Issue 96 February - March 2012
XV Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships Mako Sharks on Plastics Summer Trout Options Kayaking Four Springs Top Water Bream Back to Basics Game Fishing
Print Post approved; PP 702512 00027
Lake Augusta
Joe Riley with a Woods Lake brownie. See page 18 for more.
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4
7 20
Makos on Plastics — Craig Rist
4
Lagoon Bream — Simon-peter Hedditch
7
Back to Basics – Leatherjackets — Jamie Henderson
12
Four Springs Lake – Kayak Techniques — Michal Rybka
14
Jan’s Flies — Jan Spencer
17
Late Summer Options — Joe Riley
18
Lake Augusta — Todd Lambert
20
Around the Rivers — Daniel Hackett
22
Mersey River Magic — Peter Broomhall
26
Game Fishing with Rocky — Peter Hayes
30
Top Water Bream — Simon Little
33
Fish Taxidermy — John Wilesmith
37
XV Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships
39
Marine Fishery News
44
Inland Fisheries Service News
44
Rosebery Challenge — Aaron Mercer
48
Winning the Rosebery Challenge — Leroy Tirant
48
Reviews
50
Fishing, boating and accommodation services directory
54
My Say I am so excited by our contributors this issue. We have some cracking stories and some of the photos we are getting these days is sensational. I had one absolutely fantastic story I had to leave out, but you will see that next issue. I would love to show you all the photos I received from Craig Rist, Simon-peter Hedditch and Peter Broomhall. They are very classy and would hold their own anywhere. This time of the year is probably the best for just about any fishing you want to do. From gamefishing to trout fishing there is something available for everyone. Make sure you read the article by Leroy Tirant on winning the Rosebery Challenge. There are lessons to be learned here from someone who had never fished Lake Rosebery prior to the fishing competition wheich, with his son and mate they went on to win. Of course it was no good luck story, but one about carefully observation
and the good use of tools such as fish finders, electric motors and the right tackle. It was a thinking person’s win on a water where many believed there were very few fish. There were plenty. And speaking about fishing competitions there is the XV Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships on mid-February. Sixteen teams from all around the World are in Tasmania from early February competing at Little Pine Lagoon, Arthurs and Woods lakes, plus Meander and South Esk rivers.
Tasmania’s hottest lure Red Rascal split tail - Unbelievably good on browns and rainbows.
Stocks could be hard to find though.
Whilst it is not a World Championship they are all serious nd the Australian team is very keen to come out on top. If you come across these guys or girls – yes there are ladies teams from South Africa and Scotland, please have a friendly chat. Let’s hope Tasmania turns on some great fishing for them. Mike Stevens
Tasmanian Fishing and Boating News
Published by Michael Stevens PO Box 7504, Launceston, 7250. Fax: 6331 1278 Email; mike@tasfish.com Phone: 0418 129 949 Stevens Publishing, ABN 79 095 217 299
All material is copyright and cannot be reproduced without the permission of the publisher. Print Post approved; PP 702512 00027
For subscriptions go to www.tasfish.com or phone 0418 129 949
Viv Spencer likes the Black and Gold Flapper and so does this rainbow.
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Fishing News - Page 3
Mako Sharks on Soft Plastics Craig Rist
Craig Rist with the result of a well executed plan.
Why Do it?
The popularity of Soft Plastics has exploded over the years and for good Mako Sharks are a fantastic sports reason as they are easy to use and they fish and as luck would have it, they live catch a lot of fish. Soft plastics have right here in Tasmania. They are visually everything going for them. They have the spectacular during the extremely hard ability to be fished at every depth, simply by fight as they rip line from the reel on one changing the type of jig head or hook used of their blistering runs and then up the and they are made to represent everything entertainment value one more notch by from crustaceans and worms, to baitfish. As leaping metres into the air, crashing back their name implies, their soft chewy body down with a huge spray of water. must feel very natural to a fish, as they Of course, like all fishing scenarios, a tend to hold onto them for a long time. This fish will only fight long and hard like this if is especially true when using the heavily they are caught using a rod and line that scented varieties of plastics that are as will allow them a sporting chance. When close to bait as you can make an artificial. you lay down a good burley trail there’s So, with all this going for them, why not no telling what size shark you’re about to throw one at a shark, you just know they attract. You could get a newly born baby are going to eat it. I think targeting any fish Mako that is only 60 cm long right up to fish on an artificial is all about the challenge of that are hundreds of kilos in weight. This persuading a fish to eat something that is is just one of the reasons I like to burley not the real thing. To do this though, you sharks right up to the boat before putting often need to work a little harder on your a bait, lure or fly in the water. Sizing up a presentation to fool a fish into eating your Mako or Blue Shark like this, gives you the offering. I have no doubt that you could opportunity to choose a line class, type of catch a very large shark on a soft plastic rod, and reel that will give you the most providing it is matched to the right tackle. rewarding catch. Watching one or more of But for me, the most rewarding time to use these free swimming sharks circle the boat a soft plastic would be on one of those small and then bump the hull, or grab hold of the makos that come in under one hundred propeller, is exciting stuff. This fearless act kilos. Hook one of these rockets on a is something you will only see while shark spinning reel that is matched to a suitable fishing. The author with a superb Western Lakes brownie rod and you’re in for a whole lot of fun. Fishing News - Page 4 www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge
Big fish like big plastics.
- Get the fish.
In The Beginning Over the years my good friend Steven Hambleton and I have spent many hours on the water catching Makos and Blue Whalers on fly. From this, we have developed our own ideas on how to get a shark to eat a fly that has no artificial or natural fish attracting scent added to it. One of the pre-requisites was to see the fish first, so we could watch and learn from its reaction to the fly. Their initial response to the fly whether it was retrieved or not was not very encouraging at all. We soon realised that, even though sharks may look fearless, they can be quite cautious when they first approach the boat. That’s one of the reasons why many shark anglers use a balloon to float a bait out away from the boat, but for us, trying to catch a shark on fly by blind searching was not an option. Sure it has been done, but it’s just hard work and you don’t get the opportunity to size up a fish first, which I think is very important when you’re going for records or you just want to match the size of the fish to the appropriate tackle. From those first rejections to the fly we knew we needed to change their cautious behaviour to one that was fearless and in a state of frustration, which is exactly the same state you get a Marlin or Sailfish into when you tease them up behind the boat. I am certainly not suggesting this is the only way it can be done, because as we all know, in fishing, there are always different ways of achieving the same outcome. This is just what has worked for Steve and I during the time we have pursued these amazing sharks.
Burley For this type of fishing, using a burley trail to bring sharks to you (the source of a potential feed for the shark) is a tried and proven method of finding sharks in the open ocean. I believe fresh burley is best and there are two basic methods of delivering a constant trail of this mix. The first is to manually mash up fish using a burley bucket and chopper that is usually mounted to the back of the boat. The second is to use frozen minced up fish burley blocks that will thaw out in the water leaving an unbroken trail of finely chopped fish pieces and oils. I personally prefer the frozen burley blocks, as they are so easy to use and require a lot less effort to achieve
the same outcome. The key to burley is to have enough on hand for a full day on the water. Frozen blocks can be used up quite quickly on a hot day and even faster if you’re drifting quickly in a rough sea. A very good addition to the burley mix is tuna oil dripped onto the water to create a slick. This will not only enhance your trail but will also stop a lot of the mutton birds from eating your burley or cubes as these birds tend to avoid this oily slick. Steve has a very easy way of distributing tuna oil to the trail, by feeding out a tuna oil soaked rag on a rope into trail. This method also keeps the tuna oil away from the side of the boat, which tends to stick to the hull and make a mess.
Laying Down a Burley Trail The key to an effective burley trail is to maintain an unbroken scent trail that is going to lead fish to its source. The longer this trail becomes, the more fish it is likely to encounter. On those rough and windy days you cover a lot of water very quickly sending out a burley trail for many kilometres, which has the potential to cross the paths of many sharks. However, on those flat calm days, that have very little wind to assist your drift, the fish attracting range of your burley trail is going to be very limited. In these conditions, we came up with a very simple solution “the motorised burley trail”. Because we like to use frozen burley blocks, this is a very simple exercise of slowly towing the frozen burley in its cage or bag in the same direction of the eventual drift. Do this for a couple of kilometres or more before stopping to drift naturally and you will have a good start to the day. One thing to keep in mind during
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one of these motorised burley trails is, it pays to keep a close eye on your burley out the back, as we have had makos swim up behind the burley and take a bite. If you’re using a net bag made from nylon to defrost your burley in this situation you are very likely to loose the lot and not even know it if you’re not watching it at all times. Heavy plastic or metal burley cages are a good idea to distribute the frozen burley, as they will withstand a probing bite from a shark. These can be easily made to suit the size of your frozen blocks by using a variety of materials, from heavy plastic buckets and milk crates, to a purpose built steel or aluminum cage.
The Tease As I alluded to earlier, one of the key ingredients to consistently getting a shark to eat an artificial is to get them fired up by teasing them into a state where they want to eat. To do this, we use a whole solid fish, such as a tuna or couta, tied off on a rope. As soon as the burley goes into the water the teaser is let out to the limit of our vision on the day. This is just one way to tempt those cautious sharks that sit off the boat, just a little closer. We have also had sharks come up onto the teaser when we have towed it during the motorised burley trail. If a fish doesn’t take the lot, then the tease has already started and if the shark isn’t too big, they can be pulled or tempted back to the boat using the teaser. The idea behind the whole fish teaser is to allow the shark to take a bite and then pull it away or in many cases, shake them off the fish at the side of the boat. As you could imagine, this gets them fired up and wanting more. At this stage it’s worth leaving the teaser out of the water and in some cases, if they are preoccupied with the burley cage, removing that as well. This will turn their focus onto whatever food source is left in the water. This is the time to present the soft plastic, allowing it to slowly sink like a piece of fish that was torn off on the tease. If they still don’t eat, throw in small pieces of fish that are a similar size to your plastic. If it eats those, try the plastic again. If it rejects the plastic again, return the teaser and the burley cage to the water and repeat the process. Once you know the sink rate of your wire trace and plastic, you can lead the shark and have the plastic drift down in front of the fish, watch him eat it and then set the hook hard and hang on. If, after several attempts, the shark still won’t eat, another trick is to cast ahead of the shark so that it sees the plastic, but this time when the shark refuses it again, keep letting out line to allow the plastic to naturally sink deeper and deeper away from the shark. They must think they are about to miss out on a feed because you will often see them turn down and swim after your offering and finally, eat it. Perseverance is the key here and if you’re committed to catching one on a soft plastic, without adding a chunk of meat, you will succeed. Tackle These days, the big off shore spinning reels and rods are very capable of subduing game fish like Fishing News - Page 6
small makos and tuna. The advantage of this, over the o v e r h e a d g a m e reels, is that they are a lot easier to cast an un-weighted 130 mm long soft plastic with, accurately, ahead of a shark. That’s not to say you really need to cast very far when these sharks are right beside the boat anyway and if you were inclined to throw a big soft plastic at a 200 kg fish then you would probably want that 24kg overhead at your disposal. For those small makos, however, a heavy spinning outfit is just the thing to put the sport back into a small fish. When it comes to wire traces, it’s almost impossible to cast a plastic on a 3 to 5 m wire trace that is traditionally used when bait fishing, so this is where a couple of metres of a heavy monofilament wind on leader comes in. These leaders can be wound onto the reel, which will allow you to easily cast a short 1 metre, 80 to 100 kg nylon coated wire trace. Although this system isn’t as robust as a traditional shark trace. It still has enough wire in the system to deal with those teeth and the heavy wind on leader seams to withstand those tail wraps and their abrasive skin during the fight. This system also allows a more natural presentation, which I believe, is one step closer to getting a fish to eat an artificial.
A large plastic setup with double hooks.
Soft Plastic Rigs I think big soft plastics, 130 mm and over, work the best for this style of fishing. Anything from big flick baits to Slick Rigs that are fished un-weighted, will do the trick. To improve the hook up rate, try pre-rigging two opposing hooks on a wire trace so that one hook points down through the plastic and the other points up. That way just like a two hook fly, you can double your chances of finding a spot in that bony mouth. Sharks and in particular Mako Sharks, are a fantastic sports fish that are readily available in our waters if you put in the time and effort. Tasmania has many small makos in its waters that are great fun and very challenging to catch on light tackle. So why not rack up another species on your growing soft plastic capture list, take that photo and only take what you need for a feed, so we can preserve the fishery and keep them as a sports fish.
Makos are spectacular fighters.
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Lagoon Bream Simon-peter Hedditch
You just never know what might be in a lagoon near you.
Look and Learn
Reconnoitre
As I passed Wrinklers lagoon I noticed for the first time this summer the lagoon had been released. The spoil piles still remained where the excavator had dug an opening to the sea, slowly being eroded by the ever widening channel as my favourite lagoon disgorged its tannin rich waters. My mind started racing with questions. How had the high water levels of winter and spring affected the fishing? Would the large bream from the year before still be there? How would the abundance of water birds affect the fishing? As the water level dropped and the flats began to appear, it became evident that the black inky mud of the year before had been overlaid by clean yellow sand and the lagoon now contained far more weed. How would this affect things? There is really only one way to find out.
One morning a few weeks later with a couple of hours before work, I decided to take advantage of the lack of wind and clear blue skies to answer some questions. Arriving around 9:30am I donned a hat and polaroids. As I did so I could see movement in the shallows. I slowly walked around the side of the lagoon, keeping well back from the edge. I could clearly see small swirls and movement under the water in several spots along the bank. As I came closer to the activity a silver gull flew low over the water where the fish were feeding. There was an explosion of water as half a dozen good sized fish scattered out of the shallow hole they were feeding in and bolted for deeper water. After a minute, whilst questioning the lineage of the gull, I started to notice the subtle movements of the fish as they crossed the shallow water on their way back to the hole they had only just vacated. I was pleasantly surprised to see the fish return so quickly and figured it must be a common occurrence and one that the fish had become accustomed to. However, it did show how nervous they were to be feeding in the shallows on a bright sunny day.
Rewarded
As the water drained out of the lagoon superb flats came to life.
I crept forward keeping as low as I could and fired out a small shallow-running hard body three metres beyond where the fish were feeding. With the rod tip held high I walked the lure slowly back across the top of the water to the fish, dropping the tip of the rod as the lure came in range. After a short pause I gave the rod a slight twitch and felt the bump of a subtle take but failed
to hook up. I repeated the process landing the lure well beyond the fish to prevent spooking them and retrieved the lure back into the strike zone. Another pause, twitch, pause was greeted by a solid hit and hook-up, with all of the fish steaming off the flat for deeper water. After a good run out over the drop-off, followed by some shorter bursts in the shallows my first lagoon-caught bream for the summer came to hand. With dark bronze scales, indicative of the at times, tannin rich lagoon, the fish measured 37cm with solid shoulders. It was a good test the 4lb fire line. Bolstered by my early success I continued around the side of the lagoon taking note of the circular depressions that dotted the sand flat. Most depressions seemed to be old and unused, with clean yellow sand in the bottom. However, there was the odd one that had black, sulphurous mud showing signs of recent activity. I stopped by one for a closer inspection and after a tentative dig around in the inky black mud, I found several small purple mussels between 2cm and 3cm long. My mind started racing as I contemplated the problems in tying a fly that imitated the mussel and then the problem of delivering it to the fish in an acceptable way. Perhaps this was a problem for another day. As I progressed further, the shore changed to a slightly deeper rocky edge with the odd log in the water. In several places I could see the telltale signs of fish moving about with small dimples on the surface as they fed in the stringy green weed along the edge. While looking along the shore at these feeding fish I failed to notice the one at my feet until it was too late, or so I thought. Glancing down not two metres from my feet was a bream pointing
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Fishing News - Page 7
straight at me. But much to my amazement the fish edged forward into the green fluffy weed and sucked in a mouthful. Obviously the weed contained some sort of food. The fish backed up, chewed the weed, spat out the unwanted bits and slowly continued along the bank, oblivious to my presence. Then something else dawned on me. The lagoon had been low and static for more than two weeks. Everywhere I walked on the flats I left deep footprints but mine were the only footprints. It was becoming apparent that I was the only person to fish the lagoon for at least the last two months. This went some way to explain the fish’s reaction or lack thereof to my presence. As long as I stayed still I was not seen as a threat.
Clear water and hungry bream. A great combination.
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Not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth I waited until the fish was moving away from me and flicked out my lure well beyond the fish. Moving as little as possible, I retrieved the hard body back towards the fish and stopped the retrieve as soon as the fish noticed the lure. The bream charged over and stopped just centimetres from my small, suspended offering. The fish hung there transfixed by the lure as I stood there equally mesmerised by the fish. A slight twitch of the rod broke the deadlock, with the bream shooting forward and the lure disappearing. However, that’s where things got a little strange. Instead of hitting the hard body, feeling the hooks and bolting for deeper water the fish just sat there. I could no longer see my lure and the fish’s mouth was definitely working hard, like it was chewing something. Running out of options fast, I lifted the rod in the same manner I would to set the hook if fly fishing, thankfully to feel the weight of the fish as it jumped. Yes, jumped half a metre in the air, landed and bolted for the relative safety of deeper water. I suppose the rather hard little fish in its mouth biting back came as a bit of a shock. With a spirited fight behind it the 35cm bronze sided bream was un-hooked and returned to the lagoon. A close inspection of the lure revealed both sets of treble hooks had been crushed, requiring some maintenance before continuing. What followed over the next hour or so left me feeling a little embarrassed for the fish. The fish were easy to see in the calm conditions and I didn’t have any trouble with fussy fish refusing my offerings. The bream were all feeding in groups of two to five fish, with 15 to 20 metres between groups. It got to the point where I could select the fish I wanted out of the school by retrieving the lure past the chosen fish, give the pause, jig, pause and the fish did the rest. After an unbelievable run of six casts for six fish it was time for Scamander to get its mail delivered, so I doubled back and started to walk back along the bank I’d only just finished fishing. As I did so I unpacked my camera deciding to get a few shots of the cruising bream in the water. I came to a large tree lying partially in the water, climbing up onto the trunk I studied the water looking for any fish. After a minute or so I noticed a large bream swim in and around the head of the log, feeding happily, oblivious to my presence. With the help of the polarised filter and long lens I managed to take some fantastic shots of the fish as it cruised around, at times pointing straight at me. But after a while it finally dawned on me that this was quite a large fish, probably larger than any fish that I had caught in the lagoon in the past. With only a few minutes to spare I packed the camera away, grabbed the rod and fired out a cast three metres beyond the fish. As soon as the lure hit the water the bream noticed it and charged the lure, hitting it immediately. The fish turned around and charged straight back at me, or should I say the log I was standing on. As I frantically wound to try to keep the line tight to the fish, the fish got to the point of the log went underneath, turned at 90° and shot along the bank flat out. With the added drag of the line under the log, it was too much strain on the treble hooks, which straightened out. It was the first time I’d been so comprehensively stitched up by a bream and the whole process took three seconds.
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So I left him to it and went off to work still smiling. As I did so I contemplated my questions from a few weeks before. The weed had made things a little harder, as the fish tended to make better use of it during a fight. The swans had increased in number from just a few pairs to well over 100 birds. They tended to feed right the way across the lagoon, but I had at times seen fish feeding only metres from the foraging birds. With the swans dislodging large amounts of weed from the bottom I would suggest this helps the bream to feed in the birds wake, rather than hinder them. Best of all the bream were still there. However one thing that had changed, there seemed to be a new recruitment of younger fish. There were just as many big fish as they had been the year before but this time around I start to see small fish that seem to be only one or two years old. These fish had been completely absent from my bags from the year before. Best of all is that this year the water had lost all of its tannin stain and was now crystal clear. This year’s lagoon fishing may be even better than last year’s.
Timing I find fishing to bream during the spring spawning run to be a little frustrating. To see hundreds of fish schooled up in the creek mouths but reluctant to feed makes me want to tear my hair out. In late spring fish can still be seen in their usual feeding locations but tend to show indifference to any sort of offering. Four out of five fish may show no reaction to a lure at all, with one in five enticed into a noncommittal tail-nipping, bumpy sort of take. However, with summer it all changes with most fish charging up to the lure daring it to give one more quiver, then engulfing it. This usually requires long nosed pliers to extract the lure out of the back of their throats. Aggression like this continues through until about mid autumn, when spawning once again takes precedence.
Looking for Lagoons Whenever I look to fish a new location, the first place I start is Google Earth. The information that can be gained depends a lot on the quality of the aerial photography and when the photographs were taken. The images are updated every now and then but at the moment over the northeast coast of Tasmania, they show the lagoons North of St Helens through to Eddystone Point after heavy rainfall. The tannin rich waters that fill the lagoons make it very difficult to see any detail under the water. However the lagoons south of St Helens through to Bicheno are quite clearly shown on the photographs. It is quite easy to see the deeper channels, sand flats and weedy edges. It is also possible to identify bank side vegetation, access tracks and roads.
everybody that walks in the door. They are usually quite happy to share their knowledge with a polite customer. It might cost you a little more for fishing gear purchased at a local tackle store but you won’t get up to date advice about the local area from an overseas warehouse. Once I have identified a likely looking lagoon, I plan to arrive around mid morning. This gives me the best chance of calm conditions as the sea breeze usually comes in around midday. A blue sky day is preferable to Polaroid the edges effectively. During the summer months I generally find that the lagoons are a good temperature for wet wading. A good pair of boots, a quick drying pair of trousers, longsleeved shirt, broad brimmed hat and a good pair of amber coloured, polarised sunglasses is about all I generally wear. I try to keep the gear I carry to a minimum, a small pair of split ring pliers are not just for replacing hooks but also extracting lures from the fish. Leader material consists of a small spool of six pound fluorocarbon. One small tackle box with a dozen or so various hard body lures. I generally take a couple of each type of lure, surface lures, small shallow running lures, some mid depth lures, bibless sinking lures and a couple of vibes. This covers all the situations I am likely to encounter. If I take my camera with me I generally also take the landing net to leave the fish in while I am setting up the camera for a shot. I generally like to fish lagoons that are open to the sea on low tide. If the lagoon is closed to the sea I usually target the ones that have drained before they closed. This makes walking the edge of the lagoon much easier and concentrates the fish in the deeper channels and the edges of the flats.
Polaroiding The direction that I first start fishing in depends a lot on the direction of the sunlight. Polarised sunglasses will cut the glare on the water making it easier to see the fish. But they generally only cut the glare when you’re looking at 90° to the sun. So with that in mind I would generally start exploring the edge in the direction that gave me the best visibility into the water. If I am exploring the edge of a large flat with very little bank side vegetation behind me I try to keep a low profile. The fish are keenly aware of anything that changes in their environment, so with nothing to break up your outline, you are silhouetted against the blue sky background. This makes you very easy for the fish to see. I find it best to stay back three to five metres from the drop-off spending three or four minutes just looking at the water trying to see fish before moving on. First I make a general scan out over the water, looking for any evident structure such as logs, clumps of weed
or rocks. Most lagoons don’t have many snags or logs in them but the snags that are there generally hold fish. Scan the area looking for any movement or shadows. Trust your peripheral vision to pick up any movement and don’t rush it. If the fish are feeding they will be moving around quite a bit and will seem to appear out of nowhere at times. I have lost count of the number of times that I’ve fired out a cast only to see a bream appear a few metres away. This makes it a bit hard as you have to retrieve the lure without moving too much then put in a cast to the fish without spooking it.
Be Patient and Slow A little bit of patience can save you from spooking quite a few fish. After scanning the area, look along the edge in the direction that you intend to walk. Any movement on the surface close in could indicate feeding bream. Continue along the bank for about 10 to 15 metres keeping back from the edge and then once again pause for two or three minutes to study the water. Continue to work your way around the side of the lagoon searching for fish. The features that stand out the most on bream when they are in the water seems to be a dark line on the edge of their dorsal fin and tail, a dark line on the outside edge of their gill case. Furthermore, if they are facing you, their white chin can stand out. One of the biggest giveaways is when they shine (roll) over or flash in the sun whilst feeding. This can be noticed from quite a distance on a sunny day and also in deep water. At some point you will come across feeding fish. If you are moving at the time you may spook the first one or two fish you see. If this happens, just stop and scan the area. Look for a fish from the same school feeding nearby, they will be there. When you spot one that is fairly close I don’t like to make a cast if it is pointing straight at me, as my movement is more than likely going to spook the fish. I generally keep very still and wait for it to swim past or turn and swim away from me. Once the fish is pointing away from me I like to cast the lure two or three metres beyond the fish and then retrieve the lure until the fish sees it. One thing I learned quite a few years ago was that you have to be careful bringing baitfish imitations to the notice of predatory fish. The fish are not used to having baitfish swim right up to them. This is unnatural behaviour and it’s something that could lead to the fish becoming spooked. For this reason, when the fish spots the lure, stop winding. In most cases the fish will immediately swim up to the lure and sit with its nose right on it. When they do this, it is usually a simple matter of very gently bumping the lure just enough to make it move. Then the fish usually engulfs it. If the fish doesn’t
Another good idea is to visit the closest tackle store to your intended fishing location. Not only is it possible to purchase lures that work well in the local area but also gain some current information about the fishery. These guys are a wealth of knowledge and tend to gather little bits of insight from just about
Sight fishing to any fish is exciting - and shallow water breaming is fabulous.
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Fishing News - Page 9
immediately approach the lure you may be required to work the lure a little bit more to gain its interest. By being able to Polaroid the fish this makes gauging its response a lot easier and tailoring your retrieve to get the take. If after scanning the area for a few minutes and you don’t see any more fish, make a few searching casts. I like to start off with a shallow running lure as it is easy to spot on the retrieve. Keep a close eye on the line as you retrieve and wait for the lure to come into sight. As soon as you spot the lure, pause the retrieve and look for any shadows or shapes that appear around or behind the lure. If a fish fails to appear, continue to retrieve with a slow wind, pause motion. Fan out four or five casts covering the area, pausing each time as the lure comes into sight to see if there are any fish following the lure. When you notice a fish following your lure, it is just a matter of tailoring your retrieve to elicit the strike. Again being able to see the fish makes this a lot easier. The biggest obstacle to landing a fish in the lagoons is generally the weed. This is where having a long rod comes in very handy, as you can generally keep the rod up, keeping the fish out of the worst of the weed. While playing the fish out, keep a close eye out for other fish swimming with it. It is quite common to have one and sometimes two fish following the hooked fish through most of the fight. They generally only swim away as the hooked fish comes to hand. As I return all of the fish that I catch in the lagoons, I try to keep handling to a minimum. By sliding the fish onto the bank and holding the line in one hand the lure can be extracted from the fish, using a small pair of pliers on most occasions without touching it. Then it is just a matter of pushing the fish back into the water. It is usually a good idea to check the hooks on your lure after unhooking a fish as they are quite often bent or broken by the bream’s crushing teeth. Also have a quick look at the leader as it may have been damaged by the fish. As soon as I have made any necessary repairs, I like to have a few quick casts in the area. I quite often catch two and sometimes three fish, one after another, in the same spot. Once you have found a group of feeding fish it is often possible to go over the same area two or three times over a couple of hours. Work your way along the bank targeting the fish as you see them, until you get to a point where you can’t find fish. It is sometimes possible to go back to the point where you first came across the fish and re-fish the same area. I have also found that over the summer months the fish tend to feed in the same locations day after day providing that the water level doesn’t change too much from one visit to the next. Fishing News - Page 10
So once you have located a feeding area within a lagoon, it is quite possible to return to the same lagoon, go straight back to the area you fished last time and immediately polaroid feeding fish. However this only holds true if you didn’t take them all home with you last time you fished the area. That is the beauty of returning fish to the water after you catch them - being able to return to the same place and have a chance to catch the fish all over again. I certainly don’t begrudge anybody a feed of fish but there are certainly better places to get it than lagoons. The fish from many of the lagoons are very dark in colour and I question whether they would be as good to eat as the fish from the estuaries. Another thing to keep in mind with bream is their slow growth rate, as a general rule it takes two years to grow each mouthful of fish.
Tackle Rods My preference is for longer rods. This helps me keep the shallow running lures close to the surface in weedy areas by holding the rod tip up high when retrieving. They also provide greater casting distance and assist in steering the fish away from structure in a fight. I use a Shimano STP Flats Spin 7’10” in the 2-5kg range. The rod also doubles as a great salmon rod when coupled with 10lb Fireline loaded on a 4000 reel. It also won’t break the bank.
Reels Any reasonable quality reel in the 1000 to 2500 range will do fine. Lately I have used a Shimano Sienna 1000. It is well and truly into the cheap and cheerful side of things but it’s nice and light with a fairly smooth drag that hasn’t let me down yet. The spool is loaded with 10lb nylon backing overlayed with 4lb Berkley Fireline in the crystal colour. For a leader I prefer 2 metres of 6lb fluorocarbon.
Lures While living in Darwin back in the nineties I spent a lot of time fishing for Barra with hard body lures. Soft plastics were not widely used at that
A long rod and light braid is a good recipe.
time so I had very little exposure to them. For this reason, my preference has generally been towards hard body lures. Since then lures have come a long way, especially the small lures used for bream. I would say one of the best innovations is the suspending lure. With the ability to swim a lure down to the depth the fish are holding at, then stop the retrieve and have the lure stay there without sinking or floating away from the fish is a huge advantage. This is what sets the hard body apart from soft plastics. It is very hard to achieve the same result with plastics. The lagoons that I fish are quite shallow with abundant weed so shallow-running lures are a must. A good example is the Strike Pro Smelta in the 128VS colour. It’s a fantastic hard body for the flats or their weed-lined edges. Any water a bit deeper say between one to two metres the Atomic Aussie Bream Shad 40 mid in 05 Ghost Gill Brown has found wide acceptance among the bream community and I don’t mean the fishermen! I tend to use surface lures sparingly in the lagoons as some bream tend to be reluctant to take a floating lure. I have sight fished to a lot
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of fish who refused to take a lure from the surface time and again only to immediately nail a subsurface offering when it is presented. I do catch fish on the surface but when you get to see the reaction of so many fish through a set of Polaroids you very quickly learn their preferences.
Conclusion In general bream seem to be fished in either of two ways in Tasmania. One way is to use lures, soft plastics and flies, while drifting the edges of rivers, estuaries and some larger lagoons in boats. The problem is that most boats, given their size, require a reasonable boat ramp to launch. Most of the smaller lagoons on the east coast don’t have launching facilities and the owners of these flats boats are very reluctant, given the expenditure, to leave the boat at home. What would the wife say? So they tend not to target the smaller lagoons. The bait fishermen on the other hand do fish some of the smaller lagoons but in general only fish close to where they can park the car and are reluctant to walk the edges of the lagoons. This means that there are large expanses of lagoons that see very little and at times no fishing pressure whatsoever. So to anybody that would like to try something a little different, have a go at walking the edges of some of our overlooked waterways. You may be surprised at what you find. Simon-peter Hedditch
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Fishing News - Page 11
Back to Basics
Larry Leatherjacket I
t is unlikely that if you mention you caught a ‘Leatherjacket’ to any Tasmanian salt water angler that they won’t know what you are talking about. The humble old leatherjacket, often called jackets, butterfish, triggerfish and my favourite “Larry” (Larry the Leatherjacket) is probably one of the most common fish available in Tasmanian waters, both estuarine and oceanic. This amazing little creature of the sea has served itself as much amusement for many young anglers beginning their journey into the fishing world. I can remember as a kid sitting on many jetties and wharves watching leatherjackets feeding on the pylons and structure below; mesmerized by them. Then I would spend countless hours trying to fool them with my hook and bait. Most of the time they would swim out and nibble at the bait without touching the hook causing much frustration, this is where I learnt to change my tactics as a young angler determined not to be beaten by this fish, changing hook sizes, line, rigs and bait until I could hook one successfully. This is where it all started and those basic principles I learnt then still apply to many fishing situations today, and I am sure I am not alone, its an aspect of fishing that I love to see even to this day when I wander around our local jetties, kids having fun catching leatherjackets. These unusual looking fish are members of the Monacanthidae family, a name which has Greek origins meaning ‘one thorn’, and refers to the sharp spine on the top of their heads. There are more than
Leon Compton looks happy with his catch.
60 species caught around the Australian coast and in some of theses the males are brightly coloured with very intense patterns while the females are drab and dark coloured. The common name ‘Leatherjacket’ refers to their thick, tough, leathery skin, which doesn’t have normal scales and can be peeled off like a jacket. Would you believe that once upon a time the dried skin was used to polish wooden boats?
all over the bay and are a great target for the kids. They are great to eat as well.
The leatherjacket is available in most waters all around the state and my home water, Georges Bay in St Helens, is a bit of a leatherjacket haven. That is often to the detriment of many of the soft plastic fisherman intent on using GULP soft plastics, these guys will have you going through a packet of GULP sandworms in no time flat without even the hint of a bite…..be warned. As a tackle store owner though, leatherjackets help the soft plastic sales enormously.
Whilst fish of up to 3-4lb are regularly caught around the bay 1-2lb examples are most common and only require the most basic of fishing tackle to catch. When fishing for leatherjacket the use of long shank hooks is a must, sizes #2 - 6 are perfect, as the fish have very strong teeth and jaws and will bite through the line very easily. The long shank hooks give a bit more security against bite offs although I have seen fish bite clean through a hook shank. Just about any bait available at a tackle shop will work for leatherjacket, they tend not to be fussy eaters, I have found a piece of squid or peeled
The leatherjacket is available in Georges Bay all year round and is a staple table fish of many families; they are relatively easy to catch, are widespread
Leatherjackets and trevally sharing the bottom at Georges Bay.
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Fishing News - Page 12
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prawn flesh to be very effective, just be careful not to have any bait residue on the line anywhere near the hook as the fish will bite through your line. A basic paternoster rig with the sinker on the bottom and 1 or 2 hooks above it is all that is needed keeping the whole outfit nice and simple or if fishing a burley trail from the back of a boat an un-weighted bait floated down the trail can result in some great visual fishing. Fishing for leatherjacket can be done with rod and reel or just as easily with a small hand line making it a very inexpensive form of fishing. They are not spooked by the boat and it is a delight to all to watch them mill around your bait. A bit of rough or weedy bottom is preferred. Once caught the leatherjacket are quite easy to clean, using a sharp and strong knife slit the belly open from the anal opening up to the gills as you would when gutting any fish, then sit the fish upright on its belly and slice straight down behind the head and almost all the way through to the bottom, then as you tear the head away all the gills and guts should come away with it leaving you a headless gutless trunk with the skin still on. Now you need to remove the leathery skin, just try and peel an edge up then use your thumb to slide under the skin and separate the skin from the flesh, it will come away quite easily. What you will be left with is a headless, gutless, skinless trunk of beautiful white flesh which can either be left whole or filleted from this point. The flesh from a leatherjacket is actually a quite highly regarded table fish, treated as a delicacy by many. The fillets are usually boneless, trunks usually have the backbone left in and can be cooked this way. I like to fillet them, dust them lightly in flour, coat in egg and then use the FogDog Panko Breadcrumbs in a hot pan of Olive Oil and a knob of butter….. superb.
1 pinch salt
I thought I would Google leatherjacket recipes and see what I could find. The recipe below is one by Tetsuya Wakuda and was part of a story by journalist Paul Denham.
(about 2 cups)
1 tsp sesame oil Plain flour, for coating Grapeseed or vegetable oil for deep-frying 2 limes and zest (optional), to serve Chop each leatherjacket into four or five pieces. (Use a cleaver for best results and chop through the bone.)
If you haven’t heard of Tetsuya you have been living in a cave for twenty years. He is one of Australia’s best known chefs and own Tetsuya’s restaurant.
Combine soy sauce, mirin, ginger, garlic, white pepper, salt, sugar and sesame oil in a small bowl and whisk until well combined. Pour marinade over fish pieces and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for half an hour. Remove fish from the marinade and toss in flour to coat evenly.
“This marinated leatherjacket recipe comes from my mother but she did it with chicken. I first had it when I was six or seven. My mother was a very good domestic cook. She is shocked that I picked this recipe, as it is really common in Japan. I grew up with this taste. I made her make it all the time, even though she didn’t want to. I was a bit spoilt. “In Japan, during winter, I have fugu, which is like the puffer fish. It’s poisonous and no one fishes it here. The leatherjacket is the closest in taste but you could also use flounder.”
Leatherjacket marinated with ginger and soy
1 tsp white sugar
Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat until hot, about 170-180C. Fry fish in batches until golden brown and cooked through. Serve fish with lime wedges and a green salad and scatter over lime zest, if using. So the next time you are out in Georges Bay, or anywhere else in Tasmania, and want to have a little bit if fun, entertain the kids or just want a basic feed of fish don’t overlook the humble old leatherjacket, it may just surprise you. Jamie Henderson
Serves 4 4 medium-sized whole leatherjackets (about 150g each), gutted with heads, tails and fins removed
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They are related to the highly-prized fugu fish of Japan (without any of the risk of poisoning) and the firm flesh has a mild flavour, low oiliness and is moderately moist. A versatile fish, they are good steamed, poached, pan-fried, stir-fried, deep-fried, baked, braised, grilled, barbecued or smoked. They
are a good plate-sized fish cooked whole (head off) and this is the best way to bake or grill them where wrapping them in foil will help prevent them drying out. The firm flesh works well minced for fish cakes and fish balls and holds together well in soups, curries and casseroles.
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Four Springs Lake Michal Rybka
Warm Weather Kayak Tactics
F
or the avid fly fisherman, Four Springs Lake is a pretty good option in the warm weather. Close to Launceston and super convenient for that after work trip. But ask any lure fisherman what Four Springs fishes like in the summer and you will probably get a reply consisting of something like “…the weed is really bad – it’s not worth the trip.” I think the first part of this answer is totally correct. It is a well-known fact that underwater weed growth increases with warmer water temperatures. Casting lures becomes difficult and trolling is near impossible. Weed every cast – definitely not anyone’s cup of tea. To top it off, your target, the humble trout, has a changed taste. No longer is he fixated on chasing galaxias or his smaller cousins. The warm weather means that there is a smorgasbord of insects on offer. As a result, trout are usually picky at this time of the year. Lures, both hard-body and soft-plastic, are no longer the favourite things on the menu. As if the weed isn’t frustrating enough! However, I disagree with the second part of the answer. Four Springs can still be a good place to fish during the warmer weather - especially from a kayak. You just have to re-think your approach and consider what is on the menu and where it can be found. This is where different tactics come into play. Let’s not also forget the value of patience and determination – important for the methods that I am about to describe.
Michal Rybka with a nice Four Springs brownie.
Timing is critical Trout are a cold water species and as such, don’t take well to swimming around in water that can be compared to a warm bath at your grandmother’s house. Again, common sense suggests that on a hot summer’s day, the water will begin to cool as night sets in. Water will obviously be at its coolest temperature early in the morning, having had the night to cool down substantially. Most of us already know that early morning is a good time to target trout – if not the ultimate time. So this is the first part to successful summer fishing at Four Springs - get up very early and be on the water as the sun rises. The weather conditions are also worth a mention. An ideal day would be not too sunny, and with a bit of cloud cover. Throw in some choppy water conditions and your chances of catching something should increase. Rougher conditions will stir up food that is in the water. Trout will generally have
increased confidence at these times and will not be as cautious, like they are on bright, sunny days and when the water is calm.
Areas to target (see map) The reed beds at Four Springs would have to be my favourite places to target at this time of the year. Reeds offer plenty of food for fish in the warmer weather. Mudeyes (dragon fly larvae) and other insects can often be found clinging to such aquatic vegetation. When they drop into the water, they provide an easy meal. I often find trout patrolling hard up against the reeds looking for such opportunities. Depending on water levels in the lake, the depth where the reeds grow is usually around the 1.2 metre mark. I have experienced some great fishing in these reed beds, particularly in the Northern part of the lake. I have also caught some nice rainbows from the reed clumps that grow just North of the boat ramp. The reeds there grow on an underwater spit that is largely composed of gravel. I have often seen fishermen wading out there when the water levels have been right. Besides targeting reeds, shaded areas of shoreline are well worth a look. Search for water that is not exposed to direct sunlight. Shady areas will often hold a trout or two in the warmer months. There are several overhanging trees on the Western shore near the dam wall, which provide such shady conditions, particularly in the early morning hours.
Tactics and lure selection
The Hobie setup and ready to go - but watch the leeches. Fishing News - Page 14
Pedal or paddle your yak directly to the reeds that I have marked on the map. My favourite ones to fish are located at the Northern end of the lake. When I kayak fish for trout, I usually troll hard-body lures in between destinations, so as to make the most of my time on the water. As mentioned previously, this can
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the kayak begins to slow, I use the rudder to FOURAs SPRINGS steer it into a position parallel to the edge line of LAKE the reeds. Fitting a large sailing rudder to a kayak
provides more responsive steering, which can be LAUNCESTON
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On my most recent trip, I performed this exact tactic using a “black and gold” Jackall COLT minnow hardbody (65 mm suspending model). I had this lure on my spare rod with around 2 metres of 6lb fluorocarbon leader attached to the main braid line. Being an expensive lure, I was cautious with my first cast not to put it into the reeds. I picked a likely spot, aimed, and fired. The lure landed just short of the reed line which I picked as the target. The water immediately boiled and I felt my heart pound. Direct hit…I was on!
FO
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The GoPro camera did a great job in capturing that magic moment. After a good fight, a solid brownie finally surfaced. He didn’t like meeting my net in the water, but eventually came aboard my kayak. This is a good example of a reaction-style take. This particular trout was obviously lying right near the reeds - more than likely looking for food. Trout I have pulled from the reeds in the past have often contained stomachs full of water boatmen and other such aquatic insects. The lure hitting the water at the right place caught his interest and he instantly and aggressively reacted by striking at the lure. While on the subject of natural food sources, I must also mention mudeyes. They are top trout tucker at Four Springs, or anywhere else for that matter. The only problem that you will sometimes have is actually finding them. If you can’t find mudeyes in the long grass or reeds that line the banks, then expect to pay top dollar in tackle stores for them. Even then, they can be hard to find in tackle stores during times of high demand.
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They seem to be particularly fond of swimming in the water near the boat ramp. They aren’t huge specimens and can be difficult to see if you are not looking for them.
PRIVATE PROPERTY
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Four Springs Lake
PRIVATE PROPERTY
226m
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BRU SHY
To Biralee via C714
The last few early morning trips to Four Springs I STATE FOREST have noticed that there is an abundance of leeches.
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NG
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Creek
To Biralee via C714
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Dam Wall
The next best thing is to use an artificial softplastic lure to imitate this food source. Strike Tiger, which is a local Tasmanian soft plastic supplier, make a 1” soft plastic nymph in a variety of colours. This lure can be modified to look like a mudeye by simply pulling its legs off with your fingers. You can also use your braid scissors to do the job more accurately. I will then rig one of these on a tiny jighead with plenty of lightweight fluorocarbon leader.
If you see your line move, it’s time to set the hook! But if it makes it to the bottom, then I will ever so slowly twitch it to the surface and repeat the sink. Short and very subtle twitches of only around an inch of your rod tip are the best way to retrieve one of these plastics to the surface. The best colours 1km (in this particular brand) that I have found to work at Four Springs are the ‘black n gold’ and the ‘olive pepper’.
Leeches
Reed Beds
B72
The target is identical to the one I have described above using the hard-body lure – aim for the edge of the reeds. However, the retrieve is totally different to what you would normally use when fishing a hardbody. When a mudeye falls into the water, it sinks. So, naturally, I will just let the soft plastic sink to the bottom after it hits the surface. It’s crucial to watch your line at this point in time and take up as much slack as possible without interfering with the sinking process. The time it takes for the plastic to hit the bottom is not usually too long.
The author finds a fishfinder very useful.
The last thing I will mention in relation to hardbody lures - buy the ones that have the red eyes. I seem to have had more success using lures fitted with these rather than ones without. I am not sure of the reason why, but when something works for me, I stick with it.
BIRRA
RT
beneficial at this stage. Make sure you have come to a stop and are within a comfortable casting distance. Next, try a precise cast. Aim to get your lure as hard up against the reeds as you can, without snagging. Precise casting like this is sometimes difficult to get the hang of. But, like anything, it is a skill that will develop with practice.
D
ON
Once you have reached your chosen destination, sneak in there very quietly so as to be undetected. I like to pedal the Hobie very hard a good distance from my target. I then stop pedalling. The kayak continues to glide silently into position under its own momentum.
B71
When fishing with hardbody lures, you can’t go past the super effective ‘black n gold’ colour combinations. There are many brand names out there to choose from, but I mainly use the better quality Japanese lures. You will pay muchDmore for them, R but the FObuild quality and K perfect AN action make up FRfor it. Jackall Bros, Daiwa and Zipbaits are all brand names that have produced results for me at this lake. The suspending feature some of these lures have is a real bonus. You can ‘hang’ that hard-body right in front of a fish. A very handy feature, particularly if they are a little picky with your offering.
RO A
be difficult or practically impossible when the weeds are particularly thick.
1km
Map image supplied by TASMAP © State of Tasmania
Fishing News - Page 15
When you are pulling your kayak out of the water at the ramp, take a look along the sides and on the bottom. These little blood-thirsty critters love to swim and attach themselves to the sides of kayaks - as I recently discovered. To avoid getting them on your body, keep covered up. If, however, you do manage to pick up one of these passengers, it is safest to let it finish its meal – it will then drop off by itself. Definitely do not just pull it off. Also avoid using salt or a lighter. These techniques will generally result in the leech regurgitating harmful bacteria into the wound. If you are really not keen on letting the leech hang out with you for a while, do some research on the net – there a some good sites that explain how to properly remove them pre end-of-dinner time.
Blue/green algae Algal blooms often occur in summer as a result of the higher water temperatures at Four Springs. A recent outbreak has been identified in January of this year. The bacteria can be potentially toxic, so it’s a good idea to check the status of the lake before you go. Information can be found on the Inland Fisheries website or TASFISH.COM. Outbreaks of algae are usually well sign posted at the boat ramp by the Meander Valley Council. In any case, it’s not a good idea to eat fish from the lake when such warnings are in place.
Final thoughts So to sum it up, the first part to success in the warmer months is to get
up at the crack of dawn. My wife thinks I’m totally nuts getting up so early. “You struggle to get up for work, but you bounce out of bed to go fishing?” is her favourite quote! Maybe some of you can relate to this? It is, however, the best time to go fishing. I also know that I will only have a few hours of prime fishing time before the heat of the day sets in. Obviously being well organised the night before a trip is a must. Get to the lake early and well prepared. Avoid wasting precious time - target those reed beds first. If you have no luck, then try areas of water covered by some good shade. Don’t be put off by a bit of weed on your hook here and there. You have to expect it from Mother Nature this time of year. And remember, a bit of determination goes a long way. Put in the time, and you will get the results. Now set those alarm clocks and best of luck! Mic Rybka
Angling regulations Angling is permitted from 1 hour before sunrise to 1 hour after sunset. The season is open from the first Saturday in August to the Sunday nearest the 30th April. Fly-fishing, artificial lures and bait fishing are permitted. Brown trout & rainbow trout – bag limit of 5 fish applies (min size 300 mm). Combined daily bag limit of 5 fish can only include 2 fish exceeding 600 mm in length. Speed limit of 5 knots applies. A current Inland Fisheries licence is required for angler 14 years of age or older.
Preparation and persistence is necessary to get a good result. Fishing News - Page 16
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Jan’s Flies
Jan Spencer
Jan’s Bibio Hook: Long shank dry fly hood size 14-12-10 Thread:
Black
Body: Black and red seal’s fur (the red is crimson red) Legs: Four dyed orange pheasant tail feathers Hackle:
We have just had a superb trip into the three thousand lakes with blue sky everyday again. We pushed into some very remote lakes. Most of the lakes are getting down in water level.
One black hen hackle
Method Take black thread full length of shank
This makes the fish easy to polaroid, but on the side of the fish they were very aware of the low water and were extremely spooky. Most of our fish were caught from six to ten metres back in the bushes. Polaroid the fish, place the fly way out in front of the quarry and let it find the fly. It was a must to find whatever camouflage available. An early start to the day was productive as the days were hot. The fish seemed to take cover out of the heat early afternoon. Early morning the fish would even be up in the very shallow corners hunting the previous night spent insects. These truly wild fish are no easy quarry. One really big fish gave me curry. I suppose it’s not big because it’s stupid. We will meet again. I so appreciate just being there and seeing these beautiful creatures doing their daily routine. Fishing these remote lakes, fly fishing is the general rule, blue sky is an advantage as the fish are much easier to polaroid. Nearly always in
Dab on a small amount of black seal’s fur Do the same with red seal’s fur this high mountain country is a breeze or a howling gale but I take that as an advantage as the fish are much happier to move around. I have experienced most types of fishing from competition to self indulgence fishing but if you want to charge your soul this is the ultimate trout fishing. Okay, now my batteries are charged. The best flies for this trip were black spinners both single hackle and palmered body, red tags and my version of a bibio hopper. The first two are well known and tied by many. The bibio I have seen many variations, all fish catchers in their own right. This little fly would represent many hatching or dying insects. The middle section of red is a great attraction for the trout. We fished this fly as a single fly but it is also very good in a team of flies. The couple of days we had on our recent trip with no wind, this little fly made me proud.
Tie in four orange pheasant tail fibres on the underside of the body. Make sure the legs protrude past the bend of the hook. The legs do not have to be perfect; remember, it’s a spent insect. Place another small section of black seal’s fur. Remember to keep back from the eye a little. Tie in one black hen hackle. Make sure when winding on that the fibres are not too long as you will cover up that important red seal’s fur. Tie feather down firmly, pull fibres back toward the bend of the hook. Cut away excess feather. Form a nice little head, whip finish, cut thread away and varnish head. The seal’s fur I find is best left a little scraggy as this helps the floatation abilities. As most would know Tasmania has the Commonwealth Fly-fishing championships in February. May I extent my best wishes to all teams coming in.
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Fishing News - Page 17
Late Summer Joe Riley
L
ate summer brings to the fore the best of fly fishing in Tasmania, the regularity of hatches and falls of terrestrial insects makes dry fly fishing at times spectacular. These days are highlights and can be predicted with some regularity, however along with the highs you also get the lows, those ‘dog days’ where the trout simply don’t want to play. It could be they are too well fed or more sensitive to changes in the weather, or in fact simply will not feed until the hatch they can predict better than us arrives. How to predict where the fishing will be good is a key to success at this time of year particularly if you want the fish a particular style of fly fishing. When fish do start to feed make the most of the opportunities as in high summer with warm water these ‘hot bites’ may well only last a short time.
Decide where to fish on the day One thing we are blessed with in the Tasmanian Highlands is options, from Great Lake you can fish numerous lakes all within a comfortable 30 minute drive. All of the lakes in the highlands offer different options and fish differently in a variety of weather conditions. Weather plays such an important role in where to fish, Tasmanian weather is so variable that it’s hard to judge on an hourly basis let alone 24 hours in advance. Watch the weather and pick a water suitable to how you want to fish. Some waters fish best in bright weather, some fish best in overcast conditions and others offer a good variety of fly fishing which can be a good fall back on those 50/50 days. Read the weather forecast and predict where the fishing will be most reliable at the peak time of the day, if it’s an overcast morning but the forecast is for a bright day after lunch with a Northerly wind, head to a lake where the beetles will fall.
Look for the food Mayfly hatch best on overcast days, beetles and terrestrials fall on warm bright days, but they will always be in different concentrations on different sections of water. For mayfly hatches search the shallower areas for early hatches, then look where the food will concentrate, pushed by wind towards the bottom of the wind, caught in pockets of weed which prevents them from drifting out on the wind. If you can find mayfly on flat water odds are you will find trout feeding vigorously on the surface as these flies will struggle to leave the water without the assistance of some breeze and will collect on mass. For beetles likewise search the calm shore for beetles dropping on the water early in the day, trout are wise to the early fall and will rise on the flat water and the edge of the ripple. As the fall / hatch progresses, fish will ascend to the surface in the deeper water, along the foam lines, cruising near the surface picking off the offerings as they move down the wind.
Gum beetles can create plenty of action on hot, windy days. Fishing News - Page 18
Hot highland tips.. Joe Riley bags another at Woods Lake.
Move regularly Poke around regularly, if fish aren’t on the chew in one bay, they may well be in the next. The nuances of wind and weather as well as where food congregates means that a short distance can mean a big difference in fish activity. Great Lake is a classic example when fish are ‘sharking’. There is always one or two foam lines across the hundreds on the lake that seem to hold more fish. I prefer to find these lanes and then rather than cut across the lake then move down the foam lane which I’ve found a fish in, for me this yields great results time and time again. The wind coming off the hills and around points creates a slightly different area where the food will congregate on different days, but will be consistent on a given day as long as the wind is likewise consistent.
Dawn and Dusk What started out as a cool wet summer has suddenly become a hot, dry one. On smaller waters like the Nineteen Lagoons as water levels fall and the water temperature peaks dawn and dusk will still offer opportunities as fish will feed mopping up the fallen morsels when the comfort level is right, and that is dawn and dusk. Fish always feed at these times of day and as the days shorten as we draw into autumn, fishing dawn and dusk isn’t quite as taking as it was in December when you basically had to be out half the night or up in the wee hours to see the rays of light creeping over the Western lakes.
Great Lake Much is known about Great Lake and the ‘shark’ fishing out in the middle of the lake. Fish congregate around the shore of Great Lake and can be found
in good numbers, however they are patchy to say the least. If you are walking the shore of Great Lake, concentrate on the bays, or move over plenty of ground until you find fish. Once you find a fish concentrate along that area and you may well end up raising good numbers. Also if the wind is pushing hard in on the shore the dirty line of water that concentrates on the apparently barren banks is a hot zone as fish cut in and out of the dirty water seeking out food rolling against the shore. Great Lake is best for dry fly in bright warm weather, when terrestrials fall to the surface on numbers and fish seek to make the most of the food that’s on offer.
Bronte Lagoon Bronte is a great all round lake, surrounded by timber but also fertile enough for abundant weed beds. Bronte is a water for all weather, when beetles and leaf hoppers can fall, and fish are regularly on the spinners and duns. Bronte is a great bet for those 50/50 days.
Augusta Dam Augusta is a rocky piece of water at the start to the Nineteen Lagoons. Augusta has really become popular in recent years and it is now common to see a dozen boats working their way across the shallow lake. Augusta is again a versatile water where trout will come to dry fly in both overcast weather where a sparse dun hatch occurs, but also in bright weather. Wind is the challenge on Augusta Dam, particularly if you want to fish it from a boat. If the wind is blowing seek out sheltered shores and prospect around the rocks, gutters and holes along the shallow shores as fish hold this structure. A nice mix of rainbow and brown trout exist in all three of the afore mentioned waters.
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Move often if you don’t find fish. They could be in the trees, on a rough shore - or in the calm.
Penstock Lagoon What is considered to be one of the premier fly fishing waters and currently under consideration for electric motors only due partly to the constant movement of numerous big boats over the shallow lagoon. Penstock is best fished in overcast weather, however on bright days, good spinner falls around the shore still offer good polaroiding and rising fish along the calm protected shores.
Arthurs Lake Arthurs is one of the best all round wild brown trout fisheries in the World! Arthurs offers so much in the way of fishing with large numbers of trout susceptible to numerous fly techniques, it is a fishery which produces such good trout so consistently. Being a wild fishery though, Arthurs and any of the lakes can
switch off, making you feel like you are fishing in a desert rather than a lake. Arthurs is primarily seen as a mayfly water, however again being surrounded by native timber, beetle and leaf hopper falls occur frequently. With so much shore line and so much productive water Arthurs is a top fishery for surface action, also even if water temperatures are up on other lakes, being a large body of water, Arthurs is still likely to fish well. Dry fly fishing in the highlands is now at it’s peak and soon enough the cold snaps will start to cut in. The Commonwealth Championships are about to be held in the highlands and on the Meander and South Esk Rivers, and hopefully the visiting anglers will experience some of the highlights that the wild fisheries in the highlands offer. Joe Riley
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Fishing News - Page 19
Blue Sky Lake Augusta Todd Lambert
Lake Augusta has been an underrated fishery. It has as much to offer as any other water in the Western Lakes region and as Todd Lambert found out recently, given the right conditions, your bag limit can be caught in a matter of minutes should everything fall into place.
I
recently received a phone call from Mark Tapsell, telling me that I should get my backside up to Lake Augusta as the fishing there is as good as it gets at the moment and that he had just witnessed one of his best days fishing that he could remember. Seeing is believing though, and when he dropped into my house on his way home and displayed his Western Lakes bag limit which consisted of five well conditioned browns ranging in size from 2 to 3.5 pounds in weight, I thought I had better go and have a little look for myself. To cut a long story short, Mark took me up a couple of days later and I too witnessed some of the greatest sight fishing I have experienced in a very long time. Once we found the fish, we bagged out in ten minutes, selectively choosing our targets according to size, as they swam towards us in seemingly endless numbers. This was as good as it gets!
How to get there Road access to the Augusta dam site was created in the early 1950s by the Hydro Electric Commission and has been improved and upgraded periodically from that time on.
The turn off is easy to find as it is situated on the opposite side of the road from the Inland Fisheries field station based at Liawenee, it is also the home of the IFS Open Days that are held there annually. Taking in the Nineteen Lagoons region of the Western Lakes, Augusta is within reach to anyone owning a 2WD car but please be aware that the road is gravel based and can sometimes cut up a bit rough in places. The drive in from here takes approximately twenty minutes and is around 13 klms. Please note the speedlimit is 50 kph, and Tasmania Police are checking cars along here.
Lake Augusta Fed by the James and Ouse rivers, when full, Augusta covers an expanse approaching 1,300 hectares. This area reduces dramatically in size however, come the warmer months of summer as it is used primarily as a feeder catchment for Great Lake. When this happens the water actually splits into two smaller expanses known as Augusta Dam North and Natural Lake Augusta South. Boat ramps are on offer at both ends of the dam wall, with the northern side ramp receiving the largest amount of patronage from visiting anglers. As
Fly fishing champion with a selection of flies.
is to be expected, the deeper water is found along the Dam wall but please be aware this area holds a very healthy population of snakes that like nothing better than to bask in the sun given the opportunity.
Fishing Augusta As mentioned earlier, due to being in the Western Lakes area, Lake Augusta has a bag limit of five fish per person, per day with the 300/500 min size rule being applied. It is open to all methods of angling and is the only water in this heritage area that allows for bait fishing. It supports healthy populations of both rainbow and brown trout with the browns being the most prevalent and widespread of the two species here.
Fly Fishing The warmest months of summer, being January and February are without doubt the optimum times to be on Augusta and a boat is definitely optional. There is some cracking fishing in the shallow bays, casting back towards the shore. To me, perfect polaroiding conditions are a west / north westerly breeze combined with a cloudless blue sky. Another necessary ingredient is light Polaroid sunglasses, as these, (under the right conditions just mentioned) help show up the fish, making the trout look almost “golden� in colour as they slowly make their way towards you. This area is literally alive with insect life at this time of the year and imitations of caddis, beetles and duns will more than likely be readily accepted when placed in front of a cruising fish. My fly that did the damage last visit was a size 10 seal’s fur Klinkhammer dry and its success drew no surprise when you saw the size of the mayfly duns emerging on that particular occasion.
This fish was polaroided on the flats - and eagerly took the fly. Fishing News - Page 20
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Soft Plastics For the land based angler and as a starting point, anywhere along the dam wall area would be my suggestion and as a bonus, your chances of catching a “ largish” rainbow will also be increased due to the fact that they seem to prefer the deeper water here as opposed to the browns who love cruising the shallows more. Successful plastics are Berkley Ttails and “my personal favourites” being the Yep Tassie Tackle Flappers in Red Rascal or Black “n” gold.
Conclusion As I have never fished this water using anything other than the above mentioned methods, it would be pure conjecture on my behalf to offer anymore advice in regards to my experience here, but to finish, I would like to offer a word of advice should you decide to bring your boat. There are many rocks just under the surface in Augusta, especially when the water level begins to drop as it does (quite substantially) at this time of the year, so please use extreme caution, especially when fishing it for the first time.
Lake Augusta has become a very popular boat fishery, but is equally good from the shore. There are a huge number of rocks waiting to get your prop so travel very slowly and keep a good lookout.
As for myself, from now until at least the end of February, I will keep an eye out for those perfect “Blue Sky Days”, dust off the waders and pray for a bit of spare time in order to head back up to Lake Augusta given the first opportunity! Todd Lambert
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Fishing News - Page 21
Around the Rivers Daniell Hackett
River Report - December January
D
ecember on the rivers got off to a good start, featuring strong flows and warm water temperatures across the north of the state, after a slow late November period. Calmer conditions were perfect for consistent baetid hatches on the St Patricks River and upper Meander, solid black spinner falls on the South Esk, and excellent red spinner action at Brumbys Creek. Caddis hatches also fired the fishing along the upper Meander, and to a lesser extent along the small headwater streams of the north and north east. The Mersey around Liena, and further down around Merseylea also fished extremely well, with fish to 4lbs on the dry and shallow nymphs. The Mersey is an example of the benefits to be had from high winter flow rates in the past few years, along with environmental flows outside of periods where dams are spilling.
Pheasant Tail style nymphs tied on curved hooks, such as our Pheasant and Peacock or Pheasant and UV dub patterns were especially effective during these quieter periods, tied on a #14 with 7/64” black or gold tungsten bead heads.
Contrasting the great early summer conditions on most northern rivers, The Top Weir at Brumbys Creek remained low and murky for much of the time, as did the Lower Macquarie River. Aesthetic values and recreational opportunities have been impacted on these waters since 2006 or so, when Basslink flow regimes and the associated coffer dam were implemented on this hydro catchment. Despite these water conditions, red spinner falls were very predictable and steady along the Top Weir, particularly from the pines at the bottom carpark, and downstream to Weir One itself.
The St Patricks, Mersey and Meander all continued to fish very well during early January, though the Meander began to taper off somewhat as flows from Huntsman and Jackeys Marsh dropped from 0.78M or so at Meander, down to 0.72M. During periods of lower flows on the upper Meander we managed to land a number of larger fish to two pounds in fast pocket water, which were quickly released to catch again. A few of the remaining stocked rainbows were also landed, though some were in poor condition. Let’s hope the river doesn’t see any more ad-hoc stocking in the future, as the wild brown trout fishery is robust and highly productive, and a drawcard for any fly fisher.
Top flies for December were our Pheasant Tail Black or Red Spinners on the meadow streams, presented to steady risers. The Fastwater Dun and Scruffy dries were both great patterns on the faster rivers (such as the Meander and St Pats), though tungsten beadhead nymphs were very important on days when the dries didn’t work. These nymphs were fished on three to four-foot droppers tied off below a bouyant dry such as the Fastwater Dun. Fishing News - Page 22
Christmas and New Year finally saw the beginnings of significant hydro-flows down Brumbys and the Lower Macquarie. The red spinners continued to hatch on Brumbys from the Third Weir upstream to the Top Weir, to be joined by damsels and dragonflies. Conspicuous in their absence was the caenid hathes that are typical for that time of year, not only on Brumbys but also on the Macquarie and Meander rivers. A simple explanation would be the silt-flushing effects of the large floods over the past two seasons; caenid mayfly are silt dwellers, hence the connection.
As the heat of mid-January arrived, the fishing switched from the spring and early summer mayfly and caddis hatches, and the foodchain began to be dominated by damsels, dragonflies and juvenile grasshoppers. This is the typical annual cycle on our rivers. My favourite place to find consistent summer damselfly feeders, along with the first hopper falls of
the year would have to be the broadwater’s of the South Esk, in and along the Fingal Valley. Without much surprise we found both damsels and hoppers, however the trout had disappeared from our usual haunts, to be replaced by flocks of large black cormorants. Cormorants are nothing new to Tassie’s rivers. In the past as a fish farmer, we had more than 10 tonne of fish taken by a flock of sixty or more cormorants, over a two month period. Pack-hunters in numbers, cormorants can be ruthless, and leave stretches of rivers all but bare. The upsides are many though: firstly, cormorant plagues are cyclical (connected to optimum breading conditions on the mainland), and the cycle of predation on particular stretches of our rivers leads to larger fish in following years as competition for food and territory is reduced. To date I’ve seen patches of the South Esk and Meander with decent flocks of cormorants in residence, though a recent trip to Christys Creek in the Western Lakes also showed signs of cormorant predation through some of the smaller, shallower lagoons.
The Fast Water Dun is a favourite - either on its own or used to support a nymph.
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Fishing News - Page 23 4/01/12 12:57 PM
Fishing News - Page 24
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Looking beyond the odd trip affected by cormorants, the great news is that the hoppers have started. By Australia Day we’d had our first big hopper days on the Lower Macquarie and Lake rivers, with Mini-WMD Hoppers, and full size WMD’s proving to be all we needed. Fly choice was determined by the hopper species around, and whether the small brown flightless, or the large yellow winged grasshoppers were about. The Lower Macquarie fish averaged about 1 1/4lbs, and were healthy young fish, whilst Lake River fish averaged closer to 2lbs in parts. As the seasonal grasses continue to brown-off, we’ll head further afield into the lower Meander, as well as the north east creeks chasing hopper action. Hopper time is the best time of the season to catch a large river-fish, so enjoy it as it continues until the first big rains or frosts of late March make their appearance.
River fishing tips to try during late Summer Bright and windy conditions can be perfect for fishing grasshopper imitations. If the hoppers are streamside, then the fish will be looking for them; you won’t necessarily see takes however, and it is best to prospect undercuts and structure with large and buoyant patterns. Use a tapered leader with a thickerdiameter butt to turnover large dries such as hoppers, in the wind. For example, most of the time we use Rio or Orvis 6lb (4X) tapered leaders, however during hopper time we often switch to 8lb (4X) tapered leaders. The difference between 0.61mm and 0.64mm butts is enough to drive the big flies into the stiffest of breezes.
Get ready for a good hopper season.
A good hopper presentation should hit the water with a splat, the same as the real insect. If a fish inspects the fly but won’t take, then twitch the fly to imitate a swimming hopper, but stop as soon as the fish turns back towards the fly. It’s very fun to watch! Daniel Hackett, RiverFly Tasmania & FlyShop 1864 www. flyshop1864.com.au 45 Cameron Street, Launceston Look out for the late summer / early autumn river report and fishing tips in the next edition of TFBN.
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Fishing News - Page 25
The Magic of the Mersey A North West Jewel
Peter Broomhall
I
have spent most of my life growing up in close proximity to the Mersey River and its wonderful trout fishing. Over the years I have got to know the river and its denizens quite well and this particular season to date has certainly been one of the best I that I can personally remember. What follows is my take on the fishing action on this water for the first half of the 2011/2012 trout fishing season.
Spring Floods My 2011/2012 season on the Mersey River started with some flooded backwater fishing in mid August. After a particularly wet night I decided on a quick sortie up to a Merseylea stretch to see if rising water levels had brought out any of the river denizens, namely fat brown trout, out on to the verges looking for drowned worms and grubs. A short walk up from a favourite access point found me searching the shallows for signs of actively feeding trout. It took a little while to find them but after a couple of false starts generated by the resident platypus population soon enough a small swirl was spotted and the resulting cast with a small black woolley bugger wet fly resulted in a solid hookup on a feisty brown. After a short but none the less dynamic struggle the beautifully marked little brown was slid up onto the wet grass. A couple of quick happy snaps were taken and then he was slid back into the frigid river backwater. It was certainly good to be back! The springtime floods on the Mersey this season were rather limited in both frequency and duration. On those rare occasions that the conditions suited some good fishing was experienced with a number of above average conditioned brown trout coming to hand. The condition of the early spring trout was a portent of what was to come in the following months on this wonderful fishery. Successful fly patterns in this period were the usual suspects with small black Woolley Buggers and Rabbit Fur Flys doing the bulk of the damage.
Whitebait Feeders The whitebait runs on the river this season started rather early in September and lasted through to mid November in very good numbers. As is customary with these little guys they were rather enigmatic with some days the ripples and runs immediately above the Latrobe township full of whitebait schools and feeding trout and the next day nothing. On the days that the bait where thick wonderful fishing was to be had. Silvery brown trout smashed fly patterns such as modified Surf Candies, Olive Yetis and Woolley Buggers leaving you in no doubt whether they had accepted your offering. This fishing as always was challenging with the trout certainly not giving themselves up though. Quite often long walks along the river were in order to find the action but with careful observation some memorable fishing was possible. Fishing News - Page 26
The whitebait schools tended to bring out the bigger trout into areas where they were much more catchable rather than being tucked up in their normal daytime lies in the deep water in under the willows. Interestingly, on more than one occasion during this period a trout feeding hard on baitfish on the river edge slid across and accepted a dry fly floated down into its feeding lie. Another unusual occurrence during this period was literally stumbling across a fully grown male Fur Seal some 5km’s upstream of the tidal influence. On this day I had found the fishing strangely quiet in a normally productive stretch of the river flanked by the Shale Road. I initially thought that the stretch had been “cormoranted” until I found this big fellow stretched out on the bank. I suspect that he had been following the annual Lamprey Eel migration upstream and got out for a rest to digest his meal. Hopefully there were not too many trout in his belly!
Springtime Mayflies One morning in mid October after knocking off after a nightshift at work I had just taxied my daughter to school and decided that a quick drive down to the river at Bells Parade to have a look was in order as it was a beautiful warm sunny morning
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with only a slight breeze. Upon arrival some rather large shoals of Mullet were easily spotted feeding on the algae buildup on the shingle in the ripples. Seeing as I had my 2wt fly rod and a box of flys in the car (as always!) a quick decision was made to try and deceive a few of them on nymphs before heading home to bed. Shortly after landing my first mullet I glanced upstream into the glide above and was met with the sight that all flyfishers yearn for, dainty little “sailboats” floating down the river. Mayfly Duns! Quite a few more were able to be seen fluttering in the air above as well. How I had missed this first up was beyond me but a quick dash back to the car and a short drive upstream to a favourite stretch for dun feeders was in order! A peek over the bank on arrival was all that was needed for confirmation that a large hatch of mayfly was in progress. A quick phone call to fishing mate Jim Schofield was made and then it was off into them. Sleep would have to wait! Jim and I ended up having a wonderful session on the hard feeding trout which seemed to have waited all spring for this occurrence. Big snouts popped up with a pleasing frequency that morning and for a great many times after during October and November. Beautiful brown trout ranging up to 4lbs in weight were available in good numbers throughout most stretches of the lower end of the river ranging from Latrobe up through to MerseyLea, Kimberly and Weegena. Interestingly plenty of Rainbow trout have also been interspersed among the resident browns this season as well. These trout also displayed a pleasing willingness to rise to dry flys floated past their feeding zone . Once again the trout condition was a sight to behold with fat fish the rule rather than exception. The reason for this exceptional condition was easily evident as when you rolled over any flattish stone in the river you were met with the sight of masses of wriggling mayfly nymphs, caddis grubs, stonefly nymphs and mudeyes. Successful fly patterns during the mayfly hatches were generally the emerger type patterns such as shaving brushes, possum emergers and various parachute hackled flys. Royal Wulffs, March Browns, Iron Blue Duns, F-Flys, Black Spinners and Para Adams’ also took their share of trout. When the trout were feeding on adult spinners by jumping and taking them in mid air, beadheaded pheasant tail nymphs fished under an indicator were a good fallback, sometimes taking a fish where all the dry flys failed to get a response.
Evening Rise Warm and calm evenings also provided feature fishing during October, November and December. Parking yourself at the tail of a glide that gave a good view in the evening glow was the place to be located in the last hour before darkness. Generally dozens of chances to present your Royal Wulff, Elk Hair Caddis, Fastwater Dun or similar high floating fly pattern to a hard feeding trout were available for those that decided to forsake their favourite evening television. Most of the action for us was centred around the Merseylea section of the river but I have no doubt that any suitable stretch from Lake Parangana down to the estuarine section at Latrobe would have had a similar event during this period. One evening that really sticks in the memory was one where Jim and I ventured to a stretch just out of Latrobe. The day before had a heavy downpour and the river levels were inflated and the water definitely cloudy. We had gone out in the hope of finding spinner feeders in the late afternoon but that action was best described as underwhelming. Just about to leave the river before darkness set in a few rising trout were spotted in the glides. This sight prompted us to investigate and what we found was a sprinkling of large Mayfly duns, flying ants and caenid mayfly starting to appear on the water surface. The insect activity built up rapidly as darkness descended and the trout followed suit. Jim and I ended up landing over a dozen trout all better than 2lb’s between us
in the mad flurry of activity. Quite a few others were missed or broken off as well. The value of persisting was well and truly proven on this occasion.
Willow grub feeders can be fooled with a simple fly of foam bound to a tiny hook.
Willow Grub Feeders During late November large welts became apparent on many of the green leaves of the resident population of Willow trees that lined many stretches of the Mersey. These welts were caused by the growing larva of the Sawfly, better known to fly fisherman simply as willow grubs. During warm windy days in early December a look under the willows in the deep pools sometimes revealed an outsize cruising and rising trout. Initially these trout were extremely difficult to tempt with traditional dry flys being at best refused and normally totally ignored. On one morning while fishing to a particularly large trout that had eluded me for the previous week I watched him swing around aggressively after a small “plip” on the water surface. The trout raced over and ate whatever it was. I now know that it was a willow grub that had either fell off or had been blown off the leaf that he was devouring at the time. His arrival on the water surface was not the delicate landing like my dry fly presentations but rather a crash landing. Watching and learning from this episode that had unfolded in front of me my next cast landed with a definite crash and in fact the little foam willow grub pattern sank. The trout cruised straight over and inhaled the fly and soon enough after a titanic struggle under the trees I was able to slide the net under a magnificent Mersey brown in the 5lb class. After this epiphany quite a few other good sized browns were fooled with the “crash land” presentation. Although none were as large as
that first trout a few others approached this size. It seemed that the willow grubs were bringing the larger browns out to feed as they did not have to move far from their watery lairs in under the willows. This was certainly exciting fishing as quite often the hookups were in tight spots in under the willow trees surrounded by snags. Another reliable area to find willow grub feeding browns was in the tail of the pools below stands of willow. The trout would literally line up in this locations waiting for the current to bring the food to them. Fly patterns that worked for these type of fishing were simple little slivers of yellow or chartreuse foam bound to a tiny hook in a couple of spots. I found this fly pattern in a flyshop in New Zealand on a recent trip over there and it seems the Tassie browns appreciate it as much as their NZ counterparts.
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Fishing News - Page 27
Caenids The last big “hatch” event that I experienced on the Mersey during 2011 was the regular caenid falls on the river on warm calm mornings throughout December. If the conditions suited the amount of fly on the water really had to be experienced to be believed. Tiny caenid mayfly duns and spinners literally covered the surface of pools throughout the lower section of the river. The trout honed in on the feast and could be observed almost schooled up in the prime lies slurping fly from the surface.
The Mersey supports a healthy rainbow population, but they are not as numerous as the browns. Caenid falls can be massive on calm mornings. It took my companions and I some time to work out a fly pattern that would be taken consistently by these highly visible feeders. Small Royal Wulffs, Iron Blue Duns and Red Tags would be taken sometimes but frustratingly they would drift over many trout unmolested. It wasn’t until I tied on a small grey or natural coloured F-Fly that the trout became more accepting of my offerings. Sure enough there were still a few that refused but pleasingly more often than not it would be taken. The trout themselves during the caenid hatches were of a very good average size and without fail in sensational condition. Once again an unusual amount of Rainbow Trout were present in the catch during this period.
Mersey Prospects for Late Summer So what is to come in the next few months on this fishery? During late January and February grasshoppers will start to make their annual appearance along the streams. The hot spot for this type of fishing is generally the upper reaches and the associated tributary streams. The river in the Weegena area right through to Parangana Dam plus the river above Lake Rowallan will be worth a look. An advantage with the higher reaches is that the water will be cooler with minimum flow levels controlled by the frigid water released from the bottom of Parangana Dam.
My favourite fly pattern for hopper feeders is my little Bruisers Bug, a foam based fly with its rubber legs and deer hair wing. Other reliable flies are Craig Rist’s Hair Chernobyl (otherwise known as Craigs Horror!), WMD hoppers and similar. There are many more traditional fly patterns that work at Grasshopper time, the trick is to fish whatever pattern you choose with confidence. Other hatches to look out for will be the giant river stonefly and reliable caddis hatches will continue especially on the upper reaches. Beetles, Jassids, Ants and Cicadas will also appear on the river surface from time to time throughout the upcoming period. Late March and into April big galaxia feeders will start to make their presence felt in the lower reaches of the Mersey. At this time of the year, especially after Autumn rains the galaxid school up in readiness for spawning. These densly packed schools of baitfish become prime targets for hungry brown trout also looking to eat up big in readiness for their own spawning run and the large galaxia
are just the protein kick they are looking for. Look for showering baitfish and big splashes in the lower reaches around the Latrobe area. These fish are readily targeted with big wet flys such as woolley buggers and yetis. Some of the biggest trout for the season are seen and sometimes taken during this period. Interestingly the late season trout are much more accommodating in their acceptance of well presented flys than the early season whitebait feeders. And then there is also the Autumn mayfly hatch……
Summary As you will have deducted from the previous paragraphs it has already been a wonderful season to date on my favourite water in this great trout fishery that we have in Tasmania. My expectation, with the way the 2011/2012 season is unfolding, is that this sport will be likely to continue on until closing date at the end of April. Peter Broomhall
Anglers should look for pools that have grassy verges along their length preferably with a bit of depth alongside. The pool tails and ripples are also well worth a look as well, the ripples especially on hot summers days as the trout will look for these areas of oxygenated water. Grasshopper time is not the time for delicate fly presentations, which is perfect for me and my casting style! Your favourite hopper pattern presented with a splash or splat will often bring out a trout from its lie to take with gusto. It is not unusual to see a fish bow wave metres across to smack a fly at this time of year. Fishing News - Page 28
Foam flies float well - and boy do they work.
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Fishing News - Page 29
Game Fishing with Rocky Peter Hayes
I
fly fish for trout and Rocky chases offshore species like tuna.
That is why when I get a day free to spend fishing on the coast with the kids I go out with Rocky who owns and operates ‘Professional Charters. You can check out exactly what Rocky does by visiting his website www.gamefishing.net.au It was a an early morning start from the lakes - 3:30 a.m. to be exact and as you can imagine it wasn’t difficult waking 12 YO fishing junkie Lachlan Hayes from his slumber. It was near impossible to get my 10 YO anti fishing activist Maddie out of her bed. Three hours and six kangaroos later we drove into St Helens without a speeding fine. I thought it was a great start to the day as I had been nabbed on a couple of occasions on the Fingal Valley road before. It was just 10 past 6 and at the risk of being a little later than we were I thought it prudent to get a couple of cappacinos from the local Banjos shop. It was obviously a good call when I saw Rocky’s face light up as we boarded. You see, all guides love it when the clients are seen to be thoughtfully looking after them. It was a sensational morning as “Saltshaker” glided out of the placid Georges Bay. I consciously thought of what a great life Rocky has guiding out of this beautiful place. The kids were obviously excited as they bounced around the fly bridge. Lachie more so than Maddie. Once we cleared the barway the lures were set. Rocky explained the pattern and the logic behind it all. So very different to my fly fishing guiding but I began to see that there was much more to tuna fishing than simply towing a lump of plastic around the ocean. Another difference I noted was that at this time of year Rocky very much operates in a 3 dimensional world and I work more within 2 dimensions. The kids pointed out a school of dolphins heading our way and it was lovely to watch them playing in the wake of the boat. I wondered if it was a good sign to see them near because that it meant that the tuna were not far away. On the other hand maybe they had chased away or eaten up the tuna? Every time I venture to sea I feel at sea myself. The initial feeling is one of a vast ocean and where do you start? I thought of some recent work that I had done with the Australian Fly Fishing team and a wonderful Australian Institute of Sport - Sports Scientist, Rick Shuttleworth. Rick shared with me the result of some work that he had Fishing News - Page 30
Lachlan and Maddy Hayes having a great day with Rocky Carosi. done recently with the Australian Yachting Team. So much was learned by fitting head cameras to the caps of the top level sailors. By simply sitting down after the race and taking in simply where the guys were looking with their eyes during the race it was obvious that the greater athletes look at different things, and more often, than the lesser competitors.
Rocky explains the lure setup to Lochie.
I watched and studied Rocky. His eyes were everywhere. He constantly scans the entire sea with the exception of where we had already travelled as well as giving the very flash depth sounder a lot of attention. We zig zagged the ocean and whilst I didn’t
ask it was obvious to me that Rocky was working the lures through different light angles as well as wave travel direction. Some of the lures actually changed their swim action depending on the direction and speed of “Saltshaker” in relation to the swell. Not too different to how I search with wet flies if the fishing is hard. I must admit I was starting to get bored when I looked and saw a huge mob of mutton birds about us. I realized that Rocky had probably seen them from the bridge with his binoculars 15 minutes before. I sensed that things had changed in our favor and sure enough it was only a short
The bird life can signal a hot bite - so you need to be observant.
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“Maddie stills thinks I saved her being pulled in”
Rocky is the master host and everything goes home ready to eat.
time before two rods went off. Lachie was up like a Jack in the box and to my surprise Maddie wasn’t far behind him. Maybe it was Maddies love for sushi that motivated her.
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There isn’t much of Maddie and she obviously needed help with extracting the tuna from its world. Maddie clearly had the idea that it might pull her in when she asked me “hold onto me Daddy”. It was great to get these first fish onboard and they were crackers. Others came more readily and easily after those. We had a ball and Rocky showed us how to bleed and care for the fish so that they would be awesome on the table.
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To complete the story just let me tell you that we had tuna dinner parties two nights in a row. All our guests were serious fishos and foodies and they understood exactly what we were fortunate enough to be eating. The kids are still telling stories about how well these majestic fish fight and Maddie still feels that I saved her life by not letting her first ever tuna pull her into the sea.
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Fishing News - Page 31
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Top Water Bream Simon Little
Exhilarating action...... I
don’t think fishing gets any better than watching something come up to the surface and eat a lure off the top. If you’re like me and you love chasing those big Tasmanian bream on lures, then you might have considered casting a surface lure at one time or another. Plenty of people might tell you that “it’s a waste of time”, “black bream don’t like surface lures” or “the water is too cold down here”. Any other number of reasons not to do it might come up. I’m writing this article in the hope that I can disperse that myth and instil confidence in anyone who remains a sceptic. For last three years I have sought out bream on topwater lures in almost every recognised bream estuary, through every month of the year and in every weather condition. You might be surprised to learn that throughout this time I have had very, very few days where I didn’t get at least one fish. Some days are definitely harder than others but in the end, good things come to those who wait. Hopefully I can pass on some information through this article that will help you in your search for that big topwater bream.
Location Bream abound throughout Tasmanian estuaries and they can be found in a vast array of locations within these systems. Possible locations for the species are nearly without limits. They can be found
from the fresh water upper reaches of the rivers, to the salty open water of the bays. For fishing with surface lures some of these areas can be neglected but only a select few. The optimum area for hunting bream with topwater offerings is somewhere that is shallow and not too discoloured. Over the weed beds, around the oyster racks, up on the flats, along the edges or in tight to the snags can all be productive places given the right conditions. Occasionally bream will come up from the bottom in two metres of water to take a stick bait or popper but this is generally not the case.
overhanging trees or sitting just under a snag then these are all perfect scenarios to have a cast at. Blind casting into a likely looking region can pay off but if you can see the fish before you let rip with the lure, you’re in with a big chance. In general any area you would normally locate bream that is less than a metre deep is an ideal place to begin with. The alternative is to look for bream that are holding high in the water column around structure. If the bream is close enough to the surface that he is likely to notice a small fish or shrimp swimming above him then that’s a good place to start from.
Choosing the right time and place is often the key to success. Your eyes are the most valuable tool you have when fishing surface lures. If you can see bream working over the flats, or chasing bait up against a tussock lined bank then you’re already half way there. If you can see that fish are rolling and flashing on the oyster leases, holding high in the water, hiding beneath
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Fishing News - Page 33
Times The best time to have a go at catching bream on the surface is usually the top of the tide. At this time they can access food that is only available when the water covers the highest areas and this means that the fish will be in shallower water fossicking around. Because the window of time that they can be in these areas is small, the fish tend to feed more viciously while they have the opportunity. I find that early morning sessions just towards the end of the run-in are the prime time. That’s not to say that bream can’t be caught on surface at any stage of the tide or day, it’s just an observation of the most successful sessions I have had. This can probably be attributed to the low light levels allowing the fish to come up high in the water column and into the shallow water without being too spooky. I have a general theory that bream are going to feel hungry in the morning just like you or me and because I prefer catching them on surface lures more above anything else I choose to exploit this time to cast around a small stickbait or popper. If the first food item a fish notices for the day happens to be flittering across the top then he’s more than likely going to investigate. If the fish likes what he finds... “boof”. Game on! Because the water warms up and the bream’s metabolism is higher, they become more active during the warmer months. Summer and autumn are great months to be working the surface. Baitfish and small crustaceans will be high in the water and around the edges, less fresh water is pushing down the rivers as a surface layer and small terrestrials that fall into the water become a thriving food source. The other circumstance I find to be a good indicator towards a surface bite is the weather pattern. The second day of a large very high pressure system is often the peak time to hit the water. For some reason a bit of extra humidity in the air can really turn the fish on to topwater and on those days the amount you are sweating can be an indicator towards the possible strike rate.
Lures There are several different types of topwater lures and working out how to use each one can be a difficult task. There are some golden rules that apply but versatility is usually the key. The two main types of surface lures are poppers and stickbaits. What a lot of people don’t realise is that there are also a few other categories and sub categories that can come into play here. The less common surface lures that can be deadly on bream are sinking poppers, wake baits, walkers and soft plastic topwater lures. These can be explored at a later date for now I’ll stick with the main two. Each type of lure has a different action and a different retrieve that needs to be applied to get the lure working correctly. Any and all of the lures come in different colours and sizes. For bream in Tasmania I would recommend a range of colours from ultra bright to clear to solid black, as any
A variety of top water lures for bream. Fishing News - Page 34
colour can be a winner on any given day. A range of translucent and solid colours is always worth having onboard. Lures from 30mm to 70mm are suitable but mostly I tend to use lures in the 40-50mm size range. Poppers Poppers have a cupped face on the front that is used to make a “blooping” noise and kick up a spray of water. The noise and splash is what attracts the attention of the bream and they make great lures for when the fish are switched on and feeding well. When the bream are spooky and not feeding readily then I’ve found it is usually best to steer clear of poppers, they can generally be reserved for days where the fish are really switched on. To make a popper work effectively is a very simple retrieve. A jerk of the rod tip makes the cupshaped face spray water forwards, accompanied by a popping noise, hence the name ‘popper’. The line gained is taken up and then the rod tip jerked again. Poppers are best on rippled or slightly choppy water as they can pull fish from great distances. There are an infinite number of ways to retrieve a popper, or any surface lure for that matter, and make it catch fish. The two basic methods are summed up as a constant retrieve or twitch and pause. A fairly consistent blooping retrieve is known as a constant retrieve. You wind the reel and twitch the rod tip at the same time to keep the lure blooping along back to the boat. For a twitch and pause retrieve, make sure you leave the lure still in the water or ‘pause’ it between jerks. By putting in a couple of short sharp twitches and then pausing and leaving it dead on the water you grab the fishes attention and then he has time to saunter over and investigate it before it moves again. Often you will see a bow wave come up and follow your lure for a while before the fish strikes. If you are using a constant retrieve then it is important not to change when the fish swipes at the lure or follows it up, keep the lure moving in the same pattern and wait for another strike as the fish will often lose interest in a popper if it stops dead all of a sudden. If you are using a twitch and pause retrieve then leave the lure dead still on the water for as long as possible. If the fish stay right up behind the lure then leave it still and watch the fishes reaction. As soon as the bream loses interest and turns away, give it a small twitch and he will usually do a circle and come right in behind it again. When this is happening its most important to just keep the fish interested. It’s not unusual for the bream to sit right behind or under the lure for a good 5-10 seconds and then suddenly decide to suck it in. In my experience this has been the number one method for catching bream on topwater lures, especially around structure. For conditions where it is dead calm then short sharp bloops and long pauses in between work best. The fish will usually hit the lure on the pause directly after a twitch. Stickbaits Stickbaits are generally a more slim profile than a popper and have a rounded front face, a bit like a mini torpedo. They come in all shapes and sizes but the uniting factor is the retrieve methods that you will generally employ when using them. They are designed to use with a “walking the dog” type retrieve. Walking the dog is a term which describes the side to side darting of a lure through the water. The lure should turn to around a 45 degree angle and shoot out that direction a short distance before turning to 45 degrees the other direction and then darting back that way. To get a lure to walk the dog is just a matter of practise. It can be very challenging initially to get the lure walking left to right without a bib to direct it but once you get the hang of the motion you need to use then it becomes simple. A lot of people compare it to patting your head and rubbing your tummy or vice versa. A short sharp
Bloop, bloop - BANG. twitch of the rod tip pulls the lure forward in the water initially. By then letting a small amount of slack develop the lure will dart off at an angle in the water. As the lure darts of to the side you twitch the rod tip again and the lure will turn the other way and use the next small bit of slack to dart across. By making consistent, very short, sharp jerks where the line tension only just contacts the lure each time you can get the lure two walk left to right and snake across the surface. Some people wind a fraction of a turn after each twitch but timing this is almost impossible for most. It is easiest to keep a continuous slow wind while twitching the lure back. Larger lures are generally easier to learn the technique with and then you can progress to smaller lures as you get into a rhythm. Stickbaits are particularly useful for situations where the bream are spooky and shy. They are much more subtle than a popper and although they will not pull a fishes attention from as far away they can be just as deadly. Ultra small stickbaits are my favourite lure for casting into heavy structure especially natural snags where the fish are holding high in the water and locked in around the branches. With practise, small stickbaits can be made to take long steps left to right or kept in a tight waddle where they remain almost stationary and just step left to right. This allows you to keep the lure above the strike zone for longer and draw the fish from deeper down in the timber. For fishing open areas such as flats or shallow weed beds I prefer larger stickbaits as they can be cast further and worked faster to cover more area quickly. Once the fish have been found then you can slow down and work it more carefully over that area testing out different retrieve styles and speeds. The versatility of stickbaits is endless. You can walk them fast and slow, wide or skinny steps, pauses or constant retrieve, you can get your rod tip down and make them spit a little bit of water like a popper before darting off to the side. The possibilities are only limited by imagination. On any given day it’s always best to try a few different styles until you find the one that the fish reacts best to in the specific situation.
Hooks There are many different schools of thought on what sort of hooks work best on topwater lures. Hook-ups can be problematic at times, with missed strikes or pulled hooks being a regular issue for surface lure anglers to overcome. Most surface lures come with a pair of trebles on them and especially on bream designed lures you will find they are fairly heavy gauge wire hooks. Where possible I will change nearly all of my hooks
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Fishing News - Page 35
over for topwater bream fishing. I like a very fine gauge hook, in particular the Owner ST11 ultra lights. The finer gauge the hook then the easier the penetration will be when the fish strikes. Many people are concerned about straightening hooks but in my experience I have lost very few fish this way, especially considering that so many surface lured bream come from open shallow areas of water with little structure you need to keep them out of. When things are tight and nasty, like around oyster leases and barnacle covered snags, and you need to be able to put some serious brakes on I find that single hooks are often a great way to go. They penetrate easily and are strong enough to hold up to a very serious drag setting. Sometimes when the fish are just nipping at the lure they will result in a lower hook up rate but on most occasions the connections are similar to, or better than, that of trebles. Almost certainly I would suggest that when you do get a solid hook-up on singles the fish tends to stay stuck better than for trebles. Opinions on hook set-ups for surface lures are highly varied throughout the fishing community but it is almost unanimously accepted that the bite to hook-up ratio is generally lower than with sub-surface lures. Trying a few different arrangements out for yourself you will surely develop your own preferred set-up and there is not any one exact way that is especially better than the other.
Gear One of the great things about chasing bream on top water lures is that you don’t need to invest any money in upgrading your normal breaming arsenal. Any 1000 to 2500 size reel and 1-4kg rod that you would normally use for casting soft plastics or small hard bodied divers will work just fine. Again opinions differ on the exact style of rod to use but I prefer something with a fast taper that allows you to work the lure with just the tip of the rod. This can be especially handy for working small stickbaits that twitch with only minimal movement. Line class in the 2-6lb range is ideal as some of the lures can be extremely light and often a long casting distance can be the key to catching fish. Braided super-lines are ideal in most situations however many people are using fluorocarbon monofilament straight through in recent times. I personally find that the stretch of the fluorocarbon line limits the versatility you can get from a surface lures and hence tend to stick more with braided PE line. If you’re fishing with braid then you’re going to need to use at least a rod length of monofilament
leader, the same as for any other luring scenario. There are two very specific schools of thought when it comes to leaders for topwater lures. Some people swear by fluoro carbon. Some people swear by nylon. The idea is that fluorocarbon lines, being the same density as water, are all but invisible to the fish. The down side is that they will sink into the water and pull the front of the lure down. This means that you have to either work the lure with a high rod tip or lift the front of the lure out of the water before commencing your retrieve after each pause. Otherwise the lure can follow the leader burying down into the water and not working as it should. Larger lures will have enough buoyancy in them that it won’t make much difference but for micro stickbaits and poppers the fluoro can cause a lot of difficulties. To counter this many people have reverted back to nylon monofilament line as it floats on the surface and doesn’t cause the front of the lure to pull down. The fish can see it more easily than fluorocarbon but when you’re dragging the line across the top and disturbing the water anyway I personally don’t think it makes a lot of difference.
Scents When chasing bream on hard bodied lures it is not unusual to use an addition scent on the lure to mask any other residual smells that might be on the lure which could otherwise turn the fish away. There are plenty on the market to choose from; some oil based, some wax based, some spray on some in a tube or tub etc. My view of these scents (bear in mind that this does not include soft plastics) is that for the most part it doesn’t matter which scent you use, as long as you use one. Maybe some work slightly better than others but overall, as long as it masks the other scents that can accumulate on the lure that is the key element. Often the fish will be hitting the lure just as hard regardless but on that next strike it might just make the fish suck it down a little harder, or cox a shy fish into having a crack where it might normally turn away. On the whole you will increase your catch rate, even if only slightly. On some days it can even be the difference between a total failure and a brilliant session. For surface lures especially it can be a very important part of the equation. Bream that rise up behind the lure and sit right under or behind it will sometimes check the lure out very carefully before deciding that it’s worth a taste. If they can smell something that resembles food as opposed to a piece of plastic that’s been bouncing round the tackle box, boat and your hands they are much more likely to suck it down instead of just nudging it to check if it’s really worth eating. Scents are not absolutely paramount to catching bream on topwater lures but they are definitely worth using.
Stealth
Search well - flats, snags and drop offs. Fishing News - Page 36
Stealth is one of those things in fishing that needs to be assessed purely on a day by day, place by place basis. On a cloudy, overcast day with a bit of ripple on the water and fishing around structure
Whilst top water breaming might not always be effective it is very exciting and well worth the effort. you could assume that the fish are not going to be too worried about you being stealthy (within reason of course) but for those bright sunny days in shallow water with a glassy calm surface it is important to keep track of how you approach the fish. When you’re trying to get bream to come up to the top to eat a lure or fly you are always encouraging them to look up and toward the boat. They are also going to be on a heightened state of alert as they can sense the danger of being so close to the surface and vulnerable to predators. Some days the fish will hone in so hard on the lure that they will follow it out to within a foot of the boat but a lot of the time they will only take the lure if they can perceive no visible threat. Keeping your movements smooth and deliberate will lessen the chance a fish will notice you moving around in the boat and working the lure and many people choose to wear clothes that limit their silhouette against the skyline. It’s also important to keep your noise to a minimum as any banging on the hull or floor of the boat will surely send an interested fish sprinting for cover. Sometimes the splash of lure landing is enough to clear out fish in a 30 metre radius. On those days you can overcome it by slowing the lure down at the end of your cast so that it plops gently onto the surface instead of crashing down into the water. For the most part it’s easiest just to be mindful of how the fish are reacting to your presence and try to limit their awareness.
Final If fishing for bream is your caper, and just like everyone else you love the visual aspect of a surface strike then don’t be afraid to try a surface lure from time to time. Eventually you will get the knack and the results will speak for themselves. Despite the myth that seems to have existed previously that Tasmania’s black bream don’t like top water, you might be pleasantly surprised. Rest assured that topwater in Tassy can be just as good as anywhere else in Australia if the planets align. There are few things better or more exciting than polaroiding a big bream and watching him “boof” that little stickbait off the top! Simon Little
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Fish Taxidermy Skin mounts vs Fibreglass reproductions
Rainbow trout skin mount. With correct methods and products your trophy will last a life time. A well crafted fibreglass reproduction will look as good as any skin mount. This repro is a yellow belly perch from the Murray River.
T
raditionally the age old art of fish taxidermy has involved the preserving, mounting and painting of the fishes skin and head to craft a life like trophy. In more recent times fibreglass fish reproductions or ‘repro’s’ have become available, offering the trophy hunter a viable alternative. Indeed, a well crafted repro can look as good and natural as a well made skin mount. I was inspired to touch on this subject after hearing secondhand comments that ‘skin mounts don’t last!’ That’s true if the mount wasn’t made correctly in the first place. We’ve all seen the withered and colourless mounts hanging on pub and tackle shop walls, of hardly recognisable specimens caught 20 or 30 yrs ago, and in some cases not that long ago. Well, fish taxidermy has come a long way since those days, with modern techniques and products developed specifically for the industry there is no reason why a properly crafted skin mount should not last a lifetime. I hope the following info will give you a better understanding of fish mounts and will help to make your choice a little easier when deciding to go ‘skin’ or ‘repro’.
Skin Mounts This traditional method is best suited for freshwater fish such as trout or salmon. Sea fish tend to have more oily skins and can grow to huge proportions, making skin mounting very difficult. The skin mount is the preferred option for anglers who wish to have their actual fish preserved as a trophy and not just a copy of it. Long term problems associated with a poorly made skin mount can include: Colour fade - obviously noticeable as the dulling of paint and varnish over time, turning the mount to a brownish tone. Grease bleed - shown as yellow discolouration particularly around the head area, and stickyness along the back of the fish eventually causing paint to lift. Fin deterioration - curled, split, feathered and colourless fins. Shrinkage - seen as unsightly indentations and wrinkling particularly around the head. Yellowing - seen as overall discolouration of the mount. These are the most common and obvious problems with a poor mount. The above troubles can be eliminated by proper techniques and products. Thoroughly defleshing and degreasing the fish skin before mounting will prevent most of the above, as well as using an exact artificial cast head replica. Also using the recommended paints and varnishes will ensure the beauty of your mount is not a temporary thing, but there to be admired for a lifetime. There are other procedures in the making process not mentioned here that will also ensure the longevity of the mount. At the end of the day, no corners can be cut otherwise it will show down the track, skin mounting should be a thorough and slow process. One factor that often gets overlooked is care for your mount once it’s finished and displayed. Do not hang your mount in a very hot area, such as next to a wood heater in a fishing shack! No skin mount will endure extreme heat for extended periods for years. Be sensible and display it in moderately heated areas, also when dusting tell mum not to use hot water on it! A well done mount should look as beautiful and alive as the day you caught the fish. With the correct workmanship, products, and care by the owner then it will be there to admire for the next generation to come.
Fibreglass Reproductions Fibreglass repro’s are suitable for all species of fish from minnows to makos! The robust nature of fibreglass can make this a great alternative to skin mounts as it will not suffer the problems of a poorly made skin mount. It’s the preferred method for most oily skinned sea fish. A repro’ is a cast copy of the fish. None of the natural parts of the fish are used to make the mount except for maybe the fins or in some cases the teeth. Initially, a mould is made of the whole fish and a fibreglass blank or copy of the fish is cast from the mould. After preparation the cast is then painted the same colours as the original specimen. The initial moulding of the fish is a most critical part of the making process. A poorly made mould will result in a poor fish repro that can look distorted and lacking detail. A good fibro cast from a properly made mould will show definite scale detail even on fish with small scales such as trout and salmon, and the repro should assume a natural pose of the fish, as if alive. If the mount has an open mouth, then inner mouth detail would be desired. One of the beauties of fibro moulding is that if done correctly all of the fish’s fine details can be reproduced on the mount. That, along with a professional paint job will make your trophy look natural and alive. As with skin mounts, commercial paints and products are available, developed specifically for the purpose. Many brands of paint are available with a choice of pearl effects, shimmers and iridescents. A professionally made repro’ should look as natural as a well made skin mount, the two finished mounts should be difficult to tell apart. For anglers who like to release their trophy fish it may be worth mentioning that it’s possible to buy fibro fish blanks that just need painting. Some overseas companies supply blanks to the customer’s requirements ie; fishes length and girth measurements. Many different species of fish are available, though I can’t vouch for the quality of them as I’ve never bought one.
The exact artificial head replica on the skin mount completely eliminates the possibility of unsightly shrinkage that can occur when using the natural head. this makes the taxidermist’s job a lot easier when painting the mount. Field care is important, look after your fish and it will reflect in the finished mount. Do not gut your fish, fold the fins to the body and wrap firmly with cling wrap then place on a flat surface in the freezer preferably with intended show side up. Your fish will stay fine stored like that. There is no immediate hurry to get it to the taxidermist. Don’t rush into having the job done, do your homework, ask a few questions; how long has the taxidermist been operating? How much does he charge? How long does the job take? Have you seen his work around? What techniques does he use? You have to live with what you hang on the wall. It should be a trophy you are proud of. Finally, the type of fish and where you intend to display it will help you determine skin or fibreglass. Do your ground work and you should end up with a trophy that looks as beautiful as the day you caught it for years to come. John Wilesmith
Conclusion. Nothing can be more rewarding than catching your beautiful fish, carefully handling it, taking a few photographs then releasing it to watch it swim away unharmed. And there’s also nothing wrong with keeping a fish for a trophy, in the scheme of things not many are kept for that purpose. However for those who do want to keep their catch to be mounted then there are a few things to consider. Take good reference pic’s of the fish when it is fresh from the water,
Quality craftmanship, premium paints and the best products ensure your trophy will last a lifetime P: 0457 449 715 E: hogweed@bigpond.com W: www.airbrushedtolife.com
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Fishing News - Page 37
Fishing News - Page 38
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XV Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships 14-18 February
XV Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships What is this all about! In the world of fly fishing internationally there is a large group of anglers who meet together every year in a different country to test their skills against each other in what is known as the World Fly Fishing Championships. It is the Olympics of fly fishing.
The inaugural event was held at London Lakes in December 1988. Six teams from Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand and Wales participated and history tells us that Australia won the day. The next championships were held in Wales
These anglers are the elite fly fishing sportsmen and women in their respective countries. The event is a serious affair. They go about their fishing over 2.5 days to see who will become world champion. Australia held that title in 1999.
XV Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships
As an ‘on the side event’ originating from an idea in 1987, the Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships was formulated. It was designed as a separate competition based on the simple mantra of ‘fishing in friendship’ to encompass all anglers in the Commonwealth countries and give them the opportunity to fish together. Rules and organisation were to be kept simple, with the aim to be enjoyable fishing and companionship and a chance to sample each other’s waters and methods. The results were to be secondary to this aim.
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The Isle of Islay, Scotland, hosted the 2009 event. There was plenty of pomp and ceremony. Australia won bronze, the fly tying competition and the rights to host the event in 2012.
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Fishing News - Page 39
Port Sorell Marine 7 Club Drive Shearwater, Port Sorell Phone: 03 6428 7124
Channel Marine Services Lot 10 Gemalla Road, Margate Phone: 03 6267 1456
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Fishing News - Page 40
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You can check out the program at: http://issuu.com/ stevenspublishing/docs/ commonwealth_booklet or go to www.tasfish.com and click on the link on the left of the front page.
and Australia bubbled to the top again. Since that time the event has been held in New Zealand, Scotland, Wales, England, Canada and other Commonwealth countries. The event is now keenly sought after amongst Commonwealth country fly fishing organisations. In 2009, the championships were held on Islay, Scotland which was again a memorable event for Australia, winning both the bronze medal and the fly tying competition. At the gala dinner, bids were received to host the 2012 event. South Africa, England and Australia (Tasmania) submitted a bid and in the subsequent vote Australia (Tasmania) won the day. From that time on, planning for the event has been underway. A key aim is to ensure that all the international anglers and their guests will be able to ‘sample’ both the best of our Tasmanian hospitality and our world class trout fishery.
What is planned for ‘when and where’? The XVth Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships are to be held from 14-18th February 2012. The visiting anglers, who will be based at the Country Club Villas in Launceston for the duration of the competition, are from Canada, Singapore, South Africa, Malta, Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, India, Kiribati, New Zealand and Australia. These anglers, both men and women, will make up the largest gathering of Commonwealth anglers to date.
The angling activities planned for the 16, 17 and 18th February will see the teams divided into five groups and rotate through five angling locations which will allow them to showcase various fishing skills. The waters chosen are the South Esk River, Arthurs Lakes, Woods Lakes, Little Pine Lagoon and the Meander River and the fishing will be both bank and boat styles. Most of the visiting anglers are well skilled in fishing for trout in many parts of the world and they all know about The South African ladies team of 2010 won the the Tasmanian wild browns ‘Fishing in Friendship’ trophy for that year. and are keen to fish for them. The age span of the anglers are from under 20 In the case of the representatives from Kiribati, years to 76. The oldest is a lady from Scotland who whilst the guys have never seen a trout, they are very skilled sight fishermen who work as recreational has been fishing for 56 years and who has fished in fishing guides in the bone-fishing industry on Kirimati nine internationals, four Commonwealth events and is one of Scotland’s highest ranked lady anglers. (Christmas) Island in the Pacific.
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What else is planned for our visitors? When Australia made the bid for the Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships there were certain criteria that we had to meet. An official opening and closing ceremony are part of this. Traditionally the opening for a Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships has constituted a street parade along with an official opening. At the most recent championships in Scotland, whilst wet and grey, they had all the pomp and ceremony and we will try to emulate this in Tasmania. Our opening ceremony will be held in Deloraine on February 15th at 4pm starting at the Visitor Centre at the top of the town and finishing in the Soldiers Memorial Gardens at the bridge. It will be led by a pipe band and include local dignitaries and children from the Meander Valley community. The street parade is a unique and wonderful experience, and everyone is welcome to come and watch. After the official opening by the Governor of Tasmania, who is the Queen’s representative in Tasmania, there will be a buffet meal hosted by the Meander Valley Council and then the teams will return to the Country Club Villas to get ready for the real business of the fishing competition.
Chief organiser for the Commonwealth’s in Tasmania, Malcolm Crosse is no stranger to competition.
For the next two and a half days the group of anglers will then rotate through the venues for the fly fishing competition. They will be cared for by a large number of local anglers who will monitor the competitors in the various types of fishing they are required to do. All fish caught are measured and released, and through a system of point scoring, a winning individual and team will be established. To meet the criteria of the closing ceremony, the Tasmanian event organisers have planned for a half day celebration at the Country Club Casino. All interested anglers and friends are invited to attend the fly fishing expo which is free of charge. It will be held outdoors on the lawns of the Country Club Casino from 1pm through to 5pm. There you will see various demonstrations of fly casting, fly tying, rod building and other craft associated with the sport of fly fishing. The final competition of the Championships will take place here, the fly tying competition, which will involve a representative from each of the teams tying flies. They are judged on the best group of three flies tied. The final part of this ‘fishing in friendship’ competition is the presentation of the individual and team medals at a Gala Dinner. The perpetual ‘Fishing in Friendship’ trophy, which was inaugurated by Jason Garrett in 1988 is also awarded. It will go to the team who displays the most in the way of helping and aiding others during the event. The trophy was won by Australia in 2009 and by the South African Ladies team in 2010. Fly Fish Australia, who are the event organisers, have received a great deal of support from the Tasmanian government, the business community, regional community organisations and local angling clubs and associations. We are extremely grateful to our key sponsors – namely the Tasmanian government through Events Tasmania and the Inland Fisheries Service, and the Country Club Casino, Launceston, along with the Meander Valley Council, Lark Distillery, Europcar, Southern Cross, Central Highlands Council, Brown Brothers, Amphibian, Essential Fly Fisher and Tasfish.com.
Untouched. Unspoilt. Unbelievable. In 1864, a handful of British trout was released into the Tasmanian wilderness. Their eggs had been carefully packed between layers of moss, crushed ice and charcoal and shipped from England aboard the Norfolk. These fish formed the foundation of Tasmania’s renowned wild trout fishery, and their direct descendants are now waiting for you to entice them onto your line. During the 2012 Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships, Tasmania gets the opportunity to showcase its world-class wild trout fishery – a fishery that offers premium fish, pristine waters, unspoilt environment and an unbelievable choice of fishing experiences.
www.ifs.tas.gov.au Trout Fish Tasmania – since 1864 www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish. IF0018-A5_Press.indd 1
Fishing News - Page 43 9/01/12 4:14 PM
Inland Fisheries News
RECREATIONAL SEA FISHERIES NEWS
The XV Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships
February/March 2012 Flathead Stocks get attention thanks to Fishwise – Your sea fishing licence fees at work!
F
lathead are the most commonly caught fish type taken by recreational fishers in Tasmania, accounting for around two-thirds of all fish by number.* There are several types of flathead caught in Tasmanian waters including: Southern Sand Flathead (Platycephalus bassensis) a.k.a. common flathead, slimy flathead, bay flathead;
Tiger Flathead (Neoplatycephalus richardsoni) a.k.a. king flathead; Southern Bluespotted Flathead (Platycephalus speculator) a.k.a. yank flathead, Castelnau’s flathead, deepwater flathead; Rock Flathead (Platycephalus laevigatus) a.k.a. grassy flathead, smooth flathead; and Dusky Flathead (Platycephalus fuscus). The species most commonly caught by recreational fishers is sand flathead and the commercial fishery mainly takes tiger flathead. Most flathead are caught by line fishing in estuarine and inshore waters off the east and southeast coast of Tasmania and catch estimates indicate that the recreational harvest is around 300 tonnes (about 1.1 million fish) per annum. This exceeds the commercial catch by a factor of at least five times.
What is happening with Flathead stocks? While there is no compelling evidence that stocks are being overfished, there has been concern over the years from recreational fishers that catch rates are declining or periodically drop off in some areas especially in certain areas or at specific times of the year. Many fish species undergo changes in catchability and in the absence of an on-going monitoring program (apart from periodic catch surveys), it’s not possible to determine whether sand flathead stocks are declining. IMAS (the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies) was recently successful in obtaining a Fishwise Community Grant to monitor flathead stocks, encouraged by the Department and the Recreational Fishery Advisory Committee (RecFAC). This was because flathead is the most popular fish taken by recreational fishers, they take a large portion of the total catch and also information on this scalefish species is limited. The impetus for this research is due to feedback from the fishing public. More information has been requested by the fishing community so they can be confident of the status of a fishing species that is highly prized by them. The research is paid for by Fishwise - a fund which puts your fishing licence fees to work.
Where will Flathead research be conducted? The research will take place in D’Entrecasteaux Channel, Frederick Henry and Norfolk Bays and Great Oyster Bay (collectively these regions account for about two-thirds of the total recreational catch of sand flathead) – over a period of three years. If a suitable technique is developed then a longer term monitoring program with additional areas may be considered. All flathead captured will be measured to help indicate the size structure in the population. A sample of fish in each area will be retained and the reproductive status and age determined. Fish not retained for biological examination will be tagged using t-bar tags and released. Tag recaptures will provide information about the movement of fish between areas and potentially reveal seasonal patterns in distribution, noting that acoustic tagging has provided preliminary evidence of some limited migration. IMAS are starting the research in 2012, so if you encounter a tagged fish please record the date of capture, tag number, size and catch location the details and call TAFI on 6227 7277 or email fish. tag@utas.edu.au. *Flathead research information provided by IMAS marine scientists Jeremy Lyle and Sean Tracey.
Responsible Fishing Tips for Flathead The rules relating to flathead are generous. We encourage fishers to set more conservative limits than required by the rules. Although the minimum size is 300 mm, responsible fishers should aim to retain only the larger size fish which give an increased meat recovery, and may then mean you do not need anywhere near your possession limit. The possession limit for all flathead species combined is 30. Don’t forget, it’s a limit, not a challenge! At times we hear reports of “Lizards” - large southern bluespot flathead and other flathead species. If you encounter these please remember the Fish for the Future message and only take enough for an immediate feed. Flathead have good survival rates when released, depending on hooks and fishing techniques used. Use circle and barbless hooks when possible to minimise hook damage. The use of a dehooker and landing nets will help you release the fish with minimal handling.
The Inland Fisheries Service is proud that Tasmania will host the XV Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships from 15-18 February. We have a unique wild trout fishery here and the fact that Tasmania was chosen for this prestigious international event, demonstrates the value of the State’s recreational inland fishery and its world class reputation. The interest amongst competitors – some of the world’s top fly fishers – has also been encouraging with 88 competitors in 16 teams from 13 countries. It will be the largest Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championship ever held. The event provides a rare, one-off media opportunity to promote the State’s wild trout fishery to a national and international audience. It will lead to positive exposure of the fishery, boost tourism and benefit the State’s economy.
Competitors Competitors, management and supporters from all over the world will focus on Tasmania in the lead up and during the competition. Teams of five anglers from Canada, Kiribati (Christmas Island), Australia, Singapore, South Africa, Malta, India, New Zealand, Isle of Man, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will descend on Tasmania for the event and for a period prior to acclimatise to the Tasmanian fishing conditions.
Competition Venues The competition will be held at five separate inland waters to test the range of fly fishing skills involved in angling from a boat, river and lake shore. The venues are the South Esk River, Arthurs Lake, Woods Lake, Little Pine Lagoon and Meander River. These waters will be the focus of activity during the competition from Practice Day, Wednesday 15 February to lunchtime on Saturday 18 February. The Service requests that regular anglers assist in making the event a success by giving way to competitors during the competition, and making these visitors feel welcome.
The Opening Ceremony The event includes a gala opening hosted by the Meander Valley Council in Deloraine on Wednesday 15 February at 4 pm. It begins with a public street parade of all the competitors in their country teams accompanied by local schools students carrying flags and a theme banner which they have created for each of the countries. The welcome ceremony for the teams includes a barbeque by the river and an official opening by the Governor of Tasmania.
Celebrity Fishing Event The Country Club Casino in Launceston is the central base for the teams during the competition and the venue for a celebrity fly fishing competition, Fly Fishing Expo, fly tying competition, and gala dinner on Saturday 18 February. The celebrity competition, a fun event for a few well known faces, will be held in the in the lakes in the grounds of the Country Club Casino in the morning.
The project aims to pilot a cost effective way to monitor flathead stocks over a three year period. A Need more information? monitoring regime will indicate whether populations Get a copy of the Recreational Sea Fishing Guide Fly Fishing Expo are declining or increasing and whether the flathead The fly fishing expo, also on the lawns in front of from Service Tasmania; population age structure is stable or not. It is the Country Club and open to the public, begins at 1 visit www.fishing.tas.gov.au; or subscribe online to important that the monitoring system is low cost, pm. It will include trout fishing information, fly fishing have fishing news information updates emailed. which would allow Fishwise to fund longer term equipment, demonstration of the age-old art of cane Ph 1300 720 647 (local call cost) or 03 6233 7042 monitoring for our most popular recreational fish. Fishing News - Page 44 www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.
rod building, fly casting demonstrations by expert caster and local trout fishing guide Peter Hayes, and a discussion forum with one of England’s best fly fishermen John Horsey. It will also include the Commonwealth Fly Tying Competition, which is the final formal event for the Commonwealth teams.
Expert Fly Fishing Advice and Promotion Tourism Tasmania, through its Visiting Journalist Program, has arranged for renowned British fly fishing expert, John Horsey along with Anglers World Holidays owner, Martin Founds to visit Tasmania during the Championships. In addition to their coverage of the competition, they will go trout fishing and saltwater fishing, participate in other tourist activities and visit tourist destinations around the State. They will be special guests at the Fly Fishing Expo, offering an international perspective on Tasmanian trout fishing and tips on the latest techniques used in the UK and Europe.
The Benefits to Tasmania Tasmania’s hosting of the Championships is a rare event, unlikely to happen again in the next 20 odd years, and the potential benefits to the State are significant. Firstly, there’s an immediate financial benefit for local businesses in regional and remote areas with an influx of visitors and also in angling licence sales to the Service. With 88 registered competitors, all needing to be licensed, the championships will generate over $4K in licence revenue alone - money that is spent directly on managing the fishery. Hosting the event provides an extremely valuable opportunity to promote Tasmania and its wild trout fishery, through media, almost for free, to a national and international audience. There are significant
benefits of this exposure and the interest generated through word of mouth amongst the international angling community. The number of international anglers visiting Tasmania to trout fish has declined over the past 5 years, dropping from 406 in 2006-7 to 265 in 2010-11. With increased exposure in Britain, Europe and USA through fishing and travel magazines and websites, Tasmania’s wild trout fishery is likely to attract increased interest amongst international anglers. In the long term, this may help to increase tourist visitor statistics and reinstate a higher rate of angling licence sales to overseas visitors.
Local Involvement The Service is keen to ensure that angling visitors and all the competitors in the Championships experience the best that the Tasmanian fishery has to offer, as well as the friendly hospitality that this State is renowned for. There are many local Tasmanian anglers who have volunteered to help run the event, and are involved as competition as controllers, bus drivers, boat keepers, catering staff etc. All interested anglers are invited to take particular interest in the competition and join in the event during the Opening at Deloraine on Wednesday 15 February and the Expo at the Country Club Casino on Saturday 18 February.
Support and sponsorship The Championship event has received fantastic support from the local community, angling clubs and associations, State and local government, industry and businesses. Trout fishing is one of the brand icons for Tasmanian tourism and the Tasmanian government has provided financial and in-kind support through Tourism Tasmania, Events Tasmania and the Inland Fisheries Service.
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Fly Fish Australia, who are the organisers of the Championships, has worked hard to obtain additional sponsorship to help run the event. The other major sponsor is Federal Hotels through the Tasmanian Country Club Casino in Launceston, followed by the Meander Valley Council, Europcar, Southern Cross Television, Central Highlands Council and the Lark Distillery, with minor sponsorship provided by Brown Brothers, Amphibian, Essential Fly Fisher and Tasfish.com. Protecting the fishery at Penstock Lagoon Penstock Lagoon is one of the few fly fishing only waters in Tasmania. It is relatively small and shallow with very little flow through since Hydro Tasmania ceased using Waddamana in 1993. It has experienced a range of water quality and fish recruitment problems since the hydro scheme closed. However, these issues have been successfully managed with Penstock Lagoon now one of the more popular fisheries in the State. Over the past 20 years, the popularity of the Penstock fishery has increased as water quality and the fishery have improved. There has been added interest as other major fisheries have declined due to drought and other problems. For instance, over the ten year period since 1990, the number of anglers fishing the lagoon each season has risen from an estimated 1,233 anglers in 1991 to 3,021 in 2011. Most waters in Tasmania are relatively lightly fished with some including Great Lake (7000 anglers), Arthurs Lake (8500 anglers), Lake Echo (1400 anglers) able to sustain significantly greater angling pressure than they currently experience. Penstock Lagoon, however with a surface area of only 1.4 km2 and a maximum depth of only 1.8 m, and which experiences very little flow through and flushing, is more susceptible to angling impacts. Intensive fishing by 3,000 anglers per season poses
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Fishing News - Page 45
In recent years, the Service has become concerned that Penstock is being over fished and exposed to an excessive number and a range of inappropriate boats and motors. Whilst there has been no definitive studies showing a decline in the health of the ecosystem or problems with water quality to date, the Service is taking a precautionary approach to the management of the Penstock fishery. It is seeking to restrict the use of petrol outboard motors on the lagoon to reduce the overall number of anglers, and the number and size of boats.
duns have been absent from the Cowpaddock area. Anglers are hoping that February will bring some good dun weather as happened in 2011 when big hatches occurred in the right conditions in Cowpaddock Bay. Midge fishing has been excellent on calm mornings. Anglers fishing with lures have had success around habitat structure on bright days. The lake level is dropping and boating anglers are reminded to keep an eye out for submerged trees. Little Pine and Penstock lagoons have been as popular as ever, both fishing well with Little Pine high and clear for this time of year. Anglers are reminded again about the 5 Knot speed limits on both waters. Inland Fisheries and Police will be handing out infringement notices, not cautions to those caught exceeding 5 knots. This also applies in Cowpaddock Bay, Arthurs Lake, north of the transmission lines.
The Service has promoted the use of electric outboards and rowing on Penstock Lagoon to anglers for the past two seasons in the Fishing Code. More recently, the Inland Fisheries Advisory Council has supported the exclusion of petrol outboard motors from the lagoon and the peak body representing anglers, Anglers Alliance Tasmania has also supported the move.
The IFS is concerned over the long term future of Penstock Lagoon. a significant risk to the lagoon ecosystem, water quality and the surrounding riparian zone. Penstock Lagoon is fished successfully from the shore and from boats with very intense boating activity coinciding with big dun hatches through the summer. The increasing number of anglers fishing the lagoon has meant that there are more anglers wading as well as fishing the lagoon in boats. Whilst the impact of wading anglers is limited to the lagoon fringe, boats have the potential to impact across the whole lagoon and as a consequence have become the focus of environmental concerns. The potential impacts from boating are physical disruption of the lake substrate and weed beds and the pollution from petrol outboard motors. Despite the lagoon being small and shallow, boats of up to 6 m with 150 hp motors are used as anglers move from the larger lakes nearby. Of further concern is the impact from older 2 stroke petrol outboards as they release a higher proportion of hydrocarbons and other pollutants into the lagoon.
The Nineteen Lagoons area of the Western Lakes Wilderness Fishery has seen large numbers of anglers when the sun shines and some excellent fish have been caught. Several waters are getting low and with the summer heat, anglers are reminded to play out fish as quickly as possible when planning to catch and release. Lake Augusta has fished very well this season and good bags of well conditioned brown and rainbow trout have been caught. Anglers are reminded of the 50km/hr speed limit on the Lake Augusta Road and that Tasmania Police will be enforcing this limit.
The Service is committed to consulting with interested anglers prior to making a final decision on this issue. Hence, a public meeting is planned to discuss the change to electric outboards only on Penstock Lagoon. The meeting will be held at the Miena Community Centre at 6.00pm on Saturday February 4 and all are welcome. Feedback from the angling community regarding fishery management issues is always encouraged by the Service and comments will be accepted at any time through regular communication channels.
Central Highlands Report Woods Lake is producing some nice quality fish with the size and condition on the improve. Duns have been hatching in the right conditions but only for short periods so it pays to be on the water for the day. A drizzly and mild day is what is needed to have a very good hatch. Arthurs Lake has seen spasmodic hatches of duns in the Lily Ponds and Seven Pound Bay but
Great Lake has been a mixed bag this season with plenty of skinny browns being caught as well as some better conditioned fish in deeper and more productive areas of the lake. The beetles have been non-existent so far but trollers are catching some excellent conditioned rainbow trout on lead lines. Dee Lagoon has had some beetles on it and the midge fishing has been excellent on calm mornings. Jassid hatches are likely towards the end of summer and start of autumn.
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matching the current State Government funding for the carp management program. This additional funding will enable increased fishing pressure on the remaining carp in Lake Sorell at a critical time in the population’s growth structure. The Service has already successfully eradicated carp from Lake Crescent. It will use the techniques and skills developed in more than a decade of the carp program, to ‘upsize’ the Lake Sorell program. The main aims are to prevent any further spawning and eradicate the carp from the remaining 2009 cohort before they mature.
The carp program has received a funding boost from the Federal Government.
Federal Funding for Carp Management The Federal Environment Minister, Tony Burke recently announced that the Inland Fisheries Service was successful in its application for funding through the Caring for our Country program. The amount of $820,000 will be received over two years,
This work is well underway. One adult female carp has been captured this summer and no spawning has been observed. Extensive barriers and intensive trapping appears to be working and along with targeted fishing, over 3000 sub-adult carp from the 2009 cohort have been removed. A ‘mark-recapture’ population estimate is underway and the results will provide a means of assessing progress towards ultimate eradication. The additional funding will also enable up to three boats to operate on the lake during peak weather conditions to assist in efficient carp removal.
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Fyke nets are just one of the tools being used for carp removal. The Service is committed to its goal of eradicating carp from Tasmania. It also recognises the unique values of Lake Sorell and is seeking to achieve the removal of carp to return the lake to its former status as one of the State’s premium recreational trout fisheries. has seen the model move quickly to one of the company’s top five sellers. “We are extremely proud of the 2150 Supercab’s achievements. From the day it was launched, it has been top in its class: first equal in its class at 2010s Hutchwilco Boat Show; awarded Boat of the Decade, Aluminium Trailer Boats, by New Zealand’s Trade-A-Boat; and now this,” says Stabicraft Marine Australasian Sales Manager, Sean McColl. All Stabicraft are built with fully sealed and pressure tested pontoons making them virtually unsinkable. McColl says safety has always been a big factor in all Stabicraft and it’s great to see the judges both noted the design and importantly felt confident and safe on board. “We pride ourselves on making safe, confidence inspiring boats, and what is even more special, these awards are given after putting the boat through its paces in its natural environment – out on the water. It was great to hear the judges felt confident and safe on the 2150.” “We are proud of our quality, construction, performance, design and safety. It’s fantastic to see the judges feel we are getting it right.”
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Fishing News - Page 47
Penguin Composites 2012 Lake Rosebery Challenge
T
he 2012 Penguin Composites Lake Rosebery Challenge was run and won on Saturday 14th of January 2012. The competition is in its second year and had some great improvements from its first year. The competition is a one day, individual competition, run on length of fish rather than weight. The major prize of $500 cash sponsored by Penguin Composites is won by the total combined length of fish for the day with twelve fish being the bag limit. The prize pool also includes many other prizes for; runner-ups, juniors, ladies, mystery lengths, longest individual fish and many more all made possible by our great sponsors. It’s a family friendly competition with all methods of fishing allowed, no need to own a boat and only a twenty dollar entry fee. With all the proceeds going to the Penguin Fisheries Club who help to run the competition on the day and do a great job. But let’s see how the 2012 Lake Rosebery Challenge went down. Around 35 anglers took to the water most making an early start between 5-6 a.m. with their minds set on the $500 and name on the trophy. They all put in a long day and spent most the day on the water, a lot of them not retiring to the bank until the finish time at 4.30pm. The weigh-in started and fish came flooding in. After an hour and a half of measuring and recording there were 82 fish written down and then it was out back to sort out the prizes.
went home with a Soft Plastics Combo sponsored by BigFin Sports fishing, East Devonport.
Overall Longest Length of Fish 3rd Place: Ethan Tirant Fishing out of the same boat as Mason Paull and his father and owner of the boat Leroy Tirant, Ethan Tirant aged 9 was up there with the big guns reeling in $50 cash for his 3rd Place win.
Longest Individual Fish: Leroy Tirant Leroy Tirant landed around twenty fish for the day alongside Mason and his son, but one was a cracker at 550mm and that bagged him the Longest Individual Fish and a pair of Spotter Sunglasses Sponsored by Tassie Tackle and Outdoor, Burnie.
Junior Longest Fish: Ethan Tirant One of the fish from Ethan’s impressive bag also snagged him the Junior Longest Fish and another $50 Cash, a very good day on the water for Ethan. We are asking for a big junior attendance next year and we all know how kids love to get in and have a crack at some fish and it’s always great to see them snag a prize at the end of it.
Ladies Longest Fish: Lisa Egglestone As always the womens competition is fiercely competitive and that drive bagged Lisa a good fish to take out the Ladies prize by a tight 25mm, but went home happy with her Assorted Wines Sponsored by Penguin Sports & Service Club. We would also like to see a lot more women down to this event, because as mentioned earlier it can get quite competitive!
Longest Brown Trout: Leroy Tirant Leroy also took out the longest brown with another cracker fish from a great day on the water and received a Mitchell Combo from Just Tackle, Upper Burnie.
Longest Rainbow Trout: Sheryl Thompson
Lisa Egglestone new boat ‘All Hers’ first outing was the Lake Rosebery Challenge. There was a brief presentation at around 6 p.m. before most our anglers sat down to a great meal from the Tullah Lakeside Lodge. Within this presentation we presented the following prizes.
Overall Longest Length of Fish 1st Place: Mason Paull Mason weighed in a full 12 fish bag to take home the $500 prize money sponsored by Penguin Composites. Those twelve fish coming in at a nice 5.310 metres, an impressive average of 445mm per fish.
Overall Longest Length of Fish 2nd Place: Shaun Viney After being on the water near the top two anglers for a few hours or so, it wasn’t hard to realise who was in the running for trophy. Shaun Viney however only just pipped by 150mm by Mason. Shaun Fishing News - Page 48
With only one Rainbow caught for the whole competition, Sheryl Thompson was the only person to turn to for this prize and went home happy with a pack valued at $100 from Independent Oils.
Longest Atlantic Salmon: N/A Although fairly heavily introduced around two years ago the 2012 Lake Rosebery Challenge didn’t weigh-in an Atlantic Salmon.
Mystery Length 1: Shaun Viney Mystery Length 2: Chris Fraser Mystery Length 3: Sheryl Thompson So well done to our lucky winners for 2012, and make no mistake the Lake Rosebery Challenge will be back in 2013 and will be bigger and better again. We ask for you to keep your eye out for the entry form for next year’s challenge around the end of the year and hope to see you down there. The Penguin Composites Lake Rosebery Challenge all anglers welcome.
Winners Ethan and Leroy Tirant.
Fishing Lake Roseberry with the winning team.
A
fter fishing and winning the tournament at Lake Rosebery a few weeks ago, I was asked by many ‘how we had fared so well’ on a lake many anglers find tough. In fact, Charles Thompson ex IFS officer commented that many locals believed the water to be void of fish. IFS have been stocking heavily to try and increase fish numbers. I can’t recall how many fish we landed that day, but it was well over 30 and 50 would be close. The smallest, a pound, the largest 4 pounds. Rosebery was a water we had never fished, but we had done a little research on and we have done very well on Burbury over the years. Fishing any lake that you know little about or trying to work out a pattern quickly on a lake you know is the same technique.
Start slowly Basically Mason Paull, my sone Ethan and I launched pre-dawn and idled with the boat barely in gear out into the lake with the Humminbird sounder on watching the screen intently. We were looking for baitfish. There was really no pattern to what we were doing we were simply trying to find what depth the bait was generally holding at. The plan was simple as it always is, whether it pays off everytime is a different story.
Find the food - and the fish Generally when you find good concentrations of bait you will find fish you then just have to entice them into eating your offering. As we motored on we started getting a pattern. The bait schools were holding close to the bottom although spasmodic in concentration. So we then tried different depths to find if they were favoring a drop off or a
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thermocline etc. After about going another 3-400 metres we found 15-20 ft was the depth the biggest bait schools were holding at and the closer we got to the points coming into the lake the more we found. So the plan was devised. We were going to fish plastics on the bottom at the required depth. Had the bait been higher in the water column we would have fished diving bibbed minnows around structured shores.
Get and electric We idled up an arm of the lake and switched the motor off coming to a gentle stop not far from rocks exposed off a bank dropping off into deeper water. A good a place as any to start we thought as I deployed the Minn Kota. Mason opened the account with Ethan not far behind, the action was pretty fast for the first few hours with us either catching, dropping or getting bites from fish. Mason stuck with a plastic that we knew was working and I kept changing trying different colors to see if anything else was turning them on. It’s a good idea to do this if there is more than one angler in the boat as fish can prefer one particular color on a given day as they did this day.
Watch the sounder As the morning wore on we had worked a stretch of a few hundred metres and the bite became more sporadic, so back to the sounder I went. I cannot state enough how important a sounder can be when locating and keeping on fish so hopefully if I sound like a broken record you might make an effort to learn to use yours properly. I use 2 sounders on my boat, a Humminbird 798 with side and down imaging at the console and a 788 at the bow of my boat. I prefer to use Humminbird exclusively as I believe with the higher pixel count they have a clearer resolution than other brands. I also find them very user friendly. And no I’m not sponsored by them so my opinion is unbiased.
Fish at the right depth Whilst watching the sounder Mason motored us on up the lake with the Minn Kota. I kept seeing bait and when I found fish marking off the schools we slowed and began methodically working that depth again. To do this ensure you use enough weight in your jig head to get down there and stay down there, oh and be prepared to loose gear. Just accept the fact that you will re-tie many rigs for the day. Mason and I continued to fish as Ethan who is eight had enough and was happy to watch the sounder and call fish everytime he saw arches. And as he did so, sure enough not long after one of us would hook up. By mid afternoon we’d had enough and called it a day.
your plastic off the bottom a metre or so it pays to watch your line on the water as fish will often pick up the plastic on the drop and you may not feel it but you will see the braid move or twitch on the surface slightly, that is also why most quality braids are highly visible in color. A rod length or two of fluorocarbon leader joined with a double uni knot or something similar completes your rig. Tie off to the jighead directly with no swivels or anti kinks etc.
What worked for us that day was simple and without the correct tools it is extremely difficult to fish effectively. Any anglers that fish plastics effectively will have an electric motor. I doubt I would bother fishing at all without my Minn Kota because it lets me hold position in just about any wind or current and being a bow mounted motor with a foot pedal I can easily steer around rocks or trees silently as we fish. I probably only do 50 hours a year on my main motor but my Minn Kota would do thousands. Being able to move position silently is a huge advantage in any form of fishing. A bow mounted electric motor is much easier to steer and operates more efficiently then a tiller steer electric on a transom of a boat. The size of the electric required for your boat will vary according to size but most boats will be okay with a 55lb 12volt unit running off a deep cycle battery of 100amp or more. A deep cycle battery is very important as a cranking battery will not hold up to being constantly charged and discharged. A set up like this will comfortably see you fish all day and probably most of the next without having to recharge you battery.
Braid is a must Fishing soft plastic lures with braid is also another definite must, I don’t care how good your mono is it cannot detect bites as good as braid or gelspun line can. And when fishing with lightly weighted jig heads it will cast further. Quite often when you’ve flicked
A plastic day So this day it was plastics that worked but if surface temperature was a bit cooler I have no doubt we would have caught fish on hard bodied diving minnows cast to the windward shores, it just shows to not waste your time on where the fish aren’t. Oh and for those that say you could troll leadlines in that depth to catch those fish I say I don’t think so Mason as we had boats trolling within metres of us most of the day and they didn’t catch them. I put it down to the fish being lethargic and not wanting to chase lures being pulled away from them where as a plastic was presented to them and fished slowly in front of them so it required no effort to eat it. Lake Rosebery is a fantastic fishery and I think the average angler would be very surprised what they could catch from there. The condition of the fish seems to always be good and fish are spread from one end of the lake to another offering angling opportunities in a wide array of methods. Although not huge good wind lanes can and do develop and the lake provides shallow bays, drop offs and shores that are picturesque to say the least. If you are not catching fish change what you are doing it’s that simple. Why troll a lure all day if the fish are on the bottom. IFS have done a fantastic job releasing
Paull looks happy with his catch for the day. copious amounts of rainbows into this water in the last couple of years with some incredible sized fish being caught by anglers in the know and by those that are just lucky. Sheryl Thompson caught a lovely fish of good couple of pounds whilst we were there. Lake Rosebery is an extensive body of water, but quite a lot of it can be covered in a good days angling. There is a good concrete ramp and enough facilities in Tullah at lakeside such as the lodge and take away shop to provide for any extras you may have left at home. Lake Rosebery is definitely an under utilized fishery with most anglers opting for MacIntosh or Burbury and they are simply driving past good fishing. Get a Minn Kota, use your sounder and slow down your fishing and you will catch them. Leroy Tirant
Tasmania 25k. Copyright © State of Tasmania,Base Data and Raster images from the LIST (www.thelist.tas.gov.au)
www.mem
TASMAP © State of Tasmania
Rosebery is an extensive lake, but the basics still apply. Get a good fish finder, an electric motor, be vigilant and flexible.
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Fishing News - Page 49
“We’ve played with boats all our lives and we know a trailer that’s incorrectly set-up for the boat makes launching and retrieving a nightmare – and even worse when you’re trying to do it on your own. “Our factory-fitted trailers have been customdesigned for each Bar Crusher model, ensuring a hassle-free experience at the ramp, so the addition of the Bar Catch system makes launching and retrieving a Bar Crusher boat even easier.”
Rapala X-Rap Magnum Rapala X-Rap Magnum deep divers have resulted in World Records around the globe. Well known as an Australian favourite when it comes to bluewater trolling, X-Rap Magnums are now available in famous skirted lure patterns – these lure patterns are found nowhere else in the world! Exclusive colours include Red Sardine and Petrolero; available in 20 & 30ft versions. The massive bib diving-lip takes the X-Rap Magnum deep... unassisted. Nothing to hinder the action, just pure Rapala attraction at 10-30 feet, dependent on lure size. These big-fish lures can be run up to 13 knots for game fish worldwide, and like all Rapala lures, they run perfect out of the box. Looks out for future expansions of this series and grab one of these exclusive colours now to secure your shot at a World Record!
Bar Crusher’s Bar Catch makes it easy Bar Crusher’s Bar Catch™ trailer system makes single-handed launching and retrieving a breeze. Constructed to a standard that’s as heavy-duty as the boats themselves, Bar Catch now comes standard on all factory-packaged trailers. Bar Crusher director Peter Cleland said the company had never lost sight of the fact that an exceptional trailerboat must perform on the water and at the ramp. “The reason people love Bar Crusher boats is because we never stop developing ways to make things easier for our customers,” Mr Cleland said.
To launch: the boat is driven back into the water and the winch strap is loosened, allowing the boat to slide back so it’s retained by the Bar Catch. The elastic strap is then moved to the rear position. When the skipper powers the boat forward slightly, the Bar Catch will be free to drop down and the boat can be reversed off the trailer. To retrieve: with the elastic strap attached to the rear of the Bar Catch, the skipper drives the boat onto the trailer so the hook eye on the front of the boat rides over the Bar Catch. The system automatically clicks into position, retaining the boat. Designed for use only when the trailer is backed into the water, Bar Catch is never to be used for towing. Remember – always ensure the safety chain and winch strap are secure before driving the boat/ trailer out of the water. Bar Crusher Boats – (03) 9792 2999 or visit: barcrusher.com.au
Revo® Premier™ Now available in a PRM40 size.
NOTHING CAN WIPE AWAY THAT
BOATING GRIN
The Abu Garcia Revo Premier now comes in a 40 size with a capacity of 175m of 6kg braid, 6kg of drag, 5.8:1 gear ratio and weighing in at only 227gm. Nanoshield technology delivers the lightweight properties of graphite but with the strength of an all metal body, the Revo® Premier™ provides the best of both worlds in a one-of-kind package. The Abu Garcia Revo Premier Spinning Reel makes liberal use of Abu Garcia’s revolutionary NanoShield technology to create a protective exoskeleton that’s up to 300% stronger than graphite and up to 50% lighter than aluminum! For example the NanoShield spool, is lightweight, corrosion resistant and up to 50% lighter than a comparable aluminum spool and the NanoShield reel stem is up to 300% stronger than a comparable graphite stem, without the added weight of aluminum. Additional performance features include 11 HPCR bearing system a sealed Carbon Matrix drag and an Everlast bail. The Abu Garcia Revo Premier Spinning Reel also features a rugged, one-piece gearbox which allows the reel’s design to be much more compact while reducing its overall weight. FEATURES 11 HPCR Bearings (with Instant AntiReverse) Nano Shielded Body and Spool Sealed Carbon Matrix Drag One Piece Aluminum Gear Box Everlast Bail System Slow Oscillation Stainless Steel Mainshaft and Hardware
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RRP$350
Shimano Aernos FA Threadline The new Aernos FA packs a ‘reel’ punch for not too many dollars. At its heart is an ultra-efficient drive train, super-fine tolerances on every part, and a superior line lay. Coupled with a Varispeed oscillating cam, braided lines lay neatly on the spool, with no hills or valleys, and therefore no wind-knots when casting.
Rapala Tactical Bag The ultimate in travel accessories, Rapala’s Tactical Bag, ideal for extended trips on foot. This daypack comes with an attachable chest pack that can be connected or disconnected as you see fit, allowing ease-of-access to the items needed on a regular basis, whilst keeping the bulkier items (such as lunch) within the back daypack compartment. The Daypack accommodated two 3700 size Rapala tackle boxes next to a water-resistant compartment suited to a hydration pack. The lightweight design is comfortable enough to carry all day thanks to its ergonomic shoulder strap, and the pack also features a whistle for attracting attention. The front Chest Pack attaches easily to the Daypack and features a tray-style front pocket with a spiral retractor for easy attachment of accessories. A removable hook-pad allows quick and easy storage of lures/flies, whilst the addition of smaller pockets allows trinkets and other loose objects to be safely housed away.
The body and Dyna Balanced rotor are made from Shimano’s exclusive XT7 material. Shimano has made good use of XT7 over the years, in situations where strength cannot be compromised in the search for lightness. This makes the three reels in the line-up — the 1000FA, 2500FA and 4000FA — perfect for long casting sessions on anything from flathead and bream right up to barra and snapper. Line capacities are extremely generous, especially if you spool them up with Power Pro Braid, and the CF cold forged spool features Shimano’s AR-C spool lip line management system for improved casting distance and accuracy.
a good sounding board for marine dealers in all aspects of their business. “Each of Honda Marine’s territory managers has a long-term, personal interest in boats, which signifies a very strong and experienced management team,” Mr Johnson said. “When not out on the road visiting our dealers or attending boat shows, these people are out on the water fishing, skiing and, in Andrew’s case, saving lives of recreational boaters. “The team’s experience in all facets of boating, both on and off the water, has built solid confidence among Honda Marine’s national dealer network, which is backed-up by a premium outboard range spanning 2.3hp to 250hp.
Inside, there are five A-RB bearings and one roller bearing, the gears are zinc die-cast for long life and smooth operation, and Super Stopper II’s oversize roller clutch bearing provides positive anti-reverse. A spare spool, also featuring the AR-C cast management system, is included. And finally, while it matters little to the fish, the gunmetal body, black and red drilled spool, and EVA handle knob look extremely cool. If appearances make you want to get out there and use your Aernos FA more often, then so much the better!
Honda Marine appoints VIC/TAS territory manager Honda Australia has appointed Andrew Wenzel as the marine division’s new VIC/TAS Territory Manager. A keen boater and member of the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard (Victorian Squadron), Andrew has a solid background in sales and management. His experience spans both the marine and automotive industries.
Berkley 4 Inch Gulp Swimmo Developed in Australia by request from the Pro Team for a slow rolling minnow shaped Gulp. The Swimmo combines the deadly Gulp Minnow profile with a swimming paddle tail. The Swimmo’s tail gets wagging at the slowest of retrieve speeds, a great slow presentation with an irresistibly enticing action and that Gulp! scent. Testing has proven the Swimmo effective a wide range of species including bream, flathead, bass and trout. Available in 6 proven colours and packaged in trays for a straight tail, every time. RRP $11.95 PUREFISHING.COM.AU
Honda Australia marine manager Robert Johnson said Andrew’s well-rounded skills would provide
Power Pro Super 8 Slick Braided Line For performance fishing situations, it’s hard to go past Power Pro Super Slick braid. Innovative Textiles’ Enhanced Body Technology or EBT means this eight-carrier braid is rounder in crosssection than other braids, so it maintains its shape and packs better onto a reel spool. With less resistance when coming off, it also casts better. Run some Super 8 Slick through your fingers and you’ll find it lacks the coarse feel of other braids, which means it’s noticeably quieter when travelling through the rod guides. This smoothness also translates into increased sensitivity to pick up contact with snags and the often-subtle taps from shy or half-hearted fish. Power Pro Super Slick is available in high-vis yellow or a more subdued Aqua Green in 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40 pound breaking strains on 150 yard spools, and 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 65 and 80 pound on 300 and 1500 yard bulk spools.
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Fishing News - Page 51
that completely composts. Other lines in the range include the Trout Taper, and the Powertaper which comes in at a half-line heavier to load modern fast action rods, and lead to easier short-line casts. Rrp from $89.95, available from FlyShop 1864, 45 Cameron Street, Launceston www.flyshop1864.com.au E-Mail info@flyshop1864.com.au
Rapala Touch Screen Scale The Rapala Touch Screen Scale adds ease and convenience to weighing and tracking your catch. The large digital scale is packed with features, yet intuitive in use. Displaying weight in lbs./oz., decimal lbs. or kg., easily record and determine the position of current catch in your weight total. Simply hang your catch from the heavyduty composite clamp, or included stainless steel hook to view weight. Tap on one of eight storage locations to enter fish into memory and add to total catch weight.
Engine manufacturers pro-actively cutting emissions Australia’s marine industry is rapidly moving itself into a lower emission future, according to new figures gathered by the Outboard Engine Distributors Association (OEDA). The figures show the industry is acting unilaterally to reduce emissions across the board, even as the Federal Government continues to consider legislative action.
Two models available; 25kg Angler model, and the 7kg Tournament model. 7kg Tournament model features a 7kg digital scale, plus an eight-piece culling system that allows easy management of your catch. Quickly record and determine the position of current catch in your weight total. Culling system permits easy identification of fish to be releases for maximum total weight. Includes storage bag with sewn in instructions. Runs up to 400 hours on 2x AA batteries (not included). Back-up memory retains stored data if battery power is lost.
NEW 2012 range of Orvis Hydros flylines New to FlyShop 1864 is the 2012 range of Orvis Hydros flylines. Orvis’ Wonderline was a top seller in the USA for the past decade, and building on this success, the Hydros range has been built to maximise the latest technology in flotation and shootability. The new flagship line is the Orvis Hydros 3D, which features a textured coating to add more distance and increased durability to your cast and line (and it won’t cut your fingers), a highfloat tip, sleeker and stronger welded loops than the competitors, and the line ID printed on the line itself. The packaging of the Hydros line range has also gone green, with a recycled cardboard spool
“The fact is that OEDA members - which are the only companies that produce all available outboard technologies of conventional 2 stroke, 2 stroke Direct Injection and 4 stroke engines - have released 56 new generation engines over the past two years,” said OEDA’s Executive Officer, Lindsay R Grenfell.
20
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Fishing News - Page 52
“It’s obvious there’s no simple answer to this situation, so at OEDA we’re not surprised it is taking the Government longer than it initially expected to work through all the various pros and cons,” Lindsay said. “As the organisation which represents approximately 70% of all outboard sales and 70% of outboard dealerships across Australia, we’re always happy to work with the Government and provide any help we can to ensure the best outcome for the entire industry and all our customers.” For further comment - Lindsay R Grenfell, Executive Officer OEDA www.oeda.com.au
The engines range from 2 hp through to 300 hp models and more are on the way. “These are all either 4 stroke or 2 stroke Direct Injection engines, and they all meet the stringent requirements for 3 Star VELS rating because of their ULTRA-LOW emissions,” Lindsay said. “It really is a case of customers and industry working hand in hand. Boat owners want to do the right thing by the environment and the major manufacturers – Mercury, Yamaha and Tohatsu – are using their technical excellence to deliver engines which blend high performance and low emissions.” OEDA developed and launched the VELS (Voluntary Emissions Labelling Scheme) five years ago to encourage consumers to make informed decisions regarding the engines they buy.
Berkley 3B Walking Stick The 3B range now has a suspending minnow shape in the form of the 3B Walking Stick. Available in 50 and 70mm sizes the Walking Stick is fitted with quality Owner rings and trebles. Designed to be twitched and paused on retrieve, the Walking Stick comes in 8 howling colours. RRP $13.95 PUREFISHING.COM.AU
“OEDA members have always supported the push to increase the use of low emission engines, and this wave of new engines is the proof,” Lindsay said. “While there will always be applications which require conventional 2 stroke engines, new
Protects you from the sun, makes you sexy and you will catch more fish
GROPERS are a stretchy tubular bandana that magically attracts fish and the opposite sex, prevents sunburn, the cold and makes an emergency stubbie holder. You can clean your glasses, hold a fish and use it for a spare fanbelt. Not only that — as well as attracting fish, once they get close GROPERS makes you both invisible and invincible. It will improve your casting and when you catch the fish it will help you land it, and you can look
12 ways to use your GROPER Bandana
Pull inside out, put on your head and rotate and then pull down over head.
Multifunctional Microfibre Textile Tube
In its response to the Environment Protection and Heritage Council’s RIS on reducing emissions from marine engines, OEDA was clear in its support for a low emission future, but also argued that any legislative change to support such a push must be introduced in a fair and equitable manner which causes the least amount of disruption to customers, the dealer network and other small businesses dependant on the industry.
“That’s about one a fortnight.”
GROPERS $
generation low emission engines are the way of the future and OEDA members are proudly leading the way.”
CAP
SCARF
HEADBAND
BLINDFOLD PROTECTOR BUG STOPPER SCRUNCHIE HEADBAND DESERT CAP
Pull inside out, rotate an overhand knot.
PIRATE CAP BALACLAVA WRIST BAND
like a pirate doing it .........aaarh that’s they way. There is no end to what a Groper can do for you. There are over 20 different designs, including the two pictured. Buy the multi-coloured fish job if you want it to do ALL of the above. Available at www.tasfish.com or at your tackle store. - They can order them from
Stevens Publishing if they don’t have them.
P.S. There might be some of the above a GROPER may not do for you.....
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If you are building or renovating Rapidbuilt will ensure it’s easy and the best value for money you will find Building Deciding to build your own home or investment property can be a daunting experience, however with the right advice it doesn’t need to be that way. At Rapidbuilt we are here to help every step of the way with as much guidance and advice as you need.
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Don’t think of our kits as kit homes. You can choose from one of our standard plans or we can manufacture to your own design. Rapidbuilt offers you the ability to change any design to suit your lifestyle and budget. Our building system enables you to have the home that you have always wanted, the way that you had imagined it. Designed to be built on a concrete slab or if you prefer a bearer and joist construction with an optional floor kit, our homes are suitable for the majority of sites. Rapidbuilt plans are easy to adapt and modify so that you end up with a home that suits you, your family, your lifestyle, your block and your pocket. tensile You can choose either High high tensile Steel or timber framing. When steel or timber framing. When Steel, Rapidbuilt Rapidbuilt use use building in steel, only high tensile 100% Australian TRUECORE steel so that we can provide you with the BlueScope Steel warranty of 50 years on your frame. Peace of mind comes from knowing you have a frame that has strength, stability and has been certified by a structural engineer. Our frames are fabricated into readily assembled sections. They are notched and bent to allow intersection of the components and punched to provide holes for electrical wiring and plumbing services. All of this makes construction for you quick and very easy. You can choose to build yourself as an owner builder; with a little help from us; with your own builder or we can look after your home from start to finish. The choice is completely yours. We have many plans on display in our two offices - in Launceston and Devonport, along with many of our standard products that you will find in your home.
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Fishing News - Page 53
Fishing and Boating Directory Advertise here for $77. Contact Mike Stevens 0418 129949
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Top Service – Top Price Fishing News - Page 54
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Gone Fishing Charters St Helens Michael Haley 0419 353 041 mhaleycharters@bigpond.com www.breamfishing.com.au
Fishing and Boating Directory
Experience: You Advertise here for $77. Contact Mike Stevens 0418 129949 obviously need strong paddling skills including a reliable brace and Eskimo roll, and a good handle on how sea conditions are influenced by the wind, tides and currents. Offshore from the Tasman Peninsula is not a place for novice kayakers. OKUMA TITUS GOLD 15S $330.00 Safety gear: A 20S $350.00 marine VHF radio is especially handy, and I routinely car r y an EPIRB, flares, whistle, SHIMANO TLD50 FULL ROLLER 24KG ROD paddle float, strobe light $575.00 (for my own epileptic marine disco), map, compass and a GPS. I barely ever use them, but its comforting to know they are all there. Fishing gear: A handline is much cheaper SHIMANO TYRONU S 50 than a rod and reel and ROLLER TIP 37KG ROD seems to work fine for $779.95 this type of game fishing A dream fulfilled and thankful to be on hard ground again. BULK MONO LINE providing you have a PRICE PER METRE Handline trolling for bluefin from a kayak is not easy, but is way to securely attach it, 10KG $0.04 achievable as the author shows. 15KG $0.06 and plenty of line (I use 24KG $0.08 Endurance: You might need to stockpile some patience, about 300m of 37 kilo mono). Don’t forget your gloves. Include 37KG $0.10 a couple of lures that swim well at kayaking speeds, ideally fitted since the reality is you’ll be slow and with only one lure out STORMY SEAS YES!! WE CAN with long heavy mono traces. A gaff, knife and club to pacify your chances are low compared to other boats. But when MARINA WET SPOOL YOUR the fish are all potentially useful. You’ll need plenty of water your time finally arrives.... its hard to imagine any other WEATHER SET REELS FOR YOU fishing experience coming close. Best of luck out there. and high energy food to keep paddling for hours. $39.90 Bluefin tuna from a kayak, it is indeed possible. JACKET & PANTS Nick Gust AAA Rating
Outboard Servicing
Mobile service, saves you time, money and convenience. • Servicing greater Launceston, east, northeast coast and central highlands. • Latest computer diagnostic equipment to suit most models. • Quality work guaranteed. Grant Garwood: 0428 382 130. Email: ggarwood1@hotmail.com
GAME www.sportsfishtasmania.com FISHING Tasmania’s huge online S forums, ECIALwith SPwebsite fishing ASE SCOOP PURCH
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Stay and Fish the Peninsula - Advertorial Feature
STORMY ZIP OUT SLEEVE JACKET NETT PRICE
$305.00 HOT PRICE SURE CATCH ALUMINIUM GIMBAL BELT
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Tasmanian maps for any
380 Pirates Bay Drive Eaglehawk Neck Toll free 1800 639 532 (03) 6250 3262 www.lufrahotel.com or lufrareception@bigpond.com
The Lufra - close to all the (fishing) action
It is no exaggeration to say the Tasman Peninsula is truly remarkable with possibly the best sport fishing, highest sea cliffs, outstanding diving in giant underwater kelp forests, renowned fine food producers, Australia’s leading convict site and some of country’s best bush walks. Situated at Eaglehawk Neck, and just one hour from Hobart, The Lufra provides relaxed affordable accommodation close to Port Arthur and natural attractions and is ideally located as the base for you to enjoy many activities, sitting as it does at the narrow isthmus which connects the Forestier and Tasman Peninsulas. Visit the Lufra and you’ll share more than a stunning view because the area abounds in many attractions — both natural and made-made — all within easy driving or walking distance. Close to the hotel are several amazing rock formations and attractions - The Blowhole, Tasman Arch, the Devil’s
CENT SM RA L ALL BAIT TASMA BOARD N I $3 A 9.90
ROD HOLDER OR RAIL MOUNT AVAILABLE
Kitchen and the Tessellated (or tiled) Pavement. You will be impressed by the drama of these geological wonders, sculpted by Mother Nature over millions HEAVY DUTY of years. Map a nd GAFF Angli A mere 15 minutes south by car the history of LAR 0 ng T GE BAI $129.0 N o BOA RD tes Tasmania’s convict past comes alive at the former $99.90 1.8 METRE penal settlement of Port Arthur and other historical sites on the Tasman Peninsula. Nearby you can also indulge in sports and pastimes like deep sea fishing, surfing, and bushwalking, or TASMAP’s Central Tasmania Map and Angling Notes visit other nearby attractions like wildlife parks and is an invaluable guide to the world class trout fishing in the $59 pp twin share incl. wineries. HALCO LAZER PRO 190 thousands of lakes and tarns located throughout the region. .90 $18 The Lufra Hotel offers comfortable accommodation continental breakfast or in a range of rooms and self-catering units as well as a It covers most of the Central Plateau, shows all of the lakes, $65 pp with hotrooms” breakfast. limited number of “fishermen’s at very affordable how to get there along with launching facilities, accommodation, camping and caravan areas, fuel supplies and RAP services. ALA X-RAP 30 rates. .95 · 66 Stylish Additional car parkingRooms development allows substantial The reverse side features detailed notes and maps$34 covering car and· boat parking. Our licensed restaurant and bistro the prime fishing lakes. The notes are packed with valuable CBD Location restaurant are complemented by a games/recreation information on regulations, fish types and the KILL ER VIBE 160 best fishing Affordable Rates $22.90 room, ·TV/lounge area with open fireplace, café/coffee locations and methods. shop and two bars. · Conference Rooms It is available online, along with TASMAP’s Australian aviation pioneer tourism entrepreneur · FREE Parking · and FREE Movies DEMON IDIA full range of maps, books and historicMER charts, at:N.95 Sir Reginald Ansett is reputed to have described the Lufra $39 · FREE Fitness Hotel as “the hotel with theRoom best view in the world.” No wonder· there has been an accommodation house on Wireless Broadband 6-8 WEST TAMAR ROAD, LAUNCESTON, TASMANIA 7250 the same site for more thanon 150 years. Maps may also be purchased from Service Tasmania PHONE (03) 6331 6188 FAX (03) 63342681 · Three Steps GeorgeThe Lufra Hotel Phoneoutlets & Mailand Orders TASMAP agents statewide. welcomed We accept... Bar - Restaurant 380Heritage Pirates Bay Drive FREE Outside our waterfront Eaglehawk Neck www.colonialinn.com.au TRADING URS PARKING boating and fishing store. HO Toll free 1800 639 532 (03) 6250 3262 MON TO FRI 8AM TO 5.30 PM SAT MORNING 8AM TO 12.30PM www.lufrahotel.com or info@lufrahotel.com Depar tment of CLOSED SUN. & PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
A DV E N T U R E
TAMAR MARINE TOP 4 SELLING BLUEFIN LURES
www.tasmap.tas.gov.au
in store
Ph: 6331 6588
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