Fishing Monthly Magazine | January 2023 by Fishing Monthly

• SUMMER HOLIDAY FISHING TIPS • Technique Spotlight

Sean Thompson brings us ‘What’s luck got to do with it? ‘ QLD

NSW

VIC

TAS

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Features

What’s luck got to do with it? • Starlo: snapper on plastics • Kayaking Budds Beach •

Testing Booth: Tackle Tactics Boat Test: Edencraft 6m Offshore •

•

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January, 2023 ISSN 2652-5798

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CONTENTS

OUR COVER January 2023, Vol. 3 No.9 VIC

TAS

QUEENSLAND The Tweed Gold Coast Jumpinpin Southern Bay Brisbane Northern Bay Noosa Bundaberg Mackay Townsville Hinchinbrook Cairns Port Douglas Cooktown Cape York Freshwater

16 18 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 40 42 44 48

NEW SOUTH WALES Pittwater Sydney North Sydney Rock Sydney South Ballina Coffs Coast Forster Port Stephens Swansea Central Coast Illawarra Batemans Bay Bermagui Tathra Albany/Wodonga Hunter Valley Batlow New England Rivers Canberra

58 58 60 62 64 66 68 69 71 70 72 73 74 74 76 78 77 79 80

VICTORIA Warrnambool Portland Cobden Geelong Port Phillip East Port Phillip West Phillip Island Marlo Bemm River Gippsland Lakes Port Albert Mallacoota Robinvale Bendigo Ballarat Wangaratta Shepparton Gippsland Freshwater Crater Lakes Eildon

82 82 84 84 86 88 89 92 91 90 91 92 94 96 98 95 94 101 99 100

JANUARY 2023

From the Editor’s Desk...

Shane Banks with a stunning 115cm Mulwala Murray cod caught on a swimbait fished in 4m of water. A Steve Booth image. Come and visit Fishing Monthly Group’s official Facebook page for all your monthly fishing information. Download QR Reader to access.

TASMANIA Hobart Offshore

103 102

WESTERN AUSTRALIA Esperance Augusta Bunbury Metro Mandurah Lancelin Kalbarri Exmouth Karratha Freshwater

110 111 110 112 113 114 115 117 116 118

REGULAR FEATURES What’s luck got to do with it? Starlo: snapper on plastics Kayak: Budds Beach Sheik of the Creek What’s New Fishing Testing Booth: Tackle Tactics Victorian Angler Diaries Fun page Tournaments Trades and Services/Tide page Boat Test: Edencraft 6m Offshore Subscription page

8 12 50 53 81 56 104 59 105 120 122 93

COMPS AND OFFERS Find the logo

I am pretty sure you will have noticed that this issue has also been printed with a newsprint colour cover – not the regular gloss paper cover that we are used to. This should be the last month where this happens. Our printer at Yandina on the Sunshine Coast will hopefully be finished their upgrades in time for the February issue. As it happens, I think that we are more worried about this than most readers. Matthew Drinkall, our Production Manager, has set himself some very high standards for the last few decades. He has never missed a print deadline and never had an issue go to print without a gloss cover. I suppose it comes down to the fact that once you open the cover, the content is exactly the same. All of the other pages inside the magazine that contain our regular area, technique and testing reports are on news print.

12 38

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126 EDENCRAFT AND SUZUKI

Matthew, you can stop worrying now, our readers still love the magazine! Like many things in post-COVID times, you need to be able to roll with the punches. Supply chain issues, cost increases and, as it happens, printer repairs are all par of the course. GOOD AND BAD NEWS There has been mixed fisheries news this month. In Queensland, the strict black jewfish regulations have been rolled back following the improved stock assessment. It’s great to see the system works as it should. Management gets tweaked as stock assessments roll through. Western Australia however seems a little different. It definitely doesn’t pass the pub test where anglers are banned from fishing for some of their favourite species for half the year while commercial operators can still fish. Is this resource sharing done correctly? I’m sure most Western Australian anglers would disagree. COD RELEASE It was great to attend the release of a record number of the endangered Mary River cod in the Bremer River catchment (west of Brisbane) just before this magazine went to print. You can see the video on our social media channel, and I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of the hard-working volunteers that make projects like this happen.

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What’s luck got to do with it? BRISBANE

Sean Thompson

Well, it’s the holiday season. A time during which so many people go fishing as part of their once or twice a year fishing ritual. While it might be a little bit of fun with the kids or some mates winding down, unfortunately so many of these holiday anglers can’t understand why

the fish. They might laugh begrudgingly and consider this is pure luck. But is it? IS FISHING SUCCESS REALLY LUCK? I don’t subscribe to there being ‘luck’ in fishing. Never have. To me, there is always a reason for fishing success, at least consistent success over a fishing session, trip or season. There is always a reason or reasons why some anglers catch more fish consistently or on any particular day.

right row in Mastermind). Eventually you will line up all you’ve learnt and bingo, you’ve cracked the code of the fish you are targeting! Achieving this sort of success takes time though. The better anglers will invest time by keeping a fishing dairy or at least GPS timestamped locations of success. These anglers will begin to work out the right tide, time, moon, wind strength, water colour and more for success. Then of

do to change your results. We will go through a few hypothetical case studies in several areas of focus (such as tackle, location and having an awareness of your surroundings) to highlight the reasons why some anglers have more success. CASE STUDY 1: TACKLE SUCCESS AND FAILURE Choosing the right tackle for your target species can be very important. With some wily target species and techniques, this is even more so than others. First, let’s take the scenario where ‘Old Mate’ is heading out for his once-a-year fish down the beach over the holidays. Of course, when it’s time to pack he simply throws his cheap 9’ multi-purpose beach rod and reel in the car. He has pulled it out from its usual spot leaning up against the brick wall of the garage and he is happy it is still rigged up from last summer. Along with his rod and reel he throws in his assorted tackle box of odds

Avoid rust by washing hooks and swivels used in saltwater before returning them to your box. and ends which he hasn’t opened since last summer. This is where old mates perceived ‘luck’ or success starts to go astray. A closer inspection of his rod and reel would have revealed

that the line on his thick trace or rig is frayed from the last time he used it, his spool is only a third filled with heavy thick line (which he hasn’t replaced in 6-7 years) and the drag

Leave the servo freezer-burnt bait alone and catch your own live bait for more success. they are not getting the same results as their mates who go fishing much more regularly. But these holiday anglers aren’t on their own. Even some regular anglers subscribe to the myth that fishing success is like a wheel of fortune, a matter of luck rather than good management. For instance, a group of mates fishing side-by-side in a tailor picket line, off a charter boat, or off a busy jetty, might have one guy who is catching the majority of

Then of course there are reasons why you haven’t had success. These are the days I find most frustrating but also the ones I can learn the most from. Basically, it is a like the old Mastermind board game. During your session, you might try various baits, lures and tackle to try and land fish in a particular location. Some of these work and others don’t. The trick is to put it all together as you learn from your success and failure (like putting the right colour peg in the

course these anglers will know that when something isn’t working, what they should try instead. Consistent success can take time from trial and error, but can be expediated by more research. That is research from reliable sources such as this magazine or respected fishing social media or websites, or indeed your local tackle shop. But now let’s talk about some of the key areas where good anglers stand out from the pack and what you can

Bigger fish, like barramundi, will soon test out any weakness on old line or rigs.

Pre-made rigs mean more fish caught, as you’ll have your line in the water longer. 8

JANUARY 2023

on his reel is sticky and set way too tight. Likewise, a look at his cheap rod guides would have revealed his top guide has some nicks and cuts from resting the rod up at an angle on the brick wall. An inspection of his tackle box would have revealed a rusted mess. Those lures and hooks that he used last summer and put straight back into his tackle box without washing with freshwater first, have spread rust throughout his tackle box. In the meantime, his keen regular fishing mate ‘Jim’, who is joining him and his family on holiday, has taken a very different approach to his pending

fishing trip. Jim has given all his fishing gear a once over including checking his drag is set properly, he has tied on a new rig and made lots of spare rigs with thin fluorocarbon trace, topped up his reel with new thin diameter line to ensure maximum casting distance and even sharpened up some of the trebles and single hooks on his lures

did due to damage on his rod runners. Jim also didn’t lose any fish due to a tight and sticky drag and had his line in the water catching fish after fish during the 10 minutes that Old Mate took to tie on a new rig from scratch after it broke off. Old Mate also began to get frustrated as his heavier line swept to shore much quicker due to sweep.

Likewise, when they threw lures, even after Old Mate hooked up to a tailor close to shore, it quickly threw the trebles as they were rusty and blunt compared to Jim’s pinpoint sharp hooks. Even when Jim felt sorry for his mate and gave him some of his pre-made rigs and fresh bait he still struggled. As usual, Jim ensured that all unnatural

Avoid general purpose combos, use the right tackle for the species you are targeting.

Broken and missing rod guides should be replaced before they cause line damage. to cast for tailor. Jim is also taking a few different rod and reel combinations to cover all bases on the beach, including a long light and whippy 10’6 rod for whiting, a longer 13’6 fibreglass composite rod for tailor and the odd mulloway and a lighter 12’ graphite rod for spinning lure for lure. When it comes time to fish, as usual Jim cleans up while Old Mate looks on in disbelief and once again dismissing Jim’s results as pure luck. But it is much more than luck. If Old Mate had watched a little closer, he would have seen that Jim cast double his distance with the longer rod and thinner line. Jim’s line didn’t break on the third cast like Old Mate’s

smells on his hands where not transferred to his bait by using a bait scent on his hands and bait. By comparison, Old Mate’s

Successful anglers ensure even their lure trebles are sharp.

hands stank of cigarettes and sunscreen, which he unwittingly transferred to his bait, and watched in bamboozlement as the fish still wouldn’t touch his bait while Jim dragged in fish after fish. CASE STUDY II: RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME In another scenario, infrequent angler Jack had read lots of reports on social media that the flathead ‘were on’ in his local area. After asking a few questions on tackle and lures used, Jack went down to his nearest big fishing retail outlet to match up the rod, reel, line, lures and leader they were using. Considering he was a casual angler; he spent a bit of a fortune. Unfortunately though, what Jack didn’t ask, or receive, was local advice on the best time and type of location to target the fish. So off he went and flicked around some plastics on

his great new gear at high tide off the riverbank of a local river. Unfortunately, Jack caught diddly squat. Not a touch. Several hours later, Jack looks out the window to see his regular neighbour Jill returning home with her flathead rod attached to the side of the 4WD and then hop out carrying what looks like a shoulder bag heavy with fish. Jack thinks Jill is a lucky angler, and although she regularly catches fish, he has dismissed her success as luck. Hastily heading over to find out how she went and what she caught them on, Jack discovers that she had pretty much used the same tackle as him including many of the same lures. Once again, Jack considered this was just pure luck. What Jack didn’t ask though was where, when and how Jill caught the To page 10

JANUARY 2023

OLD

Watching it all unfold TOOWOOMBA

Jason Ehrlich fishability1@bigpond.com

It will be interesting to see how things unfold in freshwater locations this year. For the last 12 months, it has been up and down due to continuous rain events and resulting inflows that have made the fishing more difficult. The good news is the lakes and waterways are now topped up and set to produce some exceptional fishing over the coming years. If it continues to rain, we will see more of what last year delivered. The biggest negative is some of the barra lakes are full and fish could escape over the summer months if spillways go over. If big rains hold off, expect some exceptional fishing this year. Summer is a great time for trolling and topwater fishing. The warmer water in the lakes sees

the fish scatter more to find comfortable levels in the water column to suspend in. This makes them easier targets for trolled offerings. When we think trolling, it doesn’t need to be based around convention hard bodied lures. Barra are suckers for trolled soft plastics, bass love a trolled tail spinner or Spectre Vibration Jig, and Murray cod love big spinnerbaits. If you are prepared to experiment, you will find you can troll a range of offerings and the more thought and effort you put in, the more you will be rewarded. Some presentations work best trolled from a rod holder while others perform better with a bit of rod work. Bass are very keen on drop backs so don’t be afraid to free spool to the bottom and then wind in some line before repeating this while the boat moves along slowly. Topwater fishing seems to work in some locations better than others. Surface

lures come into their own in low light periods and will be most effective when the fish are prepared to rise to the top. Early mornings until the sun rises and late afternoons once it sets are the prime times to try your luck. Bass fishers will find success in the rivers and creeks and on lakes like Hinze, Maroon, Borumba and Isis Balancing Storage. While it is closed season in the salt, our impoundment barra are keen on surface presentations too and given the right conditions they will eat off the top during the day as well. Kinchant and Teemburra are great surface lakes in the Mackay region. The southern lakes are a lot tougher on surface and this is most likely due to the abundant bait supply and such big fat healthy fish not needing to expend too much energy to chase a feed. Awoonga is probably the choice of them for surface luring and you will pick up the occasional barra on topwater early in the day, at night or on

Topwater cod are great targets this month before the sun is high in the sky. Rivers will be best but you’ll get a short window at first light in the lakes. weedless plastics during the daylight hours. Murray cod will be feeling the heat and the window for surface fishing will be in the cooler morning hours between darkness and first light. In the creeks and

rivers this bite will extend and you can use shade lines and structure to your advantage and stretch out the morning and afternoon bite times. It’s been flat out in my world. Between lure

SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND CRESSBROOK CLOSEST TOWN: CROWS NEST The Cressbrook bass have been very hard to find and tempt. The warmer water temperature should see them move out into more open water and suspend. These fish may hold around the lake’s edges in 5-9m of water or venture out into deeper areas in the middle of the dam and find a comfortable spot to hold up. Either way, trolling will be a good option to cover heaps of water and try to find a hungry fish. Medium to deep diving hardbodies are perfect for Cressbrook fish and you will need to mix it up to find where they are sitting and what they prefer. Lure casters should be able to tempt a few fish by casting spinnerbaits

and Spectre Vibration Jigs around the lake’s edges. These lures can be used to explore a lot of water when you keep moving along the shoreline on the electric motor. The best depth to present these in will be 4-8m of water. Any schooling fish in deeper water can be fooled with a spoon or a soft plastic presentation. Golden perch numbers have been surprisingly good. You will score a few of these while targeting bass but some anglers have chosen to work ZX40 blades vertically for them with good success. The main lake points and up the backs of the creeks are always good spots to try your luck when chasing goldens. Redclaw crayfish numbers should be pretty good for those wanting

Somerset has started to produce some quality bass around Pelican Point flats. The Spectre Vibration Jig in 5/8oz and darker colours seem to perform best. a feed. Traps dropped in 6-10m of water should draw them in. • Fish’n’Bits in Toowoomba has all the gear and tips on how to chase the Cressy

Gary’s Marine Centre

3201 6232

217 Pine Mountain Road, BRASSALL 48

JANUARY 2023

fish. They are an excellent store specialising in all freshwater lures and tackle. The access gates to the ramp and day use area will be open from 6am to 8pm. SOMERSET CLOSEST TOWNS: ESK, KILCOY Somerset Dam has started to return to its old self. A gap in heavy rain has allowed the water to clear up enough for the fish to move out into schools on the flats. These numbers will only increase with the extra heat pushing them off of the edges. The quality of these fish has been exceptional with plenty of big 50cm long models mixed in with the smaller ones. The Pelican Point area has been one of the main fish holding locations with bunches of fish moving around on the southern side.

You will also find scattering of fish around the Kirkleigh flats and wide of Queen Street on the flats and humps. Last month, the fish were still a bit fussy about lure presentations. Spectre vibration jigs seem to work best on most days. The fish are often close to the bottom and these lures can be fished to suit by casting, wind drifting or trolling. If they lift off the bottom or suspend out in deeper water, trolling hard bodies and tail spinners will sort them out. Spoons were still accounting for a few last month but they might get a bit tougher on them as it heats up more. It’s hard to be sure though as conditions are not the same as they were over the previous drier years from which I gauge my assumption. There’s only one real way to tell and that’s to give it a go.

making, filling orders, setting up a new boat and work it’s hard to find a time to wet a line. I’m sure I’ll be making up for this very soon. Until next time, buckled rods from the Colonel. MAROON CLOSEST TOWNS: BOONAH, RATHDOWNEY Very early mornings and late afternoons into the night will be the times to try surface lures on the lake’s bass. These fish will be up feeding around the weed beds during the low light periods. Smaller topwater offerings from 55-75mm will get the bites. The best spots to try are usually out of the wind where the fish can hone in on the subtle movements of the lure. If there is surface wind disturbance, you can let then fish know your lure is there with a slightly noisier, splashier retrieve. Most of the weedy edges should hold fish. The better numbers will be found on raised humps and points just outside the weed during the day. These fish will be keen on reaction style lures. Spinnerbaits and Spectre Vibration Jigs are perfect at this time of year. When fishing into the weed earlier in the day, I’d also consider using a beetle spin rigged soft plastic. My choice is a 3” Slider Grub on a 3/8oz jighead and beetle spin frame with a small silver blade. These lures are great for ripping out of weed beds and triggering strikes as they pull free. • The lads at Charltons Fishing at Redbank are all over the fish activity at Maroon and Moogerah. Call in and grab your supplies and hit them up for tips on where the fish are biting.

OLD

DARLING DOWNS AND GRANITE BELT COOBY CLOSEST TOWNS: HIGHFIELDS, TOOWOOMBA It’s a great time to chase Cooby Dam’s golden perch. The fish step it up a level in the middle of summer and chase all kinds of lures. You can jig them up vertically with small blades’ which is a technique that works for most of the year. It is a good time to play around though as they will eat an assortment of offerings. Lipless crankbaits, like the ever popular TN60 Jackall, are great for trolling and casting around the weed bed edges. Don’t be afraid to let them sink all the way to the bottom in the spots with less weed present. If you spot numbers of fish on your sounder, pull up and have a few casts. Slow winding lipless crankbaits and dropping them back to

bottom is a good way to get drilled. Golden perch strikes are quite violent followed by a series of thumping head shakes. They can be poor sport over the cooler parts of the year but put on a show in the warmer months. Another method worth trying is jerkbaits and small hardbodies fished off of the weed edges on just before dark. You only need lures that dive to a metre or two to give this a go. Boat positioning is critical and you will need to pick your location well before it is time to start. Clear water over the edges of the weed bed should be present so you can rip the lure down and then slowly work it back almost tickling the tops of the weed. LESLIE CLOSEST TOWN: WARWICK Leslie Dam golden

perch have really fired up for lure fishers over the past month. Jigging ZX40 and ZX45 blades was doing a lot of the damage last

month but you can expect to catch them trolling and casting as well. The fish seem to be favouring the edges of the old creek bed

develop a run of these you can hop between them and check them for fish every so often. Soft plastics rigged on jigheads or ready to go swimbaits will both be effective. The Molix Shad 140 is good for deeper areas where you want the lure to run over 3m deep. If they are holding a bit shallower, you could try the new Molix 120 or the old faithful 5.5” Zerek Live Mullet. Paddletail plastics are just as effective but you need to rig them yourself with jig head weights and treble stingers to suit the areas you are fishing. • Gladstone Fly and Sportfishing (0429 223 550) and Lake Awoonga Barra Charters (0404 151 844) run guided trips on the lake. Both cater to the needs of the angler and can do fly or conventional tackle trips to target the lake’s barramundi. It is hard to beat time on the water and a guided trip is a great way to learn more about this lake and its fish.

• Mark from Awoonga Gateway Lodge always has a few productive secret spots to share. The Gateway lodge is on the way in to the dam after turning off at Benaraby. The accommodation is great with plenty of boat parking space right beside the comfortable air conditioned, self-contained cabins each with its own veranda. To book in a stay give Mark or Lyn a call on (07) 49750033. CALLIDE CLOSEST TOWN: BILOELA It has been a lot slower at Callide this year but some quality barra over 1m are still being caught. The action seems hot and cold based on the weather and as a result unseasonal cooler water temperatures. Even at the beginning of December water temperature were struggling to stay above 26ºC. Surely the core temperature will have risen enough over this summer period to produce more consistent results by now. Barra have been pretty easy to find around the edges

of the lake. The level has remained quite constant over the last year and some weed beds have formed around most parts of the lake. This weed is quite thick and comes out near the surface before it drops away in a solid wall. The barra can be easily seen outside this weed edge on either side image or live sonar. Best results seem to be coming from wind-blown banks and points. This is unlike the Callide barra in years past when they were very unpredictable beasts. They may return to their open water, wandering habits if the water temperature lifts enough to push them deeper and away from the lake’s edge. Standout lures over the last month have been dark ale and ayu coloured 5.5” Zerek Live Mullets. Stick with these this month and add trolling them to the book of tricks if the barra push out into the open water

CAPRICORN REGION AWOONGA CLOSEST TOWNS: BENARABY, GLADSTONE Awoonga Dam has been a bit tougher lately. The weed beds look sensational and conditions seem right but the barra are playing hard to get. It is the late afternoon into night sessions that seem to produce for most anglers. Perching yourself on a likely windblown point and waiting for the fish to arrive works time and time again. This can be the difficult part. The dam is seeing a lot more action and finding a spot for yourself is hard work unless you are prepared to head out early and stake one out and wait for the fish to arrive. While the main basin points between the ramp and Dingo Island see most of the action, there are plenty of other areas worth investigating that see way less boat traffic. Not all will hold fish but if you

Golden perch are out in numbers around most of the lakes. They get a lot more active and willing to pounce on all lures over the hot months. and deeper water. Let your sounder help you pick the lure to target them. If they are only a few metres deep, you will get away with

a shallow diver or lipless crankbaits. When they are deeper, pick a hardbody lure to suit. It pays to have 3-8m divers in your box when visiting this lake to ensure you have all bases covered. Cod fishers might find a few cruising shallow on the flats at first light but they will quickly retreat to deeper water as the sunrises. To target them during the day try trolling 1oz spinnerbaits along drop offs to the old creek bed or over structure. If you find areas where the creek bed comes out onto 4-5m deep flats, you’ll be in with a good shot. • The local blokes at Warwick Outdoor and Sport in Palmerin Street can point in you in the right direction and hook you up with the good gear and bait to catch the fish at Leslie.

Nighttime barra sessions will produce well on Lake Awoonga. and suspend. • You can stay close to the dam at Lake Callide Retreat. The park has basic camping, powered sites for camping and vans and also selfcontained cabins. There is a well-equipped camp kitchen

AWOONGA GATEWAY LODGE

“ Right on Awoonga’s doorstep. All set up for fishos, with tranquil surroundings. “

and toilets and showers up in the main part of the park near the office. Make sure you bring all of your fishing tackle. The kiosk has a limited amount of fishing gear but it is well suited to the lake.

k pin a a rr ch Cat ed Ba 00! g tag in $20 to w

• Minimum 3 night stay • BBQ areas • Saltwater pool Barra love to move and feed as the light fades. Soft plastic swimbaits are a great way to score one of these cruising fish.

www.awongagatewaylodge.com awoongagateway@bigpond.com JANUARY 2023

NSW

Savouring the summer days FORSTER

Luke Austin

How amazing are summer days in the beautiful Great Lakes area! Calm, hot mornings followed by lovely cooling afternoon sea breezes… absolute perfection! Our waterways have seen loads of activity of late, with locals and visitors making the most of the clear, warm waters. Thankfully, the increase in boat traffic seems to have little effect on the quality of the fishing in general, and there have been plenty

of fish hitting the decks! Flathead continue to charge along very nicely in Wallis Lake, with loads of fish being caught by anglers all over the place. If you cover ground throwing soft plastics or soft vibes, you’re bound to run into plenty of fish. Alternatively, you can do well drifting the drop-offs with whitebait, pilchards or mullet strips. If you are keen to try something different and love to throw lures, get yourself a 90-150mm (or bigger) surface lure or Bent Minnow and get up into the shallows on a nice high tide. Seeing

There are some cracking bream about over the summer months.

a big flathead materialise out of the sandy bottom to engulf your surface lure is amazing to watch, and very addictive! Sand whiting are about in really good numbers throughout the bottom of the estuary (towards the mouth). Drifting the shallows with yabbies or worms should see you bagging a lot of fish, even the sand flat directly across from the Tuncurry boat ramp has produced some red-hot action lately. Hitting the shallow areas over a high tide with small poppers and stickbaits is also a very productive option, and if you can find the right area, you will have half a dozen hungry whiting fighting over your lure every cast! Trumpeter whiting are definitely still about, however you may find yourself having to move about and try different areas before you find the schools of fish. While fishing for flathead recently, we accidentally found loads of them in an area that was nowhere near where anglers would normally target them! Bream have to be the unsung heroes of summer! While the whiting and flathead take centre stage, the good old bream just plods along. There have been some cracking fish sitting down around The Paddock and along the rock walls where they have been providing loads of fun for anglers of all ages and skill levels. If you are bait fishing, don’t be afraid to either anchor up next to (or sit on the outside of) an oyster lease and float baits in towards the structure. This is an incredibly deadly technique and will see your

rods buckled over to the reel seats in no time at all as you struggle to rip the fish out. The rivers and weed beds are still producing plenty of fish as well, however most fish are between 20-35cm. The better-quality fish seem to be east of Wallis Island. Things have been a little on the quiet side lately as far as the beach and rock fishing reports go. The rocks down south are producing some cracking tailor, with some fish getting up around the 3kg mark. Normally this would be great news but these fish are an absolute headache for anglers hoping to run into an early season pelagic or kingfish! Most beaches are fishing well for whiting and dart now, with the odd nice bream mixed in. The beaches to the south seem to be producing the betterquality fish. Heading offshore can be incredibly productive in January, providing the sea behaves itself. The clean, warm water that hits our coast at this time of the year also brings with it plenty of fish, and we have already seen some great marlin landed recently. Mahimahi (dolphinfish) are about in great numbers out around the FAD, and there have been a handful of bigger fish mixed in which is good to see. Hopefully we will continue to see the average size of these fun sportfish increase a little as the water improves over the next month or so. The shallow reefs up north have been producing some great snapper. The bite times are definitely centred around dawn and dusk, but there have been loads of fish there so it’s

Get out on the water and enjoy some family time! possible to catch them at other times. The deeper reefs out off Cape Hawke are producing plenty of fish for those wishing to drop baits down, with some nice mixed bags of pan-sized snapper, trag and pearl perch coming in. While you’re out drifting around it may also pay to have a heavier outfit ready to go, or set with a live bait out the back as you just never know when a cobia

may turn up! • Luke is the owner of Great Lakes Tackle - your ‘local’ bait and tackle store. They only sell the best brands and offer sound, friendly advice on where you can go to land your next trophy fish while visiting the wonderful Great Lakes region! Open 7 Days in the main street of Tuncurry Ph: 02 6554 9541 or find them on Facebook to see what they have been up to!

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JANUARY 2023

There’s a good chance of bumping into a cobia this month.

NSW

Monster flatties on the move this January

Some good-size mulloway have been taking live baits lately.

BEACHES Whiting love this time of year on the ocean beaches, and a pipi or a live worm on a long-shank double paternoster rig is a deadly way to get stuck into them. All the beaches will hold whiting but the best ones would be Stockton, Samurai, Fingal and Box. Pick out a deeper looking gutter and start fishing about an hour before the high tide and you’ll do pretty well. While fishing this way you may also pick up some bonus bream or dart. Even a school-sized mulloway is not out of the question. OFFSHORE There have been a few mulloway showing on the reefs, with Looking Glass

ROCKS The wash zone around the ocean rocks will produce a mix bag of bream, squire and the odd late-season drummer. Use a small 0-00 sinker running straight to a large peeled prawn rigged on a 1/0 hook and cast into the foamy white water. Then let it slowly waft down to the bottom and then wind up and repeat. If you want to catch tailor you are in with a good chance from the ocean rocks. Try to find a point that sticks out a little and fish in late afternoon or early morning with a metal spinner around 40g, or alternatively a ganged pilchard or garfish.

We will see some good flathead catches this month.

PORT STEPHENS

Paul Lennon

Despite January being by far the busiest time to be on the waterways in Port Stephens, there’s still some quality fishing to be had. In the estuary, big summer whiting have taken up residence in the clear shallow waters along Nelson Bay, Shoal Bay and Jimmys beaches. Whiting are one fish that don’t mind the school holiday activity, and they can be caught amongst the crowds of busy beaches. The most important thing is to use live worms, light leaders and to fish on the high tide. There are some great whiting to be caught on surface lures too, but for that style of fishing you’ll want to push more up the rivers around shallow intertidal flats. Areas like North Arm Cove, Taylors Beach and Tahlee are good spots to try. There are good numbers of bream around the Anchorage and Nelson Bay rock walls, and the rock bars and oyster racks from Soldiers Point to Tea Gardens. Bream are much more sensitive to the holiday activity and will shut down easily. This is why, if you target bream this time of year, you want to be doing so at first light before the holiday crowds hit the waterway. Flathead are a great

option at this time of year. The bottom ends of Tilligerry Creek and the Karuah River down to the mouth of the system hold monsters up to 1m in length. Soft plastic, hardbodies and vibes will all catch flathead but you need to be constantly on the move covering ground to give yourself the best chance of success. Remember the new laws if you happen to land a big flathead – any flatty over 70cm now has to be released. Squid have been a little tough this season but there have been quite a few arrow squid around the weed beds off Jimmys Beach and Shoal Bay, with smaller jigs in the 2-2.5 size range working best.

and Sandbos reporting fish to 12kg taken on live baits. Trag have been in good numbers over the Vee and Gibber reefs, as well as a few snapper on the bottom. The marlin bite on the shelf has been starting to fire, with boats getting several bites a day. Most of the fish are being taken by boats marking them around bait schools and bombing live baits into them, however it’s always a good idea to try cover some ground when things are slow by trolling some skip or swim baits. There is nothing to report on the inshore marlin as of yet, but they should start any day now so they will be worth a crack if good water pushes in close.

FISHING NEWS

Can’t hide from the law: illegal mud crabs Illegal fishing under the cover of darkness won’t save you! Fisheries Officers from the Statewide Operations and Investigations Group and the Far North Coast Zone, with support from the local Clarence Region Boating Safety Officer of NSW Roads and Maritime, recently staged an operation to monitor illegal mud crab fishing activity taking place in the Toumbaal Creek at

Sandon, NSW. Toumbaal Creek is a tributary of the Sandon River and is within the Sandon River Sanctuary Zone of the Solitary Islands Marine Park. In the early hours of the morning on Tuesday 8 November 2022, Fisheries Officers apprehended a 46 year old man and 39 year old man, both from Brooms Head, after they had concluded their secretive night time fishing escapades in Toumbaal Creek. It is alleged that the two

men were in possession of a total of nine mud crabs, including two of which were of a prohibited size (less than 8.5cm carapace length). The crabs had been taken from within the sanctuary zone. Officers seized the catch along with two unmarked crab traps and two scoop nets. Both men have each been issued penalty notices totalling $1,000, for the alleged offences of, taking mud crab from within a sanctuary zone and the unlawful use of a net or trap. Both men also received caution notices for possession of prohibited size mud crabs and for lighting of a fire upon emergent (inter-tidal) land within the Marine Park. The Toumbaal Creek estuary is an important sanctuary area for a multitude of aquatic plants and animals as well as migratory shorebirds. The estuary comprises high quality remnant mangrove and salt marsh vegetation communities, and due to its headwaters being preserved entirely within National Park Estate, the conservation values

of the area are significant. Fisheries Officers work hard alongside National Parks and Wildlife Service Officers to protect this small estuary for the benefit of current and future generations. To report illegal fishing, call the Fishers Watch phone line 1800 043 536 or report online at www.dpi.nsw.gov.au. – NSW DPI Fisheries

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JANUARY 2023

Canberra

ACT

Impoundment fish on the chew CANBERRA

Toby Grundy

I am happy to report that the fishing in Canberra seems to be on the improve. After long wet weather periods and several cold snaps, things have started to settle (a little, anyway)

parallel to the concrete dropoffs. If you’re chasing golden perch, head to the isolated willows on Bowen Drive and flick small, naturallycoloured paddle-tail plastics under the overhanging willow branches and allow the lure to sink before twitching the lure on the spot. This is a great way to connect with one of

fished or the lures used, but I had no idea that the lake fished so well at night. If night fishing is not an option, the ever-present carp are worth a look as these fish are hitting paddle-tail plastics through the day, especially around the drain near the scout building. Lake Ginninderra is

dawn near the dam wall. I like to fish the lake when there is a bit of wind on the water. The fish seem far more active and more likely to hit lures. Gordon Pond is a great place to cast for golden perch. There have been many fish caught here in recent weeks, with most fish caught sitting around the 45cm mark. I caught several fish using a Jackall TN60 in black king gill, and by focusing my efforts along the rock wall. There have also been plenty of reddies and carp caught by anglers fishing with bait, with the fish preferring scrub worms fished on a running sinker rig with around 30cm of leader right around the pond. The Murrumbidgee River is still high and dirty but the

Fishing through the rain is paying off for some anglers.

Lake Ginninderra is starting to fish well. and the fish have come on the bite across a number of ACT impoundments. The solid fishing action may not last, so now really is the time to get amongst it and target all of Canberra’s three lure-chasing species – redfin, golden perch and Murray cod.

the larger resident yellas. There have been a few good cod caught by anglers casting large plastics around the old wharves which still haven’t been ripped out by the ACT Government after the foreshore renovations. Lake Tuggeranong is still a bit hit-and-miss, but

really picking up. The golden perch are now active and are hitting lures around the edges of the large weed beds, which can be found in a variety of locations around the lake. These fish are responsive to a range of different lures and techniques. However, I have found that a small diver in a chrome finish fished slowly adjacent to the weed near the police jetty to be the most effective method. There are also plenty of redfin hitting lures, and there have also been a couple of cod caught by anglers fishing paddler-style surface lures at

The author with a solid specimen. fishing actually hasn’t been too bad. I have caught a few fish using smaller, paddler style surface lures at dawn and dusk but all these fish came from slow back water as opposed to the faster flowing sections. Anglers

have also had success using spinnerbaits fished slow and close to the bank, and there have also been a few goodsized yellas caught in these areas which were fooled by fishos using larger blades and vibes. I do want to make

The cod are hitting surface lures. LOCAL LAKES Lake Burley Griffin is fishing reasonably well. There are large populations of redfin holding along the edges of the concrete walls which lead up to Commonwealth Avenue Bridge. The fish are feeding on small baitfish, so it’s a case of matching the hatch and slow rolling either a small, brightly coloured vibe, or 80mm wriggle-style plastic coupled with a 1/8oz jighead 80

JANUARY 2023

that being said, there have also been some exceptional captures there of late by a few anglers who keep a low profile. I was lucky enough to accompany a small group of dedicated anglers who fish the lake at night on one of their expeditions. Among the multitude of redfin caught, I witnessed an angler catch a big golden perch and a medium-sized Murray cod. I won’t give away the spots

Redfin are feeding in numbers along the concrete drop-offs at LBG.

mention of the increased numbers of snakes along the ‘Bidgee. I have been fishing the river for 20 years and have never seen so many snakes. Make sure if you do decide to fish the river, wear gators, fish with a friend and carry a beacon. SURROUNDS Googong Dam is steadily on the improve. The roving packs of reddies are back and pushing bait to the surface. Small poppers cast out past the last line of trees and worked back to the bank is a good way to catch a surface reddie, as is using a Jackall Micro Pompadour. The golden perch are also starting to come on the bite and can be targeted in a variety of locations and by using lots of different techniques. These can range from twitching wriggler-style plastics along the bottom through to slow rolling medium-sized swimbaits along the middle of the water column. There have also been several large cod caught by boat anglers fishing large spinnerbaits and plastics along the steeper edges at the southern end of the dam.

PRODUCT GUIDE

XBRAID CASTMAN ABSORBER

YGK is world renowned for innovation, technology and quality. Manufactured in Japan for the past 70 years, YGK now brings you their own unique range for anglers, one that offers a model to suit every style of fishing in Australian waters: XBraid. With the introduction of XBraid to the Australian fishing line and leader market, we now dive deeper into the product range, starting with XBraid Shock Leader. Castman Absorber is a supple nylon copolymer made in Japan, bringing you the highest level of product. It’s built for repeated lure casting that allows your lure to work with perfection, and great knot strength which in turn offers protection from mainline breakages. The Castman Absorber range includes 30lb, 40lb, 50lb, 60lb, 70lb, 80lb, 100lb, 130lb, 170lb and 200lb line classes, ensuring there is a size for every angler and application. For more information on the XBraid range, check them out on social media @xbraid australia, or visit the XBraid Australia website. www.xbraidygk.com.au

RAPALA SHAD RAP ELITE

The Shad Rap Elite 75 builds on the tournament proven qualities of the original Shad Rap, with added features taking the Shad Rap to the Elite level. Modern construction techniques combined with perfectly positioned weights have created maximum durability without compromising on action, stability, casting distance or accuracy. The Shad Rap Elite is a highly versatile lure that blends a traditional crankbait with a jerk bait seamlessly. With the ability to perform at a wide range of speeds and techniques, the Shad Rap Elite is ideal for a multitude of species and applications. The colour patterns combine metallic plating, HD printing and totally new designs, which are proven to catch fish. Price: SRP $29.95 www.rapala.com.au

ZMAN 6” HERCULEZ

The much-anticipated ZMan 6” HerculeZ 10X Tough ElaZtech pre-rigged swimbait has arrived, joining the AFTA Trade Show released 4” and 5” models. This larger model was developed based on requests from anglers chasing larger predatory species, including barramundi, Murray cod and mulloway. The detailed body shape is 10X Tough to stand up to brutal strikes and aggressive fights, featuring fins, scale pattern and 3D eyes for added realism, while a unique under hooked, aggressive tail creates the signature swimming action and body roll that has proven effective in the smaller models. Built on a brutally strong, Mustad black nickel, chemically sharpened hook, to handle big fish, the HerculeZ also features a belly mounted, stainless steel attachment point for attaching a stinger hook or blade for flash and vibration, all moulded into a zinc internal weight for strength and integrity, maintaining balance and action. Available in eight popular ZMan colours, including light, natural colours, darker silhouette, and fluoro colours, the HerculeZ is built to get the bite whether it’s impoundment barramundi and Murray cod, break wall mulloway or bluewater beasts on your target list. Price: SRP $16.95 www.z-man.com.au

MERCURY V10 VERADO

Mercury Marine has introduced the industry’s first ever V10 outboard with the launch of its 5.7L 350 and 400hp Verado outboards. These engines are the quietest and smoothest in their class, running 45% quieter than a leading competitor at cruise. In addition to noise vibration harshness (NVH), the new Verados are compatible with the latest Mercury SmartCraft technologies. The V10 Verado outboards leverage many of the same market-leading features and technologies boaters love about the company’s popular V12, V8 and V6 platforms. The new V10 includes premium refinements and versatility for a wide range of applications, from large saltwater centre consoles to single-engine freshwater fishing boats to pontoons and smaller centre consoles. Weighing only 316kg and with the same industry-leading 26” mount spacing as the V8 outboards, the V10 engines maximise compatibility with current boat designs. Mercury Australia will introduce the new V10 Verado from April 2023. www.MercuryMarine.com.au

DAIWA 22 INFEET X

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The arrival of Daiwa’s new Infeet X spin reel continues the tradition for finesse angling design and performance excellence. Featuring Daiwa’s carbon composite Zaion V body, the Infeet X is strong and sturdy while remaining incredibly lightweight and saltwater proof. Two shallow spool models feature in the Infeet X range, with the 2000SP featuring a 4.8:1 retrieve ratio and the 2500S a 5.3:1 ratio, with both the shallow spool and retrieve ratios selected with the wants of Aussie light tackle anglers in mind. Daiwa’s next generation ATD Type-L drag is installed for the first time outside the 22 Exist. The benchmark in light line drag performance, ATD Type-L lowers the startup inertia of the drag system even more than previous ATD systems, meaning even the lightest of lines are protected from fish strikes and sudden lunges during the fight. Finesse saltwater performance and longevity is further enhanced courtesy of CRBB corrosion-resistant bearings, Magseal, and Daiwa’s Tough Digigear gearing system. www.daiwafishing.com.au

LUMICA ROD LIGHTS

Lumica Japan are the developers and inventors of the chemical light stick, and have now released two new colours in their popular range of LED rod lights. The LED Rod Tip Lights are perfect for anglers fishing at night, and simply clip onto your rod tip. They are also quite small, so they don’t weigh down or affect the tip action of your rod. The lights are available in four colours: sunset red, sea green, white and pink. They are available in two sizes, so they will fit most rods on the market. Lumica LED Rod Lights require a Lithium BR/CR 425 battery. These lights are super bright and re-useable, and are just the best thing for anglers fishing at night-time. For more information on the Lumica range, visit the Juro website. www.jurofishing.com

5 visit www.tacklejunkie.fish for the latest tackle news - AS IT HAPPENS!

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JANUARY 2023

VIC

Memorable snapper sessions amazing fish. Recently I’ve fished many various types and styles, from land-based on local piers and jetties,

PPB WEST

Alan Bonnici alan@fishingmad.com.au

Happy New Year to all Fishing Monthly readers. What a crazy season 2022 was! The last couple of months have been the most challenging and yet the most rewarding fishing I can recall. Winter and spring were quite challenging for most anglers in Port Phillip Bay, as we battled inconsistent weather patterns and consecutive La Niña conditions. However, since then the bay has awoken, and rewarded local anglers with some amazing fishing. I’ve caught more snapper this past month than any other month I can recall. I’ve travelled far and wide and put in some serious hours in my relentless pursuit of catching these

out on the kayak, out on the boat and even out on the jet ski. I have been mixing up ways of targeting these fish

with soft plastics, lures and baits, and feeling a sense of pride every time I catch one at a new location or

This snapper couldn’t resist a strip bait presented on a Snapper Snatcher.

A tasty trio destined for the pan.

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new technique. I never tire of catching these amazing fish, and neither do the hundreds of people that flock to the boat ramps of Port Phillip Bay at crazy hours to get into the action. I’ve caught countless snapper between 2-4kg and had some very memorable sessions on the water catching bags of snapper over 6kg. In my last session, I launched at Altona and ventured up to P2, a popular snapper fishing spot. I stayed away from the crowds and spent some time staring at the sounder looking for arches holding in the bottom third of the water column. After 15 minutes I

saw something that looked worth a shot. I carefully anchored, ensuring I was within close proximity of the waypoint I created. I quickly threw out some berley and a spread of rods, and that was when things went crazy. Three rods bucked at the same time, and we were juggling rods and tangled lines. As I pulled in the first snapper, the 4th rod also bucked over. It was 10 minutes of pure adrenaline and chaos. As I pulled in the last rod I looked at the deck to see four magnificent snapper ranging from 4-7kg, with the smallest going 54cm and the biggest 78cm. These are those moments that reward you for the countless hours on the water and super early starts. On this day we headed out

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Snapper are biting on both baits and soft plastics.

at 10:30 and were back at the boat ramp by 11:45, stopping on the way back to catch a few salmon that was busting up near the cardinal. The following day we launched again from Altona and ventured across the bay, heading straight to Black Rock and Ricketts Point – aging notorious snapper grounds that are very popular with local anglers. This time we didn’t bring any bait and decided to fish in shallower waters using only using soft plastics. This included 7” Turtleback Worms in nuclear chicken colour and Munroe’s 3.75” paddle-tails in filthy pilchard colour. We reached our grounds and dedicated time to staring at the sounder to ensure we were fishing where the fish are. This time it took a good 35 minutes but eventually, we found something worthy. Carefully anchoring close to our waypoint, we launched our soft plastics in the water and the action was frantic. Our first casts were annihilated by angry snapper. Me and a good mate landed six snapper in as many casts, with the snapper ranging between 3-6kg. Catching big fish on soft plastics with light spinning gear is my favourite form of fishing – particularly when the target is snapper. Not forcing battles but letting snapper go on runs and just controlling them with light gear is the heart-pumping stuff that I live for. If you haven’t caught snapper on soft plastics I’d encourage you to give it a go, it’s such a different form of fishing that is so rewarding. The bay will fish exceptionally well over the To page 89

VIC

Taking the time to lend a hand PHILLIP ISLAND

Craig Edmonds

I don’t think it matters where you live in on the east coast of Australia, the first thing on your Christmas wish list would have been for a New Year with better weather conditions. Hopefully we will get favourable weather extending well into the autumn to make up for the poor end to the year. When the weather has allowed, the bay has been so healthy this season so far that keen anglers couldn’t help but catch something (although

good-size yakkas, mackerel, salmon over the 1kg mark, and flathead worth taking home. All these and other species have been reported in good numbers. We will now start to see a bit of a change, with smaller sizes of all species starting to show up. With them will come the kingfish and mulloway reports, and that’s just in the bay. Offshore will also start to fire up, and with a handful of school tuna already being caught, maybe we are in for another excellent season. The kingfish will increase in numbers in the coming weeks, and of course the flathead,

water who are new to fishing and boating. The novices are going to be slow at the ramps, taking what seems like forever to get ready or launch their boats, get in your way and maybe even stick to speed limits and correct waterway rules because they have just got their licence and remember the rules. Then they are going to pull up on your spot because of course, it’s your spot you have fished for years, or drag their anchor back into your boat. All in all, they will probably act and behave exactly the same as you did when you started off. They will likely be out

Anglers doing night sessions have been rewarded with some quality snapper. not all the fish caught were the target species). We’ve had very few reports of anglers spending a day on the water and not losing a bait, which is very different from normal years. Apart from the gummies, anglers are catching school shark, snapper, whiting and calamari, From page 88

next month and holiday period and our bays will be busy so make sure you show some patience and respect to fellow anglers. Over the holidays our piers will be crowded, our beaches will be crowded and so will our boat ramps. There is plenty of good fishing to be had from snapper, whiting, squid, flathead, salmon, snook, and gummy sharks and our lakes will also fire with redfin, estuary perch, yellow belly and more. It’s an enjoyable period and I will no doubt be enjoying the water with family and friends throughout. Remember it’s the 1%s that can be all the difference to a productive day’s fishing. I’ll leave you with some last tips to keep in mind when

one of the better table fish, will be bigger and more plentiful. Don’t forget, we can handle all your rigging and respooling needs at the store if you are heading out chasing the tuna or kingfish. January is also the time of the year where we see plenty of people hitting the

fishing again the next time you are, so a good idea would be to give them a shout at the ramp, “hey mate, can I give you a hand”. Have a talk to them about boating, fishing etiquette and generally help them out. It will probably work out a lot better for you (and them) rather than yelling

you’re fishing this holiday period. Marine electronics can play a massive role in finding fish and anchoring close to them. Fresh baits will always outfit packet baits so if you have time do a bait run of squid, salmon, yakka’s, snook etc. Experiment at different locations and with different techniques, this includes trying soft plastics and even trolling lures if you have never done this before. Most importantly enjoy yourself a quiet day on the water beats a busy day at work any day. If you need extra help then visit FishingMad Members website which has local reports to get you onto a few fish as well as workshops, tackle talks, tips, and rigging guides. Until next time, good fishing everyone. Feel free to contact me directly

to share your fishing experiences, photos and catches around Melbourne, Port Phillip Bay and beyond which we can feature in next month’s article. You can contact me by email at alan@fishingmad.com.au. Please consider becoming a FishingMad member at w w w. f i s h i n g m a d . c o m . au/member for fishing reports, workshops, podcasts, and exciting monthly giveaways. Also, don’t forget to follow my fishing adventures on the FishingMad YouTube channel www.youtube. com/c/fishingmad and social media on Facebook page www.facebook. com/fishingmad.com. au, Instagram page www. instagram.com/fishingmad. com.au and on Channel 31 Tuesday evenings at 9:30 pm and Saturday afternoons.

and screaming at them to get out of the way. The same will happen at the jetties and beaches, where all those new Christmas presents will be put to use. Most people will have no idea what they are doing – they’re just trying to get out and have a go. Many will be kids with not a parent in sight; somehow jetties act as a baby-sitting service, which is not the kids’ fault. Just like at the boat ramp, if you spend 10 minutes helping them it could make a huge difference to them, and also make it easier for you next time. There are enough kids stuck indoors these days, and we don’t need to add to that number by making them not want to be outdoors doing something. There are plenty of studies around that show the benefits for kids when engaging in outdoor activities like fishing, and learning new skills. Plenty of people have been starting to make their way to beaches and jetties. We have been seeing good reports of calamari still, and the size is holding as well. Those anglers who are now bagging out with calamari are doing so because the smaller ones have shown up. Artificial jigs are now taking over from baited jigs in the warmer and cleaner water. If you are fishing from a boat though I would still put out a baited jig under a float while you are fishing for something else. That goes for wherever you are in the bay, because we see calamari caught in every corner of the bay now. The jetties have been a little quiet for calamari, and seem to be going through in waves. You must be set up

Jacko was very happy with this quality whiting. and ready to go when they show up to take advantage. Snapper are almost an all-year-round fishery now, and although the numbers and sizes change, we still see them caught every month. It’s obvious that they come and go from the bay each season, but we are starting to see more and more stay. This probably reflects just how healthy the bay is. As the months change, so must you with your fishing approach. That is very obvious when we get reports, as they change throughout the year. Once we get hot, sunny weather and clear water, almost all of our reports come from the change of light or after dark,

It’s great to see kids out fishing. Gareth loves taking Ollie out in the boat.

and generally shallow. During the winter almost every report we get comes from one hour before or after the tide change, and normally in the deeper water. Pinkies you can catch anywhere or anytime during the summer, but most are undersize. The beauty with Westernport Bay though is that you just don’t know what you will get or when you will catch it. Don’t ever think that something is impossible. You never know what might turn up on the end of your line, and that was proven this season with the amount of whiting caught on snapper gear that almost everyone called as a pinkie or salmon. The whiting have been exceptional for the last few years, and 40cm is expected now, not a surprise. The fishing for them has developed over the years as well. It wasn’t that long ago when there was about four spots you targeted them, and if you told someone you were going to water deeper than 3m, people would say you were crazy. Offshore, the flathead have been good size and you can get a bag with an average of 45cm and a mixture of types once you find them. Finding them is the trick though, and it can take a few kilometres and drifts to do so. The most successful anglers have been telling me to pick a depth, and do three or four drifts 100m apart of about 1km each. Then, if you have no luck, move to another depth. Don’t forget to change sinkers as you change depth, and if you are going to fish two rods, make one a gummy type of setup with a much bigger bait. Don’t try to fish two rods for flathead, as you will lose far more than you catch. JANUARY 2023

BARRA Series presented by

BARRA SERIES 2022

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Striking with Venom

Kicking off the back half of the season at the Mackay impoundments, the ABT travelled to Teemburra Dam in the Mackay hinterland for the third stop of the tour, brought to you by Sufix lines. Having the whole top end of the dam virtually to themselves, Adam Meredith and Troy Dixon of team Venom had the luxury of being able to fish their way around likely areas before dark without encroaching on other teams’ spots and vice versa. “We only saw one other boat all night and that

started to fire up on the larger flat shads. The fish came into the boat consistently until about 10pm when the bite window closed. Scan the QR code to see the Winning team interview

The flat shads they used were tricked up with a custom-made jighead built on an 8/0 Mustad or 10/0 SL12 hook from Dan Stead at Pimp My Lure – an upgrade jighead that has been very popular

3 Venom braid and Wilson fluorocarbon leader. All up, they finished with around 10 fish in total for the night and enough upgrades to edge ahead of Anita Barra/ Humminbird by just over 2kg. THE KINGS OF CONSISTENCY In second place, falling an agonising 1.8kg shy of 3/3 wins to start the season was the always consistent team of Liam Robinson and James Wilson, aka Team Anita Barra/Humminbird. It doesn’t seem to matter which impoundment they are on, the pair will always sniff out a ZEREK Fish Trap bite.

Troy Dixon with one of the Teemburra barra that anchored their winning limit. “I know it probably seems a bit boring that we do the same thing a lot but there’s a reason we do, it just flat out works,” said Robinson. And the proof is in the pudding, the pair caught over a dozen barra for the session with three of their biggest models all measuring a cracking 103cm. They got their fish by positioning the boat in 10ft of water and casting into a little drop off to about 15ft. Two sharp double hops got the fish fired up. The best part? They

Always consistent, Anita Barra / Humminbird took another podium finish at Teemburra. was right at the very end, we couldn’t believe it!” said Dixon. Teemburra Dam is lined with lily pads that grow into thick clumps, forming islands around the dam. It was on one of these islands that the team found the action heated up. “Once the sun started to set, we found the bigger fish would move out off the lily pad island into deeper water and we could see them on our Live Sonar sitting in the gaps in the weed,” explained Dixon. Crowd favourites, the ZEREK Live Mullet in dark ale, as well as the GS1 coloured 7” flat shad, were the most productive lures for Team Venom. The Live Mullet accounted for their first few fish until the sun began to set, after which the bigger fish

for other anglers on the tour, such as Steve Morgan. The 3/4oz model was the head of choice although they did go as heavy as 1oz when the area required it. The jigheads come standard with an eyelet on the bottom for the option to add a stinger hook; which Adam and Troy opted for, using a size 1 Mustad Saltism treble. Their Flat Shad technique was to throw their baits up onto the very top of the weed and roll them quickly back to the boat, dropping them into the gaps or channels in the weed where they could see where the big fish were sitting. The rods and reels were a quality combination of WILSON products including a 7’ 30-60lb Blade n’ Tails baitcast rod paired with an ATC Combat V2 reel spooled with soon-to-be-released PE

RESULTS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 106

JANUARY 2023

Team Venom Anita Barra/Humminbird Bass Masters Samaki Aberdeen fishing & Outdoors Southern Fried Millerods/Lowrance About Town Bait & Tackle Imakatsu/Dobyns Rods Wilson Fishing

got to do it fishing their very own ‘Anita’ coloured Fish Trap model, which has been so productive already this season. “At about 9:30 we got one of the hottest bites I’ve ever had with 5 fish in 5 casts, it was awesome!” said Robinson. He adding their lures often, “Wouldn’t even make it to the bottom” before getting eaten. Second place together with their two wins puts them well out in front in TOY points and makes them the team to beat this year.

With their win at Teemburra Team Venom consolidated their TOY lead. Full results at abt.org.au

Anglers Dixon/Meredith Robinson/Wilson Gustafson/Jocumsen Lowry/Wood Ford/Price Latham/Lewis Beattie/McNamara Detenton/Mulcahy Maclean/Slade Kornelius/Luckus

Fish 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5 5/5 2/5

Weight (kg) 65.01 63.20 53.49 47.05 44.85 44.11 43.57 39.73 35.33 32.96

Payout $2000 $900 $800 $700 $600 $500 $500

BARRA Series presented by

Fishing Monthly wins Kinchant in the Open Team Fishing Monthly (Steve Morgan and Nicholle Smith) raised a few eyebrows when they boxed the winning limit of the Mustad round of the Zerek Barra Tour at Kinchant Dam. In the Open. Before dark. In fact, the top two teams were the only ones that abandoned Kinchant’s usually productive edge bite to chase pelagic fish on finesse jerkbaits and Garmin LiveScope. Team Samaki also landed most of their fish before dark on the identical technique. Fishing Monthly livestreamed the daylight hours and landed nine barra before the sun set, at which point they swapped from a horizontal to a vertical presentation and landed more, albeit smaller fish using Zerek Fish Traps in Anita colour on weed edges. Morgan said, “It’s been a few years since I started seeing plenty of barra in the open water using my Garmin LiveScope Scan the QR code to see the Winning team interview

in Perspective mode, but the lightbulb moment was when I interviewed Tommy Wood about fishing Samaki Redic jerk baits last year. Redics and Perspective mode just works and we’ve gone from ordinary barra anglers to successful ones in about 18 months. Morgan explained how it’s done. “We literally start in the middle of the lake – in over 30ft of water. Drifting with the wind, we see scattered fish on the LiveScope. The transducer is fitted to the trolling motor shaft and can be controlled with the foot pedal. The drift is slowed down with my PowerPoles fitted with drift paddles. “With the scope of the live sonar, these fish are all less than 15ft deep. Knowing which direction these fish are, we cast past the barra and slow wind a Samaki Redic (DS80 in whitebait

or pink lady) and watch the lure get close to the fish. When the fish shows interest, we stop the lure and let the barramundi approach. Twitch it at the wrong time and the fish spooks. If the fish turns around and starts swimming away, a sharp twitch can often turn them around.” “It’s awesome fun and it works better in daytime than after dark,” he continued. Morgan fished the baits on a Millerods OneFreak rod with 40lb Sufix 832 braid and 50lb Wilsons fluorocarbon leader. He said that the key to the technique is finesse. You’ll spook rather than trigger a bite by working the lure aggressively and the feedback from the forward-facing sonar helped accelerate that learning curve. After dark, the action moved to the weed edge in 20ft of water. Smith explained that part of the equation. “It was awesome watching the barra eat the Zerek Fish Traps on the Garmin’s down image. We had the latest colour addition to the Zerek line-up – Anita – and it worked a treat. We had tried straight on in pre-fish with limited success, but after talking to Liam Robinson (a Fish Trap expert and co-creator of the Anita) we found that using a

Mustad Fastach clip was key to giving the Fish Trap the needed action to get the bite. Letting the Fish Trap sit on the bottom with some small sharp jerks was all that was needed to get them biting.” You can see the full rundown of the technique in the QR code hereby. TEAM SAMAKI SLIP INTO SECOND In a changing of the guard, the barra on LiveScope master Tommy Wood (who says he

taught Morgo everything he knows!) along with teammate Josh Lowry fishing as team Samaki had to resign to a respectable second place behind Team Fishing Monthly by just 3kg fishing the same open water LiveScope technique. The plan was to fish the new bad bitty and ghost shad colours in the Samaki Redic DS80 jerk bait, targeting those isolated fish in the middle of the dam before dark.

Tommy Wood for team Samaki used the open water LiveScope technique to target big fish in the middle of the lake.

Team Fishing Monthly Samaki Millerods/Lowrance Imakatsu/Dobyns Rods Garmin Bass Masters Fish With Me Bream W@nk@z EJ Todd/Tackleworld Bundy Smak Wild

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Steve Morgan live-streamed the opening hours of the tournament for team Fishing Monthly taking viewers along for an awesome jerk bait session.

RESULTS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

BARRA SERIES 2022

Scan the QR code to see Steve Morgan’s Kinchant Livescope Barramundi

They Fished 7’ 10-17lb Samaki C12 rods paired with Shimano Tranx baitcast reels spooled with 50lb Upgrade Pentagram X-Braid. As the Redic’s need action imparted on them, a light leader was crucial so as not to hinder the action. For this they used 55lb X-braid Slim & Stronger fluorocarbon leader. Later in the night they used a prototype Samaki soft plastic swimbait that they fished on the same setups, however with an 80lb fluorcarbon leader. The swimbaits impart their own action, which is not affected by heavier breaking strain. “We would have had over 15 missed bites for the night and dropped a couple of crackers that could have got us across the line but that’s just the way it goes with barra,” said the everoptimistic Tommy. One half of the reigning Team of the Year, Tommy Wood is no stranger to the top of the leaderboard and this year is going to be no different. No doubt that good ‘who shares wins’ karma will catch up with team Samaki before the tour ends!

Full results at abt.org.au

Anglers Morgan/Smith Lowry/Wood Beattie/McNamara Maclean/Slade M. Mott/D. Mott Gustafson/Jocumsen Edmonds/Zikos Heath/McKeown Stoddart/Sutton Herbohn/Turner

Fish 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5

Weight (kg) 51.01 48.05 41.74 41.57 41.26 40.63 40.37 39.73 35.99 34.94

Payout $2100 $900 $800 $700 $600 $550 $500

JANUARY 2023

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BARRA Series presented by

BARRA SERIES 2022

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Local knowledge wins at Faust

Ask any angler on the barra tour what the most mentally and physically gruelling session is and without a doubt they’ll all agree it’s the massive 16-hour all-nighters. The 5th round of the tour sponsored by Humminbird at Peter Faust Dam was the last all-nighter for the year and by far the most brutal, with relentless southeasterly winds sending white caps over the bow of most boats all night. Hot Favourites, Peter Laine and Ben Williams (Team T.B.C), reminded everyone just how deadly they are on their favourite dam taking the win over a very in-form Team Anita Barra/Humminbird. They have now won at least one of the two Faust events for the past three years in a row and we suspect they know all the fish in there by name. Although not favourable conditions for most barra anglers, Laine and Williams have found success previously at Faust when the southerly change blows in. “We’ve actually done quite well at Faust on a sou’easter in the past, so we didn’t mind the direction, it

was just rough and it didn’t stop all night – that was the worst part,” explained Williams. Laine laughed, and added that they thought, “We Scan the QR code to see the Winning team interview

were either going to snap the tree in half, snap the rope or pull the cleat out of the boat!” Fortunately, that didn’t happen and they were able to hold on their spot in the timber (near ‘the 45’ area of the dam) where they found the fish sitting just off the weed in the 8-10ft range. They used the Garmin LiveScope with the new LVS34 transducer to follow the fish around and credit a lot of their success to the technology. “You had to hit them before they got in the weed so the LiveScope was a must for making sure you kept a bait in front of them,” said Williams. The fish were sluggish and the technique reflected that, with the boys ‘dredging’ their large soft

Ben Williams endured conditions on the northern side of the lake to help put together a winning bag. plastic swimbaits across the shallow flat. The two winning baits were a 7” Zerek Flat Shad rigged on an upgraded 1oz TT SL12 jighead with a size 1 treble hook rigged as a stinger and a 50g Thready Buster swimbait. They both prefer spin outfits for this technique as the rate of retrieve can be controlled far better than baitcast. They also get line to the reel quicker meaning they could get the fish in the boat faster, something important when you’re tied up and can’t chase the fish. Ben used an ACM custom Northfork X-Ray in the 701A model while Pete used an Edge rods Black Widow 708 model. Both were paired with identical Shimano Stella 4000 SG SWC reels spooled with SUFIX 832 braid and either 80 or 100lb Sunline FC 100 fluorocarbon leader. THE UNSTOPPABLES They’ve had themselves a year for the record books already and Team Anita Barra/Humminbird pretty well iced the Team Of the Year trophy with another second-place finish. They boxed away another cracking limit

Scan the QR code to see the Team of the Year interview

Anita Barra / Humminbird used their Humminbird 360 to great effect to secure second place at this round.

RESULTS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 108

JANUARY 2023

Team T.B.C Anita Barra/Humminbird Southern Fried Mullet Mayhem Fishing Monthly Atomic Mustard Swamp Dogs Samaki Lads From the South Garmin

Anglers Laine/Williams Robinson/Wilson Latham/Lewis Keegan Hayden Morgan/Smith Martin/Starkey Clark/Walker Lowry/Wood Goward/Parks M. Mott/D. Mott

courtesy of the mighty Zerek Fish Traps in their namesake colour ‘Anita’. They cruised around the weed beds south of the boat ramp (heading towards Faust Point) on the electric using the Humminbird Mega 360 to locate schools of fish hanging around the edges of the weed. Once they found the fish they would pull up and drop their fish traps on the fish’s head giving them a short sharp hop off the bottom to aggravate a bite. They moved around throughout the night and caught fish in various parts of the dam, including the timber and along the dam wall. This technique continues to prove itself on all barra impoundments across the country and, given the chance, team Anita Barra/ Humminbird continue to towel up the competition on it. With two wins and two second places for the year, the boys were far enough ahead in points to be crowned the Team Of the Year and you can find the details of how they did it in their interview with Steve Morgan by scanning the QR code attached.

Full results at abt.org.au

Fish 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5

Weight (kg) 66.23 62.00 61.22 57.61 57.16 55.56 55.16 51.14 50.00 47.47

Payout $2000 $800 $700 $600 $600 $500 $500

BARRA Series presented by

Good old sponsorship karma Sponsor karma came in strong for the final round of the tour at the 2-night event on Peter Faust Dam sponsored by Samaki. And, you guessed it, Team Samaki took out the event using a whole stack of new and proven Samaki products. In pre-fish they located a large flat about a kilometre off the bank on the heavily timbered northeastern corner of the dam. Using the quick draw contouring on his Garmin sounder, Tommy found a flat amongst the trees that came up to about 9ft deep where he quickly

a tree out in front of them to use as a reference point on the screen and waited for the barra to roll through. Tommy wood divulged their technique; “We were mainly throwing the DS80 and new DS90 Redics, however, when the fish came through on the screen fast, we found they were feeding on big baits, so we picked up the 140 Molix in tropical mullet and burned it right past their nose to get a reaction bite.” As they discovered, the lure had to be within a foot of the fish’s nose or they wouldn’t eat it, meaning casting accuracy was

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Josh Lowry demonstrated that he catches barra just as well as he designs lures in the final round of the Series.

You can tell from this image just how rough the water was that Team Samaki fished. discovered the barra were coming up on to feed. “I knew this spot would fish good on a southerly and when the wind swung around to the south/ southeast for the start of the 2-nighter I knew it would be on,” explained Tommy. There’s no doubt about the effectiveness of LiveScope on the barra tour and the guys that have it mastered are at a definite advantage to the field. Tommy Wood is one of those guys. They used the new LVS34 transducer, which is fast gaining a reputation for perfect clarity at distances as far as 100 feet. They lined the beam (in perspective mode) up with

Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

crucial. Channelling that sponsor Karma, they used a fleet of Samaki C12 baitcast rods in the 7ft medium heavy range, changing between specific models depending on the bait. In contrast to the fish on the shallow edges, they also found good numbers sitting 15-20ft below the surface in the tops of the trees in 65ft of water. These fish were feeding on small shrimp and the perfect imitation they found was the soon to be released Samaki Hardlicious hybrid soft/hard vibe. It features a hardbody with a soft plastic forked tail that sinks at a much slower rate than the vibelicious, which meant they could tease the fish up to the surface by flicking it up and down without the lure

It seems as though Ben’s team mate Peter was a little shy in front of the camera.

RESULTS Team Samaki T.B.C Fishing Monthly Anita Barra/Humminbird Atomic Bass Masters Barra Bandits Fish With Me Lured Obsession Millerods/Lowrance

BARRA SERIES 2022

sinking past the following barramundi too fast. “You had to keep drawing the lure up and the fish would follow it, you’d probably get a bite off 1 in every 10 fish,” explained Tommy. A lot of skill and a bit of luck got them over the line with a fair share of battles won that would normally be lost (including a metre fish getting wrapped up in the anchor rope and still being Scan the QR code to see the Winning team interview

landed). But, like Tommy expressed, “When these things go your way, you win comps,” and that’s exactly how it went! QUINELLA AT FAUST FOR TEAM T.B.C After their success in the all-nighter, Ben Williams and Peter Laine of Team T.B.C were never going to be far off the money in the following 2-night event. They employed the same tactics as they did in the all-night session over the 2-night event and the fish they were on held up for the duration. The exception was that they found the fish bit better during the daylight hours. They used the same Thready Busters and 1oz 7” Flat Shads as the all-nighter, dredging the big baits along the bottom in 8-10ft to put away their 9/10 limit for 110.74kg.

Full results at abt.org.au

Anglers Wood/Lowry Laine/Williams Morgan/Smith Robinson/Wilson Martin/Starkey Jocumsen/Gustafson Khan/Smith Edmonds/Zikos Booby/Murley Beattie/McNamara

Fish 10/10 9/10 10/10 10/10 8/10 10/10 7/10 7/10 6/10 5/10

Weight (kg) 124.32 110.74 102.32 85.82 81.17 74.94 56.78 55.98 51.24 48.19

Payout $2000 $800 $700 $600 $600 $500 $500

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South Coast

Winning in the warmer waters of Esperance ESPERANCE

Murray Johnson

Esperance has finally experienced the start of summer, and the warmer waters have continued to yield an abundance of salmon. Plenty of fish are being caught around the town beaches, as well as further out, heading both east and west. Local beaches to try are Salmon Beach, Fourth Beach, 11 Mile, Roses and Stockyards. Salmon up to around 6kg are being caught, with plenty of double headers. The standard way to catch them is with a paternoster rig with a star sinker, using pilchards on a gang, and often a second single hook with a bit of squid on it. You can also catch them on chrome slices, such as a Halco Twisty or Sure Catch Knight. Heading further out of town, plenty of salmon are being caught at Alexander Bay, Thomas River and Poison Creek. Mixed in

with these have been the occasional tailor, gummy shark and flathead, and there are plenty of herring around too. Smaller mulloway are also being caught around town at 14 Mile, and also Thomas River and Israelite Bay. At this time of year, with the change in the tides and the weather, we typically experience a north-easterly in the morning. That’s the best time to fish, ideally from around first light (around 3-3:30am). In the afternoon, there’s generally a south-easterly see breeze that’s quite strong, which drops off again at night. When the southeasterly is blowing, there are plenty of spots to fish to provide some protection, with choice areas being Salmon Beach in town, or West Beach. Further, out places like Warton Beach and Duke of Orleans are good options. When fishing in town, Bandy Creek boat harbour is a great spot as you can fish either side depending on the wind, and have the

wind behind you. We are seeing plenty of smaller King George whiting and bigger herring, flathead and smaller skippy being caught here. The bream lakes are slowly starting to dry up, but there are still plenty of fish being caught, including some sizable samples over 40cm. If you want to target them, your best bet is to find out where the deeper water sits, and fish those deeper channels and gutter in the lake. That deeper water tends to be in the middle of the lake, rather than around the snags. It may seem counterintuitive to fish in the middle rather than the snags, but the fish definitely prefer that deeper, cooler water in the heat of summer. In this scenario, bait fishing is normally the easiest way to catch them. All you need is a standard whiting/paternoster rig with prawn baits. Moving to jetty fishing in town, we are still seeing squid being caught off the tanker jetty and Tailor

Street jetty. There are also plenty of herring, including bigger bull herring. The best times are normally early in the morning or just before dark and into the night. Anglers are also catching garfish around the lights after dark. Some smaller sharks are cruising around as well, mainly bronze whalers. The 3-4ft bronzies are good eating. If you head out towards Israelite bay and the cliffs, you can get some good catches of small bronzies, with a few larger models in the mix. Plenty of big flathead are being caught, with samples going 65-70, along with smaller mulloway and some big tailor as well. It’s a good spot to target big King George whiting, fishing out of a tinny. You can get them to a couple of kilo there, around 60-70cm fish. If you’re fishing around town from a boat, preferably in the morning, you can encounter plenty of herring and snook. More bluefin tuna are coming through in the system, too. Most snook

are caught on trolled lures, and these fish love anything gold. Good options include the Bomber Long, Halco Twisty or pretty much any gold, shallow-diving barra lure. The tuna are also taking skirts and jet heads, such as Black Magic Jet Setters. Moving further out, we are seeing plenty of big samsonfish to 30kg+, along with decent size nannygai up to the 65cm mark, and a mixture of breaksea, queen snapper, smaller harlequin, and plenty of sea sweep. There are some bigger schools of tuna out wide at the moment, with some football field-size schools cruising around. You can blind troll for them or, if you see them working, drift up to them and throw chrome lures at the melee. Also out wide we are starting to see a few leather jackets, which can make for expensive fishing. To minimise bite-offs you can use black swivels rather than brass, or you can just move to a different spot. If you have never kept a leatherjacket for the table,

they are good eating. Just should tear the skin off rather than filleting them. FISHING IN JANUARY This month the tuna numbers and sizes will keep increasing, so they will be a great target. The kingies should still be hanging around too. You can catch them around the bommies on trolled topwater lures or cast stickbaits in natural colours. The kingies are feeding on herring, so you ideally want a colour that’s similar to that. Finally, working with the winds is the trick at this time of year. If you’re fishing from a boat, plan your trip so that you’ll head home with the wind at your back. • Established in 1986, Southern Sports and Tackle specializes in the supply and servicing of fishing equipment. They have an extensive knowledge of the local area and provide all brands, whether you’re fishing from beach, jetty or boat. Come and chat to the friendly staff at Shop 16, The Boulevard, Esperance or phone 08 9071 3022.

Warm water fires up the fishing BUNBURY

Whiteys Tackle and Camping

The warmer weather, especially the warmer water, has certainly fired things up! The local Leschenault estuary is full of yellowfin whiting, these magnificent fish can be targeted with bait (usually bloodworms) rigged with a simple long shank hook and small running sinker or with lures. Targeting whiting on lures is a great option as they hit a variety of lures from vibes and plastics to surface lures and flies. The local beaches are producing plenty of

Diving for crabs.

This elusive mulloway was caught on plastic in the Collie River. 110

JANUARY 2023

chopper tailor to around 35cm. Using a mulie on a set of ganged hooks or casting a metal slice on sunset is a sure-fire way to get amongst them. We have had some cracking reports of mulloway around the 10-15kg mark. If you’re wanting to target these elusive fish you’ll need a nice gutter to cast into, a well presented bait (fresh is best) and lastly…patience! The local divers have been getting their fair share of crays. The guys who are a little keener diving the 25-30m patches have been getting great bags of jumbo crays. There are plenty of smaller crays in the shallower regions, along with some

These tasty whiting were caught on surface lures. King George whiting. The blue manna crabs have been on fire with the catch being split fairly evenly between the scoopers and crew dropping nets out of the tinnies. On the slower days, the shallow waters right on the drop offs seem to hold more and better size crabs so don’t be scared to get your nets into the 0.5-1m depths to see results. Last year the people willing to get their feet wet and wander around the flats

were getting exceptional results with numbers easy to come by, especially in the afternoons when coinciding with the high tides. When selecting your bait options, keep in mind the dolphins and stingrays will show preference to fish-type bait. When dropping pots shallow, try mullet or mulies, and when setting deeper, spleen seems to keep the To page 115

South Coast

Whiting are warming up AUGUSTA

Anthony Gillam

Before we knew it spring had come and gone with the first glimpses of summer showing through with a succession of distinctly warmer days. It reminded us that the Christmas

the jetties or down on the beaches. They love glass shrimps and cockles, but the most exciting way to catch them in my opinion is by surface popping small lures on light lines using polarised lens sunglasses during the bright summer days. After the rains of spring dry up and the river levels

species. It is not unusual to observe schools of hundreds of fish swimming furiously through deep narrow channels and out onto the sand flats that are only covered by 20cm deep water. This is where the excitement of sight fishing really takes hold. Any fish that whacks the lure is an adrenalin rush

advantage of the generous bag limits. On multiple occasions people have been witnessed not only taking a full allocation but taking their catch to their home before bagging out again in contravention of the regulations. These greedy behaviours are from a previous generation of fishing and have no place in this day and age. Don’t be afraid to report illegal actions to the Department of Fisheries as we all lose if bag limits are reduced further or as with demersal fishing, massive closures are proposed. With a demersal fishing ban in place of an indeterminate length it has meant that ocean fishing has consisted mainly of sand whiting chasing across the sandy bottom of Flinders and Hamelin Bays with only a

The author bagged a nice catch of King George whiting in the Hardy Inlet in a kayak.

The old Town Jetty is a prime yellowfin whiting spot, day or night, and a pretty good view as well. holidays were imminent and with that the sudden influx of holiday-makers that keep the town alive. The warmer weather also signals the run of yellowfin whiting as they travel down the Hardy Inlet and out into Flinders Bay feeding ravenously along the way. It is not unusual to bag out on them while fishing at From page 114

undesirables at bay. Even though their numbers are through the roof, remember to stick to bag and size limits and only take what you need to ensure the crab population for the future.

drop it creates some excellent shallow flats throughout the system where it is possible to target the schools of passing whiting from small watercraft or walking the shallow flats. Anywhere from The Sticks through the Deadwater and out of the cut at Colourpatch, provides the perfect environment for targeting this delicious • Get out there and enjoy the sunshine and if you’re having any issues with your gear or techniques or just need some advice come in and see the boys at Whiteys Tackle and Camping they have a wealth of local knowledge that they are always happy to share.

but with plenty of 30cm+ whiting around the action can be absolutely hectic. If you are more into sedate fishing experiences; jetty fishing at night is probably more up your alley. Yellowfin whiting are just as active during the night as they are during the day but the technique is a bit simpler. Most people will use a small scoop net to catch glass shrimps around the rocks and reeds feeding a few of them on a small

Early morning at the Turner Street Jetty bodes well for a great day fishing in the Hardy Inlet.

Rock fishing for late spring skippy often results in a feed of fish around this size.

Grant Teede knows how to tempt a whiting.

sized long shank hook. These wriggling critters are cast out and the line slowly retrieved to be smashed by a frenzy of fish fighting over who will win out. Unfortunately, the fact that they are in such good numbers has created the situation where people take

few other boaties out chasing yellowtail kingfish or samsonfish by trolling lures around the rocky outcrops, reef and the islands. Catch reports have been scarce with most people using the time to do boat maintenance or land-based fishing. Black bream are again

on the move showing up right down the inlet into the Deadwater, Ellis Street Jetty and East Augusta. Plenty of legal sized fish can be found mooching around the shallows from town all the way up to the brackish water of Alexandra Bridge. They are not too fussy with what they eat either with fish caught on soft plastics, hard bodied lures, prawns and chicken pieces. It pays to move around if boat fishing as some areas seem to be inundated with small juveniles that become annoying bait thieves. Beach fishers had some really good weather to wet a line, especially after a few days of rough seas where the fish seem to become hungrier. Plenty of sand whiting have been caught on all the beaches with large herring and skippy also making an appearance. Best baits have been squid strips, river prawns and cockles. Rock fishing suffered from having lots of rain and wind around but when the

calm days arrived there was no shortage of fish to be had. Herring, skippy and King George whiting continued to make their presence felt. Horseshoe leatherjackets continue to steal baits but if you work them out and catch a couple, they make an excellent meal. Berley the fish for a while and it will pay off in a much better catch. • Rock fishing is dangerous at times and careful consideration of where and when you fish must be done. Unpredictable weather can quickly affect the fishing conditions and slippery rocks are a recipe for disaster. Please remain vigilant when rock fishing; wear a life jacket and tie off to something solid. You can hire one for free from Augusta Xtreme Outdoor Sports at 66 Blackwood Avenue Augusta -the local tackle shop and font of all local fishing knowledge. Look for the big green sign on the roof, it’s right next to the BP Service Station in the centre of town. JANUARY 2023

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Edencraft 6.0 Offshore with Twin 140HP Suzukis - SC

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Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

When we were driving back from a BARRA event in North Queensland, we passed a convoy of cool looking boats heading north as we were heading south. You get to see them up close because the Bruce Highway is mostly a single lane death trap where you’re separated from the oncoming B-doubles by a couple of feet of white paint. We didn’t know at the time, but it was Edencraft’s travelling roadshow that visited various places up the East Coast, with Cairns as the

Main: Taking the Edencraft 6m Offshore out from Cairns was the first time we got to ‘Ride the Legend’. Above: The boat was fitted with twin 140hp BF Suzukis with SPC (Suzuki Precision Controls), which is digital throttle and shift.

Hooked a sneaky barracuda. It was difficult to get the team focussed after that. final destination. Just hours later, I got a call from Suzuki marketing boss, Lewis Croft, asking if we wanted to test an Edencraft powered by the twin 140 Suzukis… in Cairns. There was no way I was driving back for a test but Matt Drinkall and I jumped on the big flying kangaroo to go and have a look. This was my first interaction with Edencraft boats, which are made in Geelong and not Eden as I assumed. First impressions are 122

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that they are a solidly built, heavy hull that’s designed for tackling rough water and making the ride as smooth as possible. It didn’t take too long to come to this conclusion as we headed out from Trinity Inlet in a standard, stinking northerly. Shallow water and tide versus wind makes for choppy conditions. As with all hulls, there is a comfortable cruising speed and the weight of the Edencraft hull combined with the deadrise made that speed nearly 40km/h in the prevailing conditions.

The test rig was powered by twin 140hp BG Suzuki outboards. These motors are a 2.0L block four-stroke with an offset drive that brings the centre-of-gravity closer to the transom. They also used Suzuki’s new SPC (Suzuki Precision Controls). Suzuki’s Shane Darlington explained. “These are not only the lightest 140hp outboards in their class, but they are the smallest with flyby wire technology. You can also get the 115hp with SPC,” he said. Boat owner and Edencraft staffer, Michael Lynch said that these were his third set

of Suzukis. “I really like the balance of these outboards and the weight of these 140s make the combination perfect for this boat,” he said. Michael has also been instrumental in modernising the 6m design. This iteration features a single piece lockable and removable cabin door, flush mounting for MFDs up to 16” and a

redesigned and indispensable dive door through the starboard gunwale. Edencraft also feature a ‘wave breaker’ on the top of the windshield glass. It’s a strip of stainless steel that directs the waves and slop back downwards when you’re running in nasty conditions. Otherwise, it’s a boat with a big cockpit that offers a lot to an angler. at the top speed of 74km/h, the engines deliver only 800m per litre of fuel burned, but drop back to 3,500rpm and you get nearly 1.5km per litre combined. That’s acceptable for a rig that’s nearly 2.8t on the trailer. There’s a keel hugging

350L fuel tank that will give this boat a range of nearly 500km at cruising speeds. Less if you’re heavy on the stick. The single-stick driving option was very useful in the rougher water, with the outboard rpm synchronised. If you yearn for a smooth riding and quiet 6m boat where the manufacturer isn’t afraid to make a heavy hull, then the Edencraft may well be for you. Package prices (with a 300hp single outboard) start from $145,000. Michael’s rig as tested costs $225,000. Get in touch with Edencraft for more information at www. edencraft.com.au. More outboard info from your nearest Suzuki dealer.

PERFORMANCE RPM.............Speed.(km/h).... Economy.(km/L) 700 .......................... 4 ................................. 1.4 1000 ........................ 7 ................................. 2.0 2000...................... 12 ................................. 1.2 3000...................... 20 ................................. 0.9 3500 ...................... 33 ................................. 1.4 4000...................... 43 ................................. 1.3 4500 ...................... 52 ................................. 1.1 5000...................... 62 ................................. 1.2 5700 ...................... 74 ................................. 0.8

SPECIFICATIONS Length (transom).....6.2m Length.on.trailer. (transom) ............... 8.46m Max.beam ...............2.4m Hull.deadrise ......... 22.5° Cockpit.area ............6m2 Fuel.tank .................280L HP (min-max).150-400hp Windscreen.height (on trailer) .......................2.4m Rocket.launcher.height (on trailer) .............. 2.95m

Conditions on the way to Fitzroy Island were a little sporty.

Top: We love a dash where you can flush mount a 16” unit. Above: The ample and well finished side pockets have extra rod storage for travelling on the road.

Top: The business end is lined by some quality stainless bar work. Above: The cabin is ample for a couple of anglers to take a break.

Here is Suzuki’s new SPC binnacle mount and push button start/stop.

There’s 6m2 of cockpit space.

The cabin door is removable and lockable and there’s plenty of places to hang on for passengers 3 and 4.

Above:There is room for 11 rods up in the rocket launcher. Bottom Left: Switches are clearly located where you need them. Not always at the helm. Bottom Right: Access to the batteries through the aftermarket hatches.

Top Left: There is a centrally located live bait tank on the transom. Top Right: The current 6m offshore has moulded dive doors that seal well and offer great convenience on the water. Bottom Left: Even the flowcoat work is nice on an Edencraft. Bottom Right: The difference in cost between standard and SPC controls on the Suzuki 140 is only around $500 per engine. JANUARY 2023

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ADVERTORIAL

Mercury launches new

V-10 350 and 400HP Verado Outboards

It definitely was not my first rodeo. The invitation came from Mercury Marine to travel to Orlando, Florida to cover a new outboard motor launch. I had done a few of these before. Usually, the product is veiled in secrecy. Nobody knows what it is until the velvet cloth gets pulled from the new, shiny outboard. Mercury has been working on a few concept projects. For instance, the Avator motor series is a fully integrated, electric motor that looks like it’s from 30 years into the future. Maybe we were going to see the extension of this concept into consumer sized outboards? When we entered the launch function, however, the outboard under the cloth was big. Seriously big. It was definitely not something powered by battery. Doing the maths beforehand, there was a gap in Mercury’s outboard line. They had released a V6, V8 and V12 platform in the previous years. V10 was missing. The very first Stateside outboard launch I attended was their L6 400hp launch around 10 years ago. Was this the year that that product completes its life cycle and is replaced with a V10? Short answer, it was. The music played, the cloth was removed and there it was. Around 6 feet tall and 400hp of the V10 Verado.

propel boats ahead with exceptional speed and acceleration. A class-leading 150-amp alternator swiftly charges onboard batteries and intelligently supports the boat’s electrical system. ALL-NEW GEARCASE “The platform’s all-new hydrodynamic gearcase is engineered to improve performance and durability across multiple applications while also maximising fuel efficiency. Mercury engineers went back to first principles engineering and designed the all-new Revolution X propeller to perfectly match the V10 Verado in every way. “Larger diameter and wider blades combined with the deep ratio of the new gearcase provide excellent handling, thrilling acceleration and high efficiency from low speed all the way to wide-open throttle. EFFICIENT ALL-AROUND PERFORMANCE “Calibrated to deliver full performance on Regular Unleaded (91 RON), these outboards also feature efficiency-enhancing technologies, a closed-loop fuel system and Advanced Range Optimization (ARO). INTUITIVE FEATURES AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES “Adaptive Speed Control maintains engine rpm despite changes in load or conditions, making climbing large swells easier and cruising at low speeds smoother. Transient Spark Technology electronically adjusts spark timing to optimize low-end power.

LAKE X If you are a fan of Mercury history, you will recognise Lake X immediately. It’s distinctive control tower and research building with Jetson-style circular windows are unmistakable. Things I didn’t know was that it was full of alligators and snakes. Seriously. There were three in the lagoon that housed the small boats... and they were scared of nothing. We had around four hours to go joyriding. Of course, there is no way that we could get into all of the boats in this period. With this in mind, I focused on the smaller, single engine installations on both less than 30 feet. The best way to see these engines and boats in action is to scan the QR code hereby. It contains sound, running footage and commentary from boat builders. We got to drive the boat as well, and Randy was correct. For a big motor these were smooth, quiet and powerful. I will lift some information from Mercury’s press release to tell you about some of the technical features of these outboards.

Left: Here’s the first ever Mercury V10 outboard launched to the world. Right: Of all the boats available, we focused on the smaller, single engine installations. This platform shares its DNA with its siblings on either side. It doesn’t come with a steerable, two-speed gear case, but it is fitted with a larger, re-engineered leg. It’s advanced midsection (AMS) is reminiscent of those on its V8 brothers and from the cowling lid down, it’s like the V8 on steroids. When I interviewed Randy Caruana that evening, he promised me the quietest outboard Mercury had ever made and that I would be impressed the next day on the legendary Lake X. There were 26 boats fitted with the V10s to play with. Talk about information overload. NATURALLY ASPIRATED 5.7L V10 ENGINE “The new platform features the outboard industry’s first V10 naturally aspirated powerhead. It leverages class-leading 5.7L displacement and a performance-inspired quad-cam design to

Scan the QR code to learn more about the Mercury 5.7L V10 350HP and 400HP Verado 4-Stroke outboards.

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“The V10 engines will also be compatible with a new Mercury electric steering system for multi-outboard vessels, set to be introduced in April 2023. The new system will offer enhanced steering responsiveness, dramatically simplified rigging and a more than 50 percent reduction in energy consumption. “The new Verados will be offered with an optional dualmode 48V/12V alternator to seamlessly pair with Navico Group’s Fathom e-Power System, an integrated lithium-ion auxiliary power management system, providing boaters the opportunity to eliminate an onboard generator system. “We challenged our engineers to improve acceleration and overall performance with the new V10 Verado outboards, while also making them quieter and lighter than competitors’ outboards in this horsepower range,” said Tim Reid, Mercury Marine Vice President of Product Development and Engineering. “Once again they exceeded expectations while also incorporating technologies that make boat operation and maintenance intuitively simple.” WHEN DO WE SEE THEM? The V10 platform is expected to land in Australia in April 2023. For more information, see your local Mercury dealer or the Australian Mercury Marine site.

This 400 hp rigged on the back of a 28 foot Caymas Bay boat was an impressive beast.

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