Victoria and Tasmania Fishing Monthly - November 2013

GET READY FOR SUMMER FISHING ACTION

Features Rigging bait for Port Phillip • Gomoku style fishing • The No. 2 StumpJumper • Bait fishing for trout • Jigging for golden perch •

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November 2013, Vol. 10, No. 12

Contents WEST COAST

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From the Editor’s Desk... clients almost cry if they don’t bag out in November on pink fish with blue dots. It’s been an amazing turn around and the snapper run is a huge part of the recreational fishery boom in Vic. Squid are still going, whiting are coming on and my all-time favourite estuary fish, the estuary perch will be well on the chew. I spent heaps of time chasing EPs from the age of 16 and I just love them.

Trolling, lure casting and bait fishing were all valid methods and it seems this species’ popularity has increased since I left Victoria, so much so that they are even stocked into lakes these days - brilliant.

And so it should be the case too, they are a superb native species.

November is also one of those months that freshwater anglers get excited about.

Most of the rivers are running well and trout are abundant

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Geelong 16 Port Phillip West 18 Port Phillip East 20 Port Phillip North East 22 Phillip Island 24 Port Phillip Offshore 24 Rosebud 26 Western Port South 27 Western Port North 30

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

NSW SOUTH COAST Eden 38 Mallacoota 39 Narooma 40 Merimbula 41 Bermagui 40

VICTORIAN FRESHWATER Ballarat 46 Yarra Valley 46 Horsham 47 Crater Lakes 48 Eildon 50 West/South Gippsland 53 Melbourne Metro 54 Central Gippsland 54 Shepparton 55 Bendigo 56 Mildura 56 Moama/Echuca 58 Robinvale 58 Yarrawonga 60 Wangaratta 60 Jindabyne 61 Kiewa Valley 62

TASMANIA Launceston 66 Southern Highlands 66 Central Highlands 67 North West Coast 67 Hobart 68 Tasmania Offshore 68 George Town 69

REGULAR FEATURES

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Production: Matthew Roberts, Melissa Carroll, Karen Millward, Jenna Moir, Jeff Clelland

Sub-Editors: Jacqui Thomas

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Editor: Neil Grose vfmeditor@fishingmonthly.com.au

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All material is © copyright, and cannot be reproduced in part or in full, by any means, without written permission of the Managing Editor.

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher.

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Managing Editor: Stephen Booth sbooth@fishingmonthly.com.au

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magnificent fishery these days and the work by DEPI to stock the lake over the last dozen years is superb.

Last issue we did a massive Eildon feature and all that did was whet my appetite to get onto Eildon’s waters again and go and catch some more goldens, reddies and cod. My first lure-caught cod was from Eildon and I have always loved trolling for trout there. I can feel a trip being planned in my head…

With all that running around in my head, I suppose I should get back and do some work instead of daydreaming at just how good November is in Victoria. From the sea to the mountain streams there is an option that will impress anglers, so don’t waste your moment, get out there and get amongst it.

- Stephen Booth

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Business Office: Unit 3, 11 Knobel Court, Shailer Park, Qld, 4128

as the insects hatch all over the place. Evening hatches and falls are amazing and I get itchy feet thinking about wading up a small stream with a 5wt fly rod in hand and an elk hair caddis or a Royter-built CDC emerger on the tippet. There is just something special about small stream dry fly fishing and I miss it dearly, especially daylight savings and the warm evenings.

November is also a brilliant time for chasing golden perch and redfin, two of my favourite freshwater species. I love the way goldens hammer a lure and I just love the way reddies taste! And those two species bring me to Eildon, a place that is loaded with both species, plus an increasingly large number of catchable cod, although they’ll have to wait a month until the closure finishes. Eildon really is a

CENTRAL

PRO

November arrives and as we put this issue together it finds Neil Grose on annual leave enjoying the local waters around Tasmania and getting stuck into some fish. I even heard a rumour he fished with Lee Rayner and Clarkey filming a mega squid episode for Lee’s new show. Not happy Jan! Especially when the rumours include so many 2kg plus squid the boys were sick of it. I can barely imagine that fate.

Be that as it may, November offers promise like few other months in Victorian and Tasmanian waters. All of the spring and summer species are on the go and Victorians especially have turned a nasty shade of red. I still remember the last snapper season I had in Vic and it was a high to catch three fish up to 1.5kg on a charter. These days charter

Robe 10 Warrnambool 12 Portland 12 Cobden 14 Apollo Bay 14

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ING TRADE

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4WD and Camping 88 Back to Basics 51 Boating 92 Chappy’s Hotspot 51 Cooking with Jamo 80 Fun Page 76 Flyfishing Scene 75 Inland Fisheries News 63 Kayaking 82 Spearfishing 83 Tasmanian Lake Levels 67 Tournament News 78 Trade and Services Guide 94 Tying Bench 74 Victorian Dam Levels 46 Victorian Tide Times 100 What’s New Boating 93 What’s New Fishing 84

SPECIAL FEATURES Rigging bait for Port Phillip 6 Gomoku style fishing 8 The sensational Stumpy No.2 42 Bait fishing for trout 64 Gold down below: jigging for golden perch 70 V&TFM

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Rigging bait for Port Phillip Port Phillip is a unique fishery, arguably one of the best metropolitan recreational fisheries in Australia.

WESTERN PORT STH

Jarrod Day jarrodday@iprimus.com.au

PILCHARDS Unlike Western Port where rigging pilchards to prevent bait spinning is vital, in Port Phillip pilchards need to be

When targeting snapper always use the best terminals you can afford.

TERMINAL TACKLE

The author’s selection of terminal tackle for tying rigs: Snelled two hook rig: Hooks – Black Magic C-Hook 5/0 and 6/0 Leader – Black Magic Tough Trace 30lb Swivel – Black Magic 4kg Rolling Swivel

rigged to look as natural as possible. With only a little weight required to take the bait to the bottom, pilchards rigged whole are a great starting point.

A snelled hook set is required with the two hook points being as exposed as possible.

It’s snapper time!

After setting anchor and berleying, you tend to attract quite a number of fish to your fishing area.

Quite often, snapper will hit a bait but the hook up is missed. This happens a lot throughout October and then in January, February and March. Referred to as an ‘early season trait’, I like to eliminate this at every chance possible so not to miss a fish. As with Western Port calamari baits, I like to make the baits big enough that they become one mouthful rather than have a fish swallow it and spit it back out and then grab the small broken off pieces.

If the bait is small enough and you have plenty of hook exposure, you’ll hook more fish.

With the whole pilchard, I remove the head, cutting it off from just behind the gill plate. This keeps the bait smaller in size but still big enough for sizeable fish to take interest. Take the snelled hook rig and pass the first hook into the pilchard in the middle of the body. Pull the entire hook right through and out the other side. The hook point can then be passed into the pilchard’s skin just above from where the gill plate would have been.

Rotate the hook point around so the point protrudes back through the skin. The snelled hook can then be pulled a little to tighten the line between it and the bottom hook that is already threaded into the pilchard.

The snelled hook can then be placed into the skin of the pilchard in the back third section. The hook’s point can be rotated around so its point comes back out and the hook will lay flat along the pilchard’s body. Two half hitches around the tail and snelled hook will secure the bait in place.

Calamari strips make great baits when rigged on a single circle hook.

Hiding the hooks in the bait is no good.

You will miss the hook up if you rig like this.

SILVER WHITING One of the toughest baits to use on snapper is silver whiting. Silver whiting have a thick, scaly skin that makes them the perfect bait to rig, as they are quite easy to keep on the hooks.

Silver whiting are larger in size than a pilchard and subsequently more fish are lost due to the bait being regurgitated. In a perfect world, silver whiting should be cut in half and rigged on a single hook rig or have their heads removed and rigged whole on a snelled hook rig similar to that of pilchards.

Rigging procedures to that of half pilchards and whole pilchards should be exactly the same but ensure the half hitches are secure.

Silver whiting have a slime coating and half hitches can slide off the tail of the bait.

GARFISH Rigging garfish correctly all depends on the size of the garfish. Ideally you’d

want gars that are around the diameter of a 20c coin and 20-30cm long. At this size they are too large to use whole and must be cut in half. Remove the beak from the head but leave the tail on. Half rigged garfish can be rigged in the same manner as whole pilchards and silver whiting.

CALAMARI In Port Phillip, calamari is a common bait to use but they tend to be difficult to rig. Due to their flexibility, whole calamari tend to bunch up on the hooks, covering the hook points and preventing solid hook sets. Ideally, small calamari heads, strips and rings are more effective.

Calamari heads with the tentacles intact work a treat providing they are small in size. Large heads can be cut in two with a candle left on each half of the head.

A calamari head is best rigged on a two hook snelled

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If you want success, rig it right the first time.

When rigging pilchards whole it is imperative that there is plenty of hook exposure.

A classic example of a crushed bait due to incorrect rigging.

Calamari strips can be rigged on a two-hook rig. Take your time when rigging them to ensure they are straight on the hooks.

rig with the snelled hook placed about 8cm from the bottom fixed hook.

The bottom hook can be threaded into one or both of the tentacles, while the snelled hook goes in the top of the head to keep it in line.

Providing the hook points are exposed, this technique is very effective.

Calamari strips are also an unique bait as they are very light and tend to float longer in the water column in the northern section of Port Phillip where there is very little current. With berley being used, the strip will slowly work down the trail but be more visible to fish as it won’t sink as fast as other baits.

A strip can be rigged on either a single circle hook or a snelled hook rig. If it is rigged on a circle hook, simply thread the hook’s point through the very tip of the strip. If it is being rigged on a snelled hook rig, place the snelled hook through the tip of the strip then thread the bottom fixed hook into one side of the strip

Calamari heads make good baits but cut them in half or use smaller sized heads for best results.

Garfish should be cut in half and rigged on a two hook rig.

Silver whiting can be rigged much in the same manner as a whole pilchard. Ensure you have plenty of hook points exposed.

and back through the same side. The strip will hold in line and flutter nicely in the water column.

Rings on the other hand don’t tend to be used as much in Port Phillip as in Western Port, but they are just as effective. They can still be rigged on a snelled hook rig or a single circle hook rig.

Either way, with a single circle simply, place the ring onto the hooks point and bring the hook back through so the ring is ‘hanging’ on the hook. If using a snelled rig, place the point of the snelled hook into the top of the ring and the bottom fixed hook into the bottom of the ring so it almost sits on the hook set.

Like all bait rigging, hook exposure is one of the most important aspects of rigging correctly. Although you want the baits to look natural and sit right in the water, if any of the hooks are buried, you’ll miss the hook-up. The more the hook points are showing, the more chance you have at a solid hook-up.

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Gomoku fishing storms Australia FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

At the recent AFTA (Australian Fishing Trades Association) Trade Show on the Gold Coast, Rapala Australia invited their Singapore-based angling talent, Fred Goh, out to show and tell Aussie tackle stores all about their ‘Gomoku’ style of light jigging.

And although this event was dealer-only, Fishing Monthly was lucky enough to get Fred out on the water for a day and ask him all about this concept. Essentially the Gomoku concept is a fusion of deep jigging (that we’d do for amberjack and kingfish) and light inshore lure fishing.

Although deep jigging is exciting and the fish are big, the size of the tackle is often daunting to a majority of anglers. There are very few anglers I know who have the

stamina to jig all day and the offshore locations where deep jigging is most effective are limited to when the winds and currents are suitable.

Gomoku takes the deep jigging concept and shrinks it down to tackle that is a size that is manageable for nearly all anglers. By simultaneously reducing the size of the lures, the range of available species increases. So Gomoku will be suitable for such species as snapper, flathead, mackerel,

tuna and trevally in the salt and bass and redfin in the fresh.

Fred’s been an advocate of the Gomoku style throughout the development of the concept – which at the moment is typified by easily distinguishable white rods with colour-coded grips – and is more qualified than most to spread the Gomoku word.

“There are no rules when it comes to Gomoku – it’s all about having fun,” Fred explained as he outlined the

Gomoku micro-jigs will appeal to all predatory species that think a little baitfish is a tasty option.

GOMOKU RODS

Currently, there’s three Storm Gomoku spin rods available and two baitcast.

Ultra Light PE0.4 to 1.0 40g jig max.

SPIN Light PE0.8 to 1.5 120g jig max.

SPIN Medium PE1.0 to 3.0 160g jig max.

SPIN Light PE0.8 to 1.5 120g jig max.

OVERHEAD Medium PE1.0 to 3.0 160g jig max.

OVERHEAD

concept for the YouTube video (see factbox for details).

Although there are dedicated Storm Gomoku slim jigs, and jigs or heavy spoons in the recommended weight ranges will suit the tackle, Fred likes to rig the baits with assisthooks to minimise snagging that can occur with a treble rigged at the tail of the bait.

Indeed, the applications to Aussie fish are limited only to your imagination – and to those species that eat a fingerlength baitfish!

Fred’s main experience with this style of fishing is in the hard-fished Asian waters near his hometown of Singapore, but there’s three main techniques that will definitely work Down Under.

SURFACE PRESENTATIONS Schools of tuna or other small pelagics busting up all over the surface are common right around Australia – whether it’s northern bluefin in the Gulf of Carpentaria or Australian salmon in Pittwater, they all get focussed on small baitfish and don’t mind a bit of speed in the retrieve.

The surface retrieve is simple – lead cast the jig across the schooling fish and bring it back through the school at speed. The fish will tell you their preferred retrieve speed.

Some days it’ll be flat-out and others it’ll be slower with a pause or two.

Either way, once you get connected on Gomoku gear, it’s gloves-off. The soft tips readily fold away and let you fish this tackle to the limit.

MIDWATER OFFERINGS Trevally, snapper and even bass or redfin schooling midwater will be partial to a micro-jig worked through the school. With modern electronics, we’re all getting rather good at identifying

Rapala’s Fred Goh shows off the quality of fish that Gomoku tackle can knock over. depths at which these schooling fish sit. And just like deepwater jigging, there’s no use expending time and energy fishing where there’s empty water.

Count the jig down to the depth that the fish are schooling at and let the lure dart and flutter through the fish. When you’ve worked it through, free-spool the lure back through and repeat the process.

The long butt of the Gomoku rod sits under your arm and allows this technique to be very efficient.

BOUNCING THE BOTTOM Flathead in particular won’t be able to help themselves when it comes to micro-jigs.

Flutter them to the bottom, let them sit there for a second and pop them up off the sand.

The assist-hooks minimise the chance of snagging up if the country is a little rougher than you expected and also offer some abrasion resistance with a lizard’s teeth.

Like standard soft-plastic fishing for flatties, you can tell when the lure hits the bottom by the slack dropping into your line. Pop it up and repeat.

OVER TO YOU But enough of us yammering on about Gomoku fishing. The proof of the pudding will be how it works on your water. Try the lures or go the whole hog and try the outfits. We’re sure that Storm (distributed by Rapala

INTERVIEW

Want to see the full, quarter hour interview with Fred Goh about Gomoku-style jigging?

Scan the QR code for details. http://youtu.be/ Wz8nZtqb17c

To check out some of the Gomoku rods all loaded up with fish, go to http://youtu.be/VVkHltCEPA or scan the QR Code.

Australia) would love your feedback on their Facebook page (F: Rapala Australia)!

Best of all, though, is that the Rapala guys have offered a Gomoku/Okuma outfit as a prize for a reader in each of the three magazines (QFM, NSWFM and V&TFM) – see the competition box nearby for full details.

WIN A GOMOKU OUTFIT The team at Rapala Australia have generously donated a complete Gomoku outfit for one lucky reader to win! With rod/reel/line and lures, you’ll just need to add water.

To enter the competition, fill out the form below and mail it in – making sure that you’ve answered the question correctly.

We’ll give you a hint, too. The answer is in an advertisement in this issue.

Q:

Correctly identify the names of the three Gomoku rod colours.

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Cut out this coupon and mail it to: GOMOKU Competition, Fishing Monthly Magazines, PO Box 3172, Loganholme QLD 4129. Entries close 6th December 2013 and winners will be called to organise delivery logistics.

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NOVEMBER 2013

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Coorong beaches are firing ROBE

Alastair Vanstan bigalvanstan@yahoo.com.au

There has been no shortage of good fishing reports coming in from all over the southeast of SA region with terrific surf, estuary and offshore action often at its best.

SALT CREEK I have been making regular trips to my favourite bit of surf beach on the Coorong near Salt Creek and the fishing has been nothing short of sensational with no shortage of good size mulloway, gummy shark and a few school shark.

There has also been many Australian salmon

There have been some very decent mulloway catches from the beach at Salt Creek.

about and some of them have been real thumpers, up to and over the 3kg mark.

As we head toward summer, big snapper will start to show up along here as well, but don’t forget they are covered by a closed season throughout November.

Most of the mulloway getting caught lately have been around the 70-90cm range with a few better ones about up to the 15kg mark.

Fresh baits such as squid, mullet and salmon fillets have been working well. On my latest trip we scored two decent mulloway to 90cm on the falling tide in the evening and also caught a lot of small undersize ones too.

Fresh salmon fillets did the trick for us and we were also fishing on the full moon.

Four wheel drive access to the beach is very good at the 42 Mile Crossing and the beach track has been reasonably easy to drive along, provided you drop your tyre pressure a bit. I usually drop mine to around 15psi.

ROBE Boaties have been getting out on the days of favourable weather and sea conditions and taking some very decent fish on the offshore reef areas in around 10-40m of

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Curtis with a ripper of a surf-caught salmon. remembering for this stretch of coast.

NELSON After a month of running dirty water after all the rains, things now seem to be back to normal in the Glenelg River again. The mouth is still open to the sea and the water is finally starting to clear up, which will make life easier for anglers.

There has been a number of small mulloway getting caught and they have been around the 40-60cm range mostly. However, I do know of a thumper fish which was caught on crab by a bream angler recently and weighed an impressive 23lb.

Baitfishing for bream and mulloway from the mouth to Donovans has been

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productive with whitebait, chicken, pilchard pieces and crab all working well.

Lure fishing has been okay but will improve now with the cleaner water with small hardbodies and vibes worked along the edges the way to go.

A few decent estuary perch have also been about, particularly up toward Sapling Creek and have been taken mostly on small hardbodies.

Surf fishing nearby at Discovery Bay has been very good for gummy sharks and some big salmon. The best areas have been at Nobles and Swan Lake. Good baits have been squid and mullet fillets fished in the evenings and after dark.

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water. There has been a lot of good size gummy and school shark about along with some big snapper, however all the snapper must be carefully returned to the water during November.

Fish fillet baits such as salmon are working well and most anglers simply find a likely looking area on the sounder and simply berley up a couple hours either side of a tide change.

In the bay in close at Robe there has been a lot of squid about, along with silver trevally and salmon.

There has also been a number of school mulloway hanging around the long beach area, especially where the drain inlet has been flowing in.

The crays have been a bit slow so far this season but they should be crawling a bit better as we head toward summer.

The beaches have been fishing well for gummy shark, salmon and a few mulloway right throughout the Little Dip National Park as well as at Back and Long beaches.

The better fishing has been in the evenings and after dark, particularly around any tide change. The old beach fishing saying of ‘no run, no fun’ is well worth

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11

Plenty on in Portland PORTLAND

Chris Hall

October showed Portland anglers just what the new season had to offer, and in November this can only get better. Daylight savings will allow anglers more time to target their favourite species, such as King George whiting, snapper, flathead, gummy shark, school shark, mulloway and calamari.

Squid have moved back along our coast and will hang around for the approaching summer months. This will bring fishing closer into the north shore, the Lee Breakwall and the harbour.

Late November should also see the return of the mighty yellowtail kingfish along Minerva Reef, as well as mako sharks for those fishing around the back.

Recent catches off the Lee Breakwall have seen anglers land good-sized

Jason Caldow of Hamilton with a great 8.6kg snapper also caught off the Lee Breakwater.

snapper up to 9kg along with other snapper ranging from 30-60cm, King George whiting from 30-60cm, flathead, leatherjackets, couta, calamari squid, gummy and school sharks.

In and around the harbour, off the marina there has been calamari squid, trevally and whiting, while the canal has mullet, trevally and bream keeping anglers busy.

For those fishing the north shore and beyond by surf or boat, there have been catches of gummy shark, school sharks, seven gill sharks, legal sized snapper, salmon, couta, calamari squid and the odd mulloway.

The fishing along from the golf course to Point Danger there has been catches of King George whiting. For those heading around the back between Point Danger and Cape Bridgewater in depths of water between 40-100m appearing back at the cleaning tables have been good-sized flathead, gummy and school sharks, nannygai, coral perch, snapper, gurnard, and morwong.

Surf fishing out at Bridgewater for salmon have been keeping anglers busy

Jason Armstrong with a decent 6.4kg snapper caught off the Lee Breakwater. with good-sized salmon from 1-3kg.

For those freshwater fishing, the Fitzroy River has been producing goodsized bream along with good catches of yellow-eyed mullet. The Surrey River

has also seen good-sized bream caught.

Now that the footy is over for the year it is time to get your gear out and prepare for the approaching season as it looks like being another great year.

So if you’re thinking of heading Portland way and for all your latest fishing and weather reports give the boys at Portland Bait & Tackle a call on 03 5523 5213, we are open 7 days a week from 7 to 7.

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Saturday 2 November sees the opening of the southern rock lobster (crayfish) season; a much-anticipated event by all pursers of these red-legged delicacies in the south west.

Hoop netters and divers alike will be hoping for suitable conditions to get amongst the crays come opening weekend. Last season was a particularly good one for crayfish so hopefully the 2013-14 season will be as productive.

Remember that the bag limit is 2 per person and the minimum sizes are 11cm carapace length for the male, and 10.5cm carapace for the female. All rock lobsters taken by recreational fishers are to be tail-clipped or tailpunched with a hole not less than 10mm in diameter.

This must be done within 5 minutes of bringing rock lobsters onto a boat or, if taken from the shore, within 5 minutes of landing and within 50m of the place of landing.

The inshore reefs that produce the crays should also produce other culinary delights such as King George whiting and squid, as well as plenty of pinky snapper during November.

You wouldn’t expect to catch tuna in November but on 8 September, Nick Threlfall, Daniel Hoey, Pat Hyland and Dave Twyford

Your sounder is an invaluable tool when trying to find good cray ledges and reefs. were on their way to the shelf to catch a few blue eye by deep sea bottom fishing, when they spotted birds diving. They rigged up a spin reel setup, spooled with braid and trolled around. Soon they hooked up but took 2.5 hours to land a 73kg tuna.

The first tuna taken this year locally was on 11 January so the window of opportunity for this species seems to be ever increasing as more and more anglers explore the offshore options of the south west coast.

November should see offshore anglers right amongst the peak of the snapper season locally, as well as a continuation of the fantastic gummy and school shark fishing that has been going on for the past few months.

As the Hopkins begins to slowly clear after the heavy winter flows, small mulloway are already pushing back up into the system with the clear

water on the incoming tides. Carefully release any small specimens you encounter and hopefully in a year or two we might be experiencing some good runs of decent Hopkins mulloway – something many thought was a thing of the past.

November is always a good month to chase bream and estuary perch in the Hopkins as the fish return to the edges and can be targeted on shallow running hardbodies and even surface lures.

The opening of trout season produced plenty of fish for some anglers well versed in chasing their spotted quarry. Sizes were down though, with 1-1.3kg pulling up most fish. The good rains we have had over winter should sustain the good trout fishing throughout November, which is always a good option if you can’t get out to sea.

V&TFM

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Gear up for the gummies APOLLO BAY

Daniel Kent apollobaysurfshop@bigpond.com

The fishing is improving as many of our summer species start to show up in angler’s catches again. Species such

The fishing continues to improve as summer approaches. Species like this gummy shark will be the main focus for boating anglers over the coming weeks.

as King George whiting, snapper, flathead and gummy shark have moved back along our coast for the approaching summer months.

Cape Patton and Cape Otway have been the proven areas to dangle a line between 35-40m of water. Both areas have produced snapper, gummies and some decent flathead, which have measured up to 50cm. November is known for its big snapper so don’t be surprised if fish over 5kg are encountered when fishing these areas.

The King George whiting have been found closer to shore in areas such as Marengo and the Waterfall reefs. Pipis fished on a running sinker rig will get your drag singing.

Fishing the slack water period at the top of the tide has been producing the most fish and berley will also improve your catch rates.

Schools of yellowtail mackerel have been congregating after dark around the light on the end of the pier and are easily taken with small pieces of pilchard for bait or tiny soft plastics twitched just under the surface. If cleaned and eaten fresh they are surprisingly good table fare, but they also make top quality

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slab baits for gummy sharks.

Don’t forget to take a squid jig down after dark as there has been some good sized squid hanging around the light off the end of the pier as well.

Trout to 2kg have been caught on small hardbodied lures in the Barham and Aire rivers. These trout have been in great condition as they have been feeding on the schools of whitebait that have entered these systems to breed in the freshwater. Watch for schools of whitebait showering along the banks and then concentrate your efforts in that area.

Bream and estuary perch will also be feeding on the whitebait and are best targeted with a slower more erratic retrieve. The best lures should have a long slender profile to match the shape of the baitfish, lures such as the Rapala Husky Jerks or Smith Panish will work fine.

Don’t forget that cray season opens in mid November!

Mid November marks the start of crayfish season, so clean up your dive gear and start searching for a delicious feed of crays. Shore diving at Blanket Bay is a good place to find a feed early in the season and is a big crayfish haven.

Remember to check all your rules and regulations before heading out.

Abalone can be taken on nominated days during November and make a sensational entrée to your crayfish main course. Check the latest fishing guide or call the Department of Primary Industries for nominated days, catch and size limits in your area.

Great guns for summer COBDEN

Rod Shepherd

All is looking great guns regarding our estuaries as we inevitably head towards summer. The welcomed heavy winter rains opened all river mouths to the sea resulting in a much overdue flush out. The resulting outcome was a definite rejuvenation in species, such as bream and estuary perch into striking baits and lures en masse.

In saying that I have to stress that right now southern black bream are in the process of spawning so please, please reconsider keeping any fish for the table.

The Hopkins has good bream, some measuring in the plus-30cm range high up in the system. Minnow lures with action are taking precedence over colour due to the murky water. So too are

scented plastics fished out of the current and on the edge of any swirling eddies.

Mulloway continue to inhabit the river and although most are juveniles or ‘soapies’ the odd decent one has been caught.

The Curdies River is still running dirty but bait anglers soaking shrimp and packet prawn have picked up a few fish around where the river meets the lake. Old timers know this area as the ‘Aquarium’.

Casting baits into the shallows and out of the main flow are doing well.

Decent rain is still falling in the southwest keeping river mouths open and the waters murky. It’s shaping up to be a wetter than normal summer with possible below average temperatures. The downside being that the current situation is making the use of artificial lures a more difficult proposition.

Big snapper up to 4kg are to be had out on local reefs

in depths from 20-40m. A rising tide seems to be the best time to bottom bounce as the snapper currently see this stage of the tide as dinnertime!

The welcome bycatch to snapper fishing comes in the form of excellent gummy shark to 14kg, morwong to 2.5kg and on adjoining sand patches, tiger and yank flathead to 1.8kg.

Closer inshore in depths up to 10m has seen a lot of smaller pinkie snapper to 38cm and King George whiting to 46cm. Plus there are still plenty of calamari squid about so don’t forget to pack those squid jigs when next heading out on the water.

Small squid and the heads and tentacles make an excellent fresh snapper bait.

If fishing in depths less than 20m consider sending down fresh squid unweighted for the snapper and remember to let them run with bait before striking.

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Buzz with a cracking session GEELONG

Neil Slater njbamslater@bigpond.com

The region is buzzing with yet another cracking snapper season. Boat ramps are full by sun up as plenty of anglers flock to the water in search of big red. However, snapper need not be your primary target as there are plenty of other species that really have a crack over November.

GEELONG FRESHWATER The Barwon River has defrosted somewhat and the fish are back on the bite. The

Barracouta have been caught from the rock platforms near Lorne. river has very good flows and has cleared up a fair bit from the dirty coffee colour late September.

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have been caught by anglers fishing minnow profile and soft plastic lures hard up against the banks, while bait anglers have enjoyed similar captures using live minnow.

CORIO BAY Australian salmon are still terrorising the baitfish inside Corio Bay. Fair schools of salmon have been hanging out around the Grammar School Lagoon and Alcoa Pier with the odd fish being caught along the Geelong waterfront.

Most fish have been around the 800g mark, although there has been the odd 2kg model plus a 40cm snapper pulled from schools

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Snapper have been the main target and have not disappointed anglers who are prepared to work a bit for their fish. After dark has been best time and if it’s on a run-out tide, even better. Most fish are either side of 5kg but there are bigger fish amongst them.

Pilchards and fresh squid have done most of the damage with soft plastic enthusiasts also accounting for some quality fish to 50cm from just under East Geelong Golf Club to Cunningham Pier.

CLIFTON SPRINGS AND PORTARLINGTON Again these coastal towns are the place to be if you’re after a big snapper with persistent anglers returning with snapper either side of 5kg and the odd fish over 8kg.

Good numbers of calamari are in the shallows here and make great bait on the trip out.

Along the bank from Clifton Springs to Point Henry, anglers using soft plastics on the drift have tangled with rock flathead to 45cm, snook from 70-90cm and snapper up to 45cm. Best plastics have included Berkley Gulp in nuclear chicken, lime tiger and turtleback worms.

PORTARLINGTON TO QUEENSCLIFF Rod Ludlow from Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports there are plenty of flathead on offer in the deeper water. Clients

Some quality salmon are showing up along the Surf Coast beaches. smaller jigs for the larger squid and move around a lot as they are moving around a lot depending on the tides and time of day.

Rod suggests that November should see the whiting really kick into gear with this region of the Bellarine being one of the best in Victoria for these tasty fish.

The Queenscliff area has been buzzing with silver trevally and whiting. Some cracking trevally have been caught by anglers fishing ‘The

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November is snapper time on the Bellarine. have been drifting around the 15-18m mark and catching plenty of flathead using bluebait between Portarlington and St Leonards. Rod says there are stacks of little ones but persistence will see a few fish around the 37-40cm mark.

Rod notes the calamari have been going great guns from Grassy Point at Portarlington to Indented Head. Again, there are plenty of small squid to contend with but there are also enough around the 1kg mark to keep you keen. Rod suggests trying 16

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Cut’ using soft plastics and baits such as pipis and pilchard fillets. Best bet has been right on the change of the tide when the water isn’t flowing as hard (slack water). Small single tailed grubs and turtleback worms have done well for soft plastic enthusiasts.

There has been a fair few small salmon jumping on baits and lures meant for trevally but if you can patiently wade through these, some of the silvers have nudged 2kg.

King George whiting have been biting inside the Lonsdale

Bight. What the captures lack in consistency, they have made up for with quality fish either side of 40cm. Best baits have been fresh squid and pipis and make sure you use a long leader if the tide is running hard.

BARWON HEADS AND SURF COAST Quality snapper to 4.5kg have been caught by anglers drifting over rubble beds in 35-40m of water. In a little closer and further down towards Torquay, anglers have caught snapper to 6kg anchored in 15-20m of water over reef areas. The Barwon River estuary has had good numbers of Australian salmon and silver trevally but mostly on the incoming tide.

The river remained discoloured for much of September due to the wet September. The beaches have produced some hot days on the salmon although they have been a little hard to predict, but some of them have pushed 2kg.

Walking the beach with short but powerful beach rods around 2.4m and casting metal lures into the surf can be great fun but also covers a lot of water when trying to locate fish.

The rock platforms either side of Lorne have yielded plenty of barracouta to 60cm and salmon from 600g to 2kg.

The Otway streams are flowing high clear due to the good spring rains and with the warmth of November, we’ll see some enjoyable light tackle flyfishing.

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).

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Reds firing out west PORT PHILLIP WEST

Brenton Hodges blhodgey@hotmail.com

It’s official, the snapper are here and firing in the west!

Typically, the red tide can

take a little longer to arrive on this side of the bay, but once into late October and November, it really comes with a rush. So, whether you’re a complete novice, a casual weekender or a more accomplished angler

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WILLIAMSTOWN TO ALTONA For some time now, huge schools of whitebait have been holding up at the entrance to the Yarra River, where equally abundant Australian salmon have been cashing in on the free feed. This is a prime target area to pick up a larger than average snapper and, in recent years, reds 6kg+ have been taken within reasonably close proximity to the piers at Port Melbourne and Williamstown.

Snapper can also be found pressing bait right up against the breakwall, which borders and protects the nearby shipping yard.

Isolated patches of rock and rubble through to the football ground reef produce snapper, particularly during an onshore southerly blow.

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Regardless of whether you’re into soaking baits or tossing plastics, November is the prime time to be on the water searching for snapper. Barry Hudgell set a new personal best record with a 7.5kg specimen during his first trip of the season. snapper bite faster than several boats zipping around overhead and a procession of carelessly deployed anchors crashing to the bottom. If at all possible, try to make a stealthy approach and avoid driving directly over the area you intend to fish.

Out wider, Matthew Petts went searching for his first snapper of the season and came across some positive signs on the sounder in 18m water off Altona. Three arches clumped relatively close together low in the water column prompted Matt to deploy the anchor and set a spread of baits. Just on high tide the first rod buckled over, but unfortunately the hooks missed the mark. No more than just 30 seconds later, a second rod baited with fresh squid folded and Matt was into to a solid 4kg red. A nice way to get the season underway!

Brothers, Steven and David Puopolo also enjoyed a good start to the season, highlighted by a frantic four-way hook up. According to Steve, the bite came an hour prior to a mid-morning high tide change while anchored over the spoil grounds. As it turned out,

two of the four fish hooked were lost, but it no doubt got the juices flowing for the boys early in the season.

POINT COOK TO POINT WILSON Snapper and flathead will be the key target species for those prospecting the Point Cook region this month. Both soft plastics and various fish baits, including pilchards and silver whiting, will be well worth a try as snapper temporarily take up residence on the shallow rock bommies.

Fishing on the drift is also likely to produce some good eating size flathead as they begin to feed more aggressively across the inner western reefs and weed beds.

Over at Point Wilson, Australian salmon have been on the chew throughout the outer harbour region of Corio Bay. Most have been averaging less than 1kg, though the odd larger specimen can be expected, particularly as they feed up on the abundant whitebait.

Don’t forget to try sinking a soft plastic down below the salmon schools in search of a snapper, which quite often lurk beneath the feeding frenzy.

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Kicking off the season in style, Matthew Petts managed this 4kg red in 18m of water off Altona.

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Flathead are another species you’re likely to encounter in this fashion.

METROPOLITAN RIVERS Although the Yarra River has been fairly dirty of late, cleaner water from the bay has been pushing in below on the higher tides and with it some serious snapper have entered the system.

Although most anglers have been keeping fairly tight-lipped about their recent success, reds 2kg+ have been taken downstream of the West Gate Bridge. The western side of the river from the Warmies through to the Science Works Jetty has been the hot spot for shore-based anglers casting pilchards towards the edge of the shipping lane.

As the water temperature gradually increases leading into late spring and summer, the resident bream can be expected to start moving up on to the edges. Prospecting various forms of artificial structure, including rock walls, bridge pylons and floating pontoons, with diving minnows and vibration style lipless cranks the go, particularly nearer the top of the tide.

Toby McClure took sometime out recently to reacquaint himself with the local bream population.

Fishing alongside Michael O’Toole, several bream to 35cm (measured to the fork of the tail) were accounted for on small vibes and stick minnows. A week later, Toby and his girlfriend, Carli Taylor, were back on the Maribyrnong River, hoping to repeat the process. Once again, plenty of quality urban bream were found holding hard up against artificial structure. There were even a few opportunities to sight cast at fish in the clearer sections of the river at high tide.

BEEN FISHING? Reports and images are most welcome and may be submitted via email to blhodgey@hotmail.com.

V&TFM

NOVEMBER 2013

19

Snapper ahead of the pack PORT PHILLIP EAST

Lee Rayner info@fishingfever.com.au

We are well and truly in the thick of it now! This month is generally the best snapper fishing of the season and, if the past weeks are anything to go by, hang onto your rod because it’s going to get a bit crazy out there.

MORDIALLOC TO BLACK ROCK The pier continues to

fish well with some seriously good sessions being had by the land-based crew. In fact on some nights you really have to wonder if it’s worth having a boat at all when almost every angler on the pier gets one or several shots at catching a big snapper in a night.

The past month has been just like this and it doesn’t look like slowing down anytime soon.

Best of all, it’s a fairly simple formula. Get onto the pier when there is a

good southwest blow happening, then fish with baits of pilchard or squid and hang on.

From the boats, the reports are starting to flow in from a wide area; better fish are being taken in shallower 6-9m areas off Mordialloc and up to Mentone. These areas have been good at night and also when it has been rough; fish with unweighted bait as some of the ground through this area is fairly

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heavy. While out slightly deeper, places like Hump and up off Ricketts Point, the fishing has been very consistent for snapper in the 2-4kg size, which has also made them the prime target for anglers to cast plastics, troll or even jig them up with small metal jigs.

Up in Beaumaris Bay there has still been the odd snapper caught landbased but for the most part the squid and garfish are keeping most land-based anglers busy.

Out off Ricketts Point the deep area, known as the Gasso, is once again a top place to be fishing for snapper. Even though it has been producing snapper over the past weeks, it’s this month that will see it go crazy as big schools of reds move over this foodrich mud bottom to feed.

Back in a bit closer, the 16m line up towards Black Rock has been fishing very well over the past weeks.

A lot of anglers have been reporting that they have been doing well on baits of garfish and couta, both of which are around in decent numbers.

If you are after some thing a little different then it’s also worth keeping an eye out for the multiple schools of salmon. They provide plenty of fun at this time of year and the snapper love to hold up under the schools to pick up the scraps, which also makes them the perfect areas to chase snapper on lures.

SANDRINGHAM TO ST KILDA Off sandy breakwall there has still been the odd snapper taken in the rough weather, however it’s the boat anglers who

Try and tear yourself away from the awesome snapper season to spend time with the littlies!

Shoal, with the best results again coming pre dawn and into first light before the fish push out wider.

Out on the edge of the shipping lane the snapper fishing has been very good for those anglers who are willing to find the patches of fish, as they seem to be moving up and down the channel between T1 and T2 and the Fawkner Beacon.

As an added bonus it doesn’t seem to matter where you head at present there are heaps of bait around, so a bit of berley and a Sabiki jig will see you with plenty of garfish, mackerel and yakkas to use as either fresh cut or live baits.

Closer to shore the dirty water of the past weeks of rain has in many people’s opinion helped to get the inshore bite on the snapper firing. Slightly dirty water really sees

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There is plenty of action around this month, but it may take a bit of time on the sounder to locate the hotspots. have been fishing here in the 6-8m area that have had some great fishing at dawn for snapper in the 4-5.5kg sizes.

Out a little wider I have also seen some good numbers of fish being taken from around the Anonyma 20

NOVEMBER 2013

V&TFM

some big numbers of reds being caught from the Rock Groynes at Hampton and most of all off Brighton Breakwall. There have been some cracking fish among them too with several over 6kg being caught from the rocks and boats.

From Brighton to St Kilda this month will hopefully see the push of big snapper moving into the shallow waters in this part of the bay to feed at night; famous locations, such as the drain at Elwood and its surrounds, are the places to look. The large areas of reef and cunjevoi bottom make the prime habitat for these big fish to feed under the cover of darkness.

During daylight hours however the snapper fishing off this part of the world has also been great, with good numbers of fish found between St Kilda and the Fawkner Beacon.

And while this is a huge area and may sound very vague, it really is a case of looking in areas you may have previously caught fish, or just spend some time to sound around until you find the action.

ST KILDA TO PORT MELBOURNE Some heavy rain in October put a serious stain of freshwater into this part of the bay. After it had settled a bit, it has kept the snapper chewing with some good reports and very big fish taken off all the piers.

While out in the boats, the same areas that fish so well through winter are now producing numbers of quality snapper in the 3-8kg range, and what could be better than fishing under the lights of the city, especially on a calm night.

The real surprise packet for snapper anglers in this part of the bay however has been the continued run of fish to be found around Princess Pier.

There are also a few other species of fish around at present but for the most part it’s snapper season in Melbourne so let’s get into it!

V&TFM

NOVEMBER 2013

21

Varied weather wins PORT PHILLIP NE

Wayne Friebe wfriebe@bigpond.net.au

The great and varied weather conditions that come with this time of year have been very obvious over the past month on the bay. Conditions have varied from picture-perfect to blow the spots off your dog in no time, and sometimes on the same day! This variety tends to produce more concentrated feeding activity by many of the bays target species, which can mean some hectic and fun-filled sessions for anglers.

It’s hard to believe that another silly season is upon us already, but as any angler on the bay knows at this time of year it’s all about snapper. Boat ramps become venues of chaos and congestion, popular piers and land-based platforms are covered with hopeful anglers, and there is a manic buzz that surrounds the bay’s fishers.

Growing up on Western Port, this has always been my favourite time of year, and it’s hard not to get caught up in all the fuss. If you’re a true Victorian, then you can’t help get excited about snapper fishing. And if you don’t like snapper, or snapper fishing,

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I would seriously consider taking up another sport or hobby for at least the next few months.

Many and varied reports have reached my phone and computer over the past month, which is great to see. And maybe it’s the silly season affecting me again, but there seems to be a lot more boats on the water than I can remember in past seasons. In particular, most consistent reports have been coming from 12-18m of water, especially off Mount Martha and Mornington. Some decent snapper have also been taken in the shallower water, especially a little further north off Frankston, Seaford and Carrum. The size range of snapper reported has also varied a lot from 2-7kg, although the majority have been around 4-5kg.

At this time of year, the reds will tend to hang close to the reef and other structure, and any areas that you can find like this. The use of a steady berley trail of pilchard cubes or another oily alternative is also reccommended to bring the snapper to your baits.

Along the eastern seaboard, pilchards have definitely been the standout baits, and silver whiting and fresh squid have also accounted for a few nice fish as well.

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baits of salmon and couta and had great delight re-visiting a session where he landed three lovely fish, all over 5kg in a 2m swell with no net! Not a bad effort.

As the snapper numbers start to really thicken up along our shores, expect the other species to cash in as well.

Some decent flathead have been taken by the bay’s anglers, particularly in depths

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Spending my days immersed in the fishing industry, it’s always great to hear about new techniques, and I’m looking forward to hearing more about the success of ‘micro jigging’ on our snapper this year. This technique has proven very effective elsewhere in the world, and I have no doubt will be a winner on the bay.

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Massive schools of Australian salmon have been terrorising bait right in close to shore. These two were part of more than 30 fish landed in a manic afternoon session with casting distance of a local boat ramp and gave young Jett Worsteling and his school mate some great after school entertainment. The bigger kids also had a ball!

It’s hard to beat a morning’s bream fishing with the kids, and the bay’s creeks and rivers have plenty to offer. Summer and Samuel had a ball recently with their friend James fishing scrub worms in Balcombe Creek. sporting perspective it looks pretty hard to beat, and light tackle is the best way to enjoy catching snapper. I’m also looking forward to trialling some new flexible vibes and other new lures that have hit the market recently. Watch this space for more reports and photos in the months to come.

Still on the snapper, it has been very encouraging to see consistent numbers of quality snapper being landed by the land-based brigade as well.

Darren Mathews has landed several snapper of late, in particular from various rock platforms between Mount Martha and Safety Beach. He has been having most of his recent success on fresh fillet

shallower than 12m. There are several theories on why the size and quality of the bay’s flathead has improved of late, but I tend to agree that many of the smaller and juvenile flatties have probably fallen prey to grazing snapper.

Fishing baits, or casting 3-4 soft plastics from a drifting boat is the best way to compile a very tasty bag of flatties from the bay.

Gummies and other sharks have also been very prevalent, particularly in the deeper areas closer to the shipping channel.

I have heard from several anglers that they have been bitten off regularly of late, which may indicate that the snapper this year are packing some serious dentures!

And if all that doesn’t excite you, late spring is prime time to target our bread and butter species in the bay’s creeks and rivers.

Patterson River, Kananook and Balcombe creeks are all worth a try around the mouth, particularly after rain.

I took my little terrors for a bream bait fishing session recently and had an absolute ball, landing half a dozen fish in less than an hour, and best of all the kids were stoked. Other species like salmon, mullet and gars will also cash in on all the available food in these areas at this time of year.

Some ripper snapper have been caught by landbased anglers over the past month, especially during or after heavy winds. This 5kg specimen was taken from the rocks at Hearn Rd Mount Martha, by local angler Darren Mathews and it took a fresh couta strip.

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NOVEMBER 2013

23

Changing seasons steps it up PHILLIP ISLAND

John Dalla-Rosa

At last, the weather is changing, the water temperature is rising and once again it’s that mad time of the year where everyone just sees red!

No, I don’t mean ramp rage; you seem to wait forever to get your boat in the water and then it’s like

a Tatts Lotto win if you can find a car park. Even though all of that stuff will happen too, what I mean is our great annual snapper run has started and the word on everyone’s lips is ‘snapper, snapper, snapper’. The season has started with some great reports coming in from both bays.

SURF BEACHES There will be quite a few dedicated fishos replacing

their surf gear for snapper gear as the ‘red’ season gets going. But all the surf beaches are still fishing well with some good fish in excess of 3kg being caught.

As the water temperature warms the gummies will start moving in along the beaches after dark, feasting on the crabs. When fishing for gummies, hit the beach a couple of hours before dark.

I take a light spinning rod and some pipis and fish the edges of the gutter that I intend to fish later for gummies. I usually pick up a few mullet or salmon, which I use after dark as

the gummies can’t resist the fresh fillets.

ABOVE THE BRIDGE There are reports of snapper coming in from most parts of the bay: Corinella, The Corals, Silverleaves, Tortoise Head, Lyshardts, Crawfish Rock, just to name a few. In Port Phillip, they’ll be from Mornington all the way up to Black Rock.

With snapper you just need to remember the basics to catch a fish. Fish early or fish late, together with a tide change is best and use fresh bait and you shouldn’t have too much trouble bagging a fish or two.

Tony Dalla-Rosa with a cracker 8kg snapper taken near Crawfish Rock.

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The fishing sure is firing up offshore! From snapper, gummy shark and an abundance of squid, a fisher’s feast is a certain for the table.

SNAPPER We have been finding a nice consistent flow of snapper ranging around 2-3kg, and we expect to see the bigger reds coming through anytime now.

When fishing for snapper, there are two methods you can employ, either fishing on the drift or anchoring up. When you are anchored, it can take a bit for them to come around, so don’t forget to bomb the bottom with diced up pilchards every 30 minutes or so, this should help increase your chances of catching a decent red.

The most important element in your success to capturing one of these beauties is to arm yourself with some quality bait.

Our preference is fresh squid, pilchards or couta.

To find them, head

offshore around Barwon Heads in between 40-50m depth; with a bit of patience and know-how you are bound to be met with success.

GUMMY SHARK Alongside the snapper the gummy sharks have been working well this season. As they are a great by-catch to the snapper they too can be found at the front of Barwon Heads using squid for bait, and coming in at a decent 5-10kg for this time of year.

SQUID Swan Bay has been a bit slow off the mark this season with the squid, however Queenscliff and Portsea have been fairing well, and are the places to be for the bigger-sized specimens.

We have been getting some decent squid in around Queenscliff using

READER’S PICTURE

baited and artificial jigs. In the artificial range we have had particular success with a white Shimano jig.

FLATTIES Can be found in the east anywhere between 30-60m using strips of squid for bait, it doesn’t take long to get a good feed of these quality eating fish.

SALMON The salmon are around this time of year with big schools moving through the heads. They have been varying in size from 500g to 2kg. So whether you are throwing metal slices or trolling skirts around, it can a bit of fun for all to enjoy.

SHARK With the weather warming up, a few mako sharks were taken in the west early, so we are hoping for a cracker season ahead.

Looking back over the previous year, the first mako that we caught was

7

36

in late November, so this is the time to get out there and give it a try. You may be the first one back at the boat ramp with the first mako capture of the season.

While punching the berley pot and waiting for the mighty beast to arrive, throw in a few lines and you could pick up some decent flatties or snapper.

There are plenty of anglers in search of the reds and on the hunt for squid. With the warmer weather coming up, it is set to get the offshore action really pumping and we may start seeing some of the big boys coming out to play.

Time will tell and the weather will be the key element to success. Let’s hope the good weather comes through for us and brings us all an awesome fishing season.

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George Mackney landed this super early 8.7kg snapper on a ‘crappy old’ pilchard fishing off Seaford in 12m. It was caught on Friday 13th, which is considered an unlucky day, but George had all the luck landing his personal best after only 2 minutes on his mark!

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25

Spring in your step ROSEBUD

Dan Lee info@peninsulatotaltackle.com.au

It is one of the most exciting times of the year with snapper being caught far and wide! There is no doubt that the spring weather and the talk of solid fish being caught puts a spring in the step of all local anglers.

Let’s see the latest reports and what’s been biting these last few weeks.

SNAPPER It’s spring, which of course means snapper

time! Kicking off early in the month we saw good numbers of fish being caught land-based. In our part of the world the rocks around Mornington provided for some excellent action during on shore blows, where fish between 4-6kg were being commonly caught, even in the middle of the day.

For those out in the boat, the action started early over in Western Port with good fish being caught in the shallows around Corinella and up to Spit Point. Closer to home, the charter fleet started intercepting fish while fishing offshore around

Johnno and Jacko with a good bag of Safety Beach squid.

Barwon Heads as they made their way toward the bay.

Inside Port Phillip Bay, we had anglers out early off Mornington and Mt Martha, where the 17m line seemed to provide the best results early, even if they were not in big numbers. As we move through November this area will only get better and within a couple of weeks I would expect the deeper water, 21-23m, to be full of action.

It has certainly been a different year, with bay temperatures almost a degree warmer than the same time last year. This has certainly meant that we have seen more fish caught earlier in the southern part of the bay.

December is usually our best month for snapper – so I am already excited about this year’s prospects!

SQUID Whether you like to use them as bait for the red fish or you just want to go home with a feed, the calamari fishing has continued to be excellent and a real staple for Peninsula fishos.

For the big squid hunters out there, the fishing has been good in the deep water at Lonsdale Bight in 10-14m of water. Pack some 30-40g

Sam Sierakowski caught this cracking squid on a Harimitsu jig off Rye. jigs because you need to get them down in the kill zone!

The shallow weed beds from Sorrento to Rye also produced en masse as have some of the piers, such as Sorrento and Blairgowrie.

One of my young customers Reece Young said he bagged out 3 out of 4 trips in one week this month off the Sorrento Pier. Good fishing and you don’t even have to get the boat dirty!

Mt Martha Rocks has

also been producing, as have some of the weed patches at Safety Beach.

LOOKING AHEAD November is one of our busiest months of the year.

If snapper is not your thing, it can be one of the best months for big squid. It is also a sensational month for targeting big gummies along the channel edges in the south of the bay. But in reality for most people it is all about the snapper.

Why not try something different, talk to tour local tackle store as there is a heap of light jigging gear on the market, perfect for targeting a big red. Certainly worth thinking about if you’re getting a little sick of the smell of bait on your hands!

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Snapper swarm usual haunts WESTERN PORT STH

Jarrod Day jarrodday@iprimus.com.au

Snapper, snapper and more snapper is all I am hearing, and why not when we are in the peak of the season? There is nothing better at this time of year than belting the alarm clock at 3am to rush out of the house and into the car eager to hit the water before daylight to crack a few reds before sunrise.

The influx of snapper has really stirred things up with anglers all getting out and having success. The usual haunts have seen plenty of snapper action with particular mention paid to Corinella, Lang Lang, Elizabeth Island, The Corals, The Western Entrance and Stony Point.

CORINELLA The Corinella region is one that should always be fished at some point throughout the season. The last few weeks have really fired up and while it has seen snapper caught within the area since back in September, it is still firing. The entrance to the Tenby Channel has been particularly productive as there is a fair section of reef that holds fish throughout the season. Anglers Ted and Peter fished the area to catch and release 14 snapper to 7kg. The boys found squid to be the top bait.

Local angler and professional fishing guide, Gawaine Blake had a night out with one of his clients.

The boys fished ‘the top end’ and had a fantastic night catching snapper to 6.2kg.

Gawaine’s client Nikko caught the largest fish, which was his personal best snapper to date.

LANG LANG Lang Lang is a productive location but fishes best on the high tide. When the tide is high and the tide floods the shallow banks, the fish begin to explore looking for anything worth eating.

Anglers wishing to fish this area should fish within

100m of the main channel in 3-4m of water. Fresh baits are the key such as squid and small yakka chunks. Most of the action will be midway through the run-out tide as the fish retreat back into the deeper water.

Peter Dobson managed 4 snapper recently with his largest fish measuring 84cm. The fish took half a yakka head.

ELIZABETH ISLAND Elizabeth Island often flies under the radar throughout the snapper season. It is quite a productive location for gummy sharks, seven-gill sharks and bronze whalers; as well as a very productive location for snapper. Anglers wanting to tangle with a red need to set anchor on the edge of the drop-off in around 8m of water. The bottom is quite reefy so take some spare sinkers as you will lose a few.

Berley can be used but stick to using it around the tide change where the water pressure is at its least.

Tackle World customer Tyson Smith fished close to Elizabeth Island one Saturday morning resulting in a very successful session. Fishing the run-in tide, Tyson and his dad Mark managed 6 snapper to 5kg and an 8kg gummy shark. All fish took squid baits.

THE CORALS The past few weeks have seen a huge increase in anglers fishing The Corals area. November is a great time to fish here as huge schools of fish take up residence until late December. Even though it’s shallow, around 6m, the bottom is quite rubbly and fun to fish due to the lighter grade of tackle required. The last of the flood tides have been more productive.

A little north from The Corals, around Observation Point, has also been firing well. Many of the larger charter boats have been working this area in 10-13m of water and have managed snapper to 6kg. Squid has been the top bait.

STONY POINT The southern end of the

North Arm or just out from Stony Point has been another popular location for anglers.

Those fishing close to the middle spit in 14m of water have caught a number of snapper with some of them weighing 6kg; the average is around 3kg.

Most of these fish have been caught early in the morning with squid and garfish baits working well.

Dean Burton fished in close to the edge of the spit in 5m of water to catch 4 snapper ranging 2-6kg. His fish

already making the switch over to whiting. The whiting fishery is also in full bloom but with everyone’s mind on the reds, they are taking precedence.

Tortoise Head Bank is fishing very well with the fish biting better over the first two hours of the run-out tide. Most of the whiting average 38cm but some larger models of 43cm have been caught. Pipis have been one of the most popular baits, but squid strips and mussels are always worth using.

Nikko with his PB snapper from ‘the top end’. (Photo courtesy of Gawaine Blake) were all caught during the run-out tide.

Anglers fishing during the night have also been doing exceptionally well, mainly due to less boat noise.

Gawaine Blake has been catching quite a number of snapper in the North Arm of late with some fish over 6kg.

Fresh calamari has been the best bait.

Those fishing a little further north than Stony Point have also caught some great fish. Tackle World Cranbourne customers Chris and his dad Stuart fished in 15m of water to catch 2 snapper between 4-5kg. Both fish were caught an hour before the top of the tide.

TORTIOSE HEAD BANK Although it may all be about snapper now, there are quite a number of anglers

Local angler Chris displays a solid red caught from the North Arm. WESTERN ENTRANCE Despite being difficult to fish in a raging tide, the most productive fishing in the Western Entrance has been 2 hours either side of the tide changes. There have been plenty of snapper in good numbers with particular focus on Buoys 14, 11, 5 and 2. These areas hold good fish throughout November and have been fishing exceptionally well of late.

Adrian Thomas fished Buoy 14 to catch 8 snapper to 4kg and a 48cm whiting on a 5/0 snapper hook.

PLACES TO TRY If you’re looking for somewhere to try this month you really can’t go wrong at The Corals. Even though

it does get very busy, another location close by is between Observation Point and Cowes Pier called Silverleaves. This sandy stretch of coast can deliver some sensational fishing early in the morning.

Over the past few years there has been at least one snapper over 9kg caught during November at Silverleaves. After going back over my records, three of the last four fish caught from Silverleaves have been during the run-out tides and on squid baits. This location has a lot of potential and, providing you sound up some fish before dropping the pick, you’re in with a fair chance.

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Snap here, snap there, snapper everywhere Furitere put his customers onto a magnificent 14kg gumbo while on the snapper grounds. Not a bad bycatch if you ask me!

As I mentioned above, the calamari are still in great numbers as Scott Harper recently found out. They got a cracking bag of squid off the Tyabb Bank on white 3/0 sized squid jigs.

Some very promising whiting reports are starting to filter through with a

WST PORT NTH

Adam Ring

In case anyone has been hiding under a rock for the last month, I have some serious fishing news for you – snapper are going right off! The snapper are everywhere, with some rather large models amongst them.

THE TOP END Think of a place in the top end of Western Port that you have fished in the last 2 months, and go there asap!

The chances are there will be snapper there and they will be hungry!

Joes Island is a snapper beacon and now is the time to be there. Local fishos Jason and Steve have done very well off Joes recently and had a ball catching

Some very decent gummies are out and about amongst the snapper.

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snapper to 5kg on fresh squid. If Joes Island is a favourite of yours, I would suggest getting there pronto, as it won’t take too long for masses of pinkies to move in.

If you are just about over the snapper thing, the whiting will be just about ready to fire right up and there is no better place to be than the top end of Western Port. It would be well worth having a poke around places like the Tooradin and Warneet channels as I would expect a few fish to start moving in around the banks at this time of year.

The other thing a lot of anglers have noticed is the abundance of big couta around the port. There isn’t really a particular area that they are in, it’s just a matter of putting out a little bit of berley and they are there within minutes.

THE NORTH ARM Snapper are absolutely everywhere and we are just hitting the peak of it now.

Lysaghts is going off, the top of the runway is going off and some really decent fish are coming in

from around Hastings.

Some cracking snapper to 5kg are being taken in 14m of water off Lysaghts and 7yo Zach Lauder recorded his PB snapper tipping the scales at 7.5kg.

The charter boats are also getting it done and putting their customers onto some beautiful fish. Tim Miles was fishing onboard Think Big and landed a very nice fish of 6.38kg.

There really hasn’t been a standout bait, but as always, fresh is best.

The calamari are still going gangbusters and take the opportunity to stock up on a few couta while they are around.

In amongst all of the snapper are some very decent gummies. Shaun

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report of the magical 1kg whiting already being reported from the sand holes around Yaringa. If that is a sign of things to come, then bring on whiting season I say!

The middle spit is another area that will heat up this month. The whiting will really start to thicken up so a few exploratory trips onto its banks may just have you heading home with a rather decent feed.

Scotty Harper showing us a sample of the quality calamari up on the Tyabb Bank.

TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT Casting our memories back to this time last year, there were a lot of big King George whiting caught in the deeper water as bycatch when snapper fishing.

These fish were generally another size class above the fish up on the banks so while you are waiting for the snapper rods to load, it would be well worth dropping a lighter rod over the side with a piece of squid or mussel and just seeing if a few of these bigger whiting are keen for a feed. You may be surprised by the results!

This publication is just not big enough to fit all of the snapper reports in so the biggest piece of advice I can give to all anglers at this stage of the game is to just get on the water. Stick to the key areas of the Port that are close to where you launch and you will have a great chance at landing some quality fish.

Good luck and keep the reports coming!

Snelling a hook COFFS GAME

Glen Booth

Snelling or snooding a hook onto a line harks back to a time when hooks had flattened ends and no eyes as such, and therefore the line had to be knotted around the shank.

In more modern times, the snell remains a good knot for use on hooks with offset eyes, for rigging two hooks in a long bait, for circle hooks where an off-centre leader angle can be advantageous, and it was once popular for rigging double hooks in skirted lures before the advent of

the crimping systems we have today.

The snell knot can also be used to set the front hook position on nylon or wire, so regardless of baitfish size, it will always be in the right place. When your wire rigs are all set for yesterday’s slimies, there’s nothing more annoying than discovering that today’s have grown overnight — or shrunk!

A snell can be tied in almost any breaking strain line, from 6kg to 250kg.

Heavier line will require fewer wraps.

Fluoro orange line has been used here for illustrative purposes only — it’s probably best not to use it for leader material!

5

6

Grasp the tag end with your teeth and slowly draw it away from the hook, closing the loop and drawing the knot closed. Before pulling it up tight, thread the rest of the leader through the hook eye.

1

7

Don’t thread the line through the hook eye until after the knot is tied. In fact, with this knot, hook eyes are pretty much unnecessary. Lay the tag end along the hook shank, leaving it protruding well beyond the bend.

The finished knot. If using an offset eye as illustrated here, pedantic types might like to wrap some dental floss around the join in the eye to prevent chafing.

2 8

With the rest of the leader, make a large loop and lay it back along the shank heading in the opposite direction to the tag.

3

4

The snood or snell can also be used to put two hooks on the one leader.

9

This is the only tricky part. Wrap the loop of line around the hook and then start to bind up the shank towards the eye four to six times, depending on |the thickness of the nylon.

A snell can also be used to set the position of the front hook running free on a wire or nylon leader to adjust to different sizes of baits. Just experiment to see how many wraps are needed to make the movable yet firm enough to act as a tow point.

Thread this hook through a livie’s nose or the tail of a squid.

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31

Grab a gummy or a mixed bag WELSHPOOL

Alan McFayden amcsayte@bigpond.net.au

The fish took their time to wake up after a fairly long winter hibernation. Not to say that there weren’t any fish around this spring, but just that there was plenty of water mixed in with them.

The jetty has been worth a look and just before this report I decided to check it out. There were four hopefuls who were fishing the run-in tide on a fairly rainy day and a bit of wind blowing from the southwest.

I spoke to Harry Reynolds who had a mixed bag of silvers, mullet, flathead and one very decent squid that he had just landed on a clear jig.

The other anglers also had a few fish between them and said that over the last few weeks they had been doing fairly well when conditions have allowed.

There have been reports of salmon being caught on the run-in tide near the long

jetty. The fish have been fairly good in size to the 1.5kg mark, and mixed in with them have been good size silvers and flathead.

There have not been any reports of whiting being caught to date. One reason could be that other fish are grabbing what is on offer before they can get to the bottom. Whatever the reason, when they do make an appearance the wait will have been worthwhile.

Outside the entrance boaters have been doing fairly well when conditions have allowed. They are taking salmon, up to the 2kg mark, on a variety of surface lures. Flathead have also been bagged along with gummies but they require quite a bit of travelling.

This means that unexpected amounts of fuel can be used on such a trip so it is vital not to overlook this very important item.

There have been a few flathead caught in the Franklin Channel along with the occasional gummy and, of course, those useless

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skunk sharks seem to be everywhere. This indicates that the water is still down around the 13ºC mark but the shunks should disappear as the temperatures rise.

Port Albert is just a short drive to the east and the fishing is going along very well for this time of year.

The jetties have been very productive and locals Peter Balt and long time mate ‘Boot Boot’ have been doing well on flathead, silvers and mullet, to name a few.

From reports it seems that the run-in tide has been the best time to wet a line. There have been many sightings of squid at the jetty but for some reason they will not take any presentations, instead they just nudge them and frustrate anglers.

Hopefully that will all change but at least we know they are around.

The local publican Josh Dessent says that he is receiving plenty of reports from patrons, which is a

positive in itself, that flathead are being caught in good numbers. He also says that he is in the process of putting a centre console in his boat and will be out on the water at the first opportunity.

There seems to be plenty of tailor and salmon being bagged in good numbers, which is another good sign.

There appears to be plenty of gummy sharks around and many locals are dusting the cobwebs off their boats in anticipation of another very successful season.

There have also been dolphins around, and their numbers seem to have exploded. They provide entertainment when nothing else is happening, but that is the problem. When they turn up, the fish decide it is time to go someplace else as they would rather look for a meal than become one!

The annual Snapper Fest is quickly approaching and will be held on the 2-3

Gummy sharks like these are in good numbers at Port Albert.

November. This is a mustnot-miss event and is always a huge success. There have already been very big

snapper, according to Josh, to the 11kg mark and he has received many other reports, which is encouraging.

Warm smiles for hot weather INVERLOCH

Alan McFayden amcsayte@bigpond.net.au

How great it is to see more hours of daylight and warm sunshine! The fish are responding well, and as a result most anglers are returning with smiles all round.

Anderson Inlet is busy, just as it is all year. Even through the winter there have been patches of good conditions where a variety of fish have been caught.

There are extensive works to be carried out in upgrading the jetty, which should make the facilities at Inverloch that much more comfortable.

Outside the entrance there have been plenty of tiger flathead and duskies being taken. Boaters have been travelling outside the entrance and making their way to areas such as Venus Bay, where just beyond the breakers the muchunderrated flathead are being taken in good numbers to 50cm on a variety of presentations.

Squid, whitebait and fresh flathead presentations have been doing the job, with fairly large hooks ensuring good hook-ups in large mouths.

Even though the entrance itself has been a bit on the muddy side there have been very good results of silvers being taken from the entrance up to Stevies Gutter. They have been to the 50cm mark and taken on both sides of the low water tide. These fish have

Leongatha anglers Jason Kitchener and Loch legend Sam Bell with a couple of lovely flathead caught at Inverloch. a habit of just nibbling the presentations, and when hooked up they’ll take off at great speed and the battle is on. This is when the angler and equipment are tested to the limit.

As well as silvers there have been very good numbers of flathead and mullet. The results have been well worth the effort in spite of the muddy water.

The boat ramp is still very serviceable even though it is undergoing a bit of a facelift. The sand bars have undergone a change, which is something that we have to put up with after the familiar big blows.

Nearby Screw Creek is another of those little streams that always seems to fight above its weight.

Wonthaggi anglers Alan Bentick and Graham Gray decided to try their luck for the Wonthaggi Angling monthly competition, and they managed a couple of very nice bream. There have

been other positive reports from this area where it seems that Bass yabbies and crabs have been among the best baits.

There have been very good results in Stevies Gutter where silvers in excess of 1kg are in good numbers and taking a variety of baits including Bass yabbies, pipis and silver fish. The run-out tide has been most productive, and there are reports of quality salmon and whiting making an appearance.

Local anglers have been doing very well in the inlet.

Just before penning this report I came across Jason Kitchener and Sam Bell who had just returned from a trip outside the entrance beyond the breakers at Venus Bay. They picked a perfect day and returned with a very impressive bag of big tiger flathead that were all around the 1kg mark.

The water at Mahers Landing has been a muddy

colour after all the recent rain but that hasn’t stopped the great fishing. Salmon have been in very good numbers along with silvers, mullet and the occasional couta. Boaters have been making a trip to the area known as the ‘A-frame house’ where salmon, silvers and flathead have been featuring in catches.

Land-based anglers are also doing fairly well off the boat ramp on the run-in tide where flathead, silvers and mullet are in fairly good numbers.

Further up the inlet near the double islands there have been good numbers of salmon, silvers and flathead being taken on both sides of the tide. For those who know where to look around Pound Creek there have been very good quality perch being taken on Bass yabbies, silver fish and a variety of lures.

Shallow Inlet was comparatively quiet through winter, but the arrival of warmer conditions has changed all that. Good numbers of silvers are making their presence felt, and Andrew Starrett who runs the local caravan park says there are also plenty of salmon, flathead and whiting around. Andrew says everything is pointing to a very good season, and to show visitors just how good the fishing is he has put up a notice board for fish photos from the area. I’m sure he’ll receive many photos, giving lucky anglers bragging rights.

NM EA2000

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33

Everyone has a two-track mind MCLOUGHLINS

Will Thompson allwaysangling@bigpond.com

We are now moving into that time of year where the species list is changing and the two things on everyone’s mind are snapper and gummies.

MCLOUGHLINS BEACH The water temperature rised significantly with the onset of the warmer weather and this put the fish on the bite inside the estuary.

The whiting started to make an appearance and they were all mixed sizes, ranging anywhere from 28-35cm in length. Pipis and Bass yabbies are working equally well and over the next month the whiting are really going to turn on and it will be the best time of the year to get stuck into good numbers of them. You are also likely to encounter 40cm+ specimens.

The blue spot flathead have just started to come on the bite with that warmer water, however currently anglers have been catching them mainly to 45cm in length. Spear fishers chasing flounder have been spearing some big ones, which tells us the bigger flatties are there but aren’t quite biting hard yet on lures or dead baits.

Over the next month, we will just about be in the best part of the year for those big 60cm+ blue spot flathead so it’s going to be worth hitting the shallows on the run-out tide with soft plastics or 40-70mm hardbodies.

Micro jigging is the latest craze to hit Australia and most anglers are only talking about micro jigging in regards to snapper. However there are some lure manufacturers making tiny micro jigs or 7g and up, which I reckon will be perfect for spinning for flathead over the clear sand flats.

The salmon have been the main thing keeping sport fishers happy of late as we have had the spring run of salmon pretty much right on queue and they will stick around until mid to the end of November. This is the time you get your big salmon anywhere from 1-3kg and so far there have been plenty of 3kg specimens caught at either the McLoughlins Beach entrance or Manns Beach entrance.

There has been a bit of weed around so jigging small metals has been really successful, as well as big soft plastics and jigheads.

GIPPSLAND LAKES

Brett Geddes b.geddes@bigpond.com

The running of the Melbourne Cup each year has always been my cue to get serious about dusky flathead. Early November is when the flatties head towards the entrance of the huge Gippy Lakes system,

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will move inside the inlet.

Whale Bay always produces good gummies offshore this time of year and you will catch some good snapper here as well. The flatties have been going well in 25m+ of water, but with the warmer water you will be able to drift in close from 12-20m and catch the same amount of flatties as you did in winter out wide. If you can use a sea anchor, do so, as this will slow down your drift and keep your rig on the bottom better.

Again the gummies have been getting caught mainly on the tide changes offshore, so stick to that rule for the next few months.

For more information, contact Will at Allways Angling in Traralgon on 51748544.

You will get expert advice and some great deals on fishing bait and tackle. Don’t forget to tune in to Will’s Gippsland report on Rex Hunt and Lee Rayners’ Off the Hook on 1242.

Adrian Gruendler caught this gummy shark and four others on a ripper night during the full moon period last month. The gummy shark numbers will continue to increase inside over the next few months.

They’re racing! Off go the flathead

BULLET Minnow

• • • • •

PORT ALBERT Inside we have had our first couple of reports of snapper but it will be this month where all the magic happens. We have just entered the biggest and best time of year to chase snapper in this part of Victoria so if you’re not out there now, you are missing out.

Remember that the tide changes are the key. You seldom catch snapper in all parts of the tide and the day. If you really want to increase your chances of catching snapper inside the inlets, then fish an hour either side of the tides in the mornings and evenings. These times are the most likely times to catch snapper during November.

The Snake Channel has already produced a few snapper and also plenty of gummies.

The old port is another prime gummy spot and you will catch snapper there as well.

OUTSIDE The gummies have already gone berserk offshore, but it’s now when a heap of these fish

and big 3-5kg females are a real chance to find your lure or bait.

Bream are still on the go and will be found high up in all the rivers over the next month while spawning. Whiting will start to appear as well, but this report is going to be all about the duskies.

DUSKIES AT DAWN Over the next two months, get on the water early. The key to tricking big flatties is to start fishing just before dawn. The bigger duskies push up into the extreme shallows overnight in the cover of darkness, and you shouldn’t be at all surprised to tangle with fish in the 65-95cm class.

These fish hunt the shallows for good reason. Small mullet are there in the millions, and are much easier to hunt down in shallow water as they can’t swim upwards and escape.

The monster flatties return to deeper waters as the morning lightens up, and by about 8-9am your prime skinny-water bite time will be over. It’s then that you can fish in deeper water down to 3-4m, although the fish will usually be a lot smaller, around 40cm. These same fish can also stay in the shallows during daylight hours so be sure to cover a lot of water depths during your search.

FLATHEAD TACTICS The Gippy Lakes area has a long dusky flathead history when it comes to very large breeding females. Around 20-30 years ago, small mullet livies were dynamite and accounted for most of the good old-fashioned 10 pounders.

Huge duskies to this day still can’t resist those same small fish, but the only change is

Rhys Smith with a whopper dusky caught on a soft plastic. Big flathead will become prime angling targets around Metung and Lakes Entrance from November through to the new year. that nearly all anglers use lures instead of live baits.

Big mistake. I’ve thrown all sorts of lures to huge flathead and watched them totally ignore them for hours on end, while mates fishing the same area with live bait hardly have time to sit down while steering around thumper flatties. Sometimes a whopper 15cm soft plastic will get the big girls to bite, but not very often.

Duskies aren’t the stupid, suicidal fish most people think they are. Yes, at times they will snap at almost any lure put in front of them but they can also shut down on lures big time. This is especially true for bigger fish. When this happens I suggest you try some live bait

and, like me, you will be very surprised by the results.

If you’re happy to catch a smaller class of fish, I recommend using a mediumsized heavy soft plastic or metal blade. When hopped vigorously across the bottom in waters between 1-4m, these lures can get results at almost any time of day. Most flatties will be around 40cm but make sure you use leaders of about 8kg breaking strain to secure the odd monster flattie to the net.

One could turn up when you least expect it.

THE HOTSPOTS Early in summer, the area from Metung to Kalimna is where most big flatties will congregate. If the water is very salty you will also find

them back up into the lakes system in areas like Tylers Point, Tambo Bluff or Swan Reach Bay. Freshwater at this time of year may push them down into the Hopetoun Channel, Cunningham Arm or North Arm. If I were heading out tomorrow my starting point would be the eastern end of Reeve Channel and I would let the flathead tell me if I should search further east to Lakes Entrance or back towards Metung. By searching in each direction your catch rate will draw you towards the greater number of fish.

Another obvious indicator is other boats, because you can guarantee the locals will have already found the fish and will be parked on prime hotspots.

Don’t be too eager in joining the crowd though, because flogged water can see flatties develop a bad case of lockjaw.

Always spend at least part of your trip searching new areas and finding your own honey holes for next time.

BREAM Just a quick word on the bream. You can expect the yellowfins to make another bold showing this summer in those exact same areas I’ve just mentioned above. They also love the saltier water and, being more aggressive than black bream, they will happily attack your flattie lures, big or small!

Surface lures are worth trying now because bream will be feeding in the shallows again. Be prepared though because massive flathead will monster a surface lure!

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NOVEMBER 2013

35

Best bounty at the Bemm BEMM RIVER

Robyn Sturgess

The past weeks have seen the Bemm at its best!

This would have to be one of the best runs of fish the Bemm has seen for many seasons, with the average being 34cm and over, all through out the system. The most talked about bait for these fish are banana prawns, vibes and plastics.

There is also a good presence of luderick throughout the waterways being caught on sandworm.

Flathead are starting to get active again now that the

weather and water is warmer.

Currently the entrance remains open. The lake is shallow so ‘boaties’ must be vigilant.

The river is fishing very well, which is typical of this time of year as the fish are heading up into the muddy banks to spawn.

When the weather permits the surf beaches are producing quality salmon and tailor. One of our locals fished ‘First Beach’ recently and returned home after only one hour, as he was exhausted from reeling fish after every cast. Russ is now bike riding daily to get fit enough to spend at least 2

hours fishing!

Pearl Point has had an amazing transformation following king tides this year with deep gutters out the front, and has started to produce gummies and school shark on the full moon.

Due to the excellent season we have had with the entrance remaining opening throughout autumn, winter and spring, this should ensure a productive prawning season.

Don’t forget to get in early with your bookings as Bemm River is gearing up for another amazing season.

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Game on for the gummies NINETY MILE BEACH

Will Thompson allwaysangling@bigpond.com

We’ve had an incredible month on the surf, and according to all reports there’s no doubt it’s gummy time!

Spring is definitely the best time of the year to catch gummy sharks off the Ninety-Mile Beach. Over the

past month I have been sent a ridiculous amount of photos from surf fishers catching gummies and the odd sevengill shark as well.

This has been quite a good effort as the weed this spring has been the worst I have ever seen.

We have been inundated with easterlies along the whole eastern Victorian coast and this has brought that slimy snotty weed in far sooner than

we are used to. This is why the reports have been impressive, because even with this horrible spawn of Satan weed that we get that clogs your guides while you’re winding in, the gummies are still getting caught consistently. The gummies have been extremely healthy and weighing heavy for their length. Most have been around the 1m+ mark.

I have been having heaps of success with surf poppers

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lately and for the last few seasons it’s all I use. I run two poppers on one rod and one popper and a bait on the other rod. I love squid legs as bait as it never comes off when you cast, and in weedy conditions, you can be confident that you have some bait working for you. When using the poppers, they only have small hooks so don’t put too much bait on them, just about 1” of squid or fish flesh or whatever your favourite bait is, and you will have a deadly combination to the gummies.

There hasn’t been any particular beach better than the rest; it’s all about the structure of a particular beach and the weed situation. A tip I have learnt over the past few years, is that the weed disappears with westerly winds and usually disappears from the western end first, i.e. McLoughlins Beach,

The author with an early season gummy weighing just under 10kg. It was caught on a blue/white surf popper at Golden Beach.

AND Shannon Musgrove took advantage of the full moon and caught this decent gummy shark near Seaspray.

LEE RAYNER SUBSCRIPTION TO BE

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EVERY WEEK 36

NOVEMBER 2013

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Woodside, McGaurans. This isn’t always 100% but it is definitely worth using this rule when you know the weed has been around.

Over the next month, it will be time for all the landbased game fishers to hit the Ninety-Mile as those bronze whalers and big school sharks will be on the beaches like clockwork. Obviously you won’t need to paddle baits out

but I guarantee the beaches will be packed with fishers, kayaks and rubber duckies and whatever else anglers want to use to get their baits out behind the breakers.

For anglers that like fishing the day period, head down to Woodside and McLoughlins Beach as this is big flathead heaven. They will start to come in close next month so get your blue bait,

surf poppers and white grubs ready to catch some massive blue spot flathead.

For more information, contact Will at Allways Angling in Traralgon on 51748544. You will get expert advice and some great deals on fishing bait and tackle. Don’t forget to tune in to Will’s Gippsland report on Rex Hunt and Lee Rayners’ Off the Hook on 1242.

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V&TFM

NOVEMBER 2013

37

Excellent estuary fishing MARLO

Jim McClymont mcclymont@net-tech.com.au

Since last month’s edition I was lucky enough to go on a tour of Shimano’s reel factory in Malaysia.

It was an education in the manufacture and quality control of their reel products, and afterwards Shimano moved us all by bus to Rompin Resort for a fishing experience I could only have dreamt of – three days of fishing for sailfish.

I caught my first sailfish in the first hour on the first day and then upgraded. Everyone in the group was able to capture and release at least

one sailfish, so I can definitely recommend a gamefishing trip to Malaysia.

The adrenalin is still running through my veins, so it’s little wonder I am looking forward to a very good offshore season along our coastline. We might not have sailfish here, but with luck we’ll get good numbers of marlin and kingfish to give us plenty of action. The baitfish will arrive first, then the stripy tuna and kingfish will arrive and then hopefully the marlin will appear again.

The Snowy River has just had a good flush. This flush, combined with the simulated spring thaw from the Jindabyne Dam, means the river has been running at a

good volume to ensure a good entrance at Marlo all season.

With the good entrance it gives us another access to offshore fishing, and with the big tidal movements it makes the estuary fishing excellent.

Offshore the fishing is great. Anglers have reported gummies galore and mixed bags of flathead, gurnard, pinky snapper, morwong, squid, barracouta and leatherjacket.

The estuary fishing is also great, with plenty of bream being caught from the entrance up to both Lake Corringle and Lake Curlip. Luderick are holding along the rock groins and mud banks, and schools of mullet can be found throughout the whole system.

Everyone in the group was able to capture and release at least one sailfish.

Down towards the entrance is the place for salmon and tailor. If you fish the run-in tide using metal lures the action

is fast and furious. The surf beaches are fishing well with plenty of salmon and tailor patrolling along the shoreline.

Anglers are getting good results using bait accompanied by a popper or spinning with light tackle using metal lures.

Bring feathers for flathead LAKES ENTRANCE

Lucas Smith squidgy_man1@hotmail.com

Spring is big flathead time and this season has started with a bang!

Lake Tyers has once again lived up to its reputation for producing crocodile size lizards, with multiple reports of fish in the 80-90cm range.

Micheal Newman landed and released a genuine 1m, 17lb monster on a tiny soft plastic grub and 3lb leader.

Well done mate! Local bloke Matthew Dugins has also been finding some huge specimens up to 91cm again on soft plastics and light leaders.

Working the sand flats and points in the Nowa Nowa Arm will put you in with a good shot at one of these ‘fish of a lifetime’; just remember to work areas thoroughly and don’t overlook the small pockets in the backs of bays.

Mixed in with these jumbo flatties are plenty of

smaller 30-50cm fish, which are perfect eating size.

There have been solid numbers of bream on the sand banks as well, so it pays to work a few hardbodies or surface lures through the snags.

Some big tailor are making their presence felt and have no problems biting through light leaders used when chasing bream.

Try spinning or trolling with shallow running Rapala X-Raps and metal slugs, or use a whole garfish on ganged hooks and float it out under a small cork float. This is a great way of connecting with some of the larger choppers.

One technique we have been using a lot more is fly fishing for flathead. While many have been doing this for years, it’s certainly opened our eyes to how effective it can be in super shallow water. Clouser minnows, Crazy Charlies and larger prawn patterns have so far proved their worth in the upper reaches around

Burnt Bridge and Cherry Tree. Colours that have been best lately are loud reaction colours like chartreuse, orange, pink and when the water is dirty we use dark colours to create a silhouette.

If you haven’t tried it yet, I recommend giving it a go as it’s pretty exciting!

Around Lakes Entrance the water is pretty dirty and the fishing has been fairly slow. The local seal colony is growing rapidly and they seem to be everywhere.

Some good bags of salmon and tailor have been caught at Bullock Island and Kalimna Jetty on pilchard fillets fished under a float.

Trevally have been caught along the Kalimna rock wall on pipi and peeled prawn, along with plenty of pinky snapper up to about 800g.

The whiting should be showing up along the weed beds in the coming weeks.

Fish the last few hours of the tides with fresh mussel, live shrimp, pipi or prawn and wind slowly along the bottom, and use mussel

shells as berley to attract the whiting.

The luderick are a little slow and seem to prefer the darker red weed to the more commonly used green weed.

Running float rigs with the bait set around 7ft below the surface is perfect. Some big drummer have been hooked on the entrance wall on mussel and crab and have been incredibly hard to stop, even on heavier gear. Just remember the rocks can be a dangerous place to fish, so please be careful.

The surf beaches have fished well of late for salmon and on the warmer nights there have been some nice gummies caught on squid legs and fresh salmon strips.

The sand crabs have been in plague proportions some nights but it’s worth sitting through these as the gummies love to eat them.

Spinning with metal lures will see you catch some good salmon and tailor. Keep your eyes out for birds working patches of bait and deeper holes between the sand bars.

Flathead on fly are great fun in the shallows.

Bait fishing with squid legs, pilchards and surf poppers on a paternoster rig work a treat.

Hopefully the weed doesn’t make an appearance this year as it ruins the surf for weeks on end.

The snapper have shown up on the reef systems in good numbers and bags limits have been filled in no time.

Most are under 40cm fish but there’s the odd thumper to 8kg mixed in.

The schools of slimy mackerel have been thick so fresh bait is easily collected; snapper love slimy mackerel!

A few squid have been hammering snapper baits and again can be easily caught on a jig and make great bait too.

In closer to the beaches the flathead and gummies have been caught in the 15-20m depth range while drifting, anchoring and berleying. It also pays to have a bait out under a balloon as a few big bronze whalers and hammerheads have been seen cruising around the schools of slimies.

Stay safe on the water.

Waters finally wake up EDEN

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

With the days getting longer, it doesn’t take much time for things to really start warming up, especially the fishing as everything starts to come to life.

The offshore effort has focused on the inshore reef fishing with snapper, morwong, leatherjackets and sand flathead being caught, along with some great gummy sharks.

The game fishing has been quiet and with the warmer 38

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current due to arrive over the next few months, its arrival will mark the start of another season.

Salmon are thick, with fish to 3kg visiting all the local beaches and headlands.

At this time of year it is often possible to see the big dark patches of fish, and if you put a lure in among them you will get an instant response.

In the estuaries the black bream have been well upstream.

Try using fresh nippers and bloodworms. The best fishing time is around dawn and dusk.

Lure fishers have had some success using soft plastics and suspending hardbodies fished

in tight around structure. The odd good-sized estuary perch has also been caught while targeting these areas.

Some good reports have come from the mouths of many of the local estuaries.

Good-sized yellowfin bream and sand whiting have been caught by anglers using fresh bait on a run-in tide, with the best fishing happening when the conditions coincide with dawn and dusk.

At this time of year things change quickly as the days get longer and everything starts waking up. This is a great time to chase the flathead as they shake off their winter lethargy.

Salmon are thick, visiting all the local beaches and headlands

Growing warmth brings life MALLACOOTA

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

You have to wonder what happened to winter. It hit late with a bang, then it was all over.

The water temperature is a good reminder that it’s still winter offshore with water down around 15°C.

The town is quiet at this time of year but as the warmer weather progresses we will see more visitors to the area over coming months.

The boat ramp at Bastion Point has yet to be started on, with surveyors banging in a few pegs just to let us know something is around the corner.

The fishing off the

local beaches has been good with salmon caught from the lake entrance and all the good gutters down Tip Beach and Quarry Beach.

Plenty of salmon are also visiting the lake with fish caught in the channels around the entrance and into the Top and Bottom lakes. They have been easy to catch, eating just

The black bream are moving back into the lakes after being upstream spawning.

about anything that goes past them.

Offshore, things have been very quiet with a few gummy sharks the main captures. Things will fire up only once the water starts to warm.

This time of year the fishing in Mallacoota is all about the lake and the rivers and as the saying goes, ‘when the wattles blooming the bream are moving’.

The rivers are fishing well for black bream but these fish can be hard to catch at times. If using lures you need to chop and change until you can find something that they will eat.

Fishing with bait, the best action usually is had at dawn or dusk or on those bad-weather days.

Flathead are also on the go and with the weather warming the fishing will only improve.

Flathead have been caught upstream around Gypsy Point and out into the Bottom Lake. We will see plenty of big fish caught as they shake off their winter lethargy.

Silver trevally and some good-sized tailor

You may need to chop and change lures until you can find something that the bream will eat. also have been caught with the Bottom Lake and the channels around the entrance fishing well at different stages of the tide.

Sand whiting have been caught around Harrisons Channel with fresh beach

worms a dynamite bait, especially at dusk into the dark.

Yellowfin bream are in the Top and Bottom lakes and plenty of these fish are crackers a kilo and sometimes more.

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Promising start to season NAROOMA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

It’s all happening, with offshore sport fishers getting keener as the days pass by.

As the water temperature increases, so does the pelagic action and if early indications are anything to go by, it’s going to be an excellent start to the season.

The kingfish have been

have fared best. Some days the jigs are better and other days the livies are the go.

The fish are moving around a bit, but 40m-60m depths have seen most of the action.

I suspect that Montague Island will fire this month, too. Fish to 10kg are possible but the majority will be 4kg-6kg, good school fish and great on the plate.

Mixed in with the kings will be bonito. These underrated table fish are

Sand whiting like these two bruisers caught

by Mick Cumes will make the Tuross flats home over coming weeks. good, especially over the northern reefs off Moruya and Potato Point.

Every day is a little different but anglers using a mixture of jigs and live bait

awesome on the smoker and great fun on light braid. Their numbers will increase as we head further into the month.

Out wider there have been sporadic reports of yellowfin

tuna to 30kg but not in any numbers. These speedsters are a real possibility over the next few weeks, so trolling a few 8”-10” pushers might be worth a go.

If the pelagic scene isn’t your thing then the reef species could be. You can expect snapper, morwong and pigfish on the reefs and ample flathead on the sand, so a feed shouldn’t be hard to get.

The reds are patchy but once you locate them you will be in business.

Reefs off Potato Point, Tuross and the south western corner of Montague are all worthwhile prospecting.

ESTUARIES FIRE In the estuaries it’s all systems go. The recent rain will do the local systems a load of good.

Narooma and especially Tuross will fire.

You will be able to target all species this month, with mulloway and big dusky flathead high on anglers’ lists.

The lower sections around the boat shed towards the entrance will produce a lot of action although the deeper hole up towards the main basin is also worth a look.

If a trophy isn’t for you there will be plenty of table flathead to 60cm plus bream, whiting and blackfish

plentiful from the highway bridge upstream to the lower reaches.

The river should be good for bream and estuary perch on smaller hardbodies and soft plastics cast among the snags and rock bars.

The bass fishing way upstream should be excellent; the rain has given them ample opportunity to get to the upper reaches. If you know the way up there, you’re in for some serious fun.

In Wagonga Inlet the basin water will be 18-19°C, ideal for mulloway and already a handful have been caught over recent weeks.

It was a little quiet on the mulloway front last year but with the abundance of whitebait and tailor throughout the system, all looks good.

The channels below the highway bridge will produce blackfish on weed with bream, trevally and flathead all catchable on plastics and fresh bait.

BEACH The beach action has been steady without being red-hot.

Bream and whiting have been around hard to entice to bite but with the recent bout of huge surf, that may just change.

Darren and Nean Cooke with a brace of solid bream taken on softies. They managed 36 fish for the day, all released.

Anglers who have downsized their tackle have had best success with live worms, pipis and fresh peeled prawns the best baits.

The rocky corners of beaches on a rising tide close to dark has produced good bags. Narooma Main, 1080 and Handkerchief beaches have been best.

There are still plenty of salmon so if the bread-andbutter species don’t play, there is something to fall back on.

With the warmer nights a mulloway session after dark might be worthwhile to. I’d be fishing Brou or Blackfellows; these are the best jewie beaches along this part of the coast.

Gummy sharks are possible, especially on moonlit nights on a flooding tide.

The rock fishing bandwagon looks set to continue as blackfish and drummer continue to chew.

Big groper are also available.

I know of a few solid blues to 9kg caught recently.

These were photographed and then released in good order – good to see!

The surface pelagics should improve further with kingfish, striped tuna and frigate mackerel all possible.

Fishing early in the morning with chrome slices lures should produce but those after a bigger model should use live bait.

You should be able to get all the bait you require at the ledges you fish. Try Dalmeny Headland, the Golf Course Rocks or Mystery Bay.

Lakes receive a fish top-up BERMAGUI

Darren Redman djsestuaryfishing@bigpond.com

This season is going to be interesting, with most estuaries open to the sea and some of the formerly closed ones recently re-opened.

Those that opened recently have allowed fresh fish stocks to re-enter.

Flathead, bream, whiting and many more species have moved into these rivers and lakes to feed on the prawn stock that abounds at this time of year.

One such lake that recently reopened is Wallaga, where anglers should now find the fishing and prawning excellent.

Flathead are a certainty along the western shoreline and rocky points, while those wishing to fill a bucket with prawns will work the flats around the bridge and down towards the entrance.

You can also add luderick on weed around the bridge and, for those who like to chase a feed of juicy garfish, this lake should host many.

As far as game fishing goes, November can be hit and miss but when you strike it good, it can be damn good.

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TUNA Yellowfin tuna and albacore are congregating on the edge of the continental shelf and beyond. Mixed in are schools of striped tuna, which can be a problem when targeting the larger species.

Trolling with a combo of bibless and skirted lures is the preferred method.

I like to see a bibless left way out the back and almost forgotten about, but this lure

often catches the larger, shy fish that won’t come into a trolling pattern.

Striped marlin are early this season, following the schools of striped tuna and slimy mackerel.

It’s a little early to target them on live bait; most fish are coming in on lures.

Not all game fish have been caught on lures, though. Some tuna have been caught in berley trails and of

Wallaga Lake has reopened to the ocean and fish like this flathead have moved in.

course there have been some very nice mako sharks taken on bait.

Kingfish are in reasonable numbers at Montague Island along with some bonito.

Jigging is working best on the kings, while trolling will produce bonito around the western side of the island.

This is a great time of year for reef and bottom fishing.

With the prevailing nor’-east winds you need an early start because most of the fishing is over by mid-morning.

These winds provide good drifts along the edge of the reefs. Most of our reef structure runs north-south, so pick up the edge of the reef on the sounder, position the boat just out from it to start your drift. If conditions are right you will go from one reef to another, picking up snapper and morwong with tiger flathead in between.

Generally the deeper the reefs, the better the fish and the Twelve Mile has some exceptional fish at present.

BROGO BASS If you get only one place to fish in November, make it Brogo Dam; it is going off.

High, warm water is spurring the bass into action.

Insect activity is providing some excellent fly and surface lure fishing towards dusk and in the early morning.

Albacore are starting to arrive in numbers.

Work deep-diving lures, plastics and spinnerbaits through the day.

Troll to keep lures in the strike zone or sit back and relax while soaking a worm and admire the beauty of Brogo.

Downstream from the dam along the river is also extremely good. Walking the bank will gain access to some nice holes, but the going can be tough.

Canoes may be one option and if you start at the dam wall and working downstream you eventually will end up at the bridge crossing the Princes Highway.

Anyone interested in stocking bass into farm dams or other private waters can call me on 0427 934 688 and I will put you in contact with a local fish breeder.

NSW South Coast

Time for mega-flathead MERIMBULA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

Estuaries around Merimbula have been fishing exceptionally well and with warmer water coming down the coast now, we can expect them to improve further.

This is prime time for mega-flathead with fish to 5kg and bigger caught every season. Most will fall to large soft plastics but the bait anglers will also encounter larger models.

Prime spots to try are shallow banks on the flood tide, with the shallow areas around Mangrove Island in Pambula Lake worthwhile.

Work areas like this with reasonably large plastics on light to medium jigheads.

Afternoon high tides quite often offer better fishing.

On the bottom half of the ebb tide, target them around creek mouths. Small mullet and whiting have to leave the shallow flats in the creeks and usually there is only one place to go.

A good place to start here is Boggy Creek, in the top section of Merimbula Lake.

It’s a shallow creek that falls

away into 3m of water with ribbon weed on both sides of the entrance – an ideal ambush station for big fatties.

Almost every system has thee feeder creeks so it pays to have a look around your local waterway and see what’s similar.

Slowly twitched soft plastics and mullet imitations in hard-bodied lures will produce.

This month we will see an increase in whiting numbers with fishers using live yabbies, worms and even fresh prawns catching plenty. Try areas that have a combination of sand and weed for best results.

A few bream will also haunt you, especially during low light periods, with the surface-lure enthusiasts getting among them, too.

SNAPPER Offshore has been fishing well one-day and then not much the next.

Snapper, morwong and flatties are making up the majority of the catch but in November we usually see a few pelagics turning up.

Kingfish, bonito and striped tuna are a real possibility on the inshore grounds. Trolling lures is the best way to bend a rod.

Out wide we should see

yellowfin tuna, albacore and the outside chance of an early season striped marlin if last year is anything to go by.

We had a ripper start to the game season last year and let’s hope this year brings the same.

Trolled lures are the go early in the season; you get to cover a lot of ground to locate the fish.

The continental shelf and beyond will be the place to fish.

For bottom species, the best places to try are Long and Short Point, with The Sticks off Pambula good for flathead.

Grassy whiting have beautiful colours and are plentiful at times in Merimbula Lake.

Nathan and Kev with some solid bream taken on plastics. The boys caught more than 35 bream for the day and released them all.

There been a few decent kings from Haycock Point so some big softies or poppers may be worth a cast.

BEACH, ROCK Bream, whiting and mullet will keep the beach fishos happy, with

beachworms and pipis the top baits.

Most beaches will hold fish but Tura and North Tura would be my pick.

Look for a small deep gutter running close to shore for best results. A little bread berley in the shore dump will improve your chances.

Salmon will still be around but numbers will be down as the water warms.

Expect a few more tailor to turn up and at night you’re always a chance of a mulloway or gummy/school shark. Try fresh pilchards or mullet fillets, with fresh salmon and tailor strips

worth a go for the mulloway and sharks.

Rockhoppers who love throwing lures will catch small kingies, bonito, salmon and tailor if the current comes close enough to shore, especially for the kingies.

Tura Head is this region’s land-based hot spot and every year some good fish are hooked from this platform.

Drummer, bream and blackfish will still make the washes home so if the surface action is a little slow there’s always that option.

Bait up and berley with bread, cabbage and cunjevoi.

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The sensational Stumpy No. 2 FMG

Stephen Booth sbooth@fishingmonthly.com.au

This seems a little, well actually a lot overdue; a review and how-to on the sensational SumpJumper No. 2, my all-time favourite and most productive native lure casting lure.

The No. 2 StumpJumper is the smaller brother of the well-known and respected No. 1 StumpJumper. Originally the middle lure in the range of three, there are now 6 models of StumpJumper lures on the market and all catch fish hand over fist.

My favourite colours include: (left to right) 28 green scale, 44 people eater, FWF pink and purple (not available) and the ever-reliable 45 pepe. And yep, I am a fan of the clear, deep diving bib.

My love affair with this lure started on my first native lure casting trip way back when I was just starting university (and that was 1989!). A mate suggested we come up to the Murray and

Just under 70cm of Murray cod from 5’ of water. This is the perfect place to fish a pepe coloured No. 2 StumpJumper.

check out what they’d been doing with cast lures and I jumped at the chance. Our first trip was a memory in itself.

My mate suggested we tie on a No. 1 Stumpy and go troll a particular stretch of river. We had gone all of 20m when the rod buckled over and a 63cm cod came flapping to the boat.

Next?

He then suggested we tie on the pink and purple No. 2 StumpJumper from Freshwater Fishing and cast to a set of snags along the edge of the river around the third bend near the reeds. That’s sounds easy! Third cast and a golden of 45cm crash tackled the Stumpy and set the hook on my love for Stumpies as much as it set the hook on itself.

Since that first trip, Stumpies have generally been the first and the last lure tied

on whenever I fish the Murray.

Countless golden perch and a stack of cod have been taken on the No. 2 StumpJumper in the last 20-odd years, and even with their subtle changes in manufacture and features, they continue to produce the goods. But it’s not just goldens and cod, as redfin, Australian bass, flathead and trout have all succumbed to the power of the No. 2 StumpJumper. To say I am addicted to them is a bit of an understatement.

CASTING AT STRUCTURE Casting lures at snags seems a simple task. Find a snag, chuck the lure at it and wind it back. And guess what, that approach works sometimes. But there are better ways and ideal areas to use a No. 2 StumpJumper.

These areas take into account the diving limitations of the lure on the cast and also the incredible snag resistance. If you know what areas to look for, you’ll have success.

I like to fish in areas from 3-6’ (0.9-1.8m) deep that have a bit of current and some obvious structure. Lay down logs, dead trees, weed and reed edges with timber and rocky walls all fit the bill. On the cast the No. 2 Stumpy gets down to around a metre and when you add in snags, slower retrieves, pauses and twitches, the lure

The purple people eater Stumpy is one of my all-time favourites. This is my legendary 20-odd year old model attached to one of the hundreds of cod it has caught.

The most common retrieve is the underwater jerk retrieve. This is similar to the retrieve used when fishing for barra and jacks in snags, it’s just done with a Stumpy and with much less violence and speed. Again cast beyond the snag and wind the lure down to achieve a bit of depth. As the lure approaches the snag pause the lure briefly and jerk the rod tip down from 1-3 times. Wind up the slack and repeat. If you feel the lure is getting too high in the water you can use a few quick and steady winds to get a bit more depth, but the longer you can jerk the lure around while it is in amongst the structure, the more likely Mr Cod or Golden will come

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may actually only ever get down 60cm or so. Don’t fret though, this is enough depth in water less than 2m deep.

The easiest of retrieves, and one that works really well in cooler waters, is a really slow roll. To do this cast well beyond the snag you are targeting and give the reel three or four quick winds. This gets the lure down around a metre deep. From there, slow everything up and try to keep the rod tip bobbing with the beat of the lure. You should aim to hit the snag at some stage of the retrieve as this throws a bit of variation into the swimming action and also creates a fair bit of noise underwater. Goldens love this retrieve. The benefits of this retrieve include a constant and deeper running depth, more time for the fish to locate and smash the lure and an easy way to cover water.

looking. The benefits of this retrieve include a massive amount of noise and vibration, the ability to make the lure look injured and disoriented, with plenty of pauses thrown in to allow a fish to attack.

One retrieve used a lot by one of my mate Dirk Wendt is like a slow swish of the rod. Again cast out past the snag and get the lure down to depth. From there, slow the retrieve and introduce the occasional swish of the rod.

This speeds up the lure a bit before it essentially stops, then it darts off again. This needs to be done with a slow and steady retrieve and is deadly.

Well it’s deadly or Dirk is just way better at native fishing than me! The advantages of this retrieve are you retain your depth better while still offering a target that darts and pauses and doesn’t look fit and healthy. And it’s dead simple.

Of course you can do a variety of all these retrieves at any given time or on any given snag - experience and judging the fish’s mood on the day will help you get the best results.

THE LURE ITSELF The StumpJumper No. 2 is 75mm long and weighs a very easy casting 16g. The lure, with the deep diving bib, has a very strong and vibrant action

With fish like this caught on a cast and retrieved No. 2 Stumpy, why wouldn’t you want to clip one on?

that speaks to cod and goldens like the Pied Piper to the rats – they simply cannot resist its charms. As a casting lure for native fish in shallow water it is close to being without peer. And no it’s not just that I use it the most, I use it the most because it works so well for me.

These days the No. 2 Stumpy is made offshore as demand for this little gem overtook the ability of the Australian manufacturer to keep up. That’s praise enough in itself. The newest models also contain rattles. This is a contentious subject with me as I reckon they don’t need

Good mate Adam Royter was searching for a golden in a lake when around 3.6kg of Aussie bass slammed his No. 2 pepe coloured StumpJumper. Awesome!

A recent pic with an old Stumpy colour. The Freshwater Fishing pink and purple Stumpy was once termed the illegal lure by our fishing crew because it simply caught too many! If only I could find a hidden stash of these somewhere.

the rattles – maybe they could bring out a silent version (like the older models) and then I could chop and change between noisy and outright, heavy metal band loud whenever I felt like it!

On the subject of noise, my regular fishing buddy Marc Ainsworth and I did a test on a heap of lures one year in the backwaters of Mulwala. We ducked down under the water, cast the lures out and listened for the noise. The No. 2 Stumpy was loud and easily heard a full cast length away.

Just imagine being a grumpy old cod or golden and hearing this annoying rattle get closer and closer, then hearing the lure crunch over the snags

or rocks and then have it appear out of the gloom. If the fish isn’t hungry, its territorial instinct has to take over and the lure gets smashed, either way.

In regards to toughness, Stumpies are very tough.

I have a purple veteran that I’ve owned for over 20 years that is still working (with the original clear deep diving bib) and still catching fish. In fact I use it for one fish every trip nowadays to continue its great work and to make sure that the old veteran doesn’t feel too left out! Battle scars, hook scrapes and plenty of work with various tackle retrieving devices have not impacted on this lure’s fish catching ability and that is as good a testament to their strength as any that I can find.

Snag resistant? Yep, their name is no misnomer. They walk over snags very well and if you have the right feel, you can walk a Stumpy through some horrendous structure.

One interesting point is that when you retrieve your lure over a larger snag, the lure will actually flip on its back and swim over the snag rubbing its back on the log. This keeps the hooks away from the timber and aids immensely in the snag resistance. I’m not sure if this was intentional as other good native lures do the same, but only if you keep winding.

THE RANGE Currently there are 36 standard colours in the range and in an exciting recent development there are three additional and new UV enhanced colours – the yellow peril, python and tiger snake.

I already own these lures and I cannot wait until I get the chance to swim them past some of my favourite snags.

Whether it’s trout, goldens, cod, redfin or bass, there is a colour suitable and a size suitable so Stumpies have an enormous breadth to their use.

In fact there have even been

barra, jacks, tuna and snubnosed dart (permit) caught on them – they’re that good!

My favourites? Well that’s easy. I’ll take a No. 2 in people eater (colour 44), pepe (colour 45) or green scale (colour 28) any day, but it wont stop me from using the new UV colours the next time a Murray River snag presents itself to me. I can’t wait!

You can check out a short video we made from some Murray River highlights on our Facebook page, just search for Fishing Monthly Magazines.

Unusual only by the fact that this golden was pinned on the rear hooks of this green scale Stumpy. Usually they will take the lure belly first and get tangled up on the middle treble.

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Better facilities and The Victorian Government’s $16 million Recreational Fishing Initiative (RFI) is helping Fisheries Victoria improve angling opportunities by: •

upgrading boat launching facilities

•

installing fish cleaning tables

•

building reefs

•

expanding angler access

•

improving fish passage

•

stocking more fish to develop fisheries

•

strengthening fisheries education and enforcement.

These improvements are all in addition to projects funded by your fishing licence fees.

The fishing jetty at Limeburners Lagoon in Corio Bay has been rebuilt after it was burnt to the waterline by vandals last year. The rebuild was completed in March and includes a new fish cleaning table.

Seven boat ramps on the Victorian side of the Murray River, between Robinvale and Berribee, have been upgraded. An eighth ramp at Lake Cullulleraine has been improved too.

The RFI helps to fund fish stocking. Fisheries Victoria releases more than 2.5 million fish annually, including trout (pictured) and native fish such as golden perch, Murray cod and Australian bass.

The jetty at Lake Cartcarrong has been rebuilt to help anglers make the most of the stocked brown trout fishery.

A new fish cleaning table at Brighton’s North Road boat ramp will help metropolitan anglers clean their catch from Port Phillip Bay.

www.depi.vic.gov.au/betterfishing

better fishing

Jetties at two boat ramps on the Glenelg River have been overhauled with new decking and cladding. They have also been raised so can be used when the river mouth shuts and water levels rise.

The Balmoral Angling Club and local contractors have improved boat launching access to the south-western corner of Lake Toolondo, which has been stocked with trout and yielded fish to 2.5 kg.

The West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority has upgraded the Allmans Levee Track, which leads to the Latrobe River and Lake Wellington.

Historically, even minor flooding inundated the track and restricted access.

Access to the Nicholson River at Deptford, north of Bairnsdale, has been improved via a 50 m gravel path and new fishing platform. This section of river is popular with anglers chasing blackfish and some trout.

Extra patrols on weekends and public holidays are helping Fisheries Officers educate recreational anglers and ensure catch limits are enforced.

A new fish cleaning table at Venus Bay will help anglers fillet their catch from Anderson Inlet.

Bumper bags for Ballarat BALLARAT

Shane Stevens

November is the prime time for fishing in and around the Ballarat district; insect hatches, warmer weather, longer days and fish on the chew. What more can an angler ask for?

Lake Wendouree is the hot spot in the area at the moment and will be for a few months. The lake is a more versatile fishery than ever and the trout and redfin just seem to be on the bite constantly – whether in the middle of winter chasing smelt, or warm summer evenings chomping down on mud eyes hatchlings.

We have a superb fishery in the middle of Ballarat, just

the other night anglers were shoulder to shoulder all around the lake trying to catch a few fish. The warmer weather, a full lake and a very healthy population of fish that are accessible to land-based and boat fishing anglers.

The fly fishers have been catching some quality brown trout to 5.5lb by casting and stripping large wet fly patterns.

Things will probably change in the coming month, as the mayfly hatching we force a down size to small brown nymphs, Toms Jones, damsel nymphs and stick caddis. The overcast days will be the best for fly fishing.

For bait anglers, mud eyes are the best baits suspended under a bubble float at around 1m. If fishing from the boat,

Keil Jones at Hepburn Lagoon with his 4.5lb brown trout caught on a Tom Jones fly pattern. (Photo courtesy Keil Jones)

anchor as close to the main weed beds and fish out into the open water.

We have had some excellent catches of rainbow and brown trout to 4.5lb on mud eyes. Shane and Ben Jeffrey have also had excellent catches of trout up to 4lb using the same methods.

With the warmer weather, anglers need to concentrate on mornings and the evenings.

If an overcast day comes along get out on the water and reap the rewards, the trout don’t seem to bite on bright sunny days.

In Hepburn Lagoon the much-anticipated mayfly hatches should appear over the next month. The water level is pretty high and the rainbow and brown trout will certainly be looking for the dunns mayfly.

Kiel Jones has been fishing Hepburn early in the morning chasing tailing fish using small stick caddis fly patterns.

Tom Jones fly patterns are catching lovely brown trout around the 4-5lb mark, but stealth is required in the early morning as the fish are in very shallow calm water. You will be rewarded for the effort.

Flyfishers should target Hepburn either early in the morning or evenings for the mud eye feeders. However, on overcast days, when the mayfly are hatching, nymphs, emerges and mayfly dry flies will be on the menu. Try a few different varieties of each pattern, if one doesn’t work try another until you find a winning formula.

Bait fishers should head out in the morning and evenings for top catches. The local bug or spider mud eye suspended under a bubble float will work best. If fishing in the early morning, the everreliable bunch of garden worms are also worth a try.

Cast them out unweighted,

DAM LEVELS Lake/Dam % Full

Dam % Full

LAKE/DAM Aug Sept Oct Cairn Curran 68 79 85 Dartmouth 97 98 98 Eildon 75 89 93 Eppalock 77 85 92 Fyans 74 82 80 Greens 32 42 67 Hepburn 45 73 99 Hume 80 97 98 Lauriston 75 98 97 Malmsbury 43 96 106 Mulwala (Yarrawonga) 92 96 100

Newlyn 50 74 93 Nillahcootie 78 100 100 Rocklands 32 43 45 Taylors 39 40 57 Tullaroop 61 63 65 Upper Coliban 87 100 100 Waranga 56 88 91 Wartook 63 79 86 William Hovell 103 103 102

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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.

The author with a couple of decent brown trout from Lake Wendouree caught on mudeye. as the brown trout just cruise along the shoreline feeding on mud eyes/stick caddis and can’t resist the humble old worm.

Newlyn Reservoir should see some excellent fishing in the coming months. The fish will await the mayfly hatches in the middle of the day, midge feeders early morning and the evenings will see them target caddis hatches, small nymphs and dry flies.

For bait anglers, mud eyes are the best bait for the trout but worms and Powerbait fished on a running sinker rig will result in great catches. Fish as light as you can, light line and small sinkers produce the least resistance a trout can feel when

feeding on worms or artificial bait, therefore the greater the chance of a hook up.

Tullaroop Reservoir will fish very well over the coming months. Once again, target early mornings and evenings whether you are fly fishing or fishing baits.

Flyfishers should use small midge patterns in the early mornings, when the fish are feeding on the midge, and after dark they should change over to wet flies, like the ever-reliable Mrs Simpson, Hammills Killer or a Craig’s Nighttimes.

Once again, mudeyes are the killer bait suspended under bubble float.

However, worms, Powerbait

or yabbies are excellent to use at Tullaroop.

Cairn Curran Reservoir is one of my favourite trout waters and is well worth a look over the coming months.

Overcast days or early morning and evenings in the shallower bays are the best. Picnic Point, Galloways Bay and Bryants Bay areas used to be good to target trout, either on mudeyes or flyfishing.

The Fisheries department have stocked the water over the past few years but not many reports have filtered through – probably because the water was discoloured and the water is full of European carp. But the trout are there, so it’s just go out and try it.

Look up for top catches YARRA VALLEY

Ian Loft ringwood@compleatangler.com.au

The river has been up and down like a ripper lately, with a small but brilliant glimmer of fishing activity.

The Upper Yarra (Woori Yallock and above) has remained slightly discoloured but has had some very hungry, new season trout for the taking. Lure anglers and bait drifters have had the most success with bladed spinners and 50mm hardbody lures being the standouts.

Bait drifting with a large bunch of garden worms or one scrub worm with a small split shot attached 10cm up from a single size 4 hook will get you the casting distance you need.

Using 2kg line (no heavier) and cast the rig upstream and wind it back towards you at the same pace as the current.

You can also drift this wormy rig downstream into a likely looking whole and let it sit for a second or two. If there is a trout in there you can bet they’ll be on it quick sticks.

Be prepared to loose a few rigs as this type of angling is a very snaggy way to go

Upper Yarra has had some very hungry, new season trout for the taking.

– another reason why you should just use 2kg straight through (no braid and leader).

Spool up with a single shot of 2kg; this way you’ll stop the need to be constantly tying on leaders, which is a real time waster.

The Middle Yarra has been very brown and very high (due to the release of water to help ‘flush’ it clean).

However, for the hardcore native angler, you can still start your season off by smashing a few carp on the head to get some practise for when it’s game on come December.

Keep in mind that Macquarie perch are in their close season and it will re-open with the cod on Dec 1.

It certainly seems that if you’re keen to fish the Yarra this early in what is a very strange season, you’ll need to look to the hills for some inspiration and try to tangle with a trout or two.

• For up to date fishing information, contact the boys at Compleat Angler Ringwood at 92 Maroondah Hwy Ringwood or call them on (03) 9870 7792.

Toolondo still the tops HORSHAM

Alastair Vanstan bigalvanstan@yahoo.com.au

After a wet start to spring our waters are now looking and fishing at their very best with plenty of action coming from the majority of waters.

Plenty of yabbies are also getting caught at many local

swamps, lakes and water holes; just going by the number of ox livers I have been selling for yabby bait at my butcher shop in Horsham. As we head closer to summer the fishing and yabbying will go from strength to strength in the Wimmera, so get out there and amongst the action!

LAKE TOOLONDO This is without doubt our most popular lake with good

A couple of trout the author caught off Toolondo’s west bank on mudeye.

numbers of brown and rainbow trout being taken to well over 2kg, along with a few nice redfin as well.

Baitfishing with mudeye under bubble floats or Powerbait on running sinker rigs has been best with good fishing to be had right throughout the day. I actually find I catch most of my trout at Toolondo around midday, which goes against what most trout anglers believe are the best times for trout fishing but it works for me.

With the huge number of bug mudeye about the fly anglers have been doing well working wets such as Mrs Simpsons and Wooly Buggers along the north and west shores. After dark has also been very productive for the fly anglers, especially after a hot day.

LAKE FYANS The trout fishing has been very good with some nice browns and rainbows being caught on mudeyes and trolled Tassie Devil lures.

Visiting angler Ray Caruana had a great trip to Fyans recently catching a swag of trout on trolled Tassie Devils. There havn’t been many big trout getting caught here lately but most have been around the 1-1.5kg mark.

Zephyr Vanstan with a decent brown trout he caught at Lake Toolondo.

A few good redfin have also been about and are being caught on trolled lures and baits such as gudgeon, yabbies and worms fished amongst the timber.

WIMMERA RIVER The river has been fishing very well and looking the best it has for many years. The water is still a bit discoloured after all the flows so baitfishing with worms and yabbies has been best.

Between Gross Bridge and riverside there has been a few good yellowbelly about, along with a few redfin and hoards of carp. Most of the yellowbelly are around the

1kg mark with the odd better fish to 2.5kg.

Around Horsham there are still heaps of carp as well as some nice yellowbelly, silver perch and the occasional redfin.

The stretch of river at Jeparit below the weir has been fishing well for some thumping big yellowbelly to well over 3kg on lures and spinnerbaits, with good size redfin there as well.

Baitfishing has also been good with yabbies and worms working well.

TAYLORS LAKE With the warmer weather, the fishing has been on the

improve with a number of good size redfin being caught along with some nice yellowbelly, small silver perch and a power of carp.

Boat and bank fishing is working well here and due to the discoloured water, bait fishing has been the best. Good baits have been worms, yabbies and gudgeon fished on the bottom and around the timbered areas.

The inlet channel is well worth a look with some very nice redfin being caught along with a few yellowbelly and large numbers of carp on worms.

THE FIGHT IS VICTORY AND DEFEAT

Distributed by

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Redfin rule the lakes CRATER LAKES

Rod Shepherd

Even though we are now fast approaching summer, our freshwater lake’s water levels are still maintaining a high level and cool temperatures. Ideal for chasing salmonoids!

The Bureau of Meteorology predicted lower than normal temperatures and a higher rainfall than the norm for southeastern Australia over summer and so far they are spot on. It may mean less days at the beach with the family, but surely more days out on the water chasing the sweet water variety of fish for a potential trophy trout extravaganza makes up for it!

So far some exceptional brown trout have come out of Lake Purrumbete, we’re talking between 3-3.8kg! There have been a wide variety of methods and techniques that have been working, such as downrigging Loftys Cobra style lures in 25m depths.

Flat line trolling has also pulled up several beauties from the depths as well as

soaking a mudeye under a float.

The slight downsize is the sheer amount of this year’s releases of chinook salmon that take your lure and baits. Many of these fish are already weighing in well over 1lb in the old scale and some anglers are taking them home, as they are well and truly pan-sized.

This is not illegal but the reason these ‘chooks’ were stocked to the detriment of brown trout stockings is that we may return to the glory days of 20lb+ chinook salmon captures. Please keep that in mind as they grow phenomenally quick.

Lake Elingamite has been coughing up some lovely browns and rainbows in two distinct sizes (or releases). There’s been plenty of fish coming in around 1kg while the previous release has already stacked on the weight to well past 2.5kg. But many, myself included, primarily fish this lake for the trophy redfin on offer and, after only a few sessions, I have already boated a 42cm 1.4kg beauty, which is only a pup really!

Late last year I finally landed a 2kg 50cm+ beast.

They are certainly out there and not an uncommon catch.

They love deep diving lures cast or trolled close to the abundant weed beds that enclose the lake.

Back to the chinooks, many thousands of fingerlings have been released into Purrumbete and Bullen Merri this year but it doesn’t stop there.

There has been an excess in stocks so other lakes have kindly received a taste thanks to the DPI. These include Lake Tooliorook, which received 3000; Deep Lake at Derrinallum in which 1000 were set free; and Lake Elingamite near Cobden which got 2000, but this is an experiment.

Elingamite’s fish are triploids (sterile) and should grow faster due to not having the ability to waste time and energy trying to reproduce. We will see.

Lake Tooliorook has been fishing exceptionally well even though thick weed still presides over much of the lake and the top most growth is not far from the surface. Anglers using shallow water techniques have been coming up trumps. The standard stocking is rainbow trout

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Rod with the 1.4kg Elingamite redfin taken on a Damiki Saemi 70 trolled. and last year’s release are already averaging 1.8kg.

But the real story is last year’s release of several thousand browns and these

feisty fish are already topping 2.6kg. And boy do they fight! Speaking from experience these browns tend to roll on the surface

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15/08/13 3:30 PM

Golden perch get their game on in the lake EILDON

Andy McCarthy

In October most punters expected it to be ‘game on’ early for the yellowbelly, and we weren’t disappointed!

There were excellent numbers being caught throughout October and

up dark green and even some amazing golden models that give these fish their name.

Most of the action was reported up around the Bonnie Doon end and around the Delatite region, which is no surprise really as the top end is a fair bit shallower and the waters get warmer quicker. The water

available but you can also use a soft lure, such as a hybrid Jackall Mask or the Berkley MF-50 or MF-60 vibes that have soft plastic outers. These lures are deadly when the fish are a bit timid and you feel you need to quieten everything down.

Another tip on fish that seem shut down is to retrieve the Jackalls so slowly you actively try to make them NOT make a noise. This is extremely difficult but highly effective on fish that atre timid or have seen several thousand Jackalls over the previous months.

Old mate Stumpy is still doing the deed on the troll.

It’s been an early ‘game on’ for golden perch last month, which should continue through to November.

There has been a cracking number of cod caught while chasing golden perch from all parts of the lake. things should get even better through the early part of November.

The quality of the native fish has been superb. Golden perch have been caught in sizes from 1 1/2lb right up to, and over, the 15lb mark with lots in between. There have been some of the most varying colours; some fish are really silver and others turning

temperatures were higher in the areas where fishing was its most productive.

The trusty Jackall TN50 and TN60 were standouts throughout October and I’m sure they will still shine throughout November.

If the bite is bit tough and you feel the fish are a bit spooky, try a silent version.

Silent Jackalls are now Stephen Booth found this smaller golden willing to nail an AC lure in a carp pattern. (Pic courtesy Marc Ainsworth)

Relax and enjoy delicious food and warm hospitality.

Open for breakfast from 6.30am everyday Coffee Light meals Pastries Cakes Bread

10 Main St, Eildon Victoria 3713 03 5774 2362 0438 881 629

The number of cod caught while chasing golden perch has been quite high, including some cracking conditioned specimens from all parts of the lake. It seems the Murray Cod Millions project is really starting to reap some benefit and it seems that whatever you do to avoid a cod in Eildon in the closed season is simply not enough. They’re hungry and angry. Just make sure you do the right thing and get them back in the water as soon as possible.

Young Jack ‘Digger’ How caught a decent cod while casting a Black n Gold T-Tail for trout in the shallows up in the Bonnie Doon area – nice work Diggsy he seems to consistently outfish his Dad! The trout are still trying to put on some condition with

a lot of fish taken recently still not quite there. November may be a lot better on the troutskies as well as they start to target young redfin perch and carp that are busy breeding in numbers that are staggering.

It also seems the reddies have shut down as I’ve not received so many reports lately. Bring on the hotter water temperatures and they should turn around pretty quickly, smashing lures and jigs as well as craftily fished baits.

As the temperature comes up the bottom of the lake should go off the proverbial as those deeper waters always take that bit longer. It will not take too long for the mega goldens to fire in the bottom half of the lake and anyone who reckons catching goldens over 10lb is not worth the effort, well...

RIVERS AND PONDAGE As far as the rivers and ponds are concerned it has been refreshing to see consistent water level in the Goulburn and the pond.

The results have been very encouraging with good numbers of fish being reported throughout October and with most of the catchments full to overflowing hopefully we will see these consistent conditions for sometime.

ANGLER’S SERVICES GUIDE

Boat Hire, Food, Bottle Shops, Tackle and Bait

Muddy Creek Fishing & Outdoors

03 5797 2789

The Eildon Bakery Café

03 5774 2362

Totally Trout Fishing Centre

03 5772 2662

Eildon Trout Farm

03 5773 2377

Boats & More Boab Boat Hire

03 5822 2108

Eildon Bait & Tackle

03 5774 2712

Lake Eildon Cruises – Boat Hire

0422 166 986

Snowy Mountain Rug Co – Tackle

03 5775 1105

Eildon Resort – Accommodation

03 5774 2415

OUTDOOR CLOTHING

FISHING EQUIPMENT

LIVE BAIT

BICYCLE SALE AND HIRE T

CAMPING EQUIPMEN

HUNTING AND ARCHERY GEAR

Shop 1/10 High Street Yea • 03 5797 2789 or 0448 077 017 muddycreekfishingoutdoors@gmail.com • Open 7 days, late on Friday

www.muddycreekfishingoutdoors.com.au 50

NOVEMBER 2013

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Unfortunately when working lures in Eildon, big carp will snaffle an offering. Dispose of them thoughtfully. (Pic courtesy Marc Ainsworth)

Eildon Harbour Services abound Eildon Harbour Services offers a range of recreational opportunities that will meet the needs of anglers, tourists and diners.

For starters the Aqua Bar and Café is an amazing venue that is perched ideally to take in magnificent views of Lake Eildon. Here you can grab a coffee, take a break on the balcony or grab a sensational meal. We had the chance to stop in to the Aqua Bar and Café and I have to say it’s a fantastic venue and the coffee we had while sitting on the balcony provided some of the most relaxing moments we had on our recent trip. I can imagine myself enjoying a quiet beverage, contemplating the next day’s fishing and listening to live music during my next visit.

Easily accessible from Eildon by following Sugarloaf Road, the Aqua Bar and Café is found by turning right on the second exit once you start travelling on Sugarloaf Road. With a car park right next to the

school holidays and over the entire summer period to ensure your place is reserved for dinner or lunch.

Opening hours are for lunch and dinner from Monday to Saturday and over the summer break Sunday is included on the roster as

re hugely popular on-water accommodation options.

If you head toward Jameson, you can also check out the Jameson Brewery which also has on-water access when the lake level is above 75%. This is a full on micro-brewery that has a public bar, a sales area and a restaurant. It’s a great example of the fantastic local businesses you can find in and around Lake Eildon.

And if the Fishing God’s are not on your side, you can also drop into the Eildon

A diverse range of groups take advantage of the facilities at Eildon Harbour

Pontoon boats are a great way to experience everything Lake Eildon has to offer

Having a fish at the Eildon Trout Farm proved too much of a temptation. We enjoyed a couple of hours there, chasing rainbow trout like this. venue, it couldn’t be easier for those who are based at Eildon.

The Aqua Bar and Café also has water access with a dedicated pontoon that can accept waterbound visitors for lunch or dinner, or even for an afternoon pre-dinner drink or unwind. It’s brilliant and something the summer crowds take good advantage of. And speaking of summer crowds, the team at Aqua Bar and Café suggest you make a booking during

have a meal, go on a tour or simply pull into a quiet bay and enjoy the company of good friends. Hire rates are $250 for a half day and $400 for a full day and if you’ve never had a day on a pontoon boat, then you are definitely missing out.

well. Give Aqua Bar and Café a call on 0425 816 959 for more information and to book a meal at this unique and amazing venue on Lake Eildon.

While the Aqua Bar and Café is brilliant, it’s not the only service Eildon Harbour Services offer. They also run a fleet of pontoon hire boats.

These pontoon boats are set up to take a crew of 9 people on half and full day trips around the spectacular Lake Eildon. You can fish, relax,

Great fun with good friends is assured.

The Marina is also open 7 days a week and has essentials such as ice, oils, LPG gas, unleaded fuel, premium diesel fuel and 2-stroke pre-mix fuel.

Simply pull up and fill up and then you can continue on your way. It’s a great option for when you are caught short or when you are having an extended stay on a houseboat and need to access these essentials on the fly. It’s an additional service that this magic area offers visitors.

And if you’re travelling further afield than the confines of the immediate area around Eildon, the satellite areas of Jerusalem Creek and Bonnie Doon offer a range of services as well as accommodation to boot. Jerusalem Creek has caravan park facilities and a superb general store that includes a bottle shop plus fuel and ice. You can also find the Boatels, which a

The view from the Aqua Bar and Cafe. It was a hard place to drag yourself away from Trout Farm on Back Eildon Road to save face with the family and friends you were bragging to at the start of the trip. Of if you just want to have a great time, fishing here is fun with virtually guaranteed results, plus you can buy a range of trout products that are simply mouth watering. Equipment is supplied if you don’t have your own, the team will clean your fish and you can even get some of the best cooking tips to make sure your trip is finished off with a great meal.

So if you’re in the area, check out these amazing businesses and stay awhile to enjoy the moment. Grab a meal at the Aqua Bar

Indulge yourself while visiting Eildon Harbour.

Good food and relaxation go hand in hand.

and Café, stay a night in a Boatel, visit the Jameson Brewery or spend a day on a pontoon boat. If there were

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Streams fire up fish WST/STH GIPPSLAND

Steve Haughton steve.haughton@hotmail.com

The last couple of months have produced some solid stream and lake fishing off the back of the trout spawning season. Latrobe River, Toorongo River and Blue Rock Lake have all

Often when you look across the lake you’ll see a line of mirror calm almost oil-slick-looking water after a windy wet few days. This in fact is an oil slick caused by the natural tannins/oils leaching from the surrounding lake vegetation. I refer to these as wind lines and if you get a closer look at them, there

one and change your course if one’s blocking your way.

Too often they attack or become unpredictable if a stick or stone is thrown at them.

There are however plenty of long stretches on most West and South Gippsland streams that can be waded. The Toorongo, Loch and downstream

BORDER MARINE CENTRE

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Some West Gippsland rivers are navigable by kayak as shown by regular correspondent Toby Eastburn with a decent river brown caught on a Warmisham soft plastic. been fishing well early in the season. Expect other rivers to fire up over the coming months too, like the Tarago, Bunyip and the Tanjil rivers, by simply becoming more fishable when the flow drops over summer.

Streams are currently flowing well and should soon start slowing down as we head in to summer.

Stream and lake trout will no longer go hungry over the next month as we start to see plenty of insect activity. Hatchings will take place on those warm spring evenings, which will keep the fish active and well fed, allowing lure and fly anglers to have some exciting fishing ahead.

Blue Rock has become a popular fishing destination for kayakers and small boat owners, thanks to the regular stocking program of both bass and trout. Bass will certainly start firing up now as the water temperature begins to lift.

There’ll be plenty of fish action at the surface as hatching insects get caught in the meniscus making the lake appear to be a witch’s bubbling cauldron. At this time of the year it is important to research what the weather has been doing in the past week before heading out to the lake for a fish; whether you are a landbased angler or out on the water. The weather in the last week will play a vital role in how you approach and fish the lake.

is an abundance of food trapped in them ranging from black beetles, flies, grubs and all sorts of other invertebrate. These wind lines get pushed around the lake depending on the weather’s recent history and this is where anglers should be focusing their attention. Trolling on the wind line, flicking a fly, casting a lure or float a bait out is a sure way to attract some interest from a grazing fish.

Stream fishing enthusiasts should now start focusing their attention on streams where they can get good wader access. Spring grass and vegetation growth will make it difficult and dangerous to stroll the stream banks. Snakes have been spotted as early as the first week in September this year and locals are saying that their numbers have increased in recent years due to the amount of feed around for them.

Snakes are relatively subdued creatures that only get angry when provoked.

Most of the time you won’t see them as they feel the vibrations when you are approaching and they are more scared of you then you are of them. The only problem for stream trout anglers though is that we are often in stealth mode so coming across the odd snake isn’t that rare. The main thing is to wear gumboots or tough waders if walking the banks, don’t provoke a snake if you see

Tarago are good rivers that can be waded for most parts as they often have shallow rapids, runs and knee-high pools. The Tanjil varies significantly depending on where you are fishing so be prepared that some spots (especially downstream towards Blue Rock) will require a bit of trekking through the bush to avoid a deep pool. The Latrobe River in Noojee is mostly wadable and a great spot for new anglers getting the feel for fishing larger rivers.

The Bunyip River, although not wide, has some deep gorges that can’t be waded, but for many stretches it can be. Over summer it is much easier to navigate when the water level drops.

The blackfish season is closed as of the 1 September and re-opens on January 1 2014. If you do accidently catch one of these native fish, make sure you release it immediately to ensure its survival in our streams, as this species is important to our ecosystem. Please practise catch and release of all stream trout to ensure fun for all anglers in to the future.

These streams are not stocked and rely heavily on natural spawning each season.

Feel free to send me a report or photo particularly if you have any success stories fishing the streams or if you are one of the lucky ones getting stuck into the impressive bass action on Blue Rock. Happy fishing!

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53

Creeks turn on for trout time CTL GIPPSLAND

Will Thompson allwaysangling@bigpond.com

Hooray for trout opening!

Finally we all managed to hit the creeks and lakes for a well-deserved trout fish and it was interesting to hear all the different reports from around the area.

I’ve been talking about the Traralgon Creek a lot this year, which is mainly due to the issues it’s had with trout stocks and habitat destruction.

We have all been waiting for the winter period to finish and trout opening to come to see whether or not the creek had replenished its stocks by itself or whether it needed human intervention.

Most reports I have had so far from anglers has been negative.

There were a couple of trout caught very high up the western branch by keen angler Rohan Burge, but that was about it. A lot of anglers saw either baby 3” long trout or smelt but no great numbers like we are used to on trout opening. Alternatively, the lower section of the creek, which is dirty and doesn’t get fished much, had a handful of trout caught out of it, which is a positive note.

However, it’s still too early to tell. Trout opening can be difficult as the water levels are usually up and you can have discoloured water making fishing tough, so hopefully next month a few more trout will show up.

Locally, the Morwell River fished quite well, but it looked like it had copped a fair hammering; some anglers had obviously gotten up nice and early to have a fish. There were decent numbers of trout in the runs and it wasn’t too hard to catch a few trout up to 25cm in length. All methods proved well as there was a bit of colour and the river looked very nice.

Some of the fly anglers did well using bead nymphs and again most of the sizes were around the 25cm mark with the odd fish pushing 30cm in length.

The Macalister fished very well and the bait anglers using worms seemed to out fish most others due to the height of the river. I think the Macalister will really be worth hitting properly over the next few months, especially with lures and fly. Most of the fish

caught were brown trout to 35cm. This is fantastic as these are naturally recruited trout, which proves the river is healthy and doing well despite all the issues this catchment has had over the past few years with fires and floods. The mid sections around Cheynes Bridge to Licola seemed to get the most pressure over trout opening and hence I had more reports from these areas.

Finally, Ash Cook caught an amazing bass

recently. It was caught local and measured almost 50cm in length. He caught it on worms and released it.

Well done mate, this has to be the catch of the year!

For more information, contact Will at Allways Angling in Traralgon on 51748544. You will get expert advice and some great deals on fishing bait and tackle. Don’t forget to tune in to Will’s Gippsland report on Rex Hunt and Lee Rayners’ Off the Hook on 1242.

Ash Cook caught this thumping big bass locally on worms, it nearly measured 50cm. It’s hard to believe a stocked bass grew this large, which is very exciting.

Trout and goldens on the agenda MELBOURNE METRO

Ian Debar iand@gottabite.com.au

November is normally a good time of year for us Melbournians; the days are longer and the weather is pretty much perfect (or as close to perfect as we’ll ever see anyway!) At this point on the calendar the local freshwater fishing can be good, with mild conditions also starting to bring a few different bugs out on to the water, much to the joy of the freshwater fish.

The good thing about Devilbend Reservoir is that it’s a fairly close location to Melbourne if you want to wet a line, plus it has some true trophy trout – and it’s also fishable all year round! The reservoir is deep (think 20m+ in the middle) so it provides the local trout with plenty of cold water to retreat to once the shallows warm up during the warmer months.

Using this information, target the fish roaming

around the shallows during the early hours of the day and once the sun has climbed straight overhead, try to fish the deeper water to target the fish that have pushed down. A proven technique to catch a trout here is to spin a shallowrunning hardbodied lure around the weed edges in the morning and then switch to a vibration style lure or soft plastic during the middle of the day.

Karkarook Park Lake, situated in Moorabbin, is an excellent fishing location for the enthusiast or family angler, with regular stockings of yearling rainbow trout. The fishing can be very productive a few days after a stocking, with the newly-released trout going on a mad hunt for food. During this stage, specialist trout baits and berleys are the best way to catch a few fish. A few weeks after they have been stocked the fish normally slow down a bit, starting to forage and find natural prey within the lake in the form of mudeyes, mosquitofish, yabbies and other small

critters. If you plan on fishing the area, keep an ear to the ground so that you know when the fish are stocked into the lake and you will know how best to tackle them. At this time of the year the better results come from anglers fishing natural baits like worm and maggots, along with small ‘creature’ soft plastics for the lure angler.

If you are keen to catch a golden perch without having to drive to the Murray, this is the time of year to be out there chasing them locally. Sugarloaf Reservoir in November is pretty high on the list for yellowbelly. Water temperatures are about perfect in the dam at present and the fish will be found hanging around timbered and rocky shorelines. Late afternoon is a good time to try for them, as by this time of the day the water temperature is at its peak and the yellas will move into feeding mode. A good approach is to cast a 1/4oz spinnerbait around the structure and search for the schools. Just remember to

keep a tight line to the lure as you roll it back, as this will minimise snagging. Once you have found a school, stay in the area and switch through different styles of lure to keep them interested.

Good options are small lipless vibration baits, medium depth crankbaits and jig spin rigged soft plastics.

If you have had some success in these areas lately send me a photo and go into the draw for your chance to win a store voucher valued at $100. Email it to admin@fishingcamping. com.au, and include the angler’s name, species, and the area the fish was caught in.

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.

3SER FISHING SHOW 7am-9am

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54

NOVEMBER 2013

V&TFM

Good-sized rainbow trout like these are on offer in a few of the local lakes for lure and bait anglers. (Photo courtesy Jordan Cervenjak)

Not long to go now!

SHEPPARTON

Nick Brown teamriverrats@hotmail.com

The wait is almost over!

In a month’s time we can again target the mighty Murray cod.

Between now and then it’s all about chasing local yellowbelly. The spring has been a very prominent one for yellas, and good catches have come from some surprising locations.

Once the water pump gets switched on at Greens Lake, it flicks the switch on the yellas as well. In late September when the pump was on it was no surprise to hear of many local anglers catching big

numbers of yellowbelly.

The lakes may even have a few monster yellowbelly or cod in there. Local Andrew Dalton recently got snapped off once hooked up, which makes you wonder what’s down there. Hopefully it’s not your knot tying Andrew, and it really was a monster fish.

The other surprising location for yellowbelly was the Main Eastern channel. I managed to land a couple of small yellowbelly in the Main Eastern casting small TN50 Jackalls while chasing redfin.

The river system has been very up and down, which really makes it hard to get a grip of how it will fish in November.

Hopefully the water levels will be a stable level in November

The 2012 Shepparton Fishing Championship winners Craig Oxley and Jason Gretton.

and we can get some time out on the water.

The Broken River should fish well on the rise if we do find the water levels still fluctuating, and bait fishing would probably be more successful than casting lures.

In November we also see Shepparton’s biggest tackle sale, the Trelly’s Tackleworld Super Sale, on the second last weekend on November. It’s a great chance to stock up on some good gear at discounted prices for the upcoming cod season.

SHEPPARTON LAKE The lake is still producing big numbers of trout and yellowbelly. The fish are now at a very good size and are lots of fun on light tackle. There seems to be a lot of water being pumped in and out of the lake so this should see the fish continue to bite through the warmer months.

SHEPPARTON FISHING CHAMPIONSHIPS The River Rats Fishing Club is holding the second Shepparton Fishing Championships this November.

The event has a new format with the two days of fishing spread out over three locations. On Saturday 30 November teams will target yellowbelly at either Kialla Lakes or Shepparton

FISHING FILL-ITS

High patrols for trout opening Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI) Fisheries officers recently conducted numerous high profile patrols to coincide with trout opening weekend in Eildon and Trawool.

Fisheries officers inspected over 300 anglers on both land and water during the opening weekend detecting a number of individuals committing a variety of offences.

Regional Fisheries Officer Mike Hosking said the offences included fishing without a valid recreational fishing licence, using prohibited bait, taking undersized Spiny Freshwater Crayfish during the closed season, using commercial fishing equipment and fishing in prohibited areas.

“The Fisheries offence reporting line 13FISH (133 474) also proved invaluable in the days leading up to the weekend with information

Lake, with the Sunday session targeting cod in the Goulburn River.

It should be a great way to start the cod season with teams of two competing for a cash

from the Victorian public leading to a number of offenders apprehended for offences,” Mr Hosking said.

“Some of these offences included fishing prior to the official season opening, taking fish during the closed season, exceeding bag limits and using prohibited bait.

Mr Hosking said generally anglers had come well prepared for the weekend with most holding valid recreational fishing licences.

“It’s only a small number of anglers who think they won’t be inspected and take the risk of fishing without a valid licence,” Mr Hosking said.

Meanwhile, two men, who were apprehended in separate incidents at Easter for exceeding their bag limits at Buxton, were sentenced in the Mansfield Magistrates Court last week.”

One of the men had also been found to have taken 30 trout - which is 6 times the

bag limit – as well using prohibited bait and littering.

Both men were convicted and fined $2500 each, and were ordered to pay costs.

In addition, one of the men had his seized fishing equipment forfeited by the Court.

Mr Hosking said bag and size limits apply to many fish species in local waters and anglers should check the Victorian Recreational Fishing Guide, available free from most tackle stores.

“Uniform and plain clothed Fisheries officers continue to patrol Victoria’s inland waterways to ensure anglers comply with recreational catch limits, legal equipment and the regulations.”

Anyone who sees or suspects illegal fishing behavior is urged to contact the 24 hour Fisheries offence reporting line,13 FISH (133 474). – DEPI

prize of $1000. The event will attract some of our region’s best anglers, so get down to either Shepp or Kialla lakes on the Saturday and support the teams.

This invitation-only event has limited numbers, so for more information or to get your hands on an invitation please contact me on 0429 000 653.

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V&TFM

NOVEMBER 2013

55

Promising golden season ahead BENDIGO

Roger Miles codhuntertours@bigpond.com

We should have very productive fishing this month.

Water levels have been rising in our local impoundments, inflows have been steady and water clarity at most locations is reasonable. Water temperatures are increasing, and fish activity has increased accordingly.

LAKE EPPALOCK Redfin have still been making up the majority of anglers’ catches. At the moment the numbers are still only average, but this should improve significantly in the near future. Lately the majority of redfin have come from deep water, with depths greater than 10m holding the greatest concentrations of fish.

The majority of these redfin have been caught by trolling deep diving hardbodied lures or casting soft plastics.

There is a good chance we’ll see good inflows continue into Lake Eppalock. As I write this report, the three major impoundments above Lake Eppalock are at maximum capacity. Any significant rainfall that we receive in the region will produce good inflows into Lake Eppalock

in the Coliban and Campaspe River systems.

If we receive these good inflows, the water clarity will deteriorate and water temperatures will increase as the rising water levels come over the fresh ground. All of these factors will help increase fish activity, resulting in greater concentrations of fish being caught in shallower water.

There has been a steady improvement in the native fishing in Lake Eppalock.

Small numbers of Murray cod are currently being caught as a bycatch at this location, with most measuring between 50cm and 60cm. The majority of these have been caught by anglers trolling small hardbody lures targeting redfin.

These Murray cod catches have been encouraging, given the stocking rates of the last few seasons. Lake Eppalock received a good stocking of Murray cod when the lake first filled, and the majority of the Murray cod caught are from this stocking. Now that we have evidence that the Murray cod are thriving in this impoundment, providing returns for anglers, we will hopefully see an increase in the stocking rate in the 2014 season.

Catches of golden perch have also increased lately.

November can often be very

productive when targeting golden perch in Lake Eppalock.

Casting lipless crankbaits and suspending hardbody lures are good options, and trolling small and medium-sized hardbodied lures around the edges of the lake is also productive.

CAMPASPE RIVER Water clarity has been poor at most locations along the Campaspe River, and the fishing has been slow. It is very difficult to predict what is going to happen with the fishing in the Campaspe River in the near future. If we do receive some heavy rainfall, it’s likely that the lake will reach maximum capacity. If this occurs and the spillway flows, the fishing will be very productive approximately one week after the spillway starts to overflow.

How productive the fishing will be will depend on the volume of water flowing over the spillway and the period of time it runs. If this does occur there will be some productive fishing in the section below the spillway. If we don’t receive the rainfall, water clarity will improve earlier in the lower sections at locations like Elmore and Rochester.

CAIRN CURRAN Redfin are the most common catch at this location.

The majority of the redfin have

been caught by anglers trolling deep diving hardbodied lures, and some are also being caught by anglers casting soft plastics and jigging ice jigs.

Water levels have been increasing at a steady rate, which will have a positive effect on productivity. As the water warms, the fish will move into the shallower water to make the most of the increased food sources.

As I write this report, I haven’t yet received any reports of golden perch being caught here. However, November can often be very productive when targeting this species. This location usually does not produce large numbers of golden perch but if you do mange to catch a few the average size is usually very good.

LODDON RIVER The fishing in the Loddon River has been slow in recent weeks. Increased volumes of water have been released from Laanecoorie reservoir, but the water clarity that comes out of Laanecoorie tends to be poor. This has had a negative effect on water clarity downstream. Lately the most productive lure fishing has been in the section below Cairn Curran where the water clarity is still good.

Increasing numbers of golden perch are being caught in the Bendigo region.

For the other locations along the Loddon River, bait fishing has been producing the best results. Anglers have been catching reasonable numbers of golden perch on worms and small yabbies. Quality golden perch measuring up to 60cm have been landed by some anglers. There is still a very good chance that we might see Cairn Curran reach maximum capacity this season. If this does occur, higher river flows will be the result and water clarity will stay poor for longer.

Overall we are looking at a very promising season

ahead. With the volume of rainfall that we have received over the winter and spring months, we can look forward to many good options of where to catch a few fish.

Just a reminder that the opening of the Murray cod season is just around the corner. If you’d like to give me a report on your latest trip, or would like to book a tour with me on Cod Hunter Fishing Tours, you can reach me on 0427 483 286 or at codhuntertours@ bigpond.com.

Clear times ahead for a cracking season MILDURA

John Menhennett goobyfish@hotmail.com

The river has been running high and dirty around Mildura for the past couple of months, making lure fishing very difficult in the main parts. Fortunately though, the rising water levels and flows are starting to reside which means a drop in levels hopefully by Christmas.

Yellowbelly are on the chew around Mildura in most parts mainly due to the

warmer water temperatures.

As the sun continues to shine, more and more of these fish will be caught below the locks and weir structures. It is not unusual to see yellowbelly activity at a high this time of year, but the ‘larger’ river has meant good breeding, which means we are set for a bumper yellowbelly summer.

Fishing with bait around most places near Mildura has been the best way to pick up a yella or two lately. Baits that are working the best are shrimp and worms. Even though live shrimp are still

difficult to find, the warmer weather should bring them out as the season goes on. It’s great to be able to take the family down the river for a few hours on a weekend and bag a few yellas and have some fun catching carp on light gear.

Backwaters have been producing some good yellas, particularly around snag piles and in eddy currents. A wellcast lipless crankbait or small hardbody has seen a bag of yellas caught in no time at all lately. Tying up to a snag to throw lures into the bank

and slowly retrieve is also a good method.

Murray cod season will once again be open very soon.

However, up to the very last day in August very few cod were caught on lures. The handful of reports made has been for the smaller models caught on baits, such as grubs and yabbies. Hopefully once the water starts to fall back into its banks, after cod season opens in December, we should see a cracker of a season to come.

Pick of the spots to target yellowbelly on bait at

this time of year is around the Merbein common area in the backwaters; close to the banks tight up on most major structure. Places like Wemen and Fort Courage are also great spots to fish at the moment.

Spring means warmer weather, which will bring the yellowbelly out around Mildura’s hotspots. Summer is a great time for targeting yellowbelly too, on bait or lures.

Redfin should also come on the bite and are fun to catch on light gear using soft plastics and blades.

Most anglers around Mildura will be waiting for summer when the cod season officially opens again. By then, waters should be back in their banks and we should see a Murray cod season like no other.

This summer should also be a cracker for surface fishing, especially in the shallow waters of local billabongs and creeks. Fly casting is a great method of surface fishing as you can present really small lures in hard to get spots.

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Freshwater

Get a fish eye view PART 2 NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.me

Last month, in my ongoing examination of the way the senses of fish affect our ability to catch these creatures, I looked at the basics of sight in fish. This time, I’d like to explore that subject a little more deeply…

So, what do fish actually see? According to most fisheries biologists, science can’t yet answer this question with very much certainty. The majority of research in this area involves monitoring the responses of fish to particular stimuli, such as colours, diagrams and pictures.

Applying the test results from such experiments in the lab’ to practical fishing scenarios can be tricky.

However, we can definitely assume that most of the fish we chase in coastal waters, bays, estuaries and freshwater environments, as well as all those pelagic fish that hunt in the surface layers further from shore, rely heavily on sight to detect and track their prey, and that almost all of them can differentiate between colours when the water is reasonably clear and light levels are high. As an example, sight in marlin has specifically adapted to a

clear water environment with lots of light. A marlin’s eyes are effectively split into two sections: The part of the eye that faces upwards contains more colour photoreceptors (cones), while the part that faces down contains more photoreceptors that are sensitive to light (rods).

Furthermore, as much as 30% of a marlin’s brain is dedicated to processing and interpreting vision. This fact alone indicates just how important sight is to these billfish (and to many other pelagic predators, which also devote a lot of brain space to the sense of sight).

We also know that lots of fish, including species

violet end of the spectrum: wavelengths which are invisible to our human eyes.

This allows them to see patterns and shapes we could never hope to identify, and also to detect UV-reflective objects at greater depth or distance through the water.

It’s also believed that other fish (including bait species such as anchovies) can see “polarised” light, which is mostly encountered early and late in the day, or in the reflections given off by the very silvery scales of these fish themselves (and possibly by some of the predators that hunt them).

In dirty water or low light, fish rely much more

Pelagic fish like this wahoo do a lot of their feeding near the surface in clear water. They rely heavily on their sharp eyesight to find and track prey.

Marlin have great eyesight, definitely see colours and devote a relatively large portion of their brain to interpreting what they see around them. as diverse as carp, slimy mackerel, brown trout and damselfish (to name just a few), can see light reflected off objects at the ultra-

heavily on their sensitive rod cells than their colourdetecting cones. As a result, they’re most likely seeing their world in shapes and

silhouettes consisting of various shades of grey rather than in colour when light levels are low or the water is discoloured. Obviously, in

such low-light environments, the shape, size, silhouette and action of your lure will be far more important than its actual colour.

As light levels and water clarity change, many popular angling targets have the ability to switch their reliance from cones to rods, and vice versa. However, this changeover process is thought to take some time (possibly as long as an hour), and this may help to explain why many species are more susceptible to being fooled by our lures during the so-called “change of light” periods around dawn and dusk. It’s also likely that some predators have adapted to change their reliance on cones or rods faster than their

prey, giving them a distinct hunting edge at this time of day.

We still have an awful lot to learn about the way fish see and interpret their watery domain, but we can be reasonably certain that most of the species we hunt with our lures have good to excellent eyesight, can perceive a broad range of colours and tones under the right conditions, and that many can see light reflected at wavelengths that are invisible to us (such as ultra-violet).

However, as we’ll learn next month, the colour palette in the underwater world is quite different from the spectrum of hues we see above the waterline…

HOT SPOT

Lake Bullen Merri CRANBOURNE

Mitch Chapman

An old volcano, Lake Bullen Merri lies placid from any form of eruption for many years now. However, with the stockings of brown and rainbow trout, Atlantic salmon, the newly released chinook salmon and the ever elusive Australian bass, this lake holds the key to any angler who is chasing trophy-sized fish.

PRIME TIME Winter is the go. The uglier the weather the better the fishing is normally on the Crater Lakes; overcast days with a bit of chop on the surface is ideal. The trout feel safe and tend to feed better under these conditions and aren’t sulking down in the depths in the cooler water.

THE GEAR Graphite rods with a soft taper to absorb the initial hit, and fish jumping out of the water shaking their heads.

These rods seem to have a better track record with keeping fish connected, than short, stumpy, heavy rods.

The fight may last longer but you increase your chances dramatically in keeping those hooks in the fish.

THE RIG An 8-10lb braid with a minimum of 10lb leader is a must. You wouldn’t want to fish anything lighter when trolling the lake as there are some trophy trout pushing 5kg+.

The initial hit from a big trout while trolling can easily pop a leader knot leaving you shaking your head in disbelief. Trust me I’ve seen this happen before!

BAIT AND LURES Pink and white Tassie Devils are a favourite and are a must-have lure for the tackle box.

Downrigging bigger hardbodied lures and flatlining them is also popular with Rapala F7 and F9 and Daiwa Double Clutch minnows a standout.

Bait fishing from the shore with Powerbait and live bullhead under a float account for some very large fish, especially at night.

BEST METHOD Flatline trolling on Adam Ring with a lovely 4lb rainbow caught on a drop weight clip and Tassie Devil.

Mitch with a typical Bullen Merri brown caught flatline trolling a Tassie Devil.

dawn is a really good method for big browns that cruise the shallows chasing smelt and other minnow.

As the sun gets high in the sky the fish like to head for deeper water so downrigging in depths of 40-80ft is a good place to start until you find where the fish are holding.

MOTHER NATURE With the level of salt content in Lake Bullen

Merri, be sure to wash down all your gear and, most importantly, your boat, motor and trailer. The salt in this lake is far worse than that of Port Phillip Bay or any other seawater.

HOT TIP I find trolling into the wind works better than trolling with the wind. I don’t know why, maybe it effects the action or the speed of the lure through the water?

When you are doing a run and you hook 3 or 4 fish trolling into it, then work your way back with even a hit, then do the run again back into it and pull a few more – for me, it says something.

If times are tough and you aren’t getting any fish, see what way the wind is blowing and head towards it.

Hopefully you have the same success as I do.

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NOVEMBER 2013

57

Flies. Who needs ’em?

ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

How quickly we forget the downside of every season.

During winter I longed for

the warmth of spring and the chance to don the shorts and fish the rising rivers.

And so it has been for the past month or so, when numerous solid goldens have found their way onto the end of my line.

Jock Mackenzie with a typical spring golden caught on bait at Wemen, on the Murray River.

During this period I have questioned many times, in an explosion of profanities, the need for flies in our world.

I have no doubt there is a reason for these small annoying insects but why so many and why so bloody persistent?

I can handle them hovering around my face and eyes to a certain point but to fly directly down my throat is a whole different kettle of fish, to mix metaphors. They spread their grubby little legs and hold fast to the back of the throat, refusing to go up or down.

This brings on a coughing fit and a tendency to choke, dry reach and eventually spit up what looks suspiciously like a hairball, but not a fly in sight. Then comes the uncomfortable thought that the fly was no doubt chowing down on a fresh dog turd or the like only minutes before. Flies. Who needs ’em?

Most local rivers have fished exceptionally well over the past month with a great run of golden perch, mainly caught on bait.

Jarrah Turner, John Cassidy and Jock Mackenzie caught these and several other good-sized golden perch fishing from the bank on the Wakool River.

Anglers fishing the Wakool River at Kyalite have reported excellent captures of golden perch to 3kg on scrub worms and small yabbies.

Several cod have also been caught in this area, the biggest an estimated 10kg, and all were returned to the river, as it’s still the closed season.

It’s a similar story on the Edward River, where anglers fishing from boat and bank are catching some excellent-sized perch and a few cod.

The Murray River at Swan Hill has goldens to a couple of kilos on bait, with scrub worms working best.

Goldens have been running well in Lake

Charm with anglers fishing yabbies from the northern end bank landing good numbers of fish to around 4kg. A few redfin are also in the mix at Charm, so it’s not a bad spot to wet a line and catch a feed.

The Little Murray has also been fishing well, with several anglers consistently bagging out on perch to 8kg.

In truth, most if not every section of Murray River locally is producing good numbers of golden perch on bait. Robinvale, Wemen, Mildura and Wentworth all have similar reports.

If you are new to fishing the Murray, look for old snags on the edges of

the backwaters. Where the water rolls back on itself or, even better, sits almost still.

Fish close to the timber and present good-sized baits weighted just enough to hold bottom.

Golden perch can be very aggressive feeders but on most occasions they mouth a bait and take it slowly. Take your time and wait for the fish to move off with the bait before you set the hook.

Remember, it is still the perch breeding season and while you are not required to do so, returning larger female fish to the river is common practice and commonsense. Good luck and enjoy the spring bounty of golden perch.

Playtime on the water MOAMA / ECHUCA

Ian Page

Worms have been the pick of baits for golden perch over the past month.

FIND US ON FACEBOOK! Bassman Spinnerbaits Official

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NOVEMBER 2013

V&TFM

As the weather continues to improve, anglers, and fish, have decided to come out to play. With the water temperature rising, the fish are improving in numbers in the rivers and channels around the area.

Yellowbelly between the Goulburn mouth and Torrumbarry are very active on scrubworms and shrimp, which have arrived in the river in great numbers. I like angling with a running sinker rig, the smallest weight as possible depending on conditions, with a couple of baits.

With water clarity improving lures are starting to come into play.

By trolling or casting in around the snags, lures will give great results.

My favourites are Oargees, CustomCrafted and Predators, as I have had good results.

Places to target are the mouth of the Goulburn and upstream to the bridge, the mighty Murray between Browns boat ramp and Casey Road, downstream near Torrumbarry and the Gunbower Creek.

Reports from Kow Swamp are very strong above and below the headworks, with lipless crankbaits taking a lot of quality fish. You will still get your share using bait.

For those willing to walk the banks of the Campaspe there are some great redfin taking small spinners and plastics. We have been using small Slider plastics with great action and getting good results. Some of the fish are relatively small but still lots of fun on light gear.

If you want to bait fish the reddies, it is best to use small yabbies or worms. If the river is only moving slow, try unweighted.

This will give you more movement and the fish seem to like bait moving a little.

At this time of year it is always good to think about the up coming season and check your gear. Renew braid and mono on your reels and, as all tackle shops are increasing their stock for the holiday period, it is time to check out the new season gear, all the new technology, some great new lures and accessories.

Some things to hide in the man caves before Christmas.

So with the last of our spring weather, enjoy the great fishing opportunities that present and get out and get amongst them.

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V&TFM

NOVEMBER 2013

59

Yella yield at Yarrawonga YARRAWONGA

Tony Bennett codclassic@bigpond.com

Staring into my crystal ball and reviewing notes from previous years, the traditional arrival of ‘spring gold’, aka golden perch, should start to fire in and around Lake Mulwala anywhere from mid October onwards.

Best bet for this time of

year is to target the yellas in waters above Majors creeks up to Bundalong and surrounding backwaters.

Waters with increased current flow or a few of the sneaky lagoons that tend to be a couple of degrees warmer should be your first port of call. Lipless crankbaits, hardbody lures in the 50-70mm size range or smaller profile spinnerbaits in natural colours would be my recommendation.

The last day or two of cod

season proved fruitful for a couple as some nice cod were reported. Tristan Clough was rewarded when he cast his Bassman Spinnerbait and it was gobbled up by a beautiful 83cm specimen while casting below the weir.

Donna Stewart was another lucky enough to put her lure in the right place and have it returned to the boat with a cool 79cm model attached to it! Not bad for her second cod ever (the other

one measured 80cm!).

Positions are still available for the Golden Do$$ars, a golden perch specific event that’s being held on Lake Mulwala 26 October. For enquiries relating to this or the upcoming Cod Classic call into Yarrawonga/Mulwala’s official tournament shop, Lake Mulwala Fish Camp & Ski (opposite the Post Office) or give us a call on 0357 441667 for further information.

November hatches hit a high

Tristan Clough and his superb 83cm cod caught in the Murray River.

WANGARATTA

Robbie Alexander

Ideal conditions greeted us for trout opening at the start of spring, but unfortunately the great conditions did not deliver.

Anglers found it hard to tempt the trout into taking either bait or lure in the high water.

As the weather warmed the trout fishing improved slowly, but the real surprise was the early arrival of the decent yellowbelly fishing in Lake Hume.

In November the trout fishing in the far north east

turn up on the river banks.

My favourite dry fly is the royal stimulator, and my favourite way to rig it is with a black bead headed nymph suspended underneath it.

During November I find that I get more trout on the nymph than I do the stimulator, especially early in the month when conditions are still just a little bit cooler and wetter.

Towards the end of the month when things start to warm up and more grasshoppers start

November should see the flyfishing improve in the high country.

The Kiewa Valley seems to have more rainbows than it used to, possibly due to stocked yearling fish escaping the Mt Beauty pondage and breeding.

This ripper was caught in a tributary off the Kiewa River on a Strike Tiger nymph soft plastic.

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to turn up, I start catching more on the stimulator.

Lake Dartmouth will still be well worth fishing in November, with the twilight periods of the day being the best times to pick up a fish while flatline trolling. During the day, especially on sunny days, the trout will move down deeper into darker and cooler water, but at the end of the day they should come to the surface to pick off a few insects. Trolling a

537 918

corner of Victoria should be at its peak. The last of the snow melt will have little effect on water flows as the streams slow down to their summer levels, the insect hatches hit a high and the trout feed like mad before the water gets too warm.

The Kiewa River itself should fish really well throughout November.

Anywhere from Dederang upstream to Mt Beauty will be worth fishing. Just about all proven trout techniques should work, with bladed spinners being a great starting point.

Just bear in mind that in high traffic areas like the Kiewa the fish can become educated and reluctant to strike at your lure. Instead they will just follow the lure to your feet then turn around and swim away, which can be very frustrating. If this happens, try switching to something that looks more natural, like a tiny soft plastic, which may tempt a hungry fish to strike for a feed rather than striking out of curiosity or frustration.

Across in the Mitta Mitta River the trout fishing should tick over nicely throughout November, with the best area being from Eskdale upstream to Mitta Mitta. There are some very large trout in this area, as well as some resident redfin and carp. If you’re targeting the trout don’t be afraid to tie on a larger minnow type lure

than you would normally use.

A minnow that is 8-9cm long will easily tempt a strike from a larger, more wary trout that is on the hunt for something that will fill its stomach.

The small streams in the area should all fish very well, and the more open waterways should provide some exciting flyfishing as the grasshoppers start to

Small rainbow trout in mountain streams love metallic bladed spinners.

Wayne Love with a magnificent brown trout caught on a metallic bladed spinner in the tributary of the Kiewa River.

winged lure such as a Tassie Devil is a very popular technique in Dartmouth, and trolling small minnows also accounts for a lot of fish each year.

If the early spring yellowbelly fishing in Lake Hume is anything to go by, this November should be completely nuts! A lot of very large yellowbelly turned up in September while conditions were still quite cold, so hopefully November will really turn it on. Try using lipless crankbait lures around the rocky points and outcrops, or try trolling small to medium sized hardbodied lures that can dive to a reasonable depth.

For the bait angler, small yabbies are my favourite yellowbelly bait, fished very closely to the snags. Tie up to a tree and drop your yabby right next to the base of the tree. It won’t hurt to lift your rod tip up and down a fair bit, as yellowbelly are suckers for a moving bait.

High lake for Trout Festival JINDABYNE

Steve Williamson swtrout@airlan.com.au

I guess I could almost say that I have never seen two years so different, with 2012 having a late, cold winter and 2013 bringing a warm, wet start to spring and possibly even an early summer.

As I reported last month, there were only small water

NOVEMBER ROUNDUP

Best method Best trolling lure

Best lake areas Best lake fly Best river fly Best river lures Best lake lures

– Lake bank with artificial bait or scrub worms.

– Rapala CD07 Scatter Rap gold, Tasmanian Devil No 111 green and gold.

– Creel Bay, Waste Point, Stinky Bay (The Haven).

– black weighted Woolly Bugger, Williamson’s Goldfish.

– black bead-head nymph, size 12 Tea Tree Beetle – Gillies Feathertail Spinner, trout pattern 3cm Bullet Lure – Trout pattern Dorado and Rayza 40 blades.

releases from Lake Jindabyne into the lower Snowy River and the release will be on November 6. It will be even

Nathan Berkery of Jindabyne is a convert to the new Rapala Scatter Rap after bagging this 3.6kg brown on a gold one.

smaller than the previous five so will have very little effect on lake levels and no effect at all on how the lake will fish during the Trout Festival from November 2-8.

A high lake has kept the edge fishing at its best and plenty of trout are still being caught on bait, lure and fly.

We saw more insects about earlier this year so the river fishing started off with a big bang for the dry-fly fishers. After such a slow start last year it was great to go down to the Thredbo River and see plenty of fish rising.

How the season will progress for now on will depend on how much rain we get. Most of the snow has melted now so we can’t rely on that as a supply for our rivers over coming months.

FISHING FILL-ITS

Every lure tells a story A visit to the Australian Lure Expo was a trip back in time for many as they valued, traded or sold prized Australian made lures from yesteryear and then marvelled at the current batch of Australian lure makers offerings.

A walk around the show had me in awe of the skills and imagination shown by our Australian lure producers, whether it be a spinner bait, soft plastic or a hand crafted and painted hardbodied lure.

Every lure maker had a different story to tell and I just wanted to pass on one that hit a cord with me. Stalker lures are handcrafted and designed by John Langley.

John is 80 years old and has been making his lures in one form or another since he was 16 years old. His first efforts were made from pieces of the willow trees, which grew on the banks of the river of his parent’s property in Northern NSW. He used a pocketknife and broken pieces of glass to shape and smooth out each lure, before using pieces of

At 80 years old, John Langley is still as passionate about making lures as he was when he was 16. jam tins to make the bibs.

John’s fondest memories of those initial lures were using them on his Ned Kelly rod.

It was 14 foot long and made of Indian cane. With lure and line attached to the end, this setup accounted for plenty of Australian bass in the local rivers and creeks.

He stopped making lures for nearly 18 years as he was called up for national service and then went working the cattle stations in western Queensland. However a move back to Kyogle in 1970 and

John has collector sets of lures for sale presented in handcrafted timber display boxes.

his love for timber proved all that was needed for him to start making the lures again.

He made lures from his favourite white beech timber, with sizes to target everything from mulloway to bass and everything in between. His lure making slowed over time, however a visit to the first Australian lure expo in 2012 again inspired John to hand make lures once more.

He now produces 5 sizes of lures designed to catch everything from cod, to bream to bass and are still made from his beloved white beech timber.

At the show he also had some collector sets, which he beautifully presented in handcrafted timber boxes, showing off his passion for timber and making lures.

I enjoyed meeting John and his wife Lyn at the show and hearing the story behind his lures.

On the rivers and streams we are seeing plenty of white moths and tea tree beetles and a start to the hopper season.

If you want to you can still use a small nymph dropper in the faster water just to double your chances at catching a fish.

The flyfishing on the lake is still very good. Small bays and inlets will produce results very early and late in the day if you’re careful not to spook the trout.

Woolly Buggers, Craig’s Nighttime and Williamson’s Goldfish have been the flies to use at dawn and dusk.

The shallow bays are worth a try before the sun rises but after that you had better be fishing deep.

Towing lures at 2m and on lead-core lines will be the best methods to get a trout for the trollers.

It is also definitely worth trolling some minnows early in the morning off the leadcore. StumpJumper have some great colours in the 3.5” model now. And with Tassie Devils in Canberra Killer, Willy’s Special and brown bomber and the usual Rapalas, you are sure to catch a few fish.

The unique action of Rapala’s new Scatter Rap has proven very effective and it would be wise to try one off your lead-core early, especially before sunrise.

We have been trying out the relatively new LED Balista Trigger lures and have found them effective off the downrigger and lead-core. There are some exciting colours in the new range.

Best areas to troll at the moment with the high lake have been the East Jindabyne Islands, Hayshed and Hatchery bays and up at Creel Bay. BAIT, SPINNING Bait fishing has been good, especially if you team up your rig with worms and

Sydney visitor Virginia Chung caught this 2.2kg brown on a scrub worm. artificial baits. Put two hooks on the line and combine a worm and artificial bait to double your chances.

Best areas have been around Waste Point, the Claypits and at East Jindabyne near Rushes Creek.

Spinning has been good early and late in the day and should continue that way for a while yet.

There are trout about and the best fishing is in the shallows early and in deep water later in the day.

Minnows like floating Rapalas, StumpJumpers and other brands have been best in natural rainbow trout and brown trout patterns or in gold to represent the Jindabyne goldfish that the trout love to eat.

Don’t stay in one place too long and put in only a couple of casts in each area.

If you have been following my Lake Jindabyne Trout Fishing Adventures Facebook page you would have seen the new Bullet lures we have been trying out.

With the rivers now open we have experienced some good success with these little lures.

As the name implies, they cast like bullets and have been effective in the faster water and have a great action for such a small lure.

Check out the range in my shop or on Facebook – so far there is no website for these lures. Call in at my shop next to the Shell servo at the junction of the Kosciusko Road and the Alpine Way or phone me on 02 6456 1551 for the latest updates. For daily updates become our friend on Facebook.

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NOVEMBER 2013

61

Best results upstream KIEWA VALLEY

Robbie Alexander

As with the Kiewa Valley area, the Ovens Valley saw a very slow start to the new trout season back in September. A few trout were caught in dribs and drabs, but nothing too much worth bragging about. Last summer’s severe heatwave certainly took its toll on the trout fishing in this area.

If you want to chase trout this month, try heading high up into the hills, where the water is usually cooler and the water flows are a bit more reliable. Places like the far upper reaches of the Buckland, King and Buffalo rivers will be worth a try.

The Ovens River itself is a sad state of affairs after last year’s devastating bushfires and flash flooding saw massive amounts of mud, ash and all kinds of other muck wash into the river. Once the water settled after that flooding, there were absolutely no reports of trout being caught in the Ovens River itself.

On a positive note though, there are a lot of little tributaries and feeder creeks up that way that were not affected by the bushfires and therefore held onto their trout populations. In coming years, as streamside vegetation slowly starts to grow on the banks of the Upper Ovens River, and insects and other food sources start to return, the trout should soon re-establish

themselves in the river. Before too long, the premiere trout fishery in North East Victoria will be back to its former glory.

But for this November, the Upper Ovens River outlook is gloomy as far as the trout fishing goes.

Lake Buffalo will be well worth a visit in November.

The water temperatures are starting to rise, and the newly flooded ground is inviting the yellowbelly to come out and play. There may not be huge numbers of yellowbelly in Lake Buffalo but there are some real thumpers.

There’s no shortage of carp in the Ovens River around Wangaratta to keep yourself and the kids entertained during the last month of the closed cod season.

This magnificent brown trout took a liking to a Strike Tiger nymph soft plastic in a tributary of the Ovens River. In the coming years these trout should make their way into the Ovens River to re-establish a population.

A small remote stream in the Ovens Valley. These tiny mountain streams are your best bet to get onto a few trout this November as conditions start to warm up.

It is the same with the redfin. Ever since the yellowbelly stockings began in Lake Buffalo a few years back, the redfin numbers have declined – but the average size of the redfin in the lake is bigger than it used to be. From time to time you get some rippers in there amongst the small ones.

Try using lipless crankbaits around the rocky outcrops for

FISHING FILL-ITS

Catch a grant to improve fishing The Victorian Coalition Government is calling for ideas from fishing and community groups for projects that will improve angling opportunities under the 2013-14 Recreational Fishing Grants Program.

Minister for Agriculture and Food Security Peter Walsh said the program was now open for applications for projects of up to $100,000 to be funded from revenue generated by the sale of recreational fishing licences.

“Recreational fishing is extremely popular and contributes significantly to the economic development of regional Victoria,” Mr Walsh said.

“Fishing is also a great way to spend time with family and friends 62

NOVEMBER 2013

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in the great outdoors and helps people to stay active and connected to their communities.

“The Coalition Government wants to help angling groups and local government agencies to deliver better fishing opportunities, whether that is inland, along the coast or in our bays and inlets.”

Large grants are available for projects up to $100,000 in these categories: • fisheries sustainability and habitat improvement; • fishing access and facilities; • fisheries related education, information and training; and • recreational fisheries research.

Projects funded last year included research to build a stronger and more resilient Murray cod fishery, 450 Fish Right workshops to promote

sustainable and responsible fishing to junior anglers, and the installation of 120 wood structures in the lower sections of the Mitchell, Nicholson, Tambo and Snowy rivers to improve fish habitat.

Large grant submissions must be received by 28 February 2014, and are open to fishing clubs, community groups, incorporated bodies, registered companies and government and statutory bodies. Small grants of up to $5,000 are available all year.

To apply, or for more information, visit w w w. d e p i . v i c . g o v. a u / fishinggrants Media contact: Deborah Cole 0419 962 644 deborah. cole@minstaff.vic.gov.au.

– DEPI

the yellowbelly, and if you are specifically targeting redfin, head up the Buffalo River arm and fish in some of the open shallow areas over the flat ground with small soft plastics.

The redfin should also be starting to fire across at Lake William Hovell, with most of the fish caught being quite small. Although there are bigger redfin in Lake William Hovell, the best time to catch them seems to be in autumn.

Still, we know they’re in there and they have to eat sometime, so you’re always in with a chance.

The trout should still be on the chew in November in Lake William Hovell as well, especially early in the month before things get too warm. If you’re targeting trout, concentrate on the low light periods of the day and try trolling with winged lures like Tassie Devils and Lofty’s Cobras.

Downstream around Wangaratta, the Ovens River will provide a lot of fun for people wishing to wet a line and drown some bait. At this time of year, the main species on offer is, unfortunately, carp.

There are a few yellowbelly in the river, but they are more common in the far lower reaches from Peechelba downstream.

Around Wangaratta itself, yellowbelly catches are rare.

I fish the Ovens River a lot around Wangaratta in the springtime, but I only ever bait fish and I only ever use worms for bait. The reason for this is that it’s the closed Murray cod season, and I don’t want to risk catching a breeding fish.

Studies have shown that when a Murray cod is caught while spawning, the stress will cause the fish to abandon its nest and the spawn will fail. That means several hundred baby cod are lost to the fishery.

By using worms, I mainly catch carp, the very occasional yellowbelly, and if I do catch an out-of-season cod, it is usually only a small fish and not big enough to breed anyway. There’s no reason why you can’t enjoy fishing in the Ovens River, just downsize your gear to avoid interrupting a breeding cod, and let the carp keep your cravings under control for a few weeks. After all, after November comes December so it’s not long to wait!

Once December gets here, I will replace my worms with bardi grubs and large lures, and I will talk more about that in the December issue.

A small brown trout that fell to a shiny bladed spinner in a tributary of the King River. These tributaries will fish OK in November, but the key will be to head as far upstream as possible.

Inland Fisheries Service

Carp Team prepare for the spawning season Despite cold conditions the Carp Management Team has been busy preparing for the oncoming carp spawning season that can commence anytime from October onwards through the warmer months.

Once mature, carp are stimulated to spawn by warming water and rising lake levels. They are attracted into flooded wetlands that provide the ideal conditions for their adhesive eggs to attach to the aquatic plants and hatch in the security of this habitat.

The Carp Program has over 14km of barrier netting installed around the marshes of the lake to prevent carp from accessing the shallow marshes. Each year prior to the spawning season these barrier nets are checked meticulously both on foot and by boat, as any breach in the net could potentially result in unwanted spawning activity. In the coming weeks traps will be set in the barriers at key access points to catch carp as they attempt to breach containment lines.

AN UPGRADE TO AUSTINS FERRY BOAT RAMP The popular, well-used boat ramp at Austins Ferry has recently received a

significant upgrade. The new pontoon was jointly funded by MAST and Glenorchy City Council at a total cost $102, 000. The upgrade replaces the aging 6x3m pontoon that existed previously with a new pontoon, which at 19m long triples capacity on the old system.

The new pontoon is adjacent and parallel to the boat ramp and should require little or no maintenance over its 40 year plus design life.

This upgrade coincides with the arrival of both whitebait and sea-run trout in the River Derwent and is an ideal location to launch when fishing the middle reaches of the river. The ramp is located at Austins Ferry Road off Main Rd. 1km north of Claremont.

BOATING SAFETY Anglers are reminded of the safety equipment required to be carried on all boats in smooth waters (Inland waters) under The Marine and Safety Act 1997, to ensure a safe trip and avoid a $130 fine for failing to carry minimum safety equipment.

• Anchor rope and chain • Approved PFD for all persons on board • Bailer/Bilge pump • Fire extinguisher • Oars or auxiliary propulsion

The new Austins Ferry boat ramp. This style of ramp is the one being rolled out at a number of locations in the future.

• Flares are recommended but not compulsory.

All persons on board a vessel under 6m in length must be wearing a life jacket while the vessel is under power.

Currently the fine for not wearing a life jacket is $65 but more importantly it can save your life.

Anglers are also reminded

that it is necessary to have a boat licence and have their boat registered if the boat is powered by a 4hp or greater engine.

SMART LICENCE CHECKS IFS compliance officers now have the capacity to check angling licence details by smart phone. The IFS

licence database is available to officers in the field and allows quick and easy access to validate information where an angler is not carrying their licence. At times this has also alleviated the need for anglers to produce their licence at a later date as licence details can be confirmed on the spot.

Modern technology has

SGreSgory AFC BLaA ke

also assisted officer’s deal with unlicenced anglers who claim they have a licence.

With several infringement notices issued after officers were initially told by anglers that they had a licence but after checks on the database and further discussions it was confirmed that no licence had been purchased.

Mbour EA AFCGlaBdsRtone ar H SEASON Queensland – where Australia shines

is proud to present the 10th season of the Australian Fishing Championships. With competition on three arenas – two of them brand new to AFC – you’ll be exposed to BREAM, BASS and BARRA fishing like never before.

And Queensland is the only state where you can catch all three.

• Lake Gregory – BASS • Gladstone Harbour – BREAM • Kinchant Dam – BARRA With a mix of old AFC stalwarts and new talent, follow your favourite anglers as they represent their teams – BCF, Hobie and Mercury.

CHECK LOCAL GUIDES

Ep 1

BREAM

Sun 13 Oct

11am

Ep 2

BREAM

Sun 20 Oct

11am

Ep 3

BREAM

Sun 27 Oct

11am

Ep 4

BASS

Sun 3 Nov

11am

Ep 5

BASS

Sun 17 Nov

11am

Ep 6

BASS

Sun 1 Dec

11am

Ep 7

BARRA

Sun 8 Dec

Midday

Ep 8

BARRA

Sun12 Jan

11am

Ep 9

BARRA

Sun 19 Jan

11am

V

*Confirm times with your local TV guide

BASS Anglers – Dean Silvester (BCF), Callum Munro (BCF), Matthew Mott (Mercury), Dan Clancy (Mercury), Al McNamara (Hobie), Mark Lennox (Hobie).

BREAM Anglers – Steve Gill (BCF), Heath Blaikie (BCF), Warren Carter (Mercury), Russell Babekuhl (Mercury), Kris Hickson (Hobie), Shane Taylor (Hobie).

BARRA Anglers – Dan Grech (BCF), USA’s Gary Clouse (BCF), Jon Millard (Mercury), Japan’s Takayoshi Orimoto (Mercury), Peter Price (Hobie), 2011 World Kayak Fishing Champion Scott Baker (Hobie).

V V&TFM

NOVEMBER 2013

63

Bait fishing for trout WANGARATTA

Robbie Alexander

With so many anglers, myself included spending more and more time targeting fish with lures these days, less and less people seem to enjoy the basic art of bait fishing.

Many of us cut our teeth bait fishing for bread and butter species such as redfin, trout and even dirty old carp.

While I thoroughly enjoy the sport of lure casting, I also love to just take a few steps back to my roots as an angler, tie on a hook and sinker and do a bit of relaxing bait fishing.

The flyfishing community have a saying they use called

‘matching the hatch’. For them this means tying on a fly to match whatever insects are hatching, or what the trout may be feeding on. Bait anglers need to do the same thing.

Trout can be selective, and will usually only feed on whatever is in the system at any given time, so it is critically important to match the hatch by choosing a bait that may be entering the waterway somehow.

For example, in the middle of February, when the ground is as dry as a bone, the streams are barely trickling over the small rocks and the water is low in oxygen, you would not use worms. Why, because they

MUSTAD.NO

Look at this magnificent stretch of water. Streams with plenty of tussocks and grass along the banks are ideal places to drift grasshoppers in summer when the water is low and clear.

are not there and trout aren’t looking for them.

In September, after the winter rains when the ground is saturated, the little feeder gullies are all running, with water flowing off the farmers paddocks, there will be worms everywhere in the streams, so then you would use worms.

At that same cold damp time of year, when there are no grasshoppers or crickets around, you would not use crickets of grasshoppers. I have heard of people freezing crickets and using them at a later date. While this may work, it will only work properly when the crickets are available naturally to the trout, in March and April, not cold damp September.

Back to our low flowing February stream. We have ruled out worms, so what would we use for bait?

Grasshoppers are the gun bait because there are usually a more than a few around at that time of year.

The best advice I can give is to go for a walk along the riverbank, kick some grass around and see whether there are any grasshoppers around.

If there are a few, then catch some and put them on the hook. If there aren’t any grasshoppers, then turn some

WELL AHEAD ON POINTS

Mustad’s unique Ultra Point is now available on treble hooks.

Ultra Point gives unparalleled durability and sharpness to chemically sharpened needle points. That’s reflected in tournament successes – like Kord Luckus’s 117cm barramundi (pictured above). It was hooked on a Mustad 36329NP-BN Ultra Point treble and was ‘Most Meritorious Capture’ in the 2011 Barra Classic.

Mustad’s Ultra Point treble hook range includes the 36329BLN Barra/Bluewater treble, the 36300BLN Short Round treble and the new Kevin Van Dam Triple Grip TG76BLN.

ULTRAPOINT BEST SELLING HOOK ON THE PLANET

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This brown trout took a liking to a bunch of worms in a small stream before the end of last season after some late May rainfall. rocks over and see if there are any crickets around.

At that hot time of year, even if there are no grasshoppers or crickets, there are almost always flies, and if you’re lucky those annoying march flies that like to sting us will most likely be not too far away. You really need to use some initiative, and find something that you think the trout might like to eat that is active in the environment. Big cockroaches are an excellent alternative.

Trout are not terribly fussy feeders, just cunning.

I remember when my grandfather was still alive, he told me a story about the day he was fishing in December in the Buffalo River, back in the 1970s. He was drifting worms and could not get a bite all day. Later in the afternoon he got bitten by a march fly.

So he swatted the march fly, only wounding it. He put it onto a tiny hook and drifted it into a deep backwater and caught a 2lb brown trout on it.

My grandfather said he caught quite a few trout on march flies that afternoon!

MUDEYES Mudeyes are the larvae stage of dragonflies. Although dragonflies are usually only found in the warmer months, this does not mean there are no mudeyes. Mudeyes will live underwater clinging to underwater foliage such as submerged bushes or aquatic weed. They will cling on for as long as it takes for the weather conditions to be suitable for them to climb out and hatch.

When the weather is warm enough they will climb out of the water and hatch their wings and fly away. At this stage they usually have a sense of pride after surviving the underwater world of the hungry trout, and while feeling happy, safe and proud only to get eaten by a hungry bird instead!

Mudeyes are a suitable year round bait even though there are no dragonflies buzzing around. The best places to bait fish with mudeyes are areas with plenty of aquatic vegetation, particularly lakes.

They do make a very good bait in streams as well though, particularly bigger rivers where you can fish them with a float. Fishing a live mudeye

under a float in a lake is one of my favourite forms of fishing!

TECHNIQUES AND TACKLE Bait fishing does not require you to take out a bank loan to purchase an expensive ultra light graphite rod with an expensive reel on it. As you are not making cast after cast for hours on end, you really just need something that can cast the bait out a reasonable distance. When buying a new rod, rather than choosing your purchase by rod construction, or by price tag, you are far better off choosing your purchase by rod length. Here are a few examples.

Drifting bait in small mountain streams, a rod of around 6ft will be adequate.

In larger rivers, a longer rod of close to 7ft might be desirable to help achieve better casting distance with a light weight.

If fishing in a lake from the bank, maybe a really long rod of between 7-8ft would be your best bet for the same reason, to achieve greater casting distance.

When fishing with a float, a long rod comes in very handy as the main casting

weight, (the float) is usually some distance up from the hook. For example, if your hook is 1.8m underneath your float, then you will need a long rod to hold up high when you cast to prevent the hook getting fouled up on anything.

There are plenty of great value reels for around $50-$100 that will suit basic bait fishing. Of course if you already have quality gear then so much the better.

When drifting bait in streams there are two main techniques to use. One is the traditional trout fishing way, to walk upstream casting upstream and drifting the bait back towards you, and the other is to flick the bait out and let the current wash your bait into a hole, or backwater from upstream. The second option is preferable in dirty water, as the trout will most likely see you standing there if the water is too clear. When flicking the bait upstream, I like to reel the slack line slightly faster than the current is washing my bait downstream towards me. This allows me to keep a reasonably tight line so that I can feel any fish nibbling at my bait.

Mic Rybka with cracking Brushy Lagoon rainbow trout, caught on Powerbait while fishing from the bank.

This photo of Khancoban Pondage looks almost black and white. If you look really closely, you can see my fluorescent orange bubble float sitting on the water’s surface in the bottom right hand corner. Suspended under the float was a live mudeye. This was taken in the depths of winter where we managed to catch 4-5 nice trout, all on live mudeyes. The icy cold water pretty much put the mudeyes to sleep, but the trout still took them.

When allowing my bait to drift downstream, it is much more about guesswork. I usually open the bail, let the current take my bait, give it a few seconds and then close my bail and feel for weight.

As a rule of thumb, I like to use the lightest possible split shot sinker that I can get away with. The deeper the water and faster the current, the heavier sinker I will need.

In most streams when fishing with worms I will use one tiny split shot sinker just to aid casting and to help my bait sink. When fishing with crickets or grasshoppers I will cast them totally unweighted, just using the weight of the bait and the hook to cast.

When using mudeyes I prefer

to either fish them totally unweighted, or fish them underneath some kind of float.

Hook sizes for trout need to be very small to match the size of the bait. As a rule of thumb with any type of bait fishing, the smaller the hook the easier it is to hook the fish, but the easier the fish can get off. Quite often a bigger hook will be harder to set in the fish’s mouth, but once the fish is hooked it stays on. When bait fishing for trout I like to use a hook of around #8 or 10. It depends a lot on the bait to. One large fat scrub worm may need a bigger size 6 or even size 4 hook, whereas a small skinny tiger worm might be well suited to a size 10 hook.

Rigs are not complicated for trout fishing. As with most of my fishing I like to keep things simple. When fishing

with worms in a stream I like to just tie the line to the hook, and crimp a small split shot or two about 30cm up the line: as simple as that. When drifting crickets or grasshoppers I just tie the hook to the end of the line. You could barely call that a rig! When float fishing, it is much the same however instead of crimping on a split shot, I am attaching a bubble float to the line. The distance I attach the float up from the hook depends on how deep the water is and how much weed is in the water.

Ideally I like my bait to be suspended just above the aquatic weed, or the bottom.

Bait fishing is a terrifically relaxing branch of our sport that shouldn’t be ignored. It can be challenging and very rewarding indeed.

COMMON BAITS

January: grasshoppers, flies, mudeyes.

February: grasshoppers, flies, crickets, mudeyes.

March: crickets, grasshoppers, flies, mudeyes.

April: crickets, grasshoppers, flies, mudeyes.

May: worms (subject to rain) mudeyes, crickets.

June: worms, mudeyes, crickets.

July: worms, mudeyes. (Lakes only in victoria) August: worms, mudeyes. (Lakes only in victoria) September: worms, mudeyes.

October: worms, mudeyes, grasshoppers. (subject to weather conditions towards the end of the month) November: worms (subject to October rainfall and river heights) mudeyes, grasshoppers, flies.

December: grasshoppers, flies, mudeyes.

Other baits such as wood grubs and cockroaches can be found year round, depending upon the area.

Top: A small rainbow trout caught drifting a lightly weighted bunch of garden worms into a swollen stream. Note that the hook is a knotless hook. These are particularly handy when you are likely to be changing hooks. You can unwind the line, and change to another size hook without having to break the line, re-rig and cramp in a new split shot sinker.

Above: A great punnet of garden worms fit for a king trout. Scrub worms are excellent bait, but in my opinion garden worms work just as well when the trout are feeding on worms.

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The mayfly hatches improve the catches LAUNCESTON

Brendan Turriff

Although the start of the season was a bit hit-andmiss for many around the north, the fishing and catching are now improving. The weather too, continues to influence more consistent action due to trigger hatches, like the recent start to the mayfly season.

DUN DUN DUN… November has to be my favourite month for flyfishing at Four Springs. Although sporadic, the fishing during mayfly hatches can be sensational. For some reason, the water can be covered in little mayfly duns popping away and only one fish will be feeding on them, then suddenly fish start rising

all over the place giving the angler hectic periods of opportunity.

On other days, duns will be madly sailing away all day and barely a fish is seen.

Cloudy, muggy days are often best but even still, it’s no guarantee of success. Low light can give you a better chance too, with the evening mop-up my favourite, but sometimes the rising fish just fail to come to the party.

That’s fishing for you!

Another option is to fish the first light after a still night – both the caenid mayfly and midge can be dotted across the water, with the odd snout chasing them down. Presentations need to be precise and subtle, so too with imitative fly choice.

The approaching dusk can also bring hatches of caddis moth, madly fluttering

around the water’s edge.

Many patterns can work well given the various options on offer but as darkness intensifies, deer-hair patterns can be a bit easier to see than more sparsely tied offerings.

Try if you can, to track the fish’s path and place your fly a metre or so in front.

RIVER SESSIONS There will still be the odd sea-run trout lurking around into November, chasing whitebait up-river but as action slows, your focus should switch to the numerous mayfly hatches on reliable rivers. The Macquarie, South Esk, Brumbys Creek and a few other meadow streams will be experiencing regular hatches of black spinner and red spinner mayfly.

Traditional patterns like a Macquarie Red and

Black Spinner are a great starting point but there are many other variants that will work on the right day. In any case, it doesn’t hurt to think outside the fly box from time to time, especially if you’re experiencing a number of refusals.

Once again, the caenid hatch is one to look out for at first light. Some of these hatches have been nothing short of phenomenal on the Meander and Mersey rivers, in particular, at around this time of year.

ANGLER ACCESS A reminder to all to take advantage of angler access points on our rivers.

Continued negotiations between land owners and Anglers Alliance is improving access to the public every season. There is something like 30 access

points on the Mersey River alone – that’s enough to keep the average angler busy all season!

Many of our major waterways are becoming access friendly, you can keep up to date by social media or installing the INfish app by IFS. This is a great resource that details waters in order from closest to furthest from your mobile device. Once you select your water, you can find out all manners of info from access and species to stocking and methods.

You can even purchase a licence via the app. Highly recommended!

EXPLORATION Of course there are the usual haunts, dedicated access points and convenient afterwork locations but nothing beats planning a mission and exploring somewhere new.

I make sure I fish a few new waters or new sections each season and love ticking off that uncertainty from my list. Some are scrubbed off immediately, vowing never to return while others spots become secret honey holes where memories are made.

It always pays to do some homework and even team up with a mate if you’re venturing out into the scrub.

Pack a bit of tucker and a jacket, tell someone where you’re headed and go and get busy – it’s pretty awesome.

You could probably head out and dong just as many fish using lures or bait, but for me, this time of year is about the mayfly and the best way to imitate this little insect is by fly fishing – a method steeped in history, utterly obsessive and at times, very productive!

Hope for fat-bellied fish STH HIGHLANDS

Shane Broadby

There has been plenty of rain through early and mid-spring and the levels of the lakes and lagoons throughout the Southern Highlands having been rising accordingly; some by a huge margin. By mid-September Lake King William had risen

8m in only five weeks!

The fish have responded well in many waters gorging on worms, Corby grubs and other critters flushed out of their hideyholes by the increasing water levels. Fish caught in Bronte Lagoon have been in very good condition with their stomachs distended with all the extra tucker available.

November has got to be near the top of the list

There are extremely high water levels in the Southern Highlands.

From chasing flathead and salmon in the calm bays and beaches within minutes of Hobart’s CBD, to trout in the pristine Upper Derwent and Huon rivers or targeting bream in the tournament waters of the Lower Derwent.

Whatever type of experience you’re after, Paddlefish Tasmania can cater for it.

www.paddlefishtasmania.com.au

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during the trout season for the variety of fishing that is available in the Southern Highlands, or anywhere else in trout territory in Tasmania for that matter! You’ll find reliable tailers, morning and evening, chironomid feeders, caddis risers, the first big hatches of caenid mayflies are occurring and the red spinner hatches are well underway, and the highland duns are starting to pop up on the lower elevation waters.

LAKE MEADOWBANK There were over a 1000 Atlantic salmon, averaging 1.5kg released in August, so there should be a few left for November! I’ve also had reports of a few nice little brownies being caught too, so there are still a few trout left after the ‘draw down’ in autumn and winter.

November has traditionally been a red hot month for Meadowbank with red spinner hatch and caenid hatches. I don’t know what will eventuate this season after the lake was drained for six weeks earlier in the year back to the original Derwent with all the shallows exposed. If the forecast is good it may be worth a look, I’d stick to the bays adjacent to where the river widens out into the main lake well north of the bridge, this is where some very deep water and good shallows meet. It is always a good spot to find a fish or six and the deeper water would’ve protected the aquatic life better when the lake was drained.

BRADY’S CHAIN There have been some good fat fish caught

through the system with plenty in the 750g range.

These fish are probably the ones that were stocked as fingerlings three seasons ago, so it seems they have survived well; coupled with the 5000 Great Lake fish stocked into the system during winter there should be some good fishing to be had.

The normal hot spots will be the go for the trollers and lure casters such as the Whitewater, Dee Tunnel area and the interconnecting canals. If you get a blue sky day you can do a lot worse than having a look at the island shore of Lake Binney.

Features of this shore are a beautiful grassy bottom with scattered fallen trees and stumps, it’s a perfect polarising spot and the trout standout very well as they cruise in around all the structure. It’s also a good spot to find tailers morning and evening.

WOODWARD’S BROADWATER The Broadwater has fished well so far this season. The water is currently backed right up and has flooded over into the grassy verges with the trout feeding well. By November the levels will have receded a touch but the fishing here will still be outstanding.

It’s a great spot for tailing fish but also for midging fish. A small Iron Blue Dun in a size 14 or 16 or a small Possum Emerger, about a 14, gets eaten.

If you find tailers or fish just slowly cruising in the shallows, again the Possum Emerger is tops in size 12 or a Zulu. Other

The fish have responded well to the high water and the flushed out food. than that, well I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, stick a 007 Nymph under the Zulu as an indicator.

BRONTE LAGOON The fish are as fat as butter this season, which seems to be an expectation of things to come for Bronte. I reckon it’s going to be a corker of a season!

The early morning midge feeders, especially if it’s a frosty morning earlier in the month, can be exceptional and very good fishing can be had from the shore. The Red Rocks shore is a firm favourite as is the shore around Rowallan Bay and Tailers Bay. You can get fancy with dry chironomid patterns but I’ve always used an Iron Blue Dun, Zulu, small Possum Emerger or the Bronte Caddis. If you work your way through these great patterns with no result, well the morning is getting late and it’s time

for bacon and eggs! If no risers are evident at dawn stay back from the lake edge on any grassy shore and you are likely to spot good numbers of fish in close.

Of an evening I like the Red Rocks shore and Bull Rush Point, especially if there is a light southerly or easterly breeze. Don’t leave it too late to venture out either, I’ve often found good numbers of cruising and tailing fish here in the mid-afternoon on overcast days.

It’s a great shore with an undulating bottom, I’m sure the fish like it because they can make forays into the very shallow water but it’s only a short retreat to a bit deeper water for safety and security. Plus, there is a good population of scud and snails and other trout lollies in the area.

Surface action assured as insects go on the move CENTRAL HIGHLANDS

Neil Grose vfmeditor@fishingmonthly.com.au

If there is one month on the entire fishing calendar that promises so much, it is November.

In normal seasons the beetles are on the wing, caddis are popping nicely on grassy shores, the first of the mayfly are driving us mad on Penstock and the world is a happy place.

ARTHURS LAKE November is always a transitional month on Arthurs, my old guiding diary tells me that it can be the best of months and the worst of months, often on the same day!

Gum beetles are the focus for surface anglers, especially on warm days at the northern end of the lake or where the wind draws off the bottom

of the islands. It can take a decent fall or two to get the fish properly looking for beetles, as I’m convinced that if there is a better feed on offer then trout will take it in preference to a beetle.

With the continued high levels on Arthurs, I highly recommend getting out of the boat and walking the shallow shores. This is polaroiding heaven – the water has a tinge to it where you can get a bit closer to the fish than in crystal water.

Don’t be lulled into the popular bays either, some of the best shore-based fishing is in places that you would often drive straight past. The entire eastern shore of Brazendale Island is awesome, but it is patchy. You can fish for 100m and see nothing, then catch 10 without moving!

GREAT LAKE November sees the beginning of the surface

Christopher Bassano brings a Lake Ada brown to hand – Ada is a vastly under-rated waterway that deserves to be fished more.

sport on this big lake. With an increase in the elevation of the sun and a general increase in surface food, trout will start to stay on the surface in the hunt for a feed. If we get a warm spring with plenty of sun, the big lake can be as good as mid summer, but it is a leap of faith. The shore-based polaroiding is fantastic, and while there will be plenty of competition for a spot out west, you will have kilometres of shore to yourself on Great Lake with better results.

LITTLE PINE LAGOON The Pine is pretty darn fine in November – early mornings see the tailing near its peak, rough days see a continuation of the marvellous boat based wet fly fishing and any calm, warm and overcast days will, just maybe, see a sprinkle of mayflies, especially in the

northern bays and around the island in front of the shack.

WESTERN LAKES This is pretty much the last month I fish the Nineteen Lagoons, as I get frustrated by the numbers of anglers ‘out west’ once December starts. The dry fly fishing is superb in November as the shallow water warms quickly on sunny days – getting trout active and on the fin.

Lake Ada is vastly under-rated as a shore-based fishery, especially on the eastern side and southern banks. Many see this water as a spot of last resort, but it is always my first choice.

Levels will be dropping out west, so many of the flooded backwaters on the James River between the two Lake Augusta water bodies will be either dry or drying, but this does mean that there are more fish in the main lakes.

It’s all happening on the coast NTH WST COAST

Bryan Van Wyk bryanvwy@hotmail.com

November is an exciting month for many anglers across the North West Coast! This is where it all starts happening again, with many of our migratory summer species beginning to show up as the water temperature increases.

SALTWATER On the saltwater side of things, most anglers will venture out wide on the calm days in search for decentsized sand flathead, gummy shark and the possible idea of an early mako. These three

species are great because you can organise a trip where you can chase all three and ensure yourself a top day out!

The usual trick is to start at 50m of water (approximately10km offshore) and establish a berley trail while you begin your drift. To pass the time, set up a paternoster rig with oily baits and enjoy catching flathead and gummy shark.

If you aren’t targeting makos you can start a drift at about 30m deep. Remember that you must put up with gurnards to catch the goodfish!

If the weather turns bad or there’s not much biting, the best option is to come in

close to our inshore reefs or river mouths, hang a squid jig over the side and begin casting lures in search of Australian salmon. November can produce massive schools of baitfish that ignite a feeding frenzy of Australian salmon.

Just keep your eye out for bust-ups or try trolling lures until you find the fish. You might even be lucky enough to accidently catch an early kingfish!

There are many options on the salt to choose from this month, so plan ahead and pick your weather!

FRESHWATER For flyfishers, November produces some magnificent

dry and wet fly opportunities in rivers and lakes.

We can expect everything from big caddis hatches on the streams to large mud eye migrations in the bigger bodies of water such as the Guide Reservoir. If you are spinning, be sure to check out places like the Guide Reservoir, Pet Dam and/or Lake Mikany.

With the warmer temperatures come increases in metabolic rates for trout, which can increase your opportunities as more big trout go into feeding mode.

With this in mind, many anglers will focus on rivers as they can produce larger quantities of fish with an

A typical gummy shark picked up while waiting for a mako to show. increased chance of a true trophy. Ideal spots to target would be the Emu River,

Leven River, Forth River, Cam River and the Blythe River.

HYDRO TASMANIA WATER STORAGE INFORMATION Water Storage Information as at 6th October 2013 Lake/Lagoon

Metres from full

Comment

Lake Augusta ...................................1.78 ..................................................Rising Arthurs Lake ....................................0.26 ..................................................Steady Great Lake .......................................13.64 ................................................Steady Trevallyn Pond .................................-.........................................................Spilling Shannon Lagoon ..............................0.07 ..................................................Steady Penstock Lagoon .............................-.........................................................Spilling Lake Echo ........................................6.43 ..................................................Steady Dee Lagoon .....................................0.19 ..................................................Steady Bradys/Binneys/Tungatinah .............0.04 ..................................................Steady Bronte Lagoon .................................0.01 ..................................................Steady Pine Tier Lagoon ..............................-.........................................................Spilling Little Pine Lagoon ............................0.19 ..................................................Rising Laughing Jack Lagoon ....................0.53 ..................................................Rising Lake St Clair ....................................1.04 ..................................................Rising Lake King William ............................0.05 ..................................................Steady Lake Liapootah ................................1.71 ..................................................Rising Wayatinah Lagoon ...........................-.........................................................Spilling Lake Catagunya ...............................-.........................................................Spilling

Lake Repulse ...................................-.........................................................Spilling Cluny Lagoon ...................................-.........................................................Spilling Meadowbank Lake ..........................0.31 ..................................................Rising Lake Pedder ....................................0.39 ..................................................Steady Lake Gordon ....................................19.47 ................................................Steady Lake Burbury ...................................1.97 ..................................................Rising Lake Plimsoll ...................................5.11 ..................................................Rising Lake Murchison ...............................-.........................................................Spilling Lake Mackintosh .............................0.9 ....................................................Rising Lake Rosebery .................................-.........................................................Spilling Lake Pieman ....................................2.04 ..................................................Rising Lake Mackenzie ...............................-.........................................................Spilling Lake Rowallan .................................-.........................................................Spilling Lake Parangana ...............................-.........................................................Spilling Lake Cethana ...................................1.63 ..................................................Rising Lake Barrington ...............................-.........................................................Spilling Lake Gairdner ..................................0.11 ..................................................Rising Lake Paloona ...................................-.........................................................Spilling Woods Lake .....................................0.44 ..................................................Steady Whitespur Pond ...............................3.28 ..................................................Rising Lake Newton ...................................2.51 ..................................................Rising Lake Margaret .................................-.........................................................Spilling

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 V&TFM

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Cold water heats up fishing HOBART

Justin Causby

November is here and the weather is looking good.

Regular flows have been constant in the Derwent, following on from continued doses of very cold water from the highlands with every storage spilling from rain and snow melt.

It’s a good chance to look back and see just what affect this had on the fishery. There was plenty of food around for the trout with good numbers of baitfish. August saw lots of larger bait in their diets along with plenty of eels of varying sizes.

Whitebait schools were showing at the start of September, despite the water temperature. At times they were spread across the river rather than hard up against the banks, with the tell-tale signs on calmer days.

The trout were also in good numbers. Probably not as many as last season, but they were in incredible condition and very good average size; some fish went over the 3kg mark at 60cm in length.

I would like to think that given the cooler than

Justin and Max Rigby of Team Rig fishing the open expanses south of the Bridgewater Bridge. usual water temperatures, we might see the better fish feature a little longer than they have in previous years.

Traditionally November would see the trout start to thin out quickly, aside from the scores of barely legal size fish that invade the mid reaches each and every year.

It’s a very healthy sign but they can become a little annoying at times trying to wade through them for the better fish.

Last season it was possible to target a Derwent trout over the entire 12 months. I haven’t seen this

before but it’s something I hope can continue.

One of the reasons I guess we tend to ‘forget’ about the trout are the very impressive Derwent black bream. We all know how solid our local fish are and it’s certainly no secret around Australia these days. The bream are now pushing upstream readying for the spawning season over the Christmas period. They can be found in excellent numbers right up to and around New Norfolk.

It should be noted that bream are spawning and, given they are schooling and are very readily caught, they are on the ‘do not consume’

Leigh McKenzie of Bream and Trout Fishing Tasmania with another very good Derwent trout.

Isaac Harris with a beautifully marked Derwent brown. list of species in the Derwent.

This is due to unhealthy past practises of the modern world through the 70s and 80s in particular. The Derwent is improving markedly and is today a very clean waterway.

Unfortunately the sediment on the bottom of the river will not turn over so quickly, hence why the bream and shellfish warnings are in place. It goes without saying Derwent River bream should be returned to the water. The specimens I’ve eaten from the east coast showed they are far from a good table fish, but I’ve no qualms in anyone keeping a few fish for a feed.

Our local tributaries will be starting to offer a little life for the fly angler in particular. Lower water levels

and steady flows all pointing to good insect life. Not only the majors like the Tyenna and Styx rivers, but right in Hobart streams, such as New Town Rivulet, offer some ultra-light sport not far from many people’s front doors.

Lake Pedder also offering the first signs of mudeye hatches as we move toward December. The enormous midge fishery is also hotting up. In the right conditions these rising fish can last right through the morning just like the windlanes that can stretch on for hours. While I really enjoy the hot summer months out here it can be an exciting time if you hit the right day with the fly. Regardless, Pedder is a very reliable lure fishery any day of the year.

There’s a little ray of sunshine TASMANIA OFFSHORE

Kelly Hunt

The weather has started to play the game in Tasmania.

The daylight hours are stretching out to around 14, and when the sun is out, the temperature is peaking to an average of 19ºC. Okay, so it’s not quite Florida, but given the weather we have had it’s a start!

So here it comes, game fishing season 2014 is marching ever closer. It is still way too early to target

a big mako or tuna of any species, but there are some things to keep in mind.

Striped trumpeter season is back open and the crayfish season starts in November.

These are fine reasons to knock the cobwebs off the ‘pride and joy’ and put her in the water. Most boats will have had a fairly idle time over the winter, so a gentle sneak about for a stripey, or soak a pot to catch a few crayfish is a great idea. This can allow any issues that might arise from an out of the blue electrical problem or mechanical gremlin to be

found, sorted and fixed before the season proper.

If you have not been out for a while you will be super keen and rushing to get out amongst them. Much better to take your time and make sure you have everything and, if you have some new crew members, work through the checklist.

ON THE WATER AT LAST Getting out and searching for a spot to smash some fresh baits in close is the first port of call. Jig for some squid, as with any reef dwelling species squid are the first go-to fresh

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V&TFM

bait. Once you have a few squid for bait, and some for a feed, motor out to your desired spot.

The desired spot will be around 70-100m and have a reefy bottom. Start here, and then fish right out to 300m when searching for bigger units. The key is not to get too fussy when looking for suitable reef. Without the luxury of some proven sounder marks it will be a case of drop and explore. If your bait is fresh and looking good you should have an enquiry in 10 minutes or so. If not, haul up and look for another spot.

While idling about scouring the sounder look for depth transition of any kind: edges, holes, drop-off or pinnacles. Like any other reef species these are the formations where they lie in wait or are resting out of the currents.

Get a nicely presented squid tentacle or triangle hood near these and you should be good to go.

If you would like to stay away from those nasty red spikey mongrels, the dreaded gurnard, wind up a couple of turns when you get a sense your sinker has hit the bottom. As you know getting spiked by one of these bug-eyed monsters is not going to be some of your best work.

Don’t forget to throw down some cray pots on your way out to bottom bash.

It will be well worth it this month.

If you have a good pair of gloves and get stuck for fresh bait, fillets of gurnard are a reasonable option. But my advice would be to stay well clear.

FOUND EM! You will know if you have found a patch of striped trumpeter because they are not shy at gulping down your wonderfully presented bait and heading for home. They put up a good tussle and if you are using multiple hook rigs, three fish at a time is not uncommon.

If on a search mission, a large soft plastic like Berkleys Gulp 6.5 Nemesis on the top hook banging away can work to good effect. These are an Australian design and have a big ribbon tail that attracts a lot of attention.

The wind will more often pick up as the day wears on and this is the signal to head back inshore with your bag of striped trumpeter, and check the cray pots you left to soak while you were out bottom bashing.

With that stiff breeze, and a bit of luck, you may find a couple of good size red legs and have the makings of a seafood banquet.

The very best thing you can possibly do as the season rolls closer is get into your local tackle store and make a connection.

The owners and staff are very well informed and love making sure you are on the right track with some relevant and area specific information.

Tamar temp on fire GEORGE TOWN

Damon Sherriff

The Tamar River has really started to fire. The water temperature has begun to rise and is currently around 13.5ºC.

LOW HEAD Low Head has been fishing really well. Local anglers have been targetting barracouta at the last Farewell Beacons.

One lucky angler recently landed a fish he did not bargain for. He was trolling

The calamari are starting to spawn around the Tamar Heads

for couta when his light spinning rod buckled over and started howling off yards of line. After a massive battle the angler netted a beautiful 4.7kg Atlantic salmon, which may have been one of the escapees from the local fish farm situated about 10km upstream.

Other anglers have reported seeing seals throwing big Atlantics out of the water.

Also at Low Head the southern calamari have just started spawning. Good catches have been taken around the shallow sea grass beds around the Low Head area. The best colour jigs have been lime green and fluoro yellow and the run-in tide seems to be the most productive.

GEORGE TOWN The George Town area has been turning on a bit of action as well. Local anglers have been enjoying an excellent run of Australian salmon. They have been of a good size up to 2.5kg.

One keen angler has had some great fun targetting the salmon on the fly. The best places to fish for them have been on the West Tamar over at Kelso. There have been no birds working on the schools

Many anglers are waiting the start of the Tamar’s annual snapper run. so the best way to find them is to look for disturbed water coursed by the fish and bait fish. Silver slice lures have been the most productive.

Good schools of salmon have also turned up along the North Coast.

Some nice flathead are also being caught around the Low Head area. They are full of roe and are being taken mainly around the West Head area. They are being caught in around 20m of water.

UPPER TAMAR Since the floodwaters have subsided the fishing has been really good. Some good catches of sea trout have been taken recently from the North Esk River and Trevallyn Tailrace.

Some have been of good size up to 4kg.

The sea trout are being caught by a mixture of methods; bait and lure fishing have been equally productive.

BATMAN BRIDGE It has been a bit quiet of late but this is the time of year to start the search for big red.

It’s a good idea to start looking for snapper feeding in the shallows just on dark and through the night until dawn. The fish at this time of year tend to be a bit bigger than the school fish you catch through the summer months. They can weigh up to 12kg.

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Gold down below

Australian Yellowbelly Championship tournament angler CHRIS FRITH outlines how to jig for golden perch The concept of vertically jigging for golden perch has grown enormously in the past few years, largely due to the growth of competitive yellowbelly fishing in which anglers are constantly trying and refining new techniques.

The popularity of vertical presentations is easily justified; in many situations it is simply the most effective method of catching yellowbelly.

Vertically jigging is the process of targeting specific populations of fish directly under you. It is especially effective on shut-down fish, allowing anglers to hold their

and up to 13ft when fishing cooler water.

Lipless crankbaits and blades are the weapons of choice for bottom tapping; something with a bit of weight that will maintain good bottom contact.

My preferred lures are Jackall Mask Vibes, TT Switchblades and Mazzy Vibes, although the new Atomic Semi Hardz Vib lures are sure to be a big hit on the yellowbelly scene.

Use darker colours when targeting deep fish; these will stand out the most where there is low visibility by creating a sharp silhouette.

Black and purple patterns are

drop your lure to the bottom and take up slack line so any rod tip movement will transfer to the lure.

Lift and drop the rod tip repeatedly without reeling in any line, allowing the lure to bump and dart off the bottom to stir up silt and mud.

The ideal rod-lift length will vary day to day but about 50cm is pretty standard.

Every couple of minutes it is well worth initiating a full retrieve, which can trigger a bite from nearby fish watching the presentation. A full retrieve also explores the possibility of hungry goldens holding mid-water.

The metabolism of the

Scoffed! Soft vibes such as the Atomic Semi-Hardz and Jackall Mask series are great choices for vertically jigging.

A selection of plastics, vibes and blades that are well suited to vertical presentations. offerings right in strike zone for extended periods.

There are a number of situations where this technique can be employed, such as targeting fish holding tight to timber, sitting in creek beds or feeding off bait-ball edges. These factors will dictate the lure and which of the two main techniques you should use.

BOTTOM TAPPING This technique is best used for targeting fish holding tight to the bottom, particularly in the Summer when yellowbelly seek the cooler depths.

A quality sounder will allow you to identify fish holding in open water, on drop-offs or creek beds but it can still take a keen eye and well set-up unit to pinpoint bottom huggers.

For those without such luxuries, a ‘hit and miss’ approach on standing timber is hard to beat. The ideal depth will depend on the day, but I typically focus on 25-35ft during Summer 70

NOVEMBER 2013

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great deep-water performers.

When targeting shallower depths, natural colours are my mainstay.

Once you have found likely-looking water, simply

fish should dictate how long is dedicated to a particular snag or drop. Sometimes it may take a good 20 minutes to ignite a bite but this can often be backed up by a

frenzy of multiple catches in the following minutes.

SLOW ROLLING Slow rolling is the process of repeatedly sinking an offering to the

Going deep for gold can pay dividends. A Jackall Mask Vibe did the damage on this healthy fish.

Fishing thick timber can be extremely rewarding. Soft plastics are a great option for rugged terrain as they’re relatively cheap to lose.

bottom and starting a slowpaced full retrieve. When the yellowbelly are sitting mid-column it is definitely the technique of choice.

Selecting targets is similar to the bottom tapping approach, with the main difference being taking advantage of the side scanning feature which can be fitted on most modern sounders.

I use a Lowrance HDS7 with StructureScan to identify trees holding active fish mid-column.

They display as white dots separated from the main structure body. This allows me to target structures holding more active fish.

Soft plastics come into their own for slow rolling.

The realistic and unassuming presentation of a well-rigged

Even yellowbelly holding in shallow water will respond to a lure.

Suspended fish are suckers for slowly rolled soft plastics. plastic makes these lures proverbial jellybeans for golden perch.

Curl-tail grubs are my pick for this technique but paddletails, jerkbaits and hawg type patterns are also successful.

The general rule for any plastics fishing is to use the lightest jighead possible while maintaining the desired effect of the lure.

Depending on line weight and depth, anywhere from 1/8oz-3/8oz will cover most situations, with 1/4oz the reliable mainstay of many.

Timber-lined banks are reliable areas to begin a hit-and-miss approach.

A quality sounder can help identify snags holding active fish.

GEAR

The gear used for vertically targeting yellas changes according to the thickness of cover and lure weight.

The decision between spin and baitcast gear is a personal choice but I opt for baitcast rigs because they allow me to effectively monitor the sink rate of a lure. Often a slow drop works as well as a slow retrieve.

I use four combos which cover most situations. Remember, the larger snags often house the larger fish so don’t be afraid to beef up the artillery in thick cover.

Rod Reel Line Leader Open water light G.Loomis DRS842-2 IMX 4-8lb Pflueger Patriarch 9525 4lb Unitika Silver thread 8lb Unitika Aiger 111 Thin timber medium light Samurai Reaction B251 4-10lb Pflueger Patriarch XT LP 8lb SAS braid 8lb Unitika Aiger 111 Thick timber medium Daiwa Steez MLFSA 4-12lb Shimano Stella 2500 10lb Power Pro 11lb Unitika Aiger 111 Heavy timber heavy Samurai Reaction B351 10-17lb Pflueger Patriarch WLP 15lb SAS Braid 11lb Unitika Aiger 111

Continued page 72

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NOVEMBER 2013

71

From page 71

When retrieving your plastic, it is good practice to resist striking when you feel a bite. Unlike with conventional lures, you don’t have a set of trebles to rely on so it is important to let the fish nibble its way up the plastic until it eventually finds the hook and loads up the rod.

Many soft plastics, such as Berkley Gulps, come pre-marinated which makes them a top choice for keeping fish interested.

Alternatively, a light coat of Halco Catch or Pro-Cure scent is well worth the effort.

WHERE? Most western impoundments have a massive army of standing timber so it can be hard to decide where to start.

I follow two principles:

Isolated timber is likely to harbour fish from a larger generalised area.

The other approach is to ‘go hard or go home’ and muscle into the thickest rubbish you’ve ever seen!

ADAPT Fish and fishing conditions are invariably

dynamic and it pays to change what you’re doing when required.

This comes down to just trying different things to see how it pans out.

If you’re targeting bottom huggers with blades and they ‘light up’ and rise all of a sudden,

Bottom Bottom Popping Popping

50 50 cm cm

LURES

There is no ‘best’; sometimes it’s rattling vibes, sometimes blades or plastics but these three will cover most situations: Bottom Tapping • 1/4oz TT Switchblade in golden boy • Jackall Mask Vibe 19g ghost black red belly • Mazzy Vibe in midnight shad

Slow Rolling • Z-Man 2.5” GrubZ pumpkinseed on 1/4oz Atomic Seekerz head • Atomic Bass Grub motor oil on 1/4oz Atomic Seekerz head • Berkley Gulp 3” Minnow Grub pumpkinseed on 1/4oz Atomic Seekerz head

Bounce Bounce off off bottom bottom 50 50 cm cm

Slow Slow Rolling Rolling

Retrieve Retrieve to to Surface Surface

Soft plastics will typically result in a solid hook-up, just try to resist striking at first bite!

don’t be afraid to drop a plastic down to drag past their noses.

There really is an

endless array of things to try when vertically targeting yellowbelly, such as ice jigs and UV stickers,

which could potentially become winning ways for forward-thinking anglers.

– Chris Frith

FISHING FILL-ITS

Stocked golden perch fisheries Last summer, Fisheries Victoria released more than 1 million golden perch fingerlings into 46 lakes and 12 rivers.

These fish were funded by recreational fishing licence fees and

the State Government’s $16 million Recreational Fishing Initiative.

The fingerlings will take 3-4 years to reach legal minimum size (30cm), however, many of the 58 waters have a long history

of golden perch stocking so already support good populations.

We l l - e s t a b l i s h e d stocked lakes include: • Lake Eildon • Lake Hume • Cairn Curran Reservoir

The fingerlings will take 3-4 years to reach legal minimum size (30cm),

More than 1 million golden perch fingerlings were released into 46 lakes and 12 rivers.

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• Kangaroo Lake (shallow) • Lake Charm (shallow) • Lake Nagambie • Lake Nillahcootie • Taylors Lake (Horsham)

• Lake Eppalock (still on the come-back following drought, but should begin to deliver much improved golden perch fishing in 2014

and 2015.

For more information about native fish stocking visit www.depi.vic.gov.au/ nativefish2013. – DEPI

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NOVEMBER 2013

VFM NOVEMBER 2013

• • • •

73

Crazy Charlie BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

The Crazy Charlie is an iconic and ubiquitous used pattern by flyfishers all over the world.

This small pattern was originally designed for targeting bonefish but will tempt a broad array of species in fresh and saltwater. I would hate to try and recall all the species I have taken on the Crazy Charlie and all its various clones.

This is an extremely simple pattern to tie and fish with. The Crazy Charlie does not imitate any food item too closely, which is probably why so many species show interest in it. Like many patterns that have survived the test of time, the Crazy Charlie has a rather interesting story attached to its invention.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS Charlie Smith was a chef at the Lightouse Club, Andros. In addition to his talents in the kitchen, Charlie was also a keen and accomplished fisherman. In fact he once caught an 18lb bonefish from the beach directly in front of the resort.

However, because he was a coloured Bahamian man in a different era, his feats were never officially recognised. Nevertheless, it is reported that the bonefish fed 25 guests at the club that night.

The Lighthouse Club was a prestigious hot spot for big spending celebrities such as George Bush Sr, Ted Williams and numerous others associated with the ‘Rat Pack’. Anyhow, due to circumstances and a lack of quality guides, Charlie was called upon to leave the kitchen and guide two dignitaries, Bahamian Prime Minister Lynden Pindling and Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, who were visiting the resort. Charlie was told by his boss that it was very important for him to produce fish and keep them happy, and he feared that his job relied on it.

Charlie was very nervous about his responsibility and stayed up at the tying bench until 2.30am until he was happy with the new pattern, which was initially dubbed the ‘Nasty Charlie’ and

then later became known as the ‘Crazy Charlie’.

It was essentially a hook, weighted eyes and a chicken feather; yet this pattern produced five nice bones for the anglers the following day and Charlie Smith’s reputation and job were both saved. From here the Crazy Charlie has undergone several slight changes and variations but the format of the pattern remains the same.

MATERIALS The materials list for the Crazy Charlie is fairly minimal and there are loads of variations for you to experiment with.

The pattern is tied on a basic O’Shaunnessy hook and although I have used a Gamakatsu here, other suitable hooks are made

by Mustad, Tiemco, Black Magic and numerous others. Gamakatsu have recently released a special Bonefish SL45 hook which is chemically sharpened and has a fine wire construction for easy penetration.

Generally the Crazy Charlie is tied in sizes #4, #6 and #8. The winging material is commonly calf tail (or kiptail), which is the best, but numerous other materials could be experimented with including Streamer Hair, Hivis, bucktail, Kinky Fibre, Slinky Fibre, DNA Holo Fusion and Ghost Fibre, to name a few.

The ribbing on the hook shank is Minnow Body material however great substitutes could include Larva Lace, Clear Rib, Jelly Rib, Vinyl Rib, Mini Sparkle Braid or Diamond Braid.

The bead chain eyes are ideal for shallow water however Cyclops eyes, I-Balz, Real Eyes, Painted Eyes, Brite Eyes and Hourglass Eyes could be used, especially when fishing in deeper water or faster currents.

The Crazy Charlie is generally fished with two or three, short, sharp strips and then a pause to allow the fly to sink. Heavier eyes will increase this sink rate and may be required in certain situations. The minimal amount of flash adds some life-like appeal to the Crazy Charlie. The combination of materials, colours, sizes and eyes available are endless, which allows plenty of experimentation with the Crazy Charlie pattern.

1

2

3

Palmer (wrap) the thread along the hook shank until you are at the end of the shank where the bend starts. Tie in four or five altering, yet short, pieces of Krystal flash at this point so that they are pointing slightly downwards. Return the thread back up to the bead chain eyes.

Wrap the minnow body material firmly back along the hook shank with each wrap butted against the last. Once up to the eyes, wrap the minnow body material around the eyes in a figure-of-eight. Secure the end of the minnow body material with thread in the space between the hook eye and the bead chain eyes. Whip finish and add a little vinyl cement but do not remove the remaining thread.

Place the hook securely in the vice and attach the thread with a jamb knot just behind the hook eye. Lay down a bed of thread for around 5mm along the shank and then attach the bead chain eyes with a series of figure-ofeight wraps about 3mm behind the hook eye.

Just behind the eyes, secure the end of your minnow body material. Holding this material slightly upwards, secure it to the back of the hook shank with a series of firm thread wraps.

Return the thread to just behind the eyes.

4

6 Next cut a small portion of calf tail with the longest strands approximately one and a half times as long as the hook shank. Don’t use too much volume as the pattern is best when dressed sparsely. Tie these strands in at this same point and then whip finish, cut away the remaining thread and add a little vinyl cement.

5

Turn the fly over in the vice. Cut four or five strands of Krystal flash that are one and a half times as long as the hook and secure at this point.

TYING MATERIALS

HOOK...................Gamakatsu O’Shaunnessy #4 THREAD...............Flat-waxed nylon – Fluoro orange EYE .....................Bead chain – medium nickel FLASH..................Krystal Flash – orange RIBBING..............Minnow body material – pearl WING....................Calf tail – tan FINISH..................Vinyl cement 74

NOVEMBER 2013

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7

Your Crazy Charlie is now ready to be put to work catching species as diverse as bass and bonefish. Enjoy each and every species this pattern will catch for you and thank Charlie Smith for his ingenuity.

Small stream seduction DEVONPORT

Brett Smith

I usually start hitting a few small streams around my local area as soon as the kids start counting the days until Christmas.

Small stream fishing is the most intimate, personal approach there is to flyfishing.

Every bend, riffle, log and stone of a creek is quickly learnt even if you fish it only a few times. While the fish are better measured in centimetres rather than inches, on light gear it really is the most beautiful and relaxing times in a fly fishers season.

CORMORANT ISSUE Last season, cormorants stripped out small streams that were once very highly populated with small trout in Tasmanian and Victorian waters. While this was a bad thing for that period, I believe it will have a positive effect on small creeks in the seasons to follow as brown trout are one of the most robust species of fish.

Trout will soon repopulate these creeks from main river systems that they flow into, or what was left by these predatory birds.

So with the smaller population of fish this year, and bigger proportion of food per fish, we may just find ourselves catching pounders out of that stream that once only held tiny fish, so don’t be too quick to get down about it, as great fishing could follow!

You can bet the stream levels will be going down now to summer levels, which gets the eager red speckled residents keen to feed from the surface.

Caddis, mayfly and other hatches can all be present in November even on the tiniest streams and the fishing can be a lot like a larger river, except for the fish and stream size.

Don’t bother rigging up like a professional with all your bulky gear, as tight small streams and excess bulky gear don’t mix. This is really fly fishing stripped back to the bare minimum, just carry some tippet, a dozen or so dry flies, and if the weather has been pretty good leave the waders at home and opt for thermal bottoms and gaiters, as you rarely have to wade over knee deep in most tiny waters.

Many small creeks are tight for casting room and have a lot of overhanging trees, so it pays to downsize your fly rod to a #4wt or smaller, and try to

get that rod length down to as short as possible – 6’6” is a good length.

Clearwater creek trout are quite spooky normally, so get down low, present gently and be careful when wading to not be too heavy footed. If your bow waves precede you upstream, then you will most likely spook anything within casting range.

There are some great small streams around Tasmania and Victoria, and they really would number in the thousands. Most are driven over, rarely fished enough and just waiting for an enjoyable day to be had.

I cut my teeth as a young flyfisher on north west Tasmanian streams such as the Dasher and Minnow rivers, Mole, Lobster, western and Redwater creeks in the Mersey/Meander catchment areas of northern Tasmania, as well as the Gawler and Wilmot rivers in the Forth/ Leven areas.

Some legendary small streams exist in the north east of Tasmania as well.

The small creeks that flow into Lake Eildon are awesome too – and don’t get bogged down by the big named streams, look for the smaller headwaters.

™

4.8

Small streams are great places to share with a mate or mentor a beginner.

All these streams range from muddy bottomed paddock runnels, to tea coloured, stony bottomed forested creeks. There really are no hotspots any better than others to justify travelling excessive distances out of your region, so look local if you can.

If there’s a large river near you then it will most likely have small feeder creeks just waiting for a keen angler and they too will soon become special to you.

TRAIN THE KIDS If you’re ever going to break in your young ones on the art of flyfishing, small streams are one of the best places to take them along to. These waters are easy to walk along and mostly shallow for young anglers to be at your side to be mentored.

You may have to sacrifice easy open sections for their limited casting ability, but all they have to do is lay a straight line upstream in an untouched riffle, and that first take from a little creek trout can spark a passion that will last a lifetime.

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Small duns, spinners, beetles, Geehi Beetle and Guide’s Tags are good choices. If you chose you can run a small nymph dropper also to cover both bases, but November is a pretty reliable month for the dry fly in small streams.

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AUSTRALIAN RIVERS

LAST MONTH’S SOLUTION

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FIND-A-WORD COMPETITION WINNER Congratulations to Doug Tonkin of Lavington, 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

FINS SCALES & TALES

HAWK FISHING

FIND-A-WORD COMP

by A. Both

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: Hawk Tournament Competition PO box 3172, Loganholme Qld 4129

Name

BARRA COUNTRY

Address

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Find the Marukyu Isome Boy major prize winners BITE ME

by Trisha Mason

G&N

by Michael Hardy

The Major prize winners for July were: 1st prize H Hoekstron of Leongatha, who won $600 of Yamatoyo, Ecogear and Ecogearaqua products; 2nd prize D Antosiewicz, who won $400 of Yamatoyo,

Ecogear and Ecogearaqua products; and 3rd prize K Carter of Shepparton, who won $200 of Yamatoyo, Ecogear and Ecogearaqua products.

Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – V&TFM

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE The subscriber prize winner for September was Keith Dowell of Highton, who won two new rods from the Lox Crucis range.

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All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws.

Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – V&TFM

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Shipwreck Coast Fishing Classic More than 450 competitors took part in the 2013 Shipwreck Coast Fishing Classic held by the Warrnambool Offshore and Light Game Fishing Club.

With over $40,000 in prizes on offer, the Victorian seaside town of Warrnambool was buzzing with excitement as the daily weigh-ins attracted crowds of spectators to the local breakwater. The competition is an annual event and is open to the public. With approximately half of the entrants from out of town, it is fast becoming a great tourism drawcard for South West Victoria.

The weather was perfect, and plenty of people were able to enjoy the spectacular fishing found in our local region.

Dedicated fishos and the weekend warrior were all giving each other a hand when needed; families having fun together with kids and grandparents fishing side by side – this is what makes the event so popular and so worthwhile!

A wide variety of fish were weighed in for the comp: makos, gummies, schoolies, tuna, snapper, bream, whiting, trout,

perch, kingfish, sweep and salmon.

It was great to watch the kids as they marvelled at the fish brought up to the scales. Some memorable captures include: Jackson Wilson’s 103.10 kg mako shark caught on 24kg line; Paul Dumesney 2.5kg snapper; Stephen Rhook’s southern bluefin tuna of 22.55kg on 15kg line; Helen Bartlett with a blue morwong of 2.65kg; Clayton Smith’s gummy shark of 22kg; Harry McLoughlin’s snapper of

1.40kg (junior); Darcy Dodoro’s gummy shark of 6.30kg (junior).

The presentation on the final day saw raffles of local seafood, and plenty of lucky draw prizes thanks to the generosity of local sponsors. There were free sample bags for all the kids with goodies galore to encourage their interest in fishing.

The major prize was a boat and motor package worth $17,000, and the tension was electric as the major prize was drawn.

au), helping raise $5 million toward the building of a desperately needed Integrated Cancer Care Centre in Warrnambool.

The competition is aimed at all fishing groups, from the dedicated offshore enthusiast to families, and covers a wide range of species – including estuarine and fresh water fish.

Introducing kids to fishing, and helping them develop a passion for the sport is a focus of the event. We will be holding a free kids fishing education session and BBQ on Sunday 9 March in conjunction with FishCare.

This promises to be loads of fun with plenty of helpers to share some wisdom, and plenty of giveaways to make a kids day.

We could not hold such a wonderful event without the help from our sponsors, and we are truly grateful to them for their continuing support.

Special thanks to the Coastguard for providing their services for the event, and all the members of the Warrnambool Offshore and Light Game Fishing Club for their efforts in making

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Congratulations to Mrs Rantall for taking it home!

Next year’s comp will be held on 1-10 March 2014, and promises to be bigger and better than ever. There are quality prizes for heaviest fish in all categories and, as something new, prizes will be awarded in a random draw for most species. This means that you just need to weigh in a fish for that species to be eligible. 2014 will also see two boat and motor packages offered as major prizes.

The entry fee is $25 per adult, and $5 for kids.

The 2014 event will be supporting Peters Project (www.petersproject.org.

READER’S PICTURE

7

36

this event run so smoothly.

Our club has in excess of 100 members. We are a group of passionate, dedicated anglers of all ages who are keen to help others get into fishing, have a bit of fun, and do some good for the local community.

If you are interested in more information either as a competitor or a sponsor, please see our website for details www.wolgfc.com.

Visit our Facebook site www.facebook.com/ shipwreckcoastfishing classic for more information about the fishing competition.

We would love to see you there!

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Danny moon with a 75cm cod caught at The Narrows, a stretch of the Murray near Mathoura just before the Barmah lakes.

FMG SB

Derwent River Trout Classic HOBART

Justin Causby

The first ever Derwent River Trout Classic was run over the weekend Sept 7-8 on the wellknown big bream waters in the Tasmanian Capital.

The Derwent River in August to October is without question the best fishery in the state. Along with the excellent bream, there are solid resident brown trout and exceptional searun trout, which get the locals excited each year.

The Classic kicked off at 7am on Saturday with a strong westerly blowing over the Austins Ferry Yacht Club. All but two of the 19 starters headed up stream. About 30 minutes into the event Team FBT. com.au turned up back at the ramp with a partner on her way to hospital to have a baby it was a short day on the water!

As the boats started to return to the tag board leading up to 2pm it was clear it was a tough day on the water. Half the field had landed only two or three fish. However, the always consistent Team

Liquid Gold Lox, Damien Virieux and Andrew Pender, smashed the first day with 10 fish at 443cm; double that of their nearest rivals Team ASU with 17yo Brad Townsend and James Mackay who had five at 243cm. Sitting in third was Team Bream and Trout Fishing Tasmania with tournament regular and local guide Leigh McKenzie and Lochie Young on four fish at 201cm.

Sunday saw conditions look far more favourable for anglers. All teams headed north to chase the bags that we knew were out there.

As teams made their way back for the 2pm deadline some far better bags were being reported.

Team FBT even made it out

on to the water with a firsttime Dad aboard and landed four solid fish. Storming all the way from 12th place on Day 1 were Team Tairyo Fish Whisperers with Tim Lowe and Steve Linton landing 11 fish/436cm to take their bag to 12/482.

They couldn’t hit their day one spot from high winds but found it suitable on day two with one of the best comebacks I can remember!

Finishing in 2nd place was Team Duo International/ Smiths Ltd with Leighton Beer and Isaac Harris who found 8 very solid trout at 367cm for a 11/496 bag.

Holding on for the win was Team Liquid Gold Lox but not before a few nervous moments with a very blank score card around midday before finding fish

late to finish with 17 fish and 719cm.

The River Monster Howler Custom Rod prize for longest trout went to Lochie Young with a 66cm resident brown. Another notable capture was a 60cm sea-runner caught by Chris Rowlands that went over 3kg on the scales.

The NNLAA ran the event as part of their charity fundraising. Since the competition they have donated $1,500 to a young girl suffering from Angelmans Syndrome to help build a liberty swing at Glenora Primary School.

Thank you to all who took part and supported the event.

The idea of the Trout Classic was floated just six weeks prior to the event by members of the

Lochie Young with the 66cm river monster

DERWENT RIVER TROUT CLASSIC TOP 10 RESULTS

Place Team 1 Liquid Gold Lox 2 Duo International/Smiths LTD 3 Tairyo Fish Whisperers 4 Sebile Old Fellows 5 ASU 6 Scooby’s Trainees 7 Bream & Trout Fishing Tasmania 8 AliGra 9 Bream It On 10 Damiki/Pontoon 21/Fish Arrow

Anglers Andrew Pender - Damian Virieux Leighton Beer - Isaac Harris Steve Linton - Tim Lowe Martin Exel - Laurie Harrison James Mackay - Brad Townsend John Spaulding - Chris Rowlands Lockie Young - Leigh McKenzie Alistair Creed - Grant Stingel Josh Williams - Nigel Harris Martyn Evans - Tony Roberston

2013

Fish 17 11 12 11 9 9 7 7 5 6

+ COD CLASSIC

cm 719 496 482 444 433 431 310 287 226 218

New Norfolk Licensed Anglers Assoc. They set about getting the event up and running and making it worthwhile to attract anglers and hopefully return next year. The NNLAA would like to see a three event series and a Team of the Year crowned in future seasons and the idea has plenty of support from anglers.

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Cooking with Jamo

Wild Harris Creek smoked trout pate with toast COOKING

Jamison Godfrey

Nicole and I took the kids fishing today with the intention of catching some red cod or some Tassie flathead, which I was planning on smoking and doing something with, but

to our surprise Nic ended up catching 1lb trout!

This creek meets the beach with very deep channels and a trout was not what we were targeting, but we’ll take it just the same! The fish was caught in the creek mouth, which is pretty much the sea, so unlucky trout I say, it smoked up beautifully!

METHOD Once the trout is filleted, remove as many bones as possible leaving the skin on.

To smoke, I place some paperbark (which is available at selected spice shops or online) in a baking tray, then place a wire rack on the top of the tray, and place the trout fillets on top. Sprinkle

INGREDIENTS

1 x 450g sea trout cleaned and filleted with skin on Handful of paperbark for smoking Brown sugar and salt 250g cream cheese 100ml pouring cream A few sprigs of dill chopped Juice and zest of 1 lemon Freshly milled black pepper and salt to taste Turkish bread to toast the fillets with a little brown sugar and salt, cover with foil, place over a low heat on the stove and hot smoke for

1.

about 10 minutes, depending on the size of your fish.

When smoking fish, most people brine the fillets; this

4.

A surprize catch at Wild Harris Creek – a 1lb trout!

2.

Smoking!

Beautiful fresh ingredients.

5.

3.

Ready to get smoked.

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The finished product – delicious!

is a cheat’s way that also gets this caramelised effect on the fillets, which adds fantastic sweet flavour!

Place the cream cheese, cream, chopped dill and juice and zest of the lemon and pulse in the food processor until smooth.

Flake the trout fillets in and pulse again being careful not to blitz too much, check the seasoning and you’re done!

Slice some Turkish bread, toast and serve.

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NOVEMBER 2013

81

Kayak, canoe, which one for you THE TWEED

Roderick Walmsley ru4reelcharters@gmail.com

Working in a specialist kayak and canoe store really fires up your interest in more remote fisheries. It’s very rewarding to fish somewhere that powered boats can’t get to.

There are lots of other good reasons to get a kayak though, and there are plenty of kayaks out there that are good all-rounders, suited to a variety of activities and conditions.

Other craft are designed to suit specific fishing applications.

When you’re a first-time kayaker, it’s easy to select a craft based on how it fits your budget, rather than thinking about what its main use will be. This is a problem, because when you start using it you’ll find it’s not really enjoyable.

It will end up sitting idle in your garage, or worse – on the internet for sale.

Let’s take a look at some of the styles of kayaks and canoes on the market and what makes each one different from its close cousins. With all the variety out there, you’ll be able to find one that suits your needs without breaking the bank.

scupper bungs – tapered plugs that you can push into the drain holes. If you do find yourself in a situation whereby the kayak takes on water, you simply yank the bungs out and the water will drain away.

These bungs can be a big plus on cold mornings.

Sit-on-top kayaks can be used in a host of different ways, from the surf to calm water in both the salt and the fresh.

When you’re buying one, look at the shape first. Models that are wide and short are harder to paddle, but are more stable.

Long and narrow models are faster but less stable.

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choice of calm water boaters due to the fact that you can store items in the seating area as well as in the designated storage compartments.

As with the sit-on-top kayaks, you’ll find that the better boats usually cost a bit more due to hull design and material quality.

CANOES Even though canoes can be used to fish areas with rapids, they are usually a dedicated calm water craft. Canoes are favoured by boaters who want plenty of internal space, which is why these are such a good option for extended trips. They

The Ocean Kayak Tetra is a great multipurpose kayak.

Sit on top kayaks like this are a great rough water fishing boat.

Longer kayaks with sleek hulls can be a pleasure to paddle.

KAYAK – SIT ON TOP This is one of the most popular styles of light watercraft on the market. It is easy to use, generally quite manageable to launch and can easily be transported on a set of roof racks.

These kayaks come in dual and single person versions, which makes them attractive to both families as well as anglers. Because you sit on top of them rather than inside them, they can handle much rougher conditions. Due to the nature of these craft, you will usually be a bit higher off the water with no ‘gunwales’ to negotiate when casting or paddling.

Sit-on-top kayaks usually have drain holes that allow excess water that comes over the bow, stern or sides to rapidly drain away. The downside to this is that water will also slop up through these drain holes while paddling.

You can stop this by adding

conditions can be harsh on watercraft. Good quality UV stabilised polyethylene will rapidly increase the working life of your kayak, and ensure that it can handle many of the knocks that these craft often have to endure.

The storage in sit on top kayaks is limited to the amount of hatch or compartment space in them. Using dry bags is a must if you don’t want your gear to get wet.

KAYAK – SIT IN Because you sit inside these kayaks rather than on top of them, you’ll normally have a lower centre of gravity. The

There are slight variations to this rule, depending on specific hull designs. Some of the major brands, which can be admittedly be more expensive, put a lot of R&D into their hulls to make them paddle faster while still being quite stable.

Another factor to consider is what material the craft is made of, because Australian

fact that these craft have sides also means you’ll stay drier.

It’s great in the colder months because you can rug up against the cold without having to worry too much about getting wet. The only water that you will get in your kayak will be drips from your paddles, but if you adjust your paddle stroke, and if your paddle features a good set of drip rings, you can cut this right down.

The downside to a sit-in kayak is that it’s not ideal for rough conditions. Unless you wear a quality spray skirt that fits over the top of your boat to make it watertight, you don’t want to use a sit-in around rough water.

Sit in kayaks are known for their exceptional paddle ability. They come in single and dual-person models, with the dual-person models usually preferred by touring kayakers that want to use the boat for extended paddles.

These craft are often the

handle weight reasonably well and the large models (designed to carry two or even three people) can be extremely stable on the water. They are often designed to allow for electric or even outboard motors to be added, and can accommodate batteries and motor brackets.

A good quality canoe will paddle really well, and will be a pleasure to use when travelling long distances on our river systems.

The material they’re made from can greatly influence their lifespan and, to an extent, how they perform on the water.

A good quality UV-stabilised polyethylene will allow your canoe to withstand the harsh Australian conditions, and if you step up to something like Royalex you’ll decrease its weight substantially.

RIGHT FOR THE JOB Once you have chosen the model and make of your canoe or kayak, you need to

Sit in kayaks like this offer a low centre of gravity and can be a drier option.

get down to the nitty-gritty.

As yourself whether you want it to be a fishing platform, or for exercise. You can opt for a craft that does both, as long as you bear in mind there will be slight compromises in certain areas.

If you want a dedicated fishing craft, you’ll be spoilt for choice. These models have rod holders, tackle storage features and stacks of other angler-friendly benefits. How much you want to add to your craft to make it more userfriendly is also entirely up to you. The kayak and canoe accessories are endless – anchors, drogues, rod holders, fish finders and sails are just a few of the accessories out there.

Another important question to ask yourself is, what are the seats like?

You’ll be spending a lot of time sitting down so you want a comfortable seat. A backrest is very important as

well. I recommend one that is adjustable and will provide lumbar support while you’re paddling or fishing.

One thing I cannot stress enough is to do your research.

If one craft is more expensive than another, look at why.

Check the material it is made of – is it buoyant or do you need to add flotation? These are the questions you need to ask yourself or the salesperson.

You don’t want to be one of those people who has to put their canoe or kayak up for sale at half the purchase price because it was simply the wrong boat for them.

When you make the right choice, you’ll find that kayaking and canoeing can be great fun. It can take you to some of the most beautiful places around Australia – places that you would never have had the opportunity to visit otherwise. Just pick the right one for you and you’ll never look back.

Canoes like this Old Town Guide 147 can be spacious and comfortable to fish out of. They can also accommodate sounders and motors quite easily.

Spearfishing season kicks off SPEARFISHING

Rob Torelli

November sees the water temperature rising and a greater variety of fish life becoming available.

It is the unofficial start of Victorian spearfishing season and divers dust off the wetsuits and go in search of a quality feed of fish.

In Port Phillip and Western Port Bay the squid are still plentiful and other quality fish are starting to become more common.

Species such as King George whiting, trevally and snapper are starting to frequent our inshore bay side reefs and a good challenge is on offer. A great feed can be obtained for the spearfisher who perseveres.

Try your luck with a small amount of chum/ berley. Freshly caught squid heads work ideal, or even bring a few pilchards along.

Either way, a little chum goes a long way, especially if there is a little current or tide pushing. Do not go overboard with chumming and always keep a sharp look out as sometimes the

chum can attract unwanted predators in the form of sharks and rays.

Diving in pairs is strongly recommended. Do not panic if you see a shark, rather try and maintain eye contact with it and get out of the water as soon as possible.

Usually, it’s just a seven-gill

shark but even these sharks can prove to be a pest and will definitely steal your fish.

Other quality seafood delicacies such as scallops are on offer and November 16 sees the reopening of the crayfish season. Each season is different with some seasons starting slow

and then producing more crayfish in mid-summer and other times. It’s a case of ‘early bird gets the cray’.

Be sure to give the crayfish a shot early and you should be rewarded. Usual locations along the west coast, such as Port Fairy, Warrnambool and Cape

A great haul of quality seafood like this can be expected as the water warms and the season opens.

Crayfish season opens on November 16 in Victoria.

Otway should be producing, while closer to Melbourne the back beaches on the Mornington Peninsular and Phillip Island are a great place to start.

Calm seas are generally required and the use of a torch is very handy when searching for crayfish. I like diving for crayfish in pairs.

It is not only safe practise but also a practical way of hunting crayfish; one diver can watch the other while entering caves or ledges and offer assistance if needed.

Also, at times crayfish will have an escape hole and with two divers both holes can be covered. It’s great fun and makes for a much safer diving.

The abalone season will open also (check DPI website for exact dates and restrictions) so there will be no shortage of quality seafood being served up this month.

As usual, the fisheries will be red hot this summer so be sure to have a current fishing licence and check out all the diving and fishing regulations.

As the water continues to warm up over the next month or so we can expect to see some serious spearfishing in Victoria. Expect the mighty yellowtail kingfish to appear in December and who knows we may even see some kingfish appear in November.

The seasons seem to be starting earlier and anything is possible.

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NOVEMBER 2013

83

What’s new fishing Powered by

1

Stop buying batterieS

Black Diamond has just released a hybrid power headlamp called the ReVolt.

It’s the first rechargeable (via USB) headlamp to also run on standard AAA alkaline batteries as a backup.

Other features are a max burn time of up to 300 hours as well as a power meter that indicates the remaining battery life for three seconds after switching on the headlamp.

The ReVolt weighs 97g (including batteries); has an output of 110 lumens; has 1 TriplePower and 4 SinglePower (2 white, 2 red) LEDs; and takes 3 AAA alkaline or 3 AAA NiMH batteries (both included).

The shine distance ranges from 8m to 70m, depending on which setting you select.

The headlamp has a sleek, low-profile design, and settings include full strength in proximity and distance modes, dimming, strobe, red night-vision and lock mode. The design protects the internals from splashing or sprayed water from any angle (IPX 4). It comes in four colours and is available now.

Price: RRP $99.95 www.seatosummit.com.au

2

LiveLy’S bLoopit

Lively Lures has recently released a couple of new poppers in the Bloopit range. The two models, the Bloopit and Baby Bloopit, will appeal to anglers looking to make a massive amount of noise with small sized lures.

The Bloopit is 6cm long and weighs in at an easy casting 11g, making it ideal for a vast array of species. In testing barra, jacks, bass, salmon, tailor and saratoga climbed all over the Bloopit and with seven colours available, this lure looks set to be a permanent addition in many tackle boxes.

The Baby Bloopit is a tiny 3.5cm long and weighs in at only 5g. This lure is ideal for species like saratoga, bass, barra, salmon and tailor, however don’t be surprised if larger predators accept the challenge of nailing this little gem. Available in six colours, the Baby Bloopit will be ideal for small-water anglers who love to fish light and get in tight.

Price: Bloopit $12, Baby Bloopit $10 www.livelyluresonline.com.au

3

new MuStad octopuS hook

Mustad has boosted its Australian Ultra Point range of chemically sharpened hooks with the addition of an Octopus hook pattern (ref: 92553NP-BN).

The Mustad Octopus hook is a medium gauge hook, situated between the Big Red and Penetrator in strength rating. Thus it provides another option for serious saltwater bait anglers, especially as a snapper hook.

This hook comes in the attractive new green Mustad labelling, in individual selfserve packs or boxes of 25. The size range is from 8/0 to 4 making it ideal for bait fishing for many saltwater and freshwater species, right up to snapper, mulloway and reef fish.

The Mustad Octopus hook is finished in black nickel and being an Ultra Point hook, it gives excellent point durability while retaining super sharpness.

Price: from $6.50 per pack www.wilsonfishing.com

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NOVEMBER 2013

4

ShiMano techniuM Fd

5

berkLey FoLding netS

6

FuLLing MiLL FLieS

1

Given the long list of features found on Shimano’s new Technium FD series of spin reels, you’d expect them to be quite heavy, but that’s where you’d be wrong.

Thanks to the use of XGT7 in the body and XT7 in the rotor, these reels are light yet strong, and are no problem to hold whether actively spinning with lures or patiently waiting for a bite.

The Technium FDs feature X-Ship for more efficient power transmission when winding, three SA-RB bearings, Aero Wrap II line lay on the AR-C spool for effortless and accurate distance casting with Power Pro braid or nylon, and Floating Shaft II. These light to medium class spin reels are going to prove very popular with anglers fishing freshwater lakes, rivers, estuaries, even offshore, and are all covered by Shimano’s exclusive 10-year reel warranty.

Price: from approx. $140 www.shimanofish.com.au

The new Folding Nets from Berkley feature a folding hoop section and retractable handle for easy storage.

They’re available in kayak, general purpose and boat sizes to cover all applications. The mesh is made from fishfriendly silicon netting to minimize damage to the fish’s protective slime layer, scales and fins. It’s a great option if you want to give released fish the best chance of survival.

Other features of these quality nets include lightweight, corrosion-resistant aluminium construction, and EVA handles for a secure grip.

Price: from RRP $79.95 berkley-fishing.com.au

Fulling Mill is recognised as Europe’s leading quality fly manufacturer. It has a pedigree which dates back to the early 1930s, and has made over 200,000,000 flies.

Australian tackle distributor Mayfly Tackle recognised that the commercial flies reaching Australian shores were tied for price rather than quality. They felt that a high percentage of fly anglers who had little spare time to tie their own patterns were more than willing to pay more for flies tied on quality hooks with quality materials.

“When tackle retailers viewed the range at the recent AFTA Tackle Trade Show, they were left wondering whether we had sub contracted local custom fly tiers – that’s how good the flies were,” said Andrew Summers from Mayfly. “The quality has never been seen before at commercial scale.”

Mayfly Tackle has added the popular whistler patterns to their range and plans to add Australian patterns to the range over time.

“An expensive fly rod, reel and fly line are pretty much useless if you have a poor quality fly that doesn’t sit on the surface or swim correctly,” Andrew explained. “The Fulling Mill brand is worth chasing down at your local tackle store.”

Price: from RRP $2.95 www.mayflytackle.com.au

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

What’s new fishing Powered by

FEaTurE proDucT daiwa tatula Designed to meet the durability and performance requirements of pro anglers, Daiwa’s Tatula has a rugged gear train that’s fully supported within rigid aluminium housing.

Loaded with proven technologies – Real Four, Digigear, Magforce Z and Ultimate Tournament Drag (UTD) – the Tatula also introduces Air Rotation, new generation TWS ‘T-Wing System’, and a super tuned large capacity spool.

A precision-designed solid aluminium frame and gear side plate deliver maximum power and unrivalled durability, while the ergonomically designed reel profile fits effortlessly in the palm of the hand.

The 90mm handle delivers maximum cranking power while its swept handle brings the cranking handle closer to the reel’s centre of balance, allowing for increased balance, power and comfort. It also features supersized non-slip paddle knobs and a large-armed ratcheted star drag.

The T-Wing System delivers improved casting performance and line control, a reduction in line noise and friction, and greater reel stability and balance. It has shattered the concept of traditional levelwind systems, with a moving line guide that pivots forward and back between the cast and retrieve position.

Of course, it’s just as strong and reliable as its predecessor.

New Air Rotation technology makes turning the handle almost effortless. The Tatula’s precision designed and machined gearing delivers buttery cranking and unrivalled smoothness when under load.

Magforce Z combines the best attributes of old-fashioned mechanical braking with

advanced magnetic braking technology, and easily adjusts to any skill level to control backlash.

Tatula takes Magforce Z one step further, with a 20-increment magnetic cast control dial giving anglers even more precision and control.

With 6kg of drag pressure available, the Tatula’s Ultimate Tournament Drag can handle any fish, and it does it with silky smooth braking power.

The wide spool delivers improved castability due to line being able to more freely unwind, and this is enhanced by the wide ‘casting area’ of the T-Wing, allowing unrestricted line flow. It all adds up to a reduction in line angles, line friction and backlashes, and a vast improvement in casting performance.

With a host of models available, from the slow cranking power of the 100P to the highspeed capabilities of the 100HS and the supertuned Type R 100H, there’s a Tatula to satisfy any angler.

Price: approx. $200-$250 www.daiwafishing.com.au

FEaTurE proDucT techni ice’s Signature Series Iceboxes are iceboxes, right?

Wrong! There are hundreds of bits and pieces that need to come together to form a reliable and effective icebox, and Techni Ice has bought these together in their new Signature Series.

The Signature Series comprises seven boxes that range in size from the easily portable 35L box through to the giant, “see you in a couple of weeks” 125L box. In between there are the 45L, 60L, 70L, 85L and 105L iceboxes to ensure you can grab the exact one to meet your needs.

The Signature Series combines all of Techni Ice’s best innovations. For a start, the boxes are elevated on four feet to stop rising heat from the ground penetrating the box from underneath. Air flowing under the Signature icebox clears the heat away.

Additionally, each Signature Series box has a genuine refrigerator gasket seal and a corresponding moulded ledge to ensure no air transfer can occur when the box is closed.

Techni Ice has also used marine grade rope and large, comfortable handles. This makes portage easy, especially on the larger models.

Fully integrated anchor points enable the ice box to be anchored to the boat or ute, and this anchor point can be used as a locking point if required. Techni Ice has also incorporated a massive 60mm bung for simple and quick drainage.

And if that’s not enough, the Signature Series also features two models (85L and 105L) that have wheels for the ultimate

in portability.

Lastly, all boxes in the range are designed with fully recessed stainless latches to minimise snagging on these vital areas, and fully integrated hinges that are designed to last a lifetime.

Keeping your goods cold is not a problem either. Techni Ice has used impressive wall and lid thickness, combined with high-density commercial insulation to give these boxes a real and measureable edge in ice retention.

Cooler for longer, a range of 7 sizes and a price that will impress, the Techni Ice Signature Series of iceboxes has a lot going for it. Check them out online if you’re looking for your next icebox. – Stephen Booth Price: from $159 for 35L (plus delivery) www.techniice.com

tackle boxes or worse looking for all the bits and pieces. I even chuck in a pair of scissors and my leader material on top of the plastics so I don’t forget those two vital pieces of equipment. And yes if you’re wondering I have forgotten leader and scissors and tying jigheads directly to braid is interesting. Still caught fish, it just simply felt wrong.

Summing up, the Plano Liqua-Bait Locker System is the system that has it all as far as I am concerned. It allows a simplicity in approach that I love and I am now not forgetting vital tools of the trade when I am in someone else’s boat and we’re chasing flathead on plastics.

Tough, durable, waterproof and does the job.

What more could you want?

Look out for these boxes at your local tackle store and think about how it will help organise your tackle and make your time on the water more about the fishing than the finding. And God knows I need all the help I can get to concentrate on the fishing rather than the finding. The units are sold separately so you can mix and match them how you want. In fact I have just purchased an extra Liqua-Bait Wallet to store larger jigheads for fishing deeper water and larger soft plastics.

A brilliant system. - Stephen Booth Price: $70-$80 for all three boxes together www.jmgillies.com.au

TESTED:

pLano Liqua-bait Locker SySteM

The Plano Liqua-Bait Locker System is one of the best systems I own for soft plastic lure fishing. Why’s that you ask?

Let me explain.

This system is specifically designed with soft plastics in mind and offers a peace of mind not found in many other plastic storage systems. I have a Liqua-Bait Locker, the Liqua-Bait Bottle, that comes with a set of tongs to allow users to get into the LiquaBait Bottle and extract their plastics, to store stinky, moist soft plastics like Gulp that need to be stored in air tight containers and juice.

Lastly I have a Liqua-Bait Wallet, which is a smaller box that is ideal for odds and ends that I use for jighead storage. The main box itself is big at 36cm x 23cm x 8cm and this size allows a heap of soft plastic packets to be stored easily. Best of all it’s totally water proof, in fact every container in the system uses a durable o-ring seal, non-corrosive pinned hinges and an advanced

latching system to ensure your plastics stay fresh and secure, and your boat and tackle bag stay odour free.

While all this is good, in fact it’s great, the best part for me is that I can store all of my flathead soft plastic requirements in one box. In the box I have around 20 packets of plastics. I use the Liqua-Bait Wallet (18cm x 11cm 4cm) to store my jigheads and the Liqua-Bait Bottle (18cm x 9cm x 6cm) is used to store some Gulp plastics of various sizes and shapes. This means that when I jump on someone else’s boat I can have all my terminal tackle in one neat box, not take up much room and get on with the job of outfishing them, or as is more common, being a good net-boy for them!

Being a clear box, the boxes are actually made from Duraview material, you can see that you have the right box and can then get on with the job of rigging up rather than sorting through wallets,

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

NOVEMBER 2013

85

What’s new fishing Powered by

1

Mako’S beSt ever LenSeS

Mako Eyewear is about to release its most technologically advanced lens collection yet – the new HDIR series.

A lot of heat radiated from the sun isn’t blocked by the UV filters in standard sunglasses.

However, Mako’s HDIR lenses (High Definition Infra Red protection) have changed all that. As well as filtering 100% of harmful UVA and UVB rays, and providing 99% glare reduction, these lenses also filter infrared rays to deliver the ultimate in protection, heat reduction and comfort for your eyes. It’s particularly good for anglers in hot climates.

As a bonus, the HDIR lenses also filter certain wavelengths of the visible spectrum that reduce your eyes’ ability to function at their best. By filtering these wavelengths, the lenses give you even greater clarity and contrast.

Made in Italy using high quality, lightweight scratch-resistant glass, HDIR lenses come in three different colours. They are fully sealed to withstand harsh Australian conditions, and they’re backed by Mako’s 24-month warranty.

Price: from RRP $289 www.makoeyewear.com.au

2

new JarviS waLker crab potS

Crabbers will appreciate the hand-made quality and great value in the new crab pots and traps from Jarvis Walker.

The Deluxe Heavy-Duty 4-Entry Crab Pot has a 12mm hot galvanised steel base and 10mm ring on top, which combine to provide solid weight so your pot stays where you deploy it. The mesh is heavy-duty and there’s even a bait bag sewn in. The four tough supports provide perfect stability and mesh tension for the four large entrances.

Jarvis Walker has also added the new Drop Net Heavy Duty 2 Ring to their comprehensive crabbing/netting range. It has an 800mm diameter with a 300mm depth.

The thick rings, quality mesh and hand-made build ensure this is another Jarvis Walker netting product that is made to last.

The entire Jarvis Walker netting range includes more than 20 products from bait, yabby and crab traps, to heavy-duty crab pots, floats, ropes and crab bait holders, with products suited to the various laws in each state and territory.

Price: RRP $49.95 www.jarviswalker.com.au

3

70MM gouLburn codger arriveS

An iconic native lure in Victoria, the Goulburn Codger series has had a middlesized brother added to its range, and this lure will appeal to lure casters and trollers alike.

Designed with the same body shape as the 55mm and 85mm Codgers, the 70mm version exhibits the same fish-catching sway of the range in a size that all native fish will find appealing. Designed to dive on the cast down to around 3m and nudge the 5m barrier on the troll, the 70mm Codger is set to make a big impact this coming season.

Available in a range of colours that includes some stunning natural patterns, the ever reliable contrast colours and some more exotic attractor patterns, the 70mm Codger is set to become a very heavily fished lure. Trout, redfin, barra, jacks and bass will all find this lure attractive and will nail it without hesitation.

Price: RRP $16 goulburn.lures@bigpond.com

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NOVEMBER 2013

4

haMa kuru hitS the SurFace

5

zMan 4” diezeL Minnowz

6

it Sure duz repeL MozzieS

1

Hama Kuru is a new lure in Jackall Australias arsenal.

A 75mm, floating, 8gm tripple jointed surface crawler designed to imitate a wounded reptile or fish. The vertical bib keeps the lure on or just waking the surface to attract strikes from wary surface feeders.

Bass, saratoga, sooties and cod are just a few of the fish that come to mind when you look at this lure but anything that feeds on or close to the surface will smash them.

Testing on some lakes has shown this lure to pull hookups from larger fish that the usual more common surface poppers etc could only get looks or short strikes.

This lure comes with all the usual Jackall high quality features.

Price: RRP $25 www.jackall.com.au

The ZMan 4” DieZel MinnowZ was born from the success of the ZMan 3” MinnowZ, a compact paddle-tail that has a knack for attracting the attention of everything from bass, flathead and jewies to mangrove jack and metre-plus barra.

After numerous requests from anglers for a larger version of the MinnowZ, ZMan created the 4” DieZel MinnowZ. Like all ZMan ElaZtech plastics, the DieZel MinnowZ is 10X tough, so you catch more fish per lure.

It’s also super-soft and flexible, for maximum action and a realistic feel that keeps fish biting.

It’s an extremely versatile and popular plastic that maintains the lively yet subtle tail action of the 3” MinnowZ, with a slightly longer, slimmer and deeper body profile that will appeal to larger predators and those that are feeding on larger profile baitfish.

The inclusion of a belly slot allows for effective weedless rigging, and it’s a great place to squirt a bit of scent for added attraction. There are 10 colours in the range, including pearl, electric chicken, Houdini and opening night, with five DieZel MinnowZ per pack.

Price: SRP $8.95 www.z-man.com.au

With the warm weather here, the mozzies have taken it upon themselves to breed up and get damn well annoying. Whether you’re in Queensland, NSW, Victoria or Tasmania, these annoying blood suckers are on the march, which stops a lot of outdoor activities.

Now you can fight back with the Sure Duz Mosquito candle. This unique repelling insecticide candle is available in two sizes, a 300g glass cup with a burn time of up to 60 hours and 200g aluminium cup with lid with a burn time of up to 36 hours. Sure Duz has a repelling radius of 5m x 5m with a bite reduction of up to 90%, and that’s some feat.

Used in a similar fashion to any candle, the Sure Duz team recommend that the candle be lit 20 minutes before outdoor activities take place. For those looking to take back the outdoors this summer, Sure Duz helps make it easier.

Price: $14.95 for 300g and $12.95 for 200g, plus postage www.sureproducts.net.au

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

What’s new fishing Powered by

1

1

rapaLa tripLe x-rap

2

ecooda bLack hawk coMbo

Designed in Australia for the toughest, hard-fighting fish, Rapala’s Triple X-Rap comes equipped with the most durable construction for a lure in its category that Rapala has ever released.

Complete with moulded bib, 4X strong split rings, 6X VMC Perma Steel treble hooks, through-wired construction and a secured solid tow ring, the Triple X-Rap leaves nothing to chance.

Ideal for both casting and trolling, with a slow rise on the pause, this beefy 10cm lure won’t just prevail over tough encounters, it will encourage them – with its reflective holographic eye and unique X-Rap colour schemes that fish find irresistible.

Available only in Australia, the Rapala Triple X-Rap is currently available in eight unique colour patterns. Keep an eye out for it at your favourite tackle store.

Price: $24.95 www.rapala.com.au

With a swag of high-end features, the Ecooda Black Hawk combo looks like a $1000 outfit but without the premium price tag.

The Black Hawk rod sports a transparent matte black blank made of 30 tonne Japanese Toray carbon, with custom painted high-gloss reel seats and Fuji guides. With actions superior to other rods in its class, the Black Hawks have been specifically designed to suit all anglers.

The series consists of spin models ranging from 6’10” to 7’0” in ultra-light, light, medium and medium-heavy in one and two-piece.

With its stealth design, precise performance and slick cosmetics, the Ecooda Black Hawk reel will tackle any challenge. Features include a Ecooda exclusive laser-etched custom ported spool, ultra-slim aluminium body, carbon fibre rotor, precision line lay, patented carbon fibre drag system, and 5+1 stainless steel ball bearings. It’s available in 2000, 3000 and 4000 sizes.

The rods and reels are available separately, or you can get the perfectly matched Black Hawk combo.

Price: RRP $249 for the combo www.ecooda.com.au

3

powerbait 2” hawg iS back

When Berkley’s Power Hawg first burst onto the bream scene in Australia it quickly became a go-to shape for tournament anglers when fishing structure.

Still true to this day, this durable creature bait is deadly. The Hawg’s long flapping appendages create an enticing action that fish can’t resist, especially when combined with the fish-attracting power of PowerBait.

Now the Hawg is back in a range of original and new colours. Anglers will remember watermelon and Japanese green pumpkin, and now banana and pepper prawn have made their way into the new Hawg line-up.

Price: RRP $7.95 berkley-fishing.com.au

4

daiwa caLdia Sha

5

yaMaShita egi oh k

6

SaMaki zing xtreMe

The Caldia SHA introduces new innovations and unparalleled designs, with the combination of Magseal, Air Rotor and Zaion, along with other features such as ABS, Digigear and Airbail, making it one of Daiwa’s most technically advanced reels.

The Caldia uses Magseal, which eliminates the intrusion of dust and water, eliminates oil spray, improves reel life expectancy and delivers friction-free rotary performance.

Caldia SHA uses Air Rotor, which is hollow for reduced weight, and has more surface area to create increased strength and sensitivity. This decrease in weight, increased surface area and new resin construction transmits lure vibration to the angler like never before.

The machined Zaion body is extremely rigid, incredibly strong and amazingly light. In manufacture, it is first ‘cast’ and then machined to the same precision as metal bodies, and has comparative strength to magnesium or aluminium while being fully corrosion-resistant.

Daiwa’s Digigear II features a highprecision cutting technique that achieves perfect gear meshing and ultra smooth performance.

Digigear II is also ultra strong, corrosion resistant, and impressively light.

The Caldia SHA 4000 will be available early next year. There will be four models, ranging from the 2000 (6.0/81cm ratio, 9+1 (5 CRBB) ball bearings, 6lb/190m, 8lb/150m, PE 1/200 m, 1.5/150m) to the 4000 (4.9/86cm, 9+1 (5 CRBB), 16lb/250m, 20lb/200m, PE: 2.5/300 m, 3/250 m, 4/180 m).

Price: Too new! www.daiwafishing.com.au

The Yamashita Egi Oh K delivers superior action in tough conditions thanks to its Hydro System design.

The Hydro fin at the rear helps maintain a stable falling angle and avoids unnatural action while sinking. The pentagon shape of the body, with its flat bottom, further improves the jig’s stability while it’s falling.

The flat Hydro eyes contribute to a smooth darting action, and the UV Glow (keimura) pupils sit within a lumo iris to create a unique double-impact appeal.

The Hydro sinker is lead-free and contains tuning holes for a slow sink. The double crown rear hooks are opened out slightly wider, to maximise the hook-up rate.

The reflective lateral line creates a strong appeal in all conditions, and its patented Warm Jacket converts light to heat to make the jig slightly warmer than the surrounding water to maximise its attraction.

Price: $25 www.ejtodd.com.au

The Samaki Zing Xtreme is for all the dedicated Zing followers.

The Xtreme boasts 30 and 40 tonne Japanese Toray Carbon for premium action, Fuji K Guides for casting accuracy and hardened EVA camouflaged grips for the perfect Samaki cosmetic.

With a huge line-up ranging from 7’6” extra-light spin models to 7’0” medium-heavy spin, 5’4” medium-heavy bait cast to 6’0” heavy bait cast, there’s an action to suit all your needs.

Price: RRP $199.95 www.samaki.com.au

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

NOVEMBER 2013

87

Comfort served up on a tray CTL TABLELANDS

Alex Hickson

Whether to accommodate a couple on the move or just for extra space and comfort or a long stay, camper trailers have become firm favourites for outdoor Australians.

The problem for us fishos arises when we need to take our trailer boats with us. For the many Aussie ute owners, there is a brilliant and comparatively well-priced answer to this problem, a ‘tray-on’ camper.

My wife, Simone, and I bought a tray-on camper from Impact Campers, a relatively new Australian company specialising in this style of camper. We really like its versatility.

An Impact tray camper allows you to trailer your boat, motorbikes, PWC, ultralight aircraft or whatever yet give you the unencumbered use of your vehicle once you reach your destination.

Impact tray campers are designed to be set up and used off the vehicle, unlike many other tray-ons whose primary design means they must remain on the vehicle.

Apart from having our trailer boat, Simone and I do a lot of kayaking these days and I can assure you that there is far more than a paddle associated with

the modern fishing kayak.

We actually require a trailer to bring both kayaks and associated equipment with us.

Often it is not possible to camp right on the water’s edge and so having our ute to take the boat or the ’yaks to the water is a big plus.

Or it could be just ducking into town to get

Simone puts the skirt around the base of the camper which stops draughts and offers another dry storage area. supplies. It’s nothing to pack up just hop in and go; these campers offer great convenience.

And an Impact Tray Camper features all-Australian quality build and design.

7

36

7A

FMG SB

David Lorinc caught this great looking squid off Tyabb Bank on a Ika Pink size 2.5 jig worked across the weed beds.

NOVEMBER 2013

V&TFM

for a little more protection from the elements.

These add-ons can be customised. We chose a full mesh window backed up by a clear window and then the full canvas, zipped and Velcro storm cover.

We are now considering further ordering another for the other end of the awning – very impressed.

Removed from the ute, the camper is lowered to the desired height and levelled using the magnetic level supplied.

READER’S PICTURE

88

The Impact Tray-on is essentially a camper trailer without axle and wheels, with rather screw jack ‘legs’ on each corner that allow the body to be jacked up enough so a tray-back ute can reverse under it.

Then the jacks are wound down until the camper is sitting on the tray, secured and then off you go.

The camper has a steel frame with painted charcoal hammertone finish, a polished aluminium checkerplate base and polished aluminium doors with rubber seals for dust and water protection.

The side doors allow full access to the holding area on each side of the camper. The folding canvas tent structure has a built-in frame for quick and easy set-up.

It has an awning with full-length zip and you can add wall sections if needed.

We purchased a zip-on wall for the kitchen end

The fold-out kitchen is in the awning or living area, which also can be optioned up or down, depending on your budget. We chose a stainless steel sink with attached tap, three-burner SMEV gas stove and a large food preparation area with 30L 12v Waeco drawer fridge.

There is a large area that can be used as a pantry and general storage.

The tent part features an elevated king-sized bed and enough room to fit a set

of bunks. And there’s still enough floor space for food or fishing gear out of sight and out of the weather.

This area has a thick sewn-in vinyl floor and large meshed windows to let some breeze through.

A small stepladder is used to access the bed and helps when fitting the spreaders and poles when erecting the awning.

Under the bed is further storage and is ideal spot to house clothes and other personal items.

With a break in the weather it was a case of throwing the kayaks on the ute tray and heading to the launching area at Danjera Dam.

With a storm approaching Cape Palmerston, the Impact Tray camper braces itself for another showdown with the elements. So far the camper has been impervious to all thrown at it by Mother Nature.

The camper body has dry storage underneath and offers plenty of area for all manner of things that need to be taken with you when camping. Boxes of food, solar panels, tool kit and retrieval gear for the 4WD all stows away, along with the sealed deep-cycle battery that powers the fridge and interior lights.

Simone believes I should ditch the fishing and get into storm chasing.

The Impact faced a baptism of high winds and driving rains at Danjeera Dam, west of Nowra.

Some intense and at times quite unnerving weather came through and out of a dozen or more campsites, including various camper trailers (hard and soft roofed), roof-top tents, pergolas

and dome tents, we were the only ones not drying out mattresses and clothing or picking up what was left of the campsite the following morning.

The other plus was that while the weather stopped the fishing for long periods, we were able to go 4WD exploring.

And when a break in

the weather came it was a case of throwing the kayaks on the ute tray and ducking down to the launch site.

We caught a couple of fish but the best thing about the

Inside there is plenty of room for a family, complete with elevated king bed.

trip was our home away from home.

Check out www. impactcamper.com for all details on this brilliant Australian product.

The Waeco 30L drawer fridge keeps all the essentials icy cold.

Top: The front awning covers a good-sized living area that comfortably houses kitchen and dining area.

Above: The kitchen is well thought out and boasts quality fittings and appliances. The author added the extra end wall for more protection.

The cavity where it is stored becomes a great pantry and general storage area.

ENJOY THE SPACIOUS, EXPANDABLE ACCOMODATION OF A CAMPER

IMPACT TRAY ... and bring your b o a t t oo!

CAMPERS With an Impact Tray Camper you can have spacious, expandable, light weight accommodation and the freedom to tow whatever you want.

Designed and locally built, your removable camper can be fitted to a standard light commercial or a four wheel drive vehicle of your choice and include the facilities and options of a camper you would usually have to tow.

With full access to all four sides of the large storage areas and a swing out kitchen, you can take all the gear to make the most of your escape. Get to the camp site, leave the camper behind, and you’re free to explore and enjoy the destination.

SINGLE CAB 

Add an extra annex or another awning. Choose a standard or Deluxe Kitchen package with built in gas stove, sink, fridge or pantry and have the comfort and versatility that only an Impact Tray Camper can provide.

“I can use my every day work vehicle with an Impact slide on tray camper and tow my fishing boat behind.”

SPACE CAB  DUAL CAB  KING CAB  CREW CAB  TRAILER TOP  CUSTOM TRAY

Impact Slide On Campers are available for Single Cab, Dual Cab, Space Cab and Crew Cab Chassis vehicles.

Call Chris or Georgina from IMPACT TRAY CAMPERS for more information Phone 02 4572 8601  Mobile 0400 404 721 Website www.impactcampers.com  Email impactfence@bigpond.com  Address 160 Wisemans Ferry Rd, Cattai NSW 2756 V&TFM

NOVEMBER 2013

89

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91

Parsun outboards: they’re for the long run FMG

Travis Davies travis@fishingmonthly.com.au

After seven years Parsun outboards have become a huge part of the Australian boating scene.

Thanks to a solid distribution network and a growing reputation for reliability and value, the brand has grown fast. The only way for that to happen in a country like Australia is to earn a reputation and in the case of Parsun outboards, that has been achieved.

We recently were offered a run with the new Parsun 25hp two-stroke outboard and it seemed like an offer too good to refuse.

We arranged to hit the water for a tour of the amazingly scenic Woronora River.

thermostat water-cooling system, which keeps and eye on everything inside for you.

The specs are below for the motor, as I said it’s confusing to the point that I know it’s a manual 25hp, you tilt it up and down manually, it has forward, neutral and reverse, you pull start it and it goes well!

We launched the boat jumped in and bang, one pull and away it went. In my opinion as all 25hp motors should; they are just little workhorses that run forever.

There were two of us in the boat (I got out to take pictures) and away we went with no plans, just to run around get a feel for the motor and boat and see this amazingly scenic river.

We cruised along in the 6 knots zone hardly hearing the motor. I loved this, as a lot of driving in 6 knots with

A simple tiller steer arrangement that has tension adjustment to allow the skipper to control the craft better.

On the small Island Inflatable, the 25hp 2-stroke had no dramas getting the rig moving at speed.

We met Garry Baikovas, the owner of Island Inflatables and distributor of Parsun Outboards, at the ramp.

Naturally, the new motor was fitted on an Island inflatable, a hypalon 2.7m boat. I put 2 and 2 together and came up with the conclusion that this boat was going to fly!

The boat weighs only 52kg, actually the same weight as the motor, so with its buoyancy it was really going to get up and go.

Now I am not one to understand all the specs when you’re researching a motor.

There are some big words and some strange numbers, but to have it laid out and sold to me by the salesman, basically to dumb it down for me, actually made sense.

I was shown it’s as good as other motors on the market but for a smaller price tag!

The motor is made from a high-grade marine aluminium alloy. This means it’s made from a quality material to give you the ultimate corrosion protection.

The motor itself has a 92

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a noisy rattling two-stroke is something I wouldn’t like. I must say the motor was very

new with only a few hours on it, so I suppose it should be quiet.

Removable for transport, the 52kg Parsun 25hp can be managed by one person, however two people would make it a very simple operation.

Once outside of the speed zone we opened it up and with the buoyancy of the inflatable there was no real hole shot, it just took off.

I am not sure of the speed but it was going as fast as the boat would allow. In fact we pulled back the throttle to pull down the revs and run smooth. This didn’t really adjust the speed, just made for a quieter run.

We travelled about 20 minutes up the river, we both had a go at driving and then we took a few pictures and headed back.

It was a flat day so there was no chop to speak of. We created some chop ourselves by swinging into a few circles and the boat ripped through it and we threw the boat into some sharp turns and it all held well. There was very minimal cavitation coming out of sharp turns and when straightened it just pulled away again.

You can tighten or loosen the adjustable steering friction lever to get it just the way you want it.

Changing gears was also very smooth from neutral to forward and back and into reverse.

The motor is fitted with a vibration reduction system; it made sense of its smooth running.

When deciding on your purchase, you have many choices even once you know you want a 25hp.

Your boat transom height will determine whether you need a longor short-shaft motor. Ask your dealer which suits your boat.

You can have manual start or for extra you can order an electric start, it’s up to you. But these motors do start easily with a pull anyone could achieve.

So decisions, decisions. There are a lot of 25hp motors on the market but when looking and planning for your next motor, consider a Parsun outboard – they are here for the long run.

The motor comes with a factory two-year warranty and as tested costs $2,570, including a fuel tank.

Check w w w. islandinflatables.com.au for your local dealer or contact Parsun direct on 02 9532 0002.

PARSUN 25HP 2-STROKE SPECS

Length Overall 849mm Width Overall 399mm Height overall 1.134m Transom height 381mm Weight 52kg Full throttle range 4500rpm-5500rpm Maximum output 18.4kW/25hp @ 5000rpm Engine type 2-stroke Cylinders 2 Displacement 496.0cc Ignition capacitor discharge Starting manual Gearing FNR Gear ratio 2.08 (27:13) Trim & tilt manual Fuel 24L remote Max fuel usage 11L/h Fuel-oil mix 50:1 Gear oil capacity 320cc Propeller 3-9 7/8” x 11 1/4” Warranty 2yr manufacturer’s

Internally the Parsun outboards offer all the refinement needed to ensure the product works as expected. A 2 year manufacturer’s warranty gives buyers good peace of mind.

NEWS

FROM THE BOATING WORLD

Interface lInks It all

Raymarine has launched the groundbreaking ECI-100 Universal Engine and Control Interface, an innovative device for boat builders and system integrators that bridges the gap between engine instrumentation, drive-by-wire propulsion systems, and Raymarine network navigation systems.

The ECI-100 collects and connects engine information to give the user simple and immediate access to engine performance data, fuel consumption and alarms via a full range of customisable information screens on Raymarine’s multifunction displays. It also integrates with Raymarine’s Evolution EV-2 drive-by-wire autopilot for control from any Raymarine multifunction display.

Simple to fit, each ECI-100 comes with a standard DeviceNet port which connects directly into the industry-standard NMEA2000 or J1939 Engine Data Bus used by major marine engine manufacturers.

ECI-100 then connects to any NMEA2000 network backbone using Raymarine’s SeaTalkng cabling system. Vital engine data can be displayed alongside Raymarine’s radar, sonar and navigation via a single touch screen display. Raymarine is committed to delivering seamless integration with leading marine engines. See www.raymarine.com. au for the most up-to-date list of compatible engines. – Raymarine

One-mInute QuIckbOat

The Australian-designed Quickboat is a flat-packed boat which can be assembled in 60 seconds, launched from anywhere and easily fits on any car’s roof racks, on a shelf or under a bed.

The entire boat packs down to one 36kg bag of 3.6m x 70cm x 13cm and another of 18kg a mere 1.5m x 1.2m x 80cm. The boat unfolds to 3.7m long and 1.7m wide, comfortably fits four adults and can travel in enclosed waters at 20 knots with a 9.8hp engine. It is made of high-end fibreglass and Kevlar.

Quickboats can be purchased for $4375 exclusively from http://quickboats.com. You can see a Quickboat being assembled in 40 seconds on the site. – Quickboats

merc fInance makes It happen

Mercury has taken the next step toward making your boating even more enjoyable and affordable with the launch of Mercury Finance, the new way to get out on the water.

“This is very exciting,” said John Temple, Mercury Marine’s Australian GM. “We see it as a natural extension of what we do – help people enjoy themselves on the water.”

Mercury Finance – available through your participating Mercury retailer – features competitive rates, loan terms up to 84 months and the backing of Mercury, It can be used to buy new or second-hand engines and trailer boat packages. Mercury Finance is not a bank product with a Mercury sticker on it. Subject to normal lending criteria, Mercury Finance is available now. For more information visit www.mercuryfinance.com.au. – Mercury

mOre shelter In hardtOp cruIse craft

Following the success of the 685HT, Cruise Craft has just released the Explorer 625HT, the second hardtop model to protect serious blue-water fishers from stormy skies, windblown spray and blistering sun.

The two-piece moulded hardtop has a smooth gelcoat liner that makes it easy to clean and maintain and the robust, stylish stainless steel aft supports double as secure handholds for the crew.

In its most basic offering, the hardtop has a full-height toughened glass windscreen with sliding glass side panels to port and starboard. An electric wiper on the starboard screen is standard. Those standing behind the seats are well protected by the hardtop and a slide-out canopy is optional for further protection. For more information call Cruise Craft on 07 3390 4877 or visit www. cruisecraft.com.au. – Cruise Craft

the bluefIn Guarantee

Gold Coast builder Bluefin Boats has announced the Bluefin Guarantee, an industry first supplement to their standard warranty which promises customers from October 1 full replacement in the event of failure brought about by defective materials or workmanship.

Director Brad Richey said Bluefin aluminium boats and trailers were manufactured to the highest possible standard and the Bluefin Guarantee meant that should the structural integrity of a Bluefin boat suffer from a severe failure caused by defective materials or workmanship, the vessel would be replaced with a brand-new one.

“This represents the belief we have in the Bluefin product,” he said. “We are that confident in our boats that we are willing to offer a full replacement across our 125-plus models in the range. As an Australian manufacturer we face constant pressure from imported products built to a price, so to ensure our customers continue to have faith in locally built products, we need to offer additional value and reassurance in our products.” For more information visit www.bluefinboats.com.au or talk to your nearest Bluefin dealer. – Bluefin

fIt a cOllar, stay dry

Do you hate having to wear a raincoat when it’s sunny, just to avoid getting drenched by salt spray when you’re riding in your boat? A great Australian boating product is guaranteed to reduce spray and help keep passengers dry and comfortable, even through chop.

The Kapten Boat Collar is well known for its stability- and performance-enhancing properties, but what is less known is the Collar’s amazing ability to improve ‘wet’ boats. The specially designed foam Boat Collar creates a massive spray strake when fitted to small boats. When the craft is under way, water and spray are trapped under the Collar and forced downwards.

Because the Collar runs the full length of the boat, all spray is deflected down and away from the boat and the improvement to previously wet boats is, in one word, drastic.

For more information on the ‘dry’ Kapten Boat Collar, call 07 5441 3636 or 0423 499 047, or visit www.boatcollar.com.au. – Boat Collar

rOOmy new crusher 730ht

clark steps up tO plate

Clark unveiled its feature-packed 5.45m Challenger plate cuddy cabin at Karee Marine’s stand at the Brisbane Boat Show.

Clark has 4.85m-5.15m cuddies, but the 5.45m has 4mm plate sides and bottom and an ‘egg crate’ rib and stringer build for maximum strength. This boat has hydraulic steering, transom door, folding ladder, removable folding rear lounge, upholstered bunks with storage below, a lined cabin interior, cabin windows, 150L underfloor fuel and a lockable cabin.

Rated to 150hp, this is a no-nonsense boat built tough and designed well at an affordable price. It’s said to deliver a solid ride, stability at rest and is quick onto the plane. Call Karee Marine on 07 3875 1600, Pacific Marine Centre on 07 3801 1722 or visit www.clarkboats.com.au. – Clark

Bar Crusher’s new 730HT is an offshore fishing machine for hard-core blue-water anglers.

Constructed from heavy-duty, hightensile 5mm (bottom) and 4mm (sides) marine plate aluminium, the 730HT measures 7.30m LOA with a 2.47m beam.

Rated to 250hp, its Waveslicer deep-vee hull delivers a smooth ride, the Rigideck sub-floor system ensures maximum hull strength and the Quickflow water ballast ensures stability at rest.

The 730HT, with more cockpit area than even the flagship 780HT, has self-draining deck, step-through transom, marlin board, berley bucket, rod holders, live-bait tank, in-floor fish storage and big side pockets.

Rocket launcher, hydraulic steering, dual battery system and Hella low-voltage coaming lights are standard. The options list is impressive. Call Bar Crusher Boats on 03 9792 2999 or visit www.barcrusher.com.au.

– Bar Crusher

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

NOVEMBER 2013

93

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 0835 or email pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au

Central

Online Tackle Products Continued Adrenalin Flies www.adrenalinflies.com.au

Cover Craft Boat Covers (03) 9729 3030

BOAT COVERS FULL COVERS TONNEAUS CANOPIES

“All trout flies $1.20” For all your fly fishing needs ORDER ONLINE

CLEARS BIMINIS

Bait and Tackle

RODRACKS

West Coast

CUSTOM MADE FOR ANY SIZE BOAT

Portland Bait & Tackle (03) 5523 5213

20 Years experience, highest quality material.

23 Edelmaier St, Bayswater, 3153

www.adrenalinflies.com.au Korr Lighting www.korrlighting.com.au She Left www.hdvcs.com.au

SAMPLE AD - BUSINESS NAME

(03) 9729 3030

Central Hooked On Bait and Tackle Hoppers Crossing (03) 9748 3811

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Flatwater Covers 0438 367 689

Fishing Fever Mordialloc (03) 9590 9899

Naaj Marine 0421 955 371

Peninsula Total Tackle (03) 5981 1994

Unique Marine Accessories (03) 5427 1802

JV Marine World Braeside 03) 9798 8883 Complete Angler Ringwood (03) 9870 7792

CMC Marine Sales www.cmcsales.com.au

New World Marine (03) 9709 8444

Hunter Marine Boat Builders (03) 5032 2320

The Flyfisher Melbourne (03) 9621 1246

Marine Mechanics

East Coast Always Angling Traralgon (03) 5174 8544

Central

Freshwater

pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au

Kris Oakley Marine Services (03) 9794 5524 Flatwater Marine (03) 9401 2298

Complete Angler Echuca (03) 5482 1992

Fish Taxidermy

JV Marine World Braeside (03) 9798 8883

Complete Angler Shepperton (03) 5822 2180

JV Marine World Laverton (03) 9368 7100

J T’s Fishing and Camping Moama (03) 5480 3868

The Outboard Workshop (03) 9783 0840

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

Nautical Marine (03) 5984 1666

Boat Modifications & Repairs

Screen Printing

New World Marine (03) 9709 8444 Regal Marine (03) 9874 4624

Salt-Away 1800 091 172

FLUSH YOUR ENGINE WITH

Logan Specialised Screen Printing (07) 5546 4107

Streaker Boats (03) 9729 8288 Triple M Marine (03) 9465 8787 Warragul Marine (03) 5623 6250 Wes Frost Marine (03) 5976 4622

Boat Imports Boat Import USA 0435 476 177

Boat Hire

CORROSION CONTROL SALT REMOVING TREATMENT

East Coast

WARNING!

9 out 10 engines fail from salt corrosion

Lake Eildon Cruises 0422 166 986 Inverloch Marine (03) 5674 1502

Freshwater

BOAT HIRE Lake Eildon

WE HIRE: • Fishing boats • Kayaks • Pedal boats

Boats and More Shepparton (03) 5822 2108

ACT NOW AND PROTECT YOUR VALUABLE BOAT, ENGINE, TRAILER, FISHING AND DIVE GEAR.

Boats and More Echuca (03) 5482 1992

SALT-AWAY IS A MUST FOR:

ENGINE FLUSHING JETSKIS TRAILERS

FREECALL For more info

WASHING BOATS FISHING & DIVE GEAR

1800 091 172

VISIT www.salt-away.com.au

LAKE EILDON CRUISES Kennedys Point Boat Ramp, Maintongoon Rd, Bonnie Doon 3720 0422 166 986 • eildoncruises@optusnet.com.au • lakeeildoncruises.com.au

Online Tackle Products Specialty Fishing Products www.specialtyfishing.com.au

Boab Boat Hire Shepparton (03) 5822 2108

U-Make-Em Soft plastics ww.u-make-emsoftplastics.com.au

Boab Boat Hire Echuca (03) 5482 1992

WANT IN? EMAIL : pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au 94

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Holiday Rental

Charter Boats Continued

West Coast

Charter Boats Continued

Central

Warrnambool Holiday Park (03) 5562 5031

SAMPLE AD - BUSINESS NAME

Gone Fishing Charters 0409 007 068

SHALLOW INLET CARAVAN PARK

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FRESH BAIT | HIRE BOATS | ICE

Email : pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au

East Coast Shallow Inlet Caravan Park (03) 5687 1385

On the Waters Edge

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

FREE ADVICE ON WHERE THEY’RE BITING

OPEN

from dawn to dusk

7 DAYS

• Plenty of powered and unpowered camping sites • BBQs • Playground

Lester Rd Yanakie WILSONS PROM E sicp@sicp.com.au

03 5687 1385

Accommodation

Tasmania & Flinders Island Ausprey Tours, Launceston (03) 6630 2612

Central Off The Hook Fishing Charters 0419 554 916

“Pristine Lakes & Wilderness” • Motel style units • Self contained apartments & lodges - ideal for groups, fishing clubs etc • Nightly, weekly & corporate rates

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

Professional Charters, St Helens (03) 6376 3083

Able Fishing & Charters, Williamstown (03) 9502 3777

Trout Territory, Northern Midlands (03) 6397 5001

Big Red Fishing Charters, Queenscliff 1800 805 587

DARTMOUTH MOTOR INN

Flinders Island Adventures, Flinders Island (03) 6359 4507 Trout Adventure Tasmania, Bronte Park 0418 139 048

Adamas Fishing Charters, Barwon Heads (03) 5254 3320

Dartmouth Motor Inn (02) 6072 4233

Fish Wild Tasmania, Hobart 0418 348 223

Reel Time Fishing Charters 0438 302 093

ACE Fishing Charters, Bonbeach (03) 9773 4183

Victorian Alps

Gone Fishing Charters, St Helens (03) 6376 1553

Blue Magic Fishing Charters, Rowville (03) 9759 5301 Calypso Fishing Charters, Tootgarook (03) 5985 8463

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 Headland Fishing Adventures, Merimbula (02) 6495 1134

Geelong Charters & Fishing Trips, Geelong (03) 5275 7107

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

Impulse Charters, Queenscliff (03) 5258 3739

K9 Fishing Charters, Merimbula (02) 6495 1681

Jillian Fishing Trips, Blairgowrie 0418 148 426 Katrina Louise Charters, Cheltenham 0402 828 140

Merimbula Marina, Merimbula (02) 6495 1686 or 0427 951 080 Narooma Charters, Narooma 0407 909 111 O’Brien Charter Service, Bermagui 0407 214 124

Kestrel Charters, Queenscliff (03) 5258 1783 www.dartmouthmotorinn.com.au

Queensland Cairns Bed and Boat 0418 772 751

Queenscliff Fishing Charters, Queenscliff 0458 504 058 Pro Red Fishing Charters 0421 442 775 Reel Adventure Charters, Yaringa 0409 932 077 Rip Charters Fishing Trips, Sorrento (03) 5984 3664 Saltwater Charters, Queenscliff (03) 5258 4888

Chandlery & Accessories Anchor Right (03) 5968 5014

Fishing Guides NSW South Coast Wilderness Fishing Tours, Mallacoota VIC 0424 625 160 Aussie Fish Estuary Adventures, (02) 6495 9902 or 0400 062 504

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

Techni Ice (03) 9783 1922

East Coast Boat Trailers

Ideal Xmas gift!

Capella III Fishing Adventures, Port Welshpool (03) 5688 1585 Far Out Charters, McLoughlins Beach 0428 401 819

Central BMS Marine (03) 9731 7269

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

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 South-West Fishing Charters, Portland 0418 306 714

Razorback Bluewater Charters, Port Albert (03) 5183 2691

Freshwater

DVD’S -

Series 2 through 8

Angling Expeditions Victoria, Tawonga (03) 5754 1466 Highland Trout Lakes, Ballarat (03) 5368 9574 Millbrook Lakes Lodge, Ballarat (03) 5334 0404

$19.95 each GST INC. - with FREE P&H

1800 228 244

WANT IN? EMAIL : pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au V&TFM

NOVEMBER 2013

95

4.8m Galeforce Tiller with 60hp Honda 4-stroke SUPPLIERS

FMG

The below list are the suppliers I chose to use. While some gave me a great price, the cost did not influence my buying decision. The decision was based on quality, the ability to meet my expectations and the service quality. I am not amazing at maintenance or fixing things up so all the products chosen were easy to maintain and had a reliability that many friends vouched for.

Stephen Booth sbooth@fishingmonthly.com.au

With all the kit sorted and fitted, it was time to get my new little girl wet and see how much of a water baby she was going to be.

This is the most exciting time with a new boat and also the most nervous. You want everything to be perfect but you know in your heart of hearts that there will be lots of little things that could be better.

Some you’ll learn to live with (like the dog snoring!), while others will need to be fixed to

Battery Traders Logan www.batterytraders.com.au (07) 3209 3144 120aH batteries for electric, cranking battery for motor, dedicated chargers

Big seats make the ride even more comfortable.

The SeaTrail trailer was adjusted to perfectly carry the rig. It’s oversized for the boat, but that allows me to store a bit of camping geat in the boat while travelling. make the boat easier to use.

Being somewhat of a custom build there were always going to be things out of place, simply forgotten about or perfect, and my

little girl had all of these. But let’s first have a look at how she ran.

The first trip out after water testing was on a blustery day with three in the boat

and that meant any open boat was going to be wet, and we got wet. A gentle 25 knot southerly had short, sharp waves building against the tide and add onto that swells from 40-75’ cruisers and you can imagine the test this gave the boat. But those conditions were perfect as it would give a really good indication of how everything handled pretty ordinary conditions.

Apart from the spray being pushed into the boat the first thing I noticed was that the boat rode a little flat. I’m used to tinnies where you can trim up and get the nose high but this just wasn’t happening.

It felt like the hull needed to hit the water a little further back. But the best thing was that when we hit, went through or came over the top of the waves and boat wakes, there

Left: The rod holder on the port side is great! Right: The front casting deck has plenty of room for two anglers and fits three if needed.

was almost no thumping or jarring. It was awesome. I took the spray on that first day because I was simply loving how well the rig coped with the chop and wake. It made me remember all those conversations I’d had with the go fast tournament guys about how well fibreglass rode – well it’s true.

The 60hp Honda 4-stroke was all of 20 minutes old on that trip and she got the fairly heavy boat up on the plane reasonably quickly and pushed her out to a maximum speed of 27 knots. This wasn’t too bad as Tony from Galeforce predicted 30 knots. As an aside the most recent trip out saw us reach 31 knots 2 up, so Tony knew his boat. The Honda was perfect for what I was after. I didn’t want blistering speed.

I wanted reliability and good fuel economy and I reckon I have both of these in spades with the 60hp Honda.

Internally everything seemed pretty much right apart from the passenger’s seat that hit the port side gunwale.

This is one of those annoying problems that I cannot live with and I will fix it by moving the seat forward a touch and a touch towards the middle of the boat. As a bonus this move will free up tiller arm space as well.

With the fishing not exactly firing, we still managed to get amongst a few

Bay Marine www.bayhonda.com.au (07) 3269 2702 Fit out and service of outboard BLA www.bla.com.au Minn Kota i-Pilot 55lb Humminbird All stainless latches, grab rails, screws, seats, switch panels, nav lights and more Galeforce Boats www.galeforceboats.com.au galeforce@galeforceboats.com.au 0427 870 799 Galeforce 4.8m Tiller, custom deck and internals Honda Marine www.honda.com.au BF60 4-stroke Korr Lighting www.korrlighting.com.au sales@korrlighting.com.au 07 3801 8332 Boat Light Strips Spotlight Marine Warehouse www.marinewarehouse.com.au 07 3272 7701 WaterScreen Nano fuel filter Flow Rite livewell system flatties and it gave us a chance to work the Minn Kota i-Pilot and the Flow Rote livewell system. I love i-Pilots so no point telling everyone again how good they are, apart from saying the new model with i-Link is another step up the brilliant scale. The Flow Rite livewell system was amazing.

My old boat didn’t have a livewell, or an esky for that matter and the addition of a livewell coupled with the

Flow Rite system was simply awesome. I could fill the livewell, drain it, recirculate it or any combination of the three at any time. The only problem I found with the whole set up was that at day’s end the flatties we wanted to keep were a little lively and had just as much fight in them as they did when they were first hooked. Hmmm, I think an ice slurry needs to be investigated.

SHEPPARTON Boats & More

1800 336 603

www.polycraft.com.au 96

NOVEMBER 2013

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207 Numurkah Rd, Shepparton VIC 3630 || P 03 5822 2108 E sales@boatsandmore.com.au

Boat range: 3.00 Tuff Tender, 4.10 Challenger, 4.50 Drifter, 4.80 Brumby, 5.30 Warrior and 5.99 Frontier

The hatches and front casting deck had plenty of room for two anglers with the third angler having room if needed. It was almost perfect for what I wanted. Usually I fish 2 up so the front casting deck was perfect. I think I will look into getting piano wire hinges down the track. The trick will be finding them at the right stainless steel grade.

This is not super important but at some stage it will matter – just not today.

The tiny custom built console was brilliant. I love it. It fits the Humminbird 898 perfectly, has two rows of switch panels and the livewell timer and is about to get a NMEA gauge installed as

well. Robin’s Mobile Services also installed a hard wired 12V socket on the console and this has been amazing for charging the phone and running a hand held spotlight at night.

And speaking of lights, the Korr Boat Lights that were fitted throughout are exceptional. I have a switch that turns on the cabin lights and also a switch that turns on the lights in the hatches. Look out whiting and mangrove jack this summer!

Underneath the mini console is a 20L food esky.

Tony at Galeforce thought to place this here as I had run out of ideas and it’s a great idea.

It gives me plenty of food and drink storage and the esky

The livewell is spacious and the Flow Rite system works a treat keeping fish alive and healthy for release or for the table.

acts as a footrest when making longer runs. It’s really nice to have a food storage place away from fish, really nice.

Lastly the trailer. What can I say about the trailer from R & M Marne other than it works brilliantly.

After the boat was finished I dropped off the entire rig to their factory and they adjusted every nut and bolt to achieve the best support, launch and retrieve result. I could hardly be happier with it. I-beam aluminium and I love it.

WHAT I’D ADD The one thing I reckon I missed was a large side pocket. I’d run this down the port side and that will store things like fish measurers, crab measurers, gaffs and odds and sods. It wasn’t until I packed in all the gear I normally take that I noticed the beautiful clean deck was missing that little bit of easy grab storage space. This can be fixed and at some stage I’ll get a side pocket built in.

I am also thinking of placing another seat bracket further towards the bow. This will enable a passenger to sit facing the stern when I’m trolling offshore, and make no mistake, on the right day this rig will chew up some offshore fishing.

Apart from those additions I’m struggling to come up with more add ons, which is really good I reckon.

The mini-console fits everything on it well. A NMEA gauge is being installed in the middle to monitor fuel use, engine performance and more.

WHAT I’D CHANGE I’ve mentioned the passenger seat already and the piano hinges but apart from that I might tinker around with the electric battery position to see if it will help get the nose up a bit. At present they are located in front of the livewell. This adds a lot of

weight to the nose of the boat.

I’d also investigate other avenues to raise the nose a little. Things like wedging the motor, raising or dropping the motor, repositioning weight or simply learning to drive the rig better. I’m happy to admit it’ll take me 6 months to really get to understand the new girl.

OVERALL There are a few issues that need to be addressed and when they are this rig is going to be a fishing weapon.

Into the wind and chop the Galeforce rides magically, with the swell and across the swell it does get a little wet. On my most recent trip though I reckon I was starting to work everything out a bit better and we didn’t get nearly as wet as the first two trips – maybe I can learn a thing or two.

I’m not sure I am cut out to be the guy who custom builds boats. It’s just not my thing and I reckon once is enough for me. But I have enjoyed immensely learning a heap about how boats are built, how engines are mounted, how all the electronics work and how easy it is to get things wrong.

Am I happy? Yep. I really love the way this thing rides, but I will need to sort out the spray issue. The soft ride means I can’t complain about a sore back anymore.

I really like the way this rig fishes too, especially two up. From squid to flatties, from jacks to tuna the Galeforce 4.8m Tiller with 60hp Honda 4-stroke is going to be a busy boat.

I can’t wait to get to know all her foibles and revel in her brilliance over the next few years.

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NOVEMBER 2013

97

Sea Fox 256W Voyager BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

The Sea Fox 256W Voyager is a 7.6m-long piece of handlaid fibreglass with almost every component keen anglers seek in a fishing boat and enough stylish comforts to make a perfect family craft as well.

Built in South Carolina, this boat has almost every conceivable feature to ensure comfort and efficiency for serious fishing and family fishing.

No timber was used in its construction, with 20cm-wide fibreglass stringers, glass/ composite transom and the interior liner bonded to the hull before closed-cell foam is injected. The result a strong and very quiet hull.

The beamy (2.8m) walkaround has easy access forward via steps and ample hand holds on the massive hardtop. But with an electric anchor winch up there I can’t imagine people moving up forward except to chase a fish or cast, or maybe take in some sun.

OPULENCE The test Sea Fox did offer a fair few optional extras, including an aft bench seat, anchor roller, Silver Shark coloured hull, full covers for the massive Ultima version hardtop and stainless propellers for the Mercury 150hp four strokes.

The fully lined cabin has shelves and a lockable bi-fold door. With an infill the v-berths convert to a double bed and there’s a removable dining table, large woodgrain cabinet, sink with pressurised water and a butane stove. The electric refrigerator, four cabin lights and the marine toilet under the starboard bunk were also standard.

insulated storage box with a further compartment in the companionway for tackle trays and lure bags.

The mate’s seat had a 51L Igloo removable cooler under it, great for on-board tucker and cold drinks.

There’s more sealed storage in the floor between the seats.

The 256WA’s dash was somewhat plain Jane, although

The Sea Fox off the leash and running hard.

SPECIFICATIONS

A well-designed trailer makes driving the Sea Fox back onto the skids an easy matter.

Hull length............................................. 7.6m Beam.................................................... 2.8m Length on trailer.................................... 9.4m Height on trailer.................................... 3.5m Hull weight............................................ 1861kg Transom deadrise ................................ 20° Fuel....................................................... 568L Rec power............................................ 200hp-400hp Max adults............................................ 10 Towing.................................................. large 4WD

or small truck Test boat supplied by JSW Powersports of the Gold Coast. Price as tested with braked tandem trailer and all options mentioned: $139,385.

Up in the wheelhouse section there are twin sliding swivelling seats mounted on storage boxes that have aft-facing squabs for additional passengers.

Under the skipper’s rear squab us a very large

Clean, uncluttered lines put this big featurepacked Sea Fox in a class of its own.

90w DRIVING LIGHT • LED power: 90 watt - EURO beam • 9 pcs 10w high intensity CREE-XML-1C/1D U3 • Current draw: 12v/7.5AMP; 24V/3.75AMP • Luminous flux: 8000lm • Operating voltage: 10-30V DC ONLY • Waterproof rate: IP68 • Colour temperature: 6000K RRP • Material: Aluminium

That livewell is so large that you could bath a small child in it!

it has room for a couple of 10” multi-purpose displays above the helm. Rocker switches are above and to port of the three-spoke wheel, with engine ignition assemblies to starboard.

Analogue gauges, including speedo and two tachometers, fuel, volts and other dials stretch upwards on the starboard side of the helm.

The engine controls are neatly recessed into the cab side and in easy reach.

Helm seating was very comfortable with all-round visibility and a skipper’s footrest. The wheel was tilt adjustable and linked to hydraulic steering.

A louver window in the centre of the windscreen could be tilted to allow fresh breeze – neat.

Seated under the hardtop with the optional side and front clears, one could not help but be impressed by the massiveness of the sheltered area.

That hardtop also houses four lockable cabinets, two for personal items and charts and two lockable rod racks large enough to take game rods with ease.

There were also spreader lights, an electronics box, Jensen AM/FM radio with MP3 adaptor and four speakers, eight LED lights and a rear rocket launcher for seven rods.

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98

NOVEMBER 2013

V&TFM

Pushing hard at near top speed, the Voyager leaves a very clean wake.

The mist system was a novel touch, spraying a very fine mist through nozzles along the hardtop – made for a Queensland summer’s day!

COCKPIT Almost half of the Voyager is cockpit – fishing room packed with treats. Aft in the non-skid self-draining floor are two 1m long fish boxes with macerator pumps. Rod holders and drink holders were in strategic places, along with horizontal racks.

The live-bait well has four rod holders at its rear, a blue gelcoat interior to keep occupants happy, and a massive clear lid.

In front of the bait well is a removable upholstered seat for two. The boarding ladder is to port.

PERFORMANCE Although the hull was rated to 400hp, performance was never lacking from the twin Mercury 150s, which would offer some savings.

They were amazingly quiet and even at full revs made nothing more than a subdued deep roar.

With three aboard the Voyager planed at 13 knots (24.3kmh) at 2800rpm. At 3000rpm my GPS recorded 17.4 knots (32.3kmh); at 4000rpm 31.4 knots (58.2kmh) and at 5000rpm 39 knots (72.5kmh).

At the max 6000rpm we were doing a brisk 46 knots or 85.3kmh.

Hole shot was impressive, with the big hull simply rising up onto the plane without any excessive bow lift.

A lazy 1.5m swell was mooching in through the Seaway and we had a great time giving the big Fox some

air time. There was no impact as we landed.

The 1861kg hull, 20° transom deadrise and reversed

chines provided an awesome ride. We did not use the recessed trim tabs during test runs.

Top Left: The layout of the Sea Fox is well thought out.

Top Centre: The SeaFox 256 Voyager’s front deck is large enough to spread out and take a nap.

Top Right: The Ultima hardtop comes will all the bells and whistles, including a mist-producing freshwater spray for hot days.

Bottom Left: A handy icebox is stowed under the passenger’s seat.

Bottom Centre: There’s all the room in the world for additional electronics of any size on this dash.

Bottom Right: A comfortable galley makes dining aboard the Voyager an additional pleasure of ownership.

FISHABILITY With a plethora of fishing features, tremendous performance, soft ride and nimble handling, the Sea Fox 256 Voyager is a fishing craft of the highest calibre.

Offshore anglers are going to find the rock-like stability and easy, unfussed ride a huge bonus. With an interior side height of 690mm and exterior sides of 1040mm, seakeeping is of the highest order.

A very high standard of finish will engender pride of ownership in the Sea Fox while almost every useful and desirable fishing feature makes it a fishing craft of exceptional quality.

• Please bear in mind that the 2.8m beam means this rig exceeds most states’ transport regulations for regular towed vehicles. Your state may require the driver of the vehicle towing this rig to be in possession of a permit similar to the Queensland Class 394-TH-13, which comes with a set of specific towing conditions.

Quoted performance figures have been supplied by the writer in good faith.

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

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NOVEMBER 2013

99

VICTORIAN TIDE TIMES

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  

Tide predictions for Port Phillip Heads have been formatted by the National Tidal Centre, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Copyright reserved. All material is supplied in good faith and is believed to be correct. It is supplied on the condition that no warranty is given in relation thereto, that no responsibility or liability for errors or omissions is, or will be, accepted and that the recipient will hold MHL and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology Australia free from all such responsibility or liability and from all loss or damage incurred as a consequence of any error or omission. Predictions should not be used for navigational purposes. Use of these tide predictions will be deemed to include acceptance of the above conditions.

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NO DEALER SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE FOR

3YRS OR 300HRS

ONLY WITH EVINRUDE • No scheduled dealer servicing for

*

• Fewer parts. Fewer problems.

the first 3 years or 300 hours.**

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

• No oil changes. Ever.

the box.

• Easy starts: First time, every time.

• Superior low-end power & torque.

• 3-stars from the toughest emission

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

standard in the world^ - the California

plane faster.

Air Resources Board.

• Greater fuel-efficiency at high & low speeds

• First to receive the EPA's Clean Air

from computer-based engine management.

Technology Excellence Award.

• Up to 50% quieter than older technology engines.

#

South West Melbourne JV Marine World

Western Districts WebbCon Marine

Alberton Alberton Marine

Lismore

Sydney North

03 9368 7100 Lismore Outboard info@jvmarine.com.au Sales & Service www.jvmarine.com.au

Huett Marine Centre0600 Coffs Harbour Marine 03 5381 03 5183 Dave 2344Hill Marine

59 Union St, Lismore, 2480

1131 Pacific Hwy, Cowan, 2082

02 6621 2657

02 9456 1444

9-11 Fitzgerald Rd Laverton North

Geelong

www.lismoreoutboards.com.au lismoreoutboards@bigpond.com

72 Hamilton Rd Horsham

Coffs Harbour

info@webbconmarine.com.au www.webbconmarine.com.au

311B Pacific Hwy Coffs Harbour Sth, 2450

South East Melbourne 02 6652 4722

www.huettmarine.com.au info@huettmarine.com.au

Moolap Marine

JV Marine World

250 Portarlington Rd Moolap

878 Springvale Rd Braeside

Nowra

Johnson Street Alberton

albertonmarine@wideband.net.au

1 Berry Street, Nowra, 2540

02 4423 6137

Mornington Peninsula davehillmarine@onestream.com.au

www.coffsharbourmarine.com.au info@coffsharbourmarine.com.au Barrow

Marine

28 Overton Road Frankston

03 5248South 3772 Sydney

03 9798 8883 Sydney West 03 9783 Forster 8991 Port Stephens

Hunts Marine

Bay Boat Sales

62 Princes Highway, Blakehurst, 2221

332 Soldiers Point Rd, Salamander Bay, 2317 Gippsland

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

Melbourne Central & SE

Cranbourne 02 9546 Centre 1324 Boating

www.huntsmarine.com.au 236 South Gippsland Hwy info@huntsmarine.com.au

Cranbourne

03 5996 2206

crannyboating@bigpond.com

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

TRARALGON

02 4982 7899

Princess Hwy www.bayboatsales.com.au Traralgon bayboatsales@hotmail.com

barrowmarine@tpg.com.au

Blakes Marine

Cnr Windsor & Mulgrave Rd,

McGraths Hill, 2756 Boat Supplies

03 5174 1223

Echuca

02 4577 6699

Graham Barclay Marine 129 The Lakes Way,

Forster, 2428 Boats & More

02 6554 5866

76 Northern Hwy www.barclaymarine.com.au www.blakesmarine.com.au Echuca info@barclaymarine.com.au sales@blakesmarine.com.au

ray@gippslandboatsupplies.com.au

03 5482 1992

b.altham@boatsandmore.com.au

Northern Suburbs Triple M Marine 117 Northgate Drive Thomastown

03 9465 8787 Cowra

triplemmarine@dodo.com.au

All Service Motors

Southern Tasmania

1 Redfern St, Cowra, 2794

Maynes Marine 02 6342 2590

www.allservicemotorscowra.com.au

6allservicemotors@bigpond.com Effingham St Moonah

03 6214 9999

sales@maynesmarine.com.au

© 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, MY12, MY13 & MY14 evinrude E-TEC engines 40 HP and above newly purchased and registered from participating authorized dealers between December 1st 2013 and January 31st 2014. Cashback will be in the form of a Prepaid Visa Card. ** For normal recreational use. # Extended warranty covers MY11, MY12, MY13 & MY14 Evinrude E-TEC engines 40HP and above, newly purchased and registered from participating authorized dealers between October 1st and November 30th 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, 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.

South Gippsland

Alberton Marine 39 Johnson Street, Alberton Phone: (03) 5183 2344 | Fax: (03) 5183 2219 Email: albertonmarine@wideband.net.au

Melbourne

Echuca

Eades Xtreme Marine 24 Sturt Street, Echuca Phone: (03) 5482 2333 | Fax: (03) 5482 2133 Email: info@xtrememarine.net.au Website: www.xtrememarine.net.au

Melbourne

The Marine Shop 6 Holland Drive, Melton Phone: (03) 9747 0588 | Fax: (03) 9747 3999 Email: admin@themarineshop.com.au

Melbourne

Avante Marine 345 Dorset Road, Boronia Phone: (03) 9760 2222 | Fax: (03) 9762 8565 Email: info@avantemarine.com.au Website: www.avantemarine.com.au

East Gippsland

Mallacoota Outboards 3 Commercial Road, Mallacoota Phone: (03) 5158 0459 | Fax: (03) 5158 0719 Email: smo02688@bigpond.net.au

Triple M Marine 117 Northgate Drive, Thomastown Phone: (03) 9465 8787 | Fax: (03) 9466 1418 Email: triplemmarine@dodo.com.au Website: www.triplemmarine.com.au

Cheltenham

Corowa

West Gippsland

Geelong

Mornington

Bell Marine Services 120 Talinga Road, Cheltenham Phone: (03) 9583 3881 | Fax: (03) 9583 0117 Email: admin.sales@bellmarineservices.com

Bendigo

Bendigo Marine World 49 Midland Highway, Epsom Phone: (03) 5448 3988 | Fax: (03) 5448 3940 Email: sales@bendigomarine.com.au Website: www.bendigomarine.com.au

Melbourne

BL Marine 612- 614 Plenty Road, Preston Phone: (03) 9478 1420 | Fax: (03) 9470 4638 Email: info@blmarine.com.au Website: www.blmarine.com.au

Shepparton

Boats and More 207 Numurkah Road, Shepparton Phone: (03) 5822 2108 | Fax: (03) 5821 2908 Email: sales@boatsandmore.com.au Website: www.boatsandmore.com.au

Gippsland

Crawford Marine 71-77 Chickerell Street, Morwell Phone: (03) 5134 6522 | Fax: (03) 5134 6455 Email: info@crawfordmarine.com.au Website: www.crawfordmarine.com.au

Maverick Boats Hammersley & Theiss Roads, Corowa Phone: (02) 6033 3222 | Fax: (02) 6033 4488 Email: sales@maverickboats.com.au Website: www.maverickboats.com.au Moolap Marine 250 Portarlington Road, Moolap Phone: (03) 5248 3772 | Fax: (03) 5248 4633 Email: info@moolapmarine.com.au Website: www.moolapmarine.com.au

Sorrento

Nautical Marine 139 – 141 Hotham Road, Sorrento Phone: (03) 5984 1666 | Fax: (03) 5984 1680 Email: nautical@surf.net.au Website: www.nauticalmarine.com.au

Melbourne

Regal Marine 514 Canterbury Road, Vermont Phone: (03) 9874 4624 | Fax: (03) 9874 6586 Email: sales@regalmarine.com.au Website: www.regalmarine.com.au

West Gippsland

Tooradin P & J Marine Service Centre P/L 101 Tooradin Station Road, Tooradin Phone: (03) 5998 3107 | Fax: (03) 5998 3108 Email: pjmarine_services@bigpond.com

Warragul Marine South Road, Warragul Phone: (03) 5623 6250 | Fax: (03) 5622 0623 Email: info@warragulmarine.com.au Website: www.warragulmarine.com.au Wes Frost Marine 3 Satu Way, Mornington Phone: (03) 5976 4622 | Fax: (03) 5976 4633 Email: sales@wesfrostmarine.com Webste: www.wesfrostmarine.com

ON 2.5 115HP FOURSTROKE OUTBOARDS ENDS 15 NOVEMBER 2013

When it comes to power, reliability and performance, you can’t go past a Mercury FourStroke 2.5-115hp.

Backed by the only 3 year corrosion warranty, their lightweight, durable design and enhanced fuel efficiency makes them perfect to power everything from small inflatables to large Cuddy Cabins.

For one awesome FourStroke offer, go to your participating Mercury Marine dealer today.

Visit mercurymarine.com.au for full details.

Terms and conditions apply

*