Fishing Monthly Magazine | February 2024 by Fishing Monthly

• CATCHING FISH AFTER THE FLOODS •

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Features

The lowdown on lizards • Fishing after the floods • Burdekin barra •

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SPECIES SPOTLIGHT

Aaron Roddam brings us: The Wonderful Lizard of Oz

February, 2024 ISSN 2652-5798

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From the Editor’s Desk... Please play nicely! In the age of all pervasive social media, we need to remember that we’re all on the same team. I’ve been exposed to a string of people trying to elevate themselves at the expense of others in recent months while showing off their catches or promoting ‘their’ way of fishing to be the best. Don’t get me wrong, social media is the best place to go and show the world what amazing stuff you’ve caught but let the catch stand on its own merit, don’t get sucked in to feeling the need to put others down to make yourself feel better.

It reminds me of the time ANSA guys would tell me that ‘wasted’ a fish, because I didn’t catch it on 1kg line. All captures have value and merit to their captor. At the end of the day, we all access a common resource and need to all fight for access and sustainability together. Get stuck into those flaunting the rules on purpose, re-educate those that don’t know any better and stick to your lane when it comes to self-promotion at the expense of others. TOURNAMENT ANGLER GUIDE INSIDE Every February we include the

ABT Tournament Angler Guide in the magazine. Even if you’re not a competitive angler, there’s always some tips inside that can help you catch more fish. Like it or not, a lot of modern tackle evolves from the tournament scene. There’s a big push this year about evolving our processes of netting and handling fish that we all could learn from. Who doesn’t want the fish that they release to survive better? Not into it? No worries, give it to someone who is! Love what you see? More information is available on abt.org.au.

INSIDE This Issue

QLD NSW

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FISHING MONTHLY MAGAZINE Published by:

Augusta

The Tweed

Hunter Valley

Metro

Gold Coast

Canberra

Brisbane

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Northern Bay

Victoria

Lancelin

100

Noosa

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101

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Exmouth

101

Mackay

Cobden

Karratha

102

Townsville

Geelong

Freshwater

104

Hinchinbrook

Port Phillip

Cairns

Phillip Island

REGULAR FEATURES

Cooktown

Lakes Entrance

The wonderful lizard of Oz

Cape York

Gippsland Lakes

Freshwater

Port Albert

Upper Burdekin barra

Marlo

Fishing after the floods

Mallacoota

QLD DPI’s plans for 2024

44 47

New South Wales Sydney Rock

Robinvale

Sheik of the Creek

Sydney South

Yarrawonga

Testing Booth: Rapala

Ballina

Wangaratta

Countdown Elite

Coffs Coast

Bendigo

South West Rocks

Shepparton

What’s New Fishing

Port Macquarie

Ballarat

Fun page

Forster

Gippsland Freshwater

Tournaments

Central Coast

Eildon

Tagging Tales

Port Stephens

Crater Lakes

Trades and Services

103

Swansea

Illawarra

Tasmania

Tide page

110

Batemans Bay

Hobart

Bermagui

Tathra

Western Australia

New England Rivers

Esperance

Subscription

Albury/Wodonga

Bunbury

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Qld Fishing Monthly Pty Ltd ABN 72-010-542-195 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 FEBRUARY 2024

Batlow

ISSUE: VOLUME 4 NO. 10

Queensland

6 FEBRUARY 2024

Joshua Mallam caught this big snapper off the Ballina breakwall while throwing plastics for mulloway. A Joshua Mallam image.

FEATURE

Species

FMM

The wonderful lizard of Oz NEW SOUTH WALES

Aaron Roddam

Australia is home to a wide variety of fish species, but one that stands out amongst anglers is the flathead – they’re easy to catch and are ubiquitous throughout the country.

Fishing glide bait lures for flatties is becoming a big new trend, and it’s particularly effective when you are fishing in shallow water. When retrieved, these hinged hardbody lures create an S-like motion, mimicking a swimming mullet or other baitfish. Flathead can be found all year long, with the spring and summer months generally producing more catches due to the warmer water temps, which in 8 FEBRUARY 2024

turn make these fish more active. There are three main ways that people target flathead: casting lures, trolling lures and fishing with bait. Of course, within these techniques, there are heaps of different applications, and realistically, the number of ways you can catch flatties with a rod and reel is limitless. Flathead fishing is popular all around the country, from the coastal waters of Victoria to the bays and estuaries of New South Wales and beyond. If you’re planning a fishing trip along the coast and are looking to target these sought after table fish, this article will assist you in identifying this aquatic species and where to find them, along with offering some tips and techniques to help you make the most of your time on the water. LOOKIN’ THE GOODS Affectionately known to fishos as ‘flatties’ or ‘lizards’, flathead have a distinctive appearance with a wide symmetrical mouth on a broad, flattened head with a slender body and a long, tapering tail. They are usually brown or green in colour, with spots or blotches that help them blend in with their surroundings. Their eyes are positioned on top of their heads giving them excellent field of vision to attack overhead prey. Using their appearance to their advantage, flathead are ambush predators, which means they tend to lie in wait for their prey to swim past before

striking with lightning-fast speed. These bottom dwelling carnivores feed on a variety of small fish, crustaceans, and other aquatic creatures. Some of the most impressive flathead can reach lengths of just over a metre and weigh up to 8kg, making them a challenging and rewarding target, and also a great trophy fish for all anglers. There are more than 40 species of flathead known in Australian waters, with blue spotted, sand, deepwater, tiger and dusky being among the

Above: A good dinner plate sized flatty taken on Crackerjack Lures’ Manic Mullet. Main photo: Easy fishing! This flatty was taken from the sandy shoreline down on the NSW South Coast and just goes to show you don’t have to have a boat or kayak to chase these fish.

Teaching them young. The author loves passing on his passion for fishing to the younger generation and showing them the dangers of being spiked.

most common. Each of these species share the distinct flatty shape but with their own unique colouring, largely dependent on their surroundings. Flatties have three venomous

Species FEATURE

FMM spikes, two on each side of their gill plate located just behind the eyes and one on top of the front of their dorsal fin. A lot of anglers have fallen victim to these poisonous spikes, myself included. Although not scientifically proven, an old fisho belief is that if you’ve been spiked you should rub your wound on the belly of the fish as the slime found there reduces the painful sting. CHOOSING YOUR GEAR When it comes to flathead fishing gear there are a few key items you’ll need to bring with you on your trip. Firstly, you’ll need a sturdy fishing rod and reel, preferably one with a sensitive tip that can detect the subtle bites of flathead. A medium to heavy action rod with a length of around 7ft is ideal for most flathead fishing situations. Next, you’ll need to choose your fishing line. A braided line with a breaking strain of around 10-15lb is a good choice, as it is strong enough to handle big flathead but still sensitive enough to feel their bites. You’ll also need to bring a selection of hooks, sinkers, and lures, as well as a landing net to help you safely remove your catch from the water. MATCHING THE HATCH Picking the best lure to be eaten can be a difficult decision, and you need to have faith that what you have tied

on is going to be effective. Flathead are opportunistic feeders and as such, runout tide is-the perfect time to target them as they lie in wait in deeper water for fleeing baitfish and prawns to be funnelled past them. Soft vibes, or vibration lures, are such a deadly lure when the fish are on a reaction bite. Soft Vibes have accounted for more flathead than any other lure

and have quickly become one of the best fishing lures for flathead as well as jewfish and snapper. They have a unique tight vibrating action attracting fish from afar. They are also the most natural looking soft lures with the most realistic action and will tempt any fish into a strike. Blades and vibes have become an increasingly common sight in the tackle boxes of most Australian

Sinking hardbody lures sure have come a long way with their realistic appearance fooling many fish.

anglers. Their versatility has meant that vibes have become very popular when chasing barramundi, jewfish (mulloway), flathead, mangrove jack and many more species that live in saltwater estuaries. Drifting is a common fishing practice when using lures such as soft plastic grubs, curly tails, paddle tails or worm and minnow imitations because it allows you to cover more ground and increase your catch rate. The challenge of drifting is that you must pay close attention to your line, because a lot of the time, that knock you felt on your lure was actually a strike. Vibes, blades, soft plastics and sinking hard body lures are all perfect for hitting up the shallows for flatty. While lure choice can sometimes be overwhelming due to the huge variety on the market today, always keep in mind that it is very rare for a flathead to pass up an opportunity for an easy meal. So your chance of a catch will rely more so on perfecting your technique and selecting the right colour lure rather than the type of lure you choose. LET’S TALK ABOUT BAITS Baits such as prawns, white bait and pilchards work extremely well and can be easily found at not only bait shops but also many service stations and corner stores that are in close proximity to the water. Bait is probably the better option for beginner anglers or

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FEBRUARY 2024 9

QLD Central

FMM

Drop down strip baits to catch reds and trout BUNDABERG

Luke Truant

There are big coral trout and red emperor getting around at the moment, the only challenge is getting them past the sharks. It’s a significant problem, but there are a few things you can do to help your chances of bringing home a feed. First, don’t do the pump-and-wind retrieve. This style of retrieve makes it far too easy for the sharks to take your fish. Just keep cranking that reel as fast as you can. Second, don’t stay in a spot after you’ve lost a couple of fish to sharks. Instead, move at least a mile to a new spot. Third, try fishing at a different depth. If you find the sharks are thick at one of your shallow marks, things may not be much better at other shallow locations. You may have better luck if you head deeper. Fourth, avoid fishing around the full and new moon. The sharks seem to be worse at those times.

If all else fails, and you’ve had an absolute gutful of getting sharked, maybe stick to fishing the estuaries this month. When autumn sets in, the sharks

should be less numerous, and you can head offshore again. BOTTOM FISHING If you’re determined to fish

Sophie with a solid trevally caught at the 2 Mile. Image courtesy of Tackle World Bundaberg.

Most of the red emperor caught lately have been taken on strip baits.

offshore this month (like me), you can get some sizeable red emperor and solid trout on strip baits. Big fish like to eat big baits, and I usually use whole hussar fillets or whole iodine bream fillets. You can catch hussar pretty much anywhere, and the iodine bream like sandy areas next to the reef edges. Both species will take smaller flesh baits on 4/0-6/0 hooks. One you’ve knocked off some big fillet baits, insert an 8/0 hook at the thick end, and you’re all set to catch reds and trout. If you think the fillet looks too big, you’re underestimating how greedy these predators are – particularly trout. As I’ve send before, a 20cm+ strip of hussar will still catch a 2kg trout. In the coming weeks, there should be more grassy emperor (grass

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sweetlip) hanging around the reef edges and rubble patches. The best bait for grassies is whole local squid, which tends to be more robust than imported squid. I like to rig the squid on a strong 7/0 or 8/0 hook with a running sinker down to a swivel, with a 45cm trace. Bear in mind, if you’re fishing over staghorn coral, this rig will snag up more often than a paternoster will. I don’t recommend switching to a paternoster though, because grassies aren’t overly keen on paternosters. You’re better off sticking with the running rig, sacrificing a few rigs to the coral, and going home with more fish.

Jaden Bond with a 48cm jack caught in the Burnett River. Image courtesy of Tackle World Bundaberg.

The easiest way to catch Spanish mackerel is by trolling hardbody divers. PELAGICS A good option inshore this month is to target pelagic species. There’s lots of bait around at the moment, and the mackerel and mac tuna have been having a field day on the bait balls. School mackerel are the most common pelagic species here, and a reliable way to catch them is with a simple spoon on a paravane/trolling board. (Go to wp.fishingmonthly.com. au and search for ‘school mackerel’ to see how to catch them this way. - Ed) Of course, you can also cast a slice at the bait balls, and rip it back as fast as you can. The Spanish mackerel are still plentiful around the reef areas, in a range of depths. The easiest way to catch them is to troll hardbodies like the Halco 190 XDD. Those lures have been catching some decent Spanish for us this summer. If you troll your lures at around 6 knots over any of

Central QLD

FMM the reef areas, you’ll likely encounter a Spanish sooner or later. We have also caught plenty of Spanish by trolling pike. You can catch pike around the rocky reef areas at the river mouth, and it’s

Emily Haagen with a nice mud crab. Image courtesy of Tackle World Bundaberg.

actually a lot of fun because they jump all over the place. Trolling garfish will work, too. There have been some big Spaniards getting around in recent

weeks, with some pushing 20kg, but most of the ones we’ve caught lately have been only 6kg or so. If you catch one that looks undersize, just flick it off over the side and keep fishing. There’s no point bringing the fish aboard and have it thrashing around on the deck, scouring off the slime that protects it from infection. Better to send the fish back in good nick, and hopefully catch it again when it’s three times as big. Lastly, remember that the annual Southern Spanish Mackerel Closures run from 1 February to 21 February, and again from 1 March to 21 March. The bag limit for Spanish is one fish per person or two fish per boat (with more than two people on board). ESTUARY FISHING If you fish around the rock bars this month you can catch grunter, flathead and bream on strip baits. Be prepared to get smoked by the occasional mangrove jack while you’re doing this. If you want to specifically target jacks, your best bet is to fish with livies. The prawns and crabs have been plentiful after the influx of freshwater. If you want to give prawning a try, you’ll need to fork out for a good quality cast net. The mass-produced nets catch a fraction of the prawns that a handmade net will catch. Trust

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING

SHIMANO HARD LURE/ 1 STICKBAIT CASE

The Shimano Hard Lure/Stickbait Case features a sturdy construction made from high-quality materials, including 420D Polyester. Its multipiece design ensures compactness while effectively preventing rust and corrosion. The durable zippers have been specifically designed to withstand harsh saltwater conditions. Opening the case reveals a convenient front mesh panel, allowing for quick and easy access to your stickbaits and swimbaits. No more fumbling around or wasting time searching for the right lure. Inside, you’ll find a high-density EVA mesh divider, which provides excellent protection and prevents lures from tangling or becoming damaged during transportation. There’s also an integrated hook keeper. The case’s rigid walls prevent collapse, maintaining its structure even when subjected to rough handling. This feature not only protects your lures but also allows for efficient storage and easy identification. You can confidently carry your assortment of stickbaits and swimbaits, knowing that they are well-organized and ready for action. www.shimanofish.com.au

DAIWA 23 TATULA W 100

The Bone Espybarra 176F is a multifunction floating glidebait constructed from extremely durable ABS plastic. It features a mid-joint section and comes with three interchangeable tail types that produce different swimming actions. The default glide tail gives the Espybarra a wide side-to-side action, which most anglers are familiar with in glidebaits. The extended paddle tail changes the action to a more subtle side-to-side wobble, with an enticing paddle at the end of the tail to trigger strikes. The Fluke tail gives the Espybarra the widest side-to-side sway when you need to get the most action in the shortest distance. The tails are easily interchanged by pulling the tails downwards. The Espybarra 176F is also versatile when it comes to buoyancy, with a chin weight eyelet fitted so anglers can add as much or as little weight as they like to reach the depths they need. It is so realistic, you’ll think it’s a real baby barra, and at 176mm long and 61g it can be cast and fished off just about any setup you like for barra, cod or flathead. www.wilsonfishing.com

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For its abundant natural beauty and observable wildlife, Nu’u Landing is a beloved destination for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers. An inspired nylon design, this quintessential wrap creates a modern appeal with high performance thermoplastic elastomer accents, a sustainable substitution to traditional rubber materials. Combining a streamlined construction with PolarizedPlus2 lenses, Nu’u Landing offers unmatched protection with an environmental focus for all your outdoor escapades. SuperThin Glass provides the absolute crispest optics available. 32% thinner and lighter than standard glass, it offers the best scratch resistance. Models available are: Black Gloss frame with Grey lens with Bi-Gradient frontside lens treatment; White frame with Grey lens with Blue Mirror finish; Teal with Grey lens with green mirror finish; and Tortoise with Bronze lens with Bi-Gradient finish. www.mauijim.com

CRUSHCITY IMPOSTER

The new 23 Tatula TW 100 incorporates Daiwa’s newest baitcaster design concept, Hyperdrive Design, for the first time. Hyperdrive is the culmination of multiple key-elements with the goal of creating a reel with more winding-power under load, that’s smoother and more refined and has a long-lasting feel. A totally new precision designed solid aluminium frame and gear side plate delivers maximum power and unrivalled durability, while its ergonomically designed profile fits effortlessly in the palm of the hand. Hyperdrive Digigear, TWS, Magforce Z, deliver unmatched strength, smoothness and precision both on the cast and on the crank, while Daiwa’s UTD gives you the muscle to stop just about anything that swims. Whether its chasing Australian bass on the southern lakes, mangrove jack on the Gold Coast or barramundi in the north, the 23 Tatula TW 100 is the perfect way to celebrate 10 years of Tatula, and it’s available in four models. www.daiwafishing.com.au

BONE ESPYBARRA 176F

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6 2

The CrushCity Imposter is the perfect prawn or shrimp imitation. Made from Super T.P.E. material and infused with shrimp scent, The Imposter is designed to produce subtle movements like that of the real thing - fooling even the wariest of predators. When rigged on a VMC Brawler Jighead, The Imposter will hop and dart providing a seductive swim with its appendages vibrating in the water. When rigged weedless, The Imposter utilises the back slit to help hide the hook so anglers can fish it deep into snags where the predators lurk. The Imposter is one of the most realistic prawn limitations on the market and will deceive fish anywhere. www.rapala.com.au

OKUMA BARBARIAN PRO

Requests from anglers and the popularity of the Okuma Barbarian range of spin rods has inspired the release of the Barbarian Pro range, featuring upgrades across key models. Praised as having the perfect actions for targeting bait fishing favourites, such as whiting, bream and luderick, the Pro series has maintained those soft tips, smooth actions, and power in the butt section that allows fish to eat the bait with minimal resistance, while keeping hooks in the fish during the fight. Along with the aesthetic upgrade of a deep blue blank, with pale blue tip and bright blue branding, these rods have upgraded guides – premium SeaGuide stainless steel guides with zirconia rings. Other features include an ergonomic cut-out reel seat and low-profile EVA grip, reducing weight and increasing feel. Okuma’s patented UFR Technology is designed so that long-strand fibres running the length of the tip increase the strength and lifting power by up to three times that of a standard rod blank. Available models are 7’0”, 9’0”, 10’0” and 10’6”, each with a two-piece design that makes for simple transport and storage. Price: SRP from $99.90 www.okuma.com.au

5 Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

TESTING BOOTH

Trout slayer: Rapala Countdown Elite minnow FISHING MONTHLY

Peter Jung Rapala minnow style lures have long been a favourite option for trout anglers in Australia and around the world. My first introduction to them was some 40 years ago in the form of the Rapala Countdown and Floating 3cm and 5cm minnows.

in the Snowy Mountain lakes and the floating option just kept producing fish in my local rivers. My collection of them grew as my passion for fishing increased and that collection continues to grow, as these Classic Rapala’s are still being made today and you can never have to many lures, can you? However, it is not these classics that this testing booth is about. It is the latest iteration of a Rapala minnow, the Countdown Elite minnow. Available in 3.5, 5.5, 7.5 and 9.5cm, this is a modern day version of the classic balsa made Rapala minnows. What’s different? The obvious thing is that they are slightly longer than the original offerings, but for me the really obvious change is

the finish on the paintwork of the lures. The combination of HD printing, metallic plating and a matt finish really appealed to me. The two trout pattern colours (gilded

which offers a real opportunity/possibility for fish to hit them as they fall through the water column. It is a very similar action to that of a sinking stick minnow, which in

Main Pic: The author’s friend Andy Queck has been using the Rapala Countdown Elite minnows for a while now with great success. The gilded rainbow trout colour is always a favourite. Above: A mix of 7.5cm and 5.5cm Rapala Countdown Elite minnows that the author was given to test.

The gilded brown trout colour will always be a favourite for many anglers. These lures were the perfect option to transition from the bladed spinners I had been using, to a more lifelike lure that offered better castability and an extra set of trebles to get better results. The sinking (Countdown) version was a revelation

PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY 52 FEBRUARY 2024

Another lovely fish caught casting into likely looking areas from the boat. This time in the gilded silver shad colour.

rainbow trout and gilded brown trout) will always be must-haves for trout fishos and these two colours look as realistic as any I have seen. The 13 colours available follow a more natural colour scheme, with only the gilded gold orange colour providing something completely out of the ordinary. The rest focus on mimicking the real thing or using subtle highlights to get the interest of any fish it swims past. A change that you are less likely to see, is how the lure sinks in the water. The Elite minnows have a lovely flutter on the drop,

turn broadens the fish species these Elite minnows can be used for. Australian bass and bream are just a couple of species that love a lure that flutters on the drop. While I am discussing actions, I also feel like the Elite minnow has a slightly stronger action than the original classic. It certainly provides plenty of feedback through your fishing rod to let you know when it is swimming correctly or not. On the water In the middle of 2023 I wrote a feature on trout fishing at Lake Eucumbene in the

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

TESTING BOOTH NSW Snowy mountains (August issue if you want to check it out). In that I explained how well Lake Eucumbene has been fishing in recent history and how I believed that this should continue for an extended period of time. So, you can imagine when another opportunity came my way to visit again just before Christmas with a few of these Rapala Countdown Elite lures, I didn’t need a second invitation.

A small selection of the author’s Classic Rapala Countdown lures he has. You can never have too many lures, can you?

The gilded vairon colour quickly became one of the authors favourites. No wonder when fish like this 4lb+ brown trout ate it while he was prospecting shore based at Lake Eucumbene. Eucumbene hadn’t changed too much from when I had been there in June 2023. Water levels were marginally lower and the outside temperature was a touch warmer, but the focus remained on trolling the medium taper margins, while looking for

runs at approximately 4-5ft, while the 7.5cm option runs a fraction deeper. On the water, with the lures well back it felt like they ran a little deeper than that. As far as results go, more fish were caught on the 5.5cm lures (on this trip), which was the opposite to the results in the winter months. My take on that is both sizes catch plenty of fish. Lure colour choice/preference is always dependent on the individual, however there is no doubt why the gilded rainbow trout and brown trout colours have the following they do. They catch plenty of fish. However, I now have a big soft spot for the gilded vairon and silver shad colours, they were stand outs for me on this particular trip. On the cast The majority of my early fishing for trout was shore based and involved casting lures around my local waterways. Although I now have many other fishing options available to

the gilded vairon coloured lure I was using while casting from the shore. The 5.5cm size was perfect for the fishing we were doing which was casting to likely looking structure or drop offs (towards the shore generally) while drifting in the boat or land-based flicking into likely looking zones. Most of these areas were 3-8ft deep, so the diving depth of the Countdown Elite’s was perfect. The extra weight of the lures also helped in the windy conditions we fished in. A quick tip would be to use a line clip or loop knot to attach your lure to your line to maximise the lure action. Final thoughts It seems I now have another very good option when it comes to my trout fishing and Rapala has another great lure in their range that many trout anglers will want

Andy Queck with a lovely little rainbow trout he caught trolling a Rapala 5.5cm Countdown Elite. 1000-2000 sized reel spooled with 4-6lb casting fluorocarbon line. The larger Elite minnow was little too heavy for this outfit. This could be easily fixed by upping the rod to a 2-4kg model. I used the 5.5cm Elite minnow exclusively when casting on this trip for this reason and could not have been happier with the results. I caught fish on six different colours (all that I had), with the biggest fish I caught (a 4-4.5lb brown trout) smashing

to get their hands on. I would say that the Countdown Elite minnows tick all the boxes that most anglers would want them to, with one small request. I think every Aussie trout angler would love to see a spotted dog colour in the range, I know I would. To check out the range of Rapala Countdown Elite minnows head to your favourite local store or check them out online at www.rapala.com.au. I know that there are seven more colours I need to try.

A stunning brown trout taken on a 5.5cm Elite minnow in the gilded ayu colour caught while casting from a drifting boat. likely areas to drift and cast our Countdown Elite minnows around. Trolling The Countdown Elite minnows are an excellent trolling lure. I had the 5.5cm and the 7.5cm models to try and there is nothing more comforting than seeing rod tip rhythmically dancing with the action of the lure. I tend to have the lures set well back from the boat while trolling, so have a lure with a solid action is very important. On the box it says that the 5.5cm lure

me, my first passion is and always will be, to cast lures trying to catch a trout or three. I am not fussed if it is shore based, drifting in the boat or out of my kayak, I just get a thrill catching a fish on a cast lure (trout in particular). Not surprisingly the Rapala Countdown Elite minnows cast really well. At 5g and 10g respectively, they offer plenty of weight to cast with, possibly in the case of the 7.5cm Elite minnow, too much. My normal outfit to cast minnows for trout consists of a 7’ 1-3kg rod matched with a

The first fish of the author’s recent trip to Lake Eucumbene fell to the 5.5cm Countdown Elite in the gilded vairon colour.

FEBRUARY 2024 53

ACT

Canberra

FMM

Pockets of good fishing in the discoloured water CANBERRA

Toby Grundy

To put it bluntly, Canberra’s weather of late has been absolutely shocking. One minute we are copping a run of crippling heat and the next, massive downpours. Anglers have been left

much at the time of writing. LBG is a little clearer than the other local lakes but it’s still quite discoloured, and the fish are shut down. I have spent a fair bit of time fishing the lake in recent weeks, and a number of my regular haunts which previously produced good fish have been basically bereft of any fish activity.

Smaller surface lures work well in flooded areas. this hasn’t affected the fishing to the same extent as other waterways across the ACT. Lake Tuggeranong always fishes well after rain, with the spillway being the best spot to stop and have a cast with a Jackall TN60 or Doozer. The golden perch push up into this area and eat worms and small fish which flow over the wall, and the cod follow the golden perch looking for one of the smaller yellas to make a

The pelagics are on the chew. with few options due to the state of the local lakes and the river, which at the time of writing, resembles chocolate milk. However, there is one fish which seems unfazed by the state of any waterway and will feed with gusto in even the most turbid of water: European carp. Now, I’m the first to admit that I am not the biggest fan of mud marlin, and if it were up to me, I would very much like to eradicate the lot of them. That said, when the native fishing is slow, packing a handful of plastics, walking the banks of Lake Burley Griffin with a light spin outfit and casting for carp does have its place. I’m not suggesting for one moment that carp fishing compares to casting surface lures for cod or working a long shallow point with a ZX blade for yellas, but it’s a great option at present because it could be weeks before the water clears and the native fish really switch on again. If you do decide to chase a few carp using lures in the coming weeks, be sure to keep things light (a 1-3kg spin rod, a 1000-sized reel and 6lb braid and leader). Look for those long stretches of shallow gravel beds which line the edges of many of our local lakes, and which are particularly prevalent along parts of LBG. I like using 2-3” wriggler-style plastics attached to a 1/16oz jighead at this time of year. I look for cruising carp, cast a few metres ahead of the fish and then employ a hop/pause retrieve. LOCAL LAKES Lake Burley Griffin isn’t producing 74 FEBRUARY 2024

I did have some success fishing in around 4m of water parallel to sunken weed with a Jackall TN60. By working the lure slowly and close to the bottom, I landed a few goodsized redfin and a solid golden perch. There is a bay behind the Yarralumla Nursery which sits just off the main rowing lanes, and this spot does hold good populations of redfin during February. This little bay is also my first stop if I am chasing carp on soft plastics because the gravel bottom holds plenty of food and the carp move into this area at dusk to feed up on mosquitofish, yabbies and worms. Lake Tuggeranong would be my pick of the local lakes. While the water is particularly turbid and a lot of rubbish has flowed into the lake,

Get into the carp fishing this month.

mistake. The islands at Greenway are also worth a visit, especially if you’re chasing cod on surface. Lake Ginninderra is very much like Lake Burley Griffin. There are pockets of fish activity in certain areas of the lake but, overall, the fishing has been slow. A few experienced anglers have worked out the golden perch bite and while I won’t reveal any of their spots, I will say that

The author with a solid cod. all the yellas have been caught on paddle-tail plastics attached to a beetle spin and worked slow and close to submerged weed. The reddies have been quiet but every now and then a small school will sweep in from deeper water and attack baitfish along the edges at Diddams Close. The Murrumbidgee River is flowing fast and has been in flood on and off since the middle of January. The water clarity is non-existent, and the hot cod bite experienced in early December has well and truly tapered off. Despite the current conditions there is a short bite window which runs for a few hours after sunset. I have been hitting a few of the slower, wider pools and have

Hobart TAS

FMM

Heatwaves bring welcome visitors to the state HOBART

Andrew Large

The weather for the moment has eased significantly in recent weeks all across Tasmania, allowing anglers to pursue their chosen summer species. A marine heatwave event is currently occurring, and we have already seen some semi-exotic captures for this state. Tiger flathead are biting well from Musselroe Bay in the northeast to Adventure Bay, Bruny Island in the southeast. Anglers have been experiencing good fishing on the top of the tide just on the turn. These flathead have been taken on both fresh bait and slowly drifted soft plastics. The Daiwa Bait Junkie Minnow in the 100mm size has been doing well. Meanwhile, Australian salmon have begun chasing and feeding heavily on the influx of bait over the last month or so.

the Hobart CBD in the Derwent estuary and further afield into Storm Bay. Marion Bay on the east coast has also surprised anglers with a happy mix of both tiger and sand flathead. Drift spinning the many beaches from the shore with a Berkley Nemesis has also been producing good flathead as these fish feed closer to shore. The Derwent and other larger estuary systems in the southeast continue to produce bream to 45cm. The best results are being obtained further up in the mid sections of these systems. Hardbody minnows and soft plastics seem to be imitating the bait at the moment. Kingfish abound state-wide, particularly in the southeast as they do every year around this time. The magic 1m mark has been broken numerous times so far this season, particularly in the northwest around Stanley and Woolnorth. Southern calamari are now in full swing with Storm Bay, Marion and

Southern rock lobster have been potting well lately. Swansea, St Helens, Orford and Dunalley have all experienced great runs of fish to 2kg. Cremorne, closer to Hobart, has seen masses of these fish taking Halco silver slices in the 30-40g size. Sand flathead continue to fire up, with some great catches being taken close to caught a number of fish on surface by using a DStyle Reserve Hatch, running the lure only a few centimetres away from a likely bank, and fishing the bank parallel. It will be several weeks before the river returns to normal, and it will only start to improve in the coming weeks if the rain stays away. SURROUNDS Googong Dam is the one fishery that is currently bucking the trend. The cod fishing has been exceptional of late with larger greenfish hitting surface lures and spinnerbaits on colder, overcast days. The middle of the dam is a great place to start as the cod can be targeted by casting at the larger half-submerged trees which

Freycinet areas fishing well. The size has generally been small to medium; they are possibly the progeny of the winter spawn session. Sea trout are now all but finished for the season. They are still around, just not in the concentrated numbers

of recent months owing to the intense feeding on whitebait during their annual upstream run. Most sea trout now will have reverted to feeding on seasonal baitfish and crabs. On the Tasman Peninsula close to Fortescue Bay, good runs of southern bluefin tuna have continued, with school fish to 40kg available. They are patchy but rewards are there for the persistent angler. Schools of yellowfin tuna have been seen off Maria Island, and there have been rumours of some captures. If true, this will only get better as we head into autumn. Striped marlin have been seen early and are expected to be captured in the coming weeks. FRESHWATER In freshwater, all our lakes are looking full to capacity and full of life, which is exciting for anglers, especially on the back of numerous wet summers in a row. A wet winter pay-off has meant nearly every lake is fishing well. Great Lake continues to amaze anglers with the quantity and quality of both its rainbows and brown trout. The average size is around 1.3kg, with some bigger fish nudging 3kg mixed in. Bait, lure and fly are all working well around the extremely high edges, taking fish that are foraging over new ground. Arthurs Lake has really bounced back this year with fish to 1.5kg being taken by anglers drift spinning through the many sunken trees covering the lake. Fly anglers have struggled a tad as the water on the shoreline has remained cloudy due to the windy conditions and wave action. Large stocked rainbow trout have come out of Bronte Lagoon in recent weeks, along with healthy, wellconditioned browns, mainly caught by fly and troll anglers close to the shorelines. The Tasmanian Devil Y106 lure has been working extremely well. It may possibly illicit a strike amongst the multitude of gum beetles falling onto the water on hot days.

Sam Hancox with a good fish.

The author’s father, Philip Large, with a 52cm sand flathead caught spinning the shallows with Berkley Minnow softies. A little further to the northeast, Lake Echo is once again full and fish are feeding well around the newly-flooded edges. Both rainbows and browns are being taken even on the brightest and stillest of days. The value-for-money Black Magic bibbed minnows have been taking bags of both species both trolled and spun, and the Lively Lures Mad Mullet has also been very effective. As always, enjoy the marine heatwave while it lasts, and have fun catching the different species making their way south in the warmer currents. Please remember these species are only visiting our waters – sometimes for only a part of summer – so get out there and enjoy the milder and calmer conditions this wonderful month has to offer. sit several metres off the bank. The golden perch are also on the bite and will hit all manner of lures, from ZX blades through to Jackalls and plastics right along the length of the rocky bank which leads to Bradleys Inlet. There are plenty of big reddies holding near the end of Bradleys Inlet, and they will readily hit plastics and vibes fished along the middle of the water column. Don’t forget about the South Coast. The pelagics are on the bite and can be caught at a variety of locations ranging from the beach to the rocks. I have landed a lot of fish using small jerkbaits, and this bodes well for April/May when the larger specimens will turn up in big numbers. FEBRUARY 2024 75

VIC

Freshwater

FMM

Weather is turning it on and so are the local fish WEST/SOUTH GIPPSLAND

Billy Auldist

We’ve experienced more rain than we bargained for this summer, which had had our waterways constantly moving up and down, making the fishing a bit tricky. However, this is now behind us and the coming months are as good as it gets when it comes to fishing in South West Gippsland. BLUE ROCK LAKE Blue Rock Lake is just about at its prime, with the heat turning the bass on. They are in good numbers and, due to years of stocking by Fisheries, we now have older fish starting to reach trophy

sizes. The warmer weather brings along ant hatches and cicadas, which drive the bass nuts and bring surface fishing into the game. Any topwater crawlers or poppers will be sure to get some bass attention this month. Local fisho Matt Atherton reports good catches of bass in the lower half of the lake using paddle-tailed soft plastics on a 1/8oz jighead. The trout in the lake are harder to come by in the hotter weather, but they will still occasionally show themselves. Other species in the lake, such as redfin and carp, can be readily caught on bait from the banks. RIVERS The Tarago and Bunyip rivers

Matt Atherton with a brown trout caught in a feeder stream.

still fish well in the higher reaches at this time of year, particularly in the evenings. I find small soft plastic creature imitations to be the most successful, particularly around timber and other structure. The tributaries and feeder streams of the Tarago have been fishing extremely well lately, with big trout taking hardbodies and spinners. This good fishing is probably due to the lack of fishing pressure in the smaller and lesser-known streams. There are plenty of these streams out there, it’s just a matter of trial and error to find good spots. The Latrobe, Toorongo and Loch rivers around Noojee have been reliable as always, turning up the same numbers of brown trout like clockwork. Like most months, spinners, hardbodies and unweighted worms are stand-outs, and have accounted for a good number of fish. It’s hard to find a quality fish in these rivers but they make up for it with numbers. Rainbow trout have also turned up in a few of the streams, and these fish can be a nice gem amongst the brown trout. ESTATE DAMS Local estate dams are a good option close to home, and they traditionally fish well at this time of year. The dominant species is redfin, and there are endless ways to catch them in these

excellent fishing will continue in the coming weeks. Young angler Blake Herrick has also been getting amongst them om Wendouree and Moorabool Reservoir, catching some nice browns at both waters. Blake has been casting lures and fly fishing at Moorabool, where the fishing has slowed down a little since the water levels dropped, which forced the fish to retreat to deeper water. This hasn’t deterred Blake, who has been out putting in the hard yards and reaping the rewards. During one session, he landed a couple of nice browns around

Jakey Young has nailed a few trout recently, including this 56cm brown caught on a small shallow-diving hardbody. Image courtesy of Ben Young.

The author has been catching brown and rainbow trout from Lake Fyans on bug/spider mudeyes suspended under a bubble float. 90 FEBRUARY 2024

the 2kg mark during the day on a Bag fly. During another session in a torrential downpour, Blake landed a couple of similar-sized browns on a Bent Minnow surface lure. Other anglers I’ve spoken to have been out at Moorabool for the ‘evening rise’ (as we call it in the fly fishing circles), hoping to catch fish moving into the shallows from the deeper water. These fish feed on migrating mudeyes and other insects that hatch on or around the evening. The reports have been mixed. Some nights, the fish have been up and about, feeding everywhere, while on other nights there hasn’t been a single fish in sight. It’s just a

matter of being out on the water as much as possible; sooner or later you’ll get lucky. At Tullaroop Reservoir the water level is still high, and boating is now allowed. A few anglers have been catching some nicesized redfin on worms, small yabbies and gudgeon. It’s just a matter of finding the fish. A colleague of mine, Paul Dawson, regularly fishes for redfin at Tullaroop and said there’s a lot of water between them. Once you do find a school, however, you can fill your bag with them. Vern Barby has been fly fishing there in the evenings, hoping to catch a trout or two. He said the water clarity has improved, with visibility not too bad. Vern

Matt Atherton with a solid Blue Rock bass. dams. Spinners, hardbodies and soft plastics are the most popular lures to throw for reddies, however vibes and jigs can also come into their own for adventurous fishos. Of course, bait fishing will also be successful on the reddies, and will also bring carp into the picture. Although the last month has been tricky, we are in for a real treat in the coming weeks. The weather is turned on and so is the fishing. February is going to be a rewarding month for those who get out there and have a crack. landed one small brown on fly but did mention how disappointing it was to see so many European carp. “They were bloody everywhere!” he said. “It’s one of our best trout waters; how can this happen?” Hopefully, the carp won’t take hold and ruin the fishery, as has happened to other trout fisheries over the years. We need the Victorian Fishing Authority to revisit the eradication of European carp from our waters. I recently fished Lake Fyans, which is about 1.5 hours from Ballarat and one of my favourite trout fisheries. The fishing at this time of the year is generally pretty good and this trip was not different. Lake Fyans sits at the foot of the Grampians and it’s well-stocked with brown and rainbow trout and has an excellent population of redfin. I generally like to fish mudeyes suspended under a bubble float. On my recent trip the fishing was OK but didn’t set any world records. We fished bug/ spider mudeyes suspended 6-12ft deep. We moved around, tying up to trees and casting baits out, waiting for a fish to come along and eat the mudeyes. We managed to catch some nice browns and rainbows around 2.5lb. A noticeable absence on this trip was the lack of surface activity. We saw hardly any dragonflies and damselflies buzzing around, which generally get the fish up and about. It was a bit different from what’s been happening at Wendouree.

Freshwater

FMM

VIC

Best-laid plans don’t always work out at Eildon! EILDON

Daniel Piazza

I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday break and that you’re all keen to wet a line this month. Over the past 12 months, I have chosen to fish at random times on the lake to figure out which times work best. I’ve found that the new moon can provide some of the most stable and productive days out on the water, while the full moon can be less reliable.

tree on a tiny grub soft plastic, after about 1.5 hours of moving from tree to tree. Figuring out why the fish shut down can be a struggle. At times like this, it may be worth ditching the lures and just going back to basics. Try driving to a peaceful, shady area where you’ve previously caught fish, hit spot-lock on the electric, bait up some hooks and just kick back. Some days, the only fish moving around are thousands of trout, smashing whatever comes their way, so they can be a good option when the natives won’t bite.

Ben was fishing from the bank when he caught this solid cod on a Primal twin-arm spinnerbait in black and purple.

Ben had a great day out searching for the elusive Murray cod. On the full moon in January, a few of my friends and readers were out at different locations on the lake, all having a crack. Some were bait fishing, but most were casting and trolling lures. The next day, we spoke about what we saw and shared our experiences. There wasn’t much on the chew, which was surprising because the water temperature and clarity were mostly the same. The only angler who caught a fish was using Live Sonar. He caught a 65cm cod while trying to catch redfin on a

I was in this situation last month and tried matching the hatch with a small fluoro orange 50mm paddle-tail plastic that I made. I was using a light river trout rod and a Stradic 2500-reel spooled with 6lb braid 6lb leader. I cast into the shadows, and with every 10 casts I saw either a tiny redfin or a half-decent brown trout come darting out. I figured that if the trout were that close to the surface, it wasn’t a day for chasing cod, and it would have been an afternoon bite rather than a morning one.

That said, some of the regular anglers have been catching cod this past month, so it’s worth doing. You don’t need a boat either – walking the bank is just as good here. Just be careful because the banks can be quite steep with loose rocks. And, of course, redfin are everywhere. Just remember to take some bait, preferably worms or small yabbies, because sometimes the fish can’t be fooled into eating silicone. Until next time, tight lines. And remember, if you’ve had some fun or interesting experiences out on the lake, I’d love to hear about them. • Daniel Piazza is the creator of Primal Spinbaits – quality handcrafted, Australian-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.

Red and black lures have been a standout over the past month.

Good bankside fishing – just watch for snakes CRATER LAKES

Rod Shepherd

The Hopkins River is still firing for many species. Brown and rainbow trout around 60cm have been taking lures and plastics fished shallow or slow rolled with the waters around the Framlingham Forest and below the falls. The most productive times have been first and last light. Above Jubilee Park and even Tooram Stones, estuary perch have been going crazy, and lure anglers have been working the edges with great success. Bank-holding estuary perch have been coming in all sizes, and have been attacking anglers’ offerings throughout the day. Fishing at night would probably be even more productive. Over the past month, when anglers have caught one estuary perch, they have often encountered more fish close by. This indicates there’s some sort of schooling going on. That’s great news because the nights are becoming increasingly colder. Good trout continue to be caught out of Purrumbete with many picked

up on the troll, in depths up to 12m. You can fish with either deep-diving lures or lures assisted with trolling sinkers or lead line. Alternatively, you can get good fish working the weed beds, casting. School redfin continue to be taken at depth. Using a sounder to find the schools, and berley to entice the fish into biting, has been

working for many anglers. Earthworm and live minnows have been the go for the bait soakers, whilst soft plastics in minnow styles (3” or 4” on a 1/4-1/6oz jighead) have been doing it for the lure aficionados. Quite a few Chinook salmon to 55cm have been caught by bank anglers and trollers at Bullen Merri. The odd rainbow

Purrumbete redfin are still schooling at depth and taking live minnows and soft plastics jigged off the bottom.

has also been taken. 6-8m depth and medium divers are doing it, otherwise you can use PowerBait in pinks or red, or live minnow for those static fishing from the shore. Tiger trout over 3kg have been being taken trolling just out from the bank in around 8-10m of water. The new-ish double boat ramp and pontoon system at the south bank has finally made it much easier for boaters launching and retrieving their craft. The Mount Emu Creek still has a small amount of flow in it. Some good trout, both brown and rainbow to 1100g, have been taken on the fly and on surface lures at either the head or exit waters of any of the many pools that can be found along its length. Dawn or dusk is the go, and the creek can be easily accessed from any of the many road bridges that cross it. A word of warning though – many tiger and brown snakes are currently active along the bankside. It’s a risky situation if you’ve walked several kilometres from where your car is parked. Make sure your phone is fully charged and, if you’re bitten, pray that you get a signal. I strongly recommend purchasing a solid pair of gaiters. FEBRUARY 2024 91

West Coast

FMM

Time to give the demersals a rest LANCELIN

Peter Fullarton

The next demersal ban starts 1 February. At least it is partially the right time to implement a ban that will help the recovery of dhufish stocks, as they will be well into their spawning season.

suggest giving it another crack this year. Practice makes perfect and a decent sized fish are not that hard to find and well worth the effort as they yield a lot of meat – 80% of the fish by weight, compared to demersal fish at 35-40%. Some quick tips for success: Around the new moon is best, head out to have lures in the water at first or last light. Have a deep diver and shallow

We have had schools of yellowtail kingfish, at times busting up in the beakers of the bay’s reefs. Sometimes the schools bust up baitfish a little further out to the 8-12m drop off just out from Lancelin Island. Lancelin Bay is a perfect spot to fish from small boats and kayaks. There’s always a feed of herring to be had, while the deeper weed banks have been loaded with snook that aggressively attack small minnow style lures or pilchard baits. King George whiting are a cyclic species in the bay with good years and slow periods, while the last two years were difficult to find many. They are on an uptick now, so no better time to try grab a feed. The whiting feed in the weed finding small crabs, mussels, worms etc. The cast right to the edge of the weed often gets the fish. Bait? I like to use cuttlefish tentacle, squid or prawn leaving the

The author with a better than average whiting from the bay. The ban can allow fish to behave like they did in ‘pre-GPS’ times schooling up on lumps unmolested. Back in the 1990s, schools could be

Robbie with a snapper caught in a berley trail off the beach. in the hundreds of fish. Efficiencies of GPS enabled fishers to identify the key lumps fish school on and accurately return to the same spot. These days, 20 odd fish seem a good size school. It is a great shame by fisheries management there are no protected areas in suitable depths along the west coast set aside for fish to build large schools. Our waters will be warming to the critical point, around 24oC, when it becomes the most reliable proposition to troll lures or baits for Spanish mackerel. A number of anglers dabbled last year due to the extended demersal bans. Feedback I received was it was a waste of time and fuel! It was a poor season for mackerel, the first in over ten years I failed to find a Spanish myself. I only caught several smaller spotted mackerel. I would certainly 100 FEBRUARY 2024

runner in the spread. A must is to have a Halco Laser Pro 190 red head white body, most of the time it is the first lure to go off. A lot of people suggest mackerel are sluggish in our latitudes and to troll slow, I would rather suggest moving the lure at a fair pace to get the reaction bite, minimum 6 knots preferably 7-8. Lastly, find the bait! If you come across schools of pilchards, bonito, or blue mackerel there will be almost surely some Spaniards not far away so concentrate the efforts around the bait. If you can’t find the bait, troll the west edge of a reef or drop off. We also have the FADs out this year that should be holding wahoo, mahimahi and even marlin, being the first year deployed we are still waiting to see what the warm waters will bring. Random schools of bonito and tuna have been throughout the depths, mostly southern blue and striped, but there have been some big yellowfin about too. Just keep an eye out for the tell-tale birds.

Warm water brings the guitar fish, testing angler’s skill and stamina. shell on reduces pickers. Anchor in a sand hole casting all around to the weed edges and broken ground. When you catch one cast straight back and you may get several more. If you catch a couple of butterfish cast a different

Eddie finding it doesn’t take long to gather a feed catching double headers like this. and more are attracted to the activity. While demersals are out of bounds for the boat fishers, beach casters have had a great run on snapper, find a near shore reef and pump out the berley. Most the fish off the cast will come from the hours of darkness or very early in the morning. February drone fishing can be the best time for the year where snapper can be considered a reliable target. Traditionally we always used two to three hook paternoster rigs with the drone, using a mix of baits to encompass what we may encounter 200-300m from shore. Although under the new rule only one bait may be used when targeting demersal species. It’s a hard one when are you targeting demersals vs whatever takes the bait? It is very different to fishing from a boat in deep water when most of the fish you catch are going to be classed demersal. When you start catching snapper perhaps it is time to switch to one hook rigs. A nonsensical rule from fisheries, where it’s ok to catch a snapper so long as you were not trying to catch one?

Dan with a typical size snapper he caught casting from the shore.

Aiden, posing for a quick picture before releasing his catch.

direction for a while so they move off. Certainly don’t use berley unless nothing is biting otherwise you might bring in the blowfish and hordes of pickers. Fishing like this tends to build momentum, starts off slow then more

Tailor will be starting the second breeding for the summer where they feed ravenously as they mature to spawn late this month. Keep in mind the fish for the future mantra only keeping what you immediately need for a feed.

West Coast

FMM

Unusual species turned up early KALBARRI

Stephen Wiseman

With warm water pushing in from a current brushing the Abrolhos islands the first of a number of unusual early fish have turned up, mahimahi, wahoo and big yellowfin tuna have

been among the reports around town. Yellowfin have been in the 20-25kg and Tom’s wahoo was just over 1200mm. A decent mahimahi (dolly) was taken onboard Aden’s charter boat by Alex, a second dolly was lost at the side of the boat while another yellowfin was lost by drag tightening at the wrong time. All the warm water may bring some

This mahimahi was taken by Alex onboard Aden’s Charter boat while fishing with a Halco Redhead.

billfish activity into the 50m depths, as happened about 10 years ago when a few sails were hooked and a black marlin was caught and released by myself. So it’s time to check all lines and gear. North of the river, big tailor are still on the prowl with one specimen going 90cm. A few early mulloway have been on the chew, best bait is mullet strip or live whiting if you can catch a few. For the boat brigade, pink snapper can be found all along the coast from close inshore to out wide in the 50m range and that’s also were the big yellowfin have been cruising. Bait schools are scattered at the moment but as they group up the activity will get better and more reports of macks will trickle in. It’s just a bit light on at the moment with only the occasional fish being taken and a lot of hours spent looking. Good reports of baldies from along the cliffs and the mix up of snapper mostly taken on crab as the pick of the bait. Whiting are quite thick in numbers and size with plenty for all, best areas are still along the flats by the boat hire and a little further up to the jetty.

Tom’s 120cm wahoo made a welcome addition to the fridge. Further up river from the pens is still the best for black bream with the occasional jack grabbing a bait, some of the recent catches have been over 30cm and that’s a nice fish for anyone. The unlucky Christmas story was of a local taking the grandkids out for a fish only to lose his Christmas rod and reel combo overboard as grandson couldn’t hold on, oops. With the current wind and weather conditions take care in the channel.

Land-based fishers landing quality fish species EXMOUTH

Barry Taylor

This month’s report has been supplied by Callan Gaunt. It’s been pretty windy over the past month, but the fishing has been pretty good when we’ve been able to get out there. Out wide, there are still blue marlin, black marlin and sails, although they’ve been less consistent than they were in December. Most have been taken on skirts such as on skirts such as Richter 6” Grassies for sails and smaller blacks and Soft Oscars for all species. We have been getting good reports from anglers heading out deep dropping. In recent weeks, they have been catching some nice 8-bar cod, ruby, comet cod and goldband snapper. In the 40-70m depth range, we’ve been seeing the odd rankin, red emperor and the odd spangled emperor turning up. Most have been caught on bait, but jigs and soft plastics have also been catching their share. Rankin and nannygai, in particular, respond well to artificials, and jigging is my preferred way to target them. I like the Vexed Dhu Drop, and I typically use a 100-150g jig, depending on the depth and current. Two of the standout colours have been pink and orange. There are estuary cod at those depths as well, both gold-spot and

malabars and a few oversize ones have been caught lately. If you think you’ve hooked an XOS cod, it’s good to slow the retrieve for the last 20m or so to minimise barotrauma. In around 20m of water and less, there have been quite a lot of red-throat emperor around. I like catching them on 5” ZMan Paddle TailZ and as light a jighead as I can get away with. The shallow water is also plagued with Charlie courts (Chinaman cod). Around that same depth, there have been a few mackerel getting around. Anglers fishing around the northwest tip of the Cape have been catching a couple of better size ones around the 20kg mark. There are still black snapper, trout and so on in the Gulf; it’s just a matter

Kyle Daniele with a nice eating size malabar cod.

Travelling anglers like Aaron Fitzgerald from Panawonica have been having a ball getting into the local trout population. of getting good weather windows. Moving to land-based fishing, the action has been pretty good around the flats lately, with quite a lot of GTs, queenfish and giant herring being reported. One of the guys also got a land-based Spanish on lure up near the Mildura wreck recently. Good lure options off are small stickbaits and poppers such as a small Ocean’s Legacy Keeling or smaller soft plastics such as Bait Junkie 3.2” Minnows. These lures will catch just about anything, including shark mackerel, giant herring and flathead. Pretty much any pelagic will hit it if you move it quickly.

There have been reports of quite a few estuary cod in the Gulf, with many being caught on the troll, and others on jigs and soft plastics. Jacks have been feeding actively around the local marina and jetties, with Learmonth Jetty consistently producing jacks. You can fish on plastics or hardbodies, but your best bait is to use bait, either dead or live. We’ve been hearing of a few GTs and queenies caught down around that Learmonth area as well. In the Bay Of Rest, there have been quite a few mud crabs getting caught lately. Some have been picked up by anglers just walking around in the shallows. FEBRUARY FISHING February is a good time to throw lures land-based for GTs, which get fired up in the warm water. For boat-based anglers, we’re hoping the wind will back off a bit so we can do a bit more bottom fishing in 50m+ of water, chasing reds, rankins and spangos. • 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. FEBRUARY 2024 101

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2024 calendar of events

Tournament Angler Guide 13 Fishing BASS Pro Series Qualifier Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Round 6

Grand Final Rapala Australian Open

Daiwa BREAM Series

BREAM QUEENSLAND OPEN

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TASMANIAN TEAMS OPEN

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Qualifier Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Round 6 Round 7 Round 8 Round 9

Grand Final Duo Tassie Teams Open Daiwa Australian Open Samaki Queensland Open

Zerek BARRA Series Event Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Round 6 Round 7

Venom Australian Open

2024 Bass Electric Tour Event Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5

Teams Round

Date 31 Jan/1 Feb 3/4 February 13/14 April 16/17 April 26/27 August 29/30 August

State VIC VIC NSW NSW QLD QLD

1-3 October NSW 29/29 September NSW

Lake St Clair Glenbawn Dam

Date 6/7 February 10/11 February 12/13 March 16/17 March 20/21 April 4/5 May 15/16 June 20/21 July 23/24 July

State VIC VIC TAS TAS WA NSW WA NSW NSW

Location Gippsland Lakes (Metung) Mallcaoota St Helens Derwent River (Bellrieve) Emu Point (Albany) Hawkesbury River (Pittwater) Blackwood River Richmond River (Ballina) Tweed River (Fingal Head)

Event Boat Round 1 Boat Round 2 Boat Round 3 Kayak Round 1 Kayak Round 2 Kayak Round 3

Kayak Grand Final Boat Grand Final

2024 Vic Bream Classics Event Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Grand Final

Event Social Round Round 1 Round 2 Round 4 Round 5 Round 6 Round 7 Round 7 Round 8

Location Lake Blue Rock Glenmaggie Dam Clarence River Richmond River Somerset Dam Wivenhoe Dam

29 Nov - 1 Dec 8 March 30 April - 2 May 1/2 June

NSW TAS NSW QLD

Lake Macquarie (Wangi Wangi) Huon River (Franklin) Sydney Harbour; Drummoyne Gold Coast / Moreton Bay

Date 13/14 September 13-14 October 15 October 11 November 12 November 14 November 16/17 November

State QLD QLD QLD QLD QLD QLD QLD

Location Monduran Dam 2N Lake Tinaroo 2N Lake Tinaroo O/N Teemburra Dam Kinchant Dam Peter Faust Dam O/N Peter Faust Dam 2N

16-18 September QLD

Awoonga Dam

www.basselectric.au Date 24 February 16 March 20 April 25 May 22 June

26 October

State QLD QLD NSW QLD QLD

QLD

Location Maroon Dam Hinze Dam Richmond River (Coraki) Wyaralong Dam Moogerah Dam

Bjelke Petersen Dam

Facebook: WA Bream Classics

2024 West Australian Bream Classics

Queensland Teams Series

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Date 23/24 March 9 June 13 October 10/11 February 18/19 May 15 October

Location Blackwood River Mandurah Swan River (Perth) Kalgan River (Albany) Blackwood River TBA

2/3 November 7/8 December

Swan River (Perth) Blackwood River

Date 23/24 March 4/5 May 15/16 June 17/18 August 12/13 October 23/24 November

Location Metungwww.vicbreamclassics.com.au Nelson Hopkins Mallacoota Marlo Nelson

Date 10 February 23 March 21 April 19 May 15 June 6 July 18 August 15 September 12 October

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State QLD NSW QLD QLD QLD NSW QLD QLD NSW

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Location Brisbane River (Colmslie Park) Tweed River (Fingal Head) Paradise Point Brisbane River (Colmslie Park) Jacobs Well Tweed River (Fingal Head) Jacobs Well Scarborough Tweed River (Fingal Head)

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Tournament Fishing Evolves Again in 2024 ABT

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

At ABT, we try to evolve events to suit conditions - from how well the respective barra lakes are fishing through to formats that both keep anglers happy and progress the sport. It’s a fine line that we’ve learned to walk, through the GFC, COVID and over a handful of other promoters telling us that they were going to be the end of us. 2024 sees more evolution in what we do - some new and some recycled from past successes. BREAM is back to Tasmania in 2024. The cadence of Tasmanian ABT legs to every second year has been a real success and has motivated the largest Tassie fields we’ve ever had. Keep an eye out for the Huon River trial event. This is a no entry fee test to see if we can use it as a future Tasmanian venue. Fish as a team with your mate and we’ll run it with the ABT app. And we’ll scare up some prizes for y’all. The BREAM and BASS Pro Grand Finals will adopt an 6 TAG 2024

identical 3-day format with all anglers fishing the first two days of competition. We’ll award the champion non-boater after the second day and then cut the field to at most the top half of the field for the final day. This will feature boater-only plus observers. We expect that we will be able to generate some excellent on-water coverage for our biggest payout events of the year. Speaking of Grand Final payouts, we’re giving away bigger boats this year. There’s a pair of Alloycraft 498s already

on order that will be fitted with 90HP Mercury outboards and all of the fruit. The BASS Electric series is going to live with the BlueFin team, who have already taken it under their wing and are looking to give it the time and attention it deserves. There’s only so much that we can do with the resources we have and letting this event leave home allows us to try and accelerate the improvement of our banner events a little quicker. BARRA events will be capped at 50 boats in 2024. We had up to 46 in 2023 and we’re

at about the limit of what we can put on the lakes and still have an enjoyable experience. Nobody really likes the 2 hour process to get all of the boats in and out of Peter Faust dam, but we’re willing to endure it for the quality of tournament fishing on offer. We are also adding a Monduran Dam BARRA Series event to run hand-in-hand with the BARRA Australian Open. We’re due to cater for the new breed of Brisbane Barra Experts and y’all are welcome to come and fight for the trophy.

In 2024 BARRA Events will be capped at 50 boats - finding the balance between an awesome field of anglers and the limitations of boat ramp and parking at places like Peter Faust Dam.

BARRA Team of the Year will still be your best 5 finishes. It’ll give some teams the ability of drop a poor finish or two and the competition should be tight. Scan for the ABT website - it got a facelift in 2023!

We are still sticking with plenty of double-header style events in the days of $2.30 per litre diesel. We know that it’s a balance between time and cost, but it allows people to get two events for one travel cost. If you can only make of of a doubleheader, that’s no worries! You’re welcome at any or all of the events through the season. Finally, we’ve got with the times and now have an online entry form system that you can fill out once and tick multiple events. Anglers have been asking for it, so we hope that it meets your expectations. AT the time of writing, early entries are at record levels, so something must be right. Enjoy the Tournament Angler Guide and we look forward to seeing y’all on tour in 2024.

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Do Your Homework: Top Anglers Share How They Get ABT Tournament Ready ABT

Ryland Sainsbury

It’s an age-old question and one we as tournament anglers have heard in some variation time and time again. “Isn’t fishing just luck?” or, “how can you be ‘good’ at fishing tournaments?” Well, it’s a fair point. How can someone be consistently good at a past-time that, to the public, is often accredited to just plain old ‘luck’? To put it bluntly, if luck alone was all there is to it, we wouldn’t see the same faces on stage, relieving us of our cash and collecting trophies and badges time and time again. It would also mean that the anglers you’re going to hear from in this article would have all given up tournaments years ago and just played the lottery because they must be riddled with luck! I digress, but the point is that the anglers at the top of their game aren’t relying on superstition and luck alone to get them over the line. So, if not good fortune, what sets them apart? PREPARATION MEETS OPPORTUNITY In preparation for this article, I found a quote that I 8 TAG 2024

believe summed it up perfectly, it read, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” That’s it. It’s the not-sosimple science of preparation and execution and the steps these anglers take off the water are arguably more important than the ones they make on the water. How prepared are you if you lose a propeller in a tournament session? Do you make the effort to scour contour maps and Google

Earth, finding new locations? Do you keep what seems like a tackle shop in your garage? How often do you fish in the lead up to an event? These are all questions you might take into consideration if you’re looking to improve yourself towards the best tournament angler you can be. In this article we’re endeavouring to peek into the minds of some of the most successful tournament BREAM, BASS and BARRA anglers in the country, to

see how their approach to preparation for an event sets them apart from the rest of us. Or if they even prepare at all? TOMMY WOOD The Sunshine Coast’s Tommy Wood has had a meteoric rise to the forefront of the Australian tournament scene. Now with four ABT tournament wins in Australia, two BARRA Series Team of the Year titles and, most remarkably, a win in the co-angler division of the Bassmaster Open at Wheeler

Main: Four time BASS Angler of the year Matthew Langford uses his boat for work and play, So he makes sure to go the extra mile to prepare for any unforeseen troubles. Above: Tommy Woods ability to plan, organise and execute at a tournament are beyond question. In 2023 He became the first Australian to win a Bassmaster open as a Co-angler in Wheeler Lake, Alabama.

Lake, Alabama in the USA earlier in 2023 - making him only the second Australian ever to win a Bassmaster event behind Carl Jocumsen. That’s elite company. Tommy has a great fishing brain and a keen eye for

“ PREPARATION BEGINS AS SOON AS THE TOUR DATES ARE ANNOUNCED FOR THE YEAR ” detail which translates into his approach to tournament preparation. He begins preparing in his head for the events as soon as the tour dates are announced for the year. “Straight away when the dates are announced for the year I can start thinking about where the fish will be sitting in the dam and how they will be feeding at that time of year, just based off experience and knowledge. I can also research moon phase and bite times for those specific dates,” he explained. Unlike the BREAM and BASS events spread across the year where anglers can plan and prepare for a single event at one location at a

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abt time, the whole BARRA tour happens fast, usually with three or four events over a two-week period all in different locations. On one hand, this gives anglers the whole year to strategise and prepare for the flurry of events. But, on the other hand, it also means there isn’t enough time between events to account for Boat, motor, trailer, or tackle failure; everything must be ready to go again. Out of the BREAM, BASS and BARRA events ABT runs, I doubt many would argue against the fact that Barramundi are by far the most unforgiving of the three when it comes to tackle. They’ve earned their reputation worldwide as a sportfish because of their propensity to expose every weakness in your hardware that they possibly can. As such, before the tour Tommy changes all the braided main lines on his reels. This mainline usually only lasts one or two events before being changed again to ensure 100% peace of mind. Leaders also MUST be changed after each event. Keeping bulk supplies of heavy-duty split rings and trebles (approximately 3-4 boxes of each size, he says) also means he doesn’t have to think twice about replacing all the old hardware on every lure he’s thrown after each event. “Rolled hook points and bent trebles will 100% cost you fish if you get lazy and don’t change them over,” said Tommy. This process is time consuming, so he usually makes sure all this tackle preparation is completed at least two weeks prior to the events so he wastes less time doing it in the short gaps between events. A very methodical angler, approximately three weeks out from the events, before any tackle preparation, Tommy will spend roughly three days servicing his outboard, replacing all oil, spark plugs and filters as well as checking all navigation lights and replacing the trailer bearings. A process made slightly easier for Tommy due to the fact he works as a marine electrician, but still, something we should all consider when organising our vessels. MATT LANGFORD All the anglers I interviewed agreed on most 10 TAG 2024

Tournament Angler Guide

Before and after - this is what Tommy’s tackle prep for the BARRA tour looks like! topics we discussed regarding event preparation: rods must be rigged and ready to go days prior, batteries must be charged, sounders updated, however one thing resonated more than anything else. “Nothing will ruin a competition faster than Boat, motor, or trailer issues,” Matt said. The four-time BASS Angler of the year winner also owns and operates his own charter business so it’s safe to say he’s had his fair share of inconveniences in this department. This explains why has gone to lengths most of us wouldn’t even consider, to ensure he is prepared for any nasty situation on the water. “Being on the water three or four days a week doing charters, I’ve pretty much had every worst-case scenario thrown at me. If it can be broken, I’ve broken it,” he explained. Which is why Langford now ensures he has spares of nearly all moving parts on the boat. This includes keeping a spare stainless-steel prop, prop nut, spanner and block of wood to change props on his outboard should he lose or damage one. A spare prop, nut and shear pin for his electric

motor, a spare pull cord for the electric motor, spare lanyards for his kill switch and a spare box of fuses. If things break you also need tools to fix them,

“ NOTHING WILL RUIN A TOURNAMENT FASTER THAN BOAT, MOTOR OR TRAILER ISSUES ”

so Matt keeps a small toolbox handy as well with all the necessary tools to fix things on the fly. Most of us know these

are common things that can break, but how many of us can honestly say we go to the lengths to prepare ourselves for this worst-case scenario? “When things go wrong on tournament day – and I’ve had it happen - you need to be prepared to get yourself out of trouble quickly and having these things on hand will have you back fishing quickly, while someone less organised might lose the whole day and any hope of a good result,” explained Langford. Another small tool Langford uses in preparing for an event is his social network.

abt.org.au Using social media, he can keep his finger on the pulse of each impoundment in the lead up to an event and remain in touch with locals that might be able to give him some insight as to what the fishing has been like. This can help greatly when it comes to lure selection and planning. MARK CROMPTON ‘Crommo’ has been around the ABT circuit for about 15 years now, making him a veteran of the BREAM series and in 2023 he finally added the title of Grand Final Champion to his extensive resume. These days, Crommo is a family man and takes a much more relaxed approach to his preparation for an event than when he was younger, choosing instead to focus more on enjoying a relaxing weekend away with friends and family. Tournament fishing can be as mentally draining as it can be physically, so a lot of emphasis can be put on the importance of a good head space coming into an event. By focusing more on enjoying the social aspect of fishing tournaments and enjoying it as a getaway rather than stressing out over the finer details, Crommo goes into an event with a clear mind which he believes helps him perform much better. He instead chooses to rely more on the depth of his knowledge from tournaments past and roll with the punches on the day. “I’ve fished every venue ABT routinely visits now, so I have a really good idea of what the fish are going to do just from my experience from years prior. So, nowadays my tournament prep is digging through the memory

Family man and 2023 BREAM Grand final Mark Crompton (pictured with wife Danielle and son Alvey) talks of the importance of a positive mental attitude in his approach to a tournament.

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abt bank to recall where they should be and what they might eat”. Fortunate enough to fish out of the Daiwa stable, Mark Crompton has an almost warehouse-like approach to his tackle inventory. Generally fishing once-aweek at least, it is easy for him to go through some terminal tackle. As such, Crommo has taken it upon himself to turn his garage into a miniature tackle shop. He went into detail about his system by saying “I have pegboards setup in the shed with all my jigheads, soft plastics and lures I use the most, organised in order from smallest to largest and colours from lightest to darkest. That way whenever I get home from a day’s fishing and I’ve used something up, I can grab it straight off the shelf and re-stock the boat”. With the advent of the app-based events, another piece of advice Crommo offers to up-and-coming boaters is to get a USB port installed on the

Tournament Tournament Angler Angler Guide Guide during the session. While they may seem like insignificant details, they all add up to make an insurmountable difference on comp day. JAMIE McKEOWN Much like his bream counterpart Mark Crompton, the current 2023 BREAM Angler Of the Year Jamie McKeown has been around the scene long enough that he doesn’t have to overcomplicate things in his preparation - such is the luxury of experience. Apart from the obvious, having rods rigged and tackle organised before the event, Jamie explained that he only checks the tide and the moon phase for each event once the dates have been announced, just so he can start to plan how and where he will fish. He takes a slightly more tech savvy approach to his preparation. With the introduction of the new Humminbird Coastmaster charts, McKeown has been able to take a far more detailed look at the arena he will be fishing. “I use the Coastmaster

Jamie McKeown took out another Angler of the Year title in 2023 by making the most of the modern technology available. console so you can keep your phone charged throughout the day. Otherwise, something as simple as a flat phone may ruin your event if you can’t log your catches into the app. On top of that, it pays to keep an umbrella in the boat or just to make sure you have a dry spot to sit down and log catches if it happens to rain 12 TAG 2024

maps together with Google Earth to try and find spots that I can tell look good and that are more out of the way. Places where I know other competitors won’t fish or would possibly drive right past,” McKeown explained. “These days I’m always looking for new areas I can have to myself instead of fishing

abt.org.au abt.org.au

Deja Vu? Back-to-Back Grand final champion Braden Schuch speaks of the importance of spending time on the water in preparation for an event. the same spots everyone knows and ending up on top of people. I did it a lot this year and although I didn’t have any wins, it worked enough to get me consistent placings and win the AOY trophy”. The advantage of the Coastmaster maps is that they show extreme detail of the bottom and all contours within a system, however they don’t show bottom structure. This is where Google Earth comes in. He uses satellite images on google earth or SIXmaps in NSW, to check the bottom structure of the areas he found in the charts. This way he can tell if the area is sand, weed, mud, rock or reef which ultimately decides – based off his experience – if it’s worth fishing or not. BRADEN SCHUCH Winning an ABT BASS Grand Final is one of the highest peaks you can summit as a tournament angler in Australia and for most of us, winning one alone would be a lifetime achievement. But in 2023 Braden Schuch did the unbelievable and became the first back-to-back BASS Grand Final Champion. Braden’s approach to physical preparation is very generic in that it probably doesn’t differ too greatly from how you or I would prepare.

He has rods rigged and ready to go, tackle organised, he’s researched the arenas and his bags are packed. The only real difference, he explains, is that he prepares for two events at a time instead of just one. Asked why he looks at them as pair rather than singles, he explained: “There’s lots of double-header events in the BASS series and usually the year can be broken down into two Victorian rounds, two NSW rounds and two Queensland rounds. Most of the impoundments are only a stone’s throw from each other and they usually follow the same patterns in one as they do in the other”. For this reason, it makes sense to prepare for two rounds at a time rather than just taking

“ THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR TIME ON THE WATER ” it a single round at a time as most of the techniques translate. However, Grand Final preparation looks a little different. If there’s one event you want to leave it all out on the table, it’s the Grand Final. You’ve already done the hard work to qualify and it’s the very last event of the year so it

makes sense to leave it all on the table, which is exactly the mindset Braden carries into Grand Finals. “I’m usually a bit more cautious during qualifying rounds but Grand Final time I throw caution to the wind. There’s no point trying to play it safe you just have to leave it all out on the table and hunt for big fish, so I change my mindset to take bigger risks” he explained. The last point we touched on, which Braden hammered home, was one I heard emphasised from every single angler I interviewed. “There is absolutely no substitute for time on the water”. Growing up, he would spend every single weekend at Borumba dam on the Sunshine Coast where he sharpened the skills that have carried him to two Grand Final victories. Much like a runner training for a marathon, time on the water is invaluable practice for a tournament angler as it gives us the opportunity to try new techniques and products while keeping in tune with the target species. While Braden doesn’t get to fish socially as much as he used to, he agrees wholeheartedly that getting out and fishing as much as possible will make you a better tournament angler.

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Tournament must haves for 2024!

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We have a saying at ABT. It’s two words - “Sponsor Karma”. It describes the disproportionately large number of times an event sponsor’s angler or product leads or wins an ABT event. It happend all the time. If you want to partake in some Sponsor Karma yourself, simply buy ABT sponsor products! They represent the top shelf of BREAM, BASS and BARRA gear. Here’s your 2024 shopping list!

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Zipbaits Khamsin Jr Dr 40mm MSRP $29.50 Daiwa Bait Junkie Prawn MSRP $11.99

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Maui Jim Mamalu Bay MSRP $356

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XBraid Olltolos Shangrilla Braid MSRP $49.95

Cranka Minnow 59mm Deep MSRP $20.95

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Ecogear ZX40 MSRP $21.99

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Shimano Environet MSRP from $69.99 Zipbaits Khamsin Jr Dr 50mm MSRP $29.50

Rapala Shad Rap Elite 55mm MSRP $26.95 Duo Ryuki MDF 70mm MSRP $23.99 Duo Realis Shinmushi MSRP $23.99

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Zman 2.5” Slim Swim MSRP $13.95/pk with TT Demonz Jighead MSRP $12.95/pk

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Kong KVD Electronics Mount MSRP $750

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barra

Tournament Angler Guide

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The Barramundi Experience: A Canadian’s Dream Fishing Trip ABT

Jeff Gustafson

I can still remember the first bite I got from a barramundi very well. It was a couple of hours into my first session on Kinchant Dam in November 2022. The bite almost ripped the rod out of my hand and in the moonlight, I can still see the fish jumping five feet in the air. I had never hooked a fish like that before. Carl Jocumsen and I had made the trek across the Pacific Ocean, Carl from the USA and I, from Canada and we were there to compete in a few 2022 BARRA Tour events. While we knew each other in passing from fishing against each other in the U.S. for several years, Carl and I really hit it off in 2019 while competing on the Bassmaster Elite Series. We have become best friends and work together as much as we can on the Elite Series. We trust each other and it has worked out well. We have learned a lot from each other over the past few years. In July of 2022, Carl invited me to come and join him for the BARRA Tour events and I jumped at the opportunity. 20 TAG 2024

I’m always up for an adventure and some fishing competition. November in central Canada is also a great time for me to travel because winter is setting in, our lakes are freezing over and there isn’t a lot of fishing going on. Carl and I had a great time visiting Australia, fishing the events and I especially enjoyed meeting all of the anglers. There are some real characters who fish the BARRA Tour and it’s a great group overall. After having such a good time in 2022, I was committed

to coming back again this past year. It’s a bit of a project to get from Canada to Australia but after that, Steve and Nicholle from ABT really made everything pretty easy. I owe them a good time over in Canada some day! I had the good fortune of winning the Bassmaster Classic back in March. It is the biggest event in bass fishing over in North America, so that gave me a little bit of freedom to come back again. The group of Aussies who

came over for the Classic to support Carl were a really fun part of the celebration after the tournament and I told Steve then that I was back in for 2023 if we could make it work. Carl was unable to make it in 2023 so I invited my friend Bryan Gustafson. He owns one of the top fishing stores in Canada and is a long-time fishing buddy, so we jumped on a flight and showed up to fish. While our results in 2023 were not as good as Carl and I did the year before, we had an

Main: We have excellent fishing over in Canada but we have nothing in freshwater that fights like barra do! Above: Carl and I had a great time visiting Australia.

amazing trip and so much fun. The ten days of fishing went by so fast. When I look back at the fishing in 2023, it was a little bit different than what we experienced in 2022. Carl and I caught nearly all over our fish on swimbaits, casting around grass lines. This year, it just felt a lot harder to catch those fish on all three dams. We could see a lot of them on Humminbird 360 and Mega Live but they just seemed much harder to catch. While we were competing, it quickly became apparent that most of the anglers that were scoring the best results were catching suspended barra over the basins, especially at Kinchant and Faust. We have seen the explosion of live sonar go off over here in North America over the past few years and the same thing has happened in Australia. It will be interesting to see what happens in the coming years, if these fish that are out in open water that were never really targeted by anglers in the past, start to smarten up and get harder to catch or if they move back into cover where they can hide. We mixed up our techniques, casting swimbaits

Tournament Angler Guide

abt.org.au around grasslines and points some, while also trying to catch some of the suspended basin fish. At Faust especially, it seemed like if you weren’t targeting those basin fish, you were not going to be competitive. We spent most of our time at Faust doing that and what we learned is that we still have a lot to learn to keep up with the Aussie anglers. It was very impressive how many fish the top teams were catching. One of the first things that I learned last year is that if you have any weak points in your tackle or equipment, these fish will expose them. Carl and I blew up split rings, straightened out treble hooks and broke lines last year, especially during the first few sessions we spent on the water. There were some real heartbreakers. Returning this year, we had a little better idea of the tackle that we needed to be using, both to get bites and land the fish that we hooked. A huge thank you to Samaki, Wilson and Rapala for sharing some tackle with Bryan and I so we had the best stuff to

I brought Bryan Gustafson as my plus one in 2023 and another Canadian BARRA addict was born! use. We didn’t lose many fish because of equipment failure this year so that was good. We did however, manage to lose plenty to the crazy jumping and fighting that most barramundi put an angler through. The greatest part of fishing for barra that I’ve experienced is the bite. It’s almost always a smash and the fish is instantly going the other way or exploding out of the water. If you survive the first few seconds of chaos, then you have a battle on your hands, every time. We have excellent fishing over in Canada but we have nothing in freshwater that fights like barra do. Our biggest, meanest fish, the

musky, would get pulled backwards by a barramundi. They are truly impressive. It is fun watching how these fish interact with your baits on live sonar and the technology is certainly allowing anglers to catch more of these legendary fish but there is something about reeling in a swimbait in the dark, under the moonlight and unexpectedly getting smoked. The bite and fight are going to lure me back again, no doubt. Looking back on my couple of trips over to Australia, I feel very lucky that I’ve been able to experience everything that I have. I have made some lifelong friends, seen parts of

the world that I never dreamed I would and I’ve learned a lot about fishing. The Aussie anglers may be more advanced with the use of electronics than North American anglers so it’s been interesting to see how everybody uses everything and I’ve picked up some great lure, knot and tackle tricks and modifications from these trips. The long flight across the Pacific is rough but I have thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the trip once I’ve gotten to Australia. The food, especially the fresh fruit and coffee are top-notch. The group of anglers

abt that fish the Barra Tour is special. I’ve enjoyed all of the camaraderie, visits on the water and appreciated everybody sharing tips with us to try and help us catch an extra fish or two. Also, I’ve enjoyed the Great Northern’s and Bundy Rums while I’ve been over there, especially after the all-nighter! I’m not sure if I’ll be able to make it every year but I have had the time of my life these past couple of years and you will definitely see me over there again chasing the magnificent barramundi. Tight lines everybody.

One of the first things that I learned is that if you have any weak points in your tackle or equipment, these fish will expose them.

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Better Nets for Better Fish Care at ABT Events For 25 years, ABT has created and modified a set of rules that aims to level the playing field, but also to prioritise fish care. We are a 100% catch-andrelease organisation and it’s in everyone’s best interest to use equipment and strategies that get as close as possible to 100% post-release survival. Minimum-sized livewells, the use of lures-only and avoiding the warmest water of the year in BASS events are a few of the examples of measures we have taken to help reach this goal. You may notice that it’s been years since we’ve published an image of a bass or barra swinging from its jaw. It’s bestpractice and we like to back up our rhetoric with action. As we collective, we want to keep improving these outcomes. The first time we put rules in about nets was in 2005 when we started the BARRA Tour. There was some science done in the Northern Territory showing the the old-style knotted nets were demonstrably worse for fish survival than a fine mesh net like an Environet. As a result, knotted nets have always been disallowed in BARRA events. Early in the ABT BREAM 22 TAG 2024

days, we worked with Dr Ben Diggles, examining which livewells were actually the best

for fish. A side discussion to these measurements was about fin splitting in fish.

Ben said that one of the causes of post-release mortality of fish was when their fins were

Main: There’s a range of sizes available in modern landing nets used by ABT anglers. The gold standard for fish health is the (blue) Environet. For BREAM and BASS, aa maximum mesh of 15mm will be allowed after 2024. Above: These fish all swam away, but check out the fin splitting from this 25mm mesh sized net. We can do better.

split down to the base. It can provide a point of infection that can reduce the medium-term survival of the fish. They might swim away OK on the day, but not be as good in a week or a month’s time. There’s a few ways fish can split fins. One is to interact with the fishing line during the fight. Another is interaction with other fish in the livewell. There’s not much we can do about these, although the latter isn’t a problem in App events. The third way is when getting netted at the end of a fight. We can do something about this. When we initially wrote the BARRA Rules, silicone/ rubber nets weren’t on the scene. Anglers like them because they can quite easily swipe them through the water and potentially net a fish earlier. The trouble is that when you get an early net shot on a fish, it’ll usually do most of its fighting in the boat and when a fish bounces around in a rubber net with a large mesh, it inevitably does itself fin and scale damage. Of course, the gold standard in fish care nets is the Environet. Invented by ABT supporter and gun angler, the late

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abt Dave Irvine, his legacy has endured under Shimano’s umbrella. It’s been copied by other brands, but if the outcome is better fish care, then it’s probably a better outcome for the fish stocks. When it comes down to it, it’s a balance between mesh size and usability. Some tournament anglers want to get an early net shot at any cost and they’re usually equipped with the rubber mesh nets. In 2025, ABT will be introducing maximum mesh sizes for BREAM/BASS (15mm) and BARRA (30mm) nets. Your current nets are all OK for this season, but this is a one year warning that the nets will have to be compliant at the start of the 2025 season. We will check them in the morning check-out process. HOW DO YOU MEASURE MESH SIZE? This is the obvious question that anglers will ask. What is a 15mm or 30mm mesh size net? The way that you measure mesh size is by stretching a mesh to its longest reach. Then you measure the length from point to point. You don’t measure the net in the resting position. Your next comment may well be that this means that your current rubber net is not going to be allowed in 2025. This is correct. Larger mesh rubber nets are, in our opinion, the biggest controllable factor in

Tournament Angler Guide

The bouncy, rubber silicon nets are actually no good for fin splitting. Even this finer meshed net with a 25mm mesh size splits fins, as can be seen here. This is why we are aiming for a 15mm maximum mesh size for BREAMA and BASS landing nets from 2025 onwards. fin splitting, so we don’t want them used in ABT events from 2025 onwards. If you’re on a budget, it is possible to buy a replacement mesh for your current frame for a fraction of the cost of a new net.

BUT MY LURE GETS TANGLED! It is true that if you choose a mesh style landing net and not an Environet, it may be harder for you to get the lure out if the mesh after you’ve

abt.org.au

We don’t want fish to look like this at the weigh-in. Changing net size is the first step in the process. landed the fish. Steve Morgan is pretty blunt on this point. “If it takes you an extra 20 or 30 seconds to untangle your lure from the net but it’s better for the fish, than that’s a sacrifice any ABT angler should be willing to make,” he says.

“As a collective, the more proactive we can be on fish care issues, the longer we will have the social licence to keep enjoying the sport that we all love,” he continued. If you’re a devout ‘swiper’, you’ll still be able to do it - just with a finer mesh net. - ABT

Bouncy silicon nets and green barra are a fin splitting combination.

You measure a mesh from end-to-end of its widest point when you extend it. At over 40mm, this silicon net will be no good for ABT BARRA events in 2025 and onwards. 24 TAG 2024

We can’t control fin splitting in livewell, or with the line during the fight, but we can reduce mesh sizes to minimise impact of fin splitting on our catch and release fishing.

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Best Practice Fish Handing for ABT Events ABT

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

You’ll notice a bit of a theme throughout this year’s Tournament Angler Guide ABT is all about being the best when it comes to survival of released fish. We need to take the lead on doing things the right way if we want to be proactive in ensuring that we can keep fishing tournaments well into the future. One of the things that we can do as anglers is to always use best practice when it comes to handling fish that you catch in events. And that means for keepers as well as discarded fish. We want them all to have the maximum chance of survival when they’re released. After all, they may help us win an event next time we are on that arena. Generally, ABT anglers come from a background of catch-and-release fishing, so a lot of this may be old news to some of you, but from what we sometimes see both on and off the water, it’s definitely time for a refresher course. So let’s take a look at some of the general elements

This is the way you should hold bass for all pics - in tournaments and socially - if you’re wanting to use best practice. Keeping the fish out if the water for a minimum amount of time is fish handling 101. The biggest dilemma that comes with a livewell event for bream is how to manage the fish for upgrading. Many anglers use cull tags to sort out the sizes of the fish in the well. I’m not all that comfortable with that. In the whole process, cull tags

Bream are naturally designed to handle while supporting the belly. of best-practice fish care and specific-to-species what we should be doing. BREAM Whether you’re fishing in an app event or in a livewell event, there’s a lot that you can do to ensure that the fish you’re processing has the best chance of living after you’ve caught it. Basics like making sure that the fish isn’t being dropped onto a hot deck and having the appropriate tools to allow you to remove the hook quickly are standard practice for most of us. 28 TAG 2024

stick out to me as the worst optics in a catch and release event. Especially when anglers are using massive, penetrating cull tags that look like they’re more at home on a snapper than a bream. Largemouth bass anglers have nearly all reverted to non-penetrating cull tags in events stateside to minimise effects of the fish. Bream have a much smaller and different shaped mouth than bass, so neither of these methods is really suitable. Maybe there’s an opportunity for an

entrepreneurial angler to invent a solution for this? All I know is that the cull tags as we have them now have a limited shelf life in tournament fishing and are on our radar to eliminate in the near future. BASS Australian bass have their own unique set of challenges when it comes to livewell events. All of the river events are app-based to get around possession limits, so it’s in the lakes where anglers need to brush up on their fish care. One of the potential issues for keeping Australian bass in the livewell is the issue of barotrauma. Fish from 20 feet and deeper will often suffer from an overinflated swim bladder when placed in a livewell after capture. This places unnecessary pressure on internal organs and can be alleviated by learning how to ‘vent’ a bass. Venting a bass involves puncturing its swim bladder with a hypodermic needle and equalising the internal pressure. It means the bass in your livewell will swim around like it’s been caught in the shallows and not flap around on the surface. Anglers usually vent a bass by inserting the needle level with the pectoral fin and level with around four spines back on the dorsal fin. You’ll hear the air rushing out when you’ve hit the right area. A tip here is to not squeeze out all of the air. The fish

still needs some in there to balance itself in the water, When you stop hearing it exit (or when the bubbles stop if you’re holding in underwater), remove the needle. If you take out too much air, the fish will sink like a stone to the bottom. The other obvious area we can improve is to always support the weight of the fish by the belly when taking fish pics. In fact, you’ll notice that we haven’t published a pic of a swinging bass for many years. ABT photographers will always ask you to pick up one fish and hold it the right way. There’s no suitable way to photograph two fish per angler. As an angler, you can extend this behaviour through your own practices and social media content. It’s frustrating for us to take a pic the right way and then see you walk to the riverbank and then take your own photos with a couple of swinging bass. This may be cool for other tournaments, but we don’t like it at ABT. We expect you to be leaders in the field when it comes to demonstrable fish care when at ABT events OR fishing socially. BARRAMUNDI Teams are getting better at processing their barramundi in the BARRA events. They’re often a large fish and after a long fight it’s important to minimise the time that the animal spends out of the water. We have developed a process for this that you’re welcome to duplicate. The first part is a proper Environet. With the necessity to bring the fish into the net

(rather than swiping at it when it’s too green), you know that fish isn’t going to kick its way through the net and break it. The angler who nets the fish holds the fish in the water in the confines of the net while the other angler gets all of the gear ready. This includes getting the measuring board out, getting the phone in camera mode and ready to take the pictures, getting the keytag icon in place that’s required in the photo and the pliers ready to extract the hooks. When all of this is done, you bring the fish into the boat. Drop it in the cockpit if you’re worried about it escaping over the side, or do it on the deck if you want. Just make sure that the surface isn’t hot. The heat damages the fish slime. One angler whips out the hooks while the other gets ready to take the pics. When the hook is out, slide the fish onto the wet board and take the measurement shot. Straight after that, pick up the fish and do the quick glory shot. When those two pics are on the phone, you can release the fish. The whole process should have the fish out of the water for less than 60 seconds. After the fish is released, then you can enter the data into the App, retie that leader and get right back into it. What we don’t want to see is anglers preparing gear or uploading data while the fish is still on the deck. We all agree that the fish is too good to catch just once, so a little bit of attention to this process will ensure that post-release survival is sky-high.

If Canadians can do it, anybody can. Processing fish quickly maximises post release survival.

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Sponsor Karma is a thing at ABT and so are Sponsor Bonuses! ABT anglers are fantastic supporters of our sponsors and when given the choice, they usually support the companies that support their tournament fishing. You don’t need to look much further than ABT’s longest running Sponsor Bonus Program - the Mercury Bonus and Mercury Cup - to see how anglers and sponsors can work together to create an outcome that makes everyone happy. MERCURY BONUS In an environment where sometimes Mercury outboards make up 70% of an ABT field, national marketshare is around half that. The reason? Apart from quality product that suits boaters’ needs, its the fact that owning a Mercury can pay you more cash. At every BREAM, BASS and BARRA qualifying event in 2024, Mercury offers an extra $400 into the boater payouts. $250 for the highest Mercury owner, $125 for second and $75 for the third highest placed Mercury owner. In addition, BREAM anglers compete for the Mercury Cup. It’s an extra $1,500 to the boater 32 TAG 2024

who performs the best across the BREAM Qualifiers and Open events. How do you become involved? Own a Mercury and

let the ABT staff know that the sigh-in at the briefing. RAPALA BONUS Boaters aren’t the only anglers who get rewarded. For example,

let’s take a look at the Rapala Bonus program for non-boaters in BASS events. In your first BASS registration of the year (this can be the first or the last

event of the season) you will be given a Rapala or 13 Fishing branded fishing shirt. Wear this (or any other season’s Rapala shirt) at the weigh-in each

The Mercury Bonus has been rewarding anglers at BREAM and BASS rounds for a few years - in 2024 this program will include BARRA rounds too!

The MUSS have lure for 2024 BREAM www.barambahlures.com

www.outbackbreamerbaits.com

TAG 2024

abt day and you qualify. Payouts are the same as the Mercury Bonus - $250 for 1st, $125 for 2nd and $75 for 3rd at

Tournament Angler Guide At an app event (eg. the Victorian rounds) non boaters will need to submit a glory photo of a fish that measures 36cm or more

away across the season, we’ll keep a running total going over on the ABT website under the BREAM tab. VENOM TARGET DOLLARS The team at Wilson Fishing shook up the BARRA Tour anglers in 2023 with the last minute introduction of their Venom Target Dollars. This program is named after the locally built Venom rods - in particular the Target range made specifically for live sonar. Anglers just needed to wear the supplied Venom cap while catching a 101cm or bigger barramundi during any of the BARRA Tour events. At the Wilson sponsored Kinchant Dam event, this was doubled to $1,000! Overall, $15,500 worth of Wilsons gear of the angler’s choice was awarded to anglers over the four events. “It was an amazing promotion and we will definitely

do it again this year,” said Kord Luckus, Wilsons boss. TRY SOME MAUI JIMS For the last few years, Maui Jim has been the exclusive ABT sunglasses sponsor. Every season, more and more ABT anglers are switching to the brand that supports their sport. They love the lenses, the frames and the fact that they’ll make sunnies to prescription. At select events in 2024, there will be a range of Maui Jim glasses available to loan for the duration of the event. “It’s rare to be able to try glasses out on the water before you buy, so this is a unique program,” said ABT Tournament Director, Nicholle Smith. Anglers will be able to sign out a pair at the briefing and return them at the end, all cleaned and ready for the next user. Those Maui cleaning kits that are supplied to anglers at

abt.org.au

briefings will come in use here. Maui Jim Sunglasses will are also presenting the Big BREAM and Big BASS prizes at the season qualifying rounds this year. If you catch the big fish at these events you’ll score yourself $500 cash plus a pair of Maui Jims. You won’t have to wait to get your hand on the product this year - we will have your pair of sunglasses ready for you to collect at the conclusion of the event. You’ll be able to put them to use straight away! Of course, the best reason to support ABT sponsors is to take advantage of the Sponsor Karma that comes your way when you do thee right thing. It’s a thing! - ABT

We’ll be seeing plenty more non-boaters wearing Rapala / 13 Fishing Shirts at BASS rounds in 2024! each BASS Pro qualifying event. XBRAID TROPHY BREAM BONUS Non-boaters at Daiwa BREAM series qualifying events will also have something to look

forward to with the launch of the XBraid Trophy Bream bonus in 2024. This bonus is all about rewarding 1kg (or bigger) bream caught from the back of the boat. The mechanics are simple. 34 TAG 2024

to to fork. At a weigh in event you’ll have to nominate a fish that you feel is at least 1kg (or heavier), the same as you do for big bream, to have it registered for the bonus. The bonus consists of an XBraid Pack put together by the team at Bluefish Imports and will include a selection of braid and leader. Non boaters will be able to claim this once during the season. Watch this space to see how many packs we can give

The Venom hats supplied by the team at Wilson Fishing suited all the angler and resulted in over $15,000 in Wilson Product awarded for 1m + barra caught across the Zerek BARRA Tour.

QUALITY FUJI COMPONENTS VENOM ULTRA-HIGH CARBON BLANKS DESIGNED TO DOMINATE LIVE TECHNOLOGY

WWW.WILSONFISHING.COM

abt

Tournament Angler Guide

abt.org.au

2023’s Top BREAM, BASS and BARRA Anglers ABT’s Grand Final prizes are pretty special - everyone wants to win a boat package! But arguably, the Angler of the Year (AOY ) titles are the most cherished amongst the tournament anglers’ ranks. Being AOY (or Team of the Year - TOY in BARRA) is an award that’s hard won across an entire season. You have to be the most consistent among your peers and be versatility across a range of venues and usually techniques, as well. Add in a little luck and that’s the ingredients for a top AOY finish. There’s a whole article in this Tournament Angler Guide about how these guys prepare and execute their plans for a season, so you can get an insight into their thought processes there, but for now, let’s recognise the best of the best for 2023! THE BASS MASTER It’s no secret that Matthew Langford has dominated the local BASS Pro events in 2023. With the season culminating in his 4th consecutive Boater

Jamie McKeown

AOY win, there’s now not much that this Queensland angler hasn’t achieved. Apart from a Grand Final win. That’s eluded him to date, but with results as consistent as he’s delivered across the years, we all know that his time will eventually come for the lucrative prize. Langford was pusted the whole way through the season by his good mate, Mick Johnson. Indeed, at the last Qualifier of the year, Johnson was still a mathematical chance of taking the title, but Langford emphatically slammed the door on the final fishing day.

At the back of the boat, Adam Mears progressed from being Rookie of the Year in 2022 to Non-Boater AOY in 2023. This was a much closer race, with five anglers right in the mix until the last day of fishing. Mears ensured he took the trophy by winning his final event of the year (and likely as a non-boater). He’s taking the step up to running his own moat in 2024 and we reckon he’ll do it well. BASS ELECTRIC SWEEP Gold Coast BASS Electric angler, Chesley Lennon, managed the double and won

both thee BASS Electric Grand Final AND the AOY titles in one year. It the electric events, it helps that the Grand Final result is counted in the AOY calculations, but regardless, it’s been a stellar year for the quiet African expatriate. His countess hours of practice paid off in the ultimate event of the year, where he averages 2kg per fish in a stunning win. BREAMERS LESS CONSISTENT Taka Kawasaki had a massive year in any estimation. He win the BREAMA Grand Final, but before that, he sealed the 2023 BREAM Non-Boater AOY by winning the final Qualifier of the year in Gladstone. It became a two horse race between Taka and Lance Marsh at the final event, but Taka took the title and will also follow the pathway and become a boater in 2024. Don’t let it diminish the feat, but Jamie McKeown’s win of the Boater BREAM AOY was with one of the lower totals in modern history. In a year that every single angler had bombs,

ABT perennial trophies often acquire nicknames. The BARRA TOY Trophy is now called ‘Liam’!

Steve Morgan

Mark Crompton

Wally Fahey

Blake O’Grady

2023 BREAM AOY NON BOATER

2023 BREAM AOY BOATER Rank

Angler

Points

Rank

Angler

Points

Jamie McKeown

470

Taka Kawasaki

480

Mark Crompton

442

Michael Sammut

462

417

396

376

369

Drew Griffith

358

Alan Lister

344

343

320

2 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 36 TAG 2024

McKeown managed a top-ten average and won by one of the largest margins on the modern era, with Steve Morgan and Mark Crompton 28 points in arrears. It’s McKeown’s second AOY accolade and quite possibly not the last if he maintains the stamina to travel. BARRA BARBIE GOES BOOM! Tommy Wood and Samaki’s Josh Lowry seemed to have an unassailable position in the BARRA Series, yet Team Compleat Angler Cairns (Harry Bez and Ron Bruggemann) pushed them right to the final day of fishing to seal the title. Team Samaki’s strength across all venues (3rd Awoongs, 2nd Tinaroo, 1st Faust) in multiple parts of the state ensured that they’s be hard to beat and their shills with both hard and soft baits stood them well for the trophy. What do you get for AOY? Bugger all! A trophy, bragging rights and a place in ABT’s record books. And the winners all love it.

Steve Morgan Wally Fahey

Blake O’Grady Sam Peck

Allan Murray

Paul Langley Brett Crowe

Harry Schofield Kris Hickson Mark Healey Grant Oliver

Ahmad Mahfoud Tom Slater

Adam Richards Chris Lonne

Peter Cashman

442

430

409

391

369

365

345

344

335

312

Lance Marsh

Joel McKenzie Colin Wilson

Scott Scicluna Bill Bland (R) Gavin Atkin

Nathan Booth (R) Dallas Blatchford Peter Clark

Gordon Pullin

Brendan Parry

Jordan Armstrong John Parkinson Matt Perry

Van Ho Nguyen (R)

Ryan Vanderburg (R) Richard Hadlow Glenn Hoskin

476 452 429 421 419 408 405 390 386 380 369 365 352 324 320 311 309 291

A NEW LEGEND TO BEHOLD At the bow of your vessel, below the thunderous sea, is a monster in wait. More powerful than the waves, precise enough to hold its place. It wasn’t crafted from folklore or superstitions rooted deep. It’s real. It’s here. And it’s taking control.

abt

Tournament Angler Guide

Matthew Langford

Mick Johnson

Mitchell Cone

Braden Schuch

Rank

Angler

Points

Rank

Angler

Points

Matthew Langford

397

Adam Mears

386

Mitchell Cone

384

Jake Hardie

380

378

367

358

349

341

338

335

319

2 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Mick Johnson

Braden Schuch

Keeghan Painter Corey Goldie

Graham Ford Ben Hay

Dane Pryce

Mark Lennox

Collin Robinson Cameron Hall

Steve Morgan Tony Thorley Tom Deer

John Noble Ryan Allen

Jayson Deforrest-Haddleton

Bill Latimer

Chesley Lennon

Nicholas Brunyee

Keeghan Painter

2023 BASS AOY NON BOATER

2023 BASS AOY BOATER

392

383

368

359

358

348

341

336

333

311

Shawn Ezzy

Heath Kimber Mal Draper

Garry Wilton Tim Jones

Nick Brown

Tyson Eveleigh (R) Barry Reynolds Kelvin Hatton

Reece Winters Phil Hoyt

Damien Winters Troy Lowe Philip Nix

Rodney Thorpe Bridgett Currey Stephen Mears Paul Mazaroli Taj Duff

Team Samaki

2023 BASS ELECTRIC AOY

385 367 366 361 358 358 350 350 343 339 334 331 274 268 263 261 196 191

Team Compleat Angler Cairns

2023 BARRA TOY

Rank

Angler

Points

Rank

Team

Points

Chesley Lennon

295

SAMAKI (Wood/Lowry)

525

Casey Monagle

286

DOBYNS RODS (Slade/Wilcox)

489

T.B.C ( Lain/Williams)

484

2 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 38 TAG 2024

abt.org.au

Shawn Ezzy

Christian Manolea Harry Hardman Beau Eveleigh

Tyson Eveleigh Marcus Hope

Clint McDermott Declan James

Michael Dauth

Glenn Wiggins

Stephen McLean Darren Love Rob Butler

Michael Goodwin Elyon Cloete

Phillip Dudgeon Mark McKay Greg Rigby

287 285 285 284 283 275 273 270 267 261 259 256 256 255 253 252 252 251

2 4 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

COMPLEAT ANGLER CAIRNS (Bruggemann/Bez) 517

FISHING MONTHLY (Morgan/Smith) ZEREK (Robinson/Hodgson)

FISH WITH ME (Edmonds/Dow) TRACKER (Pelling/Lassig)

484 472 471 463

HOOKED_ON_EXPLORING (Calvert/Calvert) 453 VENOM (Dixon/Meredith)

445

LIKELY LADS (Newby/Lyons)

428

ATOMIC (Starkey/Martin)

SCALE RAISERS (Ryan/Williams)

WILSON FISHING (Cornelius/Mulcahy) HALCO (Carter/Ehrlich) FAMILY AFFAIR (Sohier/Sohier)

MUNDI MADNESS (Mainas/Smith) GARMIN (Mott/Mott) RENEGADE (Pisani/Hooton)

RAPALA - CRUSHCITY (Morgan/Horn)

431 423 409 407 388 382 374 362 353

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