BNB Fishing mag | June 2020

Free digital edition

June 2020 Volume 31, Number 6

Moreton Bay snapper & longtails Tank tuskfish in the shallows Saltwater barra basics

All about prawn soft plastics Flathead on the flats Top tips to target tailor

Fishing deeper estuary structure

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From the Bush ‘n Beach Fishing Editor

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ELCOME to our second free digital magazine. First, I want to touch on a couple of teething issues we had with our website for the launch of our first free digital mag.

Unfortunately, this was due to the lack of service offered by GoDaddy, our hosting provider, who indicated it was from a staff shortage as a direct result of COVID-19. However, once we ironed out the bugs the overwhelming feedback was very positive, which was awesome to hear.

I realise it is a big change going from print to digital, but due to the current world situation and implications of COVID-19, this was our best option to keep the fishing information coming your way and to get something for you to read in your hand, or inbox as the case may be.

As I have previously said, I am from the generation that still prefers a printed mag to hold onto, even though I spend plenty of time behind a screen. I guess grabbing your favourite mag and a cuppa is a great way to unwind, get away from the screen and catch up on the latest fishing techniques and tips.

Do not panic, as we will be back in print very soon, though there may be a slight change to the format, which I am sure you will like. I can’t say too much because I don’t want to give it away and we are still sorting out the finer details, but once these are finalised you will be the first to know.

As a reminder, the digital editions are free, so when you get your email with the link or see the notifications

on our social media platforms, please share them around to all your fishing mates. The more people we get reading the mag, the better, as this will help our advertisers during these unprecedented times.

On the fishing front, we have been very lucky here in southeast Queensland. The initial restrictions allowed you to only fish for food, which eased to allow boating and fishing within 50km of your home and then further relaxed to within 150km, meaning there has been ample opportunity to get out on the water.

It is very pleasing to see so many people out in their boats, whether fishing or spending a day out with the family boating.

At the time of printing, the 150km restrictions were still in place, which negates your ability to get a bit further away during the upcoming June/ July school holidays. However, this may change as of June 12, so make sure you like our Facebook page as we post plenty of information there.

I had hoped to get up to Agnes Water or 1770 with the family, but we’ll see whether the Stage Two easing of restrictions takes place. If not, it looks like I’ll have to hold out until the September holidays for our annual pilgrimage to Noosa.

Funny thing is, this year I won’t have to be madly pre-fishing or rushing back from the family holiday to fish the Gold Coast Flathead Classic, which has been cancelled this year and I’m sure has pleased my wife (as she did most of the packing up last year – sorry babe).

On a brighter note, a couple of fishing comps that were postponed have had new dates released. The Fitzroy River Barra Bash is back on, with the event to be held over the weekend of October 7-9 weekend. If you want to fish this comp, get in quick as spots are limited.

Another competition that looks like it might be back on is the Rainbow Beach Family Fishing Classic. The event organisers have announced a ‘save the date’ for November 26-29, with more details to come shortly.

Hopefully our state and federal governments have got this right and we can all start getting back to our ‘normal’ lives… what that will be is anyone’s guess, but I hope we can start travelling and fishing a bit further afield in this awesome country we live in!

Ben Collins

OUR COVER

GEORGE MOLE hooked this Moreton Bay snapper while trolling a hard-body lure over structure. For more tips on targeting Moreton Bay snapper and longtails, check out BEN COLLINS’s article on Page 24.

JULY edition will be available from June 30.

April prizewinners: Congratulations to Jason Dale, Murrumba Downs; and Rodney Holland, Griffith NSW who have each won an Old Dog Boxed Limited Edition Handcrafted Timber Lure valued at $150! www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 3

June 2020 contents Info on VMR & Coast Guard . . . . . . . by Brian Webb . . . . . . . . . . . . . P6 Tailor time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Sean ‘Skip’ Thompson . . . . P14 Techniques to catch more fish . . . . . by Sean Conlon . . . . . . . . . . P20 Tips for Moreton Bay snapper . . . . . by Ben Collins . . . . . . . . . . . . P24 It’s a prawn thing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Stephen Booth . . . . . . . . . P28 Deeper river & estuary structure . . . by Justin Wilmer . . . . . . . . . . P32 Breaking new ground for bluebone . . by Adam Foley . . . . . . . . . . . P36 Longtails on light gear . . . . . . . . . . . . by Sean Bekkers . . . . . . . . . . P38 Spoilt for choice in Broadwater . . . . . . by Clint Ansell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P40 Challenges of changing current . . . . by Gavin Dobson . . . . . . . . . P42

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Jewfish running hot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Tye Porter . . . . . . . . . . . . . P44 Brisbane’s best fishing upon us . . . . by Keith Stratford . . . . . . . . . P46 Tide Times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P47 Sunshine Coast fishing . . . . . . . . . . . by Grant Budd . . . . . . . . . . . . P48 Readers’ Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P52 Watch out for whales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Craig Tomkinson . . . . . . . . . P54 Fishing around Tin Can Bay . . . . . . . by Chris Rippon . . . . . . . . . . P56 Hervey Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Tri Ton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P60 Recipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Melissa Frohloff . . . . . . . . P62 Good vibes with blades . . . . . . . . . . . by Dominic Wiseman . . . . . . P63 Female anglers catching fish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P68 Gladstone Harbour gold . . . . . . . . . . by Gary Churchward . . . . . . P70 Saltwater barramundi basics . . . . . . by John Boon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P72 Mackerel in the Torres Strait . . . . . . . by Matt Potter . . . . . . . . . . . . P74 Charter Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P78 Insights into boat insurance . . . . . . . by Nautilus Marine . . . . . . . . P81 Boat Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Ben Collins . . . . . . . . . . . . P82 4WDing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P88 Camping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P89 Caravanning trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Todd Eveleigh . . . . . . . . . P90 Tips for deep-schooled bass . . . . . . . by Felippe Gapski . . . . . . . . . P92 Kayak rack rejigged . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Neil Schultz . . . . . . . . . . . P94 Somerset winter wonderland . . . . . . by Robbie Rayner . . . . . . . . . P96 Flatties on the flats via kayaks . . . . . by Justin Willmer . . . . . . . . . P98 What is a pack canoe . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Dan Owbridge . . . . . . . . P100 Subscription form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P100 Trading Post . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P101 Page 4 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

28

24 Like us on Facebook (Bush ’n Beach Fishing Magazine), post your photos, share in the laughs and win prizes!

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

14

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 SUBEDITOR: Daniel Tomlinson ADVERTISING: The BNB Team PRODUCTION: Jo Hendley, Lisa Jones

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

Phone (07) 3286 1833 Fax (07) 3821 2637 Email: ben@bnbfishing.com.au PO Box 387, Cleveland, Qld 4163 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.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 5

Brisbane Coast Guard’s signature vessel.

VMR Raby Bay’s biggest vessel.

Information on Volunteer Marine Rescue Queensland and Queensland Coast Guard

T

HESE two outfits offer volunteer marine search and rescue services to the boating public across 2700km of Queensland coastline.

For a paltry $77 per year you can receive these services with no other charges. If you are not a member, it can cost a fortune to have either of these services called out to your boat in distress, especially the Volunteer Marine Rescue.

from donations, some sponsorship and membership.

Boating Safety The main vessel is a Kevlacat

by BRIAN WEBB 3000 powered by twin 250hp SuVMR Brisbane is manned by vol- zuki four-strokes.

Additionally, the four other VMR unteers who have a duty crew availoutfits that cover Moreton Bay have able on weekends and public holi4.59m Stabicrafts for inshore work days from 6am to 5pm. A duty crew and some have 5.9m Swift RIBs is also on standby 24/7 and VMR powered by 175hp Suzukis.

Brisbane can be contacted on 0428 Our local VMR bases are Bri022 881 in emergencies. bie Island (VMR 445), Brisbane/ They raise most of their funds Shorncliffe (VMR 401), Raby Bay (VMR 455), North Stradbroke Island (VMR 449) and Victoria Point (VMR 441). Victoria Point also covers south to Jacobs Well.

VHF call channels are 73, 67 and 21, while 80 is the 27MHz call channel. The emergency VHF channel is 16 or 88 on 27MHz. VHF channel 73 is the normal ship to ship channel and for logging on with the VMR, or channel 90 on 27MHz. Coast Guard QF2 (Moreton Bay Trailer Boat Club Manly) and Redland Bay QF7 run coxswain courses, first-aid courses and marine radio courses where you can obtain a radio licence. Their vessels are yellow.

Hours of operation are 6am to 6pm (5pm Redland Bay) on weekends and public holidays.

Frequencies monitored are 88, 90 and 91 on 27MHz, 13, 16, 63, 67, 73, 81 and 82 on VHF as well as 2182, 2524, 4125, 6215 and 8291 on HF. You can phone Manly on 07 3396 5911 and Redland Bay on 07 3206 7777. All fishos can log on to their nearest VMR for free – it’s only

* continued P8

Page 6 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 7

Info on VMR Queensland and Queensland Coast Guard * from P6

when a problem occurs and you are not a member of a VMR base that you may find you are charged a fee for their services.

When departing the ramp, all fishos should: 1. Register their vessel with the closest VMR station (callsign or vessel name and length of vessel).

2. State departure point and time.

3. Destination.

4. Number of people on board.

5. Expected time of return.

6. If crossing any bars, the time you start and a call to say you have crossed OK. This applies to South

One of the VMR’s RIBs.

Passage, Caloundra and Wide Bay bars.

All boat owners should have a plan in case problems arise and must have the relevant safety gear on board for fishing partially smooth and/or open waters.

Plenty of maps are available to tell you where each section of water commences. There are big fines for not having the relevant safety gear on board and making sure your flares and EPIRB are in date.

Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol officers often pull boats up to check their safety gear and of course their catch.

In case of problems on the water: 1. Make a radio call on the distress frequencies 88 (27MHz) or 16 (VHF), providing your vessel’s name, size, location, number of persons on board and the nature of your emergency.

2. Ensure your vessel’s security and crew’s safety.

3. Provide emergency medical at-

Smooth and partially smooth waters.

Page 8 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

tention if needed.

4. If able to set your anchor, do so, and ensure all crew have life jackets on.

If unable to use your radio or you do not receive an answer from the VMR or Coast Guard or any boat near you: 1. Discharge orange flares during daylight.

2. If other vessels are nearby or you’re within 5km of shore, discharge red handheld flares every 30 minutes.

3. If there is no response from the discharge of flares, switch on your EPIRB and secure lanyard.

4. Prepare the vessel and crew for a possible overnight wait.

So, do you think $77 for membership is worth the money or do you want to take the risk without it?

Check out the maps of VMR areas, smooth/partially smooth and open waters and the table with relevant safety gear needed for each type of water you are fishing.

VMR districts from Rockhampton to the Tweed. www.bnbfishing.com. au

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07 3808 7333 amcboats.com.au Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 9

Recreational boating in Queensland during COVID-19

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HE Queensland Government has announced a threestage plan for a COVID-safe Queensland, allowing more travel, more activities and larger gatherings. From 11.59pm Friday, May 15, recreational water-based travel of a radius of up to 150km from your home for day trips was permitted.

This also means you are allowed to visit Fraser Island, Moreton Island and North Stradbroke Island for day trips, permitted the island is within a 150km radius of your home.

Social distancing Social distancing rules always apply – special attention must be paid at congestion areas like boat ramps and refuelling points. Additionally, there are the unnecessary contact risks you may create if you need assistance when out on the water, so for those venturing out, prepare well before leaving home.

Important to note Please be aware all agencies and rescue groups are following the Chief Health Officer’s directions within their own work areas. All emergencies will be dealt with as a matter of priority, but less urgent

incidents may potentially take longer to respond to. Volunteer marine rescue organisations and Maritime Safety Queensland continue to provide a marine distress emergency radio watch on marine VHF channels 16 and 67.

Skippers safety Skippers are advised to notify a family member or close friend of their trip, including the route they intend to take, their destination and an estimated time of return, with instructions to call 000 if they do not return within a given period.

Skippers are reminded that a number of entities may have specific restrictions in place for their local areas, with information available on their respective websites.

These may include recreational areas such as dams, lakes and weirs, closure of camping areas within Queensland national parks, state forests and recreational areas, access to some remote and indigenous communities including islands, and local government-operated marine facilities.

Skippers are always responsible for the safety of their vessel and

the people on board. This involves trip planning, ensuring the vessel is fully serviceable, having the appropriate safety equipment, keeping a proper lookout and proceeding at a safe speed.

Live-aboards Queensland Health has advised that people who live on board their boat as their home may continue to do so but should stay within a primary place. The Chief Health Officer provides some guidance on the definition of primary residence and recreation in the latest home confinement direction.

The advice from Queensland Health is you return to the location you departed from at the end of your recreational activity each day. You are able to travel within 150km of the vessel’s primary location for recreational purposes. However, you are not currently able to cruise along the coast to relocate to another location, unless you need to for a permitted purpose.

Information is subject to change based on the latest advice from the Chief Health Officer. Find the latest advice at covid19.qld.gov.au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 11

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BoatSafe courses to refresh your knowledge are available and cover information on the important elements of navigation practices, current legislation and boating safety relating to recreational boating.

BoatSafe course providers must ensure that ‘as far as reasonably practicable’ social distancing guidelines and personal hygiene measures

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Tailor time: new and old tailor rigs The author with a tailor caught on Tru-Turn gangs.

W

HAT a relief.

For a while there it didn’t look like we would be able to travel far from home at all and annual fishing expeditions to Fraser, Moreton and Stradbroke islands was under threat for many Queenslanders.

Fortunately, that fear doesn’t look like it will be realised, provided we continue to keep this beast of a virus under control. So ‘touch wood’.

This means it’s time to get your tailor gear ready for your trip(s)!

hit and miss in recent years, I am hopeful this season is shaping up to

by SEAN ‘SKIP’ THOMPSON be a ripper.

I’ve seen a number of early seaTailor might not be the best eating son captures and some big ones fish in the sea, but they make up for among them, including as far north it with fighting capacity and sheer as Fraser in April. Along with that, numbers, ensuring great sessions for there has been less fishing pressure everyone from beginner to expert. on their northern migration this Thankfully the days of huge picket season and some big rainfalls in late lines of anglers at Fraser catching summer freshened up estuaries and and keeping as many as they want bait stocks. are long gone. While the tailor sea- With all that in mind, you don’t son in Queensland has been a bit * continued P15 Fishing Tips

The Alvey sidecast rig, which is excellent for casting and retrieving.

A close-up of the Alvey rig.

Page 14 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Tailor time: new and old tailor rigs * from P14

want to leave preparation to the last moment when your mate says “let’s go chase some tailor”. With the wind up in recent weeks, and not being able to travel too far, I’ve got plenty of rigs ready for my boys and I. I love chasing tailor on lures, but I’m still happy to target them on bait, particularly because at times you need to soak a bait and wait for the fish to come to you after dark.

I am particularly looking forward to chasing them on bait due to being able to downsize my gear with the new titanium Alvey Stealth reel and matching Stealth rod, which should be in stores very soon.

This combo means you can fish several hundred grams lighter, which I’m sure my back will appreciate! If you have a dodgy back, consider giving this combo a try.

So what are my preferred tailor rigs? I have a few, with each having its own purpose. Like so many things, one size does not fit all and likewise one tailor rig might not necessarily suit all conditions.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Alvey sidecast cast and retrieve rig Let’s start with the traditional Alvey sidecast rig. This rig has been around for decades and for good reason. It has been long publicised on the Alvey website and used by the legendary Jack Alvey, who was a renowned surf casting champion.

The only thing that has changed is the style of line and hooks available these days. At the pointy end, the rig consists of three ganged 4/0 hooks.

I choose to use off-the-shelf TruTurn gang hooks linked together by swivels.

These are awesome for a couple of reasons. One, the swivels make ganging up a pilchard a breeze. Two, their bent cam shaft design means that with any pressure or weight the cam will turn upwards, hooking the fish much more easily.

I’m terms of line, I use 30-40lb fluorocarbon as my leader material.

I’ve recently gone to 40lb simply because the new Platypus Stealth FC leader is so thin for its strength that you can afford to go up in size without having line that is too bulky

or causes heavy drag in the water.

In terms of trace, this rig has a short 23-25cm trace to the first black swivel (not shiny silver or the tailor can bite it) in size 8. I then run a 70-75cm trace to the next swivel, though depending on your casting prowess and even height you might want to go down to about 60cm to make it easier to cast with.

Next is a 6-10 ball sinker (depending on surf conditions) between the swivels, with a soft green bead above the bottom swivel to cushion the knot from the heavy sinker when casting.

This is a great rig for not only distance but also keeping in touch with the bait and therefore the fish as you keep the line moving and tight.

Long trace rig For those times when the tailor are not schooled up and you need to wait for a few fish to arrive into your gutter, it pays to let your bait sit.

When doing so, you want it presented as naturally as possible and that is the advantage of a long trace * continued P16

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 15

The author’s preferred Platypus leaders for his rigs.

A selection of the author’s rigs marked, bagged and ready for action.

Tailor time: new and old tailor rigs * from P15

of 90cm-1m from your gang hooks to the swivel.

If you are using an Alvey sidecast, you will need a second swivel and might need to shorten your bottom trace to about 70cm and then run the sinker between a 25-30cm trace. Alternatively, you can run a star sinker on a slide down to your swivel. A star sinker can also help to hold your rig in place better in swell.

Big tailor rig A slight variant on this rig to chase

big tailor at night is to replace the three ganged 4/0 hooks with two ganged 6/0 Tru-Turn hooks joined with a swivel.

On this rig I will run a fillet of bonito cut in half or half a good size fresh tailor fillet.

You need the bigger hooks for the bigger, thicker bait.

It also pays to place a luminescent bead just above the hooks and light it up as a fish attractant. When night fishing for bigger fish, I use slightly heavier trace of 50lb but in the very

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strong new monofilament Hard Armour Tough Leader from Platypus.

This stuff is incredibly abrasion resistant and a good option for night fishing for these predators.

Multiple dropper rig Another rig definitely worth experimenting with away from the maze of picket lines is a paternoster rig with two or three droppers. This rig has a couple of advantages.

One is the heavy star sinker will hold you in sideways sweep. The other is having a couple of artificial baits on 15cm droppers such as a 3/0 surf popper or single 3/0 hook with a fly as well as a ganged pilchard on another dropper really increases your odds.

The poppers and fly are an attractant, waving above the bottom and enticing tailor to the lures or your pillie. I use heavier 50-60lb line for this trace.

Place the droppers 20-30cm apart (depending if you use two or three) and 15-20cm from the sinker and swivel. This can also lead to you catching two or three fish on the one trace. Great fun!

I hope this article and the attached video have you fired up to make some tailor rigs and try something new this tailor season.

For more tips, ideas and reports, please jump on and like my Facebook page (facebook.com/On tourfishingAustralia) and follow me at the same name on Instagram.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 19

Trevally are up in the shallows early in the morning.

Not a big squire but this 38cm fish was landed on a fresh pilchard on the turn of the tide.

Changing techniques to catch more fish

W

ELL 2020 has been one big rollercoaster but let’s hope things settle and we return to some sort of normality and can all get back to work.

I’ve gone from not being able to work at all to finally being allowed to run my charters once more. This at least allows me to get people out on the

Southern Moreton Bay

by SEAN CONLON

water and generate some much-needed cash flow for the business while ensuring I put people onto fish.

We will see how it all goes, as things change very quickly with this nasty little bug. I haven’t had very

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many clients out but at least when we’ve been on the water the fishing hasn’t been too bad.

The dropping water temperature has seen flathead push up into the shallows more often. Nice squire have turned up around the southern Moreton Bay islands too.

The flathead in the shallows have mostly been quite happy to take soft plastics as well as trolled hard-bodies, but at times they can be a little finicky and I’ve had to try a few techniques to get them to bite.

For example, I might be trolling my normal Zerek Bulldog Cranks around an area I’m pretty sure has flatties but am having no success.

My thoughts would be there might not be quite enough water depth for the aggressive action of the Bulldog Crank.

So to get a reaction out of the fish I need something with a completely different action. This is when I switch to the Zerek Tango Shad, which is a thinner-profile lure with a tighter action.

In certain areas I’ve trolled backwards and forwards in an area three or four times with the Bulldog Crank with no luck, then deployed

* continued P20

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Changing techniques to catch more fish * from P20

a Tango Shad and hooked up twice in 50m.

This can go the other way too. I could be having no luck with the Bulldog so tie on something like a 2m or 3m-diving Wilson Fish Art lure and troll it in 600mm of water.

It will absolutely belt the bottom with a very aggressive action and sometimes this is what’s needed to get a reaction out of the fish. The same principle applies with soft plastics.

Sometimes you can be casting into an area and using a subtle finesse approach with a light jig head and paddle tail or curly grub but you may not get a reaction.

If you feel fish are there, I would go up to something like a Zerek Live Flash Minnow Wriggly or Flat Shad and a 1/4oz or 3/8oz jig head and start belting the bottom to see if I can get a reaction out of them.

Don’t assume if you haven’t caught

any fish on your first few trolls or casts that no fish are present. Maybe that spot is barren but then again we all know what assume stands for and you could be driving away from good fish.

They may just not be attuned to the offering you are showing them. I have seen their preferences change from day to day, so if you’re heading out once or twice a month it’s a lot harder to pick what mood they’ll be in.

If you’ve got a couple of fishos in the boat, try two different techniques at once. Then if one starts working, the other person can change. The squire/snapper around the bay islands have been playing the same sort of game over the past month.

We have been catching them, not in great numbers, but getting a few every time we go out.

They too have been taking a variety of techniques. These techniques can change due to the colour of water we are fishing or the size or what * continued P22

As the temperature continues to drop we will see more of these fish in the shallows.

This one fell to a Zerek Bulldog Crank.

Maxy with an early morning flathead taken on a Fish Art lure.

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John extracted this flathead from the mangrove shallows.

Paul’s nice little flathead hooked on a Fish Art lure.

Changing techniques to catch more fish * from P21

part of the tide we are fishing.

Some days after the wind has been up it’s dirty, so I use darker plastics and hard-bodies. Three days later when the water has cleaned up I’ll use brighter colours.

On the smaller tides I’ve been returning to bait to chase squire.

The point of this article is don’t get locked into one way of targeting fish

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– try a few different techniques.

Make sure you change techniques for a valid reason, however, don’t just chop and change for the sake of it. For example, when the tide slows I change to bait for targeting snapper, then then when it speeds up I go to lures.

And if the water is dirty I use darker colours but if it’s cleaner I use * continued P23

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Changing techniques to catch more fish on-water tuition classes or you just lighter colours. I might go into more want to do a charter, don’t be afraid detail next month‌ to give me a call on 0432 386 307 As we all know with our jobs and or send me an email at seanconlons lives, we are time poor, so if you can fishing@hotmail.com learn more to optimise your time on You can also check out the Sean the water, then why not? Remem- Conlon’s Fishing Charters and Tuition Facebook page. ber: knowledge is the key.

If you’re interested in any off or Until next time‌

* from P22

The author caught this bar-tailed flathead on a Zerek Ripper Diver.

Simon’s early morning squire was caught on a Zerek Flat Shad in Fat Betty colour as the water was cleaning up nicely.

Even the old flathead can’t resist a Fat Betty Flat Shad.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 23

George with the first snapper of the morning. It is always good when the plan comes together.

This longtail fell to a Z-Man soft plastic.

Tips for Moreton Bay snapper and longtails

W

ITH the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, I was keen to put a few more hours on the Yamaha and get back on the water to chase a feed of fish.

Flathead Classic teammate George Mole hadn’t been for a run in the Cruise Craft, so we teed up a trip for a Saturday morning that had good weather and moon phase.

As we left the leads at Manly in the dark, it was obvious we weren’t the only people keen for a fish that day, with the distant Harry Atkinson Artificial Reef looking like a small city with all the white anchor lights on boats, many of which I suspect

Fishing Tips

by BEN COLLINS

had stayed overnight.

The number of trailers at the ramp was another giveaway that it was going to be crowded out there. Obviously, the more boat activity, the harder it is to catch fish.

There are lots of places to troll for snapper and your best bet is to start looking at maps with contours lines, Beacon to Beacon charts and even your sounder if it has a detailed Navionics card.

To give you a few ideas of good places to start trolling for snapper,

Spin or baitcaster rods in the 8-20lb range are fine.

Page 24 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

I would look at Peel Island, Mud Island, Green Island and the reefs off Ormiston and Wellington Point.

Try to find structure on the sounder holding bait.

On this occasion, we stuck to our plan of trying to troll up snapper and then go looking for a tuna or two. While the technique of trolling for snapper has been around for years, it is a little new for me and a skill I am keen to further develop.

Thankfully, I have had plenty of indepth chats with Sean Colon, BNB’s resident snapper trolling king (he will love that), so felt I was equipped with enough ammo to give it a shot.

George has already had good success using this technique over the past couple of years, so hopes were high despite several boats coming within casting distances at times.

Like most forms of fishing, you either need to find structure or bait, or even better structure holding bait, which will almost always include predatory fish such as snapper.

Thankfully, there is plenty of structure around Harry’s, so it is easy to find, especially with today’s modern electrics (the setup in the Cruise Craft is a Furuno 295, which may be overkill for the bay but it certainly does the job).

Once you have found the structure, is it simply a matter of driving back and forth over and around it until you get a strike – easy, hey? Well, it can be, but one of the key points you * continued P25

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Tips for Moreton Bay snapper and longtails * from P24

need to address is making sure you get your lure into the strike zone.

This is where the northern bay differs to the southern bay.

I am not totally sure why, but I think it might have something to do with the bottom structure and food sources. The southern bay seems to have more cockle and mussel beds, which are obviously on the sea floor, so your lure needs to be down there.

At Harry’s, a lot of the food source is baitfish, which hold above the bottom over structure, so they are higher in the water column. In this instance, rather than getting your lure to the bottom, you can fish it mid-water.

Not having to plough the bottom is definitely an advantage because some of the depths we trolled were over 12m, where you simply can’t get one of these small lures without the aid of a downrigger.

The take-home message is you

need a lure that will dive relatively deep to get into the strike zone where the bait is, but it does not need to be bashing the bottom.

Snapper will rise to take a bait or lure, so if you can get their attention, you are in with a chance.

A massive selection of deep-diving lures are on the market and many will state they dive to 4-5m. Do not dismiss these, as they are the ones you want, even if you are fishing 10-14m. * continued P26

Deep-diving lures and light line can make the difference.

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70cm-plus of Moreton Bay snapper.

The author with a solid longtail.

Tips for Moreton Bay snapper and longtails * from P25

Some of the lures used or in the tackle box included Atomic Shinerz (80mm), Zerek Ripper Divers (90mm), Killalure River Rats (125mm), Classic Lures Dr Evils (90mm) and Halco RMG Scorpions (90mm).

By running light braid and leader you will be able to get these lures diving way deeper than quoted on the packet, especially when trolling with the tide or current.

So, what do I mean by light? Well, George had 10lb braid and 12lb leader on his baitcaster rig (for some reason he likes chasing them on that setup, but it works).

One of the reasons I think this setup works is because of the fine line and leader and the fact George can easily adjust how much line he has out. This is where having a good sounder and being able to read it is important, as you can pick out baitfish and single bigger fish and get your lure in the right spot or to the right depth.

Now, I did say you simply drive back and forth and that is true, but making sure you understand the key points related to lures, line and using your sounder will improve your chances.

Thankfully, on this occasion everything went to plan and as the sun was just poking its head over North Stradbroke Island, George’s rod buckled over, with line peeling off the spool at a rate of knots.

Page 26 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

The key here is not to panic and instead let the fish run as you take the boat out of gear. This first big run is exhilarating and gets your blood pumping, but it also tires out the fish, so don’t try to fight it at this stage, just make sure you keep pressure on.

Depending on the size of the fish and the direction of the tide, you may need to manoeuvre the boat to aid with the capture, especially if using lighter line.

Before too long, we had 70cm-plus of snapper laying on the SeaDek and destined for the Esky. Thankfully, our plan came to fruition, which was extremely rewarding.

Just to make sure it was not a fluke, we continued trolling, which resulted in one more snapper. It is important to remember when trolling that you mark any good-looking ground or structure you go over.

Some of the by-catch we got while trolling included school mackerel and grinners, but I guess if you are getting these, you are in the right area.

With the sun climbing a bit higher and an increase in boat traffic, we moved on to chase longtail tuna. A couple of birds were in the sky and we saw a very small bust-up in the distance, so that was the direction we went in.

Once again, the key was to find the bait. We came across small patches here and there, but we were looking for the mother lode. If bait is

schooled up in big tight balls, predators are nearby. By spending five or 10 minutes searching, you will improve your chances of catching fish.

Once a large school of bait was found, we simply cast our plastics and let them sit in the rod holders as we had some morning tea. This is a technique George has used for years and one Joseph Cormack showed me a year or two ago.

And while it seems too simple to be true, it works. Within moments, George was on, with his 10lb outfit loaded up again, however this time we needed to chase it down.

After a relatively short battle, given the arsenal of choice, the longtail was in the boat. This process was repeated, and after finding the large school of bait again I hooked up to a better fish, but my time with Joseph meant I had 50lb gear on and it was brough to the boat in a flash.

The lures that did the damage were the Zerek Flat Shat in white rigged on a TT HeadlockZ in 3/0, 3/8oz and a Bubble Gum Z-Man 5” StreakZ rigged on a Barambah Flatty jig head in 3/0, 1/2oz.

Key take home message: find the bait and you find the fish. It is also important to watch your sounder and let line out to make sure you are in the strike zone and adjust the weight of your jig head as needed.

By using very simple techniques and refining them a little, you should see your catches improve.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 27

Clint Fannin with a cracking 124cm barra caught in the Fitzroy River on an ultra-slow retrieve.

It’s a prawn thing: the low-down on Live Shrimp

T

HE arrival of the Zerek Live Shrimp created a stir unlike many other lures in Australia. The Live Shrimp catapulted to the top of the charts almost as soon as it was released and, after more than eight years on the market, still maintains its place at the top of the heap.

But what is it about the Live Shrimp that makes it such a user-friendly

it an exceptional piece of lure engineering and allow it to be rigged

by STEPHEN BOOTH multiple ways.

Three sizes (2”, 3.5” and 5”) also means there is a Live Shrimp suitlure? And where has the developable for every species in Australia. ment of this phenomenon gone?

Let’s look at the features first.

Back to the start The Live Shrimp is a prawn-shaped The Live Shrimp has unique rigsoft plastic lure that is constructed ging slots in the body to shield from durable thermo plastic (TPE). the weedless worm hook, making It has a host of features that make the lure virtually snag proof while maintaining exceptional fish-hooking abilities.

Its tail is segmented to provide a very realistic tail action and these segments are held together by Kevlar matting to give the tail exceptional durability.

The legs are stiff, however this stiffness relates to their action in the water as they quiver realistically rather than fold up and over the body as they do in softer materials.

The Live Shrimp also comes with an inbuilt rattle chamber to add extra sonics to the lure. This rattle can be removed when rigging the Live Shrimp on a jig head or if you feel the extra sonics are not required.

And lastly, fluorescent eyes add Aaron Gibbs was excited to learn from the locals and put it all into practice at the Rocky extra visual appeal to an already Barra Bounty with this beautiful Fitzroy barra.

Page 28 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

Fishing Techniques

* continued P29

www.bnbfishing.com. au

It’s a prawn thing: the low-down on Live Shrimp * from P28

amazing lure. Here’s a link to rigging a Live Shrimp with a jig head: click here to view.

Here’s a link to a stinger hook rigging technique developed by the barra anglers, which gives the Live Shrimp a deadly sting: click here to view.

Yep, there’s a lot to the Live Shrimp. But be aware, like all soft plastic lures, the TPE can only take so much punishment. It is not indestructible like many would have you believe and it does wear out – but jeez it lasts a long time before it does.

It also doesn’t like super-sharp teeth such as those found in tailor and mackerel. They can snip off the tail as easily as any soft plastic lure on the market.

And the final one, which is super important, is TPE lures do not like

being stored with different plastics. They melt together and form a squishy mess, so store them carefully.

There’s a good article on storing these lures at wilsonfishing.com/

* continued P30

Reckon this barra thought the Live Shrimp was real?

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 29

The Fitzroy River barra fishery saw a big resurgence in anglers using the original Live Shrimp and Live Cherabin. Crawled along the bottom very slowly, they are proving consistent barra magnets.

Scott Fleming with a southern Moreton Bay snapper that snaffled the Live Shrimp Hot Legs in weedless format.

It’s a prawn thing: the low-down on Live Shrimp Content/Product-News-and-Views/ Warning-Does-Not-Play-Well-WithOthers The Live Shrimp is available in over a dozen super-realistic colours.

Considering the Live Shrimp won Best Soft Lure at the Australian Fishing Trade Association Trade Show on its release, it’s easy to see the credentials it has.

In the field The Live Shrimp is at its best in the field – when anglers are throwing it at fish. The most basic retrieve for this lure is the drop

and hop technique.

This technique is simple to master, with the angler simply casting the lure to the target and letting it drop through the water column or structure before hopping it a couple of times and then allowing it to drop again.

You can hop the lure subtly or harshly and you can hop it with large or small hops – it’s totally up to the angler and the situation they find themselves fishing.

This retrieve makes the lure look for all the world like a real shrimp or prawn and is extremely effective

Cod are not what you’d expect from the Live range, but the Live Cherabin in Glow colour produced this beautiful cod for Josh Usher.

The perfect end to a great moment in a tournament where the Live Shrimp and Live Cherabin shone brightly for Clint Fannin and Aaron Gibbs.

* from P29

Page 30 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

in thick cover, be that snags, rocks, reef or weed.

A different retrieve is the slow roll.

This is another very simple technique, with the lure simply being slowly wound back to the angler after the cast.

The mechanics involve the angler casting the lure out, allowing it to sink to the desired depth and then slow rolling the lure back. You can mix up this retrieve with little shakes of the rod or rod tip pulses to give the lure a bit more action, but this is not always necessary.

This retrieve really takes advantage of the stiffer legs we talked about earlier because they look very lifelike while vibrating and wriggling on the retrieve. These leg movements look very much like the legs of a real prawn as it swims through the water.

A more modern version of the slow roll is just a slower roll! This technique is used heavily in the Fitzroy River as clued-in anglers try to mimic a prawn crawling across the bottom.

The idea is to keep the Live Shrimp crawling across the bottom and the retrieve is painfully slow. This retrieve is based on excellent theory and works wonders in the Fitzroy.

An example was Wilson’s Clint Fannin catching a magnificent 124cm barra on the Live Cherabin

* continued P31

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It’s a prawn thing: the low-down on Live Shrimp * from P30

using this ultra-slow retrieve.

Extra Live love With the success of the Live Shrimp, several other models in the Live range were designed and released. The first was the Live Cherabin, a similar lure to the Shrimp designed to look a lot more like the larger freshwater shrimp found in the freshwater rivers and lagoons up north.

The Cherabin comes in two sizes (4” and 6”) and can be rigged with the supplied weedless worm hook or a jig head, however the tow point is in a different location, coming out of the top of the head of the plastic rather than the nose.

The Cherabin is a slenderer profile (but with a robust head) with long forward feelers. There are also different colours available, yet many of the same strengths of the Live Shrimp are retained, such as Kevlar webbing in the tail, the internal rattle chamber and the TPE used in its construction.

The most recent addition to the Live range is the Live Shrimp Hot Legs. This lure is almost a hybrid between the original Live Shrimp and the Cherabin, with features of both seen in this version.

The big difference with the Live Shrimp Hot Legs is the body plastic. While still being TPE, it is a softer compound, allowing for extra movement in the long feelers and legs.

And it is the extra movement in the legs that is important here because the Live Shrimp Hot Legs features highlight tips on all the legs in all the colours. Many of these highlights are UV enhanced, however not all are UV. The non-UV leg tips are bold and black, creating a real contrast to the rest of the legs and bodies. The final difference is a slimmer body compared to the original Live Shrimp.

This gives the lure a real finesse feel that is difficult for others to copy.

The Live Shrimp Hot Legs also comes in two sizes (3” and 4”) and

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with two hook styles – the omnipresent weedless worm hook for serious structure and the stand-up jig head for more open areas such as mud flats, sandy stretches and freshwater lakes where you want the lure to sit with its tail up and wafting around.

Summary The Live range from Zerek is a revolution in soft plastic fishing.

From the smallest 2” Live Shrimp right up to the 6” Live Cherabin, there is a size, colour and profile that will perfectly match your local crustaceans.

It is not just a saltwater range, with all the big-name freshwater species also dining on these ultra-realistic shrimp representations.

From barra, jacks and thread-

ies up north to trout, bream and redfin down south, the Live range from Zerek produces fish again and again.

The Live Cherabin is often favoured up north because it more closely resembles the local fodder.

The flathead of the Jumpinpin area don’t mind dining on Live Shrimp – this time a Live Shrimp Hot Legs.

One of the original captures. This flathead smashed the weedless-rigged Live Shrimp Hot Legs while being tested by Troy Dixon.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 31

Even right up a creek, school jewfish will commonly be encountered in deeper holes.

Fishing deeper river and estuary structure

F

OR much of my life I have fished the shallow flats in less than 2m of water, chasing flathead, bream and whiting, among other species.

Recently though, I have spent more time with anglers fishing the deeper sections of creeks, rivers and estuary systems, learning a lot and catching a mixed bag of quality species along the way.

When it comes to fishing deeper water, ranging from about three to 10m in the systems I fish, a quality depth sounder is definitely an advantage.

What are we looking for with the sounder? Find the bait, fish and

Tackle Tactics

by JUSTIN WILLMER

even just fish-holding structure and you increase your chances of catching fish. So, once we have located structure, bait or fish, how do we fish this deeper structure?

Tides If there isn’t too much run, you may be able to fish these areas effectively, however if the current is roaring you may have to focus on the slacker periods around the tide changes.

Anglers will often have a milk run

A 3/8oz jig head is a popular option when fishing deeper than a couple of metres of water.

Page 32 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

of spots they fish, concentrating on these areas of deeper structure when the tidal flow is reduced.

Lure weight Increasing the weight of your lure presentation may be required when fishing deeper water structure, with a step to 3/8oz, 1/2oz and heavier a common option.

Your favourite paddle tail and curl tail soft plastics may get the job done, however if you’re still struggling to get down and stay down around the bait, fish and structure, you might need to change to a plastic with less drag and in turn a faster

* continued P34

All sorts of creatures lurk around deepwater structure, including this remora and likely what it was attached to. www.bnbfishing.com. au

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A 60cm-plus snapper pulled from a deep rubble-filled hole on a Z-Man 4” Scented Jerk ShadZ.

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School jewfish are a common catch when fishing deeper structure in river and estuary systems.

Fishing deeper river and estuary structure * from P32

sink rate, such as a Z-Man 4” or 5” Scented Jerk ShadZ. Downsizing On the opposite side of the coin, it can be very effective to downsize your presentation, especially if fishing around the turn of the tide when there is less run.

A tide change on sunrise or sunset and downsizing to a 1/8-1/4oz jig head and Z-Man 2.5” GrubZ or Slim SwimZ has produced a stack of snapper, sweetlip, bream, trevally and more for us when they have not touched larger, more heavily

weighted plastics.

Switch it up Another favourite when fishing deeper structure is a TT Lures 1/2oz Switchblade metal vibration blade because it sinks fast, holds deep in current and when fished with short, sharp pulses creates loads of vibration and attracts a wide range of species.

Scent Don’t forget to scent up your plastics, especially when fishing deep.

You need to do what you can to make your presentation stand out because there will often be less light * continued P35

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A variety of cod species are common encounters when dropping plastics to deeper structure.

You never know what will eat a Z-Man 4” Scented Jerk ShadZ fished deep. www.bnbfishing.com. au

Fishing deeper river and estuary structure * from P34

penetrating into the deeper water.

Retrieves If the structure, bait and fish are scattered over a wide area, you can often drift and cast to cover ground, ensuring your presentation is in the strike zone.

At times the structure is a small oasis in a desert of featureless bottom, such as a wreck, rubble patch, ledge or timber snag. In this case, you can position your vessel down-current and cast back past the structure with the aim of your lure sinking down to intercept the strike zone.

Another option, if the current is slower and you have your lure weight correct, is you can position the boat directly on top of the structure and fish your lures vertically with small lifts and pauses in the strike zone.

The focus is first on locating the bait, fish and structure in deeper water, with many anglers spending a fair amount of time sounding an area prior to even casting a rod.

It’s then a matter of getting your

lure into the strike zone where the bait and fish are holding, before finally refining your presentation until you find the most productive lures for the different species and locations being fished.

Next time you’re fishing your local, don’t forget what’s lurking in the deep.

See you on the water…

Sweetlip love a downsized plastic, such as a Z-Man 2.5” Slim SwimZ or GrubZ.

Kaitlin with a school jewfish that ate a soft plastic fished in about 4m of water.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 35

Sarah Lewin with a cracker bluey pulled from a cave found by using the method described in the article.

The author got a quick photo with a good bluey before releasing it.

Breaking new ground for bluebone

W

ELL, it has certainly been a while in between articles for us as life sort of got in the way, but we are back in the swing of things now, so we’ll be writing monthly articles again.

As restrictions start to ease from COVID 19 our guess is everyone is chomping at the bit to get out and about and explore! One of the first places we’ll be heading is the Bunker Group on the southern Great Barrier Reef, though word on the street is every man and his dog from Brisbane will be heading that way too.

We’re writing again about the blackspot tuskfish, also called bluebone, and what we’ve been doing recently to find new ground for them – and how it’s been working a treat.

We sat down having a few beverages a couple of months ago, and had a good look at the charts from between Morton Bay and Fraser Island. We soon realised that nearly Page 36 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

Moreton Bay

by ADAM FOLEY

every place we knew bigger blueys were caught was in sandy areas with higher currents and where contours started to get close, which basically means a steep drop off.

Tide after tide rushing through these areas meant no sand was able to build up, and thousands of years of water rushing through caused steep drop offs to form undercuts or ‘caves’, similar to on land with waterfalls and streams. So we went searching and sounding in a few areas on the charts where we thought potential spots would hold caves and ledges.

A standard sonar sounder is fine if you know what you’re looking for, but having StructureScan is a big help because the extremely wide beam covers much more ground in

more detail than a standard sonar.

On a regular sonar you would see what looks like the bottom, but then you see a gap with another bottom reading under it – when you see this on a drop off there’s a good chance you’ve found an undercut or cave.

Once you’ve located an undercut or cave there is a real chance that a bluebone brute is lurking inside, that’s when the real work begins. Patience, concentration and a little luck are the three main ingredients you’ll need when targeting these fish, which in our opinion would pull a red emperor of the same size backwards.

Studying the ground, ledge or cave you are fishing and experimenting with different tides and ways to anchor can play a strong part in the success of landing a big bluey, as you want to pull them away from the structure if you can.

As for the rigs and bait we fish with, * continued P37

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Breaking new ground for bluebone * from P36

well some things have to be kept secret but commonly blueys eat crustaceans. Bag limits on collecting crustaceans must be adhered to and these can be found on the internet or by calling the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.

The main season for blueys is the warmer months of October to April but they can be caught all year round. They are only caught in daylight because at night they surround themselves in a ball of mucus so predators can’t detect them – this is why they are slimy frustrating buggers to fillet.

Though they are pound for pound probably the hardest fighting fish and one of the best eating, they are also the gardeners of the ocean and important to the underwater habitat.

Bluebone grow slowly, mature late and are extremely susceptible to barotrauma. So when fishing for them, please only keep a feed and release the rest straight away.

We hope this article has helped

those of you looking to start chasing these awesome fish. We have a YouTube channel called Outer Line Adventures, which features a few blueys being caught and a lot of other action for those interested, often being schooled by Sarah in the art of bluebone.

‘Til next time, tight lines and bent rods…

Typical ground where blueys are found: ledges with rocks and broken ground. This is where StructureScan comes in handy.

A medium-sized tusky caught by Sarah in the build-up to a storm.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 37

The author’s best tuna taken on light tackle.

You can’t argue when they come back for more.

Moreton Bay longtails on light gear

T

UNA in general can be one of the most frustrating fishing to find, let alone catch, but with their blistering runs, split-second direction changes and in most cases awesome eating qualities, they are well worth the effort.

Occasionally you can find Moreton Bay longtail tuna schooled up thick and happy to eat anything you throw at them, though most of the time they are regarded as some of

What I choose to use depends entirely on what bait the tuna are chasby SEAN BEKKERS ing and whether sharks are all over the schools. For this article I’ll focus on lighter tackle and things I look the spookiest fish to hook.

This makes them a very rewarding for when chasing 12kg-plus fish. prize after countless hours spent What to look for chasing them. When I’m chasing When I’m on the water searching down longtails, I’ll have a selection for tuna, flying into the first boilof metals, softies and lures along up I see is not the best approach, with a variety of light to heavy rod especially if I don’t have to compete with other boats. combos.

Tuna are super sensitive to changes in engine noise and once spooked they’ll dive back to the bottom before resurfacing hundreds of metres away.

I prefer to identify which way the tuna are going and head them off, idling in front of the school without changing the engine revs too much.

Most of the time I find the bigger fish don’t show themselves, preferring to sit under the schools and picking off the stunned bait rather than hitting the surface.

I place my casts in front of the school and give the presentation time to sink through the bait for a few seconds before cranking the lure back. My bigger fish have come from using this technique.

Pro Staff Pointers

Your sounder will help find fish when there is not much of a surface game.

Page 38 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

* continued P39

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Moreton Bay longtails on light gear * from P38

My last trip out had all the makings of a doughnut session, with the tuna hardly making a ripple on the surface and not giving me any direction to follow.

I turned the session around by watching the sounder. Mine is a Lowrance Elite Ti2 and when set to chart, down and side scan it gives me the best chance of finding bait and allows me to blind cast for tuna without really blind casting.

The chart showed the tuna weren’t really running in a particular direction but rather holding in an area and surfacing occasionally.

Instead of trying to find the tuna, I opted to find the bait. Once found, I positioned the boat off to one side and let my Z-Man StreakZ hit the bottom before ripping it back to the surface.

This resulted in a hook-up and eventual fish landed. While still hanging around the bait, my second fish came from seeing nothing more than a ripple on the surface in the glassed-out conditions.

A quick flick just in front of the ripple and it was game on. It was awesome to see a fish hammer out in front of the school and smash the presentation. True sight fishing and awesome fun.

The gear As I said, the gear used will depend on what the tuna are eating and whether the sharks are all over them.

Hot tip: do your very best to figure out what they are eating because this is often key to getting a hookup.

Often it will be quite small like whitebait and little herring, so to get a smaller presentation into the school you will need a lighter rod.

Once hooked you’ll probably need to chase the fish down as it strips line. This can be a heap of (challenging) fun when you’re fishing solo. It also helps keep the sharks off the fish for a while.

I run am Okuma Helios 3-6kg, 7’ rod matched with an Okuma 4000 Azores reel, 20lb braid and 30lb leader.

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I tie on nearly a rod length of leader, which helps if the tuna gets tail wrapped. If possible, position yourself upwind of the school to get a wind-assisted cast and send that light presentation a little further.

Lure wise, there are plenty of options but for me this season it’s been the Z-Man 3.75” StreakZ in either Baby Bass or Pearl colour matched with a 3/8oz TT HeadlockZ jig head.

I play around with combinations of jig head weights and Z-Man colours until I find one that works, but the above has been my starting point this year.

Good luck and I hope you find a patch out there.

Tackle box • Rod: Okuma Helios 3-6kg • Reel: Okuma Azores 4000 • Line: Platypus 20lb Platinum braid • Leader: Platypus 30lb Hard Armour Supple • Scent: Pro-Cure Bait Sauce (Tuna) • Jig head: TT HD HeadlockZ • Plastic: Z-Man 3.75” StreakZ

A Z-Man StreakZ in Baby Bass matched to a 3/8oz TT HeadlockZ jig head got the job done.

Pro-Cure Bait Sauce helped get a shy bite.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 39

Ricky caught this lovely mangrove jack on a pink Ecogear ZX40 vibe.

Shane caught this giant trevally on an Ecogear blade in 440 colour.

Spoilt for choice and how to catch more

H

I everyone, hope you’re all well. In Queensland we are enjoying more freedom to do what we love most – fishing. We are spoilt for choice here on the Gold Coast, with so much water to explore and a huge variety of fish to catch.

This time of year is my favourite as we are lucky to have an abun-

Ecogear VX45 blades imitate baitfish well.

Broadwater Guide

by CLINT ANSELL

dance of winter whiting, tuskfish, flathead, squid, flounder, bream, tarpon, tailor, mulloway, and squire just to name a few.

Over 1000mm of rain fell here in January to March, but you wouldn’t know it now. The waters have fully cleared, and we again need some rain to experience the best fishing.

This is a never-ending situation in estuaries – rainfall is constantly needed to stimulate the whole food chain. We are grateful for what we

Jett hooked this good size blackspot tuskfish on a yabby bait.

Page 40 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

got however. Anglers who have been on the water lately would have noticed the large amounts of bait getting around such as herring, small pillies and prawns.

This month I will share some tips to help you catch some of the above-mentioned species of fish. To successfully tempt any fish to bite, it helps to closely mimic their natural food. In estuaries, two examples are prawns and bait fish.

I often get asked about catching tuskfish in the Gold Coast Broadwater. These hard fighting and beautiful looking fish come through in waves, grazing in weed and reef areas in three to eight metres deep and mostly around channel areas.

They love eating yabbies and small crustaceans, so using yabbies and prawn imitation vibe lures are a great way to catch them. The same baits and techniques will also catch most fish locally for the same reason, imitating natural local food sources.

The large schools of baitfish currently present in the rivers and Broadwater can also be imitated by keen anglers. Soft vibes and plastics do the job well.

Here are some examples of lures and colours that are good choices this time of year when the water is cool and clear. Use more natural and transparent colours when the * continued P41

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Spoilt for choice and how to catch more * from P40

water is clear and on calm sunny days. Try flashy and darker colour lures in dirtier water during run out tides, deeper holes and periods of low light and cloudy days.

Prawn imitations: Ecogear ZX40 in colours 440, 411, 417, 447; and Hurricane Sting 37 in spiny prawn and bling prawn.

Baitfish imitations: Samaki Vibelicious 70mm in white bait, ghost bait, pearl shrimp; Ecogear VX45 in 425, 439; and Strike Pro cyber vibe 40 in 1460B, JU020ES. Shallow trolling: Pontoon 21 crackjack 48 SP DR in Ghost Tiger Prawn, R60; and Savage Gear 3D shrimp xdr 50 in brown shrimp, sand shrimp, brown gold.

As always, it pays to mix up colours on any given day to see what is working. It varies a lot depending on

what catches a fish’s attention and entices it to strike at your lure.

If all else fails, lightly weighted fresh yabbies never do.

Brad and I are now running our estuary charters again for two people maximum who live in the same household, and we are adhering to the COVID-19 safety measures as recommended by authorities.

All going well, more restrictions will be lifted in June and July.

It’s a great time of year to be outdoors and we guarantee you will catch fish on lures on a day out with us, and learn our best techniques and secrets.

To book on a private 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 by searching for Brad Smith Fishing Charters.

Mulloway respond well to these Samaki soft vibes in White Bait colour.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 41

Changing current makes it hard to pick fishable days

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H

OPEFULLY by the time you read this, the current will have slowed down on the wide reefs.

Typical for May it stopped and started and made it hard to pick a day, so it was up to the luck of the draw whether it was a fishable day or not. The boats that picked the good days came home with the usual suspects from the deep such as cod and pearl perch. A little closer on the 32-fathom line and around Windarra Banks some good teraglin were captured too.

Every summer and autumn a school of amberjack takes up residence somewhere. Often it’s at Windarra Banks, but one year it was Mackerel Boulder at Julian Rocks, other years it’s at the 45-fathom line behind Windarra and this year it is on the 42-fathom line off Cape Byron.

This area is known as Seven Mile, so if you are after a smaller-sized amberjack you will still get a few there late autumn. Earlier in summer jack are around three to five kilograms but later in the season they are likely to be five to eight kilos. Just babies really but good fun and the right size to eat because the larger models produce huge fillets.

Expect to get kingfish in the same areas and for the really big amberjack the 50-fathom line will be the go.

As I said last month, the boat ramp is the busiest it’s ever been and while we can’t get away for a holiday, locals are making the most of the opportunities.

In close, I’ve heard jewfish are on the chew off Tweed. They must all be up there because down here on the Brunz reefs there have been a few but hardly in what you’d call decent numbers. Some good snapper have come in though, with plastics claiming the most victims.

It was nice to see an early run of tailor on our beaches, with reasonable numbers being caught through May. The sizes varied a lot, with

Tweed to Byron Bay

by GAVIN DOBSON

some nights producing only choppers and other nights three and a half kilo greenback.

Mullet coming down the rivers will stir the jewfish situation up on the walls, beaches and headlands.

Bream usually school up at the same time as mullet but as yet there’s no sign of them.

NSW restrictions on travel are lifting in June and groups of 20 people will be allowed, so hopefully businesses can start getting back to normal. The whales are starting to come through, so I’m thinking fishing charters and whale watching trips will be back on the cards.

Thanks to the Bush ‘n Beach Fishing team for keeping the mag running during lockdown – last month’s looked great.

Stay well and good fishing.

Blue Phillips extracted this hard-fighting kingfish from a local reef on a recent day of calm weather. www.bnbfishing.com. au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 43

Jewfish running hot this season

W

ELL, the winter run of jewfish in the estuaries along the far north coast of NSW has started in earnest, particularly at Iluka and Yamba at the mouth of the mighty Clarence River.

Every year, large schools of jewfish move into the lower reaches of the estuaries to feast on the vast schools of flat-tailed mullet that move downstream each year to breed.

What you need to realise is that this event is not limited to the Clarence River as the Evans, Richmond, Brunswick and Tweed Rivers also see the same action to either a greater or lesser extent.

At Evans Head the Bream Hole on the southern side of the river holds big numbers of flat-tailed mullet during winter, and in turn jew regularly come to feed during high tide at night.

At Ballina on the Richmond River just about any spot accessible from the bank – from the sailing club upstream to the Burns Point Ferry

Just Jew

by TYE PORTER

– will see jew busting on any given night, and if you have a boat fish the mouth of Mobbs Bay at high water.

On the Brunswick River, don’t overlook the mouth of the trawler harbour on the southern bank or a little upstream from the north wall on the northern side.

On the Tweed, the spots are endless as flat-tailed mullet congregate around any wharf, drain or rocky structure – so get out and do the ground work in your own area.

The greatest assess you have at night when searching for jew feeding on mullet is your ears, because once they start feeding you will be able to hear them from a mile away.

Don’t use torches to find mullet at night because you should have already done the groundwork and found where the mullet are laying during daylight hours.

Do not see mullet laying in a given

Mischa with a nice longtail tuna taken from the Iluka breakwall on live garfish.

Page 44 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

spot during the day and think to yourself the jew won’t come there because jew will literally beach themselves at night to get a feed of mullet in the dark.

One of Mischa’s mates from Yamba told us of a nice school of flat-tails laying adjacent to one of the road bridges in that area, so we went for a couple of night-time drives and were duly rewarded with a fish each night.

While the mullet were using the bridge pylons for cover during the day, the couple of nights we were there the jewfish came in, smashed into the poor old mullet and drove them on to the shallow mud flats.

Mischa was standing on the mud flats in his waders on one of the nights and had jewfish busting into the mullet between him and the bank. I chose to cast lures from the bank for nil reward, however such is fishing and I am just as likely to snare a fish next time.

The T-piece at the beginning of the Yamba breakwall has been lousy * continued P45

Land-based guru Ted McLean of Ashby with one of the few longtail tuna taken from the Iluka breakwall this season. www.bnbfishing.com. au

Mischa caught this 11kg fish in under 2m of water using live mullet.

Jewfish running hot this season * from P44

with mullet lately and should remain that way for the rest of winter, so should you choose to cast a lure or float a live bait, this is one spot not to go past.

Elsewhere in the river catches of luderick are slowly starting improve as too are bream, while numbers of flathead and whiting are starting to dwindle as we head into the cooler months.

A handful of fish to 18.5kg have been taken from the river side of the Iluka breakwall on fresh squid baits, while the Bluff headland has been yielding a few nice school jew around the 10kg mark on minnow lures as well as some nice tailor and the odd small turrum.

The beach up along Shark Bay has been a bit of a hit and miss affair due to the frequent large ground swells that have been pounding the

coast, but those who have managed to pick the right day have been returning with mixed bags of tarwhine, dart and bream.

Offshore catches have also been patchy, however young Minnie Water angler Jasper Waern did manage to boat a snorter of a spanish mackerel that tipped the scales at 27.5kg.

Regardless of what travel restrictions may or may not remain in place, this month you will be able to fish in your local patch, so now is the time to do your homework on your own backyard.

After more than 40 years chasing jewfish I am still trying new places and new techniques, and I am to this day amazed at just where these big smelly buggers can be caught. So what are you waiting for, it’s jewfish June. Get out there and get among them, I will be.

Till next month, safe fishin’.

Mischa hooked this jew at low tide on live mullet in no more than a metre of water.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 45

Brisbane’s best fishing is upon us

W

INTER is finally here and with it come excellent fishing options.

We had some really cool weather in May, so if that is anything to go by, we might be in for a cold June.

Dropping water temperatures fire up many species in the rivers and

Flathead get very hungry and aggressive when water temperatures

by KEITH STRATFORD drop. They can be found in a wide range of areas and often school in creeks around Brisbane. Rivers like large numbers. the Pine and Caboolture and the Most people choose to cast soft Pumicestone Passage can run red plastics up on the flats, which is hot for flathead over winter. a fun and productive way to land plenty of fish, though don’t rule out the deeper water at this time of year.

I’ve had excellent sessions jigging plastics and vibes in the deeper holes during winter. It’s a good idea to keep your options open on the water.

A lot of anglers tend to stick to one technique because it has worked in the past. Just because the fish aren’t feeding in your favourite spot or eating your favourite lure doesn’t mean they aren’t feeding elsewhere on different types of bait.

Tunnel vision can be an angler’s downfall. I’ve stumbled across great spots trying to get out of the wind. Years ago I was fishing with a mate locally in a 25-knot northBull sharks have been active lately. This one ate a bream fillet. westerly.

It was an odd wind to have during winter and the flatties were hating it. Most of my favourite spots were open to the wind and struggling to produce a fish or two.

We decided to hit a spot just to get out of the wind and it was loaded with good fish. We got 20 quality fish in no time and the fish stayed on that bank for the entire winter.

The next winter it wasn’t quite as good, but it still had a few on it.

The following year, it was tough getting even one fish off it. That’s why it’s a good idea to have a backup plan.

A sounder is an excellent tool to help locate areas where flathead might be feeding. They won’t show up on the sounder, but finding schools of bait is a great place to start. Side-scan sounders are also handy to use to find drains Local Luring

Adam Stratford recently landed this nice jewie.

Page 46 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

* continued P47

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Phil Benfer captured this little shark on a piece of freshwater eel.

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Brisbane’s best fishing is upon us * from P46

and creek mouths when the tide is up.

The Brisbane River can produce excellent fishing during June. Good numbers of jewfish and snapper will be spread throughout the lower reaches of the river.

Threadfin salmon numbers normally thin out towards the mouth, as a lot of fish push upstream during winter. Some big schools of jewfish have been found along the wharves towards the mouth. There is a lot of water to search through out there, and a good sounder can make it much easier to find the fish.

Snapper have been biting really well recently. They move around a lot in the river and can be there one day and gone the next. If you find the bait, you’re in with a good chance of finding the fish.

Get out there and enjoy the best three months of fishing Brisbane has to offer.

I hope to see you on the water.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 47

A superb 70cm snapper for Warren Painter.

Sunshine coast winter fishing warms up

W

ITH COVID restrictions now lifted to allow most the opportunity to travel and go fishing for pleasure, the month ahead sure looks like fun.

April saw an earlier than usual cool down and May had many small rain events that kept dams and rivers nicely topped up.

The great thing about winter in southeast Queensland is we see more westerly wind conditions, which means cleaner ocean conditions and easier bar crossings. Now is a great time for everyone to explore and try new things.

Offshore, the water temperatures have decreased and this is usually the last month where tuna and spanish mackerel are still a viable target before they head north to warmer waters.

The closer reefs of Sunshine and Halls are the more consistent producers of these fish. The best methods are trolling whole garfish, sauries, slimy mackerel or bonito on gang-hook rigs and pre-made weighted troll rigs.

Those with downriggers will see the best results, especially with live baits. If not using bait, give the Nomad DTX lures a try. They come in

Page 48 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

Sunshine Coast

by GRANT BUDD

many different size and colour options, so you can run a varied spread to get the best results.

Away from the pelagics, this is the time of year when snapper and jewfish become real targets. North Reef is a popular spot for both species to hang out, and aside from baits, soft plastics present a great way to connect to big fish.

Check out the 6.5” Powerbait Nemesis in Breen Chartreuse. This lure has a great tail action sure to attract both species. Cobia often frequent this area and will smash a soft plastic as it falls.

Look at 3/8oz to 3/4oz jig heads and a quality PE2 braid to stay connected to the plastic, even in current.

If in shallower waters like Sunshine Reef, then for some fun try smaller plastics on lighter 1/6-1/4oz jig heads with light estuary gear.

Sunshine holds good pearl perch, moses perch, coral trout and cod as well, so it’s definitely worth drifting around. Coral trout were still getting caught in May, so don’t be surprised if you land one of these

superb table fish.

The best baits have been fresh mullet, pillies and live yakkas on heavier 30-50lb gear. Out wider on the Barwon Banks, try fishing the deeper water of 90-100m.

This is where large pearlies, big snapper and amberjack along with venus tuskfish hide out. Whole squid and flesh baits rigged on a paternoster rig have generated the better results.

Live baits get the attention of the bigger AJs but the sharks can present an issue, so get your fish in as fast as humanly possible.

Double Island Point is another great destination when the swell allows. Here you can find deep water quickly with great reef options and you can snag big snapper and other reefies not far from shore.

This area is a great place to try slow-pitch jigging. Use PE3 outfits and smaller, wider profile jigs like the Black Magic Flipper and Palms Slow Blatt Oval.

Make sure you upgrade the stock hooks to 3/0 twin assists like those on the Slow Blatt Heavy so you land that PB. One more piece of important in* continued P50

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 49

Andy Wyatt with a cracking tailor from the beach in front of Twin Waters.

This 65cm snapper was boated by Matt Cantarella.

Sunshine coast winter fishing warms up * from P48

formation is to take caution when travelling offshore during low-light periods and night. The start of the annual whale migration varies each year and they could be out and about by the time you read this.

Ensure you log on with Volunteer Marine Rescue/Coast Guard (read Brian Webb’s article on Page 6 for more information) and have all safety gear ready to use, with EPIRBs close at hand.

In the surf, things have been warming up, with the silver ghosts very much on the menu. The gutters from Sunshine Beach to the southern end of Maroochy’s Northshore is the main area to get hooked up.

Big jewies have been off to a strong start this year, with fish to a metre or longer landed and many more lost. Plenty of smaller schoolsized fish have been caught and released too.

You will see bigger fish coming in over the next few months, with some reaching over 15kg in weight. Having the best surf outfits and terminal gear will go a long way towards stopping these power houses.

Fresh mullet fillets, bonito fillets and live beach worms, as well as tailor fillets if you can them, are the prime baits to use. When using fresh strip baits, Mustad Penetrator hooks snelled together on 40-60lb leader give the bait freedom to move and ensure a positive hook-up when it counts.

For up-to-date jewfish reports, call in and see the team at any of the Page 50 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

Davo’s tackle stores where we will point you in the right direction.

Chopper tailor catches are improving, with most fish taken on the run-in tide around the Noosa River mouth during first and last light.

If wanting to hook good size tailor, try using bonito or a flesh bait on a strip bait rig after dark. The bigger fish tend to hold around the deeper holes at night and cruise up and down the gutters looking for a feed during lighter tidal flow.

If you find baits hard to cast or you are losing them to smaller fish, be sure to use some bait thread. This is an essential item and keeps baits in place for longer, which equals big fish.

During the daytime, you can expect to find quality dart and sea bream from Peregian south to Maroochy River. Traditional baits such as pipis and worms placed on a bait-holder hook will give you better catches, especially if fishing with lighter 10’ surf outfits.

The Noosa River is coming alive, especially if you love chasing golden, giant, big-eye and diamond trevally. These fish have been caught around the Coast Guard boats near Munna Point as well as in Woods Bay and along the current line.

Surface presentations have been the way to go early of a morning for GTs and tailor. The Zerek Poparazzi and Rapala X-Rap poppers are working well.

When fishing these smaller surface lures, it is a good idea to upgrade the trebles to cope with the bigger

fish. A mid-50cm giant trevally will bend stock trebles right at your feet, so upgrading stock hooks and rings is imperative.

Smaller golden trevally and tea-leaf trevally have been found throughout the river and taking smaller 3” grub-style and jerk shad soft plastics. When using soft baits, be sure to use plenty of scent because goldens will often follow a bait before hitting it.

This shows it is imperative to let your plastic sit on the bottom and don’t be in a rush to get it back to your feet. You can also expect to hook a cale cale (longrakered trevally) and these fish will test every inch of your gear.

When the water is clean, you are best to drop to 6lb leaders to get the bite. Bream are in good numbers in the lower estuary as water temperatures continue to drop.

Smaller curly tail grub-style plastics on 1/20oz jig heads and lightly weighted flesh baits have worked well around structure including the Weyba bridges and pontoons of Woods Bay and Noosa Sound.

Flathead are also in excellent numbers, with many fish well over the legal size limit. These big breading females are protected when measuring over 75cm and must be quickly released to maintain the sustainability of the fishery.

Supporting any bigger fish by its belly is important when holding for a photo to prevent internal injury.

Ensure you never hold big fish up

* continued P51

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Sunshine coast winter fishing warms up * from P50

by only their jaws when release is intended.

Flathead lend themselves to lure fishing and are a great beginner’s target. Fishing the run-out tide and working the drop-offs near mud and sandbanks will most likely see a result – just don’t be in a rush to get your plastic back to your feet.

If you are in the boat, drifting slowly down the edge of a bank fishing prawn-profile plastics gets the best results. Great places to try this are the current line, Frying Pan and various channels around the mouth. Z-Man ShrimpZ and the smaller Chasebaits Flick Prawn are a couple of the local favourites flathead love.

The freshwater dams are open again after a long period of closure. With waters much cooler, you should aim to locate the warmer bays where the sun is hitting the water first.

Fish will try to find warmer water for energy, and weed beds will

provide higher oxygen levels too.

During winter there is no reason to be on the water at first light if there has been a sudden downpour or cold snap.

Dam fish love stability and if this is present, give surface lures a try.

This is the time of year when fish will respond to slower, smaller presentations, and the Jackall Pompadour is a great example.

Both saratoga and bass will smash a well-presented surface lure. Away from surface, smaller jerkbaits like the Bassday Sugadeep is a great offering. This lure suspends very well on lighter 8-12lb leaders most fish can’t ignore.

Be sure to flick at any lay-down timber and explore the shallow bays for the best results. As always, when leaving Lake Macdonald be sure to use the wash-down facilities to remove weed from trailers. Cabomba week is very invasive and chokes waterways very quickly.

Don’t forget June 1 is the start of

the wild Australian bass closure.

This means the Noosa Everglades are out of action for those targeting bass for the next few months.

For all the latest information, jump onto fishingnoosa.com.au And for up-to-date bar and fishing reports, don’t forget to drop into Davo’s Tackle World, Davo’s Boating and Outdoors in Noosa and Davo’s Northshore Bait & Tackle in Marcoola for all the right equipment, bait and advice to get you catching.

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

Jack Spinks scored a night-time jewfish.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 51

Jess Clarke picked up this jewfish in the Broadwater using a lure and 8lb line.

This was my son Seb’s trevally captured off Cairns on pilchard and squid using his Ugly Stik rod combo.

It was the biggest fish he’s ever caught, measuring 72cm, and put up quite a fight from 30m depth when fishing for trout.

Mat Grillo Testing out new Ecogear ZX43 blades on golden perch at Copeton Dam. Paul Lake

Cody Upton captured his first spanish mackerel offshore from Iluka, NSW. Shane Jeffrey Upton

Louis Webster with his first-ever topwater spanish mackerel and it breached the popper and jumped out of the water. The mackerel was 131cm long and weighed 13kg.

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

Page 52 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

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follow us on instagram My son Perry ‘Pest’ Craft landed this 58cm flathead off our pontoon in Coomera Waters.

Adam Craft

@bnbfishingmag A tripletail caught while sight casting at Hinchinbrook Island.

The first one I’ve ever seen, it went 60cm and was hooked on a 3” grub.

Alan Mckibbin

find us on facebook • Win prizes • Post your brag • Chat to readers shots and writers • Join in on the fun • See who’s catching banter what • Have a laugh Riley Engler with a Clarence River flatty caught on a hard-body lure.

Craig Engler

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www.facebook.com/bnbfishing Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 53

Watch out for whales with the cooler weather

H

I it’s Craig Tomkinson here.

With the colder weather, keep an eye out for whales if you’re planning to go offshore because there are that many of them, which is great, but a bugger when travelling around during the day and at night particularly. If you’re looking for new ground or going to other spots, just take a little speed off. I heard of one boat hitting a whale at the Rainbow Beach fishing competition a few years ago, so it does happen.

On the fishing front, my mate Dave Anderson and I finally slipped out off Noosa in my 5m tinnie. It’s been

Noosa to Fraser Coast

by CRAIG TOMKINSON

awhile since I crossed a coastal bar – I mistimed a wave and we got a little wet, which was not a worry, we just got wet.

Once out the front on Sunshine Reef, I found a nice bit of ground and anchored up. It was running very hard to the south and the fishing was super quiet, we shifted many times till about midday for one or two fish.

So, then we headed down Victor Bailey’s Reef way and out wide of

Two different inner axle seals – the one on the left is a Terrain Tamer, it is heavier duty and has a bigger retaining spring, which in turn seals better.

Dave Anderson’s sons Oliver and Sebastian with a nice feed.

Page 54 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

that area. We slowly caught a few more fish but got plagued by undersize red emperor. I have never seen so many of them out where we were.

We ended up with 10 nice mixed reef fish and headed back to the boat ramp and loaded the boat before dark. It was a very slow day fishing-wise but Dave and I had a great time anyway.

Hopefully this month restrictions on travel ease and the national parks open up again because I would love to slip up to Inskip Point and go camping for a few weeks – do some crabbing, chase squid and slip offshore for a feed of reef fish.

I might even tow my 5m tinnie up to Waddy Point or to Sandy Cape on Fraser Island, which is an exercise but a load of fun. From memory my mate Dave Kowitz has never been fishing up there, and I have not launched a boat off the beach on Fraser for about 14 years.

My old Toyota LandCruiser 80 Series 1990 1HZ has done a lot of kilometres and I am constantly fixing something, though I love that I can do all the work on her and save myself hundreds of dollars a year.

Over the past few years she started leaking oil from the back differential into the back drum brakes.

So around every 20,00030,000km, I would pull the back wheel off and take the rear right back axle out then replace the inner back axle seal with either a genuine or not genuine seal. To be frank, they looked identical. Then I would wash the brake pads down with petrol and repack or replace the wheel bearings at the same time.

I got sick of replacing the seals with the same thing, so this time I ordered a Terrain Tamer seal, and the difference in size and construction was so much stronger and better looking. When I put the axle back in it would normally slide in easily, but with the Terrain Tamer seal, I had to push the axle hard to get it into the seal. But it’s been in for about 5000km and not leaked a drop of oil yet.

Till next month stay safe.

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ESTABLISHED IN 1946 Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 55

Amber Browning out-fished the boys again on a recent trip offshore.

Mitch Cooper with a golden trevally from the bay.

Fishing on fire around Tin Can Bay

R

IGHTO, let’s talk about COVID-19 for a minute and all the doom and gloom it has brought to the world over the past few months.

Nah, bugger that. Let’s talk about how good the fishing has been!

We’re not too sure where to start really. All the fishing has been good – inshore, offshore, whiting, flathead, tuna, crabs, spanish mackerel, squid…

At the time of writing even the weather had been playing ball. Cool nights, warm days and clear skies

Tin Can Bay

by CHRIS RIPPON

were very welcome. With everyone doing the right thing and staying in their local area, the waterways around Tin Can Bay were a little quieter these past weeks. The water in the bay was still slightly green, but the rain seems to have really helped things fire up lately.

Good reports of summer and winter whiting have been coming in thick and fast, with one customer

The author with a 105cm longtail on fly.

Page 56 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

catching a few true elbow-slapping 42cm summeries earlier in May. Fresh yabbies and our locally caught worms have been working a treat on summer whiting.

Fishing the last couple of hours of the runout tide at Norman Point has been a bit of a hot spot for anglers.

Fishing the making tides around the mangroves before they flood has also been producing. There have been several nice lizards getting caught in both of those situations, and a few stud bream in the mix.

I have had a good run catching flatties on fly while fishing the last hour of the ebb tide, and the first couple of hours of the flood tide in the late arvo after work while walking the drop off. I was socially isolated and caught a nice feed for the family.

Squid are starting to show up in numbers and we’re sure most of you know the likely spots to go to to have a crack. Maybe try the dead stick technique next time you’re out.

Rig a jig with no extra weight and cast it out the back of your drift and only a couple of meters down in the water column. This is a sure-fire way to pick up the hooked squid’s mate that will follow him up with all the commotion going on and it will increase your catch rate.

Mud crabs are still being caught in * continued P58

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 57

Fishing on fire around Tin Can Bay good numbers and sizes. Getting up creeks and giving the pots a good soak with decent fresh bait is working best. The sand crabs should start to become more active now, and the number of sandies I’ve seen in the shallows when walking back in the afternoon is a sign that this season

they should be thick.

Offshore fishos have also been cleaning up over the past few weeks.

We have seen great catches of scarlet sea perch, grass sweetlip, tuskfish, jewfish and redthroat emperor. A lot of the good catches have been coming from the closer grounds inside the four to ten nautical mile zone.

Rylan Day landed a ripper of a trout.

Ed from Keely Rose scored a weapon of a red emperor.

* from P56

The bigger fish were quite susceptible to well-presented live bait, that’s if you can find them. They have been a little hit and miss lately, and spotted mackerel have been playing havoc with bait jigs lately – a full string soon turns to no weight at all.

The fish aggregating device has been producing small to medium-sized dolphinfish. Small stickbaits, 4-5” soft plastics or flies should work for them. If not, try trolling past with Christmas tree or small-skirted lures at about six to eight knots. If all else fails, try pumping a burley trail and feeding unweighted pillies back into the FAD to see if that gets you hooked up.

Loads of pods of tuna have been outside the Wide Bay Bar, with a mix of longtail and mack tuna, and there were big longies hanging around Inskip Point and the green * continued P59

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TE ABSOLU RONT WATERF Book today call Micheal 0418 152 749 or visit stewartislandecovilla.com LOCATION | Located in the Great Sandy Straits Marine Park between Tin Can Bay and Hervay Bay tucked behind Fraser Island. Stewart Island offers complete peace and tranquillity with abundant fishing, crabbing and exploring opportunities.

Captain Jonathan from Great Sandy Straights Sport Fishing managed a 116cm longtail tuna.

Fishing on fire around Tin Can Bay * from P58

marker known as Big Mick. At around 10kg they made for a good bit of fun on medium to heavy spin 30lb gear or a 10-weight fly rod. I recently hooked a nice 105cm, 11kg on the long wand. A couple of days earlier, our local guide Jon put the hooks into a solid 116cm fish by drifting live baits between Wide Bay Bar and Inskip Point. Did we mention they make beautiful sashimi?

The spanish have been out in numbers further up the beach from recent reports and 15-18kg fish were being caught in good numbers. Slow trolled live baits and skirted garfish worked well for the fishos. One of the local crew even landed a 35kg at the start of the month – and yes, we saw the picture of the scales so it wasn’t just a story – it was a slob of a spanish.

Well, that’s it from us this month crew – stay safe, stay healthy and keep washing those hands. We hope you all get out for an essential fishing trip in the coming weeks and catch a feed for the family. Find us at the Tin Can Bay Marina, Emperor Street for all your boating and fishing needs.

Cheers and tight lines.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

INCLUSIONS | A self contained eco villa with everything you need for a relaxing break, including: medium size electric fridge; gas stove; solar hot water; tank water; all cooking utensils and cutlery. All you need to bring is food, drinks and bed linen.

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BEDROOMS | The villa has two bedrooms: one with a queen size chiropractic bed; one with two bunk beds. There are also two fold out double beds in the lounge room if needed.

GETTING THERE | Ideally you need your own boat to get to Stewart Island but transport can be arranged if required.

BOOKING | Cost is $300 per night with a minimum booking period of three nights.

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Call Chris & the team on 07 5486 4744 At the Marina Emperor St, Tin Can Bay www.tcbchandlery.com.au Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 59

Lorinda with a solid trev hooked on a jig.

Restrictions easing sees increased fishing action

W

E are a couple of months into restrictions and thanks to our efforts as a nation, old ‘rona seems to have taken a knock down.

We are enjoying more freedoms again and can boat recreationally, which means catch and release fishing is back in play.

Travel restrictions still make it difficult for my clients to get here, but the few who have come out have enjoyed great fishing.

Early in May it was just solo anglers allowed on tour with me. Now we can do duos, with social distanc-

> Hervey Bay > Fraser Island > Sandy Strait

Fraser Guided Fishing

by TRI TON

ing still applying.

Thanks also to people who have bought my hoodies to help me through. Every bit helps.

The days we fished were quite productive and the fishing for ‘essential food’ rule didn’t dampen my spirits much.

My partner and I chased squid, sand crabs and smaller reef fish.

Much of this was done within 30 minutes of the harbour and we easi-

Get into the best fishing action!

ly caught modest but tasty feeds.

My clients also managed a few. One client bagged three legal trout, grass sweetlip and snapper within 15 minutes of the harbour on small soft lures.

Afterwards we knocked over some school mackerel a bit further out.

The mackerel as always fell to spun metals.

The weather is cooling fast and we might get a real winter this year.

Snapper are starting to move and in close a few squire are lurking and ready to smash your presentations on the drop.

The tuna are still here, with some monsters around. Diamond trevally are moving in and we have landed a few.

Hopefully the sharks keep slowing too! We can switch to lighter tackle if required when the water cools because those apex predators’ metabolisms slow and become more lethargic.

* continued P61

Full and half day tours All levels of experience Experienced guide

www.fraserguidedfishing.com.au > 0427 230 261 Page 60 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

A big diamond trevally. The author is looking forward to more this winter. www.bnbfishing.com. au

Restrictions easing sees increased fishing action * from P60

This means our target species are less likely to get monstered. The fishing at this time of year can be a bit more technical but still good if you can get your skills up to scratch.

It’s essential to learn how to perceive the bottom, estimate the position of your lure in the water column and sense those light bites.

Another great thing about the cool-

er water is battles are less taxing on the fish and I spend less time reviving fish.

In saying that, I still try to be fast.

Queenfish will jump less and their battles will be a tad more dogged, as opposed to frantic and airborne.

As you can tell, I am champing at the bit for the next level of restrictions to be lifted so I can get back to it!

The best trout in the past month. Most have been 50cm or smaller in the inshore waters.

James with a monster topwater tuna.

This solid spanish was hooked on the light gear used for small reefies – very lucky!

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 61

Pork ribs and lychee curry

by MELISSA FROHLOFF

Ingredients • 1.5kg pork spare ribs • 400g Dutch carrots, cut in half • 400g baby corn • 2 red onions, cut into wedges • 200g green beans • 2 cloves garlic, crushed • 1 tbsp ginger, grated • 565g canned seeded lychees in syrup • 1/2 cup white vinegar • 2 tbsp mustard seed oil • 1/3 cup red curry paste • 400ml can coconut cream • 1 cup chicken stock • 2 tbsp fish sauce • 3 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced • 227g water chestnut slices, drained • 2 red chillies • 2 limes, cut into wedges • Coriander leaves to garnish

Method 1. Place spare ribs in a frypan. Add vinegar and cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain ribs.

2. Heat half the oil in flameproof oven dish and lightly brown ribs.

3. Drain lychees and retain juice.

Preheat oven to 150C. Remove ribs from dish.

4. Heat remaining oil in oven dish over low heat, add red curry paste, garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant.

5. Add to casserole dish the coconut

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6. Transfer dish to oven and cook for 90 minutes.

7. Remove oven dish and add lychees and green beans, simmer uncovered on stovetop until beans are tender.

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Good vibes when fishing with blades

E

VERY sport has stand out technical developments that have improved the performance of athletes. Fishing is no different. Fishers Australia-wide would agree that since Bushy introduced blades to the public in the mid to late-90s, the game changed for the better.

Blades have been refined over time to become the more popular vibes, now a staple in every fishos tackle box. Blades had their place in estuaries predominantly targeting bream. Vibes have expanded the reach of fishing opportunities using a similar concept.

Vibing has grown to have vast applications across fresh and salt species, pelagic and residential from blue water to land-locked locations.

This article explores the variety of settings these formidable lures are found, and their practicality.

Estuary With a reputation for being one of the top lures for table fish, a good place to start your vibe journey is at your local estuary. The tight wobble and vibration produced by lures tend to fire up an abundance of spe-

www.bnbfishing.com. au

cies. Brackish water with minimal visibility is no obstacle – predatory fish are able to detect the presence of a wounded baitfish, mimicked perfectly by vibes.

Mulloway are fish that tend to move through estuaries in large schools. At times larger fish may be found patrolling these systems unaccompanied. Positioning or anchoring a boat at a likely spot is

a great way to target jewfish with vibes. Deeper holes, bridges and moorings are sites notorious for lurking silver.

Fan your casts out to ensure as much area is covered as possible and trust the process. Fish an hour or so each side of the tide, with high tide being particularly productive in low light conditions.

Big mulloway have been known to * continued P64

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 63

Good vibes when fishing with blades

* from P63

eat smaller vibes and Atomic Hardz Silent 60mm in a Silver Ghost or muddy prawn colour tend to have a high-strike rate. Occasionally large flathead come to the party as bycatch.

For land-based anglers, the old dusky flathead is a more accessible option on vibes. Areas to investigate are undulating sand flats, which provide ambush points. Small lures such as the Atomic Semi-Hardz are ideal, with bream being a common bycatch.

The ideal retrieve involves a slow roll with frequent yet gentle raises of the rod tip. This involves keeping the lure at a relatively fixed position in the water column with a gentle wind of the reel.

To locate other potentials hot spots

use google maps with satellite view.

Sand flats that reel off into deeper water are prime real estate. Fish the sand flats on the rising and high tide, and move to the drop off as water empties into it towards the bottom of the tide. Flathead will be scattered along the edges picking off baitfish that have no choice but to go with the flow.

When fishing estuaries a delicate approach is essential. A light rod tip that matches the lure size and target species is ideal. An affordable rod from the Atomic Arrowz range is the estuary model. The subtle action in the tip keeps the vibe in the strike action as it flexes and bends with each raise of the rod.

Having too heavy a rod will reduce contact with the lure because they

have minimum bend when manipulated. To put it plainly, a light rod when raised the same distance as a heavier rod will give more vibration from the lure without pulling it away from the action on the bottom.

For anglers seeking high-end rods with top of the range Fuji guides that are able to be cast all day, go no further than the Samurai Infinite.

The same laws regarding fishing light apply to most fresh water scenarios. The basic methodology is to bounce the vibe in across the area in which predators are suspected. Slow rises of the rod are ideal – the angler can feel the vibrations through the tip. Allow the lure to sink, picking up the slack. When the slack line falls abruptly, the lure is on the bottom and can be lifted again.

Impoundment Iconic imagery of dam fishing is painted by sunken tops of old gumtrees piercing the surface, providing a flagship perch for eagles to spy and swoop on their prey.

Vibes have become the focal point for impoundment anglers looking to access the deeper structures provided by sacrificial trees. For those of us with kayaks or an electric motor, vertical fishing with vibes at the base of dam trees can aid in staying close to the structure through the water column.

Barramundi, bass and Murray cod are all at the top of the list in this * continued P65

Page 64 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Good vibes when fishing with blades * from P64

position. Choose the vibe size that reflects the target species. These fish can be lazy so multiple casts at each snag can motivate a bite.

An Atomic Hardz Vib 60mm Rattle lure in natural colours like Gold Ghost are a must for cod fishing and mixing it up on a quiet day, with vivid colours such as Ghost Pink Chartreus and Tristos Ramjet, is always an intelligent strategy.

Fresh Land-based and water-based anglers are able to prospect ground by sinking vibes to the bottom.

Information as to depth and type of bed – weed, sand, gravel and the like – can be identified.

A greater understanding of the area is always an advantage. For example, gorge country generally has rocky and muddy bottoms with minimal snags. Gauging an understanding of the bed enables you to fish in the strike zone and at the base of snags as opposed to being cautious around loosing a lure.

During winter fish such as bass have be known to shut down. Surface lure fishing is slow, to say the least. With vibes, year-round fishing is possible. Bass congregate in deeper sections and if tempted with a well-presented option they will bite.

Tidal sections of rivers and flowing corners of creeks are opportunistic.

Cast into the ebbing side and slowly work graduated banks and pools.

Warmer-climate fresh water species such as jungle perch and sooty grunter will aggressively attack vibes in deeper sections of skinny creeks and junctions. Smaller lures are ideal and the Atomic Semi Hardz 40mm vibe in an array of colours is very effective.

Offshore The renewed frontier of vibe fishing is taking place in blue water.

With the dynamic nature of these lures, it was only a matter of time before they gained recognition off the coast. Rock bars and species such as mangrove jack, fingermark and trevally are a brutal mix.

Though vibes access these loca-

www.bnbfishing.com. au

tions, heavier setups and tighter drags are recommended. Anglers are often disappointed by the size of the fish landed when compared to the savage nature of the battle.

Pelagic fish on the sounder mid-water are synonymous with vertical jigging. Species such as kingfish, amberjack and cobia have stretched the arms of many light-game fishos.

While highly effective, vertical jigging can become tiring and in tightly bunched schools, the jigs can often sink past the feeding frenzy too quickly. Atomic Semi Hardz 110mm vibes in baitfish colours similar to Silver Ghost are an unlikely alternative.

The large surface area on the top of the lures makes for a slow, natural sink. This technique is more applicable in waters around 60m deep due to the sinking rate.

Shoals, platforms and bombies are destinations where residential reef fish love to hang out, and warm water species including red emperor, coral trout and nannygai will pounce on a vibe. People are tentative to use vibes because once on the bottom the risk of getting snagged is high.

Swap the trebles over to Gamakatsu single lure hooks. The singles make a huge difference and allow

the angler to put more pressure on the fish to avoid them getting smashed. The 75mm Atomic SemiHardz is a great option coupled with a 30lb Samurai Reaction rod and 30-60lb leaders, depending on conditions.

Beginners chasing snapper Vibe fishing is less complicated to navigate compared with jerk minnows. Vibes do the work for the angler and take the speculation out of the twitching and feeling for a subtle take. Trebles are more likely to stick.

When it comes to choosing the right colour, it is essential the angler is confident it will work. Always start by selecting a lure that will best match the hatch. A range of colours and sizes are important, though an abundance of species can be captured on the exact same lure.

Atomic vibes are highly effective and reasonably priced.

Time to get among the action.

Dominic Wiseman

Atomic Hardz 60mm with size 2 Gamakatsu single lure hooks.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 65

Gamakatsu are at the forefront of hook development continually growing

CIRCLE HOOKS

GENERAL HOOKS

GENERAL HOOKS

Octopus Circle (OCC)

Baitkeeper (BK)

Long Shank (Red LS, Black LSB)

When using this hook anglers do not strike on the bite, rather the fish is allowed to run with the bait and as the line comes tight the hook will roll into the corner of the fish’s mouth.

A heavy-duty estuary hook featuring two slices on the shank for holding on worm and peeled prawn baits. This is a high strength hook for its size.

An estuary standard that no fisherman should be without. Very popular for a wide range of estuary species

Sizes: 6, 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0,7/0, 8/0

Sizes: 8, 6, 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, Red. Available in pre packs and 25 packs

Turned Eye

Offset Point

Circle Hook

Inline Octopus Circle (IOCS) Gamakatsu’s Circle Inline Point Octopus Hook is the same design as the Octopus Circle, but without the offset.

Sizes: 6, 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0,7/0, 8/0 Available in pre packs and 25 packs

Straight Eye

Circle Hook

Barbed Shank

Offset Point

Straight Eye

Baitholder (Black BHB, Bronze BH) An Australian freshwater standard, but also incredibly popular in saltwater for bream and as a general all-round estuary hook.

Bronze sizes: 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0.

Black sizes: 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0.

Available in pre packs and 25 packs.

Red Sizes: 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0.

Black Sizes: 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0.

Available in pre packs and 25 packs.

Straight Eye

Inline Point

Siwash (SI) This is a great saltwater fly hook and general purpose straight hook with big eye. Featuring a round bend and resulting wide, perfect for bigger fish such as tuna that are eating small baitfish.

Sizes: 8, 6, 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0, 7/0, 8/0 Nickel.

Available in pre packs.

Inline Point

Big Eye

Turned Eye

Inline Big Bait Circle (IBBC)

Barbed Shank

Inline Point

Straight Eye

Offset Point

Worm (Red WM, Black WMB)

Gamakatsu’s Inline Big Bait Circle hook has the exactly the same design as the Big Bait Circle, but without the offset point.

This ultra fine gauge hook allows for the most delicate of bait presentations due to its light weight and allows baits to sink very slowly and naturally.

Sizes: 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0, 7/0, 8/0, 9/0, 10/0 Available in pre packs and 25 packs

Red Sizes: 6, 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0.

Black Sizes: 6, 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0.

Available in pre packs and 25 packs.

SPECIALTY HOOKS Gangster (GS) A top quality ultra-chemically sharpened gang hook. Featuring a turned down eye and offset point this is a great hook for ganging pilchards, squid and any other cut baits for tailor, flathead, and snapper.

Sizes: 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, Black.

Available in pre packs and 50 boxes.

Straight Eye

Circle Hook

Inline Point

Barbed Shank

Straight Eye

Inline Point

Turned Eye

Open Eye

Inline Point

Big Bait Circle (BBC)

Shiner (SH)

Gangster Straight Eye (GSE)

This is a heavier gauge circle hook for bigger fish but with a straight shank. It is a great hook to use for all large cut baits in both ‘floater’ and deepwater paternoster rigs, or with live baits.

It can be slow trolled with live bait for sailfish/ small marlin.

Ideal for presenting a prawn-like shape this is a great hook to use for whole unpeeled prawns.

Also great for pipis and King George whiting.

This hook has the same properties as the Gangster but with a straight eye.

For use with just about any cut bait r equiring larger ganging hooks.

Sizes: 6, 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, Black.

Available in pre packs and 25 packs.

Sizes: 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0, 7/0, 8/0, Black.

Available in pre packs and 25 packs Straight Eye

Offset Point

Circle Hook

Straight Eye

Page 66 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

Sizes: 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0, Black.

Available in pre packs and 50 boxes.

Inline Point Straight Eye

Open Eye

Inline Point

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Gamakatsu is Australia’s Largest range of hooks

HEAVY DUTY HOOKS

HOOK FEATURES

Live Bait (LB) A high strength hook with a short shank for superior hook-up rates. This is a great hook to use for tough and toothy fish from mangrove jacks to yellowfin tuna.

Sizes: 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0, 7/0, 8/0, 9/0, Available in pre packs and 25 packs.

Straight Eye

High Quality Tempered Carbon Wire Construction

Inline Point

Conical Hook Points

Live Bait Heavy Duty(LB) This hook will never let you down. It’s built tough and strong to handle whatever you throw at. Great for XOS yellowfin, marlin, broadbill, and sharks.

Sizes: 10/0, 11/0, 12/0, Black.

Available in pre packs and 25 packs.

Straight Eye

Inline Point

Micro Barbs O’Shaughnessy (OS) A heavy duty hook with an excellent straight point and shank length greatly favoured in southern states for surf fishing for salmon and tailor.

Sizes: 8, 6, 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0, 7/0, 8/0, 9/0, 10/0, Black.

Available in pre packs and 25 packs.

Straight Eye

Superior Chemically Sharpened

Inline Point

HEAVY DUTY CIRCLE HOOKS Nautilus Circle Light (NCL) A 3x wire hook that was developed for fishing live baits, the Nautilus Light is an ideal hook that’s long on strength. Produced from forged high carbon steel, the Nautilus Light features a straight eye and offset point for superior performance.

Distrubuted by

(NB: sizes are approx. 2 sizes smaller than standard hooks) Sizes: 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0, 7/0, 8/0, Black.

Available in pre packs

www.frogleysoffshore.com.au Circle Hook

Straight Eye

Offset Point

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 67

Female anglers right in the picture to catch fish

M

ORE and more female anglers want to learn how to read sonar sounders properly, and comparable to reversing a boat trailer, their preferred first stop for instruction is not from a partner who thinks he knows what it’s all about.

Whether it’s Annette Swaine, ex-police officer now running a boat hire business; Melissa Kenny who runs a cleaning business and drives trucks on a mining site; Minjaia Welham who’s a teacher’s aide, or scores of others from a myriad of backgrounds and occupations, they have one thing in common. That’s the desire to know how to tune

Melissa Kenny with a healthy nannygai.

and interpret what’s on their boat’s sounder screen accurately, and then to set about identifying and catching the fish it’s showing.

Irrespective of whether its 2D traditional imaging, side imaging or down scanning, they’re turning to Australia’s foremost fishing coach Ryan Moody in increasing numbers to learn how it’s done, and they’re doing it on-line. The COVID-19 lockdown has provided the perfect opportunity for many female anglers to take on the structured, online courses including learning from Ryan’s real-time recordings of onscreen imaging and understanding what it is actually showing.

They’re learning critically important concepts like when a grain of rice is actually a barramundi; why smaller images on the sounder don’t always mean smaller fish; how a diagonal line is not actually something to ignore but rather often a fish rising in the water column; the different profile a fish has when it’s looking directly at the boat’s side scan transducer than when it is sitting parallel to it and scores of other key factors.

Collectively, it galvanises into the deadliest fishing asset you can have on a boat – knowledge.

Minjaia from Mossman, Queensland said she used to sit in the family boat looking over her partner Nick’s shoulder.

Minjaia Welham caught a cracking mahi mahi.

Page 68 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

“I just became obsessed with looking at the sounder constantly,” she said. As a result, Minjaia undertook one of Ryan’s courses to learn about wonky holes – areas where underwater springs flow up through the sea floor and stir up bait for serious reef fish. “Some of the points Ryan makes in the course about wonky holes you go, wow, okay – that’s what happening there.

“When the kids were very little, I was always at home and I thought ‘No, I’m going to go out fishing too’. It was more so to prove a point than to actually catch fish. But I got my first 96cm nannygai and I was hooked from there on. And that’s my favourite kind of fishing - nannygai from wonky holes.”

Fortunately for her, some wonky holes are located just 30 minutes boat ride from where Minjaia lives.

As well as trophy-sized nannygai, Minjaia has extensive lists of red emperor, red bass, fingermark, marlin, mahi mahi, giant trevally and coral trout to her impressive piscatorial tally.

Melissa from near Townsville has undertaken a number of Ryan’s courses starting with barra basics.

She has her own boat, the 5.5m fibreglass centre console, Miss Adventures Too. “I’ve always loved fishing. I think it’s more the peacefulness and I love the ocean,” Melissa said. “Many, many years ago, when I was a teenager, I was kind of homeless for a bit. I always went to school but I would save bits of dinner, I had my $2 handline and I’d go down the creek fishing. That was my way of dealing with a lot of what was going on in my life back then.

“I loved that whole challenge of going out and trying to target a species and catch that species. It’s my comfort zone and there’s no stress in the world.

“I did Ryan’s barra basics course first – I’ve since been through the course countless times. Each time you go back through it, you pick up something you didn’t see or hear the first time – there’s so much infor* continued P69

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Minjaia’s children with a mix of reds.

Ryan Moody held a spanish mackerel.

Female anglers right in the picture to catch fish * from P68

mation in it, it’s hard to take it all in at one time.

“My favourite part was learning to watch the water and its lines – you learn a lot about how to read what you’re looking at,” she said. “With my first boat, I didn’t want my son to grow up in front of computer games - so we would just go out and bumble along. We would catch catfish, and all the other crap fish.

But once I started doing the courses, I started catching some decent fish.

“I struggled to pay for the courses as a single mum, but it was so worth the money to learn and then go out and catch decent fish. I’ve done all the other ones as well – wonky holes and fingermark, threadfin and sounder skills. I don’t do too badly when I go out now,” she said.

But Melissa wasn’t relying on a fishing and sounders course when she caught a monster queenfish one day. “It took my bait then swam straight at the boat, launched itself over the motor, slapped me in the face on the way past, then started thrashing around in the boat with hook, sinker and teeth flying. I had to jump on it and wrangle it bare-handed, while my fishing buddy Tracey stood at the front of the boat squealing like a stuck pig… it was hilarious.”

For Annette – after 20 years in the police force and being a ticketed skipper while simultaneously running fishing charters as well as

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the Cassowary Coast Boab Boats franchise, Great Barrier Fishing and Island Tours, Port of Call Fishing and Boating Supplies and a pontoon at Cardwell – learning on-line was a great and very convenient attraction.

A North Queenslander who spent a substantial part of her life on a fishing boat in the Torres Strait islands, fishing “has always been in my blood”. Four hire boats are in her fleet – from a 4.2m tinnie to a 6m centre cab and two charter boats.

“I watched a lot of Ryan’s YouTube videos which were really helpful.

I loved looking at how he sets up mackerel rigs,” Annette said. “He explains things really well and I really like his leader knots.

“I am doing the sounder skills because we didn’t have the gear grow-

ing up that you have now. I was a bit old school on the equipment, but I have learnt quite a bit from Ryan.

He knows his stuff and you can understand what he’s talking about.

He’s good at explaining things.”

For Annette, nannygai are her favourite species at the moment, but she also loves tracking down coral trout and going game fishing. “We go in the billfish tournaments up here every year. We got champion boat for under 7.5m last year with Innisfail Gamefish Club, the year before I was runner-up in the female class, and in the 2015 Cairns Bluewater comp I got champion female.”

“Yes, I do like chasing the marlin, the reef fishing and mackerel.” And what about her husband David? “Oh yes, he helps a bit,” she said.

Annette Swaine landed a barramundi.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 69

Abby-Rose with a nice 50cm fingermark that took a live herring.

Sam caught this school size fingermark on a Zerek Fish Trap.

Techniques for Gladstone Harbour gold

G

OLDEN snapper, more commonly known as fingermark, are a common catch through Gladstone Harbour.

In the past few years I have worked out techniques and areas that produce consistent numbers of fingermark.

A change of technique to fishing vertically and deeper while in the rivers was the first factor that saw me catching better numbers and sizes of fish.

It has taken some time fishing Gladstone Harbour and figuring out

by GARY CHURCHWARD tides and locations to finally start catching them in consistent numBefore this I would catch the odd bers and size. one while targeting barra around The tides in the harbour can change fallen trees and rock bars while quickly and at odd times compared to the predictions. The current dilooking for grunter.

This would only occur occasion- rection is also cause for frustration ally and their size would rarely be as it pushes off the rocky headlands worth a mention, but I was happy to and catches you out.

To start, I look for structure and a catch some variety. water depth of 4.5m at the shallowest. Structure is typically a headland or rock formation through the harbour, but pylons, simple depth changes and small lumps can all hold fish.

The harbour typically holds good schools of baitfish such as herring, pike and garfish. If bait is present, you’ve got a better chance of catching fish.

Sounding for fingermark can be difficult because they usually hug the bottom and can be hard to tell apart from the structure.

At times you will see them schooled and rising off the bottom, though this is usually as the tide slows and if bait is present.

I am an avid lure fisher but will drop the odd live bait down if a lure is repeatedly ignored and I fish are around.

Gladstone Region

Phil nailed this mid-60cm fish on a 3” Gulp Shrimp in 4m of water over broken rocks.

Page 70 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

* continued P71

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Techniques for Gladstone Harbour gold * from P70

I catch the majority of my fingermark on two lures. The first is a 95mm Zerek Fish Trap (any good vibe will work).

The other is a 3” Berkley Gulp Shrimp on either a 3/8oz or 1/2oz jig head, depending on depth and current flow.

If I could only take one it would be the vibe due to its ability to get down into deep water quickly and stay in contact with the bottom.

The Gulp Shrimp will get a bite when everything else has missed out or if big schools of herring are present.

I have only started using the Shrimp in the past few years and am still trying to understand why they work so well with so little action, but they definitely do and it would be rare to find none tied onto at least one rod in my boat.

Plenty of other lures work and everyone will have a favourite or different opinion. I still use paddle tails and jerk shads, these are just my go-to lures.

Don’t rule out trolling a deep-diving lure over structure. Many lures will dive to 5-8m and the hit from a good fingermark on the troll is impressive.

For live baits, I find it hard to go past a large live herring, but fingermark will take just about anything, with mullet and gar a good back-up.

Fresh cut baits and pilchards will also get a few fish but I prefer live bait. My tackle ranges from spin gear to barra baitcasters.

I will change depending on the location I am fishing and whether I am lure or bait fishing. I find 3040lb leader is enough to deal with most situations.

A slightly lighter setup with 2025lb leader is my choice if they are hard to get a reaction from.

When bait fishing, I will use 4050lb leader because at times the fish get a head start with loose line and can have you in the structure before you can react.

I have braid on all my reels ranging from 15-30lb, with 20lb my

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most common strength. This will stop any fingermark you hook in the harbour.

The fish will range from just legal to mid-60cm in size. I am still on the hunt for a fish over 70cm.

While you will get bigger ones on the outside or Curtis Island and the wrecks offshore, the appeal of using little fuel and being able to start fishing within minutes of leaving the ramp makes up for the lack of really big fish.

You will catch many other species while targeting fingermark in the harbour. I have caught plenty of reef species, with sweetlip, parrot and coral trout all an option.

Typical by-catch includes the ever-present estuary cod, grunter, blue salmon and the odd jewfish and barramundi.

It has taken me plenty of time on the water to figure out fingermark in the harbour, so I won’t give out exact spots but suggest you spend

time on the water, be patient and try different techniques.

If you crack the code you can expect to consistently catch fingermark, at times in good numbers.

Get out on the water, enjoy the hopefully more stable conditions during winter and explore the harbour.

Cheers and happy fishing from Gladdy.

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Saltwater barramundi basics

I

F you’ve been trying to catch a barramundi with no luck, then I need you to stop what you’re doing right now and just pay attention for a few minuets. I’ve been where you are, I’ve done what you’re doing and I can assure you without some much needed guidance, you’re going to be wasting much valued time and resources.

I’m a big believer that you’ve got to do a lot of things wrong when barra fishing before you get them right.

It’s a terrible path to walk and I can assure you a few of the lessons will be brutal. I’ve lost barra in every way imaginable. Chewed off, terminal failure, lack of focus, reflex failure, knot failure and the list goes on.

Before you become a master you must master the simple aspects of barra fishing. It all starts with the basics. The first step is selecting the appropriate rod and reel, and setting it up correctly.

My standard setup for the salt consists of a 4000-size Shimano

Capricorn Coast

by JOHN BOON

spin reel, 10-20lb rod, 30lb braid and 60lb fluorocarbon leader. If just starting out then you can look into the Dobyns Fury range and also NS Black Hole Amped II rods. I like the 4000-size spin reels from Shimano, either Stradic or Stradic CI4. Sufix 832 is a great all-rounder braid, and for leader I love the FC100 from Sunline in 60lb. Expensive but well worth the money.

Once you’ve got all the barra setup ingredients, it’s time to put it together. A barra guru once told me that everything from the rod butt to the end of the lure must be perfect in order to give you the best chance of getting that barra in the boat. Nothing will frustrate you more than losing a quality fish that was under your control.

Make sure you spool your braid on the reel as tight as you can get it. Us-

Learn how to tie an FG knot.

Getting the basics right will lead to more of these on the deck.

Page 72 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

ing a rag to grip it under tension is a good way to do this. Some tackle shops overlook even this simple procedure. If you don’t spool it on tight enough your braid can bite down into the spool and cause issues.

The knot connecting the braid to the leader is the next critical step.

You need to be able to tie this knot in your sleep because you will be doing it a lot. I use the FG knot as do most other barra fishos. It’s a beaut slimline knot that flows through your guides very well.

The easiest way that I’ve found to tie this knot was shown to me via YouTube and was done by Jason Ehrlich. If you search his name and add FG knot you should find it. Bush and Beach Fishing will add it to this article to make it easy to find.

Next is connecting the leader to the lure. A loop knot is the best way to do this and there are a few different ways you can do this. Research loop knot on the web and try out a couple of different knots to find what works best.

I also use Mustad Fastach clips. On certain lures the clips can hinder the action but when barra fishing and changing lures constantly, they can save you having to re-tie leaders regularly.

If you’ve gotten to this part of the article then you’re hungry for more barra basics. Tune in next month and we’ll cover terminal tackle, confidence lures and retrieves.

Having each rod and reel set up correctly will give you the best chance. www.bnbfishing.com. au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 73

Early morning is mackie time – the author and Luke Beqir with a couple of little macks taken on the troll.

Targeting spanish mackerel in the Torres Strait

T

ORRES Strait waters connect to the Coral Sea in the east, the Great Barrier Reef to the south, and the Arafura Sea and Gulf of Carpentaria to the west.

According to a stock assessment

by Australian Fisheries Management Authority on spanish mackerel in 2015, genetic results suggest Queensland spanish mackerel exist ‘as localised assemblages’ and that Torres Strait mackerel are separate stocks to the east coast and Gulf of Carpentaria.

While they tend to be seasonal fish in certain parts of the country, with

Cape York & Torres Strait

by MATT POTTER

large scale migrations along the east and west coasts of Australia linked to warm water currents, in the Torres Strait spanish mackerel are a viable target species year round.

Being both a highly prized table and sportfish, spanish make a much sought after pelagic. Spaniards tick many boxes – because they can be caught using a range of techniques, they grow big, look impressive, know how to get a reel singing and

Chris Larosa and Jaz Ford were stoked to land this nice mackie trolling a Rapala X-Rap Magnum.

Page 74 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

a decent fish will feed a family for weeks.

The average-sized fish we come across measures one metre, which is well above the legal size of 75cm.

Though larger specimens are common, and we have managed to land a few very solid fish of up to 154cm over the years, at that size they could be potential carriers of ciguatera poisoning so were therefore released.

Queensland has a possession limit of spanish mackerel of three per person or six fish per boat with two or more people on board. With this in mind, there is really no need to bag out, because a couple of fish will yield plenty of tasty fillets to feed the crew and families. I usually aim to put a couple of mackerel in the box early and then go searching for new ground to chase a few reef species.

Spanish mackerel are visual hunters, so relatively clear water is needed if you want to successfully target these fish. While this isn’t an issue around the central and eastern Torres Strait Islands, water clarity can present a challenge. Particularly around Thursday Island during new and full moons, when strong currents roar through the Adolphus Channel resulting in cloudier water.

The outcome is that during these periods the fish push wider to cleaner waters.

* continued P75

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Targeting spanish mackerel in the Torres Strait * from P74

Strong southeast trade winds during the dry season make it a challenge to venture wide, so I target spanish in close on the neap tide when the current eases and the water clears again. In other parts of the country, many mackerel fishers would typically target spaniards around the moon, particularly in the lead up to a new moon.

During these times, larger tidal movements create pressure points and current lines where bait and fish such as mackerel congregate.

As well as water clarity, water temperatures are an important consideration, however we don’t have to worry too much about temps in the tropics because it holds above 23C. If you are new to the game and want to increase your chances of catching mackerel, it is essential to target likely areas and use the right tactic for the right time of day. Pressure points where a current hits structure are mackerel hot spots as they hold baitfish. Locating reef points, headlands, wrecks and shoals will increase your chances.

One particular area I find good numbers of mackerel is around isolated shoals, also called as ‘high spots’ because a noticeable depth change creates a significant pressure point. For example, the depth may rise from 30m to 9m to a small isolated reef system.

Working out current direction and noting where it’s hitting the shoal will assist in narrowing down your search. Trolling in figure eights should have you locating the bait and noting arches on the scanner screen, which will hopefully result in a hook-up.

As with all fishing, finding the bait is the key to success. I will locate spanish mackerel hot spots using Navionics while sitting on the couch, which is part of the planning process for a typical trip to a new area. If you can narrow down the search before you leave home, you can save a lot of time on the water.

Mackerel can be caught throughout the day, however fishing prime

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times – such as the first two hours after sunrise and two hours before sunset – can increase your chances of getting connected to one of these speedsters.

Spaniards will feed higher in the water column during these periods, so trolling wog heads rigged with garfish and wolf herring on a chin guard with a set of heavy duty gangs are great options. Hard-bodies such as Rapala X-Rap Magnums and Halco Laser Pros are a couple of favourite mackerel lures and could be an easier option for those getting into the game.

Silver Blue Mac, Red Heads and Lime Light UV are a few favourite colours. While there may be debate over the best colours, I find the actual troll speed is an important factor often overlooked.

You want to initiate an attack response, so don’t hesitate to tap the throttle control down and troll a little faster. I usually troll at around eight knots. Another early morning and late afternoon method is casting stickbaits or poppers at reef edges, shoals and rocky headlands.

We’ve had some wild sessions on mackerel shooting skywards as they hit surface lures. It is great visual fishing that gets the heart racing, but it does not always result in a hook-up.

This is a typical feeding behaviour

for these speedsters because they initially go for the tail of larger baitfish to disable it and quite often launch well clear of the water, then when they land they spin back around to finish the baitfish off.

Many local fishers in the Torres Strait will drag metal spoons on a rope line with a rubber tube as a shock absorber. Commercial operators also use this method. Mackerel are part of the razor gang and will easily slice through 100lb leader.

* continued P76

The author with a nice mackerel taken on a butter knife. Check these out on the Fishing Missions YouTube channel.

Matt Arkell and the author hooked a monster early morning mackerel, which fought like a stubborn giant trevally and was released.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 75

Targeting spanish mackerel in the Torres Strait * from P75

While many anglers choose not to use wire, I always run a short single-strand wire trace about 30cm long to avoid losing expensive lures.

Avoid shiny gold swivels because the reflection and bubble trail they create can result in a second mackerel biting you off. I generally use between a 6000 and 8500-size spinning reel, 30-40lb Platypus Platinum braid, 3-5m of 80lb black magic leader for shock absorption and 30cm of 120lb Mason Single Strand

The author with a solid mackerel taken by spearing the pressure point of a small reef system.

wire onto a large snap swivel attached to the lure of choice. You can certainly fish lighter but we usually have a few sharks to contend with.

We have fishers in Cairns who have great success using berley to bring in fish and target them by floating out pillies on gangs, though we find sharks are just to quick to move in with this technique in the Straits.

As the sun rises higher in the sky, you will notice that mackerel often push deeper in the water column.

They will still readily feed but trolling shallow diving lures and wog heads will no longer be a likely effective method.

Depending on water depth and where fish are holding, it may be worth dropping metal slices to the bottom and then ripping them through the water column. If fish are there this high-speed retrieval will trigger an attack response because the shimmering lure will resemble a fleeing baitfish. The Halco Twisty 70g lure in gold with a short wire trace is a favourite for this method.

Spanyid’s Maniac is another great metal lure. Of course knife jigs and micro jigs can be effective but – depending on the assist hook set-up – mackerel will often bite through the assist cord, so consider changing to wire. Plastics will simply get

Luke Beqir with a nice specimen caught off Jardine River.

Page 76 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

shredded and aren’t cost effective if you’re putting a new one on each drop.

Some mackerel fishers swear by using live baits but I find using the right lures at the right time and location to be equally effective. Of course feeding birds can give away the location of pelagics such as mackerel, so it is important to keep an eye on the water as well as your sounder.

Spanish mackerel aren’t dirty fighters, so there is no need for locked up drags. Actually, over-tightened drags can result in hooks getting pulled, especially when using braid because it has no stretch unlike monofilament. In fact, many fishos prefer mono when trolling for mack for this reason.

Mackerel have a typical fight, which usually consists of two to four good runs before coming to the surface and finishing off with a few circles at the boat. Of course the work is then up to person with the gaff to secure the fish. I’ve seen a few poorly placed gaff shots rip the lure out of fish mouths ending with no fish and a heap of choice words.

Textbook release.

While landing mackerel isn’t overly complicated, they do have one dirty tactic, which involves a blistering run, a turn and a run back up the line towards the boat. When the line goes slack, the mackerel will give a few head shakes and often dislodge the lure. So it is important to always keep tension, even if you think you have dropped the fish. If in doubt, wind, wind, wind!

Recognising mackerel on your sounder is quite easy compared to other species because they generally show as clearly defined arches.

Commonly they hang off bait balls, which are also obvious as a larger mass on the screen.

Bycatch when chasing mackerel can be a lot of fun and if you are landing queenfish, trevally and tuna you are in the right area. As many know, the pointy end of spanish mackerel can be very dangerous, so ensure you gaff and subdue the fish www.bnbfishing.com. au

An old stainless steel kitchen sink makes a great fish smoker.

Smoked and ready to enjoy.

Spanish mackerel in the Torres Strait * from P76

before dragging it aboard, and make sure your feet are clear.

If releasing, leave the fish in the water and use a large set of pliers and lip grips to control the head.

I’ve heard of many nasty incidents involving teeth and treble hooks over the years, so care is needed.

To ensure best-eating quality, it is important to bleed the fish immediately and put it on an ice-slurry.

Avoid washing fillets with fresh water because the water is drawn into the flesh, which deteriorates the quality of

the fillets and turns them mushy – it also increases freezer burn.

Instead, wipe down fillets with a paper towel and either cryovac or wrap tightly in cling wrap in mealsized portions before freezing. Oxygen and fresh water are the enemy of saltwater fish fillets.

Happy hunting for spaniards, I’ve certainly been enjoying some smoked mackerel in the kipper recently – bloody beautiful. Be sure to check out my fishing adventures on my Fishing Missions- Northern Australia Facebook page.

Spanish mackerel ready for smoking.

Butter knives turned into mackerel catching metals.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 77

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BOATING & marine Insights into boat insurance

Under the hammer – what’s you boat really worth

A

KEY component of understanding insurance is recognising that it is a safety net.

It is not a facility by which you can profiteer. It is only there to take care of problems when an adverse event happens – one that is covered by the insurance contract and its conditions within the Product Disclosure Statement.

So, what does that mean in the real world? It means that there are going to be a heap of questions asked if you purchase a boat for $1000 and then seek to insure it for $10,000. Yes, bargains do exist, but so do misrepresentations.

If you purchased a boat on the open market for $1000, then that is considered its current market value. The seller was happy to accept $1000, you were happy to pay $1000 – there was a meeting of minds that $1000 was an appropriate price to pay and so therefore, quite understandably, $1000 is then considered to be the market value of that particular boat.

Yes, it is quite possible that the boat was worth substantially more than $1000. But in the absence of further documented evidence, which typically would be a proper value appraisal undertaken by a recognised authority such as a reputable boat retailer deal-

ing in that brand, or a very experienced boat broker who is prepared to document the valuation and stake his reputation on it, the market value would remain at $1000.

Boat auctions and used boat imports add another dimension into assessing a boat’s value. For example, a boat might be purchased for $1000 as a ‘repairable write-off’ at auction. Among other things, that terminology means the vessel will need significant work before it can return to service.

If you undertake that work yourself as an unqualified boat builder and then secure its registration, do not automatically think the boat’s value has jumped significantly. Marine insurers are concerned about the serviceability of the vessel. They will look to establish the extent of repair works undertaken and to see whether an appropriately qualified boat repairer undertook the repairs. If they were, once again, they will then seek a market valuation from a recognised authority before progressing to an insurance contract.

As always, it is prudent to discuss your plans with a specialist marine insurer like Nautilus Marine Insurance, before making the purchase and undertaking

the works. Establish a clear understanding of what will be required before the insurer considers offering cover for that particular vessel.

And here’s another heads-up for those tempted to purchase used vessels from the US at what might initially appear to be a heavily discounted price. That twin outboard, seven-metre centre console purchased and imported into Australia by a private person, is not going to attract the same true market value as a vessel of the same brand, model and vintage, originally imported new into Australia by an authorised local dealer for that brand.

There also potentially is a raft of legal issues which surface once you, as a private citizen, become the ‘importer’ of a vessel. They can relate to responsibility for safety recall issues upon further resale of the vessel, environmental and structural compliance issues, absolute proof of unencumbered ownership at the time of purchase, as well as others.

You may have purchased the vessel at a landed cost of $80,000 but that does not mean the boat automatically now has an insurable value of $145,000 simply because a genuine import from a franchised dealer is commanding that value for the same model.

One of the key advantages of dealing with a specialist such as Nautilus Marine Insurance, is that they understand boats, they understand boat values, they understand marine-related circumstances which could arise such as the requirement for environmental clean-ups, and they know how to help you secure the coverage best suited to your vessel. * continued P82

Any advice contained in this article is of a general nature only and may not apply or be right for you as it does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs.

Before acting on any advice provided in this article, you should consider the appropriateness of the advice having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 81

BOATING & marine

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All CarToppas have a 1.9m beam, or 1.4m between the tube centres.

Ocean Craft 3300 CarToppa a cracking option

I

N the April edition of Bush ‘n Beach Fishing you may have seen the review I did on the Ocean Craft 2900 CarToppa. As mentioned in that article, all the CarToppa models have the same beam of 1.9m, with the width between the centre of the tubes meas-

Boat Review

by BEN COLLINS

uring 1.4m, however you can increase the length up to over 4.5m.

Obviously, overall weight will determine what you can put them on top of so, that needs to be taken

Under the hammer – what’s your boat really worth? * from P81

They also know that if an early 1980s 32-foot flybridge cruiser is purchased for $15,000 at auction and its new owner wants to insure it for $80,000, the application needs a lot more investigation. They also know suspicions should be raised if a particular boat model that would otherwise be considered to have a market value of $8000 to $10,000 suddenly appears on an insurance application form with a declared value of $20,000.

Yes, such things are possible with say a sought-after ski boat that has been meticulously restored to ‘brand new’ condition. Staff and even the owners at well-known boat building businesses frequently undertake such special projects passionately.

But other cases may have questionable motives. Again, boat insurance is about providing a safety net so you can enjoy your boating and leave the management of any pear-shaped incident to your specialist marine insurer. It is not there so you or others can make a profit out of a calamity.

As 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 Product Disclosure Statement.

If you need further information, you can contact Nautilus Marine Insurance on 1300 780 533 for any boat insurance requirements.

Any advice contained in this article is of a general nature only and may not apply or be right for you as it does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on any advice provided in this article, you should consider the appropriateness of the advice having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs.

Page 82 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

into consideration. Recently, I was able to also test the next size up in the Car Toppa range, the 3300.

While only 40cm longer, the boat felt noticeably bigger, even with the same beam. In this instance the test boat was fitted with a false floor, which housed one of six airtight chambers.

This boat was again destined to be a tender for a yachtie, but with on overall weight of 95kg, you are starting to get into the range where you have a big car topper that would be comfortable inshore and also in some offshore conditions.

Depending on your options, these boats can weigh over 100kg, which is something to be aware of if planning on getting one to go atop your car or camper trailer. Incidentally, these boats are constructed so they * continued P84

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 83

BOATING & marine Ocean Craft 3300 CarToppa a cracking option * from P82

double as life rafts, which makes them very popular with dive operators and as tenders for larger vessel.

However, you have peace of mind with basically unsinkable hulls that come into their own in more remote areas of Australia (once travel restrictions are eased to allow us to travel a little further).

Even though this boat was rated to a maximum of 30hp, the Yamaha 25hp four-stroke fitted was ample.

Weighing just over 50kg, this engine is at the top end of the scales when it comes to portable engines that can be handled by one person.

To be honest, you would be able to get away with less horsepower given we were reaching about 47km/h.

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channel!

This is quick for a boat this size, and the speed can be attributed to the hull design.

Once we got a little wind under the Posilift hull (the motor does not have trim, so we shifted ourselves a little further to the stern), it really started to move. As you can see from the pics, the hull is designed to get the boat quickly on the plane and deflect spay away from occupants.

Like the previous test boat, this one was also fitted with a fender.

If I were getting this boat for a car topper, I would not tick this option, though I would get a front casting platform and lockable hatch.

This would dramatically increase the available area for stowing your gear safely. It also gives you a great access point for getting in and out of the boat and elevated position for throwing lures around.

I also think the false floor is a must, as this made the floor space much more usable and the boat easier to move around.

In terms of construction, the tube wall thickness is 2.5mm with a diameter of 477mm, while the hull thickness is 3mm.

For more information on these solid car toppers and the various options, go to oceancraft.com.au or give Mike a call on 0416 293 686.

Click here

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

Page 84 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

Ocean Craft’s Posilift hull is designed to reduce drag through the water and deflect spray. www.bnbfishing.com. au

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Email: sales@oceancraft.com.au Website: www.oceancraft.com.au Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 85

BOATING & marine Mercury Marine enters into supply agreement with BRP

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ercury Marine, a division of Brunswick Corporation and a world leader in marine propulsion systems, has entered into a strategic supply agreement with BRP to be the supplier of choice for BRP owned boat brands Alumacraft, Manitou, Quintrex, Stacer, Savage and Yellowfin Plate boats. BRP has made the decision to discontinue the production of E-TEC and E-TEC G2 engines effective immediately.

Mercury Marine president Chris Drees said: “This agreement brings us an incredible opportunity to further grow our brand in the marketplace and introduce our award-winning portfolio of outboard engines to new customers around the world.

We have enjoyed long standing relationships with Alumacraft, Manitou

and Telwater and we look forward to continuing to work with them, while providing class-leading outboard engines and exceptional service to all their global customers.”

Senior vice president marine group, IS&T and global transformation Karim Donnez said: “We stay true and committed to our marine strategy, and we strongly believe that having two of the most innovative global marine companies join forces, will not only be mutually beneficial to Mercury Marine and BRP, but also to the whole industry and to customers. While COVID-19 has precipitated the discontinuation

of the production of our outboard engines, we will proudly offer packaged Manitou, Alumacraft, Quintrex and Stacer boats with Mercury Marine going forward.”

Mercury Marine will be the outboard supplier of choice for the Alumacraft and Manitou brands as well as Quintrex, Stacer, Savage and Yellowfin Plate boats in Australia.

“We are excited for the BRP dealers and consumers to experience our new engines, and with our recent capacity-related investments we are well positioned for continued growth,” said Drees.

Boat packages for Alumacraft, Manitou, Quintrex, Stacer, Savage and Yellowfin Plate with Mercury outboards will be available in early June.

The 453 Territory is breaking new ground

B

UILT on the new NexGen Adrenalin hull, the Territory also incorporates the Ultimate Edge transom – as seen on models such as Vision and Velocity – making it a platform suited to sports fishing, and it can handle the swell if you go outside.

The NexGen hull has larger shoulders, with the chine line brought forward and slightly deeper than its predecessor. The sharp entry cuts a chop well, while the wide body and reverse chines give greater efficiency when under way and better stability at rest, not to mention more room inside.

The Territory stands apart from most other boats in that the anchor well has been cleverly concealed under the casting deck giving greater deck space at the business end.

This allows for better access to

Page 86 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

the bow – great for lure casting, fly fishing, throwing cast nets and to get closer to the action.

With an electric motor mount as standard and large console this rig is ready for adding electronics to suit your needs. On top of this the Territory has extra ribs for extra strength.

Pictured as a side console, any of the Territory models can be or-

dered as a centre console if that’s what you prefer.

The 453 Territory joins the recently released 483 and 503 sizes in this range and replaces the 2019 versions 473 and 493. Talk to your nearest Sea Jay dealer about pricing and options.

For specifications, features and options go to seajayboats.com.au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 87

4WDING & off - road

Isuzu UTE’s I-Venture Club celebrates five years

M

ARKING the fifth year of operation Isuzu UTE Australia’s incredibly popular I-Venture Club four-wheeldrive training program is showing no signs of waning. Isuzu D-MAX and MU-X drivers across the country actively continue to engage with Australia’s only vehicle manufacturer initiative of its kind, which incorporates driver training days and extended training tours throughout the year under the guidance of accredited 4x4 instructors.

Debuting in March 2015, Moreton

Island, Queensland, I-Venture Club has since returned to this customer-favourite location 15 times, with additional locations added to the I-Venture Club program regularly to allow keen customers the opportunity to reach all corners of Australia.

During the first quarter of 2020, the I-Venture Club tackled four landscapes, two of which were new locations for the year – the rugged terrain of Gordon Country in Queensland and the wild west coast of Tasmania, with a selection of opportunities to explore additional

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picturesque country on the horizon.

I-Venture Club lead trainer David Wilson has travelled alongside eager Isuzu owners in the program since day one and anticipates the program will continue to soar to new heights in the years to come.

“The development of Isuzu UTE’s I-Venture Club is all thanks to enquiries from our D-MAX and MU-X owners who were searching for somewhere safe to learn the ins and outs of off-road driving,” David said. “Since its introduction the club has developed into an experience, which not only enables our customers to learn vital off-road skills and techniques but allows them to build confidence and use the vehicles for what they were built to do – opening their minds to the limitless opportunities this lifestyle can offer.

“Not only does it endorse the ‘go your own way’ message Isuzu UTE looks to inspire, it seamlessly puts it into practice and I enjoy nothing more than exploring the Australian countryside or coastal regions with others who share the same passion for adventure and love for our trusted Isuzu vehicles,” David said.

When looking into an I-Venture Club training course, Isuzu owners have the option of a single-day course occurring regularly across the country, and a bi-annual multiple-day course offering a more extensive taste of Australia’s most authentically iconic locations – both have proven to be roaringly successful.

November 2019 also marked I-Venture Club’s first on-road training in Queensland, where owners hitched up their caravan, trailer or boat and explored the fundamentals of towing in their D-MAX or MU-X – an offering Isuzu UTE Australia hopes to expand to other states in future.

For more information about I-Venture Club and to view upcoming events, visit iventureclub.com.au

www.bnbfishing.com. au

C AMPING & outdoors

Prepare for camping and fishing boom

W

ITH outdoor activities limited due to COVID-19, plenty of people in Queensland’s north-west are picking up fishing rods for the first time in a long time. The Queensland government launched a new advertising campaign about the dos and don’ts for recreational fishers as many in the region prepared tents and swags for trips away.

The campaign focused on white spot disease and not using supermarket prawns as bait. White spot disease is a highly contagious viral condition that affects crustaceans such as prawns, crabs, yabbies and lobsters, and can also be carried by marine worms.

Camping boom begins Mount Isa small business owner

John Davies, who specialised in camping and fishing gear, said the announcement that camping was now allowed has pushed sales back up. He said sales had started to rise and he expected that would continue as more people prepared for camping holidays instead of their usual trips overseas or to the coast.

As a camping enthusiast himself, he was planning to get out to the bush as soon as possible. “There’s nothing better than camping for mental health,” he said.

Karumba ready for fishers The industry was preparing for a new wave of anglers, and Karumba fishing charter operator Alison Newton said she was hoping to see a lot of north-west people travel to the region to make up for the lack of

usual tourists from southern states.

“We’ve had this business since 2005,” Ms Newton said. “It’s quiet.

It reminds me that during the wet season we make jokes about how you could fire a cannon down the main street and not hit anyone … yeah, it’s basically like the wet season.”

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 89

C ARAVANNING & adventure

Raylene with a threadfin salmon snagged from the shore of Eighty Mile Beach.

Another cracking thready for Raylene.

Fishing paradise between Broome and Port Hedland

W

ELCOME to Eighty Mile Beach in Western Australia, a fishing mecca located three and a half hours drive south of Broome and two and a half hours north of Port Hedland.

A few options for places to stay at Eighty Mile Beach include the rustic retreat Barn Hill Station, with beautiful red cliffs to camp on overlooking the beach and water.

The station’s staff is friendly and encourage you to come down for happy hour drinks and a game of bare foot bowls on the lawn bowling green.

The Eighty Mile Beach Caravan Park is another option, which has the typical caravan park offering and amenities. If you’re lucky enough and are in the know, a station stay is a possible alternative.

Stations are amazing places to stay thought it can be quite difficult at times to obtain permission to access

Caravanning

by TODD EVELEIGH

the remote parts of Eighty Mile.

Keep in mind that when you are staying at a station, you will need to be self sufficient with food, water and obviously a toilet, and take your rubbish away with you.

The reason station stays are harder to access is because people aren’t respecting landowners and their land, by leaving rubbish – and even worse, toilet paper and what goes with it – all over the landscape.

I totally support them – it is truly disgusting what certain people do when they have a fantastic opportunity to stay in a place that not everyone gets to see. So please, if you do have the opportunity to stay at a station take your rubbish with you, respect the rules, and respect the landowners, so others

The magnificent Eighty Mile Beach.

Page 90 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

can enjoy them too.

Eighty Mile Beach is obviously a huge stretch of coast that you can drive along and experience amazing views, particularly the sunsets.

Watching the sun setting over the water was amazing for us east-coasters who don’t get the opportunity to see it.

The abundant bird life and seashells of various shapes and sizes were truly wonderful and something I have never seen before, especially the size of several shells, with many still fully intact.

We noticed around the popular camp spots that people had harvested the shells and any goodsized shells were hard to find within a substantial distance of these locations. So remember, if you do get the opportunity to experience Eighty Mile Beach, leave the shells where they are as collecting them is prohibited, and it really does take away an aspect of the beach that sets it apart from many others.

While we were in the area, there was some crazy weather, with very strong winds blowing and whipping up dust storms, which again was something quite new to us. The colour of the red dirt blocking the sun gave it quite an apocalyptic

* continued P91

www.bnbfishing.com. au

C ARAVANNING & adventure Fishing paradise between Broome and Port Hedland * from P90

feel. When we were down on the beach, the blustery easterly wind was blocked by the sand dunes so it was calm on the beach and for the first couple of hundred metres out to sea, making the atmosphere even more mysterious.

The water off the beach itself wasn’t crystal clear and as clean as we had experienced in a lot of places slightly north. It was quite brown in colour and very dirty right on the edges where little waves were breaking on the shore. The water was rather shallow for a long way out too, with just a few steeper points here and there, and a bit deeper closer to shore.

Now, you can’t go to Eighty Mile without trying to catch the great fishing and delicious eating threadfin salmon, which lurk in the discoloured water along the beach.

Fishing for threadfin off shore was very new to me. Normally we would see the fish feeding in drain mouths of estuaries that we could sight cast too, or see them on our new flash sounders sitting in deeper holes where we could use vibes in front of their face for a reaction bite.

Though we had great success catching popeye mullet and frogmouth herring with the cast net – wow this was a task on its own.

Running fast into shallow water directly into the school of popeye and quickly throwing the net to catch a few – they are smart and can see you coming from a mile away.

However, we had some threadfin success using these livies on a simple running sinker rig and a 5/0 wide gape hook cast into the dirty water.

When I say ‘we had success’, I mean Raylene nailed it. She well and truly thumped me, catching quite a few cracking threadies whereas I caught only one.

I think I was casting out too far because when I watched Raylene

www.bnbfishing.com. au

fishing and catching threadies consistently, I realised she was winding in a couple of metres every few minutes. She was pretty much hooking up quality fish right on the shore break only metres from where we were standing. However, she was whipping me to run after popeye mullet the entire time, which I reckon was another reason she out-fished me because I hardly cast, being too busy catching bait for my queen. Ha ha, they’re my excuses anyway.

A few large sharks were in the shallow waters cruising around for a feed too – we could see their fins and backs in the water. So we had several super wild hooks ups of shark and threadfin in the shallow dirty waters, which made for a heap of fun. It was really good to have some fresh threadfin salmon for dinner most of the nights we were at Eighty Mile.

We didn’t have big surf rods and

surf gear but we didn’t really need it. We fished with 7’ G.Loomis and 5000 Shimano Biomaster with 30lb braid and 30lb leader, and these were very adequate outfits for fishing Eighty Mile Beach because the waves weren’t overly big and we didn’t need to pitch baits too far.

When driving on and off the beach, it is important to drop the air pressure in your tyres to around 20psi – we found this was spot on for the LandCruiser. It’s just as important when driving off the beach to put your tyres pressure back up to suit conditions, such as going back onto bitumen, rocky surfaces and travelling faster than 40km/h. It could become quite expensive otherwise, with damaged sidewalls and rims, and let’s face it you’re a long way from anywhere to fix or replace these things. So, make sure you take the time to get your tyre pressures right.

Until next month!

The WA sunsets are spectacular.

Shel ls of Eighty Mile Beach.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 91

The author back in the yak, back on the dams and back into the bass.

Five tips for targeting deep-schooled bass

I

AM finally back in the kayak, back on the dams, back into fishing and here with five tips for targeting deep-schooled bass.

Sounder Most of the southeast Queensland impoundments I fish are massive.

With copious arms and bays to explore, my number one piece of equipment is a good quality fishfinder. This will assist with reading

Bass love little metals in chartreuse colour.

Page 92 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

the bottom of the impoundments, so you will be able to identify the structure where bass often – but not always – prefer to hang out. Ledges of old creek beds, flats and points are prime starting points.

Combos My number two tip revolves around rods and reels. You want something that allows you to fish for a prolonged period of time, so select something light and strong.

I suggest a rod around 7’, with plenty of power in the blank but a soft and sensitive tip designed to feel the tricky, tiny bites bass can sometimes have. For your reel, you want to use a size that will match and balance your rod, with a good line capacity and plenty stopping power.

My favourite combo and the one I always carry with me is the Okuma Cerros medium light spinning rod CER-S-701ML 7’ 2-4kg, paired with an Okuma Helios SX 30 reel.

I use this to throw big lures such as heavy plastics and slugs. For light lures such as soft plastics and blades, I choose an Okuma Cerros light rod CER-S-701L 7’ 1-3kg, paired with an Okuma Helios SX 20 reel.

Both combos are my go-to for bass fishing. They are strong, reliable and light enough to fish a 10-hour session and not be at all bothered by the weight. They both have plenty of power to fight bass, while having sensitive tips that allow me to feel every bite and have full control of the lure.

Scent up This is one to do when the fish are stubborn. You can see them on the sounder but they won’t bite no matter what you throw at them.

Pro-Cure Bait Scents are made from real bait and are enhanced with amino acids and bite stimulants. There have been plenty of times when scent has helped me catch the shutdown bass. All you need is to add a little of it, spread it on your lure of choice and give it a go – especially if you’re struggling to get the bite.

Take the lead Number four comes down to your leader. When targeting deepschooled bass, it’s rare that structure will be down there, which means the chances of running your leader through something that could snap you off is minimal. * continued P93

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Five tips for targeting deepschooled bass * from P92

For that reason I choose to use a small diameter leader. The Platypus Stealth FC fluorocarbon is a great one for that situation – starting at 2lb and going all the way to 50lb.

My favourite leaders in the range are the 6lb, 8lb and 10lb, for the days I find bigger fish.

Heavy metal Now this tip has been a secret of mine for some time, however I have decided to share it with you. It’s no secret deep-schooled bass love metal lures such as spoons and jigs, but those lures – particularly the main ones on the market – have been used repeatedly and somehow bass have picked up on that and learnt.

Some days you may find yourself throwing those lures all day for not many bites, if any.

This is where TT Lures Hard Core Metal lures come into play, and they have served me well. Developed for salmon, tailor, tuna and similar, they have been killing it in dams recently – especially the 20g size.

Due to their shape, you can cast them a long way, which is very important when fishing deep-schooled bass. They also have a very particular swimming action and bass love them.

In fact, I have had several sessions where no other spoon was working and it was a matter of changing lures for almost a fish a cast. Basically all you have to do is cast as far as you can, let it sink to the bottom and work it back towards you. Use a slow roll with a stop every so often, then a fast burn and stop for a few seconds, repeat and hang on!

So, those are my five tips for targeting deep-schooled bass through winter. As we gain more access and less restricted travel over coming months, get yourself out there and get among our iconic Australian bass. Have a great one.

Felippe Gapski

www.bnbfishing.com. au

The TT Lures Hard Core metal lure has become a secret weapon for targeting deepschooled bass.

This bass ate a Fish Inc. Flanker sinking stickbait.

The Okuma Cerros rod and Helios SX spin reel has become a go-to for the author on deep-schooled bass.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 93

Social distancing: expert mode! Not another soul to be seen, with the nearest vessel being the author’s mate in his kayak about 3km away.

Kayak rack project rejigged during the restrictions

L

AST month we stepped through the manufacture of a drop-in rack for my box trailer to allow my kayaks to be transported upright, and launched and loaded without lifting. In the final state as pictured last month, the rig worked perfectly allowing even my heaviest tandem Hobie to be slipped onto the skids without heavy manual handling, as planned.

With local lakes closed and travel restrictions in place, my only option was a quick splash around in the river a few kilometres from home. No fishing was involved, only a practi-

Fishing for Sport

by NEIL SCHULTZ

cal test of the kayak rack and then a lazy hour or so of bird watching and koala spotting to ease a worsening case of cabin fever.

My rugged construction of the original design had its one flaw exposed when it came to removing it from the trailer – damn, it was heavy – time for a little redesign. So after thinking about it while sipping a coffee and watching the sunrise, I came up with a possible solution.

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Ph: 02 6737 5266 E: glenlyondamtouristp@bigpond.com Page 94 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

Scratching around behind the old shed, I dragged out a few lengths of obsolete PVC stormwater pipe. I switched up a size from 100mm to 125mm on the house to prevent losing rainwater during heavy downpours – remember them? Taking out the centre timber skids and chocks removed a total of 9.6 metres of 4x2 pine from the rig, lightening it by a full 25kg.

A few holes drilled through the PVC pipe and the use of a socket extension allowed two lengths to be bolted to the cross beams to take the * continued P95

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Kayak rack project rejigged during the restrictions * from P94

place of the timber skids. I was able to find a couple of lengths of pipe with 90 degree bends attached, and made use of these to give a smooth lead onto the skids when loading the kayak.

In a fortunate coincidence travel restrictions were eased and Queensland lakes reopened on the weekend I completed the modifications. Atrocious weather with strong westerly winds on both Saturday and Sunday made the prospect of kayaking on open water very uninviting. Despite the forecast for Monday being more of the same though slightly less severe, the decision was made to take a gamble.

After arriving at the lake at first light, launching demonstrated how effortless the modified rig made the task of getting the heavy tandem kayak onto the water. Hardly any friction was felt between the polyethylene of the hull and the PVC skids.

I’d arranged for an old kayaking mate to meet me at the lake for some company while on the water and, keeping our social distance, pedalled our Hobies into the pale light in the east. Shortly after sunrise, I spotted a familiar looking boat trolling towards us and was pleasantly surprised to see number two son Tony and his youngest daughter out for a fish too, but other than them, we had the lake to ourselves.

A gentle northeasterly breeze was blowing into our faces very early but as the morning warmed, the lake glassed out, providing perfect conditions to be on the water in tiny craft. Completely free of electronics

The starboard-side PVC skid can be seen sitting snuggly under the kayak. This version works extremely well. www.bnbfishing.com. au

– no sounders or GPS – we kicked our way around the lake, checking out rock faces and flocks of birds until our legs tired, then headed back to the launch point.

Retrieving the tandem Hobie proved just as effortless as launching, with it sliding very easily in the upright position onto the PVC skids.

Quite satisfied with the results of the session, having field-tested the Mark II kayak rack and encountered a few fish as well, we each drove the 20km home in time for lunch.

Enjoying her first post-isolation outing, young Violet has inherited the fishing gene from her father and regularly out-fishes the adults.

Not a bad way to celebrate the author’s local water being reopened. The good old 65mm Boomerang struck again, as reliable as ever.

DAM LEVELS CURRENT AS OF 25/5/2020

DAMS

PERCENTAGE

DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY Atkinson 5 5 6 6 5 5 Awoonga 70 66 68 70 69 66 Bjelke-Petersen * 4 7 21 25 23 20 Boondooma * 25 28 34 38 37 36 Borumba * 77 64 101 100 99 97 Burdekin Falls * 73 60 103 106 98 94 Callide * 36 32 32 33 32 30 Cania * 61 57 56 56 53 52 Coolmunda * 3 2 30 33 31 29 Dyer/Bill Gunn * 3 3 9 4 3 3 Eungella * 92 85 86 90 89 88 Fairbairn * 12 9 17 18 16 14 Glenlyon * 3 3 9 14 14 5 Hinze 86 86 100 101 99 96 Julius 77 73 100 100 96 92 Kinchant * 56 47 59 77 82 85 Leslie * 5 8 12 14 14 13 Macdonald 83 87 103 104 101 100 Maroon * 55 47 61 61 60 58 Monduran/Fred Haigh * 67 61 62 63 61 60 Moogerah * 36 29 38 39 36 32 North Pine/Samsonvale * 60 58 67 69 62 64 Peter Faust/Proserpine * 71 67 68 72 70 68 Somerset * 63 64 78 83 80 79 Teemburra * 91 86 89 98 99 99 Tinaroo* 71 62 67 72 74 73 Toonumbar 33 19 62 69 69 66 Wivenhoe * 47 43 51 53 52 50 Wuruma * 67 60 64 63 62 61 Wyaralong 84 83 101 99 98 96 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, June 2020 – Page 95

Taylor with a healthy saratoga.

Daniel from Somerset Fishing Tackle with a 45cm bass hooked on a Voodoo chrome lure.

Winter wonderland on Somerset Dam

W

INTER has started to set in. With all the anticipation and excitement of the past couple of months of the lakes getting a reprieve from fishers and boaters, we were back out on the lake in May. I must say, Somerset generally has two rough periods for fishing and April is usually one of them, as the bass start to look at transitioning to deep water and schooling for uneventful partnering up.

Bass can’t breed in fresh water, as they require salt water to perform the operation, so they school up and pretend it’s all going to happen.

They get fat and hungry.

Unfortunately, myself and a few others headed out on the water after the restrictions lifted only to find the water was very dirty, with something like a silt under the surface, there was no thermocline and the bass we could find were suspended mid-water and sulking.

We checked the usual spots, went to the Spit and found nothing on the sounder, so headed to Beams Creek, but it was very slow there.

We finally found a large school at Pelican Point but they did not want to eat anything we had to offer.

Next we checked Happy Clappers

bank, Bay 13 and the edges with no success. Returning to our launching point of Kirkleagh, we snagged some golden perch in the shallower 4.5m water just off the boat ramp.

If you were looking to head out on Somerset in June, I’d suggest trolling. Dan in the shop caught a few on Voodoo hard-body lures, and Nathan Mitchell also did the same on both the Voodoos and Bullship BS80. These waters dive to about 6m.

At the end of May, the water temperature stabilised and the water cleared up, with great reports of big-

Dave Eklic nailed a 53cm fish on a Voodoo lure.

Dave with a 50cm bass hooked on his homemade trolling lure.

Mitchell’s first-ever yellowbelly hooked on his own painted project Dave’s Lure.

Page 96 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

* continued P97

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Winter wonderland on Somerset Dam * from P96

ger models caught around the edge with jerkbaits and Jackall TN60s.

Slider Grubs on 1/2oz jig heads have seen a few takers enticed by a slow roll, but they were far and few between.

One young woman did well at the Westvale end of the dam by landing a beautiful saratoga. We are getting more and more reports of saratoga caught within the trees.

Spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits are doing the damage, though Taylor’s saratoga came on a live worm.

Don’t feel like you have to use lures to catch great fish in the dam.

A close up of Mitchell’s painted project lure.

Worms and live shrimp will also be dynamite.

Red claw reports haven’t been great, but several people have been catching some here and there. This colder weather will see a decrease in catches. The odd bigger one will still be caught but not many smaller models.

The park is due to reopen on June

13, which should see on-water activities also start to increase. Due to the lockdown, we teamed up with Dave’s Lures (Ipswich) that sent a bucket load of hard-body lures to kids to paint and assemble.

Well, the pics say it all. Winter is here… until next month!

Robbie Rayner

Kaytee with her own hydro-dipped Dave’s project lure.

Jack used his Dave’s project lure to snag a bass.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 97

K AYAKING & canoeing

Flatties on the flats via kayaks

L

IKE many, I hadn’t seen much of my folks due to the restrictions that were in place, so as these were eased it was great to get the parents back out and onto the water in search of flathead.

Flathead are a favourite target for many, including my parents. Flatties love eating lures, are great fun on light

Ron with a pan size flathead caught hopping plastics across the flats.

Tackle Tactics

by JUSTIN WILLMER

gear and are excellent table fish.

Being in their mid-70s and fishing from kayaks, flathead are also a great option because we can stick to the rivers and estuaries, launch reasonably close to where we want to fish and target shallow flats away from most of the boat traffic.

When fishing the high-tide flats, the areas we are focusing on include sandy flats, weed edges and dropoffs in 0.5-2m of water.

We generally drift the area with the last hour or two of the run-in and first hour of the run-out tide, casting ahead of the drift while also fanning casts out each side of the kayak to effectively cover the area.

Pay special attention to any rock, rubble, drains, solid weed edges, timber and other structure you encounter while you drift.

We often carry a small anchor with us when drifting and this allows us to hold position and focus on structure and areas that prove productive.

Gear wise, we run light spin com-

bos consisting of 7’, 2-4kg rods and 20-30 size reels, loaded with 8-10lb braid and 10lb fluorocarbon leader.

Our go-to presentation is a Z-Man 2.5� Slim SwimZ rigged on a 1/4oz, 1/0 TT Lures HeadlockZ Finesse jig head. This will see you hooked up to flathead along with by-catch such as bream, tailor, snapper and trevally.

If the bite is quiet, adding a squirt of scent to the lure can attract fish and fire them up. We generally fish with two main retrieves: a slow roll (slow wind) or a hopping retrieve (hop, hop, pause).

By mixing up the retrieve speed, aggressiveness of the hops and duration of the pauses, you can begin to crack a pattern and work out what the fish want at the time.

Mixing up your retrieve can also attract other species, meaning suddenly a slow flathead bite may end up being a hot bream session or crazy trevally bite.

When handling flathead, remember they have a spike on top of their head and one on each side of their head, so handle with care.

A landing net is ideal for bringing them aboard and it’s important to keep their head underwater when bringing them to the kayak otherwise they will thrash from side to side, often leading to worn-through leaders or thrown lures.

Once in the kayak, a set of lip grips makes handling, measuring, * continued P99

Ron into another flatty and the author the net bot capturing the action.

Page 98 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

A few in the little icebox ready for some feeds of fresh fish. www.bnbfishing.com. au

K AYAKING & canoeing Tackle box Jude wrestled a croc that ate the little Z-Man Slim SwimZ.

The Z-Man 2.5” Slim SwimZ, aka the destroyer. Ron with a nice eating size flathead.

Flathead on the flats via kayaks * from P98

photographing and releasing easier, as well as safer for both the angler and fish.

I always leash my landing net, lip grips and ruler to the kayak, or attach an accessory float previously tested in the shallows to ensure it will float the attached item.

My kayak is rigged with a small icebox on the back for stowing any fish I wish to keep, complete with a couple of ice bricks to keep them

in good condition.

My tackle, including a dozen assorted plastics, small tray of jig heads, scent and leader, is stored in a Z-Man Binder and then inside a dry bag, rolled closed with enough air to float it, should it end up in the water.

What are you waiting for… flathead are accessible, great fun, love lures and are excellent table fish.

Get out there!

See you on the water…

• Rod: Okuma Cerros 702ML 7’, 2-4kg • Reel: Okuma Epixor EPXT-20 • Line: Platypus Platinum Braid 8lb • Leader: Platypus Stealth FC Fluorocarbon Leader 10lb • Lure: Z-Man 2.5” Slim SwimZ in Motor Oil, Midnight Oil, Bad Shad & Pink Glow • Jig head: TT Lures 1/4oz, 1/0 HeadlockZ Finesse • Scent: Pro-Cure Super Gel Scent in Sardine/Pilchard & Saltwater Yabby/ Nipper

Fishing the flats is a perfect application for smaller kayaks.

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Canoes | Repairs | Hires 0424 001 646 | onetreecanoe.com Lip grips make handling flathead safer for the angler. www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 99

K AYAKING & canoeing

The Wee Lassie by Wenonah Canoe is being imported by Paddle & Portage Canoes and is a very light, high offering at less than 12kg.

What is a pack canoe and why do I need one in my life?

O

RIGINALLY developed for the Adirondack region of North America, the pack canoe or pack boat is traditionally a small, light-weight open-top paddle craft designed to be manoeuvrable and easy to carry. The original concept was for a boat you could literally drop your gear into and go – it was open-topped for easy gear access and usually quite short, wide and stable with a seating position lower to the floor to facilitate paddling with a double-bladed kayak paddle.

These boats were backcountry champions – able to be dropped into a narrow twisty creek and then dragged through thick bush to the next access point. Hunters and fish-

Canoeing

by DAN OWBRIDGE

ers have successfully used them for over 150 years.

Like all things in life, we tend to go through cycles and the trusty pack canoe had been forgotten for many years especially with the introduction of the plastic sit-on-top kayaks. However in recent years they have enjoyed resurgence, with designers remembering why these trusty little boats were so popular among outdoors people for many decades.

Certainly in the North American market manufacturers are finding a demand for these craft, particu-

Pack canoes are usually very stable boats able to be stood up in.

Page 100 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020

larly among fishers who frequent remote freshwater rivers and creeks.

In Australia, though our options are a little more limited, a growing market is here that should drive a larger range of boats.

So why should you consider a pack canoe for your next fishing boat?

Here are the top five reasons to put one on your wish list.

First absolutely has to be carrying capacity. Canoes in general are great for carrying gear and pack canoes are no different. Canoes being an open-top higher-sided boat by design have a lot of room to put your stuff in.

The abundance of room means you’re not having to second guess yourself on what to leave at home, which also means you’re not having to stow stuff away in 27 different hatches. Even in a short canoe you can easily carry enough gear to go fishing and camping for multi-day trips.

From a fishing perspective there is a tonne of room to put your fishing gear, tackle boxes, Esky, milk crate, camera gear and kitchen sink – in fact almost anything you want.

Long story short, you can put a lot of stuff in a canoe. * continued P101

www.bnbfishing.com. au

What is a pack canoe and why do I need one in my life? * from P100

Second is weight. Pack canoes are light – usually less than 20kg – so really easy to haul through the bush or lower down a steep riverbank.

This means it’s easier to lift on top of your car or camper trailer.

Lower weight makes them nimble and responsive on the water and your paddle strokes translate quickly and easily to the direction you want to go. Pack canoes move surprisingly well through the water.

Third must be stability. Canoes as a general rule are an inherently stable paddle craft – pack canoes are no different. As mentioned, these boats were originally designed for use in rough backcountry creeks, so they have to be stable enough that you can launch them from a steep bank or overhanging log.

Want to stand up and cast? No problem, the pack canoe can accommodate that as well. When you consider the room you have to move about inside the boat, it makes for a fantastic fishing platform.

Fourth is versatility. Want to paddle with a kayak paddle, perfect. Want to paddle with a canoe paddle, do it.

Want to motor, sure can. Want to sail, sure why not. Pack canoes are one of the most adaptable styles of paddle craft out there and lend themselves to a variety of means of propulsion.

Pack canoes are a fusion of the * continued P102

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 101

What is a pack canoe and why do I need one in my life? * from P101

good points of a canoe and kayak, which means you stay dryer, it’s easier to get into than a kayak being less wind affected, and it’s simpler to paddle with a kayak paddle than a canoe. The swiss army knife of paddle craft!

Fifth and possibly most important is comfort. It’s nice to sit in a pack canoe. The seating position is inherently more comfortable than a kayak because you have your butt above your feet.

This means you can shift your feet around as you’re paddling along and take a little weight off your poor long-suffering backside. I know you know what I mean by this. Seating options are usually fairly abundant in pack boats and it’s not hard to find one that’s just right.

Being roomier also means, you can shift around more in the pack canoe while you’re fishing and avoid sitting in the same position all day. Pack canoes are also very easy to fit out, with little effort you can have your craft configured with all the modern conveniences to make your time on the water very comfortable.

I hope your appetite is whetted to give these little boats a go, because I believe they are worth considering for your next fishing rig. If you’re looking for more information on pack canoes, we recommend looking at offerings from Wenonah Canoe, Old Town Canoe, Swift Canoe, or closer to home One Tree Canoe Company. Happy paddling!

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1776 Ipswich Motorway, Rocklea | Call 07 3875 1600 Page 106 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 www.bnbfishing.com. au