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CONTENTS fishingworld.com.au OCTOBER 2015
Not many species have the universal popularity of the humble flattie. These ambush predators tick all the sportfishing boxes by being readily accessible, good scrappers and excellent on a plate. This issue we feature a couple of how-to articles aimed at helping you catch more lizards on lures, either by casting from shore or trolling in a small boat. Now’s the time to target flathead so get out there and have some fun. Just remember to release the big old girls ...
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12
Contents
REGULARS 11 EDITORIAL 20 NEWS 40 NEW PRODUCTS 56 DAVID GREEN 58 ROD BUILDERS 60 KNOTS & RIGS 68 Q&A 70 SHIMANO JUNIORS 84 THE FISHING SCHOOL 90 DAVE RAE
FLATHEAD SPECIAL
12 WADING FOR LIZARDS BY ANDREW BADULLOVICH
Getting your feet wet can result in some great fishing for shallow water flathead with hard-bodies, soft plastics and surface lures.
26 ADVANCED TROLLING BY DAVID GREEN
Learning how to troll effectively is a key skill all flathead specialists need to master. Greeny has spent decades refining the art of trolling for lizards and passes on some of his hard-earned knowledge so you can catch more fish.
SPORTFISHING
32 A FRESH LOOK BY CHRIS CLEAVER COVER: Whether you target them on foot by wading flats and sand bars, or by trolling dropoffs and mudbanks, flathead are an eternal favourite of Aussie fishos. See our “Flathead Special” articles on pages 12 and 26 of this issue for info on catching these top sportfish. IMAGE: FishingDownUnder.TV.
A forced spell away from saltwater pursuits saw Chris explore landbased freshwater options and come up trumps with a swag of quality native sportfish!
62 BLADE MASTER BY NICK WOOD
78 BREAM OFF THE BANK! BY BEN CADDAYE
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a boat to catch quality bream on hard-bodied lures.
40
OFFSHORE
50 BLUE WATER ‘YAK ACTION BY MARK WILLIAMS
Targeting big fish in a kayak in offshore waters defines the adventurous spirit of the modern sportfisherman. In this article Mark recounts the appeal of bluewater ’yak fishing.
72
SPECIES GUIDE: TAILOR 72 TROLLING FOR CHOPPERS
BY ANDAM FREELAND
Like most family blokes, Sydney-based Adam doesn’t have as much time as he’d like when it comes to fishing. So he’s worked out some easy techniques to maximise his time on the water chasing the ever-popular tailor.
There’s more to blades than bream, as Nick discovers during a couple of sessions with an estuary lure fishing gun in Sydney’s Parramatta River.
fishingworld.com.au | October 2015 | 7
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The Lure Of Flathead
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BY JIM HARNWELL
DUSKY flathead, like bream, mullet, tailor and luderick, are an “everyman” type of fish. They’re abundant, taste good, put up a reasonable scrap and Keepcan scrolling to via a range of tackle and tactics. be caught see exclusive iPad Perhaps most importantly, they’re accessible to most only extra pics fishos, young or old, rich or poor. A flatty is often the first “big” fish junior anglers ever catch and Keep scrolling to there are plenty of very experienced anglers whose see exclusive iPad lifetime only extra picsgoal is to land a magical metre-long lizard. Like most of you, I enjoy targeting flathead. I’ve spent countless hours trolling, jigging plastics or livebaiting for these bottom dwelling ambush predators. My PB so far is a 93cm model caught during a filming session in St Georges Basin with my old mate Ian “Big E” Phillips. I thought that fish was pretty special until E hauled out a stonking 97cm specimen. Although only 5cm longer, Ian’s lizard was far bulkier and heavier than mine – it was a serious fish in anyone’s book. If I ever get to see a true “metery” – and I hope I do – I can only guess how impressive and special that fish will be.
B
ack in the day the capture of a big flathead often resulted in its shovel-shaped head getting nailed to a paling fence.” I hate to think how many flathead articles I’ve edited and published over the years. It must be hundreds of stories and thousands of images. Yet flathead remain perennially popular. Back in the day drifting with livebaits was a proven method by which to target flathead, especially the XOS models. If you really want to catch a lizard, then a live poddy mullet, prawn or herring is pretty deadly. There are no absolutes in fishing, but I feel confident in saying that livies just about always bring flathead undone. Bait fishing aside, it was interesting to witness how the use of soft plastics revolutionised flathead 3/5/13 4:57 PM fishing. Prior to the arrival of softies, flatties were seen as something of a second tier sportfish. They were good to catch but nowhere near as exciting as bream or bass. That all changed when anglers jigging softies in estuaries and rivers discovered just how aggressive flathead can be. I well remember my first experience targeting flathead on plastics a decade or more ago. I was fishing with Bob Russo and had gotten hold of a pack of Juro Firebaits and a couple of jigheads. Neither Bob nor I had much idea of what we were doing but we donged a stack of good-sized lizards. The fish just climbed all
over those lures. It was fantastic fun and a real eye opener to the sporting appeal of these fish. Over the ensuing years soft plastic fishing for flathead was refined and developed by a swag of innovative anglers. Fisho’s David Green was and is the leading authority on lure fishing for flathead but plenty of others – guys like Bushy, Paul Lennon, Greg Finney and Steve Starling immediately spring to mind – and there’s doubtless plenty more – also worked to further the sportfishing credentials of these highly popular fish. About this time the conservation of breeding flathead became a topic of much debate. Back in the day the capture of a “shovel-headed” flathead more often than not resulted in that shovel-shaped head getting cut off and nailed to a paling fence. As a brief aside, as a young tacker in the 1970s I was awestruck by the array of mummified flathead skulls affixed to my great uncle Len’s back fence in suburban Sydney. He was a keen angler and was obviously pretty good at catching big flathead. It makes me shudder to think how many big breeding flathead old Len must have slaughtered but at the time I regarded him as something of a fishing demigod … Times have certainly changed and most of us now realise that taking a big flathead for a trophy is wasteful and greedy. It’s far better to keep a few 45-55cm fish for a tasty meal and carefully release the bigger females to ensure sustainability of the fishery. Big flathead are rightly considered “untouchable” by many in the sportfishing community these days. It’s interesting to see fisheries managers in some states pick up on these public sentiments and devise regulatory policies aimed at protecting valuable breeding size fish. Hopefully that sort of proactive thinking will infiltrate through to the rest of the country in the not too distant future … As you may have guessed from the cover image, this issue is something of a tribute to flathead. Our Cover Story is by Andrew Badullovich and focuses on targeting flatties from shore while David Green manages to yet again impart key info in his detailed piece on estuary trolling for lizards. 3/5/13 4:57 PM As you read this it’s prime time for flathead around most of Australia so get out there and enjoy getting stuck into a few lizards. Just remember to let the big3/5/13 mummas go … 4:57 PM See you on the water.
Jim Harnwell Editor-In-Chief Fishing World fishingworld.com.au | October 2015 | 11
FLATHEAD SPECIAL
Wading For Lizards F
LATHEAD have always been a favourite target of mine. They’re abundant, willing to attack lures, fight well on light tackle and make great eating. Flathead inhabit nearly every estuary system around the country, which renders them a primary target for just about all anglers. Flathead species vary from state to state; however, there’s no doubting that the mighty dusky flathead of the east coast is by far the most iconic member of this bottom dwelling family. Duskies can be found throughout coastal systems, from the upper brackish regions to the salty coastal mouths. While most duskies encountered will measure between 40-55cm, they have the potential to grow to more than a metre in length. Trophy fish of this size are a rare capture, however, fish between 70cm and the mid to high 90s are a surprisingly frequent capture for those who put in the time to target them. The most appealing factor of flathead fishing for me is the fact that flatties are available and accessible as shore-based targets. Although boat access will provide broader opportunities, you can enjoy some champagne flatty action simply by getting your feet wet!
Where?
Flathead are bottom dwellers and rely on ambush tactics to feed. While the average flatty will favour a sandy or silty bottom strata, they have been known to stake out among weed beds and snaggy structure such as oyster racks and timber debris. I’ve witnessed flathead lying up on top of submerged rocks, particularly around man-made breakwalls where baitfish are abundant. It’s not often that demersal species will leave the bottom to feed, however, flathead will attack prey close to or on the surface at times. 12 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
Getting your feet wet can result in some great fishing for shallow water lizards, as keen flathead chaser ANDREW BADULLOVICH reports.
Due to their diversity in habitat, they are an ideal target for lure anglers, especially those who are new to the sport. While you’re likely to encounter the thickest flathead activity amidst the main flow of the estuary channels where the tidal movements transport prawns and baitfish, you can find some great action on fringing flats systems. Shallow “sun-warmed” bays are my favourite places to prospect on foot. Quite often, these areas are inaccessible by boat and can only be fished by the walking angler. Wading through shin-deep water is a relaxing way to fish, and can be quite productive too if you identify certain vital clues to aid your success.
Subtle signs
Flatties will move into an area where a reliable food source is present, station themselves in a likely location and then pounce on anything that moves toward them. Favoured stakeout areas on the flats come in the form of patchy weed beds and sudden depth changes. Flathead will semi-embed themselves in the sand or silt adjacent to an ambush site while waiting for a meal. Flatties will push in with the rising tide over a flat, quite often to the extreme of the tide’s reach. I’ve seen flatties lying within half a metre of the shoreline, hunting small mullet. As the tide abates, the flatties will shuffle along and adjust their ambush positions with the draining tide while c ontinuing to eat anything that pushed from the flat. Walking along your chosen flat at dead low tide may reveal tell-tale signs of this activity, as well as ambush sites known as “flathead lies” (an imprint of the flathead’s body left in the sand or silt). If your chosen flat is littered with flatty lies, there’s a good chance that this particular area will prove
Quality lizards can be taken on surface lures in shallow water. This is exciting fishing as the flatties often get air as they whack the lure!
IMAGE: FISHING DOWNUNDER.TY
INSET: Flathead have small raspy teeth. Use a short bite leader to prevent bite-offs.
fishingworld.com.au | October 2015 | 13
productive when the tide begins to flood again. Identifying minor depth changes or “dropoffs” at low tide will aid success when prospecting the flats at high tide. Sudden rises or falls in the bottom strata or drains scoured from tidal flow provide premium ambush sites. Flathead will position themselves with their head facing into the flow. By studying the positioning of flatties lies, you’ll be able to determine the best approach when making your presentation to the fish when the tide returns. Of course, it helps if there is a healthy food source in the area. Key flattie food includes prawns, mullet and small crabs.
IMAGE: FISHING DOWNUNDER.TV
Shallow offerings
14 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
Most shallow running hard-bodied lures (40mm to 100mm in length) that dive a metre or less are ideal given the fact that the water you’re likely to be prospecting will be quite shallow; however, I advise you to carry a few deeper running varieties too. One of my favourite flatty lures dives to around 2m, but I will quite often work it in 1m or less. This particular lure suspends (which is great for keeping your presentation in the fish’s face) and I’m also able to twitch it into the sand or silt which stirs up the bottom … attracting the attention of any nearby flatties. Flathead are not exactly “active” feeders in the shallows – they don’t zoom around hunting bait like a tailor or bream. Instead, they’ll stay put and rely on using their lateral line to detect vibration and movement from a possible food source … so it pays to bang your lure hard into the bottom during your retrieve.
FLATHEAD SPECIAL
F
lathead are not exactly ‘active’ feeders in the shallows – they don’t zoom around hunting bait like a tailor or bream. Instead, they’ll stay put and rely on using their lateral line to detect vibration and movement from a possible food source ...” One scenario that I really fancy is where tidal flow from deep water forces itself up and onto a flat. You’ll often find flathead stationed on the escarpment of the flat facing into the deeper water as the tide pushes onto the shallows. Working a deep diving lure up from the deep water into and over the shallow edge is a deadly tactic, and one that has produced good fish for me in the past. Of course, this is difficult to do if your chosen edge is lined with fringing weed-beds; however, rigging a soft-plastic in a “weedless”fashion will work wonders in these scenarios. In fact, softies really hold their own through shallow water. Prawn imitations, curl-tail grubs and t-tail shads are all dynamite. While I favour larger plastics for flathead, I have also caught my fair share of crocs on extremely small plastics. Soft plastics within the 3” to 4” size range will reap good rewards. Another great option (particularly when the prawns are running) is to work a surface lure. Flathead will explode all over a surface offering, with some of the hits resulting in the flatties leaving the water and taking to the air! Surface fishing may not be the most productive in regards to hook ups, but it’s by far the most exciting
method of targeting these estuary sportfish. Walk-the-dog style lures work well but I find cup faced poppers are more productive as they provide more surface movement when worked slowly. You may need to leave your offering stationary after three or four bloops in order for the flathead to locate your popper, although some days the flatties will aggressively hunt your lure down. I’ve been using an Atomic Semi-Hardz Minnow for flatties lately, and enjoying the success. These soft stick-baits have a natural feel and are well weighted, meaning they can be long cast distances, while sinking slowly with a shimmering action on the pause. I like to work the lure fast which forces it to break the surface … then allow it to shimmy slowly back to the sandy bottom.
Tackle choice
There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to selecting a rod and reel for this caper, however, a 7’ rod with a line rating around 3-5kg will provide good diversity. The use of a graphite or carbon rod will enhance lure action and cast distance. When selecting a rod for wading the flats, opt for a two-piece model, as this allows you to dismantle
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Plastics are very effective when wading for lizards, especially when fishing the edges of drop-offs and channels; Mark Barganquest and Shannon Watson hold a trophy sized flatty aloft prior to its release. Flatties of this size really know how to boogie through skinny water; Prime flathead country! Plenty of channels, flats, gutters and drop-offs to prospect here.
fishingworld.com.au | October 2015 | 15
K
eep your distance from likely fishholding areas and cast up or across current then work your lure with the tidal flow. All natural food sources will be transported with the tidal flow, so it makes sense to present your offering in a natural manner.�
16 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
FLATHEAD SPECIAL
MAIN:Andrew with a beautifully marked flathead caught wading a pristine South Coast estuary system. An awesome fish from super shallow water! LEFT: Flatties lies exposed by the low tide are a prime indication that a flat is worth prospecting as the tide comes back in. BELOW: Gloves or Boga grips make landing flatties caught while wading much easier. You can lip grip them but you will likely end up with a shredded thumb!
the rod at its break-point to untangle your line in the event of a tip-wrap. This will ensure that your reel doesn’t get inadvertently dunked in the salt water while you’re reaching for your rod tip. A quality 2500 sized spin reel spooled with either 6lb braid or mono is perfect for flatty fishing. You can fish lighter, however, it is difficult to shift a croc-sized flatty with light line if it decides to sulk on the bottom. Light-line battles also zap a lot of energy out of the fish during a prolonged fight, which is not ideal if you intend to release it (as should be done with all fish over about 60cm). Leader length is not vitally important – a rod length should cover most scenarios – however, leader diameter could mean the difference between a happy snap or a cranky chap! You’ll get lucky with most of your hook-ups, but there is always that “one time” when that big bucket mouth will engulf your favourite lure. Instead of running a full length heavy mono leader, I prefer to run an 8lb to 10lb leader joined toaround 15cm of 14lb bite tippet via a Uni Knot. Long heavy leaders can hinder the action of your lure, whereas a short bite tippet will allow your lure to swim in a natural manner while providing you some insurance against a big flattie’s raspy teeth.
Tactics
Remembering your observations from your low tide investigations, you’ll need to get your presentation right to ensure you don’t spook your target. You want your lure smacking into the faces of the fish, not their tails. Would you jump with fright if someone snuck up on you from behind? Your probably would … and it’s no different when it comes to fish. And if one flathead spooks,
it could shut down that particular area of the flat. To avoid this, keep your distance from likely fish-holding areas and cast up or across current then work your lure with the tidal flow. All natural food sources will be transported with the tidal flow, so it makes sense to present your offering in a natural manner. If your chosen location is not affected by tidal flow, then you may want to fan a series of casts from one stationary position before moving 20m or so and repeating the process. Mix it up a little when it comes to retrieve speeds, and take note of exactly what took place prior to a hook-up in order to repeat your successful technique. Working out what depth a fish came from or assessing temperature changes that you can feel with your feet may help you catch more fish. I had one session where all the fish I caught that day
came from a cold flow of water. This intrigued me, as I figured the flatties would have preferred the warmer water. On closer observation I noticed a steady stream of whitebait being flushed across the flat within the colder current, which explained why the flatties were there too. It pays to be on the ball and constantly looking for vital signs. Fishing the edges along a drop-off or a drain as the tide empties from the flat is a great approach, as the flatties will be waiting in the deeper water ready to pounce. The retrieve technique in this situation is fairly basic. I favour a “twitch and pause” retrieve when using hard-bodied lures because this technique imitates a stricken mullet or small whiting. If you’re short of time or wanting to cover more water, a “slow roll” (a steady retrieve with no puases) allows you to work an area relatively quickly. fishingworld.com.au | October 2015 | 17
FLATHEAD SPECIAL
When presenting soft plastics, I use a steady single hop/pause retrieve, although slow rolling curl-tail grubs works well too. Don’t be rigid with your approach and try different lures and methods until something works. It may come down to something as simple as a colour or profile change that scores results.
Get a grip
ABOVE: Calm, clear water makes wading for flatties a great family fishing option. Any junior fisho would be stoked with a fish like this! BELOW: Flatties will eat a range of lures including sinking stickbaits like this Atomic Semi-Hardz Minnow as well as hardbodies, plastics and surface offerings.
18 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
Securing a flathead in knee deep water is quite a handful … literally! I usually go for a bare-handed lip grip – however, my thumb usually ends up worse for wear. A pair of lip-locks or Boga grips are a good asset, and one that will certainly prove worthwhile investing in when attempting to secure a large specimen. A glove or small hand towel works well too. The best way to keep a flathead quiet when removing the hooks is to hold it belly side up with gentle thumb pressure on its lower abdomen. Always use a pair of pliers to remove the hooks as flathead can easily shake a set of trebles into your fingers … trust me on this! If you intend to release your catch, then it may pay to remove the hooks (if possible) while the flatty remains in the water. When posing for a photograph, always remember to support the fish with two hands if you intend on releasing it. Avoid holding them vertically by the jaw or gills.
When?
The warmer months of the year are certainly more comfortable for dipping your bare feet into the water, however, flathead on foot are a viable prospect from October to April. Flathead become
most aggressive around January through to March, which is my favourite time of year to wade the flats. I prefer to hunt flatties on the last of the run-out tide, but there are some locations that work well on the rising tide too. The low tides are great for family fun, providing a safe area for the kids to fish and fossick. The low tide drains and drop-offs also concentrate the flatties, making them easier to find.
Respect the big girls
Any flathead over the 60cm size is a breeding female, and it’s my belief that we need to return them to ensure our future stocks are healthy. It’s important that we respect the breeding females, as they are out-numbered by smaller males by 5:1. Killing a big breeding female flatty is something that most anglers will regret, and I speak of experience. In my youth, I killed a 93cm “croc” to make a fibreglass cast for a wall mount, and it’s an experience that still saddens (and embarrasses) me today. These days, most fish moulders have a range of moulds in all sizes, and replica moulds can be made of your trophy fish without killing it and providing the caster the fish. All you need to provide is the fish’s length, and an optional photo. Like most fishos, I enjoy eating a feed of flatties and typically try to select those around the 45cm mark, as this size yields two beautiful fillets and doesn’t impact on breeding populations. If we practice sustainable fishing methods, and only take what we need for that day, there will be enough for tomorrow and there on. Check your local fisheries guides as legal lengths and limits differ in each state.
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A RECENT study on marine reserve network performance published in the journal Current Biology has found that the expansion of the Great Barrier Reef reserve network has led to substantial increases in coral trout stocks. The study also concluded that expanding no-take marine reserves had clear benefits for fishery target species, but not for non-target species. Given these findings, it’s interesting to speculate on what a study of a catch-andrelease approach might show, as opposed to total no-take enforcement.
Here’s a rundown of the 10 most popular stories recently posted on the Fisho site:
➀ SIGHT CASTING SYDNEY HARBOUR BARRA
➁ BAIT TIPS FOR BIG BREAM
➂
By John Newbery
IMAGE: SCOTT THOMAS
GIANT YELLOWFIN CAUGHT SPINNING THE ROCKS
Eliminating poaching THE Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions (CEED) has completed a study which demonstrates that well-enforced fishing areas that eliminate poaching can boost the incomes of fishers by up to 50%. Lead author Katrina Davis says that protecting both the world’s ocean life and the livelihoods of fishers creates a win-win result for both fishing communities and conservation. Local fishers operating legally on a limited basis in defined zones can earn considerably more than they did in open access areas where enforcement was not robust and poachers could operate. In Chile, fishers in these special zones are only allowed to take 30% of the available fish stocks, which in fact helps both maximise their returns and the continued viability of the target species by leaving adequate stocks to reproduce.
By John Newbery
20 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
➃ SUCCESSFUL JEWIE FISHING
➄ SYDNEY'S $1 MILLION CARP
➅ FISHO'S TOP 10 PRODUCTS FROM THE SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW
➆ BEST NEW FISHING GEAR – AFTA 2015 HIGHLIGHTS
➇ CRABBING BASICS
➈ OPINION: AUSTRALIA'S BEST EATING FISH
➉ ENVIRONMENT: THE LOCAL FISH DEBATE
Fishing World acquires FishingGearTester.com.au FISHING World has acquired product news/review/comparison website FishingGearTester.com.au, making Fisho the most powerful fishing media brand in Australia. Since 1969, Fishing World has been an integral part of the recreational fishing industry – entertaining, informing and educating millions of anglers. Today, with the printed and digital editions of Fishing World magazine, www. fishingworld.com.au (a new version of this website will also be launched soon!), free online TV series Fishing Journeys, FishingGearTester.com.au and combined social media followings, Fisho has a verifiable audience in excess of 375,000, with total reach around 800,000 people. Fishing World publisher Jim Harnwell said the media brand was always thinking of new ways to engage, educate and excite Australian anglers. “Right from the beginning, it’s been our goal to improve people’s fishing experiences… offering technique-based articles, location reviews, new product information and more,” Harnwell said. “Working hard to protect Australia’s recreational fishing industry has also always been high on the agenda, to ensure Australians can continue to enjoy fishing for many generations to come. “Our expanded media offering will allow us to continue to achieve all of these goals, to deliver the ultimate fishing media experience for all anglers and the 3/5/13 4:57 PM recreational fishing industry as a whole.” FishingGearTester.com.au was launched in 2014, and is positioned as “Australia’s most trusted source for the latest tackle news, reviews, comparisons, destinations, fish species information and more”. Delivering objective and high-quality
information (in video and text), the fully-responsive website also sources the most competitive prices and allows you to buy online directly from reputable Australian-based retailers. The concept was created by lifelong angler Ben Sandman. No stranger to the fishing industry, Ben has worked across most of Australia’s fishing/boating media outlets over the years – including Fishing World and sister publication Marine Business – in roles spanning staff journalist to managing editor. “Ben’s professional and personal integrity is reflected in FishingGearTester.com.au, with a solid base of objective and credible news/review content,” Harnwell said. “Credibility is the basis of the Fishing World brand, which is why acquiring FishingGearTester.com.au was a natural progression for us. “We’ve also employed a full-time content producer, Josh Carpenter, to work on the site, so we have a great team and a comprehensive range of media channels to take Fishing World well into the future and keep Australian anglers up-to-date with the very latest information – from political news to innovative fishing gear!”
ABOVE: Josh Carpenter has joined Fisho and will be running our new Fishing Gear Tester website.
FISHING NEWS
Black cod mix up AS a follow up to my “Chasing the Tide” article in the August Fishing World magazine, Marine Biology Editor Dr Ben Diggles has provided an ID on a fish we initially thought was an estuary cod. In actual fact, the fish pictured on page 18 of the August magazine is a juvenile black cod, (Epinephelus daemelii). It should be noted that the black cod in question was released in good time back to the rocky labyrinth from which it was extracted, which is of relevance considering their protected status in NSW waters. This fish was caught on a soft plastic by Jack Freestone while targeting other estuary predators. With a 6lb braid mainline, Jack did very well to land it amidst potential line cutting pylons, although we can vividly remember a number of hairy moments. For those who have caught the juvenile cod that inhabit the estuaries of the top end, we can attest their southern cousins play just as dirty and have a similar penchant for unforgiving structure. Their breath also has a comparably strong reek. According to NSW DPI, black cod are slow moving, curious and territorial, often occupying a
Black cod are protected in NSW so this one was swiftly returned unharmed to its rocky lair.
particular cave for life. They are also slow growing and have a relatively long life span, increasing their susceptibility to population decline. Adult black cod can reach an incredible 1.7m in length and at least 80kg in weight, but it is more common to see smaller fish up to 1m and around 30kg. The smaller black cod can be distinguished from other estuarine cod by a distinct black “saddle” shaped spot just in front of the tail. Juvenile black cod also have distinctive dark banding along their flanks and the potential for small black spots or occasional whitish markings on the body and fins. The species has been protected in NSW since 1983, and subsequently listed as a vulnerable species in 1999. Accidental capture poses a threat to black cod, so please share the means of identification and vulnerability of the species with your fellow anglers to increase awareness. Fish caught on lures in shallow water, such as the
particular fish pictured, stand an excellent chance of survival provided they spend minimal time out of the water and are handled with care during landing, hook removal and revival for release. If you do inadvertently catch a black cod in NSW, go to this site to report the details of its capture and release: http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/ fisheries/species-protection/report-it
By Luke Reilly.
9th-11th Oct 2015
Keep scrolling to see exclusive iPad only extra pics Keep scrolling to see exclusive iPad only extra pics
MANDURAH
MERCURY 4 STROKE EXPERIENCE
NEW FISHING FORUM
TINNIES & TRAILERBOATS
KAYAKS & CANOES
PAUL WORSTELING
NEW LUXURY BOATS
BOAT SHOW
FROM IFISH TV
9-11 October 2015 at Mandurah Offshore Fishing and Sailing Club, Mandurah Ocean Marina Friday 9am-6pm, Saturday 9am-6pm & Sunday 9am-5pm Adults $18, Concession $14, Children $9 or FREE when accompanied by an adult
www.mandurahboatshow.com.au
WIN
AN ADVENTURE HOLIDAY!
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american performance Government of Western Australia Department of Transport
fishingworld.com.au | October 2015 | 21
FISHING NEWS
LEFT: The team from Shimano with just some of the awards won at this year’s AFTA show.
ONLINE THIS MONTH FISHINGWORLD.COM.AU
AFTA tackle show winners
➀ ENVIRO NEWS:
THE LOCAL FISH DEBATE THE Professional Fishermen’s Association (PFA) has mounted a Facebook campaign aimed at encouraging seafood consumers to support their local NSW commercial fishermen. It poses the question “Why buy local?” and then provides some answers: local is fresh, local is sustainable, local creates employment, and then encourages readers to “taste the local in your seafood”. It’s not really a new pitch but again raises some fundamental questions, firstly about the types of seafood that Australians choose to consume and, secondly, about what drives their choices ...
THE tackle retailers of the country have spoken, voting for the major awards at the Australian Fishing Trade Association annual show on the Gold Coast in late July. Perennial favourite brand Shimano scooped the voting for top rod, reel and soft lure with its Zodias 702 Medium/Light Spin rod, Stradic 2500 HG spinning reel and Squidgies 110 Wriggler Prawn. ABU Garcia’s Revo Spin reel also received plenty of accolades for its one-piece gearbox construction, giving a tough new build to its threadline reels, while the new Penn Clash also turned plenty of heads along with the latest iteration of the awesome Daiwa Dogfight. Best hard lure went to Rapala’s blue-water XRap Magnum 40, with its single VMC hooks and huge bib which can swim it down to a phenomenal 40 feet. Hi-tech lures took another step with the latest sinking stickbait from the Japanese Livingston stable which, along with internal rattles, has a chip which produces a range of selectable baitfish sounds. Livingston’s “electronic baitfish sound” technology is activated only when the lure is wet. On a more pragmatic note, Australian lure maker Halco has downsized its evergreen Laser Pro range into a versatile 140mm model and now produces even more colours and patterns on clear bodies through much of its lure range. Neil Patrick of Halco Lures was inaugurated into AFTA’s Hall of Fame at a gala dinner.
TT’s SnakeLockZ interchangeable jighead weight system blitzed the best terminal tackle section while the inaugural John Dunphy Award for Innovation went to Steve Steers’ Cranka Crab single-hook model. Best line was FINS G40 braid, although loyal fans of Australian-made fishing products should hang about for release of a new Platypus eight-carrier braid. Woven in Brisbane from eight wisps of 20-denier Spectra, Platypus P8 looks super-fine, should be smooth and quiet going through the guides and is rounder and stronger than more coarsely woven braids. In the gee-wiz category was Rapala’s Deeper Fish Finder, winner of the best fishing or boating accessory. It’s a floating wi-fi sonar transducer that can be cast out to send back bottom readings and fish signals to the user’s smartphone. This year there was a show-wide trend for the latest rods and lures for slow-pitch (gomoku-style) jigging, with all the major brands and many of the minor importers on the bandwagon. The usual copycats and no-name OEMs were in abundance but there was a distinct shortage of quality hardware – hooks to suit the new jigs seem to be slow coming from the el-cheapos. Hard offshore stickbaits were also abundant. They all look a million bucks and some of them cost close to that, despite a possibly short life if a big king or GT takes a strong fancy to it ...
By Tony Zann.
3/5/13 4:57 PM
22 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015 C14024 Spanyid.indd 1
11/06/15 9:15 AM
IMAGE: SCOTT THOMAS
FISHING NEWS
ONLINE THIS MONTH FISHINGWORLD.COM.AU
➁ FISH FACTS: JACK BY BEN DIGGLES
MUCH more is now known about the life history of mangrove jacks (Lutjanus argentimaculatus) in Australia today compared to 10-15 years ago. It’s well known (and confirmed by tagging data) that juvenile jacks spend the first few years of their lives frequenting snags and rocky structures in rivers and estuaries until they mature. But once they reach maturity, (usually at between 40 and 50cm in length), most mangrove jacks move out of the estuaries to offshore reefs where spawning is thought to take place ...
Great Barrier Reef decision UNESCO’S World Heritage Committee has voted unanimously to keep the Reef on its watch list in view of the challenges facing the area. These include habitat loss, poor water quality from runoff, impacts from coastal development and climate change. But it chose not to apply “in danger” status to the Reef, welcoming the 2050 Reef Plan and acknowledging government moves to limit new port development and ban the dumping of dredge
IMAGE: DAVE HACKETT.
FACT UPDATE
Sight casting Sydney Harbour barramundi
ABOVE: Jacks live in estuaries before moving out to sea.
THIS barra was spotted recently sunning itself in Sydney Harbour. According to Rob Zarauz, the lazy barra was swimming near the shore at Drummoyne, close the city. “We presented a few flies (you’ll notice one in photo just in front of fish), but the fish was shut down as you would expect in this water temperature.” “A few snaps taken. and it eventually moved out into deeper water,” said Zarauz. Tap here to watch video
Tap here location
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Caption xxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxx xx 24 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
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spoil from those port developments into Reef waters. The Reef has lost half of its coral cover in the past 30 years and populations of dugongs, breeding seabirds and other wildlife have declined through that period. The Australian and Queensland governments will have to report back on plan implementation progress to the UNESCO Committee in 18 months’ time.
By John Newbery
Geelong Star failing to turn a profit ACCORDING to an ABC news report, the Geelong Star factory trawler is struggling to turn a profit after being banned from one zone and night fishing following recent dolphin deaths. The ABC report said the ship was forced to modify its nets after killing eight dolphins and some seals in its first two trips this year. Grahame Turk, chair of the Small Pelagic Fishery Association, said the Fisheries Management Authority has imposed “draconian measures” on the trawler, excluding it from one zone for six months and banning night fishing. “Some of these fish are only really catchable at night, redbait is only really ever caught at night, so they’re not able to catch fish,” Keep those scrolling toTurk told the ABC. “So it is struggling.” see exclusive iPad only extra pics Let’s hope it continues to struggle, goes bust and then gets the hell out of Australian waters! Keep scrolling to see exclusive iPad only extra pics
Fish in your DNA? You need a
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location
QFH3FW001
www.quintrex.com.au
Some of the best high tide trolling sessions take place in less than a metre of water. On a filling tide flathead like to hunt the fringes of mangroves and weed beds. The water is generally quite clean, giving greater visibility to the lures. INSET: Wallabies star Nick “The Honey Badger� Cummins is a keen flatty troller.
26 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
IMAGE: MARK FRENDIN.
Advanced
Trolling Lessons Learning how to troll effectively is a key skill all flathead specialists need to master. DAVID GREEN has spent decades refining the art of trolling for lizards and passes on some of his hard-earned knowledge so you can catch more fish.
fishingworld.com.au | October 2015 | 27
FLATHEAD SPECIAL
C
ATCHING flathead on trolled lures was, to the best of my knowledge, first done by Gerry McDonnell in southern Queensland in around 1980. At this time Gerry and his mates trolled Bill Norman DR3 deep divers around the entrances of the Mooloolah and Maroochy rivers in spring and caught large numbers of big flathead. This was pioneering and innovative work. It was considered extremely “left field” at the time, a bit like many of us felt when catching whiting on poppers was popularised some years back due to the pioneering work by Kevin Gleed. Since this time catching flathead on trolled lures has waxed and waned in its popularity. It is still an extremely popular method in southern Queensland.
While some consider trolling a “boring” method to fish, most of these critics haven’t invested the time, brains or finesse to appreciate the subtlety of the method. Nor do they understand how it is an effective aid to locking in on good casting territory. And plenty of the “I never troll” brigade have outboards and boats way too large to effectively troll, anyway. The following is a guide as to how I approach flathead trolling. Like all fishing, the art is to put the right lure in the right place at the right time. For flathead, the lure should run on or near the bottom. I spend most of my fishing time on the Gold Coast chasing two species of fish: flathead and blue marlin. There is obviously quite a difference between the two species, but the one thing that’s
common to chasing both is that the more time you spend on the water, the better you get at catching fish. And I get just as much satisfaction from a 90cm lizard as I do from a 150 kilo blue marlin. Most trips we both cast and troll for flathead. The general idea is that we troll when we think the fish are scattered over a large area. When we find a patch of feeding fish in a small area we drop the electric down and start casting. We generally catch between 500 and 1000 flathead per season, mostly from my 4.4m Quintrex. The current tally in early July is 217 from nine trips over the past six weeks. The early winter fish are generally a lot smaller than the fish we catch in spring, thus the biggest of this tally so far is only 75cm. The 80cm plus fish turn up like clockwork in August. Most of our fish are caught trolling. There are some key points you need to follow when chasing lizards on the troll. They involve lure selection, using your side imaging effectively, understanding how the fish move on the tide and working out how to troll different contours and depths so you constantly get your lure in the strike zone.
Lure Selection
There are hundreds of lures that will catch flathead on the troll. Contrary to popular belief, not all trolling is done with hard-bodies. Lipless crankbaits, blades and soft vibes are also extremely effective troll options at times, especially in water less than 1.5m deep. The key points are that a troll lure must vibrate hard and harshly. If you feel that little legendary flathead lure, the Lively Lures Micro Mullet, through the rod tip, you get an idea of what I’m talking about. It’s a tight high frequency vibration that’s very easy to feel. Lure colour is important, too. Unlike bream (aka estuary cockroaches) which prefer natural colours and high detail in their lure finishes, flathead like hard solid colours like bright pink, pink and purple, fluoro green and white. A bit of flash also helps at times, but highly visible colours get a lot more bites than ornate bream style lure patterns. Dog’s dick pink is the go for flatties. In dirty water fluorescence can really help you get more fish as they seem to be able to see the lure from a greater distance and strike it more accurately.
28 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
CLOCKWISE FROM THIS IMAGE: There’s probably no gold at the end of this rainbow but a decent flathead could well be on the cards; A side imaging unit allows you to find the patches of soft sand, mud, weed, yabby beds and bait that flathead congregate around; An array of different outfits loaded with a selection of trolling lures, plus plastics for when you find a “honey hole”, increases your efficiency when flatty trolling; The famous Mad Mullet, made by Al Dolan from Lively Lures, is a classic flathead trolling lure. “Dog’s dick pink” is a very productive colour!
I
n deeper water look for bait schools that hold their position close to the edge of drop offs ... Flathead will move quite a distance following small bait such as white pilchards.” In shallow water less than three metres my favourite lures are the Lively Lures Micro Mullet, the deep model Pig Lure (locally made on the Gold Coast by Shane Gartner) and the Zerak Tango Shad. I’ve used a lot of lures over a few decades but these three are reliable fish getters. We also troll Red Eye Shads and smaller soft vibes when the bite is slow. There are plenty of good small lures on the market that all catch flathead. For example, the smaller Tackle World Stradas are very effective. Look for a fast strong vibration, know the lure’s running depth and use solid hard bright colours. The big advantage of the Micro Mullet is its weed shedding ability. When it fouls a few shakes of the rod usually clears it. In deeper water from 2.5 to 5m I like the Tilsan Bass, the deep diving small and medium Bombers and the 15+ Killalure Flatz Rat. These lures will bang the bottom in five metres of water. The Tilsan Bass is a truly versatile lure that works well close to the boat. We often put it only two to three metres behind the outboard leg! Reliable lures that you have faith in are the key to success. The above lures work well for me, but the list is in no way inclusive. There are always
new lures to try. I retrofit all lures with small chemically sharpened Owner trebles.
Side Imaging
One of the keys to flathead trolling is to find the right kind of bottom structure. Flathead are ambush predators and need to bury in the bottom in order to hide from their prey. In a metre of water I set my side imaging out to about 8-10m. What I look for is soft mud with plenty of holes, narrow draining channels and intermittent weed patches. These areas are easy to spot on a side imaging screen. Avoid areas of hard sand. These usually appear as distinct ridges, hold little bait and are more difficult for flathead to hide in. With a good unit it is easy to see yabby holes, small soft depressions and weed beds (which look like dark patches as the weed absorbs the sounder beam and gives a poor return echo). In deeper water look for bait schools that hold their position close to the edge of drop offs. On some longer trolls you may find a few bait
patches, and it pays to concentrate on these areas as flathead will move quite a distance following small bait such as white pilchards.
Tidal Tactics
Once you “learn” your local estuary you’ll find you can catch flathead on the troll on any part of the tide cycle. The key is working out where the food source of the flathead is likely to be and to then chase the bait. On the bottom of the tide when all the drains are running off the flats you’ll often find small feeder channels only a few boat widths wide. These are very good spots to troll. I like to mix up my trolling with my casting. Sometimes we do exploratory trolls up skinny drains and will quickly lock in on a patch of fish in a particular section of the drain. If we have a double or triple hook-up on the troll, we often drop the electric, put it on spot lock and start casting to a localised area full of fishingworld.com.au | October 2015 | 29
FLATHEAD SPECIAL
LEFT: Fisho writer Mark Frendin with a nicely marked Gold Coast flathead. Flatty trolling started in southern Queensland about 35 years ago and remains hugely popular in the Sunshine State.
fish. Trolling allows us locate the honey holes. More often, however, the fish will be scattered along the drain and repeated slow trolls will pick off fish quickly over a large area. Trolling can always produce steady streams of fish where they’re scattered. I much prefer to troll with the current as the lures run deeper, but in shallow slower runs I am happy to troll into the flow. A filling tide can be very productive to troll, but you have to spend a bit of time in your local estuary to work out where and when the fish will move up onto the flats and over the weed beds. Some of the best high tide trolling sessions I’ve had have taken place in less than a metre of water. On a filling tide flathead like to hunt the fringes of mangroves and weed beds. The water is generally quite clean, giving greater visibility to the lures. Some of our biggest flathead have been caught on the top of the tide trolling quite small lures. A good tip is to look for pelicans on high tide. They are often a very good clue as to where the best concentrations of bait are located. Trolling soft mudflats on the top of a big tide is a very reliable tactic that lets you cover a lot of water. I find the toughest part of the tide cycle to troll is the middle of the run out. At this time the flats are still covered and there isn’t an “easy” feeding spot. It seems the feeding flathead often go off the bite as they wait for the tide to fall out further. On this section of the tide I often troll deeper lures in 4-6m of water along fast flowing channels. This produces some quality fish in the toughest part of the tide cycle.
I
n order to be successful the lure should be hitting the bottom, kicking up mud and vibrating hard as it runs close to the sea floor. Lures that run too shallow catch far fewer flathead.”
30 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
Terminal Gear
Most of our flathead trolling is done using 4-6lb braid and a metre of six kilo fluorocarbon leader. When bigger fish start to show up we add a 15cm length of 16-20lb stiff fluorocarbon as a short “bite leader”. A small clip is useful to change lures quickly but clips pick up weed so I prefer to knot to the split ring or run a loop knot if tying to the lure eyelet. In deeper water towing bigger lures I use 10lb braid and 20lb fluoro leader.
Working Lures
Trolling Contours
In order to be successful, the lure should be hitting the bottom, kicking up mud and vibrating hard as it runs close to the sea floor. Lures that
run too shallow catch far fewer flathead. You can increase the running depth of a lure significantly by using fine braid, a lighter, shorter leader and by trolling in the same direction as the current is flowing. It’s important to know accurately the running depths of your lures and watch your sounder continually so your lures are working the right depth contour. It’s a good tactic to work a variety of depths. We may troll a contour of 1-2m for a few trolls using Micro Mullets, then move out to a three metre troll then change to deeper running lures and work out into five metres of water running a Tilsan Bass, deep running Bomber or a 15+ Flatz Rat. Sometimes a really big lure will crack a really large flathead on the troll. Years ago we spent a bit of time trolling Mann’s Stretch 30 plus lures in the Gold Coast Seaway and caught quite a few monster flathead trolling depths up to 12m. We now work the same areas with large soft plastics which minimises the horrible snags we used to get back then ...
Bright solid colours, especially those with a bit of flash or fluorescence, are the go-to lure patterns for lizards.
A rod held in the hand outfishes a rod in the rod holder every time. I keep my lures at a variety of distances, but a lure close to the boat kicks up heaps of mud and can be very effective only a metre or two behind the outboard. I hold my rod across my body as I am generally on the tiller, and once I feel it kicking hard I slowly draw it forward and drop it back repeatedly so the lure is constantly slowing down and speeding up. This also lets me easily feel if the lure has picked up weed. A few quick shakes will often clear a Micro Mullet of weed – as mentioned before, the sharp vibration of this lure seems to kick the weed off. All up, flathead trolling is a deadly method ideally suited to small boats and family fishing. While I like to cast as well, the two methods complement each other well and lead to very productive fishing. Give it a go!
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NATIVE SPORTFISH
A Fresh Look A forced spell away from saltwater pursuits saw CHRIS CLEAVER explore land-based freshwater options and come up trumps with a swag of quality native sportfish!
P
HASES in fishing – and in fishermen – can be funny things. I recently had my focus altered from the norm. As regular readers know, I have a heavy saltwater influence in my pursuits. But that all changed in the blink of an eye … Earlier in the year I was chasing striped marlin off Jervis Bay. On the return leg home to Sydney a catastrophic failure on the trailer saw my boat get slammed on the highway. Insurance was always going to take time, plus having an American built hull meant I’d be several months in the hole in getting back on the water. For years I’d vowed to return to try a few freshwater trips but my saltwater pursuits and a somewhat lazy nature meant I was always “gunna do it”. Now I had no excuses …
Early start
As a kid I’d tagged along on many trips to western dams like Wyangla, Burrinjuck and Windamere with my father and his mates. Nights spent around the campfire meant I’d absorbed quite a bit of info on what makes our 32 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
native species tick. Key factors I remembered were barometer, water levels and atmospheric changes such as storms. But would these factors apply to the rivers? With the enthusiasm level of a kid going to Dream World, rain, hail or shine I was going fishing. Hence I was going to learn very quickly what can make average trip and what can make an exceptional one. The Murrumbidgee, or “Bidgee” as the locals call it, was to be the river of choice, and it’s one hell of a river, both in the length and size. I Google Earthed and searched the internet like a man possessed, touched base with a few guys “in the know” and picked a likely area. The main focus was to be Murray cod on topwater but I did want other natives like golden perch as a back up. My good mate Ben had done a little cod fishing and was super keen to come and explore new territory. We hit the road early hoping to make it to our destination with some low light to give the topwaters a run. Without much fuss we found ourselves where the road ended and unloaded our gear to find our way to the river. As I opened the door the misty fog and first breath of clean crisp
If you spend a bit of time on Google Earth, you can find some great locations. This honey hole has it all – snags, shade and overhanging trees. Gotta be a cod in there! INSET: Cleaver was stoked to get a nice topwater cod on his first outing after his boat bit the dust.
fishingworld.com.au | October 2015 | 33
A
n approaching storm is another condition which can create a vigorous feeding frenzy amongst our natives. Usually it coincides with a pressure drop – but not always. How the fish know a storm is coming I’m not sure ...”
34 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
NATIVE SPORTFISH
ABOVE: Lipless crankbaits are a great option for yellowbelly during high barometric conditions. MAIN: Chris admires a healthy little cod before release. Catch & release is vital if our freshwater fisheries are to remain viable.
air sent a chill through my body. I could hear the water tumbling its way through a shallow run of boulders as kangaroos bounded through the bush. We began trudging down a track under a decent moon as our eyes adjusted to the misty gloom in the valley. The sound of the water plunging over the rocks grew louder every few metres and I knew the river was around the next corner. First glimpses and the obvious sound revealed a healthy flow of water. We made a decision to head up river, requiring the use of head lamps as we went under a canopy of she oaks lining the river. I found myself with what looked like deeper water and a few boulders and I fumbled the large topwater from the hook keeper. Ben was still to put his line through the guides and attach a lure so he sat down and attended to that while I found a likely possie. I fired out a cast to the middle of the river and kicked the big walker into action. Several casts went by with no action – which was what I expected considering I had no idea where I was casting. I plunked a shorter cast near a few boulders and began cranking across the swirling current. About halfway in that unmistakable “boom” as a cod inhales a topwater detonated across the water. A nice cod wallowed and surged in front of us before I led it to a crevice where Ben waited with the lip grippers. It was hard to believe that we’d hit pay dirt just five minutes from the car on our first trip to a new destination. We continued along the bank under a now faint glow to the east as the day began to break, recounting that spectacular “boof” as we went. About 10-12kms later and a beaming sun had us no more fish and a little worse for wear. We decided to head back and maybe look elsewhere.
I commented that I wanted to check the area we caught the fish in the hope of unlocking a key to top-watering cod. We made it back to the start and surveyed the area to reveal a shallow boulder strewn run. Not your typical deepwater snag or rockwall, although a slightly deeper pool was a short distance away. I could only surmise the fish was in feeding mode and actively hunting in the fast water.
Homework
The next few weekends were spent dodging blackberry bushes and trying not to fall down wombat holes. Many kilometres were covered in the process. A few fish came our way but it was a damn tough slog. Theories abounded and I remembered my old man and his mates grumbling about a “bombed barometer”. Another saying was “the arse dropped out of it”. Both meant the air pressure fell rapidly with an approaching low. I decided to do some more homework and checked the barometer levels on the previous fishing weekends. This also led me to finding the Willy Weather app for my iPhone which can give live readings very close to your chosen location on barometer, rain, temp and a host of other factors. The homework revealed we’d been fishing fairly low barometric conditions. It seemed the few fish we’d caught had been a result of sheer determination. At the end of the day, fish have to eat, even in less than ideal circumstances, but they do so with reduced enthusiasm and vigour. So I began studying synoptic charts. Although my fancy new app told me the air pressure on the day, it couldn’t tell me conditions for coming days. I was confident that I knew what I was fishingworld.com.au | October 2015 | 35
NATIVE SPORTFISH
predicting from high school geography days. It looked as though a nice “High” was moving over the area we’d been fishing around midmorning for the coming Sunday. I told Ben my findings and said that Sunday arvo looked the go. As it turned out, he’d already committed to going the Friday and returning Saturday afternoon. The weekend rolled around and I managed a bluewater trip with a mate and got into some marlin action, which I’d missed since my boat hit the dirt. When I got back to port, Ben let me know they’d got two yellowbelly and one topwater hit for 15 odd hours. He seemed a little dejected. I said I was going tomorrow but leaving midmorning to arrive at lunch. Maybe the sleep in and later start renewed his enthusiasm as he agreed to come along. I checked the barometric conditions the Saturday afternoon – it was 1008. Not exceptionally high but Friday had been 1002. As I waited for Ben to arrive on Sunday I checked again – 1012hpa. It was on the up and my high school science skills predicted by lunch
it would be 1018hpa rising to 1023hpa by late arvo. Just before getting close to our spot and losing phone reception, the barometer read 1018hpa and rising. It was time to put the theories the old boys always fussed about to the test. Second cast, and with the car in sight, my spinnerbait bumped its way through some rocky structure and a good golden perch climbed all over it. The boys only the day before were averaging a bite every five hours – it would be interesting to see what happened with the barometer steadily climbing. Those next few hours resulted in possibly some of the best fishing I’ve ever experienced. Almost every strike was visually witnessed in the clear waters and the fish were super aggressive, especially the golden perch. I even managed to catch my first ever trout cod and rack up a “Wild Western River” slam – trout cod, Murray cod and golden perch all on the same lure. We fished for about five hours for a dozen mixed species and about half that lost for various reasons. Sure, it wasn’t a cricket score, but for walking the banks of a small river it wasn’t too bad, especially considering the very average fishing Ben and his mates experienced on the previous day. To put it in prospective, they averaged a fish every five hours. On our Sunday arvo trip we averaged a capture every 25 minutes and a strike every 15 minutes. This proved to me that those old buggers around the campfires knew a lot about these natives. They didn’t have apps or the internet – instead they gained their knowledge through trial and error and good old fashioned homework. I can remember my old man tapping the mechanical barometer in the lounge room every day and watching Win News to see the weather for the synoptic charts. If it all looked good,
he’d be on the phone to hastily organise a mission out west targeting natives. These days we take technology like Google Earth for granted. How easy is it to use a iPad or computer to look at a river and pin point likely pools and find the nearest access route? The technology is here and you’d be mad not use it – but access to the latest digital information doesn’t replace angling skills, perseverance and the ability to observe and learn.
Key Factors
I’ll be the first to admit my freshwater experience is limited, but I do make a solid effort and try to be extremely observant to generate gratifying results very quickly. The next few paragraphs may not be gospel but it is what I have experienced in our western drainage rivers, namely
TOP LEFT: Even small cod will whack a topwater lure like this Aussie-made Nutterjuck. The “boof” of a feeding cod gets all native fish enthusiasts fired up! LEFT: As well as Murray cod and yellowbelly, Cleaver and his mate Ben came across a few rare and endangered trout cod. These prized natives were admired and quickly returned unharmed to the water. 36 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
the Murrumbidgee, Macquarie and Lachlan. As previously mentioned, barometer or air pressure does play a significant role in the movements and habits of both golden perch and Murray cod. A barometer of 1010hpa and below does result in fish becoming quite lethargic, but they are still catchable. Casts have to be pinpoint and sometimes repeated to trigger a response. Best chances at a decent cod is of an evening or morning on topwater as the low light will see them roam a little from their home to grab a snack. Goldens require a slower and more structured approach. Lipless crankbaits jigged slowly around structure usually brings the odd one undone. A barometer that is rising from 1010hpa to 1020hpa or more, especially over a single day, will see a marked increase in activity. Goldens especially will bite with aggression
toward the peak of the rise. Spinnerbaits and other reaction lures will work a treat as they cover ground quickly. The cod definitely begin to stir better but generally not as frantically as the goldens. Spinnerbaits and topwaters will account for most of the action but the odd one will slam a big hard-body. Once the barometer tends to steady at that 1020hpa or above is when the fishing can be at its best. While the goldens’ aggression level is not like the magic rising window, they are active without being frenetic. Once you find them, suspending hard-bodies can be deadly, but spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits will also nail a few. The cod tend to be at their peak around this time. It’s no coinicidence that experienced inland fishos swear by the old adage of “1020, cod a plenty”.
At these times all techniques will work, especially big hard-bodies and spinnerbaits. I’ve noticed for larger fish the evening topwater bite is not quite as productive as when the barometer is lower, rising or falling. Why this is I’m not quite sure. Possibly they feed a little more during the day and the night time venture is not required as often? A high steady barometer which is falling often results in a brief but intense feeding period. This is much the same as what happens when the barometer rises but the window is much shorter and it’s a matter of pot luck timing your session to get it. An approaching storm is another condition which can create a vigorous feeding frenzy amongst our natives. Usually it coincides with a pressure drop – but not always. How the fish know a storm is coming I’m not sure ... I can, however, vouch for
Ben works a likely pool. Cod and goldens will lie in wait for prey being washed downstream.
fishingworld.com.au | October 2015 | 37
NATIVE SPORTFISH
H
ow easy is it to use a iPad or computer to look at a river and pin point likely pools and find the nearest access route? But access to the latest digital information doesn’t replace angling skills ...” seeing a definite spike in activity prior to an evening storm, so if you can see the clouds building in the hills hold out as long as possible as it may unlock an “hour of power”. Rising water levels can have a negative impact, at least initially. They bring increased flow, turbidity and usually a drop in temperature which spells tough times for native chasers. Once the level has settled and some clarity returns, the fish begin to chew once again. It’s worth noting that areas that once did not have fish may now have them, depending on the severity of the rise and flow. Dropping water levels seem not to affect the natives as much as in the dams. A dropping river is rarely as dramatic an event as dams when they release water. It seems to just concentrate the fish a little more and make access somewhat easier. Lastly is cover – notably in the form of shade. A bank may not need even the greatest structure, but if it has shade it can be a gold mine. Goldens in particular have an affinity with shaded banks. A single tree shading an otherwise nondescript bank often produces fish. Murray cod, on the other hand, tend to be structure orientated during the day, but shade makes a snag or rockbar even better.
Gear
I prefer to use baitcast tackle spooled with 15lb braid and 25lb leader with a the rod between
TOP: Spinnerbaits cover ground quickly, allowing you to throughly work an area and find the fish. RIGHT: Now that’s a good cod! Ben with a beast of a fish caught casting a topwater Nutterjuck plug in the predawn dark. 38 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
6’–6’8”. The extra length tends to be more of an advantage then a disadvantage, especially since all my native fishing is land based. Spin tackle will work just as well. A 2500-3000 reel spooled with 10-15lb braid on a 6’–7’ rod would be ideal. At the end of the day, the use of baitcast or spin is a personal preference. When it comes to lures, things need to be compact, especially if you’re covering many kilometres of river. A handful of topwater lures – I like Nutterjuck Clicking Codmotions and Jackal Pompadours – is all that’s needed to work the surface. I also take a good but small selection of 3/8th and ½ oz spinnerbaits in bright and dull colours with double Colarado blade combinations. To finish off, pack a selection of lipless crankbaits and hardbodied divers.
Most my fishing for natives involves either spinnerbaits or topwater lures. To round out the back pack, a camera, pliers, lip grippers and basic medical supplies (namely bandages to treat scratches from blackberries or the occasionall slip on rocks). Comfortable footwear is mandatory. I bought a cheap pair of boots at the beginning and stuffed them in one weekend and nearly killed my feet. I’ve since out laid a little of my hard-earned on a pair of quality hiking boots and have not looked back. If fishing in the height of summer “gaters” can be a good option as they allow you to wear shorts without the fear of blackberry bush scrapes and snake bites. You’ll need a good hat and sunscreen as the glaring western sun can be a killer. Polaroised sunnies are a must as they can reveal some tasty snags under the cover of glare. Possibly the last thing would be a hand-held GPS if you’re going well off the beaten path and deep into vegetated gorge country. Most of the western areas lack mobile service, which can be a pain when trying to find which access road you need to take. Speaking of access, most rivers are bordered by private property and although the river is public property you often need to access private land to access the water. Always seek permission and be polite. If you’re asked to move on, accept the fact and simply look elsewhere. Although our great coastline offers many fishing options and some glamorous species, don’t forget our western rivers and their natives. I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the awesome fishing I’ve experienced on my recent treks. It’s certainly rivalled anything I do in the salt. Anyway, sometimes it’s good to get away from it all and work a few pounds off in search of that next strike from an aggressive native sportfish!
Fins 40G is an all new process designed to produce the slickest, smoothest braid available. Manufactured using the latest 2015 ‘Hi Tenacity’ SPECTRA fibre from Honeywell ® – design engineers at Fins have developed a thinner, stronger, smoother braid with “Full disclosure labelling”
The Game Changer Full disclosure labelling Confusion over the technical specifications of the braid has frustrated anglers for years. Full disclosure labelling
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FINS 40G is a manufactured with a unique process that involves a core of SPECTRA fibre being over-braided with an 8 carrier of finer SPECTRA fibres. This process is the key to 40G’s unique feel, smooth finish and incredible strength.
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Our testing Testing shows 40G is at least twice as resistant to wear as other braids. 40G is also fully manufactured in the USATap here to from US (Honeywell ) made SPECTRA fibre. ®
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Will this Line hold its colour? The colour will last as long as the product, due to the colour being applied to the core fibres it cannot rub off or lose its colour like other braids.
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HIMANO says the new FK series Stradics have been enhanced with the inclusion of Hagane Body and Hagane Gears, complementing the G Free Body design for better all-round performance. There’s also an additional SA-RB bearing and all models have high 6:1 to 6.2:1 plus gear ratios, Aero Wrap II, AR-C spool, One Piece Bail and G-Free Body. The Stradic FK series also has Coreprotect on the roller clutch, drag, body and line roller, which should ensure you get many years of service from the latest incarnation of one of Shimano’s most popular spin reels. More info at shimanofish.com.au
GAME CHANGING GLISS
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LISS KG line from German tackle company WFT boasts the slickness of mono, thinner diameters and better strength than braid, plus is claimed to have better casting performance than both of the traditional line types. GLISS KG is a third-generation line that, like top quality braids, is made from 100 per cent Japanese PE fibres. However, where GLISS KG differs is that’t is not braided but is instead extruded into an almost perfectly round shape and uses different material treatments and coating processes developed to combine the best traits of mono and braid into one line. Stay tuned to an upcoming issue of Fisho for a full review of Gliss. More info at jarviswalker.com.au.
40 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
ZEREK SHRINKS ITS FLAT SHADS
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HE popular Flat Shad from Zerek Innovations has shrunk in the wash and is now available in 3 1/2” and 4 1/2” versions. The smaller Flat Shads were re-engineered with a softer plastic to maintain the same swimming action as their larger brothers. This softer material is still every bit as strong as the original Flat Shads (5”, 7” and 9”) and can be stretched to its limits time and time again without the lure succumbing to the pressure. Coming rigged on a weedless hook, the smaller Flat Shads have the same belly design that allows the lure to fold away under the slightest pressure to expose the hook. More info at wilsonfishing.com.au.
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ENN’S new Clash spinning reel is a lightweight technical spinning reel designed for saltwater use. With a new CNC gear technology system, the precision aluminium/brass main gear and brass pinion are machined for exact tolerances to provide smooth operation. Penn says the Clash is built to withstand years of saltwater conditions. The full-metal aluminium body and side-plate, and eight-plus-one sealed ball bearings, add to the reel’s durability. The tough Leveline slow oscillation system produces tight line lay for improved casting and reduced “wind knots”. The sealed HT-100 drag system is protected from corrosion and, according to Penn, smoothly manages the fight from hook set to landing. Penn claims the Clash pulls 18kg on the 8000 size! Six Clash models featuring an attractive and long-lasting black with gold trim finish are available, from the 245-gram 2500, to the 771-gram 8000. RRP start at $329.95. More info at pennfishing.com.au.
HE latest addition to the TT Lures stable, the SnakelockZ jighead, combines the “chin lock” system from ChinlockZ hooks, with the free-swinging front weight concept of Snake Head jigheads. This enables anglers to secure their plastic in place with the chin lock while offering maximum action and the weight required to get the lure deep in structure with minimal chance of snagging. SnakelockZ jigheads utilise a stainless steel through wire loop, with a locking system that enables anglers to twist and unclip the hook from the head. This gives anglers the freedom to swap hook sizes and weights as required, or attach a different hook to the head to suit a particular soft plastic or technique. SnakelockZ are available in 2/0H-6/0H and 8/0H, with three per pack (two per pack 8/0) and weights ranging from 1/12oz – 3/8oz. SRP: $10.95 More info at ttlures.com.au
MUSTAD DARTER JIGHEADS When the connection really matters
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42 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
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AKO has released its newest lens in the Blade frame, the G0H2. This grey lens base recipe with a red mirror has been carefully crafted using feedback from customers to deliver an all round comfortable lens suitable for a wide range of fishing styles. The advantage of grey lenses is that they accurately and naturally represent the colours usually seen by the naked eye. This low colour distortion makes them extremely comfortable over long periods. Comfort, clarity and contrast are maintained in the G0H2 with low colour distortion and a wider active viewing window has been created meaning more hours of viewing time during the day. Grey lens wearers who found that the eyesight was somewhat compromised in low light will appreciate the light replication this lens offers. Tap here to More info at makoeyewear.com.au. watch video
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APALA’S popular hardbodied lure range is now diving deeper than ever with the all new Rapala X-Rap Magnum 40 – voted the Best Hard Lure at AFTA 2015. Designed for medium to heavy tackle trolling for big pelagics, the X-Rap Magnum 40 Keep scrolling to measures in at 16cm and dives see exclusive iPad fast to 40ft. only extra pics Rapala’s X-Rap life-like scale detail and Aussie special baitfish Keep to patterns will entice thescrolling fish, while see exclusive iPad highly saltwater resistant, quality only extra pics components such as a full wire-through construction and VMC Perma Steel treble hooks ensure the lure is up to the task. More info at rapala.com.au.
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THE ULTImATE wEEDLESS jIgHEAD AFTA 2015 Award – Best Terminal Tackle. Mustad heavy-duty worm hook with ‘ChinlockZ’ keeper to lock your soft plastic in place. Free-swinging front weight for maximum action. Stainless steel through wire rated to 75lb test. Simply unclip the weight to surface fish plastics or mix
44 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
and match hook and weight sizes. Available from 1/12oz 2/0 to 3/8oz 8/0. The ultimate jighead for chasing mangrove jack, barramundi, Murray cod, bass and other species that love hanging around weed, timber, lilies and other structure.
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The all new F130A from Yamaha delivers a new level of performance, efďŹ ciency and boasts an incredible power to weight ratio. Take your time on the water to the next level with the new F130A. This changes everything. TO LOCATE A DEALER & FIND OUT MORE, VISIT:
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PRODUCT OF THE MONTH PFLUEGER ILLUSION CAMO TACKLE BAG THE Pflueger Illusion Camo tackle bag features a heavy duty nylon material with Urban Camo styling. The bag is packed with a stack of cool features including corrosion resistant zippers, ergonomic carry handles, zipper-free front access and adjustable shoulder strap. Need more storage? The Camo Tackle bag also has two external pockets with side pockets and includes five tackle boxes to store all your tackle. Sounds likle a very useful piece of kit! RRP $79.95 More info at pflueger.com.au.
WIN PRIZES! As part of our New Product of the Month section, Berkley is offering a fantastic prize package. Simply email a photo of a fish you’ve caught on a Berkley Gulp! product (try and include pack in the photo) to “Berkley Gulp! Comp” at comps@fisho.com.au. Please include a few words to describe the capture and your full address and contact details and you’ll go into the draw to win this great prize pack which includes: • Powerbait large tackle bag c/w 3 large tackle trays • 6 x Dog lures, 8x Gulp soft plastics • Nitro Pro jigs • 2 x FireLine Tournament Exceed line • Value over $300!
Get your entries in now! THIS MONTH’S GULP WINNER Robbie Leck caught this 15 kg mulloway when fishing for snapper in Kalbarri, WA. The fish smashed a six-inch Jerk Shad in Nuclear Chicken fished on a Nitro jig head in 25m of water. Nice jewie, Robbie. Well done!
46 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
TACKLE FEST AT AFTA SHOW
T
HE annual Australian Fishing Trade Association (AFTA) show is a “fishing tragics” wonderland where all the new gear, lures and gadgets are assembled in one place. This year’s show, held on the Gold Coast in late July, didn’t disappoint. The AFTA show is an industry-only event bringing all the major wholesalers together with tackle store owners and buyers under the one roof. This also creates the opportunity to unite a very large section of the recreational fishing industry towards a common cause. But more on that later. Apart from the usual Australian industry stalwarts, the 2015 AFTA show was notable in that it saw well-known US rod designer Gary Loomis on the Fish-Tec Solutions stand showing off his newest project, Edge Rods. Listening to what Gary had to say provided an amazing insight into the motivations behind such an influencial rod designer, especially when it came to where he saw rod design going in the future. The AFTA show is pretty diverse in regards to what gets released. It can be something as simple as a new size in an existing lure range – such as the new 140 in Halco’s popular Laser Pro deep divers – or something “outside the box” like the Deeper Wireless Fish Finder, which is being distributed in the local market by Rapala VMC. This remote sounder, which connects to your smartphone, took out the prize for Best Fishing/Boating Accessory. Another “why didn’t I think of that” product came from Pure Fishing in the form of the Pflueger Trion Transcendent travel rod. This five-piece design is actually four rods in one in that you can configure it to whatever you you require at the time. So whether you want a light rod one day and medium rod the next, the Transcendent can do it. Then you have the products that push new boundaries of technical innovation. The stand-out in this regard at this year’s AFTA was the Gliss line being distributed by Jarvis Walker. A hybrid of braid and mono, Gliss promises excellent castability and won rave reviews at international tackle shows. Then, of course, there are all the new lures. There were way too many to list here but notable releases included Storm introducing a line of Japanese-designed hard-bodies including the Arashi 25, which was a big hit with all the cod fishos in attendance. The beautiful Megabass Derby X surface walker was also recognised as being of high appeal to anglers targeting natives on the top. Tackle Tactics launched a popular new product with the SnakelockZ range of jigheads, which feature interchangeable weight and hook sizes. These heads will surely spawn interesting new soft plastic techniques for Aussie species. The fact that the AFTA show brings the recreational fishing industry together under one roof offers a unique opportunity to unite the sector behind common causes. During the gala dinner on the last night, fishing legend Rex Hunt unveiled the “Gone Fishing Day” initiative. This is planned as a national event next October committed to trying to get as many Australians on the water and fishing as is possible. AFTA and other angling groups are currently working to get “Gone Fishing Day” recognised at a state and federal government level. And who better to have at the helm of this than the most passionate advocate for Australian angling, the Bearded Burbler himself? Good on ya, Rexie! Check out the Fisho website for videos, news and reports on new tackle launched at the 2015 AFTA Trade Show. By Josh Carpenter
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Black Pete Marine Pty Ltd PO Box 3094, Allambie, NSW 2100 blkpete@bigpond.net.au www.blackpete.com.au | 02 9905 7888
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REVIEWED 7WT TEMPLE FORK TICR X FLY ROD
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NE of the items on my bucket list is to become a proficient fly caster with the aim of catching a jewie or flathead on fly gear. Being a novice at fly fishing I decided to have a chat with Fisho’s Greg Finney and Bryan Todd of E.J Todd, the distributors for Temple Fork Fly Rods. After talking the ears off Bryan (I might add, he graciously answered the barrage of questions I put his way), I was sure the four-piece 7wt Temple Fork fly rod was the rod I needed. I had the option of getting the rod pre-made or the simply the blank and components to build it myself. The pre-made rods are of an exceptional standard, as are the kits. Being a rod builder I opted to build it myself. These unique rods were designed by the legendary Lefty Kreh. The TiCr X Series rods have rod weights from 5 to 8 and are designed to present flies at distant targets. Rod weights 9-12 have the power to launch larger flies and to lift bigger, angrier fish out of the depths. The reserve power in the TiCr X Series give these rods the ability to carry a lot of line in the air. They can easily be over-lined for close-in work. In other words, they even made this novice look like he knew what he was doing.
The blue blank looks smick in the sunlight. The metallic blue and silver bindings I chose really makes this fly rod look like it was designed for royalty. The high quality cork, oversized titanium oxide stripping guides and uplocking reel seat with cushioned hoods top off this ultimate package of form and function. The rod also has a self-tightening ferrule design. I would certainly rate this one of the very best seven-weight rods I have cast. For anyone who likes a fast-action rod, the Temple Fork has it in spades. See www.ejtodd.com.au for details. By Bob Russo.
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48 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015 C14016 Black Run Productions.indd 1
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3D realistic fish eye 4 Life-like fish shape Durable Ultra Strong 10X stretch material 3 Premium Japanese Wire Construction New Thumper Tail design, giving vibration on the life and aggressive thumper tail kick on the drop 6 Patent Pending hook holding system
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Blue Water
’Yak Action Targeting big fish in a kayak in offshore waters defines the adventurous spirit of the modern sportfisherman. MARK WILLIAMS recounts the appeal of bluewater ’yak fishing.
50 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
Dawn breaks as a kayak angler heads out into the blue water, hopefully to enjoy a day of frenetic action involving screaming drags and big fish! fishingworld.com.au | October 2015 | 51
KAYAK FISHING
O
VER the past 12 months I’ve spent lots of early mornings pedalling my Hobie kayak towards the morphing rays of a beautiful offshore sunrise in the pursuit of bluewater gamefish. On many occasions, those golden dawns heralded the beginning of a day packed with hot fishing action where the silence of the ocean’s swells was punctuated by reels screaming in protest as yet another powerful sportfish powered off against a labouring drag system. I’ve caught my share of big fish off the rocks and out of boats, but the challenge of pursuing large and powerful sportfish from a kayak really is something else. I wish I’d gotten into it years ago. The great appeal of this style of fishing is that it’s just you against the fish. It’s a tremendously satisfying experience to hook, fight, land and then ultimately return to shore with a sizeable gamefish from a kayak. Offshore kayak fishing isn’t going to be for everyone. It requires dedication, an affinity with the ocean and a reasonable level of fitness.
My progress in this specialised style of fishing has been greatly accelerated through the support and guidance of Grant Ashwell and Louis Swart, both of whom are good friends and gun kayak anglers. Grant and Louis are two of the most widely respected guys in the offshore kayaking community – you only have to go to www. theyakshed.com to find images of the mindblowing array of black marlin, striped marlin, sailfish, wahoo, cobia, mackerel and tuna they’ve landed. There’s a tremendous camaraderie amongst offshore kayak fishos. I’ve found them to be amongst the friendliest groups of anglers I’ve come across. You only have to look on kayak fishing websites such as Yak Shed to witness the good will and freely proffered advice and guidance. The following is a rundown of the lessons I’ve learnt offshore kayak fishing over the past year, along with various insights I’ve gained from fishing with some of the best blue water kayak fishos around. It should hopefully
provide some guidance for anglers looking to get into offshore kayak fishing and may possibly help some of those currently ’yakking offshore to improve their results.
Which Kayak?
Key factors to consider when buying a kayak for offshore fishing include the type of fishing you want to focus on, the areas you intend to fish and, most importantly, your launch locations. Surf launches such as those regularly undertaken by offshore kayak fishos based around Coffs Harbour and in South-East Queensland are ideally suited to sit on type paddle kayaks or skis. Popular brands that are in regular use with offshore kayak fishos include those from the Stealth, Ocean Kayak, Viking and Perception stables. These paddle type kayaks are ideally suited to trolling lures and live or dead baits over shallow inshore reef complexes. Many of the Hobie pedal kayaks featuring the ingenious Mirage Drive System are also perfectly suited to offshore fishing. Favoured Hobie models amongst the offshore kayak fishing fraternity include the Revolution 13, Pro-Angler 12 and Pro-Angler 14. I believe Hobie kayaks are best suited to calmer water launch locations such as those at South West Rocks plus many locations around Sydney and the NSW South Coast. Where the Hobie Mirage Drive kayaks really shine is fishing the deeper inshore reef complexes where being able to have your hands free to jig for bait or deploy a live bait off a downrigger is a tremendous advantage.
Tackle & Techniques
ABOVE AND RIGHT: Louis Swart and Grant Ashwell are typical of offshore ’yakkers in that they’re gun anglers and always ready to offer help and assistance. MAIN RIGHT: Mark Williams with the fantastic 26kg wahoo he subdued from his Hobie kayak. TOP RIGHT: Safety lanyards are an essential piece of kit to prevent valuable outfits from meeting a watery death.
52 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
Prime big fish target species for kayak anglers include snapper, mulloway, yellowtail kingfish, Spanish mackerel, spotted mackerel, cobia, longtail tuna, yellowfin tuna, southern bluefin tuna, wahoo, black marlin, striped marlin and sailfish. A variety of techniques such as trolling, casting or drift fishing using live baits, dead baits or lures can be employed. Quality overhead or threadline jigging outfits in the 10 to 15kg range seem ideally suited to the pursuit of most game species from a ’yak. In my opinion, kayaks are superbly suited to the trolling of either live or dead baits. Trolling baits is the primary fishing technique for many experienced kayak fishos. These anglers set up their kayaks as trolling machines with rod holders, live bait tanks/tubes and high performance fish finder/GPS combos. You can be sure that many of these switched-on anglers will also have lure rigged casting or jigging outfits aboard their ’yaks to take advantage of schooling fish opportunities, but the majority have set their craft up for the slow trolling of baits or lures. The reason for this specialised approach is that both paddle and pedal type kayaks cover the water at an ideal speed for bait trolling.
L
ure trolling is also a very effective technique when offshore kayaking, but it’s critical to find lures that work most effectively at speeds that you can consistently maintain over long periods of paddling or pedalling.�
fishingworld.com.au | October 2015 | 53
KAYAK FISHING
O
ffshore kayak fishing isn’t going to be for everyone. It requires dedication, an affinity with the ocean and a reasonable level of fitness.”
Live slimy mackerel are the No.1 bait in my book, but other effective baits include yellowtail, pike, squid, tailor, small tuna and bonito. It’s incredible how many big Spanish mackerel are caught each season by kayakers trolling dead pilchard baits on highly innovative wire rigs. Lure trolling is also a very effective technique when offshore kayaking, but it’s critical to find lures that work most effectively at speeds that you can consistently maintain over long periods of paddling or pedalling. The most popular bibbed trolling minnow for offshore kayakers would have to be the Halco Crazy Deep Scorpion, particularly in the famed red head/white body colour pattern. These lures swim perfectly at comfortable kayak trolling speeds and get down deep to draw strikes from mackerel, kingies, tuna and – surprising as it may seem – snapper. Other quality bibbed trolling
RIGHT AND ABOVE: Small tuna, yakkas and slimies are deadly live or dead baits trolled behind a ‘yak; Jewies are suckers for a slow trolled bait set down deep over reef. 54 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
lures worth checking out for kayak fishing include Rapala X-Raps and Samaki Pacemakers. It’s critically important when offshore kayak fishing to be well organised as there’s no one to assist you when your reel screams and the big fish hook up you’ve been craving occurs. As I found out when I hooked a 26kg wahoo off South West Rocks earlier this year, it’s easy to become mesmerised by your reel spinning like mad; but you don’t have time for that stuff – you’ve got to get your other outfit in and get some pressure on the fish before it spools you. You have to work fast, be organised and get after that fish.
Safety First
It pays to be prepared and take a conservative approach when heading offshore in a kayak. My first couple of practice trips were undertaken in
near perfect calm weather in the company of my good fishing mate Eugene Partridge. We both had good quality PFDs and mobile phones in water proof cases. I’ve since purchased a waterproof hand held VHF radio which is on my PFD at all times. Some experienced offshore kayakers I know also carry a personal locator beacon (PLB), which is a great idea definitely worth considering. The other piece of equipment that I consider is of high importance when offshore kayak fishing in areas of significant boat traffic is a safety flag. A high visibility flag mounted on a pole on your ’yak allows boaties to see you even when there is a swell running. If you’re going to be regularly fishing amongst boats offshore I strongly recommend you make yourself up a safety flag to improve your visibility to other craft. Finally, know your physical limits and if conditions begin to deteriorate head for shore. Always take enough food and drinks to stay hydrated and maintain your energy levels. Modern technology now allows anyone with a smart phone to access up-to-date weather information and warnings so take advantage of it and don’t get caught out. I’m sure that most truly keen anglers have either read Ernest Hemingway’s classic novella The Old Man and the Sea or seen the wonderful movie starring Spencer Tracy as the old Cuban fisherman Santiago. Chasing big fish from a kayak offshore is the closest any of us can come to reliving that classic tale of the old man battling the giant marlin from his small timber sailing boat. Anyway, that’s how it feels to me, when I’m out there on the bluewater and my ’yak is being dragged around the ocean by a big crazy fish …
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Time To Get Serious. Developed by
DAVID GREEN
Cod In The Cold Rug up and experience the thrill of massive surface hits from big Murray cod cruising the shallows of NSW’s Copeton Dam. Greeny explains the appeal of winter fishing for our most iconic native sportfish. A LONG-TIME FISHO CORRESPONDENT, DAVID GREEN ENJOYS CATCHING EVERYTHING FROM FLATHEAD TO MARLIN.
Beanies and fleece jackets are a prerequisite when targeting cod in Copeton during the cooler months. 56 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
COPETON Dam, near Inverell in northern NSW, is a very productive impoundment in which to chase golden perch and Murray cod. This lake is home to some of the biggest cod in the country, with fish over a metre long being relatively common. Some of the biggest cod in the dam are caught in the middle of winter. Annoyingly, the prime bite time is in the hour around dawn, the coldest part of the day. Why a huge fish would decide that feeding on the edge of the dam in freezing temperatures is a worthwhile pursuit is beyond me, but over the past few years there have been countless monster cod caught on surface lures at Copeton in the pre-dawn period. Large “walker” style lures cast along the edges have produced fish up to 130cm on a consistent basis. It certainly rewards those mad souls who are keen enough to brave the chilly conditions. Most of the bites have been close to schools of redfin rippling in the shallows in the pre-dawn blackness. The bite seems to end when the sun peeks over the horizon, with only the odd flurry of activity after that time. There’s also a period of activity in the early evening, but it doesn’t seem to match the activity of the frosty dawn period. You have to set the alarm for about 4am to get the best fishing for Copeton’s winter cod. Take it from me, it can be tough to crawl out of warm sleeping bag … Despite the early starts and nippy conditions, it’s clear that Copeton Dam is becoming the best impoundment in the country to catch a metrelong cod. Recent electro-fishing studies of Copeton Dam showed that all the fish recovered were stocked. This lead to the conclusion that few, if any, of the stocked cod were successfully breeding in the dam. Despite concerns by some anglers over the ethics of targeting cod during their breeding season, NSW Fisheries has declared Copeton a year-round fishery with no closed season. All other cod waters in NSW are closed from September 1 to November 31. Opening Copeton to year-round fishing should see an increase in fishing tourism in the area in the spring and bring anglers from far and wide to enjoy productive cod fishing in the slightly warmer months. A lot of good cod are caught by anglers targeting yellowbelly in the spring months. One of the best parts of fishing trips to Copeton Dam is that you can camp on the edge of the lake and keep your boat in the water. In mid-winter this can be a tough task, but if you are well prepared and happy to rug up, it’s bearable. One useful tip to be aware of is that butane stoves don’t work if the air temperature is less than about 5 degrees so use alternatives if you want your early morning coffee hot and steamy. Gloves, good thermal sleeping bags, long johns
and thick beanies are all essential equipment in the winter camping in the New England region. Surface takes from Murray cod are one of the most impressive bites you will ever see. The “suck” is massive, impossible to miss and very loud. They seem to prefer lures with a paddling action that have a very lifelike swimming motion across the surface. Jackall Pompadores, Kingfisher paddlers and Taylor Made surface lures work well. A new lure, the Mud Eye Lures Snake, is a huge four-piece articulated surface swimmer that has had great success over the winter months this past year. It takes quite a decent heavy plug rod to cast such big offerings. Each season the lures seem to get bigger! Cod have a massive mouth and are capable of taking huge offerings so it won’t be long before we are casting life size artificial duck imitations ... Walking the banks and casting surface lures has been very successful. It’s actually one of the few methods where a boat may actually be a disadvantage. A lot of the locals clued into the fish walk the banks in the pre-dawn hours and regularly catch monster cod before going to work. The best
C
od have a massive mouth and are capable of taking huge offerings ...”
areas to fish seem to be long straight banks where a long cast can be made over weed beds or shallow flats where the early morning redfin are often seen rippling in the shallows. Casting from the bank also minimises disturbances – big cod can be very wary when they are up in the shallows. A lot of anglers pull the boat into the bank and walk and cast once they have found a likely area where the redfin schools are rippling. In terms of total fish caught, the winter sessions in Copeton produce far less fish but the number of trophy cod over the metre mark is quite high. It seems likely that this method will work in most dams where redfin and cod exist. Once the sun is high in the sky the fishing can be pretty slow in the winter, but it is still worth casting spinnerbaits around the deep sloping
points and around the myriads of sunken trees. Cod are present throughout the dam. There are plenty of productive areas to fish from up the river arm to down near the dam wall. Chasing big cod rewards the persistent angler. The more casts you make and the harder you fish, the better the results. The new size limits in NSW (75cm minimum) mean all the big cod must be returned to the water. This ensures the future of this great fishery, especially in the rivers where the fish breed. At the time of writing (late July), Copeton was quite low at about 18 percent capacity. This has exposed plenty of new ground to fish. A prolonged and stable water level coinciding with a stable weather pattern and relatively high barometric pressure seems to be the best mix of conditions to fish in Copeton Dam. Catching big cod in a dam is a very challenging – but rewarding – type of fishing. As such, impoundment cod fishing becoming increasingly popular. The winter surface lure “edge” bite is certainly one of the best ways to get connected to a monster cod in Copeton Dam. Give it a go next winter.
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ROD BUILDER WITH BOB RUSSO
The Times Are Changing First time rod builders have never had it better. As BOB RUSSO explains, the products and technology available these days makes DIY custom rod building a real joy. PROUDLY SPONSORED BY
Nothing beats fishing with your own custom built rod.
even for game rods, the modern rods are lighter and stronger than the ones of yesteryear.
Threads
Threads or binding cottons have also changed. There is such a variety of threads available and myriad of colours from base hues to metallic with lustres and sheens.
Keep It Simple
When building a rod you don’t always have to have the most expensive product. Fishos are a strange breed – we all want the latest and greatest gear. However, times are tough and my advice when buying components for a DIY rod is to purchase what your budget will allow. Keep it simple when venturing into the rod scene for the first time.
M
y advice when buying components for a rod is to purchase what your budget will allow. Keep it simple when venturing into the rod scene.”
Custom or off-the-rack?
DECADES before I started building my own rods, I watched in awe as Johnny Ellis from Brighton Bait and Tackle built his custom rods. Rods back then were made on fibreglass blanks with fancy chevrons, diamond patterns, underbinds and many varieties of trims. There were old red and white ceramic guides, varmac chromed wire guides and chrome reel seats. There was no epoxy resin, only varnish to cover the guide wraps. I might add, battery operated rotisseries weren’t around so turning blanks by hand was the norm back then. That style of rod building continued for years.
Technology evolves
Time passes and modern technology has certainly made inroads into the rod building scene. The equipment and components now available are a real blessing. As a result, rod building these days can be as 58 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
complex or as simple as you like. While ’glass blanks are still used, most, if not all, rod blanks these days are either full graphite or of composite construction. The construction of the modern blank blows me away and I’m continually asking suppliers for info on the methods and materials used.
Guides
The style of guides available from companies like Fuji is absolutely mind boggling. High frame, low frame, plus many different configurations of guides, are now available. Thankfully Fuji’s Australian distributor, Frogleys, has an enormous catalogue making choosing the correct guide easy.
Reel Seats
The reel seat, or winch, has changed considerably since the early days. With ultra light, yet amazingly strong graphite winches now available,
The old time argument about custom versus rack rod still carries on. Sure, the modern rods that come off the rack in shops are built to a high standard of quality with good components. But as I have always said, fishing is a personal thing. Some people have long arms, some short; some like long grips, some prefer short and so on. Add to that the choice of grip, colour schemes plus different types of guides and you start to see the appeal of customising a rod to achieve exactly what you want. Even the debate about whether a reel seat has the locking nut forward or at the rear of the rod is a contentious issue for the DIY rod builder. There are a number of rod building forums on the internet which may answer more of your questions. You’ll be blown away by some of the work some rod builders put into their creations. Rod building is a fun and creative process, which becomes even more rewarding when you catch your first fish on your custom-built rod. Your local tackle shop will have an array of blanks and all the components and equipment you need to start rod building, plus useful advice. Give rod building a go. You won’t regret it!
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KNOTS & RIGS WITH MARK WILLIAMS
On The Cube! Berleying up a school of voracious yellowfin or bluefin tuna is the pinnacle of trailerboat gamefishing! TECHNICAL EDITOR MARK WILLIAMS IS A HIGHLY EXPERIENCED ANGLER WHO WRITES REGULARLY FOR FISHO. Keen gamefisherman Luke Bell with a barrel sized SBT. Hopefully this past season has resulted in plenty of these great fish off the east coast!
I DON’T think there’s anything that gets keen sport and game fishers more hyped up than the anticipation of a good run of tuna. At the time of writing (July), the first southern bluefin tuna schools had just been encountered wide of Sydney. I get the feeling that sick leave rates are going to skyrocket over the coming weeks if the fish and weather gods smile on local offshore anglers ... Tuna anglers, in particular those fishing from trailerboats, are amongst the hardiest fishos around. The pursuit of big SBT and yellowfin tuna is usually associated with long days and extended offshore runs in cold and at times adverse weather conditions. Tuna fishing these days is all about using every bit of technology available to get you onto the fish. The internet provides constant fishing reports via social media, weather updates and sea surface temperature charts. Modern fuel efficient outboard motors provide the reliability and range for large trailer boats with plenty of fuel capacity to reach the offshore tuna schools. State-of-the-art fish finders and GPS units assist anglers to find the tuna schools and track the action.
I
f you get the chance to get out there and experience the rush of big tuna action, go for it. Bringing one of those barrel sized tuna to boat side is an unforgettable experience.” A typical tuna game plan would involve a long high speed run out to the predicted fishing area. Then a spread of trolling lures would be deployed to work the area over in a searching pattern. Skirted pusher style lures and blue water bibbed trolling minnows have good track records on both SBT and yellowfin tuna. Once a hook up occurs, or schooling fish are found, it’s then time to commence a cube trail to hold the fish in the area and hopefully allow everyone on board to get in on the action. Experienced crews usually have a supply of cubed up pilchards on hand to begin throwing in the water the second a tuna hook up occurs. This month we’ll have a close look at cubing tactics for big tuna. I had the good fortune to experience the best of the famed Stockton Bight yellowfin tuna fishery during my time with renowned Lake Macquarie Game Fishing Club stalwart Ken Hoff aboard his well-known boat Tradition. Last year I got my first taste of SBT action courtesy of a good mate, Luke Bell from the Central Coast Game Fishing Club aboard 60 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
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You often get a good bite on big tuna in the late afternoon.
H ANDY
HINTS
WIN! A SPOOL OF BRAID
To enter, simply send us a photo of your original or innovative handy fishing hint or tackle-rigging idea, ensuring you include any relevant written information *
THIS MONTH’S WINNER HOOK SAFE Hooks kept conventinally in boxes can become tangled and dangerous, so I found this solution. Simply thread the eye of the hook through a safety pin and then store inside a tackle box. Each safety pin holds a different size hook. John McLean – Via email.
his plate hulled trailer boat sportfisher Asalt Weapon. Luke is a highly experienced billfish and tuna angler who has previously worked the deck with my old mate Scotty Thorrington on Freedom from Haven Charters and during the Cairns heavy tackle season with Captain Laurie Wright aboard Think Big. Luke’s best SBT capture so far weighed in at an impressive 100.4kgs. Cubing for tuna requires discipline; you have to maintain a consistent stream of fish pieces to bring those big barrel shaped beauties to the back of your boat and hopefully to a cube or pilchard bait loaded with your hook. Circle hooks are preferred by many experienced tuna anglers. Luke Bell has enjoyed very good results using the Eagle Claw Lazer Sharp L2004 pattern in sizes ranging from 6/0 to 9/0, depending on the size of the baits being used. Circle hooks are definitely recommended for catch & release tuna fishing as they significantly improve fish survival rates. The leader material of choice for tuna fishers these days is fluorocarbon. It’s near invisibility in salt water due to its refractive index significantly improves your chances of a bite from those eagle-eyed tuna, not to mention that it’s also extremely hard wearing. Luke Bell uses Samaki fluorocarbon shock leader when tuna fishing and will go down as light as 40lb to get a bite when the going is tough and the fish are shying away from baits presented on heavier
leader such as the 200lb Jinkai we used prior to fluorocarbon being developed. In these circumstances I always tried to present my bait to the fish in the midst of a big handful of cubes; it’s vital to strip that bait back so it’s always falling through the trail on slack line in as natural a manner as possible. Whether you fish cubes or whole pilchard baits comes down to personal preference. I’m still a firm advocate of my old skipper Ken Hoff ’s full pilchard rig as we found that you didn’t only get yellowfin bites stripping the bait back down the trail, but also with the bait left sitting out the back in the cube trail or even occasionally while retrieving it. On the other hand, cube baits were generally only taken when being stripped down the trail. To fish the whole pilchard baits we wound a short length of copper wire on the leader in front of the hook to hold the mouth of the pilchard securely shut. I always tried to hide the leader knot and hook eye under the pilchard’s gill cover so only the bend and point of the hook were exposed. Some of the most exciting fishing days of my life have been spent chasing big tuna. I’ve been so lucky to have had the opportunity to fish on boats with experienced skippers such as Ken Hoff and Luke Bell. If you get the chance to get out there and experience the rush of big tuna action, go for it. Bringing one of those barrel sized tuna to boat side is an unforgettable experience.
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* ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Send us a digital photo of your handy hint in action, with a 50-60 word description. Rigs, knots and hints for any fishing application are acceptable. The lucky winner will get his/her idea published, and will receive a 135m spool of Rovex Viris 10lb super sensitive braid. Send your e-mail entry to: fisho@yaffa.com.au
fishingworld.com.au | October 2015 | 61
Kee see only
TACKLE & TECHNIQUES
Well known as a deadly lure for bream, blades work just as effectively on much bigger estuary predators, including mulloway. Well known tournament specialist Codie Stewart is a blade devotee. He uses these diminutive lures to great effect on a multitude of species.
62 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
Blade
Master There’s more to blades than bream, as NICK WOOD discovered during a couple of sessions with an estuary lure fishing gun in Sydney’s Parramatta River.
E
VER wanted a lure that catches most predatory species, casts like a bullet, gets down deep and stimulates shut-down fish to strike? Hell yeah! But it sounds too good to be true, right? Not so ... In fact, a lure family that does all this and more has been around for some time. Many anglers with be familiar with the lures I’m talking about. But not me. That is until I spent some time out on the water with comp fisherman and blade extraordinaire Codie Stewart. During a recent chat with Codie he suggested we spend a bit of time in Sydney’s Parramatta River so he could show me how he fishes with blades. To me, blades were a lure comp fishermen used for bream, and only then when the usual crankbaits weren’t producing the goods. While bream are the major species caught on blades, I found out that these lures can actually catch just about anything that swims – if you use them right. My first outing on the Parramatta was an early morning affair with a high tide that would enable us to hit the flats just adjacent to the Ermington boat ramp. Two minutes from boat ramp to the fishing grounds is something I could get used to ... Codie had piqued my interest when he’d mentioned the whiting were suckers for a well-presented blade. Fished well, they’d have us getting into the big dark whiting that feed in the murky waters of the Parramatta. This major urban waterway holds a diverse range of species including tailor, flathead, trevally, whiting, bream and mulloway. On our first morning, the only fish we didn’t catch was a
mulloway … not bad for a couple of hours on a busy river smack bang in the middle of Australia’s largest city. So what’s so good about blades? Probably more importantly, what’s the best way to use them? As mentioned, the first spot we fished was a flats system near the boat ramp. As most estuary angelers know, flats are a key habitat for whiting and other foraging species. Flats are marked by areas of shallow water bordered by channels and drop-offs. If you position yourself on the edge of the drop-off, cast out into the deeper water and retrieve up over the edges, fishingworld.com.au | October 2015 | 63
TACKLE & TECHNIQUES
chances are you’ll pick up bream, whiting or flathead. By putting yourself on the edge of the drop-off you can also switch to working the shallower water in search of whiting and flats feeding bream. Blades come into their own in terms of casting distance. With 6lb braid and 4lb leader, a 1/8 oz blade (which measures about 35mm in length) will cover a considerable distance. Choose your spot and fan cast until you find the fish. To my surprise, we had some good-sized whiting in the boat before I’d even got the camera out. Whiting are well documented for liking surface lures,
Codie puts the finishing touches to a quality fish hooked on a blade in the upper reaches of Sydney’s Parramatta River. BELOW: Codie with a couple of solid Sydney bream lured up on a 35mm Atomic blade.
64 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
especially when prawns are running, but the blades proved to be as good, if not better, for these feisty little fish. Fishing the flats is a high-tide bite so as soon as the water dropped we decided to head out into the main river and see what else we could pick up on our blades. With the water levels dropping, our next stop involved the poles and structure that litter the banks of the Parramatta. Marinas and bridges provide good hunting grounds and can produce some big bream if you can get your lure in the right place. One of Codie’s top tips for fishing the
poles and structure with blades is a technique called “tea bagging”. It’s a simple approach to lure fishing. Find a pole or bridge pylon that you think might hold fish – a good clue is to focus on structure featuring white marks which are exposed by the low tide. This is where bream have sucked and gnawed potential food from the mollusc and weed-encrusted structures. Get up close to the structure – being careful to keep noise to a minimum – and cast or drop the blade down to the bottom adjacent to the pole or pier. Let it settle and then just dip the rod up and down to see if anything is lurking in the depths waiting to
ambush a passing baitfish. For someone like me who’s not so great at casting around structure, this technique opens up a chance at the big bream that loiter in and around these areas. Blades are an excellent choice for this technique as they are weighted (thus making them easy to cast and quick to reach the strike zones) and their “vibing” action can stimulate aggressive strikes. It didn’t take us too long to catch a few decent bream by tea bagging with blades. Next we decided to experiment in open water. Codie has a lot of knowledge when it comes to the Parramatta River so we decided to head up to
W
hile bream are the major species caught on blades, I found out that these lures can actually catch just about anything that swims – if you use them right.”
fishingworld.com.au | October 2015 | 65
TACKLE & TECHNIQUES
W
hiting are well documented for liking surface lures ... but the blades proved to be as good, if not better, for these feisty little fish.”
one of his favourite spots, the Silverwater Bridge. This is where fishing limits of the river end due to restrictions but it’s a gun spot if you know where to work your lure. Our target species for this section would be the elusive mulloway. I’m always sceptical whenever anyone talks about catching mulloway during the day on lures – but I have done it before with my old buddy Brent Delaney on the Georges River. We had success with soft plastics so it’d be interesting to see if the blades did the trick. As we were fishing in open water just off the main flow of the bridge, I decided to upscale from a 3/8oz blade to a ¼oz, with the hope that a mulloway might be more interested in a larger offering. Codie explained that a good tip when fishing open water on the Parramatta was to wait until one of the river cats has passed and then put your lure into the wash zone. The water
churned up by the powerful jets on the ferries leaves prawns and crabs vulnerable to predatory fish like bream and mulloway. I followed Codie’s advice and cast straight into a ferry’s wash zone. I soon had a screaming run from a decent sized fish. On a 2500 reel and a 2-4lb rated rod, it was great sport. Codie followed me up with the electric motor as the fish had near emptied my reel on its first run.
Experiment with colours
After what seemed like a lifetime, we caught a glimpse of the silver bar that anyone who’s caught mulloway knows and loves. Once safely in the net, I felt really happy that the fish had proven Codie’s theory that blades are a great all-round lure for estuary fishing. Since I’ve experimented more with blades, and done some research, I’ve also discovered they’re an
option for light offshore jigging. You might even want to use them for trout in the alpine lakes as well as natives including bass, EPs, golden perch and Murray cod. I have it on good authority that blades will even catch the omnivorous luderick … They really are a useful lure. Blades come in all shapes and sizes and there are many quality brands to choose from. Most blades feature fairly light weight trebles, which needs to be considered when you’re fighting a fish. Even quality hooks will suffer at the mouths of oyster crunching bream. Keep a constant check on the condition of the hooks on your blades as they will get bent out of shape. For most of the time I fished with Codie I used a 3/8 oz sized blade. When specifically targeting larger species like flathead and mulloway, especially in deeper water with fast currents, you might want to use a larger lure, maybe around the 1/4oz size. These bigger blades generally have beefed up trebles as well. As for colours, Codie recommends something along the lines of a “Muddy Prawn” or “Ghost Gill Brown”, both of which are patterns in the Atomic range of blades. Other brands will have similar colour schemes. These patterns out-fished all the other colours during our blading sessions but it’s up to you to experiment with colours that work in your waters. It’s one of the challenges fishing has to offer – getting the right colour and size of lure on the day. So if you haven’t fished with blades, give them a go. They’re an extremely versatile lure. LEFT: M Be sure to check the hooks on your blades for damage after each fish. ABOVE: Blades can be “tea bagged” around poles and piers to target any bream lurking nearby.
66 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
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ROCK SAFETY
Q
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that the NSW Coroner that all rock fishermen should wear PFDs. This was after reviewing rockfishing drownings over the past few years. The suggestion was that it should be compulsory for all rock anglers to wear a life jacket. Is this going to be the law in future? If so, does that mean I have to go out and buy a life jacket just to go rock fishing? Who is going to police this? Not Happy – via email.
Finney says fishing in an inflatable PFD is no problem and that wearing one will save your life if you get washed in from the rocks.
A
dangerous rock platforms. I, for one, do not want to see it come to that. All of those locations are perfectly safe as long as you fish in flat seas with no ground swell. I’ve been wearing an inflatable PFD from the rocks for a few years now and it goes on whenever there is the slightest chance of a larger than average wave lifting up. They’re easy to fish in and if you do end up in the water you will float and your chances of survival are greatly increased.
You don’t sound too happy about having to wear a life jacket from the rocks but I can tell you right now that it will probably become the law in the next year or so – and the sooner the better as far as I’m concerned. Rockfishing is one of the most dangerous sports in Australia. There are too many fishermen killed when washed from the rocks each year and the alternative to making PFDs compulsory will be locking anglers out of the most notorious locations and
The Alvey 475CP is ideal for blackfish.
JEWIE MOONS
Q
What is the best moon phase to chase jewies on at night? I was told years ago that the full moon is best for night fishing but I recently read that a new moon is best. I’m totally confused about when to go fishing for jewies now. Any advice on moon phases for these great but elusive fish? Mark Tillman – Port Kembla, NSW.
A
I’ve caught jewfish on all moon phases so don’t fall for the trap of thinking you’ll only catch them at certain times of the month. They need to eat so they can be caught at any stage of the moon phase and any time of the day or night. They will feed during the night on certain tides and moon phases and during the day on other tides and moon phases. The common denominator in
any feeding is “baitfish”. I firmly believe that tides play a much larger role in jewfish behaviour and feeding than moon phases. Tidal flow and water level has a big effect on baitfish behaviour and baitfish will dictate where and when you catch jewfish in any estuary system. Work out where the bait is and you’ll find jewfish not very far away. Jewfish are a very predatory species and they will shadow bait up and down any estuary system. They will never be found far away from an available food source. My advice would be to go fishing whenever you can and take note of the tide and moon phases but most importantly learn where the bait is. It may be down near the entrance or it may be kilometres upstream. Find it and you’ll catch jewfish on any moon phase. You’ll catch jewfish on all moon phases and even during the day. The key ingredient is baitfish.
68 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
BLACKFISH REEL
Q
I’m in need of a new blackfish reel after my 40-year-old Steelite fell apart a few weeks ago. That reel caught thousands of blackfish in the local river and off the breakwall but I’m not sure what’s available these days. I see a lot of fishermen using eggbeater reels for blackfish but I don’t have to cast that far and after 40 years I’m getting the hang of using a centrepin reel. Jack McDonald – Yamba, NSW.
A
Centrepins have come along way since you bought that old Steelite, Jack. For many years the old faithful Avon Royal was the reel of choice for most black fishermen but those reels had their corrosion problems in saltwater. I’m currently using an Alvey 475CP centrepin reel for blackfish from the rocks. This reel is CNC machined aluminium and has quality anodising and stainless steel fittings. It spins with the slightest of effort. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the perfect blackfish reel for use with floats. There are other brands out there including a couple of very nice Okuma centrepins so have a look around before you make a choice. With the quality of modern centrepins, you certainly don’t need to go down the path of using a threadline for blackfish.
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SHIMANO JUNIORS
Q&A Flattie rig
Q
What’s the best bait and line set-up to catch flathead in Queensland estuaries? Jayden – Via email.
A
You’re definitely reading the right magazine when it comes to hints on Queensland flathead, Jayden. Fisho’s David Green is an expert on this species and many past issues feature his great articles detailing tactics for Queensland flathead. In fact, Greeny’s has a piece on flattie trolling on page 26
This big chinaman leatherjacket ate a livebait meant for a marlin!
of this issue! The best bait for flathead is the humble live poddy mullet. Poddies can be gathered in a mullet trap or cast net. The best rig I’ve found is a sinker of ample size to keep it on the bottom running down to a swivel, with about 1m of 30lb trace to a 2/0 hook. Your main line can be braid or monofilament in the 10-20lb class on a spin or baitcast outfit. Simply pin a live mullet on the hook and drift along channels adjacent to big sandflats. If you’re land based, find similar areas, cast out and wait. Hopefully a good flatty will nail your live poddy!
Jacket attack!
Q
I have trouble with leatherjackets stealing my
bait. You can hardly feel them bite. Can you help? Max Cameron – Via email.
when the weight of the cork is pulled under it often hooks them for you.
A
Rod differences
The leatherjacket is like an Australian version of the piranha – they will literally eat anything some days and can be found from estuaries to well beyond the continental shelf. All of the various leatherjacket species have small mouths compared to other species of similar size, which can make them difficult to hook. I’ve found a long shanked hook with smaller gape to work well on the ’jackets. A running sinker rig works extremely well; if you’re estuary fishing, try using a small bobby cork. This allows the leatherjacket to take the bait and
Q
What is the difference between fibreglass and graphite rods? Matthew – Via email.
A
Good question, Matthew. Essentially the fibreglass and graphite are two different materials. That said, some rods may feature a combination of the two, known as “graphite composite”, just to confuse you a little more. When it comes to differences, fibreglass rods are generally much larger in diameter, carry more weight for equivalent
Grin and Win! 4 2 Each month as well as our lucky “Pic of the Month” major prize winner, five more junior fishos are selected as worthy winners from the entries and kitted out with a cool Shimano shirt and cap! So keep those Pic of the Month entries coming in for your chance to win! Being left to fight a fish like this on your own is quite an achievement but Hayden Dockray did just that with this fantastic 35kg juvenile black marlin.
1
Six-year-old Isaac Sylvester caught this silver trevally, his first ever fish, in the Bega River while on holidays at Mogareeka.
70 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
3
Savannah Abson certainly had a great capture on her hands when she hooked this redfin in Bopeep Creek near Ballarat, Victoria.
Live yabbies were the bait of choice when Gabrielle Stella caught this 35cm whiting with her dad in Mooball Creek near Pottsville.
1
Win A Great Shimano Spin Reel!
Send in your completed crossword and go into the draw each month to win! Post your entries to: Shimano Junior’s Crossword, c/- Fishing World Magazine, GPO Box 606, Sydney NSW 2001.
WITH CHRIS CLEAVER
size, lack sensitivity but are more durable and cheaper. Graphite rods of equivalent rating are much thinner, more sensitive, lighter and often cost more. Personally speaking, I don’t own many fibreglass rods these days, and the ones I do have are slowly being replaced by graphite versions. I firmly believe a modern graphite rod will serve you far better than a fibreglass stick, especially if you’re using braided lines to cast and retrieve lures. You’ll need to take a little more care with a graphite rod than a ’glass model, but quality graphite rods are actually pretty durable so even that aspect is starting to change.
Across 6. Long shank hooks with a smaller gape work well on _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___
2
3 4
5
6
Down 1. The best flattie bait is the humble live poddy _ _ _ _ _ _ 2. Fibreglass rods are much larger in _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 3. Fibreglass and graphite are two different _ _ _ _ _ _ 4. The leatherjacket is like an Australian version of the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 5. Fisho is the right mag when it comes to hints on Queensland _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
THE WINNER of last month’s crossword comp was Bryson Phillips-Jones of Delegate, NSW. Well done, Bryson, a great Shimano spinning reel will soon be on its way to you!
Send in your questions!
To Chris at: Fisho’s Shimano Junior’s Q&A , GPO Box 606 Sydney NSW 2001, email to comps@fisho.com.au or fax 02 9281 2750. Published questions receive a beaut Squidgy lure pack – make sure to include your name and address.
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Shimano 6.Pic Hook with smaller gape work well on of the LEATHERJACKETS [LEATHERJACKETS] Month Cracker mackerel!
Across
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The Stella family from Pottsville sure can fish! Tim and his brother didn’t let Gabrielle catch all the fish. They also fished Mooball Creek for this great 53cm flathead.
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Phillip Satici landed this 8.5kg Spanish mackerel that measured 1.2m long here whileTapfishing on the reef in location Far North Queensland using a pilchard as Tap bait. done, hereWell to watch video Phillip, a great catch!
Down
1. Be theKIDS! humble live poddy MU a digital photo 2.Send Muchuslarger in DIAMETER [D or print of your catch 3. Essentially they are two differ and you could be in the [MATERIALS] for some great 4.running The leatherjacket is like an A monthly prizes! the PIRAHNA [PIRAHNA] 5. When it comes to hints on Qu FLATHEAD [FLATHEAD]
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Each month we will select a Pic of the Month Major Prize Winner as well as FIVE other lucky winners for our Grin & Win section. Pic of the Month winners Tap here receive ALL of the Tap great prizes you see here, while here to watch video Grin & Win kids will each receive a cool Shimano location cap and Squidgy DVD (right)! E-mail your entry and contact details to: pictures@fisho.com.au or post it to: Shimano Pic of the Month, Fishing World, GPO Box 606 Sydney NSW, 2001 Please include your name and age and details of your catch. Send a stamped, Visit the Shimano Junior Anglers’ self addressed envelope if you want your photo back! Good luck! website at www.shimanofish.com.au
CROSSWORD ANSWERS ACROSS: 6: LEATHERJACKETS DOWN: 1:MULLET, 2:DIAMETER, 3:MATERIALS, 4:PIRAHNA, 5:FLATHEAD
Trolling for
Choppers
IMAGE: SHANE CHALKER.
Like most family blokes, Sydney-based ADAM FREELAND doesn’t have as much time as he’d like when it comes to fishing. So he’s worked out some easy techniques to maximise his time on the water chasing the ever-popular tailor.
72 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
Trolling deep diving hardbodies like the venerable gold Bomber is an easy and productive way to score a feed of fresh tailor. INSET: Like most family men, Adam Freeland doesn’t have as much time for fishing as he’d like. But trolling for tailor is easy, quick and good fun!
fishingworld.com.au | October 2015 | 73
SPECIES GUIDE: TAILOR
S
OMETIMES you just don’t have the time, inclination or opportunity to target prestigious species like marlin, tuna, kingfish or snapper. This is when you need to take advantage of all that “easy” fishing can offer. I’ve discovered that estuary trolling is a pretty easy way to get a fishing fix. At its simplest, estuary trolling involves a pleasant and relaxing trundle around a nearby waterway, hopefully interrupted only by the bite of an angry fish. In the deep, clear stretches of Sydney Harbour, Pittwater, Port Hacking and similar estuaries along Australia’s east coast, estuary trolling is an effective and laidback way to enjoy some time on the water. For a typical Sydney small-boat angler busy
Hooked up! Tailor are great sport on light tackle. 74 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
with work and family commitments, the window of opportunity to fish needs favourable weather to coincide with whatever “free time” might be available. That generally means light winds and clear skies. Match reasonable weather with time away from work and family duties, and you soon realise that fishing activities need to be easy and quick to organise and implement. This is where estuary trolling becomes an easy choice. By having rods pre-rigged with suitable diving hard-bodies, you can be instantly fishing as soon as you’re on the water, then pulling the lines back in immediately before you return to the ramp. Fishing time is maximised. Tailor and salmon present a consistent target for estuary and inshore anglers. While these species can be more prevalent in certain seasons
and conditions, they’re generally around most of the year and can be targeted effectively on trolled hard-bodies. Tailor are at their best in low light conditions but it’s not always possible to plan your fishing adventures around peak times. Luckily, tailor will still bite during the middle of the day, especially if the sky is overcast or during the cooler months. So if, like me, you’re limited to quick sessions on the water, trolling for tailor is a good option. I pre-rig two rods for my tailor missions, one with a deep diving gold Bomber and the other with a Rapala X Rap. These lures dive down two or three metres and troll well at slow to medium speeds. Plenty of other lures will do just as good a job – I just like the Bomber and Rapala combo. Both rods are best set parallel to the water in adjustable rod-holders in order to let the lures run to their maximum depth. A troll speed of around five knots will get the rod tips vibrating rapidly, thus indicating the lures are working effectively. If bites are few but fish are showing on the sounder, adding extra action to the lure (by “whipping” the rod much like you may have seen done when trolling for barra) can induce a strike. So too can downsizing your lure. This is especially effective when the fish are feeding on whitebait or hardyheads rather than larger baitfish such as pilchards or garfish. It is possible to run a third, smaller “shot-gun” down the centre and far behind your wash to cover more options, though this limits your ability to get in tight to structure such as moorings without snagging up. It also exposes you to being cut off by boat traffic passing behind you in busy waterways like those mentioned earlier. Beware the skiff or kayak passing innocently at your stern, unaware of your trailing lines! An effective trolling pattern should have you searching continually for fish. Once located, further passes over the same area should result in extra hook-ups. When making a U-turn to go back over a likely spot, take a wide arc and speed up slightly. This keeps the lures swimming at the same speed inside the arc as well as getting you back where you want to be sooner. If the wind is less than 10 knots you can effectively troll between moored boats while keeping the lures clear of the mooring lines. Once the wind picks up it becomes increasingly difficult to hold your course unless you have a long, straight corridor between moored boats and a bit of width to work with. Adjust your speed to suit the breeze or current. As long as the rod tip signals those lures are vibrating, you’re primed. A stationery or slightly flexed tip indicates you’ve probably picked up weed and it’ll need to be reeled in for inspection. There’s no mistaking a hit from a decent tailor. The rod will twitch and then smack downwards. If the fish is a good one hopefully there’ll be the sound of line peeling against the drag while a tailor madly headshakes through the wash behind. Don’t knock the engine out of gear just yet. The moving
I
IMAGE: SHANE CHALKER.
IMAGE: SHANE CHALKER.
’ve discovered that estuary trolling is a pretty easy way to get a fishing fix. At its simplest, estuary trolling involves a pleasant and relaxing trundle around a nearby waterway, hopefully interrupted only by the bite of an angry fish.”
CLOCKWISE FROM MAIN: If you keep your boat fuelled up and your tackle rigged and ready, it’s no big drama to head down to your local estuary and troll up some choppers when you get a few spare hours; A set of 4-6kg outfits rigged with divers along the lines of the gold Bomber and Rapala pictured here will get you amongst the choppers; Treble-armed lures can cause damage to fish you plan on releasing. Replacing the trebles with singles is best for C&R. fishingworld.com.au | October 2015 | 75
IMAGE: SHANE CHALKER.
SPECIES GUIDE: TAILOR
There’s no doubting that tailor put up a great fight! Here Adam gets stretched by a quality fish.
A solid chopper does its best to escape the trebles on this Rapala diver.
F ACT BOX BBQ TANDOORI TAILOR MIX TWO tablespoons of tandoori paste with two tablespoons of plain yoghurt. Paint tailor fillets with the mixture and rub it right in with your fingers. On a low-heated, well-oiled barbeque plate, cook each side of the fillet for a few minutes only, so that it’s just cooked through. Serve topped with more yoghurt and add any fresh herbs you have handy, preferably coriander or mint, and a squeeze of lime. As mentioned in the main story, tailor need to be bled and iced immediately on capture. Storing whole bled and gutted fish in the fridge overnight “firms” the flesh and makes it easier to fillet them the following day. Tailor don’t freeze well so only take as many fish as you can eat fresh. Swapping the trebles on your lures to single hooks makes release of unwanted fish much more effective – trebles often make a mess of a tailor’s fairly delicate jaws and should be avoided if you plan on practising Catch & Release.
ABOVE: Coated in a spicy tandoori and yoghurt mix, and then BBQ’d or grilled, fresh tailor fillets come up a treat!
76 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
boat helps keep the line taut while you take the rod from the holder and it also keeps the second lure moving, often resulting in a double hook up. By now you’ll have an idea of the size of the fish. If it feels good, point the boat into open water before dropping into idle. Consider approaching vessels and the proximity of any moorings you may drift toward during the fight, being prepared to steer and throttle with your spare hand if you’re alone. Naturally, have a landing net at the ready and always net your fish head first. Keep pliers within reach and be mindful of the tailor’s sharp teeth when removing your lure. Even a small tailor can give errant fingers a nasty nip. They aren’t called “choppers” for nothing! Most estuary tailor range from sub-legal (under 30cm in NSW) through to quality specimens of 2-3 kilos. Bled and iced, tailor are good eating, although some people don’t like their softish flesh and distinct flavour. See the Fact Box for a tasty tailor recipe!
Gear
Spin or baitcast tackle in the 4-6kg range is ideal when trolling for tailor. You never know when a decent kingfish or XOS salmon might latch onto your lure so 5-6kg braided mainline and 7kg fluorocarbon leader is advisable. Tailor have a reputation for snipping line with their teeth so many anglers have tended to use a short wire trace when targeting them. This isn’t necessary when trolling with hard-bodied lures. In fact, the wire trace will probably result in fewer bites due to it being clearly visible to the fish. As with all fishing, it’s a good idea to be flexible and adapt to various situations as they occur out on the water. When it comes to trolling for tailor, having a couple of light spin sticks loaded with metal casting lures, soft plastics or even a popper or stickbait opens up extra opportunities if you see fish busting up. If fish are seen rolling on the surface, sipping or flicking with their tails, it’s likely they’re
feeding on small baitfish and may not touch your diving lures. Anyway, it’s not a good idea to troll through surface feeding fish – this simply puts them down, thus denying you and any other anglers in the area the chance to hook up. If you see surface activity, get the trolling lures in and position the boat so you drift towards the fish. A metal (the 40 gram Spanyid Raider is a popular choice) or surface lure should get whacked straight away. Dropping a plastic or micro jig down below the feeding fish often results in better quality tailor plus the possibility of other species including mulloway, kings and even snapper.
No fuss
Having your boat prepped and full of fuel, plus your rods rigged and ready to go, means you can easily hit the water when time and circumstances allow it. If you’re not organised, it’s all too easy to miss out on fishing opportunities. Given that most of us are time poor, it seems logical that any and all opportunities to wet a line are realised. So do yourself a favour and make it as easy as possible to do so! Another great aspect to this form of fishing is that it’s generally undertaken in pleasant places. In my home waters of southern Sydney, Buranneer Bay, Gymea Bay, Gunamatta Bay and Yowie Bay in the Port Hacking all have plenty of deep, calm water to explore. These waterways are fronted by beautiful homes and great expanses of national park, making it easy to dream the time away between hits. Tailor are abundant in Sydney’s deep, cool estuaries and will do their best to distract you while you’re admiring the backdrop. So between more serious missions, or if you’re perennially limited for time, consider going for a brief yet leisurely troll. At worst, it’ll be good for the soul; at best, you’ll catch a heap of hard-fighting choppers and have a blast!
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With mates like this the fishing is easy. Tap here location
Especially if they’re names you trust. The new Quintrex Blade Hull, with its smooth side pressings and sharper stem line, simply slices through the water. Add to that a factory-fitted Evinrude E-Tec motor with class-leading performance. Things get even better when you add in the purpose-built trailer. Sure, you can get cheaper deals, but you won’t get the quality, experience, innovation and engineering of a Quintrex/Evinrude factory-engineered package. Yep, it’s good to have mates out on the water.
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OPPOSITE PAGE: Quality fish like this 40cm specimen are on the cards when targeting bream on lures from the shore. THIS PAGE: Plenty of coastal creeks offer good access to prime bream territory. Accurate casts close to structure will get you the bites.
78 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
SHORE-BASED ACTION
Bream Off
The Bank! I
You don’t need a boat to catch quality bream on hard-bodied lures. BEN CADDAYE explains.
T makes sense to be on the water and mobile when chasing bream with lures. A boat or small water craft not only makes it easier to find bream, it also allows anglers to move quickly from location to location, following the tides, bait and concentrations of feeding fish. Sneaking up on bream and casting to them, especially around structure, can also be much easier if you’re on a carefully positioned boat or kayak. But there’s no reason why shore-based anglers can’t get their slice of the bream luring action as well. While a lot of fishos target bream from the shore with bait, only a few throw hard-bodied or soft plastic lures from terra firma in a dedicated attempt to catch these fish. Most land-based bream lurers I know of walk the open flats, employing longs casts with surface lures to connect to yellowfin bream cruising the shallows. But the land-based breaming can be just as good – or better – in the narrow, snaggy, tree-lined creeks and inlets in the upper reaches of many estuary systems. The good thing about these locales is you’re likely to encounter a mix of yellowfin and black bream, and the average size of fish is generally very good too. I started chasing bream from the bank on lures out of necessity after selling my kayak in 2013. Parting with the ’yak was a spur-of-the moment decision, one which I regretted almost immediately. I regularly used my kayak to fish a couple of bream honey holes on the NSW Far South Coast. These creeks and backwaters are too small for a boat – the only way to fish them is via paddle power or on foot. Without my ’yak, I only had one option: walk the shoreline with a handful of lures and hope for the best. To be honest, I didn’t expect to fare that well, with most of my previous shore-based bream luring sessions amounting to very little. So I was surprised and very pleased when, over fishingworld.com.au | October 2015 | 79
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: A nice little bream ready for release. On light tackle even smallish bream put up a good scrap.; A 2-4kg spin outfit is ideal for casting small lures around snags, flats and rockbars in search of luremunching bream; Prime bream structure! Sunken timber like this close to deep water should be given a good working over.
80 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
SHORE-BASED ACTION
the course of an hour or so, a succession of decent black bream nailed my hard-body. A number of follow-up trips produced more fish; in fact, my results were almost on par with the ’yak-fishing sessions I’d enjoyed in the past.
Location
I’m convinced the key ingredient to my shore-based success were the locations I was fishing – narrow, tree-lined creeks with lots of snags and tannin-stained water. Bream are notoriously flighty fish; if you can see them, they can generally see you. Sneaking up on fish from a shore-based position can be hard, so a bit of natural cover and some colour in the water always helps. Snags and structure help too. The black and yellowfin bream I chase are extremely structureoriented. The presence of overhanging trees, submerged logs and rock bars along and adjacent to the shoreline makes it easy for an angler walking the bank to cast to likely bream-holding areas. A lot of the time, bream will be holding tight to these pieces of structure, so a cast that lands in the vicinity is immediately in the strike zone. It also means the bream don’t often see you until your lure’s in their mouth! The best way to fish creeks and waterways like this on foot is to walk the shoreline, staying well back from the water’s edge (if you can) and casting parallel to the bank towards any likely looking structure. If you don’t get any hits close to the shore, you can fan-out your casts to cover more terrain, as sometimes the bream are out in open water feeding over weed or yabby beds. I nail most of my fish close to shore and near structure, but I also hook a few with “blind” casts towards open water.
Other factors
Time and tide play significant roles when luring bream from the shoreline. I experience the bulk of my success either very early or late in the day.
F ACT BOX BEST LURES THE following are lures used and recommended by the author. There are almost limitless options and your local tackle shop will be able to provide advice on lures suitable to your waterways. HARD-BODIES: Atomic Hardz Crank 38, Cranka Crank 35mm, Bushy’s Stiffy, Berkley 3B Fat Dog, Ecogear SX-40, Strike-Pro Pygmy. SURFACE LURES: Rebel Pop-R,River to Sea Bubble Pop, Bushy’s Stiffy Popper, Berkley 3B Scumdog, Lucky Craft Sammy, Strada Viral. SOFT PLASTICS: 80mm Squidgy Wriggler (in Bloodworm), Berkley Gulp two-inch Shrimp, Z-Man 2.5-inch Grubz (in Motor Oil), Berkley Powerbait 2.5-inch Ripple Shad (Cappuccino).
ABOVE: There are plenty of options when selecting lures for land-based bream spinning
Bream relish low light conditions and are more likely to feed closer to the shoreline during these windows of opportunity around dawn and dusk. When shore-based, I always try to time my bream luring trips with a making tide. Bream will use a rising tide to access snags, flats and undercut banks, coming within easy casting distance in the process. The last three hours of a flood tide are particularly good, and spring (or especially high) tides can turn on some remarkable fishing.
fishingworld.com.au | October 2015 | 81
SHORE-BASED ACTION
L
uring bream from the bank has its challenges. When I’m chasing bream from my boat, I’m more often than not casting into shallower water and slowly working my lure back into deeper water. Shore-based anglers are at a disadvantage right from outset given they’re usually doing the complete opposite.” Bream aren’t really seasonal and will hit a well-placed lure year-round. In saying that, in southern NSW at least, the warmer months, from about November through to April, produce the best catches of bream on lures. My favourite months for this style of fishing are from January to March.
Lures
Luring bream from the bank has its challenges. When I’m chasing bream from my boat, I’m more often than not casting into shallower water and slowly working my lure back into deeper water. Shore-based anglers are at a
ABOVE: Small floating or suspending hardbodies are ideal weapons when targeting bream from land-based positions. TOP: As well as black and yellowfin bream, bycatch when spinng from shore includes flatties, tailor, whiting and even bass/EPs (depending on where you’re fishing).
82 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
disadvantage right from outset given they’re usually doing the complete opposite. Retrieving a soft plastic or hard-bodied diver from deep water into shallow often results in snagged lures and fouled trebles. The best way to combat this is by carefully choosing your lure. Floating or suspending hard-bodies are my favourite choice of lure for this style of fishing as you can exercise a fair degree of control over them, allowing you to manoeuvre around snags and prevent them from simply ploughing into the bottom or fouling in the rocks or weed. My go-to hard-body is the sublime little Atomic Hardz Crank 38 (Mid or Deep). It casts well and gets down into the strike zone quickly but, when paused, floats slowly to the surface, allowing you to “drive” it through snaggy terrain. There are plenty of similar small floating or suspending lures that are equally effective (see Fact Box on page 81). Surface lures are another great choice for shore-based fishing in the shallow, snaggy creeks. Poppers and walk-the-dog-style stick baits can be dynamite when retrieved over rock bars, yabby beds and alongside drowned timber. I turn to them when the terrain is especially snaggy or when there are signs of surface feeding bream in the vicinity (such as the tell-tale “kissing” sound of a bream slurping tiny prawns or baitfish off the surface). The warmer months in particular are a great time to flick surface lures from the shore. Bream like slow retrieves featuring lots of pauses. You’ll pick up whiting, tailor and flathead as by-catch, too.
Soft plastics are a trickier proposition. I’ve had only modest success with small wrigglers and prawn imitation plastics fished on relatively light jig-heads – mainly because it’s difficult to control the sink rate. Retrieving a lure that wants to sink through snaggy terrain is a recipe for frustration. Anglers can combat this issue by using very light or hidden weight jig-heads, although this does significantly reduce casting distance. Don’t get me wrong, plastics can and do work when fished from the shore, but expect some snags in between fish.
Tackle
Light spin tackle is ideal for this form of fishing – just don’t go too light! Wrestling a decent bream from structure is challenging at the best of times; when you’re on the shoreline, often with little scope to move or alter the direction of the fight, the degree of difficulty increases. I opt for 6lb braid and 8-10lb leader as a bare minimum. A seven-foot, 2-4kg rod will provide the casting distance and leverage you need.
Conclusion
Anglers fishing for bream with lures from a boats or kayaks are nearly always going to out-fish their shore-based counterparts. But if you’re without any form of water craft, bream luring is still something you can definitely pursue from dry land. There are countless creeks and backwaters like the ones I’ve described in this article; if you can find one, you too can enjoy a bit of productive shorebased bream luring.
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techniques, add a welcome breadth and depth to my overall fishing experiences, which helps keep variety and opportunities at the fore. While some techniques are easier to learn than others, I’ve learnt that obtaining an optimal level of knowledge and competence to help make catches more consistent requires a considered approach.
Fundamentals If you want to catch fish on lures, leave the bait at home!
The first thing to concentrate on when learning a fishing technique is to complete as much background research as possible and to learn the fundamentals. Research the techniques and equipment required then prepare for your first outing. Concentrate your efforts on a few aspects of the new form of fishing and keep practicing the basics. Remember that you need to crawl before you can walk. Many people get frustrated if they can’t master something immediately when fishing. When I’ve tried to teach people in the past, I liken the learning experience to trying to pick up a new sport or language; you won’t be able to bowl a perfect over the first time you play cricket, nor will you be able to speak fluently after the first language lesson; however, learning the basics and building on the fundamentals will lay the foundation for future success.
Focus
AT some stage during our fishing lives, most of us decide to take the plunge and try a new form or style of fishing that differs to what we’re accustomed to. Learning of any form requires patience, perseverance and discipline – something that many people seemingly struggle with in an age where digital information and social media has an almost immediate feedback loop. I distinctly remember the first time I went luring bream. It was 10 or 15 years back and I recall researching knots, outfits, lures and techniques from my trusted stockpile of fishing magazines, books from the library and data from what was then fledgling internet. It took about six months of persistence to finally crack the code and land bream 84 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
consistently on lures. During that period of trial and error, I learnt the importance of finesse approaches, leader size, lure presentation and careful rigging. I also furthered my understanding of bream habitat and prime tide phases for each location. It was a gruelling chore at first and quite demoralising to return home empty handed on my first few bream luring expeditions; however, persistence and incremental lessons learnt helped with the journey of discovery. Over the decades I’ve taught myself how to fish with a centrepin reel for luderick, fly fish for everything from trout to kingfish (along with tying my own flies) and to chase all manner of species on hard-bodied and soft plastic lures. These, along with a raft of other
Learning a new technique requires perseverance and discipline. You have to want to achieve an outcome and concentrate on it in order to learn effectively – forget any half-hearted inclination and instead focus. If you’re learning how to fly fish, only take your fly gear with you. Sure, the fish may be biting frantically and you might have caught a bucket load on conventional gear; but you need to be dedicated to the task at hand. I struggled the first few times with a fly rod and was discouraged when I struggled to cast, let alone get a bite, in situations where there were plenty of fish to catch on conventional gear. Focus and discipline will be rewarded in spades as you push through the learning curve. For example, the days I left my spinning reels at home were the days when I was most frustrated but learned the most about how to manage a fly outfit.
Refining your skills
It helps to keep track of progress when attempting to master a new fishing challenge. If you’re learning how to use a side cast reel or struggle to accurately use a baitcaster for the first time, you can video yourself with a
LEFT: Many hours of practice and perseverance resulted in Sami catching this kingfish on one of his homemade flies!
smartphone and analyse your technique, making notes of areas where you need to improve and practice. If targeting a new species, remember to make notes on what techniques get results and what tackle, lure or baits bait work under a particular scenario. Keeping track of past success and failures while taking note of each outing allows you to build up a sound knowledge base. As with any new activity, practice and repetition with constant review helps to refine your skills.
Learning curve
Self-education isn’t for everyone. For many, the best way to learn a new technique and accelerate the learning process is to employ the help of a teacher and to obtain feedback. A teacher can be a skilled mate who has knowledge you’re yet to develop, an internet “friend” that you can exchange thoughts with or a fishing guide/instructor. Guides spend more time on the water than you probably ever will and have mastery in their chosen field of
L
earning a new technique requires perseverance and discipline. You have to want to achieve an outcome and concentrate on it in order to learn effectively ...”
expertise. A few days on the water with a good guide is a sure-fire way of developing new skills as you’ll get immediate feedback and instruction to optimise the chances of success. Most, if not all, professional fishing guides will offer services aimed at teaching you to fish better. Some will even come out with you in your own boat, which can greatly accelerate your learning curve. And even if the guide is not actively “teaching” you, you can still learn simply via observastion. Paying close attention to baits, rigs, knots, tackle, boat positioning and so on can fast track your development. Regardless of whether you teach yourself or employ the services of an expert, the only way that you’ll continue to develop and improve is to keep researching and getting out there till you’ve comfortably mastered each new technique. After all, practice makes perfect!
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DAVE RAE
It’s All In The Name Confused about what to call the fish you just caught? Don’t worry – Dave’s in the same boat. So just go with the flow! BY DAVE RAE
“barrie”. Another said it looked more like Spanish mackerel. Fact is, they were both right! In some circles, Spaniards are known as “narrow-barred mackerel”, hence the appreviated name of “barries”. Old school fishos in Coffs also call Spaniards “snook”, which takes the confusion to another level. Snook are also a pike-like fish often targeted by lure anglers in South Australia. In southern America, snook are a very popular inshore sportfish which look a bit like barramundi. Fisho editor Jim Harnwell told me a funny tale about when he was cleaning fish at a popular Coffs boat ramp a few years back. The bloke next to Jim began talking about all the “snook” he’d been catching. The hapless Jim didn’t have a clue what old mate was on about until he hauled a nice Spaniard out of his ice box!
A
s far as I’m concerned, colloquial fish names are worth celebrating, often because of the intriguing history behind some of them.”
A juvenile “black snapper”, aka grassy sweetlip, grassy emperor or spangled emperor.
JUST recently I combined a mulloway session with a trip to the supermarket for the weekly shop. I figured it would be interesting to front up to the checkout liberally coated with essence of fresh mulloway to share with those around me, but alas it was not to be ... Which brings me back to the checkout. I was just paying up when that lovely lady from the Seafood Department announced that squid tubes were now half price. Hearing this, I went off and bought the last of the squid. The princely sum of $3.55 got me five tubes weighing 980g. In my book, that’s good buying! What intrigued me, however, were the “black snapper” fillets lying beside the now empty squid tray. They were listed at 30 bucks a kilo. The fillets looked decent – they had white flesh with a texture similar to snapper – but they weren’t snapper. None of the ladies behind the counter knew what they were, so I emailed my fishing brains trust, aka “The President”. Michael was the president of our local angling club back in the late 1980s and ’90s … in fact he’s probably still there. He’s now a 90 | fishingworld.com.au | October 2015
commercial line fisherman, who astounds us all with the prices he gets for well-treated tailor. He tried to teach me Commerce in Year 10, and may have succeeded except for all the rowdy boys around me … “It wasn’t me, sir” was a common reply in 1975. Unfortunately he was clueless about the mysterious black snapper as I was, so I turned to Google in order to shed light on the fish’s identity. As it turned out, the black snapper and I are well acquainted. During our family trips onto the Great Barrier Reef we target black snapper late in the afternoon and during early evening. They love the sand and gravel beds adjacent to the shallow reefs of the tropics and they fight like a small truck when hooked close to coral. Yes, black snapper are none other than a grassy sweetlip, aka grassy emperor or spangled emperor. Fish names can be confusing. For example, I was recently a guest at a wedding. One of the dishes was fish. When asked what it was, another Coffs Harbour local said it was
Snapper are another example of a fish species which carries a range of names depending on geographical locations. Depending on where you are, snapper are known as reds, knobbies, squire (mainly in NSW), pinkies (WA), platies (northern NSW) or ruggers (SA). Seafood marketers are trying to establish a list of “standard” names for fish. There’s probably good reasons for this but as far as anglers are concerned perhaps we should resist this move towards conformity and instead enjoy the idiosyncratic nature of fishy nomenclature. As far as I’m concerned, colloquial fish names are worth celebrating, often because of the intriguing history behind some of them. Certain fish names are certainly interesting: take luderick, teraglin and nannygai just to name a few. As far as I’m aware, the name “luderick” has Aboriginal origins; I have no idea where “tergalin” or “nannygai” come from. And how about the fixation on naming fish after animals? You’ve got horsies (bonito), lizards (flathead), pigs (drummer) and goat (those nannygai again). Luckily, I now know that a black snapper is in fact a spanglie. Or is that a grassy? Or maybe a sweetlip? I dunno ... All I know for sure if that a black snapper is different to a red snapper. Or is that a knobbie? Pinkie? Aggghh!
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PAGES
24
OF BOAT FISHIN TESTS, TIPS G & MORE!
OCTOBER 2015
Top Of Its Game Hard-Core Surtees 700 Game Fisher
BROOKER IS BACK
Tinny Maker’s Fresh New Range
SUPERCHARGED POWER
Performance Test of Fisho’s Mercury Verado
+
NEW GEN ELECTRONICS: RAYMARINE CP570 & LOWRANCE HDS7 TESTED GARMIN ACTION CAM AQUANAMI JET KAYAK MINN KOTA ULTERRA
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CONTENTS
95
OCTOBER 2015
Contents
96 REVIEWED: SURTEES 700 GAMEFISHER The Surtees 700 Gamefisher is featurepacked fishing machine perfect for extended trips or long runs offshore.
96
110 REVIEWED: BROOKER 535C XDT Brooker’s 535C XDT is an affordable boat with a quality build and loads of space for sport fishing.
100 BOATING BITS All the latest gear and details of new boats.
100
112 REVIEWED: DUAL RANGE FROM RAYMARINE
106 ENGINE TEST: MERCURY 175HP FOURSTROKE VERADO
The top-of-the-line CP570 sounder module from marine electronics giant Raymarine offers unrivalled deep water sounding power.
After more than 130 hours of saltwater use, Jim Harnwell assesses the performance of the 175hp Mercury FourStroke Verado bolted to the transom of the Fisho project boat.
108 REVIEWED: LOWRANCE HDS GEN3 Lowrance’s updated HDS Gen3 features a long list of advanced features in a user-friendly unit.
COVER: A big, solid plate alloy hard-top like the Surtees 700 Gamefisher make an awesome offshore fishing boat plus doubles as a comfortable and practical weekender. Check out our review on page 96. IMAGE: MARK WARD.
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SYDNEY
Enterprise Marine UNIT 8, 77 Bassett St. W. Mona Vale NSW 2013 (02) 9999 5558
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CAIRNS NQ Marine Pty Ltd John Connolly 0458 502 397
BRISBANE
Stefan Boating World 27 Waterway Dr. Coomera, QLD 4209 (07) 5665 8400
MELBOURNE
Aussie Boat Sales 34 The Strand Williamstown Victoria 3016 (03) 9397 6977 0417 511 340
www.morningstarboats.com.au
96
OCTOBER 2015
REVIEWED
Cabin Fever
The Surtees 700 Gamefisher is feature-packed fishing machine perfect for extended trips or long runs offshore. Mark Ward reports.
NEIL Surtees was a mad keen angler who fished
New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty. In the early 1990s Neil built himself a boat. It didn’t take long for a number of local anglers to ask if he was interested in building another. The rest is history. In only a few short years, Surtees Boats grew to become the biggest alloy boat manufacturer in New Zealand and is now known across the world for its innovative design and quality. It’s almost a cliché to say a particular boat is built by fishermen for fishermen, but in the case of Surtees, this cliché has never been truer. Surtees has recently upgraded its range of
fishing boats and changed the names to represent the overall length (LOA). With more deck space, and still with the famous Surtees hull design, the very popular 6.7 Gamefisher is now the 700 Gamefisher. I was lucky enough to get on the water with the boys from Brisbane’s Northside Marine in the 700 enclosed cab Gamefisher. Due to a cold winter westerly blowing, the enclosed cab was very welcome indeed. While not great for fishing, the wind chop across Moreton Bay was ideal for testing how the 700 handled lumpy conditions.
The hull It’s difficult to think of a better fishing hull design than a Surtees. The hull has a 20 degree deadrise to cut through the swell and chop, but to balance the hull at rest, ballast tanks holding 380 litres of water sit below the waterline, making the 700 one of the most stable boats in its class. Add to this a fully welded six stringer system of 6mm alloy capped with a fully welded checker plate deck and you have a smooth riding, stable hull that is built to handle pretty much anything.
REVIEWED SURTEES 700 GAMEFISHER
MAIN IMAGE: Chasing fish out wide has never been easier in a boat like this. LEFT: Yamaha’s latest four-cylinder 200hp four-stroke is far lighter than its V6 predecessor yet almost as powerful. BELOW: While the Surtees 700 Gamefisher is a serious fishing boat, it also has plenty of family-friendly features, making overnight stays possible.
Lay Out
The ballast tanks will fill in just a few seconds once the Surtees comes to a stop and drain just as quickly. If the weather gets really nasty, a shut off flap can be activated to keep the water in the hull. This provides almost 400kgs of extra weight where it counts, down low in the hull with more towards the bow. It’s amazing the difference that this makes. There is a slight decrease in performance, however, it’s unlikely you’d want to be travelling at full noise in rough conditions anyway so the loss of power shouldn’t even be noticed.
The Surtees 700 is a hard-core fishing vessel but it has all the comforts of home. The cabin is fully enclosed with a solid locking door, making the Gamefisher ideal for weekends on the water or even extended stays. The fully lined cabin has plenty of room to sleep two and can be fitted out with either a portable or electronic toilet. The test vessel even had a flat screen TV fitted! A mini galley is located just outside the cabin, which includes a sink with a hot water option, single burner gas stove, and a fridge that is neatly housed under the skipper’s chair. There are plenty of storage areas for gas bottles and cooking gear including sliding draws in the seat mounts. I don’t think you can ever get too much storage in a boat designed for extended or overnight stays so it’s great the see the use of space in the Surtees. The deck features a wash down and shower.
The test boat was fitted with the hot water option and even the roughest of blokes would admit to loving a warm shower after a big day on the water. And let’s not forget that the wife may need to sign off on major purchases like a new boat .... The test boat also had a non-slip floor cover to help keep the feet dry. As expected, 700 Gamefisher also had a fishing department. The deck space is huge with big, full-length side pockets and dry storage compartments built into the gunwale. There were a total of 23 rod holders including those on the bait board and rocket launcher. Rod storage shouldn’t be an issue on this boat ... The walk-thru transom is fitted with a berley pot, boarding ladder and swim boards. The test boat was powered by a single outboard, however twin pods can be requested for a dual outboard set-up. The transom also houses a good-sized bait board, tackle trays (which are enclosed in a water tight compartment) and a nifty leader feeder for quick re-rigs.
97
98
OCTOBER 2015
REVIEWED SURTEES 700 GAMEFISHER
Surtees 700 Gamefisher
Whether you prefer bottom bashing, trolling or even casting slugs at schools of gamefish, the big, well-appointed deck will have you covered. Outriggers can easily be fitted for trolling.
LOA: 7.0m BEAM: 2.39m WEIGHT: 1060kg (dry hull only) TOWING WEIGHT: 1950kg (dry)
Performance Spacious yet cosy is the best way to describe the helm of the 700. Thanks to the fully enclosed cabin, a heater could easily be fitted. Ditto with an aircon for tropical climates. With the door closed it felt as though we were chugging gently along but we were actually cruising at over 26 knots. The big glass windscreen and dash were ideal for a serious fishing boat like this. It was good to see there was more than enough room for electronics. The helm chair was comfortable. When adjusted correctly, everything was in easy reach and I was able to sit back and let the hull do all the work. The Surtees was fitted with the newly designed Yamaha F200XB four-stroke outboard. This is the new in-line four-cylinder engine as opposed to the V6 engine block. The new 200hp four-stroke is more than 50kgs lighter than the
With a 20 degree deadrise and tough alloy build, the 700 is a capable offshore fishing boat.
previous V6 model, which makes a huge difference. Interestingly, performance is very similar. In actual fact, top speed and cruising speeds are too close to call between the engines. As expected, the extra cylinders on the V6 does provide a little more down low grunt. The slim appearance makes the in-line four ideal for twin rig set ups, which would also save on more than 100kg of weight compared to the V6 models. I have to admit to wondering what the hell Yamaha was thinking when it dropped two cylinders and decreased displacement with the new 200, but I have to admit to being wrong and I’m now a huge fan of these high-tech outboards.
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POWER: 140hp-250hp (as tested 200hp) CONTACT: www.northsidemarine.com.au.
The Yammie pushed the 7m Gamefisher along at 30 knots at only 4400 revs and was able to be opened up to move at just under 37 knots in smooth water. That’s impressive for a boat of this size and proves once again that the four cylinder matches the V6, especially for top end speed. Overall, my time in the 700 leads me to think that Surtees has combined a great hull design with everything needed in a long-range fishing machine. There is a pile of options to get the set-up you’re after with the test boat being priced at $130,786 delivered and ready to fish. BMT prices start from $102,315 for an open cabin 700 Gamefisher.
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For further information visit www.seajayboats.com.au To like us on Facebook visit www.facebook.com/SeaJayBoats
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OCTOBER 2015
Boating Bits
BOATING BITS
Outboard emissions regulations set for 2016 A MEETING between federal and state environment ministers has established an agreement to draw up standards to regulate “old tech” two-stroke engines in 2016. The long-running saga of emission standards for outboard engines in Australia edged further onwards when a meeting between Greg Hunt, federal Minister for the Environment, and state and territory environment ministers, agreed “in principle” to establish pollution standards for new non-road spark ignition engines as Keep scrolling to part of the National Clean Air see exclusive iPad agreement. This includes marine outboard engines as well as garden equipment suchonly as extra chainpics saws and lawn mowers. A working group will now be set up to draft the standards by the end of this year with Tap here to Tap here Keep scrolling “the aim of implementing framework legislation in the first half toof 2016”. watch video see exclusive iPad only extra pics
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Lowrance releases 3DTapStructureScan Sonar here Tap here to
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“Auto Stow/Deploy” Minn Kota Ulterra debuts at Sydney Boat Show
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latest Ulterra freshwater motor recently made headlines with a viral video (visit www.fishingworld.com.au and search Ulterra). Distributor BLA displayed the Ulterra for the first time at the recent Sydney International Boat Show. Minn Kota’s Ulterra freshwater motor features Auto Stow/Deploy and Power Trim. The Ulterra comes with your choice of i-Pilot or i-Pilot Link, and a redesigned foot pedal with Spot Lock button, Power Trim and Stow/ Deploy all from the pedal or remote control. The Ulterra also comes standard with Universal Sonar 2 transducer build into the lower unit that will suit Humminbird sounders as well as other electronics with the correct adaptor cable. The saltwater Ulterra motor is expected in early 2016. More at www.bla.com.au.
watch video location LOWRANCE’S StructureScan 3D allows anglers to easily see fish, underwater structure and bottom contours in a threedimensional display on their HDS Gen3 fishfinder/chartplotter. StructureScan 3D imaging quickly scans underwater terrain and fish-holding structure to create high-resolution, 180-degree super-wide, three-dimensional views – in depths to 300 feet and as far as 600 feet port and starboard. Yielding captivating images with unprecedented detail, StructureScan 3D gives anglers a better understanding of where fish and structure are located in
relation to their boat. The true-to-life 3D scans are viewed on the Lowrance HDS Gen3 display, when used in combination with the SideScan 3D Skimmer transducer and StructureScan 3D module. StructureScan 3D sonar provides multiple viewing options including boosted DownScan Imaging, even more detailed StructureScan HD and revolutionary three-dimensional views. Using virtual point-of-view angles or ScanTrack pan-tilt-rotate control, anglers can combine custom HD and 3D views to increase situational awareness. More at www.lowrance.com.au.
BAR CRUSHER 490 GEN 2 TM HAS ARRIVED!
Powered by Suzuki
Water ballast system for stability Engineered subframe and fully-welded floor for superior strength
Smooth, deep V hull for a soft ride
Bar Crusher’s 490C (Cuddy) and 490WR (Walk-Around) will change the way you look at sub-5m aluminium boats. A true high-tensile ‘plate boat’ designed from the ground up, it was Bar Crusher’s aim to create a series of superbly engineered, high-performance plate aluminium fishing boats never before seen in this size range and price point.
Combined with the smooth Waveslicer® deep V hull for a great ride in all conditions, together with the Rigideck® super-strength subfloor frame and fully-sealed checkerplate welded-in floor, the 490C and 490WR are packed with Bar Crusher innovation.
Priced around $35k (depending on selected options) the new 490 Gen2™ models combine key features including the distinctive Delta FlareTM – multi-faceted planing plank delivering greater hydrodynamic lift for more efficient planing and improved fuel economy and a higher bow attitude with better spray deflection for a dryer ride.
Bar Crusher’s 490 Gen2™ series sets yet another benchmark in plate aluminium boat design and construction.
Look at other boats in this size and price range and compare what’s out there... nothing else stacks up.
- SUPERIOR FIT-OUT & FINISH Keep scrolling to - FINEST MATERIALS AND FITTINGSsee exclusive iPad only extra pics - PACKAGES DESIGNED TO FIT YOUR BUDGET - HULLS DESIGNED Tap here FOR SUPERIOR Keep scrolling to ON-WATER PERFORMANCE see exclusive iPad
Tap here to Naturally, the Gen2™ hull design incorporates watch video all the original Bar Crusher design features. location only extra pics The Quickflow ® water ballast system, which sees a cavity in the hull fill with water at rest to allow the boat to sit down on its chines for superior stability. When the boat accelerates, this cavity drains fast to allow the hull to fly Tap here up onto the plane. HIGH-PERFORMANCE PLATE ALUMINIUM FISHING BOATS Tap here to
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BOATING BITS
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Aquanami jet powered kayaks THE jetANGLER by Aquanami is a motorised one or two man kayak. They’re touted as allowing you to fish shallow water and other areas where kayaks reign supreme but with petrol power instead of paddles or pedals. The craft, which were displayed at the Sydney Boat Show, are powered by a 17.5hp Tap here four-stroke donk. According to Aquanami, the jetANGLER has to the range and Tap here watch video reliability that previously only a “proper” boat could offer. It remains to be location seen if they’re any good for fishing ... See www.aquanami.com.
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Honda announces seven-year warranty HONDA Marine has recently announced the introduction of a seven year domestic warranty and a three year commercial warranty – available free of charge to any outboard that is serviced for the entire warranty period by an authorised Honda Marine dealer, in line with the recommended service schedule. Simply return your outboard to an authorised Honda Marine dealer for its scheduled services and Honda has your back covered. Honda said unlike other brands that exclude many high value engine components, every Honda part is covered. If it is a manufacturing fault, then it is covered under Honda’s industry leading warranty. Get into your local Honda authorised dealer for more info and great deals. Offer ends March 31, 2016. Visit www.marine.honda.com.au for more info.
BUILT FOR LIFE Keep scrolling to see exclusive iPad only extra pics Tap here to watch video
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3/5/13 4:57 PM
www.brookermarine.com.au C14018 Brooker Marine.indd 1
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o eo
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OCTOBER 2015
BOATING BITS
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Hard to beat Quinnie QUINTREX’S latest release into the plate Tap here marketTapishere thetotasty looking 610 Trident Hard watch video location and Top. After demand from customers dealers, Quintrex says it has expanded its offshore fishing range which now includes six models. The 610 Trident Hard Top offers anglers a more versatile and affordable option while still incorporating all the features and practical layout designs of the larger Hard Top models. Featuring a fully enclosed hardened windscreen complete with sliding side windows and a windscreen wiper kit as standard, the 610 Trident Hard Top is designed for “unruly” weather conditions.
Featuring Quintrex’s Flared Bow and Blade Tap here Hull, Tap here to the 610 Trident HT is claimed to cut watchthrough video rough waterlocation with ease by deflecting spray. The hull is designed to offer stability at rest and underway. Constructed with 5mm marine grade aluminium bottomsheets, and an underfloor rib structure, the 610 Trident HT is made to handle and manoeuvre through Australian waters and weather. Built ready to fish, the standard 610 Trident HT model includes a live bait tank with viewing window, large cutting board with drink and rod holders, 160L underfloor fuel tank, berley bucket and a 135L plumbed kill tank. More info at www.quintrex.com.au.
Action cam for your boat THE VIRB XE action camera shoots rich, high-definition, wide-angle footage at 1080p60, 12 megapixel photos at up to 30 frames per second, and captures more of your action. Designed for the toughest environments, VIRB XE is able to dive to 50m depths without a case, allowing capture of cleaner and clearer audio. More info at www.garmin.com/en-AU/ explore/onthewater/.
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anglapro.com.au TRIXSTA is available in the following models: 39, 42, 43, 44, 45, 48
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IMAGE: SCOTT THOMAS.
OCTOBER 2015
The Mercury Verado 175 powers the Fisho Bar Crusher 670HT extremely efficiently.
TEST
Supercharged Power! After more than 130 hours of saltwater use, Jim Harnwell assesses the performance of the 175hp Mercury FourStroke Verado bolted to the transom of the Fisho project boat. BACK in 2010 I did an engine test on a
four-cylinder (L4) Verado as part of an ambitious program which saw a range of 200hp outboards fitted to our then project boat, a Stabi-Craft 659 Super Cab. I well remember the Verado being a standout performer, even though it was a reasonably small capacity four-cylinder engine competing against much bigger six-cylinder donks. The 1.7l L4 Verado (which comprises 135, 150, 175 and 200hp models) achieves its power and acceleration via its revolutionary supercharger system. In very basic terms, a supercharger is an air compressor used as part of
a forced induction system in an engine. The supercharger allows the engine to use more oxygen and fuel and thus create more power. Mercury launched the FourStroke Verado platform (which also includes 2.6l six-cylinder variants now rated to an amazing 400hp) in 2004. Back then the engines were lauded as being way before their time in regards to innovation and performance. After running a 175hp Verado for more than 130 hours on our current project boat, a Bar Crusher 670HT, I can assert that nothing has changed on this front. In my view, the Verado has been vastly underrated by most Aussie fishermen. The fact
is that Mercury achieved more than a decade ago what other outboard companies are only just beginning to bring to market. In many ways, Verado started the trend towards light, powerful, efficient and technologically advanced four-stroke power. I chose the Verado 175 for Fisho’s Bar Crusher 670HT because it offered something a bit “different”. The engine comes standard with Mercury’s excellent DTS controls and the VesselView 4 engine management system. I opted for the Mercury electric-hydraulic power steering kit, which provides a whole new world of car-like control and ease of use. The 2.6l L6 Verados come standard with power steering. Bar Crusher rates a 175 as being the optimum horsepower for the 670HT with 150 being minimum and 200hp maximum. At 231 kilos, the Verado sits perfectly on the Crusher’s transom. The “Darth Vader” inspired cowling, gleaming black paintwork and silver graphics contrast nicely with the Crusher’s blue and white hull. The Verado spins a 18-inch Enertia stainless prop and pushes the Crusher to just on 40 knots at WOT. I rarely, if ever, drive that fast out at sea, spending most of the time either trolling at low revs or cruising at around 20-25 knots. At troll speed of 8 knots at about 20002300rpm, the Verado uses about 9-11 lph (depending on sea conditions); at 3500-4000 rpm, the engine uses about 20-23 lph and travels at between 20-25 knots. During a recent offshore mission targeting
ENGINE TEST
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southern bluefin tuna off the NSW South Coast, we covered a total distance of 176.2 kms achieving an average of 1.02 kms per litre of fuel. This trip involved some hours of trolling as well as cruising speed runs out and back (we ended up 45nm east of JB!) plus a 15nm run in the middle of the day after a mate radioed and gave us some marks where he’d found albacore schooled up on a current break. As was typical this season, the SBT proved elusive … Luckily, we ended up with some tasty albies and the weather and sea conditions were fantastic. The Crusher holds 190l of fuel and I had an extra 50l on board so this sort of run represents the limits of what is safe and practical in a 6.7m boat. It was, however, an excellent test of the engine’s overall efficiency. We did at least 100km running out and back, plus moving position to find the fish, as well as 4-5 hours of trolling, so using just under 180l of fuel all up indicates that the Verado provides plenty of range. Based on the fuel data gathered on our epic mission fruitlessly chasing SBT, a typical day targeting marlin or yellowfin tuna (or SBT when they come in close enough) should use about 100l of fuel – which is not too bad when the fuel costs are split between three or four crew. That said, it’s good to know that you have enough juice on board to head out wider if necessary or if the wind gets up and you are forced to slowly punch back in. The VesselView screen which connects to the Verado’s ECM provides highly detailed fuel use data, making it easy to work out how much you’re using and how much you’ve got left. Take it from me, it’s good to know the fuel situation when you’re out so far that the land is just a thin brown smudge on the horizon ...
ClEArly PrOfEssIONAl
The Verado pushes the Bar Crusher along extremely well. Thanks to the supercharger, this relatively small engine gets the plate alloy hull up and on the plane with no stress. At no stage throughout the rev range does the engine feel that is labouring or struggling to keep the boat on the plane. Even when motoring along at mid revs, pushing the throttle down sees an immediate response from the engine. The whole idea behind Verado was to give four-stroke outboards a much-needed performance boost. Prior to 2004, four-strokes were praised for their quietness, reliability and fuel efficiency. But they were widely regarded as being heavy and sluggish, especially in regards to getting out of the hole. The L4 Verado changed all that by producing a relatively small, light engine that boasted plenty of get-up-and-go via its supercharged technology. When Verado was first launched I remember asking the local Mercury technicians about any possible servicing or maintenance issues. After all, a supercharged marine engine sounds like it’s inherently complicated, right? Tap here to advised that the Tapbelt heredriving Well, not really. Back in 2004 the Merc techs watch video the supercharger was “super reliable and inexpensive to replace”, adding location that the timing chain is 100 per cent service free for the life of the engine and the valves are non-adjustable and also require no servicing. Verados have been in production for 11 years now – and superchargers have been around since at least the 1930s – so you’d think the technology Tap here underpinning the engine can be considered Tap here toas “proven”. location Like all four-strokes, the Verado iswatch veryvideo quiet, even at higher revs. You can easily have a conversation in the cabin while travelling along at 25-30 knots. I haven’t noticed any exhaust smoke or smells, even when trolling with the wind. The “fly by wire” digital controls and optional electrichydraulic steering are fantastic – it would be very hard to go back to a “standard” boat after enjoying this technology. That said, the steering pump makes a somewhat annoying whining noise. This is only noticeable at low revs and could well be negated if mounted in a different style of boat. At the time of writing, I’ve got 136 hours on the 175 Verado and it hasn’t missed a beat. I got the initial service at 20 hours and the 100-hour one at about 98 hours. I watched the technician do the 100-hour service and noted zero corrosion anywhere on or in the engine. I’m looking forward to racking up a lot more hours on this impressive and highly innovative engine – so far it’s proven to be a real beauty!
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Introducing the new IC-M323G and IC-M423G VHF Marine Transceivers.
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Featuring built-in GPS receiver, IPX7 waterproof protection, common user controls and NMEA interface, these marine transceivers will provide you with outstanding performance.
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Performance
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OCTOBER 2015
REVIEWED BROOKER 535C XTD
LEFT: The Brooker 535C XDT is spacious boat suitable for estuary and light offshore fishing. BELOW: Brooker’s XDT is built to different specifications than its base model, meaning it’s a more versatile fishing platform.
REVIEWED
Top Shelf Tinny
Brooker offers the 535C in a standard and premium XTD version. What’s unique is the XTD version features different hull specs with an extra 100mm of freeboard added and double the amount of ribs. So rather than paying more for a few extra options, Brooker is giving you a completely redesigned boat, which is built tougher and is safer for fishing rougher water.
unstable. The generous floor space would easily cater for three lure and fly fishos with plenty of space to spare.
Performance
Brooker fitted a 90hp four-stroke Mercury engine to the test boat. The maximum rating for this hull is 100hp. The Brooker has a dry weight of 430kg and the 90hp Merc pushed it along with ease. At Fishability & layout 4000RPM we cruised at 24 knots; at WOT we recorded 32 knots at 5200 RPM. Plenty fast The internal layout of the 535 is uncluttered enough for this style of boat ... The 535 and clean with plenty of space to move about performed well over chop and we remained dry. and fish. At the transom, a short pod Tight turns at speed were no problem, either. configuration allows occupants to utilise every It proved an easy boat to drive, seeming ideal for inch of available space. The pod doesn’t Brooker’s 535C XTD is an levels of impede on fishing space if you’re trolling or Keepall scrolling to boating experience. casting from the transom. A battery sits on the see exclusive iPad affordable boat with a quality carpeted deck under the transom's gunwale. only extra pics Overall build and loads of space for sport Tap Ahere small shelf would be useful here to hold the to Tap here oil bottles and other bits and pieces The beamy Keep scrolling to design of this hull lends itself ideally video fishing. Scott Thomas reports. watchbattery, seeto exclusive iPad flycasting. To me, the XTD seemed off the floor. With alocation wide beam of 2.2m this lure and only extra pics area of the boat feels extra spacious. ideal for estuary and limited offshore fishing. Moving forward and Brooker has placed a The additional freeboard and upgraded compact centre console amidships. Again, this internals on the XTD model means you’re doesn’t impede on available fishing space. getting a quality boat at a decent price. WE last tested a Brooker boat in the June issue Tap here TapThere’s here to adequate room on top of the console Options such as rod holders, additional of Boat Fishing. That particular model, the 420 watch video location for a large sounder unit and shelf storage storage, electronics, live bait tanks and so on Pro, was typical of the company’s line up of underneath. There’s also additional storage for can be customised by the owner to suit affordable yet well-built tinnies. lifejackets and other gear inside the box seat individual needs. With new ownership and long history of boat behind the console.The console can be folded The standard 535C hull with colour paint, building, Brooker is going through a down if storing the boat inside a low garage. side decals, no electronics (apart from a starting transformation with a renewed focus on The XTD test boat featured a raised casting battery), no under floor fuel tank and no casting building boats targeted at estuary sport fishos. platform with loads of storage space inside. decks is $31,769. As tested with the XTD The new boats are built with the internal There’s also an additional small platform at the additions, you’re looking at $35,644. Pretty good layout, hull design and appearance of a more bow for stowing an anchor, chain and rode. value for such a versatile boat. “premium priced” tinny. During the boat test we had three people More details can be found at Brooker’s latest 535C XTD is an example of onboard. At no time did it feel cramped or www.brookerboats.com.au. the company’s new breed of boats.
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SABFCAST001
You can cast far and wide... but we’re pretty tough to beat
485 Jabiru Pro
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The Big Daddy
You’re going to love taking us out on the water. When you buy a Savage you’re buying into over a century of Aussie boating heritage. We’ve learnt a lot over that time. We know that 3mm smooth sides as well as a consistently deeper free board depth make our boats a lot tougher and safer. That’s important, don’t you think? With standard features that other brands call optional extras and durability that’s part of our DNA, you’ll look far and wide to find a better priced, more comfortable boat. Discover your great value Savage tinnie at savageboats.com.au
435 Jabiru Pro
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OCTOBER 2015
REVIEWED LOWRANCE HDS GEN3 SONAR/CHARTPLOTTER
A school of rat kings round up baitfish on Sydney’s Pittwater.
REVIEWED
New Generation Lowrance’s updated HDS Gen3 features a long list of advanced features packed in a user-friendly unit. Scott Thomas reports. OFF the water I consider myself reasonably
tech savvy. I enjoy playing with iPhones, cameras, computers and technology in general. On the water, however, I prefer to concentrate on the job at hand – fishing. For this reason I like my marine electronics to be user friendly and intuitive. Like most family blokes with a busy job, my fishing time is limited. I just don’t have time to spend hours on the water scrolling through menus or undertaking complicated procedures to get the screen images I need. During my time in the fishing media, I’ve noted that American marine electronics company Lowrance has not only been a leader in developing top quality electronics, but has focused on producing products that are easy to operate and don’t require a degree in computer
science to use. All the Lowrances I’ve used required only a few quick sessions spent learning the basics. After getting a handle on the technology, the units did what all good marine electronics should: complement your fishing and help catch you more fish. The latest Sonar/Chartplotter from Lowrance is the HDS Gen3 family, comprising seven, nine and 12-inch screens. I had the previous Gen2 seven-inch unit fitted to my Scout centre console and found it an essential fishing item on my boat while chasing all sorts of fresh and saltwater species in a range of locations. The touch screen controls were simple to use and the crystal clear readings, both on traditional sonar and StructureScan, were easy to define.
Knowing it was onto a good thing, Lowrance released the HDS Gen3 earlier this year, which included a few additions to make the unit even better. Opening the box of the test HDS7 Gen 3, the first thing I noticed was a slightly different button layout compared with the Gen2. Lowrance has recognised not everyone wants the touch screen capability all the time and so has increased the button controls. This gives users the option of touch screen or full keypad control. Personally I love touch screen, but with wet hands and in rough water, it’s often not practical. Being able to switch between touch and manual control is a good idea. After firing up the unit and using it for a day, the immediate difference between the Gen2 and Gen3 was the speed of loading pages and the crystal clear resolution. The Gen2 was pretty good in this regard but Lowrance has made it even better with the Gen3. There’s nothing worse than lengthy lag times when loading a page and the Gen3’s enhanced processor is certainly speedy. The screen itself is also brighter and features better resolution, meaning glare won’t get in the way of viewing the unit. The Gen3 also comes with built-in CHIRP sonar and broadband StructureScan. CHIRP gives the sonar extra clarity when searching for bait and fish in all depths. Identifying bait and fish holding structure around Sydney Harbour has become a whole lot easier with CHIRP and broadband StructureScan. I often use a combination of Sonar/Sidescan and often sonar/DownScan/ SideScan, so no stone is left unturned. The image on this page shows a tightly packed school of kingfish rounding up bait in Sydney’s Pittwater. The fish were spotted on the CHIRP Sonar and become visible a minute later busting up bait on the surface. It’s pretty cool when the screen image transforms to real life fish in front of your eyes! Another feature of the HDS Gen3 is full integration with other parts of the boat. With compliable products, Lowrance has made it possible to steer the boat via the outboard and electric motor. With the help of NMEA 2000, all readings including speed, fuel and engine data are available through the HDS interface. Most of my focus has been on the Sonar and StructureScan, but the HDS Gen3 features a capable chartplotter with the option of several maps including Lowrance’s own Insight Genesis mapping software. Add to that Lowrance’s GoFree wireless feature which allows instant downloads of Insight Genesis updates including user generated maps. GoFree also opens up integration with smartphones and leaves the door open for plug-in updates as Lowrance improves its technology. Don’t let the simple user operation fool you – with its HDS Gen3, Lowrance has built a technologically advanced unit with all the features you’d expect from a high end sounder.
7 REASONS TO TRUST YOUR HONDA UNMATCHED RELIABILITY FORMULA 1 TECHNOLOGY OUTSTANDING FUEL ECONOMY SPECIALISED DEALER NETWORK Keep scrolling to see exclusive iPad only extra pics Tap here to watch video
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UNRIVALLED PERFORMANCE SUPER QUIET OPERATION ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
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1300 1 HONDA | marine.honda.com.au
*For a limited time Honda is offering a 5 + 2 = 7 years domestic and 1 + 2 = 3 years commercial warranty . The additional 2 years are based on the following conditions: The Outboard must be sold and set up by an authorised Honda Marine dealer, The Outboard must be serviced for the entire warranty period by an authorised Honda Marine dealer, in line with the recommended service schedule, The Outboard must be serviced for the entire warranty period using genuine Honda parts and lubricants. Offer ends 31st March 2016.
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OCTOBER 2015
Dual Range From Raymarine The top-of-the-line CP570 sounder module from marine electronics giant Raymarine offers unrivalled deep water sounding power. Jim Harnwell reports.
FOR the past several months Fisho has been part of an international testing program helping fine-tune Raymarine’s pro-grade deep water chirp sounder module, the CP570. This unit, which was released in August, is compatible with all a, c, e, eS and gS Raymarine MFDs. It’s designed primarily as a blue water fishing tool in that it has the ability to run dual range signals from a single transducer. The benefits this technology offers are significant … But more on that later. The testing work we’ve done on the CP570 has been interesting on a number of levels. First up is a realisation of just how much programming and fine-tuning is required to get high-level marine electronics up to scratch. The boffins at Raymarine’s HQ in England have provided numerous software updates over the testing
period, most of which have eventuated from data provided from the international testing panel. We’ve been required to submit regular reports and data from the testing work we’ve done, most of which has been focused on deep-water use. It’s been interesting to see the unit’s performance improve with each update. The final version, which is available from Raymarine dealers as you read this, should be pretty much “bug free”, although further software updates will doubtless be offered. As mentioned previously, the CP570 is designed for deep-water work in depths of 50 fathoms plus. I’ve used the unit in much shallower water and found it very effective at marking fish such as snapper on the edges of reefs and bommies in water ranging from 15-30 fathoms. However, you don’t need a sounder
MARINE ELECTRONICS
LEFT: Fisho editor Jim Harnwell adjusts his Raymarine e12 MFD powered by a CP570 sounder module.
IMAGE: TIM MCGOLDRICK.
BELOW: The CP570 held bottom in 226 fathoms while travelling at 17 knots. Impressive performance for a transom mount transducer!
with as much grunt as the 570 to do that. This sort of equipment comes into its own out around the shelf line in waters from 100-300 fathoms. The Fisho project boat, a plate alloy Bar Crusher 670HT, is fitted with a transom mounted TM265 CHIRP transducer. Compared to a standard 600W transducer, the TM265 offers significantly more power and sensitivity. However, the TM265 can’t compare to the 2kW and 3kW through-hull transducers that can be mounted in fibreglass sportfishing boats. The CP570 is suited for use with these big transducers, opening up extreme depth sounding capability for boats able to mount a sizeable through-hull ’ducer. I understand a charter boat using the CP570 in conjunction with a 3kW through-hull transducer has recorded depths up to 1500 fathoms. That’s insanely deep!
“The really interesting aspect of Raymarine’s new sounder technology is that it allows the user to select a ‘ dual range’ function. This turns the 570 into two different sounders ... “
Impressive performance With the TM265 I’ve recorded bottom readings in 200+ fathoms, both at slow speeds and on the plane. The screen shot above shows a clear bottom reading in 226 fathoms at a speed of 17 knots. That is impressive performance for a transom mount transducer on a relatively small alloy boat. The screen shot on the following page shows a clear reading of fish (probably leatherjackets) at 80 fathoms inside the shelf east of Jervis Bay while travelling at nearly 23 knots. These results demonstrate the speed of the processors working inside the CP570 module. We’re talking serious computer power … While the CP570 is obviously pretty good at picking up and displaying clear bottom detail in
deep water, the really interesting aspect of Raymarine’s new sounder technology is that it allows the user to select a “dual range” function. This basically turns the 570 into two different sounders both using the same transducer. For example, the unit can be set at a Low frequency setting to pick up bottom detail in deep water while a Medium or High frequency can be used to scan top and mid water depths. The benefits of this were recently explained to me by Raymarine’s local depth sounder guru, Grant Watson. “Say you’re in water about 400 fathoms deep,” Grant said. “A low frequency sounder ‘ping’ takes about one second to get down there and bounce back up again. With the dual range capability of the 570, you can also set a high frequency ‘ping’ at, say, 100 fathoms to look for
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OCTOBER 2015
MARINE ELECTRONICS
back slow returns, meaning you may well drive past the bait or fish before you see anything. The 570, on the other hand, is designed to Keep scrolling to deliver the best of both worlds: deep-water see exclusive iPa performance with lightning fast returns of mid only extra pics water bait and/or predators. Tap here toSonar technology Tap has herecome so far so quick it’s Keep scrolling to watch video very hard for the average fisho (like me and you)see exclusive iPad location to keep up with the changes. Suffice it to say, only extra pics new software like that developed by Raymarine for its top-of-the-line CP570 will doubtless filter down to smaller units designed for inshore and Tap here sportfishing boats. Tap hereestuary to watch videoThis technologylocation will definitely make it easier to find fish and fish-holding structure. It then up to us as anglers to actually catch the damn things! Find out more about Raymarine CP570 at raymarine.com.au. RRP for the CP570 module is $2995. We’ll publish more indepth reviews of as well as finding fish positioned on or near such bait or pelagics like marlin or tuna. At this Keep scrolling to thesee 570’s performance in upcoming editions. structure – while at the same time accurately depth, the high frequency return is four times exclusive iPad Editor’s note: I’ d like to thank Matt Adamson probing the mid water for all important bait faster than the low frequency so you’re getting only extra pics from Emjay Communications for his work in setting schools and/or any gamefish lurking about. far more accurate coverage of the water and Tap here to chased marlin Tap here up theKeep Fisho Bar Crusher’s marine electronics. Take Anyone who’s will know the giving yourself a far better chance of finding bait scrolling to watch C E K _a return b a t from t e ar fast y moving c h apelagic.” r g e r s . importance pd f video P of a finding g e 1the bait. 2 8 /Finding 0 7 / and 1 4 , 3it :from 2see 4me, : Matt 4 0iPad M genius A E when S T it comes to exclusive is aPtrue or T getting location only extra pics installing and fine-tuning sounders and transducers staying with the bait schools is often the In very simplistic terms, the CP570 gives users on boats of all sizes. He can be contacted on 0413 difference between hook-ups and zeros. the ability to scan the bottom for structure in the 808 507 or pobox183@bigpond.com. A standard sonar set for deep water use will send form of canyons, drop-offs and deep reef – RIGHT: While heading back in from an epic day chasing tuna, the CP570 picked up this school of fish (probably leatherjackets) just inside the shelf out from Jervis Bay. A nice crisp reading, even at nearly 23 knots.
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18/08/15 10:38 AM
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Panoptix All-Seeing Sonar ™
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All Seeing is Believing.
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The most unique sonar on the water. Only Panoptix™ all-seeing sonar let’s you see what’s underwater, all around your boat, in real-time. You can see fish in the water column in 3D. You can see your bait hit the water, sink and watch it as you reel it in…like a 2D sonar video. You can see fish swimming in front of or below your boat. You can even see them chase and hit your lure. To truly appreciate Panoptix, you have to see it. Because all seeing is believing.
See it in action at Garmin.com/panoptix.
Panoptix™
LONG CAST X-RAP LONG CAST Action: Extreme Rolling & Slow Sinking Retrieve: High Speed, Twitch & Jerk Body Length: 12cm / 14cm Weight: 36g / 54g Diving Depth: 1.5m
Distance: 45m Species: Tuna
locate. identify. cast. 1mm Through Wire Construction Tap here to watch video
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Sinking
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Deep 3D Holographic Eyes Tap here to watch video
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7266 VMC In-Line Single Hooks
Heavy Duty Bib
fishing line recommended
rapala.com.au