and presenting a fresh pilchard will bring unstuck the fussiest of elephants. Still good quality mulloway to 30lb and snapper to 15lb have been coming from around the 42 Mile and Ti Tree area. We had a bumper winter run of mulloway last year, so let’s all hope that repeats itself again. GLENELG RIVER Consistent fishing for bream and estuary perch has been the story all summer and there are no signs of it slowing down yet. Bream seem to have been spread right throughout the system in good numbers. Fishing the well-known area such as

Wilsons Hall or Dry Creek it shouldn’t take long to find some action. Estuary perch have also been on fire and excellent catches have been coming from Wilsons Hall and higher. Minnows and surface lures have still been working well along with bait techniques such as live shrimp and minnow baitfish. Small mulloway in the 50-70cm range have been in good numbers around the Donovan’s area. Varied techniques, including live baiting mullet and trolling bibbed minnows, have all been successful. It was the start of winter last year when there was a bumper run of mulloway in the 10-20lb range so it could be worthy poking around for a look once the weather cools off for good.

Daniel Wilson who landed this above average size Samson while bottom bouncing out from Port Mac.

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Time to tame tuna and trout WARRNAMBOOL

Mark Gercovich mgercovich@hotmail.com

Just a couple of weeks ago I was catching kingfish now here I am writing about May! How quickly the seasons change, thank goodness for tuna and

trout, as well as a few other species that make the slippery descent into winter somewhat bearable. So far the early part of the tuna season has seen fish fairly wide and scattered, however by May we should be right in the thick of it. Last season most consistent

Plenty of makos were encountered during the Classic fishing comp.

captures were from off wide near the shelf. The season before saw lots of fish in the 40-60m region, what happens this year will be anyone’s guess. Keep one eye on the media reports and the other eye on the weather reports before making plans. The Hopkins River after being closed to the sea for several months, opened up at the end of March and as usual when this happens the fishing instantly started to improve. May is often a good month to target fish in the river, even if they have started to move a little deeper, before the cool temps and dirty water of winter arrive. The spawning urge should also see some good trout stirring in May so get out there before the season closes, although many local rivers have sea run sections allowing for winter long targeting of the trout. SHIPWRECK COAST FISHING CLASSIC The local Shipwreck Coast Fishing Classic competition has just been run and won. This annual fishing competition, run by the Warrnambool Offshore & Light Game Fishing Club ran from March 1-10, culminating on the long weekend. Marine, estuarine or freshwater fish caught between Port Campbell and Yambuk were eligible for prizes. The competition attracted 650 entries, 200 up on last year with the proceeds going to Peters

Project a fund raising organisation for a local cancer care centre. Two boats were offered as grand prizes in a rafflestyle competition: one for anyone who entered the competition and the other available for anyone who caught and weighed an eligible fish. In total about $64,000 in prizes were given away. The first weekend of the comp was hampered by poor conditions and very little was weighed in but as soon as conditions improved, quality fish began coming in from many areas in all categories.

There will be some good sized trout moving around the local rivers in May.

Matt Cook with a 5.6kg quality snapper caught during the Shipwreck Coast Fishing Classic.

Some fishing areas are very tide dependant, other areas rely on seasonal runs of fish, however here in the South West it’s having beneficial meteorological conditions that assist with good captures. The heaviest catch was a 2.56m, 132.5kg mako shark caught off Warrnambool by Peter Mahony. Other catches of note in some of the other senior categories were a 19.75kg tuna by Harry Anders, 7.05kg yellowtail kingfish Ben Murrihy, a 21.35kg gummy shark by Jason Twaddle and a 5.6kg snapper taken by Matt Cook. In the junior section some impressive catches were Tyler Hewson caught a 6kg gummy shark, Lachie Mustard caught a 2.1kg mulloway and biggest salmon was 1.9kg by Brad Gedye, which was also the biggest salmon overall.

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Fisherman caught out in illegal waters A 43 year-old Ivanhoe man has been questioned by Fisheries Officers in relation to allegedly fishing for sharks in the Point Lonsdale area of the Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park on

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Wednesday March 19. Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI) Fisheries Officers will allege the man intentionally drifted a whole tuna bait that held two large hooks on

the ingoing tide into the Marine Park for a distance of 169 meters from the Point Lonsdale Pier. Queenscliff Senior Fisheries Officer David Burgess said that at the time the bait was connected

to sophisticated game fishing equipment. “Anglers are only permitted to fish off the pier at Point Lonsdale to a distance of 50m.” Mr Burgess said the man’s fishing rod, reel and tackle were seized and it is expected that the man will be charged on summons. “The taking or attempting to take any marine species from a Marine National Park or Sanctuary is a serious offence and there are penalties of up to $8,600 for recreational offences. Fisheries officers have recently observed an increase in the number of Marine National Park offences. “I strongly urge members of the public observing suspicious or illegal fishing activities to report it to the 13FISH reporting hotline on 133 474.” – DEPI FISHERIES

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MAY 2014

Winds have backed off APOLLO BAY

Daniel Kent apollobaysurfshop@bigpond.com

Finally the onshore easterly winds have backed off with much more settled conditions prevailing over the past few weeks. Now is the time to head out wide of Cape Otway in search of bluefin tuna schools. There have been some great captures coming from further west so I’m tipping by the time May rolls around the action will be red hot out on the big reef system south of Cape Otway. Trolling or casting lures, once the schools

cut fish baits or squid have been doing all the damage but by far the most important thing to look out for is the slack water period of the tide. Anglers concentrating their efforts around the tide changes have found that the fish really fire up when the tidal flow is at its slowest. Once slack water has passed and the tide starts running hard, try moving your boat out over the sand flats and drifting around in search of flathead. Using the same baits and rig (paternoster) as you do for snapper and gummies you should have no trouble putting some big specimens in your boat. Recent flathead

water rises. If the tide is dropping, fish up higher in the system around the reed and grass edges as all the bait gets flushed out with the receding water. Both bait and lures will catch bream when fishing the tidal flows so choose whichever method best suits your fishing style. The top of the estuary systems and up into the freshwater reaches will see the trout feeding up before their annual spawning run. Again both bait and lures will catch trout but my favourite technique is to use small soft plastic lures such as the Berkley 3” Power Minnow. Casting upstream with a small 0.9g jighead I

May is a great time to target trout around Apollo Bay. A wide variety of baits and lures can be used but small soft plastic baitfish imitations are my go-to lure at this time of year.

Low levels halt options COBDEN

Rod Shepherd

The reef edges offshore from Cape Otway are producing some quality table fish such as snapper, flathead and gummy sharks. have been sighted, is the best way of connecting to these speedsters of the deep. Make sure you take along a variety of fishing rods and reels as these fish can range in size from 10-100kg and you never know when the bigger fish are going to turn up. Gummy sharks and snapper are continually showing up in angler’s catches when fishing over reef patches in 40m+ of water off Cape Otway. Fresh

captures have seen numerous fish in the 50-60cm bracket. The river estuaries will fire up this month with both bream and trout feeding ferociously as more frequent rains keep the water levels topped up. If you’re chasing bream, try to fish when the river mouth is open to the ocean as the bream love the water moving in or out. If the incoming tide is pushing up clean saltwater, then fish down low in the system over the shallow sand flats as the

slowly wind the lure back with the current giving it some small twitches. The trout find these baitfish style soft plastics irresistible when used correctly, but if you are not confident with this style of fishing then stick to whatever works for you. The trout in this part of the state are not fussy eaters and can be caught on just about any bait or lure that trout respond to in other areas of Australia. Until next month, happy fishing.

A short hot summer followed by a mild yet warm and dry autumn has seen water levels drop by over 300mm in the Curdies River estuary. The mouth has been closed for some months now and without sufficient rainfall to keep the system topped up, shallow areas, such as up to 90% of Peterborough Lake, is currently not navigable to most water craft except kayaks and jet boats. A similar situation happened last year but it occurred much earlier in the season and ran for much longer. This saw the water quality deteriorate to the point that two separate fish kills occurred before welcome winter rains refreshed the system and opened the mouth to the sea. Thankfully I cannot see this occurring again (famous last words!) as the warmth of the land has just about left and cooling air temperatures seem to be preventing an algal outbreak from occurring. All

we wait for now is rain and plenty of it to once again top up the estuary and force the mouth to open to the sea. In the meantime the bream fishing has been superb to say the least. Once a school of feeding fish have been located, simple baits such as frozen packet prawn have seen some anglers bag out in a single session. The system is full of shrimp, as every pocket of weed seems to be teeming with this crustacean making netting a session’s worth of live bait easy. However the bream are certainly gorging themselves on shrimp and more often than not looking for something else to munch on. The bream are scattered far and wide along the river as well as parts of the lake that are at least 300mm or more in depth. Casting hardbodied lures and plastics up tight to the bank often works and is a very visual and heart stopping way in which to nail a bream or three. When the sun is high overhead allowing soft plastics, such as Gulp Shrimp to sink down to the bottom before twitching or jigging

has also worked. The better fish are averaging between 33cm and 37cm with the odd bigger one thrown in on top. As far as the saltwater scene goes, to say that this season has been exceptional would not be an exaggeration. Local inshore reefs have held a plethora of species, including yellowtail kingfish to 7kg and snapper to a similar size however most reds have averaged around 1.5kg. Flathead to 1.5kg have been taken (mostly as a by-catch) in depths of 40-60m. The main target bottom bouncing at these depths have been gummy sharks with some nannygai and morwong thrown in for good measure. Many boaters have been successfully ballooning baits for mako and thresher shark with some awesome captures coming ashore. As the ocean temperature drops off the main target now on fisho’s minds will be the southern bluefin tuna run that’s already begun off our coastline.

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MAY 2014

Bait is your best bet GEELONG

Neil Slater njbamslater@bigpond.com

The Barwon River has cooled off quite a lot and it’s often harder to entice a bite from a redfin at the end of May. If the rain dirties up the water, your best bet will be bait. Live minnow or gudgeon will tempt a redfin this time of year but it will only get more difficult the colder it gets. European carp will continue to bite but they also slow down a bit. If you’re dead keen on fishing the Barwon River in Geelong, start fishing the late afternoon after the sun has been on the water for a bit and cast your baits parallel to the bank and close to the reed beds. Trout are a possibility up near Buckleys Falls and towards Ceres before the closed season if the water remains relatively clear. Best lures for Barwon River trout are those that closely resemble baitfish and small Tassie Devils or Lofty’s Cobras. CORIO BAY June can see salmon,

mullet and trevally move into Corio Bay as the snapper slow right down. Hard core anglers prepared to put in the work will still capture big snapper right throughout winter in Corio Bay but be prepared to fish well into the wee hours. It’s beanies and thermos time for anyone keen on all nighters. The run-out tide is best for those hunting for trevally, salmon and bream with soft plastics along Geelong’s waterfront. Small, single-tailed soft plastic grubs do well on the bream and trevally while larger minnow styled soft plastics will tempt Australian salmon. CLIFTON SPRINGS AND PORTARLINGTON There has been isolated captures of snapper from 1.3-4kg by anglers fishing on dusk but be prepared to put the hours in. Flathead to 40cm have been caught by anglers drifting and casting soft plastic lures in water around 2m deep. Calamari have be caught by anglers drifting with baited jigs over the weed beds just out from the boat ramp.

Gummy sharks have been a welcome capture by anglers putting the hours in for snapper. The gummies have mostly been around the 3-4kg mark and all caught on pilchards. ST LEONARDS TO QUEENSCLIFF Rod Ludlow from Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head says the calamari have been biting well when the weather has allowed boats out. Rod says that the whiting have been a little patchy but still worth chasing as they have been good sizes with some fish over 40cm. Rod suggests trying the dropping tide on evening anywhere from the St Leonards Pier back to Swan Bay. Rod notes there has been a few garfish around the Bellarine Peninsula of late, which are a real favourite amongst many locals. The gummy sharks have been biting here as well but out in deeper water around 15m near Grassy Point and back to St Leonards. Australian salmon were thick out off Queenscliff in early April and there were still a few yellowtail kingfish kicking about as

Mitch Albrecht proudly holds up his PB bream prior to release. well. The salmon were not showing themselves on the surface all that much so you need to troll a few lures around until you found a patch of them, but they were worth the work as some were over 2kg. Swan Bay has been

fishing very well for flathead either side of 45cm. They have been caught by anglers casting soft plastics in the shallows and retrieving them back over the drop-off into the channel. Andrew Bowers has fished in there with his

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a trip. Slack water is always best here, which occurs around about 2 hours after the gazetted tide time at Port Phillip Heads. BARWON HEADS AND SURF COAST The Barwon estuary has a few small salmon kicking about the lower reaches which are great fun

on light tackle. Larger silver trevally around the 40cm mark have been caught by anglers fishing the piers further upstream using raw chicken, pipis and pilchard fillets on the incoming tide. We had a weekend down at Moggs Creek with a few other families

in the final days of the warm weather. We spent ages fishing the many gutters along the beach with baits and lures but failed to register a single bite! Other anglers fishing the area also found it tough going with everyone having the same story. The rock platforms along the Great

Ocean Road fared much better with anglers hooking into salmon from 700g to 1.6kg casting metal slide lures around the 30g mark. John Albrecht from Torquay took his son Mitch bream fishing in one of the local creeks recently. Using freshwater yabbies for bait, the father/ son team managed to catch and release six big bream from 28-40cm, including Mitch’s best ever at 37cm, which he was happy to release.

Torquay has had a good run of King George whiting in previous Junes. Small boats can be launched from Fishermans Beach and whiting can be caught fishing from the beach just north of the boat ramp on dusk. You need to pick a gap in the reef areas and lob out a bait of pipi or squid. The Surf Coast can really turn on some quality surf fishing over the cooler months. Try Bancoora Beach, Jan Juc and Fairhaven for those keen on

tussling with a few salmon. • 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).

Some surf fishos just don’t feel the cold! A diehard surf angler at Moggs Creek Beach.

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May mulloway are a must PORT PHILLIP WEST

Brenton Hodges blhodgey@hotmail.com

The western flank of Port Phillip remains a good option for Melbourne anglers with a range of species still on offer this month. As the seasons change and water temperatures gradually decline, pinkie snapper and Australian salmon will be most active across the inner reefs, although the odd flathead and snook is also likely to show up. Over the past few weeks, squid have also been congregating in greater numbers over the local weed beds with some real thumpers in the mix. Large schools of baitfish have been making their way up the Yarra and Maribyrnong rivers, followed closely by juvenile salmon, pinkie snapper and a few school mulloway, which should come into their own during May. WILLIAMSTOWN TO ALTONA The inshore reefs at Williamstown and Altona have been producing pinkie snapper and, while many are

still on the small side, there’s likely to be a few larger reds lurking nearby this month. Areas of broken ground under 4-6m of water are bound to produce at least a handful, and quite often many more, pinkies averaging 30-35cm on worm and baitfish pattern soft plastics.

There have been a few reports of larger reds schooling in 9-10m of water out from Point Gellibrand and the water temperature is now primed for late season snapper. Periods of low light will see these larger specimens moving into the shallows for short periods to

Salmon have been spotted actively pursuing baitfish most days around the top end of the bay. Keep an eye out for birds diving or hovering above the surface, but try to resist the temptation of trolling straight through the middle of the feeding frenzy.

feed over the reef. Looking back to this time last year, the weeks either side of ANZAC Day saw plenty of pinkies amongst a handful of larger snapper taken in less than 6m of water directly out from Williamstown Cricket Ground. Salmon have been spotted actively pursuing baitfish most days around the top end of the bay. Keep an eye out for birds diving or hovering above the surface and try to resist the temptation of trolling straight through the middle of the feeding frenzy. Instead, hang out wider and use the breeze or current to help position the boat closer to the action. Trolling metal slugs along the outskirts of the school or casting soft plastics has been productive. POINT COOK TO POINT WILSON Jason Farrugia of Magnet Fishing Charters says King George whiting continue to feed over the heavier reef grounds out from Point Cook, Kirks Point and Avalon.

While the inner reefs are mostly holding small pinkie snapper, there’s likely to be a few larger late season reds lurking nearby this month.

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Now is the prime time to tangle with a Melbourne metropolitan mulloway. Although not in the same numbers as late summer, the whiting on offer over the past few weeks have been solid fish to say the least. As is often the case, fresh mussel, squid and cuttlefish are the baits of choice if you’re searching for a feed of whiting. Jason also mentioned that the snapper have made a welcome re-appearance of late and with the water temperature continuing to drop, now is the time to get in on some late season action. The most consistent area through mid to late autumn has been Point Wilson with fresh squid and pilchard doing the job. Southern calamari continue to fire over the

northwestern reefs and weed beds, especially when the water in this area is clear. The past month has seen the average size increase substantially, although the small to medium 2.5-3.5 size jigs remain the most productive. METROPOLITAN RIVERS The period from Easter through to the end of May is arguably the best time to prospect the metropolitan rivers with bream, pinkie snapper and school mulloway each making their presence felt. Once winter rolls around, yellow-eye mullet also provide a reliable option for those fishing with bait, while juvenile Australian salmon and the odd silver

trevally and tailor are also a possibility. YARRA AND MARIBYRNONG RIVERS Bream have been responding well to crab and small yabby imitations cast tight up against the bridge and jetty pylons in both systems. When the tides are high, flicking a hardbody bibbed minnow along the rocky shorelines is still producing fish, although expect the resident bream to start moving away from the edges this month. School mulloway ranging from just undersize up to about 90cm have been in greater numbers in the local rivers and now is the prime time to tangle with a Melbourne metropolitan mulloway. Fishing under the cover of darkness with live fish baits is a proven technique, although increasing numbers continue to succumb to paddle tail soft plastics, lipless crank-baits and metal blades cast hard up against bridge pylons. The legal size length for mulloway in Victoria is 60cm with a bag limit of 5 fish per licensed angler. Many of the fish encountered this time last year were just 40 to 55cm, so with any luck, they will have stacked on some size over the past twelve months. • Been fishing? If you would like to see your name and/ or photograph published, please forward reports and images to blhodgey@ hotmail.com. You’re certainly not obliged to give away your secret spot, but a please include a general description of when, where, the technique and bait used, and who caught the fish.

MAY 2014

Get bit by the tuna bug MORDIALLOC TO BLACK ROCK The Mordialloc Pier has really started to swing into the autumn fishing quite nicely with good numbers of pinkies being caught of an evening. The other species of interest that has started to turn up with the cooler weather is the ever popular squid, with several anglers reporting some reasonable numbers of them being found when the water is clear. This has been the same story for anglers fishing off Beaumaris pier

PORT PHILLIP EAST

Lee Rayner info@fishingfever.com.au

Autumn fishing is settling into its usual patterns and anglers in the know are taking advantage of the great fishing on offer in our part of the bay. This month we’ll see some great catches and for those not being bitten by the tuna bug, staying close to home will still see you taking home a great feed of fresh fish from local waters.

and over the coming weeks the calamari fishing will definitely get better. On the Parkdale Pinnacles pinkies are in good numbers and larger harder baits, such as squid strips and half silver whiting, are definitely getting some bigger pinkies up to 45cm. This reef system is also holding some great squid with a lot of bigger calamari in the 800g-1kg size being found, especially in the deeper water off and around the edge of the reef. Darren Jansen with a very fat bluefin on a black and purple skirt. NO HIDDEN CHARGES

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This month will also see the local Mordialloc anglers turn their focus to the creek itself as the annual yellow-eye mullet begin to move into the creek. This can and does make for some great fishing with small floats and bait of dough or peeled prawn. Garfish have been a bit scarce over the past weeks but lets hope this month sees them start to fire up as I know a lot of anglers are eagerly awaiting their arrival. Up off Ricketts Point the pinkies are in full swing with plenty of fish to be found all along the reef edge and as a mix to the bag so e anglers have still been finding the odd whiting with one customer finding some solid fish to 38cm during several trips over the past weeks. Out wider the bigger snapper are starting to have a late season chew with some fish in the 3-5kg size being found in the 16m line. The trick here is to sound around till you find a fish or two on some rubble bottom then Berley hard on the tide change and the fish will fire up for a short but often very sweet period. Back in along the reef

edge between Ricketts Point and the Cerberus at Black Rock it’s the perfect time to be trolling 10cm diving minnows or garfish on gang hooks for the big snook that are feeding actively through the area at present. Finally off the car park at Half Moon Bay land-based anglers are starting to get fish and best of all the crew can do it while quite literally sitting in the car. SANDRINGHAM TO ST KILDA Plenty going on here at present for both boat and land-based anglers. But to star with the Anonyma Shoal is a favourite of mine at this time of the year with some very big snook on offer and even the occasional school of whiting, which if you get onto I am fairly sure they will be cracking big fish. This month should also see some great fishing for pinkies off the end of Sandringham breakwall and the rock groynes at Hampton. While further along at Green Point squid have been in good numbers on the shallow reef, especially late in the afternoon. From here up to Brighton

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There has been the occasional school of whiting passing through the bay, with a few cracking specimens.

all the shallow reef areas have been fishing well for boat anglers chasing the pinkies in 6-10m of water. I also had one customer report that he got some huge red mullet off Brighton one evening while fishing with pilchard fillets. From Brighton up to north road boat ramp there are pinkies on offer but for the most part all the good shallow reef areas through here seem to be attracting squid in great numbers so that in turn is what is getting the attention from both boat and landbased anglers. Up towards St Kilda the reports have been a little slower but for the anglers who are willing to put in the effort there has been the occasional 2-4kg snapper being taken at night in the shallow water off places like Elwood drain. While around the Marina and breakwall there has been the occasional flathead to be found but for the most part the past couple of weeks have seen this part of the world getting ready for the winter months. ST KILDA TO PORT MELBOURNE I find it interesting how the area immediately around St Kilda can go a bit quiet at this time of the year but just along the shoreline at lagoon and Kerford Road piers the fishing can be great and this month should be no different as the winter pinkies will give into these areas. Over the coming weeks a berley trail off these areas and small baits under flats should also see anglers getting into mullet and garfish. As I have also mentioned in the past now is also the time to always make sure you have a large fresh bait out in the water no matter if you are land based or in a boat. Be it dawn dusk or the middle of the day as you could be in with a chance of running across a big mulloway. Up off station pier this month will see some big bream on the chew before they start to head up the Yarra to spawn so try floating peeled prawns or small crabs or freshwater yabbies down next to the pylons for some very exciting fishing

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Martha mount’s expectation PORT PHILLIP EAST

Wayne Friebe wfriebe@bigpond.net.au

The welcome change of pace over the cooler months has definitely arrived, and many anglers are looking forward to the run up to winter on the bay. While some of the bay’s anglers are not huge fans of fishing during the cooler months, I certainly enjoy this season on our great bay. While the days can certainly be cool, the fishing is definitely worth it. The biggest misconception is that the snapper disappear as we move towards winter. While it is true that currently the late season grazers we have come to expect off Mount Martha are not in great

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numbers yet, let’s hope this changes. For the most part, the eastern snapper season has been very different this year; hopefully a strong Easter run will return the balance. Most of the snapper reports of late have been coming from the inshore reefs and from larger solitary fish being taken from shallow areas nearby. Anglers targeting these locations with bigger baits have been doing best with most of these bigger models around 5-6kg in size. Baits of salmon fillet, whiting and couta heads and other substantial offerings are all worth a try. Productive spots have been the Frankston Wreck, Wooleys Reef, The Royal Reef off Mornington and the Pinnacles at Mount Martha. Continued page 23

Winter is a great time for the family on the water.

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Mordialloc illegal snapper and boat seizure Fisheries Officers have seized a boat, fishing equipment and 37 snapper from two men at the Mordialloc boat ramp for allegedly exceeding the catch limit, taking undersize

fish and hindering officers in their duties. The men, aged 68 from Waterways and 61 from Cheltenham, had returned to the boat ramp after dark. One of the men allegedly released a rope

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From page 22

The shallow feeding pattern is also the best time for the pier and rock anglers to get amongst some late season action as well. My suggestion would be to employ the same big bait theory, and also fish during windier conditions and also at first and last light during a rising tide. In addition there are always plenty of pinkies to keep the kids busy on the reefs as well, and these little guys are great fun on light gear. While there is no shortage of undersized fish, first and last light missions drifting with baits and casting lures is likely to produce some nice pinkies to 2kg with some patience, persistence and paying close attention to your sounder. Smaller pinkies tend to show up as a total mass, but larger fish will normally have some separation between them and the bottom, and will also have a darker colour return. The shallow reefs have also been turning up a real mixed bag of other species as well, on top of the normal bags of squid that most anglers are targeting. My good mate Josh Dentry has been hitting the shallows with the little ruggies in tow of late and turning over all sorts of surprises including leatherjacket, banjo sharks,

rock flathead and red mullet. As we start to receive some more regular and substantial rain, the bait and forage fish populations will feed and populate more heavily along the inshore areas, and closer to the reefs, which is one of the main reasons that we normally experience snapper action in these areas at this time of year. Expect salmon and other predators to never be too far away either, especially nearby the outfall of storm water drains and pipes. The Patterson River has certainly been given a recharge over the past month or so, with plenty of bread and butter action in the river itself with gars, mullet, salmon and also some quality bream all being taken by what seems to be an ever growing bunch of anglers lining the banks. The bream lure fishing has also been pretty good as well, especially amongst the kayak anglers in particular who have been fooling a few of the older and smarter models on the new Cranka Crabs. It’s also that time of year again when the Patto turns on some great light tackle action for smaller school sized mulloway, and already I have had several recent reports of fish to around 55-60cm in length being

taken on a variety of lures, and also a few being taken on live baits. Larger 5-15cm soft plastics seem to be most

effective at the moment, especially while the tide is not running at full strength. A few anglers have also been doing pretty well walking

along the length of the river casting shallow running barra hardbodies at fist light, especially when fish can be seen actively feeding on bait

on the surface. With all this and more to look forward to on the bay, now’s the time to get out and get amongst the action.

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More kings and salmon are expected soon ROSEBUD

Dan Lee info@peninsulatotaltackle.com.au

It is really exciting that for the second month in a row I can start the report discussing yellowtail kingfish! Over the last few years we have seen a steady increase in the numbers of kings and this is categorically the best season we have had in that period. I really hope that this is only the beginning of a renewed and returning fishery. I would love to think that in five years from now we all expect the kings to run hot through February and March every year! KINGFISH So with that said, one of the best things about the kings this year is that they have made a good showing inside the bay, which has made it very accessible for many anglers. The area known as The Bend saw plenty of action but at times was overwhelmed by the number of boats fishing the space. I am sure, over time, that many of the first-time king hunters will broaden their horizons and explore new grounds locally, as the truth is that fish have been taken in many

Whiting fishing has been much improved over the last few weeks. This fish was taken with Baz Gorman and Southern Sport and Game Fishing Charters off Point Nepean. different locations, including some of the offshore reefs, the subs, at the mussel farm and more. The other notable point this year is that there have been plenty of kings taken on knife jigs, which is great as anglers have not had to worry about spending hours in search of live baits. I am sure more than a few tackle stores in the last month ran out of knife jigs where they usually only trickle out the door! For the most part the kingfish have been between 60-75cm this year, however,

we did see pods or schools that swept through over a period of days that varied between 8-15kg – genuine tackle testers! As I write, the kingfish bite is slowing down, but it has been a great season so I can only urge all the local fishos to take care of this new found fishery! Make sure the undersize fish go back and let’s hope it’s bigger and better next year. LAND-BASED We’ve seen a range of different species caught for those who spend their time

land-based. Gummy shark are a popular species and we saw good size fish caught at Gunnamatta, while the eastern side of the peninsula, around Point Leo through Merricks probably produced the most consistent fishing for those who targeted the species during the evenings. Further up the peninsula, customer Luke Mcloughlin and daughter Maryanna found plenty of action fishing in the Balcombe estuary where black bream were the species of the day. This is a great little spot to take the kids and get them some action. There has also been plenty of action on the minor species on our local piers and jetties. Tommy rough continue to be a prolific target at Sorrento Pier. SALMON The salmon fishing around the Rip and heads area has been terrific this year although it has started to slow over the last couple of weeks. These fish must spread from their vast schools feeding around the heads and disperse along our local back beaches as we have already seen the beach fishing heat up. Even some of the local surfers have been commenting on the schools they have seen

at popular spots such as Gunnamatta Back Beach. For my money, May is really the start of the winter beach fishing scene so we will have plenty more salmon action in the coming months. LOOK AHEAD With the winter beach scene upon us, it might be worth thinking about how you are going to tackle Aussie salmon this year. Many anglers over the last two or three seasons have made the

switch to 9’ rods, small spin reels and a bunch of metal slugs to target their quarry. My advice is that if you have not tried spinning for salmon – get into it! It is a light and easy way to fish and can make your next beach session plenty of fun – I’m sure you will find the results are outstanding! • For more information feel free to drop in and see the boys at Peninsula Total Tackle, 11 Boneo Road in Rosebud or phone: 03 5981 1994.

A very nice Gunnamatta Back Beach gummy shark taken by Vincent.

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Port producing the goods again WST PORT NTH

Adam Ring

Things have certainly started to calm down a little bit and the nights are getting cooler, but it hasn’t stopped the masses hitting the water in search of feed. THE TOP END Things have been a little tough of late in the top end of the port but there are a few key areas to target if you are after a nice fish. The Tooradin Channel has been a nice little area of the port with the whiting still filling the scaler bags of local anglers. The run out tide has produced the better fish and it’s as easy as sitting just off the bank and waiting for the fish to follow the tide as it washes all of the whiting goodness back into the deeper water. Whiting have not been the only capture in the Tooradin Channel as local anglers Ross Finnegan and his son Ethan found out.

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The two boys managed a ripper of a gummy shark that put a massive smile on young Ethan’s face! Joes Island is the pick of the spots this month. There are a variety of different species on offer and it’s purely a lucky dip on which jump on your bait first. Local gun Paul Martin was one lucky angler who come across a few of the

different table species Westernport has to offer. In the one session Paul came across some beautiful whiting, a few table-sized snapper and a cracker gummy that rounded out the trifecta. There have been quite a few gummies caught here recently and the gun bait has been something that you can catch within the port itself. Fresh fillets of slimey

The charter boys are still getting big numbers of whiting off the Middle Spit.

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mackerel have been getting the fish and a fine berley trail in most areas of the port will bring on this prized bait fish. THE NORTH ARM The north arm of Westernport is where most of the action has been. The whiting continue to fire, some big calamari have moved in and the gummy shark fishing has been nothing short of sensational. The Tyabb Bank still has a nice scattering of whiting over its sandy patches but the big draw card here has been the calamari. My biggest tip for this month is to not be shy with the size of your squid jig. Bigger really is better, so bump up the size of your jig to a 3.5 or even a 4 and get stuck into some of the best calamari you will find! Lysaughts has been a productive area as well. Ben Mathers had a great little session under the cover of darkness just out from Lysaughts and left there with a bag of platesized pinkies and a ripper gummy that certainly had the mouth watering. The Middle Spit is where the bulk of the whiting bags have been coming from in the last few weeks. There has been a recent trend in fishing for whiting in deeper water and anglers continue to do really well in depths greater than 6 meters. Some nice fish have been coming from the secondary drop off of the Middle Spit in 10m of water. Berley has been the greatest factor in leaving with a full bag and I know that berleying can be difficult in deeper water. There are however some really good berley pots getting around now that carry up to 3kg of weight, so keep

The deeper water is producing some really nice, healthy sized fish. an eye out for them as they make a massive difference. The local charter boats are still getting their customers a really healthy feed of whiting working that banks of the Middle Spit and that 5m mark is the magic number for them. The big difference this time around is that the humble pipi has taken a back seat in the bait department. A couple of the charter boats in particular are dominating whiting on shucked mussel with a little strip of fresh calamari hanging nicely over the top. Their biggest word of advice is berley and this will be even more crucial as the water temperature begins to drop and the numbers of

whiting thin out. Once you find that patch of fish, the berley can really keep them in your area and assist in rounding out that bag. The most surprising catch however would easily go to our good mate Methers. While participating in the Westernport Whiting Challenge they had the coolest by-catch ever. Taking a small piece of pipi intended for a competition winning whiting, was a 60cm kingfish, NICE! As you can see it’s well worth getting out and making the most of what’s left of Melbourne’s glorious weather. Good luck to all and keep those reports coming!

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MAY 2014

Pick and play on any given day WESTERN PORT STH

Jarrod Day jarrodday@iprimus.com.au

How do you pick what you’re going to fish for on any given day in Western Port? Is it that you target whatever species is in abundance or do you go on the lookout for something a little more challenging that may have fewer numbers at this time of year. One thing is for sure that throughout May our fishing options are endless and although winter is just around the corner, many of our summer species are still about in good numbers. OFFSHORE The majority of anglers might have begun to turn their backs on fishing in Bass Strait, but when the days are calm and the swells low, offshore fishing is more productive than some might think. Flathead might not be a high priority but they are in vast numbers and can be caught with ease. Drifting over the shallow sand behind Kilcunda, Cape Woolamai

and along the Flinders Bank will yield a good catch. Paternoster rigs with half pilchards or small strips of squid will do the trick. Pinkie snapper are also in fair numbers and can be found scattered over the inshore reefs along Kilcunda through to the mouth of the Eastern Entrance. Most are caught while fishing for flathead and fetch a fair size of up to 2kg. CORINELLA Corinella itself always gets a lot of attention around this time of year and while many anglers try their luck at night for mulloway, landbased anglers fishing during the day are heavily rewarded. It is the last of the elephant run and those fishing from Settlement Point, Tenby Point and Stockyard Point are rewarded providing they fish the right times. Both Settlement and Stockyard are low tide only fisheries while a high tide is required for Tenby. Gummy sharks are the main target, but with elephants in plaque proportions they are good fun to catch.

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The Tortoise Head Bank has some nice calamari on it at present. RHYLL Another known elephant haunt is Rhyll and while the area is quite shallow, around 6m of depth, fishing either the run-out or run-in tides is productive. When fishing for elephants, a berley pot placed on the bottom that’s filled with pellets and chopped up pilchards works extremely well. While elephants only have a small mouth, a running sinker with size 3/0 Black Magic KL circle hook works a treat. Small strips of squid or half pilchards are popular baits. TORTOISE HEAD BANK Although there are still some whiting about, fishing the last 2 hours of the run-in tide up on the Tortoise Head Bank is where you’ll find them. It does pay to sprinkle out some tuna oil soaked pellets to attract them. For something a little different, flick out a squid jig and leave it to float around 5m from the boat.

The weed beds on the bank are full of calamari and this is a sneaky way to catch some calamari at the same time. Tackle World customer Daniel Anderson recently did just this and managed 18 whiting to 45cm and 8 calamari.

The Western Entrance is the home of the gummy shark.

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COWES Fishing deep off Cowes can lead to a range of species being caught but with the prime target being gummy sharks, now is a popular time of year to target them. Anglers keen on catching a gummy or 2 should situate themselves in 20m of water just out from the pier. Although it is a fair distance off the pier, fish the run-out tide for best results. A running sinker rig with appropriate sinker weight to hold bottom is recommended with strips of silver trevally, calamari and salmon the top baits. The last few weeks have been quite profitable for those already fishing this location and as the month draws on, more and more fish will use this area as a highway to get up to Corinella. The prime time to fish for gummies is of course three days before

Elephants are in plaque proportions around the Rhyll area.

the full moon and three days after it. BALNARRING Balnarring never seems to let anglers down; it is quite shallow, relatively calm except for easterlies and southerlies and delivers some monster whiting right throughout the year. While the majority of whiting that have been caught throughout the Bay are now quiet, Balnarring will continue to fish well right throughout the winter period. Berley is essential as the fish are few and far between and don’t expect to fish this area to catch a bag of whiting.

Rather you’re more likely to catch 6 solid fish of which most will be in the high 40cm bracket. Pipis are by far the best bait. WESTERN ENTRANCE Of all the locations throughout the Port, none are as consistent as the Western Entrance when it comes to catching gummy sharks. From now on the fish will be in bigger numbers but smaller in size. Many fish caught from May until the end of winter tend to be male and range from 5-10kg. Once again, fishing around the full moon is when you’ll see most of the action. Unfortunately, with the cooler water temperatures, you will also encounter a great deal of draughtboard sharks and seven-gill sharks. Alhough they do have sharp teeth and you might get the odd bite off, stick to using 80lb trace and a 6/0 or 8/0 circle hook. Doing this will at least have them hooked in the corner of the jaw rather then engulfing the entire rig biting you off. Gummies will take a variety of baits but stick to the freshest where possible: calamari, yakka, salmon and trevally chunks or strips of tuna. CAT BAY It is that time of year to be fishing in Cat Bay and while whiting are the usual target, it’s calamari time. Throughout the cooler months, big calamari call Cat Bay home and few anglers take advantage of catching them. In their thousands, calamari spawn over the thick weed beds and anglers armed with artificial jigs can catch some nice models. Size 3.0 jigs with either a red foil below or whiting in colour see, to work best. The tide direction isn’t much of a concern but I would still stick to fishing the first few hours of the run-out as they retreat from the shallower reefs back into deep water. Just as I said at that start of this column, I am always confused as to what to target with so many fishing options throughout the Port. Although you will experience such frustrations one thing is for sure, it will be cold but the bonus is less boats and trailers at the boat ramps.

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MAY 2014

A fish with no tail to tell PHILLIP ISLAND

John Dalla-Rosa

I went for a late afternoon fish in Western Port recently and when I arrived the tide was running off and there was a light southerly blowing. Not long after I dropped anchor the wind picked up to 20 knots, which made fishing really difficult. Most fishos know that wind against tide in Western Port is a no-no. But I persisted and after about ten or so moves I managed a dozen whiting, including a 36cm fish with no tail. Some predatory fish had obviously tried to make a meal of this particular fish but all it ended up with was its tail. The fish was in good condition and the bitten off area had almost healed up so it seems that some fish can survive without a tail. Now that’s a tale! SURF BEACHES The surf beaches are all fishing reasonably well when the weather permits. Salmon have been about in good numbers with most fish in the 500g to 1kg mark. Fishing on dusk and into the night is still producing

gummies and the odd pinky snapper. SAN REMO AREA Below the Bridge Outside the entrance, anglers are doing okay on the 40m line drifting for flathead. There are still some makos about if you want to put the time in. There are also quite a few big arrow squid about, especially if you are berleying, but you need to weight your jig to get it down near the bottom. You need to be careful when you are handling them as they are able to rotate their heads 360º and take a chunk out of you in a matter of seconds. Above the Bridge There are still whiting to be had all over the bay but they are just not around in numbers like they were in the beginning of the year. You only have to look at the amount of boats on the water at the weekends to work out why. A few elephants have started showing up off Rhyll and there are lots of undersize gummies and a few pinkies at The Corals. There are also a few pinkies off Lyshardts. FLINDERS SHOREHAM AREA There’s been a few whiting and pinkies caught in

the early morning just before sunrise off Point Leo. Cat Bay has been producing a few whiting and the deep water off Ventnor has seen the odd big gummy. Fishing the slack tide for gummies has been the most productive.

The tail-less whiting caught by the author on a recent trip to Westernport.

FISHING FILL-ITS

Tracking golden perch Twenty-five golden perch, also known as yellowbelly, will be tagged with minitransmitters to track their movement to better understand how the species use the lower part of Gunbower Creek. The North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) is coordinating the project with funding from The Living Murray’s Intervention Monitoring program. North Central CMA’s project officer, Kathryn Stanislawski, explains further. “The small transmitters are about 2g each and will be surgically placed in 25 fish captured below Koondrook Weir. The fish will then be returned to the creek upstream of Koondrook Weir where

they will swim past the loggers, which will record their movements for up to six months.” Kathryn emphasised that if anyone catches a fish with a visible tag, they should return it to the creek, unharmed. “Most of the golden perch tagged will be juvenile fish, below the minimum legal size of 30cm. We are asking if anglers catch these fish they carefully place them back in the creek. Fish over 30cm will be tagged with an external tag making them easier to identify. If any larger fish are caught it would be appreciated if anglers could record the number and their location and then follow the instructions on the tag.” The logging equipment, suspended in the water column, is critical infrastructure. The

North Central CMA advises all water users to take care and not tamper with the equipment. The project is being coordinated with the assistance of GoulburnMurray Water delivering environmental flows to attract the fish and encourage their movement, and specialist fish ecologists who have provided

a critical role in the design and implementation of the project. If you would like more information about the project, please contact the North Central Catchment Management Authority on 03 5448 7124 or visit www.nccma.vic.gov.au. – NCCMA

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Welshpool whiting a winner WELSHPOOL

Alan McFayden amcsayte@bigpond.net.au

This popular spot is always a must try destination for boaters and land-based anglers and, even though there has been a fair bit of wind this season, the results have been reasonable. Whiting are still being bagged in quite good numbers. The Lewis Channel is still producing very good fish to the 38cm mark. The run-out tide seems to be

the best time according to reports to try your luck where boaters have been tying up to the long jetty. Along with the royals, there are encouraging numbers of flathead, silvers and reasonable size gummies being caught on the usual baits. Bass yabbies are the standout favourites as far as whiting are concerned with even better results with a sand worm teaser. The jetties have been going along quite well even though there have been windy patches of weather that make

conditions uncomfortable. That dreaded east wind has been the main culprit, but when there has been a break the wait has been worthwhile. Good numbers of silvers, salmon, flathead and quality mullet are being caught on a variety of baits. The eastern end of the structure has been the most productive area on the last half of the run-in tide. There have also been quite good numbers of squid and prawns making an appearance, for those who know where to look. Outside the entrance

FISHING FILL-ITS

Bay boating safety boost The Boating Industry Association of Victoria (BIAV) applauds Minister for Ports David Hodgett and Port of Melbourne Corporation on the launch of MV Lonsdale, a Steber 38 Commercial. “We congratulate Minister Hodgett and the State Coalition Government for launching such an important addition to recreational boating safety on Port Phillip Bay,” said BIAV President, Mr

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Tas t y

there have been quite good numbers of flathead, salmon and quality snapper. Out wider makos have been caught to the 200kg mark where best results have been with a variety of baits being presented under balloons on the drift. I received a report that could have had disastrous consequences for the crew of a small tinny. This came from one of its mates as the crew itself was still too shaken by the experience and didn’t really want to have everyone know what happened. It seems that the crew decided to head out one day when the sea was flat calm and not a breath of wind. They were looking for a mako and threw out a whole salmon under a balloon and waited. They were at anchor, another mistake, and just drifted for quite some time. Suddenly the wait was over when something big suddenly took the bait and the excitement quickly turned into fear as they realised that this was a very big fish, too big and in fact much longer then the small boat that was still at anchor. Suddenly the line went slack and there was nothing, then out of nowhere the huge mako

This hopeful land-based angler waits patiently off the jetty at Port Welshpool. appeared along side the boat and nudged the side, which caused further panic. After further circles of the boat and a few more contact with open mouth, the big fish must have lost interest and disappeared. The crew decided to call it a day and there was no more fishing. At the time of compiling this report Port Albert had just had, and is still experiencing, a great fishing season. Not for some time has there been such a great time as far as the whiting have been concerned. The royals have been to the 45cm mark and in very good numbers inside the entrance where locals and visitors have been

making the most of a very good thing. I have received calls from many boaters who have had a ball inside the entrance with many being directed by locals who don’t mind sharing the fishing sports. Rob Killury has the Port Albert General Store and is one of those keen anglers who knows where to look for a fish. He has been directing visiting boaters to just a few hundred metres out from the jetty where there seems to be a never-ending supply of quality whiting that are taking a variety of baits, including Bass yabbies, squid, pipis and small strips of pilchards.

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Snapper, flathead and great gummies galore MCLOUGHLINS

Will Thompson allwaysangling@bigpond.com

I know I have said it over and over but this season has been the best gummy season ever offshore and with the prospect of catching great pinkies and big flathead, why wouldn’t you go over to South Gippsland. We have had a great season offshore from Mcloughlins Beach and Port Albert with plenty of gummy sharks over the 15kg mark being caught and some over 25kg as well. Through May, these big gummies will still be available, however you will have to fish out a bit wider, normally past 30m of water. Over the past few weeks, there have already been big gummies caught in these areas so it’s a good sign for the colder months. Whale Bay will also be another location to try through May for big gummies. Just remember, fresh baits such as calamari are a must and fish the tide changes. The snapper have been

Stu Tennant has been catching some beautiful big southern blue spot flathead inside Port Albert.

going okay but I haven’t heard of any massive fish, just heaps between 30-40cm. This is both outside on the reefs off Port Albert and around the Seal Islands, and inside in Port Albert as well. Offshore, most anglers are getting the pinkies anchored up over the reefs using squid and pilchards. Inside, the pinkies are getting caught as a welcomed by-catch while chasing whiting, however there are heaps of undersized ones still with a few bigger ones mixed in. The flathead have really come on the bite inside over the past month and this is due to the fact we have had excellent water temperatures all year. If you get out your soft plastics and fish the shallows during the run-off tide, you are sure to catch a heap of good sized flathead ranging anywhere from 35-60cm. I have been using 3-4” sized plastics in Berkley and Z-man brands with 1/4oz jigheads and doing very well. Port Albert has been producing plenty, but inside Mcloughlins has just

Check out this for a gummy. Caught out wide off Port Albert a few weeks ago. These big girls will hang around all winter, so gear up. started producing as well. Over the next month, the flathead will ease off a bit, especially in the cold water. Once the water cools, you will need to head out wide for bigger flathead and drifting in 30-50m will be the best way to catch flatties. There are already plenty of big flathead out wide and it’s only going to get better. Just make sure you’re on the bottom, so 10oz and 12oz sinkers if

the current is strong will be needed. Make sure you are using braid so you can feel the bites in that depth of water as well. • 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!

Elephants and tailor here, salmon coming NINETY MILE BEACH

Will Thompson allwaysangling@bigpond.com

The weather is changing and we have hit that autumn climate with mild days and patchy rain, but the water is still warm, so there are plenty of different species to target on the Ninety Mile Beach. There have been a couple of species that have turned up recently and are accounting for a high proportion of the catch rates, they are elephant sharks and tailor. The elephant sharks are getting caught mainly during the evening and anytime after 7.30pm is good. They are being caught on mainly on squid and occasionally

There are plenty of elephant shark around at them moment. This one fell to a piece of squid leg, which is a very effective bait.

on fresh fish fillets. The other fish that is plentiful at the moment is the tailor. They have been caught in huge numbers during the day, and in even greater numbers after dark, especially during the last part of the run-in and start of the run-out tide. The tailor are eating a lot of the different baits, including blue bait and squid, but surf poppers are very effective. If you want to catch a big gummy, put a fillet of tailor on as bait, you can’t beat it. However, it’s so annoying when another tailor comes along and smashes the tailor fillet meant for a gummy. The gummy sharks are still going well with 1m gummies being commonplace when fishing an evening with fresh fillet baits and squid.

The western end around Golden Beach and Loch Sport seem to be the places to catch the gummies at the moment. On the eastern end around Woodside and McLoughlins, the elephants and tailor are the main thing around with the odd massive salmon as well. Talking about salmon, this is what anglers need to gear up for now. Over the next month we should have the big autumn run of black back salmon turn up to the Ninety Mile Beach and these things can be huge. Two years ago we had multiple double figure salmon caught around Woodside and Golden Beach with plenty around the 6lb mark. Last year we had plenty of 4-6lb models around in late April and May. This year we have only had a splattering of salmon caught on the beaches

so far, but the ones that have been caught have been all around 4-6lb, so we could be in for a ripper season. The best way to target these big salmon are with 20-60g metal lures and a 9-10’ graphite rod with a small spinning reel. Walk the beaches casting lures is one of the best sports you can do and these big salmon are one of the hardest fighting species to encounter in southern Australia. • For more information, contact Will at Allways Angling in Traralgon on (03) 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!

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MAY 2014

Inverloch is always on the go INVERLOCH

Alan McFayden amcsayte@bigpond.net.au

Inverloch is one of those fishing areas that always seem to be on the go regardless of what is happening elsewhere. This belief is backed up with what is happening both inside and outside the entrance with boaters and land-based anglers making their efforts worthwhile. I like to wait until the last moment so to speak when compiling these reports to find out what’s going on as things can happen so quickly and yesterday’s news is old hat so to speak. I like to have a look around jetties and other spots where

land-based anglers like to try their luck and was surprised when I came across a couple of visitors who decided to try off the beach at Flat Rocks. The tide was just beginning to come in from a very low water where anglers had just began to get into a school of mullet that had also just turned up. The water was boiling with activity and in very short time they had a very impressive bucket of fish to the 35cm mark that were all caught on small pieces of pipis. Although the anglers were also throwing out plenty of berley, it probably wasn’t really needed but did the job just the same. The bathing boxes have also been very productive, which has been the case for some time where mullet have

been making up most of the numbers. The last half of the run-out water and first of the run-in flow is the best time to try your luck. There have also been quite reasonable bags of whiting, flathead and silvers being caught. Amanda Kellar is a very keen land-based fisher and just before this report she emailed me a pic of an elephant fish she had just caught at Andersons Inlet. She was very happy when she landed the big fish after a long battle. She also just landed another first, a flying gurnard, and described it as a ‘cool’ looking fish. Well done Amanda and keep the reports coming.

Pensioners Point is still going along very well at low water on both sides of the tide where flathead are still around in good numbers, along with gummies, mullet and silvers making up very presentable bags. Boaters have been happy with their returns around Point Smyth. Outside the entrance, boaters have been doing well after a fairly long hike to an area just behind the breakers at Venus Bay. There is always a chance of picking up quite good size flathead that will fall to a variety of baits and lures on the drift. The tide times don’t seem to matter much. There can often be a few gummies

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These youngsters look happy with their fish caught off Mahers Landing at Andersons Inlet. hanging around looking for an easy meal, as well as pinkies to the 3kg mark, and makes the effort well worthwhile. Back inside the entrance there have been good results around Stevies Gutter where flathead, silvers, gummies and pinkies continue to make for some very good bags. The big flathead are being taken on the run off tide on baits and soft plastic lures where they wait as the water runs off the mud flats and the easy meals present themselves. John Hardington and a mate decided to try their luck out from Mahers Landing and headed up towards the double islands that is often worth the

effort. This is an area that can be tricky, especially at low water as the tide runs off. At the time of this report, there had been very good numbers of pinkies, silvers, mullet and quite reasonable size flathead. For those who know where to look there are also quality perch to be caught on soft plastic lures. They are also being caught on a combination of Bass yabbies with a sand worm teaser. The Tarwin River has also been giving up quite good numbers of perch to the 34cm mark as well a silvers, mullet and eels. The best time to wet a line has been on the run-out tide.

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Shallow water delights GIPPSLAND LAKES

Brett Geddes b.geddes@bigpond.com

The last month proves yet again that autumn is truly the pick of the whole year when it comes to champagne fishing in the Gippy Lakes. In my last report I predicted that the surface luring and sight fishing for bream would improve but it is much better than I could ever have predicted. Flathead, tailor and mullet can also be found in their usual haunts for this time of year, using bait or lures. Countless pinkie snapper are still invading the lower areas of the lakes around Metung to Nungurner and yellowfin bream are as far up as Wattle Point. It’s also been another great year for the prawns and you will find them all sizes and in very good numbers from Kalimna to Metung. SHALLOW WATER Bryan Lazarro joined me recently in his brand new Hobie Outback and we enjoyed some incredible sight casting to big bream. The fish were right up in the shallows around Raymond Island and very hungry. Bryan threw an unweighted Squidgy Bug at

them and we watched bream to 38cm, rush over and slurp his lure off the top just metres away from his kayak. I continued my love affair with the Bent Minnow and missed a few aggressive takes so I flicked a tiny 2” plastic around for better success. We only scored a modest 12 bream for the session but when you sight fish and trick them with surface lures, I reckon each capture counts for three! Sadly dozens of bream rushed our lures only to keep their jaws firmly closed. At one stage Bryan spied on a monster flathead he called at least 90cm and so I cast out to where he was pointing. I hooked up immediately but it was only a dusky of about 40cm and I suggested he needed glasses. As I steered the nice flattie towards my net, suddenly we watched a huge croc that came steaming in and tried to eat my fish! Bryan was right – it was at least a 90cm long flathead with a massive wide head on it. It scared the hell out of my little flattie and the two anglers looking on! I released my terrorised fish but he was nearly croc food there for a few seconds. METUNG AND PAYNESVILLE Meanwhile down at

Metung and up to Paynesville the bream have moved in right on cue just as they did this time a year ago. It is nothing to see 50-100 big bream just sitting under boat hulls or around the jetties. They can be caught but you need stealth to keep well back from them and cast a small suspending lure worked slow. Once a fish is hooked, regardless if you land it or not, you won’t get another as all its mates quickly spook into shut down mode. Therefore you need to be constantly on the move and if you succeed, expect your bream to measure between 35-45cm. I suggest you use at least 10lb leaders and even bigger if you expect to keep your lures. Often these bream sitting high in the water refuse to eat anything after first light and I get sick of watching them knock back all my tiny plastics. So I drop a few blades alongside the jetty pylons into the deeper water and get my bream this way. Not to mention any number of 20-25cm pinkie snapper and the odd flathead to 53cm. Twice now I have also hooked some very heavy fish that hit like a bomb and scream off line but both times I shredded these things that I had

This 44cm river blackie attacked my surface lure in just inches of water. Does lure fishing for bream get any better than this? no hope in turning. Someday I’ll beat one of these mystery fish and get back to you. I’ve also caught a few nice bream to 36cm on surface lures and cast into shallow water opposite Metung in the early morning. You will see and hear bream chasing prawns around and a cast in that direction has seen those bream keenly attack my Bent Minnow. BAIT FISHING Sorry my report is dominated with lure angling but I can tell you live shrimp and crab have been the stand out bait at the moment. I watched land-based anglers on several occasions on the Tambo River banks and

down at Hollands Landing, have almost nonstop action. Some were also having a little success with frozen prawn but sandworm was only getting smaller fish. Over the next month or two you can expect bream to take shell baits as well because all the fish I’m catching even now have all had bellies jam packed with broken mussels or some type of shell. RIVER MONSTERS Although the huge number of bream that were in the rivers six weeks ago have mostly moved on, there is still good sport in the Tambo and Mitchell. I found out that some real trucks are calling

the upper sections home with my best bream landed going 44cm. The surface action has slowed up but they will still rise in the early morning. Your best bet is using a Z-Man motor oil or amber Grub (2.5”) and work it close into the edge then step it out and down the steeper banks. The bream will soon let you know where they are holding by where in the water column they eat your lure. Owen Pierce fished the lower Tambo recently and says he saw big mobs of bream in the clean water at least 45-50cm long, and nearly every one of them had a severe dislike for hardbody lures!

MAY 2014

Prawns still highlight LAKES ENTRANCE

Lucas Smith squidgy_man1@hotmail.com

While the season started a little slow, the prawn run is in full swing! Lake Tyers has been the highlight, with the best action being around the glasshouse area and in front of the pub on the flats. Some have been up to 9”! Lakes Entrance has been hot and cold on the prawns but walking the banks in front of the old club hotel are producing the goods. The crazy Lake Tyers prawn run has fired up the fishing, and upsizing lures has been a great way to target the better fish. Plastics in the 5”+ range are perfect to match the prawns. Z-Man jerk baits, 120mm Squidgy Wrigglers and large prawn styles are best fished erratically along the dropoffs and deeper channels. Bigger hardbodies like Jackall Squirrels, Daiwa Double Clutches and the new savage twitch baits are scoring well. Live prawn is the gun bait but pilchard cubes will see some solid fish too.

Garfish have been caught up the Nowa Nowa arm on sandworm under a float. Use a breadcrumb and tuna oil berley mix to attract them then fish the worm about 50cm under the surface and if they are a little finicky try slowly retrieving the bait as sometimes this fires them up. The flathead have been patchy but the sand points around the Glasshouse and Blackfellows arm are worth a look. Natural coloured plastics on light jigheads are best. Lakes Entrance has been fishing well with huge numbers of luderick caught on the main rock walls on green weed. The weed has been hard to find but it’s worth having a look around any of the storm water outlets and sand flats that hold a few snags. The town jetties have been fishing well for whiting, and while they haven’t been monsters they have been in fairly good numbers. Fresh mussel and shrimp are best baits, but if you can get hold of some live Bass yabbies you’re in with a good shot.

W L E N DE O M

Some big silver trevally have made their presence felt, with some up around the 60cm range! These are best targeted using pilchard fillets under a float around the jetties, mainly the Post Office Jetty or the footbridge. Further up the lake there have been huge schools of salmon up to 40cm on the incoming tide on metal lures. Kalimna Jetty and Bullock Island are hotspots, and keep an eye out as several confirmed reports of yellowtail kingfish have filtered through, with a couple of hook ups but unfortunately none landed. Large schools of slimy mackerel have been hanging around too and make great live bait for the kings. Fish them under a balloon on a single 4/0 circle hook and hang on. Nungurner has been slow but some big whiting have been caught along the weed patches, with some big blue spot flathead also making an appearance. Local peeled prawn is best bait on a running sinker. Flood tide is the best, and a little berley doesn’t hurt either.

Dan ‘the turtle man’ with a great bream on a larger soft plastic aimed at flathead. Offshore has been very quiet but the local charter operators have been putting clients onto some nice pinky snapper and morning on the local reef systems. In closer the gummies have been steady mainly off the bluff in about 17-20m of water. Fresh bait is a must

and slimies and coota are about as good as it gets. Either drifting or anchoring and berleying is productive. Some nice pinkies have been caught on the same reef patches on plastics and slimy fillets. The surf beaches have fired lately with huge

salmon holding up in all the deep gutters. Spinning with lasers and surface poppers is great fun, but whole pilchards on ganged hooks puts you in with a chance at a gummy or snapper too. Fish the flood tide early morning or late arvo for best results.

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Amazing autumn bags MARLO

Jim McClymont mcclymont@net-tech.com.au

This time of year is perfect for fishing, the very hot weather has past and replaced with moderate autumn conditions. The good conditions have seen anglers out in big numbers and by all the reports the fishing is excellent. The estuary is still full of prawns with the mature prawns gathering on the sand flats below the Marlo jetty awaiting the right moon and tide for their run to sea. With prawns still plentiful it is little wonder anglers are reporting good catches. With plenty of prawns there will be plenty of fish coming into the estuary to feed; it is the main reason big flathead are being captured in the shallows along the Marlo foreshore all the way down to Frenchs Narrows.

The entrance to the estuary is gradually sanding up and although it is in no danger of closing up in the near future it is becoming dangerous to cross on the lower end of the tide. The latest weather report is a low coming down the East Coast and bringing with it some heavy rain. If this occurs we will receive another flush of the system and deepening of the entrance once again. Big schools of bream are throughout the whole system and anglers have reported catching bream all the way up to the highway bridge at Orbost making the fishing platforms along the Snowy River prime fishing locations. Best results fishing with sandworm or prawn. Bream are also being taken all the way up the Brodribb River to Lake Curlip and above using the same bait. Bream and luderick are in numbers from

the entrance up past the islands to Lake Corringle; best results for bream are on sandworm, shell bait, black crab, prawn and Bass yabbies. The best results for luderick have been either fishing with sandworm under a float or using sandworm with a running sinker. Estuary perch can be found schooling around most structures and snags; best results have been gained by using live prawns or lures. Salmon and tailor can be found down towards the entrance on an incoming tide by using metal lures. The surf beaches are still fishing well with plenty of salmon and tailor being taken during the day using either bait or metal lures. Weather permitting, fishing offshore is also producing well with plenty of salmon, flathead, gurnard, squid, barracouta, leatherjacket, pinkie snapper and gummy shark.

Takes fishing to the Next Dimension!

New dealer for Stabi Stabicraft has continued its growth in the Australian market with the appointment of Richardson Marine in Warrnambool, Victoria as a dealer for its range of aluminium positive buoyancy boats. Richardson Marine Managing Director Edward Richardson says he’s excited about having Stabicraft onboard at his dealership. “Like Stabicraft we’re a growing business, and I feel the brand will compliment what we already offer here with such products as Suzuki outboards. We have some extreme water conditions on this part of the coast and I’ve seen Stabicraft’s perform very well here, which is no surprise given that that are developed in rougher conditions at the bottom of New Zealand’s South Island,” says Richardson. “Overall I’m very impressed with quality and design of the vessels and the service we get direct from the factory, we can’t wait to get started.” Stabicraft Marine

Australasian Sales Manager, Sean McColl says Richardson Marine is a standout marine dealer and will assist the Stabicraft brand to thrive in the region. “Warrnambool has excellent geography for boating, it is close to Portland and the outstanding tuna fishing of the south coast of Victoria.” “Richardson Marine have a can do attitude and with Edward’s background as an alloy fabricator, he recognises a high quality marine product which we have in Stabicraft,” says McColl. “They have an excellent sales team and are highly active in marketing their products online and in the local community, we look forward to a great relationship with them in the future.” The appointment of

Richardson Marine follows the recent appointments of Mandurah Motor Marine in Western Australia, Honda Marine Townsville and Webbe Marine in Kirrawee New South Wales and takes the total number of Australian dealers to 10. Outside of Australia, Stabicraft has also appointed Zambezi Marine in Zambia and Sin Tung Hing Marine in Tahiti as dealers. McColl says 2013 was a good year for Stabicraft, a growing Australian market boosted sales and expects more to come. “Demand from customers was beyond expectations in 2013 which was reflected by one of our best sales tallies in 26 years. A big shift in production systems has given us the chance to open up to more orders with an expectation 2014 could well break all records.” “All dealers have been commenting that sales enquiry has been growing steadily in the last few years. Having demand from customers was not an issue last year, expanding our network to reach more of the demand is the next logical step.” – Stabicraft

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Fun in the autumn sun BEMM RIVER

Robyn Sturgess

We are having fun times down here at Bemm River at the moment. Sibiera and around the entrance to Mud Lake have been fishing extremely well for quality bream. Bob Webster, of the Pakenham Angling Club, has been visiting Bemm River for many years and reports this last trip was the ‘best ever’. Bob and his sons, Grant and Scott, and good friend Graeme Brenchley had a great time with the Pakenham Angling Club’s annual fishing trip. The day before they left both Graeme and Bob bagged

The Melbourne boys with the monster flatty they caught off the fishing platform.

out on quality bream just near the entrance to Mud Lake using prawns. Geoff Taylor, also from the Pakenham Angling Club, decided to have a late afternoon fish from the fishing platform and was nicely rewarded with a 43cm black bream weighing in at 3.9lb. Some days it pays to move around a bit. “If you have not had a quality fish within 15 minutes then pull up anchor and move locations,” is Des Wilson advice. He has been fishing The Bemm for 40+ years. Some of our younger anglers from Melbourne visited recently and had a great time as well. Similar to the earlier story, Danny, Alex, Bobby and the boys went to the fishing platform late one afternoon and to their surprise Danny hooked and released a huge flathead measuring approximately 80cm. There

(Left to right) Graeme Brenchley, Bob, Scott and Grant Webster said their recent trip to the Bemm was the ‘best ever’. was a mad scramble to the car to go back to the unit to get a net big enough to land this monster. There are plenty of fish cruising around the shallows, especially with the waste from the fish cleaning

table going directly back into the system. The river has been quiet lately. As winter approaches the bream will tend to move into the upper reaches and are always a good target on the

cold frosty mornings in the deep holes along the river. The surf has been fishing well for salmon and the odd tailor. When weather permits there has been good catches of gummies on the full moon.

VR FISH UPDATE

Calls for action on Anglesea River

Geoff Taylor of the Pakenham Angling Club with his 43cm bream caught off the fishing platform.

Recreational fishers have expressed concern regarding the longstanding water quality issues in the Anglesea River. VRFish, the peak body representing recreational fishers in Victoria is calling on authorities to improve future

management of this important estuary system. VRFish Chairman, Mr Russell Conway said, “The Anglesea River on the Surf Coast is traditionally a popular recreational fishing location and provides significant socio-economic benefits to the region from fishing related tourism.” Local fishing business and tourism operators have reported a decline in fish stocks and thus visitors to the region. In 2012, a report

commissioned by the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CCMA) stated that opening the estuary would be of benefit in reducing the impact of acidic events as they occur – yet it appears nothing has been acted upon. VRFish understands that artificial openings of the estuary have been made previously by the authorities after careful consideration of environmental issues. Currently, a significant proportion of the estuary

mouth is closed via the assistance of an artificial rock wall of which only part has been removed, meaning the mouth is still prone to closing due to sand movements. Mr Conway added, “We are of the view that this system warrants special consideration and an urgent plan is needed to be developed in consultation with fishers and other stakeholders for the betterment of the river and associated fishing business.”

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MAY 2014

Fisheries Victoria officers issued 20 infringement notices on the Mornington Peninsula over the long weekend for offences that included exceeding catch limits, taking shellfish from intertidal zones and taking undersize fish. Senior Fisheries Officer Rod Barber said that despite heavy penalties, a minority of fishers continue to flout restrictions. “Illegal fishers continue to run the gauntlet, risking jail sentences, forfeiture of expensive cars, boats and fishing equipment, very heavy fines and penalties,” Mr Barber said. In a single incident, three men from Endeavour Hills aged 30, 23 and 17 were apprehended after allegedly taking 222 abalone (including 98 undersized) from reefs off Mornington. All three men were arrested and interviewed at the

Mornington police station and will be charged on summons with offences relating to the taking of a commercial quantity of abalone, exceeding the catch limit and taking undersized abalone. It will be alleged that the men left two bags containing the abalone in bushes to be picked up at a later time. In a second separate incident, two men, a 29-year-old from Lynbrook and a 25-year-old from Cranbourne, were arrested by Fisheries officers after allegedly taking 200 abalone (including 148 undersized) and one undersized snapper from reefs off Mt Eliza. The daily bag limit for abalone is five, of which no more than two can be greenlip. The minimum size for abalone taken from Port Phillip Bay is 10cm. “In both instances, all of the diving equipment and the vehicles used on the day

were seized. The five men each face harsh penalties for abalone taken in excess of the catch limit and undersized,” Mr Barber said. “While the vast majority of fishers do the right thing, a small minority continue to flout restrictions, risking harsh fines and threatening the sustainability of our fisheries for future generations.” “The ramifications once caught are enormous for offenders and their families. Courts are imposing heavy fines and significant forfeitures and jail sentences to send clear messages that this rampant disregard for Victoria’s valuable and important fisheries resources will not be tolerated.” Members of the public observing suspicious or illegal fishing activities can report it to the 13FISH reporting hotline on 133 474. – DEPI FISHERIES

Hail the much needed deluge EDEN

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

After months without any rain it has finally happened! The rain moved its way down the coast and so far the Eden area is coping a heap. It’s definitely needed as the rivers and creeks were looking very low and barely flowing. The past month there has been some good fishing offshore with striped marlin and yellowfin tuna. The tuna have been only small, around

10kg, but the coming months should see the fishing improve as the bigger fish put in an appearance. And the water cools off, the southern bluefin tuna will pass by the Eden Coast giving anglers a last chance at a big fish before things quieten down over the winter months. Closer to shore there has been the odd day when the kingfish have been on the chew, but all in all this has been the worst season for the kingies in the past few years. The inshore reef fishing has been good with plenty

of snapper and morwong catches. Reports of sand flathead and tiger flathead are coming in from down in Disaster Bay; it’s a long way to travel but if you pick your day it’s well worth it. The salmon are about along the beaches. As the temps cool, their numbers will only increase and the winter months will see these fish enter the estuary systems eating everything in sight. Considering they have no commercial value, there is nothing to keep their numbers in check, which is not a good situation for any

fish smaller than a salmon such as baby whiting, estuary perch, etc. The estuaries have been fishing well with sand whiting taking nippers and worms. The entrance area is the go with the last of the run-out tide. The best flathead have still been taking lures with yellowfin bream and black bream around the oyster leases and rocky edges. The bass will enjoy the good rains; with the river levels up, the fish are able to move freely from pool to pool.

Paul Henry with a great estuary perch caught on a surface lure.

Busy times ahead

The break wall is well on its way and is expected to be finished by November. IN

R E V A L LY . S N A P P E R . E S G.T TU A

. WH AD

PE R RY

With great weather over the past month, the visitors to the area have been out on the lake enjoying the fishing. There has been no shortage of tourists this season, this has been the busiest I have seen Mallacoota and it’s not looking like slowing down. Offshore there has been little to report as the boat ramp is out of bounds with the construction of the breakwall. The few boats that are getting out there have been coming back with a feed of sand flathead. There are plenty of salmon along all the local beaches with good gutters at Tip Beach. Anglers tossing lures on the rising

Goodwin Sands has been fishing well with bait fishers doing well on the yellowfin bream along with a few black bream to make up the bag. Watching the amount of fish processed at the cleaning table you wonder how long this can go on before the fishing is noticeably worse, I suggest the damage has been done. You need to remember these black bream are slow growing and a 1kg fish could be 15 years old. Those fishing with lures have had to fish hard for results. The flathead have been good one day, tough the next. Some good fishing has been had on whitebait imitation lures. The key to success is to find the fish as there are many spots where there are no fish. Heading up to Gypsy Point, flathead and black bream caught, along with plenty of smaller fish in the rivers.

. BASS . JEWFISH . F LA

captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

tide are having a ball with these hard fighting fish. The lake has been fishing well with the best mulloway season in many years. There have been a number of fish caught over 60lb with plenty of fish around 15kg with the smaller models around the 10kg mark. You don’t need to spend all night out there as plenty of fish have been caught between first light and around 10 o’clock. Fish have been caught on both bait and lures, with fresh or live tailor the choice of bait and a variety of soft plastics all catching fish. Around the entrance area, bait fishers have been catching sand whiting, yellowfin bream and the odd flathead. Fresh bait or live bait has been the go with nippers squirt worms and beach worms catching bag limits for many anglers. The key has been working out the best stage of the tide for the best results.

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Merimbula’s May madness MERIMBULA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

The local beaches around the Merimbula region are fishing extremely well at present, with some thumping big salmon being caught. Most fish are falling to pillies rigged on ganged 4/0 hooks on an Ezy Rig combination. Paternoster rigs with a bait/surf popper combination are also producing some outstanding results. Fish to 3kg are plentiful, with the odd salmon to 4.5kg being captured. All beaches are holding fish, but the two hotspots at present are the main beach at Tura and North Bournda just south of Wallagoot Lake. Look for the deeper gutters which are plentiful after the big seas and rain of late, and concentrate your efforts on the flooding tide and you should be in business. Tailor are also around but the average size is quite small at the moment. Over the next few months we can expect bigger tailor to show up. I’ve heard some good reports of bream and decent flathead coming from the Pambula River mouth entrance also. Live beach worms are the pick of the baits, with pilchard, bluebait, and larger soft plastics accounting for some of the flatties. The rock hoppers have been doing well with quality blackfish, drummer, bream and groper succumbing to fresh baits. The drummers are up to 2kg – solid fish and formidable opponents at this size. Cunjevoi, red crabs and cabbage weed are the best baits, and a little burley in the washes here will also increase catch rates. Expect these bread and butter species to only get better as the water cools and we head into the cooler months. Short Point is again the gun spot to wet a line!

May’s a super time for the rock spin die-hards to throw metal around. Mack tuna, bonito, northern bluefin tuna, big salmon and the odd kingie can be expected, with Tura Head the pick of the platforms to fish. Inside Merimbula bay is also worth a look, with the rocks north of the wharf being the place to fish. I like using quite large lures at this time of the year, with any metal chromed slice up to 50g working. It pays to have a selection of lures on hand; what works one day doesn’t always work the next. It may pay to soak a live bait too, especially for a decent kingfish. There have been a few around and every May some solid models get caught off the rocks here. Offshore, yellowfin tuna will be around as the water temperature hovers around 20ºC. May is the premium month to target yellowfin, especially big fish. The seas are usually quite calm during autumn, letting the smaller boats venture further offshore where the tuna are. Albacore can also be expected in the coolish waters, along with the odd mako. Trolling smaller skirted pushers is ideal as you cover a lot of water. Once you locate the fish, try reverting to berley, cubes and live bait, as it can pay massive dividends at times. There have been a few tuna to 30kg captured recently by sportfishers targeting marlin but now is the time to target that jumbo. Snapper will continue to chew on the inshore reefs, with all the usual haunts producing fish. Use fresh tuna, pilchards and soft plastics for best results, and concentrate on early mornings with a tide change. The flatties have gone a little quiet, but the fish that are being caught are quality specimens. The flattie grounds off Pambula in 30-35m have been the hot

spot for a feed of flatties. Expect a few morwong and leatherjackets also. Both Merimbula and Pambula Lakes are still producing the goods, with bream, flathead, blackfish and still the occasional school jew being caught. Bait and lures have both been working well, but fresh bait has certainly out-fished the lure fishos of late.

DAN LEE

Expect salmon numbers to increase in the estuaries over coming weeks, good fun on light gelspun.

Best fishing after the fresh NAROOMA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

Finally the Narooma region has received some muchneeded rain. With so much fresh about a lot of anglers will give the fishing a miss, especially in the estuaries. Do this at your own peril! Some of my best days have been when the water looked more like chocolate than clear saltwater. Sure, it depends on where you fish but what’s more important is how you target them. I’d be concentrating in estuaries that don’t have rivers or larger creeks feeding them in the upper reaches. The fresh that flows from here will certainly put them off the

chew for a week or so until it clears a bit. Look at estuaries like Mummaga, Corunna and Wallaga Lake just to the south of Narooma. All these estuaries will fish well for snapper, bream and flathead, with soft plastics, blades and fresh baits all working at various times. The lower sections towards the estuary mouths will be best for the bait anglers, especially in Corunna Lake. Every time we have a downpour like this, this great little system certainly fires up, with bream usually in great numbers. At Wallaga Lake the snapper should really fire up; it was excellent before the rain so it will only be better now l reckon. If Wagonga is your choice l would leave it for a bit until it clears somewhat. If you can’t, the channels on the

We can expect more good bream like these over coming weeks with all the rain we have had.

3SER FISHING SHOW 7am-9am

Pambula is holding good numbers of trevally. A lot of these fish are 1kg plus, so they’re great fun on the light stuff and not a bad feed if prepared the right way. This action will last for a while yet as every year this system fires in late autumn. Fishing the first kilometre of the system is best; tide does not matter much as long as it’s flowing.

Every Friday Morning

LUKE McCREDDEN

Eastern side of the Highway bridge on a flooding tide would be the go. Again bait anglers should do OK, with striped tuna cubes and fresh prawns the better baits to use. The main basin will only get better as the weeks pass. l for one will be flogging it hard, with mulloway the fish of

choice to target. This rain won’t do any harm to our chances with this majestic species. As long as there’s bait there the jewies shouldn’t be to far away. OFFSHORE The kings have really picked up over the last few weeks which is awesome to see for all offshore boaties. The kings are averaging 75-85cm, solid fish and a welcome change to the undersized models that have plagued the Island over previous months. The kings are responding to jigs, live bait and squid. Every day is a little different but live bait seems to be getting the bigger fish on a more consistent basis. This red-hot action should continue over the coming weeks. As long as the current keeps pushing south, the kings should bite. Out wider, game anglers have had good results when the weather has allowed. The water temperature is hovering between 22-23ºC, very warm and perfect for marlin. All three marlin species have been caught, though stripes from 70-100kg are the most common. Trolling skirted lures and switch baiting with live slimy mackerel have again been the best methods for the beakies. The fish have been widespread along the shelf, though the Tuross canyons and Kink grounds have had some memorable days of late. There have been reports of yellowfin tuna but the fish are on the smaller side. Big tuna don’t really like hot water so wait another month or so if that’s what you want to target. When the temperature drops to 19ºC l expect the jumbos to turn up.

LEE RAYNER

Take you through what’s biting in your area. Pl us in fo rm a tion on t he lat e st t ackle a n d te c h n i q ue s .

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MAY 2014

Andy Kolber and the boys with Andy’s 13kg mulloway taken on a softie. The fish was released in great condition to fight another day.

Going by all reports we’re in for a cracking southern bluefin year as well, if the tuna down south make our coastline home over coming months. I can’t wait! ROCK AND BEACH The beaches will continue to fish well for salmon and tailor, with enough bream, whiting and mullet to keep things interesting. Live beach worms and pipis have been the stand-out baits, with a lot of salmon being caught of both lures and blue surf poppers fished on a paternoster rig. A few mulloway are still being caught up at Tuross off the beach, but a lot of time has to be put in to consistently get results. The guys who put in the hard yards chasing these majestic fish deserve every one they catch; they put in the time and get the rewards. There have also been quite a few gummy sharks around. I’ve heard of a few fish around 10kg caught by anglers fishing for mulloway so an evening session targeting them might just be worthwhile. Off the stones the pelagic action will be in full swing. It can be like a lottery off the rocks at the minute with kingfish, northern bluefin tuna, mackerel tuna, bonito, striped tuna and even the outside chance of a yellowfin tuna all possible opponents. A lot will depend on prevailing currents, water temperature, and bait activity as to how close the tuna will travel inshore, but fingers crossed those ideal conditions will prevail and the rock hoppers get their just rewards. Ideal places to fish are the golf course rocks in town and the front ledge at Mystery Bay to the south of Narooma. Using live yellowtail or slimy mackerel underneath a bobby cork or balloon would be the best method to tangle with a tuna or kingfish, but throwing chromed slices up to 50g could also work. If the tuna don’t play the game there will be endless salmon to catch. Whole pilchards on ganged hooks or chromed slices up to 40g should do the trick.

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Finding the famous tuna BERMAGUI

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

The last month of autumn usually heralds the start of the yellowfin tuna season and Bermagui is famous for it, although after several poor seasons will they turn up? May is prime time for the tuna with calm conditions allowing anglers to target these species in various ways. Cubing in berley trails is the most popular method and hanging a live bait out under a balloon also proves successful. A suggestion when using a live bait is to rig it on 250lb mono with a substantial hook as marlin will still be encountered in May, in fact in the past some of the best run of marlin for the season have occurred in May. Striped marlin were mainly encountered and it was common to witness schools of up to 20 fish working the bait over. Other species encountered while berleying were albacore tuna, which Fishing are great fun TOH144 on light gear and will readily come right up to the boat allowing

anglers to choose which line class to target these fish on. Mako and other species of sharks will also appear in trails. Have a good wire trace handy or put a shark bait out under a balloon. If you wish to target a shark use plenty of striped tuna in the berley, cube with the flesh and pump the frame through the berley bucket. With the introduction of deep water jigging anglers now have another option while drifting in berley trails. Dropping jigs down deep will produce a wide variety of fish species and will sometimes bring tuna holding deep to the surface allowing the other methods to come into play. Snapper are now in good numbers on most reef systems that surround Bermagui with the southern ones being more productive. Drifting over the reefs is the most popular method, however anchoring in berley trails is a very effective way of targeting large ones. Setting baits at various depths will cover where the snapper are holding, with pilchards, mackerel and World Ad.pdf 1 stripedhalf tunapage being the better baits. These can be used as strips, cubes or whole and

if small fish are a problem, use half a mackerel and float it back in the trail, fish of 6-7kg will often be taken with this method. Other popular species of reef fish are around in good numbers and anglers will end up with some fine bags of mixed fish. Morwong, nannygai, pigfish, ocean perch, large tiger flathead and many more are all on the short list, plus it is also the time of year to target Tassie trumpeter out on the Twelve Mile Reef. Closer to shore, becoming ever more popular is the use of soft plastics bounced around bommies and shallow reef complexes. This method is encountering a variety of species from reef dwellers, such as snapper to mid and top water fish in the form of kingfish to small tuna. Bermagui has good structure around its shoreline providing plenty of options for anglers wishing to use this technique. Most of the estuaries that are open to the ocean are fishing extremely well towards the entrances. This is due to offshore water 12/12/13 AM warmer temperatures9:52 being than those in the upper reaches of the systems. As

the tide rises the warm water stimulates fish into feeding. The use of berley will encourage fish like flathead, yellowfin bream, trevally and more to feed more frequently. Striped tuna is the best bait in berley trails cut into cubes, and the frame can be used in the berley bucket. Start fishing in the channels until the tide rises sufficiently onto the flats, then berley to the oysters and other obstructions. While doing this, anglers can explore other areas such as weed beds with baits like nippers. The last of the outgoing tide and first of the incoming will produce good luderick around the bridge and break wall on cabbage and green weed. Bream are in good numbers on most beaches and again the use of berley and tuna will secure good bags. Lots of salmon, a few tailor, the odd flathead and gummy sharks have all been encountered recently. Look for beaches with deep gutters, especially for the sharks, and for bream look anywhere there is good water adjacent to the rocks. Drummer fishing off the rocks is now at its best. Late evening or first light is the

Hopefully weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be seeing quality yellowfin tuna this season. prime time. Bermagui has some great areas around the main headland and Blue Pool to chase these fish. Baits like cunjevoi and prawns used in conjunction with bread as berley will do the job nicely. Sadly Brogo is starting to cool down with water temps dropping. Searching

with deep diving and bibless rattling lures is still producing some fish with spinnerbaits probably being the best. Bass in the river systems are starting to congregate in pools prior to moving down stream to spawn and are producing some reasonable fishing.

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MAY 2014

Slow start now spears ahead WEST COAST

Shane Lowery

Despite the drop in temperature, both in the water and out, May still offers some great spearfishing.

before capture. During May the usual hotspots will be offshore from Portland, Port Fairy and Warrnambool in the far west of the state. These areas are also the go-to spots for anglers and, once again, I cannot stress enough the need to consider

Craig Fox and Mac Riddle with some excellent snapper and southern rock lobster. April saw a reasonably slow start to the tuna season with the biggest congregations of albacore and southern bluefin tuna between Portland and Port Macdonnell. Keen blue water spear fishers have been eagerly awaiting the peak influx of tuna that seems to happen around May and those in the know have been preparing the big gear for these fish. Blue water gear is vastly different from the smaller inshore gear used to target more bread and butter species. Big guns, 130cm+ as a minimum, with 4-6 rubbers are the order of the day. These large guns are capable of running 10mm shafts and shooting fish from up to 10m away. Multiple floats are also employed with bungy lines and a capacity of up to two atmospheres. These floats are used to hold the speared fish higher up in the water column and to assist the diver in maintaining contact with the fish while tiring it

all the safety aspects. Large diver below flags on the boat and also the floats are not only essential, but a legal requirement. It’s also advisable to stay well away from areas that are being heavily targeted by line fishers. A good boat handler who is well aware of the risks and can keep an eye on the divers and any boats entering the area is a must. Inshore diving should not be discounted at this time of year. Weather patterns seem to be predominantly more stable with less wind making conditions perfect to target shallow water species. The cooler weather means less people in the popular tourist areas and therefore less pressure on the more easily targeted reef species. This is one of my favourite times of year to target southern rock lobster and abalone. Shallow reef areas from 3-10m are highly productive for both these delicacies. May is actually one of the best months to target the more bread and butter species.

Mick Mahney with a great autumn King George whiting.

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Fish such as King George whiting, silver trevally, bastard trumpeter, longfin pike and sea sweep are commonly in better numbers at this time of year. We also start to see large numbers of Australian salmon in these inshore areas and encountering big schools is a frequent occurrence. Port Phillip Bay also has a lot to offer at this time of year with similar species on offer. Shallow reefs often hold species such as snapper and squid and out in the bay proper, scallops are certainly in greater numbers in depths from 5-20m. This month certainly offers some exciting spearfishing opportunities. Until next month, safe diving.

Young Bree Fox with her PB autumn sea sweep.

HOT SPOT

Portland It’s one of the things most Victorian anglers look forward to every year. Tuna time. Located about 4 hours from Melbourne along the west coast lies this pretty yet very busy town, Portland. And in the cold months of winter there is only one thing on anglers minds and this is Blue fin Tuna. PRIME TIME The colder months from April thought to July are the prime time to target tuna. When the water cools down the fish move in creating havoc. This time of year you wouldn’t want to be a baitfish that’s for sure. THE GEAR 15-24kg stand-up overhead set ups are the normal when targeting tuna. The past couple of years quite a few anglers have made the change from overhead to spin gear as it is a lot more fun and easier to use, and the whole sportfishing side of things appeals to more anglers now. Anything from the 8,000 to 20,0000 range is ideal, just make sure whatever reel you are using, it has a good smooth drag. THE RIG Whether its 15kg or 24kg line, the most common

way to rig your rod is to run a double from your main line and cat’s paw a 150lb-200lb wind on leader through the Dacron loop on the leader to the platted double. At the end of leader crimp a loop and heavy duty snap swivel and then your set. All you have to do is clip your lure or skirt with about 2m of leader to the snap and put it in the water. BAIT AND LURES Hard bodied lures and skirts are the preferred way to target tuna. Rapala X-Raps in 20s and 30s and 5-7’’ skirts do the damage. Apex Predator skirts are really worth a try as well. If you don’t have a few of each in your lure selection then there is something wrong. BEST METHOD Trolling lures is by far the best. A decent spread of lures is best with both hard bodies and skirts in the mix.

Run a skirt in the shot gun position way out the back and hard bodies or River2Sea Killer Vibes in close in the motor wash is always a good way. Once you get a hook up, keep the boat in gear and troll a little further as a lot of the time it results in multiple hook ups and this is when all hell breaks loose. MOTHER NATURE Make sure all your safety equipment is up to date and easily accessible in case of an emergency. The seas and weather along the west coast can be bad and the last thing you want is to get caught out and your EPIRB doesn’t work or you can’t get to the life jackets. Also take extra fuel and always tell someone where you are going and when you are roughly expected back. All these little things will help if something goes wrong. HOT TIP Fishing on weekdays is definitely the way to go in the way of using the boat launching facilities. It can be worse than a Melbourne boat ramp in the middle of snapper season when the weather is good and the fish are firing with up to 2 hour waits. Week days the boat traffic isn’t as intense and stressful. So keep an eye on the weather and try to avoid a weekend if possible.

HAWK FISHING • FIND-A-WORD COMPETITION

UK Fish Species

BARBEL BLEAK BLONDE RAY BRILL BULLHUSS CHUB COALFISH DAB DACE DOVER SOLE

LING PLAICE POLLACK PORBEAGLE RAYS BREAM RED BREAM ROKER RUDD SEA BREAM

SKATE SMOOTH HOUND SOLENETTE SPURDOG TENCH TURBOT UNDULATE RAY ZANDER

Name Address

P/Code Phone (day):

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

PO box 3172, Loganholme Qld 4129 VIC MAY 2014

FINS SCALES & TAILS by A. Both

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE The subscriber prize winner for March was S Mauro of Caulfield, who won a High Definition Blue Mirror Lens from Tonic Eyewear. All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – V&TFM

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

BITE ME by Trisha Mason

The Find the Black Magic C-Point Hook prize winners for March were B Metherell of Narre Warren South, D Dunn of Warrnambool, A Bird of Grovedale, A Gee of Goornong, J Shelley of Glen Waverly, M Fryer of North Balwyn, S Sanderson of Snug, P Clarke of Wonthaggi, A Healey of Morwell, K Hartley of Coburg North, R Beltmann of Coldstream, A Marchant of Leopold, G Patten of Sale, I Hodgkinson of Kyabram, P Cornish of Paynesville, J Cross of Jamieson, R McMillan of Grovedale, J Neilson of Rochester, R Williams of Drouin, R Newton of Wangaratta, B Meaney of Tungamah, P Geale of Georgetown, B Shelton of Romsey, R Carson of Wheelers Hill, G Bonner of Coragulac, G Doidge of Tatura, H Skeer of Millicent, J Brumby of Nirranda, A Darker of Daylesford, T Tatlow of Morwell, L Sebire of Traralgon, S Davies of Craigieburn, P Musgrove of Casterton, W Henley of Heathmont, F Oleszko of Braybrook, F Vomero of Kew, K King of Wyndham Vale, R Davidson of North Wonthaggi, S Stewart of Ballan , K Pezos of Notting Hill, S Grima of St Leonards, D Hedley of Hamilton, C Gios of Myrtleford, V Hazelwood of Mt Gambier, W Johnson of Morwell, T Dron of Alfredton, T King of Sunbury, L Greaves of Greensborough, T Siposs of Skipton, G Bannister of Lorne, who each won a packet of Black Magic C-Point Hooks valued at $5.95! Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – VFM

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

The answers to Find the Black Magic C-Point Hook for March were: 6, 12, 18, 23, 28, 38, 43, 49, 55, 62, 68, 71, 80, 82, 85. – V&TFM

FIND-A-WORD WINNER Congratulations to Kevin Hartley of Coburg North, who was last month’s winner of the Hawk Tournament Find-a-Word Competition! Monthly winners receive Hawk Tournament Tested Bayer Perlon IGFA line, assorted Panther Martin lures, Youvella hooks and a keyring. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – V&TFM 1

• DECEMBER 2010

MAY 2014

Big bluefin are here in Tasmania! TASMANIA

Neil Grose

While May brings with it the closed season on brown trout, it does bring the traditional time for big southern bluefin tuna in the south east of Tasmania. FRESHWATER On the freshwater front, there isn’t a great deal to talk about apart from some brilliant late season dry fly fishing on Great Lake and Dee Lagoon. I for one have never really understood the timing of closed seasons on the lakes in Tasmania – the fish are spawning in the creeks, not the lakes. Close the spawning creeks by all means, but leave open the lakes areas. This has been a very good jassid season, and May will see the last of them hitting the water. The northern reaches of Great Lake are as good a spot as any, especially in a light northerly with some warmth in the air. Don’t bother getting out of bed too early, lunch time is a good time to start. Dee Lagoon also has some brilliant late season fishing for thumping rainbows and pre-spawn brown trout. Hill 42 is the

main spot and don’t worry too much about hugging the shores as the deep water will have plenty of fish marauding the surface layers of water. Lakes Rowallan and Burbury are always good for late season fishing as well, with Burbury open all year round. Spin fishing on the dirty days is the way to really mount up a big tally of fish, especially from a boat. Throw those lures, especially small

hardbodied lures like a Zerek Tango right in close to the shore and rip and pause it back to the boat. ESTUARIES Even though the cooler weather is now with us, the fishing is far from cool. Bream are still feeding hard in the estuary systems, and will continue to do so until the first big cold floods wash through. The Derwent River is the prime location for

Lochie Nichols with a 104kg jumbo SBT taken aboard Big Pig at Eaglehawk Neck. Lochie took over the fight after the crew became worn out fighting the beast.

Matching the hatch – a Zerek Barra X next to the bait, which salmon feed on in autumn. Note the bent treble after something very big decided to muscle in on the act!

FISHING FILL-ITS

Funding sets future direction Improved car parking for anglers and boating enthusiasts at Warmies boat ramp in Newport is on the agenda following an $18,000 grant to Hobsons Bay City Council to develop a plan for the local boating facility. Minister for Ports David Hodgett was joined by Member for Western Metropolitan Region Andrew Elsbury to announce the grant as part of the latest round of the Victorian Coalition Government’s Boating Safety and Facilities Program. “The Warmies boat ramp has seen an increase in demand over the past few years and a plan is needed to deal with the overflow and car parking issues,” Mr Hodgett said. “Today’s funding announcement will enable Hobsons Bay City Council to assess the current traffic situation at Warmies and develop a plan to make better use of the parking area in the future. “Through the Boating Safety and Facilities Program, the Victorian Coalition Government is responding to the needs of the local boating community in Newport and providing funds to plan for better access 46

MAY 2014

big bags of large bream, and if you don’t mind the industrial landscape and sensory invasion, the shores around the zinc works and Incat and into Prince of Wales Bay are good spots to begin. Either side of the Bowen Bridge is good for shallow water feeding bream, as is the shore around the Lindisfarne side of the Tasman Bridge. Bigger hardbodied lures are

to the increasingly popular Warmies boat ramp facility.” Mr Elsbury said the assessment was the first step in delivering better facilities for the many users of the Warmies boat ramp. “It is great news for the local community that Hobsons Bay City Council will soon have the funds to look at options for the layout of this area and identify the best way to improve boating and fishing access,” Mr Elsbury said. Mr Hodgett said the Victorian Coalition Government has made significant investments over the last few years to both the Warmies and Altona boat ramps. “Just last year the Coalition Government provided funding of $93,000 for lighting at the Warmies boat ramp which is already completed and $159,000 for the nearby Altona boat ramp trailer car park and overflow car park improvements,” Mr Hodgett said. “The Coalition Government is keeping its promise to deliver vital facility boating upgrades and safety initiatives and it’s great that the Newport and Altona communities are benefiting from this commitment.” Mr Hodgett said the latest round of funding adds to the

significant investment made over the last few years to improve recreational boating infrastructure in Victoria. “In total over the last few years, the Coalition Government has spent over $30 million on improving Victoria’s boating infrastructure, from critical repair works to large-scale improvement projects,” Mr Hodgett said. “Recreational boating is a popular pastime for many Victorians, and the Boating Safety Facilities Program is one of many Victorian Coalition Government initiatives that demonstrate our commitment to ensure people have safe access to our waterways.” The Boating Safety Facilities Program is funded through a portion of recreational boat operator licensing fees and vessel registration fees, providing money for grants and state wide initiatives. The aim of the program is to make recreational boating safer and more accessible for all Victorians. For more information about the Boating Safety Facilities Program contact the Grants Administration Team on 1800 337 222, email boating.grants@dtpli.vic.gov. au or visit www.dtpli.vic.gov. au/bsfp – DEPI FISHERIES

the first option, and having some blue in the colour pattern is important. Brown trout are always about in these areas too, and form an interesting by-catch.

On the east coast estuaries such as Little Swan Port and the Swan River feature wonderful surface bream fishing until that first big easterly flood washes through. Around the mouth of the river systems the smaller Australian salmon will hit anything silver and blue that moves quickly, and are a great fall back if the anticipated bream fishing fails to eventuate.

The author hooks up on a sweep from the rocks. May is a good time to search out these hard fighting fish.

Georges Bay at St Helens isn’t quite an estuary, but it is marvellous in May. The bigger silver trevally are always on the agenda and some thumping bream are always on the flats while conditions and water quality permits. The last of the yellowtail kingfish have probably moved on, but are replaced by those wonderfully tasty garfish. St Helens has some of the biggest gars in the state, and they are dead easy to catch. A simple berley trail with plenty of tuna oil and you will soon have a heap behind your boat. Local charter operator Michael Haley recommends limiting the amount of berley as too many birds like seagulls can put them down. The Tamar River has been flush with snapper it seems this autumn, and if this year is anything like last year there will be plenty about right until the end of May. While the areas around the Batman Bridge are the traditional hotspots, don’t ignore the long stretch along Long Reach, where many were caught last year by anglers using sounders to find individual fish. The north west coast has seen some brilliant fishing this year, with most of it outside the estuaries. Big schools of Australian salmon are always an autumn feature with some bigger pike and barracouta hunting the bait schools. Outside the Leven River is always worth a look as well as the extensive shorelines around Burnie. GAME FISHING The game season has been in full swing for

several months now, with all serious game-heads focussed on Eaglehawk Neck and surrounding areas. Big bluefin have been landed since mid March, when Stewie Nichols on Big Pig got his crew onto a 104kg specimen. The very next day a 125kg thumping jumbo was also landed. With water temperatures now heading back down towards the 16ºC mark the prospects of yellowfin tuna and mako sharks has pretty much evaporated, but ample numbers of SBT should

be enough to keep all and sundry happy. The prospects of bigger fish will always get the adventurous heading down to remote locations like Mewstone and Pedra Branca. These locations are not for the faint-hearted or the ill-prepared, as massive seas can push through here. Always head down with at least one other boat and take an experienced crew, this is not the place for first-time blue water adventures. On the broader game

thrilling would it be to catch a big tuna on a cast and retrieved lure! This is my final Tasmanian report for Victorian and Tasmanian Fishing Monthly as a new role means I have less time to get around the traps to round things up. I’ll still be

submitting the odd feature for consideration though. I’ve been lucky enough to be writing for V&TFM since the very first issue, as well as four and half years as Editor, so it is with a tinge of sadness that about 8 years of regular writing comes to an end.

Brendan Turriff with a spanking rainbow trout. Using soft plastics on rough May days is a reliable way to fill the creel.

The author with a solid Australian salmon taken while casting a 90mm Zerek Barra X lure into a school of Australian salmon.

fishing front, most boats are trolling a mix of pushers and bibless hardbodied lures, and for the uninitiated (like me), it seems pretty random as far as successful lures go. Top operators like Stewie Nichols love lures like the Halco Laser Pro rigged with singles as well as a Macbait for under the prop wash,

while others will swear by mid-sized pushers and skirts. Above all it probably pays to match your lures in colour and size to the redbait, which most fish will be looking for. I’d love to see someone really work out how to catch more free jumping tuna on cast lures – how

Tristan McLean searching the rocky shores on King Island for some big salmon.

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PENN mightier than the storm TASMANIA OFFSHORE

Kelly Hunt

In life there are decisions to be made from the heart, and not just solely from the head. Every now and then your heart will let you know it’s right because it can be for the greater good. PENN reels Australia has within its ranks an amazing amount of fishing knowledge combined with incredible business acumen. It just proved it also has a big heart.

both directions snake from suburbia and terminate at a community hit hard by a transition from the forestry industry to, well, nothing in the short term. Triabunna had a thriving woodchip mill and vibrant industry sector around forest industries. The signing of the Tasmanian Forest Agreement and subsequent closures have landed a few blows to the chin of the Triabunna township. One knee on the canvas, but with a uniquely Australian strength and steely resolve,

Tasmania has to offer. Triabunna is the gateway to the history and beauty soaked Maria Island, its seafood is amazing and marine life is abundant. These attributes are allowing the area to transit from an industrial hub servicing a large woodchip mill to an area quickly gaining a reputation for its local fine food and wine. The wharf area and subsequent marina upgrades are going along way in making Triabunna for a whole range of marine and boating activities. SEAFEST The massive hole left by the mill closure was to be filled by all manner of wild tourist ventures, but to date this has not eventuated. Too often it is left to the small boutique food and wine developments and the natural beauty of the area to do all the heavy lifting. In the short term there has been some new blood that has shown a great willingness to help: PENN Australia, The Northern

Game Fishing Club of Tasmania and the people of the Glanmorgan Spring Bay Council. These groups have worked hard to put on a two day event showcasing all the area’s strengths. 5-6 April will have Triabunna come alive as the Seafest festival will be in full swing. FISHING Triabunna has some

The wharf area and subsequent marina upgrades are going along way in making Triabunna a hive for marine and boating activities.

Triabunna has some sensational fishing grounds and there are many stories of tuna busting out of the water. We all hear about rural areas doing it tough and that can be the same for isolated regional coastal towns. Triabunna is one such story. Located on Tasmania’s lower East Coast an hour from Hobart in the south and two hours from anywhere from the north. The roads from

the Glanmorgan Spring Bay district was up for a fight. The township has looked up to find PENN reels Australia in its corner. TRANSITION The seaside township has a sweet wharf district and offers plenty of opportunity to indulge in the beauty coastal

Wood chip mill was a considerable economic focus for Triabunna. The town has suffered since its closure.

PENN Australia, The Northern Game Fishing Club of Tasmania and the Glanmorgan Spring Bay Council groups have worked hard to put on a two day event showcasing all the area’s strengths.

sensational fishing grounds and there are many stories of southern bluefin and yellowfin tuna busting out of the water. These reports however are from commercial fishers, as Triabunna is a not known as a game fishing destination. This is all about to change with massive assistance from PENN Australia. Getting anglers to the town when the fishing is known to only a few protective locals would be quite a task. In a true ‘if you build it they will come’ attitude, PENN Australia have put together

a prize pool that would be envious of any tournament anywhere in Australia. This has been the cornerstone of the effort being put in by the Game Fishing Club of Northern Tasmania and Glanmorgan Spring Bay Council. The sentiment to help a coastal town put itself back on the map and enjoy some short term economic stimulus has come from a board level at PENN. The long-term result will be a massive influx of people who have a great time and share the news of a wonderful and friendly place at Triabunna.

HYDRO TASMANIA WATER STORAGE INFORMATION Water Storage Information as at 12th April 2014 Lake/Lagoon

Metres from full

Comment

Lake Augusta ...................................2.74 .......................................................Steady Arthurs Lake ....................................1.06 .......................................................Steady Great Lake .......................................15.66 .....................................................Steady Trevallyn Pond .................................0.74 .......................................................Steady Shannon Lagoon ..............................0.11 .......................................................Steady Penstock Lagoon .............................0.25 .......................................................Steady Lake Echo ........................................8.56 .......................................................Steady Dee Lagoon .....................................0.07 .......................................................Steady Bradys/Binneys/Tungatinah .............2.56 ....................................................... Falling Bronte Lagoon .................................1.12 .......................................................Steady Pine Tier Lagoon ..............................2.19 ....................................................... Falling Little Pine Lagoon ............................0.92 .......................................................Steady Laughing Jack Lagoon ....................6.43 .......................................................Steady Lake St Clair ....................................1.78 .......................................................Steady Lake King William ............................4.66 .......................................................Steady Lake Liapootah ................................0.23 .......................................................Steady Wayatinah Lagoon ...........................0.97 ....................................................... Falling Lake Catagunya ...............................0.99 .......................................................Steady

Lake Repulse ...................................1.03 ....................................................... Falling Cluny Lagoon ...................................0.29 .......................................................Steady Meadowbank Lake ..........................0.28 ....................................................... Falling Lake Pedder ....................................1.40........................................................Steady Lake Gordon ....................................28.52 .....................................................Steady Lake Burbury ...................................7.13 .......................................................Steady Lake Plimsoll ...................................2.77 .......................................................Steady Lake Murchison ...............................15.64 .....................................................Steady Lake Mackintosh .............................4.20........................................................Steady Lake Rosebery .................................0.57 .......................................................Steady Lake Pieman ....................................3.11 ........................................................Rising Lake Mackenzie ...............................6.02 .......................................................Steady Lake Rowallan .................................9.33 .......................................................Steady Lake Parangana ...............................1.04 ........................................................Rising Lake Cethana ...................................0.24 ........................................................Rising Lake Barrington ...............................0.64 .......................................................Steady Lake Gairdner ..................................2.10........................................................Steady Lake Paloona ...................................-.............................................................Spilling Woods Lake .....................................0.9 .........................................................Steady Whitespur Pond ...............................7.99 .......................................................Steady Lake Newton ...................................4.68 .......................................................Steady Lake Margaret .................................0.28 .......................................................Steady

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

MAY 2014

Inland Fisheries Service

Extension to Macquarie River anglers’ access IFS

Tim Farrell

IFS staff have recently extended anglers access upstream from Woolmers Bridge on the Macquarie River. Infrastructure including signage, a new footbridge and numerous stiles provide foot access for approximately 3.5km upstream on the eastern bank. This area has previously been inaccessible to anglers. IFS would like to acknowledge the owners and managers of the Rannoch Park property for making this possible. A new version of the Macquarie and Lake River brochure (which also includes new contact details for a property on the western bank) is now available at www.ifs. tas.gov.au FOOTBRIDGE INSTALLED AT LAMBERTS DAM To improve safety and access for anglers at Lamberts Dam at Railton the IFS has installed a new steel footbridge across the spillway. The new bridge provides easy access for anglers to

cross the spillway and access the dam wall and western shore of the dam. IFS would like to thank Equity Labour Services (ELS) for the construction and installation and Paul Lambert for providing public access to the dam for anglers. RIVER ELECTROFISHING SURVEY 2014 Last year, 2013, the IFS investigated the status of brown trout populations of the state’s rivers. A report on that survey is available on this website. As part of ongoing monitoring of the status of stocks the survey was replicated during the last week of February and first week of March this year. All rivers that were surveyed last year were repeated and a few additional rivers have been added. The Mersey, Meander, Tyenna, Gawler, Dasher, Rubicon, Minnow, Leven, Coal, Clyde, Russell, Nile, St Patricks rivers and Forth Falls and Seven Time creeks were all surveyed. Conditions for the survey were very good for electrofishing with low flows ensuring that good efficiency of capture. Initial indications are that the numbers of fish

had improved from last year’s survey and that size classes absent last year due to cormorant predation were now present. A report on the survey will be available on the IFS website by May 2014.

installed navigation lights at 30 of the state’s most popular fishing spots, managed by Hydro Tasmania. “Anglers had expressed concern about the lack of navigational aids on inland waters as the light fades

One of the new navigation lights installed by the HT, MAST and IFS joint project at Arthurs Lake. LIGHTING THE WAY FOR SAFETY ON THE WATER Hydro Tasmania, Marine and Safety Tasmania (MAST) and the Inland Fisheries Service (IFS) have joined forces to improve safety on the water for anglers. The three organisations have

during the evening,” said Hydro Tasmania’s Michael Bidwell. “Working with MAST and the IFS, we have installed solar-operated lights at boat ramps in remote fishing locations. The lights have a range of 5 nautical miles in clear conditions.” Marine and Safety

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Tasmania (MAST) said the project, managed by the Inland Fisheries Service, will greatly enhance safety on many inland lakes. “Many of the installation locations are in areas with little or no other landmarks, features or lights from shacks or roads to help with navigation,” said MAST’s Peter Hopkins. “These lights will help ensure the safety of those returning after dark by providing light near the boat ramp.” The project was funded by equal contributions from Hydro Tasmania and Marine and Safety Tasmania. Mr Bidwell said the project is part of a joint effort by Hydro Tasmania, MAST and the IFS to continually improve boating infrastructure on inland lakes. “Work will begin soon on a new double lane ramp and pontoon at Bradys Lake. This will complement work undertaken late in 2013 with the installation of a pontoon at Swan Bay on Great Lake and at the Dam Wall on Arthurs Lake.” A full list of new navigational light locations and grid references is available at www.ifs.tas.gov. au. Lights will be installed at three additional locations at a

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later date – Bradys Lake, Lake Rowallan and Lake Crescent. TROUT WEEKEND AT LIAWENEE The Trout Weekend at Liawenee will be held on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 May 2014 at 10am – 3pm daily. Entry is free and there is something for the whole family; it’s not just for anglers! • Celebrate the 150th anniversary of the introduction of trout to Tasmania • Watch wild trout being stripped of eggs for the IFS hatchery • Kids can try their luck at the fishout pond and maybe catch a trout for dinner! • Pick up some tips and ideas at the trout cooking and fish smoking demonstrations • Discover the wonders of our native freshwater species • Take a helicopter ride and get a bird’s eye view of the Central Plateau and Great Lake • Enjoy refreshments, competitions and giveaways • Learn about fisheries management • Talk with trout fishing experts and practice your casting skills • Discuss (and dream about!) boats and fishing equipment at the trade exhibits. See www.ifs.tas.gov.au for more details.

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MAY 2014

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FISHWRECK APPAREL

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

GORILLA METALS NEW COLOUR

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

SAMURAI KESTREL

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

MAY 2014

GOOD ENOUGH FOR BEAR

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

DAIICHI CIRCLE HOOKS

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

VAN STAAL SPIN REELS

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

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

What’s new fishing Powered by

7 7

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

AQUATIC BOOT

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

WFT ELECTRA REELS

OKUMA SIGNATURE

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

THUNDER BARRA DEEP

ULTIMATE FISHING

STELLA FI

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

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

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

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

MAY 2014

What’s new fishing Powered by

VORTEX SPINNERBAITS

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

PRECISION PAK 13

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

CUTTING EDGE COLOURS

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

MAY 2014

FISHPOND NOMAD NETS

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

DAIWA CALDIA 14

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

SALTIST HYPER

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

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

What’s new fishing Powered by

NEW ORCA SIZES

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

SAMAKI VIBELICIOUS

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

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

TRAVELMATE 60

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MAY 2014

Wimmera fires up! HORSHAM

Trevor Holmes

Cooler water temperatures combined with the back of summer being broken has seen most of the Wimmera waterways produce some great catches of late. The trout continue to dominate the reports but some great redfin action is available for those willing to venture out and target what I regard as the best eating freshwater fish available. Larger female redfin school up and start to hunt and feed freely, but you still have to do your homework as to the best times and conditions. With the onset of autumn we can expect to see trout becoming more aggressive towards lures as the natural hatches decline and the abundance of food sources like mudeyes and insects wane. The trout have been very consistent on a rising barometer and in my opinion a reading of 1015 is the trigger point for these beaut fish to feed. Don’t get me wrong here, fish will still be taken on lower readings, but to have them in the mood to

The browns are providing highlights for a lot of anglers on charter. feed and be at their best, a higher reading is desired. In the cooler times don’t be scared to venture to the shallow water and on the clearer days look for big fish sunning in the shallows. Lately, thanks to Spotters and Jason Portelli, I received a some of the Penetrator Spotters and believe me the amount of fish I’m now seeing in deeper water has increased dramatically. Quality polarising glasses are a must to spot fish as well as giving you the UV protection required and give you a shield

against high speed lures that un-snag and flick back at you! TOOLONDO Some trophy fish are showing up here and the action has been thick and fast the last few weeks. The best fish I have seen caught was a hen brown by Ray Doolan from Geelong on a Fishooka Dragonfly Vibe. Many fish have been caught and released on my charter boat over 3kg and we have also taken several trophies to keep the taxidermists busy! Some very fat and aggressive rainbows are also

Fat and fighting fit. Who doesn’t want to catch trout like this?

DAM LEVELS Lake/Dam % Full

Dam % Full

LAKE/DAM Jan Feb Mar Cairn Curran 73 67 62 Dartmouth 91 91 89 Eildon 78 73 68 Eppalock 81 75 74 Fyans 68 68 60 Greens 56 52 45 Hepburn 75 59 55 Hume 53 50 36 Lauriston 89 86 86 Malmsbury 47 38 36 Mulwala (Yarrawonga) 93 93 96

Newlyn 80 65 53 Nillahcootie 84 73 68 Rocklands 38 38 24 Taylors 72 72 42 Tullaroop 61 59 51 Upper Coliban 97 89 67 Waranga 44 48 19 Wartook 73 70 48 William Hovell 85 70 60

MAY 2014

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

Cracking Toolondo browns like this are still available and hopefully we’ll see some rain to help stabilise the water in this sensational waterway. turning up in the catches late in March and I believe this is the onset of the spawn for these big girls as the aerial displays of late have been awesome. Redfin to 1kg are also being caught but it’s a matter of locating them and sticking with the school to produce numbers. Trout lures to do well have been the Fishooka Dragonfly Vibe, Strike Pro Bob n Spoon, Diawa Double Clutch and Tassie Devil Holographic. Bait fishing has been very slow and trolling virtually impossible due to weed – both floating and emergent – as water level continues to drop and expose more beds. Flyfishers are also finding it tough going in these conditions, but the adventurous ones continue to take a few fish. ROCKLANDS The redfin have finally decided to come out and play in the last few weeks and many anglers have enjoyed great success on these tasty critters. Although they are spread far and wide, once a school is located there have been good numbers produced and I know of a few coming over the 1.5kg mark, which are great fish. The average size is around 900g and I regard these as the best eating fish, sweet and very tasty. StumpJumpers, once again, are the preferred choice of lure but many of the hardbodies such as Daiwa Double Clutch and Presso Minnow have done well too. Plastics like Fish Arrows, Squidgys and Damiki Grubs work well too when flicked into the schools. TAYLORS LAKE Taylors hasn’t lived up to its reputation this year despite being topped up and primed for fishing. Some goldens and carp have been taken as well as a few redfin but the clarity isn’t there and visibility of lures is virtually non-existent. Bait has been the saviour here with common worms and

scrubworms both taking fish on a running sinker rig on the bottom. Live yabbies have also produced a few fish but the angling hasn’t been great. GREEN LAKE Green has been the better of the two highway lakes and some fantastic catches of redfin have been taken in the last few weeks as the water cools. Ski boat numbers have declined and the fish have come on. Pretty much all rattling lures and vibes have produced on the troll, as well as drifting gudgeon and yabbies with the wind. WIMMERA RIVER The river now is giving up a few gems that it is renowned for and my mate Ken Carman and nephew Jarryd had a great session there just recently taking silvers, goldens, catfish and a few redfin on scrubworms and yabbies. The goldens were averaging 1kg and the catfish slightly smaller. The boys also spent a few hours on Toolondo the previous day for a beaut brown of 3kg. WARTOOK AND LAKE BOLAC Wartook remains closed after the fires and Bolac has produced very few chances for constructive angling. Nevertheless, some nice rainbows to 2kg have been taken from the bank near the

rowing shed on Powerbait and locally caught minnow. LAKE BELLFIELD Bellfield, although still slightly discoloured, continues to produce some great action on cast and retrieve methods using hardbody lures and plastics. The Chinook have thrived in these conditions and provide a fantastic fight for their size. Redfin are also in plague numbers up near the wall and edges around the trees. LAKE FYANS Fyans has been the sleeping giant of the Wimmera for some time now and seems to be making a great comeback through careful water management and stocking. Rainbows and redfin dominate the catches here but the odd brown is being taken as well. Bait anglers are doing best on the redfin using live gudgeon and slow trolled lures, which will see you connected to both trout species. Fyans is definitely worth a bit of your time. GET HERE The fishing will only improve over the coming months as the water cools further and the fish get ready to spawn. They will get more aggressive and this means they’ll attack more offerings. So get into the western district in the next few months as it will be well worth your time.

The rainbows are starting to colour up for their prespawn and they are starting to get very aggressive.

Cod comes to the front MILDURA

John Menhennett goobyfish@hotmail.com

Grab your jumpers and beanies as we head into the cooler parts of the year, which is also a magical time for big cod anglers. So far, the Murray River around Mildura is low, signifying yet another change in nature’s course leading into winter. Water clarity has been ok but a flush of clear water helped things out a bit late last month. Up until this point some good sized Murray cod have been caught but they have been few and far between. Most of these have been caught early in the morning or late afternoon and usually when barometric pressure has been at its highest point. Cod have also been most active

when the barometric pressure has fluctuated in rapid spikes. A lot of smaller cod of 70-80cm have been caught lately on lures around Mildura; they are coming as a result of targeting larger fish using much larger lures. Spots for successful fishing have varied recently, but Wentworth has been a great area to troll and cast for both cod and golden perch over the past month producing some pleasing results. Nice sized golden perchare being caught in good numbers, some in excess of 50cm. Anglers are still reporting catches of golden perch everywhere from Hattah to Lake Cullulleraine, which is pleasing considering the colder weather has settled in. Catfish seem to have slowed down with the cooler weather and rising flood waters compared to what they

were a month or so ago. Of course, carp are still being caught in their hundreds all around Mildura and Wentworth. There have been a couple catch-a-carp style competitions around Mildura of late, which is great for the river health and community in general. Recent catches of Murray cod have been caught mostly on the 120mm Koolabung Codzillas and range of Muldoon lures. These ‘fishy’ lures are considered the ultimate cod fishing tool and they have picked up a lot of the larger golden perch as well. Trolling these larger lures in 6-7m of water has been a very successful tactic of late. Time on the water has also been the key with keen anglers putting in 10-13 hour days but with good results. River levels should continue to be steady over

Brad Congress with a Murray cod caught on a lure in the Murray River. Fish like this are quite common at this time of year around Mildura. the next month or so, which will make fishing conditions enjoyable. Golden perch activity will usually drop-off at this time of year and trolling techniques employed throughout the summer will now need to be adapted to suit the cooler conditions

when Murray cod begin to dwell in the shallows. This is where casting into snags and rock piles comes into a world of its own. As the cooler weather rolls in, the days become shorter leaving a smaller window for the opportunity

to catch that fish of a lifetime. Murray cod definitely become more active in the cooler weather and water temperatures which ultimately make casting large hardbody lures and spinnerbaits a whole lot more exciting and challenging.

No gain with no rain this May CRATER LAKES

Rod Shepherd

Thanks to a series of thunderstorms followed by a sou’westerly blow, welcomed rainfall was finally felt in mid March in the South West. This is the first serious rain event for the year and hopefully not the last, so bring it on! The scientific boffins are hinting at another El Nino event on the horizon and if that turns out to be the case we can expect lower than average rainfall, which could spell disaster next season! Currently, besides our crater lakes of Purrumbete and Bullen Merri, all other sweet water lakes and rivers have been in dire straits. Extremely low levels, poor quality and overly warm water with low levels of dissolved oxygen has spelled near disaster for our stocked salmonoids. At the very least they have been very hard to locate let alone catch of late. Nevertheless, they say that with every great loss there is some small gain that has come in the form of redfin. Low levels and warm water is like water off a duck’s back to reddies. When the trout refuse to play the game at least the distinct possibility of bringing home a feed of redfin is nearly always on the cards. Two hot spots for redfin have been Lake Gillear near Allansford and Lake Aringa near Port Fairy.

Lake Gillear has seen some outstanding captures of late with many specimens exceeding 1kg. The successful methods have been casting a variety of lures, including small spinners that the redfin seem to adore. Fishing baits such as mudeye suspended under a float has also worked. Brown trout are released here on a yearly basis and the fish average around 1kg. Further west, just north of Port Fairy, lies Lake Aringa; a smallish yet picturesque lake that once was a working reservoir supplying the local community with drinking water. Averaging around 4m in depth this lake is stocked annually with trout but it’s the redfin population that keeps anglers occupied on a year round basis. Deep diving minnow lures trolled or cast has been successful, plus the fact that one might pick up a trout into the bargain. At Lake Elingamite the water levels are presently too low to safely launch any water-borne craft including kayaks. The mud here is deep and is akin to quicksand. One slip trying to launch a canoe or kayak could spell disaster. Lake Tooliorook is very low; the water quality is poor and choked with weed. Unfortunately besides the odd skinny rainbow trout there is not much else on offer. Tooliorook, as well as nearby Deep Lake, require plenty of that wet stuff that falls from the sky to bring the fishing back to its norm. The chinook salmon releases from last year into lakes Purrumbete, Bullen Merri and Elingamite are all doing well. If anglers remember to leave some

swimming, they can really stack on the pounds that would be beneficial to all sometime down the track. No brown trout have been stocked at Lake Purrumbete for the last two seasons so as to lessen the predation on the then newly released chinooks. In saying that, quite a few to 2.5kg are still being caught by either trolling lures or mudeyes behind a paravane. Suspending mudeye under a float first thing in the

morning up close to the weed beds is also working. Plenty of redfin are also about and schools can be easily located by just watching the depth sounder. Many reddies are small but quite a few to 600g have been boated. The cooler weather is now upon us and if it is accompanied by plenty of rainfall the freshwater fishing scene should quickly improve.

Two average Aringa redfin taken trolling deep diving minnow lures.

FISHING FILL-ITS

$280,000 safety boost for Sandringham Recreational boating in the Sandringham district will receive nearly $280,000 through the 2013-14 round of the Victorian Coalition Government’s Boating Safety and Facilities Program, Minister for Ports David Hodgett announced today. Visiting Black Rock with Member for Sandringham Murray Thompson, Mr Hodgett said the funding includes a $276,000 grant to Bayside City Council for the full renewal of the Half Moon Bay boat ramp. “The Half Moon Bay boat ramp is an important piece of infrastructure for recreational boating and fishing in the Black Rock area and I’m pleased that anglers will benefit from the extensive works, which will improve safety at this facility,” Mr Hodgett said. “The renewal will see the boat ramp transformed into a high-quality facility

with features that ensure it can be better used in a range of tidal conditions. “Projects like these enable safer access to Victoria’s waterways, which is a key priority for the Victorian Coalition Government.” Mr Thompson said the funding from the Boating Safety and Facilities Program was fantastic news for recreational anglers and Port Phillip boat enthusiasts. “In addition to the substantial investment in the Half Moon Bay boat ramp renewal, the Sandringham Coast Guard will also receive over $3,000 through the Boating Safety and Facilities Program this year,” Mr Thompson said. “The funds will be used to replace their high frequency radio equipment, enabling vessels to safely communicate with the base station when on duty. “Funding programs like the Boating Safety and Facilities Program

enable local groups and communities to get vital facility upgrades and safety initiatives underway.” Minister for Ports David Hodgett said the latest round of funding from the Boating Safety Facilities Program adds to the significant investment made over the last few years to improve recreational boating infrastructure in Victoria. “In total over the last few years, the Coalition Government has spent over $30 million on improving Victoria’s boating infrastructure, from critical repair works to large-scale improvement projects,” Mr Hodgett said. “Recreational boating is a popular pastime for many Victorians, and the Boating Safety Facilities Program is one of many Victorian Coalition Government initiatives that demonstrate our commitment to ensuring people have safe access to our waterways.” The Boating Safety Facilities Program is funded

through a portion of recreational boat operator licensing fees and vessel registration fees, providing money for grants and state wide initiatives. The aim of the program is to make recreational boating safer and more accessible for all Victorians. Types of projects the Boating Safety Facilities Program could fund include: • boating facilities such as jetties and boat ramps; • navigation aids and signage; • new search and rescue vessels; • equipment and training for recognised search and rescue groups; • boating safety and education programs; and • marine communications. For more information about the program, contact the Grants Administration Team on 1800 337 222, email boating.grants@ dtpli.vic.gov.au or visit www.dtpli.vic.gov.au/bsfp – Hon David Hodgett MP MAY 2014

530 million reasons to wine ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

Have you ever wondered on the many things that influence cod fishing? A billion and one variables that can be traced and blamed on specific things, some as far removed as one could imagine. Take for instance wine. Other than to blur one’s vision, making it hard to thread a hook or tie a lure, you might wonder what impact wine could have on catching a Murray cod. Here’s how: there’s an average consumption of 530 million litres a year it takes a lot of squashed grapes to concoct this awful brew. These grapes need water, and irrigation demands generally determined river flow and this in turn affects water clarity. Once the harvest season is over and things start to cool, the demand for irrigation drops away and the river falls to a more regular level where it has time to settle and clear. Once this happens, anglers can

once again confidently target cod on lures. So there you have it, you can add wine to the long list of reasons of why cod are so damned hard to catch during the warmer months of the irrigation season. With harvest done and the stench of fermenting grapes thick in the air, the Murray is clearing fast. The water temperature has dropped away and a few good fish are starting to show on lures. Shrimp numbers are beginning to thin out, making it harder for our native fish to forage an easy meal. The early morning fog and flickering bony bream are other signs that the green machine that is Murray cod is about to hit overdrive. April is always a great month of fishing where multiple big cod captures stir the imagination and draw anglers from far afield. Trolling big lures in the pool water is the most popular method and is often productive. Don’t be in a hurry though as it’s not an easy game. On some days a single strike might be all the reward for the effort you

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put in, and if it sticks you could be holding that catch of a lifetime. On other days several strikes and as many fish blur these quieter times and see you eager to leave the swag in the early morning chill. Good numbers of golden perch have been caught on bait in the clearing waters, with shrimp and small yabbies working best. Wemen on the Murray has been fishing well, as has the pool water at Robinvale. Good numbers of small cod have been caught at both locations on bait, which is a good sign for the future. Below the weir at Euston

anglers are catching a few cod on bait and lures. No monsters yet; the best of these have been a little over 80cm. Good numbers of perch are also biting below the weir and further downstream on shrimp and small hardbodied lures and spinnerbaits. As the river continues to clear, the fishing should only get better over the coming month. With the bardies still hatching, anglers fishing surface lures are still snagging a few cod. Surface fishing is possibly the most exhilarating way to target these fish. With good clarity some

John Erikson with a healthy golden perch trolled in the Murray River near Wemen on a 120 Codzilla. cool weather and less bait in the water anglers can expect some excellent fishing action

Temps drop, size increases BENDIGO

Roger Miles codhuntertours@bigpond.com

May produces many changes to our local waterways; the most important of these is the significant decline in water temperatures. Even though anglers’ catch rates will often reduce, this time of the year is often the most productive when trying to catch a large fish whether it’s a Murray cod, golden perch or redfin. LAKE EPPALOCK The fishing in Lake Eppalock has been spasmodic lately. Water clarity remains good however water levels continue on a slow decline. Reasonable numbers of golden perch have been caught on the good days. The majority of these have been caught by anglers casting lipless crankbaits and spinnerbaits around the shoreline and to the edges of timber. Golden perch have also been caught by anglers using bait fishing with worms and small yabbies around the standing timber. Small numbers of golden perch have also been caught by anglers trolling around the edges of the lake with small hardbody lures.

The most productive depth range has been between 3-4m of water, but in May we should start to see the golden perch move deeper. Early in the month golden perch should still be caught in similar depths as they are currently, but by the end water temperatures will be dropping quickly and as the cold water goes deeper the golden perch will also move deeper. The redfin fishing has been disappointing for the majority of anglers. Quality schools of redfin are proving difficult to locate at the present time. For those anglers who have been skilful enough to locate good schools, depths of greater than 10m have been the most productive. Trolling deep diving hardbody lures and casting soft plastics have been the most productive method. Redfin are also being caught in shallower water, however the majority of these are small in size. The productivity of the redfin fishing in Lake Eppalock will more than likely stay low during May. Hopefully as the water cools we may see greater numbers of redfin schooling up. CAMPASPE RIVER The productivity in the fishing in the Campaspe River has been up and down like a yo-yo. Water levels and flow rates have varied lately due to different release rates from Lake Eppalock. When there are higher flows being released water clarity has deteriorated and the productivity in the

fishing has reduced. In that period with lower flows the water clarity has improved and the productivity in the fishing has been good. Murray cod over 80cm have been caught in the Campaspe River. The majority of the Murray cod have been caught by anglers walking the banks and fishing the shallower sections of the river. The numbers of golden perch being caught has been reasonable with the best results being produced by those anglers fishing the deeper sections of the river at Elmore and Rochester. The productivity of the fishing should be good early in May, but by the end of the month the fishing will become increasingly slower. CAIRN CURRAN The fishing in Cairn Curran remains good. Redfin continue to make up the majority of anglers’ catch rates. Trolling deep diving hardbody lures has been the most productive method. If a good school is located, anglers jigging ice jigs and casting soft plastics are catching decent numbers. There continues to be small numbers of golden perch being caught. The majority of the golden perch have been caught by anglers trolling small and medium profile lures in the depth range of around 5m. Anglers bait fishing around standing timber are also catching small

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at most locations along the Murray River over the next few months. Let the show begin.

Zac Jury caught this golden perch at the Loddon River while on a tour with Cod Hunter Fishing Tours. The golden perch was caught on a Custom Crafted Hammerhead.

numbers of golden perch and some quality redfin. We should hopefully start to see an increased amount of anglers targeting the trout population in Cairn Curran during this month. So far since Cairn Curran filled in 2011, the trout fishing has been disappointing. We should see a significant improvement in the trout fishing in Cairn Curran over the next few months. LODDON RIVER The fishing continues to be good in the Loddon River. The trend of the majority of Murray cod caught in the shallower sections of the Loddon River continues. Cod measuring up to 85cm have been caught in these shallower sections lately and are being caught on a wide variety of lures. Spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits and hardbody lures have all been productive. Reasonable numbers of Murray cod continue to be caught in the river on surface lures. The productivity of the surface lure fishing will decline significantly during May as water temperatures start to decrease. However if you are lucky enough to be fishing at night after a bardi moth has hatched then the fishing can be fantastic. These bardi moth hatches will occur after your first couple of heavy rainfall events during late April and early May. The fishing in the deep water at Bridgwater has been average with golden perch making up the majority of anglers catch rates with the occasional Murray cod being caught in this section. This section of the river is feeling the effects of a large amount of fishing pressure of the season so far. As the water temperatures cool the productivity of the native fishing will get tougher. There is typically a couple of quality Murray cod which do get caught in the deeper water most seasons during the month of May.

Baiter’s bonus from weather SHEPPARTON

Nick Brown teamriverrats@hotmail.com

It was 32ºC in early April, which is something I haven’t experienced in a long time. It’s going to be so difficult to predict the weather this month! If the daily temperatures stay higher than normal it might keep the waters warmer and the shrimp/yabby activity high, which is good news for bait fishos. Bait has been most successful over the summer and spring months, but this will change in May and June. The bigger sized lures will now be on the ends of a lot more rods as we all now shift our focus to big fish. The cooler months are normally the time of year where we see the big fish come out and play, there have been many reports over the years with metre-plus fish being caught as close as 150m from the local ramp. When targeting the bigger fish I tend to stick to lures with a full wire connecting the tow point to the hooks. Because there would be nothing worse than watching a fish of a lifetime swim

away and all you’re left with is a bib. The surface action has still been hot in the Goulburn and Broken rivers and there has been a lot of hype about using the Muldoon surface lure. It’s Andrew at Trelly’s Tackleworld favourite top water lure and if you have seen his Facebook page it’s full of fish from the surface. These lures sell out very quick so make sure you get your hands on a few next time you’re in a tackle shop. The Broken River along Broken River Drive has been more productive lately and it may have something to do with less lures being thrown in this area. The banks are not as easy to walk as upstream but the fishing is just as good if not better. SHEPPARTON LAKE I don’t know if the local council read my article but a month after I had a go at the lake’s overgrown weed problem it was gone. This excites me as now everyone can access the fish at the lake and, with hundreds of golden perch released lately, we all should be able to get a fish on the end of our lines. As I always say please try a release as many as you can in the lake or we will see

a carbon copy of the Kialla Lakes system, which is no fish left. If you do fish the lake and are looking for a feed of fish I would suggest a short walk down to the fish and chip shop down Macintosh Street as it will taste much better and there will be plenty of fish for the younger generation of fishos. For those fishing bait you will now need to go with light sinkers and give your bait plenty of chance to waft around in the water to look more life-like. For those casting lures I would suggest the small Bassman Yellaman Spinnerbaits or if using hardbodies the shallow running Mac’s Maulers or the 10ft bibbed Codger. But as the lake is reasonably shallow I like to hold the rod a bit higher than usual just to keep the lures from dragging on the bottom. WARANGA BASIN You don’t normally head out to the basin with cod gear but we might have to rethink that theory. Over the past month I have seen half a dozen photos of cod that were caught while chasing redfin in the basin. I had always heard the odd ‘old wives tale’ about cod in the basin but after seeing the photos there

seems to be a basis of fact. I hope this is something we see more of; I would love nothing more than chasing redfin on light gear and catching cod as well. On the redfin side of things it’s now the time where I have had most success chasing bigger reds. A good friend of mine put me onto the drop bear coloured Squidgy Wriggler and it out-fishes most plastics and even catches more fish than a Jackall. When using the plastics it’s all about getting used to the feelings through the rod, having good contact with plastic is important as you can quickly miss a bite if you let the line go slack for too long. I don’t use the flashy complicated retrieves I like a basic slow retrieve with a pause every 3 or 4 seconds, I find a lot of fish will follow the plastic and as soon as you start to retrieve after your pause, BANG you’re on! LOCAL CHANNELS It’s about the time of year where most local channels seem to drop in level, but this doesn’t mean the fishing drops off. Driving around the area you can still find some deep pools that almost

Tyrone Hodge with a solid cod caught from Waranga Basin. always hold good numbers of fish. Small plastics or lipless crankbaits will work well in these lower channels and, like always, if you fish the structure you increase the chances of fish. With the channels down, it also gives you a chance to see your favourite spots from a different view, I know it’s hard but if you can keep a mental picture and store it for months down the track it will give you a huge advantage when the channels are full. TAG ALONG TOURS In late March a group of 6 locals travelled up the Murray River for a weekend of fishing. Rod Mackenzie and Gus Storer tagged along for the trip and what a trip it was!

There were 6 fish caught for the weekend with 4 being around the 80cm mark and 2 over the 1m mark. Brad Clark got a 120cm monster and Tim Polis smashed Brad’s fish landing a 136cm giant cod. These Tag Along Tours are a once in a lifetime experience and I would suggest to anyone to book one in. As soon as I get the chance I will be doing one myself. It’s more than just fishing for massive cod, it’s fishing for really big cod! Rod and Gus will also teach you everything from knots to retrieving techniques. Look up Tag Along Tours on Facebook and get in quick as I am sure they will book out very quick after seeing the success of the Shepparton boys.

The disappearing rainbow trout conspiracy JINDABYNE

Steve Williamson swtrout@airlan.com.au

While I do not believe that there has been a serious decline in rainbow trout numbers in Lake Jindabyne over recent years, there is actually another theory that might just bite the bum of the same people that are complaining now. The same people that have pushed to have certain changes to rules and regulations in the past. Let’s look at a couple of facts first: 1. Last year’s brown trout spawning run on the Eucumbene River in particular was massive. Anglers fishing during May before the June closure reported record catches of brown trout, some in excess of 10lb. 2. The shore-based angling for brown trout both on Lake Eucumbene and Lake Jindabyne over the last two winter seasons was the best reported for many years. So we can agree on that? Here are a few more facts to consider: Unless they are ‘tagged’ research fish, no brown trout are stocked into either system. No brown trout

are stocked into either lakes Jindabyne or Eucumbene, nor the tributary rivers, the Thredbo River and Eucumbene River! Therefore, the brown trout are selfsustaining in those systems and have been as far as I can remember. When the NSW Government had a lot more money to employ researchers and scientists, there were many studies done into the trout in the Snowy Mountains lakes. Richard Tilzey and Bob Faragher are two Fisheries researchers’ names legendary to the region. Many years ago when I started trout fishing the Eucumbene River, spawning closure occurred at the end of June each year. Those days you were allowed to keep 5 fish per day per angler from rivers. Why? Because research had found that although there was no stocking of brown trout into the system, brown trout were ‘dominating’ the waterway, preying on the less territorial and aggressive rainbow trout, thus there was seen to be a decline in rainbow trout numbers and it was ‘necessary’ to leave the river open longer to see if fishing would have an effect on reduction of the numbers of brown trout. Wow! (Tilzey. R 1970)

Sometime in the 1980s the rule on fishing to the end of June was changed to come in line with other waterways so as to stop confusion. In about 2000, the Snowy Mountains Lakes Management committee was set up by Fisheries to look at the system and give advice on management issues for the future. I have been on that committee since its inception. In 2001 when the then Fisheries Minister, Eddie Obied, announced the Snowy Lakes Management Strategy there were a few changes that did not go down well with anglers. One of those changes was the new rule being that only 1 fish over 50cm to be taken from the Thredbo and Eucumbene rivers from 1 May until the annual closure in June each year. This rule that was vigorously argued against by myself and both Fisheries researcher Bob Faragher and Gaden Trout Hatchery Manager Sam Crocker. This rule change was tabled by well know fly angler, activist and Canberra Times journalist John Turnbull, to have the fishing season closed totally from May each year. This was a personal pursuit by John for at least 10 years prior to close the rivers earlier. The outcome of the 1 fish over 50cm rule from the first

of May was a compromise to John Turnbull’s request. It was mostly agreed that this change was based on an emotional/ moral vote only. For whatever reason, John had an issue with the closure, I am not sure but it was certainly not based on science or research. There was also no evidence of the brown trout being threatened in any way and research had shown that the lakes as a brown trout fishery were still in very good shape. In an article written by Canberra Tackle Store owner and fishing journalist, Dr Bryan Pratt, for NSW Fishing Monthly in June 2001, A win for the critics (talking about the 1 fish over 50cm rule change for May each year), Dr Bryan Pratt stated, “If you have ever worked in government bureaucracy, you will be well aware that there are times when you make a decision that isn’t based on logic, scientific evidence or even public good.” Bryan went on to say, “While you admire the sentiment of some people, scientific support for their approach is sadly lacking. These rule changes are more about satisfying a vocal few rather than correct fisheries management. “Unfortunately these last minute changes to the rules implemented by NSW

Fisheries, are following pressure from some vociferous but probably not well-informed anglers.” So the truth of the matter is that changing closure times to protect the trout does not have anything to do with the success of a trout’s spawning run and the rumoured decline in numbers of rainbow trout, is more about the possible increase in brown trout numbers rather than about a decrease in rainbow trout numbers. The only way that we can possibly increase the catch rate of rainbow trout is either to again cull the numbers of brown trout or, better still, increase the numbers of rainbow trout that are stocked annually. So let me repeat what I said earlier: NO brown trout are stocked into either lakes or their spawning tributaries! Brown trout fishing is the best it has been for many years, since before the drought years. The brown trout are in spectacular condition and after this summer will be even bigger. If the research of the late 1970s and 1980s is correct as suggested, then if you do believe that rainbow trout numbers are declining, it could be either due to predication by brown trout, or maybe a little damage by cormorants. So, if you believe there

is a decline in rainbow trout numbers, it may be prudent to open the season up longer and ‘cull’ the browns (now won’t that start a bit of controversy amongst the activists). Or the simple answers might just be that the rainbows are now feeding deeper in the lakes on such things like daphnia. Maybe we just solve the problem by stocking more rainbow trout? But whatever the reason, it is my belief that decisions made by ‘committees’ that change rules just because of personal and emotional reasons – reasons that have no research or scientific studies done, these decisions must be halted now! No science behind changes – no decisions should be made. With that in mind, while I think that we are wasting money, if NSW Fisheries has to bring over Dr Michel Dedual from New Zealand’s Department of Conservation, who has been studying similar issues at Lake Taupo, for advice, then so be it. If it shuts up the critics at present that have so far only managed to seriously damage an already suffering, $70 million tourism industry in the Snowy Mountains, then great. MAY 2014

Time to evaluate your style MOAMA

Ian Page

With the cooler weather starting to set in, it is a good time to evaluate our techniques to get the best results for the time we spend fishing. A lot of our keen anglers like to try up in The Narrows, the area around Picnic Point. This area is known as a breeding ground for cod with its abundance of timber and fast running water. It is suited to casting lures and bait fishing; best baits are scrubies, yabbies and grubs. You will lose some gear but this is where the fish are! Moving downstream,

the area near Barmah and the steep banks near Circular Bend provide good water for golden perch, either trolling or angling. The area between Cape Horn and the Goulburn mouth can be good with many fallen trees giving habitat to cod. The Goulburn, up to Stewarts Bridge, can give up some great fish provided they are not regulating water levels, which can turn fish on and off like a light switch. I particularly like to flick lures in this area as it can be rather shallow at times with lots of structure and often flows slower, which are ideal conditions. Between the Goulburn and Echuca are some great

bank fishing spots with plenty of road access for those without a boat. If trolling just watch water levels as there are some sand bars when water levels are low. Downstream of Echuca are some of my favourite spots. Now that speed boats have hibernated, the water below the Five Mile boat ramp and to Wills Bend is excellent for trolling, flicking lures or angling with plenty of scope for all anglers. Below Deep Creek, the waterway is wider all the way to Torrumbarry and provides plenty of scope for all types of angling. In the deeper water, using big lures produces some big cod at this time of year.

The Gunbower Creek has been a little quiet of late with the odd golden perch and cod taken mainly by the bait fishers on scrubies and grubs. The Campaspe continues to be good this season with its gentle flow into larger holes. It is ideal to angle or flick lures and don’t forget your surface hoppers as they provide great sport. Still getting reports of redfin in the channels on yabbies and worms so there is plenty of scope for all anglers. • For the latest fishing and boating information in the Echuca/Moama region, drop into Boats and More’s Echuca store at 76 Northern Hwy or give them a call on (03) 5482 1992.

Adam Crawford caught this great cod near the Headworks on a bardi grub.

The stable weather brings on good fishing MELBOURNE METRO

Ian Debar iand@gottabite.com.au

This month it’s all about the trout! As we edge closer to the cold grip of winter in Melbourne it can only mean one thing for freshwater anglers – trout fishing! Speaking of trout, the Yarra River will be off limits soon enough so get out and start casting! If still water fishing is more your thing, Karkarook Park Lake has been fishing well for the little rainbows over the last few weeks. School holidays normally mean a top up for this waterway, which give kids, big and small, a chance to catch a few. Two main methods have been best here; suspending dough baits like Powerbait about 60cm up off the bottom by using a fine gauge treble, and the other is fishing maggots under a lightly weighted coarse float in conjunction with a berley trail. By mixing some aniseed oil or many of the pheromone scents on the market into your berley mix you will increase the strike

rate of fish in and around your trail. Rainbow trout to 400g have been taking a liking to both of these presentations in the lake lately. If you enjoy sitting along the bank with a few baits out to tempt a trout or two, Rowville Lakes has also been worth a stop. Rowville Lakes is made up of three individual lakes that connect via a drainage system, however the main lake is the most popular for fishing. Coarse angling methods like the one mentioned for Karkarook Park work very well on most of the species in the lake. Lately the roach and trout have been on the chew using baits, however the lure anglers won’t be too disappointed either. Small hardbodies such as Bullet Minnows are deadly in the lake, and there are enough colours in the range to imitate most food items for these trout. Devilsbend Reservoir will begin to hit its straps this month, and some lovely sized trout will start to feed up before winter. Land-based lure casting has been the most effective method here, as it allows you to cover a lot of water and put your presentation in front of a fair few fish. The average rainbow

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Jake Villani with a small lure caught trout from a local trickle. trout coming out of the lake would be close to 1kg at the moment, with some much larger browns being landed – fish to 5lb are common. For

these bigger browns, larger hardbodies around 70-90mm are a good option as they resemble a decent meal for the trout in preparation for

winter. Some of the better lure options for land-based casting are: Duel Hardcore Minnow 90F, Rapala X-Rap8 and Ecogear MW 72F.

Auravale Lake has still been producing redfin for bank anglers. The area around the canoe ramp has been the most popular, with deep water sloping away from the bank to the left of the ramp. Redfin to 30cm are a common catch on minnows, trout worms and also lures. Most anglers fish their baits on the bottom using a paternoster rig, which keeps the hook away from branches and rocks. Small soft plastics like Ecogear Grass Minnows are very effective, as they imitate the small minnows in the lake very effectively. • 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.

FISHING FILL-ITS

BIAV appoints new General Manager President of the Boating Industry Association of Victoria (BIAV), Paul Benjamin, today announced the appointment of Steven Potts as the new General Manager. Benjamin said the appointment was a great achievement for the BIAV. “We are very excited to have appointed Steven to the role, and look forward to working with him as we grow the BIAV and recreational use of our waterways,” Benjamin said.

“With a diverse background in industry organisations, including Nursery and Garden Industry Victoria, Australian Golf Course Superintendents Association, and the Ski & Snowboard Australia Association, Steven has great membership and event management experience. “More than 70 applicants applied for the role and Steven was a stand-out candidate from the start. “The caliber of candidates who applied was a wonderful recognition of the opportunity to drive

the BIAV and the boating industry forward.” Steven Potts said he was excited to begin the new role in mid-April. Being an avid boater from a young age and now at the helm of the BIAV adds another dimension to his knowledge of the boating industry in Victoria. “Having grown up on the Mornington Peninsula, and being a boat owner myself, I am passionate about all aspects of life on the water,” Potts said. “I look forward to meeting with all our members and learning from

their personal experience of the industry.” Paul Benjamin paid tribute to outgoing CEO Steven Gill and wished him well. “Steven Gill was a very good general manager and the BIAV wish him, and his family well in WA, to where they have returned,” Benjamin said. The BIAV represents the interests of more than 230 industry members in an industry which contributes more than $2 billion annually to the state’s economy. – BIAV

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Ticking all the boxes BALLARAT

Shane Stevens

Ballarat and district anglers are blessed to have the Lake Wendouree fishery at our back door, and a versatile fishery at that! All forms of angling methods work; any time of the day you can fish out of a boat, canoe or float tube off the shore or from one of the many jetties for a chance of catching a quality fish. The water level at Lake Wendouree is very good, unlike a lot of others waters around the district, so it ticks all the right boxes. Another bonus is that it is an all-year fishery, even in the cold winter months. Lake Wendouree recently held the Jim Thomas Two Fly competition with fly fishers from all over the state coming to fish Lake Wendouree over a two day period hosted by the Ballarat Fly Fishers Club. Fly anglers were allocated two flies to fish with during competition hours, if the angler was unlucky enough to lose his/her flies they were out of contention to win the trophy for the longest trout caught and released during the allocated fishing times. The fishing conditions for the weekend were not favourable for fly fishers with mainly bright blue skies and not much wind – not a good cocktail for angling in general on the lake due to its shallowness. However, 46 fly fishers stuck it out to catch and release 24 brown and rainbow trout ranging in

size from 37-53cm. David Bandy landed the longest trout for the weekend, a 53cm brown trout, and won the Jim Thomas Memorial Trophy for 2014. Tom Shaw, a very keen all-round angler who has also been fishing Lake Wendouree, has been catching some excellent redfin on hardbodied lures drifting across the lake and its weed beds. Tom said the best days were the overcast ones and to vary your lure colour and size. Don’t just stick to the one lure, if it doesn’t work try another. Other anglers have been working the main rowing channel trolling shallow diving lures.

As we move later into autumn we can only hope from a fly fisho’s point of view we get some mayfly hatches. If that doesn’t happen, the trout and redfin in the lake might turn their focus onto feeding on the masses of smelly small baitfish in the lake. Angling in the district has been very quiet in the past month but I’m sure as the weather has been cooling down the anglers will start to get fired up to wet a line. Our local waters, like the Moorabool Reservoir should produce some good day fishing for the anglers with hopefully some mayfly hatches for the fly fishers. For the bait

David Bandy winning fly fisherman of the 2014 Jim Thomas Memorial with Ballarat Fly Fishers Club President Chris Doody and Major sponsor Trevor Martin from Gavin Hurley’s Fly Fishing World. Photo courtesy of Chris Doody.

Tom Shaw with a Lake Wendouree redfin caught casting hardbodied lures while drifting from a boat. Photo courtesy of Tom Shaw. guys, mudeyes fished under a bubble float should do the trick for trout and casting some soft plastics should get the redfin fired up. At Newlyn Reservoir there have been a few reports drifting through on the angling grapevine that a few trout moving around the edges early morning and just on dark. The fly fishers have been catching one or two with one report of a 3kg brown trout being landed. Going on previous years around this time, the redfin also get very active with the north shore and west wall the best spots. Casting lures or soft plastics small baitfish imitations have been successful as well as a bunch of worms or a small yabby on a running sinker rig. Tullaroop Reservoir is a water to watch over the coming months during autumn and winter. Water levels are very good with a

Winning fly combination at Lake Wendouree in the Jim Thomas Memorial Shield. Photo courtesy of Chris Doody. healthy population of trout and redfin – we are in for some cracking fishing! The reservoir seems to have endless banks and bays you can walk along either casting lures, flies or just sitting in a quiet spot drowning a worm, mudeye or a yabby waiting for a trout feeding or redfin to come along.

Certainly a very exciting and once again frustrating but rewarding time. So fly anglers get your smelt patterns ready, lure casters get your small baitfish imitations, and walk the shores! But be ready as there is certainly some clunkers lurking around Tullaroop.

Trouting up a storm YARRA VALLEY

Ian Loft ringwood@compleatangler.com.au

With the weather turning ever so slowly the river remains in good enough condition to fish the entire length. The upper section has been fishing at its best for months and I have a feeling that it will remain this way until the trout

season closes. It was a medium to good season for grasshoppers and crickets this year and, considering there are still some about and the trout have been eating them for the last few months, I don’t think you’ll find a better bait for the fish. This late in the season the fish will take them whichever way you want to give them to them – on the bottom with a running sinker, floating down the runs

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MAY 2014

unweighted or, my favourite, fished upstream with a small split shot sinker 15cm up the line from a single hook with 2 hoppers fed onto it! This is a walking and casting method and to be successful, you’ll need to cover quite a bit of ground on foot. Other than that, spinning has been picking up its fair share of fish, as has flyfishing. Doons Reserve Caravan Park has reported that customers have seen some fantastic fishing of late with kids getting into the action catching trout on worms right in the park. The middle Yarra has been low for months now and only every now and then rising up with a little dump of rain. This has been great for the fishing as it also brings food, nutrients and oxygenated water down the river to the fish. The usual Carp-a-thon has been proving itself to be quite the event with all sorts getting

The upper section of the Yarra has been fishing at its best, which will hopefully remain this way until the trout season closes. down for both a feed and catch and kill session. Some of the big hauls have been made by people that are revisiting the good old course angling style of fishing and employing good quantities of berley directly into the spot with the use of a feed cage. Best carp baits have been corn, maggots, worms and Gulp dough. The native fish side of

things has been a little hit and miss for most of the keen anglers with some reporting catching nothing for several trips. This is likely to do with the water quality and river levels. So well done to the people that build golf courses for sucking the river dry every chance you get to keep all the ‘old boys’ fairways nice and lush. Thanks!

Get out there and catch some fish from the river just down the road before the water really starts falling from the sky and it all turns pear-shaped A link to the article in the Age: http://www. theage.com.au/victoria/ yarras-monster-cod-lureanglers-up-for-a-challenge20140220-333mu.html

Misery loves company EILDON

Andy McCarthy

I have spoken to dozens and dozens of quality anglers who have struggled this summer, and from my perspective I’m stoked because it wasn’t only me who sucked on Eildon over the last 4 months! Now that the irrigation has finally stopped I’m really counting on things to start to perform in at least some sort of consistency. I think we have pretty much seen the last of the golden perch until spring. Concerning the other native species, the mighty green fish, I think the bigger bangers

are poised to go on the move and start becoming more aggressive once we have a few frosts. Game on, after such a dismal summer! My recommendation for cod is go large, 150-200mm lures, in about 20-30’ of water. I run some big X-Raps or similar style lures generally used on pelagic species, which are also very deadly on big cod. The only really exciting thing I’ve seen lately is the amount of large brown trout on the surface feeding on the abundant bait schools, which still seem to be growing in quantity. As the water cools down and the trout stay higher in the water column, we could see some seriously large trout

taken this season. I will be fishing hard in the cold chasing the elusive 10lb fish in Eildon, and don’t worry there are plenty of them in there! There have been a few rainbows caught early, which is an enigma in itself for this time of year, as they have been very scarce over the last 3 years. Prior to that, the numbers of ‘bows were solid and I was lucky enough to catch some good fish from 2.5lb right up to 7lb. I will talk to the lads from Fisheries and see if they can put a finger on why this has happened but if you like downrigging this is going to be your year. PONDAGE The Pondage has been

Eildon pondage Murray cod caught by Michael Koumanidis. fishing surprisingly well. Solid fish captures up to 4lb are being reported on the rise of the water. Pink Tassies and

pink Wobblers are going gang busters and ole mate Powerbait won’t let you down. If you get onto any fish

and would like to send some pics join me on facebook and send me a PM and I will try and get you pics in.

Trout rise into anglers’ bags as Eildon cools Eildon has some true monster Murray cod, you don’t see them very often but they are there. If you target these bigger fish specifically with the largest spinnerbaits and divers you can get your hands on, you will significantly increase your chances. With the onset of winter, overall the fishing in Eildon can be pretty tough. However, there are still good trout to be caught for those willing to work for them.

BONNIE DOON

James Dainton

The cooler weather has well and truly kicked in. Plenty of trout will be starting to run up the top end of the lake to spawn. This is an excellent time to target the larger trout, although a lot of these fish are feeding themselves up for the spawning run so it might be best to return these fish to continue for the future. At this time of year, I always use larger minnows for trout in the process of feeding up for the spawning run; they will take larger presentations. Running a hot pink colour seems to work incredibly well on the big girls. An effective method for catching the big fish is to troll the entrances to the river arms up the top end of the lake. There is an abundance of lures to choose from. I’m quite bias towards the Balista Triggers, however the large Rapala minnows and Tassie Devils are also excellent choices.

For me, May is one last crack at a monster trout, and potentially a once a month visit for a big cod and then its biding my time watching my mighty blues in the AFL until spring rolls around again. • Our Balista range of lures feature LED technology and are designed specifically for natives. View the range at www.balista.com.au or join us at facebook.com/ balistalures.

Bandit The Balista Trigger in the brown trout pattern is ideal for chasing pre-spawn brown trout. One of the things I appreciate about this time of year is that you get plenty of fish on the flat line, especially first thing in the morning and late afternoons. During the day a spread of lead line and flat line will keep you in the zone to land good fish. The natives are well and truly shutting down to the

point where I find it’s not worth targeting them at this time of year. Nevertheless, there is always an exception in fishing – if the conditions are right (water clarity is good, preferably a high/rising barometer) you can target large Murray cod a couple of days either side of the full moon. And where possible try

to be on the water a couple of hours both sides of the moon rising and setting. One or two killer rock banks are all you will need for a session, peppering casts along the bank with spinnerbaits, large lipless crankbaits and big divers. Trolling these banks with large hardbodies is also well worthwhile.

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FISHING FILL-ITS

A celebration of fishing in culture Celebrating the role of fishing across different cultures is the focus of a documentary designed to encourage greater community awareness and understanding of cultural diversity. Fisheries Victoria Director Ross McGowan said Fishing for Culture was a documentary capturing stories about fishing and culture as told by eight people from diverse cultural backgrounds. “The documentary explores migration and family stories, cultural fishing

practices and why fishing is an important part of the participants’ culture and identity within an Australian context,” Mr McGowan said. Directed and produced by Amie Batalibasi, Fishing for Culture will premiere at The Sun Theatre in Yarraville in Melbourne’s west tonight. Set against the backdrop of urban fishing spots, Victoria’s rugged coastline, rivers and lakes, the documentary shows fishing as a common link between different cultures. “Audiences will gain insight into the worlds of those

from communities different to their own and have a chance to learn stories that they may otherwise not have heard,” Mr McGowan said. These stories are told by four individuals and one group from diverse backgrounds including people of Vietnamese, Turkish, Burmese, West Papuan and Indigenous Australian heritage. The documentary was made with $40,000 from the State Government’s $16 million Recreational Fishing Initiative and fishing licence fees. “Fishing for Culture captures stories about fishing

and its importance to many cultures. This is a great example of fishing licence fees at work,” Mr McGowan said. “It is important we celebrate that fishing brings many cultures together and use this opportunity to share our respective stories and experiences. “This way we can better understand the role fishing plays in the lives of others in our community and how best to manage this resource to ensure its sustainability for future generations.” – DEPI FISHERIES

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Trout on the up in the rivers KEIWA VALLEY

Robbie Alexander

The Kiewa Valley itself has been fishing quite well so far this autumn, so too has its neighbour, the Mitta Mitta River. They have both been producing trout in the upstream sections as well as Murray cod in their lower reaches. As we head into May both of these areas will become more and more hit and miss. The trout will be moving upstream to start getting ready for their spawning season, which usually starts around late May and the cod will be slowing down due to the colder water. As mentioned, the trout will be moving upstream to begin spawning during May. Brown trout spawn a couple of months earlier than rainbow trout, which usually start spawning around late July. During May, if you know any

bladed spinners are not working, try a minnow style lure such as a Rapala or Pontoon21, which the trout may see as a threat and attack out of anger. Expect a lot of follows at this time of the year too as the trout will

autumn is the Mt Beauty spillway where the water leaves the pondage. The little weir in the Snowy Creek in Mitta Mitta township is another great example of a man-made obstruction preventing fish migration that

bite! Last year Brenton Richardson fished the Kiewa heavily during May. He had several fishless sessions, and then one day in the middle of May he hit the jackpot catching 5 nice Murray cod including one that was over 70cm. The cod fishing in the Kiewa and Mitta Mitta rivers will be all about persistence during May, and also very dependent upon how much rain we get leading up to it.

Brenton Richardson with a magnificent Murray cod caught recently on a Codseeker surface lure in the lower reaches of the Kiewa River.

David Ryder with a nice rainbow trout caught in a tributary of the Kiewa River on a gold Super Vibrax bladed spinner.

A typically wide section of the Mitta Mitta River near Eskdale. It’s easy to see why this river is so popular with fly fishers.

Big cod prime time! YARRAWONGA

Tony Bennett codclassic@bigpond.com

Brenton Richardson with a beautiful Murray cod caught on a Bassman Spinnerbait in the Kiewa River. particular waterway that is dominated by rainbow trout, then that would be the spot to head to as rainbow trout fishing is more consistent during autumn. As the brown trout move upstream they can become very hit and miss. One day you can walk a river and catch nothing and the very next day that same river may really fire and you may catch a lot. This is typical autumn brown trout fishing. During this period I like to use fluorescent coloured lures, with my all time favourite being the fluorescent orange Super Vibrax bladed spinner with a gold blade. As you walk upstream casting ahead of yourself, make sure you approach the pools from a long way back as the brown trout will often be sitting at the bottom end of the pools where the water picks up speed at this time of the year. They will often be in pairs as they get ready to spawn. If fluorescent coloured 62

MAY 2014

often be more than happy to simply escort the minnow out of its hole. When this happens you need to find ways to tempt the following trout to strike the lure. One of the best ways to do this is to use lure scent, and also to choose a suspending minnow that you can pause in the water column. To the trout this will look like a stubborn fish that won’t leave and needs some persuasion, the trout may nip at it and hook up. This may sound a little bit silly, but believe me, it works! Another quick tip for autumn trout fishing in any stream is to look for barriers that prevent the trout from migrating any further upstream. Whether they are natural barriers like waterfalls, or man-made barriers like weirs it doesn’t matter. As the trout migrate upstream and get to a point where they cannot go any further, often they will build up numbers in that area. A classic example of this each

is well worth fishing directly downstream from in May. The Kiewa and Mitta Mitta rivers have healthy populations of Murray cod thanks to continued stocking from the Victorian D.E.P.I. Both of these rivers still receive regular stockings of Murray cod and both were stocked with 10,000 fry in 2013. I get a lot more reports of Murray cod being caught in the Kiewa River as it is not as far away and a lot more accessible than the Mitta Mitta; plus of course I have a few friends that fish it regularly. The Kiewa River can be an exceptionally hot and cold cod fishery at the best of times, let alone in May. This is due to its wide fluctuations in water levels caused by electricity generation. There are quite a lot of cod in the Kiewa, including some large ones and they don’t get that big by never eating. So at some stage the cod have to be on the

Numerous reports of cod measuring in excess of the magical metre mark point towards Lake Mulwala. It’s the place to be this time of year for those looking to tangle with the mythical Maccullochella peelii peelii (Murray cod). Along with the odd monster, you will encounter cod in the 45-75cm bracket as they are the norm with up to 8 being the average for a day’s return. The lake can be fished various ways, namely trolling, bait fishing, surface fishing or casting lures (spinnerbaits, hardbodies, crank baits, chatterbaits and plastics soft). Trolling produces the most constant results and sees many anglers become attached to their fist cod. With the lake varying in depth from 2-10m on average, lure selection depends on trolling location. However, a lure that will dive to 7m will see most situations covered. For those casting (any style of lure) your optimum depth range will be from 2-5m. A lure that puts out good vibration, has

reasonable size/profile, can reach and maintain depth you are fishing should be your choice. Surface fishing will see you target the shallower areas with 2-4m being prime. A good surface action that emits plenty of noise and water displacement is what to look for when it comes to choosing surface lures. Bait fishos should be looking to fish the edges of the deeper channels that exist within the lake. These can be easily defined by looking for the bigger stands of dead trees. Water that has more of a current flow around it will also be beneficial. Bardi grubs, yabbies, scrub worms and cheese prove to be the most popular offerings when it comes to tempting cod. Looking back, as mentioned, there have been some great reports of some mighty cod and none better than what was produced during in the popular His & Hers Partners Classic. Justin Adair weighed in a beauty that measured in at 102cm – a great effort for Justin landing his first metre cod, especially in a competition. His fell victim to a cast purple Bassman spinnerbait caught opposite the Yacht

Club. Thinking Justin had won for the day, you could imagine everyone’s surprise when Craig Barber submitted his catch card and photos of a truly amazing specimen that measured in at a whopping 117cm! Craig’s trophy catch was caught on a cast Jackall Muscle Deep around the Kyffin’s area. A special mention must go to Lori Hall who won the female section for biggest cod with her PB of 85cm taken on a trolled Codger Lure. Jamie Stewart was another to come up trumps with a 104cm being his prize. After an unsuccessful evening surface fishing Jamie opted to troll home. On the way this creature took a liking to his trolled 120mm Koolabung Lure. Kyle Dalrymple also produced the goods again when he become connected to a quality 103cm cod. Kyle’s lure of choice was a cast Breakaway spinnerbait. This cod was taken around the Taramia area. Perennial big cod specialists Trent and Kristy Freer had a warm up for their traditional winter assault with Kristy Continued page 63

Murray cod may be a hit WANGARATTA

Robbie Alexander

As is usually the case in autumn, the Murray cod fishing has been very hit and miss in the Ovens and King River catchments so far this autumn. Over a 2 week period during March I headed out 4 times after work for a couple of hours on sunset each time. The first 3 times yielded absolutely nothing while the fourth session saw me land 3 Murray cod in under half an hour. During May this hot and cold Murray cod fishing will continue in both the Ovens and King rivers. I was recently told by a mate that his cod season really only starts at this time of year, which is often the case for diehard Murray cod anglers fishing the Murray River system. The system is regulated heavily by dams and weirs and irrigation demands, but in this area, because of cold water and the effects of autumn rainfall, May is quite often the end of the cod fishing around the Wangaratta area. May fishing in the Wangaratta area is completely dependent upon how much autumn rain falls in the catchments. Provided we have not had too much rain, the Ovens and King rivers will be fishable. The best time to

target cod in this area is after several days of nice stable weather with sunny days and a high barometer. May can bring us just about anything with regards to weather from frosty mornings, torrential down pours, snow in the headwaters to lovely mild sunny days. Try and make time for your cod fishing after a run of those mild sunny days, especially as the stable weather is about to come to an end and there is a change in the air. At this time of year when the water is very cold, the Murray cod’s metabolism is much slower than in warm water, this means they are

much less active and take longer to digest their food. In other words, don’t expect to find a red hot bite at any time of the month. Make sure you slow your lure right down as slow as you can possibly work it during May. If using a spinnerbait, retrieve it so that the blade is only just rotating, and if using a hardbody lure give the reel a few quick cranks to get the lure to dive and then retrieve it just slow enough to keep it down deep in the fish’s face. The longer the lure hangs in the cod’s face during this cold time of the year the more inclined the cod will be to strike it.

A typically undersized Murray cod that fell to a Koolabung Codwalker surface lure in the Ovens River in Wangaratta recently.

Brett Corker with a magnificent 66cm Murray cod that nailed his sweetwater surface lure on sunset recently sending a splash of water over 1m into the air. From page 62

landing a healthy 85cm fish for her efforts. We are sure to hear more from them in the next few months. Elsewhere within the lake, the backwaters and lagoons in and around the Bundalong area are still producing some nice goldens. Graeme Jarvis celebrated the launch of his new boat (5.4m Bass Tracker) over the Pirtek comp weekend with a brace of quality golden

There are still a few trout in the catchment, but you need to look hard for them. Try the upper King River above Lake William Hovell, the Buckland and Buffalo rivers.

perch mixed in with a few cod from this area. • If you are visiting town, call into Lake Mulwala Fish Camp & Ski, the shop with the big green cod out the front (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.

Another great option, and one that is often overlooked in this modern era of fishing that is dominated by lures, tackle companies and fancy clothing is to revert to using bait. I often fish with bait and absolutely love it. It is the most relaxing form of fishing there is, and the most effective. Small bait such as worms will catch anything from tiny freshwater blackfish, to golden perch, carp, redfin and cod. I must admit though that I have caught very few large cod on worms. Bardi grubs and large yabbies are the best bait for bigger Murray cod. If you’re lure fishing during May in the Ovens and King River catchments and not having any luck, rig up a hook and sinker and lower a bardi grub as close as possible

to some submerged big old logs, and you just never know your luck. TROUT The trout fishing in the upland sections of the Ovens and King river catchments may be okay in May. Just like the cod fishing it can be very hit and miss, and based on the trout fishing over the last 12-18 months it could be very tough. There are a few trout in the system if you are prepared to look around and find them. Try using brightly coloured bladed spinners or small trout pattern minnows. I have had some great sessions fly fishing during May. I use a large dry fly, usually a Royal Stimulator as an indicator and suspend a small black bead headed

nymph underneath it. Most of the time the trout will hit the nymph. There are a couple of lakes that will be worth trying during May. Lake William Hovell always fishes well for trout during May when the water surface temperature is very cold. Trolling winged lures, such as Tassie Devils is usually the most productive, especially during the low light periods of the day. Lake Catani on top of the Mt Buffalo Plateau also fishes well this month, although it is very cold up there with day temperatures rarely passing 5ºC and the occasional snowfall making things uncomfortable. As mentioned, it is worth a visit though, just make sure you are prepared for all kinds of weather as it is a high altitude lake.

A lovely, plump 58cm Murray cod that fell to a Bassman spinnerbait in the Lower Ovens River downstream of Wangaratta recently.

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Hurry in for pre-spawn trout WST/STH GIPPSLAND

Steve Haughton steve.haughton@hotmail.com

May is the last full month of stream trout fishing as the trout season closes on midnight Monday 9 June and won’t reopen until midnight Friday 5 September. We should expect to see good numbers of hungry trout heading upstream in all the rivers and streams in West and South Gippsland as they prepare to spawn. We can expect to see trout moving upstream to their breeding grounds during May and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if many even start spawning mid-month. Stumbling on to a spawning ground is a great spectacle for any keen trout angler and if the stream trout are feeding, then

it can be a lot of fun for those who catch and release. I’ve come across a few spawning grounds off the beaten track and it can be quite mesmerising just sitting back watching them do their thing. Most of the time they’re not interested in feeding, so throwing a fly, lure or bait is pointless. Finding a spawning ground does however present an opportunity to bring out the worst in people. Most anglers you would think are aware of the dos and don’ts, yet there are always a few who take advantage of a situation like this knowing full well that enforcement is underresourced. I’ve heard horror stories in recent times of people shooting, spearing and netting trout on spawning grounds across the region. If you do happen to stumble across any illegal activity, be discrete and

contact 13 FISH. May could be an interesting month with daily temperatures already very cool, so you may find trout already heading upstream to spawn. This happened last year and by mid-May it was interesting to watch their behaviours. The trout were impossible to catch as their focus shifted from feeding to spawning. Live baits, like garden or scrubworms, were favoured over lures or fly; when trout are in this mindset, the bait almost needs to be presented right in front of their mouths. It is a must that trout are returned immediately to continue doing what they’re doing or if you are really concerned, just watch them and enjoy. Not all is doom and gloom with the wind up of the stream trout fishing season for another

year. Eel and blackfish are still good targets in all of the streams around West and South Gippsland and provide a lot of fun for anglers of all ages using light gear. Blackfish and eel can be caught using the same techniques. A 6-7ft rod with a 1500-2500 class reel spooled with 2-3kg line is a good starting point and use garden worms fished just off the bottom of the stream bed. Use a running sinker or large split shot attached just up the line from a size 6 or 8 baitholder hook. If there are plenty of snags in the section of stream you are fishing use a bubble, ball or stick float to keep your bait just off the bottom. Eel and blackfish prefer dark, slow flowing to still water and love structure like logs and overhanging boulders

There’ll be some nice trout moving upstream this month. The author with a healthy hard-fighting prespawn trout caught and released last season. and rocks. Eel in these streams commonly grow to 60-70cm and blackfish are commonly caught around the 150-400g mark with larger specimens to well over 1kg being caught in difficult-toaccess and larger pools of water. Both species are often targeted late afternoon and into the evening, but on a winter’s day where there is

little sunshine, many streams in the hills are fairly dark during the day and both eel and blackfish will be feeding. Feel free to send me a report or photo particularly if you have any success stories before the closure of the trout season or targeting eel and blackfish and please email me any questions. Happy fishing!

Bass are still going strong CTL GIPPSLAND

Will Thompson allwaysangling@bigpond.com

I thought the bass may have slowed down a bit with the colder weather, but this is not the case, we have still been getting good numbers of small bass locally during the late afternoons and a few in the early mornings as well. The bass are going excellent and we are in for a great new fishery. With the unfortunate loss of our trout fishery, we have now gained a bass fishery. Is this intentional? I’m not sure, but there are far more bass going into our waters than trout, hence why we are all catching bass around here and not trout. AQUICK TROUT OVERVIEW The local Strzelecki streams are still fishing poor for trout. The water levels have been terrible but we have just started getting some colder weather and rain so I’ll keep

everyone posted how these streams fish over June when the flows increase. I actually saw a few trout in Traralgon Creek up in the mid-section around Koornalla, but only a couple. Although it’s not great, it’s promising and may be signs that a few trout might be coming back! Apart from that, it has still has not been worth going up there for a fish. The other side of the hills are more promising, with the Tyers River producing half a dozen trout at a time for most anglers. Other rivers in the western part of Gippsland are producing all the trout reports I am getting from customers, but I’ll leave those western Gippy streams for Steve [Williamson] to talk about in his article as these rivers are his area of expertise. BASS A few mates and I have been using surface lures during the afternoons for the bass and they have been working a treat. Megabass Siglets are amazing to use and have been our favourite,

and white floating stick baits are pretty good too. I have been using a few different hardbodies in the 3-5cm range and they all seem to work. Floating and sinking or suspending styles are doing the trick, it seems that time of day is more important than lure selection. The contradiction to this rule, is that if we get a hot night and there are some insect activity, then put on a surface lure such as a Siglet or another floating lure or break out the fly rod and use a dry fly such as a Dads Favourite, Red tag or Grenwells Glory, I have had success on all these flies. The fish are still mostly small, especially in our rivers such as Avon, Macalister and its tributaries. But there are the odd bigger 30cm+ specimens around as well, like a mate of mine Mitch Blomquist found out on a recent trip. Blue Rock is fishing very well, with plenty of fish between 25-39cm getting caught, with the latter obviously from the original 2002 stocking. The recent Hobie

Bass comp produced plenty of bass over 30cm and specimens nearly reaching 40cm, so this place is fishing great. Glenmaggie is also producing some good fish, and there are all sizes here as well. The lakes are a bit more versatile in lures style, such as spinnerbaits, soft plastics, vibes and hardbodies. It’s more about location (snags and drop-offs) and time of day (late afternoons and early mornings) being the important thing with bass. I am still learning about these things, so I don’t know how they will go over May and June, but I will keep all you guys posted and my friends and I are all hoping with can catch bass in the cold months. Hopefully we can! • For more information, contact Will at Allways Angling in Traralgon on 51748544. 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!

Mitch caught this above average bass measuring 31cm on a Siglet.

FISHING FILL-ITS

Broken Creek Fishers forfeit boat and gear Two fishermen who used illegal set-lines in the Broken Creek, near Picola, were fined and ordered to forfeit their boat and fishing equipment in the Echuca Magistrates’ Court earlier this month. The two fishermen pleaded guilty to a number of fishing offences. In December 2013 the men were detected by Fisheries officers setting commercial fishing equipment, including 12 setlines, in the Broken 64

MAY 2014

Creek near Picola, targeting Murray Cod, an iconic native species which is greatly reduced from its former range and abundance. DEPI Regional Fisheries Manager Mike Hosking said the men were found to be in possession of and using commercial fishing equipment in the form of setlines and yabby pots, plus one of the men was without a recreational fishing licence. “Both men were fined $750, plus court costs,” Mr Hosking said.

“The court ordered their boat, trailer, outboard and associated fishing equipment be forfeited and both men received orders prohibiting them engaging in recreational fishing for eight months. “DEPI is pleased with the outcome and hopes these convictions will send a strong message to people considering engaging in similar activities. “Setlines and yabby pots are both classed as commercial fishing equipment and it is a serious offence for recreational fishers to either

possess or use such equipment in, on or near Victorian inland waters,” he said. “Fishers who choose to use setlines are inclined to put them in place and leave them unmanned, typically leading to exceeding bag limits and failure to assess the size of the fish at time of capture, removing the option to release if too small.” The enforcement and regulation of bag and size limits plus the type of equipment used, insures the sustainable distribution and the

protection of fish populations for all recreational fishers. Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected

illegal fishing activities to the 24 hour Fisheries offence reporting line, 13 FISH (13 3474). – DEPI

Mystery rainbow predictions JINDABYNE

Steve Williamson swtrout@airlan.com.au

The talk of late, reported in all different types of press, has of course been about the mystery disappearance of rainbow trout in the Snowy Mountains lakes. I blame a few idiots who don’t know either how to trout fish or are incapable of being able to change methods to suit the conditions. Or else they are just purists who refuse to change their ways – to their own disadvantage of course. The fact was that we had had the hottest summer that I can remember with very high water temperatures, and the trout went to deeper, colder water. Meanwhile, some anglers persisted in standing in lukewarm water expecting the trout to cruise by right in front of them! These people seem to think they’re fishing for coral trout in the tropics, rather than brown trout and rainbow trout that prefer water temperatures up to 18ºC. Anyway, if you have some thoughts send me an e-mail as we have a meeting of they Snowy Lakes Management Committee later this month and it would be your chance to send me your views on any matters that are of concern to you. Meanwhile, Lake Jindabyne’s water level has been pretty much stable all summer and autumn so far, maybe only about a metre difference for the whole season. There are no plans for any major environmental releases until spring so I would expect only a minor drop of water levels throughout winter, and even that would depend on how much rain we

get over coming months. Thredbo River rules change this month, reducing the bag limit to only one fish, and that fish must be over 50cm. All other fish must be released, no matter what species. The close of the rivers and streams to fishing occurs at midnight on the Monday of the NSW June long weekend. The rivers open to fishing once again on the Saturday of the October long weekend. Let’s look at what we should expect with the fishing over the coming month. FISHING IN MAY This month is one of the best months for the bait angler fishing the edges of the lake. Big brown trout are cruising the edges looking for a feed before they head into the rivers on their spawning run. Worms teamed with an artificial bait fished off the bottom is a method that’s working well at the moment on Lake Jindabyne. The best areas to try over the next couple of months will be Waste Point at Creel Bay, as this is where a lot of the trout will congregate in readiness to move into the mouth of the Thredbo River on their spawning run. Hatchery and Hayshed Bays are also both worth a try. When trout move into the river on their spawning run they get very territorial. For this reason, if you are a lure angler you’ll find that minnow lures like the Rapalas (especially the jointed ones) and the small 3” StumpJumpers and a variety of others are all worth a throw. You still have to nut out the right colour though, and get to the right depth. Use sinking or deeper diving minnows when the river is high and stick to

smaller lures when the water is low and clear. Don’t worry about the size of lures if the river is in flood because you might find that bigger is better. Metal blades cut through fast flowing water and get down easily, so when you can’t get depth out of a minnow I recommend trying a blade. A new lure we have been trying out is from Australianowned Bullet Lures. It’s a very small 3cm minnow but with about 4g of weight that actually does make the lure cast like a bullet. It also gets down quite deep.

the trout are in spawning mode. Other colours that are consistent are holographic and also number 48, the red-nosed brown bomber. My Steve Williamson Orange and Black Tasmanian Devil has also been working a treat lately, especially off the lead core line and downriggers. Last year we saw the re-introduction of the Rapala Pinkie and that was a fabulous lure over the previous winter. You should also try some bigger jointed Rapalas here, and 11cm and 13cm are not too big for aggressive brown To rod

Nymph

Split shot Glowbug

On the Thredbo River, one method that works well when you have fast flowing water is the drift rigging technique. Team up a fly like a weighted black nymph with a glowbug (artificial egg) and let the rig bounce along the bottom with the aid of some split shot. It’s one way to catch trout on artificial flies using a normal spinning outfit. A rattle version might also be good when the water is dirty but only time will tell, as testing is in the early stages at the moment. The Thredbo River is my river of choice from now until rivers close on the June long weekend. On the lake as the water cools the lake spinning will improve, but lure colours have been a little different than in previous years. Tasmanian Devil lures in colours that have a bit of orange and pink are always regarded as aggression colours for when

MAY ROUNDUP – THE BEST OF THE BEST Best method........Surface trolling early and then using lead core lines at 30m out. Best depth...........Trolling at 10ft deep in the deeper middle of the day. Best lake lure......Look out for the new Rapala Pinkie and pink number 55. Best lake area.....Hatchery and Hayshed bays. Best fly method . Glow Bugs and nymphs on the Thredbo River. Best River............Thredbo River.

trout. Good spinning areas to try are Creel Bay, Waste Point, The Snowy Arm and (for fish still actively feeding) Curiosity Rocks, Wollondibby Inlet, Hatchery Bay and The Claypits area. Lake trolling is interesting in autumn as some days the fish will strike out of aggression and some days they will be feeding. Knowing what the weather is about to do will help. If there is a cold front approaching the fish will often get territorial and this is ‘big lure’ time. Big jointed lures are well worth a try for big browns. The weed beds are close to the edge and so if trolling early in close you don’t need any lures that dive too deep. The Rapala Pinkie is a good aggression lure. Tasmanian Devil lures are still well worth a try and this month is the

Jason Pointu with a rainbow caught on a Willy’s Special Tassie Devil. time I quite often change to pink or orange coloured lures. These colours seem to work best on the aggressive spawning fish. Tasmanian Devils in colours 55 pink or 56 orange are good lures to try for non-feeding fish. Even at this time of year the day will often warm up and the fish will still go deeper. Lead core lines and downriggers will still be very useful over the coming month. Remember all the photos in the magazines of big fish caught off downriggers with big minnow lures trolled slowly? Duel Depth Tasmanian Devil lures rigged through the side hole to troll deeper to 4m will also help during he middle of the day, but make sure you don’t troll too fast when this lure is rigged in the deep dive hole. Lion and Cub Islands always fish well in autumn for rainbow trout, and as the brown trout move to the end of the lake ready to spawn, Creel Bay and the Snowy River Arm are well worth trying. The fly fishing on streams and rivers will still have good days even this late in the season. You will possibly even find that fish will still take a well-presented dry fly. However, over recent weeks most fish have been taken on brown or black nymphs out of the running water. As the rain comes, and more trout move into the Thredbo, anglers’ minds will change to chase big trophy fish and fly anglers will have the

best success using glowbugs and nymphs. Black and brown nymphs in about a size 10 or 12 are good, and make sure you have some weighted flies for when the river is flowing hard, as you need to get the fly down to the fish before you will catch them. Lake Jindabyne will fish better this month as the edge water cools down. Water temperatures have a big effect on how close to shore the fish come, but it’s cooler now and the fishing is much better and will continue to improve as the water cools even further. Flies to try over the coming months will be the purple/ black Woolly Bugger and Mrs Simpson. Don’t forget the Williamson’s Gold Fish around the creek inlets during the late evening. Good luck with your fishing over the coming months and I hope to see you in Jindabyne soon. • For the very latest day-to-day fishing reports, call into my shop at Discovery Holiday Parks Jindabyne (next to the Shell Servo) or for tour bookings call us on 02 64 561551 or send details to Steve Williamson P.M.B. 5 Jindabyne 2627 for more info or e-mail me at swtrout@airlan.com.au. The website for prices is www.swtroutfishing.com.au. Join me also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ pages/Steve-WilliamsonsLake- Ji ndabyne- Trout Fishing-Adventures for daily updates.

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Mildura’s mighty Murray cod MILDURA

John Menhennett goobyfish@hotmail.com

There is nothing quite like camping and fishing for the mighty Murray cod, particularly around Mildura, Victoria. Mildura is situated in the North West region of Victoria, approximately 550km northwest of Melbourne. Mildura is a semi-arid climate and the greater area of Sunraysia is home to over 64,000 people; over 20,000 of those live in Mildura. Mildura is home to many freshwater fish species in the Murray-Darling Basin like golden perch, silver perch, redfin perch, European carp, eel-tailed catfish and the host

offer, particularly when the water temperature is high or there is a plethora of natural bait foods in the system. Some anglers swear by fishing in holes of around 5-6m in the upper stretches above Mildura where quite a number of smaller models are caught each summer/autumn. Best rigs to use are a running sinker or ‘river rig’ with a single hook underneath the sinker. The best bait to use is arguably the bardi grub, with yabbies coming in a close second. BAIT FISHING RIGS AND KNOTS When rigging a yabby be sure to pass the hook through its tail as you want to the yabbie to be ‘live’ when in the water for a realistic presentation. Sometimes,

fish are holding deeper and moving about a bit more and casting a winter technique as the fish are sitting in shallow water tight up against structure

waters. They can be a very versatile lure, which can be worked fast or slow, deep or shallow and are often taken on the drop or when the lure

Rod MacKenzie and John Menhennett with a thumper of a Murray cod caught just before dark; an excellent time to be targeting large Murray cod.

John Menhennett with a nice winter cod caught on a Balista Dyno 90. These lures boast LED technology and are regular fish catchers. is fluttering its way to the desired depth. LURE CHOICE AND RUNNING DEPTH Lure choice is vitally important, regardless of whether you are casting or trolling.

Ross Virt with a little summer golden caught on a cast 5/8oz Bassman Spinnerbait. These lures are quite versatile when it comes to river fishing. of bait species. But the prize for many local and visiting anglers is the mighty Murray cod. While it is worthwhile targeting golden perch and redfin, it is the Murray cod that plays on the mind of anglers the most. BEST TIME TO VISIT Arguably, the best time to visit Mildura is during the autumn-winter months from around April right through to late August or early September (Murray cod closed season is from September 30 to December 1 inclusive) as this is when the bigger cod are usually caught. Summer can be lucrative, but long days on the water in the intense Mallee heat can be very taxing on the body and mind. A lot of smaller Murray cod can be caught on lures and bait over the summer period, but if you plan on only a quick visit and wish to catch a fish of a lifetime, winter is the go. HOW TO CATCH THE FISH BAIT FISHING Bait fishing for Murray cod is a popular and viable option over the summer months. Bait fishing is a good option but the fish can get quite fussy about what is on 66

MAY 2014

especially when the fish have shut down, presentation can make all the difference. Bardi grubs can be neatly presented on a large hook, about the same size as the grub, which can be inserted at one end and out the other. A bit of Bait Mate is needed to keep the bait from falling off the hook when cast and sitting in the water for prolonged periods. If the grubs have been preserved in milk, or any other liquid, they can be prone to become quite soft. Rod length most suited to almost all fishing in the Murray and not limited to bait fishing can be between 5-6ft and around the 2-3kg mark is ideal for bait fishing. Of course this depends on the target species. Cod fishing would require the upper end of the weight scale. Braided lines are popular for bait fishing now but some of the more traditional bait fishos prefer monofilament of around 15-20lb, depending on the target species. TROLLING AND CASTING LARGE LURES While trolling and casting lures can bring the desired result at any time of year, trolling is usually considered a summer technique. When the

and a better way to penetrate their hidey-holes and be in the strike-zone. Both techniques are very effective when it comes to targeting monster Murray cod. Best time for targeting this species is early morning and just before dark, however, monster Murray cod can be caught at any time of the day, depending on the conditions. Even though large hardbodied lures can be cast with great accuracy, it is ideal to be casting large spinnerbaits into structure in the shallow

Running depth should be considered a key at the best times, but considering cod don’t usually move as far in the winter as they do in summer to chase a lure, accurate casting techniques are desirable. You would pretty much have to smack the cod on the head with the lure for it to strike. This is why trolling during winter can be very testing and mentally demanding. Big lures are designed to catch big fish and by-catch a whole heap of smaller models too, including the popular golden perch. The large lure

ACCOMMODATION, BAIT AND TACKLE SHOPS Mildura boasts some of the most picturesque and sought after camping destinations in Australia. Several caravan parks are available for comfortable and affordable accommodation on the banks of the Murray or Darling rivers: ACCOMMODATION 1. Apex River Beach Holiday Park 435 Cureton Ave Mildura, VIC 3502 Phone: 03 5023 6879 holiday@apexriverbeach.com.au (only a short drive from the centre of town and a very tranquil place to stay. Only a short boat ride from Mildura’s lock 11 and weir. Boat hire is also available upon request) 2. Willow Bend Caravan Park Darling Street, Wentworth NSW, 2648 Ph: 5027 3213 (right on the Darling river, only a short boat trip to the junction where the Darling meets the Murray river) 3. Fort Courage Caravan Park Renmark Road, Wentworth, NSW, 2648 Ph: 03 5027 3097 Email: fortcourage64@bigpond.com TACKLE SHOPS 1. Got One, Lime Ave, Mildura 2. Sunraysia Marine, 7th Street 3. Ray’s Outdoors, 15th Street 4. BCF, 15th Street

Brett Evans with a great looking summer cod caught on a Koolabung Codzilla. These lures work really well on the cast or trolled in summer or winter.

doing all the damage this season is the Australian-made 120mm Koolabung Codzilla as it is such a versatile lure with the ability to be cast or trolled from 2-10m+. Using big lures is a great way to try and tempt those cod lying deep on snags. Recommended lures for targeting Murray cod around Mildura are hardbody lures for trolling and casting 100-200mm in length with anywhere from 2-10m+ diving bibs (depending on where you are fishing). The 120-150mm hardbody lures work particularly well at depths around 6-7m around rock bars and steep drop-offs. Ideal spinnerbaits to use when targeting Murray cod in the stretches of the Murray River around Mildura are around 1/2-1oz weighted heads with large Colorado blades (faster running water above Mildura use willow blades). If fishing above Mildura, and where the water flow is faster, it is desirable to use a slim line profile lure that swims against the current with ease but still presents well and stays in the strike zone long enough. I find the Koolabung Codbaits are idea for this situation. Colour choice is really up to the angler to decide. Colour choice only really matters in shallow or clear water conditions, so colour choice is a personal one when fishing the murky waters of the Murray. If I had to choose a colour, it would be darker hues as they cast a larger shadow in the water column. Remember, bigger is best! As a general rule, running depths are roughly 2-7m for trolling (depending on the water being fished) and 2-3m for casting. LURE FISHING RIGS AND KNOTS When the forces of Mother Nature are present and everything is deemed to be ‘right’, Murray cod will come on the bite, particularly during winter. It is at this point that any serious big cod angler needs to be using the right equipment and trusted knots to land that fish of a lifetime. Line and leader choice is also another important factor when maintaining desired running depths. But more importantly, good leader material can be the difference

BAITS, LURES AND FLIES FOR MURRAY COD • Recommended bait is bardi grubs and yabbies. • Recommended lures are hardbody lures for trolling and casting 100-200mm in length with anywhere from 2-10m+ diving bibs. The 120-150mm hardbody lures work particularly well at depths around 6-7m. Hardbody ‘walking style’ surface lures are needed for surface fishing in good conditions, particularly on the Murray River and associated lakes, billabongs and backwaters. • Spinnerbaits and mumblers, such as those made by Bassman Spinnerbaits, are a favourite snack for giant Murray cod, particularly on the cast during the cooler months. A lot of the time, Murray cod will take these lures as they flutter down in the water column on the drop. • For those with a lot of patience, flies can work a treat on Murray cod as well. Large flies made for targeting this species is needed. Kaos Cod Flies make a great range. between landing the fish or not. Whether trolling or casting, braided lines of 50lb are usually needed to target and land monster Murray cod. Combined with a monofilament leader of approximately 60lb and the length of your rod, this is an unbeatable outfit. The leader is usually connected via a bimini twist in the main braid line using a trusted knot. I use the Improved Albright Knot as I find this knot to have excellent strength and I have never had one let go yet. The Albright knot is also a more slim finish than some knots, which means less wear and noise through the rod guides when casting and retrieving.

There are plenty of different knots out there, which usually varies with every angler you talk to you. It is important to find the one that best suits your application and one which is relatively easy to tie. In any case, it is important for anglers to practise tying knots to minimise the time with their lure out of the water when changing tackle in the boat. A loop knot is best to tie the lure on by connecting directly to the tow-point of the lure. I find the loop knot to be the best method as it allows the lure to swim correctly without any restrictions. I like using the Perfection Loop as

Marcus Hennig, from Mildura, with a very healthy Murray cod caught trolling a 120mm Koolabung Codzilla during autumn. Fish like these are very common at this time of year.

it is easy to tie and its finish is nice and neat. When it comes to tying spinnerbaits or mumblers, follow the same procedures with the bimini-twist and leader connection and length, but instead of a loop-knot, tie the leader to the R-bend lure using a closed knot like a blood knot, or something similar, to stop the leader from slipping up and down the arm of the spinnerbait. SURFACE AND FLY FISHING Surface fishing for Murray cod or golden perch can be lucrative around Mildura, but is probably the most ‘out-there’ of methods to use as catches can be very few and far between. Catching Murray cod from the surface, particularly during winter can be quite an arduous task because the fish don’t seem to move far from where they are sitting to unleash short bursts of energy to feed from the surface. However, in areas with no current or flow, food cannot circulate past the fish residence and surface fishing takes on a whole new meaning. Shallow lakes or billabongs that contain plenty of timber are ideal to fish for cod from the surface as they provide ambush shelter not far from the strike zone. Fishing for these green machines at night with the use of no light except the distant glow of the

One of the main reasons Bassman Spinnerbaits is the number one spinnerbait and mumbler brand is their attention to detail and excellent craftsmanship. moon can be an extremely explosive experience. There are a few ideal spots around Mildura for this type of fishing. Summer is arguable the best time as bugs and other insects gather on the water’s surface making for a great meal for a shallow swimming fish. Koolabung Codwalker surface lures are arguably the best on the market for this type

of fishing. Targeting Murray cod in shallow lakes is also very effective on fly gear. It is a great method for presenting large, but lightly weighted lures into tight spots or over log jams where Murray cod like to hide or reside. Kaos Cod Flies, made by Ross Virt, are the best Murray cod flies on the market.

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PIRTEK Fishing Challenge breaks all records Wednesday 2 April 2014, thousands of Australians travelled to some of the country’s best fishing spots to participate in the 2014 PIRTEK Fishing Challenge – Australia’s biggest one-day fishing competition. More than 8,500 participated in the 2014 catch-and-release fishing event that was held on Sunday 23 March. It was the largest competition that PIRTEK has hosted since the competition began in 2009. All registered anglers were on the hunt for 21 target species which were spread across the country for a chance to win a total of 126 prizes. This year’s Challenge offered a total of $155,000 in cash and prizes. Registered participants had to measure their catches across the competition brag mat and send in photographs to be in the running to win in the different categories, including longest fish, the ‘mystery length’ and special prizes for junior anglers. Michael Guest, Event Director of the PIRTEK Fishing Challenge, said there were impressive catches in this year’s competition. “Our staff and troop of volunteers were overwhelmed with the number of people who participated in this year’s competition, especially considering some states

TASMANIA Bream 1st............................... 43.2cm............ Andrew Krushka..........Bridport............ TAS 2nd............................. 42.7cm............ Nathan Meyers............Claremont......... TAS 3rd.............................. 40.3cm............ Luke Cordwell..............Lindisfarne....... TAS Jr 1st........................... NOT WON Jr 2nd......................... NOT WON Mystery Length........... 35.6cm............ Jason Bird...................Launceston...... TAS Brown Trout 1st............................... 61.0cm............ Jamie Harris................Burnie............... TAS 2nd............................. 56.0cm............ Adrian Webb................Sheffield........... TAS 3rd.............................. 55.8cm............ Todd Lambert..............Devon Hills....... TAS Jr 1st........................... 50.0cm............ Fletcher Crosswell.......Swan Bay......... TAS Jr 2nd......................... 47.3cm............. Stephanie Crosswell....Swan Bay......... TAS Mystery Length........... 49.6cm............ James Bracken............South Hobart... TAS

Nat Barry from Apollo Bay won 1st prize for his 62.7cm Australian salmon.

“We want to send our sincere thanks to PIRTEK and all our corporate partners for supporting such a successful

VICTORIA Australian Salmon 1st.......................... 62.7cm..........Nat Barry..................... Apollo Bay.............VIC 2nd........................ 61.8cm..........Warren Fenner............. Orbost....................VIC 3rd......................... 54.5cm..........Tine Dyke.................... Newborough..........VIC Jr 1st...................... 61.2cm..........Jamison Bills............... Orbost....................VIC Jr 2nd.................... 51.0cm..........Alana Farley................. Orbost....................VIC Mystery Length...... 50.6cm..........Jamie Sanna............... Orbost....................VIC Flathead................ 1st.......................... 87.0cm...........Ashley Hartley............. Lakes Entrance......VIC 2nd........................ 75.5cm..........John Laszczyk............ Newborough..........VIC 3rd......................... 72.0cm..........Jamie McDonald......... Lakes Entrance......VIC Jr 1st...................... 78.5cm..........Abby Pardew............... Orbost....................VIC Jr 2nd.................... 54.4cm..........Beau Lawrence........... Newmerella............VIC Mystery Length...... 55.9cm..........Kirk Lawrence............. Newmerella............VIC and territories had to battle some challenging weather conditions. We are thrilled that more and more people are getting behind the

competition to have some fun with family and friends, plus helping to raise money for Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia,” said Mr Guest.

event – Evinrude, Berkely, Lowrance, Stacer, BCF and Companion Leisure. Without a doubt, we will get started to make the competition bigger and better in 2015.” Stephen Dutton, Pirtek Fluid Systems Chief Executive Officer, also got into the spirit of the challenge and joined anglers over the competition weekend. “I was overwhelmed with the support the Challenge received this year. I spent the day with friends fishing and celebrating what is now a calendar event in the Australian fishing scene. It’s amazing to see so many anglers getting behind the challenge and doing their part

to support Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia,” said Mr Dutton. Associate Professor Anthony Lowe, Chief Executive Officer of Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, said the Fishing Challenge has once again successfully managed to bring the organisation’s prostate cancer message to thousands of Australians. “PCFA is very pleased that the 2014 PIRTEK Fishing Challenge was a huge success and attracted so many anglers of all ages. Prostate cancer may be a men’s disease but its disastrous effect is far reaching. We are truly grateful to the PIRTEK

MURRY-DARLING BASIN European Carp 1st...................... 82.3cm............John Browning............. Barooga................NSW 2nd.................... 79.2cm............Nathan Power............... Cumborah.............NSW 3rd..................... 77.9cm.............Steven Mitchell............. Narromine.............NSW Jr 1st.................. 69.1cm............Julian Milkovits............. Hughes..................ACT Jr 2nd................ 68.3cm............Max Bourke.................. Dubbo...................NSW Mystery Length.. 58.5cm............Mark Hyde.................... Mudgee.................NSW Golden Perch 1st...................... 63.6cm............Darrell Hughes............. Inverell...................NSW 2nd.................... 63.2cm............Craig Chapman............ Narrabri.................NSW 3rd..................... 62.3cm............Kathleen Ellis................ Glen Innes.............NSW Jr 1st.................. 60.5cm............Ashton Jones............... Uralla.....................NSW Jr 2nd................ 58.5cm............Brook Jones................. Uralla.....................NSW Mystery Length.. 49.1cm............Barry Fletcher............... Girgarre.................VIC Redfin 1st...................... 47.2cm.............Brandan Doust............. Glen Innes.............NSW 2nd.................... 46.7cm............Ricky Wetherall............. Glen Innes.............NSW 3rd..................... 46.0cm............Jordan Naylor............... Orange..................NSW Jr 1st.................. 40.4cm............Matthew Oates............. Clifton Grove.........NSW Jr 2nd................ 40.2cm............Ryley Davison.............. The Lagoon...........NSW Mystery Length.. 31.2cm............Corey Schulz................ Shepparton...........VIC

Abbey Pardew had a marvellous day with her top prize winning flathead. ABOUT PROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION OF AUSTRALIA Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia is a broad-based community organisation and the peak national body for prostate cancer in Australia. PCFA are dedicated to reducing the impact of prostate cancer on Australian men, their partners, families and the wider community. PCFA does this by: • Promoting and funding world leading, innovative research into prostate cancer • Implementing awareness campaigns and education programs for the Australian Community, health professionals and Government • Supporting men and their families affected by prostate cancer through evidencebased information and resources, support groups and Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses PCFA receives limited government funding for specific projects and relies on the generosity of individuals, the community and important partnerships with corporate Australia, to carry out its essential work. For further information about prostate cancer or PCFA, visit www.pcfa.org.au or free call 1800 22 00 99 68

MAY 2014

John Laszcyk came a respectable 2nd place in Victoria with his 75.5cm flathead.

team for their continued support and encouraging men, women and entire communities to talk about prostate cancer,” said Associate Professor Lowe. The winners from the 2014 PIRTEK Fishing Challenge were announced on Saturday 29 March. Visit www.pirtekfishingchallenge. com.au to check out photos from the competition weekend and to view the full winner’s list. All proceeds from the 2014 PIRTEK Fishing Challenge will go directly to Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia to further support research and awareness programs.

Lakes Entrance Austackle Flathead Fishing Classic What a wonderful weekend for families, fishing and having fun! The inaugural Austackle Flathead Fishing Classic has been run and won with many happy winners, including our own club and the whole East Gippsland area. The weather was perfect for what turned out to be a great first fishing classic for the club. With 158 entries (including 29 juniors), it was full steam ahead with registrations taken over Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Anglers came from all over the state; Geelong, Preston, Traralgon, Orbost, Maffra, Wodonga Bruthen, Lakes Entrance, Bairnsdale and so much more. The ‘catch and release’ method proved a popular method of fishing but the brag photos were something to behold. One story we heard was about a fellow fishing at Nowa Nowa who had caught an 84cm flathead, but he wasn’t entered in the competition! We did see the photos of this fish and it was massive (almost prehistoric)! There were plenty

RESULTS Seniors 1st: ...................... Andrew Kikidoplous..... 790 mm 2nd: ..................... John Bouke.................. 740 mm 3rd: ...................... Casey Goudswaad....... 722mm Juniors 1st: ...................... Rhys Bryant................. 753mm 2nd: ..................... Will Shoppe.................. 728mm 3rd: ...................... Matthew Pearce........... 595mm ‘Pinky Baade’ Memorial Trophy:............ Kerry Jones Longest Whiting, 386mm U16: . ........................................................ Wilson Gaudian U12:........................................................... Jessica Erbs U8: . .......................................................... Jake Perrett Female Prize:........................................... Michelle Wright 595mm Fishing Club Team: ................................. LTBAC, John Bourke, John King, Gary Verrall, Ray Schmidt ................................. 2412mm. ‘Pinky Baade’ Memorial Trophy winner Kerry Jones with GLFC President Neil Johnson. of other stories over the weekend as well: a young lad who landed a big flathead had (mentally) spent the $250 junior prize already on a remote controlled car actually did win the Juniors section; 3rd place-getter was getting ‘razzed’ by other members of his party because he didn’t even know he had a huge flathead on his line; the girls who stopped off for a ‘pit-stop’ and threw

in a line to catch the biggest whiting of the day; and the list goes on. The Fishing Club Team event went to the GLFC rivals, the Lake Tyers Beach Angling Club. There was a lot banter before the event about who was the better fishing club. The challenge is now on for next year. The average size of the flathead caught over the weekend was 542mm.

Team winners were from LTBAC, John Bourke, Gary Verrall, Ray Schmidt and John King.

I would like to thank all the sponsors who supported our competition and all the local businesses who also promoted us. We received plenty of reports of how the local bait shop/carvan park/ etc… advertised the comp to competitors. Congratulations on all who fished and caught something for their efforts. Better luck next time if you missed on catching a flathead or it just ‘got away’. – Austackle Fishing Classic

Hobie Kayak Bass Series Round 2 Blue Rock Round 2 of the Hobie Kayak Bass Series presented by Daiwa was run on the picturesque water catchment known as Blue Rock Dam. The dam was built to provide cooling water for the thermal power stations of the Latrobe Valley and to augment domestic water supplies. However due to a long term stocking program undertaken by Victorian fisheries the dam is also home to a large population of Australian bass. Angers have travelled from as far away as Queensland and NSW for a chance to fish a new waterway and to qualify

for the Grand final later on this year. WINNER New South Wales angler Dave Mann has taken out the top spot on the podium,

dominating the Victorian anglers in their own back yard. Using a custom Skinner Spinner rigged to a Jackall TN60 ghost yellow black stripes.

RESULTS Position Angler Name Total(cm) Prize 1.................Dave Mann................... 99................ $500................... Sponsor pack 2.................Matt Petrie.................... 97................ $220................... Sponsor pack 3.................Glen Hayter.................. 96................ $100................... Sponsor pack 4.................Richard Somerton........ 86.................. $90................... Sponsor pack 5.................Luke Vandeligt.............. 84.................. $70................... Sponsor pack After a fruitful pre-fish on Saturday, Mann travelled up past the sunken timber area and fished a soft bank with smaller submerged timber. Going straight to a slow retrieve as soon as the lure hit the water, Mann landed his first fish by 7.30am and completed his 3 fish bag by around 8.30am. Mann fishes with a Daiwa Steez reel on a Dobyns Champion Extreme Rod, SAS 20lb braid and 10lb Yamatoyo leader.

SECOND PLACE Victorian bream guru Matt Petrie has defended his state’s honour by placing second, and only 2cm behind first place. Using his knowledge of the lake, Petrie fished the edges near submerged timber with a Custom Atomic 38 Double Deep crank bait. Petrie found that while slow rolling the Double Deep lure the fish were hitting it hard by about the third wind. Like the winner, Petrie also ran a Daiwa Steez reel but on a Duff Hystix rod, Sunline Super PE 6lb Braid and Unitika 6lb Leader. New South Wales angler Glen Hayter rounded out the podium with 96 points.

Hayter and first placed Mann both used the same lure configuration to unlock the mouths of some quality Australian bass. Round 3 of the Hobie Kayak Bass Series –

presented by Daiwa will be taking the competitors to Moogerah Dam in Queensland. This event in August is set to have some of the biggest bass we have seen in this series so far.

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The Horsham Weekly Advertiser fishing comp This year’s annual Horsham Fishing Contest was held on Sunday 9 March. A total of 2289 anglers competed for over $60,000 worth of prizes. Organisers could not have been happier with the number of entries, which consisted of 1634 seniors, 530 juniors and 125 tiddlers. This was another fantastic turnout and saw the banks of the Wimmera River teaming with enthusiastic anglers aiming to take home the major prize of either a Kia Rio S or a Bluefin Estuary tracker boat package. Committee chairman Kevin Dellar said it has been another successful event.

Jayden McCartney won top Juniors prize with a 1280g yellowbelly.

RESULTS Top 3 for Seniors 1.....Allan Beer.............................. Wendouree........... 1201g............ Yellowbelly 2.....Mark McPhee........................ Horsham............... 1200g............ Yellowbelly 3.....Brad Stephens...................... Horsham............... 1180g............ Yellowbelly Juniors 1.....Jayden McCartney................ Great Western....... 1280g............ Yellowbelly 2.....Rachael Beer......................... Wendouree........... 1170g............. Yellowbelly 3.....Izabella Rose McIntyre.......... Horsham............... 1122g............ Yellowbelly

“Every state has been represented – we had competitors join us from Queensland to Western Australia as well as visitors from all over Victoria enjoying what the competition has to offer and the weather turned it on for us as well”. The yellowbelly numbers and quality were very good, and approximately 90% were released back into the river. There were also 4 silver perch big enough to be weighed from a restocking program, which is excellent news for the waterway. Overall, all native fish caught were in very good condition, and were bigger and healthier than last year. Wendouree angler Allan Beer took out the event by the smallest of margins with a golden perch weighing 1201g. This was just 1g more than Horsham local Mark McPhee’s fish. Allan was over

the moon and had no hesitation in choosing the brand new Kia Rio S supplied by Horsham Motor Company as his prize. A great result as Allan has fished the competition for the last 32 years. Mark McPhee didn’t go home empty-handed as he took home the Bluefin Estuary

Wendouree angler Allan Beer took out the event by the smallest of margins with a golden perch weighing 1201g.

Tiddlers 1.....Jaydah Piera.......................... Horsham............... 921g.............. YellowBelly 2.....Riva Mackley......................... Horsham............... 460g.............. YellowBelly 3.....Cianna Beer........................... Ballarat................. 451g.............. YellowBelly Heaviest carp 1.....Jason Piera............................ Horsham............... 4222g............ European carp Heaviest bag of carp 1.....Clive Neil............................... Delacombe........... 13050g (18 Fish) 2.....Noel Neil................................ Avoca.................... 12034g (24 Fish)

boat package supplied by Webbcon Marine. Great Western’s Jayden McCartney took out the junior competition with the heaviest catch of the day, while Horsham’s Jaydah Piera won the Tiddlers’ section. Overall more than 650 fish were caught, with

Mark McPhee took home the Bluefin Estuary boat package supplied by Webbcon Marine.

the 174 native fish caught, almost doubling the amount of natives caught last year. The Horsham Fishing Competition committee would like to thank the major sponsors for the event, The Weekly Advertiser, Horsham Motor Company, Webbcon Marine, Wimmera Office Equipment and Kmart Horsham as well as Shimano and Rapala Australia for their fantastic assistance. – Peter Jung

Shipwreck Coast Fishing Classic goes off 2014 saw the Shipwreck Coast Fishing Classic explode onto the fishing scene and cement itself as a major fishing competition in Victoria. Almost $64,000 in prizes and giveaways attracted around 650 competitors to this annual Warrnambool event. Held from the 1-10 March in picturesque South West Victoria, the event attracted anglers and their families from all over the state. Over 500 fish were weighed in over the 10 days, and all but one of the 29 prize categories were filled. After a frantic final day weigh-in, around 1200 people descended on the Warrnambool Breakwater for the Presentation event

that saw 2 boat/motor/trailer packages won, and over 100 prizes awarded. Victorian DEPI provided a large marquee for the first Sustainable Fishing Exhibit, which housed many displays from local and national groups interested in the sustainable management of our aquatic environments. Special thanks to DEPI Fisheries, RedMap and Museum Victoria, Deakin University, Warrnambool City Council, Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority, FishCare, and Fish Habitat Network for their work in making this event such a success. The final leaderboard showed plenty of significant captures: made to fit your fugly head From $39.95 + p&h

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MAY 2014

Congratulations to Andrew Jeffries for winning the first boat/trailer/motor package, his ticket in the draw was the result for weighing in a humble salmon. And to Harry Rantall for taking out the major draw of the second boat/trailer/motor package. The 2015 event promises to be bigger than ever. The prizes will be bigger. The presentation day will be bigger. And hopefully the fish will be bigger! 2015 will also see a change in format to allow catch and release for all categories. We are now looking for a naming rights sponsor for 2015, and welcome any enquiries. Special thanks to all our sponsors for financial and product contributions, the Coastguard for their tireless work throughout the competition, and the Warrnambool Offshore and Light Game Fishing Club for organising and co-ordinating the entire event. But most of all, we would like to thank all the competitors who demonstrated goodwill and genuine spirit throughout the competition, making this event the biggest in the competitions history. Until next year! – Ben Pohlner

RESULTS SMALL FRY Name Length (mm) Weight (kg) Australian salmon................. Harry Eldred.......................405...................... 0.65 Bream................................... Oliver Sharp.......................400...................... 0.95 King George whiting............. Harry Eldred.......................440...................... 0.50 Yellow eye mullet.................. Ruby Kosh......................... NR....................... 0.30 JUNIOR Name Length (mm) Weight (kg) Snapper................................ Mason Walpole..................490...................... 1.50 Mulloway.............................. Lochie Mustard..................640.......................2.10 Morwong.............................. Tara Neal............................450...................... 0.90 Australian salmon................. Brad Gedye........................605...................... 1.90 Bream................................... Jarrah Sharp......................410...................... 1.05 Estuary perch....................... Harry McLauchlan.............430...................... 0.95 Trout...................................... Ruben Swann................... 34.5...................... 0.40 Flathead................................ Oska Wilson.......................295.......................0.15 Shark gummy or school....... Tyler Hewson.....................1210...................... 6.00 Yellowtail kingfish................. -........................................... -..............................King George whiting............. Jessica Ljubic....................455...................... 0.50 Yellow eye mullet.................. Kade Gordon.....................390...................... 0.65 SENIOR Name Length (mm) Weight (kg) Snapper................................ Matthew Cook...................800...................... 5.60 Mulloway.............................. Daniel Hoey........................730...................... 3.40 Morwong.............................. Barry Bermingham Jnr.......570...................... 1.65 Australian Salmon................ Ben Hill...............................475...................... 1.05 Bream................................... Gerard Hose...................... NR....................... 1.20 Estuary Perch....................... Sam Powell........................445...................... 1.05 Trout (Brown)........................ Michael Pretlove.................540...................... 1.45 Flathead................................ Shane Sanders..................580...................... 1.25 Shark - Gummy or school.... Jason Twaddle...................1830....................21.35 Yellowtail Kingfish................. Ben Murrihy.......................950....................... 7.05 King George Whiting............ Chris Beaton......................480...................... 0.70 Tuna...................................... Garry Anders.....................1100..................... 19.75 Game Shark ........................ Peter Mahony (Mako)........2560.................... 132.5 BCF Biggest Bream BONUS Gerard Hose......................... NR....................................................... 1.20 Largest scale fish (excluding tuna) Ben Murrihy.......................... Kingfish................................................7.05

Team Berkley just too strong at Docklands The weekend of the 1-2 February saw 38 teams kick off the 2014 Vic Bream Classic Series by heading to Docklands to battle it out amongst Melbourne’s concrete jungle for the Atomic BIA Bream Classic. With weather conditions looking great for both days fishing, all eyes turned to the favourites for the tournament and whether they’d stay in the local rivers or head far and wide to chase bream in the many locations around Port Phillip Bay that they reside. For 2014 champions Team Berkley no one was surprised that they headed to the Werribee River or that they took victory, but more interested in how they did it yet again. Anglers woke to perfect conditions on day one with no wind and a heavy fog keeping the sun at bay offering more time to target bream away from the linedestroying structure around the Melbourne docks and harbours. For Team Berkley yet again it was a run to the Werribee River that they know so well. “With the loan of Bill Classon’s 22ft Blue Wave boat, we made our way

“For day two we had the same plan, however the super-hot and calm conditions made the fish really easy to spook. It was slow going but by employing the same lure presentation technique as day one, we eventually landed our fifth fish around 10.30am. Again we used 3B puppy dogs, which are a silent lure and I believe this was a huge advantage that helped us tempt the spooky bream. “The catch rate remained

only managing 5/5 for 3.04kg it opened the door for Team Berkley to sneak home and when they weighed in 5/5 bream for 3.25kg giving them a total of 10/10 bream for 6.83kg it was enough to pass Team Evolutions boats and be crowned the 2014 Atomic BIA Bream Classic Champions. Round two will see the series move from the city to the country as we head down to Mallacoota for the Engel East Gippsland Bream

Daniel Brady and Ben Scullin from Team Evolution Boats display a few of the quality fish that secured them the Maria Lures Best Bag for the weekend. across the Port Phillip Bay from Williamstown to fish in the Werribee River. With such a long distance to travel and a 5 knot speed restriction in the rivers we effectively gave ourselves just less than 4 hours to catch the fish,” said Brad. “Our plan for day one was to fish the shallow edges using the Berkley 3B Puppydog in pointer, mongrel and electrofry colours. The presentation of the lure was all important: we were casting our lures

Paul Malov from Team Gamakatsu Atomic displays some quality black bream for the crowd.

right up into the shallows and used a high rod tip to impart a rip and pause action, this presentation enticed many strikes whereas other retrieve patterns failed to attract any interest at all. “We landed fish regularly throughout the morning but as the tide dropped the bites became harder to come by. During the low tide change it was important to cast as far away from the boat as possible and the incredible thinness of the 4lb Nanofil helped us achieve this. With eight legal fish boated for the day this enabled us to upgrade our limit a couple of times before making the long trip back to the weigh in,” said Brad. With many teams struggling to find quality fish, the boys from Team Berkley were sure to be up the leader board after the day one weigh in. And with 5/5 bream for 3.58kg, there was no doubt they’d be up there. However, the favourites couldn’t take out first place after day one as Team Evolution boats, Ben Scullin and Daniel Brady, weighed in a cracking bag of 5/5 bream for 3.70kg.

To everyone’s surprise they landed their bag from the mouth of the Little River and also succeeded to secure them the Maria Lures Best Bag for the weekend. Also hiding in their day one bag was a solid 1.14kg bream that handed them the Eco-Gear Big Bream. If Team Evolution Boats could hold on and take out day two they would scoop all the prizes for the entire tournament, but with everconsistent Team Berkley hot on their heels it was always going to be tough. Heading into day two saw super calm and bright conditions for anglers, which was going to make it just that little bit tougher to entice and not spook the ever-weary black bream. For Team Berkley it was off again to focus on the Werribee River and see if another 5 quality fish could come to the net. Armed with 3-5kg Abu Garcia Vanguard rods matched to Abu Garcia Revo Premier Spin 20 reels filled with 4lb Nanofil line and a 3lb Sensi fluorocarbon leader, Team Berkley started their charge to victory.

Brad and Mike Hodges from Team Berkley with a sample of the quality bream that helped secure them victory. very slow and it was about 12.30pm, just before we needed to leave the system to make the long trip back to the weigh in, then Mike landed an important upgrade,” said Brad. What an important upgrade it turned out to be as with Team Evolution Boats

Classic. For all the details on the 2014 Vic Bream Classic Series log onto www. vicbreamclassics.com.au or find us a Facebook under Vic Bream Classics and that way you can keep up to date with all the scores, pictures and videos from the series as they happen. – Bill Hartshorne

MAY 2014

2Deadly’s 2-punch combo FMG

Nicole Penfold nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

In my cynical moments I feel that some manufacturers aren’t so much creating lures as throwing coloured lumps of plastic at us. Fishshaped lumps that look and behave much like the fish-shaped lumps of plastic I already have. I’m not saying they don’t catch fish; they do. I’m just saying that I already have stacks of nearly identical lures and constantly find myself buying more nearly identical lures. Then I decide I’ll completely stop buying lures unless I’m in a tackle store for something else and they have a new crankbait. Oh wait, that’s every time. But what I really wanted was something different. Something the fish hadn’t seen before. I wanted to have The Edge. I’m not exactly sure what The Edge is, but it’s mentioned in a lot of tackle articles so it’s clearly something worth having. The 2Deadly, by virtue of its completely unique design, grabbed my attention. I had heard great things about it – it’s designed by Lance Butler, it’s dynamite on barra, great build quality etc. etc. – but I still had reservations. Why? Because it’s a hybrid. I am wary of tools that boast about performing a million functions. Case in point is the Scheizer Slicer, a glorified cheese grater that’s meant to replace every knife in your kitchen. After watching the advertising you’re convinced it can slice everything from a marshmallow to an armoured car. My sister gave me a Slicer she didn’t want (I didn’t stop to think why). I was thrilled. I pushed my old knives aside in disgust,

Chris Raimondi from BCF with a barra that smashed an olivia coloured 2Deadly. reverently took the Scheizer Slicer out of its box and tried chopping a small potato with it. The thin blades made a few pathetic grooves, and that was it. You’d think I had asked it to slice through the Sydney Opera House rather than a small root vegetable. I put the Slicer back in its box and gave it to a friend (not a very good friend). So, as my point proves, hybrids are bad at everything. “But hybrid cars are getting good performance now,” I hear you say. OK, fine. “And those Renovatorstyle multi-purpose tools can be really good.” Shut up. Let’s get back on track and look at the background of the awesome 2Deadly and its designer.

You win some you lose some! 72

MAY 2014

ABOUT LANCE Lance’s knowledge of lure making is encyclopaedic, his fishing experience is vast and his judgment of fish behaviour

is shrewd. He also holds this title of being the most popular guide in North Queensland. When you’re at the ramp with him you get star-struck anglers

Lance has been a professional guide for decades, catching XOS barra all over the top of Australia.

waving and yelling stuff like, “Lance! 2Deadly! 2Deadly! Yeah!” Lance always smiles and waves back, although he confesses to feeling a bit embarrassed by it all. The fact that he is so genuinely likeable and modest means you pretty much want to buy his lures whether they’re any good or not. I’m sure many of his clients feel that way – there are loads of photos of them on the ‘net using his creations – but fortunately his lures are damn good. And this guy loves lure making. His eyes light up whenever he talks about it. He got his affinity for wood working as a young bloke during his 4-year carpentry

apprenticeship, but he decided he didn’t want to be a chippy. Instead, he did what most of us would do given half a chance: he gave it away to became a Top End fishing guide. For many years he guided in top NT locations, including Alex Julius’ famed Barra Lodge, but he eventually decided to move back to his home near Townsville. The lure making side of his business had its roots

back when he handcrafted timber lures with his dad as a hobby. Lance’s fishing clients then wanted some to take home, so he made extras for them. Word spread of these great barra lures, reaching the ears of the people behind the Killalure brand. In 2010 John Millyard (from Basser Millyard, now J.M. Gillies) approached Lance to design some Killalures, and the rest is history. “I get a real kick out of imagining a lure design, building it and then catching a fish on it,” Lance said. “And it’s amazing to see my timber lure designs transformed into injected moulded form. I see them come back from the factory in all these great

colours and finishes and I’m like a kid in a lolly shop!” THE 2DEADLY STORY The 2Deadly has a traditional baitfish profile but that’s where tradition ends – because Lance has designed it to be fished as both a popper and as a shallow diver. So why would you want this hybrid when you could just use a popper or a minnow? Simple – so you can take advantage of 2 fish-attracting features in 1 lure: the noise of a popper with the visual flash and vibrations of a minnow. “When I was a guide up in the Territory, I thought, ‘Why doesn’t anyone make a popper that can both pop and swim?’” Lance recalled. “I sat down and started designing. I started out making face of the lure concave but it just didn’t make the ‘barra boof’ noise I wanted. “Then I was walking by the river one day and glanced at my bamboo walking pole, and I noticed it had a blunt face. I pushed it into the water and it went ‘bloop’! It was the exact noise I was looking for! I went back to the house and started carving a version with a flat face. The 2Deadly was born. I had the sound I wanted combined with a great wide roll like a traditional shallow diver.” The finished product from the Killalure factory is ready to fish straight out of the box, fitted with VMC 3X-strong Permasteel trebles for strength and saltwater durability. There are 3 models, all of which dive to 6ft: 60mm (6.5g), 80mm (13g) and 120mm (21g). Available colours are blue/silver flash, gold/black, bananafish, chartreuse/silver flash, guns n roses, gold

mullet dazzler, tiger lily, Olivia and raw prawn. This tough lure has taken on GTs, mackerel and XOS barra and won. Other species on its scorecard include queenfish, tuna, jacks, coral trout, kingfish, tailor, threadfin salmon, cod and flathead. Plenty of these fish have been caught on the troll; the 2Deadly works particularly well when you’re trolling at a depth of around 4-5ft, especially along the edge of weed beds in a dam, or shallow flats where you have water draining off the mud flat. If you’re casting and retrieving, here’s what to do: cast in tight to structure and let the lure sit there for a bit. Then make a sharp motion with your wrist, wind the slack up slowly and make another sharp motion with your wrist to make it bloop. It sounds remarkably like a barra boof (Lance calls it ‘ringing the dinner bell’). “So you’ve rung the dinner bell, like you would with any popper,” Lance said. “But sometimes the fish don’t want to get out of their comfort zone. They’ve seen the lure on top, you’ve made the noise, now you want to get the lure down in their face. Just wind it down slowly and start flicking the rod tip, constantly taking the slack up between flicks.”

be blooped, wiggled and swum makes me think that bass are an absolute Monty on them. What other lure out there has the ability to take on bass on the surface at dawn and dusk, and then, as they fall lower in the water column, still attract them as a traditional diving minnow? The possibilities really are quite intriguing and I am looking forward to see how innovative anglers take this lure and make it their own. Some ‘barra’ lures look to have been designed by someone who has never seen a barra. Or worse, they have

This simple technique has helped Lance and his clients catch a multitude of big tropical species. He and I had a great day casting the flats around Hinchinbrook, and I decided that the 2Deadly was definitely one hybrid I had to own. One of the additional things I liked about it was that after it’s popped it goes straight back to its original position, rather than creeping further away from structure with each pop. You can also walk the dog with the 2Deadly, if that’s what the fish are after on the day.

OTHER APPLICATIONS Of course any barra lure will have far wider applications than just barra. For example, the toughness of these lures makes them ideal for chasing kingfish in the washes, Aussie salmon and tailor in the same locations and of course fish such as jacks, fingermark and threadfin salmon up north. But it’s not all monster fish that will find the 2Deadly to their liking. Estuarine species such as flatties, bass and estuary perch will muscle in on these lures, while trout and redfin will climb all over these lures in the fresh – especially the smallest model. The way these lures can

actually been designed by a barra, whose goal is for the hardware to fail and the fish to go free. Lance’s lures, by contrast, are designed with all his barra expertise behind him, teamed with the Killalure guys who share his commitment to quality. But don’t ever think these will only ever catch barra. That would do your 2Deadly lures a great disservice. Go and check them out at your nearest tackle store and let your mind roam so you can create your own 2Deadly situation..

Lance shows how it’s done, getting a cast in right in the thick of it.

! T I ! K T N I A POP CR t s u j s It’

y l d a e D 2

The 2Deadly gives anglers the best of both worlds; with a splash and sound of a popper, and the flash and vibration of a diver.

jmgillies.com.au

facebook.com/jm.gillies

NOW AVAILABLE IN 3 SIZES: 120mm, 85mm and 60mm

MAY 2014

Rosco Duo Scamper FMG

Stephen Booth sbooth@fishingmonthly.com.au

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

With that in mind, let’s take a quick refresher on what the Scamper models offer anglers. Designed for angling, the Scampers are built from fibreglass and are extremely light, weighing around 20kg. With two people carrying the Duo you can literally load it with all your gear and easily carry it down to the water’s edge. We loaded the Duo up with two people’s fishing gear, paddles, seats and some drinks and food for our test and transporting this lightweight canoe was a breeze.

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

The Scampers are stable and make great use of a design feature not found in many canoes, the Tumblehome design. This design gives a slight belly to the sides of the craft that aids in stability and buoyancy. It works really well and with two aboard the Duo it’s good to have a little extra security. The Duo has a payload of 180kg. On our test day we probably overloaded it but the craft still performed really well and there was an easy 6” of freeboard while being used. One of the slight differences between the Solo and the reviewed Duo was the stern buoyancy cavity. In the Duo this is a little larger. Specifically designed this way, the Duo’s floatation allows a single user to use the Duo without having that Shallow Hal feel to the canoe – you know the picture where the nose of the canoe is out of the water! The extra floatation also allows an electric outboard and battery to be used just as comfortably. I find it’s these little design alterations that make you understand that someone who knows their stuff has designed this craft. Like all the Scampers, the Duo is a minimalist rig. The

The Duo Scamper, much like the Solo, is set up as a basic unit that you can just jump in and paddle around. This one has the front sail mount attached already. base rig comes with a hull and two seats – that’s it. The rest is literally up to your imagination and I can imagine plenty. The Scamper’s build is a straight composite lay up, which is all fibreglass. Other options include Kevlar or carbon at an increased cost. Using this material provides the ability to form very fine lines, literally down to a knife-sharp entry if desired and the Scamper makes good use of this material. Some of the advantages of fibreglass include that it is extremely lightweight (the Solo Scamper comes in at 20kg), it has a high strength-to-weight ratio, it can be formed to very

DIMENSIONS Length:........................................................ 4.02m Width:........................................................... 88cm Weight:.......................................................... 20kg Payload:.......................................................180kg Passengers:.............................................. 2 adult Accessories:..................................Motor bracket ....................................................................Sail kit ...........................................................Rod holders Warranty:...................................................5 years Price:............................................................$1179 ON THE WATER The big test is how this craft performs on the water and after a big trip catching bass and catties on lures I really found myself enjoying my time in the Duo Scamper. Fishing (sorry, I meant testing) the craft with Greg Livingstone meant that the

180kg payload was tested. Neither of us are mere saplings however the Duo handled the load easily. On first stepping into the Duo you could feel the inherent stability of the canoe and even with Greg fussing around in the back trying to look pretty for the camera, never did I feel in imminent

A double header in the Duo. Seriously though, what is a canoe test without actually testing its fishing ability? fine design lines and it has a moderate cost. All these factors are displayed very well in the Scamper. And being that the Scamper is fibreglass, what about damage and repair? Damage, of course, is a problem and these craft are not designed for going down classed rapids. If you want to do that, grab a proper whitewater kayak or a Rosco Chief, a 15’ canoe manufactured of Royalex, a material designed for whitewater use. Damage will occur from sharp rocks hit with force so avoid these situations. But the good news is that they can be repaired fairly easily and cheaply. Just remember that this is a canoe, not a rock hopper. 74

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The sail set up in the front of the Duo Scamper can provide easy distance coverage in lakes and slow flowing rivers.

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

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

danger of going for a swim. We had a paddle of about 2km to our fishing (sorry, testing) location and this gave us a chance to paddle this craft from the bow seat, from the stern seat and from both ends at the same time. The best directional paddling (we were using traditional canoe paddles) came from the stern seat and the bow seat provided good power or pace. With two paddling we could keep up easily with the electric powered Solo with the bow paddler providing power and the stern paddler providing some power but responsible for direction. As much as I’d like to say Greg had us going in circles and crashing through snags and trees, he didn’t and said it was a really easy unit to direct. We did have one incident though and this involved both of us fishing and not concentrating. As we drifted toward the bank, Greg grabbed the paddle to push us off the tree that was looming and as he turned around an interesting little snake was right on our hip pockets, just looking at us as if to say “What the hell are you doing here?” With some quick reorganisation of the canoe’s weight distribution, a few frenzied paddle strokes and a bit of luck we slipped past the snake without tipping ourselves out, which seemed a minor miracle. Fishing wise the Duo Scamper was brilliant. The front angler needed to be a little aware of the rear angler when casting forwards (sorry Greg, I know you loved that hat!), but apart from that two anglers fishing in this craft was great fun. It made landing and releasing fish so much easier as the non-catching angler did all the work. And dry! I can’t remember being so dry in a canoe/kayak for some time. The canoe paddle is a much drier way to paddle these craft around and at day’s end that is a blessing. The change of clothes and towel I bought with me were untouched and that’s great. LOVE IT The Duo Scamper is built just like its Solo Scamper brother – simple and easy to use. I love the thought of grabbing a mate, a couple of paddles, some lures and a rod each and just getting on with fishing. Like the Solo you can have an electric set up if you want and there is also a great sail

option if you want to minimise your paddle workload. You can also add on some neat little rod holders that are so simple you’ll kick yourself for not thinking about it, and you can add on drop anchors, paddle holders and more. The open plan allows for unrivalled customisation and I really like that. The only thing I would advise is to choose your partner carefully. Overloading any boat, let alone a canoe is not the smartest thing to

do so just take into account the 180kg payload. Other than that, a brilliant canoe that allows you to spend some quality time with a mate or one of the kids in a safe, stable and simple way. To find out more about the Duo Scamper log onto www. roscocanoes.com.au or drop into the Rosco Canoes and Kayaks display rooms at 295 Gympie Rd in Kedron. You could also give them a call on (07) 3359 9330 for more information.

Left: The fish-eye lens taking a pic of a very fishy character. The Duo easily took Greg and I with its payload of 180kg. Right: Greg Livingstone found time to land a bass or two from the back of the Duo while we were testing the craft.

WIN

A POWER-POLE MICRO ANCHOR FROM

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

State:

P/C:

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

If you miss an issue of the magazine you can find previous issues archived digitally for free at www.issuu.com MAY 2014

Electric Motors

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

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

112lb Minn Kota ST i-Pilot

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

Saltwater Transom Minn Kotas

The 2014 Minn Kota saltwater transom line up consists of 4 motors with 3 of these featuring the power efficient Maximizer that gives up to 5 times longer run times. Rebuilt with an intuitive, easy to use design, the Riptide Transom mount motors deliver up to 55lb of power. Riptide motors are impervious to saltwater’s 76

MAY 2014

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

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

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

112lb Minn Kota SRP

Price: from $483 - $894 www.bla.com.au

New Watersnake Venom Transom

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

Watersnake Venom SRPF

Minn Kota Transom SRPF

$483

$279

$3986

Electric Motors

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

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

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

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

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

minnkota.com.au Distributed exclusively by

boatinglifestyleadventure bla.com.au bla.com.au

MAY 2014

01_14_QFM_MK112_May

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

Stacer’s new stars of 2014 FMG

Stephen Booth sbooth@fishingmonthly.com.au

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

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

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

around the Broadwater, adding to the impressive wakes created by the many super yachts cruising around at 20 knots, there was plenty of opportunity to test the hulls in swells and wakes. I’ve got a dodgy ‘old-man’s’ back at the best of times and even when I was crashing through heavy wakes in the 420 Seaway (which is a forward control boat), never did I feel that horrible jarring of the back usually associated with tinnies. Yes we drove the boats to the conditions and yes I could have made all

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

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

Top: The custom-made Stacer trailers are an unexpected joy. Made specifically for their boats, these trailers will get your valuable asset to and from the water in style. Above Left: The neat looking 519 Assault Pro. I can’t wait to test this little puppy. Above Right: The 429 Seaway was a fun rig to drive around and many bay and estuary anglers will find this model to their liking. improvements with much better value. Ordinarily you would expect that improvement comes at a cost, but this time it hasn’t. All the 2014 models have been improved, but not one of them comes at a higher cost. That is simply brilliant for the end purchaser! We had the chance to look over 8 new boats from the tournament-style 519 Assault Pro through to the wonderful little 429 Seaway. The list of boats we were introduced to included the 519 Assault Pro, 429 Seaway, 489 Seaway, 449 Bay Master, 449 Proline Angler, 539 Easy Rider, 619 Easy Rider and the 509 Sea Runner. Each craft had its own upgrades and alterations, so let’s look at a few that I found to be well worth the exercise. 78

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It’s time to hook in! NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.me

Fish hooks are arguably the most important items of tackle we use, yet their selection is often overlooked or placed well down the list when gearing up. A little common hook sense goes a long way toward improving your catch rates. In its purest form, fishing is a simple business. All you really need is a length of line with a hook at the end. Sure, a bit of bait helps, as does having a reel to store your line on, and a rod to cast and control the rig, but none of these fancier items is truly essential.

Ancient fishers had no choice but to keep their rigs simple. Centuries ago, lines were fashioned by plaiting vines, plant fibres or animal hairs. At the end of these lines, ancient anglers lashed a piece of bone, a splinter of fire-hardened wood or a shard of stone. This device, called a gorge, was intended to jam inside the mouth of any fish silly enough to bite and hold on. In many cases, bait was unnecessary, especially if the gorge was jiggled about to imitate a kicking critter (obviously, fish were pretty dumb in those days!). Anglers of old worked out that pieces of shell made the most successful gorges and also acted as rudimentary

Ouch! A broken fly hook cost the author a good fish. Evidence of rust explains why the hook failed under pressure.

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

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

are described by an ascending series of numbers followed by a slash and a zero. For example, the next size up from a No. 1 is a 1/0, then comes the 2/0, next the 3/0 and so on. The biggest hooks — used for catching sharks, marlin and giant tuna — are in the 18/0 to 20/0 range. As a matter of interest, Australians pronounce the larger hook sizes as one-oh, two-oh, three-oh and so on, whereas in America, the same sizes are called one-ought, two-ought and three-ought. The vast majority of fishing situations encountered by Australian anglers are adequately covered by hooks in the range of sizes from 12

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

within the TJM Workshop. Creating a true outdoor adventure show has seen this expo embrace a diversity of pursuits that will provide a unique overall experience for all visitors. Marketing Manager Mark Petersen said, “The scope and need for a 4WD extends far beyond the interest of the

common 4wder. We want to appeal to a broader group, be more encompassing and entice and welcome new groups to this show”. As such, hunting, water sports, mountain biking, camping, bush walking and generally outdoor recreation of any type will all be a focus of the Explore Australia Expo. But it certainly is not all about 4WDs. One of the biggest and fastest growing outdoor recreational areas is fishing and boating and the Explore Australia Expo has gone all out in this sector. There will be a far greater diversity of fishing identities and media involved. Australian Fishing Adventures is one of the country’s most diverse media platforms and Young Guns Fishing and commands unequalled respect for their fishing

clinics, community involvement and industry rapport. Both have committed their support to this event and along with the attending identities and presenters, all will be featured on the Fishing Stage. Throw in a balanced mix of Monster Trucks, the WOT Hobbies RC track, numerous other identities and it is no doubt that the Explore Australia Expo will inspire, motivate and educate. No matter what sort of outdoor adventure you are into, Explore Australia Expo will have something for you. For more information please visit www. ExploreAustraliaExpo. com.au and follow us on Facebook at www. facebook.com/Explore AustraliaExpo. – Explore Australia Expo

NEWS

Explore Australia Expo

The Explore Australia Expo is set to rock the Australian outdoor show circuit with its first event booked in for Melbourne June 20-22 at the Melbourne Showgrounds. Bringing together Australia’s most prolific 4WD television producer and two of the country’s leading outdoor, Moto and 4x4 event coordinators, the team behind Explore Australia Expo are outdoor adventure junkies. Key to this expo is an intrinsic understanding of what the relevant communities and industries want and where these types of expos need to head. “For too long the needs of the community and the industry have been seen as separate concerns. Our team understands the symbiotic nature of what works best for these events and how the needs

of each group are closely intertwined,” said Event Coordinator Paul Morgan. Education will be a core thread throughout the Explore Australia Expo. A seminar hub has been created that will offer workshops and tutorials on topics such as travelling with kids, outdoor photography, navigating, maintaining bush access, etc. Simon Christie, stated, “Get set for a fresh new take on the ‘all too old’ 4x4 show style, we are creating a number of educational hot spots around this event. We want people to walk away from this event and simply say, Wow!” Outdoor engagement and educational entertainment has been another area of the expo’s focus with the Adventure Track bursting at the seams with informative, inspiring and exciting dynamic vehicle displays. Key show partners will provide tutorials on safe

winching, diff locks and suspension, how to use a snatch strap and driving techniques. Community involvement will also be an important inclusion for this expo. A massive Scout City will bring an involvement from Cubs, Scouts, Venturers and Rovers. Further community involvement will see two Show ‘n’ Shine events run over the weekend of the expo. TJM has also stepped up their involvement with the TJM Workshop. One lucky 4wdriver will win the opportunity to have their vehicle ‘pimped’ at the expo with a number of accessories being fitted

MAY 2014

What’s new boating

50 years of Honda 4-strokes

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

Mercury FourStroke event

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

Quintrex 420 Hornet Trophy

The 420 HornetTrophy is new to Quintrex’s Hornet range and it’s set to be a favourite among anglers. With new smooth look, 3mm bottom and side sheets sides the 420 is 300mm deeper than the original 400 Hornet Trophy. Built with the Eclipse V-Flared Hull, it cuts through chop and offers a stable fishing platform no matter where you are. Features include rod holders, anchor well, casting platform with a rear live bait tank, tackle storage and a fishfinder. Optional extras include a bimini and envelope, bow mount thruster plate, stereo and speakers and a rod storage pocket. The 420 Hornet Trophy is available as an Instant Boating Package including a boat, BRP Evinrude outboard and Quintrex trailer complete with a three-year limited factory warranty. For more info visit www.quintrex. com.au. - Telwater 80

MAY 2014

New Sarca Excel

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

Tohatsu MFS40A and MFS50A

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

Yamaha Introduces New Four Stroke

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

Yamaha releases new 115 and 175 4-strokes BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Yamaha has released two new versions of the 115 and the 175 4-strokes engines. The 115 is the new F115B and the 175 the new F175A. F115B IS BETTER Looking at the F115B, it’s interesting to see that Yamaha has not simply upgraded their existing 115, which has naturally undergone a few modifications since its initial release in 1999. The truth of the matter is that the F115B is an entirely new engine. Lighter, stronger, more powerful; let’s look at some of the features.

The totally new F115B, on a Sea Jay 5.1 Striker. Slim, strong and ready to perform.

The F115B in action on the 530 Cruise Craft Explorer’s transom. The new F115B is 15kg lighter than the original. It remains a fourcylinder engine but now has 1832cc against the F115A’s 1741cc. In line with latest technological advances there’s increased compression and an increased full throttle operating range. Dual overhead camshafts are also featured, as are four valves per cylinder and multi point Electronic Fuel Injection. Along with a knock sensor (unusual in an engine of such modest horse power), the new engine systems are designed to provide smoother operation and greater efficiency throughout the entire rev range. There’s also a new cowling design with an air intake drain within the induction system to prevent water from contaminating intake air. The new F115B also boasts best in-class charging power increasing from 24A (F115A) to 35

amps at wide open throttle. Yet even at 1,000rpm there’s sufficient output to keep the engine battery charged. One feature sure to be welcomed is a water separating fuel filter. Should

water be present in fuel a ‘Water in Fuel ‘ warning will be activated. Another useful addition is a single ram power trim and tilt system with tilt angle adjustment to prevent over tilt damage.

Another breakthrough is the optional Yamaha Command Link that gives provision for the F115B to be linked, via Yamaha’s own digital network system, to a wide range of instruments via a multi function tachometer. There’s also a valuable security system that is available within Command Link. ON THE WATER Time on the water also proved the power and efficiency of the new F115B. I was fortunate enough to take the helm of a Cruise Craft 530 Explorer powered by the new Yamaha. For the record this is not a lightweight hull chosen by Yamaha to be an impressive test bed. No sir. The 530 Explorer’s hull weighs 1094kg and has a maximum engine rating of 140hp. Was it underpowered? Certainly not. With two aboard the craft fairly jumped onto the plane in around three boat lengths at 3000rpm, then settled back to travel at 15.8km/h. 4000rpm proved a very quiet and smooth cruising speed with 38.9km/h recorded. Fuel consumption at those

The entirely new F175A proved very quiet and yet highly responsive. Note the slim line profile allowing dual engine fitment an easy matter.

revs was a very creditable 37.2L per hour that saw 2.26km travelled per litre. 5,000rpm saw a speed of 52.5km/h. I saw the F115B as an impressively quiet and high performing engine with a pleasing degree of throttle response through the entire rev range. THE F175A The ‘A’ classification by Yamaha denotes the 175 as a totally new engine, designed to fill a niche in Yamaha’s product range between 150 and 200hp outboards. The new F175A is based on Yamaha’s award winning and recently released 2.8L F200 platform that sees the F175A sharing the same displacement as the powerful F200. The F175A is a DOHC EFI 16 valve engine (four per cylinder) weighing only 219kg. It features a wet sump lubrication system same as the F115B and has a class leading 50 Amp high output alternator and multi point Electronic Fuel Injection for ultimate engine response and smoothness of running. There’s also Yamaha’s patented Shift Dampening System for smoothest gear changes, a tilt limiting switch on the engine trim, plus latest generation slim line styling for ease of fitting dual engines. A variable trolling switch is

standard when Command Link gauges are fitted. Engine oil coolers are standard for optimum engine performance and longevity. It’s pleasing to note that the fuel system is protected by an early warning system to prevent water or other contaminants from entering the fuel system. An audible warning sounds if fuel contamination is detected. Options for the F175A include 6Y8 LAN/Command Link gauges, a Digital Network System for engine management, and Yamaha’s YCOP immobiliser system that prevents theft. ON THE WATER Test runs for the F175A were undertaken in a Cruisecraft Explorer 625, a solid Deep Vee hull with a weight of 1370kg. With three aboard the craft cruised creditably at 4,000rpm at 42.8km/h. Engine noise was pleasingly quiet with normal speech par for the course. The power of the F175A was impressive. The craft jumped onto the plane in four or five boat lengths and from plane to WOT the 175 provided rapid acceleration when the throttle lever was pushed forward. Both new engines run on regular unleaded fuel and come with 4 years recreational use warranty and have a 3 star Ultra Low Emission rating.

Matthew Wade and his mates caught this impressive 125kg yellowfin tuna while on a weekend away in Tassie. This is the biggest catch of the season so far – well done boys! MAY 2014

Extreme 610 Game King: a fishing battleship sleeping area, complete with mattresses that lift up to reveal a flushable, underbunk toilet. The selfdraining anchor locker and winch can also be accessed from downstairs. Out the back on the expansive decks there was lots of fishing space. To keeps the decks ready for action there were yet more storage areas, including side pockets and two large compartments in the transom. Along the top of the gunwales there are rod holders welded into place (rather than screwed) to help prevent corrosion. There is also a live bait well incorporated into the step of the walk-through

WARRAGUL

Martin Auldist martinauldist@gmail.com

As the Extreme 610 Game King slipped off the tandem trailer and into the drink at the main Inverloch boat ramp, it occurred to me that this 6.1m of red and metallic awesomeness looked near damn near indestructible. In fact, if it wasn’t for the bright red colour, this ruggedly impressive vessel wouldn’t have looked out of place with an anti-aircraft gun either side and a machine gun turret on top! That’s not surprising, seeing how these fully aluminium alloy fishing boats are designed and built by our Kiwi cousins across the Tasman – and we all know how they can’t stand namby-pamby hunting and fishing gear. To be precise the Extreme range of fishing boats are made in Whakatane, on the east coast of the North Island – not very far at all from the fish-rich waters of the Bay of Plenty. They currently have the largest market share of any aluminium boat in New Zealand and are the most awarded alloy boat in the last 7 years. In Australia, Inverloch Marine

The Extreme 610 Game King was a very sure-footed and stable boat, even in sharp turns, with minimal pounding as it cut through the chop.

Side pockets keep the cabin uncluttered. are the sole distributor of these boats throughout Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, while in the northern states there are three other dealers nation-wide. I got to have a squiz at three of the models in

Above the transom there were rod holders and a bait board, which comes as an optional extra.

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the Extreme range, thanks to Shane Hemming and Tim Edney from Inverloch Marine. Astute readers will have noted my previous reviews on the Extreme 570 Centre Console and the Extreme 700 Game King – both magnificent specimens of waterborne fishing machinery. I’d have to say, though, that the 610 was my favourite. I guess you could say it is the ‘Goldilocks model’: not too big, not too small, just right. As far as I’m concerned it is the perfect all-rounder, no matter whether you’re looking for a day on the bay with the fam, or heading out wide chasing gamefish with your mates. Walking around the 610 it was immediately obvious that she was well prepared for fishy battle. The cockpit

SPECIFICATIONS Length:............................................................6.18m Beam:............................................................... 2.5m Transom thickness:........................................ 5mm Hull bottom thickness:................................... 5mm Side and deck thickness:............................... 4mm Recommended:......................................115-150hp Aluminium: ........................................ Marine grade Deadrise:............................................................ 20º Towing weight:.............................................1600kg

10w Zoom LED Headlamp

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transom, while hovering above the transom was a bait board and rod holder assembly, complete with steel ski tow hook. Beneath the treadplate floor, there are three large buoyancy tanks, a 190L fuel tank, 300L of storage space, and kill tanks plumbed into the flooding keel (which, incidentally, further assists stability at rest). Then, on the roof of the hard top right up out of the way, are the radio aerials and yet more ‘rocket launcher’ style rod holders. Finally, all Extreme boats have external, transommounted fuel filling ports, which saves getting fuel spilt in the interior.

was huge, open at the back and very spacious. Space had been maximised by attaching the driver and passenger’s seats to the wall not the floor, while there were also side pockets for keeping gear out of the road. The control panel had been fitted out with all the fruit, including VHF radio, AM/ FM radio (iPod compatible through Bluetooth) and Garmin touch-screen depth sounder/GPS combo. The cabin has sliding windows and a bonnet access hatch if you’re looking for a little fresh air, and there is a dashboard grab-rail in case things get rough. Meanwhile, downstairs, there is a substantial

Top: There are two storage lockers in the transom to house batteries and other gear. Middle: The anchor is retrieved by a concealed drum winch that deposits the rope and chain below the bow platform. Above: There is a livebait well cleverly incorporated into the walk-through transom.

A bright, roomy and comfortable cabin is a feature of the Extreme 610 Game King. The driver also gets a comfy padded seat within easy reach of all the controls.

Downstairs there is a substantial sleeping area with mattresses that lift up to reveal a flushable toilet.

The package includes a purpose-built tandem trailer.

There are underfloor kill tanks plumbed into the flooded keel. To put the boat through its paces, we left the jetty area and powered the boat towards the deeper water near the entrance to Andersons Inlet. It was immediately noticeable was that this is a very stable and sure-footed vessel, even in sharp turns. The V-bottomed hull also cut through the minimal chop with ease,

with little pounding apparent. Tim explained that – as with other boats in the Extreme range – the 610 has a 20º deadrise, aggressively down-turned chines and a broad waterline beam that leaves more boat in the water. These features are specifically designed to provide an exceptional ride and stability at rest.

I felt confident they would also allow the 610 to cope easily with seas much rougher than those that presented on test day. The keel hits the water well forward, too, with a nice slope and a broad, proud nose helping the transition from standing to planing. Incidentally, with the 610 powered by a Yamaha 150hp 4-stroke outboard spinning a 17 pitch SDS (shift dampening system) propeller, the 610 popped out of the hole at around 25km/h and reached a top speed of nearly 70km/h with three POB. The hull, like the rest of the boat, is constructed from marine-grade aluminium alloy. The aluminium on the sides and decks is 4mm thick, while that on the hull

is 5mm – so this beast is made to last and should be well capable of withstanding most of the abuse you can throw at it. f you’re ready to wage war on your fishy foes, why not make like Robson Green and get into some Extreme fishing of your own? The Extreme 610 Game King is a tough-as-nails, spacious, good looking and purposebuilt fishing boat. What’s not to like? Why not give the boys from Inverloch Marine at call and arrange a test drive. I’m sure they’ll help you out with pricing as well. For further information, pricing, or to arrange a test drive, contact Inverloch Marine on 03 5674 1502, or send them an email at sales@inverlochmarine. com.au These guys are the sole dealers for Victoria, South Australian and West Australia. You could also have a look at www. extremeboats.co.nz. • Quoted performance figures have been supplied by the writer in good faith. Performance of individual boat/motor/ trailer packages may differ due to variations in engine installations, propellers, hull configurations, options, hull loading and trailer specifications.

At rest there is plenty of boat in the water, which, with the flooding keel, gives the Extreme 610 Game King great stability at rest.

Extreme Boats, the most awarded plate alloy boat in New Zealand is available here in Victoria at Inverloch Marine.

EXTREME 610 GAME KING

03 5674 1502

2 The Esplanade, Inverloch 3996 Vic sales@inverlochmarine.com.au www.inverlochmarine.com.au

EXTREME 700 GAME KING

EXTREME 750 GAME KING

inverloch marine .com.au

With models ranging in size from 5.4M through to a whopping 11.5M Extreme Boats have everyone covered. For an individual package tailored to suit you or to book your on water demonstration call Tim or Shane at Inverloch Marine today. MAY 2014

Bait and Tackle

Nautical Marine (03) 5984 1666

Nautical Marine Nautical Marine has been providing all your boating and marine needs since 1976, and continues to ensure that your days on the water are enjoyable and safe.

S TO M E R

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Screen Printing Logan Specialised Screen Printing (07) 5546 4107

NTEED

Boat Imports

ERVIC

This new section in VIC/TAS 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 Victoria and Tasmania, this guide will direct you to reputable businesses in the area you’re searching. Advertisers wanting to be involved in this directory can call (07) 3387 0800 or email pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au

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Holiday Rental

Compleat Angler Portland (03) 5521 1844

West Coast Central

Warrnambool Holiday Park (03) 5562 5031

Hooked On Bait and Tackle Hoppers Crossing (03) 9748 3811 Fishing Fever Mordialloc (03) 9590 9899

Photo for illustrative purposes

Peninsula Total Tackle (03) 5981 1994 JV Marine World Braeside 03) 9798 8883 Complete Angler Ringwood (03) 9870 7792 New World Marine (03) 9709 8444

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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 New World Marine (03) 9709 8444 Regal Marine (03) 9874 4624 Streaker Boats (03) 9729 8288 Triple M Marine (03) 9465 8787 Warragul Marine (03) 5623 6250 Wes Frost Marine (03) 5976 4622

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TRADES AND SERVICES ADVERTISING Line listing from $15 + gst per mth* 2cm x 2 from $35 + gst per mth* 5cm x 2 from $50 + gst per mth* 7cm x 2 from $74 + gst per mth* 9cm x 2 from $89 + gst per mth* 10cm x 2 from $99 + gst per mth* 11cm x 2 from $105 + gst per mth* 12cm x 2 from $110 + gst per mth* * Conditions apply Call (07) 3387 0800 or email pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au Naaj Marine 0421 955 371 Unique Marine Accessories (03) 5427 1802 CMC Marine Sales www.cmcsales.com.au Hunter Marine Boat Builders (03) 5032 2320

Marine Mechanics Central Kris Oakley Marine Services (03) 9794 5524 JV Marine World Braeside (03) 9798 8883 JV Marine World Laverton (03) 9368 7100 The Outboard Workshop (03) 9783 0840

Inverloch Marine (03) 5674 1502

Freshwater Boats and More Shepparton (03) 5822 2108 Boats and More Echuca (03) 5482 1992

Online Tackle Products

Call Now: 03

www.whpark.com.au

Specialty Fishing Products www.specialtyfishing.com.au U-Make-Em Soft plastics ww.u-make-emsoftplastics.com.au Adrenalin Flies www.adrenalinflies.com.au

“For all your fly fishing needs” ORDER ONLINE www.adrenalinflies.com.au Korr Lighting www.korrlighting.com.au She Left www.hdvcs.com.au

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East Coast Shallow Inlet Caravan Park (03) 5687 1385

SHALLOW INLET CARAVAN PARK On the Waters Edge

FRESH BAIT | HIRE BOATS | ICE

• Easy access for boats • 10 cabins (3 with ensuites) • LPG gas refills • Kiosk

Fish Taxidermy Fish Taxidermist 0428 544 841 Neptune’s Treasures 0419 643 654

WANT IN? EMAIL : pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au 84

MAY 2014

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Far Out Charters, McLoughlins Beach 0428 401 819

Gone Fishing Charters 0409 007 068

Accommodation

Prom Adventurer, Port Welshpool (03) 5682 2633 or 0428 594 767 Prom Coastal Charters, Yanakie (03) 5687 1248 or 0429 935 583

East Gippsland

Razorback Bluewater Charters, Port Albert (03) 5183 2691

Marlo Ocean Views Caravan and Camping Park (03)5154 8268

MARLO

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Freshwater

OCEAN VIEWS CARAVAN & CAMPING PARK

Angling Expeditions Victoria, Tawonga (03) 5754 1466

03 5154 8268

Highland Trout Lakes, Ballarat (03) 5368 9574

• 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

Millbrook Lakes Lodge, Ballarat (03) 5334 0404

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Reel Time Fishing Charters 0438 302 093 Off The Hook Fishing Charters 0419 554 916

www.marlocamping.com.au

Able Fishing & Charters, Williamstown (03) 9502 3777 ACE Fishing Charters, Bonbeach (03) 9773 4183

Victorian Alps

Adamas Fishing Charters, Barwon Heads (03) 5254 3320 Big Red Fishing Charters, Queenscliff 1800 805 587

Dartmouth Motor Inn (02) 6072 4233

Blue Magic Fishing Charters, Rowville (03) 9759 5301

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Ausprey Tours, Launceston (03) 6630 2612

Calypso Fishing Charters, Tootgarook (03) 5985 8463 Geelong Charters & Fishing Trips, Geelong (03) 5275 7107

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www.dartmouthmotorinn.com.au

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Techni Ice (03) 9783 1922

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Professional Charters, St Helens (03) 6376 3083 Trout Adventure Tasmania, Bronte Park 0418 139 048 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

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Island Charters, Narooma (02) 4476 1047 or 0408 428 857

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Chandlery & Accessories

Gone Fishing Charters, St Helens (03) 6376 1553

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1 Eustace St, Dartmouth VIC 370 P 02·6072 4233 E dartmouthmotorinn@bigpond.com

Queensland

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Merimbula Marina, Merimbula (02) 6495 1686 or 0427 951 080

Kestrel Charters, Queenscliff (03) 5258 1783

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St Kilda Fishing Charters, St Kilda (03) 9770 2200 Western Port Fishing Charters, Hastings (03) 9769 5544

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Charter Boats West Coast Sharkmen Fishing Charters 0418 107 071 Portland Fishing Charters, Portland (03) 5523 3020 Shipwreck Coast Diving & Charters, Warrnambool (03) 5561 6108

Central South-West Fishing Charters, Portland 0418 306 714

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Scan the QR code with your smartphone for more info!

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0438 302 093 www.reeltimefishing.com.au East Coast Capella III Fishing Adventures, Port Welshpool (03) 5688 1585

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WANT IN? EMAIL : pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au MAY 2014

Sure footed Surtees 6.7 Gamefisher goes hard BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

I always enjoy time spent in a New Zealand-made Surtees plate alloy craft. The heritage behind these rigs is pure fishing, pure boating excellence; any boat that does well in the Shaky Isles is certain to gain wide acceptance in our boating conditions. With 20-odd years involvement in the boating industry, Surtees certainly know what makes a good boat and are happy to back it with a 6-year world wide hull warranty. The 6.7 Gamefisher Hardtop reviewed was the ‘Open’ version which featured a curtained entry to the cuddy cabin rather than a lockable door. Construction was to the highest standards with a 5mm bottom, 4mm sides, water ballasted hull featuring no less than 6 under floor, full-length stringers mated to a pair of factorytested air tight buoyancy chambers; the result being the ultimate in strength. Total integrity matched to the utmost in deck rigidity thanks to a fully welded tread plate floor. Attention to detail within the Gamefisher was obviously a priority, yet not always evident. Wiring running the length of the gunwales sat on neat but concealed bracketing while a panel behind the dash area could be removed to access wiring or fuses. Externally the paint job was of the highest quality finish, upholstery perfect and all welded surfaces

Strikingly good lines are just one of the many great things about the 6.7 Surtees Gamefisher. neatly smoothed. The end result saw the Surtees being a very handsome and welldesigned boat with eye catching dark livery offset by gleaming white topsides and cuddy, bright rails and other chrome work.

to flood a compartment at rest, and spill out freely as the hull moves forward or onto the plane. Yet there’s flexibility in the set up: a hand operated flap system on the water ballast system can either prevent water from

SPECIFICATIONS Length of hull:............................................. 6.84m Length on trailer:........................................ 8.56m Height on trailer:....................................... 2.995m Beam:........................................................... 2.39m Hull construction:......... 5mm bottom, 4mm sides Hull weight:.............................................. 1,000kg Deadrise:.......................................................... 20º Fuel:............................................................... 240L Engines:................................................ 140-250hp Engine fitted:....................200hp Yamaha 4-stroke Persons:........................................................... Six Towing:................. 6 cylinder wagon or large 4 x 4 DESIGNED FOR OFF SHORE FISHING At 6.7m long, 2.39m beam and 1,000kg hull weight, the Surtees 6.7 Gamefisher is very solid craft. The hull, with its fine entry and an 18° Deep Vee design, has a 380L under hull water ballast system that allows water

entering or keep it trapped if required. Up front of the cuddy cab a wide, almost over-sized, well-sealed cabin hatch allows access to the bow area. A bow roller, large bowsprit and deep anchor well complete with winch for easy ground tackle management

were all set within a strong bow rail. Exterior side height was 950mm, interior floor depth being 720mm, all of which gave the craft great sea keeping capability and plenty of cockpit depth for ease of fishing.

mate. It featured overhead lining, interior and external lighting, 8 rod holders, a fabric extension for extra shade and large rear hand holds. Most importantly, it had terrific headroom making it particularly easy to stand at the helm and drive if sea conditions demanded close attention to travel. A 3-piece, armoured glass windscreen was connected to both fixed and sliding windows each side, the sliders providing just that bit extra visibility when open. Aft of the windscreen a very large flat and carpeted, area was available for installation of navigation aids with a Lowrance HDS9 unit taking up only a small amount of that handy area. Items placed there would remain in place, too, thanks to a lip at the rear of the shelf.

Helm seating was deluxe, consisting of a well shaped and very supportive Softrider mount pedestal bucket seat for the skipper, another similar bucket seat for the mate with the latter seat being mounted on a large storage box with aft facing squab attached for a passenger to enjoy. A storage shelf for the mate plus hand holds were also featured. Note that the speakers for the craft’s Fusion iPod and stereo system were set by both skipper’s and mate’s sides. REMOVABLE ROD HOLDERS The cockpit work area of the craft was almost 2.2m long and offered plenty of fishing features. Wide, 400mm decks equipped with non-skid rubber sections came with three rod (and three drink) holders per side.

Left: A very neat dash layout is just one of the many great features about this boat. Right: Well-padded bunks with storage under them offer great comfort in the Gamefisher’s cuddy cab. CABIN AND HARDTOP OFFERED GOOD SHELTER The cabin was well set up. There was a floor mat, excellent head and leg room, overhead shelving and the 1.9m long bunks had deep storage boxes under them. An infill converting the bunks into a large bed was also available. Side windows allowed in plenty of light, as did the cabin entry area proper. The Surtees Gamefisher sported a very strongly made cabin hardtop, providing ample shelter for skipper and

SMART DASH LAYOUT The Surtees Gamefisher’s dash was compact, uncluttered and uncomplicated. Yamaha LAN gauges plus a set of switches were uppermost. Trim tab and windlass controls were to port of the hydraulic wheel with both marine and pleasure radios lower and to starboard; everything in place and easily identified. The three spoke, soft feel steering wheel was central and with engine forward controls set up on the side of the hull it was a pleasure to drive the powerful rig.

Very wide side pockets were large enough to hold a lot of fishing or diving gear and came with snap-in-place, totally removable rod holders to complement the four rod holders mounted on the floor aft. The port pocket had a deck wash unit, which is a very handy item on any fishing rig. An aft bait station was also equipped with a cutting board and rod holders while the battery compartment at the transom featured a strongly hinged vertical door that, when lowered, also doubled as a seat.

An easy drive on/drive off Redco trailer is part of the Gamefisher’s package.

Left: A sensible battery management system is feature of the Surtees craft. Right: The Surtees Quick Hitch trailer coupling makes locking and unlocking the Gamefisher onto or off a trailer very easy work. 86

MAY 2014

Extra comfortable seating is a highlight of this craft, the skipper’s seat being on a hydraulic pedestal.

Boarding was via a large ladder and cut out step to port; the step actually being on top of the craft’s live bait tank with its Perspex front. Hand rails were fitted both sides, as was tread plate full width across the boarding platform aft. Note that both paired engine/house batteries plus fuel filter were very easily accessed astern. The battery set up in particular was well thought out with today’s state of the art technology ensuring that any battery down in power received first top up from the Yamaha 4-stroke 200hp astern. HANDLING AND PERFORMANCE Out in the wide expanse of the bay, with two aboard,

the 6.7 Surtees Gamefisher Hardtop was given a chance to show what it could do. The ride was at all times exemplary. I noted ample power from the responsive Yamaha 200hp on the pod

The 20º Vee hull, with its wide reversed outer chine but totally smooth bottom might have been expected to roll around at rest or perhaps lean excessively into turns but this was not the case. At rest the

SPEED VS REVS Planing 2800rpm 13 knots (25km/h) 3000rpm 18 knots (34.5km/h) 4000rpm 26 knots (48km/h) 5000rpm 29 knots (53.3km/h) WOT 5500rpm 40 knots (72.5km/h) astern, and powering through bay chop and swells saw the craft never falter, never bang or wallop nor did any spray come aboard thanks to the protection provided by the cuddy cabin and the craft’s metre-high sides.

water ballast system settled the hull just a little deeper to allow the outer reversed chine to maintain easy stability. While under way the hull’s design maintained an easy, upright, stance at all speeds.

Hydraulic steering made driving very easy and the response from the extra quiet Yamaha 200hp was everything one might desire in a fishing orientated craft. Engine ratings are from 140-250hp, which saw the Yamaha 200hp 4-stroke at mid-range power. While the top speed was impressive at just under 40 knots (73km/h), I was also impressed with the instant response from the Yamaha virtually through the entire rev range. If you need power to get out of trouble, it was certainly available. FISHABILITY AND SUMMING UP There can be no denying the credentials of this purpose built fishing craft. It’s built to a standard, not a price, and the

Powering along at speed the Surtees’ hull throws spray and chop well to the side.

BAYSWATER

TRARALGON

MILDURA

BRAESIDE

BENDIGO

GEELONG BOATING CENTRE 88 Barwon Heads Rd, Belmont VIC P 03·5241 6966 GIPPSLAND BOAT SUPPLIES Princess Hwy, Traralgon VIC P 03·5174 1223 JV MARINE WORLD 878 Springvale Rd, Braeside VIC P 03·9798 8883

LAVERTON NORTH

JV MARINE WORLD 15 Fitzgerald Rd, Laverton North VIC P 03·9368 7100

six-year hull warranty speaks well of the sort of service life expected of the rig. Finish is highest quality and with the craft’s great sea keeping

Moving off: the 200 Yamaha was ample power for the well built Surtees.

Why choose Brand X, when you can have a Quintrex? GEELONG

Looking into the Gamefisher’s anchor locker it’s obvious that Surtees allow for plenty of anchor warp in their boats. ability linked to easy handling and ample performance from the chosen engine off shore fishing would be something to really look forward to. For more information on Surtees boats or the 6.7 Gamesfisher specifically, contact Theo at M Y Marine on (03) 5987 0900 or log on to the web at www.mymarine. com.au. Priced from $98,373 for the base model, this is a serious offshore rig. Quoted performance figures have been supplied by the writer in good faith. Performance of individual boat/motor/ trailer packages may differ due to variations in engine installations, propellers, hull configurations, options, hull loading and trailer specifications.

Not all tinnies are created equal. At Quintrex we are driven to build the perfect boat for any and all conditions. Our range is unequalled for choice and versatility. And each ‘Quinnie Tinnie’ comes with something no other boats can offer…our high level of workmanship, our great no-worries warranty and a dealer network unrivalled in Australia. No matter where you are, or what you need, a qualified Quintrex dealer is nearby to help you out. After all, only someone who really knows boats can give you the best advice on boats! Visit our website and see the amazing range of tinnies that maintain an incredible resale value.

STREAKER BOATS 461 Mountain Hwy, Bayswater VIC P 03·9729 8288 SUNRAYSIA MARINE 13 Seventh St, Mildura VIC P 03·5022 1155 BENDIGO MARINE WORLD Midland Hwy, Epson VIC P 03·5448 3988

There’s only one Quinnie Tinnie (actually there are 23!) To see the full new Quintrex range visit quintrex.com.au

MAY 2014

Victorian Tide Times

AUSTRALIA, SOUTH COAST – PORT PHILLIP HEADS (PT.LONSDALE) LAT 38° 18’

LONG 144° 37’

TIMES AND HEIGHTS OF HIGH AND LOW WATERS JUNE – 2014

MAY – 2014 Time 0048 0646 TH 1349 1920

m 1.49 0.28 1.71 0.64

Time 0016 0612 FR 1321 1853

m 1.42 0.35 1.66 0.75

1.50 0106 1.46 2 0133 0731 0.26 17 0658 0.29 1434 1.73 1407 1.73

2002 0.62

1938 0.70

1.51 0153 1.50 3 0215 0815 0.26 18 0744 0.25 1515 1.72 1451 1.76

2043 0.61

2022 0.65

1.49 0239 1.53 4 0254 0855 0.29 19 0830 0.25 1552 1.68 1535 1.76

2121 0.61

2106 0.62

1.46 0325 1.53 5 0332 0933 0.33 20 0916 0.27 1626 1.64 1618 1.73

2159 0.61

2152 0.59

1.43 0411 1.52 6 0410 1010 0.38 21 1003 0.32 1659 1.58 1702 1.69

2236 0.63

2239 0.56



0501 1.49 1.38 7 0448 1045 0.45 22 1051 0.40 1747 1.63 1733 1.53

2314 0.64



2328 0.55

1.34 0558 1.45 8 0530 1121 0.51 23 1140 0.49 1810 1.47 1836 1.57

2352 0.66

1.29 0020 0.53 9 0615 1159 0.59 24 0708 1.42 1851 1.42 1232 0.60

1930 1.52

Time 0146 0747 SU 1450 2020

m 1.47 0.35 1.71 0.70

Time 0130 0718 MO 1433 2000

2100 0.67

m 1.52 0.26 1.78 0.67

2050 0.60

1.45 0313 1.57 3 0306 0905 0.41 18 0901 0.31 1557 1.66 1603 1.77

2138 0.66

2140 0.54

1.43 0403 1.57 4 0345 0942 0.45 19 0951 0.37 1629 1.63 1647 1.74

2215 0.65

2230 0.49

1.41 0458 1.54 5 0424 1016 0.51 20 1040 0.46 1701 1.60 1730 1.69

2251 0.64

2321 0.46



0600 1.51 1.38 6 0505 1051 0.57 21 1129 0.55 1816 1.63 1735 1.56



2328 0.63

1.35 0013 0.45 7 0550 1127 0.64 22 0710 1.48 1813 1.51 1217 0.66

1905 1.57

0.62 0105 0.44 8 0006 0643 1.33 23 0816 1.47 1207 0.72 1310 0.76

1854 1.47

1957 1.50

0.60 0202 0.45 9 0047 0744 1.33 24 0919 1.48 1254 0.80 1409 0.84

1940 1.42

AUGUST – 2014

JULY – 2014

1.46 0222 1.56 2 0227 0828 0.37 17 0810 0.27 1525 1.69 1519 1.79

TIME ZONE –1000

2053 1.45

Time 0203 0804 TU 1459 2040

m 1.44 0.42 1.66 0.68

Time 0209 0756 WE 1500 2035

m 1.59 0.29 1.77 0.51

1.44 0303 1.61 2 0244 0842 0.44 17 0847 0.33 1530 1.65 1544 1.77

2117 0.64

2127 0.43

1.44 0357 1.61 3 0323 0916 0.48 18 0937 0.39 1600 1.64 1627 1.74

2154 0.61

2217 0.37

1.43 0453 1.59 4 0401 0950 0.53 19 1025 0.47 1631 1.62 1709 1.69

2229 0.58



2306 0.35

0553 1.55 1.42 5 0442 1024 0.58 20 1112 0.56 1751 1.63 1704 1.59



2303 0.56

2354 0.35

1.40 0655 1.51 6 0526 1100 0.64 21 1157 0.65 1740 1.55 1837 1.56

2337 0.54

1.39 0042 0.38 7 0615 1140 0.71 22 0755 1.47 1817 1.51 1245 0.74

1925 1.48

0.51 0133 0.42 8 0015 0709 1.38 23 0853 1.44 1223 0.78 1337 0.82

1900 1.46

2018 1.41

0.49 0230 0.45 9 0056 0811 1.39 24 0952 1.43 1314 0.85 1439 0.88

1948 1.42

2117 1.36

Time 0304 0854 FR 1530 2129

m 1.46 0.48 1.61 0.52

Time 0347 0920 SA 1600 2156

m 1.66 0.40 1.70 0.25

1.47 0441 1.63 2 0342 0928 0.51 17 1005 0.46 1602 1.60 1641 1.65

2202 0.48



2243 0.25

1.47 0534 1.57 3 0421 1002 0.55 18 1049 0.53 1635 1.58 1722 1.58

2235 0.45

2327 0.28

0629 1.50 1.45 4 0501 1038 0.61 19 1132 0.61 1805 1.51 1709 1.54

2308 0.43



1.43 0011 0.34 5 0547 1115 0.66 20 0723 1.43 1745 1.50 1215 0.69

2343 0.41

1852 1.42

1.41 0058 0.40 6 0638 1157 0.73 21 0818 1.38 1826 1.45 1303 0.76

1944 1.34

0.40 0149 0.46 7 0023 0736 1.39 22 0915 1.34 1243 0.79 1400 0.82

1914 1.41

2043 1.28

0.39 0250 0.50 8 0112 0841 1.39 23 1015 1.33 1339 0.84 1513 0.84

2012 1.37

2148 1.25

0.38 0359 0.52 9 0212 0951 1.41 24 1111 1.35 1448 0.86 1632 0.82

2122 1.36

2252 1.25

0.67 0118 0.52 10 0034 0711 1.26 25 0827 1.42 1241 0.67 1330 0.70

0.58 0303 0.45 10 0134 0849 1.35 25 1021 1.50 1350 0.87 1516 0.89

0.46 0330 0.47 10 0146 0916 1.42 25 1051 1.44 1414 0.91 1551 0.90

0.37 0503 0.51 10 0323 1100 1.47 25 1202 1.38 1605 0.82 1739 0.75

0.67 0223 0.50 11 0123 0817 1.25 26 0937 1.45 1331 0.76 1437 0.79

0.54 0404 0.44 11 0229 0956 1.41 26 1120 1.53 1456 0.92 1629 0.90

0.43 0432 0.47 11 0245 1024 1.47 26 1147 1.46 1524 0.93 1703 0.87

0.35 0559 0.49 11 0438 1201 1.54 26 1245 1.43 1719 0.72 1831 0.66

1937 1.38

2030 1.34

0219 0929 MO 1434 2127

0.65 1.28 0.82 1.33

2027 1.47

2127 1.44

0330 1043 TU 1551 2227

0.46 1.51 0.83 1.43

0.60 0433 0.42 13 0324 1037 1.36 28 1144 1.58 1549 0.86 1703 0.83 TU

2225 1.34

2324 1.44

0.52 0530 0.37 14 0428 1138 1.46 29 1239 1.64 1705 0.84 1804 0.80 WE

2322 1.37



0015 1.45 0.44 15 0523 1231 1.57 30 0619 0.35 1329 1.69 1804 0.80 TH

 

1855 0.76

2032 1.39

2130 1.38

0330 1100 TH 1608 2232

0.48 1.49 0.93 1.39

2250 1.40

0501 1215 FR 1733 2345



0.43 1.58 0.87 1.40

0554 0.41 0.41 13 0432 1200 1.58 28 1305 1.61 1829 0.82 1718 0.89

2045 1.39

2151 1.39

0353 1130 SA 1637 2303



0.38 1.54 0.89 1.41

2217 1.33

2317 1.33

0530 0.45 1238 1.50 SU 1804 0.81



2243 1.39

2357 1.46



0546 0.32 1257 1.62 TU 1825 0.60

2351 1.29



1.35 27 0043 0645 0.47 1322 1.48 WE

1914 0.58

0.33 0012 1.35 13 0500 1229 1.62 28 0619 0.44 1745 0.81 1320 1.54

1.54 0128 1.41 13 0101 0647 0.30 28 0724 0.46 1347 1.68 1356 1.52

0.34 0035 1.41 14 0531 1255 1.67 29 0641 0.40 1817 0.82 1348 1.64

1.47 0100 1.38 14 0012 0603 0.29 29 0704 0.43 1322 1.69 1357 1.57

1.62 0208 1.46 14 0200 0742 0.31 29 0800 0.46 1434 1.71 1428 1.55

1.47 0121 1.42 15 0036 0626 0.29 30 0724 0.40 1345 1.74 1425 1.65

1.53 0145 1.41 15 0113 0700 0.27 30 0744 0.43 1413 1.75 1429 1.60

1.66 0245 1.50 15 0254 0832 0.34 30 0833 0.47 1518 1.72 1500 1.56



2336 1.42

1910 0.75

1.46 31 0103 0704 0.34 1412 1.71 SA

2151 1.41

1916 0.77

2000 0.72



1845 0.71

1941 0.61

1939 0.68

2018 0.61

1.44 31 0225 0820 0.45 1500 1.61 TH

1939 0.72

1856 0.74

1923 0.47

2016 0.36

2108 0.29



1951 0.51

2026 0.44

2100 0.40

1.52 31 0323 0907 0.49 1533 1.55 SU

2055 0.56

Bureau of Meteorology

2132 0.36

National Tidal Centre

Height datum is Lowest Astronomical Tide Moon Symbols

 New Moon

 First Quarter

 Full Moon

 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. 88

MAY 2014

NO DEALER SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE FOR

3YRS OR 300HRS

ONLY WITH EVINRUDE • No scheduled dealer servicing for

• Fewer parts. Fewer problems.

the first 3 years or 300 hours.**

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

• No oil changes. Ever.

the box.

• Easy starts: First time, every time.

• Superior low-end power & torque.

• 3-stars from the toughest emission

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

standard in the world^ - the California Air Resources Board.

• Greater fuel-efficiency at high & low speeds from computer-based engine management.

• First to receive the EPA's Clean Air Technology Excellence Award. • Up to 50% quieter than older technology engines.

South West Melbourne

Western Districts

Alberton

Geelong

JV Marine World

WebbCon Marine

Alberton Marine

Moolap Marine

9-11 Fitzgerald Road Laverton North

72 Hamilton Road Horsham

Johnson Street Alberton

250 Portarlington Road Moolap

03 5381 0600

03 5183 2344

03 5248 3772

www.webbconmarine.com.au

www.albertonmarine.com.au

info@moolapmarine.com.au www.moolapmarine.com.au

03 9368 7100

Lismore info@jvmarine.com.au

Sydney info@webbconmarine.com.au North Coffs Harbouralbertonmarine@wideband.net.au Nowra

Lismore Outboard Echuca Sales & Service

Huett Marine Centre

Coffs Harbour Marine

Dave Hill Marine

59 Union St, Lismore, 2480

Boats & More 02 6621 2657

1131 Pacific Hwy, Cowan, 2082

1 Berry Street, Nowra, 2540

www.lismoreoutboards.com.au 76 Northern Highway lismoreoutboards@bigpond.com Echuca

Marine World 02 9456 JV 1444

311B Pacific Hwy Coffs Harbour Sth, 2450

www.huettmarine.com.au 878 Springvale Road info@huettmarine.com.au Braeside

02 6652 4722

www.jvmarine.com.au

South East Melbourne

03 5482 1992

03 9798 8883

b.altham@boatsandmore.com.au www.boatsandmore.com.au

info@jvmarine.com.au www.jvmarine.com.au

Sydney South Port Stephens Traralgon Melbourne Central & SE

Mornington Peninsula

Barrow Marine 02 4423 6137

Triple M Marine

03 9783 8991

03 9465 8787

barrowmarine@tpg.com.au

triplemmarine@dodo.com.au www.triplemmarine.com.au

davehillmarine@onestream.com.au 28 Overton Road www.coffsharbourmarine.com.au Frankston info@coffsharbourmarine.com.au

Sydney West

Forster North West Tasmania

Hunts Marine

Bay Boat Sales

Blakes Marine

62 Princes 236 SouthHighway, Gippsland Highway Blakehurst, 2221 Cranbourne

Princess 332 Soldiers Point Rd, Highway Traralgon Salamander Bay, 2317

29 Bass Highway Cnr Windsor & Mulgrave Rd, 129 The Lakes Way, Burnie Forster, 2428 McGraths Hill, 2756

Cranbourne Boating Centre

02 039546 59961324 2206

www.huntsmarine.com.au crannyboating@bigpond.com info@huntsmarine.com.au

Gippsland Boat Supplies

02 4982 03 7899 5174 1223 02 4577 6699

Graham Barclay Marine

Burnie Marine Services

6554 5866 03 6431 02 3082

www.barclaymarine.com.au www.bayboatsales.com.au www.blakesmarine.com.au ray@gippslandboatsupplies.com.au burniemarineservices@bigpond.com info@barclaymarine.com.au bayboatsales@hotmail.com sales@blakesmarine.com.au

www.cranbourneboatingcentre.com.au

www.gippslandboatsupplies.com.au

Northern Suburbs 117 Northgate Drive Thomastown

Cowra Southern Tasmania All Service Motors

Maynes Marine

61 Effingham Redfern St, Street Cowra, 2794 Moonah

02 6342 2590

www.allservicemotorscowra.com.au 03 6214 9999 allservicemotors@bigpond.com

sales@maynesmarine.com.au www.maynesmarine.com.au

© 2014 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). ®, ™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. Terms and conditions apply, excludes commercial purchases. # Extended warranty covers MY11, MY12,

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

Melbourne ShowgroundS Friday 20 - Sunday 22 June 2014 AustrAliA's Premier 4WD, touring, offroAD, ADventure AnD fishing exPo.

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Celebrating

75 YEARS

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

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

MAY 2014