Western Australia Fishing Monthly July 2019 by Fishing Monthly

MID-WINTER MADNESS ON THE ROCKS

NEW FIND THE LOGO COMPETITION SEE INSIDE

Features Hunting land-based hoodlums • Stayin’ alive on the stones • Wilson tackle management solutions •

Boating & Kayaking Kayaking overseas • Preventing storage woes • Revival 640 Offshore with Mercury 150hp •

July, 2019 ISSN: 2209-3354

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July 2019, Vol. 1 No. 11

Contents 11

METRO

Metro 11 Metro Offshore

SOUTH COAST Esperance 14 Bremer Bay

Albany 15 WEST COAST Augusta 16 Busselton 18 Bunbury 20 Mandurah 22 Lancelin 24 Jurien Bay

Geraldton 28 GASCOYNE COAST Kalbarri 30

From the Editor’s Desk... Winter is upon us and the fishing for the year is as far as I am concerned at its best! It may not be the most comfortable time of the year, but if you pick the weather before or after the fronts then it is some of the best weather we will experience all year. While many boat fishers park up the boat at this time of the year, there are still plenty getting out and amongst the action. Unfortunately for some, it appears that their skills or their vessels are not up to the task. I cannot remember ever having heard of so many boating accident fatalities and near misses as I have heard over the last couple of years. If the trend continues you can be assured that something drastic will be done and you can be sure it will probably cost the

boating community dearly in money or participation. Whether it be the compulsory wearing of lifejackets or boat surveys, both spring to mind. While they are probably not

necessary, it is really important that the boating fraternity thinks about their actions and considers wearing life jackets and securing a kill switch lanyards while underway. It

Ian Sewell is very easy to do, and takes little to no time to ensure that our days on the water are fun and safe. If we do these things and stop the growing trend, we will hopefully be spared compulsory changes, and on that same note, never take the risk of going out on the water on a less than seaworthy vessel. Obviously, always being sure that your safety gear is on board and in date as well as readily accessible goes without saying. It is winter, but please be sure to get out there and get amongst some of the finest fishing weather of the year, the rewards are there, and if you are not sure where to go, you have just picked up your fishing passport for the WA coast for July! Happy reading and fishing.

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JULY 2019

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AUST

Hunting hoodlums off the rocks

Managing Editor: Steve Morgan

OUR OUR COVER COVER

When a school of kingies this size rolls through, there’s going to be some chaos! Luckily, the boys managed to land three of the four fish hooked!

ION

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KINGFISH

Hunting hoodlums off the rocks PERTH

Jacob Crispe

Hoodlum: someone who is never up to any good, one who indulges in a life of crime and violence; a hooligan, thug or gangster. Fact: Yellowtail kingfish can grow up to two metres long and can weigh up to 70kg.

and quickly bust off the most experienced anglers. When targeting these yellow tailed gangsters, most anglers will run a line class of 80-100lb braid and use heavy mono leader line from 130-200lb and a near locked drag. IDENTIFYING AREAS TO TARGET Kingfish are a serious predator fish and are always on the move, often hunting

up areas hold a wide range of other fish species, which the larger solitary kings will often cruise past on the hunt for the weakest link. BEST TIMES Between April to August has always been the most productive times of year, and when the kings are in bigger numbers. The new moon combined with a high tide is always going to be a great

Nathan Brown and Tim Gorman with a pigeon pair caught out of a passing school. The yellowtail kingfish, or ‘hoodlums’ as they are often known, has a wellearned reputation of winning nine out of ten battles when hooked by even the most serious of land-based anglers. Not only does this fish have ultimate brute power for its size, it’s also got to be one of the smartest fish in the ocean, as not long into any fight, a kingfish will find the closest bit of reef or structure and swim around it

in bays and coves where baitfish get trapped. Capes and headlands are the best areas to look for these bays and coves, as there is always a massive variation in water depths within a close proximity. Depths of 10-25m have always been productive, however we have found the areas that have deeper parts with water over 20m in depth to be a lot more productive. Heavily reefed

time get out there on the search for Kings, however we do find that the first light and around mid-afternoon of any day to be great times to have a line in the water. Always keep an eye on the tide times, as any tide change can fire up activity that can get the kingies feeding. WINDOWS OF OPPORTUNITY Growing up a rock fisherman’s son, I learnt from a young age two

very important weather conditions we always needed for that perfect window of opportunity, and I still check that at least one of those two conditions are in my favour before heading out. Those two important things are swell height and direction, and the other is wind speed and direction. Swell height and direction is always the most important. The reason is that if the swell is in your face (coming straight towards you) it could become very dangerous and can potentially be fatal if you are washed in. Ideally, the swell coming from behind you will make for very safe and calm waters. This can make your day a lot more visual, as it’s easier to spot free swimming fish and can create sight casting opportunities. The preferred wind conditions are light tail wind (coming from behind). The benefits of a tail wind (besides the comfort of no wind blowing in your face) means you can get a longer cast and you are also able to use a surface balloon and have it go straight out. BAIT FISHING Dead baiting Dead baits can be rigged un-weighted on a two-hook snell rig or on a bottom dropper style rig depending on conditions. I find the unweighted snell rig to be more successful if the water conditions are not too rough, because it allows the bait to fall naturally through the whole water column. When casting an unweighted bait, pilchards have always been a successful choice, as they are native to the South Coast. Live baiting Live baits can be presented a few different ways, among the most common ways used are slide bait rigs, surface balloons

The author with another king taken on a topwater Maria Rapido stickbait with a slow walk-the-dog action. and glitter bug float rig. When using surface balloons there are two main techniques for this style of fishing. One is when the wind is in your favour, and you can inflate the balloon

to 20-30cm in diameter and use the wind to push your balloon out to the desired distance. The other is when the wind direction is blowing head on, and by only inflating the balloon to

KNOTS TO LEARN FG knot This is the best braid to mono joining knot when it comes to casting. The FG knot can handle up to 98% of the main line’s strength while maintaining a smaller, slimmer profile than any other joining knot available. Uni knot This is a fail proof knot if done right, and has a very high strength rating. This knot is good for most tackle items. Palomar knot I like to use this knot when tying on a single item, as it’s one of the strongest knots you can use. Perfect loop knot I love to use this knot when fishing with lures, as it does not limit the lure’s action. In fact, it allows the lure to swim freely for a more natural action.

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Nathan Brown displays another beautiful trophy fish. This picture really shows where the fish gets its name, with its bright yellow fins and tail and distinct body colours.

kingfish 7-10cm in diameter it allow the live bait (most commonly herring) to swim the balloon out the desired area. When putting your hook into the live bait, pierce the fish about one third the way down its body from the head end, as most times a live bait will be swallowed head first. Keep the pierced hook shallow, so you prevent damaging the fish and this

will help keep it alive longer. If using a squid, do not pierce all the way through its body, keep the hooks in top side of its tube or one single hook right through the tip of its tube. Glitter bug rig A glitter bug rig is a simple and effective rig. Made like a standard float rig with the bait sitting around one meter below the float,

the thing that makes this float rig special is the float itself, known as the glitter bug. This float is a diamond shape covered in a highlyreflective tape that acts like a disco ball, reflecting light all through the water column and attracting more fish attention. The best bait to use on this rig will always be a live squid or herring, because dead pilchard baits can be

This king was caught sight casting with a Dr Hook Big Game Bully in holographic pearl. eaten by herring and stripped from the hook. However, if herring are not around, a simple pilchard will definitely be a worthy bait! When using dead baits, a slow retrieve can help cover more ground and help produce more fish. Slide bait rig There have been a couple of different slide clip models over the years, however the most commonly used slide clip in current years has been the non-return slide

The author applying pressure while trying to put the brakes on a hard-running hoodlum.

MUST-HAVE TACKLE • Heavy leader material around 100-200lb • Strong top quality hooks for bait and lures • A good gaff to suit the area you’re fishing • Heavy duty split rings • Quality split ring pliers clip. This is another great way to set a line out because once setting your bait into the water it has free run of the whole cast distance along your line, covering the whole water column from top to bottom.

The way this rig is used is quiet simple. When a non-return slide clip is purchased it comes with a solid ring as part of its kit, the solid ring is to be tied onto your main line with To page 8

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KINGFISH From page 7

a sacrificial sinker leader (leader line at a lower breaking strain to your main line to break away easier if snagged) joined to it, and around 1m of sacrificial leader is ideal. A grapnel sinker is the best way to go when it comes

lures with some UV colours to stand out may grab the attention of a hungry king a bit quicker. Good UV to look for and use are pinks, yellows and greens. Techniques for this type of lure can be very versatile, as the action of this lure is independently

A selection of the author’s favourite lures for hunting hoodlums on the rocks. to sinker choice for this style of rig. Again, a live bait is always the preferred bait to present when chasing kings, however if a live bait is unattainable on the day, a dead bait can be used on this rig, but does not have the same appeal. Once the bait is rigged onto your hook, the clip can easily be attached to the main line with a series of wraps before closing the clip. A single live bait hook is fine to use, however where possible I find a two-hook snell to be more effective when it comes to hooking up once the bait has had a strike. Herring is the one of the best and certainly easiest live bait to acquire generally, however if you are lucky enough to catch live squid then there is no better live bait in the ocean. A kingy will never swim past a live squid without striking. LURES Surface stickbaits A popular and super fun choice is the stickbait. With such a big range to chose from, some people may be left wondering which one to use first! The easiest way to make your decision is to look at what fish smaller fish are around in the areas you intend to target. On the South Coast here in WA a common baitfish around most rock ledges is the humble herring, with an average size of 15-25cm. This applies to all types of lures when chasing this species. Therefore if you chose a stickbait with a similar length or profile, then you are matching the hatch! Natural colours are always going to be appealing, however on a cloudy day the 8

JULY 2019

delivered from the anglers rod movement and winding speed. The first action I’ll describe is a popular swimming action delivered by long slow sweeps of the rod. With your body facing 90° side-on to the direction you have just cast, starting with the rod

lure is close to the rocks where you can carefully lift it out of the water without smashing it on the rocks and damaging your prized lure. This will deliver a nice long swimming action, similar to that of a fleeing baitfish. Long slow sweeps delivered with a quick jerk at the end of each action will allow the lure to slide through the water onto its side, giving a more wounded appearance, and pausing between sweeps can help entice a hungry onlooker by making the lure look more wounded. Another popular style when working a stickbait is called ‘walking the dog’. A walk-the-dog action can be easily delivered by holding your rod tip low and giving short twitches or jerks down with your rod tip as you do small winds between each twitch picking up the slack line. This gets the lures darting from side to side. Surface poppers Surfers poppers are another popular way to target kingfish. It’s very easy to mix up the retrieve of a surface popper with long sweeps and short jerks. Just remember there is no right or wrong. As always persistence is the key, and it’s the committed Angler who will usually be the one to get the hook up and catch the fish. The best colours vary, and darks and blacks can work well because they throw a strong silhouette, but on the opposite end of the spectrum

Releases from the rocks can be tricky, especially when you’re so far away from the water! Your retrieve speed can vary and the wobbling action can stay the same. By pausing or giving random jerks during the retrieve, you can sometimes fire them up more, as it gives a more wounded action. Personal experience has seen a faster retrieve to be more effective with this lure type. The best colours have always been natural baitfish, pinks, chromes, holographic/ pearls and chartreuse. Soft plastics Soft plastics can be another effective lure choice when targeting kings, with the wide range of plastics available. I’ve found the most effective to be the jerk shad style plastics, and while I have hooked a few kings on paddle-tails, it’s really the jerk shads that have

A pink glow Halco Paddle Prawn proved to be effective on this healthy kingfish. direction pointed towards the lure, maintain a low rod tip and pull the rod in one big action all the way past the front of your body, then quickly wind your slack line as you bring the rod back to the direction you started. Repeat this action until the

your higher reflective colours can work a treat, such as holographic chromes, natural blues, bright pinks, greens and chartreuse yellows. Bibbed minnows This can be another great choice of lure, especially if you like to cast and retrieve.

stood out and proved to be a much better choice when worked quickly through the water column. Best colours would have to be pearls, pinks and natural blues. EATING QUALITY While the yellowtail kingfish is regarded to be a

great table fish, I myself am not the biggest fan of cooked kingfish, so I will release 99% of my captures and only keep the odd smaller-sized one for ceviche or sashimi. FUN BYCATCH SPECIES While targeting kingfish on the South Coast there is a good range of other fish that you may catch as a by-catch. The species will vary depending on the time of year, and in

are fishing low to the water and the rock has a slight slope or near flat surface that you are standing on. Again this is a really great method to use if you are fishing to release, as there is no gaff actually used on the fish to prevent any injury and allows for a healthy release. CONCLUSION There are many different ways to target kingfish, and depending on daily weather

SAFETY TIPS • Always wear a PFD. • Never turn your back on the ocean. • Always have a escape route in case you need to run from king waves. • No fish is worth your life. • Always fish with a friend. the earlier months of the year we see species such as striped bonito and Australian salmon in good numbers. Because these fish are in such good numbers through the earlier months they can deliver and action-packed day between kingfish hook-ups. Other species through the year such as samsonfish and bluefin tuna can make for more prized by-catch. SAFETY WHEN LANDING FISH When it comes to landing your fish there are a few different methods you can use. One method is to use a poll gaff. When poll gaffing your fish, it is best to familiarise yourself with the rocks that you are fishing from and find a safe low, dry platform that you can reach the water surface from easily. When using this technique we always try to get the fish in the jaw, as this makes for a healthier release if we do not wish to keep the fish. Another method we use is a cliff gaff. When cliff gaffing it’s best to have a vertical drop straight down to the water with no rocks in the way, as this allows you to clip the cliff gaff straight onto your line and drop it down freely over the fish’s head. The third method we use is leadering the fish and washing it up onto the rock ledge we are standing on. This method can only be used when we

conditions some methods will be more effective then others. For example, it’s hard to work stickbaits or poppers in rough water, and a bibbed minnow or bait rig would be a better option. After learning about the kingfish with their brute power and smartwitted behaviour, you can respect them a lot more and appreciate that catching one land-based is worth so much. Safety always comes first though, and if the weather conditions look a little bit sketchy for a chosen location on the day, then it’s not worth fishing it. You can never be too safe when rock fishing. Stay alive so you can come back tomorrow; There will always be better days ahead. Remember that there are tackle stores all up the coast that loan lifejackets for free, and various high risk rock fishing locations with angel rings installed, and you can find out where these stores are on the Recfishwest website. I hope you have been able to take away something helpful from this article, as I just enjoy helping people catch more fish! Please feel free to stop into Anglers Fishing World in Fremantle to see me if you wish to learn any more about kingfish or any other species you intend to target from the rocks.

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Stayin’ alive on the rocks NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.fishotopia.com

Winter is a great time for rock fishing, but we should never forget the dangers of this pursuit. Make no mistake about it: rock fishing is potentially a very dangerous pastime. Statistically, it has been cited as the most hazardous sport in Australia, and also the third highest cause of drowning deaths after swimming and boating. It’s sobering to consider this statistic on a per capita basis, especially in terms of how many people go swimming or boating each year compared to the much smaller numbers who actually rock fish. Touch wood, but in half a century of rock fishing, I’ve never been washed in. Flattened, skittled, rolled, dumped and washed back across the rocks, yes… In fact, more often than I care to count, especially in my younger and more foolhardy

The author with a nice black drummer or rock blackfish. He’s wearing an inflatable jacket, just in case the worst happens. how early you got up and how far you drove to get to your chosen spot. In recent times there’s also been a great deal of Wet rocks tell their own story. These ledges are occasionally being inundated by larger sets on a rather sloppy day. There’s nothing ‘freakish’ about those bigger waves, but they could easily prove deadly. and also recovered most of our tackle. We picked up some deep scratches and a few interesting bruises

favourite sidecast outfits in the process. Again, it was a life lesson and has further modified my behaviour on the rocks. I’m a lot more cautious these days. Every time an angler loses his or her life on the ocean rocks, the media talks glibly about ‘freak waves’, thereby implying that the tragedy was somehow beyond the control of the hapless fishers involved. This is a big mistake. In my experience, ‘freak waves’ are extremely rare. Sure,

in every hour of every day there will be a couple of larger-than-average swells. These are not ‘freaks’, they’re natural anomalies that occur in any medium that’s affected by wave patterns. More experienced rock-hoppers inherently understand this, but new chums often don’t. The very best advice I can offer in this regard is to sit and watch the spot where you intend to fish for at least 20 minutes before venturing onto it. If in any doubt, go home, no matter

Lightweight sandals that fit well and offer good grip are a very sensible choice on many rock ledges. days! On one memorable occasion in my late teens, a mate and I along with all of our gear ended up bobbing in a big, deep gutter behind the low rocks we’d been fishing from a few seconds earlier. We were at serious risk of being sucked through the outflow at one end of the gutter, into the open ocean beyond, but we somehow managed to scramble out

for our troubles, but were otherwise unharmed. It was a salutary lesson. As recently as a decade or so ago, another friend and I were knocked off our feet by a particularly powerful swell and bounced back across an uneven ledge, picking up some more impressive bruises along the way. But what hurt most was losing one of my

Even on flat rocks and in calm weather, you need your wits about you and should always wear the correct clothing and footwear.

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Jo Starling learnt to fish in Darwin, where seas are generally calmer and swell virtually unknown. She enjoys southern rock fishing, but sensibly insists on wearing a lightweight, comfortable life jacket at all times: in this case an inflatable, yoke-style PFD. heated debate about the introduction of laws mandating the wearing of flotation vests (life jackets) by rock fishers in certain jurisdictions. Such laws have already come to pass in parts of NSW, much to the annoyance of many observers. In the beginning, I was opposed to these rules myself, seeing them as yet another example of unnecessary, nanny-state over-reaction. But I’ve gradually (and somewhat grudgingly) come to accept that wearing life jackets on the rocks might not be such a bad idea after

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all. These days, I often wear an inflatable, yoke-style PFD myself on the rocks, even where the law doesn’t demand it. Rather like

choosing sensible, grippy footwear and lightweight clothing that I can swim in if necessary, wearing a PFD is no great inconvenience, and it just might save my life one day. For me, that’s enough reason to do it. In the end, however, rock fishing safety is about a lot more than what you wear. It’s a matter of mindset, planning for possible eventualities and a strong sense of selfpreservation. The bottom line must always be that no fish or fishing experience is worth risking your life for — nor anyone else’s life . It really is as simple as that.

Metro

Bag-outs on the beaches METRO

Hon-Su Chin

With winter upon us, the weather gets colder and at times wet, but that doesn’t mean fishing slows down. With incoming tides in the morning, this is the opportunity to get up

Beach, Alkimos, Wilbinga, Trigg Beach, Mettams Pool and Tims Thicket are just some examples of onshore reefs that can hold winter tailor and salmon. Casting surface lures is a great way to target tailor, as they cast well and have great actions. Lures such as Zip Bait SSM, CID Shiversticks,

70cm as well. Try to fish first light, as that’s the peak feeding period for them. You can still use bait as well. Rig a mulie on a set of 4/0 ganghooks and cast it out unweighted, and this should get you results. It’s best to start with lures, as you can keep walking and casting, covering a lot of ground and

as far south as Preston Beach. Most of them were caught while chasing mulloway. Look for deeper holes or gutters and fish fresh large baits. Tailor, herring and mullet fillets work well and to keep your bait from being picked up, use Black Magic Bait Cotton to wrap the bait up and secure it to the hook. Kayakers have been having good times with the recent string of good weather. Most have no problem finding squid and the odd salmon as well, particularly around Woodman Point. Those who are more geared up for offshore fishing have been finding good numbers of King George whiting, skippy and pink snapper. Some have also been lucky enough to catch dhufish from their kayak. This just shows how good our fishery is in Perth Metro area! Squid fishing has been pretty good from the shore. Many of the usual spots are producing decent size squid

Chunky 50cm+ tailor from the beach are great fun, as Daniel can attest. size bream are being caught in the Canning River from Fifth Avenue to Shelley Bridge. ZMan 2.5” GrubZ work really well and rigged with a

and 2.5” Slim SwimZ have been the go-to soft plastics. Be prepared for the odd juvenile mulloway hitting your bream lures as well.

Sebastion with a quality morning tailor taken from a local beach. early and hit the reefs and beaches for tailor and the odd salmon with lures. Places like the onshore reefs

Rapala SXRLS, Halco C-Gar, Nomad Riptide, Nomad Madscad, Duo Malice and Zerek Zeppelin

you don’t have to wait for the mulie to defrost. It has been a good season for people chasing

Salmon are still in reasonable numbers around Perth. from north of Cottesloe rock wall to Swanbourne Surf Life Saving Club, Yanchep Lagoon, Two Rocks, North

are just some lures that will catch tailor. Fish averaging 50cm are quite common, with plenty stretching to over

pink snapper from the shore, particularly from the beaches. They’ve been caught from as far north as Two Rocks and

Han Yeoh took this handful of squid and was home for breakfast.

Brad Patman had a ball kayaking in the river one weekend, scoring his PB black bream on a 3” soft paddle-tail. lately. The key is to fish early morning, around first light to sun up. Being mobile is another key to catching more squid, alon with having variety of colours and sizes of squid jigs. North Mole is a great spot to catch a feed of squid. Size 3.0 and 3.5 work well in the deeper water around North Mole. Don’t be afraid to use dark colours either, as black also work around sandy areas with less weed. The opposite also applies with chartreuse and full glow, which should be used around the weedy areas. SWAN AND CANNING RIVER Despite the algal issues in the Swan River, the fishing has been excellent in both the Canning and the Swan. Good

weedless jig head you don’t have to worry about catching pesky weed every cast. In the Swan River, Herrison Island and East Perth has been fishing well, and again the ZMan 2.5” GrubZ

• Drop in and see the team at Tackle West for all your fishing needs and latest reports. Call in at 32 William Street, Beckenham, or call (08) 9350 6278.

Juvenile mulloway are a chance for those chasing bream in the rivers. JULY 2019

Metro

Snapping up a storm METRO OFFSHORE

Allan Bevan

It’s cold and the winter weather can get the better of most anglers when it’s easier to stay in bed. It’s dark until after 7:00am, but there are some pluses, like the fact that it’s almost snapper time, and spring will shortly be on us and with that the fishing world will come out of hibernation.

sized snapper are getting me excited. The rock walls are not for everyone, and a good amount of attention needs to be taken so you don’t end in the water or injured by a fall on the rocks. A shout out goes to Robbie from Perth Fishing Safaris, who is revealing a whole new world of beach fishing with drone techno fishing. I must admit to not being much of a beach fisher, but seeing

I’ve seen in years. Bait and plastics have caused the most damage and I’ve been lucky enough that the fly gear has tricked a few as well! It’s the time of year that cuttlefish are around in great numbers, which make a great bait if you need it, but they are delicious themselves. They are a bit more delicate than squid, and if cooked with a chilli or minced then formed into balls that can be fried or

Rugged up for snapper! This one was captured at the back of Garden Island. We get so many that I have actually invested in a scaling bag to help the cleaning. With the scaling nets, don’t leave it out too long. I thought 4-5 minutes at idle was sufficient, but they came back in gutted,

large fish come back to land. There is no catch and release in the deep water, and it would be a shame to lose a fishery due to stupid fishing practices. For a bit of interest I have included a diagram of

not been using it, should save you an anchor or two! On the safety side of things, remember that no fish is worth your life. It’s been a sad year out of Perth so far this year. Think about wearing a PFD, the conditions on the

Resident samson always work the angler and the gear they’re using. Those who can get out of bed and brave the cold know that the weather makes the even simplest of task like tying knots difficult, but the fishing is usually good. As the cold fronts pass, scavenging snapper are all over the moles, jetty and inshore reefs. On my social media feeds, great photos of some trophy-

the captures has made me re-think my fishing and look at some of the beaches south of Perth. Back on the boat, it’s been a quiet month with the weather, but the days I’ve got out to the inshore ground in 12-15m, the fishing has been going off. I’ve had sessions where I’ve seen more large snapper than what

put in soups. You will all be master chef in no time! The 30, 40 and 50m mark has been productive, with captures of dhufish, snapper, breaksea cod, fox and pigfish. It’s worth looking at some of the sandy spots out here as well. You would be surprised the number of good-sized sand whiting that you can get in a quick hour session.

Harlequin are always welcome on the author’s boat, they are the coral trout of the south.

A solid 96cm model for John. He had only just told the author how he would love to catch a 20lb snapper, and this one went nearly 22lb! 12

JULY 2019

so for me around two minutes at idle is enough. With the fads removed at the end of May, it’s just been the deep drop anglers getting out. As much as I enjoy the trevella, bar cod and the other tasty fish, I’m finding it hard to believe that anglers are just keeping the two fish and calling it quits. Sadly, reports are coming in of floating fish. You hate to think that guys are ‘high grading’ the catch so only

rigging up your anchor so it will always (almost always) be retrieved. You shackle the chain to the head of the anchor and then cable tie the chain at the end of the stock of the anchor. When it is stuck, simply motor up and pull, breaking the cable tie. The anchor is then pulled out headfirst. Once retrieved, it’s just a matter of re-rigging with a new cable tie and anchoring at the next spot. This method, if you have

rocks and inshore reefs, and letting someone know the area you’re going. At the end of the day our families and friends don’t deserve the grief that goes with these tragic accidents. • Shikari Charters is a local Fremantle business running half and full day fishing charters catering to small or family groups for specialised fishing out from Fremantle, to find out more check out www. shikari.com.au

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South Coast

Putting some red delights in your esky ESPERANCE

Murray Johnson

Around the town there are good numbers of salmon being caught. Size ranges from salmon trout measuring 300mm up to solid fish of around 7-8kg. Town beaches worth a try are Salmon Beach, Fourth

and small stick baits. The best time is an hour either side of a high tide and at dawn or dusk. Fishing the two hours after dark has also seen some good catches of gummies and occasional mulloway. Winter means bigger schools of skipjack trevally. The usual average size is around 0.5kg, but during

Nice size breaksea cod will readily take a fresh bait or soft plastic. This prized eating fish can be found on differing bottom structures, which can often result in a variation in colour. Beach and 9 Mile through to 14 Mile. There are also large schools being seen along most of the coast. Locations such as Poison Creek, Thomas River, Alexander Bay and Dunn Rock to the east and Roses Beach to the west side are producing great results. Most of the beaches are

this time of the year you can get them up to 7kg. The best beaches for skippy are Thomas River, Dunn Rock and 14 Mile. Close to town at Wylie Bay is also another great option. These fish will readily take pilchards on a 4/0 gang. If they are just playing with the baits you can quite often get a

headlands that face east. Some of the squid are easily reaching the kilo mark. Your best bet is to fish for them at dawn or dusk and at night using a 3.5 size squid jig in glow or UV colours. I’ve been getting great results on the Yo-Zuri Aurie Q RS, but other good quality squid jigs will work well too. The herring are pretty well everywhere off the beaches and jetties. You can increase your catch using a pollard and fish oil berley off the jetties or pellets off the beaches. Just use a standard whiting paternoster rig or bait catcher rig baited with prawn or squid and you should get a few. You can also use a lumo rig, which consists of a float running down to a no. 4 longshank hook, with a piece of lumo tube sitting over the hook shank. Just cast then begin a fast retrieve for the best results. The flathead are being aggressive, hitting almost anything that moves. They’ll take a variety of baits or a lure with a lot of movement, placed down to where they are lying in wait. Halco Twisties are always reliable, and soft vibes like Fish Candy Curly Vibes are also catching their share. The incoming tide is a good time to try. At this time of the year the gummy sharks come in and drop their pups, so it’s a good idea to practice catch and release until the breeding

Mitch Johnson with an impressive yellowtail kingfish. They are probably the hardest fighting fish you can target down south. sand whiting. There are also garfish to scoop at night. Close to town around the islands you can pick up samsonfish, queen snapper and Breaksea cod. The guys fishing out wide are targeting nannygai. Most fish lately have been around the 450-500 mark, but one lucky angler got one at 700mm, which would put it at around 4kg – a very impressive fish.

such as a Whiting Whacker in blue/silver. Black bream are in good numbers, and have been caught around town in Woody Lake and Windabout Lake. There are plenty of 30-35cm fish, with a few bigger models up to 45cm mixed in. Using river prawns on a paternoster or running sinker rig should get you a few. You can also catch them on soft

wait for salmon schools to come past, or throw out a live herring for kingfish. THE MONTH AHEAD In July the bigger skippy tend to stay around, and this should continue all through winter, as will the squid fishing. The average size of yellowtail kingfish will increase too, and they’ll be actively feeding in the colder winter water. The salmon fishing should also

Nothing tastes better than a decent-sized Bight redfish (nannygai). Usually caught with a paternoster set-up, they will also take a slow pitch jig or soft plastic positioned just off the bottom.

Harlequin are usually caught when targeting other reef species, and are a welcome addition to the day’s catch. accessible by 4WD and a camp fire is now permitted. It’s a great way to spend a weekend during winter. Standard rig is a double paternoster setup using 50lb nylon fitted with a 5/0 gang hook, a 3/0 circle and a star sinker to suit the line size. Lure fishers have been catching them on slices 14

JULY 2019

better result if you cut the tail off the pilly. Other good baits, especially off some of the rock headlands, are whitebait or bluebait on a no 2 gang hook There are plenty of calamari squid being caught off the Tailor Street and Jane Street jetties. They can also be targeted fishing off the

season is finished. You can catch them off the beaches just after dark on a snelled 8/0 with strip bait of herring or a 5/0 ganged pilchard. It’s worth adding a 5/0 circle hook to the rig as well to maximise catch rates. Anglers fishing from a boat in the bay are chasing squid, herring, snook and

Other species being caught offshore include harlequin, samsonfish and yellowtail kingfish. There has even been a reasonable number of WA dhufish, rare for our waters, being caught by those fishing to the west. Techniques range from bait fishing through to soft plastics, slow jigging or knife jigs, depending on what you want to target. We are seeing good catches of King George whiting in Bandy Creek boat harbour. You can use a simple paternoster baited with pieces of coral prawn, or use a whiting flasher rig

plastic paddle tails or grub tails, such as the ZMan 2.5” Slim SwimZ in mood ring colour, or the Squidgy 65mm BioTough Grub in bloodworm. Remember that the fish will be more sluggish in the colder water, and there’s also more water due to the rain, so you need patience. Mix up the retrieves until you find what works on the day. This month you can also catch good groper off the rocks using crabs and octopus – just watch the swells and stay off the black stuff. Some rock fishers prefer to just sit and

continue to remain strong, so overall there are plenty of options this month. • Southern Sports and Tackle specialise in the supply and servicing of fishing equipment. They have an extensive knowledge of the local area and provide all brands, whether you’re fishing from beach, jetty or boat. Drop in for a chat at Shop 16, The Boulevard, Esperance or give them a call on 08 9071 3022. • All images this month were provided by Mitch Johnson, and can be found on his Instagram, @gawn_fishin.

South Coast

Go bold in the cold ALBANY

Callum Dowell

What a tough month it’s been for angling across the South Coast. The salmon run ended up being very quiet, as water temperatures along the coast were unseasonably high. There were only a handful of decent reports coming from shore-based anglers, with beaches west of town providing the best fishing. Shelley Beach and Lowlands had good schools moving in,

however it was only for short amounts of time. One bizarre report came from a group of recreational anglers fishing the coral grounds in 70m of water, where everyone hooked up simultaneously and eventually found they had run into a school of salmon bottom bouncing baits. With our climate changing, it doesn’t really surprise me! On the topic of uncommon captures, fish that have been caught within the Albany area over the past few years with the warming climate are

mahimahi in King George Sound, baldchin groper at Muttonbird Island, ruby snapper on the coral grounds and golden trevally at Golden Gates near West Cape Howe. The beauty of fishing in tough fishing conditions is you are forced to get out of the routine of heading out to the same old area (or doing the milk run) and trying new ground and techniques or even finding a new target species, and this can really improve your angling. Tarwhine are not a greatly sought after fish, but give a

Blue eye trevalla are great eating, and definitely worth the effort of going out wide.

Thumping tarwhine should be on everybody’s winter catch list. great account of themselves and are a great challenge to tempt. These fish like hanging around rocks, reefs and mussel pots, so to catch a decent one is a feet in itself. Winter is when they bite the best. Usually feeding in large schools, you’re in for some sensational fishing if you can locate them. For beach anglers the reef holes at Sand Patch hold quality fish. Look for areas that have gutters and make sure you are fishing from a platform so you’re able to pull the fish up out of the structure. For the boaties, early mornings around mussel pots are a good place to start. I have recently found tarwhine are

quite partial to black vibration lures. Giving off a mussel profile, they crunch the lure before other species usually, but skippy, herring and black bream will all predate in these areas and the little black vibe will catch them all. Currently I use a black felt pen to colour all my vibes to replicate the mussels. Make sure you also apply a small amount of scent to the lure to mask the felt pen smell. Blue eye trevalla and hapuka are still in huge numbers but are starting to become a little gun shy. Once a fish or two have been jigged up from the enormous schools around the 350m mark, they lose interest fairly quickly.

Jigs up to 500g work great, however be prepared to drop a bait down if they become tricky. Greeneye sharks are frustrating deep sea anglers, with plague proportions currently at the shelf. Expect the King George fishing to improve over the next few months, especially in our inlets. Peaceful Bay and Oyster Harbour host big numbers over winter and both are well-protected areas. Never discount a wellpresented slice of fresh squid, and don’t forget to bring plenty of berley. Crushed prawn heads, cockles and mussel will bring the area around you alive with feeding fish.

Enjoy the salmon run when opportunity comes BREMER BAY

Bremer Rural Staff

On the beaches there’s been a good run of salmon. The schools pass through intermittently, so catching them can require a bit

of luck. You might catch half a dozen, and nothing the next. Some locations to try are Dillon Beach, Back Beach, Short Beach and Main Beach. Most anglers use mulie on gang hooks. At dawn and dusk you can catch herring and King

George whiting around the rocks at the end of the beaches, on pieces of mulie or squid. Offshore there are nannygai and queen snapper being caught, usually on squid. Most are caught out along the shelf or off the

rocky headlands. There are a few bream still and mullet up the river. If you want a feed of bream, look for the nice, quiet spots that are a little bit deeper, and fish the edges with mulie pieces or river prawn. Some anglers are also catching

Great local catches on offer BREMER BAY

Mark Durbridge

Off the beaches and marina there have been plenty of herring and skippy caught. Lately the salmon have been around but haven’t been staying in, because the water temp hasn’t dropped enough. The salmon have been coming in every second day on average, and if you’re there when a school comes through you should be able to pick up a few. We should have the back run as winter progresses, when the water is cold enough for them, and by then they will have grown to 16lb+. There are plenty of squid around, with good catches coming from Fisheries Beach and down at Little Boat Harbour off the rocks.

There have been a couple of unusual catches lately, including a 60lb samsonfish caught off Little Boat Harbour. The angler who caught it had been quietly catching a few salmon when it hit like a freight train, and during the protracted fight he took turns with his friend to bring it in. You can imagine how happy they were when it was finally dragged onto the beach. An even more unusual catch was a 750mm mulloway off the rocks, which is pretty well unheard of! A more reliable option is to target blue groper off the rocks. The key to catching them is to get away from other anglers. If you put in the effort to go to places that are hard to get to, you’re in with a good

chance. Just spear some small bait crabs, put them in a bucket and you’re ready to go. When you deploy some berley (crushed up crabs and sand) you will usually see the groper come out from the rocks. Boat-based anglers fishing off Main Beach have been getting great catches of sand whiting and flathead. Most are caught in around 15-20m of water, and on good days you can see the sandy patches amongst the weed, which are good places to focus your efforts. I went out recently with a mate and we picked up 30 sand whiting and a dozen flathead in just two and a half hours. The flathead were between 50-80cm, and the whiting were 30-45cm. You can catch both species on a paternoster rig with size 7 hooks, baited with pieces of

prawn, squid or mulies. Anglers heading offshore are getting into the nannygai and queen snapper, and there’s always the chance of a pink snapper, breaksea cod or dhufish. • Bremer Bay Caravan Park, located on 130 Bremer Bay Rd, is situated straight across from the Wellstead Estuary, and a short walk Main Beach. There are large grassed sites and cabins, and plenty of shade. Attractions include a new playground, tennis courts and a new camp kitchen, and the kiosk has wi-fi and also sells bait, ice, fishing goods, grocery items and more. Give them a call on (08) 9837 4018 and chat to the friendly hosts. You can also find out more at bre m e r bay c ar av anpar k . com.au or look them up on Facebook.

good bream on metal blades. This month there should be less fishing pressure, and good targets will be herring, skippy and King George whiting. If conditions are favourable, you can also chase queen snapper and nannygai. • Bremer Bay Rural & Hardware is your one stop

shop in Bremer Bay for all your fishing, camping and hardware needs. To browse the range, stop by 144 Wellstead Rd or give them a call on (08) 9837 4274. You can also find more information at www.bremerbayhardware. com.au.

Salmon fishing at Banky Beach. Photo courtesy of Bremer Bay Rural and Hardware. JULY 2019

West Coast

Some cures for the blues AUGUSTA

Anthony Gillam

Here we are again, shivering away trying to get through the worst of the weather while those lucky enough to be retired or somehow able to take time off are living it up in the northern coast.

worked vigorously amongst the snags and rocky areas have been producing some of the larger, more aggressive fish. River prawns as usual will produce many more fish, however the massive numbers of juveniles present means that you will be feeding many more babies than those of a keeping size. If you are just looking for a

are particularly effective, however lures of all types will entice a hit. Herring continue to be thick around the coast, with solid 28-30cm fish a common catch. With the weed banks produced during autumn now becoming thick with maggots washing into the surf, it is not difficult to locate large numbers.

A late season salmon makes a welcome winter catch off the rocks at Foul Bay. While on wet days we may be spending time thumbing through previous issues of Fishing Monthly or the 1978 edition of the Anglers’ Omnibus, there are still plenty of opportunities for you to get outside. Trying your hand at getting some of the winter whiting or skippy

good winter workout, these bullish little dynamos are just the thing. Although the ‘official’ salmon season has well and truly finished, it seems that the schools have missed that memo. They have continued to travel up the coast, although somewhat

The ever-present seagulls feeding in the shallows are a dead giveaway to where the thickest patches are. Small chrome lures, soft plastic grubs or fish pieces will all work. One thing that has been obvious is that people have had trouble getting used to the Ngari Capes Marine Park zones. There have been many people coming into the tackle shop concerned that they will accidently fish inside a no-take sanctuary zone without realising that they are doing so. As touched on last month, the various zones ,which came into effect in April this

year, include most of the southern half of Geographe Bay and extend around Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin to Flinders Bay. The marine park consists of five zone types: ‘no-take’ sanctuary zones, recreation zones, special purpose (shore-based activities) zones, special purpose (surfing) zones and a general use zone. To make things much simpler for boaties, Recfishwest have an app that you can download for free that gets rid of the guesswork. The app has a maps section that will pinpoint your location and has the sanctuary zones clearly marked. For those who don’t know, Recfishwest is a not for profit community-based organisation that partners with government agencies and non-government organisations to represent the almost 3/4 of a million recreational fishers in WA. Getting out onto the bay at this time of the year can be hit and miss, although the fishing in general is really good in the deeper 30-50mwaters. The frequent cold fronts and rain squalls can make conditions very unpleasant. Get the weather conditions on your side however, and it can really pay dividends. The big pink snapper really fire after storms and seem to be happy to swallow just about anything you drop down to them. Large soft plastics, knife jigs and big baits of octopus or multiple mulies will produce, it’s just a matter of working out which presentation they are favouring on the day.

Tarwhine can make a pleasant surprise when fishing for herring. that are haunting the shallow waters around Augusta is a sure cure for the winter blues. Although the Blackwood River fills with freshwater with the big rains and flushes out of the Hardy Inlet, it doesn’t mean the black bream shut down. There have been plenty of catches made right down to West Bay and some of the sizes have been exceptional. Soft plastics and small hardbodied lures

spasmodically. There have been enough schools that even though you’re not guaranteed to catch one each time you are out looking for them, there are enough to keep you going back for a try. Plenty of the gutters and channels are holding small schools of recovering shark victims and they are ravenously inhaling anything that comes their way. Baits of mulie or herring

A large pacific gull makes a meal of an octopus, which would have made an ideal pink snapper bait.

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A lovely Blackwood River bream taken on soft plastics and released to fight again. Just remember that although winter has some really flat calm days, it doesn’t take much of a change to turn a day on the water into a nightmare. Plan your trip properly, try and buddy up with at least one other boat, and stick to your agenda. Sign on and off with the VMR and always make sure your safety equipment is in good order. The jetties are currently harbouring large schools of

A great winter mixed bag of herring, skippy and tarwhine off the beach at Cosy Corner. King George whiting and some thumper skippy. Early morning around daybreak has been very good fishing for both varieties, and it is not uncommon to have schools of hundreds of fish mooching around in a metre or so of water. Try dropping a hook full of glass shrimps or a live river prawn in front of them and watch the ensuing brawl to get there first. The skippy are particularly aggressive just prior to the sun poking its head up over the horizon, and in shallow water they give a good fight on light line. Augusta has some really productive rock fishing

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JULY 2019

locations, however at this time of the year it is better to stick to something safer if it is going to rain or have a bit of a swell up. Unpredictable weather can quickly affect the fishing conditions and slippery rocks are a recipe for disaster. If the weather is obliging, however, bring the fish around with a berley of pollard, mashed mulies and fish oil and you should end up with a mixed bag of herring, skippy and tarwhine.

• If rock fishing wear a life jacket and tie off to something solid. You can hire one for free from Augusta Xtreme Outdoor Sports at 66 Blackwood Avenue Augusta, the local tackle shop and font of all local fishing knowledge. It’s right next to the Better Choice Fuels Service Station! • The locations mentioned are all well-known and are marked on most vehicle GPS units, especially if they have HEMA maps or a list of locations can be obtained from the local tackle store, Augusta X-Treme Outdoor Sports.

New Release

Yellowfin re-launched as Yellowfin Plate Boats Big news in the plate aluminium boat market is that Yellowfin Boats, launched by Telwater 35 years ago, has just re-launched as Yellowfin Plate boats. Constructed by a team of 17 handpicked welders at their factory on the Gold Coast in Queensland, the re-launch coincides with the increase in range, from the 10 models available previously to 24 boats available now.

Early in May, Australia’s marine journalists got to experience first-hand these new Yellowfin Plate boats, but before that, Fishing Monthly grabbed Yellowfin dealers for a test and preview day. Influenced by commercial captains, Yellowfin Plate boats are equipped with necessities for fishing. But for those who prefer the comforts of boating can option up to a Platinum pack with the options that are favoured by most customers. The team at YF believe the finer details are what matter most. Through detailed market research, Yellowfin Plate has

identified an extensive list of ‘one percenters’ that elevate the finish and seriously enhance fishability. Hand built by the best, for the best anglers, Yellowfin Plate boats are manufactured in a purposebuilt plate boat factory with over 100 hours of welding in each boat by 17 skilled specialists. Far from mass-produced. Tested tough by eight full time naval research and development professionals,

these boats are designed for serious anglers. But what did some of our dealers think? “Once you’ve had a few boats you can really appreciate top end quality,” Sean Savage said after his first ride in the Yellowfin Plate, “and with an eye for detail, you can really see what they have put into these boats.” On the water, the quietness on the ride was apparent. “I’ve been a Yellowfin dealer for over 10 years now. Originally I had 10 models to choose from but now I have 24 models to choose from, starting with the rear console, the centre console, the new centre

cab, folding hard top, Southerner and soft top range,” added Mark Stav, “and there’s definitely going to be a model to suit you.” With so many versions of the boats available, the chances that there’s a model to suit your needs is vastly improved. “One thing that stands out is their Marine Core construction. When you look at how these hulls are built and over engineered, you can understand why they ride so soft, with full foam filled flotation, nice and safe, you really can’t beat it,” said Savage. With their dedicated Yellowfin Plate team, over 100 hours of welding goes into each craft and the YF

team take real pride in their work. “Yellowfin Plate have an Offshore HD hull. The smaller model has a 4mm (aluminium plate) bottom and a 4mm side, while the four larger models have a 6mm bottom and a 4mm side, giving you a soft, stable and dry ride in all offshore conditions,” said Mark. Of course, what most purchasers ask about their plate aluminium boat, what’s the thickness of the materials? There’s not much that’ll hurt a 4mm hull, let alone a 6mm. “The thing that sets Yellowfin Plate boats apart from its competitors are the one percenters. They do things that are a little bit special and unique to

their boats. They way their paint is done, the way that everywhere you look in the boat, you can see that there’s been a lot of thought put in. You can really appreciate the craftsmanship that’s gone

really concentrated on this segment of the market, we’ve spoken to our dealer customers and also end users at boat shows to pinpoint key areas, like quality of finish, the one percenters

into it,” Savage concluded. Yellowfin Plate National Sales Manager Drew Jackson agreed. “We’ve done a lot of research over the last 12-18 months and we have

that we call them that make a difference,” he said. The hulls range in length from 5.8-7.8m. You can see the full range at www.yellowfinplate boats.com.au.

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National Sales Manager Drew Jackson takes Steve Morgan through the new Yellowfin Plate range. JULY 2019

West Coast

Be bold and brave BUSSELTON

Stephen Norman

Grab your coat and boots, because winter is here! Braving the cooler weather can turn over some of the best fishing you will have all year in the South West. I would go as far to say I do more fishing from May-August than any other time of the year. WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING? Anglers chasing a feed or a top up of fresh bait have had no issues bagging a handful of squid, whether it be from the jetty or the boat. Fishing the calmer days on the backside of the rough weather and cold fronts has been the most productive method. Either the Busselton Jetty or drifting around in 7-10m of water is the go. As expected, the snapper have showed no signs of slowing down as more and more fish move into the Geographe Bay area. Numbers of juvenile snapper have been at an all-time high, with quite literally thousands of juvenile fish caught, ranging from 15-40cm, and this is a great sign that the snapper stocks are as healthy as ever. Among these smaller fish has also been a plethora of larger fish, some even topping the magic metre mark. The Port Geographe Marina had been fishing surprisingly well throughout May and June, with tailor, bream, silver trevally and even the odd mulloway keeping anglers coming back for more. Beaches along our West Coast region have been holding some great numbers of fat herring, so give Injidup, Moses Rock and Smiths Beach a go early morning. UPCOMING As we move deeper into the depths of winter, the pink snapper will continue to reign as the dominant target species in the South West. It’s no wonder snapper generate so much excitement every year around this time, they pull hard, are great eating and during the winter months are

MIGHTY

readily available for both boat and shore-based anglers. That’s not to say there aren’t other options this time of year. A common by-catch when targeting snapper in the bay is silver trevally or skippy. These fish respond well to berley and will often plague berley trails in big numbers. Although not as tasty as pink snapper, the humble skippy puts up one hell of a fight for its size and if dealt with correctly, can be a reasonable table fish. Skippy will generally follow the scent of the berley right to the back of the boat, so keep an eye out for schooling fish. Once located, lightly or even unweighted chunks of mulie or squid on a 1/0-2/0 hook will be irresistible for them. Daytime

Skippy of this size don’t show themselves too often in WA, but they are around! is best for chasing skippy and depths from 12-17m in the bay would be the best place to start. Remember to use lots of berley! If squid is more your flavour, then now is your time. Squid plague Geographe Bay over the winter months and bagging a few shouldn’t be too difficult. If you’re targeting squid from the jetty, you want to start off by fishing towards the end. While you will catch squid from as close in as 50m from the beach, I have found that the latter few hundred metres of the jetty have always produced the highest numbers of squid. Grab something warm, because if you want to bag a decent feed you will most likely need to stay after dark. Squid can be caught

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throughout the day, but again, I’ve found that sunset and the hour or so following will almost without fail provide you with some action. We could go into squid jigs, colours, patterns and weights, but let’s keep it simple, because everyone has their favourite variation of what method works best for squid. In terms of jigs, white glow, white/red head glow, lemon lime/yellow and red foil in size 3.5 are probably my go to jigs that rarely fail me. As well as jigs, it’s handy to have a bait out too, as I find the larger squid tend to take more interest in something real. Nothing overly fancy is needed here, just a 20lb handline, some balloons, a

Land-based pink snapper with your best friend, does it get much better?

hook/pencil jag and a bait and you’re in business. Bait can be dead or alive, but live is preferred. There are two ways of executing this. The first is to use a live bait on a single hook. Pin the hook in the lower back or tail area of the live bait (herring or preferably yellowtail), then tie off a small balloon about 2m up the line, and chuck it out. Once a squid finds the bait the balloon will begin bobbing under the surface, and you can then gently handline the squid in and have a jig ready and waiting. Once the squid is near it will generally let go or fall off, (don’t worry, this is a part of the plan), at which time you throw the jig in, and 99% of the time they will grab it. The second method is to grab yourself a pencil jag. These are used basically as a kebab for squid. Skewer the bait onto the jag and by using the same rig as above, the same results can be achieved without having to switch to an actual squid jig. Combine at least a few of these tips and you should have very few difficulties nabbing yourself a feed of squid this winter! • 2 Oceans Tackle is the south west’s premium fishing tackle outlet. Drop in and see our friendly staff for professional advice and choose from our massive range of fishing tackle that is sure to keep you fishing for longer. 2 Oceans Tackle 14 Albert St, Busselton WA.

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West Coast

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When people think of big fish, Bunbury and Australind may not be the first places to come to mind, but we aren’t complaining. We as locals to the area are spoilt with an abundance of areas to fish that barely, if ever, get fished. Our surrounding waters aren’t as immediately deep as those of our neighbouring towns, meaning it can at times take longer to get to the optimal depths during certain

the hoards of salmon trout and herring in our estuary as well as some excellent reports of mulloway passing through the cut. Winter is also the best time of year to get into some big squid. The most productive way has been by boat, however the dedicated fishos targeting the calamari land-based are picking them up in small numbers from local rock walls and jetties. The Collie River’s lower reaches have been fishing best for bream after the rains we’ve have had over the last few weeks.

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Rob Martin hoisted up this stonking blue groper for a photo.

Dan Varadi was pleased with this lovely dhufish taken off Bunbury.

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times of year, however those who do the yards receive the rewards. This time of year is not one of those times that you need to go far. With all the winter storms rolling through, snapper move inshore to depths that are accessible to small tinnies and even kayaks. Bunbury beaches including Back Beach, Belvedere and Buffalo are all prime local land-based spots to have a crack at the trophy fish. Reports of multiple fish are really starting to roll in over the last few weeks. An always welcome by-catch at this time of year are the mulloway and tailor that frequent our beaches and the last few weeks have been no exception, with some horse tailor sessions being had. Unweighted mulies are my personal favourite bait. The weather has been rough and it’s been very cold in the mornings, however those who are watching the forecast and taking advantage of the breaks in the weather are being greeted with immaculate conditions and huge snapper and dhufish without travelling too far. Land-based fishes have had a heap of fun lately, with

The freshwater has flushed the shrimp and baitfish from the upper end down to the mouth area, bringing the bream with them. River prawns and diced mullet always work well as a bait option for bream, however for a cleaner and much more interactive approach, pick up

some soft plastic grubs or prawn imitations as a fun alternative. The freshwater scene peaks around this time of year, and with the redfin spawning and working up a big appetite they really come on the chew and become even more territorial than they already are. Huge numbers are being caught, which is helping to get them out of our waterways, and there’s some solid brown and rainbow trout being pulled up alongside them. Don’t forget that redfin are a pest species that are not native to our

area, and cannot be returned to the water. Depending on location, the redfin can be targeted in multiple different ways, such as trolling deep diving lures past timber in the dams, bouncing plastics along a stream bed, or fly fishing. • For any info, tips or advice on anything you have read, heard or dreamt about, or to have a brag, duck into Whiteys Tackle and Camping at 1/143 Grand Entrance, Treendale and say hello. They are always more than happy to help and love a good story!

Dhuies are always welcomed by Bunbury anglers, and Ben Cross was happy with this quality catch.

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West Coast

Diversity at Mandurah MANDURAH

Jesse Choy

The season has definitely changed, with rain and winds becoming more frequent throughout Mandurah. Relatively cool temperatures make

tend to congregate in these bodies of water that are protected from the brunt of the elements. Fishing from the beach has gone fairly quiet for tailor, but those who are braving the conditions are finding that there is still plenty of fun to be had if they

George whiting, breaksea cod and squid. If you are out chasing tuna, small baits and lures are definitely picking up more fish, as there is a fair few baitfish schools about. Anchoring on structure holding bait, pumping a berley trail and waiting

Some quality bream are being caught and released in our local rivers, with this one falling to a vibe. getting out of bed early a bit harder than in the warmer months, but it is certainly still a great time to try your luck. The rivers have been fishing well, as they

persist. There are reports of various sharks, mulloway, pink snapper and samsonfish coming from the beaches around Mandurah. Plenty of fish are being captured from Three Mile

for predators to show up is proving to be effective for those trying their luck at bottom dwelling species. Fresh baits are definitely more consistent among anglers regardless of technique, with

Little dhuies like this guy are great fun on light gear and are best released to grow bigger in the future. typically do in the cooler months. Fishing for bream or mulloway becomes a bit easier, as they follow the bait schools, which

out to Five Fathom Bank by boat anglers, with locals encountering a number of species including tuna, snapper, dhufish, King

squid, herring, mullet and wrasse all getting plenty of attention. Metal jigs to 120g and plastics to 5â&#x20AC;? are playing a big part, and lure fishers are

Jonah caught this beautiful rainbow while trolling hardbody lures along the edges. 22

JULY 2019

West Coast finding that electric chicken, pilchard, zebra and white colours are all doing well. Dawesville Cut is a great place at this time of year. Herring are regularly being caught, but you will also find a few King George whiting, yellowfin and tarwhine about. Quite often you will find that there are skipjack around and if you get into one you have a great chance at catching more. Cubed pilchard baits, either lightlyweighted or unweighted are best when trying to target these fish.

Beaches around Mandurah continue to change with the weather, creating and moving plenty of gutters around our local beaches. We can expect beach fishing in July to present a few obstacles in terms of bigger swells and large amounts of seaweed, but if you are persistent you will find some quality fish. While it isn’t totally appealing in winter, fishing sunrise or first light is a great way to go. You are able to fish a peak time and also get a good look at

the area you are fishing as things become more visible. Setting up, or at least scouting your chosen spots while there is light available can often lead to finding patches free of seaweed and fishing these areas will increase your chances at tempting those fish. While you definitely want to be patient, ensuring you have a nice clean rig with no debris on it can and will often be the difference between catching and not catching. The rock walls around Mandurah are a going to be a

Many locals neglect to visit these beautiful freshwater bodies, despite how accessible they are.

popular choice for those who don’t mind flicking from the rocks. While you can often be plagued with blankets of seaweed, if you are fishing near the cut or Mandurah entrances, it will clear up relatively quickly due to the constant tidal movement. At this time of the year, the inshore snapper definitely become a focus when fishing from the rocks, but it is certainly prime conditions to sink some fresh mullet strips out for mulloway and whatever else may show up. Freshwater fishing is well worth trying if you have been holding off or hesitant. While the weather is cooler, the redfin and trout are very active in the early mornings and late afternoons. Fish also have the tendency to feed for longer periods throughout the day in overcast conditions, and it can mean you might just be having fun all day long. While these conditions do not favour those who like to cast flies at fish, you can have plenty of success by casting at rises and not necessarily at a sighted fish. Making casts towards the general area and trolling hardbodies or spinnerbaits past has seen some good fish landed on the local dams and quite often anglers are reporting seeing numbers of fish surfacing. Around August, we can expect to see a number of

Sean caught this samson from one of Mandurah’s southern beaches. good pink snapper being taken from the inner reefs as they come in closer. River fishing, freshwater fishing and inshore fishing really become a highlight at this time of the year and there is a lot on offer for all types of fishers. Don’t be afraid to try new things, or a new form of fishing, as it may just surprise you how much fun you will have or where it will take you once you get sucked in.

If you are going to head out in these stormy months, it is a good idea to check the weather forecast beforehand to ensure you have the appropriate gear for the conditions. A wet weather jacket is often needed in these winter months and a personal flotation device is also a smart choice, particularly if you are venturing out of your comfort zone to try your luck at land-based snapper fishing.

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West Coast

Monster mulloway materialise along the beaches LANCELIN

Peter Fullarton

Mulloway have been featuring a lot in beach sessions and there have been plenty of them around 120-140cm, which is about 20kg.

fish asking “what’s the weed situation like?” You never catch a fish if you stay at home wondering about the weed! Sure, your favourite hole might be weeded up but that can change overnight or even within a few hours. So long as you are prepared to get

been sensational, with plenty of skippy, King George whiting, herring, squid, snook, pike, tarwhine and samsonfish. Whether you anchor up and berley, troll lures or drift and cast lures, there is normally plenty of action and fun on the light gear.

Damien Knight with an impressive beast of a mulloway at 141cm and 21kg. They have been caught right along our stretch of coast from Guilderton through to north of Wedge Island. Whole small mullet have been one of the favoured frozen baits, although fresh whiting and herring have accounted for a good share of them too.

there early enough and do a drive through the beaches, you can usually find plenty of places to get a line out. What I would avoid is a strong southerly, as this will cause the weed to push along the beach, so no matter where you fish, weed is likely to become a problem.

The squid have been about in good numbers and the average size has been quite large. Drift over the weed beds casting your jig to find the squid, and when you get one cast back to the same spot, as often there will be several more there. I also like to have a whole whiting on a squid spike about a meter below a float, drifting just behind the boat. Any shy squid that follow the jig or hooked squid find the fresh bait and rarely refuse it. Also, plenty that pass under the boat’s drift line will come up for it as well, so you’re catch is greatly increased. Outside the bay, demersal fishing has been quite slow. Most the best fishing has been out deep around 45-80m. Inside these depths, the fishers have been reporting slow fishing for some time. That’s not

to say there are no fish, but it does take some time and effort to land a decent haul. Inshore, the most reliable fish to chase have been pink snapper, with many falling to a pilchard floated down a good berley trail, and this is best done at sunset or sunrise. Traditionally, the dhufish become much more common on the shallow grounds in July and the fishing should improve somewhat in the next few months. Lancelin jetty is a great alternative to fish when the seas and swell are up. Recently, there have been plenty of herring and school whiting along with some skippy, squid and King George whiting, making for some great mixed bags and a good feed. If the swell is not pushing too much weed through the bay, a crab drop net usually finds some nice big female blue swimmer crabs at this time of year. The samsonfish have been a regular jetty raider, often spooling the surprised tourists when they’re not quite expecting such big powerful fish so close to shore. As the storm fronts pass, mulloway and pink snapper can and have been recently caught from the jetty if you’re up to getting out in the cold, windy and wet nights. When beach fishing we have been getting plenty of herring, skippy, tarwhine and some really good-sized sand whiting, some over 25cm. If the wind and swell are up, you can get them from inside the bay. Try fishing the section to the south of Lancelin Sea Rescue building, which offers some shelter from the seas. Casting onto the sand near the edge

Leanne Fullarton having some fun on the light gear chasing tarwhine in the bay. of the weed beds with a berley cage usually gets them going. Tailor can be patchy at this time of year, although choppers to 50cm can still be caught. Dawn and dusk on the new moon period seems to be the most reliable time. Large greenback tailor can be caught in the gutters and from the reef breaks through to mid-morning.

sunset. Tailor or Fence reef south of town are two good spots to try. Whole mullet or herring baits work well, and use wire to avoid bite offs. July and August are the best months for tarwhine. This time of year they are more numerous and we can catch larger sized fish. Although they can grow to 80cm, 40cm is a good size along the Lancelin coast.

Plenty of baldchin groper have been coming from 30-40m depths, with this pair coming from 32m. Graeme Doodson, a renowned mulloway hunter, caught this 18kg model and has been showing everyone how it is done this year, landing multiple fish on numerous occasions. July is one of the better times of year to chase a beach mulloway, and along with the big ones we also see a lot more of the smaller school size fish around 65-85cm. This time of year we need to pick the calmer times between passing weather fronts, which can break off a lot of sea weed from the offshore reef systems. We get a lot of inquiries through social media from people planning their next beach 24

JULY 2019

Although the high tide is a prime mulloway bite time, extreme highs can also wash all the weed back off the beach into a hole or gutter, so sometimes it can be better to avoid the biggest of tides. During July, big swells can also make it difficult to launch boats and unsafe to leave the bay at times. Try beach launching at low tide when the outer reef stops most the wave energy reaching the shore. The fishing within the bay has

Brooke Weir with a big shovelnose shark from the beach.

Casting a good size stickbait or popper is a good way to prospect some grounds for them. North of town has the most suitable green back habitat. I pick a morning with light or offshore winds for long casts, preferably in overcast conditions. I walk, prospecting the best sections of beach, casting the lures to the white water and driving the stretches between. There have been plenty of small sharks along the beaches after dark, and most are a perfect eating size. The best way to score a feed is to pump a good berley trail along one of the deeper nearshore beaches from

Within the bay, they can be in good numbers over the weed and reef areas or along the shore break, and will readily take a lure. Work small soft plastics or vibes close the bottom with a lift and drop technique. Using baits, I have a lot of success floating small unweighted pilchards down towards the bottom. Along the beaches they prefer to be close to reef or within the beach gutters. Fish early morning or on the full moon. On a full moon they will usually bite all night long. Use a 3/0 hook and a whole prawn or bits of squid or octopus for bait.

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West Coast

Calm seas, great catches JURIEN BAY

Jason Harris

This fishing around Jurien Bay has been great, with lots of good calm conditions for the boaties. They have been getting dhufish, baldchin and snapper from in close and out wide. Shore anglers have been getting a variety of fish, and lots of big whiting. Kristin from Seaestar charters says the mulloway are still biting hard, and they are catching them in big numbers, along with plenty of samsonfish. They are still getting good-sized dhufish, snapper and baldchin. Unusual tropical species like emperors are still hanging around, and there’s reports of coral trout being caught off Cervantes. There is also seeing some large cuttlefish hanging around the mid depths. The pelagics have been a bit patchy. The odd mackerel and tuna are being caught, but the hook-ups are few and far between. Other pelagic species like mahimahi are absent as well. With the weather getting colder it looks like the season may be coming to an end. Smaller boats have been doing well too, with catches of dhufish, snapper and

There are quite a few big snapper around, like this one that ate a jig. the bay. Prawns and squid are working best as baits in the marina. There are also plenty of squid in the marina area too. There are lots of smaller ones, but the bigger ones are mixed in there. They are biting in the marina at night, but Alex says

Mark caught this great spangled emperor while bottom fishing. baldchin coming from close inside 30m and around the bay itself. Good catches of whiting are coming from the sand patches around the bay, behind Favorite Island and just outside the bay. Ox heart is still the best bait, and the calm nights have been productive. Just remember to keep the berley trail going continuously, with a small amount often the best way to go. Alex from Seasport Tackle says the marina is still fishing well, with plenty of herring to be caught. He also said there are lots of undersized tailor, trevally, flathead and even baby snapper too. The sheltered water of the marina is a nursery area for these fish, and they are there to grow up and get some weight on before moving out into

that it needs to be calm, as a bit of wind can put them off. Down at the jetty, catches have consisted mostly of herring and squid. As with the marina, there are quite a few

smaller squid mixed in, but the bigger ones are there too. The ever-reliable green, pink or glow jigs are all working. There have been quite a few herring at the jetty, but they are not always biting. Sometimes the ones at the deep end go quiet, but if you move back to the shallow water you might find them biting there. The beaches are fishing best for whiting at the moment, with some flathead and the odd tailor showing up. The whiting are of a good size and biting at various times during the day. Ox heart, sandworms and cockles are your best bet for bait. With the cooler weather we are still expecting the see the larger tailor, but at the moment only the occasional one is being caught. Remember to keep your berley trail going. There is still some mulloway around the beaches, so it’s worth keeping a bait in the trail. The good cray fishing in the bay continues, with lots of crays coming in. Just be careful of the swell as we move into July and winter sets in.

Make sure you’re ready, as double hook-ups on dhufish often occur on the first drop at a spot. JULY 2019

West Coast

Bigger catches will come in dhu season GERALDTON

Graham Maunder & Michael Triantopoulos

Mulloway up to around a metre are more likely to be in small schools and are less selective in the depth of water and environment you find them. LAND-BASED The rock walls around the Geraldton Fishermans Harbour is accessible by car and is also one of the easier places to catch a few whiting, herring or yellowtail for live bait. Pilchards, fish fillets or

fresh squid also work well, but they don’t last as long due to the small pickers and sand crabs finding the stationary baits easier to grab a hold of. South Gates Beach along the southern entry to Geraldton has always been one off our best mulloway spots, probably due to the large numbers of bait along the shallow gutters, and over the last month or so there have been a few better fish caught after dark. Head Butts south of Flat Rocks and north to West Bank have not had many

tailor, and the ones being caught are either very small or good keepers around 40cm. Mulloway are patchy and not as big as we expect at this time of the year, but mulloway between 4-13kg are still good fish, excellent eating and great fun to catch. Autumn into winter is land-based dhufish time, and even though the weather is chilly, anglers putting in the time and effort are doing well, with dhufish up to 8kg coming from the reefs and rocks south of the Greenough River mouth to S Bend.

Scott Steedman with a Spanish mackerel caught on a recent trip gas ballooning.

Dhufish are opportunistic feeders and will take almost any bait at times, but you will produce more fish more often if you use what they are eating at this time of year you are fishing. At the moment mullet are migrating north, and squid and cuttlefish are more plentiful, so it makes sense to use a bait this is local, fresh and readily available. Ganged hooks work well, but a couple of hooks snelled about 50-90mm apart also work well and allow a more flexible presentation of the small whole squid, cuttlefish or mullet fillet. Even though dhufish have very large mouths and do eat things that are very large, your hook up rate will be better if you use a smaller bait of 100-150mm on snelled 3/0-6/0 hooks such as Black Magic KS, Gamakatsu Octopus, BKK Octopus or Mustad Tarpons. Most brands nowdays are sharp enough out of the box, but checking them on your thumbnail to see if thy stick or slide (they should not slide easy) will increase the hook up rate. Also the point of the hook needs to be through the bait so that the point of the hook is not obstructed by the thickness of the flesh or toughness of the skin on the bait.

Tyler Williams with a solid dhufish caught fishing out off Geraldton with a jig. Spanish mackerel, longtail tuna and sharks are keeping ballooning anglers busy from Port Gregory to the Kalbarri Cliffs. With the easterly winds the pelagic species were later arriving this year, but with the big mullet schools moving up the coast most of the predatory fish that chase the mullet have finally arrived. Mackerel up to 20kg, sharks up to unmanageable sizes and various tuna species makes an early chilly morning on the beach well worth the effort. BOAT We’re moving into that part of the season when we

start getting much calmer weather. Over the last couple of weeks we have had some amazing conditions of low winds and swells allowing anglers to get out. The fishing from Greenough River mouth south to Flat Rocks has finally had good healthy numbers of dhufish to 13kg, pink snapper to 8kg, baldchin groper and coral trout. The shallower water around 8-15m throughout the autumn and into winter seems to hold good numbers of these species. Spanish mackerel have turned up late and have been

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West Coast a by-catch for the anglers fishing the bottom, but often they are getting bitten off. Dropping a lightly-weighed pilchard down on snelled hooks with light single strand wire is an effective way to target them. Anglers fishing West of the Batavia Marina about 6-10nm have been reporting of decent mixed bags of species including pink snapper, baldchin groper, dhufish, goldspotted cod and the odd Spanish mackerel while fishing the bottom. Red throat emperor have been prolific, and keeping a bait down there at times can be extremely difficult. Being generally smaller in size they don’t often get kept, but they are an spectacular eating fish. The area around the Outer Knoll Buoy, which

is approximately 5nm from the Batavia Marina and is around 27-29m has been fishing extremely well for dhufish to 6kg, baldchin groper and dusky morwong. Dhufish often school there in late autumn into winter, so it’s not uncommon to find numbers of them. Be mindful and do the right thing by catching your one or two then move on and try find some other species. Fishing northwest of town the charted lumps between Drummonds and Coronation have been fishing well for both pelagic and demersal species. Massive schools of baitfish and the late season has seen a consistent run of Spanish mackerel and tuna. Pink snapper to 6kg, coral trout, dhufish, baldchin groper and

This was Scott’s first legal-sized dhufish, and it was caught off the beach.

samsonfish have made up the bulk of the mixed bags. With the annual migration of whales passing through its not uncommon to find cobia hanging off them. Quiet often you’ll be fishing the bottom and catch one or see them free

much, as you don’t want to attract the unwanted sharks and rays as well. SMALL BOATS AND KAYAKS Squid are still around in numbers, and Pages Beach through to Separation Point

Pete put together a nice feed of squid fishing around the Pages Beach area. swimming. Cobia aren’t the fussiest of eaters, but really like a 6” paddle-tail plastic or a stickbait cast at them. The fishing along Pensioners Bank late in the afternoon and into the evening has been good for the ones putting in the time and effort. Recent reports have mentioned pink snapper, spangled emperor and dhufish. The preferred method seems to be anchoring, using berley and a lightly-weighted bait of pilchard, mullet fillet or any other fish flesh fillet. When using berley, don’t use too

has been fishing well. There have been reports of good numbers of skippy to around 1kg, pike, herring, schoolsized yellowtail kingfish and samsonfish for the ones anchoring and using berley. Fishing the area around Seal Rock has seen a consistent run of mulloway to 18kg, the occasional pink snapper and unwanted sharks and rays. The better of the fishing has been into the night. Fillet baits such as mullet, pike and tailor are all very good, and if possible get them fresh, or

Jeremy Hosken with a dhufish and good coral trout from a recent trip. even while you’re out there. The Sea Grass beds along Chapman Road to St Georges has had some good numbers of squid, although it seems more consistent when the water is clear and you can see the sandy holes. There has also been reasonable numbers of herring, pike and whiting. • Geraldton Sports Centre is the Mid West’s specialist fishing tackle store. Drop in and see the friendly

professional staff for local advise and knowledge and browse the extensive range of fishing equipment on show. You’ll find them at 204-208 Marine Terrace Geraldton WA, or call (08) 9921 3664. • If you are staying in Geraldton or passing through, don’t be afraid to call in to Geraldton Sports Centre for a chat. They are located at 204-208 Marine Terrace, Geraldton.

JULY 2019

Gascoyne Coast

In for a cracker at Kalbarri KALBARRI

Stephen Wiseman

The river has started to clear, with the blue water pushing up past the pens on the high tide and with the push comes the mulloway. The sand spit has been productive on the run-in and after the turn of high tide, often producing three or four fish a

night in the range of 6-8kg. There’s been tales of big bream upriver, with some fish busting anglers off. One fish reported broke off on the bank and was called as a 50cm model, and that would be the biggest I have heard of in the Murchison. Snapper are turning up along the cliffs south of town, along with some very nice breaksea cod to 55cm.

Weird and wonderful is all part of fishing the reefs around Kalbarri.

Samsonfish have been taken when anglers have headed offshore.

Water temperatures are down to 21.5°C, so the mackerel are most likely going to be a no show this season, but the tuna should be around soon as the

Tuna should be available for boaties now.

first of the whales turn up just offshore. The weather change has been most welcome, and a drop in the wind and swell has seen a lot more boaties

trying to get offshore for tuna and all the bottom species on offer through the winter months. Some nice Samson have also been picked up. Tales of good dhufish

and baldchin groper are doing the rounds and by the look of some of the frames in the bins at the cleaning tables there’s been some quality catches made.

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Gascoyne Coast

Racing to the reef EXMOUTH

Jeni Gates

The month of May has been the best yet, with some incredible catches in all areas.

by separate recreational crews. The excitement for these fish is building and we are certain some records will be coming out of the area soon enough. The recent catches of reef species has also been

for bait for these species is a combo of squid and blue mackerel. Of course, a few crazy fit crews have been getting stuck into the deep water jigs of late, and the results have been very positive. Make sure you have

The reef fishing has been consistently good, with good hauls of demersals coming over the side.

Chinaman are always an exciting catch in the Exmouth area. The billfish scene continues to do well, despite the colder temperatures. Sailfish, black marlin and striped marlin continue to show up for various crews. The super exciting part though is the fact that there were three broadbill swordfish caught in a week

insanely good, with loads of photos coming in store of red emperor, goldband jobfish, saddletail perch, Robinson’s sea bream and other tasty delights from the deep. The electric reels are getting a work out on the ruby snapper and a few large cod as well. The best option

Now is the time to be enjoying the wonderful weather and great reef fishing this area is famous for.

a strong arm if you are going to give this a crack though, especially in the ultra-deep water. There has been a few strange fish caught in the deep water including an oil fish, thresher shark and other spooky creatures with weird eyes. My advice to you if you are thinking of coming here for July is to make sure you book ahead. July is one of the busiest months of the year in Exmouth, with holiday a lot of accommodation already booked out and caravan parks full. The fishing can be great, particularly for those on the shoreline who are keen to get out early and catch a good tide. Whiting along the beaches can be thick and make a tasty meal. Crabs in the gulf can also provide some sweet meals, along with the increasing prawns that have raised their heads again this year. There is no

doubt that the best years we had for the prawns have been after we’ve had some really big rains. Regardless, there are so many options for fishing in the gulf, and winter is the better time for calm conditions. When we get those total glass days, it is incredible to experience the fishing in the gulf. In this area you can get almost anything from big tuna to coral trout, to massive cod, permit, copious species of trevally, triple tail, squid, milkfish, giant hearing, bream, flathead, mangrove

jack, queenfish, mackerel, bluebone, and even the odd barramundi, but thankfully no crocs. It is this time of year that the giant trevally start to fire from the shore at the tip of the cape. The conditions can be cool at times, so make sure you have warm clothing, gloves (especially for handing the fish and casting with braid), quality rock boots with metal spikes, a headlamp and a fair amount of stamina. Large poppers and stickbaits are the best options for this style of fishing and we thoroughly

Goldband jobfish are a great addition to the icebox.

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recommend crushing the barbs on your hooks. If you are successful, make sure you take great care to land the fish correctly and get a few quick photos prior to release. These amazing fish are very hardy, but it is important to look after them for the next person. • For more up to the minute information on what is biting and where, drop into Bluewater Tackle World Exmouth and have a chat to the friendly and informative staff. They are located at 3 Maley St Exmouth and can be contacted at (08) 9949 1315.

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North Coast

Cool fishing options in the Kimberley dry season BROOME

Troy Honey

Pelagic and demersal fish are firing right now in the Broome region, with many anglers choosing to target both fish categories in the same day out on the boat.

long mackerel lures that dive to 5m. It will vary with time as we go into the season and the size of the fish. As a general rule, matching lures to the size of the baitfish in the area is always the best place to start. The Spaniards in Broome are less of a tactical fish to

The author with a solid longtail tuna caught on a gold 200mm diving lure fitted with single hooks. Longtail tuna are in big numbers just off the coast in Broome at the moment. Early starts are the key if you plan to follow suit, and it is recommended to put the lures out as soon as your boat is off the trailer, as there have been a few large Spanish mackerel caught on poppers being flicked by land-based anglers on Cable Beach. Once you have the boat motoring, set your lure spread out at varying lengths and pending ocean conditions, I have found 6 knots is a winning speed for Spaniards and longtail tuna. Looking for baitfish or birds feeding is a sure bet for the tuna. Take a wide berth in front of them and once the boat is past the fish, cut back on them, dragging your lures through the school. This method can take some time to master, because if you tack too close to the school, they tend to dive for a short time before surfacing a distance away. If you are tacking onto the school well with no hook-ups, it’s time to look at the lures. Both size and diving depths are the first things I will change up. If the fish are near surface trying running divers that run at 3m and don’t be afraid to downsize the lure, as I find tuna often prefer smaller lures to Spanish mackerel. That being said, I have caught some very large longtail tuna on my 200mm

hook up, and using lures at this time of year in the 200mm range and running two lures at 5 and 8m diving depth out the back at 6 knots will have that area sorted. Spanish mackerel are often feeding amongst the tuna and bait schools, but my

you find some great bommies. Try similar trolls right up the Dampier Peninsula, as from May through to October, Spanish mackerel congregate in this area and more often than not you will succeed in finding them. One advantage of trolling over areas like this is finding ground demersals are likely to inhabit. When trolling for pelagics I will set my sounder to split or tri-screen, or if you have dual screens run one with your navigation map and the other with sonar and 3D structure scan. Running the sonar is not only a safety procedure, it allows you to spot and mark potential waypoints for demersal species fishing. Countless times I have enjoyed going back on another day to ground I have spotted trolling and had success, and am sure I would have never fished that spot if I had not trolled over it previously. The ground off Broome offers an array of fish species, which include some of the most valued table fish Australia has to offer. Fishing as a sport is growing at a rapid rate, with many anglers preferring the sport of catch and release, and with this, the species being targeted more

Very large Spanish mackerel, such as this one caught by the author, congregate off the Broome coast from May through to October. Trolling lures over structure or even throwing poppers off Cable Beach will entice the popular pelagics into a strike. preferred method of finding larger specimens is trolling over good reef. This can be found just a short distance off the coast, with a good starting point about 5nm west of the tip of Gantheaume Point. Trolling out further to around 12nm and varying your lines on different days will have

commonly are not necessarily five-star table fish. One of these families of fish are the trevally, well known for their brute strength and failure to give up the ghost right through to the end. Caranx Papuensis, commonly referred to as brassy trevally or brassies, are

Jeramie Dimascia got into some nice coral trout recently only a stone’s throw from shore north of Broome near Cape Leveque. found in numbers in Broome and often school around structure such as coral reefs from less than a hundred meters offshore, but can also be found around jetty’s to waters deeper than 40m much further out. Brassies grow to over 12kg and up to a metre in length and offer sportfishers that hard fought win they chase. Brassies at first sight can appear to be the mighty GT, but they are more elongated than the GT and have prominent yellow fins and many dark spots along their body. Tackle for brassies can vary from overhead outfits to spinning reels in the 6000 and above range, with the latter the more popular choice, filled with quality braid of 30lb or more. A rod in the 6-7’ range and PE3 or above is recommended, and one which is both strong but flexible is proffered, as brassies will go for many long runs before being landed and certainly put your gear to the test. Brassies will hit both jigs and baits hard, either when bottom bouncing or even berleying up over structure, which will attract them right to the surface and when this happens, they will hit just about anything that moves in the water. That is often the key; a moving bait, as they love to chase things down. You will see on days of clear water when they are chasing you jig or bait up that once you stop, they will also stop and lose interest, so keep your bait or lure moving fast to entice a strike.

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One thing to always remember when handling brassy’s is to either wear gloves or hold the section before their tail with a towel, as their tail scoots are razor sharp and give you nasty cuts that will end your day out fishing. Brassies are a fantastic way to enjoy sportfishing with the whole family in Broome during this perfect time of the year. Often times there will be multiple hook-ups at the same time on the boat, bringing a chaos that will long be remembered. Brassies release very well to fight another day, so they are perfect for the catch and release angler whose fishing has little to no environmental impact. I personally really enjoy a day out catching brassies with friends, as it

always brings a fun day of action and plenty of stories to laugh about over the barbeque that night. Brassies have been caught in numbers on the charter boats in Broome over the last few weeks, and they will certainly be caught over the next few months. Along with brasies at this time of year there are plenty of coral trout, red emperor, largemouth nannygai, rankin cod, blueline emperor, cobia and bluebone being caught. These fish will be the prominent catches over the next couple of months before the water temperature starts to rise. Sailfish have been caught in big numbers in the last few weeks, with the areas mentioned before for Spanish mackerel being the most productive. There was a report of a very nice coral trout caught off the Broome Jetty a couple of weeks ago, as well as queenfish, bluebone, mangrove jack and if you are brave enough for the battle, huge resident GTs, which can be caught on the high tide change at night around the pylons, but expect to lose some gear. Plenty of greatsized whiting and bream are coming in along Cable Beach with the odd queeny amongst them. There’s plenty to get amongst in the middle of the tourist season right now, and although the iconic Broome barramundi are few and far between, the opportunities for trophy fish are plenty.

Brassy trevally may not be as iconic as the mighty GT, but they fight just as hard and provide boat loads of fun for the anglers. The author got into the action with this 90cm brassy caught in 30m of water 8km off the tip of Gantheaume Point in Broome.

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North Coast

Southern delights in the north DAMPIER/KARRATHA

Troy Honey

The Pilbara region of Western Australia is well known for its range of fish and crustacean species that combine the gems of the Mid-West with the jewels of the North Coast, but something that the Karratha Dampier region in the Pilbara is lesser known for (unless you are a local) would have to be the sweetest and most sought after of all crustaceans in the south, the stunning blue swimmer crab. Blue swimmers thrive in the sand and weed flats around Karratha and it is well known to local that the season kicks off at Easter and continues right through to October, with the numbers of crabs in most abundance throughout May to July. There is no official season in the North West by regulatory standards, but it tends to be at this time that those in the know give the muddies a rest and head out into the bays in search of a feed. As in all regions of Western Australia, blue swimmers in the Pilbara must have a carapace width of 127mm to be of legal size, but have a bag limit of 20 per person; double the bag limit of the South and West Coast regions. If fishing from a boat, the maximum limit per boat is 40, but you must have two people on board with fishing licences. No licence is required if you are fishing land-based. Areas to find blue swimmers around Karratha are the bays anywhere from north of Point Samson to south of the Fortescue River. The more commonly crabbed areas are Nickol Bay and the bays adjacent to Clearverville.

Finding the crabs is simply a matter of testing different depths with a few drops nets spread over them, and once you find the crabs then work that depth with your nets. A couple of days out in recent weeks I found most of the crabs in 5-7m depths on a 3.5m tide, which was only a few kilometres out from the Back Beach boat ramp in

of the blue swimmer crabs increase, with most crabs over the 150mm carapace width mark by May. Always check the hardness of the underside of the crab. A firm shell near the abdomen flap is a good indicator that they will be full of meat, if it is soft and depresses easily they will be full of fluid and not the best eating. This is due to the crab

Blue swimmer crabs are in plague proportions at this time of the year in Karratha. Here the author shows off a couple of good size examples caught in Nickol Bay. Nickol Bay. You need to be careful when launching and retrieving your boat in these areas, as anything under 2.6m can leave you high and dry waiting for the tide to come back in before making it back to the ramp and depending time of day, that can leave you out there well into the night. If you are new to the area it is highly recommended to speak with the local tackle store or fishing clubs and they will happily give you advice about using the boat ramps and the tides. As the months progress through the season the size

recently shedding its shell, and it will therefore be best released until the shell firms up. With the big numbers of crabs about, it usually isn’t a problem finding a good feed of crabs full of meat at this time of year. Keeping with the theme of the lesser known types of fishing in Karratha, there are a few locals in the know of the truly iconic sportfish that inhabits the waters here, the mighty GT. Caranx ignobilis, or giant trevally as they are commonly called, are a fish that puts the toughest of anglers and their tackle to the

test. They put up a battle that will leave you gasping for oxygen and with back pain, and even the fittest struggle to endure. GTs are found all around the area, with many smaller specimens landed when fishing for other species from land or boat near rocky outcrops that are abundant in the Dampier Archipelago and Burrup Peninsula. If you are in search of the much larger GTs, they can be found over the coral reefs and shoals further out only accessible by boat. Giant trevally, as their name suggests, are the largest of all trevally. They can grow as big 1.7m in length and 80kg. Such beasts are hard to find in Australian waters, however, where a big fish may be 20-30kg. It is here in the archipelago that you can find GTs in that size range and on any given day this region will rival the more well-known GT hunting grounds of the Western Australia coastline. The most common form of fishing for GTs here is casting large poppers or stickbaits. You will need strong gear for this type of fishing, and rods above PE4 in strength, preferably PE6, that also have good flex and length of 7ft or more are a good starting point. Reels should be above the 8000 size with a preference of 10000-14000. These reels should be kept as light as possible, as you will be casting continuously for some time, with the less weight reducing the fatigue that is induced by the casting. Strong braid is recommended, and a minimum of 50lb but sometimes upwards of 70lb is preferable, with a strong leader with wire trace tied securely to the end. GTs are highly intelligent and although on certain days they will hit any popper or stickbait thrown at them, they also learn very

Steve Sheridan caught this monster of a GT while casting poppers over the shoals that surround the islands in the archipelago. quickly and will often snub ones they have fallen victim to before. With this in mind, haveing a variety of colours and types will increase your chances of a hook-up dramatically. If you are seeing GTs in the water and not succeeding in gaining strikes, then keep changing your lure type until they start striking. Once hooked up you are on your own. Brace yourself for the pain that has broken many an angler, but once overcome and the feeling of satisfaction sets in, you will be hooked for life. Wind has battered the Karratha region over the last few weeks making fishing from boats difficult, with only a few days in between calm enough to head out. Those lucky enough to have those days line up with non-work days have caught plenty of exceptional demersals and pelagics. Red emperor, rankin cod, coral trout, blueline and spangled emperors to name a few have been coming in, some of which have been of very good size. Bluebone continue to be caught around the bommies in the archipelago and shore-based areas of rocks surrounding the Burrup. Squid reports are coming in regularly, with the weed

patches up to 10m all through the archipelago being the most productive areas. Sailfish and marlin have been hit and miss, mainly due to the windy conditions, but when the weather permits the game fishers are doing very well, with multiple landed fish per boat. Huge whiting are coming from all of the beaches, with areas such as Cleaverville and Cossack really turning it on. Even though we are right in the middle of the blue swimmer crab run, those venturing out in search of muddies are finding them in the deeper stretches of the creeks and rivers. Numbers are down slightly, but those finding them have caught some absolute monster green mud crabs, and that’s a good trade-off for quantity. July can be a great time for fishing the Karratha and Dampier regions, as the day time temperature average a perfect 25-27°C. It’s just a matter of picking the calmer days for getting the boat out, and on the windy days it’s about searching around for the perfect land-based spot protect by dunes or the iron stone hills that the area is famous for. There’s plenty of options on offer during this cooler time of the year that the whole family can enjoy.

! ! ! y l u J n i s a m t It’s Chris

JULY 2019

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recfishwest

Subsea7’s proposal for the Exmouth Gulf Recfishwest’s role often extends outside the bounds of traditional fisheries management into areas and issues that may

Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to build a pipeline construction and launching facility south of Exmouth.

to protect, promote and develop sustainable, accessible, enjoyable and safe fishing. We are not opposed to development,

The Exmouth Gulf is a fantastic area that offers a range of fishing opportunities. impact upon the great fishing experiences our state offers. Recently, we’ve made comments around a proposal Subsea7 has submitted to the

Recfishwest’s purpose is to ensure great fishing experiences for all in the WA community forever. We have made a commitment to the fishing community

however to receive our support, any developments need to enhance the fishing experience, not diminish it. In the case of the Subsea7 proposal, the community

Golden trevally are one of many species that call the Exmouth area home. has raised concerns around access to important fishing areas in Exmouth Gulf and potential disturbance to nearby seabed habitats. In May, Subsea7 resubmitted their proposal to the EPA after making some changes to their original proposal. These amendments included a significant increase to seabed disturbance which Recfishwest had previously raised concerns about to the EPA. Often, when a development is proposed the community sentiment is mixed and this proposal is no exception. Some fishers oppose the proposal, believing that it will

interrupt the serenity, flats habitat and wilderness fishing nature of the area, while others are supportive, believing that the pipeline launching infrastructure will provide artificial habitat and increased fishing opportunities for a range of species. Recfishwest have met with Subsea7 on multiple occasions to get a better understanding of the proposed development’s impacts on fishing, as well as providing feedback around issues that are important to fishers, such as ongoing public access to the coast, possible environmental changes that will impact fish populations

and impacts to fishing activities during launching operations. We recently wrote to the EPA encouraging them to assess the current Subsea7 proposal at the level of full Public Environmental Review. This will ensure the greatest level of scrutiny and transparency during the assessment process. Recfishwest will continue to contribute to the assessment process and we will ensure the community are well informed about how and when the community can have their say. For further info about the proposal, visit the EPA website here at consultation. epa.wa.gov.au.

The fishing community in Exmouth has raised concerns around access to important fishing areas in Exmouth Gulf and potential disturbance to nearby seabed habitats.

Some community members believe that the pipeline launching infrastructure will provide artificial habitat and increased fishing opportunities for a range of species.

Recfishwest aims to protect, promote and develop sustainable, accessible, enjoyable and safe fishing. Any developments need to enhance the fishing experience, not diminish it, in order to receive Recfishwest’s support. JULY 2019

Freshwater fun at its peak in WA FRESHWATER

Peter Fragomeni

After a very dry autumn throughout the South West, the trout fishing seemed to be holding out quite well considering the low water levels in our rivers. The levels in most of our dams

reason the big schools that normally form in late autumn evaded me. The big news to hit the freshwater scene is the go ahead on a $70 million irrigation scheme near Manjimup, with a dam being built on Record Brook that flows into the upper Donnelly River. The

constructed is a concern as well. The only positive I can see (apart from the jobs it will create) is if we can gain access to this new water and stock it wisely, then it could turn out to be a good trout fishery until the redfin take hold. Aussie natives have slowed down, but a few

The surprise came flyfishing the bank in the evening and mornings, with a number of rainbows hitting my fly close to the edge. One night I managed five yearlings from the previous year’s stocking and two broods from the same year fishing a Craig’s Night Time on a cloudy moonlit night at 2:00am walking the bank at Cosy Corner. It’s great to see the trout surviving, but unfortunately most are in poor condition due to the lack of food caused by the presence of redfin in this water. I noticed that some large weed beds have again formed and are showing up on the sounder in around the 4-6m line. Camping is allowed for $10 each person at a designated area and apart from one ski boat (that come into the 5 knot zone) it was a peaceful outing. Drakesbrook Weir There’s no reports this time, but redfin are always available and hopefully a few of the large browns are biting.

Big silver perch are turning up and the race is on for the new Australian record to go to Cody Willis, who nailed this one at night. and had the best trout fishing I’ve experienced for decades in WA. I managed a few on fly off the bank, but the best came trolling lures between 11.00am-2.00pm at a higher

how well they do in a water that isn’t overrun by redfin. All the fish were between 35-39cm, and a lot larger than the average Waroona fish, even though they were

Brown trout are one of the best freshwater sportfish available and attract keen anglers to our inland waters. are up on last year and the fishing has reflected this, with a number of trout being taken this autumn in our northern areas. I’m not sure if this is because of our second mild summer or the stocking of advanced yearlings that seemed to do better in our redfin waters.

plan is to build a dam about the size of Waroona Dam that will cover an area of 160ha and a capacity of 15 gigalitres when full. A small weir will be built on the Donnelly itself and water will be pumped to the dam so it can be used to irrigate areas around Manjimup and

are still being caught in private locations throughout the state. DAMS Waroona Dam Reports of a few trout being taken inspired me to visit this once prime trout water, and I can say I wasn’t disappointed with my results.

Australian bass turn up occasionally in WA waters, but unfortunately they aren’t officially stocked by our authorities. Logue Brook Dam Not many people fish this water, even though it’s our only dam that isn’t overrun by redfin. I fished it recently

speed using the petrol motor into the wind and the electric with the wind. The condition of the rainbows is proof of just

only stocked as standard yearlings of around 15cm last autumn. The water is high and if we can get some good rains it

One of the 2018 ex-brood rainbows that survived irrigation season, caught on a brown bead-head nymph early in the morning. I experienced some of my best fishing in three decades this autumn fishing our dams with both fly off the bank and trolling from the boat, landing up to 14 trout in one day on one occasion. Redfin have been turning up in numbers, but for some 36

JULY 2019

Pemberton. I’m sitting on the fence with this scheme, but some are against it on the notion that the streams are suffering from the avocado plantations being planted at a alarming rate in the area already, and the number of huge private dams being

We decided to start out trolling shallow diving lures chasing trout, but after several hours with nothing showing (apart from small redfin) we decided to change to deeper lures and immediately boated four nice redfin between 36-42cm in length.

One of the better-conditioned rainbows the author caught at Waroona Dam, but unfortunately most weren’t so well fed.

will flood new ground again, and I predict some nice size rainbows will be available by late spring this year. Harvey Dam As usual some nice

if you persevere you can be rewarded with a large redfin, as was the case recently for one lucky angler boating an impressive 45cm specimen that weighed over 2kg.

Collie River above the dam Reports have been slow, but good numbers of redfin are always available around the town. The increase of pest species like small

Chris Leaning with a nice rainbow caught at one of the competitions successfully run by Didier Blanquart.

Big redfin are targeted regularly, but would that be the case if other larger hard fighting species were available in the West? Jonah Chiera was pleased with this specimen. redfin are being caught and a few trout have shown up from last year’s stocking over the whole dam. It’s hard to pinpoint the best areas to fish this big waterway, as it seems to change with every outing. The Cattle Yards Flats is a good area, and Quarry Bay is firing at the moment for trout, but mainly for those trolling lures. Glen Mervyn Dam Reports have come through of a couple of decent redfin being caught off the

Big Brook Dam The water is starting to rise after being very low, so this dam is worth a go, as some nice browns have been sighted lately. RIVERS Serpentine River A couple of trout have been sighted, but it’s hard to get a cast to them in the tight cover. I would suggest that only the more experienced anglers’ fish this section, as it can be frustrating watching your lure hanging from an inaccessible branch.

carp and goldfish have been concerning lately, but fortunately they aren’t the European carp that can be so destructive, which are in great numbers on the eastern side of the country. Collie River below Wellington Dam Low water flows have resulted in low trout numbers, but this water fished well over the summer and autumn period, with a number of both rainbow and brown trout caught in the faster water throughout the irrigation season.

A beautiful conditioned rainbow caught trolling at Logue Brook Dam. This is proof of just how well they do without redfin present in any great numbers. dam wall, so it might be worth a go, although the trout are very small and lacking condition of late. Wellington Dam This water is living up to its reputation of not giving up its fish easily, with many hours required between redfin of any decent size being caught. I have found that there’s not the numbers in this water, but

Murray River Very low autumn water levels have resulted in poor fishing up in the hills, but a few have come from the flats below the scarp by those lucky enough to gain access on farmland. Redfin are still being caught in the deeper pools and the better areas have been well upstream above the main tourist areas.

Blackwood River Trout are still getting caught in the vicinity of Nannup and the feeder streams are producing a few well-conditioned fish who the few that put in the effort. Warren River Some nice redfin are coming from the deeper pools up above Rooney Bridge, but they are widespread throughout the

system, so any pool is worth a flick if you are in the area. Lefroy Brook This is by far our best trout stream in the area, and some of the scenery is breathtaking in that part of our south. Thompson Flats is holding some nice rainbows and a huge brown was spotted but refused all offerings. Other areas are Brocken Bridge upstream and down near the mouth for those who want to put the legwork in. Celta spinners are a good choice and hardbody lures capable of sliding over the logjams are a great way to fish this water. Flyfishing using any of the main attractor patterns or larger nymphs is deadly in the faster water as well. Donnelly River As mentioned earlier, this once mighty river is on the radar with a dam proposal in the upper reaches. I can’t see a problem if water is only drawn in peak flow, as most is wasted to the ocean in the winter anyway. It’s when the flow receded in late spring that it will impact on the ecosystem if this little weir is built on the main river, with water being pumped to the proposed dam for irrigation purposes. We could end up with a good fishery if we can gain access and I will do what ever I can through Recfishwest and the committee to make this happen! AUSSIE NATIVES Some nice silver perch have been caught right through the state, but the standout is the size of some being reported from our deep south. I have had reports of a few fish around 4.5kg being caught that would go into the Australian record books, but these 5kg specimens are truly of amazing size and condition. I have seen the photos and the water is stunning but unfortunately,

I don’t have permission to display the material at this stage. A nice bass was caught recently, and a number of large cod are still getting

translocation in this state! If you feel strongly about this subject, then contact me and I’ll steer you in the right area where you can make a difference.

Bec Crossingham from Territory Womens Hunting and Fishing Group with a nice little rainbow caught flicking soft plastics at Waroona Dam. caught in private locations. Frustration is still mounting by people sick of the lack of leadership our authorities are showing by avoiding the issue of

So, if you are keen to try something different, then get yourself a license and head down to our beautiful south and you may be pleasantly surprised!

DAM LEVEL PREDICTIONS FOR JULY All our irrigation dams are still well up on this time last year, however this could change if we don’t receive any decent rain soon. It’s hard to predict levels this year, as they could vary significantly. WAROONA DAM 70% DRAKESBROOK WEIR 85% LOGUE BROOK DAM 66% HARVEY DAM 43% WELLINGTON DAM 65% GLEN MERVYN DAM 45% BIG BROOK DAM 58% JULY 2019

WHAT’S NEW FISHING SAMAKI TEFLON PLIERS

Samaki premium stainless-steel tools have been developed from the ground up. The perfect combination of stainless steel and Teflon coating makes these pliers rust resistant, strong and durable. Every tool has been hand finished to ensure comfortable use and long-term performance. There are three precise models: two 160mm split ring models in straight nose and bent nose, plus the heavy-duty 130mm side cutter. Each plier sports Samaki’s exclusive handle, which has been designed for superior comfort and durability. For more information on the Samaki range of tools and accessories, or to find your nearest stockist, check out the Samaki website. You can also like them on Facebook (www.facebook.com/samakifishing) to see the latest news and catch photos, or follow them on Instagram (@samakifishing). Price: from $14.95 www.samaki.com.au

SNAPPER SNACK IN 2 BANANA SMASH Black Magic has announced the release of the new Snapper Snack in banana smash colour. The perfect combination of lure and rig, the Snapper Snack is designed with high UV and luminous skirts which slide above the premium KLT hooks to provide a fantastic action. Snapper Snacks are best fished with a thin strip of bait to help maintain the natural swimming action of the skirt. Available in sizes 3/0 and 5/0, there are a wide variety of species being caught on these effective rigs. The banana smash colour is a proven and popular colour, and it’s hitting all good tackle stores now. You can ask to see the Snapper Snacks at your local Black Magic stockist today, or head to the Black Magic website to find out more. You can also find more information, news and catch photos on their Facebook page (www.facebook. com/blackmagictackle), check them out on Instagram (@blackmagictackle) or subscribe to the Black Magic YouTube channel. www.blackmagictackle.com

DAIWA TATULA RODS

Daiwa has announced that the new Tatula rod series is set to strike for 2019. A reboot of the popular Tatula range, the new series introduces new looks, technologies and models to elevate the series to a new level of style and performance. SVF blanks featuring 3DX carbon is where it all begins, with a new spiral palming grip, new Fuji LKW Alconite guides, carbon butt cap, and Fuji PLS Palming Support reel seats combining to deliver anglers performance and comfort well above the rod’s price point. Featuring eight baitcaster and three swimbait models in the range the new Tatula rod series is the mid range series designed for the angler looking for that ultimate balance between performance and price. Whether your taste is for bass, barra, cod or mangrove jack the new Tatula series is one that’s sure to draw you in to its angling web. www.daiwafishing.com.au 38

JULY 2019

PRODUCT GUIDE

GIANT KILLING BIG GAME

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

The 2019 release of the Major Craft Giant Killing Big Game features major changes to the range, with new rod lengths added and updated cosmetics. It still stays true to the series’ focus: hard-fighting offshore fish. The rods feature the new Fuji Silicon Slim K Frame guides bound onto a supremely strong and light blank. This offers a superb feel in the hand while still delivering the low down power needed to stop big fish. There are five rods in the series, with lengths ranging from 7’6” through to 8’6”. This makes them all excellent casting rods and perfect for lure chasing tuna, kingfish and topwater or sub-surface reef species. The rods come with PE ratings starting at 1.5-3.0 for the 7’6” and go up to 8.0 PE for the 8’6” Tuna model. There are two rods aimed at Hirimasa (Japanese for ‘kingfish’), a 7’7” and 8’6”. Both are rated to a max PE of 6.0 and 100g lures. The Buri (Japanese for ‘amberjack’) is an 8’ offering with a PE rating of 2.0-5.0, and it’s capable of casting 25-80g lures. www.majorcraft.com.au

SHIMANO STRADIC FL

The new Stradic FL will carry forward most of the Shimano technologies that have made the Stradic series so strong, durable and uncompromising. The Micromodule Gear II ensures that the gears can align and perform with minimal resistance, and SilentDrive technology educes the smallest of clearance gaps and tolerances within the gearing system. The Hagane Gear has been upgraded for added strength and smoothness. On top of all this, X-Protect has also been added to the Stradic FL. The internal labyrinthtype structure gives the reel a superior level of water-resistant performance without impeding the rotation or lightness of the reel. The new Long Stroke Spool has been incorporated to improve casting distance, giving you the ability to cover more water when fishing. The 1000, 2500 and 4000 models have felt washer drags whilst the C3000 and C5000 models have upgraded cross carbon drags. With 6+1 ARC ball bearings, the new Stradic is sure to impress anyone who picks it up. Price: SRP $339.95-$389.95 www.shimanofish.com.au

NEW STUMPJUMPER 6 COLOURS Born on the Victorian banks of the mighty Murray River in 1986, the StumpJumper range of lures have the world’s only truly successful interchangeable bib system. As unlikely as it sounds, it’s an idea that really works. With the deep diving bib, the No.1 StumpJumper is a great cod lure, but switch to the pointy, shallow running bib and you have a minnow lure capable of taking saltwater speedsters like mackerel and tuna or even barramundi. Not many other lures can do that. The four new colours that are now available in stores are set to be a sure-fire hit amongst both freshwater and saltwater anglers alike. The new colours are chartreuse tiger (#107), pink tiger (#108), chartreuse scale (#109) and pearl scale (#110). www.jmgillies.com.au

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PRODUCT GUIDE

WHAT’S NEW FISHING

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

STORM 360GT SOFT BAITS

The Storm 360 GT Coastal Largo Shad offers highly detailed, universal baitfish appeal. This effective soft bait has a deadly body rolling action and an exaggerated tail swing that fish can’t resist. It can also be customised by removing the ‘tail tendon’ to create a wider and more erratic swimming action for those times when the fish are more aggressive. It swims both on the retrieve and on the fall. The 360GT Coastal Mangrove Minnow has a more slender profile, and its hard thumping paddle tail produces a tight body roll. Like the Largo Shad, the tail action can be customised by removing the tail tendon to deliver a wider tail swing, which mimics an erratic, panicking baitfish. It swims both on the retrieve and on the drop. Both the Largo Shad and Mangrove Minnow are available unrigged in 3” and 4” sizes in packs of seven, and are currently available in eight colours (Arkansas glow, electric chicken, hot mama, limetreuse, pilchard, pearl, silver mullet, and salt and pepper/chartreuse tail). They can be rigged weedless or on a standard jighead. www.stormfishing.com.au

SAMURAI EGI RODS

Samurai produces some of the finest, lightest and crispest feeling rods in the world, and they have turned their attention back to squid or egi rods. When Samurai began, they had some of the sleekest, multi-tapered graphite blanks for this style of fishing, and the new models take that technology even further. The new Samurai Egi rods use cross woven, hex axial carbon graphite to deliver a blank that is ridiculously light and strong. They press and cross the fibres in a process that results in a crisp, precise machine rolled multitapered blank. These rods have the action that’s essential for the lunging runs of large squid. The tip of the rod remains light and whip sharp, imparting crucial, instant action to the jig as soon as the angler initiates any movement with the rod. There are three models, an L, M and ML, covering jigs from 1.5-4.0, and all employ class-leading Fuji Titanium Torzite guides and EVA foam grips. www.samurairods.com.au

ULTRA-SIL VIEW DRY SACK

TD COMMANDER RODS

Built to perform and ready to unleash fury the TD Commander series has been revamped and restyled. An evolution of the original TD Commander series the new lineup has been expanded and now features 14 models (7 x spin and 7 x baitcast). Featuring proven Daiwa rod technologies such as HVF Nanoplus blanks, 3DX, AGS and Fuji Titanium SiC guides, the TD Commander series also launches some of Daiwa’s newest and most advanced technologies including the ultra light, ultra strong, SVF Carbon Air Sensor reel seats, and X45 Cobra Shield that greatly enhances blank responsiveness and allows for long accurate casts and better hook-sets. Dressed in classic green and featuring stylish cork grips the new TD Commander series is a range that delivers in looks and swagger and high-end performance. From ultra-light finesse models tailor made for bream and trout through to extra heavy models tuned to muscle cod and trevally from cover the TD Commander is ready for the Australian angler who’s looking to go to battle. www.daiwafishing.com.au

The Ultra-Sil Dry Sack from Sea To Summit is perfect for land-based anglers and those fishing from an open boat or kayak. The Ultra-Sil Dry Sack has a clear TPU window to allow you to easily view the contents inside. The window is RF welded into the side panels of the dry sack, producing a super-strong bond. Features of the Ultra-Sil Dry Sack include: siliconised high-tenacity Cordura nylon fabric for exceptional strength; Hypalon roll top closure does not wick moisture; Polyurethane coated and fully seam sealed for water resistance; reinforced stitching for greater seam strength; super compact and ultralightweight; and round base design. It also uses the Sea to Summit Field Repair Buckle for a tighter closure, and even better water resistance. The Ultra-Sil View Dry Sack comes in five colours and six sizes, ranging from 1L to 20L. The larger sizes are particularly useful for groups storing their belongings in the same bag. Price: SRP $14.99-$41.99 www.seatosummitdistribution.com.au

RUMPL PUFFY BLANKET

BIWAA DEUS 5” AND 6”

Born out of a crisis, with its founders trapped in their immobile van at sub-zero temperatures in America’s northwest, the Original Puffy Blanket by Rumpl, incorporates the latest outdoor technical material technologies, providing a much needed update to the traditional blanket. A new arrival to Australian shores, the Original Puffy Blanket is water, stain and odour resistant, with an ultra-warm 3D Hollow Fibre synthetic insulation – the same stuff as premium sleeping bags and down jackets. It’s not just warm, but super lightweight and easily packable, making this the perfect blanket to get warm and cosy with this winter. Available in three sizes and a plethora of plain and printed colour designs, Rumpl’s Original Puffy Blanket fits easily into its water resistant drawstring sack, which ideal for packing your blanket away with the change of seasons. Available sizes are the Throw size (127 x 178cm), 1-Person (137 x 203cm) and 2-Person (224 x 213cm). Price: SRP $149.95-$269.95 www.rumpl.com.au

The Biwaa Deus is a custom designed soft finesse swimbait, and it’s now available in 5” and 6” sizes. The dense belly allows it to keep an balanced keel, even while unweighted. Hook slots are provided to create a perfect weedless presentation, or you can use a standard jighead or use it as a trailer. A pre-positioned hole lets you add weights, while not compromising the balance and action. The Eco formulation plastic has the softness and durability that allow the maximum action to be coaxed from the design. Biwaa’s unique B2A Scent is a natural attractant that is infused into the body during manufacturing, as well as on the outside. The shrimp based, water-soluble additive creates a strong scent trail, activating aggressive feeding behaviour. The Deus’ tapered spear-tail design works at any speed, and the scale pattern gives the Deus an added level of realism. It’s now available in 3”, 4”, 5” and 6” sizes and a range of fish-catching colours. www.ejtodd.com.au

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au JULY 2019

WHAT’S NEW FISHING

PRODUCT GUIDE

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

TESTED Let’s talk tackle storage solutions Outside of using your fishing gear, one of the next most important things is how you store it. There are many options available, from individual tackle trays to full scale tackle stations. Queensland-based Wilson Fishing has a wide range of tackle storage solutions, and

Wilson lure wallets come in two sizes (large and small) and have heavy-duty zip lock pouches to house your lures. I have been using mine for my big Murray cod lures. I can take a selection of lures in my suitcase with the peace of mind that the lures will be protected, and that the items

Simple and effective tackle storage solutions are important to every angler.

All smiles for the author, but this trip could have been a disaster if the tackle tray that went in the drink had been a regular one instead of a Wilson Deluxe Waterproof model. we have reviewed a number of their products, from their standard tackle bags to the awardwinning Platinum Series Tournament bag and Wilson backpack (check them out at www.tacklejunkie.fish). This time I’ll be focusing on Wilson’s new waterproof tackle trays and their lure wallets, which I have been testing for the last six months. WILSON LURE WALLETS Lure wallets give you the ability to easily pack items that can be awkward to store. Items like spinnerbaits, rigged game fishing lures and larger lures are just plain difficult to transport, and a lure wallet is a good solution.

The author’s kayak bass tray. It may look a little messy but it holds everything needed for a bass session, plus there’s room for the car keys!

JULY 2019

in my suitcase are safe from hooks. The case is strong, and the zippers have held up well to regular mistreatment. WATERPROOF TACKLE TRAYS Wilson’s has always had a range of basic tackle trays, which are available individually or come included in their tackle bags. In 2019 they have upped the ante, releasing a new range of waterproof tackle trays. They come in Standard and Deluxe versions in a number of configurations (go to www. wilsonfishing.com to see the range). The Standard trays are a simple four latch system, while the Deluxe version has larger heavy-duty latches and has a few more options when it comes to tray configuration and depth. What I expected and what I found The first thing I wanted to know was how waterproof these trays are, so I submerged them for a minute. The Deluxe version had no water enter it, while the Standard tray did let a little bit of water in (maybe a teaspoon’s worth). A pretty good result, as you’d realistically never fully submerge the trays like this; even with quite a few jigheads in a tray, it still floats. The ability to adjust the compartments in the trays is also important. The Deluxe trays provide more options for the user and have a couple of deep tray versions to hold larger lures. As anglers we always want more options, and I think the team at Wilsons have done pretty well. Last but not least, I wanted to know how the trays would hold up and protect their contents. Extra latches can mean extra things to break. I’m happy to report that after six months of regular use I have had no issues. I

have seven trays in total and have had no breakages or damage. Final thoughts I may not be a total convert to waterproof tackle trays, but there are certain scenarios where they become almost essential. For instance while fishing one of our local waterways in my kayak, I was able to put all the lures is a single Deluxe Waterproof tray. During that trip not only did that tray end up in the water (very easy to retrieve a floating tackle box), but a storm hit, saturating us. Everything in the tackle tray remained dry and safe, including my car keys! A common concern with waterproof tackle trays is that moisture can get trapped in them, and this is true. You can avoid this problem by not putting wet items into the trays, or by leaving a couple of latches open so that any moisture can find its way out. Likewise on hot days the air in the trays expands, which plays havoc with the trays and the items inside them. You can avoid this by keeping the trays out of direct sunlight, or by leaving a latch disengaged. Overall, both the lure wallets and the waterproof tackle trays have been a great

addition to fulfilling my tackle storage needs, so the next time you are looking at your tackle storage options, check out the complete range of Wilson Fishing products in your local tackle store. – Peter Jung

The Wilson Fishing Platinum Tournament bag won the Best Tackle Storage award at the 2018 AFTA Tackle Trade Show.

All set for a bit of flathead fishing.

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COMO DINGHY WORLD 252 Canning Hwy COMO Phone: (08) 9367 6555 Email: info@dinghyworld.com.au Website: dinghyworld.com.au

Tech Tricks

Catch some tailor with your ganged flasher rig BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

With the tailor season well and truly upon us, I thought I would show you how simple it is to make your own ganged hook flasher rigs. This combination of bait, and artificial material to give it some more action and appeal, goes back a long way. I remember watching Mal Florence videos back in the ‘70s and ‘80s where he would drop baits on

a bucktail jig over the reef. Mal was one of the pioneers of sportfishing in this country at the time and fished baits like this because it gave the bait some increased appeal and movement. Additionally, it gave him a better chance of landing a big coral trout or cod after the pickers had been attacking the bait profusely and decimated it. Addition of materials to the hook helps the bait look more lifelike because flash material wafts and reflects light enticingly. The splash of

colour also helps the bait to be noticed and initially makes it standout in the marine environment. Many materials even have glow in the dark or UV properties that help it standout in low light conditions or enhance the lifelike appeal under natural UV light. For anglers targeting tailor on ganged hook flasher rigs, the addition of the material also doubles your chances. If you miss the strike and your pilchard is ripped off the hooks, you still have a chance of hooking it or its mates as

you crank in your baitless rig. The ganged hook flasher rig now acts like

a lure or fly and tailor will slash at it as it goes through the water. Let’s

have a look at making some tricked up tailor rigs for yourself.

Hooks for your ganged rigs can be a personal choice, however, I like the VMC 9255 (as used here), Tru Turn 711 and the Gamakatsu Straight-Eye ganging hooks. There are quite a few other options including the Mustad 4202D and 4200D and VMC 8755. I have found the Shogun Rolling Swivels to be reliable and readily available, although you may prefer to use another type or brand. Your main concerns should be that it is strong enough for the task and has an eyelet large enough to go over the shank yet small enough so it can’t pass over the hook barb. Check out the chart for some hook to swivel size recommendations.

You will not need a lot of materials to complete this task. Some thread (preferably flat-waxed nylon) and bobbin will make the task a lot easier. Side cutters or similar will be required to open the hook eyes and scissors plus a selection of streamer materials. Some form of fly tying head cement or other glue is desirable to increase longevity for these rigs. Hooks and relevant sized swivels will depend on the bait choice and preference.

If you visit your local fly tying supplier you will notice a huge array of flash and streamer materials available. While most of these look enticing, not all are desirable for this application. Many are too crinkled, tangling easily and subsequently meshing with the hook points or tangling around the leader. Slightly stiffer, straight materials such as Krystal Flash, Fish Scale, Streamer Hair, Flashabou and Firetail are some of the better options. Firetail is by far the toughest and stiffest of these and is made locally by Platypus Lines. 42

JULY 2019

Use your sidecutters to open the hook eye by positioning the jaws over the gap where the eye turns back around to meet the shank. Squeeze down firmly with your pliers and then lever your hand outwards to pry open the eye just enough so that the swivel can be put onto the shank.

For a basic three-hook ganged-rig, open the eye of all three hooks and place a swivel on the shank of only two of them. When making longer rigs all hooks will have a swivel on them except one, which will be the tail hook in the rig.

Tech Tricks

Having a fly vice to hold your hook will make the task easier, however, you can hold it by hand with a pair of locking pliers or in a vice. For this rig we will attach the flash to the leading hook (one of the ones with a swivel on it). Attach the thread with a basic knot or by overwrapping the tag end roughly halfway along the shank. Cut a dozen or more strands of Krystal Flash that are roughly as long as two of your hooks and affix at this point with a series of thread wraps. Having a bobbin will aid in this task but is not essential. Do a couple of half hitches of thread around the hook shank with the thread.

Your completed rig will look somewhat like this. The combination of material type and the colour of it is not imperative â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you can assemble any combination that you like. As flash materials give the impression of volume, you do not need to use a massive amount to create great effect.

Next, cut a portion of another material. This time I am using a pink glow-in-the-dark Flashabou and will cut a good portion around three hook lengths long. Having the strands staggered in length will create greater movement in the fibres. Other colours can be added if you like, you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to limit it to two.

Another option when making these rigs is to use a shorter length and decorate every hook or every second hook. This is a better option in turbulent water as it eliminates tangling of the material around the leader or hook points.

Do several half hitches of thread around the hook shank and then trim away the remaining tag end. I finish the tie in point by adding some head cement (a fly tying adhesive) but you can coat the thread in any decent glue that prevents the whole lot unwrapping if one strand of thread gets nicked by a tooth.

Then assemble your rig by linking the hooks with the swivels. Use a sturdy pair of pliers to close the eyes of the two lower hooks over the swivels and also the front hook where the leader will be tied.

When inserted into the bait, the ganged hook flasher rig really adds some appeal. Popular offerings for those chasing tailor will include pilchards, garfish and bonito strips and all can be fished on the ganged hook flasher rig. While these rigs are not imperative for success, they can be an advantage in many situations. Many anglers swear by their effectiveness. JULY 2019

Gardner sows seeds of victory in kayak series Clear skies, non-existent winds and a very tough bite was the story for the day in the second round of the

always going to be tough for the 38 anglers who took part. If anything was in their favour it was the strong tidal

result it’s very easy to spook these fish. Yet, despite the unfavourable conditions, the anglers’ spirits were still in

Joseph Gardner holds a $500 1.27kg black bream, which not only helped him earn first place but also won him the Big Bream category. 2019 Getaway Outdoors & Hobie Polarized WA Bream Classics Kayak Series held on the Swan River in Perth, which was brought to you by Okuma/ZMan.

movement, which created some decent water levels, although you could almost say the water’s crystal clear clarity almost counteracted this, as black bream typically

good shape and they were up for the challenge. GARDNER TAKES TOP HONOURS Getting back into the ring after a disappointing

Third placed getter and a seasoned tournament angler Alex Greisdorf even found the going very tough, but as usual he managed to find enough bream to crack into the top three. The conditions were almost identical to the first round of the kayak series and with a full moon thrown into the mix, the going was 44

JULY 2019

won’t want to venture into the shallows to feed when it’s so clear. Plus, those that are sitting in the shallows are very wary and as a

first round and showing he has just what it takes to bounce back in the best way one can hope for was Joseph Gardner, who weighed in a

full bag of three fish bag for 2.10kg to claim victory. Joseph concentrated his efforts in between Maylands and Windan Bridge, and chose to fish structures that provided good shelter for the bream. He achieved this by focusing on artificial structures and timber snags, which make for a good place for bream to hide on such sunny days. As the saying goes, you can run but you can’t hide, and this is exactly what the black bream must’ve been feeling, as Joseph was hot on their heels all day. Joseph persistently plugged away with his evertrusty 50mm Ecogearaqua Bream Prawns in king prawn and salt and pepper colours. By fishing these plastics weightless he was able to present the best offering he could muster for the black bream that resided amongst the jetties, snags and bridge pylons. Despite how tantalizing Joseph’s offerings were, the black bream in this region were going to make him work hard for his bag and his conversion rate had to be on song. In fact, it had to be at a 100% strike rate, as he was only given three opportunities to complete a full bag. As it turned out Joseph was up to the task and because of this he walked away with a very wellearned victory and a Power Pole Micro Anchor to the value of $1200. Josephs choice of arsenal that delivered a knockout blow to the black bream was a 6”8 1-3 kg JML Accurate Presentation rod, which was matched with a Daiwa 2506 Luvias. Spooled onto his Luvias reel was 12lb Yamatoyo Jigging Braid and connected to this braid was 6lb Yamatoyo Harris fighter fluorocarbon leader line. At the events presentation, Joseph thanked the series sponsors, his fellow organisers and also his own personal sponsor JML. SORRELL SCORES SECOND John Sorrell is one of those anglers you can never write off and on this day he proved just why he always remains a threat in any event he fishes in. John weighed in a full limit for a very respectable 1.82kg, which for a moment or two may have given Joseph a scare. John didn’t travel far from the starting line and got to work rather quickly in the protected Ascot Waters. This artificial section of the Swan River has transformed over the years into an idyllic passage of water that provides many structures for the bream to reside in.

These natural structures in the area range from sand flats, rock walls, reed lines and small shrub like snags, and this is what John Sorrell dialled into. The bream were late answering the call, and John had only just managed to catch his first bream by 11:30am on a 2” ZMan GrubZ in bloodworm colour. Better late than never, and a kilo fish is always welcome at any time of the day. Such a cracking fish lifted the spirits and John began to peg a comeback. This came on the back of being able to identify a big school of bony herring in between him and the river

The comeback couldn’t have been possible without a selection of weaponry that John has been haunting the bream with over the years. The rod he did the damage with was a 6”8 1.5-3 kg Daiwa TD Black Itchy Twitchy that was locked and loaded with a Daiwa 2004 Certate. Spooled onto his Certate was 6lb Sunline Super PE, which was accompanied with a few meters of 4lb Sunline FC Rock leader material. John thanked the series sponsors, the organisers and everyone who turned up and stuck it out for what he says was a very hard day on the water.

Second placed angler John Sorrell holding his cracking 1kg bream that triggered the comeback in which he went rather close to claiming the victory. bank. John threw his plastics behind the school of baitfish and worked his ZMan GrubZ extremely slowly across the bottom with long pauses of up to 30 seconds. With the plastic laying still under the school of baitfish, the bream would recognise this opportunity to pick off a dying bait fish and earn themselves an easy meal. The plan worked a treat for John and by the day’s end he had managed to catch a full bag and even though he fell short of beating Joseph in the end, it was still a very impressive display of persistence. John’s ‘never say die’ attitude earned him $350 and a prize pack full of series sponsor products, which included an Okuma fishing rod.

GREISDORF GRINDS INTO THIRD Rounding out the podium in third place for the second time in this year’s kayak series was Alex Greisdorf, who consistently displays the ability to catch a full limit of fish despite how hard the conditions are. His bag weight of 1.52kg might have been a little off the pace from the top two anglers, but this result has sent him rocketing up the AOY (Angler of the Year) table into first place. Consistency is what Alex prides himself on and he maintained this by fishing sand flats between Maylands and the East Perth region. The choice to fish sandflats on such a sunny and still day was one that wasn’t going to be met without an element of

risk. Such conditions don’t exactly encourage bream to feed on the flats, but Alex’s trusty 2.5” ZMan GrubZ in bloodworm colour was too much for the bream to resist.

Duffrod X Series that was equipped with a Daiwa 2508 Exist reel. Spooled onto his reel was 3lb Yamatoyo Harris Fighter fluorocarbon monofilament line, which

to take home the big bream honours. Joseph threw his Ecogearaqua Bream Prawn in front of a snag, where a whopping bream came out from the timber ravines and

Jenny Gardner rarely brings nothing back to the weighin, and this competition was no exception.

A couple more trophy boards to add to the growing collection! Yet despite this Alex still needed another fish to complete a full bag, and that’s when he pulled out one of his old favourites, the Ecogear SX43 in vampire colour. It wasn’t until late in the day at 1pm that the third fish

is essential for working sandflats in clear water. At the presentation Alex thanked the series sponsors, his organisers that he works alongside with and also his own sponsors, Lowrance, Tackle Tactics and Getaway

snaffled his lure. From there this bream just ran straight towards the kayak and once this fish was almost in the middle of the river, he made a half-hearted run to the snag before turning back and swimming straight into Josephs net. If only it was that easy every time! What wasn’t easy and never is on such challenging days is tempting fish of this calibre to bite. Yet that’s what Joseph Gardner managed to achieve and this bream tipped the scales down to 1.27kg! That there is certainly worth the $500 that Joseph took home for his efforts! GUESS THE WEIGHT The Guess The Weight competition was a close call for this round, with plenty of guesses around the 2.1-2.2kg mark, but it was Travis Newland who reigned supreme with a perfect guess on the winning

weight of 2.1kg. Travis may not have had any luck with the bream, but his psychic abilities were on point and for that he took home an easy earned $50.

thank everyone for turning up and showing their support, including the new comers to the sport who braved the cold morning and gave it a crack. We also

Duffrods and Tackle HQ. Without their support, we wouldn’t be able to run a tournament series. The next round on the tournament calendar is the

RESULTS Place Name

Fish

Weight (kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

3/3 3/3 3/3 2/3 3/3 2/3 2/3 2/3 1/3 1/3

2.100 1.820 1.520 1.420 1.180 1.140 0.950 0.900 0.800 0.670

Joseph Gardner John Sorrel Alex Greisdorf Peter Degroot Sean Higgins Brodie Hommel Brendon Knowles Rene Van Dorn Shardi Biahgi Jenny Gardner

So that wraps up the second round of the 2019 Getaway Outdoors & Hobie Polarized WA Bream Classics Kayak Series. On behalf of WATA (West Australian Tournament Series) we would like to

thank the series sponsors Getaway Outdoors, Hobie Polarized, Complete Angler Nedlands, Tackle Tactics, Razor Edge, Pure Fishing, Lowarance, Daiwa, Gladiator, JML, Challenge Batteries,

second round of the 2019 Getaway Outdoors & Hobie Polarized WA Bream Classics Boat series, which will be held on the Murray River in Mandurah. We hope to see you there! – WA Bream Classics

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 2019

OCTOBER

Joseph Gardner also took home a Power Pole Micro Anchor, which is around $1200 in value. finally fell for Alex’s offering, and once again he reigned supreme over the bream. His uncanny knack of finding fish no matter how tough it is earned him $300 cash, a prize pack full of sponsor products and also a Watersnake PFD. Alex’s tools of the trade that he used to construct his 1.52 kg bag was a 7’ 1-3 kg

Outdoors. He also added that he was very impressed with the support shown by the competitors. BIG BREAM If you ever want to hook a really big bream and have the easiest fight on your hands to land such a fish then you want to hook Joseph Gardner’s bream that he managed to catch in order

NOVEMBER

Oct 6

WA Bream Classic Kayak Series

Round 3 – Moore River

Oct 20

WA Bream Classic Boat Series

Round 3 – Blackwood River

Nov 9-10

WA Bream Classic Kayak Series

Grand Final – Swan River

Nov 23-24

WA Bream Classic Boat Series

Grand Final – Oyster Harbour

watournamentanglers.com.au

Add your tournament or competition to this list by emailing jthomas@fishingmonthly.com.au or calling 07 3387 0800 in office hours. Just supply a date, venue, tournament name and a telephone number and contact name. JULY 2019

Degroot dominates at brilliant Blackwood It was a great weekend at the Okuma Blackwood River BREAM Qualifier – the fifth stop of the 2019 Costa BREAM Series. It was a one, two and three WA finish, with Mandurah local, Peter Degroot holding onto his day one lead to take out the champion’s trophy for this event. His 10/10 limit for 6.11kg put him nearly 100g ahead of Perth’s Alex Greisdorf, who brought in 10/10 bream for 6.02kg to finish in second place. Degroot is a Perth local and he has had a few top 10 finishes in the ABT bream circuit over the years. Now he has taken out his first ever ABT win. He only fishes the

WINNER’S GEAR Rod: Reel: Line: Lure:

SECOND PLACE GEAR Rod: Reel: Line: Lures:

Despite Blackwood not being his favourite fishing location, Peter Degroot still managed to claim the win with a combined weight of 6.11kg.

Scan the QR code to see Blackwood River day one highlights.

Atomic Arrows 7ft Shimano Stradic Ci4 2500 Sunline Siglon braid and 6lb FC Rock leader River2Sea Baby vibe

Blackwood River roughly six times a year as it’s not his favourite venue, even with his win that hasn’t changed. Peter went into the pre-fish not so confident and fished upriver just past the ski zone. He caught a few nice fish on a reedy bank in the mid 30s on a River2Sea Baby vibe. He left there happy enough to go back and fish this area on day one.

On day one he headed straight upriver to the reedy bank. He was casting his Baby vibe hard to the bank in under a metre of water, working it down the bank to about 4m of water and usually getting bit on the edge. He filled his limit fast and started upgrading by 8am. Peter started to get the bigger bites as the wind picked up and the tide got higher. He finished

day one with five fish for a weight of 3.54kg and a lead of about 400g. Day two Peter went straight back to where he fished the day before, a little worried about whether his spot would handle the pressure and hold up for a second day. His fears were confirmed when he got there, as the fishing was a lot slower and he didn’t get his limit until well after 9am.

Duffrod Daiwa Exist and Luvias 2004 10lb Daiwa Evo 8 and 6lb Yamatayo leader Jackall Chubby shallow and a ZMan GrubZ

The bites did become more consistent as the tide got higher, but it then became hard to land the fish as he started pulling hooks and busting some good fish off. Peter’s persistence paid off, and he managed to land some nice upgrades

at the end of the session giving him five fish for 2.57kg and a total weight of 6.11kg. This secured his first ABT Costa BREAM qualifying win and saw him taking home $1300 and the first place $500 Mercury bonus.

BOATER RESULTS Place Name 1 Peter Degroot 2 Alex Greisdorf 3 Charlie Saykao 4 Steve Morgan 5 Joseph Gardner 6 Tristan Taylor 7 Mark Crompton 8 Alan Lister 9 Callum Dowell 10 Kim McIntyre

Total Fish Total Weight (kg) Prize 10/10 6.11 $1300 $500 Mercury 10/10 6.02 $750 $300 Mercury 10/10 5.76 $500 10/10 5.18 Keitech Prize Pack 10/10 5.09 Sunline Prize Pack 10/10 4.93 10/10 4.77 10/10 4.52 10/10 4.42 10/10 3.70

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888 46

JULY 2019

Anglers lined up and ready to take on the Blackwood River.

BREAM Series presented by

Blatchford boomed at Blackwood Dallas Blatchford hails from the Wangi Wangi area and loves his bream fishing. He will tell you himself, he doesn’t compete to win the ABT Costa BREAM Series, he just comes because he loves it. This passion is what makes the win so special to him and all the anglers he competes against. Day one he fished with Wally Fahey. They headed upriver hitting snags and natural structure on the edges of the Blackwood River. Throwing 2.5” Berkley Gulp camo Crabby on either a 1/32 or 1/24 jighead depending on the wind was his method of choice. Dallas said he had a ball fishing with Wally. They bounced off each other, just having a laugh and catching fish in the mean time. Dallas had filled his limit by 10am and he upgraded a few times after that by 10-20g, fishing in a depth of 0.5-3m of water. His day one bag weighed in at 1.94kg. Day two he went out fishing with Steve

Blatchford stuck to his Crabby pattern, catching a fish here and there with two keepers. As the tide turned in and stated to run hard they headed behind Molloy Island hitting reedy banks with white weedless Ecogear Aqua Bream prawns. Dallas landed two more legal fish there, just missing out on a limit bringing four fish to the scales for a weight of 2.09kg. This gave him a total of 4.03kg and secured Dallas his first ABT Costa BREAM Series win. Steve Duff took out the Daiwa J-Braid Big Bream on the Blackwood with a 1.96kg bream using one of his own Duffrod Urban Bones rods Okuma reel and an OSP Dunk 48 in colour T23.

BREAM SERIES

Scan the QR code to see Blackwood River day two highlights.

NON-BOATER WINNER’S GEAR Dallas Blatchford claimed first place for the non-boater category and took home a Daiwa Prize Pack for his efforts. Morgan, and they headed downstream. They started on some flats but left pretty

quick as they were covered in snot weed. They made a move to the jetties and

artificial structure and it was totally different to the first day.

Rod: Reel: Line: Lures:

Daiwa Black Label V2 Daiwa Luvias 2506 Sunline Siglon 8lb 6lb FC Rock leader Gulp Crabby and Ecogear Bream Prawn

Upgrades paid off for Griesdorf Day one Alex headed downstream of the Blackwood River, fishing banks less than

a metre deep targeting overhanging paperbark trees. His lures of choice were a shallow

Jackall Chubby in black and gold, and brown suji shrimp, and ZMan GrubZ in

Boater first and second place, Peter Degroot and Alex Greisdorf, with some of the catches that made up their winning bags.

gudgeon on a 1/16 TT HeadlockZ jighead. Alex just kept going through the motions, knowing that any cast with one of his three lure choices was bound to get bites and fill the limit of five bream a day. He only got his five fish day one for a total weight of 2.88kg. Heading out on day two he was a little more confident in his pattern and filled the limit of five Blackwood black bream by about 10am, far better than his first day. Not only did he fill his limit quite quickly, he also got three upgrades before the end of the session and the three upgrades were his best three fish for the weekend. Bumping his five fish for a day two weight of 3.15kg and a total weight of 6.02kg saw him win $750 and the $300 Mercury bonus.

Everyone was having a great time fishing the Blackwood River!

NON-BOATER RESULTS Place Name 1 Dallas Blatchford 2 Tani Konsul 3 Stuart Walker 4 Richard Wootten 5 Oliver Seear 6 Mike Sutcliffe 7 Fred Fraser 8 Michael Sammut 9 Bernard Kong 10 Michael Hodges

Total Fish Total Weight (kg) Prize 9/10 4.03 Daiwa Prize Pack + $200 Hobie bonus 10/10 3.85 Fishtec Solution Prize Pack 10/10 3.70 Cranka Prize Pack + $100 Hobie bonus 7/10 3.61 Tackle Tactics Prize Pack + $75 Hobie bonus 9/10 3.39 Sufix Prize Pack 9/10 3.30 Ecogear Prize Pack 8/10 3.10 Shimano Prize Pack 7/10 2.90 Lucky Craft Prize Pack 7/10 2.86 6/10 2.23

Wally Fahey missed out on top 10 boaters by 120g. So close! JULY 2019

Alan Lister annihilates ABT record at Albany The 2019 Costa BREAM Qualifier took place at Albany in WA from 30 April to 1 May. The weather was freezing, raining and blowing a gale, but that didn’t stop keen anglers from getting out there and producing some cracking bags. Alan Lister is a bream legend from Canberra. He follows the ABT Costa BREAM Series everywhere it goes. He has had some highs and lows on the tour over the years, with a couple of top tens in Tasmania and having a cracking bag disqualified at the Tweed River because his phone was on NSW daylight savings making him an hour late. This year at Albany was another high to add to his list. Lister’s pre-fish started pretty good considering he had never fished or seen the water at Albany before. He picked up a legal fish not far from the boat ramp, but that good luck didn’t last. Not only was it freezing cold, wet and windy, he only caught small undersized fish the rest of the day fishing the Kalgan River. He soon realised he would have to try a different area, so Alan made the move to King River. This move

BOATER WINNER’S GEAR Rod: Daiwa Gen Black Instant Noodle 702 Reel: Daiwa Aird 2000 Line: Sunline Castaway 10lb Leader: Sunline FC Rock 4lb Lures: OSP Dunk ZMan motor oil GrubZ

Alan Lister didn’t even need to fish day two to win this round. He finished with a bag total of 6.28kg. was perfect and saw Lister catch five black bream with a combined weight of 4kg. He left the pre-fish at King River in a good mood, believing he had found something special. Day one saw Lister head to that sweet spot he found in the pre-fish and he caught his limit of five bream by 9am. Alan was throwing an OSP

Dunk in a metre or less of water. He was dredging the bottom with his Dunk, giving the rod a couple of big jerks with his rod to really puff the sand up, then pausing the lure and as it would just sit there the bigger fish would smash it. Alan upgraded though the day. With 10 minutes to go he

He only caught three small fish in his spot, so he decided to head further upriver fishing the edges. This saw him catch two more legals on a ZMan grub. Heading back to the weigh-in site he was a little worried he had not done enough. Lister weighed five fish for 1.65kg and a total weight of 6.28kg. Alan Lister could of got a doughnut day two and still won his first ABT Costa BREAM Series Qualifier.

Scan the QR code to see Albany day one highlights.

upgraded his smallest fish for a 39cm black bream, which weighed 1.3kg and also won him the Daiwa J Braid Big Bream. His day one bag was an impressive 4.63kg. Day two conditions were different from day one – it was glassed out and Lister was worried. He stuck to his guns and went back to his flat.

BOATER RESULTS Place Name 1 Alan Lister 2 Charlie Saykao 3 Tristan Taylor 4 Mark Crompton 5 Alex Greisdorf 6 Joseph Gardner 7 Wally Fahey 8 Callum Dowell 9 Steve Morgan 10 Peter Degroot

Total Fish Total Weight (kg) Prize 10/10 6.28 $1100 + $500 Big Bream 10/10 3.48 $750 7/10 3.33 $500 8/10 3.25 Keitech Prize Pack 8/10 2.89 Sunline Prize Pack + $500 Mercury 8/10 2.62 7/10 2.34 $300 Mercury 5/10 2.16 5/10 2.15 4/10 2.05 $200 Mercury

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888 48

JULY 2019

Fishing Monthly’s Ian Sewell and Steve Morgan checking out some of the catch.

Walker strolls away with the top win Stuart Walker is by far the most consistent non-boater of the last five years, with wins and top tens all around the country fishing in the ABT Costa BREAM Series. He is looking to take out his 5th AOY title in consecutive years. Walker pre-fished with Wally Fahey for the WA round at Albany. He said they didn’t catch many big fish on practice day, but caught good numbers of small fish. This gave him a strong game plan for day one of the 2019 ABT Costa BREAM Series held at Albany WA. Day one he was paired up with Mark Crompton. The first thing Crommo said to Walker as they were boarding the boat was, “Hope you got good wet weathers as we’re gonna get wet.” How right he was. They headed up the Kalgan River to start the day. Mark was fishing tight to the edge, so Walker worked the secondary drop-off in around 8-10ft of water using his much loved ZMan GrubZ in motor oil on a 1/16oz jighead. He picked

BREAM SERIES

Scan the QR code to see Albany day two highlights. Non-boater winner Stuart Walker and boater winner Alan Lister. up a couple of keepers working the drop-off. They didn’t spend too much time there, and they decide to head to the King River just past the bridge in the mouth. Walker found his groove here, catching a fish a cast. They weren’t big fish, but he

was getting a keeper every now and then. He managed a 36cm fish that weighed 1kg and tipped his five fish bag to 2.68kg. Day two Walker was fishing with Tristan Taylor, who had motor problems day one that carried on to day two.

They fished just past the King Bridge for 20 minutes before the motor problems started again. They managed to get a mechanic to come down and fix the problem, and then they were off again right up the King River. Walker caught his five

Saykao claims second prize For Charlie Saykao, the pre-fish suggested it was going to be a grind, not because of a lack of fish, but because of a lack of legal bream, even with a 26cm tip minimum. At the start of day one, Saykao changed his strategy and opted to hit the open flats and try to put an early bag together. The wind was forecast to pick up, so it was better to hide in the Kalgan River later. Fishing the flats leading into the Kalgan River produced many undersize fish. A few drifts saw Saykao only pick up two legal fish. The move into the Kalgan didn’t see much change, except calling a legal for his non-boater if he cast at a rock they had drifted past. He made the cast and bang, legal. The rest of the session went the same, undersize after undersize. The Slim

fish limit up there. So, they headed back early, giving themselves time to get back and have another shot at the bridge. With 15 minutes to go, Stuart picked up a vital upgrade of a 39.5cm bream at 1.27kg and his five fish. This gave Walker a day two

Second place boater Charlie Saykao was stoked with the fish he brought to the weigh-in. SlimZ in bloodworm kept hooking up and he managed to get to four legal fish.

With high winds and not much time left, Saykao drew on his knowledge

from being an Albany local for 14 years and headed to the Bayonet Head flats.

Total Fish Total Weight (kg) Prize 10/10 5.30 Daiwa Prize Pack + $200 Hobie 9/10 3.81 Fishtec Solutions Prize Pack+ $100 Hobie 8/10 3.04 Cranka Prize Pack + $75 Hobie 5/10 2.17 Tackle Tactics Prize Pack 4/10 2.03 Sufix Prize Pack 5/10 1.66 Ecogear Prize Pack 2/10 1.42 Shimano Prize Pack 4/10 1.39 Lucky Craft Prize Pack 4/10 1.34 3/10 1.26

weight of 2.62kg and secured his second non-boater win of the 2019 Costa BREAM Series Qualifiers. He thanks his boaters Mark Crompton and Tristan Taylor, and gives a shout out to Wally Fahey for the pre-fish.

NON-BOATER WINNER’S GEAR Rod: Reel: Line: Lure:

NON-BOATER RESULTS Place Name 1 Stuart Walker 2 Michael Sammut 3 Craig Wise 4 Fred Fraser 5 Michael Hodges 6 Mike Sutcliffe 7 Richard Wootten 8 Dallas Batchford 9 Travis Ryan 10 Oliver Seear

BREAM Series presented by

Silver Wolf 7’2” 1-4kg Silver Wolf 2004 6lb Daiwa Evo 8 braid and 4lb Sunline Bream Special leader ZMan motor oil GrubZ on a 1/16-1/12 jighead

It would be protected enough from the high winds and hopefully produce a legal or two. It ended up being a good call. Saykao resorted to his new trusty Berkley 3B Puppy in 12 gauge colour. With only 20 or so minutes left, the Puppy Dog hooked up on his 5th legal. He ended his day one with a 1.69kg bag, which was good until Lister dropped his 4.63kg bag. It was swing for the fences on day two. Charlie Saykao decided to head upstream of the Kalgan River. There is a history of big bags coming from above the rapids, and Saykao knew he had to go big. The Puppy Dog came out to play in the shallow rocky zones to pick up a few legals, but the undersize fish were dominating. Sometimes Saykao and his non-boater thought they had snagged a legal only to be disappointed. The plan was to fish one side of the bank on the way up, and the other on the way down. Saykao

switched between ZMan GrubZ in the deeper water and Puppy Dog in the shallow rock zones. The upper reaches saw some legals caught, but it was upgrading 1mm at a time. He thought it was going to turn on when his non-boater hit a 30cm bream in the middle of the river, but nothing came. They hit a few spots on the way back and even managed a couple more upgrades, but still only by millimetres. Returning to the weigh in Saykao was sure he didn’t have enough, but his 1.79kg bag was enough to snag second. Charlie would really like to thank Shane and Steve Owens for loaning their Nissan Patrol and boat for the week. The round sponsor was Power Pole and it is so hard fishing flats on a boat without Power Poles, especially in the windy conditions they had in Albany. Saykao was using Millerods matched with Daiwa Luvias and loaded with Daiwa Evo 8 in 6lb. This meant he had a setup for each occasion. JULY 2019

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DONGARA & GERALDTON Dongara Sport & Tackle Dongara (08) 9927 1196 Geraldton Sports Centre (08) 9921 3664 Getaway Outdoors Geraldton (08) 9965 3766

CARNARVON Carnarvon Tackle & Marine (08) 9941 4161

Denmark Rivermouth Caravan Park Denmark (08) 9848 1262 Karri Aura Caravan Park & Motel Suites Shadforth (08) 9848 2200 Denmark Waterfront Denmark (08) 9848 1147

WALPOLE – MANJIMUP – PEMBERTON Peaceful Bay Chalets Peaceful Bay (08) 9840 8169 Rest Point Holiday Village Walpole (08) 9840 1032 Coalmine Beach Holiday Park Walpole (08) 9840 1026 Riverside Retreat Walpole, (08) 9840 1255 Nornalup Riverside Chalets Nornalup (08) 9840 1107 Warren Way Caravan Park Balbarrup (08) 9771 1060 Manjimup Central Caravan Park & Deli Manjimup (08) 9777 2355 Big Brook Arboretum Pemberton (08) 9776 1207 One Tree Bridge Chalets Manjimup (08) 9777 1196

AUGUSTA Flinders Bay Caravan Park Augusta (08) 9780 5636 Molloy Caravan Park Kudardup (08) 9758 4515 Hamelin Bay Holiday Park Hamelin Bay (08) 9758 5540 Sheoak Chalets Augusta Augusta (08) 9758 1958

MARGARET RIVER Prevelly Caravan Park Prevelly Park (08) 9757 2374 Gracetown Caravan Park Gracetown (08) 9755 5301 Riverview Tourist Park Margaret River (08) 9757 2270 Margaret River Tourist Park (08) 9757 2180

YALLINGUP – DUNSBOROUGH Caves Caravan Park Yallingup (08) 9755 2196 Yallingup Beach Holiday Park 1800 220 002 Dunsborough Beach Cottages (08) 9756 8885

BUSSELTON Busselton Villas & Caravan Park Busselton (08) 9752 1175 Geographe Bay Holiday Park Busselton (08) 9752 4396 Lazy Days Holiday Park Busselton (08) 9752 1780 Amblin Holiday Park Busselton (08) 9755 4079 Busselton Holiday Village Busselton (08) 9752 4499 Sandy Bay Holiday Park Busselton (08) 9752 2003 Fourseasons Holiday Park Busselton (08) 9755 4082 Busselton Beachfron Busselton (08) 9755 2607

BUNBURY Bunbury Glade Caravan Park Bunbury 1800 113 800 Discovery Parks - Bunbury (08) 9795 7100 Binningup Beach Caravan Park Bunbury (08) 9720 1057 Riverside Cabin Park Bunbury (08) 9725 1234 Waterloo Village Caravan Park Bunbury (08) 9725 4434 Brunswick Junction Caravan Park Bunbury (08) 9726 1544 Taralea Farm Bunbury (08) 9728 1252

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HOPETOUN – BREMER BAY Wavecrest Village & Tourist Park Hopetoun (08) 9838 3888 Hopetoun Caravan Park Hopetoun (08) 9838 3096 Bremer Bay Beaches Resort & Tourist Park Bremer Bay (08) 9837 4290

ALBANY Cheynes Beach Caravan Park Cheynes (08) 9846 1247 Albany Happy Days Caravan Park King River (08) 9844 3267 Albany Holiday Park Albany (08) 9841 7800 King River Palms Caravan Park Willyung (08) 98443232 Two Peoples Caravan Park Kalgan (08) 9846 4024 Emu Beach Chalets Emu Point (08) 9844 8889 Albany Holiday Units Middleton Beach (08) 9841 7817 Havana Villas Albany (08) 9844 1085 Lilacs Waterfront villas & cottages Robinson (08) 9841 2390

Pinjarra Caravan Park Mandurah (08) 9531 1374 Belvedere Caravan Park Mandurah (08) 9535 1213 The Dwellingup Chalet and Caravan Park (08) 9538 1157 Waroona Caravan Village (08) 9733 1518 Timber Top Caravan Park (08) 9535 1292 Lake Clifton Caravan Park (08) 9739 1255 Miami Holiday Park (08) 9534 2127 Peel Caravan Park (08) 9535 4343 Lake Navarino Holiday Park (08) 9733 3000 Estuary Hideaway Holiday Park 0407 838 061 Pinjarrah Holiday Park (08) 9531 1604 Waters Edge Caravan Park 0427 281 622 Mandurah Ocean Marina Chalets (08) 9535 8173 Footprints Preston Beach (08) 9739 1111

MOORE RIVER – LANCELIN – CERVANTES Guilderton Caravan Park (08) 9577 1021 Experience Lancelin Holiday Park (08) 9655 1056 Branchys Holiday Homes Guilderton (08) 9577 1321

JURIEN BAY – GREEN HEAD – LEEMAN Jurien Bay Tourist Park Jurien Bay (08) 9652 1595 Green Head Caravan Park Green Head (08) 9953 1131 Leeman Caravan Park Leeman (08) 9953 1080

DONGARA – GERALDTON Seaspray Beach Holiday Park Dongara (08) 9927 1165 Leander Reef Holiday Park Port Denison (08) 9927 1840 Port Denison Holiday Units (08) 9927 1104 Double Beach Caravan Park (08) 9921 5845 Batavia Coast Caravan Park (08) 9938 1222 Horrocks Beach Caravan Park (08) 9934 3039

This section in WA Fishing Monthly consolidates the trades and services in your area that are relevant to your fishing and boating. Whether you’re a local looking for more options or a travelling angler fishing around the state, this guide will direct you to reputable businesses in the area you’re searching. 50

JULY 2019

Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory KALBARRI Murchison River Caravan Park Kalbarri (08) 9937 1005 Kalbarri Anchorage Caravan Park Kalbarri (08) 9937 1181 Murchison House Station Kalbarri (08) 9937 1998 Kalbarri Beach Bungalows A & B Kalbarri (08) 9937 0400 Murchison caravan park Kalbarri (08) 9937 0400 Kalbarri Blue Ocean Villas Kalbarri (08) 9937 2442

BOATS Aquasports Marine Midvale (08) 9250 3339

SHARK BAY Denham Seaside Caravan Park, (08) 9948 1242 Shark Bay Caravan Park (08) 9948 1387 Oceanside Village Denham Shark Bay (08) 9948 3003 Bay Lodge Denham Shark Bay WA (08) 9948 1278 RAC Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort (08) 9948 1320

CARNARVON Wintersun Caravan and Tourist Park (08) 9941 8150 Capricorn Holiday Park (08) 9941 8153 Outback Oasis Caravan Park (08) 9941 1439 Carnarvon Caravan Park (08) 9941 8101 Norwesta Lifestyle Park (08) 9941 1277 Coral Coast Tourist Park (08) 9941 1438

CORAL BAY Peoples Park (08) 9942 5933 Bayview Coral Bay (08) 9385 6655 Ningaloo Club (08) 9948 5100 Ningaloo Reef Resort (08) 9942 5934

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MARINE ACCESSORIES Challenge Batteries Osborne Park (08) 9446 6122 JPW Marine Wholesale Distributors Perth (08) 6253 3000 Whitworths Marine & Leisure - Leerderville (08) 9381 1442 Crackpots Marine Supplies O’Connor (08) 9337 2211 Hydrowave – www.hydrowaveaustralia.com

Ningaloo Lighthouse Holiday Park (08) 9949 1478 Yardie Homestead Caravan Park (08) 9949 1389 Ningaloo Caravan and Holiday Resort (08) 9949 2377 Exmouth Escape Resort (08) 9949 4800 Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort, Exmouth (08) 9949 0000

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ONSLOW Discovery Parks - Onslow (08) 9184 6007 Ocean View Caravan Park (08) 9184 6053

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DAMPIER Dampier Transit Caravan Park (08) 9183 1109 Discovery Parks - Pilbara, Karratha (08) 9185 1855 Karratha Caravan Park (08) 9185 1012 Discovery Parks - Balmoral, Karratha (08) 9185 3628 Aspen Karratha Village Baynton (08) 9185 2726 Karratha Apartments Karratha (08) 9143 9222 Searipple Village Karratha Bulgarra (08) 9158 7400 Karratha Village Karratha 1300 321 669

PORT HEDLAND Discovery Parks Port Hedland (08) 9173 1271 Port Tourist Park Port Hedland (08) 9172 4111 Blackrock Tourist Park South Hedland (08) 9172 3444 Landing Resort Port Hedland (08) 9172 4111

www.hydrowaveaustralia.com Offshore Marine Guildford (08) 6278 1299 Whitworths Marine & Leisure - Mosman Park (08) 9385 5877 Searano Marine Malaga (08) 9248 2242 All Boats and Caravans Kingsley (08) 9309 4200

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MARINE TRIMMERS The Trim Shop (08) 9430 5332 Mason Marine Trimmers O’Connor 0418 923 787 John’s Motor Trimmers Auto & Marine Upholstery Welshpool (08) 9470 5531 Waters Edge Marine Trimmers Leeming 0412 204 085 G.K. Trimmers Canning Vale (08) 9455 7144 Prestige Marine Trimmers Perth (08) 9303 9536 McCarroll Motor & Marine Trimmers Osborne Park (08) 9244 1449 Exclusive Marine Trimming & Upholstery O’Connor (08) 9314 6882 Universal Marine & Automotive Upholstery O’Connor 08) 9314 1770 John’s mobile trimmers Jandakot (08) 9417 4414 Cutting Edge Marine Trimming O’Connor 0432 062 834 Mandurah Motor Trimmers Greenfields (08) 9581 8180

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Kimberley Entrance Caravan Park (08) 9193 1055 West Kimberley Lodge & Caravan Park (08) 9191 1031

KUNUNURRA Town Caravan Park (08) 9168 1763 Wyndham Caravan Park (08) 9161 1064 Lake Argyle Caravan Park (08) 9168 7777 Discovery Parks - Lake Kununurra (08) 9168 1031 Ivanhoe Village Caravan Resort (08) 9169 1995 Lake Argyle Resort (08) 9168 7777 Hidden Valley Caravan Park (08) 9168 1790 Kununurra Lakeside Resort (08) 9169 1092 El Questro Wilderness Park 1800 837 168 Kona Lakeside Caravan Park (08) 9161 1139

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Advertisers wanting to be involved in this directory can call 0417 901 301 or email nick@fishingmonthly.com.au JULY 2019

A paddle through foreign waters BRISBANE

Justin Willmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

My wife Sheri and I love everything kayaking, be it fishing or crabbing, camping, exploring new waters, immersing ourselves in the natural environment

It’s well worth the effort though when it comes together as you may find yourself hooked up to new species, or seeing your destination from a completely different perspective, with some unique photos and memories of your destination. Simply Google your destination

At the end of our Colorado River journey, the guides sort the many kayaks. and observing wildlife, or accessing land-based areas to explore. Whenever we travel interstate or overseas, we ensure that we fire up the search engines, hit the internet and look for kayak fishing, kayak tours and kayak hire options in the area that we are travelling to. From here you start to get an idea of what there is to see, catch or explore in the region, all from the seat of a kayak. Unfortunately, on our last overseas trip a few years ago, both of our kayak tours were cancelled due to weather. This is always a possibility, so it pays to have a couple of backup activities pencilled in just in case. This was on a trip to Queenstown, New Zealand and one of the tours was a paddle across a lake

in terms of fitness levels or paddling ability. Even though Sheri and I have been paddling for many years, we still prefer to select tours that are suitable for all age levels and generally labelled beginner or possibly intermediate. After all, we are unfamiliar with the area and the craft, while also being on holidays. Most reputable operators will have quality kayaks, PFDs, paddles and other gear, however the reviews section will give you a better idea of the quality of the tour. After a lot of saving and preparation, we recently took off overseas again, hoping that the weather would play the game for the two kayak tours that we had booked. The first was in Las Vegas, consisting of a 20km paddle from the base of the mighty Hoover Dam, down the Colorado River that divides Arizona and Nevada states, finishing up at the Willow Beach Marina.

COLORADO RIVER It was an early pick up for our Colorado River paddle with Evolution Expeditions and Michelle our guide was also our driver. Michelle gave us a basic rundown on the day, made us feel at ease and also had plenty of stories about the area as we made the drive to our launch point. We were lucky that there was only Sheri, myself, our guide Michelle and another couple Jeff and Casey from

Sheri exiting Sauna Cave after a quick sauna.

The natural hot pools were almost too hot to get into.

Time to paddle back for a well earned BBQ lunch. followed by ‘kayak hire’, ‘kayak fishing’ or ‘kayak tours’ and you will find some options in the region. Then it’s just a matter of

The second in Hawaii and was a simpler adventure that included paddling from Ha’eia State Park onto Kane’ohe Bay to snorkel the reef, with the hope of coming across a honu (green sea turtle) in the wild. Both adventures went ahead and here’s a quick wrap up of the two adventures, along with the gear that we carry with us on these adventures.

Ohio. Sheri and I were in a two-person kayak, as was Michelle with plenty of water, snacks and our lunch, while Jeff and Casey decided to take separate kayaks. The kayaks were quality Perception kayaks, with rudders, comfortable seats, dry storage, quality paddles and we were fitted with comfortable PFDs. By the time we had travelled down the old road used to build the dam and were standing at the base of the Hoover Dam in awe, I already had my money’s worth. No time to stand around though, as security is strict getting down to our launch point.

The group’s kayaks on the bank below the River Gauger’s station.

The author was lucky enough to swim with a couple of green sea turtles. to dinner at a lodge, with a return paddle on sunset. The reviews were good, the photos amazing and we were disappointed that the weather denied us our adventure and we didn’t have any flexibility in our itinerary to reschedule. 52

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picking an adventure that sounds like the right fit for you and investigating it further in terms of when it is available, pricing, inclusions, what you are required to bring and whether there are any requirements

After some instruction we boarded our kayaks, launched and moved out into the middle of the river where we could admire the Hoover Dam and the surrounding construction. Michelle pointed out some of the narrow catwalks that had been built along the sides of the canyon wall and were used during the construction of the dam. Being a dam built in part for hydroelectricity I was confident that we would have some flow in the river to assist us over our 20km journey and I was correct. We were all paddling steadily, while admiring the scenery, the colour and clarity of the glacial water and chatting as we all paddled close together, learning more about each other and also the history of the area. Jeff and Casey were also competent paddlers, so in no time at all we were at our first stop, Sauna Cave. Michelle

The longhorn sheep came down to investigate Jeff’s kayak.

tied our kayaks off and we climbed a small track, before entering Sauna Cave. The water in the cave was hot and a couple of feet deep, the cave was filled with steam and as we walked further into the narrow cave Michelle turned her headlamp off and it was pitch black. We felt our way along the walls a little further into the cave and then Michelle turned the headlamp back on to guide us out of the cave. It was such an unique experience, it was like a sauna and upon exiting the cave the desert air rapidly dried our clothes. We continued our journey down the spectacular

Colorado River, a source of life that carves its way through the desert, supplying hydroelectric power and water for farms in multiple states. The river is also the border between Nevada and Arizona, so it was cool to paddle from one state to another. The next stop on our paddle journey was morning tea from Michelle’s box of snacks. Then we went on a short walk up into a canyon, where we were met with a metal ladder. We had arrived at the

on a paddle the day before and had us paying special attention to some sections of the surrounding rocky walls. Our instructions, keep an eye out for their white butts as that’s the easiest way to spot them. A short distance on and we were lucky enough to meet a herd of longhorn sheep that included a couple of tiny babies and some larger female sheep. We moved closer for a few photos and the sheep came right down to the water to drink, while The view from the River Gauger’s station up the Colorado River.

Sheri takes a moment to appreciate the bridge and the dam. hot pools. Taking turns to carefully climb the ladder and we were standing in the first and coolest pool, which was still pretty warm! The pools are maintained with sandbags of gravel and we met the man who maintains the pools, chilling out in pool three. As you move through the pools you get closer to the main source, where the water flows from the rock, they get hotter. We all did pool one, two, three, and then I pushed on through pool four to get a photo of the water flowing from the rock. Safe to say, if it was a bath I would have waited a while before getting in. We chilled and chatted in pool one for a while before continuing on our journey. Sheri had come across photos of longhorn sheep when looking up this tour, so she asked if there was a chance of us coming across some during out paddle. Michelle had seen some

sheep negotiate the steep, rocky inclines, seemingly climbing straight up smooth rock faces. We said goodbye to the sheep and thanked Michelle for yet another cool experience. Further down the river we pulled up for lunch in a shady area that allowed us to rest, relax, chat and enjoy the delicious lunch packs that Michelle had for us, including a meat and salad roll, fruit and other snacks. It was then back on the river and we were treated to a story about the River Gauger, his office built onto the canyon wall where he measured river heights, sediment levels and so forth. After a day’s work he then

final paddle to Willow Beach Marina, where we enjoyed a cold drink before boarding the mini bus back to our hotel. What an incredible adventure and amazing scenery, not far from the craziness of the Las Vegas Strip. HAWAII Our second adventure was a mini bus from Waikiki in Hawaii, to Ha’eia State Park and onto beautiful Kane’ohe Bay. After some initial instruction, our group of six double kayaks (twelve paddlers) was towed halfway out to the reef we were going to snorkel. We were then detached from the boat and paddled out to a

on the mini bus to Waikiki after what had been another fun day of kayaking and adventure, getting away from the standard tourist trails. There are a few things that we carry with us on our travel adventures, when we have kayak tours booked. Sturdy, supportive water shoes are important and can be washed and dried before returning home. We also take our own Sea to Summit dry bags with us as it allows us to organise and pack these before our tour, although most tours will supply dry bags and outline this in their tour description. Other items include a waterproof

Just one of the interesting creatures found swimming around Hawaii. sandy section in the middle of the reef where we met the boat again, reattached our kayaks, entered the water and had some snacks and drinks before a quick snorkel instruction. We spent the next hour snorkelling the reef edge, with one guide snorkelling with us and another monitoring the group from a kayak. We saw a variety of colourful fish in good numbers and we were lucky enough to swim with two small turtles that didn’t seem too concerned

phone case, sunscreen and bug spray. Your choice of clothing needs to be based around your adventure, considering sun protection, temperature and layering so that you can regulate your body temperature. Next time you’re planning a trip, be it a couple of hours from home or internationally, if like us you love adventuring in the kayak, there may be an opportunity to catch a new species, explore an incredible environment,

Paddling into Emerald Cave, the sunlight reflections cause it to light up green. a few others surrounded the small babies to ensure they were safely out of sight. It was amazing to watch the

Sheri and her group gearing up for a paddle and snorkel in Hawaiian waters.

had to cross the raging river by lying in a basket and using cables to pull himself across, then negotiate a narrow catwalk around the canyon wall, another basket and cables to cross the river and then a couple of miles walk home. After twelve years of river gauging, the dam was then built at a different location! It was then onto the famous Emerald Cave and after having the river to ourselves we were now joined by more paddlers. We waited our turn and reversed into Emerald Cave for a few photos. When the sun shines into the cave, the water

lights up emerald green and the green light then bounces around the walls and roof of the cave. Another cool stop on our journey. Being a small group of reasonably strong paddlers, we were ahead of schedule and able to make one last stop at the River Gauger’s house. Unfortunately, a fire had consumed the house, however, the foundations remained, along with a sign and images of the residence and garage. There was also the old road, some hand laid rock walls and a spectacular view back up the river. It was a great way to finish our adventure, before the

The mighty Hoover Dam. with our presence. It was then back onto our kayaks and we made the paddle back to our launch point, where we finished the adventure with a delicious BBQ pork ribs and chicken lunch with salads and drinks. It was then back

observe wildlife or check out the tourist attractions from a whole new perspective. I will never forget standing with the crowds on the wall of the Hoover Dam during our Hoover Dam tour. See you on the water. JULY 2019

Preventing boat storage woes between trips BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

In last month’s issue of the magazine I looked at storage issues in smaller boats, and how to address the challenges of working with limited space. This month I’ll take you through some of the issues that come with storing a boat for extended periods between outings. This is

looking at the average glass rig, climb aboard her on the trailer, and see what action we can take to prevent drama down the track. To start with, pull the anchor and warp out and give them, and the anchor well, a thorough clean up prior to being put away. If the anchor well is within the front of a cabin, some damp, salty ropes are going to promote moisture for sure. Forward storage hatches

used it should be well aired, and all the unwanted material should be removed prior to extended storage. If you see any nuts, washers or other assorted small pieces of hardware (vibrating free of an original fitting), these need to be reinstated without question. A half cabin boat often features under bunk storage, and this might also need a good clean out. If there’s any old food or drink bottles, take them out.

can be a sneaky trap. A bucket that has saltwater dripping off it will cause a build-up of salt in that compartment when it’s returned, to the detriment of anything metallic in the area. So while it’s quick and easy to dump

should ensure that they are open and free to do their job. LET THE BILGE BREATHE Bilge access is not always easy in trailer boats, but if there’s reasonable access it certainly pays

exposed areas that tell the world just how well we look after our boat. MAINTAINING THAT FIBREGLASS LUSTRE Fibreglass craft are easy to clean both inside and out with detergent and warm water, except

This should not occur in an open bilge area that’s easy to clean and dry out. Note the small patches of dampness-induced mould in the top left corner.

If you don’t remove the rope and thoroughly clean the whole area, you’ll end up with a damp anchor well. something that boat owners don’t usually expect to happen, but it can certainly occur due to circumstances beyond our control. I have a friend who repairs trailer boats, and he said that if more people did the right thing before letting their boats sit for a while, he’d be far less busy! A fair proportion of his livelihood comes from neglect and sheer carelessness. He has seen boats come in for repair work that actually have fungi growing in damp areas – how bad is that? He’s also seen seats and other soft materials fall apart from mildew and other dampness related issues. His number one recommendation is to ensure that the stored boat stays as dry as possible (throughout, not just on its outer surfaces), particularly if air flow throughout the craft is likely to be restricted. THINK THINGS THROUGH A dry boat is a good start but there are many other issues confronting a boat owner contemplating laying the boat up for a spell. Let’s begin by 54

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should get a clean out next. It’s surprising how a little bit of saltwater sneaking in now and again can make a mess, especially if a few emergency tools or other metallic items are stored in a hatch where salt residue has been lurking. PRESSURE WASH This is the right time to also give the deck a thorough clean-up, especially if there is a non-skid surface up front. Non-skid areas seem to accumulate small particles of ingrained material that causes discoloration that’s very hard to dislodge. You can trust me on this, as I’ve owned four boats with non-skid decks, and I’ve found that a pressure washer – the good old Gerni – is far more efficient than a scrubbing brush/sugar soap/elbow grease session! Carpet is different, easier to clean and then dry properly. If the craft is a centre console rig, now is the time to open the console doors and have a look in the storage space. Many consoles come with upper and lower storage via a central shelf, and if the uppermost shelf is most

BEWARE FLOOR LEVEL STORAGE AREAS Many craft over 5m in length have floor level storage areas which can be a terrific place to store a handy bucket or other receptacle. However, this

the bucket back in the compartment, it’s best to wait until you’ve removed the salt first. If you do see salt residue in the storage area, wipe it out with a damp cloth and then one with some vinegar on it. Side pockets, especially lined ones, are also places where unwanted salt can later cause dampness and even mould if you leave them long enough. A sponging with some warm water and detergent prolongs useful life, and if there are drain holes you

to clean the area out. Anything discarded in the cockpit can find its way to the bilge area before long, so lure packets, wrappers and the usual suspects of sand and soil often end up in a bilge sump. Also, boats stored near trees will certainly accumulate leaves, twigs or berries in a very short time. Removing the bung and allowing the whole sump area to dry properly can greatly reduce issues associated with storage. Now we come to the outside of the hull – those

Every time the bucket is returned wet and salty, a layer of salt is added to the storage compartment.

when you get those hardto-remove marks on the hull from trailer rollers or from scuffing on the yellow edges of pontoons. Pontoon marks are no big deal, but those roller marks are something else. They are often associated with even a brand new trailer (usually if the tow vehicle has a diesel engine) due to a reaction between the diesel exhaust fumes and the rubber rollers. Removing these stubborn marks might require some acetone, which is best applied with heavyduty gloves to protect your hands, and always in a well-ventilated area. Just rub it onto the area, and it should clean it up. Rubbing alcohol such as Isocol can also clean up fibreglass, but I prefer acetone. Small scuffs and scratches can be removed by fibreglass polish, and I have found that the Extra Cut stuff does a great job without too much effort. The last job is to give the engine a once over and release the winch ratchet a tad. Why compress the boat onto the trailer when it’s not going anywhere? Summer storage requires engine inlet ports to be mud wasp proofed as well. ALLOY BOAT STORAGE When it comes to alloy boats, completely drying the hull is equally essential, as is providing plenty of airflow through the stored craft. Hatches should

be opened and residue removed to see what’s going on under the debris. If it’s possible to lift floor coverings it’s very wise to do so, just to see what’s doing down there! Any foreign material plus residual water, both fresh and salt, are the trouble makers. Discarded tackle is also a problem because if a battery is left connected to the rig (even when isolated completely) some

corrosion through galvanic action might occur where sinkers and the like contact the alloy. Diligently washing an alloy boat with a strong detergent mix might not be doing the alloy a favour, due to the alkaline composition of that detergent. From experience, a gentle baby detergent is a good choice for alloy craft exteriors and other soiled areas. Again, the trailer

should be well cleaned and all traces of salt removed from around the springs and brake units. Some stronger detergent can be used to clear away salt traces. Last but not least, the fuel tank needs topping up with a good dose of fuel stabiliser. Filling a tank when it’s not going to be used may seem unnecessary, but it will minimise the chances of condensation. Roller marks can be hard to remove, but acetone will do the job.

When the boat is going to be mothballed for a spell, you should thoroughly clean and dry out all the compartments.

The Gerni at work: note the difference! The deck had been hand-scrubbed beforehand.

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www.wp.fishingmonthly.com.au JULY 2019

WHAT’S NEW BOATING AXIOM SUPPORTS YAMAHA CL

Yamaha Command Link and Command Link Plus has now been integrated into Raymarine’s family of Axiom multifunction displays. Raymarine’s Axiom series can now display the instrumentation for up to 4 Yamaha outboards on a single display. The Axiom engine data display echoes the look and feel of Yamaha’s digital instrument displays and is compatible with a wide array of Yamaha outboards installed on existing boats as well as on new boats. Raymarine’s integration with Yamaha outboards gives boaters a big-screen view of engine parameters, tank levels, battery status, and more. Just about any boat with Yamaha Command Link or Command Link Plus can be integrated with Raymarine’s Axiom MFDs using Yamaha’s optional NMEA 2000 gateway and pigtail. Boats equipped with Yamaha Helm Master or Set Point systems can also integrate with Raymarine using Yamaha’s optional NMEA 2000 gateway (6YG) and Yamaha’s CL7 display. The free LightHouse Annapolis 3.9 OS update is available now for Axiom, Axiom Pro, Axiom XL, eS Series and gS Series MFDs. www.raymarine.com

ROD HOLDER EXTENDER

If your rod holder is just out of reach, or the rod butt is hitting the deck of your kayak, check out the Railblaza Rod Holder Extender. The addition of a Rod Holder Extender to your rod holder will let you offset your rod holder too, adding another level of versatility. You can make your set-up ergonomically better, and get easier access to your rod holder. More importantly, you’ll have the rod in your hand faster when you get a strike. The Rod Holder Extender will fit any Railblaza rod holders, giving 125mm (5”) of extension. It is fully adjustable, allowing the rod holder to be extended outwards or conveniently position your rod holder closer to you on your kayak or boat. Care must be taken if you are using the Rod Holder Extender for trolling, as breakage can occur if drag is not set correctly on your reel. For more information on mounting options, or to view more products in the range, visit the Railblaza website. www.railblaza.com

MAZU UPDATE FOR AXIOM

Mazu has added powerful new functionality to its app available on Raymarine Axiom MFDs through Lighthouse Apps. Raymarine Axiom users who have mazu’s m2500 satellite system can now view ROFFS (Roffer’s Ocean Fishing Forecasting Service) fishing forecast hotspots using the mazu app on the MFD. Users also get offshore access to up-to-date sea state data including sea surface temperature, chlorophyll, altimetry and currents. The app also has a new, streamlined user interface. ROFFS provides a variety of the high-resolution satellite-derived fishing oceanographic analyses customised for anglers. These analyses are specialised for pelagics like tuna, marlin, wahoo, dolphinfish, sailfish, swordfish, sharks and more. ROFFS professional oceanographers analyse multiple real-time oceanographic datasets including but not limited to ocean currents, SST, clarity, ocean colour/chlorophyll, plankton, frontal boundaries, species habitat of targeted fish, and bottom structure to guide users to the most productive waters for a successful 56

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fishing trip. This data is integrated into hotspot locations detailed on an oceanographic map and a comprehensive text description that is easy to understand and use. www.mazu-marine.com/sportfishing

SEAFARER VICTORY 6.0

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The Victory model has been part of the Seafarer family since the early days, and has evolved over the years. A pioneering sport-fishing craft, it is one of Seafarer’s most popular boats. The new model Victory 6.0 has been transformed with a whole new above-thewater design, and has been kitted out with a plethora of new options, most notably the addition of a new hard top option which has transformed it into an exceptional offshore fishing boat. The hard top also includes two hatches in the roof for ventilation and a Hella LED deck light. A dive/side door also now comes standard. A whole new layout has also been introduced with a redesigned transom, deck, dash and cabin, improving on what has been a highly respected fishing craft for many years. Head to the Seafarer website to see the full list of specs and options. www.seafarerboats.com

SIMRAD CRUISE CHARTPLOTTER

Designed for simple and straightforward navigation, the new Simrad Cruise features a simple, easy-to-use interface, sunlight-viewable display, preloaded Australia charts, mounting bracket and sonar transducer. The Cruise combines essential GPS features with depth-finding capability to deliver safe and reliable navigation at an affordable price. Free from complicated fishing-specific sonar and networking features, Cruise eliminates the need for boaters to master complex electronics. The user interface is controlled with a rotary dial and keypad, ensuring smooth navigation through menus, and provides the vital information needed for a safe and enjoyable time on the water. The included transducer provides CHIRP sonar with excellent automatic depth tracking for worry-free operation without the need for fine-tuning or pre-programming. Available in 5”, 7” and 9” display sizes, this unit is IPX7 waterproof rated and ideal for installation in open boats, and can be flushmounted or bracket-mounted. Price: SRP $699-$1099 www.simrad-yachting.com

WHITTLEY SL 20 OB

The new Whittley Sea Legend 20 Outboard (SL 20 OB) is a Yamaha outboard powered model with a 6.3m, SL 20 hull. There’s also the option of a new Coast Tourer Edition hard top, with a full length screen and sliding side windows. The SL 20 OB gives you the option to easily set your package up as an offshore weapon, a family overnighter, or both. There’s a new flat back transom offered to maximise the fishing area. It also comes with standard premium rear rubber flooring and twin ice/fish boxes (doubling as a seat), which can easily convert to a family area with the side seat and table option. The package can be optioned up to suit customers’ budgets and needs, with prices ranging from $69,990 for the soft top model, to the Coast Tourer Edition available from $79,490. All SL 20 OB packages are factory rigged to be powered by a Yamaha F130 or F150 four stroke, and are packaged on a dual axle Mackay trailer. www.whittleymarinegroup.com.au

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Revival 640 Offshore with Mercury 150hp 4-stroke - SC

TENT -

RE ONLINE MO

Length............... 6.40m Beam................. 2.40m Max.HP ................. 225 Tow.weight ..... 2000kg Capacity ..... 8 persons Fuel ..................... 200L is a solid platform that’s been around for years and it’s pushing along a Revival 640 Offshore. We’ve tested a few Revivals in the last year, ranging from their Cruiser to the crossover X-Rider. All are built in Australia in Sam Cantonese’s Melbourne factory and with retail 58

JULY 2019

DE FOR EX

SPECIFICATIONS

s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

I’d met Warwick Rann a few times before I got to visit his dealership in Rockingham, just south of Perth. He’s a knockabout Aussie bloke that doesn’t mind a cleansing ale at the end of a hard day’s work and the dealership is spotless. He’s obviously proud of Midway Marine and the customers he services. It’s a big boat dealership – which is understandable as offshore options trump the estuaries in this part of the world. Midway is a loyal Mercury dealer and they’ve embraced the new line-up of V6 and V8 outboards with gusto. Their work boat, however, is powered by a 3.0L 150hp Mercury, which

Definitely not, but it does have all of the attributes of a highly capable offshore boat that keeps the less-keen anglers in a happy place when they’re on the water. Weighing in at under 2,500kg, it’s eminently towable by a twin cab ute or

Steve Morgan

CON

AN THE

FMG

channel – or you can scan the QR code on your smartphone. There’s plenty of commentary and running footage there if you’re not within striking distance of Western Australia’s southwest. For more information or custom pricing, give the

PERFORMANCE

Main: Rockingham offers a unique boat testing arena, with smooth waters one side of the bridge and ocean swell on the other. There’s no way anybody would rather be at work on the test day – it was immaculate. Above: On the open ocean side, we could really get a feel of how this hull handled the ocean swells. A bit more wind would have been nice to run it through some swell plus wind chop. partners like JV Marine, you can see why they are hitting the mark when it comes to value-for-money fibreglass boats. Midway’s been selling Revivals for around a decade and was the first WA dealer to bring them across. It says plenty when the team choose the 640 Offshore as their ‘work/demo’ boat. For those outside the industry, a ‘work/demo’ boat is the one that the guys put together so that they can go fishing and boating on their days off. And the business gets to own it. After all, there needs to be SOME advantages of owning a boat shop. For a boat buyer, though, the best part of a Revival 640 Offshore demo is that you can take one for a ride with the Midway team. They are very happy to put it on the water for you, to give you a feel for the hull before you make a decision.

That’s often more difficult than it sounds to achieve. We did just that on the test day – hooked it up behind the Midway ‘cruiser and propped it into a billiard table flat in Rockingham Bay. The smooth water let us measure some figures like speed and economy. With the hammers down, the boat reached 66km/h at a reasonably thirsty 1.1km/L and 5,500rpm. Drop it down to cruising speed, though (32km/h at 3,500rpm) and all of a sudden you’re getting just under double that range. Combine that with a 200L fuel tank and well over 300km is on the cards for an extended fishing trip. Pushing out into the swell of the Indian Ocean, the ride was very pleasant and it definitely punched above its price point. You can see the fit out in the images, but the test craft’s equally rigged for a fishing

mission or a family day on the water and there’s not a lot of time needed to switch between the two. Is the Revival the top-ofthe-line all-singing, all dancing fishing machine?

RPM......Speed.(km/h).......... Economy.(km/L) 650 ...........................5 ............................... 2.5 1000 .........................8 ............................... 2.3 2000....................... 13 ............................... 1.7 3000....................... 28 ............................... 1.8 3500 ....................... 32 ............................... 1.9 4000....................... 45 ............................... 1.8 5000....................... 60 ............................... 1.3 5500 ....................... 66 ............................... 1.1 4WD. You’d probably need to leave the small family SUV at home on a trip with the 640. You can see the video of the boat test on the Fishing Monthly Magazines YouTube

team at Midway a call (or visit www.midwaymarine. net.au. As tested, this Revival came in at $93,000, however, packages start from around $80,000.

The Mercury 3.0L has proven itself to be a real workhorse since its launch. Optimum cruising speed delivered 1.9km/L economy at 32km/h and 3,500rpm – decent for a 6.4m boat.

Top: The Midway Marine staff boat features a folding rear lounge and a removable bait station. It’s pretty easy to convert this from a serious fishing rig to a family day craft. Below: With carpet lining and padded pocket fronts, it’s a reasonably luxurious cabin up front.

When the Mercury dealer puts the 150 4-stroke on their own demo boat, you know that they are confident with it.

Rounded seat bases aren’t as common as they once were, yet there’s still storage underneath for tackle you need close to hand. Folding seat fronts are becoming more and more common, offering support whether you are seated or standing.

The rig sits on a twin axle Dunbier Glider roller series trailer. Ready for fishing it weighs in at under 2,500kg.

There is a hard top in the Revival 640 range, however, the shop rig is a soft top. There’s still plenty of shade and shelter from the elements with the added clears.

Left: The passenger seating is mounted on a stainless base that holds a cooler box underneath. Right: You can mix and match seat base options.

With everything flush mounted, the helm is neat and tidy. It is one of the more tidy layouts we’ve seen. JULY 2019

Nobody knows your engine like we do

PROTECT YOUR BOATING LIFESTYLE WITH MERCURY AUTHORISED SERVICE Keeping your Mercury running 100% has never been easier with a Mercury Authorised Service Centre… you can expect • Courteous, expert service • Fully trained technicians using only genuine Mercury replacement parts and lubricants. • The added peace of mind that all genuine replacement parts come with a full one year warranty. Simply put, no-one else has the knowledge and diagnostic equipment to ensure the best possible service. So why would you trust anyone else...