Victoria and Tasmania Fishing Monthly - July 2014

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Features

Locations

The Australian Lure Expo • Fishing action cams • Riding the surf’s rewards • Robbie’s 10 best tackle choices •

A quick guide to Cairn Curran • Essential Murray fishing and camping tips •

Tried and Tested

Power Pole Micro Anchor • SeaCraft Snapper 425 • 535 Bluefin Stormcat • Old Town Predator 13 • Samurai Kestrel • MajorCraft Crostage •

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July 2014, Vol. 11, No. 8

Contents WEST COAST

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REGULAR FEATURES Back to Basics 80 Boating 82 Chappy’s Hotspot 28 Dam Levels 50 Fun Page 85 Inland Fisheries Service 66 Kayak 48 Spearfishing 63 Tasmanian Lake Levels 65 Tournament News 68 Trade and Services Guide 90 Victorian Tide Times 88 VRFish 39 What’s New Boating 84 What’s New Fishing 44

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OUR COVER The second winner of our Front Cover comp was Master Krueger who caught this golden perch on an Outlaw Spinnerbait. He started fishing as soon as he could walk and can tie knots and work a lure like a pro!

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finished up on the day we left in driving rain with the water temperature just under 14°C. We caught fish on cast lures, in fact the best was a cracking 79cm cod that nailed a Custom Crafted Fish Stik, and we learnt all about persistence.

My best lure for the trip was the No.2 StumpJumper, but we did catch fish on spinnerbaits as well. We found that most of the cod hit on the first or second cast at a prime location, but the goldens took up to 20 casts. It meant we fished far fewer snags but it also meant we caught fish and we really got to know some of our favourite snags a little better.

With the Melbourne Boat Show behind us and the year now over the halfway point, it’s full steam ahead into the build up for snapper season, the reopening of the trout rivers and a last desperate search for some big cold water cod!

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come back that would put a 20-something back in his place.

Usually that 20-something was me or Adam as we thought we were baiting KG, but he was actually baiting us. I still smile at the memory of KG and the team at Tasmanian Devil Lures has created a new colour, the KG Special (pictured), in honour of the man. If the lure is anything like the man, look out trout!

BACK TO REALITY I am sitting at my desk writing this with pictures of my week away on the Murray still flashing across the computer screen in the background. I love the waters of the Murray and fishing it with good mates makes the experience all that much better.

I discovered that I like warm weather better, but fishing wise it was good to learn a little bit more about catching cod and goldens in cold and getting colder water. The week started with water temps at 17°C and

AUST

Riding the surf’s rewards A quick guide to Cairn Curran Essential Murray fishing and camping tips Robbie’s 10 best tackle choices Testing Booth: Power Pole Micro Anchor Fishing action cams Australian Lure Expo

didn’t act high and mighty and talk down to a snotty 16 year old hanging around like a bad smell at Compleat Angler Ringwood with Adam ‘Mad Dog’ Royter, Chris Cromie and Dick O’Sullivan. I wasn’t even ‘in’ the industry and I was at least 5 years from writing my first article, yet Bob was welcoming and simply amazing.

When I got a part time job at Compleat Angler after uni, Bob was just as helpful and, right up to a few years ago, when he spent time at Cranbourne Fishing Tackle and JM Gillies, every time we met up it was with warm smiles, a rep’s coffee and half an hour of my life that I will always treasure.

Rest in Peace Bob. I am so glad I had the chance to know you, be taught by you and be friends with you.

Another one of the greats also passed earlier this year. KG was one of those old school stirrers who was just fun to be around and always had a smart

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TASMANIA WRAP

I guess I must be getting to that age where people I considered mentors, legends and all round nice blokes are starting to leave us for better fishing paddocks in the sky.

After 23 years of working with or in the fishing industry I suppose it’s going to happen, but every time it does it still saddens me a lot.

Recently one of the truly great people in the industry (and more specifically the Victorian industry) passed away. Bob Cummings was a man amongst men and his passing last month leaves a hole in the industry that is not easily filled by today’s people. Bob was old school.

A man who knew just about everything about his products and loved the industry and its people. He was one of the first people in the industry who I truly respected, from the very first meeting he remembered my name, he took time to talk to me about my interests and

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VICTORIAN FRESHWATER Horsham 50 Mildura 52 Crater Lakes 52 Bendigo 53 Eucha 53 Melbourne Metro 54 Ballarat 54 Robinvale 55 Shepparton 56 Yarra Valley 56 Eildon 57 Bonnie Doon 57 Yarrawonga 60 Wangaratta 60 Kiewa Valley 61 West/South Gippsland 61 Central Gippsland 62

From the Editor’s Desk...

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NEW SOUTH COAST Eden 38 Merimbula 40 Narooma 40 Bermagui 41

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EAST COAST Inverloch 33 Welshpool 34 Ninety-Mile Beach 35 McLoughlins Beach 36 Gippsland Lakes 36 Lakes Entrance 37 Marlo 38 Mallacoota 38

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Geelong 18 Port Phillip West 20 Port Phillip East 22 Port Phillip North East 24 Rosebud 26 Western Port North 28 Western Port South 30 Phillip Island 32

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Robe 12 Portland 14 Warrnambool 14 Apollo Bay 16 Cobden 16

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Riding the surf’s rewards WESTERN PORT STH

Jarrod Day jarrodday@iprimus.com.au

There is no doubting that a Victorian winter is cold and bleak but on the brighter side, the salmon fishing really hots up. Victoria’s rugged coastline abounds with salmon during the cooler months providing land-based anglers with a few months of sensational fishing opportunities.

During early May, hords of salmon enter Port Phillip Bay and Western Port rounding up large schools of baitfish.

They stay in the confines of these two waterways until late May after which they seem to all but disappear. It is at this time that the salmon follow the schools of baitfish into the surf zones and spread out right along the coast.

Further to the east and west, this is a little different as the fish filter in from offshore and enter the surf zones for the winter months.

While they take up residence, anglers from right around the state, descend on their local beaches keen to get into the action.

BASIC SURF SETUP Victorian surf fishing tends not to warrant the elite in fishing gear but due to the high salinity of the beaches, the constant spray of salt and sand can take its toll on rods and reels if they don’t receive regular maintenance.

Williamsons Beach is known to support good numbers of big salmon. If you’re after the big models, this is the beach for you.

The basic outfit is a 10-12ft rod rated 8-10kg and while the fish average a 1-2kg, the reason for such a heavy rod is to support a heavy casting weight. Mostof the beaches will require star sinkers in either a 5-6oz weight to combat side wash, which occurs during a strong blow.

If you’re into spinning with lures then a much lighter rod will be required. Rods in a 9ft length with a casting weight of 60g will allow more control of the lure on the retrieve.

When it comes to matching a reel to your chosen rod, you will require something that is going to last. For most of the beaches being fished, smaller reels in a 6000 series will fit the

bill and hold more than enough line. In the past, anglers once used reels capable of holding 400m of 25lb monofilament whereas nowadays a reel that holds 300m of 20lb braid will suffice. If you’re targeting gummy sharks you may want to grab a larger reel with something in the 8000 or 10,000 series that’s capable of holding at least 300m of 50lb braid.

When it comes to spinning you only need a smaller sized reel with something in a 4000 series that is loaded with 10lb braid.

POPULAR BEACHES GUNNAMATTA Gunnamatta surf beach is the most popular beach to fish

Early mornings and late afternoons are far more productive than during the middle of the day, especially during a run in tide.

from along the Mornington Peninsula. With around 15km of fishable beach, it abounds with deep gutters in which salmon can be found.

From the sand dunes anglers have good visibility along both sides of the beach to choose which gutter to begin fishing.

Tackle and tactics The gutters along Gunnamatta are quite deep on the top of the high tide while on the low; tend to shallow out causing the fish to move out of casting range. Before casting out the first bait, take a minute to set a berley trail to attract the fish to the chosen gutter.

Providing you keep this berley trail constant, the fish will move in quite quickly. The most productive technique is to use a paternoster rig tied from 15lb fluorocarbon leader with two droppers each containing a 1/0 bait holder hook. The sand crabs aren’t that bad along here so surf poppers are only an option not a requirement. Blue bait, white bait and pipi are all worthy baits to use.

Gunnamatta is also an extremely productive beach to fish for gummy sharks. They tend to show up a few days before and after the full moon when the tides are greater.

A light berley trail is required to attract gummies to the area fished – this can be done by using an onion bag with a pre-purchased frozen tuna log placed into it. Secured off to a rod holder, this berley can wash around in the surf attracting fish.

The most effective rig is a fixed sinker rig tied from 60lb trace. The reason for such heavy leader is to aid when dragging the fish through the

One of the advantages of using a paternoster rig is that when the fish are thick you can catch two at a time. shore break. Most of the time fish are lost when waves dump on them in the shallows.

The ideal hook is a Black Magic 6/0 KL circle so the fish can hook itself. Gummies respond well to a wide variety of baits but where possible, fresh trevally fillet, salmon fillet or calamari is by far the most effective.

CAPE WOOLAMAI Cape Woolamai surf beach also incorporates Anzacs Beach. When the salmon are firing, this entire stretch fishes very well, although anglers will have to be aware of surfers from time to time.

When the tide is high, salmon will move in to the close gutters in search of food enabling anglers to cast

Small baits are more effective and will enable a better hook up rate than when using big bulky baits that often cover the hook point.

in close to where they will be located.

Tackle and tactics Cape Woolamai is an extremely popular beach in winter mainly due to its close proximity to Melbourne. The gutters are quite deep and some are lined with rocks and reef, which keep the gutters at a constant depth.

Fishing around the rocks can lead to snags and bustoffs in which a paternoster rig tied from 20lb fluorocarbon will benefit. To further avoid snagging, it pays to use spoon sinkers. These have no sharp edges and can be pulled from rocky crevices rather than becoming snagged.

While the salmon may be wide spread, berley will aid in confining them to the gutter you’re fishing.

Berley methods should be undertaken in the same manner as with the other beaches by using an onion bag filled with fish scraps, pilchards or tuna oil soaked pellets. The most productive fishing is during the rising tide and in particular on days where it is overcast.

This will keep the fish in close rather than scattered along the entire beach.

Lure fishing is also productive with both soft plastics and metal lures catching their fair share of fish. When a berley trail is

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Salmon fishing warrants the correct tackle to be successful, light leader, quality hooks and the right bait will do the job. established, it pays to cast and retrieve lures through the trail.

Remember when berleying that you don’t have to cast great distances. Nearly always, the salmon will swim right into the shore break looking for the food source. In this case, discarding the bait rod and using a lure rod can be highly entertaining.

KILCUNDA Kilcunda incorporates two beaches, Kilcunda Main Beach and Cemetery Beach that is located a few hundred meters to the left. These two beaches receive most of attention during the winter period mainly because of their easy access points from along the Bass Highway.

Kilcunda has two main gutters to the left and right of the stairs with a large

rocky point also on the left.

Cemetery on the other hand also has two main gutters that are quite deep.

These two beaches fish well during a westerly blow but can become quite weedy making fishing a challenge.

Tackle and tactics Kilcunda and Cemetery beaches can be descried as ‘standing room only’ during the winter months for the reason that they can be absolutely packed on weekends. These two beaches always fish well throughout the winter and while they aren’t known for numbers of big fish, are still very consistent with fish ranging 300g to 2kg on occasion.

When the westerlies winds blow the weed can heavily affect the fishing. In this case,

a paternoster rig tied from 20lb fluorocarbon leader will offer some abrasion resistance and strength against the kelp, which you may become tangled in.

Salmon have quite a big mouth so stick to using a 1/0 sized bait holder style hook.

Salmon will respond well to a variety of baits but most fish tend to be taken on blue bait, white bait and pipi.

Like all surf beaches, berley is an effective method to keep the fish confined to the gutter you’re fishing.

Often, anglers will fish the

beach and just cast out a single bait. While they will catch a fish or two, using berley will bring in the whole school.

WILLIAMSONS BEACH Williamsons Beach is arguably the producer of the largest salmon caught right along this section of the coast but not to give false hope; if they aren’t there when you first begin fishing, they will be somewhere along this stretch of beach.

To find them, use a little berley and fish the high tide.

Williamsons Beach is very

Berleying is extremely effective in the surf and will attract salmon from far and wide.

No one ever said it was warm in winter but when the fish are going it is standing room only. deep on the high tide, which is why larger sized fish are regularly caught.

Tackle and tactics Williamsons Beach has two main gutters almost directly in front of the walking path as you enter the beach.

These two gutters fish best on the rising tide as the gutters can often be carved deeper, stirring up the sand. Salmon will push in close at this time and with a consistent berley trail you’ll attract them in no time.

There are many different ways to berley effectively but for a constant flow without having to remember to toss in a handful, use an onion bag and secure it to a rod holder. A paternoster rig is still the most effective but should be tied from 20lb fluorocarbon with 2/0 sized bait holder hooks.

This beach can experience some very strong side wash

due to its depth and anglers will require 5-6oz star or grappling sinkers to hold bottom.

If berley is being used and the side wash is considerably strong, a 5-6oz bomb sinker should be used to slowly drift with the berley trail.

If you’re casting baits out and noticing the berley washing to the left or right you will find you won’t get much action. Staying in the berley trail is the key to success on any beach.

While there are specific techniques associated with different beaches, the main key to success is to use berley. It can be the difference between going home with a feed rather than empty-handed. The next time you’re thinking about hitting the surf, grab an onion bag, some pellets and tuna oil and get fishing.

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A quick guide to Cairn Curran GEELONG

Marcel Krieger

Cairn Curran Reservoir is approximately 2 hours North West of Melbourne near the historic gold mining townships of Maldon and Newstead. A popular spot for fishing and boating, home to Murray cod, golden perch, trout and redfin.

Facilities along the foreshore include picnic areas with electric BBQ’s, toilets and two caravan parks. One near the dam wall at Baringhup and one on the eastern side at Welshmans Reef.

Completed in 1956, the Reservoir supplies water for irrigation along the Loddon River. A hydro electric power station generates electricity when irrigation and flood releases are being made.

For me, a long weekend in Victoria means the chance to go camping and fishing with the family. I think it is a great idea to introduce your kids to sleeping in a tent or swag and enjoy nature and our Australian way of life. There is something about getting away from our

Above Left: Using both baitcaster and spin gear with a variety of lures including spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits and varying deep diving lures maximises your chances of hooking up and having the correct outfit for the location.

Above Right: Trolling with both large cod lures and deep diving lures means you always have a chance to hook up to a cod.

Far Right: The sun setting on Lake Cairn Curran means the day is nearly over and time to head back to your chair around the camp fire.

Right: Using a Minn Kota electric motor around the timber is a great way to be stealthy and pin point your targets with lures.

Note the laydown timber on the rocky bank where we pulled a yellowbelly on a spinnerbait.

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Camping with the family on a beautiful long weekend close to home has got to be good. busy lifestyles with modern technology and waking up to the screeches of a pack of overzealous cockatoos as the sun is rising.

Normally I would head somewhere along the Murray River to chase cod and goldens, however, Cairn Curran provides a great location close to home with a reputation for great fish captures and all the facilities such as toilets, hot showers and boat ramps to make camping with the family simple.

On a large waterway such as Cairn Curran Reservoir

it is important to target potential fish holding areas with various techniques.

With large bays likely to have water skiers present, look to the timber and rocky points as your initial targets.

I recommend to have a variety of rods and rigs with baitcasters and spin gear in my arsenal. I love to throw lures and actively target snags and use a baitcaster outfit with spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits or metal blades. On my spin gear I rig a variety of bibbed lures for differing depths and sizes.

You never know when those

large cod will take a liking to your lure and it is best to have a decent sized cod lure rigged and ready for action. I know our editor Steve Booth has a fetish for red and black cod lures.

For bait fishing use an outfit rigged with a running sinker that you can bob and jig next to the trees. Scrubworms are a favourite in these parts and often you will find them in the moist gullies under some old rotting timber. This is another great pastime that the kids will enjoy, just watch out for the snakes during the summer months.

Casting lures to the rocky banks is a great option when fishing Cairn Curran Reservoir. Make sure you keep an eye on the sounder and have a lure on that dives close to the bottom.

When looking at jigging the timber remember the old faithful lures like Baltic Bobbers and ice jigs. Redfin and golden perch won’t be able to resist a well presented lolly dancing in front of them.

During the warmer months, the large golden perch and cod move to the

deeper and more comfortable water, temperature wise.

The steep rocky banks that slope down into the vertical timber can be the perfect areas to target, particularly for the early morning or late afternoon bite periods.

Using technology such as a Minn Kota electric motor to stealthily move between the trees and pitch casts to all options, including the rocky banks and standing timber, increases your chances of hooking up. Make sure you work over any horizontal timber and laydowns. Many of these can also be found using your sounder and side imaging technology.

Goldens love to make timber their home and can’t resist a well presented spinnerbait.

I found purple to be one of their favourites.

Targeting redfin can be a rewarding exercise to partake in with the kids. These feisty

fish will aggressively hit a lure and at certain times of the year can be in large numbers in the Reservoir. They vary in size and are a great eating fish. There is no legal minimum size or bag limit.

Trolling the large bays and weed edges can be one of the simplest ways to get a bent rod and pass it to the kids to wind in and watch the excitement on their faces when a fish is kicking around in the boat. Just remember redfin are from the perch family and have a sharp gill rakers and large spikes. The easiest way to hold them is with a thumb grip in their large mouths.

Trolling up redfin is a great option with the kids. Using the Minn Kota to troll is an easy way to hook up and then hit the Spot Lock function while the kids reel them in.

A good size golden perch is always a welcome treat in the boat and brings a smile to your face.

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I stayed at the caravan park at Welshmans Reef and the ability to have a hot shower before a camp cook up is a Godsend.

They kids loved playing on the foreshore and going to the kiosk for a bag of lollies. There is something relaxing about kicking back in a chair around a camp fire.

Cairn Curran Reservoir is a great close to home option to catch a fish and have a great weekend with the family. A short drive home means you can get home early and still get a few chores done around the house before hitting the grind at work the next day.

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10 essential Murray fishing and camping tips FMG

Stephen Booth sbooth@fishingmonthly.com.au

Having just returned from my annual camping and fishing trip along the Murray I thought I’d put together a 10 point tips list of things that I reckon are vitally important for a fun and comfortable trip.

Some of these items are going to raise eyebrows, but hey, I am getting old and being comfortable – especially given the cold this year – makes all of these items indispensible.

I’ll preface all this prattle by saying that we boat into our camping destination so we are a little limited in what we can take. When we go car-based camping the list of comfort items grows substantially.

So let’s take a look at what I reckon are great accessories for fishing and camping on the Murray.

1. OLD MAN’S URINAL BOTTLE This is the best thing I have ever discovered for camping. Essentially it’s a night time pee bottle that you can buy for under $20 from most chemists. At night they are simple to use (blokes only sorry!) and mean you do not have to get out of your warm sleeping bag, trip over everything in the tent and make it outside to do what you need to do.

One tip is to make sure you pop the lid on properly (I’ve mucked this up before!) and always empty it out the next morning. And when you stop laughing, every single person I have camped with who has used this, now owns one!

2. TOILET SEAT A comfortable toilet seat needs no explanation. We all do it and being a little bit more at ease at the important time makes everything just that much better. We use an OzTrail toilet chair that cost around $35 new.

It folds down smaller than a camp chair and weighs nothing. You will still need to have a shovel to dig a hole though as the last thing we need is people droping their business and leaving the evidence out in the open. It’s disgusting and probably unsafe and illegal. Look after the bush and keep it clean, after all that’s why you’re there in the first place.

3. A BOAT Seems logical, but a boat of almost any description is a must if you’re camping and fishing on the Murray.

A boat allows you to access water, position yourself in the best spots and, for us anyway, is a means to get our gear to and from the campsite. While we use the latest and greatest in electric motors and sounders, all of that is essentially fluff as you can generally see the snags you’ll be fishing and you can work out the

A boat is an essential tool when you’re on the Murray camping.

weight. I’ve gone through cheap chairs, expensive chairs and mid-priced chairs.

None are really any better than the others in terms of longevity so when it’s time for a new chair I simply look at the comfort level. A chair I can fall asleep in while the fire is crackling has my name written all over it. And yes my physio generally hates my chair choices, as does my back specialist.

5. A TARP THAT’S BIG ENOUGH Whether it’s raining or it’s shining a decent tarp is mandatory. I have two tarps, a small one for quick camps of one or two nights and ‘The Beast’ for extended trips. The Beast takes a lot of work and effort to set up, but when it’s done you have the best roof over your head you’ll need. Sturdy pegs, good ropes and spreader bars are all things people forget, but make sure these are given as

A big tarp is worth its weight in gold when the weather turns foul.

This is the OzTrail toilet seat. Simple and effective and really comfortable.

Enough rods and reels to sink a battleship!

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even when it’s cold. Last trip we didn’t bring any bait and simply tossed in some leaves and twigs and within one night we had enough shrimp to keep us busy bait fishing. Obviously the warmer the weather the more shrimp and the number of pots needed will be dictated by the state’s regulations and also the amount of bait needed.

Make sure they are on every Murray trip.

7. MORE LURES THAN YOU OWN Part of the beauty of going fishing on the Murray is adding to already ridiculous amounts of lures by visiting every tackle shop on the way to the boat ramp. I am a lure tragic and even though I had heaps of lures with me, on our last trip I still managed to buy 6 spinnerbaits and 10 hardbodied lures before the trip. Did I use them all? Nah, but that’s not the point. One

depth pretty quickly with your lures. Having said that, I’d feel naked without an electric and a good sounder… so you’d better have them too.

4. A COMFY SEAT Relaxing around the campfire should be just that, a relax. Find a chair that is comfortable for you and is strong enough to take your

much importance as the tarp and poles or you’ll regret it at some stage. Spreader bars are awesome – get some!

6. SHRIMP POTS Getting your own bait is part and parcel of fishing anywhere. On the Murray a shrimp pot is mandatory equipment as it will provide you with fresh, live bait for the duration of your stay –

day they may just be the best lure of the trip – one day.

8. TACKLE RETRIEVER If you are a keen lure fisher and you do not own a lure retriever, then you’re pretty silly. Given most cost about the same as a couple of lures I can almost guarantee that after the first day these wonderful inventions will have paid for themselves. Whether it’s a weighted tackle retriever or a push pole, it doesn’t matter. These items should be considered as important as the rods and reels you decide to take.

9. RODS AND REELS Take what rods and reels you think you will need and then add two more outfits.

Why? Because stuff breaks and the last thing you want is to be left watching your mate use the only rod left in service. I’ve only ever busted one rod fishing the Murray, but a friend of mine had every rod in his boat broken by a falling eucalypt branch one year. That was a sad day! It doesn’t happen often, but having a spare or two back at camp can and will save the day on any given trip.

Top: Is there anything better than sitting around a campfire on the banks of any waterway?

Above: Fishing with people who you can have fun with is what getting away from it all is ultimately about. trip with you again and again. They’ll remind you of past errors, celebrate your success and give you someone to bounce ideas off when you’re struggling to turn a scale. If your

camping and fishing buddy has opposite views to you on things like catch and release, how to fish or what you’re going to eat, then trouble is looming. Have a bromance, get away with the

SA022

10. GOOD COMPANY Choose carefully here.

The best trips are always those shared with good company regardless of the fishing success. Good friends will celebrate the

A tackle retriever will pay for itself on the first trip! family or do it yourself if you like your own company the best, just make sure you do it.

So there you go, a short little list of the things I find are indispensible on any

camping and fishing trip.

Don’t wait to get out there, just jump on in and do it.

Enjoying the Murray is part of Aussie fishing culture.

Just remember to leave only footprints and take

out what you take in. Even better, collect a bag or two of rubbish from the camp site that others have left. It will help keep us camping into the future and not have access denied.

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Fortune favours the brave ROBE

Daniel Peart

As the harsh reality of winter sets in over the next month, it’s the brave that will be rewarded with quality table fish from the surf. When weather permits and everything lines up, excellent catches can still be had right through out the winter.

Australian salmon have been making their way into Salt Creek’s gutters through early winter and will only improve as the seas get rougher and the weather gets colder. Average size fish for this time of year are typically in the 1-2kg range.

Larger hard fighting salmon up to 4kg shouldn’t be far away now. Once salmon reach this size they are a highly underrated sports fish.

Their spectacular leaps as they attempt to throw hooks are enough to get any angler’s blood pumping!

PORT MACDONNELL Offshore fishing continues to fire with plenty of tuna still being boated. While it seems the larger ‘barrels’ have now shifted east beyond the border, quality fish up to 20kg (although the average fish are

EW

N

slightly smaller) can still be found quite easily. These fish have been wide spread and found schooling anywhere from 40m deep to right out beyond the shelf where albacore are still being landed.

Fish have been falling to a mixture of small 6” jet-headed skirts and of course the ever-reliable deep diving hardbodies, such as the Halco Laser Pro, especially in the pilchard pattern.

On a slightly smaller but tastier note, garfish have been in good numbers for early winter, hopefully a sign of good things to come.

All the usual protected

waters between Hut Bay and Livingstons are all worthy of a look when conditions allow.

Finding clean water is always my first rule when finding garfish; along with a good area of weedy bottom. It shouldn’t take too long to find them with a hint of berley.

Inside the breakwater still turns up the odd small bag of King George whiting.

Trevally, tommies, garfish and mullet can all be found in the same area if the whiting won’t co-operate. This is a good spot when the weather turns for the worst as it is quite protected nestled away behind the breakwater.

Further up the coast, between Canunda and Beachport, the beaches have certainly lived up to their reputation for salmon. Daytime high tides have seen salmon to 2kg consistently roam the beaches with the Beachport salmon hole being the pick early on in the season, when the weather allows.

Canunda has also been amongst the action and anglers choosing to stay and bait fish into the night have been rewarded with mulloway up to 10kg.

GLENELG RIVER Small to just-legal sized mulloway have been spread

Dwayne Orr with a double-take of bluefin.

Offshore fishing continues to fire with plenty of tuna still being boated.

Daniel Pittaway with an average sized bluefin tuna.

throughout the river in fair numbers. Most anglers targeting them haven’t had too much trouble finding schools of small fish with legal size fish very rare.

Fishing pilchards as light as possible has been bringing the best results.

It was this time last year we saw an amazing run of quality sized mulloway. Fingers-

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End nigh but on a big high WARRNAMBOOL

Mark Gercovich mgercovich@hotmail.com

Come July we should be nearing the end of what has been a pretty impressive tuna season. There have been plenty of fish at the shelf, with barrels at various locations, and good numbers of albacore and mahi mahi.

Good weather windows have kept local fishers, and many who make the journey down to the southwest, fairly content.

Only one barrel was landed locally with a 93kg fish landed by Dan Hoey of Salty Dog Charters off Point Fairy in May. During July the tuna are still often there but a lack of suitable conditions and the fact

that most have been giving it a good crack for a few months, tends to limit the number of boats chasing the fish.

Offshore anglers have also been using the recent good weather conditions to their advantage by targeting the local gummy shark population. The proliferation of tuna frames and bits and pieces make for great bait at this time of year for this pursuit. Once again, gummies are still a viable July target, if the weather allows and we are due for some serious winter weather given the brilliant late autumn conditions.

The Hopkins River has still been producing the odd mulloway surprise for bream anglers either fishing with cut mullet or lures.

The good size estuary perch

that were biting well in the freshwater section of the Hopkins during May, should be moving downstream and be a viable target in the estuary section during May. Despite the cooling conditions good catches of bream and estuary perch can be taken on deepwater techniques, such as vibing and heavily weighted plastics in areas around the ski lane section.

The Moyne River has also been fishing well of late with some big daytime tides for a variety of species, including mullet, trevally, small salmon, bream and the odd school mulloway.

The trout fishing that began to fire with the rain in May, soon dropped off with the ensuing weeks of fine warm weather.

Even though it is July

and most trout streams in the state are closed, there are still sections of some local rivers open for trout fishing due to their sea-run classification. They are: the Merri River (downstream of the Bromfield Weir) the Hopkins River (downstream of the Hopkins Falls), the Moyne River (downstream of the Toolong Bridge) and the Gellibrand River (downstream of the Great Ocean Road Bridge.)

The number of northerly wind days recently has produced plenty of suitable conditions for those targeting salmon along the surf beaches. Wandering along casting a metal slice is a productive method that continues to gain popularity as opposed to the more traditional stationary bait fishing techniques.

One of those finicky inshore tuna from 45m off Point Fairy.

Roll out the barrels PORTLAND

Nigel Fisher

What a big tuna season we are having here in Portland? Fish from 10kg up to 135kg keep everyone coming back for more. If you’re after big numbers of tuna and albacore, then most guys are still heading to the shelf.

The albacore have been great this year, with sizes up to 30kg. The school

tuna have been up around the same. The X-Rap lures and skirts, such as Lumos have done a great job.

Now for the big boys!

The barrels are keeping everyone on their toes this year with some great fish landed and some that have got away to live another day. These fish have ranged around the 80-135kg so far, with a good chance of bigger. It seems that 6-9” skirts are very inviting to these big fish.

We have also seen

some very big thresher sharks come in that have also taken the tuna lures.

One monster went 126kg off Sharkmen Charters.

The guys that have been mixing it up a bit with a bottom bounce after catching tuna, have had a mixed bag of blue eye, sharks, snapper and the odd trumpeter.

Bridge Water Bay has been fishing well for flathead of good sizes and gummy and school sharks. Squid and pilchards are great for these fish, plus bloodlines out of the tuna are also doing a great job. There have been some nice flathead behind the corkscrew to the smelter drifting in the 10-20m water range and found they love pipis and white baits and pilchards.

The breakwater has been a bit slow with small pinkies and the odd salmon, but a few nice sharks have been caught in the night. The north shore is also fishing well for pike, pinkies, sharks

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The barrels are keeping everyone on their toes this year with some great fish landed. and the odd big whiting.

Again pilchards, squid, pipis and white baits are great around this area.

July should hopefully still see some great tuna coming into the cleaning tables and will be interesting to see how many barrels come in.

This time last year also saw some good deep-sea fish, such as blue eye and trumpeter and there were some great snapper up to 6kg and good size school sharks mixed in. Let’s hope

the weather gives us the chance to keep fishing these great fish. We should see some good salmon coming off the Breakwater and the beaches and generally start seeing good sizes up to 4kg. The Breakwater also produces some big seven gillers at night coming in for a feed.

We should see some good winter bream out of the rivers. Baits, such as prawns, worms and pipis, as well as hardbody lures and soft plastics are working a treat.

The Glenelg River has been producing good perch and we should see some good size mulloway come on the chew. Let’s hope the fishing keeps up in good numbers this July.

• For all your bait and tackle needs call into Portland compleat angler and say g’day to the team or contact us on 03 5521 1844. We can also give you weather and fishing updates anytime and fishing licences also available in store.

Improving recreational fishing Fisheries Victoria would like to hear your ideas!

Join them for a public forum with VRFish to learn more about what Fisheries Victoria is doing to improve recreational fishing across the state.

Fisheries Victoria is committed to consulting widely with anglers as part of the Victorian State Government’s $16 million Recreational Fishing Initiative.

Come along and have your say, or if you cannot make it then email your ideas to improving.fishing@depi.vic.gov.au or post them on www.facebook.com/DEPIFisheries Location

Date

Time

Melbourne

Wednesday 16 July

7-9 pm

Mornington

Tuesday 22 July

7-9 pm

Greensborough

Thursday 24 July

7-9 pm

Greensborough Angling Club, 161 Para Road, Greensborough

Torquay

Wednesday 30 July

7-9 pm

Torquay Angling Club, The Esplanade, Fisherman’s Beach, Torquay

Ballarat

Tuesday 5 August

7-9 pm

Ballarat Fly Fishers Club, Lake Wendouree, Cnr Wendouree Parade and Pleasant Rd

Bendigo

Wednesday 6 August

7-9 pm

Bendigo Legion Angling Club, Gateway Rotary Park, 26 High St, Kangaroo Flat

Warrnambool

Wednesday 13 August 7-9 pm

Warrnambool and District Anglers Club, Cnr Simpson St and Otway Rd, Warrnambool

Lakes Entrance

Wednesday 20 August 7-9 pm

Gippsland Lakes Fishing Club, Bullock Island, Lakes Entrance

Wodonga

Tuesday 26 August

DEPI Offices, 1 McKoy St, Wodonga

Nagambie

Wednesday 27 August 7-9pm

7-9 pm

Venue Albert Park Yachting and Angling Club, 129B Beaconsfield Parade, Albert Park (Kerferd Rd Pier) Snapper Point Angling Club, Mornington Yacht Club, Schnapper Point Drive, Mornington

Nagambie Angling Club, Mcleods St, Kirwins Bridge, Nagambie

www.depi.vic.gov.au/fishing

Apollo fishing hits a high APOLLO BAY

Daniel Kent apollobaysurfshop@bigpond.com

Bang! Just like that the fishing scene off Apollo Bay goes full crazy. The return of 100kg+ tuna off Cape Otway has the fishing world in a spin. Large numbers of school tuna

in the 15-25kg range are being sighted everywhere from 30m of water off Blanket Bay to right out on the big reef some 40km offshore.

I’ve had plenty of questions regarding how to catch them as trolling just doesn’t seem to be working for some anglers. When the tuna are in this funny mood,

casting small metal lures or soft plastics into the bust ups is your best option. You need to pull the trolling rods out of the water and be ready to blast over to the next patch of feeding fish.

The tuna move quickly so keep an eye on the birds to help direct you to where the next feeding frenzy is about to take place. Don’t

Local young gun Ben Rippon caught this beaut brown trout of around 4lb from the Aire River.

drive the boat into the bust ups instead stay just wide of them and make long casts into the action and you should have no trouble hooking them up.

The big tuna have been in 55-70m south of Cape Otway. Trolling a mix of diving and skirted lures around the bait balls has worked best. There have even been several yellowtail kingfish caught as by-catch in this same area. Nobody knows how long these fish will stay in this area so my advice is to get out there asap.

Anglers bait fishing 40m off Cape Otway have been getting an easy feed with plenty of small snapper and gummy sharks on the bite.

Large schools of salmon are working the coastline with some boats reporting excellent captures off the back of Marengo and along Wild Dog Beach. These fish can also be targeted from off the beach with either bait or lures.

The Aire River estuary is back to its best with bream and trout being caught from the Ocean Road Bridge down to the mouth. This part of the

Large bluefin tuna like this 124kg fish have been caught with many more being lost south of Cape Otway.

Aire River is unaffected by the trout closed season and as young local Ben Rippon found recently it holds some big old trout.

Trolling from a small tinny or casting from the banks with small hardbodied lures is the best way of

hooking onto a trout. Bream have been most active further down towards the camping grounds and will take baits of prawn or worms. A wide variety of lures can also be used to target these bream and work best when fished with a slow stop-start action.

Waiting for the water COBDEN

Rod Shepherd

Mid-April saw the Curdies River and lake at very low levels, however the water quality remained high unlike last year’s debacle. By mid-May the water was up thanks to welcome rain and, even though the mouth still remains closed, water is beginning to inundate the flats along the banks of the river.

This sporadic occurrence has somewhat put the bream out of many angler’s reach. The bites

and fish have tended to be patchy rather than the norm.

This will eventually abate and the bream will once again bite like fury and things will go back to normal until the next spawning run, which could take place anywhere from September onwards.

Until more rainfall occurs in the catchment, the bream will remain scattered right up and down this estuary. For instance, the beginning of winter saw me on the system armed with plastics and hardbodied lures and I managed to catch a few fish on the lake. I mostly used plastics fished hard and fast to keep just above

the bottom dwelling weed growth, but then just days later I had to venture right upstream and use hardbodied lures cast right up to the bank just to nab a few. This is the story ‘ad nauseam’ for many anglers whether they use bait or lure. It’s simply a waiting game until better times, which will occur as they always do.

The Hopkins River and the Gellibrand River at Princetown remain relatively quiet for big bream and perch due to a distinct lack of the species mentioned.

The floods of two or so years ago plus steady overfishing have diminished

An unlucky bream that fell to a Damiki Saemi 70 cast right up to the bank. It was released soon after the photo.

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the quality of bream on offer to anglers wetting a line in the ‘Hoppies’. In saying that, plenty of quality estuary perch are still available here. Unfortunately the same cannot be said about the Gellibrand, which is in recovery mode from a massive fish kill that occurred last year.

The southern bluefin tuna scene is fast approaching its zenith with huge barrels weighing in excess of 80kg being boated. And no, you don’t have to travel as far

afield as Portland to be in the running to catch these giants. Port Fairy and Warrnambool boaters have well and truly gotten into the mix and travelling out to the continental shelf is not a necessity with many schools now venturing well inshore.

It’s a pity that the Warrnambool Council is resting on its laurels regarding the revamping of the boat ramp to improve its safety for launching as well as the retrieval of rather expensive water craft. A new inner

break wall that prevents swell from damaging boats during launch and retrieval has been estimated at over $1Million, but the sheer number of visiting boaters who choose to launch from here would certainly pump this amount of money, plus more, back into the community. If a town or city has a defined tourist attraction that brings money into the community isn’t it prudent to encourage, not turn your back on this evergrowing asset?

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Whip up a feed at Wurdi GEELONG

Neil Slater njbamslater@bigpond.com

The Barwon in Geelong can really shut down this time of year so you are often better off slipping out to Wurdiboluc Reservoir near Moriac to have a crack at the reddies and trout.

Michael Evans gave Wurdi a good going over and has caught some ripping fish out of it lately. In his latest

exploits, Michael caught a redfin of 48cm casting a Fish Arrow soft plastic lure and a 45cm rainbow trout casting an orange Rapala X-Rap. CORIO BAY The King George whiting have been very quiet this year inside Corio Bay but things could improve over the next couple of years if the number of juvenile fish in the bay is anything to go by. Keen whiting fisho, Ross Winstanley says he has tried a few times but not returned

the quality or quantity of fish he did two years ago. His last fair dinkum trip inside Stingaree Bay yielded only two whiting of 36cm so he has decided to switch to trout until things warm up a bit.

Schools of Australian salmon have been popping up here and there in Corio Bay with no real set pattern.

The fish have been anywhere from 500g-1.4kg and have been caught from Point Henry, Geelong waterfront, North Shore rocks and

Cam, Mark, Chris and Harrison with a great SBT.

Michael Evans has been fishing hard at Wurdiboluc as the Barwon reddies have currently shut down.

Grammar School Lagoon.

Some good schools of bream have been hanging around the Geelong waterfront. Some days they are impossible to tempt and other days they bite like there’s no tomorrow. Soft plastic lures have been by far the most consistent with single tailed grubs in crawdad and motor oil colours doing well. There are stacks of small fish here but there are always a couple of 40cm

models holding around the back of the school. If you can get past the tiddlers, you’re in for some good sport.

This time of year can see some big snapper caught by those prepared to put in all-nighters cuddled up to a thermos. If you have plenty of warm clothing and the willpower, you can try out front of the Royal Geelong Yacht Club, off Western Beach and Corio Quay as these seem to be consistent

producers for big snapper in the depths of winter.

CLIFTON SPRINGS AND PORTARLINGTON Flathead and calamari have been the saviour for those keen to brave the cool weather. Hermsley to Point Henry has been okay for drifting and casting soft plastics while the squid jigs are in a rod holder while out off Portarlington has Grassy Point for squid and flathead.

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2-4m mark while the flatties are out around the 5m mark.

ST LEONARDS TO QUEENSCLIFF It is with great disappointment that I make mention of the ludicrous vandalism of the shed and equipment owned by long time fishing report provider, Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head.

Rod had a break in where vandals ransacked his boat

shed and drilled holes in many of his hire boats. It is clear that the vandals came prepared to specifically damage the boats as they were armed with a drill.

Rod still has a couple of viable boats for those keen on hiring a tinnie for a feast of Bellarine calamari.

Rod’s website is www. beachleaboathire.com.au and he can be contacted on 0403 890 565.

Rod, true to form, has reported that the squid are firing on the Bellarine Peninsula and that he has had a client return with a bag limit of rippers. The squid can be found by drifting with jigs over shallow reef areas from Grassy Point to Governor Reef. Rod also had another client return with a fair bag of king George whiting fishing just north of Swan Bay.

Rod says to find the whiting this winter you need to be prepared to keep moving until you find them as they can be quite fussy. Those keen on flathead should head out off St Leonards or Indented Head and rift with pilchard pieces or blue bait in depths between 10-15m.

BARWON HEADS AND SURF COAST Andrew Cachia contacted me recently asking about a few places to go down the coast.

After a few chats, Andrew decided to hit the Surf Coast at Fairhaven. Not a wasted trip as he caught and released plenty of salmon up to 30cm using pipis and whitebait for bait.

Mick Allardyce form Allyweld Group has had good reports of Australian salmon being caught from the beaches around Anglesea by anglers casting lures. Mick has also had reliable reports of southern Bluefin tuna out off Cape Patton, which is great news!

• 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).

This 45cm rainbow was caught on a Rapala at Wurdiboluc.

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Bigger, better and beyond PORT PHILLIP WEST

Brenton Hodges blhodgey@hotmail.com

A burst of warmer than expected weather leading in to winter certainly seems to have set the scene for some amazing fishing in and around Melbourne this month, and hopefully beyond.

Many pinkie snapper, along with the odd larger specimen, have been pushing well up into the Yarra River with some making off with

baits and lures intended for bream. These fish are expected to remain in the system for quite some time, particularly with the amount of bait in the form of yellow-eye mullet currently on offer.

School mulloway are another species for anglers who chase bream are likely to encounter through winter.

Indeed, some dedicated crew specifically target these silver shadows with live baits, metal vibes and paddle-tail soft plastics, and we’re now finding they’re

An unexpected late season feeding frenzy in the shallows at Port Melbourne resulted in some fine snapper for clients of Melbourne Fishing Charters.

beginning to show up more regularly on the inner reefs and around piers and jetties within the bay itself, as well as the metropolitan rivers.

WILLIAMSTOWN TO ALTONA Pinkies averaging 30-40cm and at times up to 60cm, which is approaching fully fledged snapper proportions, are on the go just outside the mouth of the Yarra River at Port Melbourne. Soft plastics and flesh baits presented in depths of 4-6m, especially early in the morning and late evening, have been effective.

Darren Weda from indepthangler.com.au spent a morning casting soft plastics in amongst the ruined remains of Princess Pier where he managed a dozen pinkie snapper to 48cm in relatively quick succession.

Once the sun was on the water however, the bite slowed considerably.

Andre Lindsey from Melbourne Fishing Charters put clients on to a session to remember when a school of late season reds to 4kg turned up at the same location.

Andre says he was actually targeting school mulloway,

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which have been frequenting the area of late, but the snapper soon took centre stage with multiple double hook ups and some blistering bust ups amongst the dense wooden structure. The unexpected hot bite occurred at dawn, which coupled with overcast conditions and high barometric pressure, proved a winning formula. The best bait on this occasion was the humble pilchard.

Little more than a few casts further west at Williamstown, reasonable numbers of pinkies have been taken on baits of fresh squid and half pilchards presented amongst a berley trail. The main reef just out from the football ground in 4 to 5m of water is the go, especially of evening.

Around at Altona, squid have been gathering in numbers across the inner reefs and weed beds with bag limit catches available on most outings. Among those to do well, Ray Caruana and his son Mason had no trouble putting a meal of calamari on the table after drifting the shallows with both white and green prawn imitation jigs.

POINT COOK TO POINT WILSON Flathead and squid have been absolutely on fire from Point Cook through to Werribee South as most anglers seem to be returning to the ramp with a feed.

Aided by a light to moderate breeze, drifting squid strips and blue bait in 4-6m of water out from the RAAF base has been producing some cracking flathead averaging 30-45cm, with some pushing 55cm, which is terrific sport for winter!

Aaron Bradbury says casting soft plastics in just 3m of water off Duncans Road has been highly effective on the flatties, while the squid have been equally responsive towards small jigs in a range of colours.

Youngster, Mason Caruana, and his father Ray, had no trouble putting together a bag of squid while drifting the inner reefs and weed beds at Altona.

YARRA AND MARIBYRNONG Bream and pinkie snapper continue to provide entertainment within the Yarra and Maribyrnong rivers, but the highlight to date has been the number of school mulloway currently residing in the system. Either side of a change in tide, when the current slows to a trickle, is undoubtedly prime time for schoolies, most of which have been averaging 55-75cm in length.

Targeting the base of bridges, jetty pylons and even patches of rubble in between the more obvious structures, has been producing and where you find one, there are generally a few more nearby.

WERRIBEE RIVER Michael Felsovary from Hooked on Bait and Tackle reports the Werribee River bream have been a little inconsistent of late, but those who take the time to source quality live baits are definitely

faring best. Mick has a good supply of live bloodworm in stock, along with plenty of small freshwater yabbies, which can be dynamite at times, especially after a decent drop of rain.

Fishing from the fixed wooden jetty and the floating pontoons at Werribee South has been effective for some, particularly after dark when bream to 35cm are responding well on the run-in tides.

Yellow-eye mullet have also been keeping land-based anglers busy with raw chicken, bread and various dough mixtures accounting for most.

BEEN FISHING? • If you would like to see your name and/or photograph published, please forward reports and images to blhodgey@hotmail.com.

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20

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21

Spices up on the bay PORT PHILLIP EAST

Lee Rayner info@fishingfever.com.au

Last month didn’t even feel like winter was really looming, with plenty of warmer days and lots of fishable weather that allowed anglers to get out on the water.

Needless to say when the weather is good it generally means that the fishing isn’t too far behind and this has certainly been the case over the past weeks with heaps and heaps (and heaps) of squid found all along the reef areas; not to mention pinkies, snook and still some quality flathead.

Then just to really spice things up there has even been the odd really solid snapper to be found in amongst the pinkies.

MORDIALLOC TO BLACK ROCK The creek has started to see the annual mullet run begin with the local anglers starting to do some real damage on their long poles, small floats and tiny baits of dough or pieces of peeled prawn and best of all this will only get better as this month rolls on.

Out on the pier the squid are leaving their mark, quite literally as they make black ink stains all over the pier as anglers lift them out of the water and onto the timber. This is also a great sign of what areas of the pier have been fishing well with the more black marks meaning the more squid in that location.

Off the end of the pier in the rougher conditions and at night the pinkies have been keeping anglers busy and while most are only in the 30-35cm size they are in fairly good numbers and there is the odd larger fish to 40cm kicking around. Best baits have been the good old pilly tail or baby bottle squid, both of which are fished on a paternoster rig.

For boatiees, the reef running along from Mordialloc all the way up to the Parkdale Pinnacles and including the Beaumaris Motor Yacht Squadron Pier have all been fishing very well for squid up to 1kg in weight.

Customer Ru has been smashing the calamari from a variety of landbased locations with the Evergreen 3.5XS pattern

in pink head shrimp and the brown/gold proving deadly. Ru said that that the best fishing is definitely when you get away from the crowds.

Up off Ricketts Point the pinkie brigade have been getting stuck into the small snapper with plenty of fish to be found in the 35-45cm size. As a bit of a bonus however, there has been the odd big snapper being caught in along the edge of the reef with several reports of snapper to 3kg on trolled hardbody lures and a pair of snapper in the 5-6kg size making a few anglers very happy indeed. Some of the better fish have been taken during early afternoon, well before the prime time.

SANDRINGHAM TO ST KILDA Squid and more squid is the name of the game in this area with both boat and land-based anglers getting more than just the odd calamari all along this part of the bay.

Starting up on the shallow Yorkies Reef system it seems to have an endless supply of squid to be found there on a daily basis, and while most of

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Most snapper caught lately have been small, but there’s the odd big fish around. them are only small if you work the deeper edges of the reef in the 6-8m area with 3.5 sized jugs there are some much better sized squid to be found.

Further along the Sandringham Breakwall and the Hampton Rock Groynes are producing pinkies of an evening for the bait anglers and plenty of squid for the jig chuckers.

Over the past weeks I have also seen several boats fishing close to shore at night along here in the area known as the gully.

And seeing as we are into July it’s also the perfect time to get into here as it often produces some much better sized pinkies.

Off Green Point, along Brighton and down to North Road the reports are heavily leaning towards squid as anglers are having a ball loading up on the calamari for food and bait for the fast approaching snapper season.

What has been great to see however has been that anglers are now taking to the larger sized 3.5 jigs and working deeper reef areas where they are finding some good numbers of squid to 1kg+.

ST KILDA TO PORT MELBOURNE Just when you think this area is on the wind down for winter it pulls out a bit of a surprise packet with the past few weeks producing some great fishing on the pinkies with fish to 2kg being taken on a regular basis, especially by those anglers who are willing to fish some larger baits of whole pilchards or bigger sized squid strips.

Moving along the shoreline towards the piers, the land-based fishing has been very good for those anglers on Station Pier, with plenty of bream around the

pylons. Along with a bunch of solid trevally that are working their way up and down the pier making a mess of unwary anglers who are fishing their baits close to the structure.

If you’re in a boat it’s also worth heading over towards Princess Pier as it has been fishing very well over the past weeks, with good numbers of school mulloway in the area and some solid snapper among them too. Best method seems to be to anchor up on

the up tide side of the pier then berley with mashed up pillies and fish unweighted baits of pilchards or squid strips back towards the pylons It’s also worth keeping your eyes peeled over the coming weeks as there are sure to be a few schools of salmon also kicking around.

There you have it, we are into July but don’t let the winter blues get you down because the fishing is just too good to be cooped up inside.

Kim Macdonald had a very successful day on the water at Mornington in her kayak with a bag full of calamari.

Warming up a treat PORT PHILLIP EAST

Wayne Friebe wfriebe@bigpond.net.au

Some higher being must have read my words from last month’s issue of VFM. No sooner had I written words to the effect of ‘winter is coming’ and then the warmest late autumn and early winter

on record decide to take place on PPB! Just goes to show you that you cannot possibly predict what’s going to happen on the bay, especially with the weather patterns, and to always expect the unexpected.

The spin off from this late season warmth has been a prolonged autumn season of boating and fishing conditions on the bay. The

mornings and evening are still cool, but conditions are predominantly calm and the water has remained very clear for some time, especially on the inshore reefs.

I reckon this is a great time of year on the bay, and although many anglers look further afield to other locations, or even pack up the fishing gear all together,

Scott Baker and daughter Grace (3yo) have been enjoying the local salmon action around Mornington of late.

Unseasonably warm and calm afternoons through late May and early July have provided some great fishing for salmon, squid and other species right in close to shore.

there’s still plenty on offer on PPB. While the late Easter snapper season didn’t really go bang this year, the snapper fishery in our area at this time of year is a nut just waiting for some keen snapper head to crack wide open. You may have to work a little harder for your fish, but they are definitely worth it.

Thanks goes out to the few diehard snapper anglers who are still persisting in their quest for winter success, and keep me updated with regular reports and photos. Most encouraging to me has been the abundance of various shark species that have shown up in our catches this year, which is surely a great sign of the health of the bay.

Lure fishers really come into their own over the next few months, as the pinkie fishery on the inshore reefs really fires up.

Although there are plenty of little squeakers around, there have been lots of solid pinkies in the 1-3kg range as well. Brighter coloured minnow and worm style plastics have been productive, as well

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Low early winter rainfall has resulted in consistent fishing in the bay’s rivers and creeks. This little Balcombe Creek bream was one of a few eager customers taken in an afternoon session with the kids. as metal and soft vibration lures, and trolled minnows.

The Royal Reef, Bird Rock, Shark Bay

and Sunnyside have all been producing pinkies, especially around first and last light.

Lure and fly anglers have also been cashing in on some massive salmon schools that have been travelling along the coast from Martha Cove right into the Mornington Harbour.

Calm conditions have made them easy to locate when feeding, but also pretty spooky as well. Try to avoid trolling through a feeding school, and always make your approach from upwind.

Our salmon are a sometimes maligned fish, mainly for their table qualities, but they make up for that in spades as a sports fish, are great fun for kids, and aren’t too bad on the chew either if you look after them properly.

Plastics, metal slugs, bibbed minnows and flies will all work; the trick is to work out the pace of your retrieve for success.

And if you really want some fun, give surface poppers a whirl, it’s totally addictive and heaps of fun.

Land-based anglers have been cashing in as well, particularly from the mouth of Martha Cove, and in and around Mornington Harbour. Some reports suggest that the larger 2-3kg models have been hanging in smaller groups near the marina and harbour while the smaller 1kg numbers have been making up the majority

of the schooling salmon.

Metal slugs and large surface lures are your best choice allowing greater water coverage.

Squid fishing has been exceptional over the last month as well as the water has remained very clear on the inshore reefs.

Times during low light have been the best, especially

evenings. It’s worth trying a few larger jigs as well at this time of year to target the larger spawning models, especially as you move further south in the bay. Orange and gold colourations have been the most productive, and also black and dark coloured jigs at night.

This clear water has also

provided very consistent bait and lure fishing for bream in the bays, creeks and rivers. There’s still a few mulloway and perch on offer as well with a bit of effort in the Patto.

Lastly, recent garfish reports are very encouraging indeed, lets hope that these early numbers are a sign of things to come.

Local angler Nigel Krueger had a trip of a lifetime and caught this 40kg giant nile perch in Lake Victoria, Africa.

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Tough it out for a treat ROSEBUD

Dan Lee info@peninsulatotaltackle.com.au

It’s mid-winter and almost by definition, one of the toughest periods of the year to find the motivation to get out there and go fishing! However, it can be an exceptionally productive period, free from crowds, boats and jet-skis – you just need to know what to target, when

to do it and then take the time to get out there.

Let’s do a round up of your options.

WINTER SURF FISHING From the far side of Western Port, around Kilkunda, to the Bellarine Peninsula and beyond, the Back Beach closest to Melbourne get a lot of attention through the winter months. It is traditionally surf season and a time to get out and target some

Australian salmon.

Luckily, for us peninsula residents we have a number of beaches that fish very well through this period seeing a lot of salmon between 500g3kg. And given that they are probably the closest beaches to the majority of Melburnians (within an hours’ drive) they provide one of the best options if you want to hit the sand.

Gunnamatta Back Beach is the jewel in the crown and by far the most popular. This year we have had a lot of northerlies, which has meant that there has been ample opportunity to surf fish and consequently we have seen good captures right from the start of the season.

Gunnamatta is a fairly steep beach, which means there are plenty of deep holes and water to cast a line.

Dependent on your level of fitness you can walk right up to the far east end and

There has been an unusual run of snapper in Western Port in the last few weeks.

Chris O’Connell, Dad and mate Lee nailed a number of good fish at Corinella. find good fishing at various stops along the way. Bait fishing is popular, with blue bait, whitebait or glassies

being the favoured options, however spinning metal slugs has risen steadily in popularity over the last few

Trent North with a nice salmon taken on a surface lure at Gunnamatta Back Beach.

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The author with a couple of nice Southern Peninsula calamari taken off Sorrento.

years. I believe spinning is more productive, easier and probably the best way to catch salmon.

Other options that have been fishing well over the last few weeks include Portsea Back Beach and Rye Back Beach. Both of these beaches have commonly been producing salmon around 1-1.3kg but fish, both smaller and larger, are being caught on any day. The beauty of these two beaches is that they are often a lot quieter, so finding your own piece of sand is a lot easier. The down side is that there is some hidden reef in various places which means you can lose a few rigs now and then.

SALMON – INSIDE THE BAY If you don’t care much for the sand then have no fear as there are salmon inside the bay too. Over the last month there has been a fairly consistent

school hanging around the Fort in the South Channel.

All you need are some small occy skirts, or divers such as the X-Rap 08 or Trollcraft Pelagic 9cm, and you can get into these fish fairly easily.

Fish have also appeared around the Dromana mussel farm and have made sporadic appearances at the Blairgowrie Marina.

SOUTHERN CALAMARI Hard not give the squid a mention when they have been fishing so well over the last four weeks. True to form, they have continued to offer a variety of sizes and best of all have been in good numbers from many of our land based platforms such as Mt Martha rocks, Rye, Blairgowrie and Portsea piers as well as being an easy target if you have put the boat in the water recently.

Early in the month there were some bettersized calamari out by the Pinnacle Channel, but Lonsdale Bight and Portsea have also accounted for big squid. In Western Port the Quail Bank, Tyabb Bank and Cat Bay have produced the biggest squid. Bright orange and green jigs doing plenty of damage.

LOOK AHEAD August can often herald some of the biggest salmon for the season and, in certain years, can also see some enormous breeding squid plucked from our local waters. Either way, they’re both good options.

By the next time we speak, it will be spring and we all know what that means – snapper!

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

SEE THE PRODUCT REVIEW ON PAGE 71

JULY 2014

27

Calamari with a side of gummy WST PORT NTH

Adam Ring

We are officially halfway through the year and we have definitely entered winter mode! The fishing has been challenging but like normal the gummies and calamari have continued to make it worth the trip out to get the boat wet.

THE TOP END I will kick off this month’s report by heading on over to Granteville, which is one of the most underrated places to fish in the port. The fish are not massive over there but what they lack in size they certainly make up for in quantity.

A really good mate of mine is Mark Keaveny who loves this area of the port and has been absolutely dominating fish in the shallows. He is still picking up the odd elephant but the main catch consists of gummies and small schoolies.

It’s not rocket science but Mark is leaving with a feed more often then not, and that’s all you can really ask for at this time of year Pillies and squid are good enough to get the fish going

The calamari fishing on the Quail Bank has been nothing short of spectacular but make sure you plan your trip around the high tide as it does get pretty shallow on the low.

Moving on around the top end to Joes Island and a couple of the local charter boys have been putting in quite a few hours here and finding some very nice fish indeed. There

have been a heap of gummies to around the 8kg mark and the number one bait has been freshly caught calamari.

Possibly the biggest surprise packet has been the snapper fishing at the moment. Joes Island has seen some cracker fish already taken and I can only see it getting better before it gets worse. Plenty of anglers are reporting picking up some good marks on the sounder, it’s figuring out the tide that they will feed on which seems

to be the challenging part. The biggest secret however is fresh squid. If it isn’t fresh squid for bait, it just doesn’t seem to get the job done!

The calamari fishing on the Quail Bank has been nothing short of spectacular again this month and this will continue right through our off-season. Nathan Peterson puts in a few hours up here and some of the squid he gets are simply massive.

I really wish I could point you in the direction of a surefire colour to get the calamari but the truth is it has been very erratic and unpredictable. Some guys are finding darker red jigs the go, where others are going back to the more traditional colours like orange and pink and having the same success. I really think it’s just a matter of having a nice little selection to choose from and just suss out what’s happening on the day.

THE NORTH ARM The Tyabb Bank is a flat out squid haven at the moment and a truckload of calamari are filling the dinner plates of a few anglers. Unlike what is happening on the Quail Bank there seems to be a more solid trend in the jig colour department.

The red foils are easily out fishing most other jigs and there are literally hundreds of them on the market so they are not hard to find. It is the

A sample of the quality snapper through the Top End at the moment. time of year to up the jig size too, 3.0 is about the norm but don’t be scared to bump it up to a 3.5, even a 4.0 because often this can lead to some of those big breeders we hear so much about.

Local fishos Kayne and Pete McConville have been dominating squid in 2.5m of water and the incoming tide has produced the better numbers. The hood length for the boys has been averaging around the 36cm mark.

It’s getting quite tough for the whiting anglers that persist through the cooler months.

There is still a light sprinkling of fish on the Middle Spit but your tactics do need to change as the water gets quite cold.

The secret here is to be as quiet as possible and get those baits as far away from the boat as you can. Still concentrate in the 3-5m mark but don’t give them a reason to get shy; keep the baits long and you will be ok. Keep on the move if nothing is happening and do

the hard yards to get the bait.

Live Bass yabbies are deadly in the cooler months and can be the difference between a couple of fish and taking home a nice feed.

I also know of a few anglers who like to fish the deep water out from the Tyabb Bank towards the top end of the Middle Spit. They like to park in the 14m range and drop some small baits to the bottom.

They will generally run a standard two hook paternoster, one with a pipi and the other with half a pilchard and get the odd good session pulling some really nice whiting and some table sized pinkies. This is a great way to spend that last half an hour on the way back in as you find out pretty quickly if the fish are on or not.

It’s very easy to switch off during winter but I have found that the warm weather seems to roll around faster if you keep those lines in the water! Good luck and keep those reports coming.

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JULY 2014

Black Rock is one of those special fisheries that a lot of anglers take for granted.

With so many species on offer and located in the northern part of Port Phillip Bay, Black Rock is one of Melbourne’s top sports fishing venue.

With large numbers of snapper and salmon the main targets, along with squid, flathead and whiting just to name a few, it isn’t hard to see why this is a popular fishing destination all year around.

PRIME TIME Some of the best fishing is in the winter months when large schools of salmon and pinkies inhabit the reefs and patrol the water in search of food and shelter.

When the salmon are on top, it can be some of the best fun you could have with a rod and reel.

Pinkie snapper can be caught cast after cast and it is not uncommon to catch in excess of 50+ fish in a session, especially on those cold and icy winter mornings.

THE GEAR Light 2-4kg spin outfits spooled with 6lb braid for the light stuff. And 3-6kg outfits with a bit heavier braid like 10lb are the two ideal outfits used when sportfishing the inshore reefs around Black Rock. An 8lb+ leader is a must as there are plenty of rocks and reef for pinkes, salmon and bigger snapper to rub you off on.

THE RIG Bait fishers love to fish light with a small running ball sinker on a 15-20lb leader with a single 3/0 Octopus hook. Keeping it simple is the best way to fish.

If the salmon are on top or located on the sounder, trolling metal slugs is a deadly method and is a very good way to search and find fish if they can’t be visually seen on the surface.

BAIT AND LURES Small soft plastic stickbaits such as 70mm and 85mm Squidgy Flickbaits, 3” Berkley Power Minnows, and Gulp Minnows and Jerk Shads are a popular choice and a go-to lure for most anglers who prefer to fish plastics.

My favourite for this area, and for pinkie snapper, is the old trusty pearl watermelon

Getting stretched on the light gear on a school of solid salmon.

3” Power Minnow. This particular plastic has stood the tests of time and is the pioneer pinkie on plastic lures in Victoria.

BEST METHOD Drifting in 3-10m of water and using your sounder is essential in the shallows.

Drifting covers a lot more area and makes it easier for you to find the fish, rather than anchoring up and casting lures.

If you see a school of salmon on the surface, do not troll through them. Cut the motor short of them and cast into them. This will stop the salmon from spooking and going down deep, making them hard to locate again.

MOTHER NATURE Make sure you are up to date with the latest rules and regulations, especially with

size and bag limits. This area is a haven for small and undersized fish and at times is a nursery. The last thing you want to do after an enjoyable day on the water is get back to the ramp to be greeted by a Fisheries Officer and getting a fine for not understanding what is right or wrong.

HOT TIP Use your GPS and sounder if you have one to sound up schools of snapper and keep drifting over that area where you have marked fish up. The most frustrating thing is to do a drift and catch some fish then try to find that same patch of fish next time. At least if you mark it, you can keep catching fish and do the same drift time after time.

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Winter snapper on the menu WESTERN PORT STH

Jarrod Day jarrodday@iprimus.com.au

With the onset of winter closing in, a solid run of big calamari has infiltrated the Port.

Cleeland Bight has seen a good run of sizeable cephalopods in close along the shoreline from the San Remo Bridge right down to the entrance.

Drifting has been the most successful technique for the calamari when conditions have been right.

Some of the them have been well over the 2kg mark and have been caught mainly on size 3.0 artificial jigs.

Colours have also dictated catch rates with white being the dominant colour used.

In saying that, the Yo-Zuri Aurie-Q RS has also been a standout.

Now is also a good time to be targeting winter snapper and while traditionally snapper are a summer species, Western Port gets a solid run from May until late July. These

fish tend to school up in the Corinella and Tooradin areas and, just like clock work, have done so again this year.

Ta c k l e Wo r l d Cranbourne customer John Tanzen dropped into the store on his way home after fishing out from Corinella.

John managed 3 magnificent snapper with the best going 6.7kg, followed by a 5.3kg and 4.6kg. All fish were caught using barracouta fillets several hours apart.

Ta c k l e Wo r l d Mornington staff member Mark Keaveny fished with his mates Wayne and Jake one Tuesday night and managed a cracking snapper that measured in at 81cm.

They were off Corinella and the fish fell too a humble pilchard. They also managed a heap of small gummies and schoolies along with the odd elephant to round out a great night’s fishing.

Local angler, Marcus fished the Corinella area

There are plenty of calamari about along the shallow banks.

The right tackle and the right bait is all it takes to catch a winter snapper.

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one afternoon with his dad.

Using fresh salmon fillets for bait, they managed two cracking snapper.

While the snapper are usually concentrated to a few locations, this year they have been wide spread. Solid fish have also been caught off Cowes, McHaffies Reef and Stony Point. If this run is anything like previous years, these fish should stick around until the end of July.

Few anglers have also been on the whiting hunt lately and while scarce, can still be found if you’re willing to put in the time.

Barry Johnston headed out in search of whiting and fished the deep water out from the Tankerton Pier.

He picked up six whiting to 43cm before moving to the Tortoise Head Bank to catch the last of the run-in tide. Doing so, he picked up another six whiting to 38cm, which made a nice catch at the end of the day.

All fish were caught using mussel baits.

I also received two other whiting reports, one from Ventnor where John Brindle caught eight whiting to 38cm using pipi baits.

John mentioned that he was fishing in 3m of water.

Angler Phillip also managed 5 whiting, 4 silver trevally and 7 salmon while fishing near Hen and Chickens Reef. Phillip was using berley that attracted the fish and had a top day.

This time of year is also quite productive when land-based fishing.

While conditions might not allow for the boat to be used, fishing from the land is as equally as productive if you’re willing to endure the cold.

Good friend and local photographer Mark Gray fished from the shore at Balnarring one night with good success. Mark managed to catch a 7.8kg gummy using salmon fillet for bait.

John Tanzen displays two of his three winter snapper from Corinella.

Other gummies have also been caught from Balnarring in recent weeks and this particular section of coast produces most of the land-based gummies throughout the winter period.

It is imperative that a high tide be fished as the beach is relatively shallow.

Oily baits, such as salmon, silver trevally and squid are the best choices.

Merricks is also a good winter location as many seven-gill sharks and gummies are also taken.

Once again, this is a high tide only beach but fishes very well throughout the winter period. If I could pick just one location to catch big seven-gill sharks from, Merricks is undoubtedly the beach to be fishing.

Although catching sharks from the beach is the pinnacle of land-based fishing around Western Port, local surf fishing for salmon is also ramping up. Phillip Island’s rocky coastline is very productive for salmon and the next

few weeks will really begin to fire up. Flynns, Cat Bay, Kitty Miller and Cape Woolamai are all popular locations and the reports thus far have been very encouraging.

Cape Woolamai has been a standout in recent weeks with salmon ranging 1-2kg being caught daily.

Bait anglers have been successful but those keen for a little sports fishing have been walking the beach while casting small 25g metal slugs. The fish have been schooling up in the deeper gutters and have been quite aggressive when striking lures.

I can understand why many anglers choose not to fish throughout the winter period but when the fishing is as hot as it is now, there is really no excuse to be sitting on the couch scrolling throughout your Facebook news feed.

Rather than watch what everyone else is catching, rug up and get out there to make your own Facebook fishing reports!

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31

Patchy but still possible PHILLIP ISLAND

John Dalla-Rosa

I am off to New Zealand in a couple of weeks to chase the big kingies. It should be an interesting trip; hopefully I can nail a couple of big ones. I will let you know how I went in next month’s magazine.

SURF BEACHES Most surf beaches are still a bit patchy at present.

There have not been many reports of fish coming in and the fish that are being caught have been in the 500g to 1kg mark.

I fished Gunnamatta Beach during the week and although conditions weren’t perfect with a big swell running and a lot of rips and stirred up sand, I still managed a couple of salmon round the 1kg mark. A slow day’s fishing is better than being at home working!

SAN REMO AREA Below the Bridge Outside the Entrance when the weather permits there have been some good catches of flathead and silver whitingTOH144 on orFishing about the 25m line, plus the odd big couta.

Above the Bridge Things have quietened down considerably, there are still a few squid being caught on the Tyabb Bank and you can still catch a reasonable bag of whiting if you know where to fish and when to fish and you are prepared to move around a bit.

This time of year there should be some big gummies coming into the bay. It’s just a matter of targeting an area like the deep water off Cowes and Ventnor, fishing a tide change and you could land a big one.

FLINDERS SHOREHAM AREA It won’t be too long

before the big calamari turn up in numbers off Flinders and the action starts up again.

For some reason baited jigs usually work better in this area than artificial ones. Remember that you need to weight your jig so it drifts close to the bottom where the squid will emerge from the weed beds and attack it.

There are some reasonable numbers of snook in the area and a slow troll over the weed beds with a lead line or deep diving lure will get you into a few snook.

A decent bag of winter whiting caught by the author.

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Warm weather prevails INVERLOCH

Alan McFayden amcsayte@bigpond.net.au

With the unbelievable conditions currently prevailing, the warm weather has kept the fish active despite the cold breaks. Andersons Inlet has had plenty of boaters and land-based anglers trying their luck.

Outside there have been very good numbers of gummies making an appearance. The last full moon was very successful. Along with the very good quality gummies caught, there were very large numbers of smaller undersize ones bagged as well.

Among the many callers who were successful, a couple of regular visitors bagged out on many occasions and often had to throw back fish. The guys had made quite a few trips out and had some very good GPS marks out wide in around 23m of water. They also had quite good bags of quality flathead that included big yanks.

The boys also had a sad story when they hooked a very big mako under a balloon and there was quite a battle that went on over a couple

of hours. The big fish took a whole salmon and put on quite a show for the crew but sadly when it seemed they would have a victory the big fellow broke free to swim and fight another day.

I have received many reports, and still do, of boaters doing very well a short distance beyond the breakers at Venus Bay. This is where there are quality flathead being caught along with pinkies and gummies on a variety of baits on both sides of the tide.

The jetty at Inverloch always has a sprinkling of visitors and land-based anglers

trying their luck. This is like many other jetties where there can be a long wait between enquiries but when the action starts the long waits are forgotten.

I received a call from a visitor Dave Smith who was on holidays. He was standing on the jetty and noticed a fair bit of disturbance in the water near a fisherman who suddenly hooked in and landed a very nice salmon that looked to be around the 45cm mark.

Another fish quickly followed this and in very short time he had a very impressive bag of salmon that were destined

Wonthaggi angler John Bird with some of the whiting he caught on Bass yabbies.

This impressive mixed bag of fish was caught at Inverloch recently on a variety of local baits. for the table. There have been other reports of schools of mullet and salmon that are being caught by boaters and land-based anglers.

I often like to visit areas inside the entrance known as the Bathing Boxes. I came across a group of land-based anglers trying their luck as the tide was about halfway through its cycle. Between them they had a mixture of mullet and salmon. The situation was much the same nearby at Pensioners Corner, although there had been a few reasonable size gummies extra in their bags.

At Mahers Landing there were quite a few land-

ION

familiar it is best to use it when it has plenty of water, it can be a bit of a trap.

The Tarwin River has had quite a few visitors trying their luck off the fishing platforms, which have been constructed from our licence fees – great to see some return of our money. There have been quite a few reports of mullet, silvers and a few perch being bagged mainly on the run-off tide using frozen baits, such as pipis, squid, silver fish and pilchards.

Down at the rock bank, which is just a short distance from the entrance, has had many land-based anglers trying their luck.

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based fishers trying their luck where mullet, salmon and a few flathead were making up most bags. Not far away at the area known as the ‘A’ frame house, there have been quite reasonable numbers of silvers, flathead and gummies on both sides of the tide.

Further up towards the Double Islands there have been reasonable results with salmon, silvers, couta and decent size pinkies being caught. The best results have been on the run-out tide. Be careful in this area as the shallow water can pose problems.

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A right royal turn out for July WELSHPOOL

Alan McFayden amcsayte@bigpond.net.au

Shortly before compiling this report I received news from the boat storage that there had been good numbers of kingfish caught out wide. The first report was that fish were in good numbers but many were under the minimum 60cm size limit. Later reports were that the size seemed to have increased somewhat and there were many bag limits of these ripper fish taking a variety of lures and live baits.

The kingfish have been caught on lures but there have also been big pike jumping in and making a bit

of a nuisance of themselves.

Of course the fish are being caught in the good conditions, which hopefully will stick around for a while yet.

Locals have also caught schools of big garfish. At times the schools have been smashed by couta and pike, which is a bit of a nuisance for anglers trying to bag some gars.

Local angler Graham Godding has been doing fairly well and concentrating on quality flathead that he has been catching in good numbers.

The local jetties have been going along fairly well where salmon have been round in fairly good numbers with best results being on the run in tide. There have

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also been quality garfish, flathead and coutta making up very presentable bags.

I received a call from a visiting boater John Donington who likes to get away from the city traffic whenever he can. He had just bought a new 6m run about and was keen to try it out and brought along a couple of mates to share the experience. He says that the drive from Dandenong is worth the effort and in around 2 hours he is just about on the water. This was the case on his last effort and it was a perfect sunny day with virtually no wind.

The crew headed to the Lewis Channel looking for a whiting or whatever might come along but after an hour they had failed to trouble the weigh master and pulled up looking for another sport.

They decided to head outside the entrance and threw out a berley trail, which attracted a big school of hungry gar fish and soon they were into the ‘mini’ marlin. After a short time they had some more visitors in the form of much larger pike, which were ripping into the school fish and there was plenty of entertainment for quite a while and eventually they

had enough fish to call a successful trip.

The beach at Waratah Bay has been going along fairly well especially as far as salmon are concerned.

They are usually around the 600g mark, which is great as far as the table is concerned but recent reports indicate that they are almost double this size for some reason but no one is complaining.

The best time has been on the run-in tide and as well as salmon there have been good numbers of flathead that have been taking soft plastic lures and a variety of natural baits. Like many other places there have been very good numbers of small gummies that are well under size but certainly a great sign for the future.

The great thing about this spot is that there is a car park right on the beach and, after just a short 50m walk to the water, fishing can begin.

Remember there are always plenty of those feathered thieves that will only too quickly pounce on any unattended fish on the beach and your hard earned catch will quickly disappear into the sky, leaving you to do it all again.

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A winter to remember NINETY MILE BEACH

Will Thompson allwaysangling@bigpond.com

This year has been the best at Ninety Mile Beach I can remember and if next season is a half as good as this one, I will be a happy camper.

With an unusually mild end of spring, the water temps on the surf stayed high for this time of year and ‘summer style’ fishing was maintained into winter.

We had gummy sharks, toothy sharks, elephant fish, snapper and big salmon all mixed together.

This is unheard of for this time of year!

We had an extremely unusual late run of snapper on the Ninety Mile Beach due to a prolonged high water temperature and lack of freshwater. This lead to reports of snapper to 7kg caught in South Gippsland estuaries and offshore from Ninety Mile.

There were also landbased catches of snapper off the surf. Lucky angler Shannon Musgrove landed a snapper nearly weighing in at 7kg. To add to this anglers were also reporting

multiple catches of gummy sharks, school sharks and seven-gill sharks at the same time. And then there were the mega catches of elephant fish. I’m talking about anglers getting over 10 elephants per session.

Crazy stuff indeed!

Mixed in with the reports were catches of salmon to 3kg, and even bigger fish lost.

The funny thing was, most anglers had given up on their surf a month earlier only to be very annoyed that they had when photos

started to circulate. This proves the point, don’t wait for reports, go make the reports yourselves!

As I’m writing, the big salmon are around in really good numbers. We have seen fish over 3kg caught with plenty around 1.5-2kg. The western end of the Ninety Mile around Woodside through to Mcloughlins surf beach have been excellent. Many anglers are walking to the Mcloughlins entrance and are land-based spinning for the big black salmon on the

The Spartan himself Stuey had a ripper night landing two nice gummies on a winter surf trip.

Shannon Musgrove did the impossible and landed this big snapper off the surf in winter – definitely the catch of a lifetime!

run-in tides. This has been working a treat.

The nights are now cold, however the sevengill sharks will hang around over winter but be prepared for the dreaded plague of draughtboard sharks that we always get. The gummies never really disappear, you just need to brave the cold,

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Baits to use at the moment are squid and blue bait, especially for the salmon, however nothing beats taking over a spin rod and chucking around metal slugs for them.

• 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!

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The best you can get GIPPSLAND LAKES

Brett Geddes b.geddes@bigpond.com

For the last three months the whole Gippy Lakes area has been fishing the best I can remember. It looks set to improve even more as the teeth of winter start to bite into those short frosty days. This is when the really big bream start bending rods right over and estuary perch turn up when you least expect it.

Winter flathead will also continue to bite well into July and surprise plenty of anglers with their size.

Get busy folks because historically this exceptional winter fishing usually winds up by the end of August.

BIG PERCH PLAY Those big angry EP have turned up again and we have horsed in some real truck models up to 48cm.

It’s fair to say that hardly anyone targets them with bait because they provide outstanding challenges on lure. But be assured a live prawn or a hook full of live shrimp will out-fish lures any day!

The hardest part is tracking them down; they are so elusive. At the moment we are finding them in a few select locations and not in huge numbers. The Mitchell River remains their real stronghold and I’ve caught small 35cm perch down near The Cut recently, but most anglers are getting them upstream of the highway.

This 48cm perch gave Scott Findlay plenty of curry.

There have been plenty caught in the Nicho, Tambo or even Latrobe rivers and also out in Lake Wellington.

You get the idea of how widespread they are and, even worse, they can disappear from all these places overnight, seemingly for no reason at all! Scott Findlay sent me a picture of a truck 48cm perch he caught on a soft plastic and said it pulled like a b-double!

He was less informative as to exactly where he caught it and told me to, “Go look in a Gippy Lakes swamp!”

In other words, mind my own business! I understand because EP are so hard to find and most blokes who catch them keep their location very dark.

Scotty has good reason to be so swampy because he found 8 big perch on that trip and around 40 bream to 35cm.

I have been searching for EP in the lower Mitchell and some days have been most rewarding. I’ve not stacked big tallies and to get 8-10 fish would be a good result. I got a few on Hurricane Bent Minnows and also tricked a few smaller perch with flies.

On one occasion I landed 7 big EP with most of them 40-44cm all on soft plastic 2” grubs. Other anglers have used blades and crab lures to locate perch.

If I were to go out tomorrow and target only EP, then I would launch in the upper Mitchell River and work the area between the two bridges.

Not all Gippsland Lakes estuary perch are big, like this Mitchell River specimen caught on a soft plastic.

SCHOOLING BREAM As usual for this time of year, the bream head for deep water and school up in their hundreds. For the most part catching these bream is not all that hard when you drop sandworm or live shrimp down to them and small blade lures are probably even more effective. The real trick is to wade through the countless smaller bream (between 22-30cm) and try to locate the bigger fish. Sounds easy right? The trouble is that the number of juvenile bream in the whole system is mind blowing!

We should really rejoice in the huge number of small bream as one day they’ll grow into much bigger fish and sustain our great fishery. I can’t believe some people curse and even get angry about catching little fish. I’m happy to see the tiddlers as ‘little bream, big fun’.

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Those who fish Mcloughlins Beach regularly in the colder months would know May and June are when the big salmon enter our south Gippsland estuaries, and sure enough, the salmon played by the rules and turned up again right on cue.

Firstly, for those of you who haven’t fished Mcloughlins

Beach over the past few years, if you go there you will notice the entrance channel has changed dramatically. The area that splits off towards Manns Beach is very shallow and full of dead trees, and at low tide you can see just how silted up and full of snags Mcloughlins Beach is now.

This has changed the fishing as it has mainly changed the area of flow.

The shortcut channel that heads to Manns Beach is now almost separated from

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salty and clear water edges around Lake Wellington recently and to my surprise pulled some very good bream to 40cm from the shallows on hard body lures. It goes to show that not all bream go and school up in deep water for winter.

COLD WATER FLATTIES Finally a quick word on the duskies. Because a lot of us are fishing deep with lures or bait, it is no surprise to see heaps of flathead turn up as a welcome by-catch.

Interestingly, as we move into middle winter the flatties we now catch are getting bigger and more plentiful.

As usual they are moving way up into the rivers and are thick right now in the Mitchell behind the town where all the fruit bats are roosting in the bank side trees and right up the Tambo either side of the Blue Hole.

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Persistence has paid off however and during one recent crazy session I landed 28 bream on blades; 4 of them were 43cm and the rest were 37-42cm. I stumbled onto a school of very big bream and I spent four hours on them until they shut down on me. I have found the blue-nosed bream a few times now but most of my catch remains around that 30cm length.

The best locations for these big bream will continue to be the lower Nicho River right down to the entrance, and the same goes for the lower Tambo where you need to fish in at least 4m and sometimes deeper.

Places to avoid now are Metung where the bream have suddenly shot through and the lower Mitchell has millions of bream but hardly anything over 24cm.

Mick Caulfield and Stevie Wheeler went searching the

Clint Stanistreet holds up the average sized fish for this time of year in the entrance. It measured 58cm and was around 5lb and took a metal slug.

the entrance and the bigger fish don’t seem to go up there anymore. Basically all the big salmon are staying in the entrance where it’s deeper and has more flow.

A few weeks ago we used this theory and put all our efforts to search for the big salmon in the entrance during the tide change. We found that the run-in is definitely the time to chase the big fish, as the run-out only produced fish to about 1kg. With any luck the bigger salmon will hang around all winter. Nevertheless from past years’ experience, the bigger ones are usually only there for the start of winter and then return mid spring – so get over there asap.

We have also had a bit of rain of late and the salmon don’t really like the dirty water. If the water looks brown, I wouldn’t bother fishing it, I would try and find some clear water.

To find the salmon, use different techniques; don’t just troll. If the salmon are down

deep, they won’t always swim to the top to chase a metal lure that is only 30cm under the water. So if you do decide to troll be sure to run different style lures, such as a metal lure and also a deep diver.

I find the best way to search for salmon is spindrift. Have one angler using a soft plastic between 1/4oz and 1/2oz with a 3-5” soft plastic and someone else using a metal slug or diver.

When you find the fish, either repeat the same drift or anchor on the fish.

I haven’t heard of too many big salmon at Manns Beach, however there are mega amounts of salmon to 600g, but this can change day to day as well.

The tailor have just moved in as well and they are in Manns channel all the way to the snapper hole at Mcloughlins. These guys usually hang around all winter.

Port Albert usually gets To page 37

Attention shifting to rivers LAKES ENTRANCE

Lucas Smith squidgy_man1@hotmail.com

While the weather has been nothing short of sensational, the fishing has slowed as the water temp drops and the fish head for deeper water.

Starting with Lake Tyers the bream have made their way into the deeper sections and now is the time to start throwing metal vibes and drop shotting plastics into the schools. From the Glasshouse to Camerons Arm have been best, in depths around 3.5-5m for the most consistency.

Some huge trevally have been found around Camerons Arm and are taking slowly fished soft plastics, like Gulp Worms and Squidgy Critters on light jigheads. Some nice flatties are being taken in the upper reaches of Toorloo Arm and the Nowa Nowa Arm on soft plastics dragged slowly along the muddy drop-offs and weed edges. Savage Prawns and Zerek Live Shrimp are a good option as both are designed as weedless lures and can be dragged through some nasty timber and weed without fouling up.

Garfish have been in good numbers around the Nowa From page 36

a good run of big salmon around Dog Island all winter as well, so it’s worth heading down there. The shallow

Nowa boat ramp and are easily caught on sandworm or bread fished under a float.

Around the Glasshouse there have been huge schools of tailor, with the majority being between 50-65cm

which are awesome fun on bream weight spin gear! It’s not hard to find the schools just look for birds diving and fish tearing up the surface.

Casting metal slugs, shallow diving minnows and even soft

A few bream from a successful drop shotting session. This technique is deadly on the right day. water towards Kearneys Entrance make great sport fishing for salmon as you can use surface lures such as poppers and stickbaits.

GARFISH The gars have been massive this year and it doesn’t look like they will leave anytime soon. We have seen plenty of gars to 45cm this year. The start of the run-out has been good, but the flood tide has probably been the best. The key is berley, berley, berley!

You have to get the fish to the back of the boat to get good numbers before they either disperse of disappear. Use two rigs, one float rig and the other a very light paternoster fished on the bottom. The gars

plastics into the schools and cranked back are a sure bet to hook some thumper tailor.

Lakes Entrance has seen good numbers of big silver trevally, salmon and tailor widespread throughout the system. Most of the action is taking place from Bullock Island to Nungurner Jetty, where schools of fish can be easily spotted tearing up schools of whitebait on the surface.

Trolling with small metal lures, shallow running minnows or clouser type flies is a fun way to catch them, especially if you have kids.

Bait fishing with whitebait or pilchard is the other best method. Some good size pinky snapper and large numbers of blue spot flatties have been caught around Nungurner too, and surprising numbers of the large bulleye gurnard are being taken in the lake too.

The weed beds around Kalimna are still producing whiting in patchy numbers, and it’s fair to say it has been a pretty dismal season. A few leatherjacket have been caught along the rock walls on squid strips and peeled prawn. Luderick have been a little slow around the rocks but there have been a few key is to fish the tide change and use fresh baits, such a squid heads and salmon and trevally cut baits. You can drift or anchor – both methods work, it just depends on your depth.

Out wider the flathead have been going excellent and there are flatties to 60cm being caught regularly and they never leave, they will be there all winter.

Drifting with paternoster rigs is the way to fish out here for flatties and if your drift is too quick, put out a sea anchor slow yourself down or put on a bigger sinker to make sure your bait is on the bottom.

Joel Pettifer caught this massive gummy shark out wide. These are what anglers come to South Gippy for to catch over winter.

A quality 63cm salmon that took a 4” pumpkinseed minnow on a heavy jighead fished on the bottom on the run-in tide.

love moving baits so don’t be afraid to slowly lift your rod and slowly retrieve the bait.

The gars have been in good numbers at Manns Beach and also at Port Albert.

OFFSHORE It’s big gummy time now and there have already been some fish to 25kg caught out wide in 20m+ of water. The

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

Working the shallow flats will still produce some nice bream on hardbodies. starting to show up around the town jetties on green weed and live shrimp.

Rumours had been filtering through of several mulloway being caught locally by dedicated local anglers who have been fishing all night using live baits.

Mulloway are the ultimate prize in the estuaries and these guys have been working extremely hard for their fish, and have landed them this season up to 110cm.

Live salmon, tailor or slimy mackerel are as good as anything. Look for deeper drop-offs with tidal eddies, which offer the mulloway a prime ambush point, and focus your attention on the main tide changes.

Another surprise in the lake has been calamari. While not in huge numbers there have been a few caught along the weed beds in Cunningham Arm. It pays to have a few squid jigs in the box just in case you find a patch, as they will quite often attack a soft plastic but fail to hook up.

Look for weed beds in the 1.5-3m depth and you may be surprised!

The surf beaches have been fishing well, the odd gummy is still being caught in the early evenings on salmon strips and squid legs, and good salmon and tailor are being landed on bluebait.

Some days the red weed has been an issue but generally it has been pretty good.

Again spinning with metal lures and large poppers on calm days will fire up a few salmon. Fishing with light estuary outfits and using pipi or sandworm for bait on a running sinker rig should see you catch some big mullet.

These are great fun and taste fantastic when eaten fresh.

They can generally be seen

cruising the waves and can be a great way to spend a morning on the beach.

Offshore has been good along the 6 Mile Reef for school size pinky snapper and morwong. A few nannygai have been in the mix as well, and some thumping winter gummies in around 30m of water have been taken.

The coota have been thick in spots, some days making it impossible to get a rig to the bottom as they attack anything that moves. That said though, coota has been the pick of the baits for gummies while the snapper and morwies have been caught on pilchard and fresh slimy mackerel.

A few boats have been running out to the shelf in search of a jumbo bluefin but so far have drawn a blank. Some smaller makos have been hooked around the Horseshoe, but general reports are things have gone quiet out wide.

The rivers have really fired up with the fish moving well upstream and into the deeper pockets. Some good fish are still being caught along the edges but most are being encountered on the secondary drop-offs and deeper snags and rock bars.

Sandworm and peeled prawn are providing the best results for the bait anglers, while metal vibes and lightly weighted soft plastics are doing well for the lure gurus.

One technique worth trying is drop shotting plastics in schools of bream. A basic drop shot rig is similar to a paternoster rig and the idea is to suspend the plastic in the schools; it can be deadly on the right day. Creature Baits, like the Damiki Monster Miki and Berkley Bulky Hawgs are perfect for this style of fishing.

So get out and give it a go!

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We’ve got the place to ourselves MALLACOOTA

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

Winter is a great time of year to visit Mallacoota as the place is a lot quieter.

Without all the boats on the water it’s a lot easier to find somewhere on your own to wet a line.

Over the past month we have had some glorious weather with a fortnight of dead flat sea conditions which allowed the locals to get out there and chase a feed of flathead and gummy shark. Some great catches were made for those anglers who were able to get away from the annoying schools of leatherjackets which bite off sinkers, hooks and anything they can get a hold of. The sand flathead have been a good size with fish to 3lb, and the gummy sharks can be caught anywhere from the front of Gabo is down to Quarry Beach.

The water temperature is starting to cool right off, hovering around 15-16ºC at the moment, and it’s only

going to get colder. The salmon are turning up on all the local beaches and over the next month the schools will start entering the lake.

They are great fun on light gear but on the whole they are voracious eating machines,

probably causing more damage eating anything in front of them such as small bream and perch.

And with no commercial value the schools get bigger every year.

The weed beds haven’t

yet grown back after the floods of 2010, but hopefully they are on their way back as they are such a great source of food for the fish in the lake. The sand at the entrance has really been shifting with

Bigger flathead have been scarce but there have been plenty of good eating size fish about.

Ante with a black bream caught on a Hurricane blade.

the entrance moving its way down towards Bastion Point.

It has plenty of depth, and as long as the seas are calm there is no problem heading out to sea.

The colder water has seen good numbers of silver trevally enter the system. Plenty of fish are being caught around the 1kg mark and they are great fish to catch, putting up a hard fight all the way to the boat. Some big tailor have also entered the lake but landing one is not easy. Nine times out of 10 they end up biting you off.

Plenty of flathead are still being caught with the common size around the 40cm mark.

Bigger fish over 50cm are a lot harder to come by.

The black bream are starting to feed up prior to spawning and are being caught in both the top and bottom lake. They need to do a bit of feeding as both the yellowfin and black bream are not as heavy for their size as when they are in top condition. As usual there are plenty of smaller bream upstream above Gypsy Point with some decent flathead also being caught.

Let the river flow and the fishing flourish MARLO

Jim McClymont mcclymont@net-tech.com.au

Winter is upon us and the cold weather has begun.

The snow has started to fall on the mountains, which becomes the water catchment for our estuary.

This cools down the waterways that feed the

rivers flowing into the sea.

In the winter the estuary seems to quieten down a tad and the fish seem reluctant to bite, forcing anglers to try new ways to entice them to take baits or lures. With the low water flows during the summer the entrance has sanded up making it dangerous to navigate across the bar, and also making it harder for fish to enter the estuary, except

on high tides, another reason for the estuary to go into temporary hibernation.

With the winter come the winter rains that will swell the rivers and clear the sand from the entrance opening it up for for the winter run of bream to enter the estuary system.

In the meantime, keen anglers have been able to bag several good size bream from the entrance up around

the islands and into Lake Corringle using sandworm, shell and prawn.

Other anglers have reported good size luderick being taken around the rock groynes that surround the island and along the river bangs using sandworm.

The surf beaches are still fishing well with big schools of salmon and tailor patrolling the coastline anglers have

reported great captures of salmon up to and over 3kg and tailor a bit smaller. Best results using blue bait, pilchards, pipis and squid, always accompanied with a popper.

Many are getting good results fishing with light gear and casting metal lures.

Anglers are still reporting getting gummy sharks in the evening using squid legs, pilchards and fresh salmon

fillets, and during the day, on blue bait, squid and poppers.

Weather permitting, offshore from Cape Conran the fishing is excellent; big schools of baitfish are still abundant. While the baitfish are about there will be plenty of predators, as well as the usual flathead, salmon, gurnard, squid, barracouta, pinkie snapper, morwong and gummy shark.

Clear water and good fishing EDEN

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

With the winter months upon us the town has quietened down. You wouldn’t know it was winter though with warm days and mild nights for the past few weeks.

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past month there are plenty of good gutters on all the local beaches.

Boats heading out fishing the inshore reefs are still having to put up with pesky leatherjackets biting everything that moves, resulting in plenty of sinkers and hooks bitten off. Thankfully they aren’t as bad as they were a

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month ago.

The snapper have come on in the past few weeks with catches coming from all the inshore reefs. Fish to 2kg are being caught by anglers fishing with fresh bait, while other anglers catching fish with soft plastics. Good catches of sand flathead have been taken, and tiger flathead are also being caught by the boats venturing out a bit further. The calm days allow boats to head down towards Disaster Bay where there can be some great fishing.

Reports of kingfish being caught around the reefs are still coming in, with some big yellowfin tuna out on the shelf. As yet there have been no reports of southern bluefin tuna turning up.

At this time of year you can expect some big tailor

Scott with a great bream caught on an Impact blade. to turn up along the local beaches and in the estuaries.

I have heard a few reports of some big fish hooked but none have made it to the net.

Yellowfin bream and sand whiting are being caught around the front section of the local estuaries with some big blackfish also being caught. Fresh worms and nippers have been the go for the bream and whiting,

with anglers using green weed fished under a float to get amongst the blackfish.

Dusky flathead are about with fish caught on both soft plastics and blades.

Black bream are also being caught along the rocky edges further upstream. The water has cleared after the recent rains and this will see some great fishing over the coming month.

VR Fish Update

VRFish Board and State Council meeting The VRFish Board met in South Melbourne on 16 May. Dr Bruce Kefford, ex-Deputy Secretary of DEPI and keen angler attended the meeting to share his thoughts on strategic planning for VRFish and our vision for recreational fishing in Victoria.

Bruce is an expert on this topic and provided the Board with useful insights into other agricultural industries and their vision of success. Keep an eye out for further updates on this important issue.

The State Council was held the next day and members received an excellent presentation from Dr Corey Green of Fisheries Victoria about the latest science on calamari.

This project is funded

by Recreational Fishing Licence fees and members were surprised to learn that calamari movements are being monitored through an acoustic tagging program.

Anna Chatfield from the North Central Catchment Management Authority and Dr Martin Mallen-Cooper, fisheries ecologist attended to present the Gunbower/ Lower Loddon Native Fish Recovery Plan. This is one

of the most exciting habitat improvement proposals we have seen and VRFish will be working closely with the North Central CMA to make it a reality. We also discussed a proposal from Native Fish Australia to close a section of the Ovens River to fishing during the Murray cod closed season. The proposal was carefully considered by members and provides a great example of how complex recreational fishing policy issues are evaluated by our members.

REC FISHING LICENCE The proposal to amend the licensing regime for recreational fishing in Victoria has been deferred to 1 July 2015. This has been a significant piece of work to date and we support measures that will achieve greater investment into improving recreational fishing across Victoria.

We have been informed that further consideration of some outstanding policy issues, especially around the regulations for pensioners, means that the Regulatory Impact Statement will now be released next year.

KINGFISH IN THE PORT PHILLIP RIP Prior to the introduction

of the marine park at the heads, fishers were able to position their boats just outside the shipping channel and avoid interaction with transiting vessels. We have received reports of fishers not steering clear of large ships in a timely manner and this poses safety concerns.

An education program is needed before the start of the next season. Kingfish stocks are on the increase and this is great news for Victorian recreational fishers. VRFish will soon be meeting with the Port of Melbourne Corporation, the Boating Industry Association and Parks Victoria to address this issue.

WILD TROUT STOCKS IN EAST GIPPSLAND Well known Gippsland fishing identity Lynton Barr has alerted us that in addition to the north east of Victoria, trout fishing has been unusually poor in many East Gippsland streams. With respect to the north east of the State, DEPI have advised that the most likely cause of low trout abundance in lower reaches of north east Victorian streams is high water temperatures associated with high

ambient temperature and low summer stream flows.

Trout fishing is vital to the economic and social wellbeing of regional towns and the apparent decline in catch rates warrant a concerted effort, both now and into the future.

We welcome a targeted research program to better understand how the trout fishery is responding to summer conditions and what management actions may be appropriate. A detailed research and monitoring proposal will be drafted and discussed with VRFish and others by 30 June 2014.

We are encouraging trout fishers to contact DEPI and VRFish to provide further information that is specific to East Gippsland so that it can be assessed.

VRFISH TO PRESENT AT THE WRFC VRFish has been successful in securing Commonwealth Fisheries Research and Development (FRDC) funding to attend the next World Recreational Fishing Conference in Brazil. The trip is part of a national people development and leadership program. A group of young recreational fishing leaders and mentors

will attend the conference, along with a study tour where they will meet managers, researchers and recreational fishing organizations.

We have also been successful in having a poster presentation accepted by the conference organising committee on recreational fisheries advocacy and management in Victoria. We will provide a detailed report back to the recreational fishing community after the event. We are also part of a bid to hold the next international conference in Australia.

I would like to acknowledge the FRDC, RecFish West and RecFishing Research for their continued support in leadership development. Details on the conference themes can be accessed at the website below. http://www.7wrfc.com/ 2014/15 VRFISH BUSINESS PLAN We are currently developing our 2014/15 Business Plan in consultation with our members and DEPI. The Plan outlines VRFish actions for the next financial year that align with our Funding Agreement and Strategic Plan. There is much to be done over the next 12

months and a concise business plan is a high priority for the organisation. VRFish is more than just a body that consults and represents the views of recreational fishers.

We are a crucial cog in the fisheries co-management chain that is capable of establishing policy with other users on complex and sensitive issues such as resource sharing. Given our extensive networks throughout the recreational fishing community, we are also an important vehicle to achieve the adoption of responsible recreational fishing practices and behaviours.

REVIEW OF VRFISH The internal review of our future staff resource needs has been completed and approved in principle by the Board. The Senior Programs and Partnership Manager role was advertised nationally on SEEK last month and we received a large number of quality applicants. We have now short listed applicants and are holding interviews in June. The remaining revisions to our structure (eg. creation of the Recreational Fisheries Liaison Officer) will now be progressively implemented subject to available funds.

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Pelagics in the estuaries MERIMBULA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

It’s been a cracking few weeks of weather offshore.

Flat calm seas have made the 30-mile trip to the shelf more comfortable for the smaller boats looking for tuna. Those anglers that have made the effort to get out there have been rewarded in spades with good showings of both yellowfin and bluefin tuna.

The fish have been wide, especially the bluefin, but that is to be expected early in the season.

I know of a few local boats that have taken advantage of the conditions and have headed 60 miles offshore, which certainly isn’t for the faint hearted. Travelling these distances isn’t for everyone, but if you have the right crew and more importantly the right boat you will get some quality

results on big bluefin. Fish to 60kg have been captured but there have been a few bigger barrels lost which is unfortunate, especially when they’re over the 100kg mark, but that’s fishing.

The blueys have responded well to both skirted pushers and bibbed minnows, with blue/green patterns working a treat. I’d expect over coming weeks that cubing and berleying will work even better once the fish are located.

It’s a great method to troll, find the fish then revert to the cube/ berley method. You quite often get the fish to hang around the boat for hours at a time though you do need an organised crew to have the cubes and so forth ready to hold them there. If you manage to hold them, you can almost throw anything at them and they will eat it.

It’s adrenalin packed action that will stay etched in your memory for a lot of years.

Those targeting yellowfin

Solid greenbacks like this 63cm fish Adrian caught can be found in most southern estuaries at present.

have had better results closer in trolling smaller pushers, zig-zagging the shelf line.

The ‘fin have varied in size from 5kg jellybeans to 60kg models so be prepared for any size. Personally l wouldn’t be running any tackle under 15kg as you never know when a jumbo will turn up. Sure, the smaller fish would be better fun on the silly string but do that at your own peril! Murphy’s law always seems to turn up at the worst possible moment.

SNAPPER Closer to shore the snapper are in full swing with the cuttlefish run, with reds to 3kg the norm. The close in reefs like White Cliffs and Long Reef have fished well and will continue to do so over the remainder of Winter. Some crews are getting their bags quite quickly once they find the fish. It may take a little time to locate them but once you do find the reds you’re in for some serious fun.

Anglers fishing fresh bait like squid and mackerel strips have fared best, though the soft plastic throwers are getting their fair share too.

It’s a good time of year to target snapper on plastics as the bigger fish will hunt the shallower ground, making it easier to stay in contact with your plastics and hence catch more fish. If you haven’t tried it, give it a go. You may be pleasantly surprised at the results.

ESTUARY In the estuaries the scaly buggers have been excellent in both Pambula and Merimbula systems. I’ve guided in both systems a lot recently and to say the fishing is good is an understatement. It’s awesome!

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With the exception of whiting, all the species are chewing – flathead, blackfish, bream plus the pelagic species like salmon, tailor and trevally all having a go. Both these systems are tiny but they continue to fire on all cylinders and will continue to do so over coming weeks.

What l do find amusing is that some people say the fishing is slow. I’ve seen it countless times at the ramp when asking fellow fishos how they went. A common response is “no bloody fish in here” and off they go in a huff! A quick glance at their outfits reveals why their efforts haven’t been rewarded.

Heavy line, big sinkers and rods more suited to chasing kings on jigs are a poor choice when you’re trying to fool wily bream.

The key to more consistent results is to fish light – light leaders, smaller sinkers and jigheads, smaller soft plastics and so on. It’s

Winter time means pelagics in our southern estuaries. The salmon action in Pambula will go right through winter. even more important in the cooler months when the water temps drop and the water visibility is crystal clear. Go light and watch your catch rates soar.

ROCK AND BEACH On the ocean beaches and rocks it’s been steady fishing without being dynamite. The flat seas have played a big part in that with little white water, but once we get some decent swell it will come alive again.

Salmon and tailor will make the beachgoers happy

with the rock brigade getting amongst blackfish, drummer and groper. Short Point would be the pick of the platforms with crab, cunjevoi and cabbage the better baits to use.

On a political note l hope some common sense comes into play with the so-called reform on estuary netting. I hope all rec fishers have made submissions to their local MP and minister for Fisheries outlining their disagreement with the proposed changes to netting in our estuaries.

Fish chewing big time NAROOMA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

The Narooma region has experienced the best few weeks of weather l can remember for a very long time. The water temperature is still hovering at around 19ºC with flat seas, little swell and, best of all, the fish are chewing big time.

Offshore fishos are licking their chops, especially those targeting pelagic species.

Both yellowfin and bluefin tuna have been captured out wide off the shelf with a few yellowfin around the 80kg mark. At that size they are formidable opponents on any tackle but on 24kg stand-up you know you’re in for a fight.

The ‘fin have been active between the shelf and Second Drop East on Montague Island. They’re moving around a lot so every day is a little different as to their location.

Trolling larger bibbed minnows and mid-sized pushers in green/purple patterns has worked a treat.

This will continue to be a productive method while the water is warm but I’d expect over coming weeks that a berley/cube trail will work even better when the water cools and the fish go deeper.

I’d be looking for deep holding bait, temperature breaks and bird activity, then I’d start the berley trail.

You can expect plenty of fish to 30kg plus albacore, though they have been a little slow of late.

Those after a solid mako should be rewarded this month, with July traditionally producing quite a few sharks with models upwards of 300kg a real possibility.

At Montague Island the kingfish have been excellent in recent weeks, with bags reached on most outings. The kings are solid fish too, with 4-5kg models the average, though there are some bigger greenbacks upwards of

12kg smacking sauris on the surface.

Both jigs and live baits have worked on the schooled fish when fished deep around the northern end of the island. For the bigger kings, however, slow trolling live slimy mackerel and big deeper divers has been their undoing. This action should continue throughout this month as long as the current keeps pushing south and we don’t get an influx of cold water.

There maybe a chance at a yellowfin as well, especially with sauris abundant. Let’s cross our fingers that they turn up.

REEFS Anglers fishing the reefs are having awesome results on snapper, with winter being the premier time to catch them. The last few seasons have seen this excellent eating table fish in solid numbers through the cooler months, and if the reports are half true

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JULY 2014

Even the cold, dismal weather couldn’t dampen the boys’ spirits as they got amongst the bream.

To page 41

NSW South Coast

Making the most of it BERMAGUI

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

One of the advantages of living in Bermagui is the warmth of our winter days.

Mornings will dawn clear, crisp and fresh and burn off to a warm 20ºC day, allowing anglers to enjoy the best of Bermagui’s winter fishing.

Offshore reef fishing is very good with most species being encountered. Dictated by weather patterns anglers can fish as close to shore

as they choose or travel to wider reefs looking for that exceptional catch. On these wide reefs, such as the Twelve Mile, Tassie trumpeter is a much sort-after species due to its excellent taste, along with those large blue morwong, tiger flathead and of course snapper will all be encountered.

Further out on the Canyons, anglers using 80lb braid line and large metal lures are learning the art of deep water jigging.

This method is producing surprising results such as, hapuku, blue-eye trevalla,

The bluefin tuna are lurking over the continental shelf and it is prime time to target them.

From page 40

on what’s been captured recently it’s all systems go!

The cooler months tend to see the bigger reds as well, with multiple fish over 5kg on the cards. They also tend to come close to shore chasing the cuttlefish run, so the inshore reefs off Brou and Potato Point are definitely worth a look.

Both drifting and anchoring will work, and which option you choose should depend mainly on current and tidal movement.

ESTUARIES In the estuaries it’s slowing up considerably due to the dropping water temperatures, with flattie numbers dwindling as the days go by. Wagonga lnlet has slowed to a crawl for these bottom dwellers. You will still get the odd fish but you’ll have to work for them. I’d be concentrating in the upper reaches past the four knot zone if l was after a feed of flatties. If these are your target species,

Tuross would certainly be the place to target them.

You will still work hard for them but you should be able to get a feed in the river section concentrating in water depths from 1-3m and fishing smaller soft plastics very

and gemfish as well as yellowfin and albacore tuna.

Back closer to shore tried and tested rigs are still producing constant captures.

Good bags of snapper are a regular catch, especially around the full moon, using simple paternoster rigs drifted over and around the reefs. However, anchoring and berleying will allow anglers to fish much lighter producing some very nice fish and heaps of fun.

On the lighter side of things, flicking soft plastics around the very close-in reefs is a very exciting way of entertaining yourself.

Rock fishing is at its best for species like the hard pulling black and silver drummer, as well as those magnificent looking blue groper. These fish can be encountered all day through the winter months on baits like crab, cunjevoi, prawns and cabbage weed. Keep rigs simple with either small sinkers running straight to the hook or suspend baits with a float.

If targeting black drummer try gearing down to say 4kg gear on a lighter rod. Let the fish have its head once hooked, you will be surprised at the results.

Lure fishing from both the rocks and beach will produce some surprisingly good salmon and tailor with the possible late kingfish as well. Small lures on light gear provides heaps of fun and will allow anglers a chance to catch some of the silver trevally that hang around the rocks. Those wishing to brave the cold at night around the full moon should encounter some

nice gummy sharks. Tilba, Wallaga, Barragoot and Murrah beaches have been the better beaches.

Estuary fishing is extremely quiet, with most fish migrating out of the systems open to the ocean or going dormant in the lakes that are closed to the sea.

Wallaga has got some big tailor and if you get a nice warm day these fish may be encountered on lures as they chase mullet schools around in the shallows.

Blackfish are another fish regularly caught in the cooler months. Around the bridge at Wallaga Lake on green or cabbage weed, is a prime area. Some of the best areas in the Bermagui River for blackfish are the Northern Rock Wall upstream from the bridge, in front of the bridge boat ramp, the bridge pylons, the rock walls around the harbour and the rock platform adjacent to the entrance.

The last of the run-out and the first of the run-in tide being the prime time for anglers who like to toss lures.

Some very good trevally schools have moved into the lower reaches of the tidal estuaries, providing some pleasant fishing. Small hard and soft lures will account for most of the trevally and don’t be surprised to hit the odd good bream and flathead.

Winter is another good time for catching squid around Bermagui. Most of the rocky headlands and inshore reefs will have their share around them with the harbour producing of an

slowly along the bottom.

What will fire up in both these systems is the pelagic species like salmon, tailor and trevally, especially in Wagonga lnlet. Tailor numbers have been excellent of late with some big salmon

mixed in with them. They are following and feeding on the whitebait schools which are everywhere at present. Just look out for the chopping tailor and feeding birds.

When the tailor are feeding you can expect trevally,

snapper, bream and possibly mulloway under them, picking up scraps and feeding on the whitebait as well.

Closer to the entrance in the main channel, good numbers of blackfish are falling to well-presented weed baits under a float.

Anglers fishing the flooding tide seem to be doing better, and using a little berley will also improve catch rates.

If you’re casting smaller softies in the fast water, good trevally and bream will be on offer. I’d be concentrating my efforts on the draining tide, with the bottom two hours being prime time.

ROCK AND BEACH The ocean beaches and rocks have had little or no swell of late. This has made fishing quite difficult, especially for salmon and tailor. These species are still there but they are hard to entice with no white water.

For the beach goer, first and last light is the time to fish. Once that sun is above the horizon for an hour or

Luderick is a fish the whole family can enjoy chasing on a clear winter morning.

Andy Kolber makes it a habit of catching solid mulloway. This 102cm fish was one of three he captured over a couple of days casting soft plastics.

evening and into the night.

Most of the common prawn style jigs will work as will the old favourite of a fish on the skewer style jig.

Out at sea over the continental shelf bluefin tuna are lurking and it is prime time to target them. Trolling is the best way to locate them and once located berley can be employed to bring them to the boat. However, expect at times you may have to travel well out to sea to find them.

Squid can be targeted while fishing the reefs this winter. so, go home or you will be wasting your time.

The only way things will improve will be when we get swell and white water.

It will happen, it’s just a matter of time.

Anglers targeting bream have fared better, particularly when fishing rockier corners of southfacing beaches. Live beach worms and pipis are the better baits to use, and may result in some big winter whiting also playing the game. The better beaches to try include Brou, Tilba and the southern end of Narooma main beach.

For the rock-hopper, the golf course rocks in town, Mystery Bay to the south of Narooma and Dalmeny headland are all worth a look for bream, blackfish, groper and drummer. All these species will chew better once we get some heavy seas, with cunjevoi, prawns, cabbage weed and bread all good baits at certain times.

JULY 2014

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Ten of the best WANGARATTA

Robbie Alexander

My inspiration for this feature article has come from the continual stream of questions that I field regarding fishing tackle.

So many people want to know what the best rod is, or the best reel, or the best combination for under $100, etc. The truth of the matter is that I use what I like, and do not spend hours each day walking around in tackle stores playing with the latest tackle to be released.

Occasionally a tackle company will send me something new to write a review on, or provide some constructive criticism on, or even just to photograph for their promotional use so I get to try a few new products from time to time. I have a few sponsors that will send me something new when it comes out to put through its paces, but that’s about as far as it goes.

Just recently I was in need of a new fishing rod, so I went into Adventure Camping and Compleat Angler in Wangaratta, grabbed Drew Taylor from behind the counter and got him to show

me what he had that suited my needs. As a result I ended up buying a Shimano BalistiX Pro Trout rod worth about $100.

I never even handled any other rods as Drew steered me in the direction I needed to go and sold me a rod that was appropriate. Where possible, I encourage people to buy in-store rather than online.

It might be a little bit more expensive, but that extra cost pays the wages of the bloke with the knowledge that is going to help you buy the right gear for your needs.

Anyhow, here are a few pieces of fishing tackle, or related equipment that stand out in my book that I just cannot fish without. Here, in no particular order, is a list of the top 10 products that I use recommend:

4LB MAXIMA ULTRAGREEN FISHING LINE These days light braided line is all the rage but I have tried it, and had too many tangles.

I have tried several different brands of monofilament line, and braid/ fusion lines and always return to Maxima Ultragreen. 4lb is my favourite as it is the best for casting, however 6lb is pretty good too.

SATURDAYS

7-8am

WITH

SEN 1116 REX HUNT

THROUGHOUT VICTORIA, SOUTHERN NSW, QUEENSLAND AND TASMANIA

SUBSCRIPTION TO BE

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where the trout have become educated and cunning. They have the ability to draw wary trout back multiple times to keep striking the soft plastic and are a real standout in the world of trout lures. They mimic small natural nymphs that make up a large part of the trout’s diet, which is why they look so much more natural than other plastics.

SHIMANO STRADIC REELS Back in the early 1990s I bought my very first Shimano Stradic. It was a 1000 sized Aero Stradic with two handles and was the bee’s knees.

Several years later I upgraded to an FJ model Stradic, then another FJ Stradic, and then when the Ci4 model Stradic was released I purchased one as soon as it hit the shelves.

After losing that I purchased another one before upgrading to the Ci4+ late last year.

In the 20 or more years that I have been using Shimano Stradic reels, I have never had any problems other than wearing out the automatic bail flipper. The Ci4 range has a repairable bail flipper now, although I have not worn any of mine out yet. I have tried and used different models of reels, but I keep going back to the Shimano Stradic. The 6:1 gear ratio makes it great to use in fast waterways, and they just never conk out.

SUPER VIBRAX BLADED SPINNERS Years ago the Celta was all the rage. The Celta is still a great trout spinner, however it has had to take a back seat to the dynamite Super Vibrax bladed spinner.

These little spinners come in a variety of colours, and are heavy for their compact size, which aids maximum casting distance. Best of all they are tough as old gumboots, and

they do not bend!

After a while the paint will get scratched off just like most other similar spinners, but that’s about it.

I have caught tonnes of trout on the Super Vibrax range of bladed spinners, with the fluorescent colours working a treat on redfin, and the gold and copper colours being dynamite on trout. These spinners are a must have for any stream trout angler.

Light braided line is the most over-promoted, overrated piece of tackle in the fishing industry. If you are chasing trout or redfin, it is hard to go past light Maxima Ultragreen. Ultragreen even outperforms other varieties of Maxima fishing line (such as Chameleon, Treazure etc).

It untangles easier than any other line, has fantastic knot strength and has enough stretch in it to help keep those airborne trout on the line.

BCF FORK STICK I do not know if they have a brand name, or are just a BCF product. The black telescopic Y-shaped fishing rod holder, like a portable forked stick, has a sharp point and can be pushed in to almost any ground.

The sticks have a brightly coloured Y section at the top making them easy to spot in low light and are a very handy accessory for any bait angler. They’re only about $5 a shot, give or take a little bit – so simple yet so handy and effective.

AND

LEE RAYNER

STRIKE TIGER NYMPH SOFT PLASTIC (sponsored) A few years back Strike Tiger sent me some soft plastics to have a play with.

While the range of plastics was great, it was the tiny 1” nymph that really jumped out at me.

These natural looking small soft plastics work well on trout in high traffic areas

FISHGRIP These plastic fish grips are so much better than their metal counterparts that it is not funny. They are lighter to carry, (ideal for backpack fishing) some glow in the dark, they float and are very easy to use. These are a fantastic fishing item with no substitute.

PLIERS You simply cannot go Murray cod fishing without a pair of pliers. It is a good idea to carry one around with you for any type of fishing because you never know when you may need them.

Murray cod are a very powerful fish, and one tail kick while you are trying to unhook a cod can see a hook driven straight into your finger. I have made several trips to the hospital to have some seriously unguided hooks removed. I watched Brett Corked try and unhook a Murray cod about 60cm long one evening without

BLUNDSTONE GUMBOOTS I am not sure whether I am famous, infamous or notorious for wearing my gumboots, but for whatever reason I am certainly well known for it, and with good reason. In winter they keep the water out; in summer they keep the snakes out. All year round they crush blackberries with ease, and best of all they do not shrink when they dry out causing blisters next time I put them on (unlike leather work-boots).

In summer I must look

like a real dill walking along the river bank in my shorts and gumboots. But, I can walk through long thick grass with extra confidence, allowing me to get to harder to reach places.

However, some snakes can strike high, particularly the eastern brown snake, so gumboots do not offer 100% protection.

Nevertheless, they do offer much more protection than a standard work boot. I rarely walk a stream, or the banks of the river without my tough Blundstone gumboots on.

BRAG MAT I have a Victorian DEPI brag mat. I choose this mat as it is smaller and more compact than many others.

It doesn’t really matter what sort it is, but carrying a brag mat is a must, especially if you are a catch and release fisher.

Don’t release a decent

using pliers. The fish kicked, the back hook from the Oar-Gee landed in the back of Brett’s hand so badly that it required a hospital trip to get it out.

Pliers with wire cutters are the best. I remember getting a hook stuck in my index finger one evening. It went straight through some loose skin and out the other side. Because of the wire cutters I was able to cut the point and barb completely off and reverse the hook back through my finger. I bled for ages, but I was able to keep fishing once I covered it with a waterproof Band-aid.

NO. 1 STUMPJUMPER There are a whole heap of Murray cod lures these days. The market has literally been flooded by large hardbody lures for this species.

Koolabungs are great, the giant A.C. Invaders work a treat, and the tried and proven Oar-Gee lures work very well, however there will always be a place in my tackle box for the old faithful No. 1 StumpJumper.

They are cheap to buy, readily available at most tackle stores, come in a wide range of colours, and most importantly THEY CATCH FISH! These lures have been around for a very long time. I remember reading about them in magazines way back when I was still living at home with my parents in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

They were once hand crafted out of timber, but demand for them got too great as they are such a great lure and now they are moulded plastic, and most likely made in Asia

somewhere. Despite this, they are still every bit as effective as a Murray cod catching lures as they ever were and quite easily make my list of top 10 greatest fishing assets.

fish and then spend the rest of your life guessing! I estimate most cod sized up to around 50cm, but as they get a bit bigger I start to measure them.

Tape measures are great for measuring fish, but do not standout very well in the photo when you are ‘bragging’.

TAKE A TEASPOON OF BERKLEY AND

HARDEN UP

TURNS FISHING INTO CATCHING.

Berkley 3B Crank and PowerBlade lures are designed in Australia by Australian anglers Adam Royter and Matt Fraser.

Rigorously tested by the Berkley Pro Team to refine the actions and colours that trigger strikes. Both 3B Cranks and PowerBlades come fitted with the best in Owner hardware. All the advantages you need to Catch More Fish.

Connect online for advice on how to Catch More Fish! berkley-fishing.com.au • facebook.com/BerkleyFishingAustralia JULY 2014

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What’s new fishing Powered by

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ZEXUS FROM JAPAN

After a year of testing in the Australian outdoors, Fish-Tec Solutions is proud to introduce the high quality Zexus light range from Japan.

Zexus has been making lights in Japan for 30 years, so you know you’re getting a tried-and-tested, quality product. The range is comprehensive and you can pick from headlamps, cap lamps, lanterns or torches.

Zexus lights come with state-of-the-art functions such as motion sensor on/off, adjustable light diming, battery power saver and up to 8W Japanese LED power – there really is a light for every situation. And these lights are made by fishermen for fishermen, so you can always rely on them to perform.

For more information on the range of Zexus Lights visit the Fish-Tec website or email sales@fish-tecsolutions.com Price: Varies www.fish-tecsolutions.com

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WILLIAMSON POPPER

The Williamson Popper Pro takes the traditional popping action to the next level and produces extraordinary results.

At a length of 130mm, the streamlined profile of the lure opens up a range of surface fishing options to all anglers. You can pop, bloop, slash and stall the lure to mimic a frantically fleeing baitfish across the surface.

The designers have precisely weighted the Popper Pro at 35g to ensure the lure’s natural buoyancy when in the water, and maximum hook exposure. In addition to this, the rear casting mechanism ensures the angler is able to maximise their casting distance.

By incorporating heavy-duty oval split rings and VMC 7266 single hooks, Williamson ensures you remain connected once your fish is hooked. Additionally, the laser-cut plate hook hangers and in-line hook design further enhances the Popper Pro’s swimming action, point exposure and hook set.

Price: RRP $21.95 www.rapala.com.au

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SHIMANO BLACK TEREZ RODS

Shimano’s Terez series was launched back in 2012 with much deserved fanfare, as here was a complete range of rods designed with the right tapers, actions and componentry to fish braided lines to the absolute hilt.

Now Shimano has released a completely new series for the 2014 season, with one major difference — this time they’re black! All the popular models have been retained in the choice of spin or overhead configurations, as has the commitment to first class fittings — custom EVA butts and foregrips, custom aluminium reel seats, Fuji K series Alconite guides, and it’s all based around Shimano’s legendary TC4 blanks. These contain double inner layers of advanced TGlass over-wrapped with a spiral of high modulus graphite to bring out the best in braided lines.

The two lightest models in the range are actually built on Shimano’s high modulus C4S blanks, which are cross-wrapped with extra layers of graphite for even greater sensitivity and robustness.

Price: from RRP $199 www.shimanofish.com.au

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4

NEW TONIC STYLES

Tonic Polarised Eyewear added two new high-fashion frame styles to its range of high-performance sunglasses: the Torquay and Cove.

“The new models are for people who want all the Tonic performance, but prefer a more cosmopolitan style,” said Tonic founder Doug Phillips.

Mr Phillips said the new models were available with the same range of lens options as Tonic’s original fishing styles, including grey and photochromic copper in Tonic’s UltraOptic lightweight glass lenses.

All Tonic models incorporate the latest Japanese optical technology, including unique de-centred VistaView lenses for distortion-free viewing at any angle. Tonic’s scratch-resistant UltraOptic glass lenses are just 1.8mm thick, making them 30% lighter than regular glass, and have MultiCut fullspectrum anti-reflective coatings.

The range includes eight wraparound styles, including Evo and Rush with ClikStrap removable safety strap. To find your nearest stockist check out the new store locater on the Tonic website, which lists all 200-plus retailers in Australia and NZ. Price: RRP $259 with UltraOptic glass lenses www.toniceyewear.com.au

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ECOGEAR SHAD COLOURS

The body roll and sonic body sound are features unique to the Ecogear Shad. The special body design makes the lure achieve the maximum vibration in the water at the slowest retrieval speed.

These soft baits use natural sinking material. It allows for further casting with great swimming actions on the surface with the no sinker rig for sight fishing. It is easy to make long casts due to the special Ecogear heavy soft plastic material and centre of gravity of the lure design. Two tournament winning colours – rainbow trout and eel – are being reintroduced to Australian market, along with the new colour mud gudgeon. Log onto the Ecogear website to check out the full range of colours for the Ecogear Shad.

Price: RRP 12.95 www.ecogear.com.au

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PR KNOTTER TOOL

S.A.S Braid continue to push the boundaries with innovative new products.

To complement their ultra-thin, high strength line they have released their own modified PR Knot Tying Tool. The PR Knotter gives anglers the advantage of an incredibly strong knot with a super slim profile.

The PR knot provides maximum strength, not found in other knots, which dramatically reduces the chances of line breakage at the weakest point (normally just above the knot). Its super slim profile makes running long leaders a breeze and minimalizes noise through the guides. Boasting a tested average of 97% knot strength it ensures it is a stand out from all other knots. With three different sizes available there is a PR Knot Tool for every application. To find your nearest stockist jump onto the S.A.S Braid website or follow them at www.facebook.com/sasbraid. For all trade enquiries call (02) 6551 5029.

Price: from RRP $119.95 www.justfishingtasline.com

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Please send contributions to: The Editor, Fishing Monthly Group PO BOX 3172 LOGANHOLME, QLD. 4129 nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

JULY 2014

What’s new fishing Powered by

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THE STUBBY STRIP

Aussie Brett Gresham developed the Stubby Strip to provide a convenient new way to carry beer and other beverages.

It’s designed for the times when you just want to have ‘a couple of drinks’ – perhaps you’re in the car, watching footy at a mate’s place or having a BBQ at the park – but don’t want to lug around an esky.

Designed to carry between one and seven drinks, the Stubby Strip has pockets that safely and conveniently store your beverages while keeping them cool. You just put the stubbies in the pockets, roll the Stubby Strip up, fasten it with the Velcro flap, grab the robust handle and you’re on your way. And you’ll never again forget your stubby holder because there’s a detachable one built in.

As well as holding stubbies, the versatile Stubby Strip can hold soft drinks, water bottles, kids’ drinks and cans. And as an added bonus for keeping drinks cooler for longer, you can put a frozen water bottle in the middle pocket as an ice pack for the other drinks.

Once the Stubby Strip is empty, you simply roll it up and stick it in your pocket.

The Stubby Strip currently comes in five colours – black, camo, blue, red and purple.

Scan the QR code hereabouts or visit the website to watch a video of the Stubby Strip in action. You can also ‘Like’ the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/stubbystrip to keep abreast of the latest developments.

Price: $29.95 www.stubbystrip.com.au

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FLASHERS HOOKS

The Flashers hook is the perfect hook for making your own paternoster rigs when fishing the reefs or sand flats.

They are designed in specific fishattracting colours tied to a chemically sharpened circle hook. The tied flashing material catches the attention of the fish while the super sharp circle hook ensures that the fish is hooked on when it bites into the bait. Improve your chance of hook-ups by using bait for the best results.

Flasher circle hooks come in two sizes, 6/0 and 7/0.

Price: RRP $7.95 www.elkatfishing.com.au

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ZMAN SCENTED PADDLERZ

ZMan Scented PaddlerZ are a realistic baitfish profile that are available in nine colours and 4” and 5” models to suit your favourite medium to large predatory species.

They have already proven to be dynamite on flathead, snapper, mulloway, barramundi, mangrove jack and more.

The segmented tail design of the PaddlerZ creates maximum action with minimal movement, making it an extremely versatile lure option – slow roll it like a swim bait, twitch it and hop it like a jerk bait, or retrieve it at speed for pelagic species.

PaddlerZ feature ElaZtech, 10X Tough construction for ultimate durability. Other benefits of ElaZtech include its super-soft and flexible realistic feel that keeps fish biting, and built-in buoyancy that sees the tail standing up and moving with the water when at rest on the bottom.

Available colours include bad shad, Houdini, electric chicken and smoky shad. Available in 4” and 5”sizes and 9 colours, PaddlerZ come in packs of five and are pre-scented with Pro-Cure to attract fish and trigger strikes.

Price: SRP $9.95 www.z-man.com.au

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ABU KR-X LIGHT JIG

Abu Garcia Salty Stage rods were designed in Japan for the ultimate in micro and light jigging performance. They feature the latest in Japanese jig rod design, quality components and striking cosmetics.

Powerful composite blanks incorporate carbon and glass with carbon X-wrap to reduce rod twist and increase power. The lightweight properties of the Fuji KR concept guide system improves the blank action while tight line control is achieved with reduced diameter KR ring sizes. The upshot of all this is improved sensitivity, particularly on the drop when jigging.

Salty Stage rods feature a sophisticated grip design that delivers a lightweight and ergonomic grip system developed for unparalleled comfort and control.

The six model line up includes three spin and three overhead models. All models are 6’3” 2-piece with a maximum PE rating of 1.5. The maximum jig weight is what differentiates each model with 80, 120 and 150g models available in both spin and overhead configurations.

Abu Garcia recommends using the KR-X Light with C’ultiva Gekito jigs. It is perfectly matched to Penn Conflict, Abu Garcia Revo SX and Revo Toro NaCL reels.

Price: from RRP $ $299 abugarcia-fishing.com.au

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ECOGEAR CK 40F07

The 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 compact shape of the CK 40F07 means that it casts like a bullet, and fish love its classic sideways wobble.

This lure is now available in popular colours 313 and 392. Log onto the Ecogear website to check out the full colour range.

Price: RRP $22.95 www.ecogear.com.au

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OKUMA OZMODO

Designed to combat Australia’s harsh saltwater conditions, the Ozmodo steps out with a full aluminium gearing system that is incredibly strong and exceptionally lightweight. With ABEC5 spool bearings making up the bearing system, the Ozmodo delivers lasting power and performance.

The low-profile design of the reel and soft touch handle grips make the Ozmodo extremely ergonomic as it sits comfortably in the angler’s hand. As a result of this, the angler’s casting accuracy and lure control is increased considerably when pitching lures close into snags.

As with all Okuma reels, the Ozmodo comes complete with a Lifetime Guarantee.

Price: from RRP $259.95 www.okuma.com.au

Please send contributions to: The Editor, Fishing Monthly Group PO BOX 3172 LOGANHOLME, QLD. 4129 nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

JULY 2014

45

What’s new fishing Powered by

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SHIMANO SPHEROS SW

The Spheros series of spin reels has been given a full makeover. The previous FB series were reliable work horses, while the new ones have increased creature comforts for improved performance, while still remaining a gutsy, no-nonsense reel.

New features include X-Ship and X-Shield.

The former sees a larger cold-forged drive gear and a double bearing supported pinion gear increase performance under load, while the latter means sealing gaskets have been placed in locations where water could otherwise enter the reel body.

Depending on the reel model, the Cross Carbon drag can be cranked up from 10 to 18kg. The machined aluminium handle and the four SA-RB bearings making winding effortless, even under heavy load.

Accurate distance casting, even with big, bulky lures and baits, is achievable thanks to the AR-C lip design of the cold forged spool.

Price: RRP from $299 www.shimanofish.com.au

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PROX LIP GRIPS

Specialty Fishing continues to expand on their range with the PROX Fish Catcher Long and Fish Catcher 2 lip grips, imported direct from Japan.

Fish Catcher grips are made of a combination of stainless steel, aluminium and carbon fibre. This makes them strong, lightweight and, with their ergonomically designed handle, a pleasure to use. Both have a spiral cord and carabiner that allows you to have them always within arm’s reach.

Both sizes come in three colours, with the Fish Catcher Long also available in a limited edition black/silver checker plate print while stocks last.

To order your lip grips go to www. specialtyfishing.com.au. The Fish Catcher 2 is $65, the Fish Catcher Long is $82, and the limited edition version is $92. All prices include free shipping.

Price: from $65 www.specialtyfishing.com.au

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LIVE BAIT SLIDERS

Online retailer specialtyfishing.com. au has added new innovative live bait sliders to their list of products. Made in South Africa, these sliders are all about quality, strength and attention to detail.

Two styles are available, a Live Bait Slider (no spring) that allows your live bait to swim up and down your main line and a Non-Return Live bait Slider (with spring), which will not allow your live bait to swim back up your main line, only further down your main line.

They come in packets of two, with the non-return bait sliders costing $11.45 per pack and the bait sliders costing $10.95 per pack. Includes free shipping.

Price: from $10.95 www.specialtyfishing.com.au

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MEGABASS FX68R

The Megabass FX68R low profile baitcaster features a stack of innovative design features

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to make the fishing experience more effective.

The ergonomic design of this model features a T-Wing spool disengage lever which means when you press the lever to disengage the spool, the top of the reel rises creating a comfortable platform to press to quickly re-engage the gears.

There is also a magforce 3D dial located on the left hand side allowing over 60 individual adjustments. This controls the backwind and can be set for angler preference.

In addition there are also three settings underneath the reel, which also adjusts the magnetic control. They are Maxbrake, for heavy class lures such as large bibbed lures, All Round for general lures and LongCast, which is useful for anglers using a low pitch cast or flick where they cannot have room to use their full range of motion.

The FX68R weighs 190g and its highdensity carbon composite body is extremely rigid. The gear ratio is 6.8:1 and the reel can exert 5kg of drag.

Price: RRP $736 www.megabass.com.au

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14

MUSTAD FASTACH CLIP

The new Mustad Ultrapoint Fastach single piece clips are a game changer for Australian anglers. The Fastach saves you leader and time – you just twist and change your lure.

It really is the simplest method of changing lures and jigs you’ve ever seen.

These clips are made with strong stainless steel wire with a black nickel finish, and they’re available in six different sizes (0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) to suit a wide range of species and situations.

Price: from approx. $6 www.wilsonfishing.com

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MAGELLAN EXPLORIST

The waterproof Magellan eXplorist range of outdoor GPS gives anglers the right tools to keep them on track and get them back to their starting point safely.

The eXplorist 610 and 710 include highly detailed Summit Series Australia Topographic maps that enable anglers to see and navigate inland river and lake systems. The maps also provide thousands of points of interest for useful facilities like toilets, shops and camping grounds. A breadcrumbs feature also records user’s tracks and helps them find their way back.

Other features include: Hunt and Fish and Sun and Moon calendars, up to 2000 waypoints, a transflective screen (makes the device readable in direct sunlight), and a 3.2 mega-pixel camera, microphone and speakers.

Magellan eXplorist 610 and 710 are compatible with Navionics maps.

Price: from $479 (610 model) www.magellangps.com.au

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TASSIE DEVIL COLOURS

Tasmanian company Wigston’s Lures has released 11 new Tassie Devil colours, which are available now. These new arrivals include a special KG lure in memory of a much-loved staff member of distributor JM Gillies, Ken Gangell, who passed away earlier this year.

Keep an eye out for the new colours in your favourite tackle store.

Price: approx. $5 www.wigstonslures.com.au

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Please send contributions to: The Editor, Fishing Monthly Group PO BOX 3172 LOGANHOLME, QLD. 4129 nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

JULY 2014

What’s new fishing Powered by

TESTED: Samurai Kestrel KE-402-70 and MajorCraft Crostage CRK 864E

halfway along the rod it’s closer to the butt end. Kestrels come supplied in a neoprene rod bag which offers protection to the blank and components. The top section fills the length of the bag and the butt piece in a pouch on the side.

Build-wise, Frogley’s hold nothing back with this range. Titanium-framed SiC guides with the K-style frame means that your line is looked after and wind knots are kept to a minimum.

The distinctive feature of the build, though, are the grey, offset rings in the black fore- and rear-grip Hypalon. All of the rods in the Kestrel range have them, and if you pick up a Samurai with that pattern it should have a RRP of $449.

What I liked • Classy rod bag.

• Quality build.

• Tangle-free K guides.

• Titanium guides reduce weight.

• Uplocking inset VSS reel seat a pleasure to fish with.

What I’d change • I’d put a hook keeper on above the foregrip.

• Does the bling catch you any more fish?

Some people think a first-cast fish is bad luck. I’m not one of those anglers.

First cast fish are great!

Recently two of our contributors had the opportunity to review two of the specialised rods in the Frogley’s Offshore stable: the Samurai Kestrel KE-402-70 (Steve Morgan) and the MajorCraft Crostage CRK 864E egi rod (Kaspar Lenigas). Here’s a rundown on how these rods performed.

SAMURAI KESTREL KE-402-70

It’s not often that testing meets with success as instantly as happened with the Samurai Kestrel. QFM Editor Stephen Booth delivered the KE-402-70 to my desk one afternoon with the instructions to “try this out on some of those night-time threadfin you’ve been catching”. So I did.

Matching it with a Daiwa Certate 3012 spooled with 12lb Unitika Silver Thread fluorocarbon, I tied on my favourite topwater – a 130mm OSP Bent Minnow.

Now, that’s a big call. Those bent baits are ridiculously expensive. It physically hurts paying $36 a pop for them (yes, I pay for my baits – this one came from the Tackle Warehouse and I did get my 10% ABT member discount!), so I’m pretty protective of them.

Only occasionally do I use a biteleader at the end of the straight-through fluorocarbon. It’s not often that you hook a salmon big enough in the Brisbane River to swallow a 130mm bait fully and if the lure is outside the mouth, these fish have a soft enough body to not damage the line – even relatively light 12lb.

Fishing with my brother Tim, we stopped at the first location: a nice light/ dark line with plenty of current running. Tim mucked around tying a new lure on, and unfortunately for him there’s an unwritten fishing rule that ‘if you snooze, you lose’.

Even though he hadn’t landed his first Brisbane night-time thready yet, I flicked the Bent across the current.

After its second twitch on the light/dark

line, it disappeared in a decent swirl.

Luckily, most of these fish swim upstream when hooked. It’s very handy, especially when fishing from the shore. After their initial shock, however, there’s a 50/50 chance that the second run may be downstream – and that’s exactly where this unit went.

After about 20 seconds the Kestrel was really being put through its paces. Naturally, there was only one piece of structure in the river anywhere near me, and the salmon was heading right towards it. If I had been fishing from a boat I would have let fish run around it, back off the drag and then go in and untangle the mess, but the opportunity to do that from the shore is minimal. If the fish makes it around the structure, the chance of a $40 bait going AWOL increases exponentially, so there’s not much choice but to lock up and see what happens.

There are only four things that could happen: 1. The line breaks.

2. The rod breaks.

3. The hooks pull out.

4. The fish turns around.

Luckily it was a #4 happy ending. The rod and line remained intact, the fish swam away after some happy snaps, I kept my Bent Minnow and some tourists walking past were impressed with the size of the ‘catfish’ in the Brisbane River.

Subsequently, the Kestrel has become one of the regulars for my night-time river raids. The casting distance is less with the fluorocarbon than braid, but I’m willing to sacrifice that for pulling fewer hooks with this soft mouthed species.

Technical

The Kestrel range is an evolution of the Frogley’s-designed Samurai rod range, and the entire Kestrel series is geared at bigger species in the estuary and bluewater.

The model tested was the 7’0” model rated at 10-20lb line. It’s an asymmetric 2-piece, which means that instead of the join being

MAJORCRAFT CROSTAGE CRK 864E

A specialised egi rod is crucial to successful squidding as it has a precise and specialised action to work your jigs to entice the shyest of squid, but most importantly fight squid and absorb their lunges without tearing the squid jig prongs through their soft tentacles. I’ve recently been using the new MajorCraft Crostage CRK 864E egi rod and I can confidently say that I’m highly impressed with it.

When I first laid eyes on the rod I noticed something very interesting: it’s a 4-piece squid rod which is pretty cool as most squid rods are 2

the jigs and the way the rod handled the squid during a fight. The rod has a beautiful soft tip and mid section to absorb the lunges of squid, but a slightly stiff bottom section. This low-down stiffness surprised me. I expected it might be an issue, because it was much stiffer than my other more expensive squid rods, but I didn’t drop a single squid out of the hundreds I caught on the rod. In fact, it felt like I had a little more control when fighting the squid with the stiffer bottom section, and I got better hook-ups from the strike as I got better prong penetration.

When I was working the squid jigs I tried aggressive jigs of the rod as well as slow jigs.

I found that no matter how big or small the squid jig was, the rod imparted a great darting action which really drove the shiest squid wild. With the stiffer bottom section I found the rod was able to work heavier jigs in deep water effectively and still be sensitive enough to feel the faintest touch of a squid (which can’t be done as effectively with most other squid rods on the market). Probably the most impressive thing I did with the rod was catch a 2kg tiger squid in Moreton Bay which is a pretty good achievement and my PB tiger squid to date.

After using the Crostage CRK 864E for a while I knew it was good for more than just squid thanks to its heavier bottom section. I decided to tie on a few surface lures and soft plastics and try for some fish.

You might think an 8ft rod is pretty long for fishing, but it’s actually great for land-based fishing or any application where you require a bit more distance. I managed to catch hairtail, squire, whiting, flathead, trevally and a few tarpon on the Crostage. The soft tip section gave the plastics and surface

Left: I was impressed with the action the Crostage imparted to the jigs.

Right: The rod’s slightly stiff bottom section gives more secure hook-ups and better control when fighting the squid. pieces. This 4-piece rod gives you more options as it’s easy to travel with, coming in a nice carry case. It comes fitted with Fuji K guides to prevent guide wraps from wind knots, and I can honestly say I didn’t have one issue with the rod casting.

I initially used the rod for squid using a variety of Yamashita jigs from 2.0-3.5. I was highly impressed with the action I got out of

lures a great action with minimal effort. The stiffer bottom section had great power to set hooks, even on fish with bony mouths such as tarpon.

If you’re in the market for a specialised squid rod or general purpose travel rod, the CRK 864E is definitely worth looking at. It has a lot of great futures and is an exceptional rod for the money.

Please send contributions to: The Editor, Fishing Monthly Group PO BOX 3172 LOGANHOLME, QLD. 4129 nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

JULY 2014

47

Old Town Predator 13 FMG

Stephen Booth sbooth@fishingmonthly.com.au

The Old Town Predator brings a lot of very good kayak innovations into the one package making this one heck of a fishing yak!

The company’s statement says ‘The Predator will bring you closer to the water and the action with highly customised features that are engineered to meet the needs of avid anglers and weekend warriors alike’.

So let’s take a look at these features and while we are on the water, check out how well they perform.

SEATING This is perhaps the most important consideration for me as my old back just aint what it used to be these days.

The Predator uses the Element Seating System, a system that provides three primary positions to offer the user the best seating position for the job at hand. There is the travel setting, the attack setting and the stand-up setting, each providing a different seat arrangement.

The travel setting provides a lower centre of gravity to provide more stability. The attack setting provides a

WIN

raised seat position for fishing and better overall view of the water and the stand-up setting allows anglers to stand up and have the Element Seating System quickly flipped out of the way. I played around with all of these settings and found the attack setting the easiest all-round setting.

Being a little older and wiser than I used to be, standing up in a yak is something I really don’t do much, however as the seat could fold away I thought I’d better give it a go and found it easy to do and stable with the seat folded away. There was ample room and the strap attached in front of the mod pod allows less nimble users to lever off it to help them stand.

On the water, altering the seat was a bit of a drama.

I found it easiest to set it where you wanted it and go from there. The seat is absolutely magic. During a full day’s kayaking I did not have any dramas at all with the seating. In fact, as described to me when I picked up the yak, the seat is like being in a lounge chair, and that’s pretty close to the mark!

Brilliant and comfortable is a simple summary.

EXO-RIDGE FLOORING In a departure from the smooth surfaces found on most yaks, the Predator has incorporated the Exo-Ridge deck. Essentially this feature is a textured design that ensured you and your gear stay as dry as possible while providing grip when standing up. It’s an interesting concept so I thought I would give it a go with shoes and without to see what difference it all made.

With shoes (I wear dive booties when yakking) there was absolutely no slipping at all. Without shoes I found the deck ridges a little harsh on my soft office feet. As for keeping dry, the ridge pattern was brilliant and when combined with the one-way scupper stoppers, the craft remained dry all day.

I thought the flooring was magic and a really good way of dealing with water in a sit on top kayak as they are all wet. Old Town has been sensible enough to understand water gets in and have developed ways to get the water out!

OTHER ADDITIONS There is a host of other features that make this yak such a good unit in the field for anglers. The large bow

A POWER-POLE MICRO ANCHOR FROM

COMPETITION Fishing Monthly Magazines in partnership with Power-Pole and Hobie Cat® Australasia have created a competition where you can win one of these fantastic Micro Anchors for your kayak or tinnie.

It’s easy to win, just collect the three “code words” from the Power-Pole Micro Anchor ads in the May, June and July Issues of the magazine.

Enter the code words on this entry form and send it in for your chance to be in the draw.

First correct entry drawn wins the prize. Entries close July 31, 2014. Winners published September issue.

May code word: June code word: July code word: Name: Address: Phone [Day]: Email:

State:

P/C:

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

If you miss an issue of the magazine you can find previous issues archived digitally for free at www.issuu.com 48

JULY 2014

The proof is in the pudding. This little Australian bass slammed a Bassman Yallaman spinnerbait in tight to the sticks while we were drifting down the Brisbane River on our test day. Now that’s testing the product! hatch with Old Town’s Click Seal Cover has plenty of room for bulky items like a tent, spare clothing or food bags, plus it’s waterproof! The centre console makes use of the Mod Pod Cover, a cover that allows you to essentially customise where rod holders, sounders and other accessories are placed. It also has a drink holder right in the perfect place! Additional storage can be had under the Mod Pod and if options are not enough in the standard position you can turn the entire mod Pod around and create double the positioning options. The foot rests are fully adjustable and there is side mounted paddle storage to keep the paddle safe and out of the way when necessary.

Two features I really like and that worked well in the field were the rod tip holders and the really neat one way scupper valves that slot into the 8 scupper holes.

The rod tip holders are two angled flaps found on the bow of the yak and when rods are stored along the length of the kayak, the tips slip under these flaps, protecting them, yet maintaining easy access to the rod. I will admit to not knowing what these flaps were when I picked up the yak, but they are brilliant in the field.

The scupper valves are awesome. Kayaks are wet, or at least when I paddle them they are wet. Scupper holes are pretty standard on most yaks and some even have scupper stoppers, but the Predator has one way scupper valves that allow water out and no water in. Add these to the Exo-Ridge deck and this craft is really dry

If you ignore the legs and booties (hey I never said I was a good looking man!) you’ll notice the easily adjustable foot rests and how close everything is to the skipper. It’s a very well thought out fishing craft. underfoot. I found it a brilliant combination to keep you drier, especially for us fair weather yakkers who don’t have the skills or the tendency to bash around in surf-like conditions. I will leave that to those way more talented than me for the moment!

Accessories and some clever thinking are everywhere on this kayak. The removable mounting plates found all around the craft allow even more customisation and they

are strong enough that a Minn Kota will easily be fitted if you want powered yakking.

You can put more rod holders, position the sounder exactly where you want, add cutting boards, tie down straps, safety lanyards and more to these mounting plates.

And being that this yak was designed for anglers there is a Humminbird transducer scupper included. In fact you

SPECIFICATIONS Length:................................................................ 4m Weight:...........................................................32.7kg Width:............................................................. 0.85m Seat Width:..................................................... 0.54m Seat Height:.................................................... 0.38m Leg Length:.................................................... 1.22m Capacity:.........................................................190kg Price (from):................................................... $2,199

Scan this QR Code to check out the video on the Predator 13

The Venturi, one-way scupper stoppers are sensational. If water intrudes into the cockpit it can escape through the scupper stoppers but cannot come back in with the ingenious one-way valve.

Combined with the Ex-Ridge flooring this craft stays super dry. can purchase the Predator with three package options and these are the basic unit, a 386CXI DI Humminbird option (as we tested the craft) and a 798CXI SI option.

These options really make this unit buyer friendly as you can super-size the purchase and get one of the best sounders on the market or grab a base unit and add all those extras yourself. I love that idea.

ON THE WATER So while the Predator is one of the most well thought out kayaks for anglers I have been in, the big question is always, how does it perform in the real world?

And that’s what we wanted to test on the Brissie River one fine day while chasing bass.

Launch and retrieve is simple with this kayak and on the water it is fantastic. I’ll not say this is a racehorse with all the flighty characteristics of one, but rather it’s more of a reliable trail horse that gives incredible service every time.

Long distances in open water would tax paddlers, however if you’re wanting to explore the water closely and poke around while fishing, the Predator 13 is sensational.

Our trip down the Brisbane River was a great example of what this yak is perfect for. We travelled with the current, poked in

All set up and ready to go with the sounder mounted on the Mod Pod, threadline stored in the gunwale rod holder and tip stowed safely while the baitcaster is ready to go in the Cannon rod holder. Bring it on fish.

and around all the snags and deeper edges and had some fun tracking through some small rapids. At one point we did travel upstream about 3km and once you had some good momentum going the paddling wasn’t overly difficult, but the trip back down that pool, with the current while fishing was magic.

Stable? Absolutely. I swapped between a baitcaster and a threadline throughout the day and, as you do in a yak, found myself doing all sorts of inventive casts at odd angles and not once did I feel like I was going to tip the craft. Landing fish, crashing through trees while I wasn’t paying attention, resting up against branches and logs, pushing down small rapids and simply paddling were great experiences. There is a lot to be said about a craft that allows you the peace of mind to simply concentrate on fishing rather than concentrate on staying upright, especially for those like me who are solely interested in the fishing side of yakking and not the fitness or distance or challenge of it all. Yaks for me are a means to an end and the Predator 13 is a terrific means to an end for low grade river fishing.

I reckon it’d also be great in canal estates, smaller coastal systems and inland lakes as it is simply such a fantastic fishing platform.

GET INTO IT Or should that be get on it? The Predator is a really good sit on top kayak that offers an angler a one-stop package where all the work is done for you. The options are almost limitless, the standard inclusions are great and everything works really well in the field.

If you want to grab a yak that has the ability to be a one person job, then the Predator is well worth having a look at as it meets a lot of criteria. So did the manufacturer’s claims come up to scratch? Simple answer is yes they did. The Predator is a bloody good kayak, one that will fish a variety of waters and take on a variety of fish with ease.

Top: The Mod Pod allows a large degree of customisation for rod holders, sounder and other accessories. Pre-drilled holes and Cannon rod holder slots mean you do not need to do much to have this rig ready to roll.

Above: The Click Seal Cover is a great way to keep things dry and safe. Super simple operation and a rubber seal underneath that stops water intrusion make this a great addition to the craft.

The rod storage system is fantastic. A bungy cord straps over the but end of the rod while the tip is protected by the soft tip protectors meaning overhanging branches do not snag and snap your rod tips. Great practical idea that works.

CONTACT THE PROFESSIONALS

ONLINE STORE

slhobie.com.au FOR ALL YOUR KAYAK NEEDS 12 C Satu Way MORNINGTON

03

5975 6399 JULY 2014

49

Top results at Toolondo HORSHAM

Trevor Holmes

The colder months are now upon us, and Wimmera has seen most species being spasmodic in their feeding patterns. Trout are now becoming harder to tempt but the bigger fish are more willing to feed openly. Many fishos are reporting chases and follows but without takes from massive fish.

Toolondo in particular has seen fantastic growth and some real surprise catches of fish in excess of 4kg.

Redfin have been active as the big girls get really hungry for the next month or so then become practically dormant over winter and early spring. Although some rain has been experienced in parts of the Wimmera much more is needed to see some lakes through next summer.

TOOLONDO Once again the showcase lake in the area as far as trout go is Toolondo. Most people are casting/retrieving to treelines and over weed beds.

Best lures again have been the Strike Pro Bob n Spoons, Diawa Double Clutches and Presso Minnows, as well as an old favourite the Pegron Tiger Minnow. Plastics have also accounted for some nice fish, as did the Fishooka dragonfly vibes.

Bait fishing has been patchy but those persisting with mudeye have taken some nice fish as have the locals that trap gudgeon or live yabbies. The fly has been very successful for many with surface feeding fish willing to take insect and moth imitations.

Toolondo’s water level is very low and launching is best in a 4WD. However, on the plus side the algae bloom

has all but gone and the weed problem experienced all summer has eased considerably to the extent that trolling lures is now possible in parts.

LAKE FYANS Fyans is alive and kicking again with some very nice catches of trout and redfin coming in for most anglers. Its water level is almost 90% and the fish are thriving.

Recently Tom Shaw fished the rock wall on a clear day dropping a brown he estimated at 4kg and polarising many big fish from the same area only to be frustrated by their apparent lack of interest in everything presented to them.

I fished Fyans in early May and landed several nice redfin to 1.3kg on StumpJumper Finesse lures in the pink and orange/ brown colours and also on

the smaller Diawa Double Clutches trolling the treelines and rock wall areas.

Fly fishers fishing the twilight and after dark have taken some cracker redfin on wet fly in the trees out left of the ramp and caravan park.

There will be some great fishing coming up, as Fyans is getting back to its former glory and consistency.

LAKE WARTOOK Wartook is on the verge of opening back up.

The clean up and safety construction after the bushfires has taken longer than anticipated.

Check the Parks Victoria website for opening date as with virtually no fishing pressure for months I can see it producing some great catches.

LAKE BELLFIELD Once again Bellfield has been producing plenty of redfin and some very nice

Lake/Dam % Full

Dam % Full

LAKE/DAM Apr May Jun Cairn Curran 62 59 58 Dartmouth 89 88 89 Eildon 68 67 68 Eppalock 74 73 73 Fyans 60 57 85 Greens 45 47 55 Hepburn 55 - 56 Hume 36 38 44 Lauriston 86 84 79 Malmsbury 36 38 33 Mulwala(Yarrawonga)

96 89 98

Newlyn 53 52 49 Nillahcootie 68 67 70 Rocklands 24 23 32 Taylors 42 41 45 Tullaroop 51 49 48 Upper Coliban 67 64 65 Waranga 19 21 29 Wartook 48 43 46 William Hovell 60 57 99

JULY 2014

trout, especially browns, for the lure fishos.

Vibes have been the flavour of the month and

Daniel ‘Nugget’ Holz caught this Toolondo brown on a Diawa Presso Minnow in natural colours.

DAM LEVELS

50

Tommy McBride 9yo with a beaut brown taken at Toolondo using a lumo pink Tassie Devil.

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.

those willing to risk a lure by letting them sink and working them up the rocks and edges have done best enticing the bigger fish out of hiding places and into the strike zone.

Plastics have also done well in this scenario with the reds and greens being the best option. Chinook salmon haven’t been as prevalent as in the warmer months but those in the know have taken some up to 900g on both scrub worms and retrieving hardbody minnows in natural colours.

GREEN LAKE Green is still giving up some reddies to 1.2kg if you can locate the schools and stick with them as they seem to be very mobile and tight knit.

Trolling lures and locating the schools, Jamie Stock from Colac recently landed 18 in a morning’s

session on StumpJumpers and the age old Hogbacks in bronze colour, which he weighed down with a lead keel. Proof that persistence and experimentation pays off.

TAYLOR LAKE Reports from Taylor have been scarce. I haven’t fished it lately due to turbid water but some locals have reported the redfin starting to move there, but nothing bigger than 1kg.

The natives appear to be have gone quiet as the water cools and it may be summer again before you can fish for them with any confidence.

ROCKLANDS RESERVOIR Redfin continue to dominate the reports with some good bags being taken on yabby and gudgeon after locating schools or fishing old marks and known haunts. There has been some good fish amongst them too with a 1.7kg being the better specimen I’ve heard of lately.

Tree-lines are my favourite trolling spots at the lake. StumpJumpers in all sizes will produce, as well as Rapala Minnows and Double Clutches.

Trout have been taken by anglers targeting them and the ever-reliable Tassie Devils, Strike Pro Flatz Minnows and Rapalas have been best.

LAKE BOLAC Once again the annual spurt of rainbow trout that seem to evolve after a cold snap have been on offer to those willing to brave the elements and persist.

Beaut fish to 3.5kg have been taken on glassies and local minnow, as well as Powerbait. These fish are not in big numbers but well worth a shot if you’re after a trophy rainbow for the wall.

Trolling should also reward with Tassies in lumo pink and the beetle bomb #87 being my favourites.

Wigston, the makers of Tassie Devils, have produced 10 new colours to their range and I have just secured a box of each. Can’t wait to hit the water and test drive these exciting lures. Look for them in your tackle shops.

• Victorian Inland Charters operates on all the above lakes so if you would like a day’s guided fishing visit www. victorianinlandcharters. com.au or if doing your own thing appeals more, we have just purchased another Polycraft boat which is available as a hire/ drive vessel on Toolondo, Rocklands, Fyans, Green, Taylor’s and Wartook. Call Trevor to discuss: 0438 132 130 or 03 5388 1338.

Gary Hobbs with a cracker brown taken on a Strike Pro Bob N Spoon in glow colour.

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JULY 2014

51

Fantastic cod fishing MILDURA

John Menhennett goobyfish@hotmail.com

There are many things on offer for native fish anglers around Mildura during the month of July.

This is the time when the largest of Murray cod can be caught in amongst the snags with an accurately cast lure. Even though our river fish are rather sluggish during the winter, the aggressive strike of monster Murray cod can shake you to your very core. There are not too many things better than braving the cold frosty mornings on the banks of the Murray River around a warm fire before heading out for a fish.

Cod fishing over the past month has been fantastic with several cod over a metre caught on lures in various locations around Mildura. This has coincided with high barometric pressures both steady and on the rise. A fair few cod in the 75-80cm range have also been caught quite frequently on large lures recently.

The odd monster cod measuring over 130cm has been caught on large trolled hard-bodied lures too; it seems the bigger the lure is, the better. Colours haven’t been too much of a concern as cod have been caught on a large variety of colours lately. While lure

colour in clear water can make a difference, the cod have been biting on all sorts of colours and sizes.

There have been some nice golden perch caught on lures around the Fort Courage area despite the colder weather. Quite a few goldens have been around the 50cm mark, which is a very good size for the main river. Similarly, bait has been producing some good results around root balls and weed beds with shrimp being the go-to bait. With little flow in the river at the moment, light bait rigs are a must.

Water clarity has been excellent over the past month which has been great for catching Murray cod. Anglers are now tuning their casting techniques as the fish have moved around the snags in the shallow waters. When the water is this clear, it pays to aim for long casts into snags as getting too close may spook the bigger fish. Spinnerbaits will take on a world of their own in this clearer water with nickel and black blades working best. Natural colours are worth trying also. Anglers have been enjoying a lot of success lately on dark coloured lures in the clear water.

Water levels dropped during June to compensate for the maintenance of the weir structure at lock 11. Weir maintenance is always a fascinating time as people flock from

everywhere to view the river bed and maybe even find that long-lost lure!

The coming month is set to be a hot month for Murray cod fishing.

The first couple of frosts are always good to kick things off and to slow everything down even more, particularly for casting. Once the cod start feeding and aggressively scoffing most things that come their way, we should see some more great sized fish being caught.

Rod MacKenzie with a Murray cod caught around Mildura on a King Mong hardbody lure.

Heating up the offerings CRATER LAKES

Rod Shepherd

South Western Victoria, along with much of southern Australia, experienced overly warm temperatures in May. So far we are yet to experience the cold, wintry conditions that are expected at this time of year.

On top of that, meteorologists are now saying that an El Nino event is on the way meaning low rainfall and warm temperatures – exactly what is happening right now.

We have had very reasonable autumn rainfall but that needs to continue throughout the winter months. This will provide our lakes with an adequate level to sustain our trout populations over the summer months but the long term forecast has put this in some jeopardy.

Lake Elingamite is still too low to adequately launch any sort of craft. At least 100mm of rain is needed to top this lake up to allow access to the trophy fish that it regularly supplies.

Lake Bullen Merri has been the talk of the town in recent times with a plethora of trout and salmon on offer.

The browns are leaving the depths and beginning to move into the shallows in a desperate effort to spawn. Many of these fish are approaching 4kg but it looks like this year will be the resident brown’s grand finale as they are beginning to blacken.

As we speak the restocking of brown trout in Bullen Merri and Purrumbete is well underway as the chinook salmon are now big enough to look after themselves. In fact ‘chooks’ weighing in at over 1.4kg are a regular catch in Bullen Merri along with

plenty of rainbows weighing from 1-2kg.

With the water temperature ever slowly falling, flat line trolling a variety of lures has now overtaken down rigging.

Early mornings with the sun initially just kissing the water sees the rainbows and chinooks actively feeding in the shallows and conducive to a trolled lure while the browns are better targeted earlier on from first light to sun up.

Lake Purrumbete has brown trout from just over 2kg to nearly 4kg on offer but the catch rate per angler seems somewhat lower than Bullen Merri. However, the quality of the fish landed here can be considered as good as it gets.

Many bait anglers are still coming up trumps soaking mudeyes, gudgeon and scrubworm under a float. Just be aware that the massive schools of smallish redfin

circulating around the lake often steal what’s on offer.

Being a ‘crater’ lake, anchoring or trolling just metres from the weed beds that encircle can put you in depths of up to 8-10m.

This is often necessary as this lake’s water quality is close to superb and therefore very clear, unlike Bullen Merri’s brackish offering. So quality fish are more prone to spooking at Purrumbete than elsewhere.

Unfortunately Deep Lake, Elingamite, and Tooliorook are currently off limits due to low and poor quality water but I can assure all that trophy trout and redfin are happily swimming around in Elingamite. As yet untouched by an angler’s offering, which hopefully several inches of rainfall will fix. I cannot wait for the day.

Bring it on soon!

FISHING FILL-ITS

Seven anglers on Rubicon River face heavy fines

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JULY 2014

Fisheries Officers have apprehended seven recreational anglers along the Rubicon River in North East Victoria in the past week for exceeding the bag limit for brook trout and other offences.

Northern Regional Fisheries Officer Mike Hosking said Fisheries Officers were maintaining an active presence at the Rubicon River in the wake of misinformation allegedly being circulated in social media that there was no bag and size limits for brook trout in the river.

As a result of the surveillance and inspections carried out by Fisheries Officers at the river over the past week, seven fishers have been fined or will be charged on summons with a range of offences.

The offences were detected along a 5-6km stretch of the river between Camp Jungai and Tumbling Waters

at the Thornton Road Bridge.

The offences included exceeding bag and possession limits for unlisted species (brook trout) and salmonids, the use of trout or salmon ova as bait, failure to immediately release unwanted fish and exceeding the number of salmonids of more than 35cm in length.

“The Department of Environment and Primary Industries has been reminding fishers that bag and size limits apply to brook trout

after becoming aware of false information on social media suggesting no limits applied to the species in the Rubicon River,” Mr Hosking said.

“Brook trout are an unlisted species in Victoria as they belong to the genus of salmonid fish known as char, which originates from North America.

“However, they are subject to specific regulations that place a bag limit and possession limit of five fish per day, with no minimum or

maximum size as opposed to other listed trout species.

“The vast majority of fishers inspected along the Rubicon River have been compliant with the size and bag limits. Unfortunately, for other fishers, we again see a small number taking excessive numbers.

“Those found ignoring the regulations relating to both brook trout and other salmonids (brown trout and rainbow trout) in the Rubicon River are now facing heavy fines.

Fisheries Officers have seized a total of 94 fish taken from the Rubicon River in the past week and will continue to closely monitor activity along the river to ensure all fishers observe the rules.

Anyone who sees or suspects illegal fishing activity is urged to contact the 24-hour fisheries offence reporting line on 13FISH (13 3474). – DEPI Fisheries

Quality over quantity BENDIGO

Roger Miles codhuntertours@bigpond.com

During the coldest months of the year we will often see a reduction in anglers’ catch rates. If you do put the time in then the rewards are there and some quality fish will be landed.

LAKE EPPALOCK The productivity the fishing at Lake Eppalock has remained average.

At the present time only small numbers of redfin are

being caught by anglers.

The majority of these are being caught in water depths greater than 10m. Bait fishing around the standing timber has been the most productive method.

For those anglers chasing redfin on lures, jigging ice jigs and soft plastics has been the most productive technique. The productivity in the redfin fishing will stay the same, or only get tougher, over the next couple of months.

There continues to be small numbers of golden

perch caught at Lake Eppalock. The majority of these have been caught by anglers trolling in depths between 8-10m.

Unfortunately, golden perch fishing will only become tougher and it will not be until the spring months that we will see an increase in catch rates.

CAMPASPE RIVER Fishing productivity in the Campaspe River has been good. At the present time, water flows are low and water clarity is good at most locations along the river. The

Low levels the highlight ECHUCA

Ian Page

Over the past few months we have seen very low levels of water throughout our local river systems, this in turn has seen anglers vary techniques that may not have normally been used this far into winter.

The low levels have produced extremely good water clarity, which in turn has avid lure anglers licking their lips.

For those with sounders, it is important to select the areas to sight fish then work those spots over up to 5 or 6 runs. This may be over only a few 100m to stir the fish up and cause a strike. Too many of us, and I have been guilty of it as well, get lazy and think it’s just a matter of trolling a lure out the back and waiting.

I am not sure if the lure colour is more or less significant than the techniques, I have had days lately where instead of changing the lure I have turned the boat for one last run and all of a sudden success strikes! This doesn’t mean that I don’t have a large range of lures, as I believe in light or dark

This little cod of just over 50cm nailed a PML S-Baitz for a lucky angler walking the bank of the Murray upstream of Echuca. shades on different days and climatic conditions can be beneficial.

The low water levels also give anglers prepared to walk the banks and cast lures the opportunity to catch some large natives. Spinnerbaits often produce great results with similar methods of repeated casts in an area to arouse the fish.

For those bait fishing the best baits are scrub worms or yabbies, the latter keeping some of the pesty carp away a little longer.

The river is low giving you a great look at what lays below. Walking the bank has been an easy option but if you can access some deeper water, boat fishing has given up some spectacular fish.

Fisheries are opening the cray season on 1 June. I know many who are looking forward to getting out the nets that were packed away last year and venture to their favourite spots and catch our freshwater crays. It is vital that people observe all the current regulations regarding crays, so the species are sustainable for future anglers.

I have been getting some strong reports of redfin taking small yabbies in the local irrigation channels, and I suspect the Campaspe and Goulburn would be similar. I would also throw some small lures into these streams while having the bait rod out to see which will be the most effective.

With only a few weeks left until we go into our closed cod season, it is the perfect time to get out on the water and hunt for our mighty Murray cod. Good luck and good fishing!

• 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.

Golden perch are currently being caught in the Campaspe River on slowly retrieved lipless crankbaits. fishing should remain good in the short term while the water clarity remains solid.

The amount of rainfall we receive in the future is the biggest determining factor in how productive the fishing will continue to be in the system. If we only receive small amounts of rainfall the water clarity will continue to be good. A couple of significant rainfall events and water clarity will deteriorate and the productivity in the fishing will decline.

Currently, golden perch are making up the majority of anglers’ catch. Casting lipless crankbaits has been the most productive method.

Small numbers of Murray cod have also been caught.

CAIRN CURRAN The productivity of the fishing in Cairn Curran has been good. Redfin are currently making up the majority of anglers’ catches.

The redfin are currently being caught in a range of depths depending on what areas you are fishing. Up

the top of the lake fishing in a depth range around 7m has been producing well. In the lower sections of Cairn Curran the best concentrations of redfin will be found in depths greater than 10m.

Trolling deep diving hardbody lures has been productive. Jigging ice jigs and soft plastics has also delivered. Because of the depths the redfin are holding in, down rigging for the redfin has been the best technique. We should continue to see some quality redfin being caught at this location over the next few months while water clarity remains good.

Currently low numbers of trout are being caught with the average size between 500-800g. The majority of these have been caught by anglers trolling small hardbody lures and winged lures. The productivity in the trout fishing should increase over the next month.

The numbers of

golden perch being caught has been low.

LODDON RIVER Water clarity is good at most locations along the Loddon River. In the shallower sections of the river there continues to be reasonable numbers of golden perch still being caught by anglers casting hardbody and lipless crankbait lures.

The numbers of Murray cod have been low with the occasional quality fish still being caught. The fishing in the deeper sections of the Loddon River has been average with golden perch making up the majority of anglers’ catch rates.

If you are targeting native fish over the coldest months of the year it can be hard work. The secret is to put the time in and persist.

If you have not caught a fish by the afternoon do not give up. I experience my highest catch rates at this time of the year in the last one and a half hours of sunlight.

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JULY 2014

53

An angler’s perfect paradise BALLARAT

Shane Stevens

Anglers from all over the region are lining the shores, boat ramps are full and the trout and redfin in Lake Wendouree are on the chew. That’s the word on the angling grapevine, and nearly every day there are anglers fishing the lake.

The late autumn weather was mild, which was another reason we have seen so many wetting a line. Normally Ballarat is renowned for its freezing cold inclement weather that puts a lot of anglers off – only the true diehards stay fishing.

As we head into winter, the Ballarat and district is really looking for a very wet winter.

Lake Wendouree is okay, but our other waters around the district all need a lot of water, otherwise next fishing season will be very tough. Some of our waters will be unfishable back to the dark days of our most recent drought.

Fly fishers, bait anglers, lure casters, shore-based fishers, boat and kayak anglers have been having a ball at Lake Wendouree. Whether you’re fishing a mud eye suspended under bubble float or loch style

Shane Jeffrey’s Lake Wendouree brown trout was caught fly fishing using an Olive Magoo fly pattern. Photo courtesy Shane Jeffrey. fly fishing, trolling lures or casting lures everyone has been rewarded.

Towards the end of autumn, it was so mild that even fly fishers were out after dark. Anthony and Wayne Atkinson have been landing excellent brown trout up to 5lb on mudeye fly patterns, something not normally done at this time of year.

Other fly fishers reaping the rewards of Lake Wendouree trout fishing has been Shane Jeffrey catching and landing three magnificent brown trout to 5lb in one session on a bright sunny day; this is out of the

Craig Coltman and Jim Bambridge loch style fly fishing Lake Wendouree during the recent Goldfields Trophy.

mentioned that you can cast up and down the rowing channel, which is 1km, for nothing then come across a school of fish and get hits and fish nearly every cast. This has happened on numerous occasions in various locations, so it’s just a matter of finding the fish and it’s game on.

Moorabool Reservoir has seen angler numbers, and catch rates, increase. The water level is down a bit at the moment, but anglers have clear water access when the reservoir is full. This can be limited with high grass and bushland around the shoreline and wading is not permitted in the Reservoir.

Bruce Pipkorn with a 1.91kg brown trout. Bruce won the Goldfields Trophy. Photo courtesy Barry Kentish. norm as the lake fishes best on overcast days.

Bruce Pipkorn, a member of the Ballarat Fly Fishers Club, recently won the Goldfields Trophy – an annual fly fishing competition held between Bendigo and Ballarat fly fishers. A total of 40 anglers fished over the weekend with 9 trout caught and many smaller trout released. The heaviest was a 1.91kg brown trout.

Andrew Dellaca, a very keen lure caster, has been having a ball catching and releasing brown trout.

Andrew has been targeting the main rowing channel casting hardbodied lures. He

Anglers casting lures using hardbodied lures in smelt or minnow patterns and also redfin imitations have been catching fish up to 2kg. Fly fishos are once again using smelt patterns amongst the brown trout. Bait anglers are using the ever-reliable mudeye suspended under bubble floats.

Moorabool should fish very well during the winter months. Newly Reservoir and Hepburn Lagoon reports have gone very quiet at the moment, as you would normally expect.

However, anglers who are not afraid of putting an extra layer of clothing on will be rewarded.

Cosgroves Reservoir, a

Anthony Atkinson caught this 2.2kg brown trout at Lake Wendouree while flyfishing after dark with a black mudeye fly pattern. Photo courtesy Wayne Atkinson. small water located just out of Creswick, reports some magnificent rainbow trout up to 3lb. The reservoir receives an annual stocking of rainbow and brown trout from Fisheries Victoria but you never really hear many reports of them being caught there.

Cosgroves is very much like the Moorabool Reservoir as access is very limited, which makes it hard to fish when the water level is high. At the moment the water is down and there is excellent shoreline access available. Casting smelt or redfin pattern lures is a very productive method. If working the fly, use patterns like Woolly

Buggers or a bunch of worms or a mud eye.

Tullaroop Reservoir, over near Maryborough, has been very quiet. Normally during the winter months Tullaroop comes into a league of its own. For anglers once again who don’t mind rugging up, Tullaroop is the place to go casting lures around the endless shoreline with smelt patterns. Searching patterns, such as Woolly Buggers, Fuzzy Wuzzies, Mrs Simpsons and Hammils Killers will certainly do the trick.

A key to success at Tullaroop is don’t stay in the one spot; cover as much shoreline as possible.

No luck needed at all for Lilydale Lake anglers MELBOURNE METRO

Ian Debar iand@gottabite.com.au

With winter well and truly knocking at the door the fishing around Melbourne tends to slow down. Most people find themselves inside with the heating on, staring out the window wishing it was warm again. But not the diehard freshwater fishers! They are out there braving the wind and rain, and catching fish because of it.

While the Yarra River is off limits for targeting trout until September, there are still other species to be caught. Most commonly 54

JULY 2014

are European carp, especially in the middle reaches of the river. While a lot of anglers regard carp as a pest, they grow large in the river and can be fun on light line. Baits of corn, maggots and dough work well, especially when the same baits are used to create a fine berley trail.

If carp don’t quite do it for you, there are also numbers of redfin, Macquarie perch and Murray cod to test your skill on during the cooler months of the year.

Lilydale Lake is normally a good lake to hone your skills on some big wily trout during winter, with plenty of rainbows over 5lb in weight caught from here in recent times. While the lake does

warm up in the summer months, most of the year the water temperature is suitable for these trout. Powerbait is a solid performer here and would probably be the undoing of most of the trout in the lake, with the rainbow colour being the pick of the bunch.

Lilydale Lake trout also seem to be partial to cast and retrieved Tassie Devils in the 7g size. The lake is normally fairly discoloured so take this into consideration when choosing colours.

Emerald Lake is another stocked lake close by for some family fishing. Situated only a few minutes out of Emerald, the lake and surrounding park is popular for picnics,

walks and also has the iconic ‘Puffing Billy’ track running through the park. On the fishing front, Emerald Lake is normally stocked with around 500 rainbow trout during the school holidays. These fish make great sport on light line and can grow to reasonable size in the lake, which has plenty of food items such as mosquito fish and yabbies.

The best method for catching the rainbows here is to use a suspended Powerbait rig, where the bait is able to hover above the muddy and weedy lake floor. Lure anglers will catch a few fish by using small insect imitation soft plastics, along with small floating hardbodies.

Out on the South Eastern

edge of the suburbs is Casey Fields Lake. This small lake is situated towards the rear of the Casey Fields sporting facility, in Cranbourne. The lake is stocked with rainbow trout during the school holidays and many young anglers enjoy catching a fish or two from here. As these trout are artificially stocked, dough and pellet type baits work the best. A bag of Zealcol’s ‘freshwater pellet berley’ works wonders on stocked trout – and can be used as both bait and berley.

An ideal rig for this lake is a small weighted stick float, which will keep the kids amused as it bobs under, while keeping the bait away from the scattered rocks on

the bottom of the lake.

• If you have had some success in these areas lately send me a photo and go into the draw for your chance to win a store voucher valued at $100. Email it to: admin@fishingcamping. com.au Include, angler’s name, species, and the area you were fishing.

For up to date fishing information, contact the guys at Compleat Angler in Dandenong on 9794 9397 or drop in and see us at 241 – 243 Princes Hwy, Dandenong, we are open 7 days a week. For our other latest fishing reports and to download information sheets, go to www fishingcamping.com.au.

Natives smashing lures ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

Since I last put pen to paper the fishing has been nothing short of amazing as anglers enjoy some of the best native fishing seen along the Murray River in years.

The golden perch have been on big time, smashing both bait and lures with

on larger lures and they are most often caught with the whole treble engulfed, pinning the fish’s mouth on all three hooks. Far from happenstance, this sort of take has been occurring on lures as big as 170mm. After thinking on this it’s quite clear the goldens are mistaking the small flashing hooks on the undercarriage as even smaller baitfish, hence the three-way pin. It’s been

of the Murray River this past month.

Starting at Robinvale, good numbers of large perch and a few Murray cod have been caught on both bait and lures. There are still no large cod in this area though. This tells me that although the fish ladder is reportedly in operation, it clearly isn’t working. If it were, we would be getting much better reports from anglers

Tim Polis with a thumping Murray cod taken on the troll in the Murray River.

The water clarity has been excellent along most of the Murray since the irrigation demands stopped, and even the diehard bait fishos are chancing their hand at bouncing a few lures along the floor of the Murray in the hopes they too will land a monster cod.

The weather in May was sensational with many days reaching into the mid-20s, slowing the drop in water temperature and extending the red hot run of fish.

Most anglers caught cod and amongst them some real bruisers up to and over

the good old fashioned 100lb mark. Trolling has been most productive with larger lures proving their worth. We landed some excellent cod on lures as big as 200mm and more.

With the threat of winter on our door the water temp will quickly drop away and the fishing will start to slow. What we lose in numbers we will find in quality though, as the big fish will start to hunt the schooling pyberry (bony bream). Mid-water trolling will now take the lure out of the snag

zone and into open water where the strikes can come from nowhere. Talk about frighteneing the bejesus out of you but it’s the best scare you’ll ever get!

The fisho in me loves this time of year where the cod are large and the warmth of a good campfire takes the chill from the bones at day’s end. As good as the fishing has been, it should continue well into winter with plenty of big fish opportunities for those who understand that some days are slow but the rewards are worth the effort.

Tara Gallespie and Terry Himona with an early morning cod that scoffed a 120mm Codzilla on the troll. gusto and among them some real honkers up to and above the 55cm mark.

Now I know that’s not huge compared to some impoundment run goldens, but in the Murray these are quality fish indeed.

Most goldens landed of late have been caught

nothing to land a bag of large golden perch in a single session all hooked in the same manner and all on lures over the 120mm mark. This is great considering we are chasing cod, and they too have been keen to smash larger lures along many sections

fishing the Robinvale pool water.

Hop below the weir at Euston and it’s a whole different story, with good numbers of large cod on the chew with several up to and over the 120cm mark caught over the past month or so.

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JULY 2014

55

Crays get in on the act SHEPPARTON

Nick Brown teamriverrats@hotmail.com

Winter is now well upon us and this makes fishing very tough around our local area.

Over the past month there have been few reports of fish being caught in our rivers. There have been plenty of anglers fishing but they have been frustrated by bait-taking crays, but to some anglers’ surprise, they are actually landing crays from the bank on a rod.

The new trend in bait fishing has seen dozens of crays being caught from the bank. There are a lot more people using alternative baits, such as chicken breast, sausages or chicken chippies from the supermarket. I don’t use these baits but it seems to be very popular and hopefully not detrimental to the fish’s health.

Crays have also been landed from the bank on bardi grubs and worms, but if you are trying to catch crays while angling, it’s very frustrating as 9 out of 10 times they let go of the bait just metres from the bank.

But if you’re looking for a good feed of crays, or just a night on the river, go buy a few cray pots, fill them with bait and have a crack.

So many readers I bump into at Trelly’s stocking up

for a cray trip leave our area to look elsewhere, but there are so many great locations on our back door.

I had a report of a group of lads landing 60-70 crays; majority females but still a dozen size males amongst them. I can’t disclose the location but all I can say is you don’t have to travel outside of Shepparton and the group targeted 2 deep bends that had 20-25ft of water.

If you don’t have a boat you can still fish for crays. It’s not as easy but I have had success in the past throwing nets off the bank in the Broken River. Make sure you find a spot where you have limited snags in your pull zone as once your net catches a snag on the way up it normally flips the nets and

releases all your catch.

As I said earlier in the article, fishing in the rivers has been poor, which is not strange for this time of the year. I have only heard of a couple of fish being caught, I had a report of a 65cm cod being trolled on a Pirate Spinnerbait Crossbones lure. These lures troll extremely well and are very hard to snag up, which is a huge advantage when trolling the Goulburn as you all know how frustrating it can be constantly turning the boat around to de-snag a lure. The two hook design normally turns a strike into a solid hook up.

Over the next month I would be trolling these lures, or any type of spinnerbait, and just work over an area you feel confident in.

Catch Custom Spinners can catch big cod. Jessie Vella with a nice fish caught on a Chatterbait earlier in the season.

This cod was hooked up solid on a Pirate Crossbones.

CHANNELS The channels are now one of two local hot spots. I recently went out for a fish and managed to land 12 redfin in a little over an hour of fishing. I was casting small hardbodies about 4-5’ from the bank using a slow rolling retrieve. You find your lure crashing around the rocky edges a lot when casting in tight to the bank but I found this was what the fish loved.

Sometimes targeting different areas of the channels can be the difference I started targeting the concrete walls and drop bars but after plenty of time fishing these areas I made the switch to the edges.

If you find the edges are producing fish try and throw a small popper just on dark the redfin go nuts and sometimes get airborne. This is a great thrill and gets the heart pumping.

FRESHWATER CRAYFISH REGULATIONS IN VICTORIA Common names:.........................................................................................................Spiny freshwater crayfish Minimum legal size:......................................................................................................... 10cm carapace length Maximum legal size:........................................................................................................ 12cm carapace length Bag limit:........................................................................................................................................................... 2 State-wide possession limit:..............................................4 Murray spiny freshwater crayfish anywhere in Vic Closed season:..................................................1 Sep to 31 May for waters north of the Great Dividing Range

KIALLA LAKES I have no reports for the lakes in the past month I thought there maybe the odd redfin getting caught but that has not been the case. I would bypass the Lakes until September as I can’t see to many fish being caught over the colder months.

SHEPPARTON LAKE The lake is still producing fish consistently for those who put the time and effort in. When using lures at the lake make sure you have a basic gold spinner in the tackle box. The $25 Jackals are my favourite but sometimes the $4 Gold Spinner does the damage on all species in the lake.

Redfin, trout and golden perch will all hit a spinner and using them when the sun is directly over the lake will be the best chance for you to maximise your chances of catching a fish.

For those who don’t know, you can put your boat on the lake as there is a great little ramp in the back corner. Just remember there is a 5 knot speed limit and there are plenty of other lake users with rowers, sail boats and canoeist.

WARANGA BASIN In my mind the best time

to fish the basin is in the winter.

There are no speed boats or jet skis and normally minimal fishing boats to contest with.

Over the past month there have been reports of 100+ fish being caught in a day’s fishing at the basin. Both lure and bait has produced fish but lure fishing has been more successful lately.

Most fishos are either driving around to find the schools on their sounders or just trolling until you find them.

The fish seem to be holding in 10-15ft for an hour or two then they move out to 20-25ft.

This has been the same pattern for the past few years. So if you find yourself catching fish then all of a sudden they go off the bite move out a bit deeper or shallower to find the moving school.

The Squidgy Wriggler in 70-100mm size are the best lure when casting. The drop bear or silver fox are the best colours.

If bait fishing for redfin, I go to the local Spotlight and buy a few bags of coloured beads. Silver, gold and red are the colours I use. Place a few of these beads above your hook and a big bunch of worms.

Just get out there!

YARRA VALLEY

Ian Loft ringwood@compleatangler.com.au

The rains are here, the river is dirty and cold, and the closed season for trout is well underway.

So what’s left to do in the Yarra River?

Most people would say nothing until the water clears a little and the level drops down to something resembling good fishing water. I’ve fished the Yarra my whole life and have always managed to find a fish or two to tangle with - even in the worst of conditions!

It’s not easy for sure, but if you can catch them this time of year you can catch them anytime.

Persistence and being on the water is what catches fish.

56

JULY 2014

Not sitting at home looking out the window saying, “I’m glad I didn’t go today!”

What I like to do at this time of the year is investigate new water. Take a couple or rods and some bait, nothing too bulky or heavy and start walking. There’s so much of the river to explore and so much of it that never gets fished at all. Imagine fishing a stretch of river that doesn’t ever get fished? Sounds good doesn’t it.

So grab a backpack and some lunch, your mates or the kids and get into it. Most phones have a GPS in them these days and this is just the thing to let you know where you are in relation to where you started. If you’re really keen, you’ll download a GPS app that will allow you to pin waypoints on the map for later reference and to call a

particular spot a name so you can recall it.

Some of the best angling to be had in the river at any time of the year can happen just centimetres off the bank.

The river is a medium flow river that over time develops quite deep holes where the water scours the bank away.

In doing this it topples trees in, which in turn become snag structure for fish to live and feed in. One of the best ways to fish these areas is also one of the easiest. You need very simple tackle and only worms for bait. This is how it goes: Slide a small ball sinker (size 1) onto your line and tie on a size 6 bait holder hook.

Load the hook with worms and the rig is done. The sinker should sit on top of the hook.

Then wonder along the river until you get to a corner that has steep banks and looks like

Imagine fishing a stretch of river that doesn’t ever get fished? There’s so much of the river to explore and so much of it that never gets fished at all. it is deep. It should also have a little bit of flow and some type of tree structure in it. Then simply unhook your worm rig and drop in straight off the rod tip – no casting – just open bait and drop! Leave the worms there for a minute or so, then wind up and move a couple of metres. Do this all around the snag and right through the corner. If the fish are home

you’ll know about it straight away. The more times you drop the more chance you have of catching something.

Keep in mind that you’ll loose quite a bit of tackle this way but it’s only a hook and sinker, so no big deal!

At the end of the day you would have got out for a great walk, seen places you haven’t before and have a list

of new destination to go to when the weather warms up again. Oh, and you might have caught a fish or two as well!

• For all the latest information on how to go about fishing the Yarra River and surrounding areas, drop into Compleat Angler Ringwood or give them a call on (03) 9870 77922.

One out of the box EILDON

Andy McCarthy

Welcome to winter fellow fishos! It’s normally this time of year that everybody gets down and gloomy, the natives have all but deserted us and it’s freezing cold!

But I have a hunch that this winter may just be one out of the box for trout, and fish very well indeed.

It’s this time of year when trolling comes into its own. Of late the trout have been caught on the troll and the best results have been downrigging and lead lining about 10m deep in the main arm. Tassie Devils are doing a whole lot of damage and pink has been the standout colour (no surprise there).

It’s very exciting that Wigston Lures has released a bunch of new colours this

Redfin have been more consistent lately, which is good news for the dinner table.

The natives are still biting. You could be in with a good chance of catching a monster, like this yellowbelly. season with a few destined to become legends in the range.

It’s some great work by Justin and his creative crew down in Hobart.

Reports have been flowing in on quite a regular basis with good numbers of quality browns up to 1.2kg in the main arm and up along the Point

Shaw wall and about a 100m off the wall.

Big River, although being flogged lately, has also proven its worth once again with quality fish and slightly bigger than the ones in the main arm. For those of you who haven’t been up to the Goulburn Arm, it’s well worth a look and doesn’t cop a minuscule of the traffic that

Plenty of reward for effort Although the weather can be all over the place at this time of the year, there is no doubt that if you put in the effort, there are still plenty of good fish to be caught. The water level of the lake has settled and will slowly rise over the coming months. Have no doubts, the fish will take advantage of this.

TROUT There is a little bit of everything for trout anglers at the moment. Although the rivers are now closed for fishing, the beauty of rising water levels is the abundance of food available in the newly submerged areas of the lake. The mouths of the rivers will also be hotspots, with many fish waiting for a feed to come to them.

Best baits to use when fishing these areas are lightly weighted scrub worm, blood worms or yabbies. Flat line trolling is also a great way to tempt these fish. Try between Dry Creek Road Inlet, around the bridge and power lines or between

Keon Chan from Bundoora fishes the Lake at Bonnie Doon most weeks. He has consistently caught pan-sized golden perch slow trolling StumpJumper lures around the Kennedys Point boat ramp.

Kennedys Point and Peppin Point. Mitchells Bay has also been a good area.

Brown trout have been the main capture with the best lures being Tasmanian Devils in foxy lady, spotted rainbow, and clown or corroboree frog patterns. You also can’t go past the Rapala CD range lures in brown and rainbow trout

Golden perch will be looking to feed up before the really cold weather sets in.

colours. I have also had some feedback that the Balista range of lures has been working well.

The LED technology literally turning inactive fish into active fish, so they may be worth a try as the weather cools.

NATIVE FISH Native catches will drop away as the weather gets colder. This doesn’t mean the fish shut down, they simply slow down and feed less frequently.

Rob from Bonnie Doon enjoyed some fantastic fishing recently. Fishing the bank along Sunset Strip with yabbies. He caught and released a cod of about 15kg.

There is no doubt that yabbies are a prime bait during the cooler months.

Keon Chan, a weekly visitor to the lake, has consistently caught golden perch slow trolling StumpJumper lures not far from the Kennedys Point boat ramp. They have generally been pan-sized fish, with the occasional nice redfin mixed in.

REDFIN Traditionally these fish get harder to catch and those that are caught tend to be small at this time of the year. There are however, still some nice fish being caught.

Those in the know tend to fish scrubworm baits around the abundant submerged timber in the arms of the lake. Best bet is to tree hop until you find the fish. Some nice catches of fish up to 1kg have been taken doing this in the Ford arm of the lake. Soft plastics rolled up and down the trunks of the timber is another deadly method to get these fish to bite. The odd golden perch has been known to fall to this method as well.

Don’t be afraid to sample what July has to offer at the Bonnie Doon end of Lake Eildon. It is a great opportunity to take advantage of the local hospitality, fish respectable hours and still go home with some reward for your effort.

• For fresh bait, the latest in fishing tackle and to find out where they are biting see Steve Simpkin and his team at the Snowy Mountain Outdoor Centre 03 5775 1105. To hire a boat to explore everything that Lake Eildon has to offer at Bonnie Doon contact Jeff Baade at Lake Eildon Cruises on 0422 166 986. – FMG

Big River does. It has an abundance of fish this time of year and it’s really not all that much further to get to from the bottom end of the lake, well worth a look.

The redfin have been a little more consistent lately, and they are great on the dinner table. I can’t believe how fat they are at the moment, so with a bit of luck they will chew right through winter.

There have been a few natives caught recently, including a 62.5cm golden perch cracker! There have also been some nice cod to 80cm, but mostly on bait.

It’s this time of year that the pondage starts to really fire again simply cooler water temps and more consistent levels do the trick with some big brood stock put in recently there are some good rewards to be had tight lines all

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57

Your fishing licence Native fish stocking Last summer, more than 2.1 million native fish were released into 81 waters to improve freshwater fishing opportunities thanks to fishing licence fees and the State Government’s $16 million Recreational Fishing Initiative.

This is the fourth consecutive season that more than 2 million native fish have been released.

Trout cod were also stocked, but for now remain a ‘no-take’ species that anglers must release.

Most were Murray cod, golden perch, Australian bass and estuary perch fingerlings with smaller numbers of Macquarie perch, silver perch and freshwater catfish.

For a full list of waters visit www.depi.vic.gov.au/ nativefish2014

Murray cod fingerlings take between four and six years to reach the minimum legal length of 60 cm, depending on the productivity of the water.

Growing and stocking native fish involves a team of people at our Snobs Creek hatchery. Some are experts at fish breeding and husbandry while others deliver fish to waterways in specialised trucks with on-board oxygenation.

More estuary perch fingerlings were stocked last summer than any time prior.

Earlier stockings of the species into Lake Bolac are growing well and some are approaching the minimum legal length of 27 cm.

www.depi.vic.gov.au/fishinggrants

fees at work Stocked waters included: Water

Murray cod

Golden perch

Australian bass

Estuary perch

Albert Park Lake

-

5,000

-

10,000

Avoca River

5,000

13,500

-

-

Avon River

-

-

3,000

-

Beaufort Lake

-

-

-

1,000

Blue Rock Lake

-

-

25,000

-

Boga Lake

5,000

5,000

-

-

Bolac Lake

-

-

-

35,000

Broken River

20,000

45,000

-

-

Buffalo Lake

10,000

5,000

-

-

Cairn Curran Reservoir 25,270

20,000

-

-

Campaspe River

40,000

85,000

-

-

Charm Lake

10,000

5,000

-

-

Cowwarr Weir

-

-

2,000

-

Devilbend Reservoir

-

-

-

47,000

Eildon Lake

37,000

62,000

-

-

Eppalock Lake

42,480

200,000

-

-

Glenmaggie Lake

-

-

10,000

-

Goulburn River

100,000

70,000

-

-

Gunbower Creek

80,000

-

-

-

Hamilton Lake

-

-

-

4,000

Hume Lake

-

150,000

-

-

Kangaroo Lake

45,630

25,000

-

-

Kow Swamp

-

60,000

-

-

Laanecoorie Reservoir

20,000

5,000

-

-

Loddon River

70,000

100,000

-

-

Macalister River

-

-

2,000

-

Mitchell River

-

-

10,000

-

Nagambie Lake

50,000

82,000

-

-

Narracan Lake

-

-

10,000

-

Nicholson River

-

-

10,000

-

Nillahcootie Lake

20,000

10,000

-

-

Pertobe Lake

-

-

-

1.000

Struan Lake

-

-

-

9,000

Tambo River

-

-

10,000

-

Taylors Lake

20,000

30,000

-

-

Wimmera River

-

35,000

-

-

More than one million golden perch were released into 48 lakes and 10 rivers last summer.

Several consecutive years of stocking Australian bass into lakes and rivers around Gippsland are paying off with freshwater anglers catching small fish in good numbers along with a few larger fish on occasion.

Next season spoilers WANGARATTA

Robbie Alexander

As autumn grew colder the fishing really changed in the Ovens and King river catchments. The Murray cod, which had been biting like crazy all season, slowed right down to a trickle and the trout that had been so hard to find all season started showing

LAKE WILLIAM HOVELL This lake is like a miniature version of Lake Dartmouth. It has crystal clear, icy cold water during winter and a decent population of small trout that respond very well to trolled lures such as minnows and Tassie Devils.

I do quite a bit of kayak fishing up there and one of

my favourite techniques is to cast small blades such as the 7g TT Switchblades.

The best time of day to target trout in Lake William Hovel is during the low light periods of sunrise and sunset; sunrise is the most productive for some unknown reason.

It can be bitterly cold up there before sunrise, paddling across the lake in a kayak, but the rewards are there for Small trout such as this one, taken on a Metalhead soft plastic started turning up more frequently towards the end of the season.

Hopefully a positive sign of an improvement for next season.

Some days you could hear a pin drop across Lake WIlliam Hovell as it becomes very quiet and tranquil. On these days, the evening is definitely the best time of the day to fish as the trout move down into deeper water in dead calm conditions. up in dribs and drabs. These trout were mainly quite small, but were an encouraging sign of what might be around the corner for next season.

Now what can we expect for July in this wonderful corner of the state?

July is traditionally the hardest month to write a fishing report for as the trout season is closed, and the water in the Ovens and King rivers is icy cold, and possibly high and off colour. Nevertheless, there are a few options still available, with the standout winter fishery in this catchment being Lake William Hovell.

This late season brown trout taken in a tributary of the Ovens River just before the season closed was very underweight. Hopefully late autumn rains will help this, and many others gain condition and distribute throughout the Ovens River catchment in time for next season.

those anglers willing to put in the hard yards.

As mentioned, trolling winged lures is a dynamite technique to pick up trout, so is casting blades, but I cannot forget to mention angling with scrubworms. If we get some decent rainfall and the rivers are high, just dangling a lightly weighted bunch of scrubworms in the submerged King River channel of the lake can be a very productive way of catching trout in this lake. And, unlike lure fishing, bait fishing is not restricted to the low light periods of the day. You can angle with scrubworms all day and catch trout in the King River arm.

If you cannot get hold of any scrubworms, don’t stress as regular garden worms, or tiger worms and night crawlers can be very effective as well. I like the thick scrubworms as they occur naturally up there, however I have had some great success with other species of worms as well.

A few days before the winter school holidays, the

family-friendly waterways will be stocked with trout ready for the kids to head out.

Lake Anderson in Chiltern, Stanley Dam in Stanley and Lake Sambell in Beechworth will all receive a fresh top up of yearling rainbow trout, ready to catch! These trout usually range from 25-35cm in size and are not always as easy to catch as you may think.

I find tiny soft plastics fished

very slowly work very well on these hand fed fish.

The Ovens and King rivers around Wangaratta will be super slow in July. If we do not get too much rain, you may wish to head down of an evening and drown a few worms in the hope of catching a carp. I have caught fish in the Ovens River in July, but not very often and it is usually nothing to get excited over.

Small redfin are common in Lake William Hovell, although during winter they are harder to catch. If you persevere you may get onto a winter redfin, and if you are really lucky you may even get a few big ones.

Cool cod conquer the cold YARRAWONGA

Tony Bennett codclassic@bigpond.com

Frosty fingers, a chilly snout and a great lump of a green fish could be your reward if you are prepared to put in the effort over the next month or two on the mighty Lake Mulwala.

Catch rates are starting to thin a little but what is being reported is of

quality. Without wanting to sound like a broken record, trolling larger lures will be your best option. Depending on where in the lake you’re fishing, there are endless choices of 100mm+ sized lures that can be worked at any depth from 2-12m.

A slow, wide, enticing action is what to look for in a hardbodied lure with brands like AC, Custom Craft, StumpJumpers, Humptys, Codgers, Secret

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JULY 2014

Creek, Kuttafurra, Gidgee and Koolabung being the standouts.

Looking back, May proved to be a great month as the magnificent autumn weather continued longer than expected. Where fishos lost a week or two early in the season during January due to extreme heat, it was made up for in May and was well worth waiting for. Trolling and casting both accounted for numerous cod and the editorial Booth and some of his mates managed to scare up a few cod to the 79cm mark on cast lures in early May. They also managed quite a few good goldens to 54cm with lures like the StumpJumper No.2, Custom Crafted Extractor and Fish Stik and spinnerbaits from Bassman doing most of the damage.

But my fish of the month goes to a super 95cm cod taken on a surface lure by local youngster Joel Thomas.

It’s great excitement to get a

cod off the surface, but one of this size is surely memorable.

George Jovanovic was up to his old tricks again when he boated a healthy metreplus while trolling the top end of the lake. Known as a big fish specialist, it’s good to see George finding some form after taking out the smallest cod award (27cm) at the recent Cod Nationals!

Fishing below the weir has been difficult due to low water levels but those who are switched on are returning some great cod. Once the crops were in, Kevin ‘K Mac’ Brooks had an outstanding run boating a genuine monster that stretched the tape out to a whopping 124cm. This great effort was closely followed up with another beast that measured a neat 100cm. Both were caught casting large hard body lures.

Cray season is upon us, but unfortunately pen went to paper for this report only days before the season opened.

How the crays will go this year

Kevin ‘K Mac’ Brooks and his 100cm+ of quality Murray cod. is anybody’s guess but please follow the strict size and bag limits that have been put in place. If rules and regulations get abused, it will be very easy for authorities to close cray season all together and that would likely be something we may not see back in a long while.

Enjoy the traditional weekend away with a good crew of mates, stay safe especially if boating in the Murray at night and limit your

catch, not catch your limit.

• If visiting Yarrawonga/ Mulwala I urge you to call into Lake Mulwala Fish Camp & Ski, the shop with the big green cod out the front (Opposite the Post Office) in Mulwala and say g’day. We are your largest Murray cod specific shop in the region and specialize in all things green! For any info on upcoming events or fishing reports give us a call on 03 5744 3133.

Trout dominate the waterway water when it is this cold.

With winged lures, I find it is hard to go past monofilament line as it has the stretch to help take up the slack during the wide sways of the lure. I find the hook-up rate better when using monofilament line. Another great way to increase your hook-up rate is to replace the trebles with a single hook, using a bright red bead to stop the hook from sliding up into the hollow core of the lure.

Don’t overlook small minnow lures in Lake Dartmouth during winter either. I have had great success trolling small minnows such as the Pontoon21 Greedyguts

KEIWA VALLEY

Robbie Alexander

Bitterly cold and uniquely beautiful, the mountainous north east corner of Victoria still has quite a bit to offer the adventurist angler brave enough to don the thermals and head out fishing in the depths of winter. This area is dominated by trout at this cold time of the year as most other species struggle to even get out of bed on the cold mornings.

Lake Dartmouth is in its prime during winter when the trout are at their most active with trout coming and going from the lake. Brown trout spawn during May and June, and as a result many of the bigger brown trout head back into the lake after spawning with empty stomachs looking to put on some of the condition they lost during the romance season.

Rainbow trout on the other hand spawn much later than brown trout. Their spawning usually starts around mid-July and finishes early in spring. So during July you can expect the hungry brown trout be coming out

Steve Haughton steve.haughton@hotmail.com

The streams of the West and South Gippsland regions are flowing well with winter rainfall hitting the catchments, which is providing trout with perfect conditions for spawning. A warm winter could suggest more food in the system so stream trout will be getting a good feed and improving their postspawn condition.

While the trout season is closed, blackfish and eel are a fun stream fishing alternative to trout; the key is light gear and a change in technique.

The key spots to look out for along any stream are dark pools and deep holes that provide blackfish and eel the perfect habitat to feed and hide. They are ambush predators and can take their time before seizing a well-presented garden or scrub worm. By far this is the simplest bait to consider when fishing for these species and the rig/tackle required is just as simple.

The two easy methods are either fishing a worm under a float or fishing

fishing was on this lake.

The average size of the trout in Khancoban Pondage is much bigger than those found in Lake Dartmouth.

I have always said, “Lake Dartmouth for consistency, Khancoban Pondage for size”. Khancoban can be

A late season brown trout from the Kiewa River caught on a 40mm Metalhead soft plastic in W.A.S.P. colour.

The Kiewa River really turned it on late in the season. of the rivers, and the rainbow trout to start heading up into the rivers. Therefore, river mouths and their associated bays are the obvious choice in just about any trout lake at this time of the year.

Try trolling winged

lures such as Tassie Devils.

I have a major preference for hot pink coloured Tassie Devils during winter. There is no need for downriggers or anything to help you get your lure down as the trout are happy feeding in the shallow

Stream trout alternatives WST/STH GIPPSLAND

Trolling across Lake Dartmouth with Sandy Hector in winter last year. They caught quite a few trout this day.

a worm off the bottom.

Blackfish and eel rarely come up to the surface to feed so the target feeding zone is going to be at the stream bed in slow flowing, stagnant water or backwash.

Fishing off the bottom is an easy technique but it can provide some difficulty in seeing a bite if the line is difficult to keep taut – blackfish and eel are sensitive biters, unlike trout which aggressively strike a bait or lure. Float fishing certainly provides an advantage as you can very easily see a bite when the float bobs and you don’t have to keep the line tight.

Only consider float fishing if the water is still or swirling so that it doesn’t end up in the stream current and out of the feeding zone.

Targeting these species is best in the late afternoon when the sun sets below the hills and those brave enough to spend a few chilly hours out in the dark are often rewarded for their patience. You can also catch numerous blackfish and eel in one hole, unlike trout that tend to hunt solo in the stream flow.

Key rivers holding blackfish and eel include the Lang Lang River from Hallora right down to Lang Lang, Bunyip River, up at Labertouche flowing down

to Koo Wee Rup, the Tarago River, Latrobe River and its tributaries. The season for blackfish closes on the 1 September for 4 months and eels can be targeted all year round.

For those anglers still itching to catch a local trout over July, Blue Rock Lake is your only option. Blue Rock presents a large area that can be covered on foot along the south west bank offering ideal conditions for bank fly casting, lure casting and bait fishing.

Entry points for landbased anglers are at the two boat ramps at either end of the lake with the township of Willow Grove in between. The lake is at near full capacity. There’ll be plenty of smaller trout cruising the edges this month with bigger fish returning from their spawn up the Tanjil River. Over the next couple of months, we’ll start to see an influx of hungry trout re-entering the lake for a decent feed so there should be plenty of angling action.

Feel free to send me a report or photo particularly if you have any success stories out on Blue Rock Lake or if you have been targeting eel and blackfish. Please email me any questions too.

Happy fishing!

Sandy Hector with a decent Lake Dartmouth rainbow trout caught trolling a Tassie Devil in pink panther colour last winter. (named after me perhaps?) and the Rapala CD range of lures. Provided it swims properly, any natural coloured minnow will work.

An often under-rated technique for catching trout in Lake Dartmouth, or any trout lake, is to cast and retrieve a metal blade.

I did well in Dartmouth a couple of years ago casting a TT Switchblade in peacock blue colour. I also did exceptionally well in the similar but much smaller Lake William Hovell with this same lure in winter.

Khancoban Pondage is another lake worth wetting a line in over winter. One of my coldest ever days

very hit and miss, but if you get there on a good day, you will be glad to went!

As Khancoban Pondage is much shallower than Lake Dartmouth (and a lot smaller) my favourite technique by a mile is angling with mudeyes suspended underneath a bubble float.

There’s something special about watching your float disappear under the water when you are fishing a lake that is known to hold trout to 10lb or more.

Mudeyes can be very hard to get hold of during winter, but if you do a ring around of some tackle stores I am sure you will find some.

Trolling can be quite

difficult in Khancoban Pondage due to the large amount of aquatic weed. You really need the lake to be full and to troll down the deep end of the lake with shallow running minnows or winged lures.

Lake Hume has seen an improvement in trout fishing in recent years thanks to fish stocking. Rarely do I hear reports of large numbers of trout being caught, but I do hear reports of trout nudging 10lb from time to time. I have even seen some photos of the monsters. Last winter there were quite a few monster trout caught in Lake Hume by anglers trolling in the open water near the wall with winged lures.

Well known Lake Hume fishing identity Ray Gamble caught 4 or 5 massive trout last winter on a deep diving Hotlips Lure in redfin colours.

There will still be redfin caught in Lake Hume during July, mainly by the local gurus or dedicated redfin anglers that head to lakes chasing large winter redfin.

Try angling with a tiny yabby in no less than 20ft of water during winter as the water down deep can sometimes be a little bit warmer, as opposed to the deeper water being colder during summer.

Just quickly, a couple of weeks before this report was submitted, I managed a couple of really good trout fishing sessions on the Kiewa River. After such a harsh trout season this is a very encouraging sign for when the Victorian trout season re-opens in September.

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Crystal ball for July JINDABYNE

Steve Williamson swtrout@airlan.com.au

With the first snow falls on the mountains for the winter season, the brown trout are well on their way for their annual spawning run and the rainbows are getting edgy as well.

A more normal spawning season this year. If you remember my reports last year you would have read that due to the rain in April and May the rainbows moved early, even sooner that the browns which was very unusual. This year, however, it was a much drier weather pattern and the browns spawned first which is how it happens normally.

This year the lake level is quite high again and I see no reason why the fantastic shore-based angling that we are currently experiencing will not continue well into spring and early summer as it did in 2013.

During winter, it doesn’t matter what method of fishing you are doing as long as you remember the fish are close to the edges, and you need not cast out too far. In particular this year with the lake so high, there is a lot more cover for fish to hide in and around.

Trolling is one of my favourite ways to catch trout in winter – you just sit back, relax and wait for the fish to bite. If you’re out in a boat on the lake over winter, trolling lures a lot slower than you would in summer is also the way to increase the number of trout you catch.

The best lures to use when trolling the lake for big trout in winter are the jointed Rapalas in various colours, as it seems that their action is what the trout like most. Tasmanian Devil lures in pink 55, orange 57 and brown number Y48 are the

best on the rainbow trout.

Y82 and holographic are another couple of colours worth a try.

Trolling flies off fly lines (harling) is also very productive in winter and trolling flies on lead core lines during the middle of the day produces some big browns if you stay just over the weed beds. We have some flies in my shop that are designed for trolling and can be dynamite over the weed beds on the lake. Good areas for trolling this month are the South Arm, the Snowy Arm, East Jindabyne islands and Hayshed Bay. July is also the time when we get most of our snow on the mountains and the weather can change very quickly, so always check for any major changes before heading out in a boat. It takes only minutes for the lake to go from mirror flat to over metre high waves and 100km/h winds.

Just remember that when on a boat all rugged up, sometimes with waders on, you are dicing with death if you aren’t wearing a life vest. If you were to fall into the water (which is getting colder by the day), once you get wet there’s a very good chance that you will die. Even if you manage to avoid drowning from having all your wet clothes drag you to the bottom or your waders fill with water, you could still fall victim to hypothermia, which sets in fast. We have seen far too many anglers die on our waterways this year and I don’t want to see any more. Wearing a lifejacket isn’t the be-all and end-all though – while it will save you from drowning it won’t save you from hypothermia, it will just make it easier to find your body. The safest option is to always fish with a buddy or stay close to town when people from the shore can at least see your boat if

you get into trouble.

Spinning from the shore of the lake is another method that works well during winter, and Tasmanian Devils are probably the best lures to use in the middle of the day.

Colours like pink number 55, yellow wing number 36 and brown number 48 work best at a slow retrieve.

A variety of soft plastics work better when the fish are off the bite and hard plastics and metal lures aren’t catching fish. Plastics work at this time possibly due to the smell that is impregnated into these products, and the smaller the better. It’s best if they are also natural or cold colours for the inlets and orange or pink for open water.

Warren Hicks rugged up for winter fishing.

JULY ROUNDUP – THE BEST OF THE BEST Best method:............. Bait fishing Best depth: . ............. Scrubworms teamed with artificial bait fished off the bottom Best lake lure: .......... Tasmanian Devil in pink 55 or holographic. Rapala Pinky

trout 7cm Best lake area: . ........ Claypits and Banjo Patterson Park Best fly method: ....... Williamson’s Gold Fish or a similar fly to represent the food

the fish are feeding on Best river: ................. Rivers closed, will reopen on Saturday 5 October The Strike Tiger range of plastics have been great in Lake Jindabyne, especially the 3” curl tail princess pink and vodka ‘n’ orange.

If you are flyfishing or spinning with lures you have to also be aware that you need to slow down your retrieve and leave the fly or lure in the fish’s face for longer.

Bait fishing is a very productive method of fishing in winter and simple rigs work best. Worms and artificial baits have always been a favourite way of winter fishing and always bring results. When worm fishing use plenty of tiger worms or a single scrub worm, and fish them off the bottom using a running sinker.

There is a lot of weed about at the moment so it is best to put mucilin on

your line to keep it floating above the bottom. You can also suspend a bait under a float and if you want to use artificial bait (most floats) try a little split shot on the hook to keep the bait down.

As the fish move about the lake so much over in winter there is no particular spot better than another, but a hint is shallow water early and late and slightly deeper water in the bright sunny parts of the days – but not too deep!

Fly fishing has been very good and you will see fish cruising if you have your polaroid glasses on. Polaroiding trout is best done on the sunnier days and that is the time I like to fly fish the lake anyway. I never have gone much on fly fishing when

it is snowing or during the cold winter nights. A well presented fly, something like a brown nymph, a Mrs Simpson or a well presented shrimp pattern will get good results during the winter months. Don’t forget my Williamson’s Gold Fish when fishing the quite weedy bays. The best areas for winter polaroiding in Jindabyne are Creel Bay, Hatchery Bay, Sids Bay and the Kalkite end of the lake.

Good areas to try at this time of the year are, The Snowy Arm, Creel Bay and Wollondibby Inlet is excellent after rain.

Best of luck with your winter fishing and if coming down to Jindabyne over the next few months, call in and get the latest fishing information at Steve

Williamson’s Trout Fishing shop 1 ‘Snowline Centre, Kosciuszko road (next to the Shell servo).

I run fishing tours right through winter so why not come and catch a monster trout or Atlantic salmon on Lake Jindabyne. My shop is also open 7 days a week during winter with extended hours over July and August.

NOTE July and August are the months when the township of Jindabyne is flat out with snow skiers and most accommodation is either booked out or very expensive. However, since you don’t need to get out of bed early to catch a trout in winter, you can always stay in towns close by where there is accommodation at more affordable rates. Cooma, Berridale and Dalgety are towns that come to mind that have great accommodation at reasonable rates.

• If you want the very latest reports almost on a daily basis, check out my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ pages/Steve-WilliamsonsL a k e - J i n d a b y n e - Tro u t Fishing-Adventures.

Positive end to the season CTL GIPPSLAND

Will Thompson allwaysangling@bigpond.com

I hate the end of trout season, however the long weekend allowed us to see some good catches of fish and, with some welltimed rain, there were plenty of good trout and bass caught in Gippsland.

Some good rain prior to the long weekend raised the rivers and increased the flows, which got anglers out there chasing a few trout in the local streams.

A lot of anglers fished Blue Rock Lake as well.

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The Thomson River was probably the standout with anglers getting good numbers of trout to 35cm in length.

Locations near the bridge on the way to Walhalla, as well as Coopers Creek and Bruntons Bridge, all fished well with lure anglers that were using small soft plastics and hardbodied lures.

The good news was the average size of the browns were up on what we normally catch here, with plenty of anglers catching multiple fish over 30cm.

The Tanjil River is another waterway that gets fished hard on the long

weekend. As it is a tailrace stream, many anglers caught decent sized fish over 1kg, and some bigger ones as well. Again, lures such as small hardbodied bibbed minnows were the standout lures, but the humble Celta style spinner caught its fair share as well.

BLUE ROCK LAKE Blue Rock had plenty of anglers trying their luck and many were fishing landbased and catching plenty.

The wall end of the lake fished best and I spoke to one group of anglers that caught half a dozen good sized trout to 42cm and a couple of nice size bass almost hitting 30cm

in length.

Anglers fishing with lightly weighted worms did very well.

Anglers with kayaks and small tinnies did plenty of trolling with Tasmanian Devils and hardbodied lures and we saw plenty of 40cm+ trout, and even the odd trout over 50cm.

The bass were also caught sporadically by anglers trolling. There were plenty of small specimens to 20cm getting caught in the sticks with the odd 35cm+ fish there as well. I’m really impressed by the bass this year as the cold weather hasn’t seemed to put them

Andrew Ketellar caught this beautiful big brown trout in Blue Rock Lake trolling a Rapala lure. He has also been catching plenty of bass as well. off. With any luck, these Gippsland bass might be an all year round fish.

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

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

Prepare for the cold WEST COAST

Shane Lowery

July is the coldest month for spear fishers with water temps dropping to 12ºC and lower in the bays and South West Victoria.

Nevertheless, those who put in the effort are still being rewarded.

June provided some excellent hunting opportunities offshore around Portland. Several trips by local divers proved successful on the tuna front.

Keen local spear fisherman Christian Hughes and good mate Brett Illingworth from Escalpez Australia had a great trip out. Both of them bagged tuna in the 15kg range!

These fish require patience and skill to spear. The best technique is to cube them up. The boys also had people on the boat drop jigs into the school holding at the boat.

The trick was to get the tuna to focus on either the lure or the cube rather than the diver. This allowed the divers to fire a leading shot at the fish as they moved in to feed while distracted by the bait.

Many great reef species

are still on offer through July, including southern rock lobster, however it’s important to be aware that the taking of female rock lobster ended on June 1.

For the keen diver there are many delicacies on offer. Target species this month include snook (short fin pike), sea sweep, King George whiting, silver trevally, Australian salmon, longfin pike and abalone,

just to name the most prevalent.

It’s also the best time of year to target scallops in the Melbourne/Port Phillip Bay Area. We also start to see the influx and congregation of calamari at this time of year in the bays as they move into lay their eggs in the shallow weed beds.

In July, the number one priority is to stay warm.

Wetsuits in the minimum

An impressive southern rock lobster and abalone haul.

Christian Hughes with a decent school SBT. Divers have been doing very well on the tuna this season.

5mm range are the order of the day. I also use a 3mm vest under my suit for extra warmth. Suits comprising of two pieces are the ideal configuration; 5mm long johns and a 5mm hooded top are perfect. This gives an overall 10mm thickness through the body/torso area and keeps the diver very warm.

Limiting dives to the 3-4 hour mark is also very

sensible. Suits have taken a huge leap forward in recent years with open cell neoprene and also titaniumlined versions being the best on offer. Open cell or body seal suits have been around for 10+ years now and are extremely warm. As suggested by the name, they create a tight seal to the body but do require some form of lubrication to get in to.

Generally divers use either a

mix of soapy water or baby oil to make putting the suit on much easier.

Alternatively, titaniumlined suits are the newer technology and do not require a lubricant to get on. The titanium lining also reflects natural body heat helping to keep the diver both warm and comfortable.

July is still a great month to be in the water so gear up against the cold!

OU T L AW 7 great models to choose from 429 Tiller steer 449 Centre Console/ Side Console 469 Side Console 489 Side Console 529 Centre Console/ Side Console

Contact your local dealer for more information.

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6 Effingham St, MOONAH

BL MARINE

Ph 03 9478 1420

info@blmarine.com.au www.blmarine.com.au

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MOOLAP MARINE Ph 03 5248 3772

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

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bordermarine@westnet.com.au www.bordermarinecentre.com.au

MAYNES MARINE Ph 03 6214 9999

sales@maynesmarine.com.au www.maynesmarine.com.au JULY 2014

63

Do not despair, there’s plenty of winter fare TASMANIA

Kelly Hunt

Okay, okay, we can’t avoid it any longer – we are in the thick of winter and a lot of the fishing has slowed down. But hey, let’s not despair as often it can just be our attitude to the cold that slows us down.

There are still some really good options for the angler in us all.

Trout waters have closed and for good reason. The pressure is off these fish as they can enjoy some good old-fashioned spawning rumpy pumpy. There are a number of waters that remain open all year round so check with the fisheries website and tackle stores for the good oil on these.

Snow on the mountains will mean a good set of thermal undies and some quality neoprene waders for the hardy. It’s a given the highlands are going to be a real test for all but the super keen, but don’t forget the coastal river systems.

The Inland Fisheries website will have all the info on where you can start and stop to target trout in your favourite waterway.

You are looking for an early sea run or resident brown trout in these waters with all your usual methods?

Spinning from the shore is very productive at dusk and in overcast conditions.

July again is cold, but often filled with clear calm days so don’t pack the fly rod away altogether. Given the lack of insect activity you will find yourself doing a fair bit of blind casting or using wet flies. Sight fishing is of course an option until a big rain ruins the visibility.

In the lower reaches and estuaries you will encounter a lot more than just trout while swishing away. It can be a great time for the beginner to practice all aspects of

flycasting. Mullet, bream and Australian salmon can keep you amused until you find your next trout to fool.

TUNA AND OFFSHORE The tail end of May and June had Eagle Hawk Neck firing. The school sized fish were anywhere you cared to mention and if you found them when they came on to feed you were bound to have success. July will be no exception with the added hope the big jumbos have thickened up with the cooler weather.

We are exceptionally spoilt in regard to the distance we can travel to find fish in Tasmania. You will drive over a lot of fish if you think

Cool and calm conditions to hone the craft.

On a slow day when the fish are hard to come across, the feathered brigade are your best friend. you have to beeline to the Hippolyte Rocks and Tasman Island to get fish. Areas just outside Pirates Bay have been holding good bait and in turn good numbers of southern bluefin tuna.

When the fish are on, all lures will work well and it is important to get the trolling speed right for the sea

conditions. Keep a good eye on the spread while traveling into the conditions and get the skirts to pull a smoke trail and look active. This speed will differ when you are travelling down sea and with the wind.

Throttling the engine speed back accordingly will make a huge difference. This allows for the boat and lures to speed

Pirates Bay has been holding good bait and in turn good numbers of southern bluefin tuna.

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up and settle a touch in the wave trough.

Zacatak’s range of skirts are a great starting point.

Hand made in Australia and of a quality that will sit down in the waves and swell when the traditional Tassie seas are a bit angry. Sub surface lures are a great option and you just can’t go past a Halco Max, or for a deeper presentation Halco’s range of Laser Pros.

The fish will be about this time of year, it is just a matter of where? The trick is finding the bait, sounding the tuna and working the area over. Should you get a fish strike, nail a waypoint down straight away; when you have boated the fish get back over the area again quickly. No need to get your full 4 or 5 rod spread back out again, running perfect. Once you are back over the area, have the lure out and be circling the area and tracking back over the waypoint as you get the other lures back in the water.

BIRD IS THE WORD! The species of bird, how they are reacting and height in the sky will give you a really good indication of what is going on underneath them.

From the reef to the teeth.

When fishing with a good crew one person needs to be designated bird spotter and take the role seriously.

On a slow day when the fish are hard to come across, the feathered brigade are your best friend – none more so than the Australian gannet.

If you spot three or four of them gaining height off into the distance, this is excuse enough to give them better attention. As soon as they start to stall in the air and try and maintain position you know they are very interested.

It is amazing how the other birds in the area can spot this activity and before long a ‘feed’ will start.

TAKE IT EASY It may have been a

quiet day and things have been slow, but now is not the time to charge in ripping and tearing. If you have been on the ball and got to a school as it is starting to form, the worst thing you can do is motor straight over the top of them.

Ideally work out which way you are going to roll around them and aim to drag your spread down one side and as you turn fairly hard around them you will pull your longer lures right through the middle of it and have them exit out the other side.

DEEP DROPS July can have some bright, clear still days and watching the weather forecast can pay dividends.

Reel Gold Surtees 6.7 Game Fisher TASMANIA

Kelly Hunt

Leo Millar and his crew have been putting in some serious time and effort into cracking the broadbill code in local waters.

Striped trumpeter and blue eye trevalla will be out on their usual haunts waiting for you to get a bait in front of them.

Those of you still using Alvey reels or big egg beaters to haul these tasty fish will welcome the cooler conditions. Winding up a 4 hook rig fully loaded with fish from 400m is hard work.

Good weather and sea conditions and some movement either side of the tide change will have you in good stead to find some of the world’s best eating fish. Fresh bait and some perseverance and there is no telling what you will pull up!

BROADBILL The big news in Tasmania is Leo Millar and his crew. Leo is a local angler that has been

putting in some serious time and effort into cracking the broadbill code in our waters. He and his crew have found fish consistently and have boated two, narrowly missing Tasmania and Australian game fishing records due to slight regulation issues.

New fisheries and new techniques are a great way to excite anglers and Leo’s enthusiasm is infectious.

A number of keen anglers are following and trying to replicate Leo and his gang of super keen fishos.

This is one type of fishing that needs considerable technique and planning.

Very exciting stuff indeed.

So rug up, get into a tackle store for the good oil and get out in some of the most spectacular marine environments in the world.

Team PENN have been fortunate to campaign a Surtees Boats 6.7 Game Fisher put together by Deegan Marine this year. It has been the ultimate sea test. The Tasmanian marine environment will test a boat’s abilities with the best of them. Heavy swell with good seas on top, short sharp snot with no space between them and wind and squalls straight from the Antarctic.

These are the conditions we all know and secretly love in Tasmania. Team PENN also put the good ship, Reel Gold, to test in some of the famous marlin fishing grounds off Port Stephens at this year’s interclub.

In a turn up for the books some of the conditions over the 2 weeks were every bit as snotty as Tasmanian can throw up. The Friday before the last weekend of competition was as heavy as you would want to fish.

The Surtees Boats

Team PENN at the weigh in day 1 of the NSW Interclub.

6.7 Game Fisher handled everything in its stride and is a significant vessel that punches well above its weight pound for pound – this is one of the significant strengths of the 6.7 Game Fisher.

Big fibreglass boats have always had the romantic upper hand of being the better sea boat. This has often been

Leading the fleet past the camera boat and hammers down.

acquired through their much heavier design and the need to have a deeper V hull to displace more water while traveling. This deeper V design can often lead to similar sized fibreglass boats being not quite as stable at rest. Less weight means less horsepower needed to push an aluminium vessel and also to tow the pride and joy from A to B. Fuel economy in both instances are of course improved.

Reel Gold is a special package. It has an engine that turns her into a jet. An electronic package that, not only sounds the depths, but allows travel in any condition day or night. When it comes to a game fishing weapon, to fish four anglers, in speed and comfort you would be hard pressed to find better. There is no doubt that broken down to a single function there may be vessels that performs better in that particular area.

The design brief was to put together a pocket game boat

and to that end the Surtees 6.7 Game Fisher is a gem.

When assessed against form and function in all areas the 6.7 is hard to top.

Competition game fishing will soon find any cracks in a vessel’s ability as an offshore fishing platform.

In a competition sense it is nice to have four people on board. Each person has a designated role and they can rotate through each one.

Driver, angler, trace man and support. The 6.7 has ample room on deck for all members to move around and do their job. Particularly when the angler steps back and trace man and support make that decision to either tag or gaff. The dance floor on the Surtees 6.7 is fantastic.

The ability to point into the teeth of swell and sea is a welcome feature in any hull design. In a recreational sense you can lay off as you desire and adjust your speed To page 62

HYDRO TASMANIA WATER STORAGE INFORMATION Water Storage Information as at 10th June 2014 Lake/Lagoon

Metres from full

Comment

Lake Augusta ...................................2.90........................................................Steady Arthurs Lake ....................................1.17 .......................................................Steady Great Lake .......................................15.83 .....................................................Steady Trevallyn Pond .................................1.79 ........................................................Rising Shannon Lagoon ..............................0.18 .......................................................Steady Penstock Lagoon .............................0.22 .......................................................Steady Lake Echo ........................................9.56 .......................................................Steady Dee Lagoon .....................................0.04 .......................................................Steady Bradys/Binneys/Tungatinah .............3.90........................................................Steady Bronte Lagoon .................................1.14 ....................................................... Falling Pine Tier Lagoon ..............................1.76 .......................................................Steady Little Pine Lagoon ............................0.76 .......................................................Steady Laughing Jack Lagoon ....................6.35 .......................................................Steady Lake St Clair ....................................1.54 .......................................................Steady Lake King William ............................4.36 .......................................................Steady Lake Liapootah ................................0.29 ....................................................... Falling Wayatinah Lagoon ...........................0.70.........................................................Rising Lake Catagunya ...............................0.65 ........................................................Rising

Lake Repulse ...................................0.49 .......................................................Steady Cluny Lagoon ...................................0.86 ....................................................... Falling Meadowbank Lake ..........................0.17 ........................................................Rising Lake Pedder ....................................1.13 .......................................................Steady Lake Gordon ....................................32.96 .....................................................Steady Lake Burbury ...................................6.68 .......................................................Steady Lake Plimsoll ...................................5.34 .......................................................Steady Lake Murchison ...............................18.11 ..................................................... Falling Lake Mackintosh .............................7.74 .......................................................Steady Lake Rosebery .................................0.50........................................................ Falling Lake Pieman ....................................2.23 ........................................................Rising Lake Mackenzie ...............................8.40........................................................ Falling Lake Rowallan .................................11.46 ..................................................... Falling Lake Parangana ...............................1.95 ....................................................... Falling Lake Cethana ...................................1.51 ........................................................Rising Lake Barrington ...............................1.79 .......................................................Steady Lake Gairdner ..................................7.32 ........................................................Rising Lake Paloona ...................................-.............................................................Spilling Woods Lake .....................................0.9 .........................................................Steady Whitespur Pond ...............................7.83 .......................................................Steady Lake Newton ...................................4.38 ....................................................... Falling Lake Margaret .................................0.19 .......................................................Steady

These levels are provided for an indication of lake level only and can vary from day to day. For more up-to-date lake level information please visit www.hydro.com.au/home/Tourism+and+Recreation/Lake+Levels.htm JULY 2014

65

Waiting for Mozz to stop mucking about and reel his marlin in so Hooch can tag it.

From page 61

according to your personal preference. In competition fishing when that radio cracks and, “Righto boys, let’s go fishing,” comes over the air waves Team PENN and other teams like to get to the fishing grounds maximising any and all fishing time. You go, and you go as hard as you can. Not for everyone, but this is an excellent test of any vessels ability in a head sea.

The 6.7 Surtees Game Fisher is a sensation. Its ability to cover ground in very ordinary conditions is amazing. The water ballast tank allows a new dimension to an alloy built vessel. Hatch shut with a touch of trim tab to pull the nose down, and in fetch and rubbish sea condition, the Surtees is as close to the ride of a big fibreglass hull as you will find. When the swells are a fair bit bigger and spaced

well apart, drop the hatch emptying the ballast, take the trim tabs out and trim out the nose and she is a rocket! The soft riding hull never ceases to amaze when coming off the back of some serious water.

The soft riding hull and ballast design in these vessels are the brainchild of Neil Surtees and have been so successful to be copied by a number of manufacturers.

The fishing fixtures on a Surtees are well thought out and value add to the whole package. Simple inclusions like the sinker holders and the flush mounted storage lockers on the rear gunnel tops are extremely handy. The inclusion of a live bait tank is nothing new on a vessel of this class, but its large glass front possibly is. The ability to keep an eye on your bait stocks and their condition at any given time is obviously the first goal here, but what an

awesome feature to keep the kids amused!

The glass front on the large bait tank on the Surtees 6.7 can be your very own aquarium. Just add anything with fins. A leatherjacket, a parrotfish or flathead placed

in the live well turns any bored child into a ball of wonder and amazement and extending a fishing trip for ages. The kids even love the act of letting them go free when it is time to head for home.

There are enough rod holders on board to satisfy even the most tragic of tackle junkies. Storage is ample and on Reel Gold the portside passenger seat doubles as a cavernous area for tackle and gear.

Often overlooked and little mentioned are the grab rails on a vessel. On a game boat it is often handy to stand on the gunnel for a better look at something or get out around the cab to get to the fore deck and anchor. The grab rails and rocket launcher are in perfect position to get around the vessel with confidence.

The Game Fisher is

marketed as a chiselled down hard-core fishing platform. To this end the cabin is solid and expansive, but also mindful of the dance floor at the rear for doing battle with big fish. There is plenty of room for two up front and a third tucked in the middle level with the seats.

When the number of fishers goes to four, the seat storage box and position behind the driver is very comfortable in most conditions. In competition situation in heavy seas and wind over 30 knots, wet weather gear will be an option.

In the Surtees range of boats the Sports Fisher has an extended cab that is more suited to general fishing and keeping a family dry for the entire day no matter the conditions.

Flat dash space is

Reel Gold at rest.

expansive and very handy for keeping competition information and grid maps on. Tag cards and small tag poles can be loaded and ready to roll in an instant.

Vision from the expansive glass windscreen is exceptional and helps in every situation. Spotting bait fleeing predators from underneath or finding birds gaining height from above.

Covering a huge amount of ocean looking for any sign of activity and fish is very important and the 360º vision from the helm of the Surtees 6.7 is excellent. Reel Gold has had a windscreen wiper fitted to the skipper’s side panel screen. It is an absolute godsend and one of the best additions to a boat you could have. Clear vision on demand in any sea or weather condition is not only comfortable but a significant safety advantage.

Reel Gold has served well this last eight months.

The Simrad NSS12 has put the lads onto a heap of fish.

The radar has kept them safe in fog and darkness and, on those rare occasions when no one has been at the helm, the autopilot has set a course perfectly. I say rare occasion as the Evinrude 250HO combines so well with the Surtees hull that giving up the helm is like handing over the keys to a Ferrari.

Team PENN will be very sad to see her go. Interested parties can contact Hadley Deegan from Deegan Marine, Tasmania

INLAND FISHERIES SERVICE

Carp Management Program Workshop 2014 IFS

Tim Farrell

The Carp Management Program held its annual two-day workshop 1-2 May to review the past years work and undertake planning for the coming year. Nick Rawlinson, a fisheries biologist and lecturer from the Australian Maritime College (AMC) was secured to provide an independent review of the whole workshop, and assist in the development of a 2014/15 operational plan.

Day one involved presentations from staff on key aspects of the program to the stakeholder group.

This group consisted of representatives from the commercial eel fishery, Anglers Alliance, the Inland Fisheries Advisory Council, and the Tasmanian Land Conservancy. The presentations were aimed to give the stakeholders an understanding of how the CMP was progressing while providing a springboard for the team to build an 66

JULY 2014

operational plan on day two.

The second day proved worthwhile and allowed the team (with the valuable assistance of Nick Rawlinson), to workshop, interrogate and analyse the data to investigate opportunities to assist in the eradication of carp from Lake Sorell.

150 YEARS OF TROUT On Saturday and Sunday 3-4 May 2014 the celebration of the first hatching of trout was held at the Salmon Ponds where it occurred 150 years earlier. The weekend event was jointly organised by the lessees of the Salmon Ponds tourist operations Nekon Pty Ltd and the Inland Fisheries Service. In addition

the owners of the adjoining property “Redlands” which was from where the Salmon Ponds originated participated in the event by offering tours of the historic property.

A reception was held on the Saturday afternoon attended by key members of the angling community to acknowledge the event.

The Inland Fisheries Service launched memorabilia to commemorate the occasion and also its Ford Ranger promotion for the 2014-2015 angling season. Chris Wisby from ABC radio broadcast from the Salmon Ponds on the Sunday morning.

Free children’s activities such as face painting and

entertainment were held and an array of stalls presented the finest of the Derwent Valley’s wines, beers and produce.

Approximately 4,000 people attended in cool but fine and sunny weather conditions.

TROUT GLORIOUS TROUT The annual Trout Weekend was recently held 17-18 May with around 4,200 people attending over the two days at Liawenee. The feature of the event is the annual migration of brown trout as they leave the Great Lake and travel up Liawenee Canal to spawn. The spawning run was at its peak and this natural phenomenon is what any nature lover would be excited to see, thousands of fish in the crystal clear waters flowing from Western Lakes World Heritage Area.

IFS staff were on site collecting and fertilising ova from the fish which were taken back to the New Norfolk hatchery for stocking out as fry into other waters later in the year. This year celebrates 150 years since the first trout were successfully hatched in the southern hemisphere at the Salmon Ponds.

Supporting displays that added interest this year were the Wild Side Chefs from Tarraleah and their trout cooking demonstrations, trout smoking, the old footage being shown in the movie room, the interactive water bug display, MAST flare demonstrations and the ever popular children’s fishing ponds run by Fishcare volunteers.

BIG FISHERIES PENALTIES Two Stanley men were fined a total of $10,230 in Smithton Magistrate’s court after pleading guilty to charges relating to the illegal taking of whitebait.

The court heard that Lincoln Maurice Jackson and Jeremy Stephen Lane were apprehended last October at Deep Creek near Smithton, where they were found to be in possession of more than 33kg of freshly caught whitebait.

Magistrate Melanie Bartlett was told that the men were observed fishing for whitebait by Inland Fisheries Service (IFS) officers during a targeted surveillance operation, and were subsequently interviewed and charged with

multiple offences including the taking of whitebait from closed waters and using multiple nets to take whitebait.

According to Stephen Hepworth, manager of Compliance and Operations with IFS, poaching and the illegal sale of whitebait is an ongoing threat to a long-term recovery plan for the recreational whitebait fishery.

“The use of strict bag limits, the rotational closure of some waters, limits on fishing gear and a limited season opening are all tools used to protect the sustainability of the fishery,” said Mr Hepworth. “Robust penalties for offenders also act as a deterrent, with a combination of fines and special penalties of $130 per kilo applying to whitebait illegally taken or possessed.”

In the same court, a Trowutta man currently disqualified from holding a whitebait licence for pervious offences was fined $400 for unlawfully possessing a whitebait net near an inland water.

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67

SERIES BREAM rs Sunglasses

tte d by Spo Presente

Mallacoota lived up to its reputation producing quality and quantity for anglers at the second stop of the 2014

Carter cleans up ’Coota 13 Fishing BREAM Series.

In an event that saw a new all-time record (927 fish) number of bream weighed in, it was a battle of Australia’s best breamers to see who could garner the big bites

to win, with 2013 BREAM Angler of the Year, Warren Carter, claiming his 7th BREAM win for his career in the Spotters Sunglasses presented event.

For Carter it was a perfectly played out and executed tournament, with the AOY champ cracking the winning pattern during the Friday prefish then putting the winning pattern into play over the next two days.

Carter ’s winning location was Double Creek, an unassuming area located above The Narrows that produced both numbers and sized fish. Featuring a muddy bottom and 2-7’ deep water it was the water clarity in the area that Carter believes in many ways contributed to the bite.

“It was calm and glassed out for the event, which is rarely good at Coota, but at Double Creek there was just the right amount of colour in the water to make the fish bite,” said Carter.

With the location and water clarity locked in for success Carter threw a combination of hardbodies, including an OSP Dunk, Smith Panish and Smith

Camion Dredge.

Day one saw the Dunk the standout lure with Carter working the lure into the bottom, bumping it through the mud as it went.

“It was important to give the lure an occasional twitch, then let it pause,” explained Carter.

The hits, as they usually do when targeting black bream, came on the pause.

The approach delivered Carter a limit by 9.30am and 25 fish for the day including 12 upgrades.

Day two sat Carter return to repeat his day one pattern; hopeful the outcome would be the same. Forty minutes into the session and still without his first bream he was beginning to wonder if it would.

“It took a while for things to get going, but when it did they bit like they did on the first day,” said Carter.

While the location he fished was the same he went shallower and threw a different lure.

“I threw two lures, a Smith Panish 65 that I worked with rip-pause retrieve, and a Smith Camion Dredge that I grubbed across the bottom,”

Warren Carter claimed his seventh BREAM win of his career. Image courtesy of lureandfly.com explained Carter.

The approach delivered Carter his limit in ten casts after he caught his first fish, and enabled him to upgrade his entire bag.

While Carter caught plenty of fish for the tournament it wasn’t non-stop action for the whole session.

“I’d go for 40 minutes or so and not catch anything, then I’d find a patch of them

and go bang, bang, bang”, explained Carter.

Carter’s win saw him claim his 7th ABT BREAM win and pick up some healthy Angler of the Year points after a quiet first round at Sydney.

“Clarence is next, so I’m hoping I get a good result there so I’m at least in the running at defending my AOY title from last year,” said Carter.

Carter’s lure lineup included the OSP Dunk, Smith Panish and Smith Camion Dredge

Hodges Hauls for Second CE 2ND PLA

ABT, PO Box 7196, LOGANHOLME, QLD 4129 Alternatively you can download an entry form from www.abt.org.au At any time you can call ABT on (07) 3387 0888 for help with your entry during business hours.

68

JULY 2014

For perennial Victorian round gun Brad Hodges it was another quality performance at Mallacoota with the 33year old Werribee School Teacher finishing second to claim another podium finish.

Grabbing the lead on day one on the back of the tournament’s only five kilo bag Hodges stumbled on day two to open the door for Carter to claim the win. It was a missed opportunity that would deny Hodges another round win, and see Carter now equal Chris Wright with the highest number of BREAM Qualifier wins.

Starting off at Gipps Point on day one Hodges found the going tough, before heading down to the top lakes after 1 ½ hours to hit a series of snags that had been productive to him in the past.

Brad Hodges put in another quality performance at Mallacoota finishing second to claim another podium finish. Image courtesy of lureandfly.com The approach paid off with Hodges picking up three fish to get his day rolling. Another two fish followed on blades, but it wasn’t until he moved to the edges and started throwing a Berkley Puppy Dog crankbait into the shaded patches on the edge that the action really started.

With his boat in 1.5m of water Hodges would cast long

then work his lure into the dark patches with a series of twitches and pauses. It was on the pause as the lure sat motionless that the bream nailed the lure. The approach delivered him seven upgrades for the day and saw him hit the scales with heaviest (5.14kg) bag for the session.

Heading out first on day two with a 500g lead Hodges

was wishing for a repeat of day one’s action. Repeating his run of spots from day one Hodges started like he did the first day, catching little before making a move and fishing the middle of the top lake with a Berkley Sub Dog, then returning to his productive big fish edges from the day before.

“It was 12pm and I had little to show for the day so I headed to Double Creek and started throwing a cutdown Berkley Gulp Turtleback Worm rigged on a 1/12oz Nitro jighead,” said Hodges.

The approach paid off with Hodges picking up five fish in a 20minute window.

While Hodges caught his limit he didn’t catch the big fish he needed to hold on to his lead.

“I got the big fish bites I need to win, they just didn’t stick, and I didn’t put them in the boat,” explained an accepting Hodges.

Weighing in a 2.94kg limit for the day it was enough to ultimately finish second.

BREAM S

ERIES Presented

by Spotte rs Sungla sses

Carter’s Cranky Retrieve

2-7 feet deep

Twitch/pause

Twitch/pause Hit

Hit

Hit

Roberts Rules for Non-boater Win -BOATER 1ST NON 2013 Non-boater AOY Champion Brad Roberts continued his winning ways at Mallacoota, claiming the non-boater title over Ben Malouf in 2nd and John Thorley in third.

Fishing with Shane Dyason on day one Roberts fished the top lake throwing a Jackall Deep Chubby and OSP Dunk.

“We fished shallow before the sun got high, and as the light increased we moved deeper,” said Roberts.

While the depth he fished varied so did the

retrieve he used to fish his crankbaits.

“The bites were very tentative so I found you had to change the retrieve up to get the fish interested and willing to eat the lure,” said Roberts.

The retrieve ranged from a slow roll to a slow and fast twitch and pause, and paid off with Roberts weighing in a 4.51kg bag for the session.

Fishing with Scott Bilton on day two Roberts starting fishing the location, but his hot start wasn’t to be repeated.

“Scott and I only had one fish each by 9.30am so we moved location and went and fished the bottom lake,” explained Roberts.

WINNING NOTES

Winning Tackle Rod: Shimano T Curve Flight Series 701 Reel: Shimano Stella 2500 Line: Varivas Max Power 0.8 PE Leader: Varivas Ganoa Absolute Fluro 4lb Lure: OSP Dunk (colour-), Smith Panish 65 (colour-19), Smith Camion Dredge (colour-22

Winning Edge “The area that I fished has plenty of fish but it wasn’t very big. The fact that I had it to myself and wasn’t crowded out by other boats meant I could fish it thoroughly and exactly how I wanted.

I’m incredibly appreciative that the guys gave me the space I needed to do this.”

Austackle Big Bream

2013 Non-boater AOY Champion Brad Roberts continued his winning ways. Image courtesy of lureandfly.com

An all-star line up at the podium. Image courtesy of lureandfly.com

Fishing deeper (2.53.5m) Roberts threw an Ecogear VX40 blade, focusing on a hump on the bottom in the area and working his blade with a lift and drop retrieve.

“The fish would eat the blade on the drop, and you’d either feel a tick of the line as it sank back down or you’d feel the weight of a fish as you went to lift the lure again,” said Roberts.

TOP 10 BOATERS

Event runner-up Brad Hodges claimed the Austackle Big Bream, catching the prize winning fish at 12pm on day one from a laydown snag on a Berkley Puppy Dog.

The approach delivered him a limit by 11am, 12 fish for the session, and another

victory to his growing list of tournament achievements.

TOP 10 NON-BOATERS

Place

Angler

Fish

Weight (kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Warren CARTER Brad HODGES Russell BABEKUHL Jarrod HEALEY Daryl HISLOP Shayne GILLETT Ben SHUEY Lex COURT Daniel KENT Shane DYASON

10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 9/10

9.18 8.08 8.06 7.88 7.72 7.68 7.65 7.59 7.48 7.47

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

Payout

$4000 $2000 + $500 $1400 $1400 $1000 $900 $800 $800 $600 $550

Place

Angler

Fish

Weight (kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Brad ROBERTS Ben MALOUF John THORLEY Blake O’GRADY Joel CORRIE Robert LEE Steven CEFAI Simon JOHNSON Zig DOMAGALA Kyle PETTIE

10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10

8.29 7.19 7.10 7.01 6.94 6.92 6.81 6.70 6.68 6.47

Payout Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au JULY 2014

69

Burbidge turns on the charm In what was a difficult weekend’s fishing for most, Chris Burbidge has continued his winning form and secured another first place at Lake Tyers in Round 7 of the Hobie® Fishing Bream Series presented by Daiwa.

This is his second win for the 2014 series having already taken out Round 1 in Glenelg while maintaining consistent top tens across the rounds he’s competed in this year.

Burbidge initially had some reservations about Lake Tyers after a particularly difficult pre fish.

“I had no confidence coming into the round. I’d pre-fished right up until the ban and hardly had a touch.

On the Friday before the pre-fish ban I came away with only two bream for eight hours work.”

However, his concerns were unwarranted after a cracking start on day one where he delivered three bream for 3.39kg. Fishing the main lake, with a Norries Laydown Minnow in 2-3’ of water delivered the goods and saw him bagging out by 7.40am.

He continued to work the main lake until around 10am before making his way up the system to deeper water where he changed up to a Jackall Chubby Vibe in matt black. Using a slow roll with a long pause on some of the deeper drop-offs paid off with Chris catching 30 fish in total for the day with 8 upgrades.

“Day two was harder going with the reverse, chase start, there was a lot of traffic already on the main lake when I got there

so I moved a bit further down the line and began throwing the Laydown Minnow again.”

The fish were still there to be had and Chris had his bag by 8am before deciding to once again move to deeper water and pick up day one’s pattern with the Chubby Vibe, a decision that lead to a total of six fish for the day with no upgrades.

Winning Tackle • Mossops Ultracast 1–2kg rod; • Daiwa Steez; • 6lb Tas Braid; and • 4lb FC Rock Fluorocarbon Leader.

FUNG QUALIFIES FOR GF Second place and a qualifying spot for the 2014 Grand Final was picked up Chesney Fung who spread out across the waterway looking to cover as much ground as possible on day one. Fung headed down the Toorloo arm early in the day before returning to

fish the main lake, throwing a Jackall Chubby Vibe to secure his three Bream for 2.76 kgs.

Fung pedalled up the Nowa Nowa arm to the powerlines on day two and continued to throw the Chubby Vibe, hitting the bottom with a slow soft lift on the retrieve to pick up his two fish for 1.85kg.

Chesney has been delivering some consistent bags through out the series and has now qualified for both 2014 Bass and Bream Grand Finals.

Chris Burbidge has continued his winning form and secured another first place at Lake Tyers.

RESULTS Place Angler Name Fish Total Cash Prizes 1 ............ Chris Burbidge (PRO) ...... 6/6....... 5.96 . .......$1,450 .............. Prize Pack 2 ............ Chesney Fung . ................ 6/6....... 4.61 . .......$850 ................. Prize Pack 3 ............ Tony Pettie . ..................... 5/6....... 4.25 . .......$530 + $100 BH.Prize Pack 4 ............ Jon Clisby ........................ 4/6....... 4.10..........$240 ................. Prize Pack 5 ............ Richard Somerton . .......... 6/6....... 3.66 . .......$180 ................. Prize Pack 6 ............ Jason Childs .................... 3/6....... 3.16 . .......$170 7 ............ Joel Crosbie . ................... 4/6....... 3.12 . .......$160 8 ............ Luke Harvey . ................... 3/6....... 2.73 . .......$150 9 ............ Clark Wilson . ................... 4/6....... 2.64 . .......$140 10 .......... Tony Curwen ................... 3/6....... 2.50..........$130

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Tony Pettie received the Boss Hog Big Bream Award for his 1.48kg monster.

Winning Tackle • Phenix Elixir 7ft rod; • Shimano Stella; • 3lb Fluorocarbon leader.

BOSS HOG BIG BREAM AWARD

Third place and the second qualifying spot in the grand final was taken by Tony Pettie who also received the Hog’s Breath Cafe, Boss Hog Big Bream Award with his 1.48 kg monster, which he picked up in Black Snake Bite on the Nowa Nowa Arm using an Ecogear SX 48 customised in muddy prawn

by Geno Custom Lures.

Big thanks go to our sponsors, Daiwa, Berkley, Atomic. Lowrance, RhinoRack, Strike Pro, Austackle, TT Lures, Yamatoyo, Ecogear, Power-Pole and ABT for making these events possible. Also thanks to Alpine Country (Tackle World) SALE for running the sausage sizzle and all the competitors for a great, if challenging, weekend.

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70

JULY 2014

Burbridge worked the main lake until around 10am before making his way up the system to deeper water.

Testing Booth

Power-Pole Micro Anchor - The Game Changer The Power-Pole Micro Anchor has landed in Australia and it’s a great way to set your boat or kayak up in one location allowing you to fish without the worry of your rig moving while you’re concentrating on the fishing.

We’ve had three anglers, Grayson Fong, Simon Goldsmith and Steve Morgan out in the field testing the Power-Pole Micro Anchor and following are their thoughts on how well these units operate on various craft.

GRAYSON FONG This recent addition to the Power Pole family has really set a new benchmark in the kayak fishing stakes with its worldwide popularity making it a ‘must have’ for all serious kayak fishers. With its ability to anchor 1500lb of boat weight, kayaks of all shapes and sizes are covered, making it versatile for all applications.

My first exposure to the Power-Pole Micro Anchor was at the 2013 Hobie Fishing World Championships (HFWC) in Victoria where, freshly off its ICast Best New

Showcase Product win, the unit was fitted to each of the competitors factory Hobie kayaks for them to put to the test. Under the watchful eye of Power-Pole’s Vice President Rob Shamblin, who made a special trip Down Under to not only to showcase his pride and joy but to keep an unbiased eye on its international debut at a major competition. Rob’s apprehension for ‘his baby’ was soon turned to delight as anglers returned from their day one prefish with nothing but glowing praise for this awesome product. From ‘I can’t wait to buy one’ to ‘can I carry this back to England’, Shamblin’s wry smile was filled with satisfaction.

During the HFWC, weather condition really put the Power-Pole Micro Anchor (PPMA) to the test as anglers battled through wind gusts up to 35 knots making conditions unsavoury to say the least.

But this is when the PPMA really came into its domain, holding anglers in spots we didn’t think was possible even with a boat anchor! I really put my PPMA through its

The Power Pole Micro can be controlled with a switch on the unit or the wireless remote. paces the whole weekend as fishing large weed flats, wide rubble patches and wind swept banks is my strength and with this tool it just added another weapon to my armoury.

The fibreglass spike allows for horizontal flex during wind gusts coupled with its low RPM, high torque motor to keep the spike firmly planted allowing me more fishing time and less stress in trying to hold position using the old conventional method.

Ideally I would use the PPMA to anchor my kayak in 5-6ft of water allowing the wind to point my kayak in the direction I was wanting to cast. This gave me the opportunity to punch an array of casts a full 180 degrees both sitting and standing without the worry of drifting and spooking fish through my chosen fishing spot. When finished with

Over 100 Micro Power Poles on the Hobie World Title competitor kayaks was a spectacular sight!

an area, having the PPMA’s wireless remote made moving effortless and quiet as I would simply up spike and pedal to my next spot.

I couldn’t imagine fishing ever again without the PowerPole Micro Anchor on my kayak as I believe it’s taken kayak fishing to a whole new level. Its quietness, efficiency and simplicity makes it a product you can easily fall in love with. As I usually tournament fish out of a boat, I couldn’t imagine not having an electric motor on it, which is my exact sentiments for the Power-Pole Micro Anchor on a kayak.

SIMON GOLDSMITH The Power-Pole Micro Anchor is the must have new fishing accessory for the small boat or kayak angler alike.

The Micro Anchor is suitable for boats under 16ft and all kayaks/canoes alike.

We have used the PowerPole Micro Anchor on a 16ft fibreglass bass boat and have been blown away by its performance and ease of use.

Combined with the separate composite spike you are able to quietly and efficiently anchor your vessel in up to 8ft of water, the same depth achievable by all but one of the full sized PowerPole anchors.

Compact and lightweight are the two biggest drawcards for the Power-Pole Micro Anchor. Not all boats are big enough and stable enough to allow the full sized PowerPole anchor and this is where the Power-Pole Micro Anchor fills the void and allows all the same great benefits at a more manageable and affordable size.

The Power-Pole Micro Anchor is controllable via the top of the unit itself or by a wireless remote you can either mount on the boat or keep on your person for ease of use from on the boat or on the bank.

The Power-Pole Micro Anchor is perfect for holding over productive areas. For example, when you are drifting over a productive flat and you hook a nice bream, set the Micro Anchor down and you could catch multiple fish from the same area. Previously you would have continued to drift over the flat, and these fish, while fighting and landing the first fish hooked.

It’s also incredibly handy for use around the boat ramp when launching and retrieving your vessel. No more needing to pull the boat way up the bank and potentially scratching or damaging the hull of your expensive investment. Just drop the Power-Pole Micro Anchor and keep your boat or kayak anchored just off the bank, ready for retrieval or to head out on the water.

I have so many anchors, but only one Power-Pole Micro Anchor.

STEVE MORGAN I’ve come at the PowerPole Micro Anchor from the other direction. Being a bass boat owner, I’d had a bass boat Power Pole fitted to the last three of my boats. And what I thought was initially a bit of a novelty quickly became a must-have piece of equipment.

Grayson and Simon have run through the basics of this unit, but as you become a proficient Power Pole user, you’ll find there are subtle advantages that you won’t read about in the marketing material.

Firstly, the Micro has an easily removable pole for transportation. This mightn’t seem like much, but a bass boat Power Pole in constantly up and I guarantee that it adds plenty of drag as you’re towing down the highway.

Take the Micro Anchor’s pole out and strap it to the deck and you’re resistance-free.

Secondly, I love being able to feel the bottom composition with the Power Pole. Seriously.

You can tell the difference between sand, gravel, mud and rock with the feedback from the pole. There’s plenty of situations where I’ve found isolated rock piles by lifting and dropping the Power Pole on the drift. And we all know that bream, barra, grunter and other estuary predators love rocks and rock-bars.

Thirdly, I love the stealth.

Sure, you can hold position with a standard anchor or an iPilot with Spot Lock, but the Power Pole does this the most silently of all. Drift up to a snag, deploy the Power Pole with the push of a button

and you can work over the prime structure quietly and efficiently.

Lastly, the Power-Pole Micro Anchor effectively gives these advantages to boaters for a fraction of the price of the original versions.

You don’t get much change from $2,500 for a standard Power Pole. For under $1,000, the tinnies of Australia now have another ‘must have’.

Nowadays, every other tinnie has a bow mounted electric motor attached. The Power-Pole Micro is the next on the list.

Check out a Power-Pole Micro Anchor at your nearest Hobie dealer or at the Fishing Monthly Bluefin Jon Boat at any of the boat shows we attend. – FMG

JULY 2014

71

Camera Feature

Waterproof video cameras – relive every moment All anglers love bragging about what they’ve caught.

It’s built into our genes.

Catching a great fish and then telling your mates about it is awesome.

With the growth in social media, bragging just went global. You can show off your images and videos of your fishing prowess near-instantly to an audience limited only by your circle of friends and whether they want to watch.

The tools you need to capture the moment are getting smaller, more versatile and more user friendly each year.

You don’t need a film-crew

following your every move to get awesome vision – you just need some (relatively) cheap cameras and a bit of creativity to make clips that fellow anglers and friends will want to watch.

This feature outlines some tips to help you make better fishing clips to share with your mates and takes a look at some of the latest gear available to help you get the job done.

CAMERAS You’re probably familiar with the ‘GoPro Hero’ genre of action cameras that are fully waterproof, and which you can set-and-forget while you’re

fishing. Usually recording on an SD card, it’s possible to record hours of footage at a time.

There are pros and cons to using these cameras. The downside is usually that audio suffers inside the waterproof housings that these little machines use to stay dry and operational. The upside is that if they cop a wave or some spray, it’s not an issue and that most things are in focus all of the time. If you want to put the camera underwater to look at your catch face-to-face, that’s also easily done. Just don’t drop it into the ball of feeding longtail tuna – you mightn’t get it back!

MOUNTING SYSTEMS If you want a set-andforget camera, you’ll need a good mount to hold it in place. No use turning to the camera and smiling with your catch to find that the camera has dropped off somewhere between the ramp and your first fishing spot.

Some anglers are pretty creative with their mountings.

Attaching mounts to ends of poles, outboards, landing nets and fishing rods all give interesting results that can add variety to your final clip.

The new Sony Action Cam comes with a cool bulldogclip mount that can perch in most danger-free clippable areas in seconds – great for the land-based angler who wants a diversity of angles in their fishing videos.

EDITING Unless you’re shooting some video on an iPad, you’ll have to use some sort of basic, computer-based editing software to polish up your creation. This basically involves pulling out the boring bits and then tacking the awesome bits together in a logical sequence.

Most of us have a home computer and there’s often decent software supplied with

the camera to do this. Apple’s iMovie, which comes free with all their computers, also does a good job.

Most cameras also come with some of their own, in-house editing software that’s eminently suitable.

SHARING IT Most anglers I know have some sort of social media profile or presence. If you want to get your word out there, create a channel on YouTube for free and share it through your Facebook or Instagram profiles. There’s no cost associated with any of these platforms.

Remember, the more interesting and succinct your videos are (read: short and sweet), the more likely it is that people will watch them and share amongst their networks of friends.

Think about the last video you watched on social media – did you watch it all the way through? Was it too long? Did you share it? If not, keep this in mind when making your own masterpieces.

Head Mounted Camera Head mounted, wide angled cameras are great for capturing just about everything that happens from a first person viewpoint.

These cameras provide a unique viewpoint and their wide angle allows everything to be captured.

Still Camera A still camera provides the ultimate in memory capture and is an absolute must have on any fishing trip.

A still camera (DSLR) will provide the best reproduction for the wall hanging image that you blow up to ‘real life’ size simply to brag to your mates.

Safe Storage

EXAMPLES Below is a selection of fishing videos made on action cameras to give you some inspiration.

Regardless of the multimedia device you have on hand, it needs to be stored correctly to avoid all sorts of damage and an early death.

Shock and waterproof casings are one solution, however travel cases, dry bags and weather bags are other options that need consideration.

HERE’S SOME EXAMPLES OF HOME MADE FISHING FOOTAGE

Shimano

nowCatches

EVERYTHING!

http://youtu.be/4741DeY91E8

http://youtu.be/vCG-b46fdqg

http://youtu.be/Gxz25pI2MLc

http://youtu.be/m-Bv0uQhG-k

86 GRAMS IN WEIGHT 10M WATER PROOF (WITH OUT CASING)

INCREDIBLE LOW LIGHT FILMING WWW.SHIMANOFISH.COM.AU 72

JULY 2014

Camera Feature TOP TIPS • Avoid foul language.

Awesomeness is better conveyed by other means.

• Shoot wide angle. It’s better to see it all than half of it.

It also makes your video less shaky.

• Experiment with camera angles. Breaking up the clip with different shots makes it visually more appealing.

• Talk! Let us all know what you’re doing. Grunting while you’re pumping and winding may not hold interest for more

Video Glasses

What better way is there to film exactly what you are seeing than straight through your sunglasses?

The option of protecting your eyes, seeing into the water and filming what you’re looking at is a great option for those on the water wanting to capture their memories.

than a few seconds.

• Keep your clips short.

Anything more than 90 seconds will lose people. Trust us – it will.

• Tell a story. Make sure you put the clip into context. Where are you? What are you fishing for and why? What techniques are you using? Your mates WILL want to know.

• Respect your quarry. If you’re going to release your fish, do it quickly and give it the best chance of survival.

If you’re going to keep it to eat, treat it properly and kill

it quickly.

• Be legal. Make sure you obey all Fisheries and Boating regulations. I guarantee at least one of your viewers will relish the chance to sink the boot in and will have the evidence to prove it.

• If your clip definitely needs a soundtrack, avoid stealing copyrighted music. Some hosting sites will reject clips with copied music in it anyway (yep – they can tell). A lot of editing software comes with a selection of free-to-use music that you can use instead.

Hand Held Camcorder These days hand held video cameras are cheap and easy to use. Some are even waterproof and allow you to get in the water with the action.

Perfect when you want a more traditional look to your videography.

Pole Mounted Camera Pole mounted cameras, depending on how they are set up, provide unique angles that a hand held camera cannot provide.

You can get up above the boat, down below, off to the side or any combination of these. Mounted in a rod holder they can capture the moment the fish strikes without you having to remember to turn on the camera.

HEAD MOUNT

Net Mounted Camera A camera mounted on the net being used to land fish provides some amazing footage of the final moments of any capture.

A net camera by necessity needs to be waterproof and also ideally it will have a wide shooting angle to capture that moment when the result is beyond doubt.

CHEST MOUNT

SCAN THE QR CODES ON YOUR SMARTPHONE TO WATCH

http://youtu.be/nraM-nj7AhQ

http://youtu.be/ixspQvXMXbk

SCAN THE QR CODE TO WATCH THE SPORTS CAM VIDEO http://youtu.be/KHROh2cXjLM

http://youtu.be/em1nfxdV8LQ

WWW.SHIMANOFISH.COM.AU JULY 2014

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Camera Feature 

Distributed in the fishing industry by the same company that blazed the trail for GoPro (Lusty Industries), the Sony Action Cam is cool piece of kit. The basic kit comes with a HD Sony Action Cam, a Waterproof case (to 5m), a Live-View remote that you wear around your wrist and some mounts to get you going. It’s even got in-built GPS. This means your camera can not only capture the fishing footage, but map it for you via a GPS track at the end of the day using the free Sony software provided.

Pretty cool.

The Action Cam’s 170º filming angle comes with Sony’s Steady Shot technology, which takes out a lot of the bumps and jolts that the camera is exposed to while filming.

And while it mightn’t be relevant while you’ve only got one camera, the Live-View remote can take feeds from and control up to five Sony Action Cams at once. So if you’re the ultimate fishing action hero, you can capture your captures from five different angles. These different shots are all time coded, which makes editing them easy.

It’s definitely drool material for when you’re back on the PC at home.

A final note about the Sony Action Cams is that there’s a great bulldog-clip mounting system that’s useful for anglers.

Combining a rubber-coated clip with a universally swivelling lockable head, it gives both boat and land-based anglers dozens of options for cool angles that are achievable in seconds.

RRP $499 www.lustyindustries.com

Sony Action Cam SRP

$

499



GoPro Hero 3+ SRP

$

529

Sony Action Cam



Contour +2 SRP

449

$





One of the original choices for a fishing cam, the GoPro has come a long way since the clunky original version. Now 20% smaller and lighter than its predecessor, the Hero 3+ delivers improved image quality and features geared for versatility and convenience.

The new Super View mode is superwide angle while Auto Low Light intelligently adjusts frame rates to improve low light performance.

With a 30% better battery life, faster Wi-Fi and a sharper lens, the Hero 3+ is the most advanced GoPro yet.

RRP: $529 www.gopro.com.au

Contour ROAM2 SRP

$

269





Shimano CM-100 Sport SRP

400

$



iON Adventure SRP

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JULY 2014

$

399

GoPro Hero 3+



Contour +2

Taking their most coveted attributes from the ContourROAM and the original Contour+, Contour’s top camera is packed with features, easier to use, and brings an entirely new perspective to your adventures. Featuring even better video quality, an Instant On-Record switch, and a 60m waterproof case for those underwater adventures, the Contour+2 will bring your fishing stories to life like never before.

A GPS receiver allows you to capture and share a different perspective with an overlay of speed, distance, elevation and GPS data as well as crisp 1080HD video and up to 120FPS. When used with the mobile app, the inbuilt Bluetooth chip turns your smartphone into a remote control allowing you to preview your shots, change camera settings, and check memory and battery status on the fly. You can also use the infrared laser to confirm that you are shooting at the correct angle.

It has a huge variety of mounts to choose from, an included waterproof case

and a 270° rotating lens that allows for mounting in any position, so the camera will work virtually anywhere.

RRP: $449 www.meecosales.com.au



Contour ROAM2

The ContourROAM2 is touted as being the easiest-to-use camera on the market. With a quick slide of the ‘On & Record’ switch you’re filming your favourite adventures in crystal clear 1080p HD video.

The Instant On-Record switch means there is no standby mode, so the battery is only in use when shooting, giving you more bang per charge and a total recording time of up to 3.5 hours.

The ContourROAM2 is lightweight and waterproof to up to 1m without the addition of an external housing, making it the best all weather action cameras available. Whether you’re fishing, snorkelling or tearing up single track, the ContourROAM2 is ready for any adventure.

It’s compatible with every Contour mount giving you unlimited angles, and with the trademark 270° rotating lens, you’ll always get the perfect, level shot no matter where the camera is mounted.

RRP:$269 www.meecosales.com.au

Shimano CM-1000 Sport



The specifications of Shimano’s light and compact CM-1000 Sport Camera are impressive: full HD resolution, 10m underwater with no housing, 135° or super wide 180° viewing angle options, and an F2.0 lens perfect for low light conditions.

The battery takes less than four hours to charge, and it runs for two hours.

What’s more, it’s possible to link this camera to other devices via WI-FI, ANT+ and ANT private connectivity.

The Shimano Sport Cam comes with a lens cover, adhesive mount, vented head mount, USB cable and an instruction manual. Optional accessories include a case waterproof to 80m, tripod, arm extender, flat polarised lens cover and silicone sleeve.

It’s not only a video camera though; the CM-1000 will also take still images at 6MP 4:3 (2848 x 2136). With the Shimano Sport Camera you’ll never miss a fishing photographic opportunity ever again.

RRP: $400 www.shimanofish.com.au



iON Adventure

The iON Adventure shares several features with the Air Pro range, but has some key differences which make it better suited to anglers. While it shares the non-housed design (which means no fogging) and tripod mount with the Air Pro, the Adventure comes equipped with a single button instead of the slide design of the other iON cameras. It’s still easy to operate, with vibration and visual feedback, but the flat lens on the Adventure helps underwater footage look sharp and focused. It has a built in GPS, which includes location, speed, and altitude.

Finally, the Adventure features a loopfilming mode that constantly records, making sure you capture those big moments and never miss a fish jump again.

RRP: $399 www.aus.ioncamera.com

Camera Feature 

iON Air Pro 3

The iON Air Pro 3 is the flagship of the iON range of cameras. It’s able to shoot 1080p at 60 frames per second, or 720p at a whopping 120 frames per second, which gives you the ability to shoot ultrasharp slow motion footage.

The iON is waterproof straight out of the box, removing the need for a waterproof housing and preventing lens fogging. The one touch slide, along with its vibration feedback feature, offers easy operation, and with a 160° field of view you can guarantee you’ll never miss the action. All iON cameras use standard ¼” Tripod mounts, and a variety of mounts are available.

RRP: $449 www.aus.ioncamera.com



iON Air Pro 2

Sony Action Cam Accessories

3

Once you have your Action Cam, and know how to drive it, you’ll be in a position to take advantage of all of the accessories available to make your shots even better. Here’s a snapshot of some of the angler-friendly accessories available for the Sony model.

A float attachment is great insurance when you’re pushing the limits on the water to get a great shot. The flat-fronted dive housing ensures that the focus underwater is crisp as can be – and extends the depth capabilities to 60 metres.

Stick-mounted cameras can give a unique perspective while driving boats or alternatively sneaking up on spooky fish while underwater, while the rail clamp is great for boats with rails around the gunwales.

Lastly, the universal clamp is the accessory that you need if you’re just going to get one accessory.

RRP: From $19 More Info: www.sony.com.au/actioncam

If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to the Air Pro 3, the Air Pro 2 is the perfect solution. It still shoots in slow motion (but at a lower frame rate), and is waterproof to a depth of 10m, so it’s still a great choice if you’re looking for an action cam. Sharing the Air Pro 3’s one touch slide, lack of housing and tripod mount, and with an even wider 180° ultra wide angle field of view, the Air Pro 2 is perfect for the budget-conscious buyer.

RRP:$349 www.aus.ioncamera.com

iON Air Pro 3 SRP

$

449



iON Air Pro 2 SRP

$

349



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$

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JULY 2014

75

2014 • AUSTRALIAN

9 - 10 AUGUST 2014

Ipswich Show Grounds - Exhibition Centre

LURE EXPO lureshow.com.au Australian Lure Expo upsizes in Ipswich

Anthony Curtis with one of the prime targets for his AC Lures – a big Murray cod!

“Anyone can be involved in this. Whether you’re a cottage lure maker who knocks a few out in the shed or are a commercial maker who makes

lures by the thousands, this is THE place to be if you make lures or flies in Australia.”

“We always have some really old, Australian

Entry

9am – 4pm

Adults $10 / Under 16 FREE 2 Day Pass $15

s • Plastic Lures • Metal Lures • Old Lures • New Lures • Timber Lure • Spinnerbaits • Custom Lures • Skirted Lures • Wet Flies • Dry Flies PLACE TO SEE THEM IF IT’S AUSSIE MADE - THIS IS THE

REEF SCIENCE TANK See live lure demos and talks daily

LUCKY DOOR

PRIZES

• Lure collections • Lure making fication • Live demonstrations • Lure identi play • Buy, sell, swap • Live native fish dis • Food and drink available PLUS LOADS MORE!!

IPSWICH SHOWGROUND Warwick Rd, Ipswich

lureshow.com.au 76

JULY 2014

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collectibles, vintage lures and some of the best lure makers in the world on display,” Fitzy continued.

“You’ll be able to learn

DEAL • GR

Some of the lures on display at the Expo are real collectors’ pieces.

still maintains the country atmosphere.

Holding entry prices at $10 per adult (kids are free) and with rock bottom exhibitor fees AND free parking, the Expo draws a diversity of exhibitors that won’t be seen at major (read: more expensive) shows and expos anywhere in Australia.

We caught up with Fitzy at the venue to discuss the relocation and his excitement is evident (see the QR code hereby for the link to the video).

“This event was designed to showcase the dying art of luremaking in Australia,” said Fitzy, “and more recently it expanded to include fly making and fishing.”

“The new site at the Ipswich Showgrounds is six times bigger than the old site, and it’s also undercover, which makes it an all-weather option for the winter weekend,” Garry continued.

In fact, his enthusiasm about the show is infectious and this is reflected in the increased patronage (from both exhibitors and visitors) each year.

AT

Fernvale and is relocating to Ipswich. The now home of the Expo at the Ipswich Showgrounds, which makes it more accessible to Brisbane day-trippers, but

• GR

Just like your three year old grows out of their favourite pants, Garry Fitzgerald’s Australian Lure and Fly Expo has outgrown its inaugural venue at

BRISBANE

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GETTING TO THE LURE AND FLY EXPO

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MEET YOUR MAKER We stress it a lot throughout this feature, but the best source of advice you can get about how to fish a particular type of lure is directly from the maker who designed it.

Of course, you may have discovered a way of fishing a particular lure that knocks ‘em dead, and that feedback is also invaluable to makers.

You may also see a gap in the market for a particular type or action of lure. There’s no better place to stress this point than to the guys and girls who make a business of making baits that catch fish!

So let’s get into a bit of a preview on what you can see at this year’s Australian Lure and Fly Expo.

SEE THEM THERE GARRA LURES Garra Lures has been quietly making exceptional hand-carved lures for native fish in the borderlands of NSW and Qld for years.

Terry Marshall is one of the absolute cottage industry lure makers with a real penchant for designing lures. In fact, he designs lures that not only catch fish, but are appealing for anglers as well.

At the show, Terry will be displaying some of his popular models that include the Pondi, Terra, MandM, Tarki and the Peeli in 3 sizes.

He is likely to have some new

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how to make your own lures, so that you can turn a hunk of wood into something you can go and catch a fish with. You’ll learn how to shape them, how to add fittings to them and how to finish them if you’re that way inclined.”

CONTRIBUTE TO THE AWARDS The Australian Lure Awards have again expanded.

They recognise outstanding contributions and designs of Australia makers. In addition to separating the cottage industry makers and the commercial operations, the major change is that it’s going from a “Judged” format to a “Voting” format.

This means that everyone who visits the show has the ability to vote on their favourite lures and contribute towards the selection of the Best of the Best.

The awards function happens on the Saturday night, on site at the Showground Function Centre.

lureshow.com.au

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See Fitzy talk about the new show venue.

Ipswich Show Grounds - Exhibition Centre

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LURE EXPO

9 - 10 AUGUST 2014

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2014 • AUSTRALIAN

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DETAILS WHEN: TIMES: WHERE: ORGANISER: ADMISSION: WEBSITE:

Saturday Aug 10 and Sunday Aug 11, 2014 9am to 4pm Ipswich Showgrounds Exhibition Centre, 81 Warwick Rd Ipswich Garry Fitzgerald 0423 464 311 or info@sweetwaterfishing.com.au Adults $10, children under 16 accompanied by a paying adult are free. 2-day pass, $15 www.lureshow.com.au

models and old models on display too for anglers to buy at amazing prices.

Fishing Monthly has

also engaged Terry Marshall to supply our limited edition subscriber lures for the Australian Lure and Fly

Expo. Terry has put together a brilliant Pondi in a one-off colour that Terry tells me is catching way too many fish

The Bassman Yellaman will be on sale, amongst a host of new and existing models on the Bassman stand.

– and that’s typical of a lure made by Garra Lures.

AC LURES Anthony Curtis is again

HAND CARVED TIMBER LURES Available in • Shallow • Deep • Surface 100% Aussie Made And Owned

Follow us on www.facebook/garralures

Trade enquiries welcome Terry: 0414 846 995

or

: 07 4684 3153

JULY 2014

77

2014 • AUSTRALIAN

LURE EXPO

Drop by the Lively Lures’ stand and grab a Micro Mullet for only $10 at the show. Bugger that, grab half a dozen at that price! joining the exhibitors at the Lure and Fly Expo and is excited to showcase his great range of lures that are right now taking massive cod in the cold winter waters of the Murray.

With a range of lures that extend from a tiny 50mm right up to 150mm, AC Lures will have a lure that is just right for where and how you fish. The range of colours is impressive and, like a lot of lure makers, the colour range is always being developed to meet the needs of regional anglers.

For the collectors, AC Lures will have the last few of their spectacular limited edition yabbies on sale and Anthony tells me he is hoping

to have the first of his 20th Anniversary sets on show – a set of nude lures that covers his range and a collector’s set you should not miss out on.

So drop by AC Lures stand, have a chat to the maker and get the lure that is right for you or your collection.

BASSMAN SPINNERBAITS Bassman Spinnerbaits has long been established as making the best spinnerbaits for Australian conditions and with a willingness to consistently update colours and models, redesign head shapes and components, the team at Bassman continually come up with offerings that catch Aussie fish.

At the Expo Bassman will be releasing a host of new colours suitable for the bass market, a market that is booming thanks to the overflow bass fisheries in Queensland and the wonderful natural fisheries in NSW. The team will also be re-releasing the bass-sized Mumblers, a much under-used lure that Glen recently used with great success in several NSW impoundments.

Bassman Spinnerbaits has a range of lures from the smallest 1/8oz spinnerbait through to the giant 2 1/2oz spinnerbait that will cover everything from bass and trout through to the biggest cod and barra you will find anywhere.

And late mail suggest that Glen may be releasing a Japanese range of Bassman Spinnerbaits under the title 低 音 男 スピナーベイト. Look out for these exciting products at the Expo.

RIO’S LURES Manufactures of the original Australian Rio’s Prawn lure and the new Lethal Action range of offshore trolling lures taking SE Queensland by storm, Rio’s Lures are almost an institution in Queensland and more broadly across Australia.

For the Lure Expo Rio’s Lures will be displaying and selling their full range of lures and Eio will be on hand to explain how to get the best out of all of his lures.

Of most interest will be the showcasing of the new range, the Lethal Action range of offshore trolling lures taking SE Queensland by storm. But they will also be showcasing the original Australian Prawn

Nick 0412 360 634 Follow us:

www.facebook.com/twinriverlures

Ipswich Show Grounds - Exhibition Centre

lureshow.com.au on the same profile, 90mm and 50mm models were introduced while still maintaining the great swimming action Cooby Cobba Lures are known for. Lures are effective either casting to the fringes or trolling. Pillie and Poddy Mullet are other models in the range.

Although originally designed for Murray cod, golden perch and bass, don’t be fooled into thinking this is the case; these lures have

Get hints and tips on how to tie your own flies with live fly tying demonstrations daily. the boutique or cottage lure scene. Manufacture of these lures commenced around the time Toowoomba’s Cooby Dam opened for fishing in the late 80s.

Early models were out of timber, now their lures are manufactured using polyurethane with quality components moulded in, including through the bib stainless steel wire and laser cut polycarbonate bibs. Lures are a slow rise floating lure with the 60mm model being the flagship of the range. Based

accounted for many a finned quarry including fickle jungle perch, ultra aggressive sooty grunter. Had there durability tested on barra, jacks, fingermark and trevally.

Ambushed by big flathead and fooled the wily bream and shy whiting.

Cooby Cobba Lures have proven their versatility and durability and have more applications than you could likely poke a rod at.

Do yourself a favour, check out these great Aussie lures at the Expo.

ONLINE

STORE

www.riolures.com.au

Rio : 0412 854 257 Laser Cut

FIND US ON FACEBOOK! Bassman Spinnerbaits Official

www.bassmanspinnerbaits.com.au ANTHONY CURTIS • Y-S81 size 8 - 1/0 • Y-S82 size 2/0 - 5/0 • Super heavy duty

OVER

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ROBERT - 0487 353 582 TOOWOOMBA QLD 78

JULY 2014

• Y-S81 size 8 - 1/0 • Y-S82 size 2/0 - 5/0 • Super heavy duty

LASERWORX has been supplying custom designed polycarbonate lure bibs to the major Australian lure makers for over 13 years. We also offer a standard range of bibs for the DIY angler.

AR 20 YE

RF EN PE

PROV

LIVELY LURES Lively Lures are an Aussie icon lure that has stood the test of time and keep coming back for more.

At the Expo Lively Lures will be displaying the full range of their lures to show off just how diverse their products are. Best of all though, with Lively Lures recently opening a direct on line store (www.livelylures. com.au) visitors to the Expo can go home, log into the site and purchase whichever lures took their fancy, safe in the knowledge that they have handled the lures and know what they are getting.

To add to this for the collectors, Lively Lures will be displaying and selling a range of historic Lively Lures at the Expo. There are some lures that will be available for purchase that are over 25 years old. This will prove a very popular stand as literally pieces of Australian lure history will be sold off at the Expo.

The late news was that Lively Lures will be selling their range of Micro Mullets at only $10 a pop – that a saving from their already incredibly cheap online price and something all trollers will need to budget for – especially if flathead, bass, bream and trout are on your target list!

With all models on show, the ability to add to your collection with some seriously old and valuable lures, the Lively Lures stand will be a must visit at the Expo.

HAVE YOU BEEN GOBSMACKED? Gobsmacked Lures is a family owned and run

100% Australian Made Lures

Built FNQ tough!

Trade Enquiries Welcome

lures, their Live Chrome range of metal lures, the Big Eye Poppers and they will also be releasing a new offshore metal lure that can only be seen at the Expo.

Still 100% Australian made, all Rio’s Lures at the Expo will be at factory outlet price so you’ll need to check this stand out.

COOBY COBBA LURES Cooby Cobba Lures is one of the many lure companies emerging from

9 - 10 AUGUST 2014

CONSISTENT ACCURACY

HIGHEST QUALITY POLYCARBONATE 1, 1.5 and 2 MM

LASER CUTTING

CONTACT US TODAY PH 1800 555 911

(02) 6931 2796 / 0408 688 805

E: aclures@internode.on.net

www.aclures.com.au

2014 • AUSTRALIAN

LURE EXPO business operating out of Goulburn NSW. Owner Jamie Judd has always had a love of fishing, and loves to tinker with his own lure designs.

Jamie said “When my hobby turned into a business, I was glad I could pass this passion on to others as well as my children, who love helping me make lures. My youngest daughter even had a lure (without hooks) as a baby rattle.

“My main passion is surface lures, especially designed for targeting Aussie natives. While I love fishing in general, there is nothing more exhilarating than that big BOOF, when your lure gets smacked off the top. Hence the name Gobsmacked, because often that’s how that sight leaves you, gobsmacked “I will be bringing my lathe, and will be doing demonstrations on lure turning. In this day and age of mass produced lures, I love the art of taking a

9 - 10 AUGUST 2014

Ipswich Show Grounds - Exhibition Centre

lureshow.com.au

piece of wood, and crafting a quality timber lure by hand. I want to show people, that for very little outlay, you can still produce a quality product. And keep the tradition of handmade Australian lures alive”.

Gobsmacked Lures range in size from 50mm bass lures, to huge lures for targeting Murray cod and barramundi. This range is ever changing, so keep your eyes open for some new releases at this year’s Lure and Fly Expo.

LASERWORX THE MOST PRECISE Laserworx, who cut all types of bibs with remarkable accuracy, has been supplying lure bibs to manufacturers for the last 13 years, offering a competitive, consistent and quick service to Aussie lure makers country-wide.

The benefit of having your bibs laser cut is consistency in shape (every bib will be identical) and reduced labour in the whole manufacturing process

There is plenty to see at the Lure Expo with some amazing displays.

allowing lure designers to concentrate solely on making the best designs around.

And although Laserworx does a lot of business with established lure-makers, like Alan Dolan’s Lively Lures, they do also cater for the hobbyist via a standard range of bibs that can be ordered in smaller, non-commercial quantities.

In fact, drop in and see the Laserworx staff and you’ll find that they may well have some small, mixed bags of bibs that you can use to get your hobby up and off the ground.

BUMPA BAR DOUBLED Bumpa Bar lures will be attending the Lure Expo again with their great range of sized and coloured Bumpa Bar lures, including the new Double Up range.

The Bumpa Bar range has always offered a variety of sizes and weights to accommodate fishing for a wide range of species and fishing conditions. The lures are proudly Australian-made using 316 Stainless steel.

They are all equipped with heavy-duty spilt rings and hooks, built to withstand the harsh Australian conditions.

The lures have been getting some strong press of late for being such a versatile lure. The erratic action of the lure produced by the Bumpa Bar is what attracts the fish. Cast, jig or troll – all methods are popular and effective ways of using the lures. With its origins from Northern Queensland – the lures now have a strong following in the southern states using a variety of applications.

So come and say G’day to Steve at the Bumpa Bar Lure Stand and make sure you stock up on a few of their lures. No tackle box should be without some!

TWIN RIVER LURES SPECIALS Twin River Lures will be attending the expo for the third straight year and second year as an exhibitor.

They will have a selection of colours across all 12 models that they make.

Expo special pricing will be on offer ranging from $12.50 - $17.50 with custom Expo-signed sets available.

Twin River Lures are made by long time Far North Queenslander’s Rex and Nick Stock from a selection of native FNQ timbers. Rex first started carving red cedar barra minnows while working in Cooktown in the mid 1970s. On moving to the Atherton Tablelands in the early 1980s and having his own furniture making business meant no shortage of timber to make lures from. While never offering these lures for retail sale, they accounted for plenty of northern estuary species.

Nick has been living in remote communities over the last 10 years and shares his old man’s love of chasing barra on hand-made timber lures. With decent timber barra lures getting harder to find these days, the dedication was made to quit working in the mines in Weipa and continue making lures on a full-time basis approximately 3 years ago. With Twin River Lures supplying over 20 retail stores in Northern Australia they will continue to be many barra angler’s go-to lure for years to come.

Call in and say G’day at the Expo and like their Facebook page for lure giveaways, prizes, updates and photos.

FISHING MONTHLY MAGAZINES Fishing Monthly will be offering those who renew or take up a new

subscription the chance to own a Limited Edition Garra Lures Pondi lure that is individually numbered and signed by Terry Marshall of Wallangarra, Qld. There are only 80 of these lures available in a one-off Fishing Monthly colour scheme and these will be the centre of the

subscription offer.

Please note this offer is only available to those visiting the show as the lure is a limited edition.

We should warn you these lures are responsible for many XOS cod captures and we’re guessing even the die hard collectors may take these gun lures for a swim!

Quality Hand Crafted Timber Lures Made in Australia

Cod Cruncha Wilbarra Fatty Ripple See us at the Lure Expo HANDCRAFTED, HANDPAINTED AND INDIVIDUALLY TANK TESTED

Contact: Sales@gidgeelures.com or call 0428 147 035

NO BOAT SHOULD BE WITHOUT THEM NO BOAT SHOULD BE WITHOUT THEM

PRODUCT ANDORDERING ORDERINGIN IN FORMATION: FORFOR PRODUCT INFORMATION: FOR PRODUCTAND AND ORDERING FORMATION: Phone: +61418 418419 419 999999 Phone: 999 Phone:+61 0418 419 Email: info@ bumpabar.com Email: info@ info@bumpaba.com Email: bumpabar.com Web: www.bumpabar.com www.bumpabar.com Web: www.bumpabar.com

ONLINE STORE & SA FLATHEAD LOLLIES VE FULL RANGE FOR ALL SPECIES

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The Cooby Cobba lures are real fish takers and they’ll be at this year’s Expo giving you all the info on how to build your own and also the lures to catch fish like this beast!

FOR ORDERS E G A T S O P E E R F

OVER $50

www.livelyluresonline.com.au JULY 2014

79

KISS complicated rigs goodbye! widely popularised in modern times, these minimalist concepts are by no means new. In fact, renowned Italian artist and engineer, Leonardo da Vinci, summed them up beautifully more five centuries ago when he stated: “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”.

I’m a firm believer that the ideas embodied in the KISS principle, Occam’s Razor and the belief that “less is more” all have a great merit when applied to angling, particularly

NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.me

In nine out of 10 cases, according to Starlo, the simplest terminal rig suited to the fishing task at hand is also the best choice for the job.

I’m sure most readers will have heard of the so-called ‘KISS’ principle. Depending on who you listen to, this popular acronym stands for either “keep it simple, stupid!” or “keep it short and simple”. Either way, it’s an idea commonly applied to all sorts of disciplines, from accountancy, medicine and marketing to various sports… including recreational fishing.

Along with KISS and the associated idea that ‘less is more’, I’m also a big fan of another time-proven principle known as Occam’s Razor, which can be distilled down to an eight word statement: “the simplest answer is usually the right one”. Successful police investigators employ this deceptively straightforward approach to narrowing down their lists of suspects for a crime, and smart doctors also apply it to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and injuries.

Although they’ve been

A black drummer or “pig” taken from the rocks on a deadly simple running sinker rig. Need a bit more weight? Add a second sinker!

hand is also the best one by far!

Look at it this way: Every extra knot you add to a rig introduces one more potential failure point into the tenuous, fragile chain between you and the fish. Every additional item of terminal tackle you include increases the cost and time involved in constructing the rig… And every shiny doo-dad or nifty gizmo hanging in front of your bait, lure or fly is one more thing that’s likely to spook, alarm or distract a fish, potentially preventing it from taking your offering.

In a surprising amount of instances, a bait hook, lure or fly tied directly to the end of your line or leader is all you really need to catch a fish. If a sinker is required (especially for bait fishing), try simply threading one onto the line so it can run freely all the way down to the hook. If you really believe you need to keep that sinker away from the bait for some reason, add a swivel to the rig 30 or 40 cm from the hook and run the sinker on the line above this instead.

Those three rig variations — no sinker, running sinker right to the hook or running sinker above a swivel — should easily cover 95 per cent or more of your bait fishing needs. Sure, if you’re using a sidecast reel, you can always add another small swivel a metre or so up the line, above any other item of terminal tackle, to prevent twist. But that’s about it. You don’t need anything else!

Whatever you do, don’t overcomplicate things just for the sake of doing so, or because you’ve admired some snazzy, convoluted set-up illustrated in a book or magazine.

We’ll return to the subject of rigging many times in future instalments of this column, but for now, I want to leave you with a marvellous quote from the early 20th century French aristocrat and aviator, Antione de Saint-Exupery, who sagely said: “It seems that perfection is reached not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” Think about it…

trout,” Mr Mulder said.

“A self-sustaining population of redfin is also resident and some reach a trophy size in the reservoir.”

Learn more about the Recreational Fishing Initiative at www.depi.vic.gov.au/ betterfishing. – DEPI

Swinging up a keeper bream caught on a straightforward bait fishing rig consisting of a small sinker running all the way down to a hook.

That’s all you need in so many situations.

Kids, in particular, really benefit from the use of simple rigging strategies.

What could be simpler than a hook tied directly to the end of your line?

in terms of how we choose, rig and use our fishing tackle.

I can’t believe how complicated some of the rigs I see illustrated or described in fishing books and magazines are. In a few isolated instances there may be good reasons for using more complex arrangements of terminal tackle when constructing a rig. However, it’s my firm belief — one born out by a lifetime of fishing experience and observation — that in at least nine out of 10 instances, the simplest rig for the job at

FISHING FILL-ITS

New car park for Wurdiboluc anglers Freshwater anglers now have better access to Wurdiboluc Reservoir, near Winchelsea, with the construction of a new all-weather car park off Cape Otway Road.

Member for Polwarth Terry Mulder said the car park had been funded by the Victorian Coalition Government’s $16 million Recreational Fishing Initiative and would give fishers a safe, convenient place to prepare before heading out for a fish.

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“The Victorian Coalition Government recognises the social and economic contribution recreational fishing makes to the state,” Mr Polwarth said.

“Our $16 million Recreational Fishing Initiative is funding access improvement projects, more fish stocking, upgrades of boat launching facilities, new fishing reefs in bays and inlets, more fisheries research and stronger fisheries enforcement and education and has provided $27,389 for

construction of the car park.”

“The car park at Wurdiboluc Reservoir improves access for anglers by getting them away from the busy road so they can safely prepare themselves prior to fishing.

“It has also reduced the chances of vehicles getting bogged in winter when wet conditions have previously hampered access for all but 4WD vehicles.”

The Association of Geelong and District Angling Clubs worked with the

Surf Coast Shire to build the car park.

Mr Mulder said Wurdiboluc Reservoir was popular with freshwater anglers pursuing brown trout and rainbow trout, both of which were stocked annually by Fisheries Victoria to improve fishing opportunities.

“Some of the brown trout grow to more than 3 kilograms. Fly fishers, lure casters and bait fishers from Geelong and Melbourne regularly target these large

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JULY 2014

81

535 Bluefin Stormcat BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

The 535 Bluefin Stormcat is another of the ‘Cat’ series of tournamentorientated punts from the Bluefin stable. These are powerful, well appointed boats combining a neat blend of luxury and fishing features with raftlike stability in a well finished alloy hull. And with a 150hp Mercury 4-stroke on the back, let me tell you that this cat can really storm!

LAYOUT At 5.35m long and 2.34m wide this big punt is a dedicated tournament craft. The entire layout and presentation is virtually an angler’s wish list come true: all floors are (hookless) carpeted and there’s a fulllength soft-lined rod locker, plenty of storage under the floor, a 90L catch well, very comfortable seating and a neat sound system. And it’s

while the Stormcat’s clear and uncluttered front deck would allow up to three anglers to fish at a given time.

The cockpit work area featured another seat spigot up front, the Stormcat’s side console being set to starboard next to a side pocket. As the console was fixed to the side of the craft rather than onto the floor, the arrangement provided ample leg room for the skipper while driving from the plush wrap around bucket style helm seat. The console came set up with a grab rail plus a tinted windscreen, the latter

The passenger had easy access to the Stormcat’s 2.25m long rod locker set into the cockpit’s port side.

Featuring soft lining, the locker would swallow up quite a few ready-to-use rods. Further hatches, the central available for storage, were located aft of the helm and seating area.

An angler could also work here of course.

Rod holder equipped grab rails were mounted near the transom area with a ski pole central; handy for some bare footing from the Bluefin team on weekends I’m told. Completing aft details were a full width,

Under power the Blue Fin’s hull shows its ability to shed water well away from the hull and its occupants.

SPECIFICATIONS Length.............................................................. 5.35m Length on trailer............................................... 6.60m Beam................................................................ 2.24m Construction.................................Bottom 4mm alloy,

. .............................top sides 3mm alloy Weight hull........................................................ 680kg Deadrise................................................................15º Fuel..................................................................... 110L Persons.................................................................... 5 Towing................................ family six wagon or 4 x 4

Drive on and off launching is easy with the Dunbier trailer set-up.

The Stormcat running hard displays a very clean and flat wash. all pushed along nicely at around 80km/h by that 3L Mercury 150hp 4-stroke on the transom. You want to get there first? This rig sure will give it a good go!

Up front on the craft’s 400mm high casting deck there were six hatches, all with storage under them.

There was ample anchor room in the front one, in the next set of hatches there was provision for a battery (or two) for the Minn Kota electric motor up front, then came paired hatches for general storage, tackle trays and the like. Paired hatches also accessed the dividerequipped 90L Flowrite Tournament live well designed to keep the catch in the best shape for the weigh in. A bicycle-style seat up front was removable 82

JULY 2014

of which is great when travelling at 80 clicks on a winter’s morning.

The Bluefin’s dash layout centred around a Lowrance HDS9 sounder uppermost, with a timer for the catch well and an array of eight rocker switches lower. To the side of the sports style wheel (linked to hydraulic steering) were the ignition key and marine radio. Engine controls were side mounted in the usual manner.

A Fusion sound system was featured with speakers at the rear of the 400mm high forward deck and a big fat sub woofer between skipper’s and mate’s high backed seats. I’d see two, maybe three, anglers working within the cockpit with it’s 460mm depth.

non-skid equipped pod, and a boarding ladder to port.

STABILITY One thing I did notice while aboard the Stormcat was the immense stability. This is, of course, important for the style of

fishing usually undertaken in these tournament or sports orientated boats where anglers usually stand to fish.

The degree of inherent stability was not confined to the craft at rest either.

The Mercury 150 was top power for the rig.

When I was seated very comfortably in the skipper’s seat and driving the Stormcat, she had a running-on-rails like ability to turn, go-kart style, and then recover to a level attitude just as smartly.

Hull configuration consists of a fairly shallow vee at 15 degrees, some pronounced strakes under the hull, a quite large keel, plus a hull weight of 680kg which all combine to enhance stability. Construction is 4mm alloy on the bottom, 3mm topsides and with a solid layout of under floor stringers and a dedicated cross bracing system the Stormcat’s hull was very rigid and vibration free at all times.

I was quite impressed with the ride of the Stormcat. Even powering very hard into chop produced very little in the way of noise or hard bumping, and I feel sure that the ride and handling aspects of this craft are going to be strong selling points for the Bluefin

dealers. Spray was also pushed well away from the hull but one must expect some water about the place if heading across waves or chop with the breeze on the quarter, same as in any other open boat.

150 MECURY TOP POWER Engine ratings for the 535 Bluefin Stormcat are from 115 to 150hp. No surprise, then, that the 150 Mercury four-stroke did such a remarkably easy job of powering the craft. Mind you, this style of tournament rig usually sports near maximum horsepower. It’s a tradition among tournament anglers to get to a hot spot without delay so there was nothing unusual in the choice of a maximum horsepower engine.

The 150 Mercury

purred into life at first turn of the key and lifted the craft gently onto the plane at 2000rpm at 19.7km/h.

3000rpm saw 31.2km/h, 4000rpm saw 41.8km/h, 5000rpm a smooth 54.8km/h and 6000rpm a speed of 81.3km/h. Good speeds, undoubtedly, but what impressed me was the sheer urge of the 3L four cylinder Mercury. Even at 5000 rpm a push of the throttle lever saw instant response and a quick surge forward. Speeds were checked with two persons aboard the craft.

SUMMING UP After testing this powerful and very useful tournament style rig I was impressed with many aspects, not the least being that it is an Australianmade craft. The layout, the features, ride and handling

The Stormcat’s dash layout, dominated by the HDS9, looks pretty impressive.

The Bluefin’s Flowrite-equipped live well is a big plus for anglers wanting to keep the catch alive for a weigh-in.

The Stormcat’s clean, uncluttered cockpit work area allows a few more anglers to work in comfort.

With its level surface and extra seat option, the high casting deck up front of the Stormcat makes a great place for a team of anglers to work.

plus the performance of the Mercury 150 all were big pluses.

The craft would also perform well with a smaller motor if your focus was on pleasure rather than tournament fishing. With an external side height of 500mm the rig would be suited to work in impoundments, rivers, bays or most other sheltered water situations.

The rig as reviewed with its many extras (including sound system, Minn Kota and Lowrance sounder) carried on a Dunbier trailer and with registrations would come home for under $60,000.

For more information on this rig, and the other boats in the Bluefin range, log onto www.bluefinboats. com.au where you can also find your nearest dealer’s contact information.

• 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.

Expensive tournament tackle is safe in this fully lined rod locker.

JULY 2014

83

What’s new boating

1

New Mercury Diesels

Mercury Diesel has released new 150hp and 170hp variants of its 2L Inline-4 platform. Mercury’s innovative technology provides increased power-to-weight ratios, cleaner starts and less noise, while eliminating the smoke and smell often associated with diesel engines.

Very reliable, compact and robust, the new engines are available as both inboards and sterndrives, and are fully compatible with Mercury’s DTS (Digital Throttle and Shift) technology. Variable geometry turbo (VGT) technology provides peak torque at 2000rpm, so turbo-lag virtually disappears, the boat gets to plane faster and drivers enjoy outstanding operating characteristics.

The new engines are only 80cm long and 71cm wide. Producing only 68 decibels they are quieter than a normal conversation, and a closed cooling system increases engine longevity by keeping corrosion at bay.

All models offer the latest Common Rail Fuel Injection technology and are fully Mercury SmartCraft-compatible. To find out more visit www.mercurymarine.com.au. - MM

2

Black Rhino Boats

Black Rhino Boats was born from the concept that Australia’s boating industry was suffering from the same old, same old syndrome, so we teamed up with world renowned, award winning boat designer, Scott Robson to produce a range of plate boats.

Here at Black Rhino we are manufacturing fresh boats with a contemporary style that is unique on the Australian market. As our range of boats are Australian made for Australian conditions, our design focuses on strong capabilities and top performance in harsh waters, while also maintaining a modern luxury feeling with a fresh new sleek finish.

While the name Black Rhino might be new to the boating industry, our experience and knowledge shows through from each weld with over 100 years of collective boat manufacturing and customising experience in the team. Our builders are fisherman themselves. They understand what will or will not work when you’re out on the water and bring this experience to every boat.

When it comes to service and after sales back up, you are dealing direct with Black Rhino Boats, not through a reseller or an agent. We can offer repairs and service second to none, because we build what we sell, we service what we sell and we maintain an open relationship with every boat owner we sell too.

Our passion, experience and dedication is what sets us above from the rest. When buying a Black Rhino Boat you’ll have guaranteed satisfaction.

For more information on the range, contact Black Rhino on 1800 559 608 or log onto www.blackrhinoboats.com.au. – Black Rhino

3

Software Upgrade

Lowrance has announced enhanced navigational functionality for its HDS Gen2 and HDS Gen2 Touch range. This functionality provides Easy Routing from C-MAP and Autorouting from Navionics.

Users can now easily and automatically create the shortest, safe route based on selected start and end points to plan a route.

Routes are shown overlaid on the chart, highlighting the safest route.

The software update also adds Dynamic Tides and Currents for Jeppesen C-MAP Max-N+ users, providing a graphical representation of current conditions when the chart is zoomed beyond the 1NM scale.

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This software is available as a free download and also includes improvements to charting and navigational features. To get HDS route planning visit www.lowrance.com.

- Lowrance

4

1

GME MT600G EPIRB

GME has released the MT600G, an EPIRB with improved GPS functionality ensuring faster location in an emergency situation.

The MT600G features a 10 year battery life and advanced self testing capability, giving users greater peace of mind.

Features include a 66 channel GPS receiver which reduces the search area to less than 100m radius, and a 121.5MHz homing signal to further aid in location and retrieval in an emergency. Complete with quick release mounting bracket and automatically deployed antenna, the MT600G is certified by COSPAS SARSAT for worldwide usage.

“GME EPIRBs and PLBs have lead to more rescues in Australian waters than any other brand, and the MT600G continues this heritage,” said Marine Marketing Manager at GME Brad Darch. “It was designed and manufactured in Australia to deliver next generation performance and reliability.”

The MT600G is priced at RRP $399.

To find your nearest dealer log onto www.gme.net.au. - GME

5

2

Marine Graphics Ink

3

Marine Graphics Ink has been at the forefront of Australian boat wraps since 2007. Their fish illustrations and boat wraps are now recognisable at the boat ramps and on the floor at the boat shows.

Nick Hannan, MGI owner and head illustrator, said wraps are becoming a popular and cost-effective option for boat hull protection.

“It is a great alternative to painting your boat,” he said. “It’s faster, cheaper and offers a wider range of options.”

Starting at $480 for the half wrap ready-to-go stock designs through to full blown custom jobs, it’s definitely worth a troll through their site. Check out www.marinegraphicsink.com or call Nick on 0432 499 492. - MGI

6

4

Horizon Boats FP Pack

Horizon Boats EasyFisher range consists of five models, the 415, 435, 450, 465 and 525 and is available in four configurations that include the thwart seat model, pedestal seat model, side console and centre console.

Key features of the EasyFisher range includes 3mm bottoms and sides, bow and side rails, anchor well, splash well, front casting deck with storage, rear step and rail, side pockets, soft edge side decks, bow roller and they are fully welded under gunwales.

To offer customers even better value for money with the EasyFisher range, Horizon Boats has introduced the FP pack The FP pack includes a rear casting deck, plumbed live bait tank, custom decals and a Humminbird PiranhaMAX 196CXI Sounder*.

The FP Pack is available on the EasyFisher, EasyFisher Pro, EasyFisher SC and EasyFisher CC models meaning you can have the boat you love with the extras you always wanted.

Terms and conditions apply to this great offer so refer to your local Horizon dealer for all the details or log onto www.horizonboats. com.au for more information. * Humminbird PiranhaMAX 196CXI bonus while stocks last, model subject to change without notice depending on availability.

– Horizon Boats

5

6

HAWK FISHING • FIND-A-WORD COMPETITION

Unwelcome underwater photo bombers

ALGAE BRANCH BUBBLES CAMERA STRAP DEADFLY FINGER HAND HULL LEAF

LINE LOG LURE MOTOR MUD NOTHING PEBBLES PLANT PROP ROCK

Name

ROOT RUBBLE SAND SEAGRASS SHOE SLEEVE TAIL TWIG WASH WEED

Address

P/Code Phone (day):

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

SEND ENTRIES TO:

VIC Hawk Tournament Competition PO box 3172, Loganholme Qld 4129 VIC JUNE 2014

FINS SCALES & TALES by A. Both

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE The subscriber prize winners for May were C Browne of Ancona, A Rhodes of Rosebud, H Cutajar of Hillside, W Barratt of Ringwood North, K Potter of Harrow and G Luckhurst of Frankford, who each an Ecogear lure and accessory pack valued at $125.

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

BARRA COUNTRY by Brett Currie

BITE ME by Trisha Mason

FIND THE SPECIALTY FISHING FISH WINNERS The Find the specialtyfishing.com.au logo prize winners for May were J Neilson of Rochester, D Dunn of Warrnambool, R Thomson of Horsham, P Tomai of Glenroy, B Pontt of Loxton, M Reynolds of Morwell, J Doughty of Bacchus Marsh, N Warg of Maffra, G Bonner of Coragulac, L Sebire of Traralgon, P Clarke of Wonthaggi, I Lovel of Bealiba, A Wells of Barnawartha, C Prebble of Delacombe, J Branch of Dromana, M Collier of Smythes Creek, T King of Sunbury, N Bryant of North Albury, P Musgrove of Casterton, T Laidlaw of Portland, G Butler of Kerang, R Parry of Stawell, J Morrison of Clunes, J Killian of Briar Hill, T Siposs of Skipton, R Moore of Greenvale, T Owins of Black Hill, T Sowter of Rosebud, A Gee of Goornong, K Morrison of Moama, D Bauleh of Colac, B Martin of Stratford , C Coleman of Traralgon, M O’Borne of Colac, G Dalton of Belmont, A Kirkup of Hamilton, J Jenner of Malmsbury, A Roeding of Mount Martha, B Stokes of Morwell, B Whyte of Myers Flat who each won a packet of Hot Shotz pre-rig.

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

FIND THE SPECIALTY FISHING MAY LOCATIONS

GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy

The answers to Find the specialtyfishing.com.au for May were: 7, 14, 20, 23, 31, 36, 44, 54, 58, 65, 68, 73, 75, 83 and 86. – V&TFM

FIND-A-WORD WINNER Congratulations to E. Kodermann of Sunbury, who was last month’s winner of the Hawk Tournament Find-a-Word Competition!

Monthly winners receive Hawk Tournament Tested Bayer Perlon IGFA line, assorted Panther Martin lures, Youvella hooks and a keyring. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – V&TFM 1

• DECEMBER 2010

JULY 2014

85

SeaCraft Snapper 425 SYDNEY

Dan Trotter

The SeaCraft Snapper 425 is the perfect set-up for harbour, inshore and close offshore fishing. Built tough enough to take on the Aussie conditions, the Deep-V bow is ready to punch through the chop and get you into the action.

Relatively stable at rest and quick off the mark – the Snapper 425 is sure to provide serious access to great fishing locations when the correct conditions present.

Whether you are traditional bait fisher or addicted to lure flicking adventures for any manner of iconic Aussie sportfish, this open tinnie, built by Ausmarine will get you in the mix.

Set-up ready for customisation for the fishing enthusiast with a forward casting deck, rear bench seat, carpeted floor, sturdy welds

and retrieve solo, or capable of comfortably taking two anglers to their favourite GPS marks.

BUILD, RIDE AND FISHABILITY Being a deep-vee, the rig is designed for open water and close offshore use, given the often rough conditions of some of our favourite harbours and bays it will also be right at home as a platform for flicking lures at harbour markers or up mangrovelined creeks, along estuary shorelines or soaking baits around prominent structure or creek mouths.

The test boat was powered by a Seaking 2-stroke 15hp outboard.

Despite the maximum horsepower being 30hp, the 15hp got this rig up and planing quickly, with two of us onboard, if you had any distance to travel upsizing to the 30hp 4-stroke would be a good idea to deliver a

up on isolated coastlines off the beaten track.

The paint finish on the boat is great and while the weld quality has improved over the years, they are a little larger than more expensive Australian-made boats. The sprayed yellow and white finish is a nice touch, keep in mind though that tinnies get put through some serious punishment in their lives and scratches show far more where there’s paint than simply alloy.

On the fishing front the set-up is pretty basic and the addition of a few items would go a long way towards hasslefree angling. Fitted standard with only two rod holders in the rear corners, there’s no doubting if you’re anything like me and the fishos I know, then you’re going to want a bunch more locations to house your various rod and reel outfits. Fortunately the wide gunwales provide ample space and grab rails

The Snapper 425 is a base rig that will open up lots of waterways and fishing opportunities. at the bow and astride of the rear seat provide for further rail mounted rod holders to ensure you are ready for action. An upright rod rack bolted to the front of the bench seat or one of the wellsituated side pockets would

do the trick to ensure you’ve got the room to take your favourite outfits along.

Tackle bags and boxes can be stored under the floor of the forward carpeted casting deck, and with a bit of forethought and a milk

crate or similar provides a great space to stow extra rope and a reef pick for those rocky anchoring positions.

The bow platform has anchor well recess, which will take some rope and a small anchor; a bow-mounted cleat provides a location to secure your rope once the anchor has found its mark.

The cut-down transom is suited perfectly for comfortable handling and is kitted with a rear portside boarding step and a starboard side mounting plate for a transducer.

ON THE MONEY The mission of the SeaCraft range is to deliver value and versatility to the Australian boating market.

In conversation, Sancho has explained previously, how the business evolved, first with SeaTrail trailers, then SeaCraft was born from an obvious demand for boating options for people who simply couldn’t rationalise the money to get into more expensive boats.

Clean and simple in design, this rig is ideal to get you into boating. and the standard storage space between the stern and bench seat for fuel and esky or live bait set-up the whole package is ready to roll out the door and get you on the water.

Aimed at budget aware anglers, the Seacraft range of boats are manufactured overseas using Australian sheet aluminium, the snapper 425 is built with a 2mm side and 3mm bottom. The package has been developed to be tough and ready for the rugged conditions Australia’s coastline delivers while being light enough to launch 86

JULY 2014

faster top-end speed without sacrificing fuel economy.

Fitted with a 25L tote tank, the addition of an extra fuel tank is worth considering if you want to run long distances or spend long days trolling live baits or lures.

Due to its size the rear tiller delivers quick wide turns, pulling into corners comfortably while delivering confident handling. As with all tin boats, there’s the expected hull slap while underway. Totally capable in rougher conditions this package is ideally suited for beach launching, and pulling

Top: The cut down transom allows for short shaft outboards to be used.

Above Left: The front hatch is the ideal place for storing all your safety gear and just in front some ground tackle can be stored within easy reach.

Above Right: A simple tiller option makers this rig perfect for those just starting their boating career or those looking for a simple and easy to use set-up.

“Our range of products are built to fit a budget and help get more Aussies out on the water doing the things they love,” said Sancho.

At the prices these packages go out the door it has been proven that thousands of anglers enjoy the considerations the now well-established brand delivers. The Snapper 425 is my kind of tinnie, it offers a no nonsense approach to catching a feed, stocked with a handful of rods and tackle, some free-diving gear, a brain full of local knowledge and there is no reason you can’t out fish other anglers on any given day.

Packaged with basic safety gear, plus trailer and boat rego, all you need to do is fill up the tank, grab the tackle, remember to put the bung in and off you can go with your new tinnie ready to get amongst it.

ON THE ROAD Delivered on a Seatrail single axel, non-braked, skid and roller trailer the ability to launch singlehanded is a bonus for anglers who like to fish alone, and if hosed well and properly maintained after each outing the trailer will deliver for years to come.

All packed and loaded up this great diehard

fishing package can pretty much be towed behind anything legally allowed to have a tow-ball. Keen to check these out, then contact the team at BMS Marine on (03) 9731 7269 for more details and the chance to look these rigs over first-hand.

• 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.

A simple drive on trailer makes launch and retrieve a breeze.

SEACRAFT SNAPPER 425 Basic package from:.....................................................................................$7,590 Seaking:............................................................................................. 15hp 2-stroke As Tested: .......................................................... $8,340 (extras were painted hull) Max Horsepower:.............................................................................................40hp Max Transom Weight:......................................................................................90kg Max People:...........................................................................................................5 Flotation:..........................................................................................................Basic Length Overall:...............................................................................................4.25m Beam:.............................................................................................................1.85m Depth:...............................................................................................................0.9m Bottom Thickness:...........................................................................................3mm Side Thickness:................................................................................................2mm Transom Shaft Length:....................................................................................... L/S Weight (boat only):.........................................................................................200kg The hull will allow most of the spray to be deflected away when underway.

A

s you may not be aware, from 2nd June, Australia Post will introduce 2 delivery timetables for their Print Post services, which will affect the delivery time of your magazines.

The current delivery timetable continues but will be renamed “Print Post Priority.” The second Timetable will be named “Print Post Regular.”

The names “Priority” and “Regular” reflect the different performance of the two timetables. Your magazines will be sent as “Regular” and Australia Post says it may take between two and four business days longer to be delivered than the “Priority” timetable.

We will still endeavour to get your magazine to you before it goes on sale at the Newsagents but ultimately, we are at the mercy of Australia Post and have no control over them once they are lodged into their system.

We welcome your feedback on your Australia Post experience to kym@fishingmonthly.com.au.

JULY 2014

87

Victorian Tide Times

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

LONG 144° 37’

TIMES AND HEIGHTS OF HIGH AND LOW WATERS JUNE – 2014

MAY – 2014 Time 0048 0646 TH 1349 1920

1

m 1.49 0.28 1.71 0.64

Time 0016 0612 FR 1321 1853

16

m 1.42 0.35 1.66 0.75

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

FR

2002 0.62

SA

1938 0.70

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

SA

2043 0.61

SU

2022 0.65

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

SU

2121 0.61

MO

2106 0.62

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

MO

2159 0.61

TU

2152 0.59

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

TU

2236 0.63

WE

2239 0.56



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

WE

2314 0.64



TH

2328 0.55

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

TH

2352 0.66

FR

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

FR

SA

1930 1.52

Time 0146 0747 SU 1450 2020

1

m 1.47 0.35 1.71 0.70

Time 0130 0718 MO 1433 2000

16

2100 0.67

TU

m 1.52 0.26 1.78 0.67

2050 0.60

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

TU

2138 0.66

WE

2140 0.54

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

WE

2215 0.65

TH

2230 0.49

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

TH

2251 0.64

FR

2321 0.46



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

FR



2328 0.63

SA

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

SA

SU

1905 1.57

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

SU

1854 1.47

MO

1957 1.50

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

MO

1940 1.42

TU

AUGUST – 2014

JULY – 2014

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

MO

TIME ZONE –1000

2053 1.45

Time 0203 0804 TU 1459 2040

1

m 1.44 0.42 1.66 0.68

Time 0209 0756 WE 1500 2035

16

m 1.59 0.29 1.77 0.51

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

WE

2117 0.64

TH

2127 0.43

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

TH

2154 0.61

FR

2217 0.37

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

FR

2229 0.58

SA



2306 0.35

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

SA



2303 0.56

SU

2354 0.35

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

SU

2337 0.54

MO

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

MO

TU

1925 1.48

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

TU

1900 1.46

WE

2018 1.41

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

WE

1948 1.42

TH

2117 1.36

Time 0304 0854 FR 1530 2129

1

m 1.46 0.48 1.61 0.52

Time 0347 0920 SA 1600 2156

16

m 1.66 0.40 1.70 0.25

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

SA

2202 0.48

SU



2243 0.25

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

SU

2235 0.45

MO

2327 0.28

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

MO

2308 0.43



TU

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

TU

2343 0.41

WE

1852 1.42

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

WE

TH

1944 1.34

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

TH

1914 1.41

FR

2043 1.28

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

FR

2012 1.37

SA

2148 1.25

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

SA

2122 1.36

SU

2252 1.25

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SA

SU

1937 1.38

2030 1.34

12

0219 0929 MO 1434 2127

0.65 1.28 0.82 1.33

SU

MO

2027 1.47

2127 1.44

27

0330 1043 TU 1551 2227

0.46 1.51 0.83 1.43

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

2225 1.34

WE

2324 1.44

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

2322 1.37

TH



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

 

FR

1855 0.76

TU

WE

2032 1.39

2130 1.38

12

0330 1100 TH 1608 2232

0.48 1.49 0.93 1.39

WE

TH

2250 1.40

27

0501 1215 FR 1733 2345



0.43 1.58 0.87 1.40

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

TH

FR

12

2045 1.39

2151 1.39

0353 1130 SA 1637 2303



0.38 1.54 0.89 1.41

FR

SA

2217 1.33

2317 1.33

27

0530 0.45 1238 1.50 SU 1804 0.81



SU

MO

2243 1.39

2357 1.46



12

0546 0.32 1257 1.62 TU 1825 0.60

MO

2351 1.29

TU



1.35 27 0043 0645 0.47 1322 1.48 WE

1914 0.58

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FR



2336 1.42

SA

SU

SA

SU

1910 0.75

MO

1.46 31 0103 0704 0.34 1412 1.71 SA

2151 1.41

1916 0.77

2000 0.72



SU

MO

TU

MO

1845 0.71

1941 0.61

TU

WE

© Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2012

1939 0.68

2018 0.61

1.44 31 0225 0820 0.45 1500 1.61 TH

1939 0.72

1856 0.74

WE

1923 0.47

TH

FR

2016 0.36

2108 0.29



FR

SA

1951 0.51

2026 0.44

2100 0.40

1.52 31 0323 0907 0.49 1533 1.55 SU

2055 0.56

Bureau of Meteorology

TH

2132 0.36

National Tidal Centre

Height datum is Lowest Astronomical Tide Moon Symbols

 New Moon

 First Quarter

 Full Moon

 Last Quarter

Tide predictions for Port Phillip Heads have been formatted by the National Tidal Centre, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Copyright reserved. All material is supplied in good faith and is believed to be correct. It is supplied on the condition that no warranty is given in relation thereto, that no responsibility or liability for errors or omissions is, or will be, accepted and that the recipient will hold MHL and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology Australia free from all such responsibility or liability and from all loss or damage incurred as a consequence of any error or omission. Predictions should not be used for navigational purposes. Use of these tide predictions will be deemed to include acceptance of the above conditions.

88

JULY 2014

South Gippsland

Alberton Marine 39 Johnson Street, Alberton Phone: (03) 5183 2344 | Fax: (03) 5183 2219 Email: albertonmarine@wideband.net.au

Melbourne Avante Marine 345 Dorset Road, Boronia Phone: (03) 9760 2222 | Fax: (03) 9762 8565 Email: info@avantemarine.com.au Cheltenham Bell Marine Services 120 Talinga Road, Cheltenham Phone: (03) 9583 3881 | Fax: (03) 9583 0117 Email: admin.sales@bellmarineservices.com Bendigo

Bendigo Marine World 49 Midland Highway, Epsom Phone: (03) 5448 3988 | Fax: (03) 5448 3940 Email: sales@bendigomarine.com.au

Mercury Portables.

Lightweight and built to last.

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

Gippsland 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 West Gippsland 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 West Gippsland Warragul Marine South Road, Warragul 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

JULY 2014

89

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.

CU

S TO M E R

GUASR

ANTEED

Screen Printing Logan Specialised Screen Printing (07) 5546 4107

Boat Imports

ERVIC

E

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

RE-POWER & SERVICE EXPERTS NEW

Boat, motor & trailer packages!

Bait and Tackle West Coast Portland Bait & Tackle (03) 5523 5213 Compleat Angler Portland (03) 5521 1844

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

Central

Holiday Rental

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

West Coast

FINANCE AVAILABLE

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Freshwater Complete Angler Echuca (03) 5482 1992 Complete Angler Shepparton (03) 5822 2180

PH: 03 5984 1666 W: nauticalmarine.com.au E: nautical@surf.net.au Nautical Marine: 139 - 141 Hotham Rd Sorrento Vic

Central Naaj Marine 0421 955 371 Unique Marine Accessories (03) 5427 1802 CMC Marine Sales www.cmcsales.com.au Hunter Marine Boat Builders (03) 5032 2320

Nautical Marine (03) 5984 1666 New World Marine (03) 9709 8444 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 JV Marine World Braeside (03) 9798 8883 JV Marine World Laverton (03) 9368 7100 The Outboard Workshop (03) 9783 0840

East Coast Inverloch Marine (03) 5674 1502

Freshwater

TRADES AND SERVICES ADVERTISING

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

Online Tackle Products

Call Now: 03

www.whpark.com.au

Specialty Fishing Products www.specialtyfishing.com.au U-Make-Em Soft Plastics ww.u-make-emsoftplastics.com.au

5562 5031

Warrnambool Holiday Park (03) 5562 5031

East Coast

SHALLOW INLET CARAVAN PARK Line listing from $15 + gst per mth* 2cm x 2 from $35 + gst per mth* 5cm x 2 from $50 + gst per mth* 7cm x 2 from $74 + gst per mth* 9cm x 2 from $89 + gst per mth* 10cm x 2 from $99 + gst per mth* 11cm x 2 from $105 + gst per mth* 12cm x 2 from $110 + gst per mth* * Conditions apply Call (07) 3387 0835 or email pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au

90

“For all your fly fishing needs” ORDER ONLINE www.adrenalinflies.com.au

On the Waters Edge

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

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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

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

FREE ADVICE ON WHERE THEY’RE BITING

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SAMPLE AD - BUSINESS NAME This is where your copy will appear. You will have approximately 30 words within a 2x2 ad size.

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Adamas Fishing Charters, Barwon Heads (03) 5254 3320

Accommodation

Big Red Fishing Charters, Queenscliff 1800 805 587 Blue Magic Fishing Charters, Rowville (03) 9759 5301

East Gippsland

Calypso Fishing Charters, Tootgarook (03) 5985 8463

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• Deluxe cabins HOSTS: Les & Kathy HEYNE • Cabins with ensuite • Budget cabins • Premium ensuite vans • Powered & Unpowered sites • Pet friendly • Undercover BBQ areas in Marlo • Large oval • Kitchen Largest park • Camp fires • Kiosk the beach Short walk to • Coffee shops

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Geelong Charters & Fishing Trips, Geelong (03) 5275 7107 Impulse Charters, Queenscliff (03) 5258 3739 Jillian Fishing Trips, Blairgowrie 0418 148 426 Katrina Louise Charters, Cheltenham 0402 828 140 Kestrel Charters, Queenscliff (03) 5258 1783 Queenscliff Fishing Charters, Queenscliff 0458 504 058 Pro Red Fishing Charters 0421 442 775

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Victorian Alps

NSW South Coast Reel Affair, Merimbula freecall 1800 233 247 Espirit Charters, Bermagui (02) 6493 4104 or 0407 260 110 Freedom Charters, Eden (02) 6496 1209 or 0415 602 446 Headland Fishing Adventures, Merimbula (02) 6495 1134 Island Charters, Narooma (02) 4476 1047 or 0408 428 857 K9 Fishing Charters, Merimbula (02) 6495 1681 Merimbula Marina, Merimbula (02) 6495 1686 or 0427 951 080 Narooma Charters, Narooma 0407 909 111 O’Brien Charter Service, Bermagui 0407 214 124

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IDEAL GIFT!

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0438 302 093 www.reeltimefishing.com.au Reel Adventure Charters, Yaringa 0409 932 077

www.dartmouthmotorinn.com.au

Dartmouth Motor Inn (02) 6072 4233

Queensland Cairns Bed and Boat 0418 772 751

Rip Charters Fishing Trips, Sorrento (03) 5984 3664 Saltwater Charters, Queenscliff (03) 5258 4888 St Kilda Fishing Charters, St Kilda (03) 9770 2200 Western Port Fishing Charters, Hastings (03) 9769 5544

DVD’S -

East Coast

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Capella III Fishing Adventures, Port Welshpool (03) 5688 1585

Chandlery & Accessories Anchor Right (03) 5968 5014 Techni Ice (03) 9783 1922

Boat Trailers Central

Far Out Charters, McLoughlins Beach 0428 401 819 Prom Adventurer, Port Welshpool (03) 5682 2633 or 0428 594 767 Prom Coastal Charters, Yanakie (03) 5687 1248 or 0429 935 583 Razorback Bluewater Charters, Port Albert (03) 5183 2691

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Freshwater Angling Expeditions Victoria, Tawonga (03) 5754 1466 Highland Trout Lakes, Ballarat (03) 5368 9574

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

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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.

You will have approximately 30 words within a 5x2 ad size.

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South-West Fishing Charters, Portland 0418 306 714

Charter Boat Picture Brad Lowrance with a lovely 77cm Port Phillip Bay Rip kingfish that was caught in April 2014 aboard a Reel Time Fishing Charters kingfish charter. These charters operate from January so book early to experience the thrill of a king!

Gone Fishing Charters 0409 007 068 Reel Time Fishing Charters 0438 302 093 Off The Hook Fishing Charters 0419 554 916 Able Fishing & Charters, Williamstown (03) 9502 3777 ACE Fishing Charters, Bonbeach (03) 9773 4183

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

91

The Torque of the Town.

The 150hp Mercury FourStroke.

We could continue to talk up its strengths. Instead it has spoken for itself.

And now, Australia’s leading marine reviewers can’t stop talking about it.

Clearly the most compact and durable, lowest weight and highest displacement 150hp FourStroke outboard the world has ever seen.

Visit www.mercurymarine.com.au

“This engine was so good it actually made me rethink my love of direct fuel injection two-strokes.”

Andrew Norton - Tradeaboat

“It takes the recent trend of making four-strokes smaller, lighter and more responsive to the next level.”

Jim Harnwell - Fishing World

“I walked away impressed with the performance, technology, passion and insane amount of R&D... squeezed under the cowling of 150hp four-stroke.”

Matt Jones - Tradeaboat

“The large cubic capacity 3.0L block means the engine’s more chilled out than a Buddhist monk, but with plenty of torque.”

Matt Jones - Tradeaboat

Image courtesy of Shane Chalker, www.shanechalkerphotography.com

92

JULY 2014