BNB Fishing mag | Feb 2021

Tips, tactics & techniques

450

$

Includes GST

February 2021 Print Post Approved PP100001534 Volume 32, Number 2

Summer snapper

Moreton Bay grass sweetlip

Freshwater features

Tackle storage

Mighty mulloway

A trip to the tip - Cape York

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 3

Page 4 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

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From the Bush ‘n Beach Fishing Editor

T

HOSE who have read my editorial over the years would know I am a strong advocate for consultation when it comes to reviewing fishing regulations.

Getting feedback and input from a mix of people across a variety of sectors is vital for formulating the right management plan.

However, it is also important that the government allows enough time for this feedback and for people to acquire an understanding of the working groups, which I don’t think has been the case with the latest working group announcement.

Expressions of interest on several Fishery Working Groups and for public feedback were announced on December 22, 2020.

Unfortunately, the close date is January 31, 2121, which may even be after you read this.

I am not sure why these were released over the Christmas period when many people were on holiday and then focussed on returning to work.

The sceptic in me wonders if the short time frame was so the same ‘crew’ will form these working groups, which will limit insight into how the resources should be managed.

Hopefully, I am proven wrong and the tight agenda was to get these working groups sorted and addressing important issues as soon as possible.

That said, you can still nominate to be on the working group and take part in the survey, which I encourage recreational fishers to do.

If you want to join the conversation, head to daf.engagementhub. com.au With our monthly deadlines for the magazine, we have missed the boat a little in notifying everyone.

Hence, it is important if you’re online to jump on our website bnbfishing.com.au and sign up for the free weekly enews.

The e-news allows us to get information out more regularly and keep everyone up-todate with current news and events.

There are also fishing reports for what’s biting and where, so you are all set for the weekend ahead.

Plus, all e-news subscribers go in the draw to win a $50 Tackle Warehouse voucher each month.

Fishing Rain across both NSW and Queensland recently has been very welcome, and the old saying ‘drought on land

means drought at sea’ is definitely true.

While we aren’t in drought conditions along the coast, it has been very dry and has made fishing more difficult.

However, we should now see prawns and crabs hit their straps, with good reports of both crustaceans confirming this.

I do love freshly caught banana prawns, so it’s time to dust off the casting net and join the brigade of fishos chasing these tasty critters.

The influx of bait into the bay from the rain should also have snapper and jewfish moving – exciting times ahead for inshore anglers.

Offshore, the pelagic scene is in full swing.

Earlier in the month, I went on a trip with a couple of friends to target black marlin out of the Seaway and we managed to land three from five hook-ups.

Unfortunately, the last two were a little bigger and the 8kg mono wound up a little tight shortening the fight time – the rest is history.

Live bait did the damage on all five fish, which was jigged up where we were fishing.

My fish also threw its guts and did not release, despite us trying to swim it.

While I’ve never kept a marlin before, this one was going to be shark fodder if not, so the decision was made to keep it.

There will be a report in the March edition

on this trip, though if you search black marlin on the BNB Fishing webpage, you will get a beginner’s guide to catching these awesome fish.

Ben Collins

OUR COVER

BOB THORNTON caught this bass on a 20-year-old buzzbait after torrential rain. You can read his article about fishing in these conditions on Page 79.

NEXT EDITION: March edition will be on sale in news­agents from February 26.

FEBRUARY SUBSCRIPTION PRIZE: See subscription form on Page 81 to go in the draw to win one of 40 Techni Ice Heavy Duty Reusable Ice Packs valued at $8 RRP each.

DECEMBER PRIZE WINNER: Congratulations to Roberto Atzori, Maroochydore; Kevin Kuhnel, Bundaberg; Graham Miegel, Bribie Island; Michael Elkerton, Thornlands; Bob Rollo, Yeronga; Gordon Salway, Yeppoon; Michael Lorraway, Chambers Flat; Craig Parson, Strathpine; Dominic Godbold, Mount Cotton and Dan Cullen, Banksia Beach who have each won a Gamakatsu Pack valued at $59.95 RRP.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 5

February 2021 contents

18

Moreton Bay guide for grass sweetlip. . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brian Webb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P8 Threadies, sharks, jew and crabs worth chasing . . . . by Keith Stratford . . . . . . . . . . . P10 Anchored boaties snag high voltage cables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P12 Camping and crabbing southern Moreton Bay . . . . . . by Sean Conlon . . . . . . . . . . . . . P14 Time to target the mighty mulloway. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brad Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P16 Hot snapper tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . By Justin Willmer . . . . . . . . . . . P18 Spectacular spottie and spanish catches. . . . . . . . . . . by Heath Zygnerski . . . . . . . . . . P20

27

Summer species still in full swing on Gold Coast. . . . . by Clint Ansell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P23 Gearing up for full-on February fishing action . . . . . . . by Ben Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P26 A few weeks of fishing frustration finishes. . . . . . . . . . by Gavin Dobson . . . . . . . . . . . . P28 Wet summer brings rewards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brett Hyde . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P30 Dirty river provides alternative options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Tye Porter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P32 Tackle storage tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Sean Thompson . . . . . . . . . . P33 February fires up on Sunny Coast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Grant Budd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P36 Hard yards get the rewards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Tri Ton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P38 Flavours of the month. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brad Young . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P40 Keeping busy waiting for mud crabs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Craig Tomkinson . . . . . . . . . P44

48

It’s child’s play. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Justin Willmer . . . . . . . . . . . P46 A rematch at 1770 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Mick Clutterbuck . . . . . . . . . P48 Citizen scientists sought. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P49 Hot action in the rivers and harbour. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Gary Churchward . . . . . . . . P50 Insights into boat insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P52 Honda BF30 20-years on and still going strong. . . . . . . by Neil Schultz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P54 Product News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P55 Black jewfish make a comeback. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by John Glanford . . . . . . . . . . . . P56 The torture is over. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by John Boon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P58 Black market wholesaler fined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P59 Grunter in the estuaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Jason Kidd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P60 Navico partners with Ozfish Unlimited. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P61 Cape York 2021 – the good oil! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Dave Donald . . . . . . . . . . . . . P62 Readers’ Forum.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P64 Charter Directory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P65 Preparations for a trip to the tip. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by ‘Billabong’ Bazz Lyon . . . . . P68

60

Looking after each other is not hard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Paul ‘Chief’ Graveson . . . . . P70 Rain at long last. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brian Dare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P72 Basstasstic bass tournaments 2021 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Russell Nowland . . . . . . . . . P74 Wonderful Wyaralong Dam. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Leeann Payne . . . . . . . . . . . . P76 Recipe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Melissa Frohloff . . . . . . . . . . P78 Personalise your Mercury outboard with colour. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P78 Flash flood bass fanatics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Bob Thornton . . . . . . . . . . . . P79 Page 6 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

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Check out our YouTube channel BNBFTV for boat tests, product reviews and other interesting videos.

56

Follow @BNBFISHINGMAG on Instagram to see cracking catches from all around the country.

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Subscribe to the FREE BNB e-news on our website to receive email updates packed with the latest fishing news and important information.

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Our website bnbfishing.com.au is updated several times a day with the latest news and handy fishing articles.

The Team

EDITOR: Ben Collins ADVERTISING: The BNB Team PRODUCTION: Adrian Cardaci, Lisa Jones, Bob Thornton

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

Phone 07 3286 1833 Email: ben@collins.media PO Box 162, Wynnum, Qld 4178 PRINTER: Spotpress DISTRIBUTION BY: Fairfax 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.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 7

Moreton Bay guide for grass sweetlip M ORETON Bay holds heaps of shallow water

Quality grass sweetlip from shallow water.

Kevin and his grass sweetlip from the Moreton dropoffs.

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Page 8 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

areas.

When we fish the shallows, we look for rubble patches and any other good-looking structure that holds bait on a high tide.

What that means is you fish the shallows on a high tide and retreat to the drop-offs on a low tide.

Peak bite times are dawn and dusk, as these periods allow you to pull quality fish in shallow water of up to 2m deep.

As the sun rises higher and the tide drops, it is time to move to deeper water.

When fishing shallow water, it is important to minimise sound, such as banging through the hull and excessive anchor noise.

A tip to eliminate anchor noise is to put bicycle tube over the chain.

We will generally drift across structure, as anchoring is a sure way to turn off the fish.

If you have an electric motor, even better – the slower the drift the more fish you will catch.

Use light spin gear with quality reels, as sticky drags equals pulled hooks.

We start with 10lb braid and 12lb leader, but if we find nasty looking structure with plenty of bait or we get dusted, then we up the braid to 15lb with a 15lb leader – use no more than size 2-3 octopus or circle hooks when using bait.

A few of the better shallow areas are Mud, Peel, Green and

Moreton Bay

by BRIAN WEBB

Coochiemudlo islands, the Wellington Point drop-offs, Scarborough Reef and the edges of the shipping channel from Bulwer north towards Caloundra.

This last area holds a lot of coffee rock structure along the side of the channel and also produces spangled emperor and tuskfish, plus the usual snapper.

There are a range of plastics that suit this style of fishing.

If targeting sweetlip, size 2-3 hooks are about the biggest you want to use.

From our time on the water it seems cod and snapper prefer gold colours and naturals, while lippers prefer bright colours.

Grass sweetlip are the primary target fish, with 1-2kg being common and the odd 2-3kg fish turning up – more often than not smoking you.

Remember sweetlip have a legal size of 30cm and limit of 10 per person.

When casting plastics, allow it to hit the bottom and then give it

a sharp rip up off the bottom.

This allows the lure to drop back to the bottom as you wind the slack up, but hold it off the bottom for a few seconds.

Most hits will come on the drop or on the pause and it is important to watch your line.

If the line speeds up, twitches or stops, chances are a fish has it in their mouth, so wind, strike and set the hook.

First light is a prime time to target sweetlip and they generally bite well for the first half hour of light after the sun comes over Stradbroke and Moreton islands.

It pays to be at your location early, with the boat positioned and ready to go for this peak bite period.

Dusk is a great time for sweetlip and one advantage to an afternoon session is that it gives you time to look around the area and get set for the last hours of light when sweetlip tend to fire up. * continued P9

Kiel Wren with a spangled emperor on a flasher rig.

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Moreton Bay guide for grass sweetlip * from P8

During summer we get both high temperature and humidity, two things that turn sweetlip on.

Artificial reefs and wrecks are fantastic structure for holding sweetlip.

Locate schools of bait on your sounder when searching around and you will generally be in with a good chance of bagging a few.

The better plastics are the paddle tails with a fish-shaped body – plastics similar to the Z-Man 2-3” MinnowZ. The Z-Man versions have a super-lively action and are a versatile option when targeting sweetlip or even snapper in shallow water.

It pays to carry a wide variety of jig heads

when fishing for sweetlip, and these fish are often caught with squid heads or strips, using a light weight or no weight and size 2-3 circles.

The same applies to jig heads and plastics too – light weights are best – this allows your plastic to naturally fall through the top half of the water column.

It is also important to match your jig head hook size to your soft plastic – as a general rule, the shank of the hook, excluding the weight, should be about a third of the length of your chosen plastic.

Scent is a good means of attracting sweetlip, so adding Pro-Cure gel to your plastics can make the difference between landing a few fish and missing out.

A lot of the Z-Man plastics have a belly slot, which is perfect for inserting a good dollop of smelly stuff.

The reason I use the Z-Man range is that they are 10 times tougher than standard plastics, and there are a lot of pickers down below that will make short work of weaker soft plastics.

Sweetlip prefer the lure on the bottom, so once the plastic touches down, hop it a few times before you retrieve it.

This method can be used with bait too.

When retrieving the plastic from the bottom we use a ‘rip-rip-pause’, then wind a few metres, pause and free spool the line back before retrieving the lure back to the boat.

Sweetlip will often follow the lure up off the bottom and then whack it as it comes back to them.

Having a couple of rods and reel outfits on board when chasing shallow water sweetlip is certainly an advantage, as bite periods generally come in short stints and there is nothing more frustrating than having to re-tie during a hot bite.

I keep a 7’ spin rod with a 2500 size spin reel spooled with 10lb braid and 12lb flurocarbon leader, and another 7’ spin rod with a 3000 size spin reel spooled with 15lb braid and 15lb leader.

So, go out and explore the shallow water and find areas or structure to fish when the tide and bite times are not in your favour.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 9

This threadfin salmon was landed by Ash Levy on Gulp Crazy Legs Jerk Shads.

Ash Levy jigged up this fine specimen in the Brisbane River.

Threadies, sharks, jew and crabs worth chasing

F

EBRUARY signals the end of the holiday period, and it’s an excellent month for chasing crustaceans around southeast Queensland.

Mud crabs are very active, and the banana prawn season will be in full swing over the coming months.

Prawns started to get more active in January and will only improve.

There are very few secrets when it comes to finding prawns and social media is a killer, letting everyone know where they are and when they’re moving.

Do yourself a favour, when you find prawns keep it to yourself.

Bragging about throwing a net over prawns on Facebook will ensure there are 50 boats in the system the next morning.

Mud crabs have been about in good numbers.

I put a few pots in for a couple of nights before Christmas and scored a good feed in time for Christmas Day. Water temperature is at its peak, which can turn the bait in crab pots stinky overnight.

I’m a big believer in fresh bait, so I always ensure I check my pots at least daily.

Local Luring

by KEITH STRATFORD

This helps free undersize and female crabs, and also makes room for big bucks.

Most of the pots had between 10-15 crabs in them from an overnight soak, with a lot of small crabs and males that were 1-2mm undersize.

It’s best to get these crabs out of the pot as soon as possible, as they do fight each other.

I wouldn’t leave my pots in for more than a night without checking them because of a few undesirable humans who choose to help themselves to your hard-earned crabs, and occasionally the whole pot.

Sharks are a good option this month.

A large number of sharks will be active throughout all reaches of the rivers and creeks around Brisbane.

I enjoy chasing sharks and have become very fond of eating them over the past couple of years.

When they are bled properly and looked after, they are delicious.

They’re also a heap of fun to catch, with

Page 10 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

the strike often being incredibly visual.

I do all of my shark fishing with bait under floats.

I find this to be the most productive way to catch them and it eliminates most of the vermin by-catch that feed off the bottom, such as stingrays, catfish and pike eels.

Several good bait species to try are stingray

flaps, freshwater eel and a wide variety of live fish.

Small live catfish work well, along with mullet and whiting.

Remember, all live varieties need to be legal size to use as bait.

The Brisbane River has been fishing well for threadfin salmon and jewfish.

Threadfin have been starting to school up in decent numbers and it should only improve this month.

Most anglers drive along the wharves to-

wards the mouth and keep a close eye on their sounder to find them.

Once located, it’s just a matter of getting your lure in their face.

They don’t always eat, and it can be a good idea to mix up your lure selection to entice a bite.

These fish see a lot of vibes in front of their face and while they’re an excellent lure choice, I like to mix it up a bit and put a few different plastics in front of them as well. * continued P12

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Threadies, sharks, jew and crabs worth chasing * from P10

Tony Wright with a couple of local mud crabs.

Gulp Crazy Legs Jerk Shads are my favourite lure to use in the river for all species.

They catch everything and are excellent at getting a bite from sluggish fish.

Jewies have been hanging in the same areas as threadfin.

One of the schools along the wharves has

been turning up regularly and had around 30 fish in it that were all around 1m.

They can be fairly hit and miss though and disappear as quickly as they turn up.

Mangrove jack will also be an excellent target this month, with all of the rivers and creeks around Brisbane holding these brawlers.

The rain we had around Christmas put a bit of colour in most systems, which makes it a lot easier to get a bite from a jack.

Hopefully afternoon storms and more rain are on the way, and this it should make for a very productive month.

Hope to see you on the water.

Anchored boaties snag high voltage cables

W

ITH dozens of anchors and hundreds of metres of anchor rope retrieved from just one high voltage underwater cable recently, Energex and Ergon are urging boaties to be aware of electricity infrastructure crossing Queensland’s waterways.

The call comes after Energex was alerted by the Bribie Voluntary Marine Rescue that a large vessel’s anchor had become snagged on the 11,000-volt cable feeding power from Sandstone Point to Bribie Island.

Concerned the mishap may have damaged the cable, Energex sent divers to investigate and were surprised by what they found.

Energex area manager Chris Graham said, “Though the cable is clearly marked with danger signs urging boaties not to anchor in the area, we thought we may find a few entanglements.”

“But when divers untangled 28 anchors along with chains and ropes from the cable, it was clear boaties were oblivious to the danger they’re putting everyone in their vessel in.

“If the worst-case scenario does occur and your boat becomes hooked on electrical infrastructure, keep as far away as possible from the section of boat touching the powerline or cable and immediately call 000 or radio the VMR or Coast Guard,” Mr Graham said.

Local Bribie VMR commodore Liz Radajewski said avoiding cables was easy and urged all boaties to check each bank for the yellow and black signs pointing out the dangers below before anchoring.

“These cables are clearly marked usually with massive signs, so before people drop an anchor, they only have to look at each bank for the warnings,” Ms Radajewski said.

Page 12 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

“Similarly, waterways have overhead powerlines crossing, so anyone in a sailboat or large motor vessel should remain vigilant.

“Keep a clear lookout above and never risk sailing under powerlines unless you’re absolutely certain you have at least 3m clearance at the highest astronomical tide.”

Ms Radajewski also said before boaties head out, they should ensure their vessel and motor are in excellent working condition, they have more than enough fuel and the right safety equipment, and that they use the VMR or Coast Guard’s log on and off service.

If boaties do find themselves in any difficulty, they are urged to phone 000 and ask for police, who will dispatch the closest rescue vessel, or contact their local VMR or Coast Guard via phone or two-way radio.

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The morning view with a cup of coffee, it doesn’t get much better than this.

Camping and crabbing southern Moreton Bay

W

ELL, I don’t think we’ve gotten rid of the problems from 2020.

It seems this nasty bug we have hanging around is going to continue giving us a bit of trouble in 2021, so

looking for places to get away from it all is probably not a bad thing.

This month we might have a chat about a little hidden gem in southern Moreton Bay. Though locals know

The author caught a few blue swimmer crabs right in front of camp.

Max loves checking the pots, it’s like Christmas wondering what might be in them.

Page 14 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

Southern Moreton Bay

by SEAN CONLON

about it, many visitors don’t.

People go camping at Peel and Moreton islands and to places similar, but there is another spot really worth a look – Blaksley Anchorage on North Stradbroke Island.

This particular area is south of Dunwich and north of Price Anchorage on the western side of Stradbroke Island.

You can only access it by boat, so that helps keep numbers down, but even so it does get

busy around peak holiday seasons.

If you go there offpeak, you can occasionally have the whole place to yourself.

Max and I headed there mid-week during the recent school holidays, and it was only us and one other camp.

If you do decide to visit this place, you need to bring everything because there is nothing there.

No showers, no toilets, no fresh water, nothing.

If you’re not a fan of a

Max had a bit of fun on a previously erected makeshift swing. Simple but fun.

few mosquitoes, march flies and those types of creepy crawlies plus having to go to the loo without any amenities, this place is not for you.

Blaksley is about getting back to basic simple bush camping.

When we head over, we take a couple of swags, a gazebo, an Esky with our food in it and a single-burner stove – nice and simple, and a lot of fun.

It’s a great place for the whole family or just a father and son trip as we did.

We usually go for two or three nights, which gives us plenty of time for crabbing, fishing and swimming – keeping Max and I occupied for a few days.

It’s fantastic to set up base there, and we do plenty of crabbing right in front of our camp, and north and south of there also on Pelican Banks.

There’s abundant fishing too – heading out past Peel Island, near Russell Island over to Macleay and Coochiemudlo islands – it’s central to everything and as you’ve seen before, you * continued P15

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Camping and crabbing southern Moreton Bay * from P14

can pluck a good feed out of Moreton Bay if you do things right.

Here’s a bit of information to consider if you’re going to camp in this area.

First, it’s nice to have a high tide when you arrive and leave because instead of trudging all your gear from a low tide, it makes it very easy to set up camp.

Second, mark up to your campsite which is at the tree line and try to go on a slightly bigger tide so you can have the tide in for a nice swim during the day.

Third, avoid a westerly wind – try to go when there’s a southeasterly, easterly or northeast wind blowing, as you get a lot more protection from Stradbroke Island.

Four, be aware of storms coming from the west, southwest and northwest – because you are on the western side of the island, if you do get a bad one, you’re going to bear the brunt of it.

Five, always check the weather before you make the decision to head over.

If you do everything correctly, you’ll have a great time.

There’s a lot more than fishing and crabbing when you head to this place.

The wildlife is fantastic, with an array of birdlife including black cockatoos and a healthy population of lace monitors or goannas around the area.

Kids have fun at low tide chasing soldier crabs around.

If you think the kids have had too much screen time, it only takes a day there for the batteries to go flat in the phone or iPad, with no way to charge them.

Take a bat and ball and when they can’t look at their device anymore, have a game of beach cricket at low tide.

It’s a nice little place to get away from it all for a few days.

At night, having a little campfire and roasting a few marshmallows is great.

Make sure to take your own firewood and check that there aren’t any restrictions at the time you’re visiting.

Always put your fire out before you head to bed – it’s a beautiful place and bushfires can be devastating, so be responsible.

As I said, take everything, watch the weather and get the kids away from their devices for a while.

Oh, and I forgot the best thing.

One big secret – it’s still completely free.

No camping fees!

It’s great fun roasting a few marshmallows over the fire at night. www.bnbfishing.com.au

Don’t tell anyone.

A short article this month about a place I think is quite special, and until you go there, sit back in the afternoon and watch the sunset, you might not understand how unique it is.

So, get the camping gear, get in the boat and head over to experience it for yourself.

As we all know with our busy jobs and lives, we are time poor, so if you can learn more to optimise your time on the water, then why not?

Remember: knowledge is the key.

If you’re interested in any off or on-water tuition classes or you want to do a fishing charter, give me a call on 0432 386 307 or send me an email at seanconlonsfishing@hotmail.com You can also check out the Sean Conlon’s Fishing Charters and Tuition Facebook page.

Until next time, stay safe on the water.

It’s nice to catch a couple of fish for tea so close to camp.

A basic camp set-up with a couple of swags.

A simple gazebo set-up to keep the sun off while cooking. Keep it simple so you don’t have too much stuff in the boat.

The sunsets are spectacular.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 15

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The author with a jewfish caught in 16m of water on a Samiki Vibelicous lure.

Time to target the mighty mulloway I HOPE you all had a safe prosperous Christmas and new year and were able to catch a few fish.

In this month’s article I hope to give you a few tips on how to target one of the most sought-after and often elusive species found in our rivers, the mighty mulloway, which are

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Gold Coast Guide

by BRAD SMITH

often known as jewfish.

There have always been a ton of theories and myths surrounding this species, mainly based around moon cycles.

I have put a lifetime into experimenting and documenting what I believe are the best ways to try and maximise my chances of catching what many anglers call the ghosts of the estuaries.

A great place to start is deep water that has a heap of bait holding close to the bottom, and fishing either side of tide changes seems to work best.

Occasionally I will spend up to 15 minutes sounding a deep hole to try and locate bait holding, and if I don’t find any I’ll quickly head to the next hole.

Mulloway are an apex species in our rivers and will migrate up and down the system until

they find an abundance of food, even if it means heading right up to the tidal limits of a river.

What I call a deep hole is anything over 6m, with my best success coming from 8m and beyond.

When it comes to bait schools, it doesn’t matter if it’s schools of mullet, herring or prawns – this species is not fussy and will eat whatever is on the menu.

Now we’ve found our deep hole with a heap of bait on or near the bottom, we need to prepare our attack around tide changes.

I have caught jewfish at all hours of the day, but a tide change around low light periods is a real bonus.

I have caught hundreds of jewies over the years on bright sunny days, but even though the conditions might be uncomfortable for us anglers, overcast or

* continued P17

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Time to target the mighty mulloway * from P16

rainy days can increase the chances of reward.

It is thought that jewfish can only be caught during winter, but the truth is they can be targeted and caught throughout the year.

Many anglers choose to target jewies with live bait such as poddy mullet or herring, which work extremely well, but for me it is all about lures.

Soft plastic lures work a treat on this species, but I have consistent success with metal and soft-bodied vibe lures.

The good thing about lure fishing is that you can hedge your bets with a couple of fishos

and have different lures on to see which product works best on the day.

Of course, you can swap your lures around when fishing by yourself.

When using lures, the technique that works best for me is to drop the lure directly to the bottom and use a small jigging action that keeps it hopping up and down within 1m of the bottom.

I call this technique ‘tea-bagging’ and it’s dynamic for catching jewfish and every species feeding along the bottom.

The real art to this technique is keeping the * continued P18

Mulloway can really fire up on cloudy or rainy days, as they did on this occasion for Marko.

Jimmy has had a lot of success fishing for jewfish and they always put a smile on his face.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 17

A 44cm snapper from the kayak on the new TT Rods Copperhead 2-4kg spin rod.

Sean with a pan-sized snapper on a Z-Man 2.5” GrubZ.

Hot snapper tips Light spin gear is the go when targeting pan-sized snapper.

S

NAPPER have been a target species for me recently, with a few showing up in local rivers and estuaries.

Pitto has caught a heap of jewfish with the author over the years, his favourite lures for them are metal vibes.

Time to target the mighty mulloway * from P17

lures on the bottom, especially when there is a current flowing.

This is done by keeping your line vertical, and you can achieve this by making adjustments with your petrol or electric

motor in either forward or reverse, constantly working with the speed of the tide and occasionally the wind.

In a perfect scenario, your boat should be drifting at the speed of the tide and

Page 18 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

your lures will pendulum straight down and hold contact with the bottom.

I hope this short article helps you catch one of these iconic fish, and I look forward to chatting with you next month.

In winter our focus is deeper structure, with 4” plastics such as the Z-Man 4” StreakZ Curly TailZ or 4” Scented Jerk ShadZ fished on 3/8 or 1/2oz 3/0 or 4/0 jig heads getting the bites and fish landed to around 65cm.

Through the warmer months we tend to catch smaller fish, from undersized through to around 50cm, so we fish a smaller profile plastic such as a Z-Man 2.5” Slim SwimZ or GrubZ on a 1/4oz 1/0 jig head.

During this period, we generally find fish holding in 2-4m along the channel edges, especially where there’s weed and rubble on the edge.

The deeper edges and river mouths you fish would be worth a look.

Even better if there’s reasonable current flowing along the edge, in which case we’d target the tide change – an hour either side of low or high tide, particularly if the current is extreme.

Light spin gear is fun, and we use a 7’ 2-4kg or 3-6kg rod and 30-size reel loaded with 10lb braid and 10-20lb leader.

Cast ahead of the drift and hop the plastic back

toward you or hold position with the electric motor and cast up current, hopping the plastic back with the flow.

I will pause the plastic on the bottom longer than when flathead fishing, as snapper often pick the plastic up and run off with it.

Bites can be subtle, so set the hook and be ready for the afterburners when the snapper realises it’s hooked.

Scent up your soft plastic to encourage fish to pick it up on the pause, bite more aggressively and hold onto the plastic longer – giving you more time to set the hook.

There’s by-catch aplenty when chasing snapper using the above techniques and you will find yourself hooked up to bream, flathead, trevally and more.

The prime bite times are early morning and late afternoon, with early morning a favourite, especially if you can get out there before the boat traffic picks up.

A tide change directly after sunrise or before sunset, and you’re on a winner.

All the best with the snapper and see you on the water…

Justin Willmer

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Spectacular spottie and spanish catches

Mitch with a solid topwater spanish mackerel that nailed a West Coast Popper.

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I

S it me or is 2021 heading down the same path as 2020?

Either way, the only thing that may keep fishers sane is fishing, and plenty of it is happening.

With horrid weather in December, fish came out firing soon after the rain had cleared and much sooner than I thought they would.

Usually when we get a deluge, fish turn off for a few weeks as the fresh knocks the water temperature down and things resemble muddy coffee.

This wasn’t the case

Gold Coast

by HEATH ZYGNERSKI

however, with fish hitting their straps as soon as the rain and wind had stopped.

The local reefs produced spectacular catches of mackerel for locals and tourists.

You had to be well prepared though, because their appetite changed frequently.

A good selection of metals slugs, hard-bodies, skirts and bait on hand ensured you were catering for the prefer-

Jye and Ryan had a great morning out on the spotted mackerel, all taken on bait.

Page 20 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

ence of the day.

With the fish so finicky, anglers who came prepared were well rewarded and many headed in with their bag before 6am – great going by any standards.

The fish weren’t massive because it’s still early in the season, but they’ll fatten up over time.

One regular catch was undersize spanish mackerel.

In plague proportions on local grounds and being one of the fastest growing fish in the sea, we’re hopefully in for a great season heading into April and May. Bigger spaniards were also being caught.

Sharks have been a nuisance this season.

Having fished the local reefs for more than 20 years, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been sharked, but with the amount of fish being mauled or lost recently, sharks seem to be going * continued P20

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 21

Joe was stocked with his spotted mackerel.

Santa put a nice GT on the end of Andy’s rod on Christmas Day.

Spectacular spottie and spanish catches * from P20

Mitch with a solid spotted mackerel that attacked a metal slug.

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nuts.

In dirty water, solid giant trevally have been hooked by those chasing mackerel – the murky water seems to turn these fish on.

I’m still chasing the elusive GT and you’ll certainly know about it when I land one.

Out wider, excellent mahi mahi are being caught on the fish aggregating devices and by those trolling for marlin.

A welcome by-catch for most anglers, as they are one of, if not the best eating fish in the ocean.

Be aware, they make an absolute mess of your boat when you land them because they go ballistic once inside the boat.

With decent conditions in early to midJanuary there were

great marlin captures out wider, with several boats tagging a few in one session.

Mangrove jack are in full swing in creeks and estuaries.

Solid red dogs were caught when the creeks started to clear up, with live bait and hard-bodies accounting for most catches.

Nice whiting and flathead were caught after creeks and rivers had a good wash out.

It’ll be well worth targeting these species while the water is still a bit murky.

The local bars had a good flush and with that came a heap of debris – trees, tyres and the odd dead cow.

We narrowly missed a massive tree trunk heading out at first light one morning, so be vigilant.

Tweed Bar still has the big bank out the

back which seems to have gotten bigger, with me sitting in 4m of water for ages.

Be wary of this bank in any swell.

Currumbin Bar got a good wash out and it has opened the mouth to a degree.

The bar changes daily, so keep an eye on it, as well as on the surfers – the place is packed during summer.

Tallebudgera has remained relatively unchanged and is still shallow and narrow at the entrance.

A heap of debris was being pushed out by the tide in the Gold Coast Seaway, so keep an eye out there, especially at low light or in the dark.

Hitting a big tree trunk will surely ruin your fishing trip.

Until next month, screaming reels to you all.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Carmel did well to catch this 55cm flathead on 3lb line while fishing for whiting.

Mitch caught his first ever flathead on a Broadwater charter with the author, 76cm on a Daiwa Bait Junkie soft plastic and carefully released.

Summer species still in full swing on Gold Coast

H

I everyone, in February we are well into chasing and catching summer species here on the Gold Coast.

If we don’t get too much rain, mangrove jack and big sand whiting are the main targets in the rivers.

If floods arrive, these same species will be found downstream not far from river mouths for several weeks.

So far this summer, the deluge in December resulted in excellent fishing locally, with school-size flathead, monster-size whiting, mud crabs, blue swimmer crabs, bream and tarwhine all turning up in big numbers at times.

While we prefer to release 90 percent of our catches, a few customers have enjoyed fresh and delicious seafood dinners.

Rain always helps the estuary systems and has done so for thousands of years.

www.bnbfishing.com.au

Broadwater Guide

by CLINT ANSELL

It did however pause our usual run of jack trips over the summer season, but that’s nature.

One fish that always fascinates me is sand or summer whiting.

This prolific and widespread fish has withstood a lot of fishing pressure yet is still around in high numbers in many areas.

They don’t grow that big – a model over 40cm is a trophy fish – but they are a superb table fish and fight hard on light tackle.

The big ones are also not easy to tempt, with excellent gear and stealth techniques required.

Blue swimmer and mud crabs are also active this month and, as per most fish, are easily caught during the lead up to and just after a new or full moon.

Heavy duty crab pots and fresh bait definitely make a difference to catch results. * continued P24

Ash and Matt with two nice school flathead caught on light tackle.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 23

Solid buck mud crabs caught during the day after floods.

Jen with a 44.5cm whiting she caught using 3lb line and a yabby for bait.

Ben from Melbourne with a beautiful big male blue swimmer crab.

Summer species still in full swing on Gold Coast * from P23

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To avoid leaving harmful ‘ghost pots’, ensure you have a long enough rope on pots and avoid placing them in busy channels.

Bream have been in plague numbers since the rain, as have their tarwhine cousins.

We occasionally take them both for granted in our lucky country, but they are both a light-tackle sportfish worthy of respect.

Similar to whiting, it is amazing how many are in local estuary systems.

As with all fish, stick to size and bag limits and only take home what you can eat that same night.

Above all, as Ken Brown said, “Don’t destroy what you came to enjoy.”

This phrase has stuck with me for many years since hearing it in my youth in South Africa.

While we may often post many of our catches on social media and

print, the truth is Brad Smith and myself have rarely reached bag limits on daily charters.

We encourage you to do the same, for our kids’ and grandkids’ future.

To book on a charter

with myself or Brad, or if you have any fishing related questions, SMS 0432 990 302 or email fishingwithclint@ gmail.com, or find us on Facebook at Brad Smith Fishing Charters.

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www.tohatsu.com.au Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 25

The author’s son Bailey with a mahi mahi off the 36 northeast FAD that ate a pilchard.

Kane Barclay nailed this 56cm mangrove jack up Coombabah Creek throwing a Z-Man soft plastic.

Gearing up for full-on February fishing action

L

Will Kitching with a Gold Coast Seaway mangrove jack caught on a live pilchard. This fish measured 51cm.

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OOKING back, 2020 was an awesome year for the fishing and boating industry, as well as for fishers.

Talking to many of the boat manufacturers, it seems they are going to be building new boats for quite a while.

The boat yards are selling boats faster than they can get them.

Tackle shops, who this time last year thought things were going to be tough, have powered on with good sales and increased turnover.

The fishing in 2020 was superb and now that it’s the summer of 2021, let’s have a look at what’s going on around the coast.

Firstly, I want to talk inshore, and the hot humid days and long sticky nights bring one amazing fish to mind.

Mangrove jack – also known as red dogs –

Gold Coast

by BEN SMITH

are probably a fish on your bucket list or maybe you’re one of those lucky fishos who have caught a few.

Either way, in my mind they are the trophy fish of every Gold Coast estuary angler.

Now, it’s up to you to get motivated!

Let’s talk about how you’re going to get one.

Whether you’re a bait fisher or prefer lures, it doesn’t matter – jack will smash both.

Also, fishing with a spin or baitcast outfit doesn’t affect your chances either, as both will work.

Whatever you need to get a lure or bait up into the zone is fine.

A reasonably fast taper rod is best and a reel that has a good

4-6kg of drag pressure will suffice.

I prefer a rod of around 5’10” to 6’, and I use a Shimano Curado baitcast reel with 20lb braid and a 30lb leader.

It’s perfect for casting lures into and around snags to tempt fish out.

My spin combo is a Daiwa TD Sol III LT 3000 with the matching rod.

It’s better for those times where you want to cast lighter plastics or surface lures with accuracy, particularly into the wind.

Bait can be just about anything, with live herring, poddy mullet, mullet strips and prawns being a few favourites. * continued P27

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Gearing up for full-on February fishing action * from P26

Fresh bait is always best, so try to avoid using that old refrozen bait from your last trip.

The rig I use is a running 3, 4 or 5 ball sinker down to a swivel on a 40cm trace of 30lb monofilament leader with a pair of 3/0 octopus or suicide hooks snelled about 8cm apart.

This rig is good for livies or strip bait, the key is getting the bait up into where the fish feel comfortable having a crack.

Often you won’t feel comfortable casting a bait into what looks like a hopeless situation, but you might have to.

It’s just not going to happen if you’re casting out into the middle of the creek.

Make sure you get right up in there, just 1m or so away from the pylon, snag, jetty or whatever piece of structure you think has a jack in residence.

The strike is hard when bait fishing and occasionally it’s all over before it begins.

As soon as you feel the hit, go hard and give them hell until you have the dog out.

The jack is going to keep fighting all the way to the boat, so have the net ready.

If you’re using lures, it’s the same principal – get in close to the zone, work the lure as intended and always be ready for the strike.

You can lace the lures in one of the gel scents that are available, and I highly recommend you use it because it seems to increase the hook-up rate.

Set the hooks hard on the hit and go for gold www.bnbfishing.com.au

– it’s the best feeling getting smashed by a jack on a lure.

Remember, fish around low light, find the structure, use good fresh bait or if using lures, work them in close to the structure.

Offshore and the Gold Coast Seaway are cranking out the goods at the moment, and everyone I’ve spoken to has had good results.

Mahi mahi have been the main target on the fish aggregating devices around the 36-fathom and 50-fathom marks, and for those you who keep asking where the FADs are, they are on the Queensland Government website and the GPS locations are freely available.

Pilchard and live bait are great for mahi mahi on FADs. If you want to target a big bull specimen, get yourself a spread of skirted lures similar to the one from FatBoy Lures.

A locally supplied product, they have been designed for targeting

mahi mahi in particular.

A little secret, FatBoys also work wonders on marlin.

Talking about marlin, small blacks should be showing up very close soon and trolling skirts is one of the best ways to hook one.

In fact, if the bait comes right in close, you can start trolling the minute you leave the Seaway.

At this time of year, strong currents make the wider grounds a challenge to fish so keep your options open

and be prepared to change it up.

Have a range of knife jigs onboard for when you get to a FAD and the mahi mahi aren’t on – you can cruise around and have a jig for kingfish instead.

Plenty have been getting caught on the 50-fathom line off the Gold Coast and 200g plus knife jigs can be worked in the fast current with plenty of success.

Jewfish are still around in the Seaway snatching live bait and

big plastics, and the summer species are all going to be chewing for the start of the year.

Mud crabs will be everywhere after the rain, so remember to put the pots in.

Enjoy and look after what you’ve got at your doorstep, we’re all very lucky.

Thanks to all the crew out there who give me a shout and wave whenever you see me cruising by in the blue Bar Crusher.

To everyone else out there, enjoy February.

The author’s spread of FatBoy Lures skirts for mahi mahi and marlin.

The author with a Gold Coast Seaway jewfish taken on the drift with live yakka for bait.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 27

A few nice bream from the flooded Brunswick River.

When the water is a bit cold and the mackerel aren’t biting, a bit of reef fishing often saves the day.

A few weeks of fishing frustration finishes

I

HAVEN’T got any photos of mackerel this month and there’s a very simple explanation for that – I haven’t caught one yet.

A few spanish mackerel turned up for a several days, not in any great numbers but most boats positioned between Cook Island and Byron Bay scored a couple.

I was slack and didn’t get out, and since then the water has gone cold and the mackos have disappeared, as is expected in water of 20C and less.

That being said, in the short window between me writing this and you

Tweed to Byron Bay

by GAVIN DOBSON

reading it, I would expect mackerel to make another appearance.

The start of the season is always patchy, and I don’t usually get too enthused until after Australia Day. What we have had plenty of in the last few weeks is rain!

It’s been Groundhog Day. Wake up, easterly wind, rain, go to bed, repeat.

The other thing we’ve had plenty of is current running offshore.

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www.ezythrowcastnets.com.au Page 28 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

Once the current gets to three knots, the fish aggregating devices and wave rider buoys almost go under.

In fact, it gives a false reading on wave heights because the buoys don’t ride over the top of the swell properly.

Bottom fishing is a no-go in these conditions but trolling with the current for pelagics out wide is a good option.

Boats trolling the shelf have been rewarded with excellent numbers of marlin, and wahoo and mahi mahi thrown in.

It’s a bit of a fuelburning mission, but if you can afford it and if a bit of sport is your thing, it’s well worth the effort.

The mahi mahi have been big too, with 1012kg fish the norm and 20kg models in among them.

During the holiday

season, we developed a bit of a ritual – heading down to the beach late in the afternoon when the crowds start to disperse.

Mostly we’d swim and play a bit of cricket, but Keira learned how to catch beachworms these holidays and one little hole consistently produced nice whiting for us.

It was a very relaxing way to spend a couple of hours in the evening, then we’d go home to have a feed and settle into the Big Bash.

Had I stayed into the night, my friend fishing the same hole we were getting the whiting from but on a higher tide, was getting a few nice tailor.

Off the breakwalls and around the rocks, tailor were in pretty good numbers and still are.

The whiting seemed to have stayed on the beach too and haven’t returned to the rivers.

In the river here at Brunswick Heads there is plenty of fresh water, but in the lower reaches

bream, mangrove jack and a few trevally are still on the cards.

Mud crabs are in good numbers but there aren’t many legal ones among them.

The sheer number of pots in the river seems to have filtered out the larger specimens for the time being, though it will only take a month or so and good crabs will be caught.

Keira and I had a couple of great bream sessions in the floodwater in the lower river.

We landed fish to 1.1kg or just over 40cm.

We also had a go for whiting but only landed two.

The day we went, there were too many sticks and weeds coming down with the floodwater.

Going a couple of days later would have been the better option.

February is generally a great month for everything from mangrove jack and mud crabs to mackerel and marlin – let’s just hope the weather gives us a go at them.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 29

Wet summer brings rewards

O

UR predicted wet summer is certainly in full swing right now and more rain over the past couple of weeks has muddied the river up once again.

This was definitely frustrating for locals and visitors, as the lower reaches of the river were just starting to look good and the sediment had settled upriver.

We’re back to square one.

Let’s hope there isn’t more rain to follow, as it could spell the end of mackerel for this summer if the trend continues.

Even with all the doom and gloom, the fishing in and around the mouth of the river and along certain beaches has still been good.

A lot of fish have been pushed to the lower reaches of the river since the start of the rain in December.

The bulk of them haven’t had much chance to move further upstream because of the consistent rain.

Though the recent rain event has muddied the water again,

Ballina Bait & Tackle

by BRETT HYDE

it doesn’t seem to have put the bream off in the slightest, with good numbers of fish coming from rock walls, bridge pylons and jetties.

The poor visibility has meant that most fish have been staying close to any structure available.

The usual types of bait with plenty of oil and smell such as mullet fillet, pilchard, chicken or mullet gut have been working well.

Performing well for lure throwers have been small hard-bodied lures such as Atomic Hardz Crank 38, Jackall Chubby 38, Daiwa Tournament Spike, Nomad Design Atlas Deep Crank and even Cranka Crab.

At times like this, the important thing is to regularly apply scent to the lures you use.

The low visibility will mean fish will have to find your lure based on either vibration or smell, so give them every opportunity to find it in muddy water.

Flathead on the other

hand seem to be quite happy to sit in the deeper sections of the river and appear to be more aggressive on a run-in tide.

White or blue pilchard have been working well for those who want to use bait, but bright-coloured soft plastics and vibes have been the better option for lure throwers.

As with bream, flathead have responded better with plenty of scent on the lures or with biodegradable soft plastics such as Berkley Gulp or Ecogear Aqua Bream Prawn lures that will dissolve and give off their own smell.

While all the rain and dirty water will not help blue swimmer crabbing at all, it certainly seems to have fired up the mud crabs.

Good numbers of crabs have been taken in both the creeks and in the main river as far up as Pimlico.

While the water remains discoloured, a run-in tide will probably be the better tide to

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02 6686 2527 Page 30 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

try your luck with, but if by a small miracle it starts to clear, a run-out tide may be an option.

At this time of the year, an early morning tide is usually the larger one, so try having an early night and use a bigger run-in tide to your advantage, spread your gear out and see if you can locate crabs on the move.

I would suggest trying the deeper sections, as there may be a little more saltwater in those areas under the layer of freshwater.

Bass have had a hard time in recent months with all the rain.

The fishing had started to settle, and better numbers of fish were showing up on reaction lures such as spinnerbaits and chatterbaits.

Dark-coloured skirts with gold blades seem to be getting the most attention, but a number of fish have also been landed by those using football jigs in darker colours.

Unfortunately, this latest bout of rain will put bass off temporarily, but I’m sure they will be as keen and hungry as ever in no time.

Offshore fishing has been difficult, and this has mainly been due to the raging current pushing down the east coast.

Mahi mahi have been hanging around the fish aggregating devices as you would expect, but live bait have been tough to find on the close reefs given the amount of dirty water pushed out there.

A number of boats have managed to find better quality mahi mahi out wider on current or temperature change lines, where larger fish having been holding.

Small-skirted lures have been best to target

them with, but a number of fish have also taken a fancy to small hard-body lures trolled slowly.

This the time of the year is when we get to see small black marlin, and with a few local boats already reporting captures – and great reports coming from north of us – this is only going to get better over the next couple of months.

You will definitely need the heavy gear if you are planning to chase these majestic pelagic fish, with most fish taking 8-12” skirted lures trolled around from the 32-fathom line, and out as far as the 48-fathom line, depending on current and temperature changes on the day.

A few boats have taken the risk and headed out wider, and on a number of days they have found the current to be slower than it is in close.

On those days, quality snapper, kingfish and amberjack have come from 48-75 fathoms for anglers using bait species such as squid, mullet fillet and fresh cut slimies and yakkas.

Knife jigs have also worked well in the heavy current, but most anglers have had to jump up to 300-500g jigs to get to the bottom.

Brighter colours are working a little better at the moment, but weight has been the critical factor to success.

Your primary objective should be getting your lure in the strike zone when you’re drifting over the top of the pinnacle or reef you’re targeting.

Well, that’s about all from me for this month.

Until next time, tight lines!

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 31

Dirty river provides alternative options

D

UE to the endless amount of dirty water spewing from the Clarence River since Christmas, the best fishing has been concentrated offshore around the headlands and along our beautiful beaches.

Sure, there’s reasonable fishing to be had in the lower reaches within 1-2km of the river mouth but when you get further upriver, it’s catfish central.

Every time clean water looks to be pushing back upstream, we get another downpour above Grafton that sends more mud our way, which is the last thing you want for good fishing.

When the initial dirt came down, there were jewfish busting off the point of the Iluka wall, as you would expect them to.

However, the swell prevented fishing

Just Jew

by TYE PORTER

for nearly a week, by which time the bulk of the fish had moved on.

Mischa and a friend did wet a line on the point during this period and returned home with a couple of nice school jew after being busted off by a few larger fish.

Since then, the sharks arrived in big numbers and when I say big numbers, I mean it.

It was not unusual to see several hundred of the toothy critters slashing into baitfish on the surface of the water.

It appears that the longer the dirty water hangs around, the more sharks there are.

For the time being, this will kill off any chance of pulling a jewfish out of there.

Even throwing hardbody and soft plastic

lures inside the river along the wall will see you hook either a large chopper tailor or a huge shark.

So, if I was you, at the moment I’d be throwing the cheapest lure you have in your tackle box.

Don't get me wrong, sharks do feed alongside jewfish in normal conditions, as I have seen many times over the years, but given the large number of them here currently, jew have gone elsewhere for a feed.

This happens every year during winter, even in clean water when I’m fishing the lower reaches of the main arm of the river for jew.

At this time all you hear at night are hundreds of sharks jumping and you can't buy a

While no decent jewfish have been taken from the Iluka wall during the recent dirty water event, there has been heaps of sizeable tailor hitting lures of all types.

Page 32 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

bite from jew, only the taxman.

I soon learnt that when this happens, it pays to search smaller back channels and arms of the river, as jew move into these locations to feed away from sharks, which makes sense.

Main and Back beaches have been fishing reasonably well for solid tailor around the 2kg mark on cut flesh bait.

While out around the rocks at Woody Head and at the southern end of the Iluka Bluff, nice choppers are being taken on metal slugs and hard-body lures.

The Bluff has also been producing a few nice school jew on 6” soft plastics and hardbody lures, along with plenty of small turrum trevally when the swell allows access to the rocks.

Several spanish mackerel have already been boated offshore at Woody Head and plenty of their smaller spotted cousins, so things are shaping up for a half decent pelagic season from the rocks as soon as the sharks clear out.

I haven't fished since October due to failing health, but I am going to try to get out to the wall for a final hurrah this land-based season with my trusty Alvey and popper, all things being equal.

February is the month that land-based spots such as 40 Foot at Evans Head really begin to fire for tuna and mackerel, with the action moving down to Iluka at the end of February and early March.

The beach up along Shark Bay has been providing anglers with excellent feeds of big whiting and tarwhine on beachworms and pipis, and nearly every bit of good water is holding plenty of mullet.

The mullet are a good sign for those who chase jew.

Shallow dead-end gutters are the places to be casting 3-4” soft plastics for a nice feed of flathead.

Inside the Clarence, plenty of pan-sized flathead can be found along the weed beds and rock walls, while solid whiting can still be caught around the southern bank of Goodwood Island, but at the moment any further upstream seems to be a waste of time due to dirty water.

The bottom line is that February will see a lot more rain, which in turn will provide more dirty water, so we anglers will have to adapt accordingly and maybe even start thinking outside the box.

When all else fails, dare to be different and try something new, as it may be the thing that sees you going home with a good feed while others navigate the drive-thru.

Regardless of your choice, be extra vigilant around breakwalls and rocks because fresh water puts an extra slippery coating of slime on the rocks, which makes a normally safe wet rock a disaster waiting to happen.

Until next month, safe fishing!

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Having your tackle organised in neat trays and boxes will make fishing trip preparation much easier and quicker.

Line sorted according to type and line strength.

Tackle storage tips I N recent months we have been faced with strong winds, big seas and even COVID-19 lockdowns limiting fishing options.

So what can you do?

Sort out your fishing tackle, of course!

In this article I outline a number of fishing tackle storage and preparation strategies I use so I’m well placed to find the gear I want in a hurry.

By organising your gear by species, colour or water depth specific tackle or storage boxes you will be much better placed to hit the water in a hurry.

Similarly, on the water you will catch more fish by having everything organised and not in a jumbled mess.

Rods and reels One of the best yet simple bits of fishing organisation I’ve done in recent years is with pen and paper.

That is, I bought a little notebook and wrote down all my reel types and what brand and size line and leader I had on them, and the age of the line if I knew it.

In fact, I even went to my local stationery store and bought an erasable pen. www.bnbfishing.com.au

Fishing Tips

by SEAN THOMPSON

This way when I replace line on a reel, I can simply erase what was there before.

I do this regularly when I swap leader.

It can be so hard and a bit of a lucky dip to remember what leader you put on what reel at times.

This does away with that guesswork.

When it comes to the age of the line, for reels I use regularly or where the line is getting low on the reel, I will make a decision on whether to just top it up or if it is a year or two old, replace it altogether.

Even if you don’t do this, at the very least look after your line and never store your reels in direct sunlight.

Another tip is to trim the first metre or two of line after big sessions, particularly around rugged structure, as wear and tear on the line will weaken it.

When it comes to rods, I like to store my rods vertically in rod racks with reels removed.

This avoids leaning rods against a wall under pressure, potentially resulting in bent tips, particularly if they are rigged up.

I give my reels a gentle spray and dry them off after a saltwater session, and back off the drags before storing them.

Line storage For storage of my spare line, braid and leader, I like to place them in line strength order in a set of twin drawers from Bunnings.

In fact, I have a few of these stackable drawers from Bunnings in the ‘All Set’ brand.

They have horizontal twin drawers – which are a good size and shape to fit spools of line – vertical twin drawers and single drawer units.

All are less than $10 each and a great storage option.

When considering fluorocarbon leader, I love the Stealth range from Platypus – for both their quality and * continued P34

Avoid a mixed mess of sinkers by sorting them by size.

The author’s tackle tray full of terminal tackle for light-line species.

Even accessories such as knives, scissors and pliers can be stored and organised easily and cheaply.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 33

Tackle storage tips * from P33

Whiting rigs with matching portable tackle boxes ready for the next session.

Soft plastics sorted by colour can make choosing your next lure much quicker and easier.

Tailor rigs sorted by sinker size.

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strength for such a thin diameter line, and also the fact they come with a line tamer.

This stops loose spools of line coming off in your storage containers.

Terminal tackle While many people prefer the big portable tackle boxes, I’ve never been a fan, particularly the hinged-drawer types that pull out.

One false move and the lot is a mess on the ground and in the box.

Apart from that, they are big and bulky to carry.

Instead I like to use smaller portable tackle boxes.

The smallest ones are great to carry a few sinkers, hooks, swivels, beads and such for a session on the beach or sand flats.

I use the bigger tray boxes with around 1824 dividers in my boat to cover a variety of options, and hook and sinker ranges.

I separate the sinkers and hooks and mark their size with a marker pen in their individual cube.

For example, I carry one tray for lighter-line species such as whiting and one for bigger, and another for heavier-gear species similar to snapper and reef fish.

I also keep a ‘mothership’ or two of sinkers at home in my cupboard, which I will draw from to top-up these trays and boxes from time to time.

Sorting them into size will avoid the situation where you are searching through a mess of different sized sinkers thrown together and not knowing what is what.

For spare packets of hooks, swivels, beads and red tubing, I also

have a separate container to store them all neatly and to access easily.

Lures and rigs Additionally, when it comes to my pre-made rigs, I prefer to have them sorted neatly and organised.

As an example, I keep a mix of winter, summer and deep-water whiting rigs wrapped around pieces of pool noodles cut in half for a smaller diameter in Tupperware containers, together with matching small tackle boxes.

This way I can grab them and go when the wind and tide are right.

The same goes for my tailor rigs.

I make up tailor rigs and wrap aluminium foil around the ganged hooks and coil the line and sinker inside small snap-lock sandwich bags.

These are then sorted by sinker size in a few very convenient and organised Black Magic Deep Utility boxes.

For my hard-bodies, I like to sort them in tackle trays according to the depth at which they dive.

I sort them into shallow, medium and deep diving trays.

This way if I’m trolling shallow water for flathead, I have a mix of colours and brands to choose from within the one tray.

Of course, I will carry a couple of thin trays for different depths all neatly stored together in a bigger storage container with spare trebles, split rings, pliers, spare leader and more.

For my tailor lures, I have a few mothership trays to take on trips, but then smaller waterproof boxes with a mix of colours and types – poppers, metals and bi-

bless lures – to carry in my shoulder bag when spinning the beach.

When it comes to soft plastics, I like to sort them in boxes according to colour.

This way when I’m on the boat and need a colour change to match the water, I can find what I need quickly and easily and get my lure back in the water.

Accessories When it comes time to make rigs, it can be frustrating to search around looking for split ring pliers, braid scissors, knives and such – again I like to have them neatly stored in the stackable drawers I mentioned earlier.

I mark each drawer with a marker pen too in terms of what is inside.

Waders and wet weather gear are also stored in their own storage crates and near the rest of my gear, so when I’m packing for a trip I don’t forget them.

Finally, I keep my beach-fishing accessories such as shoulder bags, bait boxes and belts, rulers, dry packs, worming bags and more in the one big storage crate – it’s all in the one place and ready to grab for a trip.

So there you go, I hope my storage and tackle organisation tips help you.

Remember the more organised you are off the water, the more organised you will be on the water, and as a result you will spend less time with your line out of the water when the fish are on.

For more tips, tricks and reports, jump on and like my Facebook and Instagram pages Ontour Fishing Australia.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 35

Ollie Cooper was stoked with this mud crab.

Photos: fishingnoosa.com.au

Chris Staszewski was proud of his 13kg longtail tuna taken off Noosa recently.

February fires up on Sunny Coast

W

ITH the new year in full swing, the fishing has also changed for the better along the coast.

February is often a wet month and with big swell hitting the coastal bars and beaches, it is going to be a case of adjusting your style and approach according to the conditions.

Fortunately, the coast offers so many options – if offshore is blown out, you can still fish the estuaries or freshwater.

A great thing about February is that the school holidays are over and hire boats, jet skis, kayaks and swimmers are out in fewer numbers.

The speed restrictions in the Noosa River are lifted, making getting offshore a lot faster.

Off Noosa, Halls, North, Sunshine and Chardons reefs are considered mackerel and tuna hotspots.

When you decide to chase mackerel and tuna, you are best advised to have a minimum of

Sunshine Coast

by GRANT BUDD

two rods rigged up with metal slugs.

Keep an eye out for bird activity and be on the lookout for bait breaking the surface, as something big could be just underneath it.

When you do spot the fish, remember that tuna feed into the wind, so travel upwind and wait for the fish to come to you.

If you can tell the difference between tuna and mackerel from a distance, mackerel often tolerate boats better.

Target the fish by throwing slugs around 20-40g and use spin rods rated to around 10-20lb with 20lb braid, 20lb leader and a 5000-size spin reel.

At this time of year, North Reef can hold pearl perch, maori cod, mahi mahi, snapper, cobia, jewfish, tuna, mackerel and sweetlip.

Sunshine Reef will hold quality coral trout, snapper, sweetlip, and

Page 36 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

a variety of tuna and mackerel.

Troll bait species of garfish, slimy and saury work very well when rigged with a Citer Lures chin guard.

If you are not trolling, sitting on anchor with a steady flow of berley and unweighted pilchard with bait elastic floated in the current can reap exceptional rewards.

On beaches, good whiting and dart feature all along the coast and around the various river mouths.

Worms and pipis work well on dart and bream, with trevally taking smaller soft plastics cast into the surf.

If you have a light setup then look at profiles such as the Berkley PowerBait 3” Minnow that mimic small baitfish.

These can be jigged up and left to fall again, and this method is successful on flathead,

especially around any deeper gutters.

You can also cast slugs out and let them sink before retrieving.

Yaroomba and Noosa National Park headlands, depending on rainfall, often hold small snapper and sweetlip, with bait of fresh mullet or squid getting the bites.

Wearing a decent pair of polarised sunglasses, you can often sight cast to tuna and mackerel as they swim along.

Teewah Beach is a great spot for whiting, bream and dart if using pipis and beachworms for bait with light surf outfits.

This is also a great launch area for a kayak, where you can troll for mackerel, especially as you head north and pass over small reefs.

The Noosa River has seen large catches of whiting and flathead taken from the Frying Pan, the dog beach, Munna Point and the river mouth.

Live worms and yabbies have been the choice of bait for whit-

ing, with whole whitebait on light gauge gang hooks great for flatties.

After dark, fishing a 2-hook snelled rig for mangrove jack works well, especially with a mullet strip or a live bait.

Woods Bay holds a mix of trevally, bream and bigger flathead toward the intersection of the main river channel.

Trevally are best targeted during an incoming tide and low light.

These fish will feed in packs and push bait against the banks, and if you see birds sitting around then you are probably in luck because they tend to wait for trevally.

The best lure for this style of casting has to be the Bassday Sugapen.

This lure can be skipped quickly, which fires the fish up.

You can drop this lure into the Frying Pan and clean up on whiting and bream too.

If headed upriver, be sure to throw a few crab pots in, as rain brings the crabs out. * continued P37

www.bnbfishing.com. au

February fires up on Sunny Coast * from P36

Check the tide and if it’s building, tie the pots off securely or use extra weight because they do drag.

Freshwater areas are now improving, and February is a great time to go chasing a wide range of species.

The dams should see saratoga starting to feed, as they continue to hold their young throughout January.

Bass will be taking shelter in lilies during the morning and sitting in the shade as the sun rises.

The DStyle Reserve

70mm is a great creature-style surface lure for this hunting type of fishing.

It can be lightly twitched, which sends out small vibrations and sounds like a struggling bug, which drives bass nuts.

Cast the lure under overhanging trees and branches for the best presentation.

Options include taking a trip into the Noosa everglades or going for a paddle down the Mary River.

Both of these locations are personal favourites and let you enjoy a more

relaxed approach while enjoying Mary River cod, bass, saratoga and sooty grunter.

Now for all the latest information log onto w w w. f i s h i ng n o o s a. com.au for up to date bar and fishing reports, don’t forget to drop into Davo’s Tackle World, Davo’s Boating and Outdoor in Noosa and Davo’s Northshore Bait & Tackle at Marcoola for all the right equipment, bait and advice to get you catching.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, and remember, tight lines and bent spines!

Spanish mackerel have been active off Noosa lately, and Craig Mullet added this specimen to the season’s tally.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 37

Ming dropped the casting slug right on top of this trevally, which was spotted on the sounder.

Dan luckily got in before lockdown to experience this big queenfish.

Hard yards get the rewards

W

Meagan enjoyed crazy trevally action.

> Hervey Bay > Fraser Island > Sandy Strait

HAT a wet and windy new year we’ve had in Hervey Bay. I hope everyone had a safe and joyous holiday period.

I am lucky enough to be writing this article on time, as there is currently no work with the rain and wind.

And just for good measure, throw in the COVID-19 lockdowns that have been affecting travel plans to this lovely part of the world.

I don’t mind a day or two off and when I’m fully booked, I usually

Fraser Guided Fishing

by TRI TON

hope for bad weather to give me a short break before I get back into it.

I’ve had months in the past where the fishing was good enough to ignore moderate to strong wind to get over 20 days completed in a month.

Unfortunately, the fishing hasn’t been good enough for me to justify going out in the miserable conditions, and I am not the type to force punters to fish just because I can.

Even though the majority of my regulars can handle it, and we will at times head out in horrible weather.

At this time of the year there should be plenty of surface fishing available, but it hasn’t eventuated yet.

Before Christmas we thought spotted mackerel had finally arrived, but they were gone just as quickly.

Coming back from the Christmas break, it was very difficult to locate a willing bite, especially for those booked in for half-day tours.

I even found myself donut on one half-day tour after we dropped a trevally, which was the only hook-up we had. * continued P39

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Hard yards get the rewards * from P38

Putting it into perspective, we didn’t even get a hook-up from a grinner or undersized school mackerel.

Needless to say, my ego took a beating that day.

When the weather allowed, surface feeding fish were found in good numbers.

These fish were quite a distance out and needed mild to moderate wind speeds to make it safe to access them.

They were not particularly hard to catch and took the usual presentations.

If you read my column regularly, you will recall that at this time of year I usually catch school mackerel, but

these too have been low in number.

A fantastic species for beginners and often, while we are spinning these with metal jigs, we find trevally too and catch them using the same cheap metal lures.

If the fishers are a little more experienced, bobbing plastics deep has been surprisingly successful on trout and cod.

Amazingly the water has been very clear this summer, even on a bigger tide around a full moon.

This was one of the positives from the past month.

It does, however, take more skill to produce results with this style of fishing.

Ming put in the hard yards and boated a legal coral trout.

Declan felt the power of this diamond trevally.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 39

Flavours of the month

W

Joel loves targeting mangrove jack around Bundaberg.

Tony shows off a mangrove jack taken locally.

Prawns and mud crabs have become more active after the rain.

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ITH good falls of rain together with new and full moon tides, mangrove jack and mud crabs have been a feature in the Bundaberg area over the past month.

To say the rain was welcome would be an understatement, and we need more for the benefit of both the land and the waterways.

Prawns should also become a little more active on a big tide after the rain.

With high 20C water temperature, mangrove jack have become very active and anglers are successfully targeting them in the usual locations.

Most of our creeks, rivers and estuaries have good rock or mangrove structure that this species is fond of.

I have heard reports of early morning topwater jack captures, as well as the usual fresh flesh bait caught models.

Mangrove jack are a species that many anglers have on their bucket list, while several anglers are jack specialists and target them with different techniques, such as topwater, hard-bodies and soft plastics.

The most common and probably the most traditional method of targeting jack is with the use of a fresh flesh bait strip, usually mullet.

Other fresh flesh bait species and small baitfish such as sprat can also be effective.

Land-based anglers will set themselves up on a bank adjacent to good rock formations or black bank, while boat-based anglers will

Bundaberg Region

by BRAD YOUNG

anchor up on similar features.

Though anglers may have specialist local knowledge about how and when a particular spot is fishing well, my preferred times are on the turn of the tide – either the last couple of hours of a flood or ebb tide.

The slowing tidal stream at these times provides the opportunity to get your bait close to both the structure and the bottom.

A medium weight outfit is a minimum requirement for jack, as they will put up a great fight trying to make it back to the cover they’ve been holed up in.

It is often said that a mangrove jack targets its prey by choosing the time to strike and then hit its prey after it has turned back toward the piece of structure from where it launched its attack.

As a result, a heavier leader is a must when bait fishing and luring for jack, and will help reduce losses from contact with sharp rock and oysters.

Hook size will depend on the bait type.

Your trace should be around 40-60cm and sits below a swivel and sinker, and this is the best basic rig.

For those keen on targeting jack with lures, a good starting point is your local tackle store where the staff can provide you with up-todate local advice on the lures and colours that have been working.

Bait anglers Bruce, Tony and Joel have all experienced success targeting jack over the past month, and I have learnt a lot about jack fishing from these fishers.

After a bit of a stopstart beginning to the mud crab season, the recent rain has helped muddies become a little more active and available in local creeks and rivers.

While the water temperature has increased, the rain in most areas was the missing ingredient.

After these falls, muddies were out and about and more accessible to keen crabbers.

There’s often a lot of discussion about the best type of bait when targeting mud crabs.

The usual answer at the end of the discussion is fresh is better, and oily varieties such as mullet frames or heads, mackerel frames, and chicken frames or necks work well.

Make sure you take the time to check the current crabbing regulations.

Over the next month it will still be worth targeting jack and muddies.

Prawns should become more active and bigger spanish mackerel should be appearing in good numbers offshore.

As always, I can be contacted via email at f ish nboat@bigpond. com or via mail at PO Box 5812, Bundaberg West Queensland 4670.

Until next month…

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 43

Keeping busy waiting for mud crabs

W

ELL, what a lovely start to the wet season we’re having here in southeast Queensland.

Hopefully we get a good non-damaging flood in February, as this will get everything in the rivers and ocean

Noosa to Fraser Coast

by CRAIG TOMKINSON

firing back up again.

This in turn will fire up the mud crabs to breed, move and feed.

I haven’t bothered crabbing over the holi-

My wife Donna and I have been doing little drives around home looking for birds and insects.

We keep to the quiet back roads around the Mary Valley to see owls at night and different birds and insects through the day.

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days, I leave it and the fight to get a car park at the boat ramp to the tourists.

Fishing-wise, there have been great reef fish and mackerel around, but sharks have peppered most fishos.

Though if you find a spot where the sharks are not, there’s good fishing around.

I haven’t been fishing at all, but my wife Donna and I have been doing little drives around home looking for birds and insects.

We keep to the quiet back roads and drive around the Mary Valley and our surrounding districts, looking to see owls at night and different birds and insects through the day – it’s been great fun.

I have been working on my gear and my 5m tinnie needs a few upgrades – bracing the seats – as I’ve been asked to join three other four-wheel-drives and boats to do a fishing trip to Kalumbura in Western Australia.

It has been 33 years since I was last there.

They are going in the June school holidays for four weeks, and I love going away with Donna and our four young adult kids.

The only trouble is COVID – we may be in lockdown – will see how things pan out.

I’m thinking of buying a new 200amp AC/ DC tig welder to weld alloy.

I’m tossing up between a Unimig at around $1,700 and a Renegade

for about $900, though it will probably be the Renegade, as I want to buy a new E-size argon gas bottle.

For around $480 you own it and can get up to 10 years out of it – 10 years with no rent to pay on bottle-only gas refills!

Once I have that, I’ll buy alloy to strengthen up around the seats in my tinnie so it can handle rough roads again.

Also, I’m on the hunt for a newer 4WD. I’m chasing a chopped 80 series with around a 65cm chassie extension – it has to be a 1996-97 model 4-door, auto and the 1HDFT motor with alloy tray.

When I track down the right 4WD for me, if it has no canopy frame, I will build one out of alloy and get a vinyl cover made, with racks on top to carry a 3.8m tinnie.

My plan is that when all of us go away with our wind-up van in tow, I still have the tinnie with me.

As we as a family will either go to Cape York in June, or if the borders are open to the Northern Territory, Western Australia and South Australia, and head up to Gove for a couple of days to visit a friend who lives there.

Then back to Katherine, across to Kunnannara, maybe Wyndham, then up the Gibb River, to Kaumbaru, to McGowens Beach Camp for a two-day pitstop, then back to Derby and down the Western Australia coast to Exmouth, as my niece lives there.

Then we’ll see how much time we have left

before we plan what else we’ll do.

I guess, as for many people, I’m thinking, planning, dreaming of our next holiday for when there are no restrictions.

I had fitted new cooling fans to my 100L Trailblaza and 95L Gecko fridges – both were 1200mm computer fans spinning at 3500rpm and pushing out 160cfm – they push the air around the motors.

But only the Trailblaza wiring system could handle the more powerful fan and it worked great, but the Gecko 95L upright fridge would run for a little while then overload and cut out.

So I had to take the new fan off and fit the older less powerful 1200rpm fan from the Trailblaza to the Gecko upright fridge.

The fridges have the wiring already set up for the extra fan, so I don’t know why the fan wasn’t fitted.

My computer guru brother-in-law Steve told me how to hook the fan into the wiring and away it went – now the fan cuts out when the compressor stops.

I plan on doing more crabbing once the school holidays are over.

If it floods in the Noosa River and is a cracker, pushing the crabs downriver, I’ll crab at Tin Can Bay, as that place comes alive with a big coastal flood.

Now that the Coondoo Bridge is above floodwater level, we can get to Tin Can Bay easier.

Until next month, be safe whatever you do.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 45

It’s child’s play A

Slade was happy after fighting and landing a whopper.

Even the little catches are good fun and should be celebrated.

Slade with his first legal bream landed on his Okuma combo.

Page 46 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

SK a bunch of anglers how they got into fishing and you’ll probably find many have the same response – catching a bream landbased with family or friends.

This scenario was probably my entry into fishing too.

I have been lucky enough to help a bunch of kids catch their first fish land-based in the decades that have followed.

In this article, I want to give you a few tips for helping kids land fish.

Kids fishing After taking our nephew Slade fishing a while back, he has been keen to go again.

The first trip was night fishing off a pontoon – Slade fished hard, jigging his ZMan 2.5” Slim SwimZ until it was eaten by a yellowtail pike, and there were big smiles as he was photographed with his catch.

He was keen to catch a whopper that he could take home for dinner, and a spur of the moment session saw us at the pontoon again.

An hour before dark, we were rigged up for bream, fishing the only bait we had at hand – the leftover chips from his McDonalds Happy Meal.

When it comes to bream, our favourite bait species would be saltwater yabbies, flesh bait such as mullet or garfish, and gut bait such as mullet or chook gut.

Bream are known to eat what they can find

Tackle Tactics

by JUSTIN WILLMER

though, so we rigged up with a #1 running ball sinker, swivel, 30cm leader and a #6 longshank hook.

We threaded the chip on as we would a worm and it was time to fish.

It’s important to make sure the rod combo works properly so kids don’t get frustrated.

We used a nice Okuma LRF 5’ spin rod, Alaris 20 size reel and 10lb Platypus Super 100 mono – a combo I would happily fish with myself.

We fished on the boat ramp and close to the pontoon because fish hold under the structure – and fish on!

A tiny bream was landed for a photo, followed by another two around the same size.

I was throwing a few pieces of chip into the water for berley, which was releasing oil while the chip held well on the hook as bait.

Slade asked when the whopper would arrive, and I told him that as it gets darker bigger fish sneak in to hunt and forage around structure.

A bite, the rod buckled over and a solid fish ran away from the pontoon before turning and running straight back under it, shredding the line and escaping.

Slade’s stood there, eyes wide open and smiled.

I could see that even though he had lost the fish, in that moment he had fallen in love with

the sport as I had done years before.

A couple of minutes later he was hooked up again and battling the whopper.

This time he landed it – a 28cm bream was safely on the pontoon.

When asked if he wanted to keep it or let it go, as it was his first ‘keeper’, he decided to take it home for dinner, with tomato sauce of course.

He has since phoned and planned to fish again next weekend.

Fishing tips for kids Keep the session short and around a peak bite time.

Make it fun and celebrate even the smallest catches.

Make sure the fishing gear is working properly to avoid frustration.

Be prepared for the odd snag or tangle and keep your cool.

Gathering bait can be just as much fun as fishing.

Take plenty of photos because they will treasure these memories when they’re older.

Remember, if you get the chance to take a kid fishing, be patient and take the time to make it fun, even if the fish aren’t whoppers.

The sport of fishing is much more than just the fish we catch, and we have the opportunity to share this awesome journey with others.

See you on the water…

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 47

Ian Nowell and his red emperor.

A rematch at 1770 Stefan with a nice parrotfish caught by the tail on a bait jig.

S

John Nowell and the 6kg coral trout that put a smile on his face.

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 Darren (0413 511 436) or Robin (3269 5013).

POWER BOAT ANGLERS REEF FISHING CLUB INC Page 48 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

TEFAN Slomka received a call from his friend Ian wanting to do an overnighter because predicted conditions in a few days’ time were looking prime.

After checking maps and pondering weather forecasts it was decided to make it a Seventeen Seventy rematch after their successful trip around the same time last year.

Ian's son John joined them on the sortie, keen to catch his first coral trout.

They watched the weather nervously though fortunately it was to get better and better, according to the Bureau of Meteorology, so the trip was a goer.

Stefan was up around 3am to head to Rainbow Beach to meet with Ian and John for the trip north.

It was an uneventful trip except for the torrential rain they encountered, which dumped plenty of water on the road.

Thankfully, mainly due to a good Christmas, they had plenty of weight aboard, so there were no aquaplaning problems.

On arrival at 1770, it took around half an hour to fill up due to the crowds, but time was on their side as they

Power Boat Anglers

by MICK CLUTTERBUCK

had planned a double overnighter to make the most of the occasion.

After launching they spent a little time in the creek trying out Ian’s new electric motor.

It took a bit of playing around with to get it worked out, though it was well worth the effort.

Once outside they tried a couple of marks in close but could only manage a few grinners, which are good bait for red emperor, so not a total loss.

The next spot looked better and the team put a nice feed of squire in the Esky, while John caught the first red for the trip.

Finally, the fishers dropped the pick and settled back for the night in prime glassy conditions.

They did manage to fish for a short time but sharks taking too much gear was the prompt for hitting the hay.

They slept through the predawn bite but there were still fish around and both John and Stefan hooked trout on the first drop of the day.

John was pretty stoked to have landed his first coral trout, which wor-

ried the other anglers that he thought units over 3kg were the norm.

They persisted and landed another nice trout plus a few bits and bobs until once again the sharks arrived, forcing a move on to greener pastures.

After sounding around an area close by, Stefan found what he had been looking for with fish marking close to the bottom in a tight little school.

They dropped lines and were immediately on to a hot bite with grass sweetlip, trout and reds popping aboard in quick succession.

Ian hooked the nicest red for the trip and actually cracked a smile when it came aboard.

This session went on for about half an hour and finished off with a nice cod.

Exploring out wider, the current was not quite to Ian or John's liking, the fish weren't too keen during the middle of the day either, and after lunch the fishers headed back in a little closer.

John hooked a stonker grassie, which looked all of 6kg, but lost it at * continued P49

www.bnbfishing.com. au

A rematch at 1770

* from P48

the boat due to an undetected nick in the line.

Keep checking your rigs or it will end in tears, and to say John was devastated was an understatement.

Re-rigged and back in the water, he then hooked an even bigger fish that was snaffled 10m under the boat by the tax man, this didn’t help his mood one bit.

Heading to another spot for a little drift fishing, things started off slow but John finally hooked a nice grassie, which cheered him up slightly.

Ian decided to have a break to watch the fun as John and Stefan were on in a double hook-up.

Stefan’s was off like a steam train and he was hoping for a nice red because John had just brought his into the boat.

After a 15-minute battle plus a great deal of

puffing and wheezing, Stefan could finally see colour in the distance and immediately called it for a big red.

Unfortunately for him, this was a case of premature adjudication, with the fish turning out to be a massive chinaman over 1.2m long.

It was certainly a beautiful specimen when lit up bright red but not a specimen to take home and brag about.

Fishing continued, with John onto a great grassie of about 4kg, which was his personal best for the trip and helped to ease the pain of the previous losses.

Stefan dropped a bait jig down and immediately hooked onto a monster that took 10 minutes to bring to the surface on the light gear.

You wouldn't read about it, but he had foul-hooked his first ever parrotfish in the tail with one of the lit-

tle whiting hooks, and it was a dead set fluke that it stayed on.

As the day drew on more grassies were landed along with John’s cracker trout, the catch of the trip at over 6kg.

Finally, a smile that couldn't be removed from his face.

The bite was hot but with a good catch in the Esky the fishos decided to leave them biting and head home a day early, knowing they would be there next time.

Next meetings Meetings are back to the old schedule of the first Monday of the month with a 6.30pm for 7.00pm start.

The venue remains the same, so see you at ‘The Club Manly’ (bowls club), 26 Faine St Manly.

Meetings in 2021 are Monday February 1 and Monday March 1.

Until next month, safe boating.

John Nowell and a monster 4kg grass sweetlip.

Stefan and Ian with a pair of red emperor.

Citizen scientists sought to assist new mud crab research

A

NEW research project to better understand mud crab populations is underway and scientists would like recreational and commercial fishers to participate.

Department of Agriculture and Fisheries’ principal fisheries scientist Dr Julie Robins said fishers are prohibited from possessing female mud crabs in Queensland, but that fishers could help the DAF understand more about them.

“The data on the mud crab in Queensland is limited,” Dr Robins said.

“We know they are subject to heavy

www.bnbfishing.com.au

fishing pressure in regions and to black marketing, and their populations are affected by environmental events – floods and prolonged droughts with excessive temperatures.

“But we don’t know enough about many aspects of the mud crab life cycle in Queensland – east coast and Gulf of Carpentaria – such as how many mud crabs there are, how many females compared to males and where females go to spawn.

“We want to identify where migrating females release their eggs and what proportion of these females

return to estuaries post-spawning.

“Fishers in Queensland and NSW can help by reporting sightings of egg-bearing female mud crabs to us.”

Dr Robins said the research project will help to assess and sustainably manage Queensland mud crab fisheries into the future.

The project aims to: • Examine the scale and extent of genetic mixing of mud crabs in southeast Queensland and northern NSW • Tag mud crabs to provide regional estimates of growth, movement and natural

mortality, which are important factors in quantitative stock assessments • Develop a costeffective method to monitor key biological information on regional mud crab populations.

Dr Robins said an ongoing research and monitoring program would bring mud crabs into line with other fishery species regularly monitored by the Queensland Government and also inform decision-making under a harvest strategy.

The four-year research project being led by the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

is co-funded by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation and is in collaboration with Central Queensland University and the NSW Department of Primary Industries.

Fishers are reminded that it is prohibited under the Fisheries Act 1994 to possess female mud crabs.

To report an eggbearing female mud crab, take a photo, record the location and date, and report your observations, email info@daf.qld.gov.au or phone 13 25 23.

Follow Queensland Agriculture on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – @DAFQld

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 49

Queensland groper have been around, with this model taken on a Zerek Fish Trap around a deep rock bar. It was quickly released after the photo.

A solid queenfish that ate a 3” Gulp Shrimp in the Boyne River.

Hot action in the rivers and harbour

O

K, so December and January have come and gone, the festive season is over and most of us are back into the grind called work.

Many of us are not fishing as often as we’d prefer, juggling work, kids and house duties and when we do get out, it’s for possibly rushed trips with bad tides and difficult conditions.

Though the thought of saying “maybe I won’t go” never really crosses your mind, unless the

Gladstone Region

by GARY CHURCHWARD

conditions are extremely bad.

You’d probably say, “let’s just go have a look, we can find a little creek to get out of the wind and have a fish.”

It’s at these times you appreciate the truly perfect days where everything falls into place, the conditions are right and the fish are actually on the chew.

Let’s forget about the

Fingermark are suckers for vibration lures, and this one took a Zerek Fish Trap in the Calliope River.

Page 50 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

perfect scenario and go somewhere in between, when it’s blowing more than the 5-10 knots predicted but not quite 30 knots.

These are what I call the common days.

The tide is good enough and the wind – while it may make it a little difficult – is not really a bother.

Most fishing days are similar this – where you plan for the best and it doesn’t quite work out, though you still manage to snag a few fish and have fun at the same time.

It may take a bit of thinking on the water.

The spots you had in mind may not be the best spots to head to anymore.

You also need to keep in mind what the weather is going to be doing later in the day.

Places like Gladstone Harbour and Port Alma can turn from a nice run to an uncomfortable slog with a swing

of wind direction, a tide change or an increasing wind speed.

This can be especially true when you are fishing the creeks on the inside of Curtis Island, where you may be protected and not realise the changes.

That’s not to say you shouldn’t start at these spots, but you may need to cross the open water before the conditions change and head closer to home and fish more protected areas.

This will shorten the time you have to fish your preferred spots, though it gives you the opportunity to fish spots close by that you may previously just drive past.

Often these areas are so obvious that everyone thinks they get lots of attention, when in reality it can be the total opposite.

If you’re a dedicated lure angler and you’re faced with average conditions, you can change tactics and drop a live bait into a snag, the edge or a rock bar.

It could be the chance to explore those little

out of the way creeks you have always wanted to try but never have.

On the fishing front, barramundi are back on the cards as at the start of the month, so get your bigger lures out and change your trebles.

The Fitzroy River and Port Alma will definitely be the best places to consistently chase barra of all sizes.

We had rain during December and early January, but not enough to send the river into flood.

This will see fish stretched through the whole system, so time on the water and persistence will be the keys to finding fish.

Threadfin salmon will also be roaming around the entire river.

Try Port Alma for bigger fish, where the city regions to Devils Elbow seem to hold smaller school size fish.

Both the Calliope and Boyne rivers gave up barra to people chasing mangrove jack during the closed season. * continued P51

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Hot action in the rivers and harbour * from P50

Now that they’re back on the target list, people will be out pursuing them in deeper holes with larger lures and live bait species.

Smaller fish will be caught around shallow timber and rock bars.

Gladstone Harbour holds good schools of fish too, the trick is to find where they are sitting.

Mangrove jack will still be a common capture this month and the Boyne River holds good quantities of this fish.

Reports are they have been happy to hit surface lures, and this is a spectacular way to target jack.

Fingermark or golden snapper have also been a regular take around the region, with cracking fish being caught.

I am often asked where to catch fingermark and my answer is they are one of the easiest fish to target, with almost any deep rocky structure holding fish.

You may have to be prepared to move a bit to find where they’re holding, but you’re always looking for the same kind of location to fish.

If you can find one, often there will be more in the same area and it’s easy to catch two or three in quick succession.

Trevally and queenfish are moving around the area taking most offerings, but surface luring is a great way to target these fish.

Look for schools of herring sitting in www.bnbfishing.com.au

slightly deeper water or around pressure points such as creek and river junctions and the back of rock bars and pylons.

Tarpon are worth a crack in the Boyne River too.

There are better numbers of tarpon in the Boyne than the Calliope, but you will find schools in both rivers.

Flathead will be worth a crack along the edges of sand banks in the harbour and the mouth of South Trees – which comes out at Lilley’s Beach – and Wild Cattle Creek.

Whiting will be caught in the same

spots as flathead and I prefer to fish the rising tide as water covers the flats.

Lake Awoonga is fishing extremely well, and now the size of fish are increasing with multiple fish per session becoming the norm.

It is a great alternative to fishing the salt for barra.

Mud crabs were moving around during January and the fresh helped this, with most crabbers able to secure a feed or two.

Prawns have also been around for those after bait or a feed themselves.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 51

BOATING & marine Insights into boat insurance

The questions to ask before buying a new boat

H

ERE’S a great piece of advice for anyone considering buying a new boat – before placing your order, ask the manufacturer whether the vessel has been designed specifically for the purposes you have in mind.

Further, do not sign any sales contract until you have a written answer that is satisfactory to you.

Why? Because as a boating specialist, Nautilus Marine Insurance has seen plenty of examples where the name of a boat model has caused genuine confusion about its capabilities and durability.

This has then resulted in disputes between the boat owner and the manufacturer, with the insurer occasionally becoming an additional party involved.

Words often used in manufacturers’ model descriptions such as ‘ocean’, ‘offshore’, ‘bluewater’ or ‘heavy duty’ may well lead a purchaser to believe the vessel is suitable

for use at considerable distances out to sea.

Yet when issues such as stringers separating from the hull have occurred, the same manufacturers who were happy to use such terms in their model designations have stated the name itself was not a guarantee the boat could perform in those conditions.

Where does that leave the purchaser?

Most times in a difficult position.

Consumer law references items as needing to be ‘fit for purpose’.

In other words, if an item is claimed by the manufacturer to perform with certain characteristics, then it should deliver on those claims.

If it doesn’t, the door is opened for the consumer to seek redress.

This is where asking a boat manufacturer about a vessel’s capacities to deliver on your expectations before purchasing it comes into play.

You might be an experienced offshore boatie, having crossed

No mistaking the intended use of these boats.

the South Passage Bar around 100 times and regularly fished out on the Cathedrals east of North Stradbroke Island.

You might also regularly fish the 35-fathom reef east of the South Passage Bar. You may have undertaken a formal bar crossing course with a highly credentialled instructor and be aware of your skill levels and limitations.

You might also want to tow your boat 500km to Seventeen Seventy and fish about 80km east of there.

Is this boat suitable for that type of use?

While no manufacturer can guarantee their vessel will perform perfectly in every condition encountered every day of the year in those places, the manufacturer nonetheless should be able to give a clear indication of whether or not the vessel was designed and built to a manufacturing standard intended to accommodate that sort of use.

Asking the question removes the situation where you are referring to ‘offshore’ as the deep blue water east of the South Passage Bar, while the manufacturer is claiming that ‘offshore’ means in Moreton Bay, a few kilometres offshore from the boat ramp.

So where does marine insurance come into this question?

It may be via an insurance claim where the boat is damaged in what the owner describes as ‘normal use’, but which the manufacturer claims was used well outside the parameters of its design.

Nautilus Marine Insurance’s assessors have in the past brought repeated examples of stringer failure in a specific model to the attention of the manufacturer.

In each instance the manufacturer had separately said the damage suffered was not covered by warranty.

Nautilus Marine Insurance said repeated examples of a failure in the one model of boat, when clearly the model name carried certain implications about its capabilities, warranted a re-think of response by the manufacturer.

To its credit, the manufacturer did subsequently cover the cost of repairs.

Another indication is to look at pricing.

In an ultra-competitive market such as aluminium and alloy boats, two boats of approximately the same size and layout from two different manufacturers might have two greatly different prices.

The question becomes why?

Occasionally the answer is in how the floor is constructed, how the ribbing is braced, the specification grade of the aluminium or alloy and the methods of manufacture.

The end result could be that one was designed for very rugged use and repeated offshore pounding, whereas the other was built as an economical, value-for-money runabout in relatively sheltered waters.

It’s similar to comparing a soft all-wheeldrive vehicle with a hardcore 4x4 with low range and locking differentials.

Clearly, the two models have different capabilities off-road.

Therefore, the smart choice is to establish with the manufacturer before any purchase is made, whether the vessel you are considering is fit for the purposes you have explained.

When it comes to marine insurance, always check your Product Disclosure Statement and if you have a query, ask your insurer for clarification.

Any special conditions and excesses should always be explained clearly in your insurance policy’s PDS. For further information on boat insurance requirements, contact Nautilus Marine Insurance on 1300 780 533.

Advice in this article is general and might not apply or be right for you. Before acting on it, consider its appropriateness having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs.

Nautilus Marine Insurance is a business name of NM Insurance Pty Ltd ABN 34 100 633 038 AFSL 227 186 (NM Insurance), the issuer of Nautilus Marine Boat Insurance. Consider the Product Disclosure Statement at nautilusinsurance.com.au before deciding whether to purchase a policy.

Page 52 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 53

BOATING & marine

Honda BF30 20-years on and still going strong

B

OOKING my 30hp Honda outboard in for a service recently, I was asked the year of manufacture and surprised myself when I realised this engine had been sitting on the

Fishing for Sport

by NEIL SCHULTZ

transom of my boat for 20 years.

In that time, the Honda has pushed the boat

After 20 years sitting on the author’s transom, the Honda BF30 is still going strong and a true testament to the Honda brand.

around an extensive range of environments and scenarios along the eastern side of the continent.

The earliest outings were to far north Queensland and the Atherton Tablelands, where stunningly large barramundi came over the gunwales when trolling freshwater lakes.

In the same region, we ventured westward to the Mitchell River in pursuit of sooty and coal grunter in slow flowing tea-tree and pandanus-lined billabongs.

Closer to home, the Honda proved up to

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the task leaping on the plane to chase flighty schools of longtail tuna on Moreton Bay. Blue water trolling for spanish mackerel and smaller versions can be taxing on fuel supplies, but the Honda was pleasingly frugal after long days towing lures around at six knots.

We've also pressed the Honda into service in skinny water in the upper Murrumbidgee River, where the motor needed to be trimmed to push us over shallow rapids in search of green fish.

Chasing Murray cod also saw the Honda clock long hours trolling at idle speed in freshwater lakes, including the snag-strewn water of Lake Mulwala in Victoria.

Drifting along tidal estuaries while casting lures to snags in search of various critters ranging from flathead and estuary perch on the mid-NSW coast to mangrove jack, barramundi and trevally in the tropics saw the Honda idling in neutral and occasionally clicked into gear to reposition the boat.

The BF30 technical specifications – it’s a three-cylinder, triple carburetted, 552cc with a single overhead cam and two valves per cylinder.

The dry weight of the long-shaft model is 72kg, which is comparable to competitors who claim their en-

gines to be the lightest on the market.

Newer models are available with power or gas assisted trim and tilt on the tiller arm, where my old 2000 model is manually operated for both functions.

From the factory, mine came with a 9 7/8 x 12 alloy propeller, which works well on my rig but if you’re carrying heavy loads you may want to look at a shorter pitch for quicker hole shots.

In short, the BF30 Honda has proven to be exceptionally reliable and has started without hesitation, even after I had it sitting in the shed unused for 12 months when I fished exclusively from the kayak.

The smooth quiet operation is outstanding, making days on the water worry free and allowing my granddaughters and I to indulge in a bit of wildlife spotting.

Fuel economy is miserly, regardless of what type of operation is required on the day.

Idling while either trolling or drifting uses so little fuel that I fish for days without checking the fuel tank.

My second outboard from this manufacturer, with reliability like this you can bet my next will be another Honda.

I simply cannot find fault with the BF30, and I am very demanding of my equipment.

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Gamakatsu Single Lure Hook Heavy Duty

THE Single Lure Hook Heavy Duty is a tin-coloured, super heavy-duty hook for poppers, stickbaits and even trolling lures.

The hook features a 90-degree eye and an inline hook point.

Built to a 3x strong rating, this is an excellent hook for giant trevally, coral trout and kingfish.

It has the strength to stand up to all fishing situations.

The hook has a large eye to ensure it swings freely on the larger split rings used on casting lures.

It also features the Magic Eye feature, which makes it easier to apply and less likely to damage your split ring, as the ring doesn’t have to be opened as far to slide the hook on.

The Single Lure Hook Heavy Duty is available is four sizes, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0 and 7/0, which features a forged super sharp conical hook point for fast easy penetration.

For more information visit gamakatsu. com.au

Bassday Crystal Popper 70

BASSDAY are a high-quality Japanese lure manufacturer producing a range of

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lures to suit inshore and offshore fishing.

The Crystal Popper 55 has been in the line-up for years.

It’s perfect for anglers looking for a small yet heavy lure that casts a mile with a small profile.

They have now added a 70 version.

This popper is perfect for any angler who wants to cast a small lure into a bait school in the distance.

The Crystal Popper 70 is made from a solid resin sinking body that casts long and accurately all day.

The body is clear and impregnated with reflective tape or glitter to deliver a standout appearance in the water.

The Crystal Popper 70 is 70mm long, and strong and dependable.

It weighs 10.5g and casts exceptionally well for a small lure.

It comes rigged with two trebles and is designed to be retrieved along the surface, imitating a fleeing baitfish.

Visit bassday.com.au or facebook.com/ BassdayAus for more information

The new lure will sit alongside the existing rubber vib and minnow lures and will be the start of an expansive range in this new construction.

It will be available in 10 of the Atomic colours you have come to love.

The Semi Hardz Soft Pop 50 weighs in at 4.6g, while the Soft Pop 75 at 10.2g.

Visit atomiclures.com.au or jump on Facebook.com/atomiclures for more information.

ATC Virtuous Carbon Fibre

New Atomic Semi Hardz Soft Pop 50 and 75

THE Atomic Semi Hardz range is expanding with the addition of a soft touch, extremely life-like popper.

The new lure will come in a 50 and 75mm model of the extremely popular Pop 50 in the Hardz range.

The new construction is a soft, hollow rubber with a hard face.

The lure spits water forward like a normal popper, but it will be the construction of the body, in a soft real-feel design that will see fish coming back again and again.

The Virtuous Carbon Fibre is the ultimate combination of rigid and light weight spinning reels.

Featuring a dual drag system that applies pressure from the bottom and the top of the spool to provide a powerful and smooth drag performance, the Virtuous CF is ready to take on record fish.

Constructed with a full carbon fibre body and rotor, these lightweight reels are equipped with an aluminium spool fitted with a tournament-grade carbon washer drag system.

The handle has also been designed to provide greater ergonomics while still keeping the weight to a minimum, with a mini EVA handle for ultimate sensitivity.

The 10+1 ball bearings add an overall smooth touch to the reel that has to be felt to be believed.

Available in 800, 2000 and 3000 sizes, there’s a Virtuous CF to suit many angling situations.

For more information, visit wilsonfish ing.com

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 55

Ewan with a nice nannygai caught around the Hexham Island Group. This fish was caught on squid and pilchard.

Dedicated anglers have managed a few black jewfish in recent weeks.

Black jewfish make a comeback

H

Grunter are a great fish for younger anglers, and can be found throughout the Stanage Bay area.

Solid bream will always put a smile on young anglers’ faces.

Page 56 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

I to all from Stanage Bay. I wish everyone all the very best for the new year and hope you had a great Christmas break.

No one knows what this COVID-19 thing is doing or about to do, but I am sure if we all work together and adhere to government guidelines, we will eventually get on top of it.

There is still not much to report from Stanage.

Crabbing was very quiet over Christmas even though we had over 260mm of rain by early January.

This should help a bit in coming months, but we need a lot more rain to give the waterways a good flushing and get the crabs moving again.

If you are coming to Stanage to catch crabs, you will lift your chances by having good

Stanage Bay

by JOHN GLANFORD

quality heavy duty crab pots.

The pots must lay on the bottom and not be hung up on mangroves and branches because if this happens you limit your chances of catching anything.

A crab pot not set properly could be washed out of the creek due to the large tides here.

This could also happen during heavy rain at low tide.

Stanage Bay Marine sells crab pots at competitive prices – they are suitable for this area and are proven crab catchers.

Now that the black jewfish season is open again, we are getting a heap of people visiting

to catch this species, and they certainly are catching them.

It’s great fun and on a reasonable non-gusty day, the spot for them is only a few hundred metres off the ramp.

These fish are getting caught mainly on dead squid and pilchard, though if you are able to use live bait, even better.

If catching jew, remember the new rules of one per person, with two the maximum for a boat possession limit.

Possession limits include your storage at home and are different from a daily limit.

We’ve had good reports of trout being caught around the is* continued P57

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Black jewfish make a comeback * from P56

lands off Stanage by fishers using both lures and dead bait, but unfortunately for the anglers there are not many reef species being caught.

That said, the weather hasn’t been very kind, with a lot of wind over the Christmas period keeping boats from getting out.

There always seems to be grunter, bream and other fish in the local area, which is a great way for the young and not-so-young to spend a day.

The road into Stanage has been getting quite chopped up after the rain, with plenty of traffic going over it.

There was a single vehicle accident on the

road after Christmas that closed it for hours while emergency services attended.

This is not something anyone wants to see or hear about at any time, let alone a person going to or from a holiday destination.

Please drive to the conditions when coming into Stanage.

Currently a lot of work is being done on the road in, so please keep an eye out for workers when driving through.

Stanage is a quiet little fishing village that welcomes fishing groups and families to come and enjoy the atmosphere and tranquillity of the area, whether camping close to the beach or staying in a well-appointed rental.

Black jewfish are on the target list again, but anglers must follow the new guidelines when chasing these iconic fish.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 57

Matty Arnold with a tank impoundment barramundi from Lake Maraboon.

The torture is over

n Gearing up for barramundi The author’s son Braxy and his ripper Corrooman Creek fingermark.

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FREE Hop on to bnbfishing.com.au Page 58 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

I

T feels like five years ago that the saltwater east coast barramundi season closed.

I’ve done my best to fill the void by hitting the impoundments and putting time into other species, though the truth of the matter is I’ve suffered with the closure, as have most barra nuts.

But now it’s time to sharpen those trebles as we prepare for the 2021 barra season!

The biggest news on the Capricorn Coast is we have the Shimano King of Kings tournament in February.

It’s a different style of competition than what we’re accustomed to.

There is a long list of species that you can target – from red emperor and coral trout on the reefs to barramundi and threadfin salmon in the estuaries.

The three biggest prize pools to target are giant trevally, barra and threadies – worth a whopping $5,000 each.

With 21 target spe-

Capricorn Coast

by JOHN BOON

cies, 35 categories and three gold crowns to be won, the best part is the rules are very simple.

You fish in a team of three and have to catch your two biggest fish for that particular species.

If the combined length is the most for that species out of the entire field, you take the prize.

It kicks off midnight Thursday February 4 and closes 10am Sunday February 7.

Around two and a half days to catch two fish is going to be awesome.

The total prize pool is over $40,000, with $15,000 for random giveaways.

You don’t even need to catch a fish to take home an amazing prize.

You can follow the action on Facebook if you search the King of Kings tournament.

Watch this space for a

full report next month.

So, what’s been happening locally?

We’ve had a bit of rain but at this stage not enough to give us a decent run in the Fitzroy River.

We desperately need a minor flood to get the lagoons running, because we’ve had decent recruitment of barra this year.

The little barra need to make their way up into the lagoons and the bigger barra need to make their way back down into the salt.

Before the closure last season, I had never seen so many little barra in the river – a great sign for the future.

Threadies should ramp up this month, as we get closer to breeding season, though there’s not been a lot on social media and even the guides have men* continued P59

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The torture is finally coming to an end * from P58

tioned it has been a bit quiet.

I believe April and May to be the pick of the months for big threadies, so make sure all your gear is up to scratch.

I made a trip to Emerald recently to catch up with good friends Matthew Arnold and Luke Peisker and to chase big impoundment barra at Lake Maraboon (Fairbairn Dam).

I’m very lucky Matty is a seasoned fisher at Maraboon, so it was great to throw the gear in the boat and let his experience take us to the fish.

It was a wicked couple of days, with plenty of barra landed between 91-118cm.

Lucky Luke got the biggest barra of the trip at 118.5cm.

The trip had it all – banter, celebrations, tantrums, bust-offs and pulled hooks – everything a good barra trip is made of.

It was great to catch up once again, so a big thank you to Matty for playing guide.

Corrooman Creek has been fishing well on a smaller tide when the water cleans up.

There’s so much bait in there at the moment, mainly greenback herring.

We had one throw with the cast net off the boat ramp pontoon and filled the net – heaps of fresh bait for the day.

I had my young son Braxy with me and he

did well, putting a nice fingermark and flathead in the Esky for fresh fish that night.

Plenty of reports have been coming through of fingermark, which is no surprise with the amount of herring throughout the creek.

Mud crabs have been running hot, but unfortunately so have the thieves.

Corrooman has been especially bad.

I’ve had three different friends tell me about pots being slashed and zip ties being cut off trap doors.

This poor behaviour needs to stop.

There has to be a way to control it, but how is the question.

Out on the offshore grounds, spanish mack-

erel seem to be firing.

Fish in the 10-15kg class have been common and in my opinion are the best size to eat.

The return you get off a fish that size will fill the freezer up quick.

Not much beats a bit of mackerel steak, salt, lemon and garlic on the barbecue – makes me hungry writing this.

The anglers who have been catching them have been using very simple methods.

Trolling hard-body lures such as Rapala XRaps and RMG Crazy Deeps with about 10” of single strand wire has been popular.

Dedicated fishos have also done well by floating pilchard out on ganged hooks.

Well that’s it from me for this month.

I’m going to prep the rods for the King of Kings comp.

Catch you next month.

This is the kind of quality anglers will be targeting in the King Of Kings competition.

Queensland fishing authorities fine black market wholesaler

A

UTHORITIES in Queensland are ramping up the fight against illegal fishing and have had one crabber’s boat crushed and a seafood wholesaler fined $24,000 recently.

On finding hidden compartments designed to conceal mud crabs onboard an illegally modified fishing boat, authorities had it reduced to recycling material.

In addition, the Queensland government issued a reminder on the consequences of breaching strict fishing regulations and the owner was fined $6,000 in the Brisbane Magistrates Court.

Fisheries Minister Mark Furner said the seizure and destruction of the 3.7m boat followed a 2019 operation by the Queens-

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land Boating and Fisheries Patrol targeting an illegal crabber in the Brisbane River area.

“The fisher had modified the seats of the vessel to create concealed compartments where our officers found regulated mud crabs,” Mr Furner said.

“In handing down the penalty, the court noted the impact the vessel modifications had on the safety of the vessel and its occupants.

“This person had received previous infringement notices and knew very well that taking female and undersized crabs was against the law.

“We’ve done this as a deterrent, aimed at protecting jobs in both the commercial and recreational fishing sectors and building a sustainable fishery for future generations.”

Additionally, a Brisbane seafood wholesaler was fined around $24,000 for aiding in the sale of fish on the

Fisheries Queensland presented video evidence to the Brisbane Magistrates Court.

black market.

The seafood wholesaler had helped two recreational fishers sell spanish mackerel, yellowfin tuna and wahoo without a licence.

Showing the owner receiving fish in exchange for cash, Fisheries Queensland presented video evidence to the Brisbane Magistrates Court.

The two recreational fishers were fined $4,226 plus costs and placed on good behaviour orders.

The offence constituted trafficking in a priority fish under the government’s tough new fisheries laws.

“Black marketing of seafood by fishers who do not have a legitimate licence to sell fish undermines our commercial fishing industry and threatens Queensland’s reputation as a producer of high-quality seafood,” Mr Furner said.

First appeared in The Australian

The illegal crabber had modified his vessel to create concealed compartments.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 59

Des with a nice first grunter.

Des with a coral trout caught on a fresh herring.

Grunter in the estuaries

H

Cherrie was stocked with this grunter.

I all, it’s great to be back.

The fishing off Mackay’s coastline for the past few months has been very good across the board, apart from a week or two of poor weather.

Great catches of all the usual estuary tar-

f

Jason Kidd

0457 254 740 Page 60 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

Fishing Mackay

by JASON KIDD

get species for this time of year have been reported.

The more commonly targeted species by local anglers during the barramundi closure were threadfin salmon, mangrove jack, grunter and fingermark.

Threadfin salmon catches were slow while the water remained clear in creeks, but jack and fingermark sitting in holes during the build-up were ready and willing to take pretty much anything you threw at them.

Good numbers of quality grunter started to show up near the end of December.

Javelin fish, commonly known as grunter, are awesome fighting fish and when they are around 70cm plus and connected in 1.5m of water, they go!

Fishing the incoming on a bigger tide, going back to basics and soaking bait has produced the best results.

Look to fish areas with good current movement onto a type of structure, either a tree line or mud bank.

Garfish strips or a butterflied herring on the

bottom are my go-to when targeting grunter.

This species will take small vibes and soft plastics as well, but when fishing for them in shallow water with a strong run, staying in contact with your lure is difficult.

If you get yourself in front of a school of sizeable fish, it can turn chaotic quickly, with reels screaming and rods bending all over the boat.

It’s no surprise to see increased grunter numbers after the solid number of prawn schools that appeared in the weeks earlier.

Though they were a month or so late turning up – usually by November – when they did arrive and the first jelly prawns were seen spraying at the creek’s edge, it always has the same effect.

It turns things on and gets things firing across all species, and the abundance of food has all predators in feeding mode.

Threadfin salmon that were near impossible to find a few weeks earlier are now charging and

* continued P61

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Grunter in the estuaries * from P60

spraying prawns everywhere and willing to bite.

Small soft vibes like the ones from Zerek worked with an erratic action have been most successful.

Substantial rainfall across the region over the Christmas and new year period has conditions looking fantastic for the opening of the 2021 barramundi season in the Mackay region.

The rainfall was widespread and really got the creeks and rivers flowing with floodwater.

These flows are essential and great for creating new fishing locations in the estuaries.

Scouring new holes out of banks and flushing silt from the old

ones, scattering new snags of caved-in mangrove trees, logs and other debris across the estuary – they all deserve a look as things settle down and clear up.

The timely wet season will give this year’s crop of barramundi fingerlings and larvae a great chance to survive and thrive and has provided great conditions leading into the opening of the season.

After a good spawning event, the fish will be fired up, hungry and ready to take anglers offerings.

If the number of barra bust-ups and boofing in the creeks over the past month is anything to go by, we are in good shape.

Alex with a good grunter caught using a fresh garfish strip.

Great effort by Peter to get this 20kg plus giant trevally back to the boat on a 5000 spin reel. www.bnbfishing.com.au

Recreational fishers and community members took part in the first-ever South Australian Seeds for Snapper seagrass restoration project in December 2020.

Navico partners with Ozfish Unlimited

N

AVICO, parent company to the Lowrance, Simrad, B&G and C-MAP brands, is excited to announce a partnership with Ozfish Unlimited, a not-for-profit charity helping Australian recreational fishers get active to improve the health of their local waterways through restoring fish habitat.

The bulk of recreational fishers in Australia live in metropolitan areas and because of urban development have experienced historic losses of fish habitat.

Most of the losses have been driven by poor management of water quality in the past and though that has improved, most of the habitats – shellfish reefs, seagrass beds, saltmarshes – will not come back without assistance.

Navico has partnered with Ozfish to help build a program of fish habitat restoration in urban areas.

The funding will create three new fish habitat projects adjacent to urban areas over three years.

This initial seed funding will be used to at-

tract additional federal, state and local government support, as well as the volunteer time of the local OzFish chapter members.

‘Seeds for Snapper’, a seagrass restoration initiative in South Australia, was the first project to be funded by Navico.

Seagrasses are vital marine plants, which are important habitats and nursery areas for countless marine organisms, including the popular fishing catches such as snapper, king george whiting, blue swimmer crabs, king prawns, southern rock lobster, Australian her-

ring and squid.

Navico APAC marketing director Michael Blackwell said: “Social responsibility and sustainability are a core value at Navico, and we are pleased to be able to embark on this partnership with Ozfish to assist with the rehabilitation of Australian fisheries and ensure our customers can continue to enjoy their local waterways.”

For more information on Navico, visit navico. com For more information on the Seeds for Snapper project, visit ozfish. org.au

The local community helped collect, process, and disperse one million seagrass seeds to help restore and regenerate South Australia’s lost seagrass meadow.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 61

If you want to experience fishing heaven, then a week on a mothership such as Eclipse will take you there.

Cape York 2021 – the good oil!

T It’s a dream to stand on the northernmost tip of Australia. Now’s the time to think about heading up there!

Every traveller to Cape York should visit the spectacular falls area in the Jardine National Park. This is Indian Heads falls.

Getting wet and dirty is what it’s all about!

Page 62 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

HE closure of state and regional borders virtually overnight is an uncertainty we've had to learn to live with over the past year, particularly when related to planning for fishing expeditions.

2020 saw the cancellation of a huge number of trips and dreams, many of which had been years in the planning.

Now that overseas visits are essentially out of the question for a year or two and the COVID-19 threat abates domestically, many fishers’ eyes are turning towards the great weather and fishing conditions that prevail in our north during winter.

I don't think I've witnessed so much interest in visiting Cape York since I arrived here over 30 years ago.

Social media is chocka-block full of prospective visitors asking a myriad of questions relating to their first Cape visit.

A fair proportion of those are people who were actually planning to visit last year and have rescheduled their travels for this season.

Unfortunately, with social media being what it is, there is a lot of misinformation out there, particularly from so-called experts who base their advice

Trip to the Tip

by DAVE DONALD

on a two-week, midyear quickie rather than long-term local experience.

Sifting the facts from the dribble can be difficult and very frustrating to those who have good intentions.

Plenty of reliable information is about and can be sourced from the guidebooks of Ron and Viv Moon, Hema Maps and Queensland National Parks – doing your homework before asking questions will save a lot of time.

COVID closures prompted a late surge in tourism on the Cape in 2020, with many families deciding on an impromptu visit after being locked up for so long.

This resulted in quite a few travellers trying to push the seasonal envelope to the limit, as a predicted early start to the wet season saw showers and storms arrive in late November.

A small number of these ignored advice from seasoned locals, with a handful having to be rescued or becoming stranded.

The Cape is definitely not the place for fools and having to go out

of your way or possibly risk your life to get them out of trouble is one reason the ‘terrorist’ tag is bestowed, even though 98 percent of tourists do the right thing!

So, let’s have a look at a few tips for those planning to head up this way, with exploring and fishing in mind.

Seasons Unlike the south, tropical Australia has two main seasons, the wet and the dry.

To break it down a little more, at the end of the wet with rivers flowing strongly, we have what is known as the run-off.

Similarly, as the wet season approaches, this period is called the build-up.

Depending on seasonal variations and intensity, the wet season can close the main highway or Peninsula Development Road anytime between late November and the end of April.

In fact, following cyclone Monica in 2008, the PDR remained untrafficable until early June and Lakefield National Park was closed in July! * continued P63

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Cape York 2021 – the good oil on a trip to the tip! * from P62

Wind during the wet usually blows from the northwest and is dictated by the activity of the monsoon trough.

At other times, days are characterised by a calm morning building up to storms in the afternoon.

The transition to the northern winter or dry that generally happens through May is characterised by the onset of the southeast trade wind, which usually prevails until October and before the start of the high humidity of the build-up.

The trades keep the place cool but make fishing conditions on the eastern side very difficult, as they can average between 15-30 knots in strength.

However, it’s a different story on the western or Gulf of Carpentaria side, where the southeasterly wind essentially blows offshore.

Wind can be troublesome at times, but travelling north and south along the coast in the lee is still possible, even in a 4m tinnie.

All fishers have to do is find the more sheltered spots when the wind is strong, and there are plenty to choose from.

It's usually no problem working the rivers and estuaries.

Access The majority of visitors to the Cape drive in from June to October, with the period starting from July school holidays through to late September being the most popular, and traffic gets heavy.

While the fishing can be good at this time of year, the optimum times tend to occur either side of these months – from late March to early June and again from midSeptember to mid-November.

In recent years, the run-off has become more and more popular with experienced fishers, but access can be limited by closure of the PDR due to flooding.

Several groups have worked around this possibility by shipping their vehicles and boats up from Cairns via the weekly Sea Swift barge service, then jumping on a plane and flying to their accommodation in Weipa or Seisia to await their arrival.

Most stay for 2-3 weeks before heading back south and as the road is usually open by then, many choose to drive.

Alternatively, quite a few excellent boats are for hire in both centres for those who wish to fly or drive in without their own vessel.

Be sure to book hire boats early, as they are

becoming extremely popular.

Hiring a charter guide or taking a deluxe trip on a mothership or houseboat are other options, particularly for those who want to fly in and maximise their time away.

As a former charter guide, I can vouch for the fact that hiring a professional can actually be great value for money if you choose wisely.

However, if you choose to drive in with family and friends during winter and want a day on the water with a guide, be aware that most charters are fully booked up to a year in advance by fly-in clients who stay for 4-10 days at a time, so single day walk-in bookings are rarely available in peak season.

Vehicle preparation Cape York is a remote place but it gets easier every year to travel.

Now less than 250km of unsealed road is between Cairns and Weipa and just over 300km between Cairns and Bamaga.

Most modern fourwheel-drive vehicles will handle the PDR with ease provided the tyres and mechanical condition are good.

Servicing your vehicle before heading north of Cairns is recommended.

The near ideal rig for the travelling fisho – Toyota 4WD ute, slide-on camper and 5m Hooker centre console.

www.bnbfishing.com.au

Be sure to carry a comprehensive recovery kit, a spare jack, basic spares and a tool kit, preferably including a battery-operated rattle gun.

There are plenty of fuel stops along the PDR, so carrying large quantities is not required.

Boat or camper trailers and caravans will easily travel the PDR provided that care is taken to drive to prevailing conditions.

Boats should be well covered, and their undersides protected from stone chips using mesh or shade cloth mounted to the trailer.

I like to protect the outboard by lifting the cowl and covering the powerhead with a heavy plastic bag before refitting the cover.

Make sure the outboard leg is well supported.

One sight that makes me cringe is a vehicle carrying rods rigged with reels mounted on the bull bar on the dusty roads!

If there’s ever a recipe for ruining expensive tackle, that has to be top of the list – reels and dust do not mix.

Fibreglass or graphite rods chafing as they bounce over corrugations is not going to do them any favours either.

Pack your reels in cloth bags and keep them inside your vehicle, then store rods

in bags contained in a poly pipe tube.

Finding your reel clogged with red grit when trying to cast at a big barramundi swimming right in front of you does not make for a good holiday!

Keeping the Cape clean Several travellers seem to think that because they are a long way from home and not too many people live in the area that leaving their litter behind in remote locations won’t matter.

Well, it may be a huge region, but it’s our backyard and those of us who have made this place our home ask tourists to respect our property.

If you’re camping in the bush, bury your toilet matter and don’t leave it lying around, and take your rubbish with you.

There are plenty of places to drop it off along the way.

2021 is going to be a big year on the Cape!

If you are planning a visit, make sure to book any campsites or accommodation well in advance to avoid the disappointment of being turned away.

There are plenty of social media sites if you want any questions answered, just make sure to do your homework before you do.

The species every travelling fisher wants to catch, the mighty barramundi. Steve Wust with a ripper from a small gulf coast estuary.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 63

My brother-in-law Shawn Spencer caught this monster on the Gold Coast on Christmas Eve. Roxy Quirk

Pretty happy with this 1m Mary River cod from Lake MacDonald.

Brandon Collins

Never thought I’d see the day a mullet would eat another mullet – hit like a freight train on the mullet swimbait.

Adam Nicholls

This quality flattie scoffed a Samaki Vibelicous lure jigged in deep water.

Brad Smith

Nick Bock scored this tailor while enjoying beach fishing on Fraser Island.

Nick Bock

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

Page 64 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

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seanconlonsfishing@hotmail.com Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 67

4WDING & off - road

A water bra or tarp over the front of the vehicle would have been good for engine protection in this situation.

Preparations for a trip to the Tip W ELL, the wet season is in full swing on the Cape, with the road north of Laura closed until conditions ease, probably around March.

However, bear in mind that the road to Cooktown is all bitumen.

After periods of very

Cape York

by ‘BILLABONG’ BAZZ LYON

heavy rain, it can close at the McLeod River north of Mt Carbine and at the ‘Little Annan’ River and Keatings Lagoon at the Cooktown end of the road.

This only happens a few times each wet and occasionally not at all.

So the excellent reef fishing off Cooktown remains a great option in good weather, as is estuary fishing in the

Corrugations test any suspension out! Suspension upgrade should include quality shock absorbers.

Page 68 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

local Endeavour and Annan rivers.

Though there has been plenty of calm weather lately, how long it lasts is anyone’s guess.

Otherwise, this is a good time to prepare for that epic journey to the northern tip of Australia, and any fishing and camping destinations in this wonderful, remote region.

The comments below are based on a few decades of living and working around the Cape, as well as the experiences of others.

The suitability of your vehicle is the absolute first consideration for obvious reasons.

What sort of modifications or accessories does it need, if any?

A suspension lift depends on the ground clearance – front, rear and underbody or ramp over angle.

It’s an unfortunate reality that many modern four-wheel-drives have much more limited ground clearance than earlier versions of the same model.

I was driving one such vehicle recently in heavy river sand, had a little wheel spin in a tricky spot and the ute instantly bellied out, it wasn’t going anywhere in a hurry.

Many vehicles have their spare wheel stowed underneath where they can foul and cause problems in heavy sand, mud or bulldust.

Similarly, low front and rear bumper bars can foul or drag in steep gullies and even stop you dead, as well as cause damage.

All such vehicles are candidates for a suspension lift.

* continued P69

www.bnbfishing.com. au

4WDING & off - road

Preparations for a trip to the Tip * from P68

The added advantage of such a modification is that they typically incorporate improved load carrying ability.

Again many modern vehicles, and any that have done quite a few kilometres, sag under even a moderate load.

Of course, there are great suspension specialists around that offer kits and fitting at reasonable prices.

Always fit the best possible shock absorbers you can afford.

The corrugations on Cape York roads really test shockies out and handling will be badly affected if they are faulty or not up to scratch – the cause of many an accident!

Snorkels are again a necessity if you are going to be tackling deep crossings.

It is important to regularly check that any joints in the ‘plumbing’ are sealed and remained sealed.

Occasionally gaps develop and let water in, with potentially devastating results to the engine.

Carrying a small tube of silastic for any repairs is always worthwhile.

‘Water bras’, as they are sometimes called, are fitted to the front of the vehicle for the protection of engine components in deep-water crossings.

A small tarp can be www.bnbfishing.com.au

used for the same purpose.

Starter motors, alternators and other electronics are at particular risk from water ingress.

This frontal protection also prevents the fan being sucked into the radiator and damaging it, which can and does happen!

By the way, small radiator leaks can often be temporarily sealed or at least slowed by adding a good dose of finely ground pepper.

It works surprising well.

There is always much debate about carrying a second spare tyre.

Plenty of people do the Cape without needing one.

However, they are great insurance if you’ve got room to stow one.

If travelling away from the main roads into more remote areas such as Cape Melville, a second spare makes sense and I do carry one, but have only needed it once in many years.

Otherwise, a good plug kit and compressor can get you out of trouble in many instances.

Next month we’ll look at bull bars, winches, storage and roof racks.

Until then, enjoy the great summer camping and fishing, and maybe catch a barramundi when the season reopens!

A second spare tyre is good insurance if you have room to carry one, especially in remote places such as Cape Melville.

The weather has been prime in Cooktown recently for getting out to the reef.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 69

C ARAVANNING & adventure

At the end of the day everyone deserves to relax and take in the rewards.

Looking after each other is not hard H

Always drive with caution and expect the unexpected.

Page 70 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

I all, and just when we thought we were winning against this cruel virus, another strain raises its head and gives Brisbane a left jab.

We were hunkered down in the Redlands area at our daughter’s property for Christmas and continued to stay on to perform grandparent duties while our seventh grandchild was born.

We eventually hit the highway with great expectations for the new year.

We were bush camping in Kandanga when we heard the news of the Brisbane lockdown and, recognising that we had been in the hot

Outdoors

by PAUL ‘CHIEF’ GRAVESON

zone leaving after January 2, we went into our own self isolation.

We were so close to avoiding the deadline, but both Tonia and I have seen how evil this virus is after an attack on one of the local Noosa surfers.

A young man in his prime and super fit brought to the brink of death.

After months of illness he’s finally out of the woods and still five months down the track is trying to regain his fitness.

We’ve all heard of

people flaunting the rules set to protect our wellbeing, recklessly thinking ‘this doesn’t apply to me’.

For us as travellers, to take the risk of spreading any type of virus in healthy towns would be breaking the respect we have for every Australian.

Getting yourself tested for COVID-19 is such a simple procedure and if it helps prevent the spread, the inconvenience in time or discomfort is an absolute no brainer. * continued P71

www.bnbfishing.com. au

C ARAVANNING & adventure

Looking after each other is not hard * from P70

If you are travellers on the road, play it safe and don’t leave anything to chance, especially when it comes to our isolated indigenous communities.

Being outdoor enthusiasts, I’m pretty sure 99.9 percent of Bush ‘N Beach readers know the feeling of doing what’s right and giving a helping hand.

Travelling last year and spending time both in the bush and on the beach, I’ve witnessed ordinary people doing extraordinary things to help one another.

Though I’ve seen both sides of the coin.

I admit I recently committed to an old grassy pineapple farm track through beautiful undulating hills and wasn’t fully aware of the quantity of rain that had fallen days before.

It was stupid on my behalf and the result was the D-Max and caravan floundering in a mud bath.

Thanks to Cody Worth who turned up ‘knight in shining armour’ style on a New Holland tractor and dragged the whole rig out with a chain.

I loved the typical Aussie humor that flowed as he quietly acknowledged we didn’t do too badly getting as far along as we had.

He turned to Tonia and said, “We got the chain on, where do you want me to drag it?” www.bnbfishing.com.au

How about to the top of that mountain where the view would be terrific?

As the light disappeared and we sat high on a hill, we had a bit of a laugh and a yarn, with general mutual contentment following the event.

One can really feel the joy when helping others and I hope we never lose this from our culture.

I always say ‘what goes around comes around’, and with the reverse of the above predicament, I’m just as quick to jump in with a helping hand for anyone stranded.

Two scenarios always come to mind for me, and both involved imagining either my wife Tonia or any of our kids being stranded or in need of assistance.

Just as I would like someone to go the extra mile, I feel a duty we should all make sure no one is left behind.

We encountered a mum with two children, she handed me her keys and asked if we could get her truck out – she’d buried it in sand.

Her husband was working the weekend, so she thought she’d try taking the kids camping.

Though having travelled that track many times as a passenger, actually driving it was a different scenario for her.

The youngest daughter was in tears and

fearful, and all I could see was one of my own grandchildren.

We got the truck out and then lead them through the track, stopping at the more testing sections, talking her through gear selection and simply ensuring they got through the 11km to where they wanted to be – safe and well.

Knowing she had more experienced relatives arriving at the camp site later, we felt fine about leaving them.

I really don’t know who the winner was in this case – the one being assisted or the opportunity of receiving a thank you and helping a stranger out.

I could rave on continuously with things I’ve seen during our journey and how they have enlightened my heart.

With Australia Day passing recently, a shout out to campers, fishers, four-wheel-drivers and outdoor enthusiasts who take any situation in stride and rally to help others in trouble – congratulations.

Whether it’s loaning a generator, getting someone out of a pre-

dicament or even simply giving moral support – good on you all.

Let’s keep the comradery going and offer others respect and help where we can.

In 2021, keep in mind that a person in need of assistance belongs to a family, similar to your own.

Correct tyre pressure makes sand travel so much more enjoyable.

If in doubt, walk the track and make sure the caravan can get in and out.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 71

Rain at long last W

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E had 55mm of rain over 10 days at the start of 2021.

It’s not put much of an increase in water storage at Glenlyon at this stage, but there is more to come.

It was fish stocking time at the dam on New Year’s Eve, with a total release of about 65,000 yellowbelly put into their new home.

We are seeing spangled perch or bobby cod on the move, belting lures that are run past them, with bait being hit along the storage edge and the kids having fun.

Given more rain is expected to arrive over the next two months, it is possible to see golden and silver perch head upstream to breed, a hefty hike of around 30km above the full capacity level.

Glenlyon is still sit-

Glenlyon Dam

by BRIAN DARE

ting at 15 percent capacity and this will give a good flow for the eggs to move downstream to add to the stocks of both golden and silver perch.

The fish are roed up, with most ready to run upstream to mate.

It will be around 1014 days for the eggs to hatch, as they float back to the storage at Glenlyon, Leslie, Coolmunda, Connolly and Storm King.

This is not the time for the cod to breed.

That took place in August to October, an annual event seen every year.

It was a shame yet again to see another 97cm Murray cod floating dead on the storage.

I want our trophy hunting cod anglers to

GLENLYON DAM TOURIST PARK A great place to fish!

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Ph: 02 6737 5266 E: glenlyondamtouristp@bigpond.com Page 72 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

take note of the following.

Check the water temperature via your ‘you beaut’ sounder, on the surface about 1m deep.

Think about the fight you have just had, how hot the floor of your boat is and how much gear you have lying around on board prior to bringing that big fish on board.

Did you have all your photography gear ready before you brought the fish on board to do your big fish stuff?

Get this into your head – can you hold your breath for seven minutes?

One breath and get the fish onto a wet towel.

Lift it up onto your knees, not held up in the air while you stand on the deck of your boat.

Get five or six photos then put the fish back into the water – in one breath, not four, not six, which is what it may have taken.

If you’re going to let it go, get to the edge of the storage and keep the fish in the water, breathing as you are.

Do your photo shoot with it in the water if possible.

You will no doubt see in The Codfather book put out by Dr Stuart Rowland a photo of me with a cod across my knees, with a fish gripper in its mouth.

I ate that fish!

Yep, kept it and ate it.

That fish was caught on Glenlyon Dam – a put and take fishery stocked yearly by fund* continued P73

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Rain at long last for Glenlyon Dam * from P72

ing from the purchase of your fishing permit.

I eat fish caught in freshwater as do many other anglers’ who choose to fish in freshwater storages.

This month we had a young angler who caught a cod over 1m in length – he kept it and he and his family enjoyed it as a few meals of fish, which they are entitled to do.

Maybe, just maybe, I should start to show photos of dead mishandled cod that were caught and let go, and believe me, we have seen heaps.

There was another comment made by an angler – stock more cod.

This shows just how much misunderstanding or missed facts are not noted by those who don’t live in the bush and know what is actually taking place.

The over-stocking of cod on our rivers and streams has displayed a lack of knowledge and

highlighted a need to bring our rivers back on line.

One of those changes, in my opinion, is the 55-75cm take home size on cod in rivers – it’s wrong.

These fish have been proven to be our breeders – you don’t get kids out of grandparents!

In NSW and Victoria the 55-75cm size still remains, regardless of research I have been involved in, which showed a major change in size structure of cod in our local rivers in northern NSW and southern Queensland.

For all those cod-loving anglers, I strongly suggest you get a copy of Dr Stuart Rowland’s book The Codfather, $50 each.

Set aside about six months to read and reread this vital book.

It is a life’s study on freshwater fish and the total mismanagement of our Darling River and its major and minor river systems.

Getting the family involved with restocking. www.bnbfishing.com.au

FISHING EVENTS COMPETITION

DATE

LOCATION

2021 Shimano King of Kings

Feb 5-7

Australia-wide www.kingofkings.live

Moura Muddy Water Apr 3-4 Family Fishing Comp

Dawson River, Moura – Zelma 0428 971 932 E: m.a.f.s.g@bigpond.com

Boyne Tannum Hookup

Apr 30- May 2

Gladstone region www.boynetannumhookup.com.au

Greenback Fishing Comp

Jun 12-13 Pottsville, NSW – www.lionsgreenback.com

National 4x4 Mar 19-21 Brisbane Showgrounds www.4x4show.com.au Outdoors Show and Fishing & Boating Expo Evans Head Fishing Classic

Jun 25- Jul 2

Evans Head – www.evansheadfishingclassic.com.au

To have your competition listed in the calendar please phone (07) 3286 1833 or email design@collins.media

DAM LEVELS CURRENT AS OF 21/1/2021

DAMS

PERCENTAGE

SEP JAN OCT NOV DEC Atkinson 5 5 5 5 5 Awoonga 63 49 61 61 60 Bjelke-Petersen * 14 11 12 12 11 Boondooma * 32 26 31 30 30 Borumba * 82 79 84 82 78 Burdekin Falls * 84 114 79 73 65 Callide * 25 22 24 24 23 Cania * 49 37 45 43 40 Coolmunda * 32 20 29 29 25 Dyer/Bill Gunn * 3 3 3 3 3 Eungella * 86 82 85 83 78 Fairbairn * 10 13 10 9 8 Glenlyon * 15 14 15 14 14 Hinze* 91 101 89 87 85 Julius 85 98 82 80 77 Kinchant * 80 82 76 71 66 Leslie * 13 11 12 12 12 Macdonald* 101 105 94 94 87 Maroon * 54 55 51 42 46 Monduran/Fred Haigh * 55 46 54 52 49 Moogerah * 24 15 21 20 17 North Pine/Samsonvale * 57 72 54 53 51 Peter Faust/Proserpine * 65 62 63 61 58 Somerset * 77 78 76 75 74 Teemburra * 98 99 97 95 94 Tinaroo* 65 58 61 57 50 Toonumbar 67 101 63 61 54 Wivenhoe * 45 38 43 42 40 Wuruma * 57 43 53 50 45 Wyaralong* 94 91 93 93 91 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, February 2021 – Page 73

Basstasstic takes bass tournaments to new level in 2021

I

T’s a comeback after last year’s shutdown due to COVID-19 for the Barra and Basstastic Fishing Tournaments.

But this year new things are on offer for anglers to get involved in.

In 2021, anglers will be fishing for more cash in all rounds.

Plus, a big cash payout in placings in the finals of both teams bass fishing and singles bass fishing will be up for grabs.

Round one of the singles bass fishing will be held at Somerset Dam on February 20-21 and run out of the Lake Somerset Holiday Park on Kirkleigh Rd, Hazeldean in Queensland.

If the tournament can get a mere 40 senior anglers at all rounds and go to the grand final with the top 40 anglers,

Competition Report

by RUSSELL NOWLAND

a huge amount of money will be on offer.

How much you may ask.

It comes down to how many anglers turn out, but based on a 40-angler average at all qualifying rounds, around $25,000 could be fought out for in the grand final.

It’s not just about cash either, prizes will be available as well to the top 20 places.

In all singles bass fishing qualifying rounds, cash and prizes will be on offer.

We have a new initiative for those anglers who fish five or more rounds – you will get an automatic invitation to the final.

Yes, you can turn up

and fish five of the six qualifying rounds and, even if you don’t make the top 40 anglers for the year, you’ll go straight into the final.

This year, any of the automatic group will be fishing – this is those who are not in the top 40 – and we will have prizes to fish for in the final.

So, it’s a win-win for all.

More on this will be announced very soon.

There will be a juniors section, which is free for all juniors who come to fish in the qualifying rounds.

A prize for all juniors is on offer, plus winners’ prizes.

Juniors will have their own grand final, with

BASSTASSTIC BARRA AND BASS FISHING TOURNAMENT SERIES DATES Basstasstic Ultimate Angler Singles Bass Fishing 2021 Season EVENT

DATE

LOCATION

Round One

February 20-21

Somerset Dam

Round Two

March 20-21

Boondomma Dam

April 17-18

Wuruma Dam

Round Three Round Four

May 15-16

Cania Dam

Round Five

August 21-22

Somerset Dam

Round Six

October 23-24

Borumba Dam

Grand Final

November 27-18

TO BE ADVISED

Basstasstic Ultimate Angler Teams Bass Fishing 2021 Season Round One

May 1-2

Somerset Dam

Round Two

June 12-13

Borumba Dam

Round Three

July 31-August 1

Cania Dam

Round Four

September 11-12

Coraki NSW, the Richmond and Wilsons rivers

Grand Final

October 9-10

Somerset Dam

Barratasstic Barra Rounds 2021 Season Singles event

January 22-24

Awoonga Dam

Teams event

December 3-5

Awoonga Dam

Barratasstic Barra Rounds 2022 Season Singles event

January 14-16

Awoonga Dam

Teams event

December 2-4

Awoonga Dam

Page 74 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

great prizes and cash to be won.

If you want to get into the final, it’s about fishing the qualifying rounds in the singles category.

Basstasstic hosts the Australian Bass Fishing Teams Championship.

Every year, winners receive a special shirt, exclusive to those lucky few.

Lots of cash and prizes will be up for grabs in this year’s event, and you get two of each prize for winning.

If you want to get into the grand final of the bass fishing teams event, you need to fish one qualifying round a least.

All dates for the qualifying rounds can be found at barrabasstass tic.com or visit face book.com/basstasstic Here’s a little help on how you can be involved in this tournament.

For the singles events, you can fish with a friend or family members, you have three sessions to fish – two on the Saturday and one session on the Sunday – you need to catch two fish in each session, and at the end of each session you measure your fish at the approved ‘measure in’ area.

The costs are on the website under ‘Rules & Fees’.

The tournament is run under the ‘Track My Fish’ app for results and photos.

The teams event is two to a team or one if you pay the full fees for two anglers.

For the teams event you have two sessions on the Saturday to catch your best two fish.

So, if you catch a

43cm and a 36cm in session one, you can upgrade for bigger fish in the afternoon session.

But it’s your best two fish that carry over to day two – the Sunday.

On day two, you catch your best two fish to add to your total, which in the end is a four-fish total for cash and prizes winners.

It is also run by the ‘Track My Fish’ app for scores and photos on each day of all the tournaments.

In teams, you only need one member of your team to have paid the membership fee for the Basstasstic tournaments.

You can also split in the final.

Split means if two of you fish one round in the final, you can fish from separate boats and bring a new angler to fish the final.

Or if you fish with a friend in one round, you can bring someone different to fish the final.

As long as all who fish in the final are paid members of the Barra and Basstasstic Fishing Tournaments.

Round one will be held on May 1-2 on Somerset Dam. So, if you need further information, visit barrabasstasstic.com Remember, if you’re interested in learning how to cast and retrieve to catch bass or you are a good bass angler, this is the tournament for you.

Please keep in mind, if you show any signs of being sick, do not go to an event.

The tournaments are run under strict government COVID-safe rules to protect us all.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

www.bnbfishing.com.au 17530 4X4 Show Brisabne 2021_Print AD_BUSHBEACH_190x260mm_OL.indd 1

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 75 4/12/20 11:19 am

Selina and John with the results of a double hook-up.

Plenty of schooling fish can be found throughout the dam, away from obvious structure.

Wonderful Wyaralong Dam

S

Mick and John show off their catch of shrimp.

Leeann shows off one of Selina’s bass from Wyaralong Dam. Page 76 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

ITUATED only 13km from the heart of Beaudesert, Wyaralong Dam is a beautiful waterway and is a fabulous place to catch Australian bass with the family.

Why Wyaralong?

Well, admittedly over the summer period – and particularly during school holidays where dams, rivers and creeks are mostly awash with the wakes of skiers, jet skiers, cruisers and a multitude of watercraft – Wyaralong Dam remains a calm and peaceful body of water to fish in, as it is an electric-only dam.

As well as that, this

Fishing Australia

by LEEANN PAYNE

dam is located only 40 minutes from our home, which makes it ideal when travelling with young children.

The gate to the dam opens at 5.30am and closes at 6.30pm.

If you wish to spend a little longer at the dam in the evening, the gate automatically opens as you drive out.

It would be awesome if the dam opened slightly earlier over the summer period, to fish before the heat hits.

Also, you will need a

Lip or jaw hook-ups are common with the Mustad #2 Needle Tarpon or Red Tarpon hooks, which allows for easy release.

Stocked Impoundment Permit Scheme fishing licence to fish this dam and it must be purchased before entry.

The Australian bass here absolutely did our heads in when it came to trolling and casting lures to them.

Okay, other anglers may have cracked the code, but we struggled even when sitting on top of large schools of fish.

As most people would know, if you have kids fishing too, you have to catch fish otherwise they get bored, equating to a painful session on the water for mum and dad!

So, we resorted to bait in the way of shrimp – which we catch at one of our local creeks – and you know what, it’s a really enjoyable way to target these fish.

For fishing in the dam, we use both a bow mount and transom-mounted Minn * continued P77

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Wonderful Wyaralong Dam * from P76

Kota motor on our 4.1m Cross Country, an ideal boat for this environment and younger anglers.

Sounder technology these days is where I feel sorry for the fish.

If we don’t see them on the sounder, we don’t fish.

Fish are not necessarily next to structure, though there are a few trees we regularly pull fish from.

They do have a tendency to bust us off, so schools of fish found in open water are always welcomed, particularly for the kids.

The use of unweighted and lightly-weighted lines using a split shot rig and casting into schools is the most productive fishing you are going to get, as double hook-ups are a regular occurrence – and occasionally triple even quadruple hookups when we actually get all lines in the water.

We have been using Mustad Needle Tarpon hooks in size 2, 12lb leader, 2500 sized reels and the 6-12lb Blade N Tails rods from Wilson Fishing.

When using un-

weighted shrimp, we simply tie the hook to the end of the leader and cast the bait out, allowing it to slowly waft through the strike zone.

We also use a simplified version of the paternoster rig, which consists of a small split shot attached to the leader at the end, with a dropper loop tied about 30cm above it.

When using a paternoster rig, it’s only a matter of dropping the bait over the side of the boat to a depth fish are sitting.

For novice anglers, put a mark in your line so you know exactly how much line is out – which is not rocket science but is productive.

The best fishing to date has been 50 bass in a session, and we never go home catching less than 20 fish – this keeps the kids happy.

Another plus to fishing the dam is there are good-sized bass to be caught and to date we’ve not failed to catch a 50cm fish in a session.

The ramp at Wyaralong is single lane, with a handful of parks for boats and trailers.

Long weekends and

Creating memories is what it’s all about. The kids enjoy bait fishing for bass. www.bnbfishing.com.au

public holidays will see day visitors parking here too, which is a nuisance, however more parking is available adjacent to the ramp.

The dam is managed

by Seqwater and is regularly used by rowing clubs.

Motorised boats are used by clubs and they will be on the water on occasion.

It is a good idea to check the webpage to see if there are any regattas or planned activities that could close the dam to fishing, se qwater.com.au/recrea tion-and-safety-notices The picnic areas are well maintained with barbecues, shelters with seating, toilets and a playground for younger children.

Bass over 40cm are quite common at Wyaralong Dam and are suckers for live shrimp.

Keeping shrimp aerated in freshwater will help keep them alive.

Beautiful sized fish such as this one are commonly caught in the dam.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 77

Personalise your Mercury outboard with colour

by MELISSA FROHLOFF

Roasted beetroot and pumpkin salad Ingredients • 500g butternut pumpkin • 4-6 fresh baby beets • 1/2 small red onion • 100g fetta, diced • 250g baby spinach leaves • 1 tbsp sesame oil • Salt and pepper • 2 tbsp kewpie dressing, roasted sesame Method 1. Preheat oven to 180C, peel pumpkin and dice into 2cm pieces, toss in sesame oil and coat with salt and pepper, then place in oven proof dish.

2. Wash and cut tops and bottoms off beetroot and place in a separate ovenproof dish with a lid.

3. Cook pumpkin and beetroot in oven for 30 minutes and when you can easily poke a fork into the beetroot, it will be cooked – it may take longer to cook than the pumpkin.

4. Rinse beetroot under cold water to remove skins – the skin will slide off the beetroot – cut beetroot into quarters and chop into 2cm pieces, then set aside with pumpkin to cool and finely slice the onion.

T

HERE’S a visually stunning new way to personalise your Mercury outboard.

These factory-painted accent panels are made of thin, durable polycarbonate.

You can use them to colour code your engine with your boat or to simply make a statement.

The panels come in five stand-out shades and there’s also a ready-for-paint option, which is primed and ready for coating with your own shade of urethane paint: • Redline Red • Pacific Blue • Mercury Silver • Graphite Grey • Pro Black • Ready-For-Paint – your own colour.

Each colour trim kit comes with four-painted panels, specialised adhesive, replacement

Mercury and horsepower decals, as well as easy-to-follow installation instructions.

These colour accent panels are available for 3.4L V6 and 4.6L V8 engines, including Pro XS, SeaPro and selected Race models.

For a limited time only, you will also receive a sample of Mercury Marine’s All-in-One Spotless Shine, which is formulated to clean and protect your paint and decals with a highlustre finish to make your engine really stand out – not included in Pro Black and ready-for-paint kits.

To find out more about how you can make your engine look even better, visit your nearest Mercury Dealer or visit mercu rymarine.com/en-gb/ au/land/anzp---accentpanels

5. Put the spinach leaves in a serving bowl and top with cooled beetroot, pumpkin, onion and fetta, and then drizzle with dressing and serve.

Prep time: 20 min | Cooking time: 30 min | Serves 4 Page 78 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

www.bnbfishing.com. au

A healthy flow and lush vegetation saw bass active on this day. Iain was able to land several nice fish with topwater presentations.

Flash flood bass fanatics F

EBRUARY to April in southeast Queensland and on the north coast of NSW is a time of green earth and higher water levels in the freshwater rivers and impoundments.

This is a recipe that our most beloved Australian bass battlers absolutely revel in, and not far behind are the dedicated bunch of anglers who wait for the right time to target them.

The greening flora provides excellent conditions for insects and other small life to thrive both above and below the water, while the swollen systems offer opportunities for bass to get close to where the action is and enjoy a smorgasbord of prey.

While these hot bite times are often shortlived, late summer and early autumn will see multiple opportunities to get stuck in.

Timing is everything Being there at the right time can be the difference between a spectacular session and an ordinary one.

For lakes, the few days following a sharp rise in www.bnbfishing.com.au

Handy Hints

by BOB THORNTON

water level is the time to be out there fishing.

As water floods into healthy vegetation, bass will use this to their advantage and venture into the shallows – occasionally in only a few inches of water – and pick off any hapless creature within reach.

In rivers and creeks, the principle is much the same, though the days immediately following a flood may not provide ideal fishing conditions, with brown fast-flowing water making feeding difficult for predators.

In this situation, it pays to be on the ball and ready to fish as soon as the water passes the ‘elbow test’.

The elbow test is performed by sticking your arm in the water up to the elbow, and if you can still see your fingers, it’s clear enough to fish.

Small creeks tend to clear up faster than larger rivers, however each waterway is different.

Hunting the hunters When hunting bass feeding in super shallow water, it makes sense to use presentations that are designed to be fished as such.

Topwater lures are a perfect presentation for bass mooching through flooded grass chasing insects, with poppers, stickbaits, bent minnows, fizzers, frog imitations, buzzbaits, wakebaits and surface flies all great options.

Below the surface there is often heightened activity for worms, nymphs and small baitfish, so spinnerbaits, beetle spins, skirted jigs, along with a range of soft plastics will cover the bases.

Casting where vegetation meets water is key to this pursuit, and generally if you land your lure up in the greenery near a fish, it will come over for a look.

Now’s the time Whether you’re sliding your boat quietly along the edge of a lake,

paddling up a rainswollen river or crashing along the bank of a gushing stream, this form of fishing brings out the hunter within.

Storages such as Maroon, Hinze, Macdonald, Borumba, Lenthalls and Gregory in Queensland, as well as Clarrie Hall and Toonumbar in northern NSW offer

great post-rain opportunities.

For rivers, the Mary, Noosa, Pine, Brisbane, Logan, Nerang and Tweed systems – along with the many creeks in between – can all fire at the right time.

I know I’ll be chomping at the bit to get out and start exploring next time it rains!

A rising lake will often catch a variety of critters off guard, and a skirted jig with a creature bait trailer can imitate a range of these prey items.

This impoundment battler nailed a Z-Man Finesse FrogZ rigged on a TT Lures BuzzlockZ tossed up into flooded grass.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 79

Like to learn more about crossing coastal bars safely and using electronics?

Tuition with Bill Corten Professional coastal bar crossing instructor and offshore fishing trainer since 1996.

Coastal bar crossing and electronics tuition: • Hands-on experience crossing coastal bars safely

• Learn how to get the most out of your GPS and sounder

• Direct supervision mastering all bar crossing skills

• Interpret sounder readings and shows

• Fine-tuning of skills in breaking swells and white water

• Fine tuning your sounder for better results

• Overcome your fears and learn vital safety skills as part of an on-water training course.

• Using your electronics to find reefs and structure • And much more.

Contact Bill Corten M: 0447 233 247 / 0447 ( a f f a i r ) E: reel_affair@yahoo.com

March Edition Copy Deadline – Advertisements must arrive NO later than February 8, 2021

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

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Page 80 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

CARIBBEAN 5 OFFSHORE – fibreglass family fishing package, you have to jump online or come to JCM! Just serviced Honda 90Hp 4-stroke, Brand new aluminium Redco Sportsman trailer, quality electronics, canopy, bunk cushions, deep sides and large cockpit, inshore safety gear and so much more – an ideal family fishing package, ready to go for $29,995 – John Crawford Marine – “Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964” www.johncrawfordma rine.com.au Ph. 3890 2322 HAINES SIGNATURE 530BR – This boat appeals to many because it adapts to such a variety of uses – fishing, swimming, water sports and cruising with family and friends. Everyone has somewhere comfortable to sit and with a few adjustments, the front area converts into a neat casting platform with plenty of storage for fishing gear or picnic baskets.

With summer in full swing, there is no better time to visit us and check out this terrific bowrider boat! Priced at $36,990. For more information, visit amcboats.com.au HORIZON 3.3 TINNY/V-NOSE TILLER STEER – Yamaha 15Hp 2s (2018), Sea-Link boat trailer, Lowrance Elite 3X fish finder, Bimini top, 2 bench seats w. padded seats mounted atop, Bow and transom handles, small cutting board/storage box. Perfect for the creeks and estuaries, only $4,995 tow away – John Crawford Marine – “Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964” www.johncrawfordmarine.com.au Ph. 3890 2322 JOHN CRAWFORD MARINE has numerous genuine buyers on the books for quality brand name, late model trailer boats. If you are looking to sell, avoid the pitfalls and hassles that come with a private sale, have the trusted and experienced team at JCM handle the sale for you – John Crawford Marine – “Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964” www.johncrawfordmarine.com.au Ph. 3890 2322 MORNING STAR 498 FISHER CENTRE CONSOLE 2018 – Used aluminium Morning Star Fisher Centre Console boat for sale. A great fishing all-rounder with ample uncluttered deck space. Plenty of inclusions and

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Subscription prize for February! perfect for the first-time buyer. Not much to spend here, even the motor has only done 72 hours. Call in and see for yourself what great value this Morning Star Centre Console is. Priced at $29,990. For more information, visit amcboats. com.au REFLEX CHIANTI 485 – If you’re looking for a boat that you can fish from with a few friends or take the family out cruising and perhaps enjoy some water sports, the Reflex Chianti 485 with a 75Hp 4-stroke Yamaha is ideal. A very neat and tidy boat with low hours on the engine, this boat won’t be in our yard for long! Priced at $49,990. For more information, visit amcboats. com.au STACER 449 NOMAD ELITE OPEN TILLER STEER, Evinrude ETEC 50Hp DFI with electric start, power trim and tilt and serviced December 2020. Stacer braked trailer serviced at Christmas. Lowrance Hook colour plotter/sounder, Navman VHF radio, Bimini top, Outboard cowl cover, 2 pedestal seats, large plumbed LB tank, 8 rod holders… awesome bay fishing and crabbing outfit, only $14,995 tow away – John Crawford Marine – “Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964” www.johncrawford marine.com.au Ph. 3890 2322 STESSCO 440 RENEGADE SC – side console sports fishing rig, collected new Christmas 2019, 14 months old, like new and ready to go. Powered by a Mercury 60Hp EFI 4S, braked Dunbier trailer, Minn Kota electric bow mount, Lowrance sounder/GPS, casting platform, underfloor fuel tank, inshore safety gear and so much more for $26,995 tow away – John Crawford Marine – “Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964” www.johncraw fordmarine.com.au Ph. 3890 2322 WANTED – Make selling your late model trailer boat simple and hassle free. Quality, used trailer boats are always in demand with John Crawford Marine, “Qld’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964”! Call 3890 2322 today to see how our experienced team can help you. www. johncrawfordmarine.com.au www.bnbfishing.com.au

Subscribe this month to go in the draw to win one of 40 Techni Ice Heavy Duty Reusable Ice Packs.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 81

MERCURY

NO SACRIFICES NO COMPROMISES NO APOLOGIES

BETTER ECONOMY

MORE TORQUE

V6 3.4L 200HP FOURSTROKE

12-16% BETTER

FUEL ECONOMY

12-15%

MORE

LEADING COMPETITOR

20%

VERADO

TORQUE

V8 4.6L

250HP PROXS

16% BETTER

FUEL ECONOMY

LEADING COMPETITOR

TORQUE AT 3500-4500 RPM

FOURSTROKE

LEADING COMPETITOR

TORQUE

200HP

4.6L

300HP

LEADING COMPETITOR

MORE

V6 3.4L

V8

*Based on testing done by Mercury Marine’s Product Research & Development team. Torque data collected on a Dynamometer at cruise speed, an average of 3500-4500 rpm. Fuel economy testing done using a 23 foot Centre Console boat for both 200hp engines, while a 21 foot Bass boat was used for the 250hp testing.

Go online or contact your nearest Mercury Dealer to find out more about the Mercury V6 / V8 range, taking performance, efficiency and reliability to the next level.

Page 82 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 MM0725 V6_V8_BnBFishing_210x297_v3.indd 1

www.bnbfishing.com. au 18/8/20 2:07 pm

Contact or visit us for more information.

Contact or visit us for more information.

AIRLIE BEACH Whitsunday Outboard Centre 17 William Murray Dr, Cannonvale Q 4802 P: 07 4946 7286 E: woc@whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au www.whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au AIRLIE BEACH Whitsunday Outboard Centre BRISBANE 17 William Murray Dr, Cannonvale Q 4802 Coorparoo Marine P: 07 4946 7286 E: woc@whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au 57 Cavendish Rd, Coorparoo Q 4151 www.whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au P: 07 3397 4141 E: info@coorparoomarine.com.au BRISBANE www.coorparoomarine.com.au Coorparoo Marine 57 Cavendish Rd, Coorparoo Q 4151 BRISBANE P: 07 3397 4141 Karee Marine E: info@coorparoomarine.com.au www.coorparoomarine.com.au 1776 Ipswich Motorway, Rocklea Q 4106 P: 07 3875 1600 BRISBANE E: sales@kareemarine.com.au Karee Marine www.kareemarine.com.au 1776 Ipswich Motorway, Rocklea Q 4106 P: 07 3875 1600 BRISBANE NORTH E: sales@kareemarine.com.au Holt Marine www.kareemarine.com.au 25 Queens Rd, Everton Hills Q 4053 BRISBANE P: 07 3353 NORTH 1928 Holt Marine E: info@holtmarine.com.au 25 Queens Rd, Everton Hills Q 4053 www.holtmarine.com.au P: 07 3353 1928 E: info@holtmarine.com.au www.holtmarine.com.au www.bnbfishing.com.au

CAIRNS Aussie Marine 5 Hannam St, Bungalow Q 4870 P: 07 4033 8800 E: sales@aussiemarine.com.au www.aussiemarine.com.au BRISBANE SOUTH Australian Marine Centre CAPALABA 3491 Pacific Highway, Slacks Creek Q 4127 Mike’s Marine P: 07 3808 7333 E: Smith info@amcboats.com.au 9 St, Capalaba Q 4157 www.amcboats.com.au P: 07 3390 3418 E: admin@mikesmarine.com.au CAIRNS www.mikesmarine.com.au Aussie Marine 5 Hannam St, Bungalow Q 4870 GLADSTONE P: 07 4033 8800 Ship & Sale Gladstone E: sales@aussiemarine.com.au www.aussiemarine.com.au Gladstone Marine Centre, Gladstone Q 4680 P: 07 4972 7111 CAPALABA E: sales@shipandsail.com.au Mike’s Marine www.shipandsail.com.au 9 Smith St, Capalaba Q 4157 P: 07 3390 3418 GOLD COAST E: admin@mikesmarine.com.au Nitro Marine www.mikesmarine.com.au 167 Currumburra Rd, Ashmore Q 4214 GLADSTONE P: 07 5532 5812 Ship & Sale Gladstone E: sales@nitromarine.com.au Gladstone Marine Centre, Gladstone Q 4680 www.nitromarine.com.au P: 07 4972 7111 E: sales@shipandsail.com.au www.shipandsail.com.au

GOLD COAST GOLD COAST Nitro Marine Onshore MarineRd, Ashmore Q 4214 167 Currumburra Horizon Shores Marina, Woongoolba Q 4207 P: 07 5532 5812 E: sales@nitromarine.com.au P: 07 5546 2480 www.nitromarine.com.au E: onshoremarine@ozemail.com.au www.onshoremarine.com.au GOLD COAST Onshore Marine IPSWICH Horizon Shores Marina, Woongoolba Q 4207 Ipswich P: 07 5546Marine 2480 Centre E: onshoremarine@ozemail.com.au 45 Huxham St, Raceview Q 4305 www.onshoremarine.com.au P: 07 3294 3944 E: enquiries@ipswichmarine.com.au IPSWICH www.ipswichmarine.com.au Ipswich Marine Centre 45 Huxham St, Raceview Q 4305 ROCKHAMPTON P: 07 3294 3944 Rifen Boats E: enquiries@ipswichmarine.com.au www.ipswichmarine.com.au 6 Dooley St, North Rockhampton Q 4701 P: 07 4927 9150 ROCKHAMPTON E: rifen.boats@bigpond.com Rifen Boats www.rifenmarine.com.au 6 Dooley St, North Rockhampton Q 4701 P: 07 4927 9150 YEPPOON E: rifen.boats@bigpond.com Sea Breeze Marine www.rifenmarine.com.au 150 Scenic Hwy, Yeppoon Q 4703 YEPPOON P: 07 4933 6366 Sea Breeze Marine E: info@seabreezemarine.com.au 150 Scenic Hwy, Yeppoon Q 4703 www.seabreezemarine.com.au P: 07 4933 6366 E: info@seabreezemarine.com.au www.seabreezemarine.com.au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021 – Page 83

’ DRIVE AWAY

DRIVE AWAY $

125,000

$

98,988

YELLOWFIN 7000 SOUTHERNER HT

YELLOWFIN 6500 PLATE CENTRE CONSOLE

Package includes: alloy trailer, 225hp Mercury, 6yr warranty

Package includes: alloy trailer, 200hp DTS Mercury, 6yr warranty

DRIVE AWAY $

DRIVE AWAY $

430 TOP ENDER PRO

430 FISHABOUT PRO

Package includes: alloy trailer, 60hp Mercury, 6yr warranty

Package includes: alloy trailer, 60hp Mercury, 6yr warranty

28,296

27,498

DRIVE AWAY $

DRIVE AWAY $

25,332

11,110

420 RENEGADE SIDE CONSOLE

400 TRIGGER TILLER STEER

Package includes: alloy trailer, 40hp Mercury, 6yr warranty

Package includes: alloy trailer, 20hp MLH Mercury, 6yr warranty

40-60HP FOURSTROKE

Finance & Insurance available

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY PROVEN RELIABILITY POWERFUL PERFORMANCE

A POWERFUL PACKAGE * Mercury Finance terms and conditions apply. Photos for illustration purposes only.

Can’t make the yard? Shop online! For quality new and used boats! www.kareemarine.com.au

1776 Ipswich Road, Rocklea | Call 07 3875 1600

Page 84 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2021

www.bnbfishing.com. au