Vic/Tas Fishing Monthly June 2018

HUGE MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW FEATURE INSIDE

Techniques Land-based snapper techniques • Lowdown on leaders •

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Features •

Boating & Kayaking

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New engines from Mercury • Stacer’s revolution • Doubling up with kayaks •

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Gearing up for a sword fight • Lure Show sneak peak • Madeye soft plastics

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June 2018, Vol. 13 No. 8

Contents WEST COAST West Coast

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14

14

21

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Portland 14 Warrnambool 16 Apollo Bay

17

Cobden 16

CENTRAL Geelong 18 Port Phillip West

20

Port Phillip North East

22

Port Phillip North

23

Mornington Peninsula

24

Western Port North

25

Western Port South

26

Phillip Island

27

EAST COAST Lakes Entrance

29

Marlo 28 Gippsland Lakes

28

Corner Inlet

29

NSW SOUTH COAST Bermagui 34 Eden 34 Mallacoota 35 Merimbula 37 Narooma 35

VICTORIAN FRESHWATER Horsham 48 Robinvale 49

From the Editor’s Desk...

It’s no secret that there are concerns about bluefin tuna stocks internationally.

But recently there’s been a consideration by the Commonwealth Government that has many different bodies scratching their heads.

The Commonwealth Government has threatened to take over management of Victoria’s tuna fishery and halve the recreational bag limit. However, it seems they have just gifted the commercial fishers in Port Lincoln an extra 500 tonnes without any consultation with the other states or recreational fishers. It seems odd that to protect an internationally endangered species to put more regulation in place for the recreational sector, yet increase quotas for the commercial sector.

There’s no question that

in terms of fish stocks, that the recreational sector has far less of an impact than commercials – so what’s going on here?

Currently, all of the allocation of tuna for Australia is given to the commercial sector in Port Lincoln. There’s questions that recreational anglers need to be asking. Firstly, why hasn’t the Commonwealth completed the recreational tuna survey that is has committed to nationally?

This would provide a better context for decisions like these.

Secondly, is the Commonwealth threatening to take over Victoria’s recreational tuna fishery management? In the past, recreational tuna fishing bag limits in Victoria have been managed by state fisheries, and tailored to Victoria’s unique fishery.

What consultation with

the states was undertaken regarding how this allocation decision was made?

Surely, if there was to be a international decision regarding the protection of a species, the bodies that previously governed the recreational and commercial take would be consulted first.

Has the Commonwealth done any socio-economic analysis of the impact to the Glenelg Shire by halving the recreational tuna catch?

Often when big decision like these are made, small communities are ignored. Is the Commonwealth aware of the jobs and investment that the tuna fishery currently supports in the Glenelg Shire? Small towns like the Glenelg Shire rely on visiting anglers to retain a healthy economy, and if tuna opportunities are diminished, who knows what lies ahead?

This is a matter that needs to be approached with

scepticism by recreational anglers, because it just smells fishy.

MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW Although we have a huge Melbourne Boat Show feature with a pile of boat tests in this issue, you may notice that we don’t have a stand at the Melbourne Boat Show this year.

We do have a special gift for VFM readers wanting to subscribe at the show – call the office on 1800 228 244 and speak to Kym to find out what it is, and redeem the offer.

We will be attending the show to cover the new product launches and news that it generates and we’ll probably see you there again next year.

Until next month, keep warm and tight lines.

There’s plenty of reading in this issue to keep you occupied.

Mildura 48 Jindabyne 50 Wangaratta 52 Shepparton 53 Ballarat 54 Eildon 56

59

Central Gippsland

59

TASMANIA WRAP

40

BOATING AND KAYAK

69

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Luke Marchetti took this humungous cuttlefish off the Portsea Pier in the early morning. He thought he was snagged until the snag fought back!

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AUST

Exciting land-based snapper techniques

Publishers: Steve Morgan Matthew Drinkall

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Time for an epic sword fight

Field Editor: Kelly Hunt

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MEMBER

Fishing Diary Angler: Jonah Yick Date: June 15th 2016

Location: Eaglehawk Neck, TAS Conditions: SW 10 kts, incoming tide

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SWORDFISH

It’s time for an epic swordfight PORT PHILLIP EAST

Lee Rayner info@fishingfever.com.au

A few years ago if someone said you could catch a swordfish in daylight hours, you would have thought they were on the crazy pills, but that was quickly changed when anglers overseas started to catch these giants of the ocean with a bit of

board the boat with Julian Coyne and Richie Abela when we went to Mallacoota in search of a marlin bite.

While we were there Richie said we needed to drop a bait for a sword. When the water we were fishing held no marlin, our plans changed and a bait was sent down.

That trip changed our lives forever as the bait was eaten as soon as it hit the bottom by a swordfish that we later landed. Then

on our doorstep. From what we have learned so far, it seems that right now is the time to go and catch one.

SAFETY FIRST While we have worldclass swordfish opportunities here, our only downside is that the good areas are

often run out to the shelf to check anglers for safety gear and licenses.

LOCATIONS One thing that has become very apparent is that swordfish can, and do, cover a lot of ground in their endless hunt for food.

Tom Hall does battle with a 197kg sword off Lakes Entrance. regularity. It also gained momentum very quickly as anglers also realised that there were good numbers of swords feeding all day long down in the depths.

Fast forward a few years and anglers have started to make a few attempts at catching swords, and catch them they certainly did. The lid was blown off in our own Victorian waters back in 2016 when Matt Porter landed the first one in Victoria. Funny thing was that after getting that fish Matt realised that he had in fact had bites and hooked several other swords before he landed this one.

A week later I was fortunate enough to be on

to back it up we got two more the following day. This had our heads spinning, as we couldn’t believe it was possible to catch broadbill and multiples of them on a daily basis.

Since that trip a lot of miles have been covered, things learned, techniques refined and tackle developed for catching these giants in our own Victorian waters.

The other thing that has quickly become apparent is that not only are there numbers of fish in our waters but the size of some of the fish is gigantic. Even the average-size fish in Tasmania would rival any other swordfish location in the world and best of all it’s

This is what 197kg of sword looks like in the boat – take the time to get good pictures.

This is a belly flap bait for a sword. all long hauls from land, 60-90km runs offshore are fairly standard. Adding to this the ramps are not suitable in all conditions, so having a large enough boat and enough fuel capacity is paramount. Choosing calm weather patterns is also a must, and it also makes fishing for these fish much easier and more comfortable.

Make sure all safety gear is well and truly up to scratch as the water police

Luckily for us, the coastline between Lakes Entrance and Mallacoota has kilometres of good areas to find swordfish.

The key areas to search are along the outside edge of the continental shelf in anything from 300-600m of water, with kinks, canyons and any change in feature generally being prime areas.

The other key factor to finding swordfish – just like any other gamefish is to find the bait – as these guys have

big appetites and will always be in areas of high food concentrations, which down deep is called a ‘scatter’ or ‘feed’ layer. This is made up of micro-organisms and small baitfish and squid.

This in turn attracts bigger fish and squid, which then attract the swords.

To find these key areas to fish you require a good sounder and a suitable deep water transducer. I run a Simrad EVO3 12” unit with a 1kw low chirp transducer.

Not only does it read the bottom clearly at these depths, it also highlights the feed layer and where it’s thicker or more densely packed, which highlights

key spots to fish. A good sounder setup will also help to clearly mark any fish in the area.

TACKLING UP People often ask me what swords fight like and while they can have incredible bursts of speed and perform some spectacular jumps, for the most part it’s like being hooked up to a 4WD in low gear. For this reason, some serious tackle is required to land them.

When it comes to reel choices there are plenty to choose from. While any 50W game reel will do the job when filled with braid, due to their smaller size by the time the bait is down

RINCON

Like the California point break it was named for, the Rincon has a classic West Coast straight bridge, wrapping style lines and edgy curved temples.

GREEN MIRROR: Enhanced vision and contrast for fishing inshore and on flats.

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8

JUNE 2018

OPTIMAL USE: • Sight fishing in full sun • High contrast

Near the end of the battle, Jules Coyne prepares to take the leader on a sword.

SWORDFISH on the bottom there isn’t a lot of line left on the reel.

Most anglers prefer to use reels like the Tiagra 80W, Makaira 80W or the Penn 70VSX, as these hold loads of braid and the bigger spool diameter also means you get great line retrieval. The other super popular reel nowadays is the Talica 50, which has a large spool diameter and high retrieve speed in a compact overhead.

Reels are filled with anything from 50-130lb braid with 80lb being the most popular. Attach a topshot; 50-100m allows a good bit of stretch in the system. Saying that, the great thing about this emerging fishery is that anglers are evolving and coming up with new ideas and theories,

Good quality lights attract those swords to your lures and baits once they’re down deep.

These are sounder shots of a Simrad showing the thick feed layer and also the marks of a swordfish holding just near it. so the length of topshots is creating a lot of discussions.

When it comes to the rod, I recommend a soft tipped rod (to be able to see the bite) which folds away to a powerful butt section capable of comfortably fishing 12-16kg of drag. As for the guides, most anglers use rollers, but I love full fixed guides; they allow leader knots and wind-on leaders to pass through the guides easily and, best of all, the rod can sit in the holder waiting for a bite or even loaded up on a fish with the line able to pull at any angle without any worry of braid slipping between the roller and frame.

My sword rods are 80 Fathoms custom sword rods and I’ve caught a bunch of fish and, more importantly, spent a lot of hours fighting fish. I prefer a bent butt system on the rod as they are made for up and down fights on heavy drag.

7699D in 12/0 and 14/0 is perfect in a squid.

A lot of anglers are now going towards circles as they allow for a good release and are a great way to fish for swords, as the hardest part is often hooking them. The most important part of using circles is to make sure the bait is well clear of the hook.

Move towards fish baits such as mackerel, small tuna or belly flap baits, that way it won’t foul up on the hook like a squid might.

HARNESSES, GLOVES AND GAFFS If you don’t have a harness, definitely get one and make it a good one.

Have it adjusted to the angler who is going to be on the rod before you hook up. As an added extra, you can also

upgrade the gimbal belt from the standard to the XL size, as the bigger size spreads the load better on heavy drag, making it more comfortable to fish over extended periods.

Good tracing gloves are also important; with the heavier leader you can hold on when you get that sword in range. When you do, if you’re keeping it, make sure you have a few gaffs ready. Have at least one but preferably two fliers tied off.

I also like a good fixed gaff that is small and ultra tough.

GOING DOWN You’ve got the gear and the bait and you’re out over the shelf, now you need to get that bait down to the bottom hundreds of metres below. One thing’s for sure, To page 10

IT’S TERMINAL While you need to get a bit of stuff to chase swords, the upside is that it doesn’t require six rods and a million lures. What you will need, however, is a few lights to go on your rig. These are super important to your success – these lights will attract the swordfish to your bait in the darkness below. While there are loads of lights to choose from, Lindgren Pittman offer a bunch of colours; my favourite are the disco colours. These lights aren’t cheap but are fully water and pressure tested, so you know they are working properly 500m below you. Add to this a few small diamond lights, big rubber bands, wax thread, stitching needles and rigs.

Most of our rigs are made up on 300lb leader, but some anglers use up to 600lb. Hook choice is a personal one. You should have a few hook options.

It’s important to match the suitable hook to the bait. The Black Magic Big Game 9/0 and 10/0 are great hooks for belly flaps, while the Mustad

Swordfish are some of the most impressive fish in the ocean, so have fun with the battle.

JUNE 2018

9

SWORDFISH From page 9

it’s going to take more than a snapper lead to do it.

Getting your bait down to a sword has seen anglers come up with plenty of clever ideas that range from rocks to bottles filled with sand and bricks. No matter how you get it there, it needs to be attached to the rig with a few metres of light mono that is used as a breakaway, that way once the weight and bait are down you can either leave the weight attached or break the weight

off and allow the bait to slowly float up.

HOW IT HAPPENS When the weather’s on your side and you’ve made the run out to the chosen area you plan to fish, sound around and find a solid feed layer down near the bottom.

Then it’s time to get a bait in the water and hopefully into the mouth of a sword.

Lights are attached up the line away from the bait, the weight is dropped and the bait races away behind it with flashing lights in tow

bite, which is usually a subtle bump on the rod tip – this is where a properly developed swordfish rod comes into its own. It’s worth noting a lot of the bites come in the first

sits back and uses the harness and the tackle to beat the fish, while the skipper changes angles on the line to try and break the fish and get it to surface. The fight may last

The by-catch is also good with big blue-eye like this one caught by Lee McDuffie.

This angler is all smiles while pulling up a hefty sword.

The author with a swordfish.

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JUNE 2018

and a reel in overdrive as it dumps line off the spool.

After several minutes it hits the bottom and the decision is made to crack the weight off; this is done by winding up the slack then,

once rod is loaded, giving it a few sharp winds and jerks of the rod to snap the breakaway.

With the weight off it’s critical every eye is watching the rod tip for any sign of a

few minutes, as any sword in the area comes racing in to see the commotion of lights.

Five minutes later it happens. The rod registers two subtle knocks then the line appears to go slack – the sword has the bait and is now racing to the surface.

It’s time to start winding.

With only a hundred metres or so to go everything stops, the rod loads up and gets really heavy before line starts coming off the reel under serious drag pressure.

At this point the angler

less than an hour or it could still be going when the sun sets. Either way, you’re tight on one of the most impressive fish in the ocean, so enjoy it.

At the end if you choose to keep it or release the sword its your choice, but if you do keep it, respect the fish for the gladiator it is, take the time to get good photos in the boat, and back on land take the time to cut it up and package the meat properly as it makes great eating, and best of all it freezes well so none should go to waste.

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The lowdown on leaders and we why use them lure or fly.

The best leader materials are generally clear and not too glossy. Their clarity allows light to pass through, reducing visibility and the creation of shadows, while a low gloss finish minimises the incidence of flashing in bright sunlight.

A third and final reason for always using a mono

PART I NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.com

These days, the addition of a leader of some sort at the business end of your line is regarded as almost mandatory, especially when using braided or fused gel-spun polyethylene (GSP) main lines. But why is that so, and how do you choose the best leader setup to use?

These days, a large and growing percentage of keen Aussie anglers have made the switch to using braided or fused GSP main lines for at least some of their

Braided main lines offer all sorts of advantages, but you really should add a mono leader, regardless of whether you’re chasing bass in the fresh, or billfish offshore.

Sharp-eyed and finicky fish like this whiting are far less likely to detect a length of fine mono leader.

Tying your braid straight to the lure or hook would almost certainly cost you bites in finesse situations. fishing. They’ve done this because these ‘super lines’ offer distinct advantages in terms of casting ability, bite detection, hook-setting power and sheer fishfighting strength.

Braided or fused GSP lines are extremely thin for their breaking strain, meaning it’s possible to fit more line on a reel, cast further and work lures or baits deeper in the water column without adding too much extra weight to the line.

You’ll also maintain much better contact with your lure or bait, as the very low stretch characteristics of braid really enhance the angler’s sense of feel. However, one of the downsides of GSP is the fact that its use practically demands the addition of a leader for most common forms of fishing. There are a couple of reasons for this:

while under pressure. Due to the way they’re constructed, using thousands of minute fibres known as ‘angel hairs,’ these multi-strand lines quickly lose strength when abraded.

Tying braid straight to your hook or lure exposes the last metre or two of line to all sorts of damaging contacts with rocks, oysters, snags, pylons and so on, and that’s before a fish ever gets involved.

Fine, sharp fish teeth such as those found in flathead or Murray cod are kryptonite to these super lines, especially when the fish

use of monofilament leaders virtually mandatory whenever you’re running gel-spun main lines.

There are more reasons for always using a leader with GSP lines; as thin as braids are for their strength, most are also opaque. In other words, light doesn’t pass through them. This can potentially make these lines more visible to fish in many lighting conditions, as well as increasing the density and definition of the shadows they cast.

Adding a leader of single strand (monofilament) line, either nylon or fluorocarbon, is generally accepted as being the best way to separate these solid, visible, multistrand lines from your bait,

A leader of nylon or fluorocarbon adds a small but valuable degree of stretch to the equation when a powerful fish is close to the boat or bank, thus helping to prevent pulled or straightened hooks. leader when you’re running braid is related to the very low stretch of gel-spun lines. In many cases, it can actually be an advantage to incorporate a small amount of controlled stretch into your rig, and using a monofilament leader is the easiest way to do that.

Having a slight ‘cushion’ or ‘spring’ in the form of a few metres of relatively stretchy leader material can be a real bonus, especially

Firstly, while gel-spun polyethylene (GSP) line is very durable and hard wearing when dealing with smooth surfaces like reel spools, rod runners, bail rollers and clean boat hulls.

It abrades quickly when it comes into contact with rougher surfaces, especially

that own them begin shaking their heads from side to side.

The same goes for species with rock-hard, sandpaper jaws like barra, queenfish and threadfin salmon, to name a few. Even without the next two factors described, GSP’s lack of abrasion resistance under tension makes the

Queenfish have hard, sharp-edged jaws that could easily abrade through braided line if it were connected directly to the hook or lure.

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(especially where a length of stronger, tougher and more abrasion-resistant material is needed at the working end of the rig) then how do we pick the optimum leader setup for each fishing scenario? How long should that leader be, what should it be made from, and how is it best connected to our main line?

These are questions I’ll answer in depth next month, in the second part of this double-header on leader lore.

Even the widely-spaced, conical ‘holding’ teeth of a mulloway are capable of damaging fine braids.

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in the closing stages of a fight, when there’s only a short length of line between angler and fish.

If we accept that the use of leaders is virtually mandatory when running GSP lines (for the three critical reasons just explained), and often highly advantageous even with monofilament main lines

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Dartmouth Pondage re-opens The Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) has led the re-opening of fishing access to the Dartmouth Pondage with partner agencies and stocked it with 20,000 trout from its Snobs Creek hatchery.

The Pondage had been closed to fishing since 2013 due to concerns about public safety during rapidly changing water levels, however agencies have agreed to manage those risks by fencing, signage and temporary closures during peak flows.

Women in recreational fishing The VFA has launched a new Facebook group called the Women in Recreational Fishing (WIRF) network.

It’s an interactive space for women of all ages to share their experiences, passion and knowledge of fishing.

WIRF network is a direct result of our survey last year, which was completed by nearly 1,400 women.

Amongst the feedback, women indicated they wanted a comfortable space to discuss fishing and learn more from other females who were already wetting a line, spearfishing or diving. www.facebook.com/groups/womeninrecfishing

Mitta Mitta fish habitat Fishing licence fees have helped the North East Catchment Management Authority to install more than 250 large snags back into the lower Mitta Mitta River to improve fish habitat.

The three year project, worth almost $300,000, was a collaboration between local angling groups, landholders and the CMA to enhance fish habitat and connectivity, and increase recreational fishing opportunities.

Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne

Cool water monsters have been going strong WEST COAST

Brett Carson

Hello winter! While it’s a little colder, the mulloway fishing has been so consistent this year that the best fishing might still be to come. Last year some of the biggest fish were caught in

the cooler months by those who didn’t hang up the rods at Easter. Having had large numbers of smaller fish in the system in the past few years this season has seen an unbelievable improvement in the size to undersize ratio.

With the cooler weather comes slower metabolism

Paul catches all his fish on super light line.

so the feeding periods can stretch out. When they do it can be bedlam. I’ve seen half-hour mulloway bites at this time of year that would blow your mind. Vibes and jerk shads are ideal ripped through schools found on the sounder. Fish are still way upriver, so don’t be afraid to cover ground in your search.

Bream have been patchy around the estuary. On some sessions fishing with whitebait has reaped the best rewards. Up through the Glenelg the edges are still fishing well. Some good bags of bream, perch and mulloway have come from the Sapling Creek area. Ray and his dad had a good session not that long ago with a good mixed bag.

Perch sizes in the lower reaches have been down, but as winter comes on that will improve.

The larger fish are still higher up with Buck Saunders fishing some heavy snags for some good bream and unstoppable perch. Up above Pines Landing is a beautiful patch to have a look at. The edges are loaded with heavy snags

holding monsters that will work you over quicker than you’ll expect.

The winter mullet run will start to hot up and those schools of big fish hanging around the Dry Creek and Donavans area will end up on local tables for a feed. I came through that area in the dark recently and they were that thick you could have walked on them.

The mullet were huge and I’m sure a pipi in a berley trail will account for plenty. They also make great mulloway or surf bait and with the beaches starting to steepen up and the gutters now aplenty, maybe save a few fillets for a delicious school or gummy shark. Our surf fishing in this area is exceptional and some of the most unfished ground in the state. People come here to fish the river and often regret not throwing the beach gear in when they see what’s on offer. Don’t make the same mistake.

• Good luck and feel free to come and see us at Nelson Boat Hire for the latest info, we have the local ‘live bait licence,’ meaning we stock live mullet, crabs and

Pam Koenig with a 40cm bream taken from the Sapling Creek area. podworms along with all the frozen bait, tackle and lures you need for the area.

We’ll do our best to give you some local knowledge and

get you on the fish quicker.

Remember you can hire any of our boats without a boat licence, including our very popular houseboat.

The big tuna run will hit its peak this month PORTLAND

John Johnstone

As late autumn turns into winter and the tuna run hits its peak, with fish moving further inshore and starting to really fire as the water temperature cools, school fish will be encountered from Lawrence Rocks to Cape Nelson and Bridgewater.

Fish up to 25kg can be expected with the real possibility of a jumbo in the areas around the capes.

The amount of bait has

run and won, with a 105.9kg fish taking out top place, 104kg coming a close second and 29.8kg coming a distant third; as with every year there were bigger fish caught but people decided not to enter and as a result cost themselves five grand for the sake of $20.

been exceptional this year – sounders with 1kw transducers haven’t been able to pick up the bottom in places. This year may prove to be a bumper year for these fish. Tuna up to 130kg have already been taken, and for every big tuna that is landed there are two or three that are lost for one reason or another.

Other catches in the deep water include blue-eye, pink ling, hapuka, grenadier and gemfish. Out on the shelf it’s worth throwing a lure in, as there are good numbers of albacore and SBTs for anglers venturing that far.

fresh water to blue eye and other deep sea fish over the continental shelf. The new owner John Johnstone has extensive fishing experience for both fresh and saltwater.

He has fished most areas of Australia, from chasing trout in the high country to

Michael Goldby and Lockie Wompwell caught some decent pink ling on the shelf.

Paul Hourmouzi with his 105.9kg tuna, which won the tuna comp this year.

14

JUNE 2018

Further inshore flathead, latchet, school and gummy sharks, morwong, knifejaw and snapper are providing anglers with good bags of tasty eating fish in the waters from 60-200m. The amount of arrow squid around this year has been exceptional, with anglers struggling to get baits to the bottom in some places.

The shallow waters are starting to slow down as the fish move out to deeper water.

The Lee Breakwater has had snapper to 7.5kg, along

with salmon, barracouta, sharks and the odd elephant fish as well.

The local beaches will start to see more salmon from now on and most beaches from Narrawong to Discovery Bay are worth a look. Those braving the cooler nights will be rewarded with school and gummy shark with mulloway a chance as well as always good fresh quality bait is the best option.

The annual Hooked On Tuna Competition has been

Tom Robley and Adrian Seacombe with a 127.5kg tuna.

• Portland Bait and Tackle is family-owned and operated stoking fishing tackle, bait and marine accessories.

They are open 7 days a week from 7 to 7. Portland’s one stop fishing tackle shop, we cover everything from chasing redfin and trout in

the jumbo tuna down the West Coast – the chances are John has done it. To get the latest advice on what’s been caught call Portland Bait and Tackle on (03) 5523 5213 or drop in and see them at 111 Bentinck Street, Portland.

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NAME

Lack of rain has meant calm weather periods WARRNAMBOOL

Mark Gercovich mgercovich@hotmail.com

The start of winter isn’t usually looked forward to with great anticipation.

This June may be slightly different however, as the region will be hoping for some winter rain after an extended dry spell over the past few months.

The upside of this has

been plenty of calm weather allowing offshore anglers opportunities to get out and chase their favourite species.

The hardest thing about bottom fishing locally is getting suitable conditions conducive to success.

Combine calm weather with not too much or too little drift and a good tidal movement day and success is usually forthcoming. It sounds simple, but you

can go weeks without such days.

This wasn’t the case recently, however a wide variety of fish have been coming in. Gummy sharks are perhaps the number one bottom fishing target locally and good numbers have been taken along with a variety of tasty denizens of the deep: tiger flathead, blue morwong, pinkiesnapper on the inshore 40-50m range grounds and blue-eye, pink ling and trumpeter for those deep dropping near the shelf.

Most tuna catches at the moment have been coming from the 50-60m range from local ports.

This doesn’t sound too far out but there is around 10-20km+ between fish that are in 40m and fish that are getting out in the 55-60m range. By now the fish may have pushed closer to shore as locally we usually get a run of inshore tuna in the 30-40 depth during the winter months. Last winter the cooler month inshore tuna run didn’t really eventuate, so hopefully that won’t be the case this year.

The Hopkins River opened recently, which was quite surprising due to the lack of rain. I haven’t heard of many mulloway lately, so perhaps some of the fish that were prevalent recently have made their way back to sea. Bream have started to show up on the sounder in the middle of the river with the edge bite slowing somewhat.

This month, targeting these schooled up fish will be the main way of getting a bag together, with metal blades and heavilyweighted plastics being the

go-to techniques. Estuary perch have been biting well in the freshwater regions.

These fish will begin moving back down towards the estuary reaches.

The lack of rain has put trout fishing to the back of most anglers’ minds recently. Some good fish have still been taken in the Merri River, mainly around low light conditions.

Come the potential cold and wet of June the local trout population will be more forthcoming with their likelihood of attacking a lure.

Fresh holding decent numbers COBDEN

Rod Shepherd

Hannah Saunders with a solid bluefin taken off Port Fairy recently.

The freshwater regions of the Hopkins River have seen a few brown trout to just over a kilogram fall to bank side casting shallow diving minnow lures. The best stretch of the river is below the Hopkins Falls right through to Allansford. The big bonus here is that you’re almost as likely to hook up to a sizeable estuary perch, as they also inhabit this stretch in large numbers.

The Hopkins is arguably the only river in the state where estuary perch will predominantly reside in the fresh, except for when they gather downstream in the brackish areas to spawn. Fish to 47cm and weighing in at over 1.4kg have been taken by anglers casting a wide variety of lures from the bank.

Below Tooram Stones (the reef that separates brackish water from fresh) some excellent bream have been caught, mainly on hardbodied lures and soft plastics fished hard up to snags such as overhanging trees and rock walls. Small, reed-encrusted bays also hold bream and perch, but be prepared when twitching plastics on or near the bottom to snag up and lose your lures at least a few times in a session.

A few mulloway to 96cm have also been caught

recently, which points to a school present in the river.

Some have been hooked by anglers targeting bream.

Anglers have specifically been targeting them with soft plastics. Regardless, they can be an elusive fish to pursue at times. If you’re lucky enough to find a patch on the chew, you will certainly know about it!

The Gellibrand River at Princetown has also been good for EPs of late.

There are plenty of small specimens hugging the reeds down near the mouth. Soft

plastics, minnows and metal blades fished quite quickly through the water column next to the bank have been successful. Further upstream near the Kangaroobie canoe launching spot a large stand of tea trees on the opposite side of the river is holding a few larger specimens. Soft plastics allowed to drift down towards the bottom then jigged up in short, sharp movements have attracted strikes.

It seems that the first of the winter salmon schools have moved in close to

An average Hopkins’ perch taken on the flats using a Fish Arrow 3’’ Flash J Minnow in green/silver twitched across the surface.

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shore along our coastline.

Fish to 600g have been schooling up and feeding just beyond the wave wash. It won’t be long before they are joined by their much larger brethren as we steadily approach winter. The best baits have been pilchards and squid. Chrome slices thrown beyond the wave wash and retrieved at a rapid rate of knots have produced quite a few fish within a session. The best time has been on the last two hours of a rising tide.

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What will be biting at the start of this winter APOLLO BAY

Wayne Diffey

Salmon have started to show up in better numbers along the local beaches over the last few weeks or so. Good-sized schools of decent-sized fish have been showing up at Wild Dog Creek Beach, near Pirates Cove, the back beach at Marengo and Johanna Beach.

Juro Laser lures, Gillies Baitfish, Halco Streakers and Asari Mahi are some of the better lure choices if you are spinning off the beach or rocks. If you are bait fishing, then blue bait or squid are usually productive, especially if you use a double paternoster setup with a surf popper on the top dropper. Early morning or late evenings are the best times to get out there and chase them off the beaches.

Out wide I’m still getting

good reports of good catches of gummies, snapper and some big flatties being caught around the 40m mark off Bald Hill Reef and Blanket Bay Reef.

There have been quite a few boats out chasing the

they wouldn’t come up.

The local rivers and streams have been fishing pretty well for bream, with some nice trout as well.

Don’t forget that the closed season for trout in rivers and

A fair Cape Otway snapper.

Rick Cockerell and family were camping at the Aire River recently and caught this bream using prawns.

bluefin tuna of late, but they have been pretty elusive. A few school fish have been caught, but not with any consistency, even though there have been regular reports from commercial fishers of huge schools busting up. A regular to our shop has been out looking and told me he had sounded up some big fish under bait balls at 60-70m, and

streams is from midnight 11 June until midnight 31 August.

Designated sea run trout rivers, dams and lakes are exempt.

Also, closed season for female rock lobster is on 1-15 June.

• If you’re coming to Apollo Bay for a fish, be sure to pop in to get all you bait and tackle needs, as well as an up to date report, or call us on (03) 5237 6426.

A group of decent Cape Otway gummies.

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17

Corio Bay snapper still strong GEELONG

Neil Slater slaterbunch@optusnet.com.au

With the cooler weather now well and truly upon us, anglers need to focus their efforts on the Surf Coast rock ledges and beaches for salmon, estuaries for bream and check out the freshwater for trout. Remember, trout fishing in streams and rivers has a closed season that starts on midnight Monday 11 June, so lakes are your best bet for a trout fix.

where they enjoyed a two-week fishing holiday.

Neil said that King George whiting were hard to locate this year and they had to work very hard by constantly moving around to find a school of whiting. Neil says that the whiting they caught were in excellent condition, averaged around 36-38cm and were caught on either mussel or fresh squid in around 4-5m of water. Neil said they found whiting out deeper, but many were undersized. With the whiting not really playing the game, they found that

the Prince George bank have been the best areas.

There are whiting about quite deep, so try places like the outer Governors and the Prince George bank on the flood tide. There have also been plenty of school fish about like barracouta, slimy mackerel and salmon chasing baitfish. Anglers have even sighted big kingfish chasing bait too.

Rod spoke to some anglers who set out live baits only to be broken off.

My dad was down from Queensland and loves whiting, so I took him out off Queenscliff

As of 1 April, most of Corio Bay is commercial net free and Leopold Angling and Aquatic Club decided to have a day of celebration last month. The event was well attended by around 300 members of the public and was sponsored

by Fisheries Victoria and the State Government.

Labor member for Bellarine Lisa Neville and Dave Kramer from Futurefish spoke about the effort taken to achieve the netting phase-out while Geoff Wilson spoke about the history of commercial netting in Corio Bay and later on, Aaron Habgood from Salt Guide had everyone hypnotised sharing his knowledge on whiting and fishing in the region in general.

I went out off Leopold flicking a few soft plastic lures about hoping for flathead or pinkie snapper recently. I’d caught a few small flathead on a ZMan soft plastic when I noticed birds working the surface nearby. I cruised ahead of the working school and lobbed my soft plastic in the commotion where it was instantly scoffed by a 50cm salmon. I quickly rigged up the fly rod and

Corio Bay inner harbour still holds good-sized pinkie snapper. caught a few more, which was great fun!

Paul Mayer has been fishing inside Corio Bay using soft plastics and says there are lots of flathead widespread in both inner and outer harbours. Most of the flathead have been in the mid 40cm range with some larger fish in amongst them. Paul has also been catching a few pinkie snapper that have

Aaron says the gummies should be red-hot this winter.

Corio Bay has big snapper caught on cold nights for those with thick beanies, hot soup and lots of patience. There can be some long nights on the water for big rewards for those that put the time in.

Anglers keen on redfin and trout should hit up Wurdiboluc Reservoir near Moriac and Stoney Creek Reservoir near Ballan.

Graeme Findlay has been hitting up a few freshwater lakes of late and doing quite well on the redfin and trout. Casting lures from the banks of Wurdiboluc Reservoir. Graeme has caught a couple of rippers around the 40cm mark.

Bendigo resident Neil Williams stayed at St Leonards with his wife

calamari were plentiful and a good size. When the going got tough on whiting, Neil and his wife drifted for flathead and were happy with some nicely sized fish.

Rod Ludlow agreed that there are plenty of squid about with good numbers coming in. Governors Reef around to Portarlington and out to the Prince George bank have been best; keep moving and don’t be afraid to try in very close to shore, especially early and late in the day.

There have been excellent captures of quality flathead with some of Rod’s hire boats anchoring and using berley in 10-12m of water and doing very well. Indented Head and the Portarlington side of

where we landed on a hungry school near Swan Bay and managed a few fish to 38cm on pipis and cuttlefish. They were biting on completely slack water, which you don’t see all that often. Once the weed and dirty water moved in with the flood tide, they went off the bite. Hugh Hanson was out the same day and he bagged out on calamari drifting about the weed beds off St Leonards and also caught some whiting around Indented Head.

Dave Reynolds has been off Barwon Heads a few times drifting about for flathead and pinkie snapper. Dave has caught a few pinkies of late and even managed a 62cm kingfish while drifting for flatties!

There have been plenty of whiting around lately.

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been hanging around the structure in the inner harbour. Most of these snapper have been around the mid 40-50cm bracket.

Paul says that casting lightweight size 1 JigMan jigheads on Munroes soft plastic grubs seem to be the best method.

Aaron Habgood from Salt Guide has enjoyed excellent gummy shark fishing outside of Port Phillip Heads. Aaron says that the good gummy run should continue as we move into the winter months. The key depths have been 30-50m of water with fresh salmon baits being the best bait.

The whiting are also going great when the tides are right from Queenscliff to St Leonards. The whiting have been from 35-47cm – great fish.

FISH HARD – DIE HAPPY! 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 997 348. 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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You’ve got to be squidding around in June PORT PHILLIP BAY WEST

Alan Bonnici alan@fishingmad.com.au

It’s June, which means that anglers around Melbourne will be greeted with cold and rainy weather, but don’t let that be a compelling reason to pack away the rods for the season. Instead, rug up, stick to shorter fishing sessions, and stay local, as there is still great fishing on offer. In fact, despite the cold chill, the squid fishing has gone to new heights around Melbourne.

Nightly piers are packed full of keen anglers hoping to get into the squid action.

This phenomenon started a month or two ago along Port Phillip Bay around the Mornington Peninsula. Areas such as Rye, Frankston, Sorrento, Blairgowrie and Portsea were greeted with an abundance of scrumptious cephalopods that had anglers traveling from far and wide

through day and night eager to get their piece of the action. With wind and tidal changes, they started to migrate their way past Queenscliff, Geelong and

finally along the bay towards Williamstown, Altona, and Werribee which had social media blowing up daily with rapid bag-out sessions of calamari.

Local anglers have been sending me reports and pictures almost daily of remarkable squid fishing west of Melbourne. Local young gun Sean Johnstone

Harimitsu Sumizoko jigs 3g in pink and orange.

Wissam Karim has also been having a great month around Williamstown with multiple bag-out sessions of calamari. The squid fishing for Wiz has been that productive that he often just leaves the rods in the rods holders and sits back in anticipation while drifting very slowly. His simple yet effective squid fishing method of not working the squid jigs at all has been getting consistent results.

Thankfully, I too got amongst the action this past month. Keeping a close eye on social media reports I first

The author getting into the squid action.

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has been hitting these areas hard over the last few weeks in both his family boat and kayak. Drifting in areas around Altona and Campbells Cove, the results have been impressive and not even the odd face full of squid ink was enough to take the smiles away. Sean noted that 3g jigs in pink, white, and red have been the most effective.

Another young gun angler, James, has been hitting many of the piers around Mornington, catching many great size squid. His success has come from 3.5g Yamashita jigs in gold and rainbow as well as the

Jonathan Rerakis has been targeting squid at night.

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travelled to the Mornington Peninsula targeting the noted hotspots. I was amazed at how the piers were packed, regardless of the time of day or night. On one night I arrived at Blairgowrie Pier at 11.30pm and couldn’t even get a spot on the pier, which is a testament to how good the squid fishing is currently.

Finally, the wave of squid came into my area of town and I gladly spent time in the kayak around Altona and Werribee drifting the clean shallow waters in search of a good feed of calamari. Kayak fishing for squid truly is a fun form of fishing; yes, it can get cold

Getting inked is just part of the fun.

out there and you often have to wash the ink away after a productive session, but it’s a rewarding way to fish.

Until this past month I had never noticed how many pier anglers targeting squid would attach a small lead sinker to their squid jig. This was either a standard sinker attached to the front of the squid jig or lead moulded to the shape of the squid jig, which slides onto the front of the jig. The theory behind this is to cast out further and get the squid jig down lower to the bottom where the action often is.

If you are fishing a sandy bottom, it also gives you more opportunities to throw in some erratic lifts followed by some pauses without getting snagged. I often choose just to throw out a heavier 3-3.5g, which still managed to produce results.

However, I was impressed with this technique, which was working very well for those who had been using it for some time.

Squid fishing truly is a

unique style of fishing. You can throw out a jig and let the natural currents do all the work for you or you can flick and retrieve just like a soft plastic. Allowing the jig to sink for a few seconds

before adding wild repetitive lifts to imitate a wounded prawn followed by a decent pause is often a recipe for success. When getting a hit, the natural temptation is to strike – doing so will often

Piers have been a great place to target big squid.

lose you a squid. Instead, a subtle lift to keep line tension and constant slow reel is all that’s required. It takes some practice to start understanding.

It can be an overwhelming task to visit your local tackle store and select a squid jig. The choice of brands, colours, patterns, sizes, weights and UV glows are almost endless. I have been sticking to brightly coloured squid jigs going with oranges, pinks and glow whites.

Some of my favourites have been the Shimano Spehia, the Yamashita lives and the Savage Gear egi shrimps.

Do colours and sizes really matter that much? It’s a debatable topic that draws mixed responses.

Some anglers argue that certain colours and shapes consistently out-fish others.

I have seen this firsthand on many occasions, or maybe the simple logical conclusion is that certain variables work on certain days depending on the weather and conditions.

At times the marketing hype makes us more excited than the actual squid we target. I too get drawn into this hype and for whatever reason saw fit to stick with bright coloured jigs, which worked a treat for me.

There’s plenty of other good fishing happening

They are unique looking creatures. around Melbourne as well.

Schools of salmon have turned up in decent size numbers; great hunting grounds for these salmon are from Port Melbourne all the way through to Geelong. Keep a close eye on overhead bird activity and for any sounds of thrashing water in the area. Then make sure you have a rod ready to go rigged with either a metal lure or a bait imitation soft plastic then brace yourself

for some amazing action.

The big winter bream around Melbourne’s estuary systems are in full force. The ‘Nong and Yarra are great spots to be flicking soft plastics, hardbody lures or a few yabbies. I have been catching plenty of bream while testing out some new hardbody lures. The standout has been the new shallow diving Savage Gear Fathead crank in pink shrimp colour.

• That’s all from me this

month, but I’d love to hear about your recent fishing experiences around Melbourne and Port Phillip Bay. You can contact me by email at alan@fishingmad. com.au. Also feel free to check out my website at www.fishingmad.com.au, Facebook at facebook. com/fishingmad.com. au, YouTube channel at youtube.com/c/fishingmad and Instagram at instagram. com/fishingmad.com.au.

JUNE 2018

21

Plenty happening in the bay this month PORT PHILLIP NE

Wayne Friebe wfriebe@bigpond.net.au

Once again, predominantly dry and warm conditions have continued on the bay for the past month. Due to the lack of any substantial rainfall or strong onshore winds, the inshore areas of the bay have remained extremely clear, and the food chain has remained in a largely summer pattern.

Expect this to change once we get some decent rain. The good fishing will still continue as the bay’s ecosystem gets a good replenishing.

While many anglers have been looking farther afield over the past month – and who can blame them – there has still been plenty happening out in the bay to keep the dedicated local anglers busy. Good numbers of snapper are still keeping dedicated anglers happy, especially out from Mount Martha and Safety Beach in 14-16m. Smaller schoolsized fish are continuing to be prolific on the inshore grounds, and this trend will hold right through the winter months as the water cools down even more. The most productive bait out wide has been the humble pilchard, and pink or white soft

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plastics are the go-to on the inshore reefs.

Some handy by-catches have also been reported by the snapper anglers. Bernard Abrams landed a ripper mulloway while fishing for snapper in 14m of water out from Safety Beach; this fish also fell to a pilchard.

Plenty of reports of great gummy sharks have rolled in recently, especially from the southern parts of PPB. It’s great to see that the northern areas of the bay have been turning up a few nice gummies as well. Fresh bait is preferred by many, especially oily baits like salmon, tuna fillet and eel. Locally caught squid is also a go-to bait for many anglers. The top end of the tide and the turn seem to be

the most productive times at the moment. Nearly every angler has a different theory on this one!

The southern reaches of the bay have also been producing some ripper calamari lately for the landbased crew and boating anglers. The average size has been very solid over the last couple of months and has certainly kept many recreational anglers and charter operators focused on the region.

Locally, the inshore areas around Mornington and Mount Eliza have been the

best for the boating anglers, particularly in 3-4m of water on the inshore grounds. Once again, clear water conditions have meant that neutral and natural coloured jigs have been best; yellow, brown and green are the picks for most anglers. Mornington Pier has been the most popular landbased location by far, and it amazingly continues to produce big numbers of squid day after day. Further south, Portsea Pier has been the go-to land-based location for southern calamari anglers.

Great flathead have been reported all season, and I have

spoken to a few anglers lately that have been doing very well fishing baits and lures from a drifting boat around the inshore grounds. It’s hard to go past a feed of flatties from the bay, and they are great fun for anglers of all ages to catch.

They will also readily respond to slow trolled lures in the shallower depths as well, so boats with electric motors can be a big advantage.

For a change of pace, Devilbend Reservoir has been turning on some great fishing and providing a great local alternative for anglers, especially when the weather is more inclement. Luckily, this is often when the lake fishes best, especially for trout. Recent stocking and access improvements are starting to bear fruit with some really nice brown trout being taken by landbased anglers fishing lures and soft plastics from the shore. Kayak anglers fishing beyond the weed line in the main basin of the lake have also been turning over a few trout and a few nice redfin.

The bream fishing in the local creeks and rivers and Patterson River canals has been a bit tricky of late in the clear water, but will improve with some decent rain to flush the systems and spark up the food chain. Some good rains were forecasted for the middle of last month and beyond, so the positive changes will have taken effect on the bay this month.

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The fishing is set to improve over June PORT PHILLIP NORTH

Lee Rayner info@fishingfever.com.au

We are in the winter cycle now with short days and plenty of cold weather; for the most part, although it has been cold, the fishing has been great.

MORDIALLOC TO BLACK ROCK Mordialloc Creek has started to see the influx of the winter mullet run, however with clear water it’s definitely best to target them in the dawn and dusk periods. Fingers-crossed we will also see some rain to get a bit of colour in the water, which will then see the fish bite for much longer periods.

As always the best way to get into the action is with a very fine berley trail and small floats baited with dough or tiny pieces of prawn. Some anglers have also reported good success with the Gulp Dough in the chunky cheese colour.

The squid front has been nothing short of sensational with loads of squid on offer from the pier and all along the coastline right up to Brighton. This month it will only get better, especially for the land-based anglers, as the squid push into the shallows on first and last light. If you’re also after a few bigger squid then try using large lightly weighted jigs, so you can cast further, which will have you covering more water and catching more

squid. My favourite choice is the Evergreen 3.5XS series jigs; they are a 3.5 size but sink as slow as a 2.5, which is ideal in water of 1-3m deep.

Other great options on the pier over the past weeks have been the garfish and larger baits; these have been producing good numbers of pinkies to 40cm and salmon up to 1kg.

In the boats, anglers have been getting into some fantastic fishing off Mordialloc and up into Beaumaris Bay with a real mixed bag on offer.

There have been plenty of pinkies on the hard reef areas for both lure and bait anglers, not to mention a run of cracking flathead of 40-60cm. Add to these plenty of squid up to, and over, a kilo.

On Beaumaris Pier now is squid season with a daily crew of anglers heading to the pier of an evening to make the most of the squid that move into the shallows each afternoon to feed. Again in this area, try using large lightly weighted jigs to hook up to some bigger squid.

Up off Ricketts Point and through to Black Rock the pinkie season is now in full swing with most anglers reporting how good the overall size of the pinkies has been. Again, just like the squid, if you’re after a bigger pinkie or two then try fishing with larger baits and soft plastics – this will give the bigger fish a chance to push the little

A decent tuna from offshore. Fishing offshore from St Kilda to Port Melbourne this month should be more comfortable with the northerly winds starting up.

This was one of the mulloway from a triple hook-up while filming recently. guys aside to get in on the action.

SANDRINGHAM TO ST KILDA It’s a great time of year to be a land-based angler in this area with plenty of locations firing for pinkie snapper and squid, especially areas such as the end of the breakwall at Sandringham and off the Rock Groynes at Hampton.

These areas produced plenty of pinkies over the past weeks, and best of all this should only improve as we roll through June.

Another good option this month is to be mobile and walk along the sand casting squid jigs over the small patches of reef and weed throughout the area just off the shoreline.

Further up the bay, the fishing off Brighton Breakwall has been steady with land-based anglers finding some pinkies, salmon and squid with all species up to and around the kilo mark. This month should start to produce some even better fish.

Boat anglers have been doing exceptionally well on some of the better-sized pinkies up to 2.5kg as well as some solid whiting after dark in water 5-8m deep.

Up off the North Road boat ramp the surrounding reefs have been producing squid over the past weeks for both boat and land-based anglers. So long as we don’t get too much rain to dirty the water, this area should fish really well over the coming months for squid, as the reef in this area is looking great.

ST KILDA TO PORT MELBOURNE Now can be a great time of year to head to this part of the bay with more northerly winds starting up.

It makes for easy fishing with an offshore wind, which for the land-based anglers means better distance in their casts and also the ability to get a

good berley trail going as it is carried offshore. For boat anglers it means that even if it’s windy, the bay is still flat up in this area, which makes fishing far more comfortable in the cooler conditions.

St Kilda Pier and the breakwall have been producing small salmon and flathead over the past weeks and this will hopefully

continue as they are joined by the pinkies that move in on the shallows to feed.

Up at Kerford Road and Lagoon piers some of our customers have still been getting good numbers of pinkies to over a kilo. The best results have come at night on baits of pilchard tails or squid strips. Some anglers have also reported great fishing late in the

afternoon with soft plastics off these land-based areas.

Now is also the month to get serious on the mulloway as they patrol the shallows around Princess, Station and Lagoon piers.

If you’re fishing there late at night, it really pays to have either a live or fresh dead bait out on a heavier outfit; you just never know your luck.

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Go fishing before winter really changes things up MORNINGTON PENINSULA

Julian Frank

It’s time to get those boats out as much as possible before getting ready for the upcoming season,

unless you’ve packed your gear and you’re heading to Portland for the tuna, where the reports are flowing consistently.

Hopefully we will see a few fish caught out the front again this year. Keep

Brad Harris and his mate caught a couple of decent gummies over the other side of the channel. your eyes and ears open.

Who knows – you might even decide to go looking for a barrel locally offshore, weather permitting.

Aside from that, June is a great month before we see a number of cooler fronts that move in over the months

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of July and August. A good way to take advantage of what’s on offer along the Mornington Peninsula is land-based fishing, but we should still have a few good days in between for boaters to hit the water.

MOUNT MARTHA TO DROMANA If you’re keen enough to brave those cold rough days, it’s certainly worth chasing the winter snapper from the rocks all the way up to Mornington.

A few fish have been caught recently around the 16-18m marks from Mount Martha to Mount Eliza and land-based anglers are into the action too.

The squid fishing still isn’t showing any signs of dying down with many catching their bag early in the morning right along the cliffs and out the front of Safety Beach. Anywhere between the BP service station and Safety Beach Boat Ramp has produced good numbers in 4-6m of water if you’re going by boat.

Fishing land-based off Dromana Pier is going well for salmon during really calm days. You can find mullet and garfish first thing in the morning too. Plenty of small squid are being caught late at night and occasionally there have been mackerel showing up here.

ROSEBUD TO RYE There have been a few gummy sharks caught over the back of the South Channel Fort and further up towards Simmons Channel.

Fresh squid baits are the go at the moment. Fish the morning tides for the best results; a bonus is it’s not so cold either!

Schools of salmon can still be found around the Fort either trolling diving hardbodies or casting soft plastics to them. Salmon are another great fresh bait if you’re chasing either gummy shark or snapper.

Flathead are still in good numbers, plenty of people are reporting good-size fish being taken drifting out deep off Tootgarook and Rye. The top end of the Pinnace Channel is also worth a look.

Work the drop-offs with big soft plastics and deep divers for fish over 50cm.

SORRENTO AND PORTSEA The bigger winter whiting have started showing up in smaller quantities around most of the moorings and wide off the Sisters.

Even land-based anglers have reported good catches from the piers and beaches between Blairgowrie and Portsea.

Portsea Pier has fished well late at night for some good whiting; these fish have been taking a liking to the old faithful pilchard strip.

There are some fantastic squid early in the morning

until midday to catch and plenty of red mullet around the moorings.

OCEAN BEACHES The surf fishing has kicked off now with reports of decently sized salmon being caught at Gunnamatta, St Andrews back beach and Portsea. Anglers hitting up the deep gutters on high tide have had great success on surf poppers and salted pilchard chunks landing fish up to 2kg.

If you’re spinning lures, Gunnamatta is well worth putting in the time to walk up and down the beach; this way you’ll keep up with any schools of fish that are working baitfish back and forth. This can make for memorable surf sessions.

If you’re down this way and need any more advice and week-to-week updates, drop in and see the staff at the Compleat Angler in Rosebud.

Emma caught this squid measuring 36cm in the hood from the rocks.

Consistent fishing in the top end of the port WESTERN PORT NTH

Jarrod Day jarrodday@iprimus.com.au

The dreaded cold may have arrived, but that hasn’t stopped the fish from coming on the bite. The top end of the port has certainly been consistent over the past few weeks and the coming weeks look even more promising.

A few snapper are still around and are worth targeting, especially around Crawfish and Eagle Rock.

– you just need to put in the time and effort if you want to consistently catch them.

For those who have been catching them, berley has been the essential ingredient in getting them on the bite.

Gummy sharks have also been quite abundant, but most have been around the 5kg mark. Mind you, there have been plenty about, especially after the rain as the creeks are flushed out and push a constant flow of food offerings into the port.

Some of the gummies that have been caught have been

have been the most effective, especially on early mornings and on dusk. Other areas producing calamari are the top of the Middle Spit on top of the high tide as well as around the channel marker near Scrub Point on French Island. If the tide is nearing low, working the edge of the channel on the eastern side of the Eastern Channel has also seen good results. The edge of the weedy drop is where most of the calamari have been caught and few people actually work this area, however, it is a very

The Tooradin and Bouchier channels are producing solid whiting. best piers to fish from in the port. During the high tide at night there has been a lot of calamari caught, while during the day King George whiting, pinkie snapper and garfish have all been on offer.

If you’re looking for a quick catch, fishing the right-hand side of the main walkway two hours before the bottom of the low tide has seen a lot of yellow-eye mullet caught. The tide drops away quickly, so depending on where you are fishing,

you may have to consistently move down towards the main section of the pier to find deeper water. A simple paternoster rig with size #6 long shank hooks works best and it pays to use berley to attract the fish to your area.

There is no doubt that there are plenty of fishing opportunities, even though it’s cold, but when the weather is nice, it’s certainly worth getting out on the port and trying your luck.

At this time of year, you

need to be armed for every opportunity as things can change in a heartbeat. One minute you could be under anchor fishing for whiting and the next, trolling or casting metal slugs for busting salmon or drifting the edge of a bank for calamari. With so many options, taking a wide selection of assorted tackle and rods is a good idea to make your day flexible. It’s all good targeting one species, but sometimes it’s better to go home with a seafood basket.

Calamari are plentiful around the port. Flick the weed beds for results.

While they aren’t monsters there are still some good fish amongst them. Most top out around the 40cm mark but they are in numbers.

These areas are also producing silver trevally. A paternoster rig and pipis is the best offering.

Further up the port, Bouchier Channel and the Tooradin Channel have been producing some nice whiting, however they are becoming scarce with the cooler water temperatures.

In saying that, whiting can still be caught in the top end of the port year-round

reported to have freshwater yabbies in their stomachs. This is testament to them pushing right up near the creek mouths.

There have also been a lot of calamari caught along the weedy banks with most of the action found long the Tyabb and Quail banks. If the water is a little dirty, especially after rainfall or an easterly blow, they can be hard to find. When the water is clear, fishing the high tides has seen plenty about and some of exceptional size.

Depending on the time of day, squid jigs containing a red foil or red underbelly

productive location.

If you’re looking for somewhere to head that’s quiet, land-based fishing too has been quite productive from the Warneet Jetty.

Calamari have been the dominant species to be caught on the high tides, but silver trevally, mullet and salmon have also made up the bulk of the catches. The Warneet jetty is often underrated, but consistently produces good fish for those putting in the time.

The Stony Point Pier has also been producing some good fish. It’s one of the At this time of the year, using berley is a must to bring the fish on the bite.

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There are plenty of options at Western Port WESTERN PORT STH

Jarrod Day jarrodday@iprimus.com.au

Gummies, gillers, calamari, elephants, whiting and pinkie snapper – what more would you want to be able to catch in winter? Now that the really cool weather has arrived, there has been no slowing the bite from many of Western Port’s most highly prized species.

Land-based fishing has

you’re fishing. Mullet and trevally make great bait, so it’s worth using this method.

Another top landbased location is at Lang Lang. Unlike Stockyard Point, Lang Lang is a high tide location, as it is very shallow. Despite this, it is a very productive beach to catch gummy sharks from.

Furthermore, there have been some nice trevally and gummies caught from Settlement Point at Corinella.

Once again, fishing the low

If you’re still keen on catching some whiting, work the sand patches along the Middle Spit. been extremely consistent, with plenty of elephants and gummy sharks caught from the sand at Stockyard Point.

Stockyard, despite the walk to the end of the sand spit, is a low tide only fishing area, but it pays to get there around two hours before the low to maximise your time, otherwise you’ll constantly be moving back up the beach as the tide comes in.

While the elephants are winding up but still a viable catch, gummy sharks will become more prevalent in the coming weeks. Surf rods are a must to get the desired casting distance into the deeper water. If you take along a 7ft spin rod, you can catch silver trevally and mullet in the shallows. Using a little berley will benefit and bring them in closer to where

tide has seen the best results.

Those fishing from boats have also had plenty of success out from Corinella.

Matt Bond spent one Friday night out tackling gummy sharks, sevengill sharks and elephants in the channel and was kept busy.

While the Corinella area is always productive, like every location in Western Port a little berley can make a huge difference to your fishing. Sure, the unwanted species come along too, but you will have a better chance at catching gummies by doing this.

Local angler Jon Davidson has been fishing from his kayak out from Coronet Bay recently with good success on both sand and rock flathead. Drifting around Reef Island, Jon reported that he has been catching rock flathead to 38cm and sand flathead to 45cm. He has been drifting with a paternoster rig with pilchard fillets for bait.

While drifting, Jon has also been flicking out a squid jig and mentioned that he has been able to catch his bag of calamari very quickly.

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Squid have been rife throughout the port and are a sustainable option yearround, especially though the winter period. For the larger models the area from the San Remo Bridge to the

proportions over the deep reefs and once you find them, there is more than enough to go around.

Shaun has also continued to target whiting in the areas of Tankerton, the middle spit and the surrounding areas.

Although they are a little harder to find at times, they are about and it only takes a little bit of research to locate them. Along with the whiting there have also been good

Fishing the reefs can provide a good feed of pinkie snapper at the moment. Photo courtesy of Shaun Furtiere.

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The western entrance is producing some good gummy sharks.

numbers of calamari about.

Most of the weedy banks are loaded with calamari. Shaun managed to catch one while trolling a hardbody lure to snook on a recent trip.

If you’re land-based and looking for some hot calamari action, you can’t go past the Flinders Pier. The fishing here is best on the top of the high tide. There has been a stack of calamari about with anglers doing extremely well during both the night and day.

The surf beaches have also begun to improve with salmon moving into the wash zones. Anzacs Beach at Cape Woolami seems to be the pick of the beaches with most of the salmon averaging 1kg.

Berley will get them going and there are plenty on offer.

If you’re getting your baits stolen by the dreaded sand crab population, replace the bottom hook with a blue and white surf popper, as these have also been catching the odd fish.

There certainly is a lot on offer throughout the port at the moment and sometimes it can be difficult to make a decision as to what to target. If I was to pick something to target, it would be the salmon in the surf.

As the surf season has just begun, they are only going to become more prevalent over the coming weeks.

exit to Bass Strait always produces quality calamari.

Along the edge of the weed beds is where you’ll find them in numbers. Even then, land-based fishing from the beach is also highly productive. The best access to the beach is from the end of ‘the cranny’ off Cape Woolamai Road or you can park at Cape Woolamai and walk over the dunes to the beach. This is also a popular location for landbased whiting throughout the winter period.

Shaun Furtiere has been putting his clients onto some very respectable fishing lately with plenty of pinkie snapper being caught down the western entrance.

They have been in plague

Shaun Furtiere with a cracking calamari that decided to take a trolled hardbody lure. Photo courtesy of Shaun Furtiere.

Victoria is back to a regular squid season PHILLIP ISLAND

Craig Edmonds

This year seems to be a more normal season for calamari, unlike the last couple of years that were exceptional where the calamari fished right through the summer.

It’s looking like we’re back to a more normal winter.

During the year we get asked 100 times a week what colour squid jig is the best and our answer is always the same – the best one is the one they want today. While this answer doesn’t always go down well with the customers, it’s the truth for an almost impossible question to answer. As a guide we give recommended colours and about the only thing we find common to all reports is

jigs that are more consistent with the reports here. These are: white, pink, red, orange, black and green. That almost covers all the range with 100 variations of each.

We had a perfect example of just how confusing this fishery can be. About a month ago a customer called Joe, who had been slaying them (his words) using this particular jig, came in with a mate and convinced him he needed this jig to catch them, so they purchased a couple and off in the boat they went.

His mate called in next day to pick up some more bait and I asked how the jigs went and he said they were no good. He only landed one for the day. I then asked how many Joe managed and he said 10. They were fishing in the

Cyril proved there are still some quality flathead to be caught. the size of the jigs – 3.0 or 3.5 is a must because of the strong currents. While squid fishing isn’t complicated the right colour jig on the day can make all the difference.

How do you get it right?

Have a variety of jigs both in type and colour. Don’t always think the more expensive jigs are the best; while they have their days, we see plenty of times where the cheapest jig on the shelf is the best jig to use that day. Buy yourself a good jig case that will hold up to about 20 jigs and over time fill it up with a variety of colours and types, then when you go chasing them be prepared to change your jigs to try different ones. Maintain your jigs by rinsing them after a session and don’t put them back in with all your other jigs until you do.

You will find everyone has their favourite type or colour and that is the one working for them at the time.

The problem is you will also find everyone will tell you a different jig. There are many basic colours that are go-to

same boat using the same jig, even swapping sides of the boat to see if that would make a difference.

All through the summer we had large schools of salmon offshore and anglers in boats managed some of the biggest ones we have seen in the time we’ve been in the shop. Now into the winter we are starting to see good numbers being caught on the beaches. We haven’t seen any of the 4kg models caught on the boats through summer, but there are some very healthy 2kg ones.

The best of the beaches for the bigger salmon has been at Kilcunda Cemetery Beach.

There are slightly better numbers and smaller fish at Woolamai. Several schools have turned up at the jetties in the bay too, but it seems that the seals know where they will be and show up at the same time, making the salmon more interested in self-preservation than feeding.

While those in boats and kayaks are still trying to work out what colour squid jig to use, many of the land-based fishers are now swapping to baited jigs. At this time of the year – as we get that winter windy weather that stirs up the water and turns it a darker shade of mud – the baited jigs will come into their own. You will also find in the boat it pays to have a baited jig out.

Don’t put the artificial ones too far away because you will often find calamari in pairs and if you hook one on a baited jig, throw the artificial one in behind it.

Whiting fishing has generally been tough all season and while we have seen some very good bags of fish, generally customers are

A decent bag of winter whiting. returning with single figures.

We have seen through the early autumn dozens of undersize whiting in the bay. While they’re too small just at the minute, they will grow quickly and become a better size as we get into the spring. The whiting we are getting have, as one customer described, ‘got their winter coat’ with a good healthy fat layer under the skin making them some of the best table fish you can catch and worth the effort in the cooler conditions.

The reports are coming from both deep and shallow

water. The majority are from the shallows at the moment in Cleeland Bight and Dickies Bay. There isn’t a whole lot of pattern to the reports, however, with the reports from deep and shallows often coming in the same day. The only thing that is common to almost every whiting report is the evening is the best.

Generally, you will chase whiting both morning and afternoon with very little action during the middle of the day. With the bottom end of the bay full of ‘couta now that are most active in

the mornings, it’s difficult to do any fishing let alone whiting fishing.

There are plenty of leatherjackets on the whiting grounds too. For some reason both the ‘couta and leatherjackets are nowhere near as thick in the afternoons and evenings, making it easier both for whiting and calamari.

With the ‘couta in the bay and the odd flat, calm day still to come it’s a great time to grab the kids young and old and do a bit of bait collecting before the snapper season, which will be here before we know it.

The best thing about offshore fishing in the winter is the quality of the gummies.

JUNE 2018

27

A ripsnorter start to the season GIPPSLAND LAKES

Brett Geddes b.geddes@bigpond.com

We have all been eagerly waiting for the winter run of bream to really kick into gear. That moment has arrived and as far as the Gippy Lakes are concerned, I’ve now declared this bream season fully opened.

Let the games begin! There is so many happy bait and lure anglers at the moment and most of the popular locations are living up to their reputations. A big report is coming up and I’ll squeeze in some news about flathead and snapper.

THE RIVERS Thanks once again to

everyone sending me great pics and reports like the following from Katrina Egan of Maffra; she told me the Nicholson River is full of bream and champion young angler Sonny Batalha was pulling them in one after the other. Fishing at the back of the caravan park from a moored boat, Sonny used sandworms to catch and release 26 bream for the session with cracking weather, clean salty water and the fish biting flat out. What more can an angler wish for?

I’m sure Sonny and brother Lenny will be back to get me pictures of even bigger bream in the near future.

It’s nice to see up and coming anglers enjoying the great sport of fishing. It’s a rare sight for me these days

It’s getting colder but that’s when the bream bite goes flat out. Now is the time the author rugs up, pulls the beanie down to keep the ears warm and looks for those bigger bream.

to see kids fishing. Not to mention all the distracting screens in their lives, I’m quite sure we have to encourage more kids to pick up a fishing rod.

The Mitchell River is best around the Grassy Banks area at the moment with plenty of bream around 35cm caught on soft plastics hard up on the edges. The Tambo bream are really spread out and seem to be on the move. They’re at the entrance one day, right up the river the next. A few big flathead have turned up here as well. Looking forward into the next month or so, the best baits to use are sandworm or live shrimp.

I’d like to mention the Nicholson Angling Club that have made a big push to encourage catch and release during their competition days and as a direct result their membership has really grown. Families and kids and a lot of bream competition anglers are involved and the club now displays big bream in a new live fish tank during their competitions before release. I’ve seen the prize packs the club offers to winners and you won’t find better fishing gear as a reward. The Nicholson AC is situated right at the Nicholson River Boat Ramp and is open for anyone to join either to fish or be a social member.

METUNG/LAKE KING The area from Nungurner up to Shaving Point has fished incredibly well for months now. The variety of fish has amazed us and in one lure session recently I landed 11

black bream, three yellowfin bream, over 30 pinkie snapper, two flounder, two whiting, a gurnard, a big tailor and a 45cm dusky flathead.

I kept the flounder, the flatty, three pinkies around 32cm and one of the whiting as a nice mixed grill for tea that night. I caught those fish on a soft plastic, and on a Sting 37 black blade lure. Once again sadly, the big kingfish eluded me and I threw big plastics to them without even a follow. I could see a few big kingies follow my hooked bream to the kayak but they wouldn’t chase my lures. I won’t give up, because other anglers are still hooking a few kings.My turn will come.

I saw big schools of yellow-eye mullet while there and I’m certain that the winter salmon will now be around. The eastern end of the Gippy Lakes has really developed into an amazing fishery. As another example, Justin Dingwall and Joel Petzke caught 14 big pinkie snapper there to 55cm, all on soft plastic lures. It seems with each passing year new or bigger fish turn up.

LAKE VICTORIA/ HOLLANDS LANDING Here’s some real exciting bream news; Hollands Landing has been fishing a treat lately and I’ve talked to dozens of anglers recently using sandworms from the wharf. Two ladies from Melbourne parked the car right near the boat ramp, set up a few chairs and put in a big day enjoying the sun and

Sonny Batalha with one of 26 bream he caught while camping at the Nicholson River Caravan Park. While they’re not all big fish, Sonny is a champion angler. calm weather. They proudly showed me seven bream of 34-42cm ready for the trip back home. They said the bite times were spread right out during their long session and the message here is that big hours mean big rewards.

I was out in the kayak again that day and was joined by a couple of good mates.

Between the three of us we landed 94 bream and six flathead. We pulled a few good bream from the snags early on hardbodies, but most of the bream were out in the deeper water over 3m and

we used blades to get them.

They were all 25-40cm and the flathead were 37-48cm.

Our best 20 or so bream were 36-42cm and interestingly, a lot of small yellowfin bream turned up as well.

Other anglers that day were fishing out in Lake Victoria near Loch Sport and Wattle Point and scored a lot of big bream sight fishing the calm shallows. This will be my next stop, because there is no better sport or reward than watching big bream chase your lure down in clear, shallow water.

Fish are spreading out in fresh MARLO

Jim McClymont mcclymont@net-tech.com.au

With little change in the weather the rivers are still just running at very low levels, causing the tidal salty water to move further up both the Snowy and Brodribb rivers.

This brings estuary fish up into

new areas. With the fish spread out into a larger area, anglers are finding it hard to get a good bag of fish. As we all know, things could change with the next good downpour.

Anglers are still getting a few bream upriver from the highway bridge at Orbost and in different spots along the river all the way down to the entrance at Marlo.

Salmon and tailor are in

good numbers down towards the entrance with best results spinning or trolling metal lures on an incoming tide.

Flathead are still in good numbers on the sand flats that run from the Marlo Jetty down to French Narrows.

The surf beaches are always a reliable place to get a few fish. Anglers have reported getting good bags of salmon, tailor and flathead, either bait fishing

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with surf rods and using a surf popper or fishing with light gear and spinning metal lures. Anglers have reported getting big salmon fishing at Point Ricardo by bait fishing and spinning lures. Corringle Beach has also been fishing well with good catches of salmon, tailor, flathead and gummy sharks.

There are good reports of plenty of action fishing both beaches at Cape Conran.

Fishing offshore (weather permitting) is excellent with plenty of flathead, gurnard, barracouta, pike, pinkie snapper, salmon, kingfish and gummy sharks and an occasional mako.

There have been several striped marlin caught this season along our coastline and the swordfish season has just began with several captures reported. The locals are just beginning our season as they wait for the weather to moderate, so they can take their smaller boats out to the shelf to have a crack at the broadbill monsters.

A broadbill caught recently off the coast, fishing out of Lakes Entrance.

Cooler water pushes fish deeper LAKES ENTRANCE

Steven Pryke

With crisp evenings and the days gradually growing colder, our local fish are shifting towards deeper water patterns.

Over the last month, North Arm has been full of

garfish with local anglers lining the banks in popular areas to catch these great table fish or use them as offshore baits. Areas such as Capes Point and the winery have been the centre of attention. Anglers have struggled to land a consistent size of garfish. Berley has been critical to produce

better quality fish.

The surf beaches are beginning to fire up. Eastern Beach and Lake Bunga produce large salmon.

Anglers have mostly targeted these fish with metal lures.

Try to match the small white bait and present a natural looking lure that predator fish like salmon can’t refuse.

Garfish are plentiful throughout the Gippsland system and make some of the best bait.

When the weather allows, anglers have ventured out wide to the shelf in search of broadbill swordfish. This massive trip is a gamble with many anglers coming up empty and not landing one of these iconic sportfish.

LAKE TYERS With the frosty conditions here, the lake has begun to truly change from its summer form. Anglers are finding good numbers of large tailor running around the lake along with silver trevally. Further upstream in areas such as Burnt Bridge and the top of Nowa Nowa Arm, anglers are managing to put a few flathead in the boat. A key to success has been to fish late in the day when the water is at it hottest. Small white bait presentations have been the go and plastics in natural colours have produced the best results.

Areas such as Devil Hole have held good numbers of schooling bream. The tapered rocky edges provide perfect cover for schooling bream throughout the winter months.

The crew on Knot Shore Cam Craft with their recent 250kg swordfish.

HAVE YOU BEEN FISHING? If you have been out for a fish lately and have a great pic, please send it to

stevenprykefishing@gmail. com with a short description and you could be in the next edition of Victoria & Tasmania Fishing Monthly.

Late run of snapper causes excitement CORNER INLET

Will Thompson allwaysangling@bigpond.com

The season has changed and the water temperature has dropped significantly, but with a late season run of snapper and whiting, there has still be plenty

of good fish to chase in Corner Inlet.

Probably the biggest surprise over the past few weeks has been the good run of big snapper inside the inlet, predominately in the Franklin Channel. Fish in excess of 8kg were caught late April and into May and quiet of few 4-6kg models

Steve Marland with a cracking late season snapper weighing 8kg that he caught at Port Welshpool.

as well. Baits didn’t need to be fancy, with the humble pilchard or squid bait fished on either a snapper snatcher or running rig did the job during the last part of the run-in tide. We may see these fish till the start of June, but after that you will need to head out wide onto the pinkie reefs to get a feed of snapper.

Another big surprise has been the whiting run. I don’t think I would get any arguments from anyone if I said it’s been the worst whiting season in a long time… until now. Over the past four weeks the whiting catches have gone up dramatically, with plenty of anglers catching there bag limit of 20 fish, and lots of fish around that 36-40cm mark, with a few undersize ones as well. Port Albert has probably been the best place to get a feed of whiting, and that afternoon run-in tide has been fantastic, with pipi baits being the best when fished on a paternoster rig.

At Port Welshpool, the Lewis Channel has fired up with whiting and there are equally good reports coming from here as well.

The calamari fishing has also been amazing, with big numbers being caught either off the jetty at Port Albert if you are land-based, and heaps in the boat in the usual haunts at Port Albert and Port Welshpool. Size 3 and 3.5 Yamashita jigs have been hard to beat, especially in

gold or whiting colours.

If inside fishing is your thing, don’t forget about the humble garfish, as there are stacks around at the moment, especially at Port Albert and Manns Beach, and they are big! Just take plenty of berley and small hooks and floats and you will be sure to catch heaps.

You should also get ready for the big salmon to come in, as there are plenty in the surf and it won’t be long until Manns and McLoughlins start producing big ones.

OFFSHORE The gummy sharks are going amazing at the moment, and most anglers are getting a couple, with some anglers even bagging out. They seem to be mostly east of the islands, so out the front of Port Albert and Manns Beach mainly.

Fishing in around 26m-30m is producing big numbers consistently, but there have been some good catches in close in under 10m as well.

All baits are working, but there have been heaps of slimy mackerel schools out wide, so you can sometimes get fresh baits while you there, otherwise pilchards, bonito fillet or squid have been hard to beat.

There’s still quite a few kingfish still out around the islands. They aren’t as big as they were early in the season, with heaps being around the 65cm mark. Jigs have definitely been the best method, with blue and silver

A nice feed the author and friends gathered offshore of Port Welshpool. The kingies took 200g knife jigs while the pinkies were caught on squid. knife jigs being standouts and 150-250g models working best!

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Rumble on the Rubicon CRANBOURNE

Mitch Chapman

The Rubicon River, or Rubi, as it is better known, is only a short drive from Eildon and just over an hour from Melbourne.

It is a fantastic stream for lure and fly fishers. Brown and rainbow trout are the main targets, but from April and into June ‘escapee’ brook trout can also be targeted and caught in huge numbers, as they have escaped from the trout farm generally around this time.

PRIME TIME The Rubi can be fished all year round, expect during the closed season. February and March is prime time, as this is when the local population of grasshoppers are about in full force. With daylight savings in full swing, and with the days lasting longer, getting on the water late afternoon can see some incredible dry fly fishing with a couple of big fish caught for lucky anglers.

As it gets into winter, the water cools and before the close season can see some thumping fish caught for lucky anglers. At this time of year, the population of brook trout enter the river and school up in the runs and pools, making for a bit of extra fun.

THE GEAR For the lure fishers, a light graphite 1-3kg spin

rod matched up with a quality ‪1000-2500 spin reel is ideal for tackling these small stream trout.

Light fluorocarbon leader is a must, as the water can be crystal clear and will avoid spooking fish.

For the fly anglers, anything up to a 5wt outfit is best suited with light 4lb tippet. If you want to have some fun, then use a 3wt outfit and fish with dries. It’s hard to find anything more enjoyable than this.

THE RIG When fly fishing, it always pays to run a dry fly with a nymph trailing about 6” behind. The dry fly (generally something buoyant) acts as a strike indicator, but also catches its fair share of fish, so keep your eye on the fly. If you see it disappear and get pulled under, most of the time a fish has eaten the nymph that is sub surface.

If you target the brook trout, you can pretty much throw anything at them and they will eat. As they have come from the farm, they are easy to catch and don’t require much skill.

BAIT AND LURES Go-to lures for casting are small streamline floating lures. Lucky Craft Flash Minnows are ideal, as they can be worked in fast flowing pools, and when paused in the deeper water will slowly float up and avoid snagging.

Fly fishermen find it

hard to go past old faithful.

Royal Wulff, elk hair caddis and hopper patterns are a must in any fly fisher’s tackle box.

BEST METHOD The best way to fish not only this river, but any Victorian trout stream, is to always work your way up river and cast upstream, working your fly or lure back towards you. Your presentation looks at its most natural in this way, and trout at the best of times can be picky. If they sense something is wrong with your lure, chances are you will not catch that fish.

MOTHER NATURE In the peak of summer, always keep your eyes open for snakes. They can be seen basking in the sun close to the river bank or hiding in the long grass. It doesn’t hurt to make a bit of noise when walking, but once you’re down on the water, be as quiet as possible.

HOT TIP Don’t forget to pack your waders. Waders are crucial in your success, as you can really get down in the water and work areas a whole lot better than what you could do standing on the river bank. You are also lower, making you harder to spot by fish sitting in crystal clear waters.

Lastly, you may be required to cross the river or get lures out of snags. Without waders, this would be very hard and very, very cold!

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JUNE 2018

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Snapper

Exciting land-based snapper fishing tactics VFM

Gerry Morsman

There’s just something about catching snapper off the land that leaves me wanting more! Maybe it’s the excitement of seeing a 13ft rod buckle over after an intense wait in that unforgiving weather with waves crashing over the rocks. It might be those intense moments when you think you’re surely going to lose your fish on a reefy ledge, or a wave picking your fish up in those last seconds of the fight and spilling your prize catch

over the rocks when all you can think is, ‘yep – that ones gone!’ only to see you’re still attached and more excited than ever to land the fish you worked so hard for.

Whatever it is, I’ll definitely be doing it until I’m too old to be climbing down hills or lugging my gear down the beach. For now that’s all part of the adventure and part of what makes a land-based snapper so rewarding. Some of my greatest and worst fishing memories have been off the land ranging from some epic sprained ankles to witnessing some of the biggest snapper

Mark Keaveny with a 5kg snapper. As you can see in the background, the conditions are less than desirable.

Harry Bould with a 6.5kg snapper off Mornington. A nice big squid tentacle did the damage on this one.

I’ve ever seen being caught right in front of me. Most sane people would be reading this wondering why the hell anybody would want to do this. It sounds horrible, but I bloody love it!

SAFETY! I can’t express enough how important this is, especially when fishing in these conditions on an uneven rocky surface.

There are going to be waves crashing over the rocks and you never know when a rogue set of waves could come through and put you into the water.

This has never happened to me and I’ve never seen it happen to anyone but I have definitely heard about it and it’s something I am very

wary of. Always fish with a mate and keep an eye out for each other at all times! I highly recommend wearing

obviously a good start. There is plenty of structure through this whole area.

If you watch any fishing

shows or talk to your local tackle shops you would have heard at some stage that structure holds fish, so make sure to always look for this when choosing your location. The water would only be a couple of metres deep for around the first 15m out and there is a very steep drop-off that goes to around 6m at low tide. This drop-off is nearly like a wall in the water, so when there’s a huge westerly wind at Mornington, it will wash in a heap of food from all over the bay and my theory is that the food will hold up against this wall putting large snapper into a feeding frenzy.

A westerly wind at Mornington is classed as an onshore wind. An onshore wind basically means that the wind is blowing directly towards the shoreline. The best times I have found have been at first light. I hate getting up that early but the snapper don’t mind (clearly

Running Sinker Slider rig Swivel Main leader

Catching snapper off the rocks is exciting business, regardless of the size.

6oz bomb sinker 5/0 octopus hook

Paternoster

Main leader

5/0 octopus hook

6oz bomb sinker

The author’s recommended rigs for land-based snapper fishing.

32

JUNE 2018

a PFD, a life jacket and suitable footwear. No fish is worth not coming home for.

LOCATION There are so many factors to look at but probably the most important is your location. There are all sorts of different ways to target large land-based snapper. A couple of places are favourites and have worked consistently for many experienced and keen land-based anglers.

My favourite location would have to be the Mornington rocks. This area holds the key features to holding large landbased snapper, but it’s also very weather-dependant if you want to catch them consistently. Mornington is a very popular area for boats targeting snapper, so you know they are going to be around somewhere, which is

A decent land-based red that was released and swam away.

Snapper never had a big night) and as much as I would love them to wait around like everyone else, they aren’t going to! It’s not all bad news, though, as another very productive time is late in the afternoon and going into just after dark.

Although these times seem to be the most productive you always have

like Lang Lang or Temby Point near Jam Jerrup. There are huge mud flats around these areas and the snapper love to get up on them on the incoming tides and feed on mainly crabs. This doesn’t mean you have to use crabs as bait, because if a snapper sees a fresh pilchard or a nice strip of fresh squid

The author with a 3.5kg snapper. The bait – a squid head – was only in the water for about 15 seconds before the rod took off. a chance to catch them throughout the day. It’s not often the weather gods allow these perfect conditions, so large snapper will most likely take the opportunity to get themselves an easy feed in close. Don’t be afraid to wait it out, as you never know – you might still get your fish of a lifetime.

Another place to target large land-based snapper is in the shallows at night.

Some of the best areas for this are the shallows around the top end of Western Port

in front of it, I can almost guarantee it will eat it.

If they are up on the flats they are up there for one reason only, and that is to feed. A great thing about these areas too is that you are in with a very good chance of catching gummy sharks or even the elusive prize mulloway. The most productive time to do this is at night. The later, the better I reckon!

With the water being quite shallow, usually no more than 2m, the dark conditions allow

these aggressive feeding predators to sneak up on their prey, giving them a chance at a feed. One of the best things about hooking a big snapper in 2m or less of water is the fight! They don’t really have anywhere to go apart from straight ahead so hang on because I guarantee they will be pulling a fair bit of drag, and don’t we all love that sound!

ROD When you go into a tackle shop and see the range of rods they have to offer it can be quite overwhelming! You will speak to 10 different people and get 10 different answers and generally none of them will be wrong. So here are a few simple things to look for when choosing a rod.

It’s good to get a nice, long rod anywhere around that 12-13ft length. The reason for this is that it will allow for the best possible cast with a heavy sinker and a big bait and it will also sit nice and high, keeping your line out of the wash of the waves. The reason you want your rod to stay out of the waves crashing onto the rocks is that it minimises the chance of getting nicks in your line and it also decreases the amount your bait and sinker are being dragged out of position.

Another thing we look for is a fair amount of strength through the middle section of the rod, which allows you to pull a fish away from a ledge or heave it up onto the rocks. While fishing the flats it’s not as important to have such a long fishing rod but it also doesn’t matter if you do, so buying a 12-13ft rod is a good option, as it’s much more universal.

REEL Here’s an actual situation when size does matter.

You will be putting a lot of strain on your gear, so something around the 10,000 size is ideal. Generally while retrieving, even when you

Safety is paramount – there are going to be waves crashing over the rocks and you never know when a rogue set of waves could come through and put you into the water.

This is why you need to use 10,000 sized reels!

When fighting a 7.2kg snapper off the rocks you want to give yourself every chance. don’t have a fish on, you will be reeling in pretty hard to keep it away from the snags.

You will most likely come across plenty of unwanted fish, like big stingrays or very hard fighting eagle rays, and if you are lucky enough a big shark like a bronze whaler. So yes, a bigger reel is a good option.

There are also reels with long cast spools allowing you to get those extra few metres that we sometimes need.

MAIN LINE Okay here we go – the big debate of whether we should be using monofilament or braid. The answer to this is to use what you feel comfortable with! Each line has their advantages and disadvantages, as does everything else. Mono is a lot more abrasion resistant (meaning it won’t break as easily when rubbing against something), so technically we should probably be using this when fishing around reef or structure, but there are ways to tackle that problem when using braid.

Mono has stretch, which is good for not pulling hooks out of the fish’s mouth, and it’s a lot more forgiving.

Braid is very well known for its ability to cast a lot further and, with its zero stretch, you are able to feel just about anything that is nibbling at your bait. I like braid, but whether I’m using braid or mono I use 30lb.

MAIN LEADER/ SHOCK LEADER Your leader is just as important as everything else, so don’t cheap out on this! It’s what connects you to the fish. Don’t be fooled by how sharp some early season snapper teeth can be! I suggest using around

60-80lb main leader. I know 80lb seems extreme but if you hook a 20lb fish you want to give yourself every chance at landing it, if you’re pulling it up onto sharp rocks. The shock leader is vital when using braid, as this is what gives you that extra bit of stretch but more importantly that extra bit of abrasion resistance that

are in their feeding frenzy.

This doesn’t mean you can put just anything on the hook. As you want the best possible chance, leave them with no choice but to attack your bait.

We’ve all heard it before – because it’s so important – fresh is best! It’s as simple as that. If you have a chance of catching yourself some fresh bait then do it. If I saw green bread and white bread sitting next to each other I know what I would eating.

While fishing in choppy, turbulent water it’s a good idea to use something nice and tough like squid or octopus. Rings or strips are the way to go. If you want to stick with the fish baits and want something tough, silver whiting will get the job done. A few other popular baits are pilchards, yakkas and couta.

Many people get out there and catch snapper out of their boats and, don’t get me wrong, I love doing that as much as the next fisho, but if you have never been out there and caught snapper off the land then I suggest you chuck it on your fishing bucket list. I’m still chasing that elusive 20lb fish off the rocks and while I will probably never get it, I won’t give up!

I’ve seen people do it and it’s generally the first thing we talk about after not seeing each other for a while. Though the conversation is always the same, it never gets old and

The author with another great red. braid doesn’t really have. I would recommend around 5m of 40lb leader.

BAIT There are so many different baits to choose from when it comes to snapper fishing. They are a very opportunistic fish when feeding, so they will have a go at just about anything fishy while they

I will happily have the same chat every time I see them!

This doesn’t just go for those big 20lb fish, it goes for any snapper an angler might get off of the land. There is just something about the fight and excitement of catching one of our most iconic fish that is so special. I know I will never get sick of it and I look forward to my next trip.

JUNE 2018

33

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Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

It has been a very dry autumn this season with very little likelihood of any rain in the foreseeable future but conditions are changing, especially for the lakes and rivers. I suspect that Wallaga Lake will close to the ocean in the near future and may stay that way for some time; without tidal influence the fishing becomes very testing. Bream, flathead and whiting can be targeted up in the shallow margins or over the flats where visual fishing will be your best option and you will need to move around to find fish.

Kingfish have been consistent all season. There are some very big winter fish up at Montague Island and along the coastline. These fish are responding well to live baits at the island, either drifted or slow trolled.

Bonito are also likely get into the act. Snapper are plentiful around Montague and all the reefy areas along

the coast providing many a meal for anglers.

The close to shore areas are providing plenty of options for those interested in working lures for the snapper while those using more conventional methods are producing on the deep reefs. With the aid of electronic reels extra deep water fishing is catching on with anglers fishing regularly targeting fish like hapuka, blue-eye trevalla, gemfish or cod in depths of 100 fathoms or more, which is an added bonus when berleying for the tuna.

These cooler months also see plenty of sand flathead close to the coastline out from most beach areas. Simply drifting in water depths of around 30m should be all that’s needed for anglers to acquire a tasty meal.

Those who venture offshore know water temperatures are around the 20°C mark and if the quality is there, so are all sorts of fish species. For the game fishers this means tuna and lots of them. Yellowfin are on top of the list with good numbers hanging around the continental shelf or beyond

Luderick are a great winter option for both younger and older people. to the 1000-fathom drop-off.

With the right weather conditions berleying is proving popular with some very large fish being taken.

Mixing in with the yellowfin are some very nice albacore tuna, which become only too eager to take a cube or live bait. These live baits may also attract a late season marlin, so use sufficient trace line to handle one such

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A U S T R A L I A

34

JUNE 2018

encounter.

Berleying will also attract sharks, especially those hard-fighting acrobatic makos, which are also good chewing. Having a shark rig employed or close by may result in a capture of a shark – makos, blues, whalers or the occasional tiger may also appear. If there is no action on the berley, try trolling; the tuna will definitely respond to this as will any marlin in the area and there is always that chance of an early season southern bluefin tuna, although I think July will be better suited to them.

Back onshore the beaches are producing exceptionally well. There is a multitude of salmon around and anglers take very little time to acquire their bags then they proceed to catch and release even more. Mixing with them are some quality tailor, the odd mulloway and gummy sharks. Bream and sand mullet are the go in the shallower gutters.

Rock fishing is also excellent, as with the cooler weather comes the drummer.

These fish are abundant providing excellent angling with the added bonus of other species like luderick, bream, groper or trevally to keep anglers entertained.

Phone: 0410 173 060 www.basscataustralia.com

Like the Mallacoota area to the south, Eden is in bad need of rain. The ground is that dry that the water won’t soak in so any substantial rain could see some flooding on the Far South Coast.

Fishing-wise there are plenty of fish still on the bite in the area.

The water temperature

is a lot warmer than the water down south and this means the fish are more active.

The good weather has allowed boats to head out wide where there has been some good fishing for a variety of gamefish.

Striped marlin are still being caught along the shelf by boats trolling skirted lures. The water temperature is around the 22°C mark and the reports coming in are that they are big fish around the 120kg

mark. There have also been reports coming in of yellowfin tuna out along the shelf, so fingers crossed the fishing will improve as it has been a while since the Far South Coast has fired up for the yellowfin tuna.

This time of year would probably be the best time for fishing offshore in the Eden area. There has been some great fishing for kingfish around Mowarry Point with 15kg fish around and reports of bigger fish seen. As yet the big ones

have avoided capture.

There is plenty of bait in the area and by all reports the fish are playing hard to catch.

Like a lot of fishing, being in the right place at the right time when the fish are on the bite is the key. At other times you can try everything and still not get a bite.

Tiger flathead and sand flathead have been on the bite with plenty of good-size fish being To page 35

NSW South Coast

Be careful as the lake level has been low MALLACOOTA

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

You wouldn’t know winter was here, with hot days still the norm and only the odd morning that you would call cold. The weather has been exceptional and with

the good weather there are still plenty of visitors here to enjoy it. There has been no rain and the lake level has dropped at least a foot over the past few months, so extra care needs to be taken when navigating in the lake or there is a good chance of running aground.

Tyrone happy with a good flounder caught on a blade.

As the lake is closed, this is the only access to the ocean, which is ankle deep at low tide.

From page 34

caught. A few snapper are also being caught. The snapper aren’t big fish – they are around the kilo mark, which is the best eating size.

There have also been reports of bonito being caught with fish caught on the inshore reefs and off the local headlands.

The same headlands have also been fishing well for drummer with anglers using berley to get the fish going and using cunjevoi for bait. Hold on and pull the fish out before it gets back into a cave and busts you off.

Fishing the local beaches has seen some good action on the tailor and salmon with both lures and bait catching fish. The key is to find a good gutter then fish it towards the top of the tide.

With the water still warm the fishing in the estuaries has been good.

Dusky flathead are still being caught along with sand whiting and yellowfin bream. The fishing should stay good as long as the water temperature stays warm. Once it cools right off the fishing will again slow down for the winter months.

Recently the boat ramp at Bastion Point has silted right up with a sandbank going from one side to the other, stopping the boats from heading out to sea – you know it’s bad when the abalone divers can’t go to work – at low tide you can walk from one side to the other with it being ankle to knee deep. If you’re planning to come to Mallacoota to do some offshore fishing, it could pay to make some enquiries about the condition of the ramp before you come, as it is constantly silting up.

Boats heading offshore have still been catching good bags of sand and tiger flathead along with a few gummy sharks. There are plenty of schools of slimy mackerel about and with any luck the kingfish could turn up chasing the schools.

It’s that time of year again when boats are heading out wide chasing the broadbill swordfish and over the past few weeks there have been a number of fish caught along with a few hook-ups.

There have been no captures or encounters of southern bluefin tuna, but with the cold water on the way they shouldn’t be far off.

Fishing the local beaches has slowed down with only

a few salmon being caught from Tip Beach and down towards Davis Creek. The fishing in the lake over the past month has been hard work with plenty of visiting anglers finding it hard to catch fish. The water

temperature in the lake is dropping lately and it was around 18°C; this has really slowed down the flathead.

The key to catching a feed now is to slow down your retrieve – the slower, the better.

With the lake still closed, the tailor are growing fast.

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Plenty of tailor are being caught, with some big fish amongst them. Fish to around 2kg aren’t uncommon. The pinkie snapper in the lake are growing quickly. The biggest I’ve seen was 38cm.

The flounder in the lake that were a regular catch over the summer months aren’t featuring in the catch now that the water has cooled down.

Very few yellowfin bream are in the lake, so the bream fishing is relying on the native black bream.

The best fishing has been around the schools of whitebait in both the top and bottom lakes. Unfortunately they are not around in the numbers and sizes they were years ago. Anyone who remembers why the winter bream fishing Mallacoota was famous would be amazed at the decline of an amazing fishery and it’s not going to improve quickly, as the big fish we used to catch were all around 30 years old.

It wasn’t so long ago that 1.2kg fish were encountered on a regular basis.

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Awaiting the seasonal visitors this June NAROOMA

Stuart Hindson

Winter fishing isn’t for everyone, with cool, brisk mornings the norm, but if you’re willing to brave the cold conditions some exceptional angling is still on offer.

Outside sportfishers targeting the pelagic species

like albacore, SBT and yellowfin tuna are feeling a tad excited, as some solid models have already turned up. The best yellowfin I’ve heard of lately went 74kg, which is not a jumbo but still certainly a solid fish. As we head further into winter, I’m expecting more yellowfin to turn up, plus a few decent-sized mako sharks, as every

June a few of these bigger bities turn up.

For those after the SBT, traveling a longer distance will be the key to success.

Fish that have been sighted, and a few smaller fish caught, have been 35-45 miles offshore, so if you venture that far out, make sure your boat is safe and your crew is experienced.

It’s a long way to get home

Hooked up to a 60kg bluefin on spin tackle and loving every minute of it.

Shark anglers should see a few of these blues over the cooler months.

if something happens.

There’s reports of a few long liners getting some bigger SBT further south of Eden, so it shouldn’t be too long before the bigger barrels hit our doorstep.

Better methods to use for

both tuna species would be a cube or berley trail, although trolling bibbed minnows and skirted pushers will produce the goods as well. We quite often troll first, locate the fish then revert to a berley

or cube trail. You do need to be organised, but if you get them up behind the boat you can hold them there for hours.

At Montague Island there’s still a few kings To page 37

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JUNE 2018

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Expect some intense action around the region MERIMBULA

Stuart Hindson

The Merimbula region has experienced some cracking good weather of late, making it ideal for anglers fishing offshore.

For those who have taken advantage of the perfect conditions, they have been rewarded handsomely with excellent fishing, especially for those after a feed from the reef species.

Snapper is the word, with this fine table fish in solid numbers on most local reefs. The fish are averaging 2kg, with the odd better model upwards of 5kg. These bigger fish are a little wary and have been around for a while, with the fishos catching them by fishing the freshest of bait with squid and cuttlefish definitely the standout baits to use.

A few switched on lads are getting them micro jigging with lighter

gel-spun lines, with jig sizes down to 30g on some occasions when the sea and current conditions allow.

This may seem light tackle to some, but you will be pleasantly surprised at the size of fish that can be caught on 6lb braided line.

Snapper isn’t the only reef fish being caught, as morwong, pigfish and a few kingfish to 8kg have also come from the same grounds, so a mixed bag can be expected. The only down side to this fishing is the amount of green toads that have infested some reefs. If this happens to you, then a move is required or the tackle account will rise dramatically. Better reefs at the moment include Whitecliffs, Horseshoe, Turingal and old faithful Long Point straight out the front of Merimbula.

If you’re after a feed of flatties, try 40-50m of water off Tura Head. These tasty morsels have been in deeper water, with a

mixture of sand and tigers playing the game.

Further offshore, the marlin have slowed up somewhat, but there’s still the odd bigger striped marlin patrolling the shelf line. A lot more crews are trolling later in the season as the bait balls have dried up, so doing the miles will still get you results. The bonus of trolling skirts is yellowfin tuna come into the equation, especially if trolling skirts around 8-12” size. There’s been some decent tuna to 51kg caught recently, and I expect quite a few more to make their presence felt over coming weeks.

We should see a few more albacore, plus an influx of mako sharks as the water cools that little bit more as well.

In the estuaries it’s firing on all cylinders, with the top lake in Merimbula looking excellent. This tiny bit of water looks featureless, but it is loaded

It won’t be long before these SBT turn up. This fish was estimated at 60kg and was released.

The Commens boys with a few salmon on soft plastics taken from Pambula Lake.

with fish at the minute.

There’s plenty of flathead to be caught, with water depths of 4-7m being ideal along the ribbon weed edges on the southern part of the lake. Casting a range of mid-sized soft plastics and soft vibes will see plenty caught, with the best I’ve heard of recently going 86cm. Most are averaging 40-50cm, which are good eating fish, with the run-out tide producing better specimens. The time of day doesn’t seem to make a difference, but the tides certainly do.

In these same areas trevally, bream and flounder have also been caught, especially when fishing vibes. If you’re after tailor, then you’re in luck, as the place is loaded with them.

They are big too, with local gun Dave getting greenbacks to 2kg and loosing bigger ones, so some heavier leader or wire may be needed!

On the beaches, it’s slowed up somewhat with the calm seas, especially for the pelagics like salmon and tailor, but there’s some nice bream and still a few whiting around. Look for beaches that have some sort of rocky formations, and both Middle Beach and the northern end of North Tura would be the pick. Both are fishing well for the above species. Try using beach worms or pipi as bait, with lighter running sinker rigs the preferred method in the calm conditions.

Those anglers fishing the stones have had the best of it, with salmon to 3kg,

big tailor and still the odd bonito all succumbing to metal shiners in the 40-60g range. Some days are better than others, but if you strike the right day, they’re on and you’re in for some serious fun. A few locals are getting 15-20 fish per session, with the morning definitely being more productive. The bite windows may only be an hour or so, but fast and furious with almost a fish a cast. Make the most of it, because just as quick as it turns on, it turns off. The trick is to be there when it fires, which is easier said than done, but time on the stones should see you rewarded. The better ledges are Tura Head and Short Point, although I know the rocks off Tathra point have been okay as well.

key for great results. The only problem at the moment is the amount of green toads and leatherjackets. If these pests thin out a bit more, expect some even better fishing. Better areas to try include the southwest corner at Montague, and the reefs north of Narooma around Potato Point. Some of the local crews have done extremely well fishing deeper with water depths of 55-60m being ideal.

On the beaches the salmon have been going well with the calmer conditions, but that will pick up once we get a little more swell. Anglers using paternoster rigs with a bait and popper combinations have been doing the best, although casting smaller shiners seems to be working pretty good too, especially

pilchards on ganged hooks just past the wash zone has been very effective. The bonito have been slow this season, but when they come through in a school you can get several fish before they head on. In previous seasons, it was nothing to get a dozen fish in a session, but this year they’re just slower, which is unfortunate. Better spots to try include Mystery Bay to the south at High Rock or the golf course rocks in town.

Those targeting the more preferred bread and butter species like drummer, blackfish and bream are doing fairly well, but it has been a little slower this season so far, but this will pick up.

Anglers that are faring well are using the freshest of

baits in conjunction with berley, just remember to use it sparsely or the pickers will drive you nuts.

In the estuaries, things have slowed somewhat, but that’s to be expected when the water is a chilly 15°C. The smaller systems like Corunna and Mummaga Lake are holding a few smaller flathead, but that’s about it. At Narooma, Wagonga Inlet has been steady without being red-hot, but if you put the time in you will get results.

The pelagic species are what most anglers are after, with tailor still abundant in the main basin. Casting small chromed lures to working birds or trolling has seen good captures. This season the tailor are quite big, with fish averaging 40cm, and the odd thumper

pushing 60-70cm.

There has been a few bigger trevally under the tailor schools feeding on whitebait scraps, so try using soft plastics or whitebait for best results.

Some reasonable snapper and flathead will be caught at times.

Those anglers fishing the channel on the eastern side of the highway bridge should have good results on bream, trevally and blackfish. There’s a chance of a stray flatty as well, and you can expect the mullet to be in big numbers towards the 8 knot sign just past the charter boat wharfs.

These little speedsters are great fun using a float and dough and smoke up pretty good in the smoker for a feed.

From page 36

to be had, and live bait seems to be the best way to tempt one, although a lot will depend on the tide, current and water temperature as to whether they hang around or not.

Last season these big hoodlum kings upwards of 20kg were here all June and July. Let’s hope this season is the same.

Those after the bread and butter species like snapper, morwong and flathead are doing well on most trips, but they have been a little sporadic and hard to find at times. When you locate them you will get an excellent feed, but they seem to be very concentrated at present, so finding them is the

on smaller fish around the 1kg mark.

There’s been greenback tailor mixed in with the salmon on the beaches, with a few models nudging 70cm, so they’re decentsized fish. These toothy critters are menacing on mono leaders, so those who are landing them are using short wire traces.

I’d expect a few gummy sharks this month, with winter usually producing good fish on those moonlit nights. If you brave the cold, you may just be rewarded. Better beaches to try include Tilba, Narooma Main and Brou just north of Dalmeny.

Off the stones, the pelagic species, like salmon and tailor ,have kept most anglers happy.

Casting lightly-weighted

JUNE 2018

37

Really, winter again already?

WEST COAST

Brett Illingworth

It seems that I only just became accustomed to the warm and now it’s that time of year where as much preparation goes into minimising heat loss as it does into trying to find fish. Fixing holes, contemplating thicker, newer boots and gloves, procrastinating over a new wetsuit and contemplating a long stint to Queensland or Fiji – these are all the joys of planning for a southern winter.

The big news continues to be the prevalence of southern bluefin tuna. More and more southern divers are putting in the effort to get out and have a crack at these iconic fish. The west of the state is still proving to be the pick of the locations, especially around Julia Percy Reef between the island and Portland.

Recently, a fish of around 100kg was lost near here. The

diver’s gear went whizzing off into the sunset only to surface some time later, minus the fish. It’s only a matter of time before a diver here lands a big barrel. It’s a big ocean and divers have to have the right mindset, equipment and, of course, a

very seaworthy vessel.

The rewards are great but when you first jump in it’s unlike anything else.

For starters, the bottom isn’t visible. There is no point of reference. This can cause vertigo and nausea, but this is all a part of the

Watto speared this tuna recently. Tuna have continued to be a highlight over the past month.

Bob and Jozeph with crays.

experience. Many divers are now concentrating their efforts on locating bait balls and staying with them.

Be very careful; we and tuna are not the only predators out here. Numerous bronze whalers and the occasional white pointers have been noticed. A shark shield may be a worthwhile investment for this type of activity. There has been no lull in tuna activity for the past couple of years, so at this point, it’s fair to suggest that we are now a worldclass destination for divers to target these fish.

The annual Australian salmon invasion is also

nearly upon us. Hours of fun can be had in the shallows of the Mornington Peninsula smacking these fast moving fish. It’s common to be spearing in water no greater than 1.5m in depth. The trick to super shallow salmon spearing is to be very overweighted, so you can lie flat out without any part of you breaking the surface.

Once you’re completely submerged the silly things can’t help themselves and will come in for a look.

Don’t track them. Eventually one will pass directly in front of the gun then pow!

Salmon make a great feed when cooked fresh. They are hugely underrated as a table species.

Another very underrated table fish is the humble six-spined leatherjacket.

These are abundant throughout the year nearly everywhere. In winter they should be appreciated as they hang around when other, more desirable species disappear due to cold concerns. Easy to clean, devoid of bones, prawnlike in texture and easy to

Shane with a great tuna. catch – the leatherjackets ticks all the boxes if the object of the day is a good feed. Some fish snobs turn their noses up at them but in my view that fish snobbery and the participants thereof are silly and missing out!

More for me.

Short ramp queues,

uncrowded dive sites and later starting times – due to the sun being too lazy to get up early in winter – are all bonuses to a wet June escape.

Also, if your footy team is faring poorly, numb the pain by numbing the whole body and enjoy what cool water diving has to offer.

A speared flatty.

INLAND FISHERIES SERVICE

IFS undertakes a Swan galaxias survey IFS

Tim Farrell

We are undertaking our annual surveys of the swan galaxias (Galaxias fontanus). Swan galaxias are native to Tasmania and you only find them in small pockets of rivers or streams that are free of trout and other native fish.

Swan galaxias are endangered and have a short life expectancy of around three years. They grow to a maximum length of 100mm. Most of the swan galaxias captured during the survey ranged between 55m and 80mm.

Juvenile swan galaxias tend to swim in open water.

This makes them an easy meal for trout and other native fish. This is why you do not 38

JUNE 2018

Swan galaxias were a widespread native fish before colonisation. find strong populations where you find other fish.

During the last 10 years, low rainfall and warm temperatures have greatly reduced swan galaxias habitat.

This has had a negative effect on their numbers. We have been looking for, and assessing other sites that are free of trout and native fish for potential insurance populations.

The fragile ecosystems that many of these fish call home,

need close monitoring if the swan galaxias is to have a bright future.

WHITEBAIT OFFENDERS CONVICTED On Wednesday 11 April two defendants were convicted in the Smithton Magistrates Court for offences relating to the illegal taking of whitebait.

Our officers apprehended the offenders last spring.

Deekan Jackson of

Stanley pled guilty to taking whitebait from Deep Creek. He was fined $1500 and ordered to pay $82.15 in court costs.

Andrew Anderson of Smithton was convicted of taking whitebait from the Welcome River. He was fined $2000 plus $82.15 in court costs.

You cannot take whitebait from either Deep Creek or Welcome River at any time.

Once again, the penalties are a reminder that illegal fishing is not taken lightly. The strict rules around whitebait are in place to ensure the fishery stays sustainable.

Anyone witnessing illegal fishing in our inland waters is urged to call Stephen Hepworth (Manager of Compliance and Operations) on 0438 338 530.

GOVERNMENT HOUSE CARP SIGHTING Recently, the official

secretary of Government House contacted the IFS. He had seen some mystery fish in their large quarry pond.

He sent us some photos of a dead fish found in the shallows and a live fish swimming around. The dead fish was a common goldfish (Carassius auratus), but we were not sure about the live fish. It looked a lot a koi carp (Cyprinus carpio).

Koi are a domesticated common carp. They are selected for their bright colours and usually kept for in garden ponds. Because we are currently eradicating common carp from Lake Sorell, it was a high priority to investigate the fish living in the pond.

In March, we conducted a survey of the quarry pond.

We used a range of techniques including backpack electrofishing and gill nets.

We partitioned the pond into five sections. We caught nine goldfish of varying sizes and colours. Fortunately, the two large individuals that could easily be mistaken as koi carp were not.

Before Government House was built the Quarry Pond was a working quarry.

The secretary told us that in 1862 there was a policy to introduce non-native species of plants and animals into the new world. During this time, eight tench were released into the pond.

We encourage anyone to contact us immediately if you think you may have seen a carp. Photos or the collection of the suspect fish will help us identify the fish.

Please contact us via email to infish@ifs.tas.gov. au or phone 1300 INFISH (1300 453 414).

FUN PAGE AND COMPETITIONS STUFF YOU FIND INSIDE FISH

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Valley Hill Rocketeer Slicer

Name: Address:

P/Code:

The first correct entry at the end of each month will win the prize pack.

SEND ENTRIES TO: VIC Find-a-word Competition, PO box 3172, Loganholme Qld 4129

VIC JUNE 2018

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10 DIFFERENCES

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ORIGINAL

FIND-A-WORD

Congratulations to Josh Willder from Dumbalk, who was last month’s winner of the Find-a-Word Competition!

Monthly winners receive a sponsor prize. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks.

– V&TFM

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE

The subscriber prize winners for April were P Phillips of Lakes Entrance, J Lewis of Hawthorn East, B Hodges of Werribee, P Stevens of Capel Sound, J Kotek of Altona Meadows, J Moroney of Narre Warren, who won a prize pack of Sufix braid and leader.

All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – V&TFM

Dowell of Highton, K Carter of Shepparton, M Lea of Carmut, K Vandepeer of Allendale East, B Walpole of Warrnambool, S Andrighetto of Inverloch, R Gillett of Port Arliington, K Tripp of Glenroy, A De Bresser of Croydon, P Geale of Georgetown, B Shelton of Romsey, B Peeters of Colac, M & D Doherty of Strathfieldsaye, E Dix of Hamilton, G Whinney of St Albans, D Baulch of Colac, D Parry of Stawell, K Voros of Korumburra, G Rippon of Colac,

B Bell of Wodonga, C Kelly of Cranbourne, K Hartley of Coburg North, D Wyatt of West Wodonga, I Hasanogly of Yarraville, R Carlile of Cranbourne, P Dickinson of Langwarrin, M Lewandowski of Langwarrin, M Adams of Grahamvale, R Sanders of Kooweerup, H Siesmaa of Ferntree Gully Road, P Berner of Box Hill, S Giaquinta of Endeavour Hills, M Aveling of Tarwin Lower.

Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – V&TFM

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS

FIND THE GAMAKATSU LOGO

GUESS THE FISH?

The answers to Find the Gamakatsu Logo for April were: 12, 16, 24, 30, 34, 38, 46, 54, 56, 62, 68, 74, 78, 79, 82, 94. – V&TFM

This month’s Guess the Fish Answer: Redfin

The Find the Gamakatsu prize winners for April were: D Dunn of Warrnambool, F Hutchins of Sunbury, M Loussert of Jan Juc, C Andrews of Warrnambool, H Kirk of Hadspen, B Stokes of Morwell, J Saunderson of Chelsea, K

Answer: JUNE 2018

39

Go Behind the Scenery

Tasmania

Gear up and keep warm for winter fishing TASMANIA

Kelly Hunt

Winter is making its presence felt this month in Tasmania. It’s no secret

that the days are shorter and much colder than the fabulous summer and even the recent autumn weather we had. The challenge for Tasmanian anglers is to not let this

NORTH WEST If ever there was a winter getaway to surprise the kids with on the North West Coast of Tasmania it’s the Sisters Beach and Boat Harbour area. You can grow up in Devonport or even as close to this area as Burnie and still marvel at the difference in landscape and feel of these two beachside places.

The sand and the coastal rock structure are just so different. A family trip just for the sake of it is well worth it; it’s just a bonus that the fishing is pretty good as well.

These coastal villages offer heaps of fishing for

gummy sharks. The area also has a great number of rocky points to explore for squid and salmon. I find the best method is to just doddle about keeping your eyes open and getting a feel for what is happening on the day. The weather and any wind will shape where you go and what headland you might use in your favour.

A typical day off Sisters Beach starts with hitting the squid up straight away.

The moment you’ve cleared the boat ramp and passed between the two channel markers you are basically in squid town. It’s shallow at low tide but the squid are all

This month you’ll have a shot at various shark species. both the land-based angler and the boat owner. It’s best to launch your boat at Sisters Beach at the far end of the village. It’s a pretty unique little boat ramp and at low tide it can be tricky but not impossible. At low tide it looks like the channel has been mined with rock drills and explosives. Take it slow with your motor trimmed up and you will be fine. If you have a smaller vessel then you can get a sneaky beach launch away at Boat Harbour when it’s not busy. The access to the beach is easy and the sand often firm, but you may get some looks if the beach area is busy.

Once on the water you have a vast area of ocean to explore for flathead and 40

JUNE 2018

over that shale and seaweed bottom from here all the way to the point to the left as you move seaward. The rocky shore and headland are covered in squid at most times of the year and will have you feeling good early with some good fresh bait and a feed.

The next step is to go and find some flathead to catch and the good news is that’s pretty easy. The whole area out in front of Sisters Beach holds good numbers of sand flathead for the table.

The trick is to just move around until you find where they have decided to lay and snuggle in the sand.

Dropping some of those fresh squid tentacles in front of them should have them race out of their homemade

shape our enthusiasm or endeavour. No one likes negativity and this month we need to grab the other side of the battery and look to the positives. Get in the right sand sleeping bags and have a pick at your baits.

If after a few minutes you don’t have any luck, move over to another sandy spot and repeat. Don’t go too far each time, as you don’t have to. All you are looking to do is cover some ground methodically until you find a patch of flatties to come aboard and beat the measure that has them in the esky.

Once you have found a patch you will have put a waypoint down for each capture and this combined with your recorded drift line will start to tell a story. After a few drifts you should be able to see a bit of a pattern forming; repeat the drift that has given you success. What you have uncovered here is a subtle rise or fall of sand that the current and tide flow at the time is favouring. These prehistoric fish have been developing a sixth sense over millions of years that allows them to find and lay in such a way that food finds them on the current.

Other fish have the same ability and one such creature is the humble gummy shark.

The scientific name for these very tasty and boneless fish is Mustelus antarcticus. Here are a few more interesting facts: they are also known in some parts as a ‘smooth hound,’ which I quite like.

The males stop growing after 10 years or so, while the females continue to grow right up until the end of their lives.

Now it’s up to you, but it’s a good idea to release the big ones after a nice photo, as the bigger females can have up to 40 or more pups at a time. I am as a big a fan of a feed of gummies as anyone, but it’s something to consider when you catch a monster gummy.

You can often find gummy sharks as a by-catch

mindset and gear up to keep warm, so you can enjoy some great fishing.

June is a month where you can enjoy some great fishing with no crowds and enjoy

some accommodation bargains. The tourist season has well and truly slowed, so it’s a fabulous time to hit the coastal areas and take the family away for some local

exploration. Let’s have a look this month at where we can go for something different, talk about a new technique for southern bluefin and learn more about gaffs.

Another deep drop by-catch – this fish could have been cubed up nicely. while fishing for flathead, particularly if there is very little wind and drift. These fish use all their senses to find a bait or piece of food and will come looking for it.

If your bait is staying in one spot longer, you will have a greater chance of catching a gummy. They respond well to berley as well, so having a berley pot on the bottom dragging as you drift will increase your chances.

Squid is always my preferred go-to bait for both flathead and gummy sharks, but it pays to have something else ready to switch out to if the bite doesn’t come on. I say squid for gummy shark, but if I catch a ‘couta I will fillet it cut it into strip baits. Gummy sharks and snapper love a fresh couta strip as bait.

There is another flathead to be targeted in the Sisters Beach area and that is the fabled bluespot. These fish are great fun to stalk and take on soft plastic lures. They are in and around the sandy bays in the area and are often found adjacent to a weed edge. They can be fished

June is a terrific month for tuna in Tasmania.

from the shore and found in surprisingly shallow water.

Casting your plastic in a likely area and covering the area in a fan is the best way to prospect. These fish can get close to the 1m mark and are real trophy fish. Take

to Murphy’s Law I had only made two more casts after releasing the first one when I hooked up again. This fish had the rod buckled over pretty hard and even took a bit of line. When I worked

A solid by-catch of blue-eye. a picture, place them back in and have them swim off.

You can rack and stack as many sand flathead as you like on bait. Bluespots are few and far between, so have a ‘let ‘em go, let ‘em grow’ mentality.

I was in the area towards Rocky Cape in a small dingy one day and had to let my fishing partner off the boat for a toilet call. I motored over to the rocks, nosed up and dropped him off to go and do his business and thought I may as well have a cast in the shallows. It was a great idea as I caught a small bluespot about 40cm and went into my pocket for my phone to take a picture.

The Bluetooth was on as was mobile hotspot from the morning and the phone was flat as a tack. Testament

the fish slowly back to the boat it was a beautiful bluespot that would have went close to 70cm.

With no camera and my mate off in the bush I had to let the beautiful fish swim back with only my brain to capture the moment.

Gear up for a day of fishing in this wonderful area and don’t let a little chill in the air stop you.

Layer up the clothing and have a rainjacket handy should you get a light shower. I often pack a small backpack with a dry change in it at this time of year. I am the king of getting wet and not worrying about it until hyperthermia nearly sets in. A fresh set of warm clothes and a pair of dry socks is golden!

Go Behind the Scenery LEVEN RIVER The Leven River is situated smack bang in the middle of the North West Coast and flows through the small town of Ulverstone. The river has a couple of access points for boats but the best ramp is on the west side of the river near the recreation centre. This is a dual lane boat ramp with an easy access pontoon. From here there is a short 5knot speed zone to the river mouth.

Once you’re at the river mouth travelling seaward you will have a breakwall on your starboard side. This is actually not a bad spot for some land-based fishing. The salmon and silver trevally look to feed on bait along its length and you can often find a number of people fishing here at this time of the year.

The incoming tide is best and bait and lure fishing work equally well.

Take care when exiting the Leven River mouth, as there are some rocks to be avoided on both sides. Once you’re clear of these there is little to worry about. There are a couple of options off Ulverstone to catch a feed.

There is the area to the west known as the Three Sisters.

This small group of shallow islands has some tidal current at times that attracts species such as yellowtail kingfish,

snapper and Australian salmon. There are also some very healthy numbers of barracouta and pike.

Some people will tell you that June is too late in the year for snapper and kings, but if you brave the elements and rug up, stick to a plan and persevere, you will find them. There are some really good reefs and drop-offs to be found off the Three Sisters between 1.2 and 3km due north. Exploring these over a few calm, crisp winter’s day will have you pleasantly surprised by the number of species encountered.

If you’re looking to do something with the kids over the weekend, the mackerel at the bridge are good fun.

The road bridge nearest the mouth of the river has had a major upgrade a while back and they have fitted some lights that shine onto the water at night. These lights are just aesthetic and serve no real purpose. What they have done is created a bit of an ecosystem that has bait congregating in the light.

The light seems to attract micro organisms, the same way a lamp post attracts insects. These micro organisms are being eaten by baitfish and bigger fish eat these. This month

you can go down and catch heaps of jack mackerel on dark with small slice lures and soft plastics.

Take the kids down with some cap lights and torches and a few light rods and watch the fun and excitement on their faces. Bring a large square container and a bucket on a rope and have them toss the bucket over the rail and fill the big container. That’s your holding tank and when you catch one you can put it in there to keep for bait or release it later on. Once you have a few in there the kids will love it and you’ll be in the running for parent of the year.

Sometimes it’s the simple things in life that supply the most joy to kids and just spending some time together means the most.

And if your kid’s favourite pastime is your favourite pastime, it makes life a whole lot easier to get away fishing.

The Ulverstone area is also fishing very well for Australian salmon in and around the Forth River and has also been giving up a few snapper down there as well.

Glen Saltmarsh continues to find some good fish all along the coast and you can too. Get the warm gear on, get the weather window right and find some success.

Tasmania

GAFFS AND GAFFING Last month we touched on gaffs and gaffing, so I thought we might talk a little bit more about them and some bigger fish harvesting techniques. June is a month were jumbo tuna are taken here in Tasmania along with some big

a swordfish, its bill.

In Tasmania there are two reasons to use a gaff at the side of a boat. A gaff will negate the loss of a catch that’s too big or too awkward for a net. They can also be a handy tool for subduing large, dangerous piscatorial

hook gape is perfect for being able to pluck a big blue-eye or hapuka off the line as you hold the leader.

Once over the gunnel you can flick them off the gaff one by one as you work your way down the three or more hook rig. A 1.2mm gaff might be a little longer than you think you need,

It’s important to lift vertically with gaffs. broadbill swordfish. There is always the possibility of a mako shark as well and that raises some different points of view. There is a bit of difference between gaffing a harmless tuna and a fish that can open you up with teeth or, in the case of

beasts that you intend to harvest.

If you’re deep dropping and you have a string of tasty fish coming up from the deep, a net can be a nuisance with all the deep drop hooks in the mix. A nice 1.2mm stainless gaff with a 75mm

but if one drops or floats off after the journey from the deep, you’ll be glad it is.

These fish are too highly sought-after and tasty to miss, because you can’t quite reach it.

This gaff can also double To page 42

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JUNE 2018

41

Go Behind the Scenery

Tasmania From page 41

as a general boat hook for grabbing a mooring line or a cray pot buoy in those boats cramped for gunnel room.

School tuna right up to 60kg models can be taken with this same gaff. If you’ve been fishing for a long time and you’re quite skilled at reaching over and grabbing the tail of school bluefin and albacore, it’s a good technique. It’s not for everyone, as a high gunnel or short legs can make for more lost fish than taken.

The 75mm gaff is a good size to sink into the fish’s head.

I like to hit ‘em halfway between where the fish’s eye is and the gill line. There is plenty of flesh to sink the gaff into and then lift the fish smoothly out of the water.

Here are a couple of tips for trouble-free gaffing.

Speak to the angler and don’t have them get too excited and lift the fish’s head out of the water. You need to have patience and be smooth and gentle so that the fish lays alongside the boat. Go out over the top of the fish’s head, making sure you don’t snag the leader. When you have the gaff in the right spot, pull it towards you like you mean it.

If your gaff is nice and sharp, you will have the gaff

When the fish has been played out and is doing slow circles at the side of the boat, the extra length will allow you to set the gaff that bit sooner and further away. The basics are the same – slow and steady wins the battle.

Smooth and calculated, hold the gaff out hook down and sink the gaff in hard when the fish’s head goes past.

The action of pulling the hook in will have the big fish coming your way, so keep that action coming. You want the jumbo’s head coming straight into your power zone in the centre of your body. In one swift strong movement you want to pin the fish’s head against the side of the boat and be lifting the fish straight up and down.

I say lifting but in reality you are de-weighting the fish and got the lion’s share of the weight on the gaff head lifting vertically. (Gaffs are super strong when the hook is sunk deep into the flesh and the lifting is done on the bend of the gape and not the point. You will not lift very much of anything on the point of a gaff. What you will do is open and stuff your gaff).

Right about now as you are going red, someone will come over and save the day.

A second gaff or fish hook

second gaff needs to be sunk into the fish lower into the fish and the crew member bent over the gunnel ready to use arms legs and back when they hear the order. When the original gaffer sees that gaff go in and has the fish head high and vertical they need to count down from three.

What you should be looking at now is a massive great fish laying in the bottom of your boat. Working as a team and getting the second gaff or fish hook into the fish at the right height is crucial.

The skipper can help in this as well. Should the fish be gaffed on the port side just as the call goes out they can leave the helm and use their body weight to manipulate gunnel height to the water.

The lower the gunnel, the easier it is the get the head and shoulders of the fish on and over. Once you can do that the rest of the slippery torpedo shaped fish will come a damn lot easier.

If the fish is on the starboard side, the skipper can put the helm on full lock to starboard and throttle up a little. This will also lay the gunnel down and help out heaps.

This next subject is next level; mako sharks are angry and dangerous when you hook them. They are crabby and ferocious when

A young angler with a gaffed SBT. hook set and the fish coming towards you. Slow down and keep the fish coming towards you and up over the gunnel.

It’s very important to be cool, calm and collected. It’s also a lot easier if you’ve played the fish out and it’s about done. Be patient; the more practice you have, the more confident and proficient you will be.

Jumbo tuna are another thing all together, but there are some similar points to remember. Stay calm! I know it’s a big fish – the fish of a lifetime – but don’t muck it up at the last hurdle. The gaff you need here is a bit bigger in the gaff hook and also longer in the handle.

A good jumbo gaff is about 100-125mm in gape size and 1.5-1.8m long. This gaff should be at least 10mm in diameter in the gauge of the hook and have two handgrips.

42

JUNE 2018

is crucial when gaffing a big tuna, not only for securing the fish, but for being able to get the trophy on the deck of the boat. A lot of people will laugh at the idea that two people can get a 100kg+ fish over a gunnel by them selves. Just remember you are not lifting 100kg+ as the fish is in water and slippery.

You only have to lift the best part of the fish up across the gunnel and the shape of the fish and the slippery nature of the beast will help do the rest.

Here’s a big tip that will help in this exploit: the second gaff doesn’t need to go into the same spot as the first. This is the automatic reflex action from an inexperienced crew member.

Sure you have a second hook in the fish but at that height you both have limited ability to lift with just the arms. The

you’re playing them out.

You can just imagine what happens when they are hit with a gaff hook. They go dead-set ballistic. These fish are powerful and dangerous and not to be taken lightly.

They call for equipment that is specialised. You can take mako sharks with a fixed gaff but I don’t advise it. A shark of 50-60kg is ok to hit with a couple of fixed gaffs, but be prepared for fireworks.

We need to put these fish into some sort of context.

They have immense power and strength and they are the in the top five quickest fish in the ocean and super streamlined. The generate some serious force when they twist and roll. These fish can destroy gaffs, ropes and anything that gets in their range. I’ve seen them damage a lot of gear.

There is a bit of difference between gaffing a harmless bycatch and a fish that can open you up with teeth.

What tends to happen though is we end up being under-gunned. We don’t understand where that torsional power comes from and we grossly underestimate it. Like, I mean… they are in water? A liquid. Where does it come from? Anyone that has tried to remove a goodsized conger eel out of a cray pot will have a sense of the power some ocean-living creatures have, and that’s only a conger eel.

When we’re confronted with the prospect of harvesting a mako shark over the 60-120kg mark, we get a pretty good quality flying gaff with good quality rope and fixtures. People really underestimate the size and construction of the gaffs they take to battle for mako sharks. Often the decision for which gaff to purchase is limited to money constraints or inexperience. A bigger constructed and strong gaff can always be used on a smaller fish, but a smaller gaff is going to end in misery on that bigger shark.

If you’re in a store looking for a gaff for mako sharks, I would choose one two sizes up from what you think necessary and go with that. You can always place one on layby if you weren’t factoring in the expense. This will be a saving in the future, as replacing tortured and broken gear is expensive.

If you’re happy to harvest sharks and do so regularly,

you would be best served buying a big flying gaff of about 250mm hook gape and 16mm gauge. A reinforced model is even better. This will mean that you have the gear to take down most sharks you come across.

Having the gear is only the first part of the puzzle and using it will provide some exciting times.

Making sure the shark is well played out and tiring is crucial if you’re fishing recreationally. Sometimes in game fishing competitions you have time constraints and you have to take the shot when the shark is green (meaning the shark is still full of beans and ready to tear everyone a new one).

If you have the time, take it. When you feel the shark is ready to be harvested then just be smooth on the rod and when the shark is in hand on the leader. Use the boat to quarter over to the fish and don’t spook or annoy the fish. Setting the gaff will be annoyance enough.

There are a number of views on how and where to gaff a big mako and they all come with their pros and cons. Hitting them in the tail is said to take their motor away, but I have seen them thrash and flap a gaff out of their tail with too much ease. I like to copy the game hunters that hunt big dangerous game and hit them in the gill area. Go in through the gills and lodge the gaff in

TIME TO TRY OLD TRICKS The fishing in Tasmania for all species is evolving.

It may be global warming, a rise in fish numbers or just a pattern over dozens of years. It doesn’t really matter but the volume of fish increasing is undeniable. This is a great thing for local Tasmanian fishers. It wasn’t that long ago that I would troll surface lures for four days looking for tuna and not even see a fish.

Recently I’ve had days where I got sick of catching them and groaned when a rod went off. The

amount of fish you see when fishing the bottom off the shelf is amazing. You don’t even have to have berley in the water. Just the action of raising and lowering your electrics or big spinning reels will bring albacore, bluefin and yellowtail kingfish to the surface. From here you can toss them a bait or jig them with metals or big soft plastics.

The sword fishing brigade are also picking up some amazing fish while dropping their baits for these awesome fish. The baits are being taken mid-water as

the meat of the body and have the gaff point exit the top of the shark.

A flying gaff is designed to have a detachable head and come away from the pole.

Make sure you have a good grip on the gaff rope and in bigger boats you can tie the rope off to a bollard or rear grab rail. Take care to ensure the rope won’t cause issues as the battle ensues and make sure you have a knife handy to clear the line if you have to. Once the shark has been hit with the gaff you can drive off and hold tension on the rope with water pressure on the fish. The fish will flail and thrash and hopefully bleed and wear itself out.

This is a good time to hit it with another gaff or tail rope if you have one. If the fish is showing signs of succumbing, you must still treat the fish with caution as they have a habit of reflex thrashing with their mouths open. Contact with these teeth will cause very serious injury.

Remember, take your time and have patience. Gear up a bit heavier and bigger than you think you will need to. It’s important to lift vertically as well with gaffs.

Use either alloy or fibreglass handle construction. They are not levers! Lift as a team and you can’t go wrong… most of the time. It’s a skill worth practicing and the good thing is you need to catch fish to do so. Happy gaffing! well as down close to the bottom. Anglers are also finding bluefin tuna of all sizes and some interesting sharks. This has started to get my brain in gear and thinking we should be trying some older techniques that are very popular on the mainland.

St Helens on the east coast and Bicheno are great places to try. The waters of Eaglehawk Neck to the north are also good areas to have a crack. You just need to find some deep water, have a plan and set up for it.

Try cubing. It’s an old technique that is largely To page 43

Go Behind the Scenery

Tasmania

From page 42

ignored by the fishing community in Tasmania, because they have been told it doesn’t work or it’s too hard because of the seals.

I disagree. The amount of fish I have encountered in berley trails over the last three years leads me to believe that a solid cubing session in the right conditions would find some very decent fish. The fish numbers and the amount of school bluefin swimming on our continental shelf are reason enough to give it a try. Then there are the quality albacore in our open waters and the persistent mako sharks.

Tuna love a bit of chop and breeze on the water to get them fired up and feeding hard on the surface.

When these conditions prevail using surface skirted lures and sub-surface divers are great techniques and foolproof.

What about those days that are super calm and bright? You can drag lures for hours with no luck and at the end of the day you’re saying, “Geez, fishing was tough today.” This is a perfect time to change up and try something new and

A Tassie favourite, striped trumpeter are an option in June. get some cubes in the water.

The great news is that you don’t need any new rods and reels – the ones you have will work just fine. All you will need is to set up some short leaders with some circle hooks attached of differing breaking strain and hook sizes. You can go right down to 60lb fluorocarbon leader and 6/0 hooks up to 100lb and 10/0s if some big fish are going to be encountered. It’s important to remember that the lighter you can fish, the more chances of a bite and hook up. All you need now is some fish to cube up and get over the side.

Trolling skirts in calm conditions and not hooking up? Try cubing.

The traditional fish of choice for cubing up is a big block of pilchards, but you can use whatever you have on hand or can catch before you go. Australian salmon and barracouta will work just as well. You will need around 20kg of fish to use as bait if you’re going to have a serious attempt.

Choose a spot on or over the shelf and when you pull up it’s as simple as cutting your fish up into 2cm size chunks and throwing a few handfuls over to get going.

After you have done this just keep putting two or three over at a time as they go out of sight. The key is to build a constant – not over the top – line of cubes drifting in the ocean current so any fish can find them. Then when they do they can work their way up to the surface and find your baits drifting down to them. If you’re lucky, they may come up to the boat or within sight and you can hit them with baits or soft plastics and jigs.

Once you have substantiated your drift and you have had your cubes going for a while you can lay some baits out in the water.

They key here is to have them drift down with the

other cubes looking nice and natural. You can do this by choosing a nice strong hook and placing on a bait, so it’s hidden, while also keeping the gape clear. Then throw three cubes in the water and strip your bait down with them.

Leave the rod in the rod holder and trip the bail arm or set the drag lever to free spool. Gently pull line from the rod tip and strip some line onto the ocean surface. Having a few coils of line sitting on the water and watching them disappear allows you to strip off a few more loops at a time as your

electric out and fishing the bottom while you are drifting and cubing along in the current. This is and advantage for two reasons: you might stumble across some blue-eye trevalla and the up and down activity will draw attention and bring fish in. Once they are close they will find the cubes and be in your trap.

I can already hear the naysayers and negative Nancys whinging about seals. Yes, in certain areas setting up a cube trail will draw some unwanted attention; you just need to be sensible as to where you

seals and I think you will find that it’s another fun way to come across fish of all species and sizes.

Make sure you have a wire trace in a small bucket neatly coiled and ready to go, as you’re likely to come across a mako shark. You can have one rod set up with bait and another with a heavier metal jig working away just to hedge your bets. The metal jigging is really starting to fire up here in Tasmania. It has been a very popular method in deeper water in New Zealand and

Pete Bailey has found one of the albacore still around. bait sinks naturally. You can do this for as long as you like and stopping will only have your bait stall and start to lift in the water column, depending on your drift.

You can then wind it in and repeat, checking your bait before you start again.

You can also have an

start. Get away as much as you can. On those slow days when its bright and you’re not getting any hook-ups whatsoever, it’s better to have a fish on and lose it to a seal than not have any fish action at all. The seals don’t win all the battles.

Get wide, get clear of

mainland Australia and we are switching onto it.

Winter in Tasmania is a little slower and the weather puts the brakes on here in June, but it’s not all doom and gloom. There is still plenty of good fishing to be had and the weather is less of an issue.

HYDRO TASMANIA WATER STORAGE INFORMATION Water Storage Information as at 9th May 2018 Lake/Lagoon

Metres from full

Comment

Trevallyn Pond..................................1.00...................................................................

Lake Mackenzie................................8.93...................................................................

Lake Rowallan..................................8.40...................................................................

Lake Parangana................................1.04...................................................................

Lake Cethana....................................3.67...................................................................

Lake Barrington................................0.89...................................................................

Lake Gairdner...................................4.53...................................................................

Lake Paloona....................................1.28...................................................................

Lake Augusta....................................2.99...................................................................

Arthurs Lake.....................................1.84...................................................................

Great Lake........................................14.50.................................................................

Little Pine Lagoon.............................1.04...................................................................

Shannon Lagoon...............................0.08...................................................................

Penstock Lagoon..............................0.25...................................................................

Woods Lake......................................1.67...................................................................

Lake St Clair.....................................1.52...................................................................

Lake King William.............................5.63...................................................................

Lake Echo.........................................8.54...................................................................

Dee Lagoon.......................................0.30...................................................................

Pine Tier Lagoon...............................1.74...................................................................

Bronte Lagoon..................................1.00...................................................................

Bradys/Binneys/Tungatinah..............1.72...................................................................

Laughing Jack Lagoon.....................7.62...................................................................

Lake Liapootah.................................1.88...................................................................

Wayatinah Lagoon............................1.03...................................................................

Lake Catagunya................................1.42...................................................................

Lake Repulse....................................2.86...................................................................

Cluny Lagoon....................................3.68...................................................................

Meadowbank Lake...........................0.63...................................................................

Lake Burbury....................................4.80...................................................................

Lake Margaret..................................1.61...................................................................

Whitespur Pond....................................................................................... Unavailable Lake Newton.....................................3.84...................................................................

Lake Plimsoll....................................0.91...................................................................

Lake Murchison................................5.76...................................................................

Lake Mackintosh..............................0.56...................................................................

Lake Rosebery..................................0.00.......................................................Spilling Lake Pieman.....................................2.46...................................................................

Lake Pedder......................................1.25...................................................................

Lake Gordon.....................................25.05.................................................................

These levels are provided for an indication of lake level only and can vary from day to day. For more up-to-date lake level information please visit www.hydro.com.au/home/Tourism+and+Recreation/Lake+Levels.htm JUNE 2018

43

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ATOMIC TIMS PRAWN COLOUR

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Prawns are a staple for feeding fish in all depths of water, and it makes sense that the Atomic Semi Hardz range adds a colour already present in the iconic Atomic Hardz range. Tims Prawn, a shrimp pattern, quickly became a go-to for anglers all over the country when it was introduced in the Hardz line-up, and now that popular natural colour is available in the full range of Atomic Semi Hardz Vibs in sizes 40, 50, 60, 75 and 110 as well as the Minnows in 40, 55 and 65mm models.

Semi Hardz can be fished from the surface down to any water depth, making them usable in a wide range of conditions and for a huge range of species. Our ambassadors have already landed whiting and flathead as well as offshore favourites like snapper and pearl perch, and even coral trout. Semi Hardz are also very effective on mulloway.

Tough rubber construction with wire running through the lure allows them to stand up to even the toughest adversary.

Price: RRP $13.95 www.atomiclures.com.au 44

JUNE 2018

ZMAN BEANIEZ

PRODUCT GUIDE

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With the weather cooling it’s perfect timing for the arrival of ZMan’s BeanieZ. Constructed from quick-drying 100% acrylic, these comfortable beanies feature four topseam knit construction and embodied ZMan ‘Z’, in a one size fits most cool weather headwear option.

These beanies are a quality Richardson Sports product. Richardson Sports is a company who has served the team sports market both in the US and internationally since 1970, and its products are known for their quality and reliability. Today Richardson is recognised as a leader in the sports product industry, delivering performance-inspired headwear to millions of athletes around the world. It makes sense then that they should make headwear for the largest recreational sport in the world: fishing.

The new ZMan beanies come in two shades, charcoal and grey, and are available now.

Price: SRP $19.95 www.z-man.com.au

BLACK MAGIC FLIPPER JIGS

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Black Magic has added the exciting slow pitch Flipper jig to their range.

Their original design stands out with a dramatic spoon-like scoop on one side of the jig. They fall with a wide and sweeping side-to-side flutter and retrieve with a large darting action, giving them a strong visual presence which will be attractive to a wide range of species.

Flipper Jigs come in four striking colour options with lumo spots or stripes. There are two strong hooks attached with Kevlar thread, and the available weights are 60g, 80g, 100g, 150g and 200g.

Flipper Jigs are available now from Black Magic dealers nationwide. For more information, photos and videos, visit the Black Magic website or check them out on Facebook (www.facebook. com/blackmagictackle), or Instagram (@ blackmagictackle). www.blackmagictackle.com

MUSTAD XL JIG WALLET

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Jig fishing anglers will love the Mustad XL Jig Wallet, a jig wallet designed to accommodate all of your jig fishing needs.

The XL Jig Wallet contains storage pockets that are constructed from tough mesh to allow the jigs to breathe and dry, yet remain safe in transport and use. There are five extra large jig slots that will take jigs up to 30cm, 18 jig slots that will take jigs up to 20cm and 12 jig slots for smaller jigs up to 15cm. That’s a total of 35 jigs that can be carried in one handy wallet that is easy to store and transport.

The XL Jig Wallet also features a large mesh pocket on the outside to store accessories such as assist hooks, leader and more.

If you’re into fishing jigs and you’ve been having trouble storing them, then the Mustad XL Jig Wallet will give you the answer you’ve been looking for. www.wilsonfishing.com

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PRODUCT GUIDE

WHAT’S NEW FISHING EUREKA JELLY VIBES

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Eureka Jelly Vibe lures are made from a durable soft material and feature a balanced internal weight system, for superior vibration and action on the drop and lift.

Eureka Jelly Vibes also feature a multistrand wired through construction, a holographic head for added attraction and quality black nickel chemicallysharpened treble hooks. They are superb on mulloway, barramundi, mangrove jacks, flathead, bass, bream, redfin and more.

The Eureka Jelly Vibes are available in two sizes, a 67mm model that weighs 7g and a 95mm version that weighs 20g, and both lures are available in four brilliant colours. www.jurofishing.com

SHIMANO TIAGRA ULTRA RODS

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All serious gamefishers know that their gear needs to be up to the challenge of prolonged fights with exceptionally large fish. This is why the new Shimano Tiagra Ultra series are proving so popular, especially with increasing numbers of bluewater anglers using braid.

Factory built, but with that custom rod style, the componentry on the Tiagra Ultra series is first class: braid friendly Alps RX guides, Winn foregrips for comfort and grip, and either detachable Pacific Bay Channel Lock straight carbon or curved butts depending on the model.

The blanks all this wizardry sits on though is where the action begins: Biofibre High Pressure Carbon 300 blanks across five line classes from 10-15 to 24-37kg, with sweet, smooth parabolic actions. This is just what you need when fishing braided line for marlin, tuna, swordfish and sharks.

Match one of these beauties up with a Talica overhead and enjoy all the advantages braided line brings to game fishing. www.shimanofish.com.au

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ABU GARCIA REVO ALX

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Based on high quality components and a lightweight design, the Abu Revo ALX incorporates new technology including the Salt Shield Concept bearing and AMGearing systems within the compact Revo design.

SSC (Salt Shield Concept) bearing employs newly developed ball bearings coated with a water-repelling shield, which greatly reduces rotation noise caused by salt adhesion, improving operation and durability.

SSC is applied to key HPCR (High performance corrosion-resistant) bearings to provide an increase in durability, smoothness, and corrosion resistance.

The AMGearing System combines a precision-machined aluminium gear with Abu’s COG (Computer Optimized Gear) gear design, for the ultimate in smoothness and durability.

The C6 carbon body and rotor provides significant weight reduction without sacrificing strength and durability.

Revo ALX is equipped with the Rocket Line Management System, which is a combination of bail angle, spool lip design and slow oscillation that gives anglers the ability to cast further and manage line more effectively.

There are six models, ranging from 2000 to 5000, for everything from bream on hardbodies to snapper on plastics. sizes.

All models feature 7+1 bearings with super

smooth carbon drag systems, with drag force from 3-10kg.

Price: SRP $299 www.abugarcia-fishing.com.au

REDINGTON MINNOW

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The new Redington Minnow rod was designed and tuned to meet the needs of younger anglers and flyfishing novices.

It’s built with enough power to throw a wide variety of flies, but the shorter 8’ length offers less swing weight to make it easier for casters of smaller stature to make effective stops at the end of their casting stroke.

This 2-piece, 8’0” 5/6wt graphite rod has a medium action, attractive trim details and cosmetics, and alignment dots. The packaging design is kid and parent friendly with additional tips, techniques and games for kids to get started flyfishing.

The Minnow rod is matched to a Crosswater 4/5/6 reel, which as lightweight construction that lessens the overall weight of package. It has a large arbor design for easier and quicker retrieve, and a durable design with an easy to change spool. It also has a strong disc drag system for great fish stopping power. The reel is pre-spooled with backing, RIO Mainstream WF fly line, and knotless leader.

This combo comes complete with a Cordura rod tube and is backed by a 1-year warranty. www.jmgillies.com.au

LIVETARGET BAITBALL 11 SPINNER RIG

The LiveTarget BaitBall Spinner Rig is one of the latest LiveTarget lures to be released by Australian distributor EJ Todd.

With three different wire-frame sizes, the LiveTarget BaitBall Spinner Rig is a versatile lure which can be fished at any depth. The three teaser bodies and willow blade create a vibration and flash which call in nearby predatory fish. When bass or cod see the BaitBall, they will strike the primary target body, which is strategically placed away from the teaser fish in the BaitBall.

The LiveTarget BaitBall Spinner Rig is available now in six colours to match various water conditions. There are three sizes – small (11g), medium (14g) and large (21g).

For more information head to the EJ Todd website, or for news, photos and videos check them out on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ EJ.Todd.Australia) or Instagram (@ej_todd). www.ejtodd.com.au

REESE TARP CLIPS

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Quick and easy, the Reese Tarp Clips are designed to create a handy anchor point anywhere along the edge of a tarp.

There is nothing worse than trying to secure a tarp when the eyelet is broken. The Reese Tarp Clips eliminate this issue. The handy tarp clips provide a vise-like grip on the material to supply additional attachment points.

Quick and easy to tighten and release, the Reese Tarp Clips are ideal for tarps, canopies, awnings, tents, covers and much more. Made with high impact resistant material the tarp clips are heavy duty and crack resistant.

Sold in a handy 4-pack, the Reese Tarp Clips come in a handy reusable container.

They are available for purchase from Repco stores nation-wide.

Reese has been producing a quality range of vehicle accessories since 1952. Full of features, the quality designs are safe and reliable for everyday use.

Price: SRP $9.99 reeseproducts.com.au

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au JUNE 2018

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING TESTED

PRODUCT GUIDE

Halco Madeye soft plastics tick all the boxes

The author’s biggest bream in quite some time was caught on the Madeye Flutter Shrimp in coffee’d shrimp colour.

Australian lure company Halco began manufacturing lures in Western Australia back in 1950. Their range of products includes iconic lures like the RMG Scorpion, Halco Laser Pro, Twisty and many more. There would have to be a Halco lure in most keen anglers’ tackle boxes.

After many years of being at the forefront of hardbody lure design, Halco have branched out into the soft plastic side of things with their purchase of Madeye soft plastics. As you would expect, the company has expanded and developed this budding range with the same vigour and quality that defines their hardbody lure ranges. They have six styles in the Madeye range, and I grabbed four of them to test out for the magazines.

MADEYE SOFT PLASTICS 101 The range of Madeye Plastics covers the full spectrum of soft plastics fishing from finesse styles for bream and whiting through to deep water jigging with larger offerings. The six styles of plastics are the Paddle Prawn, Flick Stick, Octoskirt, Flutter Shrimp, Whippy Worm and Mad Craw.

These days most anglers expect their soft plastics to have substantial longevity, and Halco has achieved this with their Rubber Stretch Technology (RST). The copolymer material that the plastics are made from has up to five times the durability of a regular soft plastic, and it is also incredibly buoyant. The advantage to the angler with this is that pickers are less likely to destroy your plastic before your target species has a chance to have a crack at it, and if pickers do attack the plastic they are less likely to render it unusable. The buoyancy also adds to the natural look of the lure; it sinks in a realistic manner, and at rest it sits upright and has a natural movement to attract predators.

Mad Craw The Mad Craw is a lifelike yabby imitation that is 2” long. The attention to detail in this plastic is second to none, right down to the fold in the tail of the yabby. The Mad Craw comes in four colours, of which I grabbed three – the Jelly Prawn, Salt and Pepper, and Marron.

My first intention was to use these lures to target bream. These fish love what

The Madeye Paddle Prawn has a sensational action and the flathead loved them.

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Flounder are a welcome by-catch. This one took a Paddle Prawn in the raw prawn colour.

many people would call a creature bait, and the Mad Craw fits into this category.

During my testing, the bream definitely took a liking to the Mad Craw. The various legs and claws provide plenty of movement, and most of the bream caught grabbed them as the lure was dropping. I guess they had to, because if their prey did reach the bottom there was every chance a flathead would grab it before the bream had a second chance.

No complaints here, but you will note in the images that the flathead didn’t mess about.

On a side note, it is really surprising just how buoyant these plastics are. I would normally use a 1/24oz jighead in the areas we fished, and had to up it to a 1/16oz or 1/12oz jighead depending on the current.

Also, I found that a small drop of super glue on the grub keeper helps reduce the plastic slipping down the hook.

As well as chasing bream, I can also see me using these lures chasing trout in the lakes and the rivers. What trout can resist a yabby if it’s on offer?

Flutter Shrimp The next plastic I tested was the Flutter Shrimp. This small prawn imitation is pretty much the opposite of the Mad Craw in that it has a simple design – a traditional prawn profile with a small curly tail. It is available in five colours and is 2.5” long. I grabbed the Jelly Prawn and Coffee’d Shrimp colours.

When the plastics arrived I was most excited to see the Flutter Shrimp, because small curly tail plastics have been the undoing of many species of fish, especially the bream I wanted to target with it. I was a little surprised by the smaller profile the Flutter Shrimp had (I had pictured something a little less finesse), but was stoked with the colours I had chosen. They were spot on.

Like the Mad Claw I used slightly heavier jigheads and targeted bream around man-made structure and across the flats.

I was met with instant success, and was immediately wondering why I hadn’t gone to this lure first. While hopping it across an open area with structure nearby, I scored the biggest bream I have caught in some time. It went nearly 40cm to the tip, which is a solid fish for the area. Both colours were effective and, unlike the Mad Craw, super glue wasn’t a necessity when rigging them. The plastic still slips, but mainly due to a fish grabbing it, rather than it moving by itself.

Paddle Prawn When it comes to the Paddle Prawn,

The unexpected bonus when fishing the Mad Craw was how much the flathead loved them. There is a marron-colored Mad Craw in there.

PRODUCT GUIDE there is a lot going on. It is available in four sizes (3, 4, 5 and 7”) and has up to seven colours, depending on the size. The profile of the plastic is a prawn-style head with legs and feelers attached to a body that tapers back to a paddle tail. The wrist of the tail is thin, maximising the action.

I chose to use the 4” version, and picked the Ivy Flash, Jelly Prawn and Raw Prawn colours to test.

WHAT’S NEW FISHING TESTED

Flick Stick The Flick Stick is the most traditional of the profiles in the Madeye range. It has a largish body that tapers to a long tail. Available in three sizes (3, 5 and 8”), it is a baitfish imitation and comes in up to seven colours depending on the size of the lure. The model I tested was the 5” version.

The beauty of a plastic with this profile,

Double hook-ups are always welcome.

Nicholas Willett showing off a couple of nice fish caught during the fishing challenge.

to make excuses, but given slightly better wind conditions, I am pretty confident the challenge would have been achieved. The results are a great testament to how well the Madeye plastics work.

My final word Testing the Halco Madeye Soft Plastics has been great fun. Overall, each had the correct attributes to be successful and this was proven during the fishing challenge.

Traditionally plastics made of tougher material tend to be a problematic to rig, but I didn’t find this to be the case with the Madeyes. A dab of glue on the Mad Craw was my only thing out of the ordinary, and the longevity of the plastics themselves was great, with only the paddle tail of the Paddle Prawn going a couple of times.

I would love to see a few more natural

Some solid bream came to the author’s Madeye party!

The Paddle Prawn was the surprise packet of the plastics tested. You cannot understand how much movement this plastic has until you rig it and get it into the water. The tail has a very strong movement, as you would expect, but it is the body roll that is awesome. The vibration this plastic produces can be felt

is that with its streamlined design is it gets into the strike zone faster and stays there better during a retrieve. The trade-off for this is that the angler needs to impart the action to the lure. This is the case with the Flick Stick, however with the suppleness of the tail there is some movement, which can’t hurt the effectiveness of the lure. A

The jelly prawn coloured Mad Craw was the downfall of this bream. testing the Madeyes. The challenge was this: five hours on our favourite waterway to catch a fish on each Madeye plastic and each colour tested, making it 10 overall. We picked favourable tides and had a crack.

In total, three species and 19 fish were caught in the five hours, and we managed to get fish on all bar two of the plastics. Not

colours in the range, as my preference with most of my fishing is to use natural colours, but I am sure that will be in Halco’s plans, as I believe the Madeye plastics are well and truly here to stay.

To find your nearest stockist and more about the Halco Madeye soft plastics, go to www.halcotackle.com. They are well worth trying. - Peter Jung

The author generally prefers natural colours when fishing for flathead. However when fish like this take your jelly prawn coloured Paddle Prawn, you can’t help but smile. with every movement of the fishing rod and wind of the reel.

During testing the target species was flathead, and it was no surprise that they took a liking to the Paddle Prawn. Fished on a 3/8oz jighead, you can use a hop or slow lift retrieve. It was extremely effective during the slow movement periods of the tide, when the action of the lure really came to the fore. When there was a lot of flow, the buoyancy and action of the lure means it grabs too much water, moving the plastic more than you would like. A simple adjustment to your retrieve helps keep it in the zone and catching fish.

All three colours were effective, but I need to make special mention about the Raw Prawn colour. It looks fairly plain in the packet, but the clear UV belly provides added appeal, and if the fishing is tough I believe that UV makes a difference.

jerk shad shape is a proven fish catcher, and the team at Halco have done a good job with the Flick Stick. I used the raw prawn and ivy flash colours during testing, and both proved to be big fish catchers.

The majority of the better quality flathead fell to them.

The Fishing Challenge It’s always fun to get to test lures for the magazines, but it’s not always easy to find new ways in which to do it. Most of us tend to have favourite species or types of fishing we prefer. Certainly in my case, chasing flathead and our other estuarybased species is what I love. My friends and I tend to have reasonable success, and have a lot of fun doing it.

Given the fact that we know how to consistently catch fish in our local waterways, I decided to set a high bar for myself and friend Nicholas Willett while

The Flick Stick is the most traditional of the Madeye plastics tested. It proved to be the big fish catcher, with plenty of flathead over 50cm hitting the deck for the author.

JUNE 2018

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Now is best time for lake trout HORSHAM

James Perry

We’re at the halfway point of the year and come midnight 11 June trout season is closed for rivers and streams to allow them to breed. Thankfully, the region has far better trout lakes than it does streams and rivers to target trout and these remain open.

With the cold weather upon us now it’s also the best time to do so.

Dust off your beanies and gloves and pry yourself away from the warmth of your home, as the trophy trout that call our lakes home are up and out of the weed beds and are willing to chase your offerings. At this time of the year you will find the monster trout and typically monster-sized redfin to be caught too.

Lake Toolondo is undoubtedly the king of the lakes when it comes to whispers of trout so big you find them hard to imagine.

It also takes a beating from

many anglers travelling from all over the state to have a chance at a true monster.

However, many anglers leave this mighty lake with their tail between their legs, beaten and battered by the cold and wind, fingers numb from continually removing

weed from their favourite lure and a boat full of leader offcuts from constantly tying on the next hopeful lure to try and crack the code of the weedy lake that us locals call heaven.

If you’re still eager to take on this epic lake, make

deep diver in tight to the boat. More often than not it will be the shallow running lure out back that will land the fish after the deep diver gains their attention.

For the fly anglers getting up into the backwaters is worth the effort, especially

Shane Stevens with a decent trout caught recently.

Robyn Cleggett was very pleased with this trout.

Will Stevens caught this chubby redfin.

sure your tackle box is full of weedless options. More importantly, be prepared to deal with weed. Currently the water is at a level that has made a large portion of the lake hard to troll lures in due to the length of the weed.

Casting lures is a far better option at the moment.

Shallow diving minnows are a great starting point and larger lures work too.

Burn and kill retrieves have proven effective, particularly with suspending lures. White lures have been a great colour choice, but I find it hard to go past hues of purple. If you would rather get down in the weed and chase a big redfin or two, look to large soft plastics rigged weedless and use a slow roll retrieve.

Lake Wartook offers a great experience at this time of the year, with minimal weed and no queue at the boat ramp. It’s a solid option to chase a winter trout.

Trolling the wall is always a good starting point; try running a shallow diver way out back on one line and a

after rainfall.

Woolly Buggers are a great searching pattern for these waters due to the high volume of small minnows in the shallows.

However, as always, keep an

eye out for terrestrial activity and do your best to match the hatch as it occurs.

If you’re after a few redfin, try bouncing some vibes around the wall and island area. Small chatterbaits are also a worthy choice here. Natural colours seem to do best here.

Lake Fyans has been firing up lately with some solid redfin falling victim to heavily-weighted soft plastics and small chatterbaits. If you’re new to chatterbait fishing, be cautious when selecting

which ones to use as some are aimed at the American market and the hooks are a bit on the big side. Locally made chatterbaits will have a better hook size on them to suit the humble redfin. Orange is always a great colour choice at Fyans, closely followed by purple and pink.

Over the next month I expect to see a lot of personal bests caught. Remember, the best days to target them are the days that you’d rather be in front of the heater. Rug up and keep warm!

Zac Stevens caught this nice rainbow trout.

A cool change for big cod enthusiasts MILDURA

Rob Oswin

Over the last month there have been many reports of larger cod and golden perch being caught, with the vast majority of these reports coming from anglers who have been using hardbody lures and spinnerbaits.

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With cold weather setting in, some nice Murray cod up to 80cm have been caught trolling hardbodies and casting spinnerbaits. The 75-105mm hardbody lures and 1/2-1oz spinnerbaits seem to be the most popular size lately with both the cod and perch. Although there have been gradually fewer numbers of fish caught per session, the

size of the fish have been notably increasing, this no doubt being due to fish wanting get some larger meals before the water temperature decreases too much.

The cooler months in Mildura are going to be mostly about the bigger Murray cod, as golden perch numbers will drop this month. Anglers willing to put in the time with trolling

and casting will manage to pull in some larger Murray cod. However, there are still good amounts of golden perch for the time being, so get out there and get them while they are still biting.

Lure or bait placement and location are becoming more important than ever. Getting close into the structure and allowing for precise casting is going to be key to bagging the bigger fish.

It’s around the willow trees that cod seem to thrive along the Murray, and not just for the cod, as they offer a huge area for fish to hold, and you’ll often find different size fish holding in and around these large trees. Any of the areas offering the deeper holes are worth a try.

The big, deep bends around Red Cliffs and down around Hattah are going

to be ideal. There will be fewer anglers out on the river and barely any camps, so don’t discount the more shallow sections of the river. Make sure to get right amongst the timber, with reports of surface lures being effective in the shallow waters. There are plenty of great lures out there to choose from these days.

To page 49

Warm spell keeps them biting ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

Fishing in our local waters these past month has been nothing short of excellent.

up to 1m landed upstream of the Swan Hill road bridge on fresh bardi grubs.

Some good-sized golden perch have also been caught at this location on baits of fresh river shrimp. Most bait anglers fishing the Murray

summer when they are about in large numbers. When shrimp are hard to find for fish and angler alike, they are great bait. This goes for most native fish baits like yabbies and grubs. A backup supply in the freezer is a sure fire way to put a bend in the line.

Anglers trolling small lures at Wood Wood on the Murray River have picked up a few cod to 70cm. Bait anglers are also landing a few good fish on fresh bardi grubs and cheese. The Murray River at Boundary Bend has good numbers of golden perch on shrimp and scrub worms. A few cod to 60cm have also been caught in this area, as well as carp and the odd catfish.

From Robinvale downstream to Euston and Wemen the Murray River continues to produce good numbers of golden perch on bait. Shrimp or small yabbies fished on the eddy line close to timber has been very productive. Vertically

bobbing shrimp amongst the snags from a boat has also been a sure fire method of catching some solid perch. Murray cod are still a rare capture in these waters, and those landed are mostly small.

The Murray River at Mildura is fishing well for golden perch on bait and lures. Good numbers of perch are taking smaller lures on the troll. Mildura tackle shop proprietor Kym Sykes has had several recent trips where he boated some good-sized perch to 45cm.

Sykes said sometimes the bite was slow at first when trolling but he found that increasing the speed seemed to switch the fish on. Less time to look at the lure the fish are more likely to make the instinctual bite.

Murray cod continue to be few and far between, with only the odd fish landed. In truth most of the locks are fishing well for perch and the further down

Allan Collins caught this solid Murray cod on the cast using a Custom Crafted Jaws lure sporting the ARB Logo. the Murray you go the more likely you are to find some big Murray cod.

The lower Murray around Waikerie and the locks below have fished well this past month, with reports of Murray cod to 1.25m landed on lures. If you are serious about catching big Murray cod, then the bottom locks are a sure fire option over the coming month.

The Darling River upstream of Wentworth is producing Murray cod to 1m and good numbers of golden perch. Most catches are coming in on small lures and spinnerbaits.

All up, plenty of goodsized golden perch at most locations while the field for large Murray cod has been narrowed somewhat to a few specific sections of river.

Good numbers of golden perch have been on the chew this past month, eating a variety of different lures including this 180mm Goodoo swimbait.

In the Murray River, anglers fishing baits and lures are still catching some very good Murray cod around Swan Hill. The unseasonal late run of warm weather has kept the fish on the chew, with Murray Cod From page 48

The hardest decision may be which colour to use, and I find natural colours

River will be aware that as the water temperature drops away, shrimp will become much harder to find. Preparation is the key, with many anglers freezing shrimp in small trip-sized portions during the height of to be the most affective, but its best to go out with a combination of both dark and lighter colours to get the

Glen Casey, maker of Bassman Spinnerbaits, with a solid Murray cod caught on a Koolabung surface lure. most out of the upcoming shorter days.

Not only will the colder weather produce some great

fish, it will also produce some great moments around the campfire as well. There are not too many things better than being around a

warm fire on a cold morning on the banks of the Murray River. Crawling your way out of the swag and boiling the billy while thinking

about the day’s fishing ahead is one of the best things about being down the river, so take the time to enjoy these moments.

CODGER TOPWATER

CODGER LURES Codger lures are designed by Graham Saunders.

He has recently expanded his range into the topwater market with the Codger Topwater.

These super strong, clacking surface lures come fitted with Double Rear Split rings and use VMC 3X Tough Trebles. A must have for any serious cod topwater angler.

Early winter is a pleasant time to be on the Murray River.

CONTACT GRAHAM SAUNDERS – 0407 544 965 Email: goulburn.lures@bigpond.com JUNE 2018

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When one door closes, another will open JINDABYNE

Steve Williamson steve@swtroutfishing.com.au

June is here and so is the end to another river fishing season on the Monday of the June long weekend. We will then concentrate on fishing the lake until the start of the new season on the October long weekend.

While it’s an end to the river fishing season, it is also the end to my 29th season as a professional trout fishing guide with the big 30 years about to come up!

It’s been a lot of fun, but now that I am ‘officially’ an old age pensioner, it’s also time to slow down and restructure my business between guiding, working in my tackle shop and my social life. With the slow down comes a very sad decision to discontinue writing fishing reports for New South Wales and Victoria and Tasmania Fishing Monthly magazines. I have really enjoyed sharing my experiences with the readers and I would hope that you have also enjoyed reading my reports.

With my semiretirement comes a bit more time travelling and enjoying fishing for myself for a change instead of watching other people catch fish.

I will however continue

to share some of my experiences from time to time in a series of articles for Fishing Monthly, so I won’t disappear totally.

So I would like to take this opportunity to thank Steve Morgan, Jacqui Thomas and all the other staff at Fishing Monthly for allowing me to share my

trout fishing experiences with you all each month.

Thanks again and I hope you enjoy reading my very last fishing report!

This month is when you hear about the big Atlantic salmon getting caught in Jindabyne. It’s also the month the brook trout turn up in the lake. Both

Luke and his niece Matilda Winter with part of their catch.

“Over 250 patterns to choose from”

these fish love the colder weather. There is no special place to try, you just have to be lucky. If you want to try and catch one of these fish, now is the time to get to Lake Jindabyne to give it your best shot.

You will also find June is the best month to try and catch a trophy brown trout, as there are plenty that hold up at Creel Bay at the mouth of the Thredbo River just waiting for the right

rout Hatchery ORDER aden TONLINE

G www.adrenalinflies.com.au

Gaden Trout Hatchery

Gaden Trout Hatchery See how premier sport fish are bred and raised!

Closed Anzac, Christmas, Boxing day.

Guided tours 10 am and 2 pm.

Self-guided tours on selected days.

Small admission fee.

Gaden Rd (off Kosciuszko Rd) Jindabyne. 02 6451 3400 www.dpi.nsw.gov.au 50

JUNE 2018

leaping fish * 4 species * aquaria, ponds, AV show * beautifulbreeding picnic–BBQ area * smoked trout sale * find out about for kids fishing workshops. *

12934

Open 10 am–4 pm daily.

moment to head into the river to spawn. Remember, big lures catch big fish!

Anyhow winter fishing is great, so let’s have a look at what I think will happen over the month in more depth.

Boat trolling over the last month has been good, with plenty of 1kg rainbow trout and some big brown trout in excellent condition giving the lake trollers a lot of fun, and I would expect this pattern to continue as it usually does over winter.

As reported, those big Atlantic salmon come on the bite this month, and if you troll around in the weedy bays you might just find a school of brook trout. Rapalas and other big lures up to 13cm, mostly unheard of usually in trout fishing, will get the big trout for you. Size does not matter when the big browns are spawning, as the bigger aggressive males will chase anything, no matter how big it is.

Other lures to use in the middle of the day are Tasmanian Devils in pink number 55, or orange number 56 colours. These are aggression colours in winter, and the trout will strike these hard. Also keep in mind a number Y36 yellow wing for the sunnier days and Tassie Devil holographic, or number 48 or Y48 are always worthwhile early and late in the day off three colours of lead core line.

Lure spinning around the lake margins is the best way to find the fish. Keep moving and don’t stay in one spot too long. I find that in winter that smaller 7g Tasmanian Devils are best for the deeper water on still days and the 13g Tassies on the windy days.

Another lure that has been worth a throw is the 3” StumpJumper. Pink is a great colour in winter. orange Rapala Minnow Spins are also great off the bank.

If you like to use soft plastics, the Strike Tigers in vodkar, orange and princess pink colours are worth a shot and the Tasmanian Trout Frogs are also going great.

Flicking soft plastics out and working them slowly through the snags and

Luke Taylor with a rainbow caught trolling a Tasmanian Devil lure number 111 Willys Special. above weed beds when the lake is low is the best way to catch trout.

Bait fishing over winter is always a favourite for those who just want to sit by the camp fire and keep warm. You can fish all day during winter, but don’t fish too deep, as the fish often feed in close to the shore. Bait fishing with scrub worms or artificial bait works well in winter, so long as you don’t mind sitting back and waiting.

This method works any time day or night. Artificial salmon eggs have been very good for catching some bigger trout at the moment. Both the worms and artificial baits are fished off the bottom with a running sinker.

Artificial baits are great in winter and you only need to use a small ball of artificial bait, just a little bigger than a pea, and a small size 12 hook will catch more fish than big hooks and big bits of bait.

Gamakatsu do a fine wire hook called a Single Egg Hook, and these are great for PowerBait. You can use a size 8 or 10 hook for trout in winter.

Over the next few months, the areas to catch a trout on bait are Wollondibby Inlet and Creel Bay at Waste Point and Stinky Bay nearer to town.

Just remember the lake is weedy, but that’s where the fish like to hang out.

Fly fishing is June and July on Lake Jindabyne would have to be the hardest and coldest months for fly fishing. If you want to fly fish over the winter months, you will find the fish hanging about the bays, and the better areas are Creel Bay, Hayshed and Hatchery Bay, Mill Creek Inlet, The Claypits and The Snowy Arm. So rug up and enjoy your trip to the Snowies, and if coming down for a snow play trip, don’t forget your fishing rod!

JUNE ROUND UP – THE BEST OF THE BEST! Best method:

Bait fishing with worms teamed up with artificial baits.

Best depth:

Bottom fishing.

Best lake lure:

Tasmanian Devil in pink 55 or Rapala brook and perch.

Best lake area: Creel Bay at Waste Point and The Claypits near town.

Best fly method: Williamson’s Gold Fish in the weedy bays.

Best River:

Rivers all closed to fishing until October.

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JUNE 2018

51

What you should target in dry winter conditions WANGARATTA

Robbie Alexander

Autumn was super dry and there was no rain whatsoever in the forecast.

At this stage, it’s shaping up to be a dry winter.

MURRAY COD The Murray cod fishing is usually really slow in winter. Many anglers don’t get out and target Murray cod, but a few diehard cod anglers, including myself, will still venture out to wet a line.

every year during autumn the ratio between Murray cod and trout cod seems to change for me when I am fishing. Trout cod are the more consistent catch during the cooler months.

In June last year I managed to catch a 10lb trout cod on a Koolabung cod cracker surface lure, which totally made my day. Hopefully this gives you hope.

Remember, it is currently illegal to target trout cod, so it’s always Murray cod that you are targeting and trout cod are a by-catch. Lake

Brett Corker with a magnificent Murray cod caught in the second half of autumn as things were cooling down.

A small brown trout caught by the author on a Strike Tiger nymph soft plastic.

As the morning frost melts off the ground and lingers in the shadows until around lunch time, swimming for snagged lures is simply not an option unless you’re determined to experience hypothermia firsthand. For this reason surface lures are a great option.

There are Murray cod in the Ovens River from Bundalong to Myrtleford and in the King River all the way up to Cheshunt. Although these places will likely all fish quite slowly, I can’t help but think that your best chance at snagging a Murray cod will be downstream closer to Bundalong where everything is a degree or two warmer.

One positive to focus on is that trout cod, which are naturally more of an upland species of fish, tend to have a much greater tolerance for the cold water. In fact,

has slowed down by June, however I have had some very good redfin fishing at Lake William Hovell and Lake Buffalo during June in previous years. In fact, June is the time of the year that many anglers target the monster redfin in these lakes.

Personally, I find Lake William Hovell to be a better

A 60cm Murray cod caught by the author on a Bassman codman series spinnerbait recently.

Trout cod seem to have a better tolerance of cold water making them a likely by-catch when targeting Murray cod during the winter months.

Sambell and Lake Kerford (both in Beechworth) offer year-round fishing for trout cod. To the best of my knowledge they are the only open trout cod fisheries in the country.

REDFIN Usually the redfin fishing

producer of redfin at this time of the year than Lake Buffalo for some unknown reason, however both have produced for me in years gone by.

In both lakes, my best winter redfin results have come from using soft plastics fished in very deep water around 25-30ft. My theory is that the water down there is warmer than the water on the surface that is exposed to the harsh frosts and icy cold

14-hour nights.

TROUT Trout season closes at midnight of the Monday night of the Queen’s birthday weekend, so you have a couple of weeks to wet a line in the streams before the season closes. By this time

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of the year most brown trout have started spawning and some have even finished. I would like to see the season close a bit earlier than it currently does.

If you’re fishing for trout this month, try using really large minnows that the trout may strike out of aggression.

If this doesn’t work then try something fluorescent orange such as a Strike Tiger nymph soft plastics in orange spawn colour.

All of the lakes remain open to trout fishing throughout winter. In the Ovens River catchment, Lake William Hovell is the best lake to fish for trout during winter. Most trout are not huge but are usually plentiful and the odd bigger fish over 50cm turns up from time to time.

A lovely rainbow trout that took a Wild Bait minnow. Trout season closes in Victoria at midnight on the Monday of the Queen’s birthday weekend.

I like to flat line troll with a Tassie Devil lure and cast blades. The 7g TT switchblade is my favourite blade. In my opinion, blades are the most underrated trout lure on the market today.

I would not bother fishing Lake Buffalo for trout. For some reason it has never been a great trout fishery. I am unsure why this is, but it may have to do with the fact that it is a much shallower lake.

In saying this, a few trout do get caught there from time to time including a nice brown trout that was caught recently by a young angler chasing redfin.

The Stanley Ditch Dam was stocked with rainbow trout for the Easter school holidays this year, so it will still have trout in it during June, and will be stocked again towards the end of June for the winter school holidays. Speaking of stocked family-friendly waterways, the Tronoh dredge at Harrietville will also be worth fishing for trout during June.

Bigger fish to be caught in Shep this month SHEPPARTON

Nick Brown teamriverrats@hotmail.com

It has been a very mixed month of fishing locally, with so many conflicting reports coming in via email, Facebook and word of mouth. The majority of positive reports have been from those trolling down towards the Undera area.

Codgers, Ballistas and Old Mates in green or red have worked well with a handful of legal fish reported.

Those fishing with bait had the most success behind the Shepparton Lake on cheese and worms. The cod caught have been a lot smaller on bait, with the odd silver perch amongst them.

Fishing towards Toolamba and Murchison has been very quiet, with a lot of reports of crayfish being caught on baits with them holding onto your hook all the way to the boat or bank.

This can be very frustrating if you want a nice relaxing session on the river and your bait continually gets taken by hungry early season crays.

Over the next few months we will see fish numbers drop

off, but hopefully we see an increase in the sizes of fish caught. The big lures seem to come out at this time of year; brands like Cod Dog and King Hit worked well last year and I would expect with the new swimbaits on the market that there will be some big cod caught over winter.

By now we should have had a couple of frosty mornings. This is normally the time when we all start thinking about chasing crays. Over the last few years there have been some good reports in the local area with the waters above Murchison towards Nagambie being very productive.

If you’re looking for something very different, land-based cray fishing in the Broken River can be just as good as in the Goulburn River.

There are plenty of deep dropoffs close to the back and those areas are the best spots to chase crayfish off the bank.

I have caught many crays over the years in the Broken on bait and also in nets (to test that it can be done). My favourite spots have been downstream of the Archer Street Bridge, but I’m sure you can land them anywhere.

KIALLA LAKES With the conditions being warmer in April and early May

Kialla has had a prolonged bite period. In previous years

by April the fishing has dropped right away. In May there were still reports of 1-2 yellowbelly being caught mostly on spinnerbaits in the afternoon when there was still plenty of warmth in the day and the sun was still bright.

With the water temperatures cooling down I would expect fishing to drop-off at Kialla. If you’re fishing the lakes, I would be fishing the same time in afternoon when the sun is out.

Slow up your retrievals and use plenty of scent on your lures. For those bait fishing I would look to fish the edges in about 4ft of water with worms.

SHEPPARTON LAKE The Shepparton Lake is probably the only spot locally that will consistently see fish being caught over the winter months. With the introduction of so many species of fish in the lake, you should be able to land a fish on bait all year round.

Over the winter months you will catch more trout and silver perch in the lake. Using worms or PowerBaits under floats has always worked well.

For those using lures I would suggest trolling Tassie Devils or Jackalls around the

James Dainton with a cod caught on one of his locally-made Ballista Lures. rowing markers. This has resulted in plenty of trout being caught in recent years.

There will still be the odd cod active in the lake, so casting surface lures above the weed beds may see your lures getting a big boof.

MOOROOPNA REC RESERVE LAKE There has been an effort to rid the lake of its carp population in recent months with Fisheries electro fishing the small lake to remove carp. There were a number of yellowbelly in the lake too and they will be healthy and ready to catch. There will

still be some carp left, so if you want a nice easy spot to take the kids, this lake is perfect for that.

LOCAL CHANNELS By now most of the channels will be dropped for the winter months, but don’t let this turn you off fishing these areas. There will still be enough water to chase cod, redfin and yellowbelly in the channel system. Target areas around the bridges and drop bars, as they seem to hold enough water. The syphons are very deep and I have found if you can throw a weighed lure in hard, you can get to the

fish deeper in the syphons.

If you’re bait fishing, try to do the same; use a heavier sinker and cast harder than normal into the syphons.

You will lose some of your bait, so it’s best to load your bait right up.

WARANGA BASIN The basin was sitting around the 37% mark when this article was written and looking back at previous years it was very similar levels to 2015, which personally was a very productive winter for many of my close friends. Our fishing club held some very successful club days in the winter of 2015, so hopefully the level pattern that matches that in 2015 matches the same fishing results.

Casting small tail spinners and plastics around the 70mm mark will work well once you have found the fish on the sounders. When bait fishing I suggest keeping your baits off the bottom as Waranga Basin is home to plenty of hungry crayfish that enjoy taking your baits.

In the previous month there were plenty of reports of high catch rates – mostly smaller fish. Hopefully in the next couple of months there will be a few more solid fish being reported from the basin.

n o e b o t t n Wa f o r e v o C the ? y l h t n o M Fishing Do you love your monthly issue of Fishing Monthly?

Do you think it’s about time you were on the cover?

Well, we think that too, and are offering you the chance to do just that. The June, July and August issues of Queensland, NSW and Victoria/Tasmania FMs will all feature readers’ pics on the front covers.

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Entry is simple. Email us your cover-worthy pic. Remember, though, that it needs to be the right composition and resolution to work. After that, it just needs to get through the Grumpy Old Men committee (Steve Morgan and Matt Drinkall) and then BOOM, you’re the latest cover model.

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Other parameters of which you need to take note: Portrait format (photo must be taller than it is wide).

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Shoot in the highest resolution your camera can take.

Use fill-in flash to help remove any shadows under caps or biminis.

Live fish look way better than dead ones.

Any fish must be legally captured (within season/size limits).

Head not too high in the shot to allow for Masthead Portrait format

And then email your image to: frontcovercomp@fishingmonthly.com.au with a description of the what/when/where/how of the capture.

Be sure to include your details, too, because we’ll post out a framed copy of the winning covers to the entrant.

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JUNE 2018

53

Top fishing during the dry spell BALLARAT

Shane Stevens

Normally through our autumn months we get some good rains, but unfortunately this year the rain is keeping away from the Central Highlands

The dry spell is concerning to anglers looking forward as our district water storages are continually dropping instead of being stable. Hopefully this winter will bring good rains with it and next month we will likely be whinging how cold and wet it is.

from Ballarat.

Tullaroop Reservoir has certainly been under the spotlight of many anglers over the past and they have been rewarded for their efforts. Magnificently conditioned brown and rainbow trout have been caught, mainly by anglers casting lures and flies. The deeper shorelines have proved to be the most rewarding as the shallower bays have a lot of weed in them, which I have never seen before. This weed makes it difficult for all anglers, whether you fish bait or lures. I’m sure that the fish are in the shallower areas feeding, as there are plenty of small baitfish living in there and seeking shelter from the feeding trout.

Geoff Cramer, Brian Rivett and I have had quite a few trips out to Tullaroop casting a variety of lures

when there are clouds.

The trout have been feeding mainly on smelt and other small baitfish. They are very visible when feeding on them. Cast your lures or flies in the area for best results. Greg Armstrong has been flyfishing Moorabool recently, landing some lovely brown trout on black nymphs. Over the coming months the flyfishers will use smelt patterns like Woolly Buggers for best results. The lure anglers will target the feeding trout with wobblers, spoons and small baitfish patterns, with the overcast wintry days being the best days to fish Moorabool Reservoir.

Wendouree just doesn’t stop. The fish keep on biting and whether you chase trout or redfin, both species are now on the bite. The trout and redfin are gearing up for their annual breeding cycles.

Greg Armstrong nailed this lovely brown trout while fishing Moorabool Reservoir on a black nymph. Photo courtesy of Greg Armstrong.

Region of Victorian, especially around Ballarat.

Has this bothered the fish?

Not at all.

Bright blue sunny skies have greeted anglers nearly every day over the past couple of months. On the odd occasion that we have had cloudy, windy weather the fish have really been on the chew. A few waters that I expected to fire up certainly did.

As I mentioned, fishing around the district has really fired up with excellent reports coming in from many of our local lakes and reservoirs, which include Wendouree, Tullaroop and Moorabool. There is also the hope that like last year Lake Bolac, Deep Lake and Lake Tooliorook in the Western District will fire up during the winter months. All these waters are within an hour

The author with a feisty Tullaroop rainbow trout caught on lure.

54

JUNE 2018

Another victim of the Bent Minnow lure from Tullaroop Reservoir caught and released by the author. with excellent results. The humble old Gold Wobblers and bent minnow-style lures have brought a few undone.

The rainbow trout are very feisty and take a bit of hanging onto. They are in a couple of different sizes ranging from 1.5-3.5lb models. Then there are the brown trout which are 3-6lb, with some really serious trophy-sized ones lurking around as well. Over the coming months I expect the fishing Tullaroop to be some of the best there has been for many years.

At Moorabool Reservoir the trout have started to show up in numbers. Many anglers have been rewarded with excellent catches. They have been caught on basically every method there is going around – flies, lures, plastics and bait. The best days have been when we have a bit of cloud and wind; as I mentioned earlier, bright blue skies have greeted us a lot, so anglers who have persisted on these days have been rewarded but not as much as

Will Stevens nailed his first fish on fly, a lovely 48cm brown trout from Wendouree.

At this time they get very aggressive and attack lures and flies with gusto. The fish are very territorial and any fly or lures that enter their space they will attack, bright coloured flies or lures really work well at this time of the year and they certainly get the attention of both the trout and the reddies.

I have been flyfishing Wendouree with my son Will over the past month with excellent results, Will managed to land his first fish on fly – a lovely 48cm brown trout. I have landed some lovely brown trout myself around the 50cm mark on bright orange Woolley Buggers. We have been targeting the main rowing channel for these fish. Chris Doody has had excellent results drifting the open water catching lovely

rainbows on fly around the 50cm as well.

Other anglers have also been catching plenty of trout and redfin trolling lures and casting plastics in the main rowing channel.

Ben Young has been nailing the redfin on plastics in the main rowing channel, with one session yielding three big reddies between 48 and 49cm; all fish were released for another day.

Lake Wendouree will continue to fish extremely well over the coming months whether you’re land-based or fishing from a boat or kayak. I suggest anglers use bright coloured flies or lures for the best results. This winter I expect some real thumpers will be caught from Wendouree so hang on and enjoy the ride if you latch onto one of these.

Ben Young with one of his three big redfin in the one session from Lake Wendouree caught while casting soft plastics. Photo courtesy of Ben Young.

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55

June sparks the arrival of the brown trout!

Over the cooler months Lake Eildon has its ups and downs. It can still be very productive and

EILDON

Daniel Piazza

offers great fishing for all species of fish. I applaud the avid fishers that brave the conditions that Lake

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Anglers have been catching good numbers of cod around Frazer National Park Boat Ramp rock walls with the help of spinnerbaits cast tight to the banks and even to random trees in 40ft of water. Don’t be put off by deep water. Try different techniques and you will be rewarded with a few smaller models or an absolute monster cod.

As the winter months have well and truly set in, Lake Eildon’s trout population will be the main target for a lot of people.

There are many different areas to target them on the lake; try any of the arms where the river and feeder creeks run into the lake.

The Delatite and Big River Arm have worked for a lot of people trolling pink, orange and white lures that reach 3-4m in depth. You

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don’t need to be touching trees – stay about 25m from them and your spread of lures will swim right past them.

I like to run two Tassie Devils on the outside – the one on the lake side is a fair way out and the other is about half that. For the two in the middle I run deeper lures.

I like keeping one or two browns, but only later in the season when they have done their spawn run up the rivers with their mates. Be gentle with them during the fight as they stress out quite easily and their chances of survival when released can be very poor.

Redfin are still being caught in big numbers around Big River and the Delatite areas. Move from big trees to small trees to find them. Don’t waste too much time on one tree – two casts tight on each tree are plenty. Move on until you find them and you might even entice a yellowbelly or two. Worms and small yabbies are also a very effective choice of bait either rigged on a small jighead or with a very small ball sinker straight down to the 2/0 hook.

If you have the kids on board and you see carp feeding on the white ant hatches, throw some bread on a hook unweighted for a bit of fun. Let’s be honest – carp fight crazy on light gear and it will keep the kids off your back.

The dam wall has been fishing well with large numbers of trout being sighted and bigger cod being caught by anglers trolling hardbody lures, mainly

Keep moving around until you find the fish – you might pick up a yellowbelly while you’re at it!

StumpJumpers and the hand-made timber lures. Try trolling spinnerbaits – the 1oz weight is plenty.

After dark can be a great time to chase cod. Sit in about 15m of water and cast spinnerbaits onto the bank and retrieve tight on the bottom.

Finding fish can be hard sometimes. Reading the water is the only way to know what species of fish might be around feeding.

If you see something, take note. If you’re already catching, take note. Write it down, because it might be that the water is dirty or clean, it may be windy or that insects are laying their eggs on the surface. All these things can play a big part in your success out on the water.

Remember to always let someone know which area of the lake you’re fishing in case of an emergency.

DAM LEVELS Dam............................... % Full

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

LAKE/DAM

LAKE/DAM

Cairn Curran

March April May 66

59 56

Dartmouth 89 88 88 Eildon

66 57 54

Eppalock

72 65 63

Fyans

65 69 66

Greens

59 55 53

Hepburn

54 45 43

Hume

51 36 31

Lauriston

86 85 84

Malmsbury 15 14 9

March April May

Mulwala (Yarrawonga) 91 91 87 Newlyn 60 51 48 Nillahcootie 78 67 58 Rocklands 35 33 32 Taylors 62 57 52 Tullaroop 61 55 53 Upper Coliban 95 86 74 Waranga 26 17 13 Wartook 64 54 50 William Hovell 79 54 46

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

This month should see better cod and trout fishing BONNIE DOON

Andy McCarthy

Now that the irrigation has finally stopped it should be all systems go on the fishing side of things. This has been a

rough place to fish over the past few months, that’s for sure.

I’m tipping that the cod fishing is really going to fire up big time and all of us who have been toiling for average results will start to see some reward for effort.

A lot of the bigger fish will show up over the next 4-6 weeks and if you’re trolling for cod or trout, then I highly recommend you use a 75mm lure or size 2 StumpJumper in your go-to colour. Cod and trout absolutely love this

Rob Milton’s cracker 63cm brown.

size lure and you will get great results. My favourites are the purple and black or the white and pink. As a general rule, the trout caught on this size lure tend to be the bigger models and the slower you troll them, the better your results will be.

I’m not sure what’s going to happen with the yellas over the next six months or so. Last year threw us with some fish in the winter months, which was very rare to say the least, so this year could be anything. When they start, get into it ASAP. Rob Milton picked up a cracker 63cm brown trout recently; well done, – that’s a good fish in anyone’s books. Also young Jack Bleakney caught his first Bonnie Doon brown and it was a cracker. It was the first of many, I’m sure.

Little Jack with his first Bonnie Doon brown trout.

Options with the trout close coming up EILDON RIVERS

Gary Constantine

From midnight Monday 11 June (the long weekend) all tailrace rivers below Lake Eildon are closed to all fishing, and this is in effect all the way down the Goulburn to Trawool. The rivers above Lake Eildon are closed to all trout and salmonoid fishing and they reopen at midnight Friday 31 August. Lake Eildon and the Eildon Pondage are open to all angling all year round, so you still have a place to chase the trout during the colder months.

Recent low oxygen levels saw trout catch numbers slow in the local area but now that the Goulburn River has been wound back due to irrigation

finishing and with that there has been an increase in the oxygen levels the trout have fired up again.

Drifting salmon egg PowerBait and scrubbies has been the best bait, while the small hardbodies such as the Daiwa Jointed Dr Minnows cast from kayaks towards the willows have been working very well for brown trout up to 2lb. Snobs Creek has seen rainbow trout up to 4lb and brown trout up to 7.5lb being caught on small hardbodies as well. With recent escapees from the salmon farm on the Rubicon River, brook trout up to 4lb are in good numbers and even a few Atlantic salmon have been picked up amongst them.

From the mouth feeding into the Goulburn River all the way to the upper reaches of the Rubicon River, it’s been pretty busy. A few have even been

Matt Drinkall with a quality trout from the Pondage.

plastics, gold Krocs, Super Dupers, green and yellow Tassie Devils and Celta type lures are also working well.

As I’ve said before, if the pondage appears to be low with mud flats exposed, target Riverside Drive or the

corner of Bourke Street near the gates. Once it’s full, the opposite side is the place to be. The rear of the pondage caravan park is also a great place to target with lemon twist PowerBait, Krocs and mudeyes.

Relax and enjoy delicious food and warm hospitality.

Lake Eildon and Eildon Pondage are open throughout the closed season for trout fishing. picked up in the Goulburn closer to Alexandra. Bead head nymph flies, minnow pattern soft plastics, small hardbodies, blue fox Celtas, scrubbies and maggots have all had their share of success on the Rubicon. Above the lake, Big River and the Taponga are doing well for small trout on worms and Celtas, while at the mouth of the Goulburn River near Jamieson, Murray cod are still taking spinnerbaits in black and red.

Eildon Pondage will be a little more predictable with its highs and lows now that irrigation will have finished, but the areas to target won’t change that much. The shallows near Nursery Corner and up near the cemetery point are well worth using flies such as the Woolley Buggers, caddis and streamer styles. The small rainbow trout around the 200g mark

from the most recent release are taking PowerBait in the rainbow and sherbet colours and the local dough.

Mudeyes (both couta and spider) are working for the larger brown and rainbow trout up to 9lb, but other methods such as minnow soft

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JUNE 2018

57

The trend of great weather should continue BENDIGO

Roger Miles codhuntertours@bigpond.com

Lately the Bendigo region has been experiencing a great run of weather.

Temperatures have been above average with days of minimal wind being common. At this stage the region continues to receive below average rainfall.

While this is not ideal for the local farming communities, it is great for those anglers looking to wet a line. How long the great weather is going to last, I’m not sure, but I do know that this time of the year is a great time to fish, so anglers should get out and wet a line while conditions are good.

LAKE EPPALOCK The water levels have been continuing to drop in Lake Eppalock and the lake was recently at 64% of capacity. Water levels are still dropping around 0.5-1% per week. The amount of water being released should be reduced in the next couple of weeks.

At this stage it looks as if it will be a while before we start to see water levels rising again. The catchment above Lake Eppalock is very dry and the region will need some significant rainfall before water levels increase again.

The fishing at Lake

Murray cod are still being caught in the Campaspe River on surface lures.

This Murray cod was caught on a Custom Crafted Jaws surface lure.

Eppalock has been patchy over the last month. The majority of anglers have found the fishing to be tough with low catch rates being common. A small number of anglers have still been able to find good concentrations of redfin with some specimens measuring over 40cm. The majority of these good redfin have been located in deep water. Currently the most productive depth range has been around 10m of water.

The most productive

techniques have been trolling deep diving hardbody lures and casting soft plastics. The numbers of golden perch being caught has been low. Small numbers of golden perch are being caught by anglers bait fishing around the edges of standing timber. Small numbers of Murray cod are also being caught by anglers trolling hardbody lures. The numbers of Murray cod being caught at this location continue to be low.

CAMPASPE RIVER The water clarity is

currently good in most sections of the Campaspe River and the productivity in the fishing has been good.

The fishing should remain good as long as the weather does. Recently there is a good combination of both Murray cod and golden perch being caught in the Campaspe River. Surface fishing during periods of low light continues to be a productive option. For those anglers chasing the Murray cod during the day, a combination of spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits has

been working well.

The most productive lures for the golden perch recently have been lipless crankbaits and hardbody lures. If you are planning to fish the Campaspe River, the sooner you fish this destination, the better. The majority of the river is very shallow, so water temperatures cool down very quickly in the Campaspe River. When the water temperatures start to decrease significantly the productivity will also decrease.

CAIRN CURRAN The water clarity is still poor at Cairn Curran, but the productivity of the redfin fishing has remained good. Locating a good concentration of redfin though hasn’t been easy.

Some good results have been produced by anglers fishing around standing timber and off the end of points around the lake.

Small numbers of golden perch are also being caught around standing timber and to a lesser extent around rocky shorelines.

The occasional quality Murray cod has been caught at this location recently. The most productive technique for the Murray cod has been trolling medium to large hardbody lures. The most productive colours have been dark silhouettes such as black and purple or bright contrasting colours

such as pink and chartreuse.

LODDON RIVER The fishing in the Loddon River has been below average.

The reduction in the productivity has been brought about from the water that has been released from the Cairn Curran and Laanecoorie reservoirs. The fishing has been the least productive when the higher flows are being released.

When the flows are reduced and the water clarity has a chance to settle and improve so does the productivity in the fishing.

Unfortunately this has been very hard to predict and it’s proving to be very frustrating for anglers.

When the water clarity has improved golden perch have been making up the majority of anglers’ captures.

Lipless crankbaits have been the most productive options on these fish.

Small numbers of Murray cod are still being caught in the Loddon River.

Fishing during periods of low light has been the most productive while fishing surface lures for the Murray cod. On a positive note we should start to see the releases of water reduce significantly in the next few weeks. When this occurs water clarity should improve and we should see an increase in anglers’ catch rates for a few weeks before temperatures decrease.

Beat the winter blues at Blue Rock Lake WST/STH GIPPSLAND

Steve Haughton steve@habitatcreations.com.au

The stream trout fishing season closes at midnight Monday 11 June but not all is doom and gloom in the West Gippsland region with Blue Rock Lake providing anglers a retreat to beat the winter blues. Blue Rock Lake is tucked in behind the township of Willow Grove with farmland and bush as the backdrop creating a picturesque setting, which gains much attention from anglers and recreational users alike. It’s all happening over winter – you just need to know the technique.

Right now Blue Rock Lake’s water level is low compared to the last few years due to a significant lack of rainfall in the catchment. Over winter Blue Rock is mighty cold and the chilly air can make for an uncomfortable experience and can be the 58

JUNE 2018

difference between a good day out or not.

Winter trout on Blue Rock can be targeted a number of ways. Landbased anglers can target trout by bait fishing, casting lures and casting out dry or wet flies or lures from the shoreline. Trout will feed along the shoreline as the water levels rise, which we’d naturally expect over the coming months, so this is certainly advantageous for land-based anglers.

Often on a mirror calm winter’s day you can spot the trout feeding as they gently pick insects trapped on the water’s surface. If you’re bait fishing, keep floats, sinkers and hooks as small as possible to better present the bait and avoid spooking an inquisitive fish.

Live baits such as garden worms, scrub worms, maggots and mudeyes are recommended.

Trolling for winter trout on Blue Rock is good fun and possibly the most popular method for chasing lake trout. In June there can be some magical still

days ideal for trolling a lure behind a boat or kayak. To increase the chances, troll your lures beside windrows or scumlines on the lake’s surface. This is where all the food congregates after a wild and windy few days.

If you look at the windrows closely, you’ll notice an abundance of insects and beetles caught in the surface tension. If you are skilled with a fly rod, hold the boat or kayak back a distance and cast a dry fly or beaded nymph just shy of the windrows.

Bass and redfin are winter active species too and are best targeted by fishing baits or lures down deep against structure. You would be hard-pressed to catch either species of any decent size from the shoreline over winter unless you find a spot with some sort of structure or drop-off.

Casting lures from the bank may produce many fish as a school moves through, just not of a good size.

The most common technique for boat and kayak anglers is to

‘tree-hop’ by tying up to trees and dropping baits and jigs; if there are no strikes then move on to the next tree. A good sounder may take some of that guesswork out too. Sounding around shoreline points may also show up schools of fish, sometimes where there is no structure.

This is where anglers have had their luck using ice jigs on bass. Lures to keep in the tackle box for winter include weighted soft plastics, redfin jigs, twitching lures and ice jigs. Worms, yabbies and crickets are all fair game for bass and redfin. If using worms, be prepared for eel as a by-catch. There are some monster eel out there, which can provide anglers a challenge on a light rod and line setup.

Feel free to send me a report or photo, particularly if you have any success stories before the closure of the stream trout season or if you’ve had luck on a winter trout, redfin or bass on Blue Rock.

Happy fishing!

The author with a recently trolled up winter Blue Rock Lake brown trout at 42cm. The average size for the lake has typically been 30cm, but there are some very nice fish being hooked up and lost lately.

Where to find fish during lower water levels CRATER LAKES

Rod Shepherd

None of us can complain about the weather as the transition from autumn into winter has been near on perfect for wetting a line. However, an inch or three of rain wouldn’t go astray.

Just looking at all of our local lakes, I can easily see how much the water levels have dropped, not to mention that the flows in our rivers have reduced to a trickle.

We are fast approaching the middle of April and a decent downpour is desperately needed, if only to temporarily put a hold on any receding water levels.

Lake Bullen Merri is still firing well for Chinook salmon and rainbow trout.

Flat line trolling medium to deep diving minnows is the go. Working depths of 5-8m around the lake’s perimeter is how most are finding the fish. Static bait fishing in depths around 10m is also catching plenty; pilchards are the number one bait, followed closely by whitebait. Dropping berley bombs directly overboard every half an hour or so is greatly increasing the catch rate. Apparently the pm is firing much better than the am, so keep that in mind.

Lake Purrumbete is reasonable for redfin with schools being found in 13-16m. Suspending

live minnows just off the bottom works well at times, as does jigging minnowstyle soft plastics at these depths. Suspending a berley bucket just off the bottom helps attract and hold any schooling reddies nearby.

Large browns are still around but can be hard to entice into striking.

Many boaters are still downrigging minnow lures at depths around 10-20m.

Others are flat line trolling deep divers. Then there are those static casting towards the weed beds mainly at dawn and dusk in the hopes of attracting a feeding brown. The odd rainbow, Chinook and brook trout are also being caught, but those particular fish coming

Not a bad result for a three-hour session deep water jigging on Lake Purrumbete.

This reddy engulfed a Fish Arrow 4.5” Flash J Grub in inakko/silver.

on board are not matching the size and weight of the browns.

To give you an example of the quality browns coming out of the lake, recently Chris Farrugia (who often travels down to fish the lake) paid yet another visit. His patience and perseverance eventually paid off and Chris fought and landed a superb brown that pulled the scales down to 9.8lb.

I’m not 100% sure what methods Chris employed in the capture of this trophy fish but I understand that he does troll the depths, which makes perfect sense. This is not Chris’s first leviathan; he nailed a similar-sized brown from Purrumbete just last winter.

The peat fires that were ignited by the Saint Patrick’s Day bushfires that ravaged my home turf have been

finally extinguished at Lake Elingamite. The toxic smoke that has plagued us for many weeks, which also emanated from the nearby Cobrico Swamp, is now gone thanks to bodies like the CFA. Elingamite’s current level, however, is still too low for launching any watercraft and we sweet water enthusiasts must wait for some solid winter rains to remedy this.

Plenty of winter trout options at the lakes MELBOURNE METRO

Dylan Brennan

Trout season in Victoria is closed as of midnight on Monday 11 June, and will reopen after midnight on Friday 31 August. This is not all bad news however, as lakes and impoundments are still open to trout fishing all year round. The Yarra River up above Warbuton is still a good option for all trout fishers, provided you can get up there before the season closes.

Brown trout to 200g are common fare throughout this section of river and will happily respond to a juicy scrubworm fished on a number 8 baitholder style hook, especially if you fish this offering ‘au naturel’ through the pools with very little weight. Soft plastics fished on around a 1/16oz jighead worked through the same water can trigger a response from a trout that has seen everything else at times too. Dark silhouetted

colours like black are very effective as are UV enhanced aggressive colours.

A touch closer to the suburbs, Karkarook Park has been producing small rainbow trout to around 200g.

Depending on whether you prefer to bait, lure or flyfish for trout there are a few options for you. Far and away the most effective method for fishing Karkarook Lake is to use a suspended PowerBait rig in conjunction with a small berley feeder cage above your leader. Using a trout-specific berley mixture will make sure that any fish in the area will hang around for long enough for you to have a shot at catching them.

For the angler who prefers to pack a small box of lures and go for a walk, there are a few musthave items; small profile shallow running minnows are excellent lures to cast in close around the shallows and reed stands, while spoon-style lures are a very good long casting option to search out further in the lake.

Lastly, small creature-style soft plastics are excellent to closely imitate small yabbies and baitfish in the lake.

Just be sure that if you’re using any lures down here that you cast and retrieve them as slow as you can, as many people make the mistake of winding their lures back far too fast. A general rule of thumb is that if you think you may be retrieving your lure choice too slow, there’s a good chance that you can slow it down even more.

Many of the scattered suburban wetland systems have been producing largerthan-average redfin lately.

The cooler months seem to fire these reddies up, and they are quite happy to hit just about any lure or bait.

A lot of the wetlands and retarding basins fill up with a good dump of rain or after local creeks flood, and quite often this carries fish from one to the other.

For keen fishers wanting somewhere close to go to test out a new outfit or lures,

Daniel Griffin with a prime example of a surface-caught redfin from amongst the weed beds. Photo courtesy of Daniel Griffin. these can be perfect. It also provides new excitement in finding some decent fish where you never thought there would be. A lot of these systems can be choked with weed or reeds, so it pays

to have plenty of weedless or shallow running lures to minimize fouling and maximise catching.

• For any of the latest metro reports and information, pop into Compleat Angler

Dandenong at 241-243 Princes Highway, Dandenong, give us a call on 03 9794 9397 or jump on to the ‘Melbourne Metro Freshwater Fishing’ page on Facebook.

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This year’s Lake Mulwala Cod Nationals wrap-up The 2018 Lake Mulwala Cod Nationals were held from March 15-18 and is regarded as the pinnacle of Murray cod lure fishing events in the country. This year saw a host of guest anglers attend and the team numbers bolstered up to 33.

It really was the crème de la crème of Mulwala cod fishers with past winners, big fish magnets and longtime fishers all coming together to compete.

Every team is out to do well, but after-hours the tournament makes a point of keeping everything in perspective and ensures the social side of fishing is well looked after.

Each night has a different theme with a bonfire and pizza night, triathalon night and yabby racing night, making the nightly activities a reason to compete in themselves. All meals are provided and this takes the pressure off the teams and allows them to concentrate on the fishing itself.

DAY ONE – ANY LURE DAY The first day was sponsored by Zerek Lures and that meant that any fish caught on a Zerek lure received bonus points. Plenty of Live Mullets, Giant Rubies and Flat Shads were being

thrown around.

The biggest fish for the day was a 102.9cm cod taken

by Luke Quarrell. For Luke this was a massive milestone.

The metery was Luke’s first in the lake despite fishing the Mulwala area for 17 years.

Team Wilson (Ian Painter Rogers and Matt Spider

The big fish of the day went to Team Humminbird’s Bryn Matthews, a cracking fish of 103.1cm that propelled the team into 2nd place. Bryn and Kris Hickson had found a good patch of legal fish and were slowly working their way into a good day when the fish slammed Bryn’s

Team Wilson took home $6000 and a custom-made lure from Chamos Lures.

Rogers) had a great first day, finishing in 2nd place with some sensational fishing. Ian Rogers landed seven fish himself to give the team a great start. Their tactic was to fish spinnerbaits in the weed – a tough place to fish, but a rewarding one.

It certainly was a great

TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS Pos 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

day of firsts; Team Zerek (Stephen Booth and Vanessa Bennett) had a good day with Stephen Booth landing a cracking fish of 102.2cm – his first metre-plus Murray cod from Mulwala in 30 years of fishing the area. This big fish helped Team Zerek finish in 5th place for the day.

Angler Ian Rogers Matt Rogers Bryn Mathew Mick Beale Anthony Pavlou Mick Massier Luke Quarrell Derek Blow Ben Faro Chas Bunting

Total Points 2,514.20 2,278.70 1,926.90 1,719.00 1,460.50 1,443.00 1,398.70 1,394.70 1,354.60 1,284.60

Ordinarily this fish would be a contender for biggest fish of the day, but only 20 minutes later it was nudged from that spot by Quarrell’s catch.

DAY TWO – SPINNERBAIT DAY Day two was co-sponsored

by Bassman Spinnerbaits and Edge Lures and the entire field had to fish spinnerbaits for their fish to count.

Team Wilson stuck to their day one plan and had another great day finishing with a fantastic 16.38 team points to take them to the top of the Team’s table. Fishing Bassman Spinnerbaits on the Venom Crank Bait PE 2-4 rods, the team targeted holes and channels in the weed as well as fishing snags in the weed to amass their fish.

lure. This beast – Bryn’s first metery from Mulwala as well – turned a very good day into a brilliant day for the pair of anglers.

DAY THREE – HARDBODY LURE DAY Day three saw teams restricted to using hardbody lures with the sponsor of the day being Gidgee Lures.

Team Wilson chose to use Gidgee Fatty Juniors for most of the day and again patterned the fish in the weedy shallows.

Their method was solid again with the team adding another 11.41 points to their tally, giving them an unassailable lead with a total score of 36.79 points – more than 15 points ahead of the nearest team.

The big fish for day three was taken by Mick Beal at

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR

TOP 10 TEAMS Position Anglers Total Points 1 Ian Rogers/Matt Rogers 36.79 2 Kris Hickson/Bryn Mathew 21.77 3 Derek Blow/Kade Blow 19.44 4 Craig Leehane/Luke Quarrell 17.23 5 Thomas Pinter/Mick Beale 17.22 6 Chas Bunting/Sunny Martins 4.47 7 Corey Goldy/Ben Faro 12.44 8 Phil Keetelaar/Richard Cambridge 2.00 9 Anthony Pavlou/Michael Haley 11.87 10 Michael Massier/Matthew Pejkovic 11.68 104.4cm, bringing the total number of 1m+ fish caught in the competition to four.

Mick’s fish slammed a Jackall Dowz Swimmer in shallow water alongside a lay down.

Interestingly the boys had stirred up this fish in pre-fish and chose to leave it alone in the hope the fish would bite when it mattered – and bite it did! This fish went on to take out the overall biggest cod for the tournament for Mick.

DAY FOUR – ANY LURE DASH 4 CASH DAY With a 40 knot wind forecast, the Dash 4 Cash Day was moved to Bundalong and competitors were restricted to the river areas to avoid the lake and the problems the wind was creating.

This day belonged to Team Venom with Anthony Pavlou and Michael Haley bringing in two legal fish to the weigh-master at the ramp and securing the win for the day. This earned them 10 points and shot them into 9th place overall at the end of the competition. Dash 4 Cash Day revolves around the teams earning more fish points the earlier they catch their legal fish, so fast boats and good tactics help out a lot.

THE WASH UP Although it seemed a foregone conclusion by the

end of day three, the crowd was very excited to see Team Wilson crowned as Overall Champion Team. The team landed 11 legal fish over the competition, easily the most by any team with only 82 legal fish landed in total for the entire competition.

This win was made even more special with Ian Rogers taking out Champion Angler with 2514.20 points. Matt Rogers was the runner-up with 2278.70 points.

For the competition there were 408 Murray cod (including undersize fish) landed by the 66 competitors.

Among these were four 1m+ Murray cod – a first for the competition. This shows just how good the anglers are getting at fishing Lake Mulwala and how many larger fish above the 75cm maximum size are in the lake.

It’s exciting for the future of Lake Mulwala and the event.

Next year’s Lake Mulwala Cod Nationals will be held on 14-17 March next year and will see team numbers limited to 40 with priority given to existing teams. I’m going to tip that they’ll have teams waiting for a drop-out, so get in touch with the crew at Lake Mulwala Fish, Camp & Ski in Mulwala to secure your spot for next year. – Stephen Booth

Brought to you by

2018

JUNE

AUGUST

OCTOBER

2-3 Jun

ABT BREAM Series Round 7

abt.org.au

Hawkesbury River

11-12 Aug

ABT BREAM Series Round 8

Lake Macquarie

24-27 Aug

CVLCSS Round 4

Mildura

13-14 Oct

Round 7 Hobie Kayak Bream Series

Hopkins

13-14 Oct

ABT BREAM Series Round 9

South West Rocks

27 Oct

CVLCSS Round 5

www.cvlcss.com

Lake Eppalock

David Nelson 0418 378 944

abt.org.au

www.cvlcss.com

David Nelson 0418 378 944 www.hobiefishing.com.au

abt.org.au

Add your tournament or competition to this list by emailing jthomas@fishingmonthly.com.au or calling 07 3387 0800 in office hours.

Just supply a date, venue, tournament name and a telephone number and contact name.

60

JUNE 2018

The one day that mattered at Nelson On 17-18 March, 39 teams headed to Nelson on the Glenelg River for the 2018 Hobie Polarised Bream Classic. With the weather report looking ominous for the Sunday, it was going to be important for all teams to put their best foot forward on day one in case the poor weather closed in. For Team Asleep at the Reel’s Darryl Hislop and Brad Stephens, the decision to launch at Sapling Creek paid off, as they put together a strong first day to claim victory.

On day one anglers awoke to calm conditions and no sign of the poor weather predicted for later that day. Anglers had the choice to launch at three different locations, which meant they could spread right throughout the system. The majority of the field decided to launch at Nelson and fish the front of the estuary and up to Taylors Strait. Team Asleep at the Reel decided to launch at Sapling Creek and work their way down to the

second ski lane.

“We hopped rock walls from Sapling Creek down to the start of the second ski lane. We fished Cranka Crabs in black, olive and

RESULTS Place Team 1 Asleep at the Reel 2 Simon and Garfunkel 3 Pioneer 4 Procrastinators 5 Lowrance 6 Barely Legal 7 Krazi Kat 8 Chemically Sharp 9 Savage Trailers 10 Fishin.com.au brown along with ZMan GrubZ in motor oil with 1/16oz jigheads.

We probably caught 15-20 legal fish on Saturday and the tackle that helped us convert those bites into fish were G Loomis TSR 862 rods with Shimano Sustain 2500 reels, Samurai Reaction 181 rods with Daiwa Luvias 2506 reels and 10lb Castaway and Unitika 4lb and 6lb leaders,”

Brad said.

After working out the bite pattern on the pre-fish day, the boys knew that the fish were biting super tentatively and leaving the

they would be in the top ten heading back to the weigh-in they never could have imagined that their 5/5 bag weighing 3.59kg would have them comfortably

Anglers

Fish Daryl Hislop and Brad Stephens 5/5 Jason Cooke and Simon Cooke 5/5 David Harding and Greg Rooke 5/5 Tim Webb and Jarod Tyler 5/5 Alex Franchuk and Paul Malov 5/5 Michael Crane and Shane Handley 5/5 Ryan Newman and Kobi Rothall 5/5 Damien McGlynn and Adam Arbuthnot 5/5 Doug Phayer and James Blazewski 5/5 Mike Reber and Stuart Curruthers 5/5

Weight (kg) 3.59 3.23 2.99 2.98 2.97 2.84 2.84 2.67 2.62 2.61

The Okuma ZMan Big Bream was caught by Team Barely Legal’s Michael Crane and Shane Handley who weighed in a solid bream for 0.94kg. necessary to cancel day two of the tournament.

Saturday’s results decided the winners – the

Movers Prize was randomly drawn at the presentation and 3rd place Team Pioneer were also lucky enough to win the

lure in the strike zone for longer than normal would be the key to hooking up. The Cranka Crabs proved perfect for this super slow retrieve and while late striking resulted in a few bust-offs they still had 20 legals hit the net in the session, allowing them to work through the fish and make small upgrades to their bag.

Feeling confident

The top three teams of the competition: Asleep at the Reel, Simon and Garfunkel and Pioneer.

Saturday’s results decided the winners – the 2018 Hobie Polarised Bream Classic and Sunline Best Bag were taken out by Team Asleep At The Reel.

take the lead.

The Okuma ZMan Big Bream was caught by Team Barely Legal’s Michael Crane and Shane Handley who weighed in a solid bream for 0.94kg.

By Saturday night all the anglers were nervously awaiting the predicted weather to hit and just when they thought they may be in the clear it hit at 1am and hit hard. The wind was pushing 45knots by 6am and as it was due to increase to over 50knots by 10am it was

2018 Hobie Polarised Bream Classic and Sunline Best Bag were taken out by Team Asleep At The Reel. Daryl Hislop and Brad Stephens were crowned the champions with a one-day bag of 5/5 bream for 3.59kg. Team Simon and Garfunkel’s Jason Cooke and Simon Cooke took out 2nd place with a 5/5 bag for 3.23kg and 3rd place went to Team Pioneer’s Dave Harding and Greg Rooke who weighed in 5/5 bream for 2.99kg.

The Hurricane Monster

Hurricane prize, which was fitting, as they used the new pre-rigged Hurricane Spider Crabs in the three different weights on the weekend.

The 2018 NS Rods Sunline Vic Bream Classic Series will be heading to Mallacoota for Round 4 of the series, the Bayford Volkswagen East Gippsland Bream Classic. If you are interested, check out www. vicbreamclassics.com.au or call Tournament Director Bill Hartshorne on 0409 823 070. – Vic Bream Classics

JUNE 2018

61

Howarth homes in on the Goldy

STORM

The 2018 Costa BREAM Series has returned to the spiritual home of tournament bream fishing – the Gold Coast – for the Ecogear BREAM Qualifier and has seen the coming of age of bream young gun James Howarth with his first tournament victory with 10/10 fish for 5.5kg.

On day one Howarth took the long journey to Raby Bay canals. “I really wasn’t confident in the canals of the Gold Coast, so I took the hour-long journey up to the less-pressured waters of Raby Bay and targeted fish around the pontoons and boat hulls with a mix of Ecogear SX40 and Cranka Crabs,” said Howarth.

Once in location Howarth would use a two-pronged approach to extract the most fish from each location. On the boat hulls and expansive pontoons he would target fish with an Ecogear SX40 in bluegill making long parallel casts to the structure before starting an aggressive retrieve along the structure with the intent of keeping the lure away from the smaller

The champion James Howarth and his spoils of victory. fluttered to the bottom or as it just came in contact with the bottom.

While his day one limit of 2.46kg kept him in touch of the leader, he knew he would need to find bigger fish on

area. With the water being a dirtier Howarth changed his key crankbait to a Zipbait Khamsin Tiny DR in a chrome finish to grab the attention of the fish in the area.

pontoons with cleaner water and wind pushing on them.

From there it’s just about triggering the big bites and an erratic aggressive retrieve gets them to bite,” said Howarth.

DUFFRODS BIG BAG The Duffrods Big Bag went to tournament winner James Howarth with his tournamentwinning 3.04kg day two bag. The key bait for his big bag was a Zipbait Khamsin Tiny DR.

Howarth’s plan of attack was a carbon copy of his day one approach – using his aggressive and erratic retrieve on his crankbait and mixing it up with the slower presentation of the Bream Prawn and Cranka Crab on the poles and vertical structure. With his limit in the boat by 8.30, he was able to focus the rest of his session on upgrading his bag.

“The key for me on the Gold Coast is to find the

This change in location paid dividends and saw Howarth take the Duffrods big bag with a 3.04kg limit.

“I really had a great weekend catching up with all the other anglers. I need to thank everyone who helped me out: Lowrance Electronics, Northside Marine, my work and Minn Repairs and Servicing who came out on Friday night to fix my wiring issues,” said Howard.

WINNING TACKLE James Howarth proudly holds two of his Gold Coast winning bream.

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

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bream that plague the canals and tempting one of the bigger fish.

His tackle of choice for this presentation was a Nordic Stage matched with a Daiwa Ingis spooled with 8lb Daiwa J Braid and 6lb Yamatoyo FC leader. Once Howarth felt he had extracted all that he could from his crankbait presentation, his attention would then turn to the poles and anchor structures.

For these areas Howarth used a combination of lightly weighted Ecogearaqua Bream Prawns and Cranka Crabs.

His aim with these lures was to cast his lure tight to the structure before allowing it to slowly float down the side of the structure with most of his fish intercepting the lure as it

day two if he was going to step it up and take the victory.

With this in mind Howarth opted to stay closer to the start/ finish area and targeted similar structure in the Jumpinpin

Rod: Nordic Stage Reel: Daiwa Ignis Line: 8lb Daiwa J-Braid Leader: 6lb Yamatoyo fluorocarbon Lure: Ecogear SX40 in bluegill colour, Zipbait Khamsin Tiny DR, Ecogearaqua Bream Prawns and Cranka Crabs

TOP 10 BOATERS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Angler James Howarth Wally Fahey Denis Metzdorf Steve Morgan John Siggs Chris Britton Todd Riches Aaron Sharpe Michael Thompson Kristoffer Hickson

Total Fish 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 9/10 9/10

Total Weight (kg) 5.50 5.13 5.01 4.89 4.74 4.68 4.57 4.38 4.24 4.01

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

Fahey finds them upriver Wally Fahey has continued his strong form in his maiden season as a boater on the Costa BREAM Series taking out second place with 10/10 fish for 5.13kg.

In contrast to Howarth, Fahey headed upriver to the area around the casino to start his session fishing pontoons

and bridges in a milk run of spots throughout the area.

When targeting the pontoons Fay used a combination of Ecogearaqua Bream Prawns in salt and pepper colour and Gulp Crabbies in camo rigged on 1/40oz TT Hidden Weight jigheads.

To cast his plastic tight into the cover Fahey used a

DAIWA J-BRAID BIG BREAM Walley Fahey secured the Daiwa J-Braid Big Bream Prize at the Ecogear-presented event with the SA local value adding his event winning for his 1kg+ kicker fish caught on day one.

Daiwa Sol UL701 matched with a Sol 2000 spooled with 6lb Evo8 Tournament Braid and 4lb Sunline FC Rock.

While the pontoons allowed Fahey to fill his limit early, he knew there would be larger fish holding tight to the bridge pylons.

When targeting the fast flowing waters of the bridge pylons Fahey opted for the ever popular Cranka Crab heavy in olive colour, Fay would cast his crab tight to the structure before allowing it to drift down into the eddies. For this presentation Fahey used a Daiwa Zero

BREAM SERIES

701ULXS matched with a Sol 2000 spooled with 6lb Evo8 Tournament Braid and 4lb Sunline FC Rock.

While he was able to get the bites around the bridges it proved to be a hard challenge extracting the better fish. While on day one Fahey was able to extract those better fish, on day two he was unable to seal the deal and missed that one key upgrade to clinch the win, but with his experience as a boater growing, it won’t take long for Fahey to put it all together and take his maiden ABT victory.

Ecogear SX40LC

Walley Fahey lead on day one of the event but was overtaken on the final day to finish second.

Pontoon

Quick retrieve with regular twitches and jerks of lure.

Thompson tames the Bay Popular angler Mick Thompson has taken victory in the Non-Boater division Ecogear Bream Qualifier with 3.67kg and in the process reached his goal of making the 2018 BREAM Grand Final.

Thompson was paired with Aaron Sharp and Steve Eldred, which played to his bay fishing strengths, “I love fishing the shallow stuff, so I had the perfect draw for the tournament,” said Thompson.

On both days Thompson fished shallow broken weed and rubble areas in 3-6ft of water. In

these areas he would make long wind-assisted casts throwing his Atomic Crank 38 Deep in ghost gill brown as far as possible before dragging and bouncing his lure through the weed and broken, reefy bottom. With lots of fish only biting the lure tentatively, his key adjustment was to hold off striking on the fish and slowly winding fish onto the lure.

While the big bream that the bay is known for didn’t show their heads, his slight adjustment meant Thompson had a consistent tournament catching over 20 fish each day and managed to fill his limit by 9:30 each day.

To land all his fish Thompson used a 13 Fishing Omen Black 7ft 1-3kg rod matched with a Daiwa Certate 2506 spooled with 8lb J Braid and 6lb Sunline Bream Special FC. When asked after the event, Thompson explained that his aim was to qualify for the 2018 Grand Final, “All I wanted to do was to come here and qualify for the Grand Final; to finish first is unbelievable,” explained Thompson.

On stage he was also very quick to thank the people that have helped him get into tournament fishing, “Everything I know about bream fishing has come

from Grayson Fong – we fish together a lot trying to perfect a lot of different techniques. I also have to thank both Aaron and Steve for all the little things I picked up off them over the weekend,” said Thompson.

With the Ecogear round of the Costa BREAM Series run and won attention now turns to the West Coast Qualifier and Hawkesbury River Qualifier.

For information on this or any other ABT event near you head to abt.org.au.

Mick Thompson was a popular victor, claiming the non-boater title at the Ecogear-presented event.

TOP 10 NON BOATERS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Angler Michael Thompson Paul Langley Grayson Fong Mark Saric Tyson Hayes Khoi Pham Louie Wardini Colin Wilson Rodney O’Sullivan Cristian Bermudez

Total Fish 10/10 8/10 8/10 8/10 7/10 7/10 7/10 6/10 7/10 6/10

Total Weight (kg) 3.67 3.34 3.10 3.09 2.93 2.81 2.64 2.55 2.53 2.42

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

The boys cashed in for Hobie Bonus bucks.

JUNE 2018

63

LURE, FLY & OUTDOORS EXPO

2018 Australian Lure Expo – Don’t miss out!

Whack the dates in the diary, on your phone or up on the wall in the shed – you’ll want to make sure you’re making the trip to be at Queensland’s Ipswich Showgrounds on 16 and 17 June for the 2018 Australian Lure, Fly and Outdoors Expo (or as it’s fondly known – The Lure Show!)

It started seven years ago as a celebration of Australian lures and lure making, and has rapidly grown to an event which satisfies all anglers whether fresh or saltwater focused.

Unlike every boat show you’ve ever been to that leaves you wondering ‘where’s the tackle?’, The

Lure Show will completely satisfy your need to add to your tackle collection.

It’s two days of non-stop fishing focused action. With Australia’s biggest collection of lure makers under one roof, the expertise on offer is unparalleled. Carving, painting, lure swimming demonstrations and general lure making advice is as thick on the ground as the tackle bargains.

Everyone is selling.

The Lure Show turns the Ipswich Showgrounds into the biggest, most diverse tackle store around. You are guaranteed to find things that you didn’t know you can’t live without

You won’t want to miss the lure demonstrations at the casting tank. Here you will find the actual lure makers giving guidance on how their lures have been designed to swim and how to get the most out of them.

The presenter’s hub is where you’ll be able to pick the brains of some of most knowledgeable anglers around including Jake Newmarch (Newmarch’s Fishin Mission), Liam Fitzpatrick (JML Pro Staffer) and Brendan Goulding (Fish and Whipz). You’re likely following them on Facebook, watching their YouTube videos or checking out their tweets – now is your chance

to meet them face to face and talk all things fishing!

Got some old wooden Australian lures lying in the garage that need a new home? Bring these to the show, as you won’t find a hungrier pack of collectors anywhere in this wide brown land! These guys are also keen to help you sort your own collection out and are more than happy to help with identifying any lures you’re not quite sure about.

Love an artistic lure or new design? The Lure Show Award entries are always a crowd favourite and are a brilliant showcase of the craftsmanship, creative talent and skill of our local

lure makers. They seem to get better and better every year.

When is the last time you paid $10 to get into a show? Combine this with free parking and you get in and out of The Lure Show for less than half the price of any boat show on the East Coast!

Tickets are available online now. Group discounts available for fishing clubs, get in touch at www.lureshow. com.au.

Don’t forget to ‘like’ The Lure Show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ AustralianLureExpo and stay up to date with all the 2018 show news. – Australian Lure, Fly and Outdoors Expo

DETAILS When: Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 June, 2018 Where: Ipswich Showgrounds, Ipswich Time: 9:30am-3pm (Saturday), 9am3pm (Sunday) www.lureshow.com.au Tickets: Adults $10, Kids Under 16 enter free (when accompanied by an adult). Pre-purchase tickets online to avoid the lines.

EXHIBITOR LIST Stand No. Exhibitor 53 AC Lures 80 AFN Fishing & Outdoors 73 Allfly Outfitters 93 Balista Lures 84 Barrambah Lures 200a Bass Cat 57 Bass to Barra 86 Bassman Spinnerbaits 89 Beardy’s Lures 45 Bills Boxes 40 BRA Lures 140 Brisbane Yamaha 112 Bush’n’Beach Fishing Magazine 82 C-Map / Navico 50 C&S Horsey Lures 19 Caino Lures 12 Charlton’s Fishing 64

JUNE 2018

Stand No. Exhibitor 5 Chilton Tackle Co. 40 Cod Hound Lures 81 Cod King Lures 83 Cross Fire Lures 6 D& S Lures 22 Dave’s Lures 13 Dynamite Lures 14 Farm Creek Lures 60 FFSAQ 37 FG Wizz 96 Fish King 36 Fishing Unlimited 58 GLO-X Powerless Illumination 64 Humminbird / Minn Kota Ipswich United Sportsfishing Club 44 4 Jollip Lures 1 Jungle Lures

Stand No. Exhibitor 18 Kneller Lures 77 Kuttafurra Lures 78 Lively Lures 17 Lobby Lures 16 Loolah Lures 30 Lure Collectors Precinct 21 Mac Lures 61 Mad Dog Lures 43 MB Custom Lures 39 Mencho’s Lures 42 Mick Molnar Marine Art 51 Morry Kneebone Lures 2 Muggo’s Lures 89 Ninja Bibs 89 Ninja Lures 200b Northside Marine 15 One Cast Lures

Stand No. Exhibitor 38 Predator Lures 70 Queensland Fishing Monthly 56 RodZilla Adventure Tackle 65 Sandfly Lures 52 SEQ Fly Fishers 75 Shads Lures 57 Smak Lures 69 Sommerset Fishing Tackle 41 Southern Cross Lures 8 Thug Lures 54 Tonic Eyewear 20 Tricky’s Lures 55 Variety Fly Fishing Competition 81 Waterstalker Lures 3 Whiptale Lures 76 Yak Hunters 39 Zoomy Lures

BUY & SELL LURES TACKLE BARGAINS FREE ONSITE PARKING TICKETS Adults $10 Kids U16 FREE

www.lureshow.com.au AUSTRALIAN LURE EXPO

JUNE 2018

65

BAIT & TACKLE

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

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$320 + GST for 6 months Email : pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au

This section in V&TFM Fishing Monthly consolidates the trades and services in your area that are relevant to your fishing and boating. Whether you’re a local looking for more options or a travelling angler fishing around the state, this guide will direct you to reputable businesses in the area you’re searching.

66

JUNE 2018

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION

Rip Charters Fishing Trips, Sorrento (03) 5984 3664 Saltwater Charters, Queenscliff (03) 5258 4888 Off The Hook Fishing Charters 0419 554 916

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(03) 5155 1323 ♦ 0418 516 555 ♦ 35 Roadknight Street, LAKES ENTRANCE

Millbrook Lakes Lodge, Ballarat (03) 5334 0404

TASMANIA & FLINDERS ISLAND Lazy Acre Log Cabins, Lakes Entrance (03) 5155 1323

Ausprey Tours, Launceston (03) 6630 2612 Gone Fishing Charters, St Helens (03) 6376 1553

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Blue Magic Fishing Charters, Rowville (03) 9759 5301 Geelong Charters & Fishing Trips, Geelong (03) 5275 7107 Katrina Louise Charters, Cheltenham 0402 828 140

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Advertisers wanting to be involved in this directory can call (07) 3387 0800 or email pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au JUNE 2018

67

Victorian Tide Times

2018 2018 Local Time

POINT LONSDALE – VICTORIA POINT – 144° VICTORIA LAT LONSDALE 38° 18’ LONG 37’

JANUARY Time m MAY Time

Time 0416 0027 1046 0626 MO 1645 TU 1321 1858 0022 0112 0534 0710 TU 1157 1408 WE1757 1941 0124 0152 0645 0750 WE 1304 1448 TH1902 2019 0220 0229 0746 0829 TH 1405 1524 FR2001 2056 0313 0303 0842 0905 FR 1500 1557 SA2056 2131 0401 0338 0934 0942 1554 SA 1630 SU2147 2208

11 22

33 44

55 66

m 0.81 1.48 1.32 0.39 0.26 1.65 0.66 1.51 1.50 0.79 0.33 1.35 1.71 0.20 0.64 1.61 1.51 0.73 0.31 1.40 1.73 0.14 0.64 1.69 1.51 0.64 0.31 1.46 1.72 0.10 0.64 1.74 1.49 0.55 0.33 1.50 1.70 0.11 0.64 1.75 1.47 0.47 0.36 1.52 1.65 0.15 0.66

Time 0033 0533 0545 1245 TU 1152 1817 WE1813

16 16

18’ of High LONG 144° TimesLAT and38° Heights and Low37’ Waters Times and Heights of High and Low Waters MARCH FEBRUARY JUNE JULY Time m Time m Time m Time m

m 1.38 0.43 0.83 1.64 1.22 0.78 0.38

Time 0102 0117 0621 0719 TH 1246 1423 FR 1849 1953 0201 0156 0730 0759 FR 1352 1458 SA 1952 2030 0255 0233 0830 0836 SA 1451 1530 SU 2046 2108 0343 0310 0923 0912 SU 1546 1601 MO 2137 2145 0427 0347 1013 0946 MO 1639 1635 TU 2223 2220 0508 0426 1059 1018 1730 TU 1710 WE 2305 2256

11

0123 1.43 17 22 0035 0.79 1.48 170649 0624 1.24 0.33 1246 WE 1336 TH1904 1907 0206 0124 0742 0713 TH 1336 1424 FR1949 1954 0244 0211 0825 0800 FR 1422 1511 SA2030 2040 0318 0256 0905 0849 SA 1505 1556 SU2107 2126 0352 0342 0942 0938 1545 SU 1642 MO2141 2213

18 18 19 19

20 20 21 21

1.74 0.34 0.74 1.48 1.52 0.72 0.26 1.27 1.81 0.31 0.70 1.53 1.55 0.66 0.23 1.31 1.83 0.30 0.67 1.57 1.56 0.59 0.23 1.35 1.81 0.30 0.65 1.59 1.56 0.54 0.26 1.38 1.76 0.31 0.63

33 44

55

66

m 1.52 1.47 0.72 0.37 1.37 1.73 0.20 0.75 1.59 1.47 0.62 0.37 1.44 1.73 0.18 0.73 1.65 1.47 0.50 0.39 1.50 1.71 0.18 0.72 1.69 1.46 0.40 0.42 1.54 1.69 0.21 0.71 1.69 1.44 0.32 0.46 1.55 1.65 0.27 0.71 1.66 1.41 0.27 0.50 1.53 1.62 0.34 0.70

Time 0131 0055 0715 0645 FR 1311 1405 SA 1927 1930 0213 0147 0802 0739 SA 1402 1455 SU 2011 2020 0250 0239 0843 0832 SU 1448 1543 MO 2048 2111 0326 0330 0919 0924 MO 1531 1630 TU 2124 2201 0400 0422 0954 1015 TU 1613 1715 WE 2159 2253 0434 0519 1028 1103 1653 WE 1802 TH 2236 2345

16 16 17 17 18 18

19 19 20 20 21 21

m 1.38 1.52 0.73 0.25 1.23 1.82 0.39 0.76 1.44 1.56 0.65 0.23 1.30 1.84 0.37 0.70 1.50 1.59 0.56 0.25 1.37 1.83 0.36 0.64 1.54 1.58 0.48 0.30 1.43 1.79 0.36 0.60 1.57 1.56 0.41 0.38 1.47 1.74 0.37 0.56 1.57 1.52 0.34 0.48 1.50 1.67 0.40 0.54

22

FR MO

33

SA TU

44

SU WE

55

MO TH

66 TU

FR

m 0.75 1.43 1.30 0.40 0.34 1.68 0.76 1.44 1.45 0.67 0.41 1.36 1.69 0.33 0.73 1.51 1.45 0.55 0.44 1.45 1.68 0.31 0.70 1.57 1.44 0.43 0.47 1.53 1.66 0.30 0.67 1.61 1.43 0.33 0.51 1.59 1.64 0.32 0.65 1.62 1.41 0.26 0.57 1.61 1.60 0.36 0.62

Time 0521 0131 1139 1750 FR 0725 MO 1437 2004 0045 0227 0638 1246 SA 0819 TU 1525 1857 2058 0132 0321 0730 1343 SU 0912 WE 1610 1945 2150 0215 0415 0810 1431 MO 1000 TH 1654 2025 2241 0253 0515 0846 1047 TU 1516 FR 1736 2103 2330 0330 0616 0922 1132 1559 WE 1818 SA 2141

16 16 17 17 18 18

19 19 20 20

21 21

m m 0.80 1.56 1.18 0.24 0.55 1.80 0.64 1.32 1.60 0.72 0.26 1.24 1.80 0.53 0.56 1.39 1.61 0.62 0.32 1.34 1.78 0.50 0.49 1.45 1.59 0.52 0.40 1.44 1.73 0.47 0.45 1.50 1.55 0.42 0.49 1.53 1.67 0.46 0.43 1.54 1.51 0.33 0.59 1.59 1.60 0.46

Time 0109 0229 0559 1238 SU0827 1828 WE 1511 2101 0101 0308 0654 1335 MO0900 TH 1544 1919 2135 0146 0347 0740 1426 TU0933 FR 1616 2004 2209 0227 0429 0822 1511 WE1009 SA 1649 2045 2242 0303 0512 0901 1047 TH 1550 SU 1724 2121 2317 0337 0600 0939 1129 1627 FR 1801 MO 2157 2356

11 22 33

44

55

66

m 1.47 1.44 0.49 0.43 1.50 1.64 0.49 0.62 1.52 1.46 0.39 0.46 1.59 1.64 0.48 0.57 1.55 1.46 0.31 0.50 1.66 1.62 0.48 0.53 1.56 1.46 0.26 0.55 1.68 1.59 0.49 0.49 1.55 1.46 0.25 0.61 1.67 1.55 0.52 0.45 1.52 1.45 0.26 0.68 1.64 1.51 0.55 0.42

m Time m 0540 0.59 0313 1219 1.64 1.42 1807 0.34 0.66 MO0857 TH 1544 1.72 2131 0.35 0030 1.43 0406 0624 1.63 0.47 1311 0.41 1.54 TU0943 FR 1624 1854 1.68 0.63 2218 0.32 0115 1.48 0500 0705 1.59 0.37 1358 0.49 1.65 WE1026 SA 1702 1937 1.62 0.60 2301 0.32 0157 1.52 0553 0746 1.53 0.29 1443 0.57 1.72 TH1107 SU 1742 2019 1.55 0.58 2344 0.35 0238 1.54 0645 0829 1.47 0.23 1148 1526 0.66 1.75 FR1821 MO 2100 1.47 0.58

16 16 17 17

18 18

19 19

20 20

0317 1.54 0026 0.39 21 0912 0.21 21SA0739 1.42 1609 1.74

0.74 TU 1231 2143 1.40 0.58 1905 0359 0.44 1.53 0110 0956 1.37 0.22 0833 1653 0.82 1.70 SU 1319 WE 2226 0.60 1954 1.33

0415 1.73 1.44 22 0426 0626 0430 1.60 1.53 0507 1.61 1.38 22 0508 770447 77 0545 1026 1142 1016 0.40 0.40 221017 1152 1026 0.49 0.33 1052 0.25 0.56 22 1102 1734 1646 1.51 1626 1.40 1820 1.49 TH SU MO WE

0437 7 0531 1033 7 1104 WE 1714

1.60 1.40 0.23 0.63 1.60 1755 1.56 SA 2245 0.41 2344 0.59

0411 1.44 1.48 0407 0.43 1.55 70656 22 22 0016 1015 0.75 0.29 22 0959 1.47 0.27 22 7 0718 1215 SA 1701 1.59 TH 1640 1.63

0459 0542 0522 1.59 1.48 0553 1.54 1.35 0039 0451 1.69 1.40 880531 88 0622 1115 1051 1222 23 1115 0.44 0.42 1128 0.26 0.62 23 1138 0738 1050 0.35 0.45 23 MO 1740 1.48 TU 1705 1.40 TH 1911 1.43 FR 1817

0513 8 0623 1113 1147 TH 1756

1.56 1.39 0.22 0.70 1.56 1834 1.52 SU 2322 0.47

0443 0.45 1.54 0445 0.40 1.44 0441 0.49 1.50 23 0103 80041 230201 1037 1.44 0.22 1049 1.43 0.33 23 1040 1.35 0.26 8 0930 0817 0759 FR 1721 1.63 SU 1736 1.53 MO 1739 1.63

0532 0618 0134 0624 1.57 1.43 0010 0.51 0.69 0531 1.63 1.35 99 0025 990614 1124 1202 0659 24 0844 1205 0.40 0.52 0646 1.47 1.33 24 1216 1124 0.33 0.51 24 TU 1837 1.43 WE 1746 1.40 FR 1300 0.29 SA 1905

0546 9 0024 1149 0722 FR 1837

0519 0.48 1.52 0521 0.38 1.38 0528 0.52 1.45 24 0154 90134 240303 1116 1.43 0.21 1124 1.44 0.38 24 1126 1.35 0.33 9 1029 0915 0908 SA 1804 1.60 MO 1814 1.46 TU 1830 1.56

0104 0036 0606 0232 0617 0.41 1.30 0048 1.53 0.62 0054 0.60 0.66 10 0735 0655 1159 100006 25 10 0946 1200 1.56 0.58 25 0741 0.36 1.40 10 0750 1.39 1.34 25 0658 1340 0.34 1257 1248 0.33 1831 1.39

0620 10 0110 1225 0829 1917

0600 0.37 1.32 0623 0.52 1.40 0558 0.49 1.49 100239 250413 25 0250 1200 1.48 0.45 25 1215 1.37 0.42 1157 1.44 0.22 10 1125 1014 1020 1857 1.40 1930 1.49 1851 1.55

0121 0332 0039 0.52 0.74 0153 0.50 0.61 0145 0.68 0.62 11 260005 11 0147 110050 0737 0816 0642 1047 0713 1.48 1.27 26 0857 1.49 1.40 11 0901 1.31 1.38 26 0744 1333 0.35 1423 0.38 1344 1236 0.32

0036 11 0204 0656 0938

0026 0.34 0.73 0051 0.50 0.67 0022 0.50 0.59 110354 260515 26 0350 0645 1.54 1.26 26 0732 1.42 1.35 0640 1.46 1.44 11 1111 1129 1215

0430 0301 0.58 0.57 0244 0.76 0.56 0129 0.62 0.74 0213 120134 270049 12 0237 12 1144 1006 1.44 1.45 12 1012 1.24 1.46 27 0841 0819 1.39 1.26 27 0820 0904 0722 1656 1514 0.81 1515 0.91 1336 0.74

0115 12 0308 1047 0734

0112 0.31 0.77 0200 0.47 0.67 0107 0.48 0.65 27 0449 120510 270609 1204 1230 1257 0741 1.61 1.22 27 0857 1.47 1.34 0730 1.49 1.39 12

0407 0.66 0.52 0346 0.82 0.48 0227 0.72 0.71 0522 0318 130224 280138 13 0337 13 1111 1.39 1.52 13 1118 1.19 1.56 28 0953 0934 1.32 1.30 28 1235 1001 0907 0809 1629 0.84 1630 0.91 1443 0.80 1755

0159 13 0417 1153 0819 1704

0019 0045 0208 1.49 0.79 0319 1.35 0.63 0159 0.45 0.70 28 0543 13 28 0616 0653 1250 0849 0.28 1.19 28 1015 0.44 1.38 0830 1.53 1.33 13 1325 1.68 1333 1.52 1816 0.85

0505 0.74 0.47 0332 0.80 0.64 0450 0.84 0.39 0000 290234 140322 14 0452 1210 1.34 1.59 14 1046 1.26 1.39 29 1218 1.17 1.67 29 0610 14 1107 0959 0904 TU 1735 0.83 MO 1600 0.83 TH 1738 0.88 FR 1319

0250 14 0525 1252 0915 SA 1810

0121 0130 0319 1.56 0.77 0433 1.41 0.55 0304 1.35 0.72 29 0016 0715 0731 0630 14 29 1007 0.27 1.22 29 1125 0.43 1.46 0950 0.43 1.30 14 TU 1415 1.72 WE 1408 1.56 SU 1330 1.57

0437 0.84 0.54 0554 0.80 0.42 0549 1.32 0.31 0045 150432 300343 15 0042 1150 1.22 1.51 30 1300 1.31 1.66 15 1314 0.81 1.76 30 0653 15 0611 1055 1012 TU 1716 0.82 WE 1829 0.81 FR 1837 0.82 SA 1358

0357 15 0032 0627 1025 SU 1346

0218 0213 0440 1.61 0.69 0428 1.39 0.69 0535 1.47 0.46 30 0103 0808 0806 0713 15 30 1118 0.29 1.30 30 1116 0.42 1.32 15 1228 0.44 1.56 WE 1500 1.74 TH 1441 1.58 MO 1405 1.61

1702 1.61 MO2236 2244 0.22 0.68

TU 1739 1.55 2322 2319 0.31 0.70

WE 1818 1.50 2358 0.73

1730 1.70 TU2214 2300 0.34 0.62

WE 1819 1.63 2247 2352 0.38 0.62

TH 1913 1.56 2325 0.43

WE TH 1903 1.44 TH FR 1300 0.63 1938 1.38 2009 1.51

TH FR 1243 0.66 FR SA 1402 0.74 2039 1923 1954 1.34 1.40 2106 1.38 1.47

SU1317 0.30 SA1420 0.37 FR SA 2202 1.37 1.45 2050 1.32 1.37 2138 2022

MO1406 0.28 SU1513 0.40 SU SA 2258 1.37 1.44 2148 1.31 1.37 2237 2130

SU 1611 0.41 MO 1504 0.27 2349 1.39 1.44 2247 1.34 1.39 2336 2244

MO 1714 0.41 TU 1615 2344 1.43 2357 0035 0502 0638 1130 1345 TH 1735 WE 1913

31 31

0.27 1.44 1.46 0.79 0.38 1.32 1.71 0.24 0.78

1747 1.57 TH 2345 2331 0.42 0.70

FR 1827 1.53

SA 1211 0.70 2000 1911 1.38 1.48

SA SU 1301 0.78 2052 2000 1.32 1.45

SU MO 1403 0.86 2146 2055 1.29 1.42

TU 1515 0.43 MO 2154 1.27 1.42 2245

WE 1618 0.45 TU 2256 1.28 1.44 2345

WE 1730 0.45 2357 1.48

TH 1212 1.19 1834 0.43

1.56 1.47 0.29 0.58 1.51 1850 1.61 FR 2314 0.45

11

TH SU

Time 0440 0127 1118 0733 1718 1432 2007 0038 0207 0604 0812 1237 1504 1838 2046 0138 0246 0715 0847 1345 1537 1942 2123 0230 0326 0815 0920 1445 1610 2036 2159 0317 0405 0906 0953 1538 1644 2123 2233 0400 0446 0952 1027 1628 1718 2206 2307

Local Time APRIL Time Time AUGUST m

1.53 0.53 0.26 1.45 0.70 SA 1242 1.50 2354 1939 0.50 1.54

1.49 0.53 0.24 1.45 0.80 SU 1336 1.47 2030 1.48

0.57 0.52 1.44 1.47 0.88 SU 1438 0.24 MO 2000 2123 1.43 1.44

0.65 0.51 1.39 1.50 0.92 MO TU 1547 0.26 2104 2216 1.39 1.41 0.48 0.72 1.55 1.33 0.92 WE TU 1441 0.29 2310 1.37 1.40 2217

0.45 0.76 1.60 1.30 0.89 TH 1553 0.33 WE 2331 1.39 1.40 0.43 1.64 1844 0.85

1.42 0.41 1.67 1928 0.80

1.51 0.55 0.25 1.40 1.50 1235 0.79 MO 2359 1.48 0.53 1919 1.45 0.51 0.29 1.43 1.44 SA 1331 0.86 TU 2011 1.44

0.59 0.46 1.38 1.48 1300 0.92 0.34 SU 1438 WE 2000 1.43 1.37 2109 0.41 0.66 1.55 1.31 1339 0.94 0.40 TH 1551 MO 2215 2048 1.43 1.32 0.35 0.73 1.63 1.24 0.46 FR TU 1422 0.90 2327 2144 1.46 1.27

0.29 0.79 1.71 1.19 0.51 WE 1516 0.82 2245 1.26 1.51 0.82 0.25 1.16 0.55 TH 1627 1.76 1908 2348 0.73 1.28

0.70 SU 1217 2220 1.53 0.47 1902

MO 1304 0.79 2300 1.46 0.50 1949

TU 1359 0.87 2341 1.39 0.54 2039

SU 1502 0.92 WE 2133 1.35

1240 0.93 0.25 MO TH 1614 1943 1.33 1.49 2230

1327 0.90 0.31 FR TU 1720 2326 2045 1.33 1.43

SA 1423 0.39 WE 2155 1.39

TH 1536 0.46 1904 2305 0.79 1.38

FR 1703 0.50 1946 0.73

1.46 TU 1845 2232 0.58

WE 1306 0.82 2309 1.42 0.63 1935

TH 1407 0.88 2346 1.39 0.68 2037

TU1521 0.89 FR 2150 1.39

TH 1417 0.87 2310 1.27 0.62 2050

FR 1530 0.89 2358 1.25 0.65 2152

WE1646 0.86 SA 2255 1.26

1238 0.84 0.51 SU 1312 0.80 0.52 WE1639 TH1751 SA 1947 1.42 1.34 2033 1.29 1.44 2309 2353

1325 0.74 0.59 MO 1421 0.72 0.61 SU TH1750 FR1842 2045 1.31 2137 1.42

MO FR 1423 0.65 1853 2148 0.63 1.30

SA 1537 0.69 1949 2248 0.51 1.33

SU 1702 0.69 2042 2343 0.42 1.37

0011 1.42 1.42 31 0147 0751 0551 0.42 0.61 1439 1.63 TU 1231 1.40 SA 2025 1823 0.67 0.50

CopyrightCommonwealth Commonwealth of of Australia Australia 2016, 2016, Bureau Bureau of of Meteorology Meteorology Copyright Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Timesare areininlocal localstandard standardtime time (UTC (UTC +10:00) +10:00) or or daylight daylight savings savings time Times time (UTC (UTC +11:00) +11:00) when whenin ineffect effect New Moon First Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon New Moon First Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon

TU SA 1543 0.67 1923 2239 0.63 1.43

SU 1701 0.69 2000 2335 0.55 1.45

MO 1806 0.68 2033 0.49

31 0253 0841

1.51 0.46 FR 1515 1.59 2107 0.43

Last LastQuarter Quarter

Tide predictions for Port Phillip Heads have been formatted by the National Tidal Centre, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Copyright reserved. All material is supplied in good faith and is believed to be correct. It is supplied on the condition that no warranty is given in relation thereto, that no responsibility or liability for errors or omissions is, or will be, accepted and that the recipient will hold MHL and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology Australia free from all such responsibility or liability and from all loss or damage incurred as a consequence of any error or omission. Predictions should not be used for navigational purposes. Use of these tide predictions will be deemed to include acceptance of the above conditions.

68

JUNE 2018

boats & kayaks proudly presents...

SPECIAL EDITION

106 Bar Crusher 575C versus 615C 108 Sportsman 19 Island Reef with 115hp Yamaha 110 Custom Stacer Outlaw 449 with Mercury 60hp 112 Cruise Craft Explorer 595 114 Revival 590 Cruiser with Mercury 150hp 4-stroke 116 Haines Hunter 585R with Yamaha F200 4-stroke 118 Clark 520 Legend SC with 115 Suzuki 4-stroke 120 Whittley CR2800

JUNE 2018

69

WHAT’S NEW BOATING HAINES SIGNATURE 1 545F

RAYMARINE LIGHTHOUSE 3.4

The new 545F from Haines Signature Boats is aimed squarely at anglers and families.

Measuring 5.45m in length and 2.13m across the beam, the 545F gives you the space to move around freely thanks to its huge open floor plan and a high freeboard for added safety, particularly when it comes to family boating.

The open half cab features windows and bunk cushions with storage underneath, a split dash with walk-through windscreen for easy access to the anchor and a helm console that has room for gauges, controls and state-of-theart electronics up to 12”.

Extra-wide side pockets, a live bait tank and glovebox means there’s plenty of storage space. A 100L fuel tank, four stainless steel rod holders, transom door and a sports steering wheel are just some of the standard inclusions, with plenty of options available.

The 545F is rated to 90–150hp and has a soft and stable ride, and it’s available on a single axle trailer to make towing and launching a breeze.

Price: from $49,990 BMT drive away www.signatureboats.com

Raymarine has announced LightHouse version 3.4, the latest free update to the LightHouse 3 operating system.

Axiom users can now stream entertainment from Netflix and Spotify, as well as access Theyr’s GRIBview precision global weather service app.

LightHouse 3.4 also adds Bluetooth audio output. Connect Axiom’s Bluetooth to your marine stereo system or Bluetooth enabled speakers and enjoy digital audio from your streamed movies and music.

Other features include: Vessel Alarm History and Management; Chartplotter ‘Find Nearest’ Hot-Spotting (use a long-press anywhere on the chart and trigger the ‘Find Nearest’ menu to see points of interest); Chart Tide Mode for tides and currents; fuel management tools; and Network Dimming for MFDs and instruments (one command dims the entire helm).

LightHouse 3.4 is available free at the Raymarine website, or via your MFD’s built-in Wi-Fi if you’re in wireless range. Certain features are available only on Axiom and Axiom Pro. www.raymarine.com

LOWRANCE CASHBACK PROMO

MERCURY’S 6-YEAR 5 WARRANTY

2

Lowrance has announced its latest promotion in Australia and New Zealand.

Up until 31 July 2018, Lowrance is offering up to $500 cash back on each SKU across the entire HDS Carbon range.

The Lowrance HDS Carbon adds a highperformance dual-core processor, multi-touch SolarMAX HD screen, dual channel CHIRP and Network Dual Sounder to the proven features that have made HDS multifunction displays the choice of anglers at all levels. The HDS Carbon series includes 16”, 12”, 9” and 7” models.

Anglers in the market for a want-it-all integrated system need a processor that can smoothly drive the high-tech capabilities of HDS Carbon, like StructureScan 3D with SideScan and DownScan Imaging, new FishReveal, dual channel CHIRP sonar, StructureMap and Broadband Radar support.

HDS Carbon takes processing power to a new level with a dual-core processor that allows anglers to switch between applications and simultaneously view independent sonar feeds with ease. www.lowrance.com

SNAP-LOC ROD HOLDER

3

The Snap-Loc Rod Holder is a unique, onestep, instant strike Rod Holder that’s ideal for general light to medium trolling and bait fishing. It’s versatile and adaptable to any boat or fishing situation. The Universal Rail and Deck Mount Rod Holder offer many different mounting possibilities.

When you place the rod, either spin or baitcast, into the holder, it pushes the front lever down and locks the rear lever over the top of the rod butt. The weight of the rod is sufficient to firmly lock the rod. Any additional downward weight, even the drag of a sinker or lure, locks the rod more securely in place.

Key features include: additional security lock fitted; most combos can be locked on foregrip or rear grip; clip-in insert allows use of very small diameter rod butts; overhead reel stays upright; heavy-duty vertical and horizontal adjustments; heavy-duty lift and rotate lock for total flexibility and precise rod direction control. The rod holder can be quickly removed and fitted to another mount, and its slip-resistant universal rail clamp fits 1 1/4’ (32mm), 1’ (26mm), 3/4’ (23mm), and 1’ square (26mm). It features stainless steel components and is UV, salt and oil resistant. www.jmgillies.com.au 70

JUNE 2018

4

For 2018 Mercury has announced an extended 6-year warranty for all recreational outboards. This covers everything from the lightest 2.5hp model all the way through to 350hp Verado outboards.

To be eligible, simply have your Mercury engine serviced at an Authorised Service Centre at the recommended servicing intervals and you’re covered by an additional 3-year factorybacked warranty, which is on top of the first three years of coverage.

The warranty is non-declining, meaning that the coverage is the same on the last day as it is on the first. The warranty is also fully transferable, meaning that if the outboard is sold during the warranty period, the second (or any subsequent) owner also gets to enjoy the peace of mind of the 3+3 = 6 year factorybacked warranty.

Mercury’s new 3+3 = 6 year warranty automatically applies for new outboards purchased in 2018. The warranty applies to all Verado, FourStroke, OptiMax and TwoStroke outboard engines. www.mercurymarine.com.au

SIMRAD SPECIAL OFFER

PRODUCT GUIDE

1

2

3

4

5

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Simrad has announced its latest deal in Australia, offering a pair of Apex Mako Sunglasses (polycarbonate), valued at RRP$199, with the purchase of any NSS evo3 multifunction display.

Next generation Simrad NSS evo3 multifunction displays feature new SolarMAX HD screens, Dual Channel CHIRP sounder compatibility and an expanded keypad, plus a host of premium features.

The NSS evo3 series include 16, 12, 9 and 7” models. An easy-to-use interface, and support for full operation via touchscreen or keypad ensures trouble-free operation in all weather conditions and while the boat is in motion.

Mako sunglasses produce leading, fashionforward fishing frames catering to those who not only need effective sunglasses but also want to look good wearing them. The Apex is made of tough, warp-resistant TR90 nylon composite material, delivering a light and comfortable feel.

The fit reduces fogging, while rubber inserts in the nose and on the arms reduce slippage.

The offer is available until July 31, 2018. www.simrad-yachting/mako

6

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9

SPECIAL EDITION

MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW FEATURE

Double your fun by doubling up your kayak BRISBANE

Justin Willmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

I affectionately refer to my adventurous parents as the ‘Grey Nomads.’ They travel, fish, camp, 4WD and even in their 70s can regularly be found kayak

dad said he had an idea about fitting out the kayaks for SA. I thought, ‘Here we go…’ The rest, as they say, is history.

So, the plan was to join two kayaks together to make a larger craft and here’s why: my folks had previously travelled to SA caravanning and kayaking with Dad’s

in the water, making them less attractive, while also offering additional stability and structure, should they actually get up close and personal with one of the local sharks.

At first I wasn’t too keen about them building a craft to take on the sharks, however I then thought the chances of

The boys were all smiles when their combined kayak setup proved successful on the water.

A feed of blue swimmer crabs in the rear well after a successful mission. fishing the rivers and estuaries. My dad (Ron) is also a bit of a tinkerer.

He added a hoist to one of their vehicles to lift their kayaks onto the roof, rails to the rear of his kayak along with an electric

brother Neville and his wife Michelle, the four of them paddling Malibu Mini-X kayaks. During a couple of their paddle adventures they came across sharks, including one larger specimen, without incident but enough to open

them actually coming face to face with jaws were pretty minimal, while the project would be fun and they would end up with a cool platform to fish and crab from, if we could come up with a suitable design. Dad and Nev

simpler, so we used Dad’s as a reference point and nutted out a basic plan with two struts across the kayaks – one mounted in front of the paddler’s feet and a second one mounted behind the seat.

Although they wouldn’t be venturing into rough waters, the system for joining the kayaks had to be solid and sturdy, so as not to fail or damage the kayaks, while also being simple and relatively quick to install, lightweight and manageable.

Dad came up with two perfect struts from his shed – nicknamed the ‘shed of death’ because there’s so much treasure (junk) stacked up to the ceiling in there – and we were underway. The struts were actually a couple of lengths of aluminium channel that were left over from when they had solar panels mounted on the roof of their house and they were perfect. Tick that off the build list.

When it comes to

mounting items on the kayak, my go-to mounts and accessories are without doubt Railblaza, so I went and had a dig in my Railblaza crate in the shed, coming up

This would be rock solid once fixed in place on the kayak, and the fishing version of the Mini-X kayak has both the luxury of plenty of flat surface space for

The Railblaza StarPort HD is a solid mount option with an ingenious and simple star insert and sliding lock system. with a StarPort HD mount.

This mount is lightweight, solid, secure, and it mounts across a larger area than the standard StarPort with four bolts rather than two.

mounts, as well as access for mounting via a front and rear hatch.

These are important things to consider when mounting accessories on

The front strut also created a storage platform for the crab nets, making more room for the pilots. motor and steering system, and numerous other mechanical and electronic additions. When I visited them prior to their recent South Australia caravan and kayak adventure, my 72

JUNE 2018

their eyes to the presence of these apex predators.

Dad’s theory was that if they join two kayaks together for crabbing and fishing it would give them the added security of a larger profile

decided to join their kayaks together as they would be venturing further in search of blue swimmer crabs. We figured that both kayaks being the same model should make joining them together

It all looked solid during the initial assembly at home prior to the adventure.

SPECIAL EDITION

MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW FEATURE your kayak: do I have a suitable mounting location?

Can I access the area for mounting? Will it interfere with my paddle or pedal stroke and will it interfere when transporting and storing the kayak?

be added to almost anything you want to attach to your kayak using a StarPort mount.

Job done, these arrived by courier and I passed them onto dad, hoping they would be suitable.

It didn’t take long until the

The Railblaza StarPort HD is a solid mounting point on the kayak.

After a quick call to Jason at Viking Kayaks on the Sunshine Coast I had eight StarPort HD mounts ordered (Part #03-4046-11)

mounts were on the kayaks, the Attachment Adaptors were mounted onto the two aluminium struts and the two kayaks had effectively

separated or joined in minutes by simply sliding the locks on the eight mounts open or closed, then removing or adding the two lightweight but sturdy aluminium struts – a success. We farewelled the Grey Nomads and looked forward to hearing how the double kayak went once they returned.

South Australia is a great place to visit and fish with plenty of kayak-friendly, sheltered waters, unpressured fisheries and shallow, clean waterways. There’s also the snook, KG whiting, salmon, snapper, squid, blue swimmer crabs, razor shells, oysters and plenty more.

Favourite destinations along the way for my folks include Coffin Bay, Streaky Bay and, the location where the double yak had plenty of use, Smoky Bay. The boys said everything went to plan with the double yak and it was almost too

Batteries for the electric motors stowed in the centre hatches and storage for the crab nets on the front strut other kayak under the struts, put the Attachment Adaptors into the StarPort HD mounts on the second kayak and slid the locking switch to lock them in place – ready to adventure.

The test drive went well and the craft was stable. The boys found that they had plenty of working space with the ability to stack their crab nets on the front strut that joined the kayaks. The two motors, one Watersnake 18lb and one Watersnake 24lb, pushed the craft along at a fast walking pace and Dad said one motor would have effectively done the job if the currents weren’t too strong. With crab nets set, the boys had some fun cruising and enjoying the stability of the craft.

When it came time to check the crab nets the boys realised that they again had the benefit of increased

A tasty feed of blue swimmer crabs, destined for sandwiches, Mornay and seafood pizzas session and plans for crab sandwiches, crab mornay and seafood pizzas, along with the squid that the ladies had landed while they were chasing crabs.

A kayak fit-out idea had become a reality, from the idea

even bimini tops. Remember to spend some time exploring what is available from kayak specialists and hardware stores, and spend some time planning your fit-out. The old saying always rings in my ears when I start a fit-out

The struts attached to Ron’s kayak via four mounts, then Nev’s was simply floated under and attached via his four mounts.

– two for the front and two for the rear of each kayak, along with eight Attachment Adaptors (Part #02-404311); this ingenious little star locks into the mount and can

become one super-stable, larger watercraft for fishing, crabbing and exploring. I was pretty impressed with the old bloke’s handiwork.

The two kayaks could be

smooth. They wheeled their kayaks to the water, with the aluminium struts simply laying in the kayak, launched, attached the struts to one kayak, floated the

Michele landing a nice squid – squid were another target species on this adventure.

And they’re off! It was a good day to take the double for a test cruise.

working area and stability, while also having two sets of hands at the ready to sort the crabs and the crabbing equipment. The quality crabbing continued from their previous South Australia adventures, with a couple dozen crabs for the

phase through the planning stages, the construction and finally the field testing. There are so many accessories you can add and fit-out options for your kayak, from seats, coolers, sounders, anchor running rigs and rod holders to sails, outriggers, lighting and

project: measure twice, cut or drill once!

If you keep these few things in mind when planning and implementing fit-out projects, the projects can be almost as fun as getting the kayak on the water to chase a few fish… almost.

JUNE 2018

73

SPECIAL EDITION

MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW FEATURE

It’s a widespread revolution at Stacer Boats BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Stacer Boats have recently seen a revolution at their huge factory, with the alloy manufacturer pulling the covers off a brand new hull design for the 2018 model year.

Coinciding with the release of their Revolution hull design, this progressive Gold Coast company has also reduced the number of models in their 2018 range of boats, which is in many respects a revolution in itself! Whereas some manufacturers strive to increase their presence, Stacer have consolidated

2018 has also seen construction now centring around plate, like smoothed side sheets, with increased bottom and side sheet thickness and fully welded side decks being standard fare within the range. Smoothed (pressings free) side sheets are the modern way of catching the buyer’s eye, and let’s face it – those smooth side sections

The Assault Pro irons out a bit of wind chop. Hold onto your hat! based rigs (along with other newly-upgraded Stacer craft). As luck would have it, the day was a shocker.

There were strong winds and frequent rain squalls –

One thing that did brighten up an otherwise soggy time on the sea was the sheer capability of the craft we had at our disposal. From the little Territory 389 right

blew the rain in under the canopies anyway.

That aside, the sheer enjoyment of driving different boats, assessing handling and performance –

A rainy and bleak day failed to dampen the enjoyment of the Stacer small craft line-up, seen here on the beach at Southport.

In a nutshell, Stacer’s Revolution hull has combined the best features from the maker’s acclaimed Barra and Assault Pro craft, and the company is claiming enhanced performance, increased stability plus other desirable features. The new hull features a more concave

their models to simplify customer choice as well as make life easier for dealers to maintain readily identified yet quite distinct craft in their yards.

Some examples of range consolidation include Stacer’s Crossfire and Nomad, which are now

simply beg for colourful wraps to bring on the bling.

The enhanced 3mm minimum bottom and sides ensure extra rigidity and overall strength, while fully welded side decks conveniently eliminate any gaps along gunwales and top side decks.

The Crossfire range featured the new Revolution hull, and there were plenty of smiles from those aboard the 469, despite the rain. the kind of weather that has you scrambling for your rain jacket. Those attendees who hadn’t brought one just had to grin and bear it. With people coming from as far away as South Australia, the show had to go on, so it was all aboard.

up to the feisty 529 Assault Pro Tournament, with its all grunt 150 Evinrude G2 150, there was fun for all.

A couple of the Stacers with biminis were understandably popular, although it didn’t really matter as the wind

often with near maximum loads aboard – cut through the gloom with ease.

THE 2018 RANGE Territory Stacer’s Territory, which comes in 349, 369 and 389 sizes, remains the maker’s

The 389 Territory with its Striker hull retains the title of Stacer’s ideal car topper. It drives and rides beyond expectations. bottom section, and pressing techniques carried over from the well established Evo hull range which ensure inherent strength. There’s also the addition of a raised chine line.

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offered simply as a newly designed Crossfire; the Seaway and Bay Master, now called the Sea Master; and the Nomad Ranger and Sea Ranger, which have become the Sea Ranger.

ON THE WATER WITH THE 2018 STACER RANGE Stacer arranged a date for boating press reps like myself to inspect and drive some of the new Revolution-

A glance at the well-proportioned Stacer Sea Master 499 reveals the depth of sides, rubber gunwale tops and nice lines.

SPECIAL EDITION

MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW FEATURE cartopper of choice. This year’s models are 160mm deeper, 90mm wider and have welded seats and a steeper deadrise. The timeproven Striker hull remains the build format for the Territory. The bigger 389 model is rated for engines up to 30hp so there’s some performance there as well.

Crossfire In sizes 469, 499, 519, 539 and 569, the new hull shape is a great upgrade for this family fishing favourite.

Standard across the board are increased freeboard, alloy live well with glass window, welded side decks, scupper drainage system, underfloor storage, and

through dash and a flat panel dash section with lip on some models. A factory-fitted drum winch is a popular option for the new Sea Master range.

Wild Rider An entirely new model, the Wild Rider has replaced the Easy Rider range with 499, 519, 539, 589 and 619 sizes now standard. As these

Many of the features in Stacer’s 2018 range can be seen in this shot of the Wild Rider 539 at rest. Note the full height transom, high sides offering plenty of freeboard, and the great proportions of this rig as a whole.

The Wild Rider 619 proved to be a bowrider with bite; there’s 200 horses on the transom there.

Assault Pro The Assault Pro Tournament is the big news in Stacer’s competition-style craft. These rigs feature the new Revolution style hull along with options for dual consoles and expanded live wells (80L), as well as over 30 other options!

Sizes are from 469/509/529 to suit any budget. All come with a 50L live well, rod lockers, extendable front and rear cast platforms, lockable

options for side or centre console drive systems. Drum winches are offered for all versions, including the new fishing iteration, called the CrossFisher. This model sports a raised front platform with space for a 100L icebox under it, a lockable rod locker and extra large transom.

Sea Master In sizes 429, 449, 469, 499 and 519, the new Revolution hull is also standard in this handy-sized runabout with its bucket

are larger craft, the option list is also expanded to take in over 50 different items.

The seven person 619 I drove was equipped with a bimini and envelope which were, fortunately, now standard along with the Revo hull, a drop nose, very smooth rolled side decks, fully welded sheets, 3mm topsides, 4mm bottoms, and concealed anchor well under the bowrider front cushioning. It also has increased underfloor storage

transom, the Wild Rider was a bowrider with bite, being seriously fast and just plain fun to drive.

Sea Ranger The Sea Ranger stays with the Evo Advance hull but now offers buyers additional sizes. In the side console range there are 499, 529 and 559 models, with

With over 40 items on the options list, the Sea Ranger is a serious offshore rig with credentials to match.

Ocean Ranger These are the big hitters in the Stacer range of offshore craft. The are available in both soft top, hard top and centre cab styles, with all three variants gracing the

station with enclosed storage is also a useful option.

All Ocean Rangers feature self-draining floors – a useful feature for offshore work and the clean-up afterwards.

SUMMING UP So that’s the rundown on the new Stacer lineup. In many respects it is

With the rain temporarily eased off it was time to open the 150 Gen2 E-Tec’s taps to see what the Assault Pro could do.

Stacer’s range of Revolution-based rigs exhibit higher and flatter sides, along with bucket loads of bling. hatches and standard thruster brackets.

The 520 Assault Pro was a big favourite on the press day, with the 150 H.O. Evinrude G2 E-Tec really turning heads and treating the occupants to some eye-watering, high speed rain in the face!

pedestal seats up front, and wide bench aft. Sea Masters all feature the standard smooth sides, along with 3mm topsides, rubber gunwale extremities, welded side decks, carpeted floor, storage under the floor as well as under the dash, and a stainless ladder aft. There’s also a step-

space. This big bow rider pretty much has the lot, with everything from a sound system to a recessed ski locker. An optional Angler Pack provides a live well and an aft seating set-up that converts into a useful casting platform. With a 200 Evinrude G2 on the

centre console rigs available in 499, 529, 559, 659 and 709 sizes. New standard features are 4mm bottom and sides on the 449-559 models, 5mm bottoms, 4mm sides on 659-709 with fully welded floors and casting platforms also standard. A self-draining floor with scuppers makes sense on an offshore rig of this quality, as does a raised front cast platform able to conceal a 100L icebox. The Sea Ranger’s big kill tank drains straight overboard, which is useful, and welded rod holders come standard.

There’s also a glass-sided live well along with big cockpit side pockets.

boat yards in 589, 609, 659, 709 and 759 sizes.

Interestingly, all cabins are the same size in all models. These Stacers also come with a strike chair with swivel backrest, swept gunwale, windscreen wipers, optional electric toilet and over 30 other options. It was good to note that the hard top features carpet lining overhead.

An Expedition Version (709/759) is part of the package, and these are built with extended hard tops over enlarged cabins with lockable doors, electric toilets, plus a bow mount plate up front. An aft bait

indeed a revolution, with the introduction of a brand new hull and a swag of new features across the range, from the smallest car toppers right through to the largest of their offshore trailer boats. Unfortunately, press days are always busy events, and between dodging rain squalls and moving between boats for assessment, it wasn’t possible to compile enough notes and photos for a thorough report on any one rig. However, I’m looking forward to reviewing some selected models from Stacer’s new range later this year.

JUNE 2018

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The world’s easiest fish finder?

It was announced as ‘the world’s easiest fish finder’, which is a big claim to make.

Given that marine technology is advancing at an incredible rate, ease of use is something that can often be missed with some complex features becoming available of recent times.

The Lowrance Hook2, with its additional features, needed to tie high-end specs with ease of use. Has the Hook2 achieved that?

Available in wide range different options, the Lowrance Hook2 comes in five different screen sizes, 4, 5, 7, 9 and 12”. Depending on the size screen you pick, the units are also available with three different sonar capabilities – Bullet offers traditional sonar with a GPS Plotter, SplitShot, which offers DownScan and Sonar with GPS mapping. Lastly the TripleShot which offers, SideScan, DownScan and Sonar with GPS mapping. So basically, there are plenty of options! For me, I went with a Hook2 9” TripleShot unit, which I mounted into a kayak.

When it came to the installation, I had it all set up within about 30 minutes. It was simple. There are two cables, one goes to a battery and one goes to the transducer. Both plug into the back of the sounder unit and it’s done! For the kayak,

It’s a great feeling when you can see the fish on the sounder and then catch them!

I went with a 12amp battery and mounted the transducer off an arm screwed into the rear of the kayak.

The first thing I noticed upon turning the unit on was that the menu is incredibly simple to understand. If you have used a smart phone, it’s much the same. The HDS units also offer a similar set up, which is what it initially reminded me of.

I’m used to touch screen, and I have been using a touch screen sounder for a few years now. One of my concerns was if it would be easy enough to navigate around with the use of buttons. The intuitive layout of the menu meant that it was easy and you didn’t have to scroll through a large list of items either, which is a pet hate of mine.

My first trip out with this sounder was an eye opener.

Hooked up on the kayak, I fished an area I had fished plenty of times in the past, but never with a sounder. I took this opportunity to sound around looking for structure that I had not seen or fished before. Using the SideScan, I found a small boat wreck and then proceeded to catch a number of bass off it. I was sold at that point. I had caught fish that I definitely would not have targeted without it. I ran my settings on auto out of the box. It provided me with clear definition on side, down

These fish were showing predominantly to the right side of the kayak, so the author knew exactly where to cast.

Just plug and play!

Two plugs in and away you go. Simple and easy!

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JUNE 2018

The Hook2 made finding schooled fish a breeze.

and standard sonar. All I changed was the colour palette.

I was able to customize my screen to show exactly what I wanted too, such as the size and layout of each panel, depth, temperature, time, speed. It can be configured to personal tastes, which is great!

So what’s it worth? The Hook2 price range started from $159 for the 4” version. I did a comparison of other similar spec units of a range of brands and the Hook2 came in best at price and features. There’s no other sounder out there under $1,000 that can do what these can!

My favourite thing about this sounder is that it is just easy.

Easy to install, the settings can be left on auto. Basically, you don’t need a degree to run it! When I take my kayak out, it’s usually a spur of the moment decision to have a quick flick.

The last thing I want to worry about is taking time to set up my sounder. The Hook2 is perfect for this scenario, and the more I use it, the more I enjoy it. I could go on about how good it is, but at the end of the day, you have to see for yourself! Get down to your local boating store and have a play with one.

They are going to be a very popular addition to the Lowrance stable. A sounder that combines, usability, with high-end technology, what’s not to love!

For more information on the new Hook2 range, or anything else from the Lowrance stable, visit ww2.lowrance.com/en-au.

- Nabeel Issa

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SPECIAL EDITION

MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW FEATURE

Mercury’s 4.6 litre 4-strokes from 200 to 300HP FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

You will have read earlier in the year about the big Mercury launch Fishing Monthly attended in Miami, Florida. At that time, the American outboard giant released a naturally aspirated 4-stroke outboard platform with large capacity (3.4L), abundant mid-range torque and fantastic efficiency in a package whose looks divided customers. Some loved it and some were a little standoffish when asked what they thought about the futuristic design.

Fast forward a couple of months and it’s like déjà vu, only this time on the Gold Coast in Queensland and in conjunction with the Australian, New Zealand and South Pacific region Mercury Dealer Conference.

Mercury were very serious about keeping this

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Top: If the AMS (Advanced Mid Section) of the Verado was made of glass, this is what you’d see - latest technology balancing to reduce noise, vibration and harshness and integrated power steering. All AMS is silver, so you can pick a Verado build from a mile away. Below: Here’s where the power is generated. The 4.6L V-8 builds upon the 3.4L platform with two extra cylinders in the 4-valves-per-cylinder, double overhead cam design. Importantly, there’s no service required for the life of the valve train, keeping costs down.

JUNE 2018

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1: At the initial launch of the modern design of the 3.4L in Florida, there was divided opinion about the styling.

Fast forward to the Aussie launch and everyone now loves the shape. But they love the performance even more. 2: Just like their smaller brothers, the new V-8 4-stroke Mercurys are available in black or white. Any of them with this silver mid section (called AMS or Advanced Mid Section) is a Verado iteration. These will replace the current 200-300HP L6 Verado line-up. 3: In the USA, saltwater boats usually run the white motors and the freshwater dudes choose the black. Both colours are available in the standard range and they all can be fitted with the custom colour panels, just like the V-6 3.4L models. 4: Usually, Mercury designs a motor and then beefs it up to become a commercial workhorse Sea Pro version. In the V-8 design process, Mercury started at the SeaPro and then worked down to the recreational models. This means that their DNA is tough! product under wraps until the 18 May embargo date. At the launch event for the dealers, mobile phones and cameras were banned!

Media were allowed a little more flexibility, but I wouldn’t want to be the guy who broke the official embargo date. So here’s some news that we’ve been sitting on for nearly a month!

Mercury have built upon – literally – their 3.4L platform and have now released an 8-cylinder version of the 6-cylinder technology.

Displacing 4.6L and massively lighter than the L6 Verado lineup, there was no reason to keep any of the original Verado 200-300HP engines in the range – as well as the entire direct injection OptiMax 2-stroke outboards. All of these will now cease to be available after stocks run out.

The same way the 3.4L

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performs when you punch the throttle down – Mercury have packed in more torque throughout the rev range, particularly in the mid-range, which is the part of the curve where you’re pushing your rig up and onto the plane.

On the dealer test day, everyone was talking about how, irrespective of the load carried, these motors threw the craft up and onto the plane.

Turning the capacity into horsepower is the four valveper-cylinder, dual overhead cam design. And as with all modern Mercury platforms, they are designed to require no valve train servicing for the life of the engine. That’s one of the main reasons that these four strokes will be cheaper to service than ever before.

VARIOUS VERSIONS On paper, there seems to be many iterations of the platform to suit all of the market segments that these motors will service.

VP of Sales, Randy Caruana, explained one of the differences in design.

Now there’s a twin rig with a whopping 9.2L of displacement. This Southern Formula is right at home in its natural environment - the ocean. And at the dock, you can push a button on the VesselView and open an exhaust port to make these Verados sound just like the V-8s that they are. Boat porn excellence.

Pro XS isn’t just for bass boats. It’s for anyone who wants lighter weight, better hole shot and optimum performance at a small price premium.

killed the L4 Verados, this 4.6L platform has killed the bigger OptiMax and smaller L6 Verado outboards.

Forever.

Let’s take a few steps back, though, and recap the benefits of this platform, as it shares so much with its 3.4L siblings.

UNDER THE HOOD There’s a saying in boating – and in fact for most engines – “there’s no replacement for displacement”. By now, you’d have deduced that these V-8s have a 4.6L capacity.

How does that compare with the models they are making obsolete? Well, the 200-250HP OptiMax were a 3.0L engine and the supercharged Verados only 2.6L. Where you feel the difference is how the motor

“Previously, we’d created a platform and then derived a commercial grade SeaPro model for the commercial market. In this case, we designed the commercial motor first and then created the recreational derivatives,” he said.

The V-8 4.6L motors will be available in 250 and 300hp in a CMS (conventional mid section), or AMS (advanced mid section which will be the new Verados). The Pro XS models will span 175 to 300hp where the 175hp is a V-6 3.4L and 200, 225, 250 and 300 are the V-8 4.6L. The cool thing is that no matter whether you are re-powering from a OptiMax or Verado with cable, hydraulic or electro-hydraulic steering, all current versions of

SPECIAL EDITION

MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW FEATURE Mercury compatible steering will work with these motors.

Keeping your current steering and SmartCraft gauges will help keep your repower costs down. A lot.

LIGHT WEIGHT One of the first questions on everyone’s lips after the unveiling was about weight.

To really be competitive in the smaller boat marketplace,

were taken on a ride by Kris ‘Captain Risky’ Hickson in a 225HP Pro XS version on his 19ft bass boat, unanimously stepped out of the boat with the same windswept smile.

“That guy knows how to drive a boat,” was usually followed by, “that torque just pushed me back into the seat.”

And these were experienced boat dealers.

The V8 package is surprising light weight and compact. This 225 Pro XS weighs in at the same weight as the V6 it replaces. And it plugs straight into your current Mercury rigging - whether you run Verado or OptiMax.

Dealers in particular love the cowling access panel. You can check and fill the oil from here and also remove the cowling with a one-pull handle.

It beats hanging over the back of the boat if you’re trying to do this with the boat on-water. it needed to be significantly lighter than the L6 Verados they were replacing.

The answer was greeted by silence and nodding of heads. The 4.6L weighs in exactly the same as the lightest of the motors it replaces. A 250 ProXS 4.6L weighs the same as an OptiMax 250 Pro XS at 229kg.

Wow. “We’ve had some of the professional bass anglers running these motors on Lake X in Florida recently and they all had just one question – ‘when can I get one?’” said the Mercury Professor, Robin Senger while detailing the performance advantages of the ProXS platform in his Fishing Monthly video interview (scan the QR code hereby on your smartphone to watch it).

A CMS 250 4.6L is a staggering 49kg lighter than an L6 Verado of the same horsepower.

That’s a performance increase equivalent to chucking a small adult (or large child) off the back of the boat - permanently.

IMPRESSIVE TORQUE When I was reporting on the 3.4L 175-225HP platform earlier in the year, I said that they “delivered the same hole shot and ‘sit down’ style punch in the 2,000 – 4,000rpm range that makes you smile and giggle.”

Well, add another 1.2L of displacement for an extra 14kg of weight and it only strengthened my opinion.

Interviewing dealers who

EXCELLENT ECONOMY Kris himself admitted he was still getting used to the lack of weight on the transom but marvelled at the economy improvements over his

means that I can go father with less pain at the fuel pump.

Watch out New Zealand,” he exclaimed.

You can see both of their interviews by scanning the QR codes on this page.

AMS, ASC, ARO If you’re researching this new motor platform, there’s a few acronyms that you’ll need to know. Lots of it is the same technology that we reported on in the 3.4L, but let’s recap.

ASC: Adaptive Speed Control. This is a paradigm shift where the throttle governs the RPM of the engine rather than the amount of fuel delivered. It means that if you set it to 3,000 rpm, it’ll automatically add or subtract throttle to keep the motor at 3,000 rpm.

When you turn a corner, you usually have to add throttle yourself to keep revs high. ASC does this for you and improved

Do you love it or hate the look of it? Starting down a 4.6L V-8 ProXS in the wild. current Verado Pro 225.

“I’d use around 113 litres per hour at wide open throttle, but I’d struggle to use over 80 with this motor,” Kris remarked.

He went on to mention that the lack of weight in the rear end meant that he could now fish shallower water and access areas that he’d been unable to with the L6 Verado.

Al McGlashan had similar feedback. He’s been running a pre-production V-8 for a little while now and has spent more time running them than anyone else on the test day.

“I’m excited by the extra range that I get. This motor uses 20% less fuel than my L6 Verado and to me, that

share this ability and the inspection hatch is on all models in the platform.

SOUNDS LIKE A V-8 Lastly, I’m sure that you’re wondering if these motors actually sound like a V-8?

Well, they do and they don’t. Apart from the mean, V-8-sounding Pro XS versions, the exhaust is geared for quietness over turning heads at the ramp.

But if you have a Verado version, there’s a sneaky button that you can push on your Vessel View that opens one of the exhaust ports and most definitely created that distinctive V-8 tone.

That will turn heads… and it automatically kicks back into

Gun ABT angler, Kris Hickson from Manning River Marine, wore a 4.6L for the launch week. I’m pretty sure that he doesn’t want to take it off. The Pro XS weighs the same as the OptiMax model it replaces and a whopping 60kg less then the L6 Verado that he usually runs. He also reported over 20% less fuel used at WOT. the driving experience.

AMS: Advanced Mid Section. This is the part of the outboard between the powerhead and the gearbox.

AMS is what turned a supercharged 2.6L Verado into a smooth, whisperquiet outboard.

AMS in all of the 4.6L outboards is silver. Whether the motor is black or white, a silver mid section means that it’s a Verado. And it means that the noise, vibration and harshness of the powerplant is at a minimum.

ARO: Advanced Range Optimisation. Mercury’s Chief Technology Officer, David Foulkes, explained this to me in Florida at the 3.4L launch.

“Basically we have an algorithm that works out which area of the rpm versus engine load we could change for the benefit of fuel economy, and we wanted to apply that in as

wide a range as we possible can so that you get the biggest benefit,” David explained.

“The secret is, however, to be able to switch between the standard mode and a leaner air-fuel mixture mode and for the customer to never know that they’ve made the switch. We’ve patented a series of algorithms to make that customer experience exceptional.”

It means that these motors share the exceptional fuel economy of the 3.4L platform.

SNEAKY COWL HATCH How’s this for unique? The ability to remove a cowling with a handle and a single unlatch point is innovative.

Add to that a point to check and fill the oil under the same lid and you have a point of difference that users will really appreciate.

Owners of the V-8s will

‘quiet mode’ at a pre-set rpm.

It’s audio-bling at the push of a button.

AVAILABILITY Released after the 3.4L platform, expect these engines to be in-country from July onwards.

Demand will obviously be high initially, so Mercury’s Nicholas Webb gave some advice to customers who want the latest technology first.

“Put an order in with your Mercury dealer as soon as you can. Supply will improve over time, but your Mercury dealer is the key to earlier supply,” Nicholas said.

So how did I enjoy my first V-8 motor launch experience?

Fantastic! It’s an exciting time to be involved in the industry with lighter, faster, quieter and more technically advanced motors than ever before.

As a customer, it doesn’t get any better than that.

MORE INFORMATION ONLINE

Steve Morgan tests the new Mercury 4.6 litre V-8s at the Australian dealer and media launch on the Gold Coast.

Al McGlashan has put more hours on the new V-8 than any other Australian media after running one in secret recently. Hear his views on the motor here.

“Professor Mercury”, Robin Senger, explains the differences between a standard mercury 4.6L 4-stroke and the Pro XS platform.

It wouldn’t be a V-8 Pro XS if Kris Hickson wasn’t running one. Hear what ‘Captain Risky’ thinks about his time in charge of the 225 Pro XS. JUNE 2018

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KRIS OAKLEY MARINE – THE GOLD STANDARD Amongst all the boat and marine dealers in Melbourne is a marine service business setting the standards for others to follow. Kris Oakley Marine in Dandenong South has a reputation of setting the highest standards and for quality work that sees this business continue to grow each year.

I had the opportunity on a recent visit to Melbourne to catch up with Kris Oakley himself and find out what drives him to be the best is his field and to maintain his Suzuki Marine Gold Service status.

Although Kris Oakley Marine has the ability to service any brand of outboard motor, Kris has always favoured the Suzuki brand and has focused his business around it. I had to know why Suzuki? Kris instantly had a smile on his face and then explained that it is a culmination of factors.

First and foremost is the quality of the technology and the constant drive to improve that the Japanese brand has.

Only a small team of three, but you can trust the experience and expertise of the crew of Kris Oakley Marine.

GOLD SERVICE DEALER

The main business for Kris Oakley Marine is servicing and re-powering.

“We are not about trying to sell a boat, motor and trailer package, we are about ensuring that the correct motor in good working order is on your boat and that all other factors are covered to ensure hassle free day enjoying our waterways is had,” he said.

An annual boat service with Kris not only consists of a service of the motor, but a full inspection report on the trailer, batteries and boat accessories. This attention to detail and quality has resulted in Kris Oakley Marine receiving Suzuki Marine’s highest service rating as a ‘Gold Service Dealer’. They are one of only two in Australia.

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Kris Oakley Marine is the preferred service provider and advisor to the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard in Victoria.

The example he gave was the 175hp – 140hp Suzuki range: exceptional power to weight ratio and the offset driveshaft is innovation at its best.

Secondly is the reliability of the motors. Kris fits and maintains Suzuki outboard motors on a number of Victorian Coast Guard and Water Police vessels. He explained that the ultimate test for any outboard is to use them in a commercial environment.

“Between the vessels they have accumulated over 15,000 hours running time over a ten year period,” Kris said. “In that time there has not been one major failure with the motors that has caused the vessels to be off the water.”

Kris puts this reliability down to the quality of the Suzuki outboards, service scheduling, preventative maintenance and using genuine parts and oils.

This also translates across to the recreation sector.

“We find that if our customers do the 100 hour or the 12 month Suzuki service schedule and follow our service

Kris Oakley Marine has been recognised for their service standards by Suzuki Marine, rating them as a Gold Service Dealer, one of only two in Australia.

and preventative maintenance plans, they get the same results, with reliable and trouble-free boating the end result,” he said. Kris has built his business around this and has numerous testimonials from organisations like the Volunteer Coast Guard and the Victorian Water Police, on the quality of his work and the service they provide.

Preferred Service provider As mentioned Kris Oakley Marine is the preferred provider for the Carrum, St Kilda, Werribee, Frankston and Hastings Coast Guard stations as well as the Suzuki powered Water Police vessel, that patrol Port Phillip Bay and Western Port Bay.

Kris has based his business around the quality, innovation and performance that Suzuki Outboards offer.

His other key client is Melbourne boat builder Bar Crusher boats, who he shares a building with. He does all of their engine fit-outs and pre-purchase checks for their clients.

“Bar Crusher has been a great association for us.

Peter and Warren Cleland are great businessmen, build quality boats and I appreciate not only their business, but the knowledge they have passed on to me over the years,” he said.

No doubt some of their success can be contributed to the hard work Kris and the team have done fitting motors to their boats.

If you are looking at a new Suzuki and have one that you want Kris and his to look after for you, you can contact them on (03) 9794 5524 or check out their website www. krisoakleymarine.com.au or drop in and visit him at the business at 5 Quality Drive, Dandenong South.

If you are wondering around the Melbourne Boat Show, you can also catch up with him at the Bar Crusher stand at number C4. He is always happy to answer any questions or point you in the right direction. – Peter Jung

Never has a centre console created so much buzz. The new Haines Signature 788SF is a true offshore sports fishing boat that can get you out and back, even in the most unpredictable conditions. And did we mention it’s legally trailerable?

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SPECIAL EDITION

MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW FEATURE

58th Melbourne Boat Show is set to go off!

Now in its 58th year, the Melbourne Boat Show is one of the biggest events on the calendar for keen boaties and fishers alike.

This year’s show will be on the weekend of 28 June to 1 July at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, and is set to be bigger and better than ever before.

Despite being based in Queensland, Fishing Monthly love getting down to the show each year and being the first to see some of the newest boats on the market, because we’re as keen as you are about life on the water!

With over 21,000 visitors expected to attend this year, the show will enjoy a Thursday to Sunday window, and with

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Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre 28 June - 1 July 2018 Thursday, 28 June 10.00am – 8.00pm Friday, 29 June 10.00am – 8.00pm Saturday, 30 June 10.00am – 8.00pm Sunday, 1 July 10.00am – 6.00pm

around 120 exhibitors expected to take part in the show, you might well need that time to see them all.

Each year, there are quality products and services from all sorts of exhibitors at the show, but Fishing Monthly has some firm favourites that just seem to go above and beyond expectation every year.

First up, we recommend you get down and take a look at the Mercury Marine stand. With recent additions to the Pro XS range, the introduction of V6 4-strokes and lightweight EFI 4-strokes, some fantastic warranty deals, and so much more, these space age gadgets need to be seen to be believed. Make sure you take a wander

SPECIAL EDITION

MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW FEATURE through this Mercury display of Bunningssized proportions!

In the last few year, Melbourne Marine Centre have introduced Australia to some pretty amazing rigs from overseas, and there’ll be plenty of amazing boats to feast the eyes at this year’s show! See some of the great innovations from the Bulls Bay Boats and Pioneer Boats from the US, some proud Aussie favourites from Northbank Fibreglass Boats and Stacer Aluminium Boats, and much, much more!

Hobie Cat Asia Pacific has always got some interesting and innovative designs to

showcase, and not just for the kayakers!

Hobie have products for stand-up paddle boarders, pedalboarders, and some fantastic accessories that can be used in and out of the kayak. Make sure you stroll through the Hobie area and make the most of their interactive displays.

The Hard Korr Lighting stand will definitely attract plenty of attention with their range of boat lighting that is now available. If you’re looking for some lighting solutions, make sure you check out what they have on offer – they’re some of the most powerful lights on the market,

and offer some of the best value for money!

If you want to see just how luxurious a boat can be, and how much power you can put on the back of it, you must check out Harris Pontoons Australia. They offer a range of pontoon boats suited to… just chilling out! That is until you get one onto the plane. They really are out of this world,

so make sure you give them a visit!

So there you have it – some of Fishing Monthly’s favourites at the Melbourne Boat Show. But this list doesn’t even scratch the surface! The only way to see what you’re missing is to head on to the Melbourne Convention Centre and Exhibition Centre and see it all for yourself! – FMG

VICTORIA’S Home of

NEW MODEL – 1550

Contact MY Marine 03·5987 0900 Cnr Nepean Hwy & Ponderosa Pl, Dromana

www.mymarine.com.au JUNE 2018

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SPECIAL EDITION

MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW FEATURE BAR CRUSHER BOATS STAND NUMBER C4

other manufacturers charge as extras), every Bar Crusher boat is factory-packaged on a custom-designed trailer, which ensures towing, launching and retrieving is a breeze.

Self-centering and aligning perfectly every time, Bar Crusher’s innovative Bar Catch® system also allows for single-handed launch and retrieve.

Whether you’re a first-time boat buyer or have owned 10 boats and you’re looking for your next one, drop by and say g’day to the team and pick-up a copy of Bar Crusher’s boat buyer’s guide to assist with your research.

For more information, visit www.

barcrusher.com.au.

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

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BAR CRUSHER BOATS

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Just as the MCG is the home ground of the mighty Richmond Tigers, the Melbourne Boat Show is the home show of Bar Crusher, where they always see a strong presence from the iconic Aussie fishing boat brand.

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

Expected to take centre stage at the Melbourne Boat Show is Bar Crusher’s 615BR, which was launched at last year’s event. Pulling triple duty as the ultimate family boat, fishing boat and sports boat, the 615BR is a dual-console bowrider design, with a walk-through windscreen providing access to a comfortable forward lounge that quickly converts to a large and functional casting platform. The fold-away rear lounge, interchangeable baitboard/skipole and other innovative features make it a truly versatile boat – whether it’s towing the kids around in a ski biscuit or waterskiing with friends on the river, casting lures for bream on the Gippsland Lakes or chasing snapper on Port

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

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

Extensive testing by Bar Crusher’s R&D team has proved the 490, 535, 575 and 615

receive significant performance benefit from the next-generation hull design, with the larger 670, 730 and 780 models continuing to be built on Bar Crusher’s high-performance deep-V hull.

Renowned for quality construction, superior performance and maximum fishability (with a range of standard features

Don’t miss Boats & More’s stand at this year’s Melbourne Boat Show! Not only will there be a great range of fishing boats, ski boats and Seadoo’s on display, but you will also have the chance to win your choice of either a Garmin Striker

innovative and functional ski boats for over 40 years.

There will also be two Seadoos on display including the GTR 230 and the top of the line RXT 300. There will be some fantastic deals to be had on the full range of Seadoos.

There will be a range of Suzuki and Mercury portable engines on display. These will be available to purchase with a portable engine trolley, making them easy to transport home from the show.

A full range range of Mercury, Suzuki, Evinrude and Seadoo products are available from Boats & More. They are also at

BOATS AND MORE STAND NUMBER E9

Plus 9SV Fish Finder valued at $899 or a Liquidforce Trip 142 Wakeboard with Trip boots, valued at $849 simply by visiting the stand.

On the aluminium side of things there will be a huge range of Clark boats on display including the Cod Catcher SC and Tiller, Bay Hunter, Fishmaster SC, Dominator, Sunseeker and Legend models.

There is sure to be a boat in the Clark range to suit any fisher’s needs.

There will also be a range of Anglapro boats on display including the Sniper, Getaway and Outlaw models. The Anglapro boats are built tough with their XCore construction.

On the fibreglass side of things, there will be a range of Haines Hunter boats on display including the 565 Offshore at an unbelievable price and the 625 Offshore Hard Top. For the first time, Boats & More will be displaying the full range of the Australianbuilt and highly regarded Camero Ski Boats.

On display will be the Legend, Vision 21i, Vision 21v and CRX22 models. Camero boats have been building Australia’s most

Compleat Angler, which have stores in both Shepparton and Echuca.

Be sure to see the friendly team at Boats & More. They are sure to be able to tailor a package just for you.

For more information, visit www.

boatsandmore.com.au.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••

EVINRUDE •••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Evinrude will have a huge range of their latest outboards on display at the 2018 Melbourne International Boat Show – and its one not to be missed with an exclusive offer for boat show customers.

Make sure you pay a visit to your local Evinrude dealer during the show to have access to an Australian-first offer when you purchase a new Evinrude.

Cranbourne Boating Centre will have the latest Evinrude engines on display suitable for multiple transoms and JV Marine World will also be displaying a range of Evinrude models as well as Quintrex BMT (boat, motor, trailer) packages.

Evinrude National Account Manager Jason Draeger said he couldn’t yet reveal the promotion they had secured for Melbourne Boat Show customers.

“It is a huge offer which I don’t think has ever been available for Australian customers before and we are excited to launch it at the show. It will be an exclusive offer during boat shows only for a very limited time, so there has never been a better time to buy,” he said.

“There will also be a range of Evinrude To page 86

JUNE 2018

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MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW FEATURE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ••••

JV MARINE WORLD

From page 84

ETEC and G2 outboards on display which we are happy to say meet all Australian emission regulations.”

According to the new Australian exhaust emissions standards, only clean-technology outdoor power equipment and marine engines can be supplied to the Australian market after 1 July, 2019. Evinrude direct injection two-stroke engines meet these new regulations with all engines sold today.

Evinrude E-TEC G2 outboard engines actually have the lowest total exhaust emissions of all combustion outboard engines and are the most fuel efficient marine engines available.

They consume up to 20% less fuel and produce up to 30% more torque than competitive outboard engines, while providing the most effortless user experience

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ••••

The biggest stand at the Melbourne Boat Show will once again belong to JV Marine World.

JV MARINE WORLD STAND NUMBER D7

in the industry.

For more information on the complete Evinrude range visit www.evinrude.com.au or contact your local Evinrude dealer.

EVINRUDE STAND NUMBER VARIOUS

They will be displaying a monster range of Quintrex boats (Australia’s number one selling boat brand) to suit all applications.

From open tinnies, side consoles, bow riders, runabouts, cabin boats and offshore fishing boats all at unbeatable prices. The new release Apex Hull range will be on display as well as the new release Yellowfin 5800 Hard Top for the avid offshore fishers looking to take on all conditions. If you are yet to see the new Apex Hull design, make sure you get over to the JV stand. It has more

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stability, internal storage and larger casting platforms. Apex have taken aluminium boat construction to a whole new level.

Need a new outboard? JV is especially excited for this year’s Boatshow having just joined forces with Mercury Outboards.

To page 88

JUNE 2018

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SPECIAL EDITION

MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW FEATURE From page 86

The new V6 range of 175hp, 200hp and 225hp Mercury motors will be on display for the first time in Australia! The new 3.4L V6 range are the lightest and most powerful 4-strokes on the market in this horsepower range!

Anyone looking for the power and torque of the Direct Injection Evinrude ETEC outboards, JV Marine will have a great range on display, including the ground

breaking G2 outboards!

In fibreglass boats they are taking the largest range of Revival boats to the show than ever before. Made in Melbourne to suit southern waterways, these boats have taken huge strides forward in their design and construction, and are still one of the most affordable boats on the market.

This year’s show will see the release of the 590 Bow Rider and a 530 Cuddy. There will be cruisers in the 590 and 640 range.

And the always popular 525, 580 and 640 Fisherman models will be on display.

For those who like to go fast there will be the Kawasaki Jetski range and the American made Four Winns Bow Riders.

For the best deals in boating make sure you visit Australia’s largest boating retailer JV Marine World. www.

For more info, visit

jvmarine.com.au.

stability at rest, and additional lifting to assist with faster planning times.

They will have the new Sea Master, Cross Fire, Wild Rider and Assault Pro on display along with Outlaws, Prolines and Rangers.

As always, the popular Northbank boats will have great presentation at this year’s show again. They will have some new features on display fitted to the boats this year showcasing Northbank’s and MMC’s continued improvements in refining the boats to meet customer demands. Both Northbank and MMC are only too happy to speak with potential customers and help them build their forever boat.

MY MARINE STAND NUMBER D15

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MY MARINE

The two boats to make sure you check out at the show are the 600C and 650HT. Patrick Dangerfield will also be in at the show on the stand giving a hand on Saturday, so drop by and grab an autograph or selfie with one of the leading players in the AFL today.

They will also have some fantastic deals going on Mercury 4-stroke outboards. So if it’s a repower you need, make sure you come and see the team at MMC. Mercury have certainly improved their larger HP engines with the release of the new game changing V6 and V8 4-stroke outboards and we will have them on display on our boats at the show.

The all-new 1550 Frontier is the complete package for a fisho who wants the best in a side console fishing machine.

Measuring at 15.5ft (4.7m) makes the 1550 Frontier an easy-to-handle sized boat no matter the occasion. Boasting a full complement of features like 80L fuel tank, casting deck, live bait tank, front electric motor bracket, 3 Shimano tackle boxes makes the 1550 Frontier unparalleled in the sub 5m boat market.

POLYCRAFT

Boat shows are a great way to check out the latest and greatest fishing and boating products all under one roof, with boats, motors, associated electronics and gear all represented and on display.

• • • • • •••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • •

MELBOURNE MARINE CENTRE

• • • • • •••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • •

Melbourne Marine Centre will have on display a great range of boats from Stacer, Northbank and Pioneer, all powered by Mercury Outboards.

Winning 2018 Stacer Vic/Tas Dealer of the Year has been very positive for MMC, and recognition that they were proud to receive. They will have the new models from Stacer on display, which feature the new Revolution Hull.

The new Revolution Hull features a concave V at the bow that maintains its aggressive shape through the length of the boat. This has improved the performance of the hull making it softer riding and drier when underway. The BIG reverse chines on the outside of the hull provide exceptional

They are also working with the guys from Salt Guide, Aaron Habgood and Gawaine Blake. They will have a site within the MMC stand promoting their online tutorial website, Salt Guide, along with some apparel from Patrick Dangerfield’s Reel Brand. www.

For more info, visit

The perfect boat for Victorian bays and waterways, and for light offshore work, the full range of Stabicraft hard tops 1850SC to 2400SC and runabouts will be on display.

Surtees brings us the 750 Game Fisher with twins – the range of hard tops and folding roof models, which is an Australian

So if you’re in the market for a new boat then it makes sense to check out what is on offer at this year’s Melbourne boat show.

Victorians love their boating almost as much as they love their footy, and Polycraft has an ever growing list of Victorian Polycraft owners enjoying the unique benefits of our soft riding and easy to maintain range of boats.

Polycraft boats can be found on the Aussie Boat Sales stand at the show, with models ranging from 3m to 5.3m as well as company representatives to help with inquiries.

AUSSIE BOAT SALES STAND NUMBER E14

melbournemarine.com.au.

MELBOURNE MARINE CENTRE STAND C7

first. We will see the much awaited all new Surtees 5.4 HARD along with the popular Surtees ‘Built To Fish’ range.

The all new luxury Parker range of cruisers and runabouts will also be on display.

For more info, visit www.

mymarine.com.au.

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JUNE 2018

ABS is basically a one stop shop for anything boating related and as the Melbourne Metro dealer for Polycraft boats, stock a range of these super tough iconic Aussie built boats at their Williamstown premises.

Also there is a chance to win a Polycraft To page 90

WINTER TIME =

TUNA TIME Arm yourself with the ultimate

!

Ready for action now at Bar Crusher HQ:

780HTP ONE ONLY! TOW AWAY TODAY $159,500

NORMALLY $179,500

Designed and built for long-range offshore sportfishing, the 780HTP’s fully-enclosed pilothouse offers complete protection from the elements while its super-strong hull will eat up whatever weather is thrown its way. Powered by twin 150hp Suzuki engines.

670HT FROM $79,990 Delivering exactly what hardcore anglers demand, this ultra-tough sportfishing machine will handle everything you – and the ocean – throw at it! Voted Australia’s Greatest Boat, the 670HT is an absolute Fishing Weapon.

615C FROM $59,990 Designed for inshore and offshore fishing, the 615C is one of the most popular models in the range. This versatile cuddy cabin boat is widely acclaimed as the perfect all-round boat for Australian conditions.

Other models ready to tow away today:

585HT, 615HT & 730HT, 490C, 535C, 575C & 670C Visit the showroom to see a huge range of Fishing Weapons starting from $34,990.

Call to speak with Matt Damian or Jason

0408 776 080 03 9792 2999

BAR CRUSHER EXCLUSIVES:

Download FREE Boat Buyer’s Guide

barcrusher.com.au

C SERIES

HT SERIES

Head office: 5 Quality Drive, Dandenong South, VIC 3175 Phone: 03 9792 2999 Email: info@barcrusher.com.au Sales: 0408 776 080 Website: barcrusher.com.au

HTP SERIES

WR SERIES

XS/SC SERIES

Follow us:

JUNE 2018

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SPECIAL EDITION

MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW FEATURE From page 88

300 Tuff Tender boat and Honda outboard engine for everyone who attends the 2018 Melbourne Boat Show. To enter scan your QR code at all six passport stands located inside the venue.

To register your QR Code, simply go online using the link provided on your ticket, or at the designated iPad tablets located at the entrance doors to the Show.

Good luck, and don’t forget to come and visit us at the Aussie Boat Sales stand at the Melbourne Boat Show.

To learn more about Polycraft, go to www.polycraft.com.au or call Aussie Boat Sales on (03) 9397 6977.

STREAKER MARINE STAND NUMBER C3A

Suzuki Marine is excited to be bringing some of its most recent release 4-stroke outboards to the Melbourne public including the revolutionary and innovative DF352A and its flagship outboard, the DF350A. Both of these feature never-before-seen outboard technology including contra-rotating props, dual louver system and dual injectors and

•• • • • ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

RAYMARINE

•• • • • ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

What turns a chartplotter into a multifunction display (MFD)?

Performance, technology and connectivity. In this spirit, Raymarine is pleased to announce LightHouse version 3.4, the latest free update to Raymarine’s LightHouse 3 OS software system, which will be on display at the Melbourne Boat Show.

Laden with upgrades and enhancements, LightHouse version 3.4 brings to your helm functions and digital services previously reserved for mobile phones.

LightHouse Apps are an exciting new way to expand the power and capabilities of LightHouse OS. Axiom users can now stream entertainment from Netflix and Spotify, as well as access Theyr’s GRIBview precision global weather service app.

With LightHouse Apps, Raymarine is making it easy for marine technology partners and app developers to integrate with Axiom and LightHouse 3 OS. And Raymarine will continue to expand LightHouse Apps with future support for Seakeeper gyro stabilizer control, Mazu satellite communications and more! LightHouse Apps are only available on Axiom and Axiom Pro Bluetooth Audio Output LightHouse 3.4 also adds Bluetooth audio output from Axiom and Axiom Pro MFDs. Connect Axiom’s Bluetooth to your marine stereo system or Bluetooth enabled speakers and enjoy digital audio from your streamed movies and music.

Bluetooth audio is only available on Axiom and Axiom Pro There’s plenty of other new features of LightHouse 3.4 as well, and you can check it all out at the show.

For more info, visit www. raymarine.com.au.

Not only will they be showcasing a large range boats from Australia’s most premium brands, but their friendly staff are always willing to have a chat, share their knowledge and help make your life better with a boat.

This year, Streaker Marine will be showcasing the brand new model from Streaker Boats, the 650 Streaker hard top.

This is the unveiling of a never-beforeseen model and it has certainly turned up to play. Jam-packed with all the goods like the reliable Yamaha F250XCA and, a crowd favourite, the Easytow Alloy trailer. You will not be disappointed!

Streaker Marine will be displaying five models from cult favourite Cruise Craft. To add to their already knowledgeable team, Nathan and Justin Nicholls from Cruise Craft in Queensland will be there to show customers exactly why these boats are the real deal.

And the one you’ve all been waiting for, Quintrex! With never-before-seen deals on your most loved models you will want to stop by and have a look at what we can offer. The highlights this year are the F390 Explorer Outback SC with the new Outback Hull, the 470 Stealth Hornet and the 5800 Yellowfin (soft top).

Everyone has different needs when it

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STREAKER MARINE

•• • • • ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

If you are thinking about getting on the water then this year’s show is well worth a visit, especially to the Streaker Marine stand.

RAYMARINE STAND NUMBER B11a

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comes to boating, so Streaker Marine tailormake their boating packages to suit you. They have very competitive finance and insurance rates from YMF and YMI available and all boats purchased at the 2018 boat show will also come with a private, half day on-water boat handling course in your new rig.

What a time to be alive!

For more info, visit www. streakermarine.com.au.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ••••

SUZUKI MARINE

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ••••

An exciting array of new release outboards and show-stopping boats from The Haines Group brands will be on display at this year’s Melbourne Boat Show.

are designed to be robust, easy to use and versatile, making them the ideal choice for large boats, whether for commercial or recreational use.

They’ll also have on display their DF100B – a lightweight, fuel efficient and powerful outboard that’s 25kg lighter than the DF100A, opening up Suzuki’s mid-range

SUZUKI MARINE STAND NUMBER E9a

SPECIAL EDITION

MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW FEATURE outboard category to even more customers and a wide selection of boats. With exclusive boat show deals across their entire range, see them at the Suzuki Corporate stand or one of a number of dealer stands, including Boats & More, Bar Crusher Boats, Cranbourne Boating Centre, Geelong Marine World, Leisure Sports Marine or TRE Motorsport. www.

For more info, visit

suzukimarine.com.au.

transom rating up to 500hp (twin).

They’ll also have a great range of boats on display from Tournament Pleasure Boats with their dealers Geelong Marine World and Cranbourne Boating Centre. From trailerable sports cruisers to day cruisers and fishing boats, Tournament’s range of boats are perfect for Victorian conditions as they’re designed to withstand the harshest of Australian conditions.

HAINES SIGNATURE STAND NUMBER E6C

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HAINES SIGNATURE

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From Haines Signature Boats, you’ll see one of the biggest ranges on display for some time, including their new release 545F, a versatile, practical fishing boat that offers heaps of deck space with its open floor plan.

Whether it be Suzuki power for your boat, a complete boat package to get your family out on the water or you’re a serious angler set to brave all conditions, The Haines Group has a product for you at this year’s show.

See these and more at The Haines Group stand. www.

For more info, visit

485 SCORPION

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

www.horizonboats.com.au

signatureboats.com.au.

WHITTLEY MARINE GROUP

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Also at the show will be their 788SF, which has been making waves since its release in late 2017 and has been a key feature at the shows it has visited so far.

This Aussie-built centre console has set a new benchmark in the local fibreglass fishing boat market since its launch and is a formidable bluewater sports fishing machine that is available as a hard top and with a

CREATE YOUR ADVENTURES

Victoria’s largest fibreglass boat builder, Whittley Marine, is set to expand its 2018 Melbourne Boat Show presence with more new Whittley boats on display than ever before. Whittley will be showcasing the sharpest fibreglass boat packages at Victoria’s premier boating event.

Gary Honeychurch, VIC Sales Consultant, is very excited about the show.

“Whittley is back at this year’s Melbourne show in a big way, showcasing almost every model that we produce,” he said. “We have the best prices on fibreglass boat packages in Victoria, with the largest range.”

“I encourage all boat buyers to check

WHITTLEY MARINE STAND NUMBER D3

To page 92

For more information visit

or call your nearest dealer Chelsea Yamaha

13 Ashley Park Drive Chelsea Heights Victoria 3196 Phone 03 9772 1277 robert@chelseayamaha.com.au

Michael Parker Marine

4 Erica Court Albury NSW 2640 Phone 02 6043 1578 mick.parker.marine@bigpond.com

Swan Hill Power Products 40 Nyah Road Swan Hill Victoria 3585 Phone 03 5032 2116 warren@shpp.com.au

Wonthaggi Motorcycles & Power Equipment 48-52 Inverloch Road Wonthaggi Victoria 3995 Phone 03 5672 3500 sales@wonthaggimotorcycles.com.au

JUNE 2018

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SPECIAL EDITION

MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW FEATURE From page 91

out a Whittley, because our range offers something for nearly every fibreglass boat buyer’s needs.”

Whittley will display the most comprehensive trailerable fibreglass model ranges in the industry, across the company’s five model series. At the show will be the CRUISER (CR), a five strong model range of stern drive powered sports cruisers, the SEA LEGEND (SL), with its deep vee offshore performance fishing hulls with luxury appointed cabins, the CLEAR WATER, which is an affordable outboard powered family fishing packages starting at $39,990, the EXCESS (XS), a lifestyle oriented water sports packages, and lastly the FISH FINDER (FF), which is the hybrid

fisher/cruiser designed to accommodate the family and angler.

Yamaha will be powering the complete range of Whittley’s outboard powered boats at this year’s boat show. Whittley’s stern drive powered boats are exclusively fitted with Volvo Penta, featuring an all alloy block and freshwater cooled engines.

All boat show packages will be sold exclusively with Garmin and Fusion electronics and matched with custom designed premium Mackay alloy and steel trailers. All boats feature Whittley’s premium five year hull warranty.

“If you’re looking for a premium brand name package, at an affordable price with a show deal and premium advice and service, come and speak to our dedicated team of

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for daily u tackle, junkie.fish le k c ta st fishing it is te V a re g s. d n a ccessorie the latest ear and a boating g

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• New products • Reviews • Videos www.tacklejunkie.fish Fishing Monthly Magazines

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JUNE 2018

passionate boaties. We won’t be beaten on fibreglass packages in Victoria at this year’s show,” Mr Honeychurch added.

Whittley will also have finance and insurance experts on the stand to discuss Stratton Finance and Club Marine Insurance options to help make your boating dreams a reality.

The advanced Whittley Pulse System will also be on display, allowing patrons to experience a hands-on understanding of the system and how the functions integrate into a new Whittley boat.

The Melbourne Whittley Cruiser Club (Whittley Owners Club), will also be on hand at the stand. The Whittley Cruiser Club offers the opportunity for Whittley trailer boat owners to visit great boating destinations throughout Victoria with the club.

“Trailer boating is fun, one weekend you can be touring the Gippsland Lakes and the next cruising along the River Murray. A Whittley provides a unique experience as you can simply hook on behind a suitable tow vehicle and tow anywhere anytime and your holiday starts from the moment you get in the car with your family. With our range of vessels you do not need overwidth signs, flags, flashing lights or restrictions like many imported boats. You are not stuck in a marina berth, you can get out and change the location of your private water front beach house every weekend,” Mr. Honeychurch said.

Whittley is also offering a number of new initiatives for first time boat buyers who purchase at the show, on top of great sound advice. Working with key storage companies, both wet and dry storage, boat

handling courses and service centres around the state to tick all new boat buyers boxes to ensure a proper introduction into boating for first time buyers.

“We appreciate that for a first time boat buyer, making the right choice is difficult, there any many things to overcome, but it can be mastered. Things like, where to store the boat, where do I obtain a boat operators license, what vehicle is needed to tow the boat, and also the fear of using it. We have some great experienced

sales staff who can assist in this process, and offer great services like dry stack and a personalised on water hand over, to show new boat owners all the little tricks to successful boating,” added Mr Honeychurch.

For all sales enquires in Victoria, through Whittley dealer Whittley Victoria Sales, please contact Alan Whittley on 0421 170 192. www.

For more info, visit

whittleymarinegroup.com.au.

Club Marine logo_NEW.pdf

3/7/06

5:10:31 PM

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SPECIAL EDITION

MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW FEATURE •• • • • ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

CHELSEA YAMAHA

CHELSEA YAMAHA STAND NUMBER B5

•• • • • ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

For this year’s show, Chelsea Yamaha has expanded its floor space to over 500 square metres to display a selection of their premier built boats.

Leading off with the premier brand, Haines Hunter will be displaying the custom 675 Offshore, along with 565 Offshore, the 595 Cruiser, 585r, 595 Offshore and the 535 Profish. All of these boats have been packaged for the show to give great value for money along with

finance rates at a low 4.99%, so now is the time to get on board.

From Queensland, the aluminium range of boats of Horizon and Stessl will be on display. Horizon Boats build their own range of approximately 80 different models and are one of the oldest family aluminium boat manufactures. Horizon also builds the Stessel range of plate boats.

Scott James the director of Horizon will be on hand at the show to help with any questions on the technical and build specifications.

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Stessco boats, also from Queensland, will also be displaying part of their range of boats, so if you’re in the market for an aluminium boat, make certain you come and check these boats out before making any purchasing decision. You will find a better built boat at a really affordable packaged price. The director, Donovan, and Manager, Adrian, will be on hand to answer any questions you may have.

Chelsea Yamaha will also have a large range of the Yamaha motors for you to

view. If you’re looking to repower, you’ll find great boat show deals on these motors at the low 4.99% interest.

Boat covers and trimming will also feature on the Chelsea stand this year, and the trimmers will be there for questions you may have and show their work on

each of boats. So for any trimming needs, come and speak to the in-house trimmers at Chelsea Yamaha.

For more info, visit www.

chelseayamaha.com.au.

Craftsmanship Since 1946

S N O P A E W R E T A W E U BONLDISPLAY AT MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW WHY CRUISE CRAFT? POWERED BY YAMAHA - FACTORY FITTED FOAM FILLED - STRONGER, QUIETER, SAFER COMPLETE COMPOSITE CONSTRUCTION - NO WOOD! ZERO TOWING RESTRICTIONS - NOT OVERWIDTH!

VIC DEALER Streaker Marine 461 Mountain Highway, Bayswater VIC 3153 sales@streakermarine.com.au 03 9729 8288

www.cruisecraft.com.au

COME SEE STREAKER MARINE AT THE 2018 MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW 28 JUNE - 1 JULY

SPECIAL EDITION

MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW FEATURE • • • • • • •••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

SOUTHERN FORMULA

• • • • • • •••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

Maritime Global, the manufacture of Australia’s premiere fibreglass boat brand, Haines Hunter, is excited to announce the development of an all-new brand Southern Formula. Southern Formula is manufactured within the same facility as Haines Hunter but is a completely new brand and model range aimed at the hardcore fishing market.

Southern Formula caters to a completely different demographic to the Haines Hunter brand and combines ‘old school’ looks with modern performance and, importantly, modern build quality.

The Southern Formula 24 was recently released to media and select industry at a Mercury event on the Gold Coast and all were blown away by its striking appearance and amazing ride and handling. A 21° deep vee hull with massive freeboard and an amazing looking wave breaker was a head turner.

“I see many people refurbishing old Haines Hunter boats and really finding out when it’s too late how much work and expense is involved to get the job finished,” Managing Director John Haber said.

“We are combining our history and old school look into a newly developed offshore performance hull that accommodates the weight of a 4-stroke engine, modern electronic packages and has ample free-

SOUTHERN FOMULA STAND NUMBER B16

board, massive cockpit space long range fuel capacity and wave breakers.”

Southern Formula can be a DIY package that will suit rec anglers or the commercial sector wanting to outfit and customise the boat as they wish. They will also be available

TAKE YOUR PICK with these Yamaha Melbourne show-stopping deals.

as a full turnkey factory package from the Southern Formula dealer network Australia wide. They have a basic flow-coated finish and none of the luxuries and trimmings.

The advantage of these new boats is they have a proven pedigree and built to the quality standard and finishes expected from Maritime Global. The designers have taken

$20 OFF PER HORSEPOWER

FREE RIGGING AND CONTROLS

ALL YAMAHA OUTBOARDS

Get your hands on more power for less with $20 off per horsepower between the F2.5 and F90 range.

Choose Yamaha Power and receive free Command Link gauges & controls.

F115 to F350 models only.

Make your dream a reality with a 4.99% comparison rate finance on all new Yamaha Outboards.

For full details, visit Yamaha at the Melbourne Boat Show 28.06.18 to 01.07.18. 4.99% comparison rate is available on all new Yamaha Outboards to approved applicants of Yamaha Motor Finance on a term of 24 to 60 months. Annual percentage rate is 2.87% with an application fee of $325.

Comparison rate is based on a 3 year secured fixed rate consumer loan of $10,000. Offer available to private buyers only, while stocks last. Offers advertised are only available at the 2018 Melbourne Boat Show. WARNING: The comparison rate is true only for the example given and may not include all fees and charges. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate. Credit criteria, fees, charges, terms and conditions apply. Yamaha Motor Finance Aust. Pty Ltd. ABN 29 101 928 670. Australian Credit Licence 394553.

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into account all the benefits seen in the older Haines Hunter models, removed all the negatives and improved the hulls to meet modern day build and performance standards.

“The 24 is the boat you want if you’re in the market high performance and a retro look,” said John. “The new brand is priced accordingly to give the buyer the choice of a very basic boat at a competitive price or a highly optioned fishing machine. If the buyer wishes to fit out the boat themselves, all the parts will be available from the online store or it can be done for them in our Aftercare Centre.”

“This is an industry first and I am confident Southern Formula will offer greater choice for boaters searching for this type of rig.” www.

For more info, visit

haineshunter.com.au.

CHELSEA YAMAHA

MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW SPECIALS ProFish 535

565 Offshore

A roomy yet affordable cuddy cabin. Great for fishing.

Fantastic family and fishing friendly package.

• Yamaha F150hp outboard • Haines Hunter custom easytow trailer • Stainless steel prop • Garmin ECHOmap 75sv Sounder & GPS

• Yamaha F115hp outboard • Haines Hunter custom easytow trailer • Bimini • Garmin Stryker Sounder/ GPS

IN STOCK NOW!!

$57,790

IN STOCK NOW!!

195 p/w

$

*

585R

285 p/w*

$

675 Offshore

A true go-anywhere do-anything package.

Superior performance in both inshore and offshore conditions.

• Yamaha F200hp outboard • Haines Hunter custom easytow trailer • Garmin Echo 75sv Sounder & GPS

IN STOCK NOW!!

$87,300

• Yamaha F300hp outboard • Haines Hunter custom easytow trailer • Transom upgrade • Garmin ECHOmap 95sv Sounder & GPS

$113,900

IN STOCK NOW!!

313 p/w

$

*

449 Fisherman Side Console Fisherman’s Dream packed with a huge list of features inc Front and Rear casting Decks. The best side console of it’s type.

$139,860

382 p/w*

$

485 Sunrunner Feature full fast back transom. This model has 4mm bottom and 3mm sides.

A REAL FISHING PLATFORM. • Yamaha 90hp 4 stroke • Dunbier trailer

• Yamaha 50hp 4 stroke • Stessco trailer

NEW MODEL IN STOCK NOW!!

$23,290

108 p/w*

$

IN STOCK NOW!!

$42,900

195 p/w*

$

Finance is available to approved personal applicants of Yamaha Motor Finance. Repayments are weekly equivalent of the monthly instalment and paid in 60 instalments in arrears with deposit, an application fee of $395 and annual percentage rate of 9.99%. The comparison rate is 10.56% pa and is based on a secured fixed rate consumer loan of $30,000 for five years. Offer valid until 31/07/2018. WARNING: The Comparison Rate is true only for the examples given and may not include all fees and charges. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate. Credit criteria, fees, charges, terms and conditions apply. Yamaha Motor Finance ABN 29 101 928 670 Australian Credit licence 394553.

* Boat images for illustrative purpose - models may vary slightly

CHELSEA YAMAHA – 9772 1212

13 ASHLEY PARK DVE CHELSEA HEIGHTS – chelseayamaha.com.au

SPECIAL EDITION

MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW FEATURE •• • • • ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

PORT PHILLIP BOATING CENTRE

find another person who can match Phil’s expertise in this arena.

The process from start to finish is one that involves the customer in all stages of

•• • • • ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

Port Phillip Boating Centre will again be displaying a huge range of Haines Hunter Boats powered by Yamaha outboards on Mackay Trailers at this year’s Melbourne Boat Show.

This winning combination has been very successful over the past 15 years that Port Phillip Boating Centre has been in operation and you would be hard pressed to

Port Phillip BC STAND NUMBER C9

the new purchase, from offering you the best deals at the beginning of the process, through to your involvement with the layout of options, rigging and final fit out. We can also offer you Yamaha Motor Finance and Yamaha Motor insurance to complete the package, along with ongoing service and customer support for your brand new Haines Hunter/Yamaha/Mackay package.

Port Phillip Boating Centre will have the biggest display of Haines Hunter product at the show and coupled with the best customers service and advice, rest assured that we will get you into the right Haines Hunter Yamaha and Mackay package that suits your needs. www.

For more info, visit

the needs of a wide variety of boat lovers – from the Verado’s refined performance, and the FourStroke’s fuel efficiency and rigging versatility, to the competitive edge that Pro XS models provide.

Along with the V-6 3.4L family announced in Feb, the new V-8 engines fill out Mercury’s industry leading portfolio in the 175-300hp range.

portphillipboatingcentre.com.au.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ••••

MERCURY MARINE

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ••••

The thinking man’s boat!

Unique soft ride, virtually indestructible, little to no maintenance.

MILDURA LUCKNOW WARRNAMBOOL BENDIGO SHEPPARTON TRARALGON WILLIAMSTOWN WODONGA -

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03 5022 7596 03 5152 3220 03 5562 6373 03 5443 5717 03 5822 2108 03 5174 1223 03 9397 6977 02 6024 6555

Check out the full range of Polycraft Boats at

www.polycraft.com.au

or contact us on 1800 336 603

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JUNE 2018

As part of the largest single new-product development program in the company’s history, Mercury is introducing nine next-generation outboard engines around the globe.

Mercury, the world leader in marine propulsion and technology, is now offering multiple new V-8 4.6L outboard engine models: the 250 and 300hp Verado, 250 and 300hp FourStroke, and 200, 225, 250 and 300hp Pro XS. Mercury has also released one new V-6 3.4L model: the 175hp Pro XS. Creating these next-generation outboards has prompted Mercury to make a major investment in expanding its manufacturing footprint to satisfy expected demand.

“In Miami, we said the V-6 was step one of our 2018 introductions and we are thrilled to officially announce step two,” said John Pfeifer, Mercury Marine president. “These new V-8 engines, like the V-6, will set a new benchmark in the marine industry in the eyes of the consumer.”

Mercury’s new V-8 and V-6 outboard engines are highly configurable to meet

“These engines are naturally aspirated, durable, powerful and provide options for the consumer that they’ve never had before,” Mr Pfeifer said. “This new lineup aligns with what consumers are asking for and we are delighted to deliver it to them.”

The new 250 and 300hp V-8 Verado outboard engines raise the bar for the marine industry – again. Continuing Verado’s legacy as the most refined outboard engine on the water, the new V-8 platform provides exhilarating performance across the rpm range.

These exciting new engines will be on show at the Melbourne Boat Show this year.

V&TFM editor Steve Morgan has an in-depth look at these new products on page 78. www.

For more info, visit

mercurymarine.com/en-gb/au.

MERCURY MARINE STAND NUMBER C6

SPECIAL EDITION

MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW FEATURE •• • • • ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

YAMAHA

•• • • • ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

PREMIUM BOATING AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE

rates on eligible repower options over 24-60 months and on all new 2018 WaveRunners over 24-36 months.

Completing the suite of offers is Yamaha Marine Insurance, who are offering a 30% discount on all policies for vessels sold at

On any other brand of trailer

MA

D

Exhibiting Yamaha dealerships are also offering exclusive deals at the show; including up to $1,800 off eligible 2.5-90hp outboards and free premium rigging worth up to $3,200 on eligible F115 to F350 models.

Yamaha Motor Finance are making ownership easy with super low comparison

TRALI

•

YAMAHA STAND NUMBER C2 and B3A

US

AN

Sunseeker 620

ED

If purchased on a Stessco Factory Trailer

2 YEAR STRUCTURAL WARRANTY

E

N

5 YEAR STRUCTURAL WARRANTY

•A

Yamaha Motor Australia, in conjunction with their Victorian dealership network, are excited to exhibit the latest in Outboard technology alongside some exclusive offers at the 2018 Melbourne Boat Show. With the largest display of outboards covering all horsepower ranges, there will be something for everybody at this year’s boat show. And with all Yamaha engines, legendary reliability and unmatched quality comes standard.

From the popular F25 and F90 to the powerful F350, Yamaha aims to inspire visitors this year by dedicating their display to the various marine lifestyles that can be enjoyed in Australia. From camping to offshore fishing and much more, Yamaha’s display at the Melbourne Boat Show will be sure to capture the best of living an on-water lifestyle.

Complementing the complete Yamaha Outboard range, is Yamaha’s leading range of outboard technology including the Helm Master, the fully integrated boat control system that allows captains to move their large offshore boats with ease, the recently introduced CL-7 (Command-Link 7”) packed with all the features to provide a seamless boating experience, and other Yamaha controls, displays and gauges.

AND OW

the Melbourne Boat Show with each new policyholder going into the draw to win one of four $500 Yamaha gift cards. This offer applies to new Yamaha Outboards and WaveRunners.

For more information, visit www. yamaha-motor.com.au/outboard.

For more information or to find your nearest Stessco dealer visit

www.stessco.com.au JUNE 2018

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SPECIAL EDITION

MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW FEATURE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ••••

580

EXTRA SERVICES AT THE MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ••••

SEAHAWK

WITH

So you’ve just boat a new boat and want to know the proper procedures of boat handling or you might be an existing boater who wishes to develop and extend your knowledge and skills in powerboat driving. Why not take professional power boat handling lessons delivered by Professional Powerboat Training?

Professional Powerboat Training’s introductory lessons in boat handling skills and seamanship for the new boat owner or an advancement on skills for those with previous boating experience.

The aim of this lesson is to provide boat owners with the skill and confidence to safely enjoy their boat and to develop and improve vessel handling skills both at the ramp and out on the water.

Skills covered include pre-launch procedures, reversing boat trailer, launching safely and efficiently, use of required safety equipment, close quarter manoeuvring, coming alongside, use of fenders and lines, engine trim, safe boat operation, retrieving vessel back on the trailer, basic navigation and using a sounder and GPS. Another service available on the day will be Marine License Testing! This is

MARINE LICENSE TESTING Courses Days and Times Friday, 29 June Saturday, 30 June Sunday, 1 July 1 course per day Course Duration 3.5 hours and an extra 45 minutes for PWC component Time 11:30 am Cost Boat Licence: $90 PWC: $30 Requirements Please bring your Drivers Licence as a form of ID. Children between the ages of 16 and 18 require three forms of ID. - Passport - Birth Certificate - Medicare Card - Learners Permit

something that a lot of people put off, but now’s your chance to get in and get it done, and you’ll be driving your own vessel in no time!

Booking is essential, so please contact Lyn from the Volunteer Coast Guard by phone at (03) 9598 9092.

For more information, visit www. melbourneinternationalboatshow.com.au.

SPECIFICATIONS BEAM – 2.50M DEPTH – 1.45M WEIGHT KG BOAT ONLY – 840KG BOTTOM – 4.0MM SIDES – 4.0MM PEOPLE – 6 MAX HP – 150 SHAFT – X LONG

Duration Instructor

Price Bookings

CALL YOUR LOCAL DEALER TODAY VICTORIAN DEALERS WANTED! Boating Scene

9 Edison Drive, Golden Grove Adelaide, South Australia, 5125 Phone: (08) 8251 5225 Fax: (08) 8251 5225 boatingscene@adam.com.au

Dinghy World

Deniliquin Yamaha

252 Canning Hwy 167 Napier St Como, WA, 6152 Deniliquin, NSW 2710 Phone: (08) 9367 Phone: (03) 5881 1461 6555 david@dinghyworld.com.au

For more information visit www.stessl.com.au 100

JUNE 2018

POWER BOAT HANDLING LESSONS

3 hours Gary Squires - Over 10 years’ experience, Master Class 5, Certificate 4 in Workplace Training and Assessment $225 Contact Gary Squires on mobile 0438 310 575 or email professionalpowerboattraining@gmail.com

SHEPPARTON

ECHUCA

TACKLE • SKI • SERVICE • SALES

MASSIVE Boat Show Deals

WIN

HUGE RANGE

ON DISPLAY • • • • • •

Cod Catcher SC & Tiller Dominator Fishmaster SC Bay Hunter Sun Seeker 520 Legend SC

or a Liquidforce Trip 142 Wakeboard with trip boots

a Garmin Striker Plus 9SV Fish Finder

ENTER CONTEST AT OUR STAND

#E9 *Conditions Apply

ALSO ON SHOW...

Legend lll, Vision 21i, Vision 21V, CRX 22V

565 Offshore and 625 Offshore HT Packages

GTR 230 and RXT 300 X

Sniper, Getaway & Outlaw Packages sales@boatsandmore.com.au

5822 2108

207 Numurkah Rd SHEPPARTON VIC 3630

sales@boatsandmore.com.au

5482 1992

72 Northern Hwy ECHUCA VIC 3564

Check out our new online store at...

boatsandmore.com.au

JUNE 2018

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SPECIAL EDITION

MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW FEATURE

• The map and stand numbers have been supplied by BIAV and are correct at the time of printing. However, they are subject to change closer to the date.

Arvor Boats Australia Aussie Boat Sales ACT/NSW Aussie Boat Sales Pty Ltd Australian Maritime College Australian Maritime Safety Authority Australian Motorcycle & Marine Finance Bar Crusher Boats BL Marine Blue Bottle Fishing Blue Nautilus Marine BoatCatch Boating & RV Boats & More Shepparton & Echuca BRP CH Smith Marine Chelsea Yamaha Club Marine Cobalt Boats

C7c B10 E14 A37 E3 D2c C4 D9 A9 A34 D1c B11 E9 B2 B9a B5 D13 D12

CoverCraft Boat Covers Cranbourne Boating /Evinrude Outboards Crawford Marine Every Battery Eyachts-Axopar Furuno Marine Entertainment Fusion Marine Entertainment Systems Garmin Electronics Geelong Marine World Hard Korr Lighting Harris Pontoons Australia Hobie Cat Asia Pacific Hot Tackle Hydra-Light Battery Free Lighting International Paints & Awlgrip Inverloch Marine J V Marine Jeanneau & Glastron

The Axiom MFD from Raymarine is reinventing navigation.

With faster performance, intuitive operation, and leading-edge technology, Axiom delivers unmatched awareness, above and below the water line.

• Powered by the all new, fast and fluid LightHouse™ 3 OS • Available with built-in RealVision™ 3D Sonar • Blazing-fast quad core performance • 4-in-1 wide spectrum CHIRP sonar transducers • Rugged and sleek, all-glass construction for any helm For more information, go to raymarine.com 102

JUNE 2018

A1 E8a B9 A21 A13 B9b B16b B16b B3 A2 B1 A28, B6 E10 A15 A8 B4 D7 C6

Leisure Sports Marine Marine Audio Solutions Marine Plus Maritime Safety Victoria MasterCraft McQuarries Fibreglass & fabrications Melbourne Marine Centre Mercury Marine MY Marine Nautilus Marine Insurance Navico Opposite Lock 4WD & Vehicle Accessories Performance Marine Phillip Island Marine Pleasure Cruising Club Port Phillip Boating Centre RACV Marine Raymarine

A39 A33 A6 E3 D3 A3 C7 C6 D15 A12 B15 C8 D2 E13 A24 C9 B16d B11a

Regal Marine Runaway Bay Pontoon Boats Sealegs - Blairgowrie Marina Seaworthy Inspections Sirocco Marine Melbourne Southern Formula St Kilda & Wyndham Harbour Boat Sales Streaker Marine Stressfree Marine Supra Boats & Moomba Boats The Haines Group The Marine Shop Victorian Fisheries Authority Volvo Penta Western Port Marina Whittley Marine Group Wyndham Harbour Yamaha

A30, D5, E16 B2a A26, A27 D14 B16 B8 C3A A41 D1 E9a B16a E3 E10 E2 Hub D5 E2 Hub B3A , C2

evinrude.com.au

POWERED BY CLEAN TECHNOLOGY EVINRUDE G2 TOTAL LOWEST EMISSION LEVELS Now the cleanest engine on the market the

HC+NOx+CO [g/kW-hr] 0

50

100

150

200

Evinrude G2 meets and exceeds all proposed emission standards. Forget everything you know about two-stroke engines, with the most

77.8 89.4

fuel efficient technology these aren’t your conventional ‘Two-stroke engine’ – they are

129 154.6

N GOVE RN LIA A R

200.5

T EN M

AU ST

the all new generation 2 Etec.

100

I

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PL

SS

O

IA N

E MI

T

*Source: EPA Certification Database - Certification Values

S

S TA

CO NDARD

M

The proposed standards will bring Australia into line with best practice international standards to reduce air pollution and will apply to exhaust and evaporative emissions from newly imported or manufactured NRSIEE (non-road spark ignition engines and equipment). The proposed standards are performance rather than technology based and in general direct injection will meet all standards.

JUNE 2018

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SPECIAL EDITION

MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW FEATURE •• • • • • ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

AUSSIE BOAT SALES

•• • • • • ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • •

Based in the ACT, with branches at Bateman’s Bay Marina on the South Coast, Freshwater in Sydney and also Patterson Lakes in Melbourne, the team from Aussie Boat Sales pride themselves on providing a customised service for boaters. Aussie Boat Sales also service customers Australia-wide as one of Redco Trailers’ biggest suppliers, and can deliver trailers and new boat packages Australia-wide.

In the alloy plate range, Aussie Boats has partnered with Formosa and are Australia’s largest dealer of both the Tomahawk and Sea Rod ranges. Together with Ross and Duncan of Formosa Marine, Jason and Johanna from Aussie Boat Sales are stretching the boundaries of the Formosa range with the latest models on display at the show. The growing range in the Formosa line-up means they have a quality plate aluminium boat to suit every customer’s needs and budget.

Jason says they have a lot of repeat customers buying their second or third Formosa, going bigger each time, which speaks volumes about the quality of these boats. Interested parties are welcome to take them on the water to experience the ride for themselves, and that includes customers from Far North NSW to Melbourne, Tasmania, Adelaide and everywhere in between.

Aussie Boat Sales was just awarded 2017 Formosa Tomahawk Dealer of the Year. This is a great credit to the business and testament to their ability to cater for customers Australiawide, with the massive Honda family offering all the after-sales servicing along with a seven-

type of usage, including in the commercial market and marina-style operations as a hire or work boat.”

Aussie Boat Sales has also just become the main distributor for Black Dog Cat plate alloy twin hull boats coming out of New Zealand in the North Island. The Black Dog Cat range is well known for their build quality, performance and stability in the rough seas of New Zealand.

“We know the Aussie market will love these boats, and after testing them ourselves in New Zealand the performance is unbelievable,” Jason said.

The media and public launch to Australia for the Black Dog Cat brand will be at the Melbourne Boat Show, and the team will have the ground-breaking 630 Enclosed Cab with walkthrough, a 510 Cuddy with folding

rocket launchers and the 410 Side Console with enough room to swing a cat. These boats are ready for demonstration and water tests, and Australian Boat Sales are looking forward to getting them out to all the boat shows this year. For any information contact the team and they can forward video footage and brochures prior to the launch.

All of Aussie Boat Sales’ business partners have jumped on board the aussieboatsales360. com.au website, and when they launch this

Aussie Boat Sales is also one of Australia’s largest Honda Marine dealers, and are major business partners with Garmin, Redco-Tinka galvanised and aluminium boat trailers, Fusion Electronics, Sam Allen Wholesale Marine Products, Minn Kota, Savwinch, Horizon Aluminium Boats, Spotters Sunglasses, Railblaza Deck Hardware, Solas propellers

by AMS, Aussie Boat Transport and Freight, Ozzy Tyres ACT, Dometic Group (Waeco fridges and cookers), Mobile Boat Covers

completely new concept at the Melbourne Boats Show and all the other shows, their customers will be introduced to a completely new experience in buying a new boat. The fully interactive online showroom will take you on boat tours and help you decide on the style and options of the perfect boat for you.

“We at ABS thank all of our business partners for supporting this,” Jason said, “We are looking forward to showing and entertaining our customers with a whole new buying experience.”

and Marine, X-Factor wraps and signage in Sydney, Marine Graphics Ink Victoria, Mid North Coast Trucks - Isuzu - Macksville, Boat Names Australia, and the BIA throughout Australia.

ABS are also partners with Club Marine Insurance, and you can find them at stand B10 at the show, or head to the Aussie Boat Sales Pty Ltd stand at E14. In the meantime, if you want to talk to Jason, you can ring him on 0433 531 226 or visit www. aussieboatsales360.com.au.

STAND NUMBER E14

year warranty.

As well as with Formosa, Aussie Boat Sales is a dealer for Caribbean Boats. Since 1958 Caribbean Boats have had a formidable reputation in the fishing and fibreglass boat market in Australia. Jason specialises in the Trailerboat range of Caribbean boats, and those anglers who know the Reefrunner and the 2300 models know just how awesome these boats are.

Jason is also the sole distributor for the Sidewinder made by Micro Cat Boats here in Australia, and will have the all-new 4m twin cat on display at all the shows.

“It is a great fishing platform and we know that people are going to love the layout of this ingeniously designed boat,” he said.

“You must see it to believe it, and like all our brands it is great quality and at the right price.

This boat is definitely a boat that combines brand new ideas with a no-nonsense welldesigned boat which caters for just about any 104

JUNE 2018

• CANBERRA • BATEMANS BAY • FRESHWATER • PATTERSON LAKES

NEW

www.aussieboatsales360.com.au.

0433 531 226

Call Jason sales@aussieboatsalesactnsw.com.au www.aussieboatsales360.com.au JUNE 2018

105

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MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW FEATURE

Bar Crusher 575C vs 615C, which is best for you? *Manipulated image

- SC

TENT -

RE ONLINE MO

T

615C

JUNE 2018

and want a cheaper (by around $10K) rig that’s a little easier to launch, store and handle by yourself, then the 575 may be the rig for you.

If you like to travel more to fish and do it with a couple of mates and want a bigger tank that translates to more range, then the 615 will offer all of these benefits, and it’s

DIFFERENCE TABLE Main: Definitely not the natural environment for a pair of tough-as-nails Bar Crushers, but even a thoroughbred needs a little bit of quiet paddock time, right?

Above: All Bar Crusher hulls feature their unique water ballast system that fills while the craft is at rest and empties quickly as the boat takes off, giving the best of both worlds – stability and performance with minimal beam. through its water ballast system. Both of these boats feature Bar Crusher’s Gen 2 hull design with incorporated water ballast system.

Overall, the Bar Crusher hulls are a little narrower than most hulls for their length, which explains their sea legs. At rest, the water ballast fills up and sinks the

chines deeper in the water, giving the hull greater stability.

When you take off, the water virtually instantly runs out the back of the cavity, vented through the anchor well. It’s a neat system that’s stood the test of time.

“The length beam equation in a bit of a dark

Feature 575C Length: 5.75m Beam: 2.15m Material: 4mm bottom/3mm sides Trailer: Single axle for local trips BMT weight: 1360kg Internal gunwale height: 730mm Height on trailer: 2.15m Horsepower: 115hp Price: from mid-$50K Top Speed: 62km/h@6,000rpm Best economy: 2.6km/L@4,400rpm Theoretical range: 280km Price: from mid-$50K that are options on most other brands.

“These boats come with a bait board, boarding ladder, through transom door, bilge pump, twin batteries, live bait tank, hard top roof,

575C

The 615 is 10cm wider than the 575 and offers an extra 5cm of internal gunwale height.

Doesn’t sound like much but it makes a difference, especially offshore.

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We recently had the opportunity to test a couple of Bar Crushers out on Port Phillip Bay in Melbourne; the 5.75m and 6.15m Cabin versions that are incredibly popular rigs in the Bar Crusher range.

Instead of presenting a couple of very similar boat tests, we thought it’d be a great opportunity to look at the similarities and differences in these two rigs to help you make the decision about which one is the best for your fishing and boating needs.

And although there’s only a legal snapper-anda-half difference in length between these boats, it equates to a lot more than you’d think by the time the boats are on a trailer and ready to fish.

BAR CRUSHER 101 Bar Crusher is a Melbourne-made boat that’s famous for its build quality, finish and stability at rest

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clears and a rocket launcher,” said Matt, “You only need to choose your electronics like sounder, radio and maybe an anchor winch to complete the package.”

WHAT DO WE RECKON? After looking at the differences between these two rigs, there’s a couple of conclusions that

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art that I think we’ve got pretty much right for both these hulls,” said Bar Crusher’s Sales Manager, Matt Urzia, who is much more comfortable 10ft above the water off the back of a wave than he is in front of a camera.

Matt also outlines the standard feature list in these boats, which includes many

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we’ve come to.

Firstly, these rigs’ standard inclusions are, indeed, very generous and the fact that they’re matched with locally made Easytow trailers means that Bar Crusher will ensure that the cradle is suitable for the hull.

Urzia also says that if you want a single axle or twin axle on either rig, that’s legal and achievable.

So, you’d opt for a twin axle if you’re doing a lot of highway miles; or, a single if you need manoeuvrability or use your boat locally most of the time.

We’re particularly impressed with the cleverness of the fold-down hard top and windscreen that allows you to fit these boats in most garages.

If you usually fish with one to two anglers, locally,

615C 6.15m 2.25m 4mm bottom/4mm sides twin axle for longer trips 1500kg 780mm 2.20m 140hp (max. 150hp) from mid-$60K 60km/h@6,000rpm 2.7km/L@3800rpm 370km from mid-$60K price tag justifies the extra abilities.

It’s a simple conclusion and definitely stands up to the ‘boat ramp test’, which is the nautical version of the ‘pub test’.

Whichever you choose, you’ll enjoy the features and never break these Aussiebuilt tanks of boats. Make sure that you watch the video review of this comparison on the Fishing Monthly Magazines YouTube channel - you can do it on your smartphone by scanning the QR code hereby.

For more information, visit www.barcrusher.com. au or talk to the guys at the Melbourne Boat Show.

They’ll have everything you need at both of these places to help decide which is the best Bar Crusher for you in their range.

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615C

575C

575C

You’d also think that the 140hp was faster than the 115hp? Wrong again. The 575 was a little bit faster than the 615 at WOT, even if slightly less economical.

Although both models can be fitted on single or twin-axle Easytow trailers, there’s a good case for twin axle for long trips and a single axle for local journeys. Single axles can also be manoeuvred around easily in a tight garage.

You’d think that the extra 25hp on the 615 would make it less efficient, right? Wrong.

The 140hp Suzuki delivered marginally better fuel economy than the 115hp on the 575.

Erected, the folding hard rooftop offers rod storage and shade. The 575 folds down to 2.15m while the 615 is 2.20m high when folded down.

Both the windscreen and the folding hard rooftop fold down on both models and there’s ample space to flush mount electronics of your choice.

Both models feature an enclosed cabin with bunks for overnight comfort. The 615’s wider beam gives it a little more space.

Bait boards are options on most boats on the market. On the Bar Crushers in this size range, they are standard.

Plumbed livewells and transom doors are also Bar Crusher Standard. Take this into account when comparing boats of different brands.

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Sportsman 19 Island Reef with 115hp Yamaha - SC

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for fishing offshore in less than perfect weather.

The console is easy to walk around and has all-round grab-rails for your mates. The helm is offset to the port side and there’s a flush mounted 7” Simrad as standard. All other switches are available and

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

Admit it – you’ve all dreamed about it – heading off into the sunrise in a slick, fibreglass American fishing boat. The boat’s landing softly into the small swell, your rod racks are loaded with premium gear and there’s a dozen live baits happily swimming around in the livewell, blissfully unaware of their impending fate. Then you wake up and the alarm is telling you it’s time to go to work instead of the ramp.

Brisbane’s Northside Marine is doing its very best to help you achieve this dream. Stalwart salesman Bill Hull recently talked to FM about how the Sportsman dealership came to be.

“Like everyone, I had the dream of selling this kind of boat, but it wasn’t

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Main: There’s no denying that the Sportsman hulls look good on the water – clean lines and an upswept bow make the 19 Island Reef a rig that’ll turn heads on the water and at the ramp.

Above: With the hammers down on the 115hp Yamaha, it’s definitely hold onto your hats time. boats on order – plenty of which were pre-sold to keen anglers in the Brisbane area.

The Island Reef 19 is a great all-round boat to cross over between inshore and offshore waters. Taking it out

SPECIFICATIONS Length.........................................................5.8m Beam...........................................................2.3m Capacity.......................................... Six persons Fuel............................................................. 113L Max hp.......................................................... 115 until recently that things fell into place,” Bill said.

Sportsman is a brand that is only six years old in the USA, but is growing in leaps and bounds. It was a perfect match for Northside, who are meticulous in their preparation of boats to deliver to their customers.

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complete with straps to lock it in.

A couple of non-skid SeaDek pads are at the helm as well – good looking and practical. There’s a livewell in the starboard transom corner and the entire deck is self-draining. I imagine this would be an easy boat

on a nasty test day in Moreton Bay, it demonstrated an ability to drive soft and dry at the right combination of speed and trim. It’s simple and effective as a fishing platform and is guaranteed to turn heads both at the ramp and on the water.

Let’s look at a few of the features. Packages from Northside for this model

start at $60k, which include a Yamaha 115, Twin Axle trailer and a 7” Simrad. We didn’t have the metering available to do the economy figures, but there is data available for a Yamaha 90hp, which will display very similar economy figures.

Delivering 2.6km/L at 4000rpm, the 90 would give a theoretical range of over 250km – ample for nearly every weekend trip you’ll ever do. With the rough conditions, we didn’t get a top speed reading on the 115, however it was spinning an identical alloy 19” propeller, so you can add a couple of km/h for the extra few revs.

From the upswept bow back, there’s a raised casting deck with dry, under-deck storage for anchors and other bulky items. It’s a one-person deal, so it’d be

a great spot to throw casts at pelagic or reef edges while the other angler is at the helm.

The rest of the floor is low and eminently suitable

RPM Speed (km/h) Economy (km/L) 1000.............................. 6...............................4 2000............................ 10............................2.5 3000............................ 17............................1.6 4000............................ 39............................2.5 5000............................ 52............................2.3 6000............................ 67............................1.8 *Supplied figures are for 90hp Yamaha with 19” alloy prop. easy to reach. There’s also dry storage underneath the console for your valuables.

The helm seating is flexible, with a removable backrest and space for a cooler underneath –

The variable deadrise and upswept bow mean that you have the best chance of a dry ride with the correct trim and attitude.

to keep clean, with not too many corners to get the blood and guts stuck in. The battery sits in an under-deck compartment.

Of course, you can go crazy on the options list on this boat and add anything from factory T-Tops to cushion packages for the bow, but just as it is, there’s so much scope for fun fishing all over Australia that your head will be swimming with options.

For more information, contact Cameron Bow at Sportsman Boats AustralAsia on 0413 119 051, or you can check out the Australian Sportsman website at www. sportsmanboats.com.au.

Make sure you also watch the video test of this boat to see it in action – there’s a QR code to scan hereby or you can search for it on the Fishing Monthly YouTube channel.

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Under the front casting deck there are a couple of dry hatches – one for the anchor and the other for your bulky gear.

The Yamaha F115 fitted on Northside Marine’s Sportsmans are factory fitted but are still backed

by Yamaha Australia for a full local warranty.

That 16° of transom deadrise takes the sting out of landing on windy days.

The stainless steel bar that wraps around the console is handy for the driver and passengers alike. There’s extra storage under the front seat.

The seat back is removable and you can fit a cooler under the seat framing. Vertical rod storage is provided on each side of the console.

A 7” Simrad comes standard with the boat and is covered by a full, local warranty.

Top Left: You can sit a couple more people comfortably on each side of the outboard and the space underneath is also available.

The battery is under the floor hatch.

Top Right: The rear starboard seat hides a built-in livewell with horizontal divider.

Above: Supplied on a hydraulic braked, twin axle I-beam trailer, the Sportsman rig is safe and 100% Australian compliant.

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Custom Stacer Outlaw 449 with Mercury 60hp

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valve caps.

With packages starting from around $27,000, the Outlaw is a neat little boat.

Turn it into the weapon that MMC has done and it’s a touch under $50,000 to drive away.

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

If there’s one thing Andrew Stephen and his team from Melbourne Marine Centre are good at, it’s attention to detail. Every time we test a boat from MMC, it’s impeccably presented and fine-tuned. They’re the same with their customers, which is why they have a growing band of loyal Melbourne customers.

And when they set up their demo boats, there’s always a laundry list of options fitted that turns a good boat into a head-turning rig. We saw it previously with the Stacer Crossfire affectionately named Hodor (watch the video review on our YouTube channel) and here’s a smaller version made up on the Stacer Outlaw 449 hull.

SPECIFICATIONS Length Overall... 4.85m Beam.................. 2.12m Hull Weight........ 370kg Transom............... 3mm Fuel........................ 50L Max hp................. 60hp The boys have turned an entry-level $26K package into an all-singing, all-dancing $50K rig with features that rival much bigger boats.

Fitted with a 60hp Mercury 4-stroke, the rig yields great fuel economy of up to 3km/L, but let’s face it – you’re not buying a rig like 110

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anyway,” Andrew said.

“We just help them check the boxes.”

You can talk to the Melbourne Marine Centre staff more at their showroom and you can visit them online on www.melbournemarine.

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Main: Striking both on and off the water, Andrew Stephen and his Melbourne Marine Centre team are always kicking goals with their shop demo boats. And don’t think there’s no market for them – they sell plenty of mega-optioned rigs like this!

Above: There’s no denying that the wrap adds that wow factor – no matter what angle the boat is viewed from. this to travel cheaply. You’re buying it because you want your quality time on the water to be a pleasure to experience.

In that light, let’s run through some of the options that are in this little pocket rocket.

From the bow, there’s a Stress Free anchor winch and MotorGuide Xi5 electric motor, which will keep you in place whether you want to be tied to the bottom or not.

Under the front casting deck there’s plenty of space and it’s split between a livewell and open storage, as well as the batteries for the trolling motor. There’s also a Fusion waterproof speaker mounted adjacent to the livewell. I’m unsure how this will go with constant saltwater spray and immersion, however time will tell.

Step back again and

there’s a rod box on the port side and a well-designed console on the starboard and a pair of helm seats with armrests to complement them. Telwater’s rotomolded consoles keep getting better. This one can flush mount large electronics and there’s clever use of space in the console storage areas, especially in the the one under the windscreen.

The console boasts an array of tech with a Garmin fishfinder, Fusion sound gear and Mercury Vessel View to give you your engine stats.

Fishing in the dark? No worries – there’s a removable headlight, underwater transom lights and underrail LED light bars to make life easy when the sun goes down.

The whole package is vinyl wrapped with a

MMC design that matched Andrew’s company vehicle perfectly – even the

RPM......Speed (km/h) Economy (km/L) 840............................6........................ 6.0 1000..........................6........................ 4.6 2000........................ 10........................ 4.3 3000........................ 13........................ 2.2 4000........................ 27........................ 2.5 4500........................ 35........................ 3.0 5000........................ 39........................ 2.7 When asked if these kitted out rigs are popular.

“Absolutely! We never have a problem selling our demo boats because our customers usually aspire to this level of accessories

com.au. Make sure you like them on Facebook as well on the Melbourne Marine Centre page. And if you want to watch this boat in action, scan the QR code hereby on your smartphone to see the full video review.

With the 4-stroke, fifth generation 60hp Mercury behind it, the rig delivered best economy of 3km/L at 4500rpm and 35km/h with 50L of underfloor fuel – that gives a theoretical range of around 150km.

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The rig measures in at about 6m, which means that it’ll fit in nearly all garages and a single axle means that you can manoeuvre it around.

The shaped transom deadrise is a real Telwater trait. You can also see that there’s properly strained livewell inlets and the standpipes drain back to the ocean.

Everyone needs a set of these in their boat – anything from grown men to squid are mesmerised by them.

I’m a fan of simple rod lockers – they let you bundle rods while travelling, although this one will be made longer by cutting out the end of the box to get longer rods in.

Nowadays, there aren’t too many people who would put together a rig like this without a bowmounted electric motor. A stealthy approach and the ability to help position while drifting are core to many modern techniques.

There’s no wasted space up and under the raised front casting deck.

We loved the armrests on the helm seats. And we also liked that all accessories are flush mounted and not hanging out the side on RAM mounts.

Above left: Is the Stressfree anchor winch an overkill? Not if you anchor up and bait fish a lot. Once you’ve had one you’ll never be without one again.

Above right: The rear livewell is more of a bait well, but is plumbed just like the big unit up front.

Every pimped-up boat needs a set of headlights, right? They are remarkably practical while driving at night.

The fifth generation Mercury 60hp 4-stroke works with all SmartCraft gauges, including the flash VesselView 4 at the dash.

Peak economy of 3km/L is also up there.

You can’t see it in this pic, but there’s plenty of storage under the windscreen in a dedicated box!

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Cruise Craft 595EX with Yamaha F200 4-stroke - SC

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Main: At full cry, the Cruise Craft 595 looks, sounds and feels great. It’s what you’d expect from a premium Australian boat builder. And Cruise Craft have a sound relationship with Yamaha – the F200 is an ideal power plant for the type of fishing you’d do in this rig, delivering just under 1.9km/L at cruising speed.

Above: Although the test day on Port Phillip Bay was glamorous, the rough water ability and quietness of the Cruise Craft hull is legendary. We can report that it goes well on flat water! the maximum 200hp. At over 2t on the trailer, it’s not a light rig, however the F200 delivered maximum economy of 1.8km/L at 3600rpm and a comfortable cruising speed of 40km/h.

Want to drive this rig flat out? No worries, it’ll give you a smooth 77km/h at 5900 rpm and 1km/L, so ease up on the throttle if you want less pain at the bowser.

From bow to stern, the

Length.......................................................5.95m Length Overall..........................................6.35m Length on trailer.........................................7.5m Height with targa.....................................3.22m Height with screen..................................2.43m Tow weight............................................. 2100kg Beam.........................................................2.44m Transom deadrise........................................ 20° Transom height..............................................XL Max hp......................................................200hp Recommended hp................................... 175hp Capacity.......................................... Six persons Fuel............................................................. 190L JUNE 2018

store your boat undercover in an area with limited height.

Want to know more about this rig? You can see it at the Melbourne Boat Show or you can watch the video review on YouTube on the Fishing Monthly Magazines YouTube

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If you’re a fan of Fishing Monthly boat tests, you may remember the test that Streaker Marine’s Sean Savage and I did on the $200,000 Cruise Craft 685HT. Powered by a 300hp Yamaha, it’s a dreamboat for plenty of anglers out there, and Sean has seen plenty of them roll out the door ever since. This time, we’re taking one of the smaller Cruise Craft models for a spin – the 585EX with a 200hp Yamaha.

Built in Brisbane to exacting standards and factory fitted with motors and trailers, Cruise Craft boats have a reputation for quality and a price tag to match.

Incidentally, the Cruise Craft factory also makes the Streaker boat brand now in Brisbane. This test is for Streaker Marine. It’s a small world in the boating industry.

The 595EX (Explorer) is the third smallest and third largest fishing boat in the Cruise Craft range. Designed to run a 175hp outboard, the test boat was fitted with

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water up and it carries its beam a long way forward.

That gives it the ability to stay on the plane at slower speeds, which helps while driving in rough water.

When looking at the differences between the base

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build and design quality is obvious and the boat rides quietly on the water. At the helm, there’s ample space for whatever suite of electronics you want to fit to be flush mounted. The helm seating is comfortable and designed to store coolers underneath.

I’m a particular fan of the soft top fitted with a slide out sunshade, especially in northern climates where it’s virtually mandatory to fish undercover. The test boat was also fitted with clip-in carpet, which makes life easier at the wash-down stage, especially if you’ve had a busy day on the fish.

Sean Savage has sold plenty of Cruise Craft packages and rates the 595EX as “The best bang for buck in the Cruise Craft range.”

“And the resale value of these rigs is also amazing.

The fact that everything is plush and factory-fitted means that there’s ultimate

confidence from both the dealers and the customers that everything is done right.

We love selling them,” Savage continued.

“What I also like about the hull design is that it was made from scratch from the

RPM................... km/h.................... km/L 700............................5........................ 1.7 1000..........................7........................ 2.5 2000........................ 15........................ 1.9 3000........................ 24........................ 1.6 3600........................ 40........................ 1.8 4000........................ 45........................ 1.7 5000........................ 61........................ 1.3 5900........................ 77........................ 1.0 *As tested with a 17” S/S propeller model price (packages start from low $90K) and the test boat ($111,850), a lot of the cost is made up of the stainless steel, factory-fitted folding Targa top. Erected, the boat’s height tops out at 3.22m, but folded down you can fit it into a garage with a 2.45m clearance. That’s important if you need to

channel, or by scanning the QR code on the page hereby with your smartphone.

Or, of course, you can chat with Sean and the guys from Streaker Marine.

Their contacts are on www. streakermarine.com.au.

While you’re at it, like them on Facebook on the Streaker Marine page.

At wide-open throttle, like all boats, the economy drops. If you want to go 77km/h at 5900rpm, the fuel calculations become easy – you get 1km/L burned.

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The 595 is supplied from the factory on an Australian built Easytow trailer with twin axles.

Indeed, the whole boat/motor/trailer is factory rigged for the best in quality control.

There’s plenty of cockpit space and removable carpet to aid cleaning after a big day on the water.

Here’s the rear bench seat deployed. The mechanism is strong and neat to pack away.

You can store a few rods or gaffs in the side pocket as well as tackle in the bottom section.

This model comes with a sliding, lockable cabin door for privacy and security.

Now there’s a helm that’ll hold all the electronics you’ll want to put into a $100K+ boat.

Cruise Craft cabins are always a combination of style and practicality. This one takes an optional toilet for a weekend away.

The 20° of deadrise at the transom and a 2.44m beam combine to offer good ride and stability at rest.

Cruise Craft’s bait stations have evolved over the years to this design, and it’s removable for family days.

The slide out shade option on the targa top is wonderfully practical and you can keep your excess rods out of the way above it.

The Stressfree electric anchor winch is bordering on a standard inclusion rather than an option.

Once you’ve had one, you’ll never go back.

Cruise Craft’s Yamahas are factory fitted in Brisbane for the best in quality control.

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Revival 590 Cruiser with Mercury 150hp 4-stroke - SC

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Length.................. 5.9m Length Overall..... 6.2m Beam.................. 2.34m Deadrise.................20° Transom................... XL Fuel...................... 130L Max hp............... 175hp tested for many years now.

“Revivals are built

by Sam Catanese of Stejcraft fame right here in Melbourne,” Barney said.

And you can tell that Barney loves selling these boats.

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There’s no doubt that there’s a big market in Australia for a family-cruiser style boat. We’ve tested plenty over the years and there’s something special about being able to spend a night or two on your prideand-joy and then trailer it home. Such experiences are usually reserved for big boats that you need to keep on permanent moorings.

Melbourne’s massive boat dealership, JV Marine, sells Melbourne-built Revival boats and we got JV’s Barney Friend to take us out in a Revival 590 Cruiser.

Recently, JV Marine became a Mercury motor dealer, so the test boat came fitted with a Dunbier trailer and a 3.0L Mercury 4-stroke outboard – a rock solid power plant that’s been tried and

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transom deadrise offered a great ride at all sea angles and speeds. There wasn’t a trim combination that made me feel uncomfortable, even if the hull did sound a little noisy at speed.

Supplied on a Dunbier

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those in the market for a boat like this. As tested, the Revival with 150hp Mercury costs $73,999 – and basic packages on the same hull start from the low $60Ks. You’ll find it hard to buy cheaper in the new

PERFORMANCE RPM......Speed (km/h) Economy (km/L) RPM.................... km/h..................... km/L 650............................5........................... 1000..........................7........................... 3000........................ 32........................ 2.1 3500........................ 42........................ 1.9 4000........................ 51........................ 1.8 5500........................ 72........................ 1.2

Main: With its full canopies fitted, the Revival offers a dry and warm ride for the family and the creature comforts to enjoy the environment.

Above:With easy through-transom access from the dock or on the water, the ‘canopy-on’ version is very family-friendly.

Barney said. “We take them through the whole process from ordering through to options and the build. By the end they become your friends and that’s what we like in boating.”

Indeed, the story of this Revival is its versatility. Fitted will an all-round canopy, it’s a comfortable base for a day or weekend on the water. Spend a few minutes removing the canopies and it turns into a boat that’s eminently capable of matching the rest come snapper season. There’s plenty of wet underfloor storage for your catch and options to flush mount the sounders you need to find them.

With 200L of fuel underfloor, the Revival

doesn’t struggle for range.

The 150 Mercury delivers 2.1 km/L at 3250rpm and 32km/h, suggesting a theoretical range of over 400km. Drop the hammers and the rig maxed out at 5500rpm and 72km/h – and drank more fuel – you’d get just over half as far at WOT than you’d get at the best cruising speed – something to keep in mind if you’re worried about pain at the bowser.

It also doesn’t struggle for torque, throwing up the (admittedly empty) hull easily in a few boat lengths.

Height-wise, it won’t fit into a modern 2.15m high garage, but JV can configure it to fit in one with a clearance of 2.35m.

On the water, the 20° of

twin axle trailer with mechanical brakes, this rig will tow well behind most modern SUVs as it weighs in at just under 2000kg.

It is, however, the price that will turn the heads of

boat market.

For more info, drop into JV marine at 878 Springvale Rd, Braeside, give them a call on (03) 9798 8883, or visit their website at www. jvmarine.com.au.

Supplied on a Dunbier, mechanically-braked, twin axle trailer, the Revival is towable by most family SUVs.

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The combination of boarding ladder and step-through transom makes access from the water or on the ground easy.

That’s 20° of transom deadrise to help smooth the ride on a rough trip home.

Custom cut and routed deck coverings look great and are easily cleaned.

There’s a huge wet storage area underfloor that can hold your catch or the swimming gear. It works for both.

Lined side pockets hold a few rods and the tackle that you need to keep quickly accessible.

There’s no space wasted – the passenger has a neat little area to dry-store your essentials.

The cabin access is fairly open and it’s well appointed up front.

The seat-base mounted table is highly functional for family activities, yet stows away in seconds when you want to change the Revival into a fishing machine.

Check out that dash space! There’s plenty of room to mount your preferred combination of electronics at the helm and it seems to be viewable from where you’d fish.

There’s not much to say about the 3.0L Mercury 4-stroke platform, apart from the fact that it’s a great match for this hull. JV staff and customers have really embraced the switch to the brand.

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Haines Hunter 585R with Yamaha F200 4-stroke

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We hope for windy days while boat testing, but not at the speed that Port Phillip Bay dished out while testing this Haines Hunter 585R (runabout), fitted with a Yamaha F200 by Chelsea Yamaha.

As one of the rigs that Rob Neely and his team are setting up for their stand at the Melbourne Boat Show, I was keen on testing its Port Phillip Bay abilities in some breeze.

The 30+ knots and washing-machine-like conditions put a pretty rapid halt to that. Nonetheless, we were able to get the rig out on the water and

eventually find a location where we could do some economy figures.

To put the hull into perspective, I asked Rob why Haines Hunters were such a popular boat.

“Lots of people buy a Haines Hunter and then never buy anything else,” Rob said. “It’s a combination of comfort, stability, economy and resale value.”

Indeed, Rob had plenty of Haines Hunters in the showroom when we turned up at the dealership to pick up the test boats.

By nature, the runabout design is pretty simple.

Runabouts are made with less cabin space and more SPECIFICATIONS Length Overall..... 6.0m Beam.................. 2.40m Hull Weight........ 950kg Transom..................25” Fuel...................... 230L Max hp................... 200

From above you can get a good idea of the amount of room in the sub 6m craft. There’s plenty of space there to get some serious fishing done.

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cockpit to offer serious anglers plenty of fishing room down the back. The 585 definitely has plenty of space, with a 2.4m beam adding to the work area.

The test boat was set up for fishing, with rocketlauncher style rod holders in the targa top, a large bait station and plenty of room in the side pockets.

It was also fitted with the removable side door to help in loading the boat on the trailer and getting swimmers and divers out of

Top: As tested, this is the boat that you get for $113,900 – nearly 6m of Australianbuilt Haines Hunter 585R. With custom canopy and clears from Chelsea Yamaha, it’s well decked out for snapper fishing in the bay and beyond.

Above: Both the hull and trailer are Melbourne-built. The tandem, galvanised Easytow features plenty of rollers to make drive on and off launching easy – even on windy days like the test day. the water when afloat.

Often the importance of a good trailer under a hull is overlooked. The Aussiemade Easytow trailers work well under these hulls and the combination of wobble and keel rollers make it a pleasure to drive on and off, even in windy conditions like on the test day. Dual axles are a must for any rig around 2000kg and this rig will tow easily behind nearly all twin-cab 4WDs. As expected, Yamaha’s F200 delivered exceptional economy, squeezing just under 2km/L burned at 4000rpm and 39km/h.

Combine this with the 230L underfloor fuel tank and there’s a theoretical range of nearly 450km on a single fill. If that’s not enough for you, you’re going to need a bigger boat.

At the helm, Yamaha’s new fly-by-wire digital throttle and shift impressed.

It takes a little to get used to the sensitivity and smoothness of this new system, but once you do, you’ll never want to go back to mechanical throttle cables again.

Overall, you should look at the 585R if you’re more of a fisher than a family weekend kind of

person. It’s designed with plenty of room and storage for all things piscatorial.

But the significant other and kids will be comfortable nonetheless if they want to tag along.

Haines Hunters aren’t cheap – the test rig weighed in at $113,900, however basic packages for this hull start at around $90,000.

Give Rob and the staff at Chelsea Yamaha a call for more information or see them and this boat at the Melbourne Boat Show.

Find them online at www. chelseayamaha.com.au and like Chelsea Yamaha on Facebook.

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The 2.4m of beam combined with a deep vee make this a stable hull that rides well in the rough.

The R in the model name means ‘runabout,’ which translates to plenty of deck space and a smaller cabin. You can see the lid to the massive underfloor kill box between the helm and passenger seats.

The helm includes the Yamaha digital throttle and shift, which is very smooth and impressive. We’d like to be able to mount larger sounders flush into the dash, though.

Lenco trim tabs help you adjust the attitude when running heavy or uneven loads. With the lightly loaded boat we didn’t need them on the test day.

There’s enough cabin room to get out of the weather and it’s no problem to fit an optional portable toilet in there to keep the family happy.

The fold-out rear lounge isn’t full width, but can hold a couple of passengers. The rear bait station slides in and out.

There’s an optional, removable gunwale door and tons of room in the side pockets. The door slides out rather than being hinged.

A clear anchor well door lets in a lot of natural light to the cabin.

Rob Neely reckons that the Yamaha F200s are ‘bulletproof’. We didn’t shoot it to find out, but they are definitely economical, giving a theoretical range of around 450km.

Talk to Chelsea Yamaha about custom stainless targa and canopy/clears combinations.

They have a full trim shop in-house.

Call it a kill box or a wet storage area for your snorkeling gear. Whatever your bent, it’s a handy addition to the 585.

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Clark 520 Legend SC with 115 Suzuki 4-stroke - SC

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SPECIFICATIONS Overall Length... 5.38m Beam.................. 1.35m Depth................. 1.06m Hull weight........ 560kg Min hp.................. 70hp Max hp................115hp Bottom and sides.3mm Max people............. Six offers a greater range of opportunities for fishing and recreational boating.

FIRST IMPRESSION The 520 Legend really gives the feeling of being bigger than it is. The cockpit area is wide and open, with high gunwales and grab rails.

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The Clarke 520 Legend was launched at the 2017 Melbourne Boat Show and has proven to be a very popular addition to their range. We have wanted to test one for a while, but sales have been so strong that it has taken us up until now to find one available to review. Boats and More in Shepparton and Echuca will again have a good range of Clark Boats at this year’s show, with the 520 Legend the headline act.

This is the largest of the Clark boats we have tested for the magazines, as the majority of boats tested in the past have been focused on fishing in our estuaries, lakes and rivers. The 520 Legend

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3.6km/L of fuel burned – that’s nearly 400km out of the boat’s 110L fuel tank and plenty for any day’s fishing!

At the end of the test, Mark Frost volunteered to have a ski behind the boat (the outside temperature was nice,

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dual axle trailer provides better highway towing. It was also set up to be launched and retrieved by one person if necessary, and on the day we drove the boat on and off the trailer with ease.

Always tell your dealer

PERFORMANCE

Main: The Clark 520 Legend SC was a pleasure to drive. It really shows what a well-matched hull and outboard can offer.

Above: Aimed first and foremost at the sportfishing market, Mark Frost shows here how stable a platform the boat is for casting lures. mount a good-sized sounder.

The forward casting deck is also a good size and has a huge amount of storage beneath it.

If there were a single word to describe it, that word would be ‘uncluttered.’ This space and a solid hull design are the base of what proved to be a very nice boat to test.

VERSATILITY EQUALS OPTIONS The Legend is definitely targeted at the sportfishing market. The large forward casting deck, option to put an electric motor on the bow and excellent stability at rest all make it a great platform to cast lures from. Add to that a livewell and plenty of storage for your gear, and you have a boat where 2-3 anglers can comfortably terrorise all the fish in a location like Lake Mulwala, where we did this test.

From a fishing perspective, the additional option with the higher gunwales and width of the hull mean fishing bays and even open waters is possible in the right weather. The bait board, rod holders, cockpit space and live bait tank at the stern of the boat make

soaking a bait or swimming a livey feasible.

From a family perspective, fishing is not the only option.

The bait board is removable and can be replaced with a ski pole, so you can spend a few hours fishing and then tow the kids around on a tube or water ski, depending on their age. To swap the board and pole is simple and takes less than a couple of minutes.

Towing an adult is also no issue, depending on the motor you match with the hull.

RIDE AND PERFORMANCE The test boat had a Suzuki 115hp 4-stroke outboard on the back of it, which is the maximum horsepower for the 520. Simon from Boats and More explained to me that they had sold a number of packages with a 90hp and they had performed well, but running the maximum horsepower opens up the full range of options of the hull. He also mentioned that you could upgrade the 3mm bottom sheet to 4mm plate and increase the rating to 150hp.

Driving this boat is an absolute pleasure. The

transition from at rest to on the plane and full power was smooth and effortless.

Minimal trim was required to get to the sweet spot for maximum output and steering.

Sharp cornering and turning at speed were done easily.

It really shows what a wellmatched hull and outboard offer. The maximum speed achieved during testing was 66km/h, with the most economical cruising range at 3500 revs. At this rpm the package achieved 37km/h at

RPM......Speed (km/h)............Economy (km/L) Idle (850)...................3.................................. 3.4 1000..........................7.................................. 4.5 2000........................ 11.................................. 2.6 3000........................ 16.................................. 1.7 4000........................ 42.................................. 2.8 5000........................ 54.................................. 2.0 WOT (6000)............. 66.................................. 1.7 but the water temperature had a little chill to it). Within five minutes we went from fishing to skiing, and again the motor and hull did this easily.

LAUNCH AND RETRIEVE Boats and More had the 520 Legend set up on a dual axle Alloy Series Dunbier trailer. A dual axle trailer is not a necessity for this hull, however – keeping in mind that a person buying this package is likely to be doing a fair bit of travelling – the

The versatility of the 520 means you can fish in the morning and ski in the afternoon.

what your needs will be when it comes to towing, launching and retrieving. They will know the best option, like in this case; a slightly upgraded trailer provides hassle-free travel and makes it easy to get your boat on and off the water.

CHECK IT OUT YOURSELF It’s hard not to be impressed by the Clark 520 Legend SC. It’s a combination of multiple use options: it’s family-friendly, fishingfriendly, ski-friendly, tows well and is a fabulous boat to drive with good economy. If I was going to ask anything, I would like to see some fishing rod storage, as most anglers tend to have multiple rods.

Some storage out of the way would make the Legend even better than it already is.

As tested, the 520 came in at $52,490. The starting price is $36,990 with a smaller outboard. You can contact the team at Boats and More via their website www. boatsandmore.com.au, or drop in to their Shepparton or Echuca stores. Ask them for a test drive – you will enjoy the experience.

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The Clark package was on a Dunbier Alloy Series trailer. This trailer upgrade offers great towing and an easy launch and retrieve.

The transition of power of the 115hp Suzuki was smooth and effortless.

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The forward casting deck has a huge amount of storage, as well as a large livewell.

There are two side pockets to store all those things you need to get your hands on quickly.

A great feature of the Clark 520 Legend is that the bait board can be removed if not in use, or replaced with a ski pole for a bit of family fun.

The nose of the 520 has a self-draining anchor well and a plate to install an electric motor.

The cockpit of the 520 has plenty of space and multiple seating positions.

There is a live bait tank in the transom if live bait fishing is something you enjoy.

The console is large enough to hold all your switches and gauges, and to mount a reasonably sized sounder.

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Whittley CR2800 – the adventure begins - SC

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The Whittley CR2800 is the largest Australian-made towable boat in its class. At Fishing Monthly we usually take no longer than a day to test a boat, but with the CR2800 we decided to go about it in a slightly different way. Beautiful Lake Eildon in central Victoria was the venue for the test, and the idea was to spend a couple of days using the boat, as we would expect a consumer

boats for many years, and here is his advice.

Vehicle The car you tow with can make all the difference. Alan uses a 200 series LandCruiser for all his larger boat towing, and says it has been the best option for the business over the years. However, these days there’s a number of other cars that are suitable.

Trailer set-up All Whittley Cruiser models come on a custom Mackay trailer, and in the case of the 2800 it’s a dual-axle trailer with electric brakes.

Electric brakes are an essential

SPECIFICATIONS Overall length �������������������������������������������������9.0m Length on trailer ���������������������������������������� 10.10m Height on trailer �������������������������������������������3.30m Width on trailer ��������������������������������������������2.49m Fuel capacity ��������������������������������������������������200L Water capacity �����������������������������������������������100L Dry towing weight ���������������������� approx. 3.35 ton Standard engine �������� Volvo Penta V6-280hp DPS Max hp ����������������������������������������������������������380hp Max people �����������������������������������������������������������9 to do. Stay on board as we explore everything that Eildon and the CR2800 has to offer.

TOWING I can imagine that people would have concerns about towing a boat this big, and fair enough too. The size of the boat is daunting, however being under 3.5 ton and having a 2.5m beam means all you have to worry about is having the correct set-up and vehicle, not whether you need lights, signage and permits any time you want to go somewhere.

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component of safe towing with a boat this size.

The Mackay is also a drive on, drive off trailer; winching this boat by hand would not be ideal. We had no difficulty driving it on and off, it’s just a matter of taking your time. The supplied trailer made that easier.

Think long Alan’s biggest tip for towing the 2800 was to ‘think long’. It is a big boat and you need to give yourself room to turn or turn around. You should also give yourself a little extra space from vehicles in front. Although the trailer

Main: The CR2800 is a compact luxury cruiser with a sleek modern design and look.

Above: Alan Whittley can be very proud of their flagship boat the CR2800. has assisted breaking, you still have over three ton behind you, so stopping on a dime is not going to happen.

LAUNCH AND RETRIEVE As with the towing, some care and a little practice is required when getting the 2800 on and off the water.

It is by no means difficult, however. We launched at the Jerusalem Creek ramp at Lake Eildon, and at around 64% capacity this ramp is safe but not very steep. Other than needing to have the vehicle in the water (there were plenty of smaller craft needing to do the same), getting the boat on and off the trailer was a simple two-person job. Once off the trailer, front bow thrusters assist with maneuverability.

Who would have thought it could be so hassle-free?

A CRUISER WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS Whittley Marine has been at the forefront of building cruisers since their inception, and the CR2800 is the

culmination of many years of boat-building experience.

This boat combines a sleek, modern look with a clever use of space, and because the designers understand what boaters want, they provide features and options to fulfil those needs. And feature packed it is.

Above the deck Ladders are situated at the

front and rear of the craft. The forward ladder is optional to provide assistance getting to and from the shore if you are parked on the bank, and the rear ladder gives easy access into and out of the water.

Complementing this is full walk-around side decks with rails at the bow of the boat, and a large marlin board with rails at the rear. The

rails provide some peace of mind for anyone who’s not accustomed to scampering around a vessel.

Above the cabin there is a pack rack for additional storage of larger items, and it’s a great place for any towable products or inflatables to keep them out of the way.

Marlin board The marlin board was most probably the most used area of the boat over the couple of days we were at Eildon. We cooked meals on the BBQ, we cast lures and soaked baits from it, and with the weather as good as it was on the first day, we spent plenty of time swimming from the back of it. The addition of the bait station adds to the fishing component. It has some rod storage and keeps the bait preparation out of the main cabin and away from your food and living area.

Rear cabin The rear cabin is a wonderful space to sit, relax and enjoy your surroundings.

First light at Jerusalem Creek, Lake Eildon. Time to go and explore.

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MELBOURNE BOAT SHOW FEATURE The seating is comfortable and has a couple of table options. The main dining table is stored in the roof of the cabin, which is a fantastic solution for an item that would be very difficult to store otherwise. There is plenty of storage under all the seating and throughout the cabin area, keeping it clear to be the social space it is meant to be.

The lounge and table come together to create a double bed. Full clears can be put in place to keep insects at bay or to keep the weather out.

Galley and amenities If the rear cabin and marlin board are the social areas of the boat, then the galley provides the practical component of spending time on the boat. There is a food preparation area with a sink, a two burner mentholated spirits stove and a fridge. There is an esky under the skipper’s seat for drinks, so the fridge can be used for food items. Cooking utensils also have a place to be stored as well as cutlery etc. The remaining space at the back of the skipper’s seat

Picture yourself waking up to this. The CR2800 is all about experiencing moments like this.

As far as our weekend was concerned, it kept five blokes looking and smelling sharp?

Forward cabin The haven that is the forward cabin has a true sense of luxury. The area has multiple configurations from a seated area with a table to a large bed. There is a lockable door for privacy for people to get changed or simply for someone to chill out and have some quiet time.

Practical things like storage under the seating and a hanging closet for your

for the driver, which is positioned so everything is at your fingertips. The throttle is comfortably positioned and the skipper has great visibility through the cabin windows. Both side windows open to assist with airflow.

You can also pop your head through the electric sunroof if you need to see more while launching or manoeuvring in tight spaces.

The truly impressive feature is the new dash configuration. Housing a 16” Garmin screen, part of

etc.). The menu includes the fuel management system, links to the Fusion sound system and the main screen can be customised to the

the motor and with the design of the CR2800 (all of the Whittley Cruisers for that matter) they have used this space to the max. The comfort and functionality of the rear lounge area is a clear testament of this. Secondly only having the leg of the motor at the rear (not a big outboard) means the transom area is free of obstruction, so it can be used to cook on the BBQ, ski or swim from the back and it also provides an obstacle free fishing platform.

From a performance perspective, you get a lot of motor for your money and fuel economy that is comparable with any outboard motor.

What we found over

LASTING IMPRESSION The CR2800 is the flagship vessel of the Whittley fleet of boats. It is also a significant investment. This investment translates into a boat that offers a vehicle to explore this great country of ours both on land and from the water. The weekend at Eildon was not my first experience with the CR2800, my extended family in South Australia own one and I have spent a little bit of time with them over the years. They have travelled much of the East coast of Australia with the Whittley in tow. It has offered many years of memorable experiences and many more to come.

Ultimately that is what

Sneaking around casting lures for natives is not the primary function of the 2800. That doesn’t mean you can’t do it.

Lake Eildon is the home of many houseboats. We brought our own for the weekend. has a bar in it storing glasses and on this trip a nice bottle of single malt whiskey. This was to be the reward if you caught a Murray cod over the weekend. Unfortunately it went untouched.

Opposite the galley is a stand up shower and toilet with a privacy door. From a family perspective this offers privacy and the ability to clean up after a days activities.

clothing ensure that the space is kept clear and tidy. There are plenty of windows for natural light during the day and a hatch that can open to allow airflow.

Overall it is a well-planned space that like the rest of the boat begs to be used.

Helm/Skippers seat The hub of the CR2800 is the driver seating area.

There is an oversized seat

the Whittley Pulse system.

The Pulse system is a fully integrated digital switching system that at the touch of your finger, controls everything electronic in the boat from the lights and wipers to letting you know you are low on fuel. It has a number of modes that allow the user to set their craft up for what they want to use it for (cruise, tow, entertainment

users needs.

Other things housed on the dash are the Garmin VHF radio, the Zipwake automatic trim system (no more manual trimming), the battery management system and just to the side of it the toggle for the bow thrusters.

All in all a well thought out helm, that any skipper would be happy to in whether it is a short or long trip.

VOLVO PENTA V6 280HP WITH DUO PROP SYSTEM Not surprisingly the Volvo Penta V6 motor in the CR2800 came up in conversation a number of times during our time at Eildon.

From a useable space perspective there are a number of advantages of an inboard motor. First and foremost is that your cabin and deck spaces are above

the couple of days was that for what is a very powerful motor it also had a great deal of finesse about it. And no I haven’t gone crazy. The Duo Prop system provides an immense amount of grip to the water resulting in excellent trust, acceleration and top end speeds.

However it also allows for lower planing speeds, which means you can cruise around all day with great fuel economy. Definitely something that you would want if you plan to be on the water for an extended period of time. The motor is also beautifully quiet.

One final observation about the inboard motor set up is that lowers the centre of gravity of the boat. This improves the stability at rest and the performance of the hull underway.

this boat is all about. It can be towed from A to B with no hassles, launching and retrieving is hassle free with a bit of practice and the fit out offers plenty of comfort and sophistication. Spending time on this boat for whatever reason is something you are bound to enjoy and something you will want to invite your friends to come along for the ride.

Available from just under $206,000, the CR2800 comes with many standard inclusions. Go to www. whitleymarinegroup.com. au and click on the Cruiser 2800 link. There is a build a boat option that has all the information, inclusions and optional extras that are available.

This boat is well worth experiencing for yourself and has left a lasting impression on me.

This is what experiencing the lake from the water is all about. Finding a quiet nook, sidle up to the bank and cook some breakfast.

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Top: The electric sunroof was great for airflow or if you needed a clearer field of vision when maneuvering around tight places.

Below: Every space was cleverly used for storage like the bar at the rear of the skippers seat.

Top: The BBQ on the rear platform was where we did most of our cooking.

Below: The back deck was fitted with a fishing station. Perfect to fish from and to keep bait and tackle out of the main cabin.

Top: The visibility from the skippers seat was fantastic. You had a clear view around the entire boat.

Below: The main dash is impressive in the CR2800.

A Garmin 16 inch screen incorporating the Whittley pulse system is the centerpiece for a one touch approach for the helm layout and controls.

The rear cabin has many configurations including a bed, a dining area with a larger table or a comfortable place to relax as pictured.

The forward cabin is the haven of the boat. It can be closed off for privacy and offers a quiet space from everything else happening on the boat. It also transforms into a comfortable bed to sleep on.

Top: The galley has a duel methylated spirits cooktop and a sink.

Left: The stand up shower with toilet has a privacy door and provides you with the ability to clean up after a days activities.

Right: If the weather doesn’t allow you to use the BBQ the food preparation area in the galley has a cooking station, fridge and plenty of storage for utensils.

Top: Clever storage is a feature of the CR2800. Here the dining table is stored in the roof of the rear cabin.

Left: Navigating your way around the Whittley is made easy with cleverly designed gates incorporated in the design. No need to step over anything.

Right: There is significant storage throughout the CR2800. This ranges from side pockets to storage under the seats, under the skippers seat and under the floor. Everything has a place so that the working spaces can be kept clear.

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3 Fresh Water Cooled Volvo Engine q 3 Premium Cabin Headlining q 3 Fusion Stereo and Garmin VHF q 3 Garmin GPS/FF q 3 Privacy Cabin Divider q

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MAKING MEMORIES SINCE 1953 *Manufacturers Recommended Retail Price (MRRP). MRRP is a from price, with all standard inclusions and includes GST. Excludes freight charges, pre-delivery charges, safety equipment and registrations. Boats shown are for demonstration purposes only and may show equipment that is not standard. Contact your local Whittley dealer or log onto the website for more information, www.whittley.com.au.

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A NEW ERA in FourStroke

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The all new range of Mercury V-8 4.6L and V-6 3.4L 175-300hp are the only choice when considering high horsepower outboards.

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