9 JUNE, 2015
MONTHLY
VOLUME 10
G
’Day and it’s a very cool welcome to our first
“It won’t be long before anglers can drop their
winter edition of JTSM for 2015. We appreciate
lines. Fish and marine life will be attracted to the
the reader feedback over the past few weeks and
new structures almost immediately, however it will
look forward to bringing you this month’s edition
be at least another 18 months before habitat is fully
of your local sportfishing news.
established.”
A fantastic result for the fishery at Hervey Bay this
This is another positive result for recreational
month, with the deployment of two new artificial
fishers in SEQ and I’m sure these two new reef
reefs on the western side of Fraser Island. The 690
systems will be very popular in the future. Could
tonne building blocks that make up the two new
the minister, along with local tourism and
artificials left Gladstone earlier this week, and at
government be starting to listen to the voice of
the time of writing were being deployed in Hervey
recreational fishing QLD? Let’s not get too carried
Bay. In a press release the minister for National
away and just enjoy our new building blocks…
Parks and the Great Barrier Reef Dr Steven Miles went on to say:
Steve Kelly
EDITOR
IMAGE: “Uncharted” - The History of Hell’s Bay Boat Works
“Uncharted” - The History of Hell’s Bay Boat Works
This month’s video was composed and produced by the much understated, multi award winning production and photography company “Presslaunch”. Presslaunch focuses their productions “using the power of visual arts and the craftmanship of storytelling to inspire”. For the range of services they offer follow the link through to their website. http://www.presslaunch.us/index.html “A Presslaunch Film starring Hell’s Bay Boatworks founder and legendary angler Flip Pallot” Hell’s Bay Boatworks produces the very finest shallow water skiffs for sportfishing anglers around the globe. Their founder Flip Pallot has been at the forefront of light tackle innovation for over three decades and this stunning film-short takes you on a walk back through time. Hell’s Bay managed to re-design the “flats boat” allowing anglers to explore the new shallow water frontier. The principles and concepts that went into their very first skiff are seen as the foundation to which all manufacturers adapt from today. Flip’s outdoor productions inspired me to take up sportfishing over twenty years ago and he remains the single biggest influence on my fishing career. Sit back and let the best outdoors host and wordsmith in the game take you on a journey.
IMAGE: “Uncharted” - The History of Hell’s Bay Boat Works
Estuary Fishy
REPORT
IMAGE: Longtime Jones’s Tackle customer Peter Tyquin with a stunning example of an Aitutaki bonefish taken with his new TFO and Lamson combo.
The month of May continued to deliver many
presence felt, with examples over the 70cm mark
surprises throughout the estuaries of SEQ. Local
already being captured in the Pine River and at the
anglers are producing quality flathead while
Brisbane River rock wall. Targeting these fish with
targeting the deeper channels and bridges on the
large surface offerings and your favourite shallow
run out tide. The bridges at the mouth of the Pine
diving twitchbaits provides explosive skinny water
River have been a prime example, focus on the
action. Some of the largest tailor to migrate
channel edges and the eddies created as water
through the waters of SEQ over the past decade
passes through the pylons. School size jewfish have
have fallen to well presented lures around our bay
moved into the Brisbane, Pine and Caboolture
islands and in the Gold Coast Seaway. Throwing
systems and are holding on to the deeper
poppers around structure at first light, or across the
structures. They are typically being targeted either
shallow points around the islands, is an exciting
side of the tide change. Popular soft plastics have
way to start your winter’s morning. Bream should
been the range of Zman paddle tails and the
now start to school off the deeper points and
Atomic Prongs, fished tight to the structure using a
throughout the Seaway and mouth of the Tweed
gentle hopping technique.
Rivers. Anglers using sinking blade and plastic offerings should produce excellent numbers, as we
June and July have always been my favourite
close in on bream spawning time - typically around
months to target XL tailor on surface lures
the full moon in June.
throughout the estuaries and bay islands. Right on schedule, these large tailor have made their
Moreton Bay Fishy
REPORT
As the first of the cooler mornings for 2015 have
shallows. I can’t recommend enough that anglers
graced us, I know there’s many a smile on local
look to start their day by running a popper across
snapper
air
their favourite patch of reef just after sun up. This
temperature has dropped dramatically, it will take
technique will not only attract tailor and kingfish,
another few weeks for the water temps to follow.
but any school mackerel or squire that have used
The start of the winter season has already produced
the cover of darkness to feed over the shallow reef
some quality snapper, with Mud Island and
will often take an interest. I’m not aware of too
Scarborough Reefs being the hot locations. As the
many locations throughout the country that
water temps start to drop, the quality squire should
anglers can catch a snapper on a popper, however
continue to move deeper into the bay, with
this is becoming more and more frequent every
locations like Harry’s and Peel Island starting to
season.
enthusiasts’
faces.
Whilst
the
fire. All the southern bay islands are now producing good numbers of tailor and fortunate anglers have been
encountering
juvenile
kingfish
in
IMAGE: Local Sportfisho Reece Thomas continues to produce quality threadfin well into the cooler months.
the
The usual locations in both the northern and
they provide anglers with excellent castability. The
southern bay have continued to produce quality
channel edges and the ledge on the inside of
schools of longtail tuna. As is often the case with
Moreton Island are also starting to produce
the tail end of their season, they are a little flighty
reasonable squire; many of these locations are still
and prefer being fed at a good distance away from
plagued with school mackerel. Regular shop
the boat. Traditionally at this time of year the tuna
anglers are reporting of quality squid present right
will move to the western side of the northern bay
throughout
and along the foreshore at Bribie Island. Southern
exceptional eating and relatively easy to target
bay anglers will start to see the longtails feeding
when fishing the calm waters down the inside of
between the western side of Peel Island and
Moreton or around the bay islands. June is a
Cleveland Point and the expanse of water down
sensational month to fish throughout the bay and
toward Macleay Island. As always sinking stickbaits
I’m sure when the weather allows we will see
and sinking minnows are an excellent choice and
IMAGE: Jones’s regular Barry Oxford with a bay island snapper taken on a Heddon surface lure.
the
bay.
These
tiger
squid
are
quality snapper coming on board.
WINTERTIME LONGTAILS ALWAYS OBLIGE TO A WELL PRESENTED STICKBAIT. DUEL ADAGIO 105 DOES IT AGAIN!
Offshore
REPORT Local charter operations are preparing for what
deadly technique, but make sure you’re hanging on,
should be a fruitful winter season in the offshore
as our local amberjack may beat them to the punch.
SEQ waters. The reef systems south of Cape
The shallow reefs off Point Lookout and to the
Moreton, out to the 50m line, are continuing to
north of Cape Moreton have continued to attract
produce quality tusk fish, grassy emperor and even
the pelagic enthusiasts providing excellent wahoo
the occasional red throat emperor. Historically in
and some XOS spanish mackerel. Quite often the
June we say hooroo to our local emperor species
largest spanish mackerel recorded each season tend
and welcome the arrival of snapper and larger pearl
to be captured well into the cooler months. Both
perch. Quality pearl perch have been captured
amberjack and kingfish are now frequenting most
south of the cape in the 60-80m weedy country and
of
out on the wider wrecks to 150m. North of Cape
entertainment for jiggers. Large amberjack have
Moreton the usual locations, like the 70m ledge
been caught out on the deeper wrecks and reefs,
and Caloundra Wide, are now starting to produce
tending to never stray too far from the pearl perch
excellent pearlies with the odd snapper and tusk
schools. It’s a great couple of months for anglers to
fish thrown in for good measure. Anglers keen on
mix up a little slow pitch jigging for reef fish then
float lining for snapper are reporting good captures around the Northern 29’s and Deep Tempest.
The
best
quality
snapper over the past few weeks are falling to a floated live bait in the deeper waters - a
TOP IMAGE: Chris Bamford with a fine example of quality pearl perch taken on a jig. BACKGROUND IMAGE: Pete Cherrett from Waspy Flies swapping the long wand for a light jig. Keep an eye out for cobia in the coming months.
the
offshore
reefs,
providing
sensational
stretch themselves on the heavier gear. Providing winds are manageable, June should produce plenty of reefies for the table and a good mix of sport fish for fun.
PUTTING A BEND IN THE NEW G LOOMIS NRX SALTWATER, LOW ROD ANGLES AND CRISP GRAPHITE AID IN TURNING PELAGIC FISH.
Final
WORD
Well folks, that just about wraps up the first winter edition of your monthly JTSM. Lots of angler interest, over the coming months, will be surrounding our snapper fishery, so we encourage everyone to check your state size and possession limits. Ignorance is not an excuse. The months of June and July tend to produce some of the finest afternoon reef fishing for the year, so take advantage of the still
afternoons and get
out on the water. As always we appreciate the reader feedback and if you have any stories to tell or pictures you would like to share, then please don’t hesitate to send us an email at jtsm@jonestackle.com.au or drop into the store and say G’day. We look forward to hearing your tales and hope you have a chance to get out and enjoy the calm blue sky afternoons in June. Be safe on the water. Until next month, hooroo.
Steve Kelly
EDITOR
IMAGE: The truly stunning Aquatic Acrobat that is the Sailfish. Photo credit to Will Drost
JONES’S TACKLE ONLINE CLEARANCE STORE
Now Open GREAT PRODUCTS FANTASTIC PRICES
CLICK TO SHOP www.jonestacklestore.com
If you’re in the market for a new set of polarised glasses, the crew at Jones’s Tackle use and recommend Maui Jims. Swing past the store and find out why Mauis are the choice of leading Sportfishing Guides worldwide.
The Arashi Series of lures, the latest to land on our shores, are designed and manufactured for the Rapala Storm group. The Arashi series is made up of four models: Wake Crank, Flat 7, Square 3 and Deep 10, which are proving popular amongst bass and cod anglers down the eastern seaboard. Arashi lures have patent pending self-tuning circuit board bibs that produce maximum action even at the slowest of speeds. Their self-tuning line system is a free moving design that ensures every lure swims perfectly straight out of the box. Next time you’re heading on an adventure to the sweet water make sure there’s an Arashi in your box!
“Saltiga introduced unrivalled ground breaking technology to the world, Digigear II, Magseal and Zaion Air Rotor setting the standard in high performance design and innovation. In 2015, Daiwa now take it even further with the introduction of Magsealed bearings and ATD into the new Saltiga range.” Daiwa’s flagship reels the Saltiga and Dogfight have stood at the top of international spin tackle for the past decade and their 2015 models have continued to raise the bar. With the introduction of different gear ratios there will be something to appeal to every angler for any situation. Check out the specs table below or come and see them in person at Jones’s Tackle.