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Features

Catch the Drift: Improving catch efficiencies • Bream on bait – a sure thing! • Starlo: join the 10-percenters • Yakking Currumbin Creek • Top gear for 2025 • Boat test: Stabicraft 1550 Frontier with F70 Yamaha 4-stroke •

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT

Matt Young shows us the art of drift fishing

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Contents From the Editor’s Desk... It feels strange to be writing this - my final Editor’s Desk. The real news happened last month when we decided that this December issue would be the final Fishing Monthly magazine, and now the time has come to sign off on the last issue. To the credit of all of the Fishing Monthly staff, they have worked hard until the end of the final page. Thank you to all the readers and subscribers who contacted us to let us know their disappointment that the magazine was winding up. We are with you, 100%. Rising costs in the changing media landscape finally caught up with us. Thank you also to our fantastic writers, for sharing your valuable knowledge and experiences with anglers

around Australia. We have been proud to showcase your work. Lots of my friends have asked me if there is much emotion tied up with the final issue. To be honest, while it is sad that we’ve reached the end of an era, I’m feeling positive about the future. It will be good to have more time and resources to devote to my other projects, as we are still involved in lots of fishing and boating industry-related activities. For instance, right now we are on the Zerek BARRA Tour and hosting international anglers. After that, it’s filming boating content for a week before heading off to run the Daiwa BREAM Grand Final and giving away a $60,000 boat package. Our involvement in the industry won’t stop - it’s just taking a

different form. If you want to stay in touch with what I am doing, the Fishing Monthly and Steve Morgan YouTube channels are full of fishing and boating content. Search the same on social media and you can keep up weekly with what we are up to. You can also find boat tests, weekly reports and other content on www. fishingmonthly.com.au, and past issues of the magazine will be available for free at issuu.com/fishingmonthly. For now, it’s time to put this last issue to bed, clean the room and switch out the lights. Don’t be sad that it’s over; be glad that it happened. Tight lines.

A Matt Young image.

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REGULAR FEATURES

Phillip Island

Port Phillip

Catch the Drift

Port Albert

Bream on bait

Gippsland Lakes

Starlo: 10-percenters

Lakes Entrance

Yakking Currumbin Creek 48

Marlo

Sheik of the Creek

Mallacoota

Review: Top gear for 2025 78

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What’s New Fishing

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Aus Fish Stock reports

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Test: Stabicraft 1550

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COMPS AND OFFERS

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Find the logo

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FISHING MONTHLY MAGAZINE PUBLISHED DECEMBER 2024

Bermagui

ISSUE: VOLUME 5 NO.9

QUEENSLAND

6 DECEMBER 2024

This giant trevally exploded onto a popper during a drift along the rocky foreshore of an island.

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FEATURE

Technique

FMM

Catch the Drift: Improving catch efficiencies FMM

Matt Young

Life as an avid angler isn’t always easy. Long working weeks, neverending domestic duties, running kids around and social commitments flood the calendar and limit fishing opportunities. Of course, when that day to fish finally arrives, the long-envisaged reward of idyllic, glassy conditions rarely materialises. Instead, in a cruel and ironic twist, we’re confronted with cyclonic winds, torrential downpours, unfriendly tides, or difficult conditions. Despite the adverse weather, the opportunities to fish are too few to be fussy. We soldier on and scramble for any technique to deliver our offerings to fish. One approach to combat relentless wind and current is to anchor. Anchoring holds position and may be productive when fish actively

move through an area. The downside of anchoring is that the fish must come to you, but we all know that doesn’t always happen. In mild to moderate weather conditions, a bow-mount electric motor provides some boat control and manoeuvrability. However, in severe wind-afflicted situations, the constant demand for electric motor directional corrections leads to a frustrating and interrupted fishing experience. The high motor speed settings required to combat the wind and current also rapidly drain batteries. Yet not all is doom and gloom. There are a few ways to flip the narrative and turn challenging weather from foe to friend. One highly effective and user-friendly technique for wind and current-impacted waters is the simple art of drift fishing. EXPLORATORY FISHING Drift fishing is an exploratory

Barra often hold on midwater thermoclines in freshwater impoundments. Drifting and slow rolling paddle tail soft plastics through the water column provides a good chance of waking one into action. 8 DECEMBER 2024

also a powerful tool for researching waterways and planning drifts over suitable fishing grounds. Detailed satellite images provide insight into the position of sandbars, weed beds, reefs and other substrate features. Once on the water, it’s sensible to monitor tracks with a GPS-enabled sounder and mark promising or productive areas. If you

This cracker 44cm yellowfin bream was pinned while drifting across the flats in about 1m of water. After an incredible battle, we jumped onto the sandbar for a quick photo. fishing technique that utilises prevailing weather conditions (wind, current, tide) to move a watercraft, typically in a linear direction. It is usually undertaken with the outboard motor turned off, but some anglers like to have an electric motor on standby for slight adjustments to the drift. In mild winds/currents, an electric motor may also help to sustain a drift. One key benefit of drift fishing is that it covers vast expanses of water. Covering ground increases the likelihood of locating suitable habitats and actively feeding fish. It’s a great way to scour previously productive grounds or to explore and discover new fishing territory. Google Earth is

A drift over shallow weed beds presented an opportunity to sight cast this golden perch. Watching the fish follow and pick up the soft plastic off the substrate was a thrilling visual experience. experience an action-packed drift, it’s worth resetting and repeating a similar line to maximise return. Drift fishing generally works best in open-water locations. These open areas facilitate long and sustained runs that cover ground and increase the likelihood of encountering fish. It is very effective in estuarine coastal lakes,

Technique FEATURE

FMM

Drift fishing in open water can produce a mixed bag of fish species. A rampaging school of Australian salmon quickly hijacked this bream fishing session while drifting in open water. inshore coastal waters, and freshwater lakes or dams. In contrast to visual structure fishing at the surface, drift fishing focuses more on monitoring depth and substrate. Areas with weed patches, rocky or coral reefs, cockle beds, or soft sediments tend to be particularly productive. Monitor features, habitats, depth and patterns during a productive drift because similar areas in the waterway are also likely to produce fish. ACTIVE DRIFT TACTICS The first step in drift fishing is to monitor the wind prediction and tides. Once you’ve gauged the prevailing conditions, manoeuvre your

boat up-wind or up-current of your intended drift line. At the start of the run, place the outboard into idle for a minute or two to confirm the direction of the drift and adjust if needed. Once drifting, you’ll have limited control of the boat. Keep the outboard motor in the water to act as a keel, minimise rotation and steady the ship. The wind will usually catch the boat on the side or at an angle, but as long as the direction is consistent, embrace it. You can also make periodic adjustments to keep the bow pointed forward if you have an electric motor mounted. I like to cover as many bases as possible on a drift to maximise the odds of catching fish. To achieve this,

I use both active and passive fishing techniques. On the lead side of the drift, I’ll actively cast lures forward with the wind, let them sink to the bottom and then work them back to meet the drifting boat. Long casts are critical in this situation, as the approaching drift will decrease time in the strike zone. Low-diameter braided

Bream are among the most common fish captures during active and passive fishing techniques. They equally love to pick up lures and snatch baits.

A sea anchor is invaluable in windy conditions. The underwater parachute helps maintain a slow and steady drift and improves fishing efficiency.

lines with ultrasmooth finishes, wellspooled reels, generous mass lures, and wind behind you will help maximise casting distance. It’s also critical to continually mend your line during a drift and maintain contact with the lure. A huge belly in the line or loss of contact will result in missed strikes. Watch the braided line closely as any sudden shoot forward may indicate a bream take.

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DECEMBER 2024 9

QLD Southern

FMM

Playtime for summer pelagics BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

With so many of you on annual holidays along with the juniors on school vacation, plenty will venture out onto the water. The hot conditions of December often create very aggressive feeding activity from a broad array of species, especially the pelagics. Large conglomerations of baitfish congregate throughout Moreton Bay attracting mackerels, tuna, bonitio, cobia and others into these waters. Heightened baitfish and crustacean numbers throughout the creeks, rivers, estuaries, harbours and canals promotes predatory activity. Warm weather accelerates the metabolism of most species increasing opportunity for December anglers. Let’s explore some of your options for the festive season. MACKEREL One of the more heavily targeted Moreton Bay species, due to their aggressiveness, year round prevalence and eating quality- mackerel numbers will be healthy throughout December. Both school and spotted mackerel can be expected although it is usually the schoolies, which are most commonly located. Wherever you are fishing on the bay from the islands margins and artificial reefs to the sand flat expanses, having a gang-hook rigged pilchard drifting aft is recommended. Anglers also deploy such offerings around the shipping channel beacons from the measured mile to the northern extremities of the bay. Anchoring around these beacons and deploying pilchards or small live baits such as yakkas, herring, pike and slimy mackerel is a great way to score. As the mackerel patrol in schools, several

rods will often bend and reels scream in protest, generally creating a degree of chaos and pandemonium amongst all on board. Trolling deep diving minnow lures to around 120mm in length is another great way to score. Generally, the more natural colours work best, especially when trolled 30-40m behind the boat using thin braided line between PE 0.8-1.5. In some areas this may even hook you a snapper, cod or mulloway. More commonly, anglers troll spoons behind a paravane or trolling board. This is commonly done in the main channels (Rous, Rainbow, Pearl, Small Ships etc.) and around the bay islands. It is not uncommon to score a full bag limit of ten school mackerel over 50cm with this technique within a short period. Commonly the edges of the channels fish best during the first couple of hours of the rising tide and the first couple of the falling tide, yet this can vary depending on location and tidal variance. During December, spotted mackerel are often found in smaller numbers with the best action to come during the first few months of the new year. However, the telltale slashing spray of water is often sighted from a considerable distance on a calm day. Getting to the immediate area, then high-speed spinning with 20gm to 40gm chromed slugs and slices will often reward. Schools of spotted mackerel can be sighted cruising just below the surface, the telltale V-shaped wake signalling their presence and travel direction. Getting within range and casting chromed slugs and slices or small stickbaits ahead of the melee will generally see one or two peel away from the main school to engulf your offering. Large schools of spotted mackerel have not been common in the bay in recent seasons but hopefully we will again see these speedsters slashing their way to

Warm conditions can provide some rather aggressive action from all Moreton Bay pelagics. Longtail tuna and most others are suckers for a fast retrieved chrome slug or slice that imitates a fleeing baitfish. 20 DECEMBER 2024

gluttony. Spotted mackerel have a bag limit of five fish over 60cm. TUNA AND BONITO Often surface feeding schools can contain numerous species of tunas, bonito and mackerel. Longtail tuna are the more highly regarded capture, especially by those who love their sashimi and tough angling targets. Longtails can be found to well over 25kg in Moreton Bay at times yet most encountered are in the 8-13kg range. Even these give a great account of themselves on the average PE2 to PE3 tackle that anglers use for Moreton Bay pelagics. The stubborn deep circling pattern during a fight regularly makes them hard to coerce to the surface. Prolonged fights often end in frustration due to sharks engulfing your prize. Usually once you lose one fish to sharks you are best to move on as every hooked fish will be eaten resulting in lost lures and fish. Longtails can be very profile orientated, eating only exact replicas of the baitfish on which they are currently feeding. Usually, the more casually they are feeding the harder it is to get a hookup. However, when they are in a ravenous state their aggressive feeding makes them a lot easier to tempt. In addition to chromed slugs and slices, anglers commonly use small stickbaits (I love the Oceans Legacy Keeling 105h), pencil poppers, baitfish profiled flies, jighead rigged jerkshad plastics and several other offerings. Mack tuna are less prized by anglers and regularly get left alone by the sharks also, although not always the case. Some anglers do eat mac tuna but they are definitely well down the list for eating quality compared to longtails. Most target them purely for sport although the salted fillets make great bait for a host of species and the rest of the frame and head are ideal for crab bait. Bullet tuna are in the same category although many confuse these for juvenile mack tuna anyway. Both Australian and Watson’s bonito can be caught in the bay and they fight exceptionally well for their size, despite generally being less than 35cm in length. These can later be used whole as troll baits for Spanish mackerel and wahoo or the fillets can be salted as baits for tailor, snapper, bream and many other species. The flesh of the Watson’s bonito is a little lighter coloured than the Australian and they are actually decent to eat when grilled fresh on the barbeque or smoked. Generally, all these tuna and bonito species are caught by spinning with 20gm to 40gm chromed slugs and slices or jigheadrigged jerkshad plastics. COBIA Another prized Moreton Bay target is the cobia. These vary greatly in number and size within the bay every season however their average

Brisbane River threadfin don’t get much better than this stud that James caught recently on live bait. size, tenacious fighting ability and palatable qualities make them a great target. Specimens exceeding 50kg have been caught in our waters however the average fish is in the 15kg to 25kg range. Personally, I think the larger specimens eat better than the smaller ones, possibly due to the fact that a large proportion of their diet is crustaceans. Cobia can be caught in a wide array of locations at times but are most commonly targeted in the northern bay around the shipping channel beacons, Curtin Artificial, Comboyuro Ledge and coffee rock areas in the Kianga Channel such as Western Rocks. Whole sand crabs (legal sized of course), various other crab species, live squid and other large live baits such as yakkas, slimey mackerel, fusiliers, cowanyoung and even grinners can produce well. Line classes between 15kg and 37kg are commonly used although even the strongest of these is often not enough to curb the run of a large fish over a short distance to a snag or obstacle. I generally fish all my baits on snelled circle hook rigs with 120lb monofilament leader. Baits are best deployed into the lower quarter of the water column in most areas, however, having an additional bait closer to the surface can hedge your bets of securing a longtail also. If gaffing a larger longtail, ensure you have a quality gaff as they tend to roll and will quickly destroy the average gaff. MULLOWAY In some of the areas where you catch cobia, you may also encounter a mulloway, however they are more commonly taken as by-catch by

Southern QLD

FMM snapper fishers. This season has been exceptional for mulloway with plenty of quality specimens around. In the areas I chase them in the bay I am yet to get one under the metre this season with most being around the 105cm to 110cm mark. These have been caught on both baits and lures with the choice of offering depending on location and current. Generally I fish live baits when the current is slower and lures when there is a fair degree of run. Live baits are generally yakkas, slimey mackerel or pike which are pinned on snelled suicide hook rig (commonly 6/0 or 7/0) and then fished close to the bottom, generally on the drift. I target wrecks, foul grounds, artificial reefs and areas along the shipping channel which hold bait on any given day. In the Brisbane River, baits are usually deployed along the edges of the decline into the main river basin, Clara’s Rocks, out from the International Cruise Ship Terminal, adjacent major wharves and jetties (adhere to distance restrictions) under the Gateway Bridge and around the dredge holes at the mouth. Lures for mulloway can be varied and many work when fished well. Out in the bay I opt for larger (often 7”) jerkshad, paddle tail and crustacean style plastics or heavier soft vibes (such as Samaki Thumpertail, Samaki Vibelicious or Squidtrex) of 120mm or more. Weights will vary depending on water depth and current. Cast these upcurrent, allow to sink close to the bottom and then retrieve back with a series of hops, pauses and slow rolls. Similar retrieves will work well within the rivers, however I often use slightly smaller offerings of 5” plastics with 3/8oz or 1/2oz jigheads and 100mm soft vibes. Schools of mulloway can often firstly be located using your marine electronics however many of the larger specimens are loners. Within the bay I simply target areas with bait as any mulloway in the area will be attracted to this zone before too long. Common bycatch can include cod, snapper, XOS catfish, sharks and occasionally a cobia.

THREADFIN SALMON Brisbane and Logan River anglers just froth for the summer months as this is when the threadfin salmon are most prevalent and active. As the prawn schools move further down the river towards the mouth, threadfin follow them and then school up in these zones. Often schools of over 50 specimens can be found although this does not always mean it is easy pickings. When the threadfin are feeding on prawns they can become very hard to tempt with most offerings. Occasionally they may have a bite period (often around the change of the tide) where they go a bit crazy and will eat artificials however sometimes anglers will need to resort to live baits to hook up. Good lures to try include soft vibes, prawn profiled plastics, and smaller soft plastics of 75-100mm. If trying a live bait, try small mullet, herring, biddies, pike, gar and of course larger prawns. If you can only secure smaller prawns, put several on the hook, pinned through the tail and facing in opposite direction so they kick and flick against each other. These baits are best fished close to the bottom with minimal sinker weight. Baitrunner style reels are ideal for this pursuit as they allow the fish to run with minimal resistance before you engage the reel to set the hook. Obviously, you are also likely to encounter mulloway, cod, snapper, catfish, sharks, rays, big bream, flathead and several other species whilst live baiting in the rivers. The occasional barramundi is also caught, especially in the Logan. TUSKFISH Many anglers are specifically targeting tuskfish in the bay and why wouldn’t you as they are probably one of the best eating species in Southern Queensland. Without specific targeting, larger tuskfish are rarely caught, due mainly to the fact that the majority of their diet consists of numerous crab species. Serious anglers will use crabs (often whole legal sized sand and blueswimmers), heavy line in excess of 80lb (even handlines), 150lb to 250lb

leaders and extra strong hooks. These baits can be fished around the artificial reefs, wrecks, coffee rock and along ledges where crustaceans are prevalent. Once hooked, tuskfish will head straight for the closest holes or structure therefore some serious pressure and luck is required to prevent their escape. If they hole up, give them

family into the outdoors to enjoy some exceptional fishing and fun. Remember to slip, slop, slap and slurp and stay safe over the holiday period, especially whilst there are so many extra anglers of varied skill levels around. Before I sign off for the last edition of QFM I would like to thank

A double hookup on quality mulloway whilst fishing solo really gets the heart racing, and luckily two quality fish hit the deck. some slack and pray they decide to come back out so you can try again to coerce them to the surface. The flesh quality of tuskfish is exceptional and the effort to target them is justified by the palate. CONCLUSION Along with the warm weather of December comes a broad array of fishing opportunity in Moreton Bay and its filtering systems. Healthy numbers of pelagics will be present throughout the bay and a broad array of demersals and general bread and butter species will be on offer. The warmer weather increases metabolism making many species aggressive and less vary of offerings. Prawns, crabs and even squid can still be found to complete a seafood smorgasbord. December is a great time to get the

all the readers who have supported us over the years, especially those who have read my varied dribble. I wrote my first column for QFM In February 1998 and don’t believe I have missed an edition since. In addition to my Moreton Bay column I have contributed many feature articles on various forms of fishing and locations, a series on tackle, tricks and techniques, tournament reports and a twenty odd part series called ‘In The Game’ concentrated on the various facets of game fishing technique and tackle. I have enjoyed my time with the magazine immensely and hope I may have helped some of you along your fishing journey. All the best for your future fishing endeavours and experiences. Cheers for the New Year.

DECEMBER 2024 21

NSW

Sydney

FMM

There’s a lot to get excited about in December SYDNEY ROCK & BEACH

Alex Bellissimo alex@bellissimocharters.com.au

Hi to all! This is the last time we’ll be writing for this wonderful magazine, and it’s a sad time for all the writers, the huge fanbase of readers and especially sad for Jacqui, Nicole and all the staff at Fishing Monthly. I wish them all the best. WHAT’S BITING When it comes to the local fishing, I am really excited about this month. On the beaches, the whiting are in good numbers, along with beach mulloway, tailor, whaler sharks, bream and more. Off the rocks, there will be a

good run of snapper, kings, bonito, bream, luderick and more. Estuaries like Sydney Harbour should also be pumping with most of these species. You have to love that summer feeling! OCEAN ROCKS If you’re a rock fisher and have connections to keen rock anglers, you may have heard the reports filtering in about snapper and kings being caught off the rocks. These fish are migrating inshore and should be in larger numbers this month. Of course, this does depend on the currents, which can vary with fluctuating water temps in December. Normally, the water temp is around 21°C, but it can go as low as 19°C. It may not sound like much, but

it can make a big difference. THE WASHES Fishing the sudsy white water (the washes) is a great option at this time of year. If you haven’t done it before, it’s well worth doing. As the waves wash onto the rocks, they dislodge weeds, invertebrates and crustaceans and deposit them back into the ocean, along with plenty of oxygen. Baitfish hide in the whitewater, trying to avoid predators like kingfish, bonito, salmon and tailor. If the water is deep enough, you can have a lot of fun fishing for these species, along with snapper, bream and late-season trevally. This month, I recommend fishing in depths of 5m+ for trevally, bream, snapper and other assorted species. Half pilchard baits, king prawns, banana prawns, bottle squid and squid strips are the go-to baits. Berley up with chopped-up prawn heads and/or pilchard cubes, plus bread. Bread is a good, cheap ‘filler’ for berley, making it go further so you have enough to last several hours. Soaked chicken pellets work well as filler, too. Rig your baits on 2/0 to 3/0 octopus or bait holder hooks with light ball sinkers from 00 to 2. A 7-15kg rod with a reel to suit will do the job. You will

The last cast of the day produced this cracker 43cm+ tarwhine for Tom Radcliffe. His dad and younger brother also did well that day, catching a few nice rock blackfish.

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Julian Edwards with one of two beach worms he caught on a recent trip with the author, who showed him how to catch them. Beach worming is great – you have to give it a go! also need a life jacket, steel spike shoes and spray jacket, and quick-dry type clothes (especially quick-dry pants). If you haven’t done much rock fishing before, please fish with an experienced friend. This sport can be dangerous!

Rob Marich with a mixed bag of whiting, bream and tailor caught on beach worms. If you don’t know any veteran rock fishers, you can come on a trip with me. I am a full-time fishing guide, and I’ll give you the best tips and safety strategies, and teach you to catch your favourite species. Kingfish are one of the favourite species for Australian anglers and also one of the toughest species on the planet. Unlike tuna, which generally swim around in clearer water when hooked, a kingfish will go deep, close to abrasive structure like rocks or wharf pylons as it tries to escape. For that reason, large kings are very hard to land, but this challenge is all part of the thrill! Your rod should be at least 9ft, preferably 10ft. I use the Daiwa Saltist Hyper PE-4-6 with 24-37kg Expedition braid and a Saltist MQ 10000 with Saltiga leader 80-100lb. A set-up like this is ideal for sizeable kings. However, even with this kind of gear, don’t get too cocky because you may still get completely hammered by these brutal fish. You have a better chance of success if you’re more experienced and the location is more forgiving, but there’s also an element of luck, especially if the king is huge. You need to be prepared for anything because you can hook an undersized king on one cast, and a metre-plus beast the next. Check out my YouTube channel to see a video of that exact scenario happening! One of the go-to dead baits for kings is an extra-large eastern sea gar, rigged on a 2-hook snell or 4x gangs with 6/0-8/0 size hooks. Another sensational bait is a whole, really fresh squid on a 2-hook rig. Use a torpedo-type float and float stopper, and slide the stopper at the depth you want to fish. The squid can be fished unweighted or with a small ball sinker sliding to the bait so you can get the bait down, especially in wilder conditions.

Sydney NSW

FMM A live yellowtail works a treat on the kings as well, and soft plastics also catch their share (e.g. 7” jerkshads on 1/2-1oz 7/0 to 8/0 jigheads). There are other baits, lures and techniques that will work, but there’s not enough room on the page to discuss them all! Low tides work well in the deeper water, allowing you to fish in a swell of up to a metre or so. High tides are great but take into account there are big morning tides in summer. Although they’re awesome to fish, the swell needs to be at a fishable size to fish the stones. The evergreen Bluefish Point at Manly, ‘The Hat’ also at Manly harbour entrance, North and South Curl Curl are some of the go-to spots. OCEAN BEACH Even though I love rock fishing – the excitement hooking that big fish, the danger aspect where all of your senses are fully heightened – beach fish is more relaxing. It’s also safer… except when you encounter the occasional ‘Karen’ surfer, swimmer, or kite surfer. Sydney beaches are different from country beaches, where you could be several km away from the closest angler. Still, Sydney beaches are easy to fish if you keep your eyes open and are aware of your surroundings. And there are times when you are literally the only angler on the beach. Whiting Sizeable whiting should be on the chew this month. At this time of year, they’re normally in good numbers, with fish averaging around 35cm+. It’s also not uncommon to catch several bigger 40-43cm+ models on an outing. To give yourself the best chance of success, make the effort to get yourself the best baits. Live beach worms are the go-to for most beach whiting anglers, and you can buy beach worms, tube worms and live nippers from good bait

shops. However, supplies are limited; don’t just turn up and expect the bait to be there on tap. Give the tackle shop a call, and even pay for the bait over the phone so they’ll hold on to it for. Of course, you can catch your own worms at low tide, but it can take a long time if you’re not that crash-hot at catching worms. And besides that, if it’s a dawn start with an early morning high tide, you may not have that option anyway. That said, if you want to learn worming, I can take you out and teach you. Ultimately, you want to be prepared well in advance with all of your gear, rigs, the best baits, and know roughly where you’re going to fish. Mulloway Beach mulloway are a great evening choice this month. You can’t beat those balmy nights on the beach soaking A photo from the popular Gone Fishing Day event at Narrabeen Lake in October. This young lad caught the largest fish of the day: a nice bream. It was kept in a keeper net and released at the end of the day.

Anthony Pitinac with a 63cm snapper – his first snapper from the rocks. We put it in the keeper net and he said he’d like to release the fish if it would survive. It was looking good so Anthony released it, and it swam off strongly.

big baits like a live yellowtail, live mullet, squid or tailor fillet. This kind of fishing can be really rewarding, not just for a mulloway but for other species like tailor, salmon and dusky or bronze whaler sharks. It’s best to get to your chosen spot an hour or so before dark so you can see if there is kelp in the gutter, and also to get there before other anglers arrive. It’s good to have a plan B or C gutter in case of unforeseen circumstances, or even another beach if there are no other options, or if the weather turns on you. Beaches to try include Palm Beach, Newport Beach, North Narrabeen to Collaroy, Dee Why and even Manly. Manly is a crowded beach so it’s best to fish after dark.

So this is it! The last column! It has been a privilege writing for this magazine, working with the wonderful staff at Fishing Monthly, and meeting people I would have never have met. It has been a great journey, and Fishing Monthly will be sorely missed. • Alex Bellissimo is an experienced rock fishing guide with proven teaching formulas. If you’re an experienced angler, he will bring your abilities to new heights. And if you’re new to rock fishing, Alex will teach you all the fundamentals so you can consistently catch fish -- and stay safe at the same time. All tackle and bait is supplied. To find out more, visit www. bellissimocharters.com.au, email alex@ bellissimocharters.com.au, or call Alex on 0408 283 616.

FISHING NEWS

Court conviction for illegal NSW fishers In early 2023, NSW DPIRD Fisheries Officers from the Sydney South district and the Greater Metropolitan Mobile Squad, acting on a tip-off from a member of the public via the Fishers Watch Hotline, uncovered a significant illegal operation at a residential property in Cabramatta. The officers discovered 8,716 cockles, weighing 492kg in the backyard of the residence. After investigations, these cockles were seized as part of a black market operation. On 15 October 2024, the individual appeared in Liverpool court for sentencing. After pleading guilty to all charges related to the unauthorised sale and possession of cockles, she was convicted on all four counts and fined $12,700. The magistrate noted the scale of the operation, reflecting that it was a

commercial enterprise causing harm to legitimate businesses. Fishing resources are not infinite. Regulations, including strict daily bag and possession limits, are in place to ensure that all fishers

can share the resources now and into the future. Harvesting of cockles and seafood in NSW is strictly regulated to ensure a responsible and viable fishing industry.

Cockles are an integral part of marine ecosystems as filter feeders, having the capacity to filter large amounts of water. Key reminders: • It is illegal to sell recreational catch. • Purchasing fish, especially shellfish, from unlawful sellers can pose serious health risks. • Commercial seafood sold in shops and restaurants is safe to eat as the NSW Food Authority monitors the safety of commercially harvested shellfish. The rules and regulations for collecting invertebrates and Marine Parks, Aquatic Reserves and Intertidal Protected Areas throughout NSW are available on the NSW FishSmart app. Anyone with information on suspected illegal fishing activity is urged to call the Fishers Watch phone line on 1800 043 536. - NSW Fisheries DECEMBER 2024 53

VIC

East Coast

FMM

Record breaking squid PORT ALBERT

Brett Geddes b.geddes@bigpond.com

This may be my last report, but I can leave you with some good news: the flatties are back, as good as ever, estuary perch are in their usual haunts, and the whiting are still in big numbers. Although the squid have finally slowed right down, it has been a remarkable three months of recordbreaking captures.

numbers have since grown steadily. As usual, the stand-out lure was the mighty Hurricane Sting 37 blade. I’m sure the fish attack this lure thinking it’s a small crab and there is hardly a flathead in this area that doesn’t have a tummy full of crabs when you clean them at the end of the day. And how appropriate that as I type up my last report, I can let you know about catching my new PB yank flathead just two days ago. I caught and released a thumping 73cm yank flattie

You know it’s a hot bite when you bag out on whiting, hook a heap of big flathead and even a few leatherjackets.

The squid finally slowed down as summer arrived but it was astonishing to see their incredible numbers while it lasted. FLATHEAD My first serious look for the flatties this spring was back in late October, and I was quite surprised with the sizes and numbers. My very first fish measured 64cm, and in the first three hours, I caught about 20 flatties, with nearly all of them around 40cm. On that day, I only caught one rock flathead, but their

The new Hurricane Skimp 70 has been deadly on estuary perch. 90 DECEMBER 2024

on a red devil Sting Blade. A pity it was too windy to get any decent pics. SUPER SQUID SEASON It seemed like the run of squid was never going to end. On one trip with buddy Rhys Smith, we caught more squid than I ever thought possible! We searched new areas and discovered channels and weed beds we thought would never hold calamari, but they did. After bagging out (10 squid per person) in the first 90 minutes, we kept finding and releasing them unharmed for hours. The beauty of using jigs is that they do negligible damage to the squid, so you can return them without causing them any grief. Rhys was keeping tally that day, and by 3pm I told him to stop counting at 90 squid! Yes, I know - ridiculous, right? We were just having so much fun that we couldn’t leave. At one point, we counted 15 squid lined up at the back of the boat, looking like they were waiting for their turn to grab a jig. It was amazing to see. We put the squid jigs away, went looking for rock flathead, and fished on until about 4pm. But can you believe it - all we found was more squid! They were attacking our blades and we even caught and netted a few on the small metal lures. We eventually put the squid

jigs back on and hooked more beautiful southern calamari for the last hour of that long session. I’m sure we caught over 100 squid that day but nobody will believe that, so I just say we caught around 90! ESTUARY PERCH I’ll leave you with one last positive from Port Albert and it’s all about estuary perch. The same day I caught my PB yank flattie, I also released some beautiful big perch. I only scored a modest tally of 11 EP that day but my best four fish went 49cm, 48cm and two at 46cm. In the 25-odd years I’ve fished this area, it’s nice to see that perch are still

around in significant numbers. The only sad thing is that they are still commercially harvested at Corner Inlet (the last place they are commercially harvested anywhere in Victoria). Surely perch are too precious to be displayed dead in fish markets or end up in restaurants? SIGNING OFF Farewell to all of you who have kept up with my Port Albert reports. Feel free to still contact me for advice or even keep sending me more pics and stories. The closure of Fishing Monthly magazine will leave a BIG hole - not just for me but a whole community of keen anglers across the country.

Enjoy calm, warm days LAKES ENTRANCE

Steven Pryke

Summer is finally here, and the strong spring winds have begun to back off. Anglers are beginning to make the most of the warm, windless days.

This month, if you hit enough snags you should run into some hungry EPs.

Anglers have been catching good numbers of bream over the past month. LAKES ENTR ANCE Lakes Entrance is a truly diverse fishery, providing anglers with a

wide selection of species to target within the lake and offshore. King George whiting are a staple of our fishery, and many anglers come to our coastal town just to target them these days. From Lakes Entrance to Paynesville, the many weed beds produce great whiting fishing. Fresh baits such as pipi and mussel are always the best for success.

East Coast

FMM

VIC

20 years of joy but a sad goodbye GIPPSLAND LAKES

Brett Geddes b.geddes@bigpond.com

I’m struggling to accept the fact that this magazine will no longer be part of my life. It’s going to leave a BIG hole, not just for me but its huge readership. Fishing Monthly’s closure is a result of increasing postal costs, and if this is the price of ‘progress’ or the digital age taking over, it sucks. Every fish photo I’ve captured for over 20 years has been taken with Fishing Monthly in mind, to potentially be used in my reports or a feature article. Fishing Monthly has been publishing Victoria-based content for over 240 issues, and I’m proud to have contributed to every one of those issues. I always looked forward to writing my articles each month; it never felt like work to me. I also thoroughly enjoyed reading the other fishing stories from around the country and seeing the new products and techniques. I have also developed close friendships with other anglers who have contacted me after reading my write-ups. Overall, being part of FM has been a great joy for me, and I’m indebted to Steve Morgan for pouring his heart, soul and money into this long-running mag. A huge thanks also goes to the whole FM crew, especially Jacqui and Nicole for putting up with and supporting me. And a grateful shout-out to Ben Sandman, who first signed me up with Victoria Fishing Monthly way back. Areas such as Rigby Island are very popular with anglers. Australian salmon are a common catch throughout the lakes and the beaches. These are great fighting fish and make excellent bait for anglers heading offshore or chasing bigger critters off the beach. With the warm currents hitting our part of the world, local shark anglers have begun lining the beach. They have been chasing mostly bronze

It’s going to be tough to compile my last report, but here goes. BREAM ARE BITING With the spawning season beginning to wind down, the bream are hungry and actively looking for food. This can be a great time for bait or lure fishing, and you can start to count on some good tallies as well. I’m finding the bream a lot more aggressive with lures after a few months of being fairly shut down while breeding. I’ve even been getting bream hitting lures two or three times rather than a single timid pluck or tap. The river snags in the Mitchell and Nicho are holding big bream again, and the open lake water is

The lakes are now full of big flathead, and this summer they could be pushing a metre. whalers, with the odd other species getting in on the action. Offshore anglers are having success targeting pinkie snapper out on the reef areas, and the 6 and 8 Mile reefs are great places to start. Baited paternoster rigs are ideal presentations, especially matched up with quality baits such as squid, pilchard and salmon strips. LAKE TYERS With a huge amount of rain, the

A healthy lure-crunching bream.

also starting to fill up with large bream. The usual shallow flats will also become your go-to areas, like the rocky reef area out from the Silt Jetties and the Nicho flats. I can bet the snags out from the Tambo entrance will also be holding big bream, especially first thing in the morning. I expect Lake Victoria to start producing big bream again as we roll into the middle of summer, and the shallow lake edges will be high on the agenda, like last summer. DINO DUSKIES It’s with much anticipation that we enter this year’s flathead season. We could see records tumble. With so many flathead from 70-90cm caught between January and March this year, everyone is expecting those same fish to be pushing 95cm or possibly even more. This summer, the stand-out method will remain the same: throwing big lures over 20cm in very shallow water. The hotspots this coming month will be the Kalimna and North Arm areas and then the Metung area as we roll into February. CHANGES FOR THE GOOD I’d like to finish up my final report with some positive observations. So much has changed since my very first Fishing Monthly report back in 2004. The Gippy Lakes have steadily come back to life with major and ground-breaking changes. We are now entering the fourth year of the entire system being net-free. We have also seen changes to the lake has nearly opened. There’s up to 2.1m of extra water in the system, and this has created massive changes. Anglers fishing in the lower lake can expect good numbers of bream and flathead, which have been pushed down the system with the rains. Once the system has settled and cleared up, the many weed flats will be ideal areas to target bream with hardbody lures. Small, prawn-patterned jerkbaits are highly effective in this scenario. Good numbers of estuary perch have been present on the snags slightly higher in the system. Locating good snags has been a bit of a challenge, with most of them hidden underwater, but using a quality sounder has made this a lot easier. After that, it’s a matter of hitting enough snags and running into a patch of hungry EPs. It’s crazy to think this will be the last time I’ll be writing to you all. I’d like to say a huge thanks to the team at Fishing Monthly for the publication that set the benchmark for fishing magazines in Australia. This magazine has been a part of so many Australian anglers’ lives.

One of the greatest success stories for the Gippy Lakes has been the massive stocking program of bass. Fish of 40-48cm are now common. bag limit of bream now being seven fish, with a slot range of 28-38cm. Since 2012, the bag limit for dusky flathead has remained at five fish, and there’s now a slot range of 30-55cm. There have been a lot of environmental improvements and substantial work in creating artificial reefs and structures made of timber, old tree snags and even recycled oyster shells.

The author’s homemade lures have changed over the years, but one thing’s for sure: they’re still unique, if not ugly! However, I believe the biggest benefit has been the huge amount of restocking that has taken place, including estuar y perch, bass and flathead. Before I sign off, thank you to all the readers who have contacted me over the years and sent me wonderful photos, reports and kind words. I’m pretty sure I responded to each and every one of you. DECEMBER 2024 91

West Coast

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It’s all systems go from mid-December popular amongst anglers recently has been the humble flounder. They started off being a nice bycatch for flathead anglers and then, because of the size and eating quality of the fish, they have quickly become the main target species. Vexed Buckabou jigs have been popular lures amongst the anglers targeting them. Some good areas to try for the flounder and flathead are Point Walter, Pelican Point and Alfred Cove. The key

METRO

Jacob Crispe

From the 16 December until the 31 January, anglers can fish for all their favourite species and enjoy in full what the fishing around the Perth Metro area has to offer. It’s something that all anglers would like to see more often.

Shannon Mcgowan with a big resident salmon, caught casting mulies into a shoreline gutter.

The result of the ninja Han out on a sunny day: 5-star whiting for the table! These warmer months are always a good time to target the black bream of the Swan. They take the opportunity to push into all parts of the system, and this gives anglers every chance of catching

Nolan Unwin with a beautiful little bronzie he caught while targeting snapper. Before I get into the fishing report, I would like to quickly thank the Fishing Monthly team for giving me the opportunity to do this report and to write for the magazine. I still remember speaking to Peter Jung, Nick Cuccovia and Ian Sewell at the Perth Boat Show about providing content for the magazine, and wondering whether I had the skills to do so. With their help, as well as Jacqui, I have been part of the magazine since then, and have enjoyed and even looked forward to writing the report. Well done, Fishing Monthly, for setting up in WA. You will be missed.

Han Yeoh strikes again. Early morning sessions always produce when the ninja is on duty!

Chin Moy is no stranger to big shore-based squid. them. They are a very structure-orientated species, so if you find structure, it is more than likely there will be bream nearby. Small soft plastics, hardbody lures and natural baits (earth worms or river prawns) are all effective things to use to target them. The other species that has been

Ben ‘Bender’ Howe with a solid tailor from the surf. This was Bender’s first tailor, and what a way to open his account! SWAN RIVER The fishing in the Swan River in December is like a big pile of Christmas presents under the tree. You look forward to what the fishing may bring, and you have plenty of options and species to play with. 110 DECEMBER 2024

T Rev with a beautiful little mulloway caught in close using fresh salmon that Shannon had caught as bait. The mulloway was released to fight another day.

to these areas is they are large open flats with scattered weed on them. Fishing your lures around the weed, and being the first person fishing in a particular area, will improve your chances. The deeper water off these flats is also a wonderful place to target species like tailor and giant herring. Small metal lures or stick baits worked with a fast retrieve is a great method to target them. Keep in mind that you will need to use heavier gear if you are chasing the giant herring. Using light gear will tend to result in a ‘fish that got away’ story. Mulloway are the other popular target species. Fishing for them at this time of the year can be quite a social thing. It is not uncommon for anglers to go fishing in locations like the E-sheds, the Narrows Bridge or Mosman Bay in groups. Each angler with a live bait out waiting for a mulloway to come along. ROCK WALLS AND BEACHES When the school holidays kick in, our rock walls will become extremely popular fishing locations. For these anglers, it is all about species like herring, whiting, skippy and squid. The key, as I have most probably said in every report I have written, is a good burley trail. This concentrates the fish in your area and increases your chances of success. If you wish to focus more on the squid, I would suggest focusing on the first and last light periods. There are generally plenty of squid around at this time of the year; they just tend to be on

the smaller side. Snapper are another target species for our rock wall anglers, particularly during and post bad weather. They are drawn to the shoreline, giving anglers access to them and often have mulloway swimming around with them too. Beach anglers will also enjoy some good fishing for species like tailor, herring, sand whiting, pinkies and mulloway. Tide changes, fishing at the start and end of the day and having a burley bag staked in the wash zone will improve your chances of success. Also, please be mindful of other beach users. INSHORE As we head into the holiday season, there will be more boat traffic on our inshore grounds. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get out there (there is plenty of room for everybody); it just

Peter ‘The Z Man’ Zahradka has been slaying big flounder in the shallows using the Vexed Buckabou jigs. means you may need a little patience at the boat ramps. Many people’s focus will be on King George whiting, herring and squid and why not? They are great eating and lots of fun to catch. Fishing areas with patches of broken ground is the key. The squid will tend to be in 3-6m of water, while the best water depth for the whiting is 8-12m. Other target options are the sand whiting around the shipping channel, while tailor, skippy and kingfish can

West Coast

FMM be found in the wash areas of any exposed reefs. Post the 15th (not in the Cockburn Sound) snapper are back on the cards. I

Spanish mackerel are another warm weather target. Plenty of 15-20kg models are caught every year at around this time. Fishing with live herring or trolling dead baits are popular options to target them with. OFFSHORE Prior to the demersal ban being lifted the focus for offshore anglers will be yellowfin tuna. Most will troll a mixture of skirted or bibbed lures. Birds are a sure sign that the tuna are nearby. There is the odd wahoo caught as well, which can be a very welcome surprise. From the 16th, the world is your

Nolan with a pink snapper caught casting from the sand. have always found that the best snapper fishing is just before and after sunup and sundown. Be at your preferred location before these times, with a line in the water, and you will improve your chances of success.

The author with a lovely juvenile Aussie salmon.

The Fish Tucker Man, Dom Magoo, with a lovely feed from inshore. Does it get any better? oyster, and species like dhufish, baldchin groper, breaksea cod (aka black arse) and snapper are back on the table. Fresh baits dropped to the bottom on deep structure have a chance of picking up any one of these species. You can also encounter some very big (60cm+) King George whiting or even the very tasty bight redfish. All your deep-drop species are also on the cards from the 16th. Who doesn’t want some bass grouper or

blue-eye trevalla as a Christmas treat? Well, that is my final report done and dusted. Thank you to everyone who has helped me with photos on this awesome journey writing these reports for Fishing Monthly. You are all legends! Thank you also to all the readers who took the time to read my reports over the years. I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and I will catch you on the water somewhere. Tight lines.

Plenty to keep anglers busy! MANDURAH

Jesse Choy

Fishing Mandurah during December is where anglers can really get stuck into their work and take a pick of what species they want to target. With the demersal ban being lifted during the middle of the month, a larger number of anglers will look to get offshore and make the most of weather windows that present themselves. With the warmer weather becoming much more frequent, you will find there is a lot of opportunity for success when it comes to beach, river and estuary fishing too. Whether you are aiming to pop for whiting in on the flats, target some great sized black bream up the rivers or get stuck into some beach mulloway, there is plenty to keep us busy and on our toes. ESTUARY The estuary will be hard to look past during the month, with the opening

of the blue swimmer crab season and yellowfin whiting fishing also in full swing. Though you are not restricted to the estuary to target blue swimmer crabs, it is a very rewarding option for many casuals as you can quite easily drop some nets around the area or go for a scoop with the family to see who can get dinner first. If you are planning on heading out to catch some blue swimmers in the estuary via method of manually scooping, then it is a good idea to focus on areas that have an abundance of seaweed surrounded by some good sand flats and potentially dropoffs into the deeper water too. Seaweed can be a bit daunting to tread through, but rest assured there will be plenty of goodsized specimens attempting to camouflage themselves as they attempt to feed and avoid being food. If you are going to crab by dropping nets via boat or jetty, you have the luxury of targeting some deeper water where the crabs use the current as a highway and you will still find good quantities in the shallower water’s where

@hanyeoh13 certainly is an absolute demon when it comes to fooling the wily yellowfin whiting on surface.

the scooping is occurring. Additional to the blue swimmer crabs the Peel-Harvey is renowned for, yellowfin whiting are just as plentiful and can also provide a lot of entertainment for anglers of all skill levels. The Peel-Harvey is prime habitat for yellowfin which means you will find them across much of the estuary regardless of where you are and if you are on the land, boat or kayak. When locating yellowfin, you generally want to look for patches that are sandy but also surrounded by beds of seaweed. A good set of polarized sunglasses will not only assist in your mission of locating fish moving along the flats but will also help a lot in locating depth changes, seaweed and the sand flats themselves too. When fishing on the flats, be sure to maintain a stealth approach as spooking fish is almost guaranteed when you become complacent and the fish being aware of your presence can make your attempts at catching fish extremely low. RIVER River fishing will be a great way to get a line wet if you are an enthusiast who targets black bream on lures or perhaps the weather manages to prevent you from targeting your preferred species elsewhere during the month. Fortunately for anglers, when fishing in the rivers during summer you can often find protection from the winds if you are fishing by boat or kayak and the banks tend to offer great protection from the sun whilst simultaneously acting as a wind break. With the damp months well behind us, we can now expect the salt to be pushed much further up and as such we

This dhufish stole my plastic in 45m of water but was then jigged up from the same lump on the next drop with a 120g clownfish flap – I managed to get my line and lure back! will find fish as far as we are willing to travel. Fishing right up in the river systems can be quite difficult for the most experienced angler, as the water is quite dense with submerged trees and the smallest of these crafty fish will make short work of the light line you need to use to tempt a bite. If you are persistent, you will find yourself being rewarded with some very productive sessions on good quality fish and may even find a big bream in your hands if you are successful in winning the ferocious battle which will undoubtedly ensue. It is important to remember when fishing for bream during summer, that the water is not as turbulent as DECEMBER 2024 111

BOATING TEST

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Stabicraft 1550 Frontier with F70 Yamaha 4-stroke FMG

SPECIFICATIONS

Steve Morgan

Length ................................................ 4.8m Capacity.................................5 persons Max HP..................................................... 75 Fuel Tank .............................................60L Beam ................................................. 2.01m Transom deadrise...........................15” Tube thickness.............................3mm Hull thickness ...............................4mm Hull weight...................................550kg

s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

The Stabicraft Frontier 1550 is the second smallest hull in the Stabicraft range. We caught up with the guys from Northside Marine in Brisbane to go for a ride in this hull, powered by a Yamaha 70hp 4-stroke and met Mark Golden at the ramp. “The 1550 is derived from the popular 1440 model and adds some features like an underfloor fuel tank, built in live bait tank and anchor winch capability,” he said, as he pulled up with a beautiful looking and fully optioned rig. Stabicraft are a New Zealand built aluminium hull with a built in ‘life ring’ that offers greater stability and safety than a standard aluminium hull. And as a result, this sub-five-metre rig is very capable of pushing the boundaries of what boats this size can safely do. This boat is powered by a Yamaha

70hp 4-stroke outboard. The 1,000cc platform is reliable and economical and although Mark claimed 3km+ per litre economy, this could only be achieved with a single person on board. Add a second angler and the economy drops to a still-suitable 2.5km/L. At wide open throttle the boat reached 56km/h at 6,000rpm, where economy dropped to 1.8km/L. With an underfloor fuel tank of 60L, this gives a theoretical range of well over 100km. It handled like a typical Stabicraft - cornering flat and

super stable at rest for a hull of this length. The finish on Stabicraft is exceptional. Over the years, their attention to detail has constantly improved and there’s very little wasted space in any of their rigs. The 1550 was fitted with a removable casting deck that extends raised casting space up front and turns this into a very practical lure fishing rig. Remove it and there’s a massive cockpit for a boat of this

Main: The Stabicraft 1550 was created because of demand from 1440 customers who wanted something a little bigger. Above: Like all Stabicraft hulls the ride is smooth and it corners remarkably flat. size that can hold all of your camping gear or crab pots. At the transom there’s a rugged set of boarding steps which allow for easy access PERFORMANCE RPM Speed

(km/h)

Even though there’s a removable casting deck, Mark Golden likes the anchor well cover to throw a few lures from. 116 DECEMBER 2024

both on and off the trailer, a plumbed live bait tank and a simple bait station complete the rig. The side console is simple and practical, with plenty of space to flush mount your expensive electronics. We also love the fact that there is a built-in foot step, so you can wedge yourself in while driving this boat in rougher water. This practicality is mirrored across

Economy

(km/L)

600 ............................ 3 ........................5.6 1000 .......................... 5 ........................4.6 2000 ....................... 10 ........................ 2.7 3000 ........................17 ........................2.2 3500........................29 ........................2.3 4000 .......................35 ........................2.5 4500 ........................41 ........................2.0 5000 .......................46 .........................1.9 6000 .......................56 .........................1.8

the hull. There are plenty of places to grab onto, with thick aluminium rails where you need them. An awesome option for this rig was the aluminium G-Fab trailer. These NZ developed and Australian built trailers add to the package with both looks and function. They’re a full skid design which keeps the centre of gravity low for towing and easy launching. It’s a drive-on and off design which is simple for even one person operation. As tested, this boat sells for $84,800 with the upgraded trailer and electronics as fitted. Give Mark a call at Northside Marine for more information or to organise a test drive.

FMM

Top: There’s a spot to mount your bow mounted electric motor, which will be a popular addition for anglers. Above: The bait station at the transom is simple and has a couple of inbuilt rod holders.

BOATING TEST

Yamaha’s F70 4-stroke outboard is a long term best-seller for the company. It’s reliable and economical.

Top: The front casting deck is removable. Above: There’s plenty of open cockpit space with the small side-console. We loved the footrest while driving.

Open side console boats are pretty popular in Australia - you can load them up for a camping weekend and head away on an adventure.

We love that you can flush mount your valuable electronics and not occlude your vision with a bracket-mounted sounder.

Top Left: The GFab trailer is a real work of art. They’re not cheap, but their low COG is really functional. Top Right: Rubber decking is a neat option and is easy to clean when it gets covered in mud and fish. Bottom Left: Stabicraft are a New Zealand made aluminium boat. Bottom Right: This rig turns heads at the ramp and the package works together nicely.

Left: These are serious boarding steps. Easy access on and off the water.Top Right: These custom rod holders are designed to also hold a paternoster weight. Bottom Right: There’s a plumbed baitwell in the transom. DECEMBER 2024 117