Victoria and Tasmania Fishing Monthly - December 2014

CHRISTMAS COD OPENING SPECIAL

Features

Bumper Murray cod special • It’s prawning time!

• Jump aboard a snapper charter •

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Black Magic 40lb Tough Trace was used by Hayden Sanders to catch this 99cm murray cod while fishing at Hattah-Kulkyne National Park, VIC.

Robert Bigg used a Black Magic KS 5/0 hook to take this 4.5kg snapper off Broughton Island, Port Stephens, NSW.

Rob Carmichael landed this excellent 9.6kg snapper on a Black Magic 5/0 Snapper Snatcher ‘original’ while fishing out from Lakes Entrance, VIC.

This 69cm flathead was landed

by Adam Robertson on Black Magic 6lb Fluorocarbon leader while fishing near Captain Cook Bridge, NSW.

A NEW Black Magic Jellybean ‘baby brown’ was used by Diego Gadea to catch this chinook salmon while fishing at Lake Bullen Merri, VIC.

For your nearest retailer and our full range visit our website at

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YOUR PHOTO COULD APPEAR IN OUR ADS! If we use your photo in our advertising you will receive a FREE BLACK MAGIC CAP AND PRIZE! Include your name, address, fish weight, where you caught it and which Black Magic or Wasabi products were used. Send a high resolution image to: photos@blackmagic.co.nz

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DECEMBER 2014

December 2014, Vol. 11, No.12

Contents 7

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39

From the Editor’s Desk... the 1 December.

To celebrate the opening of the Murray cod season, we’ve lined up a pretty cool cod feature. Rod Mackenzie, Robbie Alexander, Roger Miles and the DEEPI have all contributed in their areas of expertise to help you connect with a cod-of-a-lifetime.

VIC ANGLER WINS BASS FINAL! At the start of the season, you’d have gotten pretty good odds on betting on a Victorian to take out the BASS Grand Final in Queensland. Well, that’s exactly what happened, with 2013 Kayak World Champion Richard Somerton travelling to the Sunshine state to rob the highly experiences NSW and Queensland anglers of their trophy.

It shows that Victorian anglers can cut it anywhere in the world. Just before

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VICTORIA FISHING MONTHLY

Sub-Editors: Nicole Penfold, Bob Thornton

Website: www.fishingmonthly.com.au

Field Editor: Kelly Hunt, Stephen Booth

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Christie ‘Chop’ Barnes and Tim Polis with a stonking cod caught on the troll in the Murray River. This was Christie’s biggest fish and she had only been trolling a couple of times before.

Photo courtesy Rod MacKenzie

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couple of reader photos and had nearly 100 submitted in less than 24 hours! We’ll be making space for them in future issues.

Make sure that if you catch a nice fish, snap a pic of it with your smartphone and post it to the Fishing Monthly wall – we’ll do our best to get it in the pages.

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that, Richard was at the 2014 World Titles in Amsterdam and led that event for the first day of competition.

The man is on fire.

COMPETITIONS We’ve heard the call.

You love the Find-The competition.

And it’s back.

The ridiculously popular Find-The competition kicks off again this month – this time partnering with VMC to challenge you (and your eyesight).

And, of course, there’s the Subscriber prizes that are drawn every month.

Every current subscriber is in the draw!

SOCIAL MEDIA MAYHEM Finally, thanks to all of the readers and participants in the Fishing Monthly Magazines Facebook page – we put out the call for a

West Coast 8 Warrnambool 10 Portland 10 Apollo Bay 12 Cobden 12

CENTRAL

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A NEW GOVERNMENT? At around the time this issue hits the shelves, we’ll be hitting the polls and electing our State leaders for the next few years. There have been some pretty strong promises to try and woo the recreational angler votes over the campaign period – from PPB recreational fishing havens to buybacks of Gippsland lakes commercial effort.

Stay tuned in January for an analysis of the outcome.

NEW COD REGULATIONS AND SEASON This is the month when the now slot-limits for Murray cod come into force.

Remember that there’s a slot limit of 55cm to 75cm and a possession limit of only one fish in the rivers. You can keep two cod in lakes.

These come into effect on

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It’s prawnin’ time!

WESTERN PORT STH

Jarrod Day jarrodday@iprimus.com.au

So how much are you willing to pay for a 1kg of prawns? Well for me, it’s less than an hour’s work.

Sure, you can take the easy road and head to the local fish shop and purchase 1kg for around $22 that has been sitting in a freezer for god knows how long, or you can head to your local estuary and catch your own with some entertainment thrown in for free.

Providing you know what you’re looking for, scooping up a handful of tasty prawns will only take a minute.

Of course, in Victoria prawns are not readily available year round; rather they are more of a summertime species. In fact, it is said that any month with the letter ‘R’ in its name is a good month to get out and get your feet wet.

Prawning is a lot of fun for the entire family, providing you don’t mind keeping the kids up until after dark.

Between September and April, Victoria’s prawning season kicks off and, being a warm water crustacean, they thrive in the northeastern estuaries of the state. That basically means in the Gippsland area with Lakes Entrance being the main hub.

Throughout the prawning season, it is nothing to stand on the edge of an estuary bank and see a hundred or so glistening lights shining amongst the shallows with echoes of laughter bellowing deep from the tummies of children as they attempt to catch a fleeing prawn.

Although prawns are available to be caught throughout each month;they are more in abundance during the new moon.

The dark moon provides prawns with a cover of

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Nothing beats catching your own prawns and with 1kg of them at this size, anyone would be happy. darkness where they won’t be devoured by flathead, bream, trevally or other fish that want to eat them.

Even though the beginning of the season might be September, the prawns are still usually quite small in size averaging around 1-2”. With each new moon that passes, the prawns grow about an inch in size on average, so if you’re after the big ones at around 5-6”, you’re best to try your luck around the new moon in March and April.

WHERE TO FIND THEM Prawns aren’t the hardest things to find when you’re on the hunt; providing you have the moon and tide in your favour they should be quite easy. Prawning is always done under the cover of darkness and that is because it is when they feel the safest to run the gauntlet out into the ocean without being eaten by predatory species.

Those looking to catch a few kilograms can catch prawns using two methods.

The most basic is to walk or wade the edges of estuaries.

Although you might have the moon right, you still need to work when the tide is running out and when the wind is at its calmest. Prawning when the wind is up reduces your visibility with surface disturbance and seeing the prawns can be a little difficult at times. Once you have all the planets aligned and in your favour, walk the shallows no deeper than

your knees. When looking for prawns, concentrate on the sandy areas rather than weed patches, as they will be in greater numbers on the sand and much easier to net.

When wading, really look hard into the water, to see a prawn you have to look for their eyes, which will glow pink in the torch light.

Once you find one, place the net behind the prawn and move the light towards their eyes. At this point, they will spook and shoot backwards into the net. Occasionally, they shoot sideways and towards the surface, this is when the fun really starts. If you have ever seen someone

After only 10 minutes of walking the bank, the end result was a plate full of prawns.

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trying to catch butterflies, when a prawn is scooting across the surface, it’s the same but 10 times as funny!

Another prawning method is to use a boat.

At Lakes Entrance, the Bullock Island boat ramp has excellent launching facilities and a fish-cleaning table.

In season, many anglers launch their boats and head out. You only have to drive about a 100m and set anchor on the edge of the channel to catch the prawns as they pass. Providing you have custom-made holders to hold your lights, you can then concentrate on netting the prawns as they swim past

your boat. Anglers prawning from boats do tend to catch a lot more than those wading the edges but either way, prawning is still a lot of fun for everyone.

GEAR REQUIREMENTS When it comes to catching prawns you do need the necessary gear to be successful. Normally, you’d be happy to empty your wallet at a fish shop for a few kilograms so instead, spend the money on good reliable gear to catch them yourself.

Firstly, you will require some waders or if you’re brave enough to endure the water temperatures, shorts and a pair of wetsuit booties will do the job.

Next is the light, some people choose to use a torch or headlamp, which makes finding them much more

As the saying goes “Don’t catch your limit, limit your catch”. You don’t have to catch your bag limit of prawns, even just 18 of them is fit for a king. difficult because your light will be reflecting against the surface of the water. A flounder/prawn light makes it much easier to find them as the light will reflect under the water, eliminating glare.

There are a few different lights available these days with the old 50w battery powered model still common.

Carrying a heavy battery in a backpack can be hard work and to eliminate this you can use the new 5xAAA powered lights, which are far lighter in weight and do a

tremendous job. They might not be as bright as a batterypowered model, but they are more effective than a torch or headlamp.

Along with the light you’ll require a net. Not any net will do as prawns have a knack of flicking out of shallow nets or ones with large holes in it. When it comes to prawn nets you will want something with a fine mesh otherwise they will be able to swim right through it. There are 2 main nets in which to use, one is a cheap $16 model from Jarvis Walker while the other is from Neptune Tackle and sells for about $50. The Neptune Tackle version can be purchased with a 1.8m drop and 2.4m telescopic handle. This makes netting prawns much easier as you

can reach further for them as well as collect quite a few without them skipping out when netting another.

Lastly, you do need something to keep your catch in while walking.

Usually, I prefer to use a flounder boat, which I purchased some years back.

Some anglers prefer to pull small inflatable boats with a little water in them or just a floating ring with a bucket wedged in them. Another effective carry bag is to use a simple surf shoulder bag.

This can easily be thrown over your shoulder and are very easy to carry rather than having to drag something heavy behind you.

GO CATCH SOME PRAWNS! The prawning season is well upon us now and I thoroughly recommend it over buying your prawns. If you have ever wanted some light-hearted entertainment while catching a feed of tasty prawns, get the appropriate gear and get out prawning, I guarantee you will have a blast.

When embarking on a prawning mission, ensure you have everything at your disposal, even a spear as you might also discover a few flounder and flathead lurking in the shallows.

BEST APPROACHING PRAWNING TIMES

During the day you can quite easily map out where you will try your luck during the night hours.

January . .........................................................From Saturday 17 until Thursday 22 February .......................................................... From Tuesday 17 until Saturday 21 March . ..........................................................From Wednesday 18 until Sunday 22 April ......................................................... From Friday 17 until Sunday Tuesday 21 Fish the run-out tides during calm nights for best results.

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River clean and anglers keen WEST COAST

Shane Lowery

December is here and with it we roll into summer and some of the most productive months for fishing the Glenelg River for bait and lure fishers.

November saw a real pickup in the fishing in the Glenelg. Not that the fishing had been particularly tough in the lead up but more with the

improvement in the river conditions the fishing really went to a better level.

Finally we saw the water clarity improve markedly even with continued inflows from Rocklands and the fact that the mouth is still open and the river remains quite tidal.

I expect to see even more improvement in the fishing and overall quality of the fish in December and the following summer months. Similar patterns to the preceding months There’ll be plenty of quality bream in the Glenelg through summer. will still apply in terms of baits and lures.

Small mulloway are still extremely prevalent in the river and seem to be spread through the entire system. The larger fish have still not turned up in any numbers yet, although there has been the odd good fish taken.

In recent times, I’ve heard reports of fish of 1-1.2m but these fish have been quite rare. Predominantly the mulloway have ranged from 45-70cm and both bait and lure fishing for them has worked well. In particular, the best baits

Clint Northcott with an early morning estuary perch.

3SER 7am-9am

DAN LEE

have been podworm and live baits such as mullet.

Vibe lures and larger soft plastics have been the standout lures and I’d expect that trend to remain constant through the summer.

Bream are also very well spread in the system ranging from the estuary right up to and above Saunders but the largest congregations of fish will still be through Taylors Strait to above Sapling Creek. Baits such as crab and prawn cast up onto the shallow mud banks will catch some good fish.

The same can be said for

The author with a nice perch taken on surface lure. lures with the edge bite in full swing. Throwing small shallow diving minnow profile lures or soft plastics is certainly the order of the day.

Estuary perch are also a great target species through December, particularly for lure fishers. This time of year is when surface lures really come into their own and this is a truly exciting way to target both perch and bream. Small poppers and walk-the-dog style lures thrown into heavy timber snags on

still evenings and early mornings are sure to find some great perch. When fishing surface lures into heavy snags, it’s wise to use heavier leader around the 10lb breaking strain and very little compares to the excitement of seeing a large perch charge out of a snag and smash you’re lure off the surface.

With the water really clearing up and the temperature rising, it’s a great month to get out and spend some time on the river.

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River jewels and returning kings WARRNAMBOOL

Mark Gercovich mgercovich@hotmail.com

Late November and into December is probably my favourite time to fish the Hopkins River, the mouth

is usually open, allowing for a little tidal influence, water quality is generally good and the crowds of summer haven’t hit yet.

The warmer conditions can produce some excellent surface luring for bream and perch. Throwing a pink grub, bent minnow or even doing it old school with a floating Rapala minnow, is an addictive way to spend a calm early morning or evening.

Mulloway continue to be more than just an incidental capture in the Hopkins River at the moment. My kids now call every decent bream they hook for a small mulloway before they see it, which is a bit of a reflection of a change in angler expectation in the river. As per the previous months, most are just under the 60cm minimum size, but there has been enough bigger fish in the 70-80cm range to keep things interesting.

A quality sounder like the Humminbird unit I run really helps when mulloway

fishing, as they do show up well on these devices.

Getting them to bite is often another story, but at least it can help you locate a good area to focus your efforts and eliminate barren areas.

If mulloway aren’t enough to float your piscatorial boat, then there is usually something else to get super excited about this time of year. No, not Santa, but hopefully the first kingfish captures of the season! With the warm spring we’ve had, it really feels like they shouldn’t be too far away!

The other summer speedster, the mako shark, has already been encountered and captured by anglers fishing out of Port Fairy as early as October, so come December they will be a popular target on those flat days.

Speaking of flat days, anglers continue to explore and develop the local deepwater bottom fishery. Lucas Wilson from Richardson

Corey McLaren with a lovely 5.5kg mulloway taken from the Hopkins River.

Marine has taken some excellent blue-eye trevalla recently after doing some serious miles looking for a good ground.

If travelling miles offshore isn’t your cup of tea, the inshore fishery at this time of year is usually really booming. King George whiting, squid and pinkie snapper are usually prevalent just a couple of hundred metres out from

any of the local ramps.

Pinkies and wrasse can drive you mad sometimes when you are targeting whiting but if you want to try something different, catching them on light gear and soft plastics can make them a more attractive option. A rampaging 2kg of blue throat on bream spinning gear is seriously fun… if you can get them out of the reef!

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PORTLAND

Nigel Fisher

The fishing is well and truly into action here in Portland and good reports have been flooding in.

The Breakwater is fishing very well with the good size snapper up to the 10kg mark and some very fine gummy sharks mixed in with them.

There’s plenty of couta, which can be great on light gear and very good bait for the sharks and snapper.

Whiting, salmon, trevally, yakkas and squid are also on the bite off the wall. Pipis, prawns and bluebait are great baits for the salmon, whiting and squid and pilchards are great for the snapper.

The squid are hooking up well under floats with bait jigs using pilchards or silver whiting to attract them.

The weather has still been a bit up and down for the boats but when it’s good, look out. The fishing

A very decent snapper caught by Jason off the Breakwater.

has been very reasonable throughout the area. The deep water in the 300-400m area is still producing some great blue-eye and other deep feeding fish like ling, grenadier and knife jaw.

Quite a few fishers are using whole calamari baits and salmon to attract these great-tasting fish.

The fishing back towards Cape Nelson to Bridgewater Bay has been great with big results of flathead, gummy and school sharks and the occassional snapper and morwong. The flathead seem to love Squid Ems with a bit of bait added.

The typical big baits should be used for the sharks and snapper in this area.

The bay area to North Shore is also fishing well with flathead and some great whiting being reported. The whiting are generally in big sizes in these areas and are great to catch and even better to eat.

Pipis, whitebait, bluebait

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and squid work well on most fish in this area.

The beach fishing is firing up around the Portland area with salmon, sharks and the odd mulloway. These are the most common fish species anglers like to catch off the surf and are always great fun in good conditions.

DECEMBER The mighty kingfish should start to fire up again in Portland. The last couple of years were a little slow but a few nice ones were caught. Let’s hope this season the numbers will be better as they are a fantastic fish to catch and eat. Most angler use floats with fresh squid while others troll.

We also see plenty of pinkie snapper and sharks when fishing for kingies, which are a great by-catch and also good eating.

Generally, good numbers of whiting and flathead are around the bay to Lawrences Rock. People generally anchor up for their catch of whiting but I like to drift and usually up with a mixed bag.

The guys that travel beyond the rock to Deepwater or towards Bridgewater Bay this time of year end up with mixed bags of big flathead, sharks, snapper, blue-eye and various others.

The beaches from the North Shore to Discovery Bay are generally fishing very well this time of the year with sharks, snapper,

The breakwater has many local and visiting anglers throughout the year. mulloway and salmon all regular features.

The Breakwater should still be in full force with large snapper, sharks, whiting, salmon, squid, and the odd kingfish. The breakwater gets very busy this time of year with fishers and families, so please enjoy your time there but take your rubbish home or put them in the bins provided.

• For any fishing or weather

reports don’t hesitate to call Portland Compleat Angler on (03) 5521 1844 and we will point you in the right direction. You can also call in any time and say g’day to the team and check out our range of products. You find us on the foreshore at 61 Bentinck Street, Portland.

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11

Sink your teeth into a toothy specimen APOLLO BAY

Daniel Kent apollobaysurfshop@bigpond.com

There are only a few weeks to go and another year slips by, so you better get out fishing before it’s too late!

The snapper are here with some big fish over 5kg being taken from wide of Cape Otway in 40-60m of water. Fresh baits of squid or fish fillet are best but the humble pilchard is always a reliable backup. Drifting to

locate these fish seems to be the preferred method, so make sure you have the sounder and GPS switched on and be ready to punch in any marks when a fish is sighted or caught.

Once you catch a snapper, keep returning back to the same area and others should follow. The use of a sea anchor is important and will help slow down your drift. If the wind is blowing or the tide is against the wind, this will make it so much easier to keep a bait down near the

bottom, giving the snapper a better chance of finding your offering.

The reef edges off Cape Otway are also producing plenty of gummies and a few school sharks. Anchoring up in 40m with berley tied to the anchor chain has been bringing these bottom dwelling sharks in. I like to fish on the tide change, so the current is not too strong and I’ll resort back to drifting for snapper once the tide starts moving too fast to hold the bottom.

A light wire trace will stop

you from being bitten off by the school sharks and doesn’t seem to put off the gummies, although they do twist them up, meaning the trace needs to be replaced after each shark. For this reason, it’s a good idea to make a few up before you head out on the water.

December will also see the flathead stocks increase out of sight and these can be easily caught from 30-45m of water over any sand bottom. Again, drifting is the best option.

King George whiting are already being taken

from the inshore reefs around Kennett River and Marengo and should only get thicker in numbers as the water heats up.

Squid are the other big attraction at this time of year and are a real winner for anyone fishing off the local pier.

Blue and mako sharks are around out in the deep blue water with the 70m mark being a reliable spot to start a berley trail.

Land-based anglers can try the pier for a squid or the beaches for salmon with late afternoon or

early morning being the best times.

The rocks at Marengo and Skenes Creek also offer good platforms from which to target King George whiting and small snapper.

The Barham and Aire River estuaries hold excellent numbers of black bream and mullet and are great options if you are fishing with the kids.

Simply cast out a prawn or worm and wait for a fish to jump on.

Please stay safe this summer break and I’ll catch you all in the New Year.

Calm conditions at Curdies COBDEN

Rod Shepherd

Lying on the cusp of summer weather is balmy and the living and fishing is easy.

Saltwater and estuary anglers are out in droves enjoying the late spring weather and bagging a fish or two. Mid October saw the mouth of the Curdies finally close as the ocean swell slowly but surely lay down a sand bar at the mouth. However the system has been open to the sea for a number of months and has received a thorough cleaning with fresh, oxygenated water.

The bream are still in spawning mode and are scattered right up and down the river’s length.

Schools of bream have

Sharks have been frequenting the reef edges in 40m of water off Cape Otway.

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The author with a solid Curdies River bream he took on a Black Magic Smelt soft plastic. been located upstream of Curdievale (Boggy Creek) and have most likely finished with spawning, however many boaters are still concentrating their efforts in the lower reaches from Bailey’s Straits down to ‘The Island’. Bream to 42cm have been caught on local live shrimp, scrub worm, soft plastics, hardbodied minnow lures and metal vibes.

Some mulloway have entered the system and several fish to over 70cm have been caught by rather surprised bream anglers.

These fish are now stuck in the system until the mouth reopens, which will probably be next winter.

The Port Campbell jetty is as crowded as ever, especially on warm nights and weekends. Calamari squid, King George whiting, silver trevally, salmon and, after dark, the

odd gummy shark have been on the bite at times.

Cray season kicked off in November and this certainly brings out those enthusiasts who love to chase cray whether by diving or drop netting.

With much of our coastline encrusted with limestone cliffs, many anglers prefer to drop a line down in the hope of picking up either sweep or pinkie snapper. By targeting the gutters on the incoming tide that abound in the flat reefs that lie directly below the cliffs, sweep, leatherjackets and small snapper can be caught. Soft baits such as pipi and cray tail lightly weighted are preferred.

When the swell pushes into these gutters, an upwelling takes place stirring up the water and dislodging food items. Locals call this phenomenon ‘boils’.

Offshore in depths around 40m has seen some excellent snapper to over 5kg taken. Although not a common catches, there’s also blue morwong to 2kg, flathead to 1.5kg and gummy and school shark to 17kg.

Some nice mako and thresher shark to 70kg have been taken by boaters simply ballooning largish baits out the back of the boat while concentrating on bottom bouncing.

Some boaters are still venturing out a bit further, but not too far as Tasmanian trumpeter averaging around 7kg have been in a little closer.

Closer inshore around the weed beds King George whiting and calamari squid are active. So too are smaller pinkie snapper with many undersize fish stealing baits meant for bigger fish.

DECEMBER 2014

13

Excited for variety this summer GEELONG

Neil Slater slaterbunch@optusnet.com.au

This time of year really is a time for diversity on the west side of the bay and the last few weeks had seen bucket loads of reports flooding in.

GEELONG FRESHWATER The Barwon River in Geelong has really fired up.

The redfin are biting well from Breakwater to Buckleys Falls and the big European carp just keep on giving!

I fished with work colleague Andrew Hill in the Barwon last month. Using soft plastic lures, Andrew caught his first redfin on about his fifth cast using a Squidgy Wriggler in bloodworm. The reddy went 36cm and was 520g – not bad!

Other anglers have also enjoyed similar success using soft plastics and casting parallel to the bankside weed.

Danny Stephenson took his kids Midian and Salem down to Drysdale Lake recently hoping for some carp action. And action is what they got as the kids managed to grass an absolute cracker of about 6kg. Danny says it

Wayne and Danny with Corio Bay’s finest almost pulled them in and he actually lost a rod that was pulled into the water by one of the big carp in there.

CORIO BAY Wayne Visser fished with Danny Skene off Clifton Springs recently. Not long out from Clifton Springs boat harbour, they decided to troll some white octopus lures out behind the boat. It wasn’t long before they were into the Australian salmon thick and fast catching around 20 or so

around the 30-40cm mark.

News of larger salmon in the region over 1.5kg arrived via a call from a mate but when they got there, the larger fish had moved on. They then tried the edge of the main shipping channel and caught a few small flatties using their fresh bait when a particularly picky fish managed to hook itself.

This turned out to be a silver whiting – snapper candy.

Downsizing their hooks then resulted in a good number

of these prime snapper bait.

They sent the first juicy silver whiting back down as bait and while Wayne was feeding line out the rod folded and things were happening! After a fair fight, they hauled in a ripper snapper of 9kg.

Almost immediately after that, Danny’s rod buckled and he hoiked a 6kg fish into the boat. They stuck it out well after midnight but there was no further action.

The Aussie salmon have also been keen to attack lures over at Portarlington Pier where anglers have been casting lures catching fish to 40cm on a good day. But true to form, these salmon can be on fire one day and not to be seen the next, so you need a bit of luck on your side and to be persistent.

Dean McDonald fished with his sons Harvey and Hunter out off Clifton Springs last month. The lads were hoping for a snapper and sank some pilchard baits out near the turn of the shipping channel. Things were quiet so Deano brought out his secret weapon – a fat slab of berley, which he sent down to the bottom. It wasn’t long before the flathead came-a-knockin’ and they soon had enough for a feed that night.

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Deano holding some Barwon Heads flake.

Work colleague Adam Jordan has been doing very well out off Clifton Springs on both snapper and calamari. Adam has been fishing out there after work and his captures have included a cracking snapper of 7.5kg, which he caught on fresh squid.

BELLARINE PENINSULA TO QUEENSCLIFF Rod Ludlow from Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head says the squid and flathead have been really firing and some cracking snapper are also being caught in the region. The calamari are spread around from Grassy

Point at Portarlington to St Leonards with Governors Reef being the pick at the moment. Governors Reef seems to have the larger squid and the mornings and evenings appear to be best.

The flathead have also been biting well for anglers drifting from the Prince George Light to St Leonards in 10m or deeper. If the water gets dirty from wind or tide, try in a bit shallower.

The calamari have been biting well out off Queenscliff with some real rippers around the 1.5kg mark being caught on baited jigs. Dean McDonald fished with his son Harvey and Stewie Turner in the Lonsdale Bight recently where they got stuck right into the calamari catching a heap up to and over the 1kg mark. Deano says the best jigs were pink and they loved silver whiting on the skewer styled jigs.

BARWON HEADS AND SURF COAST Dean McDonald fished out off Ocean Grove last month with Stewie Turner.

The lads caught a wide variety of fish including flathead, slimy mackerel, barracouta, gurnard and a couple of gummy sharks. They also had a pearler of a gummy around 20kg to the side of the boat but it wrapped itself through some other lines and

the big fish broke free and headed for home.

John Albrecht from Torquay Angling Club says club members have been catching snapper around the 5kg mark out off Torquay using squid strips and plenty of berley. King George whiting have been patchy in close to Torquay but there has been some calamari caught in and around the shallow reef areas by kayakers when the water is clear.

Indoor cricket pal Matt Wakefield has been badgering me to take him out fishing

for yonks and nothing against Matt, it hasn’t happened yet.

He couldn’t wait forever and went out off Torquay last month with 3 mates in search of his first snapper at first light. The lads did well catching 3 snapper to 54cm for a few hours work until Matt’s rod folded like never before and he was clearly into something a little larger.

It wasn’t long before Matt had his first snapper in the boat and it was a cracker at 72cm. His scales said around 6kg but he wasn’t dead sure of their accuracy and reckons

it was probably more like 5kg. Come on Matt – add some mayo!

BEEN FISHING 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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Locals smashing snapper PORT PHILLIP WEST

Brenton Hodges blhodgey@hotmail.com

Reports of snapper are now coming thick and fast and according to my Facebook feed, just about everyone seems to be cashing in on the action.

Indeed, most of the inner reef systems east of the Yarra River at Ricketts Point, Sandringham and Port Melbourne, right through to Williamstown and Altona in the west, have been highly productive.

Similarly, the fishing out wider has been equally impressive and the hot action is expected to continue well into December, before gradually tapering as the fish prepare to spawn.

Aside from snapper, King George whiting should provide inshore anglers with some alternatives over the summer period, particularly in 3-6m of water from Point Cook through to Werribee South.

Flathead are a prime target in the warmer shallows, while snook also become a common by-catch for those

prospecting the inshore reefs with lures and soft plastics.

The squid fishing has been on fire for months now and with the onset of warmer weather we should see even greater numbers across the weed fringed shoreline.

Schools of Australian salmon have also been thick at times with surface feeding frenzies occurring from the mouth of the Yarra River through to Altona.

Garfish are expected to continue to provide inshore options with the breakwall west of Williamstown Beach

and Altona Pier being the pick for land-based anglers.

By this stage, the resident bream should have completed their spawning cycle and be on the lookout for a feed.

WILLIAMSTOWN TO ALTONA Increasing numbers of snapper have been taken right across Port Phillip over the past few weeks with both bait and soft plastics producing the goods. Luke Harvey managed a quality 6kg red while fishing from his pedal powered kayak on a Gulp! Jerk Shad in 7m

Luke Harvey displays a quality 6kg red taken from his pedal powered kayak on a Gulp! Jerk Shad in 7m of water off Williamstown.

Merry Christm

as

of water off Williamstown.

According to Luke, it took a good 20 minutes to subdue this fish on an ultra-light 1-3kg spin stick in choppy conditions. A few days later, fellow kayak enthusiast, Nathan Smith, joined Luke and the boys managed 4 ripping reds (from 2 double hook ups) between them before the school moved on.

Local snapper fishing enthusiast, Darren Ryan, says the number of anglers fishing across the top end of Port Phillip has been crazy at times with up to 200 odd boats anchored within close proximity to one another.

In an attempt to avoid these crowds, which have mostly been congregating of an evening, Darren has been fishing early in the morning for some reasonable reds to 4kg on most outings. A mixture of baits including silver whiting and squid as well as soft plastics have been productive.

POINT COOK TO POINT WILSON Around at Point Cook, snapper to 4kg and sometimes beyond have been on the go across inshore reefs during low light conditions at dawn and dusk.

Most anglers have been returning to the ramp at Werribee South with at least a feed of flatties or squid, while a few whiting are also starting to turn up.

Out wider, Jack Auld managed some absolute thumpers while anchored in 16m of water off Werribee South. Pilchard did the

Local snapper fishing enthusiast, Darren Ryan, says a mixture of baits including silver whiting and squid as well as soft plastics have has been productive on the reds of late. damage on this occasion and according to Jack, taking the time to sound up patches of feeding fish is often the key to success at this time of year.

As the warmer weather gradually heats up the shallows, larger breeding flathead are expected to arrive at Werribee South in better numbers. The new Wyndham Harbour rock wall down towards Duncans Road really seems to be attracting all manner of species, with Australian salmon, gummy sharks and even snapper being taken along the nearby beach.

Over at Point Wilson, Australian salmon have been on the chew throughout the outer harbour region of Corio Bay. Most have been averaging less than 1kg, although the odd larger

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After patiently sounding some promising marks and eventually setting the anchor in 16m of water off Werribee South, Jack Auld went on to secure this magnificent specimen. The hot action is expected to continue well into December, before gradually tapering off as the fish prepare to spawn.

specimen can be expected, particularly as they feed up on the abundant whitebait.

Don’t forget to try sinking a soft plastic down below the salmon schools in search of a snapper, which quite often lurk beneath the feeding frenzy. Flathead are another species you’re likely to encounter in this fashion.

METROPOLITAN RIVERS Though the rivers can be somewhat neglected at this time of year, there’s certainly some good fish on offer, particularly around the entrance to the Yarra River where pinkie snapper have been congregating amongst the moored boats and mixing with schools of bream. Worm pattern soft plastics, such as Gulp! Sandworms and Turtle Back Worms often prove effective.

Further upriver, bream have been responding well to diving minnows worked close to the rock walls all the way up to the West Gate Bridge. Those fishing with smaller flesh baits like mussel and tube worm have been picking up bream from the pontoons and jetties dotted along this section of river.

The Maribyrnong River has also been fishing well with bream to 35cm available on traditional live baits of tube worm and Bass yabbies.

WERRIBEE RIVER Dredging works at Werribee South have been completed with the entrance to the Werribee River now significantly wider. During this period, the bream really turned it on for those casting natural live baits from the beach and nearby jetty.

Over the coming month, the sand flats directly opposite the local caravan park can be expected to produce good numbers of blue spot flathead.

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Snapper season set to be even bigger and better PORT PHILLIP EAST

Lee Rayner info@fishingfever.com.au

With snapper season in full swing there is no doubt that this year has seen better numbers of big snapper than ever before. There have been plenty of fish in the 5-7kg size along with big numbers of school fish that have turned up in the past week.

Even though there are some other species on offer as we head towards Christmas, with plenty of big snapper around, anglers are still finding it hard to tear themselves away from snapper season.

MORDIALLOC TO BLACK ROCK The pier has continued to produce the odd big snapper over the past weeks however

of fish – locate one or two on the sounder, anchor on them, dump a heap of berley then get ready as the whole school moves in to eat all your baits for several hours of rod bending fun.

In shallower water around Parkdale and up to Ricketts Point the kayak anglers are getting stuck into the snapper by trolling and casting plastics all along the reef edges with the additional surprises coming from salmon and some solid flathead. These areas are also prime locations to be looking for some whiting over the coming weeks with perhaps one of the tricks being not to berley too hard as it will bring in the hordes of pinkie snapper.

Up off Ricketts Point, the reef is holding everything from pinkies to big snapper, along with some solid salmon

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in the calm weather it has been great for squid. The warmer water this month will see the land-based fishing on the bigger fish slow down, however as an upside the pinkies should be around in good numbers and if all goes well and we get some calm warmer weather there should also be the start of the whiting moving in around the reef on the right hand side of the pier.

Out deeper the boat anglers are having no problem finding snapper in the 18-20m area with big numbers of fish still on the chew on the mud.

The trick seems to be quite simple to getting a bunch

and big snook for those who like to cast lures and this fishing should only get better as the month rolls on.

If you want a bit more of a snapper fix then the Gasso is a top place to be looking as the snapper hold up in this area in great numbers during this month. The added bonus to this spot is that it often fishes well during the middle of the day so it’s a great time to get the family on the water.

SANDRINGHAM TO ST KILDA For whatever reason the patch of reef that lies between Half Moon Bay and Sandringham Breakwall known as Yorkies often

The pier has continued to produce the odd big snapper over the past weeks leading up to December. produces the first good catches of whiting for the season. The added bonus however is that it has also been holding a few squid and for the lure fishers working the reef edge in towards the shoreline has also turned up some very nice flathead in the 40-55cm size.

Moving north snapper can still be found out on the edge of the shipping channel with the areas from T1 and T2 up to the Fawkner Beacon seeing some crazy fishing over the past weeks.

In closer to shore the Anonyma shoal and the reef up off Green Point will be well worth a look for whiting and red mullet along with some big garfish that moved into the area during late November. Now is also the time to get serious with a live bait suspended under a float, as at any time from

now on those very exciting kingfish could make their presence felt.

Up off Brighton it seems that this area is just going form strength to strength with everything from snapper to salmon, not to mention some of the very big snapper that have been caught in the shallow water by boat anglers fishing late at night.

As and added bonus the 3-6m areas around Brighton still continue to produce numbers of flathead in the 40-50cm size.

Out at the Fawkner beacon and its surrounds, some anglers have still been finding good success on the snapper. However, it can often be a case of needing to spend some time sounding to find the patches of fish as they are moving up and down the channel edge with the tides.

Up along the reef edges between North Road and towards St Kilda, now is the time to get out and wade in the shallows or even better if you have a kayak or small boat to work the likely looking gutters in search of some seriously good flathead that will be chasing the bait fish in the shallows. Some of the reports I have seen and heard of already indicate it is going to be a belter of a season, especially if we don’t get any floods during summer. Best lures to try are hard bodies such as the Bassman Sugar Deep 70mm or plastics such as the Z Man 3inch minnows.

ST KILDA TO PORT MELBOURNE Now is the time to find yourself a whole pile of very big snapper in shallow water around locations, such as Elwood and through to St

Kilda breakwall with the hot tip being to fish no deeper than 8m of water late at night.

And while this area is great there are also plenty of other good locations all along to Station Pier.

Hopefully this month will see some garfish turn up in the area along with some salmon that should move in to feed on the abundant white bait. All of which just makes the area so much more inviting to big reds and best of all you don’t have to have a boat to be in the running for some great fishing.

Up at Station Pier through to Princess Pier has still been excellent for snapper for both land-based and boat anglers.

Fingers-crossed it should continue for a few weeks.

I hope you all have a great Christmas and enjoy some a very fish filled break with your families.

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19

Berley for the big ones PORT PHILLIP EAST

Wayne Friebe wfriebe@bigpond.net.au

The trend from last month has continued for the most part, with the pick of the week’s weather and fishing conditions falling on the weekend days.

This has been a delight

for those anglers who are otherwise consumed during the working week, and has kept the local fishing tackle retailers pretty busy as well.

The only exception from this pattern was the Melbourne Cup long weekend when the gods decided that enough was enough and the tables turned late on Saturday. Unfortunately, this

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coincided with the annual Tea Tree Snapper festival, but the change in weather did not dampen the enthusiasm of the anglers, and once again the comp was a great success, and continues to be a credit to the organisers.

In short, over $100,000 in prizes was on offer for the 1820 competitors, of which 196 were juniors. An astonishing 1885 snapper were weighed in, and roughly 700 of these came from Port Phillip Bay. The largest fish was taken by Cranbourne local Tim Worral and weighed 8.83kg.

As far as snapper reports go, it’s hard to know where to start. The beginning of the season has been really promising along the eastern side of the bay. Last month, big numbers of fish were beginning to school up in the deeper areas out from Frankston, Seaford, Mount Eliza and out from Mornington. The majority

A sounder can really help you out when snapper fishing.

They can locate fish so a drift can be set up. close to a change in tide and also around the change of light. Expect the marks from 16-18m to continue along this line over the next month or so, especially as the water warms up.

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Periods of low light, like early morning and late afternoon, will see the best results on snapper. of these fish were between 2-3kg and it is worth noting that the bite windows have tended to be fairly shortlived. These tend to be

spending some time on your sounder to locate good concentrations of snapper is really important, so too is the use of berley once you are

set up. Don’t be afraid to use a variety of baits, as the gun bait can vary from day to day. The proven performers are always pilchards, silver whiting, sauries and other fish baits. I reckon you can’t go past fresh squid and salmon fillet if you are prepared to put in the time to gather bait.

The larger fish have generally been taken from the shallower areas, especially those close to reefs and other structure. The snapper will tend to move further away from these areas as their spawning urges take over, but will still be busily grazing along the scallop and shellfish beds for some time to come. These areas are also prime depths to troll lures, especially while you are sounding for marks in your chosen area.

It makes sense to have a lure in the water while you are hunting around for a place to set your anchor and get the berley working. This can be a productive method in its own right. Deep diving lures in 70-100mm are best, with brighter colours being the prime choice. If you’ve got a downrigger on your boat, then all the better, but most deep diving strong actioned lures can be helped down a little deeper with

an inline trolling sinker or small paravane.

Lure fishing with soft plastics and vibes has also been very productive. I would also recommend hunting around a bit on the sounder for a while before setting up your drift. The perfect scenario would be to sound up snapper (or multiple fish) at regular intervals for a while, then turn around and drift over the same line. Around 50-100mm size stickbait plastics are preferred by most, and soft rubber vibes are getting a strong following as well, as they cast a mile, sink quickly and they catch snapper! Pilchard and baitfish colourations are very popular with lure anglers, however, so are bright, loud arrangements, which can often draw a strike from a larger fish.

At this time of year, it’s hard to find room to write about all the other fish on offer in the bay, but in short there are plenty of squid for anglers from the piers and inshore reefs and a few whiting, but these will show up in better numbers over the coming months.

Some good flatties can be found in the shallows and there’s plenty of salmon still around so keep your eyes out for birds and feeding fish.

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Keep a close eye on your sounder, and don’t forget the berley! It’s also worth mentioning that circle hooks can facilitate

a much easier release if you want to release your snapper to fight another day, so give them a try if you haven’t already.

All the proven fish baits will be doing most of the damage this month, but there’ll still be plenty of great snapper fishing for lure fishers as well.

FISHING FILL-ITS

Fisheries Victoria enforcement blitz The illegal take of snapper from Port Phillip, Western Port and Corner Inlet will be the focus of a Fisheries Victoria blitz.

Fisheries Victoria Acting Director Education and Enforcement Ian Parks said Fisheries Officers would be focusing on size and bag limits in addition to checking licences during Operation Raptor.

“Fisheries Officers will be targeting snapper anglers in Port Phillip, Western Port and Corner Inlet day and night this season, so know your snapper catch limits and stick to them,” Mr Parks said.

“Anglers who breach snapper bag and size limits face multiple fines of up to $433 on the spot, or $10,000 and/or six months imprisonment.

“The courts can prohibit offenders from fishing altogether for up to 12 months if found guilty of recreational fishing offences and, for serious offences, this prohibition can be even greater.”

The minimum legal length for snapper is 28cm and the bag limit is 10, of which only three can equal or exceed 40cm. Snapper must be landed whole so Fisheries Officers can measure them.

“Fisheries Officers will be out in marked and unmarked vessels, seizing boats and fishing equipment where snapper bag and size limits have been exceeded,” Mr Parks said.

Operation Raptor is targeting the illegal take of snapper in Port Phillip, Western Port and Corner Inlet, as larger snapper are known to aggregate in these waters during spring to spawn.

“After spawning, snapper feed and then school, making

them vulnerable to exploitation at a time when many fishers are taking to the water to make the most of the great opportunities on offer.”

“Whilst most fishers adhere to bag and size limits, we urge all fishers to do the right thing to ensure these fishing opportunities remain for future generations.”

“Stick to the limits, take only what you need and release surplus fish swiftly.”

Mr Parks urged members

of the public to report suspect illegal snapper fishing by calling the 13FISH (13 3474) intelligence reporting line.

“Make the call and make a difference - you will remain anonymous and will be helping Fisheries Victoria protect the future sustainability of our fisheries.”

Operation Raptor has already began and will run through to Easter 2015. – DEPI

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21

Spread of the red ROSEBUD

Dan Lee info@peninsulatotaltackle.com.au

It’s great to see we’re getting into another great snapper season. As mentioned last month, the spread of fish has been much better this year with good numbers coming in from right around the bay.

It’s a funny thing these days as the world of social media and hypercommunication has really altered the feel of the piscatorial calendar. No longer do the species seem

to ebb and flow through the cold winter and warm summer. It seems at any given moment, someone can be out catching the fish you seek, day or night, winter or summer and putting their happy snaps online proving the fact. And such is the case right now, for although there is clearly a huge focus on the annual snapper run, there would barely be a local species that I am not seeing caught during a given week.

SNAPPER Down at the south of the bay, the best reports we have had have been around 18m off Mornington through

Don’t have a boat? Still plenty of action on the Peninsula. Frank Ortisi with a decent little silver trevally taken on a soft plastic at Sorrento Pier.

a similar depth line to Mt Eliza. Having said that, there have been some more sporadic captures off Mt Martha with fish as big as 7kg taken from the Fairway grounds. We are only at the start of December and, from previous experience, December often produces the best results off Mt Martha.

There has also been some excellent pinkie fishing in a bit closer at Mornington around the mussel farm and also towards Fishies Beach, where 7-9m of water and a packet of plastics has seen anglers catching good numbers of fish from 3.5kg!

A lovely way to spend an afternoon or evening on the water!

WESTERN PORT While our report is not often focussed around Western port, it pays to remember that the eastern side of the Mornington Peninsula actually abuts much of Melbourne’s second bay. So I’ll take that as my opportunity to mention the sensational snapper fishing that has taken place there this year. The signs were early, where excellent snapper were caught right through the dead of winter, but as the season has

Jules Frank with a lovely red taken at Mornington, which was almost 7kg. progressed I am honestly questioning whether it is the best snapper fishing Western port has seen in some years.

From Lysaughts to Cowes, the Corrals, Corinella and right through to Spit Point we have seen considerable catches of snapper this year with plenty of quality mixed

what difference a few fresh baits will do to your next snapper session!

POLITICS Just a quick one on a big political issue going on concerning our local fishing. The Coalition has just released a policy named the Better Bay Plan.

Don’t forget the plastics! Paulo Cooney took this lovely red on a Gulp Nemesis in pink shine. among the fish. Western port has also produced the winning Tea Tree Snapper Comp fish this year, which has certainly seen some fantastic action on the reds.

BAIT It is worth making a special mention again this year of the vast quantities of baitfish in our bay. Most snapper anglers sounding the main basin of Port Phillip are finding huge tracts of baitfish varying from smaller whitebait and pilchards to yakkas and slimys. These should not be seen as a nuisance in finding a school of feeding snapper!

Take the time to take a bait jig, catch a few and see 22

DECEMBER 2014

A key pillar in this plan is $20 million over 4 years to buy back commercial netting licenses, which are in operation in Port Phillip Bay. I strongly support this plan, as unbeknownst to many Melbourne anglers, hundreds of tons of fish are removed from our bay each year by netting. This could be a huge boon for our fishery and I believe the benefit to the average fishing family and the ease with which they can get out and catch a feed could be enormous. Time, and the outcome of the election, will see if this becomes a reality or not.

LOOKING AHEAD If you get sick of the snapper this month, it is a ripper for gummy shark.

Target the channel edges, use baits of fresh salmon or squid and take advantage of the relative calm on the water before the hordes of the summer Christmas crowds arrive.

All in all, plenty going on during December, and if you were seriously keen you’d probably head out for your first sniff on the Victorian kingfish population!

• For more information, feel free to drop in and see the boys at Peninsula Compleat Angler, 11 Boneo Road in Rosebud or phone: (03) 5981 1994.

Trent North landed this beauty that went almost 6kg while fishing at Mt Eliza in 18m.

DECEMBER 2014

23

It’s snapper for Christmas!

WST PORT NTH

Adam Ring

The snapper are continuing to bite their heads off and the whiting are really starting to school up in big numbers, making this my favourite month of the year to fish!

THE TOP END Joes Island still has snapper stacked up all over

the place, however, the average size has dropped a little bit. Most fish are around the 1.5-2.5kg mark with the odd bigger fish to 6kg still hanging around. Fresh calamari and pilchards are the best bait for the smaller schooling fish.

The snapper aren’t the only tasty species schooling up around this small island.

The whiting are getting thicker and it’s as simple as

hanging a whiting snatcher baited with a small piece of pipi over the side . While waiting for a snapper, you can often pick up a bag of whiting to really impress the family on Christmas Day. The whiting are getting quite thick in a lot of the top end channels and a heap of anglers are capitalising on this. The banks of the Tooradin Channel have some really nice whiting scattered over them. The majority of the fish have

fish at the boat.

THE NORTH ARM The North Arm of the Port is where the action is really getting silly!

Some thumping big calamari are still hanging around the Tyabb Bank and by all reports are responding really well to bigger jigs. The squid are well and truly actively hunting the schools of whiting in the area now, so it’s time to upsize your jigs and ‘match the hatch’. Brighter natural

Jesse Caulfield with a pair of cracker reds!

Even the Vic cricketers are in on the action!

Well played, James Pattinson! colours are working really well so look out for your gold or silver foils with a nice bright pink or orange cloth. Sizes 3.0-4.0 are working for the bigger models.

The snapper are thick, all the way from the Hastings Channel through to Lysaughts and they are showing no signs of slowing down.

Considering we are already into December the average size of the snapper is still really healthy. A lot of 4.5-5.5kg fish are still being caught and old Don Newman scored a cracker 7.35kg fish measuring 90cm at the bottom of the tide just out from Esso.

Fresh baits are still the best option as Don’s fish was caught on fresh squid caught from the Tyabb Bank in an earlier mission.

Some cracking big snapper are also still schooled up just outside the Hastings Channel in 13m of water. I was chatting to one of the Mornington locals recently and he snuck out in conditions that were less than desirable but it all paid off for him in the end. In a very short and

sharp session he bagged 3 snapper between 6-9kg!

Again, fresh squid took the bigger fish but a lot of nice fish have been caught on fresh yakka chunks too.

The whiting are really starting to dominate the middle spit and the shallow water is where you want to be. Sitting in 2-4m of water is doing the job, so poking around on the top of tide is the way to go. Again, the average size of these school whiting is between 35-38cm, but there are plenty of whiting from 40-42cm around too, so don’t be afraid to make a few moves to locate the schools of bigger fish.

I would like to now take this opportunity to thank everyone who has sent me a photo and report this year. It has been a great year for fishing and next year is already looking like a cracker!

Take care of yourselves over the holidays, merry Christmas to you all and have a safe and happy New Year.

Keep your reports coming and you will hear from me again in the New Year.

been sitting between the 35-38cm mark and the falling tide seems to be the most productive. Berley is a must as I have received a few reports of the schools moving quite quickly, so berley hard and keep the

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Luke McCredden with a decent little night snapper!

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25

Delve into December diversity WESTERN PORT STH

Jarrod Day jarrodday@iprimus.com.au

There has certainly been no shortage of snapper these past few weeks but as with every snapper season, it was slow going early throughout October.

There is no doubting that Western Port has been fishing the better of the two waterways, but the fish have been a little slow. That was until 1 November when all things snapper went nuts.

Thank goodness for the increase in water temperature because predicting when the fish would hit ‘piranha’

state wasn’t predictable by any means.

Although the reds took a little coaxing to come on the bite, they certainly have been firing well. Scattered reports have been filtering through from every well known location throughout the Port.

Of the most consistent of locations, Corinella, Coronet

Once you find a school, fish for them every few days and you’ll be rewarded no end.

Photo courtesy of Matt Stewart.

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Bay, Rhyll, Observation Point, Buoy 15 and McHaffies Reef have been the most outstanding.

At this time of year I really enjoy the mixed reports that flood in and due to the large mounts of them you can usually pick up a solid trend of when the fish are feeding more consistently.

Following the bite times, early morning and late evening during the beginning of the flood tides have seemed to be more profitable.

This has also coincided with the recent full moon where the reports flooded throughout social media.

Being so consumed in fishing, social media certainly plays a big part of the local goings on these days and providing you have a lot of so called ‘friends’ you can easily follow traits of when fish are being caught and when they are not.

Squid has undoubtedly been the most widely used bait and thus has been catching the majority of fish in recent weeks. This is typical for those fishing Western Port, so why change when it works so well?

Although there have been a lot of fish caught, there are always some standout captures. Local angler Matt Stewart has been fishing with his mates along the eastern side of the Port around the Corinella region. Fishing during the night when very little boats have been on the water, the boys have had some incredible fishing sessions. There is no doubt

Fishing during the night often leads to larger fish being caught, this photo proves it!

Photo courtesy of Matt Stewart.

Generally, late November and throughout December and into January is when this area fishes at its best. The only downfall to fishing here is the plague of baby school sharks, which make short work of your baits and rigs for that matter. Still, the fish have been going well on the flood tides and fish as heavy as 7kg have been reported. In saying that, some anglers like to escape the crowds whereby fishing in the deep water off Observation Point is also yielding quality fish.

Traditionally, this time of year is when a few lucky anglers get to land a quality snapper over the 10kg mark.

History shows that the unexpected angler who lands one tends to have caught them along the edge of the channel running adjacent along Silverleaves in 12m of water. Patience is a virtue as they say and this location always produces a quality fish for those willing to sit and wait for it.

snapper snatchers laced with squid tend to do quite well but the bottom is fairly thick with reef, so rigs can become snagged easily. To avoid this, use a light sinker and cast up current.

Although snapper are the main catalyst in fishing reports recently, whiting are also starting to feature as a few anglers have already begun to make the switch.

The few anglers targeting whiting have been doing well along the Middle Spit but it is around Tankerton and on the Tortoise Head Bank where the majority of reports have been coming from. Fishing up on the Tortoise Head Bank tends to fish better on the last few hours of the rising tide. While whiting are happy to devour any soft morsel, tenderised squid strips, pipi and mussel baits are the best by far. Those using berley on the bank have been attracting good schools of fish with most ranging from about 30-38cm so far.

As the season wears on, the

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Matt Stewart has been fishing around Corinella and has been working a solid school of snapper for the past few weeks.

Photo courtesy of Matt Stewart.

enquiries: (p) (03) 5722 4800 (e) joe@lockindustries.com.au 26

DECEMBER 2014

that these guys have found a solid patch of fish with plenty of respectable models coming aboard.

Aside from Corinella, the Rhyll area more commonly known as ‘The Corals’ has begun to fire in typical fashion.

Another popular location to catch school fish in a hurry is at McHaffies Reef in the Western Entrance. While anchoring is a little difficult at times due to the current, drifting is a very effective method. Anglers using

size of the fish will increase and by the end of the month, reports of fish in excess of 42cm will be common.

If you are over the snapper already and are looking for something a little To page 27

Super summer snapper surge PHILLIP ISLAND

John Dalla-Rosa

The snapper are in Western port in good numbers so now is the prime time to catch yourself a red.

Fish are coming in from Corinella, The Corals, Rhyll, Hastings, Lysharts, Eagle Rock, Joes Island and the Boulton Channel.

The snapper range in size from pinkies up to 6-7kg, which indicates large schools of fish. The best times to bag a fish or two are early From page 26

left field, now would be the time to be heading offshore.

Mako and blue sharks are in full bloom and it doesn’t really take much effort to set a berley trail. Reports of makos to 40kg have already filtered throughout local fishing tackle stores, which is a good sign. Most anglers tend to target makos from January but with the reports that have already come in, more anglers are heading out in search.

If you’re not keen on catching a shark, drifting for flathead is a lot of fun.

You don’t have to head out

mornings, late evenings or after dark and fishing a change of tide is usually the best time.

SURF BEACHES Not too many reports have been coming in from fishos fishing the beaches, as most of the fishing action now is snapper. However, the beaches are producing salmon from 500g-2kg in reasonable numbers and now is a good time to pick up a gummy or two if you can get the right conditions. You’ll need a good calm night with a rising tide on dark, find too far, often the 20-30m line is deep enough and they are often in plague proportions.

A paternoster rig will suffice with squid baits being the best offering.

This time of year offers anglers so much diversity with snapper, whiting, calamari, mako sharks, gummy sharks and flathead all available. Sometimes you can become so confused as to what to target that it really does your head in but at the end of the day, if you pack and rig a few rods for different species you’ll have the opportunity to catch a mixed bag.

yourself a good deep gutter to fish with some fresh fish fillets or squid and you are in with a good chance to bag yourself a gummy.

SAN REMO AREA Below the Bridge It’s that time of year again – the start of the mako season – these blue bullets should be starting to show up off Woolamai. Usually the 40-70m line is the best area to drift a bait.

While you are out there drifting there have been reasonable reports of goodsized tiger and sand flathead

coming in.

Just inside the Entrance in the Cleeland Bight area, pinkies to 2kg, whiting to 40cm and some good-sized calamari are being caught.

Above the Bridge As mentioned earlier, the snapper are all around the bay, so if you fish for them at the right times with fresh bait, you should be able to catch a fish or two.

Whiting are starting to show up again in good numbers and good sizes with most fish being in the 36-40cm range, which is the

Steve Henry with a couple of 40cm+ whiting caught in Western Port. Get in now as the bigger fish come before Christmas.

While fishing for snapper, you always expect them to look normal but what is normal? Matt holds a deformed model for a photo.

Photo courtesy of Matt Stewart.

same pattern as last year; bigger fish early, smaller fish after Christmas.

FLINDERS AREA There are still some big squid around out wide of the Flinders Pier and some good whiting around the edges of the weed beds.

There are still some snook around for those wishing to troll for them with lead lines or deep diving lures.

NEWS I was extremely disappointed to see that Frankston Council doubled the boat launching fees for this year. Recently, they halved the boat parking area and to put parking fees up by 100% in one hit, which goes beyond all reasoning. They seem to be working hard to discourage fishing.

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Stonking squid and rampaging reds are here WELSHPOOL

Alan McFayden amcsayte@bigpond.net.au

The long cold winter is now behind us and the first thing that anglers noticed was the huge numbers of large squid making an appearance.

Of course this was welcome news as they are great on the table as well as being a temptation to virtually any fish. They are being caught inside and outside the entrance in the traditional manner and should stick around for quite some time yet.

There are over 300 species of squid but unfortunately most have a very short life span being 2-3 years.

Last month there were very good numbers of snapper being caught in the Franklin Channel along with gummies and quality snapper.

The snapper have really come on the chew with a vengeance it would appear with the boat storage reporting them in huge numbers and taking all the usual baits. There are many reports of them pushing the 8kg mark and

Dave from Cohuna looks very happy with this very nice 5kg snapper caught at Port Welshpool on a squid presentation.

some unconfirmed stories of them touching 12kg.

As well as snapper being chased by many boaters, there has also been some good size gummies mixed in with salmon and flathead.

At the entrance known as Singapore Deep, which goes down to around the 40m mark, there have been encouraging numbers of gummies making an appearance as have been quality snapper and flathead. The last half of the run-out tide seems to be the best time according to Gordon Hampshire, who is a regular to the area and doesn’t mind travelling from Morwell. On his last trip he bagged two very nice size gummies and a 5kg snapper as well as a quality yank flathead.

Needless to say, he was very happy with his efforts.

Further out wide there have been schools of salmon breaking the surface to 2kg. Being this size they are not, in the opinion of many, very good on the table but when taking surface lures or for that matter any natural bait they will put up a great fight. Many are thrown

them, as they are then only good for bait!

The jetties have also been very productive where the run-in tide has been the best time to wet a line.

I came across a visiting angler who was dangling a line between a couple of boats when it took off and there was a battle between angler and fish. Whatever it was, I thought it was big and as the angler was getting the upper hand the fish was brought to the surface. What had put up a great fight was a large silver trevally that looked like being in excess of 2kg and as it was being lifted out of the water there was that awful feeling that every angler has experienced.

The big battler had been lip hooked and as it was almost to safety as far as the angler was concerned, dropped off back into the water to swim and fight another day. The hapless angler, after the traditional swearing, cursing and calling the big fish all sorts of names, rebaited and threw the line back to do it all again and hopefully land a keeper.

On the other side of the inlet at Yanakie the

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back, unless kept as great bait for larger fish such as makos and other toothies.

The smaller salmon that also school up inside and outside inlets are very good on the table however, and are at their best when bled immediately upon capture and eaten fresh that day or soon after. Do not freeze

manager of the caravan park, Lachie Roberts says that the fishing has been very good. Places such as the Bennison Channel has been great as far as whiting have been concerned. The fish have been taken on both sides of the tide and pushing the 40cm mark.

They’ve been taking baits

such as Bass yabbies, squid, pipis and small strips of pilchards. There have also been very good numbers of flathead and gummy sharks making an appearance. The lesser-rated fish such as big salmon are also being taken along with silvers but it would be fair to say that no one is really complaining.

There have been reports of flathead and gummies being taken by land-based anglers, which is good news, especially to those contemplating a stay at the Yanakie Park. The best results seem to be on the run-in tide on a black moon as this is when the fish will move in under the cover of darkness. It seems that the fish don’t really mind what is thrown in the water, which is further good news.

As well as flathead and gummies, there have been a sprinkling of snapper and salmon to make up very reasonable bags.

A short distance from Port Welshpool is Port Albert. The fishing is still on the improve, both inside and outside the entrance according to Rob Killury, who runs the general store with his wife Ulla. Rob says that outside there have been good numbers of gummy shark, snapper and flathead, making up very pleasing bags. The fish are being caught on a variety of baits including squid, pilchards and fish fillets, preferably fresh but frozen makes a good substitute. John Pettigrove is a regular to this area and he keeps his boat at the boat storage at Welshpool and often travels down from Cohuna, which is in Northern Victoria, with good mate Dave. On their last trip, just last month, they decided to try their luck and managed a very nice 5kg snapper before the weather cut up and they headed back to terra firma but said that they would be out again at the first opportunity.

As I reported last month, inside the entrance the fishing has also picked up and with the water temperatures on the increase so too will the bags. Flathead, gummies and snapper are making up most of the numbers with a sprinkling of silvers that are being caught on the usual baits. The jetties are also worth a look with garfish, silvers, mullet and big eels taking a variety of natural baits. The eels are huge and one that was caught was weighed in at a whopping 10kg but it seems that there are plenty more that have been sighted in the area.

DECEMBER 2014

29

Chasing a feed at Inverloch INVERLOCH

Alan McFayden amcsayte@bigpond.net.au

The good fishing continues at Inverloch, which is great news and can be expected at this time of

Stephen Poole proves that he is a very capable snapper angler with this very nice 7kg snapper.

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year as we move into the warmer months.

Judith Strachan is a very keen Inverloch angler and says that she and her husband are keen to get their new boat out on the water at every opportunity so she can catch a snapper. She says that she does seem to be quite lucky when it comes to the fishing, explaining that she has even caught a 35cm flounder on a soft plastic in the Anderson Inlet from her Hobie! Not a bad effort, as flounder are rarely caught on soft plastics.

She says that she dropped the fish once and then dangled the lure again under its nose and hooked up once again. This time the flounder was not so lucky and ended up on the table. Even her pet dog Odin was happy. She said that the staff at Rod Bending World of Fishing shop at Inverloch were highly amused!

Outside the entrance in the deeper water, there have been reports of very good size gummies being caught on pilchards, squid and fresh fish fillets.

There have also been quite a few snapper to the 5kg mark being bagged along with quality flathead that are making the effort worthwhile.

For those who know where to look there have been good bags of big whiting being taken with the best baits being Bass yabbies, squid and pipis.

Bass yabbies are pumped generally at low water on sand flats. The idea is to pump a hole 2-3 times and if there is no result, then move onto the next one.

They are best kept cool in seawater, which should be changed on a regular basis. If the water turns a red colour then it should be changed as the yabbies are under stress and won’t last much longer.

Inside the entrance there has also been plenty to talk about quite reasonable size whiting being taken, mainly by boaters where they are up to the 37cm mark but no one is complaining about royals this size.

Good size mullet have also been caught in this vicinity along with silvers, salmon and flathead. Mullet are a much-maligned fish but the fact is that they are very acceptable on the table.

There are a few provisos though, one being that they must be bled upon capture, which should apply to most fish. Another must is that the

Bailey Poole was very happy with this very impressive gummy shark that he caught on a prawn bait. black stomach lining must be completely removed and this is best done by filleting the fish. Like most other fish, they shouldn’t be over cooked. All this done, they are a very acceptable meal, which is further enhanced by skinning the fillet.

The bigger whiting that are being caught have been in an area known as ‘the snags’, which is on the far side of the boat ramp. The best results have been when the water is running slow on both sides of the tide.

To page 31

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Weed making conditions tough NINETY MILE BEACH

Will Thompson allwaysangling@bigpond.com

What can I say… it has been the worst start to the surf season in many years and not because a lack of fish, but because of the pesky Ninety-Mile weed making fishing almost impossible.

Last year we were spoilt.

By now, we were catching 5 or 6 gummies a night along with snapper and all sorts of other sharks. So far, this season we’ve had just a handful of gummy sharks caught by lucky anglers whom happened to pick the miracle night that the weed somehow disappeared.

I thought I had the beach worked out on what caused the weed and picking the right From page 30

There have also been very good size perch and the idea is to get them in the boat quickly as possible. The reason is that they are dirty fighters and will head straight for the underwater furniture and if this happens your chances of landing them are slim.

nights to go, but this season has thrown all the theories out the window. Even after strong westerly winds when you would think it would push the weed away, it hasn’t! Even after 4 days of great weather with light breezes, the weed is there in force making it impossible to fish. Then for one night, when you would think there is no point fishing, the weed is absent and you can fish! I can’t work it out.

I just hope next month we get into some sort of cycle where the weed disappears and we can fish again.

A mate of mine, Clint Jones, has been one of the lucky ones who have managed to find a couple of fishable nights and on both occasions he has caught good gummy sharks.

I have had the odd customer tell me that Loch

Sport has been a better shot and hasn’t had as much weed as the rest of the beaches for some reason and I have seen proof of this with numerous photos of big salmon and good-sized gummies and even a couple of snapper!

But on the same note, I have had customers in the shop tell me they have driven the full length of the beach searching for a fishable section and haven’t found any. So like I said, it’s been tough to work out, but just go over and give it a crack as there doesn’t seem to be any patterns.

You just might fluke a night or a tide when the weed isn’t there, and if you do, I guarantee you will smash the fish, as it hasn’t had much pressure and we have good warm water now.

Next month, we should really see the shark numbers

increase, which is great news for the land-based shark guys; I just hope that the conditions allow for baits to be paddled out.

For the surf casters, we have had a cracking snapper so far in South Gippsland, so the surf should have some good numbers of snapper in close and even more so over the next month.

Good luck and don’t forget to send through your photos to our email or our Allways Angling Bait & Tackle Facebook page.

• For more information, contact Will at Allways Angling in Traralgon on 07 5174 8544. You will get expert advice and great deals on fishing bait and tackle.

Tune into Rex Hunt and Lee Rayner’s “Off the Hook” on 1242 to hear Will’s report on what’s going on in Gippsland!

Just last month we had a burst of very warm conditions with no wind and as a result there were boats and land-based fishers everywhere, which was great to see. The fish responded throughout the inlet.

Whiting are being caught on numerous presentations with the standout being bass

yabbies, pipis, small strips of squid and pilchard pieces.

Steve Poole is a very active angler and with son Bailey they can often be found out on the water chasing whatever might come along. Recently Steve managed to get into some very nice snapper and he bagged one that dragged the

scales all the way down to the 7kg mark that took a squid bait. Bailey was also with him and he has been going very well and at times showing dad how it’s done.

Later they got into a patch of very good size bream and although dad managed a few he was outshone by the youngster.

Clint Jones managed to pick the one in a million night where there was no weed on the beach. He managed to land these 2 nice gummy sharks in perfect conditions.

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Hungry bream and truck flathead GIPPSLAND LAKES

Brett Geddes b.geddes@bigpond.com

Oh the joy! At last some big bream are starting to work the shallows and it’s nearly time to break out the surface poppers and bent minnows.

For lure casting fanatics there is no better sport than chasing large bream in skinny water and there’s always a chance of tangling with an early season monster flathead. The holiday season is nearly upon us and so it’s

also time to talk about some summer hotspots.

BREAM FEEDING IN THE SHALLOWS The lake fishing really fires up during December and it’s the time of year when bream come down out of the rivers after spawning and turn up with huge appetites into the shallows of Lake Victoria and Lake King. Even Metung starts to produce good tallies of black bream and the odd big yellowfin as well. Early mornings see the bream cruising around the bank-side edges, so be sure to get on the water in

Clark Wilson ready to release an estuary perch. Summer is also EP time and they are back on the chew.

the dark to take advantage of the prime bite time just as the first rays of the sun hit the horizon. Other hotspots at this time of year include the Mitchell flats and right around Raymond Island.

At first light you should try a small bent minnow lure like the Hurricane Switch 66 and give the lure some violent rips to make it twist and turn and then pause it for a few seconds. Bream of all sizes find this irresistible and even if they don’t hit the lure they will often follow it for a while. By rising to your surface lure, they give themselves up and by changing lures you can go back in and hopefully trick them into biting.

As the morning brightens up between 7-9am, it’s time to try a few Z-man grubs or hardbodied vibes and start working them into slightly deeper water. If all that fails then sink a few blades into the depths when the bream can often take refuge in deeper water during the middle of the day. Early summer can be a real challenge for bream enthusiasts and it’s never easy with plenty of windy spells but on the right day some thumper fish can be found.

Bait anglers should also engage the same water depth and time theory as above. At this time of year, live crab or shrimp should be your first choice for the hook and sandworm for back up.

HOBIE BREAM COMP Just a quick mention about the Paynesville Hobie Bream Competition a little while ago. I need to send a big congratulation to Chris Burbidge, who annihilated a crack field of savvy bream anglers during a time when the fish are always notoriously shut down. He was the only competitor to find really big fish when plenty of other guys failed to bother the master. There is nothing more exasperating than flogging away at bream with determined lock jaw and this confronted most anglers during the comp.

This made the win all the more meritorious as Chris employed his usual steely resolve to trap the cranky bream and score another inspiring victory. Having fished with him for years now, I can give you these two tips; always be prepared to use lures or methods that nobody else will try and always have 150% confidence in how you fish. Sounds easy, hey?

The warmer weather we’ve had has seen some bigger bream come out and play, like this one caught by the author.

DUSKY FLATHEAD As usual, all it takes is a slight rise in water temperature to get the duskies back on the chew. You will find them anywhere from Paynesville through to Kalimna and as usual the North Arm is also very reliable during early summer. It’s that time of year when they head down from all rivers and western lakes area to breed in saltier water. I’ve yet to hear of any stud flatties over 80cm turning up but these big breeders will be lurking close to the areas mentioned.

Big flathead just over 90cm in neighbouring Lake Tyers have been caught for over

a month now so the big trucks in the Gippy Lakes will follow suit.

Bait anglers have told me about modest sized flatties between 35-45cm with the odd 55cm fish turning up.

Soft plastics and blades are going to score you plenty but live poddy mullet baits will turn up big girls between 70-90cm for sure. Just a reminder, if you are serious about your flathead fishing then get on the water early because duskies bite the best between first light and 9am at this time of year and can feed in very shallow water of just 20-30cm depths.

Oh, and by the way, a Merry Fishy Christmas!

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Sensational snapper and gummy fishing MCLOUGHLINS

Will Thompson allwaysangling@bigpond.com

This year has been one of the best starts to the snapper season I can remember. It

the best gummy shark fishing this year. Anglers are fishing in close in around 15m of water and are catching gummy sharks to 1.2m in length in big numbers. Anglers drifting are doing the best and there seems to be plenty of fresh

I’ve been lucky to get a couple of big reds myself over the past month! was amazing to see how many snapper were caught before November and I can’t wait to see how the snapper season shapes up over the next few months.

OFFSHORE Straight out the front of McLouhlins and Manns Beach entrances has seen some of

bait around in the form of salmon and calamari and these baits are working the best for the gummies.

Offshore Port Albert has seen its fair share of big gummies as well and Josh Jones has a great session where he landed some thumping big gummies on the drift around

Cliffy Island, one of which went in excess of 20kg.

There have also been some good-sized pinkies caught around the islands and some bigger than usual fish up to 50cm have been caught with pilchards on snapper snatchers.

INSIDE The whiting have finally turned up. It’s been a late start to the season and anglers are still working very hard for their fish, however, we have seen some huge whiting in excess of 50cm around McLoughlins Beach caught on pipis and Bass yabbies.

At Port Albert the whiting have been very temperamental, but on some days they are getting caught in numbers up to a dozen and in sizes up to 40cm. Bass yabbies seem to be the go at the moment, but pipis will start to fish well over the next month.

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They call December the silly season, but I would suggest it is the not so silly season to head out wide at Lakes Entrance.

As the weather patterns settle, it is a great time to head out to the various reefs systems off the entrance and target the snapper that congregate there.

Take the time to find the fish on your sounder. Find the bait and the snapper will not be too far away.

Gummy shark will also start to show up in good numbers with the usual hotspots of just beyond the entrance of Lake Tyers and Pettermans Beach. If you are prepared to make the run down to the Pipeline and Tower, this is also a great gummy spot with the added bonus of the occasional large snapper.

The other hotspots leading into the holiday period will

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DECEMBER 2014

Over the next month, the snapper are really going to fire and we will start seeing bigger quantities caught and more daytime fish as well.

The whole south Gippsland system is chockers full of bait at the moment, so

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Josh Jones caught this massive gummy while drifting offshore. the salmon have been busting up on the surface everywhere.

If you see them, remember they are dynamite baits for nearly any fish around, not to mention great sport, especially if you can get them on the surface!

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SNAPPER It’s been a great snapper season so far at Corner Inlet and there have been numerous catches of 80cm+ snapper caught and also a couple over 90cm as well!

What about Port Albert?

Certainly, we have not seen the numbers that we are seeing at Corner Inlet, however, there have still been good numbers of fish to 6kg caught in the entrance and Snake and Midge channels.

Pilchards and calamari have been by far the best baits to use and the tides are really important.

Most of the fish are being caught within an hour either side of the tide changes or early morning at sunrise and again at sunset. This is the most important thing to remember when chasing the snapper.

Lakes Entrance Offshore Charters has been taking advantage of the snapper fishing to put their clients onto some great fish. Photo courtesy of Lakes Entrance Offshore Charters. be the beaches. The annual run of Australian salmon will be a prime target whether you are using baits or lures.

These fish are simply just great fun to catch and when you find them, it tends to be an extended session of catching these leaping, hard-fighting fish, putting lots of smiles on anglers’ faces. Hopefully, the larger fish will once again show themselves and hopefully have a few big tailor amongst them.

The other major attraction of fishing the beaches during this period are gummy shark.

Lots of anglers will take advantage of the longer days and head to the beach to get a feed of these wonderful fish.

It is a very popular pastime so please be mindful of other people fishing.

The estuary systems have been a little slow. The water temperatures have been low and kept the fishing quiet.

Having said that, the odd nice flathead has been caught fishing the shallow banks and fishing around the various jetties and man-made structure always seems to produce some fish. Salmon and trevally in particular like these areas, just remember the fish tend to be

close to the structure not out in the middle of nowhere.

The exciting variable over the next few months will be the increasing numbers of King George whiting that enter the system. The weed banks west of Kalimna Jetty, around Rigby Island and in the Reeves Channel will produce fish on shrimp baits. Behind Frazer Island is also well worth a look.

Anchoring over the weed and casting into the sand patches will give you the best chance of catching these wonderful eating fish. These fish tend

to be a little timid and shut down with lots of boat traffic, so try and target them during the quieter periods on a dropping tide.

I spoke to Frank Milito from East Gippsland Charters and he could not have been more excited about how Lake Tyers is fishing.

“The edge bite has been insane,” he said when I asked him about the fishing.

He has had amazing sessions putting his clients onto some fantastic bream, casting small hardbodies around the margins of the lake.

Flathead will also be around in good numbers. Keep your eyes open for baitfish in the shallow water or prawns flicking the surface and use them as an indicator of where the fish are likely to be.

Finally, the prawn run will kick in over the next few months. Smaller school prawns will kick things off followed by the larger king prawns towards the end of the year. Catching these is a great family activity and the reward is obvious.

Have a happy and safe Christmas and New Year.

The quality of the snapper on the local reefs have been fantastic. Photo courtesy of Lakes Entrance Offshore Charters.

DECEMBER 2014

35

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BEMM RIVER

Robyn Sturgess

We have seen another extraordinary year in Bemm River with an abundance of rainfall that has seen the entrance opening 4 times.

This has created hard work for lots of anglers with bigger vessels because Sydenham Inlet has always been a shallow inlet when the entrance is open, but this has enabled great fishing and when weather permitted we have seen excellent results.

Now that it’s summer, it is obvious that we are going to have another bumper flathead season and with the entrance being open, this should create a lot of prawn activity, which will also increase the bream, estuary perch, tailor, trevally and luderick numbers.

These signs are evident now with the mixed bags we are seeing. We expect

by Christmas the entrance

The surf has started to produce great runs of salmon and tailor during the day on the incoming tides. will have closed and the water levels will have risen, which will make it fantastic not only for the angler, but the families and their water sports.

Hopefully with the water level up by Christmas, land-based anglers should also experience successful fishing.

The surf has started to produce great runs of salmon

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Getting ready for another bumper season on the flathead, bream and plenty of other species.

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The weather is great and the fishing is even better, fishing in the rivers and estuary is excellent with plenty of bream, luderick, mullet, estuary perch, trevally, salmon and tailor on the chew.

With reports coming in of fish being caught from the entrance up around the islands and into Lake Corringle, up the Snowy River to the town bridge at Orbost and up the Brodribb River all the way to Lake Curlip, it points to a very healthy river estuary system.

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and tailor during the day on the incoming tides. The warmer nights should see a lot of action on the beaches with gummy shark and other species.

Four of our regular customers, John, Arthur, Kevin and Dennis from the Williamstown Angling Club had an extremely successful last day of their trip with all close to bagging out with some of the best quality bream we have seen for some time. These fish averaged 37-40cm, with bait being a mixture of prawn and sandworm.

Charlotte Jung releasing a small flathead caught casting small hardbodied lures across the shallow sand flats. mulloway about on the prowl.

Many anglers have reported getting good mixed bags of fish with the exception of mulloway using a variety of baits; I will only mention a few of the excellent captures.

One of my mates recently went out targeting good size bream and with excellent results he bagged 8 bream, all measuring over 36cm using cut local crab.

Another local angler fishing with sandworm caught a mixed bag consisting of 7 good size bream, 8 big luderick and 5 big mullet.

Other reports of similar bags are many, with one angler getting 8 luderick, 5 estuary perch and 7 mullet using sandworm.

For the land-based angler, there are plenty of good spots to fish from. Along the Snowy River there are several fishing platforms constructed for anglers to use and are placed

in excellent positions. The jetty at Marlo and along the foreshore is also ideal for angling. The foreshore at Marlo is also an excellent place for dusky flathead; anglers have excellent results wading in the shallows and casting soft plastic lures along the sand flats and are always with a chance of capturing a trophy fish to take a picture for bragging rights.

Offshore the fishing is nearly always good, with plenty of big flathead, pinkie snapper, gurnard, barracouta, squid and gummy shark.

The surf beaches are also fishing well, with plenty of salmon and tailor on the chew.

Best results have come form using blue bait, pilchards and squid always accompanied with a popper or spinning metal lures with light gear.

Spending a few hours soaking a bait in Marlo can produce great results.

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Plenty more fun inshore MALLACOOTA

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

The past month has seen things really warm up and it’s great to see the winter weather behind us.

The fishing is great over the winter months but the weather is not everyone’s cup of tea. Spring offers great fishing as everything starts to warm up then before you know it, we are into the long, hot days of summer.

This time of year is a

good time to visit the area with not too many visitors around and good weather just before the Christmas visitors arrive.

The fishing offshore won’t really start to fire up until after Christmas with the water slowly warming

Good size black bream have been taken in the upper reaches of all the local rivers. and the fish just starting to move. Flathead and gummy sharks will come on the bite and the kingfish should put in an appearance.

With the new boat ramp completed it’s going to be interesting seeing how and where the sand settles and just how user-friendly the new facility is during the Christmas period.

Salmon are still being caught off the local beaches with plenty of fish around until just after Christmas, then the warmer water will see the sand whiting, yellowfin bream and tailor frequenting the good gutters on all the local beaches.

The flathead are coming on the chew with the warmer weather.

The salmon are still in the lake terrorising the schools of baitfish with fish to 2kg not uncommon. These fish move quickly around the lake with bird activity the key to locating the action.

Good numbers of silver trevally are also terrorising the baitfish schools with both soft plastic lures and blades catching fish.

The past month has really seen the dusky flathead fire up with good fish caught from all around the Top and Bottom lakes. Some big fish have been caught as this time of year the fish come back on the chew shaking off their winter lethargy.

Plenty of good eating size fish (36-45cm) are around, which is great to see as this means the bigger fish can be let go, hopefully to reach trophy size.

The black bream are starting to spread out through the system after being upstream spawning.

They are on the feed, but finding them in numbers can be tricky.

Yellowfin bream are being caught in the Goodwin Sands area and in the Top Lake. The coming months should see more bream and whiting arriving in the lake with the warmer ocean currents.

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Rain brings new life to the bountiful rivers Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

With Christmas around the corner, everyone is ready for the busy time with visitors to

the area enjoying the summer weather.

The past month has really seen the weather warm

up and with some good rain the rivers, everything’s flowing and the countryside is looking green.

With the rain keeping the rivers flowing, it will be a good start to the bass season with plenty of good fish caught in the area. Catch and release is practised by the locals, ensuring good fishing in the years to come.

All the known bass lures like surface lures, spinnerbaits and hardbodies will catch fish in the local area with surface lures working best in the morning, evenings and through the night.

The rain has also fired up the fishing in all the local estuaries with some good catches of dusky flathead early in the season. Lure fishing has been good with IN

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soft plastic lures catching plenty of fish. The trick is to keep on the move until fish are found.

Great fishing will be had in the coming months for sand whiting with all the local rivers and beaches fishing well for this species.

Fresh bait is the key to success be it nippers, worms or prawns, with the right stage of the tide for your location is the key to good fishing. They are a great fish to catch with the bonus of being one of the best eating fish.

Mulloway start to fire up at this time of year with good catches being had right through until after Easter with many anglers fishing through the night. If chasing mulloway, remember to fish

the full moon if possible.

Bream, both black and yellowfin, have been caught with the blacks being caught further upstream while the yellowfin bream have been caught towards the front of the estuaries.

Salmon are still being caught from all the local beaches with fish expected to be around in numbers until after Christmas.

The offshore reef fishing has been good with those heading out getting a feed of fish. Snapper, morwong and some great sand and tiger flathead have been regular features offshore.

The coming months will see the start of the gamefish season with plenty of boats heading out chasing the tuna, marlin and kingfish.

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Summer fishing set to get hotter MERIMBULA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

With summer well and truly here and water temperatures upwards of 23°C, it’s no wonder locals and visiting fishos alike are having a ball with the pelagic action offshore from Merimbula.

Yellowfin tuna, albacore,

and live bait, switch baiting, and berley and cubes catching a few tuna too! Trolling bibbed minnows early in the season is a great tuna technique, with the majority of yellowfin tuna in the 10-25kg range. Bigger fish upwards of 40kg are a real possibility too, so using outfits no lighter than 15kg may be wise. Most fish have come from the second drop-off and beyond — a long way out, but

kings have been up to 7kg, with snapper averaging 2kg. All of the local reefs are holding fish; the pick would be Horseshoe to the south, and Turingal to the north of Merimbula.

Fresh squid has been the gun bait for the reddies, with live bait, jigs, and trolling smaller bibbed minnows working well for the hoodlums. I’d expect to see a few more bonito to turn up this month, with striped tuna

Estuary perch on surface walkers is a whole stack of fun. You will be surprised as to where they turn up at times; this one was caught fishing for whiting over shallow sand flats! striped marlin, and a host of shark species will all be available, with a few black marlin thrown in just to make things interesting. All methods will work; trolling both lures

it is certainly paying dividends for those who venture wide.

On the reefs, kingfish, snapper, morwong and trevally have been abundant, keeping the anglers happy. Some of the

also on the cards. Trolling up a few of these speedsters will give you plenty of fresh bait for the snapper.

With the warm water pushing in, the estuaries

are alive and fish plentiful.

Some solid mulloway have been hooked at Merimbula by anglers mainly soaking baits, but I have heard of a 17kg fish caught by a visiting angler, which is a cracking good specimen for this neck of the woods. There have been reports of a few others that have won their freedom, so it may be worth trying your luck on the silver slabs after dark.

The flatties in Merimbula Lake have been thick, with the quieter bays in the top lake the place to throw some plastics around. Lures up to 80mm in length and jighead weights up to 8g are ideal. Vary the weights and lure sizes to the conditions for the session you are fishing. What works one day doesn’t always work the next, so having a range of lures/jigheads will greatly improve the catch rate.

Bream, trevally and whiting will keep the bait fishos happy, with bass yabbies and squirt worms the best baits to try.

Fresh prawns and striped tuna are a good backup if live bait cannot be caught; fish these on a running sinker rig for best results.

Pambula Lake and the river have continued to produce the goods, with salmon, bream and flatties making up the majority of catches. Expect some ripper whiting and school mulloway this month, especially around the main basin. Look for

Considered an unusual catch in Merimbula Lake, this was one of 3 grass whiting caught in a day. whitebait schools and tailor; if you find both, you’re in with a serious chance at nailing a mulloway. Both lures and bait will work for the schoolies, with nippers and surface walkers the best way to tempt the whiting.

Bass will be on the chew this month too, and those hot late afternoons are the best time to target one. Fish well upstream from the highway bridge in the Yowaka River using deep divers until just before dark, then use surface plugs like Crazy Crawlers, Jitterbugs and cicada imitations. Those surface strikes are electric

and it certainly gets the heart pumping!

The rocks and beaches have seen some awesome fishing of late. Salmon, tailor, bream and whiting are plentiful on the sand, with mulloway also a real possibility. Warmer evenings should see more anglers fishing for that elusive mulloway in the gutters. Fresh squid, tailor and bunches of live beach worms are the best baits to try.

Beaches I would target include Tura, North Tura and North Bournda. Fish the run-up tide into the evening in a nice deep hole, and hopefully luck will be on your side.

The fish arrive with the visitors BERMAGUI

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

There are many fishing options for families visiting the Bermagui area these holidays, and not just for the boaties either; there are also plenty of shorebased alternatives, with excellent results to be had.

Starting inland, Brogo Dam is primed at present, providing plenty of action around the weed beds as the bass patrol for any food source that may be on offer.

Fly fishing of an evening with surface flies is effective, while lures will work at most times, although the middle of the day is pretty hot and generally unproductive.

Estuary fishing is now at its best and with plenty to choose from close to Bermagui, the only problem anglers have is deciding which one they’re going to fish. For the kids who are left to their own devices, Bermagui River has plenty of options. The harbour, whether off the jetties or in front of the cleaning tables at the boat ramp, are producing some very nice 40

DECEMBER 2014

Sight casting for whiting in clear water; how can you beat it? trevally, bream, blackfish and flathead through the day, while of a night around the lights of the harbour, schools of tailor are patrolling.

Most of those species plus quite a few others are available throughout nearly all our estuaries, and can be taken with well-presented baits or lures. Most of them are feeding on the abundant prawn stocks that are in our systems, so when you’ve had enough of catching the fish that feed on them, go prawning of a night so you too can enjoy those tasty morsels.

The rocks adjacent to the entrance of the harbour and

main headland around to the Blue Pools are seeing plenty of action, with passing schools of pelagics willing to chase a lure or eat a bait. These schools consist mainly of salmon, with the odd kingfish or tailor travelling with them.

They are following slimy mackerel and yellowtail, and with some berley added to the suds of the wash surrounding the stones, it will provide plenty of action on light tackle plus bait for future outings.

These baitfish have the offshore fishing fired up, both in close and further afield.

When the yakkas or slimies go deep, bottom dwelling

predators like tiger flathead are in their element. As anglers who have caught tigers can attest when cleaning them, they have a furious appetite.

These fish are quite capable of swallowing a meal half their size, so if you find bait schools in around 30m water depths, be assured the tigers and other predators won’t be far away.

There are still other good reef fish around in the form of snapper, morwong, plus the kingies are increasing in numbers around Montague Island. If weather conditions are good, try some deepwater reefs like the Twelve Mile, where you can also drift a live bait out for some bigger predators like marlin or tuna.

What Christmas is all about — family fun and a nice feed of fish.

Speaking of which, leading up to December has seen plenty of action with the tuna, mostly yellowfin, albacore, and of course those tiny speedsters the striped tuna. Most have been taken on the troll with a wide variety of skirted and diving lures. Best

Hammerhead sharks are protected in NSW, but they are still a fun summer visitor when they eat a bait intended for something else.

area has been wide from the Twelve Mile through to and beyond the 1000f drop-off.

Not surprisingly, following these tuna schools are large predators in the form of sharks and marlin, who like to predate on these tuna and/or the baitfish they are feeding upon.

Sharks are best targeted with a berley trail, and at present you may see whalers, hammerheads and makos attracted by the scent.

Makos will often take lures used for tuna or marlin, so don’t be surprised if this occurs.

Now for those who pursue marlin, there have already been some caught.

The numbers are increasing daily, so get fit, get ready and Merry Christmas to all.

NSW South Coast

Great fishing from creek to coast also be watching the sounder, checking for deep schools of slimy mackerel, as marlin love them too. The current usually stuart@ausfishing.com.au pushes hard this month, so The game fishing fraternity work current lines, tide lines, is getting excited, as temperature breaks, and fish yellowfin tuna numbers them accordingly. continue to increase as the At Montague Island the weeks pass. The fish are kingfish have been sporadic widespread, from the 60f line to say the least — great one to the second dropoff, and day, slow the next. When they the water is hovering around do decide to chew, the action the 21° mark. Most are is fast and furious, with jigs schoolies, with the average and live baits working well. around 30kg, although a few The north and western side bigger models have been is where most of the action encountered. is. Big bonito have also been Albacore are also plentiful hammering the bait schools, and fish to 8kg are the norm. and these guys are great sport These great eating fish have and not bad on the plate if been more prolific from the looked after correctly. shelf to the second dropoff.

If specifically targeting

Expect the water bonito, try fishing over the temperature to rise sharply shallower grounds south of as we head further into Montague, especially if the December, and with it comes current is pushing hard to the striped marlin. We always the south. Trolling smaller get a few beakies before and deep-diving minnows should over Christmas, with trolling produce a fish or two. You lures definitely the gun way can expect the odd kingfish to get hooked up. You get to when fishing these shallower cover a lot more water and sections, with fish to 10kg hopefully find the fish in possible. If live baiting, just the process. remember the exclusion zones Concentrate fishing on the northwestern corner of effort around bait schools, the island. I’d expect the marine particularly striped tuna, as park lads to be out in full force these speedsters have been over the holiday period… thick during November. I’d The1:52 reefsPM closer STA15856HP-FM_Layout 1 20/10/14 Pageto1 shore NAROOMA

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should keep the bottombouncers happy, as snapper, morwong and flathead continue to do the right thing.

Almost all the local reefs both north and south of Narooma are holding fish. The hottest spot at the minute would be Potato Point to the north. Some good snapper to 3kg have been caught here recently, with local crews regularly getting their bag limits. Not all are keeping them, which is great to see, as they are definitely better fresh than frozen. Besides, it’s another excuse to go fishing again!

Wagonga Inlet is fishing nicely, with an array of estuary dwellers available.

Big flathead, mulloway, tailor, bream, snapper and whiting have all had a chew at different times. We did a recent guide there that resulted in 9 different legal species, which can be difficult to achieve but is definitely do-able.

The flatties have really fired, with fish to 80cm quite common. While fishing there in November, we had a great session that yielded 5 duskies over the 61cm mark, plus two crocs over 85.

That’s top fishing in anyone’s book and it’s awesome to see these bigger fish about in good numbers.

Tuross to the north has seen some fantastic early bass action. Fish to 42cm have been caught on various crank-baits, surface plugs and soft plastics.

A spell of hot weather really turned these guys on, and all indications suggest it will be a fantastic season. The upper reaches are certainly the place to fish, so having a canoe helps.

The lower sections of the river are firing for flathead.

Catches of 10 plus fish is the norm, but this will slow down as we head into the busier holiday period. Tuross always goes great guns early, as the water warms quickly over the shallows and it has miles of shallow banks.

Expect great whiting action this month, with squirt worms, nippers, small worm imitation soft plastics and hardbody lures all working at times. Surface lures like walkbaits and poppers will produce.

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

Bream and whiting are about, but hard to entice. Anglers who have downsized their tackle have enjoyed the best success, with live worms, pipis and fresh peeled prawns the choice baits.

Fishing the rocky corners of beaches on a rising tide close to dark has been the key to good bags. Narooma Main, 1080,

Monster flatties like this giant 93cm Tuross model have been active lately. and Handkerchief Beach are the best bet at present.

The rock fishing action continues on its merry way, as blackfish and drummer remain on the chew. Last month they were a bit on the quiet side, but the last few weeks have been better. Fresh cabbage and prawns are the best baits, with the south wall near Australia Rock a good starting point.

The surface pelagics should become more numerous as we head further into summer, with kingfish, striped tuna and frigate mackerel all possibilities. Fishing early in the morning with chrome slices should produce a fish or two. Try Dalmeny Headland, the rocks near the golf course, or Mystery Bay for the mini pelagics.

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41

Depth sounder basics PART II NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.com

Last month Starlo talked about the absolute basics of using a modern depth sounder or sonar. This time, he takes it a step further and moves into the realm of slightly more advanced sonar signal interpretation.

In the first instalment of this double-header, I briefly described what depth sounders or sonar units are, outlined the basics of how they work, and explained that most new chums and casual users are best off to simply turn their units on, hit auto and let them do their own thing (after first ensuring that the showroom ‘simulator’ mode has been deactivated, of course). For some people, this will be enough.

Naturally, however, many keener sonar users will soon wish to begin exploring the wider capabilities of

enough the importance of carefully reading the manual that came with your sounder, as well as jumping online to watch any video clips or tutorials pertaining to it.

on to find out more about those various functions and tweaks, then apply them when on the water. In many ways, this is not unlike tuning a television in order to

In this split screen image we see the bottom shelving up and half a dozen or more targets in mid-water. The more detailed StructureScan image on the right shows those targets as individual fish of a reasonable size.

There’s a remarkable amount of information out there, and a simple search engine query listing the make and model of your sounder will most likely bring up all sorts of useful (and not so useful) links.

obtain the clearest and most pleasing picture for your eye.

The best settings to use will vary slightly depending on the depth of water you’re operating in, as well as the speed of your boat and the amount of suspended matter in the water column. There’s no ‘one size fits all’ answer to the best combination of

On the left is a sonar image from last month’s column showing the bottom, a little less than 6m below the boat, and a blob of ‘something’ in mid-water, plus some smaller possible scattered targets. The much narrower, more intense StructureScan beam, portrayed on the right, reveals the ‘blob’ as 2 separate schools of fish, and also shows another single fish near the bottom, just right of centre. settings, so you may need to fiddle a bit from day to day or even hour to hour, but don’t become fixated with all this button pushing and forget that you’re out there to catch fish! Also, learn how to return your unit to its factory default settings in case you screw things up!

Finally, it’s worth noting that sounder technologies have improved at an exponential rate in recent

years, and the quality of underwater imaging now available at a reasonable price is nothing short of staggering. Most makes now offer enhanced, high definition (HD) imaging technologies in their premium units under a range of titles such as CHIRP (compressed high intensity radar pulse), StructureScan, Side Imaging, DownScan, SpotlightScan and so on.

Last month we saw only the basic sonar image (left) of this reading, showing a dense layer of ‘something’ extending a good 2.5m up from the bottom in 5.6m of water. Snags? Weed? Fish? We could only guess.

This month I’ve included the high definition, narrowbeam DownScan image on the right, clearly revealing that layer of ‘something’ as a thick school of moderate sized fish (they turned out to be tailor), with a ball of baitfish under them, and also scattered individual targets (bream and trevally) hard on the bottom. their sounders by tweaking and twiddling the various controls. How these work varies somewhat from one brand and model to another, and I can’t stress strongly

You can refine this search process further by adding words or phrases such as ‘sensitivity’, ‘frequency’, ‘surface clutter’, ‘colour line’, ‘scroll speed’ and so

Modern, high definition sonar (in this case, Lowrance’s StructureScan) at its finest. This readout provides an incredibly clear picture of a very large rock outcrop on the lakebed, with a dead tree standing not far away. The presence of distinct shadows and highlights in this ‘spot light’ view give a 3D effect and make the picture so much clearer.

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Basically, these technologies all make use of more powerful and focussed beams of sound waves, combined with enhanced imaging software, to paint a clearer, more defined and detailed picture of what’s under, alongside and even ahead of your vessel. In many ways, these modern systems are like narrowbeamed spotlights compared to the virtual floodlights of older-style sonar. It’s really worth bearing that analogy in mind, because there are obviously times and places where the broader (albeit it less bright) illumination of a floodlight can actually be more useful than the narrow, confined but intense beam of a spotlight, and vice versa…

It’s a matter of horses for courses and both formats still have their place.

In closing, I’ve included the standard sonar images I used with last month’s column, but now with their enhanced, narrow beam counterparts right alongside, as well as an interesting stand-alone StructureScan image…

Hopefully you will find these screen shots, comparisons and the accompanying captions describing them ‘illuminating’, if you’ll pardon the pun.

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Hot Spot

The magic of Marlo CRANBOURNE

Mitch Chapman

Only a short 10 minute drive off the highway from Orbost lies one of my favourite places to visit and throughout the year is like a second home for me – Marlo.

PRIME TIME Marlo is a good all year round option. However, if there has been a lot of rain especially during winter, it can flood shutting down the system for some time. Once the water settles and the system gets a flush out then this is when the fishing can be at its best.

Estuary perch are a common catch for those who target them.

Marlo is located at the mouth of the Snowy River and is not only an angler’s paradise, but a paradise for anyone who is looking to get away and kick the feet up for a day or 10.

Make sure you drop in to the pub and say G’day to Russ and the guys, who will make your stay very warm and welcome.

The beauty about Marlo is that you can catch just as many fish land-based walking the flats with lures or bait fishing, as you can out of a boat or kayak.

GEAR The use of long light nibble tip rods are most popular for those anglers that

like to baitfish. Light line and leaders are a must when fishing the shallow flats, but when up river in the snags a slightly heavier outfit is best suited for putting the brakes on some brutes, before they take you deep into the timber and leave you scratching your head.

If lure fishing, then a standard 7ft graphite rod, matched with a 2000 sized reel and 4-10lb braid is more than enough for most species you will encounter at Marlo.

RIG A light running sinker rig with a long light leader is the go when fishing the estuary area from the entrance right up past the third island.

Like mentioned above, when fishing the timber, especially with lures, bump up the leader to 8lb and tighten the drag up a couple more turns. A rod length of leader tied to the braid via a double uni knot is all that is needed.

BAIT AND LURES Local sandworm is a favourite in most of the estuaries in East Gippsland.

You can either pump your own or buy it. Along with sandworm prawns are a hot bait, more so when the prawns are running; these too can easily be caught at night with

Gez Hawthorne is a big bream magnet, this one took a surface lure off the top. the use of a scoop net and prawn light.

The go-to plastic for Marlo is 80 and 100mm Squidgy Wrigglers in bloodworm and wasabi. Ecogear VX blades in 439 and 445 are also another viable option, especially in the winter months.

BEST METHOD When the fish are schooling up in the open it isn’t hard to rack up cricket score numbers of fish. Using the wind or tide to your advantage and drifting over fish using your sounder is the key. Cast up current and work

the lure back towards the boat.

A small lift and drop retrieve is all that is needed, and it won’t be long until you come up tight to something on the other end.

MOTHER NATURE There is nothing wrong with taking home a feed of fish for the table. Just remember to always be one step ahead and understand the rules and regulations on bag limits and size limits of each species.

Also understanding certain species like bream and estuary perch that inhabit the estuary and knowing a 40cm+ fish can be upwards of 30+ years

old. Fish like this are better off returned to water after a quick couple of photos to breed and sustain future fish populations for generations to come.

HOT TIP When the wind blows it really blows at Marlo. This can make things difficult when out in the lake section and drifting around casting lures. The use of a sea anchor will help a lot as it will slow down your drift, allowing you to work lures slower and more effectively, instead of drifting along a bank too quick and not fishing it to its full potential.

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VRFish is the peak body representing recreational fishers in Victoria. We provide a voice to, and advocate on behalf of, Victoria’s recreational fishing community and those with a passion for sustainable and vibrant recreational fisheries.

Whether it be fish stocking, habitat improvement, research, enforcement and education, improving infrastructure and access, VRFish wants to hear from you. We all need to work together to make sure Victoria’s recreational fishing experience continues to be a safe, sustainable and family friendly activity.

VRFish celebrated it’s 20 year anniversary this year. VRFish is underpinned by a State Council, comprised of members from inland and marine fishing clubs and associations, grassroots fishers and kindred interest groups from across Victoria. Our membership base, which is ever evolving to include fishers from diverse cultural backgrounds, has broad knowledge and expertise together with limitless enthusiasm, ensuring VRFish leads the way in advocating for better recreational fisheries in Victoria.

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Victorian Recreational Fishing Peak Body PO Box 538 Williamstown VIC 3016 T: (03) 9397 6318 E: info@vrfish.com.au W: www.vrfish.com.au

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45

A top time for Tassie toothies TASMANIA

Kelly Hunt

I think I may have to give up on giving weather info at the start of these articles. I talked November up heaps last month and those that can remember the first week in November won’t have a lot favourable things to say.

The annual Northern Tasmanian pilgrimage to the states coastlines and lakes areas was hampered somewhat by some atrocious weather.

The opening of the striped trumpeter and cray fish season saw massive seas and heavy winds. The anglers that saw the long weekend as an opportunity to head up to the highlands for some fine spring weather… well, let’s just say they took some amazing snow pictures, which were very pretty. Testament to the Tasmanian anglers’ intestinal fortitude and their will to fish, there were some fish harvested, and the weather improved as November wore on.

THE SUN MUST COME It’s all about the daylight in December. December in Tasmania is second only to January for mean daylight hours so get out and make the most of it. We as Tasmanians love daylight savings and as such often find ourselves out quite late coming home or packing up from some grand adventure we have managed to pack into that space between sun up and sun down.

The season was very interesting last year. It started in fits and bursts and never really took off at any time.

The mako fishing off Bass Strait was slow, but already this year the bait about is very promising.

The East Coast had a sensational year and it seemed that the bait they were following down the Eastern seaboard didn’t turn right into the Strait and went down past St Helens and Bicheno. It was not uncommon to have multiple shark around the boat while out berleying. I spoke to a number of crews that had double figures around the boat of good size makos and blue sharks. Blue sharks are a bit

totally different mouth with a sad looking face and different teeth. You won’t see this at first unless they start to gnaw on your berley buckets. The best thing to look out for is the more rounded nose, slender looking appearance for size and really long pectoral fins.

A mako has a much more aggressive mouth and teeth, a more pointed head and shorter snout. A mako will also tend to move much quicker. Blue sharks are fine to catch and tag and release and someone, somewhere may have a recipe to make one taste and

Simon Hedditch hooked up on a small Scamander bream. of a trap for the young player as they look very much like a mako when they first arrive.

This is even more so if it has been 3 hours since you have started your trail and have not seen anything. At that point of all sorts of hallucinations, you are trying to see a mako swimming up the trail or under the boat.

A keen eye will spot the differences between a blue and a mako. The blue has a

cook OK. I am yet to meet that person.

MAKOS December is the time to start thinking about it.

Thinking about the gear and equipment needed to catch one of the most exciting fish Tasmanian anglers could hope to catch. A good size mako that is in great condition will give the well prepared angler a lot of information to store in the memory banks. Screaming

runs leaving the ratchets on reels singing, athletic and powerful jumps that quite often turn into big cart wheels are all part of mako fishing. A nice mako will also go deep and put some serious hurt on an angler.

Having tackle in great condition is a must. The tackle does not necessarily need to be a traditional overhead game fishing reel. Bigger well-made spinning reels are up to the job with mako sharks under the 120kg range. The Conflict 8000 is one such reel. The new eggbeater from Penn is a dead-set cracker. The Conflict’s full metal body construction allows it to maintain precision gear alignment under severe punishment while its balanced rotor ensures a smooth retrieve.

The Conflict 8000 will handle 15kg of drag, which is more than enough to tire mako and angler.

Berley The biggest key ingredient here is berley. Berley needs to be plentiful and frozen down in a manner that makes it easy to get from the esky into the water column. There are a number of ways to get this done. If you purchase your berley in the popular log form, get to a tackle store and buy a few inexpensive green cord net refills. These are awesome to slide the logs in and have 2 out at all times.

If you have 2 berley pots out at one time make sure you stagger them and have them in different states of defrost. It’s a little thing, but changing both berley supplies at once can lead to a break in the berley trail. You don’t want that.

A blue shark sneaking about. Note the ‘sad face’ that helps differentiate from the makos.

Once you have a good supply of berley, you can turn your attention to where to start to lay a trail. If you have the ability to hit the shelf in Tasmania while chasing makos, then I would be doing that in a heartbeat. The shelf will be home to all manner of pelagics and other food a big strong mako will be looking to eat. If you are going to try in Bass Strait or just don’t want to head to the shelf, find the deepest water you can get to. I only say this because it maximises your chances.

Cubes Cubes are another feather in the cap of the keen mako shark fisher. If you are in shallow water then you can ease up on the cubes and a couple of ‘plops’ every few minutes will suffice. If you are on the shelf with a massive amount of water column to penetrate then you can increase the amount and speed you dribble them away. It is important to remember that cubes are to be used sparingly so to draw the hungry mako to the boat and baits. You don’t want them laying back

like some Christmas Day smorgasbord and ignoring your baits.

Baits What to use as bait? If you were to have a few Australian salmon, squid and mullet ready to go, you won’t go far wrong. I have also seen some whole bonito available in tackle stores that look the business as well. When rigging up your baits, no matter what you choose, don’t be scared to have the hook point showing to allow good hook up rates.

Little cable ties are gold to help secure baits to big hooks and allowing plenty of hook gape and point to be free.

There is some conjecture around putting balloons out the back of the boat with baits suspended or keeping your powder dry and summing up the shark size to see what you put out. Both ideas have their pros and cons. In a competition sense, it sometimes pays to see what you are dealing with and make some decisions on the go as to whether you are going to tag or weigh a fish on a certain line class. If you are looking to just put some quality eating

INLAND FISHERIES SERVICE

New maps for Kara and Crescent IFS

Tim Farrell

Due to the increase in popularity of both Lake Kara and Lake Crescent, IFS has published A4 fact sheets and maps for these waters.

The fact sheets are full colour with high quality maps, angling notes and other useful information similar to the Anglers Access brochures. The fact sheets are available in PDF format from the IFS website (www. ifs.tas.gov.au). Printed copies are not available.

OLD BEACH JETTY REFURBISHMENT The Old Beach Jetty is getting on and is due to be reconstructed within the next 3 years. Brighton Council are starting to undertake planning for the job and are looking for any feedback from users regarding use of the jetty and any comments 46

DECEMBER 2014

regarding the possible final design.

Consultation with MAST has ensured that the new jetty will be aligned with the existing boat ramp.

We are after information on how the jetty is used and any information that may be used to finalise the design of a new facility. If you use the jetty or live locally and have any input or comments we could put towards a final design, please contact Anna Wilson at Brighton Council on anna. wilson@brighton.tas.gov.au or Brighton Council, 1 Tivoli Road, Old Beach, TAS 7017 AMC STUDENTS AND UNI GRADUATES FIGHT TO ERADICATE CARP FROM LAKE SORELL The Inland Fisheries Service (IFS) receives regular requests from schools, universities, and interested graduates looking for work experience in the freshwater fisheries field. The Carp Management Program (CMP)

is especially sought after, as the work the students are involved in is very diverse. Over the past few months we have had numerous students from the Australian Maritime College volunteer with the program, where they were involved in a range of activities. These include repairing barrier nets on Lake Sorell, tracking tagged transmitter carp, assisting in the surgical implantation of radio transmitters into carp, setting gill nets/fyke nets, and staging the gonads of carp.

Nick Boucher is a student from the Australian Maritime College who has been studying a Bachelor of Applied Sciences majoring in Fisheries Management. He approached the Inland Fisheries Service, in particular the CMP in order to fulfil the work placement component of the unit ‘Practicum in the Marine Environment’. In conjunction with this, he is using the hours gained on the work vessels to use as sea service in gaining

the AMSA Coxswains Grade 2 Near Coastal certification.

Raihan Mahmud studied at the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology in Bangladesh, graduated with a Bachelor of Science majoring in genetic engineering and biotechnology and received a Masters of Science in genetic engineering and biotechnology. He contacted the IFS and CMP as a prospective student looking at starting a PhD project on ‘The characterisation and aetiology of jelly-like gonad syndrome in the carp Cyprinus carpio’. Certain individuals of carp in Lake Sorell have been observed to exhibit a jelly-like abnormality in the gonads. Although the affected fish do not show any apparent external deformities, the condition of the gonad itself exhibits gross morphological diversity and the fish are reproductively unviable (sterile). The causes behind this condition are still unknown.

Joseph Wisniewski with a typical Lake Crescent brown trout. Angler Access fact sheets are now available for Lake Crescent and Lake Kara on the IFS website.

A clear understanding of the condition and its causes may lead to the development of a new biological pest fish control method.

Both Nick and Raihan will undertake casual employment

over the peak carp season from October until February, and this illustrates the opportunities provided to a range of students and university graduates all around the world!

flesh in the freezer then having two balloons out at varying depths and one unweighted down deep can be very exciting. I would say the choice is up to you.

Saftey You have heard me mention these items before, but they are worth mentioning again.

Never fight a mako from a dead boat. Always fire up the engines and move slowly away as you set the hook.

Makos love to do cart wheels and if they have hands… probably hand stands as well.

What you don’t want is 80kg or more of disgruntled muscle and teeth in the same vicinity as your feet, legs and groin!

If you are taking a mako for the table, play the shark extensively and tire them out.

If you try to harvest the shark too early while the shark is still green, you will have on your hands, a good old fashioned Hollywood Western bar room brawl. The only difference is, one will be yelling “CUT” when you have had enough.

The weather will have you keen to get out and try your luck, so as December progresses and the water temperature rises, so does your chances of finding some good mako sharks.

ST HELENS I was in St Helens recently and it was a sensational day. It is so easy to see why I love the

place. Central to Tasmania’s East Coast, it is home to some of the best fishing across a great range of species and types of fishing. Land-based or with a boat of any kind there is something for the angler at St Helens.

St Helens also boasts a fantastic tackle store run by Jamie Henderson. Jamie has an immense passion for the area and has considerable knowledge of what makes the fish tick in the area and when!

I was lucky enough to catch up with him and get some good oil on the local area.

I asked him how the fishing had been going in the area.

He said the stripey trumpeter have had a couple of months rest from angling pressure and the fishing has really started off very well. A number of local anglers from up your way in the North have with many anglers reported some good catches. He says the favourite spots such as the Binalong Patch, the 14 Mile patch off Eddystone Point and areas down off Bicheno and Seymour have all produced fish. There has even been a handful of fish caught closer to home on Merricks Reef and the Gravel Patch.

I’m a fan of the Simrad and Lowrance products and with these becoming more widespread and people become quite skilled at using electronics; anglers are finding

their own spots and taking some pressure off the very well known marks.

As always in December, the weather starts to stabilise a little better with more action offshore. Boat anglers are reporting good hauls of king flathead in 70-80m of water and appear to be similar to the big ones of last year.

and are being caught all over the bay. Squid have started to become hugely popular and there are some awesome spots to try here in St Helens.

The squid are showing up regularly at the moment and so are the King George whiting.

They are both fantastic eating fish and take a little bit more searching to find but are well

Jamie Henderson fishing Pitts Corner – one of the many deep bends on the upper reaches of the Scamander River.

The large Australian salmon are a staple nowadays.

They are good fish of around 4-5lb and accessible from land and by boat. Up in the Moulting Bay area, boat anglers have been consistently catching good Australian salmon and some good tailor to around 2lb. Most of these fish have been caught using soft plastic lures the silver trevally are also hot on the bite

worth the effort. Casting squid jigs around the weed beds will produce the squid if they are in the area and small #2 Gamakatsu Bait Keeper hooks laced with a pipi and cast to the edge of the weed beds should produce the whiting as well.

SCAMANDER RIVER Spring is known as the best months for bream fishing but the Scamander River won’t let you down in December

either. It’s at this time of the year that can experience some very good bream fishing on the Scamander River, a mere 15 minute drive south of St Helens.

The bream spawn during the spring months and in early December are still in large numbers throughout the river system. They are hungry, ready for action and can be caught on bait, lures and fly. The river is easily accessed by small boat and in the lower reaches offers excellent shore-based fishing for those without a watercraft or with the family in tow.

The River The Scamander River starts its life high in the hill country around 15km (in a straight line) northwest of the small coastal township of Scamander on the state’s East Coast. Here it is a small mountain stream, slowly winding its way down through the hills and valleys slowly building in size until it hits a series of small weirs, the last one approximately 6km from town. From here down, it’s prime bream country and although as the crow flies this point is only 5.8km’s from the coast, it offers over 12km of winding tidal river in which to fish.

As the river flows down towards the coast, it grows larger, deeper and wider all the time offering a wide variety of locations in which to fish.

The upper half of the river is generally shallow with numerous small rock bars that flow into deeper holes and sheer rock walls. There are also plenty of fallen tree snags to play in, some even stretching almost right across the width of the river.

As you head further down river it gets progressively wider, the corners get deeper and the rock walls become larger, and there are still plenty of tree snags. From about mid river down there are also plenty of muddy shallow banks where the bream feed on small crabs and baitfish, these areas can put on some fantastic fishing at times.

The lower reaches of the river are where more of the shore-based fishing is done as it’s easily accessed by road and you can virtually pull up in your car and fish from your back seat. Here the river is quite wide with good rocky and muddy shoreline as well as deeper mid river sections and tends to favour the bait fisherman. In this lower region there are also a number of shallow mudflats that are covered with only a couple of feet of water at high tide and at times can be covered in hard fighting bream; these are only accessed by boat at high tide.

The river slowly flows down to the mouth and bar where it flows over the sand and out to sea, depending

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on the time of year and the amount of rain fall the bar can be open or closed up. At the bottom, it offers good sand flat and bridge pylon fishing.

The lower reaches of the river can be accessed right in the township of Scamander near the road bridges and there is a reasonable amount of shoreline for the landbased angler as well as two boat ramps. Just south of Scamander is the turnoff to the Upper Scamander Road, a short drive brings the road alongside the river and up to a small boat ramp and jetty. There is around 2km of easily accessed shoreline for land-based anglers and families to fish.

The fish The southern black bream, or Acanthopagrus Butcheri, is probably one of the most common species in our waterways around Tasmania, particularly the East Coast, and is more than likely what most of us would have cut our teeth on as a youngster bait fishing the rivers and jetties with prawns and crabs as bait.

They seem to have a migratory pattern during late winter and head into the Scamander River to get ready to school up and do the spawn run once spring arrives where they slowly move up river in large schools until the water temperature, salinity, algal growth and moon phase all align and then they spawn en masse.

Southern black bream are opportunistic feeders and will consume a wide range of prey.

The diet of the species varies between river and estuary systems, but in most systems in Tasmania, crustaceans make up a large portion of the breams’ diet. This includes crabs, prawns, types of shrimps and nippers as well as a number of polychaete and annelid worms. Other food items such as oysters, mussels and cockles are also consumed

by bream and are crushed in the fish’s powerful jaws.

Small fish such as gobies and anchovies, commonly referred to as ‘sardines’ or ‘prettyfish’ also feature highly on the breams’ diet.

Techniques, lures and baits For the bait angler, the Scamander River offers a great variety of fishing situations.

Anglers can choose to fish from either a boat or bank side.

Simple running sinker rigs are the norm with a size #2-1/0 Gamakatsu Octopus hook and a small pea-sized ball sinker let run down to the hook the most successful method for bank fishers. Those targeting bream from a boat with bait should try and fish unweighted where possible and only use the smallest amount of lead for a casting weight. Baits can vary and it always pays to have a few different baits at hand, like prawns, mussels, pipis, oysters, whitebait, prettyfish (small baitfish), crabs and freshly pumped nippers from the mudflats. If there has been some rain and there is a little bit of runoff from the banks and drains, some garden worms can do the trick as the bream will swim about mopping these up as they are washed in from the paddocks.

If targeting the bream with soft plastics it is almost a necessity to fish from a boat

as it makes finding areas of the river where schools of fish are congregated much easier.

For the most part, much of the Scamander River has an abundance of fallen tree snags along its banks and sheer rock walls in between. The bream will sit around the snags and structure and along the face and the base of the rock walls.

In these areas, a soft plastic lure in the 80-100mm size range rigged on a light 2g #4 head is ideal. Cast into the structure or at the face of the wall and let drop down, the action of the wriggler’s tail is irresistible to the bream. Let the lure sit on the bottom for a short while then a slow lift and drop retrieve back to the boat is all that is needed. The fish will either hit the plastic whilst it is on the drop or will grab it while it’s paused on the bottom. If the bream are seen to be close to the surface, which they will often be if the tide is moving and there is a bit of current moving through the structure, then change to a lighter head weight to keep the lure up in the strike zone for longer.

If fishing the rock bars, mud flats and shallow bank sides, the plastic lures will still work quite effectively, however I favour the hardbodied minnow lures for this type of fishing. A

A tranquil setting on the upper reaches of the Scamander River.

40-60mm long suspending bibbed hardbody is ideal for fishing the shallow water, it can be cast into the shallows and at most will only dive to a depth of around 1m and suspend or float. They can be manipulated with the rod tip to keep them in the fishing zone for longer. A variety of retrieves can work and it’s a matter of experimenting on the day to find out which one will draw a strike from the bream.

Sometime just a straight retrieve or ‘slow roll’ back to the boat works, other times a sweep with the rod tip to cause the lure to swim and then a long pause while it suspends will drive the bream wild.

Other times an aggressive fast whipping like retrieve is needed to fire the fish up, grabbing their attention and causing them to strike at the lure. There are many lures on the market today and some are quite expensive, costing up to $30 a lure! I am a big believer in value for money so I don’t follow the school of thought that an expensive bream lure is better at catching fish.

Another technique and lure that is becoming more and more popular is the vibe style lures. These lures are generally used when targeting bream in deeper water and suspended schools of fish, however they are proving themselves as worthy flats weapons as well.

The can be fished slowly or quickly, in mid water or on the bottom and can also be rolled slowly across shallow mudflats so it makes them very versatile lure.

Tackle Tackle requirements will depend on whether you are targeting the bream with baits or soft plastics and lures. For bait anglers a good 7-8ft 2-5kg soft action rod is the norm, as it allows lightly weighted baits to be cast a good distance with light line. It also lets the fish pick up the bait and turn to swim away before the rod

loads and sets the hook into the corner of the fish’s mouth and soaks up the lunges of big bream. Reels need to be around the 2500-4000 size and have a smooth drag; spooled with quality 6-8lb line and it will cover most scenarios.

3-6lb with a leader, usually fluorocarbon, tied on the end.

The new Lox rods from Lox International are without a doubt one of the better models on the market at the moment. At a retail price of around $300 they offer top

Sean Gower with a 41cm big bluenosed Scamander bream.

Targeting bream on soft plastics and lures in the Scamander does require the use of some more specialised tackle, there is no need to break the bank but buy the best you can afford. Rods need to have the ability to cast lightly, and often unweighted plastics and lures accurately into very snaggy country.

High modulus graphite rods of 6.5-7ft with quality guides suitable for braided line and small short butts are designed for this type of fishing. They offer light-weight casting accuracy over distance and incredible fish fighting power when you need to steer a good fish from heading back into a snag.

Reels need to be small and light, 1000-2500 sizes will be perfect and will hold more than enough line. Reels should be spooled with a light braided line between

end casting performance at a medium price bracket and are superbly constructed.

The Scamander River has a lot to offer all types of anglers, it’s great for the family with easy access and a huge population of bream, suits bait fishers as well as lure fishers and even handles hosting a number of bream tournaments and competitions over the course of the year.

Don’t think if missing the spawning period you have missed out. December is still a great time to spend an afternoon on the river, especially on a nice calm day and will always produce a few fish for a feed if need be.

The next time you are on the East Coast during the next few months, take some time out and chuck a few rods in the car and stop off at the Scamander River, you might just be surprised.

HYDRO TASMANIA WATER STORAGE INFORMATION Water Storage Information as at 11th November 2014 Lake/Lagoon

Metres from full

Comment

Lake Augusta ...................................3.16 .......................................................Steady Arthurs Lake ....................................0.98 .......................................................Steady Great Lake .......................................14.6 .......................................................Steady Trevallyn Pond .................................1.32 ........................................................Rising Shannon Lagoon ..............................0.12 .......................................................Steady Penstock Lagoon .............................0.05 .......................................................Steady Lake Echo ........................................7.02 .......................................................Steady Dee Lagoon .....................................0.27 .......................................................Steady Bradys/Binneys/Tungatinah .............1.18 ....................................................... Falling Bronte Lagoon .................................1.10........................................................ Falling Pine Tier Lagoon ..............................1.39 ....................................................... Falling Little Pine Lagoon ............................0.29 .......................................................Steady Laughing Jack Lagoon ....................1.74 .......................................................Steady Lake St Clair ....................................1.53 ....................................................... Falling Lake King William ............................1.99 ....................................................... Falling Lake Liapootah ................................0.53 ........................................................Rising Wayatinah Lagoon ...........................0.58 ....................................................... Falling Lake Catagunya ...............................0.39 ....................................................... Falling

Lake Repulse ...................................0.81 .......................................................Steady Cluny Lagoon ...................................0.14 ....................................................... Falling Meadowbank Lake ..........................-.............................................................Spilling Lake Pedder ....................................1.18 .......................................................Steady Lake Gordon ....................................33.34 .....................................................Steady Lake Burbury ...................................2.44 .......................................................Steady Lake Plimsoll ...................................3.00........................................................ Falling Lake Murchison ...............................12.81 .....................................................Steady Lake Mackintosh .............................2.49 .......................................................Steady Lake Rosebery .................................0.12 ....................................................... Falling Lake Pieman ....................................1.91 ....................................................... Falling Lake Mackenzie ...............................7.01 .......................................................Steady Lake Rowallan .................................16.13 ..................................................... Falling Lake Parangana ...............................0.97 ....................................................... Falling Lake Cethana ...................................1.09 ....................................................... Falling Lake Barrington ...............................0.76 .......................................................Steady Lake Gairdner ..................................4.61 ....................................................... Falling Lake Paloona ...................................1.10.........................................................Rising Woods Lake .....................................0.47 .......................................................Steady Whitespur Pond ...............................7.90........................................................Steady Lake Newton ...................................4.75 .......................................................Steady Lake Margaret .................................1.94 ....................................................... Falling

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

48

DECEMBER 2014

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Cod Feature

Casting for Murray cod BENDIGO

Roger Miles codhuntertours@bigpond.com

Casting and retrieving for Murray cod is challenging and very rewarding at the same time. There is a real amount of satisfaction that comes from placing the cast correctly, retrieving at the right speed with the

is very productive. Casting where there are cross ups, this is where one branch is resting on top of another, is another deadly technique.

Standing timber is often ignored by many anglers but can also be productive.

Weed beds These areas can be very good because of the abundance of food that live in and around them. These

WHY DOES A MURRAY COD STRIKE A CAST LURE? There are several different reasons why a Murray cod will strike a cast lure.

The first is out of a feeding response. The angler cast and retrieves a lure past a resident Murray cod. The lure represents a food source; it may be the flash from a spinnerbait representing a

Casting around the edges of weed beds is very productive as these are excellent habitat for Murray cod.

Kelvin Miles caught this quality Murray cod on a Jackall Doozer. right technique and being rewarded with an intense strike from a Murray cod and taking a few photo’s before releasing the fish to fight another day.

As a method for catching Murray cod, this technique in real terms is still only relatively new. Casting for Murray cod has become hugely popular among Murray cod anglers. I can remember only 15 years ago how the number of anglers who cast and retrieved for Murray cod was minimal.

With my guiding business, Cod Hunter Fishing Tours, up to 80% of my clients are mainly interested in learning about this technique.

WHERE TO CAST In Victoria, we have good populations of Murray cod in many of our waterways. In all of these systems some main types of structure can be located. All of the following structures are favourite areas, which anglers should target.

Murray cod are often an ambush feeder. They will take up residence at the structure waiting patiently for a feeding opportunity to present itself and then with gusto make the most of that opportunity when they are in the mood to do so.

Timber (standing and fallen) Fallen timber is often the favourite structure to target for many anglers.

This fallen timber can have several key holding areas, which are more likely to hold a resident Murray cod.

Casting around the root system of any fallen tree and where two branches separate 50

DECEMBER 2014

This Murray cod smiles at the camera before being released. areas are most productive during periods of low light when greater concentrations of Murray cod are moving into this structure to feed.

Rock structure Rocky shorelines and rocky reefs can be found in many of our impoundments in Victoria. Rock bars are also popular areas to target Murray cod in our river systems.

Cod will use the rocky structure in order to hide and are excellent locations to ambush prey from.

Ledges and drop offs This type of structure is often not as easy to find as the above forms of structure.

A quality fish finder is definitely an asset in helping you to locate theses areas.

baitfish or a lipless crankbait being hopped off the bottom imitating a yabby. The Murray cod is hungry and strikes the lure in a feeding response.

The second is out of a territorial response. This is when the Murray cod has lures repeatedly cast into the area the fish is holding. This can take many casts and often several different lure changes in order to provoke the fish into striking a lure. Casting accuracy is very important in provoking a territorial response. This is one of the biggest advantages to other techniques of catching a Murray cod. When you are casting a lure large numbers of presentations can be made in a shorter time period therefore increasing your chances of landing a Murray cod.

The last reason is what I describe as an instinctive strike. This is when a lure is placed literally on the nose (or several centimetres) away from a Murray cod. The Murray cod does not have a chance to think about what just happened and their natural instinct kicks in and they grab the lure without hesitation.

This type of strike can be the most challenging, as it takes very good ability to read the water to know where a Murray cod is holding, along with a fair amount of casting skill to accurately put the lure in the correct strike zone.

This Murray cod was caught casting along the edges of a drop-off.

HOW DO I CATCH A MURRAY COD CASTING? Casting accuracy The first skill anglers need to work on to catch more Murray cod casting and retrieving is casting accuracy.

It is recommended to put some time into developing this skill. Casting accuracy within centimetres is ideal. This is

The ultimate in casting is catching a large Murray cod at night on a surface lure. This fish annihilated a Custom Crafted Jaws surface lure.

being able to hit the same area consistently from different ranges. Anglers who are new to casting and retrieving will be surprised how quickly their casting will improve with practice.

Reading the water This is a skill that allows experienced anglers to concentrate their fishing effort in those areas holding concentrations of Murray cod.

This skill is hard to teach but spending time on the water will help. The more fishing you do and the more Murray cod you catch, the better your ability to read the water will become.

Lure presentation Subtle presentation is where you cast past the fish retrieving the lure to the fish.

This is my preferred style when possible.

Aggressive presentation is when the lure is purposely cast at a resident holding Murray cod or aggressively hitting the surface of the water hard in order to provoke a response.

Retrieval speeds Retrieval speeds do vary depending on the situation and the type of lure being used.

To page 51

Cod Feature

New Murray cod slot limits The Victorian and NSW Governments have agreed to common Murray cod size limits in the interests of recreational fishers.

In the upcoming season, a recreational slot limit of 55-75cm will apply to all Murray cod caught in

Victorian and NSW waters, from the opening of the Murray cod season on 1 December.

Minister Walsh and Minister Hodgkinson agreed it was necessary to have consistent size limits.

This consistent

approach between the states will reduce any potential for confusion among recreational anglers along the border region and will improve compliance outcomes to protect this important native species.

Mr Walsh said it was

BOTH STATES SIZE LIMIT OF 55-75CM Victoria............................................Daily bag limit of one in rivers and 2 in lakes NSW................................................ Daily bag limit of 2 and possession limit of 4 Note in NSW, the new size limits apply from 3 November in Copeton Dam, which will now be open year-round.

From page 50

Most of the time the most productive retrieval speed is slow. Dead slow is the way to go!

Retrieval techniques There is a huge amount of variations in retrieval techniques that anglers can use depending on the type of lure being used. Anglers are encouraged to vary their techniques until they find what is working for them. What is an effective technique one day may not work for you the next day.

Lure selection Many different types of lures are effective when

casting for Murray cod.

Some of the most popular and productive options are spinnerbaits, hardbodied lures, lipless crankbaits, surface lures and soft plastics. All of these are effective options.

WRAPPING UP If you have never tried to catch a Murray cod casting then now is the time to try it. It is an addictive form of fishing and there is nothing quite like having your lure slammed by a mighty Murray cod. Patience and persistence are two key ingredients and if you give it a go, the rewards will make it worthwhile.

important for anglers to note that Victoria would still be adopting a daily limit of one Murray cod in rivers.

“The Victorian slot limit and reduced bag limit in rivers will be reviewed once the results of Murray cod population monitoring in both states are reviewed,” Mr Walsh said.

Ms Hodgkinson said these changes will improve the sustainability of our Murray cod fisheries and improve long-term fishing opportunities for recreational anglers.

The common slot limit is designed to protect Murray cod from over-exploitation.

A Murray cod of about 55cm, which will be the new common minimum size for both NSW and Victoria.

“In NSW, existing bag limits remain for Murray cod, and those lucky enough to catch one outside of the new size limits need to remember that these fish are catch and release only,” Ms Hodgkinson said.

“This is a common sense outcome for Murray cod anglers on both sides of the state border.

“The NSW Government conducts periodic reviews of recreational fishing rules to provide for fairer sharing of the catch between recreational fishers.” - Marc Ainsworth for Fisheries Victoria

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51

Cod Feature

Murray cod on bait WANGARATTA

Robbie Alexander

Bait fishing is a technique that has been used to catch Murray cod for many years. In fact, it goes back tens of thousands of years

available freshwater yabby.

Bardi grubs can be hard to find and are very expensive to buy, but they do work very well on Murray cod.

The two biggest problems with bardi grubs are the price and the carp! At $3-$4 per grub in some areas, getting

snagged can make your relaxing fishing trip very unrelaxing.

The dreaded carp also have a bit of a soft spot for a fresh bardi, so if you catch one on your bardi grub you will hate them more than ever!

Yabbies are an awesome

Gareth Lynch with a magnificent Murray cod caught on a bardi grub towards the end of last season.

Photo courtesy of Rod Mackenzie.

Murray cod bait and the bigger the better. No yabby could ever be too large for a Murray cod as they have a massive bucket mouth and love a nice large meal to fill their stomachs. Unlike trout, which graze on small nymphs and grasshoppers all day, Murray cod like to get their feeding over and done with in as few meals as possible so that they can then go and sit under a log and digest their food. So don’t be scared to tie on a massive yabby.

WHERE TO FISH? Snags, snags and more snags! My old man used to say to me “When cod fishing, if you’re not getting snagged you’re fishing in the wrong spot”. Murray cod have earned the nickname river dwelling log hogs for a reason! That is because they love to sit close to logs.

Like many of our native fish, Murray cod are an ambush predator, meaning they like to hide under logs and ambush their prey. They will sit under a log waiting for a food source to move by, and then dash out quickly, grab the food and make a mad dash back to their log.

This is the reason they don’t nibble on bait or tap lures, they smash anything put in front of them!

Large yabbies such as these are ideal Murray cod bait. Yabbies twice this size would work well too. No yabby could ever be too big for a hungry Murray cod. to when the traditional owners of this land would use string made by the green bark of trees and a jagged bone off a hunted animal to catch them and other native species. You can only imagine what the fishing must have been like back then!

With lure fishing being all the rage these days, many anglers including myself still love to go and sit on the bank, or in a boat and target Murray cod with bait with the basic fundamentals of fishing in mind, relaxation and possibly a feed of fresh fish.

Bait fishers are not necessarily all out to kill their catch. Many people enjoy the thrill of the catch and prefer to get a photo prior to release.

I fall into that category when Murray cod fishing with bait.

BEST BAIT The number one bait for Murray cod would have to be a fresh bardi grub, followed closely by the readily

Getting your own bardi grubs can be very hard work, but they are possibly the best Murray cod bait around if you can find them. You can also buy them at most tackle stores.

Photo courtesy of Rod Mackenzie.

Worms are great bait for catching smaller Murray cod, but they do not catch large cod nearly as regularly as bardi grubs and yabbies do. They are a great bait for discovering exactly what is in a waterway as they catch just about every freshwater species in the Murray Darling basin.

So look for a nice hole in the river with plenty of snags and make sure you fish as close to the snags as possible. The water does not have to be very deep, but from my personal experiences it is the deeper holes that tend to produce the larger Murray cod.

WHAT RIG? I love the paternoster rig. This rig allows my bait to sit up off the bottom in clear view of the Murray cod. I like to use the smallest sinker I can get away with on the day depending on the conditions and I use a larger hook of around 5/0

size; larger hooks tend to lip hook Murray cod better, allowing for catch and release fishing.

A running sinker rig will work well with a bardi grub, but when using yabbies they tend to dig themselves into the mud and hide.

They cannot do this with a paternoster rig as they are suspended off the bottom.

So, in a nutshell, look for a deep hole with plenty of snags. Fish close to the snags with a paternoster rig using a large 5/0 size hook and a fresh bardi grub. Make sure you have strong heavy line... and hold on tight!

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Cod Feature

Murray cod trolling ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

For the uninitiated, there are many questions surrounding the most productive methods to target big Murray cod.

Answers will vary from place to place but along the Murray River it’s hard to look past trolling lures as a consistent producer of fish.

lure changes or variations in distance the lure is towed behind the boat. Current also becomes a major factor effecting lure depth, action, and speed depending on size, buoyancy and trolling direction.

Large lures are consistent with high buoyancy rates, and achieve their best results and attain a much stronger running action when worked into the current. It’s the bib that dictates depth, lure action and speed.

be less important as the fish will easily see and rise to the lure. But in most instances especially along the Murray River, a metre or so off the bottom is best.

Trolling speed is a slow walk but a variation of faster runs can sometimes trigger a response. Once you have cast the lure back and found depth you should hit the occasional piece of bottom structure. It is imperative to drop the rod back the instant your lure makes contact so as to create enough slack line so the lure backs out and rises over the snag. It’s amazing how often the strike from a fish comes as the lure begins to swim free of the snag. We like to fish our drags set in fighting mode so the hooks are set when the cod strikes the lure.

Of course you will not ride over every snag so be sure and have a tackle back on board to retrieve any snagged lures.

Trolling is the most effective way to target large cod in the Murray River. Marty Cooper caught this fish on about the fourth pass of a bank he was working. as importantly, if you land a fish continue to work the area as that first strike can stimulate other fish in close proximity.

Trolling is and always will be one of the most productive ways to target Murray cod. With a little

A selection of good trolling lures for the beginner might include Number 3 StumpJumpers, 120mm Codzillas, 110 Cod-Dog and a few larger models like the 170 King Mong from Muldoon Lures.

The basic requirements to successful trolling begin with an understanding of the fish, its habits and habitat.

Murray cod have a distinct pecking order that sees the larger more dominant fish hold the most productive areas of cover. An ambush predator, cod require cover to blanket their assaults on any potential prey so deep sections of river with plenty of rock or timber are prime areas to begin prospecting.

It is important to remember when trolling that the ground you are fishing is continually changing. In order to fish it to its full potential, you have to stay in touch with your lure, continually revising your running depth to ensure the lure is in the strike zone at all times. In any section of river, this may mean a number of

Forcing large bibbed lures against the current provides maximum lure action while at the same time allowing you to troll at much slower speeds.

Smaller lures achieve greater depth and lose little action when trolled with the current.

Minimal loss of action and depth are important factors to consider when making a lure choice.

A simple system to use when selecting a lure is depth followed by size and action, then last of all colour. Some anglers select colour first, oblivious to the fact that flashiest colour in the world will draw little interest if it’s not in the fish’s strike zone.

When trolling, we have found that running the lure approximately 1m above the bottom structure to be the most productive depth. When water clarity is good this can

Early mornings are a great time to be on the water.

Troll both close and wide of the bank as you can never be sure where a big cod is hiding.

TARGET

Australia’s largest freshwater fish “The Mighty Murray Cod”

Join Roger on a guided fishing tour and learn how to catch our premier freshwater fish.

Make sure you have a big enough net to land your fish.

Trolling turns up some pretty big cod every season.

If the trolling run you have selected has good depth and ample bottom structure work it back and forth several times before moving on. Just

practise and a bit of patience it’s only a matter of time before you understand the basics of trolling. The rest you will learn as you go.

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53

Lakes are livening up!

HORSHAM

Trevor Holmes

Summer is here and this has spurred the native fish into life at some of the region’s lakes. Redfin make a welcome return to the table and the trout

have become a little harder to tempt in some lakes that are shallower but the deeper lakes have started to fire nicely.

With several of the region’s lakes with better than 80% water levels producing great fish, the jewel in the Wimmera’s

crown and probably the best trout lake in Australia, Lake Toolondo is on the ropes and almost down for the count. While we have been campaigning for over a year now, because we have foresight, the government and local water authorities refuse to

Beck Horsburgh landed this ripper 2.7kg Toolondo brown recently on a Norries spoon-tail shad.

Arthur Hannah, 74yo, made the trip from Portarlington to land a few nice Toolondo browns.

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DECEMBER 2014

breathe life into Toolondo by giving it a much-needed top up. Too intent on continual environmental flows to other areas and trading water off for profit, Toolondo will surely die this summer along with the 77,200 stocked trout along with a perfectly balanced ecosystem.

Another bureaucratic bungle we have to suffer!

LAKE FYANS I have been hinting on a resurgence here for some months now and we are starting to see the old Fyans once again. With good catches of rainbows and browns of late, as well as some beaut redfin, the lake is repaying for its great water level and stocking.

Mud-eye under a float will trick the cunning browns and the odd rainbow. Redfin aren’t real fussy but I find it best to drag diving lures around treelines and structure for good returns. Rainbows have also been taken on lime green twist Powerbait fished around 5ft under a bubble float. Fly fishers are also starting to get results as the hatches progress.

ROCKLANDS RESERVOIR After a slow start the redfin here are starting to school up and recently I landed a couple of good feeds trolling StumpJumpers and RMG Scorpions in around 4-5m of water.

Trout are also very active in this waterway with a lot of abundant stock that were unable to go elsewhere being released to bolster the numbers.

Carp are ever present and a pest but good fun on light gear. I recently lost a large bass up near the wall area in the old riverbed that would have

been better than 55cm so for bass fishos, it maybe worth a look.

TAYLOR LAKE Taylor also has fired up with bank anglers doing very well late afternoon, through the night and early morning.

Yellowbelly have been taken up to 1.3kg on scrub worms and yabby tail. The odd redfin is thrown in and there’s always the pesky carp to keep you entertained between quality fish.

With the cod season opening in December, I can see some good catches coming out of here as it hasn’t suffered the fishing pressures of other lakes and rivers.

LAKE BELLFIELD AND LAKE WARTOOK Bellfield and Wartook are two lakes within easy reach of Halls Gap that are always late bloomers due to limited sunlight exposure due to both being nestled deep in between mountain ranges.

Wartook will be at its peak as the days get longer but right now it still produces some great trout, especially browns on peeled yabby tail fished down deep or by trolling lures along weed beds and structure.

Rainbow trout this year have been the mainstay of anglers and flat lining Tassie Devils or fishing Powerbait either on a running sinker rig or under a bubble float has accounted for many fish.

Redfin are also plentiful in here and in the larger sizes so maybe try sounding up schools and presenting baits or even use ice jigs dropped down deep. These same principles apply to Bellfield but remember its an electric-propulsion only lake.

LAKE TOOLONDO Toolondo is on the verge of tipping over unfortunately (as spoken about above). While it continues to produce some great browns and the odd rainbow, I can see a major fish kill not too far down the track. In the last few days we have recorded surface temps of 23ºC, which is becoming borderline for trout survival.

The mudeye fishos are still catching a few but lures and plastics have slowed immensely. The fish have become lethargic with the sudden rise in water temperature and will either adjust or start to die; I fear the latter.

Fly fishos will do it very tough here this time around as the fish will not be overly energetic.

Redfin are still about and we are seeing schools now in shallower water and presenting lures and plastics for easy hook ups.

• Victorian Inland Charters are proud to announce we have just purchased 3 Polycraft 4.1m hire/drive boats that are now available at Fyans, Bellfield, Wartook, Toolondo and Rocklands. We also have a 4.5m Polycraft in survey for hire drive or charter work based at Halls Gap. These vessels being powered by 8hp Tohatsu motors require no boat licence to operate and are available in daylight hours only. Full equipped with safety gear they are ready for you to enjoy a day or weekend, be it fishing or sightseeing on these magnificent lakes. Enquiries to Trevor on 0438 132 130 or 03 5388 1338. Catch us on Facebook: Victorian Inland Charters or check our web site: www.victorianinland charters.com.au

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If you have a great idea for a project that improves fishing opportunities then you can apply for funding through the Recreational Fishing Grants Program.

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Applications are welcomed until 27 February 2015 for large projects between $5,000 and $100,000 in these categories: • Fisheries sustainability and habitat improvement

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DECEMBER 2014

55

Steady waters create balance MILDURA

John Menhennett goobyfish@hotmail.com

Finally, river levels are steady around Mildura after enduring a time of rise and drop. While making some attractive backwaters for yellas, it has been difficult to access good spots from the bank and boat. Water clarity is okay to good, and certainly good enough for luring.

Just as predicted, yellowbelly have fired up in certain locations around Merbein Common, Wentworth Weir, Lock 9 and the Rufus River, and some crackers have been caught. The warmer weather has brought the water

up to decent temperatures around the latter part of October bringing the fish on the bite. Most of the action has been on bait, especially yabby tails and worm and shrimp cocktails.

Yabbies are a particularly important part of the diet of golden perch if they are to successfully breed, so it makes sense to match the hatch here when fishing with baits. Live shrimp are getting about but not in great numbers yet. When the air and water temperatures rise this should change.

There are lots of good reports of anglers luring yellowbelly around the weirs and other structures, with vibration lures bringing on the hot bite. The water is clear

enough for spinnerbaits too so it is worth throwing a few 3/8oz spinners around in the slow moving water around these structures.

Spring means warmer weather, which will bring the yellowbelly out around Mildura’s hotspots. Spring is a great time for targeting yellowbelly as they make their way upstream and start to school up below the weir structures.

Cod season officially opened this month and with the amount of water we have had flushed through the system it should be a good season.

Areas that haven’t been fished for a while will certainly need to be targeted, particularly when the river levels are down. Large hardbodied lures

and 5/8oz spinnerbaits will be the go-to lures for catching monster Murray cod.

Anglers will need to adhere to new slot limits from December 1, which have now been aligned for both NSW and Victorian waters.

Minimum and maximum lengths are now 55-75cm in both states. Previously, both governments could not agree on slot limits but have now brought them back into line to save confusion to anglers fishing in both states.

Over the next month or so I expect large bags of yellowbelly to be caught close in to the banks around timber structure and weed beds and of course around the weir structures. While the river is running high most fish will be

Brett Evans with a decent healthy Murray cod. Fish like these are expected to be in high numbers over the coming cod season. holding in the snags in most backwaters around Mildura.

Hopefully the river levels drop as soon as possible to allow us to enjoy the river in summer once again.

Summer around Mildura is a great time to be on the water, especially when it coincides with a low river signifying the start of some great native fishing.

Season well worth the wait MOAMA

Ian Page

The cod season is finally upon us; hopefully it will prove to be worth the wait. With many anglers reporting catches of cod during the closed months, which were returned to the water, it all looks promising for a bumper start.

The warm weather during November made the water temperature rise significantly, which have the natives on the bite.

From above the junction of the Goulburn River to Torrumbarry Weir you will find plenty of excellent trolling water; some heavily snagged, some open

clay banks.

The best method is to find an area that suits your target species and work it over up to half a dozen times changing lures every couple of runs.

The use of a good sounder to identify structure is invaluable to saving time finding the best spots to try. Be prepared to troll big lures that get down deep bumping the bottom and dragging through the snags, lures such as Oargees, Custom Crafted, JDs and the ever popular StumpJumpers are among my favourites. There are plenty of different lures on the market, so if you have an old favourite stick with it.

If angling from the bank, best baits are bardi, scrub worms, yabbies or, my favourite at this time of

year, shrimps.

Shrimps are easy to get and if you put a few on the hook you can get some great results.

My preferred rig is a running sinker style with a enough weight to keep on the bottom and a 3 or 4/0 circle hook using 20-30lb mono or similar poundage in braid.

Reports from the Campaspe are varied with water levels starting to level after recent environmental flows, but with it settling and clarity improving so will the fishing. A walk casting lures from the bank could be a good option with cod, yellowbelly and redfin all prevalent in the system.

The Goulburn itself has been consistently good over

the past couple of months for bait and lure anglers, and I can’t see why it wouldn’t continue. Kow Swamp and the Gunbower Creek have seen some nice yellowbelly over recent times with Jackalls accounting for plenty of fish and those using bait have had success on yabbies and shrimp.

The channels continue to see redfin being caught in solid numbers and Greens Lake has been patchy but good at times.

We are in for a great season so give it a go, I am sure you will enjoy it.

• For the latest fishing and boating information in the Echuca/Moama region, drop into Boats and More’s Echuca store at 76 Northern Hwy or give them a call on (03) 5482 1992.

Ben Starkey with a great catch, the sort we should be expecting this summer.

Mighty Mulwala to bear fruit YARRAWONGA

Tony Bennett codclassic@bigpond.com

Mulwala, Mulwala or Mulwala . It should be the only decision diehard cod fishos should have to make over the next week or so when it comes to where to fish for cod season opening.

Undoubtedly Lake Mulwala is the home of the Murray cod and offers anglers a great chance to tangle with our iconic species on a regular basis. Either shorebased or by boat, drowning bait or pulling lures, Lake Mulwala provides plenty of options for all. Returns of fish are often equated with levels of persistence so a little patience mixed in with a bit of luck and a hint of skill should see many posing for plenty of happy snaps with a mighty fine Murray cod.

56

DECEMBER 2014

Traditionally, early season fishing throughout Lake Mulwala sees plenty of 45-75cm cod about for all forms of fishing. Lures in sizes from 70-120mm, spinnerbaits and crankbaits prove most effective for the lure fishers while a big tasty bardi grub, a hook full of worms or a good old yabby are your best bet if bait fishing. Fishing below the weir is always fun, especially if you are looking to keep the kids entertained. Generally the fish here are smaller on average than in the lake but return rates are much higher.

This time last year I made a prediction that the Lake Mulwala mapping system available from Chartered Waters would be one of the hottest ‘must have’ items. After 12 months use I can assure you all it’s worth its weight in gold. Now having other lakes, including

Hume and Eildon, charted it is certainly something you should be asking Santa for!

To stick my neck on the line for another couple of upcoming season predictions, I’m sure the boom in surface fishing and return to the use of timber hardbodied lures will continue. Finding genuine timber lures is hard these days but keep an eye out for brands such as the Kuttafurra, Gidgee and Garra.

Looking back, the only real fishing excitement came over the weekend of the popular Golden Dollars fishing competition. A keen 33 teams gathered to chase the yellas that had proved very hit and miss up until this weekend. Teams lucky enough to find the yellas had some great returns while others were left scratching their heads as to why they couldn’t pull a scale.

Mick Miller and Ricky Doyle from Team McGrath had a great day out winning both morning and afternoon sessions. In total they landed 11 yellas with 2 upgrades in the arvo session. Their secret and what set them apart from most other teams was the constant use of Dizzy Scent on all their lures.

Mick Massier and Simon Abernethy filled a creditable 2nd place from team Big Daddy. An impressive 6 quality fish helped these boys to some handy cash.

Sneaking into 3rd position was local legend George Jovanovic partnered by his son Alan. Team Whopper Stopper landed 5 nice yellas for the day.

Bendigo boy Zac Jury landed himself a beauty that stretched the tape out to 53.4cm. This was good enough to get the cash for longest fish closely followed

Zac Jury with his 53.4cm yellowbelly from the Golden Do$$ars fishing event.

by Peter Pejkovic’s 53cm for 2nd and Mick Massier’s 52cm finishing 3rd. In total there were 49 golden perch caught for the day, 27 in the morning session and 22 in the arvo session.

All is in readiness for the Cod Classic. It is still not too late to enter and all indications point

to what should be another amazingly successful event.

A whopping $150K worth of prizes including a Ford Ute and 7 boating packages makes this an event not to be missed. For all enquiries call Tony on 0357 441 667 or drop into Lake Mulwala Fish Camp and Ski, the official Cod Classic store.

Bringing out the heavy artillery ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

dried cat-food placed in the net will draw more than enough shrimp to keep the rods loaded. Scrub worms and small yabbies have also accounted for numerous fish and a cocktail of all or any of these baits seems to be working well.

Finding the perch has been as easy as to fish the slack water just off the edge of the eddies. Any snags in such locations will hold good fish and if you’re lucky they might be stacked. A single hot spot can yield a dozen solid perch or more if they are on the chew. A few perch have also been taken on small

lures worked hard against the timber. Bassman Yellaman spinnerbaits, various lipless crankbaits and the small no. 3 StumpJumpers have worked very well.

Carp continue to be an annoyance as they snavel fresh baits at regular intervals. There is just no avoiding these fish and they are part and parcel of a day on the water.

Wemen has also fished well for perch this past month with good numbers biting well at the numerous rock bars this stretch of shallow river holds. Of course, if you are fishing rock bars you are bound to bump heads with a few cod with several fish landed and released amongst the perch.

Most of the Murray and its adjoining rivers have fished well; it’s just a matter of wetting a line.

Underbool angler Richard Prentice fished the Rufus River mid-October with a few mates bagging no less than 20 good perch for the session. Using shrimp and small yabbies for bait the crew had a ball in near perfect weather while scoring themselves a good feed.

In the Kerang Lakes a few redfin have started to

Won’t be long now and anglers will break out the cod tackle in hopes of landing a big Murray cod like this one caught by Gus Storer last season. bite on bait. Shrimp and local white bait are working best either fished at anchor or just above the bottom on the drift. It’s a similar story at Kangaroo Lake where some good-sized golden perch and a few redfin have been caught on bait. Anglers fishing near the regulator have reported good catches of perch to 50cm on scrub worms and small yabbies.

The regulator at Reedy Lake has also produced a few

perch on bait, as have the channels in between All looks set for the start of the cod season and it won’t be long before the smaller lures and light tackle conducive to perch are packed away in exchange for the heavy artillery with cod in mind. I predict a great season off the back of last year’s awesome fishing and I’m sure there will be plenty of keen anglers out in force to land that monster cod.

QX064

With good flows in much of the Murray River, it’s not surprising that the fish have really come on the chew this past month.

Good numbers of golden perch are running at most locations including Robinvale and Wemen.

Several bank-fishing sessions upstream of Robinvale at Tol Tol in the pool water have accounted for some very good perch on bait.

It was encouraging to see

a couple of small but very well conditioned Murray cod landed at this same location.

I have not caught a cod in this area in quite a while so it is a good sign for things to come. I remember trolling some monster cod at this location many years ago and this season it might be worth revisiting some of these old haunts.

With poor water clarity in the face of good flows most fish are being caught on bait. With the water temperature up, shrimp are now about in good numbers and are easy to catch in a baited net. A handful of

There have been plenty of solid golden perch caught at most locations along the Murray.

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57

Preparing for another green and gold summer VICTORIAN ALPS

Robbie Alexander

It’s hard to believe that December and Murray cod season is here and

Christmas is knocking on our door. Like most keen Murray cod anglers, I have probably spent more money on fishing gear than I have on Christmas presents up until this point!

A rainbow trout I caught recently at Allans Flat Waterhole on a bunch of tiger worms. Note the fish is missing its front fin. This is what they call ‘fin-clipping’ and is a technique used to tell the difference between stocked fish and wild fish.

HOW HAS THE FISHING BEEN? Throughout spring the Kiewa and Mitta Mitta rivers both fished quite slowly for trout. I did not get a chance to fish the Mitta Mitta River myself this season, but fished the Kiewa extensively. I have heard that the Mitta Mitta River was quite slow, so too was Snowy Creek.

I can tell you first hand that the Kiewa River was very disappointing all spring.

The signs were there late last season for improved fishing this year, and while we have seen improved fishing in some areas, the Kiewa River wasn’t one of them.

It fished very slowly with just the odd trout turning up.

As we head into December I am expecting little change in the Kiewa River, as it is hard to see it picking up and

Brenton Richardson with a nice 45cm yellowbelly he trolled up in Lake Hume recently on a Jackall 60mm masked vibe.

bouncing back that quickly.

Hopefully in the next couple of seasons we will see an improvement.

From what I can gather, right across the region, whether it be the Nariel Creek, Kiewa River, Mitta Mitta River or any other waterway in the far northeast part of Victoria, the trout have moved upstream in search of cooler water following the severe heatwaves we have experienced over the last 2 summers. The tip is to make sure you head upstream in search of your trout. The small handful of trout that I did catch in the Kiewa River this season came from the Mt Beauty area at the head of the valley.

Allans Flat Waterhole turned it on this spring. I fished there a couple of times To page 59

Early Christmas for cod botherers SHEPPARTON

Nick Brown teamriverrats@hotmail.com

Christmas comes 25 days early for all us anglers, as December 1 is one of the most important dates on the fishing calendar, the opening of cod season!

All through late October and November there were plenty of reports of locals landing cod while chasing springtime yellowbelly.

This is not unusual, but this year saw more regular by-catch of cod when targeting yellowbelly.

The yellowbelly were out and about over the spring and last month we had almost no spring rain, which has seen our river heights stay very steady. There was a report that we could see some environmental flows come late November, so hopefully this does not affect the river system too much.

If the river does rise and fall the bait fishers will be very happy, as it won’t really affect their fishing too much, but us lure fishers will have to work just that little bit harder.

Over the spring we saw our channel systems fish very productively for both redfin and yellowbelly.

I didn’t fish the channels in late spring, but from all reports using small lipless crankbaits, soft plastics and small spinnerbaits worked the best. The channels out towards Murchison and Tatura were the best of the channels but a lot of locals kept tight-lipped to what channels they fished.

For this cod season, I hope the Broken River 58

DECEMBER 2014

recovers from its constant flogging from fishers early last season. I urge you all to be weary and make sure we all try to perform catch and release as much as possible, as it will become very fragile fishery if the large number of fish are continually taken from the river. I am not against taking a feed home but sometimes it’s good to return the fish to fight another day.

There have also been a lot of reports coming from Benalla and Lake Nillahcootie over the spring.

I don’t normally write about Nillahcootie, but if you are looking for something

and a handful of cod and redfin in a morning session all on lures.

SHEPPARTON LAKE The lake has seen some heavy traffic of late and it has not been from fishers but swimmers. A lot of people have been practising for the local triathlon in November.

This has also seen the council remove a lot of weed to make sure the swimmers were safe.

I hope this does not have a negative impact on the fish, as the lake is quickly becoming one of our areas best fisheries.

Prior to the triathlon and weed removal, the redfin were on fire with fish as big

Xavier Uniacke with a nice cod on one of his Goulburn River spinnerbaits. different, jump in the car and head over there but just make sure the winds are down as it can get very dangerous in the lake once windy. Jake Jones from Benalla reported catching a dozen yellowbelly

as 40cm being caught just on dark most nights.

KIALLA LAKES The lakes have been hit and miss and last month they were a miss. Spring used to be golden time

to fish the lakes but the dirty water and no flow has turned the fish off again.

There is still plenty of carp being caught on worms and corn if that interests you. The carp are not huge but every carp caught from the lake will do everyone a favour so make the most of it if you’re at the lakes.

CRAIGMUIR LAKE I have never heard of cod being caught in Craigmuir Lake but Mooroopna resident David Savage reported catching a cod from his kayak in the spring. As well as cod, David also reports landing many good-sized redfin and yellowbelly.

Craigmuir is fast turning into a very appealing fishery, but remember the stock levels are low so the more you take, the less there will be for next time as it’s not getting pumped full of fish.

WARANGA BASIN It was a good couple of weeks at the Basin leading into cod opening with the few who braved the windy conditions being rewarded with bumper fishing.

The redfin have been schooled up recently and that has made fishing very enjoyable. The fish seem to be up the wall end around the boat club. It’s been easy to locate the schools, as the birds have been very active working over the baitfish and redfin schools, so keep your eye out for diving birds. Once you fish them, get there as soon as possible and get your lure or bait into the frenzy zone. Casting lipless crankbaits or plastics around the schools has been very successful and I would even try metal lures or vibes

Christiaan Van Taarling nailed this chunky redfin from the Shepparton Lake just on dark. as you will get a decent cast in – the redfin will go almost anything!

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From page 58

in late September and early October. I love that place! I managed to catch a few small redfin and a few yearling rainbow trout. I caught my trout on worms and my redfin on a small bibless minnows.

There was a nice bloke fishing near me that caught a couple of decent yellowbelly on bait, so Allans Flat has been great.

During December, Allans Flat will continue to fish very well for redfin and yellowbelly, however the trout will be pretty scarce. I would not be surprised if I caught one, but I would not be expecting to.

As we know 1 December is the start of the new Murray cod season. The Kiewa River gets stocked annually with Murray cod and has quite a healthy population of them with most of the fish being in the river from Dederang downstream. The area around Kergunyah is popular with cod fishers and each season plenty of cod get caught around there.

The Kiewa River has a healthy population of both black and tiger snakes, and can be quite daunting to fish from the bank. For this reason, it is a very popular spot for kayak fishing enthusiasts.

Some people will disagree and tell me that I am full of crap because they catch cod off the bank, and that is fine

Brenton Richardson again, this time with a chunky Lake Hume redfin.

because so do I. The thing is that tripping over snakes and walking through grass 4ft long wearing your gumboots is not everybody’s cup of tea!

Lake Hume has seen the best spring fishing this season as it has seen for the last few years with most anglers that have headed out catching yellowbelly and redfin.

Casting lipless crankbait lures around the rocky outcrops has been a very successful technique, so too has trolling deep diving minnows.

Each year as the water warms up the yellowbelly get active in October and

A rare Kiewa River brown trout caught at Mt Beauty this season on a Metalhead soft plastic in black metal colour.

November. They often pair up in an attempt to spawn, although in a lake they are unlikely to spawn.

Their spring activity was described to me recently as ‘shooting blanks’.

During December the yellowbelly will still be very active, although they will probably disperse themselves around the lake instead of pairing up, or schooling up.

So while they will still bite as actively, they will be biting more out of hunger than out of aggression and will be more of a consistent catch throughout the lake rather than hit and miss.

In December the redfin and yellowbelly both should be on the bite in Lake Hume.

The author with his biggest ever yellowbelly, trolled at Lake Hume recently on a Hotlips lure. It measured 60cm on the dot and was as fat as butter. He was a very happy man that afternoon!

m a e r d e h t e v li

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If you’re planning on trolling, try trolling diving lures that dive to around 20ft. Watch your sounder and try and stick to water that is only a little bit deeper than the depth your lure is diving to. This is a great way to pick up both trout and redfin.

If you’re planning on bank fishing Lake Hume, try casting small soft plastics around the edges of the lake, or even bladed spinners and you can catch small redfin all day long. The odd larger redfin might come along, but in all honesty I believe that if you really want to target the bigger redfin you need to be fishing from a boat in deeper water.

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59

Wangaratta’s Christmas codlings WANGARATTA

Robbie Alexander

December is the most highly anticipated time of the year on the fishing calendar in the Wangaratta area. The reason for this is because the Wangaratta area is the Murray cod heartlands of Victoria, with an abundance of this species in both the Ovens and King rivers.

As with most places, an abundance of fish usually tends to lead to a smaller average size of fish, which is why we catch a lot of smaller Murray cod in this area. Some days you can catch 10-15 cod in a single day, with every single one of them being undersize.

There are legal sized Murray cod in both the Ovens and King rivers but they are not a common catch, and catches of trophy sized Murray cod are as rare as rocking horse poo in this area!

Each season I say the

same thing, and I probably sound like a broken record, that is if you are a sporting angler looking to catch Murray cod in smaller waterways lure casting from

photograph or even a few fillets, then I highly suggest you head elsewhere, most likely the Murray River where larger cod are more common in an effort to

Small brown trout like this are not as common as they once were in the Ovens River catchment.

Hopefully recent stockings of mature trout into the Ovens River can help restore the great trout fishing that we used to experience in that area. the bank and not fussed by the size of the fish you catch, then the Ovens River system is a great place to head.

If you are after a larger cod for whatever reason, be it bragging rights, a trophy

A lovely brown trout caught in a mountainous tributary of the King River on a Metalhead soft plastic.

prevent disappointment.

Last season I managed a 72cm Murray cod 2 days before the season closed late in August, and a 60cm back in the heat of summer last year, and everything else was

under 60cm, most of which were well under. Given that I fish this area probably 4 nights of the week on average over summer, and catch a cod or two on most sessions, that’s a lot of casts and tiddlers between the larger fish.

December is the best month of the year to target Murray cod in the Ovens and King rivers as there is still a reasonable flow of well oxygenated water and the cod seem to be quite active.

By January, when the long hot 40°C+ days have set in, the water becomes very low, quite dark and considerably warm. At this point the cod usually slow right down in both rivers.

Pretty much all Murray cod techniques will work during December. Bait fishers should pick up cod, particularly in the lower reaches of the Ovens River where it is a bit cloudier and deeper.

Lure casters using spinnerbaits and hardbodied lures will all be in with a

Joey Barca with a lovely Murray cod caught at Wangaratta last season on an Oar Gee lure. good chance also. My favourite technique in this area is surface fishing. It is probably not as productive as casting a sub-surface lure, but it can be very exciting, rewarding and being that it is a technique best used at sunset, it fits in well with my work commitments!

The trout fishing should be OK in December in the Ovens River catchment. I say OK because that is what I am expecting, just OK. Nothing to get too excited about, but not dead either.

Recently, 1500 mature brown trout were stocked into the Ovens River between Porpunkah and Harrietville.

Murray cod of this size are a common feature of the Ovens and King rivers.

Larger fish do exist and are caught each year, but are not a common catch.

This is excellent news as this stretch of river has really been struggling after a series of natural disasters.

They’ve stocked mature trout for a reason – so that they will spawn next autumn and kick-start a new natural recruiting population of wild trout. It is for this reason that it is quite critical that anglers practise catch and release.

Although I encourage catch and release, I never really ram it down people throats, however this is very important in the upper Ovens River at the moment if we are to see the river bounce back to the great fishing that it produced only a few years back. The water in the Ovens River is the best trout water in the area as it exits the mountains quite quickly and steeply and is overgrown and shaded. Therefore, the water is the coolest and most suitable in the region for decent trout fishing. The Ovens River is definitely in need of protection at this vulnerable time.

Away from the Ovens River, there should still be some good trout fishing to be had, but the trick is to find the fish! Most of the trout I have caught this spring have been high up in the headwaters of the creeks where the water is likely to be a little bit cooler.

Good luck in December everyone, stay safe on the roads and I hope everybody has a fantastic Christmas and New Year.

DAM LEVELS Lake/Dam % Full

Dam % Full

LAKE/DAM Sep Oct Nov Cairn Curran 62 58 55 Dartmouth 95 93 90 Eildon 87 86 82 Eppalock 74 73 73 Fyans 83 79 83 Greens 67 68 64 Hepburn 99 97 94 Hume 74 78 70 Lauriston 82 75 73 Malmsbury 37 34 34 Mulwala (Yarrawonga) 101 93 93

Newlyn 94 93 90 Nillahcootie 101 100 97 Rocklands 29 28 23 Taylors 32 17 25 Tullaroop 52 52 50 Upper Coliban 98 97 97 Waranga 85 71 51 Wartook 87 86 45 William Hovell 99 98 99

60

DECEMBER 2014

All levels correct at time of going to press.

Damlevels can change at any time, so please check with local authorities to ensure safe boating and fishing.

Brett Corker with a typical sized Murray cod caught in the Wangaratta area last season on a spinnerbait.

Dusting off the heavier gear EILDON

Andy McCarthy

Cod time is upon us so let’s get into action! I hope you have all dusted off your heavier gear and put in some maintenance because there is going be some big green bangers coming out to play on the run to Chrissy.

It seems that all species in the lake have prospered with so much food on offer, so I would be using bigger lures to produce more reaction strikes because they got plenty to eat. I’m going to be chucking 150mm+ hardbodies and plastics more associated with barramundi than cod, they work a treat so get some big baits out and enjoy the open season!

As we all know, the slot limit is now 55-75cm cod so do the right thing and respect the laws for a better and more sustainable future for the iconic Murray cod. Obviously, this is more relevant to the rivers where the natural spawning is more prominent than in Eildon or other stocked catchments, but rules are rules.

Thank goodness the Eildon area fired in November on the yellas, it seemed like it was never going to happen! It went off like a rocket with fish schooling up big time and chewing hard and should continue right through to Christmas. The size of some of the yellas we’re getting is quite remarkable; the best I’ve heard of went a stonking

18lb! An absolute brute female and I think we will see the magical 20lb season.

Over the past few years it was interesting that the smaller males were following the big girls around. When you catch a female, she should have a handful of them with her. In the past, most of these fish were around the 30-40cm mark, but this year the males seem to be a whole lot bigger than usual with most up around 55cm. That’s a massive growth spurt and it’s simply because of the bait fish explosion over the past 2 years. I can’t wait to see the big girls truly fire up, its truly going to be mad.

The water clarity seems to be a bit cleaner down south, so you may need to fish slightly deeper than you

would up the top.

If you are trolling for yellas or cod, the trusty old StumpJumper is going gangbusters at the moment and they don’t have to be the bigger ones either. As an all rounder, you can’t go wrong when every species we have in Eildon gets taken on them on a regular basis. They won’t break the bank either!

Without sounding like a broken record, I want to know where the reddies are! I miss them like crazy!

Hopefully they’ll come back on the chew soon.

There’s been some good surface trout action on ant and bug hatches that occur from time to time with some big bangin’ browns in among them, which is very encouraging. Getting them Young Levi Biles with a great pondage rainbow.

Fish up to 5kg have been taken in the pondage recently thanks to stocking efforts.

Cranking yellas in the Doon

to eat anything other than a fly isn’t easy; so if you have a fly rod on board give it a whirl.

The pondage has been absolutely fishing off its head with trout being caught between 500g-5kg. Yep, you read right, fisheries were kind enough to stock it with some big bangers just prior to the Eildon Big Fish Challenge in October and it has continued to fish

BONNIE DOON

Andy McCarthy

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s cod time and I for one are absolutely stoked to say the least.

It’s great to see that common sense prevailed and the cod slot limits in Victoria and NSW were matched up, so now it’s between 55-75cm, every one’s a winner.

With strong reports of by-catch cod throughout November, it’s all looking great for a rad cod opening and I think it’s going be a red-hot summer, just remember to slip-slop-slap and don’t get burnt.

Generally speaking, the Bonnie Doon to Delatite top end of the lake has been far superior right across the board for the yellas this spring, with astounding numbers of great conditioned goldens being caught left, right and centre.

Lipless crankbaits have been the go-to style of lure and there’s no great surprise there. People who are new

really well since. Dough and Powerbait have been best on the bait side of things while the new pinky colour Tassie Devil and the good old clown pattern havedominated the winged lures. On the hardbodies front, the Cranka 59mm suspending minnows have accounted for plenty of good-sized trout.

Enjoy the next month, stay safe on the water and have a fabulous Christmas!

Paul Thomas has been smashing the yellas on lures lately. to native fishing simply can’t go past them in spring and summer and when you select one of these lures I can’t stress enough how important it is that you test any of your lipless cranks in the sink or bath at home. It is imperative that when your lure is on the bottom, the tail of the bait

The author with a prime yellowbelly taken from the Delatite arm.

sits up with the nose down like a feeding bait fish and doesn’t fall on its side and lay flat on the bottom. You won’t believe the difference in your strike rate and for all you anglers who have loads of them, test them all and try my theory, you will be amazed when fishing gravel banks. It’s not as important when fishing rock walls and steep banks.

Trolling will be a very productive method in December for both cod and yellas. Now that they are moving up in the water column, don’t be scared to troll big lures. Anything from 75-250mm is worth a go, that’s right, big lures. Don’t worry, the big cod will eat them and just remember, if it’s possible to release a big fish in the water it is far better for the long term survival of that fish. As we go on, it seems that lots more anglers are really embracing the catch and release style

of fishing, especially the juniors. It’s great to see a kid smile when they let a big one go.

What I would love to know is where the hell have the reddies have gone. I am hanging for a feed but be buggered if I can find them!

There have also been a few nice trout getting caught near the mouth of the Delatite River and have put on a fair bit of condition, unlike the slabby fish in winter.

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61

Trout are finally fishing like they should be CENTRAL GIPPSLAND

Will Thompson allwaysangling@bigpond.com

It’s safe to say the trout season this year is much better than last year and anglers are taking advantage of the mass amount of trout around the area.

The Macalister River is what everyone is talking about at the moment and there have been great numbers of brown trout caught to 35cm over the past month.

Last month worms were accounting for 90% of the fish but now we are seeing plenty of trout caught on lures such as Celtas, Tassie Devils and Rooster Tails.

Good amounts of trout are

There have been a number of brown trout to 35cm caught at MacAlister River.

coming from all along the Mac from below and above Licola.

The Wellington River is fishing fantastic with plenty of trout to 30cm being caught on lure and fly.

The Thomson River is another river that has come back to what it was like a few years ago and many anglers are catching up to half a dozen small brown trout at a time using unweighted worms or lures such as Celtas and Tassies. Locations such as the Walhalla Bridge and Bruntons Bridge are producing a lot of the fish.

Lastly, the small northern streams such as the Tanjil River are fishing really well this season with mixed rainbow and brown trout to 35cm being caught on small

hardbodies and soft plastic lures. This little stream and its tributaries didn’t fish very well last year so it’s great to see trout numbers back similar to what they were 3 years ago. It’s not that easy though, anglers are putting in a fair effort to get the rewards and are walking big distances and covering a lot of water to catch them. If you put the work in, you will get the rewards.

• For more information, contact Will at Allways Angling in Traralgon on 51748544. You will get expert advice and great deals on fishing bait and tackle. Tune into Rex Hunt and Lee Rayner’s “Off the Hook” on 1242 to hear Will’s report on what’s going on in Gippsland!

Late spring trout and bass action WST/STH GIPPSLAND

Steve Haughton steve@habitatcreations.com.au

This month the fishing really heats up for both stream and lake anglers in the region.

The streams of West and South Gippsland will start firing up with late spring insect hatchings, which will excite stream trout and fly anglers alike.

Blue Rock Lake is fast becoming a bass hotspot for sport anglers and with insect hatchings and warmer waters exciting baitfish to the surface, there’ll no doubt be some hot bass surface action over the coming months.

The streams around the Noojee District have been fishing well with small stream brown trout to 300g keeping both fly, lure and bait anglers happy. While the fish aren’t big they are very healthy, beautiful body condition and a lot of fun to catch and release on light gear. There is the odd smaller rainbow trout swimming about, which always makes for a nice change adding to the excitement of wading or strolling the banks of the magnificent streams and backdrops that this region has to offer.

Loch River is still flowing a bit dirty but it should start to clear up nicely over the coming month, providing there are no late season downpours.

This stream is well vegetated on both banks so is best tackled by wading upstream casting in to the many pools and runs where brown trout are feeding. Beaded nymphs work best this time of the year and as the water flow starts to slow down, fish the evenings with dry flies matching the hatches.

Toorongo River is flowing well as usual. The pick of all the streams, the Toorongo meanders through farmland with a bush backdrop, so even if the fish aren’t biting on the day you can bet it’s been an enjoyable day out. Brown trout here are a bit bigger than those in the Loch River and there are plenty of rainbows swimming about as well. What makes this stream such a great spot is the number of trout feeding zones, which will get any angler excited as they make their way up or downstream.

Lure anglers can have a lot of fun too. Soft plastic wriggler-tail grubs and small floating minnow hardbodies are dynamite on actively feeding trout.

Blue Rock Lake is

fishing well for bass with many fish now being caught and released around the 25-30cm mark. Bass are being targeted with a variety of methods. Casting 3-6cm surface poppers at the banks and structure on a calm day up the Tanjil Arm has been successful, so has casting spinnerbaits, shallow-bibbed hardbodied minnows and soft plastics.

Surface lures will be fishing well when bass are feeding up at the surface on insects, baitfish and shrimps.

When the weather isn’t as inviting, bait fishing with scrub and garden worms has been working well.

When you find the school, jigging with soft plastics or hardbodied jigs work a treat.

Finding the fish can be hard but if you are prepared to move around or cast a lot, then you can expect to have some bass fishing fun.

Redfin and carp action

on the lake will start to heat up this month and can be a lot of fun for the kids and those who are kids at heart.

While carp are traditionally caught on worms or corn kernels, anglers can have a lot of fun catching carp on soft plastics and hardbodied lures. As the carp begin schooling during their breeding season, they can be quite aggressive to lures cast into the school.

This can be a lot of fun on light gear!

Redfin can be best targeted with lures such as spinner blades and hardbodied minnow lures and will be a by-catch for anglers targeting bass.

A reminder also that the blackfish season is still closed until 31 December.

Feel free to send me any reports or pictures you have and I can put them in the mag for you.

Happy fishing!

The author with a healthy 32cm Blue Rock bass caught and released. Interestingly, when the bass was landed, it regurgitated a full 7cm redfin and a bunch of fresh shrimp. They’re certainly not going hungry!

“For all your fly fishing needs” ORDER ONLINE www.adrenalinflies.com.au 62

DECEMBER 2014

Scott Royden had a ball during his first ever snapper session. This was one of 2 caught in the session and pulled the scales down to 5.4kg, the other to 4.7kg. Both fish were taken home for a feed.

Attention turns to Murray cod BENDIGO

Roger Miles codhuntertours@bigpond.com

Over the last month we have seen the productivity in the fishing increase within the Bendigo region.

Water clarity has improved in most locations mainly due to the minimal amount of rainfall the district has received.

Golden perch have been the main target species for most anglers. While the numbers have not been exceptional, catch rates have been steadily improving.

December will see many anglers now changing their fishing efforts and Murray cod become the main target species for the majority of anglers.

LAKE EPPALOCK The lake has been producing a mixed bag of results for anglers. The productivity of the redfin fishing has been average.

Catch rates have started to improve in recent weeks.

The majority of redfin are small in size. Only the

occasional school of larger redfin has been located recently. Trolling deep diving hardbodied lures and casting soft plastics continues to be the most productive method for the redfin. At this stage, I believe the redfin fishing will only stay average this season and the productivity in the redfin fishing will be significantly lower than the previous couple of seasons.

On a positive note, we have seen a steady increase in the productivity in the golden perch fishing over the last few weeks. The majority of the golden perch being caught have been around 1.5-2kg. There have been a few isolated captures of golden perch over 8kg being landed by anglers! Trolling hardbodied lures has been a productive method.

Casting lipless crankbaits and spinnerbaits around the timber areas and around the rocky shorelines has also been producing reasonable results.

The productivity should stay good in the short term. If we receive only minimal rainfall and water levels start to drop quickly, then the

productivity in the fishing will be adversely affected.

CAMPASPE RIVER The productivity in the fishing in the Campaspe River has only been average lately. Water clarity has now started to improve and anglers should start to see an increase in catch rates in the next few weeks. Casting spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits has been the most productive method.

Golden perch have been the main species being caught with the occasional redfin as well. The opening of the Murray cod season in December will see an increased amount of pressure directed towards the Murray cod. The recent warm weather has seen an increase in the abundance of insect life around and this is always a good indicator for anglers to bring out their surface lure collection and target some big cod. For those anglers who have not tried this method, give it a go, because it definitely gets the adrenalin going when a Murray cod strikes a surface lure!

CAIRN CURRAN The productivity in the Murray cod fishing was low at this location last season. However there were still small numbers of cod caught by dedicated anglers.

I believe the numbers of cod will continue to be low but the quality will remain good.

It’s a terrific time of the season to target the resident large golden perch. Trolling medium size lures in the depth range between 4-7m was the most productive method last season. Casting the rocky shoreline and timber areas with lipless crankbaits and spinnerbaits is also worthwhile.

The redfin fishing has been average. Anglers need to be prepared to hunt around in order to locate a school of redfin. The occasional quality redfin up to 1.5kg has been landed.

The majority of the redfin have been landed in depths greater than 6m.

LODDON RIVER The Loddon River is the most popular Murray cod fishery in our local area.

There will again be some

terrific Murray cod caught in this waterway this season.

Unfortunately due to the increased amount of fishing pressure this waterway receives it is not always an easy task. If the trend of the last few seasons continues the most productive fishing will be in the skinny sections of the river. Locations like Newbridge are excellent areas to try. Anglers are encouraged to do the right thing and always seek permission from private landowners if they access the river through their property.

Casting spinnerbaits and medium-sized hardbodied

lures are good options. For those most dedicated anglers who don’t mind an early start or enjoy fishing at night then targeting Murray cod on surface lures can be a great option.

Anglers are reminded that there are new slot and bag limits that come in this cod season.

The deeper boatable sections at Bridgewater and Serpentine will again produce reasonable captures of golden perch. If the trend of the last couple of seasons continues the numbers of Murray cod caught in these areas will be low.

whether you give a little or a lot it all adds up. Crowd funding relies on many people getting behind the project by sharing the campaign. We will be rallying the Australian fishing community to utilise their networks far and wide to promote the campaign through social media. At the end of the day, we need as many people

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- Christine Hunt

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– Pure Fishing

This Murray cod was caught casting a Custom Crafted small Hammerhead lure.

FISHING FILL-ITS

Carl reaches out for your support Carl Jocumsen is undoubtedly Australia’s highest profile angler after being the first Australian to qualify for the Bassmaster Elite series in 2015. This series sees the world’s top 100 bass anglers go head to head in a very high profile tournament series. This is Carl’s biggest opportunity to date and he needs all the support he can get to take it to the next level.

Carl hails from Toowoomba in QLD and has sharpened his angling skills over many years of fishing local waterways and competing in the Australian Tournament scene. After reaching the pinnacle of the sport here, Carl was ready to take on his dream and he

headed to the USA. He has been dedicated and focused in pursuit of a goal many said was impossible. The journey over the last 4 years has seen Carl sell most of what he owned, leave his family and friends behind to relocate to the USA. He has been fortunate to have some locals who spotted his talent and believed in his ability and they have taken him into their hearts and homes and still being so far from home has been a big part of the challenge.

Excitingly, Carl has achieved a major milestone by qualifying for the Elites in his last tournament in the Bassmaster Opens Central Division.

Competing on the big stage in 2015 will take big

dollars and while Carl has some great support from an excellent stable of sponsors, he will need all the help we can muster to make this next step up in competition. Entry fees alone for the Elites are $43,000 and there are many other costs including, visas, living expenses and operational expenses etc. Anyone who has followed Carl’s story knows that while he is living his dream he is certainly doing it on a tight budget. Carl needs a hand up to kick-start his 2015 Elite Tournament challenge and we are launching a crowd funding campaign on the web platform Fundrazr to rally some financial support.

Crowd funding is the practice of raising money from a large number of people,

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DECEMBER 2014

63

Eyes on the prize BALLARAT

Shane Stevens

The Ballarat and district anglers have their eyes on the prize with all the district waters producing the goods at the moment.

The only issue, which is a good issue to have, is knowing which waters they have to fish.

The Ballarat Fly Fishers Club recently held the Wastell Trophy, which is regarded by many as the best fly fishing competition in the country and is the oldest of its kind.

This year, for something different the competition was based at Creswick and the surrounding waters Wendouree, Cosgroves, Newlyn, Hepburn, Dean, Tullaroop and Cairn Curran reservoirs. In previous years, it was only one or two that you could fish over the competition times, which go from 10am to 8.30pm Saturday and again at 12am until 12pm on Sunday.

On the Saturday night, a social gathering of all fly fishers competing for the Wastell Trophy tell stories of the one that got away during the day and swap fishing stories as all anglers do.

The Wastell Trophy for 2014 was hotly contested for with 65 fly fishers from all over the state representing 8 fly fishing clubs with Geoff Lay, a member of the Mornington Peninsula Fly Fishers Club landing the heaviest trout on fly, which was a 2.7kg brown trout caught from Tullaroop Reservoir.

The competition was a great success with 11 rainbow and brown trout weighed in over the weekend. All waters were producing quality trout in difficult, windy, bright sunny weather conditions,

which aren’t that favourable for fly fishing. Brian Hughes was another standout angler landing the heaviest trout on fly for the Ballarat Fly Fishers Club and winning the

during the mornings, days and evenings whenever time permits outside of his work commitments casting lures and soft plastics with excellent results. His

Max Stevens caught this Lake Wendouree brown on a mudeye under a float.

Ben Young nailed this Lake Wendouree brown trout on a Norries soft plastic. The fish went 2.7kg and 61cm and was released.

Photo courtesy of Ben Young.

Gerald Armitage Trophy.

LAKE WENDOUREE Lake Wendouree fishing at the moment is awesome, awesome and more awesome, that is the only way I can describe it. Moving forward will just get better as our weather warms up and we see more insect activity and the trout just totally tune into feeding mode.

Ben Young, the keenest of anglers, has been lurking around the shores of the lake

biggest so far has been a 2.7kg 61cm brown, which he fished for over a few weeks.

He polaroided the fish in a certain spot and had follow after follow on different lures and soft plastics until finally, a Norries soft plastic

He mentioned they are only about 6ft from the water’s edge, cruising along the edge of the bluestone and weed beds feeding on nymphs and mudeyes, so there is no need to fish your baits, flies or lures as far away from the shore as you can as they can be lurking right at your feet.

Bait fishing Lake Wendouree has resulted in excellent catches. Mudeyes, spider or coutas are on the menu, and fished under bubble floats with your mono well greased has proven to be irresistible to the trout and redfin swimming in Wendouree’s waters. I fished up the lake with my 3 boys recently off one of the jetties and we caught and released 6 fish in a 2-hour session ranging from stocky little rainbow trout up to 3lb.

Other anglers have had them over 6lb using the same method shore or boat-based.

It doesn’t matter where you

The Wastell Trophy was a hotly contested competition this year. The competition is actually the oldest of its kind in Australia.

Photo courtesy of Ian Hare.

The fly anglers have been laughing lately.

Peter Nutall tempted this beauty at Newlyn Resevior on a stick caddis imitation.

Photo courtesy of Peter Nutall.

64

DECEMBER 2014

brought the fish undone.

After a couple of quick photos, Ben released the fish to be caught another day.

Ben has polaroided lots of trout in very close to the shore when he has been fishing on the brighter days.

fish, as long as you have your bait in the water you are in with a chance.

The fly fishers are still waiting for those dun or mayfly hatches to get fired up with small hatches occurring on overcast days.

There is some hope that they will hatch in larger numbers and then it will be game on and the lake’s fishing would be totally back to its best.

TULLAROOP RESERVOIR Tullaroop Reservoir has seen some lovely trout being

thing, mudeye suspended under bubble floats. This will certainly bring some of Hepburn’s trout undone and there certainly is some bruising trout lurking around this water.

The lure angler can certainly target Hepburn

Lance Keen took this 5.5lb rainbow on a mudeye at Tullaroop Reservior.

Photo courtesy of Keith Riddsdale.

caught both on mudeyes and fly fishing with the winning fish as mentioned for the Wastell coming from up there. Lance ‘Mustard’ Keen, a member of the Ballarat Anglers Club, has been catching some lovely rainbow trout on mudeyes up to 5.5lb. As our weather warms up, the fishing in Tullaroop should certainly be excellent for all forms of angling with mornings and evenings being the best time to target the feeding trout.

The fly fishers should prepare themselves for some after dark action as the trout cruise into the shallows of Tullaroop.

HEPBURN LAGOON Hepburn is fishing exceptionally well for all forms of angling. Fly fishers have the choice on overcast days fly fishing for mayfly feeders during the middle of the day to evening or fishing for the mudeye feeders and early morning the trout that mooch around in only inches of water.

Stealth mode is required for this. For bait anglers, I would suggest only one

with excellent catches on hardbodied lures and soft plastics. A little tip that I would suggest to the anglers casting lures, fish into the wind as a lot of fish are cruising around feeding on the food that is being blown into the windward shoreline, which makes it difficult but not impossible to fish for the fly and bait fishers.

NEWLYN RESERVOIR Newlyn is also fishing very well like other waters in the district; it’s just a matter of when.

For for the fly fishers, it’s overcast days casting small brown nymphs, stick caddis and mayfly imitations. Peter Nuttall, a keen fly fisher from around the district, has been landing some excellent brown trout on stick caddis imitations.

The bait anglers should once again use mudeyes suspended under bubble floats for the trout or try the ever-reliable garden worm fished on a running sinker rig. This method should pick up some of the excellent redfin that reside in the reservoir.

High flows and chunky ‘bows JINDABYNE

Steve Williamson swtrout@airlan.com.au

Fishing has been good over recent months including a lot of good size rainbow trout, bigger than I have seen for many years.

Lake Jindabyne’s water level is still quite high, the water temperatures are still quite cool for December so the surface trout fishing is very good with plenty of trout being caught.

December is a very quiet month for tourists and so there is plenty of accommodation available at reasonable rates, so it’s not a bad time to head to the Snowies for a spot of trout fishing.

Lake bait fishing has been nothing but excellent for months now, but I guess that the summer heat has to hit us some time and as the water temperature around the edges of the lake warm up, the best fishing may again be early in the day at sunrise.

But you may find that it will be worthwhile fishing later in the morning because at some time of the day the fish may come back on the bite and you just need a line in the water to catch them.

Local scrub worms are best for brown trout while artificial baits of various colours are proving successful for rainbow trout and salmon.

If you want to catch yourself a big brown trout, then the best baits are still going to be a well-presented scrub worms and these are fished with a greased line to stop it from sinking into the weed and getting caught up.

Mudeyes, the dragonfly nymph, are popular summer bait. With the cooler conditions and dams full of water they are harder to collect and you might

find that purchasing local mudeyes may be difficult and when you do find them they are going to be at a premium price. There are artificial alternatives these days that will still catch you a trout, all you have to do is fish them a little more actively so you make them look as if they are alive.

There are no fishing spots

have been green or olive flies like Hamills Killers, small shrimp patterns and olive nymphs but there might be a little dry fly fishing at night after the hatches, if you keep that in mind then a mayfly or caddis pattern is well worth having in your collection.

Those who like throwing lures into rivers and streams,

Nadine Lindsay with a 2lb rainbow trout caught on a black and gold Tasmanian Devil lure. much better than others at the moment with the trout cruising the margins of the lake they can be in one place one day and another the next.

It has been a reasonably wet spring and so the rivers and streams are in very good condition and I would expect much better fishing than last year when temperatures in late January reached nearly 40°C. Now that there are more insects, beetles, caddis fly and grasshoppers about, we have had some very good fishing.

With all river fly fishing, it depends on the temperatures of the day as to how the waters fish and a little bit of experience is often needed to get the best out of your fishing, so if you’re a little unsure then it might be time for a lesson on stream craft. The best flies

make certain the lure is getting close to the bottom in the running water on the days that are bright and sunny and your best fishing again will be early and late in the day. In the middle of the day, fish the deeper pools and make certain that you are getting down to the bottom and the longer you can keep the lure down there, the better chance you will have of catching a trout.

Don’t forget soft plastics

in the deep pools, as these can be very effective on trout.

Lures like Celtas, Vibrax spinners, Wordons Rooster Tails or Gillies, minnow lures like floating Rapalas and plastics like the Strike Tiger plastics are all worth trying in the rivers. A new little lure that has been great on the rivers is the new Bullet range of lures and these now come in 2 sizes with the larger one being better for the lake or larger stretches of the river like the Thredbo River.

For boat trollers, the usual techniques of fishing on the surface in shallow water at first light and then moving out into deeper water using lead core with 20-30m of line out will extend the better fishing well into the late morning. You will do best using minnow lures early, before sunrise and then switching to Tasmanian Devil lures later in the morning.

The best colour Tassies to use will be darker lures early with the no. Y48 Yellow wing red nosed brown bomber or even Y94. Try the yellow wing Tasmanian Devils a little later as the sun is about to rise over the horizon. No. 111 Tasmanian Devil Lure Willy’s Special (named after some trout fishing guide in the area) has been a very good lure over recent weeks and always a summer winner with the trout!

Minnow lures like Rapalas or StumpJumpers in brown trout and rainbow trout patterns are also good but there are many good brands of

Amanda Walshaw and Finn the dog with an 5lb Atlantic salmon caught trolling a Willy’s Special Tasmanian Devil lure. lures on the market that will do the job if you know what speed to troll to get the best action out of them. It’s not a good idea to try and mix and match different brands, as no 2 brands of lures will work the same at the same speed.

After the sun hits that water, it’s time to change to a no. 36, Y82 yellow wing Tassie or my Steve Williamson red nosed yellow wing and as the sun gets higher then it’s time to get the lure lower into the water and lead core lines or

downriggers are the way to go.

The best lures to try and catch those trophy brown trout will be small minnows and you need to troll these over the weed beds using longer dropbacks (sometimes to 80m) and lighter line or braid to keep the lures at the deepest depth possible. You need to do this well before the sun comes up to get the bigger fish.

Let’s hope the summer season is a good one with regular rain to freshen up the streams and cooling the water.

DECEMBER TROUT Best method:.................................................................................................Lake trolling and stream fly fishing Best depth:.............................................................................................. Surface lures early and late in the day Best lake lures: ..................................................................Tasmanian Devils with yellow wings or holographic Best lake area: .......................................................................................East Jindabyne Islands and Creel Bay Best lake flies: ........................................ Hamills Killers, Williamson’s Gold Fish and in dry flies brown mayfly Best river flies: . ................................................................................ Beetle, grasshopper and mayfly patterns Best river lures: .........................................Rapala Scatter Raps, Celtas, Vibrax Spinners and Gillies Hoppers

Don’t dust off the downriggers just yet!

CRATER LAKES

Rod Shepherd

As we rapidly approach Christmas the weather is certainly warming up but our deeper lakes are remaining cool with no need to reach for the downriggers just yet.

In saying that, now is the time to start targeting the big redfin that inhabit some of our waterways.

MOUNT EMU CREEK This is a meandering waterway that is annually stocked at several locations with brown trout and some superbly coloured specimens to 800g are currently responding to Celta style spinners fished at various depths in the deeper pools.

Fishing them closer to the bottom might risk striking a snag but this is where the big reddies hang out. As these styles of lures are fairly cheap, losing one or two per outing is worth it in my books as long as a couple of stud redfin are landed in the process.

LAKE ELINGAMITE This is another destination definitely worth exploring for huge redfin as specimens approaching 2kg have been taken recently.

The new season’s release of browns and rainbows are proving to be a nuisance to anglers, but please release carefully using a wet towel as this lake only gets a couple of thousand of each species per year.

The Chinook salmon are now approaching 2lb on the

The author with an Elingamite rainbow taken on a Damiki Saemi minnow lure. old scale but I prefer to release these fish in the hope that they stack on some more weight.

There’s plenty of browns and rainbows approaching

1kg to be had with a few of the previous year’s release still about and these fish are exceeding 2kg.

Unfortunately, the lake

is currently under an algal outbreak and will probably get worse before it gets better so be cautious when it comes to taking home a feed of fish.

LAKE BULLEN MERRI Bullen Merri also has blue-green algae, but this is nothing new as it happens nearly every year and doesn’t stop anglers taking home fish for consumption. I wouldn’t take a feed from this lake, but that’s up to the individual.

Chinook salmon to 2kg are still on offer with bottom bouncing baits such as pilchard chunks in up to 10m depth is still working.

Rainbows in 2 release sizes (1 and 2kg) are taking Loftys Cobra style minnow lures flat line trolled in 4-6m depth. Following the lake’s perimeter preferably under

quiet electric power at first light is yielding the most fish.

LAKE PURRUMBETE Purrumbete has picked up in the brown trout department with some lovely coloured specimens from 3-4kg being taken around the lake’s fringes by casting a variety of shallow diving minnow lures right in close to the weed beds. More often than not, takes are visual and this has to be the most exciting form of angling.

Seeing a large, silvery shape shoot out of the weed growth and attack your offering has to get the adrenalin pumping.

Make the most of this style of fishing now because sooner rather than later these fish will head down to the thermocline layer to escape the heat of summer and downrigging will then become the norm.

DECEMBER 2014

65

Save your spots!

BRISBANE

Nabeel Issa

What would you do if you lost all your GPS marks?

Are you just one click away from disaster? Hours of hard work, sounding around, finding new ground, all gone!

It’s a thought that would make most of us cringe.

2

Sometimes sounders pack it in; they get dropped or damaged, or you may even sell your boat without thinking about your marks on the sounder. Backing up waypoints is something every keen angler should look at doing. It’s a simple process on most sounders and gives you the peace of mind that if anything ever goes wrong,

you have them saved in a safe location.

HOW TO DO IT Most sounders will give you an option to save your waypoints, in some way or another. The following instructions are based on a Lowrance HDS Touch sounder, but the basic principles apply to most sounders out there.

Now select the Waypoints, Routes, and Trails database. This will bring up a screen that will give you the option to export. (On Lowrance Elite HDI sounders, this same Waypoints, Routes, and Trails section is where you can access all your waypoints and save them to an SD card.)

3

1

Hit the Pages key and select Files. This window will open:

Hit Export and the following window will open: If you are planning on transferring waypoints between an older model unit, you can select a different file format (depending on the model unit you are transferring to). In this case it will be between HDS Touch Models, so we will keep it as User data file version 5.

Now hit the Export button. It will ask you where you want to save the file to, so just select the appropriate memory card.

Make sure that you don’t save your waypoints to the Mapping card. There is a good chance that you will damage the maps on the card, and considering the prices of some of these, it’s a much safer (and cheaper) option to save your waypoints to a blank SD card.

Once the Waypoint file is saved to the card, you can now transfer these to a computer. I also email myself the file (if it isn’t too large), just as a precaution in case something ever happens to my computer.

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TASMANIAN DEALERS

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A FEW WAYPOINT AND TRAILS MANAGEMENT TIPS Always mark a waypoint when you see something interesting on your sounder.

It’s easy to delete a waypoint, but very hard to

go back and find that spot again. Get in the habit of selecting different icons for different things when you mark a waypoint. This way you can easily differentiate between structure marks and fish marks.

MAKE BACKING UP WAYPOINTS A HABIT Trails can be used to save certain pathways through an area. For example, you may be heading up a creek that is hard to navigate. By saving a new trail in a different colour

as you head up, and stopping it once you arrive at your destination, you can follow that same trail home every time. This is especially handy at night or in nasty weather.

If you fish the same areas regularly, get in the habit of

starting a new trail or clearing the old one. This way your screen won’t become cluttered with lines from previous trips.

Considering the time and money we put into our fishing, keeping a safe copy of our waypoints is a smart

move. I know I would be lost without some of mine.

Trying to go back and find them would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Some spots are just too good to risk losing, so make sure you save them!

NEWS

Fine for selling illegally caught fish A Geelong West man appeared in Geelong Magistrates Court recently to face several charges after he bought illegally caught fish from a recreational fisher for sale through his retail business.

DEPI Regional Fisheries Officer Paul Millar said the man and a company he was the director of pleaded guilty to being in possession of illegally obtained snapper and several offences relating to creating false documents.

“The fish were not taken by a licensed commercial fisher and it is illegal to catch fish for the purpose of sale without being a commercial fisher,” Mr Millar said.

Both the man and the company were convicted and fined $3,000 and $5,000 respectively on

charges of selling fish taken in contravention of the Fisheries Act, knowingly making a false statutory declaration and producing false documents.

Mr Millar said the company obtained the snapper from a recreational fisher and when inspected by Fisheries Officers the man attempted to cover up the activity with false records.

“The retailer and another seafood wholesaler supplied false documents in an attempt to legitimise the company’s illegal fish, and a commercial fisherman assisted by creating false catch records claiming that he had caught the fish.”

Mr Millar said the result demonstrates the efforts of Fisheries Officers to ensure the public have access to safe and sustainable seafood.

“It is a reminder to people that recreationally caught fish cannot be bought

or sold and significant penalties apply to those who are willing to take the risk.

“The sale of fish caught under the cover of recreational fishing activity unfairly competes with legitimately sourced product in the market place, compromises food safety and sustainability,” he said.

“Fisheries Officers will be on the lookout for this activity leading into our summer season.”

Mr Millar said this case follows on from a court hearing in May where a Geelong based fish retailer and a licensed commercial fisherman, both pleaded guilty to charges of knowingly making and furnishing false documents.

Anyone who suspects illegal fishing activity is urged to contact the 24 hour fisheries offence reporting hotline 13FISH (133474). – DEPI

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DECEMBER 2014

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VR Fish Update

Rec fishing at state level VR FISH

Dallas D’Silva

Over the last six months, VRFish has been particularly busy advocating for improvements to recreational fishing across Victoria. In the lead up to the State Election we put in a huge amount of work meeting with political parties to highlight the need for additional government investment.

Keep in mind that recreational fishing is worth more than $2.3 billion to the Victorian economy! Key areas identified by recreational fishers requiring attention are commercial fishing, stocking, habitat improvement, boating and shore-based infrastructure,

raised by our members about closures to bait pumping grounds at Warneet, VRFish quickly raised the issue with DEPI. Fisheries Officers discussed the issue with the local Foreshore Committee of Management and the closure has now been lifted.

VRFish would like to thank DEPI for their efforts on this issue and helping maintain vital access for fishers that enjoy catching their own bait. For information on bait pumping regulations please go to the DEPI website.

SNAPPER SEASON KICKS OFF WITH A BANG Recreational fishers are once again enjoying the numerous large snapper, known as ‘big reds’, which

spawning in 22 years. The combined effect of the 2 consecutive years of very good spawning means a significant pulse of fish will enter the fishery in the coming years. It takes three to four years for snapper to reach 28cm, the legal minimum size in Victoria, and typically six to seven years to enter the adult fishery at 40cm.

The assessment of the western Victoria snapper stock, which extends from Wilsons Promontory to southeast South Australia and includes Port Phillip Bay and Western Port, is informed by these annual surveys of small fish during March.

The snapper season is once again booming with good numbers of fish between 5-8kg as well as

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The snapper season is once again booming with good numbers of fish. kids fishing clinics and fisheries science.

We achieved a very high success rate with support for our election requests and are thrilled to see the recognition that has been given to making Victoria the premier recreational fishing destination in the country.

BAIT PUMPING AT WARNEET Following concerns

have arrived in Port Phillip Bay this spring. Surveys in Port Phillip Bay conducted by Fisheries Victoria in March 2014 have recorded the fifth best snapper spawning success since surveys began 22 years ago.

The good news was made even better when considered alongside last year’s survey results, which recorded the equal third best snapper

some smaller 2-3kg models.

Land and pier based fishers have also reported some great catches with fish up to 10kg.

Snapper fishing in Port Phillip Bay, Western Port and other coastal locations from Portland to Mallacoota contribute substantially to Victoria’s economy each year.

Until next time, good fishing and stay safe on or near the water.

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This yellowbelly was one of three beauties caught by Kerryn Seeber at Ford Inlet on scrub worms. It was a great way to spend a Sunday and Kerryn had a great time.

DECEMBER 2014

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31st Annual Tea Tree Snapper Competition

Boat winner Tom James gets a feel of his new boat.

The 31st Annual Tea Tree Snapper Competition started in ideal conditions at Mornington, Victoria on Friday 31 October.

Great fishing on the Friday opened the Victorian snapper season with a real bang. Late Friday evening, the weather turned windy and rainy and the presentation was delayed for a short time after 3pm on Saturday while

a band of rain passed.

Friday morning and late afternoon produced the best catches, with anglers taking less fish through the day.

Western Port really fired up this year and more than half of the fish weighed in the competition came from the top end of Western Port bay.

Some anglers in Port Phillip really put in some hard yards and went long distances to

2nd heaviest went to Darren Moore of Tyabb with a fish of 8.68 kg and 3rd heaviest was weighed by Michael Haddad of Bittern with 8.41kg.

The Junior Champion for 2014 is Jasmine Buis of Ferntree Gully with a fabulous snapper of 7.14kg, 2nd is Josh Costanzo of Lysterfield who weighed a fish of 7.04kg and the 3rd heaviest went to Billy McGinn of Hastings with a fish of 6.64kg.

There were 84 prizes awarded to junior and senior anglers. The major Random Capture Prize, from JV Marine World, a Quintrex 420 Renagade with Quintrex

This year’s Victorian Snapper Champion is Tim Worral.

find the fish.

There were lots of fish between 2-4kg weighed and this year, there were no fish over 9kg as in past years.

Perhaps Saturday’s poor weather conditions limited access to the secret big fish locations.

The Victorian Snapper Champion for 2014 is Tim Worral of Cranbourne South, with a fish of 8.83kg. The

INFORMATION Total number of competitors . .................................1820 including 196 Juniors.

Total number of teams .................................................................................. 807 Total fish weighed in ....................................................................................1885 Average number of fish per competitor ................................................... 1.035

Tea Tree Snapper President with this year’s winners, Darren Moore, Tim Worral and Michael Haddad.

Dennis Berg with this year’s junior winners Billy McGinn, Jasmine Buis and Josh Costanzo

for sale on Amelia Poole with a decent snapper she caught with her dad.

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DECEMBER 2014

DATE DETAILS JAN DECEMBER

150 4-S Mercury, MotorGuide/Simrad. Boat cover. .................................................................... QLD $37,900

trailer, fitted with a 40hp 4-stroke Suzuki motor with power tilt and trim complete with Ace All Covers bimini, Lowrance depth sounder, registration, safety gear and insurance from Club Marine went to Tom James. A great reward for his time on the water!

The 2nd Major Random capture Prize was a 3.7m Quintrex Dart on a Dunbier trailer fitted with a 15hp Suzuki 2-stroke motor, complete with registration and safety gear from JV Marine World went to Jason Finney The 3rd Major Random Capture Prize, from JV Marine World, a Quintrex 4m Dart on Dunbier trailer with a 30hp Suzuki 2-stroke motor complete with a bimini from Ace all covers went to Lius Ribeiro.

– John Vincent.

Dec 5-7

CONTACTS

Nautical Marine Annual Fishing Competition Nautical Marine Portsea Sorrento 03 5984 1666

Dec 15-16 2014 Yamaha Cod Classic

Lake Mulwala

Tony Bennett 0439 441 667

Jan 30 -Feb 1

Nick Brown Teamriverrats@hotmail.com

River Rats Family Fishing Classic Shepparton

For listings please email jthomas@fishingmonthly.com.au

Big Fish Challenge

Alan Dunlop was the winner of the random prize draw, he was a happy camper!

Competitors showing their style at the casting comp.

the absolute king of trout lures, the Tassie Devil, being dominant in the lure section – no surprise there!

It was great to see so many kids, Mums, Dads and Grand Parents enjoying the youngsters catching their first ever trout and making memories that will last a lifetime. The smile on everyone’s faces was priceless and a great pleasure for all the organisers.

Shortly after fishing had stopped the festivities kicked off at the entertainment

The Big Fish Challenge is a great fun event for the whole family to get involved.

SA022

To say the Eildon Big Fish Challenge competition was a great success would be an understatement to say the least! The weather gods played the game big time and delivered us two fantastic days of sunshine, which made it all the more special.

The unusually large amount of water going into the Goulburn made the Pondage rise and fall sharply on day one, but that didn’t stop the fish biting. Around 50 trout were measured in both rainbows and browns that were caught all around the upper and lower sections.

Local dough and Powerbait were the most effective and

arena with the band Smokin O’briens getting things jumping – Dunno on the microphone, Big Coxy on the drums along with Pete, Johnno and Dave filling it up. The seen was set for a great night’s entertainment, the crowd swelled to 450-500 people taking advantage of the free night and getting down to the great tunes the boys pumped out. During the breaks, Rod and Richie got the casting comps going with the old and the young showing their style with some great prizes on offer

from Aqua bar and grill.

When the music stopped around 9 o’clock the evening finished off with a bang, with what was described as some of the best fireworks some people had ever seen. On an amazing back drop, the display lasted a full 12 minutes and we plan to do it all again next year with an even bigger fireworks display!

Day two came around very rapidly and the water levels didn’t behave the same as day one, dropping a lot slower. However, the

fishing didn’t suffer too much with another 40 or so fish measured in. What a fantastic weekend it was all round!

With a 30% growth this year we can’t wait to see you all again next year, so bring your mates with you and we will continue the good times and make this family event even bigger and better. A big thanks to the committee and all of our wonderful sponsors, without these guys it simply wouldn’t happen.

Until next year stay safe.

- Andy McCarthy

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Somerton wins Hobie Bass Series Grand Final As the sun rose over the waters of Queensland’s Lake Macdonald for the final day of competition, anglers busily prepared their Hobie kayaks for the 8 hour, day two session of the Hobie Bass Series Grand Final which would see a new champion crowned.

When all results were finalised and confirmed by the Tournament Director, 2013 World Champion, Richard Somerton from

Victoria was crowned the 2014 Hobie Kayak Bass Series Champion, capping off a fantastic year in kayak angling. His impressive 370cm total aggregate fish length placed him comfortably ahead of the field with a commendable performance by runner up Daniel Brown from NSW with a total 318cm catch and John Noble from QLD whose 295cm bag won him the third position on the podium.

WINNING WAYS When asked what gave him his winning edge Somerton replied, “I was getting them just off the weed bed at around 4m, and I just stayed there. I was telling the boys, ‘just stay at 4m’, and today they did and they filled their bags.”

Bass Master Elites qualifier Carl Jocumsen, fresh back from the USA was on hand to help out with the afternoon’s awards ceremony and asked our anglers a few questions about their time on the water.

D e s c ribing his three sessions, the new Bass Series champion, Somerton said, “In the first session, I tried a bit of surface early with a little Mazzy Pop, ended up pulling a 38 just waking it underneath the surface, then that went quiet so I picked up a spinnerbait and had my bag by about 8.15am and then I could start looking for upgrades.

“After I’d found a few upgrades, I left some fish biting in a bay for

Richard Somerton from Victoria was crowned the 2014 Hobie Kayak Bass Series Champion.

WINNING TACKLE Rod:......................... Duffrods 7′ Baitcaster and spin Reel: . ....Daiwa Exist, Daiwa Tatula, Daiwa TD Zillion Line: ................Daiwa Sensor Braid, Berkley Fireline Lure: . ..................................... TT Vortex Spinnerbait

The Hobie Kayak Bass Series grand final line up. the 2 hours of power of the second session, I just powered straight there. It was a bit of a hike so I was watching the clock the whole time. Once I had three legals I thought‚ ‘I need to get back’, so I fired off one more cast, upgraded and then raced back.

“On the second day I had to get over a bit of

hoodoo cause I’ve had a couple of bad second days recently and I got on to a bunch of undersize fish early on and I thought ‘here we go’ but I knew the spot didn’t fire until the afternoon so I went up the system, got my bag and then headed back to my first spot and upgraded in the arvo”.

BRIDESMAID BROWN Brown who placed second in the 2013 Hobie Fishing Bass Grand Final, also netted a catch of bass that measured up short of the tournament winner by 52cm. Nevertheless it gave him an overall advantage in length of 23cm over third place, podium finisher John Noble.

Brown summed up his grand final performance by saying,

“Two times a bridesmaid, going to have to make it work next year.

But seriously, it was a great competition. I loved the three-session format – another hour on the second session would have been even better. The venue was great. This is the first time I’ve fished Lake Macdonald, it’s a great, smaller venue with plenty of options. I loved the

weedy edges, that’s where I found my fish”.

He used a Daiwa Black Label rod, Daiwa Freams and Daiwa Certate reels, 10lb Shinobi Braid, 8lb Daiwa Tournament Leader, and Vortex Spinnerbait in purple nightmare.

NOBLE THIRD WITH BOSS HOG Third place getter in the grand final and winner of round 3 at Moogerah Dam, John Noble from Queensland brought an exceptional 132cm bag back to the Berkley Measuring Station after session 3. Among them the biggest bass of the grand final that measured in at a massive 47cm.

His Boss Hog Big Bass was landed on a Lucky Craft LCMG Power Pointer rod with a Quantum TE100HPT reel, using 10lb Fins Braid with 10lb Rockfish leader.

The 47cm Australian bass smashed a Jackall TN60 Silent Brown Dog. Congratulations to the newest champion, Richard Somerton, to enter the Hobie record books and to all of the competitors on a tight and closely fought grand final. Thank you to all of the other competitors

TOP TEN FINISHERS

Two years a bridesmaid, second-place getter Daniel Brown vowed to come back next year for the win.

72

DECEMBER 2014

PLACE................ANGLER................................................................... TOTAL (CM) 1.........................Richard Somerton (VIC)............................................. 370 2.........................Daniel Brown (NSW).................................................. 318 3.........................John Noble (QLD)...................................................... 295 4 ........................Dave Mann (QLD)...................................................... 266 5.........................Anthony Correnti (QLD)............................................. 254 6.........................Glenn Hayter (NSW).................................................. 244 7.........................Bryce Beechey (QLD)................................................ 235 8.........................Denis Metzdorf (QLD)................................................ 232 9.........................Jonathan Chen (ACT)................................................ 230 10.......................Mark McKay (QLD).................................................... 228

QR CODE

Carl and Richard do a walk-through on the Hobie PAs used in the event.

Missed the full presentation? Scan the QR code to watch it here. 5th through 1st

The top three place getters: (left to right) John Noble from Queensland, Richard Somerton from Victoria, and Daniel Brown from NSW. who participated in the other rounds of the series in 2014.

Hobie has committed itself to staging the Hobie Kayak Bass Series once again in 2015 and it is expected that the numbers participating will grow as they have over the previous years.

While the tournaments will become stronger

and more competitive, the sportsmanship, camaraderie, enjoyment and spirit will continue to reflect what has become known as the Hobie Way of Life.

SPECIAL THANKS Thanks to Mal and Trish Gray from Sunstate Hobie for providing dealer support and the Breakfasts and BBQ’s at this year’s grand

final. Like all of the events in the Hobie Kayak Fishing Series, the Grand Final could not have gone ahead without the great support of our generous sponsors Daiwa, Berkley, Atomic.

Lowrance, Rhino-Rack, Strike Pro, Austackle, TT Lures, Yamatoyo, Ecogear, Power-Pole and Hog’s Breath Cafe.

Carl Jocumsen interviews Richard Somerton about his Grand Final win.

n o e b o t t Wan f o r e v o C e th ? y l h t n o M Fishing

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Do you love your monthly issue of Fishing Monthly?

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Techniques Make mine a mullet Baiting river blackfish • Blue Rock bassin’ • DIY kayak wheels

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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 Man committee (Steve Morgan) and then BOOM, you’re the latest cover model.

Be creative - we like images that aren’t just ‘person holding fish’.

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Other parameters of which you need to take note: Portrait format (turn camera on its side).

Leave enough room for a magazine masthead at the top of the image.

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). iPhone pics aren’t going to cut it!

Head not too high in the shot to allow for Masthead Portrait format showing focus area

And then email your image to: frontcovercomp@fishingmonthly.com.au with a description of the what/when/where/how of the capture.

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73

A king’s welcome down south Other times when targeting them hanging at the head of a current and working flashers in the water can be a deadly technique to bring them in to the waiting diver.

As always, safety first, so always dive with a float displaying a diver below flag and remain aware of your surroundings and any boats in the area. Diving in pairs is also a must not only for safety but a second diver is also handy to help subdue a hard-fighting kingfish.

WEST COAST

Shane Lowery

Summer is finally here and December is the beginning of the most productive time for spearfishers with great diving to be had for both pelagic and reef species.

The previous month saw some great captures of snapper and squid and also the opening of the southern rock lobster season. The far southwest of Victoria saw some great weather and some excellent diving, with members of the Shipwreck Coast Skindivers, based in Port Fairy, getting among the fish and crays.

December not only sees the continuation of this trend but an increase in water temperatures and therefore an increase in the prevalence of pelagic species. In particular, we start to see the proper build up of yellowtail kingfish along the entire Victorian coastline with the old favourite haunts still being the best places to encounter this sought after species. In the southwest, locations such as Lawrence Rock and the North Shore around Portland are the key locations and early signs through October and November point to a great season this year. Port Fairy is also another prime location in the southwest with Killarney, The Crags and Lady Julia Percy Island being reasonably well-known haunts to target.

Craig and Bree Fox, SCS members, after a dive at Port Fairy.

Craig, Peter and Mac with some great hard-fighting kingies.

The past few years the kings had been a bit hit and miss but through the preceding month or so we saw the arrival of blue whales and other marine creatures feeding on large patches of krill. The krill has been pushed up by the ‘Bonnie Upwellings’ off Portland and in years gone by this has coincided and indeed indicated much better seasons on the yellowtail kingfish, so fingers-crossed they turn up in large numbers this year.

In the Melbourne area the islands off Wilsons Promontory are a favoured area and often hold kingfish

in large numbers as well as a plethora of other great eating reef species. Cape Liptrap is another another great place to find them as well as being a great area for southern rock lobster.

When hunting kingfish, I prefer to use a gun around 1.2-1.3m with double rubbers to ensure the stopping power required for these tough fish.

Kingies are often encountered while diving on other reef species and the commotion and activity of spearing other fish such as sweep often serves to attract the inquisitive kings to come in for a closer look.

Mac Riddle surfacing with a great yellowtail kingfish.

FISHING FILL-ITS

Coalition delivers $65 million Better Bay Plan Port Phillip Bay will be protected and restored for all Victorians to enjoy under a re-elected Victorian Coalition Government.

Premier Denis Napthine today unveiled a $65 million Better Bay Plan and announced that commercial netting in Port Phillip Bay and Corio Bay will be phased out.

Dr Napthine said the comprehensive plan focused on preserving and rehabilitating one of the state’s best assets, while also

building important community infrastructure to enable more people to enjoy the picturesque Port Phillip Bay. A re-elected Napthine Government’s Better Bay Plan will deliver: A $20.5 million investment into new and upgraded bike paths around Port Phillip Bay; $16.7 million to protect the bay against the impacts of erosion, litter and marine pests; $4.29 million to upgrade and improve fishing piers; and $3.07 million for Beach Patrol volunteers and investment into Surf Life

Saving Clubs.

“Port Phillip Bay is one of the many assets that makes Melbourne the world’s most livable city and makes Victoria the best state in Australia,” Dr Napthine said.

“Our Better Bay Plan is the only integrated strategy to keep the Bay beautiful and enhance its amenity for more people to enjoy.

“We will deliver this $65 million initiative because Port Phillip Bay is the heart of Victoria, it’s where we spend time with our friends

and families and it is definitely worth protecting for future generations,” Dr Napthine said.

Dr Napthine said the Victorian Coalition Government was also committed to improving recreational fishing opportunities for Victorians and if re-elected, would allocate $20 million over four years towards a buyback of commercial licences for Port Phillip Bay and Corio Bay.

“This will significantly improve recreational fishing opportunities through greater fish numbers in the bay,

which will in turn boost the recreational fishing industry and see benefits flow on to local businesses.”

“Our vision is for Port Phillip Bay and Corio Bay to be recreational fishing meccas for locals and visitors,” Dr Napthine said.

The $20 million funding commitment over four years would provide a fair and equitable exit strategy for licence holders and the buyback would be phased to minimise the impacts to the commercial fishing industry.

An independent panel would be established to make recommendations to the Coalition Government on how the buyback would be structured and commercial netting will be phased out. The panel would consult with the relevant peak bodies such as the Seafood Industry Victoria and Victorian Recreational Fishing (VRFish) and key stakeholders Future Fish, Australian Fishing Trading Association and others. – The Hon Dr Denis Napthine MP

tonnes per year of sea urchin in Port Phillip Bay and 171 tonnes per year in eastern Victoria,” Mr McGowan said.

Port Phillip Bay sea urchin fisher Bruce Cronin said he was delighted his permit was converted to a licence, the first issued under the new scheme.

“This is an excellent result, providing businesses with confidence to invest,” Mr Cronin said.

Mr McGowan said

fishers will report their catch volumes via a purposedesigned smartphone App to help with monitoring of catch to ensure sustainability and cost effective enforcement.

This new technology, expected to be in operation in time for the peak fishing season, will also reduce the burden on fishers by removing the need to complete paper logbooks. – DEPI

Victorian sea urchin fishery potential The Victorian Government has taken steps to grow the state’s sea urchin fishery by introducing a new licensing and quota system, providing fishers with more secure access and business certainty.

Fisheries Victoria Executive Director Ross McGowan said the new system would give urchin fishers greater security and confidence to invest in their 74

DECEMBER 2014

businesses and to develop local and overseas markets.

“The edible part of the sea urchin, the urchin roe, is a highly prized delicacy in overseas markets, particularly in Japan,” Mr McGowan said.

“The sea urchin fishery is a high value niche fishery with the potential to grow as local consumer and export markets become aware of the quality product Victoria has to offer.

“The sea urchin fishery in Victoria has been operating as a ‘developing fishery’ since 1998 under short term permits.

“To grow their businesses the fishers have indicated to us they would like the greater security of access which a licensing and quota system provides.

“For this reason, on August 1, following consultation with industry, the Victorian Government introduced a

new management regime to support this potential.

“Sound management will ensure the long-term sustainability, economic efficiency and cost-effective management of the sea urchin fishery.”

Sea urchins in Victoria will continue to be harvested by diving in Port Phillip Bay and eastern Victoria.

“The Government has set sustainable catch limits of 60

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Mercury’s Portables range provide the power that you can carry, run and depend on. With eleven horsepower options ranging from 2.5hp to 30hp, these compact units punch well above their weight.

Melbourne BL Marine 612- 614 Plenty Road, Preston Phone: (03) 9478 1420 | Fax: (03) 9470 4638 Email: info@blmarine.com.au Shepparton

Boats and More 207 Numurkah Road, Shepparton Phone: (03) 5822 2108 | Fax: (03) 5821 2908 Email: sales@boatsandmore.com.au

Morwell Crawford Marine 71-77 Chickerell Street, Morwell Phone: (03) 5134 6522 | Fax: (03) 5134 6455 Email: info@crawfordmarine.com.au Echuca

Eades Xtreme Marine 24 Sturt Street, Echuca Phone: (03) 5482 2333 | Fax: (03) 5482 2133 Email: info@xtrememarine.net.au

Corowa Maverick Boats Hammersley & Theiss Roads, Corowa Phone: (02) 6033 3222 | Fax: (02) 6033 4488 Email: sales@maverickboats.com.au Geelong

Moolap Marine 250 Portarlington Road, Moolap Phone: (03) 5248 3772 | Fax: (03) 5248 4633 Email: info@moolapmarine.com.au

Sorrento

Nautical Marine 139 – 141 Hotham Road, Sorrento Phone: (03) 5984 1666 | Fax: (03) 5984 1680 Email: nautical@surf.net.au

Melbourne Regal Marine 514 Canterbury Road, Vermont Phone: (03) 9874 4624 | Fax: (03) 9874 6586 Email: sales@regalmarine.com.au Tooradin P&J Marine Service Centre P/L 101 Tooradin Station Road, Tooradin Phone: (03) 5998 3107 | Fax: (03) 5998 3108 Email: pjmarine_services@bigpond.com Melbourne The Marine Shop 6 Holland Drive, Melton Phone: (03) 9747 0588 | Fax: (03) 9747 3999 Email: admin@themarineshop.com.au Melbourne Triple M Marine 117 Northgate Drive, Thomastown Phone: (03) 9465 8787 | Fax: (03) 9466 1418 Email: triplemmarine@dodo.com.au Warragul

Warragul Marine 172 Queen St, Warragul 3820 Phone: (03) 5623 6250 | Fax: (03) 5622 0623 Email: info@warragulmarine.com.au

Mornington

Wes Frost Marine 3 Satu Way, Mornington Phone: (03) 5976 4622 | Fax: (03) 5976 4633 Email: sales@wesfrostmarine.com

DECEMBER 2014

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What’s New FISHING

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BLACK MAGIC JELLYBEANS

The latest addition to Black Magic’s range of lures is the Jellybean.

Jellybeans are a very natural soft lure moulded around one of Black Magic’s freshwater fly hooks. The hooks are made in Japan from premium grade high carbon steel. They come in a range of six alluring and lifelike colours and at 5cm in length, they are particularly irresistible to any hungry trout. The paddle tail gives them a very enticing action in the water.

Jellybeans are ideal for fishing in rivers and are equally effective for jigging in lakes.

For a detailed explanation and swimming action video visit www.blackmagictackle. com/shop/freshwater/lures.

Price: RRP $3.50 www.blackmagictackle.com

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DUO REALIS SHINMUSHI

DUO International has released another outstanding topwater lure called the DUO Realis Grade A Shinmushi.

Measuring 40mm long and weighing 5.7g, its name is Japanese for ‘ultimate bug’ and this lure certainly lives up to its name. For starters, it can be customised.

You just use your fingers to unscrew the eyelet from the underbelly, and it will come apart in 3 components: the back piece, wings and legs. The legs can be replaced with feathers, furs or rubber skirt material.

There are also spare packs available with wings, legs, feathered trebles, and top and bottom pieces - basically a total lure, just not assembled.

Once you have cast the Shinmushi, let it sit for 5-10 seconds before retrieving.

Then slowly crawl it across the surface with a couple of pauses in between. In field testing the Shinmushi has caught plenty of bass, along with jungle perch, saratoga and sooty grunter.

Price: RRP $27.95 www.swldistributions.com.au

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OVERTHERE SKIPPING LURE

The new Overthere Skipping is the ultimate high-performance high-speed skipping pencil. Precision tuned and balanced for long cast performance and unrivalled in its ability to skip and slide with ease, this lure sets a new standard in the ‘skipping’ technique.

Featuring through-wire construction for ultimate strength and big fish capability, the Overthere Skipping has been finely tuned in its internal weight balance, with emphasis placed on the rear of the lure to ensure optimum swimming posture.

In the water is where the Overthere Skipping really stands out from the crowd, with the ease that it skips across the surface reminiscent of a fleeing baitfish or flying fish.

There are two models, the 110S (110mm, 27g) and the 130S (130mm, 52g).

Three realistic baitfish patterns further enhance the realism of the lure, while its hard wearing finish ensures the Overthere Skipping handles the test of time and the rigours of offshore angling.

Price: N/A www.daiwafishing.com.au

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ZEREK THERMITE POPPERS

The Zerek Thermite Popper is built to withstand the harshest of punishment from the toughest fish and still ask for more.

Designed with an extra thick wall, this popper can be used and abused and still maintain its performance. The body strength is complemented by a through wire that connects the tow point to the hook hangers, ensuring anything you hook stays that way.

It also has 6x Mustad hooks and oversized, forged split rings.

A weighted tail allows this lure to sit in a perfect position when paused, ready to create some serious commotion with every sweep of the rod. The tail weight also aids casting distance by reducing tumbling through the air.

Available in 2 sizes (180mm and 140mm), the Zerek Thermite Poppers weigh 90g (180mm) and 50g (140mm) and are available in eight striking colours that imitate baitfish found across Australia.

Price: RRP $24.95 www.wilsonfishing.com.au

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Gary Loomis is back and designing rods better than ever. His new range of USAmade rods are called Edge, and they deliver the ultimate in performance.

They use the absolute best materials available, and feature full carbon fibre grips which transfer all the feeling from the rod blank straight into the palm of your hand. The cross weave construction of the grips ensures they never become slippery.

These rods are built with the best componentry available and are unbelievably light. The spinning models feature titanium SiC stripper and tip guides, with the remaining guides being titanium gun smoke recoils.

The cast models feature titanium gun smoke recoils built in a spiral wrap configuration.

The rods for the Australian market – the Edge Southern Cross Series – are a collaboration between the brilliance of Gary Loomis and input from Fish-Tec to make them perfectly suited to Aussie species.

Price: varies www.fish-tecsolutions.com

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DECEMBER 2014

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GARY LOOMIS EDGE RODS

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ADANIN NEOPRENE WADERS

Adanin neoprene waders are now available in Australia, delivering a quality and value-for-money alternative to what is currently available in the market.

Recognised as a producer and supplier of quality neoprene products, Adanin now has a office in Sunshine West in Melbourne, Victoria. They stock a range of non-fishing products, including wetsuits, booties and gloves, but for anglers it is their waders that are exciting. The range of waders includes neoprene waders, PVC waders, breathable waders and wading shoes. All of the neoprene waders are a minimum of 4mm thick and come in all of the various popular configurations.

To contact Adanin Australia for more information, you can ring them on 03 9973 8859 or 0426 051 588. You can also email them at info@adanin.com.au or look on their website Price: from RRP $198 (chest waders) www.adanin.com.au

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

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FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

POWERED BY

visit www.tacklejunkie.fish for the latest tackle news - AS IT HAPPENS!

SCAN THE QR CODE!

What’s New FISHING

POWERED BY

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FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

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BERKLEY CHALLENGER KIT

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DOUBLE SHAFT LINE RECYCLER

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DAMIKI UMPA POPPER 40

Redesigned with a cracking cosmetic makeover, the Challenger is a unique product: a complete introductory soft plastics solution designed to give you the best chance at catching a fish on a soft plastic.

Pre spooled with braid, the Challenger SP outfit features an IM6 graphite flick stick designed specifically for fishing soft plastics, matched with a three bearing spin reel and tackle kit full of soft plastic essentials.

In the tackle kit is a selection of Berkley PowerBait soft plastics including the deadly 3” Power Minnow, jigheads, leader and an instructional DVD featuring Adam ‘Mad Dog’ Royter to get anglers on the right track from the get go.

There are three Challenger outfits to choose from: • The Flats and Finesse 7’ 2-4kg, • Rack n Rock 6’8” 3-5kg, • The new Sweetwater Special and new 6’4” 2-4kg. They’re ideal for soft plastic target species such as flathead, bream, bass and trout.

Price: RRP $149.95 berkley-fishing.com.au

With the Daiichiseiko Double Shaft Line Recycler, you’ll never have to pay for line spooling again and you’ll be able to store and protect your line cleanly and safely.

With a super speed dual handle and a dyecast clamp with four built-in ball bearings, line replacement will be quick, simple and smooth.

With the reel attachment, reeling and line replacement becomes a snap.

The tension adjustment screw ensures that the tension can be adjusted at any time while spooling, and the easy-fit clamp screw enables the unit to be fitted to any table or bench for spooling on or off.

You can transfer brand new line from the spool to a reel while adjusting the tension and line from the reel can be quickly reeled onto n empty spool and stored.

The Double Shaft Recycler weighs only 665g and stands 25cm tall, making it very compact and portable.

Price: RRP $180 www.jrocktackle.com.au

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Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

One of the latest offerings from Damiki is a slim profiled 40mm popper called the Umpa Popper. At 3g in weight, this popper is easy cast to cast and extremely easy to use. It’s dynamite on whiting, bream and bass, and it comes in seven great colours. It’s available now for RRP $11.99.

Damiki has also expanded the colour range for the popular Saemi 50SP. This 50mm long, 4.5g lure has a suspending action and comes with a small plastic rattle that emits a distinct sound that attracts nearby feeding predators. Its tight wiggling action works at the slowest retrieves and is perfect for depths up to 1.5m. The Saemi is ideal for bass, bream and flathead, and the colour range includes such patterns as the sleazy shrimp, sludgy shrimp and yamame colours which are also UV enhanced.

Price: from RRP $11.99 (Umpa) www.searingtackle.com.au

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ECOGEAR CK 40F07 COLOURS

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LIGHTNING STIX RODS

The Ecogear CK 40F07 is a range of classic ‘bulbous teardrop’ shaped lures that are synonymous with serious sportfishing. These lures have been designed for fishing in and amongst the shallows and deep in both fresh and salt water.

The CK 40F7 is popular with tournament pros targeting bream and bass, and it has contributed to a number of tournament successes since its launch. The compact shape of the CK 40F07 means that it casts like a bullet, and fish love its classic sideways wobble.

This dynamic shallow diver weighs 5g, measures 40mm long and is now available in several new colours, expanding the total colour range to 15.

It has also been further refined for Australian species with new hooks, front size 10 and back size 12, replacing the original size 8 and size 10 hooks. You can get your hands on the latest version CK 40F07s at your favourite tackle store.

Price: RRP: $18.99 www.jml.net.au

Lightning Stix use LEDs to illuminate the tip section of the rod, helping the angler detect bites in low light conditions.

These rods are made from specially designed composite carbon and fibreglass blanks with a thinner profile. This gives you a rod that loads and cast extreme distances and is lightweight.

It’s also very strong and is sensitive to feel the lightest bites and to improve hook sets.

Other features include a split butt design, quality graphite reel seats, zirconia carbide guides, under and overbound stripper guide and aluminium winding checks.

The quality LED in the tip is powered by a 27A battery in the base of the tip section, and one battery will last for more than 24 hours of continuous use.

The initial range of Lightning Stix will be ideal for throwing metals and plastics off the rocks or beach, or for bait fishing off piers, jetties and so on, eliminating the hassle of sticking on lights and rod bells.

Price: from RRP $99 www.jurofishing.com

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KEROLL BUG AND MAX

The Keroll Bug, a new Lucky Craft surface walker, is a noisy, fishattracting topwater lure.

It features a wide cupped face which creates a loud splashing sound to call in the fish.

The MAX is fitted with a glow stick attachment and comes with 2 glow sticks so you can easily track the lure at night or very low light conditions.The light also acts as an attractant to fish when fishing at night or in murky water.

The Keroll Bug measures 45mm and weighs 10g, and the Keroll MAX measures 70mm and weighs 16g making distance casting a breeze.

Both come in a great range of fishcatching colours.

Price: from RRP $22 www.ejtodd.com.au

visit www.tacklejunkie.fish for the latest tackle news - AS IT HAPPENS! DECEMBER 2014

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What’s New FISHING

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EUMER SPINTUBE

The award-winning SpinTube Natural is dynamite on freshwater fish like trout and bass.

SpinTube Natural is named after the natural colours used in its construction, and it’s particularly suitable for still and fast water fishing.

In fast waters, you can fish it near the bottom, matching the motion of a sunk fly. In still waters, it can be fished wish a jig fishing technique.

When you’re working the SpinTube Natural, the hooks point upwards so that snagging the bottom can be avoided. The Natural has lifelike hair, a fast sinking, lead-free design (the weight is achieved by using a brass body). It’s handmade and is finished with 3D eyes, giving the product even a more lifelike look.

The SpinTube Natural measures 10cm long and weighs 10g. Scan the QR code on this page to see a SpinTube video with underwater footage, or watch it at tacklejunkie. fish/?p=1120. Although the video doesn’t include the Natural version of the SpinTube, it still gives a good idea of how to work these lures, and how they move underwater.

RRP: $14.99 www.jml.net.au

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DORADO HIRAMASA TUNE

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FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

POWERED BY

PLATYPUS PLATINUM+

After two years of feedback and continuous research, Platypus has remastered their popular Platinum Braid, to produce a stronger thinner Braid while still retaining the softness of the original best-selling line.

By employing a unique braiding process they were able to pack the PE fibres closer together, decreasing diameter and enhancing the strength by up to 25%. The braid’s new process also locks the pigment into the braid structure to ensure a more colourfast product, reducing fading and loss of colour.

When consulting with anglers, one of the most important properties is softness, this increases the handleability of the braid, enabling smoother, more trouble-free casting.

Made right here in Australia by family owned and operated Platypus Lines, they made Platinum+ Braid for the fisher who needs a braid at a price that won’t break the bank. It’s everything that made Platinum Braid AFTA award winner, just stronger and thinner!

Available in 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 and 50lb in 125 and 300yd lengths in lime green at all great tackle stores.

RRP: From $39.95 www.fishplatypus.com.au

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Two of the Bomber lures released at the 2014 AFTA Tackle Show are the Long Shot and the Wind Cheater.

The Long Shot range of Bomber lures are a must have lure for all avid saltwater lure fishers.

The Long Shot features a weight exchange system that assists in super-long casts. The body is tough and durable as well as sporting saltwater hooks and hardware. It comes in a premium colour range and there are three sizes available: 125mm (20g, no. 2 hook size), 150mm (33g, 2/0) and 175mm (51g, 4/0).

The Wind Cheater throws like a bullet and will hit the spot better than any bait on the market. Its realistic wounded action provokes violent attacks, and its ultra-high-tensilestrength, virtually indestructible body is always up to the test. The Wind Cheater measures 150mm, weighs 57g, dives to 6ft and comes with size 3/0/hooks. Available colours are XMK (gold black), 312 (silver black), 313 (silver blue) and 315 (silver red head).

Price: from RRP $18.95 (125mm Long Shot) www.jmgillies.com.au

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The UltraPoint range of natural baitfishing hooks has been boosted with the addition of the new Octopus hook, a medium gauge hook situated ideally between the Big Red and the Penetrator in strength rating.

The Mustad Octopus hooks come as both pre-packed, quick grab packs between 10 and 3 hooks per pack and also in boxes of either 50 or 25 hooks depending on the hook size. A range of sizes from 4 through to 8/0 cover just about every fishing situation across the country, and the chemically sharpened UltraPoint finish ensures a super-sharp hook point that maintains its sharpness. The turned back eye gives anglers a number of rigging options including snelling, allowing them to rig multiple hooks on their trace line for bigger baits. The new Mustad Octopus UltraPoint hooks have a black nickel finish and they are forged for the ultimate in strength.

Price: from RRP $7.95 (pre-pack), $20 (boxed) www.wilsonfishing.com.au

BLACK TORPEDOS

Strip Strike Productions have just released some of the best-captured flats fly-fishing footage ever seen on the unique Fraser island coastline.

Strip Strike Black Torpedoes is an action packed film. I’m sure that, just like me, you will watch this over and over again.

Join Mark ‘Bargy’ Bargenquast, Andrew Chorley and Murray Smith and a host of other fly fishing experts as they hunt down massive schools of longtail tuna, sight cast for black marlin, and stalk big golden trevally on the flats.

Take note that this isn’t a ‘how to fish the flats’ video. Nor is it an advertorial pushing sponsor products. It’s more along the lines of a ground roots home made video of mates having some great time on the water in a world class saltwater fishery.

Make sure you add this to your DVD collection. The DVD is available online or at any good quality tackle outlet RRP: $29.95 w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / S t r i p S t r i k e Productions

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

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DECEMBER 2014

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NEW BOMBER LURE

Bigger is better, and in the case of the new Saltiga Dorado Hiramasa Tune it’s also stronger, with this new slider super-tuned to handle the biggest and baddest fish going around.

Designed for XOS amberjack, this slider is tailor made for super-sized tuna, kingfish and trevally and can be comfortably cast all-day long thanks to its aerodynamic torpedo design and profile.

Featuring a multi-chambered, high pressure injected construction process, this slider is unmatched in strength, with its optimally designed through-wire construction capable of withstanding whatever is thrown at it.

By adjusting the internal balance weight ever so slightly, the new Dorado achieves a quicker dive action, in turn improving lure performance and fish catching capabilities. It’s super tuned for ultimate big fish performance and built to withstand XOS fish. There are two models: the 14F (140mm, 38g) and 18F (180mm, 65g).

Price: N/A www.daiwafishing.com.au

NEW OCTOPUS ULTRAPOINT

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visit www.tacklejunkie.fish for the latest tackle news - AS IT HAPPENS!

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SCAN THE QR CODE!

What’s New FISHING TESTED:

POWERED BY

Maria Fla-Pen

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE TESTED:

Lox Ambassador Hybrid

These couple of Fla-Pens have been well chewed.

I’ve always been a sucker for lures that are a little ‘different’. Decades ago I used to have to acquire them as I travelled overseas – Japanese, South African and American tackle stores were endless sources of enjoyment. Nowadays, there’s a lot of great stuff available domestically.

I can walk into my local tackle store and see the latest and greatest from Australia AND overseas.

The Maria Fla-Pen caught my eye instantly – a relatively small (85mm), heavy stick bait that has a fold-out bib at the tail end. This bib folds away to enhance casting and flaps out to give the lure a wobbling, minnow-like action.

I do a lot of bank fishing at the moment, and lures like this cast a mile and do it accurately.

For the threadfin and mulloway I target, that’s essential.

I also fish in a lot of current and the weight (15g) and design of this lure allow me to control its attitude in the water.

Let me explain….

Let the lure sink on a slack line and it’ll drop, tail first. Sink it on a tight line and the rear bib will lift and make the lure sink horizontally (and much slower).

Shake the tight line with an ultra slow retrieve and the lure will twitch, horizontally at a constant level and this is a great way to target predatory fish that are maybe only a foot or two under the surface.

Of course, you can also just chuck and wind it like a regular minnow. If you do this rodtip-high and it will wakebait.

After several months and dozens of predators this bait has found a permanent position in my predator-kit – especially the glow models for night time trips. The hooks are great out of the box and it’s ready to tie on and fish. At my local tackle store (where I bought my first ones) they retail in the high twenties. More information at www.ejtodd. com.au – Steve Morgan

Left: King threadfin like the Fla-Pen coming with the current.

Right: Mulloway often eat the Fla-Pen way down.

TESTED:

The Next Level delivers

It was at the AFTA Trade Show on the Gold Coast this year where I first saw glimpses of Brad Sissins and Mark Berg’s new production – The Next Level. Knowing the pride with which these guys create visual content, there was no way this production was going to be run-of-the-mill – either from a cinematic or narrative perspective.

And I’m glad to report that The Next Level delivered.

I suppose we’re all a little sick of the product-pushing fishing shows doing the rounds. It’s a vicious cycle – no sponsors equals no show, unless you want to self fund it. And sponsors usually demand a pound-and-a-half of flesh for any input they give.

The Next Level, although underwritten by Daiwa, doesn’t try to sell you Daiwa product. It just delves into the depths of the Daiwa pros that are featured.

The first DVD features trout fishing with Josh Carpenter and Sydney bream luring with Greg Seeto.

Both segments are superbly shot, wonderfully edited and deliver on the promise to give you the ‘next level’ of fishing information.

Best of all, you won’t pay a premium to get hold of the DVD or to download

You won’t be disappointed with The Next Level – it’s beautifully shot and produced. individual segments. The two-segment DVD retails for $9.95 or you can download segments for viewing on your electronic device for $5 each. More information at www.daiwathenextlevel. com.au - Steve Morgan.

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

The team at Lox Fishing sent us a couple of their new Lox Ambassador hybrid rods to test. One of the rods sent through was perfect for what I was looking for – a nice light rod for throwing suspending hardbodies for bass.

I usually use the same outfit for flathead plastics fishing that I do for my bass fishing; a 2-4kg 7’ graphite rod. Overall this outfit can do the job fine, but after I used the Ambassador rod for four straight hours fishing, my mind was changed! The rod’s lightweight and sensitivity has brought a whole new experience to my finesse fishing.

I tested the 610 LS model, which is a 6’ 10” 2-piece outfit. The outfit incorporates a

each turn of the handle the action of the lure could be felt through the sensitivity of the rod tip, which is always imperative when finesse fishing.

I tested this rod chasing bass hiding amongst weed edges, but this rod would suit many light sport fishing targets, such as bream and whiting.

There are 14 models in the Ambassador range of rods from the light models, like the one I tested, through to the heavier jigging models, so there is a model to suit everyone’s needs.

To view the full range of Ambassador rods go and visit www.loxfishing.com.

– Ryan Limpus

solid carbon tip and includes Fuji KR guides

– perfect for stalking these bass!

These rods are light – very light, you can cast this rod all day without tiring. Through

TESTED:

Freeze dried bait

Sometimes fishing can be expensive and just too hard for some, the thought of bait contaminating your sandwiches or drinks in your esky or stinking out your car puts most people off, let alone the kids. Well up until now this was a common case, but The Freeze Dried Bait Company have a product that will change the way you fish and protect the taste of your food and drink.

Freeze dried squid in a resealable packet is the latest product from the Freeze Dried Bait Company.

The name says it all.

High quality fresh squid is freeze dried in a commercial drier, this process removes about 98% of the moisture while keeping the squid intact and preserves its natural appearance. The bait has a shelf life of over 3 years. It comes in a resealable bag so you can save what you don’t use for your next trip.

I was handed a packet to test and, having an 8 year old daughter that loves catching fish under a float, we decided to give it a go at our local locked lake we call ‘the park fishing spot’. When I opened the bag I noticed that the smell was very fresh, the colours were as if it was caught recently. The pieces were about an average size of a biscuit, I cut mine

into smaller pieces with some scissors, which was very easy to do, I then placed a handful into a cup and added some lake water.

In approximately 7 minutes it was pliable enough to thread on the hook, ready to fish.

We caught plenty of bream and whiting, I was surprised how well it stayed on the hook, it was just like using normal squid that you would buy from your bait shop or super market, the best thing is you don’t need to keep it in a fridge or esky, just rehydrate what you

need and keep the rest in its packet.

The squid is available in a few different pckages: real squid small pieces 40g (which is equivalent to 300g rehydrated), real squid bulk small pieces 300g and whole baby squid 300g.

The best thing about this product is that it will cover most species we fish for in Australia, so grab a few packets today and make your fishing easier, check the website for full details and prices at www.freezedriedbait. com or https://www.facebook.com/ pages/The-Freeze-Dried-Bait-Company.

– Greg Livingstone

visit www.tacklejunkie.fish for the latest tackle news - AS IT HAPPENS! DECEMBER 2014

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Jump aboard a snapper charter!

As recreational fishing in Victoria continues to grow and develop, so do the vast options for anglers new to the sport, or those anglers who haven’t quite taken the plunge into buying their very own boat.

By this I mean services like fishing charters and guides who offer their services to take out groups or individuals on to the bays, estuaries and offshore grounds to enjoy the fantastic fishing Victoria has to offer.

and all terminal tackle, to ensure you, the client, get the best possible opportunity to catch yourself the fish of a lifetime.

As the morning progresses you will notice the simplicity of your day out, as you are waited on hand and foot in terms of setting up the rods and reels and baiting up and berleying. In fact, if you are not inclined to get your hands dirty, you don’t have to. The captain and crew

Off The Hook Fishing Charters boat is large enough to cater for large groups or individual clients.

An example of the kind of gear charter services provide – rigged and ready, quality gear.

INFORMATION CHARTER:............................................................... Off The Hook Fishing Charters BOAT:.................................................................................. 8.8m Jaguar Hydrofield SKIPPER:............................................................................................... Joe Branca WHEN:......................................................................................... October-February WHERE:................................ Port Phillip Bay – pick up from Patterson River ramp TIME:......................Morning or afternoon trips, 5am-10am, 10am-3pm, 3pm-8pm GEAR:.................................... Wilson Live Fibre rods, Fin-Nor Offshore 4500 reels COST:.................................................................... $125 per person, up to 6 people CONTACT:...........................................................................................0419 554 916 Off The Hook Fishing Charters also run from March-July in Portland fishing offshore for southern bluefin tuna The late months of the year sees a huge fleet of fishing charter operations congregate onto Port Phillip Bay and Western Port offering potential clients the opportunity to chase the most prized Victorian fish species, the mighty snapper. All around the bays, big charter boats, along with hundreds of recreational anglers flock to the many boat ramps. None more frequented than the Patterson River boat ramp, which boasts some of the best snapper fishing a short steam from the river mouth.

It’s the gateway to snapper hot spots and charter operators know them all like the back of their hands.

A general outing in snapper season, which is generally from October to January, begins with a call to book yourself and friends in with one of the charter boats that specialise in local snapper. A quick call back from the skipper a day or two out from your booked date to ensure weather and logistics all match up, and you are well ready for a great day out. A snapper trip will more often than not begin with a pick up from the ramp at 5am and while it may seem very early and you may well need that strong coffee kick to get you going; it is most important as quite often the best bites come as the sun rises.

The gear is always supplied so you won’t need to worry about anything but some snacks and a drink or two for yourself and friends.

Local charter operators like Joe Branca from Off The Hook Fishing Charters, all use quality gear and don’t cut corners with line, hooks 80

DECEMBER 2014

Anglers of all ages can enjoy the experience that a charter service can provide.

Table-sized fish are on offer, with the chance of a fish of a lifetime as well.

will have it all covered making your experience a clean and relaxing one.

However, if you are wanting to learn more and get involved, the deck hands on board the charter boats will be more than happy to explain what they are doing and how and why they do it. It’s all about catering for the clients needs, primarily, these operations are to put you onto the desired fish and give you the experience

A quality bag of fish for a group of clients.

of catching Victoria’s most iconic fish species.

Snapper charters are generally a 5-hour trip (some may vary) and will see you back at the ramp with fish in hands by 10am.

You can then enjoy the simplicity of stepping off the boat and not having to clean a thing, the crew will have the boat clean and ready to go for the next trip and not expect you to lift a finger.

As you will see, when you look around the ramp and moorings at the charter boats, none of the boats are small, therefore they cost a bit to run. Prices may vary from company to company, but you can expect $100-150 per person on most occasions and most boats carry anywhere from 4 clients up to the biggest boats that may cater for 10-12.

For anglers just starting out or people who have never fished and are interested, please take the opportunity to have a day out on a charter boat. Not only will you get to experience some fantastic, fun fishing and fighting with the hard pulling snapper, but you will also get to experience so much more that is non-fishing related. Views of our city and peninsulas from a completely different perspective and the chance at seeing some of the other fantastic wildlife that graces our waterways, like dolphins, seals and whales are another reason to take a trip aboard a charter boat.

Fishing is fun for anyone and with services like fishing charters readily available across our state, there’s no reason why you can’t get involved. Jump online or drop into your local tackle store to find out how you can get a spot on a boat. - Luke McCreddan

A fish of a lifetime for this young man.

DECEMBER 2014

81

When’s the right time to replace your trailer lights?

SYDNEY

Christian Bold

All trailers need to have working lights fitted to them to be legal on the road, but a we all know that one day your lights will be working and the next they’re not. Trying the line, “They were working when I left home, Officer” is usually responded to with, “Sure they were” as you are handed a fine.

TRAILER LIGHT PROBLEMS Even though the police may not believe you, I do.

Being an AUVIS (Authorised Unregistered Vehicle Inspection Station) examiner, I regularly have customers bringing in their trailers for inspection only to find that when we test the lights they will have an indicator or side light out. Now the mechanic who wants to earn a quick buck will tell you that your light needs to be replaced and sometimes this will be the case, but before you agree to that, here are a few things to try to get that light working.

Check your trailer plug The biggest culprit when it comes to lights not working is your trailer plug, especially

I doubt these lights would pass a road worthy examination! on a boat trailer. There are a number of things that can go wrong with your trailer plug including corrosion on the pins, pins closing up and not making contact with the cars plug and wires braking off in the plug. Before you pull the plug apart, wiggle it inside the cars plug and see if the lights that weren’t working are coming on when you move the plug. If they are, then it is time to open up the plug and see what the problem is.

Check your earth supply Before I start on what a bad earth is, I should explain what earth is.

‘Earth’ is a separate wire that runs from the lights to the trailer plug that helps stop them from shorting out. Just like anything that requires power to operate, you need to have an earth. Every light on your trailer will have a power source and an earth.

Have you ever been behind a vehicle with its indicator on and the brakes are flashing?

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DECEMBER 2014

This is an example of bad earth. The indicator is trying to get an earth source from somewhere so it is tapping into the brake lights power source causing them to flicker with the indicator. Earth can either be provided through a wire to the lights or from the metal frame of the trailer, the problem with the latter is if corrosion builds between the frame and the light, then the earth connection will be lost.

Check your globes For all those boat trailer owners who have a globed light assembly on your trailer, it is quite common for your lights to stop working. Your globes can blow, the globe holder connections inside the light can corrode or the wires going into the light can corrode and break off. As soon as you remove the light lens, you will know straight away if it is a simple fix, or if you require a new light.

Broken wires To check for a broken wire, it can be tricky and time consuming if you don’t have the right tool and that tool is a test light. A test light can indicate if you have power and earth running to your lights. You can pick one up from any tool shop for around $30. Most boat trailers will have the wiring running inside the trailer frame, test the wire and the closest point before it goes into the frame and then again where it comes out of the frame. This will tell you if you have a broken wire inside the frame or not. If you have broken wires it is time to rewire your trailer.

If these checks have been made and the light STILL doesn’t work, then it is time to replace the light.

WHICH LIGHTS SHOULD I PUT ON MY TRAILER? There are a number of trailer lights available to purchase from all parts of the world. On a boat trailer your will either have globe lights or L.E.D. lights. The type of lights you choose will depend on the vehicle you use to

tow your trailer. Most trailer owners don’t realise that if you tow your trailer with a European make vehicle, you will have issues with the trailer lights if they are L.E.D. There are ways around it but that is another article and conversation all together.

When changing the lights on your trailer, it is also an idea to replace the wiring as well. Why? When dealing with boat trailers you are always dunking the rear of your trailer in and out of the water and over time the wiring corrodes and gets brittle. If you just replace the lights, they may still work but if you are trying to solder the wires together they will not bind.

Joiners are an easy solution to use if you are only replacing the lights, as they will still make a good connection. If you want to make your lights and wiring fully submersible, then you will want to look at a pre-wired L.E.D. light kit. These kits have the wires connected to a circuit board on the back of the light and then coated with a hardened gel-like substance so water cannot seep into the connections. The wire is then long enough to feed through to the front of the trailer to a trailer plug, so unless you are submersing the rear of your

Submersible globe lights My views on globe lights may not be the same as yours and that’s OK. I believe that if a lens can be removed from a light to replace a globe then it cannot be fully submersible, because there is always the possibility of water getting in.

If you are using or replacing your lights with globe lights, I would recommend fitting ones that require a festoon globe instead of a bayonet globe (refer to the pictures to see the difference).

Light boards Light boards are designed to be used as an emergency system only. You can have a light board permanently fitted to a trailer but you must comply with the following: • It must be supported at intervals of not more than 600mm along its length.

• It must be insulated at joints.

• It must be located in such a position that it can neither become overheated nor in contact with moving parts.

• It must be protected from chafing.

• It must have a separate earth return wire between the trailer and its hauling vehicle.

It is not acceptable to use the trailer coupling or a safety chain or cable as an earth.

• Christian Bold, also known as ‘The Trailer Guy’, is

A few quick home checks may avoid a trip to the mechanic. car into the water there is no way water can get into the wiring and lights.

L.E.D. lights L.E.D. lights are really the way to go when it comes to trailer lighting because they are maintenance free, brighter, look better, fully submersible and easily installed.

Make sure that if you are purchasing L.E.D. lights they state that they are ‘submersible’ and not just ‘water resistant’. Waterresistant stands up to rain but not being submersed in water. This is a common mistake when buying L.E.D. lights and as you can imagine the water resistant L.E.D. lights don’t last long on a boat trailer.

one of Australia’s leading trailer and caravan repair specialists. As the Director of Bold Trailers he is a licensed motor mechanic, auto electrician and automotive body builder. Christian is also an AUVIS and e-safety examiner for the RMS. You can contact Christian and the team at Bold Trailers for any information regarding trailer and caravan repairs, maintenance, modifications, legal requirements, imported trailers, parts and accessories and new and used trailers for sale. Their friendly technicians are always willing to help you to make your towing experience safe and enjoyable. For more great tips go to www.boldtrailers.com. au or Phone: (02) 8544 8114.

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DECEMBER 2014

83

Rosco Bass Catcher – a fusion of canoe and boat FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

We get to test all sorts of craft at Fishing Monthly from six-figure offshore boats through to sub-grand paddlecraft. Every so often one comes along that bridges the gap between genres.

That’s what the Rosco Bass Catcher does – bridge the gap between a canoe and a tinnie. It looks like a canoe, but performs a lot like a boat.

And the best bit is that you can launch it in places that tinnies are a pain in the bum to get into the water.

So, for this reason, we chose a saltwater, landlocked lake on the Gold Coast. There are no boat ramps in it, but plenty of bridges, parks and easements that allow water access. I wouldn’t have got my little Bluefin Jon Boat in there easily.

OK. I lie. I wouldn’t have gotten it in there at all.

The Bass Catcher we had to test was the staff boat of the Rosco Kedron store, therefore it was pretty specifically set up for the needs of the guys who make these boats from scratch.

The basic Bass Catcher hull is a three seater and at the top end of the capacity and length range for a canoe.

It’s got a flat transom,

Standing up is a cinch in the Bass Catcher – and that’s with either one or two anglers casting. these stabilisers allow you and your fishing buddy to stand up and fish with ease – a feat that takes pretty precise balance and communication on a plain canoe. If you’ve tried it, you know what I mean.

The most convenient part of the setup was a

ROSCO BASS CATCHER 500 Length..............................................................4.63m Beam:..............................................................100cm Depth:...............................................................40cm Weight:...............................................................42kg Payload:...........................................................450kg Passengers:.........................................................1-3 Max hp: ...................................................................4

took a maximum of about 15 minutes.

So, with 4 fishing rods and 100 lures on board, we set about ‘boat testing’ on a lovely, overcast, Gold Coast morning.

With Greg ‘man-lure’ Livingstone as my wingman, I was smart enough to pick ‘front” when he asked what end I wanted to sit.

Apart from getting first crack at all of the best spots, the front seat isn’t the best place to manoeuvre a canoe – especially with an outrigger impeding a full stroke. It was Livo’s turn to be a guide and being the boss had to have SOME advantages.

After a couple of cranks on the cord, the little Yammy blurted to life and we decided to take a run around this little system and see what there was to fish.

I was quite surprised as how fast it went. It must have been 6 knots – as this was the speed limit in this system – but geez, it felt a bit faster than that.

You can attribute some of the performance to the upswept stern keel section, which keeps as much of the turbulence away from the transom section as possible. Any BASS Electric competitor knows that the less flat-backed transom in the water, the faster you go and it’s good to see that the designer of this craft

has built that performance into the hull.

With the two outriggers fitted, this thing is virtually impossible to capsize. We didn’t try to do it, because of the volume of sinking tackle onboard, but when we picked a bank and started fishing, it was a no-brainer for the both of us to be able to stand up and not worry at all about capsizing the craft.

What does happen, though, when you both stand up is that you act like a couple of sails. What this craft (and any shallow drafted canoes) is no good at is keeping a drift along a bank. The only thing worse than two guys trying to fish in a canoe is one guy trying to do it himself.

We were lucky – I had the ‘man-lure’ as a guide and a well-placed paddle stroke here and there kept the drift true. If fact, when I looked back, I’m sure that Greg thought he was a Mexican bonefish guide.

He had that distant look and a Buff covering his face.

Not wanting to wreck his illusion, I started chucking topwaters at some of the bankside structure.

I’m sure that the sight and sound of a kilo-class bream exploding all over my white Cicada topwater shook him from his fantasies. We weren’t getting many bites in this lagoon, but what we QR CODE

Scan this QR Code to hear the interview with Greg Livingstone and Allana Bold.

The 4hp Yamaha pushed the Bass Catcher around quite nicely at speeds up to (but not exceeding) 6 knots. That’s right, officer, only 6 knots. which allows the mounting of a small petrol-powered outboard. In this case it was a Yamaha 4-Stroke 4hp.

Also fitted were a set of outriggers. Although they look a little cumbersome, 84

DECEMBER 2014

single axle boat trailer for ease of transport. Even with the outriggers fitted, the rig measures in under the 2.5m maximum road limit.

If you have access to a boat ramp, slide it straight

in. If you don’t (and we didn’t), it was pretty simple to unscrew the outboard and manhandle the boat in and over the rocky edges and the fit the motor to the transom again. On the test day, this

Top: This is Greg ‘man-lure’ Livingstone in his ‘I’m a Mexican Flats Guide’ persona.

Above: When the guide put down the paddle and grabbed the rod, results were quick to come.

were getting was total quality – at least by the Gold Coast’s standards.

By the time I had to jump out and take some photos, we’d put together a 5-bream

With Greg firmly back in reality and posing for some action shots for the magazine and the video (scan the QR Code hereby for a link), it was easy to see

extra 300kg of camping gear and scoot off to somewhere even more remote than a landlocked Gold Coast Canal system and not have to come back for a week!

There were some cracking bream gracing the Bass Catcher on the test day. limit that would have weighed around 4kg. That’s not an easy feat in that part of the world and something I’d only done once on the Gold Coast in a bass boat.

Notch up one for the Bass Catcher for getting you into spots that others find it hard to get to.

the attractiveness of this craft to more than just the anglers.

It scoots along, it’s stable, you can sail it (with a factory sail – not just by standing up in it) and it has a massive payload capacity.

In reality, a couple of normal sized anglers could load this thing up with an

The 500 Bass Catcher will set you back $2,650 and the optional outriggers are yours for just over a grand more. You can get more information by visiting www roscocanoes.com.au or by calling the store on (07) 3359 9330.

Top: Load up all that space with some camping gear and you’re outta here. The Bass Catcher holds 320kg of payload! Above: The Bass Catcher is great for getting to places you just can’t get a trailerboat.

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HAWK FISHING • FIND-A-WORD COMPETITION

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SUBSCRIBER PRIZE The major prize winners for October were: T Pedofsky from Currumbin Waters who won $600 of product for 1st prize, T Kennedy of Summerland Point who won $400 of product for 2nd prize and K Tripp who won $200 of product for 3rd prize.

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The Find the specialtyfishing.com.au logo prize winners for October were: E Hopkinson of Drouin, G Bannister of Lorne, J Hines of St Leonards, B Cunningham of Mildura, T Hodgkinson of Kyabram, B Meaney of Tungamah, J Saunderson of Chelsea, P Cornish of Paynesville, G Pezos of Clarinda, J Randall of Torquay, R Waters of Temora, N Chalmers of Ararat, K Bradley of Sale, G Crawley of Warracknabeal , K Healey of Morwell, K Hartley of Coburg North, B Stokes of Morwell, J Attard of Yallourn North, T Mathieson of Patterson Lakes, E Howarth of Cowra, F Dix of Hamilton, M Coates of Elliminyt, T Shuttleworth of Yapeen, J Wild of St Arnaud, B MacDonald of Winslow , P Geale of Georgetown, F Healey of Traralgon, I Ivanic of Newborough, K Robinson of Ocean Grove, J Butler of Scoresby, H Stapelfeldt of Nunawading, T Tatlow of Morwell, F Hutchins of Sunbury, K Martin of Lavington, J Neilson of Rochester, B Pontt of Loxton, S Tillack of Birregurra, B Metherell of Narre Warren South, A Hurring of Inverleigh, D Hill of Cranbourne North.

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FIND-A-WORD WINNER Congratulations to Matthew McPherson of Caroline Springs, who was last month’s winner of the Hawk Tournament Find-a-Word Competition!

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*

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#

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Moolap Marine

9-11 Fitzgerald Road Laverton North

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03 5381 0600

03 5183 2344

03 5248 3772

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Boats & More 02 6621 2657

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DECEMBER 2014

89

Clark 395 Predator BRISBANE

Stephen Booth sbooth@fishingmonthly.com.au

Simple tinnies are a dime a dozen right? Well, yes they are, but finding one that can do what you need it to do is still an important decision. Enter the Clark 395 Predator tinnie, a simple and clean tinnie that will get you and a couple of mates out on the water with ease and at a price that’s hard to beat.

And I suppose that’s part of the beauty of simple tinnies, their price is low and there are no whistles and fireworks.

They are easy to use, easy to maintain and cheap to buy.

They can be bashed around snags, dragged over logs and rock bars and generally be treated reasonably poorly and still they will do the job they were bought for, and that is to give you access to the water.

I think we all started in a simple tinnie. Metal thwart seats, a small tiller steer outboard and a portable fuel tank. Toss in the mandatory safety gear, a cool box with a few drinks and some food, in my day a hessian sack for the catch of reddies and some rods, reels, tackle and bait and off you go. Simplicity in essence.

I sometimes miss those days as fishing just seemed so much more simple and to be truthful, I am not sure I catch that many more fish in a fully kitted out boat. I do know that I rely more on technology these days than fishing nous and that is probably to the long-term detriment of my fishing.

But I digress; let’s get back to the Clark 395 Predator, a no thrills tinny package put together by the team at Boats and More.

The test rig was kitted out

with a 20hp 4-stroke Suzuki with the specific aim of testing the rig out to see how much load it would bare. The aim was for the team at Boats and More to assess how best to sell this rig. They knew that a 20hp tiller would be fantastic two up, but what they really wanted to know was how the rig performed three up. That’s a great philosophy for a boat dealer to have. To actually get on the water and try out the rig before recommending anything about it means the

Left: Running flat and fast, the 395 Predator is a real waterway opener with two anglers aboard.

Right: The v-nose is effective at pushing away short chop generated by the wind and any spray is also pushed away by the chines.

SATURDAYS

7-8am

WITH

Two up the Clark 395 Predator is a little ripper powered by the 20hp Suzuki 4-stroke.

SEN 1116 REX HUNT

THROUGHOUT VICTORIA, SOUTHERN NSW, QUEENSLAND AND TASMANIA

AND

boat dealer really gets to know and understand the limitations of the boat.

Our first run around was two up with Peter Jung and I blasting around Mulwala. It was a pleasure to crank up the 4-stroke and let it fly and I can tell you the little 395 got up and boogied. Light to steer and responsive to both extra power and directional changes, the 395 Predator was good old-fashioned fun.

The real test though was when we loaded in Simon from Boats and More and took the rig for a spin. Three up the Suzuki pushed us up onto the plane in less than 5 seconds, which was surprising as none of us are lightweights. We shifted bodies around to check out weight distribution and found the best performance in terms of ride and hole shot

came when we had two people on the front seat and only the skipper down back. Once on the plane, the Predator performed equally well with three on board as it did with two on board and that was a very satisfying result.

I asked Simon what all this meant and he simply said that they test boats that are essentially two person rigs with three people to ensure the boat will still perform with all the gear in the boat. And that’s an important consideration when you consider all the safety gear needed, tackle and other bits and pieces we take on any boat trip.

If you wanted to fish three up most of the time, then an upgrade to a 30hp would be well advised, but as a 2 up STANDARD FEATURES • 2 x Rowlocks • 2 x Transom Handles • 2 x Welded Thwart Seats with Flotation • Anchor Gusset with Rope Tie Lug • Back Board • Carpeted Low Floor • Carpeted Fuel Tank Rack • Side Pockets • Side Rails • Bow Rails • Boat Name Decal • Double Bow Eye • Screw in Bung x 1 (35mm) • Solid Transom Corners • Transom Strut • Welded Seat Support Gussets

LEE RAYNER SUBSCRIPTION TO BE

WON

EVERY WEEK 90

DECEMBER 2014

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A v-nose helps cope with short wind chop generated on lakes and estuaries and smooths out the ride for those on board.

rig, the 20hp Suzuki was more than adequate.

THE BOAT The 395 Predator is a no thrills tinnie and that means it has what’s needed and not much else. These days, with all the extras we jam into a boat, that simplicity may seem somewhat of a limitation but the reality is it’s certainly not.

With two thwart seats, a carpeted deck floor, side pockets and an anchor well, everything you need is right there. I love that you’re not reaching over the top of electric motors, making sure rod holders don’t snag your line or that the lack of a dash and electronics means you are relying on your skills. It’s a pleasant simplicity.

Of course I see this sort of rig being ideal in smaller waters. Waters where you may have to lift or drag it over snags, sand and mud bars and even rocks bars. A case in point is the inland rivers around Shepparton, Boats and More’s home base. The Goulburn River is loaded with snags, shallow sandy stretches and some really nice water to fish.

This rig would be sensational in this water as you could get out and manhandle the craft over all these obstacles and continue on your way. To aid in this there are two grab handles on the bow and a further two grab handles on the transom. They are solid and make it easy to drag around this little beauty.

Being a small boat, Clark has also placed some grab rails in the right spots for the skipper and passengers. Tiller steer rigs can, intentionally or otherwise, be forced into a very tight turn and the ability to have a grab rail handy is mandatory. It’s a security thing for those who do not have a suction cup bottom and allows you to stay seated when the skipper gets a little adventurous.

All in all, for a simple tinnie, there are enough simple features to keep you safe and get you fishing.

OVERALL There’s only a limited amount you can say about a no thrills tinnie. They are what they are and I love them just for that. The Clark 395 Predator, powered by the 20hp Suzuki would be a great first boat for two anglers looking to get into fishing and boating. It’d be a great rig for those ready to slow

SPECIFICATIONS Overall length..................................................3.95m Beam................................................................1.95m Depth...............................................................0.75m Weight (boat only)........................................... 157kg Rec hp...............................................................20hp Max hp...............................................................30hp Bottom sheet....................................................2mm Side Sheet......................................................1.6mm Shaft Size.................................................Long shaft Max People.............................................................4

I had an absolute ball poking around Mulwala – well actually more like flogging the rig as hard as I could! Responsive to power and steering, the 395 Predator was great fun to play around in. it all down, troll some lures, fish some bait or explore small waters. I wouldn’t even chuck an electric on it, instead opting for a lead drop anchor to hold me in place.

I would pop a sounder on though, but that is just habit more than anything and I’d have to have some technology just because…

It was great for me to see firsthand the testing Boats and More did with this rig to make sure it could do what

The grab handles on the bow and transom make manoeuvring this rig over and around obstacles very easy. Great additions.

they claim. It was thorough, it was hard and the 395 Predator and 20hp Suzuki did exactly what Simon thought it might.

That’s reassuring for anyone looking at stepping into one of these boats as the team at Boats and More have some real on water experience with how they perform. I reckon a 30hp one up would be a bit interesting with speed and performance being maxed out! Hmmm, maybe it’s time to see if Simon has done this

SHEPPARTON

430 Crew Mate INCLUDES

• Mercury or Suzuki 30hp 2 stroke motor • Dunbier Trailer • Registrations • Inland Safety gear

5822 2108

single-axle trailer, this rig is great value and easy to use.

• Quoted performance figures have been supplied by the writer in good faith.

Performance of individual boat/motor/trailer packages may differ due to variations in engine installations, propellers, hull configurations, options, hull loading and trailer specifications.

PACKAGES

395 Predator

s.ryan@boatsandmore.com.au

and if I can get one of these little rippers on the water with a 30!

For more info on the Clark 395 Predator, have a chat to the team at Boats and More in Shepparton (03 5822 2108) or Echuca (03 5482 1992) or log onto their website at www. boatsandmore.com.au. Priced at only $9,490 with all safety gear and riding on a Dunbier

ECHUCA

QUALITY

FROM

Top: The front storage area will swallow up the anchor and some safety gear. Keep in mind in Vic you’ll need to wear your lifejackets most of the time in this boat.

Above: The small side pockets are ideal for storing little things like wallets, keys and phones. They will also fit in tray-style tackle boxes to keep the floor clean.

$

9,490

207 Numurkah Rd SHEPPARTON VIC 3630

INCLUDES

• Mercury 40hp 4 stroke motor • Electric start • Bimini • Dunbier Trailer • Marine electronics package • Registrations • Inland Safety gear

$

20,990

72 Northern Hwy ECHUCA VIC 3564

salesechuca@boatsandmore.com.au

5482 1992

www.boatsandmore.com.au

DECEMBER 2014

91

Black Dog Cat 5.5 SS Cuddy Cabin FMG

Peter Jung pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au

There is a huge stable of quality fishing boats being exported across the ditch from New Zealand these

any other motor in its class.

On the day we were on the water for approximately 2.5 hours running the motor from a slow idle to 5000rpm and we used just over 20L of fuel.

A great testament considering the running around we were doing.

STORAGE AND FEATURES As an angler, one of the things I always look for in a boat is space and storage. The Black Dog Cat 5.5 SS’s simple layout ensures there is ample room to store everything you may need and it is easy to

The soft ride will put a smile on you face. days and the Black Dog Cat range of boats is no exception. They are a pontoon style configuration that offers stability, safety and toughness, all features we love here in Australia.

I had the pleasure of testing the Black Dog Cat 5.5 SS Cuddy Cabin on the Snowy River at beautiful Marlo in East Gippsland. It was hard not to get excited about doing this test, as Les Heyne from Snowy River Marine was keen to head out of the mouth of the river to really show what this boat is capable of.

Thankfully the cold front that had hit Marlo just prior to me getting there had disappeared and we were met with a brisk morning (for this soft Queenslander at least) and a Snowy River bar that could be crossed safely and we could get out into the Pacific and give the 5.5 SS a good run.

The tested 5.5 SS Cuddy Cabin was fitted with a new Tohatsu BFT 150hp 4-stroke motor. This was my first look at one of these motors on the water and it was impressive.

Weighing in at 217kg, a lot of work has been done by Tohatsu to provide fantastic performance and efficiency. It is fitted with BLAST system technology. This system, put simply, improves acceleration at low speed, significantly assisting ‘hole shot’ (under 3 seconds in the 5.5 SS Cuddy Cabin) and when you need that burst of speed during a bar crossing or other hazardous situations.

The economy of the motor has also been improved through the use of ECOmo. This has the motor using 30% less fuel at cruising speed than 92

DECEMBER 2014

SPECIFICATIONS Length of hull....................................................5.5m Hull.....................................................................4mm Pontoons...........................................................4mm Beam................................................................2.45m Capacity....................................................6 persons Fuel Capacity....................................................120L Max HP................................................................200 Rec HP.................................................................150 Tow Weight dry.............................................. 1250kg

Above: The new Tohatsu 150 4-stroke was a great match for the 5.5 SS Cuddy Cabin. Right Top: There is plenty of space for bait preparation and storage. Right Middle: The layout of the boat is all about fishing space and storage. Right Bottom: The hydraulic jacking plate is a great addition to the boat if you are looking at running in shallow water or across shallow water bars.

access. Shelving runs from below both gunwales to right up under the bulkhead and there is space below the transom that is big enough to hold a 90L cooler or other items. There is also plenty of storage under the cabin at the bow of the boat for safety equipment and anything you may want to keep dry. With an internal beam of 2m there is plenty of room for you, the family and all of your gear or just you and your mates.

The targa top has rod holders built in, to keep fishing rods out of the way when not in use. Other features include a live bait tank, bait prep station and a boarding ladder to assist you getting on and off the boat.

RIDE AND STABILITY The ultimate test for a boat of this size is to cross a shallow estuary bar and to be comfortable that it will do the task safely. I have gone through the Snowy River bar on a couple of occasions when you aimed for the channel, maintained your speed and you were out. However on this day this wasn’t quite the case, we spent a bit of time watching and planning the best line to take and then Les very skillfully drove us across the bar. It was a real eye opener to me to see how little water was under the boat at times.

The walkthrough windscreen gives you great access to the boat if you are picking people up from the shore.

An advantage of the twin hull Cat design, the Black Dog Cat can run a single engine between the 2 tunnels, which has the motor higher than a conventional mono hull. It is approximately 6-9” higher than normal, enhancing the hulls ability to successfully plane in quite shallow water, ideal for shallow bars or sandy coastal bays. Les has also fitted a hydraulic jacking plate to this boat. This further enhances your ability to raise the motor while on the plane to provide even further clearance in shallow water.

Once out of the bar we were met by a reasonable

swell and the Black Dog Cat came into its own. The twin hull configuration creates an air cushion between the hulls and due to that it has a remarkably soft ride for an alloy boat, the best I have been in for this size boat. At wideopen throttle we managed a lively 70km/h, which in the conditions ensured you knew were alive. Turning felt a little strange to begin with, the lean created by the hulls is quite different from a standard hull.

It was more a strange sensation rather than an unsafe one.

At rest this is an extremely stable boat. It has 7 separate floatation chambers that provide a massive 2200L of buoyancy, hence why it is so popular with divers and anglers in New Zealand. Les has put this to the test by leaving the bungs out of the boat to see how much water it would take on. Even after reversing up and trying to flood the deck, it only took 300-400m of running forward for the large scuppers on the deck to remove all the water.

In Les’s words, “No boat is unsinkable, but this boat may be as close as it gets”.

WHAT YOU GET IS WHAT YOU SEE At first look, the Black Dog Cat is a little out of the ordinary, but when you step a little closer and look at what you get, it is not hard to understand their popularity in the NZ market. Both the hull and pontoons are 4mm thick, it has a full self-draining checker plate non-slip deck, rear boarding ladder, 120L fuel tank and a custom drive-on trailer. The seating is simple, comfortable and well placed.

The console, although small, is large enough to house all the gauges you will need plus a quality sounder. Another great feature is the step through windscreen. It allows you to launch and retrieve the boat on your own as well as giving easy access to the anchor. A well placed grip patch either side of the bow also means you can pick up and drop off people through the front of the boat from the shore without fear of slipping or getting the motor stuck.

and tough, the Black Dog Cat 5.5 SS Cuddy cabin is a real stunner. The model as tested is $65,000 and is definitely worth a look.

• Quoted performance figures have been supplied by the writer in good

faith.

Performance of individual boat/motor/ trailer packages may differ due to variations in engine installations, propellers, hull configurations, options, hull loading and trailer specifications.

OTHER MODELS AVAILABLE 4.0 LS............................................................... Dingy 4.0 XL.................High sided dingy with side pockets 4.5 SS............................................. Cuddy Runabout 4.5 XL....................................... Centre/Side Console 5.0 SS............................................. Cuddy Runabout 5.5 SS............................................. Sports Runabout 8.0 HT.......................................Hardtop/Wheelhouse New 6.5m range is coming soon At rest the Black Dog Cat is extremely stable.

OVERALL After spending nearly 4 hours with Les running around outside the Snowy River bar, as well as exploring the upper reaches of the Brodribb and Snowy River systems, I think the Black Dog Cat 5.5 SS Cuddy Cabin is a very versatile option for any angler looking to hit the estuaries or the blue water.

Les from Snowy River Marine is a fountain of information about this and the other boats in the Black Dog Cat range and he can be contacted on (03) 5154 8268 or 0448 504 366.

You can also email him at snowyrivermarine@gmail. com. Versatile, stable, safe

The Marlo bar was a great test on the day and the Black Dog Cat handled it with ease.

Left: The drive-on trailer made for light work retrieving the boat. Right: The Black Dog Cat can be easily launched and retrieved by one person.

Snowy River MARINE

• SAFETY 7 separate flotation chambers throughout the boat • STABILITY Catamaran hull makes the boat incredibly stable • SOFT RIDE Air cushion between the hulls creates a soft ride • FAST, RESPONSIVE HULLS Choose from tiller or conventional steering • SEALED ALLOY SELF DRAINING DECK

CONTACT LES HEYNE 3-11 Browning Street Orbost VIC 3888

0448 504 366

SNOWY RIVER MARINE FOR ALL YOUR •Service • Re-Power • Boating NEEDS

www.snowyrivermarine.com.au DECEMBER 2014

93

What’s new boating

1

HONDA MAINTENANCE

In a first for the company, Honda Australia has introduced a maintenance schedule notification as standard in all new engines ranging from BF40-BF250 with NMEA2000-compliant gauges.

This technology will make it easier for Honda customers to keep their engine serviced and extend the life of their engine.

All BF40-BF250 engines built since September 2014 will be equipped with this feature so that when your engine is due for a service, a flashing reminder will appear on your gauge. Maintenance schedule intervals can be changed with the ‘Dr. H’ on-board diagnostics system, which is supplied to authorised Honda Marine dealers.

This is perfect for recreational and commercial operators alike, where busy lives can cause users to forget about proper engine maintenance.

“This new feature will ensure that Honda customers will have every opportunity to keep their investment properly maintained and working well,” Stephen Harvey, Technical Services Manager at Honda Marine, said. - Honda

2

LSM EXTENDING WARRANTY

Lone Star Marine has announced this month they are extending their Unconditional Warranty period to a full 5 years on all Gen3 and future winch series.

“With our almost non-existent claim rate on current models and the fact we have never charged a customer one cent to address an issue, it just makes sense. This new upgrade is just a reflection of the real world results of our current range,” Malki Ary at Lone Star Marine said.

The new Warranty is pro-rated to all Gen3 Winches from their release in March 2013. Lone Star Winches also feature a Lifetime Warranty on water ingress, the only warranty of its kind in the world.

“We build our winches to last from the welds to the drives. We want our customers to know they’ll never be hit with an $800 bill for a new drive. So if we make something that is waterproof, it should remain that way for life.” - LSM

3

MOTORGUIDE XI5

Fishing writer and TV presenter Steve ‘Starlo’ Starling isn’t someone who changes his sponsors at the drop of a hat – so when he does, it’s worth paying attention. Starlo recently fitted one of the new MotorGuide Xi5 electric motors to his rig and was very impressed.

“This electric is the quietest, smoothest and has the fastest response I’ve ever encountered,” he said. “The Pinpoint GPS system is a significant advance in performance… and the Anchor Mode is unbelievably good regardless of the conditions.

“The Jog function can be used to shuffle the boat 1.5m in any direction… and being able to store Anchor points, as well as record and replay routes, is invaluable.”

The Xi5 has a strong composite shaft backed by a lifetime warranty. The motor is water and dust proof, and its quiet and precise steering transmission is built for long-life. The Xi5 also includes wireless capability right out of the box, letting you command precise motor control from anywhere on the boat. www. mercurymarine.com.au - Mercury 94

DECEMBER 2014

4

GME BONUS PACK

1

Market leadingw Emergency Beacon manufacturer GME has released the MT600G, in a special promotional BONUS Pack, just in time for Christmas. Coupled with the MT600G GPS equipped EPIRB is the versatile ET80 waterproof, twist-tocharge torch.

The MT600G features enhanced GPS functionality ensuring faster location in an emergency situation, a 10 year battery life and advanced self testing capability, giving users greater peace of mind. Certified by COSPAS SARSAT for worldwide usage, the MT600G is an Australian made safety device that could save your life.

The ET80 torch features a unique twistto-charge capability which means that your emergency torch will never be without charge.

You can charge your torch via USB on the way to the boat ramp, and using the USB ‘out’ cable, charge other USB powered devices such as a phone. To top it off, the ET80 has a stainless steel bottle opener moulded into its base. Perfect for those hot summer days!

The MT600G BONUS Pack with ET80 torch is available at authorised GME Marine Dealers at an RRP of $399 including GST during December and January or while stocks last. – GME

5

3

STACER 619 EASY RIDER

Released due to customer demand, Stacer’s new 619 Easy Rider offers the largest bow and cockpit space in the bowrider range and has room for up to 8 people.

The 619 Easy Rider has a large cushioned bow lounge and new rear lounge featuring a wraparound backrest design, eliminating sharp edges and creating ultimate comfort. In line with the 2014 range this boat also features the Low Profile Sports Deck with a design which sees the UV stable, moulded material extend further around the corners of the dash, creating an aesthetically pleasing line.

The 619 has 4mm bottomsides and 160L fuel tank and is rated up to 200hp. A ski locker, sound system with speakers, and sounder are included as standard. It’s available as a Ready 2 Go Package complete with a boat, motor, trailer and 3-year limited factory warranty. www.stacer.com.au - Stacer

6

2

QUINTREX F450 HORNET

The new design of the Quintrex F450 Hornet maximises fishability – the slimline sports console increases cockpit space and fishing access while the standard front and rear casting platform offer the perfect fishing spot.

The F450 Hornet comes complete with a live bait tank in the back deck and tackle box tray as standard while the wide 2.1m beam creates a large front casting platform complete with a battery tray.

The Eclipse V-Flared hull allows the beam to be wider at the bow for a larger front casting platform, and cuts through choppy water well for all round stability.

The F450 Hornet features a 77L underfloor fuel tank and is rated to 75hp. Options include a bow mount thruster plate, berley bucket, bimini and envelope, stereo and speakers and a deluxe rod storage locker.

The F450 Hornet is available as a Quintrex Instant Boating Package including an engine, Quintrex trailer and 3-year limited factory warranty. www.quintrex.com.au - Quintrex

4

5

6

FIND THE

VMC LOGO COMPEITION

There are 15 VMC Logos hidden throughout the pages of Fishing Monthly.

Find the VMC logo and page number, fill in the entry form and go in the draw to win! The first 40 correct entries drawn at the end of the month will win a packet of VMC hooks. All entries will go into the major prize draw.

(Drawn May 31st 2015)

MONTHLY PRIZE VMC Wide Gape Worm Hook Pack Made in France Value $7.95

MAJOR PRIZES PAGE NO: 1

600 2

1

$ ST PLACE

2

3

VALUE OF RAPALA VMC PRODUCTS

4

5

6

400 3 200

$ ND PLACE

7

8

9

$ RD PLACE

VALUE OF RAPALA VMC PRODUCTS

10

11

12

13

14

VALUE OF RAPALA VMC PRODUCTS

15

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

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Screen Printing Logan Specialised Screen Printing (07) 5546 4107

Boat Imports

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RE-POWER & SERVICE EXPERTS NEW

Bait and Tackle

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This new section in VIC/TAS Fishing Monthly consolidates the trades and services in your area that are relevant to your fishing and boating. Whether you’re a local looking for more options or a travelling angler fishing around Victoria and Tasmania, this guide will direct you to reputable businesses in the area you’re searching.

Advertisers wanting to be involved in this directory can call (07) 3387 0835 or email pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au

West Coast

Boat, motor & trailer packages!

Portland Bait & Tackle (03) 5523 5213

Boat Import USA 0435 476 177

Boat Hire Lake Eildon Cruises 0422 166 986 Boab Boat Hire Shepparton (03) 5822 2108 Boab Boat Hire Echuca (03) 5482 1992

Compleat Angler Portland (03) 5521 1844

Central

Holiday Rental

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

West Coast

Peninsula Total Tackle (03) 5981 1994 JV Marine World Braeside (03) 9798 8883 Complete Angler Ringwood (03) 9870 7792 New World Marine (03) 9709 8444 The Flyfisher Melbourne (03) 9621 1246

FINANCE AVAILABLE

East Coast Always Angling Traralgon (03) 5174 8544

Freshwater Complete Angler Echuca (03) 5482 1992

PH: 03 5984 1666 W: nauticalmarine.com.au E: nautical@surf.net.au Nautical Marine: 139 - 141 Hotham Rd Sorrento Vic

Complete Angler Shepparton (03) 5822 2180

Central Naaj Marine 0421 955 371 Unique Marine Accessories (03) 5427 1802

Nautical Marine (03) 5984 1666

CMC Marine Sales www.cmcsales.com.au

New World Marine (03) 9709 8444

Hunter Marine Boat Builders (03) 5032 2320

Regal Marine (03) 9874 4624 Streaker Boats (03) 9729 8288

Marine Mechanics

BOAT STORAGE AVAILABLE

Triple M Marine (03) 9465 8787 Warragul Marine (03) 5623 6250

Central

Wes Frost Marine (03) 5976 4622

Kris Oakley Marine Services (03) 9794 5524

East Coast

JV Marine World Braeside (03) 9798 8883

Inverloch Marine (03) 5674 1502

JV Marine World Laverton (03) 9368 7100 The Outboard Workshop (03) 9783 0840

Freshwater

Oztec Marine 0431 459 266

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

Boat Modifications & Repairs Salt-Away 1800 091 172

Online Tackle Products

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5562 5031

Warrnambool Holiday Park (03) 5562 5031

East Coast

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1800 091 172

VISIT www.salt-away.com.au

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96

Lester Rd Yanakie WILSONS PROM E sicp@sicp.com.au

03 5687 1385

Shallow Inlet Caravan Park (03) 5687 1385

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

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On the Waters Edge

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Able Fishing & Charters, Williamstown (03) 9502 3777

Accommodation East Gippsland

MARLO

21 Marine Parade MARLO VIC

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03 5154 8268

• Deluxe cabins HOSTS: Les & Kathy HEYNE • Cabins with ensuite • Budget cabins • Premium ensuite vans • Powered & Unpowered sites • Pet friendly • Undercover BBQ areas in Marlo • Large oval • Kitchen Largest park • Camp fires • Kiosk the beach to lk wa Short • Coffee shops

www.marlocamping.com.au

NSW South Coast

ACE Fishing Charters, Bonbeach (03) 9773 4183

Reel Affair, Merimbula freecall 1800 233 247

Adamas Fishing Charters, Barwon Heads (03) 5254 3320

Espirit Charters, Bermagui (02) 6493 4104 or 0407 260 110

Big Red Fishing Charters, Queenscliff 1800 805 587

Freedom Charters, Eden (02) 6496 1209 or 0415 602 446

Blue Magic Fishing Charters, Rowville (03) 9759 5301

Headland Fishing Adventures, Merimbula (02) 6495 1134

Calypso Fishing Charters, Tootgarook (03) 5985 8463

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

Geelong Charters & Fishing Trips, Geelong (03) 5275 7107

K9 Fishing Charters, Merimbula (02) 6495 1681

Impulse Charters, Queenscliff (03) 5258 3739

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

Jillian Fishing Trips, Blairgowrie 0418 148 426

Narooma Charters, Narooma 0407 909 111

Katrina Louise Charters, Cheltenham 0402 828 140

O’Brien Charter Service, Bermagui 0407 214 124

Kestrel Charters, Queenscliff (03) 5258 1783 Queenscliff Fishing Charters, Queenscliff 0458 504 058

Fishing Guides

Pro Red Fishing Charters 0421 442 775

NSW South Coast

Reel Adventure Charters, Yaringa 0409 932 077 Rip Charters Fishing Trips, Sorrento (03) 5984 3664

Wilderness Fishing Tours, Mallacoota 0424 625 160

Saltwater Charters, Queenscliff (03) 5258 4888

Aussie Fish Estuary Adventures (02) 6495 9902 or 0400 062 504

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

Victorian Alps

DARTMOUTH MOTOR INN

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Dartmouth Motor Inn (02) 6072 4233

Queensland Cairns Bed and Boat 0418 772 751

Sharkmen Charters, Carrum 0418 107 071 St Kilda Fishing Charters, St Kilda (03) 9770 2200 Western Port Fishing Charters, Hastings (03) 9769 5544

DVD’S -

East Coast

Series 2 through 8

Capella III Fishing Adventures, Port Welshpool (03) 5688 1585

Chandlery & Accessories

Far Out Charters, McLoughlins Beach 0428 401 819 Prom Adventurer, Port Welshpool (03) 5682 2633 or 0428 594 767

Anchor Right (03) 5968 5014

Prom Coastal Charters, Yanakie (03) 5687 1248 or 0429 935 583

Techni Ice (03) 9783 1922

Razorback Bluewater Charters, Port Albert (03) 5183 2691

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1800 228 244

Freshwater Boat Trailers

Angling Expeditions Victoria, Tawonga (03) 5754 1466 Highland Trout Lakes, Ballarat (03) 5368 9574

Central BMS Marine (03) 9731 7269

Charter Boats East Gippsland East Gippsland Charters 0400 564 032

West Coast Sharkmen Fishing Charters 0418 107 071 Portland Fishing Charters, Portland (03) 5523 3020

Millbrook Lakes Lodge, Ballarat (03) 5334 0404

Tasmania & Flinders Island Ausprey Tours, Launceston (03) 6630 2612 Gone Fishing Charters, St Helens (03) 6376 1553 Fish Wild Tasmania, Hobart 0418 348 223 Flinders Island Adventures, Flinders Island (03) 6359 4507 Professional Charters, St Helens (03) 6376 3083 Trout Adventure Tasmania, Bronte Park 0418 139 048 Trout Territory, Northern Midlands (03) 6397 5001

SAMPLE AD - BUSINESS NAME This is where your copy will appear.

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Shipwreck Coast Diving & Charters, Warrnambool (03) 5561 6108

Central South-West Fishing Charters, Portland 0418 306 714

Charter Boat Picture Peter Nakhoul took a group of his friends out snapper fishing on Sharkmen Charters.

They had a great trip, enjoying the comfort of “Imagine That”, Sharkmen Charters boat.

Gone Fishing Charters 0409 007 068 Off The Hook Fishing Charters 0419 554 916

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

97

Victorian Tide Times

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

LONG 144° 37’

TIMES AND HEIGHTS OF HIGH AND LOW WATERS Time 0400 0942 MO 1607 2204

1 2

0440 1017 TU 1642 2238



m 1.52 0.52 1.53 0.34 1.51 0.56 1.50 0.33

Time 0507 1025 TU 1651 2255

16



17

0554 1106 WE 1733 2336

m 1.59 0.50 1.51 0.26

Time 0421 1000 WE 1617 2211

1.50 0.56 1.43 0.33

0502 1037 TH 1657 2249

1.47 0643 1.42 3 0523 1055 0.61 18 1147 0.63 1718 1.45 1817 1.35

WE

2314 0.33

TH

1.43 0018 0.41 4 0611 1135 0.66 19 0734 1.34 1800 1.41 1232 0.69

TH

2355 0.33

FR

1909 1.27

1.39 0105 0.48 5 0705 1219 0.71 20 0829 1.29 1849 1.37 1325 0.74

FR

SA

2010 1.21

0.35 0200 0.55 6 0045 0809 1.36 21 0926 1.26 1314 0.74 1432 0.76

SA

1951 1.33

SU

2119 1.19

0.39 0313 0.59 7 0145 0920 1.36 22 1023 1.26 1422 0.75 1556 0.74

SU

2109 1.32

8

0300 1030 MO 1543 2233

0.41 1.40 0.69 1.37

MO

2230 1.21

23

0430 1115 TU 1708 2331

0.59 1.29 0.67 1.27

0.41 0532 0.57 9 0420 1132 1.46 24 1201 1.34 1700 0.58 1800 0.57

TU

2347 1.46



WE



NOVEMBER – 2014

OCTOBER – 2014

SEPTEMBER – 2014

1 2



m 1.57 0.53 1.45 0.26 1.53 0.56 1.41 0.28

Time 0516 1042 TH 1702 2301

16



m 1.52 0.53 1.37 0.35

1.44 17 0558 1122 0.58 1745 1.30 FR

2341 0.43

1.47 0641 1.36 3 0547 1117 0.59 18 1204 0.62 1742 1.37 1835 1.23

FR

2332 0.32

SA

1.41 0023 0.51 4 0639 1203 0.62 19 0729 1.30 1835 1.33 1252 0.65

SA

SU

1936 1.18

0.38 0112 0.59 5 0023 0740 1.36 20 0823 1.25 1257 0.64 1350 0.67

SU

1942 1.30

MO

2048 1.17

0.45 0213 0.66 6 0125 0849 1.34 21 0919 1.23 1405 0.62 1504 0.65

MO

2107 1.31

TU

2200 1.20

0.50 0331 0.70 7 0240 0958 1.36 22 1015 1.24 1527 0.56 1621 0.59

TU

2230 1.38

8

0404 1101 WE 1644 2340



0.52 1.40 0.44 1.49

WE

2304 1.27

23

0452 1107 TH 1718 2358

0.69 1.27 0.50 1.37

0550 0.66 0.51 9 0520 1159 1.46 24 1155 1.32 1802 0.41 1747 0.32

TH

TIME ZONE –1000

FR



Time 0530 1106 SA 1730 2317

1

m 1.52 0.52 1.36 0.34

Time 0555 1140 SU 1804 2346

16

m 1.42 0.55 1.23 0.53

1.46 0634 1.36 2 0617 1153 0.52 17 1222 0.57 1828 1.32 1900 1.19

SU

MO

0.43 0030 0.62 3 0009 0713 1.40 18 0720 1.30 1248 0.52 1311 0.57

MO

1942 1.30

TU

2008 1.18

0.53 0121 0.70 4 0110 0817 1.36 19 0812 1.26 1355 0.49 1407 0.56

TU

2108 1.33

WE

2119 1.21

0.61 0224 0.77 5 0222 0924 1.35 20 0908 1.24 1512 0.43 1513 0.52

WE

2223 1.41

TH

2226 1.28

0.64 0342 0.80 6 0344 1028 1.37 21 1006 1.24 1624 0.35 1619 0.45

TH

2330 1.51

FR

2323 1.38

0.63 0500 0.78 7 0500 1127 1.40 22 1103 1.27 1726 0.26 1714 0.37

FR

SA



8



0029 0603 SA 1220 1818

1.61 0.60 1.44 0.19

23

0015 0556 SU 1157 1800

1.48 0.73 1.31 0.29

1.69 0101 1.58 9 0121 0654 0.56 24 0641 0.67 1310 1.47 1246 1.36

SU

1906 0.15

MO

1842 0.22

DECEMBER – 2014 Time 0600 1148 MO 1827 2359

1

m 1.52 0.41 1.35 0.48

Time 0555 1154 TU 1826 2355

16

m 1.43 0.47 1.24 0.60

1.46 0633 1.37 2 0649 1242 0.39 17 1234 0.47 1945 1.34 1925 1.23

TU

WE

0.59 0040 0.69 3 0055 0746 1.40 18 0718 1.32 1343 0.38 1318 0.46

WE

2100 1.36

TH

2030 1.24

0.68 0132 0.77 4 0200 0849 1.36 19 0810 1.28 1451 0.35 1411 0.44

TH

2210 1.42

FR

2136 1.28

0.73 0236 0.82 5 0315 0953 1.34 20 0907 1.25 1600 0.31 1511 0.40

FR

2314 1.49

SA

2241 1.35

0350 0.84 0.73 6 0431 1054 1.35 21 1010 1.25 1615 0.34 1701 0.26

SA

SU



2341 1.44

1.57 0504 0.80 7 0012 0539 0.70 22 1115 1.28 1151 1.37 1715 0.27

SU

1756 0.22

8

0104 0634 MO 1244 1845

1.63 0.64 1.39 0.20

MO



1.54 23 0034 0604 0.73 1215 1.33 TU

1810 0.21

1.66 0123 1.62 9 0151 0722 0.59 24 0655 0.65 1330 1.40 1310 1.39

TU

1930 0.20

WE

1900 0.17

0.39 0024 1.35 10 0534 1229 1.54 25 0621 0.54 1807 0.45 1241 1.39

1.60 0045 1.47 10 0042 0621 0.48 25 0633 0.62 1250 1.52 1238 1.37

1.72 0145 1.65 10 0209 0740 0.53 25 0723 0.61 1355 1.48 1333 1.41

1.66 0210 1.67 10 0232 0805 0.55 25 0743 0.56 1414 1.40 1401 1.44

1.57 0109 1.44 11 0052 0635 0.37 26 0701 0.52 1320 1.60 1318 1.44

1.69 0127 1.56 11 0137 0713 0.46 26 0711 0.58 1338 1.55 1320 1.41

1.72 0228 1.69 11 0252 0822 0.51 26 0804 0.56 1436 1.47 1418 1.44

1.65 0254 1.70 11 0310 0845 0.52 26 0830 0.47 1455 1.39 1450 1.47

1.65 0148 1.51 12 0149 0728 0.37 27 0737 0.50 1406 1.64 1354 1.48

1.73 0206 1.63 12 0227 0758 0.45 27 0748 0.55 1421 1.56 1400 1.44

1.68 0310 1.70 12 0332 0902 0.50 27 0845 0.51 1516 1.44 1502 1.45

1.61 0337 1.70 12 0344 0925 0.50 27 0916 0.40 1533 1.37 1539 1.49

1.70 0227 1.57 13 0243 0815 0.38 28 0812 0.49 1450 1.64 1430 1.50

1.72 0245 1.66 13 0313 0841 0.45 28 0825 0.53 1502 1.54 1440 1.46

1.62 0351 1.68 13 0409 0942 0.50 28 0929 0.48 1556 1.39 1547 1.44

1.57 0418 1.67 13 0415 1002 0.49 28 1004 0.34 1613 1.34 1630 1.47

1.70 0304 1.60 14 0332 0900 0.41 29 0846 0.49 1531 1.62 1505 1.50

1.68 0325 1.66 14 0356 0922 0.47 29 0903 0.51 1543 1.50 1519 1.45

1.56 0432 1.64 14 0444 1021 0.52 29 1013 0.45 1636 1.34 1634 1.42

1.53 0500 1.62 14 0446 1040 0.48 29 1052 0.30 1653 1.31 1724 1.44

WE

TH

TH

FR

SA

1903 0.32

1955 0.23

2043 0.18

SU

2129 0.17

FR

SA

1842 0.48

1918 0.40

1952 0.34

SU

MO

2026 0.29

2100 0.27

1.66 0342 1.60 15 0420 0944 0.45 30 0922 0.51 1612 1.58 1541 1.48 MO

2213 0.20

TU



2134 0.26

FR

SA

SU

MO

TU

1842 0.22

1930 0.16

2016 0.14

2100 0.15

2142 0.20

SA

SU

MO

TU

WE

1841 0.33

1917 0.26

1953 0.22

2030 0.20

2109 0.20

1.60 0405 1.63 15 0437 1002 0.50 30 0943 0.51 1622 1.44 1600 1.43 WE

2222 0.27

TH

2149 0.23

MO

TU

WE

TH

FR

1951 0.15

2033 0.18

2114 0.23

2152 0.30

2230 0.37

TU

WE

TH

FR

SA



1924 0.18

2006 0.16

2049 0.18

2134 0.22

2220 0.28

0515 1.58 1.49 15 0518 1100 0.53 30 1059 0.42 1726 1.39 1717 1.29 SA



2307 0.45

SU

2308 0.37

1.58 31 0445 1023 0.52 1643 1.40



FR

WE

2012 0.22

TH

FR

SA

2051 0.26

2128 0.32

2203 0.38

SU

2239 0.44



Height datum is Lowest Astronomical Tide Moon Symbols

 New Moon

FR

SA

SU

MO



1948 0.15

2036 0.17

2124 0.22

2212 0.29

2300 0.38

1.48 0542 1.57 15 0519 1116 0.47 30 1141 0.28 1737 1.27 1827 1.41 MO

2315 0.52



TU

2347 0.49

1.50 31 0628 1230 0.28 1936 1.38 WE

2231 0.28



© Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2012

TH

Bureau of Meteorology

National Tidal Centre

When daylight saving time is in force, add one hour to times

 First Quarter

 Full Moon

 Last Quarter

Tide predictions for Port Phillip Heads have been formatted by the National Tidal Centre, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Copyright reserved. All material is supplied in good faith and is believed to be correct. It is supplied on the condition that no warranty is given in relation thereto, that no responsibility or liability for errors or omissions is, or will be, accepted and that the recipient will hold MHL and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology Australia free from all such responsibility or liability and from all loss or damage incurred as a consequence of any error or omission. Predictions should not be used for navigational purposes. Use of these tide predictions will be deemed to include acceptance of the above conditions.

98

DECEMBER 2014

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100

DECEMBER 2014