BNB Fishing Mag | April 2022 by bnbfishing

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April 2022

Moreton Bay jewfish and threadfin guide

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Tips for mackerel Sensational Swain Reefs Cape York capers

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From the Bush ‘n Beach Fishing editor

T has been an insane month with unprecedented flooding in southeast Queensland and northern NSW and my thoughts are with everyone who has been impacted. I keep hearing horror stories about lives lost, people being stranded, cars washed away, homes being destroyed and families losing everything. Thankfully a national emergency has finally been declared, which should assist people in getting back to some form of normality. Unfortunately, it may take years for some to get back to where they were, and others may never, especially if their home was destroyed and they weren’t insured. Thousands have been directly and indirectly affected by the floods, including two of BNB’s own – Neil Schultz and Brett Hyde. Both had their homes inundated by water and were left with a fair bit of damage. Brett also had some floodwater damage to the shop. A GoFundMe page has been set up for Neil and there is a link to this in his article on page 75. I spoke to Brett and he will be selling off the water-damaged stock soon. If anyone can help with either a donation or purchase of goods this would be greatly appreciated. On a brighter note, it has been great to see people going out of their way to lend a helping hand to those in need – makes you proud to be an Australian. www.bnbfishing.com.au

Fishing Given the amount of freshwater in the system currently, mud crabs have been the best option, and they have been delivering a much-needed fishing or crabbing fix. Prawns are slowly making a return, if you can find clean water. Hopefully the next moon phase with bigger tides will start clearing the water up a little more, but it may take a while to get it back to an acceptable colour for fishing. Fortunately, prior to the floods, I did manage to get out for a quick mangrove jack fish and ended up with a personal best inshore jack that measured 62cm. These fish are always awesome fun to catch and, aside from getting your heart racing, they certainly test your knots and rigs. Best of all they return well, so will be there to catch again another time. Regulations As I’ve mentioned previously, regulations for limits of snapper and spanish mackerel are currently under review, and we should soon have some indication about what changes will be recommended. The word on the street is that the spanish mackerel bag limit may be reduced to two for recreational anglers. However, a complete no take may also be implemented – time will tell. I’m hopeful this is not the case because it would have a large impact on the recreational fishing sector. And given the weather

we’ve had to deal with this year, we’ve basically had a weatherinduced no take season anyway as it’s been impossible to get out to fish for them. Hopefully being considered when making management decisions are also the seasonality of the fish and the fact that the weather impacts numbers caught. With snapper, in my opinion, a responsible management decision would be to raise the size limit to 40cm and leave the closed season as it stands – no longer and no shorter. Snapper, if hooked in the mouth, seem to go back exceptionally well when caught in areas such as Moreton Bay. Hence part of the reason a size increase would work, plus it would allow extra breeding cycles which would increase numbers. Sharks While sharks are a critical part of the eco system, their numbers seem to be spiralling out of control. With a maximum size limit of 1.5m, sharks are getting bigger and smarter, and new management regulations need to be implemented. Unfortunately, sharks are having a major impact on catches and this needs to be addressed. It is not uncommon for sharks to take the allowable boat limit of snapper with two people on board. Obviously most fishos move away if sharks are in their fishing area, but as mentioned, sharks are smart and follow fishos around to wait for an easy feed.

A similar tax man situation is possible with spanish mackerel – the biomass of which is meant to be at a critical level – so all factors impacting on their numbers should be taken into account. I don’t have the answer

for the excessive number of sharks – culling has been suggested but there should be a way to develop a commercial fishery for sharks, which will create jobs and reduce their numbers. Ben Collins

OUR COVER

TROY with a monster blue spot trout. Picture by Greg Lamprecht. You can read his article about targeting these and other offshore species on page 54.

NEXT EDITION: May edition will be on sale in newsagents from April 29. APRIL SUBSCRIPTION OFFER: See the subscription form on Page 82 and subscribe this month to go in the draw to win one of seven Top Dog Tackle fishing shirts valued at $50 each. FEBRUARY PRIZE WINNERS: Congratulations to our February subscribers who each received a pack of Z-Man 3” Electric Chicken MinnowZ.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022 – Page 5

April 2022 contents

Moreton Bay threadies and jew. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brian Webb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P8 Brisbane River Bonanza. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Keith Stratford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P12 Tide Times ��P14 Tips for chasing mackerel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Ben Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P16 A day on the Broadwater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Clint Ansell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P18 Rewarding reef raid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Gavin Dobson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P20

Proof big bait equals big fish. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Tye Porter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P24 Good fishing times ahead. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Grant Budd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P26 Planning a K’gari Fraser trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Sean Thompson . . . . . . . . . . . . P28 Fishing Tin Can Bay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Chris Rippon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P34 School mackerel tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Tri Ton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P36 New logo for two Tackle Tactics brands ��P38 Fishing for the future. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Chris Raimondi . . . . . . . . . . . . . P40 Boyne Tannum HookUp – bring it on ��P44 Charter Directory ��P46 New features for Yamaha’s Helm Master EX ��P48 Mercury Marine Avator electric outboard concept ��P49 Suzuki Insurance expands to add boat insurance ��P49

Insights into boat insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P50 Easter is closing in fast. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by John Boon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P52 Sussing out Swain Reefs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Greg Lamprecht . . . . . . . . . . . . P54 Topwater redemption trip. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brett Parks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P56 Beating the crowd to Cape York. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Dave Donald . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P58 Run off barramundi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by ‘Billabong’ Bazz Lyon . . . . . . . . P62 Product News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P66 Ironman portable compact 4x4 solar panels ��P70 The stranger side of travel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Paul ‘Chief’ Graveson . . . . . . . P72 Maintaining caravan wheel bearings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Craig Tomkinson . . . . . . . . . . . . P74 Habitat enhancement for impoundments ��P75 Download Qld Fishing 2.0 App ��P75 The power of water – flooding hell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Neil Schultz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P76 Competition Calendar ��P77 Current stocking activity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brian Dare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P78 Dam Levels ��P78

Goondiwindi Fish Restockers ��P79 Trading Post ��P80 Readers’ Forum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P81 Subscription Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P82 Page 6 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

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The Team

EDITOR: Ben Collins ADVERTISING: Tiffany Brown PRODUCTION: Adrian Cardaci and Lisa Jones

Bush ‘n Beach Fishing magazine is published monthly by Collins Media Pty Ltd ABN 43 159 051 500 ACN 159 051 500 trading as Collins Media. Phone 07 3286 1833 Email: ben@collins.media PO Box 162, Wynnum, Qld 4178 PRINTER: Spotpress DISTRIBUTION BY: Ovato Max. recommended retail price $4.95 (includes GST). CORRESPONDENTS: Editorial contributions are welcome, as is news from clubs, associations or individuals; and new product news from manufacturers. Entire contents copyright. Nothing may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. It is the responsibility of advertisers and contributors to ensure the correctness of their claims and statements. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022 – Page 7

Matt Hodgetts scored a good-sized river jewfish.

Chris Lockyer’s decent bay jewfish.

Nate Nugent was happy with his river threadfin salmon.

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Moreton Bay threadies and jew

HOPE everyone got through the floods okay. There’s still some debris coming down the river, so it pays to keep an eye out for it, particularly at night. Fishing has slowed due to the colour of the water, making it a little harder to find fish. Threadfin salmon have occupied the river for quite a while. About eight years ago, a population explosion started the phenomenon that attracted fishers to start targeting these species – they are found in no other place in the bay except for the river and can be found all the way up passed the city reaches. Threadies do not hunt by sight alone but mainly use their sensory whiskers to locate bait in the murky waters of the river. The best places to target them are along the edges of the river drop-offs and other structures that line the river shorelines.

Moreton Bay by BRIAN WEBB

Up until a couple of years ago, I rarely targeted them because I was more intent on targeting reef species. But with the number of photos posted on fishing sites, I decide to give it a try a few years ago. I am no expert on threadfin, but this how I go about targeting them. In my opinion, November to May are the best times to target them and the number one bait is live bait – which is readily available in the river – with herring, poddy mullet and live prawns my preference. I have used some 11.5cm split-tail vibes, Berkley Shimma Shrimp and Shimma Shad, but I find snapper prefer these more than threadies, so I stick with livies as the number one bait. And the best time for

threadfin have been on a run-out tide, when bait is on the move, especially at night. Areas such as the drop-offs in front of the container terminals, the rock wall at the mouth of the river, Clara Rocks, the mouth of Boggy Creek and the sunken wall near here, and the mouths of Bulimba and Breakfast creeks. At night, you also have the many lit areas that dot the river where baitfish accumulate, and where there are baitfish you will often find threadies and jewfish. The gear I use for threadies is a Shimano Symetre 4000 spooled with 30lb braid and 20lb leader. Heavy braid is used for protection against oyster-encrusted pylons and the heavy leader is to stop their

* continued P9

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Moreton Bay threadies and jew * from P8

surprisingly sandpaper-like teeth chewing through the leader. My rod of choice is a 7’ Shimano Impact XT 4-8kg, and usually use 6/0 to 7/0 circle hooks. I prefer spin gear when targeting threadies because it provides more feel and helps with the erratic fight of a thready. Usua l ly, once hooked, these fish will swim towards you very quickly, catching you off guard and often throwing the hook. As a beginner to threadfin fishing, it is common to think you’ve lost the fish because all the weight is gone. This is not the case and can be alleviated by winding as quickly

as possible to get the weight back on the line and to help the circle do its job. A good sounder comes in handy, especially a side view for finding bait and secondly finding fish. The turn of the tide is one of the better times to sound along the side of the river. To say the bite of a thready can be frustrating is an understatement. Some days they will engulf the bait, which is easy to detect with a large thump felt through the braid. However, most of the time, bites will feel almost like a bream bite as they peck and play with your bait. This is extremely challenging since they

can be very hard to hook when they’re in such a mood. By far one of the best times is the last half of a run-out tide at night. Lower tides tend to push the baitfish out into deeper waters along the drop-offs. I’ve found that different locations tend to fish better on different stages of the tide, so keep a note on the various areas you fish. As a side note, snapper stock in the river have increased in good numbers, so if the threadies aren’t biting you can always try for snapper, with the majority coming from the container terminals. Good quality prawns are also available in the river from the * continued P10

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022 – Page 9

Lauren Lynch with a nice river threadfin salmon.

Kallum Mackay took this jewfish from Coochimudlo Island.

Moreton Bay threadies and jew * from P9

Jarryd Parkinson and a big threadfin salmon from the river.

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small bay near Luggage Point (also called the poop chute) up to Colmslie ramp. Jewies are another option when fishing the river, but they don’t seem to travel past the city reaches. Bay jew can be found around the northeast corner of Mud Island, the eastern side of Green Island, the eastern side of Coochiemudlo Island and the top of Macleay Island around the deep hole. When fishing these areas, I look for structure that the tide passes because jew tend to hang around structure as the tide flushes baitfish past, and the best time is a run-out when bait is flushed from its hiding places. There are probably many places jew hang out, but the above areas are where I have the most success, and while some use lures,

I always use live bait. I usually shoot out to the Coffee Pot beacons in Brisbane Rd and jig up some yakka, which I find jew prefer because of their bigger size. When I’ve been asked where I’ve caught these fish, my only answer is the fish are where you find them. There is no secret place or location and potential is at every piece of structure, especially in the river and areas where there is light shining on the water. The light attracts bait and so predators such as threadfin and jewfish show up. Baitfish are the key to finding both of these species, and doing the leg work. Chasing jew is similar to chasing threadies. The only difference is that threadies may play around with your

bait, whereas jew take your live bait and head to the bottom or any structure close by. I use the same tackle for jew as I do for threadfin. The reel is usually a Shimano Symetre 4000 size threadline with 30lb braid and a 20lb leader. Both reels are on 7’ Shimano Impact XT 4-8kg rods with a nice flexible tip. By using circle hooks, I find I have a better hook-up rate because you just let the fish run with your bait then apply pressure to your line and the circle hooks do the rest. I usually fish with two rods – one with a yakka attached and one with a live herring or prawn. This covers the options of having a small and a big bait when hoping to attract jew or threadfin.

* continued P11

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Moreton Bay threadies and jew * from P10

I also find jew swallow the bait headfirst, so it pays to place the hook through the mouth, and by keeping tension on the line you let the circle hooks do what they were made to do – hook the fish without striking. By striking once you feel the bite, you will on most occasions pull the bait out of the fish’s mouth. At times you can hear bait and prawns busting the surface at night as a predator is feeding below, so it indicates you’re in the right area, and the electric comes in handy – letting you sneak up to where they’re feeding. A good side cast sounder is paramount, it helps locate the bait

coming off the flats so you can concentrate on finding the fish patrolling the drop-offs, then it’s a matter of coaching them to bite. Chasing jew in the river and the bay has been a challenge and being able to catch them has been hard work, this is also where an electric motor helps you hold your position once you’ve found them. Jew fishing in the river is a lot easier than targeting them in the bay because bay jew seem to school up more compared to the river variety. I have found my best sessions to be on or around a new moon with a run-out tide – if you get these conditions with an early morning

start it’s even better as jewfish seem to bite more frequently then. As I stated above, I’m no expert on either species – this is the way I go about it and I’ve had many a trip with no success. You also don’t have to travel too far if you launch from the Whyte Island boat ramp. It’s only a short trip out of the boat passage and you’re in their territory. For northside fishos, the Pinkenba Boat Ramp also gets you into their territory with a short trip east or west from the ramp. I won’t be reporting for a few months because we’re hooking up the caravan and heading north and out west – enjoy!

Michael Truong had a great catch of jewfish and threadfin salmon.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022 – Page 11

Live bait drifted out under balloons will get the attention of any sharks in the area.

Brisbane River Bonanza

Fresh bait will get the attention of big rusty bucks.

This type of bait holder stops crabs from eating the bait too quickly. Page 12 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

PRIL is generally an excellent month for a wide variety of fish species and crustaceans. At the time of writing, the rivers and creeks were still very dirty and mostly fresh around Brisbane. As long as we don’t receive more rain, the fishing during April should be really good. The bait will start to move back upstream and the fish will follow. Mud crabs will also be in good numbers this month. The flush out from the rain will see plenty of big bucks moving around looking for food. Prawns will be a target of choice this month too. Areas such as the front of Nudgee and Clontarf will be popular. It’s not hard to find out when prawns are around. Keep an eye out for full car parks at boat ramps and check out

Local Luring by KEITH STRATFORD

the local fishing pages on social media. Plenty of people like to brag about their catches there, which sees every fisho and their dog in that area the next morning. The Brisbane River was fishing well before the flooding. Good numbers of small jewfish between 50-70cm were belting prawn imitation plastics. It’s been years since I’ve seen so many smaller fish in the river, which is a good sign for future fishing. Some nice snap-

per were also feeding around the same areas as jewies. Threadfin salmon numbers were also excellent, with fish spread out between the mouth and the Sir Leo Hielscher Bridges (formerly known as the Gateway Bridge). A lot of these fish would have been washed out of the river into the bay. These fish can end up anywhere after a flood. The Pine and Caboolture rivers are both worth a look for big threadfin during April.

* continued P14

Small mullet are excellent live bait for sharks. www.bnbfishing.com. au

Leslie Dam stocked with gold

Know your limits

Golden perch fingerlings were recently released into Leslie Dam at Warwick.

Warwick District Recreational Fish Stocking Association (WDRFSA) released around 90 000 fingerlings in the dam near structures, providing them with the best chance of survival. Four boats were used in the release, including a Department of Agriculture and Fisheries vessel. Leslie Dam is one of 63 stocked impoundments around Queensland, which provide a sustainable fishing option that reduces pressure on wild fish stocks. Your SIPS permit fees at work

Your SIPS permit fees at work

A fisher has been fined $7500 in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to going well over the Spanish mackerel catch limit on two occasions. The limit for recreational fishers is three per person, and the offender was found on two separate occasions with 14 and 13 excess fish. The Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol use a range of resources and techniques to detect such offences, including checking market distribution points to monitor compliance for important species under a quota.

Visit qld.gov.au and search ‘SIPS’ to learn more about fishing in stocked impoundments.

Net-free zone fan

Did you know there are special net-free zones in Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton that are closed to all commercial netting?

Species details

These zones were introduced in November 2015 to increase recreational fishing opportunities, supporting tourism and economic growth in regional areas.

Spanish mackerel have a possession limit of 3, or 6 per boat of 2 or more people. Check the rules before going fishing and download the free ‘Qld Fishing 2.0’ app from the App Store or Google Play.

Chloe sent in this photo of her 10-year-old son, Taz, who loves to catch-and-release and hook a few grunter and whiting to feed the family occasionally too. “He has experienced first-hand the benefits of the net free zones at St Helens Beach – the size and quality of the fish has improved drastically,” Chloe said. Visit qld.gov.au and search ‘net-free zones’ to learn more about the zones, including maps and regulations.

fisheries.qld.gov.au 13 25 23 FisheriesQueensland

FisheriesQld DAFQld DAF1625 04/2022

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022 – Page 13

Brisbane River Bonanza

to be very active as the holes to shallow banks. Try to choose spots Follow the bait water quality starts to where the pots will be schools up the river improve. Expect to get large underwater or in the and pay close attention to any bends and deep numbers of crabs in shade at low tide. Pots left in the sun each pot because many holes. The fish use the deep- crabs would have been can kill the crabs or er water as cover when washed out of their turn the bait off very favourite spots and will quickly. they aren’t feeding. Sharks are also an If you annoy them for be wandering around AUSTRALIA EAST COAST long enough with a va- eating whatever they excellent target after a flood. ofCOAST lures, one of can get.BAR BRISBANE BAR AUSTRALIA,riety EAST – BRISBANE They will be followhave10ʼ E Mullet and chicken LATthem 27° 22ʼwill S usually LONG 153° Time Zone –1000 Times and Heights High the and Low ing Zone the –1000 bait schools frames always work Time a bite andofthen funWaters APRIL MAY AUGUST into the rivers and wellJULY and are typically back begins.JUNE Time m Time m Time m Time m Time m Time m m and can be in the mbait I Time use, mbut anyTime creeks They are aTimelot mmore Time 0313 0.48 0345 0.50 0527 0.46 0604 0.39 0009 2.36 0359 0.59 0457 0.69 0516 0.68 0339 0.44 0600 0.56 1 0941 2.40 16 0906 2.37 1 0940 2.08 16 0917 2.14 1fun 16 1048 1 1138 huge numbers. frames will get1.90the job catch in the shal-1 1039 1.86 1131 0647 0.40 1020 to 1.77 1.74 16 1.85 16 0.50 SA 1726 0.33 FR 1610 0.42 SA 1536 0.38 SU 1555 0.42 MO 1537 0.31 WE 1618 0.49 TH 1645 0.33 MO 1737 0.51 TU 1240 2.02 They’re1841excellent fun done. lower water of Bris-FR 1634 2138 2.39 2200 2.63 2326the 2.72 2358 2.64 0.57 2355 2.33 2211 2.44 2255 2.43 2311 2.40 2203 2.30 to catch and are great Bloody fish such as bane River than from 0.48 0359 0.45 0.63 0436 0.49 0531 0.72 0.69 0621 0.47 0649 0.41 0.55 0045 2.16 2 0417 2 0436 2the 2 0550 2 0632 1015 2.30 17 0945 2.32 1013 1.98 17 1005 2.04 1055 1.72 17 1145 1.82 1116 1.74 17 1222 1.90 1219 1.86 17 0720 0.46 for kids. tuna deeper water – theSA 1711 0.54areSUalso 1815 excellent. 0.43 SA 1638 0.43 SU 1612 0.35 MO 1622 0.44 TU 1616 0.32 TH 1651 0.55 FR 1733 0.40 TU 1816 0.59 WE 1325 2.00 2238 2.34 2220 2.48 2245 2.44 2247 2.67 2330 2.38 1927 super 0.74 They get excitscored a marlin fish run sideways in- 2345I 2.36 0455 0.54 0445 0.47 0512 0.67 0529 0.51 0607 0.76 0626 0.70 0016 2.65 0042 2.50 0029 2.25 0122 1.94 ed when a shark pops frame off a friend a of down and can 3 1045 2.19 18 1026 2.22 3 1045 1.88 18 1055 1.93 3stead 18 3 18 3 18 1132 1.68 1157 1.73 0715 0.50 0731 0.46 0707 0.55 0755 0.53 1726 lots 0.61 of 0.59 ago 1241 off 1.79 in SU 1.87next 1.96boat. SU 1704 0.45 MO 1645 0.35 TU 1648 0.49 WE 1657 0.37 FRtear SAline MO 1312 WE 1304 up TH 1415 to the while and 1.90 the crabs a 1749 1826 0.50 1904 0.57 1901 0.69 2021 0.89 2313 2.35 2302 2.53 2317 2.41 2336 2.66 I prefer to use live bait went crazy over it. real hurry. 0530 0.62 0531 0.52 0546 0.73 0625 0.55 0006 2.32 0107 2.53 0022 2.32 0125 2.32 0107 2.13 0204 1.73 4 1116 2.05 19 1107 2.09 4 1116 1.78 19 1149 1.82 4 0645 19release 19 0814 4 0745 floated a balto secure the They also 0.79 0807 0.54a lot4 0703Be 0.69sure 0.50 0.55 19 out 0835 under 0.60 1729 0.49 1720 0.39 1717 0.56 1742 0.45 1214 1.65 1340 1.79 1241 1.73 1405 1.90 1356 1.89 MO TU WE TH SA SU MO TU TH FR 1515 1.94 bait0.67well in pots that better than from0.62deep 2346 2.33 2347 2.53 2351 2.35 1804 0.69 1923 1832 1958 0.72 1956 loon 0.79 because 2133 0.99it’s quite and keeps the don’t built-in0152 visual water.2.26 0.72 0621 0.60 0.80 0028 2.59 0159 2.40 2.26 have 0209a 2.12 1.99 0300 1.55 5 0605 5 0623 5 0045 5 0100 5 0830 bait 1146 1.91 20 1153 1.93 1152 1.69 20 0725 0.61 0730 0.82 20 0858 0.56 0745 0.68 20 0855 0.54 0.55 20 0927 0.66 away from other bait pocket. They suffer from TU 1755 0.56 WE 1757 0.47 TH 1749 0.65 FR 1248 1.73 SU 1302 1.62 MO 1442 1.81 TU 1331 1.74 WE 1503 1.91 FR 1459 1.93 SA 1627 1.95 1831 0.57 1850 0.77 0.75 put in 2106 less-desirable 0.87 2310 0.98 species 2026 0.73 2059 0.86 hooks with barotrauma when 1922Bait 2.27 0035 2.48 2.27 0123 2.49 0131 2.20in the 0253 2.25 and 0144 2.19 last0258 1.93 when 1.84 1.45 such as0425catfish and won’t long deep 6 0020 6 0029 6caught 6 0830 6 0252 0643 0.82 21 0718 0.69 0703 0.86 21 0829 0.64 0821 0.81 21 0947 0.57 0.65 21 0940 0.57 0927 0.55 21 1032 0.69 1401 be 1.62very 1.87 to 1.77 are 1607 1.95 crabs 2.02 SU 1738 2.02 there difficult WE 1218 1.76 TH 1245 1.76 FR 1232 1.60 SA 1355 1.68 MOcan TU 1547 WE 1430 TH hungry SA 1614 stingrays. 1824 0.65 1841 0.58 1826 0.75 1932 0.68 1946 0.84 2136 0.82 2021 0.82 2212 0.95 2232 0.88 April is shaping up to on the move. release. 0059 2.19 0130 2.39 0111 2.18 0223 2.38 0223 2.15 0349 2.11 0233 2.11 0355 1.77 0408 1.72 0031 0.89 22 1030 7 0726 0.91 22 0829 0.76 7 0754 0.91 22 0930 0.65 7 0916 7 1033 be 22excellent worth Sharks are1037 also0.56a big7 0920And 0.78 22 0.61 it’s 0.58setting 0.53 an 0551 1.46 month TH 1257 1.62 FR 1353 1.64 SA 1324 1.54 SU 1509 1.70 TU 1511 1.67 WE 1651 1.96 TH 1537 1.85 FR 1713 2.03 SU 1729 2.16 MO 1141 0.67 on the water in southpots problem the0.87Bris- 2131 0.87in different 1900 0.77 1937 0.70 1913 0.85 2046 0.77 2055 0.88 in 2249 2333 0.95 areas 1836 2.11 at 2.02 this time of year,0002 east bane River 0447 and1.99will 0332 0145 2.10 0238 2.31 0203 2.11 0329 2.30 0321 2.13 0501 1.66 0.80 Queensland. 0126 0.77 8 0822 0.99 23 0947 0.77 8 0900 0.93 23 1030 0.63 8wait 8 1015 8 0528 1.68 1014 0.70 23 1126 0.54 0.56 23 1122 0.58 Get23 on0653 the1.54 water and especially with all MO the patiently underFR 1647 1.99 SA 1813 2.12 1143 0.48 TU 1241 0.61 FR 1350 1.51 SA 1518 1.60 SU 1435 1.52 MO 1622 1.79 WE 1622 1.78 TH 1751 2.08 1947 0.88 2055 0.80 2016 0.93 2207 0.81 2210 0.88eating hooked 2250 0.86water around. 1838 enjoy 2.33 1924 2.21 the variety on ofdirty boats, 0245 2.02 0354 2.27 0308 2.07 0433 2.23 0422 released 2.12 0000 0.87 0438Try 1.94a variety 0045 of 0.88depths 0122 fer 0.66 – I 0209 0.67 see you might and fish. 9 0944 1.01 24 1101 0.72 9 1010 0.89 24 1126 0.58 9 1108 0.61 24 0544 1.90 9 1114 0.49 24 0607 1.62 9 0642 1.70 24 0740 1.63 0.40 there. – 2.16 fromSU 1215 the 0.56 deepest Mud1.95crabs are0.51 goingSA 1753 SA 1514 1.45 SU 1645 1.68 MO 1600 1.58 TU 1728 1.93 TH 1727 FR 1212 TU 1249 out WE 1331 0.53 * from P12

Tide Times 2022

Time

0209 0829 1504 2044

0.56 2.39 0.60 2.00

0252 0905 1540 2122

0.47 2.45 0.53 2.11

0333 0941 1615 2201

0.42 2.47 0.47 2.20

0415 1016 1647 2241

0.41 2.46 0.43 2.27

0455 1051 1719 2320

0.43 2.39 0.42 2.32

0537 0.50 1128 2.27 1750 0.44

0001 0621 1206 1823

2.33 0.60 2.11 0.49

0046 0712 1250 1901

2.31 0.72 1.92 0.56

0140 0815 1347 1951

2.26 0.83 1.74 0.66

0247 0941 1509 2103

2.21 0.88 1.61 0.75

0411 1114 1646 2235

2.20 0.83 1.61 0.77

11 0518 1213

26 0613 1259

0533 2.27 1231 0.71 1809 1.73

12 0616 1301

0001 0641 1331 1913

0.70 2.37 0.58 1.89

0113 0737 1420 2003

2059 0.97

0403 1111 SU 1654 2230

1.99 0.96 1.52 0.96

2022

2226 0.81

0509 1205 MO 1756 2348

2138 0.95

0416 1112 TU 1712 2257

2.09 0.80 1.72 0.89

2322 0.79

2323 0.83

0533 2.18 1216 0.53 WE 1824 2.08

0521 2.11 1200 0.51 FR 1823 2.14

1843 2.20

0102 0636 SA 1255 1930

0.82 1.83 0.48 2.30

1904 2.22

0010 0545 SU 1211 1853

0143 0705 MO 1305 1949

1938 2.49

0226 0748 WE 1352 2033

2006 2.29

0.51 1.77 0.32 2.62

25 0246 0818

0.40 1.84 TH 1449 0.26 2122 2.69

11 0518 1204

26 0029 0627

11 0032 0616

26 0157 0725

11 0124 0648

26 0230 0755

11 0321 0846

26 0321 0854

27 0055 0706

12 0004 0612

27 0125 0714

12 0137 0711

27 0245 0809

12 0230 0750

27 0311 0836

12 0411 0938

27 0354 0928

13 0046 0704

28 0149 0751

13 0104 0700

28 0215 0755

13 0237 0804

28 0328 0850

13 0330 0850

28 0348 0913

13 0455 1026

28 0426 1003

0.58 2.45 0.49 2.03

14 0139 0746

29 0236 0830

14 0200 0745

29 0300 0833

14 0334 0859

29 0406 0928

14 0425 0946

29 0422 0947

14 0535 1112

29 0458 1041

0209 0823 1501 2047

0.49 2.48 0.44 2.15

15 0227 0827

30 0319 0907

15 0253 0831

30 0342 0911

15 0430 0953

30 0443 1003

15 0515 1041

30 0455 1023

15 0613 1156

30 0528 1118

0257 0904 1538 2127

0.44 2.46 0.42 2.24

2.15 0.74 TU 1850 1.82

0.74 2.25 WE 1344 0.63 1933 1.98 0.63 2.33 1423 0.53 TH 2015 2.13 0.54 2.37 FR 1500 0.45 2057 2.27

0.66 2.32 WE 1345 0.48 1941 2.15 0.60 2.29 TH 1423 0.44 2023 2.27 0.57 2.24 1458 0.42 FR 2101 2.35

0.57 2.16 SA 1528 0.42 2137 2.41

2.14 0.69 WE 1808 1.89 0.79 2.20 TH 1252 0.57 1858 2.07 0.69 2.24 FR 1336 0.47 1945 2.25

0.61 2.24 1418 0.38 SA 2030 2.41

0.54 2.20 SU 1459 0.33 2115 2.54

0.76 2.13 TH 1300 0.48 1913 2.21 0.72 2.07 FR 1340 0.45 1956 2.32

0.69 2.01 SA 1415 0.43 2035 2.40

0.67 1.94 1446 0.42 SU 2112 2.45

0.67 1.88 MO 1517 0.43 2146 2.47

0.75 2.10 SA 1250 0.42 1916 2.32

0.66 2.06 SU 1338 0.35 2007 2.49

0.58 2.02 MO 1425 0.30 2057 2.63 0.51 1.96 1511 0.28 TU 2146 2.71

0.47 1.90 WE 1557 0.29 2236 2.75

0.77 1.79 SU 1336 0.46 2011 2.38

0.72 1.76 MO 1414 0.45 2050 2.43 0.68 1.75 TU 1450 0.45 2127 2.44

0.67 1.74 1524 0.46 WE 2202 2.44 0.67 1.73 TH 1559 0.47 2237 2.42

0.69 1.86 MO 1307 0.36 1950 2.51 0.57 1.84 TU 1402 0.31 2044 2.64

0.48 1.85 WE 1456 0.27 2135 2.73 0.41 1.86 1547 0.25 TH 2225 2.76 0.38 1.88 FR 1637 0.27 2312 2.73

31 0420 0945

0.67 1.82 TU 1547 0.45 2221 2.46

New Moon

Full Moon

FullLast Moon Quarter 7

0.70 1.66 TU 1350 0.49 2030 2.36

0.65 1.70 WE 1431 0.46 2108 2.40 0.62 1.73 TH 1510 0.43 2144 2.42 0.60 1.77 1545 0.42 FR 2217 2.42

0.59 1.80 SA 1622 0.42 2250 2.41

31 0528 1100

0.58 1.83 SU 1659 0.45 2322 2.39

0.60 1.72 TH 1415 0.46 2044 2.35

2.30 0.54 TU 1853 2.01

0.79 1.62 0.53 2.31

0.79 1.89 0.43 2.34

2.05 0.86 MO 1800 1.66 2346 0.86

2.28 0.63 1.84 0.74

0.34 1.91 FR 1541 0.22 2208 2.70

0.31 1.97 SA 1629 0.23 2251 2.65

0.32 2.01 1714 0.30 SU 2331 2.53

0.35 2.03 MO 1757 0.42

0.55 1.80 FR 1454 0.41 2119 2.39

0.51 1.86 SA 1532 0.38 2152 2.40

0.47 1.92 SU 1610 0.38 2224 2.39

0.44 1.97 1647 0.41 MO 2255 2.35 0.43 2.01 TU 1725 0.47 2327 2.26

31 0558 1158

0.42 2.03 WE 1804 0.57

Last Quarter

Moon Phase Symbols

Page 14 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

New Moon

First Quarter

Full Moon

Last Quarter

Big bucks will be on the move in April. 8 www.bnbfishing.com. au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022 – Page 15

An average-sized Seaway jewfish that Kane Barclay picked up on a live yellowtail scad.

Tips for chasing mackerel

Doug Burt with a solid Gold Coast spanish mackerel.

Rabbit and a very nice pearl perch caught east of South Passage Bar.

Page 16 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

ITH the ext raord i na r y amounts of rainfall we’ve had over the past month, it is great to see weather patterns finally starting to settle down and soon we can get back to doing what we love best. April is always a great month for chasing pelagics such as spanish mackerel, wahoo and other species that we all love. In addition to this, the snapper fishery and offshore grounds should also start to kick in. Good numbers of pearl perch should start to show around the 50-fathom reefs east of the Seaway and, with the high level of nutrients in the water that were pushed out during the flooding in March, snapper should start to move into the close reefs. During March when we couldn't fish due to heavy rain, many of us prepared our gear and equipment while we were stuck at home. Time spent making rigs for mackerel, repairing and replacing parts on broken fishing reels and re-spooling

Gold Coast by BEN SMITH

line were a few of the things I did in preparation for good times ahead. I took time out to go visit good friend Doug Burt at his local tackle shop to see how he puts together the rigs he sells in the shop. He shared a wealth of knowledge on how he goes about being so productive during his fishing trips and we discussed in particular how he puts together a plan for a successful trip. I have posted an indepth video interview with Doug on my YouTube channel Ship Faced Fishermen – it shows in detail how he makes the rigs and what you’re going to need for success. Have a look for the thumbnail called ‘Doug Burt’s Perfect Mackerel Rig’. Tip number one for chasing mackerel would be to try and work out when the bite time is going to be at its peak. Most species of fish react to the effect of

tide and moon phases, which brings them into an active feeding mode. Bite times are something I've spoken about before and a good phone app – or the Anglers Almanac booklet – is probably the most effective way of working out when it’s going to be at its peak. If you can plan your fishing trip to coincide with the peak bite time based on the location of where you’re going to fish, the chances of success will increase dramatically and you'll notice when you’re fishing that the catch rate will be more apparent during those times. In very general terms, there are two major bite periods, which are a few days before a full moon or a few days after a new moon, and generally the time within about 1.5-2 hours after the turn of the tide. If you can plan your trip during these times, your success rate will increase. * continued P17

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Tips for chasing mackerel * from P16

Organise in advance to have your day off or holidays based around peak bite times. Second, make sure all your gear is prepared and ready to go. Don't grab your gear from last trip, throw it in the boat and hope it's all OK. Spend time the day before going over your rods, making sure the guides aren't chipped or cracked, making sure your line and leader material are not frayed or damaged, and of course ensuring all hooks – whether they be on your lures or rigs – are needle sharp. Always tie new knots at every connection and always pull some line off the rod to make sure the drag is set correctly and nothing looks as though it's going to break. Using old tackle is a risk and a gamble because it will probably end up in failure – it is far better to simply replace it with some new stuff. It’s a satisfying feeling, soaking up the enjoyment of walking around a tackle shop purchasing new equip-

ment for the trip ahead. Finally, always make sure that when you do start to catch some fish, you have the correct equipment to net or gaff the fish into the boat. Having a net big enough or having a gaff with a handle long enough and a sharp point are essential when chasing these fish, and it's no use having a trophy fish alongside the boat if you can't get it over the side and into an Esky full of ice. Which brings me to another point, make sure you have somewhere onboard the boat to store the fish – whether it be an Esky full of ice, an insulated kill tank under the floor or a kill bag. I've been using kill bags now for the past three to four years and they are very effective on day trips. I wouldn’t probably use one for an extended trip, but they certainly save space and can be placed anywhere on the boat without taking up too much room. Admittedly, they don't stay cold for as long as a fully insulated Esky, however they are extremely handy and I

would highly recommend one to anglers chasing mackerel, wahoo, kingfish, snapper and for that matter any larger fish species. Look for one that stands up by itself, is more of a triangular shape with a flat bottom and has a waterproof zip at the top. Most tackle shops will be able to source one for you or more than likely have them in stock. April is always a very productive month on the fishing front, so plan ahead, get all your equipment ready, prepare your best quality bait and select some tried and tested lures. And if you have any questions or need to know more, you can always visit your local tackle shop for advice or drop me a message via the magazine or on social media. Enjoy fishing and we'll talk again next month.

Doug Burt shared his knowledge of spanish mackerel rigs.

Doug with a 20kg spanish mackerel slow trolled off Southport.

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The author showing off the pointy end of a toothy critter. www.bnbfishing.com.au

9 Cameron St, Clontarf Q 4019 Phone 07 3284 5088 Fax 07 3284 5089 email amw@myaccess.com.au www.austmarinewindows.com.au Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022 – Page 17

Kids have heaps of fun handling arrow squid.

A nice flathead ready to be released on a charter with Brad Smith in the Tweed River.

A day on the Broadwater

H Kieran caught a heap of fish trolling Pontoon 21 Crackjack lures with Brad Smith in the Tweed River.

I everyone, our hearts go out to the poor people who have suffered terrible hardships during the floods in the Gympie region, southeast Queensland and NSW. Nature can be cruel at times, but we know one thing – bad times don’t last forever. For anglers, the cooler months from April to November usually

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Page 18 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

Broadwater Guide by CLINT ANSELL

mean drier weather, and if La Niña weakens, we should be in for some better fishing conditions on the water. April represents a crossover of seasons as far as species go. We can still catch some of the summer quarry such mangrove jack, trevally and sand whiting, but also notice more flathead, squid, tuskfish, mulloway, tailor and winter whiting showing up in our local estuary systems. It is a little early for big numbers of these species to show up, but it’s still worth targeting a variety with a mix of lures and bait. I’ll run you through exactly what I do on a typical day on the Gold Coast Broadwater. Ideal conditions are low tide in the morning to pump yabbies, with light wind and not too big or small a tide range – about a 1m change is good. We’ll pump yabbies

and arm ourselves with a range of lures including all our favourites – Ecogear ZX40 blades, Samaki Vibelicious 70mm Fork Tail vibes, Ecogear Marukyu Isome worms in XL size and red colour, and some soft plastics such as Damiki Armor Shad 4” paddle tail, Marker 54 Mullet Run, plus Pro Lure Clone Prawn in 72mm and 92mm sizes. Lure colour choice varies daily depending on whether the sky is cloudy or sunny, if it’s windy or calm, and whether the water is clear or dirty. Generally, the calmer and clearer everything is, the more we’ll use plain, neutral and transparent lures. Choppy, cloudy and dirty water conditions require flashy, darker and ultraviolet enabled lures. For in-between conditions, you’ll need lures * continued P19

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A day on the Broadwater * from P18

in the middle colour ranges. A feature of many of our favourites lures is an orange or red coloured belly, as well as olive coloured backs, specks of gold glitter or flashy paint, and black eyes. These all provide different contrasts on lures – one or more of these are likely to be spotted easily by fish. Another trick is pimping your lures by using paint, nail polish or Spike-It Scented Markers. As an example, you can draw orange or red chins or bellies, black eyes, stripes on flanks, or chartreuse tails. It is very satisfying when you catch fish on your own marked lures and soft plastics. Be prepared to change tactics too as the day goes on and switch colours to find what is working. This can vary often with conditions – such as when the sun is higher in the sky. So, when heading out and fishing, we’ll mix up using live yabbies and Ecogear Marukyu Isome worms on traces with a number 2 or

3 ball sinker above a small swivel, and then 1m of 10lb fluorocarbon leader. I prefer to cut the worms in half per bait and thread the piece onto a number 4 sized baitholder hook, then slide it up over the hook eye and up the leader a little so it stays on longer and sits straight to look natural. My bait fishing reels are spooled with 10lb monofilament line. On the lure fishing outfits we spool reels with polyethylene 0.6 8-strand braid, then 10lb fluorocarbon leader joined with an Albright knot. We’ll drop the vibes and blades straight to the bottom and ‘teabag’ them while drifting. Soft plastics can also be teabagged as well as cast in different directions, especially near edges of drop-offs and structure. Let them sink, then a short double hop, pause, wind in the slack, and repeat. This tactic also works well over the top of sand banks at high tide. When the tide and wind are running too hard to drift at a speed of around 0.8 knots,

we’ll fish shallow edges of channels and the southern side of the Broadwater, which doesn’t flow as hard. Slacker periods close to tide changes are good times to drift deeper channels from the Seaway to Sovereign Islands. In cooler months it pays to throw a squid jig out while drifting and place the rod in a holder until a squid hooks itself. Using all of these techniques will often result in a large variety of fish being caught in a session – including flathead, tuskfish, squid, whiting and many more surprises. If you don’t find feeding fish early, don’t panic and go rushing all over the waterway. Keep moving a few hundred metres at a time with an eye on the fish finder for signs of bait and fish schools. To book on a charter with myself or Brad, or if you have any fishing related questions, visit goldcoastrivercharters. com, SMS 0432 990 302, email fishingwith clint@gmail.com or find us on Facebook at Brad Smith Fishing Charters.

Caitlin and Adrian enjoyed a successful mangrove jack trip with the author. www.bnbfishing.com.au

The author caught this slatey bream on a Samaki Vibelicious.

Romi did battle with this hard fighting slatey bream, taken on an Ecogear Marukyu Isome worm.

Adam landed a nice slatey bream on a yabby.

A nice arrow squid for Patrick caught on a Broadwater charter with the author. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022 – Page 19

Rewarding reef raid Tweed to Byron Bay

Matt Hoofnagl had a good afternoon session on spanish mackerel with Damien Hart.

BALLINA BAIT & TACKLE Tema with a cobia that kick-started the morning’s fishing.

Ballina West Shopping Centre Pacific Hwy, Ballina NSW

02 6686 2527 Page 20 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

by GAVIN DOBSON

MUST have invited Tema out for a fish half a dozen times, but he was always busy. Finally, we settled on a Sunday morning with a reasonable forecast. We had done an early season mangrove jack trip up the Brunswick River for no result, so I was hopeful for a change of luck on this trip. We arrived at the boat ramp after first light and it was packed. Parking was at a premium and it was the same story at the local reef, with a couple of dozen boats all crammed together. We collected some live bait and because the wind and current were going the same direction, conditions were suitable for anchoring. Unfortunately though, after more than an hour, we had nothing to show for ourselves except a few missed bites. As it was a year in the making, it was a disappointing start for the trip, but we still had a bit of time to turn things around. I made a move to a new spot and re-set the bait. It wasn’t long before a bait I had sent down – near the bottom in case there was a jewfish lurking around – got eaten. I told Tema to grab it, expecting it to be a jew but shortly after,

the fish quickly swam to the top. The problem was that it came to the surface on the opposite side of the boat to where the rod was set, so Tema was in the awkward position of fighting the fish back under the boat. He did a great job of keeping the now suspected cobia away from the motors, hull and anchor rope, and soon had the fish under control. The fish did reveal itself to be a cobia and I was pleased to drop it on the deck. Tema had a reef bash after this and caught a few nice moses perch and a maori cod when finally, a mackerel bait got eaten. After a much cleaner fight than the cobia, a spanish mackerel swam into gaff range and was quickly photographed and deposited into the ice. I told Tema it was only about 7kg, but I’d ripped him off because it was later weighed at 9kg. Soon after, another livie was eaten by a spanish but this was only a little fella at 5kg. Still, after the slow start, I was happy to take it. Tema caught a few more reef fish after this, including a 3kg parrotfish, and I boated a spotted mackerel. By then it was late morning and things * continued P22

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Rewarding reef raid * from P20

Toby showing the magnificent colours of a small mahi mahi boated while fishing for mackerel.

had gone quiet, so we went home. We missed a few chances but that’s standard mackerel fishing. The thing that pleased us most was that we didn’t lose any fish to sharks. They are still there but the number of boats possibly confuses them a little – we were lucky in that regard. It was a good morning’s fishing with Te-

Tema with his first spanish mackerel.

Lewan boated this 7.5kg snapper while trolling for mackerel. Page 22 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

ma and I’m glad we finally caught a couple. On the local fishing scene, to understate it – things are a bit damp. Flooding is widespread between southeast Queensland and most of the NSW coast, with more to come. When the rain does ease off and the tide starts coming back into the river, there will be a few fish to be caught. Jewfish come to mind of course because they make the most of these conditions. Along the walls in the lower Tweed and Brunswick rivers there will also be hungry mangrove jack prowling around. With the first hint of salt returning on the incoming tide, flathead and whiting will return to the lower reaches of the river systems, as will bream. Offshore, it’s going to be a hard year for mackerel if the flooding keeps up. Mackerel have now started appearing and fresh flooding over the close reefs may put them off for a while. It’s not that you won’t catch mackerel in dirty water because they don’t mind it at all. The main problem is that the dirty water and big swell combine to push the baitfish away and the mackerel leave with them. Out wider, as soon as you hit the blue water, put the lures out

because wahoo should be patrolling. A few wahoo had started turning up in close before the last fresh, so they should be hanging around on the current line behind the dirty water. Some of the best wahoo fishing I’ve experienced have been in these types of conditions. Note, at the time of writing this article the floods were beginning – and I had no way of knowing it was going to become an all-time record breaker. The stories of devastation and the ultimate disaster of loss of life are still to be fully revealed. I was involved in some minor rescues and while I haven’t spoken to him yet, stories are circulating that my deckie Lewan spent an afternoon in Mullumbimby rescuing dozens of families in his boat. Good on you Lewan. We are still isolated here – though when the roads do open up, don’t drive around rubber necking, pull over and help. I know all good BNB readers will do this anyway, so thank you – the clean-up is going to be massive. We still have no internet or phone, so I am going to head to the lookout above my place to try and hotspot this article to my phone and hopefully get enough signal to send it. If you are reading this, I guess it worked. Stay safe everyone.

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Mischa Porter of Iluka with a beautiful jewfish taken from the beach using whole dead mullet.

Iluka angler Rebekah Ellis landed this tasty little blacktip shark on a whole dead mullet bait.

Proof big bait equals big fish W HILE many thousands of articles have been written on how to catch large jewfish using almost every technique and bait or lure imaginable, the old saying ‘big bait equals big fish’ still holds true, especially when fishing off the beach. Yes, I’ve seen large jew caught on king prawns, small strips of mullet, bonito and the humble beachworm, however I have not on the other hand seen too many small jew of about 1012kg caught using a 1kg

Just Jew

by TYE PORTER

sea mullet as bait. During normal weather conditions – without a flood event – catching mullet of about 500g is quite doable using dough as bait around sand flats or better still during the annual mullet run. Most commercial fishos are more than happy to sell you a few smaller male fish, however you have to be with them when they haul a patch.

When live bait are not available and fishing a rip on the beach, cut one fillet so that once in the rip it folds out and catches the running water, making it easy to feed the unweighted bait out. The author never uses sinkers when live baiting. Page 24 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

Getting live mullet during a flood becomes quite difficult, so I’ve found the next best thing – a whole dead mullet. In all cases, I use a two-hook rig consisting of two 10/0 Eagle Claw hooks spaced 15cm apart on a 70lb Platypus leader and 30lb Platypus Lo-Stretch main line. As pictured, I pin the last hook lightly above the back of the mullet’s head, with the second hook above the anal fin. This is so that when the bait – dead or alive – is in the water, it will tend to face away from me with the slightest tension on the line. I always fish a rip on the beach, which makes it so much easier to get a bait to go out. In the case of a dead bait, I cut one fillet from the tail back to the head so that when it’s cast into a rip, the fillet will

spread open against the current and drag the dead bait out to the strike zone. Even using a 1kg mullet off the beach, when I get a bite, I do not feed any line off my spool before striking – I simply give it the down of my rod then strike hard. And no, I do not strike more than once because if I haven’t hooked it properly the first time, I certainly won’t on the second or third strike. By doing this, more often than not, you run the chance of pulling the hook out of the fish. Most times, you will land a jew that is hooked only by the skin of its lip or foul-hooked in other ways. The entire east coast of Australia including the Clarence River has recently had major flooding, which has massively affected fishing along the coast. As with other communities, Iluka was isolated for a week and – to make it even

worse – access to the breakwall, Coast Guard tower, Main Beach and the Iluka bluff was not possible due to standing water. Desperate for a fish, my son Mischa and his girlfriend Rebekah spent a few nights catching bream and catfish in the floodwater at our local boat ramp to keep their eye in, so to speak. Once the huge swells started to abate, we grabbed a handful of whole dead mullet from a local commercial fisher and spent a couple of days feeding them out in the rips along the local beaches that we could access. We soon found there were no shortage of sharks of all sizes. On one particular day however, Mischa managed to land a beautiful jewfish on his third bait after the first two were devoured by sharks, which goes to prove that they do feed together at times.

* continued P25

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Proof big bait equals big fish * from P24

Oddly enough. Mischa’s fish bore scars of a previous encounter with the tax man, with a large healed bite mark on its side. Hopefully we’ve seen the worst of the rain this year, though I’m not holding my breath because April and May are notorious for heavy rain and floods. I suppose it’s a matter of crossing our fingers and hoping for the best. One thing the foul weather has done is to put a halt to the tuna and mackerel landbased season, yet things should start to fire up as the dirt pushes back into the rivers and the big speedsters will make their presents felt again. Given our land-based season concludes

around the end of May, losing a whole month due to floods and nasty weather has hurt. Though I know many fishos from further south and Sydney way who are chafing at the bit for the all-clear to get among them. All in all, if we don’t have any further substantial rainfall and things finally return to some form of normality, April can offer the best of both worlds. There’s awesome landbased fishing during the day and excellent jewfishing at night with the yearly mullet run along the coast kicking off and large numbers of jew moving in to greet them. Catches of bream will also start to improve in both number and quality as they begin their

yearly breeding cycle. Even a few early luderick should appear in the rivers, though they tend to be a month or so behind the bream run most years. Offshore fishing should be good this month, however boaties are warned to be careful navigating at speed on the water because after the floods there will be a lot of debris of all shapes and sizes floating on or under the surface for quite a while. I hope the Easter bunny is kind to you and brings the fish of your dreams. By the way, if you know how to do a ‘stop the rain’ dance, start shaking your booty as if there’s no tomorrow. Until next month, safe fishing.

When your local river is in major flood with a 30knot wind and the sea is running a 4m swell, you can always rely on the local boat ramp for a feed of bream and a few hours entertainment.

When fishing either dead or live mullet off the beach, use a two-hook rig – placing one 10/0 Eagle Claw under the skin at the back of the head and the second hook above the anal fin.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022 – Page 25

Justin caught a monster amberjack while jigging. Photos: fishingnoosa.com.au

Craig Mullet scored this monster trout.

Good fishing times ahead

Stann Anderson with a perfect-sized spanish mackerel.

Jeremy Hoover with a solid 68cm grass sweetlip. Page 26 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

OR fishos, April is often considered to be one of the very best times to be an angler, no matter where you fish. The heat from summer starts to drop but the water holds its temperature. However, this year could be very different as it was not that long ago the entire state received record flooding. Mother Nature often senses this, with the fishing in turn being nothing short of fantastic. Of course, this is dependent on wind, rainfall and swell… but you see where I am going. April is one of the best months to head offshore, especially after a big rain – not that we need anymore – and wind change. This often brings in big longtail tuna around the 16-20kg range. Last year, we saw fish reaching close to the current world record in size. These fish are often targeted by casting slugs, but they can be taken on anything you can throw at them. They can be fussy at times and matching the hatch is important, but

Sunshine Coast by GRANT BUDD

other times they will smash almost anything. You can target them on big stickbaits, soft plastic jerk shads and curly tail plastics, as well as jigs and live bait. If you are looking to get setup, a 6-8000 sized spin reel and 7-8’ rod will be perfect. One of my favourite rods is the Shimano Grappler 7’10” PE4. This rod has a soft tip and, with a maximum cast weight of 80g, makes it a great tuna, mackerel and flats rod. Load your reel up with PE3 Varivas and you’ll be in casting heaven. Breaking out highspeed and diving lures works well for tuna and mackerel, especially if the water is slightly dirty. It pays to mix up colours and dive depths to see what’s working on the day. Red headed and pilchard-coloured are generally the more popular, with many options from Nomad, Halco and Rapala. There will always be

a debate over the use of wire or not. If in doubt, use singlestrand wire but only about 6”, which will offer you some resistance against razor sharp teeth. For reef and pelagic fish, Sunshine Reef off Noosa and North, Halls and Chardons reefs are the more popular areas. You can expect to find yellowfin tuna, longtail tuna, mahi mahi, wahoo, spotted mackerel, cobia and big spanish mackerel. Many anglers will troll high-speed, diving and pusher-style lures as well as whole bonito and skipping garfish. If you haven’t tried trolling, a basic Shimano TLD 25 reel loaded with 30lb mono and a 15kg Shimano Beastmaster troll rod is a great starting point, particularly if on a budget and wanting a combination that lets you do some heavy bottom bashing too. On the bottom, snapper, pearl perch, cobia, coral trout, grass sweet* continued P27

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Good fishing times ahead * from P26

lip and many more are on offer. Pilchard floaters appeal to fish that feed higher in the water column, and traditional paternoster rigs are getting the best of the reef fish. This is especially true for those on anchor with mackerel because they love a good berley trail. If you’re chasing a feed of spotty mackerel, a great way to find them is to look for birds. Mackerel will hang under feeding tuna, so it’s always worth casting at them and letting your lure sink down beyond the tuna before starting your retrieve. Increase your chrome slug to 40g to get the faster sink and then rip it in for the bite. The Easter holidays are a great time to head up to Noosa North Shore, though previous years have seen heavy rain and wind, so pay attention to the reports before you go. Packing light surf gear will let you have fun targeting bream, dart and whiting from the shore. Spanish mackerel and longtail tuna are often caught offshore in a kayak and you don’t need to paddle very far to find them. Trolled bait and lures work best, particularly during an early morning high tide with mediumsized Halco Laser Pro lures – a great performer. Try slightly behind the surf zone and work this line if the swell isn’t too big. Noosa River trevally are generally hot on the bite with anglers getting in on the action in Woods Bays and around Munna Point Bridge. www.bnbfishing.com.au

Surface poppers have been working well at dawn. Tailor have also been coming into the river system, with the mouth a great location. Pilchard rigged on a set of 3/0 gangs is one of the most effective ways to target them. Look to fish during periods of big swell and spring tides because this often pushes large amounts of bait into the river and the predatory fish follow close behind. Large flathead will also take this rig, so if after them try using a snell rig. This is far better for flatties, especially ones destined for release. Away from the river mouth, Gympie Terrace fishes well for bream and whiting around the flats and drop-off, with prawns and worms the preferred bait. Tarpon and medium 500-650mm sized queenfish often show up when the sun is setting around Harbour Town Marina. Squidgies Prawn soft plastics and larger 7080mm sized surface walkers will call these fish up for an aggressive surface hit. Be sure to keep rod tips low and even under the water to prevent fish from jumping you off once hooked. Don’t forget to keep an eye on the rain and be sure you have a few pots out for some mud crabs. Previous months have been great though watch for the tide, and heavily weight pots if the rain is strong and coincides with spring tides. The freshwater of Lake Borumba and Lake MacDonald are two great inshore options

should the swell prevent you from fishing. With the big floods in February and March, finding bass could be quite an affair. This is the time you want to have your sounder dialled in and run side scan in all areas. There is a strong chance the dam lost a lot of bass and the water may continue to be dirty with more frequent weather events this month. Bass will be seeking warmer water, so fish weedless soft plastics such as wrigglers and paddle tails around the weed beds. If you don’t have any, the TT fine wire weedless hooks are perfect for lighter presentations. You can also try around timber because heat will be radiating from the trees into the water. Bass will hold around trees waiting for bugs to fall in, making them a great starting point. If there are hot weather days, a Tiemco Soft Shell Cicada can be devastating. No matter where you fish this month, be sure to take care, watch the weather systems and plan accordingly. Now for all the latest information, log onto fishingnoosa.com.au for up-to-date bar and fishing reports, don’t forget to drop into Tackle World Noosa, Noosa Boating and Outdoors and Northshore Bait & Tackle in Marcoola for all the right equipment, bait and advice to get you catching. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and remember tight lines and bent spines!

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Page 28 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

S we move into April and the second month of autumn, the days get shorter, the nights cooler and anticipation levels greater! Why, you may ask. Well, cool weather means one thing to me – that the peak beach fishing season in Queensland is not far away. With K’gari (formerly known as Fraser Island) one of Australia’s beach-fishing meccas, I thought I’d share a few tips from my 25-years plus of visiting the island, which will hopefully benefit those who have never been or those who need a little reminder that it’s time to go back! Getting there First – unless you plan to stay at Kingfisher Bay Resort and get bus tours around the island – you need a four-wheel-drive to travel across K’gari’s many beautiful sand tracks. To get there, you have three main options.

Exploring K’gari – Part 1 by SEAN THOMPSON

Option one is to catch a barge from River Heads, which is 20-minute drive from Hervey Bay, to the western or calm side of the island. From River Heads, you can catch the Fraser Island barge – it takes about 30 minutes and lands at Wanggoolba Creek. From there, it is about 45 minutes across to Eurong Beach Resort and Eastern Beach. Alternatively, you can take the Kingfisher Bay Ferry from River Heads to Kingfisher Bay Resort – about a 45-minute trip. This is a beautiful location for families, with good fishing from the flats and the jetty. Otherwise, it is about a 50-minute to an hour drive from Kingfisher Bay Resort to Eurong Beach Resort and Eastern Beach. These ferries run to

a timetable, with the Kingfisher Bay Ferry running more frequently – normally four times a day compared to two times on the Fraser Island barge to Wanggoolba. Depending on the length of your stay, I recommend a stopover at the beautiful Lake McKenzie or Central Station along the way to the beach. Option two is to catch the Manta Ray Fraser Island barge from Inskip – about a 15-minute drive from Rainbow Beach – to Hook Point. Hook Point is at the southernmost point of K’gari. Ideally, time your trip to coincide with a low tide to head up the beach on the other side or you will be forced to take the rough inland track soon after you get off the ferry. * continued P29

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Planning a K’gari Fraser trip * from P28

This ferry ride is a short 10-minute trip, with no fixed timetable. Be aware that during busy holiday periods and weekends, you may have to wait a few barges to get across, so get there early in the day if you can. Make sure you let your tyres down too before you drive onto the tricky sand track to the ferry. Each vehicle is different, but 18-20psi gets you around comfortably on most parts of the island – except for the South Ngkala Rocks bypass where about 14psi can be required. A final tip if you go this way is to make sure you stop at Gardiner Fisheries at 1 Karoonda Rd, Rainbow Beach before your trip. Drew and the team will not only give you the latest good oil on fishing the island, but they have an enormous range of A-grade bait including live worms, which are great to take and hit a few low-tide gutters with while you make your way to your accommodation or camping spot. A third option for the more adventurous is to catch a flight direct to the beach via Air Fraser Island. Flights run daily from both the Sunshine Coast and Hervey Bay airports, though luggage is limited. Tips before you go If you have the time, stay overnight at Rainbow Beach or Hervey Bay before you go over to the island. This is a great way to have a few drinks and www.bnbfishing.com.au

dinner with friends and family if you’ve travelled from a distance. Then you can leave early morning and make the most of your time on the island. If you do stop over at either of these spots, a few food and preparation tips include: • Be sure to fill up on fuel before you hit the island because fuel is expensive on K’gari • Both Hervey Bay and Rainbow Beach have 4WD hire, you can also hire one from Kingfisher Bay Resort on K’gari • All the major supermarkets are at Hervey Bay if you want to shop here before you go over, while Rainbow Beach has a small IGA • There are restaurants for guests at Fraser Island Retreat, and Eurong Beach and Kingfisher Bay resorts, as well as a few food supplies at their respective shops. For breakfast, brunch and lunch, it is hard to go past the bakery at Eurong. So many yummy goodies! Food supplies and hot takeaways are available from the shops at Fraser Island Retreat, Cathedrals on Fraser and Orchid Beach Trading Post and Driftwood Bar. Accommodation In terms of island accommodation, you have three main choices. First, is camping in destinated zones along the beach or selected locations such as Central Station, Waddy Point, Valley of the Giants, Dundubara, western side creeks and more.

If you are camping, you will need to purchase both a camping and 4WD permit before you leave. Be dingo aware – read up on the dos and don’ts and stay very close to young children. I’d also suggest parents with young children consider staying at one of the fenced campgrounds. Second, groups of fishing friends or large families might wish to stay in one of the many rental houses on the island. There are numerous options on the eastern beach from Eurong to Orchid Beach and all the usual accommodation booking sites have them. There are also a few dedicated beach house rental websites found easily with a Google search. * continued P30

The worst thing about the Eurong Bakery is trying to choose what not to have.

The author at Kingfisher Bay at sunset with brother Ron. Memories that will last a lifetime.

Check the weather and sea conditions from a Eurong Beach Resort apartment balcony. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022 – Page 29

Planning a K’gari Fraser trip * from P29

The vehicles with all the safety gear on the Manta Ray Fraser Island barge.

Some of the houses at Orchid Beach have incredible 180-degree views, while from Orchid Beach up to Sandy Cape is a must visit. Fishing wise, be aware that when people say tailor aren’t on up there, it is a long

For more tips on K’gari (formerly known as Fraser Island), check out the author’s Facebook page.

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bumpy trek over the wooden boards and tracks down to the eastern beach if you want to chase them. Finally, a handful of resort-style accommodation of varying styles for all tastes and budgets is available on the island. On the ocean beach side, this includes Eurong Beach Resort, Fraser Island Retreat at Happy Valley, Fraser Island Beach Houses, Yidney Rocks beachfront units, Dilli Village for budget style or group accommodation, and Cathedrals on Fraser beach campground for full camping facilities and cabins. On the western side are the beautiful Kingfisher Bay Resort and Fraser Island Villas. If dingos are a concern for those with young children, stay at one of the resorts or camping grounds with fenced accommodation. Eurong Beach Resort has long been a favourite for my family and for shorter visits with groups of friends early in tailor season, when the fish are often concentrated from the bottom half of the island. This resort has everything you could possibly need – big balconies off the apartments to store fishing gear, a hose and wash-down facility for your 4WD, and options of eating in your room with your own cooking facilities, a visit to the restaurant for a meal or something from the Eurong Bakery. With the whole complex fenced off from dingos, Eurong Beach

Resort also offers a couple of pools, barbecues, huge grassed areas for the kids to play, tennis courts and plenty of parking. It is a top spot and the perfect location for trips to many of the island’s attractions. Places to see For first timers to K’gari, I recommend at least a four-day visit, though a week is better for sightseeing and more fishing. Places you shouldn’t miss include Lake McKenzie, Central Station, Eli Creek, the SS Maheno shipwreck and the view from the top of Indian Head. If time permits, also take in Lake Wabby, Champagne Pools and a visit to the western side creeks, such as Woralie Creek. Finally, be sure to grab a Hema Fraser Island map and check these places out online too before you go. And carry a printed version tide guide or tide times with you. Even with good coverage, there are plenty of pockets on the beach and inland where there is no reception. You don’t want to be coming onto the beach to be confronted with a high tide and not being able to get to your accommodation. I hope this helps for your first or next K’gari trip. Coming up next month… the fishing! Finally, for more tips on K’gari and it’s magical fishing, check out some of the posts and videos on my Facebook, Instagram and YouTube pages – Ontour Fishing Australia. www.bnbfishing.com. au

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Fishing Tin Can Bay

’DAY crew, I trust you have all been keeping well and making the most of the rare bits of good weather we have been getting sporadically over the past month. Despite the infrequency of back-to-back good weather days, everyone seemed to be making the most of these opportunities when they could, and the fish didn’t seem to mind what was going on above the water.

Shane Kimlin jigged up a very rare fingermark.

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PageŸ 34Marine – Bush ’nPaints Beach Fishing, April 2022 & Cleaning Products

Tin Can Bay by CHRIS RIPPON

We received some great reports from all over our region – from flathead and garfish to red emperor and nannygai, and everything in between. Speaking of flathead, there have been good numbers of fish showing up in Tin Can Bay lately. Working 4-5’’ soft plastics along drop-offs on the last couple of hours of a run-out tide have been working a treat. From Seary’s Ledge to Judd Point and down to the power lines has been a bit of a hot spot over the past few weeks. And trolling smaller hard-bodies along the drop-offs will bag you a feed fairly quickly. Samaki Redics Jerkbait MS60 and DS60 in colours Pink Lady and Sandstorm have been working best, and Pink Lady would be my choice out of the two colours. There have also been some nice-sized prawns around and the rain we’ve been getting has been great for that. Crab Creek has been a bit of a go-to spot for a feed of banana prawns. The good crabbing has continued, with the flats up the back of the bay proving to be very productive for those fishing the moons. Some nice crabs have also been getting caught in Snapper Creek, but it may pay to keep an eye on your pots if you are going to fish up that way.

Offshore fishos were able to also venture over the Wide Bay Bar in mid-March and made the most of the good days when they presented themselves. Red and sweetlip emperor, tuskfish, nannygai, a few mackerel and seas of longtail and mack tuna were all reported from recent trips offshore. Shane even managed to jig up a proper fingermark when he took his new tub for a run through the gutter. Not a common catch in our southern waters, that’s for sure, and it’s very cool to see. Legal nannygai in the bay are not an uncommon species to catch and over the past month or so quite a few anglers – some very surprised – have taken home a great feed of inshore red fish. Teebar Ledge and the deep hole between Inskip and K’gari have both been fishing well, with most fish being taken on squid bait, fished either on a paternoster rig or even a lightweight running ball sinker. Live bait will also catch a feed of these tasty scarlets. For the lure fishos, vibes in the 90-110mm range such as Nomad Vertrex Max and Samaki Vibelicious are killer on reef fish. Slow-pitch jigging is by far one of my favourite styles of fishing for reef fish. Anyone who knows

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* continued P35

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Chappo managed a few nice golden trevally on a TCB Fishing Club day.

Aiden Whiteman and his father doubled up on mack tuna in between chasing reef fish.

Fishing Tin Can Bay * from P34

me or has read my articles will know I’m a massive fan of using the Palms Slow Blatts, both S and R. But in the bay, you might find these a little heavy for the shallower water, especially down in the Tin Can Bay inlet where you could be fishing as shallow as 3-4m to 9m-10m. Generally, I look at running Palms Slow Blatts Cast Wide jigging metals – these come in a lighter jig and range from 20-60g – with the 30g and 40g being very productive. I’ll often remove the supplied hooks and replace them with Vanfook JST-44 Short Twin Assist. I keep the hooks I remove and use them on my jigs for bass in the dam during winter, when they school in the basin. Don’t forget, we are the exclusive EJ Todd dealer in the region for all your Palms Slow Blatt needs and also the full range of products www.bnbfishing.com.au

supplied by EJ Todd such as Sunline and Yamashita. Garfish have also been abundant on the flats lately – in great numbers and a good size, to about 30-35cm long and as thick as two Chiko Rolls. Gar make great bait, especially troll bait for big spanish mackerel. But they are also great eating – rubbed down with a little olive oil and sea salt and chargrilled over charcoal – served hot with a slice of lemon, a crack of black pepper and a fresh garden salad will have them coming back for more! Speaking of tasty fish, some of our regulars have been doing very well on summer whiting. While they are not going to give up their spot X, reports from the flats near the mouth of Kauri Creek and around Reef Island have been good. With our locally sourced K’gari beachworms working best for

most of the fishos chasing a feed of summer whiting. Speaking of locally caught bait, don’t forget that we offer some of the freshest locally caught bait in the region. From garfish and mullet to our awesome beachworms. We prefer to sell it as fresh as we can, so when we get mullet, gar, herring and similar in, we leave it in an ice brine for the day and sell it unfrozen by the kilo. Then at the end of the day, we Cryovac and snap freeze it for sale the next day. Keep an eye on our Facebook page to keep up to date with what bait has come in that day. We have also started to fillet and pack any of the big sea mullet we’ve been getting – these make the best flesh bait and are also quite nice in the smoker! Well that’s a wrap for this month – until next time, tight lines and get out there and enjoy our beautiful Great Sandy Strait.

Aiden Whiteman was stoked with this nice-sized red emperor.

A cricket bat of a giant herring taken onboard a recent Great Sandy Straits Sports Fishing charter in the bay.

Chinaman are a rare catch and Chappo was happy with this one. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022 – Page 35

A nice queenfish for Clint.

School mackerel tips n Techniques for catching mackerel A golden trevally caught by Paul as by-catch when spinning for school mackerel.

Birthday boy Bailey scored a very nice golden trevally.

> Hervey Bay > Fraser Island > Sandy Strait

HOPE everyone is doing the best they can after the inclement weather. It has been a rough start to the year for southeast Queensland and parts of NSW. Good to see people banding together to get things done in times of need. I hope Mother Nature has sorted herself out and we can settle back into life again. The fishing has tried to sort itself out, though I won’t be fishing in close very often in early March with the dirty water running.

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Fraser Guided Fishing by TRI TON

I expect there should still be a few tuna and trusty mackerel to keep us entertained. Frequently, people who see us at harbour ask about school mackerel or schoolies. Many don’t realise there is a difference between the spotted and the school species. They presume we are catching all mackerel under birds, and that simply is not the case. Catching school mackerel is quite simple really. The easiest method is trolling. School mackerel are often found near structure and bait. Choose a lure you can troll deep. You will be surprised how big a lure they will eat. You can also try small lures on paravanes or downriggers, but a plain old deep diver from 1015cm will do the job. Though make sure you find fish first. I prefer to spin lures – usually metal and often very cheap ones.

Some jigging can be effective, but an erratic retrieve will often result in many bite offs. Erratic jigging styles retrieves will cause schoolies to miss the lure, often ending in a cut leader. Lure loss can be bad enough, even with a fast and constant retrieve. School mackerel attack with swipes and lunges, often as a group, which exacerbates the lure loss rate. You may also find you’re foul hooking them too – another sign they are swiping at the lures. This system can catch other species as well. Again, make sure the fish are present before you invest too much time trying to catch them. And also make sure you are in the strike zone. Catching other fish among school mackerel is one of the many reasons I enjoy targeting them. So many days are * continued P38

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022 – Page 37

A fat broad-bar mackerel caught when Jamie was targeting school mackerel.

Autumn brings large schools of smaller longtail tuna.

Techniques for catching school mackerel * from P36

started or saved by mackerel, and occasionally a few other species join in. Similarly, they might eat a fast lure, but they might also prefer a different approach. You simply have to work through the styles to see what’s working best. And you might end

up putting that exclamation mark on the day without travelling any further or doing anything too differently. Doing the basics correctly and learning how to interpret the electronics are a big part of it. Fish we often catch around school mackerel in these waters are trevally, queenfish, tuna

and of course other species of mackerel. Because of this, we often use fairly sturdy gear to catch the humble little schoolies. I tend to use a light drag setting for these fish, to help keep them attached during their bursts of speed. If a larger fish is hooked as by-catch, we change the drag settings

if required, to aid in landing the fish quickly. Typically, a 6-10kg stick with hi-speed reel in the 5000-size range is great. Use 20-30lb braid and 40lb leader to mitigate bite offs. When catching other species among school mackerel, be prepared for lure loss – something to weigh up when

some vibes and slow jigs can be around the $20.00 mark. It can be hard to keep the lure exactly in the zone of the bigger species, but if you move that lure too much, it’s likely to attract the attention a smaller nimbler fish with sharp teeth. I guess someone needs to keep the tackle shops afloat!

New logo for two Tackle Tactics brands

ACKLE Tactics Pty Ltd is an Australianowned manufacturer and distributor of quality fishing products and has recently released a new logo for two of its major brands – TT Lures and TT Rods. The new TT logo will replace the current logos and bring all Tackle Tactics products together under the one unified TT brand – TT Fishing. The new design was inspired by Tackle Tactics’ dedication to

innovation and passion for all things fishing, while still paying homage to the

Page 38 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

original TT Lures logo by maintaining some of its classic aesthetics.

The new logo supports the evolution of the brand and will allow for further growth moving into the future – the same tested and proven quality and reliability that anglers have come to expect from TT products with a fresh new look. Tackle Tactics owner and managing director Gareth Williams said, “TT is renowned for delivering quality products that improve the fishing experience for all anglers.” “Our new logo encompasses this dedication to anglers

while providing a distinctive and easily recognisable look that unifies our offering and makes it easy for customers to seek out our products. “We’re excited to launch the new logo and share it with our fans,” Mr Williams said. The new TT logo comes into effect immediately and will be rolled out across product packaging over the coming months. Bring it on! Visit ttfishing.com for more information. www.bnbfishing.com. au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022 – Page 39

Fishing for the future

Andrew smashed flathead on plastics while his dad struggled with bait.

McKenzie’s hard-fighting dart.

The kids with the fishing fruits from a nice afternoon session. Page 40 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

S for many, my first fishing memories are standing with my father and grandfather, feet in the sand, chasing whiting in the water off our local surf beaches. These memories are the focal point of the earliest family holidays I can remember, particularly the ones spent at Broadbeach on the Gold Coast. We used to purchase bloodworms from the old Miami Bait and Tackle and catch some solid summer whiting in the gutters and holes, from Broadbeach to Surfers Paradise. When I was older, the surf sessions turned into after-dark trips up the Nerang River and throughout the Broadwater area. Those were special trips with Dad, Nonno and my uncles and we caught some incredible fish – I hope the memories of those nights live long with me. Some 25-30 years on, I’m now lucky enough to create similar memories with my own children and their cousins. On a recent trip to the Gold Coast, my wife, father and two children – 5-year old Rose and 3-year old William – caught beachworms, dart and whiting on literally the same stretch of sand that so many of my fishing memories were created years before. It’s incredible to see the life and marine ecosystem that still exist under the bright lights of one of the most popular tourist destinations on the planet. Over the past 15 years, I’ve been fortunate

Fishing Tips by CHRIS RAIMONDI

enough to visit Fraser Island – now K’gari – on countless occasions, spending most of that time at Orchid Beach and Waddy Point. Regular readers may be across the various trips I’ve done offshore from the top of K’gari targeting red emperor, pearl perch, snapper and other reef fish. My focus on the offshore side of things has often seen me overlook the brilliant surf fishing that K’gari is famous for. Not only tailor but whiting, bream, flathead, dart, trevally, sharks, mackerel and mulloway are regularly caught from the island’s surf. Bait can be gathered easily, with beachworms, pipis, small crabs and baitfish all in abundance. Now, I’m a horrible beach wormer but luckily my wife and in-laws are quite skilful in that department. Most trips to K’gari often include a good old-fashioned worming

session at low tide. We tend to target them in the area around Ocean Lake, which is between South Ngkala Rocks and Orchid Beach. That said, beachworms can be found in most areas on the eastern side of the island. Fresh worms always work best, and they can be kept alive for days by simply changing the saltwater and removing any fragments or dead worms. Cured worms are also effective, so freezing them in salt or even in containers of saltwater is an option. It seems an age ago, but earlier this year there were cyclonic conditions that saw in the new year for those in central and southeast Queensland. We were lucky enough to be at K’gari at the time, and the wind conditions were definitely not favourable. That said, it certainly forced us back to basics and we spent most * continued P41

Rosie’s lovely summer whiting. www.bnbfishing.com. au

Fishing for our kids’ future * from P40

afternoons searching for fishable conditions along the beach. We had a heap of fresh beachworms and we found a nice little gutter that was around 0.5-1m deep at either side of low tide. The swell and wind situation made for very rough beach conditions, so I was hopeful this calm little gutter would hold a few whiting. And sure enough, my first cast was met solidly by a nice legal whiting. Over the next hour or so we had an absolute ball, with the kids nailing some lovely summer whiting among an abundance of hardfighting dart. At once stage, I stepped away from

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baiting hooks and casting rods to take in the sheer enjoyment on the faces of my niece and nephew who were catching fish after fish. My two little ones got in on the act as well, catching some lovely whiting and learning so much about the natural environment that we often take for granted. We kept a feed of whiting and let plenty of fish go – I feel it’s crucial to teach the next generation about sustainability so they can hopefully enjoy the same experience with their children one day. Set up and rig wise, it doesn’t get much simpler. A small running ball sinker above a swivel with around 0.5-1m of fluorocarbon leader

and a long shank hook is all you need. Fluorocarbon leader isn’t a must but it certainly seems to perform better than monofilament, given its invisibility underwater. We fished with Alvey Side Cast reels and Gary Howard Breambo rods and you’d be hard pressed to find a better surf fishing setup on the market! Ease and simplicity are everything when fishing with kids. If it’s too hard, they simply won’t enjoy it and it won’t last. So, no matter where you holiday, remember if there’s some water around, there’s always fishing fun to be had – and the memories you create may last for a very long time.

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The Boyne Tannum HookUp Association presents Australia’s biggest and Gladstone’s prestigious family-friendly fishing competition – the Boyne Tannum HookUp.

The prize pool attracts thousands of registered fishing competitors and visitors to Bray Park on Boyne Island.

Boyne Tannum HookUp – bring it on

F you fancy a fish in a beautiful part of the world that is centrally located in Queensland and has several prizes on offer, then you don’t want to miss out on the Boyne Tannum HookUp held over the May Day long weekend on Friday and Saturday April 29 and 30 and Sunday May 1, 2022. The Boyne Tannum HookUp is held annually and in 2022 will celebrate 27 years.

It is Australia’s biggest family fishing competition, with both adult and junior categories. It is a three-day event held in the beautiful central Queensland location of Boyne Island, which serves as a starting platform for reef trips with many top fishing spots nearby throughout the Gladstone region. The competition aims to bring together family, friends, businesses,

supporters, sponsors and community partners from all parts of Australia to enjoy a great community event and to showcase all that the Gladstone region has to offer as a premier fishing location. The HookUp is a fishing competition that includes fishing competitor prizes and random promotional prize draws, with a total prize pool worth over $375,000, attracting

The Boyne Tannum HookUp is a family-focussed fishing competition. Page 44 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

thousands of registered fishing competitors and visitors to Bray Park, Boyne Island. The comp officially kicks off at 7am on Friday April 29, 2022 and will feature daily prize draws from 6pm on each of the three nights. Prizes include tackleshop sponsor prizes, junior bikes, fishing category cash prizes, team competition prizes, junior boats, senior boats and a senior WR450F Yamaha motorbike. The event finishes on Sunday night after the naming of the overall fishing category winners, fireworks and the drawing of the major promotional boat prize – a 630 Sea Jay Vision boat, powered by a 200hp Yamaha outboard with Raymarine electronics fitted by Modern Marine Electronics – valued at over $95,000! Throughout the threeday weekend, Bray Park will be filled with plenty of activities, fun and facilities for the entire family, including

fish weigh-ins, cooking demonstrations, a wide variety of delicious food and drinks, a licensed bar, free activities and fishing lessons for kids, fun rides, live music, fireworks on Sunday night and so much more. The Boyne Tannum HookUp Association is a not-for-profit organisation that works incredibly hard to make the HookUp one of the Gladstone region’s most professional and prestigious events, creating opportunities for a number of local community groups to raise money and promote the Boyne Tannum area. Tell your family and friends to join in on the action and fun at Australia’s biggest family fishing competition by registering for the 2022 Boyne Tannum HookUp. Find out more information about this great event and secure your ticket by visiting boyn etannumhookup.com. au Get hooked on the Boyne Tannum HookUp!

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BOATING & marine

New features for Yamaha’s Helm Master EX joystick boat control system

AMAHA has announced the release of additional features on their game-changing Helm Master EX joystick boat control system – further enhancing the capabilities of this industry-leading technology across single, twin, triple and quad outboard engine applications. Helm Master EX offers boaters a completely integrated boat control system that makes getting to your fishing spot easier and unprecedented control over your craft once you arrive by using a combination of advanced outboard, digital steering, autopilot and joystick technologies. Yamaha Marine general manager sales and marketing Jason Harris said, “Since the release of our Helm Master EX system, we have seen unprecedented demand

for this cutting-edge technology, especially from fishing enthusiasts who are looking to up their game using the most advanced boating and fishing technologies on the market.” “We are now taking this technology further with a number of new features and improvements that offer skippers more options and control over their outboard powered vessels,” Jason said. Real-world customer feedback has formed the basis of the Helm Master EX upgrades. This is particularly evident in the addition of the new joystick station. This new configuration allows the fit up of a second joystick control without the requirement of a full steering helm and controls. This means additional joystick controls can be

Page 48 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

added away from the helm of the boat and placed in a position convenient to the skipper’s requirements. The handy patternsteer functions built into Yamaha’s autopilot system have also been expanded to include two new options in addition to the existing spiral and zig zag patterns. The skipper can now access Williamson turn and pattern search formations, which return the vessel back to the point where the patterns were activated, delivering more control and operator flexibility. Yamaha's digital electronic controls – available in concealed side-mount, single and multi-engine binnacle formats – have been updated to include a dedicated trim assist button. Trim assist is an existing function that automatically trims the out-

board to pre-set levels at chosen engine rpm or speeds to make operating the vessel easier – only available with the full Helm Master EX system. This function can now be turned on and off at the touch of this button on the control box. When modifying the set position with any setpoint function using the Helm Master EX joystick, the display will now indicate the total distance requested and the amount of distance remaining during the vessel movement, to better inform the skipper on how much more movement is expected. In multiple outboard applications, sideways manoeuvring has been enhanced. The new lateral assist improvements give Helm Master EX the ability to automatically compensate for wind and current, to help

maintain the intended heading and direction when moving the boat sideways in joystick mode. Other new features include the addition of Bennett trim tab position and settings integration into the CL5 gauge for improved information and better boat control. The software upgrade and features will be available in all Helm Master Ex systems. Existing Helm Master EX customers who wish to upgrade their software and hardware can do so through their authorised Yamaha Marine dealer. Helm Master EX is available across all of Yamaha’s digital electronic control outboards from Yamaha’s F150 to the F425 XTO. To find out more, contact your Yamaha Marine Dealer or yamahamotor.com.au

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BOATING & marine

Mercury Marine announces Avator electric outboard concept

ERCURY Marine has announced its Avator electric outboard concept, representing Mercury’s next step in marine innovation, advanced technology and engineering. The electric outboard concept will be on display for the first time during the 2022 Miami International Boat Show and is progressing the company toward the formal release of electric outboard products later in 2022 and 2023. Avator creates a new boating experience for Mercury’s global customers, combining an investment in electrification with more than 80 years of expertise in the marine industry. Leveraging Mercury’s leadership and reputation for hydrodynamics, corrosion resistance, reliability and industrial design, the Avator concept will deliver a superior user experience for a

wide range of vessels and activities. Mercury Marine president Chris Drees said, “We are excited to formally announce this bold new phase of our vision for the future that only Mercury Marine can deliver.” “Electrification is strategically important to us and this concept provides a first look at how we intend to deliver on our commitment to be the industry leader in both internal combustion products and electric propulsion. “We are taking efficiency to a new level, opening up new ways to enjoy the boating experience.” “Our team is taking everything we know about how consumers use our products and incorporating it into Avator, creating an electric propulsion system that will set a new benchmark for the marine industry,” Mr Drees said.

Avator creates a new boating experience for Mercury’s global customers. www.bnbfishing.com.au

Avator advances Mercury’s commitment to sustainability by offering the prospect of boating with zero direct emissions. Mercury is also using electrification to make boating more accessible, with features such as swappable batteries and enhanced portability. Mercury Marine vice president of product development and engineering Tim Reid said, “Mercury has the industry’s strongest and most robust technology and design teams who are shaping a new power for marine that expands the brand into new applications.” “We believe features such as easily changeable batteries and quiet operation hold great appeal for current and prospective boaters. “We expect our breadth of electric offerings to expand over time, and we will continue to listen to consumer feedback and monitor adoption trends,” Mr Reid said. For those in Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific keen to get a look at the new concept, customers can expect updates in line with formal global releases. It is expected that the Avator concept will be displayed in the region in 2022, with further updates coming. Learn more about the Mercury Avator concept and our vision for electrification at mercuryma rine.com/avator.

Suzuki Insurance expands to add boat insurance

UZUKI Australia in partnership with NM Insurance has announced the expansion of its whitelabel insurance brand ‘Suzuki Insurance’ to provide premium product offerings to its outboard motor customers for their boat insurance needs. A Suzuki Boat Insurance policy is designed for passionate and enthusiastic pleasure craft owners. Understanding the special place a boat holds in an owner’s lifestyle on the water, Suzuki Insurance strives to provide peace of mind if the unexpected happens. Key benefits of a Suzuki Boat Insurance policy include: • Replacement of the boat in the first two years of original registration – sub-

ject to availability of same make, model or series and up to the sum insured • Genuine manufacturer parts used where available • Liability cover of $10 million as standard – other options available upon request • Water-skiing extension or option is available at additional cost • Personal accident cover up to $50,000 • Au st r a l ia -w id e transit cover when transporting your boat with its own trailer • Agreed value options available • Lost keys cover up to $1500 • Option to finance your premium and pay instalments monthly. For more information, visit suzuki insurance.com.au/ boat-insurance

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022 – Page 49

BOATING & marine Insights into boat insurance

Coming clean can be very expensive

HETHER on the road or on the water, remediating the damage you cause to things other than your car or boat can be frighteningly expensive. You prang your car and in the course of the accident take out a streetlight and some signage on a roundabout in the process. Who is going to reinstate that streetlight and the signage on the roundabout? You are! And let’s not forget that you’ll also be paying for the wages and meal breaks for the ‘Stop Slow’ traffic official who will be attending during the replacement, wages for the truckie delivering the new streetlight, wages for the other driver delivering the new roundabout sig-

nage, the cost of hiring the crane to lift the new streetlight into place, the costs of the electricians who are going to turn off the power and then reinstate it, the rental of the digital traffic warning sign and so on. It’s a similar situation when something goes awry on the water and you wind up perched atop Flinders Reef, north of Moreton Island. Forget about the boat for the moment – who’s going to pay for the environmental clean-up? You are! And that will mean you are also picking up the tab for a virtual environmental swat team along with their specialist craft, possibly divers as well, a safety officer on site, hire of recovery gear and a host of other things.

If environmental damage is caused, you will be charged for its rectification. So, it is vitally important that you understand you are going to be held responsible for these costs and that you understand how these clean-up costs relate to your insurance. Okay, first the easiest scenario to assess. You’re on the reef, wreckage from your boat is stuck on the reef, you have leaked some pollutants into the area, and you have no insurance. It’s time to brace yourself for some serious bills as a string of various authorities start running the calculator on the clean-up costs. You will be presented with those bills and you will be held liable for them. A different outcome. You’re back on that reef, wreckage is still jammed in the reef and those pollutants are pouring out, but this time you have boat insurance. Problems over? Maybe not. Under some policies, these costs can be deducted from the final figure paid out to you.

For example, your vessel is insured for $60,000 when it comes unstuck on Flinders Reef. The cost to remove your wrecked hull comes to $20,000. You are expecting a $60,000 payout for the loss of your vessel, right? Well, some companies will deduct the $20,000 clean-up cost from your $60,000 coverage, meaning you may receive a payout of only $40,000 to replace your $60,000 boat. But other companies don’t make that deduction. They pay the additional clean-up bill as well as paying you the $60,000 for your boat. So, when you read so-called ‘helpful’ advice in social media forums about how company A is much cheaper than everyone else when it comes to boat insurance, bear in mind that a $100 apparent savings could in fact cost $20,000 or more out of your own pocket. The bottom line here is that it is possible under some policies for you to get nothing back for your boat and to still be facing a

residual debt for cleanup costs. Under other policies, all of the costs would have been covered – the boat, its removal and the clean-up bill. Marine insurance is an issue for specialists. It’s not for the companies that dabble in marine insurance so they can sweep up all of your insurance business into one deal. The obvious question therefore is do you know whether these marine clean-up costs are included or deducted under your policy? If you don’t know, ask now and take the appropriate action in accordance with the answer. What is covered and what may not be covered will be interpreted in accord with the terms of insurance as defined in your insurance policy’s product disclosure statement. Similarly, any special conditions and excesses should always be explained clearly in your insurance policy’s PDS. If you need further information, you can contact Nautilus Marine Insurance on 1300 780 533 for any boat insurance requirements.

Advice in this article is general and might not apply or be right for you. Before acting on it, consider its appropriateness having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs. Nautilus Marine Insurance is a business name of NM Insurance Pty Ltd ABN 34 100 633 038 AFSL 227 186 (NM Insurance), the issuer of Nautilus Marine Boat Insurance. Consider the Product Disclosure Statement at nautilusinsurance.com.au before deciding whether to purchase a policy.

Page 50 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

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Mick Higginson with a 135cm Fitzroy River barramundi. An unbelievable land-based capture.

Jacob Milner and team always find the goods when heading wide.

Easter is closing in fast Kelly, Vicki and Jessica of team Mad Hookers with the thready title.

The team from 23 South Lures and the $5000 giant trevally title.

Jai Kanofski with a ripper 48cm mangrove jack caught from the Causeway bridge.

Barramundi stacked up in front of a rock pile in the town reaches. Good sounders such as the Humminbird Helix are key to finding fish. Page 52 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

AN you believe that the Easter bunny will be dropping off some chocolate eggs this month? Time is flying by and before we know what’s happening, the jolly red man will be knocking again. The conditions on the Capricorn Coast have been a bit hit and miss. Good weather windows to head out the front have been patchy. Those who have been lucky enough to line up days off with good weather have taken the opportunity with both hands. April would have to be my favourite month of the year and not just because it’s my birthday month – the days are still warm enough for swimming and water activities and the nights are crisp and a good temperature if you stay out late. Back in the September October period, we received a good amount of welcomed rain. It was very early, and we had seen the first of the floodwater run-off. I thought this was going to be the norm through to April May, but we really haven’t

Capricorn Coast by JOHN BOON

seen any additional rain in the new year. At the time of writing this article, the saltwater was starting to push back up to the top end of the Fitzroy River. The first indication was that the die-hard live bait anglers who fish from the pontoons, jetties and off the bank started to catch goodsized barramundi and king threadfin salmon. And bait such as popeyed mullet and prawns start to return. Once this happens, after a month or so the water clarity improves and then it’s game on for lure fishos. I can’t wait to get back up into the town reaches for a barra fish. It’s the kind of place where you don’t even need to start the petrol motor. If you use the electric motor from the ramp and check between moored boats and along the edges, you won’t have to go too far to find fish to cast at. The first traffic bridge would be one of the best

places to chase a barra. It’s highly pressured but still produces quality fish. Use your sounder and pinpoint the rock bommies that barra love to hang off. If you travel about 20m on the downstream side of the bridge, you’ll find the bommies I’m referring to. Shimano King of Kings Recently we had the pleasure of fishing the Shimano King of Kings competition on the Capricorn Coast. Unfortunately, the weather was absolutely atrocious for the event. We had a few hours of good weather on the first day until a change came through with heavy rain at times and gusts of wind reaching 40 knots at times. A few of the brave took the small weather window to catch some reef fish. I was surprised with the fish that were caught – coral trout, nannygai and a nice big fingermark. * continued P53

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Easter is closing in fast I think the standout from the weekend was the team who took out the giant trevally category. The team from 23 South Lures caught two GT for a length of 225cm to win $5000. With the conditions, that was extra special. I fished with good friends Luke Peisker and Matty Arnold as team Humminbird Minn Kota. With big tides and horrible wind, we decided to give the barra a miss and concentrate on threadfin salmon because we knew it was going to be tough and not everyone would be able to catch them. We went two and a half days fishing every

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– even with the conditions. The best thing about unfavourable wind and tides is it gets you out of your comfort zone and makes you think. We had plenty of beverages and caught up with old friends and made some new ones. If you’re keen to fish one of the most social comps going, then make sure to look up the 2023 Shimano King of Kings. If you’re interested in all the results, you can check the Shimano King of Kings Facebook page. That’s it from me this month. Make sure to get the kids out for a fish during the school holidays, stay safe and have fun.

Matty Arnold with a solid threadfin salmon during the Shimano King of Kings competition.

The author with a nice threadfin salmon caught for team Humminbird Minn Kota during the Shimano King of Kings competition.

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Without a doubt, the stand-out lure for coral trout this trip was the 130mm Zerek Flash Minnow Wriggly. This small profile plastic gets to the bottom efficiently with minimal weight and highly resembles the baitfish that are common on the reefs.

Les Jones from LJ’s Compleat Angler Gladstone with one of many big hard-fighting chinaman fish caught on a Mustad Wingman jig.

Nick Whyte with a cracking giant trevally taken on the soon to be released Venom ‘V Pop’ popper when fishing the shallow reef flats. Page 54 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

Wilson’s Troy Dixon with a monster blue spot trout caught on a Zerek Live Shrimp in Fat Betty colour.

Sussing out Swain Reefs

ELL, we’ve certainly experienced some crazy weather over the past three months or so, with relentless strong wind and ridiculous amounts of rainfall. I feel for the thousands of people who have been affected by the floods and my thoughts are with you all. Now, I know it’s been a while between articles, but I thought I would share a recent trip I did onboard Big Cat Reality Charters to the Swain Reefs and the outer northern area known as the T line. This exploratory trip was organised by Wilson and was an opportunity to do some serious product testing – any angler’s dream. The number of lures, jigs, plastics, vibes, rods and reels that are brought on these trips is simply mind blowing. This gives the anglers onboard a fantastic opportunity to put each item through its paces, which helps Wilson with the development of

Offshore by GREG LAMPRECHT

new and existing products. Leaving from Burnett Heads near Bundaberg, Captain James McVeigh pointed Big Cat in a northeast direction and, after a lengthy 28-hour run in less than favourable conditions, we arrived the following afternoon at our first destination. Some of us were quick to have a fish off Big Cat, which resulted in a few redthroat emperor and a couple of nice cobia, but sharks were a menace so we soon gave up. The next three days consisted of wind at about 20-30 knots and the strong current in the T line area was something you had to see to believe. The strong current was caused by a combination of big tides and small narrow channels separating the reefs, which made fishing from smaller boats and

tenders extremely difficult. Some boats opted to fish the top of the shallow reef flats and to cast around the new range of Venom lures, which are set to be released this year. This accounted for coral trout and redthroat emperor, along with an occasional giant trevally and red bass – great fun when you’re pulling them from 1-2m of water. Apart from fishing the shallow reef flats and edges, a bit of time was spent using jigs, vibes and plastics on the deeper reefs around and away from the main shoals. These methods are easily the most effective way to catch coral trout and I’m confident in saying they far outfish bait. For this trip, I was driving the 4.8m Wilson tinnie and had the * continued P55

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Sussing out Swain Reefs * from P54

pleasure of fishing with Clint Fannin, the head of production at Wilson and Les Jones, the owner of LJ’s Compleat Angler Gladstone. We all tried a large selection of lures and one session saw a swag of different fish come over the side, including my humphead moari wrasse that I caught on an 80g Mustad Zippy Jig and a big redthroat emperor on a Mustad InkVader octopus. Clint’s first use of the new McArthy Jerk Minnow plastics saw him pull a cracking coral trout, and these larger plastics certainly made a name for themselves for catching the bigger trout over the trip. I ended day three by catching a big 30kg plus giant trevally off the back of Big Cat, which stretched the arms and had me huffing and puffing in no time. After three days of trying conditions, we decided that instead of pushing out wider to the outer eastern region of the T line area in the ordinary weather conditions we had, we would head south among the Swain Reefs in the hope of less current and better fishing options.

This paid off and, while the conditions were still average, we had more fishing opportunities on the reef flats and lagoons with good redthroat, trout and GT being caught. This style of fishing is wicked fun and can be very visual in the right conditions. Fishing the deeper reef ledges and shoals was still tricky, but I learned a pattern according to the tide direction of where to be and when. By now we were also learning what lures were working best, and Clint had proved that the Zerek Live Flash Minnow Wriggly plastic was the standout choice. These plastics are very similar to the bait commonly seen on the reefs, so it was no surprise they worked so well. Combining these two factors saw our catch rates go through the roof and we had some fantastic sessions, with coral trout, longnose emperor, venus tuskfish, trevally and big hard-fighting chinaman fish coming over the side one after the other. The trip was a great success in spite of the

conditions we had, and it’s not always about the fishing that makes them memorable. Sharing it with a bunch of legends, including the mad Hueys, makes it all that more special, and the piratethemed dress-up night will be remembered for a long time. As usual, the Big Cat Reality Charters operation was first class, and the professionalism and effort the crew put into these trips makes them unforgettable. I highly recommend that everyone try their hardest to experience a Big Cat Reality Charter at least once in their lifetime. A huge thanks to Wilson for the opportunity and for organising such an awesome trip. Until next time, tight lines.

Coral trout are suckers for eating artificial bait and often the better-sized fish will be caught using large plastics such at this McArthy 7” Jerk Minnow.

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Topwater redemption trip

The author with a sooty grunter taken on a popper.

A small mangrove jack captured in freshwater.

HILE much of the country has experiencing a lot of rain recently, the far north has so far managed to avoid the usual number of significant rain events. To this end, having the right conditions to take a trip into the headwater of our local rivers have been too infrequent. But a nice fall not so long ago saw my local system rise 3m in about six hours. I managed to get out a few days after the rain with the river still falling. The prospect of a good day on the water lay ahead and I couldn’t wait to get among them. I was able to get a fair way up the river. Preparing for the first cast, I’d chosen a Samaki Vibelicious to kick the morning off and was rewarded with a couple of hits early on but was unable to hook up. At least an hour and a half later and after a few lure changes, I still had no result.

Fishing Cairns by BRETT PARKS

The water was clear and the fish were there because I could see them, and while I had plenty of follows, that was all… only follows. I drifted into a section of the river where I usually pull up into a back water on one side and cast into the flats on the other. The other side was shallow with a few features that could hold fish. I changed over to a popper – more because it’s a safer bet, there’s no chance of a snag and it’s easier to cast upstream and control in the strike zone for longer. First cast and I was on, and it was a solid sooty grunter. The monkey was off my back and I soon picked up another from the same bit of water. From that moment on I was able to land

around 20 plus fish – all on the popper. And of course, once you get some action on topwater, there is no way you are going to change over to a diving lure. Seeing fish smash topwater lures is a very rewarding and exciting way to fish. The highlight of the day was a solid 40cm plus mangrove jack taken in swift shallow water. It had about three goes at the popper before deciding it was to be his early lunch. I’ve only ever had one other day where I started out with a popper on my line and didn’t take it off for the whole day – it was one of the most memorable days I’ve had on the water. I have now learned to reach for the popper a little earlier in the day.

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Book a charter today! From barramundi to marlin, jungle perch to jacks, we’ve got you covered. Page 56 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

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Sooty grunter were abundant on this topwater trip. www.bnbfishing.com. au

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Arriving early after a good wet season can see sensational fishing on the Cape. Brendan with a prime barramundi taken in the Wenlock River near Mapoon.

Beating the crowd to Cape York T HE early bird gets the worm… and fish love worms! Applying this ageold adage to your Cape York trip could be a very wise move. There are a few maybes to consider but on the other side of the coin, there’s a lot to gain if you want to be ahead of the crowd. The big bonus being

Cape York

by DAVE DONALD

the quality of the fishing. Now that the wet season has left, the systems and inshore water are bursting with new life and the piscatorial world goes into overdrive – heralding what many locals consider

the best time of year to have a line in the water. The spoiler in this scenario could be the main reason the Cape is such a great fishing spot – its dodgy access road. Get too much rain late in the wet season and

There are plenty of remote creeks similar to this one along both sides of the Cape. Fishing the first of the flooding tide is usually productive. Page 58 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

suddenly the place is off limits to even the most experienced fourwheel-drive-equipped fisho. However, a few savvy visitors have worked out a fool-proof alternative, which involves loading your vehicle and boat on the weekly Sea Swift barge to Weipa or Bamaga in Cairns and then flying up to wait for their arrival.

Plenty of cabin accommodation is usually available at the Weipa Camping Ground, but it needs to be booked early to be on the safe side. Most of these punters stay at least a couple of weeks to make the shipping costs worthwhile, then drive out once the road officially opens. * continued P60

Golden trevally are one of the most prevalent of more than a dozen species that inhabit the Cape’s waters. Connor trolled up this beauty on a Halco Scorpion lure. www.bnbfishing.com. au

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Beating the crowd to Cape York * from P58

Inshore reef areas are easily accessed in a 4m tinnie and will produce fish such as this ripper fingermark, particularly on the Gulf side. Towing a boat or hiring one at Weipa or Bamaga are good options.

The Cape will be busy in 2022! Book your spot to avoid disappointment if you’re planning to stay in camping areas or national parks.

The alternative is a little riskier. With the road usually being trafficable nine years out of 10 from mid-April onwards, planning to drive up in late April or May is definitely feasible. Make sure to book any accommodation well in advance if you take this option because more often than not, there will be plenty of people with the same idea. Yet another variation is to leave your vehicle behind completely – fly up, book a cabin or houseboat and a dinghy and do your own thing. Both Weipa and Bamaga have highquality hire boats these days – and vehicles too, if you need one. Booking early is essential as demand increases every season. Of course, some of the Cape’s more inaccessible spots will still be off limits during this time.

find us on facebook • Win prizes • Post your brag • Chat to readers shots and writers • Join in on the fun • See who’s catching banter what • Have a laugh

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Places such as Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park, Oyala Thumotang National Park (formerly Mungkan Kandju) and the Telegraph Track can be closed or impassable up until early July, depending on the severity of the wet season. Access via the Peninsula Development Rd improves each year, with major bridge works currently underway at Musgrave and the Archer River and more bitumen sealing set to make a huge difference for those driving to Weipa in the near future. Now that COVID restrictions are easing, the Cape is expecting a very busy tourist season in 2022. If you’re one of those planning to explore this wonderful area, here are a few tips to make your visit more enjoyable. Driving Take your time! Cape York Peninsula is as big as Victoria – Cairns to Bamaga is 1000km, Cairns to Weipa is 850km. Plan to spend at least two to three weeks exploring if you don’t want to rush too much. And slow down on the roads, particularly on the gravel sections. The Peninsula Development Rd – also known as the PDR – is definitely not the M1… go steady, and drive to the conditions. Fishing The fishing, even land-based, can be excellent. A medium-sized baitcast or spin outfit loaded with 10kg braid is perfect for most situations. Make sure your gear

is carried in a dustproof container or inside your vehicle. Mounting rods in external holders will put them at risk of damage from dust, rocks and foliage. Charters If your party is planning a single day trip on a fishing charter, be aware that most operators cater to fly-in parties who stay for multiple days. Therefore, they are reluctant to book a single day trip a few months ahead because it may exclude them from a more lucrative booking. If you are successful in finding a charter, don’t expect to fill the boat with fish or feed an entire convoy – it’s about experiencing the place, and taking a few fish for the campfire is a bonus. Rubbish Don’t trash our backyard! The Cape community has been advocating for better visitor facilities for decades. So far, we’ve been mostly ignored by government. If you camp or stop for a toilet break, take your shovel when you head into the bush! ‘White rabbits’ or used toilet paper carrying whatever’s been wiped on it littering the roadside has now become a major problem on the Cape. Ditto your beer cans, wine bottles and plastic rubbish. Bag it and place it in the bins provided at the roadhouses. It’s been a great wet season so far and that augurs well for a wonderful tourist season. Drive safe!

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022 – Page 61

A cracker run-off barramundi caught in Port Musgrave near Mapoon, north of Weipa.

Run off barramundi

Blue salmon will also target run-off areas in estuaries. This one was captured by Ryan Polderman near Weipa.

IRST, wishing all the very best to those affected by the recent flooding. To see such a large area of eastern Australia impacted so seriously has been heartbreaking and we sincerely hope the re-

Both these gutters are going to be hot spots in run-off situations for barramundi and salmon. Page 62 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

Cape York by ‘BILLABONG’ BAZZ LYON

covery is going as well as can be expected. On the Cape, the wet season hasn’t been anything out of the ordinary. This seems to be fairly normal for La Niña events, when heavy rain extends much further south than usual, leaving north Queensland in a sort of limbo. Of course, late March and April can be very wet up here and that pattern seems quite likely this year. If the wet does start easing though, the hard-working road crews will be quickly onto grading and repairs and the Cape will start opening up.

Always be aware of abundant washouts and vehicle-sized potholes that won’t be marked with warning signs until they’re being fixed. There simply aren’t enough warning signs to go around! The good news is that April is traditionally a huge month for ‘run-off’ fishing for barramundi. This is all about targeting barra in and below drains and creeks running off the countryside, as they themselves prey on the small fish and prawns moving about. It is of course vital to be broad-minded when * continued P64

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Run off barramundi * from P62

Josh Lyon with a tidy Archer River run-off barramundi.

A proven run-off hot spot for barramundi on the North Kennedy River, Rinyirru National Park.

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search ing for good run-off locations. As well as the traditional gutters and creeks, at this time of year there are an abundance of ‘temporary’ drains running out from seasonal swamps. These can be absolutely loaded with tasty tucker for waiting barramundi. My first real experience with such a gutter was in the Trinity Inlet in Cairns way back in the 1980s. Back then, the inlet was hardly noted as a place for prime barramundi fishing – it’s great now though. Anyway, we chanced upon this particular drain coming out of a nearby swamp and started casting all about with no particular skill. There followed an absolute cracker of a session! The barra were lean, keen and strong – all glowing with a pink silver sheen and lovely yellow tails – classic saltwater barramundi. And the couple we kept were top tucker too! With ‘run-off’ fishing, it’s always worth bearing in mind that barra love to hide in dirty water and ambush prey coming past. Also target snags or backwaters near any run-off junctions – the fish can sometimes be resting out of the current. If there’s enough water – and often it doesn’t have to be much – fishing above cascades and well upstream into the actual

drains can produce epic results. This time of year is when soft plastics can super produce, with prawns being a particular favourite. And if the fishing is quiet, it’s always worth working lures at different depths – from poppers and fizzers across the top to midwater swimmers and those that reach the river or creek bed. Of course, available fishing destinations on the Cape at this time of year will be totally dependent on weather and road conditions. The rivers around Cooktown will be producing, as will those around Weipa where there are plenty of options. Even places such as the Hann River – below the Hann River Roadhouse north of Laura – can produce some fabulous fishing, especially early in the dry. Otherwise, it is well worth making a run out to the Normanton and Karumba areas in the magnificent Gulf country. And though I haven’t fished these areas for some time, we have enjoyed some truly memorable sessions there, with threadfin and blue salmon also thrown into the mix. East coast anglers might be surprised at the water colour of the estuaries in the Gulf. Barramundi can and do feed in water the colour of mud, and lures with stripes or spots are definitely an advantage. Until next month, all the best.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022 – Page 65

Daiwa Steez Current Master

THE Daiwa Current Master 93SP-DR was designed in partnership with Japanese engineers and has been tuned to suit the needs of Australian anglers handle the rigours of hard-pulling Australia species. The Current Master 93SP-DR is the perfect mid-size silent jerkbait – with a lively action when jerked and suspends on the pause, inducing hard strikes from predatory species such as barramundi and mangrove jack. The patented mag lock silent oscillation casting system has been installed inside the Current Master 93SP-DR enabling incredibly long casts while keeping a subtle and silent presentation. The mag lock system also creates perfect lure balance, delivering a super consistent swimming action in still water, heavy current or faster retrieve speeds. Fitted with ultra-strong split rings and BKK Viper treble hooks, there is no need to upgrade any of the hardware that comes standard on all Current Master 93SP-DR and is ready to fish straight out of the box. Visit daiwafishing.com.au

Daiwa Infeet Spike 44

THE Spike legend continues to grow with the release of the smaller Spike 44. The ultimate shad size crankbait, the new Spike features an impressive swimming action even at the slowest of speeds – an essential element for when the fishing gets tough and fish are timid and lure shy. Available in two sizes, a MR (6’) and EXDR (12’) version, the Spike 44 has you

Page 66 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

covered for all depth ranges. Careful internal weight placement and a slender shape ensures the Spike 44 flies straight and true and is tuned for maximum casting distance and performance. Bib design is equally considered and optimised with its blunt-nose lip design aiding in deflection and maximising lure action to convert follows into bites. Fitted with high-quality split rings and BKK hooks, the Spike 44 is ready to fish straight from the package. Visit daiwafishing.com.au

McArthy Buzz’N Frog

Okuma Azores XP Spin Reels

BUILT for the big bite with lower gearing for plenty of outright cranking power and the build quality to back it up, the ‘P’ at the end of the part number is all about power. High density gearing and machine-cut brass pinion gear roll on high-performance grease-packed stainless bearings for a smooth, precise and solid mechanical system. High-performance bearings are more than 10 times more resistant to saltwater than standard stainless-steel bearings. A hydro-blocked hybrid drag delivers consistent, smooth and powerful resistance against hard-running fish, while the machined screw-in handle ensures a positive connection and solid feel. The machined aluminium anodised large-capacity spool features Okuma’s LCS lip for increased casting distance and accuracy. Packed with features and built for power, backed by Okuma’s 10-year warranty. Visit tackletactics.com.au

THE McArthy Buzz’N Frog will be a massive hit with anglers chasing the ultimate buzz – big bad impoundment barramundi on surface! Rigged with a weighted worm hook, the Buzz’N Frog becomes a deadly barra lure that can be fished on the surface or slightly below. Designed to be fished in heavy cover such as weed mats, reed banks and lily pads, the Buzz’N Frog sends out incredible sonics with its paddle tail legs and ribbed belly. Rigging couldn’t be easier with a shallow hook channel along the centre line of the lure’s back, guiding the worm hook into perfect rigging position while the angled and ribbed belly area allows anglers to insert the hook in exactly the right place every time! At its absolute best fished over the top of heavy weed beds, the Buzz’N Frog can easily be fished sub-surface by simply slowing down the retrieve. This is a deadly tactic if big barra are following but not fully committing to the lure! It’s also a great way to explore the dark nooks and crannies found in lily pad beds where saratoga and barra love to hunt. At 10cm in total length, the Buzz’N Frog is the perfect snack size for other species as well, with mangrove jack, estuary trevally and even Murray cod in the duck weed covered gorge country rivers all falling to this lure’s charms. Visit wilsonfishing.com

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Samurai Reaction CD6 Handle

THE Reaction name is where Samurai all started. It was the first high-end rod ever produced by the company and it holds a special place at the top of the product line-up. The Gen II 351 and 402 Reaction now feature the CD6 grip control. This carbon duralon grip stiffens the butt end of the rod, providing enhanced sensitivity and better balance. The ergonomic design also reduces fatigue and offers better balance with less swing weight for more powerful casts and faster hook sets. Visit frogleysoffshore.com.au

Joining the line-up – in the popular Z-Man 3” MinnowZ is Fried Bologna, Gitter Done, Tater Salad, Troutcicle and Beer Run. You will also find Gitter Done and Troutcicle in a Z-Man 4” DieZel MinnowZ, Gitter Done in a 4” and 5” Scented Jerk ShadZ, along with Fried Bologna and Beer Run also in the 5” model. Fried Bologna will be popular on flathead and a stack of other species, with its pink belly and natural brown back with black fleck offering contrast. Gitter Done features a classic green and gold combination that will catch in the fresh or salt, with a natural translucent green top and belly loaded with gold glitter to create scale flash – even in low light conditions. Tater Salad has a shrimp-green fleck in a glow body, with a lime tail to draw the strikes. Troutcicle has a truly evil purple back colour and silver pearl belly for excellent contrast, especially in dirty water. While Beer Run is a proven favourite in previously released models, thanks to its natural pearl back and scale flash from the glitter filled translucent belly. Some Z-Man favourites in cool new colours that are sure to get the approval from both Z-Man fans and their favourite target species. Visit tackletactics.com.au

Majorcraft Dangan Braid X

Zerek Flat Shad X Weedless Z-Man New Colours

TACKLE Tactics are always pumped to announce the release of new Z-Man colour additions, and this batch is sure to contain a few future favourites. Z-Man is known for its super-soft, flexible and ten times tougher ElaZtech construction, with natural buoyancy, proven actions and some truly unique colours and names. www.bnbfishing.com.au

a beautiful undulating tail that fish can’t help but attack when retrieved at the slowest of speeds. The weedless Flat Shad X also has a stinger eyelet attached on the weighted worm hook, giving anglers the option to add a treble stinger or attach a flashy blade. But the innovation doesn’t end there. There is also a further stinger attachment eyelet above the eye of the lure on the head. This allows anglers to place a treble up on top in weedy or snaggy country and swap out the bottom stinger for a flashy blade or similar. Available in 11 colours that include natural patterns and attractor colours, the weedless Flat Shad X will be available in 130mm 23g, 145mm 30g and 170mm 44g options. The weedless Flat Shad X really does provide unlimited rigging and fishing options and is a genuine revolution in the Flat Shad range. Visit wilsonfishing.com

REVOLUTION rarely comes twice in the one lure, but the Zerek Flat Shad X revolutionises the revolutionary Flat Shad. At the heart of the weedless Flat Shad X is the patented belly slits that allow the plastic to easily compress in any direction, exposing the hook to ensure solid hook-ups. But the X takes the revolution to another level. The weedless Flat Shad X incorporates a Kevlar webbed tail that is segmented to provide incredible movement from the boot tail. This creates a rolling action as well as

MAJORCRAFT has introduced a new 8-strand braided line – Braid X Cross 8. An evolution of the original Dangan braid, the Cross 8 is an extremely strong fibre, custom twisted to deliver low stretch and higher sensitivity. Made of ultra-high strength Japanese polyethelyne fibre izanas, the advancedline technology created with a unique gel spinning technology method uses microfibres in each individual strand which is then woven together in an 8-strand pattern. It is then coated in an F60 material. The high-density manufacturing process produces a supple line that reduces tangling on the guides, with the added benefit of improved sensitivity and a strong leader connection. Visit frogleysoffshore.com.au Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022 – Page 67

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www.tohatsu.com.au Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022 – Page 69

TOURING & exploring

Ironman portable compact 4x4 solar panels

ORTABLE, compact and efficient, Ironman 4×4 solar panels produce optimal output and power supply while remaining protected from significant heat damage. Withstanding the harsh Australian conditions, the premium seven-layer cell construction provides durability, increased power supply through all conditions and optimal resistance to heat damage. With 15-20 percent higher efficiency than polycrystalline cells, the monocrystalline cells produce more power with less space, while the ethylene tetrafluoroethylene layer protects the panels from damage caused by high temperatures, corrosion and stains. Constructed with shingle technology, the cells are cut into five equal parts and connected by sub-strings, allowing the cell to by-

pass shaded areas and maximise power output. Compared to conventional panels, the effect of bad cells is significantly reduced, eliminating the risk of hot spots and permanent damage. Included in each kit, the lithium compatible regulator charges a range of battery types using a backlit liquid crystal display to show power input and battery charge levels. Finishing the kit, the Anderson plugs and battery clamps make hooking up batteries easy, with the heavyduty carry bag protecting the solar panels in transit. Ironman 4×4 solar panels are the ultimate eco-power source on your next camping trip. Kit inclusions Each portable solar panel kit includes: • 120W or 200W panel kit with built-in stand • 5m cable with 50A

Anderson plug and protective caps • 1.5m cable with 50A Anderson plugs, protective caps, 20A inline fuse and battery clamps • Lithium compatible regulator • Heavy-duty carry bag with storage pockets for cables and regulator • Velcro straps to secure cables • Metal pegs to secure the solar panels in use • Operation instructions. Lithium compatible regulator The Ironman 4×4 regulator is designed to charge a range of battery types with a backlit LCD display providing power input and battery charge levels. The regulator will optimally charge the following type of batteries: • Lead crystal • Wet cell • Gel • Absorbed glass matt or AGM

Ironman 4×4 solar panels are portable, compact and efficient, producing optimal output and power supply. Page 70 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

• Calcium • Lithium-titanate or LTO • Lithium iron phosphate or LiFePO4 • Lithium-ion. Premium seven-layer cell construction When the solar panel is in use, they are exposed to large quantities of ultraviolet light and generate a significant amount of heat. The premium sevenlayer construction is designed to provide the optimal resistance to heat damage, improved durability and increased power supply through all conditions while remaining portable and flexible. With a fiberglass base, the solar panel is made up of layers of ethylene vinyl acetate which forms a sealing and insulating film around the solar cells. Monocrystalline solar cells provide the highest efficiency rates – 15-20 percent higher than polycrystalline cells – producing more power per square metre with less space. Finishing with a fluorite-based plastic, the solar panel is protected from high temperatures, corrosion and stains. Shingle technology Ironman 4×4 solar panels are designed with shingle panel technology. This reduces the risk and effect of hot spots, optimises performance in partially shaded environments and pro-

vides the most efficient power solution. Cut into five equal parts and connected by sub-strings, the shingled solar panel structure ensures there is no distance between cells and increases the rigidity of the cell, making it stronger and reducing the likelihood of micro-cracking, which can reduce the life expectancy. The structure provides a significant advantage when the panels are partially shaded or a cell has stopped working. By connecting each cell sub-string in parallel, the energy is able to flow through the internal bypass connection, avoiding the shaded cell and maximising power output. In comparison, if a cell is shaded or broken in conventional whole-cell panels, the bad cell reduces the current through the good cells, consuming the energy generated and rising the voltage in good cells. Ultimately this can create a hot spot, resulting in a permanent efficiency reduction. By providing greater contact and lower resistance between cells, Ironman 4×4 shingle technology avoids the negative effect caused by shaded cells and greatly reduces internal power loss, providing a higher output and charging batteries faster.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022 – Page 71

TOURING & exploring

We were warned big things visit this spot, possibly the Yowie.

The stranger side of travel

Scary, found in the middle of nowhere. Page 72 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

I all, when you’re out in the Queensland bush travelling, you get to see the wonderful sights and explore the country, and occasionally you come across unusual occurrences that can’t be rationally explained. Now, these are only accounts without facts, however sometimes you can tell by body language and reaction that something strange had been experienced and left the person in disbelief. Boulia in western Queensland is well known for the phenomenon of the Min Min lights. For centuries travellers have spoken of strange lights that travel alongside vehicles only

Caravanning by PAUL ‘CHIEF’ GRAVESON

to disappear into nothingness. To my knowledge, there has never been a scientific explanation for the lights. There is a well-known saying in the west along the lines of, ‘if you go looking for these lights, you’ll never find them – travel and they’ll find you’. Personally, I have a fascination with the mystic of the indigenous culture of our country. Different locations throughout Queensland such as the Babinda Boulders near Cairns have a story – the boulders, of a young bride

Oolana who lost her soon to be husband. Distraught, she threw herself into the pool and from that day on has been luring young men into this watery grave. Devil’s Pool – a natural pool in a treacherous stretch of Babinda Creek where the boulders are situated – has claimed 17 lives here since 1959. Queensland has a wealth of sites that offer stories to challenge our everyday existence. I’m sure statistically there are reasonable explanations, but the unknown adds a mysti-

* continued P73

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TOURING & exploring

The stranger side of travel * from P72

cal experience to your travels. Old derelict graveyards offer both history and questions. To stand quietly on the harsh dry dirt devoid of life and stare at a rusted fence and a weather-ravaged gravestone helps connect you with what life may have been like for the folk of the time. To hear a voice on the wind or feel a presence in the stillness can create quite a strange atmosphere. Even taking the time to read gravestones leaves you with a chilling insight. One particular site had a row of graves of children who passed away in the month of August, during winter in 1918. The ages ranged from six months to 13 years, and all had passed of an influenza. Camping in small towns, you tend to frequent the local shop during your stay and get to know the community. On one occasion when visiting a small coastal town, I found myself drawn into a sighting of one of Queensland’s best folklore entities – the Yowie. Two young girls and their mother had walked an isolated beach near the township. The three had thought they’d witnessed a cow browsing along the dune vegetation. When the cow began to raise on two feet to www.bnbfishing.com.au

a height of about 2.5m and then move towards them, they realised they were looking at something quite different. We camped in this area for about a month and the community rallied around this family. Other local sightings and stories began to surface from trusted locals and old-time farmers. The two young ladies were greatly traumatised and wanted to leave their home. Dismiss this if you wish, but I’ve heard too many stories on the road from Gympie to Airlie Beach to do likewise. A recent collection of stories from the Deepwater National Park around Wreck Rock up to Agnes Water has made me question if there is something going on that we don’t understand. This brings me to an event that happened recently and has been the catalyst to this story. I mentioned the Min Min lights and of course there are many unidentified and unexplained lights seen in the bush. My experience was of a quad bike travelling kilometres away on a secluded beach. With no apparent mechanical sound over the noise of the waves, I woke to see a collection of lights dancing in the darkness. This was due to the reflection of the bike headlights on the un-

even wet sand banks. It took me a moment to work out what I was seeing, and the noise of the vehicle helped me come to a rational conclusion. OK, we’ve explained that one but even more recently two individual campsites were shaken but excited over their encounter with a carsized flying object that had hovered above the tree line. Both parties explained how they watched the craft manoeuvre over the ocean, plunge into the water and then resurface, launch into the air and accelerate away at unbelievable speed. You’re probably thinking the campers may have been partaking of some sort of chemical or beverage, but these people were up all night and were still shaking the next morning – not believing what they had witnessed. Talking over one another and reliving the experience, it was apparent something had happened. Every traveller has their own unusual stories to tell and basically, while it’s 99 percent nature and sightseeing, you may come across a few things that leave you a little bewildered. I don’t know about you, but it adds another dimension to the experience of getting away on an adventure. Who knows? To the universe and beyond…

Where the dry dusty wind plays tricks, if it is the wind.

One of the many dreamtime stories, Camooweal Caves.

subscribe to our channel • See the latest boat reviews • Check out fishing action • Find out what’s new in fishing BNBF T V Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022 – Page 73

4WDING & off - road The author’s 1990 Toyota LandCruiser 80 Series 1HZ clocked up 800,000km – love this vehicle.

The caravan wheel-bearing race with signs of wear after only 10,000km, hopefully the new grease does a better job.

New belts on the author’s 80 Series.

Maintaining caravan wheel bearings

I all, well with the end of February being wet and the start of March too, and with the new Inigo Owen Jones advising another big wet session was forecast for March, all I can say is it’s been a cracking wet season so far. I hope by April it starts to back off and the winter pattern starts to kick in. Reef fishing promises to be unreal once it settles down, Sunshine Reef should have unreal fishing, spanner crabs could be in close once the fresh gets away and prawns may run as well. I have not been fishing or crabbing for a couple of months with all the flooding. I feel so sorry for the people who have had their places flooded, especially people new to the area. I cannot believe our local councils allow people to build in low lying areas and then let people buy houses in areas where they know flood levels are high and there are very real flood risks.

Vehicle Maintenance by CRAIG TOMKINSON

When my wife and I sold our place at Cootharaba and we started looking for a place in Cooroy, the flood height was the number one thing we looked at. We drove around and looked at many places – some were unreal but way too low for us. Hopefully where we bought will never see a flood because if we do, Noosa will be long gone. Surprisingly, I’ve again been keeping busy with a little maintaining. This time I took wheel hubs off our wind-up caravan and checked the wheel bearings. They would have been fine if I was staying on the black top and doing short trips, but they were showing signs of wear after last year’s Cape trip. So, I replaced the wheel bearings, and because I couldn’t buy the Japanese-brand bearings I prefer, I fitted US-

Page 74 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

made ones this time – I hope they’re OK. And I also tried some grease that I’d used on the farm years ago – Pro-Ma MBL grease – we called it copper grease back then. I haven’t been happy with the grease I’ve been using for a long time. With new wheels bearings, I prefer to run preload a lot tighter than most – this makes the bearings turn and not chatter in their races. The trouble with the grease I was using was that once the bearing got a bit hotter, the grease moved off the bearing, which kept getting hotter the further the van was towed. So, I had to run the bearings with a lot less preload, which I reckon made the bearings chatter in their races and wear out quicker, causing tyre wear with the movement in the hub. The new Pro-Ma MBL

grease is made from microscopic copper and lead particles and other ingredients that, once placed on and moving in the bearing or bush, sticks like baby pooh to a blanket. And the operating temperatures are from -40-280C but 200C degrees is the constant temp, which is awesome. I fitted new bearings and brake pads to both sides, and I did the preload up a lot tighter than normal and spun the wheel. It felt lovely after a few spins – it was so smooth. I dropped the van off the stands and took it for a spin behind our fourwheel-drive. After a few kilometres, I pulled up off the side of the road and checked the bearings, which were a bit hotter than warm. The bearings were still slightly warm when I checked after driving a little longer and returning home. The next day I repeated the test after a drive

– they were the perfect temperature. I can’t wait to see how long they last because on the farm we found by using Pro-Ma MBL grease, bearings lasted up to three to four times longer. Next on the list was replacing the three belts – two water pump belts and the air conditioner belt – and regreasing the air-con belt-tensioner pulley bearing on the Toyota LandCruiser 80 series. I washed out the old grease with petrol because it was hard and dirty looking. The bearing looked and felt good, so I let it dry and replaced the old grease with Pro-Ma MBL grease. It felt silky-smooth and ran so quietly. Now, I only have to change the tyres around on the 4WD – move the front to the back and back to the front. And then it’s a waiting game to see if and when I’m going to be able to head north. Until next month, stay safe.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Habitat enhancement for impoundments

O much has happened since the last update on research into habitat enhancement for impoundments, with several projects completed and a new guideline for installing fish attractors in Australia released. Fish attractors have great potential to improve recreational fishing in Australian impoundments. While current management relies primarily on stocking and harvest control, there is convincing evidence from the US that strategic fish habitat enhancement is an effective way to improve impoundment fisheries. A recent Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries led project at Cressbrook Dam was one of the first in Australia to comprehensively investigate habitat enhancement with fish attracting structures to improve recreational fishing in impoundments. The project evaluated the effectiveness of bottom-mounted FAS constructed from timber and synthetic materials and a novel surface-suspended FAS design. Volunteers from the Toowoomba and District Fish Stocking Association and the wider community constructed 576 FAS, which were installed across 25 sites at the dam – 182 synthetic spiders, 142 synthetic trees, 130 brush bundles, 44 Georgia cubes, 39 timber cribs, 26 suspended FAS and 13 branch bundles. Effectiveness of FAS at Cressbrook Dam Numbers of golden perch and Australian bass increased around www.bnbfishing.com.au

all types of FAS at Cressbrook Dam, including consistent use of deep water FAS. Smaller prey species were also commonly detected around the FAS. Electrofishing surveys detected the greatest increase at sites with timber FAS, but positive trends were also observed around the synthetic and suspended FAS. In contrast, the acoustic tracking data revealed higher fish use of synthetic and suspended FAS. Therefore, no clear preference for any particular type of FAS could be detected. A creel survey revealed: • an improvement in angler attitudes towards fishing at Cressbrook Dam • an improvement in perceived fishing quality, with higher catch rates and frequency of successful trips reported after FAS were installed • a three-fold increase in the median visit frequency indicating FAS made the dam more attractive to anglers. The results from the Cressbrook Dam project support previous observations about FAS installed for barramundi in Kinchant Dam. They indicate FAS in conjunction with stocking, and harvest restrictions can help fisheries managers improve recreational fishing opportunities and the value of impoundments to local communities. FAS use in Australia FAS have potential to help manage where anglers fish and improve access to fisheries resources.

They can be used to create fishing hotspots outside closed zones or near launching points – minimising boat travel distances and improving access for kayak and shore-based anglers, including those with limited mobility. Most stocked fish species show a high affinity for structural habitat and are expected to respond well to FAS installation. Some managers may be concerned FAS could increase angler harvest to unsustainable levels. However, the risk of overharvest is low and manageable, with many anglers now practicing catch and release and recruitment controlled by the number of fingerlings stocked. Installing FAS in Australia The FAS examined in this project were modular, relatively lightweight, affordable and easy for community groups such as fishing and stocking clubs to construct and deploy. The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries has developed a best-practice guideline to help stocking groups and managers of impoundments and fisheries safely and effectively use fish attractors. This includes: • a step-by-step process to determine if fish attractors will be useful in an impoundment • information about planning and approvals • instructions for FAS construction and deployment • ways to monitor and evaluate the success of FAS. More information about the Cressbrook

Dam project, including FAS locations and the final report, can be found online. If you would like to learn more about this project or the Kinchant

Dam habitat enhancement project, please contact Fisheries principal scientist Dr Andrew Norris on Andrew.Nor ris@daf.qld.gov.au or 0429 624 985.

Building fish attracting structures for Cressbrook Dam.

Download Qld Fishing 2.0 App

OIN the thousands of recreational fishers from Queensland and interstate who have downloaded the Qld Fishing 2.0 App. With the app, you can: • Browse or search for fish species, view species description and scientific name • Access and search Queensland’s fishing rules, including possession limits, size limits and closures • Contact Fisheries Queensland and report unlawful fishing to the FishWatch hotline • Opt-in to receive Fisheries Queensland notifications, including reminders about upcoming closures • Purchase a permit to fish in one of our 63 stocked dams or weirs – via a link to the Australia Post

SIPS sales platform • Access location aware fishing rules to help determine if fishing is allowed in a particular location – this feature uses location maps and spatial data • Submit a photo of your catch and use the artificial intelligence feature of the app to assist in identifying the species • Learn more information about your catch through the provision of information such as species, size, approximate age, and compare the size of your fish to others • Submit information, make an enquiry or complaint to Fisheries Queensland. Download the free Qld Fishing 2.0 app via the App Store or Google Play.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022 – Page 75

The beginning of the event. Lockyer Creek broke its banks and flowed across hundreds of hectares in the Lockyer Valley. At about 50cm deep in the yard and it continued to rise.

The entire property of 5.6ha now covered in mud. The author doesn’t know how long it will take for it to return to a usable surface.

The power of water – flooding hell

ECENT events have served as a stark reminder that we as anglers can't afford to be blasé when pursuing our chosen pastime. Each time we venture into aquatic environs with line in hand, we're exposed to a certain element of risk. Moving water is capable of generating astonishing force that can quickly destroy objects and place our fragile lives in jeopardy. That force was glaringly evident in the now infamous sinking of the houseboat that collided with the Holman Street ferry terminal at Kangaroo Point on Sunday February 27. Tides, currents and waves are all capable of generating significant force and as such are deserving of caution. It is flooding that is at the forefront for obvious reasons – it has directly impacted tens of thousands of Queenland and NSW residents. My exposure to the most recent events has been eye opening to say the least.

Fishing for Sport by NEIL SCHULTZ

On the morning of Friday 25 February, we’d had only 14mm of rain in the valley overnight and I expressed my disappointment to my wife before heading to Ipswich for the day. We needed between 75-100mm to fill our farm dams, which were very low and rapidly drying due to high evaporation rates. Heavy rain did set in and as I headed for home that afternoon, I was surprised by the volume of water running through paddocks and alongside the Warrego Highway. Where I turned off the highway at Minden, the usually tiny Plain Creek was running high and lapping at the bitumen. Knowing that the bridge I needed to travel over to cross Lockyer Creek and get home would still be well above the water level for a few hours, I wasn't too concerned.

Page 76 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

That changed when I was about 8km from home – finding the road cut by water backing up a low gully from Plain Creek. I thought ‘not to worry’ and spun the ute around to back-track to the highway for the drive home via the long route along the Brisbane Valley Highway. On approaching the crossing of the creek before the highway, I encountered a small car stalled in a few centimetres of water with the unfortunate driver still inside. Naturally, I helped her from the water and put her into my vehicle to get out of the rain. I advised the local police officer who was soon on the scene that I would take her to higher ground because the water was rising very quickly. After getting the ute up a short track that would have it out of harm’s way, my new

acquaintance Debora and I waded to a nearby house where we were given refuge by the generous residents – thanks Karen and Bob. I was still hoping to get home and prepare for the inevitable incursion of floodwater on its way down the Lockyer before it arrived early the next morning. We spent a sleepless night monitoring the water level visually and checking the flood warning stations on the Bureau of Meteorology website to see if the bridge to home was still open. At about 11pm, the water level rose above the Lockyer Creek Bridge and was still rising in Plain Creek – there was now no way I was able to get home before the flood hit the house. After first light, with Plain Creek back below road level, I managed to get Debora to her waiting family and then proceeded to Ipswich to stay with friends. Meanwhile my wife was flooded in on the other side of Lockyer Creek, surrounded by

water to the horizon in all directions and isolated from any outside assistance. Fortunately, there was still power and a phone working at home, so I was able to maintain contact throughout the night. On Saturday 26 February – our 39th wedding anniversary – at 3am, the water began flowing through the ground floor of the house. Levels in the creek continued to rise to a peak of 16.8m by 8am, and that's where it stayed for the rest of the day and into Sunday. Ever so slowly the water level dropped and finally, on the afternoon of Tuesday March 2, I was able to cross the creek to get home and to family. What greeted me was heartbreaking. We'd had about 60cm of water through the house and carport that had submerged Harleys Davidson motorbikes, the recently upgraded family wagon, the Husqvarna Zero-Turn ride-on mower, freezers, * continued P77

www.bnbfishing.com. au

The power of water * from P76

fridge, wardrobes, lounge, gym, tools, 800m of fencing and the list goes on. Even though the water had gone, left in its wake was about 150mm of thick black silt, washed from upstream farms. What we suffered paled by comparison the plight of many, though that doesn't make the distress any less severe. Tears in place of floodwater flow occasionally while the slow process of cleaning anything salvageable continues. After the floods we experienced here in 1996, 2011 and 2013, the residents of our local area were left alone with the devastation. Because we weren't on the nightly news, there was no mud army and no manpower from the Australian Defence Force or State Emergency Service. Instead we relied on neighbours helping each other when we could, as country folk do out of both character and necessity. This time and once again, family and friends offered assistance, and the wonderful crew from the Coominya Rural Fire Brigade came over to give a hand for

a few hours when it was needed most. The next few weeks will be spent battling through mud, cleaning and reorganising, then working out what we can afford to replace – no flood insurance. We will never forget the generosity of all of those who've rendered assistance during this event. Karen and Bob for a dry refuge on Friday night. Ken and Rose for room, board and wonderful food when I was unable to get home. Roxbee, Natalie, Graham, Cassie and Tony for the many hours of hard labour in hot, humid and smelly conditions during the clean-up. Mick, Rod and all my friends who offered support both physically and emotionally, along with the local volunteer firefighters – you've restored our faith in humanity. It will take a long time to rebuild, longer to recover financially and we'll forever carry the emotional scars, but we will endure. If you would like to contribute, feel free to help by donating to https://gofund.me/ bee94330

FISHING EVENTS COMPETITION

DATE

2022 Boyne Tannum Apr 29-May 1 Boyne Island, QLD Hook up boynetannumhookup.com.au North Queensland

Apr 29-May 1 Halifax, QLD Sportfishing Championships fb.me/e/1Apz5jX7n Sanctuary Cove May 19-22 Boat Show

Sanctuary Cove, QLD sanctuarycoveboatshow.com.au

ANSA South May 20-22 Queensland Interclub Challenge

Redcliffe, QLD ansaqld.com.au

VMR Bundaberg Jun 24-26 Family Fishing Classic

Bundaberg, QLD vmrbundabergfishingclassic.com.au

Evans Head Jul 1-8 Fishing Classic

Evans’s Head, QLD evansheadfishingclassic.com.au

Isisford Fishing Jul 29-31 Competition

Isisford, QLD longreach.qld.gov.au

Australian Fishing Aug 4-6 Trade Association

Gold Coast, QLD afta.net.au/trade-show

Baffle Creek Family Sep 19-24 Fishing Festival

Baffle Creek, QLD bafflecreekfishing.com

2022 Flathead Sep 27-30 Classic

Gold Coast, QLD flatheadclassic.com.au

Kingaroy

Sep 30-Oct 2 Sportfishing Festival

Kingaroy, QLD ansaqld.com.au/events

Fitzroy River

Fitzroy River, QLD fitzroyriverbarrabash.com.au

Oct 16-19 Barra Bash The aftermath – one of the author’s Harley Davidson bikes was submerged up to the seat. www.bnbfishing.com.au

LOCATION

To have your competition listed in the calendar, please phone (07) 3286 1833 or email ads@collins.media Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022 – Page 77

Current stocking activity

Shane Sipple from Manilla NSW had a good week catching numerous golden perch and catfish – many undersized throwbacks. This Murray cod was 93cms.

VERY time I write a letter, on the reverse side of the envelope, I write a return address ending with 4380. I looked at this postcode and divided it by 12. The result was 365 – that could be 365 days or one year, and the 12 could be hours. Given most people will work eight hours a day, it’s more than possible to work 12 hours when taking into account work done at home, overtime and working back. So, if you divide Stanthorpe’s post code 4380 by 12, you get 365. Interesting fact! Stanthorpe is where I live, if you hadn’t guessed. I was reading a publication the other day, Freshwater Stocking

DAM LEVELS CURRENT AS OF 15/03/2022

DAMS

PERCENTAGE

NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR Atkinson * 3 19 27 26 100 Awoonga 49 59 58 57 57 Bjelke-Petersen * 25 96 101 100 102 Boondooma * 33 100 99 98 100 Borumba * 90 100 100 100 101 Burdekin Falls * 75 84 96 105 98 Callide * 50 70 74 68 63 Cania * 25 28 27 27 27 Coolmunda * 100 101 100 100 100 Dyer/Bill Gunn * 8 51 67 81 95 Eungella * 75 75 73 74 73 Fairbairn * 16 26 25 22 20 Glenlyon * 98 103 100 100 100 Hinze* 91 99 102 101 103 Julius * 100 98 93 101 97 Kinchant * 71 71 74 74 74 Leslie * 63 100 99 99 100 Macdonald* 86 102 102 107 103 Maroon * 99 100 100 100 100 Monduran/Fred Haigh * 35 45 46 46 54 Moogerah * 40 70 77 83 105 North Pine/Samsonvale * 60 68 68 67 67 Peter Faust/Proserpine * 56 55 53 54 54 Somerset * 61 73 79 79 81 Teemburra * 90 90 90 91 90 Tinaroo* 73 70 71 83 85 Toonumbar 95 101 101 101 101 Wivenhoe * 40 44 54 56 89 Wuruma * 35 66 68 70 69 Wyaralong* 100 101 100 99 100 For updates on dams, visit sunwater.com.au or seqwater.com.au *This symbol indicates that a Stocked Impoundment Permit is required to fish these dams.

Page 78 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

Glenlyon Dam by BRIAN DARE

in Queensland: a position paper for use in the development of future ecologically sustainable management practices, by Aimee Moore of the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, August 2007. Quoting from page nine, under ‘Current stocking activity’ and heading ‘Staff’: Within DPI&F, staff involved in the freshwater stocking program include: • One principal fisheries scientist – overall management of freshwater issues, prioritises direction for the freshwater program • Five extension officers based in Brisbane, Kingaroy, Bundaberg, Rockhampton and Cairns • One policy officer – responsible for implementing freshwater management arrangements and stocked impoundment permits scheme • One fisheries biologist – distribution of fish stocking grants, organisation of southern workshop, conducting freshwater surveys • Two administration officers – data entry for stocked impoundment permits, liaison with agents who issue SIP on behalf of the department, reconciliation of funds raised by the SIP Scheme. Where are the officers? Not available. A saving of 4380 hours each. We have been putting fish into all water stor-

ages, rivers and streams in Queensland for the past 20 years. How many of these have had any research done on them to date, with any outcomes written up? None! Our compliance officers west of the Great Dividing Range have such a big area to cover – it’s a joke. Where and when will this change? We need at least 15 new officers. Word has it that some were being trained, but this fell through the cracks in the floor – metaphorically speaking. At the end of this financial year in June 2022, I would like to see a full report sent out with regards to funds collected and what money goes where from the SIP Scheme. How many anglers when purchasing the permit tick where their funds from the money spent for the permit should go? Dams? Rivers? Streams? It won’t happen with no format in place! To date, what action has taken place with regards to water reserves, stock reserves and changes in the pipeline? Even though local stocking groups stock these areas, the word is that a ‘user pays’ fee is in the pipeline. Will local councils stock these locations with fingerlings? I’d be interested in * continued P79

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Goondiwindi Fish Restockers

N the second Sunday in February, the Goondiwindi Fish Restockers took delivery of 40,000 yellowbelly fingerlings. This took the total for 2022 to 160,000 all up. The club wishes to

thank those who supplied boats, manned buckets, the Hanwood Fish Hatchery, the Granite Belt Fish Hatchery as well as Braddy and the staff from the Railway Hotel, and to all our supporters who buy tickets every Friday

night at the Railway Hotel. Thanks also to the Vern Kleinschmidt Community Trust and Queensland Fisheries for their donations. We are truly thankful for all your help.

Restocking golden perch.

Stocking activity * from P78

your feedback – write to editorial@collins.media and the BNB team will pass it on. Now… fishing local rivers and creeks is still a bit dangerous with natural flows still up around 400-800 megalitres a day, and the rainy season is not over yet. The rain keeps turning up each weekend and that’s put off time for canoes and kayaks, unless you fish upstream from a weir. The storages are only now coming online for yellowbelly, silver perch, cod and the good old stand-by, catfish. Blades of all sizes and shapes have resulted in decent numbers of yellowbelly, up to 20-30cm and five that were mealsized at 35cm and over. Plus catfish the length of your hand or smaller, and big catfish to 3kg and over. And little cod with eyes bigger than their stomachs taking lures the same size as they are and smaller style lures. There are shrimp galore in the creeks and glassfish, hardyheads, rainbowfish and small www.bnbfishing.com.au

cod have built up again in the rivers and streams. This is reminiscent of 2011 and 2013 when fishing went off with a bang. I expect to see large cod starting to munch lures and spinnerbaits over the next four months, as the water clarity improves daily.

The club couldn’t have done it without help from those who manned buckets.

GLENLYON DAM TOURIST PARK A great place to fish! • Powered and Unpowered Sites • No Domestic Pets or Generators • Kiosk • Ice • Gas • Petrol • Amenities Blocks and Laundry • BBQs • Hire Boats • EFTPOS • Fishing Permits

14 CABINS bookings necessary

GLENLYON DAM TOURIST PARK via STANTHORPE 4380 Contact Debbie or Brian Dare for more information or for bookings Ph: 02 6737 5266 E: glenlyondamtouristp@bigpond.com Visit our new website at

glenlyondamtouristpark.com.au Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022 – Page 79

TRADING POST FORMOSA 550 CLASSIC CENTRE CABIN – There is plenty of room on this Formosa for 2-3 serious anglers or take the family out for a day of fun on the water! Able to provide shelter from the elements as well as all-round fishability, this Formosa Centre Cabin makes a whole lot of sense as the perfect comfortable family fishing boat. This very well looked after trailer boat package is great value for money at $52,990 – enquire now! Contact AMC Boats on 07 3808 7333 or visit amcboats. com.au QUALITY TRAILER BOATS WANTED – Make selling your late model boat, simple and hassle free through John Crawford Marine. The market is strong and JCM is paying top dollar for quality boats. No gimmicks, personalised service with our trusted team. John Crawford Marine, Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 – johncrawfordmarine. com.au Ph. 3890 2322

ARVOR 625 SPORTSFISH – new model due April 2022. Class leading 150Hp Mercury 4S, Redco Sportsman RE190T-EH trailer, Enclosed wheelhouse, Self-draining decks, Large V berth, 30L draw fridge, Offshore Safety gear, Electric anchor winch, Dual batteries, LB tank, Deck wash, UF kill tanks and so many more fishing and family friendly features. Check out the new model. John Crawford Marine, Queensland’s Boat Specialists since 1964 – johncrawfordmarine.com.au Ph. 3890 2322 ADVERTISERS – to organise a classified ad in the Trading Post, call 07 3286 1833 or complete the form and post it to the address provided or email it through to ads@collins. media

May Edition Copy Deadline – Advertisements must arrive NO later than April 7, 2022

POST TO PO BOX 162, Wynnum QLD 4178 or EMAIL with a photo to ads@collins.media When completing this form please leave one square of space between each word (Hyphens, full-stops, commas, word spaces count as one letter) ALL ADS MUST BE PRE-PAID 1 1 2

Cost per insertion: 2 lines $15, $1.10 per line thereafter. Contact details must be included in ad. NAME: ...................................................................................... PHONE NO. ................................................... MONTHS OF INSERTION: ...................................................... AMOUNT: $ ................................................... CREDIT CARD NO.: ___ ___ ___ ___

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Page 80 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022

AQUAMASTER 420 RUNABOUT – This runabout is a cool little boat that can provide loads of fun for family and friends. From with the kids up the dam to chucking a few pots in the creek, cruising the bays or fishing with your family and friends. Can be easily towed behind your car and be manoeuvred single-handed on the boat ramp. It’s also easy to store or garage. A boat the whole family can get on board with! $24,990. Contact AMC Boats on 07 3808 7333 or visit amcboats.com.au REDCO SPORTSMAN RS510-MO ‘SLIDER’ – in stock. Suits mono hulls from 4.7-5.1m, 9 keel rollers aft, supporting the keel. Proudly Brisbane made, 14” Predator alloys with 185 Light Truck tyres, Tare 360kg, GTM 1500kg, Length 5830mm. $5,636 including the matching spare wheel bracket. JCM can also assist with registering this new trailer for Queensland buyers and fit up – ask for a quote. John Crawford Marine, Queensland’s Boat Specialists since 1964 – johncrawfordmarine.com.au Ph. 3890 2322 HAINES HUNTER 4.6M RUNABOUT – This great little boat will provide loads of fun and is suited to a mix of fishing and day boating. Take the kids tubing up the dam, chuck a few pots in the creek or fish with your family and friends. Can be easily towed behind the car and manoeuvred single-handedly on the boat ramp. With this boat, the whole family can get on board! This terrific boat will be sold ‘as is’ at $10,990. Enquire now! Contact AMC Boats on 07 3808 7333 or visit amcboats.com.au www.bnbfishing.com. au

This was my personal best a while back. Len Stead

Bobby landed this bass and another on lures cast from the bank. After the bites slowed, he switched to bait and landed a few more. Graham Cruickshank

Richard scored his personal best 42cm whiting on a Broadwater charter with me. Clint Ansell

Hello Ben and team. Thank you for publishing the photos of myself and the family in your magazine last year. It was my wife’s birthday recently, so I got something very special framed for her. Two extra frames for the kids too! Johnny Andrews

Adam was stoked to catch and release this stunning tuskfish on an Ecogear Marukyu Isome worm. Clint Ansell

To have a photo of your catch featured in Readers’ Forum, simply email ads@collins.media with a good-quality picture, your name and details or hop onto our Facebook page and send us a message. www.bnbfishing.com.au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, April 2022 – Page 81

Subscription offer for April! Subscribe this month to go in the draw to win one of seven Top Dog Tackle fishing shirts! Valued at

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Send your cheque, money order or credit card details for $50 or $95 (inc. GST) to Bush ’n Beach. We’ll advise you when your subscription runs out. Return completed form to: Bush ’n Beach Fishing PO Box 162 Wynnum 4178, ph 07 3286 1833 or go online www.bnbfishing.com.au Name: ..........................................................................................Email: �� Address: �� .......................................................................... Postcode: .............................. Phone: ......................................... Date: �� PAYMENT DETAILS

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BNB Fishing Mag | April 2022

Articles inside

Topwater redemption trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brett Parks

Boyne Tannum HookUp – bring it on

A day on the Broadwater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Clint Ansell

School mackerel tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Tri Ton