Spooled Magazine Summer Issue 2023

Summer

TANGAROA BLUE

CHASING GHOSTS THE HAPPY

2023

TASSIE’S JUMBO WHITING INCLUDING MAGAZINE

TROUT

KAYAKING

SQUID

INCLUDING MAGAZINE

TUNA CHAMPIONS

KEEPING IT COOL

Contents EDITORIAL

Our Cover... Damon Sherriff with a horse of a King George Whiting. (see article page 6)

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TASSIE’S JUMBO WHITING

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CHASING GHOSTS TANGAROA BLUE FOUNDATION

48 THE HAPPY TROUT

58 KAYAKING SQUID

66

KEEPING IT COOL TUNA CHAMPIONS

78 COMPETITION TONIC POLARISED SUNGLASSES WHAT’S NEW

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CHRISTMAS CHEER.

Production Manager - Simon Bryan Editor - Shane Mensforth Advertising Manager - Rob Maya Video Editing - Dillon Bryan Contributors for this issue: Steve Starling

SPOOLED MAGAZINE

Hard to believe that another year has just about passed us by. As we gear up for the festive season again, it’s worth mentioning to take care during this time of year. With lots of Christmas Cheer, it’s easy to become 04 more comfortable and less cautious, especially around water as we’re filled with the season’s spirit and a bit of dutch courage.

So look after yourselves and those around you because we at Spooled want you all around in the new year to see the great content our contributors have to offer, like...

Tassie fishing guru and taxidermist extraordinaire, Damon Sherriff, shares his knowledge of catching Jumbo Whiting. In an enormous effort that the likes of Ray, Peter, Egon and Winston endured, (if you know you know) the team at Tangaroa Blue are Chasing Ghosts armed with their version of a ghost trap. Starlo hits the inland waterways and educates us on how and where to find and catch trout, and Rob Maya has some vital tips for tackling squid out of a kayak. As always, the Tuna Champions are full of scientific information explaining the importance of getting your tuna on ice in order to get the best out of your catch.

Damon Sherriff Tuna Champions Tangaroa Blue Rob Maya

Don't forget the new Spooled App is available NOW to download for FREE! Simply tap here

Finally, in this issue, we have another set of TONIC polarised glasses to give away. So if you missed out on the last one, jump to our competition page and get your entries in now.

From all of us at Spooled, have a Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year.

. d e l poo

Cheers.

S

COMP WINNER Congratulations to:

Quade Broughton from QLD who was last issues winner of the polarised sunglasses from our good friends at TONIC.

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Tassie’s Jumbo Whiting

Tassie’s Jumbo Whiting

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DAMON SHERRIFF

DAMON SHERRIFF RECKONS THE KING GEORGE WHITING IN HIS HOME WATERS ARE THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY. IN THIS PIECE HE TELLS US HOW, WHEN AND WHERE TO CATCH THEM. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Many years ago, King George whiting were more or less a rarity in Tasmanian Waters, but over the last two decades an explosion of King George has occurred in our waters. They have become so prolific, they are our number one inshore sportfish and can be found in bays and estuaries along the northern and eastern coasts of the state.

We are very lucky to be blessed with not just an excellent King George whiting fishery, but also the biggest average size on the planet, which makes fishing even more exciting!

Anglers travel far and wide across the country to have a chance of catching a whiting over the magical 50cm mark, and to have a chance at a 60cm-plus fish of a lifetime.

There are many localities where you can catch big whiting around the state, some of which are land based, which make it accessible to anyone.

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//LOCATIONS

A beautiful 57cm ting from my homtown Bridport.

Montagu Passage is in the State’s north-west, just outside of Smithton. It is roughly a 90-minute drive from the Spirit of Tasmania terminal at Devonport.

Big whiting can be caught throughout the passage. They are available nearly all year, but the warmer months seem to be better. April is probably the worst month to fish for the larger fish, as they go offshore to spawn. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Tassie’s Jumbo Whiting

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One of the best eating fish in the Sea.

The most popular baits are fresh southern calamari and nippers if you have a bait pump handy. This is the home of possibly the biggest whiting in the state, which have been captured up to 70cm. They average around 45-55cm, with 60cm fish not uncommon. Smithton has great accommodation nearby, with shops and supermarkets. There is also a caravan park at Montagu.

Port Sorrell is another great spot to target extra-large King George, with some great land-based areas throughout the estuary. Around the Squeaking Point area is probably the best of the land-based locations. Juvenile fish can be caught in the estuary, as well as adults. The whiting travel up the estuary into the feeder rivers upstream with the run-in tide, and are often caught by bream anglers. Some great boat fishing is accessible at Port Sorrell and in the Rubicon and Franklin systems, with whiting up to 60cm occasionally caught. The Rubicon is also home to some of Australia’s biggest southern black bream, with many of the fish growing over 45cm total length and a few over 50cm. Also, big silver trevally are common in the warmer months. Port Sorrell has great accommodation nearby, as well as a caravan park, shops and a large supermarket. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

George Town is situated in the north of the State on the shores of the Tamar River, 35 minutes’ drive from Launceston. The Tamar estuary was my home ground for many years. Whiting have exploded in the Tamar over the last 20 years and can be caught 40km upstream from the ocean. There are many land-based options, which include, the Low Head area, Red Bill Point at Beauty Point, Swan Point Beach and Hillwood jetty. The best boat fishing is around George Town on the sea grass beds, with holes in the sea grass proving to be the best spots. Southern calamari is the best bait. There is plenty of accommodation around George Town and the entire Tamar Valley. Whiting of 40-50cm are common, but 60cm fish are caught now and then. It really is a great spot to fish with plenty of spots to try.

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It’s always a good idea to have a landing net while fishing for big Whiting because they have soft mouths.

The stretch from Bridport to Tomahawk is part of the North coast known to have some of the best KG fishing in the state. It runs for about 40km along the beach and is filled with ribbon weed beds. All of these shallow areas will hold big whiting.

The best way to locate the ribbon weed beds is to use the Google Earth app on your iPhone. You can clearly see where they are. Whiting up to 60cm are regularly caught along this stretch of the coast, both land-based and out in the boat. There is accommodation at Bridport and a caravan park at Tomahawk. There is no special spot in this area, as every grass bed will have fish on it. The best months are usually winter to the end of summer. April is usually the worst month. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Tassie’s Jumbo Whiting

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Musselroe Bay is a tidal lagoon in the state’s North-east, where there are good numbers of King George and bream through the warmer months. Musselroe is a beautiful place and a popular tourist destination. Some of the best fishing in the bay is land-based, with the local boat ramp being one of the best spots to try for whiting and good sized bream. There are plenty of nippers along the shore of the local boat ramp that offer the best bait option, so a bait pump is required.

The run-in tide seems to be the best time to fish.

There are camping areas in Musselroe, but no amenities, so you bring your own. The whiting in Musselroe are normally 35-45cm in length.

Rowena Fry with a 60cm plus horse from the Northeast.

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St. Helens has a good population for King George. Areas around the oyster leases are popular spots, with big bream are also a chance. You can catch King George near most of the jetties around George’s Bay, so land-based is a great option. Big silver trevally and pinky snapper are a common by-catch for the whiting angler.

The whiting are most prolific though to the warmer months, and most are between 35-45 cm. There is plenty of accommodation in the township at St Helens. It is a very popular holiday destination and boasts excellent game fishing offshore.

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Tassie’s Jumbo Whiting

Coles Bay is another beautiful holiday destination that’s very popular throughout the summer months. It is a township on the banks of the Great Oyster Bay. Whiting have only really been discovered in the area over the last decade. The numbers are probably not as thick as some of the State’s northern locations, but they are definitely on the rise. Many local anglers have been catching them in their kayaks or boats close to the shore around sea grass beds. I think over the next decade they will breed up and Coles Bay should have a good population. There is plenty of accommodation in the seaside village, and it is a great spot to visit with the family.

Most of the Whiting are 35-45 cm, with the occasional larger fish being taken.

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The picturesque Wineglass Bay is located in the Freycinet National Park just 8km from the popular Coles Bay township.

www.spooledmagazine.com.au

The entire east coat of Tasmania is laden with pristine waters, small towns and prime fishing locations.

Whiting legend Christoper Ganar from Western Port Bay in Victoria, travels every year to target these Northeast Jumbos.

www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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Swansea is also one of the further southern areas in which King George have established themselves. Most anglers targeting the fish close to the beach, around areas which have a weedy bottom. Some locals also paddle their kayaks out to fish for them. Swansea is another beautiful holiday destination just south of Coles Bay. There are plenty of other fishing options in the area, including good bream and calamari.

Offshore around Schouten Island excellent game fishing can be had as well. There is plenty of accommodation in the area, and also a local supermarket and shop in the town. Plenty of great beaches exist around the shores for the family to have fun.

Tassie’s Jumbo Whiting

//BAITS There are many different baits that work on King George. My favourite is definitely southern calamari but pipis, mussels, nippers, bluebait and pilchard fillets will all work on big whiting. Fresh is always best, but frozen is a good second choice.

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A Reedy’s Whiting wide gape hook, baited with fresh Southern Calamari.

//TIDES It’s pretty hard to say a certain tide is better than another; it really depends on the location you are fishing and what depth you’re working in. However, as a general rule the tide change can be good, both low and high, especially as the water slows down and speeds up again. Whiting can be found in many different depths in Tasmania. Some of my best spots are in deeper water, but as a general rule the shallows are probably the best places to start looking. Start hunting in about 2-6 m of water especially in areas where sea grass or ribbon weed are found.

The sand holes in between the weed beds are the best spots to anchor up.

//RIGS I use two main rigs for King George. The first is a running sinker rig with a long sinker dropper. I use this rig in area with lots of current. I use a longish leader of around 6kg with a Reedy’s wide gape hook tied on the end. I use a 28g sinker in most situations.

The second choice is the Reedy’s Tinganoster Whiting Rig. This rig has two super sharp Mutu Circle hooks attached made from Japanese steel.

They are brilliant hooks. I use this rig on weedy bottoms or areas with low current. It a double dropped styled rig and it is great baited with a calamari cube. Long strip baits are better fished on the wide gape hook. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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The Reedy’s Whiting Tinganoster Rig claiming two Bridport Beauties.

//TACKLE The outfit I use is a soft tipped spinning rod rated at 2-5kg line class. Something of around 6’-7’6” long is ideal. The reel should hold around 150m of 4kg mono.

I don’t like braid for King George, as they have very soft mouths and hooks can tear out easily. Some stretch is required, and if a fish is lost, it often takes the whole school with it, so pulling hooks because of braid is not ideal. The reel should be around a 2500 size.

The trick to being a productive King George angler is not to stay in a spot for too long. I give a spot 15 minutes, and if I don’t get a sign they are about, I move on. I never stay in the one location if nothing is there. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Fishing the edges of the Sand Holes is very productive.

Tassie’s Jumbo Whiting

//CONCLUSION I am very proud to say Tasmanian is blessed with possibly the best King George whiting fishery on the planet, and it really needs to be looked after. We have a bag limit of five set by our Sea Fisheries and IMAS, which is in place to keep our emerging fishery in tip-top condition.

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With quality fish of this nature on offer, it’s vitally important to look after our fisheries for future generations to enjoy. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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Chasing Ghosts!

TANGAROA BLUE FOUNDATION

Chasing Ghosts!

FIRST ‘PROJECT RECON’ GHOST GEAR CAPTURED

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THE TANGAROA BLUE FOUNDATION CONTINUES ITS WORK IN CLEANING UP OUR MARINE ENVIRONMENT. HEIDI TAIT EXPL AINS.

A ghost net caught up on the Agincourt Reefs along northern Great Barrier Reef.

Photo credit: Oak Beach Productions www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG), better known as ghost gear, is a widespread form of marine debris. Although any rubbish ending up in our oceans is bad news, ghost gear stands out among the rest. It’s the most harmful type of marine debris due to its impacts on marine wildlife and habitats, yet many people have never heard of it.

In different locations around Australia ghost gear makes up a high percentage of the marine debris removed during Tangaroa Blue Foundation beach cleanup activities. Tangaroa Blue Foundation is an Australian-wide not-for-profit that focuses on the removal and prevention of marine debris. For almost two decades volunteers and partners have collected data on everything that they remove from the environment and submitted it to the Australian Marine Debris Initiative (AMDI) Database that Tangaroa Blue uses to facilitate source reduction plans.

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Mapoon Back Beach is a hotspot for ghost nets - every year the Mapoon Land & Sea Rangers are joined by Tangaroa Blue volunteers and partners for a cleanup event on Country.

Apudthama NPARC Rangers with the Tangaroa Blue crew haul out another ghost net from the 5 Beaches Loop at the tip of Cape York. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Chasing Ghosts!

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To date, more than 24 million items have been recovered and recorded at over 4400 sites across Australia and with the help of more than 225,477 volunteers.

This data helps us identify what types of marine debris are impacting different parts of the country. In many cases the details recorded for each item collected allow us to track it to the source so that strategies can be developed to stop the loss of that item into the environment in the future. If all we do is clean-up, that’s all we’ll ever do!

In the case of ALDFG, a wide range of items, including fishing traps, tangled masses of thousands of metres of rope and line, crates, chemical light sticks, nets the size of a footy field, fish aggregating devices (FADs) and plastic buoys are collected in large quantities during beach clean-ups. However, one item that really grabbed our attention during clean-ups was the regular discovery of GPS-enabled fishing buoys, particularly on remote Cape York beaches.

When we started to find these GPS buoys, it took us a while to figure out exactly where they were coming from, and then, more importantly, what we could do with them. However, our efforts to track these items to the source paid off and the result is Project ReCon, a world-first collaboration to repurpose, reuse, and recycle these buoys, which is quite remarkable!

Remote Cape York beaches accumulate significant amounts of commercial fishing gear from all over the world. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

We were surprised to find out that even though we found the buoys on a remote beach in Cape York, far from the international fishing grounds and the fishing vessel that initially deployed them, they could still be legally owned by the fishing vessel. So, negotiations started between Satlink and the commercial fishing fleets to see if a transfer of ownership was even possible.

Clearly, Satlink has built some great relationships with the commercial fishing industry because right off the bat 16 commercial fishing fleets covering 70 vessels signed up for Project ReCon, allowing the transfer of ownership from the fishing fleet to Tangaroa Blue Foundation. This enabled a unique circular economy collaboration to be developed.

Kathryn Gavira, Satlink’s Head of Science & Sustainability, highlighted the importance of the program: “Project ReCon represents the way forward for sustainability in tuna fishing, and for environmental projects in general.

Through Tangaroa Blue Foundation www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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Ghost gear including ghost nets, fish aggregating devices (FADs), GPS buoys, plastic floats and massive clumps of rope are regularly recovered across Cape York.

Firstly, we determined that these GPS buoys are used in the international commercial fishing industry to track deployed fishing gear. Secondly, we needed to find the right person in the right company who was open to exploring options, either repurposing or recycling these buoys, which led us to a call with a Spanish technology company called Satlink, a world-leading provider of technological solutions for the commercial fishing sector.

Chasing Ghosts!

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The crew from Blue Planet Marine’s ‘’Infamis” receives their Project ReCon buoy, ready to deploy on any ghost gear they can’t remove during their Far North Great Barrier Reef research trips. we’re building on the strengths of local communities, the government agencies that are involved, as well as Indigenous Rangers in the area where the buoys are being recovered and re-used, while on Satlink’s end a huge part of the fishing industry has come on-board and is involved in the project, ” Kathryn said.

Conflict Islands Conservation Initiative Rangers in Papua New Guinea have joined the Project ReCon program assisting in conservation efforts on the island.

Photo credit: Conflict Islands Conservation Initiative Rangers www.spooledmagazine.com.au

The buoys all have serial numbers on them, meaning a quick crosscheck by Satlink shows if the buoy is in or out of Project ReCon (for now). Then structural inspections and GPS and satellite testing occurs to ensure that the buoy is still operational and can be redeployed.

Chris Bolton Fishing are Reef Guardian Fishers and are part of Project ReCon, both hosting a buoy and removing whatever ghost gear they come across while out at sea.

Photo credit: Chris Bolton Fishing

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From there the buoy is distributed to one of our AMDI marine partners for hosting. Marine partners include Australian Border Force, Indigenous Ranger teams, charter boat operators out on the Great Barrier Reef, commercial fishing vessels, logistics vessels and research vessels.

These partners host the buoys on their vessel with the solar panels charging them in the sun. In the event that the crew comes across ghost gear like a big drifting net, that they can’t remove immediately because it’s too big for the vessel or the crew, they can immediately secure the buoy onto the gear and notify us that it’s been deployed. All we need to do is switch on the GPS satellite tracker to keep it under surveillance until recovery can be coordinated.

Tangaroa Blue’s Brett Tait training up the Mapoon Land & Sea Rangers on how to deploy the Project ReCon buoys while they are out on their patrols. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Chasing Ghosts!

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In the past, a major issue has been that reports of ghost gear and nets were made after people had returned to port.

By that time, these items had drifted off and could not be found when a recovery vessel was finally organised. Having Project ReCon buoys already deployed on vessels ensures that these items won’t drift away while waiting for a bigger vessel to be arranged. Ghost nets are found regularly throughout Australian waters, including along the Great Barrier Reef. However, one of the highest ghost net density regions is in the Gulf of Carpentaria, along Australia’s northern coast. More than 15,000 ghost

nets have been removed from the Gulf of Carpentaria region since 2015, and more than 8 tonnes of ghost nets were removed from waters between the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Torres Strait in December 2022, indicating the size of the issue.

These areas are also home to six of the world’s seven marine turtle species, three of which are listed as endangered in Australia, and four sawfish species, which are endangered globally. Researchers estimate that up to 14,600 turtles are caught in these nets, assuming ghost nets drift for one year.

Along 810km of the Great Barrier Reef in Cape York, Tangaroa Blue identified 225 ghost nets amongst all the marine debris recorded in our 2022 Cape York aerial helicopter survey, highlighting the need for solutions to tackle this issue. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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Project ReCon is one solution that helps address this issue.

Once an AMDI partner deploys a buoy, we start to use the impressive features of the Satlink database portal. The data geeks in our database team are in heaven because they not only have continuous 24/7 access to the buoy’s location, but they can also tell it to flash its lights when a vessel is approaching the pick-up zone and is having a hard time seeing it, such as during dusk. There’s also a function which allows a virtual fence to be erected. If the ghost gear’s trajectory looks like it will enter a shipping lane or land on a sensitive reef, we can set up alerts when the gear is a set distance away. Alerts can be sent to the marine sector so they are aware of the navigational hazard and recovery efforts can be escalated.

Ghost nets can be the size of a football field, and need some pretty serious vessels to remove them.

This one hauled out of the Gulf of Carpentaria by Carpentaria Contracting weighed more than 5 tonnes.

Photo credit: Carpentaria Contracting www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Chasing Ghosts!

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In August 2023 the first set of buoys had been tested and distributed to our AMDI partners and we were just waiting for the call for the first deployment. We had just returned from Weipa, where we distributed and provided training on the Project ReCon buoys to local partners when a call came from the Australian Border Force office in Weipa saying that they had deployed a tracker on a large chunk of ghost gear about 4nm south of the town. This particular object had been causing issues in the area for almost 12 months – being spotted by boaties every now and then before disappearing again and avoiding recovery. Working with Satlink, we immediately began tracking the object and organising recovery. It was clear that this object was going to need a vessel with a crane, so we made a call to Weipa’s Carpentaria Contracting and secured a vessel 26 suitable for the job. However, the vessel would not be back in Weipa and available for the recovery for just over two weeks’ time. With Project ReCon this is not a problem.

Australian Border Force officers deployed the first Project ReCon buoy onto ghost gear off Weipa in August this year, it was kept under satellite surveillance until a vessel large enough was available to remove the 3 tonne haul.

Photo credit: Australian Border Force

www.spooledmagazine.com.au

The Nanum Wungthim Land and Sea Rangers from Napranum received their Project ReCon buoy and training from Tangaroa Blue’s Brett Tait.

The buoy and its payload were kept under surveillance, and a couple of weeks later Australian Border Force officers joined Napranum’s Nanum Wungthim Land and Sea Rangers and the crew from Straight Shooter for the recovery mission. The result was a massive 3 tonnes of gear being hauled out of the Gulf of Carpentaria, removing the threat it caused to wildlife and vessels and proving the Project ReCon concept worked!

Ghost gear has the potential to kill wildlife, cause vessel damage and even transport invasive species from one region to another.

Senior Border Force Officer Kim Hockey, from ABF’s Weipa District Office, said that the ABF was excited and pleased to be able to assist Tangaroa Blue.

“Here in Weipa the ABF and Tangaroa Blue have developed a close working relationship as we collaborate in this space to improve the health and safety of Australia’s marine environment. Where we can, we will continue to enhance our ability to track and retrieve ghost gear.” Officer Hockey said.

This is Project ReCon in action, turning waste into effective tracking equipment and deploying it to help reduce the impact ALDFG has on our marine environment. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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Chasing Ghosts!

Since the first successful recovery, the participation in Project ReCon has only grown, with the number of commercial fishing vessels signed up hitting 100 from 22 tuna companies from all over the world. As well, Project ReCon received huge recognition in the international tuna industry for innovation and sustainability when it received a prestigious Tuna Awards 2023 in the ‘Blue Transition’ category.

“We are so proud to see yet another achievement for this fantastic collaboration, and we look forward to more ghost gear being recovered!” Gavira says.

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If you work or play out on the ocean across Northern Australia and keen to get involved by either donating a buoy that you’ve found, or hosting 28 a buoy on your vessel, reach out to us at info@tangaroablue.org Project ReCon has received funding from Ocean Conservancy, the Global Ghost Gear Initiative and the Australian Government’s Reef Trust through the ReefClean program.

For further information on Project ReCon, visit: www.projectrecon.org

Carpentaria Contracting manoeuvring to remove 3 tonnes of ghost gear that was being tracked south of Weipa in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Photo credit: Carpentaria Contracting www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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The Happy Trout

STEVE ‘STARLO’ STARLING

The Happy Trout Finding & Catching Trout In Streams & Rivers

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STARLO LOOKS AT THE ABSOLUTE BASICS OF FINDING AND CATCHING TROUT IN OUR FLOWING WATERS THIS SEASON. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Three key motivators drive the behaviour of all fish: the desire to eat, the fear of being eaten, and a genetic imperative to reproduce. That’s about it… There’s really not much else of any significance going on in their simple lives.

It’s all about eating, not getting eaten and making baby fish… End of story!

If you can correctly answer that volley of questions about every fish you target, you’re well on your way to becoming one of those 10 per cent (or less) of the angling fraternity who catch 90 per cent (or more) of the fish… and that includes trout.

So, let’s start at the very beginning with trout, and seek some answers for the basic questions of where they live, what they eat, what they fear and how they reproduce:

Starlo with a lovely stream-dwelling brown trout taken on a dry fly from a prime lie.

www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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Careful consideration of these three key behavioural elements should lie at the core of every decision we make about where, when and how to fish for any species, in any environment. Where and when will those fish be looking for food?

What forms of food do they prefer? How can we present or imitate those favoured foods without scaring the fish and letting it know it’s being hunted? Finally, when, where and how is the breeding imperative likely to over-ride hunger and dominate the fish’s behaviour, is it still catchable at those times, should we even be targeting it if it is and, if so, how?

The Happy Trout

//FINDING TROUT WATER Often, the greatest challenge facing Aussie trout anglers is actually finding some viable water to cast a bait, lure or fly into. Australia is the second driest continent on Earth (after Antarctica, believe it or not!), and this reality greatly limits our trout fishing opportunities, especially when compared to some other parts of the world.

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Fact is, trout need relatively clean, unpolluted and cool-ish water. They start to stress when that water gets warmer than about 22 or 23 degrees Celsius.

A couple of days in waters over 24 degrees will kill most rainbows, and 32 another degree or two will start to knock over even the hardier browns.

Here in Australia we’re not blessed with as much clean, cold waters as our Kiwi cousins across the ditch. Just look at all that icy cold glacial melt water!

For these reasons, Australia’s public trout waters are mostly confined to Tasmania, the cooler, higher altitude regions of Victoria and New South Wales, a few small pockets of south eastern South Australia, and the south-west corner of Western Australia.

Even within some of these regions, there are many places where our trout fishing can best be described as “marginal”, and where regular re-stocking with hatchery-bred fish is needed to maintain viable populations, especially after prolonged droughts.

However, despite these geographic limitations on the consistent availability of cool, clean freshwater, we do still have some pretty fair trout fishing, and this branch of the sport is currently on an upswing after a trio of wetter and cooler than average years. However, make the most of it while you can, as we may well already be on the slide back into another hot, dry El Niño phase. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Jo Starling hooks up to an acrobatic rainbow in a typical Australian alpine stream. //READING TROUT STREAMS In many ways, trout streams are amongst the easiest of all waterways for anglers to “read” or interpret. Their currents are clearly defined, their major structural elements are often visible, and the fish themselves tend to adopt reasonably predictable “lies” or holding stations. Interestingly, many of the basic rules for reading trout streams also form a valuable foundation for understanding all other waterways, too: be they fresh or saltwater.

Laying a fly up into the quieter water of a slow moving pool.

Trout streams range from bubbling brooks and tiny mountain creeks that an energetic angler could easily jump across to large, powerful rivers and the turbulent “tail races” downstream of big dams. Each of these environments is obviously different, but a set of basic rules applies to all of them. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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The Happy Trout

Most flowing streams (trout and otherwise) are composed of two alternating forms of topography called pools and riffles. Other terms for pools and riffles include holes and bars, pools and rapids, or runs and riffles. Regardless of the exact terminology used, these pairs of labels differentiate between the deeper, relatively slower-flowing areas of a stream (the pools, runs or holes) and the shallower, faster stretches (bars, riffles or rapids).

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In a typical stream, pools and riffles alternate with a degree of regularity or pattern, although the length and depth of the pools and the speed of flow through the riffles can vary significantly, depending on the terrain the waterway runs 34 through, and also the volume of water the stream is carrying at the time.

The pools and riffles are clearly defined here.

Trout (or any other fish) living in a stream will choose to spend the bulk of their time facing into the current. That usually means facing upstream, although back eddies can throw a curved ball into this equation.

Orienting themselves with their heads facing into the current makes it much easier for the fish to breathe, to hold station or position, and also to detect any food items drifting downstream toward them with the flow.

Most fish also seek cover of some sort, especially during brighter daylight hours.

This cover can take the form of aerated white water, discoloured water, depth, an undercut bank, fallen logs, or the shadow of a tree, a high bank or a big boulder. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

//PRIME ZONES For most of the trout season in our streams (typically early spring until the end of autumn), one of the prime holding areas in any creek or river lies at the transition zone between a riffle or rapid and the head of the pool immediately below it. Here, the current rapidly loses force as it spills into the hole, and back eddies may occur along each bank as the water becomes deeper and more slowly moving. Often, a circular or oval patch of smoother, seemingly motionless water exists within this transition zone. This is called the “eye of the pool”. The eye itself and its edges are terrific places to cast a line for trout and most other freshwater fish, as are any obvious current “seams” (break-lines separating slower and faster moving water), especially those immediately downstream of the eye.

Current “seams” or “break-lines” are always prime spots.

In many trout streams the middle reaches of longer pools are often surprisingly unproductive, although fish certainly do cruise, feed and occasionally rise to the surface in the middle of many pools, especially in the mornings and evenings, and more so if an insect hatch is in progress. These middle reaches of a pool are also places trout tend to retreat to when stressed, spooked or alarmed. At such times, they’re likely to be very hard to catch. By contrast, redfin perch, Murray cod, yellowbelly, bass and other freshwater species regularly hold and feed in these deeper, slower moving parts of a long pools. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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The Happy Trout

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Trout have large mouths, but spend a lot of their time eating small items.

Continuing downstream, the tail or tail-out of the pool is another very productive area for trout, especially where the water begins to shallow and speed up before rushing away into the next riffle. These tails or tail-out areas can hold a number of trout for the greater part of the year — especially at dawn and dusk. However, this area is particularly productive early and late in the season. Autumn and spring are the seasons when the fish are preparing to spawn, actually spawning, or recovering from spawning. A lot of this activity occurs in the tails of the pools.

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//POCKET WATER Trout can also be caught in the riffles or rapids themselves, especially if these contain enough depth and are not too boisterous. The best riffles for fishing are those with scattered larger boulders or logs that provide breaks from the current. Fishing the so-called “pocket water” or small current breaks within riffles can be highly productive at times, especially as the season progresses and trout seek the cooler, more oxygenated water found in these turbulent areas. Better still, these pockets are overlooked by many anglers!

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Believe it or not there’ll be trout in that raging torrent, but you’ll need to “pick the pockets” to pin them.

On a larger scale, man-made structures can also be of great importance to trout anglers. The most significant structures on streams are weirs, locks and dams, which are commonplace on many of our rivers.

One of the best places to start fishing in a larger river is often immediately downstream of any significant barrier, where fish that are attempting to migrate upstream stack up and compete for food. However, be aware that there are fishing closures in place for designated stretches of river below many dams. Always check first! www.spooledmagazine.com.au

The Happy Trout

//WHAT TROUT EAT You’ll sometimes read in old fishing books that trout have “catholic tastes”. That doesn’t mean they love chewing on little wafers of dry bread and sipping wee draughts of altar wine every Sunday! In this context, the word catholic (with a lower case ‘c’) is used in its original context, meaning “universal”. In other words, there’s not much that trout won’t eat at one time or another. (I’ll never forget discovering half a dozen cigarette butts in the gut of a Lake Eucumbene trout I was cleaning!)

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That said, the bulk of an adult Australian trout’s diet is made up of insects (in both 38 their aquatic, larval stages and as adults), crustaceans and small fish, with the odd spider, worm, grub, frog, little lizard, mouse or the like thrown in for variety.

Of course, those broad categories of insect, crustacean and fish cover a huge variety of organisms, from midge larvae you’d need a magnifying glass to study properly, up to quite hefty morsels (as an example, I once pulled a partially digested 20 centimetre trout from the stomach of a fairly modest 1.6 kilo Tasmanian brownie).

It’s interesting to look at a trout’s physiology when considering its dietary preferences.

These fish certainly don’t have small mouths, especially not when compared to some of our freshwater natives, such as silver perch, sooty grunter and the like.

Grasshoppers are just one of a myriad insects commonly consumed by trout.

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A handsome rainbow fooled with a big, bushy dry fly.

Adult male trout, in particular, have big, powerful jaws lined with reasonably sharp, conical teeth. However, there’s good reason to believe that these generous maws evolved more for fighting off rivals than dealing with day-to-day tucker. Adult trout can become very territorial and feisty, especially as spawning time approaches.

Bucks, in particular, fight with each other, challenge rival suitors and even bite and grasp their prospective spawning partners. Those big mouths are sometimes also used (along with the fish’s tails) to move gravel and small rocks during construction of the “redd” or spawning bed. So, they’re not all about food intake. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

The Happy Trout

That said, having a large mouth certainly opens up a predator’s options, and a trout that’s delicately sipping tiny spent mayfly spinners off the surface one moment can, if it wishes, easily chase down and inhale an eight centimetre yabby or a 10 centimetre galaxia the next… Which is perhaps a rather long-winded way of saying that you shouldn’t become totally locked into the image of trout being fastidious pickers!

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On the other hand, trout are certainly capable of giving the impression of being “selective feeders” on many occasions. Fly fishers who’ve studied this topic far more extensively than I have may argue at length about the validity of terms like “selectivity”, but any of us who’ve fished for trout long enough have certainly 40 encountered periods when they only seem to have eyes (and mouths) for one or two food sources, be they emerging mayfly duns, falling flying ants, or wind-borne gum beetles. It happens, and when it does, you’d better hope you can “match the hatch”!

More often, however, the cunning, careful and delicate presentation of an offering that strongly resembles some sort of food (even if not exactly replicating any one particular organism) will bring an un-spooked or “happy” trout undone. (By “happy” trout, I mean one that’s hunting and feeding normally and not aware of the presence of any immediate threat — such as you crouching behind that bush on the bank with a rod in your hand!)

Michael Haley and Jo Starling pose with a Tasmanian sea-run brown trout.

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//THE HAPPY TROUT On a fishing trip to New Zealand’s Southland some years ago, my wife Jo and I enjoyed the opportunity of watching just such a “happy” trout in action for over two hours.

We spotted the splash of its rise from some distance and approached cautiously, using a steep bank behind us to conceal our outlines. Finding a comfortable, grassy ledge to sit on, we settled in to watch and photograph the fish. (In days gone by, I’d have cast at that feeding trout immediately and missed the education that followed.

I have Jo to thank for encouraging me to slow down and smell the roses!)

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A “happy trout” jumps for damsel flies.

It was truly fascinating observing that beautifully marked brown trout working its 40 or 50 metre “beat” of slow-flowing backwater bank. The fish remained completely visible to us for well over half of the two hours we observed it, and its behaviour indicated that it had absolutely no idea we were there. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

The Happy Trout

We identified three distinct feeding behaviours on the part of our happy trout: We watched it eat small morsels just above the stream bed and in mid-water, swinging its head and snapping its jaws to take them. I’d guess that these were insect nymphs emerging from the rocky bottom strata to swim to the surface and hatch.

There were also small, snowy coloured caddis moths flitting about just above the surface, dipping occasionally to touch the water (perhaps depositing their eggs?). The happy trout regular rose to take these on or just above the surface, making noisy, splashy slashes as it did so.

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“Gotcha!”

Finally — and most exciting of all — there were a few damsel flies hovering 20 to 60 centimetres above the water, perhaps hunting the caddis moths themselves and also mating. Whenever one of these little red-bodied attack helicopters hove into view, the trout immediately forgot the smaller titbits and began to actively track the damsel fly. We were stunned at the distance from which that trout obviously detected these dragonflies (at least four or five metres on several occasions), and the single-minded way in which it then zigged and zagged to follow their erratic flight. Finally, at the optimum moment www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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You’ll know all about it if you hook a rainbow like this in a fast-flowing stream! (usually as the damsel fly dipped to intercept a caddis or join with a mate) the trout would launch its blistering attack run, accelerating from a slow cruise into a racing blur that launched its body completely clear of the water. At least half the time this happened, there was no damsel fly left hovering in the air as the brown re-entered the drink!

Watching happy, untroubled fish feeding in this way is a remarkably illuminating experience, but as the shadows crept out from the bank and our day drew to an end, there was really only one thing left to do… I tied on a small, nondescript dry fly that vaguely resembled a caddis moth, waited until the trout was swimming away from me toward the far end of its beat, and cast my offering out into the killing zone.

Less than a minute later, the trout had turned and was working its way back along its narrow beat. I looked at my tiny fly floating on the meniscus, then over at the sedately cruising trout. They were on a collision course. About two metres short of my fly, the brown’s fins bristled, its speed picked up and its head tilted toward the surface… If there is anything more delicious than those next three heartbeats in the wonderful world of fly fishing, I’m yet to discover it.

We felt a real bond with that happy trout. I played it gently, took extra care in wetting my hands before cradling it at water level for unhooking and a quick photo, then doffed my cap as it shot off into the depths. Some fish are special. Few more so than a happy trout. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

The Happy Trout

//MAKING BABY TROUT

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The trout’s breeding cycle plays a huge role in the location and behaviour of these fish throughout the year. Interestingly, the two most important trout species in Australia — browns and rainbows — have quite distinct spawning seasons and breeding behaviour, although there are many overlaps.

Generally, brown trout begin to be motivated by pre-spawning urges any time from about late February or early March through into autumn and early winter.

At this time, their colours begin to darken, their spots brighten, and males start to develop distinctively hooked jaws and “kype” (bony protrusions at the ends of the upper and lower jaws). As the weather cools and days shorten, browns in lakes will aggregate and “stage” of the mouths of feeder streams, while river-dwellers generally begin to migrate upstream.

At least some browns will move Wild browns are special… onto their spawning beds as soon as there’s decent rain and/or a significant cold snap after the end of February and into March. Spawning takes place on relatively shallow gravel beds and bars, often well upstream, and sometimes in quite tiny side creeks, usually reaching a peak in late April, May and June. By the end of June there are typically lots of “spent”, poorly-conditioned fish dropping back into the lakes or lower river reaches, although there may still be bright, pre-spawn fish moving upstream as well. By late July or August, it’s usually all over for the year for the browns. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Some rainbows will follow the browns into their spawning areas in autumn, but these brash Americans have mostly come to eat their European cousin’s eggs, rather than to breed themselves. The serious run of spawning rainbows doesn’t usually get underway until the depths of winter and is often still in full swing when the new trout season opens in spring. Rainbows may spawn as late as the end of November some years. This late spawning behaviour is probably one of many reasons rainbows haven’t fared as well as brown trout in Australia, nor established many self-sustaining populations. Their eggs and fry are often exposed to the heat and falling water levels of summer, greatly reducing survival rates.

Trout are cannibalistic and eat a lot of each other’s eggs and small fry during the breeding cycle, which should give you plenty of clues on what to use to catch them. They can also become very aggressive and territorial at this time, attacking large lures and flies they have no real intention of eating.

You can use this aggression to your advantage, too.

… no two are the same. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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Both species of trout are eminently catch-able through most of their spawning cycle, although debate rages about the ethics of targeting them at such times. I’m not going to buy into that debate here, except to say that they’re introduced fish, mostly maintained via re-stocking. In my opinion, 45 if it’s legal to do so and the season is open, why not catch a few? You can make your own choices about hook-and-release or kill-and-grill.

The Happy Trout

//TRUE BLUE AUSSIE TROUT I have a real soft spot for trout fishing, and learnt a lot of my early angling skills by doing it. I accept that these are “exotic”, introduced fish, and that they must have had at least some negative impact on our native aquatic fauna, particularly small forage fish like galaxids and also some species of native frogs. But they’ve also contributed a great deal to our recreational fishing scene, and injected plenty of money into our economy. No introduced plant or organism comes without some environmental cost, be it a strain of wheat, a breed of cattle… or you and me.

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I certainly wouldn’t push for the stocking of trout into any new waters where they don’t currently exist. In fact, I reckon there are a few “marginal” areas where they could and possibly should be allowed to simply die out and be replaced with viable native species. But where they thrive in our higher, cleaner, cooler waters, I say let’s celebrate our speckled immigrants and rejoice in the wonderful sport they offer. After all, trout have been here since the 1860s, so they probably have as much right to call Australia “home” as most of us reading this!

Wherever you live within or close to the range of our true-blue Aussie trout, it’s troutin’ time right now. Embrace that reality and dust off the spin, bait or fly tackle. There may never have been a better summer in our collective lifetimes to hunt a happy trout or two!

We all dream of fishing a blue ribbon New Zealand river, but right now the trout fishing here in Oz is world class!

www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Kayaking Squid

ROB MAYA

Kayaking Squid ROB MAYA PROVIDES HIS TIPS, TACTICS AND TECHNIQUES WHEN CHASING SQUID FROM A K AYAK.

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The author with a nice squid taken while drifting. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Kayaks are a great mid-way point between fishing from the shore and fishing from a powered vessel, given they are highly versatile and an inexpensive form of fishing that anyone can get into. Targeting squid from a kayak is easy, achievable and very popular, as it is suitable for kayak anglers with limited or advanced experience.

One thing the following techniques all have in common is controlling the speed of the kayak while drifting. The best way to do this is with the aid of a drift chute, which enables the angler to slow the kayak down to walking pace. The reason for this is to ensure you can get the jig down to the strike zone. Moving too quickly will not allow the jig to reach the required depth—instead seeing it pulled up to the surface, away from structure.

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Weed patches bordered by sand are a lot easier to fish for squid as they provide you with an area to retrieve your lure through. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Kayaking Squid

Dead sticking a jig out the back as you drift can be very effective.

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// DRIFTING Drifting is an effective method for locating areas where squid are holding. The size and weight of the jig being used will be determined by the current and depth you’re drifting in. As mentioned above, setting up a drift chute is a key aspect, as it will control the drift speed of your kayak and ensure you can keep your jig in the strike zone.

Paddle to an area that looks suitable and, once there, stop and sit there for a few minutes to see which way you are drifting. Once you have determined your drift line, paddle to a spot that will enable you to drift over desired weed beds,

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keeping in mind the direction you’re drifting. Once you’re in your spot, the first thing you need to do is throw out your drift chute. You need to slow your speed straight away so you don’t drift over prime territory too fast. As soon as the drift chute is out and has water funnelling through it, you will feel the kayak pull up.

Then just cast a jig out behind the kayak and let the drift do the work. It’s still surprises me how many squid I pick up with this method. The natural movement and bobbing of the kayak imparts an irregular but effective action to the jig below. Just remember to keep a light drag pressure on the reel to cushion the lunges of a squid as it propels itself backward.

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// TROLLING Much like drifting, trolling makes for a great option when trying to locate Squid. To effectively troll for squid, you should employ an egi trolling board, as it helps keep the jigs down in the strike zone the entire time. The trolling board can be pre-set to dive anywhere between 1-3m and at the end of the trolling board, there is provision to tie up to three squid jigs to troll off the board. All you need to do is tie a jig to about a metre of leader while tying the other end of the leader to the trolling board. Attach your mainline to the ring on the front of the trolling board and you’re rigged up and ready to go.

Now place the trolling board in the water and let out about 10-15m of line. The board will float until you flip the bail arm back over. Once the rod loads up, the trolling board will dive down, taking the jigs with it. As you paddle at a slow speed, the trolling board will swing from side-to-side. Not only does it pull your jigs down deeper, it also imparts a nice swinging action. Once a squid takes one of the jigs, the rod will buckle over and you will hear your drag, as with all methods of catching squid, ensure you keep a tight line at all times and don’t give it any slack line at all. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Kayaking Squid

// CAST AND RETRIEVE TECHNIQUES There are three retrieves that I usually rotate between until I find what’s working best on the day. The first and the easiest to grasp is a slow roll. A slow roll involves casting out and letting the jig sink down to the weed beds, prior to it hitting the bottom before slowly reeling it back in. As you’re reeling, you can mix it up by adding a few twitches and pauses along the way.

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The next retrieve involves allowing the jig to sink all the way to the bottom, once the jig is either on the bottom (in sandy areas) or just above the weeds, simply lift 52 the rod tip to a vertical position, then drop it back so it’s almost horizontal, wind up the slack line and let it sink back down to the bottom again and repeat.

The last retrieve I use is a more aggressive retrieve that I was shown many years ago by a couple of the Yamashita staff from Japan. Again, let the jig sink slowly down to the bottom. Once it is at the desired depth, lift the rod 2 or 3 times from a horizontal position to a vertical position and back down again in a quick whipping type action. This gives the jig a natural action, making it dart around from side-to-side.

Keep your line tight at all times to maximise your chance of landing your catch. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Squid like to stalk their prey under the cover of weed or across rock or reefy bottom.

All three retrieves are easy to perform and each imparts a very different action to the jig. With the second and third retrieve, you’ll find that most strikes occur as the jig sinks, so it’s important to watch at all times. The moment you see the line tighten up, strike straight away as a squid has likely picked up the jig on the drop. Keep a tight line at all times—as squid jigs don’t have any barbs on them and any slack line will give your target all it needs to release itself.

With the jig kept in the strike zone as long as possible, this good sized squid fell victim to the troll. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

A good environet is helpful in preventing you from getting blasted with a squirt of ink.

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Kayaking Squid

// DEEP WATER

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Deep water squid fishing is particularly effective after a substantial dump of rain when salinity levels have decreased. Squid prefer high levels of salt in the water and as fresh water sits on top of salt water, big dumps of rain tend to push squid out into deeper water. The only actual difference from fishing in the shallows 54 to deep water is the jig required. As the key factor is to ensure the jig is close to the bottom, in deeper water and faster currents, this can be near impossible to achieve using the lightweight jigs that perform so well in the shallows.

You’ll notice in your local tackle shops, the market leaders in squid jigs have a deep water range, around the 2040g. This weight range is perfect to get the jig down just above the weed beds to tantalise those big squid. I say big squid because larger squid like the faster currents, whereas the smaller squid much prefer a slower water flow. You can catch large squid in the shallows, but you’ll rarely catch small squid in the deep, fast flowing currents.

There are a vast amount of choice when it comes to jig colors, sizes and weights.

//MIX IT UP As squid can be a fickle species, it seems as though the slightest variation in how the jig is presented can affect whether they strike the jig or not. To counter this, use more than one technique in order to crack the code at any particular time.

I say at any time, because squid may be attracted to a colour or technique one minute, then literally ignore that combination the next. So be prepared to change up colours and methods if things go a bit quiet, as they may not have shut down for the day. Mix up slow rolls with violent twitches and various foiled bellies and cloths to keep them on their toes. Eventually, you’ll crack the right combination. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

//CATCH AND RELEASE Squid are resilient and highly likely to survive after being released. Records demonstrate a squid tagged in Tassie continued on for three months after being released. Corey Green of Fisheries Victoria, embedded a directional tag in a squid he caught in Port Phillip Bay before trying to relocate it with his receiver an hour later. The receiver indicated that the hardy cephalopod had traveled 400m from its release point. Corey travelled to where the receiver showed the squid to be, cast out a jig and actually caught it again just one hour after he had released it.

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Cuttlefish, another member of the cephalopod family are commonly caught when targeting squid.

//DEDICATED EGI FISHING GEAR There has been much debate as to the effectiveness of dedicated egi rods and reels and through my experience, I have definitely found that egi fishing gear delivers better results on squid than those not specifically built for this type of fishing. Egi rods are the most important piece of dedicated gear you can invest in when it comes to squid fishing, and the reason is quite simple. The parabolic action of the rod not only enhances the jig’s underwater action, it also absorbs the lunges from a calamari as it tries to escape. Nonspecific rods don’t exhibit the same action, and anglers using stiffer rods will often pull jigs through the soft flesh of a tentacle. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Kayaking Squid

While I’m not suggesting you can’t catch squid with non-egi gear, I have no doubt you will increase your catch rate by using gear that was made for the purpose. Reels should possess smooth drags and braided line is advised thanks to heightened sensitivity and cast-ability. Fluorocarbon leaders are also ideal as they are almost invisible in the water column and they sink, which helps in the presentation of squid jigs.

//CONCLUSION

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Although kayak fishing is accessible and a cost effective way of getting amongst some 56 great fish, I couldn’t be stronger in my advice to tread with caution, venture out within your limits and treat safety with the importance it deserves. A life jacket is required by law and even if it wasn’t, I would wear one anyway. It’s the most important thing you should take with you when kayak fishing. Check all the regulations for your states governing marine body, know them by heart and practice them to a tee. Before leaving to head to your launch spot, check the weather again. I can’t tell you the amount of times I have cancelled trips at the last minute due to a significant change in the weather. Even if all looks great, if you arrive at your destination and it looks rougher than you expected, you don’t have to head out. If you have any doubt in your ability to handle the conditions, err on the side of caution and don’t go out. There will always be another day with conditions that are more suitable.

Safety first! Regardless of what the laws are in your area, always wear a life jacket. Don’t let one mistake be your last. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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Keeping It Cool

TUNA CHAMPIONS

Keeping It Cool

LOOKING AFTER YOUR TUNA IN THIS PIECE THE TUNA CHAMPIONS PROVIDER ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT KEEPING YOUR TUNA IN PRISTINE CONDITION.

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Some things are best served cold — revenge, beer and tuna. Most fish species are ectotherms, which means the temperature of the water they live in regulates where they can inhabit or swim. However, there is a small number of fish known as endotherms that have the ability to control their internal body temperature and can swim across a wide range of water temperatures. These species are usually highly migratory and include tuna, some sharks and billfish. Because of this unique ability to elevate their body temperature, it means as fishers we need to be conscious when catching and dispatching tuna that their bodies continue to warm.

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A 30.3 degree internal temperature of a 4kg albacore post capture. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Keeping It Cool

When catching tuna with the aim to release, it is important to ensure we minimise the stress applied to the fish whilst hooked up, and if we choose to keep a fish for a feed. To minimise the effects of this, reducing fight time and an efficient dispatching process will give the meat the best chance to chill.

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The first step is brain spiking the fish, as this is the most humane way to dispatch the fish, and also minimises the communication between the brain and the muscles.

However, even after you dispatch tuna with a brain spike, the fish will continue to heat. As the muscles twitch and contract, they produce warmth and heat the body for a period of time, even after the dispatch. Often, people put ‘pithing’ in the too hard basket, but it’s 60 one of the most important steps in the Ike Jime process. The pithing process involves

The brain spike should be inserted in the soft spot between the eyes until the end of the spike is level with the eys. This will destroy the cranial cavity and is the first step in dispatching a fish.

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This is the entry point for the pithing wire and it can be found by removing a circular chunk of the flesh from behind where the brain spike was inserted.

running a thick wire down the spinal cord of fish. This severs the spinal cord, releasing the pressure in the meat, but it also minimises the contractions in the muscles, helping reduce the warming. To do this, use a small coring tool to make an incision is made between the eyes, which will open the entry point to the spinal cord for your wire. If you don’t have wire onboard, heavy leader or monofilament will also suffice.

Any efforts to reduce the heat production in the tuna will all benefit the sashimi dish you serve to your friends and family.

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Keeping It Cool

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Try taking the photos as efficient as possible to begin the Ike Jime process and get that fish chilling.

This will give you a quality result on your plate.

Photo Credit: Al Mcglashan www.spooledmagazine.com.au

When we say tuna heat, they heat so intensely that they will actually cook from the inside out, which is called ‘burnt tuna syndrome’, and results in a brown flesh. A study conducted in 2017 looked at the body heat of tuna and the time it takes to reduce internal body temperature after a fight. To do this, a 35kg southern bluefin tuna was caught using a rod and reel in 16 degree water. The internal body temperature was measured immediately after capture, and was 27 degrees Celsius. The fish was then placed in a saltwater ice slurry for six hours. After being in a minus 1 degree slurry, the fish’s core temperature was still 13 degrees! This fish was only 35kg in size; imagine chilling a 100kg barrel! The rough rule is 1kg of ice to 1kg of meat. I know right now you’re thinking how in the world anyone is meant to carry 100kgs of ice onboard. Well, you’re not.

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Paul Worsteling and Aaron Habgood icing their tuna down in a saltwater slurry. Photo Credit Ifish TV www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Keeping It Cool

Paul, Cristy and Jet Worsteling with a Southern Bluefin Tuna caught in Eaglehawk Neck, Tasmania. Photo Credit Ifish TV

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The common misconception is that you come in from your day’s fishing and begin the filleting process. However, to get the best quality meat, leaving your fish chilling for up to 48 hours allows the meat to set, making it easier to fillet and also dropping the core temperature to near 0 degrees. This is where the 1:1 rule with ice comes into play; the amount of ice required over the 48hour period to be continually added to the slurry is the same weight as the tuna, as the fish will melt the ice through body heat. Or, when on land, befriend a mate who has a cool room! 1:1 is also the ratio of ice to salt water when making a slurry, maximising the chilling potential of the slurry.

If you want a high-quality finished product, make sure you put as much attention or even more to chilling your fish, as you do your beers! www.spooledmagazine.com.au

What’s NEW? SPOOLED LOOKS AT WHAT’S NEW IN THE MARKE T. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ANY OF THE PRODUCTS, SIMPLY TAP THE BUT TON SHOWN.

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G.LOOMIS SUN GLOVES Meet the G.LOOMIS Tech Palm Moss Sun Gloves, a fisherman’s new best friend.

Tailored specifically for anglers, these gloves blend a tech palm grip for unparalleled rod and reel handling with a subtle moss hue. Not only do they offer exceptional sun protection, but they also maintain flexibility, ensuring you can cast, reel, and handle fish with ease. Every fishing expedition just got a touch more comfortable with these indispensable gloves.

Info

www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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TT QUAKE POWER VIBE The new TT Quake Power Vibe is here in three versatile sizes and 22 unique colours. An intense R&D process has resulted in a new generation of soft vibe, with a sleek and realistic baitfish profile, forked tail, and fins, complete with UVreactive eyes that provide a solid strike target. A holographic finish on the internal weight of transparent models adds realism, while the unique colours include natural baitfish imitations through to vibrant offerings loaded with UV-reactive highlights.

Built on a strong and durable stainless steel internal frame, that intensifies the vibing action, the Quake Power Vibe comes fitted with heavy-duty split rings and 4X strong Japanese trebles, ready to take on all comers straight out of the packet.

Info

www.spooledmagazine.com.au

What’s New?

OKUMA BARBARIAN PRO SPIN RODS

SPOOLED MAGAZINE

Requests from anglers and the popularity of the Okuma Barbarian range of spin rods has inspired the release of the Barbarian Pro range, featuring upgrades 68 across key models. Praised as having the perfect actions for targeting bait fishing favourites, such as whiting, bream and luderick, the Pro series has maintained those soft tips, smooth actions, and power in the butt section that allows fish to eat the bait with minimal resistance, while keeping hooks in the fish during the fight.

Along with the aesthetic upgrade of a deep blue blank, with pale blue tip and bright blue branding, these rods feature upgraded guides to premium SeaGuide stainless steel guides with zirconia rings, an ergonomic cut-out reel seat and low-profile EVA grips, both reducing weight and increasing feel. Okuma’s patented UFR Technology in the tip section of the rod is designed so that long strand fibres running the length of the tip increases the strength and lifting power by up to three times that of a standard rod blank. A two-piece design makes for simple transport and storage of all models.

Classic bait fishing actions, in a slick and modern range of rods, offering anglers a true sportfishing rod for targeting fish on bait.

Info www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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23 TATULA TW 100 Daiwa’s Tatula family celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2023, and to mark the milestone releases a total redesign of one of the most popular reels in the range, the Tatula TW 100.

The new 23 Tatula TW 100 incorporates Daiwa’s newest baitcaster design concept, Hyperdrive Design, for the first time. Hyperdrive is the culmination of multiple key-elements with the goal of creating a reel with more winding-power under load, that’s smoother and more refined and has a long-lasting feel.

A totally new precision designed solid aluminium frame and gear side plate delivers maximum power and unrivalled durability, while its ergonomically designed profile fits effortlessly in the palm of the hand. Hyperdrive Digigear, TWS, Magforce Z, deliver unmatched strength, smoothness and precision both on the cast and on the crank, while Daiwa’s UTD gives you the muscle to stop just about anything that swims.

Whether its chasing Australian bass on the southern lakes, mangrove jack on the Gold Coast or barramundi in the north, the 23 Tatula TW 100 is the perfect way to celebrate 10 years of Tatula and is available in four models.

Info www.spooledmagazine.com.au

What’s New?

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LADIES VENTED FISHING SHIRT The legendary Shimano long sleeve vented shirt needs no introduction.

Designed for fisherman who demands the best, this 100% polyester material is quick dry and stain resistant. Available in ladies sizes from 8 to 18 there is a model to fit every angler in oatmeal, grey and skyway blue.

Info www.spooledmagazine.com.au

23 LEGALIS Combining classic looks with contemporary design and technologies the 23 Legalis delivers anglers a new feature and value packed spin reel for summer 2023.

The latest Legalis welcomes Daiwa’s new Airdrive Design, a leap forward in spin reel design, form and function that elevates the Legalis to a new level in performance and precision.

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Sporting a new look, the 23 Legalis’ redesigned Airdrive Rotor and Bail Arm reduces the weight of each respective part, combining to greatly reduce start-up inertia, and produce that sought after buttery-smooth rotation that anglers all crave.

A Zaion V composite body is impervious to the harsh saltwater elements and produces a rigid and sturdy frame that houses Daiwa’s famous Tough Digigear drive system. ATD drag, Infinite Anti-Reverse, Twistbuster II and an ABS Longcast Spool combine to further enhance the 23 Legalis’ performance, strength, and features.

Strengthening Legalis’ reputation for reliability, performance, and bangfor-buck value the 23 Legalis is primed to become a hit with Aussie anglers.

Available in sizes 2000D-6000D and with a black and gold colourway the 23 Legalis is destined to become a favourite.

Info www.spooledmagazine.com.au

What’s New?

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TT SPINTRIX INLINE SPINNERS A modern take on the classic inline spinner, the TT Spintrix family feature a ‘beetle’ body shape and wide selection of colours, built on quality Mustad trebles for needle sharp penetration and durability. Available in sizes 1, 2 and 3, to cover smaller streams to larger lakes and impoundments, the Spintrix range accounted for trout, redfin, bass, golden perch, saratoga, Murray cod and more during the R&D process.

With a comprehensive range of 16 colours, covering more traditional patterns, along with unique colours and patterns that include vibrant, UV-reactive finishes, there’s a colour to suit varying water quality and light conditions, along with key target species. Check out this proven freshwater favourite and left-field saltwater presentation at your local TT stockist and online.

Info www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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23 TD COMMANDER Few Daiwa rods possess a history like TD Commander. Rooted deep in the folklore of Daiwa, the ‘Commanders’ traditionally referenced Japanese angling icons, hand-picked to develop their own custom models in series like the original TD Battler. Developed with input from local angling heroes the TD Commander line-up is designed to perfectly cater for Australian conditions and species.

TD Commander is the showcase of Daiwa technology, with SVF Nanoplus blanks paired with X45X Full Shield technology to further elevate their performance. Lightweight and sensitive, SVF Nanoplus represents a significant upgrade from the previous version, making the new TD Commander now lighter and more sensitive than ever.

A combination Fuji Titanium SiC and Daiwa AGS (Air Guide System) guide train is lighter than an all-titanium set up and reduces the weight further increasing sensitivity.

In the baitcast models, a debut of Daiwa’s new reel seat concept, Zero Seat, with a brand-new offset trigger grip which sits the reel lower in the hand, improves palming of both large and small baitcast reels alike.

With an expanded model line-up catering to both spin and baitcast, north to south, there has never been more options to feel what Daiwa technology can do for your fishing.

Info www.spooledmagazine.com.au

What’s New?

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TT SWITCHPRAWN+ The TT SwitchPrawn+ metal vibration blade has a profile and action like no other, thanks to a thorough R&D program that produced incredible numbers of fish, along with a comprehensive list of species landed. The weight positioning and extended profile of the blade create an intense vibration, with increased water movement, while the trailing tassels and assist hooks make an irresistible strike trigger.

SwitchPrawn+ assists include ultra-sharp, Owner, black nickel, chemically sharpened hooks for maximum penetration, while multiple tow points on the blade allow anglers to customise the action to suit their fishing scenario and target species. Available in three versatile sizes and 16 unique colours, options include light natural, dark silhouette, and more vibrant colour patterns, complete with many UV-reactive models and 3D UV-reactive eyes to attract fish and trigger strikes.

Info www.spooledmagazine.com.au

DOUBLE CLUTCH 115EXDR The iconic Daiwa Double Clutch jerkbait range welcomes a new, and deepest running member with release of the 115 EXDR. With the EXDR standing for ‘Extra Deep Running’ the new Double Clutch 115 EXDR reaches depths greater than ever before.

Featuring fully through-wire construction to withstand the rigors of heavy-duty barramundi fishing, the 115 EXDR dives to depths of 4m (12ft) and has been specifically designed to cater for the emerging trend of targeting suspending barramundi with forward-facing sonar.

The new Double Clutch 115EXDR is equally at home on the steeper snag-laden banks of our northern rivers where you need lures to crashdive steeply into the strike zone where the predators lurk.

Like all Double Clutch models, the 115EXDR is fitted with Daiwa’s unique Silent Gravity Oscillation System (S-GOS), a technology that gives the Double Clutch its trademark erratic darting action.

The Double Clutch 115EXR is 115mm in length, 24gram in weight, is fitted with 4X Japanese trebles and rings, and is available in eight colours.

Info www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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What’s New?

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ZMAN 1.75” MICRO GOAT This exciting release expands both the ZMan GOAT family of 10X Tough ElaZtech soft plastics and the popular range of Micro BaitZ, that has been punching well above its size on a stack of species. This shrunken GOAT features the same flattened, ribbed grub body, with those two lively paddle feet, that attract explosive surface strikes and brutal sub-surface bites from a wide range of species.

During the R&D process it accounted for bream, bass, whiting, flathead, redfin, trout and more, and is sure to appeal to any species feeding on smaller prey, such as baitfish, shrimp, jelly prawns and aquatic insects. The concise colour range has you covered with light, natural colours, dark silhouette colours and fluoro / UV-reactive colours to suit varying conditions and target species.

The 1.75” Micro GOAT rigs perfectly on a Size 2 TT HeadlockZ Finesse or HWS (Hidden Weight System) jighead, Size 4 TT HeadlockZ HD jighead for when a heavy-duty hook is required, and a Size 4 TT ChinlockZ Finesse for fishing unweighted and weedless on the surface. When the bait is small or the bite is tough, downsize your presentation to the Micro GOAT and upsize you catch!

Info www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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Issue No.6

Summer 2023

SWIFT CRAFT

Mid 70s Sea Runner

Every thing in, on and Under the Water

OLD SCHOOL

BOAT OF THE YEAR A recap of this years contenders

IN DEEP The Kama SEAtra

Plus much, much more!

F E A T U R E

WINNER Old School Boat Of The Year

Restorations • Renovations • Repowers • Remodelling • Refits

CONTENTS CONTENTS

Cover - The winner of the Deadrise Old School Boat Of The Year. See page 8 for the full story of this years entrants.

From the Editor... 4 Old School Boat Of The Year

8

18

22

Old School Boat Of The Year – and the winners are...

Old School Boat Of The Year – swift craft sea runner

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in deep - kama seatra electronics with moose

competition... 41 bear’s boating bits... 42 DEAD

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INNOVATIVE

ECO SUSTAINABLE

CUSTOM BUILDING

MILITARY GRADE CUSTOM BOATS

Click Here To Tell Us What You Need

From the editor John ‘Bear’ Willis

The Digital Age? I recently had the opportunity to interview a number of RV manufacturers who travel

quite parallel lines to our marine industry and face similar challenges. I asked them all the question, “what is the single biggest challenge you face in today’s marketplace? The answer came back unanimously - electronics!

Let’s face it, the revolution in modern technology is simply mind boggling. It seems that every day we see new gizmos, gadgets and technology that we must try to keep up with or even simple tasks such as banking or safely navigating a boat will become difficult. In fact, with society’s impending move to digital currency we all have to invest in continuing updates just to live in this world that seems to be spiralling unchecked into a frightening brave new world.

Yet some of us have learnt the hard way that there’s often nothing permanent about many forms of technology, and often it’s not dependable. Take the latest Optus outage for example!

I have personally lost many years of digital images and video due to hard drives crashing even after multiple backups. “Store it on the Cloud” they say, only to find out that many systems are no longer available, or you need to pay constantly inflating prices for access and that’s if the system isn’t superseded. How about all that music we paid for only to find it’s somehow been removed from your devices and whipped away to the depths of cyberspace and unavailable to you without internet service.

Believe me, when you leave the big smoke the loss of internet is common. In fact, where I live on the south coast of NSW we often lose all power. It shuts down towns, including fuel supply and other essential services!

So how does all this relate to marine you well may ask?

Well firstly there’s navigation. I often think back to a meeting of charter operators a number of years ago where only a minority could identify the cardinal markers for traversing to the north, south, east or west for safe navigation - and there are professional mariners, not recreational boaters.

We constantly rely on our GPS, plotter and now radar systems often overriding the reality of location. Ask yourself, are you physically and mentally able to navigate a course back to port in the event of foul weather impeding your vision especially if it coincides with a loss of GPS coverage?

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From The Editor

What would happen if there were a total failure in your multifunction unit, especially those that now include not only your sonar and navigation information, but control many essential functions such as bilge pumps, engine management, navigation lighting and some with keyless ignition. Many of these technologies work well in land based or even large craft applications, but in my opinion are questionable in the rigours of trailer boating where they have very little backup redundancy and a high degree of fatigue and corrosion.

In my opinion, putting control of all your crafts essential systems into one electronic unit is fraught with danger especially when combined with micro switching and fine gauge wiring. As the saying goes, “it’s all poo’s and wee’s until someone pisses and shits!”

It’s also worth considering your information backup systems. I know of many people who have lost all their GPS spots and navigation records when their electronics have failed or met the inevitable end of service life. Even the format used for backup may be unreadable when changing brands.

One thing that I have learnt the hard way when it comes to anything digital is that nothing lasts forever. Technology can be marvellous, and in marine applications often lifesaving, especially considering our latest forecasting and navigation aids. But just keeping up with the times, or upgrades is endless. We have created the beast, and now with the new AI lets be sure it doesn’t recreate you!

See ya in the wet bit!

Bear

Competition winner: Congratulations to Scottie Thorne from NSW who will receive the fabulous Super Bag 110 from our good friends at ICEY TEK. DEAD

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www.iceytek.com.au

SOFT COOLERS

Our range of quality Soft Cooler bags are the ideal complement to our range of Hard Coolers.

Perfect for your next outdoor fishing adventure.

Click here to see our full range of Soft Coolers.

john ‘bear’ willis

Old school boat of the year

Deadrise Old School Boat Of The Year As we close the year out, John Willis has a full recap of all the entrants and announces the winners of the inaugural Old School Boat Of The Year competition.

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We have been blessed with such a wonderful array of boats for our first year of the

Deadrise Old School Boat of the Year (DOSBOTY) Awards. The quality of workmanship has been outstanding and a true reflection of the participants’ dedication to their chosen craft. It’s also a great reflection on the recognition that Australian boaters have for many of the great boats from the “golden era” of fibreglass, and indeed aluminium boat manufacturing pre 2000.

What makes an “Old School” boat many have asked? Well, I guess there is no actual definition, but it is certainly one of the classic constructions that were generated from the post WW2 era of fibreglass and aluminium technology, at the same time with the development of terrific, mostly deep-V and twin hull design emanating from the American and Australian offshore racing scene.

In Australasia, we had some wonderful innovators and manufacturers. Much of the design technology evolved from the original Formulas and Bertram’s in the late 1950s to the early 1960s, yet as time passed, local development and ideas expanded.

Boating evolution has also seen the pleasing trend toward purpose dedicated design where once the best fishing or ski boat was the family half cab or runabout, and now we have progressed to intricate arrays of custom features in perfect balance with the preferred objectives, i.e. ski, wake, tournament, offshore fishing, etc.

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DEADRISE OLD SCHOOL BOAT OF THE YEAR

Yet in so many ways hull design has merely been refined, with only a few exceptions.

There are certainly some dedicated concepts and developments, especially again out of America. However, the European sector is having a huge influence on our latest offerings.

The development of synthetic materials has perhaps been the greatest influence on the boating scene with a terrific variety of specialised resins, epoxies, core materials (fibreglass, basalt, starboard, thermolite etc) and methods, including infusion technologies all seeing a revolution in construction.

All of this adds to the restoration and refurbishment of some of the great Old School hulls, and when combined with modern accessories and equipment, allows many to build their own “perfect boat”.

As far as the Deadrise Magazine goes, we have had a great response from those wishing to feature their creations in the magazine. However, the inability of people to transfer high-resolution images and video by modern methods has meant that not all of those creations were accepted. In today’s world of smart phones and technology, everyone is capable of an almost professional photo shoot, or even video. However, most don’t understand that it is the method of transfer that is vital. Saving photos and video from social media is simply not high enough quality. We have many means by which we can transfer images via the web, including programs like Google Drive and Dropbox, or just dump it all onto a USB stick and send it by Old School snail mail!

We also have a simple template to tell your story, or you can ring anytime for a little chat on the details. It’s as simple as that! So, I wish to apologise to those that expressed a wish to publish their pride and joy, however we need finished projects with a good variety of information, description, images and optional video for publishing. That’s pretty reasonable, eh? Especially when we have magnificent prizes such as the Lone Star Marine GX2 8mm Combo Mega Pack that retails for over $3,400.00 and a large Boatcatch valued at $975.00 RRP. DEAD

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THE PRIZES We wish to make special mention of our wonderful supporters in the way of both Malki at Lone Star Marine and Barry and the Greg’s at Boatcatch. They support our industry in so many ways and undoubtably have the finest products on the market.

Lone Star Marine GX2 8mm Combo Mega Pack Malki has supplied a Lone Star Marine GX2 8mm Combo Mega Pack which includes the entire anchoring kit for a most vessels up to 7m and a variety of anchoring styles. The package includes the gutsy GX2 Anchor Winch, RC8x90 rope and chain, deck roller, anchor swivel, CX415 bow sprit, MMX2 anchor and 1000S wiring loom. This complete package is values a RRP $3413 and would be a terrific bonus to any boat, Old School or new!

“The GX™ series has become the new standard in perfectly engineered anchoring systems at the right price. Featuring all Australian Made 316 stainless and machined & anodized 6061 T-6 aluminium construction, “Real Italian” transmissions, triple sealed bearings, twin shaft bearing systems, machined slimline ‘fast change’ collars, and an all-new emergency release as standard on all models. Motors are custom manufactured exclusively for LSM and are pre-rigged with twin leads for easy installation. Lone Star has an array of Worlds Firsts under its belt and is proud to have created the first anchor winch motor with an IP68 rating (AS/NZS 60529). This silicon free, glue free, paint free design has been achieved utilizing the latest modern manufacturing techniques, right here and proudly in Australia.

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DEADRISE OLD SCHOOL BOAT OF THE YEAR

BOATCATCH Boatcatch is a patented boat trailer accessory which makes launching and retrieving your boat quick and easy. After it’s installed, you won’t have to even stand on a ramp ever again. No wet feet and no slipping on muddy, slippery ramps. Best of all, you will also save time and prevent arguments.

Once installed, Boatcatch allows you to launch and retrieve your boat in as little as 20 seconds with its positive actuating quick grip and release mechanism. It allows you to spend less time on the boat ramp and more time enjoying your boating.

The large Boatcatch being awarded to the runner-up DOSBOTY winner is well suited to 6-12m boats. It features a wider opening for flexible retrieval alignments, and the kit includes mounts, bolts and other hardware. This large Boatcatch kit is valued at $975.00 RRP.

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THE 2022/23 OLD SCHOOL BOATS of the year To read the full story on each of the DOSBOTY entrants, simply tap on the corresponding image.

SUMMER 2022/23 Issue We certainly kicked off the year with a couple of Australia’s favourite boats, a Caribbean 26 from the 1990s and two Haines Hunters, a V17 from the 1970s and a 635L. Both boats have reached that iconic status in Australian boat building history, and both have long tales to tell of their DNA. The Haines Hunter V17 is undoubtedly one of the finest hulls ever. The original reverse chine version was one of the first hulls that was truly developed by the Haines brothers and was later updated for ease of manufacture. It was originally available in runabout and half cabin options, and eventually John Haines pulled the entire family off their “shiny arses” (Quote Garry Haines) to build the futuristic new V17L, the “Executive” model that in reality saved the company.

Caribbean 26 Hard Top—Mitch Quixey

Haines Hunter V17C—Luke Batton DEAD

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DEADRISE OLD SCHOOL BOAT OF THE YEAR

Haines Hunter 635L—George Stylianou

AUTUMN 2023 In our Autumn issue, we paid our respects to what we believe are two of the best hulls ever produced, the V19c from the original Haines family owned Haines Hunter. Both hulls are the result of extensive testing and development in some of the harshest offshore powerboat competition.

Throughout over thirty years of boating and fishing journalism, I have written more words about the famous “Old School” Haines Hunters than any other brand, both Australian or internationally. There are certainly some personal favourites in the range including the 445, 600, 17, 565, 213, 233, 773 and obviously the 580SL which I currently own. Yet every time I try to pinpoint the crème de la crème, I always get a roasting from the V19C owners, who have a genuine case as one of the best ever built.

Deadrise follower Mitch Oldmeadow always had a passion for the old Haines boats and was wrapped when he found his workmates Goodna plated 1971 reverse chine V19C.

Haines Hunter V19C with Bass Strait deck—Glanville Heydenrych DEAD

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Haines Hunter V19C — Mitch Oldmeadow

WINTER 2023 As winter rolled around we showcased another two entrants, the Haines Hunter V17L, my number one choice for hulls anywhere near its pocket rocket size range, and the BMD 23 Pro Tournament. The latter is a BMD Pro-Tournament 21’ stretched to 23’ built from strip plank composite incorporating a 25 degree deadrise at the transom. We looked at the magnificent 23’ hull and imagined inspirations from some of the greats of offshore racing, and yet with refinements of her own sleek and sporty character.

Haines Hunter V17L—Ange Kavouris DEAD

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DEADRISE OLD SCHOOL BOAT OF THE YEAR

Bmd 23 Pro Tournament–Nathan Lewis

SPRING 2023 In the last opportunity for this year’s DOSBOTY entries, we looked at one of my personal favourites, the Cruise Craft 570 Explorer from 1990. The second and final entrant for this issue was the Haines Hunter 600R. An amazing craft which has truly stood the test of time.

1990 Cruise Craft 570 Explorer–Brent Fitzgerald DEAD

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Haines Hunter 600R–Mitch Calder

Conclusion Casey Harrison and Bear were the judges assigned with the difficult task of choosing the two eventual winners and let me tell you the final decisions were agonising due to the quality and ingenuity of many of the entrants.

We at Deadrise have to say that it’s a pleasure dealing with so many Old School boating enthusiasts who freely share their experience, wisdom and knowledge. What a great bunch of projects and terrific results.

We really must emphasise the brilliance of a few of the entrants with special mention to Ange Kavouris with his magnificent “barn find” V17L, as well as the striking beauty of Mitch Calder’s Haines Hunter 600R. I guess we will just have to buy you both a beer next time we see you as there can only be prizes for one winner and a runner-up.

And finally, what great prizes they are from our friends at Lone Star Marine Boat Winches and Accessories and, of course, Boatcatch. Your support is most appreciated, and I know the prizes are highly valued by the lucky and very worthy winners.

So without further ado, drum roll please...

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DEADRISE OLD SCHOOL BOAT OF THE YEAR

And The Winners Are...

FIRST PRIZE First prize goes to Glanville Heydenrych and his wonderful transformation of an old Haines Hunter V19C 1984 hull with Bass strait Ocean Pro 600 deck. Trust me, Glanville, we know just how much work went into this boat, especially the fitting of the new deck.

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The following quote from Glanville says it all: “Advice, if you ever drank too much and decided you wanted to take on this devil of building a boat, make sure you have a shed, the time and the money to get it complete! A lot of money can be thrown into a build and if something happens along the way and you have to forfeit it, then it’s going to be a very expensive mistake!!! The resale will not be worth a tenth on the dollar that you put in, and that doesn’t account for the good times you sacrificed having beers with the boys or family outings. “ Wise words indeed, however, the final result will last a lifetime with your dream boat — now that’s priceless!

Congratulations Glanville, in recognition of your wonderful commitment we at Deadrise along with Malki and the crew from Lone Star Marine are pleased to award you with the wonderful GX2 8mm Combo Mega Pack which includes the entire anchoring kit for a most vessels up to 7m and a variety of anchoring styles. The package includes the gutsy GX2 Anchor Winch, RC8x90 rope and chain, deck roller, anchor swivel, CX415 bow sprit, MMX2 anchor and 1000S wiring loom. This complete package is valued at RRP $3413.00.

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DEADRISE OLD SCHOOL BOAT OF THE YEAR

RUNNER UP It’s really quite fitting that the awards reflect two of the most popular “old school” brands with our runner-up being the sensational transformation of the ever popular Caribbean 26 FBSF into a heavily customised saloon and pod transformation that we titled Something Old, Something New, Something Wow! This extensive rebuild was undertaken by Mitch Quixey of Moreton Bay Marine Services for his customer, David Fluerty.

The inspiration and application of this rebuild are truly an inspiring work of nautical genius that modernised this great hull with the latest seafaring trends and developments into an alluring masterpiece.

Congratulations Mitch and David, in recognition of this beautiful transformation we at Deadrise and our great friends at Boatcatch are pleased to award you a terrific Large Boatcatch that is well suited to your 26’ Caribbean and features a wider opening for flexible retrieval alignments. The kit includes mounts, bolts and other hardware and is at $975.00 RRP.

We look forward to doing it all again, but you gotta be in it to win it, so get in contact with us ASAP for your chance at the 2023/24 Deadrise Old School Boat of the Year title!

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er s

• Conservatively Rated Oversized Motors • IP68 CERTIFIED drives • Emergency Manual Release • Italian Manufactured Transmissions • 5 + Life Warranty • All Australian Made 316 Stainless Steel • All Australian Made & Anodised 6160 T6 Billet Aluminium • Fast drop & retrieve with no add ons • Trusted by OEM's and Commercial Operators Worldwide

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john ‘bear’ willis

Old school boat of the year

Swift Craft

Mid 70s Sea Runner Like the Tiger of old, we’re strong and we’re bold, for we’re from Tiger...

Yellow and Black!

Bear chats to Graham Mooney about his beloved Sea Runner whose colour scheme is inspired by his equally beloved AFL team, the Richmond Tigers.

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Victoria’s Swift Craft Boats were one of the very early classic fibreglass

manufacturers of the Australian boating market. Their history extends back into the early days of fibreglass construction from the 1960’s to the 1990’s when a “more is better” attitude prevailed to the laminates. Whilst often considered the more “economy” model range compared to the big names of the time such as CruiseCraft, Seafarer, Haines Hunter and Caribbean, time has proven their worth and quality as much loved trailerboats.

A simple craft with boating made easy with a terrific fitout and some modern accessories – Go Tigers!!

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swift craft sea runner

Swift Craft produced models from as small as the 14’ Stiletto ski boat right through to 24’ Statesman cruisers, as well as some larger custom builds. They started with smooth sided hulls such as the V1500 and mostly progressed to more popular (at the time) clinker sided manufacturing. Their hulls were generally quite easy to identify following a formula with very large bow flare and deep entry through the stem, progressing to a relatively shallow, but beamy deadrise at the stern mostly with a series of steps or strakes in the hull.

Some of the favoured models included the mighty Dominator, an 18’ (5.6m) cuddy cabin that not only made an excellent fish/dive boat, but was favoured by Coast Guard, utility and safety services, as well as a good many sailing clubs who used them as their safety boats due to their large amount of deck space and unmatched stability. They even supplied boats to the Royal Australian Navy, Fisheries and Police.

The Swift Craft Seagull was a very popular “family” half cabin that in it’s day spent more time offshore with keen seafarers than almost any other boat. Most of the Swift Craft models used the same hull to provide optional runabout, half and cuddy cabin top decks with a great many still in keen service till this day.

The featured Swift Craft Sea Runner 1550 runabout was most probably a product of the early to mid-1970’s. They, as well as the half cabin Sea Ranger and eventually the cuddy cabin Kingfisher all utilised the same clinker sided 15’4” hull. They were very popular boats in their day and are still well worthy of restoration.

Whilst we at Deadrise are probably guilty of giving more attention to larger, more seagoing craft there is no doubt that the amount of fun you have in a boat is not directly proportionate to its size or price tag. Swift Craft Sea Runners are a classic favourite that still have great application for general boating and mostly at a very realistic price tag.

She started her new life as a dilapidated old wreck with an odd fitting old “black anchor” badly fitted to the soft transom.

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SWIFTCRAFT SEARUNNER Graham Mooney is a wonderful fella with a rural history dating back to post WW2 years at Nowa Nowa (Lake Tyers) in East Gippsland Victoria where much of his family were involved in the forestry and professional fishing industries – sometimes both.

His early years were spent helping the folks with the net boats in the almost pristine, forest lined waters of the lake and he has many tales to tell of such glory years. His love of boats is ingrained from these childhood years, and even though he spent the greater part of his life training trotters around the Bendigo region in central Victoria he tells us that he always had a river boat of some type for his fishing exploits.

In Graham’s words, “It was a total basket case, and painted with house paint to boot!”

Graham eventually progressed to an early Caribbean Sandpiper half cabin which he meticulously fitted out, however the half cabin layout never suited him particularly since he developed a bad back and the old Sandpiper only had bow access for anchoring through the flip-up front windows.

Graham eventually sold the Caribbean and went in search for a replacement runabout.

He eventually moved to Corio, on the western shores of Port Phillip and found an old Swift Craft Sea Runner in terrible condition, and hence set about with a complete rebuild to his demanding standards, and comfort.

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swift craft sea runner

WHO DID THE WORKS? Graham did it all! The fibreglass and many supplied and accessories were brought on eBay!

DESCRIPTION OF WORKS. Graham is a dab hand at most trades and started from scratch on the hull by completely stripping and gutting her. In his words, “It was a total basket case, and painted with house paint to boot! The new stringers and bulk heads were cut a couple of millimetres smaller and hung in a bed of glue so nothing is actually touching. (to avoid stress points) It is joined to the hulls with Techni glue (made for gap filling and strength, good stuff) then fibreglassed with epoxy for flex and strength, using woven rovings and multi bi-lateral cloth. Everything was painted with Northane 2 pak undercoat and it was closed cell foam filled. The paint used was Northane enamel and clear coated with KBS Diamond clear coat. Everything including bulkheads, floor and transom was done with thermolite in the build.

Graham is a dab hand at most trades, and knows his footy teams too – even his life vest is Yella n Black!

Stripped bare and the blue house paint removed.

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Removing the back half of the deck allows terrific access for the transom rebuild – but be sure to retain the original dimensions with cross struts.

Be sure to template the old transom dimensions before cutting to ensure the top deck will refit snugly.

The new transom, keel plank and deck refitted.

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swift craft sea runner

New stringers, cross members and floor and she’ll be good for another 50 years!

Some strong and practical seat boxes and a flow coated floor.

Ahh rebuilds – fill, sand, spray – it’s endless.

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ENGINE 70HP Evinrude 4-stroke (Re-badged Suzuki) The hull was originally fitted with an old 1970’s 115 Mercury in-line 6 cylinder outboard, commonly known as the “tower of power” in those days. However, someone had totally stuffed up the package by offsetting the engine fit-up to suit some short cable lengths, plus it was a 25” extra-long shaft on the 20” long shaft transom so it was doomed to never perform.

The old 1970’s blue band Merc was never fitted up correctly, even if it did run properly, but the underpowered 40 Yamaha was also doomed to failure.

In Graham’s words, “I put the fully reco’d 40 hp Yamaha on it but even with the spare petrol tank up the front and the anchor winch etc it was too light up the back and had to have the motor trimmed out a lot for it get up on the plane. (hence the trim tabs) Once up and going it went about 23 knots. But I wasn’t happy with it being trimmed out so far as safety has always been my no.1 priority, so rather than change the configuration of the boat I put a heavier motor on it, a 70hp Evinrude 4 stroke.” In reality, the engine is a re-badged Suzuki 4-cylinder 70 that was sold by Evinrude as they were developing ETEC. DEAD

The old 2-stroke Yammie went BANG!

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swift craft sea runner

Despite a full reco, the 40 Yamaha just didn’t cut it for what Graham needed. So it’s out with the old 2-stroke and in with the newer 70HP 4-stroke Evinrude – a much better match.

Back to the mighty yellow and black – all sprayed up and ready to fit.

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TRAILER The trailer was completely refurbed to include new poly keel rollers working in conjunction with directional skids and side bunks making it a wonderful combination for drive on/off. The shallow deadrise combined with the stepped strakes on Swift Crafts make it hard to successfully form a drive on/off in any other form.

Graham’s trailer now includes a retrieval device, new winch and a Big Vee boat stopper from Boatcatch.

Graham completely refurbished the trailer including self-aligning skids.

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swift craft sea runner

ACCESSORIES The seats were chosen because I have a bad back and swivel seats do it no favours. (Bloody things continually unlock themselves!!! Bear) The seats are beautifully upholstered and thickly padded with both swing up bolsters and fold over back rests.

Wow – now doesn’t that look smart and inviting!

Graham has created a very smart work station and fittings including cutting board, rod holders and dual batteries.

A jacking plate and hydraulic steering allows perfect height and trim.

Simple, compact and comfortable – topped off with a new walk thru windscreen.

Bimini with front and side clears and an anchor winch complete this versatile little Sea Runner.

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MAJOR MARINE INTEREST - Fishing THE GOOD, THE BAD AND ALL THE REST “The main thing I would have done differently was that I shouldn’t have cut the transom out completely. I was told the floor and stringers were OK and I took him at his word, so I was originally only going to replace the transom, but when I cut the transom out I saw the end of the stringers had rot in them, and that was when the build took another direction. If I had known the stringers were no good I would have left the back layers of fibre glass intact, and done it from the inside which I ended up doing anyway. I made sure I put plenty of glass on it so I don’t think it has affected the integrity of the boat. In fact I’m pretty sure it’s much stronger than it was.

With the more powerful 70HP Evinrude fitted, assisting a fellow angler in need was a breeze.

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swift craft sea runner

The only other thing I would have liked to have done better is the clear on the yellow.

Because my eye sight isn’t what it used to be, I found it hard to see the clear when I was spraying it, so I had to rub the hull a couple of times because of small runs I couldn’t see.

That clear is like sanding concrete, and these old arms had enough by the time I finished the hull. I used a roller to clear coat the yellow, so the finish is ok but not quite as good as spraying, but in saying that if I hadn’t mentioned it you wouldn’t know the difference.

Everything is new on the boat other than the original steering wheel and ski hooks on the transom. It was a 4 year project.

If you’re looking for advice to give to people all I can say is, if your old don’t do jobs below your feet. Have a gr8 day, Graham.”

The finished boat with the older Yamaha – but doesn’t she look great! We say well done Graham!!!

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in deep with SHEREE MARRIS

KAMA SEAtra In this and future issues, marine biologist Sheree Marris takes a comical look at the sex lives of sea creatures from her book, the KamaSEAtra.

ATTRACTING THE OPPOSITE SEX

Okay, so you travel to the ends of the earth to find some fins to flirt with. What do you do when you get there? How do you stand out from the other horn bags and what is going to be the deciding factor between a come-on or a cold shoulder?

Like humans, marine animals “flirt”. They offer gifts, flash their fins, and use body language to signal their interest and fight each other to show off.

But that’s just the beginning, flirting in the sea involves the use of electrical currents, luminescent mucus, offering posies of fish or flashing your boobies. And if all else fails there’s always the direct approach – latch on to a prospective mate and stay there until they give in!

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HOW DO YOU TURN-ON A TERN? With salty, slimy fish and plenty of it!

The fastest way to this chicks heart is through her stomach, so any hopeful mate has to do the hard yards and literally fish for sex.

But there’s more to this than just buying a girl a meal.

She needs a male that is reliable and can deliver the goods. If the fish are too small or too few and far between she knows he’s got no idea.

Only a constant supply of top quality fish is going to seal the deal. It keeps the demanding dame happy and healthy, which means she’ll put out more (eggs that is).

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Anthony ‘MOOSE’ Cooke

ELECTRONICS WITH MOOSE

iSeaSense BM100 The Battery Whisperer of the Seas!

Ahoy there, boaters! Ever found yourself adrift, wondering if your battery has more juice than a lemonade stand in July? Fear not, for the iSeaSense BM100 is here to save your day (and your battery)!

The Genius Gadget: The SmartShunt The BM100’s brain is the SmartShunt. Think of it as the Sherlock Holmes of battery detectives. It doesn’t just measure voltage and current; it deduces your battery’s life story – from its youthful charge days to its current mid-life crisis. With the SmartShunt, you’ll know if your battery is ready for a marathon or needs a cozy nap.

Talk to Your Boat: NMEA 2000 Interface Got a fancy navigation display? The BM100 chats with it through the NMEA 2000 interface. Garmin, Raymarine, Furuno, Navico – you name it, the BM100 gossips with them all. Now, your display doesn’t just show you where you’re lost; it tells you how your battery’s feeling too.

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www.boatcatch.com

electronics with moose

Phone a Friend: Wireless Bluetooth Interface In a world where we can’t live without our phones, the BM100 wisely speaks Bluetooth.

Connect your phone or tablet, and voila! You get all the juicy details of your battery’s life, making you feel like a true maritime electrician (minus the shocking experiences).

Why Battery Health is No Joke Here’s the thing – ignoring your boat’s battery health is like ignoring a hole in your boat; it’ll sink your spirits eventually. A healthy battery means no surprise blackouts, no unexpected SOS signals, and no involuntary swimming lessons.

A Match Made in Marine Heaven This wonder gadget is the lovechild of Victron Energy and Digital Yacht. It’s like if Einstein and Edison had a baby and that baby loved boats. Compatibility? Check.

Versatility? Double check.

Easy on the Wallet, Easy on the Boat Suitable for 12, 24V, and 48V systems, this little genius comes in various sizes for all boat types. At $399.95, it’s cheaper than replacing all your spoiled food when your boat fridge dies a silent death.

In Conclusion: Be Smart, Be Safe The iSeaSense BM100 isn’t just a battery monitor; it’s your boat’s best friend. It’s the difference between sailing into the sunset and paddling in the dark. So, embrace this nifty gadget, and keep your boat’s battery happier than a seagull with your mates chips.

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1 LUCKY ENTRANT WILL

WIN A

SOFT COOLER 20 FROM

PLUS A BONUS INSULATED WADING BAG

TO ENTER PUSH THE

BIG RED BUTTON

Bear’s Boating Bits Hints, tips and info from the guru

Each issue Bear will lay down some knowledge related to everything in, on and under the water.

EMERGENCY TOW ROPE

Click here to read the Port Phillip Peril story.

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