Tasmanian Fishing and Boating News Issue 061 2006 April

Issue 61 April - May 2006

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A monster Tamar River snapper by snapper specialist Damon Sherriff. See page 4 for more.

Tamar snapper • North East Coast • Reviews Beach and surf fishing • Autumn fly fishing Jigging • Stanley Wharf and surrounds Sarah’s Kitchen • Jan’s flies • Boats

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Fishing News - Page 2

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CONTENTS

Tamar red bream - Damon Sherriff 4 North East Coast - Mike Stevens 6 Spinners - oldies, but goodies - Andrew Richardson

10

Beach and surf fishing - Mike Stevens

12

Autumn fly fishing - Nick Voce 14 Jigging - Leroy Tirant 16 Stanley Wharf and surrounds - Stuart Smith 18 Sarah’s Kitchen 20 Jan’s flies - Jan Spencer 21 Fisherman’s basket - reviews 22 Boats 24 Calendar of events 25 Fishing and Boating Directory 27 Free Classifieds 30

My Say

The recent election promised improved infrastructure—with money for roads into Woods Lake, 19 Lagoons and other Central Highlands roads. The IFS has already started the Woods Lake road and this will be completed later in the year.

We have lost the previous Minister in Stephen Kons and now have David Llewellyn as Minister for both Inland and Marine fisheries. I am sure Minister Llewellyn will feel comfortable in this role as he has been the Minister at least a couple of times before. He won’t take long to settle back in and he does understand many of the issues. I wish him well.

I fished the first Australian Bream Tournament national qualifier in April. It was after this edition went to press so I will report on it in the next edition. After a couple of bream tournaments that were run under ABT rules this was the first one which was actually a qualifying event for the National titles. Entrants came from as far away as WA and Queensland.

Australia’s bream and bass tournaments are becoming very serious as far as the competition scene goes. Fast boats, loaded with expensive tackle now compete for serious money. I think the National title is worth around $40 000 all up.

I don’t think I could get too serious about competition fishing, but it is a great way to learn, and a good reason to buy new ‘stuff ’. Competition is good for learning. The fly fishing club of which I am a member has several very serious competition anglers. The club has had many members compete in both Australian and World Championships. They share their knowledge freely and all members have benefitted from their improved skills.

The bream competitions have also been great learning curves for me and others. But not much is revealed immediately before an event. I don’t blame the serious ones, but they do turn into raving paranoid loonies without any friends. I am sure some of them think we, the casual ones, are like the CIA trying to find out their secrets.

It is always nice to catch a few fish, but I have no reputation to sully and I won’t be jumping off any bridges if I fail miserably. So await my report, but don’t expect your Editor to be far up the list.

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Tasmanian Fishing and Boating News

Published by Michael Stevens PO Box 7504, Launceston, 7250. Ph/fax; 6331 1278 Email; fishn@bigpond.net.au Advertising: Quenton Higgs - 0427 129 949 Stevens Publishing, ABN 79 095 217 299 All material is copyright and cannot be reproduced without the permission of the publisher.

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Fishing News - Page 3

Tamar red bream

A

utumn is a great time to chase snapper anywhere in Australia. As the water temperature starts dropping the bigger fish come on the chew.

The Tamar estuary is my home ground and is the most challenging area to catch big red I know. To catch big snapper on reasonably regular basis is very hard work. Preparation, bait collection, timing and the time on the water are all key aspects to make a successful angler. The thing that makes the Tamar so hard to catch big snapper is the low numbers of fish and the size of the estuary. Sometimes it feels like you are trying to find a needle in a haystack. But the reason that I keep fishing it is there are some very sizable fish lurking in its discolored waters. Some of the fish that I catch are well over the old-fashioned 20lb mark. I do believe that snapper up to 30lbs plus exist in the system at time to time.

Timimg

Timing is perhaps the most important part of becoming a successful snapper angler, especially in relatively shallow estuaries. I try to concentrate my hours throughout the night.

I find that the larger fish are caught after dark in the shallows.

Where they feed in the mud based feeding bays and channels on square backed crabs. Also dawn and dusk can be great times to catch big fish. Timing also means the best stage of the tide to fish. Snapper can deed throughout the whole tide variation and in some areas will actually feed better on the run out tide.

Than the run in or a tide change. This is a code that can only be found out by experience. Don’t get too regimented as this can change through the season.

Moon phases

This is an important part of a Snapper anglers R and R. I like the period around the full and the new moons. This is the period where the fish seem to feed the hardest.

Barometer

A friend of mine believes that the barometer is the most important factor of snapper fishing. He prefers a rising or steady barometer reading and it has to be over 1010.

He firmly believes that snapper won’t bite below this reading.

The jury is still out as far as I am concerned. I have caught as couple of big fish in lightning storms and I am sure that the barometer was lower than this.

Baits

Snapper will take a wide variety of baits. W.A pilchards are the easiest way to go for convenience but fresh is always the best. Salmon, flathead, cod, mackerel, garfish, mullet, squid and octopus will all work. I find that the larger baits work better on the big fish. But make sure that you change your hook size depending on your bait size. Your hooks should be well exposed.

Tackle

I prefer to use an overhead outfit as I find that you have more control over gummies and stingrays. My preferred rod for the Tamar is an ugly stick GB1706 or GB1800. Both of these rods are 7½ to 8 feet long, which allows you to do extra long casts to cover more ground and get a better spread. Both are suited for a line class around 10kg. The extra length will also help you to cast longer leaders if required. The reels that I prefer are large bait casters such as Daiwa millionaire and Luna series which are ideal 15lb reels. Both are these cast really well and have great smooth drags to deal well with the vermin factor. My larger reels that I use are Abu ambassadors 6500 rockets and 7000s. Both of these models are user friendly overheads. Although over a period the drag washers will cop a punishment due to eagle rays, smooth rays and water. I replace

Check out the Geoff Wilson book Snapper Success.

It is the authors Bible and has all the rigs and tips you need for a successful trip.

the standard washers in most of my reels with Jack Erskins carbon fibre washers. These will out last and out perform the standard washers by a mile. If you prefer thread line reels a Penn spin fisher is a hard one to beat.

Rigs

All of my rigs for Snapper are designed by my friend Geoff Wilson who has a couple of great books on Snapper fishing. The book Snapper Success is a must if you are serious about Snapper fishing. All the rigs that I use are found here.

Snapper fishing in estuaries is not everyone’s cup of tea but if you persist and follow a few simple steps you will succeed eventually.

Damon Sherriff

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Fishing News - Page 4

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Fishing News - Page 5

Hot spot - North-east coast

Tasmania’s north-east is one of the premium locations around the state. The real bonus for many are the shore-based opportunities. This combined with good camping creates an area that is treasured by many.

Best time to fish; All year Getting there; 3 ½ hours from Hobart, 2 hours from Launceston.

Major species; Australian salmon, flathead, bream, snook, pike, luderick, couta, stripey trumpeter, albacore, yellowfin tuna, striped tuna, mako sharks and striped marlin.

Other attractions; Swimming, sight seeing, camping, surfing, National Parks.

The north east coast boasts Tasmania’s mildest weather. It has long, white beaches alternating with rocky outcrops and deep water is often close to shore. It is quiet and largely uninhabited and provides some of the best camping spots in Tasmania.

The Bay of Fires area stretches from Binalong Bay to Eddystone Point and provides great beach fishing, like most of the East Coast. Camping is first class, with camping grounds scattered all up the east coast and across the north.

Ansons Bay and Ansons River and has some huge bream, although they are often not easy to catch. Rarely, an estuary perch may also be caught in the Ansons River. Off shore gamefishing can be fantastic.

Eddystone Point can, in the summer months, provide gamefishing from the shore.

Deep water runs up to the rocks and kingfish and sometimes tuna come close enough to be taken. Australian salmon are eagerly sought though and lure casting silver slices from the rocks will often bring excellent results.

Land based game fishing is under-developed in Tasmania, so if you think you can do it, you will be pioneering the fishery.

Stumpy Bay is a wonderful camping and fishing area with many great camping spots available. Three or four main camping areas can be found and small boats can be launched across the beach. This central part of Stumpys Bay is primarily a beach fishing area with the water dropping off quickly.

There can be some great Australian salmon fishing here as well as gummy shark and flathead. The southern part of Stumpys Bay has better gutters and a gentler sloping shore.

You can be fishing here within fifty metres of leaving camp.

Poole, or Musselroe as it is more commonly called, is situated on Great Musselroe Bay. Great Musselroe River provides some top fishing, with bream being popular in the river. Big bream to over two kilograms are reasonably regular. Musselroe Point does offer some opportunities, but access is difficult.

The area between Musselroe Bay (Poole) and Little Musselroe (Lyme Regis) to the north has difficult access and is hardly worth the effort.

Lyme Regis, or Little Musselroe as it is more commonly called has some great fishing.

The cove has some excellent bream fishing, and like Ansons Bay the barway should be negotiated with great caution. There are lots of reefs and rocks in this area and whilst this creates good fishing great care should be taken. Strong currents are evident from Banks Strait and this can create challenging conditions when current and wind are running in opposite directions. Swan Island is about four kilometres offshore and this area is popular for pike, flathead, Australian salmon and those chasing kingfish.

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Cape Portland has some good fishing from the rocks with spinning the preferred method as strong currents make float and bottom fishing difficult. Foster Inlet has some excellent garfish and flathead, but access is really only possible by boat from a boat ramp at Petal Point.

Petal Point has some good rock platforms with deep water adjacent. Pike, flathead and gummy sharks can be expected.

From Petal Point around to Tomahawk there is some good beach fishing but access

is very difficult. You can walk from Petal Point. It is really boat only access. Walking access is available from Tomahawk, but the beach is generally shallow. The best area is a kilometre from the end of the road. Better still walk across to Tomahawk Island and fish from the rocks. You can cast baits into deep sandy bottom for flathead and gummy shark, or rubble and rock bottom for reef fish. Australian salmon and snook are always worth casting a lure for as well.

Ransons Beach is shallow and not regarded as good beach fishing. Better to

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Australian salmon are in abundance around the northeast tip of Tasmania.

They can be caught from the beach, rocks or from a boat.

skip this area and concentrate further around on Croppies and Waterhouse Beach.

Croppies Point, Croppies Bay, Croppies Beach, South Croppies Point and Waterhouse Beach are all sensational areas for land based fishing. The variety of fish available from this area is outstanding. Anything from gummy shark to monster flathead, snook, pike, Australian salmon and much more can be taken here. One fish that is common, but rarely fished for is luderick. These are common, but as with many fish they are rarely caught if not targeted. Look for green cabbage weed on the rocks and this is where to start looking. Specialist rigs and tackle will give you the best results. Limited space here precludes us going into specific tackle, but it is worth your effort to investigate this little known fishery.

This whole area has numerous rocky points and platforms dropping into both rubble and very productive sandy bottom.

It is possible to fish baits under balloons, live baits, lure fish for pelagics and bottom fish for flathead – all at the same time if you want. You will usually find a few locals here who know the area well. They will always help if you are congenial.

Waterhouse Beach has some great gutters at times and is well worth your effort if you favour some beach fishing.

You can access the beach from either South Croppies of via the track that goes past Blackmans Lagoon.

The whole area around Waterhouse Point to Croppies and Waterhouse Beach is fished by most in an uncomplicated manner. If you are game to try some different techniques, or methods that work well elsewhere you may be surprised by what you catch. Snapper, kingfish and sharks are all possible.

Camping

Eddystone Point: Camping is available at Deep Creek.

Stumpys Bay: There are four campsites in this area.

Number one and three are probably the best with the camping virtually on the beach. Number one has caravan access as well as camping and is ranger patrolled. Number three has a boat launching across the beach but is only suitable for small boats. Only those experienced in beach launching should attempt launching and retrieving here. A snatchem strap is recommended.

Wherever you fish around the north-eastern tip of Tasmania you will always be a chance to get a serious bend in your rod.

There is no refuse disposal, power, wood or reliable fresh drinking water available at this camp. Please take your own drinking water and firewood (available for sale in Gladstone, as is water). Fuel stoves are recommended. Park entry fees apply, but there is no camping fee. Picnic tables, fireplaces, pit toilets at all sites. There is a gas BBQ at Stumpys Bay No. 4.

Musselroe Bay: Excellent camping spots back on to the estuary. Pit toilets and fire places, but no other facilities.

Little Musselroe Bay: Vehicle access from Christmas to Easter. At other times the site is foot access only (300 metres) Pit toilets and fireplaces.

Ringarooma Coastal Reserve: The coastal reserve stretches from Petal Point around to Tomahawk. The formal camping area is at Petal Point. Caravans and tents are catered for with pit toilets and camp fire sites.

Tomahawk: A fully serviced caravan park with shop and all facilities.

Waterhouse Conservation Area: Covers the coast from Tomahawk to the east of Bridport.

Ransons Beach: A small camping area with virtually no facilities.

Casuarina Hill: Just north-west of Ransons Beach has four sites along a sandy track with pit toilet.

Waterhouse Point: Suitable for small vans. Pit toilets.

Mathers and Village Green have pit toilets.

Herbies Landing is small with no facilities.

Blizzards Landing: This site is exposed and windy and no facilities are offered. It is however often used for caravan camping during the summer. continued next page......

Fishing News - Page 7

South Croppys: Camp sites are dispersed around the northern side of the point, the junction of South Croppys Road, and the track to the southern side of the point. No facilities are provided.

North Croppys: The overgrown condition of the track to the point discourages most users, so this area receives only occasional use.

Big Waterhouse Lake: On the northern shore of the lake is a small camping area used mainly by duck shooters, but also sometimes by fishermen. No facilities are provided.

Blackmans Lagoon: Established at the southern end of the lagoon, under the cover of a pine plantation, this camping area is particularly popular at the opening of the trout season.

A long drop toilet and barbecue have been provided.

Boat Launching

A good boat ramp exists at Ansons Bay and many use this to access both the river, bay and offshore waters. Great care should be taken crossing the Ansons Bay barway and local advice should be sought. A large rock, known as ‘prop’ rock has brought many boats undone.

If bream are what you are chasing north-eastern Tasmania is a prime area with virtually all rivers holding very large fish.

A boat ramp also provides sea access at Eddystone Point, although not a formed ramp there is access provided to the water by way of concrete flex mat, it is recommended 4 wheel drive only. Further North beach access is available at Stumpys Bay however the beach is reasonably flat. Musselroe Bay has a well formed boat access point however 4 wheel drive is again recommended. Access to Great Musselroe Bay requires crossing a barway and again local knowledge should be gained.

The launching area here is not concrete.

There is a small concrete ramp into a picturesque lagoon at Little Musselroe Bay however the ramp and access to the sea makes it only suitable for smaller boats.

Access can be gained to the west of Cape Portland via a 4 wheel drive only rocky ramp at Petal Pt near Foster Inlet.

Tomahawk boat ramp is the next available facility however the concrete can really only be used between half and full tide and is exposed in conditions from the north west to easterly weather.

Ransoms Beach, Waterhouse Pt and South Croppies Pt all provide access onto the beach but are flat and require a 4 wheel drive.

Between Waterhouse and South Croppies there is an access point called Blizzards Landing, this is a rocky ramp which requires care especially in North East to North Westerly conditions. It is essentially 4WD only, for small boats and at low tide very difficult.

The Little Musselroe boat ramp is one of the better boat ramps in the region.

The beach launching sites are generally suited to smaller boats and many locals use extendable draw bars on their trailers.

Fishers should note; most boat launching facilities in this area are restricted at low tide.

Gladstone, in the far north-east has everything you will need as far as supplies in this area, as well as helpful information.

The north-east is a superb place to base yourself for beach, surf or boat based fishing.

The variety of fish is endless and it would be a rare occurrence to return to camp fishless.

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Great range of fresh saltwater and freshwater bait available.

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Fishing News - Page 9

L

Spinners - Oldies but Goodies.

ate last year I decided it was time to get rid of some junk. You know, the stuff that hangs around in the shed for years, kept on the premise that it might be useful some day. The type of stuff that only ever becomes required three days after you’ve thrown it out Being somewhat of a hoarder I find these occasions (yes there have been many!) necessary but not enjoyable, and I tend to spend my time procrastinating by looking through my wares rather than getting to the point and deciding upon an items usefulness, as opposed to its uselessness.

On one of these particular occasions I came upon an old pale blue tackle box being housed in a box not yet unpacked from our most recent move - four and a half years ago…

I had not seen this tackle box in years but knew exactly from whom it had come and the importance of its existence.

I removed the lid - once clear but now a dirty off-white colour from the hours spent in the sun, and contained inside were three small hollow metal barrels with two small fins delicately bronzed on to the body at one end. No paintwork on these items, just a coating of fine rust over what I imagine was once a silver surface.

Despite the rust they were in good condition, all com-

pletely intact, except for one with a fin missing.

These were three home made spinners that my late father would have created many years ago, perhaps in the nineteen forties or fifties.

I guess, in a way what I was really staring at was a small time capsule of the way things were for the fishing enthusiast of the day. No fancy mass-produced, silver foil inserted, pre-packaged and off-the-shelf items in those days. No if you wanted to catch a fish on a spinner back then you had to employ your own ingenuity.

Today the spinner is alive and well and survives in a shape and form not too dissimilar to that that my father created some fifty-odd years ago. Times and materials have changed but the basic concept remains the same – a cylindrical barrel with two off-set semi-circle blades or ‘wings’ at the leading end, thus making the lure spin around.

For reasons only a fish could understand, hungry trout have been falling prey to this simple device since well before my father’s creations hit the water.

Today a spinner will set you back anywhere between two dollars and six dollars and there are a massive variety of colours and patterns from which to choose.

Most modern spinners are made of hard plastic with coloured foil inserts, and most come pre-packaged including a wire shaft with treble hook on one end and swivel on the other.

You can purchase spinners in two sizes, one of 35mm and one of 50mm. Both lures are of similar weight with the larger being only a gram or two heavier than the smaller. The larger lure will tend to swim or ‘spin’ at a greater depth to the smaller lure though, and thus is less suited to shallow lakes or streams.

They all catch fish, but I find a green and gold coloured spinner to be effective in just about any location I have fished. Indeed these days a green and gold spinner is the lure I use more often than any other. I just can’t fault its ability to catch fish no matter where I’m fishing. Be it a small lure in a stream or a larger lure in a lake, trout have been falling prey to this lure for as long as I’ve been fishing.

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Fishing News - Page 10

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The biggest problem I have encountered when using spinners is that of line twist. The spinning action of the lure tends to twist the line around no matter how many swivel and anti-kink devices you attach to your line.

Modern lure manufacturers create spinners that spin in both a clockwise and an anti-clockwise direction. Look closely at any spinners you may have in your tackle box and you will see that the wings of the lure are positioned differently lure-to-lure.

Manufacturers recommend that to avoid line twist that lures be interchanged regularly. In theory this is a great idea, but as the recommended lure change rate is often every fourteen casts, it is not truly practical unless you want to spend the majority of your fishing trip changing lures.

To counter line twist I have recently employed a new tactic, and while not alleviating the problem entirely it is an approach that has decreased the instance of the problem markedly.

My method is simple yet effective.

Tie an anti-kink to the line from your spool with the swivel end facing the lure. To this tie some heavy gauge line, say 0.5mm or twelve pound in the old scale.

About sixty centimetres is sufficient. Then remove the wire center and hooks from your spinner and instead feed the line directly through the body of the lure. (It is a good idea before doing this to check both ends of the spinner for any sharp ‘burs’ or other manufacturing defects that may catch and possibly cut your line). After the line is threaded through the center of the lure, place a plastic bead on the line and then tie the line directly to a chemically sharpened treble hook.

It’s not a new method by any means, but I have found that by using a heavier gauge line through the body of the lure the instance of my line twisting has decreased from regular to occasional.

It is also possible, using this method, to substitute a treble hook for a single hook. This is particularly useful in weedy locations as even a small spinner is a naturally deep running lure and single hooks tend to catch the weed less easily, but catch the fish just as effectively!

Often, if the water is clear enough, or your Polaroid glasses are particularly effective, you can spot a fish following a spinner for some distance before striking it. Indeed it is not uncommon to watch a fish follow in your lure all the way to the shore, seemingly happy just to watch it swim without ever trying to eat it.

This seems to happen a lot when fishing in rivers and is particularly frustrating, especially if it is a sizeable fish!

I have found that fishing around drowned trees or submerged logs in lakes will more than likely see a fish dart out and grab a spinner rather than following it for too much distance.

A spinner can also be highly effective if trolled behind a boat.

So the humble spinner remains as much a versatile and reliable lure today as it was fifty years ago, though these days much easier to obtain. I’m sure nearly all trout-chasing lure anglers have experience with these lures, but if you are just starting out you will find they are a great easy-to-use lure that has a high tendency to catch a fish.

Your local tackle store is sure to stock these lures in numbers, and the staff will surely be happy to point you in the direction of what they believe to be the most effective colour or pattern.

But for mine, it’s the humble green and gold every time.

Andrew Richardson.

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Fishing News - Page 11

Beach and Surf Fishing - great all

S

urf and beach fishing can be an all year round pursuit. Many people stop fishing as Autumn draws to a close, but there is no need. Tasmania’s beaches can be superb on those brisk Winter days—especially on the east coast where temperatures are the most mild in the state. It is inexpesive with some excellent value rod, reels and combos available at very low prices. John Orchard and Mike Stevens take a look at this type of fishing that anyone can enjoy.

Tasmania is a relatively small State surrounded by water and has more than its fair share of surf fishing opportunities for the avid angler. Surf fishing doesn’t require the cost of a boat and can be enjoyed by the whole family; even some of those family members who don’t like fishing can derive much pleasure from a relaxing day at the beach whilst the fishing enthusiasts in the family do their thing.

For those that haven’t yet turned their attention to the beaches and surf, lets look at what tactics can help to make a day at the beach rewarding and we will also look at the gear you will need to maximize your success.

Firstly, where to fish?

Although most beaches have fish patrolling the shores looking for an easy feed it is always best to look for beaches that that are either steep, or have good gutters. The deep beaches are those where the depth increases very quickly once you enter the water. As a rule of thumb the deeper the better, as increased wave action on steep beaches helps stir up a greater concentration of food in a confined area for fish to feed on whilst also allowing for a speedy retreat into the relative safety of deep water if need be.

Whether the beach you choose is a ‘deep’ beach or not, there are certain hot-spots called ‘gutters’ to look for. These are areas where the flow of water created by the wave action against the beach cause natural currents that draw out to sea, taking with them loose sand and debris creating deeper A high vantage point can help identify hot spots.

You can see the dark patches are good gutters at low tide. At high tide though this beach is shallow and the fishing may be challenging.

Fishing News - Page 12

channels in the sea bed. These channels, or gutters are in fact a natural funnel that concentrates the food stirred up on the beach into a confined area for fish to feed on. It makes a lot of sense for fish to concentrate on these areas because they expel little or no energy laying in wait for the feed to come to them.

These gutters are easily defined. Find the highest vantage point overlooking the beach before you start fishing. The best gutters will show up as darker areas in the water. The other giveaway is to look at where the waves are breaking—look for areas where the only ‘white water’ is close to the beach; this is because the rest of the water behind the ‘wash’ is too deep to break—these are the best spots to start fishing!

Sometimes if you can get a good vantage point you will actually see a school of fish. Watch for dark patches and see if you can mark them against a landmark, rock or reef. It may be the fish you are looking for. Remember ‘time spent on reconnasaince is rarely wasted’.

Pictured above is Stumpys Bay in Tasmania’s northeast. These anglers have walked just twenty metres from the car park and have setup in comfort.

What gear do I need?

Surf rod, large reel, surf rod holder, small tackle box, fillet knife, bait bucket, fold-up seat, eski and refreshments. You can make it as basic or as comfortable as you like depending on how many porters you have in your family!!!

The length of rod required will depend to a large extent on where you are fishing, how deep the water drops in and how large the waves are coming in onto the beach you have chosen to fish. Generally speaking the shortest rod you can get away with will be a 10’ surf/rock style outfit. Some anglers will go right up to a 15’ three piece surf rod that will allow you to fish over the top of all but the largest of waves that are breaking onto the beach without catching your line and dragging your sinker and bait back in towards the shore. If you are unsure of what to buy, play it safe and stick with the most commonly used rods of all, either a 12’ two piece medium action one or a 13’ three piece (dependent on how small you need it to fold down to so as to fit it into the car), either of these will allow you to quite happily fish most beaches in most

A rod of around 12 feet seems to suit most situations. A combo fitted with a 3 ball bearing 6500 sized reel and 300 yards of 15lb will set you back around $80 for a medium quality outfit.

Beaches to try

year round

Catchem Jigs, above, are a good choice for beach and surf fishing. Like sabiki jigs they are even better if sweetened with a little bait.

Red and white poppers are pretty well a ‘standard’ addition when surf fishing in Tasmania and account for plenty of salmon.

Sabiki jigs to the right come in a huge variety of sizes, colours and styles.

weather conditions. You can pick up a reasonable spooled up 12’ combo from as little $60, whilst at the other end of the scale you can seriously deplete the bank account.

Because of the sheer size of some of the fish you will encounter off the beach, particularly if you are fishing at night, it pays to match your outfit with a reel that has plenty of line capacity. A minimum of 200 metres of 15-25lb breaking strain line (dependent on how sports minded you are) should be sufficient for all but the biggest of targets—hook into a large skate or shark and you may wish you had added a zero to the spool capacity or the breaking strain!!!! (or both).

Rigs - keep it simple

When it comes to rigs you can either tie your own ‘paternoster’ style or take the easy way out and use one of the many custom designed surf rigs available on the market today, they are cheap, easy to use, and very effective. Most are designed to run a 2-3 oz sinker on the bottom with two hooks above, a largish one on the bottom for sharks/flathead (a stainless or nickel coated O’Shaughnessy or long shank style hook in about a size 1/0-3/0 will do the trick), and a smaller one above for salmon/mullet etc (a nickel beak style size 2, 4 or 6).You can also go one step further and leave an extra long tag (6 inches will do) when you tie your rig on and then attach a ‘popping bug’ to the tag. Popping bugs are great value if there are any decent salmon in the area. They simply float around above the bottom and at times the salmon seem to find them irresistible.

Red and white seems to be the most popular.

Seven Mile Beach - Frederick Henry Bay Goats Bluff Beach Bream Creek Beach Neck Beach (Bruny) Rheband Beach - Orford Friendly Beaches Scamander Beamauris Swimcart Beach - St Helens Stumpys Bay Waterhouse Beach Bakers Beach Seven Mile Beach (Smithton) Ocean Beach - Strahan

The other two rigs worth having in the tackle box is a bait-chaser (Sabiki) rig or the popular ‘Catch-em’ rigs, both in various styles. These are great on days when the fishing isn’t all that flash and ‘pickers’ keep stealing your bait—they are small, flashy and irresistible to small salmon etc and can turn a dismal day into one of great fun.

There are a myriad of baits available on the market today and obtainable from most leading tackle stores throughout the State, the most common ones being prettyfish, bluebait and pilchards however, a nice fresh piece of fish cut off your latest catch will also produce the goods if your bait supply is running low so don’t forget to take along a good sharp knife with you.

If you haven’t given surf fishing a go before and are unsure of what you will need, ask the guys at your local tackle store, you will find that most of them are keen surf fishermen themselves, have a wealth of knowledge and will only be too happy to point you in the right direction and get you started. Why not give it a try, it’s a great way to involve the whole family (even if the younger ones are only building sandcastles!!), its relaxing and its easy—not to mention the fact that you will more than likely finish up with a great feed of fresh fish at the end of the day for your trouble—what more could you ask for?

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Fly fishing during autumn in northern Tasmania.

T

he autumn season brings with it a certain kind of sadness.

For me, the changing colours of the autumn leaves are a reminder that only a few weeks remain before the majority of Tasmania’s troutfishing waters will be closed for the spawning season.

Less intense sunlight

With the sun’s rays at a shallower angle, days are not as warm, or as long. Spotting fish is more difficult than usual due to the increase in reflected light.

Glare and cloud reflections make it harder still, even on bright days and at times, far too many fish are spooked before they can be seen. Rising fish, however, can be found and dry fly fishing is excellent when trout are quietly slurping down insects along the edges and in the backwaters, or charging around trying to catch insects on the wing.

The relatively mild weather that is normal at this time allows many species to complete their life cycles before the chill of winter arrives. Insects will be then be hard to find until spring.

Mayflies are still with us; Orange Spinners can to be found on or near the rivers near Cressy, especially in calm corners

on windy days or along grassy banks. Many will be found laying their eggs.

Grasshoppers are still around and provide additional sport for the shore angler whose movements produce numbers of these to fall into the water and bring the fish to the surface for a feed.

In it’s own way, nature protects every species, ensuring that every type of insect lays plenty of eggs. Aquatic insects must produce large quantities of eggs to help in their survival.

The females of several species lay their eggs directly in water, dipping their tails repeatedly in the cool water. These settle to the riverbed in readiness for hatching during the springtime warm-up. These egg-layers must represent an extra tasty meal to the ever-watchful trout as they are often seen jumping to snatch them out of the air.

Lively action can be expected at this time given the right conditions.

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Fishing News - Page 14

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T R A D E E N Q U I R I E S O N LY

Fly fishing around Cressy.

Brumbys Creek

A current of cool, swiftly flowing water via the Poatina power station, which has been recently been running at maximum output, maintains a high level throughout the system, producing excellent, though often challenging, dry fly fishing.

The increased depth floods backwaters which trout soon take advantage of, in their hunt for food they can be found in water so shallow their dorsal fins and their tails are waving in the air.

Orange spinners and a few damselflies are still about, as are plenty of grasshoppers. Fish in the two to three pound range are quite common, but take patience to catch.

In quiet corners out of the wind, you will find mayfly spinners and a few damselflies still actively laying eggs, especially in those brief warm humid conditions preceding the fall in air pressure associated with a cool change.

Macquarie River

This beautiful river also benefits from the discharge of cool mountain water from the Brumbies Creek tailrace.

The magnificent stretch between Cressy and Woolmers Bridge near Longford has recently yielded some excellent catches.

One prominent angler reported a notable catch fishing dry fly and nymph in the area, catching and releasing over twenty trout for a session. Several of these were between two and three pounds in weight. Surely a great catch by anyone’s standards.

I saw Peter Hayes boat a four and a quarter pound brown recently. The fish was caught drifting a dry fly. He was using a locally built seven and a half foot split bamboo rod at the time.

The mountain lakes

Some have enjoyed the excellent fishing for surface feeding rainbows at Great Lake recently.

Peter Hayes reports schools of fish visibly feeding on masses of thrips. Although a tiny insect, and too numerous to seriously try and imitate, any large floater, especially the amazing Chernobyl Ant will attract interest from these willing and hard fighting customers.

Wet fly fishing

Down and across.

Usually, this is practiced by casting downstream at an angle and retrieving slowly at the end of the swing.

The idea is to systematically swim a suitable wet fly across the flow in a series of arcs, covering the best lies by sweeping it across the current, before retrieving it, taking a step downstream and repeating the action. It is an effective method for those who enjoy their casting! It is a last resort for many; if fish are to be found rising, other methods are usually more entertaining. A large Woolly Bugger on a long shank wet fly hook is useful. A sinking line really helps in keeping the fly deep enough in the swift current.

Stalking

This approach is the most rewarding as it involves the use of more skills. These skills need to be practised to be successful. The method also contains elements similar to hunting. The idea is to first find your fish, then work out the best way to fool it. A dry fly is a useful type to try, and a nymph is deadly too. The actual pattern is usually selected on the basis of prior or local knowledge. Often, the choice is influenced by what insects are found to be present at the time.

In moving water trout often hold a strategic position in the current waiting for food to be brought to them. The common method is to cast a dry fly or unweighted nymph upstream of a feeding trout, from a position that prevents the fish from seeing the line in the air.

In slower water, trout are more likely to be moving about.

It is more difficult to judge a fish’s position when you can’t see it properly.

Speed of delivery is important, in that brief moment after a rise, it is best to make your cast ahead of where you judge the fish’s position. Obviously, the faster this can be achieved, the more certain the fly will be seen. You must not throw the line over a fishes back for fear of frightening it. Once the trout is aware of something unusual, it is unlikely that you will be able to fool it for some time, as their usual reaction is to stop feeding immediately.

Hormone induced feeding frenzy.

One of the benefits at this time of the year is that trout, heavy from a season of feeding are preparing for the spawning season and are hungry.

Shorter and cooler days produce changes in mature age trout.

Increased hormonal activity within their bodies sees a larger proportion of their body mass being used in the formation of eggs or sperm, in preparation for the spawning season ahead. This development can lead to an increased need for protein and more opportunistic habits. Their appetites are stimulated and they spend more time feeding.

A gathering of fish

In the weeks preceding the fishing season closure in May, trout are drawn towards suitable places to lay their eggs.

Wild fish are apparently attracted to the tributary streams of their birthplace by smell. Fish that are artificially bred and released by fisheries personnel may find their way there as well.

Large fish more vulnerable.

While not a schooling fish, trout may be found gathering around creek mouths waiting for the right time to access the gravel of the spawning areas. Rainfall is one factor that stimulates their movement.

At these times, larger trout that may not have been obvious throughout the season, might also be present and are more vulnerable to a well placed fly than is usual.

Many trophy trout are caught at this time of the year when instinct overpowers other survival responses.

Pay particular attention to the rules that govern your fishery as hefty fines are incurred for fishing in areas that are set aside for breeding purposes. Some may be permanently closed to fishing and effectively out of bounds if you carry fishing gear.

Nick Voce.

Macquarie River - methods

This river can be fished successfully from the bank or by drifting from a boat. Given the large population of trout in this river, most methods will work well here. Drifting from a boat allows you to cover a lot of water in a session.

Success relies partly on the fact that eventually the fly drifts over a fish that is willing to take it and it is then up to the angler to hook it.

Low sun can make polaroiding difficult, but the effort can still be worth it.

Fishing News - Page 15

Jigging unknown waters Saltwater jigging is a technique that is really getting a solid following worldwide, but in Tasmania it is relatively unknown. Tasmania does have the species and the waters to make this work and tackle shop owner Leroy Tirant recently gave it a try with a couple of mates.

J

igging lures for fish has been around for many years, but it’s only in recent times that tackle and the lures themselves have been specifically developed for this new born form of fishing. High speed reels, braid, and ultralight, fast tapered rods have come forward in leaps and bounds as this new frontier has been developed.

Australians have only really caught on to these new techniques, after seeing how productive visiting Japanese anglers were fishing reefs for mega samsons, kingfish, trevally and other hard pulling reef dwellers.

Jig fishing fills an angler’s mind with hope as he drops his jig to the reef below before winding the lure at high speed back through the water column. Nearly all reef species will take a jig as it looks like a bait fish fleeing from cover.

Reels are generally high speed models, preferably with a retrieve ratio of around 5.8:1-6.3:1 and capable of handling 10-20 + kilo’s of drag pressure. Fishing with a near locked up drag is the norm.

Nearly all the major brands produce reels for this form of fishing some of my favourites are the Shimano Torrium and Tica ST 558 or Okuma Catalina for overhead reels and for spinning reels the Shimano Spheros, Pflueger Contender, Tica Cybernetic and Okuma Eclipze EZ. Of course in the higher end price bracket the Shimano Stella and Daiwa Saltiga are the best there is.

If a fish is allowed to run on a normal drag when hooked they will more often than not head back down to the reef they came from and break you off. The idea is to keep the fish from turning their heads and for the angler to dictate the terms of the fight.

Overhead and spinning reels are both capable of doing the job as long as they are built tough with drags that are up to the task.

Braid in the 50-80lb mark are the norm and many brands now have braid that is colored every 10 metres, so that an angler can determine what depth he is fishing at. In Tasmania we don’t generally get to target XOS fish so 20 – 30lb braid will often suffice.

Rigs are simple. Tie a short double in the braid and use a double uni-knot to join 1-2 metres of trace with a snap swivel tied to the end. This is a very strong connection

Mason Paull jigged this nice yellowtail kingfish off St Helens.

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and allows the jig to be worked right through to the rod tip. I have caught giant trevally to 65lb on jigs in far north Queensland and have not been let down by this connection. The other rig you may prefer is to tie your double off to a snap swivel and pre rig your jigs by crimping your leaders to them and simple connect by clipping onto the snap. It’s also worth mentioning that it may at times pay to have some knottable or rigged single strand wire available as couta can take their toll on jigs.

Rods more than anything else in this form of fishing have changed dramatically. Space age graphites make these style of rods super-light, but with incredible lifting and hook setting power. Some don’t look any different than a light saltwater spin rod but can be rated between 20-30kilos. The Tica Boatmaster, Shimano Tcurve, Daiwa Saltiga, and my personal weapon of choice the Silstar Crystal Blue Power tip jig stick are all up to the task. They certainly make jig fishing more effective and give incredible control when loaded up.

The jigs themselves vary like any lure in shape, color, size and weight. Water depth and species being hunted generally dictate what size to use. The jigs are generally called knife jigs because of their long slender shape and have what’s called an assist or swing hook secured to the top of the lure via a Kevlar connection or stainless limp wire braided loop. The idea of the hook being secured to the top of the lure is so the angler does not get hooked up to the bottom when the jig is dropped down. Most jigs are designed for optimum performance on retrieve, but also work whilst they are being dropped, as they generally have a fluttering action when falling.

Zest jigs are proven fish takers but River 2 Sea has by far one of the largest ranges of sizes and colors available and I can attest to how well they work. On a recent couple of trips off St Helens my mates and I have caught kingfish, albacore, rays bream, morwong and ugly cod that we couldn’t identify. Whilst most of the fish caught were of the 4-7 kilo bracket Mason Paull was been broken off on 50lb braid twice, so there were obviously bigger kings mixed in with the schoolies. Fish can be targeted in just about any depth but cuurent and wind will determine if you can fish effectively as you’ll want the jigs to drop as vertically as possible. A drogue may be useful to hold your position better in even a slight breeze.

When looking for areas to fish a depth sounder can be invaluable. Look for reef areas and then concentrate on

searching for bommies and peaks on the reefs as this is where predators usually congregrate.

Bait schools holding deep is the jewel your normally looking for and if your sounder is showing bigger fish around this school you could be in for a day of hard pulling fish.

Jigs are a very effective fish catching tool so be mindful of how many fish you take for the freezer especially with the small but growing Kingfish population found around the North and East coasts. Jigs can also be used in a multitude of situations, for example whilst berlying for mako shark we often use a jig worked through the berley trail, this technique will often work well on Albacore and although we are yet to catch a yellowfin doing this I can’t see why it wouldn’t work on them either.

There is a small band of dedicated jig users in Tasmania and it seems the more species that they add to their capture lists the more the group grows in numbers, be sure to join this new revolution and you’ll find it an exciting form of fishing.

Jigs are sort of an upside down thing. The hook is attached to the top, rather than the bottom. This reduces the chnce of the jig becoming hooked on the bottom or reef, but seems to have no effect on the hook-up ratio.

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A run of trevally has everyone waiting for the next hot bite.

Beach boat launching for tinnies.

L

Stanley Wharf and surrounds

ocated in the far north-west of Tasmania is the historical town of Stanley. Stanley is quickly becoming a prize destination for the recreational angler.

The annual snotty trevally run on the townships wharf has, according to some, become the number one attraction in the area for visitor numbers. This wharf fishery attracts hundreds of amateur anglers and is now a major player in the tourists numbers that visit the town and unlike all the other draw cards, this one is free.

The snotty run as the locals call it, starts around October and usually runs through to the end of May, seems to be directly related to water temperature. Anything over 16 degrees seems to get them started and they have a real go during the summer peak and then drop back as the winter months approach. They seem to disappear just as quickly as they arrive.

The recommended method of capture is a good solid 710ft rod with a strong reel with the drag screwed to the max, a 20-25lb line is absolutely necessary as there is no playing the fish like most other sport fishing. As soon as the hook up occurs the catch needs to be landed as quick as possible to avoid the neighboring anglers who stand shoulder to shoulder the length of the pier. It is a wonderful experience to witness the domino effect of catching snotties from one end of the wharf to the other. The catch is generally shared across the board and it is quite uncommon for a single fish to be caught, they are generally landed in quick abundance and then it stop completely for a while as the school swims through.

Chicken is the one and only bait to use, good to squash it a bit in your fingers before you put it on a 1/0 long shank hook, this squashing breaks the chicken up a bit and creates its’ own burley with the small pieces floating about the hook area, most anglers use a running sinker rig mainly to have some weight over the rig and keep it hanging relatively perpendicular.

It has been known to be a bit windy in Stanley on the odd occasion and although the weightless rig is probably the most successful, it is certainly not an option with 20-30 knots of wind from any set direction.

Although the wharf area is well known for the snotty run there are numerous other species than can be caught year round. Recently a handful of flathead catches have appeared with the length of these fish being up to 80cm. The preferred area for these is a very good cast straight off the end of the wharf with a good bottom fishing rig. It is not uncommon to land gummy shark towards the end of the evening in this area as well, many a trophy has been lost by trying to haul the catch up over the wharf edge. If the angler is patient and the fish is well hooked it can walked around the end of the wharf and onto the breakwater wall where landing is much easier.

Over recent years some marvelous snapper hook ups have also occurred, but with only one successful landing and it is said that this may be one of the very few land based captures of snapper in Tasmania.

Fishing News - Page 18

There are numerous other species available from the immediate wharf area, schools of Australian salmon can offer the anglers great entertainment. Recently two silver drummer were caught, these fish are uncommon in Tasmania and are usually found in the warmer Australian waters. The calamari fishery is alive and well and these are most definitely being targeted. In the past they have always been a bycatch of anglers that frequent the wharf outside daylight hours. Another great place to catch calamari in the Stanley area is on the entrance to the fishermans dock.

Walk out onto the breakwater and fish in the narrow neck that separates the ocean from the harbour.

Being that Stanley simply juts out into Bass Strait it forms a narrow neck that creates two tidal inlets: East Inleyt and West Inlet. Both are very accessible and both very productive bodies of water for the recreational angler.

Whatever the wind direction you can nearly get a line in one of the two, there are launching facilities for smaller trailer boats only, but land based angling attributes to the majority of effort.

Both places are fantastic for lure fishing at low tide targeting flathead, plastics have become very popular, and the rewards are quite consistent. A few tailor hang around the west as do pike, more so around the entrance where there is more sea grass beds, there are good runs of Australian salmon year round and the gummy shark fishing of an evening is better than it has ever been. This is due to both these estuaries no being ‘no netting’ areas.

The flounder spearer has never seen it as lucrative, no need to use a net when one can selectively spear. The hard core locals that believe they are traditional users are starting to see the continued improvement (we can only hope these critics live long enough to see their kids and their kids kids enjoy these areas.

Along Seven Mile Beach, adjacent to Western Inlet there has been seasonal catches of elephant fish and also snapper.

With prevailing westerly winds off shore there has been a handful of die-hard anglers using balloons to take out the rigs,(this type of fishing is also becoming popular around the Stanley nut area), with the bait being on and near the surface the common catch is the Australian salmon, but this type of fishing seems to yield the 2kg plus fish.

Overall the community of Stanley can be very proud of their recreational fishery, it is not just one of Circular Head’s sustainable industries, it is an improving one.

Stuart Smith

Some people are well setup with trolleys and all the extras to make fishing comfortable for a long day.

A long drop from the wharf can create havoc when dozens of anglers all get hooked into fish at the same time.

Even in foul weather a few die-hards still try their luck.

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Fishing News - Page 19

Sarah’s Kitchen

Well it is right into Tuna season and I thought that it is about time to head in that direction.

The tuna should be a creamy colour and flake apart easily and the capsicum and the tomato should not be too soft.

TUNA STEAKS WITH TOMATO AND CAPSICUM

Another one to give a try is one using Australian salmon which is readily caught around Tasmania. It has a distinctive flavour so you can use recipes with strong flavours.

4 tuna steaks 2 tablespoons butter 1 large onion, thinly sliced 2 tomatoes, sliced 1 red capsicum, sliced 1/3 cup tomato sauce 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce Juice of half a lemon

ORANGE SALMON

Melt butter in a pan with a tight fitting lid, add onion and gently fry until tender.

Remove the onion from the pan and set aside.

Add the tuna to the pan, cook each side for 2 minutes, season each side to taste.

Top each tuna steak with the cooked onion then the red capsicum and the tomato slices.

Mix the tomato sauce and the lemon juice together and pour over.

Place the lid on and simmer for a further 5 minutes or until cooked.

4 salmon fillets 2 teaspoons oil 8 anchovy fillets, drained (optional) 2 tablespoons orange rind 2 tablespoons butter, melted 2 tablespoons orange juice Fresh ground pepper and salt 4 thin slices of orange Brush the salmon fillets with oil, grill for 3-4 minutes on one side.

Turn the fillets over and arrange the anchovy fillets and brush with butter.

Sprinkle with orange rind and juice, season to taste.

Grill for a further 3-4 minutes until cooked.

Serve immediately with the orange slices.

Sarah Sherriff

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Fishing News - Page 20

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Jan’s Flies Jan Spencer Fly tyer for the World Champion 2000 Australian Team

How sweet they are, those small headwater streams. Most that I fish start on top of the Western Tiers and as they drop down they gain a little strength before leveling out and the bubbly stream becomes lethargic and wanders on to its final destination.

It’s the prancing bubbly water I love, as do the trout through the summer months. The water is cooler with more oxygen.

I have had a number of trips to these streams in the past months with memorable results, particularly for the tiny mayflies, spinners and grasshoppers which seem to dominate the fishing.

Fishing for these little trout is not easy as the majority of streams are very overgrown and quite difficult to negotiate, so if it’s not the blackberry bush in bront of you the tea tree behind will grab your fly and the big black snake will put you very much on edge when one tries to retrieve equipment.

Brushing all the negatives aside fishing these little gems is very satisfying.

A short light rod is desirable, four or five weight is my desired equipment, I also have a six foot little rod and a half pound trout feels like a four pounder.

Flies are chosen on the day depending on water and conditions because these streams are mostly fairly sheltered there is normally a stream somewhere which can be fished.

Small black or brown nymphs hung under a well dressed dry fly, or a nymph fished with an indicator, but the dry fly gives two the fisher two chances. A small black spinner is

more often than not my choice except for Autumn when the grasshoppers are on the menu as these little trout have a passion for them. Plop a hopper pattern in the middle of a pool and it will surprise what will charge and grab the fly.

A notable Autumn day saw me lucky to be on one of these streams whilst a black spinner hatch was in progress, so tiny and delicate the trout just love ‘em. A tiny number 16 or 18, with a white wing or post so the fly can be seen in bubbly water.

Happy water, as I call it also requires a reasonable amount of hackle for buoyancy. For the tail I use black deer hair as this also helps to keep the fly afloat.

Tiny Black Hook: Thread: Post: Tail: Hackle:

Dry fly hook size sixteen, eighteen.

Black.

Small bunch white hi-vis.

Bunch black deer hairs.

Black cock feather.

Method

Start thread behind eye and wind a short distance along shank.

Take small bunch of hi-vis and place on top of shank be sure the butt end faces back toward hook bend, tie in firmly.

Cut this hi-vis on an angle from behind the post to the tail area, this will give the body a nice shape. With the thread do a couple of turns around the post this will help the post to stand upright. Take thread over the hi-vis body to the bend.

Tie in tail as a bunchy tail the hairs do not have to be separated, cut away excess hair.

Strip a peacock herl, this may be done by drawing the herl between thumbnail and ginger. Tie this in from the thin end, this will give a lovely

segmentation, take the thread forward to the post. Make nice tight, close turns around the body finishing snugly behind the post, tie down and cut away excess herl.

Tie in cock feather and take thread to front of post. Wind hackle forward making lots of turns so the fly has plenty of hackle finishing behind the eye. Bring thread forward through hackle, cut away excess hackle feather form a nice little head, whip finish, cut away thread and varnish head.

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Gibson Flies are tied in Tasmania with no compromise on workmanship or quality of materials. Every fly is individually tied to catch fish.

Flies of this quality can’t ever be mass produced and therefore they may cost a little more. However, when you’re about to cast to that trophy fish you’ll be pleased you tied on a Gibson’s fly, or did you?

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Fisherman’s Basket Reviews by Mike Stevens unless stated otherwise

LED Trailer Lights

If you have had a boat trailer you would know all about trailer lights.

If you haven’t had trouble with your lights you either don’t use your boat, or it is new. Hot lights and cold water, either salt or fresh are not a good combination. Gravel roads are another factor as well - especially Tasmania’s Central Highlands. Lights are a real problem. As much as I have tried I always have a spare set of lights in the workshop. This way I can pull the broken, corroded light off, replace it and still have a spare.

A couple of years back Hella brought out some LED (light emitting diodes) sealed trailer lights, but thee retailed for around $200 per side.

Yep these were robust, sealed and operate from 6 volt to 24 volt. Water couldn’t get in and being LEDs they were unlikely to fail. These units have many small LEDs, rather than one globe, so even if one or two failed it didn’t matter.

Alas they were too expensive for me.

I just happened to be buying a new

trailer from Ron Carter Caravans and Ron Coenen showed me some LED lights he has been using. These are by OLSEN and retail for $95.

They are not completely sealed, but are rated to be fully submersible.

They use a ‘Bell Helmet’ effect to keep the water out. They are the first trailer lights I have seen with a warranty (12 months). All fittings including stainless fittings and heat shrink are included and are easy to instal.

So far they have been trouble free, and I hope to go boating for some time without trailer light anxiety.

Wet bag

I was sent this to try, and whilst many reviews can be done without realing testing the product I did have occasion to give this a proper test.

The upper part of the bag is mesh, whilst the bottom section is waterproof up the sides about 155mm. It is ideal to carry wet things such as waders in your vehicle without getting everything around it wet. Or as I found it was ideal when I was doing a bit of beach fishing to keep the water out and the

inside dry. I was on the wet sand and it worked a treat.

The bag also has straps that turn it into a sort of day/carry pack. When you use it this way the straps close the top up keeping the insides secure. I did a walk of 40 minutes and it works well.

There is also an external pocket and the capacity of the bag is about 45 litres.

I can see an obvious use for carrying waders on a day walk, surf fishing, carrying gear to a rock fishing destination and of course keep wet things from messing up the car.

A very good product at just $29.95.

Check them out at good tackle stores.

Distributed by Mayfly Tackle.

for snapper, morwong, mulloway and many others.

Long Red also has a big eye. That makes it easier to tie on heavy traces. It also enables the Long Red to be formed into gangs, trailer hooks, stingers and linked hook arrangements, when used in conjunction with vinyl tubing.

The Mustad Long Red is available in sizes 7/0 to 1/0, 1, 2 and 4 from good fishing tackle stores.

Spotters yellow polaroids

Mustad’s Long Red Hook

A new long-shanked beak hook has been added to the Australian Mustad Ultra Point hook range.

The Mustad Long Red (ref 92261NPNR) is a heavy duty bait fishing hook for serious saltwater fishing. But its chemically sharpened Ultra Point gives it exceptional hooking power for a beefy hook. This, plus its extended shank for big baits, makes it a ‘special’ for offshore reef fishing

It is a long time since I have seen good quality yellow polaroid fishing glasses. It has also been disappointing because yellow was a colour that really seemed to suit me. Then bingo I found some in a tackle store the other day.

I was delighted to see they were from the Australian company Spotters.

Spotters are a company that has put a fair bit of effort into catering for the angling market in Australia. Principal of the company Doug Phillips has spent a lot of time liasing with anglers trying to get a product that suits the Australian market.

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Fisherman’s Basket Reviews by Mike Stevens unless stated otherwise

It was tackle stores and anglers that convinced Doug to revive the yellow lenses and it appears to have been a very successful decision.

For some time Spotters have had their Penetrators as the main colour for anglers and this has been a real winner to. But what I have found over the years is that different colours seem to suit different anglers.

The yellow lenses are available in a host of styles, they are photochromic so change to darker lenses as he light increases and can be found in quality tackle stores. Check them out.

Norstream Yankee net

At last we are seeing some new style of enviromentally friendly nets.

The Eco-nets that have been around for a while have been very popular, but they do have a few issues.

My biggest gripe with them is that they are like lifting a bucket of water when you net a fish.

So I was interested when I was shown this new style of rubberised net.

They have large holes in the mesh that are fish friendly, due to a smooth, knot free structure, don’t catch your hooks, and they let the water through easily making them easy to lift and net fish from the water.

The Norstream net is a little heavier than normal, but they are very sturdy and look like they will last a lifetime.

They come in a variety of sizes, some with extendable handles.

gloves. Ross fishes every weekend in the highlands so if he doesn’t know a good pair of gloves I will give up.

Simms overall I can say a little though. I have Simms wadersand a Simms jacket. They are superb.

Simms are highly renowned for producing the very best quality products in fishing, so if you suffer the cold check the gloves out at Essential Fly Fisher or quality tackle shops.

Simms gloves

Ross Pullin at the Essential Fly Fisher threw these at me and said give these a review. Well I didn’t actually try them. Ross has access to almost every product on the market so I decided to take his word for it that they were good.

‘Simms gloves are the only gloves I have ever used that keep me warm, and I can fish in.’ That is pretty much all I intend to say as far as praising the

Election promises will improve fishing access Recent election promises by the Labor Party will help improve the access to Tamania’s trout fishery.

The Premier, Paul Lennon promised several infrastructure initiatives and these are already being delivered.

‘Over the next five years, Labor will invest more than $100 million in our road and jetty infrastructure to help sustain Tasmania’s economic growth and support future generations. This investment is in addition to the commitments we have already announced as part of the Capital Investment Program and Special Infrastructure Funds.

‘Labor will: ‘Improve access into Woods Lake, Lake Echo and 19 Lagoons with a $250 000 upgrade of roads in the Central Highlands.

‘Invest $8 million to upgrade the main access routes to the Central Highlands.’

This promise has already been partly delivered with the Inland Fisheries Service undertaking road improvements into Woods Lake. The ten kilometres from Arthurs Lake to the dam at Woods Lake is being upgraded, according to John Diggle, Director of Inland Fisheries.

Mr Diggle said the IFS was supervising works by contractors and he expected the road would be improved to two wheel drive standards. The road was being reformed with proper drainage and culverts.

‘This is great news for anglers. Access to good fishing waters is an important issue and we will continue to improve it wherever possible.

‘Woods Lake has been fishing well and the IFS is pleased more anglers will be able to try their skills at this water once the road is completed later in the year.’ Mr Diggle concluded.

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Fishing News - Page 23

Just add water Rolling out again in 2006 due to popular demand is the Savage ‘Just Add Water’ packages available from dealers nationally as of April.

These Manufacturer Specified, Boat, Motor and Trailer packages represent outstanding value with competitive finance rates and a long list of standard features.

Thanks to Mercury Marine’s Easy Finance, approved applicants can be on the water from as little as $53.10 per week. For a limited time, packages also include a bonus portable fridge/freezer valued at $239. There is no comparison to the value that is jam packed into these Savage packages. ‘Just Add Water’ and your ready to enjoy a great day of boating with the family or fishing with mates.

Everything you need is included: Boat, Mercury/Mariner Outboard, Navman Fishfinder and VHF radio, Custom

built Savage easy- launch trailer, Registration, Safety Gear, Bonus Portable Fridge/Freezer, Outstanding 3-year warranty.

A feature of the ‘Just Add Water’ packages is the Navman Fish finder system and matching Navman VHF radio, which come standard. This gives you fuel management and fishing information at a glance.

Savage and Mercury’s high standards ensure that the engine matched to the boat will provide optimum performance. The trailer is also ideally selected to transport the boat and motor with ease. The boat package is pre-rigged at the Savage factory where all the instruments, controls and electronics are also installed. So you can have confidence in these packages knowing they come to you complete from Savage who have over 100 years in quality boat building expertise.

3 year limited warranty applies to motor and boat to give consumers greater confidence in these packages.

Other features include: Heavy duty marine floor carpeting, Long life stainless steel fittings, Savage Easy walk through windscreen.

The Savage ‘Just Add Water’ packages will ensure you enjoy years of hassle free fishing and cruising. These packages make boating just so easy!

Size doesn’t matter with Yamaha’s F60C four-stroke Three fisher men off the New South Wales south coast have proven that the size of your rig doesn’t necessarily equate to the size of your fish, having landed a 136kg Black Marlin in their Yamaha F60C four-stroke powered TABS aluminium boat.

Measuring only 4.55m in length, the well equipped side console boat named “Allure” provided the fishing platform while propulsion was delivered by one of Yamaha’s most popular engines.

Producing 60hp from a 996cm3 4 cylinder engine, the F60C is a perfectly balanced workhorse finding favour with commercial fisherman and tour operators to recreational boaties. Although not the largest engine in the Yamaha stable, the brilliant power to weight characteristics of the F60C shone through to guide Allure and her crew towards angling glory.

Proud owner of Allure, Tim White, was fishing 15km out of Nowra at the Banks as part of the A.N.S.A Nowra Sports Fishing Club Competition when the battle began.

“The slimy mackerel live bait was only in the water for two minutes before the fish struck,” said Tim White.

“It took another two hours for us to get our first glimpse of what was hooked, and by the third hour we had landed the huge Black Marlin at my boat. My crew mate Steve Camilleri had lost a Marlin the previous Friday so this time I called a friend nearby who was also at the Banks fishing in a much bigger boat. He jumped onboard to help us bring the fish in.”

After dragging the fish onboard the larger vessel, the crew had only 40 mins to get back to the fishing club for the official weigh-in.

The catch saw Tim take out the Blue Water Section Trophy.

“Without the help from nearby friends Arman Cokun and Alex Vidovic on their boat Mr Magoo, I never would have landed the fish and got it to the weigh-in on time. They deserve a big wrap,” said Tim White. continued next page...

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• Century reliability to keep you safe on the water.

• A range for all needs.

Available from Marine dealers and leading battery outlets. Call 13 22 87

Having purchased the boat only 12 months ago, Tim White had spent the majority of his boating time chasing bream and flathead amid local estuaries at Botany near his Sydney home. The Yamaha F60 powered tinnie certainly stepped up to the plate for the Nowra fishing competition and proved that size really doesn’t matter.

“A friend of mine recommended the Yamaha four-stroke and I purchased the outboard for its fuel economy, reliability and quiet operation,” Tim White said.

“It has been superb on the back of my TABS boat with plenty of power and no problems to report. I certainly wouldn’t want any more horsepower.”

Arriving onto the Australian market recently, the fuel injected F60C four-stroke stormed to prominence with boaters who demand reliable performance and exceptional fuel efficiency from a lightweight outboard package. The F60C delivered in spades with quick cold starts, smooth acceleration and true Yamaha dependability backed by the Electronic Control Module (ECM).

A close look at the competition reveals the Yamaha F60C is significantly ahead of the rest. The 60hp Yamaha is 4kgs lighter than any carburetted 4-stroke counterpart, has almost the same dimensions as similar powered 2-stroke outboards and, more significantly, is smaller and up to 15% more fuel efficient when compared to 4-stroke models from competitive brands.

Yamaha outboards are available through an Australia-wide network of authorised Yamaha outboard dealers. All Yamaha outboard models are fully backed by a comprehensive two-year manufacturer’s warranty.

Fishing and Boating Calendar 2006 Tasmanian Fishing and Boating News is pleased to provide this calendar of events for the year 2006.

Events and dates are correct, to the best of the editors knowledge, at the time of printing but are always subject to amendment or cancellation.

Date Event & Venue More Info APRIL Sat 15-16 Raine & Horne Easter Competition (Game Fishing). St Helens Anne Stevenson 63763631 Sat 22 -24 21st. Australian Bluefin Tuna Championships, Eagle Hawk Neck Shane Banks 62272171, 0438 165023 Sun 30 Most brown trout waters close Sarah Graham 6233 8930 MAY Thu 5 -7 AGFEST, via Carrick Lots of fishin’ and boating stuff 13 - 14 44TH Surf Angling Championships, Swimcart Beach via St Helens Matt Walker 0409 761066 Sat 20 -21 Liawenee Open Day, Liawenee Canal, Great Lake IFS Sarah Graham 6233 8930 Sun 28 Most rainbow waters close Sarah Graham 6233 8930 JUNE Date to be advised

Far South Classic (Game Fishing), Southport.

John Brooker 62278696

JULY Date to be advised

Eastern Shore Marine Boat Show

Glenda Bush 62441163

AUGUST Sat 5

Opening of most brown trout waters

Sarah Graham 6233 8930

SEPTEMBER Sat 2-3 Trout Expo, Cressy Gary France 6397 5001 OCTOBER Sun 1

To be advised To be advised To be advised To be advised

* Whitebait season opens – 1 month October only * Rainbow trout season opens in most waters Tasmanian Boating & Leisure Show. Lindisfarne Motor Yacht Club Hydro Tasmania Bronte Tie-in. Bronte Highland Village Take a Kid Fishing. Stanley Wharf Take a Kid Fishing. Beauty Point Wharf

Sarah Graham 6233 8930 Mark Chivers 62439021 62438078 Damian Heran 0408337317 Quenton Higgs 0407502046

‘Why I recommend Honda’ ‘Reliability to me is a must as I fish way offshore along the East Coast.

Reliability is the reason I chose Honda outboards. My boat is a 6.2 metre Stabi Craft HT with twin Honda 90s. It performs beyond brilliantly.

This isn’t the first time I have owned Honda outboards, I have had them on my two previous boats, so I had plenty of time with them.

The business I work with, sell and service Honda outboards and I see very little if any concerns regarding these engines. It’s basically oil filter and some fine tuning that’s all.

One other thing I will mention is the fuel economy. For a normal day fishing going to the continental shelf and trolling I would use about 80 litres. There’s no two stroke fumes and no oil to refill. I can not recommend Honda highly enough and wouldn’t own anything else!’

Andrew and Sue Tyson

For further details contact: • Lindsay Deegan Marine; 102 Eastland Drive, Ulverstone, Ph. 6425 2238 • Lifestyle Marine; 14 Dry St Invermay, Launceston, Ph. 6331 9507 • Maynes Marine; 119 New Town Road, Hobart, Ph. 6228 3999

Or phone Honda, freecall 1800 80 75 90

H

onda is the biggest manufacturer of four stroke engines in the world, producing around 10 million every year. Honda’s has a single mindedness and commitment to four stroke engines no other company can remotely match. Sure Honda know how to make two stroke engines, in fact we’re famous for them - winning seven of the last eight World Motorcycle Championships with them. In 2002 500cc 2-Stroke Grand Prix bikes were dropped and Moto GP 4-Strokes introduced. It was no suprise to anyone that Honda rider Valentino Rossi blitzed the field-leaving all other riders in his wake.

Honda also know that to achieve the ultimate in boating pleasure, comfort, fuel economy and performance, only a four stroke will do. Honda believes their four stroke outboard engines are the best in the world. Honda has a range of four stroke engines from 2 to 225 horsepower (and 52 models in between).

Honda remains solely dedicated to the advancement and development of four stroke and the benefits it will bring to our environment and the quality of your life.

Thankfully, Honda’s specialist dealers remain as passionate as our engineers. For you, it all adds up to value that lasts. In years to come, when you’re accustomed to the sheer joy of boating with a Honda 4-Stroke, you’ll truly know the satisfaction of having made the right choice.

Honda four stroke outboards - a natural evolution.

2 l 5 l 8 l 10 l 15 l 20 l 25 l 30 l 40 l 50 l 75 l 90 l 115 l 130 l 150 l 175 l 200 l 225 Horsepower

Po we r

i n t u n e wi th n at u r e Fishing News - Page 25

Shakespeare® Ugly Stik® Rods Redemption Offer

Th e Sha ke s pe a re® U gly Stik® Rod Family started back in America in 1976 and since then has continued to expand with the growing needs of fisherman all over the world. With new ranges and models being added every year.

Today Shakespeare® Australia has three ranges of Ugly Stik® rods; Ugly Stik® Bluewater, Ugly Stik® Platinum, and Ugly Stik® Golds.

There is also a range of Ugly Stik® combos.

•The use of the Exclusive Howald Process™ provides anglers with a rod that has literally been built twice, creating a lightweight blank with tremendous strength without compromising on sensitivity or fishability.

• Blank-through-handle construction • Solid Clear-Tip™ Design • Guides are under-wrapped for durability and longevity • Blanks are fully coated with epoxy for extra protection from the sun’s damaging UV rays • All Ugly Stik® are fitted with Fuji components If it’s Ugly, it’s got to be Shakespeare!

Ugly Stik® Redemption Offer… Limited Offer

Purchase any specially marked Ugly Stik rod & receive a Bonus Tackle Bag valued at $29.95 RRP for just $9.95, which includes payment for postage & handling. Valid from the 1 April 2006 to 31 May 2007.

Visit www.shakespeare.com.au for full terms and conditions.

Hayes on Brumbys Live in weekend fly fishing workshops Learn to fly-fish, brush up your skills or learn advanced techniques. Whatever your level these workshops are designed to inspire, entertain and educate. You can spend many years learning fly-fishing skills—or you can fast-track.

These live in workshops are based at our comfortable 20 bed convention centre on the banks of Brumbys Creek, with a purpose built casting pool right next to the centre.

This is a superb location for a fly fishing weekend getaway. We invite you to come along and have some fun with like-minded people while you gain a lifelong benefit from this experience. Your skills will be improved enormously as will your enjoyment of the sport.

As the key instructor Peter Hayes has been the national casting champion a total of 10 times in addition to winning the National Fly Fishing Championship.

Additionally, Peter’s knowledge gained from a lifetime of casting and fishing, plus twelve years guiding experience in the highlands and lowland rivers is bound to rub off on all participants. Peter has run casting clinics for many years Australia wide and in New Zealand.

Course cost is $300 per person. Places are limited and filling quickly.

Workshop dates Beginners Fly Fishing and Casting weekend 20, 21 May 2006 Intermediate/Advanced Fly Fishing and Casting weekend 27, 28 May 2006 Beginner Fly Tying weekend 24, 25 June 2006 Saltwater Fly Fishing and Casting weekend 29, 30 July 2006

For more information or to book your place contact Peter on 0409 944 699 or email hayes@flyfishtasmania.com.au

Sea Jay - Trailcraft - Haines Hunter - Allison

Trailcraft 540 Sportscab Sea Jay Escape 4.15, 4.35, 4.55.

Agreatboatforestuary,bayandlakefishing.Awiderangeofoptions areavailableforthesesolidboatswithhighsidesandwidebeam.

Allison 189

Astrongsafeboatforbothinshoreandoffshore.A solidfibreglasshulwithvariabledearisegivesboth asoftrideandexcellentstabilityatrest.Washable fibreglassfloorandheapsoffeaturesmakethisan idealrunaboutforTasmania.Easilytowedbehinda family car. Power with up to 140hp.

Fishing News - Page 26

Trailcraftareoneofthesafestboatsafloat.20yearsofexperienceinthetough WesternAustralianmarkethasresultedinarangeofboatsthatsuitTasmania perfectly.Oneofthemostimportantfeaturesisthesealed,selfdrainingdeck which makes Trailcraft boats virtually unsinkable. 5.4 to 6.6 metres.

Eastern Shore Marine

Now located at 14 McIntyre Street,

Haines Hunter 530 Breeze

TheBreezerangeisacompleteboatingrangeon itsown,offeringvalueconsciousoptiontothose whothoughtthedreamofowningtheirboatwas outofreach.Thisversatileall-rounderisavailable in 7 sizes ranging from 4.62m 6.4m.

Mornington, Phone 6244 1163

Fishing and Boating Directory Advertise here for $77. Contact Quenton Higgs 0427 129949

Fishing • Guiding • Charters

MOONSHINE CHARTERS

36’ Steber Sportsfisher, 1-6 people Eaglehawk Neck - Jan-June 2006 Pedra Branca - on request Bookings/info - Steve Gilbert 03 6261 1558 or 0408 105 311

Fishing • Guiding • Charters

Tackle and Supplies

GO Fishing charters

Caltex SWANSEA

46’ Cresta Sports Fisherman Based at Eaglehawk Neck • Up to ten anglers • Professional crew • Comfort plus • Full range of tackle • Huge variety of fish • Australian record holders Contact: Lee Harris 0407 240 750

BIG BREAM

Gone Fishing Charters

•Eastcoastestuaryandbay•Bream,salmon, garfish,flathead,mulletandsquid•SpecialisinginBIGBREAM•Maximumof3anglers• Softplastics,lures,fliesandbait•5.2metre trihull - stable and quiet Gone Fishing Charters - St Helens MichaelHaley63761553or0419353041

Boat Hire Tasmania Wide

No Licence required All safety equipment Hobart 6272 5563 Arthurs Lake 6259 8327 Bronte Park 6289 1129 Bradys Lake 6289 1191 Coles Bay 0419 255 604 Derwent Bridge 6289 1000 Lewisham 6265 8272 Lake Pedder 6280 1166 Lake Leake 6381 1329 Orford (Canoes) 6257 1172 Swansea 6257 8044 www.boathiretasmania.com

Bait and Tackle

• Rods, reels, line all sorts of bait • Lures, hooks and sinkers • Cray pots, rings and ropes • Uniden Seaphones 27 meg • Trailer bearings • Full mechanical service Agents for: Jarvis Walker, Penn, Okuma.

Todd Smith, 6 Franklin St, Swansea 6257 8044 Mob 0428 578 040

LATROBE

Wm.L.Wells&Sons Agents for Shakespeare & Shimano Rods,reels,lures,waders, licences,campinggear,rifles, gunsandammoandmore.

108GilbertStreet,Latrobe0364265000

Boat building and repairs

Aluman

Engineering Vandieman Seaman boats Proplate custom boats Boat repairs Propellor repairs Mark Tapsell 424 Hobart Road, L’ton Ph 6343 3341

Precision Charters StHelens-EaglehawkNeck-38’Mariner 1to8peopleincomfort-QualityPenngear.

BrettCleary,Ph:0418121317,0362231200

GREAT LAKE

GENERAL STORE

LARGE RANGE SPINNING RODS, REELS & LURES

• Hooks, sinkers, bait including mudeyes, scubworms •Excellentselectionlocallytiedflies • Fishing licences • Maps • Columbia outdoor clothing Petrol, diesel, air, ice, gas bottle refills.

Full range groceries, magazines and papers.

LeeanneThompsonPh62598149 Cnr.MarlboroughandGreatLakeHighways.

(Summertrading8.00amto5.30pm,7days)

Private Fisheries

BURNIE MARINE Services • Over 30 years experience on all types of motors • Approved insurance repairer to boats and motors • Propellor rebuild and refurbishing • Repairs of all types - including ske gs etc.

• Contact: Cyril Stevens Phone 6431 3082 Fax 6431 1255

St Pauls River Cabins

St Pauls River Cabins are nestled at the bottom of St Paul’s Dome.

An ideal location. Magnificent views. A few metres walk to your own fishing spot.

Break O’Day and South Esk rivers, great trout locations nearby.

St Paul’s River Cabins, a great location on your next fishing trip to Tasmania.

Rates for cabin: $150 per night. $250 for two nights. $115 per night for three nights.

Email: saint146@pacific.net.au Phone: 03 6384 2211

Snowy Range Trout and Salmon Fishery

Salmon to 10 kg), rainbow and brown trout from pan to trophy size.

Take home or BBQ for lunch. Fish packed to send interstate. Kids to experienced fly fishers.

Catch and release in some waters. Located between Hobart and the air walk an hours drive from Hobart or 20 minutes from the air-walk. 62660243. A/H 62660245.

Scottsdale St Helens Call in for all your fishing tackle including full range rods, reels, lures, landing nets and bait. Also life jackets plus diving gear and stuff for all water sports.

Talk to:

Scott, 53 King Street Scottsdale.Ph. 63522357 Julie-Anne, 41 Quail Street St Helens. Ph. 63761390

Top Service – Top Price

Fishing News - Page 27

Be the one that got away.

198 - 200 Campbell St. Hobart, 7000 Ph: 6234 7266 sales@lewismarine.com.au

Fishing News - Page 28 QX107TFN 375x255 FPC 1

lynn@coastal-marine.com.au

Bass Highway, Somerset 7322 Ph: 6435 2200

QX107/TFNthepartners

The Quintrex Hornet Trophy is possibly the perfect fishing boat. No matter the conditions… smooth or choppy… the V Flared Eclipse Hull and the Maxi 2 Transom combine for stability and performance. With features like the rear live bait tank, the rear casting platform and the side sports console to name just a few, you’ll be trying to get away every weekend!

FISHING MADE EASY. BOATING MADE EASY. QUINTREX. Find your nearest Quintrex dealer at www.quintrex.com.au

4/4/06 12:25:51 PM

BacktoPedder2006 – a reel success!

The Lake Pedder Anglers’ Club recently held the 13th Back to Pedder 2006 fishing competition on lakes Pedder and Gordon. The competition, which is run annually, commenced on Wednesday 25th January and concluded at 12 noon on Sunday 29th.

This competition once again was a huge success with 291 anglers entering and 530 fish, in superb condition, being weighed in.

Trolling and lure casting anglers found the going quite tough with very hot and calm conditions, but the fly fishermen reveled in this as the fish were feeding on top of the lake.

Not only is this a four and a half day fishing event – the club is finding that it is becoming a family oriented event.

Many anglers find this competition to be an annual gathering of friends whom they have met through previous competitions.

This year the club, through committee member, Kim Cooper, decided they would like to support CanTeen (an Australia-wide organisation that supports, develops and empowers young people who have been affected by cancer).

The Lake Pedder chalet, along with Hydro Tasmania made this possible with free accommodation and meals throughout the event.

It was arranged for these members and their families to be taken out in boats, fishing, with other anglers. This resulted in most CanTeen members catching fish.

Barry Hickman, from Tas Fly Fishing, offered free day fly-fishing tuition throughout the competition for CanTeen members and other young anglers, which proved to be popular. CanTeen member, Cameron Sykes, was lucky enough to land the heaviest fish for the competition (1.390kg), under Barry’s guidance, and took home the Ian Wigston Memorial Trophy, which was donated by the Wigston family. Cameron was also rewarded with a full day of fly-fish casting tuition with Peter Hayes, a prominent fly-fishing guide in Tasmania.

Once again, this year’s major prize was a 14’ aluminum dinghy, with an 18hp Tohatsu motor, and aluminum trailer, valued at $7,500 was made possible with sponsorship by Hydro Tasmania, the Lake Pedder Anglers’ Club, Performance

Marine, the Lake Pedder Chalet and Ford’s Welding.

Accompanying the major prize were 107 other prizes awarded to successful anglers, and another twenty lucky-draw fishermen’s pie prizes, with a total value of $14,000. These prizes were made possible by generous sponsors from around Tasmania, and were presented by Terry Byard, President of Southern Tasmania Licensed Anglers’ Association (STLAA).

This year the ladies decided to have a night of their own at the chalet, which turned out to be a huge success–the males even dressed up in an attempt to join the fun!

Hairdresser, Barbara Green, donated her time on Saturday and was kept busy cutting and colouring hair for a small fee, which amounted to a $590 donation to CanTeen.

Saturday evening kicked off with a treasure hunt in the chalet grounds at 6.00 for the children, and was followed by a disco with a live band. During the course of the evening an auction was held to raise money for CanTeen and the Lake Pedder Anglers’ Club with donated items. The main attraction was the ponytail of club President, Lester Curtis, which was cut off and raised $319!

On Sunday at 11.30, Justin Foster from Marine and Safety of Tasmania (MAST), gave a talk regarding safety on the water, which was accompanied by a flare demonstration, which allowed many children to learn how to set one off.

John Orchard from Tas Fishing Supplies made a special trip on the Sunday, landing by helicopter to conduct an auction in which he donated many items to raise funds for CanTeen.

The most successful angler for the competition was Alan Gourlay of Eagle Hawk Neck, who won the major prize. Alan and wife, Tracey, have been fishing Lake Pedder for 26 years and in recent years with daughters, Peta and Kate.

The big winner, however from this fishing competition, was CanTeen, with the club being able to hand over a cheque for $2,500. Many thanks to sponsors who made this possible.

Once again this year, the club will be holding a small mid-year competition from the Saturday 10th – Monday 12th June. The annual Back to Pedder 2007 competition will begin on Wednesday 24th and finish on Sunday 28th. Australia Day falling on the Friday should make it more convenient for anglers to attend.

Rob Freeman and Rob Cordwell smoothing out the foundations of the new trap.

Construction of new Liawenee fish trap commences

After a considerable time in the design and planning stages, construction commenced on the new Liawenee Canal fish trap in early March.

The trap has been designed to allow for easy capture and handling of trout as they move up Liawenee Canal during the spawning runs. Eggs from the spawning fish are stripped, fertilised and then transferred to the Salmon Ponds at Plenty where they are hatched and grown to stock waters around the State.

The new trap at Liawenee is also designed for truck access. Adult fish will continued to be transferred from the Liawenee Canal as part of the ongoing stocking program to supplement fish stocks in a variety of waters.

These wild fish, averaging over 1 kilogram, are known for their sporting and eating qualities.

Great Lake dredging

Hydro Tasmania is conducting routine dredging operations in the intake area of Poatina tunnel on Great Lake. The dredging is generally conducted biannually to remove accumulated sediments from the ‘silt trap’ located in the inlet channel. These works are scheduled to be completed by the end of April.

Hydro Tasmania requests that the public keep clear of the area around the Poatina intake as this area can be unsafe. Sediment settling ponds and the dredging operations must be avoided particularly by children. The dredged sediments are very soft and have the potential to behave like quicksand.

Fishing News - Page 29

For Sale Bermuda 13ft Aluminium Boat, trailer and Yamaha 15hp motor

Heavy duty tilting galvanised trailer, new winch, aluminium wheel rims. 1998 Model Yamaha 15hp motor. 2 stroke, fitted with battery charging kit, and less than 30 hours use.

Full dust and water proof boat cover and padded motor cover. Depth sounder, oars, rod racks, rod holders, flat raised floor in front. All fully registered Great sea and lake boat in Excellent Condition – Always garaged. $5,250 or near offer Contact; Warren Young 0409 966 535, or 6428 2661

Fly casting lessons Beginner Level: 3 hr introduction to fly-fishing for those with 1 year’s experience. $120 p.p.

Intermediate level: Full day $185 p.p.

Advanced Modules: Four 3 hr modules for those with more than 3 yrs experience or have completed the Intermediate class. Distance and Double Hauling, Roll Casting, Stream and Mend Casting, Troubleshooting and General Improvements. $120 p.p. module.

See our web site for information on Peter Hayes Products, Guided Fly Fishing Packages, Free Tips and Fishing Articles and much more at:

Hayes Fly Casting

Email;hayes@flyfishtasmania.com.auwww.flyfishtasmania.com.au Phone 03 6397 5073

Free Classifieds

Advertisements of a non-commercial nature, to current subscribers of Tasmanian Fishing and Boating News, are free and can be inserted for two issues. Cost for commecial and non subscribers remains at $11 and must be pre-paid.

Minn Kota

Eastern Shore Marine

42 pound bow mount electric motor.

Riptide saltwater autopilot model with remote foot pedal control.

Approx 4 years old only used in freshwater. $650 Contact Peter Hayes 0409 944 699

BOATS 24’ Gemini rigid inflatable, twin 200hp 4stroke Yamahas, radar, gps, f/f, in survey for 9 passengers $88,500 7.5 mtr Tristar alloy c/cons 6mm bottom 5mm sides built to 3c survey. Yanmar diesel 230hp coupled to a Hamilton jet unit. This unit has 23hrs only and is on a triaxle trlr. Loads of extras. Pls contact for inventory. $70,000 Stacer 565 Bowrider 115 Yamaha as new $34,500 Coxcraft, 140hp Yamaha (demo model full hull warranty and 3mths on motor)$34,300 Stejcraft Skiboat V6 Mercury 135hp (89hrs)$25,700 23’Jenks twin 130hp Yamahas triaxle trailer $27,500 20’ fibreglass half cab, V6 Yamaha inboard 297hrs $22,500 23’ Plate alloy cabin 200hp Mercury $18,500 Mustang 15’ Ski/Fish runabout, 115hp Mercury $8,900 Savage Pacific h/cab 115hp Yamaha $8,500 Savage Envoy, 55hp Johnson $8,500 15’ f/g h/cab 85hp Merc. $5,200

Quintrex Hornet 4.35m 40 HP Honda electric start, power tilt and trim in excellent condition. Front and rear casting decks, central floor fully carpeted. Complete with life jackets, anchor and superdrogue. Vessel is in commercial survey. $10 000 Contact Peter Hayes 0409 944 699

Wanted Old Japanese swords, WWII or older. Must be authentic. Phone 0417 543 815

Heading to Lakes?

Stop in at Deloraine Pizza and Pasta, 53 Emu Bay Rd, Deloraine. Ph ahead 6362 2000 to have your delicious pizza or pasta waiting.

Open Wednesday to Sunday from 5pm. Orders taken from 4 pm.

Savage Avalon 14’ 25hp johnson $4,950 Savage Avenger 14’ ski boat, 70 Mercury $4,700 12’ Tinnie 28hp Mariner, 9.9hp Mercury $2,500 12’ Tinnie (Savage) 15hp Mariner $1,790 13’ fibreglass ski boat, trailer $950 MOTORS 115hp Mercury 98’XL $6,500 40hp Mercury tiller 2003 as new $3,600 40hp Yamaha 2003 3cyl $3,600 30hp Evinrude s/s tiller ‘92 $1,250 30hp Yamaha 3cyl 1999 $2,550 28hp Mariner 1980 l/s $750 20hp L/S Mariner electric 1999 $1,200 20hp L/S Mariner electric 1999 $1,200 15hp Evinrude l/s $900 15hp s/s Yamaha 1999 $1,550 9.9hp Evinrude l/s ‘86 $790 9.8hp Mercury 84 $650 8hp Evinrude s/s ‘96 $1,190 8hp Evinrude l/s ‘92 $950 8hp Yamaha 316004 2003 $1,650 8hp Yamaha 1993 freshwater only l/s $1,000 6hp Mariner 2003 as new $1,400

14 McIntyre Street Mornington, Ph 6244 1163

Port Sorell Marine Stessco 4.1m Runabout. Canopy, travel cover, fish finder, marine radio, aux bracket. Johnson 30hp 2 stroke. Galvanised trailer. $10500 Stacer 4m Bass Elite (as new) Rear casting platform, live bait tank, carpeted floor, front casting platform, seats with five floor positions, side decks. Mariner 25hp.

Dunbier trailer. $9500 Stacer 4 metre runabout, 25hp Mercury, canopy, fish finder $7500.

Bell Buoy Bravura Ski Boat 17’ 175hp o/b, 1988 model, power tilt/trim, s/s prop, new steering, service history available, single axle trailer in ex. cond. $8500.

7 Club Drive, Shearwater.

Ph 6428 7124 Advertisements.$11each.FREEfor subscriberstoTF&BN.(Limitedto3 editions.)Youcanincludeupto30 words.Justwriteoutyouradvert.and send,Emailorfaxitwithcreditcard detailstoTasmanianFishingand BoatingNews,POBox7504,Launceston,7250Fax63311278.Email: fishn@bigpond.net.au

Subscriptions, ads and back issues Subscribing; Just fill in the form, or send your details as below. You can fax the subscription form to 03 6331 1278 or post to Stevens Publishing, PO Box 7504, Launceston, 7250. or email details to fishn@bigpond.net.au Name;__________________________________________________________Address;____________________________ __________________________________________________________Postcode;____________Phone________________ Advertising payment: ___ $11. Attach details by Fax, email or post.

Subscriptions:___ $24; 1 year. ___ $48; 2 years. Back issues; $3.95 each - Issue No req’d.____________ Payment by; ____ Bankcard ____ MasterCard ____ Visa ____ Cheque ____ Money Order Credit Card __ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __ Exp. date __ __/__ __ Total amount; ______ From issue no. ____ Fishing News - Page 30

Lewis Marine

• Quintrex • Whittley

Quintrex 4.2 metre Wide body Dory One of Quintrex’s most popular boats. Ideal for lakes rivers and estuaries. Powered by the ever reliable 30 HP Yamaha on a Quintrex trailer and complete with registered boat and trailer.

Complete package from $8200 drive away.

4.2 metre Wide body Dory

$8200

Huge range.

From dinghys to the very best from Whittley and Quintrex.

Great packages available and expert advice.

Photo depicts model only. Boat offered is unpainted.

Many other options available in this model.

198 - 200 Campbell St. Hobart, 7000 Ph: 6234 7266

NW33168

Safety First

TyphoonBoats.com.au 08 9593 7002

The Boat Shack

Catering for recreational and commercial fishermen.

Large range of of fishing gear and boating accessories.

• Graball nets - made to order • Crayring nets • Sharklines • Droplines • Rope • Buoys

Craypots Inflatable $125 PFDs $195

The Boat Shack

MerseySlipways Woods Point Devonport Ph 6423 1676

FLY ’n DRY NEOPRENE WADERS & THIGH BOOTS

•No1choicefor90%ofTas.troutguides • Hand made in Tasmania •4mmdoublelinedRadialFlexneoprene • Individually leak tested prior to sale • Excellent buoyancy characteristics • Double sealed seams •DoublereinforcedK-Toughkneepads •Suitableforsaltandfreshwaterfishing •Largechestpocketwithhandwarmer • Suitable for aquaculture/commercial •TopqualityTasmanianBlundstoneboots fishing • Warm, comfortable and durable • 12 month guarantee Available from all good tackle, sporting and marine outlets Manufactured by Fly-N-Dry, 10 Negara Crescent, Goodwood, Tas. 7010 Phone: 03 6273 0666 Fax: 03 6273 0692

Fishing News - Page 31

E-TECS ARE CLEANER THAN THE CLEANEST 4-STROKE

The environmentally friendly E-TECs already meet 2006 EPA EU and 2008 CARB 3-Star emissions requirements.

Every drop of the E-TEC engine oil is combusted and accounted for in it’s 3-Star rating. This is not the case with 4-strokes.

E-TECS ARE AS FUEL EFFICIENT AS 4-STROKES

Thanks to stratified combustion E-TECs achieve fuel economy and efficiency only previously possible with 4-strokes. In fact, the new E-TEC 250HP is 36% more fuel efficient than the Mercury Verado 250HP at Wide Open Throttle.

Not only are E-TECs as quiet as 4-strokes, they produce a more pleasing, less obtrusive sound. In other words, the sound of your E-TEC engine will not interfere with the sound of your own voice.

E-TECS ARE JUST AS QUIET AS 4-STROKES

✔

Seaport Marine

✔

✔ The new E-TEC 225HP is 54kg lighter than the Mercury Verado 225HP. Less weight means significantly better handling, improved out-of-the-hole performance, and optimised speed.

E-TECS ARE LIGHTER THAN COMPARABLE 4-STROKES

✔

PN 99050

391/1a Westbury Road Prospect. Phone 6344 3311

E-TECs require no scheduled dealer maintenance for the first 3 years or 300 hours of normal recreational use. You’ll never have to change oil or oil filter – ever. Plus, no belts to change, carburetors to set or lifters to adjust. Compare that to a 4-stroke.

E-TECS ARE EASIER TO OWN AND OPERATE

✔

EVINRUDE E-TEC V6 – 200HP, 225HP AND 250HP.

FIRST IT WAS THE 2-STROKE. THEN CAME THE 4-STROKE. NOW THE FUTURE’S ARRIVED ...

Data: Evinrude Performance Report PE126. Evinrude Testing @ RETC. Trailer Boat Magazine April 2004.

U.S. EPA 2004 Database. Each manufacturer’s 2004 product brochure.

PMA-ads.com 6173

A monster Tamar River snapper by snapper specialist Damon Sherriff. See page 4 for more.

$3.95

Tamar snapper • North East Coast • Reviews Beach and surf fishing • Autumn fly fishing Jigging • Stanley Wharf and surrounds Sarah’s Kitchen • Jan’s flies • Boats

Issue 61 April - May 2006