Victoria and Tasmania Fishing Monthly - October 2014 by Fishing Monthly

SPRING SPECIES STILL SENSATIONAL

Features

Going gar gar for garfish • Impacts of climate change on Victoria’s snapper • Hooked On Bait and Tackle profile •

NEW COMP! FIND THE SPECIALTYFISHING.COM.AU LOGO COMPETITION

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Spring on the sweetwater • Insight Genesis: Custom made charts made easy •

October, 2014 Fishing Monthly G R O U P

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October 2014, Vol. 11, No.11

Contents 6

From the Editor’s Desk...

Editorial Manager: Jacqui Thomas

Production: Melissa Carroll, Karen Millward, Jenna Moir

Sub-Editors: Nicole Penfold, Bob Thornton

Website: www.fishingmonthly.com.au

Field Editor: Kelly Hunt, Stephen Booth

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TO SUBSCRIBE SEE PAGE 91 FIND THE SPECIALTY FISHING LOGO COMPETITION PAGE 73 Victorian and Tasmanian Fishing Monthly magazine goes on sale the last week of each preceding month (latest sale date 31st of the month).

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Back to Basics 66 Boating 86 Chappy’s Hotspot 34 Dam Levels 56 Fun Page 74 Inland Fisheries Service 47 Science meets fishing 38 Spearfishing 72 Tasmanian Lake Levels 48 Tournament News 76 Trade and Services Guide 92 Victorian Tide Times 94 What’s New Boating 90 What’s New Fishing 68

Mark Gercovich with a quality Victorian mulloway.

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Horsham 52 Mildura 54 Robinvale 54 Echuca 55 Shepparton 56 Yarrawonga 56 Kiewa Valley 57 Wangaratta 58 Eildon 58 Bonnie Doon 59 Yarra Valley 60 West/South Gippsland 60 Bendigo 61 Melbourne Metro 61 Crater Lakes 62 Ballarat 62 Jindabyne 64

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Welshpool 28 Inverloch 28 McLoughlins Beach 30 Gippsland Lakes 32 Ninety-Mile Beach 32 Lakes Entrance 34 Marlo 35 Bemm River 36

VICTORIAN FRESHWATER

Business Office: Unit 1, 11 Knobel Court, Shailer Park, Qld, 4128

EAST COAST

Mallacoota 40 Eden 40 Bermagui 40 Merimbula 42 Narooma 42

SINCE 2004

Geelong 14 Port Phillip West 16 Port Phillip East 18 Port Phillip North East 20 Rosebud 22 Western Port North 24 Western Port South 26 Phillip Island 27

NSW SOUTH COAST

VICTORIA FISHING MONTHLY

and is ready to view right now. Derived from our discontinued Tackle Junkie print title, the site showcases all of the new and cool things launched in the fishing and boating spheres. And you get the information immediately. Log in and check it out. Subscribe to the email list to get a summary delivered to your inbox periodically or Like the tacklejunkie. fish page on Facebook to get updates about new stories on your News Feed. We love the concept and hope that you do, too.

about catching garfish. Since 2008, this piece has had over 110,000 views! We thought it was about time for an update, so we’re sure that you’ll find Jarrod Day’s garfish how-to piece popular this issue. If you look at the front page of the www. fishingmonthly.com.au site, it’s amazing to see what articles are the most popular – plenty of location and basic technique pieces (as well as a 4WD review on the Suzuki Jimny …what the?). So we get it – you want to know how, where and when to get hold of your favourite species. Expect to see a lot more of that in upcoming months. ARE YOU A TACKLE JUNKIE? We’re also proud to announce that one of our new projects – www.tacklejunkie. fish – has been launched

snapper, snapper and more snapper. And trout, trout and trout in the sweetwater. But VFM isn’t just about the area reports, although they do make up a majority of the magazine. I was fascinated to read Ross Winstanley’s account of forecasting the change that global warming will have on our fisheries – including the PPB snapper fishery. If you wanted a little bit of a crystal ball look at the future, then check out his article this month. GARFISH ARE POPULAR! The humble garfish is great on the plate, but it isn’t the fish that anglers are catching and then taking a trophy specimen to the taxidermist. So it was surprising to see that THE most popular article on the www.fishingmonthly.com.au website is one by Lee Rayner

Glenelg 8 Portland 10 Warrnambool 10 Apollo Bay 12 Cobden 12

CENTRAL

PRO

There’s some pretty big shoes to fill in this seat – expatriate Victorian Stephen Booth’s moved on to a vocational change and seems to be loving his new role at L Wilson and Co – and you now have another expatriate Victorian in charge. Although I was born in Victoria, I stayed for a lot less time than Mr Booth. Balancing this out is the fact that I’ve been involved with Fishing Monthly magazines since 1987, where I wrote my first Junior Column, so I promise the title is in good hands! And chatting with Jacqui Thomas (who the writers will know as the velvet hammer who’s constantly bugging them for copy), it seems as though little has changed. October is all about

WEST COAST

ING TRADE

MEMBER

Going gar gar for garfish 6 Impacts of climate change on Victoria’s snapper 38 Hooked On Bait and Tackle profile 44 Subaru All Wheel Drive Experience 82 Insight Genesis: Custom made charts made easy 84 OCTOBER 2014

Going gar gar for garfish WESTERN PORT STH

Jarrod Day jarrodday@iprimus.com.au

For a bread and butter species, garfish certainly tick all the boxes. They might not peel line like a pelagic or rub you over a reef like a big

GT but are certainly a lot of fun for anglers of all levels, especially for kids to hone their fishing techniques. And they are excellent on the plate. When garfish are plentiful, it is a common sight to see local piers and jetties over crowded with anglers all trying to catch

Garfishing is fun for everyone and the kids really love it.

their quarry. The statement ‘standing room only’ is often heard when the gars are on and it is nothing to catch your bag in just a few hours. Garfish often get the name ‘mini marlin’ mainly because when hooked they jump and carry on along the water’s surface, which adds a visual stimulus to catching them. WHERE ARE THEY FOUND Wide spread around the coast, garfish are more plentiful in bays and inlets. Both Western Port and Port Phillip Bay support a healthy population of garfish but they are seasonal. The prime time to get in on the garfish action is from August through to January. During this time, garfish are in plague proportions and can be caught by those fishing from the land or in the boat. Garfish tend to loiter around shallow reefs and weed beds where they feed on plankton and organisms that also live in the area. Anglers wanting to catch garfish can set up a post on most piers and jetties in Port Phillip Bay or Western Port or from one of the rock ledges around the coast. Most garfish are small in size but when fishing locations such

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Always make sure you’re kitted up when embarking on a garfish session. as Mt Martha rocks or from any of the rock ledges around Phillip Island, their size is often bigger. Throughout the summer months, certain locations in Western Port attract larger models with some measuring up to 50cm. Boat anglers with access to the garfish grounds usually catch these larger fish. Sunken Island, the Middle Spit and in Dickies Bay are the three main locations where the larger models are usually caught. GARFISH GEAR Garfish certainly don’t require the latest and greatest of fishing gear but anglers

Garfish are a top and mid water feeder so the best approach is to use a float setup. Pre-tied rigs, such as the Angler Tech garfish rig make the setup much easier and work extremely well. If you like challenging yourself and tying your own rigs, use a quill float. Most anglers fishing from a pier or jetty will be using a round cork float and although it does work, due to its circumference and buoyancy can prevent you from seeing the bite. A thinner quill float will be pulled under the water easier and also prevent the resistance

Left: When looking for a place to find garfish, head for shallow water over broken ground. Right: Small quill floats will detect bites better than chunky foam floats. should demand quality in their tackle to ensure longevity. While any old rod and reel will do the job, the ideal setup is a small 1000 or 2500 reel loaded with 4lb braid and a length of 6lb leader. Nibble tip rods are recommended and offer a fun fight when winding them in.

of the weight from the larger float from dislodging the hook when striking. Hooks are also a vital piece of the equipment and if they are too big they can prevent hook-ups. Garfish only have a small mouth so it is recommended that a small

hook be used. In this case, either a long shank size 12 hook is recommended but the Mustad size 12 4540 1/2 model is half the gauge of a conventional hook that penetrates much easier without requiring the angler to strike to set the hook. In saying that, Black Magic E 16 Nymph hook is a short shank hook that is also ideal. BAITS AND BERLEY Garfish aren’t your typical fussy feeder although they can be selective from time to time. Catching garfish requires the use of small soft baits whereby maggots, small pieces of dough, slithers of peeled prawn and silver fish cut in half are very effective. Garfish have an extremely small mouth so baits have to be kept small so they can swallow them. It always pays when threading a bait onto a hook to leave enough of the hook’s point showing in order to get a solid hook set. Garfish always swim in large schools but you still need to attract them to your fishing location. Whether from a boat, pier or off the rocks, berley can be used. Some anglers prefer to blend flour and water to make a runny dough, which can be thrown into the water to disperse. Other anglers use a specially formulated garfish berley, which is a blend of tuna oil and pollard. When this hits the water, it breaks up and disperses the tuna oil that attracts the fish. Providing you regularly throw in a handful of the mix it will keep the fish in the area. ON THE PLATE On the plate, garfish are a very delectable species and although there isn’t much size to them, they are best when fried whole.

TOP LAND-BASED LOCATIONS

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Portsea Pier, Port Phillip Bay............... Last of the run-in tide Blairgowrie Jetty, Port Phillip Bay....... Last of the run-in tide Mornington Pier, Port Phillip Bay......... Two hours either side of high tide change Mt Martha Rocks, Port Phillip Bay....... High tide Frankston Pier, Port Phillip Bay........... High tide early morning or late evening Stony Point Pier, Western Port............. Run-in tide Newhaven Pier, Western Port............... High tide Kitty Miller Bay rocks, Western Port.... High tide Cowrie Beach rocks.............................. High tide in calm conditions Flinders Pier........................................... High tide early in the morning

Garfish have very small scales that often come off when handling them. To scale, use a wet tea towel or face washer and while holding the beak of the garfish, use the towel to wipe over the garfish and the scales will easily come off into the rag. Once complete, slice open the underbelly removing the stomach and other organs and clean the gut cavity well. Remove the head and tail and lay out flat on a chopping board. Garfish have very small bones and they are very

Fishing during the night is also productive and often you can catch the larger models.

Light rods make garfishing a lot more fun. difficult to remove prior to cooking. The best thing to do is to lay the garfish flat on a chopping board and using a rolling pin, roll the garfish flat. This will break the bones and when cooked, they will be

small enough to eat without the hazard of choking on them. Of course, you will be able to peel back the backbone but the small bones that are left can be eaten. Lightly flour the garfish

and fry in a hot pan. Season with fresh herbs, finely chopped chilli and a dollop of aioli with a side serve of seasoned fries â&#x20AC;&#x201C; typing all that has made me hungry! I guess its time to go garfishing!

TOP BOATING LOCATIONS

Although garfish are relatively small, occasionally you can strike it rich with some big models.

Sorrento boat moorings, Port Phillip Bay.......Run-in tide, high tide Rye boat moorings, Port Phillip Bay................High tide Mt Martha bay, Port Phillip Bay.......................High tide Olivers Hill, Western Port..................................Two hours either side of high tide Dickies Bay, Western Port................................Two hours either side of high tide Sunken Island, Western Port............................High tide The Middle Spit, Western Port ........................High tide Tortoise Head, Western Port ...........................High tide

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OCTOBER 2014

October opens options for Glenelg WEST COAST

Shane Lowery

The weather in October is certainly a welcome relief from the cold of winter and the early spring mornings of September making it one of my favourite months

to fish the Glenelg River. September saw quite a drop in rainfall and this trend will certainly follow through October. As the flow of water down the Glenelg River slowly decreases we see the river clarity improve a great deal, however in recent years there has

The author shows off a quality estuary perch.

been a steady inflow of water being released from Rocklands Reservoir, which certainly has an effect on river clarity. With the clarity improvements and the water temperature on the rise the fishing starts to improve for both bait fishers and for those wanting to cast lures. Bream are generally spread right through the river at this time of year and can be caught anywhere from the estuary to above Pritchards Landing. The trick to finding the fish is to move regularly until you find a consistent bite. Baits such as shelled prawn, cut crab and podworm are the standouts. I often see fishers making the mistake of tying up to the edge and casting out into the middle of the river. The more experienced angler will either anchor out off the edge and cast back in towards the bank or alternatively tie off to the bank and cast along it. For lure anglers, October is usually the beginning of the edge bite we all so eagerly await. Estuary perch are a great target from mid spring onwards and they certainly

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love to hold tight to snags on the edges. With the clearer water, small profile natural coloured hardbodied lures are perfect. I like to throw small shallow divers and even surface lures at the heavy timber snags and it’s hard to beat the thrill of seeing a big perch rise up out of a snag and smash your well-presented lure. Lightly weighted soft plastics are also very successful on the perch and bream. When edge fishing plastics, jighead weight is important. Fish light to get the bite, so light

Bream and estuary perch can be caught throughout the river at this time of year.

Corey McClaren with a brace of bream taken while throwing lures around the river shacks.

jigheads from 1/16oz right down to 1/50oz or even unweighted are the best choice depending on depth and wind. Light fluorocarbon leaders are also the way to go in the clear water. I tend to fish 4-6lb in the heavy snag areas and 3-4lb in the more open mud flats and weed bank areas. October is a great month to get out on the river for a fish whether you are a lure or bait fisher. For those of you new to the Glenelg, there are plenty of bait and a big range of lures to purchase at the Glenelg Roadhouse. Phil and Gillian Knight run the roadhouse, and they can help you out with food and accommodation as well as all your fishing needs and boat fuel.

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Quality bream like this one caught by Clint Northcott can be taken in the river during October.

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OCTOBER 2014

Portland promises good weather PORTLAND

Nigel Fisher

The fishing in Portland has been a little slow of late, but most of that is due to the weather, which has made it hard to get out. On the other hand, when the weather has been kind to us and the swell is down, the deep fishing from Lawrences Rock out to the shelf has been pretty good. The waters around the 140m mark have pulled up some beautiful trumpeter, some exceeding 10kg along with some nice snapper up to 7kg with them. Inside the 140m mark, back to Bridgewater Bay has seen some school sharks, well into the 30kg range

along with gummies and some very healthy flathead. The boys heading to the shelf area have had good feeds of good-sized blue eye, blue grenadier, knife jaw and jem fish. All these are great table fish! In the deep waters, the electric reels are more common these days for as it certainly takes a lot out of you bringing them up by hand. Other areas such as the breakwater have finally started to see some big snapper and should get better as the water warms up. We have also seen some nice gummies and some big seven gillers get hauled up. Most guys are using squid and pilchard baits for these fish. The bay has been ok drifting in around 15-20m of water and on the flats, we have seen some nice flathead

and the odd whiting, however they will get better soon. North Shore a bit quieter, but still a great place to fish. The river systems have been ok as well, with bream and perch along with the odd mulloway. OCTOBER In October, we are certainly starting to see some better weather and as long as the wind stays down, the fishing should be good. Again, the deep water is generally still fishing well for blue-eye. A bit further in, the trumpeter, snapper and sharks should still be in good numbers. Around Bridgewater, this time of year can be a really hot area for flathead, schoolies and gummies, especially on the drift. All these fish certainly love squid, pilchards, salmon,

couta and mackerel baits. The breakwater should be producing good snapper by now as this time last year we saw some great fish up to 10kg. Some nice sharks like gummies and schoolies are generally around along with whiting, flathead, squid and salmon that should be about. The bay should fish well for flathead and whiting on the flats and snapper, sharks and other reef fish around the bay area. North Shore fishing has generally fired up as well by now with whiting, snapper, trevally, salmon and sharks just to name a few. The North Shore area off the beaches are also hot fishing spot for some big fish. All rivers around the area including the Glenelg are in good form at the moment, too.

Paul with a decent healthy snapper caught off Lee Breakwater. Good luck to you all on this month’s fishing adventures! • For all your fishing needs, fishing reports and weather reports give us a call at

Portland Compleat Angler on 0355211844 or call in at 61 Bentinck street Portland next to the Gordon Hotel. Fishing licences are also available in store.

Snapper, sharks and squid dominate season WARRNAMBOOL

Mark Gercovich mgercovich@hotmail.com

It can sometimes take until well after October to shake off the winter doldrums and summer seems an eternity away. However, some Octobers have been known to throw up some good weather and

flat seas. It is too early for kingfish, the tuna have surely gone and crayfish season is not opening until 15 November, a better option may be to try a bit of surf fishing for sharks. If you get a patch of good weather, places like Logans, East and Yambuk beaches can produce good gummies and seven gill sharks. These two sharks as well

Bill Hartshorne with a quality Hopkins bream on a soft plastic.

as school sharks are also worthy targets at this time of year for anglers fishing offshore. Snapper to 4.5kg had been showing up off in 30-40m of water off Warrnambool and Port Fairy last month so hopefully they also will still be prevalent in October. Traditionally it is a good month for bottom fishing, but it’s far easier to stay put and persist for a big gummy or snapper if the lure of buzzing off and looking for some kings or tuna or hopping in for a cray isn’t an option. The inshore reefs should also see a few squid around for you to stock up on bait for the summer ahead, if you can resist the temptation of eating them. Shallow reefs around Port Fairy and Lady Bay as well as the Warrnambool Breakwater and Port Campbell jetty are good areas to target the squid. Trout rivers have fallen quickly after winter rains but September and October can still see some heavy rain events that see the trout quickly return to the shallow runs of

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OCTOBER 2014

Gummy sharks are a popular target during October and this one was taken offshore.

the Merri and Hopkins rivers and the Mt Emu Creek. Despite these rivers being termed sea run trout fisheries most trout taken are resident estuary dwelling fish. However, if you were going to tangle with a true sea runner, October is the time to be looking. The Killarney area and the Moyne River often has a population of silver trevally at this time. Mulloway are also targeted in the Moyne as well. The turn of the high tide is a popular time to try for them with live mullet, spew worms and clickers being the most productive baits. Mulloway have still been incidental captures over the winter months in the Hopkins and hopefully some new fish will begin to move in as we head into spring. Warmer weather towards the end of August saw some good bream moving back into the shallower margins of the Hopkins where some quality fish to 47cm have been landed.

Red October

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The use of Inchiku jigs for chasing Snapper has grown rapidly in popularity since the technique was developed and refined by the Japanese. The jigs have been designed for light inshore applications making them a perfect option for many areas of Port Phillip Bay and Western Port. Working Inchiku jigs like you would a soft plastic imparts an erratic action on the lure which is designed to trigger a bite from a feeding red. Each jig is equipped with a two hook squid assist rig with three tow points which alter the action of the lure for use in different conditions. If you’re into your soft plastic fishing for Snapper, have a crack at the Inchiku Jigs this season!

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Whitebait run kick-starts trout APOLLO BAY

Daniel Kent apollobaysurfshop@bigpond.com

Trout season got off to a good start in September and continues to keep the freshwater anglers happy with brown trout being taken from the smaller streams such as Skenes, Smythes and

Grey rivers. These streams hold large populations of small trout and are well worth visiting during the spring. When in the mood, the trout have no hesitation in chasing down lures, bait or flies, which makes for some fantastic sight fishing in these shallow, clear water streams. The larger rivers in this region, such as the Aire and

Barham, hold plenty of small trout in their headwaters, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lower down in the system where the big wild browns hide. The upper estuaries of these two rivers comes to life each spring as the huge schools of tinny Tasmanian whitebait move out of the ocean and into the rivers to breed. The trout love gorging on these tasty little baitfish each spring with October being the best month for anglers to target the whitebait feeders. The secret to success is to fish your lure close to the bank as this is where the whitebait travel and the trout are actively searching for a meal. Long slender lures that imitate the tiny baitfish work the best. Bream also get in on the action and it is not uncommon to catch both bream and trout in the same location while fishing the estuary reaches of these two coastal rivers during spring. The deep water reefs off Cape Otway are fishing well for gummy and school sharks, which have been caught up to 30kg in recent weeks. Fresh fillets of salmon or barracouta

are excellent baits and even the odd snapper has been caught as well. There are still plenty of flathead over the sand bottom in 30-40m and they are well worth targeting for a feed. Further inshore around Marengo, the King George whiting are starting to return in numbers for the summer months ahead. Light paternoster rigs loaded with pipis tend to work very well and other species such as silver trevally, sweep and leather jackets are common by-catch. The Apollo Bay boat harbour should be full of squid by the time October ends, so pack a squid jig and test your skills at catching a lovely feed of calamari. Other options for October include salmon fishing from Wild Dog Beach, bream and estuary perch fishing in the Barham and Aire rivers or try for an early season snapper run off Cape Patton. The days are getting longer and warmer so there is no excuse not to be out on the water. Until next month, stay safe and happy fishing.

School (left) and gummy (right) sharks are being caught on fresh fish baits off Cape Otway. Some real monsters are amongst those being landed.

Tip top for trout and tuna COBDEN

Rod Shepherd

We have yet again experienced a phenomenal bluefin tuna season with school-sized fish still being caught just several kilometres offshore throughout August and even into September! The numbers of barrels may have been down compared to previous seasons, but the availability of fish ranging from 6-12kg being in such close proximity to the coast has had a plethora of boaters out on the water trying their luck.

OCTOBER 2014

Many also took advantage and bottom bounced baits and plastics in depths averaging around 60m and came up trumps with early season snapper approaching 5kg, nannygai to 1.5kg and gummies to 12kg. Surf anglers have also been busy with solid King George whiting, gummies, salmon and silver trevally responding to bait and berley with 2 hours either side of high tide being the prime time. If this tidal phase occurs on dusk, even better. Those putting in the hours on the Port Campbell jetty have been rewarded with similar species being caught. The Curdies River has been productive for bream to 39cm with local live shrimp being the number one bait to employ. Soft plastic enthusiasts have picked up fish in the river in depths approaching 4m, which occurs just 1-2m out from the bank side weed growth. This estuarine river can easily reach depths of up to 8m out in the middle. These depths prove largely unproductive due to a lack of weed growth and oxygenated water. The most productive waters lie within 3m of the river bank and as previously stated, can reach depths approaching 4m. Many anglers including myself often cast medium diving minnow lures directly at the bank using a fast retrieval. Many of the banks are undercut and bream regularly

A typical Curdies bream that responded to a Strike Tiger T-Tail in home brew fished close to the bank. hold station here, awaiting a morsel to swim by. This also makes trolling lures a very viable proposition. By trolling more ground can be covered in a set period of time compared to static casting. However due to an ever-changing depth, which governs weed growth plus trying to allow for a waterway that literally snakes its way down to the lake and concentrating on the sounder just to keep lures in the strike zone; trolling is no easy feat here, I can tell you. The bream have, by and large, entered the river in preparation for their annual spawning run. This is largely governed by the amount of freshwater pushing downstream. Presently the bream can be found in the

lower reaches but if heavy rains stay away, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be surprised if schools of bream move up beyond the Boggy Creek (Curdievale) boat ramp. The Gellibrand River is relatively quiet with the majority of catches of estuary perch and bream being made up of undersize fish. An excellent fish to target here are sea run brown trout with some fish easily topping 2lb. They can be found hugging the bank side reed beds with minnow lures, soft plastics and blades all attracting bites. Whether targeting the sea, surf or estuary this spring is certainly looking like another bumper season down here.

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Neil Slater njbamslater@bigpond.com

The next month provides good fishing for estuary perch in the Surf Coast estuaries and, now that we

have a fish ladder at the second break in the Barwon River, I wonder how long it will be until we see estuary perch caught further upstream and maybe even around Geelong? Big redfin continue to be a popular target at Wurdi

Buloc Reservoir. With anglers catching quality reddies from tiddlers to 45cm. Most fish have been caught by anglers using spoon or soft plastic lures skipped slowly along the bottom. CORIO BAY Land-based fishing has

Lara SC students proudly display their Barwon captures.

John from Torquay with a gummy he caught while whiting fishing.

been pretty good inside Corio Bay with Cunningham Pier producing the odd garfish, yellow-eyed mullet and silver trevally. Limeburners breakwall has seen sporadic captures of Australian salmon from 300g-1.1kg. Point Henry seems to be the place for squid with depths either side of 3m the ‘sweet spot’. Drifting with the tide or wind with one rod in a rod holder and casting the other has been most effective. This month is all about

the snapper in Corio Bay and if we experience the quantity and quality of fish numbers we have in recent years, we’ll all be happy indeed! Best possies to try include Point Henry, Bird Rock, Clifton Springs and Point Wilson. BELLARINE PENINSULA The Bellarine Peninsula should be pumping with those lovely red fish by now. Snapper draw anglers from all over the state to the region this time of year for their annual

run into the bay. It can be very busy both on the water and back at the boat ramp. Please make sure you give other boats plenty of room when out fishing and help out a fisho if he needs it at the ramp. Top possies to search for big red on the Bellarine include: Clifton Springs, Portarlington and St Leonards out wide in 20m of water. Rod Ludlow from Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head says the flathead have been biting well around the

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Bellarine of late. With the water a bit discoloured, they can be caught in close and when it clears up, you are best to try depths of 5m or more. Rod says that the squid have been fantastic and saved many an angler’s day on the Bellarine Peninsula over the last month or so. The squid are well represented from Portarlington to St Leonards with the Governor Reef the standout with slightly larger squid on offer. Rod notes that there have been King George whiting caught but anglers have had to work hard for them. BARWON HEADS AND SURF COAST Brenton Hodges from Lara Secondary College took his students fishing a few times down to the Surf Coast over the last month or so as part of the Year 9 Connections Fish for the Future course. Using peeled prawn and pipis in the Barwon estuary, the lads caught yellow-eyed mullet, small salmon and silver trevally with the latter also taking a liking to Berkley Gulp Turtle Back Worm soft plastic lures. They fished the estuary on three occasions catching nine different species which included: Australian salmon, yellow-eyed mullet, silver trevally, Tommy rough, King George whiting, flathead, barracouta, leather jacket and, of course, toad fish!

Lara SC students learnt how to care for fish prior to release. The group also tried Spring Creek at Torquay where they caught and released bream to 30cm using peeled prawn and bread for bait. The students have enjoyed tying knots and rigs, bait hooks, cast a line and correct

handling of fish to give it the best chance of survival on release. They also learnt about tides, weather and caring for the environment. Ken Stevens from Barwon Heads Angling Club says the Barwon estuary has been fishing well for multiple

species but he had not heard of too much offshore action. The river has been very brown so best fishing would be when the tide runs in bringing with it lean saltwater and fish! Nick Scerri from Ocean Grove Charters says he had heard of at least one cracking snapper of 7kg taken offshore while those fishing the reef areas of Torquay have done well on snapper around the 4kg mark. John Albrecht from Torquay Angling Club fished out off Torquay last month in dead calm conditions in search of King George whiting. John says the whiting were slow but managed to catch two gummy sharks using whiting tackle that were around 3kg each. Not a bad by-catch! John notes that other anglers fishing a little deeper in the 25-30m mark off Torquay last Saturday managed some better quality gummy sharks around the 6-10kg mark plus a few snapper up to 4kg. • Catch a few around Geelong, Bellarine Peninsula or Surf Coast to Lorne recently? Send in a report to slaterbunch@ optusnet.com.au with VFM in the subject field or give me a call on 0408 997 348. Please include where (without giving away your secret spot!), when, what on and who caught the fish. Pictures are always great, but please make sure they are at least 1mb (file size).

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Snapper are continuing to dominate catches PORT PHILLIP WEST

Brenton Hodges blhodgey@hotmail.com

Over the next month, the western flank of Port Phillip will be inundated with boats, each filled with eager anglers searching for one thing… snapper! Indeed, by the time this issue hits the stands, many will have already opened their season account, so let’s take a look at where to find them. SEASON OVERVIEW Snapper season in Melbourne gets underway in early spring when huge schools assemble outside Port Phillip Heads before gradually making their way north towards the city. Following deeper contours along the eastern seaboard, significant numbers eventually reach Hobson’s Bay where they spread across the shallow reef systems, and adjacent deeper lines, to feed up in preparation for spawning. One of the key target areas for anglers based west of the Yarra River is the stretch from Williamstown around to Altona. Further west, Point Cook, Werribee South, Point Wilson and

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One of the key target areas for snapper west of the Yarra River is the stretch from Williamstown around to Altona, where this chunky snapper was caught. Corio Bay are also favoured snapper haunts. WILLIAMSTOWN TO ALTONA Upon exiting the Yarra River and hugging the western shoreline, snapper can be found pressing bait right up against the break wall, which borders and protects the shipping yard. Nearby patches of rock and rubble also hold snapper at times, particularly during an onshore southerly blow. A more prominent reef directly in line with Williamstown Football Ground gradually descends into about 6m of water, before

dropping further into 8-9m, where a featureless sandy bottom gently slopes away toward the shipping channel. Smaller sections of suitable ground can be found within just a few hundred metres of the shoreline through to Williamstown Beach. A series of rubble patches at the entrance to Kororoit Creek are well worth a shot, but be sure to avoid the nearby marine sanctuary. Closer to the launching ramp at Altona, a shallow water marker indicates the presence of another productive reef, which often fires at last

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First and last light is prime time for snapper, especially when prospecting the shallow inner reefs. light. Out wider, snapper can be sounded up offshore from Williamstown anywhere between the reef and the inner anchorage adjacent to the shipping lane. Likewise, P2 and the surrounding area often produce early season fish with some pushing 5kg+. POINT COOK TO POINT WILSON The inner reefs either side of the old abandoned jetty at Point Cook is a productive area for those searching for shallow water snapper on soft plastics. Casting on the drift is a good way to quickly cover ground until you either start getting hits and catching fish or at least mark them on the sounder. Squid have been thick in this area over the past few months, so hopefully this helps draw the attention of larger predators. Further west, a number of jagged reefs exist between Werribee South and Kirk Point where snapper are often taken in depths of just 3-4m at sunrise and sunset. Learning how to operate and read your sounder is the key to locating likely looking

Snapper season in Melbourne gets underway in early spring when huge schools assemble outside Port Phillip Heads before gradually making their way north towards the city. these fish tend to spread out over the nearby spoil grounds and shallow reefs in search of warmer water and an easy meal. The rough ground west of Point Wilson through to the Quarries and Bird Rock is a known hot-spot. Similarly, Curlewis Bank, Wilson Spit, Point Henry, Stingaree Bay, Limeburners Point, Geelong Waterfront, Western Beach, Corio Quay, North Shore and Grammar

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Casting soft plastics on the drift is a good way to quickly cover ground until you either start getting hits or mark them on the sounder. structure, bait and of course schools of snapper. CORIO BAY New season snapper can be expected to arrive in the outer harbour off Point Richards, Clifton Springs and Point Wilson in early October. As the season progresses,

School Lagoon are all favoured locations. METROPOLITAN RIVERS The past month has been somewhat tough going in the metropolitan rivers. The bream are still mostly preoccupied with spawning,

the mulloway have been playing hard ball and many of the snapper seem to have left the system. As we move further into spring, however, the bream in particular should soon come back online. Among those to do well of late, Sebastian Widjaja managed a handful of bream to 30cm on peeled prawn at Docklands. WERRIBEE RIVER After a lengthy period whereby the Werribee River bream remained tightly schooled up near the island, they’ve now spread throughout the system. Fish to 35cm have been taken from the jetty and floating pontoons at Werribee South through to the pines. Likewise, those presenting live baits of tube worm and Bass yabby have also been successful further up around the golf course and the cliffs. Some serious yellow-eye mullet are also still about with some pushing up around the 40cm mark! BEEN FISHING? If you would like to see your name and/or photograph published, please forward reports and images to blhodgey@hotmail.com. You’re certainly not obliged to give away your secret spot, but a please include a general description of when, where, the technique and bait used, and who caught the fish.

OCTOBER 2014

Reds spread across the bay PORT PHILLIP EAST

Lee Rayner info@fishingfever.com.au

Another snapper season is in full swing with plenty of reds being found out in the bay for land-based anglers and those with boats. Best of all, there has been a wide spread of fish with plenty of solid specimens in the shallower areas, as well as the deeper water. The deep water is really starting to heat up with big schools of smaller fish on offer to keep anglers feeling like an one-armed paper hanger trying to keep up with multiple rods buckling over. MORDIALLOC TO BLACK ROCK As it always seems to do at this time of the year, the pier has seen numbers

of solid snapper coming in for the land-based anglers with a lot of the fish being caught ranging from 4-7kg, and while it’s the rough conditions that generally produce the best fishing there has still been the odd big fish taken in calmer weather, often in the middle of the day, so it goes to show that a bigger bait is always worth having out. When it’s calm however the squid fishing has been excellent with anglers getting numbers of small calamari on a daily basis. In the creek itself there has been a good run of mullet for anglers fishing small baits suspended under floats, while a small soft plastic thrown around the mouth of the creek has also seen some small salmon being taken. Out wider the snapper

are the focus for anglers with areas like the Hump and out to the 16m area have been producing some good fish early in the mornings. The 18-20m area have been producing solid numbers of fish during the day and into the evenings. For those who want to chase some big snapper now is also a great time to get in really shallow water 4-6m during rough conditions with places like the Horse Paddock and Parkdale Pinnacles being perfect areas to look at. Best of all when it’s really rough you can catch solid reds in these areas all day long. Up into Beaumaris Bay, the garfish have also been in good numbers along with big numbers of squid. I would also ask that boat anglers give the land-based crew fishing the pier a bit of space, they don’t have the luxury of moving around and it makes it difficult when the boats

move in close to the pier. Up off Ricketts Point and through to Black Rock there are still plenty of pinkies on offer with a good mix of better snapper in among them to keep anglers on their toes. A lot of anglers are fishing bait, but plastics are now a really good time to get out a few deep diving minnows. Or what’s even better is to combine them with a downrigger to get the lures close to the bottom and work the reef edge, and any other area for that matter. You will quickly learn that trolling snapper on hardbodies isn’t just a fluke but a very successful method. Out deeper the 14-16m area is holding snapper with locations like Black Rock. Now is also the time that places like the Gasso and its surrounds will really fire up as the snapper move into the area to feed on the mud bottom.

Calamari like this are still in big numbers in this part of the bay.

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SANDRINGHAM TO ST KILDA This stretch of the bay can be awesome at this time of the year, especially if you like to fish really shallow, with places like the Anonyma shoal and the area known as The Gully, which is the area just out in front of the Rock Groynes at Hampton producing excellent fishing at night and when it is rough. For land-based anglers the Rock Groynes at Hampton and the end of Sandringham breakwall will and have been producing snapper in the rough weather. When it’s calm and the water is clear there have also been some good numbers of squid found through the area.

Out wider, the edge of the shipping channel is holding snapper with the T1 and T2 area through to the Fawkner Beacon well worth fishing, especially if you want numbers of school sized fish in the 2-4kg size. The trick that has been working well in this area over the past weeks has been to berley hard and be patient. The snapper haven’t necessarily been feeding for long periods but when they do, the action has been fairly flat out, especially on dawn and dusk. During these times the snapper move out of the deeper water in the shipping lanes to get up on the shallower areas to feed. Up off Brighton breakwall anglers are reporting excellent flathead fishing for both land-based and boat anglers, which is a nice by-catch while waiting for the big snapper to bite. I have heard of a few solid fish in the area, however the coming weeks should get really good off this breakwall and surrounds. While the squid have been excellent in the area over the past months I know a lot of anglers are crossing their fingers in the hope that good numbers of garfish will also start to show up – only time will tell. Up off North Road area and towards St Kilda reports have been a little leaner however this month should see these locations really fire up and, fingerscrossed, it will be with those big snapper that love to get in the very shallow water

at night through places like Elwood and towards St Kilda breakwall. If you have never done it, I suggest doing a late night session in this part of the world as the snapper are generally big and they fight so hard you will think they are bigger than they are! ST KILDA TO PORT MELBOURNE Some good fishing has been on offer in around the boats on swing moorings behind St Kilda breakwall with soft plastic anglers finding pinkies, bream and some nice trevally over the past weeks. In along the other piers and land-based locations, anglers have been finding pinkies and small salmon. Boat anglers are starting to work the shallow areas at night between St Kilda and Station Pier, with some customers saying that one fish will be a kilo and the next over 5kg, which makes for some very exciting fishing. Anglers fishing wide at areas like P2 and along the Shipping Channel that leads towards the mouth of the Yarra River are also starting to see better numbers of snapper. There is little doubt that in the coming weeks this area will go crazy with the bulk amount of snapper pushing up to these areas as they always do during this month. Winter has been and gone for another year and once again everything revolves around that red fish with blue spots – you have to love snapper season!

Help released snapper survive Fish shallow water to avoid barotrauma Leave snapper in the water for release Minimise handling and netting Use circle hooks or lures Release snapper quickly

Snapper fishers can help the survival of released snapper by following these key points. For further information on these points go to www.vrfish.com.au/snappersurvival

This project was funded by the Victorian Government using Recreational Fishing Licence fees OCTOBER 2014

The conditions are superb for season species PORT PHILLIP EAST

Wayne Friebe wfriebe@bigpond.net.au

The end of winter brought some welcome relief to the bay’s anglers over the past month. As the days get longer and warmer, more and more anglers have been dusting off the gear and the boat and getting out amongst the action. We have experienced some extended calm periods of late, which have provided some superb fishing and boating conditions. While some of the bay’s main target species are still in a state of flux between the seasons, there has been some pretty good action on the ‘bread and butter’ species, like squid, salmon, mullet and garfish. Encouraging reports

have also reached my desk of some decent flathead being taken on lures in the shallow shore gutters, especially around the Frankston and Mt Eliza areas. And while the traditional snapper season does not start for another month or so, many of the bay’s diehard snapper heads will have their minds focused on the annual migration of snapper into our bay. By the time you read this issue, many of you will already have done a trip or two, and run the sounder over some of your favourite marks. And the reports that I have already received suggest that there is enough resident snapper around right through the winter to keep most snapper anglers interested anyway. If the winter snapper action experienced in

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The author has been getting amongst the action of late while fishing with the new Samurai Reaction rods. Western Port is anything to go by, we’ve got a lot to look forward to in PPB this season, and I know that I am not the only one who’s looking forward to the warmer months ahead. Currently we still have incredible numbers of smaller pinkie snapper on the inshore reefs, with the odd bigger fish of around 1-2kg keep anglers interested enough. Bait fishing for these smaller pinkies can be a pain, but lure fishing to these schooling fish is great fun, and a great method to get the kids and those new to fishing lures in the bay up to speed. The techniques and methods are no different to those used on the larger spawning fish, just the tackle and lures needs to be upsized a bit. Key areas at the moment seem to be varying with water quality and clarity but most areas in the 4-6m line with good solid and broken patches of reef are best places to start. Fishing from a drifting boat is the best way to cover water, and remember to cast with the drifting boat so your lure spends more time near the bottom. Action

can be frantic at times and even though many of the fish are small, the next cast could be a 2kg fish or even better. At the moment productive areas have been Fishermans Beach, Sunnyside, Ranelagh and Safety Beach. The reef areas close to the entrance of Martha Cove are also worth a look. The added advantage of fishing in the shallower water while it remains cooler is the by-catch. Expect to encounter plenty of squid too, and these can be effectively targeted with a ‘sleeper’ jig placed in a rod holder and allowed to move at the same speed as the drifting boat. Don’t forget to back off the drag though, or you might loose your favourite squid outfit. Salmon, pike, flathead, red mullet and plenty of others will also be on the cards in these areas and can really provide great variety at this time of year. There’s been plenty of action from the bank as well, particularly with some very large schools of salmon visiting various piers along the eastern shoreline, particularly around dusk.

The good thing is they are only around for one reason – food, and will respond to

lots of different methods. Metal lures, plastics and surface lures are preferred as they provide good casting distance and accurately imitate the bait the salmon are chasing. Don’t be too shy to vary the speed of your retrieve as more often that not you can’t wind fast enough. Sometimes the fish will go a little quieter though and sit right on the bottom and a slowly worked plastic bounced through the school can be deadly. Most of the fish have been between 1.5-2kg, but some much bigger models exceeding 3kg have also been reported. Plenty of anglers have been busy gathering bait for the season ahead as well, with some lovely calm days producing good numbers of gars and smaller salmon. With all this on offer and the lure of a bigger red as well, the bay really is the place to be over the next month.

Some big salmon have been hitting the bay’s piers around dusk. Pat and his two boys cleaned up during a frantic evening session.

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Spring snapper run has started! ROSEBUD

Dan Lee info@peninsulatotaltackle.com.au

It has been a pretty good start to spring. Even before we officially ticked the month over, we saw a couple of weeks of record warm and calm days, which certainly spurred the sleeping anglers into action. This almost immediately saw a greater variety of fish caught and reports coming in. Gone was the single-eyed winter focus on salmon and squid, replaced with the excitement of an upcoming snapper season and better weather ahead. SNAPPER For my money, October is the true start of the spring

snapper run. As always it will be fascinating to see how it all unfolds as we have already had such good fishing in the northern channels of Western Port

as well as some by-catch snapper, which have been coming in from the gummy shark fishers on the peninsula. Most of these catches have come from

Mick Brittain with some honking Point Nepean King George whiting. the South and Symmonds channels and have been quality fish. From a little bit further afield there have also been some good, early captures

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the humble pilchard or Californian squid can be the winning presentation!) and be patient. While the water is still cool, it can be a waiting game. Keep an eye on bay temperatures as when it gets to around 16ºC it should be on in earnest! SOUTHERN CALAMARI Great news is that the big squid have arrived. That’s not to say that each and every one you catch at this time of year will be a monster, but the consistency of big calamari compared to a couple of months ago is much better. Key areas that have been producing these squid include Flinders, both from the pier and in the boat and Portsea Pier. There has also been some outstanding fishing around the two piers at Queenscliff where the average sizes has been great. GARS For much of this year gars have almost been absent from our local

The author Dan Lee with a couple of mid-size Sorrento calamari. to around 25kg in the last few weeks. LOOK AHEAD Let’s face it – it’s snapper time now and this will be

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waters, which has been unusual. However, in the last 4 weeks we have heard of a number of anglers getting a few from the piers. Portsea Pier and the small Yacht Squadron Pier at Sorrento have produced. OFFSHORE While not everyone thinks of the offshore fishing at this time of year it can be very productive. For those shooting outside the heads, it can be a great time to fish down around the reefy areas off Barwon bluff where snapper and pinkies should be in some numbers ready to enter the bay. For those fishing offshore such as Baz from Southern Sport and Game Fishing Charters there has also been some outstanding gummy shark. Baz had a number of sessions fishing off the back of Sorrento and Rye producing gummies

the dominant target for the next couple of months. I expect that along with tonne of fish caught on bait, we will see anglers targeting snapper with ultra-light jigging rods and micro jigs. Last year was probably the first serious season that Victorian anglers used these jig rods for snapper and there is no doubt that it will take another step forward in the coming months with anglers uncovering more of the secrets to doing it successfully and catching snapper consistently. All in all it’s a great time of year so dust off the gear and get out there! • For more information feel free to drop in and see the boys at Peninsula Compleat Angler, 11 Boneo Road in Rosebud or phone (03) 5981 1994.

Ben Broomfield with the type of calamari that we have come to expect from Flinders.

OCTOBER 2014

The pink sea returns! WST PORT NTH

Adam Ring

We are well and truly into Western Port’s snapper season now and what an absolute ripper it continues to be. The school fish are still taking their time getting settled, which means that the average size of the snapper is well up at the moment and this is great news for us snapper fishos! THE TOP END The top end of Western Port is exactly where you want to be right now. Most of the action is still

congregated around Joes Island to Boulton’s Channel area and the majority of these fish are BIG! The big change for this month is that the bait variations are starting to come into play. Last month it was all about squid, if you didn’t have fresh squid, you didn’t get fish. This month it has continued to change and other baits are getting a look in. Dean Delany spent a few hours up the Boultons Channel and found success during the run-out tide on fresh salmon fillet. His fish measured in at 56cm. Dylan Sutherland and

Peter Ferguson with his pair of massive Western Port snapper!

his mate Ino also had great success in the Boultons Channel with a couple of fish weighing in at 3 and 7kg respectively. Though one of those fish took fresh squid the other was taken on the humble pilchard. The boys caught these fish in 7m of water, so you do not need to be fishing in the deepest water possible. Really good reports have also been leaking out of Yaringa. Robin Gray has had the charter boat out of the water to give the old girl a cut and polish for the up coming season and they have been getting great news. Not only have the big fish been rolling in but Robin has also reported that most boats are returning from a session with their bag, so there must be plenty of fish in the area. One of the better reports out of Yaringa however came from an anonymous angler who ventured out in a hire boat. Upon returning from the day’s fishing, they had 2 snapper in the bin, one at 5.5kg and one at 6.5kg. This is such a significant report as it proves that you don’t need a brand new boat with all of the bells and whistles to get stuck into some crazy fishing! Don’t forget about the great calamari action still being had on the Tyabb Bank. Liz convincingly out fished her hubby Rob as

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Sharing the love of the early snapper season. they got stuck into some thumping calamari. Bigger jigs meant bigger squid on this particular day so pack those size 3.0 to 4.0 sized jigs! THE NORTH ARM With all of the action going on in the top end, the north arm of the port can’t even get a look in!

It’s not just snapper that are biting, believe it or not! We have already started to get some pretty solid whiting reports coming through. It is worth having a poke around the shallow water of the Middle Spit as this beautiful sunshine warms the shallows. The big tip

Rob showing off one of Liz’s cracker Tyabb calamari. Check out those wings! The fact of the matter is that everywhere from Hastings to the top of the Middle Spit is going to have schools of snapper everywhere. So get sounding and catch some fish!

is to fish the deeper water around the top end of the Middle Spit. It is typically a snapper area but casting our minds to last year tells us that some massive bags of whiting came from the same water. While you

have your snapper lines out and set it will be well worth dropping a pipi to the bottom and you shall be rather surprised at what turns up. A COUPLE OF CRACKERS... I want to finish this month’s report with 2 great fishing reports. Matt Cini has been putting in some sneaky hours somewhere in the north arm and came across a stonker of a red that measured 87cm and was estimated at close to 8kg. He was sitting in 7m of water during the run out tide and the most surprising of all was that this beast fell to half a pilchard. There’s a little hint there for our newer anglers. These fish can still be a little bit gun shy as the water continues to warm up so small baits can often lead to big fish! The second cracker has to go to Peter Ferguson. Persistence is beginning to pay off for Pete. He has been focusing a lot of attention on chasing the magic 20lb snapper after catching countless amounts of school fish over the last few years. He is now one step closer to his goal after recently recording his new PB Victorian snapper of 7.64kg. Well done Pete and good luck for that 20 pounder! We are currently in the middle of one of the best snapper seasons in current history so get amongst it and keep the reports coming!

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basis, we are now well into spring and the next few months are going to be truly outstanding. If I can offer one piece of advice when it comes to this snapper season, it’s get to the ramps early, otherwise you’ll face a good 2-hour wait to launch your boat on most occasions, especially when the weather is calm. If this season pans out to be like any in the past, there will be some unfortunate accidents caused at local boat ramps. Preventing boating accidents should be a forethought without letting the anxiety and excitement of snapper season get in the way. Unfortunately for some, the excitement of launching the boat and catching a red does get in the way and simple things, like remembering to turn off your headlights when on the ramp and just putting your car in park rather than pulling the hand break on, get forgotten. Last season, a few anglers had these misfortunes at Hastings and with the added excitement of rushing to get out to catch a red saw a few cars attempt to become boats; cars don’t float!. Remember, it only takes a minute or two more to take

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I’m sure if they just offered some help to those in need problems wouldn’t arise and everything would run smoothly. Still, the more we can all lend a hand, the better it will be for everyone. THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER October is really the start of something big when it comes to snapper season and although the reds have started off nicely, the bigger models are loitering around the Corinella area. Over the past five or so years, Corinella has been producing some sensational fish early in the season and this year has been no different.

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a breath and check that you have done everything in the right order to avoid ruining your day as well as others. BOATING ETIQUETTE The boat ramps are going to become extremely busy and year after year this trend continues, especially with more and more boats hitting the water in the nice weather. People new to boating can have difficulties arise that can lead to minor accidents and taking a considerable amount of time to launch, which cause other boaters to get frustrated and often mouth off. All this does is inflame the situation, while the

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The reds are in very good numbers about the Port, but for consistency, stick to locations such as Corinella and Tenby Point.

There is no excuse for losing fish during the fight, always use the best tackle available. easiest and least time consuming task is to ask to lend a hand and clear the problem with minimal effort. Hey, you might also be able to teach them something, which will help them in the long run and prevent future problems from arising. Although some mindless people do consider sitting at the local ramp having a beer on a hot day while watching the mayhem entertaining,

Local angler Jason Anderson managed a couple of nice fish while fishing just south of Spit Point. Fishing in the early hours of the morning, he fished the run-out tide to catch one snapper of 5kg with a second fish of 4kg. Both took fresh squid baits. The run-out tide has proved to be the time to be fishing in this area of late with many anglers reporting

their captures during this tide. First light has been the key as boat traffic isn’t as congested as during the day. Two other locations that are also fishing well are along the edge of the channel near Elizabeth Island and in Coronet Bay. Like always, you do have to be quiet in these locations due to the shallowness of the water as the slightest noise can spook fish easily. Shaun Furtiere from Think Big Charters reports that the snapper are really going well around Corinella and are creating an ongoing interest. Squid and pilchard baits have accounted for snapper to 8kg or so over the past few weeks. Another hot location that will see quite a few anglers anchored up will be between the bottom end of the Middle Spit and Hanns Inlet. You could almost call this the beginning of the north arm and it is a very popular location to catch snapper from during the run-out tides. This is the time when the fish enter the Port and swim up current towards the top end and hitting them off at this location yields good results. If you are looking for consistent locations to catch snapper, you really can’t go past Corinella as it seems to be the place to be and will continue on well throughout the rest of the season. SHARKS Gummy sharks have also been a popular catch although they have been caught as a by-catch while searching out snapper. Not that anyone would complain, most have been ranging from 3-8kg and seem to be about in solid numbers. As the temperature warms, the summer season usually sees an influx of smaller males and, while most are caught as a by-catch, they certainly are welcomed. To page 27

It’s snapper time! PHILLIP ISLAND

John Dalla-Rosa

Snapper is the buzzword on most fishos’ lips at the moment. I have done a couple of trips up to the northern end of Western Port and on both trips there were a dozen or so boats fishing the same area, all hoping for an early snapper. Last year at this time, I was managing a good fish every trip. This year, I haven’t turned a reel, the only thing I managed to catch was a conger eel. However, it’s not to say that there are no snapper there, I did see two fish about 6kg landed. But last year, I was the only boat fishing the area and this year there were lots of keen fishos out there. When you do the maths, it’s about as productive as it was last year. From page 26

CALAMARI The run of calamari throughout Western Port hasn’t gone unnoticed with plenty of anglers getting stuck into them from the Flinders Pier. Of late, some of the models have been exceptional with angler

SURF BEACHES Williamsons and Baxter beaches have been fishing reasonably well with a lot of fish being caught in the 500g1kg range. Whitebait and squid strips seem to be the most consistent bait and the squid strips give you a longer fishing period as it takes those pesky sand crabs a lot longer to pinch your bait. There’s been a lot of dirty water flowing out to sea from the Powlett River, which has dirtied the water along the coastline, but it hasn’t affected the fishing. SAN REMO AREA Below the bridge Not a lot has been happening. There’s been a few calamari in Cleeland Bight and salmon in the main channel on the high tide. Floodwaters from the Bass River have dirtied the waters as well as a lot of weed movement

affecting the fishing. Above the bridge The winter snapper are still being caught around Corinella, Lang Lang and up past Joes Island, but they are scattered and not in great numbers. Some early reports have started to come in of the new season’s run of snapper between Stony Point and Eagle Rock. In another few weeks the whiting should be starting to show up in numbers all over the bay. I am looking forward to another great season of reds and Georges. FLINDERS SHOREHAM AREA Now is usually the time to chase the big calamari off Flinders. As yet, I have had only average reports on the area but it all should be happening, so if you want them for the table or for snapper bait, now is the time to give them a go.

Cameron Christiano reporting he weighed one he caught that went just under 5 kg. It was caught during the high tide on a baited jig. Other anglers have also reported some impressive models taken on both artificial jigs and baits.

HEADING OUT? This season has already begun with a bang and I can’t wait to see what the coming weeks bring. If you catch a cracker and want bragging rights, flick me an email with your report along with a photo at jarrodday@ iprimus.com.au

A huge conger eel caught by the author while fishing for snapper.

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Ripper season runs ahead WELSHPOOL

Alan McFayden amcsayte@bigpond.net.au

The typical long cold winter is now behind us so we can look forward to a ripper season, if recent reports are anything to go by. Unpredictable is one way to describe South Gippsland weather but it would be fair to say that just before compiling this report I have received good news stories pointing to happiness. Gordon Hughes is a visitor to this area and has been making the trip for many years. He rang me to say how he and a couple of mates travelled down to Port Welshpool after other mates had a great trip with very good bags of silvers, mullet, salmon and quality flathead that made the effort well worthwhile. They had intended to fish outside the entrance looking for larger fish but they did so well not far from the shoreline they decided to stay to save on fuel. The fish were caught on a variety of baits, which included pipis, squid and

fresh fish presentations. They actually decided to have a look outside the entrance and were confident of adding to an already impressive bag but as it turned out they had used all their luck. The crew didn’t add any fish at all, but they were happy with what they had in the bag to call it a successful trip. Although the whiting have been fairly quiet there have been a few caught. It is not surprising that those caught have been to the 35cm mark, which is a bit above the average size for this area. They have been caught mainly on Bass yabbies, squid and silver fish. In the same area there have also been reasonable numbers of silver trevally, salmon and mullet bagged. The fish have not been in great numbers, as to be expected, with the water temperature still well down. This will improve as the warmer weather becomes established. Other well known places, such as the Franklin Channel is still not completely out of its winter slumber but not far off coming good where ripper snapper, gummy sharks

and big toothies will soon be making an appearance in better numbers. Outside the entrance, the main catch has been salmon to the 4kg mark. There have been big schools at times suddenly turning up and when this happens there is plenty of excitement. The big fish are not renowned for their eating qualities as they have a bland taste and not much value. The smaller fish are a different matter, being very tasty and best up to around the 1kg mark. The jetties are well worth a visit when conditions allow and this is where salmon, silvers, mullet are among a very good variety of fish that can be caught on the eastern end of the structure. The run-in tide is usually the best time to try your luck. The boat storage at Port Welshpool is always a place where I keep in contact as there are a large number of boats stored for local use. Naturally they are up to date as to fishing activity and, just before this report, the conditions have started to pick up as well as the conditions. There have been reports of snapper and

gummy sharks making up some very impressive bags and taking a variety of presentations, which include pilchards, squid and fresh fish fillets. There have been a few stories where whiting have been bagged to the 30cm mark with Bass yabbies and pipis doing the job. It would be fair to say that the conditions have been a bit on the cold side but definitely warming up so as we head further into the season things can only improve. A short distance to the east will put you at Port Albert, which like many other places in this area is coming out of its dormant period as far as winter is concerned. Rob Killury runs the general store at Port Albert and says that the winter has been fairly severe and as a result most boaters have left their craft in the shed for annual repairs, which makes sense. That is now past and there have been some very good spells of weather where the water temperature has warmed a few degrees and the fish have responded in kind.

Wonthaggi angler Nick Richards with a 1.8kg salmon, which are in good numbers at Port Welshpool. The jetties have been worth a try and when conditions have allowed there have been silvers, mullet, and eels among a healthy variety of quality fish making up good bags. Outside the entrance in around the 20m mark, which is about 1km offshore there have been

good numbers of flathead and gummies making up reasonable bags. There have been, and still are, plenty of those useless skunk sharks that are perfectly useless and can’t be eaten, even the cat is not interested! Just one of those things we have to put up with.

All set for east coast snapper INVERLOCH

Alan McFayden amcsayte@bigpond.net.au

Not knowing what to expect weather wise at this time of year as we struggle out of a long, cold, wet winter can mean many things. However, one thing is always on cue, snapper will be around in big numbers as well as a rich mixture of other fish. Griffin Ashby often travels down from Carrum Downs, which is an eastern suburb of Melbourne and likes to collect fresh pipis, which can be found near Inverloch and seldom misses taking something back home. He always has his one-eyed dog called Mac with him, who was guarding a couple of very nice size salmon that were caught just on evening and

were destined for the table. At the time, I came across another visitor only a few metres away, Kevin Martin who was also trying his luck but to no avail. Kevin has just moved from Traralgon to Inverloch and is also a keen fisherman and just loves Inverloch, especially the beach fishing. When conditions have been reasonable there have always been plenty of landbased anglers trying their luck where there have been plenty reports of very goodsized flathead, mullet and a few ‘couta making up quite good bags. Another pleasing thing that has been happening is that many small gummy sharks are also being caught. This has been a common occurrence along the South Gippsland coastline, which is additional good news. Darren Carbery is a local Inverloch angler

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who loves to fish off the beaches. Through the week he decided to try his luck off Pensioners Corner where there have been many other land-based anglers doing well. He was also in luck when he hooked into and landed a very impressive salmon that dragged the scales way down to 1.3kg, needless to say he was impressed. Peter Grass is another local who can always be found wandering along the beach trying to catch a fish. He says that there are very good-sized mullet and flathead being caught off the structure on the run-in tide. For some reason, maybe because of the exceptional storms we have had in this area over August where there have been king tides, this could be a contributing factor. There have been flying gurnard also being bagged, which is something different. These fish are usually found in warm temperature waters on both sides of the Atlantic and have been caught in New Zealand and even on the lower east coast of Australia. They are described as a pretty fish and when excited they will spread their wings (they don’t have true wings but can glide a considerable distance out

of water), which are semi transparent but tipped with a phosphorescent bright blue coloration, probably designed to scare away predators. These fish, like other species of gurnard also have very large eyes. Among the other strange marine life to make an appearance are some sea horses. The rough weather apparently had something to do with this and, of course, taking or even attempting to take them is on the prohibited list. They belong to a family with the scientific name of Syngnathidae. Outside the entrance, there have been encouraging reports of snapper being caught with some anglers already bagging out on the reds that have a bag limit of 10 with a minimum length of 28cm and no more than three fish equal or exceeding 40cm. There have also been reports of gummies being caught along with school sharks that are taking a variety of presentations, which include fresh salmon fillets, squid and pilchards. Last month there had been plenty of fresh water coming into Anderson Inlet and as a result, the water has been muddy and taken some time to clear. This is one of those

Col James at Mahers Landing with a good bag of silver trevally and salmon. natural occurrences that we have to put up with but when things settle down, the water is generally of very good quality where boaters and land-based anglers are blessed with

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All systems are go MCLOUGHLINS

Will Thompson allwaysangling@bigpond.com

It’s all systems go now and when anglers are getting everything from whiting to gummy sharks and big flathead in between, there’s no excuses to not be out there getting stuck into the fish. MCLOUGHLIN’S INSIDE Again, there were a heap of salmon caught in the entrance by boaties and landbased anglers alike. Run-in and run out tides have had their moments and some anglers reported seeing big schools of salmon and bait just outside the entrance. Drift spinning and trolling metal slugs and soft plastics were the most effective methods. The garfish had another run inside and there were a few weeks where the inlet was just inundated with garfish from 30-45cm on the run-in tides. Berley was the key and even anglers fishing from the jetties had their fair share of success. The estuary perch and trevally also came on the chew and both species up to

A few early season whiting are always a bonus. These abundant little fish are great for a feed.

Stuey Tennant holds up a decent early season blue spotted flathead. These guys will be around in huge numbers over the next few months. 40cm were caught in decent numbers using soft plastics such as the 3” Gulp! Minnows in pumpkinseed colour. PORT ALBERT INSIDE The first reports of the

whiting came in recently and this is just the start. In a few weeks we are going to see a huge increase in whiting numbers and it will be worth trying your luck in the Port

Albert channel and areas close by to get a few whiting. So far there has been fish to 38cm caught and there have been some nice trevally and salmon mixed in as well. Pipis or fresh squid fished on a running sinker rig has been the best rig to use. The garfish have also been inside Port Albert in good numbers, which goes to show they have been everywhere. Another species that has turned up recently has been the calamari. Just very recently we had a cracker week of calamari fishing where hundreds were caught on 2.5” and 3.0” squid jigs. They will only get more abundant over the next few months.

The blue spotted flathead have just come on the chew as well, and anglers fishing with soft plastics in the shallow sand flats and gutters have already produced flathead to 55cm. This is great news and shows we may be in for a really good flathead season. It’s just about snapper time, and so far there has been a handful of snapper caught inside Corner Inlet, so it won’t be long until Port Albert is producing its fair share of snapper as well. OFFSHORE The flathead are moving back in close now, and anglers are catching flathead while drifting in water as shallow as 10m Anglers anchoring up and using

berley for gummy sharks are catching big flathead as well. Offshore around the islands, anglers drifting for flathead are still bagging out often and are also catching a few pinkie snapper to 35cm. In close around Whale Bay we have seen gummy sharks to 4ft caught on the tide changes using fresh calamari, salmon and pilchards. • For more information, contact Will at Allways Angling in Traralgon on 51748544. You will get expert advice and great deals on fishing bait and tackle. Tune into Rex Hunt and Lee Rayner’s “Off the Hook” on 1242 to hear Will’s report on what’s going on in Gippsland!

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Persistence pays off for dedicated anglers GIPPSLAND LAKES

Brett Geddes b.geddes@bigpond.com

Yeah I know, I say it every year but get ready for middle and late spring because it’s notorious for cranky bream, dirty water and windy days. It’s also right in the middle of the bream spawning season, but the good news is that catch rates will slowly but surely improve during the next few weeks. At the moment, fish tallies have been okay and probably better than other years at this time, so after a quick overview of recent reports, I’ll concentrate on what lies ahead. TAMBO RIVER Where would we be without the ever-reliable Tambo? Bait anglers are persisting with sandworm and are getting a fair return for their efforts. A real mixed bag of sizes with a few nice bream around 40cm thrown in with the main catch of fish that seem to be around 22-26cm. Prawn and shrimp baits are still not working anywhere as good as sandworm, so go to the effort and source a good supply of quality worm if you can.

I’ve only heard of a few anglers that are having much success at all with lures in this river, except for a few bream caught on blades below the boat ramp. Sadly, big schools of bream are showing up on the sounder in this area but are refusing to open their mouth! However, be prepared to keep your ear to the ground and make sure you are there when the switch gets turned on and these huge schools of bream start feeding. HOLLANDS LANDING Other reports from bait anglers have expressed the shock of fishless days, including the area around Hollands Landing. I talked to a few of the guys from the local Stratford Angling Club using mainly bait in the Straits and Toms Creek a couple of weeks ago. Nearly all of the guys came home fishless after spending two days trying to track the buggers down. Ouch! But I’m not at all surprised because as I keep saying, it’s quite normal for this time of the season. The main culprits for the lack of action here is the flooded Latrobe, Thomson and Avon rivers. They have all pushed some brown fresh water right across Lake

The perch and the pup! Small river EP have taken surface lures like the Switch 66 Bent Minnow. The author’s dog was there to see the action! Wellington and down into the Straits. Toms Creek has remained clean for much longer but still yields a very poor return for effort. Hard to believe really, because with such good quality salty water, I expected this area to really fire. NICHOLSON RIVER The news is a little better from the Nicho and the lower sections are probably the best areas to target. Even a few lure anglers

have landed bream to 37cm along the rock walls and deeper drop offs from the boat ramp down to the river entrance. I also talked to bait anglers who anchored their boats up just above the railway bridge and caught a nice score of bream on sandworm and frozen prawn, but they said the action was fairly slow until about mid morning. The bream came onto the chew for an

hour or two and then decided to do what these pesky fish do better than anything else...shut down again! MITCHELL RIVER Surprisingly the one thing you can almost guarantee each year around September and October is that estuary perch seem to love cold and even fairly dirty water. The upper Mitchell always seems to hold a good number of small to medium-sized

perch in it and if you want to find them over the next month or so, try up at the highway bridge. A few EP have also returned to the backwater and have surprised a few anglers by even taking surface lures. They are heavily targeted in this area and will often only take lures right on dusk or the first light of morning. Sometimes these fish will school up deep and will gladly take small soft plastics or blades. LOOKING AHEAD The good news is that as the water temperatures rise it will rouse the bream and flathead out of the doldrums to provide the renowned excellent fishing the Gippy Lakes can provide. I’m sure that bait anglers will continue to get the best bream bags and lure anglers will start to catch up as those same bream return to the lakes after the river spawning run. Historically some of the best fishing seems to always start in the shallows of the lakes around Metung, the Mitchell flats and Duck Arm during late October and huge flathead and big bream will start feeding in the shallows. I’m sure we will see this happen again and I can’t wait to be there and catch them!

Ninety Miles of gummy sharks NINETY MILE BEACH

Will Thompson allwaysangling@bigpond.com

It’s now gummy time at the Ninety-Mile Beach but let’s not forget about the other species, such as salmon that have been around in great numbers over the past month. October is the time when those gummy sharks really start to come in close to the beach, giving us anglers easy land-based access to this great species. But before I get to the gummies, let’s talk about the month that’s been. LAST MONTH The past month has seen some of the best salmon fishing all year. They have been caught by both bait anglers and spin fishers alike and anywhere from Loch Sport to McLoughlins

Beach has produced good numbers of fish. We have had mixed sizes of fish from 30-75cm specimens, it’s just the luck of the draw. Loch Sport has produced some massive models up to 4kg by bait anglers using blue bait and surf poppers. Golden Beach through to Seaspray has been pretty reliable on mixed sizes of salmon but I have seen plenty caught up to 55cm. McLoughlins has been the best place to chase the salmon with lures and anglers walking between the surf and the entrance are doing the best using 25-50g metal slugs.  WEED AND SIDEWASH We have had the first instances of weed and side wash for the new season and it came after back-to-back easterlies during the first stage of warm weather that we got.

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For those that only fish the Ninety-Mile from time to time, you should be aware that the beach can become riddled with a few types of weed from slimy brown/green weed that coats your line to the point that you can’t wind it in anymore, to the red weed that get extremely thick and weighs a tonne. Either way, it generally makes the beach unfishable. If you encounter this, just leave and go to the next beach, you may find the next beach free of weed. As a general rule, we get this weed after back-to-back easterly winds, so if you are coming from a long way away, check the past weather reports and if we have had strong coastal easterlies for days on end, you can probably be confident this weed will be present. The westerlies are the winds we want, and after only a few days of westerly,

the weed and side wash will generally disappear, so it’s always a good rule to go fishing after some period of westerly winds. GUMMY SHARKS Although the gummy sharks are around all year, it is September and October when they are starting to get caught in good numbers. I like to fish for them in October, it’s probably the best month for the gummies on the surf and if we have a season like the last, we are in for a treat. Last October it wasn’t uncommon to get more than 6 gummies per night, and there were even stacks of gummies caught during the day. Just remember, the evenings are your best bet and if you can get fresh bait like salmon, you should do well. My favourite surf bait is squid and especially squid tentacles, as they stay on the hook a

Shannon Musgrove caught this ripper 3kg salmon off the surf at Golden Beach. lot better and the gummies love them. • For more information, contact Will at Allways Angling in Traralgon on 51748544. You will get expert advice and

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

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OCTOBER 2014

Sharks, snapper and salmon will be on fire LAKES ENTRANCE

Lucas Smith squidgy_man1@hotmail.com

Lake Tyers is open and pumping! Late August saw the Lake Tyers entrance finally open up to the sea, dropping the water level considerably and giving the system the flush out it desperately needed. After only a week or so the fishing began to fire up with some cracking bags of bream caught along the edges on both hardbodied lures and unweighted live shrimp. In areas up higher, above the trident where the water is a little dirty, baits like

pilchard and peeled prawn have been best as the strong smell has helped attract the fish to your bait. Early morning and late afternoon are best times to fish, especially when fishing with bait. Anglers fishing the lower reaches in the clear waters have been rewarded with some excellent sight fishing for bream along the weed beds and rocky banks. Lures like the ever reliable Ecogear SX40, Jackal Chubbies, Savage Gear crankbaits and Atomic Shiners are dynamite for this style of fishing. Also, throwing Cranka Crabs at feeding fish is a deadly technique.

Flathead on the fly are a perfect spring option. These aggressivenatured fish love taking flies in shallow water.

Gummies are starting to fire on the local beaches. Remember, fresh bait is best.

Some big flatties have been caught in the deeper sections on large soft plastic grubs fished dead slow along the drop-offs and weed edges. Some crocs have also been caught by anglers fishing deep for bream using metal vibes on ultra light fluorocarbon leaders. Look for patches of bait on the sounder and work any likely looking patches and drops. Garfish have made an appearance and are easily caught from No. 2 boat ramp on sandworm or bread under a float on a size 12 long shank hook. The odd trevally has been caught on pilchard and squid around the channel markers and along the banks at Long Point. Big tailor are always present and are easily caught on metal lures cast or trolled behind a boat at walking pace, just remember to watch those teeth! Lakes Entrance has been patchy with some nice trevally and tailor caught on whitebait and pipis at Bullock Island on the flood tide. Slimy mackerel have

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been in big numbers and are worth grabbing a few for surf bait as the next month is the best time to start hitting the beaches for gummies and big spring run salmon. October is a prime month for big salmon as huge schools make the migration down the coast. Spinning with metal lures or fishing whole pilchards on ganged hook paternoster rigs is a great way of tangling with these fish, with some pushing well over 10lb. On light gear they will have you tied in knots for ages and are awesome fun! Any of the beaches from Eastern Beach right through to Marlo Beach are worth a look, with Pettmans Beach and Lake Bunga being the pick of the bunch, especially when it comes to jumbo salmon. The gummies are about and are best targeted on last To page 35

HOT SPOT

Mornington squid CRANBOURNE

Mitch Chapman

Located along the Peninsula, Mornington is a hot spot for anglers at any time of the year. What makes the rock platforms along Mornington through to Mt Martha so special is that you always expect to have a good crack at catching a few calamari. It has easy access and holds excellent squid populations as well as salmon, pinkies and whiting, along with a few very large snapper. PRIME TIME The beauty about fishing the abundant rock platforms along the Peninsula is that, everyday is a good day to go fishing, weather permitting. Try to plan your session around the tides. You really want to be fishing this area on a high tide as the water is deeper. The squid like to move in close and mooch around the weed and reef. When working jigs you won’t snag up and lose as many as there is more water between the surface and the bottom, which means you can work your jigs a lot slower and keep them in the strike zone for longer periods of time. Dawn and dusk is another key factor as there is low light which makes the squid a lot less wary and spooky. THE GEAR When fishing land-based you want to maximize the time your jig spends in the water. This is where a quality rod and reel outfit comes into their own. A light 8ft Egi rod or a longer soft plastics graphite rod is ideal and it allows you to cast all day without it being

a nuisance and really punches a lure out a long way. THE RIG Squid can be real finicky at the best of times, especially in crystal clear water and bright sunny days. A long length of light 4-6lb fluorocarbon leader is essential for best results. BAIT AND LURES It’s always good to have a variety of jigs in different sizes and colours in the arsenal. For this area, the smaller models are best as they are not too heavy and will not plummet to the bottom and snag up. A go-to jig is the Harimitsu 2.5 in colour AR. When things are tough this jig always seems to be a constant performer due to the red foiled body and natural colours. BEST METHOD What we like to call rockhopping works the best for this area. There are quite a few spots to fish along Mornington, the best thing to do is move from spot to spot until you find an active patch of squid that are feeding.

Whether it be move 50m along to the next bit of rock, or get in the car and drive 5 minutes up the road. Either way, you cover a lot more area and your chances increase a lot more, when you go looking for them. MOTHER NATURE Remember to always check the weather and get the latest update before venturing out along the rocks. It can be dangerous so always tell someone where you are going, and when you are likely to return. There is no fish worth risking your life for. There is always a next time to go fishing. HOT TIP It’s worth getting a can of Egi Max Spray when going squid fishing. This is a pheromone-based scent that can be sprayed onto your jigs. I always have it in the bag and is a must have item. It can be the difference between an okay session and an awesome session.

Smaller jigs are a better bet in this area as they won’t plummet to the bottom.

Spring’s spawning run for bream and mullet MARLO

Jim McClymont mcclymont@net-tech.com.au

Spring has arrived and the wattles have burst into flower, signalling the arrival of bream and mullet into the system on their spawning run. In the next few weeks From page 34

light on the freshest bait possible. Salmon strips are great but tend to attract rubbish sharks like Port Jackson sharks and huge stingrays. Fresh squid is my favourite as it holds up in heavy surf and can withstand the vicious sand crabs when they are out in full force. Kalimna Jetty has been producing the odd school whiting and big yellow eye mullet on sandworm, while a few luderick have started to show up around the highway bridge and in Bullock Island Creek on green weed, live shrimp and sandworm. Float fishing is the best method but they will also take baits fished on slack line. The occasional estuary

they will move up the rivers to their spawning grounds and spawn the next generation into the system. Anglers have already reported getting good captures of bream from the entrance all the way up to Lake Corringle and Lake Curlip using sandworm, frozen prawn, local shell, Bass yabbies and crab.

Anglers have also reported catching good size mullet in the same area using sandworm. Schools of luderick have entered the system and are schooling along the rock groins and mud banks around the islands and riverbanks. Best results have come from using sandworm either

under a float or using a running sinker. Although not in big numbers estuary perch can be found holding on snags and other structures in both the Snowy and Brodribb rivers. For best results use soft plastic or hardbodied lures. Flathead can be found from Frenchs Narrows

perch has been taken near the footbridge on prawn style plastics fished slowly just on dark. Big leatherjacket have been caught from the Post Office jetty on pipis and prawns, along with a few nice bream on sandworm. The water is still fairly dirty but the fish are definitely there, persistence pays off. Offshore has started to show good signs with the snapper grounds producing good numbers of pan size reds, nannygai and morwong, with the odd school shark and seven-giller thrown in for good measure. Further down to the west at the pipeline, some big snapper have been caught in the 35-45m depth range. Fresh slimy mackerel has been the best bait with a few

reds up to 18lb already taken, it’s looking like it will be a cracking season! Closer to the entrance on the shallow marks like the pines and the bluff, the gummies have started to show in good numbers up to 5ft and can be caught on squid and pilchards. Aim for between 10-17m of water and anchor up with a steady berley trail of crushed pillies and chicken pellets. Just keep the trail light, as too much berley will attract the rubbish fish. Drifting has produced some nice flatties and big numbers of bull-eyed gurnard. Despite being covered in poisonous spines, if handled correctly, they are quite good tucker. The coota plague has begun to show up on the local

reefs and are a nightmare when chasing snapper as they destroy rigs in seconds. They do, however, make great bait for big snapper and gummies, so it’s worth hanging onto a few for cut baits.

up the rivers on Lake Corringle and Lake Curlip. Salmon and tailor are moving in on the tide with anglers having good results either spinning or trolling lures down towards the entrance. The surf beaches are still fishing very well, anglers have reported catching good size salmon and tailor using blue bait, pilchards, squid and glassies always accompanies with a popper or using light tackle and spinning with metal lures. Offshore, weather permitting, is also fishing well with anglers

reporting getting plenty of flathead, gurnard, pinkie snapper, barracoota, morwong, squid and gummy shark. Last week one local angler reported taking his little tinny out from Cape Conran at 6.30am and was back in at 9am with 2 good size gummy shark and another released. Another local angler reported catching 2 gummy shark and 16 flathead in a short time. And of course the best is yet to come! With the warmer weather, the water temperature will raise bringing in schools of baitfish and the pelagic fish that feed on them.

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OCTOBER 2014

Bream are biting at Bemm BEMM RIVER

Robyn Sturgess

The entrance has recently closed. The fishing has been slow in the past month due to the amount of freshwater entering the lake system as a result of the recent heavy winter rains. Anglers have reported having to move around the waterways until they find the right spot, but they have been pleasantly rewarded. Flicking vibes at the mouth of the river has been a successful location for hooking decent bream around the 38-40cm size.

The odd flathead has also been caught and released on vibes. Fresh sandworm has been a winner for picking up a nice bream. Bill Pedder, John and Christine Male visited recently and enjoyed a productive fishing trip. They used prawns and fished around Mahogany and Bobs Bay. There were no shortage of bream all ranging between the 42-45cm size. When the weather has permitted, the surf has been great for the salmon anglers. I would also like to alert visitors to be vigilant regarding snakes as they are now starting to move about, especially along the riverbanks and surf beach areas.

Flicking vibes at the mouth of the river has been successful for hooking decent bream.

We are still frantically trying to obtain navigation aids for our waterways. This has been an ongoing battle for many years. With the amount of people visiting this area, it is imperative we obtain navigation aids before we experience a tragedy, especially in the evenings when people like to go prawning. It is unbelievable to think Bemm River is one of the only places in Gippsland that does not have them. Any information would be greatly

appreciated and can be directed to the address below. • Book your accommodation and boat hire early to avoid disappointment, ask Robyn or David about a ‘package deal’! Bemm River Holiday Accommodation & Boat Hire Clean Quality Accommodation overlooking Sydenham Inlet 41 Sydenham Parade, Bemm River Ph: (03) 5158 4233 0427 584233 bemmaccomm@bigpond.com, www.bemmaccommodation. com.au. FISHING FILL-ITS

Fish for Life’s epic adventure around Australia Fish for Life is an exciting epic adventure where Mark Ratchford and Scott Hooper will circumnavigate the Australian coastline including Tasmania with an Australian-made trailer boat. They will be fishing daily and in the process raising funds on behalf of the Cancer Council Australia to help support the families affected by cancer. The boat will be leaving Melbourne in July 2015 and will be making a total of between 90-100 stops around Australia. Once the voyage

is underway, the boat can be tracked via GPS on our website www.fishforlife.org.au. There will also be opportunities to purchase a ‘leg’ on the boat so you can be involved in this great cause and see some of our country’s amazing coastline. Fish for Life are hoping the community at whole will get behind them as well as small and large businesses around Australia. We are looking for donations from the general public and any donations of products or services from business that we can auction off at one of our many events

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Christine Male with some great bream from the Bemm.

or that would help our cause. We are proud to announce we already have some major sponsors who have kindly donated vital equipment for us to achieve this journey who are Evolution Boats, Mercury Marine, Simrad, Savage Trailers and Premium Fishing. Mark and Scott have been involved with the fishing community for a long period of time and both have lost people close to them to cancer. “With the fishing community being so large, isn’t it time we rally together and give back to a great cause and

try to put a stop to this disease which has affected so many,” said Mark Ratchford, Founder and Skipper, Fish for Life Donations can be made at Fish for Life’s website www.fishforlife.org.au where also the latest news on the adventure can be found; or connect with them on social media via Facebook at facebook.com/fishforlife.org. au, Twitter @fishforlife.org. au or Instagram instagram. com/fishforlifeorg where photos, videos and general updates about the voyage will be posted. – Fish for Life

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OCTOBER 2014

Science meets fishing

Impacts of climate change on Victoria’s snapper GEELONG

Ross Winstanley

Victoria, (along with Queensland, NSW, SA and Tasmania) is participating in the southeast regional section of national investigations into the future impacts of climate change on marine environments, fish stocks and fisheries. This being one of the most climate change-sensitive regions or ‘hot-spots’ in the world, there’s a lot at stake and the snapper fishery is being put under the microscope. The South East Australia Fisheries and Climate Change Program (SEAP) has looked at the risks posed to major fish stocks in the region based on each species’ sensitivity to climate change in terms of abundance, distribution and the timing of key life cycle events. Snapper are assessed as facing medium levels of risk with a particular likelihood of a contraction in their current geographic range as sea temperatures off Queensland approach their upper tolerance level. Along with blue grenadier, rock lobster and abalone, snapper have been

chosen under the Southeast Marine Biodiversity and Fisheries Climate Change Project as typifying differing fisheries operating across the region. Their importance as a key member of fish communities in bays and estuaries was another factor in their selection for this project. This study goes way beyond looking at the likely affects of climate change on snapper stocks, fisheries and fisheries management arrangements. Its real value is in examining the sorts of fisheries monitoring, assessment and management strategies needed to meet the sorts of scenarios foreseeable by projecting future environmental changes on what we know about the biology and habitat needs of snapper. Where are the points of vulnerability to our fisheries as snapper stocks respond to their changing environment? How readily might fishers and fisheries managers, aided by science, adapt and perhaps identify and seize opportunities that may emerge? Snapper is an ideal choice for this project because they are fished in all 5 states and because, compared to many

Snapper are ideal for this project as they are fished for in all 5 states and we know a lot about their biology. other species, we know a lot about their biology, movements and habitat needs across a range spanning 30º of latitude. The project – and Victoria’s fisheries – encompass 2 snapper stocks. The western stock extends from Wilsons Promontory towards the Murray River mouth in South Australia. Port Phillip Bay is the major

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spawning and nursery area for this stock and the main source of what has recently been assessed as sustainable fishing pressure. The eastern stock extends from Wilsons Promontory to far north Queensland. Fishing pressure is light off eastern Victoria but the stock is considered to be overfished off NSW and Queensland. Taking all this into consideration, the challenge for this project is that we are entering territory where, with the climate warming and extreme events increasing, we cannot simply rely on past experience to guide fisheries management responses and adaptation by recreational and commercial fishers. Already, the clearest impact of the changing environment in southeastern Australia is the increasing presence of snapper on the east coast of Tasmania.

From the situation where large snapper were brief seasonal visitors on the north coast, snapper of pinky size and larger have become increasingly abundant and a regular part of the fish fauna, particularly along the east coast. Large adult fish are now being caught in the Derwent River estuary and catches are now regulated by size and bag limits. While their spawning origin and relationship with the 2 regional stocks is uncertain, it seems clear that the southward extension of the East Australian Current has created favourable conditions for juvenile and adult snapper. If it is not already occurring, it seems only a matter of time before snapper spawning and recruitment will become a reality in Tasmanian waters. On current projections, sea temperatures along eastern Tasmania will increase by

2–2.5ºC by 2050, offering ideal temperature conditions for snapper spawning within 50 years. In contrast, on the mainland east coast there is a real possibility that snapper’s spawning range will contract southwards. What effect this might have on the eastern stock is unclear. For both stocks, a lot will depend on how well snapper adapt to change. Overall, the optimal temperature range for normal egg development and larval survival is 18-24ºC. Off Queensland, peak spawning occurs at water temperatures of 22-24ºC while in Port Phillip Bay it occurs at 18-20ºC. Temperature increases over the next 50 years are likely to push the northern boundary for regular successful spawning towards the NSW Central Coast while the number of months of optimum water temperatures for spawning will increase on the NSW South Coast and in Victorian waters. In all locations around Australia, snapper spawning seasons are geared to when water temperatures and associated conditions are most favourable to egg development and larval survival. In Port Phillip Bay snapper currently spawn from November to February, peaking in December-January. With the water temperature regime likely to apply in the next 50 years, we may see snapper spawning action from October to December then again in April and May after the mid-summer extremes pass. There are some crucial unknowns tied to this scenario. First, how critical is day length or photo period as a trigger for reproductive

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If sea temperatures increase, so too will growth rates and therefore feeding activity. If this happens, this may make snapper vulnerable to hook fisheries for more months of the year.

Science meets fishing development in snapper and can snapper adjust to an earlier and a second, later, spawning season? Second, will the critical planktonic food species be available at the right times to enable snapper larvae to survive and grow? The region of Port Phillip Bay where snapper larvae occur most consistently is from Hobsons Bay down the eastern shore to the Carrum Bight – essentially the trajectory of Yarra River discharges during high rainfall events. Early indications of current research suggest that what appears to be the key plankton food species for snapper larvae depends in turn on the right sort of phytoplankton that do best in high summer salinities and low river flows. Increases in the occurrence and severity of extreme rainfall events – as predicted under climate change – stand to have a major role in determining the future success of snapper recruitment to the western stock. All going well, our western snapper stock will adjust to 2 spawning periods and higher mid summer and late autumn temperatures will see larvae growing quickly through their vulnerable planktonic phase. More frequent and severe rainfall

events may simply push larval development further into the Bay. What’s clear is that the spawning season as we currently understand it is moving into uncertain territory. Looking at snapper throughout Victorian waters, under conditions of year-round increases in sea temperatures, growth rates are likely to increase,

along with feeding activity levels. If so, snapper will be vulnerable to hook fisheries for more months of the year than at present. That alone will pose significant fisheries management and resource allocation challenges to future governments and fishers. Furthermore, while climate change impacts on the eastern stock off Victoria may be minor, the combined

effects of fishing and warming sea conditions throughout the east coast may be quite significant if overfishing off NSW and Queensland is not reined in. There’s clearly a lot of speculation and ‘what ifs?’ in all of this. We can take some comfort from knowing how well Victoria’s snapper stocks have adapted to the environmental changes

Volunteer research anglers contribute to Victorian snapper science through recording catch details and collecting biological samples.

Snapper are assessed as facing medium levels of risk with a likelihood of a contraction in their current geographic range as sea temperatures off Queensland approach their upper tolerance level.

that have already occurred, particularly in Port Phillip Bay. It’s also heartening to know that snapper spawn and develop successfully in much warmer and wetter (east coast) and drier (SA gulfs) inshore environments. What’s particularly encouraging is that Victoria’s fisheries scientists are at the forefront of

forward-looking research on snapper and their adaptability in a changing environment. More information on the impacts of climate change on south eastern Australian snapper fisheries and on the South East Australia Fisheries and Climate Change Program can be found at www. frdc.com.au.

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OCTOBER 2014

Salmon and tailor smashing bait MALLACOOTA

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

In recent months winter has really made its presence felt, and everyone has been looking forward to warmer weather. There has been little rain and this has allowed the water in the lake and ocean to clear right up after the heavy rains in winter. The ocean access via the lake is looking good as long as the swell isn’t too big. Work on the break wall

is powering ahead, and is expected to be completed around October. This should see safer access for all anglers heading offshore. At this time of year there is little to report on the offshore fishing scene, and it won’t be until the water warms up that the locals will head out chasing a feed of flathead. Salmon are on all the local beaches, and with the cold water to their liking they will be around in good numbers right through until Christmas. Some good size tailor are also being caught

amongst the salmon, and both species are plentiful in the lake, terrorising the schools of whitebait. Silver trevally are right through the system with fish being caught as far upstream as Gypsy Point. You have got to enjoy hooking up to a good size trevally; for their size nothing pulls as hard. Some great fishing has been had around the entrance area to the lake, with bait fishers still catching some good sand whiting. The key has been both fresh bait and working out the best stage of the tide. The last

of the run-out around dawn or dusk is a good time to chase a feed. Dusky flathead are still being caught right throughout the system. If you’re fishing with lures it pays to work the lure slower over the colder winter months as these fish are half asleep and they won’t move too far or too fast to eat your lure. It can often take a few casts to wake them up. Yellowfin bream are being caught all around the bottom lake, with the back of Goodwin Sands a reliable spot for a few fish. The black

Tailor are in the lake, terrorising the schools of baitfish. bream are on the move, and over the coming months they can be hard to catch

as this time of year. Their main concern is spawning, not eating.

Fishing on the improve as season changes EDEN

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

The past month has seen some great weather with clear skies and little rain. You still need to rug up though because it’s pretty cold! Fishing on the local beaches has been productive with plenty of good gutters. Decent numbers of salmon have been caught on all stages of the tide, it’s just a matter of keeping on moving until fish are found. This style of fishing is best done with lures as it’s a lot easier to keep on the move. Lately 1kg fish have been common with plenty of fish above 2kg. Many anglers just catch and release the salmon as they are a great sportfish and not a prized tablefish. Still,

if you are after a good feed try smoked salmon – you won’t be disappointed. A few yellowfin whiting and sand whiting are being caught, and fishing for these species will pick up in the coming months. Fishing the rocky headlands you can also expect to catch salmon and bream, with some good fishing for snapper being had by those fishing at first light by using a berley trail and fishing lightly weighted pilchards amongst the berley. Plenty of good sized fish are caught this way. Those heading out chasing a feed of pinkies from the inshore reefs have been doing well with some good specimens being caught along with morwong, leatherjackets and some good sand flathead and tiger flathead. If you’re not catching, keep on moving until you find the fish.

Fishing in the local estuaries at this time of year can be great, and there aren’t many people around so you’ll have the place to yourself. Black bream are being caught upstream, with bait fishers catching fish on nippers and squirt worms. If you’re fishing with lures you can expect a few fish but it can be hard work. You may need to keep changing lures until you get some results. Silver trevally along with tailor and salmon are been caught around the front section of the estuaries, with dusky flathead on the bite as the day warms up. With the weather warming up the coming months will see the fishing improve and with very few people around this is the time to enjoy a peaceful getaway on the far south coast.

The cooler months are bream time but catching them isn’t always easy.

Fire up the estuaries BERMAGUI

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

Heat and rain, the perfect remedy for late spring or summer, have resulted in conditions prime for an excellent fishing season. Land temperatures are increasing and so are the water temps in the estuaries, especially in the upper reaches. These are the areas to target, and both lures and bait will work well. Black bream after their winter spawning are now looking to condition and are feeding energetically over the flats, around oyster clumps and shallow weed beds. Anglers should pay a lot of attention to these areas and use polarised sunglasses to sight fish in these preferred locations. Other species likely to be encountered in these areas are whiting, 40

OCTOBER 2014

trevally, flathead, blackfish and mullet, which can be caught on a wide range of lures and bait. The best baits are fresh nippers, prawns and squirt worms. I recommend taking some time to explore Wallaga Lake as it is one system that benefits immensely from rain. Good rain events bring nutrients for the many crustaceans, molluscs and other invertebrates that flathead, bream, whiting and many more predators feed on. At present there is plenty of this food about, making for some excellent angling, and this should continue all season. Further down the systems, blackfish numbers seem to be increasing with every tide. These fish are concentrating around the rock walls, bridge and harbour pylons. Both green and cabbage weed are being

taken by these fish, nippers and worms also accounting for their share. ROCK AND BEACH Moving out of the estuaries to the rocks and beaches, large schools of tailor are gathering around the entrance to the harbour of an evening, and small metal lures and floating pillies will produce most fish. The adjacent rock platform near the entrance has seen some good fishing for drummer, blackfish and trevally, with most anglers using either cabbage weed or cunjevoi for bait. Fishing the beaches has been consistent this year and nothing has changed for October. Large schools of salmon are patrolling the coastline, providing anglers with an assortment of options to target these great little sporting fish. Lure fishing the beach is becoming more popular

Whiting are on the short list for estuaries surrounding Bermagui following the recent rains. in our part of the world, mainly due to its simplicity. A handful of lures, a spin stick of your choice and a little trace material is all that’s required. Then you just find your beach, add water and have fun.

If you find fish throwing the hooks after taking the lure you can try one of three things (or all three for best results). If you are using treble hooks, try offsetting the hooks by giving a little twist with a pair of pliers.

You can also use two split rings joined together to give a chain-like effect or go to a single hook like a Black Magic KS series. All of these adjustments will improve hook-ups. To page 41

NSW South Coast From page 40

REEF AND OFFSHORE Out on the reefs things are really heated with nearly all the more popular areas producing. Featuring prolifically in anglers’ bags have been good sized morwong, both blue and jackass, with the larger fish coming from the deeper 12 Mile and 6 Mile reefs. Some good snapper are also around and it’s definitely the time of year for those large, succulent tiger flathead. Tigers will be found just off the reef structure, more on the gravel and mud. Once you encounter them it can be possible to obtain a bag without too much effort, however if you find a good patch don’t be surprised to not find them in the same place next time. These fish tend to eat an area out and then move onto another before returning to the original area later on. Gamefish have been a bit up and down lately with nothing of significance being captured. Some large mako sharks have been sighted around schools of striped tuna and I suspect if you were to put down a berley trail you’d get some action. One option is to fish the 12 Mile Reef berleying for the sharks, and while waiting you can fish the bottom for some of those reef dwellers.

We can expect a lot of flathead of this quality in Wallaga Lake this season. Striped, albacore and small yellowfin tuna are providing some entertainment out wide for those trolling lures, with the

odd better yellowfin being encountered. The most productive lures are the small skirted varieties, with bibless diving lures taking

the larger fish. These lures should always be used when tuna are about. FRESHWATER This spring has been early with birds nesting some time ago, and the willow tree blooming earlier than normal. Speak to the older generation out west and they’ll tell you when the willows gain their leaves it’s time to fish for freshwater fish. It’s the same on the coast for bass. Brogo Dam is starting to fish reasonably well, with most fish being taken on the troll as water temps continue to rise. In the river below the dam the fish are moving back up after spawning and are feeding energetically, particularly on the warmer days. For those who may be interested, the annual Brogo Bass Bash comp will again be held in December, which is now into its 16th year. Anyone wishing to enter this great fun weekend can contact the Far South Coast Bass Stocking Association via President Darren Redman (0427 934 688), Secretary Jan Redman (0427 934 857), email fscbsa_brogobassbash@ hotmail.com. Alternatively you can visit www.fscbsa. weebly.com and download your application form from there. Also check out their Facebook page at www. facebook.com/fscbsa.

Good rain events bring nutrients for the many crustaceans and molluscs that bream and other species feed on.

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westinfishingaustralia OCTOBER 2014

Lunker lizards and hope for YFT MERIMBULA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

The local beaches continue to fire with most beaches holding good concentrations of salmon. North Tura Beach has been a stand-out, with catches of a dozen sambos to 3kg the norm. The northern end of the beach towards Bournda Island has a deep gutter at present, fishing this section early in the morning on a flooding tide has been excellent. Anglers using surf poppers on a paternoster rig with no bait are doing very well. Both a blue/white and red/white poppers have been the better colours of late. Those using bait like ganged pilchards are catching plenty as are anglers casting a few metal shiners. Tailor numbers should improve this month, with the rocky foreshore near the island itself fishing better for bream. Cut crabs and pipi are both great baits here if targeting bream. Using a little berley in the shore dump will also increase catch rates

but don’t over do it or the stingrays and banjo sharks will become a nuisance. Offshore, the snapper are still doing the right thing, with most boaties getting a feed without too much trouble. Anglers using berley have been getting the best results, with chook pellets and frozen bread with tuna oil doing the trick. Anchoring up on the edge of the reef and floating baits up the shallower sides

of the reef has seen snapper to 5kg taken. All reefs are holding fish with Long Point and Lennards Island down south probably being the most consistent. The reefs out wider have produced Tassie trumpeter up to 8kg, with blue eye trevalla and hapuka available along the canyon walls. Fishing for the latter has been good of late, as the weather and tide has allowed anglers to stay

Tom Boyton with another cracking 91cm flathead, this fish fell to a small blade and was released in super condition.

stationary over the canyon walls and fish deeper sections. There hasn’t been any sign of tuna as yet, but this month could see that all change if last year is anything to go by. We did have a cracking SBT run but that has now completely tapered off. Towards the end of October, good yellowfin and albacore should make an appearance, so let’s hope as they are a whole stack of fun. Trolling both skirted and bibbed minnows is the only way to target these early season pelagics. Fishing the shelf to the second drop-off is the place to fish, it’s a long way out but worth it if the tuna are there. The estuaries continue to produce with Pambula Lake a stand-out. This little system is only a puddle, but recent guides there have been nothing short of sensational. You can expect flathead, bream, blackfish and whiting with the pelagic species like salmon, tailor and trevally all there too. It’s not uncommon to get 8 different species in a day and most of them quality fish. Casting smaller soft plastics and vibes around the ribbon weed edges in 3-5m of

Dusky flathead like this 95cm crocodile will make their presence felt over coming months. Just remember to let these breeders go, like we did with this big girl. water will get you results. Merimbula Lake is fishing great guns also, with all the usual estuary dwellers having a chew. The top Lake is the place to fish with anglers catching fish with a number of different methods. The entrance to Boggy Creek has seen tailor and nice flathead on a run-out tide with lures catching the majority of fish. The lower sections of the main channel on the eastern side of the bridge has seen trevally, bream and good numbers of blackfish for those anglers who like soaking a bait. Most local rock platforms are still producing fish with Short Point the pick of them

if targeting blackfish and drummer. I had a look down there the other day and saw two anglers with their bag limits for blackfish. They were using cabbage as bait and were berleying pretty hard. The fish averaged 800g with the odd bigger fish thrown in. There’s still a few salmon around the washes of most headlands, with whole ganged pilchards and chrome lures the best way of catching them. This month will see bonito turn up with Long Point and Tura Head the better places to fish. It’s a bit of work getting there but the rewards will come with bent rods and good times.

Oodles of options in October NAROOMA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

Montague Island and its kingfish population should come out of hibernation this month with anglers targeting them on jigs and live bait. October usually sees good numbers of these hard-pulling brutes and if early indications are anything to go by, it could be a cracking time. The last few weeks has seen kingies to 7kg caught,

fresh squid rigged on lead lines a better bet. The fish are not really concentrated in one area, but the southern reefs seem to be fishing the best. You can expect more fish at the northern end of the island once the current starts pushing from the north southwards. This is when live bait will come into its own as kings find it hard to resist a well presented live bait. Mixed in with the kings are bonito, these under rated species are awesome fun on lighter tackle and not bad on the plate if looked after correctly.

This 45cm bream is the sort of fish that all bream anglers would like in their bag. This fish was one of 19 caught for the morning, all were released. not in huge numbers but when you do find a school bag limits can be reached on most occasions. Most fish are falling to jigs, but a few locals have found 42

OCTOBER 2014

On the reefs, the snapper have been good with a big fish of 6kg caught recently. That’s a big fish for here and just goes to prove we do get the occasional thumper,

though not in the numbers as our southern cousins. Other snapper have been plentiful as well with fish averaging 2kg. Most reefs are producing fish, but I would expect the action to quieten down as we head further into spring. Reefs to try are Potato Point, Tuross, the southern end of Montague Island and the SW corner; a hotspot over the gravel. Morwong, trevally, pigfish and sand flathead should make up the rest of the bag. If targeting the flatties, try fishing in 35m straight off Kianga Beach or Dalmeny Headland for best results. Out wider, the game fishos will be getting excited as another season is on our door step. Last October we had some great tuna action and this year will be no different. Smaller yellowfin tuna and albacore should be around, a lot will depend on water temperatures and currents but every year the early pelagic action is getting better. Trolling smaller lures is the go early in the season with bibbed minnows being a favourite of mine. There could be the odd mako shark around the tuna schools to, so have the wire ready. There’s been some thumping models getting caught of late, so the shark fishers should be happy. In the estuaries, Wagonga

Inlet has been very quiet of late. That will change this month with big flathead and mulloway, the two trophy species to target. Using big soft plastics around the tailor schools is your best chance. The flatties will be making their way downstream. Fishing the deeper weed edges in the various bays in the main basin should produce a fish or two. Please remember to let the big girls go and handle them with care, they are far too valuable a resource to kill. The sooner we adhere to the Queensland flathead laws in our state, the better if you ask me. Bream will become more active as the weather warms, especially on surface presentations. Small poppers and shallow running hardbodied lures will work around the racks and broken weed edges. Whiting could be on the cards, too, but water temperature will decide if they want to play or not. Anglers fishing the channels downstream of the Highway bridge have been rewarded with bream, trevally and blackfish. These species have been better on bait with green weed ideal for the blackfish. You should be able to get fresh weed from the golf course lakes near the main surf beach. On the beaches, things have been a little up and down

Small running deep hardbodied lures are great for flatties and a fun way to target them. depending on what you’re targeting. If after salmon it’s been great with anglers having a ball on most local beaches. Casting chromed lures has been effective on lighter outfits while fishos using bait are getting bigger fish. A whole pilchard rigged on ganged hooks has worked well, with surf poppers in red and white producing also. Bream and whiting will become more active this month as the water warms. Fishing the close in gutters or rocky corners with fresh bait and berley will see some mouth watering fillets. Beach worms have been hard to get of late, mainly due to the flat seas we have had, but you shouldn’t have any problems getting pipis. If getting your own bait is difficult, the local tackle store at Ocean Hut Narooma will look after you. Better beaches to wet a line include Brou and Tilba beaches just south of Narooma.

With the flatter seas of late the pelagic action off the stones has been indifferent. Some days the salmon are in plague proportions and others non-existent. When there’s white water present, expect some fun, when there isn’t target something else. Casting lures and whole rigged ganged pilchards are the best methods at present. If you’re after the bread and butter species the drummer action should keep you happy. We have had a great season on the pigs with most ledges holding fish. Using lightly weighted baits with no float has been the key to bigger and better catch rates. Using crabs, cunjevoi or fresh prawns for bait and berleying heavily has been the gun method. Expect bream, blackfish and groper when targeting the drummer. Better spots to try are Mystery Bay, the golf course rocks and the southern wall of the bar entrance.

OCTOBER 2014

Industry Profile

Hooked on Bait and Tackle Business Profile Hooked on Bait and Tackle is found in the western suburbs of Melbourne at Hopper Crossing. Owned by Michael Felsovary, this relatively new business has a range of tackle and quality of service that takes customers back to the good old days where the right advice was given out every time. On a recent trip to Melbourne we took the time to drop into the store at 159 Old Geelong Road and chat to Michael about the business. When did Hooked on Bait and Tackle start operating? We have been open for seven years now, with many more to come. During this time the store has changed numerous times. This has always allowed us to expand our range and offer more to our customers. This includes a recent expansion that has allowed us to now stock a range of Native Watercraft pedal and paddle kayaks. What is the aim of the business? To provide our customers with not only the tools but the knowledge to have a great time on the water and hopefully catch a fish or two. What are your major brands and services? We have a comprehensive

range of key brands like Shimano, L Wilson, Rapala, Plano, Berkley, Costa Sunglasses, NS Black Hole and much, much more. What are really proud of is that we also stock an extensive range of quality boutique brands, in particular brands out of Japan like OSP, IMA, Jackall, Yamashita, Maria, Gancraft, Evergreen, Imakatsu and Dress. We also have quality local fresh and frozen baits as well as berley. The quality of the local product is second to none and we are proud to stock it. Most stores specialise in one thing or another, do you have a specialty that gives you an edge? I guess our speciality is that we have the largest range of speciality products across all 44

OCTOBER 2014

of our ranges. We try to source the best products available for any style of fishing. It is one thing to have this diverse range of products, but we also have a great team of staff who understand the products and can explain them and point you in the right direction. Whether you are simply looking to soak a bait in your local waterway or target the fantastic run of tuna and pelagic species the Victorian coastal waters have to offer.

What is your favourite style of fishing? I love all forms of fishing, from chasing GT to catching salmon on the surf. It really doesn’t matter as long as I’m out fishing. What is your most memorable fishing experience? I have had many great experiences, however the capture of my 44kg GT on the Mango Princess in Fiji has to be right up there. It was

the biggest GT I have ever caught to date. What is your most embarrassing moment while fishing or boating? I was 18yo, working in a small tackle store and I had just purchased my first Snyder rod. That day

I met up with a couple of customers on the beach at Ocean Grove and had a great day catching salmon when I decided it was time to go home, I had my last cast and with it the top end my surf rod flew off, never to been seen again. What is the one thing you would fix in the fishing industry if you could wave a magic wand? A bigger population of anglers in Australia so we could see even funkier products entering the Australian market. With that same wand, what would you fix in the boating world? I would like to see a practical component to getting your boat licence. It would lead to a better understanding

and greater safety on our waterways. For example it surprises me how many boaties have never set off a flare before, the last thing you want to be doing is trying to read instructions when something is going wrong. Can you give us five reasons a customer should walk through your door? • Friendly and knowledgeable service. • Best range of fresh and frozen bait available. • Always something new and exciting to see. • Huge range of product to select from not only the standard items through to speciality items. • Proudly independent allowing us to put the best product in the customers hands.

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October is the transitional month TASMANIA

Kelly Hunt

Winter weather patterns slow and begin to take the shape of summer patterns throughout October. The weather has been warming and the sun has been very welcome, however snowfall can still be apart of the fun in mountainous areas. Anglers see spring as generally the windiest time of the year. The late afternoon sea breezes can ruin our efforts to use the extra daylight. Don’t let this slight issue set you back as it’s right about now everything starts to fire. For the most part it will still be everything trout, but for those anglers looking for something different there is hope. In the north, there has been a fabulous catch and release flathead bite. I say catch and release as the bigger females will be making their way into the coastal shallows to spawn. Does not make a whole heap of sense to take these lovely ladies out of the systems. Trophy blue spots can be snared in and around Montague and the Stanley channels. The mouths and channels of most northwest rivers are worth a look. Super keen trophy hunters will eventually find themselves at the estuary at Port Sorrel. If you happen to land a cracker, carefully take a pic and slide her back in to make lots of wee bubby flatties. Warmer water and warmer weather means great things for most anglers, but none more so that the dry fly chaps. The insects will be starting to go full sick crazy, not only causing havoc on your wind screens, but also allowing even the likes of me to trick a fish on dry fly. In the highlands the warmer water around the edges of lakes will also have the aquatic life on the move. When it comes to fly fishing I am very good and cracking fly’s off and getting a nice wind knot collection on my leader.

So lets hear from an expert. TROUT TRAFFIC I caught up recently with Brendan Turriff who is an awesome reference on all things trout. He writes a fabulous blog that all trout fishers should check out (http://iheartthefly.com). Brendan said that the sea runners and mayfly will dominate the action in October. The sea runners were about last month in solid numbers and with the increased white bait runs this will only improve. Launceston Show Day generally marks the time when 21-22ºC days become more consistent and that’s

The trout fishing around the lower levels for most will be all about the whitebait. Find the little long distance swimmers of the bait world and you will find some good trout feeding hungrily. This is true of the Derwent and upper reaches into New Norfolk, as well as all the western rivers down into the Gordon River. I had the pleasure of fishing the Derwent round of the Lowrance Tasmanian Trout Classics. I was super impressed with the area we fished as it was my first time on that section of river. We fished from the Bridgewater Bridge back up to the New Norfolk township. We had the

BREAM The East Coast will really start to come on as we head into October and beyond. All the rivers start to see the aggregation of large numbers of spawning bream. The Swan is a prime destination for those targeting the bigger specimens and the Little Swanport never failing to deliver sensational sight fishing in the shallows and around the many and varied amounts of natural and artificial structure. If we are going to talk sight fishing for bream, and indeed we are, then the Scamander River is the king of its domain. People flock to it year-in year-out and the

There are a number of very impressive frog lures on the market today and none more so than the offerings from MIMIX. Hand-painted and super cool, check out the 45mm Ultra Frox. them as well. Best technique is to wind and let settle, then little to medium sized hops and pause. Over muddy and sandy bottom with few snags is the best area to give this technique a crack. If it gets a bit snaggy try the lift and drop technique. Wind in with long slow rips of the rod tip up, then let the vibe do its thing

Marcus Popowski loves to find and return big flatties. what mayfly love! Mid October will see the mayflies emerge in good numbers and, if they can get past the frenzied trout, will live to the ripe old age of 2 days! Brendan went onto say that if we get some spring rain, it changes everything. Tailing trout and frog feeders should become more of a focus. Normally the domain of the fly fisher with a skilfully tied Mrs Simpson or Sloan fur fly, however the wilder frog patterns the modern fly-tier has produced opens the door for the non-fly fishers amongst us.

good sense to ask some advice of someone who fishes that area a great deal, Justin Causby. I asked Justin what we could expect in October for the area. “October is a great month for trout up here. There are good numbers of whitebait and other baitfish and plenty of cover under the willows up near the township. Fishing the shallower shores over the shingles and up to the Big Bend are worth a look. All the way down the river there are some fantastic spots to try a soft plastic or hardbody. Position your boat in the main river and fish back towards you on a dropping tide.”

fishery sustains it with ease. The drive further north will find us at St Helens and on the edges of Georges Bay. The metal vibe is dynamite lure on bream for those in the know around Australia. I stumbled upon why they may not appeal to the larger number of fishos, as they work better when fished light. If you fish them on heavy leader of main line it will hamper their action and ability to excite fish. These lures are designed to attract an aggression bite as much as in hunger. The more action you can impart the more strikes you will have. Don’t be frightened to hop

and flutter to the bottom and repeat. They are a gun lure for covering a lot of ground as they cast a mile ! MIXED BAG East Coast and St Georges Bay will be firing on all cylinders come mid October. Australian salmon will be in the bay in big schools and they must have extended lunch break as they can be in excess of 3kg. No one needs to be told that these fish are fabulous fun on lighter gear – the kids and I call them ‘Tassie barra’. Chopper tailor are often cruising along with them so if you get some chew offs have

a light trace in the tackle bag. There is always a chance of some pike or silver trevally in the bay, which is hard to beat and rarely lets you down. If a feed of flathead is what you are after head into St Helens Bait and Tackle. Jamie will let you know where they have been and in what water depth offshore. The trick is to generally start shallow until you can find some fish. Don’t forget to use your sounder to mark productive spots. STRIPEYS STILL CLOSED All is not lost as there are still all manner of tasty reef fish to try and dislodge from the bottom. Blue eye trevalla , Hapuka and those funny looking pink ling. The broadbill fishery has certainly excited the anglers of Tasmania that go wide. The true detail of when they are most active and where they are in Tasmanian waters is yet to be really nutted out. If you find the right conditions by all means drop a big bait down deep and see what you may find. The way the fishing has been offshore lately you would never know what you may catch. • If you are light on information about where to start for Broadbill or any other species just head into a local tackle store and get the good oil. The staff of the technical stores have years and years of great advice and experience: Tassie Tackle And Outdoor Burnie Ultimate Fishing And Outdoors, Ulverstone Blue Peaks Devonport, Harrys Boat Shack Devonport, Wells Latrobe Fishing And Sport Georgetown, Tamar Marine Launceston, Gotya Bait And Tackle Launceston, Spot On Hobart Tackle One Cambridge/Hobart Rod And Range Moonah.

Seafest just keeps giving The Triabunna Seafest was a water mark event for the community of Triabunna and the Game fishing scene itself. In its first year as a fishing competition it attracted over 60 boats over 2 days. The boats ranged from 5m runabouts to the massive luxury vessel Blue Diamond. She is 48’ with twin Volvos pushing her 34 tonnes fully loaded. The Skipper and crew had a great time and are keen 46

OCTOBER 2014

to return for the event in 2015, so keep an eye out for details. The event had a great set of prizes and one of those was a 4 day trip to Arnhem land to fish the abundant sports fish they have available. It was a fabulous prize and was won by Rohan Stebbings. He was absolutely rapped and I have been keen to hear from him as he has recently returned. I spoke to Rohan and he gave up some time to share some brief thoughts.

ROHAN’S PRIZE I am back from an awesome trip to the Arnhem Land Barra Nature Lodge that I won at Triabunna Seafest. It was absolutely spectacular. We were right into it from day one. I was picked up from the airport and taken straight to a boat waiting in the water. The guide greeted me and suggested, given the weather, we head straight out the front to chase some long To page 47

Rohan Stebbings’ big barra he caught while on his Triabunna Seafest prize trip to Arnhem Land.

From page 46

tail tuna. It was fantastic and I ended up with two and one taken near the boat by a reasonable sized bronze whaler . We then travelled inshore over the flats and up a little creek. My guide this day was Adrian. He suggested we troll to locate where the barra were holding in the river. We found a few small fish. We decided once the water started to move to head up stream and cast lures into some gutter mouths. These streams were draining off the flats and

into the main channel on a falling tide. Ended the day very happy! Two long tail tuna and a dozen barra. Day two and I fished with Adrian again. No blue water today just barra. The plan involved a small half hour steam to a different river system. We fished many different creeks and gutter mouths for 18 barra landed, including my biggest barra for the week at 80cm. The barra fight hard and jump heaps and I lost as many as I landed. The suggestion was made to head down to the mouth

to fish a drop off at the junction of two rivers. This time we fished with a lure that was like a cross between a vibe and a soft plastic. The plan was to cast to the shore and work the lure down the face of the drop. It was a great plan. I caught a small barra and two black jew, making a total for the day of 18 barra, two black jew and a couple of mangrove jack. Day three was with a different guide. I was fortunate enough to fish with Lance Butler. Lance designs and tests all the Killalure prototypes and guides as

INLAND FISHERIES SERVICE

Popular Lake Crescent IFS

Tim Farrell

Increasing numbers of anglers are keen to pit their skills against the big trout at Lake Crescent. An extended period for fisherman in the lake introduced for the 2014/15 season (now open to fishing from 1 hour before sunrise to 3 hours after sunset during the season), improving lake levels and water clarity all tip the odds slightly in favour of the angler. Those in the know are aware that while Lake Crescent is one of the more challenging fisheries in Tasmania, the rewards can be exceptional. Visitors to Lake Crescent are reminded that there is one boat ramp at Lake Crescent and that camping is not permitted on Crown Land around the lake. Excellent camping sites are available however at Dago Point, only 7 km from the Lake Crescent boat ramp. LAKE SORELL REMAINS CLOSED TO ALL RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES. The mesh screens has been changed on the Lake Sorell outlet screens.

Screens were first built at the outlet of Lake Crescent leading into the Clyde River, and the outlet of Lake Sorell flowing into Lake Crescent, to ensure there is no further spread of carp between and outside of these water bodies. As no carp have been detected in Lake Crescent now for over 7 years, the screens leading into the Clyde River have now been removed. However, there is still a big emphasis placed on the Lake Sorell screens, as any breach in the containment structures could result in the re-introduction of carp back into Lake Crescent, as well as a lot of hard work down the drain. Carp Management staff recently changed the mesh on the Lake Sorell screens from 1mm to 12mm mesh, as a precautionary measure in case of the requirement to release large amounts of water, due to high rainfall. The diameter of the mesh is such to avoid any translocation of carp from one lake to the other, but more importantly the 1mm mesh is reinstalled from October to March, when the risk of carp spawning is at its greatest. The 1mm mesh is used to ensure that in the unlikely event of carp spawning, even eggs cannot

be transferred through to Lake Crescent. IFS REPORTS TO PEAK ANGLING BODY AAT The Inland Fisheries Service meets 4 times a year with Anglers Alliance Tasmania (AAT). AAT is the peak body representing Tasmania’s freshwater anglers. The IFS delivers a report to AAT prior to each meeting for information on IFS activities and discussion at the meetings. These reports are published on the IFS website and can be found in the publications sections of the site. AAT also publish the minutes to the meetings on their website www. anglersalliance.org.au CARP MANAGEMENT PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT 2013/14 The 2013/14 Carp Management Program Annual Report has now been completed and is available for public access on the IFS website in the publications section. Find out the latest news on the 2013/14 season with the Carp Management Program and how the battle against carp in Lake Sorell is progressing. Read about the trials and development of new carp eradication techniques and what the season ahead is going to entail.

The view from the Arnhem Land Barra Nature Lodge. well. We fished a different river system and a different technique. Mostly anchoring or tying to a snag and casting a Killalure prototype 80mm bibbed floating diver to snags and creek mouths. We caught a lot of fish for the day: between 30-40 barra, mangrove jack, one trevally, several catfish, a few cod and a couple of nice sized threadfin salmon. It was fantastic to spend a day with such a highly rated fisherman and a terrific bloke. Day four was my last day and I fished with Ben. The tides were right to fish the flats so we headed down for a look. We fished the

mangroves around the flats for a couple of hours for one barra and one hit. The tide change come on and was dropping so we headed back to the rivers. We fished snags, gutters and creeks for most of the day for 7 more fish. This place was amazing and the fishing very special. With an hour and a half of fishing to go for the trip, Ben said it had been a ‘slow day’ and suggested we travel up stream to a junction he called ‘Save Ass Creek’. As we arrived we slowed the boat to idle. Ben said cast towards the stick in the bank and in my hurry to do so I missed the mark. I was apologising for a wayward

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cast when with the first twitch of the lure, I was on! Before it was time to go we pulled another 19 barra from the one spot for another great day. This was truly a trip of a lifetime – all the guides were excellent, the food was great and the whole lodge was run to maximise the experience of every guest. We would come off the water and have afternoon tea and talk to all the other guests and guides. It was a great atmosphere and an awesome way to learn from others. We would then head to our accommodation to rest and shower ready for a massive tea later in the evening. – Rohan Stebbings

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Lowrance Tasmanian Trout Classic – Round 1 Held on the magnificent Derwent River, and home base in New Norfolk, this year’s event was sure to be a success. Teams and boats converged on the Junction Motel for an event briefing and an amazing carvery tea. The rules were laid out and in a refreshing change, trolling was allowed in the event for this year. This of course has its lovers and haters, but my perspective is that it opens up new members and participants to these events, and as long as trolling teams are respectful of those throwing hardbodies and soft plastics it is a great initiative. I am sure the organisers will monitor this inclusion and give the concept a tickle here and there when it needs it. The teams were full of beans, but most slunk away to talk tactics and ready gear for the battle ahead. And what a battle it was! It was tough going for most anglers and the fish

were sitting tight. Day one was cold and very foggy. The crews seemed to favour heading down river with the lion share racing off to the traditional sea runner shores down past Norske Skog and the Power Boat course. These crews were hoping to find fish feeding on whitebait heading up river on the incoming tide. The banks are lined with reeds and snags that hold fantastic silver footballs at this time of year. However, this was not how it played out. The sea runners didn’t play the game and it was the teams that went up river looking for resident browns that fared well. The foggy conditions early accounted for most fish and it was on the tide change later in the day where the fish became active again. Standout team on day one were Warmisham Lures with 10 fish. This was a tremendous effort from young guns Brendan Lovell

Brendan Lovell and Will Thorpe, champions of round one.

Action out of the mist. and Will Thorpe. They found fish and managed to turn them over quickly. This had them in great form as the nearest team’s totals on day one was Team Rapid with 7 and River Monsters with 6 trout. The Derwent River had tore some well fancied and experienced teams a new one. Testament to that were a number of teams that had registered the fearful ‘donut’ or only a couple of fish for their time on the water. The gun crew of Cranka II was one such team. Skipper Darrel ‘Dazzling’ Wells and first mate Ashley ‘I’ve Got This’ Hallam had registered only a 2 fish total and had some work to do. I spoke to them at the boat ramp and they had a great attitude. There was not a bottom lip dropped to be seen. They acknowledged the fishing was tough and they praised the efforts of teams who ‘turned it on and shone’.

The Junction Motel was a superb venue for the Tasmanian Trout Classic. The fog cleared much earlier on day two and the sun came out to warm the field. Teams dug deep and those with work to do were excited and eager. The clocked ticked

down and the boats were off and looking to find fish. The fishing was still tough and there was a great deal of discussion on boats with teams looking to break out.

Big movers on day two were the comedy coupling of Dazza and Ashley on Cranka II. They managed to storm up the leader board with a 6 trout haul. The boys were given some new reels to try from Team PENN, which they found to be very favourable. Big news on the river however was that Team Warmisham who had bolted out of the gate day one. They had found the going tough day two with only 2 fish. This left the two teams who had also found fish day one breathing down their neck. In the end, as boats rushed back to the boat ramp to place their key tags on the board before 2pm, the story unfolded. The competition was down to three teams who managed to catch 12 fish over the two days. Out in front, Warmisham were being mowed down by Team Damiki Tairyo Rods and Team Rapid. Team D.T. Rods had managed a solid weekend with 5 fish day one and 7 trout day two. Team Rapid the same, but around the other way. Nevertheless, this competition is decided on measured length of total fish caught. Hanging on by 11cm was Team Warmisham Lures followed by Team Damiki Tairyo rods and Team Rapid in third. The weekend was a cracker and like most fishing trips you don’t have to be catching heaps of fish to have an absolute ball. Next round is at the Great Lake in Tasmania’s highlands – Mainland crews very welcome see ‘Tasmanian Trout Classics’ on Facebook for more details.

HYDRO TASMANIA WATER STORAGE INFORMATION Water Storage Information as at 9th September 2014 Lake/Lagoon

Metres from full

Comment

Lake Augusta ...................................3.29 .......................................................Steady Arthurs Lake ....................................0.76 ....................................................... Falling Great Lake .......................................14.69 .....................................................Steady Trevallyn Pond .................................2.14 .......................................................Steady Shannon Lagoon ..............................0.12 .......................................................Steady Penstock Lagoon .............................0.08 .......................................................Steady Lake Echo ........................................7.86 .......................................................Steady Dee Lagoon .....................................0.27 .......................................................Steady Bradys/Binneys/Tungatinah .............2.34 ........................................................Rising Bronte Lagoon .................................1.41 .......................................................Steady Pine Tier Lagoon ..............................2.02 .......................................................Steady Little Pine Lagoon ............................0.84 .......................................................Steady Laughing Jack Lagoon ....................3.25 .......................................................Steady Lake St Clair ....................................1.76 .......................................................Steady Lake King William ............................1.93 .......................................................Steady Lake Liapootah ................................0.35 .......................................................Steady Wayatinah Lagoon ...........................2.18 ....................................................... Falling Lake Catagunya ...............................0.74 ........................................................Rising

Lake Repulse ...................................0.51 .......................................................Steady Cluny Lagoon ...................................0.21 ....................................................... Falling Meadowbank Lake ..........................0.50........................................................ Falling Lake Pedder ....................................1.13 ....................................................... Falling Lake Gordon ....................................35.5 .......................................................Steady Lake Burbury ...................................7.30........................................................Steady Lake Plimsoll ...................................6.31 .......................................................Steady Lake Murchison ...............................18.73 .....................................................Steady Lake Mackintosh .............................7.24 .......................................................Steady Lake Rosebery .................................0.60 .......................................................Steady Lake Pieman ....................................3.75 ....................................................... Falling Lake Mackenzie ...............................3.49 .......................................................Steady Lake Rowallan .................................7.43 .......................................................Steady Lake Parangana ...............................1.84 .......................................................Steady Lake Cethana ...................................3.52 .......................................................Steady Lake Barrington ...............................0.80 ....................................................... Falling Lake Gairdner ..................................9.56 ....................................................... Falling Lake Paloona ...................................0.76 ........................................................Rising Woods Lake .....................................0.42 .......................................................Steady Whitespur Pond ...............................7.98 .......................................................Steady Lake Newton ...................................4.07 .......................................................Steady Lake Margaret .................................4.32 .......................................................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

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148 04.785 37 50.071 Point 148 04.839 148 04.783 37 50.071 37 50.124 148 04.481 37 50.109

Fishermans Landing

148 04.917 37 50.542

148 04.873 37 50.580

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148 05.473 148 04.955 37 50.517 37 50.580 148 05.476 148 04.911 37 50.517 37 50.620

148 05.536 37 50.517 148 05.534 37 50.569

148 06.402 37 50.690 148 06.407 37 50.719

148 06.474 37 50.676 148 06.480 37 50.704

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Lake Tyers township Bass Strait

Each reef is a collection of smaller ‘patch reefs’, comprised of differently shaped concrete modules. The modules are purpose-built to provide important habitat features for fish and marine life. They feature rough surfaces and contain cavities to allow water flow and provide refuges.

Glass House Point

Lake Tyers

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Purpose-built reef modules will provide new fish habitat.

www.depi.vic.gov.au/betterfishing

fishing reefs 149 47.073 37 31.124

149 47.114 37 31.139

149 47.039 37 31.204

North Goodwin 149 45.779 37 31.870 149 45.764 37 31.906

149 45.848 37 31.893

149 47.084 37 31.220

Goodwin Sands

149 45.836 37 31.929

South Goodwin Bottom Lake

Bass Strait

Mallacoota township

Mallacoota Inlet

Silver trevally are likely colonisers.

Chinamans Creek

147 51 625 37 53 090 147 51 611 37 53 151

147 53 399 37 53 096

147 51 653 37 53 098

147 53 354 37 53 151

147 51 640 37 53 157

Metung Boardwalk

Gippsland Lakes

Bancroft Bay

147 53 426 37 53 118

147 53 380 37 53 174

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Hard work reaps rewards HORSHAM

Trevor Holmes

After a rather short winter with very little rainfall but some extremely cold mornings we are now on the brink of getting magnificent spring weather. We’ve had some early hints of what’s to come with a couple of days lately hitting the 20ºC mark. As much as I love the warmer weather, unfortunately we have failed to reach the trigger point at Rocklands for water to be released into Toolondo. Last month negotiations were under way by VRFISH to attempt to save the lake, but I fear it may be too late as we experienced an algae bloom in the last week of August. With only 2.8m of water it will only be a matter of time before we start to have fish kills. Hopefully common sense prevails and this icon can be saved by the government granting an exception to the rules. ROCKLANDS RESERVOIR As reported last month, Rocklands has been a little quiet and being on the rise, some anglers fishing the shallows have taken the odd trout feeding on new offerings. A couple of mates fished it for a half day and landed a nice brown trout of 1.7kg on a Stump Jumper intended for redfin. They also dropped another trout that they are sure was bigger than the one they landed. With the warmer weather approaching the redfin should start to school up again and we can hopefully look forward to returning to the good days of bags of fish. I spoke to a local just recently who has always been able to get a good feed of reddies in the Glenelg River,

but he seems to think those days are gone. LAKE FYANS Fyans, after a bit of a standard quiet patch in the tail of winter, has started to produce once again with some of the beaut brown trout it was renowned for pre drought starting to reappear. I recently had a picture sent to me of a massive brown taken trolling the wall area that went 4.5kg. A trophy fish in anyone’s books and this same angler also landed another nice fish of 2.1kg. Mudeye should start to move now with the warmer weather and activity should increase for both browns and rainbows.

fish have been very moody and hard to tempt. Rainbows have been prolific the last month but it has been the big browns that most anglers hunt for. Just lately we have reverted to mudeye fishing again with good success early morning and late afternoon and even after dark. With hatches of dragonflies in the last warmer spell we also landed a couple of fish on the Fishooka Dragonfly Vibe. Mayfly as well as caddis moth hatches are just starting so I can see the fly fishos doing very well here late afternoon as the trout turn their noses up at almost anything thrown at them to take a winged morsel.

Storm Rosier with another stonking Toolondo brown. Redfin are abundant in these waters with some larger fish amongst them but if you want to nail one you have to get up early! As daylight breaks or disappears is the prime time. Trolling Stump Jumpers, Daiwa Double Clutches and Halco Scorpions should do the trick. Don’t discount Tassie Devils as I’ve landed plenty of trout and reddies using these lures. LAKE TOOLONDO Hot and cold! With the tail end of the spawn still going on, which is late for here, the

Redfin have also been abundant with anglers targeting them on plastics and deep divers hooking good numbers. LAKE WARTOOK Rainbows in the area this year have had virtually no pressure from fishos for months, so this is a good time to fish for rainbows. There’s been good numbers taken from the wall area either by boat or bank anglers. Pink Tassie Devils, Halco Scorpions and Stump Jumpers have all been successful as well as Rapalas in the ever-

Scott Peck with a 3.75kg Toolondo rainbow taken on a white clown Tassie Devil. reliable spotted dog pattern. Peeled yabby tail is a favourite bait of mine here and fished deep suspended a couple of winds up off the bottom or on a running sinker rig is the best option. Mudeye under a bubble float will also do well here from now on as it does in all Wimmera lakes. With the lake at 87% we look forward to a few years of very prosperous fishing here. LAKE BELLFIELD Once again the Chinooks, being forever hungry, have been the mainstay for local anglers here but size wise they still have a way to go before being up to edible size. Averaging around 600g, they are great sport on light tackle. We’ve had a few stories relayed of sightings of big trout smelting on top but they continue to be extremely hard to tempt. Redfin up the south end of the lake are plentiful, but still down deep and not overly energetic just yet. This will all change in the coming month as the water temperatures rise and they become aggressive.

WIMMERA RIVER With the river being easily accessed right through Horsham and beyond it is a great place for junior anglers to sharpen their skills on the ever present carp! Ridding the system of these pesky vermin is a good learning curve for anyone. Worms and corn will soon see your rod bending and you doing the environment a huge favour. Yellowbelly have become a bit scarce but those who persist and risk a lure or two on the logs and snags have banked a few fish to 1.2kg. LAKE BOLAC With a slight rise in the water level lately, a few rainbow trout have been landed up the south end by bank anglers fishing local live minnow or glassies on a running sinker rig. Late afternoon or early morning have been the best times as the bait fish venture out in lower light and the trout move in to snack on them. The other place that is producing on the lake is the southwest corner where

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The author with a beaut buck brown of 3.8kg from Toolondo taken on a Fish Arrow J Huddle soft plastic on dark. DAN LEE

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OCTOBER 2014

Yabbies haven’t stopped the whole winter, much to many people’s surprise, and some very nice critters have turned up too. The only drawback is they are in deep water, between 40-60ft, making it slightly hard work.

the creek runs in. Fish have been foraging here for food flowing in off the plains. Some bigger rainbows to 3kg+ have been sighted in the creek but so far they have eluded even the better anglers.

TAYLORS AND GREEN LAKES After reporting last month on the Green Lake redfin, bank anglers have spent hours for only a handful of fish. The boaters have done a little better when they can locate the seemingly nomadic schools. Those with side scan sounders have done well being able to locate and mark the schools and sit off them without spooking them. One such angler is Adrian Glass, who continues to get good numbers using this method. Adrian reports that the schools will follow up hooked fish and as soon as a fish is dropped the whole school relocates and shuts down until found again. Taylors Lake has had very few reports, except for some nice redfin landed from the bank about 150m on the highway side of the ramp on live yabbies and scrub worms. These were taken late afternoon after the angler in question spent several hours up the inlet end for a return of one yellowbelly of about 300g. DO THE RIGHT THING It is with much disappointment that I report on an incident at Lake Toolondo which has left many stunned but mainly disappointed. GWM have a no camping policy here as is the case with most Wimmera lakes. Campers and fishermen spent a weekend illegally camped right on the lake’s edge, after driving past no camping signs, and left bottles, cans and mixed rubbish behind scattered within metres of the waters edge. To top that off they also left human waste and toilet paper in the immediate area. No wonder we lose access to many areas and I know it’s a minority that spoil it for the majority but please, take your rubbish with you and observe signs as it only categorises responsible people.

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Yellowbelly will entertain while the cod breed MILDURA

John Menhennett goobyfish@hotmail.com

Last month, water clarity in the Murray was still poor, which had forced most lure anglers into its tributaries and billabongs to find a few good fish. The Darling and Wakool rivers have been fishing well of late where the water has been clearer. Yellowbelly activity has been slow due the cold water temperatures, but as the sun shines some nice fish have been caught on lures around lock 11 and below Mildura Weir. It is not unusual to see yellowbelly activity at a high this time of year, but the constant changing levels and water temperatures are affecting this somewhat. Fishing with bait around the weir structure in Mildura has been a good method to pick up a yella or two lately. Baits that are working

Alan Hutcheon from Mildura with a thumper of a yellowbelly caught outside of the Murray cod season around Mildura. Fish like these are quite common in the spring time. the best are a cocktail of shrimp and worm, even though live shrimp are still difficult to find. Johnsons Bend has been

producing some good yellas, particularly in the slower moving back waters and in eddy currents. A well-cast lipless

crankbait or small hard body has seen 5 or 6 yellas caught in no time at all lately. Tying up to a snag to throw lures into the bank and

slowly retrieve has been the best method. Anglers should be wary that Murray cod season is closed and will reopen on 1 December. Hopefully once the water clears up after the season open, we should see Murray cod activity really heat up. Casting large lures into snags and around permanent structures, like the weir and lock, for yellowbelly is usually the thing to do at this time of year. Pick of the spots to target yellowbelly on bait is around the Mildura Weir and Merbein area; close to the banks tight up on most structure. Lipless crankbaits have been working a treat in the shallows around Johnsons Bend, just below Apex Park. Luring for yellowbelly from the bank is also best around the new rock structure at Lock 11, particularly at the point where the lock gates open on the down side.

Murray cod have been active in most spots around Mildura during the open season but water clarity toward the end of the open season put an end to that. Spring will see yellowbelly activity pick up a bit more around Mildura’s hotspots. Spring is a great time for targeting yellowbelly as they make their way upstream and start to school up below the weir structures. Redfin should also come on the bite and are fun to catch on light gear using soft plastics and blades. Carp are a bit of fun on light gear, too especially when fishing with the kids. Most anglers around Mildura will be waiting for the cod season to officially open again. By then, waters should be back in their banks and we should see a Murray cod season like no other. In the meantime, Mildura anglers are gearing up for the spring yellowbelly frenzy in the beautiful sunshine Mildura has to offer.

The season that was ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

With the Murray cod season finished it’s hard not to smile as I look back over the past nine months and reflect on the many captures and lessons learned. Two decades now I have stalked these iconic fish and still marvel at the smaller things taught every season. Most important as an angler, never let your head outgrow your hat as you can never know it all in fishing, especially when it comes to Murray cod. It was a ripper season highlighted with some mega fish caught in our local water that are quickly becoming known as some

of the best big cod locations around. I was privy to many special angling moments in these waters including several mega sized cod topping the 100lb mark! Brydan Whitfield landed such a fish trolling a large timber lure near Mildura back in April. The fish of monstrous proportions battled long and hard before finally coming to the net. It was all Whitfield could do to hold it for a photo as his legs shook under the massive fish’s weight. This was the first of several giant cod. The next was landed by James Edmunds from Shepparton. Edmunds was already having a great trip, landing his first metre plus cod on a lure the previous day. Next morning, the powerful strike reverberated up the line almost ripping the rod

from his grip. Nothing could prepare Edmunds for what would about to unfold as he fought the giant fish from the depths of the Murray. He admits to feeling a little faint as the cod appeared on the surface beside the boat. Never had he seen such a fish nor dreamt of ever catching one. Edmunds was fishing with a group of good mates who got in on the photo shoot before the catch of a lifetime was returned to the river. Several other monster cod come to mind, all caught and released throughout the season. These fish still reside in the depths of our rivers and remain a chance for any angler that’s ever dreamtof catching that fish of a lifetime. Local businesses have also fared well on the back of what’s been an excellent

Rod Mackenzie with a sizable golden perch caught on a Bassman Mumbler. cod season. Allan Hutcheon from Got One Mildura says it’s been a great season where bait and lure sales signified a massive resurgence of interest amongst anglers

keen to land a Murray cod. It seems a general trend with many local businesses benefiting from an influx of angling related revenue that looks set to be even bigger

next season. I know of anglers that travelled from as far afield as Canberra to chance their hand in our local waters and all were To page 55

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From page 54

suitably impressed with the excellent cod fishing on offer. Along the Murray anglers are enjoying an excellent run of golden perch, although mostly on bait as the water clarity is still a little poor. Any pocket of backwater on the edge of the current line will hold fish and amongst them some rippers to 55cm and more. With shrimp numbers growing by the day as the water continues to warm a

Brydan Whitfield with just one of many giant cod that was caught last season.

ready supply of bait can be easily procured in a mesh bait trap clearly marked with your name and address. A handful of dry dog food placed in the trap will lure in as many shrimp as needed. Small yabbies and scrub-worms will also tempt a bite and a cocktail of worms and shrimp is dynamite bait when things are a little slow. Of course, the carp are running rampant and have acquired a bit more length and pull since last season. They have now reached a size

where they will test you out and often do you over when fishing tight to the timber. They are a bloody nuisance but at the same time hone angling skills that may one day come in handy when fighting more desirable fish. A few catfish are also eating baits and must be returned to the river regardless the size as they are fully protected. Some good perch are being landed below the Euston and Wentworth lochs

on lures with vibes and spinnerbaits working best. It’s amazing how easy these fish can find lures in dirty water when they are stacked in numbers. Anglers fishing baits at these locations are also doing well. As the weather continues to warm we can look forward to some excellent spring fishing before the heat arrives driving our angling addiction towards the coast.

Seeing plenty of red this spring ECHUCA

Ian Page

As we get deeper into spring with the days both longer and warmer, it’s hard not to appreciate how special and diverse the waterways in our region are. Whether you are a die-hard lure man or bait angler the opportunities are endless. From recent reports coming into the shop, it seems the yellowbelly are obliging in Kow Swamp and Gunbower Creek with the ever-popular Jackalls accounting for many good catches.

For those able to troll these areas with small to medium hardbodied lures, these fish are aggressive and territorial so sweep the area a few times and I tend to change lures or at least colours every 20 minutes, unless I am getting constant action on a particular lure and as we all have our favourites. I tend to start with those that have given me results in the past. I think keeping records of past catches including time of year, water heights and water temp are vital in determining the type of fish and techniques required for different times of year. The Murray from above

the Goulburn junction to Torrumbarry always gives solid results during October in and around the snags. If bait fishing, try scrub worms, shrimp or yabbies, my preference would be a running sinker rig and a circle hook, which I find excellent for both yellowbelly and redfin. If fishing in an area with little or no current, try an unweighted shrimp or yabby with a gentle lift from the bottom. Redfin have been good in the Campaspe and in parts of the Goulburn with both lures and bait in the irrigation channels around the area. When fishing the lakes,

troll some smaller lures until you get some action, then angle with worm or yabbies. I always enjoy this time because it gives the opportunity to lighten off the gear and enjoy some different methods and target different species of fish in waters that we may not tend to try over the summer months . So take advantage of the beautiful spring season and get out and get amongst them. • 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.

Some good perch are being caught along the Murray on bait. This one took a yabby after dark.

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OCTOBER 2014

Sirens blow on this cod season YARRAWONGA

Tony Bennett codclassic@bigpond.com

The last siren just sounded for the end the 2013-14 Murray cod fishing season. If you missed out on any wild fantasy or ambition you had of tangling with some mighty green beast over the past 9 months, it may be time to re-hash your plans, re-stock your tacklebox and start planning ahead for the new season that is only a couple of months away! All anglers must keep in mind that as of 1 September through to 30 November inclusive, the targeting of Murray cod is not

permitted while the crays are off limits until next June. The best northeast bound anglers could hope for over the next month is a good dose of sunshine to bring on a run of early spring yellas. Fishing the top end of Lake Mulwala around the Bundalong area where you find a little more current is traditionally more productive than the open waters of the lake itself. For anyone that does encounter a cod over the next couple of months, it should release unharmed as quickly as possible. To minimise cod encounters while targeting yellas, lures no more than 80mm should be used. If

fishing the waters of northeast Vic in search of a yella or two, keep in mind that the Murray River below Yarrawonga downstream to Tocumwal it totally closed to all forms of fishing for this period also. August proved to be a tough month with only limited fish being reported. Kev Brooks finished the season off on a high landing a beautiful 107cm cod on a cast Koolabung lure. Kev has proved time and time again that if you put in the effort, rewards will come. You do not have to be travelling hundreds of kms downstream if specifically looking for BIG cod. Mark Greenhalgh was another to put a nice bend in

his rod and was rewarded with a new PB of 87cm. Nace Lowe along with kids Amarlie and Archer spent a weekend chasing the crays around the Bundalong area. The crew were quietly surprised at how easily they managed to achieve their bag limits and encountered numerous massive females in the process. One net alone produced a staggering 7 large crays with 6 of them being of legal size! Fisheries management must be applauded as it could have been easy to ban cray fishing season but a reduced bag limit, increased size limit along with a couple of other changes has allowed

A net full of crays, a nice reward for the Lowe family. anglers to enjoy a favourite pastime, hopefully for many years to come. Coming up on 25 October is the popular Golden Do$$ars fishing competition, an event designed to specifically target yellas. Entry forms are now available for this and the Cod Classic. Again the Cod

Classic promises to be huge and shouldn’t be missed. Call in and see us at Lake Mulwala Fish Camp & Ski, the official Cod Classic shop (Opposite the Post Office) or call 0357 441667 for further information. Until next edition, happy fishing.

Lures the go at Shepp Lake SHEPPARTON

Nick Brown teamriverrats@hotmail.com

We are in the full swing of spring and early signs are leading to two more months of above average fishing. All local waterways fished well in early September with the Goulburn being the standout on the last weekend of cod season. In the days leading up to the cut-off there were plenty of good fish caught all the way from Murchison to Undera. There were dozens of reports, mostly of early season yellowbelly being on the bite. This is why I am so optimistic that it’s going to be a bumper spring. After talking to many local fishos they tended to lean towards Meadlands Road area out near Bunbartha. This area does not get fished much but seems to fish well during the

spring. Rod Mackenzie fished out that way earlier in the year and he was very impressed with the water, so if he rates it, you know it must be good! After talking to staff at both local tackle stores it seemed they were leaning towards lures being the most successful way of catching a fish in early spring. A trend that is forming is more anglers casting hardbodied lures instead of the standard spinnerbaits or lipless crankbaits. The advantage of casting hardbodied lures is you can easily keep the lure in the strike zone, where a lipless crankbait or spinnerbait are normally harder to keep in the spot. In the past, many local fishos have opted out of using hardbodied lures in the Broken and Goulburn systems due to shallow waters. By simply keeping the rod a touch higher or using the ‘slow roll, pause’ retrieve you can keep the lures from diving into the

muddy bottoms. When choosing what hardbodied lure to use I would suggest buying a few different types. All hardbodied lures have slightly different swim patterns and sometimes throwing a different lure can entice the fish to strike. Casting for yellowbelly this spring I would suggest using the small Codgers, which dive to 10ft, Mac Maulers or the trusty old Stump Jumper, I feel these 3 lures are a must when targeting the yellowbelly in the Broken and Goulburn rivers. If you’re not into lure fishing, don’t worry, fresh bait is a lot easier to source now, a bar of soap or some dog food in a shrimp net should see you get plenty of shrimp for a day’s fishing. The old faithful shrimp/worm cocktail works well in all of our rivers and lakes. Keeping your bait fresh and active has always worked for me. If I’m fishing out of a boat I get a lot of fish when

another boat passes by and I think that’s the rolling action of the waves causes me to move my bait. If I’m fishing from the bank and get a bite, I like to hold the rod and flick the line so the bait moves slightly. I am no expert but it seems to work. KIALLA LAKES There has been a handful of young fishers spending afternoons at the lakes, they’re not catching bags of fish but they’re consistently catching 1 or 2 fish a night. The best method for the lake in early September was large scrub worms with a bit of scent. Scenting the worms will help the fish find the bait in the brown murky waters. I have no preference as to what scent works best so get into Trelly’s Tackle World or Boats And More and I am sure they can

Tim Polis with a 90cm+ cod caught on the last week of the season. from the lake. It’s starting to turn into a sport fishing location and not a ‘fishing-fora-feed’ location. Both catch and release and the fisheries stocking program has set the lake up for a great future. Powerbait Salmon eggs are still proving to be a hit in the Shepp Lake this week with

DAM LEVELS Lake/Dam % Full

Dam % Full

LAKE/DAM Jul Aug Sep Cairn Curran 58 64 62 Dartmouth 92 94 95 Eildon 75 84 87 Eppalock 74 74 74 Fyans 84 84 83 Greens 65 56 67 Hepburn 57 87 99 Hume 57 72 74 Lauriston 80 83 82 Malmsbury 38 42 37 Mulwala (Yarrawonga) 89 93 101

Newlyn 59 86 94 Nillahcootie 94 100 101 Rocklands 24 26 29 Taylors 22 25 32 Tullaroop 49 52 52 Upper Coliban 72 90 98 Waranga 64 91 85 Wartook 57 73 87 William Hovell 103 100 99

OCTOBER 2014

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

Kaleb Oxley with a nice early spring yella from Shepparton Lake caught on a hardbodied lure. point you in the right direction. SHEPPARTON LAKE The lake has been fishing very well lately and that’s a credit to the fisheries for stocking it so well. Some of the credit also has to go to the local fishers who have not been taking too many fish

multiple reports of bag limits being collected quite easily (5 with 2 exceeding 35cm). The trout are now in the 25-30cm range and on light gear they’re great fun. Other successful methods for the lake has been soft plastic fishing, mostly using

the squidgy wriggler in the drop bear colour, the redfin seem to go nuts over this colour. For those targeting reddies this week, casting a Squidgy Jelly Prawn Bug or Green Grunter Fish is working well. The choice to bait fish with worms is there but they seem to be hitting lures at the moment. CRAIGMUIR LAKE The lake has gone off the bite in recent times, which is strange as spring is normally the best time to fish Craigmuir. Hopefully once this article hits the stand the water temperature is a lot warmer it brings the yellowbelly and redfin on the bite. WARANGA BASIN Last month the basin is at a higher level than at the same time last year. The best thing about the lower levels is it gave the banks plenty of time to grow grass. Now with the water levels rising the redfin are moving into the shallows to feed. Just like in the big impoundments the fish will move up on the grass banks to if you keep as eye on the levels and as soon as you see a rise get out there and target the banks. Cast small hardbodied lures or soft plastics in 3-6ft of water and you will have a ball if they’re still feeding on the freshly covered banks.

Spring rain and great trout fishing expected KEIWA VALLEY

Robbie Alexander

Throughout winter, Lake Dartmouth has been the standout fishery right across Northeast Victoria as it has consistently produced trout during the coldest months of the year. This great fishing should continue throughout October as the water in Lake Dartmouth stays quite cool due to its altitude and mountainous location. By late October, the trout may start moving down deeper into cooler water as the water surface temperature rises too much. This is more likely to happen towards the end of the month but will only happen if we start getting really warm weather. Throughout October, trolling with winged lures such as Tassie Devils will deliver results in Lake Dartmouth. Bright pink coloured Tassie Devils usually seem to work the best, and a recent trip there with my good mate Sandy Hector proved that theory right, with pink catching the most fish, as usual. Try and make sure you fish the low light periods of the

day. Sunrise and sunset are the best times to catch trout in any open waterway in my opinion. As the sun climbs higher into the sky, try and stick to the shady bays out of the direct sunshine. During the day, when the sun is high in the sky, go back to your camp, have a sandwich and a stubby and lay down for a couple of hours as this is the quietest time of the day. Then, head back out late afternoon when the shadows of the tall mountains begin to push across the lake.

The Kiewa River will be fishable during October, but whether it is wadeable or not will be dictated by the amount of spring rainfall we receive.

trout fishing, particularly with worms for bait. The Mitta Mitta River itself will be well worth a fish anywhere between Eskdale and Lake Dartmouth, with the section upstream of Mitta Mitta being a bit slower. There are some great trout in this section of the river if you can find them! Snowy creek will be in fantastic shape upstream of Mitta Mitta. How it fishes this season will be a bit of a mystery after a couple of quiet seasons, but once again the law of averages tells me that

The weather is very unpredictable in the mountains. This sun shower caught us by surprise. Totally unexpected on a day with no rain forecast! Make sure you pack plenty of warm clothes if you’re planning on heading up top Dartmouth during October.

Sandy Hector with a lovely Lake Dartmouth brown trout that took his dual depth Tassie Devil in Christmas tree colour on sunset recently. If you have a downrigger, don’t be afraid to use it, particularly during the brightest parts of the day. Down-rigging at 20-30ft seems to be a good depth during October. The streams should all be looking great during October. We had just endured a record dry spell for August and the streams were looking fantastic. Going by the law of averages we should expect some rainfall in September and October, but how much is anybody’s guess. At best the streams will be low and clear, at worst they will be high and dirty which can be quite conducive to great

The author with a typical sized Lake Dartmouth brown trout trolled on a pink Tassie Devil lure in the middle of the day.

it should be about ready to bounce back. Over the hill to the beautiful Kiewa River, and I am predicting that there could be a fair amount of water flowing down the river during October, especially the start of the month. Once again, without knowing how much rainfall we are going to receive during October, it is hard to know exactly how it will be flowing, but given that the Kiewa River drains the tallest mountains in the state, with the highest rainfall, there is a better than average chance that the Kiewa River will still be quite high, particularly at the start of the month. The last of the winter snow will be melting away on the peaks, which will keep the river well-fed. Make sure you take plenty of worms for bait if you are heading to the Kiewa River during October as high water usually lends itself to better worm fishing. Allans Flat water hole will be worth fishing during October, especially the second half of the month as the water begins to warm up and the yellowbelly start getting active. The redfin should also be starting to move in the water hole, and there should still be a few rainbow trout in there after several hundred were stocked in time for the September school holidays.

Siwash hooks, sometimes known as lure hooks, are a great idea when trolling Tassie Devil lures. The standard treble hooks and wire trace that come with the lures work OK, but replacing them with a pair of single hooks, such as shown in this photo, will increase your hook up rate.

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OCTOBER 2014

Cod close down, trout warm up WANGARATTA

Robbie Alexander

To say it has been very dry would be an understatement, Wangaratta’s lowest ever August rainfall was 11.8mm back in 2007. This August we managed not even 6mm. That’s about half of our driest ever August! Thankfully, we had a very wet June and July to set us up for some decent run-off. By October, the trout streams

everything in its path. That was a few years back now, so hopefully Mother Nature has begun waving her magic wand and started a turnaround up there. With trout holding nicely in many of the feeder streams in the headwaters of the Ovens River that were not affected by the sludge, I am confident that the trout fishing will bounce back. Sometimes it takes a few years for this type of damage to recover. First the plants have to grow back, then the insect

Buckland, Buffalo, Rose and Dandongadale, Upper King (upstream of Lake William Hovell) will all be worth a look during October, which is when the trout are usually very active. The King River downstream from Lake William Hovell may not fish very well. By all means, give it a go, but I would not expect anything too spectacular as trout numbers have declined rapidly in recent years in this area due to a few factors, the most prominent being the excessive heat waves we have endured over the last few summers. Many of the small streams and tributaries will be worth fishing during October. In fact, October is the best month of the year to fish the lower reaches of the semi rural creeks before the water starts getting too warm in November and the trout decide to sit in the bottoms of the deep holes and sulk. The lower reaches of the Ovens and King rivers should provide great bait fishing in

October, but pretty much the only target species are carp. There are very few yellowbelly in the system upstream of Peechelba. If you are targeting yellowbelly, you are far better off heading right down to Bundalong where the lower Ovens River is backed up by Lake Mulwala. Alternatively, if you want to catch yellowbelly, you are better off giving the Wangaratta region a miss and

Small trout like this one started turning up more frequently towards the end of last season; hopefully a sign of a better season ahead.

If fishing the Ovens River during spring, using worms ensure minimal interruption to spawning Murray cod while allowing you to still wet a line. Tiny cod such as this one and carp are the most commonly caught fish on worms in the Ovens River system.

heading to Lake Eildon, Lake Hume, Lake Nillahcootie or the Broken River. I fish the Ovens River a lot around Wangaratta during the spring months. As it is the closed Murray cod season, I choose my bait and techniques wisely as any angler deemed to be targeting Murray cod during the closed season faces being fined. I usually fish with reasonably light line, a small hook and sinker and a bunch of worms. I catch a lot of carp, and quite a few Murray cod, which are rarely more than To page 59

Yellas start spawn as trout finish EILDON

Jeremy De Haan fishes a lovely stretch of the Ovens River near Harrietville 3 years ago, just weeks before the big bushfire and flash flooding devastated this stretch of river. Hopefully the upper Ovens River begins showing signs of improvement this season. should be looking superb. It is hard to tell at this stage how the Ovens River is going to fish this season as it has really struggled for trout over the last few years due to a series of natural disasters, which caused a wall of mud, charcoal and sludge to push through the river, killing

life has to come back so that there is plenty of food for the trout. I am looking forward to fishing the upper Ovens River this season, just to see how it is recovering. Most of the other rivers in the catchment that hold trout should fish well during October. Rivers like the

Andy McCarthy

Thank goodness the water temperature has come up recently with some cracking days weather wise, which has got the yellowbelly really on the chew. They’re starting to school up big time in preparation for the spawn this upcoming month. It’s going be a beauty, with things aligning nicely for the run to Christmas. One thing I would recommend giving a crack if you like trolling is trolling a spinnerbait around. This technique is very deadly in lake Mulwala with lighter models, so give it a crack. Also, quite a few lads have been trolling

Regular fish stocking in Eildon ensures that this fishery is always alive and booming.

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OCTOBER 2014

Yellowbelly will be stocking up for the spawn in the upcoming months, so make the most of this period as the fish will be hungry!

Jackalls around shallow rocky areas with great success. If you can sound the fish up but they are not very active, go super finesse on them with tiny lightly-weighted soft plastics and they won’t be able to help themselves. As usual at this time of year, cod as by-catch can be quite common. Just remember, the fish must be released without leaving the water and taking photos of cod in the closed season it’s frowned upon and could get you in a bit of strife with fisheries, so use some common sense and return them to the water to get on with their breeding. There have been some good reddies getting caught lately and this fishing should improve as the water

gets warmer. Now we should also start to see some trout putting on a bit of weight and condition and going on the chew after the spawn. There have been lots of pictures lately of very slabby trout so I look forward to seeing some fat ones caught this month. The pondage has been fishing very well of late with good numbers of fish of all sizes being caught and let’s not forget it’s the Eildon Big Fish Challenge on 18 and 19 October, so check out the website at www. eildonbigfishchallenge.com. au or find us on Facebook, punch in Eildon Big Fish Challenge for a chance at a free entry. Remember to like and share!

Bonnie Doon red and gold BONNIE DOON

Andy McCarthy

It is simply the best time of year up the top end of our massive lake. Everything just seems to burst into life this time of year! The footy has finished and the weather is getting better and better day after day. Everybody

down this way is excited too, because it’s yellowbelly time. The next 3 months are my favourite part of the year on Eildon, whether it’s bait fishing, trolling, casting or jigging you’re sure to cross paths with some of the fish this end of the lake is famous for. Up above the Bonnie Doon Bridge, just opposite the pub is a great starting point for

any trip. Right now up around the back of the Bonnie Doon Caravan Park is a real hot-spot, where the freshly covered grassy flats are coming alive. There’s plenty of food like worms, grubs, snails, small baitfish and hundreds of other different types of bugs and critters that yellas love to feast on. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they will be easy to

This is a typical-sized yella for Bonnie Doon. Yellas of this size are still lots of fun on light gear. From page 58

40cm long. The amount of breeding sized Murray cod I have caught on worms over the years I could count on one hand. So by angling with worms it allows me to get a fishing fix in on my favourite waterway without interrupting a spawning Murray cod. Lake William Hovell

can be a great place to head in October as the sun starts getting a bit more warmth in it. The main species on offer up there in October is trout. The redfin are usually pretty slow still during October, but the trout are usually still very active. Try trolling winged lures such as Tassie Devils around sunrise and sunset. If we get good rain try

fishing with worms near the mouth of the King River. Anywhere in the top 300m of the lake can produce trout when bait fishing with worms after good rainfall. If we don’t get a lot of rain, try angling with a mudeye underneath a float along the southern edge of the lake over the flatter weed beds. This is not only a dynamite technique, but also a very exciting one.

catch. There is so much tucker to pick and choose from you will need to be on your game and will have to do your best to match the hatch. If you are not having success on one type of bait or lure, change it up; don’t waste an entire session on something they are not going to eat. If you are bait fishing with a couple of bait rods, use different bait on each until you find a feeding pattern. I would recommend a scrubby on one and a yabby on the other as a starting point. There is heaps of landbased options off the side of the road and at the caravan park, but just remember if you take anything in with you make sure you take it out. Way too many times we see rubbish just left behind by irresponsible campers and fishers. From a boat, it’s the same when chasing yellas and reddies with bait up the top end. I’m a big believer in the 10-minute rule, if you haven’t had a bite move on or go and berley up a few snags and go back to them during the day. Trolling is also super productive in October and don’t be scared to think outside the square a little bit. Try trolling a 1oz spinnerbait, lipless crankbait or anything you might come up with. You simply don’t know what might

October is the time to fish for yellowbelly up this end of the massive lake. work, so don’t be scared to give little things like this a go, you might just come up with a winner that no one else would have ever thought of. From Doon right up to the Delatite arm there are countless points at which to cast lures such as lipless cranks, spinnerbaits, floating, sinking and suspending style lures. The mouth of the Delatite is very tricky to fish but can be very rewarding for those who don’t mind loosing a bit of tackle because it’s very snaggy where the fish tend to congregate. Use your sounder

to locate the schools of fish and if they won’t play the game, go super light with little soft plastics on jigheads. You could even try a bit of drop-shotting, Gulp! It is always a winner because of its intense scent. The Ford Inlet is a bit of a little known hidey-hole and doesn’t get a great deal of fishing pressure, so give it a crack. Don’t forget about the Adam Pearson Memorial fishing comp on the Melbourne Cup long weekend, you can chase up all the details on Facebook.

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OCTOBER 2014

Work, fish and play WST/STH GIPPSLAND

Steve Haughton steve@habitatcreations.com.au

October is a great month for any angler. Stream and Blue Rock trout anglers will be able to enjoy more fishing time (particularly after work!) as daylight savings kicks off on Sunday 5 October. The beauty of stream trout angling is that there are many successful techniques and methods to hooking into some exciting stream fishing. This was quite evident on trout opening day as there were anglers using everything from fly, lures, spinners, soft plastics and baits. Brown trout are quite prominent throughout the West and South Gippsland catchments, growing on average to 300g with plenty of larger specimens about, while rainbow trout are a nice surprise to anglers fishing the Latrobe, Loch, Toorongo and Tanjil rivers. The Tarago and Bunyip rivers are top spots for trout anglers looking at sneaking in a fish after work. These rivers aren’t too far from the outer suburbs of Melbourne

and there are plenty of great access points to pull the car over and stroll the bank or wade the river for a few hours. The Tarago’s stream flow is measured as it is released from the Tarago Reservoir. Currently the river is flowing really well. A dry fly is best cast in slow running water. As the weather heats up and spring storms approach in the evenings, watch for hatchings of insects to help you choose which dry fly will work best. The Bunyip River is flowing a little harder at the moment so a beaded nymph may be the better option. Both rivers also fish well with hardbodied minnow style lures, spinners and soft plastics as there are many pools and long runs to get a good cast and retrieve back. For those who are able to get away from work early, travel an extra half hour to Noojee and explore the Latrobe, Loch and Toorongo rivers, the Toorongo River will be flowing hard given the snow melt from Mt Baw Baw over the past month. This river is a superb spot

for nymphing, casting lures, spinners and soft plastics. As the water level drops heading into the drier months, this river becomes one of the best dry fly rivers in the region. The Latrobe River is a great all round river and terrific for drifting or floating baits in the slow, flowing pools. The Loch is another great river, but waders are required as there is a lot of vegetation along the stream bank making stream bank access difficult. Blue Rock Lake will also be fishing well as the water starts to warm up. Redfin and carp will come on to the bite as they become more active in the warmer water. Bass will of course be the main target species for boat, kayak and land-based anglers followed closely behind by brown and rainbow trout. Please send me any reports or photos, particularly if you have any luck on the stream trout opening weekend. A reminder also that the blackfish season has closed until 31 December. Happy fishing!

SEASON XI

Cate with a typically skinny Blue Rock trout caught and released, which was caught flat line trolling. These fish have returned from spawning and have lost body conditioning, so they’ll be pretty hungry over coming months.

Make most of conditons YARRA VALLEY

Ian Loft ringwood@compleatangler.com.au

With the rivers having been open for a month now it seems that people have taken to the upper end of the river for a spot of trouting. This is coupled with the fact that the river is in pretty good condition at the moment. This of course can all change in an instant and generally does at this time of year with heavy rainfall, so make hay while the sun shines! With the sun comes a slight warming of the water and this

cod and Macquarie perch, which runs from 1 Sept to 30 Nov and 1 Oct to 31 Dec respectively. These are two fish you’re likely to encounter if you bait fish the middle section of the river (Yarra Glenn to Kew). If you plan on fishing this middle section of river over the summer months, you had better prepare a small box of tackle that is essential for making it happen. All you really need are the bait fishing essentials; hooks, swivels and sinkers. Getting the right sizes and having them on hand is the key. With the hooks, you’ll need a good selection of sizes.

The size of the hook is sometimes relative to the particular shape of the hook and also the manufacture. Some hooks also have bait keeper slices on the shank to keep a soft bait in position and some are designed more like a circle hook. In any case, it’s always best to check with a professional and visit your local tackle store for more details. Some more points to remember are fresh bait is best but if you plan on digging it up beside the river, expect to go home hungry. You need to get your bait in advance and in all the years

11.30am Sunday Morning

V These introduced redfin perch will be one of the first customers you’ll encounter in the middle reaches of the Yarra come summer time.

Airs from October 12 Australian Fishing Championships 60

OCTOBER 2014

only needs to be 0.1ºC for the fish down stream to start getting excited about summer. With the warmer water comes higher metabolism and more active food sources, so expect some of the native fish species to be on the go very soon. Keep in mind that there is a closed season for Murray

The size will depend on which one of the various baits you use. From the humble flat tail worm dug up from under a cow pat to a tiny maggot and even a whole, live yabby! All these baits are very successful in their own right at the right time. Below is a guide to matching baits types with appropriate hook sizes.

I’ve fished this river, digging worms from the bank has been a bust every time! Also don’t forget the berley! • 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.

BAIT TYPE TO HOOK GUIDE Maggots .......................................................................................... size 12 - 14 Corn cereals ................................................................................... size 10 - 12 Small garden worms and PowerBait nuggets ............................... size 8 - 10 Medium night crawlers or flat tail worms ....................................... size 6 - 8 Scrub worms medium and large . .................................................... size 2 - 4 Whole yabby or bait fish ................................................................ size 2/0 - 1

Spring is a special time for fishing in Bendigo BENDIGO

Roger Miles codhuntertours@bigpond.com

We are now moving into the spring months and this is typically a time of the year where we can experience many changes within the waterways in the Bendigo region. The major factor that determines these changes is the amount of rainfall that the region receives over the next few months. Catchments have been experiencing only minimal amounts of rain and the inflows into our catchments and river systems have been low. However, irrigation season has started and water flows are increasing down the river systems. If we continue to receive only minimal rainfall for the region then the water clarity will remain good. Typically during the spring months, the Bendigo region will experience its most significant rainfall events. If we receive several significant rainfall events then we will see good rises in water levels in our catchments but water clarity will deteriorate in both the impoundments and river systems. LAKE EPPALOCK The fishing has been slow in Lake Eppalock. The redfin fishing has continued to be disappointing. We should see

an increase in the numbers of redfin being caught over the next few weeks as water temperatures continue to increase. Trolling small hardbodied lures and casting soft plastics will be good options for targeting the redfin. The exciting prospect for Lake Eppalock is the numbers of golden perch that should be caught by anglers this season. There should be a significant improvement on the last few seasons. The numbers of golden perch caught in the last few months has been low but this month the numbers of golden perch being should increase. I find the productivity in the golden perch improves greatly once surface temperatures increase to 18°C+. Casting small hardbodied lures, lipless crankbaits and small profile spinnerbaits around the rocky shorelines and submerged timber are good, productive techniques for targeting golden perch. Also, trolling small to medium profile hardbodied lures in the depth range between 3-6m are good depth ranges at this time of the year. The improvement in the golden perch fishing is largely due to some very good golden perch stocking by Victorian Fisheries over the last few seasons. CAMPASPE RIVER The fishing in the Campaspe River has also been slow.

This golden perch was caught on a slowly retrieved Jackall Doozer off submerged timber in approximately 3m of water. As the water temperatures increase over the next few weeks we should see a significant increase in the numbers of fish which are being caught in the Campaspe River. But if we receive heavy rainfall, then water clarity will deteriorate and the productivity in the fishing will drop. Over the next couple of months can be an excellent time to catch some quality redfin in the Campaspe. With the way the current conditions are looking, I believe the numbers of redfin that are caught will be pretty average. At this time of the year the quality

can be good and redfin weighing up to 1.5kg can be caught. My favourite areas to target these bigger redfin are along the edges of cumbungi-lined banks. Also, fishing the edges of weed beds can be a good option. Casting small hardbodied lures and soft plastics along these edges are good techniques, but casting the lay-me-down timber are consistently the most productive areas for the golden perch. CAIRN CURRAN The fishing in Cairn Curran continues to be okay. Average numbers of redfin are being caught,

with the majority of these fish being caught in deep water. Targeting depths greater than 10m has been the most productive for the redfin. Down rigging small, minnow profile lures has been productive on the redfin. While this has not been producing cricket scores of redfin, the productivity has been good enough to make it worthwhile. Jigging ice jigs and soft plastics has also been productive methods. Redfin weighing up to 1.5kg have been caught at this location. We should start to see an increase in the numbers of golden perch being

caught in this location over the next few weeks. Casting around the rocky shoreline and at the top of the standing timbers does produce some quality golden perch this time of year. The numbers of the golden perch caught at this location are often low, but the average size is very good. LODDON RIVER How productive the fishing will be in the Loddon River will also be determined by the amount of rainfall we receive over the next couple of months. If the rainfall stays below average, the water clarity will remain good and the productivity in the fishing will continue to be good. If we receive heavy rainfall, then the water clarity will deteriorate and the productivity in the fishing will drop. The numbers of golden perch being caught has just started to increase over the last few weeks. Casting lipless crankbaits and medium size hardbodied lures have been the most productive option for the golden perch. Again, anglers are reminded we are now in closed season for the Murray cod. I encourage anglers to do the right things and leave the Murray cod alone to do their breeding and hopefully produce some offspring for future seasons.

Mild Melbourne turns on some great fishing MELBOURNE METRO

Ian Debar iand@gottabite.com.au

This month sees a lot of Melbourne anglers out on the water – the weather is starting to pull itself together and we’re not quite yet trapped in the pre-Christmas rush. For Melbournites looking to hang around close to home and still wet a line there are a few good options for October. Most people know how to get to the freshwater sections of the Yarra River, and depending on how far you are willing to drive there are a few fishing options for you. Water temperatures haven’t yet gotten too warm for the trout so if you are prepared to drive out towards Woori Yallock in search of a few spotted river wrigglers, then you should be able to find a few. Either bait fishing or lure fishing can be productive at this time

of the year, depending on which method you prefer. A small bunch of juicy trout worms fished unweighted on a size 8 baitholder hook and light line is easily the most deadly method of catching a trout or two in this area. This method works very well when the bait is ‘walked’ from the top of a run down into a deeper pool. By-catch using this method in the lower Woori Yallock and Warburton area can include some half decent redfin, eels and the odd river blackfish. Just over the back of the middle reaches of the Yarra River is Sugarloaf Reservoir. With plenty of parkland to keep the family entertained, and enough land-based access to the dam, Sugarloaf is a good spot to head to not far from the suburbs. Because Sugarloaf is part of Melbourne’s water storage system only artificial bait or lures can be used, which is fine because the main target species in Sugarloaf are redfin and yellowbelly and

both species will take lures. The local yellowbelly are starting to become a bit more active with the increase in temperature. However, over the next month or so is generally the best time to target them. For the anglers doing some recon work in the area, try slow rolling smaller natural coloured soft plastic and spinnerbait presentations along the banks, and remember the slower the better. Closer to the southeastern and peninsula suburbs is Devilsbend Reservoir. While the reservoir currently only has limited shore-based access, there are still plenty of areas to catch a few trout and redfin. One of the main concerns for anglers fishing from the shore is the large edge of weed and grass just out from the shoreline. While it can make fishing a bit tougher, it also brings a lot of quality fish right in close to the lake’s edge. By using a long graphite rod and light line spooled full on the reel you will be able

to easily cast out over the weed to where the trout will be patrolling. Baits of mudeye and local minnow under a float are almost too hard to resist for the trout that are normally rather aggressive at this time of the year. • 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.

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Trout season opens with a bang BALLARAT

Shane Stevens

The Ballarat and district anglers new trout season really kicked off with a bang. The cold winter’s is only a distant memory and it is now time to focus on the real thing. Spring is the best time to fish for trout in our district as the water levels have risen over the winter months. The trout have now changed their focus from breeding mode to feeding mode. They will move into the shallows in search of food that has been flooded out of the ground like worms and grubs. Spring also brings us some warmer weather when we will start to see a few insects start to hatch and get the trout really excited, but not as much as us anglers, it’s game on! BOSTOCK RESERVOIR Bostock Reservoir is

Jacob Young took this chunky Wendouree brown caught casting lures from the boat with no help from his dad. Photo courtesy of Ben Young

Anthony McGrath has been having success flyfishing the flooded margins of Newlyn Reservoir. Photo Courtesy of Anthony McGrath.

only 30km from Ballarat and has been a surprise packet. A much underrated fishery over the winter months, it has come into focus with some excellent brown trout being caught up to 3kg. Chinook salmon were released last season as an experiment by fisheries to get the fishery back on the angling scene. Bostock like a few other waters had them released and they are doing very well, averaging the 800g mark. They can be caught flyfishing, casting lures and fishing baits. Bostock is only a shore-based fishery with limited access, so be prepared to put in a few miles to get the best results. MOORABOOL RESERVOIR Moorabool Reservoir

waters close to Ballarat are expecting big things from over the new season. The water level is rising over new ground and the trout are certainly lurking around feeding on whatever they can find. Fern McGuigan, a local to the district around the Moorabool Reservoir, has been catching magnificent brown trout up to 3lb on the ever-reliable old garden worm, this proves they are on the move. We look forward with the anticipation of some more spring rains. The reservoir will rise way back into the shallow bays and the trout will follow this water in search of food. The Moorabool Reservoir is also well-known to the fly fisher for its mayfly hatches and I know that many of us are just waiting for them to start hatching as they will in the coming months and the trout cannot resist them. LAKE WENDOUREE At Lake Wendouree, not much has to be said but this place is awesome and the fishing over the coming spring months will only get better. Whether you’re a bait fisher, fly fisher, lure caster or troller, fishing from a boat, kayak or the shore, the trout and redfin await you. The fishing is not as easy as that though. They will certainly not just jump onto your hook! Using the right flies to represent what the trout are feeding on at that time will certainly put you in the game. For the bait fishos, mudeyes fished under bubble floats would be the only bait I would use, but it’s not the only bait available. Trout certainly like Powerbait and worms

Fern McGuigan nailed this brown trout at Moorabool Reservoir on the ever-reliable garden worms. Photo courtesy of Shane Stevens

fished on a lightly-weighted running sinker rig. Finally, the trollers and lure casters. Well, the sky’s the limit, just keep trying different lures until you find the one that the trout like. Ben Young and his son Jacob have been out catching plenty of trout on the lake recently with young Jacob nailing trout up to 4lb with no help casting from dad. Ben said the most successful lure so far has been the Norries Lay Down Minnow pattern. Lake Wendouree fishes the best on overcast days and the trout will certainly bite all day, but if you get bright sunny weather, I would stick to first light and into the evening. HEPBURN LAGOON AND NEWLYN RESERVOIR Hepburn Lagoon and Newlyn Reservoir are both full of water and the trout are definitely on the move, searching the flooded margins eating whatever they can. The coming months will see the trouts’ feeding patterns change on both of these waters. The mayflies will hatch during the day, in the evening and into the night, and the mudeyes will start to move too. The trout

will certainly have both these insects high on their menu. Anthony McGrath has been fishing Newlyn Reservoir recently with success, catching and releasing some lovely brown trout to 4lb flyfishing. Anthony mentioned the fish were chasing smelt and he was lucky enough to finally hook one after a few follows. TULLAROOP AND CAIRN CURRAN RESERVOIRS Tullaroop and Cairn Curran Reservoirs, another two very similar waters, should fish well over the next couple of months before the weather gets too warm. I recently fished both waters and the water clarity at both is excellent. We can only hope for a bit of spring rains for both waters as they are down substantially compared to a lot of other waters around the district. If we get the rain, the trout will both come over grassy banks and out of the deeper water and feed along the shallow grassy bays that both waters are renowned for. Early mornings and evenings will give the anglers the best chance on both of these waters.

Full lakes and trophy trout CRATER LAKES

Rod Shepherd

Right now is the prime time to get out on our Crater Lakes and experience nothing short of a trout bonanza. The winter winds and rains have left us and spring weather dominates the landscape. The legacy left by the heavy winter rains is full lakes and flowing streams. BULLEN MERRI Currently, Lake Bullen Merri would have to be the star attraction with plenty of salmonoids on offer. There are plenty of rainbows to 2kg and Chinook salmon to 1.5kg about with flat line trolling Lofty’s Cobra-styled lures in pink and white working a treat. Trolling in depths from 4-6m out from the shore at first light 62

OCTOBER 2014

or dusk has been the prime technique. An age old method of catching ‘chooks’ still practiced by many locals as well as a few keyed-in visitors is bottom bouncing smelly baits such as chunks of pilchard, whitebait, glassies and live local gudgeon in depths around 10m. Using a berley made up of hand rolled balls of tinned seafood for cats and dropped over the side at intervals of 20 minutes certainly helps bring the fish into your strike zone. It’s a messy business (I recommend rubber gloves) and it works over at Lake Purrumbete as well. The bonus being that this method also attracts the odd trout, especially browns. PURREMBETE Lake Purrumbete is holding rainbow trout to a similar size as Bullen Merri, as well as browns to over 3kg.

The fish are not plentiful and more stealth is required due to the water clarity. However, there is more of a tendency to cast lures and soft plastics towards the weed growth and any rocky outcrops that line the shore rather than troll. The water clarity is such that an angler can see to several metres depth, as can the fish, so stealth is more of a priority than Bullen Merri. The massive redfin population that exists here can prove to be a nuisance, especially as the vast majority of fish are small. In saying that, I have seen some absolute thumpers come out of this lake, but alas, have yet to land one myself. ELINGAMITE Lake Elingamite near Cobden (the smallest of the three Crater Lakes) is fishing well and all but the largest of water craft can now launch

here thanks to all the winter rain that fell in our catchment. Most craft can access the lake by simply placing the outboard motor in shallow drive from the ramp out to a depth of 2.5m where the weed beds no longer pose a problem to propellers. The Chinook salmon released a year ago are unfortunately still a bit on the small side and are still considered only a largish pan-sized option. Still, they fight hard and the remaining fish are still growing. Plenty of last year’s release of browns are actively taking anglers’ baits and lures with most fish weighing in around 2lb. There are still some 2 year old fish about as I recently caught a solid rainbow at 2.1 kg and 62cm on a Black Magic B Max minnow lure trolled in 3.5m. Plenty of fish are showing

An Elingamite rainbow that responded to a B Max minnow flat line trolled near the weed beds. on the sounder in the deeper section of this shallow lake, about 5m, and are mainly made up of redfin and Chinook salmon. These schooling fish are finicky and it can be quite hard to entice a strike at any given time. The bigger trout and redfin are best targeted close to the surrounding weed beds in shallower water with casting the better method to employ.

Trolling certainly works but at these shallow depths more fish tend to be spooked by the approaching boats. Lures such as the B Max that dive between 1.2-1.8m are ideal as the water clarity is quite reasonable, except directly after a southerly blow, which can stir up the bottom and reduce water clarity.

Alberton

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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

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OCTOBER 2014

Early starts to bring best results JINDABYNE

Steve Williamson swtrout@airlan.com.au

October of course is the month that river fishing anglers look forward to with another river season opening on Saturday 4th October. It will be a busy time on the rivers with anglers lining up, hoping that the river will be full of late spawning trout and that is something no one can predict. This past winter we saw a more normal weather pattern, although a little colder than normal. The brown trout that spawned earlier in the season had what could be described as a normal run and the rainbow trout just last month were just about to take advantage of the

rain and snow melt to do their thing also. With the extra water flow in the rivers at the moment, the best flies to use have still been weighted nymphs and even a few fish will be caught on glowbugs. You might like to also try some bigger flies like weighted Woolley Buggers in the faster water. You will find that while not as traditional, it is a very successful way of getting a shy trout to bite. Those that like throwing lures into the river will need to make certain the lure is getting close to the bottom in the running water as the fish are still a bit lazy and will not rise too far in the water to take a lure. I still prefer my minnow lures that will dive to the bottom on retrieval. You might like to try the Rapala Spotted

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Dog or a Rapala Pinkie or even try a bigger size than normal, as bigger lures often catch the bigger, more aggressive trout at this time of season. Meanwhile on the lake, the fishing has been fantastic and most anglers will agree that we have had the best winter fishing we have seen in many years and there is no reason that that will not continue given the lakes water level is rising. With the snow melt we also see the water level of Lake Jindabyne rise and cover some new ground, bringing the trout in closer to the shore to feed and giving anglers some excellent bait fishing, spinning and of course a start to the fly fishing season on the lake with a much more predictable pattern of fishing. At some time of the day the fish are coming on the bite and you just need a line in the water to catch them. Local scrub worms are best for brown trout while artificial baits of various colours are proving itself for rainbow trout and salmon. If you want to catch yourself a big brown trout, then the best baits are still going to be well-presented scrub worms and these are fished with a greased line to stop it from sinking into the weed and getting caught up.

Lake fly fishing should be interesting this season. The lake water levels are great at the moment and the lake will fish well. When the days warm up and as we get a few more insects hatching, we may get some good early morning rises on the lake. If fly fishing the lake at the moment, spotting fish first with the aid of your polaroids is the best way to work out a strategy on how to catch the fish as they cruise along the banks of the lake. I find casting small green nymphs to be best in the shallow water. Other flies worth a try are green or olive flies like Hamills Killers, small shrimp patterns and olive nymphs. Lure anglers can also spot the fish before casting and you will do best with smaller lures like Celtas, Vibrax spinners, Wordons Rooster Tails or Gillies spinners and of course minnow lures like floating Rapalas, but keep them small, lures that are too big will make a big splash and spook the trout in the shallow clear water. If the day is brighter than you can switch to some Tasmanian Devils for casting a little further and green and gold is a good colour to try. This month, the boat

Justin Hoffman with a 52cm brown trout caught flyfishing on the lake using a Steve Williamson Snowy Mountains gold fish fly. they are both great. Try trolling the Yellow Wing Tasmanian Devils a little later as the sun is about to rise over the horizon. Willies Special, named after some trout fishing guide in the area has been a very good lure over recent weeks and always a summer winner with trout! Minnow lures like Rapalas or Stumpjumpers in brown trout and rainbow trout patterns are also good, but there are many good brands of lures on the market that will do the job if you know what speed to troll to get the best action out of the lures. It is not a good idea to try to mix and match different brands as no two brands of lures will work at their best at the same speed. After the sun hits that

much better than others at the moment with the trout cruising the margins of the lake; they can be in one place one day and another the next. Let’s hope the season is a good one with regular rain to freshen up the streams and cooling the water. NEWS. On Saturday 8 November, I am holding a one day fishing competition and presentation dinner as part of the celebration for the 25th Anniversary of my business Lake Jindabyne Trout Fishing Adventure. I have a few spots available for the event but you must contact me to join in on the celebration. There are very limited positions and you will not be able to join up on the day.

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OCTOBER 2014

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trolling will be best near the edges early and late in the day, but you may have problems spooking the fish over shallow water so make sure your line is out further than normal with 80 metres being the least you will need out. The usual techniques of fishing on the surface in shallow water at first light and then moving out into deeper water using lead core with 20-30m of line out will extend the better fishing well into the late morning. You will do best using minnow lures early before sunrise and then switching to Tasmanian Devil lures later in the morning. The best colour Tassies to use will be darker lures early with the number Y48 Yellow Wing Red Nosed Brown Bomber or even Y94,

water, it’s time to change to a number 36, Y82 Yellow Wing Tassie or my Steve Williamson Red Nosed Yellow Wing and as the sun gets higher, then it’s time to get the lure lower into the water and lead core lines or downriggers are the way to go. The best lures to try and catch those trophy brown trout will be small minnows and you need to troll these over the weed beds using longer dropbacks and lighter line or braid to keep the lures at the deepest depth possible. You need to do this well before the sun comes up to get the bigger fish. Trying to run a Tasmanian Devil and a minnow lure for example will not get perfect results from both lures at the same time. There are no fishing spots

Email sales@swtroutfishing. com.au if you are interested in finding out more about the 25th Anniversary celebration. BEGINNER FLY FISHING SCHOOL It’s not too late to sign up for my beginner fly fishing school and the date for that is 18 and 19 October. Our schools are the first in Australia to offer a National Certificate of Recognition which can be used to help gain employment in the recreational fishing industry. • For any information and booking forms for these courses please call my shop on 02 64561551 or email me your postal address on swtrout@airlan.com.au. More information can be found on my website at www. swtroutfishing.com.au.

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

www.bayboatsales.com.au bayboatsales@hotmail.com

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Northern Suburbs

Graham Barclay Marine

Burnie Marine Services

6554 5866 03 6431 02 3082

www.barclaymarine.com.au www.blakesmarine.com.au burniemarineservices@bigpond.com info@barclaymarine.com.au sales@blakesmarine.com.au

117 Northgate Drive Thomastown

Cowra Southern Tasmania All Service Motors

Maynes Marine

61 Effingham Redfern St, Street Cowra, 2794 Moonah

02 6342 2590

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

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

Spring on the sweetwater NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.me

Spring is a fantastic time to wet a line in any of our diverse freshwater environments, from the cool trout waters of the deep south all the way to the jungle perch and sooty grunter streams of our tropical rainforests. This month, Starlo offers some valuable freshwater fishing tips for new chums and old hands alike. It was the legendary Australian outdoor writer and doyen of fishing journalism in this country, Vic McCristal, who first popularised the term ‘sweetwater’ to describe our more pristine freshwater angling environments.

It remains a particularly fitting label for these magnificent places. Whether you ‘re keen on chasing those speckled immigrants, the trout, in Tasmania, Victoria and the high country of NSW, inland natives such as cod and yellowbelly west of the divide, bass in the coastal rivers, or sooty grunter, jungle perch, saratoga and barra up north, the period from now until Christmas is prime time for a little sweetwater adventure. As the weather and water warm up, all of these fish become increasingly active and more willing to grab a bait, lure or fly. Bait fishing is a great way of getting started in the wonderful world of freshwater fishing. All of the species

described so far will happily eat a range of natural and not-so-natural baits. Common, garden-variety earthworms make a great starting point and will catch most freshwater species at one time or another. (As a matter of interest, garden worms also appeal to bream, whiting and even flathead in the salt, especially after rain.) Rigs are best kept simple and, as in most fishing, anglers using smaller sinkers and finer lines or leaders usually get the most bites. A simple running sinker rig with a small ball sinker sliding freely on the line right down to the hook works well in many freshwater scenarios, although some

anglers prefer to add a small swivel 30 or 40 cm from their hook, with the sinker running above this. In really snaggy areas, a dropper or paternoster rig with the weight at the bottom may be better. However, if at all possible, dispense with the sinker altogether and go weightless. You’ll catch more fish. One valuable tip is to keep your worms in a shovelful of soil taken from the bank of the creek or hole where you’re fishing. This quickly gives your wriggling baits a bit of local “flavour” and increases their appeal to resident fish. Catching other baits is also easy and fun. Check local

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Soft plastics are spot-on for freshwater targets like golden perch, especially if the water is reasonably clear.

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regulations to find out what you’re allowed to use and how you’re permitted to catch it before securing supplies of shrimps, yabbies, cherabin and insect larvae such as

mudeyes (dragonfly nymphs). But don’t rule out oddball baits, either. Frozen saltwater prawns, strips of skirt steak, chicken breast and cheese all catch their share of freshwater fish, so be prepared to experiment and mix it up. Many anglers will soon wish to move beyond bait soaking and begin casting or trolling a few lures in the sweetwater. This is an exciting and active way to fish. Start out with a small selection of basic lures and don’t spend

Spring is also prime trout fishing time, wherever these great fish are found.

a fortune on bizarre and expensive offerings that you may never end up using. Talk to the staff at the local tackle store about the lures that work best in your area and also seek their input on sizes, colours and how best to present and work those lures. A couple of floating/ diving hard bodies, a few spoons, spinners or spinnerbaits and a handful of soft plastic tails with matching jig heads are about all you need to get started in freshwater lure fishing. But be warned: it’s a highly addictive pursuit! Don’t be too surprised if you soon find that you need a much larger tackle box to carry all your shiny new acquisitions! I’ll return to the subject of freshwater fishing several times during the coming summer and offer some more specific clues on targeting various species. But for now, dig yourself a punnet of lively worms, grab a couple of lures and get out there… Spring has sprung and the fish are biting!

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OCTOBER 2014

Australian bass — both wild and stocked fish — are especially active between now and Christmas.

What’s New FISHING

BALISTA S-POP

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

DAMIKI X10 ASSIST HOOKS

The Balista S-Pop wreaks surface havoc with a combination of large pops and big fizz from the holographic gills. Water squeezes through the gills on every pop, leaving a traceable trail of bubbles. It’s engineered to offer as many strikegenerating features as possible, allowing the Balista S-Pop to generate a strike when nothing else can. The 70mm S-Pop features a flashing red LED that’s water activated and scientifically proven to increase strike rates. The LED light grabs lurking predators’ attention, triggering both feeding and territorial strikes. The LED is at its most effective in lower light conditions. If you can notice the LED flashing in your hand you know it’s going to be highly visible to the fish. Whether you fish for barra, bass or anything in between, the UltraPoint Mustad #4 trebles are fitted for superb hookup rates. Price: $19.95 www.balista.com.au

Damiki X10 assist hooks, distributed by Searing Tackle, are high quality Owner hooks that use YGK Seahunter red line. These new hooks are primarily designed to go on smaller micro jigs from 20-40g in size. These hooks also have tinsel added to them for extra flash, maximising their visibility and attraction. They can also be used on hardbody lures, blades and also on ice jigs when chasing schooled fish. Damiki X10 assist hooks come in a pack of four in two sizes, and they’re available now. For more information or to find the nearest stockist, visit the Searing Tackle website at www.searingtackle.com. au or call 0404 719 944. Price: RRP $9.99 www.searingtackle.com.au

MIMIX CROX POP

The Shok Fishing Tournaments app was developed by two keen anglers who wanted to run a fishing tournament via smartphone. Not only can you compete in fortnightly tournaments where you can win prizes, you will also be able to connect with other anglers Australiawide to chat about fishing via the app blog. Once downloaded from the app store, you will see how user friendly it is. To register for the competition it costs $34.95 and this includes a free brag mat, stubby cooler and entry into the competitions for a year. All you have to do is catch a fish, access the camera phone through the app and take a picture on Shok’s brag mat and upload to one of four fishing categories. If you’re not a winner the first time around, don’t worry – the tournaments run back-to-back every fortnight. There are no restrictions on locations or times – just catch and upload for your chance to win. There’s also a free classifieds section for tackle, boats and camping gear. App Price: Free www.facebook.com/shokfishing

With a long body profile, strong and sharp double hooks and a special Long Cast feature, the Mimix Crox Prop certainly is the lure that you need to create the perfect surface commotion to attract and catch big fish! The Crox Prop can be fished like any other ordinary prop lure, or you can fish it with straight retrieve or twitch. This new lure has been designed and painted to look like a real baby crocodile found in the wild, so if you want to catch big nasty predator fish, you certainly need big nasty prop lure like Crox Prop! You can work the lure with the following retrieves: a straight retrieve with gentle twitching; a straight retrieve; or irregular twitching. The Mimix Crox Prop weighs 21g and measures 6.5cm. To see a video clip of this lure, hop on YouTube and search for ‘Mimix Crox Prop’ or scan the QR code on this page. To find your nearest dealer log onto www.jml.net.au. Price: RRP $19.95 mimixcorp.com

DAIWA SALTIST EXTREME

Replacing the popular Catalina and Saltiga Extreme ranges, Saltist Extreme takes the successes of its predecessors and combines it with the latest technologies and designs. The range includes models ranging from 5’6” power spin models, to lighter and longer spin sticks, and of course to the pint-sized 5’6” and 6’ overhead workhorses. There are 11 models in the series and range of styles to choose from. Daiwa’s carbon creates a rod that is lightweight yet very powerful, and X45 wrapping technology improves sensitivity and strength. 3DX allows the rod’s power to be located at the lower section of the rod for more power and less angler fatigue. Glatech construction features in many of the models and delivers an incredibly resilient blank, with backbone and lifting power to control and lead strong fish. V Joint technology ensures that multi-piece blanks match the performance of one-piece blanks in flex, power and responsiveness. Other features include gold accented custom reel seats with locking ring and Fuji SIC SUS guides. Price: too new www.daiwafishing.com.au

OCTOBER 2014

SHOK TOURNEY APP 2

SCATTER RAP JOINTED

Building on the classic articulated body of the Rapala Jointed, the Scatter Rap Jointed swims with an irresistible action. The jointed body combined with a Scatter Lip takes the legendary Jointed action to the next level when using a slow presentation, while speeding up the retrieve triggers the erratic evasive Scatter Rap action – and the bite. Measuring 9cm and weighing 7g, this lure is designed to swim at depths of 1.5m to 2.1m. The Scatter Rap Jointed is available in a range of natural baitfish patterns and comes fitted with premium VMC trebles. It’s available now, so keep an eye out for it during your next visit to your favourite tackle store. In the meantime, if you want to see underwater footage of the lure in action, search for ‘Rapala Scatter Rap Jointed & Shad’ on YouTube or scan the QR code hereabouts. Price: RRP $19.95 www.rapala.com.au

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What’s New FISHING

11 12

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FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE MAKO ROSE/ GREEN MIRROR

Mako’s new Rose lens with a Green Mirror (G2H5) and the Mako High Definition Filter builds on the previous top selling Copper and Blue Mirror combination currently available in the Blade frame. Initially available only in the GT frame, the G2H5 lens is exceptionally comfortable due to its use of ultra lightweight crown glass. The internal Green mirror also offers scratch resistance and durability in salty environments. The Mako Rose base colour has high contrast capabilities. It heightens the differences in brightness and colour that make objects discernable to the human eye, allowing you to see more structure and fish at a greater depth. The Green Mirror adds clarity and creates a lens that is wearable all day by reflecting just enough of that bright sunlight without inhibiting the operation of the Rose lens’ key attributes. Finally, the Mako HD Filter provides a better sight fishing experience by removing some yellow and orange wavelengths of light that cause blurring, especially at a distance. Price: RRP $289.95 www.makoeyewear.com.au

NEW FROM DAMIKI

INSANITY SLAP WALKER

Two of the latest releases from Damiki are the 6” Anchovy Shad and the 3.2” Ghost Shad. The 6” Anchovy Shad is a thin profile paddle tail swimbait ideal for barra, cod, flathead and snapper. It can be used as a spinnerbait trailer or rigged with a jighead. Its large paddle tail and high quality plastic construction allow the tail to come alive even at slow speeds. Available in a range of proven colours, the Damiki Anchovy Shad is great for targeting pressured fish. It comes in packs of four to suit jighead sizes from 1/4oz to 1oz (4/0-7/0). The 3.2” Ghost Shad has a soft texture and small paddle tail, providing a realistic action. This, combined with their inbuilt flash, provides an enticing action that fish can’t resist. Ghost Shads are ideal for bream, redfin perch, trout, bass, whiting and shallow water reef species like snapper. The 3.2” Ghost Shad comes in packs of eight and is available in five colours. Price: RRP $12.99 www.searingtackle.com.au

Insanity Tackle is the brainchild of Wayne ‘Mr Freshwater’ Dubois, and are uniquely designed to fool highly pressured, educated Aussie fish. First cab off the rank is the Slap Walker rattling lipless crankbait. These sinking lures feature amazingly detailed finishes and have three tow points which allow you to alter the amount of vibration, noise and running depth simply by changing holes. Running the lure on the back hole gives the most vibration and noise and also makes the lure ride more vertically in the water column, riding over snags much better then conventional lipless crankbaits. These lures appeal to all predatory fish in both fresh and salt water, and can be cast and retrieved, jigged or trolled. There’s a 13g, 60mm model and a 17g, 70mm model with six detailed colours to choose from. To find out more go to the Insanity Tackle Facebook page or contact Wayne on 0428 582 812 or waynedubois@ westnet.com.au. Trade enquiries welcome. Price: RRP $20 waynedubois@westnet.com.au

WILSON ROD CARRIER

The next generation of bull bar rod carriers is here. Wilson have developed this 100% Aussie made, fully adjustable rod carrier to suit all bull bars, straight or angled. It sits in the base, locked by the quick release pin that makes it easily removable when not in use. The Wilson Rod Carrier (#BBRC4RTB) is not only height adjustable but has a unique swivel action; with the stainless steel bolts it can be swivelled to any angle to suit the position of your bull bar. It has four rod holders with protective rubber caps on each to prevent friction on your rods in transit. It comes with 2” bull bar U-bolts as standard but has an option of a 3” bull bar conversion kit (sold separately) Powder coated in hammer tone black, this stylish and versatile rod holder ticks all the boxes. Price: from RRP $110 www.wilsonfishing.com

SAMAKI PACEMAKER

The Samaki Pacemaker sets the pace for high speed trolling lures. The Pacemaker’s sleek design has been tweaked and fine-tuned to allow you to troll faster with a wider trolling spectrum to attract a variety of aggressive fish species. The Pacemaker also has the flexibility to troll at high or low speed, with an ideal troll speed sitting at 6 knots for most pelagics. The Pacemaker handles this with ease and can even increase its speed up to 15 knots in most models. Structurally sound, the Pacemaker incorporates a one-piece stainless steel welded wire, heavy-duty split rings, VMC 3X Perma steel hooks, realistic fish-eye, prism tape insert and unique Samaki designed colour concepts including slimy mackerel, yellowfin tuna and mullet. This lure is dynamite on tuna, mackerel, wahoo, barra, kingfish and more. It’s available in 140mm and 180mm models and two diving depths, ranging from 2m to 8-10m. Price: from RRP $17.95 www.samaki.com.au

SHIMANO BOTTOM SHIP

Those sneaky Kiwis have been quietly going about catching a heap of reef and pelagic fish on Shimano Bottom Ship jigs for a number of years now, and Aussie anglers are finally getting the chance to try these deadly metals on our local species. A rear-weighted design gets Bottom Ship down fast, but colour and movement when slow jigged is the key to their success. Available in four colours including a luminous paint option, the trailing squid skirt hides a pair of in-line chemically sharpened assist style hooks rigged on Dyneema cord. Bottom Ship jigs come in three weights, 90g, 110g and 135g, and replacement skirts and hooks are freely available. Price: from RRP $19.99 www.shimanofish.com.au

visit www.tacklejunkie.fish for the latest tackle news - AS IT HAPPENS! OCTOBER 2014

What’s New FISHING

Z-MAN 2” CRUSTEAZ

Is it a prawn, crab, shrimp, yabby, insect… no it’s the 10X Tough Z-Man 2” CrusteaZ. This crustacean imitation will appeal to fish species that eat any of the aforementioned prey and that means almost any fish that swims in our rivers, estuaries and impoundments! Designed with bream in mind, the CrusteaZ will also appeal to anglers chasing bass, golden perch, trout, redfin, saratoga, flathead, grunter and almost any other small to medium fresh or saltwater species. The body design of the CrusteaZ allows it to be effectively rigged on a small jighead or worm hook and its claws provide action and movement without aggressively spooking timid feeders. Fish it across the surface, sink it around structure on a TTs Hidden Weight System jighead or slowly hop and twitch it across the bottom. The realistic feel of the ElaZtech will keep the fish biting until they find the hook and the 10X Tough construction equals more fish per lure. It’s available in eight colours, with six per pack. Fish on! Price: SRP $8.95 www.z-man.com.au

SHIMANO AERNOS FB

Shimano’s new Aernos FB spin reels are certainly a cut above their predecessors. The compact XGT7 body (a Shimano exclusive material that’s 200% stronger than ordinary graphite) has delivered a substantial weight saving, which is complemented by the compact body design. There are five reels in the range — a 1000FB, a 2500FB, a 3000FB, a 4000FB, and an extra compact 5000FB. DC die-cast gearing, stainless steel shielded bearings and a machined aluminium handle combine to make winding, even under load, as featherlight as possible. Varispeed II delivers neat and uniform line lay, while the cold-forged AR-C Spool and its special lip design permits greater casting distances as well as preventing wind knots and backlashes from forming. Additionally, each Aernos FB comes with a spare spool, so it’s possible to carry another line breaking strain with you, or one filled with mono if that suits a particular fishing situation better. Price: from RRP $169 www.shimanofish.com.au

ZEREK HOT LEGS

The new Zerek Live Shrimp Hot Legs make a great lure even better! Made with softer material and a slender body, the Live Shrimp Hot Legs are ideal for estuary situations. With the addition of fluoro legs, the Zerek Hot Legs Live Shrimp can pull fish in low light or bottom-dwelling areas because the vibrations of the legs are visually enhanced by the bright tips. The fish can’t help but notice! The Zerek Hot Legs (#ZLSHL) is currently available in two new sizes, 3” and 4”, and more colours to widen the range of targeted species. This lure really is the perfect estuary prawn imitation and gives you the option to rerig it weighed or weedless. To see video clips of these lures in action, search for ‘Zerek Hot Legs’ on YouTube. Better still, subscribe to the ‘Wilsonfishing’ YouTube channel to see vids of all the latest Wilson products as they come out. Price: from $12.95 www.wilsonfishing.com

DAIICHISEIKO LINE RECYCLER

OCTOBER 2014

You’ll never need to pay for line spooling again – now you can do it yourself with Daiichiseiko’s superior quality Single Shaft Fishing Line Recycler available from jroctackle.com.au. Reeling in the new line and replacing line on an empty spool is simple and easy with the recycler. It has a 3.5 times faster highspeed handle with three built-in ball bearings for a smooth and easy action. With a tension adjustment screw you can alter the tension while spooling at any time. The easy fit clamp screw enables the unit to be fitted to any table or bench for spooling on or off anytime, anywhere. You can transfer a brand new line from the spool to a reel while adjusting the tension. Line from the reel can be quickly reeled onto an empty spool and stored. This product is made from premium quality materials. Visit jroctackle.com.au for more info on Daiichiseiko products, including the Double Shaft Recycler. Price: RRP $89.95 (free shipping) www.jroctackle.com.au

MIGHTY MIDGET ROD STAND

The Mighty Midget is an entirely new concept in rod stands. The ‘trick’ with this unit is that it sits below knee height. When assembled it becomes obvious that rod racks have always been made too high. Once you have seen this unit and placed rods in it, you are left scratching your head wondering why it took so long to produce an efficient rod stand. It makes sense that a rod stand should be less bulky then the rods it holds. With an RRP of $74.95 this is a system you need before you damage yet another rod within your arsenal. The Mighty Midget is also the perfect present for the angler who has everything, or for the significant other who is sick of the garage being cluttered with rods. Measuring just W 44 x 29 D x 39 H, it’s available now from quality retailers across the country. Price: RRP $74.95 www.vivafishing.com.au

15 16

Z-MAN 3.5” GRUBZ

Z-Man’s 10X tough, buoyant, super-soft and flexible ElaZtech construction gave new life to curly tail plastics, creating maximum action, even with minimal movement and at slow retrieve speeds. The built-in buoyancy also gives the Z-Man GrubZ range a seductive tail-up action on the drop and a natural tail-up feeding action when at rest on the bottom, over time accounting for an incredible variety of fish species. Add to this the 10X Tough construction and you have a plastic that can be smashed and crunched time and time again, even by toothy critters. The Z-Man 3.5” GrubZ fills out the family, now consisting of a 2”, 2.5”, 3.5”, 5” and 9” GrubZ, and it is sure to be as popular as it is versatile. Its profile and action will suit everything from bass and golden perch in the fresh, to flathead, mulloway and mangrove jack in the estuaries and out onto the shallow reefs and rubble patches in search of snapper and other reef species. It’s available in 12 colours with six per pack. Price: SRP $8.95 www.z-man.com.au

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FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

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What’s New FISHING TESTED:

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

Light at the end of the transom

Just when you thought you had everything that a fisherman needs, you’re thrown a curve ball in the way of a boat bung LED light upgrade from the team at Marine Warehouse in Brisbane. That’s right, a bung light! We were lucky enough to have the chance to play around with a couple, and to say we were impressed would be an understatement. The Vigil LED bung light kit is very easy to install. You don’t need to be a tradesman or have an extravagant tool box to complete the job. We fitted one to our Bluefin Bass electric boat and one to our Vic & Tas Fishing Monthly rep’s Quintrex 435 Hornet Trophy. The Quintrex install was the easier of the two because the thread pattern was identical to that of the standard large size

Telwater bung housing. On the other hand, the Bluefin required us to replace the housing with the one that’s supplied in the bung light kit. It was as easy as drilling out the two pop rivets, removing the outer and applying a bead of good quality silicone around the hole, replacing the new base and fastening with stainless steel screws (you can re-pop rivet if you feel the need). Screw in the new LED bung and connect the positive and negative wires to your battery and you’re away. We wired ours straight to the battery but I would suggest going to your switch panel so it can be turned on and off easily.

On the water

The first outing was the Pine River for a spot of afternoon flathead fishing. We fitted the blue version to the Hornet and the spread area was bigger than expected; it spread out to about 3m in behind the boat. Baitfish were attracted to the light within minutes – a no-brainer for any style of fishing at night. Almost cheating! I have plans to venture out and see how the light will attract squid in the bay islands, and I also have some neat ideas for reef fishing with livies. I will be fitting one of these lights to my centre console with an on/off switch on the dash so I can use it for landing fish at night instead of using the old head torch when the fish come up to the boat. One thing to note is that these lights are not designed to run out of the water for long periods, as they need water to keep them cool. When we finished fishing for the night we left the light on by mistake, and I can tell you

TESTED:

it looks super cool cruising down the river with a bright blue wake! There are two colours available, white and blue. The kit includes 2m of tinned twin sheathed wire, and a waterproof Deutsch plug allows you to change your bung with no hassle and having to rewire so you can swap colours to suit your needs. Don’t worry about running your battery flat as these draw very little current. It’s great to have a product that not only is outstanding in performance but also incredibly easy to install. Check these out at your local marine dealer or visit www.marinewarehouse.com.au. - Greg Livingstone, FMG

Gloryfy unbreakable sunglasses

Every once in a while you come across a product that really stands out from the crowd. It can be something as simple as colour, it can be the shape or size. But in the case of Gloryfy Sunglasses it’s about the engineering, innovation and ground-breaking technology. I first met the guys from Eskimo Distributions (the company that distributes Gloryfy in Australia) at a boat show earlier this year. To say the product grabbed my attention would be an understatement! When you see a small lady swinging a hammer onto a perfectly fine set of sunnies you just can’t help but investigate further. Petra (the hammer swinger) was demonstrating the technology used in the construction of the Gloryfy glasses. These sunnies are unbreakable due to the patented materials used in both the body and lenses. Fishermen can be rough and tough with their gear at times and it’s not uncommon for expensive glasses to be broken while getting the boat

ready. Sitting on them, casting, stepping on them after they fall off your head… the list goes on. Now for someone like me who has a bad track record with breaking glasses, this was a great solution for my clumsiness. And when Petra from Gloryfy offered Fishing Monthly a pair of the G3 model to test I jumped at the opportunity. Gloryfy Sunglasses originate from Austria and were initially designed for the armed forces as glasses which were safety orientated and hard to break. From its beginnings to now having huge growth within the circles of extreme sports such as mountain biking and snowboarding, and due to their unique features, it was only a matter of time before the company moved into the marine and fishing market. Unbreakable frame and lenses: Yep, that’s right, you can’t break the frames or

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lenses. You can twist and turn them as much as you want and they’ll return to their original shape. The arms clip out when they get pushed to a certain degree, but they are engineered to do this and all you do is clip them back

in and they are as solid as before. The patented technology used to make the frames and lenses (G-flex and I – Flex technology) make the lenses and frames extremely flexible and they always return to their original shape (check out the YouTube clip showing how strong and unbreakable this product is!) Gloryfy lenses have the highest quality ratings and come optioned as polarised or not. You also have the option of getting them in prescription. These glasses are comfortable to wear with excellent wraparound clarity, which is what I like in my fishing sunnies. The comfortable and lightweight features of these glasses make is easy to forget you have them on while fishing. One thing I have noticed is you rarely need to adjust the glasses. When out on the water you can combine sweat, water and sunscreen which

sometimes results in heavier glasses sliding down my nose slightly which can be annoying – but this rarely happened with the Gloryfy frames. The G3 model I tested also sat comfortably when sitting on top of my head. This is important to me as I prefer to rest my sunnies there instead of taking them off when tying knots or applying sunscreen. This way, instead of wasting time looking for your glasses you can focus on making sure your fishing line is in the water as much as possible. You won’t catch fish if your line’s in the boat. As with other quality polarised sunglasses on the market, you will be looking to pay between $250-$279 for the polarised glasses. You get what you pay for with Gloryfy glasses, which is quality and innovation in all aspects. They’re great value and worth every cent. I’m not the only one to be impressed by these glasses, as they recently received the runner-up award for Best New Product in Accessories and Clothing at the 2014 AFTA (Australian Fishing Trade Association) trade show on the Gold Coast. To view the full range of glasses go to www.gloryfy.com. They are distributed in Australia by Eskimo Distribution, and they can be contacted on 0407 930 762 or email petra.tscherner@eskimodistribution. information. com.au for further - Ryan Limpus, FMG

visit www.tacklejunkie.fish for the latest tackle news - AS IT HAPPENS! OCTOBER 2014

Succulent snapper and tasty tentacles on offer WEST COAST

Shane Lowery

October is the month when we really start to see some major improvements in the weather and with it comes more pleasant conditions for spearfishing. As much as September is a great month for divers to start to target species such

as southern calamari, silver trevally, scallops, King George whiting and snapper, October heralds the peak season to hunt the very same quarry. The highlights in October quite clearly are snapper and large southern calamari. SOUTHERN CALAMARI At this time of year, calamari are at their thickest in the bays around Melbourne

Southern calamari are a top option this month, with specimens like this very common.

and indeed right down the coast line to far southwest Victoria. The usual hunting places are still the place to find the squid but on average they are of much larger size in October. Shallow weed or grass beds in depths of 3-5m are the ideal areas to find squid in the 2-3kg range. With slightly better visibility in the water at this time of year, the squid can be a little more

SA022

Remember to measure abalone at the widest part of the shell, regardless of whether it is whole or damaged. cautious when approached. The best technique to attract them within spearing distance is to use berley. I often use pilchards or other baits to not only draw the squid in but to distract them as I make my dive and approach. Generally once a squid is spotted, lifting a bait out of the water and tossing it in the direction of the squid will attract its attention as it lands on the surface and starts to slowly drift down.

As the squid moves in to take the bait they seem to become quite focused on their prey and this allows the diver to move in and take their shot. SNAPPER With the build up of the squid comes the major influx of snapper. Port Phillip Bay is by far the stand out location in terms of spearfishing for snapper and these fish regularly inhabit the same areas as the squid.

Once again, berley is key to getting close enough to spear a snapper. Snapper become quite aggressive when actively feeding and just like squid they focus on their prey and less on the fact that a diver is stealthily approaching them. The far southwest coast also offers excellent opportunities to hunt snapper. The North Shore at Portland is a well known area and several locations around Port Fairy are prime spots, Killarney and the Crags being my favourite snapper hunting locations. OTHER CRITTERS Southern rock lobster remain off limits due to the closed season until mid November, but scallops and abalone can be collected and provide a delicious alternative. As we move closer to summer the diving opportunities continue to improve as do the conditions in the water. Warmer water temperatures and better water clarity make spearfishing even more enjoyable for the keen diver and as we approach the opening of the southern rock lobster season next month, there is much to look forward to.

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MAIL ENTRIES TO:

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HAWK FISHING • FIND-A-WORD COMPETITION

Fish you don’t boast about catching

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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 SEPTEMBER 2014

FINS SCALES & TALES by A. Both

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE The subscriber prize winner for August was C Cini of Taylors Lakes, who won a Korr Lighting 120w LED Row Light Bar valued at $369. All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – VTFM

FIND THE SPECIALTY FISHING FISH WINNERS BARRA COUNTRY by Brett Currie

BITE ME by Trisha Mason

The Find the specialtyfishing.com.au logo prize winners for August were: C Gios of Myrtleford, G Richmond of Torquay, M Doherty of Straithfieldaye, P Musgrove of Casterton, K Dowell of Highton, P Cornish of Paynesville, B Whyte of Myers Flat, R Carson of Wheelers Hill, G Rippon of Colac, D Fitzgerald of Coldstream, B Pont of Loxton, N Warry of Maffra, R Leathers of Romsey, H Skeer of Millicent, J Tydell of Craigieburn, T Sowter of Rosebud, G Illman of Mt Gambier, J Baldwin of Newborough, T Baldacchino of Melton West, J Barns of Euroa , M Cichy of North Balwyn, T Hodgkinson of Kyabram, R McMillan of Grovedale, A Darker of Daylesford, L Sebire of Traralgon , R Moore of Greenvale, T Mathieson of Patterson Lakes, P Tomai of Glenroy, G Butler of Kerang, J Kellett of Parkdale, R Ware of Echuca, T Randall of Torquay, G Bannister of Lorne , K King of Wyndham Vale, R Bragg of Birchip, D Baulch of Colac, J Dunn of Stawell, J Attard of Yallourn North, J Shelley of Glen Waverley, M & E Burgess of Moorabbin. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – VTFM FIND THE SPECIALTY FISHING AUGUST LOCATIONS

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OCTOBER 2014

Dartmouth Women’s Classic for ovarian cancer A boat, motor and trailer sponsored by Border Marine Centre will be the major prize in this year’s competition. You only have to catch one fish to be in the draw to win the boat. There will be a prize pool of $30,000. We promote our competition on our Facebook page as well, so like us for updates.

The Dartmouth Women’s Fishing Classic is the leading national event for women. Catering for all fishing techniques, you can enter the Catch and Release section or a Weigh In section. You can fish as an individual, a pair, a team of 3 or a Club of 4-6 people. Male skippers are able to assist the competitors

by launching and retrieving the boat and giving advice on fishing methods. Other major sponsors include Yamaha, Ray White Wodonga, Elk’s Hunting and Fishing, Mason’s the Complete Fisherman, and Edge FM. A great range of fishing and camping equipment will be donated

There’s many great prizes on offer and you only need to catch one fish to be in the running to win a boat!

The Dartmouth Women’s Fishing Classic will be a great opportunity for friends to get out and have a go.

14th & 15th November 2014 Catch & Release or Weigh in Comp N

PRIZ

$30,00

by these stores and businesses for the winners of each section. If you visit the web site at www.dartmouth.net. au you can see our range of merchandise for sale including soft shell jackets, vests, stubby holders, hand towels, t-shirts and caps. Our local tradies have sponsored the stubby holders including Graeber Painting, Mick Smyth Constructions, Chapman Electrical, Peninsula Furnisher Polishing and Peter Sonnenrein Builder. Keep your skippers happy by purchasing a skipper cap for them. The Monster Raffle includes a car refrigerator, a 2 night stay at the Olive Branch Bed and Breakfast at Taradale and a beautiful hamper of preserves, oils

Lakes Entrance. Phone entry inquiries to Lorrae on (02) 6072 4263. There is always lots of entertainment over the weekend, with a Warriors and Crusaders Dress Up Competition and Auction on Friday night, and Presentations with a live band on Saturday. Proceeds of the auction will go to the Border Ovarian Cancer Awareness Group, an organization promoting awareness of ovarian cancer. The Dartmouth Pub has lots of great food available for lunch and dinner and the Motor Inn can offer a range of accommodation from motel rooms, apartments and lodges. Dartmouth Alpine Caravan Park has cabins and powered sites.- Dartmouth Women’s

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR

2014

DATE DETAILS

CONTACTS

MAJOR PRIZE – Boat Motor Trailer Package

Oct 11-12 BCF Hopkins River Bream Classic Rnd 5 - Warrnambool

Bill Hartshorne www.vicbreamclassics.com.au 0409 823 070

All Proceeds from the Friday Night Auction go to the Border Ovarion Cancer Awareness Group

Oct 18-19 The Eildon Big Fish Challenge Eildon

www. dartmouth.net.au

DEC

NOVEMBER

OCTOBER

MONSTER RAFFLE TO BE WON

and wines from north central Victoria. Owners of the Olive Branch, Ron and Laima Paine, have become major sponsors of our event over the last 5 years. The competition is pre entry only and there are heaps of great prizes to win by signing up early. You could win a GMC 800w Generator donated by The Hook, or 2 nights accommodation at Winawoo Guest House, Old Tallangatta. Before entering you need to go to the website and read the guidelines and rules, and then you can register on line or phone through your entry. Every year we have someone who loses a big fish or snaps the rod in two, so we have a prize for the best hard luck story: two night’s accommodation at Lazy Acre Log Cabins,

Oct 11-12

www.eildonbigfishchallenge.com.au

Daiwa-Hobie Kayak BREAM Series Paynesville

ABT 07 3387 0888

Oct 31-Nov 1 Tea Tree Snapper Competition Mornington Peninsula

David Little www.teatreesnapper.org.au

Nov 14-15 Dartmouth Women’s Fishing Classic Dartmouth

Robyn 02 6072 4233 Lorrae 02 6072 4263 www.dartmouth.net.au

Nov 29-30

Vic Bream Classic Invitational Mallacoota Inlet

Bill Hartshorne www.vicbreamclassics.com.au

Dec 15-16

2014 Yamaha Cod Classic Lake Mulwala

Tony Bennett 0439 441 667

For listings please email sbooth@fishingmonthly.com.au

It is almost Tea Tree Snapper time again The days are ticking by and soon the snapper will begin entering the bays for the late spring and early summer run. The Snapper Point Angling Club 31st Tea Tree Snapper competition will be held on Friday 31 October and Saturday 1 Nov at the beginning of the season and history shows that the timing is perfect. This will again be a great event and that big chance to get out there amongst the fish and get in the pool of anglers competing for more than $130,000 in prizes including 3 fabulous boat/motor/ trailer packages. 2014 will again be a very positive year for bay snapper stocks so the competition is guaranteed to be a success. SPAC strongly advocates responsible angling and for this reason sets the competition limit of 2 fish per angler, each of which must be over 40cm. To be in the running to be drawn for one of the many great prizes, your fish must be over 40cm, but you must be an entrant in the competition. There is now some scientific evidence starting to emerge suggesting that snapper caught from water

The Victorian Snapper Champion for 2013 was David Steen of Carrum with a 10.26kg fish. deeper than 11.5m and held out of the water for even a short time can suffer barotrauma. Returning unwanted fish to the water quickly or releasing them at the side of the boat will greatly improve the chances of released fish surviving. What is released is available for another day and helps maintain stocks. Upgrading provides no advantage in the competition. If the legal bag limit has been reached and another fish taken on board, then this breaches Victorian fisheries regulations.

It’s time to start planning, getting your crew together, getting the boat, trailer and safety equipment checked and preparing your gear and most importantly, entering the competition early as entries close well before the competition dates. Fish can be weighed in on Friday night 31 October at several ramps and on Saturday at the Mornington Racecourse. The entry form and rules need to be read carefully and the times strictly adhered to as no fish can be accepted under any circumstances after the published competition times. The racecourse gets busy Justin Seabrook of Coburg won the 2013 1st Random Capture Prize and a brand new Quintrex 4.81m FISHABOUT.

The 2013 Junior Champion Sofia Howard of Wallan won with a fabulous snapper of 8.25kg.

as the end of weigh-in time approaches and traffic can cause delays, so don’t leave your run until the last minute. The presentation area at the Racecourse is a great place to be with many tackle, boat and equipment exhibitors showing and demonstration their products with entertainment for the kids and a juniors casting competition. It’s a great family day so why not plan

to be there and be part of the excitement. All you have to do now is to enter the competition either by completing an entry form that can be obtained from most tackle shops in the southeastern area of Melbourne or by getting on the web at www.teatreesnapper. org.au and either entering on line or downloading an entry form. – David Little, Snapper Point Angling Club.

Tea Tree Snapper Fishing Competition incorporating The Victorian Amateur Snapper Championship FRIDAY 31st OCTOBER & SATURDAY 1st NOVEMBER 2014

Hosted by the Snapper Point Angling Club. Weigh in and presentation MORNINGTON RACECOURSE.

$130,000 IN PRIZES including...

sponsored by:

3 BOATS!

Snapper Point Angling Club wishes to acknowledge the generous support given by the sponsors of this competition and thank them for their involvement.

The 31st Annual Mornington Peninsula Tea Tree SnapperFishing Competition

- the competition for the serious Port Phillip and Westernport Snapper fisherman...

Entry details at www.teatreesnapper.org.au OCTOBER 2014

Pirtek Challenge raises $130K The world’s biggest fishing competition isn’t all about catching fish. The Pirtek Fishing Challenge is a charity event supporting Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. This year’s Challenge had a record 8500 competitors and raised an incredible $130,000. The CEO of Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, Associate Professor Anthony Lowe, accepted the cheque, and said the

funds would go towards further research and awareness programs. The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia is a community organisation that works to reduce the impact of prostate cancer on Australian men, their partners, families and the wider community by promoting and funding research into prostate cancer; implementing awareness campaigns and education programs; and supporting affected men and their families.

Michael Guest, Stephen Dutton CEO Pirtek Fluid Systems and Dr Lowe were invited to join the crew from the Matty Johns Show which airs on Foxtel every Monday at 9pm. Gorden Tallis, Nathan Hindmarsh and Brian Fletcher are regular panel members on the show and are also great supporters of the Fishing Challenge. Stephen Dutton commented, “It was great to have three Pirtek Brand Ambassadors together for the cheque handover.

The $130,000 cheque presented to Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.

2014

Both Nathan and Gorden have been fishing with Michael and have firsthand experience on what the Challenge is all about. Pirtek are very proud to be supporting prostate cancer research and awareness programs.” In the last six years the Pirtek Fishing Challenge has raised almost $650,000 for prostate cancer. The Challenge is an annual event held in late March every year. The competition is open to anglers right across Australia with 20 target species and $150,000 in cash and prizes. Michael Guest, Director of the Pirtek Fishing Challenge said, “$130,000 is a figure all fishos should be proud of. It’s amazing what a group of keen anglers can do when they get together. We’re looking to make the Challenge even bigger for 2015 with a target of 10,000 competitors.” Pre-registrations are open now at www. pirtekfishingchallenge. com.au. Every month one lucky person will win a $100 Berkley tackle prize. Pre-registrations will be open until 1 December, 2014. - PFC

Glenn Gribble put some proper strain through his Shimano Stella 20000 when he locked up to this 92kg southern bluefin tuna! The capture would not have been achieved if it weren’t for deckies Greg and Barry from Barcrusher Boats Dandenong.

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OCTOBER 2014

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The Eildon Big Fish challenge It’s that time of the year again, it’s The Eildon Big Fish challenge on 18-19 October and it’s sure to be bigger and better than last year. Last year was our first year and with around 250 competitors taking part, a great time was had by all, the feedback we got from competitors was amazing and most of the people we spoke

to say they’re coming back for a second go and would be bringing their friends along for the event. There was a great vibe all around the pondage the whole weekend long, with a great number of fish being measured on both days. The weather gods delivered us a fabulous couple of days and it was just a joy to be a part of the whole experience. Things didn’t stop

Last year’s event produced great numbers of fish on both days.

Even the kids will have fun. This is a great chance to introduce youngsters to fishing.

There should be some quality trout landed on 18-19 October when The Eildon Big Fish Challenge gets underway!

when the competition hours were up with the entertainment kicking off. The casting competitions went off with a bang thanks to Rod and Rich with their enthusiasm and all the master casters everyone had a laugh. Be sure to visit Greg and Tracey who own and operate Aqua, which is a fantastic place with amazing views and even better food. There are two great boats to be won thanks to Eildon Outboard Services and Tony and staff. Also, a big thanks to Mercury Marine, Savage boats

and trailers for their continued support as well as the crew from BLA who provided us with a great kayak for second prize in the raffle. We also give thanks to all other sponsors, we greatly appreciate your support. So make sure you free up that weekend and come up and be a part of the fun and enjoy our country hospitality and who knows, you might even win a boat or other great prizes so jump onto our website for all the details at www.eildonbigfishchallenge. com.au. - Andy McCarthy

EILDON PONDAGE ~ EILDON VICTORIA Saturday & Sunday 18th & 19th October Food and Wine Festival

This competition supports catch & release for sustainable fishing

Motorboat Major Draw

Each fish caught gives you an entry into the Major Draw

Saturday: • Trade Shows • Stalls all day • Children’s Amusements • Live music Saturday 5pm-9pm from Harry Hookey and the Family Band • Casting competitions

Sunday 10am-3pm:

• Trade Displays • Market Stalls • Food • Children’s Amusements

Major Raffle: Tinny full of tinnies + trailer

• Competition Presentations & Raffle Drawn 2pm Sunday

SATURDAY

SATURDAY Fishing from 7am-4pm Fishing entr y fee • Adults $25 • Junior / kids $10 • Family $60

• food • bar, • auctions from midday SUNDAY Fishing from 7am-12noon

TRADE DISPLAYS OCTOBER 2014

Club Marine East Gippsland Bream Classic The 3-4 May 2014 will be one that will go down in Vic Bream Classic history as one of the worst set of conditions anglers have had to face in the series’ 10 year history. The Club Marine East Gippsland Bream Classic had 54 teams brave the conditions to fight it out for the Club Marine title. The weather forecasted all week gale forced winds on the Gippsland Lakes reaching 50 knots, so its was imperative to put anglers’ safety first and the decision was made on Thursday before the tournament that rather than cancel the event anglers would have to choose the sheltered waters of either the Tambo, Mitchell or Nicholson rivers to fish for the 2 days. This made the prefish day more important than ever for teams to pick the best river as once their decision was made they would be locked into that river for the 2 days of competition. While the conditions and changes to the tournament structure were a first for the series so was the way it played out. For the first time in Vic Bream Classic’s history a team miraculously came from outside the top ten on day two to claim victory. For Team Colac Tackle/Major Crafts Steve Parker and Dan Mackrell it was a weekend they wouldn’t forget for all the right reasons.

Daniel said, “With some very nasty weather forecast for the Vic Bream East Gippsland Classic, tournament organisers had given us warning that the event may be restricted to fishing the three rivers: Nicholson, Mitchell or the Tambo. With this in mind the majority of our pre fish was spent searching these areas to try and work out where our time would be best spent. “We found the Tambo River to be exceptionally clear and with calm weather on prefish we were unable to see or catch any fish from this location, moving over to the Mitchell River we found some really big fish holding tight to structure. Fishing various stretches of bank we would catch a fish and pack up and move a bit higher. With most banks producing and seeing plenty more fish we were confident of being able to put together a good bag from this area. “We also found some fish holding deep higher in the Mitchell where a fish a cast was possible but these fish were on the smaller side. “We didn’t bother going to the Nicholson River as we had run out of time and were confident enough the Mitchell held fish capable of winning the comp.” Day one saw anglers awake to a slight wind, but nothing that would have the tournament

Daniel Mackrell and Steve Parker from Team Colac Tackle/Major Craft display some of the fish that handed them the 6.02kg Maria Lures Best Bag for the weekend and drag them from 12th to 1st.

OCTOBER 2014

everyone concerned and in fact had organisers wondering if the weather report was accurate but as the day progressed the wind built and reached gale forced levels. All the anglers were away and fishing in the Tambo, Nicholson and Mitchell rivers. For Team Colac Tackle/ Major Crafts Steve Parker and Dan Mackrell it was the Mitchell River they would compete in for the two days. Using a combination of G-Loomis GLX SR 842-2 and TSR862-2, Major Craft Crosstage CRKT702 and Major Craft Volkey 3-7lb rods matched to Daiwa Steez and Luvias reels spooled with 10lb Castaway, 10lb Unitika Aorika

RESULTS PLACE TEAM FISH WEIGHT(KG) 1............... Colac Tackle - Major Craft.................10/10...................... 9.40 2............... Gamakatsu/Atomic............................10/10...................... 8.33 3............... Prostrike.............................................10/10...................... 8.33 4............... Chemically Sharp...............................9/10........................ 8.00 5............... Bream By Stealth...............................10/10...................... 7.72 6............... B + C Fishing.....................................10/10...................... 6.96 7............... Team Doma........................................10/10...................... 6.90 8............... Minn Kota..........................................9/10........................ 6.73 9............... In Depth Angler.com.au.....................10/10...................... 6.36 10............. Fill’n The Well.....................................10/10...................... 6.28 working hard to find the fifth. “After losing a battle with a really big fish things had seemingly gone quiet and we decided that we would head up river to the schooling fish to ensure we at least got our fifth fish. After travelling for half an hour at 5 knots only

Paul Malov from Team Gamakatsu Atomic with a sample of the quality fish that helped his team secure 2nd place. and 14lb Varivas braids with 6lb Unitika Aiger II and 4 and 5lb Sunline V Hard leader, tied to Smith Jade, Smith Camion in natural colorations, Atomic Deep Cranks in bluegill, Megabass Live x Smolt and 2” Atomic Fat Grubs the boys made their assault. “On day one things started quite slowly for us and with no fish in the well after the first hour we were scratching our heads, a switch from hardbodies to soft plastics quickly put a couple of nice fish in the well and once things got going we soon had four fish and were

two casts were required to find our last fish, we stayed here a little longer but with small fish after small fish we decided to head back to the edges to try and find some upgrades. “We were able to get two upgrades very late in the session and later weighed 3.38kg leaving us in 12th place, 1.74kg off the leaders,” Daniel said. From the results of day one it was clear that the Mitchell River was the pick of the three rivers and with only a few teams fishing the Tambo or Nicholson in the top ten it

was apparent that Team Colac Tackle/Major Craft had at least picked the right river to have any chance to make a charge for the top ten on day two, but with the majority of the top ten also in the Mitchell River, making up the 1.74kg deficit that Team Chemically Sharp was going to be a huge ask. Day two started the same way as day one finished – howling winds that were set to strength even further making fishing the rivers extremely uncomfortable and fishing the mouths of the rivers impossible with huge swells being reported. Although uncomfortable, the howling wind gave the boys from Colac Tackle/Major Craft hope that the huge bream they’d seen over the previous two days would fire up and that’s what happened. “The bank we were fishing had the strong winds pushing right onto it and some dirtier water had moved down the river as well. Battling the electric motor in the high winds Steve kicked things off for us with a solid 38cm fork length fish, this really fired us up and gave us the confidence that we were capable of big things. The fishing wasn’t red hot but with quality over quantity we were able to put together a cracking bag of fish. We only had 7 bites, but luckily every fish stuck and made it to the net. The smallest fish landed was just under 36cm and that was later upgraded.

“It was a massive effort to land each fish in the conditions, as the area the fish were holding was littered with rocks and snags. By 11am things had seemingly shut down, with the smallest fish in the well being just under 37cm fork length we knew we would be hard pressed to find anymore upgrades, we made our way back up river and called it a day. Watching the scales settle on 6.02kg we were both stoked with the result. Giving us 10 fish for 9.4kg we had done enough to climb to the top and take the win. Just goes to show that anything can happen during a tournament,” Daniel said. It was a monumental effort by the boys to charge from 12th place to 1st and take out the Club Marine East Gippsland Bream Classic, but to do it and win by over 1kg was incredible and along the way take out the Maria Lures Best Bag with their day two huge haul of 5/5 bream 6.02kg was just icing on the cake. Holding onto the Ecogear Big Bream Prize was Team Bream By Stealth with a cracking 1.63kg they landed on day one. All in all a terrible weekend of weather produced an amazing weekend or fishing and a new record in the Vic Bream Classic’s history books. For more information on the Vic Bream Classics Series visit www.vicbreamclassics. com.au. - Bill Hartshorne

Nelson Hobie Bream Classic The weekend of the 14-15 June saw 47 teams make their way to the sleep township of Nelson for the Hobie Bream Classic.

to brave the conditions down the front, but to no avail! After 90 minutes of prime fishing time they had no fish in the well and a move was needed.

prawn and Kangoku Shads in olive shrimp and again in the reliable muddy prawn colour around the weed edges. “Slow retrieves along the

The top 3 finishers: 3rd Team Minn-Kota Warren Carter and Cam Whittam, 2nd Team Colac Tackle/Major Craft Steve Parker and Dan Mackrell, and 1st place champions Team Tangle Foot’s Tony and Kyle Pettie pose for the crowd. Being round 4 of the 2014 Vic Bream Classics Series, and with things hotting up on the Club Marine Team of the Year points table, all teams were keen to finish up the pointy end of the field to secure their place on the Vic Bream Classic’s grand final at Mallacoota at the end of November. With big bags not the norm at Nelson, it was a team that could fish consistently over both days that would have the best chance of victory. Which is exactly what happened for Team Tangle Foot, Tony and Kyle Pettie, with a solid first day and strong finish giving them the victory. On day one of competition anglers were greeted with cold rain and howling winds, as only Nelson can produce, making fishing the ever popular flats at the mouth extremely tough for all teams that braved that location. For Team Tangle Foot they decided to be one of the teams

“ We decided to move up the river just behind Livingstone Island to get out of the wind and this proved successful as we landed our first 2 bream by 10.30am,” Tony said. Using a combination of NS One Micro and G-Loomis TSR802 rods matched to Diawa Arid 2000 reels, spooled with 4lb Crystal Fireline, tied to 4lb FC Rock leader the boys started throwing Atomic Crank 38 Deep Divers in muddy prawn, Ecogear SX48s in muddy

weedy drop-offs with deep diving hardbodies got the fish. We moved again to the flats at the front of Oxbow Lake and fished there for an hour with no results, but once we moved to the opposite side of the river to where the wind was blowing and waves crashing on the shore we found feeding fish and managed to land 3 good bream in 20 minutes and drop a few more. “We had to get the lure as close as possible to the shore and then wind back with a slow retrieve and pause. A couple of turns of the handle to get the lure down and then pause, it was on the pause that we managed to hook the fish,” Tony said. With 5 fish in the well and the bite slowing right down the guys decided to head back and see where their solid bag

Team Ever Hopeful’s Daryl Baird and Allan Morrison display some fish from their day one leading Maria Lures Best Bag of 3.42kg.

RESULTS PLACE TEAM NAME FISH WEIGHT (KG) 1...................... Tangle Foot.................................... 10/10.................5.95 2...................... Colac Tackle - Major Craft............. 10/10.................5.64 3...................... Minn Kota....................................... 9/10...................5.51 4...................... Barflies........................................... 10/10.................5.34 5...................... Gamakatsu/Atomic........................ 8/10...................4.78 6...................... Ever Hopeful.................................. 7/10...................4.49 7...................... Edge Bite ...................................... 8/10...................4.48 8...................... Rod Battlers................................... 9/10...................4.40 9...................... Plonkers......................................... 7/10...................4.26 10.................... Aussie Angler Fishing Tackle......... 7/10...................4.15

1st place champions Team Tangle Foot’s Tony and Kyle Pettie display their trophies to the crowd. would have them placed. With 5/5 for 2.82kg Team Tangle Foot were sitting 5th place with a good chance, but definitely with some work to do to catch the leaders. The lead team after day one and Maria Lures Best Bag winners with their day one field leading 5/5 bream for 3.42kg bag was Team Ever Hopeful’s Darryl Baird and Allan Morrison. However, the fish they found on day one eluded them on day two, opening the door for Team Tangle Foot to make a charge for the lead. On day two the conditions were a little more stable giving anglers more flexibility to work most locations. For Team Tangle Foot it was back to flats out the front of Oxbow Lake near Livingstone Island and they slowly worked their way back towards the boat ramp. “We had our first legal by 7:20am, then another by 7:30am and a third by 7:45, which was extremely promising. We were throwing the lure as far as possible over the flats and used a slow return with a twitch and pause. We moved along the flats toward the town and picked up our fourth and biggest bream of 1.03kg, then not long after that we landed our 5th fish and had a promising bag by 8:45am,” Tony said. After this the boys spent

the rest of the day trying to secure some upgrades, which proved harder than first thought, but with a vital upgrade coming to the boat at 11.30am the boys felt confident their bag would give them a good chance of a top 3 finish. With the inconsistent day two results causing many teams in the top 10 failing to back up their day one results, the door was open for a number of teams to push into the top 10. When Team Tangle Foot placed their bag on the scales it weighed 5/5 bream for 3.13kg, which gave them a total two-day bag of 10/10 bream for 5.95kg – it rocketed them from 5th into 1st place and handed them the 2014 Hobie Bream Classic Championship. Another highlight of day two was the Ecogear Big Bream of 1.09kg that was weighed in by Team Tim Treloar Fencing and helped them jump 18 places. With only one qualifying round left for the 2014 Vic Bream Classic Series all eyes are starting to turn to the Club Marine Team of the Year Points chase and who will make the Grand Final. For all the details, team standings and tournament details visit www.vicbreamclassics.com. au and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ vicbreamclassics.

OCTOBER 2014

A test drive with a twist FMG

Peter Jung pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au

Subaru cars, in all of their various forms, have long been regarded as quality with a capital ‘Q’. Many of us have pondered purchasing one, others have simply dreamt of owning one or have just wanted to drive one of these stylish and versatile vehicles. Whatever your case maybe, there is no better time than now to go and experience what these vehicles have to offer. Subaru Melbourne has put together a program that allows prospective buyers and new owners the opportunity to better understand the Subaru AWD range of cars. If you want to get a better feel for or watch how the various features of the cars work and experience first-hand just how capable these cars are in a range of challenging situations, this is something you will want to do. The program is called the Subaru All Wheel Drive Experience. It is a half-day of test-driving one of their AWD vehicles on suburban streets, on the highway and off road at their Werribee proving grounds. I can guarantee that by the end of the day, you will know more about the cars, what they can do and how to react in different situations. Most importantly it will also put a big smile on your face. WHAT’S THE DAY? Your meeting point is the Subaru dealership at Docklands on Lorimer Street at 8.30am. After a short welcome and safety briefing at

Top: The smallest of the vehicles tested on the day was the XV. It dealt with the Wombat Holes and the mud with ease. Above Left: The drive to the Proving grounds was a great way to experience what the cars can offer on the highway and city traffic. Above Right: The first course for the day had drivers descending into a creek crossing and then up a rocky bank. Right: Dale and the team were very helpful on the day. Their tuition and prompting was invaluable. 82

OCTOBER 2014

9am your driving experience begins with a drive, in convoy, to the Werribee proving grounds. In my experience this alone is more time in the car than you would receive on most test drives. Two-way radios are placed in the cars

and simple instructions are provided during the trip so you don’t get lost or left behind. Once at the Werribee facility there is enough time for a cup of tea and to have a nervous wee (certainly in my case) before the instructors

KEY SUBARU FEATURES • Symmetrical All Wheel Drive System: Power is delivered in a balanced manner to all four wheels providing outstanding grip, balance and control in a variety of road conditions. • Vehicle Dynamics Control System: This is a combination of braking and stability technologies (6 different systems). The end result if you are in a situation where grip is poor the VDC system minimises wheel spin by transferring power from the wheels that slip to the wheels with grip. • 5 Star ANCAP Safety Rating: Every vehicle in the Subaru range carries the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating. • X-Mode: This is an assist mode that controls your speed on steep slopes for better grip and traction in slippery situations. It lets you concentrate on pointing the vehicle in the direction you want it to go.

The cars lined up and ready to go at the Subaru Docklands. guide you through a number of courses that will have you and the cars going through mud, water, up and down hills and everything in between. After a few hours of this you then head back to the dealership where any further questions can be answered and you can go and spy what car you want to buy. WERRIBEE PROVING GROUNDS This is a purpose-built facility that Subaru is working with to create this driving experience. Our hosts for the day, Dale Baxter and Mario Mascarenhas, were great in explaining that you didn’t have to complete any stage of the course if you didn’t want to, but did also insist that no matter what your driving level, we were all more than capable of completing each section. I am the first to admit that I was a little nervous in driving what I consider a family car through mud, down steep inclines, through water and up steep inclines with rocks, deep ruts and washouts in the way. I can only imagine what Reece, a Subaru trainee on his second day of work, thought when he

The Wombat Holes was a real eye opener as to what these cars are capable of doing. was put in the car with me. It took very little time for me to realise that I didn’t have to worry. By the time we had been coached through our first descent, water crossing and ascent I couldn’t get the smile off my face. By simply controlling your speed, steering wheel position and allowing the features of the cars to do their work, you were comfortably coping with everything put in front of you. The feeling in the car was that this was just another day, very comforting. After this initial challenge we then went on to what they call the Wombat Holes. Aptly named, it is a section of the course that has you driving through a water-filled gutter at a 45º angle (both sides) and finishes with the rear right hand tyre getting completely airborne before you deal with some more mud-filled potholes. All the cars dealt with this challenge easily. The final course had us following the instructors through more deeply rutted tracks, an even steeper descent and ascent and a 50m drive through the creek followed by a number of tight winding tracks. All a piece of cake

as we were now seasoned professionals. A quick chat to the other participants at the end of the day showed that I wasn’t alone in how much I had got out of the day. The drive back to the dealership was filled with banter and, in my case, lots of smiling and relief that I hadn’t made a fool of myself. OVERALL I sat down with Dale Baxter and Chris van Zonneveld, their Marketing Manager, when we got back to Docklands and it was obvious to me that they enjoy having the opportunity to show off the cars as much we all did driving them. The fact that they both wished that we had a little more rain before the day to make things more slippery and fun showed the confidence they have in the program and the experience it provides for the participants. I had no hesitation accepting the offer to come back again when it is wet. For more information about the Subaru All Wheel Drive experience contact Subaru Melbourne on 1300 782 278 or go to www. subarumelbourne.com.au.

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Insight Genesis: Custom made charts made easy BRISBANE

Nabeel Issa

We all have our little secrets and tricks that help us get onto the fish, such as a particular lure, a rig or that special spot that always produces the goods. For most of us, time on the

water is limited so every little advantage we can gain on the fish is like gold! Now there’s an extra trick you can add to your arsenal. A relatively new tool available to Lowrance and Simrad sounder users ,called Insight Genesis, is helping anglers to increase their catch rates and make better use of their

time on the water. Here’s the lowdown. SO WHAT IS IT? Insight Genesis is a mapping tool that allows you to create custom maps of the waterways you like to fish. It can be used on any water system; all you need is a compatible Lowrance or Simrad sounder. With Insight The left shows an area covered by Insight Genesis at 1ft contour intervals. On the right, the same area is shown with a Navionics Gold map card.

This image shows part of the Gold Coast Seaway that I mapped on a recent fishing trip. There are a few spots I missed that I will cover on my next trip.

SATURDAYS

7-8am

WITH

SEN 1116 REX HUNT

THROUGHOUT VICTORIA, SOUTHERN NSW, QUEENSLAND AND TASMANIA

Genesis you can create topographical maps with contour intervals as detailed as 1ft. The software also overlays bottom composition as well as vegetation, meaning it can show you on your map where the harder and softer bottom areas are. Definitely a valuable tool to have with you on the boat! HOW IT HELPS Most coastal waterways around Australia are available on mapping cards that slot into our sounders. These maps provide details such as basic contours, sandbanks and navigational markers. What Insight Genesis allows you to do is get a much clearer contour image of the areas you fish. If you’re into freshwater fishing in impoundments, you are probably aware that when it comes to mapping, there aren’t too many (if any) chart options for these areas. Insight Genesis allows you to create maps for these systems, so now when all the fish you find are in a certain depth, you can easily look on your maps and find every location in the dam with that same depth! It doesn’t take much of a change in topography for an area to hold fish, and being able to view your spots at 1ft contour intervals will give you a whole new understanding of what’s underneath you. MAKE MY MAP! Creating maps is simple and straightforward. You just Record, Upload, Review and Download.

Record To record the data your sounder needs to be set to ‘Log’ and the data needs to be saved to a blank SD card. As you drive the boat around, anything the sounder sees will be recorded. I like to set my sounder to record while I’m moving between spots or just sounding around at slow speeds. This process won’t work if you’re travelling at more than 32knots, so try to reduce your speed if you want to map the area. Make sure you don’t record to your current mapping card as you could lose information off the card! Always use a separate card for recording. Upload Once the data has been saved to the SD card it needs to be uploaded to the Insight Genesis Software. When uploading you will be given the chance to select whether you want to keep the map private; this way no one else will have access to your own secret map. Select the files from your SD card, click Upload and just wait for the magic to happen! Review Now it has been uploaded, Insight Genesis will create the map for the area that you have covered. You can review it or merge it with other trips to create larger maps. I usually wait until I have covered a substantial area before downloading the map. Whether this takes one or a few trips will depend on how much recording you have done.

A cool feature with the software is that you can also review your sounder readings. Click anywhere on the track and it will show you the corresponding sounder reading. I find it’s a good way to check if there were any fish about when I went over certain areas of the map. Download Once you are happy with the map you can download it back to your SD card, extract the file and put it into the sounder. Simple! SHARING IS CARING! I mentioned earlier about selecting the map to be ‘Private’, but if you choose to leave it public you are helping contribute to a library of mapping available for everyone to share. Social Map is where all public mapping is displayed. Anyone with an Insight Genesis account can view Social Maps and download these to their sounders. Currently a huge range of areas throughout Australia have been recorded and mapped to Social Map. It’s a great tool to use when travelling to areas you have never been. For instance, I plan on fishing Maroon Dam in the coming weeks. I have never fished there and have no idea about where to start. By looking on Social Map, I can get a great understanding of the dam and already know which parts I’m going to fish. LIST OF SOCIAL MAPS There’s a wide range of areas currently being covered, all thanks to

AND

LEE RAYNER SUBSCRIPTION TO BE

WON

EVERY WEEK 84

OCTOBER 2014

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Depending on the model sounder, it will show up differently. This is how HDS Touch models will show the Log Sonar Screen.

anglers getting out there and hitting record! ACT: Jervis Bay, St Georges Basin, Sussex Inlet NSW: Berowra Creek,

River, Parramatta River, Pindari Dam, Pipers Creek, Pittwater, Shoalhaven River, Swan Lake, Sydney Harbour, Toonumbar, Tuross

Moreton Bay, Nerang River, Pacific Pines Pond, Packers Creek, Parrearra Channel, Paynter River, Pumicestone Passage, Robina Reserve Pond, Ross River, Sea World Pond, Slacks Creek, South Pine River, Teemburra Creek Dam, Tinaroo Falls Reservoir, Tweed River. VIC: Barwon River, Lake Victoria, Port Phillip Bay, Genoa River, Lodden River, Pykes Creek Reservoir, Glenelg River, Maribyrnong, Tambo River, Lake Bullen Merri, Patterson Lake, Tarwin River, Lake Eildon, Patterson River, Yarra River. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for something that can give you the edge on the fish for your next outing, have a look at Insight Genesis. For more information and to sign up to it visit insightstore. When you upload you have the option to keep your map private or add STA15827 OR-FM_Layout 1 25/08/14 3:03it PM Page 1 navico.com. to the shared pool of maps already uploaded by other anglers.

Mapping like these are available for anglers to access. Berrara Creek, Botany Bay, Brisbane Waters, Chipping Norton Lake, Clarence, Clarence River, Clyde River, Copeton Dam, Dawson River, Hastings River, Hawkesbury River, Kalang River, Lake Burrendong, Lake Conjola, Lake Glenbawn, Lake Keepit, Lake Lyell, Lake Macquarie, Lake Oberon, Lake Windamere, Lake Wyangala, Lake Yarrunga, Lansdowne River, Manning River, Manning River South Channel, Maria River, Marramarra Creek, Mooney Mooney Creek, Moruya River, Murray River, Myall

Lake, Tuross River, Tweed Reservoir, Wallamba River, Wallis Lake, Wandandian Creek, Wang Wauk River, Wilson River. QLD: Advancetown Lake, Albert River, Biggera Waters, Blair Athol Pond 1, Boondooma Lake, Borumba Dam, Boyne River, Burrum River, Chinaman Creek, Clear Island Lake, Connor Creek, Currumbin Creek, Elimbah Creek, Eungella Reservoir, Ewen Maddock Dam, Hull River, Lake Kinchant, Lake Maroon, Lake Moogerah, Lake Somerset, Lake Wivenhoe,

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An example of a map created by Insight Genesis. OCTOBER 2014

Sea Jay 520 Velocity Sports BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Factory fresh from Sea Jay’s Bundaberg factory, the new 520 Velocity Sports with its newly designed Samurai hull, on a dual axle trailer, slipped into the Burnett River for a morning of water testing last month. This is a side console with attitude, not the least being the classy wrap enveloping the hull’s sides. Very beamy at 2.4m and with an overall length of 5.3m, the Velocity Sports will fulfil a multitude of roles thanks to a careful balance of features that will appeal to a wide cross section of boaters. A 150L fuel tank is standard, and that generous fuel capacity will be a big selling point for northern anglers that see a couple of hours’ travel to a good fishing area as par for the course. Powered by a 115 Yamaha four-stroke (recommended power) the craft was no slouch either, with top speeds around the 65kph mark recorded on the Burnett River. LAYOUT A close look at the

sized anchor well (and a bow rail there of course). A pair of hatches within the front casting deck allow easy access to the storage area below, which is large enough to hold an ice box, as well as offering a handy area for tackle trays and the like. Stepping down from the 400mm high cast deck there’s ample room to easily select a rigged rod from the six upright rod holders in front of the console. Roominess is certainly one

of the big pluses with this craft; nothing is cramped or cluttered. Features are set up for maximum comfort and ease of use throughout. CONSOLE I noticed that the side console with its grab handles on the side and top was just the right size – not overly large, nor too small to be useful. On the flat upper section there was ample room for large sounder screens or other nav aids. A Humminbird state-of-the-art Onix 8S1

unit graced the console of the test rig with a trio of Yamaha multi-function gauges immediately below. The main switches were set neatly to starboard of the wheel linked to hydraulic steering. With a central shelf for odds and ends and ample leg room below it, the console was well thought out. It balanced both the appearance and handling of the craft in fine style. Seating aft of the console consisted of paired,

Recommended power, the Yamaha 115 really shone.

An attractive vinyl wrap highlights the 520 Velocity Sports. folding pedestal-style seats for skipper and first mate. I found the skipper’s pedestal seat to be strong, handy in that it swivelled, and in the correct position to helm the craft. Visibility was, of course, totally unlimited, as expected in an open boat of this style. With such a wide area of cockpit space to use, the ability to move seats is an important feature of the craft as it creates a great deal of flexibility and ease of weight distribution. Also of importance were the very high cockpit sides, three rod holders per side, a deep side pocket to port and full carpet on all floor areas. Transom features consisted of a plumbed live well, a transom door and boarding ladder to port, boarding platforms

Left: Jumping a swell in the Burnett River, the Velocity Sports struts her stuff. Right: With a hull design as smooth as the Velocity Sports’ there won’t be much displaced water coming aboard. layout of the 520 Velocity Sports reveals that Sea Jay have covered quite a few bases with this newcomer to their line-up. While the company is renowned for their well set up and well appointed fishing boats, I reckon it won’t just be keen anglers who will be drawn to this craft – familyoriented anglers will like it as well. It’s beamy, strong, solid as a rock, and has a lot of freeboard thanks to a side depth of 1.29m. Five seating positions are standard, as is useful storage within the front deck areas and within the side console with its windscreen and surrounding grab rail. Up front there’s a good 86

OCTOBER 2014

The new Sea Jay offers stacks of fishing room, made even better by the flexibility in seating arrangements.

and rails each side of the smooth Yamaha fourstroke, plus cleats. RIDE AND HANDLING I was interested in how the wide side console would perform. Sea Jay recommend the 115 Yamaha four-stroke as power for the craft and I think that’s about right. This is, after all, a quite solid plate hull with its 4mm bottom and 3mm sides, 13 under-floor cross ribs all contributing to the craft’s 575kg weight. The smooth running 1.8L four cylinder Yamaha eased the craft onto the plane at 22.3km/h at 2800rpm, with 3000rpm giving the rig a speed of 28.7km/h. Other speed readings were

43.2km/h at 4000rpm, 55.8km/h at 5000rpm and 65.6.km/h at 6200km/h. With its 18° deadrise and well-formed underhull pressings, the Velocity impressed me with the way it handled the swells rolling up the Burnett River at Burnett Heads. Even when travelling at full throttle I felt little impact from the swells we encountered, and it was pleasing to note that the hull refused to bang or cause any noise other than a hiss of displaced water. Handling was also a strong point with the hull turning sharply with minimal lean. Family anglers wanting to have some tow sports fun would warm to this aspect of the Velocity’s handling. Good stability at rest would make the craft suitable for all manner of fishing, whether in the estuary or heading offshore. It was easy to move about without causing the craft to lean. Even when things became a bit boisterous from passing trawlers the Sea Jay remained very steady. Purposely pushing hard into the large wash from some of the trawlers caused no issues while the ride remained quite dry. As an open craft, of course, you might expect some spray if travelling with wind and waves on the quarter. However, the Velocity’s quite high sides should assist in keeping water out of the way. FISHABILITY Virtually every aspect of the Sea Jay 520 Velocity Sport’s design and the numerous angler-friendly features make it an ideal fishing craft for up to four anglers. A raised platform up front, ample room aft, flexibility in seating layout, high sides for maximum sea keeping and an enjoyable, predictable ride all combine in best Sea Jay tradition to ensure owners will enjoy their time on the water. The finish was of a high standard. Welds were full all round, smoothed but still quite visible while the brilliant orange wrap was undoubtedly the icing on the cake. The price (from Stones Corner Marine in Brisbane) with Redco Sportsman dual

Here you can see just how much fishing area there is in the 520 Velocity Sports.

axle trailer and fitted with the Yamaha 115 would be in the low forties without the sounder. For more information visit www. seajayboats.com.au. • 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.

Left: Easy access to under-floor storage up front is a feature of this craft. Right: It’s not hard to imagine four anglers working in comfort when looking at this spacious layout.

A suitable sized side console is a useful feature of this boat.

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OCTOBER 2014

Bar Crusher’s 780 HTP BRISBANE

Stephen Booth sbooth@fishingmonthly.com.au

Bar Crusher is well known for their sturdy and tough fishing craft that deliver in the worst of conditions and the addition of the pilot house range, especially the 780 reviewed, adds a level of comfort and fit out that will see this model being used for far more than just your average fishing trip. We had the good fortune to meet the Bar Crusher team on a cool winter’s morning on Port Phillip Bay with a mild offshore breeze that meant we’d have to create our own waves. Luckily we had two boats to play with and when you want to create some waves, the big Bar Crushers can deliver it. Needless to say, the 780HTP handled the steep half metre messy cross chop with ease, whether we hit it at a cruising 4000rpm or took it on at full throttle. Barely a bump was registered and with the plush cabin fit out, there was no annoying thump and bang. The tested 780HTP was fitted out with the top rated 300hp Suzuki 4-stroke and this was more than enough power for this rig. In fact the team recommends a 250hp outboard is all that is required, but I have to say after blasting around with 300 ponies on the back, I’d be heading this way if money was not a concern. It was simply straight out good fun. This rig may look familiar

Top: The front of the pilot house has sleeping space for up to 3 persons. Above Left: The pilot house of this vessel is impressive. It was designed with overnighters and family trips in mind, so the space inside and comfort passengers can enjoy is quite remarkable. Above Right: The 780HTP has a macerating toilet up the front to cater for those longer trips. Right: A massive cockpit area with room for the largest sounders and gauges sees everything at the skipper’s fingertips. 88

OCTOBER 2014

to many and in fact the rig is essentially the same as the 780 hard top. The difference is in the pilot house, which is set up with overnighting and family cruising in mind. PILOT HOUSE The 780HTP is a set up to be a family cruising and overnight boat with enough features to ensure everyone is catered for. Features such as a macerating toilet, a sliding table and seat arrangement for meals, the fully enclosed pilot house, full carpeting throughout the pilot house, an Engel fridge/freezer and just outside in the fishing area a sink and a cook stove for meal preparation and clean up. All of this is highlighted by perfectly placed LED lighting that gives you brilliant lighting in the right areas when you’re at rest and anchored up for the night, be that fishing, eating or sleeping. And speaking of sleeping, the 780HTP can fit up to three persons up front when the time comes to catch some shut eye. This area would be sensational for a couple to sleep and the sliding chair and

first mate’s seat will easily fit a child up to about 12 years old. Hopefully the pictures give you a better idea of this area as it’s quite impressive in real life. The word volumous came to mind when I first lay eyes on the pilot house and after running around in the boat, that impression did not change. Inside the pilot house the skipper’s area was impressive. A massive cockpit area with room for the largest sounders and gauges sees everything at the skipper’s fingertips. Additionally, all of these gauges are easy for the skipper to see. Peter Cleland told me that they did not want to have sounders or gauges on the port side of the cabin and they designed the internals so that everything could be on the starboard (or skipper’s) side and easy to see. Job done there for sure as they had a massive 12” Raymarine factory package surrounded by other engine management gauges and still the helm area did not seem overcrowded. The controls for the 300hp Suzuki were all fly by wire

The weather was great, so there wasn’t much chop or wave activity. Luckily, with a second 780HTP to play with, we were able to make our own waves!

Every Bar Crusher trailer is factory-packaged on a custom-designed trailer and this makes towing, launching and retrieving less complicated with a big boat! and this negated all of the crunching and grinding you can get with cabled control boxes. The throttle handle sat perfectly whether the skipper was standing or sitting and the rig had awesome visibility all round as well. If the rough stuff gets a bit much and the skipper must sit down, there are foot rests that allow you to stabilise yourself and keep good control of the rig. There are also grab handles throughout the pilot house that are in instinctive places. By that I mean that when you go to grab something to stabilise yourself, there is a grab handle right there. All visible welds were well finished, the paint work was immaculate and all the upholstery was first rate, giving you a sense of quality throughout, something the Bar Crusher team hold dear, especially in this top of the line family fishing rig. The helm area also sported controls for the trim tabs and the anchor winch, which make trimming the boat out simple and anchoring a breeze. While the cabin does have a massive access hatch to the winch, getting an auto winch would be mandatory with the size of anchor and lengths of chain needed on this rig. Think of it as not optional, but necessary in my mind. FISHING AREA The fishing area was unreservedly that, a practical fishing area that has been managed and altered over the years to be an ideal platform from which to tangle with big ooglies.

The deck itself is checkerplate and there is FishMat non-slip flooring over the top of this to provide security. Bar Crusher make their own bait boards and they are sensational. Everything you will need in a bait board is there and they are built tough to last. The bait board has a drain into the berley muncher that allows users to keep this area clean and this also

keeps bait scraps and the like off the floor where they can cause slipping and ultimately accidental falls. The gunwales are massive – big enough to take a seat on and fitted out with non-slip material in between the custom cast aluminium rod holders, of which there were two on each side. The back deck also had two wash down hoses, a saltwater and a freshwater to make clean ups and wash downs a breeze. It’s interesting to note that the freshwater is also used on the windscreen wiper up front to help wash off all the salt crystals when needed – a brilliant idea. The transom and motor pod are large and there is a fold down bench seat attached for when you’re travelling and you have extra bodies on board. Given the size of the Bar Crusher 780HTP and the fact you can take up to 6 persons, this extra seating, which can be folded out of your way when fishing, is a very sensible idea.

Made from 4 and 5mm marine grade aluminium, this boat will certainly stand up to the testing conditions our country is known for.

The deck also sports a kill bin that would be an ideal place to bleed your catch. I wouldn’t store fish in here though as with the Quickflow water ballast technology used, this kill tank takes on the ambient water temperature of the water the boat is sitting in. You’ll still need to pop the fish in an ice bin after they have bled out to ensure their

THE BUILD Constructed from heavy duty, high-tensile 5mm (bottom sides) and 4mm (top sides) marine grade plate aluminium, the 780HT measures 7.80m overall with a 2.47m beam. Its high-tech Waveslicer non-pounding, deep-V hull delivers an ultrasmooth ride, the expertlyengineered Rigideck sub-floor

The optional Bar Flap system can be used to keep water out, and to make the boat lighter in shallow-water applications; or to trap water in, to make the boat heavier when running in extreme rough-water situations. best performance on the table. And lastly, but not least by any measure, if you want mass rod storage, then the rod holders on the roof of the pilot house will hold plenty. There are 10 slots that will store any rods safely and out of the way of fishing activity on the main fishing deck.

system ensures maximum hull strength and Bar Crusher’s exclusive Quickflow water ballast technology ensures the boat is extremely stable at rest. The innovative Quickflow system incorporates a cavity running the full length of the keel that quickly fills with water when the boat

is stationary, which lowers the chines into the water for greater stability, and drains in seconds as the boat moves forward to allow it to leap effortlessly onto the plane. The optional Bar Flap system can be used to keep water out, to make the boat lighter in shallow-water applications; or to trap water in, to make the boat heavier when running in extreme rough-water situations. THE TRAILER Every Bar Crusher boat is factory-packaged on a custom-designed trailer, which ensures towing, launching and retrieving is a breeze. Self-centering and aligning perfectly every time, Bar Crusher’s innovative Bar Catch system also allows for single-handed launch and retrieve. These are all important points as the main impediment to use is generally difficulties at the ramp. Not many people want to have hassles loading and unloading a 7.8m boat and the Bar Catch system, trailer design and set-up and drive on, drive-off operation make this a breeze. Of course the trailers are all alloy, eliminating most of the rust that can quickly weaken a trailer and their brake systems are built specifically to bleed the heat away meaning there will be no brake fade on long trips – a crucially important design factor.

The high-tech Waveslicer non-pounding, deep-V hull delivers an ultra-smooth ride, even in slightly lumpier conditions. OVERALL To say I was impressed is probably a bit of an understatement. This rig blew me away from the ride and power through to the impressive design and usefulness of the pilot house. I can see plenty of offshore anglers overnighting at Lakes Entrance or even up in the Whitsundays. Those chasing tuna offshore in adverse conditions will love the ability to travel with the pilot house fully enclosed, keeping the crew warm and dry and when you’re trolling, the barn style doors can be locked open and the skipper can easily talk to the crew while they work the rods. An amazing rig with

SPECIFICATIONS Length of hull....................................................7.8m Top sides..........................................................4mm Bottom sides....................................................5mm Beam...............................................................2.47m Capacity .................................................. 6 persons Max HP...............................................................300 Rec HP................................................................250 a diversity of use that will appeal to many. At its heart, this is still a fishing machine, but the niceties included make this so much more than just a fishing rig. Check out the 780HTP by logging onto www.barcrusher.com.au or drop into one of their dealers and check it out first hand. Impressive is the word and with a an as tested cost of around $160,000, this rig will

be out their and amongst it all over the country. • Quoted performance figures have been supplied by the writer in good faith. Performance of individual boat/motor/ trailer packages may differ due to variations in engine installations, propellers, hull configurations, options, hull loading and trailer specifications.

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What’s new boating

SEA JAY SAMURAI HULL

Sea Jay’s Samurai hull is designed with precision and accuracy using the latest manufacturing techniques. It makes for a stylish and streamlined hull that slices through the waves. Like all Sea Jay hulls it has been designed using 3D modelling to achieve the best performance. The Samurai hull is available in the Vision and Velocity models, both with a raised sheer line and Sea Jay’s reverse chine with 3mm sides and 4mm bottom. The Vision centre console has a sharper entry to improve the ride. It comes in three lengths with an optional T top. The Velocity’s increased deadrise and sharper entry means it parts the water like no other. It has a larger high front cast deck with lots of storage within the hatch. It can be fitted with a small centre or rear console, and a side console Sports model is available. It comes in three lengths. For more info visit www.seajayboats.com. au. – Sea Jay.

FORMOSA MK4 AND V2

Brisbane-based Formosa Marine (manufacturer of the popular Classic and Tomahawk Aluminium plate boat ranges) have launched the Classic MK4 and SEA-ROD V2 Hulls for their 520, 550 and 580 models. The boats will be officially revealed at this year’s Brisbane Boat Show (Sep 11-14). While maintaining the great performance and key design and strength features of the current range (4mm bottoms with longitudinal stringers, marine grade plywood floors and 32mm hand rails) Formosa has added some new enhancements. These include: • 4mm sides as standard in 520, 550 and 580 models; • Pillar post side ribs – allows for cables and hosing to be neatly run out of view; • No side sheet pressing – sleeker look; • Reinforced transom – upgrade in horsepower capacity available; and • New internal fittings. All models 430,455, 480 and 500 will still be available as a MK3 and V1 Deluxe hull. Further details can found at www. formosamarineboats.com.au. - FB

HUMMINBIRD AUTOCHART LIVE

Humminbird’s AutoChart LIVE is a DIY mapping program that allows anglers to create their own precision digital contour maps, live and on the fly. For anglers fishing waterways that haven’t been accurately surveyed or not surveyed at all such as estuaries, rivers, lakes, inshore areas, even offshore features – AutoChart LIVE comes into its own. On rivers and streams where changing water levels and underwater topography are frequently altered; in estuaries where storms change the landscape and create new channels and structure, AutoChart LIVE lets boaters navigate safely while discovering new fishing hotspots. Offered as a free software upgrade for users of Humminbird’s ONIX and ION Cross TouchTM touchscreen units, AutoChart LIVE provides eight hours of mapping data. After eight hours of data have been compiled, users can either erase the data and commence mapping, or buy a Zero Line Map Card (BLA Code 103648). The RRP is $179. For more info visit humminbird.com.au/technology/ humminbird-autochart. – BLA 90

OCTOBER 2014

MEGA FLOW EXHAUST OUTLET

These highly polished, 316 marine grade stainless steel exhaust outlets from Marine Town provide excellent protection against water intrusion. Each outlet incorporates an integral, pivoting 316 grade stainless steel flapper valve which is specially designed to inhibit water intrusion back into the exhaust system. To ensure engine exhaust water has minimal contact with the hull an ingenious stand off collar has been incorporated. This collar has been designed to keep residual drips, which have a tendency to streak and stain, away from the hull. For additional corrosion protection an earth/anode grounding wire connection screw has been incorporated into the retaining nut while a silicon hull gasket helps to provide a watertight seal. More detailed information and specs are available at www.bla.com.au. – BLA

SAVAGE’S 305 PUNT

Savage’s 305 Punt is every outdoor enthusiast’s best friend. The perfect size to take away on all your holidays and camping trips, this little boat will provide you with hours of on-water fun. The flat design and lightweight 42kg hull makes the 305 Punt the perfect car topper for your 4WD and is easy to launch and retrieve by yourself. This elementary boat has the bare essentials for boaters who want an easy, no-fuss boating experience. Standard features include bow and transom handles and rear and front bench seats, and the 305 Punt can also be optioned up to include a bimini and envelope, navigation lights and switch, a painted hull and full-length side rails. The Savage 305 Punt is available as a complete boat, motor and trailer package with a 3-year limited warranty. For more information on the 305 Punt or the entire Savage range visit www.savageboats.com. au. – Savage

GARMIN ECHO DV

Ideal for kayaks and smaller boats, Garmin’s new Echo DV fishfinders deliver near photographic views of structure and fish at a price that’s as compact as the units themselves. Comprising four models – Echo 551DV, Echo 301DV, Echo 201DV and Echo 151DV – the high-resolution Echo DV series includes an all-in-one transducer for 77/200kHz Garmin HD-ID sonar and DownVü scanning sonar, which can be displayed simultaneously on a horizontally or vertically split screen. The Echo DV series provides incredible underwater definition in shallow and deep, freshwater or saltwater – with remarkable below-the-boat views of bottom structure such as rocks, vegetation and drop-offs, as well as thermoclines, baitfish and target fish. Capable of displaying isolated targets and difficult-to-find secondary structure, DownVü’s finer, concentrated sonar signal allows users to see bottom structure more clearly, and helps anglers recognise variations bottom composition/hardness. Garmin Echo DV fishfinders have an IPX7 waterproof rating, with RRPs starting from $249 for the Echo 151DV. For more info visit: sites.garmin.com/clearvu-scanning. – Garmin

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Victorian Tide Times

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

LONG 144° 37’

TIMES AND HEIGHTS OF HIGH AND LOW WATERS Time 0400 0942 MO 1607 2204

1 2

0440 1017 TU 1642 2238



m 1.52 0.52 1.53 0.34 1.51 0.56 1.50 0.33

Time 0507 1025 TU 1651 2255



0554 1106 WE 1733 2336

m 1.59 0.50 1.51 0.26

Time 0421 1000 WE 1617 2211

1.50 0.56 1.43 0.33

0502 1037 TH 1657 2249

1.47 0643 1.42 3 0523 1055 0.61 18 1147 0.63 1718 1.45 1817 1.35

2314 0.33

1.43 0018 0.41 4 0611 1135 0.66 19 0734 1.34 1800 1.41 1232 0.69

2355 0.33

1909 1.27

1.39 0105 0.48 5 0705 1219 0.71 20 0829 1.29 1849 1.37 1325 0.74

2010 1.21

0.35 0200 0.55 6 0045 0809 1.36 21 0926 1.26 1314 0.74 1432 0.76

1951 1.33

2119 1.19

0.39 0313 0.59 7 0145 0920 1.36 22 1023 1.26 1422 0.75 1556 0.74

2109 1.32

0300 1030 MO 1543 2233

0.41 1.40 0.69 1.37

2230 1.21

0430 1115 TU 1708 2331

0.59 1.29 0.67 1.27

0.41 0532 0.57 9 0420 1132 1.46 24 1201 1.34 1700 0.58 1800 0.57

2347 1.46





NOVEMBER – 2014

OCTOBER – 2014

SEPTEMBER – 2014

1 2



m 1.57 0.53 1.45 0.26 1.53 0.56 1.41 0.28

Time 0516 1042 TH 1702 2301



m 1.52 0.53 1.37 0.35

1.44 17 0558 1122 0.58 1745 1.30 FR

2341 0.43

1.47 0641 1.36 3 0547 1117 0.59 18 1204 0.62 1742 1.37 1835 1.23

2332 0.32

1.41 0023 0.51 4 0639 1203 0.62 19 0729 1.30 1835 1.33 1252 0.65

1936 1.18

0.38 0112 0.59 5 0023 0740 1.36 20 0823 1.25 1257 0.64 1350 0.67

1942 1.30

2048 1.17

0.45 0213 0.66 6 0125 0849 1.34 21 0919 1.23 1405 0.62 1504 0.65

2107 1.31

2200 1.20

0.50 0331 0.70 7 0240 0958 1.36 22 1015 1.24 1527 0.56 1621 0.59

2230 1.38

0404 1101 WE 1644 2340



0.52 1.40 0.44 1.49

2304 1.27

0452 1107 TH 1718 2358

0.69 1.27 0.50 1.37

0550 0.66 0.51 9 0520 1159 1.46 24 1155 1.32 1802 0.41 1747 0.32

TIME ZONE –1000



Time 0530 1106 SA 1730 2317

m 1.52 0.52 1.36 0.34

Time 0555 1140 SU 1804 2346

m 1.42 0.55 1.23 0.53

1.46 0634 1.36 2 0617 1153 0.52 17 1222 0.57 1828 1.32 1900 1.19

0.43 0030 0.62 3 0009 0713 1.40 18 0720 1.30 1248 0.52 1311 0.57

1942 1.30

2008 1.18

0.53 0121 0.70 4 0110 0817 1.36 19 0812 1.26 1355 0.49 1407 0.56

2108 1.33

2119 1.21

0.61 0224 0.77 5 0222 0924 1.35 20 0908 1.24 1512 0.43 1513 0.52

2223 1.41

2226 1.28

0.64 0342 0.80 6 0344 1028 1.37 21 1006 1.24 1624 0.35 1619 0.45

2330 1.51

2323 1.38

0.63 0500 0.78 7 0500 1127 1.40 22 1103 1.27 1726 0.26 1714 0.37





0029 0603 SA 1220 1818

1.61 0.60 1.44 0.19

0015 0556 SU 1157 1800

1.48 0.73 1.31 0.29

1.69 0101 1.58 9 0121 0654 0.56 24 0641 0.67 1310 1.47 1246 1.36

1906 0.15

1842 0.22

DECEMBER – 2014 Time 0600 1148 MO 1827 2359

m 1.52 0.41 1.35 0.48

Time 0555 1154 TU 1826 2355

m 1.43 0.47 1.24 0.60

1.46 0633 1.37 2 0649 1242 0.39 17 1234 0.47 1945 1.34 1925 1.23

0.59 0040 0.69 3 0055 0746 1.40 18 0718 1.32 1343 0.38 1318 0.46

2100 1.36

2030 1.24

0.68 0132 0.77 4 0200 0849 1.36 19 0810 1.28 1451 0.35 1411 0.44

2210 1.42

2136 1.28

0.73 0236 0.82 5 0315 0953 1.34 20 0907 1.25 1600 0.31 1511 0.40

2314 1.49

2241 1.35

0350 0.84 0.73 6 0431 1054 1.35 21 1010 1.25 1615 0.34 1701 0.26



2341 1.44

1.57 0504 0.80 7 0012 0539 0.70 22 1115 1.28 1151 1.37 1715 0.27

1756 0.22

0104 0634 MO 1244 1845

1.63 0.64 1.39 0.20



1.54 23 0034 0604 0.73 1215 1.33 TU

1810 0.21

1.66 0123 1.62 9 0151 0722 0.59 24 0655 0.65 1330 1.40 1310 1.39

1930 0.20

1900 0.17

0.39 0024 1.35 10 0534 1229 1.54 25 0621 0.54 1807 0.45 1241 1.39

1.60 0045 1.47 10 0042 0621 0.48 25 0633 0.62 1250 1.52 1238 1.37

1.72 0145 1.65 10 0209 0740 0.53 25 0723 0.61 1355 1.48 1333 1.41

1.66 0210 1.67 10 0232 0805 0.55 25 0743 0.56 1414 1.40 1401 1.44

1.57 0109 1.44 11 0052 0635 0.37 26 0701 0.52 1320 1.60 1318 1.44

1.69 0127 1.56 11 0137 0713 0.46 26 0711 0.58 1338 1.55 1320 1.41

1.72 0228 1.69 11 0252 0822 0.51 26 0804 0.56 1436 1.47 1418 1.44

1.65 0254 1.70 11 0310 0845 0.52 26 0830 0.47 1455 1.39 1450 1.47

1.65 0148 1.51 12 0149 0728 0.37 27 0737 0.50 1406 1.64 1354 1.48

1.73 0206 1.63 12 0227 0758 0.45 27 0748 0.55 1421 1.56 1400 1.44

1.68 0310 1.70 12 0332 0902 0.50 27 0845 0.51 1516 1.44 1502 1.45

1.61 0337 1.70 12 0344 0925 0.50 27 0916 0.40 1533 1.37 1539 1.49

1.70 0227 1.57 13 0243 0815 0.38 28 0812 0.49 1450 1.64 1430 1.50

1.72 0245 1.66 13 0313 0841 0.45 28 0825 0.53 1502 1.54 1440 1.46

1.62 0351 1.68 13 0409 0942 0.50 28 0929 0.48 1556 1.39 1547 1.44

1.57 0418 1.67 13 0415 1002 0.49 28 1004 0.34 1613 1.34 1630 1.47

1.70 0304 1.60 14 0332 0900 0.41 29 0846 0.49 1531 1.62 1505 1.50

1.68 0325 1.66 14 0356 0922 0.47 29 0903 0.51 1543 1.50 1519 1.45

1.56 0432 1.64 14 0444 1021 0.52 29 1013 0.45 1636 1.34 1634 1.42

1.53 0500 1.62 14 0446 1040 0.48 29 1052 0.30 1653 1.31 1724 1.44

1903 0.32

1955 0.23

2043 0.18

2129 0.17

1842 0.48

1918 0.40

1952 0.34

2026 0.29

2100 0.27

1.66 0342 1.60 15 0420 0944 0.45 30 0922 0.51 1612 1.58 1541 1.48 MO

2213 0.20



2134 0.26

1842 0.22

1930 0.16

2016 0.14

2100 0.15

2142 0.20

1841 0.33

1917 0.26

1953 0.22

2030 0.20

2109 0.20

1.60 0405 1.63 15 0437 1002 0.50 30 0943 0.51 1622 1.44 1600 1.43 WE

2222 0.27

2149 0.23

1951 0.15

2033 0.18

2114 0.23

2152 0.30

2230 0.37



1924 0.18

2006 0.16

2049 0.18

2134 0.22

2220 0.28

0515 1.58 1.49 15 0518 1100 0.53 30 1059 0.42 1726 1.39 1717 1.29 SA



2307 0.45

2308 0.37

1.58 31 0445 1023 0.52 1643 1.40



2012 0.22

2051 0.26

2128 0.32

2203 0.38

2239 0.44



Height datum is Lowest Astronomical Tide Moon Symbols

 New Moon



1948 0.15

2036 0.17

2124 0.22

2212 0.29

2300 0.38

1.48 0542 1.57 15 0519 1116 0.47 30 1141 0.28 1737 1.27 1827 1.41 MO

2315 0.52



2347 0.49

1.50 31 0628 1230 0.28 1936 1.38 WE

2231 0.28



Bureau of Meteorology

National Tidal Centre

When daylight saving time is in force, add one hour to times

 First Quarter

 Full Moon

 Last Quarter

Tide predictions for Port Phillip Heads have been formatted by the National Tidal Centre, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Copyright reserved. All material is supplied in good faith and is believed to be correct. It is supplied on the condition that no warranty is given in relation thereto, that no responsibility or liability for errors or omissions is, or will be, accepted and that the recipient will hold MHL and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology Australia free from all such responsibility or liability and from all loss or damage incurred as a consequence of any error or omission. Predictions should not be used for navigational purposes. Use of these tide predictions will be deemed to include acceptance of the above conditions. 94

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