Fishing Monthly Magazine | May 2024

• LURE EVOLUTION • ROCK FISHING REFRESHER • LOCATION SPOTLIGHT

Neil Slater highlights the offerings of beautiful Bellarine

QLD

NSW

VIC

TAS

WA

Features

Spotlight: Bellarine Peninsula • Evolution of lure fishing • Rock fishing refresher • Tested: Quintrex 460 Renegade • Local area reports •

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Our Cover

Contents

From the Editor’s Desk...

Deep down, we all seem to be tackle junkies. Let me explain.

For the last 30 years, I’ve spent my time creating, assembling and publishing media for the fishing and boating industries. This used to be photography, written articles and seminars, but recently has expanded to include video production, events and livestreaming.

I’ve literally invested millions of dollars over decades getting a read on what anglers and boaties want and how to deliver that to them. It’s been a

success with some bumps in the road.

But we’re still doing what we do.

One of the things I have learned to do is to livestream from my boat during fishing events. It’s really popular – usually 1,000+ people will join me on and off throughout the day and spend around 30 minutes on average watching what’s going on. Sometimes it’s red hot action, but often it’s like watching paint dry.

However, it’s all about the techniques and on water experiences that might be able to help you next time

you’re on the water.

I get the same response and excitement from a new segment I do on a Friday (called Tackle Fridays on the Steve Morgan YouTube and Facebook channels). This takes a phone, 30 minutes and we just talk about tackle that makes its way into the office.

I’m glad y’all love it, but I’m kind of frustrated that the tools are just as interesting as the technique!

I’m not fighting it anymore. If we’re all tackle junkies, I’m going to embrace it. Tackle Fridays are here to stay!

INSIDE This Issue

VIC

TAS

WA

FISHING MONTHLY MAGAZINE Qld Fishing Monthly Pty Ltd

New England Rivers

66

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

67

Esperance

92

Bunbury

92

Augusta

93

Metro

94

ABN 72-010-542-195

Hunter Valley

Gold Coast

20

Batlow

68

Brisbane

22

Albury/Wodonga

69

Northern Bay

26

Canberra

70

Noosa

30

Bundaberg

32

VICTORIA

Lancelin

95

Mackay

34

Portland

72

Exmouth

97

Townsville

38

Warrnambool

73

Karratha

97

Hinchinbrook

40

Cobden

73

Freshwater

98

Cairns

40

Port Douglas

41

Geelong

74

Cooktown

42

Port Phillip

76

REGULAR FEATURES

Cape York

44

Lakes Entrance

78

Spotlight: Bellarine

8

Freshwater

46

Port Albert

78

Evolution of lure fishing

10

Gippsland Lakes

79

Marlo

80

Rock fishing refresher

16

Mallacoota

80

Phases of the moon

19

Robinvale

82

Sheik of the Creek

49

Yarrawonga

82

What’s New Fishing

50

Fun page

51

Trades and Services

101

Tournaments

102

Tournament calendar

103

Quintrex 460 Renegade

108

Tide page

110

NEW SOUTH WALES 52

Sydney South

53

Coffs Coast

54

South West Rocks

56

Bendigo

83

Forster

59

Wangaratta

84

Port Macquarie

58

Shepparton

85

Port Stephens

60

Ballarat

88

Swansea

60

Gippsland Freshwater

87

Central Coast

61

Eildon

86

Illawarra

62

Crater Lakes

87

Batemans Bay

63

Bermagui

64

TASMANIA

Tathra

64

Hobart

71

All material is © copyright, and cannot be reproduced in part or in full, by any means, without written permission of the Managing Editor. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher.

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FISHING MONTHLY MAGAZINE PUBLISHED MAY 2024

18

ISSUE: VOLUME 5 NO. 1

The Tweed

6 MAY 2024

QLD NSW

Published by:

QUEENSLAND

Sydney Rock

Brendan Power with a stud flametailed snapper caught off Brisbane on the Wilson Electric Assist Combo.

A Stephen Booth image.

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FEATURE

Location

FMM

Spotlight on the Bellarine Peninsula GEELONG

Neil Slater slaterfish@gmail.com

The Bellarine Peninsula is home to a superb variety of fish. They turn on and off throughout the seasons but there’s always something on the bite. The big drawcards for the area are snapper and whiting, but calamari, flathead, salmon, garfish all offer their services and the kingfish numbers have been increasing every year. The Bellarine is sprinkled with caravan parks and boat ramps so wherever you decide to stay, you’re sure to be in with a chance at something decent.

The inner harbour of Corio Bay (west of Point Henry) has a lot going on. Land based options are plentiful with Geelong waterfront a popular destination for soft plastic enthusiasts. Wangim Walk is the wave attenuator on the waterfront that gives anglers access to deep water. The

primary targets here are snapper and flathead but salmon can turn up at any time with mayhem to follow. Nearby, Cunningham Pier attracts snotty trevally in the cooler months, which also attracts a crowd. They’ll take small soft plastics, raw chicken, pilchards and pipis.

North Shore rocks and Lascelles Jetty offer deep water access and are very popular with snapper anglers October to December where solid snapper approaching 7kg can be caught.

St Helens and Mackey St breakwall are very popular. There are artificial reefs within casting distance at St Helens, a solid rock wall and the ability to sit in your car and watch the rods. Best possie is next to North Shore for land-based snapper plus gars and flathead.

Griffins Gully jetty extends over grass beds and yields flathead, garfish and the occasional salmon. Snapper and whiting are caught here as well but with less regularity.

Salmon will gobble just about anything in front of them when they’re angry.

8 MAY 2024

King George whiting, pinkie snapper, flathead and even the odd kingfish can be caught from Limeburners rock wall with dawn and dusk your best option.

Small boats and kayaks can safely be launched at Limeburners or from the beach at Point Henry, which gives small boat operators good access to snapper, salmon and garfish in the right conditions.

Clifton Springs jetty holds good numbers of garfish and squid while after dark is your best option at a whiting or two. Portarlington and St Leonards jetties have been famous for snapper and with good reason. Their peak is definitely October to December and those fishing after dark have caught solid fish to 5kg.

Boaties can stalk salmon schools around the inner harbour or their favourite hangout at Point Henry and Alcoa Pier.

Snapper congregate in and around Corio Quay throughout the colder months. The warmer months can see an increase in numbers and schools tend to show up along the shipping channel and over the spoil grounds. Clifton Springs and Portarlington are the snapper capital from around mid-October to the end of December. This is the best time of year to nab a larger fish over 5kg. The best fish are up around 10kg, while 7kg fish are not out of the question. Best baits include squid, pilchards or any fish bait, especially silver whiting and red rockets. Snapper seem to bite best on tide changes around dawn and dusk for those anchored with bait while drifting with soft plastics over a spoil ground can get snapper on any tide.

St Leonards and Indented Head are famous for their fast water whiting

Above: Solid gummies are available off St Leonards at the 20m mark.

Main photo: Salmon and mahimahi going nuts just off Portarlington. grounds. As mentioned in my last article on whiting, use a 1m+ leader in the fast water and short 20cm leader where the tidal flow is minimal such as Clifton Springs. Pick a sandy patch in amongst a few weedy patches and you’ll be in with a good shot. Top baits include pipi, mussel and squid. And remember, if you don’t get any in 15-30 minutes, move and keep moving until you find them.

If you head out further off St Leonards and indented Head, you’ll find flathead in 15m and gummy sharks out in 20m. Drifting for flatties here is a longtime tradition for those after a feed of these tasty critters. Be prepared to wade through a lot of smaller fish before you find a few up to or over 40cm though as

Location FEATURE

FMM

Kingfish are increasing in numbers and size around Queenscliff. the place can be carpeted with small fish.

Gummies are a bit of a waiting game. Use big fish or squid baits with quality hooks tied to a 20kg leader. Drifting is just as effective as anchoring and berley.

Switched on anglers will use their depth sounder to locate schools of snapper around October to December here as well.

Calamari are as thick as any species from Point Henry to Queenscliff and the same tactics can be used right around the Peninsula – drifting over weed beds in 2-6m of water should get you amongst them. Again, St Leonards and Indented Head are the places to be for sheer numbers of squid while Swan Bay to Queenscliff hold the largest

calamari around September to October with some real honkers to 3kg showing up on occasions.

King George whiting can be caught anywhere around the Bellarine Peninsula and, along with snapper, are a real drawcard. Hotspots include Avalon on the northern side of Corio Bay, or from Point Henry and around the Peninsula to Queenscliff. Dawn and dusk are best for bigger fish but you can catch them right throughout the day, tide cycles and year. Smaller fish from legal length to 35cm tend to be from Point Henry to Portarlington while larger fish from 35-45cm are from Portarlington to Queenscliff.

If you’re like me and love catching Aussie salmon then you’re in luck. They can show up literally anywhere from Geelong to the Rip so always keep a metal slice in your kit. They love any lure, fly or bait; anything they can chase down.

Summer can see footy field sized schools

Flatties are available all year round. This one fell to a soft plastic off Point Henry.

The Wangim Walk fishing platform is a bit lower to the water, so it’s easier to land your catch.

show up in the Rip and north as far as the Simonds or as far east as the South channel and further. Salmon don’t need structure, they just need food (smaller fish) so keep an eye out for birds diving in the middle of nowhere.

Kingfish have surged over the last 10 years and are one of the most sought-after species on the Bellarine. They do show up inside Corio Bay but are rarely

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FEATURE

Location

FMM

specifically targeted as their habits are quite hard to pin down in there. They used to be relatively regular around piers and other structures in the early 90s and a few 80cm units were caught on pilchards

Clifton Springs boat ramp A great sheltered harbour with two dual lane ramps and floating pontoons.

It gets really busy around holidays and any flat day that falls on a weekend. Busy days can see the car park full at 7am and trailers parked up on Bayshore Avenue where the local bylaws officer takes great delight in handing out parking fines. Car park extension in planning for this super popular ramp. The mouth of the harbour here can silt up making it a hazard on low tides.

Portarlington Boat Ramp Quad lane ramp into a sheltered harbour with recently extended car park.

Limeburners boat ramp with the upgraded car park.

Nathan Wright with his son Ryder and a sample of the action available in the region. by anglers targeting snapper at St Helens over the last few years.

The hotspot for kings is definitely the Rip but it gets so busy there you can nearly walk across the boats – especially during holiday periods. Rip kingfish will climb all over a live squid or fish but also love heavy jigs ripped up from the deep water or if they show up on top, poppers and stick baits. A few expensive setups are at the bottom of the Rip so make sure you lash your rod to the deck somehow if you’re fishing live baits as there are some big units down there.

Taylor Hunt with his son Logan sampling the Queenscliff whiting earlier in the year.

If it’s too rough to get out, try the Queenscliff harbour. XOS silver trevally to 60cm can show up in here and love munching on 50mm single tailed soft plastics, pilchard fillets, raw chook and pipis. Slack water is best if you’re fishing ‘the cut’ or incoming tide up near where the yachts are. Other fish to show up inside the Queenscliff harbour include snapper, salmon and calamari so pack a variety of tricks in the tackle bag.

LBG on the Bellarine? You betchya!

Last December, some ‘thinking outside the square’ anglers started catching bronze whalers from the beaches around the Bellarine after dark. The lads would row, SUP or motor out a slab of fish, anchor it with a house brick and were beaching big bronzies around 3m in length! They used 50W sized lever drag reels and had their work cut out for them but managed consistency, which shows merit in their tactics.

BOAT RAMPS The Bellarine is blessed with plenty of quality ramps that are all free to use.

Most have good parking apart from one of the busiest, St Leonards, which is quite limited considering its popularity and proximity to the whiting bonanza just offshore.

Many boat ramps have webcams on them so you can check out conditions and how busy it is. This is a great resource so get on it at – www.boating.vic.gov.au – phone apps are also available.

Many of the local ramps have gone through some serious upgrades thanks to the government’s Better Boating Victoria program. Check them out at betterboating.vic.gov.au/boatramp-upgrades/ St Helens Boat ramp On the western end of Corio Bay,

St Helens has quality sheltered triple lane ramp with floating pontoons and plenty of car parks. The ramp itself can be slippery so take care – especially at low tide when the slime is exposed. Also has fish cleaning table, toilets and picnic facilities. Volunteers man the coastguard here at VF8 and there has been an unwritten rule that you slip them a bit

Gun soft plastic flicker, Brent Hodges, holds a nice silver from the Queenscliff harbour.

The lad peeks over a solid calamari from Queenscliff. of cash (donation) when you launch.

Head into their office and they’ll take your name and boat details so it’s a great safety service they offer for not much. You can also donate online to these champions at coastguard.com.au/ flotilla/vf8-geelong/ Limeburners (Geelong) Boat Ramp It’s a quality sheltered three lane ramp with floating pontoons and recently upgraded car parks. Toilets and fish cleaning tables are available in a central location.

CORIO BAY ARTIFICIAL REEFS VFA and the state governments Go Fishing and Boating Victoria plan contributed to the deployment of artificial reefs in Corio Bay. • Moolap Reef is located in the outer harbour off Portarlington 38° 06.374’ 144° 28.581’ • Merv’s Reef is located 62m straight out from the breakwall at St Helens 38° 07.228’ 144° 21.658’ • Wilson’s Reef is at Kirk Point on the northern side of the bay 38° 03.436’ 144° 36.588’ • Portarlington Pier has had reef balls deployed between 40-70m north of the pier.

• The 9ft Bank and the Wilson Spit are part of a shellfish reef restoration project.

10 MAY 2024

Does have some shallow areas straight out the harbour so pay attention when launching here during low tides.

Bellarine Bayside Boat Ramp Three lane ramp only accessible to those camping in the caravan park.

Steele’s Rocks boat ramp Small ramp east of Portarlington breakwater with toilets and jetty.

Indented Head Boat Ramp Dual lane ramp with toilets and jetty. Take care and pay attention to cardinal markers as there are a few rocks on the north side of the ramp in the shallows and Inner Governor’s Reef due south that have claimed a few props.

St Leonards Boat Ramp Four lane ramp with jetty that is next in line for an upgrade, which includes a wave attenuator and much needed car park extension. One of the most popular ramps on the Bellarine with very limited parking. Can get quite nasty when an easterly gets up. Right/southern side ramp is the deepest but left/north is ok when the tide is full. Toilets and a great fish cleaning table here.

Swan Bay boat ramp Very small ramp only usable on high tide with a gravel car park and jetty. Caravan Park right next door.

Queenscliff Boat Ramp Quality 3 lane ramp inside a safe harbour with floating jetties, toilets and a good amount of parking.

FEATURE

Location

FMM

Evolution of lure fishing – and what’s to come!

GIPPSLAND LAKES

Brett Geddes b.geddes@bigpond.com

I have been writing for Fishing Monthly for 20 years, and I’d like to celebrate that milestone by reflecting on lure fishing and predictions about where it is heading. Back in the early 2000s, hooking heaps of big bream and EP on lures was so new, addictive and super exciting. Since then, things have gotten even better,

80mm and 100mm Squidgy Wrigglers hit the market, and my world was turned upside down – along with the rest of Australia’s lure anglers.

It was just so exhilarating to trick bream on rubber. My EP, bream and flathead catch rates went through the roof, thanks to the Squidgy Wriggler’s delicate, alluring, and lifelike tail.

Some years later, Berkley Gulps had their place in the sun, with the mighty Turtle Back Worm and Stick Minnow.

Then Z-Man plastics hit the shelves, big time. Is there a bream angler left in Australia who hasn’t used motor oil 2.5” GrubZ? Their super-tough, elastic stretch gives them such longevity, and we found we could catch more than five fish on the same lure – sometimes even up to 20 fish. Although Z-Man wasn’t the first brand to use this kind

It’s likely that more anglers will make their own lures in the coming years. These blades cost 30c each and catch plenty of fish. with more effective techniques and innovative lures. Let’s have a look at the evolving lure fishing obsession in Australia.

THE SOFT PLASTIC REVOLUTION In my young days, it was all about hardbodies and fly fishing. Then the 12 MAY 2024

A hardbody chopped in half and a soft plastic tail glued to the back, with double hooks. This hybrid lure is nearly 100% snag-proof.

About six years ago it was a joy to share with readers this trophy 50cm, 2.13kg bream of plastic, it was the first to really take off in the Aussie market.

These days we all accept that most softies are made tough, non-toxic and long-lived. Of the newer players in the market, two of the standouts are the Daiwa Bait Junkies and Chasebaits.

The Chasebait 65mm Flick Prawn is a particularly lethal lure on bream and EP. However, one of my absolute favourite plastics is the Hurricane Sprat 87. It’s a hybrid paddle-tail/curl-tail grub, and it’s been consistently lethal on my target species. The tomahawk pattern smashes the bream and EP, while the camo UV model is dynamite on flatties.

Hurricane plastics (and hardbodies) are the brainchild of local angler Peter Nord, who lives near me on the shores of the Gippy Lakes. I met Nordy eight years ago while fishing, and before long, he kindly suggested I take a heap of his lures and give him some feedback. I’ve been using them ever since.

The future of soft plastics fishing I suspect the biggest changes to soft plastics fishing won’t be the plastics themselves – it will be the jigheads and hooks. Lead will gradually be replaced with non-toxic weights, such as resin.

Tom Starling 3D prints lightweight resin jigheads, and I reckon this will spawn a whole range of novel ideas.

When it comes to soft plastic design, I think more wriggle-styled plastics will become available in ready-rigged surface options and even come with a cupped face with trailing stinger hooks.

A quick tip if you’re using soft plastics – place a dab of super glue at the nose of the soft plastic to glue it firmly to the front of the jighead. I even place a spot of glue at the gape or bend of the hook where it exits the back of the plastic. This eliminates being ‘pantsed’ and increases hook-up rates. It prevents the plastic from

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FMM becoming worn and sloppy on the hook, and best of all, it dramatically boosts the life of your soft plastic. Even after being glued, the plastic can still be removed easily.

HARDBODIES Bibbed lures have scarcely changed over the past 30 years, except for one thing: they have skyrocketed in price compared to other tackle. Soft plastics and entry-level rods and reels

Left: The author predicts that casting a fly on spin gear will become fairly common in the near future. Right: Jigheads with toxic lead will likely be phased out in the coming years. The author ties brass fly eyes onto his hooks for lightweight presentations and to add a lifelike look.

Small blades appeal to a range of species, including ones you might not expect, such as flounder and rock flathead. are great value, but many hardbody lures are now $20-$30 or even more.

Admittedly, their painted finish and

look have improved, along with quality hooks and split rings. They also cast a lot better, with internal shifting weights.

In the past decade, we’ve seen more sinking bibbed and vibe-style hardbodies on the market, and an explosion of huge cod and flathead lures like swimbaits, glidebaits and wakebaits.

However, the single biggest innovation was the arrival of Bent Minnows 10 years ago. The action of these lures is so lifelike, with an irresistible, erratic motion, and the fish attack them with great enthusiasm. Bent Minnows are a must-have lure for all keen anglers and are the best surface lures ever made, as far as I’m concerned.

The future of hardbodies I predict that trebles will largely be replaced with single hooks, double hooks, or a combination of each.

Already, I see anglers replacing trebles and retrofitting stinger hooks. Larger game fishing lures, for targets like tuna, already come with singles fitted, straight out of the box. This should now also happen for bream, trout, flathead and cod lures, and even barra and bass.

Look, I realise trebles are ingrained into the lure angler’s world. However, I have all but eliminated them, and here’s why: 1. They snag up easily on structure; 2. They snap and break while removing

from fish; 3. They’re hard to replace while toiling with tight split rings; 4. They get caught up in nets; and 5. They get accidentally jagged in fingers, hands and maybe your face, a foot or even another angler!

Also, how often do you see the rear trebles pinned in a fish’s mouth and then, during the battle to the net, the front trebles swing around into the fish’s eye? What about trying to get two sets of trebles out of a flathead?

Removing those six hooks can be chaos, especially with bigger fish.

Instead, I use double hooks, also known as ‘W’ hooks. They are

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snag-resistant, easy to remove from the fish and because they don’t require a split ring, they can be replaced on the lure in seconds. I’m positive double hooks don’t cost me more fish than trebles do, or affect my hook-up rates.

HEAVY METAL About 14 years ago, I was introduced to small metal blade lures, and my catch rates went through the roof. To this day, they account

Soft plastics will continue to evolve, like this new Hurricane Skimp lure, which has a rattle insert.

This dusky was recently caught on a Squidgy Fish. The author still loves the old, original plastics. for about 80% of the fish I hook on lure. Recently I was fishing with my buddy Mitch Chapman, and the bream weren’t interested in plastics or hardbodies. We switched to blades and everything changed, and we ended up with a triple figure tally of mostly 34-43cm fish. We caught most of them tea-bagging 30-40mm blades in deeper water, or casting them as far as we could when fishing in shallow water.

A few days later, I spent a 7-hour session at Port Albert with my mate Rhys Smith and I landed close to 60

flathead to 70cm, four whiting to 37cm, a few luderick, and even a thumping 45cm sea gar. Rhys had an almost identical tally, and every fish we caught was on a Hurricane Sting blade.

DIY LURES I predict we’ll see more anglers making their own lures in the coming years. A lot of us already tinker with or retrofit existing lures, and it’s not that hard to take the next step and make your own lures. One of the greatest joys in my fishing life is catching a heap of fish on my own creations – some of which cost barely $2 to make.

My homemade lures are often weird and quite ugly, but the fish don’t care. I love the look on other anglers’ faces when they watch me land big fish on horrible-looking lures! Sometimes I fish for weeks on end with homemade cheap blades or a hardbody cut in half, with a soft plastic curl-tail at the back end. I also make surface lures using old hardbodies or worn-out plastics and a chunk of foam, and they have been deadly on all sorts of fish.

FLIES ON SPIN Another growing trend is casting flies on spin gear. This should gain momentum in the coming years,

especially for hard-fished, ‘foamy’ water when your quarry gets lure-shy after seeing the same soft plastics and hardbodies for years. I often use saltwater pattern flies on flathead, bream and even bass and redfin in the sweetwater. I’ve also caught a lot of perch on flies, especially when a large school ignores my plastic or hardbody.

Flies cast quite easily on spin gear (even when using 8-10lb braid), which is good news for kayak anglers.

Traditional fly fishing out of a kayak is chaotic; the fly line ends up in the water, tangled around your rudder, paddle or drive fins. Even worse, I’ve had big perch drag me into heavy timber and bury me deep in the structure with not only my leader but also a length of fly line, hopelessly tangled. Spin gear is the way to go from a kayak.

THE FUTURE OF LINE In the coming years, I predict a huge shift back to mono leaders for lure anglers. I used to use fluoro but I hate the stuff now. It’s so brittle with such poor abrasion resistance and bugger-all stretch, and it’s way too expensive for such short spools.

I’m happy to be back using my old favourite mono lines like Platypus Pretest and Tortue Nacrita. They’re so supple, very abrasion-resistant, great shock absorbers and have remarkable strength and longevity for their diameter. Mono works so much better

The author caught this 54cm, 2.61kg perch while fishing land-based.

The author’s second Golden Tag recapture, which earned him $2000 from the VFA. 14 MAY 2024

than fluorocarbon. There, I’ve said it!

Braided and fused mainlines, however, are a different story. Braid is possibly the biggest positive development in 25 years, and it may even make leaders obsolete in some scenarios. Tassie bream angler Scotto James is using braided line straight through, no sign of any leader. After many months of meticulous trials,

he’s on the brink of calling leaders unnecessary. Stay tuned.

TECH TALK Drone fishing is now well entrenched – and not just for shorebased anglers getting baits out to sharks. On the “Nev’s Fishin” YouTube channel, you can see videos of drones hovering above shallow water, where

The author’s DIY lures aren’t pretty but they work a treat on bream, perch and flathead. dinosaur flathead and even huge estuary perch live. Watching those species eating surface lures reveals behaviour rarely seen. Drones send back live video footage to the angler, and it’s like a spy in the sky.

I see the day when drones will talk to your sounder and relay the live footage to your screen, next to your side image, down scan and even live scope feed. I also predict sounders will eventually have a camera, like your phone, where it will take video and pictures of you while fishing and when holding up your catch. Maybe one day, drones will also talk to your electric motor?

IN CLOSING I’m proud to have been involved in every issue of Fishing Monthly since 2004 – first in Victoria Fishing Monthly and then in the national Fishing Monthly magazine. A big thanks to Steve Morgan and the FM crew, especially Jacqui and Nicole, and also Ben Sandman, who first signed me up with VFM. I’d also like to thank the VFA and volunteers for their amazing work stocking our waterways. The colossal releases into dozens of Victorian lakes and streams have created a bass fishery that rivals any other state on the eastern seaboard. It’s a similar story with estuary perch and dusky flathead in select waterways. When you throw in Murray cod, yellowbelly and trout, which also have ongoing stocking programs, the fishing has probably never been better.

I’ll end this article with a quote from my friend and fishing philosopher Scotto James: “The more I learn about fish, the more I realise how much I don’t know.

It’s easy to think the steepest learning curve in fishing is for beginners. It’s not.

It might be harder, but not steeper.

There’s a difference.”

FMM

BACK TO BASICS

A rock fishing refresher Steve Starling www.fishotopia.com

Fishing from our ocean rock ledges and headlands has much to offer, especially at this time of year — but it’s not without its dangers for the careless or unwary.

From central Queensland all the way around the bottom half of the country up to Steep Point and Quobba in WA, autumn and early winter mark a great time of year for rock fishing. The water remains reasonably warm, and there’s a fascinating mix of target species on offer: from bread-and-butter staples like bream, drummer, luderick, silver trevally and snapper to the various pelagic speedsters such as tailor, salmon, bonito, tuna, kingfish and mackerel, depending on where you cast a line. There’s literally something for everyone!

Truth be told, I don’t fish from the ocean rocks quite as often these days as I did in my younger years. Aging bones and muscles make accessing some of the

VIDEO

NSW SOUTH COAST

Scan this QR code to watch Starlo’s video on rock fishing for black drummer

wide variety of tackle and methods that can be used to pursue them. Our rock ledges and headlands are also ruggedly beautiful environments, with great intrinsic appeal for many of us.

However, the inherent dangers of rock fishing should never be forgotten nor understated. Every year, far too many fishers lose their lives after falling or being washed from the ocean rocks, while many more have near misses that frequently leave them injured and badly shaken. The statistics are alarming.

I believe there are two major factors at work here — inexperience and complacency. Let me explain: Firstly, rock fishing sadly claims many victims who have little or no understanding of the dangers involved, and no acquired skill

Sensible footwear and clothing, but a life jacket would also be advisable in most instances. Stay safe out there! trickier hunting grounds of my youth all but impossible. But rock fishing from easier-to-get-to spots is still at least a monthly event for me, and I tend to do it even more regularly through autumn

“Pigs” or black drummer pull like a train and are delicious to eat. and winter. It’s a lovely time to be on the rocks.

I think the greatest appeal of rock fishing is its relative accessibility to anyone living near the coast, combined with the broad array of target species on offer, as already discussed, and also the 16 MAY 2024

set for accurately “reading” or predicting the prevailing and future sea conditions.

A lot of these relative newcomers to the sport also come from non-Englishspeaking backgrounds and may simply not have been exposed to information concerning rock fishing’s dangers or how to “read” and interpret the ocean.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, we also see too many fatalities and near-fatalities amongst much more experienced rock hoppers who’ve become complacent and believe that it could never possibly happen to them. So, the statistics tend to be skewed towards both ends of the experience spectrum: new chums and old hands.

I believe that the most important single step to reducing these alarming numbers — especially amongst less experienced anglers — is education.

Fishers and prospective fishers need ready access to accurate information in a range of languages — ideally provided at tackle shops, bait outlets, on public

Flashback to Starlo on the rocks at Quobba in WA a few years ago with one of his bucket-list catches: a lovely Spanish mackerel taken while casting and retrieving a lure. transport and in media platforms they are most likely to see and consume. It seems that government agencies right down to the local council level are gradually becoming more aware of this need, and things are slowly improving, but the message requires much wider dissemination. The rock safety story needs to be as ingrained into our Aussie culture as the highly successful “slip, slop, slap” sun-safe message.

Staying safe on the rocks means wearing the right clothing, choosing suitable footwear, and – in most instances – slipping on an approved life jacket, inflatable vest or PFD. I fished for decades without wearing a life jacket, but these days I rarely venture onto the rocks without one.

If you’re new to rock fishing, or planning to have a crack at it for the first time this year, do your homework first.

Read as much as you can on the subject and seek advice from more experienced rock fishers. Consider joining a club with a strong land-based fishing membership.

Ideally, make your first trip or trips in the company of more experienced rock fishers. Study the weather and tide charts before setting out and — when you arrive — sit in a safe location well above your chosen spot and observe it for at least 15 to 20 minutes before venturing down to fish. Above all, be willing to “pull the pin” and go home without even wetting a line if you have any doubts whatsoever!

Finally, don’t rock fish if you can’t swim, and avoid doing it alone.

In the final analysis, being observant and “situation aware” are the most

Bream are another popular rock fishing target. These days, Starlo nearly always wears an inflatable life jacket or vest on the rocks. critical keys to your safety on the rocks.

If the ledge you’re standing on is wet, it’s a good indication that it’s being periodically inundated by waves, surge or at least spray. Is the tide rising or falling?

Are the swells increasing or decreasing in size? Constantly ask yourself these simple questions. Finally, ALWAYS have a game plan in your head about what you’d do if something went wrong. If you or someone else on the rocks slipped or

Rock blackfish or black drummer are one of Steve’s favourite land-based targets: fun to catch and superb to eat!

Luderick are fun to catch, but are often targeted from wave-washed lower ledges where the correct footwear and a life jacket are mandatory — or should be!

were washed into the sea, what is your immediate game plan? How would you react, and what steps would you take? I still do this simple mental exercise every single time I fish from the rocks, even on dead calm days. The best news is, if you take a few seconds to do the same thing, you’ll probably never need to actually use your emergency plan. Tight Lines and stay safe.

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Local angler celebrates world record Spaniard THE TWEED

Leon McClymont

If you haven’t already heard about the huge Spanish mackerel that’s been the talk of the fishing community worldwide, you’ve come to the right place! In this report I’ll give you a firsthand account from the lucky angler himself, Nathan Warlosz.

Nathan Warlosz and son Koby with the unofficial world record Spanish mackerel caught off the Tweed Coast. It weighed 51.88kg and measured 195cm.

Nathan (aka ‘Cuzzy’) has fished since he was a young fella. We have fished together up and down the coastline chasing Spanish mackerel for years. Last year we saw a film by angler Johnny Mitchell about targeting enormous Spaniards, and it inspired us to chase a better class of fish using techniques we’d learned from the film.

On the morning of April 1, 2024, this newfound knowledge really paid off for Nathan. He had caught two smaller mackerel earlier in the morning, and decided to send out a much larger

18 MAY 2024

60cm+ dead bonito on a chin-weighted 59lb wire rig to his 15kg Berkley Trilene monofilament. The outfit was his favourite mackerel set-up – a Shimano TLD30 on an old-school 9ft rod.

Nathan began slow trolling the bonito and after around 15 minutes, all hell broke loose. Line screamed off the TLD as the fish made a huge first run. After a short break of only a few moments, it made a second run, peeling out even more line.

With around 450m of line out, this fish was in control of this battle, and Nathan had to chase it. He was fishing solo that day, and it wasn’t easy staying connected

to the fish while mastering his vessel.

Nathan waved frantically to nearby boats, probably looking like a crazy person, so they would keep away from his line.

After the first 30 minutes he knew he had a very good class of fish, but didn’t know what it was. Then, finally, it started to tire, and Nathan began to get the upper hand. Fifteen more minutes passed and he was finally able to see what was on the end of this line.

A massive Spanish mackerel rose to the surface, and with its last bit of energy it stubbornly evaded the boat and gaff. It circled for what must have seemed like an eternity for Nathan, who was exhausted after the 45-minute fight. He contemplated tailing the mackerel for release, as it was a magnificent fish that had fought so hard.

However, he decided to keep it because it was a once-in-a-lifetime fish. Besides, if he didn’t keep it, who would believe him?

With one hand on the rod and the other alternating between the helm and the gaff, he stuck the fish with a great gaff shot.

Instantly, he realised that a single gaff wasn’t enough. He did have a spare gaff but not a spare hand to grab it with. He decided to drop his rod and reach for the second gaff, while keeping the first gaff in the fish. He hastily grabbed his spare and got it into the fish.

Now, somehow, he had to get this massive catch into the boat. He summoned

Nathan Warlosz moments after boating his huge Spaniard.

Beau McDermott with a solid bull mahimahi taken out in the deep blue. his last reserves of strength and dragged it over the gunwale and onto the deck.

Finally, Nathan was able to catch his breath and take in just how big the fish was. It truly was the fish of a lifetime, and he said it was an emotional moment for him. Well done, Nathan.

At the time of writing, Nathan has submitted his paperwork to claim a world record for the 15kg line class. The fish was officially weighed on commercial digital scales twice on separate sets, and came in at a whopping 51.88kg and 195cm long!

WHAT’S BITING There is plenty on offer for the month of May as the water cools in the lead-up to winter. The water temperature off the Tweed has been fluctuating between 23-26°C and it’s starting to show signs of cooler water coming through.

Pelagic species are still around, and many anglers are still making the most of them. For other anglers, however, May is time to switch things up and start targeting cold-water species such as

Southern QLD

FMM snapper, mulloway and tailor.

The mullet season is in full swing now. When those big schools of mullet make their way up the beaches, a mix of predators is usually close behind.

These include mulloway, tailor, tuna and mackerel (even dolphins will herd the schools in the gutters and make the most of the abundant food source). For anglers, finding the bait schools, whether it be mullet, pilchards or other baitfish, can be the key to good catches. Many predators will be hunting schools of bait up and down the coastline in the coming weeks.

The FADs are still out and holding

a good amount of mahimahi. Some nice-size bull mahi have been caught over the past month by anglers chasing marlin. There are still good numbers of marlin, too.

May also is the start of the closed season for Mackerel Boulder. For those who have been fishing in that area (located off Julienne Rocks, Byron Bay) take note that it’s closed until 1 January, 2025.

At the time of writing, the Tweed Coast has had a deluge of rain, turning the river systems a muddy brown. This has also turned the inshore water along the coast a browny-green colour. It’s not great

Chin-weighted Tweed Bait bonito ready to be deployed for Spanish mackerel. for pelagic species but it’s very favourable for others like snapper and mulloway, which will move right into the fresh runoff. Here, they can have an easy feed as their prey is flushed out of the systems.

If you are still focused on tuna and mackerel, finding blue water is best.

Failing that, good-looking greenish water can still hold plenty of mackerel but they tend to hang deep in the cleaner water.

Running a downrigger or heavier weights when trolling can produce fish when they’re hanging below the dirty water.

This allows you to succeed while many other anglers struggle because their baits are at the wrong depth.

The 36s and 50s are holding great

Ryan Zietlow sight cast to this solid longtail tuna from a headland on the Tweed Coast.

numbers of snapper, pearl perch and other reefies. Slow-pitch jigs and baited paternoster rigs have been working the best.

As I said before, plenty of tailor are on the beaches, with a few mulloway coming in as well. Fishing the gutters on an incoming tide has been the ticket to the show.

There are still good numbers of longtail running along the beaches and headlands on the Tweed Coast. These fish are usually out of casting distance, but if you spend your time watching and waiting for one to swim within range, this month is a great time of year to sight-cast one.

Phases of the moon May 2024

The best moon phase for fishing typically revolves around the new and full moon phases.

During the new moon (when the moon is not visible in the sky), and the full moon (when it’s fully illuminated), the gravitational pull of the moon is at its strongest, resulting in higher tides.

This increase in tidal movement often triggers feeding behaviour in fish, making them more active and easier to catch. Additionally, during the new moon phase there is less moonlight, which can make it harder for fish to detect anglers, providing a stealthy advantage.

Use this calendar as a guide to help choose the best days of the month to increase your chances of a catch.

SUNDAY

Brought to you BEST FISHING DAYS BASED ONby LUNAR PHASES

MONDAY

5

TUESDAY

6

WEDNESDAY

7

1

THURSDAY

May 2024 2

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

3

4

T U V W LAST QUARTER

8

9

10

11

X Y Z 0 A A B 12

13

14

NEW MOON

15

16

17

18

C E F G H I J 19

20

21

FIRST QUARTER

22

23

24

25

K L M M @ N O 26

27

28

29

FULL MOON

30

P Q R S T U LAST QUARTER

31

KEY: BEST GOOD FAIR POOR

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MAY 2024 19

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May is all about marlin mayhem GOLD COAST

David Green

May sees the water temperatures start to drop on the inshore grounds. On the wider grounds beyond the 200m line there should be reasonable numbers of blue marlin, and this is one of the best months of the year to target them.

A typical size winter flathead.

Trolled skirted lures on 37kg tackle are the commonest method used for marlin, although trolling teasers and switch baiting is also effective with experienced crews. These fish average around 140kg although quite a few are bigger than that. They are a challenging target from a small boat but if you don’t lose them in the chaotic first few minutes you should be in with a good chance.

Closer to shore there should be wahoo and Spanish mackerel around this month. As the water starts to cool down a bit the size of these fish gets a bit bigger and large fat female Spanish mackerel turn up on the 24 fathom

reef this month. A Spanish mackerel over 50kg was caught recently off the Gold Coast. Trolled baits, such as tailor and bonito, are very effective, particularly when used in conjunction with a downrigger.

There is also often a good run of big spotted mackerel in May on the close reefs at Palm Beach and Mermaid Beach.

Some of these fish approach 6kg in weight and can be caught on pilchards, trolling small minnows or by spinning with metal lures.

Wahoo should show up around the Tweed Nine Mile Reef in May. Trolling high speed heavy headed skirted lures, such as Hex Heads is a very productive method at this time of year. Troll speed should be around 10 to 12 knots so the lures are creating a good bubble trail. Wahoo tend to bite best when the current is running hard to the south and the water is nice and blue and warm. They also like trolled live baits, minnows, stick baits and jigs. If you see nervous tuna schools or jumping long tom it is likely that wahoo are in the vicinity. As well as wahoo, you can expect to catch mackerel tuna, Spanish mackerel and kingfish. Sharks can be a problem in this area at times.

As the current slows down and water temperatures drop, the bottom fishing off the Gold Coast improves. Surprisingly, there has been good snapper fishing throughout summer. Both the 36 and 50 fathom line should start producing good numbers of snapper, pearl perch, Samson fish, parrot and teraglin. In a bit closer to shore the Cotton Reef and Sullies will produce snapper, teraglin, mulloway and tailor.

Mulloway numbers on the inshore reefs seem to have increased over the past few years and live baiting at night can be very effective. I like pike, slimy mackerel and tailor as live baits. Yellowtail seem to be a far inferior bait for these fish. It

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is also worth trying a large strip bait of tuna or tailor and sending it down with as little weight as possible. At times this will out fish live baits and can produce big snapper as well.

ESTUARIES AND RIVERS May is a month of transition in the estuaries. As the water starts to cool and the first westerlies start to blow, there is a lot of fish movement in the entrances.

Sea mullet start to congregate in large schools near the river mouths and quite a lot of bream move into the entrances of Jumpinpin and the Seaway in late May in preparation for spawning. There are often big schools of white pilchards and hardiheads in the entrances and central Broadwater this month and these should attract a variety of predators. At the time of writing, the Seaway has been loaded with bait.

May is the first month of the year where I start chasing flathead. As the water cools a lot of fish start to move up onto the flats and catch rates improve markedly as the flathead start to feed quite aggressively. Most fish caught in May are between 40-60cm long and respond to a wide variety of methods including trolling, soft plastics, soft vibes and blades. These fish can be

Kord Lucas with a nice wahoo. and if the water is a bit dirty they often bite better on live baits. Soft plastics, such as Gulp 7” jerk baits also work well but nothing beats a live pike. Most of the mulloway caught this month are smaller fish between 70-90cm but sharks can be a major problem.

There have also been plenty of big mangrove jack around the north wall of the Seaway and these respond to the same methods. Some of these jacks have been over 60cm long and divers have reported seeing large schools in close to

There should be reasonable numbers of blue marlin around this month. found throughout the central area of the Broadwater this month with the area between Crab Island and Tippler’s Passage being a good place to start.

Trolling the edge of shallow banks using small divers, like the Lively Lures micro mullet, is a good searching method.

When you catch a few fish on the troll it is worthwhile stopping and casting once you have found a productive spot.

Mulloway are another fish to target this month. Most of the action takes place at the end of the north wall of the Seaway and around the mouth of Swan Bay near Jumpinpin. Live pike are the number one bait, but tailor, slimy mackerel and yellowtail all work well in the estuaries. Tide changes and neap tides are generally the best conditions

the rocks.

Whiting should be biting well this month and can be caught on yabbies, soldier crabs, worms and shrimp.

The sandflats in the Pimpama River, Coombabah Creek, the back of Wave Break Island and the Lagoons south of the Jumpinpin bar are all good spots to try. If you see small prawns jumping in the shallows it is worth trying for them on small stick baits and poppers. Some of the whiting in May are big fat fish over 40cm long. As well as whiting, bream respond well to the same methods.

Overall, May is a great month to fish the Gold Coast and the weather is generally excellent. There are good options both offshore and in the estuaries.

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May the fish be with you this month BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

With air and water temperatures falling quickly over the coming month, anglers will notice a shift in the prominence and aggressiveness of many species.

We should notice increasing numbers of mulloway, tailor, snapper and winter whiting begin to appear within Moreton Bay and the Brisbane River.

While still available for savvy anglers, species including threadfin salmon, mackerel, mangrove jack, estuary cod and crabs may become less prevalent or aggressive in the usual spots. However, most species can still be located and caught with careful planning and good execution. Due to frequent rainfall over the last few months, nutrient levels will be high throughout the Brisbane River and Moreton Bay so the angling opportunities should be promising.

SNAPPER The most targeted species in Moreton Bay during the cooler months is definitely snapper. These succulent crimson fish are great sportfish and tasty table fare.

Snapper commonly breed in waters less than 50m of depth, therefore as water temperatures cool, larger numbers of mature fish filter into Moreton Bay from offshore waters to begin their breeding cycle. A lot of these early season fish are fairly aggressive and unwary, making them a little easier to tempt than usual.

I suggest releasing any larger specimens (which produce the largest number of eggs, often around on million) to allow them

can determine the validity of a possible food item is to bite it. Being opportunistic feeders, they will generally bite most items that look or act like possible prey. For us anglers, this makes them a little easier to tempt than some other species. However, with increased fishing pressure, snapper can become a lot warier over time and a little harder to fool. For this reason, the early season influx of fish can offer the best opportunity for anglers.

Quality fresh baits with minimal rigging are most likely to get the attention of snapper as they appear more realistic and less conspicuous. Utilising moderate weight fluorocarbon leaders, minimal lead and super sharp hooks, well hidden in the bait with just points exposed, will go a long way to guaranteeing a good result. Snelled hook rigs (individual hooks knotted a few centimetres apart on a fluorocarbon leader) are generally better than ganged hooks as there is less exposed metal for the fish to bite down on and the bait can more easily be chewed, crushed and swallowed.

Snelled hook rigs are ideal for longer, thin baits such as whole pilchards (except when targeting mackerel), squid and fillet strips.

Larger baits are ideal for tempting trophy specimens. Snapper are often most wary, lurking on the fringes, whilst smaller fish attack the bait. Before long they will get the courage to come and have a chew, providing there is still some bait left. My favourite fillet bait is salted tuna or bonito strips as these are fairly tough and exude a lot of oils. Harvesting a few mack tuna or bonito during summer then salting the fillets can provide a lot of prime baits.

Squid, pilchards, banana prawns, diver

Although best results on longtail tuna come with specific targeting, they are often caught whilst chasing other species. This one engulfed a sinking Samaki Thumpertail targeted at snapper near Mud Island. to breed this season and guarantee future snapper stocks. It is stated that snapper become sexually mature at around 30cm in length and a small percentage of males will turn into females at this time. Therefore, any specimen over this length can be considered a breeder and careful release of any fish is highly recommended. The mid-sized specimens (45-60cm) are usually the best for the table with a good yield of tender, flavoursome flesh.

Snapper are caught utilising both baits and lures as they are opportunistic feeders that will engulf any fish, crab, prawn or cephalopod they come across. Fish don’t have hands therefore the only way they 22 MAY 2024

whiting (whole or just head and frame), pike, herring, mullet and numerous fillet baits (including grinner fillets) can all work a treat.

Lures such as soft vibes, blades, numerous soft plastics (including curltail, paddle-tail, creature baits and jerkshads) and slow pitch jigs can all be put to productive use on snapper. Most are generally cast upcurrent or across current and then retrieved back utilising a series of hops, slow rolls and pauses. Slow pitch jigs and blades can be worked vertically to target fish sounding directly beneath the boat. Good numbers of snapper will abound throughout Moreton Bay and the

Brisbane River for several months whilst water temperatures fall.

THREADFIN SALMON Although threadies will continue to be caught in the lower reaches of the Brisbane River and southern bay waters during the cooler months, the larger portion of the populace will follow the prawn schools as they retreat back upriver. For anglers fishing the Brisbane River, the area from the City reaches to Bremer River will generally provide some action. Lighted waters around the city reaches will hold threadfin and mulloway over the coming months during darkened hours. The lights attract baitfish, which in turn attract the threadies and mulloway.

Citycat terminals, riverside restaurants, jetties and other lighted areas are all worth trying. The action can be sporadic and unsuccessful areas will often fire a few hours later therefore repeated visits to the same spot can be worthwhile. Live baiting along the declines into the main riverbed, especially at night when the prawn schools are most active, is a good way to score a few threadfin. This can even be done at night from numerous land-based locations such as the Gateway, Newstead Jetty, New Farm Park Riverhub, Bulimba Riverside Park, Vic Lucas Park, Colmslie Recreation Reserve and numerous other locations. May will still be good for Brisbane River threadfin but there will be decreasing numbers in the lower reaches as it gets cooler.

TAILOR A few tailor will begin to show throughout the bay during the coming month. Schools can often be found around the bay island shallows (including Mud, Goat, Lamb, Bird, Macleay, Russel, Green and Peel), Amity Point, artificial reefs and Sand Hills area. Casting lures (chromed slices, small poppers, stickbaits, jerkshad plastics and minnow lures) to surface feeding schools can be a lot of fun and very productive. Drifting small whole fish baits such as pilchards, whitebait, frogmouths and hardiheads or trolling small minnow lures are both great ways to score whilst covering some ground in your search. Land-based anglers can often score at spots such as the Manly Rock Wall, Sandgate Jetty, Shorncliffe Jetty, Woody Point Jetty, Hornibrook Bridge, Amity Rock Wall and occasionally under the gateway Bridge. These spots can be probed with lures or fished with the aforementioned baits unweighted or under a small float.

Early mornings, evenings and nights often produce the best action, especially towards the upper tidal stages.

WHITING Many anglers target whiting during the cooler months in areas such as the Sand Hills, Rous Channel, Small Ships Channel and Rainbow Channel. Heightened numbers of diver (aka winter or trumpeter) whiting abound during the cooler months although sand (aka summer) whiting still show in limited numbers. Worms (beach or blood) offer the best bait option however

Threadfin tend to move upriver following prawn schools at this time of the year so there will be plenty of trophy specimens to be caught all along the river’s length. whiting can also be caught on saltwater yabbies, thin tenderised squid strips and other baits.

Drifting likely areas will allow you to cover a sizeable zone of water which increases the likelihood of encountering the roaming schools of whiting. Most anglers fish a light paternoster (2 hook dropper) rig consisting of 8lb to 10lb fluorocarbon leader, size #4 to #6 long shank hooks and a small dropper or torpedo sinker. As whiting roam in sizeable schools, this rig will often account for a double header (two) whiting at a time. There are differing size and bag limits in place for various whiting species so ensure you can identify each species before heading out to get amongst them.

MULLOWAY Mulloway will also make their way to inshore waters to breed during the cooler months. These succulent silver slabs will respond to much the same baits and lures in the bay as are used for snapper. However specific targeting, utilising larger live baits, will heighten results, especially on the XOS specimens.

Live mullet, yakkas, slimey mackerel, herring and others can be fished around the artificial reefs and wrecks in the bay and the numerous deeper holes, ledges and structure in the Brisbane River.

Early mornings and nights produce good results although they can be caught almost any time. Dead baits will also tempt them at times, however a healthy, kicking live bait will attract fish in from some distance away. Lures including soft vibes, numerous jighead rigged soft plastics, slow pitch jigs and even minnow lures can all produce. The Peel Artificial Reef and various areas in the southern bay around the bay islands offer good opportunity.

Many anglers search for the schools of mulloway in a particular area utilising

Southern QLD

FMM their side-imaging or down-scan before even having a cast. Hookups can come immediately if the lure is placed in front of these fish as they are roaming in search of prey. However, these schools are often being shouldered by large whaler sharks which quickly pounce on any hooked fish.

You might get the head back to the boat and retrieve your lure if you are lucky.

In the Brisbane River, mulloway tend to move around a lot more during the darkened hours. Anchoring along a prominent ledge or in one of the dredge holes out from the retaining wall at the mouth and then deploying a healthy live bait can be a very successful ploy. Several mulloway or even the occasional threadfin, snapper or large cod are likely hooked.

Whilst some specifically target mulloway, a lot are caught as bycatch by those chasing snapper. We have many months of quality mulloway fishing ahead, so get your gear sorted and ready for a session.

BAY PELAGICS Pelagic activity in Moreton Bay has been positive over recent months with school mackerel, mack tuna, bonito, longtail tuna, spotted mackerel, cobia and bullet tuna being caught. Many of these will still be available over the coming months albeit in lesser numbers. Longtail tuna have been regular captures for those who target them however plenty have also been caught as incidental captures by those live baiting or casting plastics aimed at other targets.

Surface feeding fish have been sighted in all

corners of the bay recently.

The Sand Hills, Shipping Channel, northern side of Peel, Rainbow Channel, Middle Bank and northern side of The Paddock green zone offer prime places to start your search. Good lure choices are dependent on the baitfish on which they are feeding. I commonly use various chromed slugs (including Todd Ignition and TT Hardcore), Oceans Legacy Keeling 105H stickbaits, Rapala Prey Minnow and jighead rigged jerkshad plastics. Live baiting around the shipping channel beacons, Curtin Artificial, Bulwer Ledge and Harry Atkinson is likely to reward for longtail tuna, big mac tuna and perhaps even a cobia, snapper or mulloway.

Spotted mackerel have occasionally been found harassing baitfish on the surface over the last month or so and several have even been taken around the bay islands or

artificial reefs by those drifting gang-hook rigged pilchards. Trolling spoons along the channel edges, out from Green Island and anywhere else you can find any decent bait may also score a spotty, however school mackerel are the more common capture.

As the water drains from the flats on the receding tide, school mackerel will work along the channel edges engulfing any prey species flushed from the flats. This is the ideal time to troll a Halco Barra Drone or Kimberley spoon behind a paravane or trolling board in these zones. Scoring a full bag of ten school mackerel over 50cm is not that uncommon during May whilst employing this technique.

Schools of bullet tuna and bonito (both Australian and Watsons) are often located in various areas of the bay. These smaller pelagics generally don’t exceed much more than a kilogram in weight yet they will

As water temperatures cool, these quality summer whiting will become less prevalent. However, increased numbers of winter whiting will be around.

readily engulf a fast-moving chromed slug and fight well above their weight class. All make great cut baits for bottom fishing or whole troll baits for Spanish mackerel and wahoo. The flesh improves with salting and when cut in strips is also a favourite of tailor fishers chasing the big greenbacks in the surf. The Watson’s bonito have a lighter coloured flesh than the other two and are tasty when barbequed fresh. Most of these pelagic species should still be available to bay anglers over the coming weeks.

CONCLUSION Anglers fishing throughout the Brisbane River and bay during May will still be treated to some rather hot fishing action despite cooling water temperatures.

Snapper will be one of the key targets for many anglers however there is also a lot of other species on offer including mulloway and sweetlip. Crabbing could still be worthwhile but results will be lesser than the warmer months. Squidding will improve within the bay and possibly around the foreshores if water clarity improves.

Pelagic action will be waning slightly yet results will improve with specific targeting. A broad array of species awaits Brisbane River anglers with mulloway, snapper, threadfin, tailor, flathead and others being taken regularly throughout the month. Overall, the coming month has plenty of options for those venturing out on watercraft or fishing land-based. May the fish be with you.

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QLD Southern

FMM

Bigger mulloway are on the cards this month BRISBANE

Bob Thornton tackleworldlawnton@gmail.com

The past few months have brought many surprises, particularly with the weather! A very wet Easter saw water levels rise again, with many local systems still pumping out fresh from April. The last time we had such a wet Easter we got a few months of spectacular winter fishing, so fingers crossed this repeats itself.

Out in the same area, along with the scattered rocks and reefs north from Point Lookout, big GTs are also a possibility. Winter can be a good time to chase these brutes, as there are fewer smaller by-catch around to beat them to the lure. The main by-catch is large Spanish, which isn’t a bad consolation prize when you’re hoping for a GT. Longtail tuna should still be active close to shore in areas like Mooloolaba and Kings Beach and will hopefully offer a chance for kayakers to get out on

Grunter start to become more common in the rivers in May, but will still show up sporadically in the bay. Flies are effective when the water is clear, with this fish taking a liking to a small shrimp pattern. Photo courtesy of Josh Sullivan.

Water and air temperatures have dropped off significantly, with jumpers now becoming a regular feature of fishing attire. It is a nice change, but before long we’ll be completely rugged up and counting down the days until spring! I will be anyway.

As for the fishing we’ve already seen anglers starting to adopt typical winter techniques, with squid, big flathead, tailor and luderick all on the target list.

This is only the start of what is usually spectacular winter fishing across our region, so let’s jump right in and see what’s been biting!

OFFSHORE With the pelagic ‘season’ all but over, many anglers are lamenting the long periods of large swells that stopped them from getting offshore. Spanish, wahoo, mahimahi and even a few black marlin were landed through late summer and early autumn, but mostly by crews in larger boats or those with very experienced skippers.

The lure casters will be hoping for a winter like last year, where we saw some incredible captures of larger resident Spanish mackerel. Most of these Spaniards were taken on cast poppers and sinking stickbaits last year. While these fish are way fewer in number than the summer visitors, they make up for in size what they lack in numbers. Last year we saw quite a few fish landed in the 20-30kg bracket, most of which were taken from the Cape Moreton area.

26 MAY 2024

a clear day and chase them. Kayaks are a great vessel for chasing hypervigilant pelagics like longtails, as there’s no outboard noise, allowing the angler to get very close to the feeding schools.

As the currents out wide slow down, the deep droppers will be getting excited.

Through summer, we saw impressive captures of pearl perch between 60-70cm, mostly taken deep dropping between 100-200m. With the current now easing right up out wide, crews can head out further and find bottom with their rigs.

Blue-eye trevalla, bar cod, bass groper and flame snapper are the main targets for most serious deep droppers, but all sorts of things can turn up when dropping baits in 400m of water. If you’re looking to get into the world of deep dropping, we sell a big range of electric reels, deep dropping rigs, and other bits and pieces for this highly specialised technique.

May will hopefully bring some calmer days, which is ideal for heading out wide in search of big winter snapper! The Hards, Barwon Banks and Caloundra Wide reef systems will all be worth exploring for extra-large snapper as it cools down, but don’t be afraid to try some of the closer marks, too.

North West Passage, Caloundra 5-Mile and Murphys are all good options if the weather looks like it could turn or if you want to avoid making super long runs.

Clearer conditions can make snapper a little finicky, even offshore in 20-50m of water. If the usual 5-7” soft plastics and bottom bashing techniques don’t deliver, floatlining is an awesome way to convert wise old snapper. Good quality overheads that can feed line with no resistance as your bait slowly makes its way to the bottom are the key to floatlining. Most floatliners use straightthrough monofilament to slow the sink rate, with baits of pilchard, squid, slimy and yakka all top baits for this technique.

MORETON BAY May should be a productive month in the bay. When the winter westerlies start to take over, this massive body of water usually calms right off, and the water clarity improves significantly.

These conditions allow for longer sessions and more exploration, which is ideal if you’re planning to motor around looking for longtails.

Longtail numbers are usually very good in May, but you’ll need to approach these fish with extra stealth in clear

It’s been a wet autumn but the luderick don’t seem to mind! In some areas these fish are starting to school up in preparation for their winter spawn. The action on these guys should run until at least August.

The upper reaches of local creeks have been running very clear, which is typical in late autumn. Suspending lures like this 60mm Daiwa Double Clutch fished with long pauses are highly effective in this scenario. This little creek battler couldn’t help itself. water. While the water clarity works in their favour, the sheer numbers of fish usually creates enough competition for a handful to let their guard down and eat a lure.

Something around 100-120mm long is a good size to start with if you don’t know exactly what they’re eating.

Sinking bibbed minnows like the Daiwa Sawarash have become popular, as these tuna haven’t seen many presentations like it before. Having seen so many metal slugs and poppers, these fish are a little less accustomed to the compact design and enticing wobble of a sinking minnow. They’re usually heavy for their size, meaning they can be cast out a long way. They’re also fantastic searching baits to use off the beach and rocks for tailor.

Speaking of tailor, we’re seeing another good early season run of these fish in the bay. They seem to pop up anywhere and everywhere at random, so I like to carry a 3-6kg spin outfit rigged with a metal slug, sinking minnow or medium-sized topwater lure. Lures in the 80-100mm range worked well for me at this time last year, with some of the fish in the 50-60cm range and more than happy to snaffle a 10cm lure. Keep in mind that these fish sometimes round up bait in only inches of water, so keep your eyes peeled as you move around the bay, even in the shallowest margins!

The reefies should remain active, with snapper gradually taking over as the dominant species and tropical species like cod, grassies, spanglies and tuskies taking a backseat. Clearer water will mean they might not venture as shallow as they do during summer, so targeting the 4-6m depths near reef edges, rubble patches, or artificial structure should put

Southern QLD

FMM you in good stead.

Cooler days will mean these fish will stay active for longer, so you won’t necessarily need to be up at the crack of dawn to land a few fish. Light jigheads between 1/8-1/4oz are ideal for this depth range, with most 2-3” soft plastics suitable for the job. I like to smear a bit of scent on my plastics every 10 minutes or so to make them more appealing to the snapper, but this isn’t necessary for success.

Right up in the shallows, the squid should be starting to bulk up ahead of winter. These creatures, most of which would have only hatched late last year, have already reached a few hundred grams in weight and around 10-15cm in the hood. Keep your jigs around the 1.8-2.2 jig size, and be sure to search plenty of ground. Any shallows with clear water and weed, coral, rock or even mangrove roots are good areas to target. The squid could be holding in anything from 30cm to 4m, so I always like to start my search wide with big casts across these areas, and gradually refine my approach as I start seeing results.

If you don’t know where to look, Redcliffe, Wynnum, Wellington Point and Cleveland all offer good land-based squidding opportunities when the water is clear. Once we get a few consecutive days of light westerly winds, these locations should fire.

BEACH AND ROCKS We haven’t heard any crazy reports from the beaches or stones yet, but with tailor already showing up in such good numbers in the bay and rivers it could be worth visiting your local beach or headland.

Last year, the main beaches along Moreton and South Straddie produced some decent bags of tailor early in the season, with both bait and lures catching fish. Pilchards on gangs (with gang size depending on the size of the pillies) will certainly work, but if you want to

search a beach faster and locate an active school, metal lures and an outfit to cast them are good tools. Any metal lures in the 20-60g range and a long graphite rod between 9-11ft are the key to successful beach spinning. A longer rod allows you to punch the metal out beyond the breakers to where the tailor are feeding, and also to take up slack quickly as the metal bounces and crashes through the waves.

To access the main beaches along the northern end of Bribie, the southern end of North Straddie, as well as the whole

Young Sadie gave this colourful squid a run for its money with her own colour display! This is the average size for tiger squid in late autumn; they will grow much larger in the coming months. Photo courtesy of Rob Gaden.

of Moreton and South Straddie you’ll need a 4WD vehicle. If you’re planning to hit the sand this winter, make sure your car is beach-ready and that you’ve had some practice before beach 4WDing on your own.

Rock fishing is not something South East Queensland is known for, but there are a few smaller headlands that can produce tailor, trevally and even the odd longtail on the right day. Places like Point Lookout and Point Cartwright offer decent ledges for anglers, plus there is usually plenty of cabbage weed being broken off by the waves, which attracts another rock fishing favourite – luderick!

Most of my luderick fishing happens in the estuaries, but good populations of these fish exist out on the headlands, too. At this time of year the ocean fish can be a better option, as the fish on the headlands aren’t usually there to spawn like the fish in the estuaries – they’re there to eat.

Please practise caution when rock fishing, especially if you’re chasing luderick on the lower ledges. There’s no law requiring the use of a life jacket or PFD when rock fishing in Queensland, but I reckon it’s a good habit to get into.

Every year, people get washed off ledges and some lose their lives, so again, please practise caution while rock fishing!

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QLD Southern Most years we see drier days with lighter winds, and this creates clearer water. This encourages species such as threadfin salmon, mulloway, grunter and barramundi to venture up rivers to find slightly more turbid water with a component of fresh in it.

Already we’ve seen a few threadies and jewies popping up around the city reaches of the Brisbane River and in the deeper bends in the Logan, Pine and Caboolture rivers. Fishing to schooled fish during the day is one way

FMM the mouth of the Mooloolah River, the Port of Brisbane and the islands around Jumpinpin are also productive luderick spots in winter.

Big flathead are showing up more and more, and the last few months have seen a few 80cm+ crocodiles landed in local waters. The mouth of the Pine and the southern end of Pumicestone Passage have been producing great numbers of flathead recently, however by now they should be plentiful along most flats and shallow channels adjacent

Cooler days should see more daytime action on the bay snapper. This fish was one of several taken from a shallow rubble flat around Mud Island. to target these fish, however they will also feed higher in the water column at night, particularly around any artificial structures with lights shining over the water.

With so many prawns still in the system, lures around 60-80mm that resemble these tasty little critters should work well in May, but it’s worth having a few larger presentations ready as well. As prawn numbers taper off at the beginning of winter, the predators will turn their attention to things like herring, gar and mullet.

On the topic of mullet, these guys will be beginning their annual ‘run’ along the coast and schooling around river mouths and break walls to spawn.

Fishing lures or baits near or under these schools gives you a chance of hooking a really big mulloway, especially in cleaner systems like the Mooloolah and Marooochy rivers, as well as Pumicestone Passage and Jumpinpin.

Another species with spawning on its mind is luderick, which will often school up and spawn in the same areas as the mullet. Any channel with cover that gets a bit of current, such as a rock wall, deep mangrove bank or under a bridge, is worth inspection. The classic old spot along the boardwalk at Caloundra doesn’t seem to hold these fish anymore – the shifting bar has gradually ground the current to a halt in this area, but the ludes will still be hanging out nearby. There’s a handful of bridges and rock walls at the northern end of the passage, so this is where I’d be looking instead. Other than that, 28 MAY 2024

to river and creek mouths.

Those interested in targeting the XOS models over the flats should be able to do so this month. I’m still getting my head around this style of fishing, but the key seems to be relatively clear water and a little bit of current moving over the flat.

Large jerkbaits, soft plastics, glidebaits and bent minnows in the 100-150mm range will all get results, however if the water is really clear it’s a good idea to use something that looks ultra-realistic.

We sell whiting imitation glidebaits and suspending jerkbaits with fish scale patterns, so make sure you swing by and browse our range of big flatty baits if this is something you want to try this year!

The majority of the bream population will also be spending most of their time near the mouths of systems as they prepare for spawning. Through May and into winter bream will spend their time between the deep channels under bridges, beside rock walls and along deeper banks, and feeding along any nearby sandy flats. If you’re looking to target bream on lures this month, make sure you pack a range of small crankbaits, soft plastics, topwater lures and vibes. Once you find them there should be more; putting in the work to search the area and find where they’re hanging out is well worth it as it gets colder.

FRESHWATER Freshwater fanatics like me tend to get a bit sad in May, as it means the action in the flowing streams will start to dry up (literally). We endured a lot of rain this season, but this was good

news for the network of small freshwater streams around my neck of the woods.

These systems, some of which don’t flow year-round, experienced months of consistent flow. The bass in them made the most of it by pushing up into some of the deeper pools, feeding on the smorgasbord of insects, shrimps and fish.

By now some of these bass will have ventured downstream to the tidal water to spawn. Bass in Queensland are a no-target and no-take species in tidal water through winter (1 June to 31 August). While it’s still legal to chase them in non-tidal waters, the fishing does slow down a lot, so I like to give them a rest until spring anyway.

It’s still worth a trip or two down to your local creek in May, especially if we get a few warmer days. As it’s cooled down, I’ve been throwing slowermoving presentations, such as small suspending jerkbaits and very lightlyweighted soft plastics. Fishing these lures with long pauses has been the key when the water is clear, with the fish often eating the lure in plain sight!

The bass fishing available in the dams through winter is a fair consolation, at least in my opinion.

Bass in big dams such as Samsonvale, Wivenhoe and Somerset will begin schooling in deep water, where they can be targeted with lures like spoons, blades, soft plastics and ice jigs. These lakes have bony bream in them, and these small baitfish tend to encourage bass to feed in open water through winter rather than around the edges.

Smaller lakes such as Maroon, Kurwongbah, Ewen Maddock, Hinze and Borumba tend to see fish feeding in the shallows as it cools. Banks with weed, drowned timber or rock are worth exploring, as these structures will absorb heat in the morning sun, making them comfortable places for fish to sit while they charge up for the morning hunt.

As the mercury drops the bigger mulloway come out to play! Josh has the big Port mulloway wired, and although he doesn’t give away many secrets, soft vibes like the TTs Quake Soft Vibe are a favourite of his. Photo courtesy of Josh Dow.

There might still be a few warmer days in May when topwater lures will work. I recently had one of those out at Maroon, and we found that the best technique on the day was to cast a cicada imitation close to drowned timber, before gently shaking the rod tip to make the lure ‘quiver’ just like a real cicada that’s just fallen out of a tree.

Generally, though, these fish will be more willing to eat 50-70mm suspending jerkbaits, small 2-3” soft plastics, 35-40mm crankbaits, and anything else that’s small, slowmoving and an easy target. I like to keep my retrievals slow and add plenty of pauses. Bass don’t mind a long pause if the water is cool, clear, or both. Plenty of times I’ve watched bass come and sit behind a suspended jerkbait for more than 30 seconds before committing, so if you’re not getting any results, slow down!

May is the last month of open season for wild bass. While it’s still legal to target wild fish in non-tidal waters during winter, the author prefers to give all wild fish a break.

Besides, there’s plenty of quality bass fishing available in the dams.

WRAP-UP For those who don’t like winter (like me), May can be a difficult time as the mornings and nights become crisp and we drag the winter clothes out of the cupboard. All early indications are looking positive for another fantastic winter fishing season in SEQ though, so it’s not all bad.

Our relatively comfortable weather and fantastic year-round fishing is a luxury not afforded to all Aussies, so I really shouldn’t be complaining.

• Thanks to all our wonderful customers who send us photos and give us intel over the counter. If you’re in the Brisbane North/Moreton Bay region, make sure you swing by Tackle World Lawnton on 640 Gympie Road and check out our range. We stock everything you need to chase local species, plus a great selection of fresh bait.

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Change of season is a great time to fish!

NOOSA

Peter Wells

This is that amazing time of the year where we get the last of the pelagic run and the start of the winter snapper. For pelagics, some of the favourite hunting grounds were the reefs off K’gari, Double Island and Sunshine Reef but with the amount of bait around at the moment anywhere you see bird activity is worth a look.

Tuna have been in the mix with plenty of mac tuna for a bit of fun with the sort after long tails holding that bit deeper.

Most of the bait seems to be hardiheads and frog mouthed pilchards so larger slugs 30-40g will match the hatch. From the bottom there is plenty on offer. The closer grounds have been giving up some nice snapper along with sweetlip and tusk fish.

Around Noosa, anglers in smaller craft have managed to get over the bar and head for Sunshine with some great

This 53cm bass was tempted by throwing around a little lizard lure.

success; coral trout, mulloway, snapper and some solid cobia have come from the area.

Snapper numbers will increase as the waters cool. Some anglers think that the fish move up from down south, this is not true as they tend to move in and out to deeper cooler waters. First, the better fish will come from the eastern side of the Barwon Banks, the Hards and Caloundra 12 Mile before making their way closer to places like the Gneerings and Sunshine.

For the bait anglers, fishing on a floater rig with a pilchard or large squid is a popular way to target snapper. For lure anglers, these fish respond well to soft plastics and jigs. A couple of options are coconut ice and nuclear chicken in the ZMan 7” jerk shads and the Flipper Jigs from Black Magic.

Another fish that has been on offer lately has been mahimahi. These fish are attracted to anything floating on the surface, as well as the FADs that are dotted off our coast. You will often see a larger bull free swimming on the surface, they will often take a well place floater.

In the river and creeks, the lower reaches of the Mary and the Noosa have been outstanding for jacks, barra and even a fin salmon. Anglers have had the most success with live baits of poddy mullet and larger banana prawns. For lure anglers, larger swim baits and larger prawn profiles, like the Chasebait Flick Prawn and the Zerek Live Cherabin, have been outstanding.

Flathead numbers around Noosa continue to impress with plenty of larger fish boated on the bigger run out tides. With the amount of bait around at the moment these fish are feeding hard. Lightly weighted small pilchards, hardiheads and herring cast upstream and

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This big Spaniard from Aiden Whiteman was caught spinning stick baits off Double Island Point. worked back with the tide has been the way to go.

As usual for this time of the year, the trevally in the Noosa River has been outstanding. Most fish come at first light or early evening on live baits.

Crab numbers will start to drop away locally, so if you are after a feed you will have to head north.

Bigger bream are also starting to show up. These fish will be looking to spawn over the coming months so there will be some big ones around.

Tailor have started to make their way back into the rivers, reports from the Maroochy area are from the traffic bridge down to the mouth on the incoming tide.

Upsizing the leader is a must with the sharp teeth of the tailor. We see plenty of anglers trolling this section of the river using smaller slugs, plastics, and diving lures.

On the beaches, the amount of bait has been outstanding, bringing plenty of predatory fish in close. To the south, some beaches were closed as small sharks were working in the areas. Mulloway have been plentiful along the Noosa North Shore as well as K’gari. Queenfish, trevally and larger tailor are also feeding hard on the abundance of bait in the area. The best approach is to fish for two hours either side of the high tide and use similar baits,

like pilchards and hardiheads.

On the southern beaches, there has been plenty of activity around the river mouths with some nice tailor reported around Pincushion Island. Anglers have been fishing the dirty water line on the run-out tide. These fish will be feeding on smaller baitfish running to more saline waters. Trevally have also been in the mix as well as the odd queenfish. Casting a Halco Twisty into the darker water and retrieving it into the clear has been a very effective method, for those looking to throw a bait a smaller pilchard cast along that dirty water line is your best bet.

The Mary around Gympie has been outstanding, and anglers are reporting some nice bass down river from the weir. Grub style soft plastics have been working well, along with surface lures in the morning and afternoon. Sooties are also in the mix with not quite as many fish as earlier in the season. Darker smaller hardbodies seem to be the favourite here.

• Do not forget to check in to www. fishingnoosa.com.au for all the latest up to date info on fishing and bar crossings.

The knowledgeable teams at Tackle World Noosa, Northshore Bait & Tackle at Marcoola our new store The Tackle Shop in Gympie can provide you with the right equipment, bait and advice to ensure success!

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This is a ‘fish of a lifetime’ from Declan. This creek monster measured 112cm.

The experience of a great moment

QLD Central

FMM

Big reef fish are obsessed with live baits BUNDABERG

Luke Truant

Over the past month or so, the weather has been consistently bad and we haven’t been able to get out much at all. So, instead of talking about recent captures, this report will focus on how amazing May will be and how you can catch more fish this month.

One of the great things about May is that it marks the start of the live bait season. By the time you read this, the yellowtail scad should have started coming in, and by mid-May they should be in good numbers on the end of the

Ethan with an inshore grassy emperor. lateral marks as you come into Bundy.

The outermost lateral marks, 3 miles from Burnett Heads, are a great place to drop down a sabiki jig (bait jig).

Another place to catch yellowtail this month is out to the FADs, located around 10 miles northeast of Bundaberg. You should find plenty of yellowtail there. Bear in mind that some days the baitfish might be holding on only one FAD and not the others. Do circles around each FAD until you find the bait balls.

When bait jigging, some people work the bottom too much when the fish are up higher in the water column. If you see the bait balls up higher, don’t bounce your sinker on the bottom or you’ll catch more undesirables like grinner, whiptails and variegated emperor.

When it comes to selecting a sabiki jig, I find that the small sizes work better at the start of the season (around size 8). I recommend using jigs that have silver flash rather than pink or green, as silver seems to be a more consistent producer here.

If you’ve never invested in a sabiki rod, it will be the best $100 you’ve spent in your life – I guarantee it. When you’ve finished jigging for bait with your sabiki rod, you simply wind the jig all the way up until it disappears inside the hollow rod, ready to be stored away for your next trip. Never again will you have to deal with tangled rigs wrapped around an old chunk of pool noodle or foam, wasting valuable fishing time and getting stabbed by tiny hooks. With the sabiki rod, you can sometimes get several days of heavy use out of one jig, so the rod pays for itself.

When using live baits, make sure you have a decent live bait tank or they’ll die 32 MAY 2024

too soon. By ‘good’, I mean a high water turnover tank. Many people turn the valve down because they’ve heard that too much water flow kills the fish. It doesn’t. More flow means more oxygen. With plenty of oxygen to breathe, your baits will stay alive for longer.

Once you have gathered a good amount, you’re all set for an awesome day’s fishing. At this time of year, your livies will be annihilated at almost every spot you visit! If you don’t have a hit in 10 seconds, move to another spot and you’ll soon have the results you’re after. Many of the predators haven’t seen a scad for months, and they will shoulder each other out of the way in their haste to eat it. Later in the year, these same predators won’t be nearly as obsessed with live baits.

Why? Well, think about what humans are like when mango season starts. When the first mangoes hit the shelves, many of us rush to get stuck into them. Yes, they’re expensive, but that doesn’t deter us.

They’re too delicious not to eat.

By January, we’re less enthusiastic.

We’ve eaten plenty of mangoes over the past couple of months, and there are other summer fruits to enjoy instead.

The trout and reds seem to have a similar disinterest when they see their 100th yellowtail of the season – particularly if there’s a nice, smelly dead bait nearby that looks like an easy target.

During May, I fish differently from other times of the year. Instead of anchoring I’ll drift, using reverse to keep the drift very slow. After we’ve pulled up some big fish, it’s time to go to the next mark and do it all over again. I’ll often take my clients to over 20 spots in a trip, catching big fish at each one, and the action just blows their minds.

It’s sometimes better to go shallower, up to 30m deep in May. If you’re deeper than 30m and you’re dropping bait, you’re going to catch Maori cod everywhere. They are the greediest fish in the ocean, and that’s saying something.

If you jig up a particularly large live bait, never assume it’s too big to catch fish – particularly if you’re targeting big trout, which sometimes turn their noses up at smaller baits. These wary, older fish will watch a small bait for a while, and decide there’s something unnatural about it. It’s just too risky, the trout thinks, to eat something that doesn’t look quite right.

Sam with a quality Spanish mackerel Then you send down a really big bait, and it’s like you’ve flipped a switch.

The trout takes one look at the huge meal before it, and its scepticism is eclipsed by sheer greed. Your big scad is history. Even a medium-size trout will eat a huge bait; that’s how greedy they are!

The most common fish you’ll hook in May with live baits are humungous bar-cheek coral trout, but plenty of other species will engulf your livies. Be sure to use heavy gauge hooks that won’t straighten when you hook a 25kg cod or a 15kg red emperor.

Dead baits will still catch their share this month, and I recommend using fish heads as well as strip baits. On one of our recent sessions, we got four really good fish on hussar heads and iodine bream heads.

SPANISH MACKEREL While we haven’t been targeting Spanish lately, they will be fit and fierce this month. May is also when they start getting bigger, with good numbers of 10-14kg fish, as opposed to summer when most are around 5-7kg.

In May, any time I go out wide I’m always trolling baits or lures. Catching a couple of nice Spanish shouldn’t be hard on any of the inshore or offshore reefs.

Remember, there’s a limit of one Spanish per person and two per boat.

BEACH FISHING If you like surf fishing, May can be a spectacular month for dart on the open beaches. Dart might not taste as good as whiting but they’re still great table fish when eaten fresh, and the bigger ones are really fun to catch on lighter gear. Dart are great for kids to catch, too; you don’t need to cast far to get them, they bite

Naomea with a great late afternoon spangled emperor.

aggressively, and they pull hard.

My favourite bait for dart is good old pipis. If you’re driving along the beach, keep an eye out for tell-tale pipi bumps poking through the tyre tracks. Alternatively, if you’re on foot, you can find pipis by doing the ‘pipi shuffle’ in the wet sand.

RIVER FISHING Prawning has been red hot in the creeks lately. Anglers have been getting small banana prawns in deep holes in the rivers around Bundy. Depending on the moon phase and tides, you can find them up in Millaquin Hole or down towards the port, at the Sail Club. I went down the other day and had four casts for a quarter of a bucket, while some people have been pulling in even more – up to 1kg+ a cast.

Remember to prawn on small tides and only on the outgoing tide, towards the bottom. As soon as the tide changes, the prawns disappear.

The crabbing in April was good but May should be better, certainly when it comes to how full the crabs are. At this time of year, they can be so full it’s almost hard to pick the meat out of them.

In the creeks, the jacks and barra will significantly slow down as the water temperatures start to drop. It’s not all bad news though, because the bread-and-butter species like yellowfin bream will start really ramping up.

Flathead are continuing to have an outstanding season. I’m not sure if it’s because everyone is getting better at catching flathead, or if they’re more abundant than they used to be. Regardless, we’ve been seeing great catches for many months in every local river system, with big numbers, and it’s common to catch an oversize, trophy fish.

• Truansea Charters specialises in 10-hour day trips chasing prized reef targets such as coral trout and red emperor and arm-stretching pelagics like Spanish mackerel. The maximum number of anglers is 6, so you’ll never feel crowded. The price is $370pp (or $350pp if you book the whole boat), which includes all gear, fuel, bait, ice, chilled water/soft drinks and laughs! You’re welcome to bring your own reef fishing gear if you prefer. Other charter options include half-day reef trips, half-day river trips and private guiding. To learn more, visit www.truansea.com.au, look them up on Facebook, or call Luke on 0423 015 490.

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QLD Central

FMM

Good barra catches from dams and estuaries MACKAY

Tackle World Mackay

Kinchant and Teemburra dams have still had reports coming from anglers targeting barra. Water levels have been holding at a good level so the fish have been found throughout the dams.

As the water temperatures drop, suspending hardbody lures are a good option. Twitching and pausing them on a retrieve seems to be working the best. Two of my favourite suspending

the lights. Anchoring on the upstream side of the bridge will make it easy to present a bait back to the fish. A live mullet or herring on a running sinker rig cast to the edge of the structure will get the results you’re after. Be ready for the strike because the fish know where home is.

At Constant Creek and Murray Creek, the water has started to clear after the recent neap tides. This makes it easier to target the fish holding up in the deeper holes. I find the best approach is to use lures that can be fished in a variety of depths, such as the Zerek Live Shrimp or Samaki Vibelicious. You may need to change the speed or the depth of the lure to find how the fish are feeding on any given day. More often than not, grunter and barra will be close to the bottom, while the blue salmon will be up higher in the water column.

Jackson Cork hiding behind a kayak-caught 122cm Kinchant Dam barra.

There are some nice jacks getting around. Image courtesy of @fabiopavan36. hardbodies are the Daiwa Double Clutch 115mm and Samaki Redic DS 80, which can be left to sit on their nose a little longer until they want to eat.

Barra and king threadfin salmon should still be making their presence felt in some of the saltwater estuaries this month. Good reports have been coming from the Seaforth area, as well as Constant Creek and the Pioneer River. Live bait fishing in the Pioneer River of late has seen plenty of barra being caught around one of the bridges in the river. You can get better results fishing at night, using both the pylons of the bridge and the shadow line from

FG KNOT

MADE EASY

Arron Sturdy with a healthy barra caught at Kinchant Dam. Whiting and flathead have been starting to show off the beaches as the water temperatures begin to fall.

A good area to start is Bakers Creek all the way around to the mouth of

Ties the PERFECT FG knot EVERY TIME

Sandy Creek. If you fish the last of the outgoing tide and the first of the incoming, it makes things a lot easier.

At that time of the tide the yabby beds are easy to find for fresh bait, and you can also find the fish schooling up in the gutters.

We’ve had plenty of rough weather over the past month or so, and this

has made the fish offshore hungry and ready to eat. When the weather has allowed, anglers have been catching good-size grassy sweetlip (grass emperor) and tuskfish on the inshore grounds. Offshore, the red emperor, nannygai and cobia have been showing up in good numbers. Plenty of Spanish mackerel have also been caught in recent weeks.

The snapper run isn’t far away, so let’s hope we get some better weather as we move into winter.

WORLD SOOTY CHAMPIONSHIP This year’s World Sooty Championship will be held over the weekend of 4-5 May at Eungella Dam. Run by the Mackay Area Fish Stocking Association (MAFSA), it’s always an enjoyable event for those who make the trek to the dam for the weekend. We can expect plenty of fish to be caught and released at this year’s comp, as well as the release of more sooty fingerlings to keep the dam well stocked for the future. A big thank you to MAFSA for their stocking work, and for running such a great comp.

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Renee with a nice small-mouth nannygai. Image courtesy of @renee.898.

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QLD Tropical North

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Plenty of fishing opportunities after the rains deeper holes) can also be effective. And, of course, soft plastics rigged on 1/2oz to 3/4oz jigheads are very popular for sinking down to the fish holding on these outpourings of freshwater.

Some of the pics we’ve seen have been in as little as 7m of water, which is on the shallow end of the scale for wonky holes.

If you have any old marks for them, check them out, even if they haven’t produced for a long time. They should be now.

MACKEREL Mackerel have still been around. The Spanish have been plentiful, and bites have

TOWNSVILLE

Dave Hodge

If you love your crabbing, you’d have to be happy with what’s been happening locally. The rains have got them moving, with big numbers of muddies coming from the deeper holes towards the front of the local systems, and the flats adjacent

This barra couldn’t resist a 5” Halco Paddle Prawn. Pink and fluorescent orange are good colours in dirty water.

The good old grassy is one of the best tasting, hardest pulling lure crunchers out there. This one ate an Atomic Prong 4” in pumpkin with red fleck colour. Powder-coated jigheads can make a big difference to catch rates. to the river entrances. The longer-thanusual wet has pushed them downstream, and with rain forecast for a few weeks yet, we can expect this to continue.

Unfortunately, at the time of writing this report, many of the crabs have been empty. One report that came through the Fishing Warehouse was of a fisho boating 80 crabs for the day, with 50 of those being over legal size. However, only one was full! It’s pointless taking empty crabs, and it’s usually only a couple of weeks before they’re full enough to make them worth the effort to cook. By the time you read

this, there will hopefully be plenty of full crabs getting around.

Keep an eye on your pots though, as pot robbers and thieves have been very

This fingermark ate a 110mm Atomic Semihardz on the drop in 24ft of water.

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active. Some crabbers have started putting game cameras in strategic locations to catch the thieves and get them fined. If you see someone approaching your pots, get your phone out and take a video of the crime and their boat rego. The unbroken footage needs to show that it is indeed your pot. This evidence has been bringing pot thieves undone recently, so be prepared and get the thieving buggers caught. The challenge is on!

WONKY HOLES ARE WONDERFUL The rains don’t just benefit crabs, prawns and estuary fish species – the fresh also gets the local wonky holes pumping.

We’ve been getting photos and screenshots of freshwater pouring into the salt from these underwater rivers, and they’ve been stacking up with fingermark, nannygai and other species. A few switched-on anglers have checked old wonky holes that have been dried up for years, and discovered they’re now pumping hard and loaded with fish. These natural oases can sometimes be miles from the traditional structure associated with nannygai, trout, fingermark and other desirable species.

Slow-pitch Jigs around 40g can work well around wonky holes. Vibes in the 100-120 size range (or 150 for the

After being repeatedly asked to do a live baiting YouTube video, Hodgie eventually did, using a live 35cm tarpon to fool this barra. The outfit is a Samurai Elevate 10-20lb rod and a Shimano Baitrunner 6000 reel spooled with Atomic Linez braid. been easy to come by. Gar and wolfies are still the most consistent producers, but lures have also been very productive.

BARRA AND JACKS The tides for the last month have varied drastically, and anglers in the north have become much more precise at calculating the best places to be at the right stage of the tide.

Barra have been high on the agenda for many lure-casters around Townsville, and some nice fish are being taken as I write this piece. Persistent rains have been a big reason for the good barra fishing.

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Tropical North QLD

FMM Surface lures like the 80mm Halco Roosta poppers, the Atomic Pop, fizzers and stickbaits all catch fish, and there’s nothing better than a barra smashing a topwater lure. Sadly, the surface stuff doesn’t always work, so you need more options to fall back on if your surface lures aren’t working on the day. If bigger fish are present, and they are your primary focus, it’s a fair call to throw a bigger lure to try to avoid catching smaller, schoolsize fish. This does reduce your numbers quite a bit, but the size can be more satisfying sometimes.

These days, we tend to use lures in the ‘happy medium’ size range, mainly the Atomic Prong 4” and the Halco 5” Paddle Prawn. These plastics account for most of our fish, including creek-dwellers like jacks and barra, through to reef and shoal species like grassy emperor, red-throat, trout, fingermark, etc. The secret to landing the bigger models is to use a hook that has the right size and weight for the plastic and the strength to handle those bigger fish once they’ve been hooked.

If I had to pick one type of fishing in our local waterways that gives the most action and satisfaction, it would have to be casting the snags for jacks, with plenty of barra as a by-catch. The barra that we catch in the snags aren’t big fish, though you do hit the odd larger model. Most of the barra are only 55-70cm long, but they are still fun to get out on the lighter 20lb outfits we mostly use.

I think barra are great on the plate, but not everyone agrees with me. Some anglers say barra are very overrated and don’t taste that good. Still, these guys are mostly reef fishers who chase trout, reds, etc. I’ll happily eat a chromed-up barra any day, but this could be because I come from inland NSW, where we ate yellowbelly, trout, and Murray cod.

I would never kill a Murray cod now, though; they are amazing fish, and it’s much better to release them, if you ever fish down that way.

Runoff lure fishing There are varying degrees of runoff – everything from raging torrents to barely recognisable trickles. Those trickles may

not look like much, but they will still hold fish at the right stage of the tide. In these scenarios, I’ll often throw unweighted or very lightly-weighted soft plastics. You want your soft plastic to be flexible enough to still have an action on a slow retrieve.

When it comes to hardbodies, I find the new TB80 to be just the right size and buoyancy to slowly waddle into where you’re targeting. Let it sit for a second or two before twitching, and let it sit again.

When the predators are dialled in on smaller bait, you may need a smaller lure, such as a TB55. If jelly or small prawns are the prey, I’ll usually throw the 3” Atomic Prong on a small 1/6oz 1# hook and slowly swing that through the danger zone

At this time of year, after a decent wet, the barra are in great condition.

They fight hard when juiced up on a smorgasbord of fish and prawns.

with a straight retrieve. It’s amazing how often downsizing works when nothing else does. Leaders for this are usually 25-30lb FC and fished on a lighter spin rod outfit.

Deep jacking During the runoff times, it’s common to find the jacks sitting deeper than usual under the freshwater, which sits on top of the saltwater. We’ve been catching them on plastics rigged on the redesigned Atomic EWG weedless hooks, which now have the weight further forward on the hook shank. The weight-forward design means the body of the soft plastic can slide down the hook’s bend on the strike more easily for a better hook-up ratio.

We still add the powder coat that has made such a difference to our catch rates over the years. In my experience, orange and pink work best in dirty water, while green, yellow or lumo work better in clearer water. I don’t think the colour contrast between plastic and hook weight makes the fish want to bite them more, but I do believe it gets the attention of more fish from further away.

If you want to try something different, give it a go and see if it works for you.

Sometimes, it’s the little things you do that can make a big difference to your catch rate.

Anyway, I’m out of room for this month. I hope this report helps you catch a few more fish over the last of the runoff period. Good luck, and stay safe.

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MAY 2024 39

QLD Tropical North

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Cool down the retrieve HINCHINBROOK

Ian Moody info@ianmoodyfishing.com

It has finally been a blessing to get a few regular clients up from down south that I have been trying to get out since the start of the barra season. Some periods of light

down the retrieve to super slow has been doing the trick. Also finding those areas holding bait pushed around by the flood waters.

As waters start to cool over the month of May, the seasonal run of Spanish mackerel should start to head further inshore. Areas around the end of the Lucinda Sugar Jetty,

Just one of many fantastic barra captures by Mark.

Brad Ruddock was very pleased with his 89cm barra. winds and partly sunny days have made things a bit easier on the charter front.

Recently, I had Brian and son Brad up from down south to follow up on their last trip where Brian had caught the biggest barra on charter I have put a client onto to date.

However, with some early luck with

near Pelorus and Eva Island are hotspots for them. I have to say that this year’s summer water temps have been by far a lot cooler due to those persistent rain and wind periods caused by convergences from ex-cyclones and highs down in the bottom part of Australia. Most days averaging around 28oC when

Most locals are also seeing an improvement of numbers of inshore species since commercial gillnetting has been scaled back dramatically.

It will be interesting to see what happens in 5 years time and what state the fishery will be in then.

Sharks will likely be a pivotal part of any fishery resurrection and to how it returns. The shark problem

needs to be addressed and hopefully sooner rather than later before it becomes too late.

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May ends the monsoon CAIRNS

Dan Kaggelis dkaggelis@gmail.com

May has never been a popular month for anglers in the Trinity Net Free Zone because it spells the first cold temperatures thanks to the trade winds, which begin to pick up during this time. Thankfully, this month should see a different story due to the size of the wet season we have had.

May should bring a break in the monsoon rains which will mean the rivers and creeks will get a reprieve

from flooding. Pretty much every system from the Daintree to the Tully has seen rivers at major flood levels for the entire monsoon which has made them almost impossible to fish or running completely brown.

Whilst anglers have adjusted to these conditions, everyone will be happy to see some clean water again.

The good news is that there are plenty of fish around and when conditions return to normal the fishing is going to be off its head.

This will particularly the case in the Net Free Zone, which has seen a big influx of barramundi thanks to

Light winds and partly sunny days have made things a bit easier on the water. the weather, the biggest we could manage was an 89cm model and a few others in the 60s. A lot of areas I often fish usually hold an average 60-70cm sized barra but you just never know when that unicorn will pass through with them – which was the case with Brad nailing the 89cm on a hardbody lure right at the bow of the boat.

With water temps on the decline with the horrid weather, I had been expecting live baiting techniques to be the more productive way but it has still been lures that have been producing the goods on quality fish.

Changing lures in size and slowing 40 MAY 2024

previous years seen most of the time 30oC or warmer.

If you are also able to, there have been some good prawns along the beaches of late. During my last trip while cast netting for mullet along the foreshores near Meunga Creek, I had a good number of nice sized school prawns in every cast. And along the beachfront of Cardwell itself has seen locals hauling bucket loads.

Although, if casting anywhere along Cardwell’s foreshore be on the look out for a resident 3.5m crocodile who often makes regular appearances there.

Make sure your terminal tackle is up to the task as the jacks will be at their fittest this time of year.

Tropical North QLD

FMM

Looking forward to a good light tackle season PORT DOUGLAS

Lynton Heffer www.fishingportdouglas.com.au

As we come out of the one of the biggest wet seasons ever recorded in the Far North, and challenged our existence at times, the silverlining moving forward is that the harvest will be bumper this year in fishing terms. This is already evident across the board and we’ve only just begun to reap the rewards.

Along the coast and, also within our major water tributaries off the mountains, the results have been solid. You make hay whilst the sun is shining and the coastal reefs are attracting some mackerel and a few hefty sized large-mouth nannygai.

There continues to be a really healthy supply of bait along the coast and this can turn it into a really vibrant environment. The prediction is that May will be extremely prosperous along the coastline of the Port Douglas region.

Within the rivers and estuaries it has been down to business targeting barra, mangrove jack and fingermark.

There’s only a certain window when these top notch species are fair game and in an enthusiastic mood.

Many of the barra have been above average between the 72-80cm range,

fingermark to 55cm and jacks to 45cm. Live baits are the preference as you can place these right into the strike zone. Highly good lure casting is essential to even closely match the effectiveness of live bait using 4” soft plastics or hardbody lures, which is not as easy as it sounds. These bites are happening right in amongst some serious structure with the turn of the tides being the time to fish hard.

This purple patch of fishing will last well into May. With our traditional wet season ticking along nicely and flushing the creeks and rivers out, it’s pushing plenty of bait schools wide to the outer reef. Surface water temperature is still up there but will decline as the days roll on and will bring the reef into its prime. The bottom fishing has been consistent with good quality coral trout, nannygai, spangled emperor and red emperor coming onboard.

Wonky holes between the mainland and edges of the outer reef are firing and they have been producing some monster model large-mouth nannygai and cod on the shorter trips.

There are also plenty of Spanish mackerel around on the outer reef if you know where the bait schools are holding, and it’s always a great option if you want to go light tackle sportfishing. Trolling various depth

Jacks will be plentiful but will need some extra convincing in May. Slow suspending lures are the go. a number of barramundi farms that flooded over losing most of their fish.

Whilst the barra will be in great numbers so will the mangrove jacks.

I love this time of year for jacks as they have fattened up over the summer months and are in their peak condition.

If we see some colder water they may be harder to tempt. The best way to target both the barra and jacks this time of year is slowly suspended hardbody lures.

If you can get the lure down into the snag and leave it sit there for a

Plenty of the barra around at the moment are above average size. hardbody lures at around 5-6 knots has and will find the strike zone.

Lately it has been the 6-8m depth range working best but this will push closer to the surface as the days cool down. 5-14kg varieties were as hungry as a pack of wolves and once the tight catching regulations on Spanish mackerel are met you while you can really convince them to leave homes and eat your lure.

I’ve been having a great deal of success on the Halco TBarra 80s this year as they can be worked down to depth very quickly and suspend perfectly.

It’s been catching a lot of fish and should continue to get better as we move closer to the cooler months.

Next month will see the water getting colder so anglers should begin to make adjustments to their fishing to cater for the shy bite. Smaller poundage leaders, smaller lures and more patience is vital.

The mud crabs are also the best this time of year so it will be definitely worth sinking a few.

can revert to alternative methods and target the abundance of tuna life working the top water on similar grounds. In short, it’s going to be a good light tackle season.

We’ve planted the hardship seeds in the Far North for a while now and it’s your turn to come and visit and enjoy the spoils.

READER’S

PICTURE

Murphy Russell (5yo) was thrilled to catch his first fish on the Broadwater, Gold Coast over the Easter weekend.

Orange and silver hardbodies have been producing plenty of barra this year.

MAY 2024 41

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Fishing will be hot around the Cape this year COOKTOWN

Justin Coventry

The creeks are settling down and the water is clearing, and so the hunt begins. The floods have absolutely smashed the rivers and everything is different with the amount of rubbish and fallen trees that have come down the system. It’s almost a new river and the fish are coming back and settling in at new locations.

soft, and you won’t be able to move quickly – certainly not as fast as a crocodile coming in for the attack.

It’s best to be in a boat and position yourself to cast upwards from the deep hole and work the lure back – it looks a lot more natural and is by far the safest option.

Crabbing has been firing over the last month and hopefully continues as they seem to be moving through the local systems again. Some big bucks are turning up so it’s worth the effort

Some nice saltwater barra are being caught around the headlands.

Josh was stoked to catch this silver slab off the shore.

It’s taken some time to figure out where the fish are holding. Many fallen trees and new deep holes provide opportunities to find a congregation of hungry barra or jacks setting up home.

The local river system also seems to be struggling with regard to baitfish. Finding areas that hold these valuable food sources can be the key to locating hungry fish. It’s like they say – “find the bait, find the fish”.

Large predators love ambush areas close to structure, where they can stealthily wait for their prey to swim past, so those are great spots to focus your efforts.

The river is full of sand, and dropoffs on the sand banks are holding predatory fish looking for a baitfish or prawn coming downstream.

Throwing a lure or soft plastic up in the shallows, and working it over the edge with a pause, can get the attention it needs.

The crocs are also about and with lots of sand banks there is ample sign of some big crocs walking and progressing through the local rivers.

So be careful and don’t risk your life with any potentially dangerous actions, like walking too far out on some of the sand ridges trying to fish the drop-off. Sand can be really 42 MAY 2024

to throw a few pots in and see how many you can capture for a delicious feed. Chilli crab is my go-to; cleaning the crab first and breaking it up to get all the lovely flavour through the meat. It also makes the best stock to cook some white fish bites in, and

with steamed rice you almost have another great meal ready to go.

The crabs have been full and healthy, and some are even purple in colour, which means they have come in from the ocean and are making their way back into the river. Lots of tasty crabs are moving around, so get out there and put some pots in.

The hardest thing is having enough bait. My bait container was full of reef fish heads but it’s almost empty now. The southeast winds are back and no doubt here for a while, so replenishing crab bait is going to be difficult.

The winds have changed back to the southeast and looks to be here for a while. June, July and August will no doubt have us all thinking that a cyclone is hitting as they reach upwards of 25 knots. There will be

May with a nice mud crab.

little opportunity to get out to the reef in any comfortable conditions, so the fish will get a reprieve from fishing pressure and be able to move around. Hopefully, they’ll congregate on my favourite spots for the next time I can venture out.

There is always the possibility of a quick trip out between the highpressure systems, as the winds can drop for a day or night, but having the boat ready to go is a must. It’s a great time of the year to do some repairs and service the reef boat to make it safe and ready to go at a moment’s notice.

The wharf is producing some nice jacks. Try using trevally as the bait as the water is clearing. The runout is best for luring along the rock wall for a chance of a barra feeding at ambush points along the wall. However, if chasing pelagics then the incoming tide is best.

The roads have copped a flogging.

There will be major works done on the roads in the Cape this year so take care and accept it will take a little longer to travel anywhere until the road crews can get to fix them. The fishing up the Cape should be great with all the flooding. Barramundi will be spread far and wide and will be in the upper reaches as much as down the mouths of the creek. The wetlands, as they drain back into the river systems, will bring loads of hungry barra out with them. We can expect some great fishing as they move back down through the system.

I’m keen to get into the action as the roads open up and access is available. There’ll be plenty of opportunities this month and next but the weather will start to cool and the fishing will slow a little as we head into winter. Get out there while it is still hot and the fish are moving around and hungry.

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May is a fantastic month for fishing diversity CAPE YORK

Tim O’Reilly wildrivercompany@gmail.com

Following a late kick to the wet season, May is set to fire up Cape York’s fishing.

The year after a decent wet season is always a little unpredictable when it comes to barra fishing, so it will be a case of wait and see.

There’s no denying that remoteness doesn’t necessarily equal great barra fishing in the Cape. Conditions such as sediment, turbidity, water quality, and the prevalence of baitfish play major roles. Almost every estuary will hold barra, but two identical-sized systems on different sides of the Cape might be worlds apart in terms of barra numbers.

Typically, the west coast rivers are a little

There has been some hot fishing for nannygai lately.

A big blue-spot trout taken on a jig.

Barramundi can be found across much of the Cape’s interior and exterior, thriving in both fresh and salt. They’re just as happy gobbling cherabin in the highest freshwater reaches as they are smacking sleepy cod in isolated lagoons.

And let’s not forget the prawn and mullet feeders along the Gulf Coast’s shallow margins.

Barra are rarely encountered too far off the coast (aside from some mangroveencrusted enclaves off the east coast), but you can catch them pretty much everywhere else up here.

May is a time immensely enjoyed by barramundi fishers. It marks the start of settled conditions, and the barra start to slot back into their usual haunts as the true dry season emerges. The rivers are slowly cleaning up and reducing flow.

The healthy population of baitfish and crustaceans produced by the receding wet season will leave a huge variety of food in almost every system of Cape York.

longer, flatter and hold larger quantities of bigger fish. There are exceptions, though, such as some of the larger systems entering Princess Charlotte Bay. As conditions settle, with the east and southeasterly trade winds typical

Golden snapper are one of the tastiest prizes you’ll ever catch.

Check out the awesome colours of this footballer trout. It was jigged up in 20m of water.

This little flats-dwelling wrasse was released to grow bigger.

44 MAY 2024

of Cape York’s dry season, the fish will gather in their usual haunts. Places such as gutters, deep holes and mangrove junctions, creek and river mouths, rock bars and drains become congregation points for barramundi. In the coming weeks, the tides and winds (hopefully water temperatures) will start to fluctuate less. All of these factors combined can produce some hot barramundi action.

Cape York differs from the Northern Territory in this respect – it’s not a true runoff-style fishery. Things often happen later.

May is also a fantastic month for fishing diversity. All manner of bluewater

species will be rocking up on the west coast of the Cape. Simply travel a mile in any direction most of the way down this west coast, and you will likely interact with some silver speedsters. Shoals, rocky patches and contour lines are all likely to hold bait, and a range of trevally and mackerel species will be on the trail.

Reef fishing can also be productive wherever you find concentrations of baitfish. Spanish mackerel should start to appear in better numbers, too.

Over on the East Coast, trade winds make life a little tricky at this time of year. However, we can expect some good all-round reef fishing when the weather permits. The shallow flats and shoals will be quite productive, with cooler water

A solid GT taken just off the reef edge. temperatures bringing predators back into shallow water environments.

May tends to be a good transition month for anglers. The water is still warm, allowing for productive creek, river and bay fishing, whilst encouraging a variety of fish species to actively feed.

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QLD Freshwater

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As winter approaches the transition is starting QLD FRESHWATER

Peter Jung

As I look out of the window while I type this, the heavens have opened again and what feels like an endless cycle of wet weather continues in the South East corner of the state. Many of our impoundments continue to spill or have gated releases at the time of writing this report. What this means for our impoundment freshwater fishing is that the predicted settling of our lakes that I mentioned in last month’s report will take a little longer than expected.

The transition from our summer fishing SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND BRISBANE AND SURROUNDS LAKE KURWONGBAH May is generally a month I really look forward to fishing Lake Kurwongbah.

The transition phase as the water cools generally means the bass push onto the weed edge drop-offs in big numbers, and the saratoga in the waterway have one last burst of energy before the water temperatures drop to the point that they are an unlikely capture. That is certainly the case this year as well. However as anyone fishing the lake in recent times will know, the weed in the lake at the moment is as thick and spread out as I have ever seen it.

Kurwongbah has very high levels of Cabomba weed present in it. This is an aquarium weed and is undesired in any of our waterways. For this reason, it’s important to wash your kayak after you have fished there, using one of the two cleaning bays at the Mick Hanfling Park launch site. We can only hope that a cool winter will see much of the weed die off.

methods will happen far more quickly than many of us would hope.

The transition I am talking about is when temperatures become more consistent throughout a waterway (lower), allowing many of the fish to station in many different depths and locations. This can mean the fish will move around a lot, and they can be flighty when you do find them. It also tends to be the trigger for species like golden perch, saratoga and barramundi to slow down and be harder to catch. Not impossible, mind you, as when this transition is happening, these fish can be very active and an angling option until they settle into their winter pattern.

Before I head into the location reports, can find them) will be very productive.

Choosing the right lure will be the key.

Anything with a treble attached will more than likely foul on the weed. Lures like spinnerbaits, jig spinner rigged plastics or lipless crankbaits rigged with inline single hooks are less likely to foul and will catch more than their fair share of fish. Plastics rigged weedless are also an option, with many anglers using surface frogs rolled over the weed to entice the bass or the ever-present saratoga in the lake.

On a recent visit to the lake, I found a 10m wide clear zone in amongst all the weed and had a ball picking up multiple fish on a Rapala 5cm V Blade in the gold chrome tiger colour. More fish also came from the weed edge drops off into deeper water. These edges are much further from the shore than you would expect and much harder to find due to the amount of weed, however persistence is generally rewarded.

• Lake Kurwongbah is a paddle craft only fishery. There are launching and zoning rules in place. To learn more about these rules, visit the SEQ Water website and look

Metal spoons are always an effective lure to catch bass. This one was caught by Ty Laverick from Somerset Boat Hire and Tackle.

As much as the Cabomba levels are a concern at the moment, there is still plenty of good fishing to be had.

Trolling lures (very popular amongst Kurwongbah anglers) will be difficult due to the weed, however there tends to be concentrations of fish in the main basin at this time of the year, so trolling is still an option there.

Casting lures to the weed edges or in any channels within the weed (if you 46 MAY 2024

up Lake Kurwongbah.

LAKE WYARALONG Another of the new impoundments to be added to the 2024 Fish ‘n SIP$ competition, Wyaralong is a relatively young fishery compared to most of the SE Queensland freshwater lakes. Having said that, it already has the reputation of holding some big, hard-fighting Australian bass and has the added bonus of having quite a few Mary River cod

I want to mention that I have added a news section into the freshwater report. It is an opportunity for stocking groups, angling clubs and the like to let people know about events and news about your local freshwater waterway. If you have any news you would like to place in this section, please email it to pjung@fishingmonthly. com.au and I will do my best to get it into the report.

Until next month, see you later from PTP Fishing.

FRESHWATER NEWS Fish ’n SIP$ 2.0 - The 2024 Fish ‘n SIP$ competition has been launched and started on the 1st of April. 140 tagged fish have been released across 7 stocked

This is what many bass anglers in SE Queensland impoundments will be looking for on their sounder as the winter transition comes into effect. stocked in it. It is an electric motor-only waterway (you can have a fuel-powered motor attached, but it cannot be used).

Fishing during this transition period at Wyaralong will focus mainly on the edges and the timbered sections of the lake. Spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits and suspending hardbody lures will be good options while rolling plastics around the timber structure can also be effective (deeper diving hardbody lures can also be very effective for this).

As mentioned, Wyaralong has the reputation of holding some big, hardfighting bass, so light leaders and light gear is not normally the way to go in this waterway. With the waterway potentially holding a fish worth $20,000 (Fish ‘n SIP$ competition), it could be well worth exploring.

• Lake Wyaralong is an electric motor and paddle craft-only fishery. No fuel-powered motors may be used on the waterway.

To learn more about these rules, visit the SEQ Water website and look up Lake Wyaralong.

SOMERSET As mentioned in last month’s report, the lake’s water levels are looking fantastic.

The continuing wet weather has meant that SEQ Water is holding the lake at 80% capacity and this constant level will only benefit the fishing. The upper lake is still a little on the dirty side, but as you move down the lake towards the dam wall, the water clears and this will be where the better bass fishing will be had.

As the month progresses, more bass will push down the lake and hold in areas like Bay 13, Pelican Point and White

impoundments, with $100,000 up for grabs for the first 15 tagged fish recaptured.

Up to 20 fish have been released in the following locations (barramundi, bass or golden perch, depending on the location): Tinaroo Dam, Lake Proserpine (Peter Faust Dam), Kinchant Dam, Callide Dam, Cania Dam, Wyaralong Dam and Leslie dam. Good luck.

Have your say! - Fisheries is seeking feedback on some discussion items, including banning opera house style pots in Queensland and expanding the Stocked Impoundment Permit Scheme. To have your say, go to daf.engagmenthub. com.au/recreational-fishing. Submissions close on 9 May. Rock, just to name a few. At this time of the year, the more active fish will tend to be in 20-35 feet of water, and it is not unusual to come across huge schools of fish or to have a school of fish come and form up under your boat. They will not always bite, but you can’t help but be excited at the potential fishing session you may have.

Small metal lures like the Nories Wasaby spoons, Hot Bite Gang Banger, Halco Twisty and the Palms slow blatt are all good options to target them with, as well as paddle tail plastics (generally 3-4 inch) like the Ecogear Powershad, Noike Smokin Swimmer, Noike Wobble Shad or the Rapala Crush City The Suspect all great options. The key is getting the lure to the bottom and rolling them back to the boat, dropping them back to the bottom occasionally during the retrieve.

Be aware that schools also move around at this time of the year, so if your hot session slows, it may just be that the active fish have moved away from your location. At times, subtle moves (30-50m) will get you back onto the active fish. The better fishing also tends to be later in the morning all the way through to late afternoon.

The timbered zones of the lake also continue to fish well for golden perch and saratoga. There is lots of food (mainly shrimp) in and around the timber and the fish are enjoying the easy pickings. Bait anglers are doing well, simply tying up to a tree and dropping unweight shrimp baits down the trunks of the timber, while lure anglers are also having plenty of success rolling hardbody lures (2-4m divers) tight to the timber. Spinnerbaits or lipless crankbaits can also better effective lures to do this, you just need to let them sink a little first before starting your retrieve. Good lure options for the timber would be Hide Up 150-300 lures, Zerek Slick back lures, Rapala 5cm and 6cm V Blades or 1/2oz Obsession Spinnerbaits.

Lures with brighter highlights or UV enhancements may also be more effective because of the water being a little discoloured.

MOOGERAH Not much has changed at

Freshwater QLD

FMM Moogerah, with the better fishing still being in the timber in the creek sections.

Lures like spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits, hardbodies or plastics rigged on jig spinners can all be effective while searching these zones. The key will be to work each area over thoroughly, ensuring any structure (whether it is timber, weed or a drop-off) has had your lure near it at some point.

If the water has cleared (after the current inflows), the fish will move into

open water and settle on the drop-offs around the points and creek channels.

Blades, spoons and soft plastics can all be effective when targeting these schooling fish.

MAROON May is a great time at Maroon to fish suspending hardbody lures. This is such an exciting way to catch a bass. Cast your lure to an edge, a piece of timber or weed (which surprisingly at Maroon this year is not as abundant as it has been), wind it down to depth and then stop and let

DARLING DOWNS AND GRANITE BELT

Toowoomba can help you out with all your bait and lure fishing needs LESLIE Consistent water levels have ensured that Leslie continues to fish well. The golden perch fishing has been good for quite some time, and that should continue this month. Although anglers using small blades or lipless crankbaits hopped in and around structure (rocks and timber) have been doing well on the goldens, bait anglers have been having more consistent results. Saltwater yabbies or live shrimp, if you can get them, are by far your best bait options. Fish them using as small a sinker as possible and drop them down either near structure or along the edges/drop off into deeper water.

It looks like the Murray cod fishing should be good this year. If water levels remain consistent, Leslie Dam will be a great option to get you Murray cod fix.

The signs are already positive, with a couple of 80cm and 90cm fish caught over the Easter weekend. May will only see the cod fishing get better as the water cools and the fish head onto the flats looking for a feed.

Don’t forget that Leslie Dam is part of

COOBY Cooby has been fishing consistently well for an extended period of time now.

Only poor weather seems to stop anglers from picking up a few fish.

Cooler water temperatures will push the fish to the edges, where they can be targeted with either small soft vibes or blades. Shore based anglers have also been enjoying some success targeting these fish. Saltwater yabbies and worms are your best bait options, while small plastics or blades hopped along the shoreline will also do the trick.

Anglers trolling the northern arm of the dam have also had some success.

The key is to find the edges of the old creek bed and troll your lure along it.

The goldens love ambushing anything that swims past along the drop-off, so make sure you use a lure that dives deep enough to get to that depth. Hopping blades in the same area or in places like the Hump can also be productive.

• Cooby is open to paddle and electric motor-powered craft. The gates are open from 6am-8pm. Fish’n’Bits tackle store in

it sit there. This pause can be anywhere from 5 – 20 seconds and retrieve a little and repeat. The takes can be spectacular, anytime from the middle of the pause to when you restart your retrieve. Seeing your line take off when you are not even moving the lure is so much fun. The better bite times for this tend to be early and later in the day.

Surface fishing is always an option at Maroon, however as the weather cools, it definitely slows down. Later in the day and into the evening is your better option

in the cooler months.

Areas like the mouths of the two creeks and the drop-offs from points can be where the bass concentrate in the middle of the day. Lightly weighted plastics or plastics rigged on jig spinners can be a great way of targeting them.

Paddle tail plastics tend to be best, and don’t be afraid to try out their colours at Maroon. Bright highlights or just BRIGHT colours can be all that gets a bite at times. I know I will fish Maroon at some point this month.

A quality golden perch caught in Leslie Dam. The dam is fishing well at the moment and is also one of the waterways that is part of the Fish ‘n SIP$ competition. the 2024 Fish ‘n SIP$ competition. Plenty of people have their eyes on catching a $20,000 fish, and Leslie Dam is one of the places you can do it.

• The local blokes at Warwick Outdoor and Sport in Palmerin Street can point you in the right direction and hook you up with the good gear and bait to catch the fish at Leslie.

CONNOLLY DAM Another option if you are in the area around Warwick is Connolly Dam. It has been stocked with golden perch, Murray

cod and silver perch.

When I spoke to John at Warwick Outdoors and Sport, he said Connolly had also been fishing very well. The weedy margins of the lake are where the golden perch like to hang out. They are a sucker for a slow-rolled soft plastic or a jig spinner rigged plastic.

Some nice cod have also been caught, with fish up to 80cm being reported, and the thought is that this excellent fishing will continue. Sounds like another great option if you are in the area.

CAPRICORN REGION AWOONGA Cooler weather patterns will start to take effect at Awoonga as water temperatures drop.

Most fishing activities will begin in the late morning at the earliest or least when the sun has hit the water and starts warming it up a little.

Many anglers will begin the day trolling in the main basin before pushing into the bays, looking for areas where the water may be warmer and more inviting for the barramundi to be there. Find a dirty water line plus some weed, and that can make the fishing even better.

Wind blowing into the same area is always important too, as it will blow the warmer water and food into the area you are fishing.

Weedless soft plastics tend to be the main lure option for most anglers.

Zerek Flat Shads are a popular option at Awoonga, but any other medium to large profile paddle tail plastic rigged weedless can be effective.

The fish of a lifetime for these two young anglers. Both barra were caught off the same weed bed during a night session at Lake Awoonga.

While the rest of SE Queensland has seen plenty of rain, Awoonga has not.

If it does get an increase in water level, it will be well worth getting to as it will likely fire up the fish – and fired-up Awoonga barramundi are something everybody wants.

• Gladstone Fly and Sportfishing (0429 223 550) run guided trips on the lake. Both cater to the needs of the angler and can do fly or conventional tackle trips to target the lake’s barramundi. It is hard to beat time on the water and a guided trip is a great way to learn more about this lake and its fish.

Gary’s Marine Centre

3201 6232

217 Pine Mountain Road, BRASSALL MAY 2024 47

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Some things never die INTUITIVE CONTROL where I need to seriously consider going over the side when I hook Australia to get The Sheik of the Creek my terminal tackle back – haha, he said terminal tackle.

I can’t help thinking though about My eldest just sent me a picture of a that Briton or Roman or Pict or whoever fishing hook dug out of a peat bog it was that lost that hook so that we could somewhere in southern England that find it 2000 years later. Can you imagine dates back somewhere around 2,000 years ago. the frustration they would have felt when they couldn’t find it? Roaring around the Amazingly, it looks exactly like a bark hut: anyone seen my hook? Anyone? number 4 whiting hook except where the I left it on the chariot. Have you kids been hole at the end is, and that’s more like a using it to catch the chook? I’ve warned little nub that is designed to stop your fishing line from sliding off the end. you about that...

I also had to consider the ancient I can’t imagine they had a lot of access tackle shop, and how the upmarket Briton to 10lb mono or alternatively 8 strand might have upgraded from the granite braid with polymer coating in those days, hook that his neighbours were using down but they must have had some sort of hemp on the Thames: bypassed the aisle of tin string or some such to tie it onto. And BRAESIDE octopus circles to the latest technology, the there probablyALBERTON weren’t too many overhead ALBERTON MARINE MARINE WORLD chemicallyJVsharpened silver long shank reels to load up with that string. Come Johnsonan Street 878 Springvale Roadbrought Braesideover with the patented string nub to think of it,39without old Alberton style Coke P: (03) 5183 2344 P: (03) 9798 8883 from Piscetorium by Cadwellin’s imports. bottle, what did they wind their line onto?

5183of2219 F: (03)disaster 9798 7554 What a bloody losing that would The hookF:is(03) made silver, I think. albertonmarine.com.au have been.W:I jvmarine.com.au hope the kids didn’t get a I can just seeW:myself heading down to flogging with a birch branch.

Nunya Creek to hunt some jacks and MELBOURNE BENDIGO And then I had to come to terms with pondering what silver hook I should select MELBOURNE MARINE CENTRE BENDIGO MARINE & OUTDOORS my record in recent months, and how to pin a livey on and drop into the rocks 393-399 South Gippsland Hwy 160 Midland Highway Epsom even if old mate and his neighbours were and snags. Having recently stocked up Dandenong South P: (03) 5448 3988 using wooden clubs to dong fish in the on a few 6/0 suicides, I don’t consider P: (03) 9703 2003 W: bendigomarine.com.au shallows, their strike rate would have been there’d be much difference in price if they info@melbournemarine.com.au better thanE:mine (haha, he said dong). were made of MELBOURNE silver. It’s almost at the stage BRISBANE

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PICTURE

MELBOURNE TRIPLE M MARINE 117 Northgate Drive Thomastown P: (03) 9465 8787 F: (03) 9466 1418 W: triplemmarine.com.au

Billy Westaway caught this beautiful longtail tuna from Tathra Wharf on a live yellowtail. It weighed 12.2kg and measured 102cm long.

MAY 2024 49

WHAT’S NEW FISHING

DAIWA 23 TD COMMANDER

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Developed with input from local angling heroes, the TD Commander line-up is designed to perfectly cater for Australian conditions and species.

TD Commander is the showcase of Daiwa technology, with SVF Nanoplus blanks paired with X45X Full Shield technology to further elevate their performance. Lightweight and sensitive, SVF Nanoplus represents a significant upgrade from the previous version, making the new TD Commander now lighter and more sensitive than ever.

A combination Fuji Titanium SiC and Daiwa AGS (Air Guide System) guide train is lighter than an all-titanium set up and reduces the weight further increasing sensitivity.

In the baitcast models, a debut of Daiwa’s new reel seat concept, Zero Seat, with a brand-new offset trigger grip which sits the reel lower in the hand, improves palming of both large and small baitcast reels alike. www.daiwafishing.com.au

ZMAN MULLETRON LT

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With an ICAST award for Best Soft Plastic, you know the ZMan Mulletron LT is going to catch fish. This innovative mullet imitation features 10X Tough ElaZtech construction, photo printed realism, and a natural swimming motion at a wide range of retrieve speeds. During product testing the Mulletron caught barra, jacks, Murray cod, mulloway, flathead, trevally and more.

Available in 4.5” and 6” sizes and six colours, the Mulletron’s line-through design allows the plastic to slide up the line after the hook set, reducing leverage from the fish and enabling the custom, heavy-duty sickle hook to remain securely pinned in the fish, even during the most aggressive head shakes, jumps, and tail walks.

The 4.5” model is fitted with a heavyduty, black nickel needlepoint 3/0 hook and features a 1/4oz internal weight and 3/4oz overall casting weight. The 6” model is equipped with the same style of heavyduty hook in a 5/0 size, with a 3/4oz internal weight and overall casting weight of 1 3/4oz.

A moderate and perfectly balanced sink rate, thanks to the internal weighted harness and buoyant ElaZtech plastic, allows the lure to maintain an upright posture on the slowest retrieves, on the fall, and even at rest on the bottom, to attract fish.

Price: SRP $19.95-$23.95 www.daiwafishing.com.au

SAMAKI REDIC JERKBAIT MS90

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The newest addition to Samaki’s Redic series is the Redic Jerkbait MS90. It provides anglers with strategic depth advantages, making it a go-to choice for a range of fishing conditions.

Crafted in Australia, this medium suspending jerkbait weighs 16.3g and dives to 1.5 feet. The MS90 is engineered with top-tier materials, with premium ABS construction and supersonic welding technology for durability in challenging environments. Designed to excel in action and strength, it caters to diverse fishing scenarios, targeting species such as barramundi, mangrove jack, mulloway, flathead and more. For more information on the Redic range, visit the Samaki website or follow them on social media. www.samaki.com.au

PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY 50 MAY 2024

WILLIAMSON THUNDER JIG BLADED 4

4

The Williamson Thunder Jig Bladed is a new jig that combines action with maximum flash.

This highly versatile, rear-weighted jig can be used as a traditional vertical jig with a bite-enticing flutter on the drop.

Add the flash from the blade, and the fish cannot resist it. The bladed single hook on the rear also aids in slowing down the sink rate, allowing anglers to target fish in shallower water.

The Thunder Jig Bladed can also be used as a cast-and-retrieve lure. Casting like a bullet, this lure has an erratic action on a quick retrieve, making the blade dance and provide extra flash.

The Williamson Thunder Jig Bladed weighs 40g and is currently available in seven fish-catching colours. www.rapala.com.au

VENOM V-LINE

6

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Venom V-Line, from Wilson Fishing, is a high-end braid designed specifically for sportfishers. Built from Honeywell Spectra fibre, V-Line is a prestretched, heat-treated, 8-strand braid that comfortably sits at the top end of braided line manufacturing processes.

Thanks to improvements in manufacturing, this new line has a mild coating and a better weaving process that helps to resist staining from dirty water use, often seen while barra and cod fishing. The new manufacturing process also allows this line to be used equally effectively on spin, baitcast and offshore overhead tackle, making V-Line an incredibly versatile, elite-level braid.

The mild coating also means this braid will resist fluffing. Fluffing of braid creates weak spots that reduce the consistency of the line.

Venom V-Line is currently available from PE 2 (34lb/15.7kg) to PE 10 (138lb/62.7kg). www.wilsonfishing.com

SHIMANO SEDONA FJ

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2

5 6

The Sedona FJ is packed with innovative technologies that are typically reserved for Shimano’s toptier offerings, all at an angler-friendly price point.

At the heart of the Sedona FJ lies the Hagane Drive Gear, produced through Shimano’s cold-forging technology. This gear not only guarantees exceptional smoothness and power but also ensures lightweight and long-lasting performance that stands up to the test of time. Unlike traditional machined gears, the Hagane Drive Gear is built to withstand heavy loads and intensive use.

The Sedona FJ now features Shimano’s Silentdrive technology, where every piece of the drive train has been carefully reviewed and the smallest clearance gaps and wobbles have been eliminated to the highest tolerances. This Silentdrive feature is the same technology featured in Shimano’s flagship Stella range.

Moreover, the Sedona FJ embraces the G Free Body technology, shifting the reel’s centre of gravity closer to the rod for reduced fatigue and enhanced casting comfort. This reel incorporates Shimano’s Hagane Gearing technology, making it the most affordable Shimano reel to feature this innovation.

The Sedona FJ consists of five sizes from 1000 to the compact body C5000, to cover the full range of light tackle target species in Australia. www.shimanofish.com.au

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Sydney

NSW

FMM

Warm waters persist despite dropping air temps SYDNEY ROCK & BEACH

Alex Bellissimo alex@bellissimocharters.com.au

There is more news on the ban on line-caught groper in NSW: the DPI has provided an online petition for anglers to vote to overturn the ban.

To vote ‘NO!’ to the groper ban and protect the future of our sport, scan the QR code on this page or Google ‘NSW DPI groper petition’.

Let’s unite against this unjust decision.

WHAT’S BITING Now that the colder weather

using pilchards and prawns for bait, add some pilchard cubes to your berley, and 3-4 king prawns chopped up into small pieces. About 25% of your berley should be the bait you’re using, with the other 75% consisting of bread and chicken pellets. When the snapper, bream, or trevally get a little taste of your berley, they’ll often home in on your baits.

Most anglers use ball sinkers in the 1-3 size range, but you can go lighter or even slightly heavier if you want to. A 10kg outfit should be fine for most fish

Jake Berlochher and his son Ben (9yo) with one of several nice whiting they caught during the middle of the day.

Emerson Selvaraj with a kingfish caught on an eastern sea garfish.

Catching his first king was a great experience for Emerson. May is a good month for kingies; don’t let the cooler weather put you off!

As you probably know, the ban was a knee-jerk reaction from the Agriculture Minster. When asked what evidence she had to ban line-caught groper, she essentially said that she felt like it and felt emotional about it. When asked for evidence of the species being in trouble, the government couldn’t provide any.

If we anglers don’t push back on this ban, it could extend to other species in the future, and heavily impact us. Green groups are becoming very influential and would love for all fishing to be banned. When these activists can’t achieve their agenda with evidence, they fall back on emotional arguments – and clearly, it’s working.

CODE

Scan this code to sign the DPI petition to overturn the blue groper ban.

is here, you could be forgiven for thinking it’s too cold for warmer water species. The good news is these fish can still be found mixing with winter species during May and June, as we’re approaching that period where the water temperature is warmer than the atmospheric temperature.

Read on to see what’s biting from the rocks and beaches.

ROCK FISHING Many anglers only target snapper during winter, but these fish are actually available in good numbers from November until late July. May is a great month for snapper, with fish up to 63cm being caught by some locals.

I recommend fishing the deep water headlands with a good cover of wash (white water) and deploying a generous amount of berley. When you’re snapper fishing, it pays to have a couple of different types of bait and add those to your berley. For example, if you’re

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When targeting mulloway with big baits you may encounter other sizeable species. This 88cm dusky, caught by Andrew Dickson, was released after a quick photo. you’ll encounter. You can use a slightly heavier outfit if you like, but when the bream and trevally are plentiful I prefer to fish lighter, as these species can sometimes be finicky. That said, a heavier outfit will give you a better chance of landing a reasonable king or sizable snapper in rough terrain.

A good way to specifically target kings is with a live yellowtail fished on a float rig or an eastern sea gar. I recommend using a minimum 24kg outfit. True, most of the kings you’ll encounter off Sydney rocks can be landed on a 15kg outfit, but you’ll get smoked if you hook an 85-100cm fish. Even if you’re using 24kg gear, you can struggle to bully big kings out in rough terrain. The abrasive rocks, often encrusted with invertebrates like barnacles and limpets, can easily damage or even sever your line.

If you would prefer to fish with lures, I’ve had good results on the Bait Junkie 7” Jerk Shad and Saltiga Rough Ride in the 140-160mm models. These will suit your 15-24kg heavier outfit.

When it comes to lighter metals, I use OT Jigs in the 20-40g sizes for bonito, mac tuna, salmon, and tailor.

Rock blackfish (pigs) and luderick are also on the cards this month. Some of the bigger pigs are like tanks, with specimens up to 3.3kg, although the average fish is around 35-38cm. If you haven’t caught or eaten rock blackfish, you’re missing out on one of the best fish you will ever eat. And what a powerhouse they are! When you hook a sizeable pig it will make strong lunges, trying to cut you off on rock edges.

The go-to bait for these fish is a sizeable peeled prawn, such as a king or banana prawn. I prefer larger prawns over smaller river prawns because the flesh is firmer, therefore lasting longer.

White sliced bread cut in half (to make two baits per slice) works well in conjunction with mushy bread berley.

Cut crabs are also effective on rock blackfish, although they’re seldom used for them.

If you’re looking for spots for snapper, kings and pelagics this month,

Chris Andonenas caught this king on a live yellowtail fished 3m under a torpedo float. It pays to have a variety of bait and lures on your outings to see what the fish prefer on the day.

I recommend Old Mans Hat Manly, South and North Curl Curl and North Whale Rocks. For rock blackfish, try Long Reef’s northeast face in a strong southerly and the south face in a strong north-easterly.

Sydney NSW

FMM

Fish the break walls and flats for an autumn feed SYDNEY SOUTH

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

Many anglers ask me what my favourite local species is, but it’s so hard to nail it down to one. I would say that luderick and drummer would be right up there.

Luderick and drummer can be found living and feeding in the same areas – surf-washed rocks, gutters where the sand meets the rocks, and potholes. They can be found in or near the entrances of river mouths, too, where there is rocky structure. They can also be found schooling around rocky outcrops in the

surf zone, such as the one in front of the surf club at Coalcliff Beach, just south of southern Sydney.

A rock break wall is another place

Keeleigh Shepard caught this Aussie salmon on a ZMan 1.75” Micro Goat in the bloodworm colour on a 1/12oz, size 1 Headlockz jighead.

You couldn’t get the smile off Mark Fleming’s face when he caught this magnificent mulloway.

While fishing the flats in the Georges River, Terry landed this bream on a shallow-diving Chubby while fishing from his kayak.

that drummer like to take up residence, because there are plenty of nooks and crannies for the fish to hide in.

The gear I prefer to use for both

BEACH FISHING Now is a good time to fish for mulloway, which have been making the most of the run of tailor on our beaches of late. The reason the tailor are in good numbers on the beaches is because of all the larger baitfish, like garfish and frogmouth pilchards, and the migration of tailor heading north. The tailor will attract the mulloway in various sizes, from undersized fish to brutes up to 25kg+.

Dusky whaler sharks up to 1.8m have been harassing beach mulloway anglers as well.

The traditional tailor and salmon rig is a ganged pilchard. It has been used for over 100 years and still works a treat. Another good tailor/ salmon bait is a fish fillet cut into strips 12-15cm long by 3cm wide, and it’s a great mulloway bait, too.

You can get some nice whiting catches this month as they start their migration run up the coast.

You can catch a variety of sizes in a single session; one whiting can be undersized, and the next can be 40cm. Live beach worms and pink nippers are the most popular baits.

Bream are often mixed in with the whiting, and a few decentsized tarwhine also turn up from time to time.

Beaches to try this month are Manly/Queenscliff. To avoid the crowds, fish just before dark and into the night, or just before sunrise. Dee Why, Newport and Avalon beaches have been producing as well.

Before I sign off, please scan the QR code to fill out the DPI petition on the blue groper ban. Let’s show the politicians we won’t take this

species while fishing off the rocks is a 12ft rod and either a size 5000 or 6000 size Okuma threadline or a 6” side-cast Alvey reel. In the estuaries, I downsize the rod to a 10ft and size 400 threadline reel.

The baits I prefer to use are peeled blue-tailed and royal red prawns, cunjevoi, green weed and cabbage and crabs.

Locations that are worth a shot are the north-eastern corner of Bare Island, the break walls at the entrance to the Cooks River, the northern and southern sides of the Captain Cook Bridge, Lugarno, the Moons, Picnic Point, the Georges River State Park and Cattle Duffers in the Georges River.

In the Port Hacking you could try the old Fisheries Point, Wally’s Wharf, Lilli Pilli Baths, Gunnamatta Bay Baths, south and north-west arms, Gymea Bay, Grays Point and just downstream from Audley Weir.

Off the rocks you could try Kurnell Peninsula, Jibbon Point, Marley, Wattamolla and Coalcliff.

OTHER SPECIES There have been good catches of whiting, flathead, flounder and bream in Botany Bay over the past month, and the best bait by far has been the live pink nipper followed by peeled prawns, half pilchard and fresh strips of squid.

Fabiola Donosa with her first legalsize bream. She was very happy with it, and caught a nice whiting, too. lying down.

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One of the author’s favourite local species is drummer.

The Georges River has had reports of big schools of mullet schooling up from Bald Face Point to the Milperra Bridge. It’s just a matter of finding out where they are.

Small floats and white bread for bait will help you catch them.

Big tailor and salmon have started to show up off the beaches in Bate Bay. I recommend getting down there early with your whole pilchards on ganged hooks.

Alternatively, you could try going for a late afternoon session.

A pair of dusky flathead caught while fishing the shallows near Como Bridge in the Georges River.

Boat Harbour has been producing drummer, squid and trevally off the rocks on peeled prawns and cunje. Make sure you have a good supply of berley. Bread is my favourite off the rocks.

There are still a few kingfish about in the Port Hacking, so don’t be surprised if one of your baits or lures gets pounced on by one.

Try fishing the main channel form Lilli Pilli to the Entrance of Burraneer Bay for whiting, flathead, trevally and bream.

I have had a couple of reports of mulloway being caught up in South West Arm on live yellowtail and squid.

Offshore, the sand flathead and snapper will be on the chew in the coming weeks. I would try the 30m depth off Kurnell, and if you don’t find them, just move out a little bit deeper until you find them. Mark the position ready for when you are out next.

Until next month, don’t forget to keep those short reports and pictures coming into gbrown1@iprimus.com.au.

MAY 2024 53

NSW

Coffs Coast

FMM

Good offshore fishing is finally back in Coffs COFFS COAST

Rob Taylor

Just when we thought we were in for a bumper pelagic run, the weather took a turn for the worse and stayed that way. Almost a month of green, cool water eddied off the coast, sending most fish south or holding north of us.

There were plenty of frustrated fishos scratching their heads at the local boat ramps. At a time of year when everything should have been firing, we were in the doldrums for what felt like an eternity. Fortunately, as I write this report, the current has kicked back in and we’ve got some good blue water pushing in, and catches are improving.

Despite the doom and gloom,

Some good snapper will come within reach of the local yak brigade this month.

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there were still some good catches made last month, but anglers had to work for them and adjust their approach – much like we do at the end of each year when we’re plagued with cold, green currents.

There have been Spanish and spotted mackerel taken this past month, along with quite a few longtail tuna. Snapper have also been turning up on the inshore reefs, with some decent-sized reds amongst them.

When the offshore fishing shut down, the estuaries became more popular. A steady stream of flathead, whiting, school-size mulloway, jacks and GTs made the local creeks and rivers the place to be.

Now that we’ve got better

conditions gracing our shores for autumn, let’s look at how May is shaping up.

CREEKS AND RIVERS As mentioned, the creeks and rivers have proven something of a saviour this past month, and I expect the fishing will remain consistent throughout May before the water starts to cool.

If you want to land a mangrove jack, this month will be your last chance to reliably pursue them. As usual, the river rock walls, marina pylons and snags in the upper reaches will be the places to find them. The local marina after dark can produce some thumping jacks.

The popular triumvirate of flathead, whiting and bream will all be feeding in the local creeks and rivers, and there’ll be plenty of soapy-size mulloway and small GTs added to the mix, making for some fun sessions on the quiet water.

Fishing the start of the run-in is the time I find best, and either baits or lures will produce results. It always pays to swing by one of the local tackle shops to get up to speed on the latest lures hitting the market.

ROCKS AND BEACHES The longtail tuna have well and truly arrived and there have been plenty of good fish taken off the rocks and even beaches on live baits and spin gear.

The local ledges have all been fishing well for longies, and you can’t go past a yellowtail or gar drifted out alive under a bobby cork to tempt one of these rockets. It’s

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Brad Bye with a typical red for this time of year. The snapper will start to improve in numbers toward the end of the month.

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FMM

Hayden Elks with a solid Spaniard off the reef.

and fish the edges to maximise your chances. You can gather bait at your feet in the form of pipis and worms, or bring in fresh nippers or pillies.

OFFSHORE Finally, and not a moment too soon, we should see a return to some solid offshore fishing this month.

While it may be getting too late for wahoo and small black marlin, if the warm water stays above 24°C they could still be a possibility.

Spanish mackerel, on the other hand, will be a more reliable target.

I read a Facebook post somewhere by a fisho claiming mackerel can’t be relied on during May, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Locals know that when we start putting on jumpers in the morning, it’s prime time for mackerel.

There will still be smatterings of spotties getting about in close, but it’s the Spannos that will make up the bulk of the catches throughout May. The deep droppers have already started getting into the bar cod, so if the current slacks off and conditions allow, consider heading wide and deep. Some of the new electric reels recently released

by Wilson will make the deepdropping scene more accessible to the average fisho.

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There are still plenty of Spanish mackerel around, although sharks can be a problem. some of the best fun you can have off the stones.

The beaches will also be a lot of fun this month. We tend to get good ‘crossover’ fishing on the beaches in May, with whiting, flathead and dart mixing it up in the gutters with tailor, mulloway and bream.

Look for long gutters, preferably with a deep channel at either end,

Marlin will also be about but I’d be focussing on the blues and stripes out wider for better success. There’s been a great run down off Sydney, but Coffs never seems to get the white-hot marlin fishing anymore.

Still, there’s more than enough action for any angler to make a day pulling game lures worth the petrol bill!

MAY 2024 55

NSW

Coffs Coast

FMM

Plenty of pelagics around to keep anglers happy SOUTH WEST ROCKS

Vic Levett

After the last few months of mackerel fever, things are starting to slow down.

The water temperatures are slowly dropping, and winter is not far away.

May is a crossover month, with the last of the pelagics and the beginning of the cooler water fish (such as snapper and pearl perch) beginning to move back onto the inshore reefs.

Hopefully, the offshore current will slow down this month so we can access some of the deeper reefs in search of tasty reef-dwellers.

Inshore snapper fishing really picked up over the past month, and the early bite was where it was at. Shallow reefs to the north produced some solid fish, with Jack Riach landing a 7kg model on a 7” Gulp fished on a 3/8oz jighead. Jack swears by the Berkley pilchard colour for his plastics.

There have been plenty of tuna

Longtail tuna should be around for at least a few more months. This one was taken onboard Ocean Hunter Sportfishing Charters.

OFFSHORE During April, there was some outstanding fishing offshore. Cobia were regularly encountered, with our local paramedic, Dan, scoring a couple of 20kg models. Ian Black also caught some solid cobes off the Grassy Headland reefs. He puts his success down to a solid berley trail.

Mackerel numbers have decreased but the average size has been bigger, which is typical of late-season fish.

Young gun Kai Axisa recently scored an impressive 18kg Spanish on a live slimy mackerel slow trolled around Gaol Grounds.

around lately. Longtails, mac tuna and the odd yellowfin have all been caught on the eastern side of Fish Rock, along with a return of some kingfish. The kings have been responding well to slow-pitch jigs. Both Australia and Watson’s leaping bonito have been caught around the headlands of Trial Bay. The wahoo have been very quiet this year, but hopefully some fish will turn up this month.

The DPI FAD went missing for a couple of weeks but was quickly replaced and has been producing plenty of mahimahi.

May is a great time to target marlin

off the Canyons, which are only 12 miles off Trial Bay. Both blue and striped marlin are on the cards, and trolling lures is your best option. Don’t be complacent about the size of the fish you may encounter beyond the shelf; there are some seriously large blues lurking in these waters.

ESTUARY The river has been fishing extremely well, and it should only improve in May. Most of the large flathead should back up in the shallows feeding up for the long winter ahead. Targeting flatties in the shallows with lightly-weighted soft plastics, such as the Berkley 3” Turbo Shrimp, is a great way to spend an arvo.

Try fishing the drop-offs and gutters on a run-out tide. The flats around Stuarts Point and around Jerseyville hold good numbers of fish. There have been plenty of whiting on the same flats, which don’t mind a drifted pink nipper that can be pumped on the low tide.

School mulloway, bream and some giant luderick are spread out along the break walls. Look for the deeper sections and anything that will create a pressure edge, such as deviation on the diver for the fish to aggregate around.

Local estuary charter operator South West Rocks Estuary Charters have been scoring plenty of fish for their clients. Bream, flatties, mulloway and the odd jack have been keeping them busy.

Zane with a couple of quality Spanish mackerel.

The beaches around Black Rock and North Smokey have been producing dart, whiting, bream, and the odd small mulloway. Local beach worms are a great bait and can be purchased from The Rocks Bait and Tackle.

As long as the weather holds out, May should be a great month with plenty of options for anglers to wet a line. Make sure you drop into our local tackle shops to see what’s biting and the best way to target them. Until next

Spotted mackerel catches were consistent throughout April.

The river has been fishing very well. Rolf caught and released this jack on a trip with Ocean Hunter Sportfishing Charters.

56 MAY 2024

ROCKS AND BEACHES May will no doubt see some great land-based gamefish captures. Longtail tuna and cobia will be the prime targets for these highly dedicated anglers.

Mitch from Mid North Coast Fishing has been getting into some exceptional fishing with large longtails, huge tailor and mega sharks being landed. Mitch specialises in beach drone fishing and can be contacted via Outdoor Adventures SWR. Rock hoppers have been getting quality drummer, tarwhine, bream and tailor when conditions have allowed.

month, keep fishing and stay bent.

• Vic Levett and his son Zane run Oceanhunter Sportfishing charters out of the beautiful South West Rocks. They target all manner of sports fish from king fish, mackerel, cobia and all way through to the famous black marlin of Trial Bay. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced angler, the boys will put you onto the best fish available. To find out more visit www.Oceansportsfishing. com.au, Insta Ohsportfishing, Facebook Oceanhunter Sportsfishing. Email vic@oceansportsfishing.com.au, or call 0414 906 569.

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Increase in baitfish gives fishery a boost PORT MACQUARIE

Kate Shelton

For Port Macquarie anglers, luderick catches continue to increase, especially along the southern break wall, where both cabbage and artificial weed have proven effective.

Additionally, there are opportunities to catch some nice-sized bream,

particularly for those fishing the walls after dark.

Flathead fishing has been excellent, with good numbers of fish caught using both lures and bait around Rawdon Island and in the lower section of the Maria River.

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Camden Haven angler Matthew Hutchison with a great-sized cobia he recently caught off the Mid North Coast.

Kamahl ‘Hutch’ Hutchen caught this great bream fishing at night in the Hastings River.

The inshore reefs are seeing an increase in snapper numbers, with both bait and soft plastics yielding good results. Further offshore, pearl perch and kingfish numbers have been excellent over autumn, particularly off Point Plomer and south of the Lighthouse.

Mackerel activity is expected to decrease as water temperatures drop.

However, the FADs have been productive this year for mahimahi, with the odd decent-sized fish still present.

On the deep drop fishing scene, the current has started to back off and conditions have been ideal with some great catches of blue-eye trevalla and bass groper caught in around 300-400m of water.

Further south along the beaches, we’ve had reports of plenty of decentsized bream, most notably at North Haven Beach and Rainbow Beach during early morning and evening sessions.

Whiting have also been putting on a stellar performance, lured by beach worms and pipis.

Tailor catches are on the rise as we head into the cooler months, coinciding with a gradual improvement in standard winter water clarity.

Reports of mulloway remain quiet; I have noticed only a couple of catches around Diamond Head.

Zayne Cassidy with a fantastic mahimahi he caught off South West Rocks.

Tara Rowe with a spotted mackerel she caught in Plomer Bay during peak mackerel season.

58 MAY 2024

For rock fishing anglers, recent catches of tailor and tuna are most likely related to the increased numbers of baitfish. Additionally, the headlands have been fruitful locations for luderick, bream, and drummer, showcasing an abundance of these species locally.

Offshore, snapper populations continue to thrive, with excellent reports coming in from inshore reefs near Crowdy Head and Laurieton. Anglers fishing out of the Camden Haven have encountered strong currents but still managed to reel in impressive catches of kingfish on the wider reefs throughout April.

In the Macleay River area, bream have been consistently caught, particularly during morning high tides.

Mullet gut and strip baits have

Macquarie Coast NSW

FMM

Fish behaviour is changing as temps fall FORSTER

Luke Austin

Many anglers are getting excited as we move into the winter fishing season. The mornings might be a bit chilly but it’s worth the effort, with loads of quality fish about!

Once we start to see those freezing south-westerly winds, you know its bream time. We have already seen big numbers of solid fish move into the estuary and settle down around the rock walls, jetties and bridge pylons. Anglers chasing

throw 3-4” plastics or hardbodies about.

You will be amazed by how many flathead have moved up.

This year’s luderick season is yet to kick off in earnest. However, after seeing a lot of fish starting to school up near the Rockpool in Tuncurry recently, it won’t be long until luderick fever kicks in! Anglers having an early crack have been catching mostly small, ‘resident’ luderick rather than the big bronzies that we all love to chase. Still, they’ve been managing to land 5-6 fish most sessions.

Reports from the beach have been all over the place. With the cool temperatures and offshore winds, a lot of beach anglers are now firmly focussed on chasing tailor.

The average size is really nice at the moment, with most fish in the 35-60cm range, and the odd monster mixed in.

Finding the schools of fish has been tough though, with anglers reporting a ‘there one day, gone the next’ type of pattern.

There haven’t really been any standout beaches but heading south will give you

Benny with a lovely little late-season flathead taken from the local rock wall. fish further up on the weed beds have reported an obvious change, with many small fish schooled up there, but not many over 25cm.

On the flip side, anglers floating baits and throwing small plastics in the lower reaches have been having a ball on better size bream. There have been loads of fish up about the 28-35cm mark, with plenty of solid fish mixed in.

The flathead fishing has also changed with the cooler weather. There are still plenty of good fish to be caught but you will need to move up into the system a bit to find any decent numbers. Instead of looking for bream up the rivers and on the weed beds and sand flats down south, try

the best chance at finding them. I would try the southern half of 7 Mile Beach to begin with.

If you are struggling to find much joy with the tailor, don’t be scared to downsize the gear and have a go for a few bream, as there have been plenty of solid fish hanging about in most decentlooking gutters. Unfortunately, even though the water is still up around the

yielded good results for locals.

Anglers pursuing bream with lures have found success using soft vibes and plastics in the deeper sections of the river.

Flathead action remains popular, with impressive fish over a metre reported throughout April, alongside the odd mangrove jack.

Tailor have become the primary catch off the local beaches, with copious numbers found along most stretches of sand. Popular baits include lures, pilchards, and whitebait, as well as slab baits during or after dusk for the chance to land a larger fish.

Bream catches off the beach have

also increased, with May being known as the prime month for sizable fish. Those who fish during the night have also reported school mulloway from various local fishing spots, with fresh garfish the recommended bait for targeting these fish. As mullet begin their migration, keep an eye out for larger mulloway shadowing these moving schools.

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It’s tailor time.

The snapper fishing is amazing during May! 19-20°C mark, it would seem our whiting season is all over!

Reports from the stones have been very wintery! Anglers have been having fun tangling with some solid tailor and salmon off most headlands and ledges (you might also run into the odd pod of late-season longtail tuna). Even casting from the rocks close to town has been worth a go, with the southern and northern ends of One Mile Beach proving to be particularly fruitful lately. There have been a few drummer getting about in the washes, along with some very nice bream, luderick and snapper.

OFFSHORE Getting offshore hasn’t been easy lately but there have been enough days to get out for a bit of a look. There are definitely some good fish getting about out there.

Snapper have been very interesting in recent weeks; for some reason the reefs out in 20-50m have been extremely quiet, with only the odd fish being caught from

these depths. Instead, anglers have been finding some really nice fish and great numbers of fish holding right up close in the shallow wash zones. Fishing for reds in the wash is awesome fun, and it never ceases to amaze me how many big fish can be found holding up so close to shore.

Boats that have headed south and fished in the deeper stuff (80m+) have also found some great fish, with mixed bags of snapper, trag and the odd pearl perch making up most catches.

Pelagic species have all but finished up now. The FAD is still holding the odd mahimahi but that’s about it.

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Drop in or give them a call on 02 6554 9541 or find them on Facebook to see what they have been up to!

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MAY 2024 59

NSW

Hunter Coast

FMM

A variety of options for estuary and offshore PORT STEPHENS

Paul Lennon

May brings some of the best fishing Port Stephens has to offer, with typically stable weather and warm water. There are plenty of options, regardless of whether you’re land-based in the estuary or heading well offshore.

Bream are really turning it on inside the bay, and I reckon May is probably the most productive month to target them.

The back half of the system, from Soldiers Point through to the mouth of the Karuah

There have been plenty of squid around in recent weeks.

River, provides endless bream habitat with oyster racks, rock bars, rocky islands and rocky shoreline. For bait fishers, any of these areas will produce on the high tides with unweighted nippers cast down a berley trail.

However, the most effective way to catch bream in these parts is using soft plastic and hardbody lures. One of the biggest reasons they work so well is the sheer amount of ground you can cover when fishing with lures, which helps you to find the fish. Bream lures are typically very lightweight, so to cast them you want a finesse outfit around 1-3kg rigged with some 4-6lb braid and equivalent light leader. My favourite bream soft plastic is the Gulp 2’’ Shrimp, and for hardbodies, you cannot beat Jackall Chubby lures in the deep and shallow models.

Flathead remain in healthy numbers around the shallows from Shoal Bay through to Tilligerry Creek. They can be easily tempted with soft plastics, hardbody lures, or even a good old-fashioned, slowrolled pilchard or whitebait, especially around the top of the tide.

Squid numbers have been great over the past couple of months. It’s great to see after a couple of slow years since the floods. The best places inside the port to target them are over the weed beds around Nelson Bay, Shoal Bay and Jimmys Beach. Size 2.5 jigs are the go in these areas, with natural colours 60 MAY 2024

often working best, especially when the water is crystal clear. Little Beach, next to the boat ramp, is another great spot for squid in the bay, especially if you fish late in the afternoon and into the night.

Smaller jigs, around 1.8-2.0, have been working well here.

Luderick have moved in and will be a staple over the next few months. There is no better place to target luderick on the east coast than the Nelson Bay rock wall, but it’s not the only place to catch them; Little Beach and Tomaree Torpedo tubes are also worth a crack.

OCEAN ROCKS Longtail tuna are still around and well worth targeting from Tomaree Headland, Box Beach Headland, Fingal Head and Sunny Corner. Plenty of their smaller cousins have also been caught from the rocks, with mac tuna and bonito often being a pest when targeting longtails. Still, these smaller tuna do provide great fun on light spin gear.

Drummer season has started, and you should be able to catch plenty around the back of MT Tomaree, Boulder Bay and Rocky Point. Early morning is the best time to catch drummer, and the top baits are fresh cunjevoi or large peeled prawns.

Some big squid have been taken off the ocean rocks in recent weeks, and Kiddies Corner at Fingal Bay and Boat Harbour are great places to catch some monster green-eyes.

OCEAN BEACHES Anglers have been catching big bream in the gutters along Stockton and Fingal Bay, as well as the odd ripper 40cm sand whiting. Live worms are the key to success off the ocean beaches and will catch everything from whiting to mulloway.

Some nice bream have been showing up inside the estuary.

OFFSHORE There are still some great live baiting options around the inshore reefs and headlands, with longtail tuna, cobia and kingfish all on the cards, as well as mac tuna, tailor and bonito.

While it’s a bit of a run, Edith Breakers is usually worth the effort if you’re targeting snapper – particularly on soft plastic lures, because a large chunk of the

The author with a trophy cobia. area is lure fishing only. If you’re after that trophy 20lb snapper, Edith is one of the best places to try.

If you don’t want to travel that far, the islands out the front of the heads through

to Broughton also hold some cracking fish at this time of year. However, you want to be on the water early or late as the bite typically gets much tougher when the sun is up.

Mullet run has begun SWANSEA

Jason Nunn

By the time you read this report, the travelling fish will be out in force. Mild conditions in March and early April slowed the process down, but now there are significant numbers of mullet travelling up the coast, moving north.

The mullet run is a trigger for a range of predatory species to fire up and take advantage of the bounty.

Big numbers of bream are travelling coastally and moving into the estuary, where they’ll stay until late June. Bream numbers are also building up along the rocks and the beaches.

As we move closer to winter, we’re also starting to see an increase in tailor numbers in Lake Macquarie, particularly in the deeper water areas around Pulbah Island and Murrays. These locations have been producing some quality fish, with increasing numbers caught on vibes and soft plastics.

If you hit the water early in the morning you have a good chance of finding surface-feeding tailor as they demolish the bait schools. Always keep an eye out for black terns, which like to eat the baitfish boiled up by the tailor.

Underneath the feeding frenzies, little scraps of chewed baitfish drift down to the scavengers waiting below. This natural berley attracts flathead, squiresize snapper, bream and mulloway, which become more common catches at this time.

If you can’t find any surface bust-ups, that’s OK – just keep on the move and watch your sounder for bait schools.

Remember, a ragged-looking school is much more productive than a big, perfectlooking one. Too many guys used to come into the store and say, “I was on the best school and caught nothing!” I explained

that when a school looks big and solid, it doesn’t have many predators attacking it. Conversely, when a school looks fragmented or ragged, you know that predators are chopping it apart.

You may need to cover a lot of ground to find a good school; there could be 100 schools and only five getting worked by predators. If you’re having no luck in the southern end of the lake, head to the middle or northern end and try your luck there.

Once you’ve found a bait school it’s time to send out some deep diving lures. My go-to is the deep Rapala Tail Dancer that gets down to 9m, but other deep-divers like Halco Crazy Deeps will also suffice. The 5-9m depth range tends to be the most productive. It’s also important to stagger your lures, with one shallower and one deeper, to find where the fish are holding on the day. You’ll find that trolling is a very relaxed and enjoyable way to go fishing, and can be very productive.

When it comes to lure colours, contrast is important. If you’re using a deeper lure, I recommend going for greens, whites or blacks. If you’re in the top 5m, go for more vibrant colours, particularly lures with a bit of chrome.

The chrome reflects sunlight in a similar way to the flash of a fleeing baitfish.

The numbers of kingfish in Lake Macquarie are good at the moment.

There are also a few cobia in the lake, mostly in the deeper water down off Pulbah, which is warmed by the hot water outlet. Most of the kingfish are caught by downrigging with a live yellowtail or live squid. If your bait is down low enough, you might encounter a good mulloway, too.

If you want to catch a travelling bream, the best times to fish are very early in the morning and in the

Hunter Coast NSW

FMM

One of the best months for fishing and weather CENTRAL COAST

Jamie Robley

Although there’s a distinct chill in the air now, it’s still an awesome time of year for fishing in this part of the world. Let’s take a closer look at what we can expect in the coming weeks.

Cooler nights and less sunlight mean the shallow lakes are cooling down, and fish movements and habits are also changing. Bream are currently the dominant species around the lakes, but they should start to thin out over the next few weeks. Still, although there will be fewer fish around the main bodies of the lakes, you’re more likely to encounter bigger bream this month. Most adult

bream feed up and put on a bit of weight before winter arrives and they move out to sea. The same applies with bream in Brisbane Waters.

It’s a good time right now to try to specifically target larger bream, with bigger lures or nice, juicy baits like a fresh chunk of tailor, half a garfish or mullet gut. Fishing at night with fresh, natural bait is a good way of connecting with larger bream that may be too wary or hesitant to hit a lure.

Try dropping baits close in around bridge pylons, steeper rocky shorelines, or jetties with deeper water.

Flathead have been treating me well this autumn, and I’ve been noticing some larger fish showing up in Tuggerah Lakes these days. There was a time here where you’d be flat out trying to find a flatty over

Brisbane Waters should fish pretty well this month for bream, flathead and mulloway. The twin bridges at Woy Woy are one of many spots likely to produce results. evening. Try to coincide it with a high tide for best results.

Oily baits work best on the bream as the water temperatures fall. Mullet strips, mullet gut, pilchards and so on tend to work much better in May. Berleying is essential to hold the fish nearby.

In May and June, flathead leave the reefs and move back into the lake, so it’s a good time to target them. You can get great results on vibes, such as the Samaki Vibelicious, Jackall Transams and Zerek Flat Shads. 70-100mm is the preferred size range, and the sweet spot in Lake Macquarie seems to be 85mm.

The colour doesn’t seem to matter.

If you’d rather flick soft plastics, be sure to use a 5/0 hook because there are some mulloway amongst the flatties.

White is a good colour choice. The downside of plastics is that they’re less resistant to tailor than vibes are, so you may go through a packet fairly quickly.

In recent weeks, there have been good numbers of blue swimmer crabs, and we can expect this to continue until late June. At this time of year, the is to focus on deeper water.

ROCK AND BEACH Tailor are starting to build in good numbers off the beaches and rocks, with fish up to 60cm being reported. A few salmon have been popping up here and there, but not in any numbers.

The good old pilchard on a gang is

the go-to for tailor. The best time is just as the sun sets, particularly if it coincides with a high tide. During prime tailor time, the beaches can get crowded with anglers, so if you want the best gutter, you must get there early. I recommend being there by 2:30pm.

Off the rocks, you can get some good catches of tailor before sunrise, and you might also catch a bycatch kingfish. Kingies off the rocks are usually around 70-80cm, while most of the tailor are 50-60cm with the odd better fish to 65cm.

Fresh garfish work very well for tailor, but getting hold of them can be difficult.

Metal slugs/slices are an easier option, and a weight of around 85g is usually the best.

You want your lure to be heavy enough to get a bit of distance with the cast, and to sink a few metres before you start the retrieve.

Once the sun gets up, it’s all over.

Time to head home and return late in the afternoon, and fish until sunset.

If you haven’t been rock fishing before, go with an experienced rock fisher until you learn the ropes. And regardless of your skill level, be cautious if you’re fishing before sunrise, because you haven’t had a chance to sit and study the swell. If you get to the carpark and the water looks a bit dodgy, go home and return in the afternoon.

OFFSHORE Snapper numbers are increasing inshore, and depths of around 19-26m seem to be fishing the best. The preferred method is floating baits down a berley

It’s a good time of year to target bigger bream in Brisbane Waters and the lakes. The best strategies are to fish fresh baits at night or cast lures early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

50cm, and I’m beginning to think that less netting could be the reason for a slight increase in the average size of flathead.

These fish will still be active this month, but as we approach winter you’re better off looking for flathead in deeper channels, up the feeder creeks or adjacent to deeper rocky points. Slowly hopping a soft plastic close to the bottom in such places should do the trick.

Mulloway will definitely be worth chasing in Brisbane Waters and the lower Hawkesbury this month. Unless you’re a lure casting fanatic, I’d strongly suggest putting in the time and effort to round up some fresh squid, live mullet, live tailor or live pike. Herring are also a good live bait, but they tend to swim in circles and tangle up the line, and they’re a bit small.

As mentioned last month, the local trail. Good numbers of trag, bream and flathead have also been caught on most local inshore reefs.

Plenty of mahimahi have been caught inshore over the past month, and there might still be a few around in May, depending on the conditions.

Moving out wide, in late March we had a great run of striped marlin going 80kg or better, with the odd blue mixed in.

The action has slowed down since then, but we shouldn’t write them off just yet.

You can still encounter striped and blue marlin off the shelf in May, depending on the ocean currents and water temperature.

We may also get an early run of yellowfin.

In the coming weeks we should see snapper and kingfish on the 100m line from The Farm through to Texas, depending on the current. Generally, May through June is a good time. The standard way to catch them is with a paternoster, but be sure to take some heavy sinkers with you because the current can fluctuate.

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headlands, rock ledges, beaches and inshore reef are prime places to enjoy some action right now. Along this thin coastal strip, the main players will be tailor, kingfish, bonito, salmon, mulloway, bream and luderick.

Whether you prefer to fish from a boat, the rocks or the beach, you will be able to enjoy at least a few of these species this month.

May is another peak month for calamari squid, which are widely available wherever there’s shallow reef, preferably with some kelp growth. The biggest calamari tend to show up in May and into June. If you’re fishing offshore around sunset and into the night, be sure to have at least one rod rigged with a size 3.5 or 4 squid jig. It’s common for larger calamari to follow your baits or fish you’ve caught, often coming right up to the boat. If you see one you can quickly drop the jig next to it, and most of the time you’ll hook it. Beware though, as those bigger calamari can squirt out a lot of black ink.

Live baiting with yakkas, tailor or pike is highly effective for mulloway and kingfish around the headlands and inshore reef.

However, the livies also attract calamari, which love to bite the live baits on the back

As the water temps drop, a few more salmon should show up along the beaches. of the head. If you bring your bait in and see its been bitten behind its head, try dropping in a squid jig.

A lighter but very productive style of fishing to try this month is to berley up with a small amount of white bread and use small bread baits off the rocks. This tends to work best at shallower spots with a sandy bottom, which are more common north of Norah Head, but it will still work virtually anywhere off the rocks. The key is to use only a small amount of berley, and keep baits close into the rocks or cast under any foamy whitewash. Bream, luderick and drummer are the main customers, but you may hook into a few silver trevally, silver drummer or other species at this time of year.

All in all, I highly recommend getting out and casting a line this month. May is certainly one of our best months, but after this, things will start to slow down a bit.

MAY 2024 61

NSW

Illawarra Coast

FMM

Right now it’s big bream time along the coastline ILLAWARRA

Greg Clarke

It’s slowdown time in the ‘Gong. The fabulous fishing of the past three months is starting to wind up for another year, and cold water rolling up the south is pushing the last of the warm-water species ahead of it. All is not lost, as there is still a little life left in the ocean, but this is definitely your last shot before winter sets in.

Kingfish are still prowling the inshore reefs and islands so a live slimy mackerel slowly trolled down deep around these areas is well worth a try.

The islands and Bass Point at Shellharbour have been turning up a few fish. Live baits fished with weight near the bottom have been working best around Wollongong Reef, too. There are still a few rats about but most of the kingies caught have been legal to 5-6kg specimens.

Your live baits will pick up some big salmon, particularly around the islands.

Some of the salmon have been over 4kg so a good fight can be expected on light gear (but not on kingy gear).

Most of the bigger fish seem to be incidental catches but there are still plenty of schools working the surface along the coast.

be infested with yellowtail and sweep at the moment, making it hard to get a bait through to the snapper. The whaler sharks can give you a hard time as well, but the reds are there; just sometimes you have to work a little harder to get them.

Another species attracted to your berley will be the trevally, which increase in numbers as the waters cool.

They’re not always welcome if you are chasing snapper, but if the snapper don’t turn up, you can do worse than a feed of trevally.

It isn’t all doom and gloom for the bottom bouncers just yet, as there are still some flathead about. Granted, you will work a bit harder and longer for your fish, but they seem to be better than average size. There are very few spikies mixed in, so just about every fish is a keeper.

Anglers fishing over the reefs have been catching snapper, trevally, pigfish, improving numbers of mowies and, of course, sweep. Throw in the odd tailor, kingfish, leatherjackets, samsonfish, small jewies and increasing numbers of teraglin this year, and you have the makings of a good catch.

If you have a boat that will safely get you there and back, you can do some serious deepwater bottom bashing out on the Kiama canyons. This month

At this time of year, fat bream are just about everywhere.

Mixed in with the salmon have been a few bonito, tailor and the odd mackerel tuna, so you can have a fun morning tossing lures into these schools to catch a feed or some snapper bait. A nice, fresh piece of mac tuna or bonito floated down a berley trail laid down over one of the shallow reefs during the evening is hard to beat if you’re looking for some nice reds.

The northern reefs up around Coalcliff and Stanwell Park have had some good fish on them of late, and with the calm seas and still evenings, these reefs can be accessed very quickly from Bellambi ramp. The trouble with berleying the close reefs is they seem to 62 MAY 2024

is noted for its long, calm spells, so a trip out wide is worth a look. The current has generally slowed down by this time of the year, so it’s easier to get to the bottom in 100-plus fathoms.

Gemfish, ling and blue-eye trevalla are the targets, but you could score any number of strange ooglies at this depth, including monster nannygai and the ever-present green-eyed sharks.

Back in closer, it’s bream time all along the coast. Every wash around the rocks, quiet inlets and all the good beach gutters have been holding concentrations of bream. Berleying your chosen spot will score plenty of fish, and just walking and working the

A bit of berley over the close-in reefs and bommies should produce a few nice snapper during the evenings. washes around the headlands and the beach gutters will also get you plenty of fish. The usual baits of fresh mackerel, beach worms or prawns will get you into the action.

As well as bream on the beaches, there are still plenty of salmon and tailor working the gutters just on dark, much to the annoyance of jewie anglers.

The mulloway are not thick but they are quality fish, and each time a salmon or tailor grabs a bait it means less time in the water and less chance of hooking the elusive big mulloway.

Another annoyance on the beach after dark is the proliferation of small whaler sharks. These guys don’t just take your bait – they take the hooks as well, which wastes even more time for mulloway anglers. Sometimes, the sharks don’t bite you off and you have to fight these stubborn little (or not so little) creatures into submission to get your gear back.

During the day, there have been a few stud whiting around but you have to work for them, with 5-6 fish a good catch.

The rocks have been fishing well for bream in most washes, along with trevally and even the odd snapper.

There have still been quite a few pelagics on the deeper ledges, including mac tuna, kingfish and even the odd longtail, so it’s worth floating a live yellowtail or mackerel out a bit further this month. Salmon and tailor have been taking ganged pilchards or lures early in the morning, while those chasing blackfish have been having great success. Green weed and cabbage weed have been working well as bait, and most places have been holding fish from the sheltered harbours like Wollongong, Port Kembla and Bellambi and the open rock platforms. A good

berley mix of weed and sand helps get things going, too.

On the gamefishing scene, things have slowed right down but you are still in the hunt for a marlin. A few blacks will hang around until June if the food is available, but you are more likely to get a striped or blue trolling live baits or skirts out wide of 80 fathoms.

A few striped tuna have been reported so that will encourage the larger fish in. There is always the chance of a yellowfin tuna, as they have been on-and-off over the past few months, with some solid fish falling to those anglers putting in the long hours. Keep your eyes out looking for gannets diving, as they usually show the presence of the tuna chasing sauries.

Cubing with pilchards in the area works well, as does slow-trolling live slimies or yellowtail. Many people love dragging some type of plastic about these days, and this can score fish on good days, too.

The mahimahi have been hanging around for a bit longer over the past few seasons, so if there is a bit of good water and current about this month, the FADs might be worth a look before they are pulled in for the winter. The average size of these fish is generally better at this time of the year.

Back in the estuaries, things are slowing right down unless you are looking for (you guessed it) bream. The lake feeder streams and lake proper have plenty of bream on offer, but not much else. A few blackfish have been caught, but they are not as thick as they are out on the rocks. The flathead seem to have slowed right down in the cooling water. There have been a few whiting taking worms around the entrance to the lake and Minnamurra.

That’s about it for another month.

Batemans Coast NSW

FMM

Stable weather, slow currents, and quality fish BATEMANS BAY

Anthony Stokman

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: autumn really is the best time of the year. You just can’t beat it, especially when all the species cross over. There have been slower years when the summer species faded out and we had a gap before the winter species arrived. However, most years we get great fishing in autumn (usually after good period of rain), with species overlapping. That’s what is happening right now.

which could keep the mulloway on our beaches.

Time will tell if May fires up with larger mulloway at the front of the estuary, or whether the beaches remain the better option. Either way, freshlycaught squid will be a great way to catch them this month. The squid are in great numbers at the moment.

Don’t rule out fresh garfish and mullet though, as these baits have been doing the trick over the last 12 months when there was a lack of squid.

The estuary will be red-hot for bread-and-butter species this month, with plenty of bream, estuary perch

Levi with a nice 41cm bream caught at his local.

Kate Rogers off to a great start to the season with a 62kg Thunnus albacares.

You know fishing is on fire when your outriggers go off, one with a yellowfin barrel and the other with a rampaging striped marlin. Fishing doesn’t get much better when there is action from 5m deep to 5000m. There are snapper, bonito, kingfish, and longtail tuna in close – plus you get mahimahi coming in close and out to the shelf. Inside and over the shelf, there are marlin and yellowfin tuna. Plus, the currents are slowing down so anglers can get some great fish from the depths.

To top it off, the weather is stable and the air temperature is just right, which makes for more comfortable and enjoyable fishing.

UPSTREAM AND ESTUARY The bass are still running amok, taking surface lures, divers, spinnerbaits and plastic frogs. Some days they have hit almost everything presented to them, probably due to the variable conditions, with rain, hot days, dry days, bugs, cicadas, frogs etc.

If you head downstream you’ll find plenty of bream, estuary perch, mulloway and whiting on the chew in the estuary. Autumn can be a fantastic time for a good mulloway run, particularly the larger models. We have been seeing some good jewies on the beaches of late, which could be due to all the rain and freshwater we’ve had.

Also, the mullet run is approaching,

and flatties on the go. Soft plastics, hardbodies and bait have all been successful. The Bassday Sugapen, Cranka Crab, and Daiwa Double Clutch have been the most productive hard lures. Alternatively, you can use vibes or blades, including the Mini Squidtrex, TT Switch Prawn and the Berkley Pro Tech and Shimma range.

I also like the new Berkley Nessie, Cullshad and Paddlestingers, which are larger soft swimbaits and paddle-tails that are scented and light enough for medium size set-ups. This makes them

more versatile and still in the game for larger flatties.

ROCK FISHING Our land-based ocean ledges are on fire, with bonito, longtail tuna, kingfish, mac tuna, frigate, salmon, tailor and even snapper. There’s also the possibility of hooking a yellowfin or black marlin.

Casting metals is the most costeffective way to get in on the action, and it works just fine. It’s easy to convince yourself that the more expensive stickbaits work much better until you start losing a few!

Metals aren’t the only cost-effective option; the old Slug-Go, or its cheaper predecessor the Silstar Slapstix, still produces the goods after all these years. They swim very well, and you get more in a pack compared to one expensive Japanese stickbait. Once you tie a Slug-Go or Slapstix on a jighead and cast it out, you’ll see that it swims beautifully, and catches as just as many fish as expensive stickbaits.

Then it happens: you realise you are a soft plastic/metals fisho – at least

until a new Japanese stickbait hits tackle stores, and you are tempted once again!

All that said, it really just comes down to personal preference and budget. When the fishing is this good, it doesn’t really matter what you use.

INSHORE AND OFFSHORE Anglers fishing the inshore reefs have encountered some great snapper in close (they can also be tempted from the stones). Boaters can pick up bonito and maybe even a longtail tuna before chasing snapper.

A special treat this month for the inshore boaties is the mahimahi. These fish have been coming into the snapper traps and frequenting the snapper trap buoys in 30-60m of water. Larger boats can still find mahimahi out at the FAD, but we can expect it to be removed by the DPI this month. Larger boats will be focusing more on tuna now, anyway.

We should see the marlin ease up and the bite retreat north as the month of May draws to an end. By this time, the yellowfin tuna will hopefully be in full swing. Large 60kg+ models have been showing up since the end of March, with the odd big-eye tuna thrown in.

Fishos already moving on from marlin have been heading out wider looking for tuna, and have been hooking up to both species at times.

There could still be some whiting around this month. Huey knows how to find them.

Lochie with a nice longtail tuna.

Just ask Shane, who had both outriggers go off, with a marlin on one and a tuna on the other. Unfortunately, the marlin went crazy and crossed over the lines, making a great experience very short-lived! . • Anthony Stokman is the owner of Fish Batemans Bay, your one-stop shop for tackle, bait and valuable advice on how to catch more fish. The crew are always happy to chat about what’s been biting and where, so drop in and say hi. You can find them at 65A Orient Street, Batemans Bay, or give them a call on (02) 4472 2559.

MAY 2024 63

NSW

Eden Coast

FMM

Offshore anglers all geared up to target tuna BERMAGUI

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

Yes, it’s that time of year when anglers are all geared up, ready to chase the mighty yellowfin tuna.

There are good signs that this will be a reasonable season, with a few good captures of yellowfin already.

Fish around 50-60kg are out around the 1000 fathom line, so boaties have easy access.

May is prime time for chasing tuna, with calm conditions allowing anglers to use a range of methods.

Cubing in berley trails is the most popular approach, and hanging a live bait out under a balloon can also be successful. When using a live bait, I recommend rigging it on 250lb mono with a substantial hook, as marlin can still be encountered in May. In fact, in the past, some of the best runs of marlin for the season have occurred in May, mostly striped marlin. Anglers have often witnessed schools of up to 20 stripies working the bait over.

While berleying, you may also

There are plenty of bream on offer for those who want to fish the estuaries. encounter albacore tuna. Albacore are great fun on light gear and will readily come right up to the boat, allowing you to choose which line class to catch them on.

Mako and other shark species will

also appear in trails, so have a good wire trace handy or put a shark bait out under a balloon. If you want to specifically target sharks, use plenty of striped tuna in the berley, cube with the flesh and pump the frame through

the berley bucket.

With the introduction of deepwater jigging, anglers now have another option while drifting in berley trails. Dropping jigs down deep will produce a wide variety of fish species and sometimes bring tuna holding deep to the surface, allowing the other methods to come into play.

Snapper are now in good numbers on most reef systems that surround Bermagui, with the southern ones being more productive. Drifting over the reefs is a popular method, and anchoring in berley trails is also a very effective way of targeting large snapper. Setting baits at various depths will cover where the fish are holding, with pilchards, mackerel and striped tuna being the better baits.

These can be used as strips, cubes or whole. If small fish are a problem, use half a mackerel and float it back in the trail. Bigger snapper, around 6-7kg, are often taken with this method.

Other popular species of reef fish have been turning up in good numbers, and anglers will end up with some fine bags of mixed fish. Morwong,

Plenty of bonito action for everybody to enjoy TATHRA

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

It’s great when a species presents an opportunity for everyone to cash in on, and right now that’s bonito. It’s been no trouble to catch one off Tathra Wharf, with anglers regularly catching several in a session. The rocky headlands have also been productive for shore-based anglers, and those with boats can easily troll

close to shore.

If you like to go wider in pursuit of larger tuna species, the yellowfin, albacore and stripies are starting to congregate towards and over the Continental Shelf through to the Tathra Canyons. These fish can be targeted in a few different ways, with the best methods being trolling lures and cubing in berley trails.

The Continental Shelf is quite a long run out from shore, so trolling lures is a good option for targeting the tuna. Trolling allows you to cover

If you get bored with catching bonito there are still plenty of flathead on offer.

Mixing with the bonito are salmon and lots of them.

64 MAY 2024

the ground and find where the fish are congregating, and you may also catch a late-season marlin, spearfish or mahimahi.

Once you have found some tuna, it’s time to stop and berley. This can entice the fish to come up to the boat, making them easier to catch. Sharks will also respond to berley, so have a rig handy or a bait out under a balloon. It’s also a good policy to have a live mackerel out under a balloon rigged on heavier trace, which will appeal to both tuna and any passing

marlin attracted by the activity.

Closer to shore, small species such as bonito, kingfish, salmon, and the occasional striped and yellowfin tuna have been patrolling the many rocky headlands surrounding Tathra. Feeding on small mackerel, yellowtail and pilchards, these fish can be taken by running a variety of bibless and deep diving lures close to shore. If you encounter some good schools, have some spin sticks handy to cast to the feeding fish.

If they’re up on the surface,

Eden Coast NSW

FMM nannygai, pigfish, ocean perch, large tiger flathead and many more are all on the shortlist, plus it is also the time of year to target Tassie trumpeter out on the Twelve Mile Reef.

Closer to shore, an increasingly

Yellowfin don’t have to be big for all the family to have fun.

popular method is using soft plastics bounced around bommies and shallow reef complexes. This approach has been catching a variety of species, from reef-dwellers such as snapper to mid/topwater fish such as kingfish and small tuna. Bermagui has good structure around its shoreline, providing plenty of options for anglers wishing to use this technique.

Most of the estuaries that are open to the ocean have been fishing extremely well towards the entrances. This is due to offshore water temperatures being warmer than those in the upper reaches of the systems. As the tide rises, the warm water triggers the fish to feed.

Using berley will encourage fish like flathead, yellowfin bream, trevally and more to feed more frequently. Striped tuna is the best bait in berley trails, cut into cubes, while the frame can be used in the berley bucket. Start fishing in the channels until the tide rises high enough to move onto the flats, then berley to the oysters and other obstructions. While doing this, you can explore other areas, such as weed beds with baits like nippers. The last of the outgoing tide and the first

try casting surface poppers for some spectacular action. This style of fishing works particularly well on some of the large salmon schools.

Leaving from Kianinny boat ramp gives fishos access to some of the finest reef and bottom fishing grounds along the coast, and the fishing is now at its best. Large tiger flathead have been a regular catch out wide of Bournda, while good sand flathead have been taken close to the beaches. These areas may range from Wapengo north to Wallagoot south.

As mentioned, berleying can work on the snapper as well as the tuna, and the White Rock area south of Kianinny is a prime spot for this.

Anchor up in various depths until you see which depth is producing

better. Fish as light as possible and vary how deep you fish your baits.

Fresh mackerel, pilchards and striped tuna are the preferred baits. Don’t be scared to throw some soft plastics around, either. Many other species will visit your berley trail, including some you might not expect.

Right in the heart of Tathra, the rock platforms have been fishing well.

There has been plenty of action for those casting lures to species like salmon, bonito, tailor, and kingfish, while anglers chasing drummer have been having some of the best fishing in quite a while.

On the wharf, everyone is having fun. Large schools of mackerel are here, along with trevally and garfish.

Blackfish and drummer have been caught closer to the rocks, along

Bonito on light gear are a lot of fun and very tasty when eaten fresh.

It’s not all about gamefish this month; reef and bottom fishing is excellent at this time of year. with some nice tailor at night.

Frigate mackerel, bonito, salmon and kingfish all take their turns harassing the resident baitfish, and we also get the odd shark and yellowfin tuna venturing in to check the scene out.

There are some good beaches here, and they have been producing nice salmon, tailor, bream, and gummy sharks at night. The best areas are Main Beach next to Mogareeka Inlet, Bournda Beach south and Gillards Beach north. Try walking these beaches with a handful of metal lures that are heavy enough for you to make long casts. Working these metals with a fast retrieve works very well on tailor and salmon.

Water temps in the estuaries are starting to chill but there is still plenty of activity to keep people enthused.

Bream are around in good numbers in the Bega River, and anglers have been doing well on both lures and bait.

Mixed in with the bream are estuary perch, which are moving down the systems towards the entrance to breed. They have been taken along the rock wall adjacent to the boat ramp and around the bridge pylons.

Flathead are in the lower part of the system as they prepare to migrate to sea with the onset of the cooler months. They have been feeding regularly in recent weeks.

Tailor have been hanging around the bridge area and are a good target on lures, while over the flats, blackfish and whiting have been regular catches for bait fishos using nippers and worms.

of the incoming will produce good luderick around the bridge and break wall on cabbage and green weed.

Bream are in good numbers on most beaches, and the use of berley and tuna will secure good bags.

Lots of salmon, a few tailor, the odd flathead and gummy sharks have all been encountered recently. Look for beaches with deep gutters, especially for the sharks. You can fish for bream wherever there is good water adjacent to the rocks.

Drummer fishing off the rocks is now at its best, and late evening and first light are the prime times.

Bermagui has some great areas around the main headland and Blue Pool to chase these fish. Baits like cunjevoi and prawns used in conjunction with bread as berley will do the job nicely.

Sadly, the fishing at Brogo is starting to slow down with water temps dropping. Searching with deep diving and bibless rattling lures has still been producing some fish, with spinnerbaits probably being the best. The bass in the river systems have started to congregate in pools before moving downstream to spawn, and have been producing some reasonable fishing.

READER’S

PICTURE

Flynn Donnelly, 12yo, has been obsessed with fishing since he was about 5yo. His most recent prized catch was an 80cm flathead he caught in the harbour near Manly on his Abu Garcia lightweight travel rod and Daiwa reel with braided line and pilchard as bait. Unfortunately, he snapped the tip of this rod when bringing it in which is unrepairable! But he reckons it was worth it for a great catch.

MAY 2024 65

NSW

Freshwater

FMM

It’s going to be all about swimbaits this season NEW ENGLAND RIVERS

Adam Townsend

As we head into the last month of autumn, we should notice the temperatures dropping dramatically amongst the New England Tablelands. That usually means one thing: it’s time to throw some swimbaits around!

If you are anything like me, it never gets any easier to fish in

The transition months can really turn it on as the Murray cod start bulking up for the cooler period. This cod was caught slow winding a 185mm glidebait.

Make sure you give the trout a go before the 3-month spawn period starts. This rainbow was caught sight-casting a nymph on 4wt fly gear in a clear, shallow stream.

the early hours during the colder months, especially in the middle of winter. However, the rivers and impoundments are fishing well and there are plenty of big fish to be caught.

One of the more important things at this time of year is not actually the fishing itself, but the clothing you wear. If you plan to spend long hours outdoors, I suggest finding warm clothes that still provide freedom of movement when walking the banks and casting. Make sure you layer up well, too. There is nothing worse than trying to accomplish a goal and catch massive Murray cod when you are freezing and uncomfortable. I have learnt that being comfortable in the cold will definitely help you fish better. Those big natives are smart, and you don’t want to give them any more advantages.

If you’ve never caught a big

If I were going to have only three lures in my tacklebox, it would have to be a wakebait, a swimbait and a chatterbait. All three work really well at most times of the year.

There has been the odd rainfall event here and there, but nothing too significant to do anything to the rivers and impoundments – and definitely nothing like the poor guys in Qld were copping at one stage. The impoundment water levels around the New England area have slowly receded in recent months (although they are still sitting at pretty good levels compared to the same time last year).

The lower dam levels were a bit of a positive over the holiday periods, with many camping spots available for everyone to use, and lots of different structure to fish around.

The New England streams can be pretty active at this time of year.

Soft plastics and small spinners work well, and fly gear can also be effective. This chunky redfin was caught on a shrimp pattern fly. cod before, I suggest finding a rod anywhere around the 7’6’’ to 8’0” mark and get yourself some strong braid and leader (no lighter than 40lb) matched to a sturdy reel such as an Abu Garcia Toro or Daiwa Lexa in a 300 or 400 size. I’d rather have big gear do light work than have small gear do heavy work, especially when it comes to throwing the larger baits for XL Murray cod.

I think the lower levels have also benefited the fish, as they haven’t had to move around finding new homes.

This should make them feed more regularly and in patterns. The new moon will fall on 8 May, with the full moon being later on in the month, on 23 May. This is when I recommend spending some time on the water, especially around the full.

Just a reminder that trout

DAM LEVELS

Down the hatch! A big bucket-mouth Murray cod from the river caught on a shallow-running swimbait.

66 MAY 2024

DAM

MAY

APRIL

MARCH

Copeton Dam

62%

64%

68%

Pindari Dam

50%

51%

53%

Glenlyon Dam

61%

64%

65%

Malpas Dam

87%

90%

94%

Split Rock Dam

95%

97%

98%

Lake Keepit Dam

37%

38%

48%

Chaffey Dam

82%

85%

87%

* Levels current at the time of writing

Freshwater NSW

FMM

Perfecting the pause to maximise the strike rate HUNTER VALLEY

Nick Price

The bass have started moving higher in the water column as the water cools.

This month, they can still be found in schools or on the edge.

Fishing winter school fish is different from finding summer school fish. During the colder months, the fish are generally shallower and spread out more evenly over the dam rather than

Garmin Livescope because you can watch your plastic move through the school and examine the reaction of the bass. If you don’t have Livescope, count the jighead down, remembering a 1/4oz jighead drops roughly 1ft per second.

Most fish in winter can be found in the 20-30ft range when in schools, but even the most basic sounder will pick up a school of fish and let you know the depth.

Often the bite will be a ‘tap, tap, tap’. Sometimes it’s worth striking, but

A good bass that was almost worth a smile. finicky on some days and very hungry on other days. You can improve your chances by experimenting with lure colours and jighead weights. A certain coloured plastic can trigger a feeding response, while a certain jighead weight can make the plastic start fluttering like a baitfish. Keep swapping plastics

People often make their pauses too short at this time of year. Sometimes the bass will watch the lure for a long time before they strike, so a suitable pause might be a minute or more!

I recommend using 12lb fluorocarbon leader, and be prepared to lose a few lures. The bass will destroy

The author with a typical Glenbawn bass. mostly congregating in the main basin.

A good way to catch winter school fish is with 2-3” paddle-tails. Let the plastic sink and then work it back through the fish. This is easy with

usually it’s better to keep working the plastic back slowly or stop and let it sink like a wounded baitfish. Try different methods to elicit a strike.

At this time of year, the fish can be

The Glenbawn bass are fat and healthy at the moment.

Bait species become more dormant in cold water so match the hatch and slow down your approach. Swimbaits definitely get their fair share of bites in the colder months. season will close in New South Wales streams and rivers next month; we don’t have a lot of time left to target them so make the most

of these final weeks.

Good luck to everyone getting outdoors this month, enjoy the cooler weather, and tight lines.

and jigheads until you have the right combination.

I love fishing the edge over the winter months, fishing jerkbaits, slow-sink lures such as Spytails, and soft plastics. When you’re choosing a colour, try a UV colour or something that imitates the local baitfish.

Both have their place, and the fish can change what they want as the day progresses.

When fishing the edge with jerkbaits, look for structure such as weed edges, rocky points, dropoffs, dead trees and overhanging vegetation. Work the structure slowly and methodically, and vary the pause.

you if you’re not concentrating.

Next month I will continue fishing with plastics and jerkbaits, particularly on the flats. In my report I will go through a few more techniques that catch fish in winter. I love the edge bite at Glenbawn and St Clair in winter, and I guarantee you’ll love it, too. The fish are big and fat, and the fishing is fantastic.

• If you’re heading up to the Barrington, Glenbawn, Hunter River or St Clair, drop into the shop at the turnoff to Glenbawn in Aberdeen and ask about the different techniques and what they are biting on. The friendly team stock all the quality tackle you need.

MAY 2024 67

NSW

Freshwater

FMM

Locals enjoy the scenery and pre-spawn trout BATLOW

Wayne Dubois waynedubois@westnet.com.au

What’s not to love about fishing at this time of the year? The tree-lined creeks and rivers, with the stunninglycoloured autumn leaves on poplars and willows, make an amazing backdrop

being deposited by the big browns.

The fish being this active makes for some spectacular fishing, and at this time of the year there is always the chance that the next trout you hook is of trophy size.

While targeting trout at this time of the year, it’s hard to beat anything that is egg-coloured. If you’re bait fishing

Fishing along the poplar-lined banks of the Tumut River.

The colours of spawning trout are second to none. whilst fishing. When it comes time to photograph your catch, the scenery makes most fish look even more stunning than they already do at this time of the year. The trout are in full spawn colour, and when you combine that with the stunning backdrop, even the worst photographer will get some good shots.

The official trout season closes at the end of the June long weekend, so there’s not a lot of time left. Once the season is closed, anglers are forced to fish the lakes for their trout fix, so it makes sense to concentrate your efforts on the running stuff while you still can.

The best fishing in the running water is almost always this late in the season as many a big brown trout attempts to spawn. If the rainbows aren’t thinking about it themselves, they will likely be gorging on the eggs

to concentrate your efforts there.

BLOWERING REDFIN This month most anglers will switch from targeting natives to targeting redfin, and with good reason – they are often easy to catch at this time of the year, they taste sensational and the natives have become very hard to catch.

It just makes sense to target redfin.

Around this time of the year they form much larger schools, which means once you find one you’re probably in the vicinity of at least another hundred.

Trolling is a popular way of targeting redfin. Any small hardbody lure less than 60mm long that dives to around the 40ft mark should see you

The trout start to take on their stunning spawning colouration this month, making for some great pictures. you can get good results on the good old brightly-coloured dough baits, like PowerBait and the like.

Lure anglers will do well on any

If trout aren’t your thing, give the redfin a crack. Late autumn/early winter is prime big redfin time.

68 MAY 2024

flashy lure, especially ones with any red or orange on the lure. Brown or rainbow trout-coloured hardbodies will also work really well as most fish are very aggressive and competitive at the moment. They will strike any lure that resembles some sort of competition for them.

Fly anglers will definitely do best

with weighted and even un weighted Glow Bugs at this time of year. Even though the purists frown on this, there is no mistaking its effectiveness. To cover both bases I like to use two flies under an indicator, one a Glow Bug and the other a weighted black or red Copper John nymph, this technique covers both bases and if the fish aren’t eating eggs yet they will still take the nymph.

Trout lake fishing can also be great at this time of the year. A lot of the browns will have started to head up the feeder rivers and streams but there will still be a few around in the lakes. There will also be a few rainbows around gorging themselves before their annual spawning migration up the feeder rivers and streams.

No matter what lake you fish or technique you choose to use, a lot of the resident fish will be holding around the creek and river mouths, so it would pay

The trout in both the running water and in the lakes are in prime condition as they get ready for their spawning run. stumble across some redfin action. Add a small 1” soft plastic around a metre above your lure, and you increase your chances of a double hook-up – although this can often occur even when you’re using just one lure.

That gives you a few options this month. Until next month, good luck, good fishing and tight lines.

Freshwater NSW

FMM

May the big Murray cod bite this month!

ALBURY/WODONGA

Connor Heir

This is the time of year when keen Murray cod anglers really start to get excited. It’s time for the big fish to come out and play, and time for camping by the river and hunting for these amazing fish. Camping isn’t just fun – it also makes it super easy to fish the prime bite times, i.e. early in the morning, late in the afternoon and into the evening.

minutes on a likely snag, then move on to the next spot and repeat the process.

Fishing flow is also very important.

Fish can be on the top or bottom sides of logs, depending on how they are feeding and how active they are. It is always worth targeting both sides, if you can, on most snags. Don’t be afraid to fish stronger currents, too, as cod are happy to sit there. Usually, if you can find one in faster water, it will be a fish that is fired up and ready to eat. Just hang on when they hook up, because they often have a lot of power and

Rhys Wilson with a healthy Mulwala cod from the backwaters. my team partner Rhys. We were lucky to finish 6th overall out of nearly 50 teams, and had a great time. All teams found fish, which was great to see, and most

importantly, everyone had fun. Over the four days of the competition there were roughly 800 fish caught – and that’s not including fish under 50cm.

A nice high-60s model taken on a Bone Focus.

Around this time of year, we usually start to see lower flows on the Murray River, which is good for lure fishing.

Navigating the rivers while water levels are low can be tricky at times, but the effort is worth it because the fishing fires up when the water is like this.

Fishing from a smaller boat or kayak is best, but if you don’t have a watercraft to fish from, that’s OK; you can still catch fish walking the banks. It’s definitely worth getting out and having a crack.

You need to fish fairly accurately in late autumn and winter, getting your lure tight to structure. It’s important to run appropriate gear as well. Personally, I would not run anything less than a 50lb leader. Bigger fish can easily break lighter lines in the heavy structure they are sitting in, so you’re better off fishing a bit heavier so you can get the fish unstuck if they bury you in deep cover.

Fishing a bit slower can definitely increase bites, and lures with a bigger profile will help entice a good fish to bite. We find that lures over the 100mm mark are perfect for this time of year.

Another tip is to avoid fishing in a particular spot for too long. If you are hitting the zones with your lure correctly, and the resident fish is active, it should eat the lure on the first few casts. Sometimes the fish need some convincing, but usually we’ll spend five

go in them!

As a whole, the fishing around our region has been fairly good. We should start to see good flows in the river very soon; by the time you read this report, it may already have happened.

Lake Mulwala is always a good option if the flow isn’t great in the Murray. The lake has been fishing extremely well, as I found out when I fished the Cod Nationals in March, with

Getting up early is worth the effort.

A solid 70s Lake Mulwala cod caught during the Cod Nationals.

So, if the river doesn’t excite you all that much, Lake Mulwala is always a good option. Two months after the comp, the lake is still producing some great catches.

Something a little different I’d like to mention is that Lake Sambell near Beechworth received 30 good-sized catfish from a stocking program by the Victorian Fisheries in March. It could be a good little lake to fish with the kids for a bit of fun, or just to try something different. Catfish are a species that is often forgotten, as not many are caught in our region. However, thanks to the stocking program, you might just snag one.

That’s it for this month. There is so much to be excited about in the coming weeks, so get those rods rigged up, lock the drags up and get ready for what should be an epic winter. Tight lines!

MAY 2024 69

ACT

Canberra

FMM

Anything could eat your lure in magic May CANBERRA

Toby Grundy

May is the perfect time to try a variety of fishing options right across the ACT. The carp are ever present and will still hit lures and flies, and while the golden perch fishing does slow down, there is always the chance of landing a 60cm specimen in our local lakes as the

fishing well. There have been some great captures of late at various locations right across LBG, with reddies, yellas and Murray cod all hitting lures off the deeper edges.

The steep ledge at Black Mountain Peninsula warrants special mention as there are some good-sized reddies feeding up near the willows, and the golden perch are sitting right in close to the sunken boulders a few metres out from the shore. These fish can be

Lake Ginninderra is clearing up a bit and the fishing is improving. is far easier to gauge where the fish are and avoid the constant barrage of green goop coming back on the lure after every cast. Small wriggler and paddler-style plastics in orange or gold work well on Lake Ginninderra and, when coupled to a 1/8oz jighead, can be fished almost anywhere along the edges of the lake. I like to fish the points and the old pontoons near Diddams Close and the bridge pylons, but the dam wall is also a

good spot to cast spinnerbaits for cod during low-light periods.

Lake Tuggeranong has been providing good fishing for anglers willing to brave the constant algal blooms and shopping trolleys. The lake has never been a particularly clean waterway, but right now it’s almost as bad as I’ve ever seen it, with rubbish floating along the edges behind the college, and plenty of other refuse drifting out in the

Don’t forget the salmon this month. water cools. The Murray cod fishing starts to really kick into gear as we head towards winter, and the redfin fishing (for most of May anyway) is often out of control.

I don’t spend a lot of time writing about redfin, but if I do, it is usually around May when the enormous specimens start to feed up along the edges of the ponds at Gungahlin through to the local lakes and Googong. Targeting really big redfin is a lot of fun because the soft plastics used to target these fish (between 2-3” wrigglers in natural colours) are also irresistible to golden perch and small Murray cod. When a pack of big reds shows up, these fish often bring in the larger predators, and this can make for a spectacular afternoon of fishing.

When you’re wandering a windswept bank during a cold May morning, searching for a reddie bite, you may also get a hit from a goodsized carp. Grabbing a few plastics and walking the edges of LBG in search of a redfin is also a great way to introduce kids to fishing, as there will be plenty of hits and missed opportunities. And if a carp does inhale the lure, the mud marlin give a great account of themselves, especially if up against a junior fisho.

LOCAL LAKES Lake Burley Griffin has been 70 MAY 2024

caught using a variety of techniques, but a Jackall TN60 in Black King Gill has proved particularly effective during my recent sessions. The pylons underneath the two main bridges (Kings Av and Commonwealth Av) are also worth a visit, as the reds have schooled up close to the pylons and are feeding on baitfish and yabbies, which cling to the sunken concrete.

Lake Ginninderra will shut down soon, but this could be a blessing in disguise. The weed tends to clear as the water cools, and this means that while there are fewer bites, it

There are plenty of redfin at Googong.

Cod are feeding at the base of sections of fast water.

middle of the lake.

All this rubbish doesn’t seem to bother the golden perch though, with plenty of small to medium-sized yellas hitting lures in even the most polluted areas of Lake Tuggeranong.

A beetle spin coupled with a 2” paddler-style plastic has proven to be one of the better lures in the lake, as the flash can be seen through the murk and the vibration brings in the fish from several metres away. If you want to catch carp, try fishing baits like bread or corn up near the islands at Greenway. This area is where the big carp go of a morning, with fish of 80-90cm not uncommon.

The Murrumbidgee River continues to produce despite some decent rain over the last few

Hobart TAS

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You don’t have to travel far to catch good fish HOBART

Andrew Large

Tasmania’s marine heatwave has left a legacy of species that anglers are keen to chase as winter approaches.

Kingfish continue to amaze and be highly sought-after by anglers. The average size is up; some fish in the south have been breaking 700mm, while on the northwest the magical 1m mark has been broken for Tasmania. Good

plastics have been taking the better fish in close.

Giant Australian salmon in the 2-3kg bracket have been caught around the Iron Pot, Denison Canal at Dunalley and Coles Bay. Try a Halco 40g silver slice or the Slidog 85 in H50 for some awesome surface action!

There have been strong runs of sea garfish lately, with good reports of some decent-sized fish and numbers being caught in the Norfolk Bay, Pittwater and Derwent. Autumn runs of this

Local angler Paul Harvie with a nice-sized kingy caught south of Hobart recently.

There have been plenty of kingfish around lately. numbers of kingies have been caught through the Derwent River, North West Bay, Blackmans Bay and further afield along the east coast from Port Arthur to St Helens. Closer to Hobart, we’ve seen some of the most consistent fishing for this species anywhere in the state, and it’s all happening right in our Channel and Storm Bay area.

Sand flathead have been fishing well, with good numbers and sizes.

The fish have tended to be larger than average in the Marion Bay and Dunalley areas. Fortescue Bay, Storm Bay and Dover have also been producing good fish recently. Anglers spinning with soft

species state-wide can be outstanding, with fish responding well to a light mix of fish oil and breadcrumbs.

Mature barracouta have made an appearance at the Friars, on southern Bruny Island.

Snapper have traditionally been a rarely-caught species in southern Tasmania. However, just a few short years back, snapper started to appear more frequently, with localized pockets of this species being targeted by those in the know. Catches have been coming from Storm Bay, the D’Entrecasteaux Channel and the lower and mid-Derwent estuary.

weeks. The cod are still holding in the faster water and can be targeted using surface lures at the base of rapids. Some of the bigger specimens have started to move into the bigger pools, and a few lucky anglers have landed metre fish using swimbaits fished slowly right along the bottom and in the middle of these deeper areas. As we head further into May, the fishing action on the Bidgee could really heat up if the rain stays away.

SURROUNDS Googong Dam is my pick of the May fishing options in and around Canberra. The golden perch are still hitting lures close to the edges up at Bradleys Inlet, and the cod

can also be caught in Bradleys using surface lures or swimbaits. If you’re after a feed of reddies, now is the time to crack out the tinny or kayak and head to the middle of the dam. Here there are swarms of feeding redfin hitting all manner of lures, from Jackall TN50s through to Ecogear ZX blades in size 35 and 40 in amongst the half-submerged timber.

I also want to mention the pelagic fishing at the South Coast, which will start to taper off in the coming weeks.

The salmon, bonito and kingfish, which were so prevalent a few weeks ago, are now moving further out, but there are still a few good-sized fish about willing to take a jerkbait or big plastic at the turn of the tide.

Our marine heatwave has peaked, and with the falling water temperatures, arrow squid have begun to dissipate over the traditional beds they were found over in summer. This paves the way for southern calamari, which prefer cooler water. Catches have been steady in the lower Derwent, Blackmans Bay, South Arm, Marion Bay, and Bruny Island regions.

Sand whiting continue to bite well state-wide, and will continue to do so through late autumn and early winter.

King George were a little quiet over the peak summer months but should begin to run in the northwest shortly. Good fish have been caught by persistent anglers across the northwest, north and northeast. Southern anglers have not missed out either, with solid fish being taken around Betsy Island and Cape Queen Elizabeth.

Autumn heralds peak season for tuna in our warmer waters, which have pushed up as high as 20.5°C in the south so far this year. Southern bluefin, albacore and striped tuna have all been caught inshore in the last few months. Strong rumours of yellowfin are circulating along the east coast.

A few striped marlin have been caught in recent weeks, with others hooked and lost. The most recent two captures occurred in the Bicheno region, and both fish were in the 100-120kg bracket. More striped marlin have also been seen along our entire east coast.

These fish will remain for a while, barring substantial weather events leading to quick temperature drops.

Black bream have been smashing lures in the Derwent and Huon estuaries, while the east coast lagoons continue to fish incredibly well on topwater lures.

Recent ABT tournaments saw good captures of this species in both systems.

The coastal lagoons are now firing, especially on topwater.

Tasmanian freshwater fishing is

winding down, with the brown trout seasonal closure for most waters only weeks away.

Great Lake has produced healthy pre-spawn browns to 1.8kg and exceptional rainbow trout.

Trout fishing in mid to late autumn, unlike the warmer months of February and March, sees fish feeding right through the day and putting on as much condition as they can before spawning. Often, they will be focused on smaller versions of gum beetles, jassid and hoppers as the warm period draws to a close.

Lake King William has been producing good-quality trout. Fish caking with a surface lure at night has made a real comeback in recent seasons.

It has been a traditional method on this large body of water late in the season. Trout mistake the disturbance at night for an escaping mouse, moth or frog and take the artificial offering vigorously.

Craigbourne Dam has fished well all season, even during the height of summer with low drawdowns. Most people are saying that once again this water is showing signs of recovery for winter, with recent rains and good trout fishing. The good fishing should continue well into late autumn and winter – an improvement from last year.

Our southern rock lobster season and main parts of the trout season may have ended, but there’s plenty of settled weather and good fishing options on the back of a bumper warm year. Exotic species can sometimes linger, making the most of the vast bait schools, to keep things interesting. Yellowfin are one such species, along with mahimahi.

Mahimahi made an appearance during a similar marine event in 2008 in May and June, so you never know what you may hook next.

Until next time, enjoy the rest of our autumn fishing around Tasmania.

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Anglers will have plenty to chase out wide PORTLAND

Nigel Fisher

Fishing over the past month has been going quite well for a wide range of species, from the bay to the shelf.

We have seen some cracking whiting caught lately, with some big models well over 50cm in length. Fresh baits and soft plastics have been doing the damage.

North Shore around Minerva Reef

Bag Out Fishing Charters have been scoring their customers some great school tuna.

up to Julia Reef has produced some great snapper this year, with some well above average size. We have also seen some great gummies and bronzies mixed in with the snapper. Let’s hope they hang around a bit longer before winter really sets in.

April has also produced a few thresher sharks around the bay, and they really turn on the acrobatics when hooked. We have seen big schools of slimy mackerel, which have helped attract sharks into the bay.

The more stable weather has given the big boat anglers the chance to fish the shelf. They have had success on the makos, blue-eye, gemfish and pink ling, just to name a few. Let’s hope the good weather will continue in May so we can make more big trips.

Now, let’s talk about the tuna. The start of April saw our school tuna heading east towards Port Fairy, which made for some great fishing. Some school tuna were caught around the Julia Reef area, but not in huge numbers.

At the time of writing this report, the barrel tuna have started in Port McDonald. Hopefully, by the time you read this, Portland will also be well into the big tuna.

This month, the action should really fire up with our southwest tuna, and

FISHING NEWS

Dodgy diver hides bag Diving for crays can be great fun, and they’re even better on the dinner table.

However, as a diver in Victoria’s southwest learned last month, everyone needs to play by the rules to keep the lobster fishery in great shape.

When Fisheries Officers were on a routine patrol in the Peterborough

To avoid detection, a diver tossed an abalone into some bushes, along with a bag of undersize crays.

The abalone helpfully suctioned itself on to the outside of the bag, helping Fisheries Officers to find it. area they spotted two people, one of whom had been catching rock lobster and abalone. The diver was allegedly observed acting suspiciously before hiding a second bag in some nearby bushes.

72 MAY 2024

When inspected by Fisheries officers, the diver presented their catch-bag containing two legal-size rock lobster, which would have been their daily catch limit. They also said they had caught an abalone, but curiously it was no longer in the bag.

Having seen the diver head into the scrub, a quick search from Fisheries officers uncovered a second bag and made the picture much clearer. The second bag allegedly contained five more crays, all of which were under the size limit (carapace length) of 11cm for males and 10.5cm for females. Also discovered was the ‘lost’ abalone, which had suctioned itself onto the outside of the bag.

After the pair were interviewed and offences were determined, officers returned the illegal catch to the water alive. The diver could face upward of $1700 in fines or be summonsed to appear in court.

Along with size and bag limits, rock lobster fishers need to report their catch within seven days via the free GoFishVic RL smartphone app (www. vfa.vic.gov.au/lobsterapp).

If you see or suspect someone doing the wrong thing, you can report it by calling 13 FISH (13 3474). The line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. – Victorian Fisheries Authority.

Billy with a ripper thresher caught in the bay. we’ll get an influx of anglers coming to our town. Our regular charter operators should be in full swing, with some very good local and regular Melbourne operators taking bookings. We can pass on some numbers if that’s an option you’d like to try.

The main way to target school and barrel tuna is with trolled hardbody lures or skirts. Lure sizes vary depending on how big the fish are, but as a general rule, 160-200mm lures will cover most bases

for our winter tuna.

So, if you’re thinking of a tuna trip this month – whether from your own boat, a mate’s boat or a charter vessel – get on down to Portland and get into the action! While you’re here, call into Portland Compleat Angler and say ‘gday to the friendly team, and check out what we have on offer. You’ll find us at 61 Bentinck Street, Portland (next to the Gordon Hotel), or contact us on 03 5521 1844. We are also on Facebook.

Roger and James with some nice table fish caught over the Easter weekend.

Portland Compleat Angler staff member Paul Cannon with some great north shore snapper and sharks.

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Good month to target estuary perch in the fresh WARRNAMBOOL

Mark Gercovich mgercovich@hotmail.com

After a disappointing summer weather-wise, autumn has been quite mild, with more opportunities to head offshore. However, the distinct lack of rain in the past two months has affected some fisheries, with most local estuaries closed at the time of writing this report.

May is renowned as being a great time to target the local tuna population.

Big numbers of school fish have already been making their presence felt in the 40-60m range, and these fish should

still be available during May. The first barrel-sized tuna of the season have just shown up at Port Macquarie, so hopefully some will push this way soon.

Calm, autumn conditions have been perfect for bottom bouncers, with plenty of pinky snapper and gummy shark captures coming in.

The popular and well-run WDAC Easter comp was held again recently.

The fishing was tougher this year, with the Hopkins being blocked for a considerable period of time. The largest bream caught and released in the senior section was a 1.19kg fish taken by Mick Treloar. The junior heaviest bream was a 1.05kg fish taken by Andrew Mugavin.

May is a great time to target the local EP population.

A nice bream taken from the freshwater section of the Merri River.

Other notable captures were Mason Hunt’s 1.45kg EP and a 1.44kg brown trout taken by Bill Quinlivan.

By the time you read this, the mouth will hopefully be open and fishing will be on the improve. May can produce some excellent bream fishing before the waters cool off too much and the fish head deeper.

The cooler waters of May will begin to fire the trout up. Without too much extreme heat over summer, the local trout population should be well-fed and healthy, ready to fish well during the cooler months. Last year produced some very well-conditioned trout, and hopefully this year will be the same.

May is often a great month to target estuary perch in the freshwater as they begin feeding up and moving down to the estuary for winter. Keen lure casters have been getting in on the action, using topwater lures that imitate a struggling insect on the surface.

Some of the other local bream fisheries, like the Curdies and Yambuk, have been struggling with poor water quality recently. Hopefully, come May they will have cleared up and fishing will be on the improve.

The Moyne at Port Fairy remains open at all times, though and has been fishing well, with mixed bags of pinkie snapper, trevally and bream.

Get out and enjoy the estuary fishing in autumn COBDEN

Rod Shepherd

Some good bream and estuary perch have been caught in the Curdies estuary over the past month. Many bream have been feeding out in the lake, but excessive weed can be a problem when motoring around in a boat. It’s mostly thin ribbon weed, but it can easily build up around the propeller and retard power to the prop.

Unweighted fresh baits such as shrimp, presented on or within the weed, have been getting the most takes. Weighted baits aren’t as effective because they sink to the bottom and are often hidden from the fish.

In the river, the bream are hanging deep but still close to the bank. Getting down to depths over 3m has been the go for the river-dwellers.

There are plenty of perch in the upper reaches of the river, but enticing them to bite is another thing. If you are in the know and use lures and soft plastics, fishing on or near the surface is the go. In the hardbody department,

poppers are a must. Soft plastics should be bright, ugly and make a real splash when worked across the surface.

Perch love to school, so where there’s one fish, there should be others. Plenty of schooling perch have been caught in recent weeks, although many have been

just legal or just undersize. Please release the smaller fish carefully so they can be caught again, and wait for a bigger model to take your offering. Keep them stirred up if they are on the bite by casting, and a bigger specimen should turn up eventually.

A Curdies River bream taken on a Damiki Saemi medium diver worked close to the bankside reed beds.

Some bream have been taken in the upper reaches of the river. Jigging metal vibrating lures along the bottom, just a metre or so out from the bank, has worked well for some. Soft plastic crab imitations worked extremely slowly along the bottom have also worked.

For bait anglers, the stand-out baits are live shrimp or greyback minnow. If those aren’t available to you, you can try worm, frozen shrimp or frozen river whitebait.

The offshore scene is in full swing, and down my way it’s not uncommon to see a plethora of large offshore trailer boats heading west on Highway One for Warrnambool, Port Fairy and, of course, the port of Portland. The target fish is the southern bluefin, considered to be the holy grail by many in the fishing community. To land a ‘barrel’ fish (over 80kg) is the nirvana for southern sportfishers.

There are plenty of school and gummy shark around, with some specimens weighing in at around 25kg.

The snapper have quietened down but some nice King George whiting and flathead are still taking baits. Squid seems to be the go-to bait.

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Plenty of whiting and flathead GEELONG

Neil Slater slaterfish@gmail.com

This month should bring a few settled days as we ease into the cooler months.

May can see the whiting peak around the Bellarine, while the summer species like kingfish will fade out until the water gets warmer around November.

The Barwon in Geelong has been quite clear due to the low rainfall in the region throughout March. Clear water helps fish find lures, and the Barwon has great access throughout Geelong. The local redfin and estuary perch will take almost anything that looks like a small fish, or wiggles like one.

The water levels at Wurdee Buloc and Upper Stoney Creek have fallen over the last month due to low rainfall, but both have cleared up a little. Both reservoirs should offer exciting smelting trout for fly and lure fishos as the water cools off.

Local Winchelsea brothers, Ryder and Noah Whittaker, have enjoyed fishing

A nice squid caught by Hugh Clifton out from Clifton Springs. the Barwon River in Winch. Using worms for bait, one of the young lads hooked something weird, which turned out to be a freshwater crayfish, tangled in discarded fishing line! The lads helped the cray to get free of the line and safely released it back to the water. Ryder also managed to catch a nice redfin. The boys have provided a lesson for all water users: please take your rubbish with you, especially discarded fishing line!

May can see larger southern bluefin tuna show up along the Surf Coast so keep an eye out for them. In past years, they have been caught larger than 100kg out off Barwon Heads and the Surf Coast, so pack a few lever-drag reels if you’re heading offshore.

Snapper are still well and truly on the cards, so don’t pack that gear away just yet. At the time of writing, Corio Bay is crawling with undersized pinkies.

Larger fish are around, and there have been a few either side of 4kg caught with 74 MAY 2024

reasonable consistency at Point Henry, Wilson Spit and the shipping channel near Portarlington.

Surf Coast snapper should remain available from the rock ledges along the Great Ocean Road in the coming weeks.

Watch the swell and try to get a low tide at dawn or dusk.

May along the Surf Coast does offer up some excellent whiting fishing. Try the rock ledges under the hospital at Lorne, Grey River or Fishermans Beach, Torquay.

Clifton Springs has been fishing very well for flathead, whiting and calamari.

Hugh Hanson has caught good numbers of calamari drifting over the shallow weed beds. Hugh has also caught some solid flathead to 50cm drifting and casting Gulp Turtleback worms.

Speaking of flathead on plastics, Bill Hartshorne and his son Henry have been fishing out from Clifton Springs a fair bit, catching all sorts on plastics and baits. They’ve done particularly well over at Avalon on the whiting. One day, the father-son team were flicking plastics, and Henry boated a ripper flattie.

Whiting have been biting very well in depths of 2-6m. Most of the fish have been from legal length to 35cm near Clifton Springs, while on the northern side of the bay at Point Wilson, a few 40cm fish have been caught.

Around the Peninsula at St Leonards and Indented Head it has been a whiting bonanza, with fish from 35-45cm taking pipis and squid in the fast water. The biggest fish have been caught an hour after dark, but you can get a decent feed at most times of the day if you move about a bit.

Anglers fishing the deep water off St Leonards have caught some very nice gummy sharks. These gummies can be a little hard to locate and the lack of structure doesn’t make it any easier. If you’re chasing gummies out off St Leonards, your best bet is to motor out until you find 15-20m and send a big bait down. They just seem to show up, so stick it out.

Simon Whitcher and Cosmo Kostikidis headed out from Queenscliff to the south channel for the start of the

Ryder and his bro Noah helped free this crayfish from fishing line in the Barwon River near Winchelsea.

run-in tide. Using fresh mullet chunk pinned to an 8/0 circle hook for bait and 80lb leader, it was only 20 minutes in when Cosmo’s line screamed off to the tune of a solid gummy shark!

Southern bluefin tuna have been a little harder to predict over the last month or so. Schools of 20-50 fish would show up inshore around Collendina and disappear the next day. A few anglers found tuna to 15kg out in 70m and off Aireys Inlet so

Henry showing Dad how it’s done with a fine Avalon flathead.

Cosmo bagged his best gummy fishing with Simon Whitcher in the south channel. they’re moving about a fair bit. Larger units from 60-100kg often show up from now until September so pack the heavy gear. The best bite has been first light, although some fish have been taken on trolled skirts during the day.

The commodore of Lorne Aquatic and Angling Club, Keith Miller, says there are still plenty of flathead being caught but the big tigers and yanks that were biting last month have been few and far between.

There have been lots of pinkie snapper about, and gummy and school sharks have been being landed in reasonable numbers but nothing of any size. Plenty of salmon have been cruising around Lorne, but no big models have been reported.

King George whiting have been biting well, with some anglers catching their bag limit along the Surf Coast and around Lorne.

Plenty of quality by-catch species, including silver trevally, teraki, nannygai and flying gurnards, have been landed, mostly by anglers targeting snapper.

The Lorne pier has been fishing very well, with good numbers of salmon, mullet, trevally, King George whiting, snapper, calamari, flathead and the odd gummy shark being caught.

The FAD off Lorne was washed ashore at Fairhaven last month as the tether let go in big swell. It has a tracker on it so Vic Fisheries quickly retrieved it, but unfortunately, they won’t have time to redeploy it this season. The other FAD off the Aireys Lighthouse was still in position at the time of writing.

St Leonards and Clifton Springs have been fishing very well for King George whiting, although many have been small.

The larger fish have been caught around dawn and dusk, with a few anglers enjoying a hot bite for 45 minutes to an hour after sunset.

The grass beds just north of the Queenscliff Harbour to the mouth of Swan Bay have been hot for whiting over the last month. Bag limit captures haven’t been super common, but the quality of fish is the drawcard here, with solid units around 40cm being landed on squid.

LIFE JACKETS WHILE ROCK FISHING The 2-year trial of a life jacket mandate is complete. There are now 10 zones in Victoria where you must wear a life jacket while fishing from the rocks, including Artillery Rocks, Jump Rock, and the rock platform opposite Sheoak Falls. Go to vfa.vic.gov.au/rockfishing for more info, including safety tips for rock fishos.

Fish HARD – Die Happy!

Paul with a ripper snapper caught out off Lorne.

• Catch a few around Geelong, Bellarine Peninsula or Surf Coast to Lorne recently?

Send in a report to slaterfish@gmail.com with “FMG” in the subject field or give me a call on 0408 997348. Please include where (without giving away your secret spot!), when, what on and who caught the fish.

Pictures are always great, but please ensure they are at least 1 MB ( file size).

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Making the most of the second snapper run PORT PHILLIP BAY WEST

Alan Bonnici alan@fishingmad.com.aua

After a very delayed summer and start to autumn, the weather is finally changing. The mornings, nights and evenings are becoming colder, reminding us that winter is approaching. The water temperatures are still quite high though, so the fishing will remain strong for a while longer.

The King George whiting fishing has

1.5-4m of water, fishing reef edges and sand holes among the thick weed. The whiting fishing has been excellent from Werribee through to St Leonards and beyond to Queenscliff. I have done a lot of my whiting fishing in Wedge Spit, Kirks Point, Avalon and along the Curl Lewis Bank on the outskirts of Geelong.

Whiting fishing is particularly enjoyable if you fish as lightly as possible. You can use the same rods and reels that you’d use for targeting bream. For me, this is usually a 1-4kg rod around 7ft in length, with a slow

There are lots of pinkie snapper about.

It’s a perfect time of year for catching whiting. been productive over the past month, and May is a good time to target them.

Those who follow my adventures on TV and YouTube will know I love catching King George whiting with soft plastics.

I mostly use a worm-style plastic rigged on a 1/12oz jighead with some stingers or assist hooks and worked slowly in the shallows. I’ve caught lots of whiting lately, with most coming from

action and a lot of flex and sensitivity, paired with a 2000-size reel. Lately, I’ve been running the new Shimano Stradic FM 2000 with 10lb braid, which has worked a treat.

Most whiting anglers still prefer fishing with bait, and for good reason – it’s a successful technique that has stood the test of time. You can have some very productive days on the water using

mussels, pipis or small strips of squid for bait, and making small moves until you find a feeding school.

Behind the scenes, the analytics of King George whiting numbers in the bay look really pleasing. I work closely with the VFA and we are seeing a massive increase of whiting in the bay, so it’s well worth targeting them.

SNAPPER A few snapper should be about this month. We had a very strange and delayed summer, with 30°C days well into March and April, and this means our annual second run of snapper in Port Phillip Bay has been delayed, and should be in full effect now. When the water temperature drops below 20°C, that’s when the snapper come back on the bite. The prime snapper temperature range is 16-18°C. I’ve been catching plenty with soft plastics fishing in the areas mentioned above while targeting King George whiting. However, most of the snapper have been on

This squid followed a big whiting the author had just caught. the smaller side, between 50cm and 65cm. Still, they’re a lot of fun on light spinning gear and a great eating size. I usually fish with a 2-5kg spin

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15lb braid, and a 1/8oz jighead. My favourite soft plastics are ZMan 3.75” StreakZ, Berkley Gulp 5” Nemesis and Squidgies original Wrigglers, particularly in the whitebait colour in 120mm and 140mm sizes.

In the coming weeks, it might be worth throwing out some pilchards and silver whiting out deep near the shipping channels in places like Fawkner Beacon, P2 and Spoil

behind this year. So, make the most of the action while you can! Before you know it, things will have cooled right down, and we’ll be discussing techniques on how to find a few fish in winter.

In the meantime, there is some great fishing to be had in Port Phillip Bay right now. Our usual bread-andbutter species like whiting, snapper, squid, flathead and gummies should

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(07) 5546 2480 These locations are notorious P: (07) 4946 fish 7286very well this month. grounds.

onshoremarine@ozemail.com.au E: woc@whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au for producing some much bigger reds Until next time, good fishing : www.onshoremarine.com.au W: www.whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au as the water temperature declines to everyone. Feel free to contact me to

peak snapper temperatures. share your catches and photos around VERTON HILLS KARUMBA Melbourne, Port Phillip Bay and Freshly-caught bait, including OLT MARINE JONES MARINE salmon, yakkas and slimy mackerel, beyond, which we can feature in next 5 Queensalso Road Everton 30 Yappar Karumba work veryHills well for this style of Street month’s article. You can contact me by fishing, with snelled or paternoster rigs. email at alan@fishingmad.com.au.

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The ZMan StreakZ has accounted for plenty of small snapper.

– the Shimano Extractions in 15-30lb paired with Saragosa SW 6000s, and I’ll be putting them to good use this month.

I suspect this second run of snapper won’t last long because the water temps will drop quickly to catch up with the

31 on Tuesday evenings at 8.30pm and Saturday afternoons. Consider becoming a FishingMad member at www.fishingmad.com.au/member for fishing reports, workshops, podcasts, and exciting monthly giveaways!

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Getting up early for the best chance of success LAKES ENTRANCE

Steven Pryke

The cool, crisp autumn mornings have arrived, and water temperatures have started to drop. Winter isn’t far off, and this can be one of the hardest times of year to find fish.

LAKES ENTRANCE The brisk autumn mornings have

There have been some quality bream getting around in recent weeks.

made for some wonderful sessions on the water. Yes, it’s getting cold, and you’ll need to dig out the gloves and beanies, but it’s truly worth it.

Large schools of Australian salmon and silver trevally have been showing up around the lakes, and anglers have been spotting these aggressive little hunters smashing baitfish at the surface in the early hours. Hitting the water early in the morning is the key to getting more consistent results.

Many different lures will work, but minnow-style soft plastics and walkthe-dog top waters are particularly productive. It doesn’t get much more fun than watching your lure get smashed off the surface.

Amongst all this action, the odd rat kingfish has been turning up. These shallow water kings can be tricky to hook at times, but anglers have been having some success on big white flickbaits or stickbaits.

Gippsland Lakes has become the place to hunt big bream, which can be found throughout the system. In recent weeks, some monster bream have been caught around the many wharves and rocky edges. Bait fishers have had great success with slack-lined crabs or fresh

mussel fished tight to the wharves.

Plenty of reports have come from anglers fishing the 18-20m mark offshore, with good numbers of sand flathead and gummy sharks. The old paternoster rig has been a deadly way to pick up a feed of flathead, and pilchards and squid strips have been highly productive baits. Bigger baits such as salmon and whiting heads have been working well on the gummy sharks – it’s just a matter of playing the waiting game.

Cubing with pilchards can help attract gummies and other fish species to the area, but can also bring in all the rays.

LAKE TYERS At the time of writing this report, the lake is still very high and masses of fish are waiting for the entrance to open. The lower section of the lake has been the most productive lately, with good numbers of bream, flathead and garfish getting around. With the system being very flooded, the water is a bit dirty so brightly-coloured and flashy lures have been working the best.

Deep-diving jerkbaits have been very productive when twitched across the flats and allowed to pause; typically

Bream have been taking a range of lures. this will produce a bite. Off the edges, bright, UV-coloured soft plastics have been very productive, especially when they’re matched with a bit of scent.

Have you been fishing?

If you have been out for fish lately and have a great pic to share, send it to stevenprykefishing@gmail. com with a short description and you could be featured in the next edition of Fishing Monthly.

Anglers capitalising on a late run of flathead your trip around the exact run of the tide to maximise your success.

FLOUNDER I want to talk about a fish mostly overlooked in these parts – the flounder.

Not many anglers seem to chase them these days, but every summer I go stalking flounder in the shallows, and it’s some of the best fun I can have.

It’s even better in the Hobie kayak because I have both hands free to hold a light and a spear. I can peddle over really shallow water and cover much more ground than walking around with waders on. It has seen my catch rates skyrocket, and if the fish are sitting in deeper water of around a metre, I can

PORT ALBERT

Brett Geddes b.geddes@bigpond.com

As usual, March and April turned on some stunning weather and I’m tipping May will follow suit.

From now on, we’ll see the water temperatures drop right away, so we need to switch our focus and techniques.

FLATHEAD The hottest days of the year weren’t in summer; they were in early autumn, which caused the flatties to hang around longer than expected.

Recently, I went camping with a few mates down at Port Albert, and I was not expecting many flatties at all. At this time of year, the water temps usually see the flatties shut down, leave, or probably both. I thought we might even go fishless, which was certainly the case on the top of the high tide and the first three hours of the runout. We all struggled to find a fish and scored just a few little throwback yanks.

Then, all of a sudden, the fish switched on. For about two hours, we got a fish nearly every cast. I netted about 30 flathead, half of which were rockies to 45cm. The best yank flathead were nice ones at around 55cm.

The other boys had similar 78 MAY 2024

A flounder caught on lure. It had a huge prawn in its belly, and it’s amazing how such a big meal fit in such a small mouth. results, and all fish were caught on the Hurricane Sting blades. I kept a good feed for all of us, and well done to Brad and John, who deep-fried the flattie tails in batter for us. I’ve never eaten that well while out camping!

The message here is that as the water gets colder, the bite window may be restricted to that dropping tide.

Outside of that, you could swear there isn’t a fish in the whole system. Over late spring and summer, you can hook flatties at nearly any time of the tidal run, but from now on it’s critical to plan

After a rare absence, the perch will hopefully show up again soon

explore that, too.

Flounder have a unique, sweet flesh and are easy to prepare as a whole fish under a griller. Back in the 1980s, it was a common dish when dining at almost any pub in Victoria, and you’d see huge plates arriving at tables with a whole flounder, salad and chips. These days it’s not even on the menu, and we are missing out big time.

Over the last ten years I’ve been catching more flounder on lures, which has been a big surprise and delicious bycatch. They often attack my Hurricane Sting 37 blades, especially in the red devil colour. I caught a big 35cm flounder recently on that blade. While cleaning it I noticed a few small prawns it had eaten, but also a thumping full-sized prawn that looked fresh and big enough to eat. I have no idea how he fit that huge prawn into his mouth, let alone swallow it.

If you want to experience some of the best fishing fun we can have, I suggest you get yourself set up and go chasing flounder. You’ll also see a heap of other critters at night, which is almost as good as getting the flounder.

WHITING It has been a very up-and-down season for King George whiting, and three big floods late last year didn’t help the cause. The last few

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Gippy Lakes is the Jurassic Park for fish GIPPSLAND LAKES

Brett Geddes b.geddes@bigpond.com

Dinosaurs. That’s the only way to describe the run of monster flathead over the last few months, and I’m certain they will continue to turn up in the weeks ahead. The trophy bream are also getting in on the act, so for this report, get ready for some big talk!

DINO DUSKIES At first, I was astounded by the reports of thumping flathead going 75-86cm this year; the number of fish this size has risen The author with a 47cm bream caught in very shallow lake water.

Mark Ramsay watched this thumping 84cm flathead attack his extra-large 20cm lure right near the boat.

dramatically. But soon after I heard of flathead coming in a lot bigger, including a few real trophy duskies at 90, 92 and 94cm. We are all hoping to be the first to catch one at the magic metre mark, and I think it will eventually happen for one lucky angler, although it may take until next year.

Mark Ramsay and Wayne Morely have made it their mission to target these extra-large flatties, and they use whopping big bent minnows at nearly 200mm. The downside of these lures is you may not catch smaller flatties and bycatch bream.

However, you will attract the biggest flathead in the area.

Catching these fish takes a lot of

months saw them slowly build in numbers, but now they have slowed down again. It’s the worst whiting fishing we’ve had in over five years.

They will be there this month but you

The whiting are still around, and some are taking lures.

It’s been a joy to see a good run of rock flathead. They were a welcome surprise so late in the season. will have to work the right tides, and don’t expect big bags. I reckon the two hours each side of the high tide is the best bite window, and you can’t beat

pipis or bass yabbies as bait.

LOOKING FORWARD The gummies have been a nice surprise this year and are still turning up. Winter can produce some of the biggest sharks all year. The Manns and Port Albert entrances have both been holding good numbers, especially around the turn of the high and low tides. Stable autumn/winter weather also helps those on the surf, and although you may not get as many fish, they tend to be big.

I also expect the estuary perch to finally appear over the next month or two. They disappeared from Port Albert in early summer and it’s the first time I’ve seen that in over 20 years.

searching, long casts and hours of methodically working the shallows. On one trip, Mark and Wayne scored just two fish, but at 84cm and 86cm, it was worth the effort. The next time they went out, the pair landed four big duskies of a similar calibre. On both trips they saw a few thumpers follow them to the boat without hitting the lure, and spooked six or more huge flathead while drifting over the shallows.

On a third trip, the pair finally struck gold with 10 big duskies landed from 70-85cm. The boys sight fished about half of the hook-ups right near the boat. It’s incredible sport and proof of just how impressive the population of Gippy Lakes is.

My favourite story, however, comes from young Jobe Feltis. His family has a holiday house on Raymond Island, surrounded by shallow sand flats and prime flathead water. Jobe walked out behind the house and cast lures while wading the shallows. Before long, he landed a flathead that was nearly as long as he is tall!

I’ve had one serious look for the big flatties, and it was six hours of slow, tough going. My buddy Havo and I searched our favourite area near Raymond Island, and we ended up hooking seven big girls, and landed four to 70cm. There was a lot of boat traffic and lure anglers in front of us and I’m sure that didn’t help our cause. Still, no excuses – I’ll just have to go harder next time. I’m aiming for a 90cm fish before the flatty season runs out around late July.

BIG, BEAUTIFUL BREAM “Astounding.”

“Mind-blowing.”

“Great sport.” These are just some of the comments I’ve heard from fellow anglers about the numbers and sizes of bream right now. Even this mag’s editor and comp guru, Steve Morgan, commented recently about how brilliant the Gippy Lakes bream are.

The hotspots are almost too long to list, but include Hollands Landing, Wattle Point, Duck and Newlands Arm, Mitchell and Nicho flats and Metung. On one stand-out trip recently, I was fishing with Jason Deenan and Anthony Havers from our kayaks, and Owen Pierce was fishing from his boat. We all fished the shallows of Lake Victoria near Loch Sport on a glassed-out day, and between us, we landed just over 100 cracking bream.

The majority were caught on a range of hardbody lures, with most bream hooked in about half a metre of water. Jason had at least 10 bream between 40-44cm, and Havo had similar stats. Owen hooked an amazing eight bream in a row, and two of them shredded him in the snags. My best three bream were two measuring 45cm, and one at 47cm. There were heaps of fish around 42cm as well, and it was a truly stunning day out.

Ben Hotchkins then headed off to Hollands, and in seven hours stacked

up an amazing 42 bream, with five on a Cranka Crab and 33 on the amazing Muss lure, right up to 44cm.

Ben then dared me to use that unique mussel shell lure and gave me careful instructions on where and how to use it.

A few days later I took up the challenge, and my first 10 bream were caught on the Muss lure, all around 36-40cm. I then used hardbodies to land another 15 bream, with one at 45cm and a cracking 47.5cm fish going 1.74kg.

Looking ahead, we can expect this hot bream action to last at least another two months.

COMP GURUS After the recent Vic BREAM tournament, the net-free Gippy Lakes once again confirmed its reputation as the number one big bream fishery in the country. 44 of the 58 teams weighed in the maximum 10 fish, and two 5-fish bags

Another big Raymond Island flathead.

Young gun Jobe Feltis caught one nearly bigger than him! were over 7kg. The two biggest bream were over 1.7kg. There were also plenty of 5-6kg bags.

I congratulate every angler in the Vic BREAM comp, and I’m so happy you all saw the Gippy Lakes at its best. The comp winners, Dan Mackrell and Declan Betts, really know the Hollands area well and how to beat its flow, dirty water, deep snags and thumping bream.

A special mention to runners-up Daniel Kent and Phil Partington, who weighed in 10 stunning bream at 12.945kg after posting two donuts on their last visit to Hollands. Their rise from last to second over two comps proves how difficult it is to regularly catch big fish and beat the obstacles that Hollands can throw at us. It really can be boom and bust there, and I get beaten by The Straits quite often.

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Good reports coming from the Bottom Lake MALLACOOTA/EDEN

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

The past month has seen plenty of visitors to the area, and thankfully the Easter period was gifted with great weather. It will all start slowing down with fewer visitors to the area as we head into winter.

Most of the anglers visiting Mallacoota are here to fish the lake system. This huge system offers a variety of fishing options,

and you can always find a pleasant location to fish away from the wind once it starts blowing.

There are a number of beaches to fish from; the lake flows into the ocean down past Tip Beach towards Betka Beach and right down to Quarry Beach. All these beaches produce a variety of fish at different times of the year, and as we head into winter the most common catches are salmon and tailor. The rising tide through to the top of the tide is the best time to fish.

A reliable way to catch salmon and tailor

Lachy with an 80cm mulloway caught on a lure in the Bottom Lake.

is to walk the beach tossing metal lures.

This approach allows you to cover a lot of ground, and it shouldn’t be long before you find the gutters that are holding fish.

Offshore anglers visiting our area have been getting into some good fishing.

Over the past month we’ve had reports of good catches of flathead, both sandies and tigers. The main species this area is renowned for, the gummy shark, has also been on the chew.

Out wider along the shelf, marlin and tuna have been caught in recent weeks.

Once the colder water starts pushing its way back up the coast, the southern bluefin tuna should make an appearance.

The past month has seen some great fishing in the lake. Both the Top Lake and Bottom Lake have been producing fish, although most of the action has been coming from the Bottom Lake. Flathead have been caught throughout the system, with fish being caught from upstream above Gypsy Point to right out into the Bottom Lake. There have been plenty of smaller fish which are a great size for eating, along with a fair amount of fish above the 80cm mark. The flatties haven’t been too fussy, and have been caught on a variety of lures, both soft plastic and hardbodies.

A quality flathead caught on a lure in the Bottom Lake.

Black bream have been caught throughout the system, with the Bottom Lake fishing the best. Good catches of yellowfin bream have been reported in the front section of the lake around Harrisons channel out towards the lake entrance.

Fishing this area can really see the fish fire up at different stages of the tide.

Mulloway are still being caught in the system, and should continue to do so throughout the winter months.

Until next month, good fishing.

Great fishing all round for visitors and locals MARLO/ORBOST

Marlo Ocean Views

The fishing in Marlo is coming into its own at the moment, which can only mean that the May fishing should be excellent. The water in the estuary and the Snowy and Brodribb rivers is clear and the fish, especially the bream, are very active.

We’ve been seeing more of the great bream angling that Marlo is renowned for. Bait and lure anglers alike are enjoying some amazing fishing, with most bags of fish averaging at around 40cm per fish, with plenty of 46cm+ fish also being caught. For anglers using bait, fresh sandworm has been best.

Anglers taking the time to harvest some prawns from the system have also been doing well. Although fish are being

caught throughout the system, the current lines around Honeymoon, as well as First and Second Island, have been producing the better-quality fish.

Land-based anglers are also enjoying good fishing. The Marlo Jetty is always a popular spot to wet a line, as well as the various clearings along the Snowy River and the Brodribb River ramp and jetty.

Frenches Narrows is another good place to have a walk and a fish. It is popular with lure anglers targeting bream and flathead.

The fishing on our offshore grounds has also been good and should continue to improve. Surprisingly, the water continues to be a little murky locally, but that hasn’t affected the fishing too much.

People still seem to be managing a good feed of flathead and the odd gummy shark without having to travel too far.

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Rhiannon Mooren and Ashby Potter with some quality Snowy River bream caught on fresh sandworm. adventurous, the close-in reefs off Pearl Point have been offering up better fishing, with larger numbers of flathead and better-quality gummy shark. The hot zone seems to be from Pearl Point south to the Conran boat ramp. Looking at how the fishing has been from the start of the year, you would expect this fishing trend to continue.

We have not had many reports about the beach fishing in the area. Generally, as we move into the cooler months our beach anglers will pick up some tailor and salmon, while the shark fishing slows.

It’s always good to see the fishing going well, but don’t forget there are plenty of other reasons to visit Marlo.

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Hot bite in cool conditions as winter approaches ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

Off the back of my last report, the Murray River has dropped away and cleared, providing ample opportunities for lure fishing. From Swan Hill downstream to Mildura and beyond, the fish are on the chew and cracking a variety of lures, both cast and trolled.

A solid Murray cod caught early in the morning on a fresh piece of chicken fillet.

I will start this report with the Murrumbidgee River, where from Hay downstream to Maude and below the fishing has been exceptional, as it has been the past few seasons. Anglers have been catching plenty of cod on cast and trolled lures to 90cm, with the odd perch mixed in. Bait anglers have also been hitting the mark on all your favourite cod treats, with grubs, chicken, cheese, and yabbies working well. If I had to pick a location for plenty of fish, this would be the river I would hit up over the coming months.

I’m not sure you’ll catch monster cod in these waters, but you’re guaranteed at least some action.

Now back to the Murray River at Swan Hill, where local tackle proprietor Jim Credlin reports anglers have been catching Murray cod from Brooks Lane downstream to the road bridge on trolled lures and bait. The biggest cod of recent

times was an 82cm fish caught on a grub.

The average size on lures has been around the 60cm mark. Some good-sized golden perch have also been taking lures and bait, with fish to 45cm in the mix.

It’s a similar story downstream along the Murray River at Boundary Bend, with plenty of smaller cod and some sizable perch biting on bait and lures. River shrimp seem to be the best bait for the perch, while the cod have been partial to a chunk of chicken or a fresh, fat grub.

Yabbies, too, have been tempting the cod and the odd larger perch. In most cases, the carp leave these hard shell baits alone.

Robinvale on the Murray has Murray cod to 75cm upstream of the weir on trolled lures, and some thumping perch have also been muscling in on the lure action. Bait anglers have been catching some solid perch on scrub worms, shrimp and small yabbies, amongst an endless number of carp. The odd catfish has also been picked up on bait around the willows, and it’s good to see them making a show.

In the Murray below the Euston weir and downstream, good numbers of Murray cod have been caught on trolled lures, with the biggest reported a respectable 80cm. A

few perch have also been hitting lures, with some thumpers coming aboard up to 58cm. Bait anglers, too, have been enjoying the bite in this section of the river, catching both cod and perch on a variety of baits, including worms, grubs, yabbies and shrimp. I believe it’s only a matter of time before we see some metreplus cod laded in this section of the river.

Back down along the Murray, Red Cliffs has continued to produce the goods, with plenty of small cod and perch being caught on lures with the odd monster in the mix. Several cod over the metre mark have been landed in this area, and the biggest was a thumping 118cm model picked up on a large, deep

trolled lure. It’s great to see these bigger fish making their way back upstream, providing real opportunities at more locations.

The Murray River between Mildura and Wentworth continues to be ground zero for most cod anglers, with the fish continuing to bite despite the fishing pressure. Numerous metre-plus cod and an endless mass of large golden perch have continued to smash a wide variety of trolled lures. There have also been heaps of smaller cod in the mix to keep anglers busy.

All up, the fishing has been great, and we should expect more over the coming months.

YARRAWONGA

HIS & HERS PARTNERS CLASSIC The His & Hers Partners Classic, a one-day event, was held in March, with 50 teams participating. Kade Blow and partner Annie Hockley were the favourites going into the event, and rightly so. By day’s end, they had landed 43 cod, 27 of them being point scoring, with 13 measuring over the 55cm mark.

A super effort.

Second place was taken by Kade’s mum and dad, Derek and Sue Blow, with 15 fish for the day. John and Janice Logan secured third.

The biggest cod for the day was caught by Daryl Barnes, measuring 85cm.

COD NATIONALS Mid-March saw the hosting of Australia’s premier Murray cod fishing event, the Great Northern cod Nationals.

47 teams/94 anglers witnessed the best four days of cod fishing ever seen in a competition. Just under 900 pointscoring cod were caught and released through the event.

Live scoping was banned throughout the event, and this decision proved to be popular. With Mulwala having a fully self-sustaining cod population, as opposed to some other stocked cod

Fantastic comp results Tony Bennett

Trolling has been the most productive way to tempt the cod, both big and small. This fish was caught on one of the new 120mm Cod Lolly lures.

Clinton Hann caught this metre-plus cod on a cast Scope Bait from Bassman spinnerbaits.

82 MAY 2024

Clinton Han with an average-sized cod caught on a trolled StumpJumper.

The prime time to fish Lake Mulwala is slowly tapering off, but it’s definitely still worth fishing. Year-round, this lake produces more cod on average than any other cod fishery.

As the water temp starts to drop and the ski boat traffic diminishes, the quality of the cod in and around Lake Mulwala tends to increase. There is no method that will far outweigh the other, be it casting, trolling or bait fishing. The important thing is to get out there and have a crack whilst enjoying yourself.

March was the most productive month of fishing I have ever seen in my 30+ years of fishing the lake. One of the most notable captures came from Billy Westerveldt whilst surface fishing the top end of the lake. His offering was engulfed by a monster measuring 135cm, equal to the best I have seen here.

Another beast was caught by Connor Heir on a cast spinnerbait. Connor’s cod went a magnificent 130cm.

Both of these fish were caught without using a ‘scope’ and deserve 1000 times more credit than those that are.

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Time for quality fish May is one of my favourite months to go fishing, partly because there are fewer water skiers and jet skis. This reduction in boat traffic improves our chances of landing quality fish.

The irrigation season finishes in the middle of May so there are often reduced flows going down the river systems. This usually results in better water clarity (although this can change if we get a lot of rainfall in the colder months).

Another reason I love this time of year is because of the weather. In May and through winter we often experience larger, slow-moving, high-pressure systems.

The result is less wind and improved barometer conditions some days, which is good news for anglers.

LAKE EPPALOCK At the time of writing this report Lake Eppalock was at 93% of capacity, with water levels gradually dropping. The clarity is slowly improving.

The fishing has been hit-and-miss over the past month. Some anglers chasing redfin have experienced very slow fishing, while other anglers have been getting good catches. If you’re not getting the results you’re after, it could be because you’re staying in one place for too long, or fishing areas that get a lot of fishing pressure. Expand your search to different areas, bearing in mind you may need to cover a lot of ground to find a good concentration of redfin.

Trolling small, deep-diving hardbody lures is a good way to find the fish.

Alternatively, you can cast soft plastics in good holding areas. Keep moving until you find a good school, and don’t spend

too long in an area if you’re not catching fish. If I don’t catch fish within 10 minutes I’ll usually move to another location.

Most of the redfin caught lately have come from depths of around 6-9m.

We’ve been seeing more Murray cod and golden perch caught over the past month. The catch rates still aren’t great, but they’re better than they were before. The majority of golden perch have been caught along the edges of the rocky shorelines and the standing timber in the lake. Most of the Murray cod have been caught by anglers bait fishing off the bank or trolling around the edges of the lake.

The average size of the cod in Eppalock is only 40-50cm but it’s a sign of good things to come. Many more fish will be stocked later this year, thanks to Victorian Fisheries, so the future of this fishery looks bright.

CAMPASPE RIVER The river has been fishing pretty well this autumn, aside from a period when an environmental flow was released down the systems. Although the flow is good for the health of the river, the influx of colder water does put the fish off the bite for a few days until they get used to it (or until the flows reduce). There is one more environmental flow due this month so keep an eye on the river flows, and avoid fishing during this period.

The most productive section of the river is from Barnadown to below the spillway at Lake Eppalock. We’ve been seeing improved catch rates for anglers walking the banks and fishing the shallower sections of the river above Rochester and Elmore. Most of the Murray cod have been around the 50-65cm mark, while the average size of the golden perch has been 38-45cm.

By the end of the month we might

waters, anglers coming here to ‘fish’ instead of ‘scope’ will consistently catch more fish with a lot more merit.

At the highly-anticipated presentation evening, the first category to be announced was Best Performed

Newbie. Harry Sikorski took this title thanks to his keenness to get involved and the guidance of his veteran skipper, Rick Doyle.

Most Improved Individual went to Rhys Wilson, who went up an incredible

BENDIGO

Roger Miles codhuntertours@bigpond.com

Louis Clarke with the biggest cod from the Cod Nationals, measuring 108.9cm.

The golden perch was caught on a Jackall Mask Vibe, using a burn-and-kill retrieve, at Lake Eppalock recently. see catch rates starting to drop. However, if you put the time in you may manage to land your personal best Murray cod or golden perch for the season.

CAIRN CURRAN Water levels are still falling at Cairn Curran and the clarity has continued to improve.

The redfin fishing is average. Trolling with deep-diving hardbody lures has been producing a few fish, and brightlycoloured lures have been working the best.

If you find a good concentration of redfin you can try jigging ice jigs or vibes. Casting and retrieving soft plastics and soft vibes can also produce. Most of the redfin are close to the bottom at the moment so make sure your jighead is heavy enough to reach them. There’s no point fishing higher in the water column if there are no concentrations of redfin there.

Like Lake Eppalock, Cairn Curran has seen a small increase in golden perch and Murray cod catches. Most are small but there are a few bigger ones getting around. The more hours you spend on the water, the better your chances of catching a quality fish.

Trolling medium to large hardbody lures is a good way to target natives.

Another worthwhile option is trolling soft vibes or spinnerbaits.

During low-light conditions the Murray cod often like to move into the shallower margins. This is a good time to cast surface lures and swimbaits.

LODDON RIVER The Loddon River hasn’t cleared up as quickly as expected due to the water releases from Laanecoorie and Cairn Curran. However, once the irrigation season finishes in mid-May, water flows will reduce and the clarity will improve for a while. How long this will last will depends on when the catchment receives heavy rainfall.

One good thing about the dirty water is there’s been less fishing pressure for a long while. That means the fish are less lure-shy, and there are also more of them in the system because anglers haven’t been killing them to take home.

May isn’t the best time for catching good numbers of fish but if you put the time in, the rewards will be there. Whether you’re trolling a large hardbody for a Murray cod or casting a lipless crankbaits for golden perch, it’s just nice to be on the water. And who knows –the next cast might produce that fish of a lifetime!

61 places from his previous year’s result.

Most Improved Team went to Team Fat Betty (Stephen Booth and Shane Banks), who finished third overall. They are excellent fishos who were unlucky in 2023, and it was great to see them finishing 29 places higher for 2024.

Louis Clarke won the Tonic Big Fish award with a magnificent 108.9cm monster caught on Day 3.

Champion Female Angler was taken out by Sara Flowerday, who pipped Vanessa Bennett at the post.

The Champion Angler title was won

by Thomas Pinter, who ended up with over 7000 points. Second place was ‘Mr Consistent’, Derek Blow, on 5158 points.

Third place went to Joel Kenyon, who landed plenty of great cod and amassed 4574 points.

To no one’s surprise, Team Black Widow (Thomas and Steve Pinter) were the 2024 cod Nationals Champion Team – 48.84 points. This made it four wins in the past five years for the Pinters. It was an unbelievable effort and very well deserved.

Add in a $10,000 winner’s cheque, and

they were a very happy team.

Last year’s winners, Team KD, were looking to go back-to-back but unfortunately couldn’t quite repeat the performance, amassing 39.72 points. A couple of slower days proved costly for the highly-fancied Blow boys, but it wasn’t a bad effort considering they have finished in the top three teams out of the past six years.

Team Fat Betty, Stephen Booth and Shane Banks slotted nicely into third place with 34.26pts.

You can see the full breakdown of this year’s exciting event in the Tournament section of this magazine.

• If you’re visiting town, call into Lake Mulwala Fish Camp & Ski, the shop with the big green cod out the front (opposite the Post Office) in Mulwala, or check out their Yarrawonga store (Yarrawonga’s only tackle store) located next to Rivers.

These guys are Yarrawonga/Mulwala’s fishing experts and specialise in all things ‘green’! For any information on the upcoming events or fishing reports, give them a hoy on 03 5744 3133.

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Prime time to target redfin around Wangaratta WANGARATTA

Robbie Alexander

I like to think of May as our warm-up to winter, if that makes sense! May gets us ready for those bitterly cold, frosty mornings and, unfortunately, the slow winter fishing. But it’s not all bad; there are still plenty of fishing options if you know where to go.

REDFIN When I think of May fishing in the Wangaratta region, the redfin fishing excites me the most. Some of my best redfin fishing has been in May. Lake William Hovell and Lake Buffalo can fish very well for redfin at this time of year, often producing good-size fish.

Try trolling small diving lures if you’re fishing from a boat in one of these lakes.

Hardbody lures around the 40-60mm size

There’s something special about fishing at Lake Moodemere at sunrise.

This yellowbelly was caught in Wangaratta recently, using an orange Predator hardbody lure. Yellowbelly will be harder to find in May. MURRAY COD The rivers around Wangaratta tend to fish poorly for Murray cod during May. I usually manage to catch a few cod each May, but I’m not going to lie – it’s not a great month for cod fishing. It’s a case of making more casts to catch fewer fish. Perseverance is the key to getting results.

Fishing with baits such as worms, cheese, bardi grubs, yabbies and live shrimp can be quite successful, with cheese being the most popular. Worms usually catch the smaller fish. Even when bait fishing though, you should expect to wait longer in between bites during May. Lake Mulwala, just down the road, is probably the best place to go. It fishes consistently well during May each year.

YELLOWBELLY Like the Murray cod, the yellowbelly fishing will be very slow in May. You may pick up an odd one while bait fishing in the rivers around Wangaratta, but I would not expect to catch too many. Worms and live shrimp will be the best baits.

Those targeting Murray cod with lures may also pick up a yellowbelly if they’re lucky.

If you are bait fishing, live shrimp are the best. However, they will need to be caught elsewhere and are hard to keep alive. On top of that, they can be very hard to find in May when the water is cold. Small yabbies will be your next best option, followed by worms.

Bait fishing is a great way to fish from the bank for redfin in both Lake William

This chunky redfin was caught on an orange Strike Tiger 3” Minnow at Lake Buffalo in May last year.

streams they will have started before the month is over.

Bright/fluorescent coloured lures can work very well. A bright orange Super Vibrax bladed spinner is a very good option, as is the Strike Tiger Nymph soft plastic in ‘orange spawn’ colour.

The start of May marks the tail-end of the cricket season, and black lures may work well at this time. Most crickets are usually gone by the start of May, but the trout may still be looking for them.

Casting long, skinny minnows can be another way to catch trout at this time of year. As the trout prepare to spawn, they often get territorial and attack other fish out of aggression. Bringing a large lure past them is like walking past a magpie’s nest in September.

If you want to target trout with bait, worms will be a great choice in May, provided we have had a bit of rain.

OTHER SPECIES One thing I’m looking really forward to during May is fishing at Lake Moodemere. I love fishing over there in the cooler weather, particularly at sunrise.

range are ideal, and the deeper they dive, the better. It’s easier to make your deepdiving lure swim shallow than it is to make a shallow-diving lure swim deep.

One of my favourite redfin lures is the 38mm Damiki Disco. It’s a very small lure that dives to around 8-9ft. It catches a lot of small fish to keep you entertained, but larger fish will hit it as well.

If you want a really deep diving lure, it’s hard to go past the 50mm RMG 8m Crazy Deep.

Provided we get some decent rainfall in April and May, worms will be a great bait to catch trout.

The author always catches a lot of carp in May. Lake Moodemere, the Winton Wetlands and the lagoons along the Ovens River are three of his favourite locations.

84 MAY 2024

Hovell and Lake Buffalo.

If you head to either of these lakes during May, pack some warm clothes because it can be very cold – especially at Lake William Hovell, whose altitude is 200m higher than Lake Buffalo.

TROUT May trout fishing can be hit-and-miss.

The brown trout are usually in their final stages of preparing to spawn, and in many

It can be icy cold, but very relaxing.

Most of the fish that I catch there are carp, however there is the odd yellowbelly, redfin, and silver perch kicking around.

Another place that I enjoy a similar style of fishing is the lagoons along the Ovens River flats. Most of them only hold carp, but they are fun to catch, and the lagoons are relaxing places to sit and fish, surrounded by wildlife.

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Lure and bait fishers report good catches SHEPPARTON

Nick Brown teamriverrats@hotmail.com

It was a bumper Easter weekend in the Goulburn River, with a heap of reports coming in since my last article. Murchison has always been a popular destination at Easter time and throughout April, and the fish have been biting well recently. Bardi grubs and scrub worms have been the best baits for cod, while shrimp and night crawlers have worked well for the yellowbelly.

I keep getting plenty of reports from those fishing with Twin Spin spinnerbaits,

Tyrone Hodge with a cod caught in the Goulburn River. too. The cod have been hitting them on the drop regularly.

Around Shepparton there have been some legal-sized cod reported, with most caught on trolled StumpJumpers and 15ft Old Mates between the boat ramp and the junction.

Anglers fishing with surface lures have also been doing well, with high numbers of cod caught in early April. Over the last couple of months the ‘shake and pause’ technique has worked best, but we are now finding the fish are chasing down a moving lure a little more.

As the cooler weather sets in, the smaller fish reports will dwindle, especially off the top. However, big fish have always been caught in cooler months on surface lures in the Goulburn River.

At the time of writing this report, scheduled water flows are just starting to increase. Hopefully, by the time this article is printed, the river will be back to a steady level. As we all know, the Goulburn fishes well when it’s at a steady level.

WARANGA BASIN The morning and evening edge bite continues for land-based anglers and boaters at the basin. The redfin have been pushing shallow and feeding on small baitfish, so matching the hatch has been the key. 2-3” soft plastics, like the Keitechs and Strike Tigers, have been really popular for those fishing shallows recently. Bent minnows and small jerkbaits have also been catching their share.

It’s not just lure fishers having fun in the shallows – bait fishers have been getting some great catches floating worms and small yabbies. You get far fewer carp when you keep your bait off the bottom.

If you want to specifically target carp, run your sinker on top of the hook and keep your worms or corn hard on the bottom. There have been some monster carp caught lately from the basin, and this can be great fun for kids or adults as they put up a great fight.

Hudson (4yo) with a nice Murray cod taken on a yabby while fishing the Goulburn Weir. Image courtesy of Trelly’s Outdoor.

Out deeper, in the heat of the day, the fish have been heading deeper. Trolling small hardbodies or vertical fishing blades have been the best options.

SHEPPARTON LAKE The lake is starting to fish really well now that the daytime heat has subsided.

Autumn and spring are usually the best times to fish for redfin and yellowbelly in the Shepparton Lake, as the fish are more inclined to come out of the deeper weed areas.

Casting small jerkbaits and bent minnows has been a great way to target these fish lately, with both lures running above the weed or a little deeper in the weedless pockets. The key lately has been to pause the lure, then make a few jerks

followed by a 3-5 second break.

Those fishing with weedless-rigged soft plastics have also been catching fish, mostly around the grass hill and boat ramps.

Smaller plastics seem to work best in the Shepparton Lake, so don’t go too big with your lures.

Bait fishing has also been productive recently. You can fish worms under a float in the weed or run with a small sinker in the weedless areas. Silver perch, redfin and the odd trout have been reported lately, so it’s worth chucking a bait rod out when you’re at the lake.

As the weather cools off, we should start seeing more trout being caught, so stock up on PowerBait. The trout absolutely love it.

IRRIGATION CHANNELS The main eastern channel around Shepp East has fished well lately, with some legal cod and yellowbelly reported.

Small square bills and TN60s rigged with a beetle spin have been working well.

Retrieve your lure with a super slow roll as soon as the lure gets down. The fish have been following the lures right to the bank, so it’s best to angle your rod tip so the lure stays in the water for as long as possible.

Bait fishing around the inlet channel at the basin has been producing redfin and yellowbelly. Small yabbies and scrub worms have been the stand-out baits for those fishing out towards the basin in the channels.

The annual drawdown in the channels will see a lot less water to fish in winter. However, don’t let this put you off fishing the channels, as the fish still bite all year round.

PRODUCT NEWS

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With a push of a button, the Altitude tent utilises a completely automated electronic opening and closing sequence to have you ready in less than a minute.

This process removes any manual interaction with the tent, to ensure a convenient and hassle-free setup. Of course, a manual failsafe option has been included for worst case scenarios.

The Altitude’s SmartFold hinge is what makes the tent truly hands-free.

The hinge fully enfolds the tent’s fabric within the sleeping area during closing operation. This eliminates the arduous task of manually ensuring the canvas is folded into the tent when packing up, and gives a perfect close every time.

The ladder’s steps are larger and deeper than competitor alternatives, as well as being the only tent on the market featuring a handrail. The ladder also securely hooks onto the purpose-

built mount, which features an amber and white light, illuminating the steps.

The Altitude stores the ladder internally, removing the need to sacrifice cargo space.

The Altitude’s fiberglass construction is finished in a cool grey colour embedded in the gel-goat, making it ready to stand the test of time.

The tent features a full-size double bed and a 70mm thick mattress. The roof liner has been moulded to accommodate blankets and pillows, so you can leave them in the tent when packed down.

Both breathable and durable, the 380gsm heavy-duty canvas is one of the strongest on market. The tent’s design provides a 360-degree panoramic view of your surroundings, easily achieved by unzipping each corner and door. The Altitude also comes with an array of storage compartments, including bed head pockets and netting attached to the roof. Each corner includes a drink bottle holder, phone pocket, and an accessory pocket.

The Altitude is powered from the

vehicle’s battery either via hard wire or plugged directly into a 12V Anderson plug. The power isolation feature ensures no battery draw when the Altitude tent is closed. The Altitude has an integrated roof fan, and the interior is illuminated with a white or ambient amber light strip along the roof edge. Dual USB sockets allow for easy charging of devices.

With safety front of mind, the Altitude has been heavily tested in various environments and climates. In the unlikely case of electrical failure, a manual override system has been included. The Altitude also includes a locking handle on either side of the tent.

Designed with drainage points in each

corner of the base, the tent won’t carry water in the shell. Grommets have been installed in each corner to block the drainage holes when closed, preventing dust ingress.

You can store up to 20kg of cargo on top of the Altitude, utilising in-built aluminium rails with integrated T slots. The Altitude also accommodates the attachment of a crossbar kit.

For additional power, the purposeengineered 120W solar panel accessory kit, installed on the Altitude’s roof, provides peace of mind when heading off grid. For more information on the Altitude Tent visit www.arb. com.au. - FMG MAY 2024 85

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Anglers are chasing Murray cod at night EILDON

Daniel Piazza

May is a fantastic month to be on the water at Lake Eildon. The mornings will be a great time to troll for trout and redfin when the water temps are hovering between 11-14°C. It’s good to mix up your lures to see what the fish prefer on the day.

This month, I recommend heading up deep into one of the arms or bays with some green grass on the bank. That green grass tells you there has been some running water or runoff coming in from the hills.

Using a 2-4kg setup and casting small 40mm plastics can be quite effective in 2-6m of water. The bigger redfin will come closer to the bank,

Cod tend to be more active at night.

feeding on small baitfish, and the trout will do the same.

The Murray cod population is growing, and some big cod have been caught all over the lake. My goal is to catch a big old cod on the surface this winter. Admittedly, using surface lures can be tiring, and the results can be inconsistent. Some days, I’ve seen my mates cast their arm off for zero fish, while on other days, multiple fish have been caught. Despite these inconsistent results, it’s a lot of fun and worth doing.

If you want to catch a big winter cod, it can help to do some online research first. However, the best way to learn the puzzles and rhythm of Lake Eildon is to get out there and spend time on the water.

In late autumn/winter, you’ll need to fish your lures deeper and slower.

Use your sounder to determine the depth of the fish and keep your lure in the strike zone. Swimbaits can be a good option at this time of year.

Nighttime fishing can be hard, but the rewards are there if you’re up for the challenge. Cod are more active at night and more frequently react to vibrations under the cover of darkness. The dam wall is a top spot to launch the boat and just cruise around on the electric motor, casting your giant lure of choice.

If you want to try fishing at night, make sure you bring lifejackets and a GPS. I also recommend bringing a red headlamp, which can guide you without spooking fish closer

The trout are actively feeding as they prepare for the spawning season. to the surface.

At the moment, the lake is really close to the Burnt Bridge campground.

The boulders are huge, so be careful.

There are still lots of great spots to camp on the way up to this area, and some picturesque features like Fryer Creek, which is only a tiny stream when the lake level is lower, and has a nice waterfall.

The Jamieson and Howqua arms have been fishing well lately, with no shortage of tiny baitfish, yabbies, and worms. All the fish will be feeding up for the spawning season, and if you match the hatch, you will be rewarded. Even better, you don’t need a fancy sounder to catch fish; most

of the locals walk the banks and do just fine.

Until next month, safe travels.

I hope you enjoy every fishing adventure, and if you have any Lake Eildon photos I’d love you to send them to me on my Instagram (@ PrimalSpinbaits).

• Daniel Piazza is the creator of Primal Spinbaits – quality handcrafted , A ustralian-made spinnerbaits with a wide range of coloured heads and skirts. These spinnerbaits feature heavy-duty wires and high-quality finishes, and are proven effective on our native fish.

Google ‘Primal Spinbaits’ to see where you can buy them.

FISHING NEWS

Huge catfish population boost across Victoria Freshwater catfish (Tandanus tandanus) populations have received a huge boost, through the translocation of 102 mature catfish from the Glenelg River to four waterways across northern Victoria.

The initiative was a collaboration between recreational fishers, Traditional Owner groups, and fisheries and catchment management authorities to help recover catfish by re-establishing more populations of the species.

Recreational fishers from the Casterton Angling Society (including Casterton, Balmoral, Dartmoor and Merino Angling Clubs) angled the 102 catfish from the Glenelg River over the two-day event on 23-24 March 2024, supported by funding from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority Native Fish Recovery Strategy.

Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) and Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority (CMA) received the catfish and transported them to northern 86 MAY 2024

Over 100 catfish were angled by the Casterton, Balmoral, Dartmoor and Merino Angling Clubs from the Glenelg River over the two-day event on 23-24 March.

Victoria for release at the following sites with partners: • 30 catfish into Lower Broken Creek, Nathalia with Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation, Parks Victoria and Goulburn Broken CMA • 30 catfish into Lake Sambell, Shepparton with Indigo Shire, North East CMA, Robbie Alexander

• 25 catfish into Little Murray River, Swan Hill with Wamba Wamba Traditional Owners, Wiran Aboriginal Corporation, VRFish, OzFish Unlimited and North Central CMA • 17 catfish into Harcourt Park Wetland, Bendigo with Djaara Traditional Owners, North Central CMA and City of Greater Bendigo Council.

The initiative builds on the successful trial in November 2023 when 80 catfish were caught from the Glenelg River, transported and released into the Little Murray River, to rebuild the population following impacts of blackwater.

Catfish are not endemic to the Glenelg River but given their strong numbers in the system, confirmed suitable genetics and support from the Glenelg Hopkins CMA and recreational anglers, they are serving as a useful surrogate population to help rebuild catfish populations in their natural range within the Murray-Darling Basin.

More catfish translocations are planned later in the year from the Glenelg River and possibly other surrogate sites. The catfish translocations contribute to the 10 in 10 initiative and VFA Conservation Hatchery which aims to restock and recover at least 10 threatened species in ten years. – Taylor Hunt, VFA

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Autumn options for fishing the Crater Lakes CRATER LAKES

Rod Shepherd

Plenty of solid estuary perch have been taken in the freshwater reaches of the Hopkins River. The fish can be found above Tooram Stones (the reef that separates the fresh from the salt) almost right up to the falls. Working surface and suspending lures around any structure seems the go, with the evening being the best time. The trout seem to have almost shut down, probably due to the warmer water at this time of year. It doesn’t seem to worry the perch, though.

In the upper reaches of the Curdies River in the freshwater, some healthy estuary perch are still falling for shallow-diving lures and soft plastics rolled along the river’s bank.

The blue-green algae that has affected the lower reaches has yet to turn up here. Boaters have been launching at Boggy Creek boat ramp, heading upstream into the

This Purrumbete redfin was jigged up off the bottom on a Fish Arrow 3” Minnow, rigged on a 1/4oz jighead to get it down quickly. bush and targeting any structure for the perch.

On the western edge of Warrnambool, the Merri River has

some excellent trout to 3kg, but they have been hard to entice into biting. Those fish that have been caught seem to have hit the lure out

of aggression rather than hunger.

Many fish here can be sight cast to, but most have been ignoring anglers’ offerings.

Prolonged, warm weather with very little rainfall has no doubt put our salmonids under stress.

Surprise, surprise – Lake Bullen Merri has blue-green algae once again. The big fish have gone to ground, or more correctly, gone deep.

Smaller Chinook salmon, tiger and rainbow trout are still being taken by boaters trolling a wide selection of lures not far from the bank.

Lake Purrumbete is also quiet for big trout and salmon, but plenty of redfin are being taken down deep using hardbodies jigged just off the bottom, such as blades or ice jigs.

Minnow-style soft plastics on a 1/4oz jighead worked near the bottom are also accounting for many reddies.

Anywhere from 14-20m depth seems to be where schools can be located on the sounder.

Anchoring up and feeding berley over the side can help keep the school interested.

Fingers crossed for grand finale to trout season WEST/SOUTH GIPPSLAND

Martin Auldist

The trout fishing in the local streams of west and south Gippsland has been pretty average over the last couple of months. Dry conditions have led to very low water levels, with little to no flow in most streams. The fishing has been very difficult and there have been few reports from successful anglers as a result.

The good news is that, at the time of writing, we have just had 80mm of rain in Warragul, with similar falls around the region. This should give the rivers and streams a much-needed freshen-up, and with more consistent rain we could be in for a really good close to the season (remembering that the season for river trout in Victoria closes at midnight on Monday, June 12).

With the right conditions, all the local rivers such as the Latrobe and its Toorongo and Loch tributaries, the Tarago, the twin branches of the Tanjil, Traralgon Creek and the upper reaches of the Bunyip River provide worthy destinations for the keen trout angler, with many not that far from the southern capital. You can target these generally small but feisty trout in all the normal ways, with small hardbody lures and spinners being good options, along with nymphs and wet flies for those waving the long wand. Bait anglers, as always, will do well soaking an earthworm in just about any stream in the district.

Through April and May is a good time to start trolling for trout in Blue Rock Reservoir. Meanwhile, sending jigs to the bottom of this productive lake is a great way to target schools of redfin and bass in the autumn months. Don’t forget that Blue Rock is open all year round for all species, so keep it in mind if you’re looking for a trout angling option in winter when the rivers are closed.

Another option for keen anglers when the trout season is closed is targeting blackfish. These endearing natives can be caught on well-presented presentations of earthworms anchored on the bottom of slow, deep pools. The most productive time to fish is at night. Blackies south of the Great Dividing Range are generally much larger than those to the north, and are well worth targeting. Please handle them

Cate Haughton with a sleek trout she trolled up on Blue Rock Reservoir.

Trolling for trout on Blue Rock Reservoir should start to fire through April and May.

carefully and release them unharmed.

Throwing baits or small hardbody lures and plastics into seldom-fished housing estate dams, or those on council reserves, golf courses or even old folks’ homes, is another great way of passing your angling time when the trout season is closed. These locations can sometimes yield some unexpected results, with a mixture of redfin, carp, eels and stocked natives.

So, let’s keep our fingers crossed that the weather gods do the right thing and play their part in providing a hot finish to the season. And remember that once the trout season has closed, there are still heaps of options to get among the freshwater species of this scenic region.

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Autumn fishing shows no signs of slowing down BALLARAT

Shane Stevens

Autumn is traditionally one of the best times of the year to go fishing, and it’s definitely been the case this year. I’ve been having some great sessions, and many excellent reports have also been filtering through from other anglers.

swimming around in Wendouree is definitely cause for concern.

Aside from the carp, the fishing at Lake Wendouree has been excellent, and it’s only going to get better, whether you fish fly, lures, or bait. I have taken a few of my mates out on the lake fly fishing over the past month, and we have averaged landing at least 10 trout, with many other opportunities. The browns and rainbows

Steve Angee targets redfin in autumn and winter on Lake Wendouree, and recently caught this solid fish on a soft plastic. Photo courtesy of Steve Angee.

WENDOUREE I mentioned last month my concerns about European carp being caught in Lake Wendouree. The first step has now been taken to address the issue, with a meeting scheduled between the Ballarat Fly Fishers Club and Victorian Fishing Authority. Attendees will discuss what can be done to either eradicate or contain the carp population within one of the state’s best trout fisheries.

Ballarat Fly Fishers Club member Bruce Pipkorn recently caught a 70cm carp on fly in Lake Wendouree. Bruce was fishing our regular Monday night competition when his fly was engulfed by what he thought was the biggest trout he had ever hooked. After a long battle he netted the carp. The size of the pests

Ballarat Fly Fishers Club member Bruce Pipkorn landed this 70cm carp fly fishing at Lake Wendouree.

Photo courtesy of Bruce Pipkorn.

88 MAY 2024

have taken a liking to the orange beadheaded Olive Magoo/Woolly Bugger in the mornings. In the afternoons, the orange Magoo/Woolly Bugger has been the most effective fly pattern, especially on days when there has been quite a bit of sun and wind.

On other days, particularly when there is some cloud and the mayflies/ duns have been hatching, browns and rainbows have been eager to eat my brown and flashback nymphs before and at the start of the hatch. I then swap over to Shaving Brushes, Possum Emergers and Shuttlecock Emergers, which have proved to be a winner. The browns and rainbows have been eager to eat them whilst sipping down natural mayflies off the surface.

Steve Angee has been out on Wendouree, chasing redfin with small hardbody lures and soft plastics. He’s been getting excellent results, landing some rippers up to the mid-40cm range.

Steve likes to drift along in his boat while casting. When he lands a redfin, he stops and works that area for a while (redfin are a school fish) and catches a few more.

Steve has some regular haunts where he has caught redfin over the years, and if he doesn’t catch a fish in a particular spot, he moves to another until he finds them.

Redfin, like trout, spawn in the winter months and get very aggressive, hitting lures and plastics with gusto. The bigger fish generally start to show up in late autumn and early winter, and there are exciting times ahead for anglers. If you like catching big redfin, put Lake Wendouree on your list of places to visit.

BURRUMBEET My son Max and his mates Mitch and Lachy Howlett have been fishing Lake

Burrumbeet over the past month, trying to catch some European carp for a bit of fun. The boys have been fishing a variety of methods to tempt the carp.

On a recent trip, Max was fishing in the Burrumbeet Creek area when a solid fish ate his corn bait. It wasn’t a carp, as he expected, but a magnificent rainbow trout that measured 55cm in excellent condition. Max said it put up a great fight, and after a couple of photos he released it for someone else to catch.

Meanwhile, Mitch was fly fishing with a black Woolly Bugger when a big carp engulfed it. It took Mitch 15 minutes to land the big mud marlin, which he estimated to be over 3kg.

TULLAROOP The water clarity at Tullaroop has improved, and it’s now the best it’s been since October 2022.

Craig and Mitch Howlett have been up there chasing a few redfin and trout casting lures from the shore. The boys have been landing lots of small, school redfin and some small rainbow trout. The future looks promising for this fishery, which is good news for those anglers who like to chase trout in Tullaroop.

I’m looking forward to fishing up there myself, especially if the trout start feeding on smelt in the shallows.

Brian Rivett and his cousin Donald Rayner have been chasing redfin at Tullaroop out of a boat, launching at the dam wall boat ramp. On one of their recent trips, Brian and Donald hit the water at around 7:30am. They searched around using the fish finder, looking for schools of redfin, with limited success.

Max Stevens pictured with his Lake Wendouree Two Fly winning 50.5cm brown trout. odd fish being caught in recent weeks. The water level is still dropping, as it has for the past month or so. The edges are very muddy but the water is crystal clear.

There have been reports of a few mayfly hatching, which should bring the trout up to feed on them. If you’re fly fishing, overcast days would give you the best opportunity to nail one. If you like casting lures or plastics, early mornings and evenings should see trout and redfin move out of the deeper water to feed.

HEPBURN AND NEWLYN Hepburn Lagoon and Newlyn reservoirs are both feeling the effects of low water levels due to irrigation and environmental flow requirements,

Max Stevens landed this 55cm rainbow trout from Lake Burrumbeet on corn whilst fishing for European carp. Photo courtesy of Mitch Howlett.

Then, at around 10:30, the boys hit the jackpot. They found a school of redfin and quickly landed a dozen on small yabbies before they went off the bite. Six of the redfin were in the mid-40cm range, and the others were 30-35cm. Brian said that when he filleted the redfin, their stomachs were full of small yabbies.

MOORABOOL Moorabool Reservoir reports have been thin on the ground, with only the

exposing a lot of weeds. This is not uncommon; it happens every year.

Anglers just need to find the clear pockets of water to target trout and redfin. Don’t be put off by what you see; the rewards are there if you put in the time and effort.

TWO FLY COMPETITION The Ballarat Fly Fishers Club recently held the Lake Wendouree Two Fly Competition, sponsored by Hurley’s Fly Fishing. The Two Fly competition

Dusky stocking boosts flourishing fishery We’ve given a helping hand to wild populations of dusky flathead in East Gippsland by stocking more fingerlings, funded by your fishing licence fees.

Over the last four years, we’ve stocked nearly 155,000 dusky fingerlings into the Gippsland Lakes (139,800), Bemm River (12,500) and Mallacoota (2,500).

Dusky stocking began in the Gippsland Lakes after the removal of commercial net fishing in 2020, delivering a key commitment of the State Government’s Go Fishing plan.

The fingerlings will take two to three years to grow to catchable size, which for dusky flathead is between 35 and 55cm to protect larger, breeding females.

To recognise this flourishing flathead fishery, which includes gigantic duskies up to 90cm, we’re offering a $1000 tackle prize to the first fisher to land a metre long dusky from the Gippsland Lakes.

Learn more at www.vfa.vic.gov.au/gippslandmetery

Together, we’re delivering the Gippsland Lakes Recreational Fishery Plan and returning this iconic waterway to its former glory as a fishing mecca!

Freshwater

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has been running for 11 years and is going from strength to strength, due to the excellent fishing that Lake Wendouree produces.

In this tournament, competitors must fish with only two flies, randomly drown before the comp starts. If they lose any flies for whatever reason, they can purchase more, with a maximum of two purchased to remain in the competition.

The Two Fly is a catch-and-release competition, and the winner is the angler who catches the longest fish. All fish are measured on brag mats, photographed, and sent to a designated phone number.

The length is then uploaded to an online, live leaderboard. The leaderboard is updated in real-time, allowing competitors to keep checking back to see what’s happening.

The competition times are 9am-12pm and 1-5pm on the Saturday, and 6am-12pm on the Sunday, with the trophy presentation at 12:30pm.

This year’s Two Fly event saw 59 competitors from all over the state and interstate converge on Lake Wendouree for the two-day competition, which kicked off on the Saturday morning with the drawing of flies and safety brief. The fishing commenced at 9am, and it wasn’t long before the first fish was recorded, only minutes after the 9am bell. After that, there was a procession of rainbow and brown trout caught, photographed, and released throughout the morning, mostly around the mid-40cm range.

Craig Mitchell was leading the field at the lunchtime break with a 58cm brown trout.

The afternoon session kicked off with plenty of trout being caught. Craig

VIC

Lake Wendouree Two Fly Competition winner Max Stevens being presented the ‘Jim Thomas’ trophy by Ballarat Fly Fishers Club President Nick Roche.

Wendouree, and from then on, anglers started catching trout again.

At 8:16am, Ballarat Fly Fishers Club junior member Max Stevens landed a 50.5cm brown trout, which took him to the top of the leaderboard. Many more trout were caught during the morning, but none were big enough to beat Maxi’s fish.

Max was declared the winner of the 2024 Lake Wendouree ‘Jim Thomas’ Two Fly Competition, and presented with the Jim Thomas trophy. He also received a Stalker Legend Fly rod and reel combo

VICTORIA

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MANDURAH OUTBOARDS

Brian Rivett (pictured) and his cousin Donald landed a dozen redfin in a short time on small yabbies at Tullaroop Reservoir. Six of the redfin were over 40cm. Photo courtesy of Brian Rivett.

Mitchell raised the bar again, landing a 49.5cm brown trout to stay on top of the leaderboard. In total, 43 brown and rainbow trout were caught for the day. In the evening, competitors returned to the clubrooms and enjoyed a meal, socialising and telling stories of the day’s catches and losses.

Sunday morning saw competitors hit the water at first light. Fishing conditions were challenging due to very little wind, and then, at around 8am, a gentle breeze popped up, along with plenty of cloud cover. Those conditions are ideal for

valued at over $1300 by club president Nick Roche.

Bendigo Fly Fishers Club member Senan Doyle was presented with a handcrafted pen made by Jeff Willey from Bendigo, for supplying the fly that caught Max’s winning fish.

A total of 79 rainbow and brown trout were caught and released at this year’s event, with many others lost for various reasons. The competition was a huge success, with competitors already talking about next year and how good a fishery we have in Lake Wendouree.

MAY 2024 91

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South Coast

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Great results from Esperance Offshore Classic ESPERANCE

Murray Johnson

The weather has settled down now, and plenty of people have been getting out over the past month.

The 2024 Esperance Archipelago Offshore Angling Classic has been run and won. This year’s event attracted 101 boats and 335 anglers, and plenty of fish were weighed in over the weekend. The prize money for the biggest samsonfish was $31,000, and the title went to Tyson Tate for the second year in a row.

There were plenty of other cash and product prizes, including $5500 for the biggest snook and biggest flathead, so lots of anglers went home happy. Here’s to another great comp in 2025.

WHAT’S BITING The south coast weather in May is always good, with plenty of sunshine, warm temperatures, and very little wind, so it’s a pleasant time to be outdoors.

There are some great fishing options to choose from this month, whether you’re fishing in close, along the beaches, or out wide.

We’ve been seeing some good fishing around town in recent weeks. The salmon have still been in smaller schools, but this will change when the bigger schools come back from the west coast. Fourth Beach has been producing plenty of fish up to 6kg, and Stockyards has also had good numbers.

Mixed in with the salmon have been some good skippy around the 1kg mark,

and plenty of big bull herring.

Further out of town, Roses has been producing plenty of quality salmon, along with bigger skippy around the 3kg mark.

There are plenty of bronzies on offer as well, with the occasional gummy still turning up.

Beaches such as Alexander, Thomas River and Poison Creek have also been producing plenty of fish. At Israelite Bay, the gummies are more plentiful, and there are some nice flathead there, too. There’s also the chance of a small mulloway.

Around town, anglers fishing off the jetty have been getting good catches of big bull herring. There are also plenty of squid, with some bigger specimens (tubes over 35cm) already appearing. The jetty has also seen good numbers of garfish being caught, and the occasional small bluefin cruising past.

Bandy Creek Boat Harbour has been

With a prize of $31,000, competition was fierce for the Biggest Samsonfish title at the Angling Classic.

The Esperance Archipelago Offshore Angling Classic attracted 335 anglers this year. producing plenty of King George whiting, although most are small. There are still some legal-size skippy there, plenty of small flathead and herring.

Water levels in the local lakes have risen due to rain events, and plenty of fish over 40cm have been caught over the past month. Quallilup Lake has been producing bigger numbers of good-size bream. A standard lure at the moment is the Daiwa Sazanami in brown suji. Your retrieve should be quite fast, and don’t let the lure touch the bottom.

We’ve been seeing plenty of herring and squid in the bay, with occasional bluefin tuna turning up. The best areas are the back of Charlie and Cull islands.

You can also get good catches around Flat Rocks, Lion Island and out to Woody Island.

Anglers heading out wide have been scoring plenty of nannygai, including

Time for a land-based assault BUNBURY

Whiteys Tackle and Camping

This has to be my favourite time of the year for a land-based assault. Whether you’re fishing the local beaches, the cut or inside the marina, our famous Australian salmon can pop up out of

nowhere and in huge schools.

I’ve spent many mornings and afternoons chasing the salmon up and down jetties, rock walls and beaches around Bunbury just to feel that screaming run on light gear that we don’t always have the opportunity to experience fishing land-based locally.

Kaiden and Nikau Cooper with some freshwater fun.

92 MAY 2024

When fishing the jetties and rock walls I’d suggest a well-balanced soft plastic around the 6” length. I find those areas to have more sharp drop offs or ledges that benefit from having your lure get close to the bottom, something a diving lure can’t always accomplish.

While fishing the beaches I’ll take the heaviest metal slug or minnow profile hardbody lure that my rod will allow.

Having that bit extra weight with a wellmatched line can be the difference of 20m on your neighbour’s cast and ultimately first punt at the school of bruisers.

With no surprise, shark catches have escalated lately with the salmon running up the coast coaxing the toothy critters along with them. Plenty of tigers and bronzies taking the baits recently, particularly around Dalyellup beaches making for some exciting sports fishing.

A slab of stingray being the most popular bait otherwise the Mandurah mullet we have delivered weekly have been enticing them well.

Blue swimmer crabs are still on offer in the Leschenault estuary. If you’re happy to get your feet wet and spend a bit of time walking the flats, you should be able to manage a feed. For boaties out there, try

bigger fish up to around 65cm (3.5kg) being caught. We are also seeing good numbers of samsonfish up to 20kg+. Lots of harlequin are being caught, along with plenty of queen snapper and breaksea cod. Yellowtail kingfish have also been showing up.

Out wide, fishos have encountered bigger schools of tuna, with some fish up to the 10kg mark. Good lure choices include Black Magic Jet Heads in pinks and purples, and Halco Laser Pro DDs in pilchard/mackerel colours or red head.

• Established in 1986, Southern Sports and Tackle specializes in supplying and servicing fishing equipment. They have an extensive knowledge of the local area and provide all brands, whether you’re fishing from the beach, jetty or boat.

Come and chat with the friendly staff at Shop 16, The Boulevard, Esperance or phone 08 9071 3022.

David Moore’s Bunbury Kraken! dropping your nets on the edge of the sand bar drop-offs.

The Collie River has been fishing really well with reports of black bream over the 40cm mark. Fishing a nice juicy strip of fresh mullet on a snelled rig

South Coast

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WA

Expect streaming schools of salmon

to Bunbury where people have been catching salmon from schools ranging in size from half a tonne up to 8 tonnes.

These schools have been intermittent, with early morning being a great time to target them. They tend to hug the shoreline before moving further

offshore as the sun rises, occasionally dipping close in again throughout the bays of the region.

Generally once Albany and Denmark report big numbers it is only a week or two before the majority of the schools are streaming up the west coast. The steady increase in numbers over the last 10 years since the decline in commercial fishing has resulted in some massive schools coming through.

Sometimes this is not reflected in what is spotted along the coast as experience shows they prefer water temperatures below 20oC. As a boat fisher I have witnessed schools of thousands of fish in the deeper cooler waters offshore that have turned the surface white for vast distances as they decimate schools of bait fish. These schools show how healthy the population is even if they stay out of reach of those restricted to shore based fishing.

The autumn weather has so far continued to follow through from the warmth of summer by staying in the mid to high 20s, which has meant pleasant conditions in Augusta. Although there have been many days with the dreaded southeasterly winds there has also been plenty of wind free mornings and the occasional glass off day.

Fishing on the river has improved with the whiting numbers slowly increasing and the herring being the most prevalent fish caught this month. A good sign that the flounder are breeding is the large numbers that are being

of 1/0 circle and beak hooks are a super effective way to catch those elusive blue lipped footballs! If lures are your thing then the ZMan plastics seem to be out fishing everything else!

Harvey Dam has been fishing well for redfin perch, look for rocky banks with plenty of structure as this is where the redfin hide out. The norm is generally spinners, but don’t discount soft plastics. I rig a slightly heavier jighead (around the 1/8oz) to ensure my plastic is getting down where the fish are.

Beach Fisho’s can expect to find good numbers of yellowfin whiting cruising the beaches. A simple running

ball sinker down to a long shank hook with either bloodworm or sandworm as bait is proving to be most successful. A tip for chasing yellowfin whiting from the beach is not to cast too far! They normally sit in the wash, only 8-10ft from the shore line.

We are still getting good tailor reports from south of Buffalo Beach, these fish have not been in huge numbers but the size are certainly making up for it with most fish well over the 40cm mark.

On those still nights when the wind is behaving, I find it best to baitcast a mulie or scalie with little to no weight and use a very slow retrieve.

AUGUSTA

Anthony Gillam

As I predicted, the salmon schools have been slow to arrive with only the front runners having made it past the south coast as of Easter. There are reports all the way from Esperance

The author with a salmon caught trolling a shallow diving hardbodied lure through Flinders Bay.

caught from Colourpatch through to Alexandra Bridge as they come in from the bay seeking a friendly encounter with a member of the opposite sex.

They are taking prawns and are also partial to small soft plastic grubs.

Crabs have moved down from Alexandra Bridge and most boaties are catching a good feed. They are currently full of meat and the sizes are averaging in the 15cm range. Even the smaller crabs closer to the minimum size are providing an easy feed. As always spleen in a drop net is the safest best to combat the stingrays.

A few people have asked what is the best way to know when crabs are cooked if you are boiling them to ensure that they aren’t overcooked. It is as simple as dropping them into boiling salt water until they float to the surface, which will depend on how big they are as well as how full their shell is. Take them out and immediately plunge into iced water to stop the cooking process. This works for all crustaceans and guarantees they will be cooked perfectly every time.

A few squid are being caught off the rocks and jetties and are probably also hunting the herring, mulies and bluebait that the salmon are chasing.

A good chance to pick up a decent meal is off the Ellis Street Jetty at night time where the squid sit in wait in the shadows just past the range of the lights.

Any small squid jig will do the job but prawn style jigs in black and red seem to be preferred at night with green and orange a winner in bright sunlight.

Beach fishing has been okay for salmon, excellent for herring and tarwhine and the odd skippy. There have also been some flounder and the odd butterfly gurnard caught near some of the broken reef ground.

A delicious feed of squid taken shore based by Stacey Veitch on a morning stroll shows that exercise pays off.

Bream will start to fire in our local river systems.

Mulloway have always been a somewhat elusive catch with people jealously guarding where, when and if they have caught one. The beaches around Augusta are prime mulloway territory and if you put in the time then you will often be rewarded.

This happened recently when Peter

Peter Edmonds with a highly prized mulloway caught on a herring while beach fishing near the Augusta marina.

Edmonds who was visiting Augusta was contemplating whether he should go fishing or not. It was a bit windy, swell was up and it was getting close to midday but he thought he would give it a go. After finding a small stretch of beach south of the marina he cast out a whole herring, soon resulting in the capture of three decent mulloway in very short order. It sometimes pays to just give things a go even if conditions are not ideal.

Demersal fishing is back on for four months and, when conditions are right, you can guarantee that the boaties will all be heading out to catch their quota if possible. Already there are reports that the dhufish numbers are as good as ever with 8-10kg fish common. Squid, mullet, herring and mulies are best baits with hybrids jigs like the Vexed Bottom meat deadly when used in conjunction with a fresh fillet.

Conditions should continue to improve for the next month or so and give plenty of good fishing conditions for land and water-based activities.

This will include rock fishing especially while the salmon and herring schools are around. This is not the time to be complacent however, as even in good fishing conditions it is possible to fall over or off the rocks. Should you decide to give rock fishing a go please remember that it is dangerous at times and careful consideration of where and when you fish must be done.

• Unpredictable weather can quickly affect the fishing conditions and slippery rocks are a recipe for disaster. Please remain vigilant when rock fishing; wear a life jacket and tie off to something solid.

You can hire one for free from Augusta Xtreme Outdoor Sports at 66 Blackwood Avenue Augusta - the local tackle shop, boat hire and font of all local fishing knowledge.

Look for the big green sign on the roof, it’s right next to the BP Service Station in the centre of town.

MAY 2024 93

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West Coast

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Fishing remains steady, pending future rain METRO

Jacob Crispe

The expected rains just haven’t arrived, so the fishing in the metro area has remained similar for quite a while. At the time of writing, it seems unlikely things will change much, so I have based

sections. When the rain comes, they will push downstream as the salinity reduces.

In the meantime, having the fish sitting upstream is great for anglers because it offers more locations to fish, and certainly concentrates the fish, because the river is much smaller the further you move upstream.

Anglers around Guildford have been

Young gun Eli Mitter from Anglers Fishing World with a beast of a Swan River sambo, caught on a popper.

Dwayne Robinson with an absolute thumper west Oz dhufish.

An absolute horse of a baldy caught in the last Mangles Bay Fishing Club competition. this report around that. However, if we do get any significant rainfall, the fishing (mainly in the river) will change quite a bit.

SWAN RIVER The good fishing in the Swan continues to be spread throughout the

enjoying some excellent mulloway fishing lately. Using live baits, finding baitfish and fishing structure have been the key to connecting to one. The odd bull shark has been caught by anglers as a bycatch as well.

We can expect this to continue until any major rain happens.

Bream are always a popular target in the Swan. They love structure, and the Swan offers plenty of variety, both artificial and natural. Whether it’s a rock wall, bridge, marina, jetty or natural structure, it’s likely to hold bream. So, as an angler, you have plenty of opportunities to target them. The area between the Como Jetty and the Narrows Bridge is always popular, particularly in the mornings. The area around the Mt Henry Bridge is another good location.

When targeting bream, I recommend using 4lb-8lb fluorocarbon leader, whether you are bait or lure fishing. You should also use fresh baits, the smallest sinker possible, and either a circle or wide gap hook to minimise gut-hooking fish. Finally, always use a bit of stealth because bream can be a little spooky.

Other species on offer in May are yellowfin whiting, flathead and tailor. Most

anglers will find a flat with a nice drop-off into deeper water and fish it thoroughly with a hardbody lure or a micro jig (which are all the rage at the moment). With the number of blowies in the system at the moment, bait fishing during the daylight hours is almost impossible.

Small surface lures are another option,

Nolan with the results of an early morning raid in the sand.

Joe Orifici with one of many blue swimmer crabs caught while out on the boat with his son Hools, using drop nets. and can also bring yellowtail grunter into play. They aren’t a big fish but they are very aggressive and are fun to catch.

BEACHES AND ROCK WALLS Tailor have been the main target for most anglers from our beaches over the past month. Their numbers have been strong, and this should continue in May. The best times to target them are always first and last light, while other

species like herring, sand whiting and flathead are better options during the day.

There is always a chance of picking up mulloway, too.

As always, it’s important to take the time to pick the right gutter to fish. Having a berley bag set in the wash can also help.

Beaches with a reef system nearby are good options for the drone fishing anglers out there, with snapper being the main target. There are also plenty of squid anglers taking advantage of these close reefs to catch a feed.

King George whiting, herring and skippy will be popular targets from our rock walls this month. Other anglers fishing the rock walls will have their sights set solely on squid. Any weed patches or broken ground will most likely hold squid.

A lovely haul of sand whiting caught by the Fish Tucker Man, Dom Magoo.

Han Yeoh caught this black bream while surface popping flats in the Swan. system, from Guildford right through to the mouth of the river. Species like mulloway and bream have been taking advantage of the lack of freshwater in the system and have spread into the upper 94 MAY 2024

Han has the Swan river tailor on his radar, with consistent catches like this on the 90mm fish caught on a Zipbaits Skinny Pop.

If you want to know if there are squid in your location, just look for those telltale ink stains on the ground. Fremantle Sailing Club, North and South Mole are all good and popular locations to try.

For the more hard-core anglers, the snapper fishing off our rock walls should also improve this month. The best fishing is at night on a tide change.

West Coast

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Anglers braving the cold get rewards MANDURAH

Jesse Choy

Mandurah is a great location for fishing during May, although it can be difficult to find motivation when the warm comforts of your home’s walls seem all too tempting. Fortunately for anglers, we are surrounded by waters that caters to all, should you succumb to your addiction and need to venture out to target one of the many species on offer.

If you are brave enough to adventure

Bunyip is no stranger to catching a quality demersal, with this snapper falling to a strip bait.

Hardbody lures can be an effective way to target black bream in cooler conditions, as it can often fire them up and force a reaction bite. during this time of the year, anglers can expect to see a lot less of the warm water species and a great increase in cold water species in the area.

Boat fishers will need to find a gap in the weather to venture out wide and should you be blessed with that opportunity you are sure to come across some form of success. Species on offer are not limited to, but are likely to include tuna, salmon and the usual demersal species. Fishing from your boat, you are bound to notice that pink snapper are a lot more prevalent than in previous months, as they opt to leave their homes to forage for a meal that is getting pushed around by the currents, swells and tides.

Similarly to most fishing endeavors INSHORE The excellent King George whiting fishing continues throughout our inshore grounds.

Patchy ground in the Windmills area is always a good place to try.

As the weather cools, you may need to move around a bit more to find patches of fish. Still, the quality of the fish certainly negates any hassle this may be.

Squid will also be a key focus for anglers this month. Middle ground and the north side of North Mole are great areas to try. The size and quantity of the squid in these areas always makes them a popular angling option.

Other options are to drift for sand whiting around the shipping channel or fish the reefy zones during the low-light periods for snapper. Tailor and skippy are also an option around any reefy outcrops.

during this month, likely species have a slowed metabolism as a response to the cooler waters and can often be unwilling to feed or appear to take quite a bit of convincing to make them feed. If you are struggling to locate willing fish, visiting different waypoints on your sounder or attempting to drift some favorable depths and structures can be a great way to locate fish that are happy to feed rather than spending your time on fish that refuse to.

Sand fishers can find it difficult to adapt to changing conditions like larger swells during the month of May, but the persistent anglers will find that great quality fish are still there for the taking.

If you can find yourself a stretch of beach that has good quality, weed free gutters, there is a good chance that you will find fish nearby and all that is left to do is soak your baits.

If you are fishing during the day, you will find that bread and butter fish will willingly feed on lightly presented baits like prawn or squid. Not much thought is required when attempting to catch a feed of herring or whiting, as you can catch them at most of our local beaches and fish OFFSHORE With no demersal closures currently in place, many anglers will head to our offshore grounds this month. The 30-50m zone from Fremantle to Hillaries has plenty of reefy bottom to explore, and plenty of different species to target.

Dwayne caught this 31kg greybanded cod down deep using a 1kg Vexed Bottom Meat.

amount of time when light fades.

River fishing is very productive this time of the year if you are willing to tolerate the cooler temperatures, as winter conditions reduce water clarity and decline salinity levels upstream condensing fish numbers into an area which is more suitable to their needs. If you are intending to fish at either of the river systems, you will want to put your efforts into focusing in the mid to lower reaches as the mentioned factors tend to deter bait and fish alike from venturing too far upstream.

Mulloway can be sporadically caught at this time of the year, although you will find that black bream are plentiful and hard fighters when you can tempt

Sometimes you will get lucky enough to find a stretch of beach that has absolutely no weed, you just need to look. do not need to have appealing contours to frequent the area. Anglers who are aiming to chase the nighttime mulloway or school shark will often find themselves scouting beaches during the day, as it offers a good indication that the beach of choice is not littered with seaweed and will permit them to sit a bait out there for a reasonable Dhufish are always a popular species.

They are a sucker for big soft plastics and metal jigs, while other demersals like snapper, breaksea cod and baldchin groper also inhabit the same areas. All can be caught on lures or bait. If the recent Mangles Bay fishing comp is anything to go by, our offshore anglers will enjoy some excellent fishing in the coming weeks.

Yellowtail kingfish and samsonfish are also present in this zone, so it can pay to have some heavier gear on the boat in case they show up.

Tuna are another option offshore.

Birds are a tell-tale sign that tuna are about, so it’s always worth keeping an eye out for them. A bit of sashimi for the table is never a bad thing.

While on the subject of keeping fish for the table, you can’t do better than our deep-drop species. They are some of the best-eating fish available, and are always an option if you have the gear and the weather window to get out and do it.

them to venture out of their comfort zone. River fish can sometimes be lazy this time of the year with reduced water temperatures leading them to preserve energy, so bait fishing will work well and so too will artificially targeting them with a lure that rattles and or sends out a lot of vibrations.

Nolan and his daughter with a lovely silver trevally (skippy) caught early in the morning.

That’s all for this month. Keep enjoying what the Perth Metro fishing has to offer, and I will catch you next time.

MAY 2024 95

WA

North Coast

FMM

Following the salmon highway LANCELIN

Peter Fullarton

Something to look out for as we move towards winter, the first big blow usually occurs sometime during May. This often breaks up any salmon schools around Perth and Rottnest, sending a few strays around the Lancelin area.

At the time of writing, the salmon season was shaping up well with a cool strip of water up the West Coast (salmon Garrit van Der Laan with some excellent bycatch casting for snapper.

(50-60cm) around the reef breaks and gutters. Casting surface lures can be a very effective way to fish over shallow reef and sand banks. It avoids snags and is such an exciting way to chase these fish; I’ve had fish cartwheeling out of the water as they smash the lures.

As for the bread-and-butter species of herring and sand whiting there is no better time to gather a great feed. Sand

The author has been casting the CID Shivertick 165mm looking for that extra large tailor. So far there’s been plenty in the 60cm range. highway) with arrivals of many bull herring. They are intermixed with salmon trout around Lancelin waters so there could even be some schools of mature salmon making it as far up as Lancelin.

The first storms will also narrow and fluff up the beaches making the 4WD access difficult and best traversed by the experienced. The beaches have already been quite narrowed a number of stretches north of town only passable on the lower tides. Swells will open up new fishing structure with deep gutters and reef breaks.

We are well into the mulloway season, it’s the best time of year to find big fish over a metre. Around the new or run up to full moon are the best times to increase the odds, although at this time of year most evenings offer a good chance. Baits of choice are anything freshly caught, like whole herring, sand whiting or a tailor fillet. In leu of a fresh bait, frozen mullet fillets or squid are a great alternative.

Mullet schools have been running, which always gets the predatory fish in close to the beach. Often the big mulloway will be just behind the shore break sitting in the corridor that the mullet run through. Samson fish and big tailor are more likely to set up an ambush around a reef adjacent to the shoreline. Sites like Didie Point or Virgin Reef or even the Lancelin Jetty are favourite ambush sites for the sambos.

There has been a great late run of tailor this year with a larger class fish 96 MAY 2024

among them – be sure on the ID they are very similar in colouration and size.

From the boat, sand patches (5-6m) north and south of town hold some of the larger sandies. The southern end of the bay is always good to troll up a few hezzas. The CID Iron Candy Couta lure 28g has been accounting well for the herring this season, I have been preferring the pilchard colour. It casts a long way, so it’s great off the beach but equally effective casting or trolling from the boat. Herring are always terrible at throwing hooks with soft mouths and headshaking jumps, the standard single hook works very well for an increased percentage of landed fish.

Skippy have moved into the shallower depths. Some solid fish can be caught on the lumps and coral patches in the 20s by dropping micro jigs to the schools and it is surprising how often a decent demersal crashes onto the tiny jigs! They can also be caught along the inshore reefs and in the bay, they are a little smaller fish but still a lot of fun on light gear.

At this time of year with demersal species back on the agenda and cooler weather, most fishers forget about pelagics, but it is actually one of the best times to be looking for a Spanish mackerel! Pilchards and, more importantly, blue mackerel are often schooling along the 17-25m depths.

Finding schools of blue mackerel will almost certainly have Spanish mackerel shadowing the schools. Its best to head out

There have been lots of bycatch when casting to the reef for pink snapper.

Chris Hartanto didn’t think the handle was long enough on the gaff! early morning as the schools can be more easily located at the surface sounding latter in the day, use a micro jig or bait chaser to catch a few live baits and slow troll around the perimeter of the baitfish.

Further offshore, there’s still tuna with mixed schools of yellowfin, skipjack or southern bluefin.

At the start of the month, dhufish

At this time of year, tailor move to shore breaks. Eric Keane enjoyed an excellent morning casting surface lures to the schools, catching fish to 60cm. whiting often an excellent average size along the beach compared to the warmer months. While herring have been putting on an impressive run this year, with fish well over 30cm being common, under sized salmon (salmon trout) are mixed in

Nick Hocking went out to pull the pots and found baitfish in the area. A quick troll and he found a nice 22kg Spanish mackerel.

A great 7kg pink snapper off the cast. Just not too sure about that ‘Merry Fishmas’ shirt Yuvin!

and breaksea cod are typically out in deeper waters around direction bank, whereas there are plenty of pink snapper in close. Towards the end of the month there should be plenty of dhuies in the 30s and those big pink breaksea cod come right inside the Whitebank, 10-15m.

Pink snapper have been insane this year off the beach and the periods when the demersals are allowed from boats and kayaks we have been getting plenty within a few hundred metres off the shore. The past few years there have been plagues of undersize fish throughout the depths, but we seem to be seeing the rewards now with plenty of fish reaching legal size (50cm south of Lancelin and 41cm north).

North Coast

FMM

WA

Blue swimmer crab season kicks off with a bang DAMPIER/KARRATHA

Sampson. Head out just as the tide comes in at the Back Beach boat ramp; this will give you a few hours to catch a feed before the tide drops too low to retrieve your

Troy Honey

The Karratha blue swimmer crab season had a picture-perfect start over the Easter weekend, with glorious weather allowing everyone to get a good feed of crabs. There were still quite a few that

Anthony Palermo caught this vibrant red emperor in 65m of water.

A perfect day on the water led Melissa to land a perfect 6.2kg rankin cod last month. were just undersize, but on the plus side, there were a few thumpers amongst them that we don’t normally see at this time of year.

Move along another few weeks, and virtually all crabs boated have been over the size limit of 127mm. The Karratha blue swimmer crab fishery is one of the healthiest in Western Australia, and the season continues through to around August each year. During the latter months, the crab numbers drop off significantly, due to the commercial sector trawling the bays.

Tow options for catching crabs is either by drop net or scoop net. Drop nets from boats have been working well around the 5m mark in Nickol Bay, and around 6-8m in the waters off Cossack and Point

Enjoying good weather EXMOUTH

Barry Taylor

This month’s report has been supplied

by Josh Cheong.

The 2024 Game X tournament has been run and won, with a total of 420 billfish tagged over the six days of fishing. Other species caught included mahimahi, mackerel, golden trevally and more.

One of the most notable catches was a pending Australian women’s record – a 23kg black marlin caught on 3kg line.

There are also three pending junior/ small fry records for mahimahi. You can check out all the details on the Gamex Exmouth Facebook page.

WHAT’S BITING Pretty much everything has been firing lately. We had a really good Easter weather-wise, so a lot of people have been getting out and catching fish.

Anglers have been catching some longtails in the Gulf; we haven’t seen numbers of them for a while. There have been some good-size fish reported, up around the 10-12kg size. Most have been caught on slices and small plastics that match what the tuna are feeding on.

There have been a bunch of mac tuna and brassy trevally amongst the longtails, with a smattering of other species.

The Gulf has been fishing quite well.

Some good queenfish and trevally have been getting caught up in the shallow margins, along with the odd permit. A few bluebone have been around as well.

The FADs were put in just before

Gamex and we’re starting to see some fish on those, mainly mahimahi. The key is to approach the FAD slowly and not just troll straight through it. You may put some of the fish down if you go straight through.

Instead, troll in a wider arc, or stop and cast soft plastics such as a 5” Bait Junkie Jerkshad or a stickbait like the Ocean’s Legacy Keeling.

If the fish stop biting on lures, they’ll often take a live bait like a small yakka.

Livies can often tempt wary, larger fish holding deeper.

A few mackerel have been caught around the back of the reef and up towards the islands. Most have been taken on trolled lures, like 190mm Halco Crazy Deeps.

There is still the odd bonefish getting caught on the west side for those anglers chasing them on fly.

Quite a few coral trout have been getting caught by anglers targeting the reef edges and ledges in the Gulf. The Squidtrex soft vibe has been working quite well bounded off the bottom, and traditional soft plastics have also been catching their share.

• For the latest news on what’s biting and where, drop in to Tackle World Exmouth at 3 Maley St, Exmouth or call them on (08) 9949 1315. You can also view the range at www.tackleworldexmouth.com. au, and see the latest catch photos on their Facebook page. This family business stocks a large range of tackle, from light spin to big game. The staff have a wealth of local knowledge and expertise, and are always happy to help.

Anthony Palermo landed this monster queenie after plenty of topwater aerobatics. boat. You don’t want to get caught pushing it for one last run of pulling your crab pots as it will mean another 10 hours or so before you can get out.

Scoop netting has been working well on the incoming spring tides, as the tide rolls in after low tide. Try locations such as Back Beach behind the golf course and Hearsons Cove. King Bay is another location where crabs can be caught by both drop and scoop net.

Staying on crustaceans, plenty of painted crayfish have been caught by free divers around the Archipelago during the clear waters of the neap tides, now that the wind has settled. This will continue until mid/late spring, when water conditions will make it more difficult to target them. The months of April through to September are less windy and result in higher visibility, compared to the windy

A good haul of Nickol Bay blue swimmer crabs after two hours of drop netting. months of November through to February.

Squid have been turning up everywhere lately. Conditions have been ideal for camping, or doing overnighters on the boat out at the islands, so there have been plenty of anglers out there catching good numbers. Both calamari and the larger tiger squid have been plentiful, and they always make a great addition to a catch of demersals and crustaceans being brought back to shore.

On a recent land-based bluebone expedition, we saw schools of aggressive tiger squid in the shallows off Dampier, which is a great reminder to always pack a squid jig or two when you’re going fishing.

The squid were smashing the prawns we threw out to them, and coming up so close we could literally scoop them up with our landing net.

May is the month when everyone

makes the most of their demersal fishing.

It’s the best month of the year for low wind, cooling waters and calm seas. The demersal pairs and schools are moving into shallower water, allowing the smaller boats to get amongst the action.

Bag-outs have been common in recent weeks by anglers catching red emperor.

Rankin cod are also in big numbers, and there are plenty of good-size saddle-tail seaperch as well.

I have been fishing for bluebone a few times over the last couple of months and doing everything I normally do. While fishing old spots and new, I usually have no problems finding good-size fish, but it has been a struggle of late. Bluebone live and breed very differently from other demersal species, and we anglers need to ensure the harems are not impacted too much. If their breeding cycles are disrupted, it can have devastating results on their future numbers.

There is one large male (known as the ‘sultan’) in each harem, and he has an

Geoff Frost with a couple of good-size, early-season blue swimmer crabs in Nickol Bay. average of 20-40 females with him. The females can change into males, but only under certain circumstances. Females usually remain female for many years, and stay under 50-60cm, but they will turn male if the sultan leaves so they can take his place. Alternatively, these new males will go rogue and find another harem, where they will fight the male for the sultan’s position.

In cases where an angler removes the sultan, the harem may miss a full breeding cycle due to the time it takes a female to turn male and become big enough to breed – or while they wait for a rogue male to step in. With the massive rise of spearfishing and general fishing, the large sultan is often the prized catch.

Personally, I have stopped taking them because their eating quality is nowhere near as good as the smaller females, and because the risk of impacting the breeding cycle is too great. There is an argument that removing large males time after time can be a good thing for the harem, and introduce new genes.

However, I’d rather let nature take care of that, as it always has.

MAY 2024 97

WA

Freshwater

FMM

Prime time to explore the dams and rivers FRESHWATER

Peter Fragomeni

After a very warm and dry autumn, the days have finely cooled off and trout have become more active in all but a couple of waters. This is the prime time to be exploring our

Drakesbrook Weir A post was put up on the Waroona Shire page of a proposal to implement a dog exercise area in a section from the first bay next to the Saddle Back wall, all the way around to the farm fence to the north. This section is a prime fishing location and is visited by many families that picnic there with very small children.

The cooler days this month will see more activity around the edges of our dams. Fly fishing is a great way to explore the bays and shallower areas. dams and rivers as the trout move in close to the edges, and love to cruise the exposed bays in search of any available food.

The river fish move up from the pools and are more likely to be in the faster flows where the water is well-oxygenated and offers good cover.

Good rains will get them fired up, with this month being the start of our wet season. Reports have indicated that some of our dams are showing very little action and are desperate for some hatchery fish. These fish have been allocated and are due to be released shortly.

The rivers are very low. This hasn’t hindered trout activity in some, while others have been very quiet.

REDFIN The ever-reliable redfin have been active all year. However, this is the time they tend to school up in dams and can be targeted with a good sounder out of a boat or kayak. Most of the catches have been on the small side, although a number of large specimens have come out of several areas with a fair few over 40cm being taken out of private dams right through the southwest region.

AUSSIE NATIVE The cooler weather has slowed the silvers down a bit, but the cod seem to be more active with the colder water.

DAMS Waroona Dam The water is very low and not much trout activity has been reported of late. A few redfin are hanging out in the deeper water, and are responding to soft plastics, and jigs dropped from a kayak or boat. The occasional one is coming from the shore around the dam wall by those anglers who are able to get their lures close to the bottom.

98 MAY 2024

Now, as some readers might be aware, I love dogs and it’s been four years since my much-loved Chester was killed by an irresponsible individual.

The thought of having disobedient dogs approaching these families is a concern, as I’ve seen several negative incidents in the past. I have also seen dogs play fetch with anglers’ lures, and had to help to dislodge a Rapala out of one dog’s mouth, which was disturbing. I urge you to contact the Waroona Shire if you have the same concern.

On the fishing side, it seems this water is urgently waiting for some stocking, with only redfin showing up in numbers.

Logue Brook Dam The watercraft traffic has been the highest I have seen in the four decades I have been visiting this dam. The closure of Waroona Dam waterside camping and the Wellington Dam ski area has placed a lot of pressure on

this little waterway that offers the only available waterside camping within a 2-hour drive of Perth.

I voiced my concern to DOT Fremantle and stated it would be only a matter of time before a serious incident would occur if they didn’t control the amount of craft on this water. Unfortunately, it happened, and it resulted in a 30-year-old man losing his life while being towed on his biscuit.

He wasn’t wearing a life vest as it took 24 hours before they recovered him. A tragic end that resulted in the dam being closed to traffic.

Hopefully, the cooler water will deter skiing and the trout activity will pick up. Please release any brown trout as they are in their experimental stage of stocking.

Harvey Dam Darrell Higginbottom has been fishing this dam regularly as he lives only minutes away. He is an inspiration to all anglers, as he has an advanced stage of Parkinson’s disease and still manages to pursue his much-loved sport. Darrell reports that the redfin have been active from first light and then retreating to deeper water as the sun gets higher. He has been having all his success with soft plastics cast out from the bank,

Darrell Higginbottom with his son displaying a nice rainbow he caught out of his kayak. letting them sink to the bottom, then slowly rolling them in. A few trout have been caught in the deeper water, and bigger redfin have been coming from the trees as well.

Wellington Dam A few reports have come through from a couple of anglers who have explored this dam by boat. It seems the

A section of the Capel River that the author recently fished for redfin. The better area is upstream, and it’s only accessible with a kayak or small tinny.

Jonah Chiera is no stranger to large redfin. This one was caught a while back, but it shows how big they can get in some of our dams.

occasional trout has been caught well up the Collie Leg. Access can be tricky, with low water levels making it difficult to launch trailer boats. Very muddy banks have caught out some vehicles.

Redfin have become more active and willing to take lures in the cooler water. Better success has gone to those that move around on boats and have good sounders to find where the redfin are holding.

Big Brook Dam Not many reports have been coming through, except by a mate who fished it recently and blanked on two occasions.

He did see a few rises out beyond fly casting range, and spotted a large brown close by the bank.

A few redfin have been caught off the dam wall and adjacent banks.

Freshwater

FMM

WA

LIGHT, POWERFUL, DURABLE… RIVERS DAM LEVELS

INTUITIVE CONTROL

Murray River A few redfin are still coming from the deeper pools well upstream from Dwellingup adjacent to any structure.

Very small rainbows have been spotted in Nanga Brook in amongst the thick bushland.

Collie River below Wellington Dam This section has been fishing well recently, but reduced flows due to less irrigation will result in tougher conditions.

Be careful of the slippery rocks that can surprise the unexpected angler.

Collie River above Wellington Dam We’ve had fewer reports recently, but there are always good redfin in the section around the town.

Overall storage in our dams that allow public access and recreational activities is currently 35.4% at the end of March, compared to 50.9% at the same time last year. It’s still very dry at the time of writing, with Ludlow River drying out for the first time on record. Glen Mervyn is basically empty, with Waroona, Harvey and Wellington dams suffering from a record hot and dry six months.

Good rain is desperately needed in the coming months.

WAROONA DAM DRAKESBROOK WEIR LOGUE BROOK DAM HARVEY DAM WELLINGTON DAM GLEN MERVYN DAM BIG BROOK DAM

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The southwest corner of WA has a number of private farm dams, ranging from a few acres up to 50 acres. Some are stocked with trout, and others have redfin that can grow to large sizes.

Blackwood River Very low so the only section worth pursuing is around Nannup and below.

Good redfin are still being caught above Bridgetown on a variety of lures and soft plastics.

Warren River Like all our waters, this one needs decent rain. A few trout are still turning up in the low water, however many

Bridge down to Boat Landing. A boat or kayak is handy to explore down from the latter location, and casting into the creeks that flow in can be productive at times.

It’s been a tough year with elevated temperatures and lower than average rainfall, but good trout are still around if you explore any of the waters I have listed.

Enjoy the outdoors, leave only footprints and until next time.

MAY 2024 99

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TOURNAMENT NEWS

2024 Great Northern Cod Nationals competition Australia’s premier cod fishing anglers gathered at Lake Mulwala to contest the 14th annual Cod Nationals. 94 anglers (capacity field) had travelled from all parts of Australia to compete. Expectations were high but nobody anticipated just how exceptional the fishing would be.

Live scoping was banned throughout the event, which turned out to be a popular decision.

Competitors liked the idea of relying solely on their fishing skills to succeed.

Besides, Mulwala is such an amazing fishery that scoping isn’t necessary to achieve consistent numbers.

DAY 1 – SPINNERBAITS ONLY As the name suggests, competitors could only use spinnerbaits on the first day. Those who used Bassmans received extra points.

With overcast skies and minimal breeze, Day 1 proved to be the best day of tournament fishing ever seen on Lake Mulwala. Organisations were working overtime to keep up with a constant stream of photos being sent in for verification. By the end of the day, an incredible 284 fish were recorded (50cm+) with 110 of them being 55cm+.

Pre-event favourites, Derek and Kade Blow, had a cracker of a day, recording 16 scoring cod, including the longest fish for Day 1, measuring 79.4cm. Team Millerods, David Lawson and Ed Parks, finished 2nd, whilst Rick Goward and Jack Kimpton took 3rd.

That evening, competitors gathered for Comedy Night, with the headliner being Squirley, a wellknown comedian. Squirely also fished the comp and did very well, considering he’s from Exmouth and hadn’t seen many cod.

DAY 2 – BIBBED HARDBODIES ONLY Day 2 opened with overcast skies and a fair dash of wind. A constant stream of fish came in, including an exceptional 105.7cm cod caught by Team Lakemaster’s Nathan Angee.

After lunch, one of the most amazing fishing sessions ever witnessed unfolded on the lake. Team Black Widow, Steve and Thomas Pinter, had an absolute blinder, landing 12 legals to go with their one from the morning. They ended up registering 19 cod for the day. Throw in 13 legals on sponsor lures, and the multiplier bonus earned them 24.36 points – the biggest daily score in the history of the Nationals.

Joel Kenyon and Lochie Brown were the runners-up, and wily veteran Dave Silva and Vanessa Bennet finished 3rd.

Overall, Thomas and Steve Pinter had overtaken the Blow Boys at the 102 MAY 2024

Steve and Thomas Pinter (Team Black Widow) took out the Champion Team title for 2024. Thomas Pinter also won the Champion Angler division. top of the tree, with Zac McGannon and Rhys Macreadie sitting in 3rd.

That evening, everyone gathered at the back of Fish Camp Ski Mulwala for the Great Northern Party Night.

Everyone enjoyed the cool drinks, woodfired pizzas and socialising.

DAY 3 – DASH 4 CASH DAY Session 1 Swimbaits and plastics only This session always throws up a few curly ones; it’s a fast-paced, 4-hour session with the winners being decided by the Dash 4 Cash point score system. A fairly stiff breeze was going to make things tough.

Team Clarke Cousins, Louis and Lenny, decided to do some sight fishing in shallow water. Louis spied a magnificent cod and cast out his swimbait, which was engulfed by a monster measuring 108.9cm.

This was followed by another legal, earning them 1st place. Henk and Corey Gooren took 2nd place, while young fellas Connor Heir and Rhys Wilson took 3rd.

Session 2 Ssponsor lures only In the arvo session, the everconsistent Rogers brothers, Ian and Matt, took the cash, fishing as Team Wilson. They found a couple of legals in quick time that put them ahead.

Hot on their tail were Stephen Booth and Shane Banks, while Skip Bray and Paul Thomas finished a creditable 3rd for the arvo to earn some nice $$$.

At day’s end it was time to present the Anzac Memorial/Kelly Country Homes Dash 4 Cash trophy, along with two custom Venom Rods, to

the team with the most points. The 2024 winners were Team Fat Betty, Stephen Booth and Shane Banks, who finished the day with 16 points.

Looking at the overall team scores, Thomas and Steve Pinter were still out in front, 13 points ahead of their nearest rivals, Zac McGannon and Rhys Macreadie. You could throw a blanket over 2nd through to 10th, as there were less than 10 points separating them.

Everyone had fun during the evening’s festivities, which included a beauty pageant and fishing ‘triathlon’.

Walking together on bound planks, eating chilli flakes, sculling hot beer, 10 spins in a circle, then having to cast and hit a target made for a fair challenge. Tim Cooper scored a direct hit, winning two Wilson Blade N Tails rods for himself and partner Harley Middleton.

DAY 4 – ANY LURE STYLE DAY With many positions still up for grabs in the top ten, competitors knew it was critical to find the cod fast. Different teams surged up the leaderboard throughout the session, with Thomas and Steve Pinter working hard as they tried to stay ahead.

The Day 4 winners ended up being Jamie Kelly and Jamie Robertson, who caught six legals. The biggest cod went to Mr. Coddog, Rick Goward, with a 93.4cm beauty.

THE WINNERS After dinner, the raffles were drawn, and then it was onto the presentations.

First up was Best Performed Newbie. Harry Sikorski took this title

thanks to his keenness to get involved and the guiding ability of his veteran skipper Rick Doyle.

Most Improved Individual went to Rhys Wilson, who finished 61 places higher than his debut year.

Most Improved Team went to Team Fat Betty, Stephen Booth and Shane Banks, who finished 3rd overall. These two excellent fishos were unlucky in the 2023 event, so it was great to see them improve 29 places for 2024.

Louis Clarke won the Tonic Big Fish award with his 108.9cm monster.

A new addition for 2024 was Champion Female Angler. Vanessa Bennett was ahead for the first three days before she was pipped at the post by Sara Flowerday. A great effort by Sara.

The Champion Angler title was won by Thomas Pinter, who had fished superbly over the four days.

Thomas ended up with over 7000 points. 2nd place was Mr. Consistent, Derek Blow, with 5158 points, and 3rd place went to Joel Kenyon with 4574 points.

The teams who finished from 6th to 10th place were presented with their prize money, and then it was onto the top five.

After winning the last day, Jamie Kelly and Jamie Robertson slotted into 5th with 27.42 points.

A consistent four days’ fishing, and the biggest cod on the last day, helped Team Coddog, Rickie Goward and Jack Kimpton, take out 4th place with 31.69 points.

Team Fat Betty, Stephen Booth and Shane Banks, came looking for redemption this year after their letdown in 2023, and got the results they were looking for. Taking out the Dash 4 Cash Champion Team title helped them earn enough team points to finish 3rd with 34.26 points.

Last year’s winners, Team KD (Derek and Kade Blow), were looking to go back-to-back but couldn’t quite repeat their 2023 performance. A couple of slower days proved costly for the highly-fancied Blow boys. Still, 2nd was a commendable effort for Team KD, who finished with 39.72 points.

Unsurprisingly, the 2024 Cod Nationals winners were Thomas and Steve Pinter, Team Black Widow, with 48.84 points. This made it four wins in the past five years for the Pinters, and their success is well-deserved.

A huge thanks goes out to Great Northern/CUB, the major sponsors of the event. Also, Jones Doyle Plumbing, Fish Camp Ski Yarrawonga and Mulwala, Wilson Fishing, Tonic Eyewear, Bassman and Spinwright spinnerbaits, Gidgee, Pimp Daddy, Coddog, Bone and Zerek lures. - Tony Bennett, Event Director

Tournament Calendar 2024 DATE

Tournament

Location

State

Contact

4-5 May

Daiwa BREAM Series R6

Hawkesbury River

NSW

abt.org.au

26 May

ECBS Round 3

Lake Macquarie

NSW

wsbb.com.au

1-2 Jun

Daiwa BREAM QLD OPEN

Moreton Bay/GC

QLD

abt.org.au

15-16 Jun

Daiwa BREAM Series R7

Blackwood River

WA

abt.org.au

15-16 Jun

Vic Bream Classics R3

Warrnambool

VIC

www.vicbreamclassics.com.au

16 Jun

ECBS Fishing Addiction

Hawkesbury River

NSW

wsbb.com.au

20-21 Jul

Daiwa BREAM Series R8

Richmond River

NSW

abt.org.au

23-24 Jul

Daiwa BREAM Series R9

Tweed River

NSW

abt.org.au

17-18 Aug

Vic Bream Classics R4

Mallacoota

VIC

www.vicbreamclassics.com.au

26-27 Aug

13Fishing BASS Pro R5

Somerset Dam

QLD

abt.org.au

29-30 Aug

13Fishing BASS Pro R6

Wivenhoe Dam

QLD

abt.org.au

13-14 Sep

Zerek BARRA Series R1

Monduran Dam

QLD

abt.org.au

15 Sep

ECBS Round 5

Botany Bay

NSW

wsbb.com.au

16-18 Sep

Zerek BARRA AUS OPEN

Lake Awoonga

QLD

abt.org.au

28-29 Sep

13Fishing BASS Pro AUS OPEN Glenbawn Dam

VIC

abt.org.au

1-3 Oct

13Fishing BASS Pro GF

Lake St Clair

NSW

abt.org.au

12-13 Oct

Vic Bream Classics R5

Marlo

VIC

www.vicbreamclassics.com.au

13-14 Oct

Zerek BARRA Series R2

Lake Tinaroo

QLD

abt.org.au

15 Oct

Zerek BARRA Series R3

Lake Tinaroo

QLD

abt.org.au

20 Oct

ECBS Grand Final

Sydney Harbour

NSW

Sydney Harbour

11 Nov

Zerek BARRA Series R4

Teemburra Dam

QLD

abt.org.au

12Nov

Zerek BARRA Series R5

Teemburra Dam

QLD

abt.org.au

14 Nov

Zerek BARRA Series R6

Peter Faust Dam

QLD

abt.org.au

16-17 Nov

Zerek BARRA Series R7

Peter Faust Dam

QLD

abt.org.au

23-24 Nov

Vic Bream Classics GF

Nelson

VIC

www.vicbreamclassics.com.au

29 Nov-1 Dec

Daiwa BREAM Series GF

Lake Macquarie

NSW

abt.org.au

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

Add your tournament or competition to this list by emailing jthomas@fishingmonthly.com.au Just supply a date, venue, tournament name, telephone number and contact name.

MAY 2024 103

BREAM SERIES presented by

Stingel keeps St Helens BREAM Trophy in TAS It’s been a while between drinks for Tasmanian BREAM boater, Grant Stingel. Winning a trophy from the back of the boat in the Derwent river over a decade ago, Stingel added to the collection with a win in the Boater division of the Daiwa BREAM Series in the Minn Kota round at St Helens on Tasmania’s east coast.

In fact, the expansive flats fishery fished as well as ABT has ever seen, with over three 10kg+ limits topping the boater scoreboard, of which Stingel’s was the heaviest.

Here’s how he got it done.

Day 1: 5/5, 5.62kg Day 2: 5/5, 5.05kg Total: 10/10, 10.67kg Grant did pre-fish the arena on matching tides earlier in the year and refined down a location on shallow, rocky flats lower in the system.

“I found the right size fish there, but there probably wasn’t as many as in other areas on the arena,” he said, “and luckily, I has the spot basically to myself

Tasmania’s Grant Stingel won himself all the big cheques at the St Helens event. for the two tournament days.”

“The fish were super shallow - sometimes it seemed like they were in 10cm of water, so it was all about long casts as shallow as I could get the lures,” he said.

Grant used a combination of two Lucky Craft hard bodied lures to get the job done, both

Scan the QR code to watch the Boater Winner’s Interview

from the Lucky Craft stable - a Tango Shad and a Flash Minnow.

He fished both of these

Key to Grant’s success was long casts, getting the lure in as shallow water as possible.

Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 104 MAY 2024

BOATER RESULTS Angler Fish Grant Stingel 10/10 Mario Vukic 10/10 Peter Breukel 10/10 Mark Crompton 10/10 Shane Ling 10/10 Mike Sutcliffe 8/10 Jason Mayberry 10/10 Michael Alexander 10/10 Jarrad Stevens 9/10 Alan Lister 10/10

Full results at abt.org.au

Weight(kg) 10.670kg 10.230kg 10.110kg 9.730kg 9.370kg 8.930kg 8.840kg 8.570kg 8.310kg 8.11kg

Payout $3,500 + Big Bream + $250 Merc bonus $1,700 + $125 Merc bonus $1,200 + $75 Merc bonus $1,000 $800 $700 $600

baits on straight through fluorocarbon (Sniper FC).

He fished the Tango on 5lb, matched with a Dobyns rod and Shimano reel while the 65 Flash Minnow he cast on a Palms Pinwheel rod and 4lb main line.

Grant’s first day bag was a solid mix of kilo plus fish, but the second day was more of a mix of sizes. It included the Maui Jim Big Bream (1.52kg) and a fish a third of that size.

Ultimately, he collected the win easily enough, with over 400g lead over Mario Vukic.

“It’s all about that EJ Todd relationship for me,” he concluded, “the rod, line and baits I have confidence in and I hope that I’ve repaid their faith in me.”

VUKIC RACKS UP ANOTHER SECOND Day 1: 5/5, 5.16kg Day 2: 5/5, 5.07kg Total: 10/10, 10.23kg Victorian BREAMer and Tassie bream lover, Mario Vukic, is one of the most consistent anglers whenever ABT visits this big bream flats factory. Typically grinding out massive limits within sight of the start line, Vukic was forced to change his attack this year when fish he’d historically exploited were gone.

“I visited the dropoff several times during practice and on Day One of the event and it was definitely barren,” he explained, however, he wasn’t beaten for long, falling back to a flats pattern that he followed as it changed over the event days and yielded him limits topping 5kg each day.

“On the first day, it took a while running around to

various spots to catch a small limit, but when we finally found them on a flat near the oyster racks, everything was upgraded to 35-36 fork length fish,” he said. A final couple of upgrades made the bag top the magical 5kg mark.

On the second day, the tide rose slower and lower and Vukic struggled to connect to the quality of fish he needed to challenge for the win.

He eventually encountered the right quality of fish casting to some outside oyster racks and then refined that pattern to eventually drop another 5kg+ bag onto the scales.

“The fish were definitely concentrated on the older racks with less weed growth underneath,” he explained.

BIG BREAM PRIZE

determination and adaptability that’s led him to several wins from the back of the boat in recent years.

Day 1: 3/3, 2.65kg Day 2: 3/3, 3.07kg Total: 6/6, 5.72kg Paired with Tony Curwen on Day One, Rotin experienced an early flurry to catch a limit and then a 4-hour gap in the action before upgrading in the last hours in a sandy ridge within sight of the start line.

Day 2 with Mark Hayes started the same, with his first fish in the opening 10 minutes of fishing and then a long dry spell.

“Mark then made a great decision and moved to a place he’d caught bream before and we ground them out at a fish an hour, but they were quality fish,” Jesse said. His Day Two bag

Grant Stingel caught the Maui Jim Big Bream of the event on the second day. It ate a Lucky Craft hard bait in super shallow water and earned him $500 plus a pair of Maui Jim fishing sunnies. It weighed in at 1.52kg.

Scan the QR code to watch the Non-Boater Winners Interview

Mario Vukic focused on the flats for his 10kg+ event limit.

Mario’s main weapon was a Hurricane Sprat soft bait in both The Gun and Machete colours. He fished it on TT 1/20oz #1 jighead, 6lb Sunline V-Hard leader and Castaway #1 PE braided line. His rod was a Daiwa Battler Water Zombie paired with a Daiwa Certate 2500 threadline reel.

BREAM SERIES presented by

averaged over a kilogram a fish.

“Haysey was great and very encouraging. I said I was happy after landing the first kilo fish and he was into me to stick at it and catch more. It was good advice,” he continued.

Rotin used a shallow jerkbait/soft plastic combination to get the fish in the well.

He fished a Daiwa INFEET

Sazanami (ADEL Ayu) on an 722LRS rod matched with an Infeet 2000 reel, 8lb J Braid and a 4lb X Link leader.

His other successful outfit was an INFEET EX 712LFS and Caldia 2000, spooled with 10lb J Braid Expedition and 3lb J Thread Finesse FC leader.

On this he fished a variety of colours (but mainly olive oil) BaitJunkie 295 Flicks with 1/20oz HWS or Jigheads depending on the situation.

“In the calm conditions it’s all about the quiet, finesse retrieve,” he said.

Scan the QR code to watch the Field Highlights

ROTIN BEST AT THE BACK It’s fair to say that the travelling pair of Mario Vukic and Jesse Rotin loved their sojourn to St Helens. Previously in Tasmania, Jesse won the non boater trophy in the Derwent River. This victory completes his Tasmanian collection.

Although as he was (unsuccessfully) casting a fly on the practice day and endangering his boater, winning the event couldn’t have been further from his thoughts.

Jesse again displayed the

Jesse Rotin’s St Helens win secured his spot in this year’s Grand Final at Lake Macquarie.

NON - BOATER RESULTS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Angler Jesse Rotin Collin Bryant Scott Scicluna Stacey Alexander Bill Bland Allan Lavell Colin Wilson Mark Lennox John Parkinson Duane Bird

Fish 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 5/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6

Full results at abt.org.au

Weight(kg) 5.720kg 5.700kg 5.560kg 5.250kg 5.230kg 5.080kg 5.000kg 4.870kg 4.830kg 4.800kg

Payout Daiwa pack Daiwa pack Rapala pack Cranka pack Daiwa pack Samaki pack Zman pack Ecogear pack Atomic pack OBB Muss pack MAY 2024 105

BREAM SERIES presented by

Harris Rides Ralphs to Derwent BREAM Win Hobart’s Isaac Harris has been fishing ABT BREAM events on the Apple Isle since he was old enough to in the late 2000s. In March 2024, he achieved his goal of winning an ABT BREAM event from the front of the boat. Only took him 15 years.

He did it in a borrowed boat that came from previous Derwent BREAM Champion and friend, Adam Crick, and he did it solely in Ralph’s Bay - an extensive flats fishery in the southern part of the arena that daunts most of the field, but does yield tournment winning bags. And that’s saying something when Ralphs trumps the main river proper.

Scan the QR code to watch the Boater Winner’s Interview

Isaac Harris has been fishing ABT events for 15 years - finally taking out a win in his backyard. colours (Ghost Sayori and Flash Misty Shad) that he fished on a variety of Shimano outfits in water averaging 40-50cm deep.

which helped the bag.”

Remember - Tasmanians call 32-34 fork length bream ‘small’.

The extensive Ralph’s Bay

Isaac put his local knowledge work, confident that Ralphs Bay would be the winning spot.

Day 1: 5/5, 5.57kg Day 2: 5/5, 5.09kg Total: 10/10, 10.66kg Predominantly, Isaac rode a single bait to victory in super shallow water - the Lucky Craft Flash Minnow 65 in a couple of Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 106 MAY 2024

“I was surprised that it fished so well on the first day,” Harris said, “between my non boater and I we must have landed around 50 bream. A lot of these were small, but there was a smattering of bigger bream amongst them,

BOATER RESULTS Angler Fish Isaac Harris 10/10 Peter Breukel 10/10 Steve Morgan 10/10 Mark Healey 10/10 Joseph Gardner 10/10 Declan Betts 10/10 Andrew Moore 10/10 Mitchell Blomquist 10/10 Wally Fahey 10/10 Mark Crompton 10/10

flats are punctuated with soft cunjevois. They look like rock, but absolutely catch any lure that comes near them and unless you catch the other treble with a net, they won’t come free.

“I lost around 8 baits that

Full results at abt.org.au

Weight(kg) 10.66kg 9.87kg 9.86kg 9.76kg 9.62kg 9.15kg 8.94kg 8.80kg 8.78kg 8.71kg

Payout $3,600 $1,800 + $250 Merc bonus $1300 + $125 Merc bonus $1000 $800 $700 + $75 Merc bonus $600

I just couldn’t get back on the second day,” Isaac said. This is the price of fishing Ralphs.

Harris targeted the rockier flats with the shallow diving Flash Minnows to do nearly all of his damage. A long cast followed by a high-sticking retrieve kept the lure our of reach of the cunje, but right in the strike zone for the bream.

He used the new Shimano Stradic threadlines spooled with 0.6PE Kairiki braid and a short length of 6lb leader. His rods were mainly the Zodias 702UL and an Anarchy model.

“I find I get the best casts when my leader isn’t on the reel, so it starts short and stays short,” Isaac explained, “and the bream would usually hit the bait on the pause. It’s the standard Tasmanian twitch.”

Pocketing $3,600 for his efforts and a spot in the 2024 Daiwa BREAM Series Grand Final, Harris will need to set a new goal now.

BREUKEL BAGS SECOND PLACE Victorian BREAMer Peter Breukel was the in-form angler of the Tasmanian Tour. Placing top 10 in every event he fished (including the Hobie Kayak Series), the time he spends on the water was well rewarded with pleasing results.

After being in town for a prefish before the off-limits period, Peter decided that Ralphs Bay was his best chance of a good result. He wasn’t wrong, finishing second to Harris by 800g and a mere 10 grams ahead of a fast-finishing Steve Morgan.

Day 1: 5/5, 5.42kg Day 2: 5/5, 4.45kg Total: 10/10, 9.87kg

BREAM SERIES presented by Like Harris, Breukel didn’t hedge his bets with spots in Ralphs AND the Derwent River. He was Ralphs-ornothing for the event. And it paid off.

“On the prefish day, my best 5 bream went 7.3kg, so it was a pretty easy decision about where I was going to go,” Peter explained. He’s done a lot of shallow flats bonefishing Scan the QR code to watch the Field Highlights

and the flats of Ralphs were a similar setup for both type of country and fish behaviour.

That decision was validated when he landed 5 bream in his first 5 casts on tournament morning on the first of 6 spots that he’d identified on Google Earth during the practice.

Breukel used a Daiwa Infeet EX 722ULRS rod paired

This season, Jon Fitzgibbon jumped back into the back of the boat to refine his skills - a win on the Derwent justifying his decision.

FITZGIBBON LOVING BACK OF BOAT Last year, struggling boater, Goulburn’s Jon Fitzgibbon, decided that he needed some more time as a non-boater to help refine his skills and to get his confidence back. Taking his first non-boater title at the Derwent was a just reward for the decision.

“It’s a good feeling to get

Scan the QR code to watch the Non-Boater Winner’s Interview

fished through the event - they were a shallow and deep Smith Panish in chrome colour.

“When we were fishing 4-6 feet deep, I’d use the shallow and in 6-12 feet of water I’d use the deep,” Fitzgibbon explained.

Day 1: 3/3, 3.16kg Day 2: 3/3, 2.56kg Total: 6/6, 5.72kg Jon’s combos included a couple of Duffrods Edition Blacks paired with Daiwa Sol

reels and both were spooled with 5lb straight through fluorocarbon. He fished with Ben Cook on the first day and Jason Mayberry on the second.

The Duffrods are an interesting story.

“My young bloke won the Rookie of the Year a couple of years ago, so I got to test the Duffrods out. I liked them and I how have bought plenty of them!” Jon continued.

“I would never have fished the Derwent River if it wasn’t for ABT. You need a good excuse to go fishing and ABT is that excuse,” he concluded.

BIG BREAM PRIZE

Pete Breukel is having a cracking 2024 BREAM season. with an Exist reel, 8lb Daiwa Expedition J-Braid and 5lb Yamatoyo Chinu Harris leader and his two baits of note were the Hurricane Twitch 40 in Spooky Smig and the Duo Realis 80SP in Prism Gill.

After landing around 15 fish on the first day, Peter aimed for a repeat, but the glassy conditions hampered his efforts.

“I still had a smallish bag by 11am, but I resisted the temptation to head back upriver and ground it out in the bay. When the breeze picked up at the end of the session, I managed to upgrade the whole bag before I had to come back,” he said.

That flurry locked in the second placing - his highest in ABT events.

that confidence back where you’re concentrating on what you’re doing and not everyone else. I like doing my own thing,” he said after collecting the trophy and Daiwa prize pack that accompanied it.

Jon used a shallow and deep version of the same lure to work the various depths his boaters

James Mackay landed the event’s big bream on a Duo Realis 80SP jerkbait in Ralphs Bay. It weighed 1.30kg.

He was fishing with Shane Ling at the time. He won $500 and a pair of Maui Jim sunnies for his catch.

NON - BOATER RESULTS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Angler Jon Fitzgibbon Evan Leonard David Shanahan Aaron Bonser Scott Scicluna William Thorpe John Albrecht Mark Street Blake Liddelow Collin Bryant

Fish 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6

Full results at abt.org.au

Weight(kg) 5.72kg 5.590kg 5.59kg 5.50kg 5.460kg 5.360kg 5.30kg 5.33kg 5.24kg 5.22kg

Payout Daiwa pack Daiwa pack Rapala pack Cranka pack Daiwa pack Samaki pack Zman pack Ecogear pack Atomic pack OBB Muss pack MAY 2024 107

BOATING TEST

SCAN THE QR CODE FOR EXTRA CONTENT

FMM

MORE ONLINE

Quintrex 460 Renegade SC with Mercury 75hp FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

This is the boat test for all of the keyboard warriors who say that we never test in rough conditions. Well, that’s a sword with two edges, because when it’s rough out the front of the Patterson Lakes boat launching facility, and it’s speed limited inside, there’s no way for us to do any of the performance data that we like to compare.

That said, we met up with Mark Stav and Marketing Mitch at the ramp in some pretty sporty conditions and they’d brought along one of the smaller boats from their massive floorstock, the Quintrex Renegade 460 SC (side console), which is one of the bigger sellers in their range of aluminum boats.

Powered by a 75hp Mercury 2.1L 4-stroke outboard, it’s at the top end of what this hull is rated to. And our advice is always add maximum horsepower if

SPECIFICATIONS Length .............................................. 4.91m Beam ................................................. 2.21m Max HP..................................................... 75 Capacity.................................5 persons Hull weight.................................... 419kg Max motor weight ...................166kg Shaft Length ....................................... LS Top sheet..........................................3mm Bottom sheet.................................3mm Side sheet........................................3mm Transom ............................................3mm the budget can afford it.

“I actually have this hull myself and I use it for my bay and rivers boat,” Mark said. That says a lot - there’s over 80 boats in stock at JV and the 460 is one of the two he’s taken home.”

Of course, he has a bigger boat for offshore work, but he says that his Renegade is very capable of offshore trips on the right days.

This one was set up as a

demonstration boat, so it was fitted with a Lowrance sounder, a Cannon downrigger, upgraded hydraulic steering and a really cool aftermarket anchor box up the front.

The factory rotomolded anchor wells are functional but by adding a lid you can stand on and some non-skid, you effectively get yourself an extra casting deck.

Back to the testing and it was soon obvious that we’d be unable to run any numbers on this boat - it was a washing machine in the bay and the Patto River is speed limited. So, we did what all good boat testers would do, threw Mark in and told him to go run around in front of the river leads for some good old-fashioned wave jumping!

You can see the results in the boat test video that you can find by scanning the QR code at the top of the page.

The fact that Mark came in remarkably dry was testament to his boat driving abilities, but also the nature of the hull. Get the speed and attitude right

and you can drive an open aluminum boat quite comfortably in some nasty conditions.

The corollary is that if the angles are wrong and you’re light on the trim and heavy on the stick, you can get yourself a bath.

Supplied on an alloy Quintrex trailer, made in the same Gold Coast factory as the hull, this boat is towable by nearly everything. The Catch and Release system attached to the winch post allows you to easily launch and retrieve by yourself.

Main: This is the Quintrex Renegade 460SC (side console). The side console configuration is the most popular for this Quintrex hull, according to JV Marine in Melbourne. Above: Probably not the conditions you head out in when recreational fishing, but it’s nice to know that the hull can handle it.

Mark Stav was our stunt driver for the day. He came in remarkably dry considering the conditions.

108 MAY 2024

As tested with all of the options, this rig came in at $62,750, although BMT packages start a bit cheaper if you want to add options later on. Check in with the team at JV Marine if you want to take a test ride.

FMM

BOATING TEST

Top: Factory matched hulls and trailers always look the goods.

Above: The back side of the blade hull flattens out for stability.

The rig is fitted with a Mercury 75hp 2.1L 4-stroke outboard. It’s the maximum allowed on this hull.

Top: The gunwales are quite deep, allowing use from light offshore to the inland lakes.

They’re a versatile hull. Above: Quintrex has been stretch forming aluminum for decades.

The side console means that there’s a mountain of space inside the cockpit and a variety of seating configurations.

The helm is simple and will hold bracket mounted electronics. This one was treated to hydraulic steering.

Top Left: Another optional extra on this rig was the Motor Guide Xi5 electric motor. Top Right: There’s a small live bait well built into the starboard side transom. Bottom Left: This boat also has a Cannon downrigger fitted for chasing kingfish at the Rip. Bottom Right: The Catch and Release hitching system works a treat for one-up trips.

Top Left: The business end of the drive-on trailer centres the keel.

Top Right: The battery box is in the open, which is standard for a tinny.

Bottom Left: The raised front casting deck results in heaps of storage space underneath, albeit not dry storage. Bottom Right: How cool is the aftermarket anchor well! You can stand on it and it adds usable space up front.

MAY 2024 109

New South Wales Tide Times

Victorian Tide Times

2021 2024 Times and Heights of High and Low Waters20212021 Local Times andLocal Heights of Time High and Low Waters T 33° 51ʼ S LONG 151° 14ʼDENISON) E Times and HeightsWALES of High and Low38° Waters Time – VICTORIA LAT 18ʼ S LONG 144° 37ʼ E POINT LONSDALE SYDNEY (FORT – NEW SOUTH POINT LONSDALE SYDNEY (FORT DENISON) WALES

SYDNEY (FORT DENISON) – NEW SOUTH WALESPOINT LONSDALE – VICTORIA SYDNEY (FORTLONG DENISON) – NEW LAT 33° 51ʼ S 151° 14ʼ E SOUTH WALES LAT 38° 18ʼ S LONG 144° 37ʼ E T DENISON) – NEW SOUTH LONSDALE VICTORIA LATSOUTH 33° 51ʼ S POINT LONG 151° 14ʼ E SYDNEY (FORT DENISON) – WALES NEW WALES POINT–LONSDALE – VICTORIA LAT 33° 51ʼ S

LONG 151° 14ʼ E

2024 2024 2024

LAT 38° 18ʼ S

LONG 144° 37ʼ E

SYDNEY (FORT DENISON) –and NEW WALES MAY JULY AUGUST JUNE and Heights of HighJUNE Low SOUTH Waters Time Times and Heights of High and Low Waters and Heights of HighTimes and Low Waters Local Time JANUARY MARCH APRIL Times andMAY Heights ofLocal High and Waters LAT 38° 18ʼ SS mLONG 37ʼ E m LAT 33° 51ʼ LONG 151° 14ʼ EEFEBRUARY LATLow 38°Time 18ʼ LONG 144° 144°Time 51ʼ SSS LAT33° 33° 51ʼ LONG 151° 14ʼ Time m LAT Time m Time m Time m Time MAY m Time m JUNE JULY AUGUST Time m Time m Time m Time m JUNE MAY JULY Time mand Low Waters Time m Time m Times Time Time m Low Time m Time Local m m Time m JUNE JULY AUGUST and Heights of High and Waters Times and Heights of High Time Times and of Highmand Waters Times Local MAY JUNE JULY Times andmHeights Heights Time of High m and Low Waters Local Time Time Time m Time Timeand Time m Time m Time mm Time Time Timem m Time m m HeightsTime Time m

Time

JU

m

0519 0.58 0633 0.53 00061.36 1.68 0145 1.34 0150 1.40 1.26 0554 0.36 0037 1.78 0057 1.60 0557 0452 0623 0.51 0052 1.4816 02081 1.63 1.41 0134 m1.71 0205 16 1.57 0046 0.69 0122 1.60 0034 1 1.26 0113 1.39 0028 AUGUST 1.52 m1.30 Time Time Time m0.49 Time Time m0.54 16 1 1 MAY JUNE JULY m 1 0034 Time JUNE MAY JULY JUNE JULY MAY MAY JUNE AUGUST MAY JULY 1155 m1.39 16 0740 0744 1117 m1.28 1238 0646 0.43 m 0750 Time 0.51 0807 0.62 Time m0835 Time Time m Time m Time Time m 0735 MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST 1 16 1 16 16 1 16 1 16 1 1 16 1148 0.55 1.30 1041 0.38 1158 0.58 0735 1.47 0821 0.65 0637 0.48 0.56 0825 0.55 0923 0.65 0601 0.67 0706 0.68 0642 0.62 16 1 1 1 16 1 16 1 1.68 16 SU0633 1MO 1225 TU 16 1SA0037 17251.78 0.65 1345 1.33 13581.26 1.3811.37FR 16400.53 0.75 1804 0.76 16 1303 16 1.43 1430 1.59 1446 1.43 1.18 SU1904 MO 1245 0006 0150 0057 1412 1.18 0034 1257 1.79 WE 1430TH 1.31 1.22 1.62 1.42 1900 1.50 0.80 0.58 1748 1.58 1.54 0.75 TU1.60 TH 1307 FR FR FR 12381.40 SA 14161.34 MO TU 1533 0.51 SA 0145 MO TU WE 1245 0207 0557 1.36 0046 0.69 0049 0452 1.41 0623 2314 1.71 1848 0.66 2110 0.56 2114 0.76 2359 1.88 1911 0.79 1940 0.78 1 16 16 1 16 0740 0.49 0744 0.54 0646 0.43 1238 1.30 0807 0.62 1932 0.38 0.32 16 20282319 0.60 19490.51 0.71 1.301935 0.78 2042 1.47 0.88 1935 0.51 1928 0.56 0.55 18350.58 0.59 0750 0.74 1.54 1.44 1.35 1928 1 110938 1 1158 1 1041 16 1 0735 16 1148 0735 0748 1 16 1 16 10.43WE 1804 1606080.760.61 1910 1 1 1 1345 1.33 1.38 FR 1303 1.43 16 1430 1.59 1.43 16 1 1 16 1 1 16 1 16 1 16 TH 1358 SU 1446 MO 16 16 1 16 1 16 1427 1900 1.50 1245 0.80 1257 0.87 1748 1.58 1904 1.54 1245 0.75 0030 1.68 0255 1.18 0301 1.25 0138 1.66 0148 1.47 0100 1.58 0700 SA 0.47 SA MO 1.38 FR 0.78 TU WE 0146 1.50 1848 03070534 02330.56 1.63 02250043 1.58 0.65 0317 1.52 0135 1.27 1.41 0108 1.52 2110 0.66 2114 0.76 0.7917 17 1940 0.74 2 17 171928 172 0130 21.60 2 1.44 2TH 0.68 17 20.67 2 2 0118 20158 17 17 221911 20735 17 21121 170023 1207 1.25 0.52 0858 0.65 0.56 1.42 0.54 0828 2 0.58 0733 0.45 1300 1.31 2057 2319 0.74 1.54 17 17 17 2 0739 0.541720724 0955 0.62 09411935 0.61 0938 0.65 17 102117 0.65 0853 1922 0648 2 0.710835 0801 0.73 073317 2 2 0656 1.29 0842 1.32 0.42 1.40 0849 1.50 17261.68 0.80 1.34SA 1544FR 1.47 1447 1.35 14511.18 1359 1.49 TU MO 18251.66 0.74 MO 1350 1.62 TH 1.17 15341.25 1.13 1531 1542 1.17 WE 1636 1.24 1.54 1353 1.58 1.31 1323 1.27SA TU 1538 1.64 SU WE1.47 SU TU 1305WE FR1335 SA 1.41 0030 0255 0138 0148 0100 0301 1231 0.65 0.89 1.52 0.68 0.85 SU WE SA TU TH 1345 0315 0023 0.74 0135 0534 1.38 0043 0.65 1906 0.77 2227 0.72 2230 0133 0.50 0.57 2019 0.82 2045 0.81 1957 0.67 0.68 2021 0.40 2126 0.68 20530.56 0.79 20521256 0.81 0130 2157 0.47 0.85 1336 1948 2007 0.61 191317 0.66 0853 17 0724 2 0.54 17 17 2 1836 0.52 0858 0.65 0835 0.54 0828 0.58 0733 0.45 17 17 17 2 2 2 2 17 17 17 2 17 2 2 2 1947 1.44 2019 1.40 1959 1.51 2023 1.50 17 2 2 2 17 2 17 2 2 17 17 2 2 2 2 17 17 2 17 2 0656 1.29 0842 1.32 0848 1.37 1043 1121 0.42 0735 1.40 0849 1.50 1542 1.47 18 1.3518TH 1335 1.34 1451 1.41 SA 1359 1.49 1538 1.64 MO FR 1.29 TU 3 0.890342 0406 181345 3FR 1347 18 3 3 3 0206 3 18 18 3 1447 18 0421 0.85 1.52 0422 0243 1.53 0248 1.42 0415 3 1.58 01563 1.50 WE 03431336 1.56 1.59 00000.77 1.66 1.16 0239 1.56 0245 1.37 0200 1.48 1.22 0.95 01000.82 1.77 0126 1.63 1231 0.65 1542 1836 1.52 1256 0.68 SU SU SA TU TH 1906 2227 0.72 2019 2045 0.81 1957 0.67 2230 0.50 18 18 08470.570.601830815 18 3 18 3 0116 0.75 0230 0.65 0001 0.75 0144 0.59 0230 0.43 1109 0.63 0.750925 0908 0.75 1119 0.62 0836 0.70 1100 0.64 1053 0.59 3 3 18 3 18 3 0809 0.49 18 0702 0.62WE 0742 0953 0.66 0911 0.61 0825 0.47 1001 0.57 0.50 1947 1.443 2019 1.403 2009 1.383 2205 1959 18 1.51 2023 18 1.50 1723 1.32 1.45 1450 1.45 FR 1451 1.48 1.22 1.12 1421 1.18 17051.22 1.13 1.22 1.44 0808 1.26 0628 0958 1.55 TH TH1.37 SA1433 SU 1.46 MO 13031.63 1.24 1349 TH 1637 1.52 1544 1.40 15431.34 1458 1.57 WE 1656 1645 1.36 1.72 14141.56 1.28 1.41SU 1712SA TU TU0858 SU WE 0945 MO 0406 1.16 0422 0239 0126 0245 0200 2259 0.79 2030 0.57 2111 0.49 2055 0.66 2235 0.73 2002 0.72 2213 0.82 2219 0.77 1321 0.75 1438 0.96 1209 0.48 1402 0.78 1453 0.92 2330 0.65 0.43 0.41 18 2129 0.81 2114 0.64 19340.57 0.75 18 18 33 19 33 2058 MO 18 TH 2341 WE 1818220.500.83 32015 1818SU 3330.79 0.75 0230 0.55 0001 0.75 0144 0.59 0230 3 1930 18 18 18 18 0.57 330426 18 18 18 330.80 333 0911 0953 0.66 1001 0.61 0825 0.47 18 18 3 0116 19 19FR 2124 4 2155 4 0.65 43 0223 4 1918 0815 4 19 4 0258 19 4 19 4 0925 2036 1.38 2108 1.37 1.47 1.48 1.47 3 18 18 3 3 3 0808 1.26 1145 0945 1.36 0949 1.40 0628 1.34 0858 1.44 0958 1.55 1637 1.52 1645 1.72 1544 1.40 FR 1433 1.41 1543 1.46 1458 1.57 TU WE SA SU 0524 1.59 0458 1.54 0458 1.66 0513 1.54 1.32 0343 1.56 0345 1.46 0256 1.50 00560.75 1.62 051319 1.17 0.92 0534 1449 0339 1.49 1.59 0344 1.41 0.96 1.25 1.01 02090.81 1.68 1321 0.75 2330 1438 1209 0.48 1402 19 40228 19 190310 4 40252 4 0.78 41.31 0.65 2341 2015 2155 0.79 2114 0.64 MO MO 1659 TH SA 0.61 SU WE FR 1453 0.59 12080.41 0.62 0.49 1147 19 0.59 0329 0.6319 1027 0.74 09560.78 0.70 19 42129 0220 0.75 0052 0.74 0.51 0.39 1046 0.66 1009 1004 0.59 0905 0.48 12344 0954 0.62 0919 0.49 1.371155 1106 2102 0.54 1.35 0338 2313 0914 0.53 19 0800 0.61 0844 4 2036 2108 2058 1.48 2124 1.47 1830 1.15 1815 1.18 1801 1.33 1801 1.41 1441 1.36 1930 1559 1.47 1.30 1606 1.16 1.38 1541 1.13 MO TU TH FR TH FR SU MO 19 19 4 4 14071.59 1.26 2115 FR 1728 1.58 16331.31 1.47 1530 1.52 2345 16321.33 1.52 1558 1.66 1746 1.80 204 1103 41.61 15251.49 1.30 WE 0922 1.27 1.42 0735 1014 1.53 WE SA SU MO TH 1044 TU 0513 1.17 0534 1.25 0339 0228 0344 0310 1.41 20 20 5 5 5 5 0.72 2329 0.79 2333 0.67 2349 0.72 0.59 2204 0.56 2155 0.69 2113 0.76 19 19 4 4 19 19 19 4 4 4 4 19 19 4 4 4 4 19 4 4 19 4 19 19 19MO 1922300.54 40.7419 50.51 20 5 4 0954 54 0220 20 5 1009 2019 0905 20 2234 0.78 2128 0.70 2300 0.56 0.61 20500.59 0.82 19290.48 0.84 1422 0.83 1.00 0.53 1307 0.57 0.85 0.39 0.94 4 19 TU 1106 FR 1550 0320 TH 1517 0338 SA 1608 0530 1046 0.66 0.62 0919 0.49 0.75 0329 0052 0.74 0252 2126 1.35 1.36 1.46 2229 1.44 1.48 1.46 06272031 1.62 06031.80 1.56 1.4206032200 1.76 0556 1.61 1.56 2200 0444 1.33 1.60 0448 1.52 1.27 04091.53 1.53 1746 19 19 1050 40433 4 1014 4 20 4 1243 1728 1.58 1633 1.47 SA 1530 1.52 1632 1.52 1558 1.66 0922 1044 0735 1103 WE TH SU 1.38 MO 19 0.57 0.32 03200.78 1.62 1.45 1.56 0442 0422 1.36 5 1247 0020 01580.70 1.61 20 20 5TU0333 5 0351 51.28 1330 0.54 12591550 0.58 0.38 1221 0.94 0.55 0039 1127 0.62 2230 1145 0.66 0955 0.78 11180.85 0.64 20 2234 2128 2300 0.74 0.56 1422 0.83 1.00 5 0607 1600 1.02 1307 0.57 1517 1608 1805 FR SU MO TH SA TU 20 5 20 5 20 5 1.20 0633 1.31 1012 0.55 20 0858 0.58 1049 0.59 0956 0.46 1038 0.62 1016 0.50 1.266 1.36 1.46 1.49 0426 1.21 MO 1729 1.15 1.35 1.15 0330 0.71 0.70 0.43 0.56 1.34 61.2117172200 2120 65 2203 21 0445 0.366 TU 19250157 WE 19022200 FR 18540402 SA 1836 1.46 SA 1715 1.44 TU 171221 2031 61.48 21 6FR 1542 6523032126 21 6 0433 21 TH0333 21 20 55 20 555TH1122 2015121.561.33 20 20 51626 5551.59 20 20 0.32 20 551.36 55 SA1.28 20 1136 2229 0.63 20 1206 0.49 20 5 1205 551.67 16261.45 1718 1.54 1.64 1658 1.77 5 20 20 20 2300 0.61 SU 0.68 2202 0.60 2236 0.74TU FR 1137 WE MO 0020 0.57 0039 0442 1.28 0422 1.36 1030 1.32 0900 1.35 1.64 1.51 1814 0.88 1.65 0.36 1842 0422 1.87 0.48 22030.59 0.7920 0956 2331 0.7320 1016 2240 0.61 TU 23570.66 0.6820 23421.31 0.46 20430.46 0.81 5 1038 5 1418 0607 1.20 0633 1049 0.62 0.50 1539 0.89 1636 1.00 0.92 WE FR SA 1701 SU 1720 0015 0157 0330 0426 0032 0.65 1.45 0545 0.70 1.65 1658 0551 1.61 0.71 0045 1136 0.68 0402 05240.43 1.62 120600300.49 0.73 0.56 0036 0.55 0445 0.63 1718 1.54 SU 1626 1.64 6 0445 1717 1.59 1.77 2215 1.35 2137 1.43 2300 1.50 2255 1.37 2331 1.47 TH FR MO TU 20 20 20 5 5 5 5 0900 1.35 1030 1.32 1122 1.64 1137 1.51 1147 1.52 0625 1205 1.67 21 21 6 21 21 6 6 0634 1.57 0129 1242 0.56 1251 0.55 122622 0.52 0654 1.59 0659 0102 1.85 0.49 0.25 22 04230.73 1.59 03040.61 1.62 1109 0.74 05220.68 1.42 0438 1.54 0719 1814 05361.65 1.27 0531 1.35 7 71.66FR 7 1.00 221720 7MO 1709 1842 1.87 2357 2342 0.46 2240 1418 0.66 1539 0.89 1636 0.88 1701 0.99 1334 0.92 7 762331 22 7 22 7 22 22 6 21 21 21 1251 0.53 1650 6 1.23 1829 1.1921 1840 1.20 141260.49 1824 1.23 1338 0.54 1334 0.30 TU WE SA WE SU 0652 1.24 0724 1.37 1100 60.55 0950 0.52 1127 0.59 1046 0.44 1121 0.62 1115 0.49 SU SA SU TU WE WE TH SA 21 21 6 6 6 21 6 6 21 6 21 0432 0.64 0313 0.62 0507 0.34 0516 0.50 0545 0.33 21 6 6 6 21 6 21 21 6 6 21 21 6 6 21 6 21 2137 1.43 2215 1.35 2300 2255 1908 1.47 1.57 0.61 2359 0.62 MO 2006TU 1.27 23501.50 0.66 19410.25 1.34 1.60 2331 1221 0.59 1300 2308 0.43 1.35 17161.42 1.44 16091.54 1.44 2252 SU 1758 1.61 1719 1.78 1800 1.65 1755 1.87 1.37 FR1224 SA 1225 TH FR WE 0102 0.49 0129 0522 0536 1.27 0531 1.35 0438 21 6 1025 61941 21 6 1301 1902 1129 1.40 1.44 1.74 1.59 1.72 1931 1.91 23070.59 0.7421 1046 21540.44 0.74 6 1121 0.62 21 1115 23460.49 0.50 6 1541 1856 1.72 21 0652 1.24 0724 1.37 1127 0.90 0.72 0.86 1758 0.96 1822 0.87 0535 1.53 0313 0642 0.62 1.70 0007 0.63 0.64 0134 8 0.62 0507 062823 1.74 1656 01170516 0.668 0.50 01331746 0.43 0112 0.60 TH WE SA SU MO 0432 0110 0.34 0545 0.33 0520 0.43 23 8 1240 23 8 1221 0.59 1.6123MO 1719 1.78 1800 1.65 1755 1.87 22 22 7 06502359 22 22 70540 70.60 FR 2240 SA TU 0.66 WE 21 1342 0.50 0649 1.73 0803 1.69 13208 0.40 1300 07360.43 1.63 1.89 0711 1.72 1.57 2349 2304 1.36 1.46 1.52 1.39 6 6 6 21 6 21 8 1758 8SU7 1216 23 8 23 23 1129 1.40 1025 1.44 0715 1224 1.74 1225 1301 0141 0.42 0516 1.57 04070.50 1.65 0021 0.67 1.52 0043 0044 0.35 1.59 0213 0.22 1.59 1931 1.91 2346 1856 1.72 1930 1.21 1345 0.42 1446 0.45 1918 1.34 1411 0.50 1317 0.25 1320 0.52 22 7 7 7 22 MO WE TH TH FR SU MO 221039 0.45 1757 7 71.22 7 22 7 22 22 7 7 7 22 7 72342 22 7 22 7 7 22 7 1142 770.54 2222 22 22 71.280.86 0522 719371656 2220420428 220635 221.400.72 TH1136 0.90 1541 1746 1758 1822 0732 1.29 0.87 0810 0607 0.44 0626 1.37 0.96 1.42 0.93 WE TH 1418 SA SU MO TU 1807 0.60 1.28 1.33 20140.57 1.41 1.73 0.28 1938 1.65 0601 0.49 0604 0.44 0030 1.49 17590.67 1.52 17001.52 1.57 1202 0.59 1812 1.90 1202 0.621.52 1212 0.48 1.391926 2304 1.36 2240 1.46 TU 1952 2359 2349 SA 1303 0.54 22 FR SA MO WE TH SU 1349 0.40 0141 0.42 0021 0540 0043 0.60 0044 0.35 0213 0.22 22 7 7 7 1218 1.50 1138 1.57 1320 1.81 1310 1.66 0639 0.31 9 9 24 9 24 9 24 1835 1.68 1840 1.71 1850 1.96 1935 1.79 2259 0.63 2017 1.90 7 22 7 22 22 02151703 0.57 0.73 01581.42 0.60 01281844 0.34 0.82 0149 0.55 1844 0.92 0053 0.62 0635 0105 1.37 0.55 0625 1.63 0052 0.54 0810 0732 1.29 1.4024 1136 0.44 0626 1.28 1755 0.89 1353 1.75 9 0607 9 24 9 24 9 24 FR TH SU MO TU 0522 0.57 0200 0428 0.49 0604 0.28 0601 0.44 0030 1.49 0010 1.39 23 8 23 23 8 23 8 8 0842 1.72 1.65 0741 1.87 0746 1.55 0733 1.74 0743 0.48 1.86 1314 0.56 0723 SU 1.87 134908130.40 1303 0.54 1202 0.59 TU 1812 1.90 1202 0.62 1212 SA WE TH 2350 1.38 2339 1.50 0.81 70104 7 1320 22 7 0639 22 7 880800 0.61 0124 0139 0.27 1.66 00001.68 0047 0.39 0.22 23 0216 0.37 88 1.81 23 23 8 0611 1218 1.50 1138 1.57 1310 0.38 1915 8880.54 23 230505 1.67 2314401.90 81359 88 81.24 23 880.68 23 23 0.42 0.47 0.25 1347 0.31 0.52 0254 1429 0.45 22 0.30 1407 0.2823 81433 231518 23 23 FR SA MO8 TU TU TH8 MO 1857 FR 1840 1.71 1850 1.96 1935 1.79 2017 23 81835 23 8 0649 1.39 0711 1.29 0732 1.39 0.922011 0601 1.55 23 1125 0.40 0641 1.50 1.45 1.65 0811 1.33 1755 0.89 1456 1703 0.73 1844 1353 1329 211581.38 20451844 1.47 1.85 2009 1.75 1.71 0852 2019 1.2423FR 2027 1.36 20060.82 1.46 FR TH SU MO TU WE 1.55 0040 1.43 1.50 0533 0603 0.50 10 SU0053 251915 25 0123 2036 10 10 1237 0.59 12420.37 0.6125 FR 13060.22 0.46 12170.61 0.53 SU 1228 0.44 17480.39 1.72 1435 1856 0.39 0.85 1344 0.50 0.81 TU MO10 2350 1.388TH 2339 1.50WE 0124 0.54 0139 0.27 0254 0216 0.37 8 8 23 0SA0104 2523 0047 10 25 10 25 10 0729 0.33 1242 1300 1.60 02341.45 0.55 0142 0.60 0200 1.39 0.46 0031 0.58 0147 0.43 0852 0252 0.53 02210657 0.28 0.25 022723 0.51 0644 2015 1.84 1910 1.74 19191.71 1.77 1944 2.01 18361.39 1.59 1903 2.01 25 2100 0.40 1.85 8 23 23 8 0649 0641 1.50 0711 1.29 0732 0811 1.33 24 9 0713 2424 9 908340603 9990814 9MO 1.84 1.72 1.44 1.75 0.72 1840 0.86 08460.39 1.66 1.43 0819 0.37 1.77 1306 1.97 24 1.74 1.96 1435 09161813 1.74 0053 08311411 1.80 24 0823 1.50 1.51 TU 1352 WE 1440 99 FR SA 0245 1.55 0040 0123 0.50 1237 0.59 0.44 12420533 0.61 0.46 1344 0.50 9 9 24 24 WE 1228 TH 0.44 FR 9 MO SU 9 24 9 24 24 9 9 0105 9 24 9 24 9 24 24 24 9 24 1508 0.45 1509 0.41 1519 0.20 1403 1452 0.19 1547 0.41 1440 0.29 1415 0.33 0.54 1926 0144 0.56 0145 0.30 0202 0.48 0045 0.63 0000 0.51 0331 0.25 24 0253 0.32 0230 0.22 1934 0.78 0.87 2005 0.75 SU WE FR TU SA SA TU WE 8 8 8 23 8 23 23 0840 1242 1.71 1944 1300 0657 0.25 2100 1.85 0644 0.40 0729 0659 0.35 1.60 11 2015 1.84 1910 1.74 1903 2.01 1919 1.77 2.01 11 11 26 11 26 26 9 9 24 24 21151352 1.53 2100 1.2824 0740 2115 1.45 1.280730 20521.84 1.58 214591.41 1.92 1440 2040 1.75 1.76 0933 1414 1.38 1.48 0752 1.31 0642 1.53 24 0600 1.68 1951 9 1.47 1.70 0849 1.37 0826 1.41 1.722056 1528 1813 0.72 1411 1840 0.86 SA FR MO TU WE TH SA 1SU0144 11 26 11 26 11 26 26 MO0145 0032 1.54 0144 1.56 0128 1.46 0213 1.50 0033 1.42 1311 0.60 1319 0.45 1322 0.60 12490.56 0.53 12100.30 0.37 1519 0.41 1425 0.46 1359 0.45 TH FR TU SA 0.48 0253 0.32 2115 1934 0.78 1926 0.87MO 0.75 1942 0.769 0121 0.54 0226 0.57 0230 0251 0.22 0.38 0328 0.51 024024 0.33 0331 03090.25 0.52 03150746 0.27 2005 030524 0.50 0724 9 2141 0.37 1.76 2053 1.86 1945 1.79 1956 2.07 1957 1.81 19111.38 1.6624 0740 18361.48 1.86 2033 2.02 109 0629 0.26 0.26 0815 0.36 0642 0.44 9WE0202 24 9 0730 0752 1.31 0849 1.37 0933 1.47 0826 1.41 10 25 25 25 10 10 25 0800 1.85 0900 1.79 0923 2.04 0948 1.73 0903 2.00 0919 1.65 0922 1.69 0901 1.47 10 10 10 25 25 10 10 10 25 25 10 25 10 10 10 25 10 25 10 10 25 10 25 25 10 1016030033 25SA 25 2515450.521.54 1338 1.81 1.84 1434 0157 1.75 1.49 1.73 1339 1.68 WE TH 1522 0326 SU 1311 0.60 TH 1319 0.45 WE 1451 13220032 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0.70 0.55 FR 0343 0.32 03320.75 0.27 03450.31 0.50 2022 2007 0.82 2027 0.67 1908 1919 0.83 1924 1.98 2218 1.65 2133 1.85 1943 1.71 2019 1.82 2047 2.09 2035 1.84 2121 1.98 10 25 10 10 10 25 25 10 25 26 11 26 11 26 11 11 26 112151 11 11 26 26 0.30 0804 0.36 26 085911 0.41 0720 0.20 0718 0.39 1013 0929 1.41 0812 11 1.36 0837 1.46 11 0832 26 1.32 102113 1.70 11 10140833 1.55 0942 1.41 13 0849 1.94 0938 1.79 0915 1012 1.42 2.05 26 095228 1.9726 09521.47 1.61 11 11 26 11 11 11 26 11 26 11 26 11 26 26 26 28 13 13 28 1642 0.42 0230 16001544 0.48 0259 0.61 1618 1.58 0.39 1646 0.13 1.45 16151.55 0.17 1602 0.46 1.48 1509 0.45 0.6228FR 1411 0.48 1401 0.45 1.80 1.76 1.53 1.70 1.87 1416 1.73 MOSU TH FR 1518 1.49 TH 1538 FR0.59 SU MO TU 16000.46 WE TU 1430 SA 0.25 SU 1449 WE TH 1515 FR 1600 0405 MO 0123 0214 0246 0115 28 28 13 3 1345 13 28 13 0202 0.55 0407 0.28 0441 0.38 0259 0.50 0334 0.23 0318 0.42 0403 0.25 0153 0.31 22471957 1.48 0833 1.93 0.72 2149 1.80 2047 2130 10 1.37 2213 0.20 1.33 25 2247 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0.33 0519 0.29 0500 0.51 1653 1625 1.74 1556 1.66 1614 1.71 1517 1.87 1454 1.76 1730 0.58 1627 0.53 1644 0.47 1430 0.45 1500 0.66 1557 0.56 1523 0.58 1419 0.58 13 28 13 13 28 28 13 TU FR SA SU MO TU 13 28 13 13 28 28 28 13 131202 13 2811010.45 FR 0343 1.49 TU TH0400 28 TH SA SU MO WE 13 28 13 28 13 28 28 28 0446 0.29 0512 0.49 0428 0.271313 0357 0.41 0446 0.31 28 13 28 13 13 28 0254 1.58 1.48 0426132258 1.43 0236 1.48 1126 1.56 1.29 1112 1.30 1027 2.04 1047 1.75 1148 1.87 1130 1.72 1.48 30 15 30 15 30 15 5 0338 30 2152 0.71 2129 0.72 2217 0.64 2159 0.50 2043 0.67 2033 0.78 2332 1.39 2250 1.78 2300 1.72 2102 2.10 2133 1.83 2229 1.99 2154 1.84 2046 1.78 12 1055 1.48 27 113016541.46 0932 1.33 27 1027 1.41 12 0953 1.34 27 1048 1.41 12 12 12 1016 0.54 17360856 0.48 0.21 0.71 0.44 0.71 0929 0.40 0.54 0.36 SA 17271000 SU 163527 SA 1712 0.18 SU 1721 0.41 TU 1813 0.25 WE WE 1737 0.34 0830 TH 1644 0.47 1500 0.66 SU 1557 0.56 1523 0.58 1627 0.53 TH FR MO 1.43 TU 2352 1.52 2314 1.43 1.75 2310 2321 1.35 23551.48 1.81 1730 23160.58 1.67 1603 1.82 1.68 1.71 1.61 1532 1.75 TU FR 1704 SA 1634 SU 1704 0524 WE 0544 0425 0.52 1.56 0528 0.38 1.49 0527 0426 0.33 0345 0.25 0417 0.50 0519 0.32 0437 0.40 0316 0.51 0254 1.58 2250 0236 0343 1.48 2300 0400 31 31 2332 1.39 1.72 2133 1.83 2229 1.99 2154 1.84 1.78 13 28 13 28 13 28 3 091314141.41 28 2127 0.67 2235 0.70 2212 0.66 2256 0.62 2110 0.76 12 27 12 12 27 27 12 1210 1.45 1133 1.40 1142 1.51 0945 1.50 0445 1015 1.32 1120 1.39 1036 1.35 0856 0.21 1000 0.44 0929 0.40 1016 0.54 0830 0.36 1006 0.47 1102 14 29 14 14 0024 1.65 29 0557 0.57 14 0616 0.3629 054131 0.54 0004 1.76 29 0610 0.58 14 0.41 0458 0.56 29 29 14 29 14 14 29 14 29 14 2915210.320.51 14 14 29 29 14 29 14 31 FR0519 31 1820 0.64 1715 0.59 1737 0.50 1540 0.68 1649 0.61 1608 0.59 14500.50 0.62 1603 1.82 1704 1.68 1634 1.71 1704 1.61 1532 1.75 1652 1.68 1724 SA WE FR SU MO TU TH 0527 0.33 0544 0.52 0417 0437 0.40 0528 0.38 14 29 14 29 14 29 14 29 TU FR 1.55 SA SU 1.42 WE MO 1.49 WE 1.40 0627 0.40 12000338 1.47 1221 1.54 0315 11391.48 1.40 07080446 0.55 1206 1.26 0430 1116 2.01 1120 1.69 0510 2331 1.64 0.66 2347 1.60 21541.39 2.08 2213 1.81 2318 1.87 2235 21191.32 1.7928 1120 28 WE 13 2127 0.67 2235 0.70 2212 0.62 2110 0.76 2245 0.43 2331 1.51 1015 1036 1.35 1133 1.40 1238 1.69 1804 1142 0.53 181728 0.47 1210 17241.45 0.60 1.20 2256 172528 0.76 1759 0.19 1751 0.44 TH TH 1.81 FR SU 13031042 MO SU 13 MO 13 28 13 13 0942 0.28 0906 0.37 0.52 1014 0.46 1053 0.62 © Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2019, Bureau of Meteorology 1737 0.50 1540 0.68 MO 1649 0.61 0.59 1855 0.59 0.36 23520.64 1.66 1818 0.80 2356 1.37 FR 1647 SA 1820 TU 1608 WE 1715 0015 1.28 0609 0.38 0500 0.51 0610 0.40 0518 0.41 0606 0.45 0355 0.52 0443 0.28 1.75 1611 1.73 1743 1.61 1714 1.68 1735 1.56 WE 2347 TH SA SU MO 0338 1.55 2331 0315 1.48 0519 1.55 0607 1.42 0430 Astronomical 1.49 0510 1.40 Datum0446 of Predictions is Lowest Tide 1.60 2213 1.81 2318 1.87 2235 1.81 1.64 30 15 30 151141 29 29 14 2930 14 29 4Copyright Commonwealth Australia 2020, Bureau Meteorology 30 151.37 30 15 3014 1515 3006261014 15 15 15 15 30 15 15 30 15 301044 of1.43 30 15 15 30 15 0619 0.59 30 1232 1.54 1059 1.30 1213 1.37 1122 1.36 1218 1.40 0.46 0952 2209 0.67 2146 0.75 2318 0.70 2257 0.61 2332 0.60 0100 1.65 or 0006 0.62 1.71savings 0000 1.46 0114 1.64 0043 1.77 0.58 0537 0.59of 13 28 13 28 13 28 13 0942 0.28 0906 0.37 1053 0.55 1042 0.52 1053 Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) daylight time (UTC +11:00) when in 15Moon 15 30 15 15 301804 1.43 1.63 0.55 1622 0.71 1744 0.67 1656 0.61 0.66 1.68 1524 0.66 0.59 atum of 0.51 Predictions is1614 Lowest Astronomical Tide 0816 0.62 30 0713 1.56 0.59 0540MO 0.43 0727 0.48 07161.61 0.46TH 12211.28 1.32 1154 1.62 TU SU 1254 SA 1838 FR SA 0015 0500 0610 0.40 0518 0.41 0606 0.45 0609 0.38 1647 1.75 1611 1.73 WE 1730 1759 1743 1714 1735 WE TH TU TH SA SU MO Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon New First Quarter 0421 1.50 0355 1.46 1.37 1.47 1919 2331 0.69 0.39 0558 1.37 2254 1.78 2319 2155 22461.37 2.01 1.17 2332 1.24 0521 1206+10:00) 1.93 1.49 (UTC 131529 1.36 0.66 0.61 1821 0.47 14+11:00) 29standard 14 29savings MO 14160534 TU 1310 0.60 MO TH 1330 FR 1.76 SA 17570.59 TUor mes are1.30 in1.78 local time (UTC daylight time when in effect 0619 1059 1213 1122 1.36 1218 1.40 1232 1.54 2209 0.67 2146 0.75 2318 0.70 2257 14 14 1131 0.70 19241120 0.86 0.61 182729 0.80 1101 0.54 1845 0.24 1939 0.66 0.48 14 190029 0.60 1254 1025 0.36 0943 Last 0.39 1.43 1622 0.71Symbols 1744 0.67 1656 0.61 First 1804 1838Moon 0.55 SU TU WE TH SA New Moon Quarter Quarter oon Phase Full 0041 0558 1.46 1.37 0007 1.74 0013 1.50 1.47 0542 0.34 0545 0.53 0601 0.421.37 04351.78 0.54 0106 0620 1.17 31 1731 1.67 1650 1.69 1819 1.55 1754 1.63 1.51 31 31 31 31 31 TH FR SU MO TU 1806 0006 31 31 31 31 1919 0.69 2254 2319 1.76 0421 1.50 0355 1.46 1.53 0534 0521 0032 1.64 1.3830 0658 0.47 15 5 1033 1.32 30 1143 1.38 15 0657 0.45 30 2344 0645 0.52 15 14 1146 0033 1.29 12110.69 1.39 30 0703 0.65 2252 2225 0.74 0.56 14 29 14 29 29 14 1025 0.36 0943 0.39 1141 0.65 0658 1120 0.61 1101 0.54 1131 0.70 31 31 0717 0.62 0619 0.64 WE 1305 1.36 1.56 MO 1346 1.42 1304 1.40 17091.74 0.66 17100.42 0.73 17491.46 0.64 FR 16000.53 0.71 SU SU 1328 1806 TU SA 0013 1.50 1.69 TH 0041 0545 0007 0601 1.17 1731 1.67 1650 1.55 0106 TH FR WE 1813 FR 1220 SU 1819 MO TU 0.70 13101754 1.24 1229 1.53 SU WE 1948 0.57 1.51 0622 1839 0.73 15 0507 1859 0.72 1.63 0001 23410.47 1.91 15 1211 2339 1.73 22321.29 1.7530 0658 2030 0.70 1.58 0010 30 30 1.43 0437 1.44 1.46 0.59 0645 0.52 0657 0.45 1146 1.39 0703 0.65 2252 2225 0.74 1836 2344 0.56 1838 0.73 1853 0.69 0.51 30 30of Meteorology 1023 0.43 15 06302023, 1.32 1151 0.64 15 0650 1.35 1304 1.40 15 1328 0.45 1.56 1710 0.73 1305 1.36 ofofAustralia 1749 0.64 1.42 SU 1107 WE Commonwealth TH MO 1346 ©©©Copyright Commonwealth ofofAustralia Meteorology Copyright Commonwealth Australia 2023, BureauFR Meteorology Copyright Copyright Commonwealth Commonwealth Australia 2023, Bureau Bureau of ©©Copyright 2023, Bureau ofofMeteorology Commonwealth of Australia 2023, 0642 0.42 0058 1.37 0213 1.10 1859 0437 0.72 1.44 1948 0001 0.57 0.70 2339 1.73 1839 0.73 2030 1.58 1731 0.70 1.64 1.46 1200 0010 0.70 0.59 1.58 0.37 0.79 FR 1815 SA MO TU 1838 WE 1212 0045 0507 31 31 1244isisLowest 1.34 07230622 0.58 0800 0018 0.70 Datum of isisLowest Astronomical Datumofof31 Lowest Astronomical Tide 1.43 of Datum Datum of ofPredictions Predictions Predictions Lowest Astronomical Tide Tide 1.35 Datum Predictions Astronomical Tide Predictions Lowest Astronomical © Copyright Commonwealth Australia 2023, Bureau of Meteorology 2336 0.71 2305 0.72 1857 1.49 1842 1.47 15 30 15 30 15 30 15 1107 0.45 1023 0.43 0630 1.32 0650 0726 1.51 0753 1151 0.64 1807 0.73 1.41 time 1448 time 1.42 SA TUsavings 0058 1.37 0213 1.10 Times are ininin1353 local +10:00) time (UTC0.75 +11:00) when Timesare areMO standard time(UTC (UTC +10:00) savings time(UTC (UTC +11:00)when when effect Times Times are are local localstandard standard standard time(UTC (UTCWE +10:00) or or daylight daylight (UTC +11:00) when inin1304 effec effe Times ininlocal standard time +10:00) orordaylight savings (UTC +11:00) when effect local standard time (UTC +10:00) time +11:00) ininineffect 1815 1.58 1731 1.64 1200 0.70 1212 0.79savings 1230 1838 1.58 Datum of FR Predictions isdaylight Lowest Astronomical Tide SA MO TH SA TU 2001 0.76 2148 0.68 31 31 0.58 0800 0.70 0526 1.42 Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon Moon 1921 New Moon First Quarter1900 1.52 NewMoon Moon 2336 0.71 First0723 Quarter Last Quarter MoonPhase PhaseSymbols Symbols FullMoon Moon 1857 Moon Moon Phase Phase Symbols Symbols Full New Moon First Moon Full Moon New First Last Quarter Full New Moon Quarter Last Quarter 2305 0.72 1.49 1842 1.47 Times are in local standard (UTC1.41 +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect 1353 1448 1.42 31 SAtime TU 1107 0.49 2001Moon 0.76 1.42 1815 1.59 Moonof Phase Symbols 2020,New Full0.68 Moon First Quarter SU 2148 Last Quarter 0526 0.37 © Copyright Commonwealth Australia Bureau of Meteorology 2351 0.69 31 31 0110 0832 1.50 Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide 1107 0.49

0554 1155 A 1725 2359

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0320 1012 E 1626 2203

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2108 1.37

0025 0.79 0544 1.38 0147 0.39 0537 0.33 0013 0025 0025 0.79 0.79 0252 0109 0130 0130 0.66 0.66 0544 0544 1.38 1.38 0109 0109 0.60 0.60 0329 0147 0.39 0.51 0537 1.22 0109 0.33 0013 0.51 0.51 0537 1.22 1.22 0147 0.39 0109 0.33 0220 0.75 0.61 0052 0.51 03441.33 1.31 1109 0310 1.410.74 0513 0534 1.25 0655 1.27 1135 0.46 0817 0740 1.29 0.64 0700 1.32 0600 0655 0655 1.27 1.27 0843 0843 1.36 1.36 1135 1135 0.46 0.46 1.17 0817 1.44 1.44 1044 0740 1.29 1.33 1109 0.64 0700 1.32 0600 1.33 1109 0.64 0740 1.29 0700 1.32 0922 1.27 1.42 0735 1.33 10140.54 1.53 0954 0.62 0919 0.49 1046 0.66 1106 1230 0.73 1.50 1323 1306 0.56 1754 1.71 1233 0.47 0.57 SA FR MO 1230 1230 0.73 0.73 1517 1336 0.97 0.97 1855 1855 1.50 1.50 1323 0.80 0.80 1306 0.56 0.57 1754 1.71 1233 0.47 SA TH SU WE 1422 0.83 1.00 1307 0.57 0.85 SA SA TU TU 1336 FR FR1855 MO SA TH SU 1136 0.57 1754 1.71 1306 0.56 1233 0.47 TU FR 1550 MO TH WE1136 THMO SA SU 1632 1.52 1558 1.66 1728 1.58 1746 1.80 SU WE TH 1940 1.41 1941 1.91 1817 1.86 1940 1940 1.41 1.41 2200 2015 2003 2003 1.40 1.40 2015 1.50 1.50 2200 1.82 1908 1.91 2031 1.44 1.48 2126 1908 1.35 1.36 1817 1.86 1908 1.91 19411.82 1.82 23001.86 0.74 2230 0.56 1941 0330 0.71 0.56 0157 0.70 0402 0213 0.43 0119 0.78 0221 0.63 0015 0.77 0.52 0152 0.23 0109 0226 0.37 0119 0119 0.78 0.78 0221 0.63 0015 0015 0.77 0.77 0.57 0213 0.53 0.53 0426 0047 0.52 0152 0.23 0.44 0226 0.37 0109 0.44 0047 0.52 0152 0.23 0226 0.37 04420.44 1.28 0047 0422 1.361.35 0020 0039 1030 1.32 1.51 0900 11220.32 1.64 0813 1.25 0945 1.41 0646 1.35 0935 1.26 0746 1.41 0658 0819 1.32 0813 0813 1.25 1.25 0945 1.41 0646 0646 1.35 1.35 1.20 0935 1.52 1.52 1137 0630 1.26 0746 1.41 1.32 0819 1.32 0658 1.32 0630 1.26 0746 1.41 0819 1.32 10381.32 0.62 0630 1016 0.50 0607 0633 1.31 1539 0.89 1701 1.00 1418 0.66 1636 0.88 WE SA TU FR 1320 0.83 1229 0.55 1432 0.90 1159 0.61 1323 0.38 1227 0.58 1349 0.53 SU WE SA TU 1320 1320 0.83 0.83 1438 1438 1.04 1.04 1229 1229 0.55 0.55 1432 0.90 1159 0.61 1323 0.38 0.58 1349 0.53 MO TH SU 1717 0.58 1.59FR 1658 1.77 1136 0.63 0.49 SU SU WE SA SATH 0.53 TU 1159 0.61 1323 FR 0.381206 1349 FR MO SU MO TH 1227 FRTU MO SU 2215 1.35 1.37 2137 1.43 2300 1.50 1.48 2255 2025 1.37 1952 1.45 2112 1842 1.81 1955 1.98 1908 1.91 2021 1.82 2025 2025 1.37 1.37 2053 2053 1.38 1.38 1952 1952 1.45 1.45 2112 1.48 1842 1.81 1955 1.98 1.91 2021 1.82 2357 0.68 2342 0.46 1814 1.65 1842 1.87 1908 1.91 1842 1.81 1955 1.98 2021 1.82

0054 1.76 1.76 0121 1.59 1.59 0054 0121 0054 1.76 0756 0.49 0.49 0831 0.66 0.66 0756 0831 0756 0.49 1403 1.37 1.37 1442 1.25 1.25 TH 1403 1.37 WE1442 WE TH1403 1932 0.76 0.76 1959 0.89 0.89 1932 1959 1932 0.76

0220 1.44 1.44 0239 1.53 1.53 0220 0239 0220 1.44 0900 0.64 0.64 0903 0.49 0.49 0900 0903 0900 0.64 1530 1.41 1.41 SU 1532 1.63 1.63 1530 1.41 SA1530 SU1532 SA SA SU 2126 0.85 0.85 2151 0.65 0.65 2126 2151 2126 0.85

0402 1.47 0422 1.45 0003 0.47 0222 1.28 1.28 0337 1.23 1.23 0410 1.12 0402 0402 1.47 1.47 0422 0422 1.45 1.45 0003 0003 0.47 1.28 0337 1.23 0410 1.12 0.47 0222 0337 0410 1.12 0954 0.41 1028 0.44 0558 1.19 0837 0.65 0.65 0924 0.60 0.60 0940 0.69 0954 0954 0.41 0.41 1028 1028 0.44 0.44 0558 0558 1.19 0.65 0924 0.60 0940 0.69 1.19 0837 0924 0940 0.69 1705 1.67 1733 1.61 1119 0.63 1522 1.47 1610 1.68 1631 1.57 TH WE 1705 1705 1.67 1733 1733 1.61 1.61 1119 0.631.67 1.47 TU 1610 1.68 1.68 TH 1631 1.57 FR 1119 FR MO1522 1.47 TU1610 TH1631 TH TH 0.63 WE WE 1.57 FR TU TH MO 2235 0.75 2255 0.76 1756 1.67 2153 0.78 0.78 2308 0.56 2334 0.57 2235 2235 0.75 2255 2255 0.76 0.76 1756 1.67 2153 0.78 2308 0.56 2334 0.57 1756 1.67 0.75 2308 0.56 2334 0.57

1905 1.82

1900 1900 1.86 1.86

1900 1.73 1900 1900 1.73 1.73

2010 2.00 2010 2010 2.00 2.00

1947 1947 1.89 1.89

0104 0.61 0047 0.39 0.68 0505 1.67 1.390.37 1.55 0117 1125 0129 0.57 0257 0.37 0129 0233 0.43 0129 0.57 0.57 0649 0257 0117 0.38 0.38 0.40 0257 0.37 0641 02331.50 0.43 1237 0.59 0.53 0719 1748 1.72 TU WE SU 0715 1.44 0852 1.39 0715 0852 0824 1.35 0715 1.44 1.44 0719 1.68 1.68 0852 1.39 1.39 1228 08240.44 1.35 1910 1.74 1903 2.01 1.59 1302 0.59 1322 0.38 1419 0.59 1351 0.59 1302 0.59 0.59 FR 1419 0.59 0.59 SA WE1302 TU1322 0.38 WE FR 1419 SA 1351 0.59 TU

TU

1945 1.95 1.95 0.63 1945 0000 1.53 0600 0.33 0212 0.33 0.53 0212 MO 1210 0813 1.61 1.61 1.66 0813 1836

WE FR 1935 1.80 2056 1.99 1935 1935 1.80 1.80 0144 2056 2056 1.99 0.561.99 0.51

SA

2030 1.94 20300.30 1.94 0145 0730 1.38 1.68 0740 1.48 0345 0.38 0208 0.52 0345 0.38 0208 0.52 0318 0.39 0345 0.38 0208 0.52 0318 0.39 0.37 WE 1311 0.60 TH 1319 0.45 0942 1.35 0758 1.42 0911 1.36 0758 0758 1.42 1.42 1945 0942 09112.07 1.36 0942 1.35 1956 1.791.35 1.86

1505 0.64 1336 0.60 1404 0.44 0.44 TH 1336 0.60 0.60 SA 1438 0.58 0.58 1505 0.64 0.64 SU SA TH1336 SU WE SA1505 WE1404 SU1438 0.40 0.521.95 2141 1.95 2011 1.85 2115 1.97 2011 2011 1.85 1.85 0221 2141 21150.24 1.97 2141 1.95 0241

0.58 2030 0057 2030 2.01 2.01 1.51 0656 0.54 0305 1256 0305 0.32 TU 0.32 1.71 0905 1924 0905 1.51 1.51

1446 1446 0.51 0.51

1.67 0812 1.36 0837 1.46 0.37 0.620.43 0432 0.43 0249 0.48 0249 0404 0.36 0432 0.43 0249 0.48 0.48 04040.48 0.36 TH 1345 0432 FR 1411 1.98 1.821.32 1030 1.32 0841 1.39 0841 1000 1.37 1030 1.32 2047 0841 1.39 1.39 2019 1030 10002.09 1.37

1413 0.62 1413 1413 0.62 0.62

1550 0.69 1550 1550 0.69 0.69

1527 1527 0.58 0.58

SU FR MO SU TH MO SU 0.50 TH MO 0.55 0259 0334 0.23 0153 FR 0.31 2225 1.87 2048 1.89 2048 2202 1.97 2225 1.87 0932 2116 2.01 2.01 1.63 2048 1.89 1.89 0852 2225 22021.44 1.97 1.48 2116 1.351.87 0751 0.56 WE 1343 0.40 1422 0.64 SA 1503 0.51 FR 0519 0.49 0331 0.47 0331 0453 0.36 0519 0.49 2139 0359 0.35 0.35 2.06 0331 0.47 0.47 2056 0519 04532.07 0.36 1.76 0359 1.830.49 2013

SA 1500 0.66 SU 1557 0.56 E 1419 0.58 TH 1430 0.45 0604 0.55 0417 0.47 1.830.55 2046 1.78 0452 2102 0604 0.55 2229 05421.99 0.37 0452 0.41 0.41 2.10 0417 0.47 0.47 2133 0604 0417 0542 0.37

0355 0952 R 1524 2155

2009 1.38

0125 1.51 1.51 0134 1.64 1.64 0125 1.51 0125 0134 0816 0.64 0.64 0813 0.45 0.45 0816 0.64 0816 0813 1437 1.34 1.34 SA 1434 1.55 1.55 1437 1.34 FR1437 SA1434 FR FR SA 2016 0.87 0.87 2033 0.68 0.68 2016 2033 2016 0.87

1923 1.97

1118 1.29 0926 1.37 1118 0959 0926 1051 1118 1.29 1.29 0959 1.42 1.42 0926 1.37 1.37 1051 1.38 1.38 1635 0.73 1453 0.64 1453 0.59 1635 0.73 TU 1530 0.60 0.60 SA 1453 0.64 0.64 0338 16190.27 0.59 0.490.73 0428 0239 0.52 0249 0.26 MO TU SA MO FR MO1635 FR1530 TU1619 1.331.78 0834 1.44 2202 0848 2307 1.78 2130 1.90 2130 2251 1.94 2307 1.78 1027 2202 1.97 1.97 1.57 2130 1.90 1.90 0932 2307 22511.41 1.94

0316 0913 H 1450 2119

2023 1.50

0026 1.68 1.68 0.42 0659 0.50 0.50 0659 0.50 0026 0659 0642 0738 0.62 0.62 1.34 1300 1.32 1.32 1300 1.32 0738 1300 1244 1340 1.22 WE 1823 0.75 0.75 1823 1823 0.75 TU1340 TU WE 1807 0.73 MO1.22 1851 0.87 0.87 1851

1827 1.64

1051 1.34 1.34 1051

1014 1.34 1014 1.34 1.34 1014

1205 1.28 1205 1.28 1.28 1205

1145 1.40 1.40 1145

0546 0.49

0507 0.48

0649 0.60

0632 0.39

0642 0.56 0.56 0642

0601 0.49 0.49 0601 0.49 0601

0035 1.60 1.60 0035 1.60 0035

0036 1.76 1.76 0036

0345 0.25 0.500.78 0519 0.51 1614 1722 0.78 1537 0.67 1722 0.78 WE 17150.32 0.62 0.68 SU 1537 0.67 0.67 0417 1537 1715 0.62 TU WE TU1722 WE SA 1614 0.68 TU SA 0945 SU 1.50 1015 1.32 1120 1.39 1.41 2350 1.69 2215 1.89 2350 1.69 2342 1.86 1.86 2248 1.89 2215 1.89 2350 1.69 2248 1.89 2215 1.89 2342 0.62 FR 1521 0.51 SU 1540 0.68 MO 1649 0.61 1.81 0.60 1.79 0546 2154 0649 0.60 2318 06321.87 0.39 0.49 2.08 0507 0.48 0.48 2213 0649 0632 0.39 0507

1253 1.28 0610 12390.40 1.43 1145 1.28 1.28 0.28 1104 1.32 1.32 0500 1253 1253 1.28 1104 1.32 1104 1239 1.43 0.52 1145 0443 0.511.28 1813 0.82 TH 18151.37 0.65 1700 0.76 0.76 MO 1626 0.70 0.70 1059 1813 0.82 1626 0.70 1626 0.65 1.37 1044 1.43 1.300.82 1213 WE1813 TH1815 SU1700 WE TH MO WE SU 2336 1.79 0.59 2302 1.86 1.86 1622 0.71 TU 1744 0.67 2302 1.86 2302 0.66 2336 1614 SA1.79 MO 1.78 2246 2.01 2254 1.78

0.530.63 0.54 1240 0542 0732 0.63 0007 1240 1.24 1.24 0.34 1200 1.31 1.31 0545 0732 07231.74 0.42 0732 0.63 1200 1.31 0723 0.42 1200 1.291.30 0658 1.32 1143 1.38 1345 1.30 FR 1752 0.82 0.82 TU 1721 0.73 0.73 1146 13360.47 1.48 1345 1.30 1721 0.73 1.48 1721 TH1345 MO1752 FR1336 TH TU FR TH MO 1710 0.73 1305 1.36 0.71 SU 1709 0.66 TU WE 1911 0.85 0.85 2356 1.81 1.81 1921 0.67 0.67 1911 0.85 2356 1.81 1911 1921 2356 2339 1.73 1839 0.73 1.75 2341 1.91

0158 1.71 1.71 0158 0158 1.71 0850 0.47 0.47 0850 0850 0.47 1505 1.45 1.45 1505 1.45 FR FR1505 2046 0.73 0.73 2046 2046 0.73

m

0049 0.58 0748 Time Time mm 1.35 TH 1257 0.87 1922 0006 0006 0.57 0.571.42

1107 0.53 1011 0.35 0927 0.66 0.65 0601 1.21 0954 0.52 1107 1107 0.53 0.53 0043 1128 0632 0632 1.33 1.33 1011 1011 0.35 0.35 1044 1128 0.57 0.57 0.52 0927 0.66 1044 0.65 0601 1.21 0927 0.66 1044 0.65 0601 1.21 0954 0.52 0534 0023 1.18 0.74 0.65 1.58 0135 0.68 01481.72 1.47 1615 0100 1.581.38 0255 0301 SA 1.25 1815 1.53 1719 1.62 1832 1.54 1729 1.67 1124 0.62 WE TH SU 1815 1815 1.53 1.53 1200 0.78 0.78 1719 1719 1.62 1.62 1832 1.58 0842 1.72 1.54 1729 1.67 1124 0.62 MO TU TH FR WE WE TH TH SA SU 1200 TH TU FR 1615 1.54 1729 1.67 1124 0.62 1630 1.72 1121 0.42 0735 1.40 0656 1.29 1.32 MO1630 TU1615 TH FR 0828 0.58 0733 0.45 0858 0.65 0853 0.56 2338 2247 0.78 1807 1.77 2306 0.59 2301 0.71 2338 2338 0.78 0.78 0.78 1843 1843 1.49 1.49 2247 2247 0.78 0.78 1.47 0.71 1807 1.77 2301 0.71 0.59 1807 1.77 1836 12561.64 0.68 WE 1336 1231 0.65 0.89 SA SU 14510.59 1.41 2301 1359 1.491.52 1542 1538 FR 2306 SA MO TUTU 19590.50 1.51 2019 1.40 1947 0.72 1.44 2045 0.81 1957 0.67 2227 2230 0455 1.41 0555 1.32 0012 0104 0.43 0455 0437 0.45 0555 0555 1.32 1.32 0045 0045 0.69 0.69 0455 0455 1.41 1.41 0025 0012 0.66 0.66 0104 0.43 0437 1.21 0025 0.45 1.36 0437 1.21 1.21 0104 0.43 0025 0.45 0455 1.36 1.36 1050 0.39 1146 0.62 0654 0116 0.75 0.65 0001 01441.22 0.59 0655 1.25 1045 0.66 0614 1.23 1146 1146 0.62 0.62 0738 0738 1.33 1.33 1050 1050 0.39 0.39 1.16 0654 1.42 1.42 0230 0655 1.25 1017 0.66 0614 1.23 0.55 02450.55 1.37 1017 0200 1.480.75 0406 0422 1017 0.66 0655 1.25 0614 1.23 1045 0.55 0628 1.34 0858 1.44 0808 1.26 0945 1.36 1804 1.56 1857 1.47 1222 0.68 1245 0.88 1218 0.59 1.62 1141 0.57 TH FR 1857 1857 1.47 1.47 1804 1.56 1.56 1222 0.68 MO 1218 0.59 1706 1.62 1141 0.57 1.80 FR TU WE SA 09111.80 0.61 0825 0.47 0953 0.66 1001 SU 0.57 FR FR MO 1245 0.88 TH TH 1804 SU FR WE SA 1706 1.62 1218 0.59 1141 0.57 1725 1.80 WE1706 FR SA TU1725 1209 0.48 1402 0.78 1321 0.75 1438 0.96 MO TH SU WE 1920 1.44 2327 0.78 1921 1.53 1.81 0.62 1820 1458 1637 1920 1.44 2327 2327 0.78 0.78 1.52 1921 1.53 1857 1.81 2359 0.62 1820 1.79 SA 1543 1.46 2359 SU TU WE 2359 0.62 1.57 1857 18201.79 1.791645 1.72 1857 1.81 2155 0.79

Time

0557 1.26 1.36 0046 0.69 0452 06231.34 1.40 0034 0.51 0006 1.681.41 0145 0150 1148 0.55 1.30 0.58 0735 0646 0.430.38 Time Time Time 1.47 m Time mmm 0.62 Time mm1041 Time mmm m Time mm0807 Time Time m0750 m 11580.51 Time Time mm Time Time Time mm 0735 Time m Time Time Time Time m Time Time m 1900 1.50 1245 0.80 1748 1.58 1904 1.54 1303 1.43 1430 1.59 SA1446 1.43 MOMO TU WE 1245 0.75 FR FR SU 1935 1.44 2319 0.74 1928 1.54 0506 1.39 0414 1.44 0545 1.43 0005 0.50 0330 1.23 0518 1.16 0013 0.49 1848 0.66 2110 0.56 2114 0.76 0506 0506 1.39 1.39 0003 0003 0.71 0.71 0414 0414 1.44 1.44 0545 1.43 0005 0.50 0330 1.23 0518 1.16 0013 0.49 0330 1.23 0518 1.16 0013 0.49

0313 0.62 0432 0.64 0507 0.34 0516 0.50 05360.40 1.27 0132 0531 1.351.44 0102 0129 0224 0.76 0115 0.73 0319 0.42 0200 0300 0.37 0233 0.16 0224 0224 0.76 0.76 0316 0316 0.59 0.59 0115 0115 0.73 0.73 0.49 0319 0.46 0.46 1225 0132 0.42 0.40 0300 0.37 0233 0.16 0132 0.42 0200 0.40 0300 0.37 0233 0.16 1025 1129 1.40 12240.25 1.74 1.59 1121 0.62 1115 0.49 0652 1.24 0724 1.37 0930 1.28 0808 1.34 0720 1.30 0750 0857 1.34 1.49 0930 0930 1.28 1.28 1746 1044 1044 1044 1.48 1.48 0808 0808 1.34 1.34 0831 1044 1.61 1.61 0720 1.30 1.32 0857 1.34 0831 1.49 1541 0.72 1656 0.90 0.86 0.96 0720 1.30 0750 1.32 1.32 0857 1.34 0831 1.49 WE TH SA SU 1758 1800 1.65 1755 1.87 1221 0.59 1300 0.43 TU WE FR SA 1424 0.92 0.66 1548 2304 1.36 2240MO 1.46 1.52 1.39 1429 0.52 1414 0.32 MO SU WE 1424 1424 0.92 0.92 2359 1551 1.07 1.07 1334 1334 0.66 0.66 1548 0.95 0.95 2349 1247 0.55 0.58 1429 0.52 1414 0.32 FR TU 1247 0.55 0.55 1315 0.58 0.58 SA 1429 0.52 1414 0.32 MO MO TH TH 1551 SU SU1334 WE SA MO TU SA1247 FR1315 MO TU 1856 1.72 1931 1.91 2113 1.35 2147 1.36 2054 1.43 2212 1.48 1928 1955 2057 1.80 2.01 2113 2113 1.35 1.35 2147 1.36 2054 2054 1.43 1.43 2042 2212 1.48 1.93 2057 1.80 1928 1.90 2042 2.01 1928 1.90 1.90 1955 1.93 1.93 2057 1.80 2042 2.01 0522 0.57 0428 0.49 0604 0.28 0601 0.44 0043 0.60 0044 0.351.57 02280141 0.42 0213 1218 1.50 1138 13200.22 1.81 1.66 0332 0.70 0.66 0425 0333 0.38 0245 0.34 0.13 0332 0332 0.70 0.70 0415 0415 0.54 0.54 0228 0228 0.66 0.66 0315 0425 0.39 0.39 1310 0.38 0215 0.34 0333 0.38 0315 0.13 0245 0.38 0215 0.34 0333 0.38 0315 0.13 06260.38 1.28 0215 0635 1.370.73 0732 0810 1755 1.29 0.89 1703 18441.42 0.82 1.70 0.92 FR TH SU MO 1844 1037 1.36 0940 1.41 1147 0931 1.36 0838 1.32 0807 1.35 0917 1.57 1037 1037 1.36 1.36 1139 1139 1.55 1.55 0940 0940 1.41 1.41 1147 1.70 1.32 0807 1.35 0931 1.36 0917 1.57 0838 1.32 0807 1.35 0931 1.36 0917 1.57 0.481.50 SA 1303 2350 0.54 1.38 SU 1349 0.40 2339 WE 1202 0.62 TH 1212 1544 0.97 1452 0.76 1703 0.53 0.50 1505 0.29 TU MO 1544 1544 0.97 0.97 1703 1.07 1.07 1452 1452 0.76 0.76 1703 0.96 0.96 FR 0.59 1336 0.50 1507 0.53 1505 0.29 TU SA WE 1402 0.59 1336 0.50 1.96 1507 0.53 1505 0.29 TU TU FR 1703 MO MO TH SU TU WE 18400.59 1.71SU 1850 1935 1.79 2017 TH 1.90 SA1402 SU1336 TU1507 WE 2202 1.34 2155 1.44 2131 1.75 2039 2014 1.96 0533 0.37 0603 0.50 1.55 1.43 2202 2202 1.34 1.34 0053 2311 2245 2245 1.37 1.37 2155 2155 1.44 1.44 2129 2311 1.48 1.48 0040 1.92 2014 1.98 2131 1.75 2129 1.96 2131 1.75 2039 1.92 1.92 2014 1.98 1.98 2129 1.96 0124 0.54 0139 0.271.71 0216 0254 1242 1300 0.37 1.60 06570.22 0.25 0644 0.40 0430 0.63 0345 0.55 0524 0.33 0508 0.48 0711 1.29 0732 1.39 0811 1.33 0852 1.45 1813 0.72 1840 0.86 1.72 0404 0.40 0327 0300 0.27 0.15 0345 0345 0.55 0.55 0358 0430 0430 0.63 0.63 1411 1.84 0524 0.33 0508 0.48 0404 0.40 0.39 0300 0.27 0358 0.15 FR SA MO TU 1352 0327 0.39 0.39 0300 0.27 0404 0.40 0358 0.15 12421.33 0.61 0854 1306 1344 1435 19340.39 0.78 0.87 1134 1.46 1059 1.53 1245 1230 1.63 TH0922 FR SU MO 1.38 1.40 1004 1.63 1059 1059 1.53 1.53 0.50 1134 1134 1.46 1.46 1245 1.77 1.77 1926 1230 1.63 1006 1.38 1.33 0854 1.40 1004 1.63 0922 1.33 0854 1.40 0.46 1006 1006 1.38 1004 1.63 1919 1.77 1944 2.01 2015 1.84 2100 1.85 1702 0.98 1617 0.81 1806 0.93 1800 1.03 1545 0.55 1446 0.60 1426 0.46 1559 0.30 TU FR 1617 0.81 0.81 1702 1702 0.98 0.98 0144 1806 0.93 0128 1.03 1545 0.55 1559 0.30 0.60 MO 1426 0.46 0.46 1545 0.55 1559 0.30 SU TH TU TU 1617 WE WE FR 1.56 SA SA 1800 WE MO TH SU 1446 0.60 MO1426 WE THWE 1.46 0032WE 1.54 0033 1.42 2252 1.35 2254 1.46 2345 1.39 2204 1.68 2120 1.88 2100 2.02 2216 1.85 2254 2254 1.46 1.46 0.32 2252 2252 1.35 1.35 2345 1.39 2204 1.68 2.02 2216 1.85 2204 1.68 2120 1.88 2100 2.02 2216 1.85 0642 0.44 07460.25 0.26 0724 0.37 0629 02021.88 0.48 2100 0331 0230 0.220.26 0253 1339 1.37 1.68 14591.47 1.84 WE 1434 1.75 1338 0752 1.31 0933 0826 1.411.81 0454 TU SA SU0849 0008 1.50 0.42 0517 0.55 0406 0.42 0344 0.23 0433 0.43 0440 0.21 0008 1.50 0558 0558 0.42 0.42 0454 0454 0.42 0.42 0517 0517 0.55 0.55 0.42 0344 0.23 0433 0.43 0440 0.21 0433 0.43 0406 0.42 0344 0.23 0440 0.21 1919 0.46 0.83 TU 1519 1908 20220.41 0.75 2007 0.82 0.450.70 MO 1425 FR 1322 0.60 SA 1359 0618 1206 1.67 1222 1.56 1003 1.44 1.39 1052 1.66 0618 0.30 0.30 1317 1317 1.69 1.69 1206 1206 1.67 1.67 1.86 1222 1222 1.56 1.56 1.32 0942 1.44 1042 1.39 1052 1.66 1042 1.39 1003 1.32 0942 1.44 2.02 1042 1052 1.66 19571.32 1.81 0942 2141 1.76 2033 2053 1734 0.81 1800 0.96 1.55 1.48 0123 TH 1.58 0115 1.45 1624 0.58 1655 0.34 SA WE TH 1337 1.80 1.80 0214 1846 0.97 0.97 1734 1734 0.81 0.81 1800 1800 0.96 0.96 0230 0.62 1516 0.44 1624 0.58 1655 0.34 1624 0.58 1529 0.62 0.62 TU 1516 0.44 0.44 1655 0.34 MO FR SA 1337 SU SU 1846 WE WE TH TH TU TH FR TH MO1529 TU1516 FR 0833 0.30 0804 0.36 0720 0.20 0718 0.39 1859 2349 1.50 2341 1.38 0407 0.31 02411.83 0.44 2147 0318 0330 2200 2.01 1.60 2306 1.69 1859 0.88 0.88 2349 2349 1.50 1.50 0.29 2341 2341 1.38 1.38 1.83 2147 2.01 2237 1.60 2306 1.69 2237 1.60 2200 1.83 2147 2.01 0.22 2237 2306 1.69 1544 1.80 1515 1.76 1430 1.87 1416 1.73 WE TH SU MO 1013 1.47 0832 1.32 0915 1.42 0929 1.41 1957 21070.46 0.72 0.77 1957 0.80 0100 0552 0.31 0559 0.48 1602 14010.45 0.59 0429 1449 0.450.68 1509 0.23 0503 0.47 0523 0.31 0100 1.52 1.52 2047 0552 0552 0.31 0.31 0.45 0559 0559 0.48 0.48 0040 0040 1.42 1.42 0503 0.47 0.45 0429 0.23 0523 0.31 0503 0.47 0445 0.45 0429 0.23 0523 0.31 WE SA0445 SU TU 0708 1304 1.78 1304 1.65 2218 1.65 20351.32 1.84 1030 2121 1.98 1118 2133 1.85 1044 1.48 1.40 1142 1.68 0708 0.30 0.30 0258 1304 1304 1.78 1.78 1304 1304 1.65 1.65 0644 0644 0.38 0.38 1118 1.40 1.32 1030 1.48 1142 1.68 1118 1.40 1044 1.32 1030 1.48 1142 1.68 0209 1.59 0315 1.52 1.49 0156 1.47 0.80 1843 0.93 0.65 0.44 1706 0.63 1756 0.42 SU 1426 TH FR 1426 1.81 1.81 MO 1834 1834 0.80 0.80 1843 1843 0.93 0.93 0918 1403 1.73 1.73 1706 0.63 0.65 1610 0.44 1756 0.42 1706 0.63 1609 0.65 WE 1610 0.44 1756 0.42 TU FR SA TH TH1834 FR FR MO 1403 FR WE SA FR TU1609 WE1610 SA 0.36 0845 0.37 0809 0.19 0755 0.37 0441 SU 0.38 0318 0.42 0403 0.25 0407 0.28 1946 2236 1.94 2313 1946 0.84 0.84 1930 1930 0.91 0.91 2313 1.50 1.75 2235 1.94 23131.50 1.50 2236 1.75 2235 1.94 16251.47 1.74 1.74 1517 1454 1.45 1.76 MO TH FR 1556 TU 1051 09121.75 1.33 2235 1002 1.421.87 1011 21520.52 0.71 2129 0.72 2033 0.45 0.78 2043 1645 1442 0.58 MO 1539 0.480.67 WE 1554 TH SU0520 0149 1.52 0131 1.46 0041 1.54 0028 1.41 0.49 0514 0.25 0.51 0000 1.49 0149 1.52 0041 0041 1.54 1.54 1.80 0028 0028 1.41 1.41 0131 1.46 0.25 0534 0.51 0000 1.49 0534 0.51 0520 0.49 0514 0.25 1.90 0534 0000 1.49 2255 1.52 21150.49 1.85 0514 2207 2215 0254 1.58 1.48 1.49 0236 1.48 0728 0.35 0644 0.24 0638 0.42 1123 1120 1157 1.42 0.42 0756 0.33 0.33 0343 0644 0644 0.24 0.24 0607 0638 0638 0.42 0.42 0400 0756 0728 0.35 1.32 1120 1.52 1157 1.42 0607 0.42 1157 1.42 1123 1.32 1.32 1120 1.52 1.52 0607 0.42 0856 0.21 1000 0.44 0929 0.40 0830 0.36 1510 1.78 1446 1.75 1357 1.85 1344 1.72 0.47 1754 0.67 1235 1.66 FR SA 1510 1.78 TU 1357 1357 1.85 1.85 1344 1344 1.72 1.72 1446 1.75 0.69 1705 0.47 1754 0.67 1235 1.66 1754 0.67 1651 0.69 1705 0.47 0.31 1235 1.66 0512 MO 0.45 03570.69 0.41TH 0446 0446 0.29 WE SA SU MO FR FR SA SA TU TH SA SU SA WE1651 TH1705 SU 1603 1.82 1924 1704 2031 1.68 0.81 1634 1.71 1532 1.75 TU FR SA WE 2014 0.84 0.77 1921 0.89 1130 1.46 09531.66 1.34 2324 1048 1.41 2351 1055 2313 1.82 1.39 1903 0.50 2031 0.81 22122014 1924 1924 0.77 0.77 1.48 1921 1921 0.89 0.89 0.84 1.66 2324 1.82 0.50 2351 1.39 2351 1.39 2313 1.66 2324 1.82 1903 0.50 2127 0.67 2235 0.70 0.66 2110 1903 0.76 1730 0.58 1523 0.58 1627 0.53 1644 0.47 FR MO TU TH 0129 1.56 0112 1.44 0235 1.51 0608 0.56 0556 0.31 0100 1.31 2332 1.39 21540.53 1.84 0559 2250 1.78 2300 1.72 0235 1.51 0129 0129 1.56 1.56 0112 0112 1.44 1.44 0220 0220 1.49 1.49 0608 0.56 0556 0.53 0559 0.31 0100 1.31 0.53 0559 0.31 0608 0.56 0100 1.31 0338 1.55 0315 1.48 0446 1.42 0430 1.49 0731 0.21 0716 0.38 1240 1.43 1204 1212 0.53 0841 0.38 0.38 1014 0731 0731 0.21 0.21 0656 0716 0716 0.38 0.38 1042 0841 0813 0813 0.36 0.36 1240 1.43 1204 1.33 1.33 1212 1.55 1.55 0656 0.53 1.33 1212 1.55 1240 1.43 0656 0.53 0942 0.28 0906 0.37 0.52 0.46 0528 0.381.75 0527 0.33 0544 0.52 04370.73 0.40 1805 1551 1444 1.86 1423 1.76 1848 0.72 0.52 1334 1.63 1647 1611 1.73 1743 1.61 1714 1.68 SA SU TU 1551 1.74 1.74 1444 1444 1.86 1.86 1423 1423 1.76 1.76 1529 1.76 1.76 1848 0.72 1737 0.73 1805 0.52 1334 1.63 0.73 1805 0.52 1848 0.72 1334 1.63 WE TH SA SU WE SU TH FR MO TU SA SA SU SU WE 1529 SU TH1737 FR MO FR SU MO 1133 1.40 1142 1.51 1210 1.45 1036 1.35 1959 0.86 2209 0.67 2008 2146 0.75 0.70 0.61 2351 0.55 2351 1.57 1.57 2022 0.55 2115 0.78 0.78 2257 2057 2057 0.77 0.77 2008 2008 0.76 0.76 0.76 2022 1959 1959 0.86 0.86 2318 2115 1.57 2022 0.55 FR 1737 0.50 SA 1820 0.64 TU 1608 0.59 WE 1715 0.59 2331 1.641.50 2347 1.60 22350.56 1.81 0016 0421 0355 1.46 0534 1.37 0521 1.47 0319 1.48 0214 1.56 0155 1.47 0037 1.28 0631 0.56 0016 1.66 0212 1.17 0037 1.28 0631 1.66 0212 1.17 0319 1.48 0214 0214 1.56 1.56 0155 0155 1.47 1.47 0308 0308 1.51 1.51 0.56 0037 1.28 0016 1.66 0212 1.17 1025 0.36 0943 0.39 1120 0923 0.61 0.44 1101 0.54 0818 0.23 0754 0.35 0646 0.61 1249 1.35 0645 0.39 0754 0.63 0646 0.61 1249 0.39 0754 0.63 0923 0.44 1754 0818 0818 0.23 0.23 0.38 0754 0754 0.35 0.35 0859 0859 0.39 0.39 0754 0.63 1.35 0646 0.61 0645 0.39 0015 1.28 0606 0.45 0609 05181.35 0.41 0645 1731 1.67 1650 1.69 1819 1.55 1.63 TH FR SU MO TH 1609 1630 1.83 1503 1.77 1329 1.43 1828 0.77 1306 1.58 1441 1.61 SU MO 1329 1.43 1.58 1441 1.61 1630 1.69 1.69 1529 1529 1.83 1.83 1503 1503 1.77 1.77 1.74 1.74 1441 1.61 0.77 1329 1.43 1306 1.58 0619 WE 0.59 1218 1.40 1232 1.54 11220.77 1.36SA MO FR1828 SA1306 TU WE SU SU1529 MO MO TH 1609 MO FR TU MO SA TU 2252 0.69 2225 0.74 2344 0.56 2159 2051 0.74 2036 0.83 1955 0.75 1911 0.58 0.66 1955 2147 0.56 2159 0.76 0.76 2051 2051 0.74 0.74 0.55 2036 2036 0.83 0.83 2142 2142 0.70 0.70 0.75 0.58 2147 0.56 2147 0.56 1955 0.75 1911 0.58 1254 1.43 1804 1838 SU TH SA WE 1656 0.61 1911 0507 1.43 0437 1.44 00010.69 0.70 0622 1.46 1919 2319 1.76 0257 1.55 0237 1.48 0033 1.47 1.47 0340 1.11 0114 1.49 1.49 0135 1.18 0402 1.44 1.44 1151 0358 0358 1.52 1.52 0257 0257 1.55 1.55 0340 0237 0237 1.48 1.48 0630 0402 0033 0114 0135 1.18 1.11 1.47 0340 1.11 0114 1.49 0135 1.18 1107 0.45 1023 0.43 1.32 0.64 0041 06010.59 0.42 0733 0013 1.501.58 0106 1003 0903 0.28 0833 0.35 1815 1731 1.64 12001.17 0.70 1.58 0710 0.59 0904 0.68 0733 0.47 0734 0.66 1003 0.52 0.52 0945 0945 0.45 0.45 0903 0903 0.28 0.28 1.46 0833 0833 0.35 0.35 0710 0.47 0734 0.66 0904 0.68 0.59 0904 0.68 0733 0.47 0734 0.66 FR SA MO TU 1838 0657 0.45 1211 1.39 0645 0.52 0703 0.65 2336 0.71 2305 0.72 1857 1.49 1704 1.63 1648 1.71 1612 1.77 1544 1.75 1337 1.38 1.38 SU 1553 1.60 1403 1.60 1.60 TU 1425 1.451.77 MO TU 1704 1.63 FR 1612 1612 1.77 1544 1544 1.75 1.75 TH 1.45 1553 1.60 1.38 1553 1.60 1403 1.60 1425 1.45 SA1337 WE SU1403 TU1425 TH FR 1648 1.71 MO MO TU TU SA WE WE SU TU 1328 1.56 1749 0.64 1304 1.40 1346 1.42 SU TH1928 FR MO 2241 0.75 2229 0.63 2132 0.74 2114 0.81 1928 0.81 0.81 2304 0.53 2026 0.62 0.62 2114 0.73 2241 0.75 2229 0.63 2132 2132 0.74 0.74 2304 2114 2114 0.81 0.81 2026 2114 0.73 0.53 0.81 2304 0.53 2026 0.62 2114 0.73 0526 1.42 1948 0.57 1859 0.72 2030 0.70 1107 0.49 0339 1.51 0318 1.48 0447 1.39 0500 1.13 0122 1.37 1.37 0220 1.33 0249 1.12 0339 0339 1.51 1.51 0318 0318 1.48 1.48 0447 1.39 0450 0450 1.51 1.51 0122 0220 1.33 0249 1.12 0500 1.13 1.37 0500 1.13 0220 1.33 0249 1.12 0058 1.37 0213 1.10 1815 1.59 SU 0.35 0946 0913 0.37 1042 1015 0.67 0751 0.62 0.62 0826 0.55 0.58 0832 0832 0.70 0946 0946 0.35 0.35 1015 0913 0913 0.37 0.37 1042 0.60 0.60 1033 1033 0.54 0.54 0751 0826 0.55 0.70 0.67 0.62 1015 0.67 0826 0.55 0832 0.70 2351 0.69 0723 0800 0.70 1.69 1624 1.72 1737 1700 1.63 1429 1.42 1.42 MO 1505 1.64 1.41 1529 1.49 TU WE 1653 1653 1.69 1.69 1624 1624 1.72 1.72 1737 1.58 1.58 SA 1727 1.67 1.67 1.42 1700 1.63 1505 1.64 1529 1.49 1.64 1.49 1700 1.63 TH SU1429 MO1505 WE1529 TU TU1653 WE WE FR SA 1727 TH MO WE SU WE TH 1353 1448 FR 1.42 SA TU 2214 0.74 2153 2322 2038 0.81 0.81 2149 0.61 0.76 2231 2231 0.67 2214 2214 0.74 0.74 2153 2153 0.78 0.78 0.78 2322 0.73 0.73 2316 2316 0.56 0.56 0.81 2149 0.61 2231 0.67 2038 2149 0.61 0.67 2001 2148 0.68

0021 0.67 0540 1.52 0516 1.57 0407 1.65 0021 0.47 0.47 0.45 0205 0.38 0047 0.64 0047 0150 0.49 0047 0.64 0.64 0607 0205 01500.44 0.49 0205 0.38 1136 1.400.38 1142 0.54 0021 1039 0634 1.45 0759 1.43 0634 1.45 0737 1.34 0627 1.74 0759 1.43 0634 1.45 07371.90 1.34 0627 1.74 0759 1.43 MO 1202 0.59 TU 1812 R 1759 1.52 SA 1700 1.57 1230 0.58 1334 0.55 1230 1306 0.61 1334 0.55 TU FR MO1239 TH 1230 0.58 0.58 1835 1306 0.61 1239 0.36 0.36 TU 1334 0.55 FR MO TH 1.68 2259 0.63 FR TH

0000 0601 A 1217 1836

0057 1.60 0744 m 0.54 Time mm Time TH 1358 1.38 0347 1.43 1940 0.78 1.43 0347 1.43

0455 1.19 1.19 0455 1.19 0455 1025 0.62 0.62 1025 0.62 1025 1711 1.72 1.72 1711 1.72 WE1711 WE WE

0449 1.45 0047 0.43 0449 0449 1.45 1.45 0047 0.43 0047 0.43 1039 0.48 0642 1.25 1039 1039 0.48 0.48 0642 1.25 0642 1.25 1747 1.62 1212 0.57 FR 1747 1747 1.62 1.62 1212 0.57 1212 0.57 SA FR FR SA SA 2320 0.71 1842 1.70 2320 2320 0.71 0.71 1842 1.70 1842 1.70

0536 0550 0536 1.35 1.35 0550 1.51 1.51 1119 1123 1119 0.69 0.69 1123 0.64 0.64 1810 1.53 SA SU 1810 1.53 1807 1807 1.63 1.63 SA SU

Time Time S 0125 0125 0653 1.40 0700 1.51 1.51 0653 1.40 0855 0855 0700 0130 0.47 0133 0.57 1211 1214 0.76 0.76 MO TU 1211 TH1339 0.86 0.861.37TH 1339 1214 MO MO 0849 1.50 TU 0848 1830 1850 1.58 1830 1.48 1.480.95 2001 2001 1850 1.58 SU TH 1345 0.85 FR 1347

0056 0.46 0.46 0044 0.55 0044 0.55 0224 0224 0056 0812 1.52 1.52 0749 0223 0230 0.43 0749 1.41 1.410.55 0959 0959 0812 0958 1.55 0949 1.40 1307 0.87 1256 0.95 1444 TU WE 1256 0.95 FR FR 1444 TU TU 1307 0.87 WE 0.92 1449 1.01 SA MO FR 1453 1909 1.43 1939 1.53 2106 1909 1.43 2106 1939 1.53 2124 1.47

0151 0.43

2102 1.35

0125 0.54

0332

0125 0125 0.54 0.540.53 0332 0332 0151 0151 0.43 0.43 0320 0338 0.39 0848 0918 1.55 1.55 0848 1.42 1.421.46 1103 1103 0918 1050 1103 1.61 1346 1407 0.96 0.96 THSU WE 1346 1.02 1.021.02SA 1602 1407 1600 0.94 TH SA 1602 WE WE 1608 SA TU 1955 2033 1.49 1.49 1955 1.39 1.391.34 2216 2216 2033 2229 1.46 2203

0422 0445 0.36 0214 0.520.48 0443 0252 0.42 0.42 0443 0214 0.52 0252 1147 1205 1.67 0951 1.451.52 1206 1023 1.59 1.59 1206 0951 1.45 1023 1709 1720 0.92 FR W SU 1448 1516 1.01 1.01 TH SU1720 1448 1.07 1.070.99 1516 1720 FRMO TH TH 2331 SU 1.47 2308 1.35 2050 1.35 2135 1.45 2325

2135 2135 1.45 1.45

2050 2050 1.35 1.35

0545 0.33 0358 0.40 0.40 0358 1301 1.72 1126 1.62 1.62 1126 0.87 MO 1822

0520 0.43 0313 0313 0.50 0.501.59 1240 1056 1056 1.49 1.490.93 1807 TU

0030 1.49 0639 0.31 0501 0.39 0.39 0501 1.75 TU 1353 1225 1.66 1.66 1225 1915 0.81

0010 1.39 0611 0418 0418 0.46 0.460.38 1329 1.65 WE 1157 1157 1.54 1.540.85 1856

0729 0.33 0559 0.38 0.38 1.75 0559 WE 1440 2005 0.75 1320 1.69 1.69 1320

0659 0.35 0521 0.411.70 1414 0521 0.41 TH 1942 1251 1.610.76 1251 1.61

1601 1.08 1631 1.01 1.01 SA SA 1601 FR 1.08 FR FR 1631 2155 1.34 1.34 2239 1.44 1.44 2155 2239

2325 2325

0545 0545 1302 1302 TH 1827 MO MO 1827

0027 0027 FR 0638 0638 1740 0.97 0.97 SU 1712 1.04 SA SU 1712 1349 1.04 TU TU 1349 SA SA 1740 2342 1.44 1.44 2307 0123 1.50 0105 1922 2342 2307 1.35 1.351.44 1922

0121 0121 S 0726 0726 1427 1838 0.92 1812 0.96 SU MO 1812 1838 0.92 0.96 1.49 WE WE 1427 SU SU 0213 1.50 MO 0157 2007 0815 0.36 0745 0.34 2007

1.73 TH 1522 0039 1.45 1.45 0039 2052 0.71

1456 1.73 SU FR 0015 0210 0015 1.40 1.400.67 0210 2027 0651 0.38 0.38 0617 0.36 0651 0617 0.36 0807 0807 1409 1.70 1.70 1341 1.49 TU 0246 MO TU 1341 1409 1.67 1.671.53TH 1458 TH 1458 MO MO 0259 0859 0.41 0831 1931 0.85 0.85 1904 1931 1904 0.86 0.860.35 2045 2045

FR 1600 1.70 2136 0.67 0131 1.46 1.46 0131

SA 1535 1.73 2113 0115 0115 1.46 1.460.58

MO

0253 0253 0739 0.40 0.40 0709 0739 0709 0.34 0.341.55 0845 0845 0343 1.46 0335 1452 1.70 1.70 1426 TU WE 1426 FR1525 1452 1.71 1.710.40FR 1525 TU TU 0939 0.47 WE 0918 2019 0.80 0.80 1953 2019 1953 0.74 0.741.71 2120 2120 1.66 SU 1614 TU SA 1633 2217 0.64

0219 1.46 1.46 0219

2159 0.50

0210 1.52 1.52 0210

0332 0332

0426 1.43 0425 0823 0.43 0.43 0800 0.361.56 0920 0920 0823 0800 0.36 1006 0.54 TH 1507 1529 1.69 1.69 1507 1.730.47SA 1551 WE 1529 1.73 1551 SA WE WE 1016 TH 1652 1.61 MO SU 1704 W 2104 0.74 0.74 2042 0.621.68 2153 2153 2104 2042 0.62 2245 0.43 2256 0.62

0304 1.45 1.45 0303 0410 0304 0303 1.57 1.571.55 0410 0510 1.40 0519 0904 0.48 0.48 0848 0954 0904 0848 0.40 0.400.55 0954 1053 0.62 1053 1601 1.66 1.66 1545 1.56 FR 1730 TH FRTU 1617 1601 1545 1.73 1.731.63SU MO TH SU 1617 TH TH 1735 2145 0.70 0.70 2130 2332 0.60 2331 2224 2145 2130 0.51 0.510.39 2224

0620 0356 0446 0356 1.60 1.601.53 0446 1141 0.65 0937 1028 0937 0.47 0.471.58 1028 1813 WE FR 1623 1.71 MO1645 FR SA 1645 1630 1.63 1.63 SA 1623 1.71 MO FR FR 1630 2222 0.66 0.66 2216 0.42 2256 2256 2222 2216 0.42

0558 1.37 0347 1.44 1.44 0347 1131 0.70 0942 0.55 0.55 0942 1806 1.51 TU 1630 1.63

0010 0.59 0018 0.37 0430 1.42 1.42 0450 0430 0450 1.61 1.611.51 0527 0527 0650 1.35 0726 1017 0.62 0.62 1025 0.79 TH 1230 1017 1025 0.56 0.560.75 1103 1103 WE 1212 S 1842 1.47 1900 1.52 1657 1.60 1700 1.68 1715 SA SU 1700 1.68 SA SA 1657 1.60 SU TU TU 1715

2258 0.63 0.63 2258

2302 0.36 0.36 2328 2302 0110 0.37 2328

0832 1.50 0514 1.41 1.41 0549 0514 0549 1.59 1.590.84 0611 0611 1324 FR 1053 0.70 0.70 1111 1053 1111 0.66 0.661.47 1140 1140 1954 1725 1.56 1.56 MO 1739 1.63 SU MO 1739 1.63 WE 1748 SU SU 1725 WE 1748 2331 0.60 0.60 2347 0.34 2331 2347 0.34

0600 1.40 1.40 0650 1.57 1.57 0600 0650 1130 0.78 0.78 1158 0.76 0.76 1130 1158 1755 1.52 1.52 TU 1820 1.57 MO TU 1820 1.57 MO MO 1755

0001 0001 0701 0701 TH1218 1218 TH 1825 1825

0034 0.35 0034 0.35 0753 1.53 0753 1.53 1245 0.85 WE 1245 0.85 WE 1907 1.51 1907 1.51

SU 1815 1.59 FR 1324 0.84 ustralia 2020, Bureau of Meteorology Times Tide arepredictions in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time Australian (UTC +11:00) in effect 2351 0.69 1954 is1.47 Tidal Centre, Bureau of when Meteorology, Copyright reserved.

All material supplied in © Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2019, Bureau of Meteorology stronomical Tide for Port Phillip Heads have been formatted by the National New Moon First Last Quarter Moon Phase Full Moon good faithSymbols and is believed to be correct.

It is supplied on the condition thatQuarter no warranty is given in relation thereto, that no responsibility or liability for errors or omissions (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) whenDatum in effectof Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide is, or will be, accepted and that the recipient will hold MHL and the Australian of Bureau of Meteorology Australia free from all such responsibility or liability and from all loss © Copyright Commonwealth Australia 2019, Bureau of Meteorology w Moon First Quarter Quarter Full Moon Times are inLast local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (U or damage incurred as a consequence of any error or omission.

Predictions should not be used for navigational purposes.

Use of these tide predictions will be deemed to Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Moon Phase Symbols New Moon First Quarter include acceptance of the above conditions.

Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effec Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon New Moon First Quarter

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