BNB Fishing mag | Mar 2019

Mixed bags in transition time

$

4

50 Includes GST

March 2019 Print Post Approved PP100001534 Volume 30, Number 3

Moreton Bay magic Bitten by the jack bug Flathead still firing Brilliant barra action

Sportfishing fun on Gold Coast Mackerel up and down the coast Murray-Darling fish kill catastrophe Caravanning adventures through inland Australia Proudly produced and printed in Australia

ISSN 1832-4517

03

9 771832 451001

Estuary • Offshore • Freshwater • 4WD • Camping • Kayaking

M WHY CRUISE CRAFT? AU A US SS SIEE BUI UILLTT - SIN INC CEE 194 946 FO OAM AM FILLE ILLEED - STTRO IL RONGER NGER NG ER, R, QU QUIE IEETEER R,, SAF AFER FER R CO OM MPPLE PLE LETEE COM OMPO POS POSI SIITE T CON NST STRU TR RU UCTIO CTTIO ON - NO NO WOO OOD! OOD! D ZZEER RO O TOW WIN NG RE R STRI STRI ST RICT RICT CTIONS IO ONS S - NOT OT OVE VERW RWID WIID DTH H!

STANDARD INCLUSIONS YAMAHA F150XB FOUR STROKE (MAX 200HP) CUSTOM CRUISE CRAFT TRAILER 210LTR FUEL WITH DUAL FILLERS (OPT 250LTR) HYDRAULIC STEERING BUILT IN 3 DRAWER TACKLE BOX

OVER 700 LTRS OF STORAGE FIRE EXTINGUISHER, EPIRB & VHF RADIO DUAL BATTERY SYSTEM WITH VSR SELF DRAINING FLOOR 4 X CLEATS & 4 X ROD HOLDERS

www.cruisecraft.com.au

) ) +3 6$/( 21 12: 35,&(6 %(/2: QUINTREX Q UINTREX 4 420 20 2 0 RENEGADE RENEGADE SC SC

(A) INDICATIVE

$21,490!

P/W*: $107 • F40HP YAMAHA 4-STROKE • LIVE BAIT TANK • ALLOY TRAILER

• REAR STEP • PLENTY OF STORAGE • MOST POPULAR BOAT IN AUSTRALIA!

QUINTREX Q UINTREX 5 510 10 S SEASPIRIT EASPIRIT

(E) INDICATIVE

$45,990!

P/W*: $228 • TRANSOM DOOR • F90HP YAMAHA • LOWRANCE GPS/ 4-STROKE • BIMINI WITH FRONT/ SOUNDER COMBO SIDE CLEARS

BAYSPORT B AYSPORT 5 545 45 WEEKENDER WEEKENDER

(I) INDICATIVE

$52,990!

P/W*: $263 • ANCHOR WINCH • F90HP YAMAHA • COMPREHENSIVE 4-STROKE ELECTRONICS! • FULL CAMPER • WAS $54,990!

COVERS 10.15% PA INDICATIVE INTEREST RATE*

QUINTREX Q UINTREX 460 46 60 0 RENEGADE RENEGADE SC SC

(B) INDICATIVE

$30,990!

P/W*: $154 • ALLOY TRAILER • F70HP YAMAHA • HEAPS OF STORAGE 4-STROKE • CUSTOM BLUE SIDES SPACE • 1-OFF DEAL! • LIVE BAIT TANK

QUINTREX Q UINTREX 420 420 BUSTA BUSTA

(F) INDICATIVE

P/W*: $49 • 30HP YAMAHA 2-STROKE • SAFETY GEAR • REGISTERED

$9,590!

• ALLOY TRAILER • AMAZING PERFORMANCE WITH THE BLADE HULL!

BAYSPORT B AYSPORT 5 585 85 FISHERMAN FISHERMAN

(J) INDICATIVE

$56,590!

599 5 99 9 9P POLYCRAFT OLYCRAFT F FRONTIER RONTIER

(C) INDICATIVE

$59,990!

P/W*: $296 • F150HP YAMAHA • GARMIN GPS/ SOUNDER COMBO 4-STROKE • PRICE REDUCED • BIMINI FROM $62,990! • ROD RACK

QUINTREX Q UINTREX U INTREX 420 420 EXPLORER EXPLORER T SC SC

(G) INDICATIVE

$21,790!

P/W*: $109 • F40HP YAMAHA 4-STROKE • BLACK SIDES • SIDE CONSOLE

• ALLOY TRAILER • MASSIVE CAST DECKS • LOTS OF STORAGE!

BA AYSPORT YSPORT 6 640 40 WEEKENDER WEEKENDER

(K) INDICATIVE

$74,990!

QUINTREX Q UINTREX 530 53 30 0 FFREESTYLER REESTYLER

(D) INDICATIVE

$58,990!

P/W*: $292 • F115HP YAMAHA • HYDRAULIC STEERING • BIMINI TOP 4-STROKE • AMAZING OFFSHORE • BLUE PAINT • TRANSOM DOOR PERFORMANCE!

QUINTREX Q UINTREX 6 650 50 TRIDENT TRIDENT H HT T

(H) INDICATIVE

$85,990!

P/W*: $425 • F200HP YAMAHA • BOAT LATCH • HARDCORE FISHING 4-STROKE WEAPON! • BLACK SIDES • CUSTOM CLEARS • WAS $90,990!

YELLOWFIN Y ELLOWFIN 6 6500 500

(L) INDICATIVE

$74,980!

P/W*: $280 P/W*: $372 P/W*: $372 • QUALITY • LIVE BAIT TANK • SINK/FRESH WATER • F115HP YAMAHA • F150 YAMAHA • F150HP YAMAHA ELECTRONICS • DECK WASH • ANCHOR WINCH 4-STROKE 4-STROKE 4-STROKE • QUALITY ELECTRONICS • ROCKET LAUNCHERS • TRUE 6MM PLATE! • BIMINI WITH CLEARS • BAIT BOARD • FULL CAMPER • WAS $58,990! • MUCH MORE INC! • WAS $76,990! • ANCHOR WINCH • BIMINI & CLEARS COVERS / 11.58% PA INDICATIVE INTEREST RATE* DISCLAIMER: *REPAYMENT AMOUNT SHOWN IS THE WEEKLY EQUIVALENT OF A MONTHLY INSTALMENT OF

(A)$107 (B)$154 (C)$296 (D)$292 (E)$228 (F)$49 (G)$109 (H)$425 (I)$263 (J)$280 (K)$372 (L)$372 AT A DRIVE AWAY PRICE OF (A)$21,490 (B)$30,990 (C)$59,990 (D)$58,990 (E)$45,990 (F)$9,590 (G)$21,790 (H)$85,990 (I)$52,990 (J)$56,590 (K)$74,990 (L)$7498. IT IS INDICATIVE ONLY AND IS CALCULATED BASED ON AN INTEREST RATE OF 10.15% P.A. (COMPARISON RATE 11.58% P.A.), AND 60 MONTHLY INSTALMENTS AND AN APPLICATION FEE OF $395.

INTEREST RATE USED IS BASED ON AN AVERAGE INDIVIDUAL CREDIT RATING AND MEETING MANDATORY CREDIT CRITERIA. REPAYMENTS AND INTEREST RATE MAY VARY DEPENDING ON YOUR INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES, FINANCIAL POSITION, CREDIT RATING, INFORMATION PROVIDED, LOAN AMOUNT AND LOAN TERM. OFFER AVAILABLE TO PRIVATE BUYERS ONLY WHILE STOCKS LAST. COMPARISON RATE IS BASED ON A 5 YEAR SECURED FIXED RATE CONSUMER LOAN OF $30,000. WARNING: THIS COMPARISON RATE IS TRUE ONLY FOR THE EXAMPLES GIVEN AND MAY NOT INCLUDE ALL FEES AND CHARGES. DIFFERENT TERMS, FEES OR OTHER LOAN AMOUNTS MIGHT TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY. YAMAHA MOTOR FINANCE AUSTRALIA PTY. LTD. ABN 29 101 928 670. AUSTRALIAN CREDIT LICENCE 394553.

RESULT IN A DIFFERENT COMPARISON RATE. CREDIT CRITERIA,, FEES FFEES, EES,, CHARGES, C CHARGE

) ) +3 6$/( 21 12: ),77(' 35,&(6

) 60+$ ) 0+$ $ $ ) /0+$ ) ) /0 /0+$ +$ $

) 60+$ ) ) +$ +$ $ ) ) /0+$ /0+$ +$ $

) ) /0+& /0+ +&

) 7 ) 7,//(5 7,//(5

) 6$ 6$ 6$ $ ) 7,//(5 ) 7 7,//(5

) ) 7,//(5 7 7,//(5

SALE PRICE!

SALE PRICE!

SALE PRICE!

SALE PRICE!

SALE PRICE!

SALE PRICE!

) /$ ) ) ) ;$ ;$ ; ;$ SALE PRICE!

) ; ) ; ;%

SALE PRICE!

Repower CASH FOR LATE for Less! MODEL BOATS!

CALL OUR BUSINESS MANAGER N ER BILL LL C CATLIN IN NOW FOR ALL FINANCE NEEDS: 0417 632 479

Insure with YMI for your peace of mind!

(HULL YEAR 2000 AND ONWARDS ONLY) BOAT VALUATIONS - CALL PETER: 0466 214 804

CALL NOW

3888 1727

BRUCE HWY,(174 BURPENGARY EASTERN SERVICE RD) BRISBANEYAMAHA.com.au www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 1

2-Stroke 2019 Runout!

THE FINAL N COUNTDOW e k o r t S 2 w Ne s d r a o b t u O

!

9 1 0 2 e n u J l i t n u e l b a l i a v a y l ilability On range and ava l e d o m ll fu r Dealer fo Contact

BAYSIDE Capalaba Boat Centre Shed 8 100 Beveridge Rd, Thornlands 0411 728 379

BRISBANE NORTH Redcliffe Marine 199A Elizabeth Ave, Clontarf redcliffemarine.com.au 07 3284 8039

ROCKHAMPTON Rockhampton Marine 289 Campbell St, Rockhampton rockymarine.com.au 07 4819 1181

BRISBANE Neptune Marine Unit 1/3361 Pacific Hwy, Slacks Creek neptunemarine.com.au 07 3290 6370

GOLD COAST NORTH Mainstream Marine Shed L1 Horizon Shores Marina Cabbage Tree Point Rd, Woongoolba mainstreammarine.com.au 07 5546 2280

SUNSHINE COAST Port O Call Boating 29 Production Ave, Warana marinecenter.com.au 07 5493 2255

Page 2 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

TOWNSVILLE B & M Outboard Repairs 35 Civil Rd, Garbutt 07 4779 6569

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Inside this month Pelagics

Gold Coast

P35

P22

Estuaries

P54

in the churches.

About the only event that would be equivalent would be the loss of the Great Barrier Reef!

What’s ironic, given the latest reports, is that these two iconic environmental ‘mega organisms’ would now appear to be in decline simultaneously.

Such a realisation should be ringing alarm bells in environmental and political circles, yet all that seems to be happening is based around blame shifting and political denial.

What sort of an environment department, be

OUR COVER

TANE FANNIN caught this 92cm jewfish in southern Moreton Bay on a slow-rolled 4” paddle tail soft plastic rigged with a 1/2oz jig head. For more on southern Moreton Bay, check out SEAN CONLON’s article, Page 12.

Ben Collins Daniel Tomlinson Ben Collins, Gabi McCaig Jo Hendley

Phone (07) 3286 1833 Fax (07) 3821 2637 Email: ben@bnbfishing.com.au Internet: www.bnbfishing.com.au PO Box 387, Cleveland, Qld 4163 Unit 2, 39 Enterprise Street, Cleveland, Qld 4163 AFTA PRINTER: Rural Press DISTRIBUTION BY: Fairfax Max. recommended retail price $4.50 (includes GST).

CORRESPONDENTS: Editorial contributions are welcome, as is news from clubs, associations, or individuals; and new product news from manufacturers. Entire contents copyright. Nothing may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. It is the responsibility of advertisers to ensure the correctness of their claims and statements. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher.

G IN

FISH ING ’S

E TUR FU

A

LI

☛ continued P4

EDITOR: SUBEDITOR: ADVERTISING: PRODUCTION:

RA

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ‘n Beach Fishing magazine is published monthly by Collins Media Pty Ltd ABN 43 159 051 500 ACN 159 051 500 trading as Collins Media.

AUST

APRIL edition will be on sale in newsagents from March 26. See subscription form on Page 68 to go in the draw to win an Evakool 47-litre fibreglass icebox valued at $389.

it state or commonwealthcentred, would allow its two greatest assets to be presenting in very unhealthy states?

Obviously, the answer is one that is extremely poorly managed.

Political interference has turned these bodies into toothless tigers!

If you take the time to delve into the history of the Murray-Darling system, it quickly becomes obvious that what is currently happening has been predicted for a long time; decades in fact.

Time and time again the governments of Queensland, NSW and South Australia were warned of the consequences of selling too much water, of unscientific evaluations, even by their own bureaucrats.

Many of us will remember fishing writers such as Rod Harrison pointing out the deleterious effects of the waters diverted into massive cotton farm dams about 20 years ago.

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority, set up in 2007, was supposed to fix the rot and was handed $13 billion dollars over 10 years to do the job.

This body is now mired in allegations of fraud, misspent funds, biased decisions and environmental incompetence, all while stinking very strongly of political interference.

South Australia, the state that received the dregs of the Murray flow after all the other states grabbed much more than their share, decided to hold a Royal Commission into the massive problems but received no co-operation at all from the Commonwealth departments or politicians involved.

The investigation continued nonetheless, its findings released just recently on January 31.

Commissioner Bret Walker, in the light of damning evidence presented, accused the Murray-Darling Basin Authority of maladministration

ATI ON

by DAVE DONALD

CI

Well, the recent fish kills in the Murray-Darling River system centred on Menindee Lakes certainly highlight the answer to that very important question.

The much-viewed photos and videos, distressing and frightening as they were, are merely the end point of a process that threatens the environmental integrity of the majority of our country.

I believe this massive conspiracy draining the lifeblood of the river system at the very heart of our nation has to be vastly more concerning than the banks robbing us blind or paedophiles

Talking Point

O

HAT is more valuable than gold?

Murray-Darling catastrophe ....by Dave Donald ...................................P3 What’s biting in the bay.............by Brian Webb.....................................P7 Mackerel trips .............................by Mick Clutterbuck ........................P10 Luring Moreton Bay....................by Peter Herbst..................................P11 Flathead tuition on fire ..............by Sean Conlon .................................P12 Bitten by the jack bug................by Keith Stratford..............................P13 Game fishing tackle ...................by Barry Alty ......................................P16 Hot bites on offer.........................by Mark Templeton ..........................P18 Wading the flats ..........................by Sean ‘Skip’ Thompson ...............P19 Gold Coast action........................by Scott Van Burck...........................P21 Sportfishing fun.............................by Wayne ‘Youngy’ Young ..............P22 Action in estuaries .....................by Darren Rama ................................P23 Round-up in the rivers ...............by Brad Smith ....................................P24 Golden month on Gold Coast ...by Heath Zygnerski ..........................P25 ‘Crayzy’ catch off Brunz .............by Gavin Dobson ...............................P26 Ballina Region.................................. by Brett Hyde ...........................................P28 Guide to finding flathead ..........by Gary ‘Squidgie’ Palmer..............P30 Bumper 2019 in store .................by Tye Porter ......................................P31 Sunshine Coast............................by Grant Budd ....................................P32 Noosa to Fraser Coast ...............by Craig Tomkinson .........................P33 Classic Characters .....................by Paul ‘Chief’ Graveson ................P34 Hervey Bay pelagics ..................by Tri Ton .............................................P35 Flathead on the chew ................by Brad Young ...................................P37 Recipe ........................................... by Melissa Frohloff..........................P37 Bundaberg offshore....................by Joel Johnson................................P38 Lunacy ............................................by Peter Layton..................................P38 National 4x4 Outdoors Show, Fishing & Boating Expo....................P40 Buying a boat ...............................by Helen Abdy ...................................P42 Insights into insurance..............by Nautilus Marine ..........................P43 Boating & Marine ..................................................................................P44,45 Readers Forum.............................................................................................P47 Wilson Puzzle page....................................................................................P47 Charter Directory ................................................................................. P48,49 Gladstone Region........................by Gary Churchward........................P50 Stanage Bay .................................by Pee Wee ........................................P51 Capricorn Coast...........................by John Boon .....................................P51 Inshore Fishing Mackay ...........by Jason Kidd ....................................P53 Tropical estuaries .......................by Neil Schultz ..................................P54 Fishing Cairns ..............................by Brett Parks ....................................P55 Long-range trip off Cape York ....by Matt Potter ....................................P56 Canungra holiday ........................by Helaine Wilesmith......................P57 Head torch review ......................by ‘Billabong’ Bazz Lyon .................P57 Cape York ......................................by ‘Billabong’ Bazz Lyon .................P58 Road tripping................................by Craig Tomkinson .........................P59 Caravanning trip..........................by Todd Eveleigh ..............................P61 Peter Faust barra.........................by Jeff Wilton ....................................P62 Competition Report.....................by Russell Nowland.........................P63 Bass action with a celeb..........by Callum Munro ..............................P64 Fishing South Burnett ................by Matthew Langford ......................P65 Glenlyon Dam...............................by Brian Dare.....................................P66 Trading Post.................................................................................................P67 Subscription form ......................................................................................P68

N

FIS

AS

S

The Murray-Darling fish kill catastrophe W

P62

PRO TE CT

Photo: Debbie Newitt

A

S I pen this month’s editorial, we are battening down the hatches at BNB HQ as cyclone Oma weaves its way towards the coast.

Barra

HIN G T R A D E

This has been a very unpredictable weather event but hopefully there won’t be too much devastation, instead just some much-needed rain.

On the fishing front, there has been some disturbing news for the Mackay region, with Fisheries Queensland’s contractor Catchment Solutions capturing two peacock bass on February 18 and 19, 2019.

What is even more disturbing is these fish were captured very close to the location where two peacock bass were previously reported by anglers.

Australian native fish, while very resilient to droughts and floods, don’t compete well against introduced species.

It is exceptionally disappointing to hear this capture confirms non-native fish have been illegally released into our environment.

While these fish might be a great sporting option in other countries, that is where they should have stayed.

Hopefully Fisheries Queensland can eradicate these fish before they get a foothold in our waterways, because if they do, it will be devastating to our existing fishery.

In other news, we have introduced a new section to the mag in the form of Bush ‘n Beach Caravanning & Adventure.

There is a massive crossover between fishing, boating, camping, fourwheel-driving and caravanning, and I feel they all deserve a spot in the mag.

Obviously, fishing is our main focus but feedback we’ve received at shows indicates the crossover of information is welcomed.

I know I thoroughly enjoy partaking in all the outdoor activities mentioned in the mag, I just need a bit more time to get our there and experience them!

Thankfully we have a passionate team of writers who keep delivering top-notch articles each month.

On that note, we have recently added a couple of new writers to increase our coverage along the Queensland and northern NSW coastline.

Jeff Wilton started writing last month and this Tackle Tactics ambassador is based out of Lucinda in far north Queensland.

He’s got a knack of catching fish, no matter the species or situation, whether it be big red fish offshore, mangrove jack in the estuaries or barra in the fresh (Page 62) or salt, and we’re happy to have him on board.

Also fresh to the BNB fold is Inshore Fishing Mackay charter operator Jason Kidd.

Jason’s charter ethos is to cater to his clients’ desires and he’s perfectly adept at putting newcomers to the sport onto everything from feisty fingermark to cracking queenfish.

Check out his first article on Page 53.

Our final new writer covers the Cairns area in both fresh and salt water, and through many years of experience as well as his involvement in the Fishing Cairns website, Brett Parks has the knowledge to find fish all over tropical north Queensland.

You can find his first contribution to the mag on Page 55.

We look forward to the new areas and topics these writers are going to cover in their articles each month.

Ben Collins

January prizewinner Congratulations to Stephen Price, Benowa who has won a a NEMO Galaxi 2P super-lightweight hiking tent valued at $399.95!

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 3

The Murray-Darling catastrophe ☛ from P3

Will the new Queensland fisheries reforms get more kids like Eligh out fishing? Not unless significant cuts to commercial effort are quickly introduced to allow target goals to be realised.

and acting unlawfully.

He called for a complete overhaul of the water allocation system.

Will all these political shenanigans go anywhere near fixing the problem?

I have my doubts.

Nothing short of a return to the Murray-Darling of 30 years ago will bring its flow back, whether in flood or drought.

By the same token, a heavy purge of all the politicians who have had a finger in this disaster would be another very positive step.

The best way to do this would be by transferring the Royal Commission to

Photo: NSW Department of Primary Industries

a national investigation.

But the question nobody in the mainstream media seems to be asking would be the one on every keen fisher’s lips – it’s certainly on mine.

What about the fish!?

All those big breedingsized cod and yellowbelly lost from the rivers – it will take 25 years to reestablish a population like that once water comes back.

And what about the genetic implications of the annihilation of entire stocks?

I can’t answer that!

Also, where do we locate the millions of fingerlings it will take to bring the river back to life – and find the money necessary to achieve such a massive task?

Yes, this is a national tragedy that all of us should be watching very closely.

It’s something that goes to the very heart of being an Australian.

Our political masters must get the message that selling our land and rivers to the highest bidder is no longer acceptable, that the community at large and the environment they live in must come first.

The Menindee Lakes catastrophe must never be allowed to happen again!

School holidays and fisheries reforms So what has the recent school holidays got to do with the fisheries reform process currently sup-

posed to be happening in our state?

Well, if I cast my mind back to the days when my family spent a couple of weeks each year at places like Caloundra and Redcliffe, swimming and fishing occupied the majority of our daylight hours.

My father wasn’t a fisher, so I was restricted to walking the beach or estuary for a feed.

There were usually dozens of other kids and adults doing the same thing, so catching a couple wasn’t easy, but I managed to put a few on the table most days.

Fast forward to Christmas 2018.

I think we’d all agree fish are much harder to come by these days, particularly if you are a kid from a non-fishing family restricted to walking the shore.

Our fisheries people are ‘promising’ a return to healthy fish stocks sometime in the next 10 years but I wonder how many kids lost interest in wetting a line when they couldn’t catch a decent fish when they tried over the school break.

Is it any wonder the number of young people joining our ranks is declining?

I have a good friend who recently bought a beachside unit on the Fraser Coast south of Maryborough after visiting his son

who already owned the place next door.

He’s a prominent businessman who doesn’t get much time to go fishing but with the beach at the unit almost at his front door, he headed to the tackle shop for a suitable outfit and gear to chase whiting and flathead.

To date his efforts have been in vain, with not a legal-sized fish to be seen.

Then he told me about the nets strung along the beach several times a week, often right in front of his home!

We’re being told the fisheries reforms aim to restore fish stocks back to 60 percent of their original numbers by 2028 and 40-50 percent by 2020.

So, that should mean the bloke above will be able to catch a feed in front of his unit by 2020, in a year’s time.

However, restrictions on the numbers of netters and the numbers of fish they can catch haven’t changed, even though that was supposed to happen some years back.

The schools of whiting along these flats 30 years ago would probably number in their hundreds, even thousands.

Perhaps these ‘magicians’ at Fisheries will let us into the secret of how they are going to conjure up mobs of 50s and 500s (50 percent) before this time next year while the netting continues.

A couple of years ago, Victoria investigated the economic value of recreational fishing to that state’s economy.

It was found its value exceeded both the revenue from horse racing and that southern obsession, AFL. Victoria quickly introduced management measures designed to increase those figures, including closing Port Phillip Bay to net fishing.

Another major initiative was to get more people, especially kids, out into the environment and doing something healthy: fishing.

Recreational fishers in Queensland, myself included, have been trying to point out the economic and social value of our sport to Fisheries and our politicians for over 30 years.

So far, that message has fallen on deaf ears.

We broached the subject again during this most recent review, only to be seemingly ignored yet again.

Will our kids ever get the chance to actually catch something during their school holidays or will more and more return to their gaming consoles and TVs? More to the point, when will our politicians and fisheries managers realise they are not magicians and that only significant cuts to commercial effort will result in better fishing all round?

W E N

Product

Offshore

NEW

WEBSITE

For more information please visit

Page 4 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

Description

RLFSAS13

L/Fibre 6-20kg 6'6" Spin 65XJM

RLFSAS14

L/Fibre 6-20kg 6'6" O/Head 65XJM

RLFSAS15

L/Fibre 8-30KG 6'6" Spin ZWS65XXJM

RLFSAS16

L/Fibre 8-30KG 6'6" O/Head ZWS65XXJM

RLFSAS17

L/FIBRE 15-30KG 6' Spin ZWS60XXJM

RLFSAS18

L/FIBRE 15-30KG 6' O/Head ZWS60XXJM

RLF8

Rod Live Fibre spin 8-15kgs ZWS70MJ

RLF9

Rod Live Fibre o/head 8-15kgs ZWS70MJ

RLF16

Rod Live Fibre 10-15kg 6’6” O/H

RLF19KS

L/FIBRE 10-20KG 6' spin keppell

RLF19S

L/F 15-24KG 7' SPIN 70XJ

RLF19

L/F 15-24KG 7' O/H 70XJ.

• 12 Offshore Modells s • Japanese Tora ay y Graphite • Aussie Legend

WWW.WILSONFISHING.COM www.bnbfishing.com. au

Fish rescued at Menindee, NSW T

HE NSW Department of Primary Industries has relocated almost 80 stressed fish including Murray cod and golden and silver perch from the Lower Darling River downstream of the Menindee township.

Fisheries officers relocated 16 Murray cod, 15 silver perch and eight golden perch from a spillway pool that was soon to become disconnected from the river when flows cease through Weir 32.

All fish were relocated to a much larger pool downstream of the weir

that includes an aerator and water quality is more favourable.

DPI Fisheries staff also carried out inspections of disconnected pools further downstream during the day to determine if there are any stressed fish.

An additional 20 silver perch and 20 golden perch

were removed and taken to Narrandera Fisheries Centre to be utilised as broodstock for future restocking efforts into the Lower Darling when conditions improve.

This rescue follows the successful relocation of 20 Murray cod from the area the week before, which were captured and transferred to the Narrandera Fisheries Centre.

These fish are in good health and adjusting to their new surroundings.

DPI Fisheries’ actions were in response to a requirement for WaterNSW to cease flows from Weir 32 via the fishway.

DPI fisheries technicians travelled to the site to manage any potential adverse impacts on fish in the fishway and downstream when flows ceased.

The department will continue to monitor conditions and respond accordingly.

A variety of methods

have been used to rescue the fish, while minimising further stress on Murray cod and other native fish species.

Any rescued fish requiring relocation over large distances will travel by road in the DPI Fisheries fish stocking truck, which is aerated and temperature monitored.

Relocating fish is generally not the preferred response because of the additional pressure it places on already-stressed fish, however the unique circumstances during these dry and hot conditions have necessitated the use of a variety of management responses.

DPI is continuing to monitor water quality and is finalising an assessment of temporary aerators placed within the Darling River.

Aerators can provide localised water quality benefits and refuge for fish. www.dpi.nsw.gov.au

Crab pots seized, body cameras worn by QBFP officers

S

UNSHINE Coast Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol officers seized 130 crab pots from the Maroochy River during a targeted operation in January.

Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner said the operation targeted abandoned crab pots which could continue to ‘ghost fish’.

“Ghost fishing happens when lost or abandoned fishing gear continues to catch crabs, fish and other wildlife which become trapped, die and then act as bait, continuing the cycle,” Mr Furner said.

“Crabbing is one of Queensland’s most popular forms of fishing, however the impact of ghost fishing on the environment is a serious problem that must be addressed.

“The high number of abandoned crab pots, some of which can trap turtles, recovered by QBFP officers shows greater care needs to be taken by fishers setting crab pots.”

Mr Furner said the proper use of fishing gear was ultimately the responsibility of fishers.

“A range of legal requirements apply to crabbing in Queensland including restrictions on fishing gear and size and possession limits,”

Mr Furner said.

“For example, fishers can be fined $261 for failing to mark apparatus correctly or failing to use a prescribed float.

“People who see suspected unmarked, lost or abandoned crabbing apparatus should record an accurate location, such as GPS co-ordinates, of the apparatus and report it to their closest Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol office or the Fishwatch hotline on 1800 017 116.”

Mr Furner said the recent roll-out of body-worn cameras was helping Sunshine Coast QBFP officers with compliance operations and prosecutions.

“QBFP monitors fisheries compliance by more than 642,000 recreational fishers and 1700 commercial fishing licence holders,” Mr Furner said.

“By its nature, QBFP field work can be hazardous and officers at times operate in difficult, often isolated and dynamic environments.

“It is now a workplace health and safety requirement for all Queensland fisheries officers to wear body cameras to capture video footage of inspections and interactions with the public.

“The body cameras and upgraded computer servers to store the recorded data have been progres-

sively rolled out to QBFP’s 19 bases statewide.

“The footage is stored in a secure environment and reviewed if necessary.”

Legal requirements applying to crabbing in Queensland • In tidal waters, no more than four crab pots or dillies, or a combination of both, may be used or possessed on a boat per person at any time.

• All crabbing equipment needs to be clearly marked with an identification tag showing the owner’s surname and address and must have a lightcoloured surface float attached when not tied to a fixed object.

• The float must not be less than 15cm in any dimension and also identify the owner’s name.

• When the pot is tied to

a fixed object a tag that shows the owner’s name must be attached to a part of the rope that is above the high-water mark.

Tips for avoiding lost crab gear • Crab pots should be checked regularly and removed from the water when they are not being used.

• Crabbers should ensure their pots are heavy enough and have enough rope attached to the float so they are not lost in strong tidal currents.

• Crabbers should check their gear regularly to avoid it being misplaced during tidal events.

• Crab pots should be set below the low tide mark and in a sufficient depth of water at all stages of the tide so marine animals are not exposed to the sun

and unwanted crabs can be released alive. It is an offence if the apparatus contains fish and is out of the water.

What should people do if they suspect fishing gear has been abandoned?

QBFP relies greatly on the community to provide relevant and timely information relating to potential offences concerning our valuable fishery resources.

If you suspect illegal fishing, whether seen in person or online, report it to the Fishwatch hotline on 1800 017 116 or the online Fishwatch form at facebook.com/Fisher iesQueensland Under Fisheries legislation, it is an offence to unlawfully interfere with fishing gear including crab pots.

Cleveland Upholsterers & Marine Trimmers Grant Street Business Centre Unit 4, 7-9 Grant St, Cleveland Q 4163

• Boat canopies and interiors • All trim repairs • All types of furniture upholstery

The new computer program for the fisherman. Keep your catch, mark and GPS records in a database for quick and easy entry and analysis.

The package also features: Graphical tides (moon and sun times) Mark and GPS waypoint databases with map display Coastline maps covering all areas of Australia Fishing knots and ‘Fish Facts’

08 8298 4527

RUHLE

TRAILERS FOR INFORMATION ABOUT OUR COMPLETE RANGE OF BOAT TRAILERS CALL US TODAY

1800 429 442 2/1776 Ipswich Rd, Rocklea Qld 4106

Marine Electronics Sales, Service and Installations Mobile service and on-site fit-outs also available

... ...

Extensive Industry Experience Qualified Electronic Technicians Professional Sales, Service and Installations Dedicated to Customer Satisfaction CONTACT BRETT, BLAIR, SCOTT OR NICK

PHONE: Screenshot from QBFP offshore patrol Mooloolaba.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Shop 4, 1440 New Cleveland Rd, Chandler Q 4155

3245 3633 www.trymax.com.au Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 5

F2.5 - F90

Promotion available from 01/02/19 to 27/04/19 on all newly purchased Yamaha F.25 - F90 four-stroke Outboards from all participating Yamaha dealers. Savings are based on current RRP and subject to change without notice. Available to Private buyers only on specified models installed and registered during the promotional period. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Terms and conditions apply. While stocks last. Visit your local dealer for more information.

Page 6 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

www.bnbfishing.com. au

CONTACT YOUR NEAREST DEALER BOWEN

BRISBANE (NORTH)

Reefside Marine 34 Don Street Bowen, QLD T: 4778 6294

Brisbane Yamaha Bruce Highway Burpengary, QLD T: 3888 1727

reefsidemarine.com.au

brisbaneyamaha.com.au

BRISBANE (BAYSIDE)

BRISBANE

Wynnum Marine 31 Fox Street Wynnum, QLD T: 3396 9777

Northside Marine 2294 Sandgate Road Boondall, QLD T: 3265 8000

wynnummarine.com.au

northsidemarine.com.au

BRISBANE (SOUTH)

BUNDABERG

Stones Corner Marine 117 Old Cleveland Road Stones Corner, QLD T: 3397 9766

Bundaberg Marineland 95 Targo Street Bundaberg, QLD T: 4130 0500

stonescornermarine.com.au

bundabergmarineland.com.au

GOLD COAST

GOLD COAST (SOUTH)

Whitewater Marine 10 Hinde Street Ashmore, QLD T: 5532 4402

Gold Coast Boating Centre 64 Kortum Drive Burleigh Heads, QLD T: 5576 7388

whitewatermarine.com.au

goldcoastboatingcentre.com.au

GYMPIE

HERVEY BAY

Watson’s Marine Centre 52 Wickham Street Gympie, QLD T: 5482 2135

Buccaneers 19 Islander Road Pialba, Hervey Bay, QLD T: 4124 6988

watsonsmarine.com.au

buccaneers.com.au

TWEED COAST

WHITSUNDAYS

North Coast Yamaha 4 Lucky Lane Billinudgel, NSW T: 02 6680 3322

Whitsunday Marine 4/11 Shute Harbour Road Cannonvale, QLD T: 4948 3298

northcoastyamaha.com.au

whitsundaymarine.com.au

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Gary Young with a snapper from Peel Island.

What’s biting in the bay I F you’re into crustaceans, sand crabs have turned up on the western and central banks from the Pearl Channel across to the western shoreline of Moreton Bay.

Muddies have gone deep, and we need a big fresh flood to bring them out.

Prawns are starting to show up.

They are not in big numbers but enough for a feed.

Squid fishers have found the clearer waters on the western side of the bay around rock walls and marinas are starting to produce reasonable numbers.

Squid are also showing up around the western end of the Rous Channel and Amity Banks, while the Pelican Banks further south have also produced a few.

Whiting have been caught in reasonable numbers around the Sandhills on Moreton Island down to the Blue Hole, Rous Channel, Chain, Maroon and Amity banks.

Drifting the banks to the west of Pearl Channel is also producing a few whiting.

Some are being caught on squid strips and peeled prawns, but bloodworms are doing the most damage.

Soft plastics are catching a few but not as consistently as the real worms.

Paternoster and running sinker and trace rigs have been most successful.

About 90 percent of the whiting caught in the bay are diver whiting, but good catches of summer whiting have also been taken.

So how do you tell the difference?

Diver whiting have a distinct pale lateral line, while sand whiting do not.

Divers also have very small, pearly scales that come off easily.

They have a bag limit of 50 and no size limit, while summer/sand whiting have a limit of 30 and minimum length of 23cm.

Remember the green zones when fishing throughout the bay.

Bream are around but not in quite the same numbers as over the past few months.

A lot have been caught in marinas, the Brisbane River, creeks running off major riv-

Moreton Bay

by BRIAN WEBB

ers, the eastern side of Mud Island (night is better) and Lota Creek.

The soft plastic bream fishos are having more success than bait fishos, so taking note of their write-ups in the mag might lead you to better catches.

I’ll stick to Mud, the tug terminals and a few of the rocky outcrops in the lower end of the Brisbane River up to the Pinkenba boat ramp.

Spotted mackerel are around but they’re hard to find, and most of the birds are lead-

ing you to mack tuna, which is pretty disheartening, especially after the miles you do chasing bird movements.

Most are coming from the northern end of the bay, from the measured mile north towards the start of the Pearl Channel.

Bird activity has been the only key to finding them along with mack tuna.

Two out of every three bait boils has been tuna.

Doggy (school) mackerel are ☛ continued P8

Tuskies from the Bulwer Ledge.

Doggies from the bottom end of Bribie Island.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 7

Whiting from the bottom of the Rous Channel.

A decent jewfish from Bird Island.

What’s biting in Moreton Bay ☛ from P7

Plenty of sharks are around at present.

around the beacons and a few schools have shown up in the Rainbow Channel and the start of the Rous Channel.

A fair few schools have also popped up under birds from the bottom end of Bribie Island down to

Spotties caught while trolling a Halco hard-body around the measured mile.

Results of a Maroochy River crab pot clean-up.

the Pearl Channel.

Slugs have been the best weapon for targeting them.

Longtail tuna have been few and far between, and most are coming from the shipping channel dropoffs and Pearl Channel.

The main weapons have been trolled chrome spoons and live slimies, which can be caught around the top end of Harries and the Spitfire Banks off Bulwer.

Some of the pillie shape hard-body lures are also working.

The Brisbane River has produced a fair few threadies nearly all the way to Colmslie.

Plenty of livies are around the pipeline at the mouth of the river and along the rock wall just north of the pipeline.

Fishing the rock structures from Lytton reach to the pipeline has produced the better quality.

While talking about the river, squire and bream have been coming from the mouth of Bulimba Creek down to the shipping terminals.

The 30m exclusion zone makes it hard to get in close to the wharves though, and even more so if a few ships are berthed.

You just have to keep your distance and fire in longer casts to reach where they’re hiding.

While we’re on squire, Mud’s eastern side along the 10m contour, around the pipes at Harry Atkinson Artificial Reef and the northern drop-offs at Peel Island have been the better areas to target squire, with the odd 6070cm fish coming from these areas.

The Wellington Point drop-offs have also produced a few 45-50cm specimens, which is good for these areas at this time of the year.

Plenty of grass sweetlip and moses perch are around with the water being so clear on the western side of the bay.

Drifting the drop-offs and shallows has been the best option for enticing one to take your bait.

Soft plastic fish profiles in pink, red, green and natural colours have been the best options.

Areas including the Wello drop-offs down to Empire Point, West Peel Artificial Reef, the structure at Harries and the East Coochie Artificial Reef have also produced fish.

The 10m contours on the eastern side of Mud have turned up the odd spangled emperor.

It’s also worth trying the northern end of Peel, the isolated structure at Harries and the One Mile drop-offs at the bottom end of the Rainbow Channel.

The shallows at the top end of Peel, Harries and the Myora Light have held the odd blackspotted cod.

If you want to travel further, the shipping channel drop-off from Curtin Artificial Reef north to Bulwer has produced the better size cod.

Just make sure you’re using crabs for bait and have a heavy outfit to stop them or you’ll be sitting there all day rerigging.

It’s also a good time of the year to target jewfish, especially if using live baits.

The bottom end of the Brisbane River around the hole under the pipeline, Bird and Goat islands off Dunwich and the isolated structure on the western side of Peel have seen the better sizes landed.

A few flathead are coming from the mouths of Lota and Tingalpa creeks, the canals around Raby Bay and the eastern side of Coochiemudlo Island.

Macleay and Garden islands, Eprapah Creek and Redland Bay have also held flathead, a few jewfish and prawns.

Coochie’s southeast corner around the rocks has seen the odd flathead and whiting landed.

The bay is not an easy place in which to catch fish consistently.

You have to read reports and consistently move, mainly looking for structure, because you won’t catch fish except for pelagics in the middle expanse of the bay.

If you’re after bream, sneak into the eastern coastline of Mud Island.

Here you’ll find a couple

of very small creeks and the water is deep enough to anchor close to shore.

Use unweighted bait and you should be able to get a few.

I have also attached a picture of the crab pots Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol officers cleaned out of the Maroochy River.

Imagine what they would get from the bay if they did a clean-up.

A lot of pots go missing because of tidal currents and bad placement, so be a little careful where you place your pots or add a bit of weight to keep them in place, especially in fastrunning tidal areas.

How’s this for a mixed bag?

Prawns from the Pine River.

QUEENSLAND’S USED BOAT SPECIALISTS

READY TO FISH

$64,995

Northbank 600C

Ranger 188VX

Tournament 1750

Mercury 150hp 4-stroke with low hours, Dunbier tandem axle trailer, dual battery system, Garmin colour GPS/sounder, Stressfree electric anchor winch, trim tabs, large cabin, overhead S/S rod holders, aft snapper racks, huge cockpit and so much more!

Side console sports/comp package with a Suzuki 175hp EFI 4-stroke with low hours, Minn Kota Maxum electric motor, Ranger alloy trailer, dual sounders, Power Pole anchor, VHF radio, custom glitter gel coat, hydraulic steering, ‘Hot Foot’ throttle pedal and more!

Evinrude 90hp E-TEC, Dunbier braked trailer, Garmin and Humminbird GPS/sounders, Garmin VHF radio, Fusion stereo system, EPIRB, hydraulic steering, bimini top plus canopy, plumbed live bait tank, kill tank and seating for five. Simply stunning!

Call 07 3890 2322 today! More pics online at johncrawfordmarine.com.au

Always Buying, Consigning & Selling Queensland’s Best Used Boats Since 1964 Page 8 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

SUPER SLEEK

$42,995

Call 07 3890 2322 today! More pics online at johncrawfordmarine.com.au

HEAVILY OPTIONED

$34,995

Call 07 3890 2322 today! More pics online at johncrawfordmarine.com.au

Call 07 3890 2322 or visit us at 1029 Manly Road, Tingalpa Brisbane.

View our entire range at www.johncrawfordmarine.com.au

www.bnbfishing.com. au

GO YOUR

OWN WAY

TACKLE ANY TERRAIN WITH THE 3-LITRE, 430Nm, 6-SPEED ISUZU D-MAX The Isuzu D-MAX is a stand out performer on or off-road. Featuring the legendary Isuzu 3-litre turbo diesel engine with 430Nm of torque and an intuitive 6-speed transmission. Coupled with a Terrain Command 4WD system and 3.5 tonne towing capacity+, the D-MAX has everything you need to take on any adventure. GO YOUR OWN WAY! Discover the Isuzu D-MAX at your Isuzu UTE Dealer or isuzuute.com.au

5-star ANCAP safety rating on 4x4 D-MAX Crew Cab models built from November 2013 onwards & 4x2 D-MAX Crew Cab High Ride models built from November 2014 onwards. +3.5 tonne braked towing capacity on D-MAX 4x4 & 4x2 High Ride models when fitted with an optional genuine Isuzu UTE tow bar kit. ^5 years/130,000km whichever occurs first, for eligible customers. Excludes trays & accessories. >The Capped Price Servicing Program (“CPS Program”) applies to Eligible Vehicles with a Warranty Start Date on or after 1/1/15 at Participating Isuzu UTE Dealers only. The 5 years Capped Price Servicing covers the first 5 Scheduled Services for 18MY & later vehicle models for up to 5 years/75,000km (whichever occurs first) & for 16.5MY & 17MY for up to 5 years/50,000km (whichever occurs first). CPS Program is subject to change. For full terms & conditions & current pricing visit isuzuute.com.au/service-plus.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 9

Moreton Bay mackerel trips W

E had a couple of weekends flagged for a mackerel trip and the first one caught everyone by surprise by producing a nice calm ocean for a change.

Cam Knox fought a mackerel.

Offshore reef fishing fanatics WANTED One of Brisbane’s oldest deep-sea fishing clubs with a 100 percent safety record has vacancies for new members. Owners of suitable vessels encouraged. All levels of experience. Those without own vessels also invited to apply. Approximately 15 deep sea trips per year. One week-long fishing holiday to Town of 1770. Monthly meetings, video shows, guest speakers and free nibbles. 4WD beach fishing and camping. Inshore fishing also on the agenda.

Interested? Then call Darryl (0407 596 822) or Robin (3269 5013).

POWER BOAT ANGLERS REEF FISHING CLUB INC

MORETON BAY BOAT TRIMMERS

Specialising in: n Canopies n Side Curtains n Seating n Bimini Kits n Storm Covers Unit 2/19 Thorne St Wynnum Ph: 3396 1617 • Mob: 0402 755 189 www.moretonbayboattrimmers.com.au

Surprisingly, only a few boats turned up but it at least they got to blow the cobwebs off.

Salty and Trailblazer headed out from Scarborough on Saturday, while Grant and Rod on Kasmira went out on Sunday from Manly.

The target species was spotted mackerel but they remained extremely hard to locate, despite both crews searching the northern and southern bay area.

Thankfully their schoolie cousins were around to make things worthwhile and basically saved the day.

Saturday was an easy 5am start and the run across the bay was uneventful.

Salty started at the M3 beacon, which incidentally had just been replaced after being knocked down.

When they arrived, they found it barren with no other boats in attendance, but the tide was ripping.

Rob decided to drive, which allowed John to drop down and spin the beacon.

It wasn’t long before they had company but some masterful driving managed to keep the other boats at bay.

Persistence paid off, with John eventually landing a nice school mackerel, though that was it for the spot, so next it was off trolling for a while.

Salty had a bit of success last year trolling pillies towards Bulwer, so they gave that a crack to see if it still worked.

Things were quiet until they went south a bit and got a strike over what looked like coffee rock on the sounder.

Rob rebaited the pillie trolling rig and reset it.

Next pass was a solid hook-up and a 60cm

MARINE WINDOWS & DOORS We make windows and windscreens for everything including:

• Runabouts • Half cabins • Walk-arounds • Cruisers • Trawlers • All over Australia Free quotes from your templates. Acrylic or glass.

In or out of survey. Quality guaranteed. Very competitive rates.

Excellent freight service.

9 Cameron St, Clontarf Q 4019 Phone 07 3284 5088 Fax 07 3284 5089 email amw@myaccess.com.au www.australianmarinewindows.com.au Page 10 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

Power Boat Anglers

by MICK CLUTTERBUCK

schoolie made it to the net.

Rebaiting and setting again, he barely had time to put the boat in gear when off it went, adding another to the Esky.

John missed a strike but on the next run came up tight.

It came to the boat like a dog on a chain because John was winching it in on a Shimano TLD 30.

I’m not sure if it was spooked by the boat or the two ugly heads looking at it, but either way it decided to make a run.

The combination of speed and too much pressure on the strike drag resulted in a loud crack as the line snapped and the fish lived to swim another day.

After a quick rerig they set off but couldn’t find action anywhere, so it was again time for a move.

Elsewhere, Doug and Richard had anchored up on the M2 beacon and were getting macks on livies.

The livies were proving hard to come by and while quite a successful technique it was proving to be a rather slow process.

Salty headed to Western Rocks where they were getting nice livies but no big fish action.

They persisted but should have headed to Trailblazer with their full tank of live bait because they hadn’t turned a reel.

By the time they had the idea of moving that way the bite had shut down and the boys had moved on to M4 anyway.

Next move for Salty was towards Bulwer, doing a few laps for not a touch, and with the wind getting up both boats decided to head for home while it was still reasonable.

At the ramp they had the measuring session and Doug’s 3.73m of mackerel beat all others hands down.

With seven to Doug and one to Richard, it sure was his day.

Rod and Grant on Kasmira tried their best spots on Sunday and reported the bay was dead, with no fish seen or boated, which is just how it goes sometimes.

A week later, Helaine and Schombie took Amity for a run midweek.

They found wall to wall bait in the bay off Tangalooma but not a fish to be seen working it.

It was very strange to see so much bait all over the surface with nothing other than terns in attendance.

Hopefully the bait will bring the spotties into the bay.

Fingers crossed because they are up the coast in reasonable numbers and there’s still a few months left in the season.

The following week, mate Keith Knox and I had our boats out to see if we could find some mackerel ourselves.

Leaving from Nudgee Creek, the weather was pretty blowy to say the least but still OK. We headed to the north of the bay and worked the beacons south.

Things were very quiet, with nothing to cause even the slightest bit of excitement, so we decided to head further south and chase whiting and hopefully get mackerel down there.

Keith’s son Cameron was fishing with me and after drifting for some time bagging whiting he was more than happy to hear his mackerel line screaming off.

He battled it well and it seemed to have some good weight, turning out to be a very decent 70cmplus schoolie.

Things looked hopeful initially but it would be another couple of hours before his line would go off again.

This time it was definitely bigger and we had to start the engine and go chasing it, mainly because it was heading one way and the wind and tide were pushing us quickly the other.

It turned out to be a bronze whaler, so we busted the line near the boat.

Over on Keith’s boat they were pretty quiet and just getting a few whiting.

Things livened up for Keith when he was reeling in a whiting and was smashed by a mackerel.

Somehow the fish managed to get itself hooked with the size 8 Mustad long-shank and after a bit of delicate playing of the fish Keith had a mackerel landed on whiting gear.

The trip home was slow, wet and windy, but the worst of it was navigating the mouth of

Nudgee Creek.

You could have easily surfed out there that day, or tipped your boat over if you weren’t watching what you were doing.

Anyway, we survived and are keen as to get out again soon.

Next meetings The next club meeting will be held on Monday, March 4 followed a month later on Monday, April 1 at The Club Manly (bowls club) 26 Faine St, Manly.

All interested parties are more than welcome to attend.

Until next month, safe boating.

Cam’s bronze whaler.

It was prime time for a dip off Moreton Island.

A solid school mackerel for Cam.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

A solid bay jewie hooked on the Palms Slow Blatt jig and slow-jigging outfit.

Brisbane threadies have been spread out this year, possibly due to lack of rain.

One of the craziest fish around. Giant herring are great sport on light tackle.

Tougher month in Moreton Bay S HARKS, lack of rain and hot water have made fishing a little tough in Moreton Bay and the Brisbane River but the signs of better fishing have started to show in the couple of weeks before penning this article.

It may not rain but the water will cool and the sharks will slowly thin as that water temperature drops.

Moreton Bay Pelagic species have still been extremely hit and miss this season.

One day spotty mackerel and tuna are about and the next not a single bust-up is to be seen.

Luring Moreton Bay

by PETER HERBST

March is traditionally one of the best months for longtail tuna in the bay, so hope remains that a reasonable season may unfold.

One species I have been able to find over the past month in Moreton Bay is giant herring.

These crazy fish turn it on for a while during the warmer months and provide great sportfishing action.

They are one of the fastest fish out there and have

a need to jump out of the water as many times as they physically can.

They also have a great ability to shred leaders and throw lures at will.

The fish encountered in the bay are often 70cm to a metre in length and I find these ones the wildest of all sizes because they’ll have you running around the boat with crazy direction changes, lightning-fast runs and jumps all over the place.

Lure presentations need

to be worked quickly to excite these speedsters into biting.

Soft plastics such as Molix RT Shads and flies like H2O Clousers have been working for me.

These lures have a better catch rate because lures like vibes can be easily thrown when the fish get airborne.

Jewfish have been about in reasonable numbers but sharks have been an issue.

Another month or two will see shark numbers start to drop as we head towards winter but fish can still be caught now, anglers just need to move on if they are losing fish

to the taxmen.

The average size of jewfish in the bay has been quite good this year, with most over the legal size of 75cm to around the metre mark.

I have been using slow jigs such as Palms Slow Blatts first up, and then I will fish a soft plastic if the jigs are not getting bites.

Jigs are a great first option because they get to the fish quickly, can trigger an aggressive bite and can be fished on heavier gear that gets the fish in quickly with a better chance of beating the sharks. ☛ continued P12

Molix 3.5” RT Shads have worked well on giant herring in Moreton Bay.

This solid grass sweetlip was a handful in the shallows on fly.

Advertisement

Help stop the spread of white spot disease

Sunshine Coast

Q QLD Moreton Bay

Somerset

Brisbane

Redland

Lockyer Valley Ipswich Logan

Scenic Rim

White spot disease

Movement Restriction Area

“Do not move prawns, yabbies or marine worms out of the white spot disease movement restriction area.”

Gold Coast

White spot disease could have a devastating impact on our natural waterways and fish stocks if it spreads.

daf.qld.gov.au/wsd or call 13 25 23

Authorised by the Queensland Government, William Street, Brisbane. www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 11

Flathead tuition on fire I

The author got to troll a couple of hard-bodies this past month. This lizard was hooked on a Zerek Bulldog Crank.

Tane caught this nice flathead trolling hard-bodies at the bottom of the tide.

This happy client boated his personal-best 78cm flathead on a Zerek Tango Shad after doing an off-water tuition course and then coming out and putting it all into practice on the water. The big fish was released unharmed to fight another day.

HAVE done a few flathead tuition sessions this month.

It’s really fulfilling watching anglers complete the off-water tuition course and then going out on the water with them and putting it all into practice.

With their newly attained knowledge and skills, these fishos are still catching quality flatties, even though the water temperature is warm.

Good-quality fish have been caught on both the high and low tides on a mixture of trolled hardbodies and cast soft plastics.

Fish are being captured from Potts Point right down to the Logan River, which is impressive for this time of year.

Some of the finer points of flathead fishing we go over in tuition include what ‘size’ high and low tides you should be fishing and the type of ground those tides create.

We also talk about what direction to troll a lure for flathead in relation to the direction of tidal flow.

Another very important factor is what speed to troll a hard-body to give the flathead the best possible chance to attack the lure.

We also consider the optimal depth when trolling and reinforce the importance of ensuring your lure hits the bottom, because that is where the flathead live.

Then how do you decide what colour lure to use?

Do you use pink because everybody’s been catching them on that colour on Facebook?

The colour of the water I’m fishing is what determines the colour of my lure.

You have to take all these things into account when chasing these fish.

And this is just for flathead.

When you see people catching flathead and other species on a regular basis you probably won-

Tick all the boxes ch more fish! sh! and catch FISHING TUITION

A four-hour off-water course forr up to four people covering: Target species BOOK OK TODAY AY Moon phases Weather and tides Techniques Environment Tackle tips

0432 386 307

seanconlonsfishing@hotmail.com il.com Page 12 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

WITH SEAN CONLON

Southern Moreton Bay

by SEAN CONLON

der how they do it.

A lot of people think the fishos catching fish on a regular basis have a special spot that’s full of numerous fish species.

However, most of the time their success will be due to careful consideration of the above factors

and many more as they move from location to location.

Putting these different factors together is the key for not just flathead but most desirable species.

If you’re not getting the results you want but keep doing the same thing,

nothing will change.

You need to get more knowledge, whether by coming to tuition nights and practical sessions with me or reading more magazine articles, watching YouTube videos or reading internet tutorials.

At the end of the day, knowledge is king.

As we all know with our busy jobs and lives, we are very time poor, so if you can learn more to

A happy client scored a personal-best flathead at 70cm on a Zerek Tango Shad. This one was released.

Matt was on holidays from Wagga Wagga and got a feed of flathead by trolling hard-bodies on high tide.

optimise your time on the water, then why not.

If you’re interested in any of our off-water or on-water tuition classes or you just want to do a charter, don’t be afraid to give me a call on 0432 386 307, send me an email at sean conlonsfishing@hotmail. com or check out the Sean Conlons Charters and Tuition Facebook page.

Until next month, stay safe on the water.

This flathead was landed on a trolled Zerek Tango Shad.

Tane with a solid southern Moreton Bay jewfish.

Tougher month in Moreton Bay ☛ from P11

I have only had one go fishing the shallows in the bay of late but pulled a couple of good size sweetlip on fly, which was fun.

Reports of small snapper have been fairly consistent too, so the shallows would be well worth a look in the early and late hours of the day with light soft plastics and flies.

Brisbane River Tough is the only word to describe fishing in the Brisbane River this summer.

Perhaps the lack of rain has kept the

king threadfin salmon spread throughout the whole river, rather than congregating them at the mouth.

The upside is the lower chance for netters to take massive numbers of these valuable fish from the system.

Also, the lack of rain has encouraged anglers to look around the river and not rely on fishing just a couple of spots.

Looking around beyond your normal run of locations can teach you new things while revealing new areas.

Jewfish have made short appearances in

good numbers at the mouth but for the most part only small numbers in very small groups or even singular fish.

To catch fish in this scenario, anglers must study their sounders and fish confidently where they believe fish are present.

Like in the bay, the fish have been around 80cm up to close to 110cm, so it is worth putting time in fishing the mouth because great-quality fish are on offer.

March is generally the last good month to find a big school of jewies

at the front of the river before they most likely move further up and throughout the river.

A few sharks are in the river hanging around the schools of both threadfin and jew but they are mostly smaller sharks and less likely to eat the whole fish, instead maybe taking a bite, but their presence can make getting a bite difficult.

Let’s hope for some rain and I’ll be glad when it starts to cool down because it has been very hot on the water at times this summer. www.bnbfishing.com. au

Ned Mollenhagen scored a solid jack on a Prawnstar.

A big jack couldn’t resist the author’s Prawnstar jigged over a rock bar.

The jack bug – part two F

OLLOWING last month’s article about identifying structure in search of mangrove jack, I’m going to run through a few ways to target these structures and which lures to use.

I babbled on about targeting timber last month and never got around to talking about another favourite home for jacks – rocks.

It doesn’t matter what type of rocks they are, jacks are very fond of them.

Whether a manmade rock wall at the entrance of a river or a natural rock bar in the brackish reaches, a jack won’t be far away.

Like other hard structure, rock attracts a lot of growth, which gets the

Local Luring

by KEITH STRATFORD

attention of smaller prey such as prawns, crabs, squid and baitfish.

Jacks are happy to dine on all these tasty treats, especially when the area they are living in gives the jacks an ideal place to hunt.

Rocks in all shapes and sizes can be found right throughout a waterway.

Retaining walls at the mouth of an estuary hold huge numbers of jacks at certain times of the year, though these fish can be very difficult to catch due to the clarity of the water.

The Southport Seaway is a good example, with big numbers of fish schooling

along the rock walls during December, January and February.

They can be very tough to entice when the water is clean, so most anglers target them during low-light periods and towards the bottom of the tide when the water is discoloured.

Rock walls that line the mouth of a system see a lot of clean salty water, which is perfect for the growth of oysters and barnacles.

These are like underwater knife blades, and as soon as your braid or leader touches them it’s game over.

The rivers running off

northern Moreton Bay don’t have this type of structure around the mouth.

As a general rule, the further upstream you travel, the more rock you will find.

Some rock bars are completely submerged and only able to be found on a sounder.

These are often the best to target because they receive far less pressure then a visible rock bar.

Rock bars can be fished using a variety of techniques.

Hard-bodies work really well when cast and trolled over the top of them.

Most hard-bodies are rated to a maximum diving depth, which is nearly impossible to reach by casting.

Trolling is the best way

to get them down into the strike zone on the deeper rock bars.

I used to spend a lot of time casting hard-bodies across shallow rock bars.

Jacks belt a hard-bodied lure very aggressively, which makes it a very addictive form of targeting them.

It’s also one of the easier ways to get attached to a mangrove jack.

The most difficult part is testing different lures and working out the depths they reach when cast on the gear you wish to use.

Lures will dive deeper on lighter gear, but then you are more at risk of losing the fish once hooked.

The direction in which the lure is retrieved also determines how deep it will swim. ☛ continued P14

This big slob ate the author’s plastic over a rock bar.

This jack caught by Chris Stratford is still the biggest the author has seen in the flesh. It ate a trolled Killalure River Rat.

For Explosive Results

HARDZ

SEMI HARDZ

METALZ

PLAZOZ

SEEKERZ

ARROWZ

Distributed by Frogleys Offshore www.bnbfishing.com. au

www.frogleysoffshore.com.au Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 13

Bitten by the jack bug – part two ☛ from P13

A solid jack taken from a rock bar.

Retrieving the lure with the current will get it down deeper but also make the retrieve quicker.

I prefer to bring the lure back against the current or on an angle across the current to give it more time in the strike zone.

Retrieving the lure against the current will also result in fewer snags,

Hard-bodies cast over rock bars will attract interest from both estuary cod and mangrove jack.

Phil Mckenna captured this barra while chasing jacks on a snagless-rigged plastic.

especially when using a lure that floats.

A lot of expensive casting lures are suspending and even though they are quite snag resistant, they will still hang up on rocks more often than a floating lure.

Parallel casting along manmade rock walls also works really well.

It keeps the lure in the strike zone for the entire retrieve when the boat is positioned well.

Getting the nose of the boat in tight to the wall is the key, so when you hook the fish you can either run down the back of the boat or try to tow it out with an electric motor.

It’s a brutal way to fish, with locked-up drags, heavy leaders and cursing all pretty standard.

Trolling is very similar to casting lures in the way you choose a lure.

I only use floating lures when trolling and 90 percent of the time I troll against the current.

This is only to reduce snags and so the boat can travel slower, giving the lures more time in the strike zone.

The only time I troll with the current is when the run slows or I need to get a lure down deeper.

A lot of anglers think trolling is for dummies and takes less skill than other techniques, but that’s far from the truth.

Trolling takes a lot of thinking and practice to get right and can be one of the most difficult ways to extract a jack.

The success rate can be very low, especially when you find a school of big

%2$7 &29(56 &$123,(6 %,0,1,6 Karee Marine now offers a full boat trimming service with the acquisition of MV Marine.

We are now able to manufacture and repair all types of canopies and marine upholstery on site.

No job too big or small!

Specialising in custom biminis, full boat covers, storm covers, upholstery repairs and insurance work.

Karee Marine has you covered!

1776 IPSWICH MOTORWAY, ROCKLEA ph. 07 3875 1600

www.kareemarine.com.au Page 14 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

fish in nasty country.

Having said that, trolling is one of my favourite ways to catch a jack.

The initial hit is brutal and can nearly rip the rod from your hands.

Towing them out away from the structure as quickly as possible is the best way to get them out.

Make sure you’re hanging on tight when you attempt this.

Lures Deep-diving Bombers are excellent hard-bodies to cast and troll.

They are perfect for rock bars and walls in the 3-4.5m range.

For the deeper areas, it’s hard to go past Atomic 85 DDs. These are excellent trolling lures that get down over 6m on the right gear.

Killalure River Rats are also great deep-diving lures.

The 20+ models get down beyond 6m and have caught me plenty of fish over the years.

Both are excellent lures for trolling the base of rock walls where the jacks like to sit when the sun is high or there is a lot of boat traffic.

For casting over shallower rock bars, I like Lucky Craft Pointers, Rapala X-Raps and Tilsan Barras.

There are plenty of other lures to choose from.

Just make sure the hardware including split rings and trebles are up to the job.

Another way I like to target jacks on rock bars is to jig and cast a range of plastics.

Depending on the terrain, it’s possible to fish a standard jig head-rigged plastic.

If you find you are getting snagged too often, it’s a good idea to switch to a snagless-style jig head.

Jig head weight depends on the depth of the water and how fast you like to retrieve your offerings.

When jacks are feeding, they will happily hunt down a plastic retrieved at pace.

Don’t use cheap imitation jig heads because they’re generally made on cheap light-wire hooks that will straighten easily under pressure from a mangrove jack.

Jacks aren’t too fussy about the type of plastic they eat.

I’ve caught them on paddle tails, prawn imitations, jerk shads and just about every other style available.

It’s a good idea to carry a range of styles and colours to see what the fish are happy to eat on the day.

Soft vibes also work well on mangrove jack.

The only downside is they get snagged easily.

I found out how well they work on a Noosa trip a few years ago.

I had busted the lures off my other rods and had a soft vibe left on my last rod.

We were fishing one of the rock bars in the river, so I cast the 20g vibe into

the shallow section of the rocks and worked it back quickly, only letting it touch bottom very briefly.

A big jack smashed the vibe and had me in a lot of trouble early.

Thankfully the 30lb leader held and I landed a nice jack over 50cm.

I tried the same technique in rivers close to home and it worked well.

Snags are a bit of a problem and the jacks seem to be very cranky when they eat a quickly retrieved vibe, so bust-offs are also common.

Vibes are an expensive option but definitely handy to have when chasing mangrove jack.

My all-time favourite jack lure is the Prawnstar.

Plenty of prawn imitations are on the market and some work really well, but I’ve caught more jacks on Prawnstars than any other lure.

They’re designed to be worked tight into structure in search of snag dwellers like mangrove jack and barramundi.

Your line is attached to the nose of the lure, with a leader running through the body and being tied off to the treble in the tail.

This allows the body and tail (where the two treble hooks are located) to avoid a lot of snags.

A gentle twitch of the rod tip when caught on a rock or tree allows the tail to lift up and over the snag.

It’s also an excellent lure to jig vertically.

When I first started us-

ing the Prawnstar, I spent a lot of time jigging it around bridges, particularly in the Tweed River.

The number of flathead I was catching was amazing, so my brother and I decided to enter the Flathead Classic on the Gold Coast and target the bridges in the Nerang River.

Within a few years we had worked out a pretty good system and fell short of taking home the trophy by just 100 points one year.

This shows how devastating the Prawnstar can be when fished around structure, and they catch just about everything with fins, so the by-catch can be very interesting.

I use a very aggressive retrieve with the Prawnstar.

Whether I am casting or jigging, I let the lure sink to the bottom and give it two short and very sharp flicks before letting it sink back to the bottom.

The sharp jig makes the lure flick under water and really gets the fish stirred up.

March is a great month in which to catch mangrove jack around Brisbane and on the Sunshine and Gold coasts.

Some of the biggest fish of the season will turn up during the next couple months.

Hopefully these tips have helped you out and you get hooked up to a few of these cranky beasts.

I hope to see you on the water.

The author landed this good jack on a Jackall Transam fished quickly over a Noosa rock bar.

Prawnstars snare a lot of by-catch while chasing jacks. Chris Stratford landed this big pikey bream on one.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

SUZUKI OUTGUNS

SUZUKI DF70A

70HP OPPONENT

DATA TALKS See the results for yourself.

SUZUKI DF70A

OPPONENT

60KM/H

MAX SPEED

50.4KM/H

6.8 SECONDS

̘ .0 +

9.3 SECONDS

7.6 LITRES/H

3500RPM

8.0 LITRES/H

CRUISE ECONOMY*

13.4 LITRES

9.8 LITRES

All data is indicative and will depend on sea conditions, weather conditions, loading, driving style and hull condition.

This data should not be used as a navigational aid. All data is gathered by Suzuki Technicians using factory instrumentation. *Figures relate to fuel consumption, based on cruise speed of 20 knots.

TALK TO YOUR LOCAL SUZUKI MARINE DEALER TODAY! QUEENSLAND DEALERS AARONS OUTBOARD MAINTENANCE 0432 788 233 | aaronsoutboardcentre.com.au AUSTRALIAN MARINE CENTRE 07 3808 7333 | amcboats.com.au BARNEY’S MARINE 07 4124 3170 | barneysmarine.com.au

GOLD COAST SUZUKI MARINE 07 5665 9566 | gcsuzukimarine.com.au

SUZUKI MARINE SERVICES WEIPA 07 4069 7700

HAMMERHEAD MARINE 07 4728 1378 | hammerheadmarine.com.au

THE TINNIE SHACK 07 4088 6125 | thetinnieshack.com.au/

LAGUNA BOATING CENTRE 07 5442 4872 | lagunaboating.com.au

TIN CAN BAY MOWER, MARINE & CYCLE CENTRE 07 5486 2285 | tincanbaymarine.com.au

MOTORSPORT MARINE 07 3888 0555 | motorsportmarine.com.au

NEW SOUTH WALES DEALERS

NORTHCOAST SUZUKI MARINE 07 5499 7805 | northcoastmotorsport.com

BAY BOAT SALES 02 4982 7899 | www.bayboatsales.com.au

ONE GLOBAL MARINE SERVICES 0411 827 119 | oneglobalmarine.com.au

BEN’S MARINE AND CHANDLERY 02 6646 3101 | suzukioutboardsyamba.com.au

CURTIS COAST MARINE 07 4972 0135 | curtiscoastmarine.com.au

PORT DOUGLAS SUZUKI MARINE 0419 593 694 | portdouglassuzukimarine.com.au

CAMDEN HAVEN MARINE 02 6559 9344 | camdenhavenmarine.com.au

DARLING DOWNS MARINE 07 4632 3600 | darlingdownsmarine.com.au

REEF SUZUKI MARINE 07 4957 3521 | reefsuzukimarine.com.au

INVERELL BOATING CENTRE 02 6721 1115 | inverellboatingcentre.com.au

EDGE MARINE 07 4019 2100 | edgemarine.net.au

SEA BREEZE MARINE 07 4933 6366 | seabreezemarine.com.au

LISMORE OUTBOARD SALES & SERVICE 02 6621 2657 | lismoreoutboards.com.au

GARY’S MARINE CENTRE 07 3201 6232 | garysmarinecentre.com.au

SURF COAST MARINE 07 5563 7733 | surfcoastmarine.com.au

NORTHCOAST BOATING CENTRE 02 6655 7700 | northcoastboatingcentre.com

BAYSIDE SUZUKI MARINE 07 3488 2019 | baysidesuzukimarine.com BOATS GALORE 07 4152 6744 | boatsgalore.com.au

SUZUKIMARINE.COM.AU www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 15

CUSTOM ALLOY FABRICATION 1#6 4'2#+45 n (+61765 #+6 6#0-5 4#051/ 4'$7+.&5 7'. 6#0-5 1051.'5 OVER 20 YEARS FABRICATING AND WELDING ALUMINIUM

A two-handed crimper.

CUSTOM TRANSOMS 20-75hp $750 75-150hp $890 150-225hp $980 Freight can be arranged Australia wide

PROFISH BOATS – Phone Peter 0417 782 114 Email: peter@profishboats.com www.profishboats.com

BOAT WINDSCREENS

Custom designs, repairs and replacement • Boat windscreens • Cabin windows • Console windscreens

Quotes over the phone

20/42 Burnside Rd, Yatala QLD

Phone 07 3382 7883 E: allboatswindscreens@hotmail.com

Photo: Kelly Dalling

GOLD COAST | FRASER

Call Capt Brett Alty 0417 766 734 E: captainbrettalty@bigpond.com

www.fishingmistress.com

A bench crimper.

Hooks, line, leader, crimps, swivels and knots

E

VERY one of the items in the headline is critical to game fishing success.

The most common reason for the loss of a fish, other than the hook pulling, is the bending or breaking of a hook, the breaking of line or leader, usually at a crimp, knot or failure of a swivel.

Reels can also cause losses if not properly maintained.

There has long been a debate about the merits of mild steel versus stainless steel hooks.

Among the various arguments were: • Mild steel hooks rust out and are therefore better for the fish; • Stainless hooks don’t rust out and the area around them will ulcerate; and • The rust from mild steel hooks will cause infection in the fish.

I don’t have any scientific view of this except to say it takes years for my wire-netting crab pots to rust out and that is only very thin wire.

I also note that with body piercing very popular these days (rings in ears, lips, noses, eyebrows and elsewhere!), the choice is stainless rather than mild steel.

As far as I am concerned, the only important thing about hooks is that they can be made really sharp and do not bend or break under pressure, particularly when on the leader.

We used to use Mustad 7731 mild steel hooks on heavy tackle lures.

However, over time it seemed the steel in these hooks became softer.

They rusted more rapidly, were harder to keep

Game Fishing

by BARRY ALTY

sharp and we had some open up on the rod and even more on the leader.

We made a brief change to Mustad 7732s, the stainless equivalent of the 7731, but they were even worse.

We often had the tip break off, the hook open on the rod or leader and even saw breakages on the leader.

This was in part due to our style of fishing, in which we leader heavy tackle fish, essentially wanting to give ourselves a decent chance when/ if we get a grander blue marlin to the boat.

I want to have enough hook power for one of our highly proficient deckies to hang on until we get a decent gaff shot.

Thus our heavy tackle hook of choice is a very strong stainless PA’A hook we buy from Tornado Lures.

Other suitable hooks would be Hays, or Dozers, which are even stronger, being rated XXXX. For light tackle lures the only hook to use is the Gamakatsu SL12.

However, with this chemically sharpened hook it is necessary to put a bit of anode tape on the shaft to prevent very quick erosion as a consequence of electrolysis as the hook is pulled through salt water.

Failure to do so will see the hook become very blunt, very quickly.

For light tackle circle hooks the Gamakatsu is also excellent, and for HT circles a Mustad mild

steel 18/0 or 20/0 is fine.

The latter, because of their action, do not need to be particularly sharp.

Except for that exception, the most important thing you can do as an angler is make sure the hook is really sharp.

I know people write about all sorts of ways to ‘face’ the hook point, but I don’t care as long as it’s ultra sharp.

We usually use a diamond file to sharpen hooks rather than a mill bastard file because while the diamond file takes longer it will get a much sharper point.

A reasonable test is to drag the hook lightly across your thumbnail.

If it’s sharp, it should

‘grab’, if not, keep working.

The only line we have ever had trouble with was purported to be pre-tested.

Both 4kg and 24kg were breaking inexplicably nowhere near their supposed breaking strain.

We have a strong preference for Momoi Blue on light tackle.

It has never let us down.

On 24kg and 37kg several brands have served us well over the years including Ande, Suffix and Stren.

Currently we are using Momoi and have had no bad experiences with it.

On 60kg, almost everyone in Cairns uses Amillan T11.

It has never let us down.

On 37kg and 60kg we use Dacron main line with a mono topshot of about 80m.

There are reasons for this:

• Dacron doesn’t stretch like mono, so is better suited to pumping and winding. It also lasts for a long time. I have had 15-year-old Dacron still testing at near, but under its rated breaking strain.

• Mono is very resilient and will withstand minor bumps and knocks from debris in the water, whereas Dacron, being a woven tube, can be very fragile if nicked.

• It is cheap to replace a mono topshot, so you save money with the combo.

Some people don’t like brightly coloured line because as it fades and discolours they assume it to be weakening.

I don’t have a problem with discolouration because it leads you to replace topshots regularly, as should be the case.

Dacron and mono are ☛ continued P17

Aussie Swivels.

NORTH SIDE’S LARGEST TRIM SHOP NOW OPEN

CALL NOW FOR A QUOTE: 3888 1727

4-BOW BIMINI

CUSTOM COVERS

BIMINI ON RUNABOUT

PRIVACY CURTAIN

FRONT & SIDE CLEARS

STORM COVER

ROD RACK

FULL CAMPER

Page 16 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Hooks, line, leader, crimps, swivels and knots ☛ from P16

joined with a splice, which works on the principle of the ‘Chinese finger’.

You just feed the mono up inside the hollow Dacron, making sure you don’t damage the Dacron with a sharp end on the mono.

Again, I won’t illustrate this here as there are plenty of demos on the internet.

Over the years we have experienced failures with many brands of leader material, either inexplicably breaking off the rod at up to two-thirds of max drag, or with the leader in hand.

My response: talk to my peers in the US professional fleet and find out what they were using.

This put me onto Lindgren-Pitman Primeline.

Lindgren-Pitman is a commercial fishing supplier whose products were not available in Australia at that time.

However, I spoke to Jack Lindgren and he agreed to supply me with what for him were minute quantities on a direct basis.

Thankfully LP is now stocked in Australia by Wellsy’s Tackle and Tornado Lures.

We use 300/400lb on lures and 550lb in Cairns.

It has never let us down.

A lot of failures are due to improperly sized or improperly applied crimps.

When buying leader, only use the size of crimps recommended and apply them properly with a decent crimping tool.

It is best to use a twohanded crimping tool, or even better a bench crimper (see illustrations), for crimping heavy mono or wire.

Bench crimpers have precise slugs for each size of the material you put in their jaws.

Single-handed crimping tools are not ideal for heavy mono or wire because they are not ‘precise’ enough and are too hard to close unless you lever one handle against a solid surface.

Do not use aluminium crimps on any stainless wire between hooks.

They will erode rapidly because of electrolysis.

Use either brass or copper crimps.

Crimps are cheap.

Fish lost because of failure are not.

When crimping mono, slide your tag end quite a way through the crimp and burn the end with a cigarette lighter to create a blob.

Allow it to cool, snug the crimp up to the blob and then crimp.

It just provides a bit of added protection if the crimp is loose.

We recommend Yo-Zuri swivels if you can get them.

They are sometimes marketed as a different brand and sold as Aussie Swivels.

They are strong and we have never had one break, but we have with other brands. www.bnbfishing.com. au

We once broke a wellknown brand of swivel just testing drags on 60kg gear in Cairns.

Off they went.

I am a believer in the KISS principle (keep it simple stupid).

Thus I think it preferable to be familiar with as few knots as necessary and know how to tie each of them well.

On HT doubles I always run an Aussie plait.

As long as it is tied tightly and finished properly, it will never fail.

We have never even had one slip, let alone fail.

On LT leaders a bimini twist is best.

However, I find them easy to do at home, but I have difficulty at sea, so if I have to replace a double at sea I generally use a spider hitch, which is an easy and quite effective knot, but not as good as a bimini.

For attaching swivels to doubles, I find either a spider hitch or an improved clinch knot equally as good.

Which you use may depend on whether the loop at the end of the double is still intact.

I am not going to try to draw or demonstrate knots here as again, plenty of demonstrations are on the internet.

One of the issues that generates a great deal of debate is wind-on leaders versus straight one-piece leaders.

I don’t think it matters on light tackle and we use wind-ons exclusively.

However, in respect to heavy tackle, I do not like to use wind-ons for a few reasons: Extra connections in that you now have a splice, two crimps and a swivel, whereas with a straight leader there is no splice, just a crimp and a swivel. Extra connections increase the chance of failure. I like to keep connections to a minimum.

Significant danger if the deckhand grabs the leader behind the swivel.

If the leader or crimp give way, the swivel will come back like a bullet.

One year when Captain Brett was decking in Cairns, that very thing happened. The swivel hit him in the throat and dropped him like he’d been shot. For a week he would lie on the floor each morning while I poured, yes poured, Betadine into the hole.

I also don’t like the idea of a swivel in the water ahead of the lure. This can lead to chop-offs from wahoo and mackerel. Even worse are nicks from small tuna, which you don’t necessarily see or know about until a breakage when you hook a marlin. With our 20’ leaders the swivel is out of the water both in the riggers and on flat lines.

We use the system, which is common to most of the pro boats around the world, known as 20/20.

Effectively it means 20’ of double and 20’ of leader.

With this setup it is usually possible to tag from the rod tip if the fish is on the surface, or it’s only two wraps to pull it within range if it’s deep.

Again, apply the KISS principle.

When making leaders, we measure one length off to make a pilot and then use it as the guide to make several so spare leaders are always ready to go and hasty, possibly inaccurate measuring does not take place on the boat.

Just more of the KISS principle.

To keep things simple we only use two sizes of leader for light tackle fishing.

One for mono and one for fluorocarbon.

Thus we only need two sizes of light tackle crimps.

It is the same with heavy tackle: two sizes of leaders and two sizes of mono crimps.

One size of wire for light tackle connections between hooks and one for heavy tackle.

Thus we only need to have six different crimps on the boat and it is impossible to use the wrong one!

I have been on boats (always privateers) where tackle boxes are full of a plethora of differentsized crimps, with crews rifling around in the hope of finding the ‘right’ one.

What an easy way to make a mistake.

Next issue we’ll look at rods, reels, chairs, riggers and teasers.

Yo-Zuri swivels.

Brisbane’s best-kept secret MARINE COME AND SEE US FOR AN EVEN BETTER DEAL!

Awesome deals to get you on the water today!

4.2 Razor

$

FROM

10,990

$

Suzuki 30hp 2-stroke

Suzuki manual-start outboard. Great estuary tinnie and amazing value to get you started.

At this price they won’t last. Call in today and be on the water tomorrow!

4.4 Razor S

Suzuki DF40 4-stroke

Luxury seats, 4-stroke tiller steer, safety gear, all regos and tie downs. Fully plumbed front bait/ keeper tank. Wrap not included in price.

MARINE

MARINE

Experience the Aluvan advantage

5.1m Aluvan Maru $

Soft, dry ride

19,890

Stable at rest

44,990

Suzuki 100hp 4-stroke

Dual console with Garmin 9� electronics, hydraulic steering and convertible front lounge/cast deck.

MARINE

Northside’s exclusive Suzuki dealer

MARINE

MARINE

MARINE

motorsportmarine.com.au

07 3888 0555

11 Brewers St, Burpengary QLD info@motorsportmarine.com.au Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 17

E Z THROW CAS NET S T If it’s not an E Z Throw tthen it’s not an easy throw!

The original design and the best!

7’, 8’ and 9’ spreads and 6’ 7 for kids and kayakers.

PH 0408 884 173

www.castnetsaustralia.com

Live bloodworms $8/pack Rainbow St, 3269 5060 78 Sandgate QLD

Hot bites on offer for anglers I

T seems like the holidays have just finished and the kids are barely back at school and we are already heading into Easter and another round of school holidays.

Our local fishing reports are still flooding in, with many different species being caught in Moreton Bay, around Fraser Island and within our local estuaries and creeks.

The hot bites are mangrove jack and whiting being caught on both lures and baits.

There is a growing trend among whiting fishos electing to chase these critters with hard-body topwater lures.

These are often small, clear or prawn-coloured poppers in sizes from 3565mm, but another popular lure of late has been the 95mm Bassday Sugapen.

The dedicated anglers have even gone to the effort of replacing the larger trebles with smaller trailing assist hooks.

Shorncliffe Pier has now become a must-visit local fishing destination, with a lot of interest coming from people new to the area.

We get many questions regarding what type of bait to use, what gear will work and what sort of fish can be encountered.

There is no secret to fishing the pier.

Light sinkers and a size 4 hook generally work for a lot of the resident fish, with prawns, mullet and small baitfish working well.

Mangrove jack are quite aggressive and have been attacking everything from lightly weighted soft plastics to shallow-diving hard-body lures and vibes.

Colours of choice have been bright colours and reds.

Other reports throughout Moreton and Deception bays have included catches of squire (snapper), spotted mackerel, cobia and threadfin salmon.

Our creeks and river systems are still fishing well for the usual mix of

Check out our website • Latest fishing news • Boat reviews • How-to articles • Useful links • Subscription offers

• Monthly specials • Tips from the pros • Comment on articles • Join our free e-news

www.bnbfishing.com.au Page 18 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

Northern Moreton Bay

by MARK TEMPLETON

flathead, whiting, bream, cod and jacks.

The local shark mob have also been doing nicely, with several shark species caught at Deepwater Bend, Scarborough and Shorncliffe to name a few locations.

Favourite baits are livies, mullet strips and freshwater eel.

Eddie got out and as you can see by the photo it was an awesome day on the water, finishing it off with a cracker wahoo.

Great effort, Eddie!

The recent bout of rain has activated a flurry of prawns in both the Pine River and Cabbage Tree Creek.

Bree scored a few quality prawns in her cast net in Cabbage Tree Creek, so well done, Bree!

Muddies have begun showing up, and hopefully with a bit more rain we will see them in larger numbers.

We have heard reports of pots being stolen, so please ensure your pots are properly marked.

If you see someone lift-

ing your pots, or find your pots have been stolen, record the location and take photos and report it to Fisheries Queensland.

Tackle Land’s secondhand store ‘The Shed’ is now in full swing, buying and selling all types of fishing, camping and boating gear.

We have built up quite a selection of new, second-

hand and ex-demo stock, so keep an eye out for a bargain.

On a solemn note, the Tackle Land team recently lost one of its family with the sudden passing of our friend and local firefighter Trevor Jarvis.

Our thoughts are with Trevor’s family and partner Liz through this tragic time.

Trevor was instrumental in getting The Shed up and running and was well known for his generosity and charity work.

Every time we turn

around, every time we look at what Trevor helped build, every time we think ‘How am I going to do that’, we will remember Trevor, the fixer, the scrounger, the doer – our mate.

Finally, parents and fishos alike, it may still be a few weeks away but holidays are coming and they will be here before you know it.

Check your fishing gear, check your boating and safety gear, stock up and have a great and safe holiday break.

Bree’s bumper prawn.

Eddie with his ripper wahoo.

Tribute to Trevor Jarvis T

REVOR Jarvis was a very special mate, a local legend who had the whole community at heart.

Chairman of the local PCYC and co-driver of OV Fire in the Variety Bash, Trevor was also a very active member for many years of both the Sandgate Apex Club and the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services.

Trevor was always there to lend a hand, sort out issues and he had a knack of producing that thing that no one could find.

Trevor has left a massive hole in our lives and he will not be forgotten.

Every time we look around, we will see something Trevor had organised, built or found.

Between Trevor, Joe and Mick, there were so

many fights and arguments on how Tackle Land’s The Shed was going to be built and Trevor won most of them.

For me, The Shed is really Trev’s place and

we see him every day we have those doors open.

Unfortunately, I never had the chance to wet a line with Trevor, so the next time the crew assembles for a fish, we

will have Trevor with us in spirit.

Trevor left us on February 9, 2019 very suddenly while in the arms of his beautiful lady Liz. Rest in peace, my friend.

Trevor Jarvis will be sadly missed.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

A slow retrieve with a rig of small sinker, red tubing and fine hook with a yabby or worm is perfect for whiting.

A prime flathead location of intersecting drains, a drop-off and nearby fallen timber.

Wading the flats: structure, techniques and tackle

E

STUARY flats are top fishing locations for everyone from the beginner to the expert.

Estuary flats can be defined as anything from exposed to semi-exposed low tide sand flats in rivers and creeks to exposed tidal flats on the calm or western sides of Queensland’s big sand islands.

Structure Not all exposed sand or tidal flats attract good numbers of fish.

Generally speaking, areas of white rock-hard sand with very little weed or invertebrates burying holes in them are unproductive.

They hold no food for the fish nor do they at-

Fishing Tips

by SEAN ‘SKIP’ THOMPSON

tract fish due to the lack of structure like weed or any bottom variations that change the current flow.

Instead, you want to be looking for sand flats that provide protection and/or hold baitfish for one reason or another.

This includes softer, darker sand that holds yabbies or tube and bloodworms if located near ribbon weed or mangrove roots.

Target areas should also include sand patches among weed or where the

current is being broken by tree branches, patches of rock, melon holes, drains and deeper drop-offs.

Tide and time Many anglers think high tide is the best time to fish the flats because the most water is on the flats and therefore the most fish.

The downside is of course the fish are spread out on high tide, and not only that but in the hour or so on both sides of the tide change the action slows right down for some species.

This is particularly the case for whiting, where no run means no fun!

The same is true for whiting at low tide.

The only exception to this is when the change of tide coincides with dusk, where they can have a burst of 20-30 minutes of action regardless of the tide.

Generally, for whiting and bream I find the best time to target the flats the middle stages of the tide.

That is between one hour after low to one hour before high, and vice versa.

The fish will not necessarily have filled up on the run-in tide so might feed on the run-out.

My 20-plus years of

fishing statistics show that, particularly on the exposed tidal flats of Queensland’s big islands, the fish will follow the drains, channels and patches of melon holes in with the tide, then turn around and move in a similar fashion on the way out.

Flathead though, are another matter, and are generally best targeted in the last two hours of the run-out tide and the first hour or so of the run-in.

This will see the fish lying in ambush along the edges of drop-offs, entrances to drains and small channels in the sand where baitfish will ☛ continued P20

The author captured a nice flathead after casting in front of a flathead lie on low tide.

KOMODO SS 273

ABSOLUTE

POWER

KOMODO SS 273

A NEW BOSS HAS ARRIVED ON THE COMPACT COM MPACT BAITCASTER SCENE Okuma brings the legendary toughness of it’s Komodo Kom modo SS 364 and 463 models to the 200 baitcaster class. This is achieved with th stainless sttainless steel gears, spool shaft and drive shaft; a rigid aluminium frame fram me and side plates, machined A6061-T6 alloy spool, seven precision ion bearings including Japanese ABEC-5 spool bearings, 9kg of progressive resssive carbonite drag, Velocity Control Casting system, and a dual anti-reverse antii-reverse set up.

The new Okuma Komodo SS 273 easily out-muscles uscles other 200-sized EDLWFDVWHUV RĆ‚HULQJ DQJOHUV D UHHO WKDW FDQ EH UHOLHG XSRQ WLPH EH UHOLHG XSRQ WLPH DQG WLPH DJDLQ ZKHQ XS DJDLQVW ELJ DJJUHVVLYH ĆƒVK DJJUUHVVLYH ĆƒVK

KOMODO SS 364

KOMODO SS 463

Available now in left and right hand and retrieve.

F ll product Full d range at okuma.com.au okuma k com au www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 19

Wading the flats: structure, techniques and tackle ☛ from P19

Whiting will follow channels and drains in and out on the flats, moving with the tide.

Trailer repairs & servicing 4XDOLW\ ZRUN 6SDUH SDUWV 0RGL¿FDWLRQV

www.queenslandtrailerspares.net.au

1/25 Smith St, 07 3390 1543 Unit Capalaba

be fleeing the flats into deeper water as the tide drops.

They can also be targeted around the ‘patches’ over the top half of the tide.

These patches include sand, coffee rock and weed patches along with the edge of the mangroves near the top of the tide.

These areas will hold bait out of the current, and thus flathead.

What to look for These areas are often much easier to spot at low tide.

That is, you can see the exposed drains and holes that fill with the tide.

You can also spot, especially with a pair of good polarised sunglasses, drop-offs and drains out from the water’s edge.

Likewise on the high tide, polarised sunnies are essential, but other indications of a change in structure under the water can be ripples on the water, smooth current lines and small waves breaking around a higher sand spit.

One other thing to look for is discoloured patches of water as the ride runs out.

These are a top target area for flathead.

Finally, one of the best giveaways of fish nearby are flathead lies in the sand or small indentations in the soft sand caused by whiting or bream feeding.

Time and time again I have cast out to the deeper

Subscribe to our

channel!

r o f h c r Sea

V T F B N B

Check out in-depth video coverage of the latest boat and product reviews plus fishing action and handy tips.

Page 20 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

water in front of flathead lies in the dry sand and hooked up.

Fishing method Once you have found your preferred location, it is a matter of presenting your bait or lure effectively to the fish on the flats.

Check out the ‘Tackle Box’ suggestions for what equipment to use.

When bait fishing with live worms or yabbies (the best flats baits for whiting and bream), I like to use the cast and retrieve method.

This simply involves throwing the bait out to or just beyond the likely looking area and very slowly winding your reel to present your bait ‘moving’ in the water.

This is best achieved with small pieces of red or pink tubing above the hooks to attract the fish to your bait.

When it comes to sinker size, use just enough to get into the target area.

I generally only use a 1 or 2 ball sinker on the flats.

A big heavy sinker will spook the fish when it lands among the school, and what’s more, when a fish picks up the bait to run with it, it will feel a heavy unnatural weight on the end and drop it.

When it comes to throwing plastics for flathead, I like light, thin-gauge jig heads on the flats.

Light jig heads present your bait more naturally in the shallow water.

I’ve also noticed the light weights cast just over drop-offs will float down more naturally and be smashed by big fish.

These include grunter, trevally, mackerel, queenfish and cod, which can sit at the edge of these flats and drop-offs, especially during a bit of chop or when the water is discoloured and hence provides more protection from bigger predators.

If it’s windy, just try to position yourself so you can cast with the wind rather than against it.

What to take Another consideration when fishing the flats is mobility.

When I’m just bait fishing, I can carry all I need in a large shoulder bag.

This includes ruler, fish and pouches for water, spare rigs and a small tackle box.

I also carry a few snacks in my shirt pockets.

If I am fishing for flathead, I will also wear a sling bag that I can swing around to my back when casting, but swivel around to my front when I want to access gear.

In this bag I will carry spare spools of leader, braid scissors, a selection of plastics in their packaging and spare jig heads of various sizes.

I will also carry snacks and my portable camera in there.

One final addition I will

now be carrying is lip gloss.

Yes, lip gloss.

I suppose it might come in handy on those windy days to protect chaffed lips, but its real purpose is to remove wind knots.

That’s right, remove wind knots.

I saw this recently on a video and tried it myself.

It works even on big

knots in your line!

Check out my Facebook page to see for yourself!

I hope these tips help you enjoy successful flats fishing in the future.

If you’ve got any questions or for more tips and reports, jump on and like/ follow my Ontour Fishing Australia Facebook and Instagram pages.

Tackle box Bait fishing: • 10”6 slow action rod • 500b or 600bc reel or 2000 spinning reel • 6lb mono line • 6lb fluorocarbon leader • Size 4 finesse (thin-gauge) long-shank hooks Lure fishing: • 7 to 7”6 graphite rod • 1000-2000 spinning reel • 4-6lb bright-coloured braid • 10-12lb fluorocarbon leader • 1/12-3/8oz finesse (lightgauge) jig heads

Darker muddy sand not only holds yabbies but also fish on the high tide.

A very clear flathead lie, which gave away the presence of a nearby flathead.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Luke Rogerson, Ahmad Alhiyar, Alan Spelta and Sydney Maclean with a black marlin.

This good size mulloway was landed by Trent.

Gold Coast graced by superb summer

W

ELL, what a summer!

Someone was looking after the charter boats on the Gold Coast this summer, as endless fine and hot days with calm seas saw continued trips into the Pacific Ocean to bag the varieties of fish on offer.

The fishing crews haven’t seen such a positive summer in many years.

The Gold Coast received an immense influx of visitors for the summer break.

International visitors also took advantage of fine days and the chance to hook a sumptuous meal.

Crews managed the odd day off and spent those days catching up on maintenance of boats and fishing equipment.

Dolphinfish or mahi mahi weren’t in big num-

Fish the Deep

by SCOTT VAN BURCK

bers this summer.

Despite plenty of feed, it appears the easterly and northeasterly wind did not encourage the pelagics to visit the Gold Coast.

Mackerel have been much the same.

Only a couple of good runs of mackerel have been experienced this season.

And it had to be an early rise for the keen fisher because most were caught at dawn, which meant being at Palm Beach or Mermaid Reef around 4.30am.

By 5am they were off the bite.

The strange situation over summer was the continual catches of winter fish, with kingfish, am-

berjack, samson fish and good size snapper regularly taken.

Quality teraglin have been filling Eskies on a daily basis.

Even the humble flathead is gracing many a dinner plate.

Marlin have been on the bite, with many marlin charters rejoicing in sizeable catches.

Fish the Deep has snagged a couple this summer, though most clients were not interested in hours of trolling for maybe no reward.

Customers wanted a rod in their hands and fish to take home, so bottom bashing was the order of the day and the reefs were

full of quality fish.

Pearl perch have been the highlight of many a barbecue and dinner party.

Rated as one of the besteating fish in the ocean, those on board landing pearl perch were assured of a tasty meal.

Fish the Deep had the pleasure of Miguel from Network Ten’s The Living Room and his friends on board for a morning fishing trip.

They were trying to catch the elusive marlin but unfortunately did not manage to tick this speedster off the bucket list.

They did, however, catch a substantial feed of jewfish, so Miguel was on cooking duty that night.

The weather was perfect with a glass-out, and to top the day off, a pod of dolphins joined the boat

and played around for a good half hour.

The cheeky dolphins even tried to steal our catches as they were reeled back to the boat.

That is what is called an easy meal.

Chinese tourists are visiting the Gold Coast in large numbers and the demand for fishing charters is very prominent on their tour itinerary.

Fish the Deep has hosted many new Chinese groups, as well as our regular Chinese fishers, enjoying the wonderful summer.

As the Gold Coast drifts into March, the charter industry looks forward to the mackerel returning and quality marlin catches.

Happy fishing to one and all ‘til we meet again in the next issue.

A snapper for Joseph.

Jason Fok boated a tasty venus tuskfish.

HOOK EYE

CHEMICALLY SHARPENED CONICAL HOOK POINT

BIG BAIT CI R C L E

BIG BAIT

Heavier gauge circle hook for big fish!

Perfect for a paternoster rig or a live bait rig

Perfect for big baits for big fish

INLINE OCTOPUS SE 4x For use with big baits, this hook is built on ultra strong 4x steel

HOOK BEND

MICRO BARB

GA

PE

AT

SIZES FROM #4/0-10/0

HOOK SHANK

RO

SIZES FROM #1/0-10/0

TH

SIZES FROM #2/0-8/0

HIGH QUALITY TEMPERED CARBON WIRE CONSTRUCTION

I NS T A G R A M:@GAMAKATSU_AUS W WW . G A M A KATSU.COM.AU www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 21

YOUR TOOL FOR PURE FUEL Removes water, dirt, sand, rust and debris.

Portable, self-cleaning, static free with no replacement parts.

Tony made the most of his holidays by coming down and catching good snapper.

0412 013 981 www.mrfunnelaustralia.com.au

Custom Marine Welding Shed 1, 281 Jacobs Well Rd ALBERTON Behind Freedom Service Station

All types of welding & manufacture ufacture including: • ALUMINIUM • STAINLESS STEEL • MILD STEEL • BOATS WELDED & MOULDED OULDED • PONTOONS • CUSTOM FUEL TANKS KS • VEHICLE TOOLBOXES • BOW RAILS S • STERN RAILS • ACCESS LADDERS • CLEATS • SIDE POCKETS FOR TINNIES • BOLLARDS LARDS • CANOPY BOWS • MARINA BARROWS WS

PH: 3807 7846 M: 0427 142 201 www.custommarinewelding.com.au Fully mobile service available with on-site work | Small jobs welcome

Coomera Houseboat Holidays BOOK ONLINE

NEW HIRE TINNIE AVAILABLE

Greatoats g B ST Fishin LD COA GO

ER ADWAT

BRO Be your own skipper, no licence needed • Tackle shop, bait & ice • Largest fleet in Australia • 2-12 berth boats to suit all occasions • Proven fishing hot spots • 600km2 of sheltered waterways

Call 07 5502 6200

MENTION BUSH ‘N BEACH FOR A DEAL

coomerahouseboats.com.au

Page 22 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

Amm with her PB whiting from the Nerang River.

Sportfishing fun on Gold Coast

H

I everyone, at the time of writing we still haven’t had any decent rainfall here on the Gold Coast.

I hope by the time you’re reading this we have had heaps.

The dry conditions are really starting to make fishing a bit difficult.

The best fishing since Christmas has been for marlin offshore and mangrove jack inshore.

You can target plenty of other species, you’ll just need to fish a bit smarter to end up with a good catch.

We mostly fish for a feed, as nothing is better than a feed of whiting or snapper, but sportfishing for species like trevally and tarpon is great fun.

Sportfishing can mean different things to different fishos, and for me it just means fishing with lures and releasing the fish after capture and a photo.

Most of the species we target this way are not the best eating quality but are great fun to catch, so releasing them to hook again another day is fine by me.

On the Goldy we are lucky to have plenty of these species as well as even less well-known fish such as giant herring and milkfish.

Targeting these fish is not that difficult or expensive.

A 3-5kg or 4-6kg rod, depending on the size of the fish you’re chasing, with 8-12lb braid and 12-20lb leader will get it done.

I prefer lighter gear because it means a longer fight and more fun.

Targeting each species will require slightly different fishing times.

For GTs, fish early mornings and late afternoons along the rock walls and around the bridges in both the Nerang and Coomera rivers.

Bigeye trevally are mainly night-time predators, so after dark on the run-out tide is best, especially around any structure that has lights on it.

Bridges and jetties are the most popular places to try.

Trolling the rock-lined canal walls at Runaway Bay and Sovereign Island

Broadwater Region

by WAYNE ‘YOUNGY’ YOUNG

is a great idea too.

Lure choice can be anything from small shallowdiving lures such as Rapala X-Rap 8s to surface lures including the Atomic ‘Bulldog’.

Off all the sporty species, tarpon are my favourite.

They are aggressive, fast and very acrobatic once hooked.

They are great fun.

Unfortunately, they can also be the hardest to find.

Again, the lights around any of the bridges on the Gold Coast are worth trying.

We find the odd school very early in the morning feeding on the surface in the northern part of the Broadwater but they can be very hit and miss.

Small 3” grub soft plastics in white have been our best lure for them on a 1/8oz, 1/0 jig head.

Once hooked, be prepared for several spectacular leaps as they try to throw the hook.

If you do find tarpon, a 20lb tippet on the end of your 12lb leader is recommended because they have a very rough mouth that will wear through your line.

Now we’ve had our fun,

we had better get back to fishing for a feed.

Whiting fishing has been steady without being great.

Like everything else, a good few inches of rain would improve the fishing.

It’s getting to the end of their spawning season and some fish are heading back upstream, so fishing the area around Hickeys Corner should get you a feed of whiting.

While I still prefer to fish Isle of Capri and the Council Chambers area this month, the one thing that doesn’t change is bait, with bloodworms catching way more fish than anything else.

I know yabbies and beach worms will get a few fish but if the fishing is tough, bloodworms can be the difference between a few fish and a great haul.

So far it has been a very slow start to the spotted mackerel season but there is still plenty of time for them to turn up, with good catches during March in previous years.

The southeasterly wind we had last month was just what we needed to increase the water temperature and bring the

The author’s favourite sportfish are tarpon. They can be frustrating but are great fun.

bait in closer to attract the mackerel.

Pieces of pillie on a 4/0 hook with a short length of 27lb wire present the preferred capture method, using either a very small sinker or even better, no sinker at all.

Spanish mackerel numbers should also increase this month, and trolling lures and slow trolling live baits is the way to capture these speedsters.

Trolling in about 40m of water from Diamond Reef north, watch for current lines and bait on your sounder to help your capture rate.

Bottom fishing for snapper, trag, sweetlip and cod has been good when conditions allow us to get out and should be even better this month.

Despite the lack of rain, mud crab captures have been better than expected and will improve even further if it ever rains

down this way.

The Coomera River and the northern Broadwater right up to the Never Fail Islands have been the best areas to try.

Sand crabs have been widespread, and we have even been getting them at the Council Chambers on our lines while whiting fishing, so the mouth of the Nerang River would be a good spot to try.

Other options this month include fishing for flathead in the upper reaches of the Nerang River around Carrara.

A good boat ramp at Carrara St is ideal for those who come down from Brisbane.

This is a good area to catch whiting in winter, so you can have a look around and catch several flathead while checking it out for future whiting trips.

‘Til next month, fish for the future and hope we get a heap of rain.

Tackle box Gold Coast sportfishing: • 3-5kg rod • 3” grub soft plastics • 1/8oz jig head with 1/0 hook • 8-12lb braid; 12-20lb leader

Young Jessica with a couple of nice whiting from the Pimpama River.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Cracking action in estuaries

W

E sadly say goodbye to another summer, though this seems to be the one of the driest summers in southeast Queensland in years.

It’s made the fishing great but we are starting to see the effects in our dams, with percentages dropping quickly.

Despite the passing of summer, March brings good things.

Considering water temperatures in the rivers have been sitting around 28C, we should see it starting to ease.

It will be similar offshore, except we will see the temps dropping right down to 23-24C. Spanish mackerel just haven’t shown their faces this season but the odd spotted mackerel has been floating around, with patches of mack tuna harassing baitfish.

Tiny Tortoise Report

by DARREN RAMA

When the fish are busting up on the surface they are much easier to target because they are in a frenzy and most of the time feeding on anything they can see.

The easiest way to hook fish in this situation is to use small metal slugs because you just wind as fast as you can through the school until one of them eats it.

Mack tuna are known to most anglers as a waste of time due to their poor eating qualities, but targeting them on light line can be quite fun.

Mangrove jack are still hot on everyone’s minds, and so they should be.

With temps dropping, this time of year generally

produces a good topwater bite but this action will be dramatically increased if we were to experience more rain because it helps with the run of the prawns.

The prawn run is a key trigger for the mangrove jack surface bite because prawns are often seen flicking on the surface to escape from predators.

It’s only natural for jacks to feed in the top section of the water column in this situation, and walk the dog lures and poppers will be best in low-light situations.

Lower temps will also see bass starting to move around in rivers as they begin to trek towards saltier water to prepare for yet another breeding season.

In Hinze Dam, saratoga have been more common than bass around the edges due to the heat, so getting mixed species at Hinze is more common than usual of late.

Using lures such as spinnerbaits and jerkbaits will be ideal in these situations.

Don’t shy away from fishing just because it’s beginning to cool.

It’s still got plenty to offer and it only takes one cast to get the fish you’ve been hoping for!

A nice jack taken late in the afternoon.

QX100CMAPEXMORE001

A jack hooked around a pontoon on a Pontoon21 CrackJack.

This jack swallowed a Pontoon21 CrackJack.

More room, more features, more stability.

More of everything for a great day on the water... all thanks to our revolutionary Apex Hull.

7KH UDGLFDO YDULDEOH ÂľDUHG ERWWRP VKHHW extends to the bow gunnel as does the wide FKLQH 7KDW PHDQV PRUH LQWHUQDO VSDFH DQG storage, which lets us build new consoles, casting SODWIRUPV EXQNV XSKROVWHU\ DQG WUDQVRPV

GHSHQGLQJ RQ WKH PRGHO :H­YH DOVR DGGHG thicker and higher topsides and raised the deck, IRU PRUH IUHHERDUG :LWK WKH QHZ $SH[ +XOO \RX JHW PRUH RI WKH JRRG WKLQJV OLNH D VRIWHU ULGH DQG URRP WR PRYH Expect nothing less IURP RXU QHZ 4XLQWUH[ Apex Hull.

*Size and features comparison made with 2016 Quintrex models.

The new Quintrex APEX Hull gives you more room, more features and more stability.

Check it out at your nearest dealer:

Brisbane | Brisbane Yamaha 174 Eastern Service Rd, Bruce Hwy Burpengary Q 4505 T: 07 3888 1727 brisbaneyamaha.com.au

Gold Coast | Surf Coast Marine 50-54 Brisbane Rd, Labrador Q 4215 T: 07 5563 7733 surfcoastmarine.com.au

Sunshine Coast | Caloundra Marine 8 Baldwin St, Caloundra Q 4551 T: 07 5491 1944 caloundramarine.com.au

Bundaberg | Boats Galore

Toowoomba | Water Skiers Warehouse

142 Enterprise St, Bundaberg Q 4670 T: 07 4152 6744 boatsgalore.com.au

91-93 Neil St, Toowoomba Q 4350 T: 0400 379 514 waterskierswarehouse.com.au

This mack tuna was caught in a bust-up.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 23

Garry Morrison held a tea-leaf trevally hooked on an MMD Splash Prawn.

March round-up in the rivers

G

’DAY everyone, this month I will give you some ideas for finding fish in our local rivers during March.

Whiting like this one caught by Chris Martin should be very active on surface lures during March.

Bradh's Smited Guiding Fishs Tour

GOLD ST COA

CKLE D A T L L A DE PROVI

30 years’ local experience Lure fishing specialist Bookings and inquiries: Personalised service Targeting all estuary species 0419 028 704

www.bradsmithfishingcharters.com.au t

Check out our website • Latest fishing news • Boat reviews • How-to articles • Useful links • Subscription offers

• Monthly specials • Tips from the pros • Comment on articles • Join our free e-news

www.bnbfishing.com.au Page 24 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

March is one of my favourite times of year for fishing because the weather patterns and water temperatures become quite stable and a fantastic variety of species are on offer.

Over the past couple of months the good old flathead have been slow due to the lack of rain and the water temperatures occasionally climbing over 30C. This water scorching does not suit flatties but the good news is the water temps will and have already started to stabilise, and good numbers of flathead can now be caught on bait and lures.

The best places to find them are in the middle reaches of the rivers, in the deeper holes with bait concentrations on the bottom.

Soft plastics and vibes worked slowly along the bottom of these deep holes is the best way to target the flatties.

All the shallow flats in the rivers that have good structure such as seagrass beds and yabby colonies will fish well for bream and whiting, with surface lures including Bassday Sugapens and MMD Splash Prawns my choice of lures for the job.

The weeks leading up to both the new and full moons are the best times to fish these shallow flats with surface lures because the bigger tides enable you to drift over more ground and the whiting spawn on these moon cycles, which concentrates them and makes them more aggressive.

Giant, bigeye and tealeaf trevally were everywhere over summer, and without doubt will continue their destructive assaults on the local baitfish schools this month and into April.

It is sometimes hard to predict the movements of these fast and freeroaming fish, but the tide changes, particularly the

Gold Coast Guide

by BRAD SMITH

first of the run-out tides adjacent to shallow flats and bridges, are a consistent ambush area for this species.

Keeping a constant awareness of any surface or bird activity while fishing is the best way to locate feeding trevally.

Having a spare rod with a small metal spinner or surface lure handy at all times means you can quickly cast the lure into the surface-feeding frenzy when it happens.

Sometimes it can all be over very quickly, so you must be prepared.

I love to target mangrove jack in March because they tend to feed heavily towards the back end of the season before winter when the water temperature drops and they become quite inactive.

Early morning and late-

afternoon sessions with deep-diving minnows and soft plastics worked tight and thoroughly around good structure will be rewarded.

If you can plan your trips around the tide changes, this will also increase your chances because jacks spike in their feeding patterns around these periods.

Make sure you don’t fish too light and ensure the

quality and drag system of your reels are in top order because a jack’s power and the speed and aggression of its initial strike will bust poor equipment and bad knots like cotton.

Mulloway can also be targeted this month and will only increase in numbers with the onset of winter.

As with the flatties, fish the deeper holes in the middle reaches of the rivers with soft plastics and vibes around the tide changes early in the mornings and late in the afternoons.

This is one of the author’s favourite months for targeting mangrove jack.

Quality flathead like this one will be found in the deep holes of our rivers this month.

Steve Blaney with a school jew caught in the Tweed River.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Golden month on Gold Coast

■ Spotted and spanish mackerel ■ Mangrove jack

H

OW crazy has the fishing been?

The Gold Coast has had a golden month with what seems like fish jumping on anything that hits the water, and it shows no sign of slowing as the weather remains stable.

With the current bringing that warm nutrientfilled water down from the north, the fish have followed in their masses.

On the local reefs, mackerel have been chewing their heads off.

It doesn’t seem to matter whether you are towing baits and lures, sitting at anchor soaking a pilchard or throwing slugs, you’ll catch a mackerel.

The spotties this year have been exceptional, with fish well into the

Gold Coast

by HEATH ZYGNERSKI

The mackerel will come to the boat and play up massively before hitting the afterburners, by which time the ol’ taxman will knock the fish off, maybe leaving you the head.

8-9kg range regularly caught.

Anglers haven’t had it all their own way though, with sharks making a pest of themselves in a way not seen for nearly

You just need to wind faster when the taxman is around.

a decade.

In my time fishing, I’ve maybe had three or four fish knocked off by sharks.

At the moment, some of the fishos are having three or four fish a session hit by the taxman.

The story plays out the same every time.

The mackerel will come to the boat and play up massively before hitting the afterburners, by which time the ol’ taxman will knock the fish off, maybe leaving you the head.

The bigger spaniards are also around in good numbers and hitting live baits.

Bigger baits seem to equal bigger fish.

As we push through into autumn, the mackerel fishing should continue to be great and the fish get bigger (if that’s possible) as the season progresses.

Out a bit wider, marlin have been in huge numbers.

It has not been uncommon to boat at least a dozen of these prized fighting fish.

Spot X seems to be holding the fish, with bait caught on the spot if you can get your slimy mackerel to the boat before a billy whacks it.

A live bait lowered back to the school won’t last long at all.

For the size of the fish on offer, 8kg gear is more than enough for an enjoyable fight.

The mahi mahi seem to have moved on, with no reports of them being caught.

That’s not to say we won’t get another wave come through as the fish start to make their way back north.

Expect the wahoo to also have a stopover.

In the estuaries, mangrove jack have been putting a smile on many an angler’s face.

These beasts are truly one of the best landbased sportfish you’ll

Mitch with an absolute stonker of a spotty.

☛ continued P26

Matt nailed this blue on a big live bait.

GET ON THE WATER TODAY WITH AUSTRALIAN MARINE CENTRE ONE ONLY

Bar Crusher 535C

$

62,990

Formosa 580 Centre C Cabin bi > Suzuki DF140A

Bar Crusher 575C

ONE ONLY

Bar Crusher 615C Various colour choices in stock.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

27,990

Formosa 480 Side Console onsole > 2005 Mercury 75hp 2-stroke

ONE ONLY

MARINE

$

Formosa 580X Bowrider d > Suzuki DF175TX

$

69,990

$

22,990

$

24,490

490 Centre Console > 2012 Mercury 60hp 4-stroke

ONE ONLY

$

39,990

Signature 495F > Suzuki DF70

440 Flymaster > Suzuki DF60

ONE ONLY

ALL BOATS IN STOCK NOW!

$

$

64,990

Signature 543F > Suzuki DF140

42,650

530 Bowrider > Suzuki DF100A

Proud to be a Suzuki Elite Dealer and repower centre.

We also service all other makes of outboards, book a service today!

3491 PACIFIC HWY, SPRINGWOOD Q 4127

07 3808 7333 amcboats.com.au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 25

‘Crayzy’ catch off Brunz

■ Mackerel arrive ■ Sharks everywhere

T

Nathan Mitchell with a nice jew.

That’s not a jew. Nathan struck hard on this cray but said the fight was a little disappointing.

HE were year.

mackerel late this

I’ve seen it before but usually you expect a few to get caught in January.

This year, January was dead but early February they appeared.

The last week in January I went out every second day hoping they would show.

We had some ridiculously cold water, with one afternoon only 18C. Fishing most days was slow, with the odd snapper and jewfish being caught and not much else.

Nathan came out with me one afternoon hoping for a jew and we managed a couple after a few missed opportunities.

The fish only bit on the sunset period and when it got fully dark and the moon climbed higher the fish shut down.

Conditions were absolutely glassy, so we sat there in hope without a bite.

As we chatted, Nathan said he had just had a proper bite and he waited, poised ready for action.

A second bite and he struck hard and it was

Golden month on Gold Coast ☛ from P25

encounter in southeast Queensland.

They’ll test every bit of your tackle (as well as you as an angler) as they try to outsmart you.

What is pleasing is in a short space of time the importance of looking after the mangrove jack fishery for which southeast Queensland is renowned has been spearheaded by anglers themselves.

The great jack fishing should continue well into April if the weather stays warm.

After the bit of rain in February, the crabbing also turned it on, with some pots coming up looking like something out of Deadliest Catch.

The ratio of jennies to bucks has been around 5:1, so while the pots are full don’t be tempted to take a few of those bucks with feathers.

It could cost you a lot more than you realise.

The local bars are almost changing on a weekly basis.

Tweed River Bar is fairly angry well inside the walls on a run-out and of course that back bank needs watching.

Currumbin Creek Bar still looks like a maze on low tide.

Smaller tinnies have been making it out over the bank on the low and some cowboys are polishing their props as they kiss the sand bar while taking on a wave.

Jye was all smiles with his spotty.

Tallebudgera Creek Bar still has nowhere to run.

It’s shallow and dangerous.

The Seaway has been pretty good with the

stable weather.

On a big swell you still have to watch yourself.

‘Til next month, stinky fingers to you all.

Joe was happy with a nice spotty.

Tweed to Byron Bay

by GAVIN DOBSON

obvious it wasn’t a good fish.

I called it for a big red harry as there was a fair bit of weight and no fight.

In the torchlight we both took a second to realise Nathan had hooked a crayfish.

I’ve heard of it before and I’ve got a mate who even caught a spanner crab on a hook but I’d never had a line-caught cray in my boat.

We had a laugh as Nathan assured me it was a proper bite and the cray was even hooked in the mouth.

We chucked it back and headed home.

The day the mackerel arrived, I had decided to head wide because nothing had changed to make me think they would be there.

The weather was the same as every other day and the water was still only 22C. As I was catching live baits, I got some pike and a couple of slimies among the yellowtail.

They were too good not to at least give the mackerel a quick go.

I immediately had a bite on a big pike but the hooks missed their mark.

It was half an hour before the next bite and I had my first spanish mackerel for the season.

Not long after, I had another bite on a big pike but the fish came to the boat fairly easily and revealed itself to be a spotted mackerel.

I put some live slimies out after this and got two spotties from the four slimies I had.

Going back to the big pike baits, I was surprised that not only did the spotties bite them, they were swallowing them right down.

I tried to catch a spotty on a pilchard but no go, it appeared they only wanted slimies or pike.

A couple of days later,

things went back to normal and the spotties were being caught on pilchard baits, slashing the slimies and ignoring the pike and yellowtail.

Anyway, as long as they are there and biting something, we will all be happy.

A number of the spotties are of good size, with a mate catching an 8kg specimen and one on my boat going 6.5kg.

They are fun at any size and their crazy runs are faster than a spanish mackerel.

Out wider, dolphinfish have slowed down and no wahoo have shown up, but black marlin to 60kg have been abundant.

As reported last month, small white pilchards were thick in the river and on the beaches.

This caused a great run of summer chopper tailor that has only just finished.

The white pilchards must have grown and headed out wider because all the mackerel I have caught have spewed them up.

Some have been so fresh I used them as bait and they were as big a white as I have seen.

The one bit of bad news with the mackerel is sharks have been thick and some days landing the macks is nearly impossible.

The sharks have got much smarter too.

They used to follow your boat around and eat the mackerel as they tired near the boat.

Now they hang back behind your boat whether trolling or at anchor and watch your baits.

Often they eat your mackerel the instant you hook up because the mackerel takes a second to realise what is going on.

Those mackerel that take off instantly on a big run last a bit longer

but the sharks often track them down.

This year marks the first time I’ve seen sharks eat a string of live baits as you wind in a jig full of yakkas or slimies.

Every year they seem to be getting worse with large numbers on each reef.

They usually leave about mid to late-March, so hopefully we haven’t got them for too much longer.

In the rivers, the exciting phenomenon this year has been the extraordinary run of mangrove jack.

They are seemingly everywhere and anglers are having big sessions.

In seasons gone by where you might have expected to get one or two fish, this year the norm would be four or five.

Even holiday-makers soaking prawns, squid and pilchards around rock walls have been getting in on the action, with a lot of solid estuary cod climbing on the hooks too.

It’s great to see and hopefully this is a trend for future years.

In the lower Brunswick River you don’t even need a snorkel because the jacks can be seen from the bank in the clean high tide water.

I’ve got a mate who lives on a boat in the harbour and he isn’t prone to exaggeration, yet he said a school of 50 goodsized jacks swam along the rock wall behind his boat recently.

I’d say if you ever wanted to catch a jack, this might be the month to do it!

Elsewise in the river, mud crabs are about, with many undersized ones making the future look promising.

Whiting are slow, as you would expect with the lack of rain, and a few good size GTs are getting around.

My hope for March is the mackerel really fire up and the mangrove jack continue as they are.

Good luck.

An early morning mackerel always puts a smile on the dial.

The author’s cousin Melissa with a north coast barree

Page 26 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

www.bnbfishing.com. au

6XSSRUWHG E\ RXU 0DMRU 3ODWLQXP 6SRQVRUV 7&0 DQG PDGNHHQ

OLRQVJUHHQEDFN FRP

LQ FDVK DQG SUL]HV

)LVK LQ 4/' RU 16: EHDFK DQG WLGDO ZDWHUV

3XUFKDVH \RXU WLFNHWV RQOLQH DQG VLJQ RQ DP 6DW DW

*ROG &RDVW %DOOLQD RQO\ RQOLQH HQWULHV

3RWWVYLOOH 6DW RQOLQH DP FDVK DP

:HLJK ,Q DP 6KDUS 6XQ -XQH DW 3RWWVYLOOH

7R HQWHU UHJLVWHU SXUFKDVH VLQJOH RU PXOWLSOH WLFNHWV

SXUFKDVH 16: 4/' *UHHQEDFN EDFN WR EDFN ILVKLQJ FRPSHWLWLRQ VKLUWV DQG 7ZHHG :' SHUPLWV ORJ RQ WR OLRQVJUHHQEDFN FRP

%H SDUW RI WKH 16: Y 4/' &KDOOHQJH

DĂũŽƌ ƌĂŋĞ ǁŝƚŚ ϭƐƚ ͬ ϮŶĚ ƉƌŝnjĞƐ Ͳ Ă dǁĞĞĚ ŽĂƐƚ DĂƌŝŶĞ ďŽĂƚ ƉĂĐŬĂŐĞ Žƌ Ψϱ͕ϬϬϬ ĐĂƐŚͶ Ψϱ dŝĐŬĞƚƐ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ ŽŶͲ ůŝŶĞ ǁǁǁ͘ůŝŽŶƐŐƌĞĞŶďĂĐŬ͘ĐŽŵ

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 27

BALLINA BAIT & TACKLE

BALLINA WEST SHOPPING CENTRE

Pacific Hwy, Ballina NSW Ph/Fax 02 6686 2527 • brettrhyde@optusnet.com.au

Summer species hit their straps

NOW AVAILABLE

H

ONLINE!

k issues!

FREE bac llow!

FREE to fo

! t u o t i Check

ital 2-year digtion subscrip

only $45

BNB Fishing magazine is now available to view on your computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone! Subscribe, buy the latest edition or view back issues for FREE!

www.issuu.com/bnbfishing

Go wherever and whenever the fish are biting with confidence!

Made in Australia for our tough marine environments Photo courtesy of Australian Master Marine

Page 28 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

Hamish with a very unusual capture in the river in the form of a cobia.

ELLO and welcome to this month’s edition of BNB. Well the following statement is not something I get to say very often, especially living on the Northern Rivers of NSW, which has to be one of the wettest places in Australia, but here goes…

Gee, I wish it would rain!

There, I said it.

I can’t believe it really, and I’m not a betting man, but now I have said it you can nearly guarantee we will see significant rainfall very soon.

That will be a good thing for both the land lovers and those who love to be out on the water, but please don’t send too much rain because some of the summer species are just starting to hit their straps and any sort of flood event, be it large or small, may seriously damage or stop those species for the rest of this season.

The species I am mostly referring to are the pelagics such as mahi mahi, mackerel, wahoo, tuna and marlin.

Given these species like

Ballina Bait & Tackle

by BRETT HYDE

to swim close to the surface, they certainly do not enjoy large amounts of fresh water being introduced to their environment and have a tendency to run away when said flood events occur.

Fingers crossed this does not happen because as we speak, the first signs of mackerel and tuna have started to show on our close reefs.

A reasonable amount of bait seems to be on those reefs, so this should encourage them to hang around for a little while at least.

If the rain does hold off for the most part, we should see some of these speedsters hanging around for the next couple of months, which will translate to plenty of fun for young and old.

Mahi mahi have been around the FAD and wave rider buoy but not in the usual numbers for this time of year.

However, we have seen

HYDRAULIC BOAT STEERING FOR A HARD DAY’S FISHING For product information and the name of your Nearest authorised dealer contact Graham HyDrive Engineering Pty Ltd - Queensland Unit 12, 73-75 Shore Street Cleveland 4163 Tel:- 07-38216580 email:qld@hydrive.com.au

an increase in their numbers over the past couple of weeks and I suspect the best is yet to come from them this summer.

A few larger bull males have been landed on live baits and skirted lures well out beyond the 42-fathom line, but most of these fish have been accidental captures as the fish seem to have appeared out of nowhere and only one or two random fish have been together, as opposed to a large school congregated around areas like the FAD. The marlin have been much the same, with only a small number of fish landed up to this point in the season, and they have been very inconsistent.

It may be worth concentrating your efforts along some current lines or temperature changes from the 42-fathom line and beyond if you want to tangle with one of these rampaging monsters.

If pelagic species are not your cup of tea, then the 32-fathom line has produced a mixed bag of tuskfish, snapper, flathead and trag over the past month.

The current seems to have eased a little, which has made bottom bashing for these species a little more pleasant.

The 42 and 48-fathom lines have been a little on the quiet side, but I think this is because many anglers are starting to concentrate their efforts on the close reefs and 32s in search of the pelagic species.

But for those who have wanted to venture out, reasonable kingfish and amberjack are taking knife jigs in bright colours and extra-large pearl perch have been more than happy to grab mullet and squid dropped down in front of them.

The beaches were fairly quiet over the past month.

This has partly been due to the hot conditions that have kept keen anglers off the beaches during the day but also because the water temperature has been a little low for some of our

typical summer species.

Much like the offshore fishing, I think we have turned the corner, with the water temperature improving over the past week and a small increase in the numbers of flathead, whiting and dart being caught.

As is usually the case, flathead have been grabbing white and blue pilchards and small soft plastics and metal blades.

The whiting and dart have shown more interest in worms and pipis, but the occasional fish has also taken a liking to a surface popper in the shallow gutters.

While all these typical summer species have been playing, we have also seen a number of better than average tailor coming from the beaches.

Most anglers have caught between two and five at a time, with the afternoon bite producing the better results.

The pick of the baits has been blue pilchards and mullet fillets, but it would also be worth trying a small metal spinner.

South Ballina and Seven Mile beaches have seemed a little more productive than some of the other beaches, but this may simply be because of the larger numbers of people fishing those two beaches.

Back in the Richmond River, we are still seeing good numbers and goodquality flathead from the mouth of the river up to Pimlico Island.

Much the same as last month, the bigger fish are taking live baits, but the smaller fish have shown plenty of interest in natural-coloured soft plastics and small hard-body lures, as well as white pilchards and anchovies.

The whiting really haven’t hit their straps yet, but we have still seen quality fish up to 40cm in the river that have been hooked using worms and surface lures.

Stickbaits and poppers have enjoyed success on different days, and a new popper worth checking out is the Bassday Backfire popper.

It is 65mm long and wired all the way through, so it should take a beating ☛ continued P30

www.bnbfishing.com. au

# # # # #

"# # # # "# # # # ! # # % % % #% % % % % % % % %! % % % % % " ! % $ % ! % % % % %# % % %

!

!

! ! ! ! www.bnbfishing.com. au

" !" " " " !" " " " " "

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 29

Summer species hit their straps ☛ from P28

from any pesky trevally and jacks that may like to steal it.

It weighs 7.5g and will cast brilliantly to enable you to cover plenty of ground when searching for fish over a sand flat.

The lure comes in great colours, so check it out when you are next in your favourite tackle shop.

The better numbers of both bream and mud crabs have been found well up the river, with the bream staying close to the rock walls and

the crabs taking refuge from the hot weather in some of the deeper holes and channels.

Bream have been a little more active on the run-in tide and the crabs have been a better option during the larger run-out tides in the day.

You could try some of the mangrove-lined banks, but given the heat I think this will be a night-time option only, when it cools a little.

Well that’s all from me for this month.

‘Til next time, tight lines!

Evans Head Deep Sea

Fishing Charters EXTENDED CHARTERS AVAILABLE

MIDWEEK PACKAGES DAY GD\V ¿VKLQJ CHARTERS 7 nights accommodation $ 150 per person $ 630 per person OR GD\V ¿VKLQJ $ 1400 for the 7 nights accommodation boat $ 420 per person

0428 828 835

Prices based on 10 passengers

ZZZ HYDQVKHDG¿VKLQJFKDUWHUV FRP DX SULFHV VXEMHFW WR FKDQJH

Nick Chee and a very nice snapper caught offshore on soft plastics.

Health woes hamper fishing efforts ■ Guide to finding flathead in NSW

A

S I sit writing this article, my bones are aching and my whole body feels like I’ve been put through an Army drill course.

Boy oh boy I’m bloody sore and that’s just from a walk around the headlands.

I think once you get to your late-60s things just get harder.

My body won’t let me jump down on the rocks to get to my favourite blackfish spot or climb over Shark Bay’s rocks to reach my bream spot.

Well I probably could do it but don’t think I could get back.

I might need the rescue helicopter to winch me out.

Getting old is no fun if you like to fish in spots

r u $12 o y Get e i n a e b B BN Only

DELIVERED

Call 07 3286 1833 or go to bnbfishing.com.au #bnbbeanie Page 30 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

As young bucks we think we are indestructible but bare skin in this day and age is plain stupid. Cover up at all times while fishing in the sun, because later down the track or when you are the author’s age you will regret it. He has had so many sun cancers it is not funny.

Evans Head

by GARY ‘SQUIDGIE’ PALMER

that are hard to get to.

I really think as we get older we have to think harder about where we can fish and if it’s safe.

You should always take a mate with you when fishing the rocks.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying all older fishers are in this category, just guys like me who are not as healthy as some.

When I fish now I always have someone with me who knows what I need if I take a little turn, which has happened, and just from putting the boat on the water.

Lucky my better half was with me.

She talked me down as I had lost my breath and there is nothing worse than not being able to breathe.

Her soothing voice got me back to normal and out of my panic attack.

All it takes is someone who knows how to treat or fix whatever goes wrong.

In my case my lungs are kaput and when I over-exert myself, they just don’t seem to get enough air and I panic.

What I’m trying to say is no matter how sick you are, you can always go for a fish, all you need is someone to help and have a plan in case something goes wrong.

I have seen people fishing from wheelchairs, others with oxygen masks fishing from walkways and they seem to handle it OK, so a disability should not stand in your way of having a fish.

Or if you are like me, you just have to fish on days when you feel OK. Lately it has been hard, with eight trips to hospital in the past 12 months.

That cuts down my fishing time a bit.

Enough of that – let’s get into the fishing.

One of our readers recently asked if I would write a bit on flathead.

Flathead are one of my favourite fish to catch and

eat, and this is how I go about finding them.

When in my boat I tend to head upriver and find sandbanks, deepwater drop-offs, any small runoff, submerged trees or stumps, bridge pylons, breakwalls and rocky outcrops that water covers at high tide.

If they are just after the breakwalls, that is the best area for me.

The ones at Evans Head near the south wall have fed my family over the years, but if the flathead are over 50cm they go back and I only keep three because that’s all I need for a feed.

If bait fishing I’ll use white pillies either on a set of two ganged hooks or a long-shank hook.

Most of the whites you get these days are small enough to use on a longshank hook, so I run my hook through the eye and pin it in the tail.

Make sure the hook lays flat on the body because you want the bait looking like a live fish.

Don’t have it bunched up like a bit of mush on your hook.

You could also just put hook through eye, but it would have to be a fresh white to do that.

I also use small blue pillies and big prawns, though once again make them look alive on your hook.

Prawns need to be rigged straight.

Just run the hook down the tail and through the prawn’s head and then tie a loop of line around the tail.

When bait fishing, I don’t leave the bait lying on the bottom waiting for fish to find it, I slowly wind and put in a few lifts and drops, which makes the bait look alive.

Make sure you have lots of pauses.

As I have said many times, flathead are lazy and you need your bait to just about hit them in the head to get them to bite.

With soft plastics, it’s all about the wrist action.

You need to have your plastic working as you wind in, so slowly move your wrist up and down, only moving your arm if you get a hit.

I’ll leave plastic choice up to you but I use Squidgy Fish and Atomic paddle tails around 4” long or bigger.

I was reading an article about a fisher who uses big Sluggos about 10” long and he would put a big worm hook with a stinger hook at the back and no weight.

He would cast out over the sand flats and gee he landed some very big fish.

David Green’s son used this setup at some of the Flathead Classics and did very well.

I have yet to try it but I will.

I just had a mate call in as I was writing and he asked when I want to go fishing.

So I’ll use this technique

when I’m next on his boat fishing the upper sand flats.

It doesn’t necessarily need to be a Sluggo, you can use any big fish profile and just trim the belly.

Atomic used to make a big fish profile and I think I have a few in my shed, so they will get a workout.

Evans Head has been fishing OK, but for best results fish at night higher up the river.

Though the walls around the mouth can be good for bream and flathead at night.

Out in the deep blue, snapper, trag, parrotfish and dolphinfish are worth targeting.

If you can find the dollies that is, as they are a bit scarce.

But if you see some floating logs or drums you could be in for a hot bite.

I’ve said my piece for this month.

Remember: limit your kill, don’t kill your limit.

Tight lines and smelly fingers.

A nice whiting from a very shallow back water.

Be careful where you step. Without sunglasses you could step on one of these and come out second best.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bumper 2019 in store ■ Big tailor ■ Jewfish ■ Flathead in river

I

F the rest of the year is as productive on the fishing front as January and February were, then anglers are in for a bumper 2019 here along the beautiful Clarence Coast of northern NSW. However, given how fickle fishing can be, I suggest we make the most of the good fishing now so we have memories to recall when it finally turns crap again.

Big tailor and jewfish of all sizes have been keeping the shore-based anglers entertained, while the offshore brigade has enjoyed nice bags of mackerel and snapper on the rare days it is not blowing 30 knots from the north.

Inside the Clarence River, whiting and flathead have been the two most prolific species, with whiting to just over 500g weighed in each week in the local paper’s fishing competition.

Live nippers (yabbies), live worms and small surface poppers have all accounted for excellent catches of whiting right throughout the lower reaches of the river.

Flathead have been boated as far upstream as Grafton and while they are far from thick that far up, it goes to show the river soon recovered from the small fresh we experienced just before Christmas.

Back around Iluka and Yamba, big lizards over 5kg have been very common, with the bulk of the big girls falling to live baits and lures, while heaps of pan-sized fish are to be had by drifting over the sand flats with white pillies and fresh green prawns.

Nice bags of flathead can also be found in the shallow gutters along the beaches, however this style of fishing has been hindered by the constant strong wind.

The good catches of whiting will probably begin to drop off towards the end of the month as we hopefully see the early onset of winter.

If ever you wanted to get among jewfish and tailor on lures, be they soft plastics, minnow-style

Just Jew

by TYE PORTER

lures or feather lures, then now is the time to get out and have a crack because we’re experiencing some of the best rock fishing to be seen locally for years.

The Iluka Bluff has held excellent numbers of chopper tailor to just under 5kg and oodles of jewfish of all shapes and sizes.

The tailor are hitting just about any style of lure thrown at them, with fish being taken daily on metal slices, feather lures, minnows, soft plastics and surface poppers.

While the run of tailor may well come to a halt at any moment, catches of good size jewfish will continue throughout autumn and winter and if anything the average size will increase big time.

It amazes me most anglers still seem to have it in their heads that jewfish are only caught at night, when the fact remains the vast majority of big fish taken around the rocks here at Iluka are actually caught on lures during daylight hours, and more often than not, in the middle of the day.

All bar one of my 30kgplus fish were taken in broad daylight on either live baits or more often lures.

Even though lots of small schools of hard-gut mullet are moving in and out of the estuaries and along the coast, April sees the official start to the mullet spawning run here on the far north coast.

This in turn sees most of our headlands holding good numbers of big jewfish as they lie in ambush for the migrating mullet schools, and it is very common to see big jewfish smashing into the poor old mullet as they swim through the whitewash along the rocks.

Next month I will go more in depth on this topic with pictures of the rigs I use and the headlands I fish.

Other than the odd nice schoolie around the 10kg mark and plenty of big tailor on soft plastic lures,

the breakwalls have been unusually quiet, however to be fair very few anglers have been out there fishing at all, which is somewhat surprising.

Talking of the breakwalls, March will see anglers travel from far and wide chasing the yearly run of longtail tuna and spanish mackerel, which normally lasts until early June.

Offshore has seen spotted mackerel and snapper boated at all the wellknown spots north and south of the Clarence Riv-

er, providing fair catches of both species on the rare days the wind is not blowing 30 knots.

Early morning before the wind picks up has been prime time to hit the beaches for a feed of tailor, tarwhine, dart and the odd nice bream.

Bass continue to be taken at the top end of the Esk River as well as all the other freshwater tributaries above Grafton.

So this month, get out and get among the good run of fish before we get flooded out, which is on the cards after such a long dry spell.

‘Til next month, safe fishin’.

The Iluka Bluff has produced heaps of jewfish of all sizes during the day on a wide range of lures. This 10kg fish fell to a 5” paddle tail MadZ soft plastic.

A boat for every budget...

GULF RUNNER 490 side console

...Stessco has it!

ur new o y h t i ater w w e h t n Get o today! o c s s e t S BRISBANE Karee Marine

IPSWICH Ipswich Marine Centre

ROCKHAMPTON Rockhampton Marine

SUNSHINE COAST Sunshine Coast Yamaha

1776 Ipswich Motorway, Rocklea kareemarine.com.au 07 3875 1600

45 Huxham St, Ipswich ipswichmarine.com.au 07 3294 3944

289 Campbell St, Rockhampton rockymarine.com.au 07 4819 1181

14 Machinery Ave, Warana sunshinecoastyamaha.com.au 07 5346 9981

Solid chopper tailor averaging 2-3kg have been a dime a dozen at the Iluka Bluff on all styles of lures.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 31

Mackerel and cobia around F

ISHING over the past month on the Sunshine Coast has been sensational, with March shaping up to be even better than February.

A thumper 42cm whiting for Stuart Hargraves in the Maroochy River. Photos: fishingnoosa.com.au

Craig Mullet captured two ripper spanish mackerel.

Offshore fishers have seen top catches of spanish mackerel, spotted mackerel and cobia, with the pick of the spots around Halls Reef, Sunshine Reef, Chardons Reef and Old Woman Island towards Point Arkwright.

The start of the season seemed a little slow due to bad wind and consistent swell over 1.5m, however the fish are certainly here.

The bigger spanish are taking slow-trolled dead baits, with kayakers taking prized specimens over 20kg.

With this in mind, we have found if trolling lures it’s best to use deep divers like the Nomad DTX Minnow in 165mm and 200mm, which dive to 10m and 12m respectively, or the Samaki 140mm and 180mm Pacemaker DD. These lures are designed for deepwater trolling and will land you a spanish or two, especially if you own a downrigger and can get these down really deep.

If bait is your weapon of choice, then try SureCatch pre-rigged chin guards in 85g and 115g trolled with a pilchard or slimy mackerel at idle speed.

Evie Hagens was stoked with this quality mangrove jack.

Sunshine Coast

by GRANT BUDD

These are dynamite on mackerel and when the rain has reduced visibility be sure to try a Spaniard Special.

These lures are designed to be run slowly and create a huge amount of vibration that the bigger fish love.

Spotty mackerel are being taken on trusty metal slugs in the 25-40g range, with the Sea Rock Ultra Flash and Halco Twisty the picks.

High-speed retrieves are key to catching mackerel and tuna, as is swapping the hooks for a quality inline single jigging hook.

Doing this leads to faster and safer unhooking of fish, not to mention, if you hook a huge one the hook won’t break.

If you are losing lures, come to one of the shops and ask us how to tie a haywire twist with singlestrand wire.

This twist requires no tools and is certainly the best way to keep your lures longer during a hot bite.

Halls Reef and Jew Shoal have seen local anglers landing a mixed bag of reefies including snapper, sweetlip, cod, cobia and tuskfish.

Most fish are taking pilchards, squid and fresh mullet strips.

Quality coral trout are biting well on Sunshine Reef, with live yakkas and big pilchards the better baits.

Don’t forget to keep your bait hard on the bottom when chasing trout, lock that drag down and hold on.

The outer Gneerings, Murphys and Coolum reefs have all produced snapper, sweetlip and moses perch, with squid and pillies the popular baits.

The other option worth trying at these close-in reefs is working Palms Slow Blatt jigs in 30g and 60g sizes depending on the current.

Letting these slow-fall lures flutter to the bottom and then slow jigging the bottom 5m has been responsible for some big fish.

Be sure to swap out the stock hooks to the Slow Blatt heavy assists in 2/0 sizes to avoid losing the big ones.

In the Noosa River, bream and whiting have been on the chew at the river mouth, Dog Beach and Frying Pan areas.

Live baits such as worms and yabbies have been the winners, so break out your yabby pump.

If the washer in your pump has perished, come and see us to grab a new one.

Using a basic running sinker rig with a size 4 bloodworm long-shank hook, 2 or 3 ball sinker and 6lb fluorocarbon leader is the way to target the better-quality fish.

A lot of baitfish have been caught in the lower estuary, which has led to quality-sized flathead up to 90cm being caught along the drop-offs during the last of the run-out tide.

If using live bait, try catching it in the local area so you match the hatch.

If unable to do so, come and ask us how to throw a cast net or try using small pillies and whitebait to secure a lengthy lizard.

Soft plastics like the Keitech 3” and 4” Easy Shiner and trusty Z-Man EZ ShrimpZ are irresistible to bigger flathead.

Start with a 1/8oz-1/4oz jig head on a 2/0-3/0 hook and work around that according to current, water depth and plastic size.

The Woods Bays are fishing very well for trevally and tailor around dusk and dawn.

Trolling hard-bodies like the Zerek Tango Shad and Atomic Shiner has worked well, as has casting surface lures.

Live baits fished on the run-out tide at the back of Noosa Sound are producing mangrove jack.

Be sure you are running at least 30lb leader and have the gear to turn a fish of such power.

If heading upriver, try the Tewantin ski run where the elusive school jew are being caught on soft vibes such as the Sa-

maki Vibelicious Thumper Tail and Zerek Fish Trap.

The Maroochy River has improved, with good size trevally and the occasional tailor chasing bait over the river mouth and into the estuary system.

The best location to access these fish is the beach on the inside of Pincushion Rocks.

Using mullet and bonito strips on a two-gang rig is also securing these fish.

Twin Waters is producing mangrove jack around the bridge pylons on bonito and mullet fillets, with suspending lures such as Jackall Squirrels getting smashed on the pause.

Giant trevally have been chasing baitfish in front of the rock wall at Oyster Bank Rd on the top of the tide.

Be sure to have a selection of quality surface lures that allow for big casts.

Cultiva Zip ‘n Ziggys and the bigger Bassday Sugapens will get you out there for the big fish.

Whiting are also in good numbers around the Black Banks, Picnic Point and Chambers Island.

Yabbies and worms have been the best baits, with the smallest Bassday Sugapen the pick of lures.

The beaches around Noosa are fishing well with the ease in swell, and smaller dart, bream and whiting are getting caught, especially around the Noosa River mouth.

Again, fresh or live baits are working well along this stretch.

Mudjimba towards Peregian has a lot of good gutters following last month’s swells and these are holding dart, bream and whiting and the occasional tai-

lor and flathead, with the bigger fish taken at dusk on live worms and whole pilchard baits.

Jewfish are still cruising the high waters at night around Yaroomba and Arkwright as well as Noosa Headlands, so fish the last half of the run-in for the better chance.

Fresh mullet, mack tuna strips and live beach worms are the best baits for jewies at the moment.

When using worms for jew fishing, make sure the hook is an extra-strong 1/0 or 2/0 Tru-Turn worm hook and heavily baited.

If using slab baits, be sure to use some bait thread to avoid losing baits quickly to small fish.

The fresh water has started to fire up again.

Borumba Dam and Lake Macdonald are both stocked with quality saratoga and bass as well as yellowbelly and Mary River cod.

Be sure to throw surface lures early of a morning during low light and while the water temps are still high.

Spinnerbaits and soft plastics cast tight to structure will help pull those fish lying in wait.

For the deeper schooledup bass, vibes, blades and spinnerbaits will get you into the action with a slow and steady retrieve.

Don’t forget to check in to fishingnoosa.com.au for all the latest up-todate info on fishing and bar crossings.

The knowledgeable teams at Davo’s Tackle World Noosa and Davo’s Northshore Bait & Tackle at Marcoola can provide you with the right equipment, bait and advice to ensure success!

Tackle box Flathead: • 3”-4” soft plastics • 1/8-1/4oz jig heads with 2/0-3/0 hooks • 10lb braid • 14lb leader

brilliant - amm 5700 sea class centre console

Clean, protected and practical. AMM’s 5700 Sea Class Centre Console is the perfect all-rounder. Check out the full Sea Class range and some of the action videos at australianmastermarine.com.au

07 3889 7380 | 234 Leitchs Rd, Brendale Q 4500 Page 32 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Dave Anderson with two PBs from Sunshine Reef.

Rain to determine quality of fishing for next few months

H

I, it’s Craig Tomkinson here.

With March here, hopefully we see plenty of rain this month and it slows in April so we don’t have a wet Easter.

Fishing wise, spotted mackerel have basically been a noshow off Noosa, with just the odd fish landed by the dedicated few.

I hope they improve in March.

If it rains, the reef fishing will be good in close and coral trout will be on the chew.

Off Double Island Point the mackerel action should have been better but I have not heard anything to confirm this.

Reef fishing will be productive in close to DI, even if it does not rain, but if it rains it will be better still.

However, sharks are a pain in the ass in close to DI. Fishing wise, I have been out a couple times off Noosa in my 5m tinnie.

The first trip was with my mate Dave Anderson.

We crossed the bar around 7am (a gentlemen’s start) and fished Sunshine Reef.

It was action from the first bait in the water.

We landed a couple of justlegal reef fish but after that we got flogged by what I thought were spanish mackerel for the next few hours, but we never got one in the boat.

Whatever they were, we lost them, or sorry, I should say Dave lost them, as he hooked 99 percent.

We would drop down, get a good bite, hook a nice reef fish and be winding in and away it would go with 100m of line just screaming off.

Then it would stop and take off again and be gone, cutting the line.

We tried wire and four and five-gang hooks joined with swivels and would still get cut off.

FEEL LIKE GLASSOUT

Noosa to Fraser Coast

by CRAIG TOMKINSON

It was flaming frustrating.

We shifted a few times and even several-hundred metres away the same thing happened to Dave.

Luckily I was not getting those bites, as I was steadily catching a feed while I think Dave was cut off over 20 times.

The day was gone and we went home with nine fish.

On the second trip, Dave and I got going early and we would have been the third boat over the Noosa Bar for the morning, but it was dead low tide and I found every sand bar in the Noosa River in the dark.

Fire truck me it was shallow.

Even with the 60hp fourstroke Yamaha tilted right up, the motor was still hitting the bottom going out.

Once out, we fished Misery Reef and the current was running hard to the south.

I fished with a paternoster rig because my running sinker rig would not hold bottom with mono.

Dave got down because he was fishing with 20lb main line.

I was berleying like mad and we got a couple of decent tuskfish before Dave hooked a nice fish that took off slowly and then just seemed to get bigger and started coming to the surface, so I called it for a cobia.

Dave was excited because he’d never caught a cobia before.

The fight was pretty hard because of the run but finally after trying my best to knock off his fish with the landing net, I finally netted Dave’s justlegal cobia.

You beauty, Dave said.

We quickly brain spiked

The day’s haul on the cleaning table.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

MAKING CHOPPY

the fish and bled it and Dave dropped down and was on again.

You ripper!

It took a bit longer to land this fish as it was a tad bigger.

Dave was pumped, so he rerigged and dropped down again and away it went.

I said OK you are showing off now you flaming bugger.

It took longer to land this fish because it was a bit bigger again.

I finally hooked a cobia and fought it for a while and Dave landed it for me.

They were nearly all the same size, like peas in a pod, measuring 78cm to 88cm.

The run was so strong that we had six or seven boats anchor not far from us with their electric motors but after 10 minutes they had drifted 50m or more and went off trolling.

I saw one boat that had no trouble with the current – a 5.2m Surtees with an electric on the front.

It must have been a big motor as it just sat there.

I’d say it would have been a 130lb motor and he had a big solar panel on the roof of his hard top to keep it charged.

I think of buying an electric some days but at about $3000 for an 80lb i-Pilot and two 120A AGM batteries it’s up there in price.

I will keep my $240 setup with 6m of 6mm stainless steel chain.

The crabbing in the lakes this year has been very quiet because we had a flood around November and the crabs have not come back into the lakes since.

However, crabbing should be good in the canals around Noosa.

If it does not flood, crabs will be around this month but I would not count on it not raining.

I might try at Tin Can Bay because if it does flood it generally flushes some crabs out there.

The big bucks stay in the holes they have fought hard for and look for mates.

Be safe on the water.

STA STA STACER.COM.AU ACER R.CO COM.A CO M U

For more information contact your local Stacer dealer:

Boondall | Northside Marine 2294 Sandgate Rd, Boondall Q 4034 Phone: 07 3265 8000 info@nsmarine.com.au northsidemarine.com.au Bundaberg | Adrians Marine Centre 28 Ritchie St, Bundaberg Q 4670 Phone: 07 4153 1819 adriansmarinecentre@bigpond.com adriansmarinecentre.com.au Gladstone | Curtis Coast Marine 40 Chapple St, Gladstone Q 4680 Phone: 07 4972 0135 sales@curtiscoastmarinecom.au curtiscoastmarine.com.au Gold Coast | White Water Marine 10 Hinde St, Ashmore Q 4214 Phone: 07 5532 4402 sales@whitewatermarine.com.au whitewatermarine.com.au Noosa | Laguna Boating Centre 16 Project Ave, Noosaville Q 4566 Phone: 07 5442 4872 info@lagunaboating.com.au lagunaboating.com.au Wynnum | Wynnum Marine 31 Fox St, Wynnum Q 4178 Phone: 07 3396 9777 info@wynnummarine.com.au wynnummarine.com.au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 33

Tide Times Sponsored by

AUSTRALIA EAST COAST - BRISBANE BAR

WADDY POINT - FRASER ISLAND

Page 34 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

What a fisher can do for the community

H

I all, this month I’ve got another story about one of our great fishing characters and I’m sure you’ll agree Grant Pawson’s dedication and passion towards our future generations of fishers is very worthy of a yarn.

Now I need to set the record straight, because Grant is one of those blokes who dedicates his energy and knowledge to simply educating and encouraging others to enjoy our local fisheries.

He was adamant he didn’t want his local business to be advertised in any way but I have to touch on it to help you understand the big picture.

Grant runs a business in Noosaville called Sunshine Creative, which is predominantly a sign and graphics shop.

His love of fishing has evolved into his work as he also produces full boat wraps for various boat dealers as well as fishing apparel such as tournament-style shirts that are available online.

The factory location doubles as the unofficial headquarters of Noosa Fish Headz.

This has become a meeting place where Grant Pawson organises a range of speakers and information nights for the local youngsters and their families to help develop skills and knowledge related to fishing.

These nights are backed up by a series of competitions throughout the year, so everyone can get on the water, test what they’ve learnt and provide feedback to one another on techniques, products and fishing locations.

A neon sign in the clubhouse states “no bait mate”.

This philosophy encourages the members to specialise in hard-bodied and soft plastic lures.

Competitions follow a catch and release format and are hotly contested by the youngsters who are motivated to have their name on one of Noosa Fish Headz’ quality trophies.

Just check out the trophies in the pictures and I’m sure you’d agree how proud any angler would be to see themselves crowned Angler of the Year.

The young anglers have a number of older mentors encouraging them and teaching values such as conservation and appreciation of our waterways.

You can understand by the geological position of Noosa that these kids have access to a fantastic river system, surf beaches, a great offshore fishery and freshwater options such as Lakes Macdonald and Borumba right on their doorstep, and all these waterways offer a diverse range of species to target.

The kids encourage one another to succeed in capturing different species and improving on personal bests.

I’m a firm believer in

Classic Characters

by PAUL ‘CHIEF’ GRAVESON

the knowledge anglers can obtain in situations like this.

Fishing with a more experienced angler gives you the confidence to believe in different lures and techniques.

Many times, I’ve seen the frustration of new anglers trying to master the art of lure casting and all it takes is someone to reassure them, help them believe in what they’re doing and the success will follow.

Noosa Fish Headz social media pages allow the members to post captures and make comments.

During the fishing year a participant’s attitude, respect and merit, at events and on social media, are observed and evaluated.

Six kids are then chosen to be part of a sponsored group.

They receive extra mentoring and have opportunities such as guided outings to really take their fishing to the next level.

The kids are even invited to fish offshore on charters or take on specialist trips targeting jacks on the Noosa River.

As an outsider, I simply applaud what Grant has put together.

From where I stand, it is more than a social fishing club; it has the potential to become what I would call a fishing academy.

This project has been driven by Grant with the support of many other local fishing-based businesses such as BNB scribe Callum Munroe’s Untapped Fishing Adventures, James Free’s Noosa River Safaris, Paul Glover’s Offshore Fishing Noosa, T Boat Hire, Davo’s Tackle World and Phippy’s Smooth Water Charters.

The major sponsor of Noosa Fish Headz is Chasbaits, which is a brand within the River2Sea company.

I wasn’t surprised to find River2Sea’s managing director Grainger Mayfield supporting this venture as he is one of the true gentlemen operating within the tackle industry.

Many of you may remember my presentations at the Tinnie & Tackle Shows or Brisbane International Boat Shows where I was always supported by River2Sea and supplied with dozens of D40F crankbaits to hand out to the public.

That lure still rates highly in my range of tackle due to certain strengths in its performance.

The above businesses have given their time and resources to help these youngsters get the most out of their fishing.

I’m a believer in supporting the ones who put back into the community.

A big well done to all of them.

I know this story mainly explains the educational

aspect for the younger anglers, but Grant also encourages families to participate in the technical nights and competitions, ensuring these events are for everyone, providing friendships and comradery for the future.

A lot of time and energy has been spent, as well as out of pocket expenses, so some competition nomination fees are involved, but always the bare minimum to keep this a sustainable non-profit venture for the good of all.

I’m looking forward to attending one of the next lure info nights presented

by Grainger from River2Sea. I understand he will be talking about the manufacture of lures, from time of concept right through to the finished product, discussing processes including engineering and testing, which I believe to be a highly interesting topic.

Already on the calendar is another local lure manufacturer Sunrise Custom Lures, with a presentation scheduled for May. I would like to finish by saying Grant Pawson is another one of those blokes who is doing something special for his community and sharing his passion of fishing with others.

Many of these very characters and what they’re quietly achieving goes without being noticed, but I believe in sharing and supporting what Noosa Fish Headz is striving to achieve.

What an excellent concept and I can see this expanding throughout southeast Queensland with representative regional teams eventually competing in state titles.

I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

If interested in any of Grant’s comps, events or even the tournament-style shirts, go to noosafish headz.com.au and have a look at what the guys have been up to.

Thumbs up, Grant.

And to everyone else, tight lines and enjoy the month of March.

Cheers, Chief.

Cooking up a feed and keeping it social at Lake Borumba.

A day on Borumba Dam chasing bass.

A great picture of Grant and some of the groms on a Noosa River outing.

Check out the quality trophies and classic ‘no bait mate’ sign.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

COMPETITION DATES COMPETITION

DATE

LOCATION

2019

Mawson captured a solid golden.

Surface feeders smashing lures

T

HE wind continues, but it has settled a bit.

With the prevailing wind coming from the east, we’ve beem able to get out and catch fish.

Plenty of bait has moved in closer to the shores of Fraser Island and it’s not too small, predominantly being white anchovies and blue pilchards.

The dominant successful lures have been soft plastics and metal slugs.

Hopefully the weather

Fraser Guided Fishing

by TRI TON

continues to calm as the climate cools.

With the good amount of bait, surface feeders are not hard to find.

Spotted mackerel were still around in February but definitely thinning and making way for massive schools of mack tuna and smaller schools of longtail tuna.

Both species are a heap of fun if you can trigger strikes.

As usual, you need to stay vigilant for sharks prowling and awaiting an easy feed.

Often when a proper bait ball has formed, one that stays in a ball for a large amount of time where all predators are focused on

Joey and his first queenfish.

the bait, the sharks too will hoe into it because they don’t need to be agile like they need to be when chasing down a spotty or tuna.

The small baitfish are easily digested and the little energy required to catch them means the taxman may actually leave you (and the fish you’re chasing) alone.

Predators are smart enough to instinctively understand their own energy demands.

Chasing a tuna burns more energy than bucketmouthing a dense bait ball that smaller predators have rounded up.

Among these tight bait balls you will often see other predators.

They can be literally anything!

It could be a pack of GTs, or more commonly around here golden trevally, cobia, queenfish or XL tuna.

You might see them feeding near the surface, or perhaps using your electronics you’ll see them down a bit deeper.

It always pays to be aware of the circumstances.

Just keep in mind, once the bait gets low, the old taxman might still have a ☛ continued P36

B.A.S.S. Australia Nation Round 2

Mar 8-10

Somerset Dam bassaustralia.com.au

ABBT* Bass Round 1

Mar 23-24 Borumba Dam – Russell Nowland 07 4167 8183

Wyaralong Dam Carp/ Mar 23 Tilapia Competition

Wyaralong Dam – Lloyd Willmann 0429 614 892 lafma.org

B.A.S.S. Australia Nation Round 3

Apr 5-7

Lake St Clair, NSW bassaustralia.com.au

ABBT* Bass Round 2

Apr 13-14

Cania Dam – Russell Nowland 07 4167 8183

Moura Muddy Water Classic

Apr 20-21 Dawson River, Moura – Zelma Lewis 07 4997 1932 E: m.a.f.s.g@bigpond.com

Boyne Tannum Hook Up

May 3- 5

Gladstone – 0428 743 474 boynetannumhookup.com.au

ABBT* X-Factor Teams R2

May 4-5

Wuruma Dam – Russell Nowland 07 4167 8183

B.A.S.S. Australia Nation Round 4

May 10-12 Boondooma Dam bassaustralia.com.au

ABBT* Bass Round 3

Jun 1-2

Boondooma Dam – Russell Nowland 07 4167 8183

B.A.S.S. Australia Nation Round 5

Jun 7-9

Cania Dam bassaustralia.com.au

Pottsville Beach Sports Greenback Fishing Comp

Jun 8-9

Pottsville Beach – Stephen Duffield 0421 052 135 lionsgreenback.com

VMR Bundaberg Family Jun 28-30 Burnett Heads vmrbundabergfishingclassic.com.au Fishing Classic ABBT* X-Factor Teams R3

Jun 29-30 Cania Dam – Russell Nowland 07 4167 8183

B.A.S.S. Australia Nation Round 6

Jul 19-21

Glenbawn, NSW bassaustralia.com.au

ABBT* X-Factor Teams R4

Jul 27-28

Somerset Dam – Russell Nowland 07 4167 8183

B.A.S.S. Australia Aug 30Nation Championship Sep 1

TBA bassaustralia.com.au

ABBT* X-Factor Teams Grand Final

Aug 17-18 Dam TBA – Russell Nowland 07 4167 8183

ABBT* Bass Round 4

Aug 31Sep 1

Somerset Dam – Russell Nowland 07 4167 8183

Women that Fish Barra Classic

Sep 6-7

Rockhampton – Shara VanHaeren 0429 923 243

ABBT* Bass Round 5

Sep 21-22 Wuruma Dam – Russell Nowland 07 4167 8183

*Australian Basstasstic Bass Tournament To have your competition listed in the calendar please phone (07) 3286 1833, email design@bnbfishing.com.au or fax (07) 3821 2637

Zac enjoyed the plentiful summer spotties.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 35

New Shimano Stella SW 2019

T

HE Stella SW represents the pinnacle of innovation for Shimano reel technology and fish-fighting performance.

Bassday Backfire popper

B

ASSDAY makes some of the best Japanese lures available anywhere.

The company’s expertise in the surface lure market is second to none, with the Sugapen one of the deadliest and best surface lures available.

The newest creation, the Backfire, was originally designed for black porgy fish on Lake Hamana in Shizuoka, Japan, but it has proven itself in local

A fisho’s dream

conditions already.

And like the Sugapen, it is sure to be a favourite for keen anglers.

The Backfire is 65mm long and through-wired, making it strong and dependable.

It weighs 7.5g and casts exceptionally for a small lure.

The large cupped face is capable of both dramatic pops and small subtle, ripple-inducing pops when using a slow and light touch.

Fraser Island Fishing Units

The slim profile produces little wind resistance.

The action is that of a classic popper and will be excellent for bass, bream and other surface feeders.

It works best with a pop, pop, pause technique.

The new model comes in eight colours, with all but one designed exclusively for Australia.

Visit bassday.com.au or facebook.com/Bass dayAus for more information.

IN DIAN HEAD

☛ from P35

void in its belly to fill.

Queenfish have also been about.

We should see more of them as it cools.

Like trevally, they can show up in massive schools on the reefs.

I must say, it’s been a few years since I have seen schools of larger queenies.

I have seen smaller ones in the 50-90cm bracket and commonly you will actually see them swimming on the surface.

People often mention I have great eyes when I pick out birds and fish but

www.fraserislandfishingunits.com.au

TURKEY BEACH 2 Bedroom Villa Holiday Rental • Outdoor BBQ and pergola For • Fish cleaning facilities enquiries • Large yard with room and for the boat bookings • Undercover carport phone • Close to boat ramp 07 4974 2153 • Linen available

> Hervey Bay > Fraser Island > Sandy Strait

designed for both casting and jigging, whereas PG is geared for jigging applications and XG for saltwater casting.

Available in stores March 2019.

RRP from $1559.95. w w w. s h i m a n o f i s h . com.au

For 2019, this flagship series has been upgraded and released in 8000, 10,000 and 14,000 sizes.

For increased power and enhanced durability, this series features a range of upgrades.

Infinity Drive has been incorporated for light and powerful winding and the upgraded Heatsink Drag (10,000 and 14,000 sizes) provides superior drag performance under extreme heat.

A waterproof rating of IPX8 is achieved through X-Protect and X-Shield, with the aluminium Hagane Body acting as a rigid and super-tough outer shell.

New special X-Protect rubber gaskets have been incorporated into the line roller, making this mechanism 10 times more durable than the previous one.

A new and improved compact rotor design

Surface feeders smashing lures in Hervey Bay

For bookings or inquiries contact:

Cliff Andreassen 07 5449 9346 or 0428 712 283 bearfish@bigpond.com

features in the 8000 sizes and has made the reel 50g lighter than comparable Stella SW models.

The HG models are

in fact I have very poor eyesight.

Tuna are often found in seething, frothing schools.

These are easy to spot and will usually be seen accompanied by birds.

So how do I see the birds and the fish?

I actually start by not looking for fish or birds – just scanning with no focus, trying to keep my field of vision broad.

I will try to lock in on any disturbance or speck that comes into my field of vision.

If it is recurring, I will watch for longer, waiting for anything that suggests

fish and bird activity.

Sometimes it’s major activity, other times it’s minor.

Either way, it means you might get closer for a look or cast.

Keep in mind, tuna eat continuously and if they are just gently feeding in sparse numbers, they remain a viable target.

I do not use binoculars.

I find them cumbersome and restrictive, not really suiting my ‘run and gun’ style.

They also cut your peripheral vision to zero.

If I was exploring new water, I might use them.

After finding the fish you need to consider how to approach them.

That is greatly determined by the behaviour of the birds and the fish.

Most of us prefer to use any wind to help drift or idle in slowly on a feeding school.

If they are sparse and feeding gently, you may need to watch for a while before you attempt to edge in.

Keep your approaches and casting to a minimum.

Better, stealthier approaches have a higher conversion rate.

Same goes with casting.

One good cast equals a fish, as opposed to three or more unsuccessful shots.

Holding out for a good shot will also save you energy, and at times when you wait a very good opportunity will arise.

You cannot convert them if you are reeling in a bad presentation.

Think of a boxer.

They won’t waste energy looking for a knockout on every punch.

They probe and watch, and time the appropriate punch when the opportunity is there.

Boom!

Get into the best fishing action!

Full and half day tours All levels of experience Experienced guide

www.fraserguidedfishing.com.au > 0427 230 261 Justin tangled with his first longtail. More will come in following months.

Page 36 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Flathead on the chew ■ Techniques ■ Tackle ■ Locations

I

F a species exists that can be caught across a wide range of locations and targeted using a variety of different techniques, the humble flathead would be in the top three.

Brennan landed this nice lizard while fishing the Elliott River using a basic spinning outfit.

by MELISSA FROHLOFF

Red curry prawns on black rice Ingredients • 24 large green prawns • 2 cups black rice • 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste • 1 tbsp butter • 1 tsp grated palm sugar • 1 tsp fish sauce • 1 cup coconut cream • 4 pairs kaffir lime leaves finely sliced and roughly chopped • 1 large red chilli finely sliced to garnish • 1 kaffir lime leaf finely sliced • 1 tbsp lime juice Method 1. Cook rice as per packet instructions.

2. Heat pan to medium. Add butter and cook prawns for a minute on either side.

3. Remove prawns from pan and set aside.

4. Reduce the heat to low, add curry paste and gently fry until aromatic.

5. Add coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves, palm sugar, fish sauce and bring to boil.

6. Return prawns to pan and stir through lime juice.

7. Place black rice on serving plate. Arrange prawns on rice, pour over sauce and garnish with strips of red chilli and slithers of kaffir lime leaves.

Serve hot.

Prep time: 10 min | Cook time: 50 min | Serves 4 www.bnbfishing.com. au

Primarily an ambush predator, the flathead, also known affectionately as ‘lizard’, will locate itself in a prime spot to ambush passing prey.

This can often be along the edge of a sand/mud bank where the passing tidal stream provides a moving feast of tasty targets.

Flathead secrets I learnt early, from a wise and experienced fisher, to walk along the flats at low tide to seek out the kiteshaped outlines of flathead lies, the tell-tale sign that a flathead has anchored itself headfirst into the tidal stream to await passing prey.

Usually, if one flathead lie is found, several will be in the immediate area, often facing in different directions and reflecting the change in direction of the tidal stream.

These will usually be the same size as that of the one resident flathead.

This information can then be used to target flathead as the tide rises and falls in the area where the lies have been found.

A range of options Flathead can be captured using live baits such as yabbies, small winter whiting, hardyheads and sprat.

They are also partial to fresh baits including whiting strips, dead hardyheads, sprat, WA blue pilchards and frogmouth pilchards.

If you are into artificial lures, flathead will take anything from a soft plastic such as a Mr Twister and many other patterns to hard-body minnows, prawn-style and crawfishstyle hard-bodies, silver spoons and Toby-style wobblers as well as flies.

If you cannot find a way to target them with this range of options, you really don’t want to target them!

Rods, reels and tackle Keeping it simple is fine for flathead.

If you are bait fishing, a handline is perfectly suitable.

A basic rod and reel combo will also work and allow bait and lure casting.

If you want to try fly fishing, you will need a suitable fly rod, reel and line.

Line is most commonly mono, sometimes in a green/brown colour to make it less visible to fish.

One hint is to consider making your leader a little heavier, not because these fish are found in rocky areas, but more

Bundaberg Region

by BRAD YOUNG

because they have raspy teeth that can saw through thin mono.

I will usually use 9lb mono with a 15lb leader.

If you are keen to target them using artificials, you are better off buying a combo focused on this style of fishing, with your reel spooled with light braid and a mono topper.

Techniques If you land a flathead, take the time to examine its mouth and gill area.

Inside its mouth you will find rows of small but sharp teeth.

When being brought towards the beach/boat, it is important to keep your rod tip down so as not to lift the fish’s head too much.

Often, when their head is lifted they will start to exhibit some side-to-side head movement, a sawing action that can take its toll on your mono leader.

The other things to note are the super-sharp pair of spines on each side of their head above the gills.

Keep well clear of these because not only do they slice you open easily, the injury bleeds profusely and hurts!

Targeting flathead around Bundy Working from north to south, Baffle Creek provides many banks, weed beds and drop-offs to target flathead.

The Kolan River sports great flats for flathead.

The banks near Booyan Bridge are another area worth targeting.

As you head closer to the

mouth near Miara, you’ll find plenty of banks and drop-offs flathead would love to call home.

The Burnett River and Skyringville also provide a range of opportunities to target lizards.

South of Bundy, the Elliott River, Theodolite Creek and Burrum River provide a wide range of flathead-friendly areas, with each having sandbanks, drop-offs and other structure likely to suit a flathead seeking to ambush its prey.

I hope this info gives you a head start if you want to chase this species.

Flathead are great fish to target, especially for kids because they cannot resist a bait or lure passing by their mouth and

will pounce at almost anything.

Waiting patiently for the weather pattern to change The continual northerly wind with brief southeasterly changes seems to be a never-ending cycle.

I have noticed I am developing a bit of a twitch, most likely because it has been such a long time since I was able to head offshore and enjoy a good day of fishing.

Hopefully as we move closer to Easter we may start to see a change in the major weather patterns with some offshore windows opening up.

Fingers crossed!

As always, I can be contacted via the Bush ‘n Beach website, by email at fishnboat@bigpond.com or post at PO Box 5812 Bundaberg West Queensland 4670.

Until next month…

Joel captured these three fine flathead (45cm, 50cm and 54cm) while using a neon silver hard-body lure.

A clear/red soft plastic saw this 67cm flathead fall victim to Joel while fishing the lower reaches of the Kolan River near Miara.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 37

Fishing windows of calm weather

T

Sandy Johnson landed a decent grass emperor.

Unwanted by-catch while targeting mackerel.

HE weekend.

A time when many fishers head out after the working week to get their fix of bent rods and fishing action.

Unfortunately, recent months in the Wide BayBurnett area and elsewhere have consisted of persistent strong wind and recently storms and rainfall, leaving most fishers grounded.

Typically, the warmer months bring unpredictable weather along the Queensland coast, but this year has certainly got local offshore anglers itching to dust off their equipment and get out there.

With the fish supplies in the freezer at home looking very grim, I had been looking at the forecast every week just waiting for a window of opportunity to arise where we could finally head offshore.

Finally, a small half-day window arose, so we were quick to pack the boat Saturday night for a morning offshore.

We woke to light wind and clear skies and I was hopeful for a good day on the water.

I was aware of a moderate southeasterly change coming through around midday, so just after day-

Leeah Bahr with a good-sized spanish mackerel that saved the day in rough conditions.

Bundaberg Offshore

by JOEL JOHNSON

break we launched from Burnett Heads in Bundaberg and headed towards a destination about 20 nautical miles offshore that is well known for quality spanish mackerel.

I figured if we could score a mackerel or two and make it home before the wind got up we would be winning in more ways than one.

The ocean wasn’t ideal, with over a metre of swell still pushing through from the rough weather the days prior, but the wind was light, making the seas bearable.

Not long before reaching the mark, we stopped at a rubble patch to add some live slimy mackerel to the cavalry for the morning to come.

From my experience, catching live bait offshore can sometimes be too easy where only two drops of a bait jig can fill the live bait tank, but other times it can be the most frustrating part of your day.

And this day was the latter.

We managed only three decent slimy mackerel after trying for too long, so it was fortunate I brought frozen garfish too.

We finally arrived at the mackerel grounds and I was quick to deploy a live slimy and a frozen gar.

I always like to have a mixture of offerings because you never know what might trigger a bite on any given day, not to mention it being a good backup if you struggle to catch live bait.

It didn’t take long for the live bait to be engulfed by a hungry predator, and after an erratic fight I was disappointed to find a small blacktip reef shark had eaten one of our three prime mackerel baits.

We could do nothing but

send it on its way and try again.

Not long afterwards, the next live bait was eaten, this time also by something with strange fighting characteristics.

It definitely wasn’t pulling drag like a mackerel, so I was preparing for the disappointment of another shark, but to my surprise and frustration it was a stinky barracuda.

We set it free and it wasn’t looking good for a fresh bag of fish to take home.

My worst fear had come true and the forecast wind change had come through mid-morning as opposed to midday.

I always try to avoid planning offshore trips on forecasts with narrow windows for that very reason – it’s easy for them to unexpectedly change early.

However, when you haven’t seen a weekend with much less than galeforce winds for months on end, it’s hard to turn down even the narrowest window of (supposed) light wind.

So now in rather unpleasant conditions, the Esky was looking grim aside from a nice-sized grass emperor my mum Sandy scored while drifting over the reefy bottom.

The weather was worsening fast and we were all but ready to head for home when I convinced my seasick crew to troll our mackerel baits over the reef in the hope it might draw in the mackerel we were hoping for.

With a garfish and live slimy swimming perfectly in our wash, I saw a long and slender green shape trailing one bait and then the other just below the surface.

It repeatedly criss-

crossed between having a good look at both before finally launching at the garfish and instantly hooking up and peeling line off into the distance.

Seeing fish eat your bait or lure is one of the most satisfying sights in fishing, which is why I love fishing with surface lures, but this particular experience was definitely new for me.

There’s so much to learn from experiences like this, where you can actually see the way fish react to your presented bait or lure and how they go about eating it.

What comes after the bite is usually mayhem and excitement and this was no different.

My girlfriend Leeah was on the rod getting stretched by what looked like a decent-sized mackerel.

She worked the fish towards the boat before losing all the line she’d just gained, which is a typical mackerel characteristic.

But unlike other pelagics such as tuna and trevally, mackerel tend to tire after a couple of big runs and this fish was true to form, much to Leeah’s relief.

Finally we boated the great-sized spanish mackerel, making for a happy ending to what was shaping up to be a fairly disappointing trip after months of windy weekends.

It goes to show that having a variety of baits out, similarly to how you would use different-coloured lures, is always a good idea.

If a window of opportunity arises where you get the chance to hit the water, ensure you take a range of options to give yourself the best chance of success and make your time worthwhile.

Most of all, enjoy your time out there while it lasts because you never know when the next window of good weather might be.

Empty tummies on a full moon

H

AVE you ever wondered, Fred, why the full moon is drawn as an empty circle and the new moon is shown as a circle filled with black?

What every fishing camp under the coral cay pisonia trees should have… a camp cook who can entice dinner to walk into the pot. Mutton bird stew tonight, fellas.

Just kidding.

Page 38 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

No? Maybe it’s just me.

I think some strange thoughts at times, Fred.

Then again, perhaps I’m not alone.

I showed the moon symbols in some tidal predictions to someone a month or three ago and that’s pretty much what they asked me: “What does the empty circle mean and what is the big black dot for?”

You and I know the ‘empty circle’ represents the moon when the sun is shining on it where we can see the whole moon lit up, and the ‘black circle’ represents the moon when

Lunacy

by PETER LAYTON

it is between us and the sun, where we can’t see any sunlight on it.

But you could be forgiven for thinking an ‘empty’ moon is somehow tied to an empty stomach and that’s why it has always been drawn that way.

Because if you did think that, Fred, and were too shy to say so, smile.

You were closer to the mark than many would think.

The moon in all her phases has been clearly linked to animal feeding times.

It has also been linked to reproduction of the species – all species whether animal or vegetable – and that means ‘sex’.

Fred, if you’re younger than 15 or 16 and you’re reading this, you’d better wait until after 8.30pm before you read any more, by which time you should be in bed.

That’s when it’s all right for the TV shows to air the naughty things children aren’t supposed to see or hear and, by my logic, that means you should be OK to take this magazine to bed with you and read the rest of this.

If your mum and dad disagree with me, obey them, Fred.

They control your pocket money.

I don’t.

If we can believe all the boffins who tell us fish

won’t eat for several days leading up to when it’s time to spawn, then it follows that sex on an empty tummy is preferable (that is, ‘more sensual’) than on a full tummy.

The fish have been doing this for thousands and thousands of years, so they should know by now, Fred.

Naturally, you’ll now be questioning all those expensive Saturday night dinners you’ve lashed out on for the other half.

And realising why so few of them paid off.

‘Working up an appetite for dinner’ takes on a whole new meaning now, doesn’t it?

See? Timing is everything, not just in fishing.

But think fishing.

Think of all the fancy ☛ continued P39

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Empty tummies on a full moon ☛ from P38

reels you could have had and would still have, instead of all the fancy dinners you did have but ended with zilch afterwards.

Back in the old century, long before public servants had been sitting around a staffroom table drinking coffee and someone had a caffeine hit and came up with green zones as the next big idea to frustrate anglers, I was fishing a reef off North West Island with a group of friends.

North West Island is 75km northeast of Gladstone.

So, what’s in a name?

Navigation, Fred.

North West is 14 nautical miles northwest of Heron Island, the most famous coral cay in the Bunker Group at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef.

In those days, it was one of the richest fishing grounds in the Barrier, short of the Swain Reefs.

About 15 blokes were in our group, camped for a fortnight on the island with five tinnies to fish out of and a gentleman bushie who was older than I am now as our camp cook.

We also had enough freezers to set up a second-hand whitegoods shop and a selection of generators to run them.

No one was thinking conservation in those days, Fred.

We thought the good times would last forever.

Except on this particular day, the fishing wasn’t going at all good.

It was lousy.

The weather was hot.

The sea had glassed off.

We were broiling in our own sweat.

And the fish weren’t biting.

Not a nibble.

It’s not as though we weren’t offering them a decent smorgasbord, Fred.

Three blokes in a boat, one offering squid, another pillie and the third ‘fresh’ fish fillet from the early morning session.

No takers.

Nothing.

We had an underwater viewing tube with us, made up from a 100mm stormwater poly pipe with Perspex siliconed to the end.

We could see exactly what was happening 10m or more below us.

A school of redthroat emperor (lippers) would take turns to nose up to the bait, then turn away.

A cod would come out of its grotto, bump someone’s bait and retreat into its hole.

A big cruising trout, intrigued by the activity, mouthed the fish flesh on a 6/0 hook.

“Take it, you bastard!” yelled the frustrated viewer.

The trout didn’t listen.

It spat it and cruised indifferently on.

So we upped anchor and cruised off to try another spot.

Same story.

By the time we got back to camp, admittedly a bit www.bnbfishing.com. au

earlier than usual, Fred, we had endured an afternoon without catching a keeper.

We found the rest of the group had had the same experience.

We asked the cook, a knowledgeable man on just about any topic and well versed in fishing lore in particular, what he thought it meant.

He didn’t know.

He was quiet for a while, staring vacantly off into the pisonia trees as he stirred whatever was cooking in the pot, then reckoned the lack of interest shown by the fish, combined with the windless sultry weather, could presage bad weather in the next day or two.

It didn’t.

And the fishing did pick up in the following days.

Our freezers filled and we can understand with hindsight why the island is now a conservation park, still with camping under a permit system, with green zones nearby.

We can also understand with hindsight (and a lot of research) what was happening there – a bit of sexual tension among the fishes as they hungered for a spawn-for-all.

Think of it as waiting for a piscatorial orgy, which is not to be confused with the sexual tension in our fishing camp towards the end of our fortnight.

Camped beside us was a group of nudists, including some very attractive young women.

Fortunately, North West Island does not have a restaurant.

The closest thing to one was our camp kitchen, but the nudists took their cue from the fish.

They weren’t biting.

And our wallets stayed full with the absence of a restaurant.

Within months of our publishing the Angler’s Almanac for the first time, Fred, we had received an unusually high number of phone calls from around Australia.

Many callers had read the book and noted the fish in their aquariums were feeding at our predicted best fishing times.

One bloke even claimed his dog ate his dinner daily by the Almanac.

Sound a bit fishy to you, Fred?

I’ve watched my granddaughter’s two goldfish when she feeds them.

They rush to the surface to guzzle up those delectable little flakes of who knows what.

Whether their dinner time coincides with the times printed in the Almanac is neither here nor there with those two.

If food’s in the offing, they’ll be in it.

I’m not saying they’re greedy, but in one year their tank has gone from too big to too small.

Aquariums don’t shrink when someone adds water to them.

And my canine studies have shown that our dog will come begging any time someone has food in their hand, regardless of

the hour, even with a full tummy straight after her dinner.

What does all that mean, Fred?

It means domesticated creatures can be conditioned to eat at set times and still be opportunistic feeders.

Fish in the wild are no different.

They might be conditioned by nature to eat according to the moon, but they will still eat at other times, if not as hungrily, if food is easily available.

Conversely, they will bite best at certain times of the moon’s daily passage and its monthly passage.

So what about those times when they won’t bite at all?

Fred, if you love a fullon session, those no-bite days are when you should be out in the shed checking your gear and preparing for one of those magic days when the fish will be firing.

That will be a day or two after their orgy, when they are going to be looking for all the food they can find to rebuild their energy.

Which days?

Well, Fred, it wouldn’t be fair for me to say.

That’s when they can become particularly vulnerable to exploitation.

I don’t want to draw pictures, Fred, but I figure you are probably old enough by now to understand that when hankypanky is in the critical stage, you are pretty much

oblivious to everything happening around you.

Or so I’m told.

I’m too old to remember.

Suffice to say that as far as coral reef fin fish are concerned, the Queensland authorities have seen fit in recent years to impose closed seasons around those times.

Interestingly, these bans are only around the period of the new moon in late spring.

Other research has shown that spawning of certain species in certain regions occurs on the full moon.

If you want to pursue other fish species during the critical days of their reproductive cycle, you’ll have to work out which days and which moon phases for yourself.

But, please Fred, do the right thing.

By protecting all fish for those couple of days during their spawning sessions, we will help build strong fish stocks for everyone to enjoy chasing throughout the rest of the year, and the years to come.

The Angler’s Almanac predictions will simply give you an edge on when.

It’s up to you to figure out how, where and why, to tailor the predicted best times and days to suit whatever species you are chasing.

In the next issue we’ll discuss old ways and new ways, for better, for worse.

Peter Layton is the publisher of the Tide Guide and the Angler’s Almanac.

An indignant tern flew up in alarm after it had just settled on what it thought was its branch for the night. The ‘branch’ was the rim of a pot simmering on the camp stove.

The humour of cartoonist Mac Vines was captured in the original Tide Guides.

Sadly, Mac passed away several years ago.

have t s u m r

u o Y g u t i des! e k c o p

Pick Pi k one up ttoday! d !A Available il bl att newsagents, tackle shops, chandleries and service stations.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 39

April 5-7, 2019 Brisbane Showgrounds

National 4x4 Outdoors Show, Fishing & Boating Expo just around the corner

G

ET your wish lists ready!

Australia’s premier outdoor adventure and recreational show, the National 4x4 Outdoors Show, Fishing & Boating Expo, is just around the corner and will be held once again at the Brisbane Showgrounds, this year from April 5-7.

In time for the Easter break, this year’s Show will feature thousands of boating, 4x4, fishing,

camping and outdoors products from the industry’s leading retailers including a host of amazing deals and bargains for show-goers.

Event director Paul Mathers said for almost 30 years the National 4x4 Outdoors Show, Fishing & Boating Expo has been Queensland’s biggest and most comprehensive outdoor lifestyle show.

“Our event was attended by nearly 30,000 likeminded enthusiasts and families last year, and with some exciting new faces and features, we expect even bigger crowds for our 2019 Show,” he said.

“Fun is definitely the essence of this event; and it’s always so gratifying to see so much enthusiastic participation in all the different aspects of the show.”

An annual highlight of the National 4x4 Outdoors Show, Fishing & Boating Expo has always been the long roll call of special guests and visiting industry experts ready to share their expertise, experienc-

es and entertaining stories with show visitors.

This year outdoor experts such as Jase Andrews and Simon Anderson from All 4 Adventure, Spida & Sheree Everitt (Great Australian Doorstep), Shaun and Graham (4WD Action), local legend Paul Burt (Channel 7), Pat Callinan (Pat Callinan’s 4x4 Adventures) and Alicia and Jamie (The Offroad Adventure Show) will be joined be some

fresh faces including David Hodge, the Barefoot Fisherman, eccentric Australian wildlife adventurer Andrew Ucles, Scott Hillier from Creek to Coast and Nick the Bush Cook, all of whom will be on site across the weekend to share a yarn, laugh and pose for a selfie!

The Action Arena is the centrepiece of entertainment at the National 4x4 Outdoors Show, Fishing & Boating Expo and in

2019 will offer spectators hours of high-adrenalin thrills with plenty of fourwheeled tricks and stunts.

And for those wishing to get behind the wheel, the 4x4 Proving Ground is perfect for putting the latest 4WDs on the market through their paces on specifically designed tracks mirroring off-road conditions.

The Boating Industry Association is back for ☛ continued P41

THE MONTHLY MAGAZINE WITH A DAILY HIT OF NEWS.

Page 40 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

www.bnbfishing.com. au

April 5-7, 2019 Brisbane Showgrounds

National 4x4 Outdoors Show, Fishing & Boating Expo just around the corner ☛ from P40

2019, promoting and supporting all things aquatic, while the Berkley Supertank returns, tutoring show-goers on a variety of angling skills and the effectiveness of different fishing equipment, all in the giant fish-stocked transparent tank.

For those wishing to get their hearts racing in other ways, the Reptile Kingdom will have a selection of scaly, cold

blooded ‘friends’ on hand to keep visitors amused, along with interactive and educational information sessions scheduled throughout the day.

There are a range of transport options to get to and from the Brisbane Showgrounds, with plenty of accessible public transport options available, as well as more parking than ever before on site.

Open from 9am to 6pm on Friday and Saturday, and 9am to 5pm on Sun-

day, tickets are available online and at the door.

Children 15 and under enter for free, with an adult ticket $19 or a twoday ticket $30.

Pensioner tickets are $14.

Bush ‘n Beach Fishing magazine readers will receive a 15 percent discount on adult tickets online when they use the promo code BEACH. For more information, go to 4x4show.com.au/ brisbane

Big Eye Bucktail Jig 2x strong Ultrapoint hook Two tow points for balanced swimming vertically and horizontally Real bucktail Durable paint

Wire plastic keeper

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Big 3D eyes

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 41

BOATING & marine

A female’s view on buying a boat I KNOW it’s been quite a while since I’ve had time to put a few words together.

The author modified her boat’s layout slightly.

I’d been working away for eight years but reckoned it was time to pack up the van and head home, catch up with family and friends and enjoy more fishing.

It had been fantastic travelling and working around the country.

There is so much to see out

Ready to go fishing.

g in m o c u o y r a e h t n o w The fish ’ Poly is easier

to maintain

No corrosion,

es, no chemical wash no worries!

Buying a Boat

by HELEN ABDY

there, but I decided it was time to fish more and work less.

It was also time to look at getting a new boat.

Any excuse, hey!

So that was the first decision made, but then which boat?

So many are out there and so many good ones.

Firstly I considered the boat style and size.

I live away from the coast, so most of my fishing is in the freshwater dams and rivers, but I also wanted to be able to head a little way offshore if the opportunity arises.

At home I mostly fish on my own, so having a boat I would be confident handling by myself both on the water and launching and retrieving was an important consideration.

I decided something between 4-5m would be a size I could easily handle.

I still needed to choose a hull material: aluminium, fibreglass or plastic.

I’d always had aluminium in the past.

I had considered fibreglass but always turned back to aluminium.

A few years ago I bought a Hobie kayak and the plastic is tough.

This got me thinking about Polycraft boats.

Polycraft boats have been around for years now and I have noticed them becoming very popular.

I have a number of friends who have one or two Polycrafts, and after a few phone calls I found they all love them and wouldn’t part with them.

A number have other boats that are aluminium and/or fibreglass and if they had to sell one of them, it wouldn’t be the Poly.

The repetitive comments were how tough, stable and quiet they are because they sit so well on the water.

There’s none of that slap you get when motoring along in a

bit of chop like you do with aluminium boats.

The verdict was they handle whatever you throw at them.

That got me in.

It was mentioned if I could find a second-hand one it would be worth the money because you just can’t hurt them and they still look good.

Well that was easier said than done.

The few second-hand ones out there were not much cheaper than new models, although they had all been fitted out with the extras we fishos want to have.

If you can find something second hand and it’s what you want for the right price, I can’t see a reason not to buy it.

On the other hand, buying new gives you the option of talking with the builders about designing the layout of the boat the way you want.

It might not be too different from factory, but even the smallest things can make your fishing day a bit more special.

And making changes is a lot easier before than after.

I actually did quite a bit of homework on a ‘new’ Polycraft boat a while ago when I was still over in Western Australia, and when I got to Mount Isa back in Queensland I delved deeper.

I went through the closest dealer, which was Rising Sun Townsville, and they were just so good to deal with.

After a lot of phone calls and a couple of long drives to check out the boat and the extras on it, I was ready to lock down my order.

A few weeks later the boat was finished and trucked over and I couldn’t have been happier.

In the short time since then it’s had a fair workout over the rough dirt tracks around the top end.

I’ve taken my Poly around Darwin, Corroboree Billabong,

Gladstone Harbour and around Facing Island without a worry.

The boat has stood up to the challenge really well.

Here’s a bit of info on these tough and durable boats.

Polycraft boats are made from marine-grade polyethylene, which is an extremely buoyant product on its own.

The material is also virtually maintenance-free, with no corrosion, and is very hardy against harsh UV rays.

A dual-hull design with reverse chines makes my boat really stable, buoyant and quiet.

The craft come in different colours but this colour is actually blended into the material before it goes into the mould, meaning no need to repaint because it will always retain its colour.

They are just so durable.

I was returning from Darwin to Mount Isa in the dark hours and as happens on country roads, kangaroos were out in abundance and one decided to jump into me right at the last moment.

There was a big bang and I hoped it hit the boat alone, and when I pulled up it had indeed hit the boat, leaving only a smudge but destroying the trailer’s mudguard.

It’s amazing what these boats can handle.

The smudge washed off but a bit of panel beating was required before carrying on home, later replacing both mudguards.

I’m loving this poly material.

I’m very happy with my 4.1 Challenger side console Polycraft.

Check out polycraft.com.au for more information on these boats.

I see more and more women now who head out on their own with the boat or kayak and that is so great to see.

If you have any queries, you can always talk to salespeople at fishing tackle shops, the women who run women’s fishing comps and myself.

We are all happy to help and offer suggestions.

Happy fishing.

Poly produces less on-water noise

Poly provides

a softer ride

Brisbane Nth

Brisbane Yamaha

07 3888 1727

brisbaneyamaha.com.au

Bundaberg

Adrian’s Marine Centre

07 4153 1819

adriansmarinecentre.com.au

Gladstone

Curtis Coast Marine

07 4972 0135

curtiscoastmarine.com.au

Sunshine Coast

Port O Call Boating

07 5493 2255

marinecenter.com.au

Though only a 4.1, the author’s Challenger has a good size front casting deck.

Page 42 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

www.bnbfishing.com. au

BOATING & marine Insights into boat insurance

B

USH ‘n Beach has brought Nautilus Marine Insurance on board to expand the fine print and provide readers with clear, easyto-understand and helpful tips on protecting their boating assets.

The scenario “I’ve got my old tinnie with its 40hp Johnno and I’m going to bang a new 60hp Yammie on it.”

Really?

“Oh sure, no problem – I know these new engines are lighter, so it won’t be a worry.”

You sure about that?

“Oh yeah – won’t be a problem.”

The reality is it might be – and not just a problem, but a very serious problem if you don’t do your homework.

Because if things go pear-shaped one day, you might find your insurance company rejects your claim.

In general terms, specialist marine insurance companies such as Nautilus Marine have no issue insuring well-main-

tained, seaworthy boats.

However, if you overpower that boat, you run the risk of having any insurance claim disallowed.

The Australian Builders Plate for boats will certify the maximum horsepower that can be fitted to the vessel.

The weight of the motor is a separate but parallel consideration.

In other words, when you are repowering your boat, you need to ensure the maximum power of that motor and the weight of the motor, are in accordance with the boat builder’s declared specifications.

There are other practical considerations as well, such as the modern motor’s adaptability to the boat’s original transom angle and the options open to you to compensate for those changes.

Good marine dealerships can advise you on this.

In a related vein, you need to be aware of the

maximum carrying capacity of your boat.

If you install a fuel tank that is triple the size of the original, you have to take that into account when evaluating the maximum number of people and the total amount of equipment that can be carried on the boat.

Fortunately, the Australian Builders Plate will provide you with an excellent starting point for working out what you might and might not be able to do.

Similarly, if you decide to mount the larger fuel tank in a different part of your vessel, you also begin raising issues relating to stability.

For that reason, specialist marine insurers like Nautilus often ask you to supply a report from a licensed marine surveyor confirming the change made to the vessel does not impact adversely on its seaworthiness.

In more recent years, virtually all Australian

recreational boat manufacturers have given a recommended range for outboard power.

For example, a wellknown manufacturer of 6m fibreglass boats might state: “Horsepower between 150hp to 200hp maximum with a recommended outboard of 175hp.”

If you were to look at the Australian Builders Plate, it would state: Maximum hp 200.

So if for example your vessel originally had a 150hp two-stroke outboard that is now moving towards the end of its life cycle, you could upgrade to a 200hp four-stroke relatively easily.

Simply have the upgrade undertaken by a competent marine professional such as your local franchised dealer for the brand of outboard you are buying, then advise your insurance company in writing of the change.

It also is advisable to tell them the cost of the outboard so it can be

taken into account when determining the amount of insurance coverage you require.

But remember, putting a new $25,000 outboard on your eight-year-old boat does not automatically make it worth $25,000 more when it comes to insurance.

It is the market value or the agreed value of the overall rig – whichever of those options you have elected to take, noting many agreed values automatically change to market value after a couple of years unless a

supplementary valuation has been provided by a licensed marine dealer and you have obtained the agreement of the insurer to cover your boat for that amount.

As always, any special conditions and excesses should always be explained clearly in your insurance policy’s product disclosure statement.

Always check your PDS and if you have a query, ask for clarification.

If you need further information, you can contact Nautilus Marine

Insurance on 1300 780 533 for any boat insurance requirements.

Win a Nautilus Prize Package Nautilus will also be answering your boat insurance questions of a general nature and will be offering a great bimonthly prize to the best questions received.

The prize is a Nautilus Marine merchandising pack comprising a collapsible chiller bag, a handy marine sports bag and a cap.

Just email your questions to qld@nautilusin surance.com.au

Any advice contained in this article is of a general nature only and may not apply or be right for you as it does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on any advice provided in this article, you should consider the appropriateness of the advice having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 43

BOATING & marine

Lowrance offers free software upgrade for HDS Carbon displays

L

OWRANCE, a world-leader in fishing electronics since 1957, has released a new software update for HDS Carbon displays.

NO O CO OMPROMISE RO FASTEST

Direct injection optimizes all elements of how fuel is delivered into the cylinder and combusted fuel is removed, creating the most efficient engine on the water today.

CLEANEST SMARTEST

*

The only outboard that let’s you have it all.

EVINRUDE OUTBOARDS, HAVE IT ALL.

T

I

N

PL

SS

O

IA N

E MI

DIRECT INJECTION

N GOVE RN LIA RA

T EN M

AU ST

evinrude.com.au

Offering significant new features, the Lowrance 18.3 software update includes support for Active Imaging, StructureScan 3D with Active Imaging enhancements and the LR-1 Remote Control, as well as a simplified user interface and new Dual Mode WiFi capability.

Active Imaging Perfect for pinpointing fish-holding areas like rock piles, standing timber, weed beds, ditches and drop-offs, Active Imaging allows anglers to see structure and cover at a greater distance from their boat with more refined detail than any other structure-imaging technology.

The 18.3 software update enables support for both Active Imaging 3-in-1 (CHIRP, SideScan and DownScan Imaging) and 2-in-1 (SideScan and DownScan Imaging) transducers.

StructureScan 3D with Active Imaging Enhancements Active Imaging enhancements for StructureScan 3D include a cleaner water column with less noise, refreshed colour palettes and enhanced sonar processing to deliver the maximum amount of detail as well as a new depth-highlighting feature that colours the user-selected upperand lower-depth limit area to help anglers better isolate specific structure and bottom depth.

LR-1 Remote Control Users can control an HDS Carbon display from anywhere on their boat with the optional Lowrance LR-1 Remote Control.

The remote has pre-programmed keys for marking waypoints and zoom-

ing in/out, as well as up to five user-programmable options.

Quick and Easy Access to Sonar Anglers will get quicker, one-touch access to all their sonar via a simplified HDS Carbon interface featuring dedicated sonar pages for CHIRP, SideScan, DownScan Imaging, StructureScan 3D and SpotlightScan.

New custom splitscreen panel configurations are also available that allow anglers greater control over the display of split-screen panels – the perfect way to showcase HDS Carbon’s new capability to display SideScan, DownScan Imaging and StructureScan 3D on the same screen, at the same time.

Dual Mode WiFi With Dual Mode WiFi, you can maintain a WiFi connection to HDS Carbon and still use it as an access point for screen mirroring/remote control from a smartphone or tablet via the Link app.

Prior to the 18.3 software upgrade, HDS Carbon displays could only perform one of the tasks at a time – connecting to the internet or serving as an access point for screen mirroring/remote control.

Navico CEO and president Leif Ottosson said, “This free update includes powerful sonar features and enhancements that serve as another example of the longterm product support we offer our customers.”

“We can’t wait to get our new sonar technology and these enhancements into the hands of our customers.

“We are confident they will help them have more success on the water.”

For more information about the Lowrance software update, HDS Carbon, other Lowrance marine electronics and to locate an authorised Lowrance dealer, please visit lowrance.com

S

S TA

NDARD

CO

M

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL EVINRUDE DEALER TODAY ADRIANS MARINE CENTRE 28 Ritchie St, Bundaberg QLD 07 4153 1819 E: adriansmarinecentre@bigpond.com W: adriansmarinecentre.com.au CALOUNDRA MARINE 8 Baldwin St, Caloundra QLD 07 5491 1944 E: sales@caloundramarine.com.au W: caloundramarine.com.au

MARINE CARE QLD 15 Daintree Drive, Redlands Business Park, Redland Bay QLD 07 3186 5270 W: marinecareqld.com.au E: enquiries@marinecareqld.com STEVE FLEETWOOD MARINE 10 Morgan St, Gladstone QLD 07 4972 9463 E: sfmarine@tpg.com.au

WATER SKIERS WAREHOUSE (QLD) 91-93 Neil St, Toowoomba QLD 0400 379 514 E: info@waterskierswarehouse.com.au W: waterskierswarehouse.com.au WHITE WATER MARINE 10 Hinde St, Ashmore QLD 07 5532 4402 E: sales@whitewatermarine.com.au W: whitewatermarine.com.au

*Evinrude G2’s have 30% more torque than any competitive four-stroke outboard, the Evinrude® E-TEC® G2® delivers the most torque in its class (based on Dyno testing at BRP’s Sturtevant, WI engineering department). E-TEC G2 outboards produce less CO than any 150hp outboard on the market (source: 2017 EPA certification testing at BRP’s Sturtevant, WI engineering department).

E-TEC G2 outboards produce less CO than any 150hp outboard on the market (source: 2017 EPA certification

Page 44 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

www.bnbfishing.com. au

BOATING & marine

All-new Mercury 400hp Verado outboard

M

ERCURY Marine is introducing an allnew 400hp Verado outboard – the most powerful Verado on the water.

Since the launch of Mercury’s 350hp Verado and Mercury Racing’s 400R four years ago, boat owners have been asking for a higher-horsepower Verado engine.

Now, those requests have been answered.

Mercury Marine presi-

dent John Pfeifer said, “The acceptance of the 350hp Verado has been incredible and through extensive conversations with our customers around the world, we have learnt there is an appetite in the marketplace for a Verado-branded 400hp four-stroke outboard engine.”

“As boats continue to increase in size, so has the need for more power.

“This gives us an oppor-

tunity to supply an even higher-horsepower Verado, providing the durability and reliability the Verado brand is known for around the world.”

The new 400hp engine – built on Mercury’s proven L6SC Verado platform – is suitable for a wide range of applications including bluewater fishing boats, larger sports boats, centre consoles and pontoons.

Boat lovers will appre-

ciate the new engine’s added power while enjoying the smooth and quiet operation for which Verado outboards are widely known.

Weighing just 303kg, the same as the 350hp Verado, the newest Verado is the lightest outboard in the 400hp-plus category by more than 130kg.

The 400hp Verado will exclusively use the 5.44” 1.75 heavy-duty gearcase and is compatible with Mercury Joystick Piloting for Outboards.

It will be available in the same model variations as the 350hp Verado, with colour options of Phantom Black and Cold Fusion.

Mercury’s belief in the all-new 400hp Verado is clearly reflected in its 3+3=6 year outboard warranty, providing engine owners with an additional three years of factorybacked protection against failures caused by defects in material or production.

“The introduction of the 400hp Verado is another step in the evolution of the proven L6SC platform that has been successful in the market and we expect to be successful for years to come,” Mr Pfeifer said.

“Through extensive consumer research, we have determined there is a market for both variations of the 400, giving consumers the opportunity to have two extremely reliable outboards to choose from based on their preference.”

The Mercury Racing 400R, for high-speed applications, will continue to be available through the dedicated Mercury Racing dealer network.

Visit mercurymarine. com.au for more information.

GO FOR SOME QUALITY TIME. Time spent out on the water with your family is far too precious to risk with anything other than the absolute best in marine engineering.

And that’s exactly what the Mercury MerCruiser V8 delivers. Efficient, powerful and backed by Australia’s largest dealer network.

You know you want to go.

Learn more at mercurymarine.com.au

See your authorised Mercury Marine Dealer today.

AIRLIE BEACH | Whitsunday Outboard Centre 17 William Murray Dr, Cannonvale Q 4802 P: 07 4946 7286 E: woc@whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au W: whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au

BRISBANE | Manly Harbour Marine 570 Royal Esplanade, Manly Q 4179 P: 07 3893 2199 E: info@manlyharbourmarine.com.au W: manlyharbourmarine.com.au

BRISBANE | Holt Marine 25 Queens Rd, Everton Park Q 4053 P: 07 3353 1928 E: info@holtmarine.com.au W: holtmarine.com.au

BRISBANE NORTH | Brisbane Marine 306 Duffield Rd, Clontarf Q 4019 P: 07 3889 3033 E: info@brismarine.com.au W: brismarine.com.au

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 45

Okuma Komodo SS 273 baitcast reel

T

HE Okuma Komodo SS Series of baitcast reels has made a name for itself in big fish circles, taking on species such as barramundi, Murray cod, PNG black bass and offshore jigging targets thanks to its stainless steel main gear, pinion gear, drive and spool shafts offering the ultimate power, combined

with impressive drag outputs.

The compact and muchanticipated 200 Series models are now available, including the KDS-273 and KDS-273LX (left hand).

Both models fit neatly in the palm, boast 9kg of drag, a gear ratio of 7.3:1 and a line capacity of 0.29mm/205m.

They incorporate heavy-

duty build quality, heavy drag capabilities and plenty of line capacity in a compact baitcast reel.

This feature-packed reel also includes precision Japanese ABEC-5 spool bearings, 6-pin Velocity Control casting system, Spool Access Port, rigid diecast aluminium frame and side plates with CRC: Corrosion Resistant Coating process, A6061-

T6 machined aluminium, anodised spool, multi-disc high output Carbonite drag system, dual antireverse for maximum reliability, Zirconium line guide, synchronised level wind optimised for braided line and more.

Find out more about this compact beast of a baitcast reel at okuma.com.au Available now with a SRP of $389.90.

Atomic Hardz Slappa

A

TOMIC Hardz is one of the most popular lure brands in Australia, producing an array of hard-bodied lures for all situations.

The Atomic Slappa has just arrived and has quickly proven itself on Murray cod up to 70cm and larger bass for our ambassadors.

Atomic’s Slappa is a classic surface crawler designed to make maximum disturbance

on the water.

It is 90mm long and has large aluminium wings that fold against the body, enabling anglers to deliver long accurate casts time and time again.

The wide body displaces water and provides the point upon which it waddles across the surface.

The small cupped face also spits water as it moves over the surface.

Cast a Slappa for bass

and cod, wind slowly and hold on!

The Slappa is available in an amazing array of 14 colours with both natural and brightly visible patterns available.

Some glow colours are also on offer for anglers casting at night.

Team ambassadors have caught bass and small Murray cod up to 70cm during testing.

Visit atomiclures. com.au or facebook. com/atomiclures

Create your adventures

485 SUNRUNNER Featuring a Hydro Lift hull, wide beam and live bait tank.

Built tough with 3mm bottom and sides.

TOWNSVILLE | Townsville Marine 943 Ingham Rd, Bohle Q 07 4779 6569

ROCKHAMPTON | Bluefin Sports 57-59 Musgrave St, North Rockhampton 07 4922 2211

SPRINGWOOD | Neptune Marine Unit 1/3361 Pacific Hwy, Slacks Creek Q 07 3290 6370

HERVEY BAY | Barney’s Marine Shed 3A Nissan St, Pialba Q 07 4124 3170

GOLD COAST | Marine Tune 64 Kortum Dr, Burleigh Heads Q 07 5576 7388

WHITSUNDAYS | Whitsunday Outboard Centre 1 William Murray Dr, Cannonvale Q 07 4946 7286

H O R I Z O N B O AT S . C O M . A U Page 46 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

www.bnbfishing.com. au

My boy Asha had quite the battle off the Seaway when he hooked this snapper.

Brett Smith

I kayak offshore from Sawtell for the thrill of catching big fish!

The area I fish holds snapper and bait all year, and during the warmer months I target spanish mackerel and tuna.

Luke Giovanetti

I caught and released this jack on bait in the Coomera River using 30lb Daiwa J-Braid, 40lb Black Magic leader and a 6/0 Owner hook.

Chris Whatson

I was lucky enough to catch this 59cm mangrove jack at Toorbul recently.

Debbie Smithers

My daughter Mia Dawson captured her first-ever saratoga in the Dawson River and she was over the moon.

Ben Dawson

Just wondering if you have been getting sent many photos of Queensland groper being caught around the Brisbane area?

I have caught five in the past week while chasing jacks!

I’d never caught one in my life and then in one week picked up five.

All were released immediately after a quick snap as I know they are a very protected species.

Sean Edwards

This trevally was caught on a curly tail soft plastic while fishing land-based on the Gold Coast.

Ruan Brits

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

■ Readers Forum ■ Readers Forum ■ Readers Forum

PUZZLE PAGE w i l s o n f i s h i n g .c o m

Spot 10 differences

Going off-road Words can run vertically, horizontally, diagonally and back to front.

K

U

D

F

D

O

R

E

E

J

B

S

D

F

V

C

C

A

F

Q

I

F

N

Y

Y

I

T

N

R

R

A

F

O

U

R

M

C

F

R

O

R

O

A

A

M

R

O

R

L

U

W

A

Y

J

C

D

C

L

S

Z

T

N

R

B

D

E

P

C

Z

L

S

K

S

E

W

S

L

E

S

Z

N

E

S

I

M

V

T

I

R

W

N

H

V

T

T

A Y DblueZdevil.

K Photos: I OPaulNSelwood I Z An eastern

N

P

I

A

Z

Q

I

R

R

O

M

Y

B

R

B

G

M

G

F

B

Y

I

J

X

I

L

H

A

A

G

L

R

D

V

E

I

O

U

M

B

D

E

P

L

N

O

Catch me J K Z O H E E E U E B Z if O you T A R I B Z W P R C O can!

R

N

M

I

L

B

T

S

D

L

Q

A

V

N

A

D

S

E

V

I

R

Y

A

H

M

O

V

H

B

E

R

G

B

C

W

W

A

Q

X

H

L

K

Y

A

K

W

J

O

R

BILLY GOATS BLUFF BINNS TRACK BIRDSVILLE TRACK CAPE YORK FRASER ISLAND www.bnbfishing.com. au

O

GIBB RIVER ROAD HAY RIVER MORETON ISLAND STOCKTON BEACH

WIN a Wilson Fishing prize pack worth over $50!

For your chance to win, simply solve page or email design@bnbfishing. the puzzles, take a picture and mes- com.au before March 21, 2019. sage the Bush ‘n Beach Facebook GOOD LUCK!

Congratulations to Les Smith on being the winner of the February puzzle competition. T&Cs: One winner per month. One entry per person.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 47

Charter Directory MANLY / STRADBROKE ISLAND

BRISBANE / MANLY / SCARBOROUGH

Frenzy Charters

MORETON ISLAND FISHING CHARTERS

FISHING REEF AND GAME

e

%RRNLQJV IURP WR SHRSOH GLVFRXQW IRU RU PRUH

Our Brisbane-based reef and gam ďŹ shing charters cater for individuals and group bookings.

'HSDUW IURP 0DQO\ RU 6FDUERURXJK

ily fun day ďŹ shing Whether you are looking for a fam & Noelle will Gary e, ntur adve or an all-out ďŹ shing ter is so char your re ensu to rt effo y make ever ther. ano book memorable you’ll want to

• Fishing offshore Moreton Island ‡ 5HHI MLJJLQJ VRIW SODVWLFV DQG JDPH ¿VKLQJ • Moreton Bay trips for groups by arrangement • Custom charters to suit your needs • Gift vouchers are also available

One very happy client of Frenzy Charters. A stunning day charter with great results.

RAINBOW BEACH

• Full or extended day charters from only $220

Keely Rose

All quality gear, lunch and morning tea provided

DEEP SEA FISHING CHARTERS

&DOO 0DW +XEEDUG (PDLO PRUHWRQLVODQGÂżVKLQJFKDUWHUV#JPDLO FRP PRUHWRQLVODQGÂżVKLQJFKDUWHUV FRP DX

• Full-day reef ďŹ shing • Pick up Manly or Stradbroke Island • Covered ďŹ shing deck

• Up to 12 people • Lunch and afternoon tea • All gear included • Gift vouchers

4 576 CALL NOW 0427 42

SUNSHINE COAST

•Deep sea offshore •Reef •Game •Sport •River •Estuary • Lake •Fresh water Specialising in exclusive charters for small groups.

25’ Offshore diesel monohull 15’ Bass/barra boat

)XOO GD\ FKDUWHU

with Owner/Skipper Ed Falconer, \HDUV UHHI ÂżVKLQJ LQ WKLV DUHD **ALL BAIT & TACKLE SUPPLIED**

Based on Sunshine Coast

Call 0407 574 868 www.smithysfishing.com.au

Fish the abundant offshore reefs of Fraser Island and Rainbow Beach CONNECT WITH US ON FACEBOOK

This cobia was boated by David Clarke fishing Sunshine Reef with Noosa Charters.

GOLD COAST

Call Ed 0407 146 151

NHHO\URVHĂ€VKLQJFKDUWHUV FRP DX

NOOSA

Page 48 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Charter Directory MORETON BAY

ADVERTISE HERE

ADVERTISE YOUR CHARTER THIS SIZE 5X2 FOR JUST BRISBANE | GOLD COAST

$295

+GST

INCLUDES WEB LISTING

Total price for 6 months TO BOOK CALL 07 3286 1833

TIN CAN BAY

Fish ‘N’ Cruise Charters

KJ

• All tours customised • Full or half days • Everything included • Inshore fishing • 1 to 5 people

HERVEY BAY Fishing Charters

FV Nightbeat

ALL MEALS INCLUDED

HERVEY BAY "We extra mgo the ile you!" for

Trips Available • Local • Gutters • Shoals Full day, 1/2 day, overnight, 2 day charters We supply morning tea, lunch, bait & tackle. We clean your fish.

Drinks available. BYO alcohol.

•ROONEYS •GUTTERS •SHOALS •WOLF ROCK

moretonbaycharters.com.au

When was the last time you shared a char ter with mate s?

BOOKINGS: PH 07 4125 3958 or 0427 621 623 www.herveybayfishingcharters.com.au

MORETON BAY

• 2-5 day trips • Up to 8 people • Private charters • Modern facilities • Air-conditioned

WE PROVIDE • All meals cooked on board • Rods, tackle and bait • Bedding/linen • Drinks & snacks (BYO alcohol) • Fully covered deck • Separate shower and toilet

T: 07 5486 4087 M: 0428 711 718 E: fishncruise@yahoo.com.au

www.fishncruisecharters.com.au MOOLOOLABA

Fish the bay with Sean Conlon

F L AT with D O G HAR

Take home what you catch!

The Sunshine Coast’s #1 Charter

• Half and full day fishing in the rich, prolific blue waters off Mooloolaba • Includes all rods, bait and tackle

2

• Departs The Wharf Underwater World

people max

Learn how to fish with lures and soft plastics • Inshore charters BOOKK • Small groups only TODAYY • All gear supplied • Full/half day Off-water courses also available.

0432 386 307

S

FISHING F GAME & REE te bookings welcom Special events and corpora e All charters subject to weather

SKIPPER:

BRISBANE OFFICE:

Allan Harvey 0427 858 781

07 3275 3307

seanconlonsfishing@hotmail.com l.com www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 49

Gladstone region provides great fishing

F

IRST, my thoughts are with our northern counterparts after the flooding they received during February.

Hopefully by now the recovery and rebuilding is under way.

Our farmers would have loved to see the rain at first, only for it to turn to disaster for some, with copious amounts of water destroying stock and property.

Summer definitely kicked in during the middle of February, with temperatures consistently reaching the mid-30s.

March should see temperatures a bit more bearable during the day, allowing for more time on the water.

As the water temperature drops towards the end of March, expect to see numbers of blue salmon increase.

They will start to become more active and school as they move towards their breeding season.

Start looking at the deeper sections of Gladstone Harbour and in the Calliope River for these schools.

Feeding fish will also be seen along the edges of sand and mud banks and around drains; they just won’t be in the same numbers as the schooled fish in deeper water.

Gladstone Region

by GARY CHURCHWARD

Salmon are willing lure takers, and a vibe or plastic fished around the schooled fish in deep water will get a reaction.

For shallower water, a hard-body around the 90mm size will work, as will a paddle tail or prawn-style plastic.

A live mullet, gar or prawn won’t last long either, though these will attract a bit of unwanted by-catch to annoy you.

Grunter have been in great numbers in the Calliope River and around Toolooa Bends.

Size has been patchy, with only the odd legalsize fish caught among the smaller stuff.

Better size fish have come from the harbour.

The channel markers are attracting big schools of herring and the grunter have been sitting under them.

Vibes and plastics will work on these fish, as will live prawns and herring.

Alternatively, fresh green local prawns and mullet strips will get a few as well.

Barra season started with a bang around the region, with metre-long fish caught within hours of the

season opening.

Numbers have been good as well, with many fish hooked during a session on both lures and bait.

The bigger fish are coming from deeper water in Gladstone Harbour and the Calliope and Boyne rivers.

Rockhampton’s Fitzroy River was in flood during February, which would have seen the fish more concentrated towards the mouth and Port Alma.

The water will remain dirty for the start of March but will slowly clear, which will see fish moving back up the river in numbers and into the city reaches towards the end of the month.

Target the shallower timber for smaller barra or deeper rock piles and holes for bigger fish.

Barra will still fish well during March and into April.

To be honest, they are a year-round option in central Queensland and will only slow during the colder months, but will still be a viable fishing option.

Awoonga Dam has produced hot fishing of late, with some sessions pro-

ducing up to 20 fish.

The average size of these fish is not what it was five years ago, but trying to stop a mid-80cm fish in heavy timber gets the blood rushing.

Even though the dam is not tidal, the tides still have an effect on when the barra will bite, as will moon phases, wind direction and wind speed.

Fingermark are still being taken from rocky areas in the harbour and Calliope River.

Most are falling to vibes fished in deep water.

Mangrove jack are hitting well-presented lures around trees and rock bars, with weedless soft plastics and 90-110mm hard-bodies doing the most damage.

If you’re on the water early, try a popper or stickbait for some awesome surface strikes.

You will also get the odd barra and trevally using this technique.

Big tarpon are being caught around the mouths of our rivers.

Smaller fish can be found upstream, and no matter what size these fish are, they are great fun to catch and put up an awesome fight.

Mud crabs are being caught in the rivers and feeder creeks.

The small amount of rain we had in early

February has helped get them moving.

Sand crabs can be found in the harbour.

Places to try are the sand flats around South End and the mouth of the South Trees at Lillies Beach.

While you won’t get a heap, you can usually get enough for a feed when they are moving around.

Whiting and bream have been hit and miss.

One day you can get plenty and the next they are not on the chew or have moved.

Persistence and constantly moving spots on these days will help you put a feed together.

Cheers and happy fishing from Gladdy.

Grunter are around. This 51cm model took a Zerek Fish Trap soft vibe fished over a rock bar in the Calliope River.

Phil with a metre-plus barra taken just on dark in the Boyne River on a 3” paddle tail soft plastic.

Tourist scores a ripper catch on Australia Day

T

HE sixth prize fish of season four of the Million Dollar Fish competition was landed at the Daly River Mango Farm by Queensland tourist Mark Iseppi on Australia Day, netting him a cool $10,000 in the process.

With Territory anglers claiming all the prizes to date, Mark Iseppi is the first tourist to pull in a winner on his line.

Mark landed the biggest catch so far, with a whopping 86cm red-tagged barra at Daly River Mango Farm where he’d been fishing for four weeks while on an extended fishing holiday with his family.

“We came to the NT because we love fishing during the wet,” Mark said.

“When we saw the Million Dollar Fish tag we were pretty excited.

“I love the NT and it’s the best place to fish.

“My family and I have come from Roma in Queensland to stay at the Daly River for the wet season to enjoy the best fishing in Australia.”

With the all-important verification photos and emails sent, Mark and his

family are yet to decide how they will spend their $10,000 windfall.

Tourism NT deputy CEO Andrew Hopper congratulated Mark on being the first tourist to reel in a prize-tagged fish, the sixth of the record 125 fish available this season.

“It’s wonderful to welcome a tourist onto the list of winners in the Million Dollar Fish competition,” he said.

“Obviously Territorians have many more opportunities to land a prize fish, so it’s terrific when a visitor to the NT has such good luck.

“I encourage all anglers to come to the Territory, try their hand at catching the Million Dollar Fish and enjoy our unique tourism experiences while they’re here.

“Whether it’s catching a barra or taking a fishing charter, the NT is teeming with some of the best eating fish in Australia, including the iconic barramundi.

“With one month remaining of season 4, five chances at the $1 million fish, 95 of the $10,000 fish and 19 purple-tagged $5000 charity fish are still

out there.

“There’s never been a better time to get out and wet your lines.”

Mr Hopper said the Million Dollar Fish competition is a tourism initiative designed to lure more visitors to the Territory during the tropical summer and boost the Northern Territory’s reputation as the best place in the world to stay, play and fish.

As at September 2018, an estimated 46,000 interstate fishers had come to the Top End, an increase of 6000 on previous years.

Season 4 of the Million Dollar Fish competition was launched on October 1, 2018 and runs until the end of March 2019.

For a chance to win a prize barra, participants must be at least 18 years of age and register online at milliondollarfish.com.au BetEasy strategic partnership manager Brad Fanning said there were more chances than ever to bag a winner.

“Tagged barra have been released right across the Top End, with the charity fish all in really accessible locations,” Mr Fanning said.

“We want anglers to

catch them all!”

Just by registering for the competition, anglers are eligible to win the prizetagged $10,000 or $1 million fish, and will also be in the running to win a swag of fantastic prizes as part of the Million Dollar Fish prize pool.

Season 1 saw 10 prizetagged barramundi caught, each worth $10,000; season 2 reeled in eight $10,000 barra; and season 3 proved to be an absolute thumper with 13 prizetagged fish.

For information on NT fishing regulations and best practice catch and release methods, download the free Northern Territory Fishing Mate app on your smartphone.

Experienced local guide

Mark Iseppi celebrated the win with his family.

Full-day inshore or offshore charters Come on a Hinchinbrook wilderness fishing holiday and tick some of those trophy fish off your bucket list – barra, mangrove jack, coral trout, GTs, sooty grunter, spanish mackerel, black marlin, queenies, nannygai and more!

• Two boats available catering for groups of 2-8 • 3 to 7-day packages including accommodation Todd & Raylene Eveleigh T: 07 4777 2968 M: 0417 192 318 E: barra@crackfish.com Mark with his catch.

Page 50 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

CHECK OUT OUR NEW WEBSITE >>> CRACKFISH.COM www.bnbfishing.com. au

Monster muddies marching in

H

ELLO everyone and welcome to March, where the muddies just keep marching in to Stanage Bay.

Muddies have not disappointed lately and though their numbers seem to drop and then rise, sizes have been fantastic.

The excellent rainfall February gave us has certainly encouraged the mud crabs to come out of their hiding places.

Our reefs are still well rested due to the windy conditions, though some fishers have braved the swells and headed to the Marble Islands for a catch of coral trout and nannygai.

The estuaries are still going strong.

Jewfish keep on coming

Stanage Bay

by PEE WEE

and bringing in the tourists who want in on the action.

Barra are back on the todo list, so it might pay to bring some lures for a troll up and down the creeks or kick back on the bank at Porters Creek and try your hand at casting soft plastics.

Salmon are being caught in various creeks around Stanage Bay and the surrounds of the Jew Hole.

Further south, we are getting reports of excellent-sized grunter.

Following the recent rain events, a few of the creek crossings on the

Stanage Bay road have been flowing and holding freshwater barra, helping stranded motorists stay amused by lure fishing the roadways.

A number were even successful!

Some motorists took on the waters, and their cars are now drowned and the drivers are on foot.

At least the road in has held up great, so they’ll have a good walking track.

The Shoalwater region has been left untouched and is bound to offer excellent fishing when the wind and rain subside.

A happy fisher with a solid grunter.

Boaties will have the option to go either north or south for a top fishing trip.

The fish should be getting hungry by now, so the first few trips out will not leave you empty-handed.

Start planning your trips now – get the mates together, get the gear packed and the Eskies ready.

Don’t forget rules are always changing, so make sure you check sizing, bag limits and green zones before heading out.

We aim to keep the fishing sustainable and full on in the area to ensure every trip out is one to remember, so please don’t be greedy with your catch.

Take it easy and I hope to see you here soon for big fish weigh-ins.

Taking on the floods.

Tony lost half his jewfish to a hungry shark.

The aftermath of taking on the floods.

When will the madness end?

I

T only occurred to me a few weeks ago that the weather hasn’t been kind for offshore trips in recent memory.

I was cleaning up the shed and thought I’d better jump up in the Cruise Craft to give it a tidy as well.

A layer of dust covered the Cruisey, not to mention the wasps’ nests and bulk spider webs.

It was a sad sight.

I pulled my phone out

Capricorn Coast

by JOHN BOON

to check the weather for a glimmer of hope.

I probably shouldn’t have.

Solid 20-knot days were forecast for the entire week, except for a slight dip to 10-15 knots around Thursday.

That was all I needed to round the family up for a Keppel Island trip.

It wasn’t the awesome offshore adventure I was chasing but the boat and family were in desperate need of a run in the salt.

Keppel trips are always great fun.

We started off chasing squid, but we normally only dedicate an hour or two to that because the kids start getting a bit restless.

Good mud crabs from Coorooman Creek, ready for cleaning. Corona helps with the cleaning process.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

We were rewarded with eight small to medium sized tiger squid which is pretty typical for this time of year.

It actually worked out well because I had a couple of ideas on how I wanted to cook them.

We then dedicated the rest of the day to snorkelling.

Despite the overall poor visibility due to strong tides and weeks of awful weather, we did find small pockets of clarity.

All the kids had a ball checking out species including whiting, bream, cod, coral trout, stripeys, stingrays, barracuda and heaps more.

We had lunch at the Hideaway on Great Keppel Island and I thoroughly recommend this spot.

The view is top notch and it would be my favourite place to have a beer throughout the entire Capricorn Coast.

It was a fantastic day with the family and if you get the opportunity, make sure to go over to Great Keppel and have a look.

You can take your own boat or if you don’t have a boat you can jump on one of the many fast cats that head in that direction.

Just head into the Rosslyn Bay Marina to book.

What’s been happening Mangrove jack have continued biting well in the Causeway Lake.

I have to give credit to those jack specialists because I’ve had a few goes at getting a jack from there and have come up empty.

Plenty of other species will keep you on your toes though, including gold and blackspotted cod, bream, barra, trevally, queenfish and flathead.

Even though I haven’t landed a jack yet, there’s always plenty of action.

I shall persist to boat one of these red devils.

At the time of writing we have had a heap of dirty fresh push through the barrage gates in the Fitzroy River.

It’s not the Dawson water, which is good because that seems to be the fresh that wrecks the river for months.

I’m confident the river will bounce back pretty quickly.

The only way to find out if it’s worth fishing is to go and have a look around with the sounder.

If no barra or threadies

☛ continued P52

The ultimate reward on a slow-pitch jig. A big nannygai caught by Troy Newman on a Shimano Coltsniper jig.

Stanage Bay Marine oAccommodationoBaitoIce oTackle

Aparadise fisho's

Monster crabs

Awesome fishing stanagebay.com Call 07 4937 3145 Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 51

Creamy garlic prawn sauce about to be added to crumbed squid tubes.

Weylin Zonruiter with a standard Fitzroy thready taken on a soft vibe.

When will the madness end? ☛ from P51

The finished product. The creamy garlic prawn sauce sealed in with a toothpick.

Delish.

NOW AVAILABLE

ONLINE!

k issues!

FREE bac llow!

FREE to fo

! t u o t i Check

ital 2-year digtion ip r c s sub

only $45

BNB Fishing magazine is now available to view on your computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone! Subscribe, buy the latest edition or view back issues for FREE!

www.issuu.com/bnbfishing Page 52 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

are around, head towards the mouth because the fresh most likely would have pushed the fish out that way.

Some mega threadies are being landed at Port Alma on the neap tides.

Anglers dedicated to searching in new areas have reaped the rewards.

Less-pressured fish are more likely to bite.

A few of the guys I’ve talked to are still using small prawn imitations around the 3”-4” size.

Softies like the Berkley Gulp 3” Shrimp and 4” Atomic Plazos Prong have been doing well.

Coorooman Creek and Port Alma have consistently produced nice fingermark.

We had a quick session in Coorooman but the tides weren’t favourable.

Lack of run made things pretty tough.

It’s always good to have a couple of metres or more of tidal movement.

We landed one nice fingermark before heading home though, so all was not lost.

Mud crabs have been in good numbers, with the pick of the places the Fitzroy River and Corio Bay with the extra bit of fresh in those systems.

Working the pots every hour or two has produced better catches.

A lot of floaters are among the quality, so make sure you can identify empty crabs before hitting the water.

Getting ready for jigging With the average weather, now would be the time to get set up to try new techniques.

Both inshore and offshore, slow-pitch jigging is highly addictive once you crack the code.

If you’re a seasoned reef fisher, the transition will be pretty easy.

The areas where you bait fish and produce results are a great starting point.

Both inshore and offshore, slow-pitch jigging is highly addictive once you crack the code. If you’re a seasoned reef fisher, the transition will be pretty easy.

The ZetZ Slow Blatt, Gomoku Koika and Volante Slow Fall are some of the models I have done well with.

Troy Newman has also been doing really well on the Shimano Coltsniper.

This small, light jig has been nailing hefty nannygai, as you can see from his photo.

You’ll find heaps of technique videos on YouTube to keep you entertained for days but if I had to use one retrieve it would be the short hop, long hop combination.

It’s just two short hops in a row (of about a 30cm lift) followed by a

full-length lift.

Nine times out of 10 you’ll get hit on the drop after the long lift.

A good option is to get chatting to local fishing tackle shops that are into jigging.

The shops that post regular photos of them catching fish on jigs are the ones you want to chat to.

They’ll have a good idea about what jigs have been working and even a rod and reel setup to get you started.

As I said, it’s highly addictive and the best part is there’s no bait mess through the boat, just

good clean fun.

Calamari cuisine With the small squid we caught over at Keppel, we thought we would try a different recipe.

We usually just roll the rings in a salt and pepper mix but we wanted to mix it up.

After a bit of research, we settled on stuffing the tubes.

We coated the tubes in breadcrumbs first and then inserted a creamy garlic sauce with prawns inside the tubes.

We then sealed them shut with a toothpick.

Placed in oil on a medium heat, we cooked each side for about 30 seconds.

Were the tubes a tasty treat?

You bet.

I’m very glad that we gave it a go.

We are already tossing around ideas for what we are going to stuff them with next.

That’s it from me this month.

I really hope the weather improves so we can go and chase reefies.

The freezer is starting to look bare and I’m in need of a red fix.

Typical Keppel Island squid for this time of year. Their size is generally down compared to winter.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Reset of the creeks and estuaries

H

I all, after a slow start to the barra season around the Mackay region, things are really looking up in the estuaries.

The lack of action was mostly due to the amount of flooding rain (nothing like north of us received), but the area had its fair share in the weeks prior to the season opening and it just kept coming over the following days and weeks.

Though the monsoon rain only just pushed down this far south, it certainly got our creeks and rivers pumping fresh water out for weeks.

This, coupled with the horrible run of weather we have been experiencing since what feels like the start of the year has kept the opportunities to get among the barra few and far between.

This is a difficult time for the hardcore barra angler, tossing up whether to brave the conditions

Inshore Fishing Mackay

by JASON KIDD

Old snags that may have been productive for a few seasons or since the last good flood could have gone, sandbanks may have shifted, some channels might have relocated and new logs, snags and structures to discover will be everywhere. and give it a go or be patient and wait for a better time.

The upside of all this is the big rain events are totally necessary and fantastic for creating the conditions needed for spawning of most estuary species, particularly barra.

Simon picked up a grunter. This species is firing in the estuaries after the flush.

Tim landed an 85cm barra in the fresh run-off.

It also sets us up for an awesome barra season and for seasons to come.

So once the flooding fresh water has pushed through the creeks and all the logs, debris, animals, snakes and green tree frogs pass through and things start to settle, it doesn’t take many tides of the saltwater pushing back up the creeks, to make the perfect conditions for getting the first one for the season.

The first few trips, even to locations you may have fished for years before, can be a new learning experience after a big flood and flush-out.

Old snags that may have been productive for a few seasons or since the last good flood could have gone, sandbanks may have shifted, some channels might have relocated and new logs, snags and structures to discover will be everywhere.

Sometimes old holes that may have been silted up and shallow for years are again deep and clear.

So, take it easy at first when getting around, especially while the water is still dirty from the fresh.

Some of the best fishing to be had in these conditions is often out past the creek mouths on the sand and mud flats where the fresh and salt are really mixing up.

Look for colour changes where fresh and salt waters are meeting and creating defined lines or edges of colour difference in the water.

For the best action, concentrate your efforts

Glen with an 80cm model that took his live prawn.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

around these areas that also combine with some form of structure such as a hole, rock bar, mud bank or a set of snags.

The incredible number of jelly prawns and fingerlings of all species in the water are all looking for any form of protection.

When they gather in these locations in big schools, you will often see them being busted up by predators and pushed right into the shallows and even onto the banks at times.

The mouths of all the finger drains as the dirty run-off waters drain back into the main channels on the ebbing tide also create the ambush locations feeding fish are looking for.

Try casting at all of them because most of the time it is that tiny little gutter on the shallow bank that holds the monster fish.

Throwing any of the Zerek prawn imitations or Z-Man paddle tails into the area will usually generate some interest.

Barra and king threadfin salmon are only a couple of the many estuary predators that will be lurking and competing in these ambush situations to capture prey.

When the tides start to increase and the salt levels in the creeks and a bit of colour start appearing in the water, the creeks will really start firing again.

In the Mackay region, live bait fishing is usually very productive at the start of the season through to the cooler months.

While a bit of fresh is still around and the water is dirty, the bigger the baits, the better.

Every predator will be feeding, so bigger baits seem to last a little longer and create more vibration, giving you a better chance of a barra tracking them down in the dirty run-off.

The bigger baits also help deter unwanted predators from taking the bait before your target fish can.

Finding enough quality live baits at this time can be a challenging and very time-consuming exercise.

So when you get enough for a fishing session, spending some time checking out your usual fishing locations with a decent-quality sounder before setting up for a fish can be a good move and a big time-saver.

Often after a flood event you can find yourself fishing an old spot a different way or finding completely new locations altogether.

The big rain events are like a reset for the creeks and estuaries of the area, creating fantastic fishing for the weeks, months and years to come.

The rewards are now starting to be felt, with awesome fish firing again.

Billy picked up a 76cm barra during the making tide on a 6” live mullet.

The author with a 90cm barra caught by live baiting.

f

Jason Kidd

0457 254 740 Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 53

The lure of tropical estuaries

F

ISHING in much of tropical Queensland is far from the first thing that comes to mind at the moment.

Trevally are among the most common open water species of the estuaries in the north.

Despite the rain, the Barra Blue Spoonbill struck again. Jacks are highly rated as sportfish for good reason.

Some areas escaped damaging floods and these will bounce back quickly, as they do after each significant wet season.

Several years ago we had a trip to the tropics planned many months in advance of cyclone Yasi striking, yet went ahead with that visit just a month afterwards.

Thinking that we would be spending our time helping with the clean-up, we were surprised to find the debris had already been removed and life was returning to normal.

Our fishing trip went ahead with excellent results on most of our usual tropical estuarine targets.

Many of the species most commonly caught in the estuaries of the far north are found in southern Queensland waters, just in fewer numbers.

Anglers will encounter fewer bream, whiting and flathead, more cod, jacks and trevally.

Throw into the mix javelin fish, barracuda, queenfish, two species of threadfin salmon, grey mackerel, tarpon and of course the icon of the north, barramundi, and you can see why fishers would be drawn to tropical waters.

One of the common mistakes made by first-time visitors to the far north is in the choice of lure size, imagining XL sized offerings are required.

The majority of species listed will prey upon relatively small food items, with prawns favoured by most when in season.

Bibbed lures of about 90mm are perfect for most estuarine predators, whether casting or trolling.

It’s no secret that I use Aussie-owned and designed lures exclusively, which is no handicap at

Cassie’s ripper goldspotted cod shows why fishing the tropics is worth the trip and why heavy gear is recommended.

Page 54 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

Fishing for Sport

by NEIL SCHULTZ

all when selecting suitable options for the tropics.

The first lure I clip on during northern trips is the Predatek Spoonbill, an 85mm lure that gets down to about 5m on the troll, is tooth-proof and as close to unbreakable as you’ll find.

Of the myriad colours available, I don’t leave home without (not in order of preference): Barra Blue, Kakadu Tiger, McSea, Redhead, Pink Thing and Fireball Red. On the odd occasion the weather is calm and we see activity beyond the mouth of the estuary, we will duck out and use the same lures to troll for pelagics, regularly landing longtail tuna and various mackerel species.

When casting soft plastics, I stick to a similar size, around 100mm, rigged on a head wearing a strong hook from 2/0 to 4/0.

Keeping things simple, I usually opt for something like a Bozos Lures pre-rigged 100mm mullet, saving the need to carry separate jig heads.

As far as tackle goes, it pays to go ‘loaded for bear’ for those unpredictable occasions when a toothy monster is encountered.

Larger than average mangrove jack and estuary cod are tough, dirty fighters that will make you glad of extra rod and line strength.

Leaders are particularly important in barnacle and oyster-strewn estuaries as they take the brunt of the rough and tumble.

After using all manner of leader material from several manufacturers, I now tend to rely on either Platypus Super 100 or more recently, Schneider Braid Compatible Leader, in breaking strains from 12-20kg, depending on the territory I’m fishing.

Narrowing down areas worth attention within an estuary system depends on your target species.

Hard structure in the form of rocks, snags or undercut banks are the go-to spots if you are looking for jacks and/or estuary cod.

Those same habitats will of course also hold barramundi in systems where they occur, sometimes outnumbering the aforementioned species (if you are very lucky).

Trolling along manmade rock walls can be just as productive as fishing natural formations.

Don’t limit your efforts to only obvious structure.

Finding fully submerged rock bars and logs with your sounder can put you onto hot spots overlooked by many other anglers.

All snags are not created equal.

Those adjacent to a drop-off or channel junction will often be more productive than those along an otherwise featureless stretch of shore.

One particularly memo-

rable session on a creek at Hinchinbrook Island occurred when we stumbled across a large, fully submerged snag in a deep hole at a three-way junction.

That snag had barra stacked in its branches, all eager to take a deep-diving lure retrieved within striking distance.

In the absence of hard structure, good fishing can be had by concentrating on areas where water flows over sandbanks into deeper channels.

Some species prefer feeding in this open water, with queenfish, trevally and tarpon commonly encountered, along with barracuda and grey mackerel at times.

Lures that throw flash will often account for good captures of these open-water feeders, especially when the water is clear.

Making tides tend to be more productive for these mobile feeding predators and you may even need to follow the tide upstream to maintain contact with them.

I’ll be waiting until late winter for a return visit to the tropics, but good fishing can be had yearround.

The other common species of estuary cod, a large blackspotted cod taken on a brightly coloured Woomera.

Something out of the ordinary, a Papuan jawfish trolled up on a redhead Jindivik.

Smiling in spite of the rain and why wouldn’t you, with a prime table-sized salty barra that couldn’t resist Rosemary’s favourite Barra Blue Spoonbill.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Brod cast across the rapids into a back water. A few fish were picked up here with poppers.

A nice tarpon caught on a Rapala SR5 minnow.

Brod with one of his many sooties for the day.

Superstitions on the water

H

I, my name is Brett Parks and I am a partner in Fishing Cairns, an online fishing charter resource for all things fishing in north Queensland.

I also have my own charter business called Uncanny Angler Fishing Charters specialising in light tackle charters in the headwaters of north Queensland’s tropical waterways.

I’ve been fishing in the region since the early nineties and love introducing visitors from all over the world to our unique environment.

The fishing in Cairns has been a little hit and miss over the past few weeks.

We have had our fair share of rain, but our hearts go out to our friends and colleagues down south around Townsville who copped a hammering from the monsoon trough.

And while the rain guarantees good fishing down the track, when it’s happening it’s a good time to go over all your gear to ensure you are ready when the time comes to hit the water.

The following is a story from just before the rain started, and raises an ageold question.

Read on and you’ll see what I mean…

The morning got off to a shaky start, the 5.30am start a little behind schedule, with me banging on windows trying to get the attention of my mate Brod.

The blame was laid squarely on the complications of an alarm clock that had too many settings.

Once I’d woken him I said: “Never mind, let’s get going, have a coffee and grab some fruit, I’ve

Fishing Cairns

by BRETT PARKS

got morning tea and lunch organised.”

With no harm done, it wasn’t too long before we were on our way to the river.

It was a beautiful clear day, one in which you could make out the details in the ranges hugging the north Queensland coast.

The thought of hitting the river was tantalising because the remnants of cyclone Owen had passed through a few days earlier.

The river levels would be settling, water clarity clearing and best of all, we’d have a chance to get up the top of the river to see some country not encountered for a while due to a long dry winter.

At the ramp the water was very dirty and still, even though it was supposed to be running in for another hour.

We put this down to the water coming down from the ranges.

We decided to hit a few patches of mangrove spears looking for some jacks on the way upstream, but these spots proved fruitless, so we continued our journey.

Next stop was a big wide bend with a large section of shallow backwater and plenty of weed and lily pad cover.

I put on a popper while Brod tied on a shallowrunning hard-body.

The water looked cherry ripe for a fish, and it wasn’t long before the surface exploded and my line took off in the opposite direction.

A nice little barra to start the day.

I was chuffed, took a few photos and was back into the action.

I love fishing with poppers, as they allow you to keep the lure in the strike zone for a lot longer and are so much more satisfying when you get that strike.

We decided to move on and headed way upstream.

Along the way we stopped briefly at a few little creeks coming into the river, but to no avail.

Then we pulled up at a swamp overflow that was spewing thousands of litres of very dirty water into the river.

This created the classic water colour change you look for when chasing fish after a run-off.

The hole was little deeper, so I switched to 4” Z-Man soft plastic with a TT SnakelockZ 1/4oz jig head.

After a few casts I had a bit of a thud on the line but it came free and I thought I had hit a snag, but then bang, I was on.

The line took off and stayed deep for a bit but eventually surfaced and I could see it was a 75cm barramundi.

With my light spin combo in hand I had to be gentle with the bigger fish and it gave me a few scares during the fight but I eventually wore it down and got it in the boat.

A few happy snaps and it was back into the water.

While it was closed season for barra, it’s always a thrill to land a good barra any time of the year.

The rest of the trip upstream involved dragging

A pup barra taken on a surface lure.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

the boat through shallow sections and roughing the prop a bit on other misjudged spots.

But eventually we made it to our destination.

We pulled up and walked the boat a little upstream to get access to a large section of backwater that looked promising.

On the first cast we had a hit, on the second cast I was on.

I pulled in a nice little sooty grunter on the popper.

We spent the next 10 minutes sending lures the length and breadth of the hole and scored another little jungle perch for our trouble.

It was time to start our drift and the first couple of holes produced nothing, but then the bites started to happen.

Sooties, tarpon and jungle perch were all about in good numbers.

Time for morning tea and to assess the fishing so far.

It was then brought to my attention that Brod had not yet caught a fish, while my score was already up around 10 fish.

Brod was not happy.

We opened the Esky to find, you guessed it, a banana!

Now I’m not one for wearing my lucky undies on fishing trips, or paying homage to the fishing gods before each trip, and I know some anglers openly eat bananas in their YouTube videos while out fishing, but I still do not like to tempt fate by bringing this tasty tropical fruit on board my boat.

Luckily I hadn’t touched it, so I was immune to its fish bite-suppressing qualities.

Brod scoffed it down but he was not to catch a fish for at least another half hour after morning tea.

And once he caught his first, he pretty well matched me fish for fish for the rest of the day.

The good fishing continued, with the hungry predators taking a mixture of Rapala SR5s and poppers.

I also saw a giant jungle perch strike my lure, which was a real thrill, and when landed it measured a whopping 39cm.

I think that’s a PB for me.

It was really good to get

back up the top of the river after a prolonged dry period.

All three species you encounter up there offer great sportfishing as you drift through magnificent country.

I’m looking forward to getting back out there soon, but I’m pretty sure I won’t be allowing another banana on the boat.

When this fish hit the line the author thought it was a small barra, not a 39cm jungle perch.

One of the double hook-ups for the day.

Planning a trip to North Queensland?

Book a charter today!

From barramundi to marlin, jungle perch to jacks, we’ve got you covered.

www.fishingcairns.fish 0448 563 586

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 55

The author was stoked to bag this macky on spear.

A trout in a glass-out.

Den with a small-mouth nannygai.

Heading wide prior to horrible weather

A

T the time of writing, widespread flooding had devastated Townsville and surrounding areas.

Reece speared a couple of spanish mackerel.

Long-range trips in glassy weather – it doesn’t get much better.

Having experienced the 2013 floods in my home town of Bundaberg, I know the wider community always comes together for the months of heartbreaking clean-up ahead.

Just as upsetting is the toll on farmers further inland who were not long ago battling horrible drought, only to have their stock wiped out by flooding.

Mother Nature can indeed be bloody cruel.

Cape York and the Torres Strait have copped a battering over the past month too, with heavy rain and wind gusts regularly exceeding 40 knots.

Travelling to the outer Torres Strait Islands for work hasn’t exactly been fun in very small aircraft (Cessna 208B Grand Caravan).

Den was chuffed with this cobia.

Not a bad spot to have brekky.

Page 56 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

Cape York & Torres Strait

by MATT POTTER

The usual turquoise waters around the Cape and Torres Strait are quite murky, which is typical for the monsoon season but definitely makes fishing hard.

Prior to the terrible weather, we managed to get stuck into a few nice fish.

We had just returned from holidays and with the weather looking great (and knowing it was soon to change), I threw the suitcase inside the house and began packing the boat.

I quickly organised a crew and filled up a few extra fuel jerry cans.

My plan was to explore an area about 60 nautical miles east of the tip of Cape York that I had spent little time fishing.

It was a late 5pm departure and we arrived in the dark.

With the seas calm, I decided to head to a spot we had sounded over and quickly fished when returning from a trip to the continental shelf.

We dropped our whole squid baits down on 80lb paternoster rigs and it wasn’t long before we had solid bites.

A couple of nice largemouth nannygai were the first to hit the floor of the boat, which is always a great way to start.

We managed a couple more nannygai and a golden trevally, which was released.

The sharks soon moved in and took our baits and any hooked fish.

This is so frustrating, especially when you have come so far, but they really seem to fire up at night and often the only choice is to move on.

On the final drift Den hooked up to something we were calling for a shark and it was nice to see a cobia hit the surface.

He was stoked because it was his biggest fish to date.

These things are always fun to gaff and bring aboard because the second fight is usually in the boat.

I have seen rods broken over the years as solid cobia are swung aboard without a couple of taps with the fish bat first to slow them down.

I decided to move on and continue sounding around looking for new ground, running over and marking a series of large rocks in 22m of water that would have been 50m apart.

We went back and had a drop and we all got solid bites before I hooked up to a nice little school red that went 65cm.

We picked up another red before the next fish was sharked.

Most fishos know bigger reds are found in the 40-100m range but I love finding them in the shallower water of 15-30m off Cape York.

With the sharks having found us, we moved on and tried the next drop knowing we would probably only get a couple of drops before they found us again.

After two more drops we had two nice reds in the Esky, which was great because it isn’t often reds dominate the catch.

Happy with our initial efforts, I anchored behind a reef so we could get a few hours’ sleep but I certainly struggled in the humidity.

In the morning we went ashore to a nearby island and cooked a feed of bacon and eggs and dropped a few drums of fuel in the boat.

The plan for the morning was to hopefully catch a couple of spanish mackerel.

I headed to a nearby high spot that rose from 25m to 8m.

We threw out the Rapala X-Rap 30+ Magnums and it wasn’t long before we were on.

While these weren’t big fish at about 90cm, there were plenty of them and we kept a couple for bait before moving on.

My plan was to go back and try the first spot where we had pulled nannygai, but I ran over some impressive ground that we had a drop on.

We managed a handful of grass sweetlip and I got another red before the taxmen showed up… yet again.

There is certainly no shortage of sharks throughout Cape York and the Torres Strait.

We fished the first spot from the night before but it was quiet despite loads of bait and fish showing on the sounder.

I managed a fingermark before deciding we would jump in for a quick spear before heading home.

We travelled to a large shallow reef system and jumped in at the current edge to hopefully spear a few trout.

Soon Reece had shot a spanish mackerel and I had a nice bluebone in the boat.

I shot a second bluebone and a solid mackerel came in to check out the commotion.

It was a frantic minute

of trying to get the fish off my spear and reloading it to take a shot at the mackerel, but of course by the time I sorted my 1.3m Rob Allen railgun out, the mackerel had disappeared.

I yelled for Den, who was boatie, to throw a flasher in.

A flasher is a reflective teaser designed to lure in pelagic fish.

After about five minutes of working the flasher up and down through the water column, the fish returned.

I dove down to take a shot, knowing all hell would break loose once I shot it.

The fish turned back towards me and to my surprise I stoned it with an instant kill shot.

The fish rolled over and I was pretty stoked to dive down and grab the tail of my biggest mackerel to date on spear.

Reece also managed a second spanish mackerel before we pulled the pin and headed for home in glassy conditions.

I was certainly glad we decided to venture wide because a month later we haven’t seen another decent day of weather since.

Check out the Fishing Missions- Northern Australia Facebook page to see our remote adventures.

The author with a 65cm red pulled from shallow water.

A month of wild monsoonal weather followed the author’s most recent trip.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

C AMPING & outdoors Greenlee Farm and Cottages Canungra

O

N a recent weekend we visited Greenlee Farm and Cottages at Canungra with some friends to enjoy a tree change because the wind was blowing and no fishing was to be had.

We arrived at the farm, passing over the causeway with the creek running either side, and the thought of catching a Mary River cod or some perch was racing through my head.

Lucky I packed a sneaky rod and tackle box for the occasion.

After settling in and checking out the cottages, we went exploring around the farm, with the owners offering to take us on a tour up to the lookout.

We jumped on board the four-wheel-drive allterrain buggy and headed up the mountain behind the cottages to get the best view of the valley.

We went past the beehives where they make their own ‘Greenlee Farm honey’ and up to the tip of the mountain to look over the cottages, meandering creek and valley with mountains on the other side.

It was spectacular and worth the bumpy trip up the track.

Once back at the creek, we decided to go for a swim because it was a hot day.

We lazed in the creek for a couple of hours, enjoying a couple of bevvies and watching the kids play on the floaty toys exploring the creek downstream.

Once everyone got out of the water, the fishing rods came out and Rob, Pete and Jake started fishing for anything they could get.

After a couple of false starts with some turtles, Jake hooked up to something that was fighting, so we knew he had a fish on this time.

He managed to get it to the bank and his dad Pete

Reader’s Report

by HELAINE WILESMITH

grabbed it and held it up.

Jake had caught his first eel-tailed catfish.

You couldn’t get the smile off his face.

That night we had a great roast dinner at the camp hut fully decked out with barbecue, pizza oven, sink with tank water and tables and chairs.

We fired up the fireplace too, just for the ambience, certainly not for the warmth!

A rumble and some lightning in the distance sent us back to get ready for the imminent onslaught and to sit back and watch the light show as the storm rumbled over the mountain range in the distance.

Farm owner Paul Lee said it was going to miss us, but looking at the Bureau of Meteorology radar it certainly looked like we were right in the firing line.

But as the storm grew, it moved along the range and Paul was right, we barely got a couple of minutes of rain and nothing else.

What a fizzer!

So off to bed we went with the thought of getting up at dawn and going to flick lures for hungry fish first thing.

The eyes peeled back at about 5am and on getting up and I found Pete up and ready to go.

Rob was still snoring, so we left him to his slumber and headed off on foot in search of a freshwater beast.

We went to the swimming hole first and flicked around for 15 minutes for not a touch, so decided to make our way up to the causeway as we were told a large Mary River cod was caught there recently.

As we approached the causeway, we saw a large swirl under an overhang-

Jake with his first-ever eel-tailed catfish.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

ing tree, so both got set and cast in that direction.

Pete ended up with some weed and I got the shot but no hook-up.

We kept at it and I got a branch so it ended in tears for me.

Then Pete cast and hooked up!

He was on and I was pissed.

As I hurriedly tried to rerig, he swore and I looked up to see he had lost the fish by pulling the hooks.

We cast and cast for another half hour without a touch, and by this time the sun was up and we decided it was time for a morning coffee and bacon and eggs, so headed back.

On the way back we saw a swirl back at the fishing hole, so I cast to the swirl on the other bank and upon looking closer I realised it was caused by a platypus swimming on the surface.

I quickly retrieved my lure and decided that was it for the day, as I was not going to chance catching a platypus.

After brekkie, the word spread that a platypus was playing in the fishing hole, so the whole crew went down to have a look.

To everyone’s amazement it was still there and was not fazed by the people on the bank watching it and taking photos.

We sat on the bank for about an hour watching it pop up and down and go round and round in circles.

Eventually the kids wanted to go for a swim and the platypus wasn’t going away, so we told them to just slip in quietly and have a dip.

Well to everyone’s surprise the platypus hung around and then started to move in around the kids.

It swam around my daughter and got more and more bold, circling closer and closer.

At one point it swam so close that she put her hand out and patted it, and then it swam around her, through her legs and burrowed at her feet.

She was squealing with excitement but not moving a muscle.

We were aware that if it was a male it would have a venomous spur, so we told the kids to stay very still when it came near them.

This was truly a once in a lifetime experience for all.

After about an hour it was time to go home, so we got the kids out of the water – reluctantly – and bought beautiful fresh

farm-picked macadamias (raw, dry roasted and salted) and lovely fresh honey and headed home after an excellent weekend away.

I highly recommend the cottages and farm as a good little getaway for couples or families.

You’ll find one-bedroom couple’s cottages and a two-bed family cottage.

With a group of friends and the hospitality of owners Paul and Robyn, it’s a great weekend away from the salt water when the wind is up.

This plucky platypus certainly wasn’t people-shy!

The beautiful cottages at Greenlee Farm.

Ledlenser MH10 head torch review

O

F the many wonderful items of modern technology available for outdoor pursuits, head torches must be one of the best.

A torch you can wear on your head, that you don’t have to hold, and that points automatically where you are looking!

I remember some negative comments from friends about how I looked wearing one when they first came out years ago.

I couldn’t have cared less, as this torch was just so practical – and those friends all own and use them now too!

Over the years I’ve owned different models from Petzl, Princeton Tec and Ledlenser.

All have worked well, though with differing working lives.

Using them on a nightly basis for 10 years while living and working out bush was a fair sort of a test.

These days I own three head torches.

One stays in the vehicle.

Another is for general camp life.

The third, with a more powerful beam, is used for night fishing and spotlighting wildlife, which is a personal passion.

Recently, the big boomer I’d had for eight years died, and so I

carefully looked about for a replacement.

My final selection was the Ledlenser MH10, a German-designed product.

It boasts the best weight to brightness ratio of any Ledlenser head torch, with a peak brightness output of 600 lumens, and three different beam settings.

Weighing just 158g, it uses a single lithiumion rechargeable battery stored in a small housing at the back of the head strap.

You can’t use any batteries such as AAs or AAAs as a replacement though.

I thought this might be a problem.

However on peak power with a beam reach of 150m, the claimed battery life before going flat is 10 hours.

On middle beam power it is 15 hours and on low a staggering 120 hours.

That’s over five 24-hour days!

Plus, with the supplied USB cord you can charge from mains power, 12V and many other power sources.

Having a rechargeable battery is also obviously much more environmentally sustainable than using throw-away batteries.

Aftermarket batteries are available from between $30 and $40.

The light can be fo-

cused to spread or spotlight, and a red and green coloured lens is provided to fit if you want to be less obvious or less visible to wildlife.

How does this head torch actually work in real life?

Just brilliant!

It has a fantastic beam on high and middle power, while low power is ideal for around camp

activities and just walking at night.

I can’t fault it.

The MH10 comes with a storage pouch and a very useful seven-year warranty from Ledlenser.

Prices currently vary from $147 online to $199 in store.

In my opinion, it’s well worth the money!

Barry Lyon

Light in weight and comfortable to boot, the MH10 is perfect for long stints of spotlighting.

The Ledlenser MH10 comes with a storage pouch and is fitted with a rechargeable battery pack.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 57

4WDING & off - road

Travelling remotely requires careful vehicle preparation.

Preparation vital for vehicles visiting the Cape

N

O doubt like everyone, I’ve been staggered by the natural disasters over the past couple of months.

Some of the ‘extras’ the author carries in his vehicle when travelling the Cape and other remote areas.

Sympathies absolutely go out to all those affected by the widespread floods in north Queensland, including the long-suffering graziers.

Having been in drought for so long, to then endure such devastating floods is beyond belief.

These hardy people always seem to be battling something!

And the dying Darling

Repairing a badly worn swivel pin near Iron Range required an eight-hour round trip to Weipa for parts.

Speaking about dust. The ‘road’ to Kowanyama in 1978 on the way to researching and surveying crocodiles in the Mitchell River.

Page 58 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

Cape York by ‘BILLABONG’ BAZZ LYON

River System.

What an absolute catastrophe!

I really don’t like to get too political, but have to say the management of this river system is criminal.

Rivers are the lifeblood of the country!

When people don’t even have clean water to drink, let alone for fish and other aquatic life in the river, and for stock to drink, there’s something seriously wrong, and the causes very un-Australian.

With a big wet happening on the Cape, travel has understandably been minimal.

Even the road to Cooktown, now bitumen, has been closed more times than I can recall.

However, it’s usually never for long.

The rain and storms have pretty well limited reef fishing, though that may change as we move into late-February/March.

Often an early wet season will also finish early, opening great opportunities to get out to the big blue sea and tangle with some reefies.

Time will tell.

One thing is for sure – the big wet will provide plenty of good run-off fishing for barra as soon as we can get around!

For many of us, the end of the wet season is the prime time to get our vehicles, camping and fishing gear and boat (if we have one) ready and raring to go for the exciting dry season ahead.

A road trip up Cape York places huge stresses on vehicles and boat trailers, and any damage up here is all the more logistically difficult to fix because of remoteness.

The effects of the combination of dust, water and rough roads should never be underestimated, and preparation really is the go in minimising dramas.

Obviously, your vehicle has to be in the best possible mechanical condition,

regardless of its age.

A full service in terms of oils and filters and greasing before departing is the go.

Going remote in older vehicles should definitely not be ruled out.

In some ways they are more suitable for bush travel because of being less complicated, especially in terms of electrics.

However, if you have components like starter motors, alternators, radiator hoses and drive belts that haven’t been replaced or overhauled for some years, it pays to get them at least checked.

The same goes for fourwheel-drives with serviceable wheel bearings.

They need to be serviced, with new hub seals fitted as necessary.

On any vehicle, the suspension absolutely must be in top order.

These are the components that cop all the pain and do so much work on corrugations and washouts.

Suspension bushes are vital components.

Should they be old or showing signs of wear, replace them.

Tired shock absorbers will also result in poor handling and axle-hopping on corrugations.

Vehicles skittering sideways and running off the road or rolling as a result are all too common on the Cape because of poor shock absorbers.

Saggy springs also result in dangerous handling.

Fortunately in Australia we have a great range of quality aftermarket suspension systems that are usually far superior to original equipment, and generally not all that expensive.

Steering needs to be top notch.

Corrugations cause the front wheels to oscillate continuously between the left and right, though this is not usually visible to the naked eye (can be seen in slow-motion video).

This movement is bad news for worn tie rod ends, steering knuckles and swivel pins (king pins), rapidly accelerating wear.

Driveshafts and universal joints need to be in top order.

To some extent, you can look after your vehicle along the way to make its, and your, life easier.

A daily check under the bonnet and the body allows you to spot and hopefully fix problems before they get serious.

Loose nuts and bolts are fairly common and easily tightened.

Diff and hub seals may spring leaks under the stress of the rough road travel.

Given that water can sneak into starter motors and alternators, fitting a tarp or ‘water bra’ before taking on deep water is a really good idea.

Many vehicles will get through a ‘full-on’ Cape trip (including the Telegraph Track) without a problem, only to have these components fail back at home or even on the way home.

Some vehicles are more prone to water ingress in this regard than others.

Other owners of your vehicle type, 4WD clubs and certain internet/social media sites can provide useful information on this and other potential issues.

Let’s not kid ourselves.

Despite personal allegiances to certain makes, all 4WDs can break or fail, and do!

You see them on the back of recovery trucks each year, including some of the most (supposedly) reputable and newest.

To help counter water and dust during Cape York travel, I carry a grease gun and lubricate all greaseable components every 1000km, sooner in really tough conditions (lots of water crossings).

Experience has shown this to be excellent preventative maintenance.

One driving practice seen all too often on the Cape (including on some 4WD travel shows!) is people driving too close to each other and in each

other’s dust clouds.

This is dangerous because of poor visibility, and it also clogs up your air filter so the engine can’t breathe properly.

It’s plain stupid really, and results in many avoidable accidents each dry season.

Staying back lets you and your engine enjoy some fresh air.

As well as the usual spare belts, radiator hoses, top-up fluids (oils and brake fluid) and fuel filters, I carry a complete wheel bearing set, couple of hub seals, shockie rubbers, left and right-hand thread tie rod ends, gasket goo, radiator repair gunk and epoxy repair kit.

The latter can be used to patch up damaged radiators and fuel tanks.

A selection of fuses, tie wire, cable ties, some electrical connections, wire, gaffer tape and a small fishing tackle box full of an assortment of spare nuts, bolts and washers provide extra insurance – and have been used many times by me and others!

Finally, a length of steel pipe to put over a breaker bar to undo overtight nuts.

The other task that makes life easier is to maintain an ‘operational’ tucker box .

Topping up or replacing depleted items as soon as you get back from a trip means next trip all you have to do is load up.

Our tucker box carries plates, eating and cooking utensils, billies and pan, as well as commonly used foods like tea, coffee, sugar and condiments such as sauces.

The main food supplies are stowed in one or more other boxes.

When Cape York roads do open after the wild weather, they are going to feature an abundance of washouts and holes that will not be signposted.

There are just so many it’s not possible to sign each one.

The hard-working road crews will eventually fix these, but it can take some time, so care needs to be taken.

Until next month! www.bnbfishing.com. au

C ARAVANNING & adventure

Road tripping over 4000km through inland Aus

H

I, it’s Craig Tomkinson here.

My family and I were planning to go south for one of our road trips during the recent school holidays.

I had given the 80 Series LandCruiser an oil change and grease, checked the wheel bearings and gave it a good once-over.

I also bought a secondhand 55-litre upright Chinese fridge for $200 and it was in the back of the four-wheel-drive purring like a kitten.

Our old pop-up van was checked over in terms of bearings and brakes and was packed for the trip.

Then a weather warning was issued for lots of rain, then my uncle died and then we heard the first place we were going to in Victoria was shutting down for a month.

For fire trucking sake, what had I done?

Consequently we did not go.

Four weeks later at 9am I gave the Puckapunyal Army Tank Museum a

Road Trip

by CRAIG TOMKINSON

ring and it was open again after a month’s shutdown.

We packed the 4WD and were away with van in tow by 11.30am.

We headed out to Goondiwindi and down towards Dubbo the first day, pulling up and free camping for the night.

The next day we were away early and made our way to West Wyalong.

When we pulled up for fuel and breakfast it was already hot, and through the day on the hard pulls I could see the temp gauge was a lot higher than normal, but the air-con I got fixed at Chapmans Auto Repairs in Cooroy was colder than ever, so we did not notice the heat.

Between West Wyalong and Wagga, the heat saw the bitumen coming off the road in some places and gravel showered the

The Wombeyan entrance.

A wild wombat at Wombeyan Cave Campground.

Ned Kelly country.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

underneath of the 4WD. As the first day was a big one, we decided to pull up at 4pm at Wagga and rent a cabin with aircon and get a good night’s sleep.

I was talking to the owner who said it was nearly 46C there during the day.

He also said come down at happy hour, so we all had a good shower and while my wife Donna and the kids went for a swim in the pool, I slipped over for a chat with the owner and about six couples.

Three couples were from Queensland not far from home and the others were from all over Australia.

Most of the chat was about how hot their new and nearly new 4WDs got that day towing their 16’20’ vans.

One poor bugger’s 4WD got so hot his air-con shut down and the auto gearbox went into limp mode, which saw him stuck on the side of the road for a few hours while it cooled.

Luckily his van was a full off-road van made at Coolum with an inverter generator big enough to run the air-con.

Our old girl got up to 102C in the middle of the day on a big hard pull but mostly was in the 90C range, though the wheel bearings were heaps hotter than normal.

One old bloke from Hervey Bay said he had a heat gun and found his van’s bearings were 50C and the blacktop was between 75C and 80C. That’s the hottest weather I have experienced in years.

The next day we headed off towards Henty because it has the first farming header built in Australia, but we arrived too early for the museum, so we headed to Albury-Wo-

donga and onto the Hume Highway, turning off at Puckapunyal Army Base.

Now because it’s an Army Base, if you are over 18 you have to present photo ID to enter.

Upon entry you get pulled up by two guards at the entry checkpoint and they issue visitor passes after checking ID and give you instructions to the tank museum.

We had our van on the back of the 4WD, which had to be unhooked, but it was fine because they had a big parking area set aside for vans overlooked by the guards.

We unhooked the van and then as we already had our passes we drove up to the museum.

It cost $23 for all of us to get into the tank museum and it was amazing.

About 80 tanks were on display and a Leopard 2 tank was cut in half so you could see every detail of the tank from above and on the sides with its 800hp-plus diesel motor.

We spent many hours there but it was hot, so we came back into the airconditioned building with all the different guns and displays.

From there we headed back towards Wodonga and turned off to Goorambat to see some silo art.

We first saw the silo art at Brim two years ago and a lot more is there now and it is truly worth the drive to Victoria to find and look at it all.

The big owl painted on the silo at Goorambat was fantastic.

From there we headed to Glenrowan to check out Ned Kelly country.

It was a very low-key setup and we did not stay long because everything was shut.

From there we headed to Holbrook to check out a big submarine at a park in town.

That was great but it’s a pity it’s used as a rubbish dump.

A museum of all the stuff that was inside the submarine was shut during our visit.

Daylight saving time was a pain, with everything shutting earlier and opening later than we anticipated.

Because it was hot, we decided to push on up the Hume and turn off into the mountains, but huge storms were lined up right across the ranges, so we headed further north to Goulburn instead and up into the higher country on the way to the Wombeyan Caves.

We pulled up on a side road in a blue metal gravel dump and it was 23C cooler than the highway where we slept the night.

The next day after

breakfast we made our way to Wombeyan Caves.

The road in is steep and very narrow, so it was lucky we only have a small van with good brakes that weighs under a tonne.

We did not meet another vehicle, which was lucky because there is basically nowhere to pass.

Once down the bottom, you come out into a different world.

It truly is a lovely place to visit, with a lot of birdlife and kangaroos everywhere on the green grass.

After a while we even saw a wild wombat – how good is that!?

Here we found nice shady camps with good amenity blocks.

We were early, so had a walk around and Donna and the kids spotted some gang-gang cockatoos, which were a first for us.

They were feeding on green apples planted years ago in the reserve.

When the office opened we booked a guided 90-minute tour, which cost $60 for the six of us (bloody great value).

Our guide Emma was a school teacher who does ☛ continued P60

Endangered gang-gang cockatoo at Wombeyan Caves.

The author’s mob at the Goorambat owl artwork.

On the road west of Brisbane.

Submarine in the park at Holbrook.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 59

C ARAVANNING & adventure Outback Festival organisers urge visitors to ‘hit the road, Jack!’

M ANY Outback Queensland com mu n it ies are dealing with catastrophic losses following the recent flooding event, on top of six years of drought.

It was after years of prolonged drought in the ‘60s that a dedicated community group formed Winton Outback Festival.

The purpose was to attract visitors to the region and inject tourism dollars into the local economy.

Robyn Stephens OAM said, “Communities in the Outback are very resilient.”

“It’s certainly going to be another tough couple of years for the region.

“But on the plus side, our Outback landscape is slowly changing from brown to green; a spectacular sight sure to impress 2019 festival visitors.

“The journey to Winton is a big part of the festival experience, so we’ve partnered with other Outback communities to create three road trips to the festival.

“These fully researched and timed itineraries are designed to showcase the northwest, southwest and

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

www.facebook.com/bnbfishing Page 60 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

central west regional attractions.

“It’s simply a matter of visitors deciding which drive tickles their fancy.”

There is no better way to celebrate the ‘Year of The Outback’ than with an Aussie Outback road trip to celebrate Outback Festival’s 25th anniversary.

Families are encouraged to head west to Winton this September school holidays and stop and say g’day to our mates along the drive.

Perfectly located in the heart of Outback Queensland, Winton is a popular stopover for driving visitors travelling from north, south, east and west.

This September 24-28, Australia’s quirkiest festival is gearing up to welcome 8500 visitors – not bad for a town home to just 875 residents.

Those looking for a bit of adventure can plan ahead for the ultimate 2019 road trip with a selfdrive itinerary, the perfect way to truly experience all the Aussie Outback has to offer.

Outback Festival’s three family friendly self-drive adventure loops run from Brisbane and Townsville.

Visitors from Brisbane have two self-drive options.

Experience two events in the one road trip on The Big Sky Events Trail.

This 15-day loop kicks off with the award-winning Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers.

Other drive highlights include heritage attractions, cattle sale yards, dinosaurs and gem fossicking.

The South West Outback loop from Brisbane serves up a virtual smorgasbord of experiences.

Travel out to Winton via Eromanga, Australia’s furthest town from the sea and home to Cooper, Australia’s largest dinosaur, then return via the Matilda Way. Enjoy a soak in artesian waters, fossick for opals and sleep under starry night skies.

Visitors coming from

the north can look to the Discovery Drive by Drive North West Queensland, setting off from Townsville to Winton for Outback Festival.

This is a journey packed to the brim with Outback legends, ancient discoveries and bucket-list adventures, linking the Overlander’s Way and Australia’s Dinosaur Trail with

the fascinating Channel Country.

Winton is also easily accessible by air, rail and coach for visitors planning to leave the car at home.

REX services Winton on Tuesday and Thursday, with a loop departing from Townsville that connects with QantasLink flights to Longreach from the rest of the country.

The Spirit of the Outback rail journey departs Brisbane twice weekly, heading up the East Coast to Rockhampton before moving inland to Longreach to connect with the coach service.

Coaches to Winton can be booked through Bus Queensland, with services arriving in Winton daily.

The water park at Moree.

Road tripping over 4000km through inland Australia ☛ from P59

the tours on the school holidays because she loves the caves, and what a brilliant job she did showing them to us.

The caves are simply breathtaking, with things to see at every turn.

We were 80m below the surface in some parts and it was 13C. We will go back one year and stay a few days and check out all the caves.

It was a top spot that was not crowded.

From there we made our way back out and onto the blacktop to Abercrombie River National Park.

This looked like a great spot to camp and have a look around but we were on a very tight

schedule, so had a sandwich and took a photo and moved on.

I must say the pull coming out of the river and heading up the range was a cracker.

I was in first gear high range and thinking of going into low range – on the blacktop!

The drive from there to Oberon was nice but I changed gear so many times I think I wore out the gearbox.

We travelled from there on to Bathurst and then a free camp near Narrabri.

The next day coming into Moree we spotted a sign saying ‘water park’, so turned around and drove in.

Well bugger me, they have built two big lagoons 800m long by 200m wide for water

skiing and other activities.

It must be a good spot because when we were there the Australian Schoolgirl Waterskiing Championships were being held.

From there, we headed home.

Over the course of the trip we did 4076km, the 80 Series burnt 644 litres of diesel at a rate of 15.8 litres per 100km, costing $944.

Yes it would have been good to have another week, but sometimes you just have to take the time you’ve got or you will miss out.

As I had to get back to work, we were glad we went and we’re already planning the next trip away.

‘Til next time, be safe on our roads. www.bnbfishing.com. au

C ARAVANNING & adventure

Exploring way out the back of beyond

A

FTER doing the Dinosaur Trail (covered last month), we headed across the Barkly Tableland and boy wasn’t western Queensland and the Northern Territory really dry.

I’ve driven that road a number of times heading to the Territory to go barra fishing and have never seen it so parched.

We headed down to see the Devils Marbles, which were quite cool, and after a short walk we decided to keep travelling to Alice Springs and the East MacDonnell Ranges.

After doing a bit of a shop at Alice and getting some essentials, we headed out to the East MacDonnell Ranges to find the John Hayes Rockhole and Chain of Ponds walk.

The track in was very tight, rocky and in some places quite challenging with the caravan on the back.

I wouldn’t recommend it unless you have a proper off-road van.

Luckily we have the Lotus Off Grid caravan with extremely good off-road

Caravanning

by TODD EVELEIGH

ground clearance.

It is a true off-road van.

Quite a few low overhanging trees can make it difficult to get into these tighter tracks, so remember to keep your eyes up as well as on the mirrors to make sure your van is taking the right line around these tight corners.

Once we got into the camping area, it was nice to unwind with a couple of coldies and a swim in the nearby waterhole, which was nestled in a gorge with shady trees in the front of it.

This was a great spot to spend a night or two.

The next day we got up early and did the Chain of Ponds walk.

A really amazing walk with spectacular scenery, it looped back around to the gorge and a number of swimming holes.

This walk was rated ‘moderate’ level of difficulty but in numerous places we had to scale up and down little rock

John Hayes Rockhole campground.

Chain of Ponds walk.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

walls, which could be quite challenging if you weren’t fit and good on your feet.

Our kids really led the way on this walk, so maybe us parents could be lacking a little bit of fitness.

From the East MacDonnell Ranges, we decided to head back to Alice Springs and on the way stopped to look at Jessie and Emily Gaps, which are just a break in the range you can walk through and admire the rock escarpments.

We spent some time at the BIG4 MacDonnell Range Holiday Park at Alice Springs, which was a fantastic place for kids with three swimming pools, a massive water slide, jumping pillows, playgrounds, evening movies and even arts and crafts for the kids to get into.

The staff were really lovely and the amenities very clean and tidy.

After a few days at Alice, we headed out to the West MacDonnell Ranges to do the Mereenie Loop, which is a dirt road back around to Kings Canyon.

The West MacDonnell Ranges were amazing and the swimming holes along the way were brilliant, especially in the 40C-plus temperatures.

Ellery Creek Big Hole was a great spot to cool off.

It’s a massive waterhole with huge cliffs on each side to look up at as you float around in the cool and clean water.

It also had a lovely sandy beach and big gumtrees for shade with a shallow entrance.

But boy that sand was hot and you had to hustle to reach the water to avoid burnt feet.

We kept heading along the West MacDonnell Ranges, stopping at a few waterholes for a swim.

Ormiston Gorge was another standout.

We hiked up into the hills to a viewing platform perched on the side of the gorge with simply breathtaking views of the gorge and surroundings.

The waterhole below was very refreshing in that afternoon heat after hiking the cliffs above.

A great spot for a swim, but the best part about it was how shaded it was due to being nestled deep within the cliffs with gumtrees all around.

A perfect place to cool off.

A great free campsite lies just opposite Glen Helen on the Finke River.

It has about 10km of river frontage with numerous campsites along the way.

Quite a few of the tour operator buses use this area.

From here we continued our trip on the Mereenie Loop.

I cannot recommend this route highly enough.

At times it feels like you’re driving inside the range.

We experienced magnificent scenery and the wildlife was amazing, with numerous kangaroos, emus, brumbies and plenty of camels.

The road was quite corrugated, with large rocks protruding from the washouts, so it was important to look a long way ahead and drive to the conditions.

It also pays when driving on these rougher roads to lower your tyre pressures on both vehicle and caravan.

This helps to absorb some of the lumps and bumps and also reduces the chances of damaging the contents of your caravan and car.

The MacDonnell Ranges really are a worthwhile destination to check out with many walks, fantastic lookouts and some of

the most incredible natural swimming holes you could imagine.

It is quite easy to spend a couple of weeks trekking through this area driving amazing tracks, swimming in incredible waterholes and looking at the amazing natural rock formations.

We thoroughly enjoyed it.

It was a great destination for the kids, with all the swimming and hiking tiring them out and ensuring they slept well at night.

Until next month, we are on our way to Kings Canyon – yee-ha!

Devils Marbles.

Ellery Creek Big Hole.

Ormiston Gorge waterhole.

Glen Helen Gorge.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 61

CATCH BARRA

at Lake MonDuran

LAKE MONDURAN “BARRA� CHARTERS ALL FISHING GEAR SUPPLIED

Full and half day tours

s 0 0407 434 446 s % JAMIEBEIN BIGPOND COM

www.lakemonduranbarracharters.com Lake Monduran

harters C g in h is F s e n Guideli st updates ok for the late cebo

Find us on Fa

AN LAKE MONDUR

E

HOUSEBOAT HIR

NO

licence required

COMFORTABLE 13.6M HOUSEBOAT

s (OT WATER s 3LEEPS LICENSED FOR s 3ELF CONTAINED s $6$ PLAYER s ""1 s &RIDGE FREEZER

CALL ROB & KELLY

07 4157 3881 or email info@lakem.com.au lakemonduranhouseboathire.com.au

Barra Havoc TACKLE

HOME OF WORLD RECORD BARRA

Dennis Harold with his world record 44.62kg, 134cm long, 107cm girth barra caught from his kayak at Lake Monduran in 2010.

NEW LOCATION Pop in on your way to Monduran Dam for all your tackle needs – easy parking with boats!

26 Mulgrave St, Gin Gin (next to ďŹ re station)

0427 880 826

www.barratackle.com.au Page 62 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

A darker, weed-dwelling barra for Sean.

Fighting these fish in the dark is so much fun.

Getting Faust... ed – first time chasing impoundment barra T

HERE is something addictive about broadening your fishing knowledge.

Trying new techniques, chasing different species of fish and travelling to new areas allows you to become a better all-round angler.

I’m lucky enough to call Lucinda in north Queensland my home and it offers an endless array of fishy options.

Pretty much any tropical fish you can think of calls these waters home.

I spend every opportunity up creeks, walking rainforest streams or out on the reef.

We’re very spoilt here.

I had always wanted to chase impoundment barramundi but just hadn’t got around to it.

Something about going fishing for barra that average the metre mark sure sounds good, but the chance of tangling with horse size fish that may have you buying a longer brag mat is simply way too good to not experience.

So a plan was hatched, and what follows is a recount of our first trip to the mighty Peter Faust Dam. We experienced all the highs and lows in search of the mighty barramundi.

Cruising down the highway, we played the usual game of discussing what we might have forgotten.

It seemed we had everything we needed, as we both had rods, reels and tackle bags.

Things like clothes, food and other important parts of life always sort themselves out after a few casts.

It amazes me how nonstop chatting makes a car trip pass so quickly, and I can report very little silence as we cruised down the highway.

We had a strict time schedule due to work commitments, so a plan was hatched for every part of the next day and night.

I must also add at this point that we had both finished six straight days of work and were relying on adrenalin and Red Bull to keep us focused.

One of the best things about fishing is anticipation.

Those shaky hands while tying knots and

Luring for Barra

by JEFF WILTON

the heart beating a little faster; I can assure you we both had this big time!

After six hours of nonstop chat we arrived and it was a great feeling stretching our legs on the boat ramp.

For the next 15 minutes all you would have seen was two head torches flashing around as we readied the boat and rigged rods in silence.

I had studied the map of the dam a hundred times in the preceding few weeks but then realised we would be arriving at 2am.

So it was pitch black and we had no idea what actually surrounded us, but pushing off the ramp and into the darkness was an awesome feeling and the sleep deprivation was gone in an instant as the motor came to life.

Slowly motoring into the darkness, we had no idea where we were going, so just pointed the boat at a close bank and went there.

It was clear we both really needed to cast.

Sean was clutching his rod the entire ride, and if I hadn’t stopped he probably would have exploded.

The electric motor was deployed and we both started punching out casts into the blackness.

That first cast felt so good!

We knew the dam was filled with loads of barra, and people caught them all the time.

But it isn’t until you get that first hit or see a fish that those stories become reality.

There is a reason people call this place the ‘lake of a thousand casts’ and we were prepared to make double that if need be.

Our first encounter came within the first five minutes of fishing.

A loud boof right beside the boat saw us both cast and in turn get tangled, which was really, really disappointing.

About two casts later I saw a massive bow wave behind my surface frog that had my heart in my mouth.

I swear both Sean and I didn’t breathe for the entire retrieve, but the

fish wouldn’t eat.

Over the next few hours we spooked several fish, with each one crushing our spirits.

They would move out of the shallows and the waves would rock the boat, so we knew they were big fish, but we couldn’t get a hit.

But at least we had seen fish, so knew they were there.

We fished this bank until sunrise and then decided we needed to try something different.

We were both very keen to enter the timber and fish the weed beds and tree lines.

This style of fishing felt more natural to us because it’s how we fish our local waters, and we both wanted to fight a big fish in all that structure!

The problem was the sheer number of fishy areas, weed beds, flats, snags, drop-offs and shallow bays.

It was a case of keeping casting until we worked out some kind of pattern and being prepared for fancy work on the electric motor.

It was now about four hours since we had seen any sign of a fish.

You know that feeling when you are just casting and retrieving in a sort of daydream and then... bang!

I had just watched my plastic land and drift perfectly down the side of a

weedy tree stump, thinking how could there not be a barra waiting in there?

There was, and the hit was hard and sudden, with that unmistakable barra thud, but it didn’t find the hook.

This miss hurt badly, as we both wanted a fish in the boat, but it was clear sleep deprivation was starting to kick in badly.

Both being stubborn and crazy, chances were neither of us would give in to sleep until we fell over.

I remember the first hook-up perfectly.

We thought we had spooked a barra, which proceeded to swim under the boat and out into the depths in front of me.

Lobbing a small cast roughly towards where I thought it headed, I got nailed on the drop.

With a solid hook set the fish leapt out of the water, showing off its size.

My heart was beating at a rate of knots as it pulled braid off in powerful runs.

The trees were everywhere and it was a case of going hard when I could.

The moment it slid into

the net, we lost it and there were some loud noises and several high fives.

We were stoked!

The sheer bulk of this fish was amazing and the golden colouration across its shoulders was spectacular.

A lot is said about how freshwater barra don’t fight well, but I can assure you this isn’t the case at all.

This fish made lots of powerful runs and several head-shaking jumps.

After posing for a few pictures it was quickly swum beside the boat and swam away strongly.

The weight was lifted off our shoulders.

We had succeeded but it had now woken us up and we wanted more.

Over the next few hours I had several follows and subtle hits that didn’t hook up.

Sean on the other had been casting in silence for hours and hadn’t had any hits or follows from fish.

I could tell it was starting to get to him and when I hooked up to my second ☛ continued P63

The golden hours are around first and last light. At these times you must be on the water and casting.

Smaller class for a Faust barra but still loads of fun.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Awoonga yields huge numbers of barra for Barra & Basstasstic Tournament

B

ARRA & Basstasstic held its annual barra tournament at Awoonga Dam in January and 50 senior and junior anglers turned up to fish the event, with fishos coming from north and south of Queensland to fish the event.

The competition was a huge success, with 96 barra caught for the weekend totalling 70.175m of fish.

Competition Report

by RUSSELL NOWLAND

This was a fantastic effort by all anglers.

Awoonga is nearly back to its best for all anglers to enjoy.

With the Track My Fish app keeping online scores for the weekend, people from all over

Brendon Moore was the overall champion.

the country could tune in to the live score board and see who was catching what at any time.

In fact, the results are still available on the app for all to see.

Major prizewinners for the weekend were determined by the five longest barra in total.

This section was won by Brendan Moore of Toowoomba who took home $500 cash.

In second place was Tim Lenuzza of Boondall, and he scored $250 cash.

Tim also captured the biggest barra for the weekend at 895mm to win a 65-litre Evakool icebox.

The angler with the most points overall was Brendan, whose nine fish totalling 6770mm saw him pick up an Evakool 45-litre icebox.

In second place in this section was Ben Durkin of Sarina with eight fish combining to measure 6000mm, winning a quick tent for his efforts.

Champion female angler for the weekend was Carly Cherry of Toowoomba, with three fish measuring a total of 2400mm seeing her take home a lovely Evakool prize.

Junior champion was Kobi

Napier of Bundaberg caught four barra with a total length of 2900mm.

Kobi won a Shimano rod and reel prize.

Kevin Walmsley of Gladstone came second in the juniors with 1980mm of barra winning him a fishing headlight.

All the other juniors who entered also won a prize.

The smallest barra was caught

by Craig Griffiths at 360mm, which saw him take home a rod donated by Shimano.

Lake Awoonga Caravan Park donated the great lucky draw prize of a weekend at the park, which was won by Aaron Gobbert.

A big thankyou to Tracey Chelepy from Track My Fish and Gladstone Harbour Board for your help with stocking the dam and sponsoring Track My Fish for the weekend.

Thanks also to all our sponsors for the great prizes donated to the comp and won by anglers through fishing and lucky draw prizes.

All anglers were lucky enough to go home with a prize.

Take the time to check out the full results on the Track My Fish Barrabasstasstic live score board.

A big thanks to all who made the trip to our annual barra fishing event.

See you all there again next year.

Carly Cherry was champion female angler.

Junior champion Kobi Napier.

Getting Faust... ed – first time chasing impoundment barra ☛ from P62

fish I swear he hesitated on the netting duties.

This fish was around the 95cm mark and fought insanely, taking long powerful runs with big jumps and head shakes.

The girth of this fish was ridiculous and we couldn’t believe it didn’t stretch past a metre.

Sean’s first fish was a memorable moment.

Somehow he managed to make a cast that went over the top of an old tree, which meant as he was trying to wind his plastic back it was skipping on the surface.

I will add he was less than impressed with himself at this point, and anyone around would have heard this.

Just as his plastic left the water on its climb up the tree, a big barra nearly leapt from the water and had a go at it.

I quickly held off the tree with the electric and put my rod down so I didn’t cast.

Problem was Sean had his plastic caught at the top of the tree and was very, very unhappy with himself.

Luckily it somehow came unstuck and with a deep breath he made another cast out past the tree.

The plastic barely had time to sink before his rod buckled as

over a metre of barra stuck its head out of the water and tried its best to dislodge the hook.

What followed was a great battle among the trees with quick rod work, and following the fish with the electric we were able to stay tight and out of danger.

The relief was clear when it swam straight into the net.

I am certain anyone on the opposite end of the dam would have heard our celebrations.

With a few fish in the boat, we decided to get some sleep, so we found a tucked-away bay, tied off to a tree and attempted to get comfortable.

No sooner had I closed my eyes than the alarm went off and the sun was getting low in the sky.

We each had a quick sandwich washed down with another Red Bull as we motored to our chosen spot.

Dropping the anchor, we rigged several rods and prepared to cast our arms off, which we did for about five hours before our first bump.

I had been watching the sounder constantly all evening and not much was going on.

The odd fish cruised by to keep us interested but at about 10pm this changed.

Schools of fish were constantly coming through and they seemed to be active.

A surface frog-munching barra sure got the heart racing!

www.bnbfishing.com. au

I was slow rolling a big soft plastic and it got bumped twice, both times nearly giving me a heart attack.

Quickly casting again, the plastic got hit on the drop and I was on big time, with a fish ripping drag and leaping in the moonlight.

We ended up with two fish each that night, all on slowrolled plastics, and interestingly they were all caught an hour before everything seemed to shut down again.

It was such an awesome session and it was very difficult to try to sleep for the last morning session before going home.

Unfortunately a problem with electrics forced us back to the ramp early.

But with seven fish landed, we were stoked.

It is very possible for seven or more fish to be caught in single sessions by lucky anglers and I know the freshwater barra guns can double or even triple that tally, but we both hoped for at least one fish each on the way in, so were over the moon with our results.

The drive home was spent planning the next trip to the dam for as soon as possible.

We had caught the impoundment barra bug and caught it badly.

A few things we learnt from that trip: • Stay at Camp Kanga. It’s five minutes from the boat ramp and offers showers and comfortable beds, along with power points for charging batteries.

• Check the weather. Wind is important to narrow down potential spots but sudden temperature drops and gale-force wind can make things very difficult.

• Both spin and baitcasting gear is very handy to cover different techniques. Pack a big range of soft plastics, hard-bodied lures and surface offerings.

• Do your research. The more

the better because regular barra anglers will divulge plenty of tips and tricks.

• The wind can be brutal across the dam and it can get pretty messy, so make sure you have enough fuel to run and hide or hug the banks to get back to the ramp.

• That magical bite time from 5pm into the night seems to be consistent for the best sessions.

• A good sounder is mandatory. Find fish and stay on them until they bite. There’s no point fishing where the fish are not.

These fish are so addictive. You have been warned!

DAM LEVELS CURRENT AS OF 18/2/2019

DAMS

PERCENTAGE

SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB Atkinson 5 5 5 5 5 5 Awoonga 92 90 88 87 85 84 Bjelke-Petersen * 17 17 17 16 15 10 Boondooma * 34 37 40 39 41 37 Borumba * 96 100 100 98 99 96 Burdekin Falls * 82 73 72 66 83 114 Callide * 67 64 64 62 84 56 Cania * 90 89 87 86 60 79 Coolmunda * 36 29 28 24 28 18 Dyer/Bill Gunn * 4 3 3 3 6 4 Eungella * 96 93 88 85 86 101 Fairbairn * 21 19 19 16 15 13 Glenlyon * 46 44 42 37 43 16 Hinze 92 96 97 96 97 94 Julius 85 83 80 78 75 100 Kinchant * 72 65 59 49 70 85 Leslie * 10 9 9 9 8 8 Macdonald 98 109 101 99 100 98 Maroon * 93 92 93 91 89 82 Monduran/Fred Haigh * 94 94 93 91 90 85 Moogerah * 79 77 76 72 78 71 North Pine/Samsonvale * 80 80 80 77 76 73 65 Peter Faust/Proserpine * 63 61 59 60 81 77 Somerset * 77 77 76 77 75 92 Teemburra * 89 85 79 83 101 82 Tinaroo* 76 71 67 82 102 Toonumbar 90 101 99 96 90 79 Wivenhoe * 70 70 69 67 67 63 Wuruma * 94 99 98 98 97 94 Wyaralong 95 95 94 93 93 90 For updates on dams, visit sunwater.com.au or seqwater.com.au *This symbol indicates that a Stocked Impoundment Permit is required to fish these dams.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 63

The boys smiled for the camera.

The author and Nick ‘The Honey Badger’ Cummins with a cracker Lake Borumba bass.

Bass action with ‘The Badge’ H EY legends, over the past month I’ve been super busy with guiding and other commitments.

Scott Connell from Kimberley Spirit and The Badge held a quality fish.

LAKE BORUMBA A MUST-DO EXPEDITION!

I’ve had quite a few trips out to Lake Borumba and have been smacking the fish.

I had an amazing opportunity to take out good mate Scott Connell from Kimberley Spirit and Nick Cummins AKA ‘The Honey Badger’.

I had a half-day trip booked with these champions to fish Lake Borumba, and what a day it turned out to be.

Scotty and Nick met me at the dam around 7am.

What a day for fishing, as the dam was completely glassed out.

I got Scotty to drive the boat off the trailer while I parked the car.

The boys then decided to leave without me, thinking it was funny.

But they realised pretty quickly that they had no idea where to go or how to catch bass, so came back to pick me up.

We headed up the dam towards the Junction

Freshwater Luring

by CALLUM MUNRO

where I started sounding for schools of bass.

At this time of year, the bass will sit anywhere between 6-9m, holding on the creek channel dropoffs.

With this in mind, I sounded the drop-off and it wasn’t long before we found a big school of fish.

Remember when you’re sounding around it’s best to have your sounder speed set a little faster to see fish a lot more clearly.

I handed the boys some rods with Berkley Gulps and brand-new Untapped Fishing prototype spoons.

I’ve been working on these designs as well as some new blades for the past six months and I can’t wait to get them into some bass anglers’ hands.

The technique is pretty simple – cast out and try to keep the lure as close to the bottom as possible.

The boys did it perfectly and it took about 20 minutes for The Badge to hook up.

This fish drilled him into a tree straight away and it took five minutes to get it out.

I’ve found the best way

to get fish off snags is to drop the Tackle Back straight down.

This seems to scare the fish out from where it was hiding.

The fish was a cracker, going about 45cm, which was a personal best for Nick.

After this we went for a drive and I showed the boys around the amazing lake, heading up the back of the Yabba arm.

The boys were blown away by the scenery, the amazing forest-lined edges and the amazing amount of wildlife.

This is what I love about the job.

When the fishing is tough, the customers are always happy because it’s such an amazing place to see and makes for a day you won’t forget.

Up the back of Borumba we fished some areas with dense water lily patches targeting saratoga.

We had two bust-ups but didn’t end up sinking the hooks into a fish.

It was a great day out on the water with the boys and I’m sure we will be doing it again shortly.

Noosa Fish Headz At the beginning of this year I teamed up with Noosa Fish Headz, which is a local apparel and sign wrapping company.

Grant the owner has set up a small tournament series, fishing the Noosa River, Lake Borumba and Lake Macdonald.

The winner of each of these tournaments wins an Untapped Fishing Expedition with myself on Lake Borumba.

I’m pumped to join up with the team from Noosa Fish Headz and if any of you are looking at doing a comp this year, jump over to noosafishheadz.com.au and check it out.

I was lucky enough to come along to one of Grant’s lure nights partnered with Chasebaits Australia.

It was such a great evening learning about Chasebaits and how their business started.

Lake Borumba is an amazing dam to fish, with big saratoga and bass in abundance.

So, if you’re in the area and wanting to fish the lake, head over to un tappedfishing.com.au or call 0412 887 651.

I’d be happy to take you out.

Until next month, tight lines!

LLUM MUNRO

GUIDED BY CA

info@untappedfishing.com.au

0412 887 651 Page 64 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

The Badge in the driver’s seat.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Freshwater fishing at its best in the South Burnett T

HE Christmas and New Year crowds have long ago dispersed but the fishing has remained consistent.

Both dams in the South Burnett are fishing well despite the low water levels.

Boondooma is producing big quality bass and golden perch.

Bjelke-Petersen (Lake Barambah) is holding large numbers of fish of varying species.

If you’re thinking of coming for a fish, it’s hard to go wrong if you follow the below report.

The South Burnett is the place to be for fantastic freshwater fishing.

Boondooma The dam is beautiful early of a morning with plenty of wildlife to enjoy too.

With the summer bite patterns continuing, it makes for exciting fishing on Lake Boondooma, particularly later in the afternoons as the water temps really warm.

Lately the trend has been to fish the timber of the Boyne and Stuart arms early with 5/8oz Bassman Spinnerbaits or lipless cranks.

During the afternoon, target the deeper sections of the dam near the wall and rocky edges with 1/2oz-rigged Ecogear Power Shads or Nories Wasaby spoons or spinnerbaits.

If I’m fishing Boondooma during the hot months, I’ll start in the timber early of a morning as the fish are among the trees looking for an easy meal of passing bony bream.

In the arms, the fish are holding very close to structure and you’ll need to get your lures in as close as you can to get a bite.

Look for spindly timber – trust me there’s a lot of it.

Lures of choice for this scenario are 5/8oz or 3/8oz Bassman Spinnerbaits and any sinking lipless crankbait.

Give your lure up to five seconds to sink down to 3-4.5m and start a slow wind.

Make sure you have a lure retriever because you will almost certainly get snagged on the trees.

Freshwater Impoundments

by MATTHEW LANGFORD

When you feel a tap, it’s important to keep that slow wind going (without striking) until you feel weight on the line, then slowly lift the rod tip to feel the weight of the fish.

On a positive note, if you’re getting snagged, you know you’re in the thick of it.

Keep moving from tree to tree or structure to structure and persist because your lure will eventually be eaten by a hungry fish.

The fish in the afternoon tend to bite better in open water when it heats up.

I’ve found the fish move deeper into the timber as the day progresses and the fish in deeper water are easier to target.

I use my sounder to find the fish sitting at that optimal depth of 4.5-7.5m.

When I’m happy I’ve found a good concentration of fish, I begin casting 3” to 4” soft plastics rigged with a 1/2oz head or 18g Nories Wasaby spoons.

With a big long cast, I let the jig head or spoon sink for seven to 10 seconds and begin a slow retrieve back to the boat with a couple of twitches mixed in.

Continue this technique until you start to feel a few taps on the plastic or spoon.

When you feel a tap, it’s important to keep that slow wind going (without striking) until you feel weight on the line, then slowly lift the rod tip to

The author with a monster bass from Boondooma caught on a spoon.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

feel the weight of the fish.

Trollers are picking up great bass and yellowbelly around the deeper sections of the dam by targeting those suspended fish.

Make sure you have plenty of deep divers handy.

Lures that dive from 4.5-6m will be the ones that get you onto consistent fish.

Bait fishers are regularly getting among a mixed bag of fish in the timbered arms of the dam using worms and fresh shrimp.

It may even pay to move to the main basin and let your bait suspend under the boat in that 4.5-7.5m range.

Drifting with the wind is a great way to cover water with your bait under the boat.

Eventually it will cross paths with a hungry fish or two.

Red claw numbers are starting to pick up, with really big ones among them, so be sure to pack the opera house traps if you’re coming out for a day or two.

Lake Barambah If you’re keen, troll lightly weighted spinnerbaits, 3/8oz blades and any deep-diving hard-body from boat ramp to boat ramp.

Early in the day, I’ve been casting soft plastics with a lot of success in the open water of the dam.

The bait is thick and high in the water column, so the bass are sitting below them and coming up to feed.

I’ll use a 1/2oz jig head with a 3” soft plastic and cast over open water.

I’ll let it sink for three seconds and then begin a reasonably fast wind.

The bass will tap at the lure, so it’s important to remain patient and not strike until the fish has a firm grasp on the lure.

This has been our most successful method of fishing of late.

When the sun is higher in the sky, I’ve found the bass move out onto the deeper flats.

Long casts, letting the plastic sink to the bottom and using a burn and kill retrieve are the key to getting fish to hit the lure hard.

Stocking Fish stocking for both dams

is very much alive and well, with another massive stock of yellowbelly released into Bjelke-Petersen Dam on a recent weekend.

With 56,000 yellowbelly released into BP dam, it’s a great boost for fishing in the South Burnett.

It’s great to see our stocking associations working hard to make this happen because without them we don’t get to catch the fish we really love chasing.

Fishing charters Don’t forget you can book a fishing charter with me on BP and Boondooma dams and many others in Queensland.

If you’d like a great day out and all the info and knowledge to catch bass, yellowbelly and saratoga in our great dams, call me on 0408 658 592 and I’ll be happy to take you out for a great day’s fishing.

You can also check out our website at australianfreshwa terfishing.com Until next month, tight lines and bent rods.

Bill Hall held the rewards of a great session in the deep water at Boondooma.

This nice bass came unstuck when fishing open water.

Members of the BP stocking group and a bunch of eager young helpers released yellowbelly into BP Dam.

y Guided b g f o rd n a L t t a M

Australian Freshwater Fishing Charters 0408 658 592 | australianfreshwaterfishing.com Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 65

A $35/year all-waters fishing permit would benefit all Queenslanders AN all-waters fishing permit for Queenslanders at a cost of just $35 per year or $10 for a week, for people 18 years and over would collect around $30 million annually.

The benefits would be far-reaching, and advantageous for all Queenslanders.

Funding breakdown Each year, the $30 million collected from the all-waters permit scheme could be spent like this: • $18 million for salt water; • $5 million grant to Great Barrier Reef; • $3.25 million for fresh water; • $3.75 million for administration.

New legislation would need to be put through state parliament and standing orders put in place for funds to be carried over into the new financial year.

Funds would be put into a trust, audited annually and spent only on things related to fishing.

How would it be managed? – angler representation groups For a start, anglers would need representation in the management group.

These could comprise: • Four game fishing association club members, two from north

and two from south; • Four Sunfish members, two from north and two from south; • Freshwater Fishing and Stocking Association of Queensland members, two from north and two from south; and • Two commercial fishing association members.

Meetings Ideally, meetings would be held four times a year at fisheries HQ in Brisbane, as is the case currently with fresh water.

Six fisheries managers would need to attend these sessions.

I would suggest Bruce Alvey as chairperson.

Benefits – coastal boat ramps No shire council can afford to build coastal boat ramps.

And state government has been willing to build them either.

Over the next 10 years, an all-waters fishing permit could provide $180 million to build and/or improve coastal boat ramps and parking areas.

Delegates would liaise with coastal clubs and groups, and local shire councils, about boat ramp and parking locations.

Supporting the Reef Of the $30 million collected each year, $5

In NSW, money raised from the all-waters fishing permit goes towards improving and building new boat ramps among other things.

million would be earmarked to support the Great Barrier Reef.

Future needs Boats, trailers and 4x4s bought with permit funds could be used by fisheries officers to provide a host of services, including organising the building and placement of fish-aggregating devices, stocking saltwater species, research, and managing fish bait, mangrove areas and pest control needs.

Delegates from the management group would provide strong input and recommendations on the work to be undertaken.

What you need to do As a recreational angler, this is going to be your last chance to get things changed.

Next year we have elections in Queensland and a possible one million votes is a big carrot for any major or minor party with a commitment to an all-waters permit.

The concept was asked for in the Newman Government’s MRAG Asia Pacific report and noted by the Labor Government but not taken up.

This is not a tax – we need it!

Action Take this to your local member and get him/ her to read this.

Ask your local fishing mates to photocopy this three times and pass on those copies.

Shove it under the noses of shadow members of state and local members.

Get them to commit to this written request and get it printed in your local newspaper.

You will never get any of what you have read unless you get proactive and push for it.

Brian Dare

The boat ramp area at Glenlyon Dam.

Water still dropping at Glenlyon Dam

A

S I write this month’s rundown on the region, we find the local river systems flowing very fast as water heads out west.

It’s that time of the year when all areas have crops growing and need water to maintain growth.

Sometimes you won’t see large out-flows as we get good rain between January and April, but not so for 2019 at this stage.

Most large dams are now below 20 percent capacity and still releasing water.

The biggest worry is getting your boat onto the dams to fish.

At Glenlyon, we are lucky enough to have had Sunwater allow the placement of road base at an access ramp, which will stay open down to 15 percent capacity.

If it gets to 10 percent, another ramp shows up that has a road leading to it.

We just have to hope we don’t have some 4x4 nut who drives past the road closed sign and get bogged in the mud, wrecking the roadway access.

We didn’t have fireworks for Australia Day but the

Glenlyon Dam

by BRIAN DARE

big guy upstairs supplied us with a big bang.

I didn’t even have time to yell “Incoming!”, it was just flash, bang and a 20m-tall tree blew apart!

The roos took off and the old clotheslines were covered with knickers and underpants of all shapes and sizes.

Several days later we are still finding faults with anything to do with power.

We’ve had three-phase blowouts, pump failures and issues with TVs, satellite boxes, safety switches and you name it.

All sorts of things aren’t working, including me, according to the missus.

Good mate of mine Graham Smith has taken up drinking scotch from all the phone calls he’s been getting about power outages and faults.

The tough part is I’ve now got to wait until he sobers up to fix it all.

The blast from the sky was a wake-up call to stay under some type of cover during a storm but not trees, never trees.

The water held within them attracts lightning, particularly during times of drought.

So how much rain did we get among the flash bangs?

Just 2mm.

Fishing wise, bait, lure and spinnerbait fishos are still having success.

Keep an eye out for lures along the banks as the water level drops.

We’ve seen heaps of shrimp traps showing up around the edges.

Most have holes in them from water rats or birds with big white beaks.

Mrs Dare has this thing about the dam starting to fill by the end of February.

I really hope she is correct.

Someone I know has taken up the $50 challenge.

When he comes to pay up I hope he might bring some of that coastal rain.

David Carey of Stanthorpe caught an 80cm cod on a StumpJumper lure.

GLENLYON DAM TOURIST PARK A great place to fish! s 0OWERED AND 5NPOWERED 3ITES s .O $OMESTIC 0ETS OR 'ENERATORS s +IOSK s )CE s 'AS s 0ETROL s !MENITIES "LOCKS AND ,AUNDRY s ""1S s (IRE "OATS s %&40/3 s &ISHING 0ERMITS

14 CABINS bookings necessary

GLENLYON DAM TOURIST PARK via STANTHORPE 4380 Contact Debbie or Brian Dare for more information or for bookings

Ph: 02 6737 5266 E: glenlyondamtouristp@bigpond.com Page 66 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

Brian Harris of Brisbane with one cod kept after several were released during a January trip.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ‘n Beach merchandise HOLIDAY RENTALS BUXTON – Modern brick home, fully s/c sleeps 7.

Fish the Burrum, Gregory, Isis & Cherwell Rivers & Hervey Bay from one Great Location, OS $350 p/w Ph 0428 262 976.

RUSSELL ISL FOR FAMILIES OR INDIVIDUALS – 3 bedroom $350/week or $30/night. 0404 866 571.

FOR SALE & WANTED BAR CRUSHER 670 HT (2013) heavily optioned and sitting on an Easytow trailer. This rig is a serious workhorse ready for some serious offshore work!

Suzuki 175hp four-stroke motor with stainless steel prop and only 80 hours. Trailer stone guard, live bait tank, saltwater deck wash, Fusion stereo, storm cover and so, so much more. Call Wynnum Marine on 07 3396 9777 or visit wynnummarine.com.au CRUISE CRAFT 500 EXPLORER - Rare as hen’s teeth! Yamaha 100hp four stroke, Braked trailer, Garmin GPS/Sounder, Furuno FCV628 sounder, 2 x GME VHF radios, Stereo system, EPIRB, near new clears and bimini, Plumbed LB tank, Bait board, Overhead rod storage rack & loads more…

Hard to find! @ $29,995 – John Crawford Marine Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 www.johncrawfordmarine.com.au Ph. 3890 2322.

CRUISE CRAFT RESORT 5 (2004) powered by Evinrude 135hp on Redco mechanical braked trailer.

Boarding platform, full-width internal rear lounge, storage under rear lounge, dash storage box with lid, separate anchor locker with hatch, adjustable driver’s seat, walk-through transom, storage in front bow area, lockable glovebox, port and starboard cockpit side pockets and carpeted ski locker. Heavily reduced to $23,990! Call Wynnum Marine on 07 3396 9777 or visit wynnum marine.com.au HAINES HUNTER 535 PROFISH - As new condition, 2017 Yamaha 115hp four stroke & balance of factory warranty, Dunbier braked trailer, Lowrance GPS/ Sounder, GME VHF radio, Fusion stereo system, Bimini top w. ext. canopy, Custom boat cover, Bait board, Safety gear… Awesome family / fishing package! @ $44,995 tow away – John Crawford Marine Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 www. johncrawfordmarine.com.au Ph. 3890 2322.

HAINES HUNTER V17R – Haines Hunter collectors, this is the boat you have been looking for! In excellent condition. Transom is rock solid, as is the floor.

Two owners since new, with a new Mercury 175hp two-stroke fitted back in 1990 and only 89 hours on the clock. You will not find an old motor in such showroom condition. Trailer has had new crossmembers at some stage and brakes are in very good condition. Won’t last at $13,990 drive away.

Call Trevor at Karee Marine today on 07 3875 1600.

HAINES SIGNATURE 542F (2006) with Mercury 115hp oil-injected two-stroke (277 hours). Minimal wear and tear, this pre-loved boat has been very well maintained and looked after. Swiftco galvanised steel trailer, 100-litre underfloor fuel tank, dual batteries with isolator, stainless steel rocket launcher, telescopic folding rear ladder and so much more. Call Brisbane Yamaha on 07 3888 1727 or visit brisbaneyamaha.com.au LATE MODEL USED ALUMINIUM BOATS WANTED from Quintrex, Stacer, Ally Craft, Stessco, Bar Crusher, Bluefin, Brooker and Clark – Make selling your boat simple and hassle free - Cash or Consign

– John Crawford Marine Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 www.johncrawfordmarine. com.au Ph. 3890 2322.

MAKO CRAFT 440 ESTUARY TRACKER (2007).

Wooden floor removed and replaced with alloy and carpet so it will never rot. Also features Lowrance Hook-5 colour sounder/GPS with map card, marine radio, nav lights and bilge pump, cup holders, stereo, padded seats, Mercury 40hp two-stroke XR lightning oil-injected and a good trailer. Price drop to $9990 drive away! Call Trevor at Karee Marine today on 07 3875 1600.

MAXUM 1900 BOWRIDER (2005) in good condition and with a V6 MPI it will tow a skier or pull a tube all day and won’t break the bank. This lovely boat has never been in salt water and features a Mercruiser MPI V6 with only 64 hours. Stored in a shed all its life and includes bimini, wake tower, stereo, storage boot, ski locker, nine-person capacity, good trailer and fresh brakes. Don’t miss this one at $22,990 drive away. Call Trevor at Karee Marine today on 07 3875 1600.

QUALITY USED FIBREGLASS BOATS WANTED from Haines Hunter, Signature, Cruise Craft, Baysport and Whittley – Make selling your boat simple and hassle free - Cash or Consign – John Crawford Marine Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 www.johncrawfordmarine. com.au Ph. 3890 2322.

QUINTREX 420 ESTUARY ANGLER (2003) with Yamaha 40hp outboard. For more info please call our dealership and chat to Brent or Justin. $11,990.

Call Wynnum Marine on 07 3396 9777 or visit wyn nummarine.com.au QUINTREX 430 ESCAPE – Mercury 40hp 2S low hrs, Quintrex boat trailer, Garmin 400C colour sounder, Safety gear, Bimini top, 2 pedestal seats, Rear lounge, Painted hull, Wide gunnels, Boarding platform and lots more…@ $14,995 tow away you can’t go wrong – John Crawford Marine Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 www.johncrawfordmarine.com.au Ph. 3890 2322.

QUINTREX 435 HORNET TROPHY (2003) – Honda 2004 50hp TS PTT only 65 hrs. Bimini, Humminbird 787 GPS side-imaging sounder, GX600 VHF radio, MinnKota RT55AP remote/foot control. Sealink 4.8 trailer. $8990. Located Birkdale. Call 0458 888 449.

SEA JAY 4.7 RANGER PLATE ALLOY SIDE CONSOLE (AS NEW). Suzuki 60hp four-stroke with only 25 hours of use. Heavy-duty build with fully sealed alloy floors and workman-like fit-out. Just $23,490 drive away. Call Brisbane Quintrex on 07 3133 3468 or visit brisbanequintrex.com.au SMARTWAVE 4800 SW – rotomolded plastic centre console made in NZ. Immaculately presented.

Suzuki 60hp four stroke 21 hours, hydraulic steering, Oceanic (DOM10/16) braked trailer, Lowrance 7 sounder/GPS, safety gear, brand new bimini top, nav lights, boarding platform and so much more… suit new boat buyer! Only $23,495.00 tow away – John Crawford Marine Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 www.johncrawfordmarine. com.au Ph. 3890 2322.

ALL ADS MUST BE PRE-PAID 1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

5

5

6

6

Cost per insertion: 2 lines $15, $1.10 per line thereafter. Contact details must be included in ad.

NAME: ...................................................................................... PHONE NO. ...................................................

MONTHS OF INSERTION: ...................................................... AMOUNT: $ ................................................... ___ ___ ___ ___

___ ___ ___ ___

___ ___ ___ ___

EXP DATE: ..................................................................... SIGNATURE: ..........................................................

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Free e for postag ver o orders $80

• Online at www.bnbfishing.com.au • Post to PO Box 387, Cleveland Q 4163 • Phone 07 3286 1833

ORDER FORM

Item

Size (S-3XL)

Qty

Cost

Polo Blue/White

x $35

Polo Blue/Gold

x $35

Polo Navy/Red

x $35

Polo Navy/Gold

x $35

T-Shirt Stone

x $18

T-Shirt Lt Grey

x $18

T-Shirt Blue

x $18

Cap Blue/Grey

x $15

adjustable

one size Beanie Black Subtotal $

x $10

Postage & handling per order

+ $7.95

Free postage for orders over $80 TOTAL

$

PAYMENT DETAILS Cheque

Money Order

Visa

Mastercard

__ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __ Credit Card Number: Expiry Date: _______ / _______ Signature: Name: _____________________________________ Address: ___________________________________ __________________________________________ State: __________ Postcode: __________________ Phone:_____________________________________

Do you want to know more about bar crossing & offshore fishing?

Tuition with Bill Corten – successful offshore fisherman and commercial skipper

WANTED – LATE MODEL USED BOATS. Cash or consignment. When you buy a used boat from Karee Marine you know it has been through our workshop and checked over. A RWC is given with each boat sold. We have a fully insured undercover showroom so your boat will not be left out. Call Trevor at Karee Marine today on 07 3875 1600.

April Edition Copy Deadline – Advertisements must arrive NO later than March 18, 2019

CREDIT CARD NO.: ___ ___ ___ ___

Easy ways to order

Bar crossing courses: • Hands-on experience crossing ossing sing coastal bars safely • Direct supervision p masterin mastering all bar crossing skills • Fine-tuning of skills in bbreaking swells wells an and white water • On-water training in the safety of a Cruise Craft Explorer 685 filled with upright buoyancy to naval architects’ specifications • Overcome your fears and learn vital skills as part of an onwater course

Offshore ffshor shore fishing fi ng co courses: •C Comprising mprising sing a nnight of theoryy and a ffull day’ss practical training raining on ooffshore reefs • Finding reefs • Locating different fish species • Bait rigging • Shallow and deep reef fishing techniques • Using a full range of rods and reels • Sounder and GPS instruction • Offshore anchoring • And much more

Contact Bill Corten T: 07 3286 3647 M: 0447 233 247 0447 ( a f f a i r ) E: reel_affair@yahoo.com Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019 – Page 67

Subscription offer for March* Subscribe this month for your chance to win a legendary high-gloss Evakool 47-litre fibreglass icebox!

Valued at

389

$

RRP

*V Valid lid until til March M h 31, 31 2019.

2019 Picture Pi t for f illustration ill purposes only.

SUBSCRIPTION FORM ■ ONE YEAR $50 (inc. post)

■ TWO YEARS $95 (inc. post)

Receive 12 issues delivered.

Receive 24 issues delivered.

April edition will be posted to you on March 26, 2019.

■

New subscriber

■ Renew/extend subscription

OR

✃

■ YES, please send me two free BNB stickers Send your cheque, money order or credit card details for $50 or $95 (inc. GST) to Bush ’n Beach and your copy will be mailed direct to you for the next 12 or 24 months. We’ll advise you when your subscription runs out.

Return completed form to: Bush ’n Beach Fishing PO Box 387, Cleveland 4163 ph 07 3286 1833 or fax 07 3821 2637 or go online www.bnbfishing.com.au

Name: .........................................................................................................................

Address: ..................................................................................................................... .......................................................................... Postcode: .........................................

Date: ................................................................. Phone:..............................................

Email:..........................................................................................................................

PAYMENT DETAILS

❑ Money Order

❑ Cheque

❑ MasterCard/Visa

Card No: ....................................................................................................................

Heaviest yellowbelly winner Mick Turner.

2019 Boondooma Dam Fishing Competition results and wrap-up

B

OONDOOMA Dam Yellowbelly Fishing Competition spokesman Terry Allwood said the lake fished extremely well for the 2019 event, with 157 fish going through the catch and release section and another 145 in the gilled and gutted section.

The biggest yellowbelly of the event weighed in at 2.085kg.

The competition saw a huge attendance of 945 entrants including 236 juniors.

Cash and other prizes were presented at the end of each of the three sessions with the overall competition winners announced at the conclusion of the event.

The water level in the lake was at 39 percent, which together with clear blue skies set the scene for a great weekend of camping, fishing and family activities.

Profits from the event are used to supplement fishing permit funds from the Queensland Government and to date about 5.3 million fingerlings have been stocked into Lake Boondooma.

The catch and release categories were increased this year to include yellowbelly, bass, jew, silver perch and spangled perch, with anglers using the Track My Fish app to photograph and release fish.

Michael Jarvis of Coolum Beach won the yellowbelly section with a fish of 550mm.

Wendal Maroski of Murgon won the prize for longest bass with a 505mm fish.

The heaviest yellowbelly title was claimed by Mick

Turner of Boonah with the aforementioned 2.085kg fish.

Mick took home over $400 cash and prizes with a trophy sponsored by Stanwell Power.

The winner of the heaviest bass section sponsored

by Wondai Accounting and Tax Services was Jeffery Kinsella of Moffetdale with a bass weighing 1.525kg.

Jeffery secured a paycheque of $350 as well as prizes and a trophy.

Hanwood Fish Hatchery champion junior angler for yellowbelly was Blake Manthey of Kingaroy with a yellowbelly of 1.470kg.

The bass title was claimed by Jake Johnson of Chinchilla with a 1.355kg fish.

The 3.6m Quintrex boat, 9.9hp motor and trailer package proudly sponsored by South Burnett Regional Council was won by Anthea White of Bellbird Park.

The Dragon Kayak was picked up by Callam Craig of Alexandra Hills.

Congratulations to all the winners and a big thankyou to everyone who attended and made the event such a success.

All profits go back into buying more fingerlings.

The future for Lake Boondooma’s fishery is looking very healthy.

The annual competition will be held on February 8 and 9, 2020.

Entry costs for the February event will remain at $20 for adults and $5 for juniors aged 16 and under.

Next year marks the event’s 30th anniversary and it will be even bigger and better.

You don’t want to miss it.

The ongoing support of our many generous sponsors ensured a wide range of prizes and lucky draws were available for all competitors this year, giving away over $50,000 worth of cash and prizes.

Food and drink stalls were provided by local community groups and the great camping facilities provided by the South Burnett Regional Council were put to good use by campers staying at the lake.

Additional information on the local area and past fishing competitions can be found on the Proston Online website at proston online.info

Heaviest bass winner Jeffery Kinsella.

Expiry date: ...............................................................................................................

Name: ........................................................................................................................

Phone: .......................................................................................................................

Signature: ..................................................................................................................

GIFT CERTIFICATES

❑ Happy Birthday ❑ Happy Father’s Day

❑ Happy Fishing ❑ Merry Christmas

To: ..............................................................................................................................

From: .........................................................................................................................

Larry Bud from Cunningham Marine Centre with tinnie winner Anthea White.

Page 68 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2019

Wendal Maroski of Murgon won the catch and release bass category.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

The game has changed… The ALL NEW Mercury 15-20hp FourStroke battery-free EFI range changes the way you will think about portable outboards.

Lighter, more powerful, more efficient, more durable, more intuitive… unlike any other portable fourstroke.

See your authorised Mercury Marine Dealer today.

BUNDABERG Adrians Marine Centre 28 Ritchie St, Bundaberg Q 4670 P: 07 4153 1819 E: adriansmarinecentre@bigpond.com W: adriansmarinecentre.com.au

INNISFAIL Coastal Marine & Outdoors 178 Edith St, Innisfail Q 4870 P: 07 4061 8272 E: joel@coastalmarine.net.au W: coastalmarine.net.au

17 William Murray Dr, Cannonvale Q 4802 P: 07 4946 7286 E: woc@whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au W: whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au

BRISBANE EAST Manly Harbour Marine 570 Royal Esplanade, Manly Q 4179 P: 07 3893 2199 E: info@manlyharbourmarine.com.au W: manlyharbourmarine.com.au

CAIRNS Aussie Marine 5 Hannam St, Bungalow Q 4870 P: 07 4033 8800 E: sales@aussiemarine.com.au W: aussiemarine.com.au

IPSWICH Ipswich Marine Centre 45 Huxham St, Raceview Q 4305 P: 07 3294 3944 E: enquiries@ipswichmarine.com.au W: ipswichmarine.com.au

BRISBANE Coorparoo Marine 57 Cavendish Rd, Coorparoo Q 4151 P: 07 3397 4141 E: info@coorparoomarine.com.au W: coorparoomarine.com.au

BRISBANE NORTH Brisbane Marine 306 Duffi field Rd, Clontarf Q 4019 P: 07 3889 3033 E: info@brismarine.com.au W: brismarine.com.au

CAPALABA Mike’s Marine 9 Smith Street, Capalaba, Q 4157 P: 07 3390 3418 E: admin@mikesmarine.com.au W: mikesmarine.com.au

TOOWOOMBA Water Skiers Warehouse 91-93 Neil St, Toowoomba Q 4350 P: 0400 379 514 E: info@waterskierswarehouse.com.au W: waterskierswarehouse.com.au

BRISBANE Karee Marine 1776 Ipswich Motorway, Rocklea Q 4106 P: 07 3875 1600 E: sales@kareemarine.com.au W: kareemarine.com.au

BRISBANE NORTH Cunningham Marine Centre 23-25 Snook St, Redcliffe Q 4019 P: 07 3284 8805 E: ian@cunninghammarinecentre.com.au W: cunninghammarinecentre.com.au

GOLD COAST Onshore Marine Horizon Shores Marina, Woongoolba Q 4207 P: 07 5546 2480 E: onshoremarine@ozemail.com.au W: onshoremarine.com.au

DEALERSHIP TODAY!

AIRLIE BEACH

SENSATIONAL DRIVE-AWAY DEALS McLay 611 Crossover HT

FREE! colour sounder

$86,000 SPECIAL!

Mercury 150hp 4-stroke

Tournament 1900 Centre Console

SPECIAL!

Tournament 1900 Bluewater

FREE! colour sounder

• Bait board • Kill tank • Deck wash • Dual batteries • Dunbier dual-axle trailer • Safety gear and more!

$68,000

McLay 591 Sportsman HT

$67,000 SPECIAL!

SPECIAL!

• Bait board • Kill tank • Deck wash • Dual batteries • Dunbier trailer • Safety gear and loads more!

Mercury 150hp 4-stroke

• Stainless targa • Live bait tank • Electric winch • Redco alloy trailer • Smooth water safety gear

Tournament 1750

NEW!

Mercury 150hp Pro XS 4-stroke

$74,500

Mercury 135hp 4-stroke

Gulf Runner 550

NEW!

$53,000 SPECIAL!

$48,000

Mercury 100hp CT 4-stroke

SPECIAL!

Mercury 135hp 4-stroke

• 185-litre fuel tank • Plumbed live bait tank • Padded side coamings • Huge front cast deck • Three hatches

• Stainless steel rocket launcher • Live bait tank • Redco trailer • Smooth water safety gear

• Bait board • Live bait tank • Redco dual-axle trailer • Front cast deck • QLD regos plus more

Gulf Runner 490

Breezaway 440

Renegade 440 Side Console

SPECIAL!

Mercury 90hp 4-stroke

• Full pod transom • Reverse chine • Live well • Bait tank • Electric motor mount • QLD regos plus more

$24,500 SPECIAL!

SPECIAL!

Mercury 60hp 4-stroke

• Live bait tank • Live well • Painted sides • Dunbier braked trailer • QLD regos

• Bait board • Bimini • QLD regos • Safety gear

UNBEATABLE UNBEATABLE

115HP CRUISE SPEED 115HP FUEL CRUISE EFFICIENCY SPEED FUEL EFFICIENCY MERCURY’S NEW 115HP VS. CURRENT FOURSTROKE AND OPTIMAX VS. CURRENT FOURSTROKE AND OPTIM FOURSTROKE g/kWh

MERCURY MERCURY 75-115HP 75-115HP FOURSTROKE RANGE FOURSTROKE RANGE

$24,500

Mercury 50hp 4-stroke

340

340

330

330

320

320

310

310

300

g/kWh

$34,000

DELIVERS UP TO 14% BETTER CRUISE SPEED ECONOMY

300

290

290

280

280

270

270

260

260

PREVIOUS MERCURY FOURSTROKE 1.7L

BSFC dyno testing; data is an average of 60%-80% rated PREVIOUS MERCURY NEW MERCURY engine speed based NEW MERCURY MERCURY OPTIMAX OPTIMAX on standardMERCU ICOMIA emissions test.

2.1L 11 FOURSTROKE 1.7L 115hp 2.1L 115hp 115hp Photos for illustration purposes only.

Can’t make the yard? Shop online! For quality new and used boats! www.kareemarine.com.au

1776 Ipswich Motorway, Rocklea | Call 07 3875 1600