That Virus — Steve Starling

REFLECTIONS ON FISHING AND THAT VIRUS

Steve ‘Starlo’ Starling

Like all of us, Starlo is looking ahead to brighter days on the other side of the pandemic.

The following piece draws heavily on content from one of Starlo’s editorials in a recent edition of the “Fishotopian” newsletter that he and his wife Jo send out to their growing army of subscribers every month, as part of their Fishotopia website:

If 2020 was a product I’d bought on-line, I reckon I’d be within my rights to ask for my money back. It’s not fit for purpose, it doesn’t work, and bits were broken when I unwrapped it.

The opening scenes should’ve provided a clue about what was to come. Jo and I spent New Year’s Eve dressed in full fire-fighting gear, sitting on folding chairs in our backyard next to a vehicle packed with our most important possessions. Our worried eyes were intently fixed on a western sky that was cycling through the full spectrum: from orange and red to an angry, demonic black. All the while, burnt leaves and twigs rained down around us and acrid smoke stung our throats.

Three times in two weeks, we found ourselves in the same position, even receiving an ominous text message at one stage telling us that it was “too late to leave” and we should “shelter in place”. In the end, we were incredibly lucky. Our little town dodged a fiery bullet. Many others weren’t so fortunate.

Fast forward a few weeks and we were on flood watch! It took the ash-choked local estuaries nearly a month to clear after that one, and the fishing (already suffering after years of drought) remained well below par.

Through all of this, I watched with increasing alarm as news reports told of a nasty new virus spreading through China and reaching out beyond its borders. I had a particularly bad feeling about this one, and confided in Jo that I doubted our long-planned midMarch jigging trip to Rote Island in Indonesia with a dozen fellow Fishotopians would be happening. For once, my crystal ball was tuned to the right frequency… I wish it hadn’t been!

Since then, we’ve been living in what can best be described as “interesting times”. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold across the globe like a slow motion train wreck, and it feels like nothing will ever be quite the same again.

As recently as the third week of March, I was still sneaking out for an occasional fish close to home, targeting things I could bring home for the family to eat as fresh grocery supplies dwindled in the supermarkets and prices went crazy. I posted on line offering my cautious opinion that others could probably do the same, so long as they stayed local, were ultra-careful about social distancing and practiced strict hygiene measures. But I soon realised that I was wrong, even to share that faint hope.

The cut-through for me came in the form of a single response to a social media post from a high-profile angler posing the simple question that was on so many of our minds: “To fish, or not to fish?” Another mover

and shaker in the fishing media industry whose work I’ve always admired came back with a short, simple comment: “I think influencers like yourself need to lead by example. I try to think ‘what if everyone did what I did’? Sometimes you have to do what’s best for the community and lead by example.”

Those words resonated deeply with me. I hung my rods up that day and didn’t fish for well over a month. Try as I might, I simply couldn’t justify recreational fishing as being “essential” through that highly critical period, even for a feed or to maintain my mental health.

I know a lot of people didn’t agree with my stance. They argued (rightly!) that a solo, local fishing trip was much safer than mingling with hordes of toilet paper zombies in the supermarket aisles. But in my opinion, it was still not 100 per cent safe… and it also didn’t negate the need for those other “essential” outings. It simply added to them. Personally, I couldn’t justify that. Nor could I justify doing something that I could get away — thanks to where I live — with while thousands of my fellow anglers in cities or other parts of the country with tighter restrictions didn’t enjoy the same luxury.

So, instead of fishing, I spent a big part of that critical five weeks tracking down, collating and assembling a heap of “stay-at-home” activities for my fellow anglers. My wife Jo and I have made these resources available through our free Fishotopia on-line website portal (www.fishotopia.com). They’ll remain there, even after the crisis is over.

As I write this, things are looking much better for Australia. We’ve flattened the curve and dramatically reduced the number of new infections, hospitalisations and deaths. I’m even considering sneaking out for a quick, solo fishing excursion close to home in the coming weeks. But if there is even the slightest uptick in the statistics or blip on the horizon, I will immediately return to my self-imposed no-fishing lockdown. It’s just not worth the risk: to myself or others.

A quick look at what’s happening in less fortunate (and less prudent) parts of the world should provide us all with a sobering lesson on where we could have been, and where we could still potentially end up, if we fail to take this threat seriously.

We will get through this, and the fish will still be there. They may even have benefitted from this enforced respite. As a nation, we’ve done an awesome job so far of coping with the existential threat of COVID-19. Let’s remain patient, keep doing the right thing and hopefully come out the other end of this dark tunnel in even better shape than we went in.

Tight Lines.

The final outing before lockdown, Starlo and his wife Jo chased a few salmon from their local beach. This seems so long ago now!

ESSENTIAL TROUT LURES

FOR TASMANIA

Michal Rybka

At the time of writing this story, many fishing restrictions are still in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic and, along with the rest of Australia, recreational fishing in Tasmania has suffered. This year’s Liawenee Trout Weekend was cancelled, unfortunately meaning that Ando (my trusted fishing buddy and stall assistant) and I did not get the chance to catch up with you for a chat. We all know that the sharing of fishing stories and tips are great ways to improve your knowledge, and like me, I am sure that most of you love any advice that might improve your chances when out fishing. With that said, this time spent at home provides us with a great opportunity to organise our lures and fishing gear for when fishing returns to normal.

I have used some spare time today to compile a selection of the best lures for fishing for trout in Tasmanian conditions. They are lures that I have used and continue to use because they have produced the goods time and time again. While some of these lures have been around for only a few years, most of them have been in production for longer than I have been alive. To me that says something - they must work!

Here is my selection of proven trouttakers that you should try: Black and Gold soft plastic will serve you well.

Rapala minnow

These hardbody lures are made from premium balsa wood and come in both floating (F) and sinking (CD) versions. A popular colour in this lure

A good selection for Tasmania. www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

for Tasmanian conditions is the ‘brown trout’. The Rapala ‘’spotted dog’ colour is another that also must be mentioned. Both have accounted for numerous fish in Tasmanian lakes, rivers and streams. Rapalas range in size and start at a tiny 1 inch in length. The floating version in this size is called a Rapala F3. This is the perfect lure for fishing some of our rivers and streams. Being a floater, it can be floated past obstacles before being worked in the area that you choose to fish. For lake fishing, you can’t go past the CD05 (2 inch) or the CD07 (3 inch – 4 inch) models. These are sinking lures and they can be ‘counted down’ to reach an estimated depth. If you have a sounder in your boat or know the approximate depth of the shore you are fishing, this can be a great help! Being constructed of balsa wood, these lures can be a challenge to cast in windy conditions. They have a fantastic swim action and can be retrieved or trolled using a flat line technique.

More info can be found at www. rapala.com

This has to be one of the best hard body lures I have used, but it is also one of the most expensive, retailing at around $30 per lure. I remember there was a particular fishing trip to Arthurs Lake where I lost three of these in the rocks! Expense aside, these lures are made in Japan and swim perfectly straight out of the box every time. You can buy them in 60 mm, 75 mm and 95 mm versions. They are available in deep and shallow diving versions. With a fantastic internal weight transfer system, they cast like a bullet, making them well-suited to our windy conditions. Being a suspending ‘twitch bait’, you can work these lures with many pauses in between. It’s that type of action that our Tasmanian trout really love. Correctly worked, they will hit that lure on the pause a lot of the time. Whichever size you choose in these, the ‘Lazer Black & Gold’ colour is a brilliant performer on our brown trout. It has accounted for many great fish for me over the years.

More info can be found at www. daiwafishing.com.au The fish whisperer - Alex Grodski.

Hawk sniper

This is a Tasmanian local favourite, with a much more attractive price tag to that of other hardbody lures in this category. At around $12.95 each, these lures present great value for money. The colour schemes have been locally designed in Launceston to suit our conditions. These lures are available in both shallow (60 mm) and deep diving versions (69 mm). They are a suspending hardbody, and feature a tight wobble with internal ball bearings built in. There are a range of colours to choose from, but the ‘killer wasp’ colour remains one of the best when it comes to trout fishing. Like most hardbodies,

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they are suitable for casting from shore or from a boat. If you can get one of these in the water, chances are, you will catch fish!

More info can be found at sherriffagencies.com.au

Tasmanian devil

Commonly known as a ‘cobra’, this style of lure is produced by Tasmanian Devil Lures, Lofty’s Lures and Tillins Lures – all of which are local Tasmanian manufacturers. Tassie Devils have been around since the late 1970s. This lure consists of a hollow-weighted torpedo-shaped central core, that is surrounded by plastic curved wings at each side. Although a wire loop with hook can be fitted through the core, most anglers tend to use straight through monofilament line, using a plastic bead and hook to finish the setup. These lures can be cast just as effectively as they can be trolled. But as far as Tasmania goes, the Tassie Devil is one of the most highly regarded trolling lures. At around $5.99 each, they are good value and the colour range is massive. My favourite colours include bengal tiger, the willys special, and Christmas tree. I am sure that you will agree, that cobras have accounted for many great catches over the years. If you love kicking back in your boat with a bit of lead line hanging out the back, chances are, these are the only lures you will probably ever use!

More info can be found at www. wigstonslures.com.au

Wonder wobbler

The wonder wobbler is produced in Australia and is a lure that has been around since the 1950s. It is made from a single piece of solid metal, weighing in at 10 grams, and features a treble hook. The weight makes these lures nice to cast, while they can also be trolled using a simple flat line technique. When retrieved slowly, this lure ‘wobbles’ from side to side.

If you speed your retrieve up, the action will change to an erratic darting motion. Both retrieval methods make a wonder wobbler very life-like in the water. Very impressive, considering this is just a piece of pressed metal that has been painted. At around $5.95 each, these won’t break the bank. And most important of all, trout love them! I can highly recommend the redfin, brown trout, and tiger colours from their range.

More info can be found at www. wonderlures.com.au

Celta spinner

Celtas have French origins but are currently produced in Spain. There are also many other brands that produce the style of lure that I am about to describe (i.e. Blue Fox, Vibrax etc). Celtas have been around since the 1950s. They are a simple metal spinner, featuring a treble hook. At around $10.00 each, they’re not too bad on the pocket should you lose a few. Available in a good range of sizes and colours, Celtas are still the number one choice for many anglers chasing trout in our rivers. They are easy to use and rely on a simple flat retrieve to work. The brass coloured version in the perch colour (ORN) is probably the best known down here in Tasmania. I have caught many good trout on this colour, in rivers such as the Macquarie and the Meander. If you intend using one of these, don’t forget to rig an ‘anti-kink’ a couple of feet up from your spinner. This will avoid your line twisting and eventually causing a massive tangled mess.

More info can be found at www. rublex.es

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When it comes to soft plastic lures, this is an American brand that has been around on the Australian market for the last 15 years or so. They continue to be proven fish takers in most Tasmanian lakes. Being a t-tail minnow, the tail action is tight, but not to the extent where the lure produces massive vibrations. There is a good range of colours available in these and they feature the Berkley ‘Power bait’ scent as an added fish attractant. The ‘black gold sparkle’ colour is one of the best out there when it comes to tempting our brown trout. These plastics can be fished in a variety of ways and styles. Rigging them on a 1/16 or 1/12 size #2 jig head and using a simple ‘lift and drop’ technique is a proven and effective option for many Tasmanian lakes.

More info can be found at www. purefishing.com.au

Strike Tiger is a local Tasmanian soft plastic brand. Their version of the popular t-tail is somewhat different to other brands. At 2 inches in length, this lure is slightly smaller, making it the perfect crossover for both lake and river fishing. It features a natural garlic-based scent, which works extremely well on trout. It is designed to give maximum tail action and vibration with the addition of dual colours. This lure has an incredible tail action thanks to its cut down tail section. The body features a series of aggressive ribs which provide further attraction by disturbing the water as the lure is retrieved. The Strike Tiger Pro Series ‘black n gold’ colour is by far the best choice for all types of trout fishing. Rigged on a suitable jig head, this plastic can be ‘slow-rolled’ or retrieved using the standard ‘lift and drop’ technique.

More info can be found at www. striketiger.com.au Sometimes it is just a waiting game.

Conclusion

For me, the key is trying new things while not forgetting about what has worked in the past. If you apply this theory when selecting lures, no matter where you fish, I think you will be on the right track to success!

Mic Rybka - Strike Tiger Lures Tasmania

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