February - March 2017
TASMANIAN FISHING and BOATING NEWS — ISSUE 126
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Kingfish
16 Talbots Lagoon
23
Coastal catches Print Post approved 100003074
36
Swordfish
Summer snow - Autumn calm James Sinnamon loves his trout fishing wherever he can get it. See his story on page 11.
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Summer has dealt Tasmania the strangest of weather - from floods to snow and constant wind.
It has been wild weather and snowed in the Highlands each month of Summer. Let’s hope for a calmer Autumn. Trout fishers have found Penstock Lagoon to be the standout stillwater fishery, whilst the, once most popular, Arthurs Lake still fails to impress. There is seemingly no great concern from authorities on what can be done, nor a plan to remediate this fishery. Hopefully time will.
Anglers will move to the next best fishery until they are over-crowded or there are none left! The saltwater fishery has been outstanding though with bream, trevally, salmon, flathead and calamari inshore abundant, whilst offshore all fish seem to be firing. Trumpeter, hapuka, gemfish, albacore, bluefin and broadbill are on fire. Enjoy the Autumn - and lighter wind.
Kingfish from the South — Matt Byrne
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Headwater Hunting – Small Streams — James Sinnamon
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Talbots Lagoon — Shane Flude
16
Coastal Catches — Matt Sherriff
23
Offshore Ramblings — Kelly Hunt
28
Swordfish – Tagging for Research — Jamie Harris
36
Mudeyes are Magic — Jamie Harris
40
Marine Fisheries News
44
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Banning all trawlers in Tasmania! Sounds great, but really it means nothing. Trawlers can not operate in Tasmania now, so what does it means? To me it is simple politics and the Government of the day trying to score a few points. I am pretty sure that won’t work. Trawlers - especially the big ones many call ‘super trawlers’ operate in Commonwealth waters - more than three miles from Tasmania’s coast (past approx. 100 metres of depth), but well within our recreational fishing zone. The Continental Shelf varies, but it is around 12 miles from our coast and trawlers can still operate inside this zone. Given that most pelagic fish trawlers target are inside the Continental Shelf it will make no difference. If the ban extended 20 miles from our State’s coast it might achieve something, but this legislative ban will do nothing. So if you fish for tunas, gemfish, stripey trumpeter, broadbill, etcetera offshore nothing changes in protection of your fishery. I assume there is a State election looming and we will look at past promises to see what floats to the top and what policies have been developed. I welcome Government support for fishers.
All material is copyright and cannot be reproduced without the permission of the publisher. Print Post approved; 100003074
Fishing News - Page 2
Mike Stevens
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
I am reasonably apolitical and am happy to talk to any side of politics anytime. I will probably vote for the candidate in the party that has the best fishing policies, or if other issues are more important to me at the time they will get my tick. I never vote for a party, but put candidates in order of my preference. If you want my vote as a candidate you have to earn it. Fishing is a high priority to me and so valuable in that we could fill this magazine with reasons many times. It is as simple as food for some, recreation for others, mental health relief, time with mates, love of the outdoors and family time. It can be rehab space - and it can cheap or very costly, depending on what, where or how you participate. It is available to everyone. Fishing is a great leveler of class and wealth. The fish don’t know or care if you have money or social status, nor who you vote for. However, fishing in ever y way, contributes enormously to the State’s economy. If you would like to extend your thoughts on this issue to me, please do so at mike@tasfish.com
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Fishing News - Page 3
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Kings of the South Matt Byrne
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ummer time has always meant good fishing on the Tasmanian saltwater scene but as Matt Byrne explains here, we’re not talking about our staple species in Flathead and Salmon anymore……….these days it means Yellowtail Kingfish! 20 years ago when as a 15 year old working casually in a fishing retail store in Hobart, captures of Yellowtail Kingfish (Seriola lalandi) in Tasmania were rare, let alone in the cooler waters of Southern Tasmania. So rare that back then despite dreaming about catching one, I never actually thought it would happen, or better still, would the species one day (and at the right time of year) become a genuine targetable species in Southern Tasmanian waters. I would get to hear of the odd Kingfish capture from an angler throwing the usual silver hardware off the rocks near Clifton Beach or a random hook up from someone trolling the rocky shoreline around into the mouth into Cremorne canal, but by no means was any of this an annual event. Fast forward to the year 2016 and come December/January no one really seems to take a huge amount of notice these days when regular captures of Kingfish from as far afield as Woolnorth across to Waterhouse and down to St Helens and Coles Bay starts to occur. However, for Southern anglers it has been the increase in Kingfish activity that has occurred in recent times in the lower part of the East Coast, Lower Derwent River and D’entrecasteaux Channel that really has everyone excited about what late 2016 and 2017 will bring. At the time of writing (23rd November 2016), just days ago have we have our first confirmed captures of Kingfish in South east waters and with the warm water currents pushing down fast, you can only predict another great season ahead. For those that haven’t caught their first Tasmanian Yellowtail Kingfish, if you had to pin it down to just a few things, it is all about location and when you do locate them, mixing up your bait/lure choice and retrieve. Finally there is the issue of persistence because this species demands it like no other. Here we examine each of those points in more detail.
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Fishing News - Page 5
Location
It sounds like a very basic point to make but what do we know about Yellowtail Kingfish? I say this because the following criteria will determine whether you are fishing Kingfish habitat and where they’re likely to be, or whether you’re simply wasting your time in a fruitless area. Kingfish are a predatory fish that hunt ruthlessly in packs and prefer to patrol the edges of structure such as rocky drop offs, reefs, small islands and places where there is heavy warm water current or tidal movement and therefore baitfish. As with other similar small pelagics, they burn a lot of energy and therefore need a good and regular source of protein to survive. Small Salmon, Mullet, Redbait and Squid are key food items, so any of the above areas of preferred habitat combined with good concentrations of the above mentioned bait, will fit the criteria for finding Kingfish. But what about specific Kingfish locations in the South? Well like all other fish, they do happen to have their regular haunts and to give anglers a general ‘heads up’ as to where to start, the following locations have featured quite commonly in the past couple of years as follows:
Lower East Coast area Maria Island
Pleanty of kingfish here.
Marion Bay
D’entrecasteaux Channel area
emerged from out of the depths (I suspect to investigate the commotion from other fish we were catching at the time) and took a good look around the boat before disappearing, too quickly for me to grab one of my soft plastic rods unfortunately! I suspect these sort of occurrences will become more common for Southern Tasmanian saltwater anglers as the years progress. The last point to be made on location is that it would be remiss not to talk about use of your electronic sounder and their link to finding Kingfish. Not only will your sounder be able to find good drop offs or prime underwater structure, it will assist further in locating high concentrations of bait and temperature breaks. If you happen to cruise over an area where all these things coincide, it really can’t hurt to drop some jigs or soft plastics down and see what’s there. There would well be a school of Kings down there. Additionally, any floating objects in the water such as debris or large mats of kelp (that attract baifish) are also worth prospecting as Kingfish frequent these situations as well.
Bruny Island
Lures, bait and persistence
Pirates Bay Fortescue Bay Munroe Bight (Red Dirt) Cape Pillar Lower Derwent River area Betsey Island Iron Pot Tranmere (Punches Reef) Bellerive Bluff Tasman Bridge
North West Bay So there you have a good list of locations to work from for those seeking to target and land their first Southern Tasmanian Kingfish. Although the above can help, kingfish, like all other fish can simply turn up in areas where you might never have seen one before. This happened to me in early 2016 while bottom bouncing near Brother and Sister Island at White Beach on the Tasman Peninsula and whilst upon reflection the area looks like good Kingfish territory, I had never seen one there before in over 13 years fishing, so it caught me quite by surprise when two large Kingfish simply Fishing News - Page 6
If there is one thing you learn about Kingfish it’s that they are a fish of extremes, eat everything in sight one minute and then finicky the next. They then might repeat that pattern several times over the course of the day. It’s definitely what makes them such an amazingly challenging and satisfying sportfish to catch. Where I am leading to with this point is that it is paramount to have a really good range of options up your sleeve, including both bait and lure. But first let’s look at rod and reel choice and here your ideal kingfish set up is a nice sturdy but flexible 5 – 8 kilo rod, a really good quality 4000 – 5000 reel with a smooth drag set up (suggest Penn, Shimano, Finn-Nor) and capable of holding a good couple of hundred metres of quality 8-10kg braid. These fish fight hard and dirty
Cold water kingfish are delicious. and will soon make short work of poor quality tackle, particularly reel and line. As is often said, purchase the best quality gear you can afford, as fishing opportunities for these fish are simply too precious to waste on using poor equipment. Now back to bait and lure and you will note that I have raised these methods together on purpose, because you want them both at the ready when on plenty of occasions they will favour one over the other. Firstly, bait I believe is one of the most under-utilised methods for catching Kingfish. We have had success on large finger like strips of fresh squid (or whole small squid if you can get them) fished either down deep on bottom rigs or unweighted on a 5/0 - 6/0 circle hook. Other
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Fishing News - Page 7
strip baits formed from Salmon or mullet will also work. The call on whether to fish deep or unweighted is a call that is best made once you have similarly determined if the Kingfish are hanging deep or closer to the surface. The under-utilised component of bait fishing for Kingfish is live baits. Used extensively for Kingfish in New South Wales and New Zealand, live baits I believe would be key to catching Kingfish on those days where they are particularly finicky. I can’t claim to have used this method as yet but consider a small live Salmon or Mullet bridle rigged would be an excellent way to outsmart wary Kingfish. Onto the real fun and this is lure fishing for Kingfish. As mentioned earlier, Kingfish are very much a species that go in fits and starts when it comes to conducting a feeding frenzy. This means that swapping and changing lures in a bid to find something that agitates or excites their will to strike is all important. I generally favour dropping a 5 or 6 inch baitfish profile soft plastic on a large jig head straight to the bottom and ripping it back up to the boat vigorously. When it comes to this species, there is definitely something about a baitfish trying
to escape to the surface, hence bringing your plastic fast from the bottom to the top of the water column. Colour of soft plastic needs experimentation and I will generally start with a natural blue/silver baitfish combination to start with but if getting follows and no aggressive action from the Kingfish, will chop and change using Green, White or even Orange colours. Another point too is that if you have a few anglers on board, try getting your plastics back up to the boat simultaneously as I am convinced this can ignite some competition among the school of Kingfish and encourage them to strike at what they think is a panicked loose school of vulnerable bait fish present. As for hardbody lures, they definitely have their role to play. If cast and retrieve fishing, try the Shimano Waxwing jigs. These lures dart and weave like a wounded baitfish and this is exactly the sort of action you want from a lure when targeting Kingfish. The key I believe is to experiment with lures than have an erratic or non-standard action in the water. When it comes to trolling, combined higher speed/drop back trolling with 120 size Halco Laser Pros in the usual baitfish patterns or even small 6 inch
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Williamsons Lumo green/red skirts are definitely worth a run and will catch Kingfish. To further demonstrate the above points on lures and mixing it up, earlier this year in Munroe Bight off the Tasman Peninsula, we had a particularly interesting session on Kingfish that lasted on and off for over an hour and a half. In the course of that hour and a half session, the interest from the Kingfish despite hanging below the boat the whole time, peaked and troughed regularly but something would generally get their interest if we chopped and changed lures, retrieves and even method enough times. We finished the session with 5 Kingfish all caught on different methods from Squid strips, to plastics of varying colours, to Shimano waxwing jigs. If no interest in your offering and especially with a few anglers on board, keep changing and mixing it up. Don’t all adopt the same method at once! Persistence and experimentation definitely go hand in hand with this species. The pinnacle of Kingfish fishing would undoubtedly be to catch one on fly and indeed some Tasmanian anglers have already achieved this. As someone who has fly fished extensively for Trout (but not Kingfish) , I would offer the following advice for anglers looking to have a crack, just based on what I have seen. An 8 or 9 weight rod would be ideal and matched with a reel
with reasonable capacity backing wise (just in case you hook a larger model). If I had to select just one type of flyline I would advise on a fast sinking line to enable your fly to quickly enter the strike zone (especially with those schools hanging deeper) or alternatively if the fish are higher up the water column you can always just strip quicker. On the topic of retrieve, I would automatically be saying a fast retrieve with some stops (to allow the fly to occasionally drop) or even a medium retrieve with some faster jerks in it. Kingfish will often study and follow your offering so whatever you can do to impart some life like action and ignite that response and fire them up is what you need to do to get them to strike. A straight length of 8-10kg Flurocarbon leader would be warranted at the business end given the power of these fish and the terrain they occupy. As far as flies go, I would say again a really good diverse selection of colours starting with natural flashy profile flies, some standard white clouser type patterns and then some outlandish baitfish patterns in brighter colours like chartreuse, blue and even orange. Forget the approach of sticking with your standard few tried and true patterns as you would for Trout as again I’m convinced having a range of colours on hand to experiment with (as is the case for soft plastics) is paramount to success on any given day with this species.
Eating qualities
Immediately bled and put straight on ice, I rate Yellowtail Kingfish as being right up there in terms of their taste and firmness of the flesh. Provided you remove the bloodline from the fillets prior to cooking, there is no strong taste at all. Either cooked in foil parcels with a bit of lemon, salt, pepper and dill on top, or the more standard approach of pan frying with your favourite coating, I guarantee you will be super impressed with the eating qualities of this fish. As with everything, just take what you need for a feed. Finally, if you do find some Kingfish this summer, please don’t forget to share your information and knowledge. There are plenty of people keen to experience catching one that haven’t yet done so, so do a good deed and help them out. When it’s said and done, we are all out there to enjoy it. Good luck and all the best for your summer Kingfish chasing missions. Matt Byrne.
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Fishing News - Page 9
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Fishing News - Page 10
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Headwater hunting James Sinnamon Small headwater trout are often aggresive and beautiful. This one is almost trophy sized.
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ince I was a child, I have always had the desire to explore new places which comes naturally with an inquisitive mind. When I go on road trips and pass by a lake, a river, or alongside a creek, my mind becomes instantly filled with the thought of going fishing and discovering what secrets lurk beneath the surface. For me fishing is all about the moment, to enjoy the connection that arises between man and nature. To watch a small Trout get fooled and elegantly take the fly is just as enjoyable as pulling in a monster.
Taking this addiction and combining it with exploring mapped areas of national parks, unleashes a whole new world of adventures on the fly. Occasionally I wonder why I crawl through masses of black berry bushes, and gorse that are scattered about the bank. Yet, when I am there, alongside the tight head of a stream, crawling across spiky grass, getting close enough to the water to load the rod and deliver my fly with a bow and arrow cast I hear that “sip” — the fly is inhaled and I realise it is all worth it. Pulling in that fish, regardless of its size, ignites the fire and the passion I have for remote fly fishing.
A meandering mountain stream.
Back waters hold a special aspect for close quarter fishing and hot visual action. Personally I believe most of the fish are opportunistic feeders in these tight body waters, as there are large numbers of fish and it’s a constant battle for food. Therefore the Trout will generally eat any realistic looking fly which is presented well.
Preparation
When fishing small waters I find it important to use short rods and short leaders, with tippets no lighter than 4 lb, as there can be lots of snags. I use an 8ft, 4wt, 2 piece fly rod and I wouldn’t go any longer or heavier. When using a short rod, it is a lot easier to navigate through the thick trees and masses of gorse, and the fishing is generally all close quarters so having a rod any longer is going to be challenge all of its own. Commonly the size of fish found in these head waters vary from around 15 – 30 cm, although on the off chance you can find hidden gems of 40+ cm. Hiding behind a bush looking into the tail of the pool, observing the Trout in the crystal clear shallow water no more than two metres away is cool. Then planning the approach and dropping the fly no more than 400mm upstream, an instant reaction in the fish and “bam”, the fly is gone. It is glorious fun that never fails to satisfy. This time of the year, during the warmer months, snakes are hungry and out about along the banks of nearly every water way in Tasmania. Fly fishing up small creeks where the vegetation is generally thick, leaves the snakes nearly invisible, right until your standing on top of one. Therefore it is a given that you go prepared
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Fishing News - Page 11
Headwater trout should be released. wearing suitable gear. Waders can be much too warm to wear at this time of the year and wet wading is a much cooler option. Wear appropriate thick shoes and gaiters to cover your lower legs and snakes are not going to be of much concern. Unless you are keen and want to get close as possible to the fish or into a hidden pool scrambling the last few metres on all fours, where the snakes are then a risk worth taking. Going camo changes the game when fly-fishing. Hearing some stories around that the fish aren’t fussed on colour, but more on sudden movements, I argue that Trout most definitley see in colour and respond. Fishing one day with a good friend who was wearing a bright red jacket, while on the other hand I was wearing a green camo jacket made a difference. We fished one for one, I was catching and getting close to a lot of fish, while my mate was confused as he couldn’t spot any fish nor catch any, keeping in mind that we were both fishing the same flies and tippets. As the fishing was all close quarters by the time my friend appeared at the back of the pool the fish had all darted for cover under the banks and snags, as his red jacket was extremely bright against the back drop of trees and long grass. Blending in with the back drop and making no sudden movements will enable you to get very close to wild fish.
Finding the food
Glass rods are graceful when fishing small waters.
When it comes down to your fly choice it is as easy as finding what insect life is around and putting on a fly of similar fashion. There is a large abundance of life along the banks of water ways, with some being more obvious than others. This time of the year during the peaks of summer the insect life is in full swing. When walking around the banks of tight head waters it is usually very obvious as to what life is around, as every step you take hoppers and insects of all kinds fill the air. This makes fly choice particularly easy. Putting on a large hopper presentation letting it fall in perfect drift to a large brown, only for the fish to circle under the fly and refuse. “So change it up” I tell myself, putting on a large green beetle and placing it on point, and then the Trout took it with no hesitation. Using these types of flies makes it easy for the fish and fisher to see the fly as they are usually large and made of foam which makes them sufficiently buoyant.
Timing
The insect life is generally dormant for a few hours after sunrise, for that reason it can be difficult to spot feeding Trout in the early morning. Although the morning Trout can be fooled with a variety of wet flies such as nymphs or streamers. Beetle patterns will also work as throughout the night beetles are commonly active. The fish will generally refuse hoppers until the sun is well and truly up and the shadows are revealed. Once the day warms up the hopper activity increases and so does the Trout activity. Trout will feed on hoppers quite aggressively all day from around 10 am to sunset with minimal hesitation. As the day gets on and the sun starts to set the hoppers start to diminish and the fish tend to refuse hopper presentations and can’t get enough of the beetles. In saying this there are times when the fish may refuse a well presented hopper in the middle of the day and in this case I find it is best to resist having another go with the same fly and change to something different altogether.
Ideal pool for a hopper. Fishing News - Page 12
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Fishing News - Page 13
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Fishing News - Page 14
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You can’t always pick the weather when fishing. To most of us it is comes down to pre-set dates and if this happened to coincide with good weather then that’s a bonus. Whether it be blowing a gale or pristine smooth conditions, the Trout will still be willing to feed. You may think windier conditions make casting difficult. This is the case for sure, although the trees and grasses will be waving and creating commotion, meaning the Trout are not going to be as spooked by movement and thus it will enable you to get much closer to your target. On rainy days the fishing on top will generally shut down, though the Trout can still be tricked with a nymph. When approaching tight headwater pools it is always best to come at it from downstream, as Trout naturally face up stream.
Respecting property
Head waters are usually in tight overgrown fishing quarters, but you can sometimes find hidden gems of open grassy fields with deep pools at every bend. Nearly every major river will have some headwater fishing, with some being easily accessed from crossing bridges, whilst others requiring a bit of homework in order to gain access. When fishing on the banks of any creek or head water it is almost certain that you are passing on someone’s private property. Ask permission for your mission. It is paramount that you respect the land and don’t go scrambling over any fences causing damage.
Go by the “leave no trace” law of Tasmania’s conservation areas. In doing this farmers in the future may become more lenient on fishers fishing waters through their properties. W hen the g oing g ets tough the rewards can be unimaginable. Strolling along the bank finding an easy access point is what may seem like a logical thing to do. However when I am strolling along the bank I am looking for the tightest nooks to poke my head in, in search of the next lone wolf. Crawling through the undergrowth on all fours following wombat and small animal trails can lead to hidden pools which may have never been fished and in term may hold a beast of a Trout . Doing this with a fly rod in hand is not for the half-hearted, because your rod will get held up on every little thing possible and if patience isn’t your virtue, your rod may quickly go from a 2 to a 3 piece. Recently I crawled 50m or so under and through the scrub trying to gain access to a remote bit of water. I knew the direction and thought at the time “this is mission fishing”— striving to discover unfished waters.
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My heart skipped a beat as I spotted a lone wolf, looking of similar fashion to something from a large river. Not having any room to even attempt a cast I wound my beetle fly 30cm from the last guide and hovered it over the pool. The fish pretty much had its mouth open as the fly hit the water. What came next was a serious of screams and yelps as I tried to navigate this horse of Trout through the snags to the net. Thankfully all knots held and I was able to get a few pics and let him return to his palace of snags and shadows. James Sinnamon
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Fishing News - Page 15
T
Talbots Lagoon has a lot of dead timber and fish holding snags everywhere.
Talbots Lagoon Shane Flude
Paddle power is a fantastic way to move around Talbots.
I
t’s been a bit of a strange Trout season this year with conditions completely different from last year. Smoke filled skies and very low levels were the norm. Since then some biblical floods and wetter than average spring rains have topped up all our storages creating some really nice Trout fishing conditions. One such place that definitely copped the rains was Talbots Lagoon, the first few Fishing News - Page 16
months of the season have seen the water levels right up in the bushes and only dropping very slowly. With the relaxing of local regulations in relation to general access and the allowing for the first time the use of canoes and kayaks on the lake, Talbots was soon on many anglers’ agendas. After a few leaked reports of the numerous fat
fish in the shallows and a certain fishing shop displaying a sign that described Talbots as the best Stillwater in the state, I decided to see what all the fuss was about. Guess what, the fuss was correct and this season Talbots has proved to be an absolute gem to fish. Read on to see why.
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Fishing News - Page 17
LOCATION
To B18 Ridgley Highway
TALBOTS LAGOON
Dam Wall
LAUNCESTON
Guil
dfor
Silver Plains
d Ro
ad
HOBART
Guildford
Midd
Bosś Hole
Gate
Talbots Lagoon 645m
Talbots Sugarloaf
Talbo ts Ro
The Stockyards
Paradise Bay The Myrtles
M
id
Public Vehicle Access
• Talbots Lagoon is ideal for canoes and kayaks. • Beware of submerged hazards and comply with MAST safety requirements. • You may only fish from a non-motorised boat (including electric motors) at Talbots Lagoon. • There are no launching facilities or vehicle access to the lagoon. Vessels must be carried or trolleyed 200 metres from the car park to the lagoon.
Foot Access Private Roads Foot Access Only Beware of Log Trucks
Wey Arm
Talbots Lagoon is located in the north west of the state about a 40 minute drive south of Burnie. Follow the Ridgley Highway south then turn left towards the old township of Guildford. The last 8 klms are on gravel forestry roads which are suitable for normal vehicles. The only public access points are off a small slip road beside the main forestry road on the south western side of the Lagoon. Most anglers park at the first car park near the main boom gate. It’s only about 200 metres to the water from here by following the old road that leads straight into the water. Following the slip road to its end about another 500 metres over the hill gets you a little further north. Access to the water is through the forestry coupes, and once there some well formed tracks extend around a number of shores. These are depicted on a full display sign that has been erected just short of the water where the road enters. Vehicle and phone sat nav will often show the shortest route to Talbots as via Bunkers Road and not Guildford Road. Bunkers Road is a private forestry road and Fishing News - Page 18
Ro
N 0
NO MOTORBIKES
ex
ad
Parking
NO C AMPING
es
Medwa y Road
Getting there
NO LITTERING
dl
Whisky Creek
Please Obser ve
NO UNAUTHORISED SHOOTING
Buggs Road
ad
Responsible Boating
STRICTLY NO FIRES
Slimey Corner
Road
Guildford Road
lesex
Platform Point
0.5
1km
Warning
NO MOTORISED BOATING
DOGS UNDER EFFECTIVE CONTROL
ANGLING REGULATIONS APPLY
DEEP WATER
STRONG CURRENTS
private vehicle access is not permitted. The only public vehicle access to Talbots is via Guildford Road.
Regulations
Talbots is open to all methods of angling and opens and closes in line with brown Trout waters. Bag limit is 5 per day with not more than two over 500mm. Both browns and rainbows are present. The brownies are typically between 2 and 4.5lb and some are in simply superb condition. The rainbows range from 2.5lb to 5.5lb but as the season has progressed their condition factor has fallen off somewhat. They are far from slabs however. I have heard off but not seen reports of both species up to 6.5lbs.
Methods
All angling methods can be practised successfully but with a lack of distinct deeper shorelines a kayak or canoe is really needed to get the job done. The spin fishermen have reported some good takes on the typically shallow running cobra type lures. Opening day till around Christmas and days that were overcast or
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FALLING TREES AND LIMBS
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Fishing News - Page 19
rough presented the best times and conditions. Those walking the shores had a huge time when the lake was brimming. Others put the time in and walked to the dam shore and nearby northern shore where the water shelves away nicely. This was the only area that I heard of regular rainbow catches by spinning. The flooded stick-filled shores were the home of the wily brown. Once on the water and away from the numerous snags everyone I spoke to caught fish spinning. The rainbow rapala proved ever faithful in the minnow type patterns. Soft plastic plastic fishing was almost cheating early in the season. On two separate trips I caught a fish first cast. I experimented with plastics and jigs but the one quarter size jig rigged with that ever-reliable black and gold t-tail was unbeatable. I used a canoe every trip (thanks to my lovely wife for lending me her kayak)
so finding snag free water was easier but the lagoon has still claimed its share of jigs. As the water level has slowly dropped some huge clusters of snags are now showing their heads. Plastic fishing along these edges was fantastic. The fly fishing at Talbots this year has been incredible. Early season saw the lagoon flooded for the first few months and the frog feeders moved in en mass. A small wet or fur fly dumped in front brought the usual response but oh those snags. Hook up rates greatly outnumbered fish in the net. After one too many bust offs myself and others reverted to 8lb tippet. I just could not hold those fat four to five pound pigs that run straight under the first log. Just as the frog feeders were becoming scarce the dun hatches started and OMG. I had several days of
moderate to good hatches but I do need to mention one particular day which involved much thunder and lightning and some torrential downpours in the middle. For the record keepers out there pencil in 23 November. Those living on the North West coast can probably still remember the spectacular thunderstorm that rolled down the coast that night. I would describe the dun hatch as excellent before the storm rolled in but the sheer numbers that hatched for about two hours that afternoon was amazing to behold. The last truly thick hatch I can recall was on Arthurs of course all those years ago. This hatch greatly exceeded anything I have seen. The Trout really started to rise in earnest just as the downpour reached gortex breaking point. Did I mention the lightning? Despite the fish farm now in full feeding mode out in front I did not risk all
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Talbots Lagoon
Rainbow trout
Anglers Access REGION: NORTHWEST
Brown trout
Getting There
Talbots Lagoon Angling Regulations
Talbots Lagoon is located approximately 50km South of Burnie. Turn East off the B18 Ridgley Highway 38km South of Ridgley onto Guildford Road. Follow Guildford Road for 8km to Talbots Lagoon car parks. The lagoon is reached by a 200m walk. Walking tracks extend around much of the lagoon – beware of logging traffic on private roads.
To fish in any open inland water in Tasmania you must hold a current Inland Angling Licence unless you are under 14 years of age. A summary of the regulations are contained within the Tasmanian Inland Fishing Code. Note: Angling is permitted from 1 hour before sunrise to 3 hours after sunset. Waters flowing in to Talbots Lagoon are closed to angling at all times. You may only fish from a nonmotorised boat at Talbots Lagoon.
Talbots Lagoon Reserve is located on private property. Access has been provided by the goodwill of the owners and is a privilege not a right. We ask that you help us maintain the site and access by following the access rules and code of conduct. Talbots Lagoon is remote and very exposed. Visitors should be well prepared as sudden changes in weather can occur at any time of the year. Mobile phone coverage is inconsistent - please ensure you have notified someone of your plans. Camping and overnight parking is not permitted. Camping is available at Waratah Ph. 6439 7100.
Recreational Fisher y Management Talbots Lagoon is managed as a wild trout fishery. Natural recruitment maintains the quality of the angling. To protect spawning fish all waters flowing in to Talbots Lagoon are closed to angling at all times.
Angling Notes Talbots Lagoon is generally shallow with many snags and submerged trees and is ideal for wading. Anglers should be aware of submerged hazards and soft sediments. All methods of angling can be productive including fly fishing, spinning and bait fishing. The lagoon is a renowned dry fly fishery particularly during the late spring and summer when dun and spinner hatches can be prolific. Mudeye fishing can also be productive in the evening.
Code of Conduct • • • •
Be aware of and comply with fishing regulations. Respect the rights of other anglers and users. Protect the environment. Carefully return undersized, protected or unwanted catch back to the water. • Fish species and other organisms must not be relocated or transferred into other water bodies.
Species Brown trout, Rainbow trout
Minimum size
Bag limit
300 mm
5 *
* Combined daily bag limit of 5 fish can only include 2 fish exceeding 500 mm in length. Method
Season
Fly fishing Artificial Lures Bait Fishing
From the first Saturday in August to the Sunday nearest the 30th April.
Pest Fish Management Anglers can help reduce the spread of pests in Tasmanian waterways. It is an offence to use fish or fish products for bait or to transfer fish between waters. Significant penalties apply.
Protect our Water s Recreational anglers have a responsibility to look after fisheries resources for the benefit of the environment and future generations. • Do not bring live or dead fish, fish products, animals or aquatic plants into Tasmania. • Do not bring any used fishing gear or any other freshwater recreational equipment that may be damp, wet or contain water into Tasmania. Check, clean and dry your fishing equipment before entering Tasmania. • Do not transfer any freshwater fish, frogs, tadpoles, invertebrates or plants between inland waters. • Check your boat, trailer, waders and fishing gear for weed and other pests that should not be transferred before moving between waters. • Do not use willow (which is a plant pest) as a rod support as it has the ability to propagate from a strike. Report any unusual fish captures or algal sightings immediately to the Inland Fisheries Service Report illegal activities to; Bushwatch 1800 333 000
Brown Trout illustration Trevor Hawkins Rainbow Trout illustration Kristii Melaine
BL11061
Guidelines
Inland Fisher ies Ser vice
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Fishing News - Page 21
that flashing stuff possibly meeting up with Mr Sage. Of course I headed out before fully safe and did not know which fish to cast at. They were very difficult to catch to start with; I put that down to the ridiculous amount of naturals on the water and the random movements of the fish. As the duns finally started to lift off and thin out the fish became much easier to target. I will record the last hour of the hatch as my best Trout fishing hour by far this season. My last dun feeder was a perfect four and a quarter pound pig that actually dragged me around in the canoe for some time before finally coming to the net. Since this day the hatches have been quite patchy with variable numbers of fish rising. I have had some success by just fishing a small weighted nymph under a wulf type dry. Not as much fun as casting to those actively rising and feeding Trout but still enjoyable. My last perfect weather day that should have suited the fly was far from it. A reasonable amount of duns still floated about and were later joined by a good dressing of fresh gum beetles. I only saw two fish rise all day and neither on my fly. In desperation I choose an old fishing method that historically produced well for me on Talbots. (Strict fly anglers may now stop reading). Yes that’s right I rigged up the float, attached some split shot just above the size 10 fly hook and threaded on a fresh mud eye, one or more of which can be found under most logs around the lake. I think I have mentioned cheating already in this article but on the right day, and that’s certainly not every day at Talbots, this method is deadly. Again the canoe comes into its own by being able to drift across open water away from
the snags. Both browns and rainbows simply love these critters and the lake is full of them. Check out the dried out shucks on most logs or trees.
Lap around the lake
Starting from the launching road point I will now describe Talbots lagoon in an anti clockwise lap. The southwest bay that is first encountered is largely snag free across the centre and has produced good numbers of fish to all methods. It is between 8-10 ft deep. The entire perimeter of this bay produced good numbers of fish when levels were high. The south eastern corner was particularly good. All around the main island fishes well but some of the shores were diabolical to wade around. The drowned trees out in front of the island are in water up to about 14 ft deep. All methods were good here. The south eastern bay and relevant shorelines are heavily tree lined and full of snags. Heavy going again when full but possibly produced some of the best numbers in high water. Back around and up to the inlet area known as the Stockyards. Solid shores along the southern shore are great to wade and fish and there are some large snag free areas here to fish. When the wind is blowing northerly the spinner risers here are numerous. The entire northern shore produces fish the whole way. It has a mostly firm rocky bottom and again can be easily waded. With the sun at your back here it’s a good shore to climb up on the nearest high stump and wait
for the prey. That small bay just east of the dam always has a couple of cruisers in it. This is not a good shore if you don’t like snakes. The dam offers the deepest waters straight from land to fish and is very popular for spin and plastic fishermen. I have sounded most of the lake from my canoe and out from the dam was just over 30 feet. It is 16 ft deep at that tree line a kilometre away in front of the island. The western shore was easily the most popular shoreline this past season. It features some deep water towards the dam, nearer the road launch site the flooded shores produced well. Again the going was tough in places, downright life threatening in some. Talbots Lagoon is without doubt the home of the small water craft such as the canoe or kayak. 6 are the most I have seen on it at any one time. The many drowned snags that lurk just under the water level lead to a few heart stopping moments if you hit one a full speed. No doubt there have been a few anglers test the water. At over two kilometres across it is fairly large water and being on the west coast rough weather is common. I have retreated from the water twice due to rough conditions. In perfect conditions when the superb fish are biting I now believe their sign was correct. This season Talbots Lagoon is the best Stillwater in Tasmania. Shane Flude
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for service, price and the right advice Fishing News - Page 22
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C
Coastal catches Matt Sherriff
T
assie’s East Coast has always been somewhere I’ve loved to go fishing having spent many holidays as a young fella at St Helens and Little Swanport. Over the past couple of months we have had a couple of successful trips, on both occasions catching our target species which is always rewarding. Here are some highlights from those trips.
these great eating fish on the deck. We ended up with another four Stripeys during the morning bringing our total to six and along with a dozen or so Morwong we were pretty chuffed.
On the way back in we were escorted for a short time by some Dolphins which is by no means rare, but we were also lucky enough to see some Killer Whales cruising along near them which was pretty cool. You
Bicheno
This was a trip we had been talking about for some time. With neither me or my father having ever caught a Striped Trumpeter we thought a trip to Bicheno was in order. We packed the swags and headed off, opting to stay a night in the local caravan park rather than having to leave Launceston at 3am. The weather that greeted us the following morning at the boat ramp looked promising and after checking our cray pot which we set the night before (unfortunately empty) we headed out to find some fish! We fished in 60-80 metres of water over broken bottom and pretty much straight away found some fish albeit a few decent size Cod and Gurnards. As we continued our drift I noticed the sounder lighting up with some activity just off the bottom which looked promising and almost on cue our baits started getting interest. Upon driving the hooks home we could tell straight away that these were different fish than the ones caught so far as they weren’t overly keen to get lifted out of their holes and put up quite spirited fights for average sized Trumpeter. It was nice to finally have a couple of
Stripeys caught and on the list.
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Fishing News - Page 23
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Fishing News - Page 24
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never know what you are going to see when you get offshore and it’s one of the aspects I enjoy most about bluewater fishing.
St Helens
Just like our previous trip to Bicheno, we decided to lay the swags out at the local caravan park the night before our trip and catch up with some friends who were staying there for a welcome meal. With all the gear sorted we hit the sack keen to see what lay ahead the following morning. Arriving at the boat ramp just before sun up to a sea a bit more sloppy than what was forecast we decided to head straight out to the shelf. About a third of the way out, the sea wasn’t getting any better and the decision was made to try out the keel ballast system in our 615 Barcrusher. Once the keel was full we shut the flap to hold the water in and started on our way again. It was like being in a different boat!! With a much smoother ride now on offer we powered out to the shelf and then
proceeded to set out a spread of lures and troll north along the contour lines. Viva Fishing had just released a new range of Entice Game Lures and sent us a selection of samples to test and apart for a pink Halco Max running in the prop wash, the rest of the lure spread consisted of the new lures. About 30 minutes in and we heard the sound we had been waiting for. Looking around to find two rods bent and line screaming from reels. Less than 10 minutes later we had a couple of nice Albacore to the boat… happy days. We continued heading north towards the Binalong Patch and picked up another 4 Albacore with sizes ranging up to 15kg. We were just about to pull up at the Binalong Patch for a deep drop and the rods went off again. A three way hook up this time and these fish felt much better. After dancing around the deck for the next 15 minutes or so three school Bluefin hit the deck (biggest one approx. 25kg). Two of these fish were caught on the new game skirts and one snaffled the Halco. We trolled for another
20 minutes or so in the same area and picked up one more Bluefin whilst dropping another. Happy with our Tuna catch, and now that the sea had settled, the decision was made to try out our new electric reel mounted on a production sample of the new Crucis Titan 37kg bent butt game rod. Being new to this style of fishing we weren’t sure what to expect but after finding some activity on the sounder in 450m of water the first drop was made. Even with nearly 2kg of lead on the rig it seemed to take forever to get to the bottom but once it was there the bites were quick to follow! I hit the lever to initiate the reel and after seven or eight minutes of anticipation we had our first Blue Eye on the deck! This seemed too easy and we couldn’t get the rig re-baited and on its way back down quick enough. Once again, as soon as we found the bottom the bites started. This time we decided to leave the baits down a bit longer and see if we could get a few more circle hooks occupied. As soon as the lever was pushed forward the groans from the reel and the bend
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Fishing News - Page 25
Gear we use for tuna and stripeys:
in the rod confirmed we made the right decision and after a tense wait another Blue Eye and two Gem Fish were in our possession. One further drop repeated the result of the previous one with three more fish and it was decided to head back in to clean the fish before heading home. What can I say…in two trips down the East Coast we had managed three new species, saw Killer Whales and now have a freezer full of great eating fish as well Fishing News - Page 26
as some happy friends. We are blessed to live in such a great place with so much on offer…don’t take it for granted, get out there and enjoy it! For anyone interested in seeing some video highlights from these trips, we have shared some on our Sherriff Agencies Recreational Facebook page and our YouTube channel. Matt Sherriff
• Crucis Elite Empire SP541M Rod with Pioneer Altitude 8000 Reel and 50lb Timberwolf Braid • Murasame Seriola Rod with Finnor Marquesa MA20II Reel and 50lb Timberwolf Braid • Stripey Rigs had 8/0 Pioneer Mutsu Hooks with white 5” B2 Candy Squid (spiced up with some squid bait) • Entice Skirted Game Lures in various colours and Halco Max in pink The above rods are great all-rounders being versatile enough for both bottom fishing and game trolling.
Deep Sea Fishing Gear: • Crucis Titan 37kg Bent Butt Fully Rollered Game Rod • Daiwa Tanacom 1000 with 1000m of Braid • Bottom rig consisted of 5 x 13/0 Circle Hooks, Strobe Light and 2kg Sinker
www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.
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Fishing News - Page 27
G
Off the Show
Ramblings and other offshore hoo har by
Kelly Hunt
I
t is official . The Tasmanian fishing season is completely off the show! It started with a real head of steam just before Christmas and has not slowed down, if anything it has grabbed another gear. The fishing has been truly fabulous with many people enjoying what this great state has to offer. The old favorites like Flathead and Gummy shark have been in good numbers, but what really excites me is the growing catch rates of newish species like Snapper and Yellow tail kingfish. YES YES, I hear some of you say they have been here for years and I agree, but never before have they been so relevant and widespread. Those that are looking to try a few different rigs and target these fish specifically have been richly rewarded. If you are prepared to do some research and get your head around why fish feed around the tides and where they congregate you can increase your success. While I have been out and about the water quality looks in great shape. Out to sea off the shelf and in and our rivers and estuaries are looking prime. While the floods of last year brought with them some tragedy and a lot of destruction the effect on our rivers and coastal areas seems positive. More and more it seems people are only taking enough fish for a feed and the days of loading up on a hot bite, just because you can, are a thing of the past. Tag and release and pic and release are 2 ways to enjoy fishing that becomes stronger every season. The netting bans of the past and catch limit rule changes, while confronting and controversial for some are delivering real benifit to recreational anglers. So all and all there is no real reason for you not to get out and wet a line. Try and catch that wish list fish or the fish of a lifetime. It is that time of year and it looks like the Tasmanian fishing season is keen to provide ! Fishing News - Page 28
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ULVERSTONE
Offshore
The big boat crews will be getting itchy feet in readiness for BIG FISH time. The fish that we see coming through on the currents have been getting bigger and bigger. We have also seen more incidents of Striped Marlin and we all hold our breath for a decent run of Yellowfin tuna. The Jumbo tuna will be soon here and also seem to be greater in number as well. Last year we saw fish to 130 and 140kg so expect these fish that have escaped capture on their migratory run to be monsters this season. All these super fish are going to need gear in great condition to stop them. You will need your reels serviced and check all your lure leaders and wind on leaders if you run them. We run wind on leaders after our double knots and have very few issues. The advantage of having a wind on is shorter lure leaders and being able to fight the fish from the rod tip. Getting a few wraps on the reel drum of the 200lb wind on while trying to gaff or tag a fish is much higher percentage of success.
These fish are all powerful and test gear and angler in different ways. Team work and cool heads are just as important as good tackle in good condition. When that good fish is hooked it is important to remain calm while clearing the other lines out of the way. The fish is at its strongest at this point and the angler is most likey a passenger as it removes line from the reel. This is time for the angler to make sure the reel drag is right, they have good footing and comfortably lodged in one corner at the stern of the boat. Lodging in a corner allows you to drive a leg or thigh into the gunnel or bait board for some stability and control. If the corner you find yourself in has the skipper on the same side, bark some orders to the crew to move eskies and other gear to the other side leveling up the vessel. The gear should all be in now and the crew should be looking to stow that gear well out of the way and clear any gear
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Fishing News - Page 29
off the deck of the boat. What you don’t want is rods stowed lazily in the gunnel with a lure swinging in the air or worse still ... in the water. Murphy’s law is alive and well in any angling situation and if there is something to catch the anglers line it will so stow away all gear well forward. Once the gear is put away and you have the fish off the corner of the boat and anglers line well clear, fit the harness. That’s if you have one. You can fight large fish without a technical harness but it puts the advantage firmly back with the fish. Fighting without one is like fighting Danny Green with one arm tied behind your back. Fighting with one is like fighting him and being Mike Tyson in his prime.... before he started eating ears. Now you are set ready to go. You are in the harness and comfortable. The crew has cleared all lines and stowed them neat and well forward. The deck of the boat is clear allowing you to maneuver from side to side and along the gunnels. Perfect, but there is nowhere to go you are hooked to the fish of a life time. 100kg of any species is a powerful brute and you are not going to get the fish to the boat in ten minutes. A lot of mistakes are made and fish lost by trying to man handle the fish and rush the fight. Remember this fish is in its element and not interested in coming anywhere near the boat. You have to wear the fish down and that takes time. Time and technique. Like any activity, fishing is all about technique and the correct one will save you a lot of energy and put maximum pressure on the fish. Make no mistake this is a prize fight and you are the weaker opponent. You need to use all the technique you can muster and be the Fishing News - Page 30
stronger combatant in the 10th round. So use the harness as it is a technical advantage. Not only does a harness locate the rod but and stop the big overheads twisting as you wind, but they take the load off your arms. The two straps from the harness that locate on the lugs on the top of the reel are a godsend. These straps take the load off your arms and transfer it into the belt and your body. This allows you to concentrate on winding and getting the line back on the reel level. Level line coming back on the reel is important as you don’t want to build a mini mountain of line on the spool that can jam up in the reel beams and cause issues. The only way to fix this is to drive off and pull the hard fought line back off the reel and clean it up. The biggest mistake in using a harness is thinking you have to get metres of line in with lots of rod lifting. If you are doing that, you have the harness on wrong and you don’t have enough pressure on the fish. A technical fighting harness is designed to take line by dipping your bum and knees and getting some line back with quick sharp winds as you stand. This is the technique and it takes a bit of mastering and timing. The key here is to be tight to the fish with a solid bend in the rod. Anytime you have a good bend in the rod you have pressure on the fish and he is in effect swimming up a hill. The more bend you can get in the rod the bigger hill you make the fish swim up. Should the fish run and pay line out, it is sprinting up hill. Now you all know what it is like running up a hill. It is the quickest way to tire. Now imagine sprinting as hard as you can up the hill and when you stop someone puts a 30kg backpack on you as well. That’s the effect of good technique and always maintaining a good solid bend in the rod.
The second you have slack line you have rested the fish and also allow it to turn and change direction. This along with the slack line can combine and have the hook fall out of the fish. Not Happy !! You should really be tiring the fish out and starting to dictate terms. The runs should be less often and shorter in length. There will be a chance to take or tag the fish coming up. This is when you need cool heads and a plan. While you had plenty of time working the fish you should have put together a plan and worked out who is doing what. If you have the luxury of a few crew you can have a leader person and a gaff person. Sometimes that person is one and the same. Sometimes that person is also driving the boat !! Once you have the fish broken and tiring you can position the boat to place tag of gaff. The best position is down sea allowing any waves or wind to lay you off the fish. Yellowfin will circle hard and lay on their sides refusing to cooperate. The last thing you need is to cut the fish off on the boat or motor skeg by washing on and over the top of the fish. Once you make the move to tag or gaff the fish with confidence. Take weight off the line from the rod tip and with the other hand get a good wrap on the line and be firm and guiding. Don’t jerk and be too rough as you will pull or have the hook drop out. Some fish will lay along the side of the boat as you trundle along, beaten. Don’t expect that from a Yellowfin. They will circle and pull to the very end. You can let them circle and work them up to the surface on each pass. Once the tag is in or the fish has been gaffed and on the deck of the boat you can celebrate. You have been
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one of the lucky few in Tasmania to take on a Yellowfin tuna and won. Here is to hoping they come through and we get to try our luck and put some of this into practice. Fish tend to all behave differently and can follow a certain pattern when it comes to what they will do once hooked and in the battle. Mako sharks will jump and flip wildly and then often bog down deeper and are hard to budge. They will put there big pectoral fins out and be quite stubborn. If you play a mako smoothly and not try and gerk on them they will often slowly work up the water column to the surface. Should they come to the surface skipper and angler can work together and quarter over to the fish. This is an easy way to get back line, but be warned. If you the angler is getting a bit of a breather you can bet the fish is as well. Striped Marlin will hit hard and be in the air before you know it. Not always, but more often than not they will play out on the surface and be very lively. This is a very tricky time to maintain the line pressure you need. They have hard mouths and will shake and through their head violently trying to free themselves of you. Any slack line at all and you won’t get a solid hook up or they will throw the hook. It doesn’t hurt if you hook a marlin to drive off and at a fair clip for a short while. This will pull any slack line out and take the stretch out of the mono for a good hook set. Once you are confident you have the fish hooked, settle into the fight and wear the fish down. As a crew member you can get a rag or tissues handy as its most likely to end in tears. Marlin are very tricky to hook and worse to land proving why they are a tremendous capture in Tasmanian waters. Tuna are just full of power and energy waiting for you to make a mistake. Take it easy and relax and it is only a matter of time. Tuna will go for depth and if you have one that is high in the water you might be in trouble. We hooked one that for the first hour just kept swimming with the feeding school on the surface.. but that is another story that didn’t end well. When you bust a tuna you have normally won the battle. They go hard and burn themselves out. Be gentle on the rod or leader and you should be able to lay them alongside the moving boat. This does not apply for Yellowfin tuna as they will battle to the very end, circling looking for any chink in your armor.
the opposite side just out of the prop wash at a distance in the middle of the two. Then stand back. The way it’s been fishing they will get smashed very soon.
Bottom fishing on the shelf
Deep dropping has been a little hit and miss and always dependent on weather. Finding the fish even in good weather is tricky so when it cuts up and the wind blows it’s a real disaster. The best results are from watching the weather and looking for those weather events you only get 6 -10 times a year and that is when a high pressure system comes and camps right over the coast. It doesn’t matter if is the West, East or south coast, when that happens it is GO TIME The better the weather conditions the easier it is to get your baits into the bio mass you have found on your
sounder. Getting a good picture on your sounder is crucial and getting your baits down into it quickly before you drift off it will increase your catch rate. We learnt firsthand that having a selection of baits is a good idea. We were one of three baits out on the shelf and the only one catching. All we could put it down to was the bait we were using. While everyone else had squid we had some small Couta we caught on the North West coast the week before and it seemed to be the difference. So have a few different baits.
Closer to home
Great news for most is that you do not have to be miles and miles out to sea to get onto some fish and fill the freezer. The flathead fishing is hot and doesn’t look like slowing. Finding a good patch to drift over is
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Where to find fish
I can honestly say EVERYWHERE ! The fishing has been magic from St Helens and Northward right down to the Neck and further South. Bicheno and Triabunna has also been producing good fish. The key is to get out to the 100m line and put the lures in. I have mentioned it before but that imaginary line from the 100m mark to the shelf is full of life and fish. It amazes me as well when the Shearwaters start to wall up along that contour as well. They know something. We have found fish this season on the edge of the shelf and a couple of miles inside it. Bird action has been minimal the fish have just been there in good numbers and happy to see our lures. The lures we use are Zacatak skirts and they come in a range of heads that suit any conditions and colors to match the hatch or just get attention. They always swim well in a cross wind and very rarely let us down. If you are new to tuna fishing get one just at the back of the prop wash of the engine where the water starts to clear. One in the wash at the back of the boat about 6m back in short. Put another out as wide as you can on
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Fishing News - Page 31
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the key. Don’t waste anytime wondering if you are not getting bites. If you have had a couple of drifts for nothing move to another area and start over. If you can see on your sounder a section that drops away into deeper water or a channel try there for sure. We had some really good success on Tiger Flathead in 120 m of water recently off Bicheno. They were on the edge of the shelf and didn’t take long to find. The sounder helped in showing a slightly different bottom and down the baits went. When they are on the chew it doesn’t take long to get a feed, they are voracious and come aboard in two’s and threes. Make sure you have a net or a small sharp gaff to get them on board quickly. No one wants to wind something up from 120m and have it lost at
the side of the boat. A good pair of gloves are a great idea. I have been really getting into using gloves while fishing with braid lately. I have been getting a ribbing from cobbers about being soft, but it just makes sense when fishing with braid and big egg beaters or electrics. I am sick of the cuts in my fingers from the line and the spikes from a flatty. You can come at a task with more gust and confidence with a good pair of gloves. I like the tight fitting jigging style gloves. They offer good protection but do not limit ones ability to work and function. Kelly Hunt
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Fishing News - Page 32
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Fishing News - Page 33
Fishing News - Page 34
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POSITION VACANT EDITOR After 20 years it is time to find some new blood. Other interests mean the owner and editor of Tasmanian Fishing and Boating News (Mike Stevens) needs some help and wants to appoint an editor. You must be an angler, and preferably working in the industry. You can influence the fishery and recreational anglers. Tasmanian Fishing and Boating News is as strong as ever, and unlike many magazines it has not lost anything in sales over the last few years. How much and what work is involved? It goes something like this. • • • •
• •
• • • •
Understand what Tasmania offers as a recreational fishery, how broad it is, and can be. Plan and source stories for editions well in advance. Find writers that can write topical stories suitable to the upcoming editions. It is no good having summer stories in winter and vice versa. Be able to write stories, and write a story from an interview – often by phone. Often there are some outstanding fishing stories and great captures, but no one to write them. You will need to find the people involved and get it on paper. Sometimes they will tell you everything, but equally they may want to protect the location. You need to understand and respect that. Communicate with advertisers – and encourage new advertisers. Be willing to learn new computer publishing skills. We currently use the latest suite from Adobe — Indesign and Photoshop are the main programs. However this is not the primary role. Collecting and ensuring good content is number one. Work to a deadline. Essential. Be able to spell and undertake basic editing. We don’t need brilliance, but do expect stories to be structured and easy to follow. Add items to the www.tasfish.com website and facebook page as needed. This is a huge resource and needs topping up from time to time. Support advertisers with product reviews where and when relevant.
Whilst the above seems quite comprehensive, it is not complex. Five to ten hours a week is about all it should take. There are a number of benefits by working in this industry and it’s great fun. If you think you have some or all of the skills above please call Mike Stevens on 0418 129 949.
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Fishing News - Page 35
S
Swordfish
Satellite tagging for research Jamie Harris The author about to release a broadbill.
T
he discovery of our amazing daytime Broadbill fishery firstly down here in my home state of Tasmania and more recently on the big island has the whole gamefishing fraternity in a spin and it’s not hard to see why! There is something so mystical and addictive about dropping a big bait down half a kilometre into the abyss and then waiting, hoping for a bite from what some would say to be, the pinnacle, or the holy grail of gamefish, the Broadbill Swordfish (Xiphias Gladius) Not to be confused with Marlin at all, the Swordfish although a billfish, are not related in any way and are a totally separate species which again makes them even more mysterious. They are truly the gladiator by name and by nature as Sword fights can go on for several hours and sometimes unfortunately they do fight to the death. At the time of writing, I have been involved in the landing of eight Fishing News - Page 36
swords with around three times that many lost. To put it into perspective, two of my captures, 238kg and 340kg took six and seven hours to land respectively. To think that they can grow to in excess on 600kg is just mind blowing! Earlier this year I was lucky/unlucky enough to be strapped to one for ten hours, no that’s not a misprint, TEN HOURS! Only to have the hook pull close to the boat in the final stages. We estimated that fish to be close to 400kg. Heartbreaking stuff and still hurts to talk about but it’s these moments that make the epic captures so much more special and it’s what keeps us going back for more. As it’s really only been three years since swordfish were first discovered in Tassie (as a daytime recreational catch) we still have so much to learn. As is the nature of dropping a bait down so deep, there are always going to be variables and so the jury is still out on basically every aspect. From rigs and baits to hook choice, J’s or Circles?
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Fishing News - Page 37
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Fishing News - Page 38
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Moon phases, Tide changes and so on. I have some theories, but at this stage they are just that and I’m not going to sit here and say I’m an expert or tell you what is right or wrong. Maybe ask me in about 20 years time! What I can say will improve your chances is obviously (like all fishing) time on the water. So do your research and get out there and have as many drops as you can! Over the last couple of years IMAS (Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies) with the help of some of us keen rec fishos, have been involved in a Swordfish Satellite tagging program with an aim of learning more about this amazing species. The Sat tags are designed to detach from the fish and float to the surface after 250 days. The tag then relays all of the vital info back to the guys at IMAS. Hopefully we will learn a number of things like where they go to spawn, how far they travel, depths and temperatures they tolerate and so on. After a whole lot of planning, back in April 2016, fishing out of St Helens and Bicheno in Tassie, myself, Dr Sean Tracy from IMAS along with Paul Worsteling and his IFISH film crew managed to film the Sat tagging and release of not one but three Swordfish!! Two of which were on the same day! We did tag another fish but unfortunately, after an hour of trying, it couldn’t be revived. That fish certainly didn’t go to waste and as they are great eating, it was divided up amongst our families with the frame and organs going to IMAS for more valuable research. After losing eight or nine suspected swordfish between the IFISH and IMAS boats over the previous three days, it was great to finally get the tags in and watch as these awesome fish swam back to the depths. We estimated the three successfully tagged fish to be 280, 120, 270kg respectively. Many thanks and congratulations to all involved, this was a great achievement and a huge team effort. At the time of writing none of the tags had yet to surface which means all three tagged fish had survived and still swimming which is great news and we can’t wait to see the data Jamie Harris
All action on the big Stabicraft
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Fishing News - Page 39
M Mudeyes are magic Jamie Harris Above and below – the author with some super browns on mudeyes.
F
ishing for Trout using the humble mudeye for bait, may seem pretty basic, but it would have to be one of the most effective ways to catch a Trout ever. It’s also one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways too! What is a Mudeye you ask? A Mudeye is the final larvae stage of a Dragonfly and it just happens to be one of a Trout ’s favoured and more common foods. That said, it would be very rare to have a Trout refuse a well presented Mudeye bait. Even when they are actively feeding on something completely different, they will happily scoff down a Mudeye with gusto. Most if not all Trout waters will have Mudeyes present. The most obvious sign is when you see Dragonflys out and about. They are most active in the warmer months but that said, they can be used effectively just about any time of the year. Many good tackle stores sell Mudeyes these days but if you would rather collect some yourself, it’s not hard at all and it’s even quite enjoyable! Mudeyes can be easily found by wading in the shallows, turning over a few logs and rocks. They will hide in any holes and crevices usually on the underside. They can be hard to see at first as they will be of a similar colour to their habitat and often you wont see them until they start to move so take your time and be patient. Usually the older, gnarlier looking logs will have the most Mudeyes and if you find just the right log, you may get twenty or more off it! Fishing News - Page 40
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Spider and couta mudeyes. You may come across two types of Mudeye. The more common of these seems to be the Spider Mudeye. The other is affectionately known as the Couta Mudeye. The Couta is my personal favourite as it’s slightly larger with a longer, more pointy rear end. The Trout don’t seem to have any preference for one or the other. Although to some a Mudeye may look like a nasty looking little critter, they certainly don’t bite! Now you have your bait it’s time to use it! Mudeyes are best fished suspended under a float. There are many floats available that will work but I like to use the small egg shaped ones that can be filled or partially filled with water so as to add weight for a nice long cast. Pass your line down through the centre tube in your float. Generally I would
suspend my Mudeye about 40cm to one metre below my float. To do this I use either a float stopper or a small swivel. Then just below the swivel I will add a small piece of cork or neoprene (about 1cm square). Simply pass your hook through it a couple of times and add a halfhitch to stop it sliding down the line. This acts basically as your float and stops the weight of the Mudeye pulling line through your float and sinking down in the weed. So basically you want your line to be able to run freely through your float so when a Trout eats it, it wont feel any pressure until you set the hook. It pays to fish as light as possible for this style of finesse fishing for Trout in clear water and I wouldn’t use any heavier than 4lb line while Mudeye fishing. I find the Shimano Ocea 4lb
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Steve Starling enjoying some mudeyeing.
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Fishing News - Page 41
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Fishing News - Page 42
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Florocarbon leader is perfect for the job. There is no real advantage or disadvantage in using Braid in this instance so either Braid with a leader or straight through Mono or Flouro is fine. Hooks – depending on the size of the Mudeyes I use either a size 10 or 12 quality chemically sharpened hook. Now to bait up – the Idea is to keep your Mudeye alive for as long as possible on the hook. To do this it’s best to pass the hook through the small wing casing on top of the Mudeyes back. A swimming Mudeye will attract way more attention than a dead one! So you’ve found your chosen hot spot and you’re baited up ready to go. It’s imperative that you cast your Mudeye out as gently as possible. It’s more of a slow lob really and more often than not there is no need to cast out too far anyway. Mudeyes are a delicate little creature and you will cast the odd one off here and there so it pays to have at least a dozen or more for a decent session. Just the other day while rigging up we had Trout rising just a metre or so from shore! Yes it got the blood pumping! After you’ve cast out, it’s best to leave your bail on your reel open, so a fish can take the bait and run without feeling any resistance. So now you’ve cast out and you’re waiting for a bite. Keep your eye on your float for any unusual or unnatural movement. If it does move chances are a Trout has eaten your bait and is about to start taking line. Don’t get too excited and strike to early! It’s best to let the fish run for up to 10 seconds or thereabouts. This will ensure he has swallowed the bait down. Just before you strike be sure to wind up any slack line that you may have out, then it’s just a gentle but firm lift of the rod and your on! Remember, you’re only using 4lb line not 50! As is the nature of this style of fishing you will hook some fish deep and this is fine if you plan on keeping one or two for a feed. If you are planning on releasing your fish try striking a bit earlier to try to mouth hook them or simply cut the line as close as possible to the hook and it will rust away and disappear in no time. Recently I was lucky enough to show off some of this amazing fishing to long standing Shimano ambassador and all around fishing legend Steve Starling with a great session Mudeye fishing at one of our favourite waters in NW Tassie called Talbots lagoon. For directions and advice talk to the Crew at Tackleworld and Outdoors in Burnie, Tas. The fish were rising hard on the duns that day but they were still all over our Mudeyes! I think the final tally was nine fish landed, a few more missed and a couple broken off. These beautiful and fat brown Trout averaged around 3lb and made for a fun and memorable afternoons fishing. My gear of choice on the day was the awesome new Shimano Stradic FK 2500 paired up with the amazing Anarchy 702 light spin. Line was 5lb Power Pro in Yellow with a 4lb Ocea Flouro Leader. This is my new favourite combo for just about any light tackle situation, either in freshwater or in the salt!
There is something about float fishing that really gets me going, whether it’s the anticipation of the bite or seeing that float bobble. I almost forgot how much fun it was! Not to mention effective and the best part is that anyone can do it! Jamie Harris
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Fishing News - Page 43
RECREATIONAL SEA FISHERIES NEWS February - March 2017
FISHING ETIQUETTE
Tasmanians are lucky enough to have access to fantastic fishing locations so practising good fishing etiquette and respecting each other’s activities means all fishers and water users can enjoy themselves more.
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 then fillet them, please dispose of the waste and shells with your household rubbish or bury it in your own backyard. Don’t leave used line and plastics lying around. Clean up any land based area or fish cleaning facilities after cleaning your fish. If there is a cleaning table, rinse it down for the next person.
Disposing of fish waste
A common complaint we hear from recreational fishers is about other fishers dumping their catch in the shallow waters close to swimming areas, jetties and even on foreshore reserves. Please consider other fishers and users of these areas.
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Channel Marine Services Lot 10 Gemalla Rd, Margate Ph: 03 6267 1456 Tasmanian Marine Centre 21 Wellington Street, Longford Ph: 03 6391 1543
Fishing News - Page 44
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Be considerate at the boat ramp
Boat ramps can be very busy in the popular summer holiday periods, Easter and long weekends. Try to have your boat prepared and ready to go as much as possible prior to your turn to launch. The same applies after fishing when you’re loading it back onto your trailer. Move away from the boat ramp if possible to wipe down or do final checks prior to hitting the road.
Respect other water users
Fishing’s not the only summer water activity that’s popular in Tassie. Keep an eye out for water and jet-skiers, kayakers, swimmers, divers (watch out for ‘diver down’ flags) and tourist boats. Everyone has a right to access our beautiful bays and beaches and enjoy themselves on the water.
Good rock lobster potting practices
Don’t pull other people’s pots. Interfering with other recreational or commercial pots is illegal – contact Fishwatch on 0427 655 557 to report it. Make sure your marker buoy is large enough to stay afloat in strong currents. Use a buoy line length longer than the depth of water being fished. Avoid interactions with marine mammals by not having excess loose line on the surface. Use additional buoys, large floats, a dhan pole or GPS fix to improve visibility and for easy retrieval. This also helps other boat users avoid your gear. Don’t intentionally dive near set pots This is a similar principle to leaving space between anglers line – don’t crowd other fisher’s space even if the gear you are using is different. Aside from safety factors such as keeping clear of pots when they are being set or lifted, diving near set pots is likely to aggravate pot fishers fishing in their carefully selected area so always give set pots a wide berth.
Don’t crowd other boats or cross other fisher’s lines
Give other fishers a wide berth where possible out on the water as the wake from your boat can affect their fishing. Fishing too close to each other can cause tangled lines and unnecessary aggro.
Fish Responsibly
This can include: Know and follow the fishing rules; Only take what you need for a feed; Learn how to release undersize fish correctly so they survive.
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; or www.facebook. com/FisheriesTasmania Phone: 1300 720 647 or 03 6165 3233 Email: fishing.enquiries@dpipwe.tas.gov.au
Report Illegal Fishing
If you see something fishy including someone stealing our fish resources please report the details to Fishwatch on 0427 655 557. It helps if reports are made at the time you observe the alleged offence – it may be the critical information the Marine Police need. The following information will help the Marine Police combat illegal fishing: Time and location of LIVE FLASH offence. MINNOW WRIGGLY • 70mm, 90mm, 110mm, 130mm COL Fishing gear used with : 08 • 8 Colours • Fish deep or shallow ID numbers. • Rig weedless or on a jighhead Car and boat descriptions including rego numbers BULLDOG CRANK • 38mm Name or description of • 10 Colours person/s involved. COL • UV Colours : PR • Dives to 2m Please note that • Weighs 4g Fishwatch is for compliance and for lost, stolen and TANGO SHAD • 50mm irretrievable fishing gear COL • 15 Floating colours : MH only. Use the Recreational W • 15 Suspending colours • Dives to 1.6m Fisheries Enquiry Line • Weighs 4g for general enquiries. For enquiries about your licence status or number – use the licence look up function on For more information please visit the licensing page.
THE BREAM TRIFECTA
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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
Wanted to buy Japanese swords & fittings, antique & WW2. Long or short. Private collector 0417 543 815.
Your ad can work if it’s here. Phone Mike Stevens 0418 129949
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Fishing News - Page 46
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
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
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Top Service – Top Price
Boat trailer wheel and tyre
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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
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guided fishing trips
great pub
Fishing News - Page 47
Know your lifejacket
Better safety and facilities for Tasmanian boaters
Incorrectly worn or fitted lifejackets may not work effectively Make sure yours; • Fits • Is serviced regularly • You know how to use it • If it is inflatable - is it auto or manual inflate? Explain that to the crew
Scan the QR code above or go to www. mast.tas.gov.au to see MAST’s lifejacket awareness video. Incorrectly worn or fitted lifejackets may not work effectively
MAST spend $1,000,000 every year improving your recreational boating facilities around Tasmania. THE BOATWISE COULD
Apply any time for better boating facilities. Go to www.mast.tas.gov.au
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