Tasmanian Fishing and Boating News Issue 071 2007 December

Issue 71 December 2007 - January 2008

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Anthony Wolfe with a nice silver trevally from Georges Bay. See more on page 7.

• Mayflies - improve your catch • Brushy Lagoon • Jan’s flies • Four Springs Lake • Silver trevally • Mako sharks on fly • Western Lakes • Striped trumpeter • Rock Fishing • Boat tests • Trout on surface lures • Kayak fishing • Reviews

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CONTENTS

Brushy Lagoon - Craig Rist 4 Silver trevally on soft plastics - Jamie Henderson

7

Tasmania’s Western Lakes - Shane Flude 9 Striped trumpeter - Jamie Henderson 15 Four Springs Lake - Joe Riley 18 Rock fishing - Leroy Tirant 20 Kayak fishing - Jamie Harris 24 Mayfly time - improving your success - Joe Riley

29

Jan’s flies - Jan Spencer 31 Mako sharks on fly - Craig Rist 33 Reviews 39 Boat tests 41 Fishing and boating calendar 43 Trout on surface lures - Dan Clifton 45 Classifieds and subscriptions 47 Fishing and Boating Directory 44 Inland and Marine Fishery News 51

My Say

This issue is a cracker, with some great stories from regular writers such as Craig Rist, Shane Flude and Jamie Henderson. They write well about some common fishing that is is not necessarily common to us all.

I invite you to try a walk into the Western Lakes as described by Shane Flude. Or perhaps try fishing from a kayak as Jamie Harris does, or spend a day rock fishing as Leroy Tirant explains. Maybe trying fishing for mako sharks is a bit over the top, but it does sound absolutely awesome when you read Craig Rist’s words.

One story that I read with particular interest is by Jamie Henderson.

He profiles silver trevally and its resurgence in Georges Bay. It has become a phenonema and if you follow Jamie’s story and put his

words into practice you will catch these fabulous fish. In the last few years since netting has stopped in Georges Bay the number of fish has exploded. It is marvellous what happens when you take extra care of the resource and reduce the potential of nets to take large numbers of fish.

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We wish you a happy and prosperous summer and Christmas - and tight lines.

Mike Stevens, Quenton Higgs and staff.

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Fishing News - Page 3

Brushy Lagoon Brushy Lagoon was built in 1987 by the Forestry Commission to store water for the purpose of fighting fires in the area. The lake is located in the northern part of Tasmania surrounded by state forest. Turn off the Frankford Road (B71) or Biralee Road (B72) from Westbury, onto Priestley Lane (C714).

From here you take a gravel road to the lake.

There are two boat ramps, one at the southern end at the dam wall, and the other halfway along the eastern shore.

Over the years the IFS has stocked the Lake with domestic rainbow, Atlantic Salmon, Brook Trout and wild Brown Trout. The most recent stocking was 11 of October 2007, 510 domestic rainbows, averaging 3.8 kg where released into the Lake. These fish are old brood stock, donated by the Springfield Fisheries.

A week after the IFS released the 3.8 kg rainbow into Brushy Lagoon, Steve Hambleton and I decided to fish the early morning midge hatch on Brushy, then try our luck on these big rainbows.

We left Devonport at 4.45am so we could be on the lake before daybreak. Forty-five minutes later we had arrived at the boat ramp on the eastern shore. The headlights shone through the thick fog that had unfortunately settled over the lake, making navigation and presenting a fly very difficult. Trout seem to be able to pick up the movement from the boat and the action from casting a fly rod very easily against a white background created by the fog.

While setting up the boat, we spoke to one of the two anglers already fishing near the boat ramp. They had already landed two of the recently released rainbows using Power Bait. Under the power of the electric out board we made our way out onto the lake through the thick fog with the sounds of electronic bite detector alarms going off back at the boat ramp, followed by the sounds of excited fishermen as they landed yet another rainbow.

We quickly lost all sense of direction amongst the fog and decided to stop and wait for the fog to clear. While we waited, more and more midge continued to hatch, emerged from the depths, gathering on the water surface to dry their wings. Soon we heard the familiar sound of a trout sipping down insects somewhere out in the fog. The fish soon came into view, rising two or three times, then reappearing another metre closer to us. Steve couldn’t wait any longer and made a cast to the next likely rise, only to see the fish change direction away from his fly. Steve made another cast but the fish failed to rise again, no doubt seeing the boat or the cast. It wasn’t easy judging the length of cast and not spooking the fish in the thick fog, although we both had several chances.

At about 8.30am the fog started to lift, revealing millions of midge and the occasional dun across the lake. We could see trout feeding randomly amongst the concentrated masses of midge that had gathered in the middle of the lake. Steve suggested we try the rising fish further up the lake, where there were not as many midges present, giving our flies a better chance of being noticed. We approached yet another fish feeding steadily on midge. Steve put out a Fishing News - Page 4

cast, landing a slightly larger emerging midge pattern, half a metre in front of the feeding fish. The fish neared Steve’s fly, rising three times, before eventually taking his fly. Steve paused, and then lifted his rod into a good fish. After a few solid runs, the net went under a well-conditioned brown trout of around 2 pounds. Steve released the fish to gain a few more pounds.

As the sun grew more intense the trout had stopped rising to feed on the abundant aquatic insects found in the lake. With no more surface activity, we decided to target the large stocked rainbows with big marabou wet flies. Drifting down the eastern shore, with the aid of a drogue, we fished the water in front of us, constantly changing retrieves to hopefully provoke a strike from one of these big rainbows. Steve’s line jolted tight as one of these rainbows grabbed his red and black woolly bugger. His four-weight rod quickly took on an impressive bend as the water erupted with the struggling fish. Steve soon had the upper hand, leading a 3kg rainbow to the net. We continued to fish our way down to the dam wall. This time my line came tight into a fish, but only for a couple of seconds as the hook pulled. After yet another drift down the eastern shore, I managed to stay connected this time, hooking up on a fast retrieve deep amongst the weed beds. This fish leapt clear of the water giving me a great fight on a four-weight rod. With two nice fish in the boat we decided to call it a day. After cleaning these fish, I was amazed to find a fist full of snails and the odd nymph in each fish after only a week of being released.

Midge feeders

Catching trout feeding on midge is a great challenge and is often your first chance at dry fly fishing early in the season. Midges start their life as a worm like larvae on the lake bed. From this stage they pupate, changing into the winged adult inside their pupal case.

When fully formed the pupa will rise to the surface. Hanging in the film before breaking out of the pupal case, emerging as an adult

midge. Trout can be seen feeding on the emerging pupa and the adult midge in the early mornings, late afternoons and into the night.

Because most of the midge hatches occur in deep water, often well out into the lake, a boat powered by oars or an electric outboard is a great way of positioning yourself in amongst the action. If there’s any wind about, position the boat up wind of the rising fish.

As well as making casting easier, trout will often feed into the wind allowing for better fly presentation. I think a well-timed, short accurate cast is often better than a long inaccurate o n e. T h e r e ’s nothing worse than putting out a long cast to cover a fish, only to have it rise halfway up your fly line and eventually spook very close to the boat, although this is not always possible, especially in foggy conditions where you and your boat stand out very easily to the feeding fish.

The wind can be an advantage, especially when it congregates the midge into wind lanes. Here the trout will often feed predictably up wind in a relatively straight line, making fly presentation a lot easier.

Above: Steve Hambleton with a 3.5 kilo rainbow taken on a red and black Woolly Bugger.

This was one of over 500 rainbows stocked by the IFS from brood stock donated by Springfield Fisheries.

Below: The fog seemed to create ideal conditions for a massive midge hatch.

continued next page......

Fishing News - Page 5

Choosing the right fly and presentation on the day can be very frustrating at times. Do you match the hatch or go with something large like a Chernobyl Ant with rubber legs.

While a trout would scoff down one of these big foam flies in the middle of a midge hatch is beyond me, but they do. These flies sit low in the water and are easily seen by the fish, with those rubber legs adding life to the fly. If they refuse the foam thing with legs, and you still want to catch them using a dry fly, then try something roughly the same size and colour as the natural. There are many flies available in this category - Red Tags, Griffith’s Gnats, parachute patterns and emerger patterns.

The biggest problem is making your fly stand out amongst the naturals, but with the right presentation and persistence, you should eventually catch fish.

Wet flies will also take midge feeders.

These are often fished to represent the midge pupa rising to the surface. Using a small Green Nymph or a Fiery Brown Beetle, lead the feeding fish and allow the fly to sink to about half a metre. Then as the fish nears the location of your fly, begin stripping in line so that the fly rises up in front of the

fish, hopefully resulting in a hook up. I first read about this method in Rob Sloane’s book The Truth About Trout and have been using it successfully ever since.

Stocked domestic rainbow

Introducing these large rainbows to lakes such as Brushy Lagoon gives many people a very good chance of landing a trophysized trout using a wide range of fishing methods. Many fish are caught within the first two weeks of their release as they make the transition from being fed on pellets to discovering what they can eat in their new environment. Hence, this is the time when many of the released fish are caught. After that time, a large number have already been caught, with the remaining fish dispersing across the lake, in search of food. Releasing big ex-brood stocked fish into waterways such as Brushy Lagoon is a great initiative. The enjoyment these fish give to many people should not be under-rated.

Craig Rist

Brushy Lagoon is also home to some large and superbly conditioned brownies.

A selection of flies including Chernobyl Ants, beetles, midge, Red Tag and more.

Brushy Lagoon is serviced by two boat ramps.

This one is on the eastern side.

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Silver trevally on soft plastics In the last few years we have seen a revolution in fishing techniques in the way soft plastic lures have opened up fisheries not normally associated with this style of fishing.

Light tackle sport fishing has, seemingly taken over our inshore and estuary fishing areas. And some species not normally targeted as a “Sportfish” have turned full circle and become almost iconic with this form of fishing.

When the words “Sport fishing” and “giant trevally” are spoken most of us think of far north Queensland and long boat journey’s to offshore reefs but here on the East Coast of Tasmania we have our very own version. Georges Bay is home to Pseudocaranx dentex , or the silver trevally as it’s more commonly known, which is one of the most prolific species in our estuarine waters. They are caught as juveniles by children on just about every jetty around our coastline and are the very fish that many have cut our teeth on as a keen youngster. They are fast becoming one of the best sportfish Tasmanian estuarine waters have to offer.

Silver trevally can grow to 76 cm in length and over 6 kg in weight. Examples of fish up to 60 cm fork length and 5-6 lb in weight are being caught by anglers fishing soft plastics in Georges Bay, St Helens quite often. The size of the fish being caught is considered massive on an average scale and fish of this size have only started showing up in recent years, evidence once again that the ban on netting our inshore waters is improving the fishery all the time.

Silver trevally start to show up during late spring/early summer and by Christmas catches of good sized fish are being reported nearly every day. This continues on all through summer.

Once hooked these fish will give one of the most spirited, dragged out fights of any fish of its size. They will generally give a blistering run right from the onset peeling off much line then lay sideways in the water and circle deep much like a tuna. They can be very difficult to pull up off the bottom, but a bit of time and patience will see them boat side, if you are fishing from the shoreline you may need to give chase at times.

Locations

Georges Bay has many areas and locations where trevally can be found and it is important not to get trapped in the mind set that there is a “hot spot” or special hole where they will

be in all the time. Silver trevally are a schooling fish that move around a lot and where there is one there will be more so one of the most important key factors is to move often and search a wide area until a few fish are caught, then work that area. Being a high speed swimmer they generally like locations with current flow so areas with a good tidal influence, strong flow with access to sand flats and rocky, reefy structure close by are where you should start looking. I like areas with a bit of broken weed, rock and big sandy patches. This is where I cast my plastics and target the sand areas, as this is where the trevally will be feeding.

All pylons or channel markers along these areas will also hold trevally so cast and work over them one by one. Large pieces Joshua Wolfe with a just on six pound trevally of structure such as jettys taken by his father Anthony in Georges Bay. and wharfs are also well worth a cast or two even if they are not in any current flow. drops and twitches imparted with the rod tip as the plastic They still offer protection for the trevally and are also a haven drifts back toward you work extremely effectively to imitate a for bait fish and food items that the trevally like to feed on. small creature or food item being swept past by the current.

Cast in tight to the structure and let the plastics fall naturally If, after a few casts you have had no indication of a fish to the bottom. One of my most favoured areas to look are the showing any interest, try a mid-water retrieve by not letting rocky points jutting out from the shoreline, especially those in the plastic sink to the bottom. Work the plastic through the calm little bays. Schools of fish roam and patrol around these mid-water area as quite often the trevally will be up off the bottom. The bite from a trevally can at times be very subtle areas searching for food, the rocks and weed harbour lots of small worms, shellfish and bait fish—all of which trevally love and requires a bit more concentration from the angler to to feed on. I like to use small 3” minnows and worm patterns strike at the right time, small “tap, taps” are sometimes all you in these areas as they can be fished very effectively on very will feel then by just lifting the rod you should connect with light jig head weights to ensure a very natural action especially a solid hook up. Sometimes the largest fish can give you the when trying to imitate a wounded or dying baitfish. Another most timid bite, so don’t discount any takes as not worthy of good place to try is underneath a school of feeding salmon, intense concentration. the trevally school up underneath picking up all the little pieces If areas with little or no current are being fished lighten of scrap fish left in the water as the salmon feed, the biggest problem in this situation is getting a plastic past the salmon, the jig head weight to allow a more natural flutter to the bottom, this will enable the plastic to be effective throughout but its not a problem many of us mind having. the whole water column and not just plummet to the bottom.

In this type of terrain I like to use a plastic with a little more Techniques Techniques and retrieves for trevally depend greatly on action of its own such as a wriggle tail or single tail grub the area being fished. If you are in a location that has a lot style. One of the problems with fishing areas, with weed, and of current such as the main channel area in Georges Bay without current, is other species. Leatherjackets, in particular, then begin by casting up current using an appropriate sized love eating the ends off your soft plastic lures and this can jig head weight for the conditions, enough to get the plastic be annoying. Wrasse, weed whiting and toad fish can also to the bottom but still let it drift along the bottom, and let hamper finding the target species. If you are doing no good it bounce along naturally with the current back to the boat in the types of locations above try water close to the weed or section of shoreline you are fishing from. Small lifts and beds, but not on it. In Georges Bay, for example water from about six metres down to four metres is easily fished from a drifting boat. You will need to ensure you have enough weight in the jig head though to get down to the strike zone. To slow your drift down use a drogue. And when it comes to fishing drogues there is none better than the new Peter Hayes Super Drogue. These are now under $100 and are a great advantage when drift fishing.

Tackle

Rocky points with current, reef, sand and weed can be real hot spots.

Because the silver trevally are such a hard fighting fish, targeting them with soft plastics requires good quality rods and reels and whilst this is no time to skimp on tackle just try and purchase the best you can afford. Rods need to be sensitive enough to detect the often subtle takes, have the ability to cast long distances with lightly weighted jig heads but still retain the power in the butt section to soak up the head shakes, lunges and huge runs and wear the fish down.

High modulus, lightweight graphite rods of 6’6”-7’6” in 2-5 kg weight ranges are perfect as they give a good combination of casting distance, feel and power, and are still light and agile enough to cast all day. Rods such as Shimano’s series of Catana (the new 6’8” model is great), Starlo Stix, T-Curve, and Starlo Stix Tournament Pro are all good choices, cover a wide price Fishing News - Page 7

range and they are all designed specifically for soft plastic lure fishing. My personal favourite is an Ian Miller Bream Buster Brawler, this is a 6'7" extra fast action rod rated 2-5 kg, it has an immense amount of power in the butt section which allows extra manoeuvrability, its fast taper and quick-loading characteristics also lets you be more aggressive while fighting the fish, these are however a premium product and the price tag reflects that. Check out your local tackle store though and you will find a good range from several manufacturers.

Match your of these rods up with a good quality spinning reel in the 1000-2500 size range making sure that the reel has an adequate drag system that will cope with a fish that takes long fast runs. Reels such as Shimano’s Sienna, Siedo, Symetre, Saros, Stradic and Twin Powers are some of the few that have features and a quality drags capable of dealing with a large trevally also the Penn Powerspin, Applause and Affinity reels are all good choices.

Reels need to be spooled with a quality line, while a monofilament of 6-10 lb could be used I favour a good braid or gelspun line due to its characteristics of high strength, finer diameter for better casting distance, and low stretch

to better detect takes. The number of different brands of GSP, braid and superlines on the market these days is quite staggering and can be very confusing to the new purchaser; there are two lines I prefer to recommend for soft plastic fishing, Berkley Fireline and the new Rapala Titanium Braid.

The Fireline comes in 125 yard spools in anything from 1 lb breaking strain, although 4 lb is a good minimum, in fluoro green, smoke and crystal, green being the most popular as it is easiest seen by the anglers. However after months of trials I have found the Rapala Titanium Braid to be a better product, it is slightly thinner, casts better, comes in 140 yard spools and in general is a little cheaper per spool, I have been running the 4 lb in blue on all my soft plastic outfits and have yet to need anything heavier. Because trevally put up such a hard fight and can quite often be located near structure such as rocks and pylons leaders of 6-8lb in a quality fluorocarbon should also be used. The fluorocarbon line has superior abrasion resistance to the equivalent standard monofilament and can be dragged across rocks and around pylons and still hold up.

I like leaders of around 2-4 metres in length so when the fish is at the side of the boat having the leader wound onto the reel for a few turns can allow you to apply more pressure to stop the fish lunging away, I regularly fish a 4 metre 6 lb

leader using Line Systems Fluorocarbon material and its amazing just how much pressure I can put on a fish without breaking. The best knot for joining your leader to the braid is the double uni knot; I have very rarely had this knot fail on me when tied correctly.

You will need to have a variety of jig head sizes to cover as many scenarios of water depth and current being fished; 1/20th oz through to 1/12th oz or 1.5 gm through to 3 gm in hook sizes #2, #1 and 1/0 should cover everything. I use either TT-Lures heads or Squidgy Round heads depending on the plastic being used. 1/16th oz, 1/12th oz and 3 gm are all good sizes for deep water or fast flowing current where 1/20th oz, 1.5 gm and 2 gm are all good for shallower water or water with very little movement, choosing the right weight is vitally important as its allows the plastic to have a more natural action in the water.

With the huge range of soft plastics available in tackle stores today it can be difficult to choose a good pattern for targeting large silver trevally. Some of the best plastics I have found are the #2 and #3 Squidgy Wriggler in Gary Glitter, Silver Fox, the new Squidgy Pro Range Wrigglers in Bloodworm and Wasabi, Squidgy Pro Range Lobby in Lava and the Squidgy Pro Range Worm in Grenade and Bloodworm.

Other plastics proven to be effective on BIG silver trevally are the Berkeley Gulp 6” Sandworm in Natural and Camo colour, the Gulp 2” Jigging Grub in Pumpkinseed, Gulp 3” Fry in Lime Tiger, the Berkley 2” Power Grub in Bloodworm and Ginger Beer and always a good standby the Berkley 3” Power Minnow in Pearl Watermelon. Many other plastic patterns will work at any given time however the ones mentioned above all appear to be very consistent at producing quality fish on a regular basis.

Silver trevally are a hard fighting fish, never willing to give up for a second, and test light tackle and angler’s patience and skill to the limit. They are easily targeted in Georges Bay with many areas holding good schools of fish and offer the angler a solid sports fishing alternative to some of our more romantic species unavailable to the average fisho.

They are also quite a reasonable table fish for anyone seeking to take home a feed for the family. Dispatched and bled quickly, placed on ice, filleted and eaten that night will certainly please the family and guests at a BBQ. Next time you are on the coast stop in and see me, Jamie, at St Helens Bait and Tackle and I will be happy to give you all the hints and tips and point you in the right direction of one of our regions premier sportfish.

Jamie Henderson

Fishing News - Page 8

Tasmania’s Western Lakes The Western Lakes is the term given to the huge area of lakes and tarns in the Central Highlands of Tasmania. The area is roughly bordered by Great Lake in the east, Lake Rowallan in the West and Lake Mackenzie to the north. The lakes are typically very shallow and clear on the upper plateau from the Pine Valley north. Further south and west the waters are relatively deep with well defined rocky shorelines. The western lakes are truly a world class fishery unique to Tasmania. There are literally hundreds of lakes and tarns most of which contain good numbers of brown trout in the 2 – 3 lb range. Selected headwaters and small isolated tarns contain fewer larger fish and the occasional trophy trout.

They are contained within the world heritage area between the altitude of 600 and 1300 meters. The area is generally flat and exposed and cops the full brunt of Tassie’s fickle weather - even mid -summer can experience the odd snowfall. Apart from the area known as the 19 Lagoons near Lake Augusta, the western lakes are the domain of the bushwalking four wheel driving dry fly angler. It is the area’s isolation and fantastic dry fly polaroiding opportunities that provide the appeal.

Apart from bait fishing which is banned the western lakes are open to all methods but the clear shallow nature of the lakes makes it a fly fisherman’s paradise. This article is therefore aimed at the fly fishing backpacker who loves to escape the crowds. The different areas and access routes are now discussed in detail.

Chudleigh Lakes

The waters that drain into Lake Mackenzie are known as the Chudleigh Lakes. It is a very popular area particularly with northern anglers as it offers ready access via a good quality road to the Mackenzie Dam. From either Launceston or Devonport it is a little over an hour’s drive. From the dam it is just a matter of deciding which particular area to fish. The reconstruction of the Lake Nameless Hut has seen a huge increase in bushwalking anglers choosing this as their main destination. It is an 8km walk over flat terrain via a good track that leads directly to the hut. This delightful stone hut offers great base to fish from and explore the area. Many anglers simply choose to fish the immediate area of Lake Nameless, Explorer and Ironstone. All these waters contain good numbers of browns in the 2 – 3 lb range. A little further north, Lakes Lucy Long and Westons offer another days fishing with the chance of much bigger fish as both lakes contain fish above 5 lb. These two lakes are a great location for a day walk via the Nameless track and then slipping over the saddle to the western end of Lucy Long. As both lakes run roughly east-west it is possible to walk the northern shore and have the sun at your back all day providing great polaroiding.

Lakes Halkyard and Evans are only a short distance from the Nameless Hut and feature probably the most consistent dun hatches in the Chudleigh Lakes. Both lakes are deep so it is just a matter of slowly walking the banks. Nearby Lake Fox was stocked with rainbows in 1987 and soon produced fish up to 12 lb. They were quickly cleaned out by the grub fishing brigade. The lake still has some nice browns up 3lb which cruise the deeper shelf that runs around the lake.

The Blue Peaks are another popular area of the Chudleigh lakes and are comprised of several large waters which hold browns to just below 4lb and several smaller tarns which invariably hold the odd larger fish. Wading is necessary in the shallow bays but many shores feature a deeper trench that run along the edges. The browns cruise these trenches all day. Blue Peaks also has some great dun hatches with the deeper Middle Lake providing the best action. When the lakes calm off completely the black spinners can appear in numbers and provide very exciting fishing. On my best days fishing however I did not see a single dun or spinner in the blustery conditions. All 17 browns that were caught and released took the size 12 red tag beautifully despite the absence of any other insect life. Access to Blue Peaks is via a good quality walking track that roughly follows an old 4wd track from the carpark below the Mackenzie dam wall. It takes about 1 hr 20 min to walk the 6 km track which rises nearly 200m over the first half. A short detour to view the valley from the summit of Blue Peaks is well worth the effort. The track is now fairly well marked however is still tricky in places. In thick fog like anywhere in the Western Lakes navigation can be a real challenge as I was to discover on my first trip to this area. I ended up spending a balmy August night under a rock near Lake Furmage some 12 kms further on. They have since invented GPS and I suggest Fishing News - Page 9

you carry one and a decent map when walking anywhere in the area as the weather can close in very quickly. There are several obvious campsites around Blue Peaks if you intend on camping however at only 6 kms from the nearest road it is an excellent day tripping location.

Bar Lakes

If you want to polaroid large numbers of smallish fish then the upper waters of the Ouse River is the place to visit.

The 16 or so waters north of the Devils Den area are all located in a large flat marshy basin which is easy to walk and navigate through. Most lakes are contained by defined rocky shores and the trout usually cruise the edges. They mostly feature flat muddy bottoms which stir up considerably if you wade. As each step sinks up to your knees this is one area that wading is not recommended. The two larger lakes namely

Second Bar and Furmage have firmer bottoms and can be waded safely. Both lakes contain huge numbers of fish and are a delight to fish. On a perfect day you should be spotting a fish every 10metres or so. The only rule is to lead the fish back the way you have come so as to not spook the next one.

Lake Furmage fish would have to have the lowest IQ of any trout on the plateau and rise freely to nearly every fly offered.

Apart from a slightly deeper middle section the whole lake can be waded by mid-summer. This lake does stir up somewhat with moderate wind and is best fished early in the day.

Franks Lake is nestled in the rock scree a short distance above Lake Furmage. It is crystal clear and quite deep and still contains the odd larger specimens. Franks and Ila both contain much larger fish than are found elsewhere in this system.

Access to the Bar Lakes is best by either walking or driving part way along the Pillians/Julians track to the bank just south above Devils Den. From this point just walk across country to your chosen lake. The time taken to even reach this starting point will make this area an overnight adventure. There is a great sheltered campsite on the western side of Lake Ila and another good one near the inflow of First Bar. For the keen and fit day tripper the only real option is to travel in from the Meander Falls track . Follow this track up half way until you see the Dixons Creek spur track. This leads directly up onto the plateau and emerges only about 10 minutes walk away from the first trout filled headwater. Total walking distance to the top is only about 4 kms and takes about 1 hr 40 min however the 650 metre rise will soon sort out the fainthearted.

Once on top there is a great days fishing by walking down the system and then turn and fish your way up past First Bar and on to Furmage. Its only 4 kms back across the flat to the head of the track and a 50 minutes to the car.

Lake Pillans and Julian

Being centrally located in the western lakes these two huge lakes can be accessed from all corners of the plateau. However most patrons utilise the world’s roughest 4 wd track and travel in via the PillansJulian Track. This track extends in as far as Lake Field from Lake Augusta with a major branch leading to the Pillans Hut. It is around 12 kms in length and takes about 3 bone jarring hours to travel in, add a bit longer if you walk in. Both Pillans and Julians offer similar fishing with both lakes holding good numbers of fat trout to just below 4 lb. There are some wadeable shallows but mostly both lakes are deep and are fished from the bank. Pillans is huge being over 6 kms long and actually has over 25 kms of shoreline. Both lakes due to the vehicle access have long been the traditional home of the car topping angler and I was amazed how many people arrived with these vessels one perfect Australia Day long weekend. If the road is ever closed there will certainly be an uproar. There is great overnight accommodation at the public Kerrisons hut to the first lucky visitor. The two private huts at Pillans and Lake Field appear to have been built by the same people who constructed Fort Knox are not open to the public.

Pillans/Julian Headwaters

A lifetime can be spent exploring the Western Lakes. Many angler have their favourtite waters though.

If you are keen on exploring headwaters lakes and tarns then this is the area for you.

The Pillans/Julian Lakes are fed by several major streams that lead to the very edge of the plateau. Off these streams are countless minor unnamed waters any of which may contain that perfect trout. Generally the higher up the system you travel will result in less fish seen but larger specimens. Some tarns are fed by tiny connecting creeks but may hold a handful of very impressive

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trout. I release all fish caught in the western lakes however this practice is imperative in these trophy headwaters. Many tarns could be fished out overnight and some old favourites certainly have been. Despite the huge number of waters to choose from, careful scutinising of the relevant 1;25000 Pillans TASMAP should soon have you pondering likely waters. Let it not be said that I don’t give away trout secrets. For the lazy explorer check out the overweight specimens at 537766 and 500747. If anyone can catch and photograph the leviathan that swims at 469709 then you will surely feature on the cover of this magazine.

Access to these headwater tarns is by footslogging from all corners of the plateau. The upper Julians headwaters can be reached by walking through the Chudleigh lakes via the Fisher River system. The westernmost Pillans headwaters can be reached by the Little Fisher Track which leads up from Lake

Rowallan to the western end of Long Tarns. It is about an 8 km, 2 hr walk through some magnificent rainforest complete with scenic waterfall. Once at Long Tarns there are numerous waters close by which hold good trout. The upper reaches past Pencil Pine Tarn contain trout to Lake Australia which at 1290 metres above sea level is I believe Tasmania’s highest trout water. The western lakes’ best campsite is situated amongst the pencil pines on the north eastern corner of Pencil Pine Tarn.

Pine Valley Lakes

All the lakes in this valley from Lake Antimony to Lake Ball hold good numbers of brown trout and all are worth fishing. Antimony is hard to beat for wade polaroiding with its huge expanse of shallow sandy flats. Silver Lake has some great dun hatches but even if there is no hatch the fish still rise well. Lakes Sally, Sonja and Solveig lie close together and

Most fish are released to fight another day.

It is not just a philosophy though as there is no way to keep fish fresh.

Fishing News - Page 12

contain heaps of trout up to around 2 lb. There are some nice sheltered campsites at Sonja and nearby big fish waters of Galaxias and Ah Chees make this a perfect base. If you don’t like snakes or ants do not walk around Ah Chees. There are rough huts at either end of the valley in an emergency at Antimony and Ball. Access to the valley is from the Talinah track past Christys creek, just follow the road down Powena Creek where it emerges at Lake Antimony near the hut. To reach the far end, you could walk in the Walls of Jerusalem track to start fishing at Lake Ball. The Pine Valley is a perfect area to be dropped off at one end and picked up at the other. For the bushwalking angler this is an absolute must-do location.

South of Pine Valley

From the Pine Valley south and east most waters are contained within obvious valleys, have well defined shorelines and are moderately deep. This entire area is drained by the Pine, Little and Nive Rivers all of which flow is a roughly south east direction. Foot access to these lakes is from either end of the Pine Valley and entails several hours’ walk from either end. Vehicle access is via the Gowan Brae property on the road which travels past Pine Tier Lagoon. Distance from the Malborough Highway at Bronte to the World Heritage Area boundary below Olive Lagoon is around 25kms. Last time I travelled it, there was a dodgy bridge crossing so a 4wd is needed. The road leads right to Olive Lagoon but is very rough and boggy at the boundary to the park so it pays to walk the last 2 kms. Once at Olive Lagoon the road is easy to follow as it travels north and slowly peters out past Lake Naomi.

An old haflinger track extends across to Lake Malbena from the western side of Olive Lagoon but becomes increasingly difficult to follow.

This part of the Western Lakes offers varied fishing conditions with reasonable stocks of browns up to 2 lb. Lakes Naomi and Rotuli contain high numbers of smaller fish. If you are seeking a larger fish then Denton and Galxias have fish to 6 lb. There are a number of headwater lakes to the south and west of Three Arm Lake which are well worth exploring.

Preferred fishing method is again the dry fly however as these lakes are generally deeper the spinning method could be used.

For the hut lovers there is an excellent one on Halls Island at Lake Malbena but you need to swim or boat your way across to the island. The hut is situated at the edge of a small rainforest and is worth the effort to reach. This part of the Western Lakes is not as popular as the upper western lakes

but still holds many attractions and is worth visiting. The Ada and Olive 1;25000 TASMAPs are needed for this area.

The magical part of fishing the Western Lakes - hooking up on a nice fish you have polaroided from the bank, after an invigorating walk into a beautiful environment.

We sure are lucky in Tasmania.

fishing drops off. February is my preferred month and the Red Tag the preferred fly. A selection of beetle, dun and spinner patterns should not be left out. Four piece fly rods are better to drive and back pack in, a simple floating line and standard 9 ft leader will suffice. Some long hard prayers to the Flying Spaghetti Monster to ensure your Tasmanian skies remain cloud-free will complete the check list. The time is now upon us fellow anglers, let’s head to those Western Lakes.

Shane Flude.

Fishing in Tasmania’s Western Lakes is a must-do experience for the bushwalking/dry fly fisherman. I have explored most areas during the past 20 years but still relish the start of each season. Unless there has been unusually cold weather the fish start to rise in November and can still be taken in April however many are sluggish by then. By mid-March most waters see fish pairing up to mate and the

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Striped trumpeter

The fish

Whilst at times here in Tasmania we feel as if we have been left out of some of the more romantic fisheries such as snapper, King George whiting, Spanish mackerel and barramundi we do have a fish that very few other states have in good numbers and that is Latris lineata or the striped trumpeter.

Quite often classed as “the best eating fish in the sea”, the striped trumpeter, or sometimes known as the Tasmanian trumpeter, are mainly caught in Tasmania, but can be caught in South Australia and Victoria and are also found in New Zealand and South American waters.

They are reported to grow up to 1.2 metres in length and about 25 kg in weight and live for up to 30 years. Around Tasmania spawning occurs between the months of July and October and typically a single fish of 3.2 kg can produce 100,000 eggs. Females reach maturity at around 45 cm or 5 years old, while males reach maturity at around 53 cm or 8 years old. Larvae go through an extended larval phase of around 9 months before settling on inshore reefs. The inshore reefs are where most recreational fisherman targets the smaller fish but often venture wider to the outer reefs in search of the larger specimens.

The striped trumpeter fishery is classed as only a relatively young fishery in the fact that the species has not been commercially fished for very long and is only done with set lines and not by netting. It is only in recent years that with large offshore sport fishing boats becoming popular with fisherman that the recreational fishermen have been able to target the species with any amount of success.

What follows is an indepth look at some of the techniques, tips and tackle involved in successful striped trumpeter fishing.

Locations and techniques

During the late winter and early spring months the fish come into the inshore reefs to spawn and can be caught in water as shallow as 30-50 metres, this means you don’t

The author, Jamie Henderson with a superb Tasmanian striped trumpeter. necessarily need to venture too far from shore to catch a feed of fish, however being more easily accessible to the hoards of other anglers the closer grounds can cop a lot of pressure and fish numbers will be low. To start catching large fish and good numbers the outer reefs are definitely a better choice, looking for bottom in the 100-300 metre depth range will have you on some prime territory and usually away from the pressure of weekend danglers. Also don’t become too wrapped up in sourcing ‘Secret Spots’ and GPS marks of mystical fish producing reefs that other fisherman keep hidden away, much good stripey bottom has been found by accident so don’t discount any good looking reef you see on your sounder. Every bit of reef is worth a look and some key points to look for are nice high pinnacles that jut straight up from reef or on the edge of the reef, good holes and sheer drop offs and reef structure that runs along the edge of a contour line.

Tasmania this is not always easy but study the weather forecasts and try and aim for days where wind of 5-15 knots will be predicted. Up to 10 knots is fine but once it becomes higher the drift rate increases to a point where contact with the bottom is almost impossible, at this point sea anchors can work well but having someone on the controls of the boat and driving the boat in reverse to hold station will be the best method.

Apart from a seaworthy ocean going boat there are a couple of key pieces of equipment that are needed to help locate areas where striped trumpeter will be. These are a powerful

Quite often we have fished a patch of reef that produced good fish last trip only to be seemingly devoid of fish this time, a quick move to more reef nearby has found fish and a move again found even more, the general rule of thumb is if the reef looks good give it a try, if no fish are on the chew within 15-20 minutes pull up and try another section or patch of reef.

The underwater currents and tides play a very important role in where the fish will be situated in relation to the reef, obviously it is hard to gauge what the underwater currents are doing 100 m down or more but as you drift with the tide you will get an idea of the direction. While the tide is running hard try drifting onto the face and off the back edge of the reef, the fish hold in these areas using the currents much like a trout in a stream to maintain a position whilst using the least amount of energy and have food items carried to them by the current. Also try the deeper holes and crevices during this time as the fish will also hide in them to keep out of the strong current, as the tide slows drift across the reef proper as many fish will take this opportunity to move about on the reef hunting out other food items.

Striped trumpeter fishing requires a good offshore boat. And while the conditions can be flat calm as seen below, the trip home can be very testing.

In order to do this effectively you need to be on the water when there is minimal wind, being Fishing News - Page 15

high resolution depth sounder and a GPS or chart plotter, the sounder to locate reefs, structure and fish and the GPS to mark any likely spots to come back to. Being able to use your depth sounder effectively is paramount to finding good stripey bottom, units with a minimum of 500 watts and dual frequency, 200 and 50 khz, should be used, units of 1 Kw tend to be more popular for their ability to read better at depth. A high pixel count on the screen will give a much more defined picture and whilst monochrome units with a high level of grey scale will give an excellent picture and good definition, colour units will give better density readings and allow you to determine better target separation between individual fish and structure. When using the sounder turn all the automatic controls off and run the unit on full manual, this will allow you to constantly adjust the settings such as gain or sensitivity to suit the depth and conditions, try using gain and sensitivity on its maximum limit only tapping it back a fraction until screen clutter starts to disappear and then the unit will be reading at its best. Once a patch of reef has been found a useful feature that some sounders have is the ability to set an upper and lower depth limit.

If for example you are fishing in 100 m of water looking at the top 70-80 m is a waste of time as the striped trumpeter schools will hold within 20 m of the bottom. If the unit has this feature set the upper limit to 80 m and the lower limit to 105 m and this will allow the sounder to display only the information in the bottom 25 m of water and give you a much better Multiple hook-ups are common when you picture with more detail of what is on the reef. At hit the ‘zone’. Getting three fish back to this stage it is quite common to see elongated arches the top can be a struggle though. and constant lines across the screen and these will be individual fish feeding, also look for masses of bait schools on or near the bottom as where there is bait there Tackle will be stripey. Quite often you will see a bait school sitting This is one area where skimping on quality gear is not an just off the tip or the edge of a sharp drop or pinnacle and option, rod and line fishing for striped trumpeter is hard on this is a prime feature to drop a bait onto. tackle and hauling large hard fighting fish from 100 metres or more of water tests reel gears, line rollers, bail arms and Some popular East Coast locations to try are Merrick Reef, rod guides to the limit. Many cheaper reels just don’t have Middle Ground, Pulfers Reef, Binalong Patch, The Cliff and the quality internal gearing and bearings to be able to cope the Eddystone Patch. These are all good reef areas to try your with the torture of continuous winding under extreme load hand at catching a few stripey but are also good base points and when stripey fishing this is what outfits will spend the to prospect around and see what other reef structures come majority of their time doing. Dropping between 500-1000 up. Like I said before there are really no secret magic spots gm of lead to the bottom and systematically winding up 5-7 that produce fish all the time, you need to search around and kg fish, quite often 3-4 fish on one rig, is enough to strip the find good reef and drop a bait down to really get an idea of gear teeth and warp shafts of sub standard reels. One of the what’s going on, if no fish come aboard within a short time most simple outfits capable of taking the punishment is an move on and find another reef.

Alvey 825BCV combo, this is the Alvey 825BCV deep sea reel, a 1:1 ratio direct wind reel with an anti reverse, strong star drag and is as tough as nails coupled with a stout Alvey 5’6” heavy boat rod. Whilst it is not cutting edge technology nor does it look overly flash hanging out of the rocket launcher of a Gucci offshore fishing boat it does a superb job of hauling fish aboard with a minimum of fuss other than some grunting from the angler.

Large spinning reels are another good option and are easy to use but once again choosing a quality model capable of handling the job can be difficult. Large spool capacity is vitally important to hold enough braid to be able to fish in depths up to 300 m and will rule out many spinning reels most of which are cheaper surf style reels with Good quality reels are essential and inadequate quality components for the job. Some models that it doesn’t matter too much whether it I have found are tough enough and suitable for the job are Shimano Spheros series and the Penn Spinfisher SS series; is an overhead or a threadline. both of these have a pedigree in heavy saltwater fishing, have proven themselves through the test of time, are robust and can take some serious punishment in a harsh saltwater environment without letting you down…….more importantly they don’t cost the earth, for between $2-300 they are a good value for money option as opposed to other brands that can blow out to over $1000.

Pre-rig all your gear before you go.

Fishing News - Page 16

By far the best type of reel to use is a quality lever drag overhead reel, they give a better and more controllable drag system than a spinning reel and can hold a much larger capacity of line, important when fishing the depths required for big striped trumpeter. Look for a reel with stainless steel bearings if possible and don’t necessarily go for the lightest models, a bit of weight indicates they are solid and strong in the housing and gearing, after all it will be used as a workhorse. Some brands and models I have found to be up to

the task are Shimano Tyrnos 20 or 30, Shimano Torsa (4.9:1 ratio and reels in over a metre of line with each turn of the handle), Shimano Trinidad, Penn GT series lever drag, Penn International Torque series and a little known brand Avet Pro and ProLX reels. All of these reels offer quality componentry, strong housings, gearing and bearings and range in price to suit any budget.

Another aspect to look at when purchasing a reel for this purpose is the retrieve ratio. Many discussions have been had over whether a high speed reel is better than a low speed reel but at the end of the day the reel will wind in line only as fast as you can wind the handle, remembering that when there is a lot of weight and fish at the other end its you that has to do the work. A high speed reel is great for recovering line fast but with a lot of weight on the end will become difficult to wind quickly and will tire you fast; on the other hand a low ratio reel will wind with ease even with a lot of weight but will take a lot longer to get to the surface. Choose wisely based on your own level of strength and bear in mind some reels, such as the Avets, are very good at having the wind ratio and handle length matched to make it easier on the angler. Also a low ratio reel when spooled to capacity with line will have a faster retrieve ratio as the spool diameter has been increased, as too will the high speed reel which then may become far too difficult to wind when 2 or 3 large trumpeter are on the other end trying to swim back to the reef. Rods need to be strong and in the 15-24 kg ranges, short 5-6 feet, have a fast taper and quality guides suitable for braid, this makes it easier for the angler to pump and wind and short stroke the fish to the surface. This is no time to be sporting as striped trumpeter hit hard and then aim for their hole in the reef, you need to stop them fast or risk being hung up or busted off on the reef. A short rod with a fast taper will load quickly and still have power in the butt section to fight the fish.

As far as line is concerned there is only one choice and that is to use a quality braid, usually between 30-60 lb depending on the rod and reel being used. Braid, which has less stretch than monofilament, will allow greater line capacity on the reel, feel the bites better, feel when your sinker hits the bottom and allow you to stay in contact with it and most important of all being a finer diameter for its breaking strain than the equivalent mono will have less drag in the water and be less effected by underwater currents and tides. Brands such as Power Pro, Platypus, Cortland Master Braid and Whiplash are all quality products at affordable prices and will do a fine job.

Bait and rigs

Being a reef dwelling fish the striped trumpeters diet mostly consists of octopus, squid, crustaceans and small fish so using baits found naturally in their environment will produce the best results. Try and use baits that are as fresh as possible and not just some scrap you have had laying around in the freezer for a while, trumpeter can be fussy eaters. I have found that fresh squid tentacles and the Tasmanian octopus bait that is caught and processed at Eagle Hawk Neck produces excellent results, some commercial fisherman even swear by garfish, don’t be shy with the amount you put on the hook either, give them plenty to chew on. One of my regular fishing partners even swears by using fillets of fresh gurnard that are an unwelcome by catch when stripey fishing, being fresh from the water they are a high quality bait and do seem to work well. In conjunction to the bait I like to use something that glows in the dark, usually this is a 5” B2 Candy Squid from Luhr Jensen slipped onto the hook shank before the bait is placed on, these not only act as an attractant in the dark water but if the bait is picked off by smaller fish there is still a lure on the hook that the fish may go for. Other alternatives to this are plastic glow beads or glow tubing placed on the trace above the hook, whatever the item I have found that something that glows increases the activity especially when the fish are thin on the ground.

As far as bottom rigs go keeping things simple is the best idea and a standard paternoster rig, albeit a heavy duty version is the basis for this. Mainline breaking strains are always a subject of much conjecture and I have tried anything from 80lb through to 450 lb, some people will argue that a lighter leader will catch more fish; personally I don’t think that in the dark murky depths it will make a whole lot of difference.

A lighter mainline will certainly be thinner and will give less drag in the currents but will also be easier to cut through on some reef, it can also be difficult to handle when you are

trying to lift fish aboard the boat and can result in cut hands if you do not wear gloves. A loop in one end should be crimped with some armour spring or tubing as a chaff guard where the swivel from the braid clips to and then 3-4 Branch Line Swivels should be slid on and crimped into place.

The Branch Line swivels work much better than normal cross line swivels because you don’t have to cut the mainline to put them on, just simply slide them onto the line position them where you want your spacing, one metre apart is good, and crimp them into place. From each of these swivels crimp on your trace material, anything from 50 lb through to 200 lb can be used once again up to the individual, I have tried fluorocarbon line for traces with great results and it is much harder and abrasive resistant for its relative breaking strain than normal mono trace.

Keep the trace length relatively short, I find 20 cm is more than adequate and crimp a hook on the other end; I also like to put a lumo bead or piece of lumo tube on the trace before I crimp the hook on just as an added attractant.

I get asked all the time what type of hooks are best for stripey fishing and the simple answer is any good quality heavy gauge hook designed for live baiting or set line fishing. Circle or “sport” circle style hooks are a good choice as it allows the fish to practically self hook when it takes the bait with no need for the angler to strike and being that they hook the fish in the corner of the mouth makes it easier to remove from the fish, sizes 4/0 through to 8/0 depending on the brand and style.

One of my favorite styles is a commercial grade “Ezibaiter” style hook which is a type of circle hook but with a longer shank, they are a longline hook used by commercial fisherman are heavy gauge, commercial grade, quite inexpensive and very effective. Sizes 11/0 through to 14/0 can be used depending on the size of the fish in the area. At the sinker end of the rig simply crimp in a loop leaving about 2 metres between the last hook and the sinker loop, very few striped trumpeter are caught in this area just above the reef and is where you will mostly be annoyed by Gurnard. From this loop tie a short length of lighter mono, around 50 lb, and attach the sinker or lead weight to this, if in the event you snag the sinker on the bottom this lighter line will break and you get your whole rig back only minus the sinker, cheaper and better than losing the whole rig every time. Basic large snapper style sinkers are the best as they sink nice and straight without twisting, 16 oz through to 32 oz should be kept on board to cover all scenarios of tide, drift and current.

The catch

When your rig hits the bottom striped trumpeter are not the only fish that inhabits the reef, you will most certainly feel a bunch of small taps, 90% of the time this is the gurnard, a ugly looking red google eyed fish with lots of terrible spikes that if jabbed by one will have you in pain for hours. Be very careful handling these fish as a simple mistake can ruin a whole day on the water, one way of trying to avoid the gurnard is to wind your rig up a few winds on the reel as soon as the

Another ‘thumper’. Striped trumpeter are considered by many as Tasmania’s premium table fish and well worth the considerable effort in chasing them. sinker touches bottom. Other fish that you may come across are ever likely to experience especially when you are with a are banded morwong or “perch” and big deep sea cod but few mates, conditions that are suitable for drifting the reefs when a big stripey hits you will know all about it, they are not are usually are very comfortable for the angler as well, not shy about how they strike and they just grab the bait and head something we get to have all that often. However relaxation for the reef. This is when you need to have your drag locked can quickly turn into intense excitement when a couple of up and hold on as quite often if the school is thick there will freight train trumpeter hit your rig with the intent on pulling be more than one fish on the rig and its not uncommon to you over the side of the boat, if you manage to win the have a 3-4 hook rig loaded with fish all heading down. Once fight and haul the fish on board not only have you had some you have pulled the fish aboard it is important to bleed them serious fun without too much danger but you end up with straight away and put them on ice as soon as possible, they some fantastic table fare that will keep the wife and family are after all one of the finest eating fish in the sea and should very happy…….what more could you ask for. be paid the respect they deserve. Leaving top table fish lying Jamie Henderson around on a deck in the sun for hours will spoil it very quickly and considering its worth up to $28-30 per kg taking the extra care at sea will be evident when it hits the table.

A few bags of ice placed in a decent ice box with a couple of buckets of sea water will lower the temperature nicely, enough that I challenge you to keep your hand in it for any length of time, and have the fish flesh firm by the time 250 mm diameter with powerful 1:1 winding power. 600 you are back at the ramp.

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Fishing News - Page 17

Four Springs Lake The suns first rays are pushing through the tops of the gum trees and the water has a cold platinum sheen. Ducks paddle around feeding on midge in the water surface and the odd Bennets wallaby makes it's way back to the tree line after feeding along the grassy shores over night. Twenty metres along the bank appears the tell tale sings of a fish, no trifling tail tip or slight dimple but the bulging of a big brown as he pushes through the weed to grab a damsel nymph. Calm down you tell yourself as the water settles and you wait for the next clue to his whereabouts, suddenly another bulge and push through the weed this time only 5 metres from you. The presentation is quick and leads the fish by a metre, suddenly the hunter who doesn't realise he is now the quarry accelerates pushing a V of water quickly towards your fur fly, this ceases abruptly and right on the mark. A moment of indecision and a heart beat of apprehension, has the fly been taken or missed by the charging predator, then a slight draw on the leader where it cuts through the surface film is an affirmation of success, a smooth but sharp lift the rod and you are connected to a hefty brown trout somewhere between 4lb and 6lb, this is why Four Springs keeps you coming back.

Four Springs Lake has rightly earned its name as a lowland big fish water. When the lake was first built with the cooperation of Boral timbers, Four Springs marsh was flooded to create a fertile lowland lake. As with all new lakes there was a boom of growth in both insect life and the consequential trout size, trout grew to good proportions and regularly topped the 8lb to 9lb mark for those who dedicated the time to chasing them. The lake is now settling into adolescence and midge and mayfly are beginning to make more of a mark on the feature fishing at Four Springs. The Inland Fisheries Service has steadily stocked the lake with brown and rainbow trout varying from 15gm up to 3.5kg Lake Crescent adult fish (30/6/05), creating a water where fish can be caught by all angling methods and the chance of a trophy fish is still a very real possibility.

Access and fishing regulations

Four Springs is located 16 kilometres North of Hagley via Selbourne Rd (C735). The lake is on private land which is now owned by Gunns Ltd, however access is freely available and fishing is allowed from 1 hour before sunrise to 1 hour after sunset. There is a good boat ramp on the South Eastern

Four Springs has easy access and a superb range of fish. Joe Riley with a nice brownie.

Shore, and a BBQ and Disabled facility on the South Western Shore. (Permission to use the BBQ and disabled facility is by permission from Gunns with a key available to gain access past the boom gate at Selbourne Rd. Foot access to the South Western shore is allowed at any time.

All fishing methods are allowed at Four Springs, and the standard size of 220 mm is regulated for both brown and rainbow trout, the bag limit at Four Springs is maintained at 5 fish for all species. The only other regulations to be aware of is that all fires are strictly forbidden around the lake, and there is a five knot speed limit.

Georgraphy of Four Springs Lake

Four Springs runs in a north/south direction and is quite narrow, all of the public access is available to the Southern end of the lake, and there are barriers limiting foot traffic to the marshes at the top end of the lake. The Eastern shore of the lake has grassy banks which back onto forest and the Western shore has forestry timber encroaching more to the side of the lake.

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A handy jetty makes loading and unloading a breeze.

The bottom end of the lake is a large shallow basin, which contains marshes and reed lined shores. These are good haunts for big browns close to shore in the early months of the season from August to December.

The Eastern shore is also generally shallow, and has a couple of marshes along its path towards the top end of the lake.

Foot access to the top of the lake on the Eastern shore is limited by a creek which has deep holes and undercut banks. Care should be taken if you are trying to cross this creek. The Western shore is where the dam wall is situated. This area is the deepest part of the lake and depending on the water level crossing the spillway is not always achievable. These barriers on both sides of the lake limit access to the marshes at the top end of the lake. As the lake is surrounded by timbered hills and is quite narrow East to West, winds are generally channeled to blow in a Northerly or Southerly direction, flat calms and wind lanes are regular occurrences on the lake.

Tackle rat, Rod Clarkson with one of the small stocked rainbows. Whilst only small in 2006/07 they have grown quickly and are now much bigger.

Four Springs seems to fish best at dawn and dusk.

And at that time of the day it is a beautiful place to be.

Fly Fishing options

From September to December, the marshes come alive with frogs, tadpoles, damsel and mudeye nymphs and of course big browns and the occasional rainbow chasing them. Morning and evenings there are fish smooching around very close to shore feeding on the larder that is available amongst the rapidly growing weed. Chasing these fish has been the feature fishing from the time Four Springs was opened to the public, however as the lake is settling, and the stocking of the lake is continued other options are also becoming worthwhile.

The mayfly hatch on Four Springs is now reaching it's potential, with duns on overcast days and plenty of orange spinners drifting out over the water on warm afternoons and evenings along the sheltered shores. Where once these offerings were largely overlooked by the trout due to the sheer abundance of food under the surface, they are now becoming more acceptable and both browns and rainbows are taking them more frequently.

The midge hatch on Four Springs is amongst the thickest there is, again at one time you would scarcely see a fish coming to the midge of a morning or evening, now the rainbows growing on in the lake are a target as they cruise the slicks sucking hapless midge through the surface of the oily water.

Parking on opening day can be a real problem, such is the popularity of Four Springs early in the season.

Stocking

The Inland Fisheries Service has recognised the value of Four Springs as a fishery and has committed significant efforts into stocking the lake. Since 2006 the IFS has stocked Four Springs Lake with the following trout;

Dam

Four Springs Lake Approx. 178 hectares Jetty for disabled anglers BBQ and shelter shed

Boat Ramp

14/2/06 Rainbow trout 15,000 Fingerling 29/5/06 Brown trout 70 Adult (2kg av.)

29/5/06 Rainbow trout 12 Adult (1kg av.)

13/7/06 Brown trout 2,000 Fingerling 20/7/06 Brown trout 100 Adult (1.2kg av.)

12/8/06 Brown trout 2,000 Fingerling 24/11/06 Rainbow trout 185 Adult (1kg av.)

24/11/06 Rainbow trout 3,000 Adult (250gm av.)

24/11/06 Rainbow trout 250 Adult (1kg av.)

23/5/07 Brown trout 900 Adult (1.13kg av.)

12/7/07 Brown trout 1,750 Fingerling 17/7/07 Brown trout 5,000 Fingerling Source IFS web site: http://www.ifs.tas.gov.au

The use of a boat is a definite advantage on this lake. For chasing midging fish a boat is almost a must, however even if you have it for no other reason a boat is the best way to get from shore to shore to check out where the fish are working in the various marshes.

Four Springs is continuing to be a terrific lowland lake which presents challenging fishing to trout often in excess of the 5 lb mark. It is a lake that is easily accessible to most anglers who are willing to walk the shores or who have the option of a boat the move around the lake. The lake itself is changing in the both the manner of fly fishing that is available and also the numbers of fish that are in the lake due to the stocking efforts of the IFS. Four Springs is a handy option for those days when the highland lakes are blowing a gale or in these busy times when life's pressures mean that only a quick session is able to be achieved.

Joe Riley

Casting to fish in shallow water north east of the dam.

Fishing News - Page 19

Rock Fishing Fishing from rock platforms has been written about plenty of times before in various fishing magazines so I don’t intend on reinventing the wheel. This article is intended more so as a reminder to anglers of the basics of fishing the stones.

Rock platforms, outcrops, groins, breakwalls and reefs are all areas most land based saltwater anglers will fish at one time or another. These spots are popular because of the species of fish that populate these areas and because of the deeper water which is more often available to the angler. Fishing from the stones at different times of the year offers us as anglers a variety of species to target. This is affected by currents and tides that vary according to seasons as well as carrying the baitfish that encourages our pelagic fish to hunt in the wash zones. slimey mackerel, yakkas, cuttlefish, sauries, squid and many others frequent rocky areas at different times of the year and these species in turn will attract salmon, couta, pike, gummies and kingfish which are the fish we mainly target whilst rock fishing. By catches of wrasse and leather jackets can often happen and can at times be annoying.

Picking a platform to fish can be as simple as fishing well known spots where you have seen others fishing or if your more adventurous take a drive along a coast road until you spot a platform that looks promising and then figure out how you can access it. Once on a platform you should never approach directly until watching the water for awhile to ensure it is safe.

For example if it’s a relatively calm day but the rocks are wet for a fair way back it’s a good indication that the odd wave is breaking over the top. Next thing I check out is things like where are the sand patches or the weed and kelp beds. What sort of depth is there and what type of fish am I likely to encounter so I know how to rig up. If everything looks good you should have a safe flat ledge with no waves breaking over

Tasmania has some excellent rocky structure to fish from. This angler is spinning for salmon on the north west coast. the top, good deep water, broken reef and kelp beds with a bit of current and white water coming off the stones. Now we can go fishing.

Now even though you think the ledge is safe it’s still worth considering using a life jacket or an inflatable vest of some sort for piece of mind as accidents do happen and people do die fishing off rock platforms. Appropriate footwear is also worth considering with some keen rock hoppers even fitting cleats to an old pair of boots or sneakers to give them added traction on the wet rocks. The first thing I like to do before rigging up is to secure my burley bag to a rock via a short rope and hang the burley on the edge of the rocks so the wave action starts dispersing the good stuff while I rig up. Burley is probably an under utilized tactic whilst fishing from the stones as this can start the whole ball rolling by enticing fish swimming around the wash to start feeding and over time after the current and wave action has carried the burley out off your rock ledge it can draw fish in closer to the source which means they can brought into well within casting range. Burley can consist of fish frames, stale bread and fish oil mixed together but anything is better than nothing.

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I like to predominantly fish the stones with a float rig with two droppers adjusted according to water depth and the length of the rod being used. I prefer to use a float which is normally a cone shaped foam float with or without reflectors and the size will be according to casting distance and weight of baits it has to hold. But usually a 4 inch float suffices. I run my main line straight through the float with a float stopper above and below about 8 inches apart. Approximately 3 feet below the float I tie in my first dropper about 4-6 inches long and tie on a number 1 hook (shank size depending on type of bait). My second hook is then tied onto the end of the mail line about 4 ft below the first dropper. I often have 2 or 3 small fluorescent green or

red beads threaded onto the line before the hook to act as an attractor. I prefer using a float off the stones because it allows the bait to be carried around the wash by wave movement and if need be to be carried out off the ledge with the current.

Most of the pelagic fish we target will feed mid-water to surface which is where your baits need to be. Another rig I like is to run the mainline through the float to a small swivel where I tie off with a short tag and tie on a small unweighted soft plastic lure or surf popper then tie in my normal rig below this.

If fishing sand patches on the bottom a simple paternoster rig is what I use, but with twisted dropper loops instead of three way swivels. I find the more terminals you have between your mainline and your bait can dampen the bites of fish and the twisted dropper also hangs the bait away from the mainline so that it does not wrap around your line.

There is plenty of bait around the rocks.

A lone angler fishing some west coast rocks.

Wrasse might not be much loved, but they are great fun from the rocks. And if you decide to try for them with a fly rod expect to lose plenty of flies.

Couta are another commonly caught species from the rocks. Razor sharp teeth are vicious and can savage you and your tackle.

Baits for rock fishing are dependant on the fish your hunting, but I try half a pilchard on the bottom hook and a soft bait like a pippie on the top hook. If there are a lot of salmon etc about then just stick to pilchard pieces. I prefer to use pilchard more than blue bait because it holds onto the hook better and I believe fish show a preference for it. If the fish you are catching are large use only a single hook rig. Other baits worth trying are prawns and squid. With the squid I like to bash it so it’s softened to an extent. Blue bait is always a favourite with Tassie anglers. The stones can also provide lots of natural baits like limpets, cunjovei, green cabbage, crabs, mussels etc, and all can catch fish on the day.

I never use braid off the rocks as it has no abrasion resistance so monofilament line is definitely the go.

Try not to use anything heavier than 20 lb, I prefer 12 -15 lb line and find this ample to land the biggest of fish. The new Platypus Lo Stretch line is unbelievable and offers the best of both worlds when comparing braid and mono and lends itself to rock fishing. This is definitely one line I would recommend. Reels for any of the rods mentioned should be in the 35004000 size and I would only go to a 6000 size if I were using a 12 ft rod.

Fishing off rock platforms can be a rewarding exercise for those willing to put in the effort to rig up correctly and fish with the right gear. Don’t expect to land much if you turn up with a 7 ft boat rod!

Leroy Tirant

When it comes to tackle for the stones I prefer a rod with a moderate taper but with heaps of guts down low so you can lift fish up out of the wash and to turn fish that try to run into the kelp beds etc. A rod with a rating of 6-8 kg and 10 ft in length is perfect.

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Fishing News - Page 21

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Tasmanian Fly Fishing Championships 2007 - Results The Annual Tasmanian Fly Fishing Championships were run on the weekend of 6 & 7 October, 2007 based at Miena in the Central Highlands.

This years competition was postponed from February to October due to Tasmania hosting the Oceania Fly Fishing Championship at Tarraleah in February.

Thirty anglers from Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia competed on a cool weekend fishing boat sessions at Bronte Lagoon and Little Pine Lagoon. Recent rains had raised the level of Little Pine to spilling point and creating a challenging prospect for many anglers who had never seen the lake at such heights with the island all but under water.

The competition was fished over 4 x 3 hour sessions and the Launceston based Van Dieman Fly Fishing Club continued to dominate the championships, taking Individual Gold and Silver as well as Gold and Silver in the teams arena. Being an early season competition sinking lines with lures and traditional wet flies the winning tactics.

Mark Hobbs was the eventual winner of the individual competition.

Mark is fairly new the the competition scene and has developed immensely as a competition and all round fly fishing angler in a short period of time. The team gold medal was taken by Mark Hobbs, Joe Riley, Peter Geddes and Craig Shipton of VDFFC. Also of note, Tim Strong of Launceston took the trophy for the highest ranked first year angler finishing a creditable 16th in his first foray into competition angling.

Individual Results: Top 10.

1st Mark Hobbs 2nd Craig Carey 3rd Jim Davis 4th Joe Riley 5th Steve Johnston 6th Peter Barrow 7th Ricky Lehman 8th Mark Youngman 9th Peter Geddes 10th Stuart Peel.

Teams Results Gold: Van Dieman FFC Mark Hobbs Joe Riley Peter Geddes Craig Shipton

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Kayak fishing We are lucky in Tassie to be surrounded by water and with so many lakes and river systems and there are endless opportunities for us keen anglers.

With skyrocketing fuel costs, one of the most affordable and perhaps the most enjoyable way to access these waters is by canoe or kayak. Now I am a small boat owner myself, but the trusty kayak still gets as much, if not more use than the tinny.

With our changeable weather, it’s hard to plan fishing trips away too far in advance and there’s nothing worse than towing a boat and a heap of gear for miles, only to have the wind blow 30 knots for the entire time, making it almost impossible to even wet a line. Sound familiar? Obviously with kayaking you are forced to choose more sheltered waters to fish. That said, you can pick a calm day and have your gear packed and the kayak on the roof racks or in the ute within 10 minutes. You don’t have to worry about fuel/oil or ‘are my rego’s, insurance and safety gear up to date?’ and what about trailer bearings and lights, batteries bilge pumps, sounders, etc. It can all become a bit of a headache when all you want to do is catch a fish.

A half decent second hand boat might set you back anywhere from $3000 and then there’s the aforementioned running costs. Brand new entry level kayaks start at around $600. These days there are made from tough plastics and are nothing like the older narrow and unstable fibreglass ones.

There are heaps of quality brands and styles on the market, from sit-ons or sit-ins, doubles or specialised fishing models with rod holders and storage compartments, or even ones with foot operated paddles to allow for hands free movement. Most good tackle and boating stores have them in stock or they will get them in if you There are a huge range of kayaks now available ask nicely. from sit-ons to sit-ins and specialist fishing models.

Another plus with the kayak is you can Whether it is trout or marine species they can be an launch them just about anywhere there inexpensive and fun way to get on the water. is water, no need for boat ramps. Beach launching can be tricky though if there’s too much wave action. You certainly don’t have to be an athlete to paddle a kayak. They are light and easy to manoeuvre and Being so light, a kayak will drift quickly with a little breeze when you slip along quietly taking in the scenery, you might so to combat this a small drogue or even a small bucket tied find yourself miles up a river or estuary before you know it. off over the side will slow you enough to get plenty of casts It’s surprising how far you can paddle in a couple of hours. in your chosen spot.

Kayak fishing opens up so much more water that couldn’t Wherever you are in Tassie, I’m sure you would be no more be accessed from the shore or even by boat. You may even be than 20 minutes away from a potentially great kayak fishing fishing waters that have never been fished before, if only by spot. So if you can’t afford or don’t need the stresses of owning the odd fellow kayaker. Getting in tight amongst the timber in a boat, grab yourself a kayak or canoe and get paddling. Get lakes and lagoons is a big advantage also. Being so quiet with a mate to buy one too and you’ll have twice the fun trying to such a low profile lets you sneak up to within a few metres of out-fish each other. Don’t forget your PFDs. a spooky trout. The rest, of course, is up to you.

Jamie Harris

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Fishing News - Page 24

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aftermarket re-fitting with double hooks for those who prefer the security of the double hook over a treble.

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Fishing News - Page 28

High speed - hot action - Classic Bluewater 18

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Increasing your success in mayfly hatches As you read this issue of Fishing and Boating News the mayflies of our Tasmanian waters are already listed in the specials on the menu board for our brown and rainbow trout.

On clam afternoons the lowland rivers and lakes are already abuzz with red and black spinners, and the mayfly duns float adrift as the intermediate stage of this amazing insect makes its journey from nymph to spinner.

There are plenty of fishing opportunities with the duns and spinners but here are a few tips, most of which are either common knowledge or common sense, but will help lift your success rate when targeting mayfly feeding trout.

1. Match the weather to the water you intend to fish

This is a very common sense statement as most seasoned anglers know that duns generally hatch best on the lakes in overcast weather, however on lowland waters and rivers duns will often hatch in bright calm conditions. Plan your day around the weather. Probably the hardest day to target mayfly feeding fish will be a bright windy day. On days like this target spinner feeders along sheltered shores where the wind is limited by protection from hills and trees.

2. Observe the type of rise and the stage at which the mayflies are being taken

On a given day the progress of a mayfly hatch will see the trout feeding in a number of ways for the mayfly as it makes its emergence. Firstly nymphs will be targeted as they make their way from the weedy depths to the surface to hatch. Early in the day trout will feed eagerly on nymphs but also a variety of lures fished below the surface. As nymphs reach the top of the water they struggle to break free from their sub surface body and emerge as the first stage of their beautiful winged existence.

Clues to the type of take are given by the trout as they feed at or near the surface. A flattening of the water surface indicates that the nymph was taken just below or as it reached the surface film, these styles of takes if regularly occurring should be fished with an unweighted nymph or an emerger fly, like a Shuttlecock or Shaving Brush which sits vertically in the water with the body of the fly hanging below the surface. Rises that cause a spray of water in the surface or where you see a snout of the trout poking out to grab a morsel indicate that the offering was above the surface film and was taken accordingly. This is where flies that sit in or above the surface come into their own. Parachute patterns and traditionally hackled duns are the more likely to hit their target in these circumstances.

Mayfly hatches - especially those in Tasmania’s Central Highlands are something many anglers wait patiently for. Brown trout sipping duns can really get the heart pumping.

3. Judge the speed at which the rising fish may be moving

The easiest mayfly feeding trout to catch is one who is preoccupied with mopping up all of the duns in his or her immediate area. These fish will feed to the ignorance of nearly everything that is happening around them once they get the mood to feed in this manner. Alas these fish are a rare occurrence on the more heavily fished waters like Arthurs Lake, but they do happen occasionally. In 2004 I was on Arthurs for the day and was venturing around the top end of the Sand Lake when a lightning and thunder storm forced me to put down the fly rod and take the boat to shore at the entrance to Jones Bay. As the storm passed through the wind dropped out, the lightning and thunder ceased and Jones Bay settled to a glassy calm in the overcast conditions. There were duns hatching by the thousands literally and every fish in the bay had it's snout out of the water chomping down duns like a kid with a happy meal. The next 40 minutes was an experience never to be forgotten as 14 browns up to 4.5 lb grabbed a high floating dun pattern in turn between amongst naturals they were gorging on. This is a memory that will stick with me forever and my pulse still races every time I think about it. The more common experience though is to

see the occasional rising fish and to try and cover them well with our representations. Watch these fish closely as what are mistaken as a couple of 'oncers' are often the same fish.

Trout will track just below the surface at quite a startling pace, watch carefully and time the rises. If you see a rise downwind keep a count and watch for the next rise, if you see a second rise within about 30ft or so, lead the next cast about that distance in front of and along the line indicated by both rises in time for the anticipated path of the trout. This is a very successful technique particularly on Penstock Lagoon where the rainbows can track quite quickly between takes.

4. Learn to make quick accurate casts

I know that fly fishing is an immensely personal pursuit and that to some people competition fly fishing is not an admirable way to practice the art. One of the main lessons I have learned from competition fly fishing is the importance to be able to cast quickly and accurately to a precise point along the path of a rising fish. Whether it be a competition or not the best fly fisher people are those who are gifted with

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or who have worked hard to develop this talent.

When prospecting with flies fish a line that is long enough for you to be able to pick up immediately and cast in a given direction to a rising fish. There is no need to cast to the horizon when you are prospecting with flies, trout can be amazingly ignorant to boats and anglers standing waist deep in water. It is far easier to quickly lengthen a cast than it is to try and shorten a cast while changing direction after picking a long line up. Fish a line that is comfortable to pick up and change direction with quickly towards a rising trout.

5. Fish multi fly leaders

One of the complex beauties about fly fishing is that there are so many variables and seems there is never a black and white answer to any question. There are times, such as in gin clear water, where trout are rising to spinners and a single fly on a fine long leader is the only way to fish. However where you are fishing to trout in most other circumstances there is a huge benefit in fishing a multi fly leader.

In Tasmania you are permitted up to three flies on a single leader and depending on the weather conditions and your casting ability fishing two or three flies provides some tangible benefits. Instead of covering a relatively small area with a single fly, three flies will cover three times the area along the anticipated path of a rising fish or while prospecting for trout. Fishing three flies will also let you offer choices in the style of fly you are fishing, for example on a three fly rig you can fish a high floating dun, parachute or Shuttlecock and a nymph trailing off the point. Regular takes on one particular type of fly will let you modify your set up

Fishing with multiple flies and moving them on the surface can increase your chances. accordingly to increase the probability of more takes. The down side of course are tangles when a fish is caught on the middle or top dropper however I am always happy to untangle a leader for a trout in the landing net. If you are not confident

with a three fly leader practice casting a more over arm style of casting which is opening up your loops and fish with two flies as you are still increasing your chances.

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6. Look for sheltered lies where duns or nymphs collect

When a dun hatch is fully underway hundreds of mayfly duns and nymphs drift down the wind as they hatch and dry their wings so they can make a hap hazard flight to shore.

Along the way weed patches, rocky outcrops, emergent timber and other obstacles break the effect of the wind into flat calms where these insects get drawn in. Nymphs and duns gather in numbers and these areas and trout are right onto this smorgasboard. Pay attention to these little flat calms as easy pickings will often come from them, even if there are not a lot of duns apparent in them.

7. Watch the birds for clues

Once again this is a simple observation but one that is well worth studying. Both swallows and seagulls are adept at picking duns up off the water as they drift haplessly along waiting for their wings to dry. Watch the birds closely, if the gulls and swallows are flying well above the water they are only searching for a density of duns on the drift. As the birds fly low and put their beaks to the water they are picking morsels off it and trout are likely to be doing a similar thing from below the surface. Also watch the shore for the ravens, these sharp eyed intelligent birds know where the duns will be thickest and don't bother grabbing them on the wing, they will hop along at the bottom of the wind picking the duns off by the hundreds where they gather on the shore. Look for where these birds are gathered in the greatest numbers because this is where the greatest density of duns are. We only do this for fun, but the birds do it for a living, they are far more adept at judging where the food is than we are.

8. Search for risers along the sheltered shore

Pay attention to what is being taken to achieve the best results.

9. Late in the hatch move down the wind

As the dun hatch progresses more and more food is being carried to the bottom of the wind, this food gathers near the shore so move down the wind to where the food will still be available.

If it is a windy day pay careful attention to the foam lines that have developed stringing down the lake, food will be trapped in these and trout will cruise up them picking up easy tit bits.

When at the bottom of the wind look for trout still rising along the water adjacent to the shore, often there is plenty of food and a good size fish mopping up.

10. Don't be afraid to move the flies

One thing we have plenty of in the central highlands of Tasmania is wind. Probably the most important points here is in windy weather don't be afraid to move the flies. Dry flies drifted from a boat in windy weather are about as an unnatural presentation as you can get. While the natural nymphs and duns are being buffeted around in the wind, dry flies are anchored to a leader, line, rod and angler and do not appear the least bit natural. Move the flies, anything from a little tweak to a flat out rip them in will work depending on the day. While it does not make sense to pull the flies against the wind this technique obviously preys on the predatory instincts of trout to make them grab the morsel that is about to escape, it works and works well sometimes resulting in smashing takes from eager trout.

A useful selection of nymphs, emergers and duns. Try using more two or three styles on one leader to increase your chances.

All of the above tips are handy to increase your catch rate during the mayfly season that is upon us. While most are common sense they will help you increase your success rate when pursuing trout fixated on a mayfly brunch. As I stated earlier though there are no fixed rules in this complex passion we share and every now and then the most oblique tactic will pay dividends. Great hunting for the mayfly season ahead.

Joe Riley

While it is the nature of mayflies to be carried by the wind to the bottom shore it is always worth a sneaky little look along the sheltered water at the top of the wind. Adult spinners will touch the water to lay eggs and duns will hatch in the lee of the land and all will sit on the water for extended periods of time which makes them easy pickings for trout.

A patient approach and watching for rising fish in these flat calms will often produce the goods.

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Recently I was given a book on tying paraloop flies. Being an admirer of parachute flies I became quite fascinated with the paraloop method. I had seen a couple examples of the tie but hadn’t really taken a close look as there always seemed to be another project on my mind. The basix paraloop is certainly not difficult to tie, the way this method is done makes a lot of sense in its ability to float.

Instead of having a hackle like a parachute fly it has an all over effect much like a human crew cut hair cut, so to me this would trap air amongst the hackle fibres.

Taking my first few paraloop flies to the river gave great anticipation as to how well they would float. They are dressed very lightly in the body department and only with very few tail fibres to keep the weight down.

My paraloop was dressed with a reasonable amount of hackle and all was in place for my big moment. The fly was exceptional; it floated and sat well. The pattern represented a red spinner, a good fly for this time of year.

The extra equipment to tie this fly is a gallows tool which is attached to the fly tyer’s vice.

This tool is available from good fly tying stores.

Paraloop Red Spinner.

Hook – Size 12 light gauged hook.

Thread – Orange.

Tail – Pheasant tail feather fibres dyed hot orange.

Rib – Light gauge copper wire.

Hackle – Hot orange grizzle hackle.

1. Wind thread two thirds along shank. Place three pheasant tail fibres in for tail, continue on with thread toward the end of the hook shank, stop before the bend.

2. Tie the rib in firmly and bring thread two thirds of the way back along the shank. Wind rib to this point making nice even turns, tie down and cut away excess rib.

3. Now with thread, hook it over the hook on the gallows bringing it back to the hook shank; make a couple of turns around shank, you now have a loop.

4. Tie in one dyed hot orange grizzle feather, cut away excess hackle stem. Now proceed to wind the hackle up the post taking the same distance as the post is to the hook eye. Each turn needs not to be touching the previous one, so the turns can be fairly well separated.

When this distance is covered, wind the hackle back down the post. Pull the hackle top forward being sure not to trap too many hackle fibres, tie down firmly.

5. Remove post from the gallows, hold firmly between fingers. Pull forward over the eye of the hook and tie in firmly behind the eye of the hook. Cut away excess past material. Make sure eye area is clear of fibres.

This is a very basic tie, there are many other useful methods using the paraloop method.

Fishing News - Page 31

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Mako shark on fly - are you crazy?

Steve Hambleton and I have been fly-fishing mako and blue whaler sharks for the last eight years. In those early years we lost quite a few sharks while attempting to make an Australian salt-water fly-fishing record on 10 kg line class.

The Game Fishing Association of Australia, (GFAA) rules for salt-water fly-fishing are very different to the GFAA rules for conventional tackle. The biggest difference is the maximum length of wire leader used. The rules for fly-fishing state that a maximum shock tippet (wire trace in this instance) in line classes up to 10 kg be 30.48 cm measured from the eye of the hook to the single strand of the class tippet and is to include any knots used to connect the shock tippet to the class tippet.

This very short wire shock tippet only protects the class tippet from the shark’s teeth. The remaining class tippet is very vulnerable; being so close to the sharks rough skin and fins.

The shark need only roll or hit the line under tension with it’s hard fins and the class tippet will break like cotton.

In recent years, a new 15 kg line class for sharks and billfish only, has been added to the International Game Fishing Association (IGFA) fly-fishing rules. This new line class also allows a one metre shock tippet to be used, greatly improving your chances on big sharks.

One memorable trip was out of Devonport in March last year. From the Devonport boat ramp, we launched Steve’s six metre centre console and headed out into Bass Strait. The sea was quite calm with a light northeasterly blowing. We planed

You have to be a little crazy to chase mako sharks with a fly rod. The author with the reward. out to the 50 metre mark on the sounder, where there had been plenty of big arrow squid. As we neared our destination, Steve threw out the frozen berley bucket secured to the boat with a wire rope. I backed off the motor to a slow trolling speed. We started a motorized berley trail to cover a wider area.

Barely 10 minutes had passed when Steve yelled, “He’s here”.

“You’re joking aren’t you”, I replied, as I pulled the boat out of gear to see for myself and sure enough there was a mako of around 30 or 40 kilo’s hard on the berley bucket. “Quick Craig, get your rod ready”. Steve didn’t have to ask me twice, as I hastily put together the 13 weight fly rod and rigged up a 15 kg IGFA leader and fly. This mako looked fired up, so I hastily put out a cast. He glided over to inspect the fly as it sank motionless, only to shy off at the last moment. I put out another cast, but the fly was refused yet again. With a few

more presentations to try, I made another cast in front of the mako, but this time I allowed the fly to sink further. The mako still didn’t seem interested until the fly was almost out of sight. He suddenly left the berley bucket and swam down to the sinking fly. I felt the line tighten up as the mako grabbed hold of the fly. I set the hook with two or three strip strikes until he realised something wasn’t quite right, exploding into action with a blistering run, followed by an aerial display as the shark left the water. By now Steve had the boat in full pursuit, allowing me to maintain a short line, keeping the class tippet away from the shark’s body as best I could. Steve constantly maneuvered the boat to gain the best angle as I locked up the reel with my line hand to apply as much pressure as I dared on 15 kg class tippet. After thirty minutes we had the mako just out of reach, slogging it out, not willing to lift its head.

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Fishing News - Page 33

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Fishing News - Page 34

Another 10 minutes and a few more tense winds of the reel had the mako along side the boat, ready to be gaffed.

Method

We would normally start to target mako’s and blue whalers in Bass Strait and the waters off the east coast from December through to May. Makos are fish eaters and are often found in the same areas as tuna, couta or squid.

Fly-fishing for sharks normally requires the use of berley. A good berley trail will attract sharks to the boat, bringing them within casting range. We have raised shark to the boat within 10 minutes, but on other occasions it has taken up to 7 hours.

To make the most of your time on the water have plenty of berley available and plan for a full days fishing. . When sharks eventually find the source of the berley, they will normally swim right along side the boat with their fin out of the water and test out the outboard leg for edibility with a gentle bite.

All this makes for a very visual and exciting close encounter with one of these magnificent creatures.

With the shark preoccupied with the berley bucket, there is plenty of time to assess its size and make a decision on what line class to use. It pays to have a few flies already rigged to different class tippets for a quick loop-to-loop connection to your leader’s butt section. Trying to tie up new leaders in rough conditions can have you coughing up your own berley trail if you’re not careful.

Cast your fly to intercept the path and depth of the shark.

A set of polarized sunglasses will help to gauge the shark’s response to your fly. Quite often they will shy off at the last minute leaving your fly sliding down the length of the shark’s body. This is the time when you can unintentionally fowl hook a shark if you can’t see where your fly is. Persistence with the fly will sometimes work, but if you still have no response, then a big teaser bait such as a full tuna or couta thrown out on a rope will often liven things up a bit. Allow the shark to bite into the teaser bait, and then pull it away, shaking the shark off the teaser at the side of the boat if necessary. Immediately cast the fly in after this and allow it to sink naturally as though a piece of the teaser bait has fallen off. Continue to feed out

line until the fly is out of sight before retrieving the fly for another cast. More often than not, the shark will swim down to take your fly. Once the shark has taken your fly, quickly check the fly line has not caught up on the boat or around your feet, then strip in line hard to set the hook and keep setting the hook with the rod low until the shark realizes it’s hooked and takes off. As the stripped line leaves the deck and shoots up into the rod guides, try to guide the line to the rod with your line hand shaking out any tangled loops that may have formed. Now that the shark is taking line from the reel under a set drag, be ready for the shark to jump. A jump can normally be anticipated after a suddenly burst of speed. This is a good time to have your hand away from the reel and point the rod to the fish and lean forward with the rod as the shark leaves the water, taking some pressure off the class tippet. The boat can be used to speed up line recovery and gain control of the fight. When the fly line is back on the reel, maximum pressure can be applied by locking up the reel with your hand on the spool and initiating side strain, if the angle of line permits. If the shark starts to go for another run, simply remove your hand allowing the preset drag on the reel to take over. To lift a shark that is well down, use very short strokes of the rod with the rod tip in the water, taking advantage of the strong butt section in the rod. By using the boat and applying maximum pressure, it’s possible to shorten a potentially long fight.

If you want to release the shark, you can simply cut the wire shock tippet. Otherwise a fixed gaff can be used for line classes 10 kg and lower, and a flying gaff for the 15kg line class. Gaffing a shark can be a very dangerous time for the inexperienced, especially if the shark has not been properly played out on the rod. Bringing onboard a live shark of considerable size is not recommended. A once calm looking

Gummies are a pleasant diversion. shark at the side of the boat can quickly come back to life, when removed from the water, destroying the interior of the boat, or worse still, injuring anyone who gets too close.

If chasing records is not your thing, and you just want the thrill of catching a shark on fly, then you can lengthen the wire trace to outside the IGFA rules, protecting the line from any part of the shark’s body, increasing your chances of landing a mako or blue whaler on fly.

Tackle

Fly Rods: - Six to nine foot long rods; from 10 to 16 weights are commonly used for sharks.

Reels: - Fly reels are probably the most important aspect of fly-fishing for sharks. They need to hold up to 450 metres of backing and have a good quality disc drag. I prefer to use a direct drive reel that has a palming spool. This allows me to lock up on a shark by applying pressure to the spool with my line hand. Every time you turn the handle on a direct drive fly reel you will gain line regardless of the set drag. Whereas the anti reverse type reel, will only allow you to gain line when

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We used to use single strand wire, in the belief that sharks would shy off the multi strand wire.

After loosing a couple of sharks to the single strand wire, we changed to nylon coated multi strand wire. Sharks have no trouble taking a fly on multi strand wire, once you have them in the right frame of mind.

Flies: - Flies tied on 6/0 hooks and greater are crimped straight to the wire shock tippet. . Big flashy profile flies tied on tandem hooks have been successful in the past.

Swimming free the pressure on the reel is below the drag setting. In the end choosing a direct drive or anti reverse reel comes down to your personal choice, both types of reels will do the job. Fly reel manufacturers such as Ross Reels, Tibor, Abels and Penn, to name a few, are all proven big game fly reels.

Lines: - To achieve the maximum capacity of backing on the reel, braid is recommended. I use 300 metres of 30 pound braid, then 150 metres of 50 pound braid followed by the fly line. For all joins in the braid I use a triple surgeons bimini twist to form a loop. This provides a strong loop-toloop connection between the 30 and 50 pound braid and the fly line. Fly lines are normally of the sinking variety in a shooting head or a weight forward line. 50 pound braided monofilament loops are whipped at each end of the fly line and coated with Aquaseal.

Leader: - The leader is made up of a butt section, class section of your choice and a wire shock tippet. I use 80 pound line for the butt section and 80 pound multi-strand nylon coated wire for the shock tippet. Instead of tying a bulky loop in the 80 pound butt section to join the fly line, a 50 pound monofilament braided loop can be whipped onto the butt section in the same way as it was on the fly line. This allows the butt section of the leader to be wound through the rod tip, enabling you to bring the shark closer to the boat, ready for the gaff shot. A surgeon’s loop can be tied into the other end of the butt section to join the triple surgeons bimini loop in the class tippet. A uni-knot can be used to connect the class tippet to a swivel attached to the wire shock tippet .

Berley

For the first couple of years we did it the hard way, leaning over the back of the boat pounding the berley bucket while getting covered with berley. Then we began to use an industrial mincer to mince up fish frames to freeze in bins. When they were ready to be used, the frozen bins were thawed out so the berley could be dispersed with a soup ladled. This was still very messy and labor intensive.

In the end we froze our minced fish in 20 litre plastic buckets and drums, drilled a series of 40mm holes and used this as a berley bucket, tied off at the back of the boat on a 3 metre wire rope. This would thaw out in the water, distributing a constant, mess free, berley trail and leave everyone free to do a spot of bottom bouncing, catch some squid or have a snooze. Another advantage of the frozen berley bucket is you can quickly lay out a motorized berley trail, for a couple of kilometres, before stopping for the usual drift at your chosen destination. A long berley trail has a better chance of intercepting a passing mako.

Tuna oil can also be included in the berley trail, either drip fed from a bottle or by tying off a rag in the water, soaked in tuna oil.

Overview of the GFAA fly fishing rules

• Minimum overall length of fly rod is 1.82 cm or 6 foot.

Extension buts are limited to 15.24 cm or 6 inches.

• Reels must be designed expressly for fly-fishing. Fly reels have no restriction on gear ratio or the type of drag used.

• Any type of fly line and backing can be used.

• No more than 36.57 metres or 120 foot of line may be stripped off the reel, measured from the fly.

• Minimum length of class tippet is 38.10 cm or 15 inches measured inside the connecting knots.

• A shock tippet must not exceed 30.48 cm or 12 inches.

Measured from the eye of the hook to the single strand of the class tippet including the knots used to connect the shock tippet to the class tippet.

• For the 15 kg tippet category for billfish and shark only a 100 cm shock tippet length is allowed.

• A conventional fly may be dressed on a single or double hook or two single hooks in tandem. The second hook on a tandem fly must not exceed beyond the wing material. The eyes of the hooks shall be no more than 15.24 cm or 6 inches apart.

• Gaffs and nets used to boat or land a fish must not exceed 2.44 metres or 8 foot in overall length. This length limitation does not apply when fishing from a bridge, pier or other stationary structure.

• Shooting, harpooning or lancing any fish including sharks at any stage of the catch is prohibited.

• A rope or any extension cannot be attached to the gaff.

• The use of a flying gaff is not permitted, unless you are fishing the 15 kg line class reserved for billfish and sharks only.

• Trolling a lure behind a moving watercraft is not permitted.

• The craft must be completely out of gear both at the time the fly is presented and during the retrieve.

• Chumming with flesh, blood, skin or any part of mammals is prohibited.

For a complete list of the GFAA rules for fly-fishing. Refer to the official Australian Gamefishing Journal.

You must be a member of the Game Fishing Association of Australian (GFAA) to be eligible to claim a record.

Membership can be gained by joining any game fishing club that is affiliated with the GFAA. Craig Rist

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WF 3 F to WF 8 F Ultimate Trout Taper - features long front taper.

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Fishing News - Page 37

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The 1000FA holds 170 metres of three kilo line, has 10 SA-RB bearings plus one roller bearing, the 2500FA holds 240 metres of four kilo line with a 4.6:1 retrieve, and the 4000FA 260 metres of six kilo and a gear ratio of 5.1:1.

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Fishing News - Page 38

New Shimano Fossilwood Reel Seat

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Ever Green Super Sledge Micro Max

This lure was born out of Katsutaka Imae’s twelve years of unparalleled tournament success and Jun Fujiki’s skill and experience as a full-time guide.

Features include CBS (Counter Balance System) which ensures a perfectly balanced lure suitable for catching bream, trout, perch and bass. The lure suspends with the bib facing down and therefore dives extremely well. Other MAJOR features of this MICROMAX is the twin hook style instead of the standard treble, these hooks are known as “W” hooks. The advantages of this hook style are many, but in particular the angler rarely gets his lined fouled on the lure during casting and they are snag resistant when working the lure over structure.

Lure action: slow speed twitch and pause work, they have a tight action with a slight roll from side to side, making them “flash” with their mirror like inserts.

This makes them highly visible and a great benefit in discoloured water.

SIZE – 4.0cm Weight – 2.2g Hook: Japanese High-Carbon “W” F#12 * R#12 Snap: Japanese stainless #00

Scientific Anglers Sharkskin flyline

I always thought smoother was better in a flyline, and certainly with a good clean and polish my flylines would cast and shoot further. Well it seems while that may have been the case on old lines there is a new flyline with a surface that is not smooth and is claimed to cast further.

The new Sharkskin lines from Scientific Anglers incorporates a radical modification of the typically smooth surface of a ‘traditional’ flyline. SA have introduced a precise repeating micro-pattern on the outside of the line that they claim has a variety of benefits. The texture feels rough. SA call it microreplication.

Sharkskin technology claims: Lines cast further Are more durable Shoot better Lower memory Better floatation More stealth with reduced flash

Will it do all these jobs? I’m not sure. I didn’t really get time to try one of these lines before this edition was published, but I will get a proper review.

Scientific Anglers is an interesting company and part of the huge 3M brand. You know 3M through brands such as Scotch®, Post-it®, Scotchgard™, Thinsulate™, ScotchBrite® and many more. 3M exists in virtually every area of industrial and recreational products. They don’t make too many mistakes so there is a fair chance this will be a better than good line.

These lines are available in weight forward only from #3 to #8. they have a long front taper and according to SA ‘works like a double taper in close, excels at distance, excellent for roll casting, mending and a long pickup’.

Finally, these lines will retail at about $150 and it is often the case of ‘spend more and get a better product’.

If anglers pay their $150 and it isn’t better it will die a fast death. But I suspect it will be a sensation.

Fishing tips.

1. The greatest error when using drogues it that they are used too often. It seems that it becomes habit to throw them over the minute you stop. In calm conditions a drogue is not necessary and it will simply sink to the bottom and foul.

2. Catch more fish! If you find a productive area of the lake you are better off not putting the drogue through it.

Go over several times without the drogue and you will catch more fish than the same number of drifts with the drogue out.

3. Set up your drogue ropes through an eye bolt fore and aft. Then use cam cleats to lock off the length. The cam cleats can be mounted amidships to achieve a single adjusting point.

The Hayes Superdrogues are available at all good tackle stores or can be mailed ordered directly by phoning Tasmania’s Premier Fly Fishing Guides on 63975 073 or through the website www.flyfishtasmania.com.au

Hayes Super Drogue

When trout guide, Peter Hayes started guiding 13 seasons ago his business was entirely lake based. The highland lakes of Tasmania are well known for being windy and the wiser, more experienced local anglers all used drogues to slow their boats. Peter purchased the biggest drogue he could find. It was the conventional windsock type of design and was a flouro yellow colour.

After just a week or so he was sick and tired of pulling it in every time he wanted to move the boat. A longer rope, onto the tail or small diameter end makes it easier, but it still had to be pulled in.

He still had the problem of towing the thing under load when he needed to move off. This was solved when a Scottish, client hinted to Peter that someone he fished with many years ago used a rectangular underwater sail to slow the boat. Peter was once a design engineer so he started what turned out to be a three season process of developing the HAYES Superdrogue.

This simple and effective idea has spread throughout the state such that this drogue is now the standard used in most Tasmanian boat fishing situations. The fact that they are often copied is a compliment. Our design has changed markedly over the decade and now it is more simple than ever, in just one size for all boats and now at just under $100 affordable to all.

Benefits of the Superdrogue design.

They are most effective in slowing the boat in big winds due to their resistance area.

Adjusted correctly you can move in either forward or reverse without towing the drogue under load.

By adjusting the bow and stern rope lengths you can steer the boat downwind (you don’t have to go in exactly the wind direction) This is handy when there are other boats to avoid downwind of you or the shore you are following is at a different angle to the wind.

They are easily pulled in by motoring forward until the drogue comes along side then simply reach over and lift it aboard.

Before you buy your next boat look at this

So, you want a new boat for summer? Whether you’re a first time buyer or an experienced boater, before doing anything further, check out Bar Crusher’s new Boat Buyer’s Guide. Avid boaters themselves, Bar Crusher knows how disappointing it can be to invest in a new boat only to discover it is hard riding or broaches when running down the front of a wave.

Bar Crusher’s detailed, yet easy-to-read ‘boat book’ is designed to assist you with your research, enabling you to make an informed decision when it comes to your purchase. The guide includes informative diagrams, handy hints from those in the know and outlines a number of vital requirements that should be on all boat buyers’ checklists.

Bar Crusher’s Peter Cleland said the boat buyer’s guide would help prospective boat buyers navigate the often overwhelming boat buying process and develop an understanding of boat design, performance and how to choose the best boat for their particular requirements.

“Everyone at Bar Crusher knows there are no short cuts in producing quality boats,” Mr Cleland said.

“As a buyer, you need to be able to ask the right questions to ensure you buy the best boat for your money.

“That’s what we’ve aimed to do with this guide… arm you with the knowledge to buy the best boat for your intended use.”

For the ride of your life, get a copy of Bar Crusher’s new Boat Buyer’s Guide by calling (03) 9702 8555 or via the website: www.barcrusher.com.au

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89 Brisbane St Launceston 6331 8088 Fishing News - Page 39

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The Nomad Swift takes the standard Nomad and adds a few extra features to give you a little bit more in boating versatility.

3.95 Nomad Swift $9990 3.95 m long, 1.79 m beam, 30 HP 2 stroke Suzuki with trailer and boat regos. Package $9990 The Sea Jay “Magnum” offers you a roomy and tough dinghy, with high sides and wide beams being features of this model. This range features varied floor layouts as standard and with wide side decks fitted standard to 4.85 and over. A reverse chine hull known as the Sure Trac is available in 4.55, 4.85 and 5.35 models. This design gives enhanced hull performance.

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Bass Highway, Somerset Ph 64 352200 Fishing News - Page 40

Email: anthony@coastal-marine.com.au

Lobster fishers win and help with research

From one extreme to the other the Bar Crusher handles it all.

Bar Crusher boats are creating quite a reputation amongst the serious offshore fishos. With the all new 620c at my disposal; I thought I would see what all the fuss was about.

The first thing you will notice with these boats is the superb engineering design, innovative standard features, and a layout that will have any fisherman impressed. You can tell the owners of Barcrusher, Peter and Warren Cleland, love boats and love fishing.

These are serious boats, well designed and well thoughtout.

A solid aluminium ladder greets you as you enter through the walk through transom, which has a folding rear seat that acts as a step onto the fully sealed tread plate floor.

No carpet in here to trap bait, blood, scales.

A quick hose out at the end of a day’s fishing removes any unwanted offal.

Twin batteries are mounted on a shelf up off the floor to eliminate the risk of corrosion from salt water, and a twin battery isolator system can transfer charge to each battery. Bar Crusher don’t comprise on the wiring of your boat either, with tinned wire, quality switches and glue filled heat shrink to cover all the connections to completely lock out corrosion.

Every stainless fitting on the boat is insulated with plastic washers or insulative grease to maximise hull life, a very rare find on aluminium boats these days with some manufacturers focusing on quantity not quality.

Large side pockets run the full length of the boat, with considerable space under the front bunks, storage is available everywhere throughout the boat, and even under the seat box pedestals there is room for tackle boxes, lure bags and plenty of room to store your lunch!

The dash layout has all your controls falling to hand nicely, with everything within reach and full view of the driver.

A full length opening front hatch makes anchoring a breeze, as you simply step through the cab with only so much as a slight bend of the back to exit through a large opening with the anchor at your finger tips.

Large in-floor fish wells, which at rest can be filled with water by simply undoing a bung, and a live bait tank that is plumbed and tucked neatly into the transom as to not take up any deck space, keep the days catch nice and fresh.

A removable bait board with 3 rod holders, and speaking of rod holders you will not see any cheap plastic ones, 8 high strength aluminium rod holders positioned correctly in the deck will last forever and won’t let you down when that big fish smashes your rod!

Along with a roof mounted rocket launcher that holds 6 rods, that’s 17 spaces for rod and reels, a tackle junkie’s delight!

For garages with height restrictions, the Bar Crusher cuddy cab range has a very innovative folding gas strut roof design that reduces the height of the roof by nearly a metre. It took all of about 60 seconds to remove the side clears, unclip the gas struts, and the roof folds down neatly into the rear of the boat. The windscreen can also be folded back, to allow for very low height entrances, without the hassle of pulling a canopy apart to store your boat.

Backing down the ramp the wind had picked up, and around a metre and a half of swell combined with the wind chop, had me thinking a trip to the chiropractor would be following this test for sure! My back is already bad.

How wrong was I! Heading straight into the on coming waves the Bar Crusher simply sliced beautifully through anything I threw at it with ease, with no banging or thumping, and no jarring through the hull. It is hard to believe that you are actually in an aluminium boat. Following sea performance was superb, and I found that the harder you pushed the boat more it responded, and with the pace you can travel at in rough conditions, gone are the slow pounding rides home from well offshore.

At any angle to the sea the Bar Crusher quickly inspires confidence, it tracks straight and produced a dry ride even in the choppy conditions. Stability at rest is also very good, these boats have a water ballast system that runs the entire length of the keel. The system is vented at the anchor well, and drains the instant you accelerate onto the plane. I have heard stories that at slow speeds these systems will sit you to low in the water, to prove this an urban myth, we ran the boat at idle in half a metre of water, remembering that this is a 6 plus metre boat, it cruised around the shallows with ease.

Once back inside the bay and relatively calm conditions, the test boat with the DF175 4 stroke Suzuki which is maximum rated power for this hull was given its head.

The boat can be turned at full throttle, and sits flat with absolutely no cavitation from the prop, even with the motor trimmed half out, it refused to slip, great for when quick

Help Help Protect Protect Tasmania’s Tasmania’s Freshwater Freshwater Environment.

Environment.

Declare Declare All AllYour YourFishing Fishing Equipment Equipment

The catastrohic impact of accidentally introduced alga “Didymo”, also known as Rock Snot, on New Zealand’s freshwater environment.

The catastrophic impact of accidentally introduced alga “Didymo”, also known as Rock Snot, on New Zealand’s freshwater environment.

One drop of water. One microscopic cell. One ecological disaster.

One drop of water. One microscopic cell. One ecological disaster.

That’s all it takes. Don’t take our fishery for granted.

That’s all it takes. Don’t take our fishery for granted.

Be Be aa Barrier Barrier -–Not NotaaCarrier Carrier of of pests pests to toTasmania.

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Check, & Dry Dry your yourfishing fishingequipment. equipment.

Check, Clean Clean & For more information visit www.ifs.tas.gov.au For more information visit www.ifs.tas.gov.au or www.biosecurity.govt.nz/didymo or www.biosecurity.govt.nz/didymo or phone Quarantine on 03 6233 3352 or phone Quarantine on 03 6233 3352

Photo - Brad Harris

Review Bar Crusher 620 C

manoverability is required. Top speed on the day was an impressive 86km/h at 6200rpm on the GPS with a good cruising speed of 55-60km/h loafing along at around 4000 to 4300rpm.

Trolling offshore for game fish will only require 2000rpm and 5.5 litres per hour!

Loading the boat back onto the trailer was as simple as pointing the nose anywhere on the rear of the trailer and gently powering the boat up to the winch post. Bar Crusher have designed the trailer so that even if you have wind, swell or current to contend with, the further you come on the trailer, large nylon skids self centre the boat from any angle.

You simply can’t stuff it up! It is nice to see a well designed trailer that is easy to drive straight on to.

Alloy wheels are standard along with bearing buddies, and a spare set of wheel bearings is provided with each trailer as a back up, nice touch!

Overall this boat is one seriously good package, the ride, handling, standard features, and quality of workmanship is a credit to the Cleland brothers who own and operate Bar Crusher boats.

Coastal Marine is the state distributor of Bar Crusher boats. Phone 6435 2200 Mike Stevens

Prizes for participating in a lobster fishing questionnaire sent to 1000 lobster fishers during September and October have been drawn. Five prizes were awarded in total and the winners were Steve Gray of Lindisfarne, Rosemary Kerrison of Montrose, Gerald Johnstone of Orford, Alastair Woodroffe of Launceston and Elizabeth Fidler of Somerset.

The gift voucher prizes, which ranged in value from $100 to $150, were kindly donated by Tamar Marine (Launceston), The Boat Shack (Devonport) and Aquascuba, Peter Johnson Chandlers and Spot-On Fishing Tackle in Hobart.

The questionnaire is the main data collection tool for a socio-economic study of the Tasmanian recreational lobster fishery. The study is part of a PhD project funded by the University of Tasmania and the Department of Primary Industries and Water (DPIW), with assistance from the Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute (TAFI).

We received an encouraging response to the questionnaire and would like to thank all who returned them. Your involvement will contribute to a greater understanding of the social and economic importance of the fishery to lobster fishers and the Tasmanian economy. A summary of the results from the questionnaire will be made available in later editions of Tasmanian Fishing and Boating News. If you have any questions about the project, please call Sven Frijlink on 6265 7310.

Fishing News - Page 41

Drop in and see Ron McBain.

With 30 years in the industry Ron can give you the best advice.

Purhase any OKUMA TITUS GOLD game reel and receive a free pack which includes a lure bag, a sports bag, a cap, a gimbal belt and harness

GAME ROD with roller tip matched with an OKUMA TITUS 30 game reel NORMALLY $319 now $229 Silstar overhead rod with Okuma CL300L Free line included and bonus JIG-EM DIY KIT Great Flathead combo $99.95 Big range of the very popular STORM soft plastic lures From $4.95 pkt

Quality ice boxes from $219

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK NEW assorted JIG-EMS in a DIY KIT Excellent value at $32.95

OKUMA FISHING AUSTRALIA COMBOS

Complete with an OKUMA 4 BALL BEARING reel, free line, hat and fishing dvd From $69.95 New range of JIG-EM rigs now in stock. crabs, prawns, shad, stickbait, mixed pack

The tuna won’t be too far away!

Check out our large range of WILLIAMSON Game lures DUE SOON.......new PAKULA Range

SILSTAR FILLET KIT were $38.95 now $29.95

JUST LIKE DAD’S COMBO Available in pink or blue were $35.95 now $29.95

WILSON pvc chest waders $59.95

RAPALA BRAID LINE One of our most popular braids for soft plastics

For the Trout angler we stock the complete range of RUBLEX Celtas and an extensive range of BLUE FOX VIBRAX bladed lures

FLY COMBO READY TO GO complete with line leader & backing for just $199

SURECATCH TACKLE KIT complete with asstd tackle 3 sizes available $29.95 $34.95 $44.95 IDEAL FOR XMAS Fishing News - Page 42

OKUMA ROD RACK GREAT XMAS IDEA were $54.95 now $39.95

RAPALA FISHING KNIVES From $6.95 NOW IN STOCK LIVE FIBRE GAME RODS

144-150 Hobart Road, Launceston Phone 6344 7466

Quicksilver’s latest – the 6.4 Warrior

Quicksilver’s new 6.4 Warrior is a stunningly successful hull with superior performance and great looks.

Good visibility in open water is a must, so the Quicksilver 640 Warrior has been designed with a full curved glass windscreen.

Open water fishing is in the heritage of the Quicksilver Warrior, so the anchor locker has been enlarged to accommodate the installation of most capstan winches and longer warp lengths used in deeper water.

The flush mounted instrument panel has also been enlarged to provide greater flexibility in the choice of electronics, navigation and fish finding equipment.

Fishing and Boating Calendar from December 2007

The superior styling of the Q u i ck s i l ver 6 4 0 Wa r r i o r includes a new graphic pack and a large functional bow rail.

With each vessel hand crafted for quality and durability, the finish is simply first-class.

A foam injected, underfloor section gives the Warrior unparalleled buoyancy, and when coupled with the use of fibreglass stringers for durability, it’s clear Quicksilver is committed to the structural integrity and longevity of the boat.

The boat’s exceptional level of stability, combined with a 22 degree variable dead rise hull for superior performance, and you have the perfect match. Built exclusively in New Zealand by Fi-Glass for Quicksilver, the Warrior has been continually fine tuned through 10-years’ exposure to extreme NZ boating conditions.

And Quicksilver stands by every boat it sells, with the Warrior backed by a marketleading six year structural hull warranty.

With an extensive marine dealership throughout Australia, you can see why the Quicksilver 640 Warrior will be the boat of choice.

Warriors are also available in 5.1, 5.3 and 5.8 metre.

To see more visit www.quicksilverboats. com.au or call Channel Marine 6267 1456

Evolution Boats Newest Dealer

PM Marine Manufacturing is pleased to announce Deegan Marine in Ulverstone as their dealer of Evolution Boats in Tasmania.

T h e y w i l l h a ve o n d i s p l a y t h e 6 5 0 A p e x P r e d a t o r a s we l l a s t h e Evolution 550 Platinum.

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 editor’s knowledge, at the time of printing but are always subject to amendment or cancellation.

Date DECEMBER Sat 1 Dec JANUARY 2008

Event & Venue

More Info

Canal Bay, Great lake opens for fishing

Inland Fisheries Service 6261 8050

Sun 6 to Fri 11 Jan.

Bronte Fly Fishing School Bronte Lagoon hosted by Devonport Fly Fishing Club.

Sat 12 Jan

Take a Kid Fishing. St Helens Wharf, 10.00am to 2.00pm, Sponsored by Honda Marine, Daiwa and Alvey.

Raine & Horne Open The Season game fishing comp, St Helens St Helens Regatta sponsored by Rotary Club of St Helens.

Back to Pedder competition supporting Camp Quality, Lake Pedder

Sat 19 & Sun 20 Sat 26 Thu 24 - 28 Jan FEBRUARY Sat 2 & Sun 3 Sun 10

Hadley, Sandra and all the team at Deegan Marine are excited to be bringing this product to Tasmania and look forward to meeting potential b u y e r s. T h i s f o l l ow s g r e a t feedback received in Hobart at the Expo held over the weekend of 17 th and 18 th November.

T he Evolution Boats are designed for those long days fishing offshore with a massive fishing platfor m and plenty of storage in both sizes.

With the 2.49m beam there is plenty of water presence for stability at rest and a great ride with the 21° degree V. I f yo u h ave a n y q u e s t i o n or want to have a look, please contact Deegan Marine on 03 6425 2238.

Tue 26 to 28 MARCH Sat 8 & Sun 9 Sat 22 & Sun 23 Sat 29 & Sun 30 APRIL Sat 5 & Sun 6 Sat 19 & Sun 20 Sun 27 Sat 26 & Sun 27 MAY Sat 18 & Sun 19

ABT Bream qualifier, Scamander Take a Kid Fishing, Hobart Regatta ground.

10.00am to 2.00pm. Sponsored by Honda Marine, Daiwa and Alvey.

Flinders Island Game Fishing Challenge St Helens Game Fishing Classic SHGFC Easter Competition, St Helens Coles Bay Game Fishing Comp

ABT Bream qualifier, Tamar River Hillcrest Caravan Park Game Fishing Comp, St Helens Most brown trout waters close

Martin Hulsman 6424 3648 Quenton Higgs 6336 5474 Anne Stephenson 6376 3631 Des Charles 0407 300766 Laurie Harrison 62637038

Steve Morgan (07) 3268 3992 Tess McNeill 6233 9073 Anne Stephenson 6376 3631 Jamie Henderson 6376 2244 Anne Stephenson 6376 3631 John Brooker 62310255

Steve Morgan (07) 3268 3992

Anne Stephenson 6376 3631 Inland Fisheries Service 6261 8050

ABT Bream qualifier, Tamar River

Steve Morgan (07) 3268 3992

IFS Trout Weekend, Liawenee Canal

Inland Fisheries Service 6261 8050

QUICKSILVER 6.4WARRIOR A stunning 6.4 metre day boat with all the capabilities you could want.

From fishing to watersports the Warrior does.

175HP Mercury Optimax with Smartcraft guages.

Check this out soon.

5.1, 5.3 and 5.8 models also available.

$48,990

Fishing News - Page 43

Oar Gee Little Ripper Lures

Honda and Boab Boat Hire – a winning formula

Three years since starting Boab Boat Hire, managing director Anthony Gelfius is experiencing massive demand for his fleet of Honda-powered boats.

With four new franchises having started in New South Wales and Western Australia since August, and imminent plans for further expansion around Australia, it seems many boat enthusiasts are wising up to the financial savings that boat hire offers compared to ownership.

“By my calculations, you could hire a boat with us for a full six weeks every year and still be financially ahead compared to an owner,” Mr Gelfius said.

“For example, it can cost over $400 a month to store a trailerable boat in a rack, not to mention the maintenance costs, extra equipment and value depreciation.”

The business hires out a variety of trailerable boat models, from 50 hp runabouts to 150 hp centre cabs. In keeping with Boab Boat Hire’s ethos of affordable boating, Mr Gelfius said fuel efficiency was a big factor when it came time to choose the right engines for his boats.

“We did our research and the consensus was that Honda engines were the most reliable and fuel-efficient,” Mr Gelfius said.

“We send our clients out with a full tank of fuel and, at the end of their hire, they pay for what they’ve used.

Extreme PFD 3 Nylon ski vest $69.95

“With our Honda engines, most people come back and can’t believe the fuel efficiency – they expect to have to pay much more, and are then pleasantly surprised!”

Engine reliability was also a factor in the choice.

“Our boats are on the go all the time, so we had to make sure our equipment would be top-notch and totally reliable,” Mr Gelfius said.

“Honda engines start first time, every time, which is important to us as a hire business with our reputation always on the line.

“Providing our clients with the highest standard of safe equipment is integral to our operations, and using Honda gives us that extra peace of mind.”

With the purchase price of the hireable boats costing up to $80,000, Mr Gelfius believes Boab Boat Hire offers a very accessible way to enjoy the water.

“We have a very broad range of clients – families on day trips, anglers, couples getting away for the weekend, watersports enthusiasts and everyone in between,” Mr Gelfius said.

“Hiring makes boating a hobby everyone can afford to enjoy.”

(Pictured: Boab Boat Hire’s fleet of Hondapowered vessels puts recreational boating within financial reach of everyone – to take them away from the everyday.)

Further information: Honda – (03) 9270 1111 or visit: www.honda.com.au

Masterline Matrix kneeboard $269

This lure has been designed to target trout, bass and bream in Australia.

I have firsthand knowledge of the Oar Gee range of lures. I grew up in a country town in NSW called Wagga Wagga, the Oar Gee lures are designed and made by Wayne Lennon in Wagga Wagga. I used them extensively over the years growing up chasing Murray Cod and Yellow Belly. In my tackle box was a large range of Oar Gee Plows, a common lure used in the states with Murray Cod in the rivers.

In Tasmania the name Oar Gee is relatively unknown and I have been asked to review the lure on bream, so packed with a few little rippers handed to me by Mike I headed down to the Scamander River on the east coast of Tasmania to try out the Oar Gee lure.

The first thing I noticed when tying one on was the fact that it immediately swam straight, and this is because Wayne personally hand tunes all his lures in a swim tank prior to packing.

The of thing is that unmistakeable action built into all Oar Gee lures, it has a wider action than most bream lures, the advantage of this action is it produces a low frequency beat in the water that imitates an injured bait fish. Where most of the Japanese lures produce a higher frequency vibration that works great and has been proven to catch bream in Tassie.

So what is the advantage of low frequency verses high frequency, well it is quite simple the difference between if you can imagine a set of waves the low frequency waves would be longer apart, and the high frequency would be closer together, if you were to watch these waves crash on the shore the high frequency waves would constantly crash one after another not pushing far up the beach. Now the low frequency waves would come less often but would carry much more water and when they broke onto the beach they would push far up the shore.

This effect in sound waves is similar in a sense, the low frequency waves push longer and further through the water where high frequency sound waves break down more quickly. This means using a low frequency lure you can expand your attraction radius getting the attention of fish from a larger area, this can be quite useful when struggling to locate the feeding fish.

After assessing the lure action and being pleased with it, I started to look for some nice

timber laying in the river to test out there snag resistance, Oar Gee lures have always been quite snag resistant because of the areas they use them for cod, heavily timbered water ways are a Mecca for Murray cod and require a stump jumping style lure to bounce of the timber without hooking it up.

And once again they have incorporated this into the little ripper, about my 3rd cast into the snag I had picked for a bream to be living on, smack I was on, my first ever Bream on an Oar Gee, I was well impressed and decided to try the other colours I had to see if it was more about the action then colour on the day, and I tried all 3 colours I had and had success on all three.

So my review of this lure is good, best of all it is Australian and it will catch most Australian species right across the country, from bass, bream, cod, yellow belly, barra, and the list goes on.

I would recommend that is you are into lure fishing or trolling for your favourite species that it is essential to have a lure with this style of low frequency vibration; it may just make the difference on the day. And if you are going to get a lure of this style why not try out Wayne Lennon’s Little Ripper.

Whilst I primarily tested these on bream I know they are just as good on trout and have used them to good effect in both streams and lakes. The colour range is one that trout anglers would like as well. Give them a try.

Dan Clifton Oar Gee lures are available from Tassie Tackle and Outdoor, Burnie. Tuffwear, Burnie.

Ultimate Tackle, Ulverstone. Bigfin Sports Fishing, Devonport. Fishing Gear, Launceston. Got One, Launceston. Wigston Sports, New Norfolk. Fishing Connection – Spot On, Hobart. Rod and Range, Glenorchy. Catch Toy and Leisure, Moonah.

Greens, Queenstown.

Waterline ice boxes from $169 Extreme ski tube $89.90 Trailer Bearings with marine seal $19.95 Universal Motor Flushers $7.50

Waterline 500gph bilge pump $29.95

Folding Padded Seat $64.50

Stainless Steel Telescopic Ladders $149

Masterline Riot kids 46” RIM trainers $219 Fishing News - Page 44

23L Universal fuel tank $59.95 Aquasport Adult PFD1 $89

www.easternshoremarine.com.au

14 McIntyre St, Mornington Ph: 6244 1163

Stream trout on surface lures When dwelling on what I had written over the past 12 months, I realised that I have not written and article that did not involve the use of soft plastics, although there is no argument that I believe that they are one of the most effective way of catching fish in Tasmania, there is a real passion of mine that I had forgotten about. That is the use of hard bodied surface lures.

I spent my time growing up on the Murrumbidgee River in NSW and in the heat of summer when it was too hot to sleep; there was no better way to spend the evening by the river throwing surface poppers at Murray cod and yellow belly.

In recent times with the introduction of the well made Japanese lures there has been some incredible advances in surface lures such as the Daiwa and Jackall range aimed at the bream fisherman, these surface poppers/walkers have been a great addition to the tackle box of the competition angler and have proved to be not only lethal but extremely fun to use when the fish are on the top and sucking down bait fish and other insects that come their way.

As the bream fishing has been well saturated with articles on all types techniques I decided to look at catching trout in small streams using these modern surface lures.

After looking for a stream that still had some water in it after such a dry winter, I found a nice stream in the north east of the state with what looked like a sure thing, with waders on the camera on my back, Kathy and I headed into the bush looking for an entry point to get in.

We climbed down a steep bank and into the stream. Immediately in front of us was a nice slow flowing pool, these pools are what I had intended on fishing with these surface lures. My thought was that this would be the best location to get some action using these lures. After my first cast and some immediate attention I knew that I was going to be in for some really good fishing. There was also a caddis hatch going on at the time which was working in my favour as these active little stream trout where heavily concentrating on the surface bite.

By this time I had already spooked my first candidates and moved above the pool, and unsure if it was the colour I was using I decided to change.

The next lure I tied on after seeing the interest shown to the surface was a Jackall Tawodi in a brown colour with an orange belly. It looked something along the lines of a

grasshopper. Grasshopper patterns are deadly in any lure style when the hoppers are out, but in this thick forest I wasn’t sure whether these fish would even know what one looked like.

I gave a nice long cast up the stream so I could lay the line back better on my spool. I was winding it quickly and bang I was on. It was not a large fish but any trout in the rapids where the water is only two inches deep, is great action.

So now my plans to only fish the slow deep pools had been radically changed, not only could I fish the pools, but the entire stream.

I had taken a nice array of soft plastic bulky hawks with me, as I deep down believed that using these surface lures in such a small shallow stream may have proved fruitless.

But I was quickly corrected and found that I have rarely done better on plastics than I was doing on the Towadi.

continued next page....

Kathy is all smiles with this 4 pound rainbow that smacked a surface lure

Gone Fishing Charters

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Fishing News - Page 45

Well I guess I better fill you in on how I was using this lure so effectively, I am in no way an expert in surface fishing and I have done zero for trout. But I am so keen to improve this technique I am going to do this article in two parts, the next edition will be using the same lures but in the lakes, to see how effective they can be on some large brownies.

First of all you need to pick your surface lure, as I mentioned before I know of two readily available in Launceston, these are the Daiwa Presso Cicada Pencil and Jackall

Trode, there is considerable difference in price in these lures and they have similar action, however the more expensive Towadi seems to look a bit more natural in the water over the Daiwa.

Most of the larger fish came from the slower pools where you could really tweak the lure and make it dance, a larger quantity of small fish were taken in the rapids.

In the pools I would cast deep and as hard to the structure as possible, then using a moderate retrieve and twitching the rod tip the lure would get a nice zig zag pattern happening (also known as walking the dog).

The trout in the pools would hear the light popping sound and go straight into feeding mode, they would fight over the lure, often leaving the first cast empty, as they slowed down a little the action would pick up, it wasn’t unusual to catch several fish out of one small pool.

When fishing the shallow rapids it was more of a fast retrieve with a twitch that the little rainbows would chase some 10-15m down the stream to lock onto.

It was quite amazing Soft plastic and hard body watching the reaction to lures for all Tasmanian fish a surface lure, a lure that they would have never seen before had them keen as mustard.

Available in all good tackle stores state-wide

em ‘ e v o l Fish

Trade enquiries phone Dale: 0429 948 410

WE’RE BACK!

The stream I was fishing did not seem to have high numbers of brown trout although at times in the year that is all you catch, but none the less one or two fell victim to the red hot Towadi.

I look forward to giving you details on the results of fishing Arthurs lake using surface lures, I am sure the results will be just as impressive as they have been in the streams.

Merry Christmas and a safe New Year.

Dan Clifton

Top: This rainbow slammed my surface lure virtually at my feet.

Bottom: A snapshot of the stream we fished successfully using surface lures.

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Fishing News - Page 46

Postto;TasmanianFishingandBoating News, PO Box 7504, Launceston, 7250

Callum and Leigh Rawson with a Huon River brownie taken on a soft plastic lure.

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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 commercial and non subscribers remains at $11 and must be pre-paid.

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Subscribe and WIN a Stormy PFD Subscribe, Back Issues: Just fill in the form, or send your details as below. All new and current subscribers go in the draw to WIN a fabulous STORMY zip out sleeve inflatable PFD1. Two to be won. Drawn 30 December 2007 Fax to 03 6331 1278 or post to Stevens Publishing, PO Box 7504, Launceston, 7250 or email details to fishn@bigpond.net.au Classifieds - FREE for subscribers 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 47

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A truly unique wilderness experience; right on the shore of Australia’s deepest freshwater lake.

Self contained wilderness cottages, travelers lodge, camp sites & powered sites.

Licensed Restaurant with lake views. Surrounded by a World Heritage National Park. Scenic cruises on the Lake, walkers ferry. Fishing hire and Fishing license agent.

Ph: 03 6289 1137 Email: stay@lakestclairresort.com.au www.lakestclairresort.com.au

The perfect place for all your accommodation, shopping and activities in the Central Highlands.

Tavern

Let us be your guide, whether you are after the excitement of catching your own fish or a more relaxed scenic cruise we will personalise the cruise to suit you.

In a peaceful location with plenty of parking. Eight villas. Disabled access, superbly appointed, close town.

For more information on any of the experiences strahan marine Charters offer, contact the strahan Activity Centre: activities.centre@strahanvillage.com.au 9359

(03) 6471 4300

St Helens Bayside Inn

Scamander Beach Resort Hotel

www.puretasmania.com/SMC

DriftwoodVillas,34HarveySt.Strahan.7468.

Ph:0364717618email:driftwoodvillas@bigpond.com

Cnr Andrew and Harvey Sts. Strahan 7468. ph: 03 6471 7268

email: enquiries@strahanbungalows.com.au

Anchor Down

Shop

Cafe

2-storey Ensuite Rooms

Caravan Park

Cottage Accommodation

Phone Tarraleah on www.tarraleah.com 6289 3222 Phone: 6289 0111 Web:

Holiday Accommodation

122

Six, cottage-style, two bedroom accommodation apartments located in the beautiful tourist town of Strahan.

Reflective journeys, deep wilderness, * echoes of the past and $ an untouched coast from

Annie & Max invite you to enjoy a quiet, relaxing stay in their smoke-free units.

Stay at the welcoming Strahan Village, the perfect base to explore the rugged West Coast, from just $122* per night, including two breakfasts. Book your Gordon River Cruise, West Coast Wilderness Railway or Piners & Miners journey when you call.

Ideal for travelling couples or families to relax and enjoy while visiting Strahan and the surrounding area.

For bookings or information call

Fishing News - Page 48

9359

1800 084 620 *Per room, per night (Garden View room, single/double occupancy, including 2 breakfasts).

Subject to availability. Conditions apply. Valid to 30/11/2007. Quote GS068 when booking.

Five fully self contained units. Five minutes walk from Strahan’s main street. Enjoy our 2½ hour crayfish dinner and fishing cruise on our yacht ‘Stormbreaker’

10 Andrew Street, Strahan Tasmania. 7468.

Ph:(03) 6471 7006 Email: enquiries@anchordowncottages.com.au www.anchordowncottages.com.au

The Esplanade, Strahan. 7468 ph: 03 6471 7422 email: wcyc@tassie.net.au

Relax in style and comfort on the shores of Great Lake at Miena Now Relax in style and comfort on the open 12 shores of Great Lake at Miena months of Central Highlands Lodge is the most central fishing lodge

the year to the famous fisheries of the Western Lakes, Arthurs Lake, Penstock and Little Pine lagoons.

• Selection of guided tours available to surrounding areas. Evening eco-spotlighting tours. Experience the Tasmanian Highlands.

• Licensed cafe, bar and restaurant with comfortable and affordable accommodation.

•Comfortable, affordable accommodation Restaurant open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days per week.N (Open ow for • Licenced cafe, bar and restaurant opfunctions. breakfast Sept till April only). We cater for in-house conferences and en 2 • Private and • Brush up on yourfishing fishing skills withtuition some advice from our experts. monPrivate1fishing th transport lake. Hire one of ourtours professional fishing guides, complete with equipment, • Guided f the y s o and a picnic lunch. ear • Licences and tackle • Discounts for fishing club members - just present your membership card. We sell fishing licences, flies, maps, ice and gas.

Relax in style and co shores of Great Lake

Under new ownership and management. Ph 03 62 598 179 Email: highlandslodge@bigpond.com www.centralhighlandslodge.com.au

Central Highlands Lodge is the most c to the famous fisheries of the Western

Now

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

Fishing • Guiding • Charters

Private Fisheries

Tackle and Supplies

Georges Bay BURNIE MARINE Services Marine • Over 30 years experience on

GO Fishing charters

CHRISTMAS SPECIALS

Altron Spinning Reel Deal - all sizes $69 with bonus line & 100pce tackle box.

• 6w Live Fibre Fly Rods $69 • Flykatch fly reels Quill 5/6w $35 • Flykatch fly reels Quill 7/8w $52 • Mac’s deep diving lures (7m) $13 • Surecatch popper packs $6.95 • Surecatch cap lights $7.50 • Whitebait $4 pkt.

• Flush mounted rod holders $35

46’ Cresta Sports Fisherman Based at Southport fishing Pedra Branca

• Up to eight anglers • Professional crew • Comfort plus • Full range of tackle • Huge variety of fish • Australian record holders Contact: Lee Harris 0407 240 750

Phone 6376 2800 or drop in to 133 Tasman Highway, St Helens.

Tasman Highway, St Helens. 63762800

LATROBE

St Pauls River Cabins MOONSHINE CHARTERS

36’ Steber Sportsfisher Eaglehawk Neck - Jan-April Pedra Branca - July Bookings/info - Steve Gilbert 03 6261 1558 or 0408 105 311

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 on the St Pauls.

Break O’Day and South Esk rivers nearby.

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

www.moonshinecharters.com.au

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

108GilbertStreet,Latrobe0364265000

Launceston Lakes Fly Fishing Fly Fishing Tuition, conducted at the waters edge max. of four clients per guide, 9am or 1pm 7 days 3 hours tuition and ½ day is 4.5 hours full day 10 hours same tuition 3 hours minimum. ½ day $150. Full day $200.

Bookings are essential.

1166 Ecclestone Rd, Riverside Phone 03 63 966100 www.launcestonlakes.com

Boat building and repairs

St Helens

Air-O-Float Stabilizers

Constructed of an extremely strong, flexible, welded outer bag, with a tough inner bladder. Attached to the boat by sliding into a track that any handyman can fit (or fitting can be arranged).

Air-O-Floats give great stability and safety with their buoyancy.

Suitable for tinnies, fibreglass, punts, canoes, fishing, whitewater, yacht/boat tenders and clubs.

For more info phone 6443 4420 or 0427 571 212

Youreveryneedcateredfor •Eighten-suitecabins• Conveniencestore•Hot takeaways•Groceries• Newspapers•Fuelandoil • Bait and tackle • Boat parking•Boatandcarwash

all types of motors • Approved insurance repairer to boats and motors • Propellor rebuild and refurbishing • Repairs of all types - including skegs etc.

• Contact: Cyril Stevens Phone 6431 3082 Fax 6431 1255

Aluman

Engineering Vandieman Seaman boats Proplate custom boats, Boat repairs Propellor repairs

Mark Tapsell 424 Hobart Road, L’ton Ph 6343 3341

GREAT LAKE SHOP

SPINNING RODS, REELS & LURES • Hooks, sinkers, bait including mudeyes, scubworms •Excellentselectionlocallytiedflies • Fishing licences • Maps Petrol, diesel, air, ice, gas bottle refills.

Full range groceries, magazines and papers.

Ph 6259 8149

Cnr.MarlboroughandGreatLakeHighways.

Hillcrest Tourist Park & Mini Market 100 Chimney Heights Rd. 63763 298

Fishing News - Page 49

G. Loomis for life

Go G. Loomis Xpeditor and never worry about a broken rod again What is the Xpeditor program and how does it work?

If you have a breakage contact or call into any G. Loomis Pro Store and request the G.Loomis Xpeditor Service.

Tell them the model number and rod series. If G. Loomis no longer offer that model it will be replaced with what G. Loomis determine to be the closest current comparable model.

Pending stock and availability, you may receive a current replacement rod immediately and walk out of the store with a brand new rod. The cost: $150 or $200 for GLX. Do I have to return my broken rod? Yes, all broken rods replaced by our Expeditor Service do need to be sent back to the factory.

Tasmanian G. Loomis Pro Store dealers: Spot-On Hobart; Bridges Bros Hobart; Got One Launceston; Big Fin Sports East Devonport

Snowbee Backpack

Travel Dry Bags

Designed to carry everything from a full set of waders and wading boots to spare clothing, whether wet or dry, the reinforced widemouthed opening with rill-down facility allows for easy management of contents.

The roll down feature incorporates two end and two top adjustable clip straps to secure contents, creating all-round protection from the elements.

Two 1 and a half webbing straps track under the bag adding even more strength, especially when carrying heavier loads.

The removable webbing shoulder strap has a rubber shoulder pad for comfort and is fully adjustable to 4ft/130 cm when fully extended.

In addition there are two hand carry-handles for convenience.

Each bag also has an outer zipped compartment ideally suited for travel documents with a clear address label pouch.

Medium: 25 litre capacity: 24 cm dia. X 51 cm long Large: 60 litre capacity: 32 dia. X 69 cm long

Snowbee XS-DPF flyline Delicate Presentation (Pale Olive) The long shallow front taper gives superb, controlled turn over and allows the most delicate presentation of dry flies at both short and long distance. The short parallel belly allows quick loading at short range, but this is where the similarities with traditional lines end. The rear end of the belly runs into a continuous rear taper (CRT) which is in effect an extended rear taper, running all the way to the end of the line. This CRT allows smooth, progressive energy transfer whether roll casting at short distances or presenting a dry fly to a rising trout at maximum casting range.

Fishing News - Page 50

Snowbee X-Perience travel fly rod

X-Perience fly rods are a new range of high performance/high value travel fly rods. Utilizing same high modulus graphite found in the top of the line rods of other brands, with medium fast taper and stiffness, provide the high line speed needed for accuracy and control. Finished in a rich mahogany brown colour with a new anodized reel seat these rods are suitable for all fresh and saltwater conditions.

FRI 1085-4, 9’ #5 4 piece Fast Med-Stiff $449 FRI 1086-4 9’ #6 4 piece Fast Med-Still $449

Snowbee Chestpack

The Snowbee Chestpack has a water resistant coating. The rear comp. has a double zip, a rear zipped pocket, a front mesh pocket and elastic strap to hold fly boxes in place.

The front pocket features a hingedown front panel, with a ripple-foam fly patch, which is Velcro removable.

In the back of the pocket is a further elastic strap to hold fly boxes in place. On the front of this is a further triple pocket for leaders and accessories. Two small mesh side pockets for ‘lotions and potions’ plus ample hanging loops and straps. Can be worn as a ‘stand-alone’ item or can be clipped onto the Snowbee Backpack or Rucksack.

Constructed from 210 Demier diamond ripstop, ballistic nylon, with a double PVC backing to keep it water proof.

Constructed in the same rip-stop ballistic nylon as the Chestpack. The thick, contoured back panel, adjustable, padded shoulder straps and slim line design allow you to fish in comfort, with the bag on. The pack panel and shoulder straps are lined with an air-mesh material to allow air circulation to keep you cool. It can be worn alone, or in conjunction with the clip-on Chestpack. The large main compartment can be enlarged by means of an expansion zip, increasing the volume for larger loads. Inside is a zipped pocket, which will take a hydration system, if required (not supplied).

There are then two further front compartments for fly boxes, water bottles and accessories. In front of this is a further triple pocket for leaders and accessories.

V Hard No 1 Fluorocarbon Leader 100% Fluorocarbon Superior knot strength and abrasion resistance Hard Protective Resin Processing makes for a hard surface and helps knot strength and prevents line damage from abrasion V Hard is Sunline’s No. 1 Fluorocarbon leader.

Parallel Spooling (Colour: Clear)

FC Rock Leader

100% Fluorocarbon Designed to deliver high sensitivity Triple Resin Processing gives the leader excellent abrasion resistance and knot strength.

Parallel Spooling eliminates line damage (Colour: Clear)

9 ft Tapered Leaders

Top quality tapered monofilament leaders, using a super strength, low diameter blended nylon material. The 9ft leaders have a long taper and short tippet for easy turn over in general use, whilst the 12 ft specialist dry-fly leaders have a steeper taper and 5 ft tippet, for delicate presentation.

Big Game Shock Leader

Triple Resin Progressing gives the leader great abrasion resistance plus excellent knot and tensile strength This leader has good elongation (energy) at breaking point, giving the angler more shock resistance and less breakages UV-R processing minimises UV damage The leader remains supple, imparting a more natural action to your lures or jigs 40 to 330 Ib. 50 m spool

Super PE Braid

Super PE is a Braided Dyneema Line 2.5 times stronger than nylon featuring super high strength with ultra thin diameter’s and a tight weave that offer excellent durability and abrasion resistance making long distance casting easy.

Snowbee and Sunline products are available at all leading tackle stores. Distributed by E. J. Todd

Inland Recreational Marine Fisheries Fisheries News Addressing the threat of News the long spined sea urchin Boat ramp changes at Arthurs Due to low water levels at Arthurs Lake, new arrangements have been put in place to accommodate vehicle and trailer parking closer to the launching area.

The ‘No parking below this point’ signs have been removed and a designated parking area on the southern (Canal) side of the ramp has been cleared of rocks and signposted.

B o a ter s a r e e n co u r a g e d t o p a r k appropriately and not to obstruct the launching area particularly at the end of the ramp. Leave plenty of room for a car and trailer to turn and launch or retrieve safely.

Anglers are reminded that it is an offence to obstruct a boat ramp with substantial penalties applying to offenders.

In addition, new signage has been installed warning anglers of the need to be vigilant when navigating around the lake with new navigation hazards being exposed. It is recommended that anglers observe a 5-knot speed limit at all times.

Tasmania’s two most valuable fisheries, abalone and southern rock lobster, are having their habitat threatened by the long spined sea urchin (Centrostephanus rodgersii). The long spined sea urchin is native to NSW but in recent years large populations have begun to establish on Tasmania’s east coast.

In small numbers the urchin has little impact but when large numbers build up they overgraze seaweeds and algae on rocky reefs, changing these highly productive eco-systems to rocky barrens unable to support abundant marine life. Rocky reefs are an essential part of Tasmania’s marine ecosystem and are a key habitat for rock lobster and abalone as well as providing nursery areas for many scalefish species.

The Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute (TAFI) has been monitoring the impact of the long spined sea urchin and the good news from small-scale research conducted so far is that barrens can be returned to their former state. When urchin populations were removed the algae and

Big rainbows in Meadowbank

Earlier this month, 510 large ex-broodstock rainbow trout were stocked into Lake Meadowbank. These fish weighed an average of 3.8 kg and were of great condition.

Meadowbank has recently been yielding good condition brown trout for those that put in the time there and incase you needed another reason to fish there it is also home to the latest FISH4CASH tagged trout, which remains uncaught.

seaweeds returned and within 18-months the rocky reef was completely rehabilitated.

It is thought that the best way to control the urchins will be a combination of measures to reduce their numbers. Smaller sea urchins are consumed by a range of different fish species but large urchins, like the adult long spined sea urchin, tend to be too much of a prickly problem for many predators.

One animal that appears up to the task is large rock lobsters. Research has shown that large rock lobsters (135mm carapace length and larger, which is 3-2.5mm above the current minimum size) have the potential to be an effective predator of adult long spined sea urchins. It is thought that by increasing the population of these large rock lobsters that long spined sea urchin numbers would be reduced ecologically sustainable levels.

Deluxe 5 Position Trinidad Chair Fully padded back and seat. Sturdy steel frame.

Moulded plastic armrests.

5 stage adjustable seating positions.

Resort Chair Aluminium High Quality finish.

Durable aluminium frame and armrests. Heavy duty 600 denier fabric with foam padding. Drink holder, storage pocket and carry bag.

Compass sleeping bag Quick drying synthetic fill, full length zip, ideal for summer camping or sleep overs.

Equator sleeping bag Great mid size bag for spring camping or indoor use. Features full length zip, synthetic fill, internal passport pouch, rip stop outer. Non hooded bag also available.

$79.95

Need more information?

For information on recreational sea fishing: • call the Recreational Sea Fishing Line on (03) 6233 7042; • visit www.fishing.tas.gov.au; or • subscribe online to have fishing news information updates emailed to you.

12 Volt Fan Inflator 12 Volt fan inflator ideal for airbeds and kids beach toys. Comes with 3 adaptors.

$24.95

$59.95

$19.95

Another measure to be trialed is to have commercial abalone divers assist in reducing long spined sea urchin numbers as part of their abalone diving activities. This will help add to our knowledge of the distribution of the urchins and test the feasibility of removal activities as a control of urchin numbers.

Divers will keep records of their activities and will be provided with information to help them successfully identify long spined sea urchins.

In 2008, TAFI will begin conducting research trials in various locations off Tasmania’s east coast to assess how well these management options work and how we may be able to manage adult long spined sea urchins in Tasmania. Some of these trials will require the establishment of new research areas where some types of fishing will be restricted. Please look out for public notices in major newspapers, check our website, subscribe to fishing news email updates or call the Recreational Sea Fishing Line for current information.

The funding for this research project was provided by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) and the project is supported by Department of Primary Industries and Water and the abalone, rock lobster and recreational fishing advisory committees.

King Size X Leg Stretcher Excellent quality camp bed. Strong bracketed leg stretch. Heavy duty canvas cover. Complete with carry bag. 190 x 65 cm.

$109

$59.95 Velour Airbed Warm velour top airbed, ideal as a spare bed at home or to take camping. Single 73 x 186 x 12 cm. Double 137 x 186 x 12 cm.

Single Queen 147 x 186 x 12 cm.

$29.95 $44.95

Double

Marlo Table Heavy duty surface with laminated wood grain finish. Folding 22 mm diameter loop frame. Extra heavy duty steel stays and fittings. Rust resistant plating to all fittings. 90 x 60 x 70 cm. Also available in larger 120 x 70 cm Kilora table.

$79.95

4WD Mat Extra heavy duty vinyl top with velour finish. Self inflating.

Heavy duty sides and base. Premium foam and four high rated inflation valves. Comes with tie down straps Single and carry bag. Single 200 x 80 x Double 10 cm. Double 200 x 127 x 10 cm.

Queen 200 x 150 x 10 cm.

Clothes Airer Light weight aluminium clothes airer, folds down for comfort storage.

$120

$49.95

$170

Card Table Very sturdy yet light weight steel frame construction. Padded easy clean vinyl surface. Safety locking lags. Larger table for cards or camping. 85 x 85 x 71 cm.

$49.95

Frosty Ice Boxes Robust and light weight!

Moulded outer and inner skins with high density ICI polyurethane to offer better ice retention. No sharp edges to damage vehicles or boats, full width grips for easy carrying, 25 mm From drainage bung.

ALLGOODS

$149

Sorry some items are not available at all stores but may be placed on overnight order.

Launceston 71-79 York St 6331 36 44

Tent City Launceston 60 Elizabeth St 6331 3644

Devonport 6 Formby Rd 6424 7099

Glenorchy 15/352 Main Rd

(opp. Elwick Hotel)

6272 1122 Fishing News - Page 51

2007

YAMAHA MOTOR FINANCE

work boat in Tasmania.”

Phil Boxall Manager IFS - Tasmania

Yamaha for the Inland Fisheries Service

fishermen are spot on – that’s why we chose

outboard to buy and that’s Yamaha. The pro

“Commercial fishermen know the best

THE CHOICE OF FISHING PROS

FUEL INJECTED 4 STROKE HIGH THRUST GEARBOX D U A L T H R U S T P R O P S AVA I L A B L E QUIET – RELIABLE – FUEL EFFICIENT BEST RESALE VALUE DEPENDABLE LOW EMISSIONS GREAT IN THE WORKPLACE

Visit the Yamaha website to find your local Yamaha dealer:

Issue 71 December 2007 - January 2008

Get - or give a

See page 47.

Subscription for Christmas and you could WIN a Stormy inatable PFD.

Anthony Wolfe with a nice silver trevally from Georges Bay. See more on page 7.

$3.95

• Mayflies - improve your catch • Brushy Lagoon • Jan’s flies • Four Springs Lake • Silver trevally • Mako sharks on fly • Western Lakes • Striped trumpeter • Rock Fishing • Boat tests • Trout on surface lures • Kayak fishing • Reviews

Fishing News - Page 52

YA M A H A F T 6 0 : • • • • • • • •

heart of Your Boat

The

WWW.YAMAHA-MOTOR.COM.AU

Print Post approved; PP 702512 00027