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Grass sweetlip reef catches • Trolling tips and tricks •

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Species Spotlight

John Loeskow shows us how to find grass sweetlip - the working man’s reef fish

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CONTENTS

OUR COVER September 2022, Vol. 3 No.5 VIC

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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 34 36 38 39 40 40 41 44 46

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

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

80 80 81 81 82 84 86 87 90 91 88 88 89 90 92 92 95 93 94 96 96 98 93

SEPTEMBER 2022

From the Editor’s Desk...

I wasn’t really that keen to re-start my international travel, but an opportunity to help with the media coverage for the 9th iteration of the Hobie Kayak World titles was an opportunity too good to miss. Of course, during the 40 hours of transit to Amal in Sweden, I was reconsidering the cleverness of the decision, but once there, we got to experience the brotherhood of global fishing. Anglers from 18 countries getting together after COVID and rekindling the love of fishing across the globe. You may have noticed from their stands at the various boat shows, but Hobie don’t muck around when it comes to staging an event, and the venue, organisation and hospitality that the Hobie team provide is really world class. Anglers were supplied each with the latest Hobie Pro Angler 14ft kayak, complete with 360 drive, a PowerPole Micro, Lowrance Elite 7FS and a H-Crate. Targeting the native perch (redfin) and pike with a catch-photorelease format on an App. This allows the event to run live scoreboards, which created global interest during the sessions. But for the last two hours, the scoreboards are blacked out. And anything can happen in the dying minutes. This is exactly what transpired. You can’t script better than what happens in real life and, on his last cast, with his ‘must-leavenow-to-get-back-in-time’ alarm ringing on his phone, Denmark’s Stian Slora hooks and lands a 111cm pike on light gear to take the title from German Florian Linner. It was an epic finish to an epic event

Aaron Blake with the largest flathead taken in a session on the estuary. An Andy McKinstray 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

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WESTERN AUSTRALIA Esperance

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French angler, Manon Rocher, landed this magnificent pike on a lure in Sweden’s Lake Vanern during the recent Hobie Fishing Worlds #9. that bounces around the world. The previous version was on the Gold Coast in 2019. The highest placed Aussie was Tony Pettie from Traralgon, who landed 6th place and bragging rights for the next 12 months. If you’re keen to be involved, Aussies can fish qualifying events here to lock in their ticket – if you fish well enough. You can see the full coverage on www. hobiefishingworlds.com or via the Hobie Fishing Worldwide Facebook page. APOLOGIES Apologies to some subscribers who received the magazines a little later than usual last month. The mail house staff had some COVID understaffing issues and this delayed the lodging by a few days. As usual, if you think your magazine is late, call Kym on 1800 228 244 and we’ll get the problem fixed.

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REGULAR FEATURES Grass sweetlip reef catches

Starlo’s: Trolling tips and tricks

Sheik of the Creek

State Fisheries Advisory Groups

AFTA Best of Show Awards

Publishers: Steve Morgan, Matthew Drinkall

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Grass sweetlip – the working man’s reef fish structure, like a wreck or reef edge, the outer fringes will hold the better-quality fish. However, we’re not usually looking for distinct drop-offs, ledges and hard reef when chasing sweetlip. Broken ground made up of scattered coral, rubble and shell grit provides an ideal habitat for the fish and crustaceans that make up

QUEENSLAND

John Loeskow

When people talk about reef fishing in Central and Southern Queensland, the focus usually turns to the glamour species. Red emperor, coral trout and nannygai are highly sought after by all anglers fishing the coral reefs from the Capricorn Coast down into Sunshine Coast waters. And rightly so – they look great, fight hard and are sensational on the plate. But there are a few other species that are available to fishos from

Rizza with a cracking sweetlip caught while targeting coral trout. are handled carefully and placed into a slurry of iced seawater when possible. WHERE THEY LIVE Grass sweetlip are found the entire length of the northern half of the Australian coastline, from Moreton Bay near the QLD/ NSW border to Exmouth in Western Australia. Generally speaking, the waters off Southern and Central Queensland seem to produce larger specimens than northern areas. For more consistent

Isaac with a double header that took up a nice spot in the esky.

The standard fish community that shows up on the underwater footage. Strangely sweetlip are rarely seen on the camera. the shallow reefs to the deeper offshore areas that are worthy targets. Redthroat sweetlip are highly prized for their firm white fillets, and yellow sweetlip (or spangled emperor) take a variety of lures and pull like freight

include a number of small to medium sized emperors and seabreams. Along with red throat, long-nosed and yellow sweetlip, grassies are among the larger and more often targeted representatives from this group of fish. Their brown

haven’t seen an undersize grassy in the areas we commonly fish, and the average size is usually between 35 and 45cm in length. Any fish over 50cm is a nice capture, and we have caught a handful of fish over 60cm. They have been reported to 70cm and over 5.5kg. The bigger fish offer great sport, with a fight not unlike a similar sized red emperor with lots of head shakes and hard lunging runs. They are a great eating fish, whether cooked whole or filleted, with white flesh that is suitable for a wide range of cooking styles. However, these fish tend to bruise easily so make sure they

Lorne with a proper sweetie that thought a live scad was too good to resist. results, you will need to focus your efforts on the middle grounds between the shallow reefs and the deeper offshore areas. In the region we fish off Bundaberg the preferred depth is in the 25-35m range with some form of bottom structure. If you are fishing prominent

the bulk of the sweetlip’s diet. In these areas sweetlip will operate as grazers, moving over fairly wide territories as they hunt for food. You can normally see this happening on the fishfinder as individual and small schools of fish move in and out of the transducer beam. This is probably the

A battered and bruised fish that was at the end of its days. trains when hooked close to structure. However, in this article we’ll take a look at the humble grass sweetlip and the techniques that will bring more fish to the boat. THE TARGET SPECIES Grass sweetlip (Lethrinus laticaudis) are a member of the Lethrinidae family that 8

SEPTEMBER 2022

reason why slowly drifting on the tide changes can produce productive fishing when things get a bit quiet. Covering a bit more ground is a great way to make sure you are presenting your bait or lure to actively feeding fish. One bonus about fishing for grass sweetlip is that they are a year-round

colouration is a little drab in comparison to other reef fish, but they do feature a group of brilliant blue lines surrounding the eye. While juvenile fish often inhabit coastal estuaries and inshore eel grass beds, the adult fish are more common in deeper water between 16-40m. We

Mad Mike with a quality fish caught in near glass-out conditions.

target. Looking at our trip data over the last few years, we’ve caught good numbers every month of the year. In saying that, we usually get better numbers of big fish in late autumn and late spring. They are willing to bite outside the peak times of dawn and dusk and seem more keyed in to tide changes and solunar bite times. Interestingly, during the bigger tides that occur around the new and full moon, the tide changes are far more important triggers for fish activity than moon above/below bite times. During the slacker neap tides with very little current, the minor and major times can be the only period that fish are willing to feed readily. WHAT’S ON THE MENU? Grass sweetlip have a pretty varied diet making them a candidate for a wide range of bait and lure fishing techniques. As far as bait fishing goes, we always make sure we have a range of different baits to suit the mood of the fish on any particular day. Providing the bait is fresh and presented effectively, it will get the attention of the fish. Squid and cuttlefish heads, whole small squid and small cuttlefish are good baits. The only downside of these is their strong appeal to pests like triggerfish and remoras, which often devour your offering before

it reaches the bottom. Flesh baits cut from whiptails, baldy bream, school mackerel and mac tuna are excellent, withstanding the attack from smaller pickers before a bigger fish can get a shot at the bait. We always try and catch at least one legal schoolie to use as bait throughout the day. Scad fillets and skeletons are also very appealing to the bigger models. When the pickers aren’t too bad, large prawns are a great choice if the bite is a bit slow. If you are particularly targeting the bigger models, live baits are a

preferred method. Pending availability mackerel scad are the first choice, but other small live baits will work quite well at times. It’s surprising how often a 40cm fish will scoff down even a big live scad. We’ve done a bit of lure fishing for grassies over the years and at times it can produce some exceptional fish. The neap tides and tide changes are definitely the best times to chase sweetlip on lures. I’ve had limited success with micro jigs but they can work reasonably well. Soft vibes and soft plastics are ideal

TOOLS OF THE TRADE No specialised gear required here! Light to medium threadline outfits are suitable for bait fishing, provided that have a nice, smooth drag. Lighter line in the 10-15kg class will stop most sweetlip, but the presence of other species, like coral trout and red

soft tip rod can help convert bites into hook-ups. I fish a Daiwa Saltiga LD 20H overhead reel on a Saltist Hyper Jig PE 4 rod and this rig has stopped some pretty impressive fish. During winter I sometimes swap to a Shimano Talica 8 on a Grappler Type J B 604, which is also ideal. These rods feel very light

A nice sweetlip caught on a Nomad Vertrex soft vibe. The iridescent stripes around the eye are quite unique.

This is pretty typical of the bottom structure fished for sweetlip. Broken fern, wire and soft corals with plenty of sand and rubble mixed in.

choices for anglers chasing these fish on artificials. In the shallower water where triggerfish aren’t as prevalent, soft plastics really shine. Using 4-5” jerk shads rigged on an appropriate jighead will get hit pretty hard on the drop, with most fish hooked in the bottom third of the water column. Prawn and squid imitations also work well. Soft vibes in the 80-100mm range are perfect for prospecting over likely areas. Nomad Vertrex and Samaki Vibelicious vibes have a great action on the drop and take minimal rod work to get them vibrating. Small subtle lifts close to the bottom produce the best results.

Blue Maori cod aren’t a common capture but Bruiser wasn’t complaining about catching this fella. emperor, make this choice far too sporting. We fish 20-25kg braid mainline with 2-3m of 30kg mono or fluorocarbon leader. At times the bite of a big sweetlip can be deceptively gentle, and this is where a

when you pick them up but their pulling power is unbelievable. When fishing live baits, heavier gear can be used as the bigger fish will hit the bait with gusto. In winter the fish To page 10

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Southern

OLD

Back to normal for the bay BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

Wi t h warming temperatures during the coming weeks, September promises some varied fishing for those venturing out on the water. With the snapper closure over, fishing routines will be back to normal for most in Moreton Bay. Pelagic numbers will be increasing and there will still be numbers or squid and cuttlefish about. Crabbing will be improving as water temperatures rise and a great mix of demersal and pelagic species will be on offer. Let’s look at more of your Moreton Bay options.

SCHOOL MACKEREL Numbers of these tasty speedsters will be increasing over the coming month, especially in the major channel systems. The Rous, Rainbow, Kianga and Pearl channels are all viable options over the coming weeks. Mackerel are often in considerable numbers in these areas and getting a full bag limit of ten fish over 50cm can often be fairly easy. As the tide starts to rise, the schoolies will roam through these channels until the water rises and they can proceed onto the adjacent bank’s areas to feed. As the tide starts to fall, the school mackerel will again move into the channels, often patrolling the edges awaiting the baitfish, cephalopods

and other morsels that are forced from the flats by the receding waters. Catching these fish is often easy and can be achieved with both baits and lures. Drifting the channels with a gang-hook rigged pilchard aft is a fun way to score a few schoolies and allows you to fish fairly light line. Small, deep diving minnow lures can be trolled on light line to entice a few strikes. More commonly, anglers troll spoon lures behind paravanes for good results on school mackerel and other species. The paravane is responsible for getting the lure down into the strike zone and is usually deployed 20-30m behind the boat. The spoon is a further 4-5m

With warmer water temperatures, pelagics such as school mackerel will be readily caught. This one ate a Kimberley spoon trolled behind a paravane.

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behind the paravane and a swivel (preferably ball bearing) is essential in front of the spoon to eliminate twist with the rapidly spinning lure. This rig is generally trolled at speeds between 4-6 knots and can be set up on a 40-60lb handline or a heavy (minimum 30lb) rod and reel outfit. Once a strike is received, the paravane will flip over and plane towards the surface. Common spoons to use include the Halco No.3 and No.4 Barra Drone and Kimberley Spoon and the Macka Spoons. I have also used the Aussie made 35g and 50g Flasha Lures with success. The various beacons scattered throughout the central and northern bay will also hold decent numbers of fish at times during September. These can be fished by dropping pilchards adjacent to the structures and then drifting away, or by vertically spinning with chromed slugs and slices. Once the lure is allowed to sink close to the bottom adjacent to the structure, it is then wound back to the surface flat out. You cannot wind too fast. If the mackerel are following yet not striking then you are not winding fast enough. The occasional bout of surface activity may be found, however it is more common that the mackerel will be located deeper in the water column in the channels, around the artificial reefs and the bay island surrounds. A couple of mackerel will guarantee a tasty feed so having a pilchard drifting aft whilst fishing any of these spots can be well worthwhile. SNAPPER After the snapper closure finished mid-August many anglers were back out targeting their favoured table fare and sportfish. Both the quantity and quality of snapper encountered this year has been excellent, mainly due to regular rains, which have flushed valuable nutrients into the system. This has not only promoted healthy baitfish and crustacean numbers but has also decreased water clarity resulting in larger fish feeling comfortable to enter and feed in the shallower bay waters. Anglers have achieved great results around the artificial reefs, bay island margins, lower reaches of the Brisbane River and the numerous wrecks and other structures scattered throughout Moreton Bay. Although there has been numerous 80cm+ specimens caught, it is the number of 40-60cm snapper that has been surprising. These are a great eating sized fish and

Chris with a trophy class mulloway taken while casting lures near Mud Island. are less wary than the larger specimens in general. I prefer to eat mulloway than snapper but they remain one of the more desirable table fish for many. The artificial reefs provide anglers with plenty of opportunity to score a few quality specimens, however, like many spots they can shut down with excessive boat traffic. The Harry Atkinson, Coochiemudlo, Peel, Curtin and Bill Turner artificials are all great places to score snapper and numerous other species. For anglers into lure fishing, these depths provide opportunity to use soft vibes, numerous soft plastics, blades, micro jigs and even trolled minnow lures. Any quality baits will entice snapper including pilchards, fillet baits, large banana prawns, slimey mackerel, yakkas, herring and pike. These baits are best fished lightly weighted and with hooks well hidden with just the points proud. Quality snapper fishing should be experienced for several months yet so you have plenty of opportunity to get amongst them. CEPHALOPODS Although water temperatures are starting to rise, there will still be plenty of quality tiger and arrow squid to be caught. If water clarity is good inshore (not too much rain) then the foreshore areas will still hold squid for the land-based fraternity to chase. Further out in the bay, the shallows around the bay islands, weed beds north of Tangalooma, the discoloured edges in the upper Rous Channel and other locations where clean water flows over weed beds, reef, rock or rubble are likely to produce. Even in the middle of the main channel squid can often

be found, especially arrows. Casting egi in shallow areas and working them back to the boat in a series of hops or a stop and start retrieve will usually work well. In deeper areas, drifting an egi or baited skewer under a float, even whilst targeting other species, will produce a few squid, especially big tigers. The deeper channel running from the Ormiston area to the front of Green Island is a good bet for a few cuttlefish. This area is best drifted with egi, however you will need to add weight or present them on a paternoster rig to get them close to the bottom. This same presentation will work in areas such as the outer edge of the Harry Atkinson and also the area where the Small Ships Channel meets the western end of the Rous Channel. FLATHEAD September is a great month for anglers to target flathead, especially duskies that are congregating in the estuaries getting ready to breed. Commonly one large female is surrounded by several smaller males, who are all biding to be the chosen one. Commonly several fish can be taken in a small area with consecutive casts. If you are trolling and hook a fish then a second, third or fourth pass over the same ground is advisable as it is highly likely that several others will be in attendance. Understanding a flathead’s movements will greatly increase your catch rate. On the lower stages of the tide flathead will reside in and move through the channels. As the tide rises, they will take up spots along the edges of the channels and then move up onto the flats once the water level is

Southern

OLD

sufficient. The smaller fish will go up first and then the larger specimens. They will feed on tops of the flats and in the shallows for quite some time, often taking up ambush spots in small gutters, recesses and drains. As the tide begins to fall, they will again move to the edges of the bank, to await the baitfish, crustaceans and other morsels that will be forced from the flats with the receding tide. The larger fish commonly take up the best ambush spots but there will also be plenty of smaller specimens in the general vicinity. This stage of the tide offers the easiest fishing for those casting or trolling lures. Working your way along the edge of a bank either assisted by wind and tidal flow, or an electric motor, whilst casting lures such as soft vibes, blades, minnow lures or soft plastics (curl tails, paddle tails, crustacean profiles and many others will work) is a great way to effectively cover this zone. An electric motor with spot-lock will allow you to hold in an area and present numerous casts after an initial flathead is located. Trolling can be done under power of electric motor or petrol outboard and allows you to cover a good distance.

Small, brightly coloured minnow lures are ideal and will stand out in the often murky water flowing off the flats. Lures that dive deep enough to occasionally bang and rattle across the bottom, stirring up puffs of mud, silt and sand are ideal choices. As banks are sloped, a shallower diver is often used closest to the bank and a deeper diver worked from the boat on the other side where there is greater depth. A browse around a good tackle store will quickly

reveal several good lures for this pursuit. The main type of flathead encountered in the estuary is the dusky however fringe-eye, tiger and bar-tailed species are also encountered. Dusky flathead have a size slot between 40cm and 75cm with a maximum of five per person in possession. There should be plenty of flathead around in the estuaries, creeks, rivers and bay shallows for a few months although they are a species that can be

caught all year round. BRISBANE RIVER As the warmer weather becomes noticeable, anglers will see better numbers of threadfin salmon in the lower reaches of the Brisbane River. These will often school in good numbers and are quite obvious to those with decent electronics and a good knowledge of their workings. However, getting them to bite is not always easy and several lure and retrieve changes will often be necessary. Even then they

Mark scored this quality flathead while casting a Samaki Thumpertail and hopping it across the bottom.

will often be elusive. Some resort to live baits to get the bites however it is sometimes just a tidal stage issue. As the current slows before the change or increases just after the change the switch will flick and rods will bend. Often several fish can be caught in a session. Whilst there is nothing wrong with taking one or two for a feed careful handling will help to guarantee that released fish actually survive. Removing hooks whilst they are still in the water and using line heavy enough to allow you to subdue them quickly is advisable. Good lures for threadfin will include soft vibes, blades, silent hard vibes, micro jigs and numerous soft plastics. Live baits of herring, mullet, banana prawns, pike and biddies will all get the bites when fished lightly weighted and close to the bottom along the declines into the main river basin, the fronts of jetties and deeper holes. There has been decent numbers of snapper caught in the Brisbane River in recent months with specimens to over 80cm recorded. Many of these have been taken by anglers targeting threadfin and mulloway. Some specifically target them along the retaining wall at the mouth, Caltex Reach, Clara’s Rocks and the rock walls

where the tugs tie up at the northern end of Boat Passage. Casting small blades and soft plastics around the pylons and eddies along the rock walls and other structures will likely reward with bream, cod and snapper. Working the bottom close to the structures will also produce a few flathead. Better numbers of flathead will be taken on the flats at the mouth of Boggy Creek, the mud ledge leading away from the sewerage shoot and the sandy bank near the Pinkenba Boat ramp. The land-based anglers will often score on the northern side of the Boat Passage bridge. CONCLUSION With so many piscatorial options, anglers will often have a hard time deciding where to go or what to target on any given day during September. The warmer conditions and longer days will also make a trip out enjoyable. Higher water temperatures will see pelagic activity flourish and there will be a good chance of scoring bonito, mac tuna, school mackerel or perhaps even a longtail or cobia. Crabs, squid and cuttlefish will be on the menu and there may even a be a few prawns to be taken for those doing night sessions in the Brisbane River. September has plenty to offer so get out there.

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Sage R8 Core is a rod that is focused on maximum versatility for anglers. R8 Core represents the most cutting edge fly rod design by utilising a revolutionary new composite, developed in conjunction with the world’s leading aerospace companies. Sage has increased the purity of graphite in the rod for even more reactivity and sensitivity, shifting energy further down the blank and into the handle. As this elongated energy transfer shifts the sweet spot closer to the hand, it creates a more natural extension of your arm for greater range, quicker reactivity and less wasted effort. This effortless energy transfer, and the amplified two-way feedback loop of R8 Technology, allows you to feel when the power needs to be applied throughout the cast, presentation, and when applying the appropriate pressure to fish. Coming in a range from 3wt to 9wt, with a variety of lengths from 8’6” to 10’0”, there’s sure to be a model to fit the core needs of every angler. Price: SRP $1560 www.jmgillies.com.au

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The Daiwa 20 Infeet rod range and the new 22 Infeet X spin reel deliver the ultimate finesse line-up. The Infeet 702LRS integrates performance with price for the Australian light tackle finesse angler. It utilises Daiwa’s X45 and HVF blank technology creating a rod that is under 90g and highly sensitive. Available in two sizes, the new Infeet X spin reel features Daiwa’s carbon composite Zaion V body, which is strong and sturdy while remaining incredibly sensitive, lightweight, and saltwater proof. The next-gen ATD Type-L drag is installed for the first time outside 22 Exist, to offer the best performance with light line. Fully equipped with CRBB corrosion resistant bearings and sporting Daiwa’s Magseal technology the Infeet X is a perfect choice for keen light-tackle anglers. www.daiwafishing.com.au

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DAIWA INFEET 702lrs with INFEET x 2000s-p

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BEST ROD WINNER

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The Bone Drago series builds on years of rod building experience, with every aspect of the rod meticulously put together to create the best product available. Starting with a 100% full carbon fibre handle and reel seat that was designed to be ergonomically perfect, the Drago is extremely light weight and the handle provides unparalleled sensitivity. This butt and handle configuration also produces an extremely well-balanced rod with amazing overall performance. The blank is 100% TorayCA M40X T110G carbon fibre material rolled in a multi-axis fashion to provide the signature Drago feel from the high response, fast taper blank. The Fuji K-SIC guides are lightly bound to minimise the impact on the blank. There are six models in the Drago range, and they’re set to hit shelves in early 2023. www.wilsonfishing.com

BONE DRAGO 610m

BEST GAME FISHING ROD WINNER

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Daiwa’s new Airdrive Design, a four pillar (Airdrive Rotor, Airdrive Bail, Airdrive Spool, and Airdrive Shaft) design concept that reduces weight, and enhances rotational smoothness and responsiveness. The Airdrive Rotor and Airdrive Airbail combine to reduce weight at the top of the reel to improve rotational smoothness and start up speed, and to minimise rotational resistance and inertia. These design benefits are further enhanced thanks to the Exist’s new weight-saving, optimally balanced Airdrive Spool. Airdrive Shaft features a low contact structure between the mainshaft and pinion, and results in reduced internal friction and improved rotational smoothness. Other features include Monocoque Body, Magseal, Tough Digigear, ATD, and Twistbuster. www.daiwafishing.com.au

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CO-WINNER BERKLEY SHIMMA SHRIMP Aussie anglers asked for it and the team at Berkley have delivered, with the all new Shimma Shrimp Weedless. This new lure is available in three sizes – 100mm (9g), 120mm (16g) and 150mm (28g) – to suit a wide variety of target species, and it’s perfect for fishing in snaggy environments. The Shimma Weedless does it all. It shimmies on the drop, tucks its tail on the lift, and sends out lots of vibration that fish just can’t resist. Built on a tough, stretchy TPE (thermal plastic elastomer), it has a weedless body with unique hook and weight system designed to give the best mix of sink, vibration, and glide. The Shimma Shrimp weighs 9g and is currently available in 10 fish-catching colours: olive, blue tail, nuclear, pearl, crystal, pink, peach, fire tiger, orange belly, and peppered. Price: from SRP $17.99-$19.99 berkley-fishing.com.au

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The brand new Chasebaits Curly Prawn 60mm is an unrigged prawn imitation made from PVC material and modelled off the highly successful Flick Prawn Body. The Curly Prawn incorporates a curly tail and is designed to be rigged backwards, with an enticing curly tail action on the drop and hop. Key features include a belly and back slot for weedless rigging, painted eyes, 2-tone injected colours, six per pack and vibrating legs. This new lure will be available from November in Australian tackle stores. Price: SRP $12.95 www.chasebaits.com.au

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It’s no secret that swimbaits attract bites from big predators when other lures won’t, but getting big baits into the strike zone without spooking the target can be a challenge. Shimano’s new ArmaBoost lure technology changes the game – increasing casting distance by up to 35%. The innovative Arma Boost hinge design allows the Bantam ArmaJoint to effectively fold in half on the cast, enabling unparalleled flight time, stability, and casting accuracy for a swimbait of this size. The Bantam ArmaJoint also features Shimano’s groundbreaking Flash Boost system, engineered to constantly emit a fish-attracting flash during the retrieve, even on the pause. On the outside, Scale Boost technology provides the platform for some of the most realistic lure finishes in the world. To see a cool video of this lure in flight, head to YouTube and search for ‘Bantam ArmaJoint’. www.shimanofish.com.au

BEST GAME FISHING ACCESSORY

SHIMANO BANTAM ARMAJOINT

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VENOM V-MINNOW

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The Venom V-Minnow has just been released after years of rigorous on-water testing. The toughness of this lure is the result of thicker external walls, through wire and an internal rib system. Ball bearings are placed in exactly the right spot to ensure each lure performs to its peak.

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The V-Swim can be trolled at up to 12 knots, making it ideal for fast-paced predators such as mackerel, wahoo and tuna. And when trolled at 6-8 knots, it will attract just about any predator in the ocean. There are two sizes, 130mm/45g and 170mm/92g, which will appeal to kingfish, tuna, mackerel, wahoo and GTs. The 130mm model is also effective on coral trout, smaller trevally species and jobfish. The V-Minnow comes in 10 proven colours. www.wilsonfishing.com

BEST GAME FISH ACCESSORY WINNER DAIWA INSULATED FISH BAG Keep your catch safe and secure and in tip top condition with Daiwa’s new Insulated Fish Bag. Designed for ease of use, robust construction and for optimum insulating performance the Insulated Fish Bag is a must-have for all keen catch-ncook anglers. Heavily insulated and made from ultrastrong PVC material, the Insulated Fish Bag has been constructed to handle the heaviest of catches, even when loaded with ice, and features a zippered and Velcro strapped opening on the top for ease of access. An external mesh pocket on the end of the bag provides storage options, while a lower drainage bung allows you to drain unwanted water from the bag. A ruler on the outside of the bag allows you to measure your catch, ensuring your prized capture doesn’t go unmeasured. Available in three sizes (70cm, 100cm and 150cm) the new Insulated Fish Bag is the bag you don’t want to leave home without on your next fishing adventure. www.daiwafishing.com.au

BEST TERMINAL TACKLE WINNER OCEAN’S LEGACY TAKO BAIT ASSIST The Ocean’s Legacy Tako Bait Assist is a high-quality, custom-designed glow tako (Japanese for ‘octopus’) bait with UV tinsel, designed to increase bites. The Tako Bait Assist is professionally tied on a fluorocore cord with ultra-sharp twin assist hooks in sizes 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, suitable for micro, slow pitch and deep jigging applications. The Tako Bait Assist is currently available in four proven colours: clear speckled glow, full pink glow, blue pink silver glow and sardine glow. Ocean’s Legacy’s product range has been designed in collaboration with expert anglers from around Australia and South East Asia, and tested throughout the harsh conditions of Australia, Christmas and Cocos Keeling islands on everything from yellowtail kingfish and giant blue grouper through to dogtooth tuna and GTs. oceanslegacy.com

BEST CLOTHING ACCESSORY WINNER BONE FISHERMAN'S HAT The Bone Fisherman Tiger Camo Hat is packed with angler-friendly features including the Bone Sunglasses Holder, a utility pocket and of course a wide brim for the ultimate in sun protection. The broad brim reduces direct sunlight across the neck and face, while the neck strap and head strap allow for the perfect fit for almost any angler. Available in two colours, grey camo and green camo, the Bone Fisherman Tiger Camp Hats will keep you comfortable on the water, day in and day out. www.wilsonfishing.com

BEST OF SHOW AWARDS

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Casting is a core fundamental skill for anglers, which rapidly improves capture rates when lure fishing, and the Berkley Master Caster kit is designed to be a simple fun training tool to hone angler skill sets in the back yard or campsite. The kit includes a collapsible target and two casting plugs to suit spin and baitcast tackle. It quickly unfolds and is easy to assemble, and packs away quickly and easily, making it simple to transport. It comes complete with two casting plugs, a target, and two pegs, so you’re all set to practice your casting anywhere. There is also the option to purchase two additional casting plugs separately, with the Master Caster 2-piece Casting Plug Set (SRP $14.99). This kit includes one 18g baitcaster plug, and one 7.5g spin plug. Price: SRP $59.99 berkley-fishing.com.au

The new Crypto model from Spotters blends the best of their most popular models to make this one epic pair of shades! The Crypto features flexible temples for superior round-the-clock comfort, along with a universal nose bridge to fit a broad range of face shapes. The front of the frame headlines stylish accents, along with a smaller Spotters logo on the temples. It’s a timeless design that will be sure to impress. There is a wide range of lens types and colours to choose from in the Spotters range, including four photochromic options – Halide (brown), Penetrator (copper), Carbon (grey) and Xtreme (green) – that darken in response to light levels. The lens featured in the photo on this page is Ignite Mirror, one of four mirror options available in the range. For more information or to find the stockist nearest you, head to the Spotters Sunglasses website. Price: SRP $319.95 www.spotters.com.au

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JOHN DUNPHY AWARD FOR INNOVATION

The Hopper M20 Backpack Soft Cooler allows you to put the day on your back — literally. This hands-free cooler comfortably straps on like a backpack to keep you mobile, while a strip of ultrastrong magnets keeps the cold locked in. The new MagShield Access opens wide so you can easily load in beer, ice, or your favourite sandwiches. The powerful magnets create an ultra leak-resistant shield that stays open when you need it and seals closed with a gentle push. ColdCell Insulation uses closed-cell foam technology to lock the cold in and keep your refreshments fresh. Yeti recommends using the large Yeti Thin Ice ice brick in your M20 Backpack. There’s also the option to attach accessories such as the Rambler Bottle Sling or Sidekick Dry Gear Case to the HitchPoint Grid to keep useful gear at your fingertips. Price: SRP $449.96 au.yeti.com

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YETI HOPPER M20 BACKPACK

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Made from heavy-duty marine grade 316 stainless steel, the Gunnell Rod GRV2 is an Aussie invention that has been tested and perfected in worldwide conditions. GRV2 is fully engineered here in Australia, and proudly manufactured with Gunnell Rod’s partners in Thailand. The result is a tough-as-nails, ideal outfit for anglers who don’t want to resort to using heavy game gear or deep-sea combos. With the GRV2 you can troll, tease, jig, drift or get your kids, first-timers, or those who need a little extra support catching fish! The support handle makes the Gunnell Rod a secure and more comfortable option in rougher seas as well, perfect for a novice angler, or as an extra set line. Features include: 180º knuckle joint to accommodate any rod holder angle on any boat; accepts any medium to large overhead reel; base features gimbal bar slots to secure into any standard rod holder; reversible support handle to brace the angler (suits both right and left-handers to wind); 360º rotation providing optimal control of the fish; and lockable line guide arm with swivel eyelet to avoid excessive line wear/tear Price: SRP $499 www.gunnellrod.com

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Combining the durability of a hard-sided tackle box with the lightweight flexibility of a soft-sided tackle bag, the premium EVA-constructed Atlas Tackle Pack from Plano is a completely new take on tackle storage. This backpack boasts premium EVA construction with a sturdy, waterproof HDPE base to deliver a serious dose of durability. It features Plano’s patented magnetic Dropzone to catch and hold your crankbaits, tools, or other items that need to be set down in a hurry. Bungee cord rod holders and a pair of tool holders are incorporated into the face of the pack for quick access while you’re on the move. In addition to this, there’s a water-resistant mobile phone storage pocket that shields your phone and other valuable electronics from boat spray. Other features include water-resistant mobile phone storage, internal zippered mesh pockets, moulded side pockets, and padded shoulder straps and generous back padding for maximum comfort. www.planofishing.com.au

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The SB1 Neo-Black 50S, manufactured by Response, is a super comfortable and stylish neoprene life jacket. This Level 50 Neo is a single-belt neoprene jacket. It is built with super-soft PVC foam with an ultra-light interior lining. Segmented neoprene panels increase your flexibility, giving you the freedom of movement to enjoy all water sport activities. Response SB1 Neos are fully certified to AS4758.1 2015 standards. Other features include: front zip entry; heavyduty buckles; 4-panel, super comfortable design; and more roomy arm holes. SB1 Neo-Black 50S comes in six sizes, ranging from X Small Adult to 2X Large Adult. The Response range of PFDs also includes a variety of other lifejackets for both adults and children, including standard level 100 foam lifejackets, watersports lifejackets, kayak jackets, manual and automatic inflatable yokes, waist belts, and a range of pet vests. www.jmgillies.com.au

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RESPONSE SB1 LIFE JACKET

BEST TACKLE MANAGEMENT

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Snapper catches to the rescue this spring COFFS COAST

Rob Taylor

Coffs Coast fishos can’t seem to catch much of a break this year with either flooding rains or heavy seas, or both. There’s certainly been some sensational fishing days in the mix but there’s been some long waits between them. The saving grace has definitely been snapper. We’ve experienced a

fantastic snapper season with plenty of big reds hitting the decks and most anglers are at least scoring a decent feed with each outing. Depending on water clarity, the majority of reds have been between 20m and 60m with the usual bait and lure options finding fish. Trag and pearlies have also been on the chew out a bit wider and some solid samsonfish have crashed a few parties taking baits intended for smaller targets.

When water clarity allows, the creeks and rivers have been fishing well for both flathead and bream and most fishos have been staying close to the mouths during run in tides to chase the higher salinity. Those river entrances with rock walls have been producing luderick and school mulloway so there’s been plenty of fun in the still water. Us locals have also managed to retain some sanity thanks to the impressive tailor run off

Troy Boulton with a beautiful Coffs Coast red taken on a soft plastic.

Local kayaker, Luke Giovanetti, produced this impressive haul of reds from his kayak using Atomic plastics.

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the rocks and beaches, and a healthy start to the drummer season. September heralds the first few days of spring and with the change comes the beginning of the seasonal transition for local fishos. Let’s take a look at what’s on offer this spring. CREEKS, RIVERS AND ESTUARIES Spring is flathead time on our part of the coast and there will be some big lizards in all of the local creeks and rivers. Fishing the sand flats where the big girls lay up in an effort to find some warmer water always works well at this

time of year. Given the shallow water, surface presentations like glide baits and bent minnows come into their own right about now but don’t rule out the usual crankbaits, soft plastics and drifted livies as they all get good results. There will still be plenty of bream about and we should start to see some whiting turn up in the lower reaches and they’re always fun to chase on drifted live yabbies or sandworms. We will also continue to see good numbers of luderick and school mulloway around the rock walls and

mouths so it’s really not a bad time to start hitting up the local rivers and estuaries, ROCKS AND BEACHES As mentioned, it has been a great tailor run this year and you can expect that to continue throughout September with most of the local headlands a sure bet to find choppers. There’s a plethora of surface and sub-surface artificials on offer to chase tailor these days but I find you can’t go past Twistys and Tobies if you want a simple and relatively cheap lure to secure a feed of fish. Bleed and ice your tailor

NSW

and then smoke them and if you aren’t already in the know, you’ll find they’re delicious. School and mid-range mulloway will also be about in good numbers this month with both the rocks and beaches great places to start. Local fishos have been doing well casting live yellowtail off the beaches to the north of Coffs during evening sessions with plenty of fish between 5-10kg being taken most evenings. In addition, lure fishing has proven productive with both big crankbaits and soft plastics nailing their share of mulloway. I’d expect some good fishing to continue off the

beaches for September so get out there and have some fun. OFFSHORE September is a great month (if not the best) to be out chasing snapper in our part of the world. Some really big reds will be cruising the inshore reefs at this time of year so if you want to bag a big fella, now is the time to be out there. Float lining sessions generally always produce the goods but if you want that 7kg+ red, it’s hard to go past soft plastics. If you’re out in the deeper water, it’s a good idea to have ocky jigs or Kachi Kachi type lures over the side as these will quite often tempt big snapper and

mulloway while you focus on either bait or plastic fishing. Stick on in the rod holder and let it do its thing. Out around the islands there will be plenty of kingfish and tailor about and it’s quite a fun time to flicking small metals around the washes. You’ll no doubt get steamrolled by the occasional freight train of a king but that’s part of the fun. If the islands are quiet, head out to the 60m reefs for kings, sambos, trag and pearlies. Out wider we should see some yellowfin and striped marlin start to show so pulling a spread of pushers with a big bibbed minnow down below them should get a strike. We’re about to shake off the last of winter so what better way to celebrate the end of the cold than with a bent rod? Get out there, get into them and have some fun.

Some big sambos will start turning up on snapper grounds at this time of year.

FISHING NEWS

Repeat offender caught again at Tuncurry

This bag of big reds taken by Troy Boulton is typical of what’s on offer in September.

size blue swimmer crabs, and when Fisheries Officers went to search the vessel they were again obstructed

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by the man. The man was subsequently issued a number of court attendance

notices for the offences that occurred on both dates. On 28 July, 2022, both matters were heard at Forster Local Court, with the magistrate highlighting the seriousness of the obstruction charges and the unfair advantage that the offender gained by using seven crab traps. The man was found guilty and ordered to pay over $10,000 in fines and professional costs as well as being issued with a 12-month community correction order (CCO) as an alternative to gaol time. Members of the public can report suspected illegal fishing activies on 1800 043 536 or online at www. dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/ compliance. – NSW DPI

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NSW DPI has reminded the public that illegal crabbing and obstructing Fisheries Officers won’t be tolerated. Back in August last year, Fisheries Officers observed a fisher using seven crab traps in Wallis Lake, five more crab traps than a person is allowed to use in NSW. The man was inspected on the water, where a number of prohibited size blue swimmer crabs were found. During the inspection the man also obstructed Fisheries Officers. On 28 February, 2022, Fisheries Officers checked the man again, but this time at Tuncurry boat ramp. On this occasion, he was again found in possession of prohibited

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Be on the look out to head out PORTLAND

Nigel Fisher

The fishing in the last few weeks has been up and down, but this is mainly due to the weather, which can prove difficult at this time of year. We have had some big winds and swells that can deter the best of us from heading out. For that reason, when a window does open up, you need to be ready to go. Most of our annual charter operators have headed home for a well-earned break and to get ready for their snapper season. However, we have some good local charter operators on hand, ready to take you fishing. Tuna are still on the cards, plus bottom bouncing for sharks, snapper and more. It makes for a great day out at this time of year. The barrel tuna have been a bit slow here in Portland in July and early August, but we have all the signs that they could still fire up. One was caught coming in at 100kg at the time of writing this report, and let’s hope by the time you are reading this, more have made their way into shallow waters from Lawrences Rock to Cape Bridgewater. There’s also a good chance of school tuna being mixed in with the barrels, which is great for the fishos who love their tuna,

with shallow waters around the North Shore. Landbased options include the breakwater, Town Jetty and Trawlers Wharf, just to name a few. Bait jigs and squid jigs of different sizes and colours, depending on the weather and depth, will get you going. Flathead are a good option

Whiting and pinkie snapper should also start showing up in the bay, but could still be a bit slow. Salmon, snook and couta should still be in good numbers around the Town Reef to the North Shore, and big snook around Lawrences Rock.

A nice mixed bag picked up in the 50m mark by Braden and Joffa.

Salmon are another good land-based target off the breakwater, Pivot Rocks, jetties and beaches such as the Snapper Point area, Bridgewater Bay beaches, and others. Shark fishing off the beaches and breakwater is also a good option in late winter and spring. The main targets are gummies, schoolies and bronzies. Sharks can be very productive at this time of year as they cruise the shallower waters for an easy feed. Low pressure cells can really set the sharks off, so bear this in mind if you are keen for a feed of flake. Breakwater this time of year can start firing up a bit better. As I said, squid and sharks are a great option, plus there are salmon as well. You can catch the odd good-size flathead and whiting here, and depending on the swell, you could even encounter a decent snapper. Bottom bouncing the deep waters on the good days has generally been very producing in past springs. You can head out to the shelf fishing for blue-eye, gemfish, blue grenadier and so on, or fish that 50-120m depth range for gummies, schoolies, snapper and more. Let’s hope that good spring weather is on our side. If you are looking for fishing options closer

A 100kg barrel caught from behind Lawrences Rock by Graham Teasdale and Ric Walklate. to shore, we have some great estuaries for bream, mulloway and perch not too far from Portland, plus some good freshwater areas if you wish to chase redfin, trout etc. You should also make sure your yabby pots are ready to go for a good feed of yabbies as the weather warms up. Remember, if you’re

planning on a trip to Portland, call in and see us for all your bait and fishing needs, and to find out any up-to-date info. Compleat Angler is located at 61 Bentinck Street next to the Gordon Hotel. You can also contact us on 03 5521 1844, or check out our Facebook page for further information. Happy fishing!

Estuary anglers hope for rain WARRNAMBOOL

Mark Gercovich mgercovich@hotmail.com

Although September signals the end of winter, I’m sure there will be plenty of wet and windy ‘wintery’

weather still to come here in the South West of Victoria. In fact, so far this winter we haven’t experienced too much in the way of significant rainfall and all the rivers are still running fairly clear as of the end of July. Both trout and estuary

anglers alike are hoping for some dirty water to fire things up a little on the fishing front. The Hopkins estuary remains cold clear and pretty quiet on the fishing front. Trout fishing in the Hopkins and the Merri has still been

Peter Galea with a good feed of redfin. and also for the anglers who want to try tuna fishing for the first time. With spring finally upon us, we can start fearing up for other species of fish. By now we should see better numbers of squid in the bay. Under the water tower and around the Town Reef and weed beds are great boat options, along 80

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also, and you can generally get a feed throughout the bay. Sometimes you have to hunt for some bigger sizes, but they are there. With low swells and winds other fishos will take the opportunities to cruise around to Bridgewater for the chance of a good feed of flathead that are generally much bigger in size.

Kobi Rothall with a quality blue morwong.

good recently, but keen trout fishers are hopping for some big flows to move the fish around a bit and turn on some of the dirty water fishing the region is renowned for. If the higher dirty water levels happen makes sure you use bigger than usual lures, like the Daiwa Presso 95 and fish the shallower runs and backwaters. Warrnambool boat ramp is currently closed. The reputed ‘worst ramp in the state’ is undergoing refurbishments, hopefully they will be successful in alleviating at least of few of the problems experienced by people attempting to launch at this facility. Time will only tell. It is expected to reopen in time for summer, once again only time will tell. Port Fairy ramp will probably be super busy now, so take this into account in planning any offshore trips, particularity on flat weekends. Offshore the school tuna have pushed out wider but are in big numbers. Dan Hoey has been putting his clients onto plenty of fish off Point Fairy. The barrel To page 81

VIC

Expectations are high APOLLO BAY

Craig Rippon

We’re one week out from the Vic Tuna Classic and, with a lot of big fish coming in, we should be in for a great weekend of fishing! There have been several fish weighed in over the 100kg mark in the last month. There is a lot of bait in the water so the fish will hopefully stay around. They have been moving around a bit and with the tough weather we are having with high winds they are not holding in one area. They have been tough to find at times with not a lot of birds on the bait. Several fish have been caught blind trolling but at the moment there is a lot of sea life around; dolphins, seals and the big fish are swimming with them. Hopefully we can crack a good weekend of weather so

the comp can go ahead as we have missed a couple of years because of Covid. There have been really good numbers of entries with great prizes. The place has been fishing really well the last couple of weeks with a good run of big snapper on the outer reefs, with fish caught up to 12lb. I have been on the water lot the last month and have managed some great gummies and school shark catches. Mainly I anchor on the change of tide with fresh bait a must. I have also managed to have a great whiting session with a mate and his two kids tucked away out of the wind. We headed east along the coast and fished our way from Cape Pattern back to the bay. The wind got up early arvo, which stopped us fishing, but we managed 30 quality whiting all around the 40-43cm mark. It was an awesome day to see the kids on these fish. One of

the kids got a bit of seasickness but when we got the fish going and she was catching fish, she felt way better. The fish started biting very slowly but when the berley got going they were going crazy, then the wind hit us. We couldn’t hold in the sand hole, so that was it. We used a variety of fresh bait but the pipi and squid cocktail was the best Flathead have been in good numbers and size just drifting in 40m of water. With the north winds, we’ve had the locals getting into the garfish. They are lovely to eat and also make a great bait. Just roll them out with a rolling pin, a bit of flour in a pan, splash of garlic, and they are beautiful to eat. Let’s pray for more good weather and hopefully next month I can report on a good Tuna Classic. In the meantime, rug up and get fishing as there are plenty of fish about.

The tumbler bag is a must after catching a good feed of whiting

Making the switch COBDEN

Rod Shepherd

Until very recently, one fish that was nearly always a sure bet over winter was Australian salmon. At the time of writing this report, it seems the annual winter run has only just begun, and for how long and in what numbers? This season seems down on others. Is it climate change or over-fishing? One thought on the subject is that salmon are being overfished by professional fishermen, with the vast majority of the catch being sold off to canneries to be turned into cat food, with a small amount sold to cray fishers From page 80

action just over the boarder at Point Mac is still capturing the attention of most with fish from 70-130kg being taken. Casting live baits and sometimes lures into the work-ups is producing the

This bream was caught just before the fish kill. For the foreseeable future, bream captures like this may be a thing of the past.

A nice bag of bream taken before the fish kill. It’s now advisable to release any bream caught. majority of the fish. Many offshore anglers have been getting into the slow-pitch jigging during the cooler months. Whilst the technique does rule out the ever-popular deepwater targets of gummies

and schoolies, it does provide a wide variety of tasty alternatives. Snapper, morwong, nannygai, gurnard, latchet, mirror dory are just some of the possibilities. A bit of UV-glow in your jigs or assist hooks is a must.

Trout will still be a popular target in September.

for pot bait. I hope it is not the case, but we don’t really know. Many pros work from boats, netting whole schools close inshore, whilst others in NSW often work from the beach. During the mullet spawning run along the east coast, many netters follow the spawning schools of mullet and take them en masse. But if the mullet aren’t around, the pros will take salmon instead rather than go home emptyhanded. Salmon are a pelagic fish, i.e. they can and do migrate; sometimes over vast distances. A certain amount of salmon enter Bass Strait from the east when the current turns and heads south, but if they have suffered from excessive netting, what does that do to the overall population? Plus, more salmon schools are now being targeted in South Australia. Ever since the no-take rule on SA snapper was implemented, to allow snapper stocks to recover, some snapper pros have turned their sights on other species, including salmon. Some people welcome a feed of salmon, but the

majority do not. For that reason, nowhere near as much research regarding movement and population has been carried out on this species compared to more tasty species, such as flathead, whiting and snapper. This is a real shame, as I and as many others see salmon as a prized fighting fish. They put up an amazing fight when hooked up, and I’m happy to catch and release big salmon all day. So, is this season just late in kicking off, or are other factors at play? No doubt time will tell. Along with the early spring weather unfortunately comes the wind, making it difficult for some people to effectively fish. Again, any reef strewn or rubbly area lying at around 50m depth is currently holding plenty of decent pinkie snapper, with the odd fish to 4kg coming onboard. Sizable gummy and school shark in excess of 15kg are also being caught, with quality squid tentacles and strips being the go-to baits. The Curdies River mouth is not only open, but many have not seen it this wide for

many years. This bodes well for giving the system a good flush-out, which it needs. Some bream seem to have survived the massive fish kill that occurred earlier on this year. Boaters who aren’t fully aware of what happened, or simply don’t give a toss, have been catching a few fish out in that lake, mainly using bait. Signs are still up at both ramps stating that the river is still infected with various toxins, including blue-green algae, and that fish caught should not be kept for consumption. However, I know that some anglers have kept their catch for the table. More importantly, all bream and estuary perch that survived the kill should be released to boost future stocks. Maybe even close the river and lake to all fishing, period – at least for a year or two. This might give what stocks are left a breather to spawn uninterrupted. No one knows for sure, but I think it’s safe to say that at least 80% of stocks have died. Food for thought. SEPTEMBER 2022

BREAM SERIES presented by

Victorious Victorian at the Queensland Open The second of ABT’s premier App-based tournaments, the SAMAKI Queensland BREAM Open, has been successfully run and won for another year with some history making results. Since his inception, ‘Geoff’ the perpetual Queensland Open trophy, has never been won by a Victorian. However, Rhys Harris decided it was time to rewrite the history books in 2022 and take our little friend on a trip to the garden state for the next 12 months. It seems like just yesterday we were crowning him the 2021 champion, and although he had to relinquish the title, Blake O’Grady was far from disgraced in his efforts, coming second and picking up a handy $2,500 cash to reward his consistency. 1st PLACE RHYS HARRIS: 10/10 BREAM 7.106KG Proof that you’ve got

Getting out late on pre-fish, he checked out some of the more popular haunts of the Gold Coast, catching fish up the Nerang, as well as the trawlers down the front, which set the tone for the days ahead. Starting day one up the Nerang on the second bridge, Harris made full use of his electronics to locate Scan the QR code to watch the Rhys Harris winners Interview

the bait and the fish. “I used my Humminbird 360 to locate the bait and fish schools, and once I’d found them I used the Lowrance ActiveTarget to pinpoint my casts to them. Both units complement each other perfectly,” said Harris about the importance of his sounders in his success.

Let Rhys Harris be the first to tell you good things happen when Victorians travel north! 722L model paired with a 2500 Stradic Ci4 and spooled with 4lb Shimano Kariki braid and 4lb Ocea leader.

For the back half of the session, Harris moved down the front to fish the trawlers where the same unweighted Gulp minnow began to

Defending champ Blake O’Grady had his work cut out for him after day one, however he dug deep and managed to close a gap of five places to the number 2 spot on day two. to be in it to win it, Rhys Harris trekked over two states from Melbourne to take on an arena he’d never fished before and came away victorious over a field of talented (mostly local) anglers.

Due to the masses of bait he could see hugging the pylons on ActiveTarget, Harris chose a 3” pearl watermelon Gulp minnow on a 1/6oz TT jighead to fish deep. This accounted for the start of his bag

RESULTS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 104

SEPTEMBER 2022

Angler Rhys Harris Blake O’Grady Luke Rogan Andrew Soutar Wally Fahey Anthony Wishey Mathew Fatafehi Jamie McKeown Steve Morgan Drew Griffith

Fish 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10

before the unweighted version of the same bait brought unstuck his day one kicker fish, a 35cm-forker caught in shallow water. The go-to combo for fishing the minnow was a Shimano T-Curve premium

The advantage to running a LIVE App-based event is all the cool selfies we collect throughout each session of anglers and their fish. They tend to smile a little wider when they’re tournament winning fish too.

Full results at abt.org.au

Weight(kg) 7.106 6.411 6.258 5.942 5.778 5.611 5.610 5.530 5.411 5.079

Payout $5000 $2500 $1500 $1000 no payout no payout no payout no payout no payout no payout

rack up the fish and provide steady upgrades to the end of the session, putting him in pole position heading into day two. The goal was to replicate the milk run from day one but, as is often the case, the fish can throw you a few curveballs. The first was spot one when he pulled up to the bridge only to quickly discover the thick bait schools he had seen the day

BREAM SERIES presented by prior had disappeared from the sounder and there was only rats to be caught. Moving back to the trawlers and along came curveball number two. The fish weren’t reacting to the minnow the same way they were on day one and kept missing the hooks. As all winners do, he adapted perfectly, changing to his Scan the QR code to watch the Field Highlights

UV Cranka Crab outfit to ensure the hooks stuck on finicky bites. The crab outfit consisted of a 6’8” Shimano Poison Adrena spin rod and a 1000 Stella Fk spooled with 3lb Sunline straight through fluorocarbon to provide the stretch so as not to pull the small treble hooks out on tentative bites. A bit of fine sportsmanship from Blake O’Grady did not go unappreciated by the day one leader when O’Grady let him in to fish a jetty he’d missed a fish on the day before. “Shout-out to Blake, what an awesome guy. He let me in to a jetty and I ended up catching a 34cm-fork to upgrade a 26cm,” said Harris in admiration of the courtesy shown by O’Grady. Going into the blackout period – the last few hours of the final session where the scoreboards are turned off for anglers – Harris decided it was time to go looking for one final upgrade. Returning to the bridge where he started each day, he chose a bait he hadn’t shown the fish the past two days, an

20 of the country’s finest BREAM anglers queue up in anticipation for the day ahead. Atomic Crank 38 deep in everyone’s favourite ghost gill brown colour. Cranking the bridge pylons with his outfit 6’10 Shimano Zodias 2500/Stella Fk combo with 8lb Kariki braid and 4lb Ocea leader accounted for a 29.5cmfork upgrade in the final hour, one of the key fish that helped secure the win. We hope Geoff packed a jacket for his 12-month holiday, it gets pretty cold down south! We look forward to seeing Rhys come back to defend the title next year. 2ND PLACE BLAKE O’GRADY: 10/10 BREAM 6.411Kg 2021 BREAM Queensland Open champion Blake O’Grady has found blistering form in recent years, and he continues this run with a second

place in this year’s Open, unfortunately only missing back-to-back titles by the slimmest of margins. Being the reigning champ carries a lot of weight, however O’Grady

Cranka Crab in various colours including brown and olive to pick apart the structure at a snail’s pace. After the trawlers, he set out to slowly fish the pontoons and canals of the

quickly. On the other hand, I’d pull up to some spots with plenty of current and catch a fish off every pontoon,” said O’Grady. “There was one run there where I got a fish

Luke Rogan was pretty happy with his 3rd place winner’s cheque despite weighing in only a mere 200g behind O’Grady’s second place bag.

It’s impossible not to be happy when you’ve got 175 ponies of supercharged Merc hanging off the back of your Basscat. Just ask Blake O’Grady!

doesn’t let it weigh him down, instead choosing to play it his usual cool and calm self, relying on his knowledge of the local arena. “I pre-fished around Redcliffe hard for two months or more coming into the event so when the bay was closed off for day one, I was a bit disappointed, but it was the right call in the end. All you can do is adapt,” he said, adding that he was confident in his Gold Coast spots as he had a good result in a local comp there just two weeks prior. Starting at the trawlers on each day, he instantly caught fish and decided to stick it out for the first half of each day for his bag, which on day one included a 34.5cm-fork kicker for his third fish of the day. He’s by no means a one trick pony, however one trick was all he needed in this event, choosing a heavy

Nerang River to work on a pattern he had dialled in. Realising it wasn’t a super aggressive bite, he slowed his retrieve right down to a dead slow crawl, at times just dead sticking it on the bottom and watching for a bite. To make sure those subtle bites stuck, he used a Duffrods Ultrabones series paired with a Megabass Gaus 20X, 16lb Gosen braid and 6lb fluorocarbon leader. As the weekend progressed and he refined the bite, he realised that the fish weren’t holding on a particular structure as such, but instead more concentrated in areas with plenty of current. As the old saying goes “no run, no fun” and on a weekend with not much tidal movement, it was crucial to finding those feeding fish. “If I hit a spot and I could see there wasn’t much current I’d leave pretty

off every pontoon for 500m, and another run on day two where I got a run of upgrades as well.” Blake puts a lot of his success down to the quality relationships he has formed with his partner as well as various companies that help him prepare for an event before he even gets on the water: Troy at Minn Repairs for all his electric motor needs, Avtec Solutions in Brendale for any wiring and electrical maintenance, and Steve Duff at Duffrods for crafting a high-quality Australian product. They all receive honourable mentions from the 2021 Queensland Open champ. “Sure, I could do a lot of stuff myself and be up until midnight the day before a comp but when I’ve got guys willing to help that know their stuff inside out, it means I don’t have to, and that peace of mind is priceless,” says O’Grady. SEPTEMBER 2022

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South Coast

More spring fishing options ESPERANCE

Murray Johnson

South coast fishing in spring is always an exciting time. We get to experience warmer air and water temperatures, resulting in more fishing options, better access, better camping and hopefully better results. We have already seen a continuation of the squid off Tanker Jetty in town, which

is also still producing plenty of garfish, herring and the occasional small skippy. Tailor Street jetty has still been yielding the occasional squid, along with plenty of snook, and the opportunity to catch King George whiting. The best area to fish for these is either off the end of the jetty casting out straight south, or off the rock groyne fishing the sand patches between the weed. The normal setup is a standard paternoster rig with

Lachy Warren dusted off the bream gear and threw around a few plastics in some glamour conditions, and was rewarded with this 43.5cm model. Image courtesy of @lachy_warren.

no 6 hooks, with the best bait being peeled prawns. The local beaches have seen the return of some salmon, with reasonable numbers getting caught at Salmon Beach and Fourth Beach. Anglers have also been catching salmon at 11 Mile Reef and Roses Beach. All four locations have also been producing plenty of herring, along with skippy around the 0.5kg mark. Roses has also been yielding the occasional tailor and bronze whaler. Anglers are still getting the occasional gummy shark at 14 Mile. The bigger tide movements occurring with the full moon and new moon are the best times to target them. Out east, the best places have still been Duke of Orleans, where we’re still seeing the occasional salmon, herring and bigger skippy around the 1kg mark. Anglers have also been encountering some bronze whalers hanging around Victoria Harbour. Anglers fishing at Alexander Bay have been catching salmon, bronze whalers and some tailor. Poison Creek has again been producing plenty of salmon, with bigger schools hanging around, mixed in with the occasional small soapy mulloway and plenty

of herring. Flathead are quiet at this time of year, but it’s still possible to catch them. The best places to target them have been around town at 10 Mile lagoon and West Beach. We are also seeing a few being caught at Stockyards, and again that area has also been producing the occasional salmon, plenty of silver bream (tarwhine), and plenty of herring. Guys in boats are still getting some squid in the bay, plus plenty of sand whiting, snook and the occasional isolated bluefin tuna. The local islands are producing plenty of queen snapper, breaksea cod, smaller nannygai and the occasional samsonfish, which tend to move in closer at this time of year. Guys heading out wide are catching plenty of nannygai going 50cm (around the 2kg mark) mixed in with queen snapper, harlequin, breaksea and again samsonfish and yellowtail kingfish. SEPTEMBER FISHING The coming weeks should see plenty of samsonfish move in close, with schooling fish giving anglers the opportunity to catch them off the headlands or in close from a boat. These fish are caught up to around 40kg, with plenty in the 20kg size range. You can catch them

A nice salmon caught around this time last year, on an Ocean’s Legacy Dreamcast stickbait. Image courtesy of @olistevensonn. on bait, but for more fun you can use a knife jig such as a Ocean’s Legacy Long Contact in 210 in pink/white, using a fairly aggressive action. The samsonfish like to sit on the edge of ledges and drop-offs rather than just a pinnacle, so look for your ledges for best results. Salmon numbers will tend to disperse before they reform in summer, but beach fishing for gummy sharks will be on the increase as they come in close for breeding. Squid catches will

continue to be reduced as the season comes to an end, but there still plenty of residential ones that will hang around. • 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.

Isolated ground is key BUNBURY

Whiteys Tackle and Camping

With the worst of the weather finally behind us, boaters have been reporting large numbers of dhus and pinks in and outside the bay. Fishing the 30m patch south of Bunbury is likely to produce well. Finding small isolated ground is key to a successful trip. Many boaters have turned to using artificials, such as metal slow pitch jigs and soft plastics. A local favourite is the Caprice jig and Haolis in pink/ glow and orange/glow. A slow pitch jigging technique is sure to get results. An always welcome by-catch at this time of year are the mulloway and tailor that frequent our beaches. The last few weeks have been no exception with some horse tailor sessions being had on weightless mulies. Squid have been around in great numbers as well as size. The winter thumpers aren’t all gone yet. There is 106

SEPTEMBER 2022

a common misconception that squidding is a waste of time in Bunbury waters, which can’t be further from the truth. Numbers are

higher than ever for the boaties that take the time to target these delicious cephalopods and there are plenty of land-based spots

Grant with a beautiful dhufish.

Chad with a large red emperor.

to target them as well. Night sessions on the weed banks through Koombana Bay or from the local jetties will produce a feed. Those of us that have already been walking the flats are noticing a definite increase in the blue swimmer numbers, and sizes are looking even better than last year. Good numbers of blue swimmers can be had all year round if you’re happy to put in the time exploring. There are

always crabs to be found from the jetties in Bunbury or the Koombana Bay areas while you’re waiting for the temperatures of the estuary to rise. There is a boat limit of 10 crab nets, which leaves you plenty of nets to set a good prospecting line through your area of choice. Harvey Dam has been fishing well for redfin perch, look for rocky banks with plenty of structure as this is where the redfin

hide out. The norm is generally spinners but don’t discount soft plastics. I rig a slightly heavier jighead (around the 1/8oz) to ensure my plastic is getting down where the fish are. • Call into the shop at 1/143 Grand Entrance, Australind for the latest fishing reports and what’s biting, or simply to have a yarn. Until next time, tight lines and screaming drags!

South Coast

Waking from winter slumber AUGUSTA

Anthony Gillam

Augusta is looking forward to the spring weather to hit. as not only does it bring everything to life on land, the piscatorial world also has a shakeup with many species waking from their winter slumber. It also has the added bonus of saying goodbye to the 5ºC mornings that has had

will often shoot out and hit the lure on first sighting it. Try any of the hardbodies lures that yellowfin whiting like but the bream favourite at the moment I have found is the Berkley Scum Dog. It is dynamite on black bream but will also pick up flathead, flounder and all species of whiting as well as the ever present herring. Jetty fishing continues to be very good and with yellowfin whiting now

it sink to the bottom and then slowly retrieve and the results will be much better than letting the bait sit on the bottom soaking. A running sinker rig with a very small long shanked hook works best. Use a ball sinker as small as possible to cast out for the best result. If the tide is pretty slack then you can get away with just the weight of a swivel in most jetty fishing situations and it allows you to float a bait to the bottom in a more natural looking manner. If there are herring about then they will take the bait in all depths of the water column. If the tailor are biting then at a minimum you will need a long shanked hook to avoid bite offs. The squid numbers vary from none to heaps but it has been hard to predict. It looks like they tend to enter the inlet with the bigger incoming tides and hang around the jetty lights at night hunting for a meal. Small prawn style jigs work

well, especially those that glow in the dark or have an internal flashing led. During winter and early spring the winds and rains are generally from the northwest, which means it may be uncomfortable when windy and raining, but there is still the opportunity to get in a sneaky fish. There are plenty of places from Colourpatch around to Flinders Bay where you can get a line in on the leeward side of the weather for an hour or so. Junes Beach off the rocks is generally one of the better places. There is nothing better than coming home with a feed of King George or sand whiting when everyone else has been sitting watching Days of Our Lives on television all afternoon. Down at the marina the wind has made it difficult to fish a fair amount of the last month however, there were a few days strung together where the weather was absolutely perfect. The

A chunky 70cm dhufish jigged on a 6” paddletail by Blake Gillam on a quick run out into Flinders Bay on his jetski.

Jason Morgan with a stonker pink snapper caught on bait at Spot X in Flinders Bay. us older folk scoffing the arthritis meds with our morning coffee. We can’t complain though, winter was pretty kind to us really; plenty of heavy rain that came in short periods of time, so we got the moisture we needed but we missed a lot of the usual stormy weather. This meant that although it was sometimes cold and wet, we also had some absolutely magic weather to get out and about. The black bream scene has been really hot with plenty of fish not only caught up in the freshwater areas towards Sues Bridge but they have pushed right down throughout the Blackwood River into the Deadwater. With the current clarity of the water down towards the ocean entrance at Dukes Head you can often see large individual fish sitting in the shadows of their favourite rock or snag. I have had good success with hardbodied lures as well as soft plastics while kayak fishing, just be patient and plan your cast to land far enough away to not spook the fish and wind, twitch or jig past your target. They tend to be more aggressive in this water and

showing up in good numbers, the amount of people fishing at night has increased dramatically. Freezing cold, clear nights are just about certain to produce more whiting than the warmer nights. Small river prawns, coral prawn pieces and glass shrimps will all get you whiting. Just cast out, let

A typical light coloured example of a black bream caught from saltwater on river prawns by Bernice Gillam.

Augusta jetty fishing often produces juvenile pink snapper such as this one, they release pretty well if done immediately.

typical bread and butter species have been around and pretty easy to catch. Herring and skippy are easily brought in with a good berley up for about 20 minutes and seem to favour the northern end of the main rockwall and around the entrance. They have been pretty good sized with many in the mid 30cm range and in really good condition since feeding up after breeding. Prawns are currently a favourite for the skippy, herring will eat anything that is floating in the water. Having a flick with soft plastics around the boat pens can result in some nice flathead and the odd legal sized flounder. Bounce them off the sand and pause for a few seconds to let it settle and repeating will produce more fish. Boat fishing in Flinders Bay and Hamelin Bay

continues to be good and with some really flat days and low swells it also allowed many boats to make the trip around the corner. The area between the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse and Cosy Corner is not often fishable with the winds and big swells making it an unpleasant journey to get to the best reef. On the occasions when you can make a run out from the marina or via Hamelin Bay boat ramp, they are often an early bag out on good sized demersals. This is just what people did this month and the pink snapper and dhufish did not disappoint. Bait fishing was pretty good with whole squid and herring catching very well. Soft plastics worked well and hybrids like the Vexed Bottom Meat have been absolutely slaying them. Beach fishing has been

very light on with the weather making it not worth the trip and combined with large swells and tides the chances of getting stuck on the beach were pretty high. Not many reports from anyone this month as people opted for warmer options that didn’t involve standing ankle deep in the wash getting sandblasted while watching your line going down the beach sideways. Rock fishing conditions have been hit and miss with some horrendous conditions making it pure folly to think about heading down to stand on a huge slippery hunk of granite. That being said, the dry sunny days have also made for some perfect rock fishing days. Herring, skippy and whiting off the rocks are the most common catch lately with pink snapper also taking bigger baits set out as far as you can cast. Just remember, berley is key to bringing the fish in to you and can make the difference between getting a feed and striking out. • Rock fishing at this time of the year especially with some of the heavy rainfall we have had means it is dangerous at times. 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. SEPTEMBER 2022

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Whittley CR2380 powered by Mercury 225hp V-6 - SC

TENT -

RE ONLINE MO

Main: We took the big Whittley cruiser for a run out the front of the Gold Coast. Powered by Mercury’s V6, 225hp motor, it ate up the small chop. Above: This boat is quite nimble for a big cruiser. You can see it lean into the turns.

This boat reached 69km/h at wide open throttle. Whittley’s Gary Honeychurch explains. “There’s plenty of CR (cruiser) owners who will trailer to a boating destination and use the boat as their accommodation on the way there,” he explained. There are also various Whittley clubs spread across the country that organise trips for owners to suitable locations. The friendship and camaraderie that comes from these trips is all part of the Whittley experience. Adding to their business model, Whittley has opened 120

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a series of factory-owned dealerships across the country, allowing consumers to talk with staff that speak the Whittley language and only deal with Whittley boats. Whereas the other Whittley ranges are a compromise between fishing and comfort, the CRs are unashamedly a comfortable boat, which they do at the expense of fishing suitability. The CR is a boat that the less serious anglers and family members will enjoy being in. Strange, but true, there are people like this!

We got to test a couple of Whittley CRs on the test day – a 2380 and a 2180. Both are eminently trailerable, but it’s the larger of the two that we’ll look at in this test. The 2380 is definitely a trailerboat with all of the bells and whistles. The test model was fitted with a sink, fridge, and esky, as well as 100L of freshwater to have a hot shower in. The cabin is deep, spacious and fits two adults comfortably. Of course there is a toilet to keep the ladies happy. The helm is the place possibly most similar to other

Whittley boats. There is ample room to flush mount a large multifunction display, as well as all the other gauges you need for a day on the water. And on the water, the digital throttle and shift performs as smoothly as every other one we’ve tested. It is when you get into the cockpit though, that this boat differs markedly from a fishing boat. The seating arrangement is clever, with corner seating on the

DE FOR EX

Finally, the time has come where I have had a ride in a Whittley cruiser. Their CR series has been made famous over decades of trailerboating – their users loving the set-up that is often compared to a ‘caravan on water’. The Whittley guys call it a ‘Waterbago’, with the play on words with the popular American RV alluding to the fact that this boat is just at home on a powered van site as it is cruising for a several-day trip on any of Australia’s waterways.

s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

starboard side, fold out bench seating on the port side and helm seat that swivels around to make a very social space. You can exit through the transom door onto the rear duckboard. This is covered in rubber decking and is an ideal place to stoke up the barbecue and have a beer. The kids will love it for swimming in summer. In reality, it seems like the 2380 is the model you need to buy if you have a couple of kids. The small cruisers in the Whittley range may be a little tight for a family of four. Historically, many Whitley cruisers have been sold with Volvo inboard engines. This model, though, was fitted with Mercury’s popular 225hp V6 four -stroke. With 210L of underfloor fuel capacity, it makes make sense to drive at an economical

pace. Best economy was at 4000rpm where 1L of fuel yielded 1.7km travelled. Wide open throttle saw 5850rpm give you 69km an hour but an economy of under 1km/L. The hull handled offshore conditions nicely. Like all hulls there is the right speed for every set of water conditions. At the economical cruising speed, the boat was very comfortable on the test day. The best way to experience a Whittley, however, is to drop into a dealership and see one for yourself. You can find locations of all Whittley dealers nationally at www. whittley.com.au. At the time of testing, and as tested, this rig came in at just under $200,000 replacement value, however basic hull, motor and trailer packages start at a little over $160,000.

PERFORMANCE RPM ............Speed (km/h) ..... Economy km/L 1000 ................................ 9 ......................... 2.8 2000.............................. 15 ......................... 1.5 3000.............................. 22 ......................... 1.1 3500 .............................. 39 ......................... 1.7 4000.............................. 48 ......................... 1.7 4500 .............................. 53 ......................... 1.4 5000.............................. 60 ......................... 1.1 5850 .............................. 69 ......................... 0.9

SPECIFICATIONS Length ................... 7.80m Beam .................... 2.44m Height on trailer .. 2.65m Width on trailer ... 2.45m Transom Deadrise ... 20° Fuel ..........................210L Freshwater..............100L Capacity......... 7 persons

Steve Morgan

CON

AN THE

FMG

The economy was best, however, at cruising speeds. At 48km/h you get 1.7km per litre burned. This was at 4,000rpm.

Top: Life is easy on-board with a fridge and a sink on the port side. Above: Padded gunwales and a fold-up bench seat make the social circle complete.

Although there is a hatch for front anchor access, most 2380s will come with an anchor winch.

Helm seating is comfortable and there is enough space in the dash to flush mount large MFDs.

The port passenger seat swivels around to convert from traveling to socialising.

The L-shaped starboard rear seating has miles of storage underneath.

Left: Inside the lockable cabin there is a full-size bed that is seriously luxurious. Top Right: There aren’t many spaces inside the boat that have not been used for clever storage options. Bottom Right: Remove the central bunk infill and there is plenty of legroom to access the bow.

Left: The hard, sliding cabin door allows you to lock valuables at the front. Top Right: Access to the transom duckboard is via the port side foldable transom door. Bottom Right: Even full of all your gear for a weekend, the 2380 is towable by any vehicle with a 3.5t towing capacity. SEPTEMBER 2022

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