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Fishing the shallows • Guide to catching flathead on soft plastics • Kayaking Woy Woy • SBT fishery debate • Who’s fishing in Victoria? • Fishing is the new therapy • REVIEW: Wilson’s Live Fibre Blades N Tails

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Sean Thompson’s fishing the shallows

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CONTENTS

OUR COVER August 2020, Vol. 1 No.4 TAS

QUEENSLAND Tweed 20 Gold Coast 24 Southern bay 25 Brisbane 26 Northern bay 28 Noosa 29 Hervey Bay 30 Yeppoon 31 Mackay 34 Whitsundays 36 Townsville 37 Lucinda 38 Hinchinbrook 38 Cairns 38 Port Douglas 38 Cooktown 40 Freshwater 44 NEW SOUTH WALES Pittwater 48 Sydney North 48 Sydney Rock 50 Sydney South 52 Yamba 54 Coffs Harbour 56 Hastings 58 Forster 59 Port Stephens 62 Swansea 63 Illawarra 64 Batemans Bay 65 Bermagui 66 Tathra 66 Canberra 72 Albury/Wodonga 74 Batlow 75 Hunter Valley 76 New England Rivers 77 VICTORIA West Coast 82 Warrnambool 83 Apollo Bay 82 Cobden 83 Geelong 84 PPB West 85 PPB East 86 PPB 88 Western Port 90 Phillip Island 91 Lakes Entrance 92 Marlo 93 Mallacoota 92 Gippsland Lakes 95 Robinvale 96 Wangaratta 97 Yarrawonga 96 Shepparton 98 Nagambie 98 Bendigo 99 W/S Gippsland 99 Ballarat 100 Eildon 101 6

AUGUST 2020

From the editor’s Desk...

Richard Patterson was very happy with his magic-metre Murray cod. He caught it off the top on a 300mm Savage Gear Wake Snake at Lake Eildon. A Ben Shuey image. Come and visit Fishing Monthly Group’s official Facebook page for all your monthly fishing information. Download QR Reader to access.

Victoria – we’re feeling for you! At the time of printing, our southern brothers were headed into another six weeks of COVID lockdowns to help combat the alarming rate of community transmission. Meanwhile, the rest of the country tiptoes out of the harsher COVID restrictions. I suppose we all have to brace for it, rolling lockdowns and acceptance of closures until there’s an effective vaccine. If there’s anything to learn from the last lockdown, it seems as though local fishing wasn’t a major risk to the spread of the disease and with any luck, anglers will still be afforded the opportunity to fish locally. It’s a shame, because anglers and boaties were going great guns supporting local independent businesses and tackle stores were reporting a solid increase of people either taking up or returning to fishing. Not just as anglers, but as members of our local communities, it’s up to us to keep doing the right thing and keep the virus under control. We know it’s a new normal, but we will have to live with it.

TASMANIA Hobart 102 WESTERN AUSTRALIA Esperance 104 Augusta 105 Bunbury 106 Mandurah 106 Metro 107 Lancelin 108 Geraldton 111 Kalbarri 111 Broome 112 Karratha 112 Freshwater 114

REGULAR FEATURES Fishing the shallows 8 Starlo’s back to basics 14 Tech Tricks 16 Soft plastic flathead fishing 18 Kayaking Woy Woy 73 Southern bluefin tuna fishery 78 Who’s fishing in Victoria 80 WIRF 102 Recfishwest 104 Trades and Services 116 What’s New Fishing 68 Tide page 118 COMPS AND OFFERS Find the logo Sub page Fun page

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ABT BACK FOR MOST Tournament anglers are excited that they’re able to compete again, even if it is in an environment where the excitement of a weigh-in is watered down. We’re looking forward to these guys developing new techniques and sharing their knowledge in the months to come. BIG BOATING EXTRA It only took a few months of the new format magazine for us to run out of space. We hope you enjoy the Boating Extra magazine inserted into this issue, it’s a compilation of a lot of product that would have been launched at various boat shows around the country, as it doesn’t look like we will be able to have a boat show in the near future at all. With the easing of Queensland COVID restrictions, we are now able to get out and complete more tests. There are plenty in the Boating Extra to keep you excited. SBT – JOIN THE DISCUSSION Finally, we waded into an interesting debate on southern bluefin tuna recently. Increasingly popular in the southern parts of the country, they’re a Commonwealthmanaged fishery for a species that swims all over the place and is accessed by anglers of various states. Given the recent decision to not change the recreational bag limits in Victoria, there was a super broad range of feedback – from elation to anger. We don’t mind what side of the fence that you sit on, but we do want you to make an informed decision. There’s some material inside to help stimulate that debate.

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Fishing the shallows BRISBANE

Sean Thompson

There is an old saying, ‘the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence’. Likewise, in fishing there are those who believe you will catch more fish the further you can cast from the beach, river or estuary bank. Many boat anglers also roar off upstream from the boat ramp in search of fish in deep water far away from the shallows of the ramp or other inshore areas.

flathead, the bow wave of a big bream heading to deeper water or the turn and splash of a startled barramundi that had been feeding close to the bank. Of course, fish are not in the shallows all the time, it is a matter of choosing the right time and conditions to find the fish in the skinny water. Water temperature, time of day, changing lake levels, and wind all play a part in when and where fish are in the shallow water. These factors and their effect on the fish can vary by location, so let’s have a look at the many and varied

are a variety of shallow water locations, all worth targeting with a variety of different techniques. Let’s start with a couple of areas not all anglers venture up for one reason or another, big shallow bays and shallow little creeks. Shallow bays Surprisingly, shallow bays are one area of an estuary that gets little attention from many anglers. One of the reasons for this can be that the shallow waters rule out many bigger boats. Another reason can be that they are only really accessible at This fantastic shallow water combination of intersecting drains running off the flats into slightly deeper water produced a handful of good flathead.

Barra are a species that will stalk the warmer waters of the shallows for food. The reality is that in a number of fresh and saltwater environments the fish can be right at your feet or in and around structure on the shoreline. In fact, if you watch closely, even cautious anglers can accidentally spook fish from the shallows. Signs you have spooked the fish include a puff of mud or sand from a spooked

places you can find fish in the shallows and discuss how to best target them. ESTUARIES Let’s start with estuaries as these are not only the breeding grounds for many fish species, but they also contain some very big fish. Many of these large fish will patrol the shallows for food at certain times. Within estuaries there

high tide, thus reducing the fishing pressure on these areas. Less fishing pressure can mean more fish in these areas, but due to their very shallow nature, the fish are very cautious and flighty. This calls for some very targeted plans for these areas. See Table 1. and Table 2. on tips to fish shallow bays with bait or

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AUGUST 2020

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lures, what to avoid doing, as well as the tackle you should use. When it comes to lure fishing, shallow bays can be great places for anglers to start out, or for more experience anglers to target some great shallow structure practising a variety of techniques. Shallow creeks Many of the tips for lure and bait fishing the shallow bays are equally relevant for fishing shallow or narrow creeks in an estuary. Again, these places can be best fished towards the top of the tide. These shallow creeks can also be top spots for fish during the warmer middle parts of the day in winter, making the water just that bit warmer than the surrounding holes and

are great spots to move along quietly in the boat and cast lures at or under the structure. Once again, during the day, target the shady side of the creek. Lure casters should also look for darker sandy areas full of yabby holes to target big whiting towards the top of the tide on top-water lures. Some slight ripple on the water will work in your favour here, and remember for whiting, keep that lure moving, while if you see a bream chasing it, try a pause, wiggle then start again. For bait fishers, tossing an unweighted or lightly weighted yabbies, or live bloodworm into areas full of yabby holes can be a lot of fun to catch big bream and whiting. It can pay to pump yabbies into a sieve

prawns, live herrings or mullet cast in and under the structure with a tight drag. Boat ramps Boat ramps with associated cleaning facilities are another productive shallow water destination. What is so good about these cleaning facilities is that throughout the day, anglers are throwing in leftover bait, fish carcases and offal to the immediate surrounds. Yes, these areas do attract scavengers like pelicans and stingrays who clean a bit of this up, but it can also attract a variety of fish, from bream, flathead, trevally and even mangrove jack and cod particularly if the cleaning facilities extend out over the water providing cover for the fish. These areas are best

TABLE 1. BAIT FISHING BAY SHALLOWS Tips and Tricks • Anchor near structure such as trees, weed beds, rocks, or slightly deeper drains. • Use lightly weighted baits using soft whippy rods to flick them out. • Cast towards the structure or well away from the boat. • Wear camouflaged clothing or clothes that blend to your surroundings. • Use berley, like pre-packaged scented pellets or chopped-up pieces of flesh baits, such as tuna or pilchards and use bigger pieces. • Target areas at high tide with more water. • Oyster leases in shallow bays are top spots to target bream and flathead. Things to avoid • Don’t drift with bait on sunny days due to the boat’s shadow. • Heavy sinkers will splash loudly and make your bait look and feel unnatural. • Don’t set your lines close to the boat, due to boat noise or shadows spooking the fish. • Avoid wearing bright clothes fishing shallow water on clear days. • Don’t over berley. Use a berley pot and jiggle it regularly or only throw small handfuls of fine berley every 10 minutes or so. • Low tide can mean you could get stuck, or get mud/sand through your motor. therefore attracting the fish. Look too for any areas of rocks that extrude from the water as these will act like insulators and warm the surrounding water. Shallow creeks can be also great places to troll shallow diving lures with a quiet electric motor on the first couple of hours of the falling tide until you run out of water. The cut-away banks and fallen trees

at high tide to attract the whiting and bream into the berley trail you are creating. Around the structure of fallen trees and rocks, mangrove jack and barramundi or estuary perch and bass can reside in these areas, depending on your location in the northern or southern parts of our continent. Top baits will vary by species but include live unweighted

fished around dusk into the evening with plenty of berley in the water and under the cover of darkness. ‘Match-thehatch’ so to speak and use unweighted baits of fish flesh like bonito, mullet or pilchards in circle or octopus hook patterns for quick hook-ups. In season, a live prawn bait can also be extremely productive. You don’t want to be

casting well out and way from the structure, but in close in these spots. Some of these facilities have permanent lights that attract baitfish at night and make it easier for anglers to see. If there is light on the water, just fish the demarcation zone of the shadows and light, where the fish will be holding. If the platform is over the water you want to place your baits just under the edge of the platform, but

hold your rod, have a tight drag and hold on! Shallow flats Shallow estuary flats are those areas that I’d define as less than a metre and a half of water. The best fishing times in these areas vary according to the tide and the structure of the sand/mud flats. Let’s have a look at how to target them firstly from a boat, then on foot. From a boat There are a few

different ways you can fish the estuary shallows from a boat. Cast and retrieving, drifting baits, trolling and anchored up. Let’s start with drifting baits. Because the water is so shallow, you want to ensure that the lines you are drifting are out to the front or back of your boat if possible or if the drift makes it difficult, at least a long cast from the boat. This is because your boat will cast a shadow over the

TABLE 2. LURE FISHING SHALLOW BAYS Tips and Tricks • Cast hardbodies to the edges of structure like trees, weed beds, oyster covered rocks, oyster leases and cutaway banks. • During the day, target the shady side of the bay where the fish will be sheltering. • With your plastics, use small hops to avoid the lure coming out of the water. • Also with plastics, use a sideways action with the rod to impart 4-5 little rips of the rod, then let the jighead settle before going again. • Wear camouflaged clothing or clothes that blend to your surroundings. • Troll soft plastic tails or fish patterns using 1/6 to 1/4oz jigheads. • Troll lures up and down oyster racks and past disused posts and structure. Tackle Tips • Use shallow running hardbodies that dive to about 1-1.3m or topwater lures that have a popping or walk the dog action. • Use light weighted jigheads of 1/20-1/8oz for bream and 1/8-1/6oz for flatties in the shallows. In stronger winds you can go to 1/4oz. • Use the lightest fluorocarbon leader you can get away with, e.g. 4lb for bream and 10lb for flathead. • Choose your fluorocarbon leaders carefully, choose brands that have a smaller diameter for their strength in the shallows. • Light graphite rods in the 1-2kg or 2-3kg range are perfect in these shallow water environments. • Ensure your spool is filled to within a couple of millimeters of the lip to ensure long casts away from the boat. • Quiet electric motors are perfect for sneaking around in or trolling in these shallow bays.

The author hooked up standing well back from a shallow high tide gutter shore break. water and potentially spook fish nearby. For this reason, particularly on really clear sunny days, it can pay to either get out of the boat and wade, or anchor up. Anchoring up in the shallows can be productive provided you keep boat noise to a minimum. The advantage of this approach is you are not moving around in really shallow water spooking the fish and you can even bring the

fish to you by using berley. A commercial berley container hung off the side of the boat is a great idea, full of a mixture of either pre-seasoned pellets from the tackle shop, or some chicken pellets from your local pet produce shop combined with tuna oil and some cut up pieces of old bait or fish frames. A great option when anchored is to cast out 3-4 set baits and lay the rods

low and flat on the boat or in rod holders that allow this. This way the fish can pull off line sufficiently that the rod slowly lows up and they hook themselves, as opposed to feeling the resistance of a rod set up nearly vertical in a rod holder. Two types of hooks are especially good for this set and forget technique. The first are small Tru-Turn To page 10

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Tech Tricks

Targeting tailor: make a baitfish casting rig BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

Many anglers target tailor during the cooler months along the eastern facing

beaches of Southern Queensland, Northern NSW and further afield along the East Coast of Australia. The most common bait for these is the humble pilchard, however garfish

are also readily used. Casting out these baits and letting it just sink to the bottom or waft about is a common practice. One technique that will often increase results is slowly retrieving the bait after casting out. This is

To make this rig you will need one each of the following: VMC 9255 4/0, 5/0, 6/0 and Shogun rolling swivel #4 and #5. Also some red and silver krystal flash, scarlet red flat-waxed nylon thread, 140lb piano wire, a #22/38/05 size open net lead and blood red nail polish. Tools required are sturdy pliers, side cutters, bobbin and a hammer. An additional swivel is required if you want to add one to the front hook eyelet, however I usually tie straight to the eye with the leader.

Put the #4 rolling swivel on the 6/0 hook and the #5 rolling swivel on the 5/0 hook. Put the 4/0 hook eyelet onto the other side of the swivel on the 5/0 hook and squeeze the eyelet closed so these two are now attached. Also squeeze shut the eyelet on the 6/0 hook but leave the 5/0 hook open.

Continue wrapping the wire around the shank for 8-10 turns. Make sure both ends of the wire are facing upwards when you finish. The springy nature of the piano wire will mean that it will recoil slightly so you may need to make a couple of adjustments until it sits right. 16

AUGUST 2020

often deadly for those large greenbacks that all strive to score. Additionally it allows you to cover more water in your search. While just pinning a pilchard or garfish on a set of ganged hooks can work,

better presentation will greatly increase results, especially on those larger, more wary greenbacks. A well-rigged bait will not spin in the current appearing more natural. Additionally, it will hold onto the hooks

better during multiple casts. The baitfish casting rig is an amalgamation of a flasher rig and a bait trolling rig. It can have numerous variations in size and colours but the version demonstrated here is a staple version that works

Open the eye of all the hooks by using the side cutters to pinch the gap at the eye of the hook. As you squeeze the pliers closed, roll your hand outwards to open the gape just enough to be able to put a swivel on. Opening hook eyes this way with side cutters is much better than using the cone shaped tooth that some multi-purpose pliers have.

Hold a length of the 140lb piano wire against the hook shank with pliers and begin wrapping the tag end around the shank. If you have a bench vise or locking pliers you could additionally use these to hold the hook.

Position the wire coil with the front tag end about 5mm behind the hook eye and facing upwards. Place the #22/38/05 open net lead over the hook shank as shown and begin squeezing shut with the pliers. Ensure the swivel is down towards the bend of the hook.

Tech Tricks well. I like the blood red colour as it looks like a bleeding bait, however pink, glow and lumo are other good options. The krystal flash adds lifelike appeal and the coloured weight adds interest. I like to paint the lead with nail polish as it

is easy to use, dries quickly, comes in a wide array of colours, including glow in the dark, and is cheap at a lot of places. One variation that I like over many other ganged rigs is to use tapering hook sizes. Due to the weight

being on the front hook, I use a bigger hook size than those in the rest of the rig and the sizes will depend on the bait used. I commonly use a 6/0, 5/0 and 4/0 for average sized pilchards. For longer pencil gar a four hook rig of 6/0, 5/0, 4/0 and 4/0

Place the net lead on a hard, flat surface and bang lightly with a hammer to further close the net lead and secure it tightly around the hook shank with the two wire tag ends facing upwards in line with the hook point.

You can begin dressing up the rig with some krystal flash. I like to add some red just behind the net lead as this imitates bleeding from the gills. A bit of silver on the rear 4/0 hook adds some flash and almost make it look like the tail is flicking. Bind the krystal flash on with flat-waxed nylon thread and coat it with head cement, or even a little nail polish, to stop it all unravelling if one strand is nicked with a tooth.

and for larger gar 6/0, 6/0, 5/0 and 4/0. I commonly use the VMC 9255 as they are an inline hook and very sharp. The Tru-Turn 711 is suitable for all rear hooks and have a reputation for setting better than many other hooks. However, you will need to

use a VMC 9255 for the front hook as the shank is straight and the weight is easily crimped to it. The rear hook doesnâ€™t need to be pinned in the bait and can be left freely swinging if you wish. A small Colorado blade can be added to the

rear hook for some extra flash. You will need to snip off the tail of the baitfish to ensure the blade spins freely. There are a lot of options for this rig, and the following is instruction on making the basic baitfish casting rig.

When properly closed, the net lead should look like this and be securely fixed to the hook shank with no movement. You can trim the tag ends of both pieces of wire to about 3cm (long enough to fully pass through the head of the bait with a few millimetres protruding out the top of the head).

Extra colour can be added by painting the net lead with some nail polish. I find this is much more durable than normal paint and less hassle than powder paint. Also it dries quickly so multiple coats can be done without a long dry time between each. If you want a more natural look then you donâ€™t have to paint it at all.

Connect the rear two hooks to the swivel on the front one and squeeze the 5/0 eyelet shut. Our finished rig (bottom one) will look somewhat like this. The other two rigs are variations, one with a small Colorado blade to add some extra flash and enticement and the other in pink, another productive colour.

Both garfish and pilchards can be fished on these rigs. The pilchard is put on in the conventional method and the two wire spikes are pushed up through the head of the pilchard. Once a small band (these are a girlâ€™s hair band which you can also get in clear) is looped over the spike, wrapped around the head and looped over the spike again the head will be secured to the rig with the mouth of the bait secured shut. This bait can be cast and retrieved and will hold together well until a big greenback, mackerel or other predator annihilates it. AUGUST 2020

TESTING BOOTH

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Wilson Live Fibre Blades N Tails rods are the real deal The AFTA trade show allows tackle storeowners and buyers within the tackle industry to see what our Australian wholesalers have all in one place. It is a mix of products that have stood the test of time, as well as new releases for Christmas and the following year. It is an exciting time for people like myself who are lucky enough to go out and test products and tell you, our readers all

The models and why For those of you who followed my testing booths over the years (I am sure there is at least one of you) much of my rod testing has always been related around targeting flathead and there is no reason to change this. They are a great table fish, they love eating a lure and they are available to catch all around Australia. There are a couple of rods in the range that are suitable to target flathead on lures – the one- and two-piece

The two outfits tested were the Live Fibre Blade N Tails 7’, 4-8lb and the 6’8”, 6-12lb spin rods. They are matched with an ATC Virtuous 2000 and ATC Valiant CF PE1 2000 respectively. I chose the two-piece 6’8”, 6-12lb spin model, which is a slightly shorter rod so it is easier to manage in the kayak, and the two-piece is better to travel with in the car. It is also heavier than most anglers would expect, as you really need a bit more grunt when you are fishing from a kayak. Getting

handle, and now I have found it difficult to go back to the smaller handle. There are 10 spin models and eight baitcast models available in the Blade N Tails ranges, so there are plenty of options to choose one that suits you and your fishing.

Nice bit of by-catch while fishing for flathead. about them. I use it to put a list of things together that I am keen to put through their paces. I don’t get to test everything on this list, but in the case of the Wilson Blade N Tails rods, they were on the list and I grabbed a couple of models that covered some of the species and fishing that I like to do.

7’ 4-8lb spin models. I prefer a one-piece rod, but with technology these days I am sure there is very little difference between them. I also wanted a spin outfit to use from my kayak. I have been doing more kayak fishing of late, especially on some of the bass lakes that are kayak or electric only.

Just to prove the first one wasn’t a fluke, Nicholas Willett with another golden caught on a Zerek Fish Trap and the shaky-shaky retrieve. a fish away from cover, before it ends up dragging you and your kayak in there with it, is always a preferred outcome. I matched an ATC Virtuous 2000 sized reel with the 7’ outfit, and an ATC Valiant CF, PE1 2000 sized reel with the kayak outfit. I had always preferred the Valiant reel, however a couple of years ago I tested the ATC Valour reels and became hooked on the oversized and ergonomic handle. The Virtuous reels have the same A small bass caught on an ice jig using the 6’8” outfit. 70

AUGUST 2020

In the field Unfortunately, it has been a very disjointed testing period. The product became available just before Christmas and I was excited to head to Yamba, which was fishing well, to test it out. Likewise, my local bass fishery was also producing good

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PRODUCT GUIDE catches. However, the poor weather, wind and COVID 19 tested the patience of the author in the middle of it all. Yamba proved to be not only an amazing testing ground for the Blade N Tails rods, but also a great place to have a holiday with family and friends. As the country comes out of its COVID slumber and looks to holiday at home, put Yamba on the list, you won’t be disappointed. I was impressed with the feel of the rods once I was in the water. The medium fast taper is ideal for casting relatively light lures and jigheads and the feel that the combination of the Toray blank, Fuji Fazlite guides and quality EVA grips provides is up there with the best. Much of my flathead fishing in Yamba involved fishing shallow water with weed pockets scattered through it. I was either fanning long casts over the open areas, using a Zerek Tango Shad or targeting the edges of the weed and associated dropoffs using plastics rigged on 1/8-1/4oz jigheads. The rod was perfect for this. It is light enough to do this all day, has the finesse not to pull small hooks, but has enough power to set a hook when that bigger fish comes along. The real test came post-Christmas as

Yamba provided a great opportunity to put the 7’ model through its paces. Casting small plastics and hardbody lures around and across the various sand flats had the author connected to some nice flathead.

Nicholas Willett has really taken to his Blade N Tails outfit. He caught this javelin fish while chasing flathead. I brought the same outfit for my testing booth companion Nicholas Willett as a gift. Nicholas is very loyal to the outfits he uses. We have fished together for well over 10 years and he has used the same rods for the majority of that time. Would the Blade N Tails/Virtuous combo pass the Nicholas test? In his words, “Absolutely!” No more needs to be said. The kayak outfit was harder to test, not using it but just getting a nice picture to complement this review. My local lake rose from 55% to 100% and the fishing suffered due to decaying weed and grass that was inundated by the water. My local lake was looking and fishing very differently. I tend to use a threadline outfit from the kayak to cast small metal vibes, hardbody lures, various plastic rigs and vibration baits. Generally these are too light to cast with a baitcast outfit or needs a little more finesse as far as technique goes. A great technique for targeting bass around weed in the transition months (warm weather to cooler weather and the other way around) is working suspending hardbody lures. It is a matter of casting

TESTING BOOTH

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This beautiful golden perch fell to the shaky-shaky retrieve at Somerset Dam.

(sorry don’t know the proper name). This is reliant on finding fish holding in numbers off points or areas with structure and then dropping a plastic vibe down (in our case a Zerek Fish Trap) and shaking or crawling the lure across the bottom back to you – minimal movement, maximum action. The goldens didn’t hesitate, they picked up the lure and ran with it. The theory was sound, as a few goldens and a number of bass fell mainly to the shaky-shaky technique. The slightly shorter and heavier rod (line class) suited this fishing and resulted in some nice fish and the images for this Testing Booth. Final thoughts Thankfully as I write this test, we are now getting some of our freedoms back and most importantly the ability to travel within our states and support businesses, jobs and your favourite Australian brands. For many, the Wilson brand and Live Fibre are part of what fishing in Oz is all about. For mine, the new Wilson Live Fibre Blade N Tails rods are only going to add to this legacy – they are well worth checking out. Look them up at www.wilsonfishing. com. The full range and details are available there as well as stockists and other fishing related things. – Peter Jung

The author has loved using the 6’8” outfit from his kayak to throw lures like this vibration bait for Australian bass.

along or into clear pockets within the weed, winding your lure down to its depth and then pausing it (this can be as long or as short as you like or what the fish like) and winding and pausing, waiting for the lure to be smashed. I managed several sessions doing this and fishing the other options mentioned with the Blade N Tails/ Valiant outfit but had limited success (I assure it wasn’t for the lack of trying) so it was time to think outside the box. COVID 19 provided six weeks of thinking time and the decision was made to head to Somerset Dam and rather than target the bass schools, head up the timbered arms at the top of the lake targeting golden perch using vibes and black grubs. These techniques have proven successful in the southern states, so surely they’d work in QLD? Black grubbing is pretty simple, cozy up to a tree, drop a black Gulp Grub curly-tail down the trunk, slow roll it up and down or jig it and wait for the bite. No bite, find another tree and repeat. A similar thing can be done with a vibe, however a more successful technique has been using what I call the shaky-shaky retrieve This is exactly why the author wanted the 6’8” outfit. This fish was caught slow rolling a Zerek Flat Shad around weed towers on the shallow point in the background of this image.

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au AUGUST 2020

MERCURY

NO SACRIFICES NO COMPROMISES NO APOLOGIES

BETTER ECONOMY

MORE TORQUE

V6 3.4L 200HP FOURSTROKE

12-16% BETTER

FUEL ECONOMY

12-15%

LEADING COMPETITOR

20%

VERADO

TORQUE

V8 4.6L

250HP PROXS

16% BETTER

FUEL ECONOMY

LEADING COMPETITOR

TORQUE AT 3500-4500 RPM

FOURSTROKE

300HP LEADING COMPETITOR

TORQUE

200HP

4.6L

LEADING COMPETITOR

V6 3.4L

*Based on testing done by Mercury Marineâ€™s Product Research & Development team. Torque data collected on a Dynamometer at cruise speed, an average of 3500-4500 rpm. Fuel economy testing done using a 23 foot Centre Console boat for both 200hp engines, while a 21 foot Bass boat was used for the 250hp testing.

Go online or contact your nearest Mercury Dealer to find out more about the Mercury V6 / V8 range, taking performance, efficiency and reliability to the next level.

mercurymarine.com.au

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SEACHANGE BOATING X

Haines launch SCBX modular boats FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

It’s reasonably rare that Aussie boat builders take genuinely large steps forward when launching new models. It’s pretty hard to re-invent the wheel when it comes to the 16-footer. It’s right in the hitting zone for a variety of Aussie boating applications. A crabber or cast-netter, lure or bait angler will find a use for it, as will a family who wants a softer ride than a basic tinny. But with the impending removal of Suzuki outboards from their product offering, John Haines and his team at Haines Signature have found the motivation to present a suite of offerings that have been formulating for quite a while. There’s two parts to this story – the launch of Seachange Boating accessories and the launch of the big ticket category within this brand, the SCBX hull and modular accessories range. It may not be obvious, but SCBX means ‘Seachange Boating X’ model. Let’s start with the latter and a budding boat buyer with a pocketful of COVID cash. THE SCBX MODULAR SYSTEM The SCBX boats start with a bare hull,

Nobody will argue the amount of fishing space in the C build, although we assume that most owners would eventually drop in the front casting deck option. 14 2020 Boating EXTRA

made from fibreglass and moulded with their RIVALE technology. For the uneducated (and that included me until the press day), RIVALE stands for Resin Injected Vacuum Assisted Low Emissions. The resin gets sucked into the glass, and Haines claims that it improves consistency and strength of product as well as reducing emissions during the manufacturing process. The end result is the 16 foot bare boat that’s complete with all of the ledges, provisions and attachment points for any of the modular additions that are also available. The mods can be ordered directly from Seachange Boating (seachangeboating.com.au) or from an account partner (which is Seachangespeak for dealer). The upgrades are easy enough for anyone handy on the tools and come with all of the stainless hardware needed to get the job done, but if you’re not confident, then your local account partner can definitely help to get it done. To give the imagination process a little nudge, the team have pre-packaged some popular builds with combinations of options that are suitable for common boating applications.

Top: The CS SCBX build was the premium build on the day. Fitted with a centre console, X-deck flooring and an SCBX Cooler as a helm seat, it left little to the imagination when it came to show off what a premium build would look like. Above: The 60hp tiller was fun to drive and it even had Mercury’s new smart-tiller that’s got a higher IQ than most politicians.

There’s the BA (or Bare Ass) build that takes the core hull and drops in a couple of remote tote tanks and straps them down. “The Bare Ass build can start off as something that you use to build on,” said Haines’ Ryan Lloyd, “you can pick up a cheap tiller steer outboard and trailer off Gumtree and get on the water quickly and then you can upgrade your accessories as time or budget allows. There’s no reason that the BA can’t transform into your dream fishing boat.” Indeed, although the Bare Ass sounds

With Suzuki leaving the building for Haines Signature, the variety of outboards on the SCBX boats on the media day reflected the breadth of power plants that the company will work with moving forwards.

Spartan, it comes with more than just a hull and deck moulding. Standard features include the modular outboard well, eye bolts bow and transom, a bow cleat, stainless handles and, importantly, underfloor storage that can be used as a kill tank. On the test day, there was a Bare Ass set up with a carburetted 50 tiller Tohatsu and an SCB beanbag to sit in. Taking this rig for a spin definitely hinted at some of the hull’s characteristics. For an empty boat, it rode soft. Real

This is the T Version of the SCBX - a couple of thwart seats and a tiller outboard with some serious grunt made this a fun rig to drive and it has the load capacity for some serious camping gear.

2020 NEW RELEASES • BOATING • MARINE • ELECTRONICS • ACCESSORIES • KAYAKS

2020 Boating EXTRA soft. Although it wasn’t a rough day, the Jumpinpin was still funnelling a cool winter westerly through the ocean entrance and it kicked up a wind chop that’d make an open, empty tinnie set up the same way ride uncomfortably. The bow stayed low and cut the chop remarkably well and offered little challenge for the BA. It was remarkably good.

SPECIFICATIONS BASIC HULL Length:................................... 4.85m Beam:..................................... 2.05m Deadrise:............................... 21-33° Horsepower Min:.................... 40hp Horsepower Max:................... 80hp Max outboard:........................ 170kg Transom Height:........................ 20” Hull Weight:................... from 398kg Tow Weight:................... from 926kg BMT Length:............. approx. 6.40m BMT Height:............. approx. 1.70m BMT Width................ approx. 2.40m Capacity:..........................4 persons Max Load:...............................585kg

That’s because there’s some weight in this hull – around 400kg and it sports a variable deadrise with a noticeable look and feel of its Haines Signature 485 siblings. “We’ve taken the shape of the 485 and used that as the basis for the SCBX,” said John Haines, “and this helped us get the ride we needed from this hull.” Bottom line is that the ride is smooth and comfortable, although the 50hp power plant didn’t really excite when it came to seeing exactly what this hull could do. We had to jump to the other end of the range for that and jumped into the SCBX16C iteration for the ride home. Set up with some comfy pedestal chairs and a small side console, it allowed you to drive the 2.1L 80hp Mercury from a solid base, and contrasting the workman-like 50, the 80hp got this hull up and flying. I’ve always liked hulls that you can trim into a chop to cut the water and then let them loose when it flattens out, and rigged with maximum horsepower, the SCBX does exactly that. Other versions presented on the press day included a ‘CS’ model that sported

a centre console, front casting deck and a SCB cooler to sit on. This top end build was complemented with their X-deck material across all of the surfaces you’d walk on. It’s non-slip, looks good and can be easily hosed off at the end of a trip with minimal elbow grease. And finally, there was the ‘T’, a more family-style set up that features both of the optional thwart seats and a bimini

website for you to formulate your upgrading plans. “We know that some people will use factory parts and others will enjoy making their own decks and seats to install. As long as they are doing it safely, then we are happy with whatever result they achieve,” continues Lloyd at the waterside. A surprising hero of the Seachange Boating inventory is their outdoor beanbag. The $250 item is made from 5mm

The SCBX guys call these the “Lego boats” and that’s exactly what they are. Start with this and add parts to your taste.

How many versions of the SCBX are there? Ask a mathematician - the possibilities are endless.

top. Both thwart seats include an in-seat storage area that’s ideal for getting gear up and off the deck that you need to keep dry. But all of this is just half of the story. The hero product for Seachange Boating may be the SCBX hull, but their online store and range of products available either direct or through their account partners have a tale to tell as well. SEACHANGE BOATING ACCESSORIES Even before the birth of the SCBX hulls, Seachange Boating was busy assembling

neoprene wetsuit material to enhance comfort and durability and to reduce fading. “The best way we could control the quality and to get exactly what we wanted was to make this in Australia,” Lloyd said. And contradicting your initial impressions, these units are flying off the shelf. Another fast moving product in the range is an Australian designed and manufactured trim support block. Every

The T iteration is a more family-style set up that features both of the optional thwart seats and a bimini top. Both thwart seats include an in-seat storage area that’s ideal for getting gear up and off the deck that you need to keep dry.

With a solid heritage in Haines’ 485 hull, the variable deadrise makes easy work of wake and wind chop. 33 degrees at the bow flattens to 21 degrees at the transom.

It seems that it doesn’t matter how much you load up a SCBX hull, it handles it all with ease. Three anglers and some camping gear for a weekend on the lake would be a walk in the park.

a range of carefully sourced products that were related to having a good time outdoors or to maintaining the gear you needed to do it. And, of course, there’s the drop-in add-ons that you can buy from the on-line store that you can use to upgrade your SCBX hull. All upgrades come with all of the hardware you need to get the job done and a scannable QR code that gives you instructions from the team at SCBX headquarters on exactly how to do it properly. As an indicator of price, the drop in front casting deck for a SCBX is $1,115 and there’s an extensive parts shop on the

mid-sized outboard in Australia needs one but the development of this simple device is well overdue. So much so that SCB struggles to keep up with demand. Other product partners include Coleman for some camping items, Mares for dive gear and Camelback for staying hydrated. All names you know and which represent quality products. Add free shipping for orders over $75 and there’s plenty of reasons to give the website a visit. See seachangeboating.com.au to see if there’s some gear there that ticks your boxes.

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Sea Jay 493 Territory with Mercury 90hp 4 stroke FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

It’s not often that the clouds part and the sun comes, out especially for a boat test. We thought we were in for a hiding as we drove down the M1 from Brisbane to Nitro Marine on the Gold Coast in driving rain. I was with Matthew Drinkall, the (very) silent working partner in QFM and the one responsible for nearly every awesome boating shot we have ever taken. And for not missing a print deadline in 27 years … but I digress.

SPECIFICATIONS Length overall:...................... 5.24m Beam:..................................... 2.32m Bottom sheet:......................... 3mm Side Sheet:.............................. 3mm Depth:.................................... 1.29m Floor ribs:.....................................12 Capacity:....................................... 5 Hull weight:............................493kg Max hp:.................................... 90hp Max motor weight:................165kg I try to include him in each of the videos of the boats we test, often with a camera pressed against his face. It’s like a Where’s Wally game… We met Sea Jay’s Garry Fitzgerald at the dealership. Fitzy is all-in as the National Sales Manager and brand advocate for this Bundaberg-based boat builder. He hears a lot of feedback about the boats and is the conduit between the public, dealers and designers at the factory. This Territory is the result of feedback and it proves that the company is agile enough to turn new models around pretty quickly. Indeed, the Territory was born at the 2019 Brisbane Boat Show (you remember when boat shows were a thing, right?) and has spawned demand for more models. The one we tested is the 493, but in an attempt to make length protocols between brands more apples-for-apples, is about to be renamed a 503 Territory, so assume that all of the stats and attributes are transferable between the two. 26 2020 Boating EXTRA

Main: We’ve tested plenty of Sea Jay boats with Yamaha and Suzuki outboards on the back, but black motors matter, too, and this Territory 493 (soon to be a 503) was fitted with the Mercury 90hp 2.1L 4-stroke. Above: With the throttle down, it achieved 63km/h at 5,900rpm at 1.9km/L. Although, the best economy was at 3,500rpm. The ‘Territory’ theory is an open boat with deep gunwales, a full transom and stern weighted seats and consoles. This hull is available in side- and centre-console versions. Like all NexGen Adrenalin hulls, it features reversed chines and aesthetically pleasing plate sides. The Territory in particular, also has additional ribs welded in to support them, 12 in total. Helping to maximise the fishing room in this rig is the concealed anchor well (there’s a cleat and roller up front and that’s about it) that lets you fish as far for’ard as DeCaprio got on the Titanic (BYO Rose). Under the raised casting deck, there’s a heap of room and plenty of hatches to access

it. Upon closer inspection, there’s also an uninterrupted layer of carpet. The hinges are all fitted underneath. Anyone who has stepped, barefoot, on an exposed hinge in the sun will agree that this is a great idea. The console is Sea Jay standard. There’s a small hatch to keep your valuables dry

(like keys, phones and wallets) but no room for flush mounting significant electronics. Outboard gauges will fit. There is room, however, to bracket mount a sounder on top of the dashboard or on a RAM mount beside it. Driving this rig, it liked a little trim. Get it up and going and you get plenty of bow lift when conditions allow. With the throttle down, it achieved 63km/h at 5,900rpm at 1.9km/L. Drop it to 3,500rpm and the economy gets up to 3km/L and you cruise along at 36km/h. With a 90L underfloor fuel tank, that’s a theoretical range of well over 250km. This rig was loaded on a Sea Jay branded trailer (which extends the warranty from two years to three) with mechanical override brakes. With the whole package weighing in around a tonne fully loaded, it’ll be a breeze to tow with anything but a small car. Want more information? You can call Nitro Marine about this rig (which sells for $43,000 as tested from Nitro Marine) or you can visit Sea Jay’s website (www. seajayboats.com.au) for the full story or to find your nearest dealer. Remember, this boat will be sold as the 503 Territory in the future so don’t get confused!

PERFORMANCE RPM........Speed.................. km/L 650.................. 3......................2.0 1000................ 5......................2.2 2000.............. 10......................1.6 3000.............. 24......................2.4 3500.............. 36......................3.0 4000.............. 43......................2.7 4500.............. 49......................2.2 5000.............. 55......................2.0 5900.............. 63......................1.9

Fitzy reckons that there’s plenty of room for dancing up front. We didn’t see much dancing, but he was happy to try and catch a fish for us.

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Helping to maximise the fishing room in this rig is the concealed anchor well. You can fish from right at the bow if that suits your style.

Sea Jays are always endowed with some kick-ass fold down transom steps. You really need this in the high-sided Territory.

Like all NexGen Adrenalin hulls, it features reversed chines and aesthetically pleasing plate sides.

7 Now that’s a lot of fishing room for a 5m class boat. Note the extra ribs, there are 12 in this version.

The starboard side has a short shelf behind the console to hold essentials.

There’s a plumbed livewell in the port transom. It pumps in and drains out through a line of holes through the transom.

There’s easy bilge access through the floor.

Nitro Marine fitted the maximum horsepower to their Territory, a 90hp Mercury 2.1L 4-stroke. It’s a strong, proven platform that had no problems throwing this hull around.

Okay, so the wide angle lens may make it look bigger than it is, but can you imagine this as your ideal fishing/ crabbing/cast netting platform?

The console is Sea Jay standard. There’s a small hatch to keep your valuables dry (like keys, phones and wallets) but no room for flush mounting significant electronics.

There are not too many Territories that are sold without the optional electric motor support plate.

No fewer than five hatches give you access to the storage space under the front deck.

The transom in the Territory is high and clean. There are two access points to the batteries and some storage. On the wet side, there’s a lot of room to step up.

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