Tasmanian Fishing and Boating News Issue 120 2016 February by Tasmanian Fishing

February - March 2016

TASMANIAN FISHING and BOATING NEWS — ISSUE 120

Kingfish Page 5 and 30

Flies Page 35

Print Post approved 100003074

Jim Allen – Great Lake Page 8

Bluefin Page 15 and 21

Southern bluefin everywhere “Hey dad, that’s my fish you are holding.” Clea and Ashley Hallam. See page 21 for more .

$5.95

The early season and number of inshore tuna has amazed even the most ardent game fishers.

Most Tasmanian game fishers plan holidays around Easter when tuna fishing really hits its straps.Not this year. The quantity and variety of tuna has been outstanding. School bluefin, albacore and large yellowfin has heralded one of potentially the best season for years. Flathead fishers are taking heavier rods and a few trolling lures with them and when

they finish bottom bashing for a feed throw some lures out. They have been picking up bluefin around headlands and reefs where they normally would not even go - nor would the tuna be there. Inside you’ll find some great tuna, kingfish, trout articles and more.

Big Kingfish — Jamie Harris

Hitting the Bottom — Jamie Harris

Great Lake with Jim Allen — Mike Stevens

Rules for Boat Guests — Ken Tudehope

Bluefin – No Skill Required — Todd Lambert

Taking Women Fishing — Hannah Ledger

Tuna for Dummies — Kelly Hunt

Sashimi — Joe Riley

Inshore Kings — Matt Sherriff

Water Beetles — Mick Hall

Reviews 38 Southern fishing report — Tom Crawford and Nathan Huizing

Marine Fisheries News

WINT GUIDHROP es

ARE YOU GAME? LE

B HA

T DE

t PS igh m L e A w iu s HT min eat LIGalu l s e re

UP TO

D UNe O l D RB ub UN E D o O un & d ERB V O

700G Lighter than traditional game rods

n bo r H CaWIT ht ILT ce n ig U a bo al T B osp ar gy r t T r c lo Ul BU ae de no ra h g ec t

PRODUCT

DESCRIPTION

RLFVG8

Venom Game 8kg Stand Up

RLFVG15

Venom Game 10-15kg Stand Up

RLFVG24

Venom Game 24kg Stand Up

RLFVGS24

Venom Game 24kg Straight Butt

RLFVG37

Venom Game 37kg Stand Up

FOR MORE INFO GO TO:

s tough as some of the trout fishing has been it seems the saltwater fishing has been conversely outstanding. I had five kingfish stories submitted for this issue and couldn’t use them all. It wasn’t that long ago when I saw every photo of a kingfish caught in Tasmania. Now they are still eagerly sought, but as well as a common accidental catch they are now the target of many keen anglers all around the state. Southern bluefin tuna catches seem similar and it is rare for them to be around this early in the year. Consequently, many freshwater anglers have moved their efforts to coastal waters as lake and river levels dropped during summer. Rain at the end of January arrested the dropping lake levels though and put some refreshing flood waters down Tasmania’s rivers. Of course we need much more though. So we have two different scenarios going on — difficult trout and easy gamefish. Who ever would have thought that? The low numbers of trout that have been caught are almost without exception in outstanding condition. They have been feeding well, but are so hard to catch. My untested theory is that they are feeding

Mike Stevens talks fishing with Chris Wisbey ABC Statewide Saturday mornings 6.40 a.m.

Tasmanian Fishing and Boating News Published by Mike Stevens: PO Box 7504, Launceston, 7250. Mike Stevens – P: 0418 129 949 or E: mike@tasfish.com Stevens Publishing, ABN 79 095 217 299 All material is copyright and cannot be reproduced without the permission of the publisher. Print Post approved; 100003074

Fishing News - Page 2

on the bottom. As lakes drop the light has caused a huge growth spurt in the aquatic weed, and all the fauna in it. Is this true? I don’t really know, but the fish I have cleaned are red and full of scud, amphipods, stick caddis and all the foods weed holds. That holds true for one of my past favourite waters — Arthurs Lake. It is a shadow of its former self and I don’t think it is a water level issue. Dun hatches have, over summer, been sparse and infrequent all through the highlands, but just as I write this I am hearing of some much better hatches on Little Pine and Penstock Lagoon. I am still determined to work out how to catch the Arthurs fish and no doubt we must all adopt some different techniques and methods. If you have had some good success at Arthurs please let me know. My contact details are below. I might even find a gift for you. Great Lake, regardless of level has been a saviour and both the edges have fished well (until the big dump of rain) and wind and foam lanes. It is difficult to get a boat on, but worth the effort. Pay close attention to Jim Allen’s story in this issue. Mike Stevens

For subscriptions go to www.tasfish.com, phone Mike 0418 129 949 or pay by Paypal to mike@tasfish.com - One year $36 - two years $68

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

The tuna are here — WE HAVE THE GEAR Call for even better combo deals and spooling prices

Shimano Tyrnos Shimano TLDs Tyrnos 20 2 sp $369 Tyrnos 30 2 sp $379 Tyrnos 50 2 sp $409

TLD 30 2 sp $299 TLD 50 2 sp $389

Shimano Stella 18000, 20000 and 30000 all in stock.

Tiagra is best? Tiagra 30W $595 Tiagra 50W $749 Tiagra 80W $960 LUCKY US and YOU We have some of the rare and higly sort after Tiagra Ultra rods. We’ve fielded calls from all round Australia for these. Limited availability and gorgeous.

We have a great range of Tuna Skirts, Vibe Lures and Deep Divers. Richter (New exclusive colours arriving soon), Rapala, River 2 sea, Meridian, Zukers, Williamson, Pakula, Halco and much more.

Check out the NEW Richter winged skirted lures and the Richter Silver Tornado jetheads.

Best Deals on Electric Reels

NEW BRAID PLATYPUS P8

Shimano Plays 1000 $899

Daiwa Tanacom Bull 1000 $879

Call for even better combo deals and spooling prices

Daiwa Tanacom 1000 $799 Shimano Beastmaster with Gigamax mtr

$1699

An outstanding premium 8 carrier braid that’s one of the thinnest on the market. Priced very well and made in Australia.

Let us show you this awesome line. 6-50lb.

Deep sea and Game rigging. EVERYTHING you need.

FREE ADVICE Need some help on how to set up your gear for the best results? Come and talk to us on how to rig lures, tie doubles, correctly tie on a wind on leader or how to use an overhead reel correctly. Come and talk to the people who use the gear. And guess what! It’s all FREE.

www.tassietackle.com.au E: enquiries@tassietackle.com.au

37 Wilson St, Burnie Phone: 6431 6500

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Fishing News - Page 3

SCOTT RADIAN

MINN KOTA All models available.

OVERSTOCKED SALE One of the World’s best rods

$1250 NOW $1100 9’ #5 and #6

Simms and many other breathable waders and boots in stock.

MINN KOTA ULTERRA - fishing will never be the same again AUTO STOW/DEPLOY Ulterra is the easiest motor you’ve ever fished with. End of story. Auto Stow/Deploy lets you get your motor in and out of the water automatically (without touching it) using the included i-Pilot or i-Pilot Link remote, or the redesigned foot pedal. POWER TRIM Once your motor’s in the water, Power Trim lets you easily adjust the motor depth for changing conditions, using the included i-Pilot or i-Pilot Link remote, or the redesigned foot pedal. It’s one more way Ulterra handles the busy work, so you can focus on fishing.

SAGE 65 models in stock. All the latest models such as Bolt, Mod, Accel, Pulse and more. Models from $550

Fly Fisher

Essential

105 York St, Launceston. Ph: 03 6331 8944 www.essentialflyfisher.com.au email: essfly@bigpond.net.au Fishing News - Page 4

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Big angry kingfish

The inshore anglers holy grail Jamie Harris

ellowtail kingfish are one of if not my favourite fish to target and catch. They are not only an awesome looking fish but they pull like a train and are pretty darn good on the plate too! Since the banning of commercial fish trapping of yellowtail kingfish on the big Island a few years ago kingfish or hoodlum as some like to call them, have made a big comeback and as of the last three or four years, have been a regular visitor to Tassie waters in the warmer months. Kings are generally a schooling fish so once you have found them the action can come thick and fast and often, once one is hooked you will see another fifty following under the boat! That said - kingfish are one of these fish that you really have to specifically target to have success. In other words it’s unlikely that you just will luck onto them while fishing for other species. Where to look for kings? They love current, structure and areas where baitfish will hold. Some well

known areas in Tassie are Woolnorth on the far NW; Waterhouse Island on the far NE; Elephant Rock and Georges Bay at St Helens; waters around Schouten and Maria Islands and Eagle Hawk Neck. Basically all the way down the East Coast, into the Derwent Estuary and D’Entrecasteaux Channel. They will follow bait schools similar to Australian salmon and will often be found underneath the salmon schools. Kingfish can be moody and fickle at times but once they are fired up and in feed mode they can be caught on many different styles of lures, live and even dead baits. Big soft plastics, hard bodies, surface poppers, floating or sinking stick baits and even skirted tuna or marlin lures can entice a strike from a hungry hoodlum. A surface strike on a popper or stick bait is awesome to see and is a personal favourite of mine. However, soft plastics are one of the most effective lures if used properly. One thing’s for sure, kings love speed and an erratic retrieve. Choose a reel with a fast gear ratio of at least 5 or 6:1 and crank that handle! If they are on you won’t be able to wind fast enough to avoid a strike if you get what I’m saying!? Personally I simply use a fast wind and stop retrieve. Sometimes if they are being finicky I will throw in a few sharp rod lifts and twitches to entice a strike. More often than not they will hit your lure on the pause, when your lure is sinking down. A fast drop is needed with

a soft plastic and you will need a heavy jig head. I have had the best success with a one or one and a half ounce Jig head. Kings love big lures and your lures or soft plastics should be around 6 – 8 inches long. Colour doesn’t seem to matter too much and I’ve caught them on a wide range from pinks, whites, blues, green lumos etc. It’s more about the speed and action you impart to your lure that will fire them up. Live baiting is another effective method to fool a king and more to the point, a BIG king! They simply cannot resist a well rigged and presented salmon or mackeral. If you have a readily available supply of liveys and a means to keep them alive – such as a live bait tank on your boat, it’s always worth a shot. I use around a 10/0 circle hook on a 30-60lb flourocarbon leader around 2 metres long. You can simply place the hook in the fish’s nose or back depending on current but I like to bridle mine for a better hookup rate. There are heaps of great videos on Youtube on how to do this. To target these dirty fighting brutes your gear and terminal tackle really need to be up to scratch. A good quality spin reel in the 5000 – 10000 range will suit. A quality and ballsy spin stick of around 5-15kg. This obviously depends a lot on the size of fish and what method/lures you’re using. I mostly use 30lb braid with a 30lb flourocarbon leader of only around a metre and a half attached via the amazing FG knot. If you’re not yet familiar with this knot then make some time to learn it! Most kingfish in Tassie will average around the 2-4kg and you will get away with some lighter gear on these fish. Areas like Woolnorth and some of the Islands have seen fish up to 15kg and these will obviously take some more serious gear (and strength) to land. We can only hope that we might see some more of these bigger fish spread around our little island in years to come. Jamie Harris

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Fishing News - Page 5

Hitting the bottom Jamie Harris

ometimes it’s great to get back to basics with a good old fashioned bottom bash. Whether it’s inshore for a nice feed of flathead or further out in the deep chasing some bigger fish like striped trumpeter or gummy/school shark. It’s one of the simplest and most enjoyable forms of fishing there is – clip on a rig, whack on some bait and send it down to the bottom and who knows what might come along. For me that’s the best part, the anticipation of what you might catch next! With boats/motors, sounders and tackle improving so much in recent years has seen offshore fishing in Tassie become more and more popular. People are venturing out wider in search of bigger fish. Everyone wants to catch the biggest fish right? I know I do! While the colder water around our little island doesn’t hold thousands of different species like up North, we still have some amazing fish worth catching and some of those include striped trumpeter, gummy and school shark, morwong, tiger flathead, latchet and so on. Many people in Tassie regard striped trumpeter as their number one table fish and for that reason they are often the main target when venturing out in deeper water. Stripey have been known to reach sizes in excess of 20kg but most will be around 2-6kg with a 10kg + fish considered large. Remember there is a closed season for stripey from 1st September – 31st October and this closure gives them a chance to spawn. Minimum size is 55cm. Bag limit is 4 fish. Possession limit is 8 and boat limit is 20 Fishing News - Page 6

fish. Worth noting is that a 55cm fish is quite small for a Stripey and they don’t have a lot of meat on them at that size so consider releasing the smaller fish. They do release well as they don’t “blow up” like some other species. Smaller fish can be found on inshore reefs but as they grow bigger will move out to deeper water in depths of 60 – 300 metres. Now obviously GPS marks are very handy when chasing stripey and many fishos guard their marks with their lives. That said, if you have a good Sounder/ GPS, it’s not too hard to find your own “new ground”. Stripey are a bit like snapper in that they can be found on more of a rubbley bottom as opposed to full on reef so keep a sharp eye on your sounder for even the smallest “lumps” on an otherwise flat bottom as it could be worth having a drop. Often you might see a small band of fish just off the bottom and this is a good sign also. The presence of ocean perch, red cod and morwong can also be a good indicator of good “stripey ground” Most deep water fish are opportunistic feeders so are never too fussy about baits. Pretty much any fish or squid will work although squid is my preferred bait as it is tougher and will hold up to the “pickers” better than fish will. Fish however will put out more scent and so if it’s a shark you’re after, try using a nice big strip of tuna or other oily fish for best results. There are many good pre-made bottom fishing rigs you can buy from good tackle stores these days but personally I like to tie my own up so I

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

always have a good supply. I tie a twisted dropper loop rig that I learned from a Geoff Wilson knot book years ago. Wire rigs will work but I still prefer Mono or Flouro from 100 – 200lb. If school sharks might be present I generally use 200lb as it will put up with their teeth a little better. I simply tie or crimp a basic two hook paternoster rig. I like a nice long rig and space my hooks fairly well and also have the sinker around a metre down from my first hook. A long rig will make it easier to grab hold of boat side and land those big stripey and sharks. I like to use big circle hooks around 10/0 so I can use a nice big bait like a whole Squid head. Don’t be shy with your baits! Bigger baits will put up with the “pickers” for longer and will also put out more scent. Just be sure to have your hook points exposed. There’s nothing worse than having to wind up from 150 metres just to re-bait! The addition of some lumo beads or squids on your rig will also help in the deep dark depths. Sinker weights will obviously depend on water depth and wind/current on the day. Just be sure to maintain contact with the bottom at all times. You will need a good robust combo for this style of fishing. A strong rod from 15-37kg at around 6 feet in length paired with a 10000 – 25000 size reel loaded up with at least 300 metres of 50 – 100lb braid. Talk to your local tackle stores for more advice on the right setup for you. Jamie Harris

Jamie with a good west coast stripey trumpeter.

TAKE THE google search...

TAKE THE HAGANE FISHING CHALLENGE SHIMANO’S HAGANE FISHING CHALLENGE WILL PUSH ANGLERS TO THEIR LIMITS AND SEPARATE THE ABLE FROM THE GREAT!

13 ROUNDS // PRIZE PACKS 52 // UNIQUE CHALLENGES Challenge Starts 04/01/2016

Every week Shimano will give you 7 days to complete the challenge. There are 13 ROUNDS throughout the year with a new challenge every week.

At the end of one round (4 challenges) the aggregate winner will take home a HARVEY NORMAN PRIZE PACK WORTH $1000!

Available on the Android

VV28401

Search “take the Hagane fishing challenge”, fill in the form and you’re good to go. You will receive an email each week with the week’s challenges.

Terms and Conditions apply, visit www.haganefishingchallenge.com for all the details

28401 v2F.indd 1

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Fishing News - Page 7 20/01/2016 11:54 am

Jim Allen – tips on Great Lake With Mike Stevens

An early morning ‘midging’ fish comes to the net on Great Lake.

lthough the level of Great Lake is low it is still one of Tasmania’s best lakes. From early morning midge fishing in wind lanes and foam lines to shore fishing to stick caddis and amphipod feeders and shark fishing later in the day it can be outstanding. It has not shown its best form so far this year and six or seven years ago I remember catching large numbers of fish when the beetles were on the water in good numbers. We had 30+ fish days and Tim Wallace caught more than 40 one day. I live in Tasmania at Miena for three months over summer and Great Lake is certainly a ‘go to’ fishery for me. Here are a few things I have learned about Great Lake I’d like to share. Dawn patrols on Great Lake are possibly the backbone of the Great Lake fishery. If there has been a fog in the valleys you should be on Great Lake at very first light – that means five o’clock onwards. The fog, to me, indicates a potentially good midge hatch, and this in turn will bring the fish to the top to feed.

You will find the fish in either wind lanes or the foam lines sipping away – and often lots of fish – both browns and rainbows. You can get to cast to 10, 20 or even more some mornings. Rarely are they easy, and sometimes they are impossible, but my heart skips a beat when I see a fish working towards me. I use a beetle pattern mainly or sometimes a dun pattern – even though there are no duns on Great Lake. Most mornings a beetle pattern will work though. I start with a black beetle as it is easy to see in the low light; when the sun gets on the water though I often change to yellow or olive. My favourite was by Bruce Gibson, but he is no tying so I will have to find another source. If the slicks break up – or if there aren’t any I implore you to look carefully at the foam lanes. You WILL find one with fish in it, and if you don’t want to knock off for breakfast investigate these. The fish will often stay in these all day. You will need to look for sipping fish, but later in the day you can polaroid fish in these foam lanes. I still like a beetle in these.

Then there is shark fishing later in the day. I have talked about this many times and written about it here before. It was discovered years ago by Peter Wilson from the Great Lake Hotel who told me about the orange ‘sharks’ he saw in the afternoon light at the bottom end of Great Lake. Now on a blustery northerly day with good light you will see many boats ‘sharking’. My good mate Tim Wallace, with young eyes and fast presentation is the best I have seen at it. Ideally you want a good stiff northerly breeze and a warm day. The enemy is cirrus clouds in the south, however wispy and light, as the will destroy your good polaroiding vision. Get up high on the foredeck of your boat and be confident you will see fish. If I think the day will be good I don’t rush it and hang around the shack until the weather looks like stabilising. I want the sun up high and don’t even consider going shark fishing before 10.30. It is usually over by 4.30, but it can go on until 5 or 6pm. Here are my most important tips.

It is only in calm conditions Jim lengthens his leader beyond nine feet. Fishing News - Page 8

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Tip number one: Learn to cast. Tip two: Learn to cast into the wind. Tip number three: Learn to cast accurately into the wind. I see people with $1200 rods and all the latest gear, but they can’t get their fly in front of the fish. It is easy to spend thousands getting setup and plenty more getting to your destination. However presentation is absolutely the most important thing of all. The fly has to be in front of the fish. You must be able to cast into the wind in Tasmania. Get a bloody lesson – or ten if you need them! Good casters get more chances.

“Fish don’t eat flies with their tails”

Not every foam line has fish in it, but many do so look carefully.

Finding ‘sharks’

I head out of Boundary Bay and traverse backwards and forwards across the lake using a bow mount electric motor going west to east and back. I would, in the past, do this on my outboard, but find the electric much better. I use one of the superb Motor Guide Xi5s. It never lets me down and is simple to use. So get a good electric and a big battery. The sun traverses the sky to the north and with the sun behind us we are looking to the south. This is the best situation. Occasionally you will get a clear blue sky with a south westerly and it is fishable, but not until mid afternoon. I never motor down wind – and although I do see some anglers doing this it doesn’t work for me. The trout we are looking for are on or near the surface searching for midges or beetles. What you will ‘hopefully’ find is not a vague dark trout shaped shadow — as you might see polaroiding a river or the western lakes, but a golden sided trout that stands out like a ‘shark’. Have your line stripped from the reel, ensure it is tangle free and be ready to cast. Once a fish is spotted don’t take your eyes off it — cast quickly with a minimum of false casts, and get in front of it FIRST cast. If it takes two casts you chances will have diminished by four times. These fish will often be found in pods – and I believe that is because of the food that has gathered in one spot. It may be a windlane, slick or foam line, or it may just be in the open water. If there is another angler in the boat make sure they are ready, because many, many times another fish will be nearby. I have really only noticed these pods of two to four or five fish in the last couple of years, but perhaps it was always the case. I have also noticed this in Little Pine.

FISH THE

TRUTH NEW LEADER AND TIPPET THE STRONGEST STRAIGHT TENSILE AND WET KNOT STRENGTHS IN THE INDUSTRY. PERIOD.

UP TO 35% STRONGER | 100% MORE HONEST* *OUR NEW LEADER AND TIPPET MATERIALS FEATURE ACCURATE BREAKING STRENGTHS IN IMPERIAL AND METRIC AND TRUE-TO-SPEC X SIZES AND DIAMETERS. TIPPET SPOOLS ALSO FEATURE STACKABLE FREE-SPOOLING HUBS, UV-SHIELDING PLASTICS, A BUILT-IN CUTTER AND MARKED RETAINER BANDS FOR EASY ID WHEN STACKED.

scientificanglers.com | #fishthetruth For your nearest stockist visit www.mayflytackle.com.au and click on the logo.

Great Lake fish love gum beetles.

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Fishing News - Page 9

Always have line stripped from your reel and be ready to cast. Late summer has traditionally been the best time, but this year it has been different. There has been very few gum beetles and the shark fishing has, until late January, been a shadow of its former glory. I believe there was a real freeze over late winter and into spring and perhaps this killed or stalled the beetles. Although that said, I have found a black and cinnamon beetle in fish I have caught early morning. It seems these are hatching and getting on the water during the night. It was only in the last week of January that the gum beetles have been really coming on and I have seen many

more than earlier in the season. I opened up a trout over over two kilos at the end of January and it was full of beetles, so the late summer and autumn is looking encouraging – not just for Great Lake, but others too. Some other interesting fishing I have found on Great Lake this year is due to low levels. Sand flats have become exposed and there have been fish feeding on isopods (shrimp) in this shallow water. This is in water barely deep enough to float my 4.5 metre boat. I have always thought the black sand produced the best fishing, but this year I don’t think that is the case and I have found

fish in patches on different coloured sand. They are not in every bay, but when you find a fish there will usually be more close by. My trout guiding mate Peter Hayes tells me he saw seagulls feeding on isopods recently. The seagulls were standing on rocks seemingly polaroiding isopods and plucking them up. How strange. If I was younger and more stable on my feet I would love to be chasing these fish from the shore. I am sure I would be more successful. So if you find these fish and are agile, get out of the boat and fish from the shore. Get into position with the light behind you and you will find some good fishing – early morning and late afternoon especially. Tasmania is in a dry spell and it looks like Great Lake will drop to a very low level – perhaps even lower than 2007 when it reached -18.03 metres from full supply level. In 1968 reached -19.55 from FSL.At 29 January it was -17.46, but had risen slightly after 75mm 28 January. It still fishes well when low though, but boating is getting more difficult - even just getting a boat on the lake. Weed growth has exploded and I have never seen so much. There is plenty of food for the fish in these weed beds and fish have had their heads down rather than up. It is di sappointing you will only see fish on top when there is sufficient surface food such as a midge hatch or beetle fall.

My gear

Rod and line: It was once a 7 weight rod with an 8 weight line, but now I have gone to a 6 weight rod and a weight forward 6 line. Modern fly lines are outstanding and they do match the rods. All my rods are 9 feet. Brand

UNthiNk UNthiNk

everything you know about 75-115hp FourStrokes. Unbridled power, unexpectedly compact, uncompromising reliability, unbelievably fuel efficient. everything you know Mercury’s all new 75-115hp FourStroke Range. Unlike anything the world has ever seen. about 75-115hp FourStrokes.

See your authorised Mercury Marine Dealer today.

Unbridled power, unexpectedly compact, uncompromising reliability, unbelievably fuel efficient. Mercury’s all new 75-115hp FourStroke Range. Unlike anything the world has ever seen.

See your authorised Mercury Marine Dealer today.

C.J. Marine and Karts 8 Legana Park Drv, Legana Ph: 03 6330 2277 Fishing News - Page 10

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

is not as important as it once was and the gap between the most expensive and cheaper rods has diminished. Go with the tackle shop advice on the best rod to suit you and cast it first. Rods these days are magnificent compared to 20 years ago. Leaders: A 9 foot leader is ideal most of the time. The only time I use a longer leader is in calm conditions – such as the quiet of dawn chasing midge feeding fish. In windy conditions it is always a 9 foot or even an 8 foot leader. My reason for the shorter leader is accuracy and presentation. If you don’t get in front of the fish quickly and accurately you WON’T catch them. As I said earlier trout do not eat flies with their tails. I used to tie my own leaders to the Ritz formula, but mostly I use any good commercial 9 foot leader and modify

the point to suit me. I usually start the season with a hand tied Ritz, but soon change for convenience. The Ritz formula is shown below. Some anglers use only Maxima or a soft mono, whilst others use a combination of hard and soft or a flurocarbon tippet. Reels don’t matter. I still love my old Hardy St Georges. Gear freaks should not take my lead on reels though.

Great Lake launching

Boundary Bay has been the saviour, but that is getting tighter. All other ramps are closed at the time of writing. Be considerate and move your vehicle after you have launched and be really careful motoring on the lake. It has many reefs and objects never seen by boaters before. Jim Allen - with Mike Stevens

My beetle box has plenty of variety.

A Ritz formula if you would like to tie your own leaders Diameter (inches)

.023

.021

.019

.017

.015 .013 .012

.011

.010

.009 .008 .007 .006

.005

.004

Diameter (cm)

.584

.533

.483

.432

.381 .330 .305

.279

.254

.229 .203 .178 .152

.127

.102

Tippet Size 9 Foot River Leader

43in 29in

6in

9 Foot Lake Leader

43in 25in

6in

20in

6 Foot 7in. Stream Leader

24in 17in

6in

20in 20in

To find the ‘X’ rating start with 11 and subtract the diameter in thousandths of an inch; So 7X is 11 minus 4 (.004).

The most outstanding electric motors ever The NEW Xi5 with Pinpoint GPS

Local servicing, repairs and warranty

Durable and Reliable • Premium composite shaft has a lifetime warranty against breaking • Electronics are encapsulated and impervious to water and dust • Mount uses anodized aluminium. Hardware components and linkages are stainless steel Precise Steering and Control • Wireless “pro style” foot pedal for outstanding control. Saltwater Xi5 model comes with hand-held remote • Digital variable speed control for exceptional low-speed and smooth power delivery Quiet on the Water • Steering transmission is highlyprecise and has 50% faster rotation than the competition • Precision steering transmission

gears and low-friction bearings. • Extra rigid shaft support and low vibration steering motor reduce noise, vibration and harshness Easy to Use • Mechanism aligns and guides the motor into the stowed position and secures it in place • LED lights in the dashboard show battery level and status of key operating modes • 55, 80 and 105lb thrust models. • Foot remote also available • Check it out on Youtube at: http://bit. ly/1ov2TWT or scan the QR code to go straight there

Many models in stock — from 30lb thrust transom mount upwards.

Local sales, servicing, repairs, warranty – and parts in stock.

C.J. Marine and Karts

8 Legana Park Drv, Legana Ph: 03 6330 2277

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Fishing News - Page 11

10 rules for boat guests Ken Tudehope

t’s a great thing to be invited out on a boat. Especially so if you don’t have a boat yurself. It might be an old friend and a regular ride, you might be new to town and have caught an invitation from a generous fellow fisherman welcoming you to the neighbourhood, your neighbour might finally have succumbed to your pleading for a trip on the water. There’s an etiquette to stepping on board as a boat guest that are not negotiable and give you the best chance of being invited back. What are the rules in your boat? I think it can be distilled into 10 simple points.

Rule 1: Carry cash Chip in for fuel. As a friend once said, ‘boats don’t run on thanks.’ Almost every trip something funny will happen, like you’ll deploy the anchor and the whole thing including all the anchor rope will disappear over the side. The skipper will remember they didn’t re-tie it off after the last cleaning. That’s boating. Their cost. Your share of the fuel is a nice consideration.

Rule 2: Bring the food Most missions are morning missions, bakery’s open early, Bring lunch. You need a couple of coffee scrolls, a couple of chicken salad rolls and an emergency packet of BBQ Shapes. After lifejackets and the bungs a packet of ‘shapes’ should be somewhere in all boats at all times. Don’t bring chicken flavour, that’s weird.

Rule 3: Don’t hook the owner As the owner of a boat it’s always a bit of a risk inviting someone out on the water. Getting hooked in the face can really colour the experience. It’s like when you hit ‘tilt’ on an old pinball machine. Game over. Likely causes – negligent casting, bad knots where the knot tag causes a tangle mid cast and a ricochet…and de-snagging with your lure/ bait caterpaulting back into the skipper. Avoid.

Rule 5: Bring enough clothing …and waterproof gear. If the reason the trip has to end is because you are bitching about the cold, looking like a drowned dog, or flirting with hypothermia, well, that’s just dumb.

Rule 4: Pack lightly People like a tidy boat. The owner probably wants a clear deck. If you turn up with a tackle box, clothes bag, backpack for personal items, camera bag

Fishing News - Page 12

and your teddy, well, the boat owner will be suggesting rationalisation. Try keep it to a tackle box/bag and a backpack with your warm/waterproof stuff inside.

Rule 6: Is it okay to smoke? Smoking on board a non-smokers’ boat is ok. A person has to live. Try not to light up while sitting on their fuel tank. Smoke downwind and, it goes without saying, don’t throw your butts over the side.

Rule 7: Don’t urinate on the sounder Taking a leak on a boat is a sign of good hydration. It’s what supermodels like you do. Splashes onto the gunnels or engine cowl are acceptable – one scoop of water will clean the scene. But standing well inboard and wazzing onto someone’s electrics will cause an uncomfortable silence.

Rule 8: Own the anchor It’s your job. Do it willingly. Show you care.

Rule 9: Offer to share the bow It’s likely you’ll get the bow of the boat. It’s likely that that’ll be the best spot to fish. Offer the captain the bow of the boat from time to time.

Rule 10: Help net the fish This is a difficult one. Bad netting is worse than no netting at all. You may be removed from the job if: a) you concuss the fish rather than net it - clubbing it off the hook through clumsiness or, b) passively hold the net in the water like you are waiting for a butterfly. Also note that if you start outfishing the skipper significantly they may start badly attempting to net your fish – perhaps blaming a war injury. It’s deliberate. You need to deal with it quietly. So there you have it, the perfect way to achieve the ultimate life situation…a friend with a boat. Follow these rules and you’ll be set…just don’t hook the captain in the face. If you have some other rules email mike@tasfish.com

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

THE ALL

LIGHTEST

NEW F130A.

IN ITS CLASS.

The all new F130A from Yamaha delivers a new level of performance, efďŹ ciency and boasts an incredible power to weight ratio. Take your time on the water to the next level with the new F130A. This changes everything. TO LOCATE A DEALER & FIND OUT MORE, VISIT:

www.yamaha-motor.com.au/F130

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Fishing News - Page 13

Available from:

Tamar Marine - Launceston Fishing Gear - Launceston Spot On Fishing Connection - Hobart Rod and Range - Glenorchy Fishermans Shed - Kingston Tackle World Burnie Fishing News - Page 14

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Bluefin – no skill required Todd Lambert

Julienne Lunny-Meade’s first bluefin, and pretty proud of it as well.

f you’ve never caught a Tuna on rod and reel before, perhaps you will never find a better opportunity than right now. They are in very close and easily accessible on a calm day. Todd and Janet Lambert recently decided to take their mainland friends for a look around Schouten Island (near Swansea) and the results were outstanding, read their report below.

Our family are very keen recreational anglers, whether it is trout fishing in the central highlands or fishing for flathead in Great Oyster Bay. As soon as any spare time is found we hook up the boat and head off. Around Australia day each year we are joined by some mainland friends, Kevin Wilkinson and his partner Julienne Lunny-Meade who fly over to experience what perhaps many of us take for granted, that being our state’s many and varied fishing opportunities.

Janet Lambert cranking it on.

Day one of this year’s visit, towards the end of January, was spent at Arthurs Lake, unfortunately I was unable to join them. They had high hopes when they left early on the Saturday morning armed with a couple of cups of mudeyes. Kevin anchored up to the trees in well-known locations such as Creely and Hydro Bay for not a touch and needless to say when I met up with them again later in the evening, they were more than just a little deflated.

Happy with flathead at the start of the day.

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Fishing News - Page 15

The weather forecast for the following day looked settled, discussion around the tea table turned to possible saltwater options as we knew a flathead or two wouldn’t be hard to obtain. With that in mind, a 5am start was scheduled and Swansea was the destination. Almost as an afterthought, and after seeing some posts on Facebook, we decided to take a couple of tuna rods as we had heard southern blue fin tuna were being caught in close at Schouten Passage. Now at this point in time I need to come clean, I know bugger all about tuna fishing and you could count all that I had ever caught previously on one hand, so with that in mind I placed a Facebook post up asking for suggestions on what colour lures to use and what direction we needed to head. I received advice such as “it doesn’t matter - they are everywhere outside the passage and you could catch them on a banana peel and hook as they aren’t fussy in what they take”. Other suggestions put forth were orange deep divers and green and gold skirted lures. With that in mind I put on each of the suggested colours.

First things first

As we travelled along the highway I wrestled as to what option to take, should we head straight out and look for a tuna early or take the guaranteed option of trying for a few flathead first? With a bit of democracy in action I was out-voted and it was the flathead that got the early nod. A couple of hours saw around fifty nice sized flathead caught, cleaned and in an ice slurry. Ok, now for plan B, the southern Bluefin tuna experiment. It was around 11.30 am when we arrived at the passage and I thought that perhaps we may have missed our opportunity. The sun was now high in the sky and my thinking was that this would drive them down into the depths, I wasn’t confident of success. The ladies (Janet and Jules) “democratically” told me to head to Wineglass Bay, this sounded as good an option as any, I also remembered my good friend Dale Howard having success in this direction the week prior. As we motored out to around the 65 metre mark, we observed a boat moving in close along the shoreline, then it stopped. This could only mean one thing, they had to be hooked up and they had to be tuna! As we moved closer to investigate, we started to see large splashes and boils around 200 hundred metres ahead of us and the next 30 minutes saw both our guests, Janet and my son Jacob land their first ever southern bluefin tuna, the advice I was given by those generous souls earlier was correct, the fish attacked any lure that went past their mouths. We arrived amateurs and left experts (not really) but we did receive many calls that evening asking for advice and tips once a video clip showing my wife hooked up started circulating on Facebook. (Have a look on the Tasmanian Fishing FB page if you want to see it yourself, it’s a bit of a laugh). What advice did we give? The same as you just read here, along with the quote from Tubby Quinn, ”Mate you could catch them on a banana peel with a hook in it if they are on the chew” Fishing News - Page 16

Four blueys in the boat and time to head home.

Seriously though, if you have some spare time, a capable boat and the urge to give this type of fishing a go, you could do worse than to head out now and give it a shot. Remember the boat limit for SBT is 4 and make sure you have your boat fitted out with all the necessary safety gear required for off shore fishing. A quick refresher on the Mast website is always a good idea before heading out onto the water. I’ve been very fortunate over the years to have experienced many memorable days on the water. On this trip, I was only a deckie and as the abovementioned video clip will show, quite possibly the worst Gaff-man in the history of the world. On a personal basis, I never actually caught a fish, yet this would rate as one of the best days. This is fishing, this is what we love to do, it brings families and friends together. How lucky we are to live in a state where options like this abound?

It might get a kiss from Janet, but it’s not going back. We must do everything in our power to protect it from those who would seek to exploit it at unsustainable levels and therefore deprive future generations of what we currently enjoy, I am speaking of Super Trawlers - but that’s another story. Todd Lambert

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

7 REASONS TO TRUST YOUR HONDA UNMATCHED RELIABILITY FORMULA 1 TECHNOLOGY OUTSTANDING FUEL ECONOMY SPECIALISED DEALER NETWORK UNRIVALLED PERFORMANCE SUPER QUIET OPERATION ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY *For a limited time Honda is offering a 5 + 2 = 7 years domestic and 1 + 2 = 3 years commercial warranty . The additional 2 years are based on the following conditions: The Outboard must be sold and set up by an authorised Honda Marine dealer, The Outboard must be serviced for the entire warranty period by an authorised Honda Marine dealer, in line with the recommended service schedule, The Outboard must be serviced for the entire warranty period using genuine Honda parts and lubricants. Offer ends 31st March 2016.

1300 1 HONDA | marine.honda.com.au

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Fishing News - Page 17

W Taking women fishing

Patience is a virtue Hannah Ledger

Steve Starling, Hannah and Jamie — A lot more confidence now!

ome men boldly go where no men have gone before; and on a regular basis take their other half fishing. Some guys will tell you they only do it for ‘Lady luck’, others groan about it and some enjoy the company of a woman on a fishing trip. Taking the wife, girlfriend or mother/sister/female friend fishing for some can be a hassle and a headache.

and big deal if she doesn’t want to take the fish off the hook. I can almost guarantee that if you take the p*ss out of her while she is trying to learn she may never want to come fishing again. She will become embarrassed and self-conscious and turned off forever. Be excited that she is there and trying her best. Then turn your back and take a couple of deep breaths.

I’m a girl, I love fishing, but I never loved fishing as much as I do now.

Be encouraging.

I know I put my partner through hell when I was learning (Do still a bit now, I reckon) and all I can say to the men out there who are willing to teach their lady friend fishing (especially those who are still learning) is that patience is a virtue. In a matter of months, my partner Jamie turned me into a water loving, super-keen fisherman (or angler, fisher, fisherwoman, depending on how politically correct you want to get). His steps were calculated and he was smart. Although he may not have been conscious of all the things he did to make me love fishing, I’ve recognised them and have decided to help you convince your girlfriends and wives who previously had no interest in fishing- to love fishing. Be sure to pay attention boys, as this stuff here is may be a game changer!

First of all — Do NOT make fun of her. Ever.

This here should be your main focus when attempting to get any chic interested in fishing and I can not stress this point enough. So what if a 2lb trout takes her as long to land as a 25kg tuna. Who cares if her style resembles something of a four year old trying to hit a tennis ball; Fishing News - Page 18

If your girl knows as much about fishing as you do make-up contouring and Shellac nails (makes no sense? Exactly) kindly start with the basics. Teach her how to cast. Show her how fast or slow to wind the reel, how to ‘work’ a lure and bait a hook. Teach them the basics on a few general lures or bait choices and so on. It is extremely important to us to know that we have your full supports every step of the way (make note this also goes beyond fishing, boys!). We need to be sure we are doing it right and not picking up bad habits. If we rig a soft plastic right the first time, congratulate us! If we catch the first fish, don’t be sulky, be proud of us! Let us gloat a little…don’t ever take away our sunshine or bathe in our reflective glory.

Don’t push them to do EVERYTHING for themselves.

I’ve been fishing for two minutes, no I’m not going to gaff that tuna or tail rope a mako, nor will I tie an FG knot on my own. I’m finally comfortable with casting, lure selection, knot tying and removing the hook from fish (unless it’s a gurnard, Jamie can deal with them thanks) after a couple of years now of fishing. I still don’t gut or clean the fish or reverse the trailer. But I’ll get there…one day. If she isn’t ready to take the fish off the hook, please don’t make her. If she doesn’t want a photo with a flapping fish, deal with it, you can hold it for her. If she doesn’t want to learn these things don’t push her, she

might eventually – or not. Unless its been like, 5 years. then she’s just playing you. These are a couple of things they may not want to do: Clean/gut the fish Hold a fish for a photo Tie (complicated) knots Bait their hooks Remove fish from hook Kill the fish. Remember - Patience is a virtue. If she sees you doing the above confidently and calmly, it’ll only be a matter of time before she wants to learn how. When you’re going through these processes, explain what you’re doing and how you’re doing it, simplified, so as to encourage her to participate.

Celebrate her first fish.

The first notable trout I caught was on an early trip to Lake Rosebery in 2012. It was about 3/4 lb, caught on a soft plastic, and when I landed it the lure was promptly pulled out of its mouth (not by me), it was ‘ho-hummed’ and then thrown back to the water. I didn’t even get to touch it, or get a photo with it. If you’re reading this now, Jamie, that hurt me :(. Just kidding but I was too nervous to say anything! If she’s screaming as she’s landing her puny fish or groaning because her arms are hurting on an Australian salmon, once landed- celebrate! High fives! Fist-Pumps! A cheeky pash! Just make sure she knows you’re proud of her for catching it all on her own. If it’s a small fish (as my first ones were) and you wouldn’t consider it picture-worthy, take a picture of it! You will make her feel proud. One of the first fish I caught was a dirty old Atlantic salmon from Lake Kara, and whilst I was made fun of when I posted it online, it was a big deal for me! I felt so proud of myself!

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Great Lake rainbow. I didn’t like holding the fish!

She will want pictures.

I pretty much want to document ALL of my fish. I have my own personal archives. From little weiners through to my bigger, more prouder catches. landing a fish, even a small one is a very proud moment to me and I just don’t understand when people catch fish and don’t take a picture of it because I am so proud of everything I catch, big or small, oh and my iPhone is 32G so has plenty of storage for photos. You know, because us girls catch sooo many fish. *Cough cough*.

Let her pick some lures.

I’ll give you the heads up; we’ll pick the pink one nine out of ten times - until we get a bit better at catching. Then we might start making more educated choices. But basically we’re ‘lured’ (see what I did there?) to aesthetics. Just like when we pick handbags and shoes, if they look good, you’ll get attention. When you take us to the local fishing shop, don’t bore us with details on manufacturers, just tell us to pick out a few lures WE think will work! If our lure or plastics selection is ugly as sin and totally not applicable, maybe just give us a few pointers as to why. One thing I enjoy about shopping with my partner is he always explains why he likes that particular lure and what he has chosen it for. Your lady friend will

remember this next time you’re shopping. Just a word of warning, If you take her into a tackle shop, for god sake, don’t let her see how much you spend on lures/ rod/reels unless you want to spend that much money again on presents for her. There’s also a saying that goes “My biggest worry when I’m dead and gone, is that my wife will sell my fishing gear for what I said I pay for it”. If you wife also acts as the minister for financial affairs in your household, I suggest you keep her away from the Shimano Stellas and closer to the Jarvis Walker.

Don’t kill the fish in front of her (unless she’s into that).

One of the kindest things Jamie did when we first started fishing, was firstly asking if I wanted to keep the fish, and if I said yes, he would politely tell me to look away if I didn’t want to see it humanely as possible be ‘put down’. I’m totally OK with seeing a fish donged on the head, but some girls might feel a bit sad about it. If she’s not in to keeping a feed because she doesn’t like them being killed, respect that and save the hunt and gather trip for another time on your own or with the fellas, and put them all back.

Accept we need to wee a lot.

We can’t piddle over the side of the boat like you can. End of story. Getting her to go with you in the first place. You know your lady best. You know what she likes and the things she likes to do. You also know some strategies on making her do things things for you (like make sandwiches, neck rubs etc), so my best bet would be to suggest some ‘quality time together’ but also pack a sneaky rod or two. Let her know she is welcome to have a go, but it’s more about the company and conversation - oh, and wine. Wine is good.

Couples who fish together stay together. In order to not turn her off fishing, perhaps (and you’re all going to hate this) do what she asks for the first handful of trips. If you really what her to enjoy it and see fishing for all its goriness you will need to take it slow. If she’s bored and has had enough, that’s ok. I know when I’m over it, I get pretty naggy so it’s best to take her home anyway… (whoops). I also know that it only takes the smallest lure bump or bite when I’m bored though, and

I can cast for another couple of hours! It’s never a good idea to push someone into doing something they don’t like, but hopefully these few steps can help you both enjoy some outside time as fishing takes you to some truly spectacular places (both fresh water and salt) in Tasmania and if enjoyed by both parties, will bring you closer; because couples who fish together, stay together. Hannah Ledger

Tuna, Trumpeter, Flathead and more..... Force 10 Fishing Charters - Fishing fun and great results Enjoy an affordable, fun-filled fishing day. We guarantee a thoroughly good time on the outstanding waters of the spectacular tasmanian coastline!

Great

fishing

all yea

r roun

A family day, corporate functions or mates day. We do them all. Gift vouchers make a great birthday or gift idea. Our 34ft devil cat is fitted with toilet and standard amenities.

DEEP SEA REEF All Year Stripey Trumpeter (Closed

It is in full charter survey and is safety management compliant and licensed to carry up to 10 passengers.

Silver Morwong Perch Coral Perch Deep Sea Cod Nov – Jan Squid

to fishing from 1 Sept to 31 Oct.)

BAY FISHING All Year Australian Salmon Flathead

Girls taking over.

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

GAME FISHING February – April Yellowfin Tuna Albacore Tuna Mar – June Bluefin Tuna Jan – March Mako Sharks

FORCE 10 FISHING CHARTERS

Book now: 0407 012 000 http://www.force-10-fishing-charters.com.au Fishing News - Page 19

TUNA TIME Penn SSM Spinfisher

$99

Platypus P8 Braid Line $49.90

Penn Squall 50 Combo & Gimbal Belt

Daiwa J-Braid Line 150m $34.90 300m $68.00 Daiwa Exceler & Saltist Bluewater Rod $289 Perfect for Stripies

$399

Fatboy Lures $39.90

20% Off all Pakula and Meridian Lures

Large Lure Wraps

$34.95

Halco Laser Pro 190 Lures $18.90 Connelly F33 Kneeboard $199

Sit On Top Kayak Trolley $99

MT600 Epirb $229 MT600G C/W GPS Epirb $289

River to Sea KIller VIbe 100mm $20.90 160mm $22.90 Wavedance Sierra Kayak $299 Was $399

Test Pilot Combo Skis $199

Bluewater 54â&#x20AC;? Ski Tube $79.90

IS YOUR EPIRB IN DATE ?

Need your reel respooled ? Come in and ha ve us spool it with quality IGFA mono

Kinetic SA1 C/W GPS Epirb $279

While Stocks Last

NEW PHONE NUMBER

1300 MARINE 1300 627463

Trading Hours - Monday - Friday 8am-5.30pm & Saturday Mornings 8am-12.30pm - 6-8 West Tamar Road, Launceston - tamarmarine.com.au - 1300627463

Fishing News - Page 20

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Tuna for dummies Kelly Hunt

Mark, Kelly and Clea having fun.

ever has there been a more perfect time to go and catch a tuna in Tasmania. The fish accessible by a far greater range of anglers at present due to their good numbers and proximity to good sheltered areas. Often seen as the domain of the big boat fraternity or just the game fishermen these fish are currently accessible by nearly everyone. The continental shelf or out in exposed waters is where they can usually be found in good numbers. Not so this year, it’s an amazing start to 2016 and everyone can become involved.

I have been asked to put together some ideas, hints and tips for those that have never caught or even had a go at catching a tuna, but would love to. We will look at some basics to get you out on the water with a great chance of landing some hard fighting fish that will have you smiling from ear to ear. We will even point out some places to launch a smaller boat and be able to target these fish safely.

Clear the boat

If you are on a tuna mission clear the boat of all the other gear that is not needed. Use it as an excuse to spring clean your pride and joy. When you are looking to land some tuna you don’t need things getting in your way. The boat should be neatly packed and have everything in its place and ready when you need it. There are often quiet times when trolling for tuna, but when they hit the lures things can get hectic. Double and triple hook ups are not uncommon and in these instances a clear and tidy boat will maximise your success. Grab all the used bottom rigs, empty bottles of sun screen from out of the side pockets. Clear the storage areas and the dash. You will now have room for your gaffs, lure rolls and gimbal belts.

What gear to take

You don’t need to be on the shelf to find bluefin.

Now you have a clear and tidy boat you can pack in some essentials. Four rods is enough to get the job done and if your boat is small then go with three. Overhead reels are the traditional domain of the tuna fishermen and women, but if you don’t have any don’t sweat. Penn reels make a range of affordable overheads if you want to rush out and buy something. Check out the PENN Squall range in both the single and 2 speed models. If you have a spinning reel of 6000 size up that will hold a reasonable amount of 10 -15kg monofilament or 50lb braid you are on the right track. Rods can be matched to suit the line breakage, but are best kept around 5 foot in length. You will need a bucket or gimbal belt. These are an awesome device that locates the rod but in a cup and

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Fishing News - Page 21

makes handling the rod and fighting the fish a great deal easier. The next step up is a full blown fighting harness, but at this stage the gimbal belt will be a very clever purchase. A couple of longer handled gaffs will be next on the list of handy items. When tuna are spent and you think you have them, they have a habit of being stubborn and circling just out of reach. This is where a good long gaff is a god send. Here is another reason for having a tidy boat. The gaff does not come out until needed at the last minute. I see people pull the gaff out nearly as

soon as a fish is hooked. On a smaller boat with a bit of excited action and a bit of a sea swell on it’s a recipe for someone to bleed a lot. Keep the gaff in the side pocket until someone yells…”We have colour” meaning they can see the fish. The gaff can be calmly taken out of the side pocket and readied. That should be about the same time the fish has been leadered and the gaff deployed. Don’t be too fussy about where you sink the gaff. We all like to fire off a great shot into the gills and head to save the meat, but when new just relax, take your time and get it in where ever. You can get fancy and pin them in the lip when you get some experience.

Every type of tuna lure imaginable

2012 2010TROUT TROUTSEASON SEASON SPECIALS SPECIALS

WE HAVE ALL THE BIG BRANDS!

ZACATAK HOLLOWPOINT HALCO RAPALA World’s best quality - made in Australia. ZUKER ZEREK The “Original Rapala Spotted Dog” – have outstanding premium 8 carrier braid WILLIAMSON your very own custom painted An lure for a SAMAKI small fee. Available in all Rapala Floating that’s one of the thinnest on the market. BOONE YAMASHITA and Countdown sizing. “Sting Cobras – Five of the Best ! “ STAR Fantastic Value 6-50lb. Wattle Grubs Back on the market – (L – R – No’s : 3, 4,YOZURI 12, 17, 21 and Run Trout Let us guide you to the best Ask Sea us about Take a and Worms Home Made Huon Fish Fishing Essentials Trout Opening Destinations Mate Fishing Coupons hooks). Available Now Cake lures – see instore. PAKULAdeadly Tru Turn andsingle many more

NEW PLATYPUS P8 BRAID

The Fishing Connection If it’s available we’ll get it... - Phone Orders Welcome Specials available during July and August or while stocks last

87-91 Harrington Street, Hobart, Tasmania, 7000.

Fishing News - Page 22

Email: fishconn@bigpond.net.au

Ph (03) 6234 4880

Fax (03) 6234 8024

Lures

Now here is a subject where people will get into a tizzy and froth over what lures are best and this one’s a killer and this one is the best in the entire world. There are a few things to remember with lures. Quality, action in the water and proven ability. I have spent a long bit of time on the water and here are some lures that will give you a head start. Lures are run in what we call a spread. The competition spread we use is a five lure spread, but depending on conditions, we will sometimes add two or three more. What you are trying to create with your spread is the appearance of fleeing bait fish. The boat creates the illusion of some surface disturbance that is spotted by the tuna and just outside that they will see your lures. Each lure within a spread has a name given to it due to its position in the spread. They are from stern of the boat back SHORT corner, LONG corner, SHORT rigger, LONG rigger and SHOTGUN. These at first may seem confusing, but it will fall into place. Do not get too hung up on the word rigger as this refers to outriggers. If you don’t have any it just means the rod position not in the corner of the boat. The lures are placed in this formation for a number of pretty cool reasons. The first and foremost is to stop tangles when trolling. If they were all at the same length there would be hell’s own tangle in no time flat. There are two other instances when a big tangle can occur and that’s when turning and in a strong side wind. Placing the lures in the spread described negates any tangles and you should be able to turn and troll in side wind with the smallest of tweaks. You will quickly get an idea of what the spread is doing and let some more line out or wind some in to have the lure work in its own little gap. Just a little tip – Should you hook a fish or two back the throttle off but don’t take the motor completely out of gear and steer straight. This will allow the lures that are still out to be kept straight as they are cleared away. When they are cleared away fight the fish in one corner. In a two way hook up the skipper has a bit more work to do and can have one angler slow as you deal with the closest fish. Should you have three or more hooked up the skipper can just lie on the deck in the foetal position rocking back and forth.

What lures to run

Use good brands and don’t skimp on price. Good lures work better and have better action. Like I mentioned earlier this can be open to much debate and I will give you five that we run based on the three cornerstone attributes. We have used Zacatak lures for many years as they have allowed us to feature well in a number of game fishing competitions. They are of awesome quality and their design and action in the water is a huge part of their success. They breathe and produce a smoke trail and a great “waggle” when they submarine again that fish find very attractive. They also hold the water very well in a side wind and that again is due to the design from many years of fishing and improving. Below is a starting five and the positions to run them. Simple rule of thumb is the longer the head on a tuna pusher the longer it goes back in the spread. The shorter and more cup faced the shorter it goes in the lure spread.

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Below you can see the long head design of the SMOKA and I set this back at the SHOTGUN position. Use the wash from the boat to decide where you will run the SHOTGUN lure. Set that lure 5 metres or more back from where the wash starts to clean up. The SPROKET heads are well suited to long rigger and short rigger positions and as we get shorter the ROACH and the MIDGE work very well. If you are looking for a conventional sub surface lure you can use the Halco Max range to great effect.

Weather and where to go

Safe boating is dependent on good weather and good boatmanship. This is true for any boating. Pick some good calm weather and make a plan that allows two days to get the job done. That way if you have bad weather on one day you have another day up your sleeve. Swell and seas below one metre and little to no wind is preferable in a smaller boat. Check the Bureau of Meteorology website and learn how to use it. The METEYE section on the BOM is fantastic once you get your head around it. Make sure you have all life jackets and wet weather gear is in good conditioned and serviced. If you have other crew ensure they know where your safety gear is and how to use it. While we always look to go out in good boating conditions, those conditions can change in a heartbeat. Having a trip plan based around the weather report is a great idea as well. Heading into the weather in the morning that and come home with the sea and swell up your bum is a great idea if possible. Tasmania is blessed with some very special places to fish for tuna and the action can be located very close from land or in and around some fantastic shelter. Fortescue Bay, Bicheno and Schouten Island are all accessible by smaller boats and crews with little or no tuna fishing experience.

A bit of surf on here.

LONG corner — 6.5in ROACH Sacred Saury

LONG RIGGER — 6.5in SPROKET Sacred Saury

SHOTGUN — 6.5in SMOKA Red Bait

Fortesque Bay SHORT CORNER — 8in MIDGE Secret Squid

SHORT RIGGER — 6.5in SPROKET Oily Green Lumo

Halco MAX

Fabulous and sheltered in most wind and sea conditions with exception of anything from the EAST. It is also not a place to be in a howling NORTHERLY, but then neither is the entire area. The bay is a great place to launch and set your tuna spread in the comfort of the bay. When the tuna are as thick and as hungry as they are at the moment you won’t find you have to venture to far from the mouth of Fortescue. Keeping inside the shelter of either headland will find fish currently. Should you not find them in the middle or directly out front, work the areas from The Lanterns and back towards The Thumbs. It takes some getting used to but you do

not have to be out to sea. You will pick tuna up very close into shore along the cliffs. Mix your line of travel up a bit between in close and out a bit wider. Always looking for surface disturbance or some birds taking interest in something.

Bicheno

A little more open to sea conditions but on the right weather pattern and amazing fishery. The beauty of this region is again the close proximity of the tuna at present. The boat ramp is sheltered and easy to launch and retrieve. On a very low tide some care needs to be taken, but still ok.

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Fishing News - Page 23

The fish can be found just about anywhere, but in recent weeks have been in the 70 – 100m mark. There is abundant bird life in and around Bicheno and when you come across where they are out to see it’s a great spot to concentrate on. The band of birds is often on or just before the 100m mark and this is where we found good numbers of fish. Birds are very important to the tuna fisher as they can turn a very poor day into a good one. The crew that remains diligent and keeps an eye out for feeding birds will be rewarded. Should you see some birds gaining height and diving into the water head over slowly? Do not barge through the middle of them but circle them and work the area over.

Schouten island

Another jewel in Tasmania’s tuna fishing crown is the area in and around Schouten passage. The current and water flow here brings nutrients and bait that, at certain times of year, brings the place alive. You can use the shelter afforded by the Freycinet peninsular and travel down Great Oyster Bay. Set your lures in the calm waters of the passage and head out into the open sea looking for tuna. This is another spot you do not need to head off into open ocean. Working the edges of Schouten Island will find fish. The point down the far end has some bait holding grounds worth a look. Keep an eye out for birds that are picking right in close. They will be on fish and cleaning up the scraps from them feeding. If it is a bit quiet in close and the weather allows, head out towards the 100m depth line and again watch for bird action. The place has been alive with tuna of late and you should find them.

Josh Hay landed this nice bluefin on a big eggbeater reel.

Mark Delanty and Kelly Hunt about to tuck into the sashimi. Fishing News - Page 24

What speed — Which tuna?

The speed to tow your lures is between 6 and 8 knots or 14 kph. Don’t get hung up on being too fast or too slow, just do 14 kph and you will get strikes. It may seem too fast if you are not used to it, but tuna are speedsters and they will smash it easily. The thing to watch out for is going too fast for your lures. If you have not purchased good quality lures they may blow out of the water and tumble. This is BAD. Lures that are not presenting well or having the hook sit well make hook ups difficult. Going down sea without adjusting speed is BAD. If you are picked up by following swells and surf the swell your speed will increase rapidly and ruin the lure spread. Pull the throttle back a little and watch the lures. They should be on the surface and then dive under a little, pulling a bubble trail down with them. They should then resurface creating some disturbance and cupping some water forward before submerging again with a little wiggle. I have not been particular with specific tuna species as they will all fall for these techniques. We are lucky that we have all four species off our coasts from mid January. Southern bluefin, albacore, yellowfin and striped tuna will all fall to these lures and tips so be prepared for anything to come over the side. The bluefin are most plentiful along with the albacore. Striped tuna are the much less favoured catch and unfairly seen as bait and burley. The prized catch is the yellowfin tuna. They are superb eating and have fantastic fighting qualities. Often mistaken for bluefin by newbies as bluefin schoolies have bright yellow finlets behind their second dorsal. A yellowfin has bigger elongated second dorsal often called “sickles” Bluefin have small yellow finlets that cause confusion Striped tuna has easily identifiable stripes on his belly

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Quintrex 460 Renegade Side Console Quintrex 650 Trident Hard Top

Built Purely with the Fisherman in mind the 650 Trident HT is full of features that really matter. 135L Underfloor kill tank, large Bait Station, Rod Holders, Knife Sheath, Fully Enclosed Hard Top Cabin. Package as displayed includes: Lowrance HDS 9 Touch, VHF Radio, Cabin Carpeted, Cabin Seat Squabs and much more. Price as displayed $94,750 / 1 Only Display Stock Clearance

Get ready for a fishing adventure.The new 460 Renegade Side Console is packed with all the necessities to get you straight out on the water. Equipped with 77L Under floor fuel, Transom Step and Rails, Front and Rear casting Platform, BLADE Hull, Custom Alloy Trailer as Standard. Package as displayed also includes Factory Two Tone Paint with Decals, Bow Mount Motor Bracket.

Price as displayed $31,350 Drive Away

$87,500 Drive Away

Quintrex F450 Hornet Trophy

The Ultimate fishing boat packed full of the essential fishing features. Smooth ride in all conditions with the aid of the Eclipse V-Flared Hull, while providing a stable platform to fish from when at rest. Package as displayed also includes: Factory Vinyl Wrap, Deluxe Rod Locker, Rear Boarding Ladder, Custom Alloy Trailers as Standard.

Quintrex 490 Fishabout

Price as displayed $37,690 Drive Away

The walk through Dash and Windscreen makes retrieving and setting your anchor a breeze, along with Large Alloy side pockets there is plenty of storage. Equipped with 70L Under floor fuel, Transom Step and Rails, 2 x Folding Skipper Seats, BLADE Hull, Custom Alloy Trailer as Standard. Package as displayed also includes Factory Bimini Canopy with Front and Side Clears, Cargo Net, Maxi Bracket with SST Boarding ladder.

Quintrex 450 Fishabout

Quintrex 430 Fishabout

Price as displayed $31,790 Drive Away

Price as displayed $23,750 Drive Away

Perfect for relaxing with skipper seats and a rear folding lounge and complete with the new Blade Hull the 450 Fishabout is the perfect, smooth ride. Equipped with 50L Under floor fuel, Transom Step and Rails – 2 x Folding Skipper Seats – BLADE Hull – Custom Alloy Trailer as Standard. Package as displayed also includes Factory Bimini Canopy with Front and Side Clears, Cargo Net, Maxi Bracket with SST Boarding ladder.

Price as displayed $37,990 Drive Away

Standard with Rod Holders Drink Holders & Transom Step with rail for easy access,The 430 Fishabout has all the essentials for a coastal fishing trip or cruising around in the lakes. Equipped with Transom Step & Rails – 2 x Folding Skipper Seats – BLADE Hull – Rear Motor Well as Standard just to name a few. Package as displayed also includes Factory Bimini Canopy with Front & Side Clears – Cargo Net – Maxi Bracket with SST Boarding ladder. Get set for fun and adventure aboard your Quintrex 430 Fishabout.

www.deeganmarine.com.au – Ph: 6425 2238 102 Eastlands Drive, Ulverstone

SIZZLING SUMMER DEALS ON NEW STACER - YAMAHA or SUZUKI PACKAGE Coastal Marine is now a Stacer Dealer. With over seventy models and seven ranges there is a Stacer to suit your every need. Starting with open boats for entry level boaties, the Prolines range, the sporty SF Series, the popular and diverse Nomad range, the Runabouts range for

117pw*

Rigged and ready to drive away today

family, the Bowrider for a bit of luxury and finally the Cabins range. With so many popular favourites available the hardest part of finding your Stacer will be trying to pick just one! Large range in stock now. Call for a great deal NOW. We can arrange finance and insurance and have you on the water.

STACER 449 ASSAULT PRO $23,900

Stacer’s new range of Assault and Assault Pro models are revolutionising tournament style fishing! These newly-designed models feature a substantially sharper entry and the SF Sports Hull for a smooth ride, combined with a wide beam to give you stability underfoot. Four stroke 40HP Yamaha or Suzuki.

139pw*

Rigged and ready to drive away today

111pw*

Rigged and ready to drive away today

STACER 449 OUTLAW SIDE CONSOLE $28,300

The MOST- WANTED model on the water! Stacer’s Outlaw range is available as a tiller steer, side or centre console and stand out on the water with smooth plate-look sides. Each model comes packed with nothing but the best fishing essentials – tough 3mm bottom sheets and side sheets, EVO Advance Hull, font and rear casting platforms and a rear live bait tank! Four stroke Yamaha or Suzuki.

STACER 429 SEAWAY $22,500

The new 429 Seaway features a new podded transom, 3mm bottom sides and is rated up to 5 people meaning the whole family can enjoy a day on the water. Yamaha 40 oil injected 2 stroke.

121pw*

Rigged and ready to drive away today STACER 429 OUTLAW TS $22,789

Rigged and ready to drive away today

349 Proline 379 Proline

379 Seasprite 429 Outlaw 449 Seaway

55pw*

STACER 429 RAMPAGE 2 L S $10,950

Smaller Stacer Open Boats load easily atop 4wd’s utes, camper trailers and caravans without weighing them down - and there’s a boat in our range to suit any budget! They’re easy to drive, handle well in a variety of conditions and are very economical to operate whatever your boating experience. 30 HP two stroke Yamaha or Suzuki.

449 Seahorse 489 Sea Runner 579 Sea Runner

*Finance is available to approved personal applicants of Yamaha Motor Finance. Repayments are based on an annual percentage rate of 9.43% with a 0% deposit and 0% Balloon. The comparison rate is 9.99% pa and is based on a secured customer loan of $30,000 for five years. Conditions fees and charges apply. Offer valid until 31/03/2016. WARNING: This comparison rate is true only for the examples given. Different fees or other

loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate.Yamaha Motor Finance ABN 29 101 928 670. Australian Credit Licence 394553.

View these boats and more at Cnr Fairlands Dr and Bass Hwy, Somerset

Burnie TAS, 7320 Phone: 6435 2200

Fishing News - Page 26

E:anthony@coastalmarine.com.au W:www.coastalmarine.com.au www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Kelly and Clea with a nice bluey in close. esky. Bluefin is best for the table when looked after well. Leaving on the deck of a boat all day to slide around in the sun is NOT acceptable. Bluefin is awesome, yellowfin is better and albacore is totally different again. While bluefin and yellowfin lend themselves to sashimi and steaks, albacore is fantastic done in crumbs. So make a good plan, head out, be safe and catch some tuna! Kelly ‘Hooch’ Hunt.

Albacore have bog pectoral fins and big eyes. Mozz has a big grin as this Albacore went 22kg.

When you hook a fish

The HOLY GRAIL – Yellowfin tuna showing golden sickles Once on deck get a few high fives out of the way, but watch the flapping fish. Nobody wants a hook in them. Get a knife and place a cut two centimetres behind both pectoral fins and allow to bleed out. Then place the fish in the shade or better an ice slurry in a bin or large

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

STOP THE SUPER TRAWLER JOIN THE FISHING PARTY

arfparty.org

The reel will scream, maybe more than once, and it is important to remain calm in and around the excitement. Leave it in the rod holder, keep the boat in gear, get sorted and then get the rod in hand. Have others clear the lines not connected to a fish. Take your time as there is no rush. Be smooth and steady. Don’t give the hooks an excuse to come out by jerking and being rough. The rod is a tool and should be kept bent and with a curve in it at all times. You do this by lifting up and pulling a curve into the rod and winding down slow. You do not want nor should you try to get ten winds back each lift. Lift up and quickly get one or two winds back on the reel and repeat. The tuna will be as unexcited to see the boat as you are excited to finally see it alongside. This is the time for cool heads and maybe backing the drag on the reel back a touch. Most fish are lost alongside the boat. Back the drag off a little and allow the fish to run smoothly should it still have some energy up its sleeve. Tuna, when tired will start to do circles in the water and the trick is to gaff the fish as it comes past in one of these loops.

SHI

NG PA R

Authorised by Kevin Harkins, PO.Box ??? Hobart.

Fishing News - Page 27

Sashimi Joe Riley

With so much quality tuna around at the moment we thought it time for a revisit.on this story which ran nearly ten years ago.

ushi and Sashimi are one of the mainstay meals in the varied fare available from the many multi cultural restaurants around Australia. These simple dishes have a strikingly attractive presentation and have delicate, rich and sometimes robust taste making them a very popular meal at Japanese restaurants and every upmarket cafe in town. While these delicacies may command a high price at exclusive restaurants you can prepare sashimi and sushi at home for a pittance, and with the abundance of fresh fish available around Tasmania in both salt and fresh water you can serve a sushi meal that any restaurant in Japan would be envious of. Before we get ahead of ourselves lets break down a few terms. Sushi is a dish, in this case raw fish served on a small rectangular pad of rice. It is also the generic name used in Japanese restaurants to describe a platter or meal of varied items which can include sashimi, sushi and nori rolls. It can include raw or cooked fish, other seafood, omelette, or any other ingredient the imagination can conjure up. Sashimi is fresh slices of raw fish which is usually served with condiments like soy sauce and wasabi. Nori rolls refers to rolls of dry seaweed which have a layer of rice on which is placed further ingredients that are then rolled up and sliced. Wasabi is a root plant similar to horseradish however it is presented as a green paste and has a kick like granddadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shotgun, so beware. Only two things are essential to make sashimi, fresh fish and a very sharp knife. There are many commercial

Sashimi on the lake side. Fishing News - Page 28

sashimi knives available, traditionally they have a single beveled edge to the blade and a flat edge, therefore they are right or left handed. Commercial filleting knives, even cheap ones these days come with extremely sharp edges and can fit the cause for home use if you just want to give it a try. The second ingredient is the fish, commercial species used at restaurants include tuna (blue fin or yellow fin), blue eye trevalla, kingfish and sea trout or Atlantic salmon. All are regularly available at commercial fish shops, but make sure they are fresh. Also don't be put off by the sometimes high price commanded by tuna as you can get away with a chunk of 100 gm to 200 gm depending on how much you intend to serve. As I said though, fresh is best and there are plenty of species that you can catch yourself to make a fantastic sashimi or sushi meal. Brown or rainbow trout with a good orange to red flesh is ideal as is our fabulous Atlantic salmon, silver trevally, garfish and flathead also make beautiful sashimi. Bluefin are plentiful at the moment so find a friend that does some game fishing if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. Sushi and Nori rolls can be made with readily available sushi kits from most supermarkets. Kits include most of the stuff you need including a bamboo mat for rolling nori sheets into rolls once the ingredients are added. All sorts of ingredients can be added to Nori rolls, but fresh raw fish with a slice of carrot and cucumber and a light smear of wasabi is the making of a fantastic Nori. I love to make a sushi platter when friends come. The contrasting colours between the white flesh of trevalla, the deeper hues of yellowfin tuna and lovely orange of both fresh trout and prawns make a fantastic sushi and you have a meal to remember. I have done a bit of reading into sushi and sashimi to find out that squid and scallops also rate highly. Squid is simply gutted, skinned and cut into rectangles for sushi or sliced very thinly for sashimi, while scallops are simply cut in half straight out of the shell. Scallops can also have boiling water tipped over them and then wiped off with paper towel to firm the flesh slightly once they are cut in half. Tasmania is ideally positioned for nearly all of the fish

I have mentioned. Catch them fresh, treat them well and you have ingredients that the best in the restaurant trade can only dream of. A couple of quick hints if you are having trouble slicing your fresh fish, wrap it in glad wrap and put it in the freezer for half an hour before slicing it, this will firm the flesh to enable thin slices. Cut fish into rectangles and slice across the grain where possible. Use a long knife, cut the fish in one continuous slice. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t saw backwards and forwards. Pick the pin bones out of fish before slicing and remove flesh from the blood line after slicing, the blood line is quite oily and is apparent as a darker streak of flesh near where the skin was removed. Prepare sushi and sashimi as close to serving time as possible. With all of the fresh fish we have available in Tasmania, give sashimi and sushi a try. Don't be afraid to buy the ingredients but get them from a reputable fish trader and make sure they are fresh. Better still, catch it yourself and stick to the 'fresh is best' motto and you can't go wrong. One final word is to be sure of what you are dealing with when making sushi or sashimi. The Japanese have a 'special' sashimi they call fugu. This is made from the flesh of toad fish which hosts a deadly toxin in the liver and internal organs. Fugu chefs spend years perfecting their skills in preparation of this delicacy, which apparently leaves a tingling on the tongue and lips when eaten. Apparently from residual poison in the flesh. A number of people die every year in Japan from eating this delicacy and the moral of the story is to only prepare sushi or sashimi from fish you know are safe to eat. We have lots of great eating fish which are not too hard to catch so have a go and impress friends and relatives with your culinary talent. You might even surprise yourself with how easy sashimi and sushi are to prepare. Joe Riley

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

6-8 WEST TAMAR ROAD. LAUNCESTON. TASMANIA 7250 PHONE (03) 6331 6188 FAX (03) 63342681

www.tamarmarine.com.au www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Fishing News - Page 29

Inshore Kings Matt Sherriff The kings are getting bigger.

f there was a perfectly designed fish swimming in the ocean it would be the yellowtail kingfish. From the distinct yellow tail and yellow stripe breaking up its counter shaded torpedo shaped body, their striking looks are overshadowed by the speed and power of these mighty fish! The Kingfish is revered around the globe for it’s never say die fighting ability which will test both the angler and their tackle to the limit.

Where are they found?

Kingfish have an affinity for structure and therefore tend to gather around reefs, headlands, channel

markers etc. The other part of the equation is current; Kings are powerful swimmers and will most often be found in areas where the current is at its strongest. Water temperature plays a strong role with fish being caught much more frequently when the temperature gets towards 20°C or above. Kingies are also rather fond of anything floating on the surface; I have heard reports of fish schooling under floating weed out near the continental shelf, so keep your eyes out, you just never know! Some well-known areas worth targeting are Waterhouse Island, Tamar Heads, Woolnorth, Coles

Bay, Georges Bay, Elephant Rock and North West Bay. Generally the fish are found in shallow water often patrolling drop offs, weed edges etc. Most captures are taken from boats however with the vast amount of rocky headlands littered around the state it is only a matter of time until some of the more adventurous land based fisherman get amongst some solid units from the shore. One word of warning to anyone chasing Kings is that several of the spots listed above ie, Tamar Heads, Waterhouse and Woolnorth have exceptionally strong tides and scattered patches of reef which can bring you

We source superior branded gear designed to perform when it counts

We have good stocks which are available only in selected Tasmanian Tackle Stores Contact Matt 0417 916 387 Richard 0418 561 370 enquiries@sherriffagencies.com

Fishing News - Page 30

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

undone in a boat pretty quickly if care isn’t taken. I strongly suggest to anyone unfamiliar with these areas to consult or go with someone with local knowledge of the area before venturing out themselves.

Methods of Capture

Kingfish are an inquisitive fish and respond to a various range of fishing techniques. One of the more popular ways to target them in recent times is with soft plastics. As far as sizes go 6”-8” would be a good starting point and I’m a bit of a fan of white for a colour. Flick baits, paddle tails and worm style patterns are all responsible for bringing the Kings undone with the Lunker City Slug-GO being one of the more popular styles. Plastics are great for their versatility in that they will troll (handy for locating fish), but are also great for casting and searching different depths of the water column. Kings love surface lures!! It doesn’t hurt to have a couple of rods handy, rigged up with 100-200mm poppers or stick baits (often called sliders) as if you

do come across fish there is nothing more spectacular than watching your topwater lure get smashed by a decent king! These lures are great to cast to structure such as channel markers and can also be slow trolled. Years ago my father used to catch Kings fairly consistently slow trolling big Cotton Cordell poppers around the farewell beacons at the Tamar Heads, getting as close to the markers as possible as the fish would often stack up tight against the marker on the down current side. Jigging has always been popular for Kings, especially on the mainland and in New Zealand. We are starting to see more jigs in fishing stores locally as Tassie anglers start to adopt this energetic style of fishing. Knife jigs work well on Kings but are very demanding to fish. Basically you’re dropping your 80-200g (in most cases) jig to the bottom and then winding hard whilst ripping the rod. This style of jigging requires solid fishing gear in the 10-15kg range and will certainly test the drive train out in your reel. Those that have tried this style of fishing will know the hurt involved; the first time I tried

A good selection of lures is nice, but probably not necessary. this was at the Abrolhos Islands in WA. I was just about to have a break after about 20 minutes of solid jigging and a 15kg Samson Fish jumped on…all I can say is make sure you have plenty of stamina!

If you’ve been in a tackle store recently you may have seen some of the new micro jigs and slow jigs that are available. These are great for Tassie conditions as they suit shallower depths and are much

WORLD CLASS FISHING IS ONLY A

AWAY

The new Revo® MGX® spinning reel Aggressive. Modern. Durable. The latest advancement in spinning has the Revo name on it, and almost a century of fishing expertise in it. Its sleek design delivers cutting edge performance with every cast. Every hookset. Every critical moment on the water.

AbuGarcia_RevoMGXsp_242x165.indd 1

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Fishing News - Page 31

2/10/2015 10:36 am

less demanding than the high speed models. The other advantage is you can downsize your gear to suit, which also makes catching the smaller kings much more sporting and enjoyable. These jigs are also dropped down to the bottom but unlike knife jigs are retrieved with a slow lift of the rod followed by a couple of cranks of the reel, repeating the process through the water column. Another effective way to work these jigs is to sporadically crank the reel and pause, allowing the rod to load up and then release which works the jig erratically. Some of these jigs have a slow flutter on the drop also which can entice strikes so keep an eye on your line to avoid missing a take! Another style of lure is the Octo jigs which feature a weighted head with plastic skirts. These are available in various weight heads with different length/coloured skirts and are most effective when worked very slowly through the water column allowing the skirt to flare and retract. There are some great clips on YouTube for those wanting to see slow jigging in action…give it a try!! Live baiting for Kings is something I’m yet to try, but for those chasing some bigger models it can’t hurt to have a small salmon or squid swimming around your boat. Some fishermen in New Zealand and on the Mainland use this method almost exclusively to bring undone some massive fish with consistent results. In bays, many of the success stories I have heard have come from anglers anchoring up on the edges of channels, near moored boats or channel markers and setting up a burley trail. Kings will swim right up to the boat through the trail and from that stage they can be targeted directly with lures or plastics. This tactic helped me nail my first kingie in Georges Bay a couple of years ago! Drifting a strip bait of squid unweighted down through the burley trail is another good way of getting into the action.

Jason Sherriff with a Georges Bay kingfish.

My Favourite Set-Ups

Lox Hybrid Ambassador 6’ PE1.5-3 Jig Spin Rod, Daiwa SOL II 4000 Reel, 20LB Whiplash Braid, Crucis Elite Empire 6’ PE1.5-3 Jig Spin, Pioneer Altitude 4000 Reel, 20lb Timberwolf Braid. Crucis Force 7’6” 6-8kg Rod, Pioneer Altitude 4000, 15lb Timberwolf Braid

Eating Qualities

Like all fish, the best way of making sure your Kings are prime for the table is to quickly despatch and bleed your fish and put them on ice. If you leave your catch in a tub out in the sun the only thing your fish will be good for is the cat. Kingfish have quickly become one of our favourites at the dinner table at home and can be just as delicious served raw, sliced thinly with some soy, wasabi and pickled ginger as it is crumbed and cooked in the deep fryer or pan. Just don’t overcook it! Cracking the kingfish code is all about time on the water. Make sure you get out and give them a go over the next couple of months as this season is shaping up as the best one yet to target these fantastic sportsfish… tight lines! Matt Sherriff

The first goal is any kingfish, then a few kingfish and then at the top of the tree is a one metre kingfish in Tasmanian waters.

Shaun and Clayton House - a fine pair with a fine pair of kings from the northwest. Fishing News - Page 32

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Fishing News - Page 33

“The

” owned

best boat I have

Jim Allen

4.50 Polycraft Drifter Side Console. Power: BF60 Honda. This is a dream boat for me, and delivers everything I want from a boat. I am not a polisher and need a boat that is robust and easy care, but still capable of daily use for the three months I live in Tasmania’s Central Highlands. The Polycraft Drifter 4.5 does everything I ask of it.Whilst its important for me for it to be an outstanding fishing platform I want more. My parameters were; Easy to tow, drive on to the trailer, drift well, handles rough water beautifully and low maintenance. During a day’s fishing I might launch and retrieve three or four times, so you can see why the custom trailer that all Polycrafts are on is such a winner. Get the trailer in a the right depth and it is a simple drive on exercise.There are no rollers to fall off or break, and the skids work perfectly. I drive a VW Tiguan and this tows the braked trailer and boat with ease. If I want to slip over to Lake Burbury - no problem. And being polyethelene means no stone chips or marks. The way I fish often includes many hours of drifting and a lot of time on the electric motor. It drifts slowly and quietly and if the wind is up one of Mike Stevens drogues slows it a treat. It is the best boat I have fished from. I have a seat I can move around and I love that. A 55lb bow mount motor is perfect for chasing sharks on Great Lake and the battery is separate to my starting battery. It lasts all day easily. At the end of the day it can get very rough - especially on Great Lake. This is when the little Polycraft comes into its own. This boat is soft riding and pretty dry as well. I am constantly astounded on how well it handles the rough water and I chuckle at the pounding some others receive in their tinnies. Fishing News - Page 34

The 4.50 Drifter Side Console is a brilliantly laid out boat for the hardcore fisherman. If you want the benefit of steering from a seated helm position, while at the same time retaining a large amount of useable floor space, then the brilliant 4.50 Drifter Side Console is the answer. The driver is positioned in the rear starboard corner, behind a console unit which provides protection from the elements and also great visibility. The console unit can be used to mount electronics, such as sounders and engine gauges, and also has built in dry storage facilities. The 4.50 Drifter Side Console comes in eight great, classic Polycraft colours and is a real catch for those keen on their angling.

With generous storage under the split front hatch, as well as in the two huge rear storage seats, this boat is built for the fisherman and boater who likes to keep a tidy deck. Standard featues include: • 4.5 Anchor Well • 4.5 Bow Rail • 4.5 Bow Roller • 4.5 Cleat • 4.5 Front Casting Deck • 4.5 Hand Rail • Non Feedback Steering • Pin Stripes • Polycraft Logo • Side Console • Winch Point. Optional features: • 4.5 Front Cushion Set • 4.5 Pedestal Box & Seat • 4.5 Rear Cushion Set • Carpet Front & Rear Casting Deck • Carpeted Floor • Fuel Tank 70 Litre • Hydraulic Steering • Long Storage Seat • Rear Casting Deck Insert • Rear Storage Bait Box • Side Pockets • Ski Hooks • Survey Standard.

Many models from 3 to 6 metres.

Huge amount of further information, boat reviews, models and more at:

polycraft.com.au

21 Wellington St, Longford TAS 7301 Ph: 6391 1543 Mon-Fri: 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM Sat: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM Email: info@tasmaniamarine.com.au Web: www.tasmaniamarine.com.au

Scan here to see how tough a Polycraft is.

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Water beetles Mick Hall

ust over 75 years ago that famous Tasmanian f ly fisher, Dick Wigram, wrote a small booklet entitled Nymph Fishing In the Souther n Hemisphere, which was first published in 1936 and sold for just 35 cents a copy. Today a first edition of that booklet would cost close to $6000 or more if you are lucky enough to own or find one. So what’s this got to do with Water Beetles? Well in the back of this booklet is a piece on the origins of Wigram’s Wigram’s Black Water Beetle Black Beetle that was originally tied by Dick Wigram developed for use in Penstock Lagoon in Tasmania. The On any of the highland lakes in Tasmania tying is quite simple and the pattern is as you can see little beetles skittering around described in his booklet. in the shallow margins, as you can also The beetle is dressed as follows: find on the mainland lakes. I remember Hook, No. 2; bind silk from eye to bend. quite a few years ago being on the long Tie in a small strip (1/4-inch wide); taken shore of Bronte Lagoon near where the from a crow feather. Next tie in a short length outlet channel is; the lake’s level had been of black wool and, having taken the silk stable, obviously for some time and trout back to the eye, bind the wool up the shank were foraging in the shallows chasing the to within a short distance of the eye. Wind smallest black beetle you would ever see the wool back three parts of the way and then and the smallest we could come up to forward again to form a fat body. Tie in the match was a size 18. Having only a travel wool and cut off waste. Wind on at the eye pack of fly tying materials, we had to go two turns of a small reddish brown hackle with what we had. The fly that did the (Rhode Island Red), leaving a little space at trick was simply a wrap of black chenille the eye. Bring the pieces of crow feather over and trimmed back as finely as we could to the body and, separating the hackle, tie this in obtain that beetle shape. We caught fish; we at the space left behind the eye. Tie down with lost a lot but that session so many years ago several tight turns of silk. Make whip-finish convinced me that I should always have a and varnish. The ti-tree beetle may be made in good supply of wet beetles in my fly box. exactly the same way, excepting that the wings When you think about it, it’s just and hackle will be a different colour. common sense, as we have 28,000 species For some reason water beetles don’t of beetles here in Australia but not all are seem to be as popular as they were. If true aquatic beetles. But that’s really not a you look around the display cases of flies problem, for those species that inhabit our in retail outlets, the availability of beetle trout regions, if terrestrial based, often end patterns, especially wet beetle patterns, is up in the water anyway. Three years ago up simply not as strong as it should be.

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Fishing News - Page 35

Another example is soldier beetles; they too can hatch in huge numbers. This shot was taken on the same trip; the time of year was just before Christmas and the flowering gums were covered in them. at Khancoban I discovered a mass grave of Cockchafer Beetles; there were thousands of them around the base of some trees. What caused this mass killing I am not sure but it is a great indication of how dense some hatches can be. It also emphasises the importance of having a supply of representations on hand. The three key colours that should be thought about carrying are black, brown and olive green. They should also be carried in a size range from 18 through to 12. Standard blind fishing techniques are as effective as nymph fishing, especially during the summer months

A common diving water beetle; Dytiscidae Rhantus suturalis. These guys are up and down in the water column all day long collecting air with the hind leg. Each time it heads up for more air and on its way back down, it becomes very vulnerable to all sorts of predators.

along all of our mountain streams. They can also be fished under an indicator or in tandem with another fly such as a nymph pattern of your choice. The pattern that I have developed, using a bit more up-to-date materials than what was available in Wigramâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time, has brought a little bit more life and realistic look to our water beetles, without going over the top and they are very easy to make. The base pattern is: Hook: Mustad C49s Size: 18-12 T hread: Colour to match dubbing Wingcase: Goose shoulder feather or any fine white quill treated with vinyl cement and stained with a colour marking pen Qualified service Body: A fine dubbing colour to suit â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an option staff is to add a little lead wire if required New workshop Legs: A small bunch of moose mane fibres tied under body just touching Comprehensive the rear of the hook. range of parts for Notes: The reason for all major brands the shape of the grub hook, C49s, is that it adds to that round shape that Authorised sales/ emulates a standard beetle. service dealer for It is important that the legs SeaDoo Jet Skis are tied in and trimmed before pulling over the and Jet Boats wingcase. This allows for 6 Effingham St, Moonah a neater finish. To finish off the fly, very carefully coat the www.maynesmarine.com.au wingcase with a thin sales@maynesmarine.com.au

Little Black Water Beetle

Brown water beetle

Re-Power and Service Specialists

Phone: 6214 9999

Fishing News - Page 36

Dark olive green Water Beetle coating of Loon UV Fly Finish. This product really adds to the look of this fly but it should be noted that if you are using another material for the wingcase, make sure that it is porous to allow the UV coating to grip. Another tip is to place a fine layer of head cement over the UV fly finish to retain its shine, if so required, as it will fade in time. If you choose you can use normal head cement, be it clear or black but it is a long timeconsuming process and you will need to add a number of applications including drying time to make it look close to the same as UV Fly Finish. Mick Hall

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

MH1

Aussie Adams 12-14-16

MH2 Mickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Scruffy 12-14

MH3

Ruby Bug 10-12

MH4

Rubber-legged Royal Wulff 10-12-14

MH5 Rubber Legged 10-12

MH6

Chaser 6-8-10

MH7 Laser Minnow 6-8-10

MH8

Woolly Frog 6-8

MH9

Rubber legged Black Chaser 6-8

MH10 Rubber legged Woolly Worm 8-10

MH11 Chartreuse Woolly Bugger 6-8

www.piscesfishingtackle.com

MH16 Chopper Hopper 8-10

MH21 Compressed Devonshire Dun 10-12

MH12 Cockchafer Beetle 10-12-14

MH13 Little Green Wattle Beetle 14-16

MH14 Gum Beetle 12-14

MH15 Tadpole 14-16

MH17 Para Caddis Green 12-14-16-18

MH18 Para Caddis Cream 12-14-16-18

MH19 Para Caddis Tan 12-14-16-18

MH20 Para Caddis Black 12-14-16-18

MH22 Comp Macca Brown Dun Reversed 10-12

MH23 All - round Brown 12-14

MH25 Penstock Brown MH24 Penstock Brown Comp Reversed 10-12 Compressed Dun 10-12

MH26 Para Penstock Brown 10-12-16

MH27 Dark Highland Dun 10-12

MH28 Light Highland Dun 10-12

MH29 Peeping Stick Caddis Small 14-16

MH30 Peeping Stick Caddis Large 8-10-12

MH31 Hanging Midge 14-16-18

MH32 Emerging Midge 14-16-18

MH33 Full Stop (Black Midge Ball) 18

MH34 All Round Brown Nymph 8-10-12-14-16

MH35

MH36 Green Water Beetle 12-14-16

MH37 Brown Water Beetle 12-14-16

MH38 Black Water Beetle 12-14-16

MH39 Highland Nymph 10-12-14-16

MH40 Black Spinner 12-14-16

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Damsel Fly 14-16

Available in store or order from good tackle stores. Distributed by Clarkson Imports.

M I CK HALLS F LY BOX RANGE

Fishing News - Page 37

THE BUSHMAN 12V / 240V FRIDGE FREEZER

Game Rod of the Year 2015 Venom Game

ABU Garcia Revo MGX Reel

IT’S STRONG, SUPER EFFICIENT AND VERSATILE

+ FREE TRANSIT COVER

35L

45L

52L

GO FROM 35, TO 45, TO 52 LITRES WITH THE ONE FRIDGE

$1295 RRP INCLUDES: • • • •

Free transit cover Flat lid 7 litre high lid 10 litre extension collar

• • • •

3 Storage baskets 12 V Power lead External 240 V adapter 4 Heavy duty anchor points

Warranty – 5 years compressor / 3 years fridge

The new ABU Revo MGX Spinning Reels are available in finesse sizes 20 and 30. They are lightweight, diminutive, have a classy meets techno aesthetic and are profoundly strong. The Revo MGX range were designed for those light weight spin enthusiasts who expect that little bit more from their fishing reels. They’re for a discerning buyer, impressed by quality engineering, weary of fad style inclusions and difficult to impress. Even the toughest critic will be impressed with the new Abu Revo MGX reel. The list of inclusions leaves little technology behind. The ABU Revo MGX Spinning Reels present the best of modern spin reel design. To a c h i e v e s u p e r- l i g h t w e i g h t performance, construction starts with a unique X-Mag magnesium alloy onepiece gear box design. The addition of a C6 carbon stem and rotor cut down on weight without sacrificing strength. Premium aluminum machined gears provides outstanding gear feel, durability and performance. A 10+1 HPCR™ bearing system delivers exceptional corrosion resistance and super-smooth operation. When only the best will do, look no further than the Revo® MGX® spinning platform. K-Clutch™ anti reverse Flat EVA knob provide greater comfort and durability Machined aluminum braid ready spool allows braid to be tied directly to the spool without any slip Aircraft grade aluminum main shaft Everlast™ bail system for improved durability Slow Oscillation provides even line lay with all types of line Includes spare spool

Available from Tamar Marine 6-8 West Tamar Road, Launceston T 03 6334 2681

BUSHMAN.COM.AU Fishing News - Page 38

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

The Venom Game Series takes the best of Venom technology and brings it to the game fishing world in a spectacular package that saw this series take out the Best Game Rod at the 2015 AFTA Trade Show. Built on the acclaimed Venom blank, the Venom Game rods will be available in five configurations that include an 8kg straight butt, 15kg straight butt, 24kg bent butt, 24kg straight butt and the award winning 37kg bent butt. Each rod is built in the stroker style to allow for stand up fishing and the blanks have an angler friendly taper meaning there is more hurt on the fish and less hurt on the angler. Incredibly these rods are up to 750g lighter than rods of comparable build due to the designers rethinking how a game rod can be built. Making use of bladder moulded, high modulus carbon butts sees this important area retain all of the strength needed at a minimal weight contribution to the rod. The same technology used to build these butt sections was pioneered in the heat of the America’s cup battlefield. Weight is further reduced by the use of Winthrop aluminium roller guides. These lightweight guides have a pin and roller sleeve construction that will not let you down when the pressure is on. All of the rods in the range are fully rollered, giving anglers the least friction across the guides during prolonged fights. While on the topic of guides, the 8, 15 and 24kg rods are underbound and double overbound, while the 37kg rod is underbound and triple overbound to provide security in these areas for the lifetime of the rod. The foregrip is custom shaped EVA that is specifically textured to give anglers a comfortable and safe grip on the rod when fighting fish. The custom shape leads perfectly into the ALPS lightweight reel seat giving a flawless transition into the area of the rod that takes all the pressure. Designed in America, the ALPS reel

ALLGOODS - A Direct Importer - MEANS CHEAPER PRICESDiamantina Balmoral Padded Lounger C/W Table

Diamantina Traveller Steel Stretcher

Reclines to fully laid back position. Capacity 150kg. Weight approx 8kg

SAVE $30 $179

190 x 65 x 42cm. Load capacity 120kg. Weight approx 9.5kg

$129

Diamantina square slat table

Allgoods Bush Hut Trek Lite sleeping bag

Lightweight, 30kg load, 70 x 70 x 70.

Save $10 $59.95 Diamantina Cottesloe beach chair

Diamantina Compact folding side table

Folds flat. Lightweight, 30kg capacity, 40 x 40 x 29.5cm.

Save $5 $24.95

-10 degrees, (190 + 30) x 85 x 55cm. Filling: Invista Thermolite Extra + Silver Scrim. Outer: 75D/210T Polyester Diamond Ripstop. Inner: 44D/260T Tactel Nylon Taffeta

Heavy duty, 100kg capacity. Save $10

$169

$64.95

Diamantina self inflating pillow

Diamantina Royale 4WD Chair

Allgoods SAVE $5 $24.95 Bush Hut Swag Bag Diamantina 3 Leg Stool Capacity - 100kg. Compact, with shoulder sleeping bag 50cm x 32cm

Load capacity 120kg. Steel frame, 6.5kg

Save $20 $109

strap. Weight 800g

-5 degrees, 200 x 90cm. Polyester Fibre with Cotton Canvas outer and Flannelette inner

$14.95

$149

Diamantina Bronte Director Chair with Side Table

Diamantina Dux Guts Dbl Swag

King size. Folds flat for easy storage and transport, Load capacity: 150kg, Weight: 6.5kg

Diamantina Cracka K/S Swag

$99 SAVE $10

Floor Size 2000 x 750 x 800mm (Single). Matress Size 2000 x 500 x 50mm egg crate style foam

SAVE $50 $249

Diamantina 4 Wheel Drive self inflating sleeping mats Non slip bottom, brass valve, carry bag. Single: 70 x 190 x 8cm $99 King single: 80 x 190 x 10cm $129 Double: 126 x 190 x 10cm $189 Queen: 150 x 190 x 10cm $219

Floor Size 2100 x 1400 x 800mm (Double). Mattress Size 2000 x 1350 x 50mm.

SAVE $50 $449

Diamantina Quickfold Deluxe Stretcher

191 x 64.5 x 44.5cm. Capacity - 120kg. Weight approx 8.5kg

$89.95

BIG NEW STORE OPENING SOON

168 Liverpool St Hobart (Old Glasser and Parker)

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Fishing News - Page 39

seat incorporates a lightweight alloy design that has been tried and tested and proven over years of use. Designed and built in Australia, the Venom Game Series redefines what will be expected in game fishing rods. If you want the best of the best, look out for the Venom Game Series in your local tackle store.

recovering 88cm of line with each revolution of the spool via Shimano’s exclusive GigaMax motor, it doesn’t take all day to get these delicious fish to the boat. A maximum drag setting of 25 kilos means you can go hard when you need to, and three SARB bearings and two roller bearings means it is as smooth as it is powerful. What’s more, in keeping with the technological advances this reel brings, there’s even an electronic drag sound, rather than a mechanical one!

Platypus P8

Shimano - Dendou Maru Beast master Electric Reels The great excitement associated with deep dropping with electric reels is that nobody knows what’s going to jump on those baited circle hooks next. Here in Australia, the most desirable targets are obviously trevalla, hapuka, gemfish, makos, tuna and the chance of a broadbill swordfish, and a lot of other bottom grubbers that really just get in the way of better fish. Deep water and strong currents often mean getting to these species is difficult, but it’s not impossible. With the BeastMaster 9000 though, it’s so much easier. With a line capacity of 600 metres of PE 10 braid, and a sensible gear ratio of 3.1:1

Extra thin and round, P8 is a premium quality braid from Platypus. Utilising eight-strand construction ensures P8 is one of the thinnest braids on the market. Ro un d, s m o o th an d supple, it will pack more evenly onto your reel for longer, accurate casts time after time. P8 is ideal for all lure casting applications, from light tackle soft plastics through to rock fishing and deep sea jigging. Eight carrier construction is the best braid structure for any fishing situation or species using either overhead or spin gear. Eight carrier braids are rounder and thinner than regular three or four carrier braids, and do not flatten and take on water as 12 or 16 carriers do. With the actual unknotted breaking strain on

the label of Platypus P8, anglers are able to make a more informed choice about what is arguably the most important component of their set-up. P8 braid is available in 6, 8, 10, 15, 20, 30 and 50lb breaking strains in 150yd and 300yd lengths in hi-vis orange. Australian Monofil, the owner and manufacturer of Platypus lines, has 117 years of experience that allows them produce the highest quality fishing line in their Brisbane factory. Their motto is, “By Australian fishos for Australian fishos”. www.fishplatypus.com.au

SCIENTIFIC ANGLERS launches new leader and tippet materials Midland, MI — Michiganbased fly line company Scientific Anglers is proud to announce the launch of its brand-new leader and tippet materials. Researched and developed over the course of the last two years, SA’s new nylon and fluorocarbon leader and tippet materials are up to 35% stronger than their predecessors, built to

the power

UNthiNk

to get you there

the reliability to get everything youyou know back

Along with power, performance and extreme reliability, the Verado FourStroke 350hp includes: - Awesome acceleration, superior torque and better fuel economy Unbridled power, unexpectedly compact, uncompromising reliability, unbelievably fuel efficient. - The Electro-Hydraulic steering Mercury’s all new 75-115hp FourStroke Range. Unlike anything the world haslatest ever in seen. - Compact engine that’s 56kg lighter than its nearest competitor See your authorised Mercury Marine Dealer today. - Maintenance Free Valve train for life, lowering cost of ownership

about 75-115hp FourStrokes.

See your authorised Mercury Marine Dealer today.

Channel Marine Services Lot 10 Gemalla Rd, Margate Ph: 03 6267 1456

Fishing News - Page 40

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

traditional X size specifications, and come in a wide selection of lengths and sizes—up to 65lbs. in nylon and 80lbs. in fluorocarbon. “We fully believe that we’ve developed the best materials in the industry,” said research and development manager Andrew Bosway. “We started over from scratch with the sole purpose of creating leaders and tippets with the strongest straight tensile and wet knot strength on the market. Based on months of data collection, testing, and on-the-water field work, we’re confident we’ve done just that.” Manufactured using a proprietary process that removes stress during the extrusion process and reduces water absorption when used, the nylon

leaders and tippets are thus able to maintain their structural integrity longer, which produces stronger tensile and wet knot breaking strengths. All the new materials will be available at Scientific Anglers dealers in late December 2015. About Scientific Anglers: Founded in 1945 in Midland, Michigan, Scientific Anglers has been an industry leader in the development of fly lines, leaders, tippets, reels, and accessories for more than 70 years. Scientific Anglers developed the modern floating fly line and pioneered the use of textured technologies in fly-line construction. Visit www.mayflytackle.com.au for your closest stockist.

The Miracle Worker

Dr Mark Can repair, renovate, rebuild, replace, redesign or renew just about anything to do with boats, trailers, propellers and other general engineering stuff.

If it is busted, bent, broken or dinged.

Dr Mark can fix it For new boats, new trailers, general fabrication, design or rewires.

Dr Mark can do it Miracles - No problem Spongers, idiots and time wasters are not welcome.

Aluman Engineering 424 Hobart Rd, Youngtown TAS 7249 6343 3341

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Fishing News - Page 41

A southern Tasmanian report by Tom Crawford and Nathan Huizing

Fishermans Shed - Kingston 1. Squid

Calamari continue to be caught in good numbers all through North West Bay, Bruny Island and the Derwent River. However the average size has dropped and anglers are struggling to find the larger specimens. Arrow Squid are also being found in big numbers with reports coming from around Bruny Island, Betsey Island and the lower sections of the Derwent River. TIP: When searching for squid make sure your jig is a suitable weight for the the depth you’re fishing and make long casts to cover ground.

2. Flathead

Good numbers of flathead are being caught with most anglers having success in around 20-30ft of water. Bull Bay, Iron Pot, Betsey Island and Kingston Beach have been popular. Anglers after a feed of tiger flathead should concentrate their efforts in the deeper water (60-200ft) off Marion Bay and Eaglehawk Neck. TIP: Keep moving until you find fish. You will usually get bites pretty quickly if you’re in the right spot. Soft Plastics can be a very effective way to find flathead but you will need to make sure your jighead is a suitable weight to keep in contact with the bottom.

3. Bream

Bream are firing across the state with fish being caught in various East coast lagoons and rivers, the Derwent River and of course Browns River. The usual 60-80mm hardbody minnows and soft plastics have been producing fish. Topwater fishing is also an exciting way to catch these fish and there is no better time of year than now. Anyone looking to chase these fish with bait can also expect good success on the Derwent River around Old Beach, Otago Bay, Bowen Bridge and Cadbury’s. TIP: Light leader and a slow retrieve is vital when bream fishing with lures.

4. Garfish and Whiting

Whiting are being caught near beaches on the Derwent River with Sandy Bay, Blackmans Bay and Kingston Beach being the stand out spots. Good reports also coming from Lewisham. Sabiki rigs with a bit of squid have been deadly. One report suggested there are a few Garfish to be had in close around Betsey Island. TIP: A good burley trail is the key for attracting either of these two species.

5. Atlantic Salmon

No recent reports of any escapes.

6. Australian Salmon

Salmon up to 60cm have been caught in North West Bay and anglers casting lures from the rocks at Kingston Beach and Blackmans Bay have had some good results. A silver slice around 30-40g or a minnow style soft plastic is ideal for casting from the rocks.

Fishing News - Page 42

TIP: Always be on the look out for birds. If you see birds hovering or diving into the water there is a good chance the salmon wont be far away.

7. Gummy shark

Gummies are on the move and people can expect a feed of flake if they concentrate around Betsey Island and Bull Bay. The 30-40ft mark continues to be a popular depth with small squid and whole sauries being stand out baits. TIP: A burley trail and running sinker rig made up of 20-40lb leader attached to a 5/0 circle hook has been proven to be a deadly combination.

8.Trout

Woods Lake, Great Lake and Little Pine continue to be the stand out lakes to catch a trout at the moment. The Huon continues to produce some great numbers and larger fish. Some great lure and fly fishing to be had on the Tyenna, Russle, Mountain and Styx River TIP: A good pair of polarized sunglasses can be the difference between a bad and good days trout fishing.

9. Couta

Small couta continue to be caught all around Bruny Island, North West Bay and the Derwent River. For anglers targeting them silver sliced lures and soft plastics are always effective. A few reports have suggested a few larger fish being caught out deeper. For those of you who don’t like the taste of Couta cooked traditionally try hot smoking them. TIP: Known for their ability to bite straight through most fishing lines a small wire trace is recommended. Couta make exceptional bait for Gummy shark.

10. Striped Trumpeter

Angler’s have been finding some good numbers of stripey around the usual haunts such as Tasman Island and Pedra. Some better sized fish also being caught around the Friars. A new technique called micro jigging

has also been a very effective and popular way to catch these fish recently. TIP: A three hook stripey rig is ideal when the stripeys are being fussy as it gives the angler the option to fish three different types of bait.

11. Tuna

Good numbers of Albacore and Bluefin are being caught by anglers trolling skirts and divers around Eaglehawk Neck and Maria Island. Reports of big Yellowfin being caught off St.Helens and Striped Marlin off Schouten Island are both indications that we are in for a cracking season! TIP: Don’t be afraid to run a wide variety of lures and colours when trolling for tuna as they can be selective feeders.

12. Kingfish

Kingfish are being caught in good numbers all across the state. For anyone hoping to hunt these fish in their local waters, a good starting point is to search for baitfish, structure and current. Recent hotspots include Kingston Beach, Iron Pot, Betsey Island, Bull Bay, Dennes Point, Lewisham and North West Bay. Trolling skirted lures around rocky points and other structure at 5knts has been a popular method for finding these fish. For those casting lures, quickly retrieving larger soft plastics around 5-7 inches rigged on 1/2 ounce jigheads has been the go to method. Looking for schools of baitfish on the sounder and fishing under schools of salmon can also be a great way to search for Kingfish. If the fishing is slow, a burley trail can sometimes bring these fish up to the boat. If they aren’t interested in your lures (which can happen!) try rigging up a live squid. TIP: Just keep casting! When you find baitfish or good structure make sure you work the area for a while because there is a good chance they’ll be there somewhere.

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Kingfish in my backyard

Well its that time of year again, the warmer water has finally pushed down the east coast of Tasmania and with it has come a wide variety of pelagic sport fish. However, there is one species in particular that continues to be the cause of sleepless nights for anglers across the state. We’ve all seen the photos and heard the rumours but catching yellowtail kingfish isn’t always as easy as it seems. The following article contains a few tips and tricks that will hopefully help you to find the elusive kingfish in your local area!

Finding Kingfish

If you’ve had little or no experience with these fish in the past it can be hard to figure out just where to start. Being a pelagic predator means kingfish are usually on the move and often looking for food. They typically feed on things like garfish, whiting, Australian salmon, squid and pilchards. All of which can be found around rocky headlands, channel edges and other structure like jetties, moored boats and shallow reefs. Trolling or casting around these sorts of areas can be a very effective way of finding kings. Learning to read your sounder can also play a vital role in locating these fish and the food they are eating. kingfish will usually appear as an arch shape on the sounder and more often than not will be scattered across the screen. Although kingfish may be caught at anytime during the day, there are a couple of things you can do to increase your chances like being on the water early and fishing tide changes.

What to do once you’ve found them!

Finding the kingfish is only the beginning. Sometimes they can be very aggressive and this is usually when they are in larger schools as there is more competition for food. Unfortunately though, kingfish have a reputation for being extremely fussy and will quite often just follow your offerings out of curiosity more than anything. Moral of the story is that it pays to have a selection of different lures and baits to present. Personally, when I find an area that the kingfish are holding in I prefer to use 5-7 inch soft plastics such as Slug-Go’s, Gulp Jerk Shads or Squidgy Flickbaits rigged on 1/4 or 1/2 ounce jigheads. When using the soft plastics, try to cast in close around structure or make long casts along drop offs as this is where they are likely to be sitting. Keep mixing up your retrieves until you find one that works. This means cranking your lures across the surface, letting them sink to the bottom, jigging them vertically, pausing and twitching them and anything else you can think of because mixing up your retrieves can be the difference in getting a bite or no bite. Surface poppers and stickbaits like the DUO Aomasa 148 can also be extremely effective and not only does it work but it is also probably one of the most exciting ways you can catch these fish as it is all visual! If you still can’t get them to take a lure you can always try to burley them up to the boat by using bits of squid and pilchards. If you do manage to get the school up behind your boat try feeding them an unweighted squid tentacle or pilchard down your burley trail on a small circle hook,

this method has been proven by many anglers in the past! When you do hook a kingfish, try not to panic and don’t be scared to leave it in the water for a little bit as the whole school will often follow their buddy up to the boat, this providing an opportunity for other people to have a cast and turn one fish into two or three!

Gear fit for kings!

The average kingfish you’re likely to encounter in Tasmania will usually be no more than 50-65cm so you can use relatively light gear. That being said, there are still some much larger fish out there and I recommend taking at least one heavier outfit with you just in case you’re lucky enough to cross paths with a big king! Although the flashy and expensive gear isn’t always necessary, it pays to have some gear of reasonable quality as the kingfish are likely to find any faults you may have in your tackle. When casting soft plastics and smaller stickbaits a 3-6kg spin rod and 3000-4000 size reel spooled up with 15-30lb braid will usually get the job done. Twenty pound leader is fine if you’re out in the open but If you are fishing around structure I recommend using heavier leaders from 30-60lb as kings are notorious for being dirty fighters! I hope this article has shed some light on these tricky little critters and helps you on your pursuit for the yellowtail! Nathan Huizing

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Fishing News - Page 43

RECREATIONAL SEA FISHERIES NEWS February - March 2016

Know your fish before it’s a Keeper!

Responsible fishing involves knowing what type of fish you have caught before you make it a keeper. The Wild Fisheries Management Branch of DPIPWE receives numerous enquiries asking “What type of fish is this…?” Most of these we happily answer or for the unusual or emerging species we forward to the RedMAP team at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS). However, it bewilders us that some fishers send us photos of their catch – sometimes many dead fish with no idea what they were – sometimes they have already eaten them! Tasmania has a reputation for the best flavoured cool water fish and before dispatching your catch for that tasty meal it is important that you know what you have caught. Size and catch limits are there to ensure a fishery into the future so make sure you use the readily available information to see what fish you may catch. Use the Tasmanian Sea Fishing Guide booklet or phone app, Fish Facts on the fishing.tas.gov.au web site or from the numerous other web sites before claiming it as a keeper. Identify before you fry ! If you do not know what fish you have caught - release it unharmed! Free printed copies of the Recreational Sea Fishing Guide are available at Service Tasmania shops, many tourist information centres and local tackle shops. The Tasmanian Sea Fishing Guide App is an interactive version of the Recreational Sea Fishing Guide and has Fish facts and a guide to over 1 3 5 Ta s m a n i a n fish species. It is very popular with 25,000 downloads. For further details go to www.fishing.tas.gov.au

Fishcare teach the Fishing basics.

DPIPWE Fishcare Volunteers promote responsible fishing practices, attend fishing events and conduct schools fishing clinics. Through practical means of the “Kids Fishing Pool” or fishing clinics at community events or schools, they teach our future fishers the basics of responsible fishing - Identify the fish type and then see if it fits with in the catch limit before keeping it. If you want Fishcare support at your school or event – or interested in becoming a Fishcare Volunteer contact the Fishcare Coordinator on 6165 3039 or fishcare@ dpipwe.tas.gov.au. Fishing News - Page 44

Future Fishers identify their “catch” from the Fishcare Kids Fishing Pool at the North West Boat show.

See something Fishy?

If you see something fishy and someone stealing our fish resources please report the details to Fishwatch on 0427 655 557. Put this number in your phone! It helps if reports are made at the time you observe the alleged offence – it may just be the key infor mation the Marine Police need. The following information will help the Marine Police combat illegal fishing: Time and location of offence. Fishing gear used with ID numbers. Car and boat descriptions including rego numbers Name or description of person/s involved. Please note - Fishwatch is for compliance and for lost, stolen and irretrievable fishing gear only. Use the Recreational Fisheries Enquiry Line for general enquiries. For enquiries about your licence status or number – use the licence look up function on the licensing page.

What’s the stinking mess !

We have had a few complaints about fishers dumping their catch in the shallow waters close to swimming area, jetties and even on foreshore reserves. Please consider others and the environment. If you clean fish at sea, dispose of fish waste away from shore in the same area you caught it. If you land your fish and fillet on land dispose of the waste (and shells) with your household rubbish or bury it in your own backyard.

Fishcare volunteers talking responsible fishing at St Helens wharf. Clean up any land based area or fish cleaning facilities after cleaning your fish. If there is a cleaning table, rinse it clean for the next person.

How do I stay informed?

Recreational Rock Lobster Fishers are advised to check the Department’s website and Fisheries Tasmania Facebook page for the latest information. You can also register for email alerts at www.fishing.tas.gov.au/ emailnews

Need more information?

Get a copy of the Recreational Sea Fishing Guide from Service Tasmania Download the Tasmanian Sea Fishing Guide app Go to www.fishing.tas.gov.au; You can also register for email alerts at www.fishing. tas.gov.au/emailnews www.facebook.com/FisheriesTasmania Phone: 1300 720 647 or 03 6165 3233 Email: fishing.enquiries@dpipwe.tas.gov.au

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Much more than a beautiful boat

Building boats with 50 years of design excellence and so much more; Practical, Hard working, Family friendly, Quiet, Superb handling, Easy to tow, Models to suit everyone, and offer excellent resale value. Tasmanian Marine Centre are Tasmanian dealers for Australian-built Haines Hunter Fibreglass Boats. Drawing on over half a century of boat manufacturing experience, Haines Hunter has a deserved reputation as the most respected fibreglass boat brand in the Southern Hemisphere. The result of this experience is evident in each and every boat.

In Stock

TEST DRIVE NOW Haines Hunter 565 Offshore Family and Fishing

The perfect balance between fishing and family, adventure and leisure. This family all-rounder ticks all the boxes for family fun on the water while doubling as a wellequipped and functional offshore fishing vessel. A wide 2.4 metre beam provides a very roomy cockpit and excellent stability whether underway or at rest. Interior features such as a large rear seat that seats three adults and can be removed when fishing. Inclusions such as a rear door to enter and exit the boat or to land fish and a 200 litre long-range fuel tank make the 565 a highly versatile boat. A large spacious cabin that allows someone of 6’1” to lay out straight and a new ergonomically designed dashboard allows all todays’ modern electronics. A bait board is standard and can be easily removed.

A ski-pole can be added for summer fun for water for water-skiing and ski biscuits. At the end of the day this boat is also a highly capable offshore fishing vessel for when it’s time to chase some serious fish. It can be towed by the average family car and easily fit in most family garages. The 565 above is ready for summer. Fitted with a 150hp Honda 4 stroke and is priced at $64,990. Test drive this superb boat today.

In Stock

With over two dozen trailerable models – from dedicated fishing boats to family/ cruising and sports boats – in its awardwinning range, the build quality and attention-to-detail in every Haines Hunter boat is second to none. Only premium quality materials and fittings are used throughout and all hulls are backed by a full seven-year structural warranty. Setting the benchmark to which all other manufacturers aspire, Haines Hunter’s reputation for excellence stems from its unwavering focus on research and development, cutting-edge design, advanced construction techniques and unparalleled on-water performance. More information on Haines Hunter boats can be found at www.haineshunter.com.au

TEST DRIVE NOW

Haines Hunter 525 Profish

The 525 Profish is the perfect mid-range all-rounder in the Profish range. Perfect for any occasion on the water, this boat represents excellent value for money and is designed with both families and fishermen in mind. The 525 Profish weighs in at approximately 680kg and is rated up to 130 horsepower, with a 120 litre

fuel tank. Standard inclusions are curved glass windscreen, bilge pump, stowage locker and rear cleats. In stock now and ready to test drive. Comes with Bimini Top and Clears, Mercury 115hp 4-Stroke, Smart Craft gauges, Dunbier Trailer and all onroad, on-water costs. Package Price $50,475.

21 Wellington St, Longford TAS 7301 Phone: 6391 1543 Mon-Fri: 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM Sat: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM Email: info@tasmaniamarine.com.au Web: www.tasmaniamarine.com.au www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Fishing News - Page 45

The Leven

The Leven slide on camper is constructed from light weight fibreglass panel and has outstanding insulation properties. The aerodynamic shape of the Leven not only looks great, but is functional saving you fuel on those long road trips. The electric powered roof gives the Leven it’s stylish exterior and the camper is able to be used even with the roof down. Security features in the Leven include the Aussie Traveller security door, and double glazed windows with triple lock down points that ensure a strong and durable seal. The quality fitted interior is designed to allow the maximum use of space. The features include a pull out table which can be stored when not needed and comfortable face to face seating in a choice of durable fashion fabrics. The sleek kitchen design features overhead storage, plenty of draws, and a choice of gas or electric hotplate. A fridge is also included in the camper so you will have everything you need including the kitchen sink.

Little Henty camper - this is a great camper for couples who want a very light weight fully insulated slide on with extensive customization options. So make it suit how you want to live while on the road. With seven models in the range and three of them set for those who travel alone we have it covered.

Phone : 03 6437 2791 email : drafting@penguincomposites.com.au

Your ad can work if it’s here. Phone Mike Stevens 0418 129949

FRANKLIN MARINE Open 7 Day s Launceston’s Only Authorised Dealer and Service Centre Mercury and Motorguide 8 Legana Park Drive Legana Industrial Estate, P: 6330 2277 E: chris@cjmarineandkarts.com Fishing News - Page 46

Full fishing and cray store + gear and bait and all boating gear Drive in parking with boat Ph: 6266 3768

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

Scott, 53 King St. Scottsdale.Ph. 6352 2357 Julie-Anne, 41 Quail St. St Helens. Ph. 6376 1390

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Top Service – Top Price

Boat trailer wheel and tyre

St Helens

Your every need catered for • Eight en-suite cabins • Convenience store • Hot takeaways • Groceries • Newspapers • Boat parking • Fuel • Bait and tackle • Boat and car wash

Dunbier and early Holden pattern

around $90ea 62 Hopkins St, Moonah 6228 0274

Hillcrest Tourist Park and Mini Market

100 Chimney Heights Rd. St Helens 6376 3298

Outboard Technology

Gone Fishing Charters

• East coast estuary and bay • Whiting, Bream, Salmon, Garfish, Flathead, Squid and more • Soft plastics, lures, fly and bait • 5.8 metre sportfishing boat.

Quality service and repairs to all Outboard Motors

Southern Region

Gone Fishing Charters St Helens

David Gillespie 6248 9080 or 0417 562 859

Michael Haley 0419 353 041 mhaleycharters@bigpond.com www.breamfishing.com.au

96 Clifton Beach Rd Sandford Tas 7020

Fish

World class fishing in the heart of the central highlands

Stay in a luxury art deco 3 bedroom cottage Atmospheric Highlander Arms tavern on the doorstep 3 course meal provided each night Catch your own salmon in Tarraleah lake and learn how to prepare it with expert chef 18 lakes within 30 minutes drive

(03) 6289 0111 info @tarraleah.com www.tarraleah.com

cosy wood fires

wine & whisky tasting

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

guided fishing trips

great pub

Fishing News - Page 47

Better safety and facilities for Tasmanian boaters

Scan to see the lifejacket awareness video.

Incorrectly worn or fitted lifejackets may not work effectively. Don’t risk your life. Make sure you know how your inflatable lifejacket works. Incorrectly worn of fitted jackets may not work effectively. Scan the QR code above or go to www.mast.tas.gov.au to see MAST’s lifejacket awareness video.

Is your inflatable auto or manual inflate? If you don’t know - don’t go.

$1,000,000 every year is spent by MAST improving recreational boating facilities around Tasmania. Your licence and boat registration money at work. Clockwise from top left: Kingston; Gordon Street, Swansea; Gypsy Bay and navigation markers at Ansons Bay.

Apply any time for better boating facilities. Go to www.mast.tas.gov.au

THE BOATWISE COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE. DOWNLOAD IT NOW.