NSW Fishing Monthly April 2017

SPINNERBAITS FOR SNAPPER – DO THEY REALLY WORK?

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Features

Snapper on spinnerbaits • Ultimate

crab lure comparison • Choosing

the right boat for you • Tackling

tackle mistakes • Kiwi

kingfish tactics •

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April 2017, Vol. 22 No. 9

Contents BYRON COAST The Tweed 24 Tweed Inshore 25 Ballina 26 Yamba 28 Iluka 27 Wooli 29 COFFS COAST Coffs Harbour Coffs Game South West Rocks

30 32 33

MACQUARIE COAST Port Macquarie 38 Forster 40 Harrington-Taree 41 HUNTER COAST Port Stephens 43 Hunter Coast 42 Swansea 44 Central Coast 46 SYDNEY The Hawkesbury 12 Sydney North 14 Pittwater 15 Sydney Harbour 16 Sydney Rock and Beach 17 Botany Bay 18 Sydney South 20 Western Sydney 22 ILLAWARRA COAST Illawarra 47 Nowra 48

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From the Editor’s Desk...

CRAB TIME It’s been a while since Fishing Monthly has had a good, in-depth look at an emerging section of the market. This month, we’ve rustled up all of the crab imitation lures that have evolved in the Australian market over the last five years.

It was 2012 when the industry first saw the prototype of Cranka Lures’ Crab. In the half-decade since, there have been tens of thousands of fish caught on these lures, and also on the other crab imitations filling up the niches in the market.

Looking back, it’s a wonder that it didn’t happen sooner – after all, there’s not too many fish that will knock back a feed of crab when given the chance. The rockier the terrain, the more likely it is that a crab will form a part of a fish’s diet. And, for once, the local market is dominated

by baits that have been either designed in or modified for Australian conditions. It seems that we are leading the global charge in exploiting this emerging market.

More broadly, we’re seeing a swing towards hyper-realistic lures. Maybe it’s taking advantage of the adage that ‘lures are designed to catch fishermen, not the fish’, or maybe it’s a fact that fish are getting more heavily pressured and are wiser when it comes to being deceived with metal and plastic. Or maybe it’s both.

The end game is that there’s now a ‘CRAB’ box

permanently in my arsenal, and if you fish anywhere between 100m of water and the brackish stretch of your local river, you should consider having one as well. We know there’s probably a list of fish that don’t eat crabs, but I guarantee you the list of fish that do eat crabs is bigger.

READER COVERS GOING CRAZY Thank you to all of the readers who have already entered our Front Cover Competition. From day one of the launch of the comp, we have received plenty of high quality entries. It seems that each year that the standard keeps getting

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better and better.

If you are considering entering, remember that the photo MUST be portraitshaped, which means it needs to be taller than it is wide. It doesn’t matter how good your photo is, if it’s the wrong shape, it won’t make it – sorry!

IS 30 THE NEW 20?

Fishing Monthly Magazines started in 1987 in Southeast Queensland. Later this year we’re coming up on our 30th birthday for the magazine group. And despite some naysayers shouting that ‘print is dead’, the thousands of subscribers and tens of thousands of posted entries we get to our competitions each year reinforce that there’s a really strong group of anglers that just love their fishing magazines. Thank you for that – you’ll see some pretty sweet competitions coming up to help celebrate this year.

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SPECIAL FEATURES Snapper on spinnerbaits Kiwi kingfish tactics Ultimate crab lure comparison Tackling tackle mistakes

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“I’ll never use another hook after using the DX, they are truly amazing.”

Rhys Paterman caught this exceptional 17.2kg blue groper when fishing from Port Stephens rocks in Nelson Bay. He was using Black Magic DX Point 5/0 Hooks and Black Magic 40lb Tough Trace.

Daniel Dalle-Nogare was fishing the Blowering Dam in NSW when he caught this huge murray cod. He was using Black Maghic 60lb Tough Fluorocarbon Trace.

the best by test...

This 70cm flathead weighed 2.9kg and was caught on Black Magic 8lb Fluorocarbon Leader. Christian was fishing at Tea Gardens.

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Black Magic C Point 4/0 Hooks were used to catch Jem Abbott this excellent snapper. He says, “I’ve had a lot of hooks break or straighten while fishing from the stones for reds, but not these hooks. Can’t beat them.” Jem was fishing from South Durras.

Sean Elliss was fishing with a paternoster rig he tied with Black Magic 100lb Supple Trace and Black Magic KL 7/0 Hooks when he caught this 124cm mulloway.

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Snapper

Presenting a fresh spin on catching snapper SNAPPER

Stephen Worley

Here’s a story that’s not only for the snapper anglers looking for something new, but will hopefully also inspire other anglers to explore new ways to freshen up their fishing.

A few years ago I was hooked on thinking outside the box when it came to my fishing. Working at Fishing Tackle Australia meant there was no shortage of different lures to experiment with.

My experimentation was

wouldn’t provide any useful info for the shop on how they worked in the fresh, but I was determined to try my idea anyway.

The next time I was offshore, I started throwing the spinnerbait around, assuming it would have to work in the wash for tailor and kingfish. I got a tailor on one of the first few casts I made with it, and then started fishing off the front of the wash targeting a school of rat kings. I was getting plenty of follows but few takes, so after a few casts I let it drop down under the school and felt a

you can pretty much transfer your technique straight over to spinnerbaits.

Spinnerbaits can be used in basically the same situations that you would use soft plastics for snapper.

You can fish them over shallow inshore reefs, from headlands and island washes, and over rubble beds and deep reefs. I have no doubt they would work on the mussel farms in New Zealand too.

When luring snapper, you need to get your offering down in the zone, generally the bottom third (it doesn’t have to be right on

Chatterbaits have been almost as successful as the spinnerbaits and should not be overlooked as a big snapper lure.

Rigged and ready with the weapons of choice. mostly just a bit of fun.

It was more about fishing with something weird for the challenge, rather than thinking it might be the next big thing. Often the lures that worked best were the relics from the bottom of a random tub somewhere – the type that had been discontinued for years and not another one was left in existence!

There was one experiment, however, that was different, and it has stayed with me. Not only did it work, it became one of my go-to snapper techniques for the last few years.

It all began one day at work when we received some new spinnerbaits that we wanted to try out. I’d never really fished much with spinnerbaits. When it came to freshwater fishing, I preferred to use either surface lures or hardbodies.

I had been trying a lot of new things offshore though, and I couldn’t see why a spinnerbait wouldn’t work in the salt. I knew that fishing them in the salt 8

APRIL 2017

telling ‘tick’ on the loose line. I lifted the rod and watched it load up, and the line tore across the front of the wash.

After a bit of a sketchy fight, I was able to land a solid 4kg snapper only half an hour into my spinnerbait experiment. And that snapper wasn’t the only one that was hooked that day. I caught a number of snapper in that session, and I was instantly addicted – hook, line and spinnerbait. Nothing enhances your fishing more than confidence, and nothing boosts your confidence in a technique more than immediate debut success. It wasn’t long before spinnerbaits had replaced soft plastics in my snapper kit.

THE SPINCIFICS Over the last couple of years I haven’t really found a specific technique or retrieve required for catching snapper on spinnerbaits. I haven’t really had to. If you’ve used soft plastics for catching reds

the bottom), and vary your retrieve. Fast, slow, up and down or in a straight line.

These are all fundamentals of fishing with most lures, and are also applicable with spinnerbaits.

The type of spinnerbaits I’ve used haven’t varied that much. The snapper responded to the first spinnerbait I threw in the salt, so I haven’t found the need to vary too widely.

I have also brought chatterbaits into the same fold in my fishing though, with similar success.

Realistically, probably the number one requirement for a spinnerbait or chatterbait intended for reds is that it can hold up to the rigours of one of the crunchiest mouths in the sea. Decent hooks and

wire are needed to resist the force that snapper are capable of inflicting on your spinnerbait. These lures are generally not made with such punishment in mind, and they aren’t usually intended to be used in saltwater either. That means you should look for a spinnerbait with as much stainless steel as possible, and good quality ball bearing swivels on the blades are a must if you want to get more than one session out of your lures.

I mostly use spinnerbaits with mixed Colorado and willow blades. I have had the most success with the darker brown and bronze coloured baits, or purple and silver, but again, I haven’t had to experiment too much.

I always use a stinger

Even with all the bits and pieces sticking out, a snapper can still find a way to get a spinnerbait into the back of its mouth.

hook and usually have it dressed with a soft plastic. I find that the short strike rate is through the roof if you’re just using the single hook and skirt. ZMan Pop FrogZ and Keitech Crazy Flapper are my preferred trailing plastics. They create a little more flash and movement as well as a bit of body to make the fish bite down a little harder and hold on for longer when striking the bait.

I’ve found the TT Striker spinnerbaits fit the bill best for me. They are well built with a solid hook, can cope with the saltwater and are reasonably light on the wallet. This last attribute is very desirable, as you will probably lose a few.

The type of gear you want to fish with is similar to your standard soft plastic snapper setup. You want a rod that can throw a bit of weight and isn’t going to load halfway down the blank just from retrieving the spinnerbait. These lures do tend to create quite a bit of resistance through the water on a normal retrieve.

SPIN TACTICS As with soft plastics, you can fish spinnerbaits in many different ways.

One of the great things about spinnerbaits is that they’re working all the time they’re in the water. They will drop down a slope, hovering just off the reef, and all the while the blades are spinning, whirring and flashing, the skirt is wafting and the trailer is squirming.

Compared to most plastics there is a lot less ‘dead time’ during a normal cast and retrieve.

When casting from your boat or kayak, you can either use a slack line or tight line presentation.

If you leave the line slack, the spinnerbait will whirl its way down and back towards

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It’s on big snapper that spinnerbaits have been very effective for the author. you at a steep angle. You will be able to see a hit on a slack line presentation by watching the braid sitting on the surface. If you see it start to straighten out faster,

or see a tick or bump, lift your rod and wind up tight.

Your rod will either load up with a fish or simply lift the spinnerbait in the water column. If the latter

Nothing raises your anticipation like watching your spinnerbait drop down into the ‘zone’ just in time for some fish arches to appear on screen.

Sometimes there’s not a lot to see on the sounder apart from that one ominous little arch sitting down on the reef.

occurs, just raise it up with your rod and allow it to glide back down under slack. If the snapper misses your spinnerbait, it’s pretty rare that they won’t strike again if it’s still down in the strike zone.

This is where a quality sounder can really help.

Knowing the depth, structure and, even better, where your lure is in relation to them dramatically increases your success rate.

If you go with a tight line your spinnerbait will glide back to you at a more shallow angle. For this reason it’s often better to use a tight line when casting at shallow washes and reefs so that the bait will swim out and away from the rocks.

You can fish these lures while drifting, as you would a soft plastic, by casting downwind ahead of your drift and bouncing the bait back to you. The retrieve is a little different, as spinnerbaits are quite stable in the water so you can’t really make them jerk around like a plastic.

Your movements will be a little smoother, raising the spinnerbait and letting it glide down. You can target areas like washes and pinnacles – just blind cast ahead of your drift or even just let it hang out the back while drifting as the insurance rod.

SIGHT AND SOUND FISHING No matter what technique you use, a sounder is key to making sure you’re in the right areas and fishing where the snapper will be. One of my favourite forms of fishing with spinnerbaits involves searching around with my sounder for active snapper, and then dropping the spinnerbait straight on top of them.

The key to this technique is looking for fish in the

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APRIL 2017

9

Snapper From page 9

right feeding mode. I scan the drop-offs and bumps around the reef looking for solid fish arches sitting in clear ambush positions.

Simply scan slowly over the reef, looking for fish sitting in behind (down current) of a notch in the reef. Fishing from a kayak makes this a lot easier to do without spooking the whole reef.

Obviously you will need to do this very stealthily in a boat.

One convenient attribute of the spinnerbaits when using this ‘digital sight fishing’ is that they also show up quite well on the sounder. In the right situation, you’re able to watch your spinnerbait glide down right into the zone.

If you’ve found the right fish you will actually watch on your sounder as the fish come up to meet your spinnerbait on the drop.

Hopefully your focus will then shift to the real world

where your rod is loading up and line is leaving your reel!

Essentially it’s ‘sight’ fishing via ‘sound’. In my opinion it is as exciting as real sight fishing, and has been one of my most successful techniques using the spinnerbaits. It also accounts for many of my bigger fish. You can do the same thing with soft plastics, but it’s harder to get a plastic swim well in this situation. A spinnerbait will glide down with all its

Snapper have some pretty nasty jaws, so strong spinnerbaits are preferred for this caper.

Snapper on spinnerbaits started off as an ‘experiment’ by the author, but now it’s his go-to method!

bits and pieces whirring and flashing as it goes.

Obviously, this technique means you’re actually fishing a little less, but you will only be targeting fish that are active. The more you use this technique, the better you will be at spotting the right fish in the right mood.

VENTURE OUTSIDE THE BOX All too often we anglers place boxes around certain species of fish, or

techniques that we use. We keep ourselves closed to new ideas on how particular fish can be caught. With this kind of thinking, it’s easy for our fishing to get stale. Even if the same old way is still productive, there’s nothing more refreshing than a new slant on an old favourite. It may be a favourite technique tried out on a less traditional species or location, or a favourite species targeted in a new way you haven’t tried before. Just look at what

light line lure fishing did for the bream fishery, and the development of targeting whiting on surface lures.

Of course, soft plastics for snapper changed that fishery forever, and now slow jigging is doing the same. Maybe your next experiment could start the next big thing…

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A flurry of activity in the Hawkesbury THE HAWKESBURY

Dan Selby dan@sydneysportfishing.com.au

Some good rainfall over the last month or so, coupled with cooler air temperatures, has sent things into a flurry on the mighty Hawkesbury and its tributaries.

Flathead are starting to concentrate back down towards Wisemans Ferry from the upper tidal reaches of Windsor, which they found to be very bountiful over the summer months. They will be following the bulk of the prawns back down on the new moon, and this is a great time to target them on the run-out tides this month.

Live, fresh or frozen prawns will all account for flathead when they are in good numbers like this, but a more productive and ‘clean’ way to target them is with lures. Soft plastics on an appropriate jighead are the standout, but a soft vibe, bibless minnow or blade cast around the sand bars, back eddies and drop-offs will allow you to cover ground and catch bigger fish and better numbers.

Bream are also a drawcard at this time of year, as they too

start to school back up and head downstream. They can be quite ravenous at this time of year, often grabbing bigger lures and whole live baits aimed at mulloway. Trophy bream of better than 40cm are a common capture throughout the cooler months of the year, and I always look forward to our encounters with these great looking fish.

Fresh baits fished in a berley trail along the many rock walls and the few reefs like Bar Point will put runs on the board for those anglers wanting a more relaxed approach. However, lure fishing is my preferred way to tangle with the wily bream.

I recommend casting to the rock walls with curl-tail grubs and creature baits like the Pro

Bass are a great target for fly fishers. Surface poppers will work this month before we have to switch to intermediate and sinking lines and flies as we approach winter.

Lure Live Yabbie on light jigheads to suit the conditions.

Leaders don’t have to be too light, as the terrain is quite unforgiving. My minimum is 6lb, but usually run 8lb. You won’t lose too many fish this way, especially if your casting is up to scratch.

Mulloway are on the top of most anglers’ wish lists when they venture to the Hawkesbury, and for good reason – it produces some monsters! When you work out the system’s idiosyncrasies and gain an understanding of this waterway as a whole, it’s quite common to encounter decent-sized mulloway on a regular basis. Only time on the water will help you gain this valuable knowledge and put the pieces of the puzzle together.

Live baits of tailor, pike, yakka and squid will give you the best chance of catching a better fish. These baits need to be presented well on a tide change early or late in the day.

Use the lightest line you can get away with to encourage bites. You can worry about landing the fish once you have hooked it!

Lure fishing is starting to kick into gear, catching several good school mulloway to 1.1m. We’re also seeing a

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lot of soapy-size fish being caught alongside bream and flathead. Stickbaits and paddle tails from 3-6” are working just as well on light jigheads cast around heavy structure at the key times of the tide.

Bass and estuary perch are firing in the upper tidal reaches.

Small soft plastic grubs, paddle-tails and minnows are the standout for finding the active schools. T-Tails in bloodworm, pumpkin seed, motor oil and pearl white on light jigheads of around 1/8oz are my favourite option when I’m on the search for perch in the upper tidal reaches.

Finding back eddies along weed beds and rock walls is the key for these fish. A sounder helps but it’s not essential; you can visually see most prominent eddies that are worth a cast or two to see if anyone is home.

There will still be a bit of surface action available for those anglers who like to pop the top or roll out a delicate fly presentation alongside a big boulder or fallen tree.

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coming in this month from both offshore and inshore.

Some good fish are also being caught from the stones, and the estuaries have been holding their own as well.

As the warm east coast current nudges our coastline, marlin reports are on the increase. Some great fish are being caught on skirted lures and live baits. Schools of striped tuna are also present, along with a variety of sharks.

With the water temperature offshore up to 26°C, it’s a fishy playground for bluewater anglers. Trolling small skirted lures and baits are proving very successful

captures of metre-plus fish in recent weeks. Light jigging combos have been suitable for the smaller models up to 90cm, but heavier kits to 80lb are the norm for the bigger fish, particularly in shallower water.

Some good-size snapper are still being landed offshore by trailerboat fishers, with most fish being between 45-70cm. Big baits fished deep and the bigger soft plastics are favourable options. I recommend using a solid 30-40lb braided outfit with suitable 30lb+ leader.

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techniques for hooking these fish. Zane Levett was one of the anglers getting into the action, hooking and landing a black marlin on a recent trip out wide.

Some mahimahi are still on the wide FADs and always provide for some mad visual fishing. These fish are easy to see in the clear offshore water, and you should offer them your biggest live baits first. This may deter the smaller fish just long enough for a healthy size model to find your bait. Don’t hesitate put out a big cowanyoung or oversize slimy.

Closer inshore on the local reefs, schools of kingfish have been prolific all summer. Various methods like downrigging, popping, live baiting and trolling have all been proving successful at times. Some of these schools have had big numbers and sizes of fish, and there have been many

certainly brought the fish out to play. Some terrific captures from within the harbour have made anglers hungry for more. Anthony Ocsing fished from his kayak around Manly and landed a very healthy 84cm female

Zane Levett was stoked to land this Sydney black marlin. flathead on a vibe lure. After a couple of quick photos the fish was released.

Kingfish are on the prowl around the headlands, with trolled yellowtail and hardbody lures working for Dom Poletta and Mike Nielson who landed four fish to 86cm near Middle Head.

If it’s live bait you’re after, there are plenty of squid available around most of the local kelp beds, and schools of yakkas at Balmoral are readily taking bait jigs. Drifting around the Spit Bridge has been successful for bonito, and they have been readily taking metal and hardbody lures on the troll at North Head.

Whole unweighted strip baits and rubber vibes worked along the bottom are accounting for some good flathead around Quarantine on the drift, while Middle Head and the Clontarf moorings have been yielding squid on the 2.5 size squid jigs. Customers have also been getting whiting from

Kingfish have been prolific all summer. This harbour king was caught by Nathan McManus.

the Grotto Point sand flats on king worm baits from our store.

I have a couple more customer catches to report.

Nick Williams landed a feed of flathead using 4” soft plastics and bladed lures fishing around the Clonny drop-off. West of the Spit Bridge, Nathan McManus and his brother Joel fished with their dad recently using live squid, and Nathan landed a 66cm king on light tackle in amongst the moorings.

A solid school of kings were sighted under the boat harassing small tailor, and after a couple of photos the captured king was quickly released to fight another day.

The excessively warm water temps around the shallows may have some species heading deeper to cooler water, so be prepared to fish a little wider of your favourite spot this month.

With the weather still good, early morning popper and stickbait sessions have been popular amongst anglers chasing kingfish. Just remember that surface lures work best before sunrise.

As the sun gets higher the fish will go deeper, and you’re better off switching to sinking stickbaits, either hard or soft. All those moorings around The Spit bridge in Middle Harbour have been good places to go looking.

Slimy mackerel are still available in the harbour, so it’s worth moving a couple of times from baitfish locations to see if you can raise them in your berley trail. This species is a cracker bait for many species, from kings to flathead and even big snapper.

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Autumn madness in Pittwater PITTWATER

Peter Le Blang plfishfingers@bigpond.com

What a difference a few weeks can make in the world of fishing! Along Pittwater, fishing has certainly improved as well as out on Broken Bay and along the coast. Kingfish are finally showing themselves, and on most occasions they have been hungry. The usual scenario applies, and that is to get out and find some surface action at first light and then catch some squid, yellowtail or slimies to downrig for a decent kingfish on Pittwater.

The surface activity on Broken Bay is hard to pass up at the moment, with boils and activity coming from kings, bonito, salmon and tailor. Using metal lures in the 10-20g range will see you hauling them over the side.

Remember to drift towards the surface activity with your motor off, and often the fish will come to you.

If you are going to cast out a soft plastic, be prepared for the toothy critters to rip it apart pretty quickly. If you want to target kings amongst the melee, I recommend using a popper instead. Not only is it a great visual way to fish that excites all anglers, it’s also cheaper than constantly replacing plastics.

If you use a 90g micro jig and work it near the bottom you may be lucky enough

to tangle with a flathead or mulloway, as well as being in the hunt for those species that are smashing the surface. Drifting the areas where there is surface action using bait will also see a few decent fish caught. If you can remember to place a live bait out on the bottom as you drift and cast for surface feeders, you will have both bases covered.

Targeting squid along Pittwater will be a little trickier than in previous months, but the same areas are still producing a few.

Barrenjoey Head on the ocean side of the headland seems to be one of the easier areas to pick up a few using paternoster rigs and drifting around the schools of baitfish.

On Pittwater Palm Beach weed beds, The Basin, Mackerel Beach and Careel Bay seem to be the better areas when targeting squid along Pittwater. The better coloured jigs to use still seem to be the fluoro colours for the cloth jigs, and the clear or pilchard coloured hardbodied jigs.

If you’re after yellowtail, you can get them at West Head, Box Head and Barrenjoey Head. Alternatively, if you are staying on Pittwater, Mackeral Beach and near Palm Beach ferry wharves will see a few rise in your berley trail. Next time you are catching some live baits, deploy the first one in mid-water and you may get a surprise visit from a rogue

Blue skies, big kings and smiling customers – this is what makes being a guide so rewarding.

king or other pelagic species.

Once you have gathered enough bait to start chasing some yellow-tailed thugs, the areas to try are the Kingfish Highway, the Supermarket and around Scotland Island. The other area to try is at Towlers Bay. Cover your ground and watch the sounder for balled-up baitfish, and stay close by. The bigger kings seem to be popping up around the sporadic surface activity, so watch for localised bird activity.

For those of you that want to target flathead and suchlike, the Pittwater drop-off between Mackerel Beach and Palm Beach is seeing a few caught. If you want to cast a few soft plastics, Towlers Bay and

in a weighted berley bucket near the bottom as the current races through, and raise the berley bucket higher in the water column as the current backs off. By doing this, the change of the tide will see a hot bite if there are any fish lurking around the area.

The last month has seen decent fishing at Juno Point, Elanoras Bluff, The Middle Grounds and Walker Point. All of these areas are known mulloway areas, and produce other species as well. Whiting, bream, tailor and flathead are regularly caught in these areas by anglers waiting for a blistering mulloway run.

Along our part of the coast the kings are playing at most prominent headlands. The better

Bryce with a lovely 92cm Pittwater king that couldn’t resist a live squid. bit of a mixed bag, but there are snapper, morwong, the odd teraglin, flathead and trevally. If you head to the Ordinance Grounds there’s still the odd rock bar cod to be caught as well.

As you can see, the fishing has really picked up a notch or two, and it’s certainly worth dangling a line. If you

want some help maximising your catch rates, feel free to call us so I can show you some of the great fishing on offer at the moment.

• Peter Le Blang operates Harbour and Estuary Fishing Charters, phone 02 9999 2574 or 0410 633 351, visit www.estuaryfishing charters.com.au

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“Pimped” There’s lots to catch on Pittwater at the moment.

Careel Bay are two great areas to start.

There are mulloway showing up on Pittwater, and they are best targeted on the change of the tide.

Using a fine, oily berley trail in an area with current such as Stokes Point will see you in with a real chance. The better bait to use has been live squid, but I am sure a slab of bonito will also work a treat.

With all of the action on Broken Bay, the Flint and Steel area is starting to fire up. Anchoring at the edge of the reef will see a variety of fish caught. You can encounter mulloway, flathead, flounder, bream and trevally in this area, as well as passing schools of pelagic species. Use berley

fishing has been at Newport Reef, Barrenjoey Head, Whale Beach and Mona Vale Reef. Downrigging or slowly towing live baits on the surface has been the best way to find the hungry fish. While slowly trolling, just cast out poppers or soft plastics and create some surface activity to excite the fish. Squid strips are also catching fish once a school is found, which saves your live baits for when the next school needs to be found.

Fishing for snapper and other bottom-dwellers has also started to fire up in water depths of 30-60m. Finding baitfish before deploying lines is essential. The species that are being caught are a

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Pedal to the metal when you see amber SYDNEY HARBOUR

Craig McGill craig@fishabouttours.com.au

This season has been on fire for mulloway. In fact, it’s been the best I’ve seen in 10 years. They are being taken throughout Middle Harbour and the mid reaches of the harbour. The mulloway are following the early mullet and tailor run, so obviously, mullet and tailor are a good choice of bait. Big live squid and strips of squid are also great baits.

Don’t discount shallow water at night either, especially if there are high concentrations of mullet, such as you might find at the weir at Lane Cove River, or creek junctions like the ones above Roseville bridge.

Blues and Balls Heads in the harbour and Seaforth Bluff, Killarney Point and Pickering Point in Middle Harbour are great places to sit with live baits or a big slab of fresh squid on the turn of the high tide.

The very warm water off Sydney this season has attracted some tropical

An amberjack from Middle Harbour.

School mulloway love fresh squid strips.

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ring-ins including the best cobia run in many years.

Your chances of catching one are slim, but might be improved if you target them specifically. They are generally caught between February and May. Most captures have coincided with a large influx of sharks into the harbour, and captures of remora in the same area. The cobia I cleaned recently had three stingrays in its gut, which is a fair indication that cobias feed on or near the bottom. Discussions with LGB boys revealed that the best locations are rock platforms that fall onto a sand bottom. We have taken our biggest ones in Middle Harbour around Bantry Bay. The best baits include sand crabs, yakkas, squid and slimies. The best spots in the harbour include Cannae Point, North Head, Middle Head, Middle Harbour and Clifton Gardens. Cobia are the most delicious pelagics I have ever eaten, with flesh that tastes more like a reef fish than a game fish.

This most likely is due to their diet.

Samsonfish are much more common, but their numbers fluctuate. Our best year produced over 50 and our worst only two.

Generally, they appear to be coming more common.

They can come in as early as December but are most prolific around Easter. You will also find that the years when amberjack are at their most prolific, the samsons are not, and vice versa.

Samsonfish are most often taken in the lower reaches, but we have caught a few upstream in Middle Harbour. They are caught in most of the spots that you take kings, and are usually a by-catch. We have taken a few trolling lures along the Washaway/Dobroyd run and over in Quarantine Bay, but

these fish are primarily a bait target. The best bait is squid by a long way, followed by yakkas and slimies. I generally fish just below mid-water for kings, but if you are specifically targeting samsons you should drop it

include the Spit for the larger fish, Dobroyd, Middle Head and North Head. We have taken a few up at Pickering Point in Middle Harbour as well. They have very similar eating qualities to kingfish.

This year has been patchy for kings due to the overly warm water, but when we’ve found them they’ve been in good numbers and sizes. They can be found all the way from Goat Island through to the heads, and then all the way back up Middle Harbour as far as Bantry Bay. If you go to the trouble to learn to catch squid you will always catch a lot of kings. That is the only way I know of to catch them consistently. If you go to the trouble of going to the fish markets and buying very fresh squid, you will catch a few kings sometimes, but not as often.

If you use squid heads, rather than whole squid, you can expect a mixture of small and big kingies. With live squid, you will get fewer fish because small kings

There are some thumping kings being caught, with the best yet to come. a bit deeper (but not on the bottom). On average, they run at about 3kg but we did get one weighing 6kg one year. The best spots are Fairlight Point, Dobroyd and Quarantine Bay. Samsons are good eating.

Amberjack can be very common at times. One season we were taking one amber to every two kings.

Their average size is about 2kg, but every year we get a handful at 6kg and once again they’re usually a by-catch of king fishing.

Unlike samsons, amberjack are targeted specifically with the same method you would for kings. The little ones are happy to eat squid strips, but nearly all the big ones we’ve caught took live squid.

We have taken a couple on deep jigged Slug-Gos, but these fish are mostly a bait proposition.

We have caught ambers in February and March, but they are at their best in April and May. The prime spots

don’t like whole live squid.

However, the fish will be bigger on average.

A whole squid gut is not only an exceptionally good bait, it is also the best berley that you can use for kings.

It’s all about the guts. Use the guts and especially the ink to entice the fish. You can burst the ink sac before you send the bait down or you can let the first king burst it for you.

The gut is always the first bait to go, which must mean it’s the best bait. Strips of squid cut from the tube are good baits too, particularly after the guts and heads have worked the school into a frenzy. Rub it all in ink.

Kingies mostly hold from mid-water down, so this is a good place to present your bait. The times when you’ll find them really feeding are high tide and the first two hours of the run-out, early in the morning and late in the afternoon.

That’s also a good time to catch squid. You won’t have to worry too much about tides or time of day if you pay close attention to what I said earlier about the guts and the ink. Kings are easily turned on and then off again if you know what buttons to push.

The worst thing you can do when targeting kingfish is to keep presenting something that has been rejected, in the same manner. A school of following kings can be turned into a school of taking kings by something as simple as changing the presentation angle. This applies to both lures and bait. If they follow a lure or show interest in a bait for more than three times without taking it, don’t present it again. They are the exact opposite to barra in this sense. Barra can be teased into striking whereas kings can be teased out of striking.

They are stubborn fish, and the more you shove it in their face the more they’ll reject it.

Change lure size, let it sink, change presentation angle or best of all go away, try another spot and come back in half an hour.

One final but equally important tip is to fish with your reel in gear and with your normal fighting drag.

Don’t feed kingies any line when they take your bait.

Once a take is felt, lower the rod and move with the fish. Once the rod reaches the water it’s time to strike.

• If you are interested in doing a guided fishing trip on Sydney harbour with Craig McGill please call 0412 918 127 or email craig@fishabout.com.au.

A pair of quality North Head kingfish.

A fresh flush of fun species SYD ROCK & BEACH

Alex Bellissimo alex@bellissimocharters.com.au

The diversity of species at the moment is great! A client was spinning with a 25g Sure Catch saltwater Lazer Jig in a pink colour and managed six species in the space of an hour – kings, tailor, salmon, frigate mackerel and bonito. All off the ocean rocks. You

also one of their food sources.

The ledges at the front of South Head near the harbour entrance and Bluefish Point (there is a vertical cliff climb there) are good places to start. South Curl Curl (a small vertical cliff climb) is another great location. It does get really crowded at this ledge but there is a fair bit of room providing it’s under 0.8m around the high tide period. Try the point of South Curl Curl/Freshwater

A mid-70s size king for Canberra fisho Slaven Kraljevic.

Often when the kings are about, there are a few other species of pelagics available, so have a lighter spin outfit on standby as well as your heavy outfit. couldn’t see any surface action so it was pretty much blind casting to these fish.

Funnily enough you could see surface boils and at times several fish following the metal, but no baitfish spraying on the surface.

Most of the kings caught on the small metals have been in that undersize 60-64cm class, but the occasional fish to 70cm has really been testing the light 6-8kg spin gear, and of course testing the angler!

For those people who have not been introduced to the wrath of a king, I can tell you they’re one of the most exhilarating and challenging species on the east coast.

They are a structure species, using cover, stealth and sudden bursts of speed to catch their favourite food.

Unfortunately, they also use structure to damage or cut your braid or mono/ fluorocarbon line, dragging it over sharp structures like submerged ledges, boulders, and more. Catching this species off the land is a much bigger achievement than catching them off a boat.

For now, let’s look at where the kings have been caught of late, along with the smaller pelagics which are

below the ramp (providing it is below 0.8m), and North Whale headland point. North Whale’s SE Point is fairly small and can generally only fit four to five anglers comfortably, so have a plan B ready. Having a plan B is a good idea at any of these spots really, as you might

arrive to find they’re too crowded or too rough.

Good numbers of luderick are being caught, as well as quite a few bream.

Snapper distance casting from these spots has also been successful. If you’re after luderick, the best bait is hair or cabbage weed.

For the bream I recommend pink nippers, half pillies or Hawkesbury prawns.

The kings are being taken on Silstar 9” Slapstix in the cream colour or clear silver speckle with a red head, and of course salted sea gar on gang hooks.

When it comes to pelagics, anglers have been getting into salmon, bonito, tailor, frigate mackerel and a showing of mac tuna.

Small metals are the go for all of these fish. You should keep your metals under 50g and even as small as 15g, especially for the fussy frigates.

Mulloway will be on the prowl this month off our diverse and beautiful beaches of Sydney – Manly, Curl Curl, Collaroy and Newport. There have been reports of fish to 13.5kg from a few locals. Fishing during a downpour when the drains, lagoons and estuaries are flushing out brown water can be very productive. The flush attracts a lot of the smaller species, and they in turn attract predators like mulloway and sharks. Not only that, the freshwater pushes the mullet, whiting, small bream, tarwhine and more to the ocean from the estuaries and lagoons for waiting predators. When that opportunity happens, be prepared and fish the gutters, which will essentially turn into a bait supermarket for the predators. You can expect the tailor and salmon to be there as well.

WHITING AND BREAM The whiting and bream are continuing to increase in numbers for their annual migration. I have been putting in a few sessions just before the crack of dawn into the early morning, and again before dark into the evening. Most fishos who target these species only fish for them during the day, and pack up when it gets dark.

This is a shame, as some of the best results come well into the night – providing that it is not too rough, as this can make it quite difficult to fish. On those more calm nights, especially when it is relatively flat, it can go gangbusters after dark.

Manly/Queenscliff Beach is a good night spot because it has plenty of light and is close to the car. Dee Why Corner near the drain pipe to the surf club is similar to Manly, and has been producing good results for the evening angler of late.

Other beaches producing are Collaroy, Narrabeen, Avalon, and the Whale.

You should scope out the gutters that you intend to fish before dark, and then move from gutter to gutter when you’re fishing. Fish light so you won’t be weighed down carrying your gear from gutter to gutter.

RIVER AND ESTUARY Fishing the stiller waters of the closest estuaries to my local Sydney Harbour, Narrabeen Lagoon and Pittwater has been an on-and-off proposition. The fish have been on one day and off the other. Barometric pressure seems to have an influence on fish activity. A sharp drop can put the fish into a feeding frenzy, and then you can get a shut-down period when it has plummeted and is on a slow increase.

The tranquil waters

Soft plastics are a great alternative to fishing with baits like sea gar. Val Meyer caught this one on a 9” Slapstix. It was one of six kings caught on the day. of McCarrs Creek near Scotland Island in Pittwater have a few nice whiting, bream and flathead available.

Fishing with topwater lures like the Silver Wolf Slippery Dog 65F in sushi prawn has produced a couple of nice whiting. It’s a lot of fun to get a nice whiting on a lure, and a few bream have been smashing topwater lures as well. If you really want some fish for the plate though, it might be necessary to have some bloodworms as a backup, just in case.

Narrabeen Lagoon from the entrance on the top of the tide to about half out has been producing whiting, bream and some nice dusky flathead. Bloodworms, pink nippers and live poddy mullet around that 10-12cm size are the best baits, rigged with a light ball sinker to a swivel, 12-15lb fluorocarbon

leader and a 1/0 red long shank hook. Just cast out and slowly wind back to catch yourself a flathead. Up past the Ocean St bridge further west, you can wade out on the sand bank and use the same technique.

All up, it looks like we have a good month ahead of us. The pelagics are going to be in better numbers off the beaches and ocean rocks, along with bream, flathead and whiting in the estuaries.

Just remember to prep before you go, so you can end up fishing quality time rather than quantity time, for more consistent catch rates.

• For rock and beach guided fishing or tuition in the northern Sydney region, visit www.bellissimocharters. com.au, email alex@ bellissimocharters.com.au or call Alex Bellissimo on 0408 283 616.

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Night bream fishing requires some finesse. David Nevell’s son John caught this impressive 40cm bream on 3kg mono.

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17

Patience pays off when catching a good feed BOTANY BAY

Gabe Quercigrosse gabeandgabe@bigpond.com

The fishing is still going strong for Botany Bay and its tributaries. The water has cooled down a shade, and trevally numbers have increased in catches. While the blurter trevally may not be regarded as a top table fish, it is first class tucker when smoked, and makes excellent sashimi when fresh.

specifically target trevally, but sometimes these fish won’t give any other species a chance to take a bait.

When the trevors are in that biting mood, it’s nothing to catch 40-50 of them in a single session.

Trevally will take a bait in either tide, day or night.

They mainly prefer deeper waters, such as the container terminal, Molineaux Point, the airstrip extension and the centre of the bay over to the middle tank moorings.

You will get them in lesser

10 black swivel to prevent the line from twisting or kinking. Thread on a nipper or prawn and cast as far as possible. This setup will sink slowly and quite often the trevally will rise up to the bait and take it quickly. If you berley when targeting these slack water fish, it will help to keep the school in the area. Putting two or three loaves of stale bread in a keeper net behind the boat, weighed down by a small sinker, is a good option, and hand fed prawn nuggets also work a treat.

Quite often the bite of a trevally is a slight pick.

When you feel this, simply turn the handle of your reel two or three times and lift, and you will feel the weight of the fish. There’s no need to strike hard as this will only pull the bait away or tear the hook out of the trevally’s soft mouth. During the fight, move your rod to the left and right to stop the fish swimming in circles.

I have been fishing the bay for over 60 years and I’m still learning new things and ways to improve my fishing.

While I believe that tides play a major role in good catches, the technology available to us can also boost catch rates.

The now Navionics app showing all the man-made reefs, type of terrain (e.g. sand, shale, gravel, mud reef, weed) channel markers, depth contours and GPS management. I would suggest you obtain this app and spend a day placing markers, routes and tracks and your fishing will change dramatically for the better.

In recent weeks we have been fishing the Quibray Bay area, which is located between Towra and Bonna Point. This is a vast section of weed and sand corridors and at times it produces very well. We’ve averaged between 10-15 bream to 35cm and 8-10 whiting to 43cm during the outgoing tide. It is very simple to find

A tasty mixed bag from Towra.

Trevally are at their peak from April on, but they can be taken in lesser numbers all year round. The last few years have seen them migrate up the Georges to Liverpool Weir, and they are appearing regularly in catches. They are tough fighters and relish pink nippers, bloodworms and Hawkesbury prawns.

Few anglers go out to

numbers just about anywhere including Watts Reef, Towra Point, Brighton Beach and Kurnell.

In slack water I use a rig that has resulted in many fine catches. Use no trace and tie a size 1 Mustad 9555B hook with a no. 0 ball sinker running directly above the hook. About 30cm up the line above the hook, tie a no.

Paul caught these off Currarong. our spot because we cast to a yellow buoy marked BBY5C. However, you must use live bait or you’ll be wasting your time.

Elsewhere in the bay, land-based anglers have been doing well on Congwong and La Perouse beaches, with whiting to 42cm. These places are worth the price of petrol for your car alone.

The eastern side of Bare Island has been productive for luderick to the 1kg mark.

They’re not as common as they are in winter, but their size has made up for their numbers.

Another sneaky spot has been the breakwall adjacent to the Yarra Bay Sailing Club. Good size tailor and leatherjackets have been featuring in catches. The artificial reef in Astrolabe Cove has big squid taking 3” orange jigs. These squid are a really good size and make excellent tucker.

The Sticks Drift, usually so reliable, copped a hammering from anglers in recent weeks, and is a bit the worse for wear. I have counted more than 20 boats fishing this area, so it’s only natural that this has taken its toll.

Watts Reef has started to fire but only at night. I believe

this is still the best bream spot in the bay, although not as good as 20 years ago.

Pick a night with a high tide around midnight, get there at sunset and fish with a small split shot right on the hook. I often see anglers using large sinkers, and I know they will come home empty-handed.

You have to move your live bait all the time, with a short, slow jigging action.

That is the trick to catching big bream.

The hot water outlet at Kurnell has been productive for choppers to 40cm during the full moon period, but this spot has not been fishing well for some time.

The drift in front of the runways continues to fish well for trumpeter whiting of excellent size, sometimes over 30cm. There are also a few flathead and flounder in the same area.

The Towra weed beds have been producing a few fish, but not as many as in previous years. As a by-catch you can always use a drag net on the run-up tide for a feed of prawns. This area has weed beds mixed with clean white sand and is free from snags.

The San Souci Sailing Club flats are fishing well for good size bream and whiting,

Ollie’s catch from a Hawkesbury trip last month.

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18

APRIL 2017

Marcos’s first keeper in Australia, caught in Botany Bay. No monster, but legal and tasty!

and a few school mulloway. I dropped a few schoolies very close to the anchor rope; I simply was not good enough to land these fish.

Bald Face Point has been producing flathead, bream and school mulloway right on slack water. The fish are

there for a couple of hours before moving away.

If you’re fishing around Oatley I would suggest the Caravan Head at night.

Although it’s hard fishing, persistence always pays off.

Fishing at the Moons has been spasmodic, with only

Ollie had yet another blinder at Towra.

Gabe and Reno got 16 calamari from Port Hacking.

the odd stray bream landed.

The Woronora RSL crew have had afternoon sessions in the Wonnie but without much luck. If they can’t catch them, there’s not much hope for everyone else.

OFFSHORE The offshore scene hasn’t been too bad, with by-catches of mahimahi from all the FADs. Just remember it’s vital to get there early.

I’ve listed below some of the grounds that have fished surprisingly well.

• The Gap (33 51.010, 151 18.000) is often ignored but produces mixed bags in depths from 65-185m.

• The HMAS Encounter (34 54.600, 151 20.900) is a premium kingfish wreck for all sizes of fish.

• Plonk Hole (34 00.160, 151 26.282) is very

consistent for Chinaman jackets. It’s 14km out from Botany Head.

• Kurnell Lighthouse (34 02.195, 151 14.000) is very close but very deep.

• Boat Harbour (34 03.000, 151 12.570), 36m for flatties.

• The Pinnacle (33 57.343, 151 18.658).

• Long Bay Wide (33 58.097, 151 18.810).

I trust this information will assist you in getting a feed.

SQUID It wouldn’t be fair not to mention the recent squid catch jigged off Captain Cook’s Landing Place at Kurnell. I’m still old school, in that my jigs are made of balsa wood, but things have changed. Reno Asquino, the best squid fisher in Sydney by far, showed me how it is

all done – with a single long stroke, then a few reel turns, then repeat. This was an experience not to be missed.

My wife likes to cook squid by cutting them into strips around 3/4” by 3”, then she adds five slices of anchovies, a handful of capers, two tins of Cirio tomato paste, garlic and parsley. You let it simmer for 45 minutes and then pour it over linguine pasta (preferably homemade). It’s to die for!

FRESHWATER On the freshwater scene, the boys from the Wollondilly Bass Club have had good results from the

stretch between Douglas and Menangle Weir. The average size is around 30-33cm.

There are a few being taken at Theresa Park and Wallaga Bridge as well.

Additionally, good carp are at all the recognised spots and are taking worms.

The best carp I’ve seen nudged 8kg.

All up, getting a feed is not easy at the moment but it’s possible. You need a lot of skill and patience, and need to stick to the early morning run-outs and afternoon run-ins. With all the rain we’ve had in recent weeks, the deep water is where you’ll find the fish.

Norm caught these fan-bellied jackets from Jones Wharf in the harbour.

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APRIL 2017

19

April tactics can be unexpectedly flexible SYDNEY SOUTH

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

Do you need to get out for a fish very early in the morning or late into the afternoon to catch more fish? Or do you need to go fishing at night to catch more fish? I say no!

Early morning or late into the afternoon and night are prime times to catch fish, but I prefer to work the tides.

If the parts of the tide that I prefer to fish (an hour or two either side of the high or low) coincide with an early morning or late afternoon start, that’s even better.

April will see just about everything on the chew.

What I would suggest is that you pick a fish species and where you would like to fish – beach, rock, out of a boat or off the shore are some suggestions. Decide whether you are going to bait or lure fish and when you next have a few hours to spare.

Bream on the surface during April may not be the pick for most anglers. Don’t

Carl Dubois with a 38cm fork-length bream caught while working a lightly weighted soft plastic over the shallows.

knock it until you try it. Just recently I had the pleasure of fishing with Stuart Hindson from Aussie Fish Estuary Adventures on the Bega River. Over the two days I learnt so much about surface fishing for both yellowfin and black bream, my head nearly exploded. It changed my way of using surface lures and lightly weighted soft plastics.

Whether you are fishing from a boat or off the shore, make sure the outfit that you are using allows you to cast as far as possible with your surface lure or soft plastic.

The longer a lure or plastic is on the surface, the longer the bream has to look at it.

For depth of water, don’t think that 2.5m is too deep.

I have had dusky flathead, whiting and bream smash a surface lure in that depth. On the other end of the scale, when is shallow too shallow?

Try a cast up on the sand and then work the lure into the water, and you might be surprised.

The speed of the retrieve is extremely important. You have to decide – it slow or fast? Is it slow and then stop and pause, or do you work it fast and stop? Maybe it’s slow and then speed up when

A nice bag of five bream caught while chucking Cranka Crabs along the rocky shoreline in South West Arm. you see a bow wave behind the lure or soft plastic. This is something you will have to work out on the day.

I was working a 7cm lure slowly across the surface only to have a huge bow wave come up behind it. I paused the lure and the bow wave went away. On the next cast the same thing happened again, so I increased the speed and this time a bream smashed the lure.

Recently I’ve used the Shakespeare Slingshot Engage 1-3 and 2-4kg outfits.

Both have been spooled with 2kg line. For surface lures, I have been using the Berkley 48mm Scum Dog, Stiffy

Poppers and 7cm Sugapens.

The soft plastics have varied from worms to grubs to shrimps in 2.5-3”. All of them have been on light jigheads around 1/24-1/50oz.

The next time you are out on the water during April, give surface lures and soft plastics a go. It’s mind blowing the types of fish you can catch from both the shore and out of a boat.

To give you a run down for April, here are the hot species now, and where and how I would target them this month. Try fishing off the rocks for bream, trevally, drummer and luderick.

Bread or chicken pellets for

Fishing from Sydney Harbour commuter wharves You can help keep these facilities open for fishing by following these basic rules

these wharves  Collect and dispose of all litter, bait, fish waste and discarded tackle responsibly  Be considerate of local residents and keep noise to a minimum

 Follow all recreational fishing rules  Respect your access to these facilities  When fishing in NSW waters you are

required to pay the NSW Recreational Fishing Fee

Visit licence.nsw.gov.au or call 1300 369 365 or dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing for further information about current recreational fishing rules.

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Specific fishing restrictions apply at some commuter wharves. Non-compliance can result in penalties. See www.rms.nsw.gov.au for details of the "Clean, Safe Wharves" initiative.

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APRIL 2017

14301

& e m i rit lties a M , Policeeries penaly Fish can app

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berley and peeled prawns for bait would be the go.

Off the beach, you could try for salmon, tailor, bream and whiting. Try beach or blood worms for bream and whiting and either whole or half pilchards for the others.

In the estuaries, you will find bream, whiting,

flathead, garfish, tailor, salmon and bonito. Luderick will start to increase in numbers. I can’t stress enough that when you are at anchor you will need berley to increase your catch rate.

I mainly use chicken pellets (dry and wet). You can also try white bread, smashed up

Andrew Humphries muscling in a silver trevally that was feeding along the edge of the sandbank in the background.

pilchards or even a bonito or tuna frame.

If you are going to fish in Botany Bay, anchor up at the patches off Towra in about 2-3m of water. Once the boat had settled into place, throw out a handful of chicken pellets, bait up the rods and cast them out and then place them into the rod holders.

Throw out another small handful of chicken pellets, sit back and wait for the action to start.

If you would like to target bream and trevally during the run-up tide in Botany Bay, try any of the following places: the Drum, the Yarra Bay fish balls, Trevally Alley, the end of the third runway and the patches at Towra.

During the run-out tide, I like to fish wide off Towra, the oil wharf (remember to be 100m away), the end of the wall at Trevally Alley, Bare Island, Henry Head and Sutherland Point.

Further upstream in the Georges and Woronora River you could try drifting for whiting, bream and dusky flathead at the Moons, Lugarno, Bonnet Bay, Picnic Point and Cattle Duffers. The Georges River State Park is a great place to fish from the shore.

Maroubra, Coogee, Wanda and North Cronulla beaches should start to fire in the early mornings and

Who wouldn’t be smiling after catching these beauties while out with Stuart Hindson on Wonboyn Lake? late afternoons. Don’t forget those overcast days with light rain – this is when the fish come out to play.

Whiting, bream, trevally, tailor and luderick can be caught in most of the deep bays in the Port Hacking River. If you anchor you need to berley, as it can be an extremely hard place to fish. South West Arm would be my pick of the spots.

If you are fishing from the shore, try Gunnamatta Bay, Bundeena and Maianbar. Pink nippers would have to be the pick of the baits. Remember that you

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The fishing heats up as the temperature cools WESTERN SYDNEY

Peter Jacovides

This time of year the minds of freshwater anglers in Western Sydney turn to estuary bass and Blue Mountains trout. I’ll talk about trout next month because my mind right now is full of visions of big bronze battlers tearing back to their snaggy lairs with my favourite lure clenched firmly in their toothless jaws. They all seem set on

creeks and rivers of Western Sydney, and of course many other places along the East Coast. However, as autumn and winter go into full swing we fish for them in the tidal reaches of our rivers. It’s now that our hunting grounds shift to the brackish zone of the mighty Hawkesbury River to the northwest and far removed from the hustle and bustle of Sydney.

From 1 May to 30 August there is a closed season on the taking of Australian bass in NSW rivers, but most of

Mangrove Mountain, and I can tell you we caught thousands of spawning fish which went on to have millions of babies during that time. Handled carefully, catching and releasing them doesn’t appear to affect their breeding cycle.

There are also many bonuses to be had fishing these brackish areas of our rivers, as more often than not these bronze battlers are mixed in with schools of their close cousins the estuary perch, and many other of

Noah Buttigieg with a great rainbow trout. All the stocked lakes will be worth a throw for trout this month.

Look around midstream snags, drop-offs and other submerged structure or simply cast to bank side structure. From the first proper rains of autumn to the first flooding rain of spring is the best time for these fish.

Cast and troll lures and flies. Avoid bait, which they may swallow deep causing injury. Try a casting rod, spin

spawning season, so all the stocked lakes will be worth a throw. Redfin have bitten their heads off all summer and we expect more of the same right through the autumn. These fish are great fun, pretty easy to catch (a good family option) and awesome on the plate – it’s almost a shame they are a pest fish.

water temperatures cool.

Lake Burrendong is worth a try, and even better up in the Macquarie Arm and Wyangala Dam, with the Lachlan River below the dam the best option. The secret to catching big (and small) cod is big, big, big lures and I’ll talk about these next month.

• Peter Jacovides has been the owner/operator of the

Jack Azzopardi with a whopper estuary perch. stealing my new deep divers and spinnerbaits, leaving me shaking but ecstatic at having battled and lost to a big bass or EP stocking up for the breeding season in the salt.

Of course, Australian bass are primarily a freshwater fish and all summer we stalk them in the

us never keep bass anyway, no matter what the season.

For the bass men and women of Western Sydney, to take a bass is taboo. They are way too much fun to catch just once.

My introduction to winter bass about 25 years ago was collecting broodstock for the bass hatchery at

our favourite estuary species.

Working in a tackle store up to seven days a week over the summer season leaves little time to get right into our favourite pastime, but as the weather cools our casting arms warm up.

For a good location, try the tidal water from Wisemans Ferry to Windsor.

Michael Buttigieg with a huge rainbow.

Olly Phillips with a lovely little cod caught on fly.

22

APRIL 2017

or baitcast or fly rod up to 8wt, a handful of diving lures (deep divers are excellent), spinnerbaits, soft plastics and vibes. Handle those fish carefully and release them to ensure future stocks.

This month fishing options in the west are many and varied. Trout should be feeding up for the upcoming

Try lake Oberon, Wallerawang and Wentworth Falls closer to home.

Burrinjuck, Carcoar and Ben Chifley are all good places too. Redfin fall easy prey to small lures and plastics. I love ice jigs on them.

This season has been a beauty for Murray cod and should only improve as

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Cooler species are wound up by the wind THE TWEED

Anthony Coughran

With predominant northerly winds blowing this month, we’ve had cooler offshore water temperatures.

Fewer predators have graced us with their presence. With these northerlies, jacks have been firing, destroying live baits, strip baits and artificial lures. These red dogs are the talk of the town, with good numbers

taken over the past month.

OFFSHORE With water temperatures sitting at around 25-26°C on the close reefs and 27-28°C on the wider reefs, we still haven’t had the pelagics show in good numbers. Only a handful of mackerel have been caught over the last month, so it’s a very slow mackerel season. Colder water temperatures on close reefs have seen snapper, jobfish and spangled emperor still hitting drift baits and soft plastics, with good Chris Bulter with a cracker red dog caught on live bait around one of the bridge pylons. numbers of them caught over the last month. Try drifting plastics and baits around the Fidos, 5-Mile, South Reef and 9-Mile.

There are mackerel and GTs on the 9-Mile. Look for southerlies and troll swimbaits and big stickbaits for the best results.

Mahimahi are around the FAD and on the 24 and 36s. Small black marlin are around the 36s and on the 50m lines. Trolling 6” skirted lures is producing the goods. There are a few blue marlin out wider and out on the shelf in small

The author with a nice 51cm jack caught in shallow structure on half a pike.

numbers. A few packs of mac tuna have been caught around 9-Mile and 5-Mile.

It can be really fun flicking

banks around Terronora, Cobaki and the Piggery.

Yabbies are still working the best for these ghosts of the flats.

GT and bigeyes are around Jack Evans Anchorage and at Boyds Bay Bridge at night. Live bait, small micro-jigs and blades are still doing all the damage. You can find the odd luderick hanging around the rock walls and bridges. Try cabbage weed or stringy weed for the best results.

Muddies have been moving around with these warm water temperatures.

Try a back creek or a hole in one of the Broadwater systems for a big can opener.

BEACHES Northerlies aren’t the best

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Dan Le Mura with a barrel of a mac tuna caught at South Reef. metals for these speedsters on light gear.

ESTUARY Northerlies mean jacks.

With the water temperature sitting at around 27-30°C, and the lack of bait in the system, jacks are hungry and angry. They have been terrorizing anglers on the Tweed, with good numbers caught all through March.

Be prepared to lose tackle on these brutes. If you’re not losing tackle, you’re not in the structure enough. These brutes and their evil tactics have anglers stopping only one out of three. Jacks definitely win the battle more than you do.

Boyds Bay Bridge, Highway Bridge, Cobaki Bridge, Barneys Point Bridge, Chindrah Rock Wall, Oxley Cove Rock Walls, Stots Island, Tumbulgum Bridge and Condong Sugar Mill are all worth soaking a live bait or flicking a 3” plastic at for these red devils.

There are still a few good size whiting around on the top of the tide over the sand

winds for our beaches. They normally bring the bluebottles in and give a side wind to our beaches, making it hard to cast. North winds and a big swell have seen good gutters forming right down to Hastings Point. Try one of these gutters on a draining tide. Beach worms and white bait seem to be working the best to get a feed.

FRESHWATER There have been good catches of bass around Banora Point and the upper reaches of Duroby and Bilambil creeks recently.

Look for running pools and fish them with cicada lures for some exciting surface action.

Clarrie Hall Dam is fishing quite well with a few fat bass taken this season.

I haven’t heard of anyone catching a freshwater jack yet, so it could be worth a drive to Clarrie Hall Dam. Cicada lures, deep diving hardbodied lures and jig spins still do the most damage on these opportunistic hunters.

NEXT MONTH With more northerlies predicted for the next month, we’ll see more jacks feeding and fattening up for the last months of warm weather before winter.

They seem to take more dead baits and strip baits as they try and bulk up for spawning season.

Hopefully we will see a bit more southerly wind action in the next month to bring the toothy critters in. Mackerel, marlin, wahoo and mahimahi like warm water brought in by southerlies.

Chris Butler with a fat old Tweed bass caught off the top on a cicada lure.

Adrian Butler with another monster Tweed bass.

Something different for the land-based angler THE TWEED INSHORE

Tim Latter

This month’s article focuses on options for the land-based fisho that are by no means a secret, but are often overlooked: tidal suburban lakes. These lakes are dotted around our local area on this side of the border and just to the north, and they are well worth a look.

They can produce some of the best light tackle sportfishing around.

I can think of at least six of these waterways within 10 minutes of my house, and they all hold a range of species and a variety of ways in which to target them. Generally they all hold a massive amount of bait, the tidal run is reduced and the water

temperature can be 2-3°C warmer than the main river.

All you need to do is adjust your usual game plan to suit the conditions.

I spend most of my time working the inlet/outlet pipes where there is tidal flow, as the bait tends to get pushed around here and the predators are usually in waiting. Like a dam, you will also find that the wind will push bait to different sides of the lake, so it pays to take this into consideration too.

One of my favourite things about these lakes is the ability to scale down your main line and leader size, grab a bream weight outfit and a small box of lures and tangle with species such as giant herring and tarpon, trevally and mangrove jack, and your usual bread and butter species as well.

Throwing surface

stickbaits like Bassday Sugapens or Atomic K9 Bulldogs is a really exciting way to get into some lake dwellers. Small, lightly weighted soft plastics can also be dynamite when the sun’s up. Even the humble slug gets a run from time to time, accounting for plenty of catches over the last ten years or so that I have been fishing the lakes.

A slightly bigger offering such as 4” paddle-tails will get the attention from the red fish. When one belts you on the light line, you will well and truly know about it. Without the structure from their more natural environment, you can take your time and enjoy the fight without locking up and dragging them out like you would in the main river. Twitching suspending minnows can rack up a

A solid jack taken from a small suburban lake just north of the border.

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few catches too, so be sure to have a couple in your tackle box.

The bream fishing at times can be insane, so I like to cover ground when targeting bream in the lakes.

Some 2” grub-tails are probably the place to start. If I find the fish are playing the

game, I’ll usually try a small Bent Minnow to get them fired up and fighting over my lure. Smaller crankbaits work really well over the flats too, and you can often sight cast to these fish, which is also super exciting.

April is a great month for fishing and it’s a bit more

comfortable during the day.

These lakes can provide some great entertainment, without the jet skis or wake boats.

With Easter on this month, they might be just the answer to get away from the crowds.

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Dirty water stirs up the crabs I recommend 1/4oz for both plastics and blades, but bearing in mind if it’s really windy, this might be a struggle.

There are still good numbers of pipis around, and these little fellas are a great fresh bait for most bread and butter species. Just remember you’re not allowed to take these from the beach as per NSW DPI rules.

The rock walls have produced some decent mangrove jack. While not in good numbers, better size specimens have come out

BALLINA

Joe Allan

The beaches around Ballina and Lennox Head have been fishing really well and should continue to get better. Look for gutters on Patches Beach and back to South Ballina as well as the beaches along Seven Mile Beach north of Lennox Head. There have been good catches recorded of tarwhine and flathead on soft plastics and blades.

to play in recent times. The breakwalls have been a little quiet for mulloway, but the town stretch of the river has been fishing well for these beauties. Live mullet seem to produce the best catches.

Mud crabs are showing up in North Arm and Immigrant Creek. The dirtier water has definitely stirred these guys up. If you’re after a feed, get out and get into them.

Dans Lane and Pimlico Island flats have been very consistent producers of bream. If you’re into soaking

dirty water has hurt the numbers of whiting caught.

If you’re after a feed of flathead, try the stretches between Pimlico Island and Broadwater. Whitebait and fresh prawns are the go if you can get them. The prawns are on the move at the moment, so if you can find them, you’ll find great numbers of the tasty fish.

If you’re into throwing hardbody lures, troll some deep diving hardbodies that will get down to 3.5m in the holes around the Wardell Bridge and areas close by.

Bright colours are best. Once you’ve found the drop-offs, it’s always a good idea to have a 3 or 4” soft plastic with a 1/4oz jighead and 3/0 hook ready to go.

The freshwater stretches of the Richmond and Wilsons rivers have been patchy.

There have been reports of people catching 15-20 fish one day and then going back the next and getting one

Jake Stewart with a big bream taken while chasing mulloway. or two. The best lures are spinnerbaits with big gold blades, and lipless crankbaits with bright colours.

The noise and flash is what’s attracting these fish in this dirty water. The creeks around Bangalow and Corndale are worth a cast

now that they’ve cleaned up a little. Downsize everything that you’d normally throw in the main river. You’d be surprised how big the fish that live in these small creeks can get. Small 2” plastics and bream or trout-size crankbaits are what you should look for.

Joe from Casino Outdoors with a bass from the upper reaches of the Richmond River. bait, nippers are one of the best baits and are good fun to catch with the kids around.

If you’re into throwing lures, small crankbaits and small topwater poppers are always my go-to. You’ll pick up a few whiting too, although

Plenty of crabs are around, like these cool cats.

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Whatever location you choose to fish, the most important aspect of your search should be to ensure you won’t get caught out by the weather. Now the Bureau of Meteorology has made it even easier to check the weather and ocean conditions with the introduction of a few simple tools and tips.

The Bureau’s Tide Prediction portal has been upgraded to provide predicted tide heights and times for over 700 locations around Australia. Just check the extended weather forecast and the tides a few days before your fishing trip to help inform where and when might be the best and safest place to go fishing.

The Bureau’s graphical mapping tool MetEye can be used to visualise the weather forecast and zoom to any location. MetEye

provides information on the height and direction of different swell conditions, as well as wind waves and total wave height.

Rock fishing is a popular recreational activity, but it’s also one of Australia’s most dangerous sports. The Bureau has developed a guide on how to use MetEye for rock fishing. You can find further information

about weather safety checks for rock fishing on the Bureau’s website. These pages are translated into traditional and simplified Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Malay.

Rock fishers can also read up on a new blog that outlines how and when to check the weather. The Bureau recommends three vital weather safety checks:

tides, waves and winds.

The Bureau also has a new mobile app, BOM Weather, which can be downloaded for free and used to check warnings, view the rain radar for current conditions, or to check the forecast for storms or strong winds.

The Bureau of Meteorology’s National Manager of Marine Weather Services Neal Moodie urges fishing enthusiasts to take advantage of these tools, intended to make fishing a more enjoyable and safe activity.

“Australians enjoy the great outdoors all year round,” he said. “Stay safe by making the most of the Bureau’s range of marine and ocean information, and be prepared to make alternate arrangements if conditions change.” – Bureau of Meteorology

Rain events give waterways a welcome boost ILUKA

Ross Deakin

We received some significant downpours a few weeks ago, and these rain events very quickly improved the fishing.

We are now seeing some

awesome flathead catches occurring down our end of the river. Bream and whiting have also been around in good numbers, as have school mulloway.

The usual hotspots have been around Browns Rocks, the North Arm, Collis Wall and the breakwall. The river

has really needed this rain to flush it out, causing a knockon effect right through to the ocean where there has been plenty of action with tailor, trevally and longtails. There are so many baitfish around it makes it hard to compete.

We have seen some great catches of tailor on the open

Recent downpours have really improved the river fishing.

beaches and in the river using lures and ganged pillies.

There have also been some crackers up to 4kg taken on poppers from some of the headlands, such as Woody Head and the Bluff.

Stuart Bowers from Iluka weighed in a 3.9kg greenback late last month and there have been others.

Mulloway catches have been on the improve, with some decent schoolies in the river. Wazza Bell from Brisbane landed a very nice mulloway weighing 23.5kg caught off Iluka Beach.

Spotty and barred mackerel are being taken on pink squid skirts, pillies, live bait and hardbodies. It’s best to get out early for them and troll around Woody Head and Shark Bay. There are cobia, snapper and trag close in, with Black Rock seeing some good action. Get out for some tuna action off the wall, tailor off the beaches and headlands, or flathead, whiting and bream in the river. Don’t forget the crab traps as muddies are also in good numbers. Make sure you pop in to us at Iluka Bait and Tackle and weigh in that awesome catch for your chance to win $40 to spend in the shop.

Mulloway are around in good numbers.

Tailor have been chowing down on the plentiful baitfish.

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27

Exciting Easter estuaries and late mackerel run YAMBA

Dave Gaden

Good rains at the end of February and early March should have stirred things up a bit for this month.

The continual dry weather and northeasterly winds

will not be missed. The change in weather patterns will bring calmer seas offshore and hopefully a lot of hungry fish. While the estuary gets a nice drink of fresh water upstream, this should push the fish to the lower reaches of the system.

The estuary has fished really well this summer, with great bass all the way from the gorge to the mouth of the mighty Clarence.

The big dusky flathead just kept coming. A few of my regular customers coming in the shop reported that they released up to three big girls

ba Prawn Blade s” “Yam There will be a lot more activity on the water with the late arrival of the spotties.

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a day and still got a good feed of 50cm fish. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Whiting have been around, but not in the numbers they were earlier in the summer. There are still some good fish amongst them but bag limits are rare.

The shortcut between Hickey and Dart Islands is always worth a try for these fish; popping late in the afternoon and changing to live nippers as it gets dark gets me a feed most times.

Crabs are still sensational throughout the river, with reports of nice muddies upstream to Grafton. Those crabbing between Lawrence and Maclean have had some great success. Remember, if you intend to crab this stretch of the river you are only allowed the use of hoop nets or dillies (no crab traps upstream of the old ferry ramp in Maclean). For those closer to the mouth, Oyster Channel and the run up to the lake will get you a feed.

For those anglers out there who like to ‘stick watch’ (and I’m one of them), the luderick are around in

reasonable numbers with plenty of fish pushing the 1kg mark. Cabbage seems to be the flavour of the moment, although some anglers are getting fish on weed flies pretty consistently.

Mulloway will love this colour change in the river, which brings with it the schools of mullet. Oyster Channel Bridge will hold nice school-size fish. Some nicer mulloway are being taken on the Zerek 70mm Live Shrimp, fished close to the surface. Bigger fish will as always be taken from the breakwalls.

Speaking of our magnificent breakwalls, for those who like the landbased gamefishing, this is a great time to try and crack a big Spanish mackerel or northern longtail tuna off the wall. It’s always amazed me how many of these big ocean predators cruise the seaside of these walls. I have seen cobia, yellowtail kings, mackerel and even manta rays come right up to the wall over the years.

Offshore the water will still be nice and hot with the usual suspects out there for the taking. Spanish mackerel are quite often best in April

Sam with a nice Spaniard weighing in at 11kg.

I’ve mentioned this before – this is the latest start to mackerel season I can remember and not just here.

North and south of Yamba they have been a pain in the neck. That’s now over, thank

A good haul of spotted and Spanish mackerel trolled up early. and May, and with the late arrival of the spotties I think the water’s going to be alive with mackerel. The first week of March gave us the hottest bite of the season, with bag limits trolled up by 8am in the morning.

goodness! Along with the macs is the other fun stuff: yellowfin tuna, mahimahi, striped and mackerel tuna.

All of the above are fish we take daily on your basic 6” pink squid trolled at around 9 knots at the back

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APRIL 2017

The girls had a ball on the spotty mackerel.

of the bubble trail of the boat. That’s cheap tackle that doesn’t break the bank when you get cut off, and it’s easy to make yourself.

April also means snapper are moving from the wide grounds to the more accessible grounds closer to shore. I like the grounds off Shelly Headland in about 14-16 fathoms (24-30m) of water. The reef here has no real high pinnacles, but you will find bumps of around 2m and a lot of areas with underwater caves. I quite often find the snapper holding tight on the south side of these rises, with the predominant north current flowing over them.

Anchoring in just the right spot is vital. If you don’t get it right, pull the anchor and do it again until you do. Sitting 20m from a good fish is no better than staying at home. Berley heavily at this time of the year and try to float lightly weighted cut baits down the trail.

With the water so shallow you will often see snapper right at the boat working up the berley trail.

Mutton birds can be your undoing though, as they have their last feast before the big migration back to the artic. To combat this problem, try berleying with prawns or prawn shells.

Snapper love them, for some unexplained reason the mutton birds won’t eat them, and they sink fast.

While chasing the snapper in the shallows you are in line to catch a huge range of exotics this month. By-catches will include pearl perch, venus tuskfish, Maori cod and Moses perch to name a few.

This shouldn’t cause you much stress.

Lots of surface activity WOOLI

Stan Young

The east Australian currents are doing a great job this year by bringing the clear blue water in close, and with it come the pelagics and large bait schools.

wahoo. If you don’t know where it is, look on the FAD website or call into our shop and we’ll help you out.

We have two islands off Wooli – North Solitary, which is the bigger island, and North West Rock.

They’re about 13km out, and you can see them from the break wall at Wooli.

Spanish mackerel have been smashing the bait schools.

There has been plenty of surface activity, with Spaniards and spotties going crazy, and some big wahoo being landed. There are a few longtails being caught as well, mostly on live baits meant for mackerel.

Yellowfin ranging from 5-20kg have been taking lures at North Solitary Island. They go well on skirts but I like using Halco Laser Pro 190s in the white red head or the red neck. We troll three to four lures at once, and often get multiple hook-ups. All hell breaks loose when that happens, with people running to stop crossovers with lines, as it’s the first few seconds that make or break it.

The FAD has been doing well for mahimahi and also

There are a few snapper showing up but it’s still a bit early. Some good fish have been caught while

live baiting for mackerel; snapper love a live slimy or yakka. If you’re live baiting for mackerel and you have small slimies, use only one hook just under the dorsal fin and not too deep into the fish. If you have a large slimy or pike, use a double hook rig, with one hook just forward of the dorsal fin and the second hook under the rear dorsal fin.

When trolling for mackerel we use either 4/0 or 5/0 Black Magic KS hooks, or their Teflon-coated DX hooks. When live baiting we use 44lb Halco single-strand.

Don’t set your drags too tight as they will go straight through the wire and you will lose the fish.

When trolling for mackerel it’s better to up to 105lb single strand. Put one hook under the bait’s chin and through the clear spot in the top of his nose, and one hook trailing just behind its tail. Some people use a treble in about a 1/0 or 2/0.

Catching mackerel with plastics is awesome as well, and we’ve been having fun using 7” ZMans in glow and smokey shad, 7” Gulps in pearl white and anchovy, and 5” Samaki Boom Baits in ghost bait colour.

The Wooli locals have been catching plenty of tailor up to 4kg off the beach and break walls, mostly on spinners. Soon the bream and the blackfish

Some good snapper are being caught while live baiting for mackerel. will be running, and plenty will be caught in the river. I recommend trying artificial weed for blackfish, either store-bought or made yourself. I’m happy to show you how to make them.

Call into our tackle shop at 43 Riverside Dr, Wooli and we’ll help you with rigs,

knots and more. Our charter business has two boats, Erebus (11m Steber) and the Kraken (12m cat), both purpose built for chartering.

If you want a fun day out give us a call on (02) 6649 7100 and talk to Stan or Claire. We also provide accommodation overlooking

the Wooli River. After having breakfast overlooking the river, you just walk 50m and you’re on the boat. We supply sandwiches, tea, coffee, soft drinks, all tackle including rods and reels, and ice for your fish. All you need to bring is an esky to take home your catch.

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APRIL 2017

29

Coming in or getting out?

COFFS HARBOUR

Stephen Worley info@tdsimages.com.au

Daylight savings is out for another year, and something tells me there will be no lack of recreation this month. Last year the Easter rush was done and dusted by April. This April is going to be a lot busier around the Coffs region ,with school holidays and Easter spread throughout the month.

FISHING LOCAL There’s no shortage of activity around the Coffs Coast at the moment, no matter what type of angling you’re looking for. In the rivers the mangrove jack and trevally are still firing.

There are no real secret spots for chasing them. The upper estuary sections are where they’re most active.

The Bellinger River is the most accommodating for a larger boat and also the most conducive to a bit of landbased angling too.

Kalang rivers offer extensive breakwalls to hop around, and all of the smaller coastal creeks have great areas of sandy flats and rocky shores to explore.

In these areas anything can be caught, from bread and butter bream, flathead and whiting to mangrove jack, trevally and mulloway.

In all areas of the estuaries there has been one lure over the last couple of months that has dominated reports, and that’s the Bassday Sugapen.

If you’re going to cast

Jason O’Brien with the kind of cod that makes a trip out west a very worthy weekend getaway.

That means there’s two things to think about. For those who are visiting the area, the question is where to find the local fish. For the locals, however, it may be a good time to think about where you will escape to.

The upper reaches of the smaller coastal creeks are mostly surrounded by bush so the land-based fishing is limited. In the lower parts of the estuaries there are a lot more opportunities for those on foot. The Bellinger and

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around one lure this month, follow the local form.

Offshore anglers visiting our coastline will be happy to know that the water has been warm and the fishing hot. If it’s your first time launching at the Coffs Harbour Boat Ramp it’s worth warning you that although the extension works completed last year have decreased the wave action in the boat ramp basin, when a decent swell is running there can still be a significant surge on the ramp.

It is also worth reminding visitors and locals alike that there will be days of high congestion at the boat ramp.

Please remember that we’re all there for the same thing.

Being patient and thoughtful of others will ensure everyone gets out there and back safely.

For many of you, April holidays mean mackerel.

The mackerel have been obliging with good numbers from the inshore reefs out to the islands. The spotties outnumbered the Spaniards by a long way this summer, but the numbers of Spaniards have been picking up slowly though the season. This month we normally see the peak of the mackerel action, as well as the longtail tuna.

Besides the mackerel there have been plentiful cobia, mahimahi, kingfish and the ever-present snapper.

Live baits have been the preferred offering. We have

had a buffet of baitfish off our coast recently. Schools of slimy mackerel, yakkas, pilchards, garfish, herring and bonito have all been madly trying to hide their presence to no avail. It makes it a little hard to ‘match the hatch.’ If you catch something on your bait jig, just go with that.

Sometimes when all your local favourites are too crowded it’s time to get out and have an adventure away from home. Here are three options for escapes that can be an overnighter or a weeklong adventure.

HINTERLAND ESCAPE Not far from Coffs Harbour is the mighty Nymboida and Mann River system. There is great bass fishing in stunning locations – the type of fishing trip that gets you away from it all. The Clarence Gorge has always been the go-to bass getaway in this area because it’s the place people know.

The Nymboida has always been revered as a great fishing river, but it was a bit unknown and harder to find places to camp. This is no longer the case.

The Clarence Valley Council have put together the longest canoe and kayak trail in the country, over 195km. The trail starts on the Nymboida River and runs down through the Mann River and into the Clarence.

Each section is described and there are campsites along the whole trail. If you want to get away just for an overnighter or spend a few days in the kayak moving down the river, look up the Clarence Kayak And Canoe Trail and download the guide.

INLAND ESCAPE If you want to get further away out west where you can feel the morning chill of winter coming, there are

A live yakka tempted this kingfish into jumping on Jordy Viti’s line out at South Solitary Island. a number of locations west of Coffs that can provide the perfect cod weekend.

Copeton Dam is an obvious choice. It’s far enough away to feel very different to home, it’s close enough to be a reasonable weekend trip away and, of course, it has huge cod, as well as its fair share of goldens. The big swimbaits have been a real feature of the fishing at Copeton, in particular the shallow water wakebaits. A surface hit from a big cod alone is worth the drive.

THE COASTAL RUNNER If you want to stick with the salt and only hop out

of town a little way, there are plenty of options for a quick coastal getaway.

Ducking up north to one of the national parks or coastal villages between Red Rock and Brooms Head is within easy reach of an overnight crowd reliever.

You will have to pick your spot though, as some of these little places are more crowded than Coffs in the holidays (*cough* Station Creek *cough*).

Whether you enjoy this crazy month in town, or anywhere around the region, I hope the fish are biting and your lines are tight.

Go for the ‘get away from it all’ experience on the Nymboida River, part of the 195km long Clarence Kayak and Canoe Trail.

Craig Hanlon showing these golden perch can keep you well entertained even if the cod aren’t co-operating.

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Tough times but we live in hope! same here, worse luck.

There have been more weather windows in the past month than in the past four combined, but the motivation to get out there and have a look is low and the game fishing scene in general has a very ho hum feel about it. You can only do so many miles and burn through so many

COFFS GAME

Glen Booth

Hands up who wants to cancel this Coffs Harbour game fishing season and start afresh in a few months’ time? Ok then, motioned carried unanimously. Hmm. Well it’s more of the

litres of fuel before the penny drops that it’s largely a waste of time.

Blue marlin remain the target out wide, with the water on the shelf edge being less than fantastic, which has produced the odd striped marlin hookup.

At this time of year we’d expect to have a couple of blue bites each day, but the

The only decent ones have mostly been blind strikes while targeting marlin with lures, and even then they’re few and far between.

There’s a couple of jellybean yellowfin tuna lurking at the light, and Mark Mikkelsen got one over 20kg at the start of March, which was a pleasant bit of bycatch.

The good news has been on the mackerel front. After a slowish start — by the standard of recent years where they’ve come on the chew in early summer — the bite has been pretty steady. There’s been some impressive Spanish about, with fish from 15-20kg not raising too many eyebrows. Spotties have been reasonably consistent, and of a good average size, even if they do have trouble finding the hooks in the bigger slimies.

In some instances the 38 and 44lb single strand wire most commonly used has been insufficient to prevent bite-offs. If it’s not a numbers game and a trophy bar-ee is the goal,

Pete Mallia nailed this trophy bar-ee at the bait grounds, and was also bitten off twice. heavier wire, even light multistrand, will produce fewer bites, but it may keep you connected to that long dreamed of 50 pounder.

Setting a trap for a big fish includes fishing bigger baits such as live bonito or mac tuna, either caught in situ or kept alive in tuna tubes.

The water remains pretty ordinary inshore, but

the mackerel are in it, and bait remains pretty easy to come by most mornings.

There’s been the usual rumours about ciguaterainfected fish, but unless they’re properly tested, people getting sick could easily be the result of poor handling practices post capture — especially when the fish is too big to fit in the average icebox.

Now the weather has settled, hopefully a few more blues will start to show.

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crews that have put in the hard yards over the edge have only been encountering ones and nones, which is extremely frustrating.

And as for the inshore blacks, well, they’ve gone the way of the dodo it seems…

After last year’s spectacular wahoo season, Dr Hoo has been practically non-existent this time round, with only the very occasional one caught.

Ditto for that other summer standby, the mahimahi. The FAD, the waver recorder buoy and sundry trap floats in 40-60 fathoms have been holding fish, but they’re nearly all rats, with very few keepers amongst them.

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TO FILL Alex Qasabian, fishing out from Mona Vale aboard Murrifin, caught this yellowfin tuna on a Black Magic Jack Slammer in fruit salad.

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At last some consistent good water has hit our region, and we’re starting to reap the rewards. Bait species including bonito, mac tuna, slimy mackerel and pike are in abundance, and the bigger predators that eluded us earlier in the year are now about in numbers.

Mackerel catches have been fairly good, and there seems to be equal amounts of Spaniards and spotties.

Slow trolling live baits and anchoring up with a berley trail have been the most productive methods for catching mackerel.

However, with the amount

of bait that is present, sharks have become a bit of an issue. This is a common problem at this time of year.

To avoid these sharks for a while when they are thick, try fishing away from the pack, or trolling hardbody lures and skirts around areas holding bait.

Some solid cobia have been caught from around the bait grounds from Grassy Head down to Hat Head, and there have been a few decent kings hanging around Fish Rock. The waters outside of Fish Rock have been alive with small tuna. Large patches of bait like this are hard to go past at this time of year when it comes to locating big fish.

The crowds on the headlands are starting to

grow now, with cobia and kingfish being present as well as Spanish mackerel coming in on the bait schools. Bluefin tuna will hit our area any day now, and these fish are a very popular land-based game species on the mid north coast.

Lately the river has been full of baitfish.

Kingfish, cobia, mulloway and even some small mackerel and tuna have been found terrorising these schools on occasions.

Flathead are in good numbers in the mid reaches of the Macleay between Jerseyville and Smithtown.

Most fish are being found tight against the rock walls, waiting in ambush for unsuspecting prey.

Big bream are coming out of the same regions, with lightly-weighted grub-tailed soft plastics accounting for the trophy fish. Big schools of trevally are in the river as well, and they’ve been consistently found as far up as Smithtown and into the Belmore River. These

Bait like this mac tuna can be trolled up by putting a lure out while towing your live baits.

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ramps up for winter.

Bream, whiting, tailor and mulloway are all being caught from the sand, with clear, crisp mornings producing some awesome fishing without the crowds.

The catchment has received a bit of rain lately

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A perfect example of how frustrating mackerel fishing can be on occasions. This bait had three hooks in it.

Spotted mackerel are responding to both live and dead baits. This one took a slow trolled pike.

fish become very explosive when they round up a school of fish, and are awesome fun on small surface lures if you’re in the right place at the right time.

Now is the beginning of the prime time for beach fishing in the Macleay region. It pays to get in early though before the commercial presence

and the river definitely looks better for it. Bass fishing has been fair upriver, however the fish will start moving down into the salt soon for their winter migration. The surface bite has still been pretty good of an afternoon, with spinnerbaits and divers producing the goods during the day.

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33

Yellowtail Kingfish

Kiwi kingfish tactics for Aussie anglers NEW ZEALAND

Chris Firkin

In December’s issue I talked about what us kiwis do a little differently as far as trout fishing is concerned. This month we talk about our biggest asset as far as most Australian anglers

exactly that. They grow to 50kg+. Where I’m from (Whakatane) 30kg is classed as a good one and 40kg is a trophy.

The largest kingfish ever caught officially in the world has come from this beautiful part of New Zealand at 52kg (two have been caught from here officially at exactly the

Young Jake Milbank landed this kingy off Whakatane while chasing snapper in 8m of water. He couldn’t put too much drag on the fish and that’s probably the reason he caught it. The harder you pull on them, the harder they pull on you.

While fishing one of the Junior competitions in Whakatane, 15 year old Charlotte Knight landed this nice chunky kingy on an original Black Magic Snapper Snatcher rig. are concerned and the reason to travel across the ditch. We call them ‘hoodlums’ and they are

same weight) with fishos losing even bigger beasts every season, as they can prove a little hard to

slow down at 30kg, let alone at 50kg.

The largest kingy officially caught off the rocks in NZ weighed in at 42.6kg caught by Richard Baker, while live baiting off Great Barrier Island.

Kingfish can be caught consistently anywhere in NZ from the top of the South Island all the way up to the Three Kings Island group where hoodlums abound in big numbers and size.

Offshore Islands like White Island in the Bay of Plenty (where the biggest kingfish has officially come from), the Aldermans, Mercury Islands group and Great Barrier off the Coromandel, further north to the Poor Knights Islands and Bay of Islands all hold good numbers of big kingfish. We are definitely spoilt for numbers, size and areas to chase them.

It’s how we chase them that should interest you.

With the numbers available, which can get a little out of hand during mid to late summer, they can become a little bit of a

Hooking up to 11 or 12 kingies while targeting something different, the loss of gear alone starts adding up. Every once and a while, Lady Luck will be on your side, if you can get your anchor up fast enough and get on top of the fish quickly. Then your chances increase tenfold.

One thing I have learnt while fishing from the rocks for kingies is the harder you pull on them, the harder they pull on you. A smooth drag from your reel is important, as always. Play the fish smoothly and calmly without too much panic.

Fighting the fish erratically won’t help your cause.

At over 40kg, this fish was weighed on a wet sheet, tagged and released to fight another day – a scrap the author won’t forget in a hurry. pain when trying to target other species like snapper, tarakihi and trevally, which we often chase in shallow water on relatively light line.

Hooking a 20kg or 30kg+ king in shallow water on light line is basically a recipe for disaster.

Deepwater live bait rig

15-37kg mainline depending on size of fish targeted Ball sinker 4-8oz depending on drift, current and depth Soft lumo bead between HD swivel and sinker

Heavy duty swivel only 1-2m 130lb

Deep structure 60–200m

34

APRIL 2017

Visiting Whakatane for a weekend produced some good results for Ernie Lengyel while trailing the new Black Magic DX point hooks.

Yellowtail Kingfish SHALLOW WATER TECHNIQUES To be fair, the methods we use to chase kingfish are similar to what you Aussie anglers use, but in saying this, the bait we use when live baiting differs depending on location. More often than not, when fishing from the rocks we live bait with small kahawai (Australian salmon). They are readily available and kingfish in NZ find them irresistible.

Squid are nowhere near as prevalent in NZ as they are in Australia, but we all know kingfish love them and most of the kingy fishing I have done in NSW has been trolling with live squid.

When fishing from the rocks or boat in shallower

The Coromandel Peninsula is kingy heaven for those fishing land-based or from a boat. your livey from tangling up with the bottom. Secondly, it’s an indicator to where your live bait is and when it is being harassed by a predator. The length of the dental floss between your balloon and swivel should be around 4-6”.

WHEN FISHING DEEP A very simple and deadly technique we use when drifting live baits over deep structure is to attach a tournament swivel to our main line or shock leader with a 4-8oz ball sinker, depending on current and depth, running up the main line or shock leader.

Place a small soft lumo bead between your sinker and swivel as a stopper to prevent your sinker from damaging your knot.

Then tie 1.2m of 130lb tough trace to your swivel to your shorter shank live bait hook, once again making sure your hook is the correct size for the size live bait you have chosen to use.

Firstly sound out an area looking for prominent signs of bait, then drift through those areas, dropping your livey to the

bottom. Then once you have hit the sea floor with your sinker, very slowly wind it up a couple of metres then slowly drop it back down.

Believe me when I say that you know when your bait is about to be eaten, as the livey gets a little

agitated – funny that!

OTHER METHODS Stickbaiting, poppering and technical jigging are all very effective and productive techniques that are no different in NZ than they are in Australia.

Live baiting tends to produce bigger fish on

average compared to jigging or stickbaiting. If you’re lucky enough to place your lure in the right place at the right time catching, the big one is still very possible, just not as consistent on bigger models.

Why are our kingfish on average much bigger than their Australian cousins? It’s simple really – a good food source, less commercial pressure than Australia and a lot less anglers all contribute to why New Zealand has the numbers and consistently larger fish on average.

Interestingly, the largest kingfish officially caught in Australian waters was caught at Browns Mountain off NSW a long time ago.

That fish weighed 52kg, the same weight as our largest ever officially caught.

Most keen Australian anglers are fully aware that places like Port Augusta in South Australia also hold consistent numbers of large kingfish, but unfortunately through commercial and recreational pressure, most places class a metre long kingfish as a good one.

Kingfish are always curious, especially when you are retrieving what they like to eat to the boat.

Land-based or shallow water rig for livebaiting for kingfish John Taylforth tagged and released one of many kingfish caught that morning. Keeping only what you need means more for future generations. water, live bait with 15-24kg line attached to a 6-8m shock leader of 80lb tough trace. Connect this to a good quality tournament swivel (not a snap swivel), knotted to 3-4m of 130-200lb tough trace or 120lb fluorocarbon preferably with, importantly, the correct size live bait hook, depending on the size of the live bait you are using at the tail section of your rig. Lastly, tie some mintflavoured dental floss

to the top ring of your tournament swivel, then tie a blown up biodegradable balloon to the other end of the dental floss.

The size of your balloon is dependant on the size of your live bait. You don’t want too small a balloon for a 2-3kg kahawai, as the live bait will continually pull the balloon under the water and not break away as easily when that hoodlum attacks.

Your balloon is there for two reasons – one is to keep

6-8m shock leader 80lb tough trace Blow biodegradable balloon up to suitable size depending on size of live bait

15-24kg mainline

HD swivel (Not snap swivel)

3-4m of 130-200lb tough trace Important to use correct size hook depending on size of live bait

APRIL 2017

35

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Fishing Fill-its

Waverider range The Waverider range of boats are soon to be offered as ‘off-the-shelf’ boats built to survey for commercial buyers. They’ll start at 4.5m long and be available in 500mm increments with no foreseeable end-size to stop at. Can you imagine a 50ft police boat?

This means that any customer can order an off-the-shelf Waverider of their chosen size and choose a layout from up to five provided internal configurations: tiller, centre console, side console, bowrider and half cab for 6m and up. The customer doesn’t need to apply for plans, wait for them to be drawn by a naval architect and then for a builder to quote on them, meaning the customer saves thousands of dollars.

This seems to be the first time in Australia that a boat manufacturer is building a range of boats approved for commercial use, that customers, either safety-conscious recreational fishers or commercial businesses, can select their boat and order it, knowing the hull is already approved for survey.

The builders at AusShips P/L met with Pat, the original

designer of the boats, to discuss the lack of boats available for commercial use that must have Level Flotation and be built to high NSCV standards, which include the boat to be fully welded and more.

Owner and Head Naval Architect at AusShips, Tommy Ericson said, “By drawing the plans to survey for the Waveriders at the same time as the standard plans for non-survey, it allows the price to be comparative.” The Waveriders will be available in both non-survey and survey approved forms with

the surveyed boats slightly more expensive due to the thicker material and longer time to build.

AusShips are happy to discuss personalised and customised plans for the internal layouts of the boats, but the high performance hull is to remain untouched and standard. They look forward to helping you shed some light on the differences between surveyed boats and standard boats, and outlining the new AMSA laws regarding small commercial boats. – Kapten Boat Collar

Customers will soon be able to select their boat and order it, knowing the hull is already approved for survey.

The S5100 is perfect for offshore anglers Announced recently, the Simrad S5100 HighPerformance CHIRP Sonar Module is the first sonar module to offer three fully independent sonar channels to deliver high-resolution sonar across multiple depth ranges, making it a perfect fit for offshore sportfishing anglers.

The S5100 delivers true simultaneous coverage of up to three different depth ranges, whether connected to three single-channel transducers or one dual-channel and one single-channel transducer.

Simultaneous split-screen viewing capability puts anglers in complete control of the water column, while advanced processing technology allows fishing with noise-free clarity at all depth ranges without ever losing bottom depth tracking.

Users can mix and match their favourite transducer coverage and transmit power for wide and narrow beam widths to reveal more fish, detecting small and tightly spaced fish and identifying thermoclines. Additionally, users can adjust specific CHIRP frequencies from 28-250kHz and ranging from 300W up to 3kW to precisely target specific

depths and produce big crisp arches with clear target separation.

Using the Simrad S5100 with Airmar wide‐ angle CHIRP transducers provides enhanced coverage of the upper water column, a perfect setup for targeting pelagic species. Wide-angle transducers are also useful in shallow water, where traditional narrow beam angles offer limited bottom coverage.

A wider coverage area speeds searches and makes individual fish targets easier to see.

“The Simrad S5100 sonar module brings a new level of high-performance sonar to offshore sportfishing anglers with greater detail and resolution,” said CEO of Navico Leif Ottosson.

“We are excited to add this serious fishing tool to integrate with Halo Radar, our new autopilot line and the NSS evo3.”

The S5100 features highspeed ethernet connectivity, making it easy to install anywhere onboard, and is compatible with Simrad NSS evo3 and NSS evo2 multifunction displays, NSO evo2 glass-bridge systems and the S2000 series of fishfinders.

The S5100 HighPerformance Sonar Module will be available in early 2017. For more information on the Simrad S5100 or the entire line of Simrad Yachting marine electronics, visit www.simrad-yachting. com. – Navico

The S5100 is easy to install anywhere on board and is compatible with several other devices.

APRIL 2017

37

Offshore action for everyone THE HASTINGS

Mark Saxon castawayestuarycharters@bigpond.com

If you haven’t been offshore this season, you have been missing out on a great run of black marlin, which have

turned up in numbers once again. They have been well within reach of the smaller offshore vessels, and even the kayakers are getting in on the action!

Another favourite target at this time of the year is mackerel. Both Spanish and

spotted macks are being caught from Plomer Bay all the way to Grassy Head.

Live bait has been the go and a fair few have been taking lures as well.

Other offshore species like mahimahi have been caught near the FAD, and Crowdy Head is also throwing up a few. Cobia have put in an appearance with a few caught

Martin had this good bream chomped by the local bull shark population.

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Peter with a solid spotty mackerel.

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while trolling live baits for the mackerel. As always, there are days when the sharks can be a complete nuisance taking fish, so I’m not in a hurry to take my kayak out!

THE HASTINGS RIVER Let’s hope this month the whiting make amends

for one of the quietest seasons I’ve seen in recent times. A lot of the flats have been barren for whiting this summer. I know a few fishos have been getting them in the deeper water on baits and vibration lures and they’re not big catches.

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Other parameters of which you need to take note: Portrait format (photo must be taller than it is wide).

Leave enough room for a magazine masthead at the top of of the image.

Leave enough room for the bottom banner and bar code area.

Shoot in the highest resolution your camera can take.

Use fill-in flash to help remove any shadows under caps or biminis.

Live fish look way better than dead ones.

Any fish must be legally captured (within season/size limits).

Head not too high in the shot to allow for Masthead Portrait format

And then email your image to: frontcovercomp@fishingmonthly.com.au with a description of the what/when/where/how of the capture.

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Damien Rafter, Helen Stone and Deacon Stone with some great mackerel from a recent trip with Rush Hour Sport & Gamefishing.

Maybe it was too hot for them in the shallows. Time will tell if this goes down as a bad year or not.

Bream have been excellent and surface fishing has still been the go-to method. Cicada or prawn imitations both get the job done. Most of our surface

fishing has taken place in the upper reaches and casting into the bankside structure.

Accuracy in casting your lures is paramount here, as a correctly placed lure inevitably gets hammered!

In saying that, the only way to get accuracy is to get out on the water and hit

a few snaggy looking areas.

Remember, fortune favours the brave and the tackle store owner, so get your casts right in there. Lures to use that have been doing well for us are the ever-reliable Bassday Sugapen and a reasonably new player – the SF62 Pencil from ProLure.

There have been a few mulloway showing up in the river. Recently you have really got to put in the effort, especially with lure fishing. The fish have been patchy. Conditions can change quickly, so if you’re after a silver ghost, keep fishing your spots.

They will turn up.

Night time bait fishing has produced good results on the mulloway lately. A well-presented livie or a slab bait of mullet, tailor or bonito will give you a great chance of getting action. While you’re doing this don’t forget your crab traps. Muddies are still on the menu and at least this way you can stay close to your traps to keep a safeguard on them. I’m sure you know why.

Flathead in the river have been quite good and plenty of fish have been caught up to the 50cm mark.

Some days you go 50/50 with undersize and legals, so remember the legal size for dusky flathead is 36cm.

If you are keeping these fish for a feed, any smaller fish should be returned to the water as quickly as possible. Locating flatties has been simple – find some weed beds and cast your lure or bait next to them and a hungry flatty will not be too far away.

The author with a bass that liked a surface lure over a weed bed.

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Easter treats in Forster FORSTER

David Seaman dseamo@bigpond.com

The seasonal change is upon us, with the darker mornings and cooler nights that will lead up to the cold weather. While some people find the cold crippling, I see it another way – it’s a good time for all things that love the wintery water conditions. We get to see the positioning and aggregation of migrating fish from the estuary come to its peak.

Easter is the traditional mark of the mullet run, and the slightest westerly breeze will see them pour out from the entrance of the lake and onto the beach. If they are lucky they’ll miss the

nets and have a successful spawn, and be able to make it back into an estuary at their leisure.

More importantly, there will be tonnes of bream and blackfish evacuating the estuary system all along the coast around the same time as the mullet. The repopulation of big bream and blackfish along the coastal fringe is exciting.

As the water cools off, the rocks will produce a great mixed bag, including an increasing number of pigs and some solid tailor.

Currently there should be a heap of slimies travelling the coast, and with them the shadowing schools of longtail tuna or northern bluefin tuna. I know many anglers look forward to early mornings spinning and live

This is the quality of the bream you can look forward to from the rocks in autumn and winter.

baiting the stones, and I think this year may just have an extra surprise in store. I believe it is quite possible there may be a small black or a decent Spanish landed along the mid north coast this LBG session.

Offshore, anglers trolling the warm currents are hoping for more marlin. Spotties and the odd Spanish mackerel should be surfacing while the tail end and thinning of the big bonito schools will be obvious over the next month.

With the numbers of bonito dwindling, the pressure on the slimy schools will not let up. And with the northern blues come mac tuna and sharks, so those anglers fishing offshore or live baiting from the rocks will be in for a hectic session or two.

Just a note for anyone fishing the rocks over the Easter break, please take your rubbish home with you. It’s not fair that the guys who value the access to spots have to clean up all the crap left behind by a few anglers too filthy to do the right thing.

THE LAKE In the lake the migrating fish are starting to gather around leases and structure in the lower part of the lake.

Places like leases around the Wallamba River, Mosquito Point and The Paddocks should hold fish, as will the bridge a little later in the month. The bream that have been tucked up in the headwaters of tributaries start to move downriver and gather at significant structure along the way, so target any likely spots throughout the system. The closer we get to May, the more concentrated the fish will be in the lower sections of the lake mouth.

Flathead are still easy victims of slow-rolled plastics or drifted bait, and

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APRIL 2017

Along the rocks there are tailor, salmon, pigs, bream, blackfish and the odd mulloway to keep everyone happy. with the numbers of shallow sand banks and channels around The Paddocks you don’t have to go far from the boat ramp to get a feed.

Breckenridge Channel has been a productive area of late; from Blue Peter’s back to Gloria Jeans is worth a drift, especially if you grab a coffee first.

The break wall will fish well over the next few months as it traffics the bream and blackfish out of the lake.

Evenings are the prime time to fish, and the best baits are lightly-weighted yabbies and prawns. The attraction of all the mullet and blackfish evacuating will not be lost on the mulloway either.

Mulloway are always an option for the angler who wants a bit of a challenge and a decent feed.

Sadly the measure of a hot summer is often the extent of the local fish kill. The local freshwater often suffers from heated water and low flow through summer, and even excessive weed growth.

Consecutive mid-40°C days in February impacted on a

section of the Manning River, causing a significant fish kill.

There were masses of dead bass, eel, mullet and catfish, and across all four species it was the largest specimens that had died.

I have no doubt the river will bounce back though, and not suffer any lasting effects. And hopefully we’ll get a flood this winter to transport the bass for a big spawning year.

The break wall should have a few of these big bruisers waiting for a bait (the mulloway, not Todd).

We are sorely in need of a good watering HARRINGTON-TAREE

Ian Pereira ianpereira@aapt.net.au

We need rain – lots of it. The freshwater part of the Manning is very low.

Some of the old timers are saying that it’s as bad as they can recall. Very little rain has fallen in the hills and the river is barely moving. Further north from the Manning catchment, things are just as bad.

Up above Tamworth, the cotton crop is very poor due to the high temperatures causing the flowers to die, so the resulting crop is very small. The whole area north of the Manning catchment needs good sustaining rain.

We, on the coast, have been experiencing varying sea temperatures from as low as 19°C to as high as 25°C. Some days the fish are on and some days they are not.

ESTUARY The estuaries have fished the best of all the locations. School mulloway to 6-7kg have been caught on live baits, soft plastics and slab baits from the wall at Harrington, from Chinaman’s Point, in the

lower part of the Lansdowne River and up around Croki.

Flathead have continued to bite fairly well without causing a frenzy in the angling ranks. Bream to 800g are taking yabbies, mullet strips and prawn

BEACH AND ROCK At last some decent tailor have shown up on Crowdy Beach. The best of the fish are over a kilo while most are around 600g.

They are taking metal lures and pilchard baits. Early

Anglers have been getting good snapper from the shallow reefs. Photo courtesy of Harrington Bait & Tackle. baits fished from the upriver part of the wall.

Whiting have been caught on poppers and yabby baits from the sandspit and the backwater behind the hotel.

Some anglers have been scoring a few luderick at night on fresh yabbies, but they don’t bite every night.

morning and late afternoon are the best times to throw a bait for these little scrappers. The southern end of Crowdy Beach has produced catches of bream and whiting during the day on beach worms and pipis.

The colder water seems to be close inshore all of

the time and this keeps the bite down.

OFFSHORE At last the baitfish have arrived. The sea from Mermaid Reef to Crowdy Head is packed with slimy mackerel, garfish and yellowtail. They have only just arrived and it should not take too long before the predatory fish arrive.

Already small bonito have turned up in great numbers.

Spanish mackerel, mahimahi and mac tuna should be here soon. The northern grounds have fished well for snapper to 2.5kg, pearl perch and trag. Down around Old Bar, flathead and morwong are biting well.

April is the month that the mullet run, usually around ANZAC Day. A westerly wind will send them out of the river as the tide turns from high. Schools of fish will continue to leave for two or three weeks. When the mullet are schooling up along the wall and in the lower reaches of the river, mulloway and sharks will be harassing them day and night.

A fresh slab of mullet floated out near the schools of fish is sure to draw a run from a mulloway or a shark.

You need a strong rod, a reliable reel and strong line to handle these fish.

Generally, the sharks will cut the line. If you happen to hook one in the side of the mouth a battle of up to an hour can take place.

This is when you need a mate to handle the gaff and shine the torch on the rocks so you don’t slip. It is possible to get two or three hook-ups fairly quickly, so it can be a tiring session.

It’s great fun though.

A stonker bream like this doesn’t come along every day. Photo courtesy of Bohnock Bait & Tackle.

APRIL 2017

41

Here’s the current situation HUNTER COAST

Gary Earl earlybird13@optusnet.com.au

This month should see the sea change direction, with the water running back up the hill again to banana bender territory.

Additionally, the fish that moved down on the warmer currents way down south will pass us. This makes April a great time to fish around the whole Hunter Coast, especially the rocks and beaches.

I have been bending a rod or two lately, and with moderate success. I have found the corner of the beaches and the headlands and rocks to be the best places to land a bait or spin with lures. Tailor are moving through, and of course salmon have been around as well. I have seen stray salmon all through summer this year – the numbers of them have been that great lately.

Luderick are schooling and entering the river as well. They must be passing the bream as they school up, tending to go on their

Bream are running on the beaches at the moment, with the best time being late in the afternoon. Fresh prawns and pipis are the best baits, but bream will also take pilchards and almost any fresh cut slab or cubed baits. You just need to find a good gutter or hole.

spawning runs, so there should be fish around the two break walls and close to the harbour mouth now.

It’s also not a bad month to livebait for mulloway off both of the walls, especially if you can get a live squid, legal tailor, a slimy mackerel or yellowtail. Sometimes herring school around under the wharves through April, and with the smallest livebait jigs on the market you can fill up the livie tank pretty quickly. A handful of mashed bread can entice them to move closer to your boat if they’re well under the huge shipping wharves, or if you’re standing on the wharves themselves.

They are a great bait for mulloway and large flathead.

Cut fresh they will also take bream, flounder and tailor.

A few big sergeant bakers were caught off the Stockton wall while I was there not too long back. These are usually a deep sea reef species, but I think the warmth of the water had brought them in close. Myself and the angler who caught them thought the first one was a huge flathead.

He was pretty disappointed and released them. They’re not great on the chew, even though they are white fleshed and large.

Drummer should be turning up now in the suds, and if you like doing battle with these hoons of the crevices the end of Stockton wall will give you some.

When I say ‘some’ I mean the ones you can actually get up to the net or gaff. The end of the wall is so rugged it makes for a hard slog when battling these brutes. Heavy gear such as large Alveys and 40lb line and sometimes even heavier line is the best way to nail them. A berley mixture of bread, sand and a bit of strand or cabbage weed also helps.

Groper hang here too from April through to winter.

If you get some red crabs on the spot, the same gear can get these blue and red balls of muscle as well. Newcastle anglers use Alveys a fair bit when chasing these big, hardpulling fish as you can hand cup the reel and actually get some leverage on the fish.

You can go one-on-one without a drag system that may slip halfway through that powerful first run for the rocks, and you can lift them up as they make their deep dive. The rougher the water the better, but be careful and choose your spots wisely.

Offshore has been hit and miss. Some lucky anglers

Drummer should be more numerous from this month onwards. Don’t forget the heavy gear and cleats for traction on the slippery rocks. have returned with a lot of sand flathead, squire-sized snapper (3kg is the best one I have seen in the past few weeks), teraglin and school mulloway. Some sizeable sharks are also over the reefs and in Stockton Bight. Late afternoon and early morning have been the best times, as well as tidal changes through the night.

This is probably going to be the last chance you will get to chase marlin, mahimahi and other pelagics.

With the water cooling, the marlin have been an on-and-off affair. Some days a few have been caught, and then nothing for a week.

The inside reefs usually fill with school kingfish, nannygai, red and blue morwong and squid in April, so this is an option for those who want to dart out for a quick fish before or after work. This is also the last month for blue swimmer crabs, so drop a few pots on your way out through the river. If the fish aren’t on, a feed of sweet crabs might put a smile on your dial.

All in all, I really think you should get on the water this month as it sees the changing of the guard from summer to winter species.

The fishing won’t be the same later in autumn.

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April is prime time for a range of species sight casting lures at the bust-ups, with small metals in the 15-30g size range. If you’re land based, head to the Salamander Shores jetty or the Anchorage rock walls to get in on the action.

And don’t be surprised if a school of longtail tuna starts erupting through the baitfish. We are coming into that exciting time of year when these torpedoes enter the bay.

Dusky flathead are still in good numbers, with most of the shoreline from Karuah to Shoal Bay worth a flick with plastics, especially on the high tides.

Mulloway have also revved up thanks to all the

baitfish around, and can be found in the drop-offs around Soldier Point and along the breakwalls. Using In my opinion April is the live baits and fishing the pinnacle month for fishing tide changes will give you in Port Stephens as it’s the best chance of mulloway prime time for so many success. Daytime is best for different species regardless deeper water, and night is of whether you’re fishing more productive around the the beach, estuary, rocks break walls. or offshore.

Stacks of blue swimmer ESTUARY crabs have been reported The lower half of the from North Arm Cove, estuary system is currently Tilligerry and Karuah. Just brimming with schools of bear in mind that witches baitfish. Pelagic species hats are banned in Port such as tailor and bonito Stephens. are taking full advantage BEACH of this bounty. These Off the beach, whiting predators can be easily remain in excellent caught on calm mornings numbers. Live worms, long shank hooks, a nice looking gutter and a high tide are the keys to catching them.

The bream by-catch Quality snapper are on offer this month, with the best times being dawn and dusk. that comes from fishing for whiting with live worms catching a longtail tuna is should also increase this not hooking onto a fish but month as these fish start to rather getting it back to the rocks and past the ruthless migrate along the beaches.

Mullet will also be sharks. On bad days anglers starting their annual can have several hook-ups migration out of the and no fish to show for estuaries, moving north their efforts. along the beaches attracting There’s also the chance some serious predators. of a cobia from the stones The mighty mulloway is at this time of year. There one predator that will take have already been a few advantage of the mullet run. reports of cobes landed in Putting in some time after recent weeks.

OUTSIDE dark on the beaches can 24 Paley Crescent 30 Gommera Street Watkins Road Black marlin are still15a Wallarah Street really pay off this month. target inshore. Everywhere Swansea ROCKS Belmont South Blacksmiths Wangi Wangi Crescent Street 30 Gommera Street Street 15 Wallarah StreetRoad F3 It’s that time of year 24 Paley Crescent 24 Paley 30 Gommera 15 Wallarah Watkins from the front of Fingal

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Great bags of autumn bream SWANSEA

Jason Scerri coloratolures@hotmail.com

With summer behind us we can all look forward to more pleasant weather. It has been a very long, hot summer for most of Australia, and Lake Macquarie certainly copped its fair share of heat.

The ambient temperatures are not all that has dropped off now though. The fishing action has certainly slowed a little, and did not live up to the expectations the offshore game anglers had after last season’s ripper.

However, even though the black marlin did not fire on the inshore grounds, all is not lost for crews searching the big blue. The month of April is traditionally a fantastic month for gamefishing crews to chase blue marlin.

The blues have been about in reasonable numbers for a month or two now, with most of the action out wide around the shelf and canyon regions. Although we haven’t seen that typical hot marlin bite in close, which provides plenty of action for live bait anglers most years, this year has seen some good results

for lure anglers. Bigger lures in the 10”-14” size range in a variety of colours have been scoring good numbers of solid fish. The NSW GFA interclub event at Port Stephens this year was a clear indication that the marlin bite was not what we’d hoped for, but the results certainly showed there were still fish about and not all crews missed out, that’s for sure. It’s been great to see a few other species turn up to entertain the game anglers as well. There have been quite a few short-billed spearfish landed this year, which is great to see.

Shark anglers are also having a tough time of it, with big currents raging down the coast at times. Fast currents up to 4 knots have played havoc on these guys. A few have managed to deal with the conditions though, and tiger sharks to 300kg have been landed. Local LMGFC boat Redemption skippered

by Steve Dial has been in the thick of it as usual, with their persistence resulting in a number of reasonable sharks coming aboard. Another LMGFC boat, Reel Crazy, has also been getting into the action, and has managed to bring a few solid fish to the club gantry.

The marlin fishing isn’t the only offshore fishing that’s not living up to expectations.

The FADs this year have been far from spectacular. Very ordinary, to say the least.

That’s not to say that there are no good mahimahi to be caught; there certainly are, just not at the FADs. Most mahimahi have been caught by anglers trolling a spread of game lures and picking them up during the marlin troll. Many good ones have also been plucked off floating debris, with a few pallets and other items floating along and holding some great fish off them, so keep an eye out.

The kingfish have been playing ball on occasions, with Bird Island to the south of Swansea producing some great fish. Slow trolled live baits and deep diving lures have produced the better fish.

Fishing inside continues to be productive, and has not slowed at all. It’s all been happening, with great bags of bream, flathead and whiting on offer. Lure anglers are having a great time, and we are seeing some real cracking bags of bream about. Fishing around boat hulls has been producing good numbers, and working diving hardbody lures

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around these hulls has been scoring good fish. Another effective method is to flick very lightly weighted soft plastics around the boat hulls. Make sure you pay close attention to keeping your noise down, as these fish spook easily.

As the water temps start to cool off over the coming months we will start to see a bigger effort made on the deep sections of the lake.

Places like Chain Valley Bay and Bonnells Bay will start firing as the flats generally start to cool off and become less productive. These areas are fantastic fishing spots, and generally fish best in the early morning or late afternoon when there is far less boat traffic. I like to fish these locations with a variety of soft plastics and blade style lures. When slowly hopped across the bottom they can be very effective, and provide plenty of fun out on the water.

Flathead have been about in good numbers, and now that we are coming into the cooler months these flathead will also come off the flats and shallow edges and start to move into deeper water.

I will now start working anywhere from 4m through to 10m as the bait balls start moving about. This approach produces plenty of flathead for us each year, and we always get a few real crackers over 80cm. I like soft plastics in the 4-5” range, and my favourite colours are green, pink and white.

Bait anglers have been getting into the action as well. It has been really good to see so many legal-size

The author’s wife caught this bream on a shallow running hardbodied lure. red bream coming from the lake this year. Some anglers who have fished with bait at anchor have been scoring half a dozen nice legal reds a session. Up around Belmont Bay is the pick for them, and there is some good structure you can locate on your sounder. Find these spots, anchor up and work it until the results come your way.

There are still a few nice mulloway around which is always good to see. Anglers fishing live squid are getting the better results, and some nice fish between 80-90cm are about. You can generally secure a few nice squid in no time from spots such as the dropover or the patch out from Murrays Beach.

Now that we are coming into April we should start to see more nice mulloway around, and anglers working lures will also be nailing their share. I suggest working the bait balls that are starting to filter through the lake, and which should stick around for the next few months at least. I recommend sticking to the edges of these bait balls.

You will certainly be able to mark the bigger fish on your sounder. I love this style of fishing and look forward to it each autumn/winter. Plenty of flathead should be feeding on the scraps under the bait, and a few nice mulloway from the edges can make for some sensational lake fishing, so give it a go and let us know how you fare.

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Plenty of options for beach anglers in April CENTRAL COAST

Jamie Robley jrobley@iprimus.com.au

Without question, April is the best fishing month in this part of the world. Rock, beach, offshore and estuary options are all highly productive for a range of species, and weather

numbers of average-size tailor have been very active right along Tuggerah and North Entrance, as well as other beaches over the past few weeks. Traditionally, April and May are peak tailor months here. If all goes well, tailor are probably the most reliable fish to chase from the sand in the coming weeks.

they’re around in numbers and actively feeding.

Perhaps the key here is finding good quality pilchards, which isn’t always easy. Firstly, they need to match the size of the ganged hooks you’ll be using. More often than not, size 4/0 or 5/0 hooks are the best bet for any of the abovementioned species. This means a medium

Just like last autumn, tailor are around in good numbers along the beaches.

There should be plenty to keep beach fishos busy in the coming weeks.

April is a prime month for beach fishing, and just about all regular surf species are active. Mike Grant tried his luck at Soldiers Beach for bream and whiting. patterns are generally quite angler-friendly.

Beach fishing is one of the highlights right now, and so far it seems to be following a similar pattern to the same period last year. Excellent

The good old pilchard and ganged hooks approach is a no-fail way of targeting beach tailor. However, salmon, bream and mulloway also take pillies, especially at this time of year when

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size pilly is what you want.

When looking in bait freezers at shops, check to see if they’re too big or too small and also try to avoid pillies that look squashed, bent or with bits of skin or heads removed. Those are indications of poor quality pilchards that have probably been knocked around a bit.

I’ve found decent pilchards at Budgewoi Marine Sports and the Co-Op near Toukley Bridge. There are also plenty of other shops on other parts of the Central Coast to consider.

Of course, if mulloway are the main aim, you may want to use squid instead of pillies. The good news is

that it’s been a pretty good year for calamari squid so far and April is one of the very best months for them. It’s far better to invest in a few good quality squid jigs than waste money buying secondrate squid from bait shops. It will never be as good as our local calamari that can be caught right along the coast, wherever there is shallow reef and a bit of kelp.

Brisbane Waters and the lakes have continued to produce bream. As things start to get cooler, the bream will feed up more and fatten up for winter. While they’ll definitely still be smashing

shallows around sunrise. If that’s not working, start to go deeper until fish are found.

Generally, the cooler it is, the deeper the fish will be.

A few more luderick will be moving around places like the Entrance now, and we’ve still got flathead and whiting as well. April is also a good month for mulloway in Brisbane Water and Lake Macquarie.

Rock fishing has been going well. Tailor, bonito, bream and luderick are the more reliable species. As we move through the month it’s quite likely that tailor, salmon and frigate mackerel

Hill Bay. Sometimes it can be sheer numbers of bream or individual large fish that make for a memorable session on the rocks. In recent years some of my biggest bream along these northern rocks have fallen to quite small bread baits on size 6 hooks while chasing luderick. A big bream on light gear around the rocks can be a challenging adversary and much tougher than their estuary dwelling mates!

Of course, offshore anglers are normally very happy at this time of year, as conditions allow for

Rock fishing for bream is one of the many productive forms of fishing to try this month. This fish was caught at the Norah Head Lighthouse platform.

Central Coast Holiday Parks Central Coast Council

46

APRIL 2017

Central Coast Council

Central Coast Council

Central Coast Council

surface lures this month, I would be starting to turn my attention more to vibes and soft plastics. Once the first real cold snap hits, which it often does this month, bream will start to move out of the shallows and into slightly deeper water. In other words, the 2-3m zone.

My personal strategy at this time of year is to mix things up a bit by casting lures right up into the

will increase in numbers, while bonito may start to thin out a bit. This is always variable and related to weather patterns and oceanic currents. Mostly though, we’ve got good quality 20-23°C water lapping the coast during April.

In years gone by I’ve enjoyed some of my very best bream fishing from the local rocks, especially from Wybung to Catherine

comfortable and productive fishing at any time of day or night. While larger pelagic fish are still available out wide, it’s hard to go wrong by sticking to inshore spots within a kilometre or two from shore. Kingfish, bonito, tailor, snapper, bream, trevally, calamari and mulloway are all on the prowl in the shallows, particularly around sunrise or sunset.

Pelagics are popping up in cool, calm water ILLAWARRA

Greg Clarke clarkey1@westnet.com.au

April may not be quite as good as March, but it’s still one of the best fishing months of the year. The days are warm after cooler nights and light south westerlies in the mornings make the warm ocean waters calm and enjoyable to fish. Even better, we have four days off over Easter. Throw in ANZAC day, after the dawn service, and you have a whole lot of extra time to fish, and the fish are still there and raring to go.

easy, fun targets on small imitation baitfish lures. The estuaries are slowing a little as the cooler nights push down the temperatures in the shallows, but they warm up when the sun gets up and the fishing does the same.

Flathead are biting well in the lake, with some very good fish coming in this season. For years, a 60cm fish would raise a few eyebrows. This year, plenty of 60s, 70s and even 80s have been caught. What is going on? The lake has a massive professional presence and resident fish usually don’t get to grow to the high end of their potential in Lake Illawarra. Something

Good-sized tailor are all along the coast, and there are even more in Lake Illawarra.

The beaches are a real pleasure to fish this month, with lots of days where the swell is small to non-existent.

It can make for tough going in the middle of the day, but it more than makes up for it during the evenings.

Mulloway, tailor, salmon and bream all come out to play as the sun goes down. There have been plenty of these species all along the coast in recent weeks.

Lots of sharks are making nuisances of themselves for those anglers chasing the bigger prey. Even little whalers, and not all of them are little, go hard. They’re not bad on the BBQ, though.

All is not lost during the daylight hours, with good flathead still prowling most beaches along with schools of whiting and even a few big mullet as they start to move along the coast on their spawning run. There are still a few dart hanging around as well.

If the swell is only small and there is very little white water on the beach, try the deeper gutters or right under those small patches where the waves are breaking.

There is little cover for fish to hide on a sandy beach, and even a small amount of wash is better than no cover at all.

Early morning high tides are always good. Calm conditions are even better, as the salmon, tailor and even frigate mackerel will come in close chasing bait and are

seems to be happening and it is good.

Whiting are a good option. Leave the poppers at home, as they seem to have gone off them. The prawns have slowed, but the whiting still like worms fished where the shallows drop off into the deeper water, particularly down around the entrance.

Luderick are increasing in numbers, but good weed seems to be scarce. Tailor in the lake seem to be getting larger and there are plenty of them at the moment. The odd mulloway can be found in the usual spots. The entrance is fishing well for salmon and choppers on the run-out

tide, and bream are along the breakwalls in the evenings.

On the rocks there are more good fishing options this month than most others, as the warm water species keep on doing their thing and the winter fish are starting to make their presence felt.

Schools of small pelagics are feeding all along the deeper ledges and some of the shallow platforms as well. From Coalcliff in the north to south of Kiama, just about every ledge will have a few pelagics swimming past some time this month.

Schools of bonito, salmon, mackerel tuna, kingfish, trevally, frigates and tailor will be in force.

Places like Beaky Bay at Bass Point are often standing room only, as the predators churn into the baitfish for hours on end sometimes.

Of course this doesn’t happen every day, but the word generally gets down the grapevine pretty quickly these days, when and where it does happen. There will be plenty of fish moving along the coast and not always thrashing the water to foam.

Most spots are throwing up fish consistently.

If you set your sights a bit higher, there are solid kings prowling the deeper ledges in the early morning.

This is also the month that we see a few longtails get down this way, mixed with some good-sized mackerel tuna. It will pay to keep a live yellowtail or mackerel in the water while trying to avoid the salmon and rat kings.

Snapper will be in close feeding around the ledges too.

The Easter period is the best time to target them with a big full moon in the evenings and good tides. Fresh bonito, tuna or mackerel for bait should find any that are about. If you like things a bit slower, all the quiet bays along the coast will be holding a few if not a lot of bream over the coming weeks. A little berley

will help bring them on the bite and should attract a few trevally in as well. Fish as light as you can. A 2kg line is good. Use as little weight as you can as well. No weight at all is best.

The water will cool down slightly with the westerlies later in the month, and drummer will be in the washes looking for cunjevoi, crabs and bread, while the big bronze luderick will be moving along the coast looking for well-presented green weed. The drummer don’t mind weed either and will get into the act and take a few floats, but sometimes you get one, and that feels good.

Offshore is still cruising along quite nicely with a few marlin still on the cards, particularly big blues out wide. Most boats fish at least one 37kg outfit and the rest 24kg, as they are big at this time of the year.

Stanwell and Kiama canyons and beyond are the starting points, so it’s not really the place for little tinnies. The odd striped will be in closer and a few blacks will still be hanging about. They mostly grab livies meant for yellowfin tuna that should be showing this month as well.

There’s no word just yet of the yellowfin. Their presence lies in the lap of the currents these days.

Mahimahi are around the FADs. Most are small with only a few better ones showing. A few striped tuna are around too, and they make great bait for the snapper that will be the main target over Easter. A nice berley trail over one of the inshore shallow reefs during the evenings fishing unweighted fresh pieces of tuna or pilchards is still a great way to get some really good fish. There is the chance of a mulloway and there will always be a few trevally moving through the berley trail, so you will be kept busy.

Longtails will be moving down from the north coast for rock hoppers, and sometimes offshore anglers who fish live baits close to shore.

Plastics are getting a few as well. Many of the better fish are in shallow water and easily spooked, so bringing them to you often gets better results than you chasing them.

While the rock hoppers are confined to the shore, boaties can find and follow the schools of bonito, salmon, kings and trevally moving along the coast. As always, in April many of the bonito will be whoppers. The bigger fish are usually found when chasing kings with live baits on the deeper reefs.

They can be right up against the stones as well.

Throwing a handful or two of pilchard pieces when

fighting a hooked fish can really get the whole school going and keep them around for ages. Kings will be in the usual spots grabbing live baits slow trolled on the surface and down rigged.

The bottom bouncing is still going well, with plenty of flathead over the sand patches.

Like last month there are some very good fish among them.

Smaller snapper are in good numbers over most of the reefs with mowies, trevally, trag and decent samsonfish up to 4kg that really pull hard.

Sweep have been thick and the leatherjackets have been in good numbers for fishing, while not enough to be a nuisance.

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47

Beat the crowds – get out on the water now!

NOWRA

Johnny Nolan straydog1974@gmail.com

If February and March are anything to go by, April is going to be an absolute cracker! We’ve had some awesome offshore fishing as well as some very impressive inshore and estuary fishing.

And not just line fishing – crabbing for both blue swimmers and muddies has been good. The divers are also reporting good

numbers of crays in close around the rocks, provided you don’t mind jumping in with the blighters! So let’s get into it!

OFFSHORE The marlin bite should continue into April with any luck. The action has been fairly sporadic right through the season so far, with warm water one day, cold water the next, current going up, current going down, plenty of bait, no bait… It’s been pretty hard to read really, and a lot of the better action has been

Brendon Burgman with a nice Shoalhaven River mulloway.

either up or down the coast.

A couple of those notorious south coast low pressure systems in a row didn’t help much either, especially when the really good water was there. Still, beggars can’t be choosers and sometimes you just have to go when you can, even if it is a bit rough.

Of course, you should head out only if you think you and your vessel can handle it.

In around the cliffs and the shallower grounds off Crookhaven and Culburra there have been a few nicesize reds caught on both baits and lures. The wash fishing has been turning up not only snapper but a few nice drummer as well, and inside Jervis Bay there have been salmon and snapper towards Longnose Point and beyond. Some good whiting and flathead are being caught around the beaches, and anglers have also been getting plenty of squid around the usual haunts.

The artificial reef out from the Shoalhaven Heads Surf Club should have some nice growth on it by now, and should be holding bait. I have heard that a couple of nice mulloway have come from

it, along with some smaller reds. I would be interested to hear if anyone has had any really good catches from it.

SHOALHAVEN AND CROOKHAVEN RIVERS This is where the fishing has been at its best over the past couple of months. Name your species and the river has produced it lately – well, within reason anyway! Big flathead pushing the magic metre mark, mulloway in the 15-20kg class, monster mud crabs, and more luderick than you can poke a stick at.

One thing of note this year in the river has been the massive schools of jellyfish right throughout the system.

I’m not sure whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing. I guess not so good if you’re a swimmer or a skier.

Upstream around the Nowra bridge the estuary perch have started to school in numbers, as too have the chopper tailor, which have been making short work of soft plastics and light leaders.

You can catch the perch on bait or lures in a number of ways. Surface lure fishing is one of the more exciting ways to target them.

Bream have pushed well upstream to around Crams Rock in big numbers, and the average size is good. Catches of 20 to 30 fish in a session haven’t been uncommon, with surface bites making

Dylan Winzer was happy with this cracking 98cm Shoalhaven River flatty. things very interesting. Here the smaller cup-face poppers such as the Jackson or the Samaki brand are working well, as opposed to the longer walk-the-dog style lures that are working on the perch.

Remember we do have school and Easter

holidays mid-April, so the population in our little slice of heaven is once again going to increase for a couple of weeks. If you like peace and tranquillity, you might want to hit the water before the holidays to avoid the crowds.

Chris Neville and Jarrod Humfrey with a pair of wash-caught reds.

Father and son team Nic and Luki Martyn with Luki’s salmon taken in Jervis Bay.

Jake Atkinson holds up a pair of monster muddies from the Shoalhaven River.

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APRIL 2017

Live baits are going swimmingly this season NAROOMA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

We’ve finally received some decent rain over the last week with around 100mm falling in that time.

To say we needed it is an understatement, as the last decent drop was way back in June 2016. This will only improve the fishing further, especially in the estuaries.

The water clarity has been

crystal clear. That’s not saying the fishing has been slow – far from it, but it will only get better now.

Wagonga Inlet has been good without being dynamite, there’s plenty of fish there, you just have to work for them. The deeper sections of the main basin and Forsters Bay (12-13m) have seen plenty of flathead, although the size isn’t there. Flatties to 70cm and bigger are possible.

The majority being captured are between 40-50cm, so

they’re nice eating size.

There have been some solid estuary snapper and bream from the same grounds, so if conditions suit, getting a smaller presentation down has reaped rewards.

This year has been slow for mulloway. I’m not too sure why, because the bait is there.

Tailor are thick at times and I’ve only heard of five or six fish caught there and all on bait, except one, which fell to a soft plastic. Hopefully this picks up over coming weeks.

There have been solid tailor getting around Wagonga Inlet with 50cm models quite common.

This 12kg Wagonga mulloway fell to a 30g shiner aimed at tailor.

Time will tell.

Up at Tuross fishing has slowed up, especially the flathead fishing. It’s the quietest I can ever recall and that’s saying something.

There’s plenty of smaller fish to be caught, but the bigger girls have shut up shop for most anglers anyway. Sure there’s the odd one getting about, but gee you have to work hard for them.

Mulloway are about, and lots of them. I know of a few

local anglers that are getting three and four fish per night, sometimes more on bait with fresh squid the go. The lower sections seem to be best. I’ve also heard of a few coming from the rock bars in the river section, so that may be worth a look.

Bream and whiting numbers are still pretty good for the surface casting enthusiasts. Most bays with weed-covered sand flats are producing the goods. With

the lake having a cracking entrance more weed edges should continue to develop and improve the fishing even more.

The beaches will continue to fish well for salmon and tailor with enough bream, whiting and mullet to keep things interesting. Live beach worms have been the standout bait. A lot of salmon have been caught on both lures and blue surf poppers fished To page 50

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Merimbula is doing well MERIMBULA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

The gamefishing off Merimbula has been a little patchy lately, mainly due to water temperature fluctuations.

There’s still some quality fishing to be had. When the temperatures and currents have aligned black and striped marlin have been caught.

The 70-fathom line to the shelf has been the prime place to target them. Trolling lures and live baiting striped tuna has been the preferred method. Anglers switchbaiting when conditions are favourable have also done well. A few of the

stand-up tackle.

I’d expect a few bigger striped marlin this month with fish in excess of 130kg on the cards. There’s been a few yellowfin tuna captured with the odd 40kg fish on the shelf. These have come from crews trolling skirted pushers for marlin.

Live bait and cubing methods should catch some reasonable yellowfin, especially towards the end of the month.

We have seen great numbers of mahimahi on certain days. If you come across some floating debris, cast a few live baits or bigger soft plastics and you might be surprised at the results.

Inshore the flathead

plastic has worked a treat and the best thing is you can catch 15-20 fish on the plastics without any dramas. They are relatively cheap, easy to use and easy to clean, which has to be a good thing. Some days the leatherjackets are too thick and will cost you plenty.

There have been a few snapper and morwies on Long Point Reef. The 50m line is a good place to start. Down south off Pambula, both Horseshoe Reef and Lennards Island have produced some mid range kingfish to 10kg – solid fish for here and great sport. Use fresh squid, jigs or live bait for best results.

Trolling skirted lures early in the morning is also Not something you see everyday – a small luderick taking a liking to a popper intended for a bream.

A great estuary double header of bream and snapper on plastics. local charter boats have done alright with two or three shots per day, which is still pretty good fishing.

The marlin are averaging 70-80kg so they’re not big fish, but still great fun on From page 49

on a paternoster rig. As the cooler months approach, expect the salmon fishing to only get better.

A few mulloway are still being caught up at Tuross off the beach, but a lot of time has to be put in to constantly get results.

Anglers who put in the hard yards chasing these majestic fish deserve every one they catch. They put in the time and get the rewards. If you’re after a mulloway, Blackfellows Beach on the southern end is certainly the place to have a look.

Use large bunches of live beach worms or fresh tailor strips for bait.

The Narooma Breakwall is the place to fish at present if you’re the rock hopper type. Some ripper bream are being caught on striped tuna on the inside of the north wall. Fish the ebb tide and 50

APRIL 2017

have been going great guns with the Sticks off Pambula being a hotspot. More anglers these days are using soft plastics on the sand flathead with unbelievable success. Almost any soft you should be in business.

There are still bonito off the golf course rocks, with a lot of tailor around too. Most fish have fallen to lures and ganged pilchards. A morning session definitely gets better results.

There have been increased reports of bream in the washes with luderick numbers on the increase as well. Down at Mystery Bay the High rock ledge is still producing if you’re after pelagic species.

There have been good reports of kingfish to 70cm down there, so it’s worth a look.

Anglers fishing offshore are having a ball too. With water temperatures hovering around 22-25°C, striped, black and the odd blue marlin can be expected on trolled lures and live bait.

It probably hasn’t been as good as last season. Most crews are getting a couple shots per day. There have been quite a few smaller

worth a shot.

April is a good time for the rock spin die-hards to throw metal around.

Mac tuna, bonito and the odd kingie can be expected. Tura Head is the

pick of the platforms to fish. Merimbula Bay will produce. The rocks north of the wharf and the wharf itself are the places to fish.

I use large lures at this time of the year. Have a selection of lures on hand.

Each day can be different, especially when trying to match the hatch with baitfish size to lure size.

Using pilchards on ganged hooks also works. A slow wind mid water can pay handsome dividends, especially for bonito.

In the estuaries some thumping big tailor have made the top lake at Merimbula home with fish to 3kg common. We had a session there with clients a few days back and it was awesome. Snapper, flatties, bream, tailor, trevally and whiting scoffed our lures.

All fish fell to softies, but I saw anglers getting good flatties on live poddies also.

All of our fish came from reasonably shallow water and 2-4m is ideal.

Some of the flatties are upwards of 80cm – solid fish. The odd mulloway has been caught by anglers using live baits after dark.

I also saw a photo of a visiting angler with a 105cm dusky, a cracking fish that was released, which is great to see. This action will continue throughout April and should only get better.

Pambula Lake is still producing the goods with most fishos getting some nice fish. Captures of 20+ fish are the norm and fishing the out going tide is the go. The main basin has been productive.

Concentrate on fishing the edges of the channels with plastics and blades for best results. There have been solid flatties towards the entrance fish with soft plastics around 70mm.

Decent estuary snapper are in solid numbers throughout Wagonga Inlet.

The local beaches continue to fire and most are holding good concentrations of salmon. North Tura Beach has been a standout, with catches of a dozen fish to 2kg common. The northern end of the beach towards Bournda Island has a deep gutter at present, and very early in the morning on a rising tide has been prime time to fish. Surf poppers are working well in a variety of colours, with lures and whole pilchards also catching fish.

Tailor numbers should improve this month, with the rocky foreshore near the island itself fishing better for bream.

Cut crabs and pipis are both great baits for bream.

Whiting are succumbing to live beach worms. Lighter outfits come into their own when targeting these bread and butter species. Running sinker rigs are ideal. blacks in close and I know of two separate fish that were hooked in 50m of water off Potato Point in the last few weeks. Both these fish were hooked on live bait fished deep for kingfish, so there must be a few there.

Other species like mako sharks, yellowfin tuna and mahimahi are all incidental catches at this time of year when trolling lures or live baiting in the warmer water. At Montague Island the kingfish should well and truly be firing by now. Live slimies and jigs should get you a decent feed. Snapper, morwies and most bottom dwellers will be willing to take a bait. All reefs should hold a fish or two. The flatties will be firing on the inshore grounds with the sand in 35m straight off Dalmeny a great place to start.

Kings and snapper gorging themselves on squid BATEMANS BAY

Anthony Stokman

The marlin fishing may not have been as red hot as the last couple of years, but it hasn’t been bad either, especially considering we haven’t had the best weather. The same old case of blowing on the weekends and a millpond on Mondays meant sickies became a popular card to play.

Let’s not give up just yet though, because with the way the eddy off Jervis Bay is moving we could be in for some late hot water and April could see the striped marlin continuing to bite. Of course, a big blue marlin is on the cards too.

It’s looking like we are in for a lot of current. If this is the case and you’re dragging lures chasing a blue marlin, a good approach is to start at the shelf and travel east for a couple of kilometres. Then come back down that line travelling back east and repeat. This way you’ll fish new water every time, and if there is a big blue coming down in that current, you’re in with a chance.

Marlin aside, one species that has been on fire is the mahimahi or dolphin fish. Lucking out on marlin isn’t so bad if you have a nice catch of these guys to take home. They are one of the best eating fish in the sea hands down. They are so delicate they are easy to overcook, so keep that in mind when you are preparing to impress with your culinary skills.

When mahimahi are in such masses as they have been off the South Coast they are not too hard to catch using livies. There

are days where you can just plonk your livie next to the boat and it will get eaten.

More often than not though you’ll need to cast your livie towards a FAD or buoy of some kind.

They sometimes like a good surface lure, diver or plastic when they are on.

Once hooked they display better acrobatics than the Filipino diving team. When fishing off the South Coast this month, pay FADs and any buoy you see a visit, and have a light to medium outfit ready for some dollie action.

Coming closer to shore we are seeing a little bit more presence of the elusive kingfish. They are travelling the usual haunts and are around the 1-1.2m mark. They’re reasonable fish. I spent a day at Montague only to find small but fat kingies that were a lot of fun off the surface.

We have been seeing some larger ones off Batemans Bay of late.

Snapper are usually in the back of our minds during summer when there is a chance of kings. Last summer saw a better snapper bite than kingies, and this summer we have seen some crackers being caught once again. Our all-round nice guy and customer of the year at Compleat Angler, Nathan Forrest, ran into a cracker at his favourite spot and there have been a few other monsters caught from boats and land-based.

Typically summer is a tough month on the reef for boats, but it shows that the fish don’t disappear. They just have to be found.

Off the stones we have seen a few more kings caught in comparison to last year. A good reason for

Nathan and Macey caught this cracking fish at Macey’s favourite spot off Batemans Bay.

this is the amount of squid that has been around, and there are some honkers as well. We have been going through the squid jigs here at the shop and fishos are starting to fork out a little bit more money for that more expensive jig to yield better results. Expensive lures will always swim well and catch fish. Cheap lures might do the same or might fail.

With the way the squid have been lately, you could throw your sister’s brightly covered iphone out and catch a squid. It’s good reason snapper and kingies are around feeding on squid, as well as the schools of slimy mackerel that are around. Squid is still the bait of choice for mulloway fishers as well, as mulloway love squid and it’s easy to store, rig and present.

It was this time last year when the mulloway bit their heads off in the Clyde River.

Autumn was an awesome month with loads of bait teeming around the bridge at night, and mulloway were getting caught like they were going out of fashion.

Paul Martin recently speared one weighing 32kg.

It looks to be the one to beat at this stage. Don Garland has just kicked things off with a small one off the T-Wharf and I’d say that is the beginning of what could be another crazy autumn this year.

Beaches seem quiet at the moment. With this hot water pushing down we may see whiting staying on for some time. Other than that there has been a very small run of salmon and the odd tailor. There have been plenty of sharks caught during the nights off the beaches, mostly 1m bronzies with the odd mulloway hook-up and some bigger sharks in the mix.

It’s that time of the year when the estuary starts to see some bigger fat bream that have been feeding up on all the summer bait and prawns. Autumn is a good time for throwing lures at the racks and along rock walls in our system to crack a 40cm+ bream. Our lakes are also a good option for these wide-shouldered, treble-crunching beasts.

Flatties are still kicking around as they do, and there have been plenty of trevally getting around lately. After the impressive bass season over the hotter months, most have had enough and are choosing other options.

The season ran long last year and this year could be the same.

We are seeing a growing number of octopus in the estuary if you are interested in them, and muddies are

Harry Burrows and his kingfish caught off the surface. still on the shopping list.

Blue swimmers are proving hard to catch in small numbers and the prawns are there, but water can be muddy and it has definitely turned down a few notches.

All in all, autumn is staying true to itself. We

can expect some good gamefishing to come, a few more kings to be caught inshore and some good bream fishing to be had in our estuaries. Let’s hope we see a cracking mulloway run also. You gotta love autumn. Get on it!

• For more up-to-the-minute information on what’s biting where, drop into Compleat Angler Batemans Bay and have a chat to Anthony or one of the other friendly staff. They’re located at 65A Orient St, Batemans Bay (02 4472 2559).

APRIL 2017

51

Bermi brimming with options BERMAGUI

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

It’s that time of year when things change for most forms of angling.

The weather is starting to cool and so is the water, however, the fish start to chew harder before everything gets too cold.

For those who like the big stuff, the game fishing is excellent, for at this stage of the season we see species mix as marlin season drifts into the tuna season, and it looks like a good one. At the moment, we are still seeing

plenty of marlin as a result of warm water this season, and this is likely to continue right through April. Areas like the Twelve Mile Reef out to the Continental Shelf through to the Kink have been most productive for the marlin, while out wider over the Canyons, some big blue marlin have been raised.

Mahimahi are on offer due to those warmer waters and anglers who are trolling a range of lures are encountering these fish regularly. Mixing in are some school size yellowfin tuna, along with plenty of stripies, plus an early season albacore or two.

For those who like things on a smaller scale, Montague Island has been fishing well all season and now as we see the crossover period, anglers can expect the good run of kingfish to increase in size with the larger winter kings

anglers. The salmon are plentiful along the beaches for anglers who choose the sand to fish, and mixed in with them are some very nice tailor, the odd mulloway, gummy and small whaler sharks of a night, while

There are an increasing number of sharks in the area with unconfirmed sightings even in our estuaries.

You can always find good quality luderick around the boat ramps.

Catch ‘em, kiss ‘em and eat ‘em – that’s Lana’s game. Yes, there are still bream in the shallows of Wallaga Lake.

52

APRIL 2017

moving in. There is also the bonito to consider, with these fish being prolific.

The fishing all along the coast has been excellent, not only for boaties, but also for the shore-based angler fishing from the stones, especially those who like to work lures. Salmon are also a great option, with plenty on offer for the shore-based

the shallower gutters are offering plenty of bream, whiting and mullet.

Reef fishing has been a little slow recently, although it’s is now on the improve as the weather cools. Snapper are increasing in numbers, with most reefs harbouring their share, although south of Goalen Head is the more productive area. Other

species like morwong, ocean perch and pigfish are increasing in number, while for those who wish to target flathead can expect plenty of sand flatties out from most beaches in and around 30m water depth where the odd gummy shark may also be encountered. In the deep water, tiger flatties are plentiful all the way out to the Twelve Mile Reef, where many of those other reef fish can be found.

Sadly, due to a lack of rain this summer and autumn the estuary systems are starting to suffer a little, although it doesn’t mean there is no fishing. It’s just a bit tougher and you have to work a little harder.

Wallaga Lake has now closed to the ocean, and with

no tidal flow the fishing will be harder. If you are going to persist fishing the lake, concentrate your efforts in the shallows over the flats where bream, whiting, flathead and luderick will patrol looking for some of the small prawns, nippers, worms and shellfish that inhabit these areas.

The other option you have is to look into estuaries that are open to the ocean like the Bermagui River, where the tidal influence will bring a food supply to the fish. Areas like near both boat ramps are good places to start, as there is many fish frames like tuna, marlin and kingfish thrown into the water, creating a constant berley trail, so anglers using fleshy fish as bait may have some interesting fishing.

Changes to the Bega River TATHRA

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

The Bega River system has seen a few changes over recent times. There hasn’t been enough rain to keep it open to the ocean, however there has been

relatively soon. While it is open, make the most of it. Use the tidal flow to your advantage for bream, flathead, whiting, mullet, and luderick. There have been some very good mulloway on offer as well.

Another species to target, especially around the rocky areas, are estuary perch,

Holidays, kids fishing and a fish in the net, it doesn’t get much better! water flowing down the system, causing flooding around the lower areas around Tathra and forcing the authorities to manually open the river to the ocean.

This may not be a long-term solution and will probably close up again

as they are now in better numbers than they were a decade ago.

For those who like to feel the sand between their toes, the beaches around Tathra are excellent. Anglers can expect plenty of salmon to frequent them while

tailor, the odd mulloway and gummy sharks will become part of the mix. Frequenting the shallow water of the beaches, those tasty whiting, bream or mullet are a welcome catch and there seems to be plenty of them.

Being holiday time, the place to be is the wharf.

This platform attracts a wide variety of fish and anglers pursuing the many fish species surrounding this structure. Presently, schools of big slimy mackerel are providing most of the entertainment, while yellowtail and silver trevally are a welcome addition. Some of these may be recycled out under a float as a live bait where passing predators like kingfish, bonito, some tunas or the odd shark may take a liking to it.

Frigate mackerel and salmon are providing plenty of action for those who wish to work lures, while closer to the rocks, those wishing to add something tasty to their bags are finding garfish, luderick and drummer willing to take a bait. Some of these species like kingfish, salmon, frigates, bonito or the odd shark are a prime candidate for those fishing the rocks

within the area. Live baits can again be deployed to attract them, while luring will give anglers options of moving from spot to spot.

As things start to cool, drummer are there for the taking, especially as the shadows from cliff faces creep over the ocean. Groper are also on the increase off the stones, while bream, trevally and leatherjackets will make a nice by-catch.

Out at sea, there is plenty for all, with some of those pelagic species already mentioned becoming a sportfishing option for those hugging the coast, either trolling or casting lures. For those wishing to acquire a feed of reef or bottom fish, the cooling weather is

There are plenty of bream on offer in the Bega River. improving this fishery.

Snapper are increasing in numbers, and most reef areas are holding quality fish. The better fish have been attracted with berley by the boats at anchor. Most other common reef fish like morwong, nannygai and

Flounder can be found in the shallows and are only too willing to take a lure.

pigfish are on the improve, and it’s not hard to gather a tasty meal.

The sand or muddy areas are also holding their share of flathead, gummy sharks and red gurnard so you can add a bit of variety.

We are now at a crossover time of the season for game fishos where out wide of Tathra towards the Continental Shelf, anglers are encountering species like marlin, mostly stripes with the odd black or blue, mahimahi, and plenty of striped tuna with the odd yellowfin and albacore also starting to show. For those who wish to berley, a mixture of shark species are likely to visit in the form of whalers, blues, makos and an occasional large tiger.

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Plenty of visiting anglers catching a feed feed of fish, and there has been some great fishing over the past month.

Good catches of sand flathead have been coming in with fish caught at Gabo Island and down around the Ariels. Big tiger flathead have been coming in from out wide. In the same area, there have also been some big gurnard. Gummy sharks have also been caught along with a few decent mako sharks. More have

MALLACOOTA

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

The town is still as busy as ever and with Easter on its way, it’s only going to get busier. Everything slows down once Easter is over, but for now, the boat ramp at Bastion Point has been chockers when the weather is good for anglers to get offshore and catch a

Bear with a great bream caught on a blade.

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been hooked, but they have managed to bite through the line and earn their freedom.

A few good snapper have been reported on first light out around the Ariels – this is rare for the area.

Anglers fishing the beaches have been getting some big salmon along with a few yellowfin bream. Fishing into the night, there have been reports of gummy sharks and seven-gill sharks.

The entrance to the lake has seen schools of salmon coming and going.

They are here one day and gone the next. When they are there they have been easy to catch. Some big sand whiting have been in the front section of the lake with good catches on the run-in tide in Harrisons Channel.

Beach worms are the pick of the baits and a few fish have also been caught on poppers.

Good numbers of flathead are in the lake.

Most of the fish are a good eating size, with a scattering of fish caught

FISH WITH A LOCAL AT

between 60-70cm. It’s worth mentioning that there is a bit of confusion amongst visiting anglers to the area about the flathead size limit. Dusky flathead (lake flathead) can be kept between 30-55cm and all others should be released.

For offshore flathead, both sand and tiger, the minimum size is 27cm with no maximum size. Offshore

you can keep a maximum of 20 fish per day and in the lake it’s five per person, per day.

The bream fishing in the lake is not what it should be, due to many reasons.

The black bream fishery has been going downhill at a fast rate for a couple of years now. It hasn’t been fully noticed by many anglers, because the bream fishing

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Gary Brown with an estuary perch caught on a surface lure.

Beaut weather a bonus EDEN

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

We’ve had great weather over the past month with no rain to speak of. Eden has been abuzz with visitors.

The next few months offer some excellent fishing, so the visitors should go home happy. Boats heading out wide have had some success on striped marlin and blue marlin with a number of fish tagged and released.

Plenty of fish have been out around the shelf. Striped tuna are also being caught in this area as well as good mako sharks. These fish are anywhere from the 30-fathom mark and out wider. Tiger flathead and sand flathead are being caught along with some flathead and morwong. If

you’re heading out for a feed, get out early and be back before lunch, as the wind is usually howling by 11am.

A few kingfish have been caught, but the action should heat up over the coming months, as the cooler water pushes back up the coast.

Fishing from the rocks has been good with many catches of drummer and yellowfin bream. Some salmon are also showing up and they are moving from gutter to gutter.

The beaches have seen sand whiting and yellowfin bream caught on the rising tide with fresh bait. Beach worms are the best option. This time of year you can expect to catch a mulloway. The full moon and new moons are the times to put in an effort and the top of the tide is the best bet.

The rivers have been fishing well for flathead

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has been propped up by a few good runs of yellowfin bream this year. Yellowfin bream haven’t turned up in great numbers. The system is too heavily fished.

Silver trevally are also being caught along with a few good-size flounder.

The odd ball catch of the month was a legal-size school shark from the John Bull marker.

with good numbers caught on a variety of soft plastic lures. Sand whiting have also been caught – fresh bait is working the best with a few fish caught on poppers. Silver trevally and tailor are also about with the fish taking a variety of lures fished around the schools of bait. Black bream are also being caught upstream with the yellowfin down around the entrance area.

The fishing is often best on the run in tide.

Some prawns are about and the next dark should see a few people out there chasing a feed. Up in the fresh, plenty of fish have been caught on surface lures fished into the evening with anglers releasing their fish, which is great to hear. A variety of lures will work from shallow runners to paddlers and poppers.

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The ABCs of squid catching NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.com

Catching squid can be either a means to an end, or a fun and fulfilling sport in its own right. Whatever your motivation, here are some basic tips on how to do it more efficiently.

For many anglers, hunting squid is simply the first step on a path to

This devotion to squid fishing has gradually spread to other parts of the world including Australia and some Victorian anglers, in particular, now take their squidding very seriously indeed. These devotees think nothing of spending hundreds of dollars buying a dedicated squid-catching outfit, nor of amassing collections of squid jigs that would rival those of the keenest lure fishers in both

squid at all, it was mostly to use as bait. In those days, squid were captured by skewering whole fish such as yellowtail, slimy

understatement to say that these modern squid jigs have revolutionised the sport.

Naturally, you don’t

Fresh squid makes great bait!

The author with a better-than-average squid. obtaining either high quality bait, a delicious meal… or possibly both. For others, squidding becomes an addictive passion, just like any other stimulating form of recreational fishing.

Japanese anglers – who refer to the capture of squid on lines and jigs as ‘eg-ing’ or ‘egging’ – have helped to elevate this branch of the sport to new heights right across the globe. In Japan and other parts of Asia, there are regular egging tournaments, as well as publications and video channels devoted solely to the pursuit of these tentacled cephalopods.

their numbers and value.

Prior to the 1980s, if Aussie fishers pursued

mackerel, mullet or whiting lengthwise on a metal spike or ‘jag’ that carried a collection of sharp, curved points at one end. This was tied to a line (usually a heavy handline) and lobbed in front of a squid. When the cephalopod wrapped its tentacles around the offering, a pull on the line hopefully secured the catch, allowing anglers to unceremoniously haul it in.

During the last couple of decades of the 20th century, two important changes occurred. Firstly, more Aussies realised just how good squid are to eat. Secondly, we saw the arrival of increasingly sophisticated squid jigs from Asia. These culminated in the cloth-covered, prawnshaped jigs that nowadays dominate squid fishing globally. It would be an

Arrow squid (top) and southern calamari. Both species respond well to the tactics described here.

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The southern calamari squid is highly prized by anglers and is capable of reaching a couple of kilos in weight.

Your columnist with a brace of calamari pulled from offshore waters.

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need dedicated outfits or dozens of expensive jigs to catch a few squid, although having a handful of jigs in different sizes, weights and colours isn’t a bad idea.

What you do need is some basic know-how, including an idea of where and when

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to start looking for squid.

That usually boils down to shallower, inshore areas with relatively clean water and a bottom consisting of broken patches of reef, gravel, sand and weed beds, typically within bays, harbours and lower estuaries, but also out to sea and along the coast.

Squid have excellent eyesight. As well as being able to detect a wide range of colours, they can also see polarised light, along with parts of the ultraviolet end of the spectrum that remain invisible to us.

They hunt primarily by sight and need to visually detect their prey. They can do this in extremely low-light conditions. In fact, dim lighting favours these hunters, which is why they’re often caught in good numbers at dawn, dusk, at night and under heavy cloud cover. In bright conditions, they’ll typically move to deeper water.

Attach your prawnstyle squid jig to a light to medium outfit. Spinning gear or a sidecast is best, but baitcasters work, too.

Cast the jig into likely areas, allowing it to sink well down in the water column. Avoid letting the jig drop right to the bottom in snaggy locations. Begin working your jig with a series of slow to medium paced sweeps of the rod, picking up slack line with your reel between sweeps.

Try different actions. You can also suspend jigs beneath bobby corks before casting them out and simply leave them to be worked by the swell and chop.

The take of a squid is heralded by a heavy weight coming onto the line, followed by a series of strong pulses as the animal attempts to jet away. Maintain steady pressure and a tight line.

Work the squid smoothly towards your boat or the shore and use a landing net to secure larger squid. Oh, and watch out for that final squirt of ink!

Modern, prawn-style jigs – both cloth-covered and uncovered – have revolutionised squidding. Different colours definitely have their day, and even their hour.

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Cooking

Spero’s scrumptious squid and rice paella COOKING

Spero Kartanos

Late one night on TV I saw a recipe for a squid paella, and I’m so glad I did! The recipe has been used by a

family restaurant in Spain for 88 years. I made a few small changes to suit my taste, and added a few spices, and I now cook it nearly every time we catch some fresh squid. Everyone who has tasted it can’t wait to

have it again!

This is a fairly easy dish to make, as all the cooking is done in one paella dish.

Pre-preparation takes a good half hour (then half an hour in the oven), but it’s time well spent. After all the ingredients

are chopped, the rest is easy.

The saffron that you put in, along with lots of paprika, is what gives the dish its wonderful smell and taste.

Whatever you, do be generous with the saffron. I know it’s expensive but it really makes

this dish.

I enjoy catching squid and cooking it in a variety of ways, such as grilled, baked, stuffed squid tempura and black ink pasta. However, I think the squid paella is our favourite – or maybe equal first

with tempura! So give it a try, enjoy the taste of the sea and remember the fresher the squid the better. And please don’t skin it or throw the wings (flaps) away! The whole fresh squid tastes best with the skin on. Enjoy!

Ingredients • 2-3 medium size squid • 6 cloves garlic chopped finely • 2 medium onion diced • ½ red capsicum, ½ green capsicum • 5 fresh tomatoes skinned and chopped or 1 can chopped tomatoes • 2 sprigs of thyme • 1 hot chilli to taste (optional) • 1 tsp paprika with pinch saffron • 1 cup paella rice • 3 cups fish stock (heated) • 34cm round paella dish • ½ cup olive oil • 4-5 fresh bay leaves • Italian parsley chopped

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APRIL 2017

1

Add squid and stir continually.

Season with salt and pepper and push mixture around the side of the dish (in a circle) leaving a well in the centre. Add the onion and sauté.

Add the rice. Sauté the rice to coat it, and mix it in well with squid mixture.

2

5

8

Preheat oven to 180°C. Dice the vegetables.

Cut squid into strips. Leave the skin on, flaps on and use the tentacles as well.

Mix the onion with the squid, and again move to the outer edge.

Add the capsicum and sauté.

Add the saffron and paprika, then add hot fish stock. Mix well and keep mixing so rice doesn’t stick.

Let it come to the boil and reduce a little (approx. 10-15 minutes).

3

Sauté garlic and bay leaves in olive oil.

6

Mix the capsicum with squid mixture and again move to the side, leaving a well in the centre. Repeat the process with the tomatoes and the herbs.

9

Put the paella into a preheated 180°C oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until rice has softened and the liquid has been completely absorbed. Enjoy!

Fishing Fill-its

Gone Fishing Day club grants This year marks the third year that NSW DPI will be hosting an annual Gone Fishing Day. On 15 October, 2017, NSW DPI will be running Gone Fishing Day events throughout the state to celebrate fishing as a healthy, outdoors, family activity. Free activities at each location will include fishing classes, casting comps, goodie bags, touch tanks, kids’ activities, activity marquees and more. Locations will be announced soon.

Recreational fishing clubs are also encouraged to run their own Gone Fishing Day community fishing events on 15 October. In 2016, around 40 fishing club Fishing Day events were held in NSW. On average, each community event attracted around 100 participants, including many first time fishers.

Popular activities included casting competitions, fishing workshops, expert angler presentations and giveaways.

Many clubs gained new members as a result of the event, but perhaps more significantly, they introduced new people to fishing and gave them new skills and passion for fishing.

Fishing clubs are now

invited to apply for grants to help run local community fishing events and activities on Gone Fishing Day. One option is to apply for grant funding of up to $2000.

Successful applicants will be required to enter into a Funding Deed which includes safety standards for the project, submit invoices, submit a final project and financial report on the project, and acknowledge the Recreational Fishing Trusts in project publications and signage.

The second option is to apply for a fishing gear package instead of a

funding grant. The package includes 30 rod and reel sets, giveaways/prizes and advisory information for participants. You will not be required to enter into a Funding Deed or undertake invoicing arrangements, making it a lot easier to get involved on Gone Fishing Day. To apply for a grant or a fishing gear package, go to www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/ recreational/recreationalfishing-fee, click on ‘Licence fees at work’ and select ‘Apply for funds’.

Applications close on April 30, 2017. – NSW DPI

DPI Kids’ Fishing Workshops Kids aged 8-14 years are invited to come and learn to fish safely and responsibly at the DPI’s Kids’ Fishing Workshops.

The instructors are experienced volunteers and staff from the Department of Primary Industries.

The day typically runs from 10am to 2pm, and involves education on fishing techniques, bag and size limits, and fish handling for best release practices.

The cost is $40 per child, and includes a rod and reel combo, shirt, hat, tackle box and show bag – all to take home.

Bookings are essential.

The maximum number of participants in each workshop is 25-30, depending on the location.

The 2017 locations and dates are: • Narrandera Fisheries Centre, Narrandera - 20 and 21 April; • SIRC (Sydney International Regatta Centre) - 13 April; • Tuncurry - 11 April; • Ettalong Beach - 18 April; • Narrabeen - 19 April; • Cronulla - 21 April; • Lake Illawarra - 18 April;

• Greenwell Point - 19 April; • Batemans Bay - 12 April; and • Merimbula - 13 April.

For more information,

including how to book a spot, visit www.dpi.nsw. gov.au/fishing/recreational/ resources/fishingworkshops/kids. - DPI

for • Sign up updates!

• New products • Reviews • Videos

ch u m o o t s I t tackle no gh? u o n e y l r nea

the latest es. pdates on u ily a d r accessori kie.fish fo gear and n g ju n e ti kl a c o ta b , Visit tackle st fishing and greate Fishing Monthly Magazines

www.tacklejunkie.fish APRIL 2017

59

Crab Lures

Your complete guide to crabs FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

Roll back the clock five years and you wouldn’t find many anglers with a crab-style lure in the tackle box. Sure, some companies tried to get a crab imitation right, but a lack of appetite combined with a lack of knowledge meant that these baits seemed destined for the specials bin – usually sooner rather than later.

And it didn’t make sense, because crustaceans like crabs and prawns form a major part of the diet of both inshore No. Weight Shell

and offshore species. Prawn imitations have been around in various forms for decades – from the DOA Prawn to the PrawnStar, they’ve carved quite a niche from flathead through to barramundi and other top level estuary and inshore predators.

The recent ‘rise of the crab’ was clearly well overdue.

For this rise, we can basically blame one guy: Steve Steer from Cranka Lures. Steve is an inventive, obsessive and meticulous lure designer who has more in common with Dr Emmet Brown from Back to The Future than the lab coat wearing designers we used to see in the old Berkley ads. He

Total

was the one who would pick up a handful of crab legs out of a livewell at the end of a bream tournament and think that there was an opportunity to make a better bait.

So he did it.

The Cranka Crab was released at an AFTA (Australian Fishing Trade Association) Show on the Gold Coast in 2012 and, after some initial supply issues, became an instant favourite amongst bream tournament anglers.

There’s always more than one way to skin a cat, and in subsequent years, competitive manufacturers have explored alternative methods to present

a crab profile lure to fish. In this article we have collected all of the commonly available crab lures on the Australian market today.

What we quickly noticed was that making a crab imitation isn’t a simple process. Crabs, with their hard exoskeleton, are a complicated organism and in replicating their looks and behaviour, manufacturers have had to use nearly the full spectrum of materials, from hard plastic and metals through to softer plastics.

Single, double, treble and double treble hooks have all been used to create a system that effectively catches the

Hurricane’s Spider Crab is a soft plastic bait with a variety of custom-designed heads of different weights that allow for different presentations. predators that try to eat the crabs. Understanding just how each of the lures behaves in the water better educates the angler about which of the crabs will do the best for them.

After all, it’s no good

throwing a bait with tiny trebles at a fish weighing over 20lb on heavy line. The corollary is that you shouldn’t target finesse species with the big guns.

To page 60

Brand

Model

Type

Hooks

Colours

RRP

More information

Width (mm) Width (mm) 1 2

2g

16

22

ZMan

CrusteaZ

Soft Plastic (10X)

Fish on a jighead

8

$9.95 for a 6-pack

www.tackletactics.com.au

5g

15

34

ValleyHill

Gulf Bug

Lead head

#4 assist hook

14

$13.95

www.dogtoothdistribution.com.au

with rubber body

3

3g

10

35

Berkley

Gulp Crabby 2”

Gulp!

Fish on a jighead

3

$12.95 for a 10-pack

www.berkley-fishing.com.au

4

4g

12

40

Berkley

Gulp Crabby 2.5”

Gulp!

Fish on a jighead

3

$12.95 for a 8-pack

www.berkley-fishing.com.au

5

2g

14

47

Bait Breath

Rockin’ Crab

Soft Plastic

Fish on a jighead

5

$13.95 for 6-pack

www.baitbreath.net

3.9g

18

49

Cranka

Crab

Hard body, soft legs

2 x trebles

8

$21.95

www.cranka.com.au

6

with floating claws

7

8

5.9g

18

49

Cranka

Crab

Hard body, soft legs

2 x trebles with floating claws

8

$21.95

www.cranka.com.au

4g

17

50

Fish Candy

Crusty Crab

Soft 10X body and legs,

#4 double

7

$19.95 for 2-pack

www.river2sea.com.au

Soft Plastic

Fish on a jighead

6

$11.99 for 6-pack

www.jurofishing.com

FlexiTech 10X body

#2 single

4

$14.95 for 4 crabs,

www.hurricanelures.com.au

internal fixed weight

9 10

11

12

4g

23

52

Strike Pro

Enticer Finesse Crab

9g

19

60

Hurricane

Spider Crab

with 6.5g jighead* 9g

19

60

Hurricane

Spider Crab

FlexiTech 10X body

4 jigheads from $11.95 #10 stinger x 2

4

with 6.5g internal weight* 9.5g

24

62

Cranka

Crab

Hard body, soft legs

$14.95 for 4 crabs,

www.hurricanelures.com.au

4 jigheads from $11.95 2 x trebles

5

$22.95

www.cranka.com.au

with floating claws

13

7g

60

70

ZMan

Scented CrabZ

Soft Plastic (10X)

Fish on a jighead

3

$11.50 for a 5-pack

www.tackletactics.com.au

14

21g

30

85

Cranka

Crab

Hard body, soft legs

Single 4/0

8

$23.95

www.cranka.com.au

39g

47

100

Fish Candy

Smash Crab

Soft 10X body and legs,

Single 5/0

6

$19.95

www.river2sea.com.au

15

internal fixed weight * Hurricane weights are available in 6.5g, 3.5g and 1.3g sizes.

EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE

Gulf Bug 4 Sizes – Weights Between 3.5g and 10g – Available in 14 Colour Combinations

FOR YOUR NEAREST STOCKIST

www.dogtoothdistribution.com.au 58 60

APRIL 2017

Dogtooth Distribution

Crab Lures

1

2

ZMan CrusteaZ

ValleyHill Gulf Bug

3

Berkley Gulp Crabby 2

4

Berkley Gulp Crabby 2.5

5

Bait Breath Rockin’ Crab

10 11

8

6

Hurricane Spider Crab

Hurricane Spider Crab Stinger

Fish Candy Crusty Crab

Cranka Crab 3.9g

9 7

Strike Pro Enticer Finesse Crab

Cranka Crab 5.9g

12

13

Cranka Crab 9.5g

ZMan Scented CrabZ

14 1

15

Cranka Crab 21g

Fish Candy Smash Crab

* All lures displayed are approximately to scale

APRIL 2017

59 61

Crab Lures Luckily, there now exists a crab bait for any application you can think of – from drifting around the washes for oceanic crab eaters to plummeting a bigger crab to the bottom on a shallow reef, right through to finesse applications for bream and other estuary scavengers.

Also, there’s a crab at a price point to cast into the nastiest of structure. If you don’t want to lob a $20 bait into the nastiest snag on the river, then you can choose a soft plastic/jighead option that’ll come in at a fifth of that price.

FISHING A CRAB ••••••••••••••

Admittedly, I’ve used crab imitations for bream a lot over the past few years. Bream are finicky and especially in clear

Fish Candy’s Smash Crab is finding a nice little niche amongst offshore anglers – red emperor, snapper and many other reefies love a feed of crab. Pic courtesy River 2 Sea.

works so well.

Ever tried to pick up a mud crab you encountered on a river bank? You know what I mean.

Approach them and they’re all snapping claws.

Some predators will intercept a crab on its way to the bottom (like a snapper or a mulloway), but the majority of bites will come as the crab drops near the bottom or while it’s near structure.

Also, you need to understand the hook configuration when it comes to how you set the hook. There’s a bit of a difference between crabs with hooks in the claws and crabs with a larger hook in the body.

I find that with a clawhooked crab, you can basically wind to set the hook at the first sign of a bite. Fish usually attack the claws first and end up hooking themselves on the trebles or the stinger hooks.

The fish doesn’t need to swallow the crab.

Crabs with a body-hook are another matter. The predator usually won’t get hooked while nipping at the claws and you need to let the fish swallow the lure a little before setting the hook.

On the water, this means that you need to let the fish eat the bait a little before setting the hook – and when you do set the hook you need to maybe swing a little harder than with the finesse versions.

It’s horses for courses.

Fish may be harder to hook on the bigger single hooks and jigheads, but in tough country and pulling hard with heavy lines, a big hook locked squarely in the jaw may well be a more secure hookup than some trebles in the skin of the lips.

In summary: think of fishing your crabs more like the way you’d use a live crab

SPIDERCRAB WITH

10x FlexiTech TOUGH

INCREDIBLY DURABLE NON-TOXIC DESIGN LIFELIKE FLOATING CLAWS! - flexitech plastics are super tough, and 10x more durable than ordinary soft plastic lures.

- hurricane flexitech lures are naturally buoyant and will float when rigged without weight.

black magic

camo crab

- UNIQUE FLOATING CLAWS perfectly imitate natural baits.

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FISH LOVE TO

Smack Em! 60 62

APRIL 2017

motor oil

spooky crab

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hurricanelures.com.au

for bait than you would fishing a traditional lure. Save the burn-n-kill or jerky retrieves for your baitfish profiles.

Let’s now take a look – manufacturer by manufacturer – at what’s available on the Australian market today.

CRANKA ••••••••••••••

Without doubt the biggest selling crab imitation in Australia, Cranka Crabs look realistic and have caught dozens of species of fish all over the country.

Perhaps the best example of their effectiveness was at the BREAM Grand Final in 2015 on the Clarence River in NSW, where nearly the full field of 100 anglers were fishing this bait. NSW angler Liam Carruthers ultimately walked away with the win on a heavy, olive version of the small Cranka Crab.

With the smaller two crabs in the range, Steve Steer says that it’s the unique floating hooks that make all of the difference, and it’s a feature that he’s spent the time and money to protect through the lodgement of patents and registered designs.

“The sinking body and floating claws are the key to the success of the smaller crabs. We did years of R&D to see how crabs behaved in the wild to design a lure that would be successful and our patent pending, registered designs have proven to be very successful in the field,” he said.

Indeed, the success of these baits caused major supply problems for Cranka over the first few years after release.

“Our supply chain is now secure and we have good stocks of all of the crab models available – with the new large, single hook model stocks arriving in store very soon,” Steer said.

Tournament bream fishers in particular also like the fact that the bream have a habit of hooking up with a treble hook in each side of the lips. This means that big bream spend most of their time shaking their head and trying to dislodge the bait rather than sprinting for the nearest cover. That’s a big plus when you hook a big bream in heavy cover.

Recently, Aussie Richard Somerton took some of the 65mm crabs to the Hobie Fishing Worlds in Lousiana, USA after winning the World Titles in Australia on the 50mm crabs a couple of years before.

He finished second there on a species he hadn’t fished for before using the Aussie designed bait that the fish hadn’t seen before.

It just goes to show that fish eat crabs worldwide!

RIVER2SEA ••••••••••••••

Never far from the cutting edge of the latest tackle, River2Sea have created crab imitations that suit both ends of the market – the large Smash Crab for inshore and offshore

We’d like a dollar for every big, smart ol’ bream that’s been fooled by a Cranka Crab over the last few years. This one came from Forster, NSW. presentations and the small Crusty Crab for bream and bass size fishing.

Both use the robust 10X material, which is near bulletproof and floats. Internal weights get the crab down to where it needs to be and the model of a single, upward facing hook in the Smash Crab will be replicated in the smaller crabs in the future.

“Current stocks of the Crusty Crab have the double hooks but these will be transitioning to single hooks in future production runs,” said Grainger Mayfield, R2S Chief.

Interestingly, the Smash Crab and the single hook Cranka are the only ones currently available that are suitable for serious rock fishing and offshore use.

– at the very least – keep them in a separate compartment in your tackle box.

Nobody likes expensive surprises.

HURRICANE ••••••••••••••

Peter Nord of Lakes Entrance is the man behind the Hurricane brand. Living in the heart of big black bream country, it was inevitable that he’d eventually have a crab imitation in his extensive estuary luring range.

Hurricane’s Spider Crab fits in between soft plastic and hardbodied crabs. They are essentially a 10X soft plastic but are marketed with dedicated jigheads and rigging systems that allow you to mix and match weight and hooks,

...the one lesson I’ve “learnt from crab fishing is to fish them SLOW. “Our best markets at the moment for the Smash Crab are Queensland and Western Australia. Guys are catching plenty of big reef fish on these lures and that’s where they’ve found their niche. Red emperor, snapper, tuskfish and a whole pile of reef species that eat crabs are loving the Smash Crab,” Grainger explained. “There’s even been some barra reported on them.

“The Crusty Crab is a totally different market – we’re finding that it’s 50% bass and 50% bream – that means that the east coast through to Tassie is where we sell most of these,” Mayfield continued. “The changes to the Crusty crab are to fix a single hook into the lead and present it in the best position for a hookup. That means that it will be facing forward and not sideways.”

When storing any of the crabs made from the 10X material, it’s pretty important to not mix them with regular plastics. If you do, you’ll end up with a runny mess of plastic that will render your hard earned baits useless.

The best way is to keep them in the box they came in, or

“

water, will often examine a bait for a long time before eating it.

And although I’ve hooked a giant herring on a crab skipping in along the surface on a fast retrieve after a cast, the one lesson I’ve learned from crab fishing is to fish them SLOW. S-L-O-W. Crabs don’t move that fast at the best of times and in their natural environment, they usually dawdle along the bottom. Even under attack, crabs tend to assume a ‘defensive’ position, rearing their claws upwards and slowly backing or sidestepping away from danger.

Their danger response is very different from a prawn (that will flick and skip away across the top) or a baitfish (that will just run for its life). A crab will stand its ground and that’s the reason a slow retrieve

From page 58

depending on the quarry you are chasing.

If you’re fishing for a fish that is inclined to swallow the crab whole, you can choose the standard jighead rigging option. Or if you are fishing for quarry that will nip at the crab then the stinger hook kit may be a better option for you.

Hurricane’s YouTube channel demonstrates rigging techniques – both of which require the use of some Loctite Control Gel glue to ensure a lasting connection.

“That Loctite Gel is the best we have found for attaching 10X plastic to our jigheads. You can control it better than liquid super glue products and its applicator is very angler-friendly,” Peter explained. “The crabs are representative of the crabs that bream eat in my local estuaries, so we find that bream have no problems smackin’ em – although anything that eats a crab in your local river will have a go at the Spider Crab.”

The Spider Crabs also have a scent added to the plastics to help stimulate bites. You can notice it as soon as you open the packet.

The best way to store the

Crab Lures Hurricane Spider Crab system is in its original packaging – the plastic trays keep the baits nice and neat and away from anything that will react negatively with the material.

ZMAN LURES ••••••••••••••

The brand of soft plastics that Aussies have embraced so heartily has a couple of models which fit the crab profile.

Tackle Tactics’ Justin Willmer knows the A-to-Z on ZMan and explains.

Made from 10X plastic, both models float without the addition of a jighead and should be stored separately, if not in their original packaging.

“The CrusteaZ have developed a strong following among anglers fishing structure, including moored boats, pontoons and natural structure, when chasing species such as bream, as well as when finesse flats fishing for a range of species,” Justin said.

The Scented CrabZ are the more realistic of the two ZMan offerings.

“This versatile size crab profile has proven effective fished weedless in the mangroves for barramundi and jacks,” Justin continued.

“It’s also found a following lightly weighted on the flats for crab-loving species such as bluebone and trevally, or more heavily weighted when prospecting reef edges and

deeper structure for cobia and snapper.”

BERKLEY GULP ••••••••••••••

The Berkley Gulp Crabby is a bait that has 100% been embraced by tournament anglers. Selling literally thousands of packets every year, Pure Fishing’s Chris Gates explains why they are so successful in their niche.

“The Gulp Crabby has been a mainstay in the bream fishing arena for some years with tens of thousands of packs being sold,” Chris said. “More recently we have witnessed bass anglers take them up, recognising their similarity not only to a freshwater crustacean but also to a hapless spider or bug that may have dropped from an overhanging tree.

Worked slowly across the bottom, they are proving just as deadly in the freshwater as the salt.”

Being a bio-bait and not a plastic, all Gulp baits should be stored in their original packets and make sure that they are well sealed. The next ‘Gulp juiced’ tackle box that’s not allowed back into the house – ever – won’t be the first.

STRIKE PRO ••••••••••••••

With the design for the Enticer Finesse Crab done in Australia, Strike Pro used its advanced plastics

manufacturing facility in Asia to get the samples just right.

Rick Massie explains.

“We got samples in lots of different densities and we found that the stiffest, neutrally buoyant plastic gave the best action,” Rick said.

“To me, the best thing about the Strike Pro Crab is the fact that by simply changing the jighead, you can fish all depths in an estuary effectively – from the surface [on a worm hook] to the deepest channels [with a heavy jighead],” he continued.

The heartland of the Finesse Crabs has been from the south coast of NSW through Victoria and into Tasmania.

“Although there are Enticer jigheads to suit the crab which are made on a #4 hook (1.16oz and 1/20oz are the most popular), you can fish the Finesse Crab on a cobra style jighead to stand it in a defensive position, a HWS style jighead to slow the fall or a Gamakatsu 211 jighead as an all round option – the combinations are endless,” Rick concluded.

For me, it’s about creating a bait that costs you a couple of bucks when you cast it into the nastiest cover imaginable. You feel better when three or four bucks disappears in a swirl rather than $20 more than that.

All Strike Pro Crabs are impregnated with a crab scent in the manufacturing process.

BAIT BREATH •••••••••••••• A last minute inclusion into the review, I found a couple of packs of these Japanese plastics – imported

by Gladiator Tackle – as I was grabbing samples for photography from the garage.

Pre-Cranka, these were my go-to baits for crawling down rock walls for crab-eating bream – hence the rigging on a snag-proof jighead.

A quick call to Steve Blackmore from Gladiator revealed that these baits are still available and shipping around the country to crab enthusiasts.

Requiring the slightest water movement to get the legs fluttering in the water, they’re ideal for light line, finesse situations. Fishing them on straight through 2lb or 3lb fluorocarbon was a favourite in low current areas.

VALLEY HILL ••••••••••••••

The newest kid on the block is Japanese manufacturer Valley Hill. Imported by Dogtooth Distribution in Australia, the Gulf Bug is an interesting little bait that just scraped into the ‘crab imitation’ category.

Made of a lead head, a free swinging assist hook and a crustacean profile cut from rubber material,

Strike Pro’s Enticer Finesse Crab is very versatile - you can fish it anywhere between the top and bottom depending on jighead selection. it’s an abstract version of a bottom dwelling crab that’s remarkably fishable.

My prediction is that – especially in deeper water – these baits will prove very effective. It doesn’t take much current to get the appendages moving and the hook is in the right position to suck easily into a predator’s mouth.

In the test tank they look great and climb over structure with ease.

Modern day blades, which are ridiculously popular, came from the same country and from the same lateral thinking fishing minds. Watch this space to see how techniques develop with this bait.

STORAGE ••••••••••••••

Throughout this article, you’ll have noticed me harping on about correct storage for crabs. If you go out and spend $100 on a selection of crabs and proceed to load them all into one tray of your tackle box, you can definitely run into problems.

You need to store Crankas flat, 10X plastics separately and Gulp In a watertight container.

If you don’t you’ll be faced with a sticky and/or dried out, bent mess when you go to fish them, and none of us want that frustration in our lives.

Fishing is supposed to be fun. Crabs can help. Store them right and fish them slow.

APRIL 2017

61 63

Mixed bag of opportunities ROBINVALE

A U S T R A L I A

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

Margay 2017

$49,990

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Anglers fishing the local lakes and rivers have reported good catches and ample action over the past few weeks. Yabbies have been a popular catch.

While you need to work to get a feed, most locations are producing a few.

The Edward River has yabbies, golden perch and redfin on the chew. It’s not a bad day out if you can score this mixed bag and a wonderful dining event to follow. All fish are taking bait with shrimps and scrub worms working well. The Wakool River at Kyalite is also producing a few golden perch and the occasional small Murray cod on bait.

Swan Hill tackle shop proprietor Jim Credlin says there have been a few cod caught locally in the Murray River on bait and lures. One group of anglers fishing upstream of town managed to land four cod to 65cm on lures.

As all good fishing stories go, it seems they also lost a bigger cod beside the boat estimated to be around the 90cm mark.

The local lakes are also fishing well with good numbers of redfin biting on bait. While most of the redfin are small, there are some larger fish to be caught if you are patient.

Local whitebait, shrimp and worms have been the most effective baits so far.

Golden perch too have been a regular catch with most taking home a feed.

Anglers fishing bait at Boundary Bend on the Murray River have reported good numbers of golden perch and a few small cod in the mix. A few fish have also been taken on trolled lures.

The Murray River at Robinvale is producing a few golden perch on bait. I am yet to hear of a single cod landed at this location since the opening.

Carp are prolific and you can almost wear yourself out hauling them in at leisure. The odd catfish is also in the mix, if they can beat the carp to the bait. All up, if you’re keen to wet a line, this would be a great location to soak a few baits with the kids.

The Murray River at Wemen has produced golden perch on bait this

Gareth Lynch admires a good haul of cooked yabbies from the Murray River. past month and once again, prolific numbers of carp. I heard rumours of a 30lb cod caught on a yabby from a sandbar in this area, but there are no photos to back it up.

• 19’1” • Single axle Basscat trailer • 200 hp Mercury Optimax • 24v electric motor (Minn Kota or Motor Guide) • 2 x sounders (Humminbird 698cxi HD Si or Lowrance HDS 7 GEN2)

Yar-Craft 1785BT 2017

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Sabre FTD 2017

Darcy Scherger

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We Build Dreams...

It’s a Family Tradition

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APRIL 2017

Cod are playing hide and seek MILDURA

• 18’1” • Single axle Basscat trailer • 115 hp Mercury 4 stroke • 24v electric motor (Minn Kota or Motor Guide) • 2 x sounders (Humminbird 698cxi HD Si or Lowrance HDS 7 GEN2)

A U S T R A L I A

Some very big carp are on the bite in our local waters.

Phone: 0410 173 060 basscataustralia@gmail.com

I hope this capture is true, because if one can make it through the recent black water events, surely others might have as well. I guess time will tell. It’s been very quiet on the cod front along most of the local Murray River with the majority of cod caught failing to even make legal size.

Our last outing on the Murray was a bait-drowning mission in the hopes a few perch might find their way from hook to pan.

Fishing downstream of Robinvale, the action was thick and fast with bite after bite producing some very large carp up to around the 10kg mark and a few small perch. Unfortunately, we missed out on a feed.

Perhaps next time we might have a little more luck. Until then, there is plenty of fishing action in our local waters.

Golden perch and yabbies are still keeping anglers busy around the region with decent hauls reported.

Golden perch have still been providing a lot of enjoyment for local anglers and the elusive Murray cod has lived up to its reputation.

Cod anglers have been working hard to even get hit by these magnificent fish and people are now starting to ask more questions about how much the black water did effect the Murray River.

There are many conspiracy theories about the black

water event and the effects it had. This is causing many conflicting views and arguments between fishers and groups within the region.

Some believe it has killed the majority of the fish within the system, with the large ones suffering the most. Large fish around the age of 6+ years old (over a metre in length) are less fit, need more oxygen to function and are more vulnerable to the changing river conditions that we have experienced late last year.

Black water is a natural phenomenon that occurred this time with an increased intensity, as we have not had a flood into the regions

that got saturated by water and were inundated with leaf litter from over 20 years. People are asking, how come this didn’t occur 20 years ago? How come we never had fish kills like this before?

The answer is there were more floods 20 years ago, and more recent flooding means less leaf litter as it gets washed away. Less carbon is built up on the flood plains. It’s been over 20 years since these areas have had water and this is because we haven’t had high amounts of rainfall like we have experienced lately.

The flood last year was the first real flood I have

seen and I am 22 years of age. This is the real problem – less frequent flooding of floodplains.

The system and floodplains haven’t been flushed since I’ve been alive. Fish kills were of a higher number, as the intensity of the event was more.

Black water is a horrible occurrence that has had an impact on the system. Many haven’t pulled the cod lures out for a while due to what has happened, though there are still big green backs out there to be caught, appreciated, looked after and returned back into the water.

Lake Mulwala still has bulk Murray cod on tap YARRAWONGA

Tony Bennett codclassic@bigpond.com

Anglers can’t help but get excited about the continued excellent fishing in and around Lake Mulwala, especially when it comes to the surface action at this time of year. No wonder Lake Mulwala is the ‘Home of the Murray Cod!’ Beautiful summer evenings have led to one of the most productive months in recent history and there is no reason why this won’t continue into May.

For those looking to attack the lake throughout the day, your best bet is to tackle the shallower areas that are no more than 3m in depth.

Cast or trolled lures and spinnerbaits worked closely to timber structure will produce great results. Below the weir a strong run of yellas has been present with bait fishing producing more than lures.

Looking back, this report would go on forever if I gave everybody a mention who has supplied us with their captures over the last few weeks. There are a few who deserve a special mention who

have pulled a metery or bigger recently. Without doubt, one of the biggest cod captured in this area in recent memory was from Cobram local Nathaniel Hendry. Nathaniel’s surface lure was annihilated by a 125cm beast – super effort.

Close behind was another monster landed by Joel Thomas. Again, a surface lure was what brought this 120cm monster undone. Joel also landed another 90cm cod off the top and in the process managed to get a treble well and truly planted into his thumb.

Normally a 115cm cod

Nathaniel Hendry with his 125cm beast!

would be near on headline news, but Bendigo local Gavin Burns has to settle for third this month with his great capture. Having a pre-fish for the Da$h 4 Ca$h, he got a fair surprise when his cast Kuttafurra hardbody was smashed by this brute.

Berrigan boy Graeme Pyle was another to join in on the metery fun when he trolled up a healthy 104cm model on a surface lure. To top this off, he had landed three other cod that evening measuring up to 88cm. Lastly, a young fella by the name of Cody presented us with a photo of a neat 100cm Murray cod that was taken on a chicken fillet! Well done, Cody. My apologies to those I have missed.

On the other hand, there have been some memorable catches made by anglers new to fishing. Tommy Plunket was happy when he managed to get his first on a lure.

Another Yarra local character Mick Crothers was in a quandary on how to catch these cod off the surface. After a night of assurance he was doing thing right, Mick hasn’t looked back and has proceeded to catch numerous off the top and receive plenty of hits while walking the banks.

The happiest of all went to two year old Beau Taylor.

Beau and mum Sophie drowned a few worms down the river. Beau was happy with the results.

The recent Lowrance Da$h 4 Ca$h Super Series again proved a hit with 79 teams competing. Weather

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Zac is no stranger to catching big cod. This 99cm specimen came from Copeton Dam.

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conditions were tough with wind knocking many around.

There were great numbers of fish captured, photographed and released for the weekend.

The biggest was 91.4cm.

• If you’re visiting town, call into Lake Mulwala Fish Camp & Ski, the shop with the big green cod out the front opposite

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65

Trout getting ready for the cool season spawn JINDABYNE

Steve Williamson swtrout@airlan.com.au

April is the month that we start to see a reduction in the surface temperature of the lake, which seems to spur a few trout on for an early spawning run. Some trout will start moving into the Thredbo River.

You can now really feel the mornings getting cooler and the water temperatures are dropping.

For the lure anglers, the Thredbo River will only improve as the month goes by and the best lures will be jointed minnows, as the brown trout start to become really aggressive and territorial. Other lures like spinners are certainly a must in your lure box.

Spinning on the lake will also improve this month as

the water edges cool down.

You may find the best spinning will be early and late in the day and fishing will be best around steep drop-offs with plenty of rocks. Bays

this month as the fish also move into spawning and aggression mode. For now, green and gold lures will be good. Most of the minnow lures I use at this time of year

Bay and Hayshed Bay are all great.

Overall, fishing on the lake over recent months has continued to be very good.

Now that the lake water

APRIL ROUNDUP – THE BEST OF THE BEST! Best Method Surface trolling early and then using lead core

lines at 30m out Best Depth Trolling at 25ft deep or 35ft during the

middle of the day Best Lake Lure Tasmanian Devil number 111 or Y82 Best Lake Area Hayshed Bay and Waste Point Best Dry Fly Method Parachute Adams or black cricket.

Best Wet Fly Method Black weighted nymph Best River Thredbo River above The Diggings like Rushes, Hatchery and Creel Bay all fish well. The best areas recently have been down at the South Arm or near Banjo Patterson Park.

As the month progresses, Waste Point and the Snowy Arm will start to fire.

We will be starting to use pink and orange lures

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• Learn See how four species of trout and salmon are bred.

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Guided tours at 10 am and 2 pm. Feed the large fish.

Open 10–4 daily. Gaden Rd (off Kosciuszko Rd) Jindabyne P 02 6451 3400 CLOSED DAYS: ANZAC, CHRISTMAS, BOXING. SMALL ENTRY FEE. dpi.nsw.gov.au/ fisheries/info/ gaden

have a little orange on them as well. In shallow bays I like to use some of the small soft plastics like the Strike Tiger spotted brew colour or vodka and orange. Even pink is a good colour to try.

Flyfishing on the rivers and streams has been nice with the mountain streams still producing lots of small trout on dry fly. This is heaps of fun, especially if you are just getting into the art of flyfishing. Try a small hopper pattern, Royal Wulff or Royal Humpy and a caddis moth fly for some good options.

The Thredbo River still has a little dry flyfishing to offer on some days. We’ll be swinging into the nymphing season very soon. As the month goes on and more early spawning brown trout move into the Thredbo River, you might start trying a black nymph. If we get that heavy rain and a rise in the river we might see a start to glowbugs and nymphs.

Flyfishing on the lake is still best at night. Try any of the streamer patterns such as Craig’s Night Time or a black Woolley Bugger. Olive green nymphs and shrimp patterns are also worth a try. The South Arm, Creel

temperature is cooling into the trout’s comfort zone, the fish are happier to move in close to the edges of the lake. This makes the fishing a little better for anglers that don’t have a boat.

Autumn is a great time to go trout fishing, the trout are feeding up in readiness for winter and are often easier to catch. I would expect that the great shore-based angling will continue right through the winter months like it did last year.

Boat trolling in the shallow water will improve again now that the water temperatures start to reach a comfort zone for the trout.

Early morning surface fishing can be quite productive. The best way to attack the fish is to start off the morning by surface trolling lures with a lead line about 3m deep.

Later in the morning you can still target some of the browns by fishing close to the bottom in deeper water with the aid of downriggers.

I find about 20ft of water is a good place to start then.

Bigger minnow lures

Rod Annett with a huge brown trout. in brown trout or spotted dog patterns and pink lures will also be worth a try as the trout become more aggressive. Some of the better trolling areas will be Sids Bay through to Rushes Bay. Also try Waste Point or Creel Bay for downrigging, as there may be a few early spawning brown trout about.

They’ll mostly be deeper at 20ft or so.

• If you would like some personal guiding, I will be

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APRIL 2017

available over the coming months for fly-fishing tuition and lake trolling trips.

Lessons can be booked from 2 hours’ duration, and trolling trips from 3 hours to a full day. If you want to know more about the latest in fishing conditions, just give me a call on (0264) 561 551 or check out my website at www.swtroutfishing.com.au.

You can also see our daily Facebook updates at https:// www.facebook.com/LJTFA.

w w w. b a r g a i n b o a t b i t s. c o m . a u

Dam............................... % Full

Dam............................... % Full

Jan. Feb. March Blowering 92 81 73 Brogo 92 78 93 Burrendong 104 93 87 Burrinjuck 95 79 72 Carcoar 99 97 92 Chaffey 168 168 165 Clarrie Hall 100 100 n/a Copeton 55 49 44 Dartmouth 78 78 77 Eucumbene 44 44 42 Glenbawn 92 91 90 Glenlyon 69 65 62

Jan. Feb. March Glennies Creek 85 83 81 Hume 90 82 74 Jindabyne 75 70 64 Keepit 86 69 58 Lostock 91 84 76 Oberon 97 95 92 Pindari 100 91 81 Split Rock 30 30 29 Tantangara 21 16 16 Toonumbar 89 85 86 Windamere 52 51 50 Wyangala 95 92 88

(All levels correct at time of going to press. Dam levels can change at any time, so please check with local authorities to ensure safe boating and fishing.)

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The first correct entry at the end of each month will win the prize pack.

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NSW APRIL 2017

Phone (day):

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Dynabait Bloodworms, Tubeworms and Sandworms are available at all good tackle stores.

SPOT THE

10 DIFFERENCES

GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy

ORIGINAL

Congratulations to Robert Gill from Lake Munmorah, who was last month’s winner of the Find-a-Word Competition!

Monthly winners receive a sponsor prize. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – NSWFM

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE

The subscriber prize winner for February was A Roos of Sans Souci, who won an Raymarine WI-FISH – Wi-Fi CHIRP DownVision Sonar valued at $299SRP. All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – NSWFM

FIND THE DX POINT LOGO

The answers to Find the DX Point Logo for February were: 8, 12, 16, 21, 26, 32, 36, 43, 49, 85, 92, 103, 116, 121, 125. – NSWFM The Find the DX Point logo prize winners for February were: D Sullivan of Aberdeen, L Wicks of Forbes, D Nacinovic of North Narrabeen, C Cooper of Boorowa, R Chown of Glendenning, M Sinclair of Lalor Park, R Waters of Temora, F Muscat of Bow Bowing, D Walker of Thornton, L Gorham

of Toronto , R Bland of Forster, G Wise of Grenwell Point, J Cross of Mondrook, B Stokes of Morwell, K Beckhouse of Wyee Point, D Chandler of Theodore , J Wilson of Boronia, D Simpson of Nambucca Heads, S Matthews of Edgeworth, G Smith of Weston, A Hepper of Iluka, W Kelley of Glen Davis, J Wicks of Clifton, R Kroll of Minniewater, R Grace of Nambucca Heads, D Donhue of Tuggerawong, R Derrick of

Barraba, K Yarnold of Tuncurry, M Horgosi of Ngunnawal , C Engelbrecht of Wagga Wagga, T Vine of Davistown, S Cook of Seven Hills, S Ayre of Denman, B Robley of Noraville, C Carter of Richmond, D Culshaw of Banyo, P Dubbelde of Orange, C Roberts of North Ryde, B Hall of Balgownie, T Kennedy of Karuah.

Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – NSWFM

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SPOT THE DIFFERENCE LOCATIONS IN NEXT ISSUE

Guess the Fish Answer: Blue Groper

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Answer:

‘Missing’ rainbows rediscovered in Jindabyne CANBERRA

Bryan Pratt

Canberra anglers Peter Ruffy and Matt McCann have used their long-term knowledge of the Snowy Mountain lakes to suddenly rediscover the rainbow trout everybody thought were missing from the lakes over the last 12 months.

You may recall reports of complaints from anglers that they had been unable to find rainbows in Jindabyne and Eucumbene in particular, and the ones that they did find were mostly too small to keep.

Undeterred, Peter and Matt fished Jindabyne for two days and landed 19 fish on the first day and six or eight during a short spell the following morning. Most of the fish were rainbows in the 38-40cm range, and all were in excellent condition.

They also caught a few small to medium browns, lost a couple of big ones and landed numerous small Atlantic salmon. All the fish were caught on Tasmanian Devils and a battered, nondescript spoon that had seen better days.

How did they do it?

Simple. They theorized that during hot weather, rainbows

Rainbows have been hard to find in streams and especially lakes, but small flies in the streams and deep trolling in the lakes might be the answer.

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APRIL 2017

Murray cod went deep in midsummer, but anglers like Chris Barb still found good fish during the cooler nights. and other fish move to deeper water to escape the heat and bright sunlight, and to seek out the thermocline where they can most easily extract oxygen. The boys used a downrigger, with the bomb located at 13.7m where the sounder suggested there was a solid gathering of fish. They caught fish as soon as they trolled through that depth.

The pair found fish at various locations, with most of them coming from the area between Curiosity Rocks and Lion Island, almost within

touching distance of the boat ramp. The fish that were kept all had masses of Daphnia and small goldfish in their stomachs, indicating that there is no shortage of food in the area.

So maybe the ‘missing’ rainbows aren’t missing at all. Maybe they are simply staying deep to make the best use of the food and oxygen supplies in the preferred thermocline, and ignoring the upper layers of water. So next time you go to fish the big lakes you might like to adopt Peter and Matt’s strategy and get down deep, either with a downrigger or lead core line. You never know what you might find.

PICKLED YABBIES While you are fishing the big lakes you might also like to catch a few yabbies. There are large numbers of them in the lakes, and despite the fact that it’s declared trout water you are legally allowed to use 5 x two-ring drop nets each, and can bring up to 200 yabbies home. That is even after you have gorged yourself on those caught and cooked while you were fishing.

I recently learned how to keep a large catch for

future use by pickling. You just cook the yabbies, peel the tails and pack them in salt before putting them in the fridge for two hours. You then put them in a glass jar filled with white vinegar and preferred spices, and store them away until required. I can vouch for the success of the technique. I don’t know how long they last after pickling though, because ours always got eaten far too quickly.

STREAM SUCCESS There are still a few nice fish being caught in the Thredbo and Eucumbene rivers. You need to walk the riverbank, searching with polarised glasses until one or more fish are spotted. You then go through the fly box hoping to find something that gets their attention. At present, most success has been had with grasshopper patterns or with a brown nymph suspended under a sight fly such as a Hairwing Coachman.

The best fishing has been in the late afternoon, but when it gets dark you can switch over to lake fishing with big wets such as Hamills Killer, Mrs Simpson, Craigs Nightime and other mudeye patterns. These will appeal to the big browns that come to the surface to feed on

mudeyes and other goodies in the cool night air.

NATIVES ACTIVE Warm weather has kept Murray cod and golden perch active, although in extreme hot weather some of the fish go off the bite and settle down in deep water.

Cod have been taken on yabbies and shrimps, but more commonly on large lures such as Jackpot Spinnerbaits, Wave Riders, Owner Kong and Mazzy Vibs. Koolabung surface lures have also been effective. Goldens have been taken on Mask vibes, Burrinjuck Specials and Mazzy Vibs, as well as Gulp black grubs, yabbies, shrimps and scrub worms fished amongst fallen timber. The top end of the lake has been the most productive for golden perch, and the dam wall end for cod.

If anybody wants redfin to add to their catch, there are millions of them in Burrinjuck and elsewhere.

Just chuck in a scrub worm, a soft plastic with a wriggly tail, or a shiny spinning blade lure such as a Hogback and you will get as many as you want. Not many of them are big but those that are go very nicely on the table.

Downriggers are a great way to get lures down deep where fish gather in hot weather.

Rivers running hot in April WAGGA WAGGA

Rhys Creed

April is my favourite month. This month is where fishing dreams are made as we are blessed with the best fishing conditions of the year. What makes the fishing even better is the Easter long weekend - the perfect excuse to get out into the freshwater.

be well worth a fish. We fish the water between Gundagai and Narrandera as it holds good quality populations of both Murray cod and golden perch.

The height can vary during April depending on regulation from Blowering and Burrinjuck Dam, the dam capacity and rainfall.

The best heights to fish the river are between 2-1.4m (reading from Gundagai) and

The Mud Guts 5/8oz spinnerbait in purple/ chartreuse, white/purple, orange/white and white/black are the preferred colours. In a hardbody our preferred choice is the 80mm Strikeforce Cod

of the water and target the large resident trout that call the river home. The upper reaches from the Tumut township up to the dam wall hold the strongest numbers of quality fish.

The Kaos Cod Deciever fooled this beauty of a Murray cod to give the author his first cod on fly.

Chris Cotterill with his first Murray cod on fly – even better it was on his home made surface fly!

MURRUMBIDGEE RIVER This mighty river is pure gold during the month of April, and the fishing action is nothing short of incredible!

The water height will drop to expose more snags, water current will reduce and the water clarity will increase.

Mix this with mid-20°C days, cool nights and perfect water temperatures around the 16°C mark and you have yourself the perfect recipe for hot fish sessions.

The Murrumbidgee River from the bottom of Burrinjuck all the way through the Balranald will

these details can be found on the Water Info NSW website or app.

Casting lures is by far the go-to technique, with spinnerbaits and hardbody lures being the stand out lures of choice. When you are fishing snags that are tight up against the bank, a spinnerbait is perfect because it can sink tight in against the snag and reach the strike zone of the fish.

The hardbody is perfect for logs that run perpendicular to the bank and willow trees because you can run the lure along the length of the structure.

Stalker in the social fishing blue colour, and also the 70mm AC Invader.

The river is so low that it’s even possible to target natives using fly! This is something we have been pursuing much more of late, and is proving to not only be successful but also super fun. If you’re keen to try flyfishing for natives, now is

Fly, lures and bait will all work during April. Spinning with small hardbody lures, spinners and soft plastics is one of the most preferred techniques. All you need to do is find a section of river (even the fishing in the township is great) and cast your lures into the willows or deeper section of river on the opposite side.

Jack Zyhalak cradling the protected trout cod. These fish are a common bycatch on the Murrumbidgee River. can produce a very exciting session. The trout will feed on whatever is hatching in the section of river you are fishing and this can change, but the two most common hatches on the Tumut are mayflies and small white moths, so make sure you have these on hand.

Another fly technique that will catch you more fish is swinging nymphs through the rapids. A heavy bead-headed nymph like a Copper John is the best fly to use. You want to stand in the rapids and cast your fly at a 45° angle across the river. Your fly will swing around and you want to follow it with your rod tip as it swings around

in the current. The trout will be all over the nymphs and you can have some great fun. Once you have finished your swing, take one step down the rapids and cast again.

One extra tip - get yourself some Czech Nymphs and tie them 30-40cm off the back of the bead-headed nymph because with two flies you have double the change of landing a fish.

Get out and take advantage of everything fishing in April has to offer.

Even in the rain the fishing is action packed so don’t stay at home, get out on the water and enjoy one of the best fishing months on the calendar.

The Murrumbidgee River is low enough to target natives on fly, as the author demonstrates.

The author with a thumping Murrumbidgee golden taken on an orange and white Mud Guts spinnerbait.

the time to give it a crack.

Early morning and late afternoon are the peak bite periods and this is when you want to be on the water fishing. But with the weather being perfect the fish will bite all day. Just target the shaded areas.

TUMUT RIVER The Tumut River is also a hot spot at this time of year, with the low flows allowing us to access large amounts

A medium paced retrieve is all you need, and make sure you watch your lures as they come back across through the clear water. If you are going to do this style of fishing make sure you get yourself a good quality pair of polarised sunglasses as they will help you to spot the following fish.

If you are going to use fly, the evening will still have a hatch in April and

The Strikeforce 80mm Cod Stalker pinned this hungry river golden.

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69

Don’t underestimate the appeal of larger lures LITHGOW/OBERON

Glen Stewart stewie72@bigpond.com

The outside flap of the swag is stiff as a board; peeling it back for a morning view you take in what greets you – a rustle over yonder means a mate has started to stir. Maybe

A wispy whirlwind of fog gets pushed along the pool with the sun’s first rays, and with a coffee in hand it’s hard not to sit and take it all in. It’s so much better than any kitchen or galley I’ve ever seen!

Frosty nights up higher in the catchments cool trout waters quickly, and insect hatches take a little while

results with a dry fly. Be patient. You just need to sit and wait, trout will show themselves eventually.

Watch them work, then plan your approach and make your first presentation count, because it will most likely be your last on that fish. These trout are spooky and challenging, but that’s why we love it.

Knowing the movements and habits of large baitfish in impoundments and rivers is critical to the success of catching bigger cod. he will stoke the fire and get a brew going…

The sounds of morning are coming thick and fast.

First the kookaburras, then the unmistakable warble of a magpie, and a willie wagtail flits and jumps around with the attitude and confidence of a bird 10 times the size.

to get going. In fact, if you are a devotee of the long wand, you can afford a little sleep in. The sun’s rays and warmth are what’s needed to get insects and trout moving in most cases.

Your first-up morning spots should be bathed in early light for the best

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A BIGGER TRIGGER FOR COD The last weeks of April at lower altitudes might well have seen a frost, and the bountiful shrimp and yabbies in Wyangala, Windamere and the local rivers that called the shallows home are suddenly not around. The plentiful baitfish that roamed are now few and far between and depending on the species, a lot bigger and harder for the cod to catch.

Small ducklings and birds have grown into bigger ducks and birds, small lizards are now bigger lizards... I think you may be getting the picture.

Put the spider web thin gear away and shelve the smaller offerings. Lure lengths of 100-150mm are no longer big, as the market is slowly catching up. It’s a niche market, but it’s one with plenty of potential in my opinion,

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APRIL 2017

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The frosts of late autumn are a sure sign that bigger cod will be covering more water to find the same amount of food they have been used to eating over summer. Don’t underestimate the attraction of a big lure at this time of year. one that encompasses quite a different approach, and by that I mean not just the upgrade in tackle to handle casting or trolling such offerings.

It’s still early days for me but these big fish require a totally different mindset to the norm. Firstly, if you’re a numbers angler, you may as well put your rod in the

rack now, and if your fishing buddy is a numbers angler, leave them at home.

Don’t underestimate the drawing power of a big bait, especially during peak feed times like change of light. Big cod will move for an easy substantial meal at this time of year if the presentation is right.

We all have one big

Camps and first frosts up high in the ranges are a sight to behold. It’s probably best to leave the hat for a bit.

positive working for us: generally speaking we all know what these big cod are eating, as we have been chasing these fish for years as well. Golden perch, silver perch, carp and redfin are all on the menu. We just need to make the adjustments to target what’s eating them and when.

The sick, weak and erratic are always eaten first in nature, so keep this in mind when retrieving your lure. The jury is still out on surface presentations for me, but a slow constant retrieve seems to be the undoing of most fish. I guess something big that’s swimming awkwardly in a constant forward motion is already a big drawcard.

It really is a case of watch, learn, read and listen and then try with this big bait revolution on cod. There is still a lot for us all to learn.

Cod becoming active TAMWORTH

Dean McFarlane

The Peel River has been fishing well, with cod taking poppers in the afternoon and into the night, and spinnerbaits during the day. Yellowbelly are taking spinnerbaits as well.

Namoi River is fishing very well for cod on the surface. They’re also taking spinnerbaits throughout the day and the night.

Downstream of Keepit it’s just starting to settle after the release of water. That means great fishing for cod and yellas on deep divers and spinnerbaits during the day and night, and poppers for cod of a night.

Lots of yellas are being caught on shrimp at Chaffey

Dam during the day, and on bibless minnows and soft plastics late in the afternoon and into the night.

Lake Keepit has been fishing very well for cod, with most caught on large trolled spinnerbaits and large deep divers during the day.

The yellas are just starting to come back on out there around the trees, taking both bait and lures.

The fishing has slowed down at Split Rock. You can still catch fish but it has quietened down a fair bit.

Trout streams have been fishing OK, with anglers picking up rainbows and browns on soft plastics, hardbodies, Celtas and small spinnerbaits. Catches should increase in April, and you’ll be able to fish for them throughout the day.

Yellowbelly catches will start to taper off this month, but the cod will start to be a bit more active in the mornings.

I recommend grabbing the surface lures and spinnerbaits and hitting the rivers for some explosive morning sessions.

This month’s report has been supplied by the crew from AusSpin Lures and Tamworth Fishing Tackle.

For more information on what’s biting and where, drop into the store at 15 Roderick St, Tamworth or phone (02) 6766 7100. The friendly staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. You can also check out the full range of AusSpin spinnerbaits, all manufactured in-store.

Really loving the ripper redfin resurgence BATLOW

Wayne Dubois waynedubois@westnet.com.au

The freshwater scene has been all about the redfin over the last few months.

Crazy numbers of these tasty morsels are being caught consistently just about everywhere.

Most lakes and creeks have seen a major resurgence of these fish this season, meaning many more smiling anglers around. On top of

if you find that after six or seven fish they are all taking one type, switch over and load both hooks with their preferred. This can change from day to day, so it pays to always start with the two baits to see what the fish are after on the day that you are fishing.

MANNUS LAKE Another place that has seen one of the biggest resurgences of redfin is Mannus Lake and the Mannus Creek both above and below the lake. Not only are they back in big numbers after

trout caught in the lake yet.

Lots of golden perch and trout were released into the lake just over two years ago after the lake refilled for the first time since its wall gave way, and unfortunately I’ve not heard of a single trout being caught as yet. The only golden perch I’ve seen or heard of being caught were big ones that must have survived from the original wall failure. If you

the last hour of light before dark for your best results.

Alternatively, if you want to catch fish all day long, it’s hard to beat a small bead head nymph suspended about 1-3ft below an indicator or highly visible dry fly.

The Murrumbidgee River should also be in relatively low flow this month, which will make all the canoe and kayak enthusiasts very happy.

Casting lures is really the only way to go for regular success during the low flows and it’s hard to beat Angel Baits, chatterbaits and big paddle-tail soft plastics.

Spinnerbaits will work too, but due to the water generally being crystal clear in the low flows, they will never fish as

well as the above-mentioned lures. This was clearly proven last year when my other half and I drifted along behind a couple of fishing identities that only caught four fish on spinnerbaits, where we ended up catching well over 20 fish fishing their second-hand water with Angel Baits.

the

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HOME OF THE BIG TROUT ING • CYCLING SHWALK IING • BU U FISHING • SK C U MBENE O LAKE E • CLOSE T

One of the most beautifully marked trout you’ll ever see. There should be some sensational trout fishing in the Tumut River, especially if the water level drops like it usually does this month.

The redfin are back in a big way all over the country, especially at Mannus Lake as Sharon proved with this pair of stonkers. being super easy to catch in the warmer months, they have been around in crazy numbers.

Catching up to 200 fish a session has been the norm.

This month, these fish should move back into deeper water as they start to think about their annual spawning run. This is good and bad news, depending on how you fish.

If you fish from the bank, this is bad news. The fish will congregate in massive pre-spawn schools out in deep open flats in 30-60ft of water.

You can still access spots like this from the bank, but it is much easier and more effective from a boat.

Boat anglers, especially those that can read their sounders well, will fare the best from now until the weather warms back up again.

The other great thing about targeting redfin in the cooler months is that you generally catch much bigger fish, as they have packed on heaps of weight from gorging on everything in the shallows over the warmer months. The best way of targeting these pre-spawn schools is by vertically jigging with ice jigs, plastics, blades and vibes, both rattling and rubber styles.

Bait fishing also works great on these fish and a two-bait paternoster rig is very hard to beat. Start with a different bait on each hook like worms and yabbies, and

about a three-year absence, but thanks to the lake refilling and literally no competition for food, the redfin have grown to great sizes and plenty of 3lb+ specimens are being caught there on a regular basis.

There is still the occasional report of a golden perch being caught in the lake, but I haven’t heard of any

have caught any small goldens or trout in the lake, I’d love to hear about it. Send me any pictures and information.

RIVERS This month the Tumut River should be in low flow (fingers crossed), making for some spectacular fishing.

While it is in low flow almost the entire river is accessible on foot, which makes it both easy to fish and quite easy to walk to another spot if your favourite hole or section is being fished already, or isn’t fishing as well as you’d like.

Lure and fly selection in the low flow is straight forward. If you’re casting lures, all you will need are some spinners, small hardbodies and some soft plastics. If you’re flyfishing and would like to target fish with dries, you will have to fish the first hour of daylight in the morning or

While the river is in low flow, it is very hard to fish by boat. You can only fish small stretches of river, normally only a few hundred metres or so before you come across an unpassable shallow rock bar or fast rapid. Whereas, if you’re fishing from a canoe, you can successfully fish long stretches of river with relative ease.

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Fish are spreading out into shallower water really hurt the fishing there.

Over the last 12-18 months the lake has been on a slow, constant rise. With the clear water and rising levels, the weed beds have grown to an enormous size. Some were as deep as 20ft, spanning out nearly 100m from the bank.

This weed made it very hard to locate the fish, as they could be anywhere amongst it. The dropping levels will hopefully create more of a defined edge for the fish to hunt along and make it easier to fish.

The fish will be split fairly evenly between deep and shallow at this time of year.

The deeper fish will eat a slow rolled plastic, hopped blade or tail spinner and even a dressed blade. Low light is the key as always for shallow fish at St Clair.

HUNTER VALLEY

Peter Phelps

April is a time of change in the Hunter Valley. The weather will be cooling down, which will start to bring the surface water temperatures down.

Hopefully it will be kind to us this year and bring some cooling rains to replenish the drying ground water from the hot summer we had. April can also be a tough time for the lure anglers out there as the fish start to spread out between deep and shallow patterns.

The recent hot weather and dropping water levels will have killed off some of St Clair’s weed beds. As bad as it sounds, this won’t

Aberdeen Fishing & Outdoors

A jerkbait is good choice for covering water and bringing a reaction bite from fish feeding in the weed.

Work them along the edge of the weed and into any holes with a few hard rips and a 2-3 second pause. The OSP i-Waver is another great lure for getting bites that other lures miss. The super slow sink and subtle action of these lures draw ferocious strikes. Work these into holes nice and slow with long pauses and little twitches.

Once the sun gets up, try a skirted jig like the Pros Factory Equip or Motion jigs. The shape of these jigs comes through the weed nice and easy, compared to a traditional football jig. A craw trailer gives the jig added action and more of a life-like profile. Target the weed edges and holes with a slow dragging and shaking action. Topwater is still worth a try at this time

The author caught this deep bass after failing to get a bite from the edge all morning. The shallow fish can be fussy at this time of year. winter we had the best weed growth I have seen there for years, but the water level rose too quickly in spring and the weed couldn’t keep

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Dropping water levels will leave matted out weed beds perfect for a weedless frog lure. of year, especially if you have a foggy morning.

Lake Glenbawn’s weed beds unfortunately didn’t survive very well over the past six months. Last

up. Followed by dropping water levels over summer, it hasn’t had a chance. There will still be small patches found throughout the lake though and these will

definitely hold fish at this time of year.

Similar to St Clair, the fish will be deep and starting to transition into shallower water. When the fish start to get shallow in Glenbawn they have a tendency to sit in 20ft of water. Low light is key for catching these fish up on the edge as they move freely away from structure looking for food. A jerkbait and paddle-tail plastic cast up into the shallows and brought back down into 15-20ft of water will catch some fish.

Glenbawn’s steep banks are great for extending the low light bite. As the sun gets up, they cast a shadow onto the water, so you can chase these shadows late into the morning. Once that sun is up, targeting deeper fish will allow you to continue catching fish. Slow rolling a plastic or hopping a 1/4oz blade through the fish in 20ft of water will work, but they can be temperamental to catch without low light.

Moving out even deeper into 40-60ft there will be schools moving around. The fish will spread throughout the whole lake off major points and flats. Glenbawn is also renowned for a massive school that forms at this

time of year up in the 8-knot zone. An ice jig and vertical grub are your best bets for catching these deep fish.

April can be tough for the lure anglers out there.

Bait anglers can reap the rewards this month. If you can get hold of some live freshwater shrimp, you can almost guarantee some fish. Tying up to the tops of trees along steep banks in water around 30-40ft deep is a good method. Lightly weighted and hooked just through the tail, sink these slowly down the tree. Any fish in the area should not take too long to find your bait. If you can’t get hold of any shrimp, crickets can also work, whether they are black crickets or pet shop bought ones.

In the local rivers, the fish will be starting to spread out through the whole system now. The best fishing will still be mainly upstream. The rivers have also suffered from the hot dry summer and are in need of rain to get them flowing again. Local reports have told me that blades and lipless crankbaits have been working in the deep holes and on the surface after dark.

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A solid golden perch caught hopping a blade down a steep bank.

Fish becoming more active COPETON DAM

David Allen manager@copeton.com.au

Thank goodness we are into autumn and the weather and water are starting to cool down. This summer has been one of the hottest

on record with the surface water temperatures reaching 30°C and higher.

Now the water is starting to cool, fish will become more active. April can be one of the best months to fish Copeton, with an increase in activity of both yellowbelly and Murray cod. It is also a

Makala Arnold’s first ever cod from Copeton, measuring 115cm.

great month to camp at the dam, with the heat out of the days and the nights cool.

There’s nothing better than sitting around a fire with a feed in the camp oven.

This time of year it’s not even that hard to drag yourself out of the swag before daylight to go chase that metre cod. April can often see this area get its first frost for the year, often around ANZAC Day, and this will usually see the big cod start to feed up as they prepare for the winter season.

April can also see the start of the winter weather patterns. The high pressure systems will be moving up and bring about longer periods of high barometer readings above 1020. These stable conditions make fishing very comfortable and the fish more cooperative – happy days.

All the usual methods will work at this time of year.

Surface fish for big cod from the last hour of dark until sunup, head back to camp for breakfast and then back out to chase yellowbelly on vibes and lipless crankbaits.

Swing back to camp for lunch and a quick snooze and head out at about 3pm, this time armed with big

spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, swimbaits or soft plastics to target big cod.

Just before dark again, tie on a big wakebait or paddler in search of the ultimate surface strike, as nothing moves water or can stop your heart like a monster cod.

Get back to camp for a feed and a couple of cold beers.

Does life get any better? I don’t think so.

It seems every time you look at a fishing magazine or website there is something new in the world of cod fishing, be it rods and reels or lures. Big cod are driving

Jarod Walker caught this 115.5cm beast during the Kingfisher Invitational. the tackle industry at the moment. It seems like a fish that will easily swallow a full-grown duck or a 40cm yellowbelly has got the lure industry producing bigger and bigger lures – 300mm+.

Some of over 62,000 cod fingerlings released this year.

This in turn requires specialist rods to cast and stronger internal gearing in reels as well.

This is now one of the few areas in fishing where the tackle being used is more a product of the baits we are fishing than the fish we are catching. Some of these new lures, particularly swimbaits, are weighing as much as 6-8oz and sometimes more.

Now’s the time to hit the gym to build up those arms and shoulders in time for this year’s big fish season.

• Copeton Dam is one of the best lakes in NSW to catch a trophy Murray cod.

Dave runs the Copeton Waters Holiday Park and is a great source of up to date, local information on what’s biting. Contact the park on (02) 6723 6269 for information and accommodation bookings.

Cracking cod capers at Copeton NEW ENGLAND RIVERS

Adam Townsend

It is hard to believe we are already halfway through the Murray cod season but as they say, time flies when you’re having fun.

get fish to bite. With water temperatures still sitting up around the high 20s, searching for deeper, cooler water plays a big part when finding active fish in this waterway. Slowly dropping water levels can also make it difficult at times, but the irrigators have finished

rolled close to the bottom are the go-to lures once the sun has started to rise. If fishing for yellowbelly, casting rocky points or trolling with ZX blades, Mazzy vibes or Jackall TNs will give you the best chance at catching these fish.

Copeton Dam is currently sitting steady around 44%.

PINDARI DAM Pindari Dam is currently sitting below the 80% mark but surprisingly there have been plenty of fish caught fairly consistently by both lure and bait fishers.

at Pindari recently, and there were close to 100 fish caught on a variety of lures and techniques in just a few short sessions. The main lures that found fish ranged from small ZX and BV blades right up to the newly released Mazzy Vib Forte’.

RIVERS There have been few reports from the Severn River below Pindari Dam but I would imagine that with all the water being let out of the dam that the river would be dirty with a fair bit of flow.

This is not the case above

Surface fishing for cod in the river has been productive. a cod but as the beds are so thick, pulling slime off the hooks is a continuous process that doesn’t make for ideal fishing. Any type of weedless frog or soft plastic would be the best bet to tempt a fish if casting these waters.

Personally for me, I like to avoid these types of areas and opt to throw a swimbait around the structure instead, as this is where I have most of my success fishing for cod. I always make sure I am carrying some type of weedless lure in my arsenal,

just in case I am after a change of fun.

The Beardy River is looking to be in good shape after recent rains but still has a slight stain of colour. There have been no fishing reports of late for this area.

Tight lines to all venturing out on the water this month. The fishing should only continue to improve as we make our way to the best time of the year to be fishing for our iconic Aussie friends.

A Severn River cod taken on a swimbait.

COPETON DAM The last couple of weeks of February were a cracker for fishing around the Northern Tablelands area, with air and water temperatures slowly making their way down after a few rainy days and colder nights.

Copeton Dam has been fishing really well in recent weeks although some anglers have been finding it hard to locate fish, let alone

taking water for their farms for the season so the dam should start to stabilise, making the fish more comfortable to feed.

Fishing low light hours for cod has still been most effective lately, with multiple metre plus fish being caught in consecutive sessions, with jointed snakes and rat imitations being the stand out lures, particularly early in the morning. Chatterbaits or large soft plastics slow

This fish was taken on a swimbait on a kayak trip.

Catfish have been caught off the banks in big numbers, mainly using worms, small yabbies or shrimp as bait.

Lure fishers have been having most the luck with the natives.

A social event with the local fishing club was held out

the dam. Although there is still some water running into the dam from recent rainy days, the river is dropping to fairly low levels and starting to show the weed beds again.

In most cases this would be the perfect place to cast for

This cod took a soft plastic above Copeton Dam.

Tech Tricks

Sliding snell rig preparation for big ooglies BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

Although lure fishing is extremely popular and productive these days, there is no denying the effectiveness of bait for a variety of saltwater piscators. Quality fresh baits are one of the major factors in quality captures and presentation of this bait is just as important.

If the bait is fresh and looks natural then there is

a heightened chance that a quality fish will find it appealing enough to eat.

Good hook placement and bait coverage will almost guarantee a hook-up when all factors are combined.

When chasing larger predators, anglers fish with numerous types of bait including whitebait, hardyheads, garfish, pilchards, whole squid, mullet, herring, banana prawns and a variety of fillet baits. Longer baits such as these require at least two hooks to present well.

The front (leading) hook is placed through the nose or top of the bait and takes the weight of the bait as it is towed or drifted through the water column.

The rear (bottom) hook is the one most likely to penetrate the fish as it is placed in the tail of the bait where most strikes come from. Subsequent hooks between these two offer good hook coverage of the bait to maximise hooking potential if the fish grabs the bait side-on instead of from the tail or head. Baitfish,

fillet baits and squid come in an array of sizes and often you don’t know what size baits you are going to secure until you are out on the water.

Additionally, even storebought baits such as garfish, squid and pilchards will often have different sizes in one pack. For the angler, this can be frustrating, as you will need to constantly change rigs to present each bait size effectively.

Although standard snelled hook rigs are ideal and not time-consuming to make,

you will still need to re-rig each time a differentsized bait is put into play.

Additionally these rigs need to be made once you are on the water and know what sized baits you’re using.

A better option is the sliding snell rig. With this rig, all hooks except the rear hook can be moved up and down the leader to accommodate baits of any size. This can optimize bait presentation and hooking potential by allowing you to have all hooks in the exact position that you wish, no

matter what size bait you are using. You won’t need to make the bait suit the rig and instead the rig will suit the bait.

These rigs are easy to make and can be prepared at home well ahead of your trip, as they can be adjusted to suit any type of bait you catch or purchase. They can be made with all kinds of leader and hook sizes and having an assortment prepared and stored for use can maximise your time on the water. Let’s look at how easy they are to make.

1

To make your sliding snell rig you will need some leader material of your desired size, some 30-80lb braided line or waxed thread, your chosen hooks (preferably patterns with turned out eyes), a pair of scissors and a swivel for the top of your leader. These are brightly coloured for the sake of clear visual demonstration.

5

Pass the main leader through the eye of the second hook. Get your braid, make an overhand loop as shown and then lay the leader and hook alongside and on top of the tag of braid.

8

Pull on both ends of the braid very tightly to compact and lock the knot and provide good grip on the leader.

2

To attach the bottom hook to the leader, use a snell, as this places virtually no stress on the leader. If you use a blood knot, then ensure you lubricate the knot and pull it tight slowly to eliminate stress and friction on the leader.

Additionally, this rear hook could be crimped on when using heavy leader. To snell, first pass the end of the leader through the hook eye.

9

6

Take the tag end of the braid and begin wrapping it around the hook shank, the leader and rear facing portion of braid all together.

This is how a standard leader will look once finished. The rear hook is secured in place and the front hook can be slid along the leader until it is in the correct position to best present your bait. Even if the fish only grabbed the top hook, it will slid down and secure against the rear hook to provide maximum hook setting potential on the strike. Once a swivel is added to the top of the leader, you are ready to go.

3

Holding the tag end against the hook shank, fold the main portion of leader back and begin wrapping around the hook shank. Wrap it 6-8 times around the shank.

10

4

Pass the main portion of leader back up through the hook eye and pull taught.

74

APRIL 2017

7

Continue wrapping until you have between ten and fifteen wraps of the braid on the hook shank, leader and tag of braid.

Rigs made with leaders of different breaking strains and types (monofilament and fluorocarbon), sporting hooks of any size can be prepared at home to support various sizes of baits used to target numerous species. These can be stored in clip seal bags or a leader wallet until ready for use. Prepare a few sliding snell rigs before your next trip to simplify your fishing.

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Australia needs more world records SUNTAG

Stefan Sawynok

Before I get into my article, I have a request and a gift.

As a nation, we are way underperforming on the world records stage. To help address this I am putting together all the resources I can to help fishers across the country fix that problem.

Here is something to consider. The US has around 1150 native species, Australia has somewhere near 5000.

Australia has only 3.3% of the All Tackle records, while the US has 33.2%. Japan has around 250 species, yet has 203 All Tackle Records, or around 13.9%. Even New Zealand has 4%!

If you want to help Australia correct the record I am here to help you. First, get online to the IGFA website and get a $15US e-membership, it’s a very simple process and will get you a great newsletter for your trouble. There is

world record holder.

I’m putting together a listing of world records relevant to Australian species.

Go to www.crystalbowl.com. au homepage and click on the ‘Australia Needs More World Records’ Section. It will be available from April 1.

However, if you can’t wait – there are plenty of Australian species that don’t have any world records.

Please remember that international names can be a huge nightmare to work through. I have searched the database on just about any variant I can think of and all international names for the species, but nonetheless I would double check with IGFA prior to submitting.

THE WORLD DATA TOUR COMES TO AUSTRALIA In my last article, I looked at the world fishing scene when it comes to fishers. I have been quietly expanding my list of the best fishers in the world in their fields with a view to doing a much more complete assessment later in the year and I have now

Here’s the top 10 ABT fishers from 2004-2015 ranked by placings. also how our fishing systems are faring relative to the best in the world.

The Barra Nationals and

required to be considered up against international systems.

I will, however, be looking at them next issue on a different

ROTTEN TOMATOES STYLE SCORE SUMMARY FOR THE THREE SYSTEMS

% Records Older Than 5 years % Records Older Than 10 Years % Records Older Than 2000

ANSA 92% 81.7% 67.1%

GFAA 85.9% 77.5% 63.5%

ANSA vs GFAA in the number of records by year last achieved. paperwork and a $50US fee to lodge a world record, so it’s a good idea to read up in advance on the rules, but the good news is anyone can do it, and there is no special barriers to you becoming a ANSA GAME RECORDS Rank Fisher 1 L Grieves 2 Mark Reid 3 W Childs 4 B Deeney 5 B McNamarra 6 Werner Kossmann 7 A Atkin 8 F Jones 9 P Hernitz 10 N Williamson

started separate lists for men and women, though I will do a combined as well.

In this article, I am moving a little closer to home to see what the Australian scene tells us about our fishers, but Species Year Shark, tiger 1998 Marlin, black 1993 Marlin, black 1973 Shark, tiger 1989 Shark, mako 1987 Shark, tiger 1974 Shark, mako 1991 Shark, whaler (all) 1986 Shark, mako 1990 Shark, mako 1979

GFAA GAME RECORDS Rank Fisher Species 1 Alfred Dean Shark, white 2 Bob Dyer Shark, white 3 Alfred Dean Shark, white 4 Robert Dyer Shark, white 5 David Rix Shark, white 6 Arthur Prince Shark, white 7 Rolf Czabayski Shark, white 8 Jason Hewitt Shark, tiger 9 Michael Magrath Marlin, black 10 John Robinson Shark, tiger 76

APRIL 2017

Year 1959 1958 1960 1955 1994 1981 1997 2008 1973 1958

for sport the other embracing the full range of fishing options. That however is for smarter people than me.

Barra Classic Time prevented me from looking in depth at the Barra Nationals and Classic.

Having said that, while they are important events, I don’t think they have the scale

Weight (kg) Lineclass (kg) 548 15 485 60 481.38 37 416 24 410 24 387.36 37 384 15 360 15 360 15 329 10

Weight (kg) 1208.38 1063.5 1063.38 850.94 840 815 699.5 694.5 654.08 645.01

Lineclass (kg) 60 60 37 24 37 37 15 60 60 60

topic, so I will include stats from both then.

ABT The ABT Circuit is the closest thing we have in Australia to a true national circuit and with BREAM series especially. It should be proudly considered the unofficial peak sports body for fishing in Australia. Not that I think Steve Morgan sees it that way, but nonetheless it has played a key role in providing a post ANSA competition circuit standard.

On that note though, all our tournament series are just that – tournaments.

There are none of the athlete development programs and processes that define true sports (which there are to a larger degree in the US version) and until there are, I don’t see how fishing can claim to be a sport. Not that it’s unachievable, but it means taking a very different view to how people develop as fishers. Personally, I think fishing should take the karate road by separating into two disciplines; one standardised

IGFA 72% 52.9% 33.2%

The bad news is that ABT peaked in the late 2000s and hasn’t yet regained its mojo.

I know in part that this is due to competing circuits coming on the scene, but also I suspect that there is an amount of natural turnover as competitors move on to other things. On the flip side, the number of fish per event is on the rise, so maybe it’s time to think about dusting off the rod and having a crack.

ABT BASS Series The ABT BASS circuit is our equivalent of the Bass Master Elite series, and having run through the data, it can be evaluated in the same way. One of the ABT fishers, Carl Jocumsen, has competed in the Bass Master series, which shows that the ABT can take an athlete to the next level. Of course, as Carl has discovered, life in the next level up is a challenge of its own but one I think he will master. With 49 tournaments and $100k in winnings in the US, Carl has runs on the board.

Economically, the Bassmaster elite series dwarfs the ABT with the current field alone tallying $97M in winnings to the total ABT fields $0.84M. If you compare the two on total available fishing population the US has 40.1M fishers to our estimated 3.5M. If the ABT performed somewhere near the Bassmaster on a population basis, our athletes would have taken home around $7M in winnings.

The difference is the funding base. The Bassmaster Elite is syndicated to TV with a sizable audience, which in turn enables Kevin VanDam

to swagger around with his $6M. As any athlete in other sports will tell you, the bigger the audience the more you earn.

Thanks to Steve Morgan I have data for the ABT Bass Prod circuit from 2004-2016, though the winnings totals on their website is up to 2015, so my analysis is only on data up to the tournament listed on the winnings page.

In that period, competitors have managed 12T of bass.

Those are all live weigh-ins and releases, so that’s 12T of bass that have lived to fight another day. As a slightly hilarious aside, one of the bass from Lake Somerset turned up in Melbourne post an ABT event. We know this because there has been tagging in Queensland for 30 years and Bill Sawynok had one of those “you’re joking right?” phone calls when it was reported having migrated across 2 states in a matter of days having set a new Bass speed record.

Mathew Mott leads the field on the traditional athlete placings with seven 1st placings with Carl coming in second with three 1st and four 2nd placings. On the money list Carl comes out on top with $56.8k in winnings from 37 events. Carl comes in 3rd on the three measures I used to assess the Bass Master athletes ($/event, $/ kg, kg/event). Carl has a $/ kg ration of $346/kg. To compare, Kevin VanDam earns (converting to AUD) $1580/kg, which is about Carl’s average per event in the ABT. In each case, the first and second placings have been for competitors who have completed twelve events or less, whereas Carl has demonstrated the staying power with 25 top ten placings in 37 events.

Carl is my pick for the best of the ABT Bass series and has earned his elevation to the next level, competing in the US. ABT Bream Series When I first heard about

the ABT BREAM series I will confess to being very underwhelmed. Bream was always a food fish, not a sportfish! Having been part of one of the BREAM events in Brisbane though, it’s clear that the BREAM fishers are as hardcore as any going around and I had to change my views. The ABT BREAM series is the equivalent of the AFL, a sport recognisable enough to have common roots to other fishing, yet it’s uniquely Australian. I am warming to the idea of cheering along for the best of our BREAM boys.

As with the ABT BASS Series, I am looking at data 2004-2015. The BREAM Series is much larger than the bass series with total winnings of $1.7M. The catch is larger too, with a whopping 32.2T of bream weighed in!

As it turns out, the BREAM series is about as easy to pick in terms of competitors as the bounce of an AFL football. Based on placings, Russell Babekuhl comes out on top, though in chatting to Steve, Chris Wright has nine 1st placings, a bunch coming prior to 2004.

Steve Morgan comes out on top in terms of winnings with $69k. On the $/kg ratio though, Russell comes in at 17, Chris at 20 and Steve at 21. Ben Godfrey, with 21 events (ranked 17th on the placings rank) comes out on top with $353/kg. While I do consider time in the sport, the top 10 $/kg ranks are all more recent competitors, with Ben having 7 top 10 finishes in 21 events. That is a good ratio, but it’s hardly blowing

everyone away. The older, larger field may well have been harder.

This is one instance where I did look at other data and my gut tells me Steve Morgan and Chris Wright are at the top. Steve has a 58% Top 10 finishes ratio, which is second only to Chris with 60%. I don’t have data prior to 2004, which makes it harder to separate the two.

AUSTRALIA’S TWO NATIONAL RECORDS SYSTEMS Australia has two major National Records systems managed by ANSA (Australian National Sportfishing Association) and GFAA (Game Fishing Association of Australia).

While there is overlap between the two systems in terms of target species and methods, ANSA has a wider range of tackle and species options while GFAA tends to focus on a smaller set of species and tackle. Both have Line Class systems and All Tackle, though ANSA’s All Tackle Length Only records have been much more successful.

Rotten Tomatoes Scores for the Systems When you look at the two systems and the IGFA as well, their differences make it challenging to properly compare them without doing a long matrix of how many slots there are. As it happens, ANSA has the most slots available of the three if you exclude the All Tackle Systems which are relatively new.

A more useful measure I believe something along

the lines of the ‘freshness’ score that is used by Rotten Tomatoes. In other words, how recently have records been achieved.

On this basi,s ANSA scores worst on the tomato meter with over 67.1% of their records older than the arrival of broadband internet compared with the IGFA who have only 33.2% of their records older.

There could be an argument that ANSA records ‘stand the test of time’, but that flies in the face of incontrovertible evidence from around the world that technology has enhanced the ability to find fish (while I am leaving that statement stand on its own for the moment, I will expand on it in a later article). This could be an indicator of the fishery but there is a simpler explanation, the records systems have failed to remain relevant in the internet era.

The GFAA has managed to turn things around somewhat in the last few years, again thanks to women fishers, but whether that is a temporary or permanent turnaround, only time will tell. There are lessons to be had from the approach of the IGFA, but that isn’t the purpose of this article, so again it will wait for another day.

ANSA National Records With that out of the road – back to the fishing achievements. When it comes to big fish, ANSA is no slouch with some serious catches both in weight and length.

There is no doubt that in its prime ANSA deserved its reputation as the organisation

where all the best fishers went. As one of the kids that grew up fishing in ANSA I remember just how hard it was to compete even at the local level. In terms of species range and tactics, ANSA fishers genuinely do stand the test of time as the best of the best in the country in pretty much every area and rivalled though never fully matched the GFAA in Gamefishing.

Another point worth noting is that game fish are one area where the All Tackle Length Only Division has been doing better than the GFAA who only have a couple of records in their All Tackle Length Only records. That may demonstrate that ANSA members have embraced new options a little faster.

Top ANSA Fishers

by Records As with the IGFA, two fishers have pulled away at the top and again it’s a male/female combination.

Wayne Colling from New South Wales leads the way with 24 National Records followed by Helen Johnson from Queensland with 23.

Here I am just looking at the stats, but if you want to know more, there is a complete set of records and analysis on the Crystal Bowl website.

In comparing them, Helen has a wider range of tackle and species; Wayne has a bigger range of tactics and sizes.

Helen has predominantly inshore species while Wayne has more offshore. Overall, I think that Wayne displays the kind of all-round ability that I think denotes the best fishers but then I do know Helen and she is not someone to go

Graph shows the number of fish per year from 2004-2016.

Graph shows the numbers of ABT competitors per year.

up against unless you bring your A game.

GFAA National Records There is only one thing that you can say to a guy that lands 1.2T shark on late 1950s technology and then goes back a year late and repeats the dose with a 1T shark on lighter gear: “It’s my shout!”

Alf is no longer with us, but if he was, I’d be buying.

If Australia ever gets a fishing hall of fame, and I think it should, Alfred Dean would be one of my picks for sure.

Robert Dyer is not far behind him with two sensational fish on 1950s technology. With the top 4 records, the 1950/60s

and reportedly harpooned a 2T Shark in 1964. If that all scares you, the biggest I have found is a 2.5T, 7m monster caught in a net in 1997. If you thought Jaws was made up, guess again.

One of the things I love about the GFAA is they are hardcore. When it comes to fly, they are just as serious as when they are game fishing.

Ben Knight is a legend, and 100kg of angry fish on a fly is way above my pay grade as a fisher. I think that is the best part of my job, I get to spend so much time getting to see just how many great fishers we have.

ANSA RECORDS (318 SPECIES) Class Sportfishing Gamefishing Lurecasting Fly Fishing Land Based Game All Tackle Length Only All Tackle Handline

Number Awarded 787 342 330 170 166 131 127 91

GFAA RECORDS (63 SPECIES) Class Number Awarded Saltwater 2244 Saltwater Land-based 167 Saltwater Fly 91 Freshwater 90 Freshwater Fly 11 must have been an amazing time in the game fishing scene.

What is scary is that in in 2009, Chris Fischer tagged and released what was estimated to be a 2T beast off the coast of Mexico. Frank Mundus, the inspiration for the character Quint in the movie Jaws, landed a 1.5T beast in 1986

Top GFAA Fishers

by Records The two top fishers by number of awards are again male/female. In this case Wayne Baldwin and Kim Bain, one of our best women fishers. As the number of records are lower and the data set a little less desriptive, it’s interesting that neither are quite the ‘stereotypical’ Game Fisher. Wayne has most of his records on Fly. Kim has more freshwater records than saltwater, though she does have a couple of notches on that belt.

In terms of comparing against the IGFA top anglers, the numbers are much smaller and while both show skill and adaptability, I think the top IGFA fishers have that core focus on achieving records that takes them to the top.

Kim may have progressed further if her interests had remained on records, but that didn’t happen.

COMPETITIONS CAN DO MORE I will return to discuss more systems from around the world and talking about more amazing fishers, but first I want to look at what competitions can tell us about the fishery. Competitions are a rich source of data, because they are standardised methods of collecting data. They can tell us a lot about the fishery.

What I hope to do achieve is to give all those smaller competitions around the country a means to examine how they can use those records sitting in filing cabinets and on spreadsheets for a greater purpose.

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Tackling the issue of tackle PART 2 BRISBANE

Sean Thompson

Tackle choice and preparation is a key area for critical for angling success, but can be an area which is both overwhelming and generally misunderstood by many anglers. This month, we will look at what you may be doing wrong in your tackle preparation, and how you can change that to catch more fish.

HOOKS One particular area where less experienced anglers have difficulty is hook choice. I’ve seen hooks that would almost catch a shark being used to try and catch whiting off the beach. I have also seen tailor with small long shank hooks and severed line still inside their mouth when I’ve caught them on gang hooks. Even regular anglers can make mistakes such as using hooks that don’t match the size of the bait or lure or the strength of the tackle they are using.

The key here is that the size of your hook should match the size of the bait or lure you are using, so the hook point is exposed and not hidden in a glob of bait or lure, which makes hook ups much more difficult.

Likewise, very big hooks in small baits will not only look, but also feel unnatural due to the heavier weight.

For this reason, I like to use the thinnest gauge hooks possible when fishing light line. However, if fishing heavy tackle and line, small or thin gauge hooks can be straightened or torn from

the fish’s mouth, so it is a case of horses for courses.

Another area many anglers don’t pay enough attention to is the condition of the hook. Some anglers will use the same hook on their line until they get broken off or the hook breaks in a fish’s mouth due to its rusty condition.

Either that, or saltwater anglers might remove their hook or jighead at the end of the session and put it straight in the tackle box along with their newly purchased hooks and jigheads. Without washing the hooks in freshwater and letting them dry first, the saltwater will soon spread to their other hooks and next time they go to get a hook or jighead out of the tackle box, they will find a brown, rusted mess.

Further, anglers can also wonder just why they just can’t hook a fish at times. The fish keeps biting or striking but they just can’t hook up. In this case, the hook is either too big (as noted above) or their hook is too blunt. Anglers should always check the condition of their hooks for any signs of rust or bluntness. If the hook has any signs of rust, it should be thrown away.

A few cents thrown away is better than spreading rust to a whole tackle box of hooks, or missing that fish of a lifetime. I prefer to buy chemically sharpened hooks, which are extremely sharp straight out of the packet. In terms of jigheads, I will always check their sharpness by running the point of the hook down my thumbnail.

If the point slides down your thumbnail under a gentle pressure, rather

than digs in and catches, it means the point of the hook is blunt and needs a sharpen. I carry a very small portable stone for such purposes, otherwise I replace the hook for a new, sharp one.

Finally, an area of frustration for some anglers can be using gang hooks to rig up pilchards or garfish.

Using hooks that are simply ganged together without swivels can make them stiff and hard to maneuver in the bait. I much prefer using gangs that I have pre-made with swivels in between them, or bought off the shelf. This makes rigging up pilchards a breeze.

Tru-Turn hooks come pre-packaged this way and have the added advantage that the bend in the shank of the hook rotates towards the pressure point to give it a better hold. They also come in smaller hook sizes and varieties, including long shank hooks, and I use these successfully on a range of species.

FISHING LINE Fishing line is the vital link between the angler and the fish. Break the link and you lose the fish – simple as that. So it is important you have a good quality line and keep it in good condition. But before you even hook up to a fish, you first need to make sure you are using the right line for your target species and the structure you are fishing.

This is where your main line and also your trace are important, too.

Types of line As a regular or experienced angler, it is sometimes easy to forget that we have a vocabulary all of our own, and this

A single hook that’s been in the salt can cause other hooks around it to rust if put straight back in a tackle box without being washed and dried.

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can make it difficult for newcomers to the sport.

One such area of confusion is types of fishing lines. The choice of monofilament, fluorocarbon, copolymers and braid or fused fishing lines, plus a range of styles and brands of each can make things a bit confusing.

One such area is the difference between fluorocarbon leader (often shortened to fluoro leader) and fluorescent coloured line (often referred to as fluoro line). I have heard stories of people being told they need to go out and buy some fluoro leader for shallow water species such as trout and whiting, only to go and buy bright orange fluorescent coloured braid and then tie it straight to the hook. They are not on their own either, less experienced fishing friends of mine have also bought braid and tied it straight to the hook or lure, as they did not know any different. Yet another common misconception is that braided or fused line is the be-all and end-all and should be used in all fishing situations.

So what then are the basic differences and uses of the main types of line and what line is best for what species?

Monofilament line is made from nylon, meaning that it will stretch, which is an advantage when you want to fish for species like whiting or bream, where you want them to run and not feel too much resistance from the rod. It can also be a better option for new anglers than braid, as the stretch can help prevent a hook tearing a hole in the fish’s mouth if the drag is too tight. Other advantages are that it is cheaper and easier to manage, especially if surf or estuary fishing with Alvey reels. It’s also easier to tie knots with than braid.

Copolymer lines have the advantage of a hard outer coating, and are more abrasion-resistant.

They also have increased knot strength and thinner diameter. This makes them an excellent choice for fishing around structure such as rocks.

Fluorocarbon lines on the other hand are made from high-grade engineering polymer and come close to the light refractive index of water, making it virtually invisible when submerged. This is a big advantage in fishing clear water. Likewise, its clear qualities are why this line should be used as a leader when fishing with braided lines that are easily seen in clear water.

In fact, I use fluorocarbon

With the correct tackle and preparation, results will follow. leader for most of my fishing, including bait or lure fishing. The exception is when I’m throwing topwater poppers for fish like whiting, as fluorocarbon tends to sink and thus a heavier nylon leader is better to help these topwater lures track straight.

Braided or fused line is often referred to as gel-spun line. Basically, it is a type of plastic polymer braided or fused together to produce line that is of a very thin diameter for its strength. It also has very little stretch. Some of the best applications for this line is bait fishing in deep water, casting lures and trolling lures in estuaries for some species such as flathead. Its lack of stretch means that a bite or hit is triggered straight through the line to the rod and you can react quickly.

Fluorescent coloured braid has the added advantage that you can see a subtle hit registered on the line or know when the line has hit the bottom, as it goes slack.

This is a huge advantage.

As noted above, you then want to add a trace of fluorocarbon leader before you connect the hook or lure (about a rod length is suitable).

Line strength Right up there in the biggest and most common fishing mistakes is anglers using fishing lines and traces that are too heavy. In fact, I’ve seen anglers try to catch whiting on line so thick it could almost double as whipper snipper cord!

The basic rule is anglers should use the thinnest diameter line and the lightest breaking strain you can for the style of fishing and type of fish you are targeting. Lighter, thinner lines are less obvious to the fish, and will cast further and create less drag in the surf.

Looking after your line Once you have gone to all the trouble and expense of choosing the right line for your style of fishing, you want to look after it. Unfortunately, line maintenance is one area where many anglers don’t pay much attention and don’t realize the consequences until it’s too late. So to avoid these mistakes, you need to make sure of a few things.

Before a trip, cut the last metre or so off your line, as it is becomes weakened from casting strain. Never store your spooled reels in the open. Sun damage will considerably reduce the life of your line and make it susceptible to breakage.

Replace the line on your reels regularly, the more you fish, the more regularly you should replace the line.

TRACES AND RIGS Fishing rigs are essentially your hook(s), trace, swivel(s), sinker and any other accessories like red tubing, surf poppers or flies that go on the business end of your line. They are critical pieces of equipment to not only hook the fish, but keep you attached to it.

Traces The trace is a length of line that you tie on to your

main line and serves two purposes. It either helps to avoid you being bitten or broken off, or it serves to make your rig harder for the fish to see, or both, which is why fluorocarbon line is popular for trace materials.

All too often I see traces that are either too short, too heavy, too thin, too worn, the wrong colour, or as noted earlier, sometimes non-existent (e.g. braid tied directly to the hook). These mistakes will all cost you fish. I’ve changed the traces on friends and their kids’ rigs when they are struggling to catch a fish and then sat back and watched them have immediate success.

I always fish with the longest trace I can cast with (for most purposes), with the thinnest diameter line and strength I can get away with.

Rigs One of the many things I love about fishing is going with family or friends, which can result in a few good-natured jibes over who caught the most fish. Many of my mates are very good anglers and use top gear and techniques, but time after time the difference in catch rates will come down to time in the water. At Fraser Island each year, a couple of my mates, when they lose a rig, lure or need to replace their leader on their braided line, will trudge slowly back up the beach to the 4WD, or wade through the water back onto the sand of Fraser’s flats and retie their rig or leader. By doing this, they lose valuable fishing time and it can mean they are not catching fish during a hot bite.

With a bit of preparation

New anglers can be a bit daunted by the range of fishing lines available these days, but by asking staff at tackle stores, you should be able to find which line suits your needs. and a couple of tackle accessories, many anglers, could improve their catch rates. This is as simple as being mobile and carrying a number of pre-made rigs and some small tackle boxes. These rigs can be either wrapped around a pool noodle, or coiled in small snap lock bags with aluminum foil wrapped around gang hooks to avoid tangling the rigs. I use the later for my tailor rigs, with each bag marked with the size of the sinker and the strength of the trace in the snap lock bags. The rigs/ noodle then goes inside my Alvey dry pack on my bait belt, or if the noodle is too big, inside a large snap lock bag to help keep

saltwater out. I also carry line snippers for tying on a new rig while out in the water. Likewise, when lure fishing the surf, I carry a small waterproof Plano tackle box in one of the front pockets of my Alvey shoulder bag and carry a range of stickbaits/metal lures or poppers, depending on what I am targeting.

Another word of caution with your rigs is don’t make the mistake of leaving the same rig on your rod session after session. They will become stretched and damaged over time and eventually break.

Throw away any old rigs, only keeping the swivels and hooks if they are rustfree and washed free of

Having accessories that allow you to re-rig and re-tie on the water minimizes the time spent mucking around and not fishing.

saltwater.

For lure fishing the flats, I carry an adjustable over the shoulder Lox shoulder bag that can swing around to your front for easy access. It has a number of compartments to carry spare spools of fluorocarbon trace, braid scissors, a bottle of scent, packets of lures and spare jigheads. I also rig up a few jigheads ready to go so if I lose a lure, or want to change lure. It’s simply a case of tying on the pre-rigged lure, adding some scent and getting straight back in the action!

Finally, for all fishing rigs and lures, don’t make the mistake of rushing your knots on the water. I, like many others, have fallen victim to this. Take your time and tie every knot as if the next fish you hook is going to be a fish of a lifetime. Always take the time to test the knot as well.

RODS AND REELS Rods When choosing a rod, one of the biggest mistakes anglers can make is purchasing what is misleadingly called a ‘general purpose rod’.

Such rods are generally around 8-9ft in length and generally too short for the beach, too rigid for light line fishing in the boat or estuary and generally unsuitable for lure casting.

Before you choose a rod, talk to your local tackle shop and explain the type of area you are going to use it from (e.g beach, boat etc) and species you are targeting and techniques you wish to use (lure casting, trolling, bait fishing, etc).

In very simple terms, if fishing from the surf or the

shore of a large lake, longer rods are a huge advantage for longer casts. You then need to consider the type of fish you are chasing, as bigger species require heavier tackle, while smaller species require lighter tackle. Basically, without going into detail on rod materials, weight, tapers or action, a good choice is 13ft+ composite material rods for species such as tailor, salmon and mulloway, 10-11ft for whiting, bream and dart (or shore-based freshwater species in big lakes) and a shorter 9-10ft model for rivers and estuaries.

However, if you are keen to throw soft plastics, metals or bibbed lures in such locations, somewhat shorter graphite rods are perfect for this task.

Boat rods should be a little bit shorter, at around 6-7ft for manageability, although I will use 9-10ft long whippy rods for whiting, but these rods are cast and set in holders, not continually cast in a boat, which would soon get in your friends’ way.

One final tip is look after your rod, especially the guides. Don’t make the mistake of storing your hooks or lure trebles inside the rings of the guides when transporting or storing your rods. This can damage the rings and result in abrasion to the line. Always connect your hooks below the rings and onto the metal connection of the guide.

Reels An old saying in the fishing industry is that anglers should purchase the best reels they can afford. This is pretty true, although a $2000 spinning reel might not necessarily

catch you more fish than a $120 reel if you are just using it for catching light line species such as whiting, bream, flathead or freshwater trout. Sure, it might last longer and feel better to use, but provided your less expensive reel is well maintained, it won’t necessarily catch you more fish. It is when your reel is subject to continuous casting, say with lures, or the drag is battling big fish, that the better quality reel is going to win out.

Either way, if you drop one or the other of these reels in the sand or saltwater, they won’t last very long unless striped down and serviced ASAP. At Fraser Island each year, I see anglers have their spinning reels splashed by waves or dunked in the surf while they lower their rod to get their fish off. This is the advantage of the Alvey reel, which is virtually indestructible in the sand and saltwater environment.

If you use spinning reels in the surf (such as for casting lures), make sure you choose a deep gutter close to shore so you don’t have to wade out to deeper water and risk your reel getting soaked. Do the same with overhead reels.

Apart from reels getting dunked, three big mistakes anglers can make with their reels includes incorrect drag settings, jerky drags or not having their reels spooled up correctly.

It is important that anglers have a correct drag setting on their reel (about 1/3rd of the line strength).

If the drag is too tight, the line can break during the fight; or if the drag is too loose, anglers can end up with a tangle or not enough pressure to hook the fish.

Fishing reels with jerky drags should be serviced ASAP (or replaced) as otherwise they can and cost you fish with the line snapping under pressure.

Spools should be filled to within a couple of mm from the lip of the spool to ensure maximum distance from casts. Spools that are only half-filled will give you much shorter casts due to the friction of the line against the lip of the spool when you cast. It also means you are more at risk of being ‘spooled’ by a big fish that takes all your line. On the other hand, spools that are overfilled (right to the lip or beyond) will cause the line to peel off in loops and tangle.

GEAR UP! That’s a wrap for this month, but stay tuned for the final instalment of this series next month. For now, make sure your gear is maintined, looked after, and most importantly, right for the job!

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING PFLUEGER PRESIDENT XT LP

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Pflueger baitcast reels are known to be fishing-ready right out of the box, but more importantly they can be trusted for years of use. With the introduction of the President XT baitcast reel, Pflueger is providing anglers with a durable reel that lasts a lifetime and doesn’t break the bank.

Pflueger’s President XT baitcast reel is chock-full of upgrades that deliver the type of performance anglers have come to expect. Side plates have been constructed with durable C30 carbon, and the President XT also features a magnetic braking system.

The magnetic braking system is externally adjustable and easily adapts to the lightest presentations. Nine stainless steel ball bearings make this one of the smoothest reels on the market.

This 210g reel retrieves 77.5cm of line per crank of the aluminium handle. It’s also equipped with slip-resistant rubber cork knobs, which help when conditions take a turn for the worse and the fight has just begun.

Price: SRP $149 www.pflueger.com.au

BIGFISH FLOATING FISH GRIPS

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Bigfish Gear Floating Fish Grips are perfect for safely handling fish of all sizes. They are constructed of heavy-duty moulded floating plastic that is lightweight, durable and corrosion resistant.

To use the Floating Fish Grips, simply place the easy open grips in the mouth and snap the grip shut, then flick open to release the fish with no harm to you or the fish.

Bigfish Gear Fish Grips have an adjustable wrist lanyard and are bright green and black, so they stand out in the boat and are easy to grab in that time of need. They are available in two sizes, 6” and 9”. And, because they’re not as heavy as some other grips, they’re great to keep in your backpack on land-based trips. To see more items in Bigfish Gear’s new range of accessories, check out their website.

Price: SRP $13.95- $14.95 www.bigfishgear.com

MATZUO IKARI SHAD

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Named for the Japanese word for ‘anger’, the Matzuo Ikari Shad is exactly that: one angry little rattler! This lipless, slowsinking bait is the only shad in the market to feature Matzuo’s signature ‘bloody red’ flared gills and super sharp black nickel treble hooks.

The Ikari’s chambered body houses stainless steel rattle bearings which produce a loud and resonating ‘knock’ and ‘ping’ on retrieval, which attracts both salt and freshwater predators. Available in two sizes and 10 colour combinations, there’s an Ikari Shad for most water clarities and light conditions.

Ikari is a slow sinker with a tantalizing horizontal fall that lets you get the most out of the water column. Crank it steady with a slow or moderate retrieve or rip it fast – it will engage in a tight, head-down wiggle and move an impressive amount of water with its flared gills.

Ideally suited to Australian bass, the Ikari Shad has also proven deadly on bream, yellowbelly and EPs. Price: SRP $16.95 www.dogtoothdistribution.com.au 80

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NEW 2017 COSTA RANGE

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Global eyewear powerhouse Costa Del Mar has launched their highlyanticipated new range of 2017 frames and an extension of new colours in existing frame designs.

There’s now an additional six new frame styles available in Australia from Costa dealers, as well as three new colours across the existing Costa range!

The six new frame styles are aptly named, with the first new addition ‘Bloke’ perfectly reflecting the humorous Australian lifestyle. The five other new frames include other locally inspired designs, Tasman Sea, Reefton, Kiwa, Cook and White Tip. One of Costa’s biggest qualities is their inherent ability to continue to push the boundaries in frame colour. Their Bio Resin frames now come available in four new colours, including two new brilliant matte teak finishes.

Costa has these new frames and colours in their glorious 580 lens technology, effectively blocking the harshest light waves in the visible spectrum and enhancing the portions that help you see more clearly into the water. www.costadelmar.com.au

SHIMANO CHRONARCH MGL

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Ultra-lightweight and top level performance is the best way to describe the new freshwater specialist Chronarch MGL baitcaster.

In pursuit of effortless casting and smooth winding, Shimano’s new Magnum Light spool design incorporates a unique porting technique that allows for precision cut holes to be inserted into the side of the spool. As a result, casting distance is increased by 15% when compared to the same capacity of a standard spool.

To further enhance precision, Micro Module and X-Ship combine to form a powerful yet precise gear system that is available in two ratios, 6.2:1 and 7.1:1.

When under load, the Chronarch MGL performs superbly, outputting up to 5kg of max drag pressure and giving you the ultimate confidence in remaining connected to your prized catch. Shimano’s coveted CI4+ body construction further adds to that ultra-lightweight feeling and enables the Chronarch MGL to weigh in at a mere 185g. www.shimanofish.com.au

ARDENT SMART CULL

PRODUCT GUIDE

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No more markers or charts to lose or replace, no more reweighing or extra handling and stressing out the fish.

The Ardent SmartCull Pro Culling System is the first of its kind and what every tournament angler has been waiting for.

The two-stage system in the Ardent Smart Cull allows you to cull by colour and weight, making culling quick and simple for once. A series of six highly buoyant, impact resistant balls equipped with a durable clip and cable keep things manageable.

Each culling ball is a different colour for quick selection and also features large, although smart cull balls. Simply use the numbers as the measurement of the fish, for example, 27 for 27cm.

The Ardent Smart Cull 6 is compatible with live-well additives and saltwater, and is ready to go when the tournament’s on. So if you’re serious about your tournament fishing, make sure you give this new product a look!

Price: RRP $88 www.temptindustries.com.au

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PRODUCT GUIDE

WHAT’S NEW FISHING BAGLEY LURES MONSTER SHAD

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Tackle Tactics are bringing Australian anglers over 60 years of lure-making expertise with the launch of Bagley hardbodies in Australia. Every Bagley lure is individually hand-tuned and water tested to ensure the legendary action lives on. With Jarmo Rapala, former CEO of the Rapala Group and part of the legendary Rapala family at the helm, Bagley is sure to continue their successful history of lure design and innovation.

One of the new arrivals is the Monster Shad, a versatile Bagley classic. It was originally born from balsa and is now finding new life with its heavy-duty ABS construction. It’s already proving effective on barramundi, mulloway, Murray cod and more. Built tough, with a unique locking lip, heavy-duty hooks and HD construction, the Monster Shad is sure to become a favourite, cast and trolled from the bluewater to the inland rivers and impoundments. It measures 5” long, weighs 1 1/4oz and dives to 10-12ft.

Price: SRP $26.95 www.tackletactics.com.au

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SAMAKI MIGHTY MULLOWAY SHIRT

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The Samaki Mighty Mulloway shirt features a mulloway chasing down the Thumpertail amongst some pylons, while mullet, bream and squid lurk in the shadows so as not to draw attention to themselves. The water laps around the pylons with so much detail you’ll feel as though you’re sitting on the jetty yourself!

The lightweight fabric boasts UV50+ resistant technology, and the soft touch 100% polyester material is comfortable to wear all day. It also has the added bonus of being breathable, keeping you cool and dry.

Samaki designs are brought to you

by Australian anglers who love to design Australian species. Mighty Mulloway shirts are available in adult, youth and kids sizes, allowing the whole family to get in on the action and out onto the water. To keep up to date on the latest from Samaki, look them up on Facebook and Instagram.

Price: SRP $59.95 (adults), $49.95 (youth and kids) www.samaki.com.au

WINGLET LITTLE BULLET

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The Winglet from Fish Inc Lures has been designed following the popularity of the Wing, with the intention of creating a smaller profile of the same bait. This enables you to match the hatch in the area you’re fishing.

It’s the same weight of the Wing at 42g, but instead of the ABS construction, is made of solid zinc. It casts like a bullet, so it’s perfect for getting that extra distance, but also assists with the sink rate, so it can be used to fish a variety of depths.

It’s perfect for a variety of sportfish, either shore-based or in deeper waters. It also comes fitted ready for action with #6 Owner hooks.

The Fish Inc Winglet is available in six colours: pink back, halfbeak, natural, purple back, glow and green glow.

For the ultimate in versatility, make sure you give these great new lures a look!

Price: RRP $17.95 www.fishlures.com.au

GILLIES LANDING NETS

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The new range of Gillies landing nets are constructed from powdercoated aluminium and are strong and lightweight for ease of use. The silicone rubber netting is fish-friendly, knot-free, rot-free and durable. And because it is transparent, it won’t spook the fish when you land them perfect for catch and release!

As storage can be an issue with nets, especially in boats, the handles on the medium and large size nets slide forward with the click of a button, to minimise the space required to stow them away.

There are three landing nets in the Gillies range, small, medium and large, to cover various types of fishing applications.

The small net has a handle length of 17cm, a frame diameter of 30cm and a mesh depth of 25cm. The medium net has an 80cm handle, 40cm frame and a 30cm depth, and the large model has a 110cm handle, 55cm frame and a 40cm depth. www.jmgillies.com.au

AUSTACKLE KING STIK

11

Austackle has added another versatile lure to its line-up: the King Stik. It has a stickbait profile and can be cast and retrieved at high speed, or presented as a jig. Pre-rigged with twin assist VMC hooks, and constructed using straight-through, one-piece internal wire, the King Stik is built tough and battle-ready.

Oversized 3D eyes, UV features and holographic finishes make King Stik a standout. There are easy-to-change assist hooks so you can rig to your liking, or add a treble for different applications. This lure is perfect for battles with tough adversaries such as kingfish, mackerel, tuna, snapper, tailor, barramundi and a variety of pelagic and reef fish. It measures 95mm and weighs 43g, and is available now from all good tackle stores. For more information on this and other new Austackle lures, visit the Austackle website or look them up on Facebook.

Price: SRP $16 www.austackle.com

DAIWA LEXA CC 300H

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The Daiwa Lexa CC 300H is perfect for casting monster swimbaits and crankbaits for big lure munchers.

Bulletproof in construction, it has an open access, low-profile frame that sits comfortably and low in the hand.

Rapid side-plate access provides easy access to the spool, while its corrosionresistant alloy frame creates a reel that is lightweight yet highly sensitive and strong.

Daiwa’s Ultimate Tournament Drag, featuring a multi-washer carbon drag stack, offers ample stopping power and dishes out a staggering 10kg of drag. Adding to this is something not seen before in a baitcaster of this calibre – a spool ratchet. At 108 decibels it’ll be heard over any boat noise.

Perfectly balanced, ultra light, and ultra strong, the machined A7075 aluminium spool is as deep and wide as they come, and Daiwa’s Swept Handle delivers maximum cranking power and feel. For a full list of specs visit the Daiwa website. www.daiwafishing.com.au

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au APRIL 2017

81

WHAT’S NEW FISHING FUGLIES SUNGLASSES WILSON LURE 13 WALLETS SLABS The newest addition to the Fuglies Sunglasses 2017 range are the PL16 Slabs, a high-coverage wraparound frame with a generous lens area for good vision, and wide side-arms to block peripheral glare.

Thanks to the lightweight polycarbonate frame and low curvature side-arms, you can wear your Slabs all day with no rubbing or pinching, and soft rubber nose pads and a snug fit help to keep them in place.

For increased wind and dust protection, Fuglies Slabs also have a removable foam gasket.

The lightweight tri-acetate lenses are colour-neutral polarised smoke-grey for excellent in-water visibility and provide maximum Category 3 UV protection. The lenses also have a hydrophobic coating to reduce fogging, and a blue revo mirror finish to maximise glare reduction.

Price: SRP $39.95 www.fuglies.com.au

LEAVEY LURES T-REX 14 SPINNERBAIT The new T-Rex Spinnerbaits from Leavey lures are everything you’d expect from a hand-made lure from Yamba fisherman and tackle store owner Mick Leavey.

While Mick now resides on the coast terrorising local mulloway, he cut his teeth on the big Murray cod of the New England region and has designed these lures to be big enough and tough enough to tackle those monster green fish. Mick has spent endless hours fine-tuning the design, and he even had a special hook made to give the coverage and strength you need! The colour range includes bright colours and more natural bait presentations, so there’s a Leavey Lures T-Rex to suit just about any water colour you may come across. There are two weights, 1 1/4oz and 1 3/4oz.

Leavey Lures are distributed exclusively

by Yamba Bait & Tackle (mail order available).

To place an order, give them a call on (02) 6646 1514.

Price: SRP $26.95 www.facebook.com/ yambabaitandtackle

LABORATORIO DANZATORE PAZZO 15 New to the Australian fishing scene, Laboratorio is a brand without compromise.

Danzatore Pazzo, the ‘crazy dancer’, is a 6.4cm crankbait that dives to 3.5-4.5m on the cast, and deeper on the troll. It is equipped with a internal weight transfer system that rolls to the rear of the lure on the cast, allowing for extra long casts. It then moves to the front to allow the lure to crash dive to the depths.

The long bib is very effective in shallow, snaggy water, allowing it to deflect and not get hung up. This lure will catch fish on a fast retrieve, but is particularly deadly on a dead slow retrieve, where other lures would lose their action.

They have already proven themselves as a fish catching machine on Murray cod, golden perch, bass and flathead, and they come in six great fish catching colours.

Price: RRP $18 www.weflikinlures.com.au

82

APRIL 2017

PRODUCT GUIDE

16

Wilson Lure Wallets are exceptionally functional, allowing anglers to store plastics and spinnerbaits in a convenient and easy to manage way.

Striking in their design, these lure wallets are available in two sizes, large and small.

The Large Lure Wallet (35cm x 25cm x 6cm) is ideal for larger spinnerbaits and 7-9” long plastics. It features eight zip-lock sleeves that are held in place by three stainless steel rings.

The Small Lure Wallet (26cm x 24cm x 8cm) is perfect for 5” and smaller plastics, as well as spinnerbaits up to about 1oz in weight. This wallet features 10 sleeves and two stainless steel rings.

Both wallets are double-zippered for convenience and feature a sturdy carry handle for easily transporting them from home to the boat. www.wilsonfishing.com.au

13

14

RIVER2SEA SHOGUN 17 ICE LINES The Shogun range of fishing lines has been designed for Australian anglers, and is made from the highest quality Japanese materials. Shogun is a proven player in the fishing line sector.

One of the latest lines is Shogun Ice Blue, which offers an impressive balance of high strength, exceptional abrasion resistance and a soft, supple feel. This premium monofilament is a favourite choice of anglers due to its consistent, reliable performance. It’s available in 300m spools (6lb-80lb) and 500m spools (8lb80lb).

Shogun has also released a new fluorocarbon leader called Ice Clear. This leader has been designed to maximise the angler’s touch and feel, due to its low memory and high sensitivity. It is invisible to fish, very thin and abrasion-resistant. Available spool sizes are 100m (4lb-20lb), 75m (25lb, 30lb) and 50m (40lb, 50lb).

For more information on the Shogun range of line and leader visit the River2Sea website.

Price: RRP Ice Blue from $16.10 Ice clear from $20.20 www.river2sea.com.au

LIVELY LURES ZIGGY SD

15

16

18

Expanding on their range of fantastic Australian made lures, Lively Lures are proud to present the newest member of the line up – the Ziggy SD. SD stands for Surface Dancer, which is exactly what these baits are designed to do when worked with short rod movement, creating an irresistible walk-the-dog action. The cupped face allows allows the SD to spit and bubbles as it walks its way across the surface.

As it walks, it rolls its body, which will give any lookers below a flash of colour, triggering them to bite.

The SD range was developed to mimic distressed prey struggling on the surface, and will attract all species that feed on prey in the water, or that which has fallen from above.

The Ziggy SD comes in three sizes – 70, 90 and 110mm, which is perfect for the variety of Australian fish that anglers commonly chase.

The 70 and 90 come in seven colours, and the 110 come in the same colours plus two chrome colours as well.

RRP: from $12 www.livelylures.com.au

17

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

SCAN THE QR CODE!

PRODUCT GUIDE

WHAT’S NEW FISHING TESTED

Torqeedo Lithium Battery – the ultimate for 24V users

RE ONLINE MO

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Yes, it’s true – at Fishing Monthly and tacklejunkie.fish we do get to test the cool new stuff as it hits our shores.

And we don’t try to hide the fact that some of this stuff is pretty exciting!

Power Equipment launched their Torqeedo distributorship last year, and I was excited about the Torqeedo 26104 battery the moment I saw it in the catalogue. I’ve used lithium batteries in my boat before – a set of Lithionics to power a 24V Minn Kota Fortrex on the Fishing Monthly Phoenix. I loved them even though the system was a little clunky; two 12V cells in series and a separate control box that all had to be installed and tied down separately.

By contrast, this Torqeedo system is that it’s an all-in-one package that weighs in at a little over 23kg. Previously, the pair of Full River 110aH batteries that boasted the same capacity weighed in at 38kg.

Each!

That’s 76kg plus the weight of an on-board charger. By swapping the Full Rivers for the 20-104, you instantly save at least 53kg.

In a bass boat, this means several things. It means that the boat travels at 6 knots on a much more level attitude and with a lot less wake. It also means that it pops on to the plane easier, and draws less water so I can fish shallower spots – around 5-7cm shallower.

But the best thing is the power curve of

The Torqeedo 26-104 lithium battery fits neatly into the slot where 2 x lead-acid batteries were mounted in the Fishing Monthly bass boat.

COST The cost/benefit of lithium batteries versus lead/acid is the most common debate I have with fellow anglers. The fact is that at around $5000 for the system, it’s around four times the price.

For me, the benefits are worth it. On paper, the system will last through a few sets of regular batteries, but the real advantages come through the weight savings. The reduction in weight gives better performance that would only be achieved otherwise through repowering the boat, modifying your outboard or

blueprinting a propeller. Plus, you can get your boat in shallower water.

Naturally, this system isn’t ever going to make it back to Torqeedo. I’m keeping it! For the full video review, scan the QR code hereabouts. - Steve Morgan

PRICING Battery ...................................$4200 Charger ....................................$715 On/Off switch ...........................$187

The small step in the bilge area was filled with some nylon blocks, and webbing straps hold the battery in place. lithium batteries. All day, the electric motor feels like it’s come straight off the charger.

Lithium batteries retain a high charge, while lead-acid batteries drop voltage through their cycle. You can actually feel the voltage drop through the unit during a day’s fishing.

I wasn’t brave enough to fish for more than three days on this battery before charging it. That wasn’t using it on an electric-only dam where it was the sole means of propulsion – just standard correcting and controlling a drift with the current.

SETUP For those of us who currently run 2 x 24v batteries, the good news is that the Torqeedo fits neatly into the space that these batteries take up.

In the Fishing Monthly bass boat we needed to build up the platform a little with some nylon boards, but once this was

done, two webbing straps held the battery very securely in place.

Accessories-wise, all you need to run this battery with any 24V trolling motor is an on/off switch. This plugs into the two data ports that would usually be filled by plugs from the proprietary Torqeedo electric motor like the Cruise. Push the button for a couple of seconds and the system turns on. It’ll turn itself off after 48h if not used.

The only other piece of equipment you’ll need is a charger. Torqeedo’s 10A equivalent charger is waterproof, but I prefer to not mount it in the boat; I just carry it around with the extension cords in a milk crate. It’s rigged to clip on with an Anderson clip and after a day’s fishing, I plug it in when I get home and then remove it before I go to bed. It usually only takes a couple of hours to get the battery back to 100%.

The proprietary Torqeedo charger is waterproof, but I chose to not mount it in the boat.

APRIL 2017

83

Bring on the mackerel madness this Easter The NSW Mackerel Championships will once again be staged in Coffs Harbour over the Easter long weekend this year.

Fished over two full days, Good Friday and Saturday, the presentation lunch will be held on Easter Sunday at what is now known as ‘Game Fish HQ’ – the old Deep Sea Fishing Club.

Being the only event of it’s kind in NSW to target solely Spanish and spotted mackerel, it’s become popular with anglers. With a $5000 cash prize up for the heaviest Spanish and $2000 for the heaviest spotted the event draws entries from as

far south as Sydney and as far north as Cairns.

The nature of this unique event attracts trailer boats of all sizes and anglers of all capabilities. Competitors last year ranged from seasoned anglers through to competitors attending their first tournament, typically fishing from 4-5m trailer boats. Following the overwhelming acceptance of the format last year, organizers are prepared for a large field and have formulated special fishing rules for this event to limit the potential number of fish taken.

This year’s launch

boundaries have been extended northwards to allow easier access to the Solitary Islands chain, a popular and productive mackerel area.

Already fish touching 30kg have been reported and large schools of both types of fish have been seen in close to Coffs Harbour.

There are prizes for both species. Emphasis is on the angler lucky draw with a large prize pool helping keep everyone happy.

For more information, go to www.chgfc.com.au to download entry forms and check the rules or contact the Tournament Director on 0428 659 122. – CHGFC

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 2017 APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

1-2 Apr

Albany BREAM Qualifier #3 Albany

www.abt.org.au

5-6 Apr

Blackwood BREAM Qualifier #4 Blackwood

www.abt.org.au

8-9 Apr

BASS Electric #2 Toonumbar

www.abt.org.au

14-16 Apr

CHGFC Mackerel Championships Coffs Harbour

www.chgfc.com.au

29-30 Apr

Hawkesbury River BASS Pro Qualifier #1 Hawkesbury River

www.abt.org.au

20-May

BASS Electric #3 Hinze Dam

www.abt.org.au

20-21 May

South Coast Fishing Clubs Inc. Rock comp Lakeview

www.nswfca.com.au

20-21 May

Manning River BREAM Qualifier #5 Manning River

www.abt.org.au

3-4 Jun

Cania BASS Pro Qualifier #2 Cania Dam

www.abt.org.au

7-8 Jun

Boondooma BASS Pro Qualifier #3 Boondooma Dam

www.abt.org.au

17-18 Jun

BASS Electric #4 Borumba Dam

www.abt.org.au

5-6 Jul

Lake St Clair BASS Pro Qualifier #4 Lake St Clair

www.abt.org.au

8-9 Jul

Glenbawn BASS Pro Qualifier #5 Glenbawn Dam

www.abt.org.au

15-16 Jul

Richmond River BREAM Qualifier #6 Richmond River

www.abt.org.au

30-Jul

BASS Electric #5 St Clair

www.abt.org.au

13-Aug

BASS Electric Major #2 Moogerah

www.abt.org.au

19-20 Aug

Gold Coast BREAM Qualifier #7 Gold Coast

www.abt.org.au

2-3 Sep

Clarence River BASS Pro Qualifier #6 Clarence River

www.abt.org.au

Add your tournament or competition to this list by emailing jthomas@fishingmonthly.com.au or calling 07 3387 0800 in office hours.

Just supply a date, venue, tournament name and a telephone number and contact name.

84

APRIL 2017

Riverina Classic was a great success again The fourth annual Riverina Classic Catch and Release Fishing Competition was held over three days in February on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River at Darlington Point in the Riverina NSW.

This year saw nearly double the previous year’s release. Over 13,000 Murray cod and golden perch fingerlings were released in order to help secure a sustainable fishing future

One of the fingerlings released into the river.

The Riverina Classic is a complete family event weekend featuring helicopter flights, kids’ entertainment, lure casting competitions, boat displays, a major raffle draw, release of native fingerlings and much more. This year the Berkley super tank (a giant mobile fish tank) was part of the event, giving visitors a great fish eye view of lure casting.

The event was a great success again this year with $20,000 raised and donated to the Griffith and district NSW support group for Motor Neurone Disease who service a large section of the Riverina providing assistance to those living with the disease.

in the Murrumbidgee River ecosystem.

Despite consecutive days over 45°C, the event still had a great turn out of keen anglers and a record 112 legal-sized fish entered over the weekend. All entries were sent in as photos in order to minimise any negative effects on the welfare of the fish and to ensure anglers have maximum opportunity to chase that elusive big one.

The number of entries and the sizes of fish paint a promising picture. The river system looks better than it has been in previous years, despite flooding and black water in the region last winter.

The Riverina Classic

The Riverina Classic had a huge turn out again this year.

Second prize was a platinum 40L Engel fridge package and third prize was a Weber Q BBQ. These were cleaned up by locals Brendan Scott and Dyni Weaven.

All entrants into the fishing competition went

attended the weekend and had fun! The event was made possible by the hard work and dedication of volunteers and their partners and friends who help organize the weekend. The event would not have taken place without

This year’s fingerling release had nearly double the numbers of last year’s.

Stacks of great prizes ready to be won by lucky competitors.

offers one of the largest prize pools for inland fishing competitions in New South Wales. Winning categories in the competition again included: Biggest Yellowbelly, Biggest Cod, Biggest Carp and Cumulative Length. Each category had both junior and senior sections and every single junior that entered the competition went home with a prize.

Kylie Ryan and Brody Kenningale reclaimed their titles once again as senior and junior champion angler respectively for 2017. Lucky Leeton local Lyndal Kirkup took home the major raffle prize, a $10,000 Flight Centre holiday voucher.

Every junior that entered the competition left with a prize and a smile. into the draw to win a complete Stacer 409 Striker Series boat with a four-stroke 30hp Mercury motor and trailer package. Paul Hicks took home the goods for the senior draw and young Makayla Newman collected a kayak package.

Thanks to everyone who entered, helped out,

the generosity of all the sponsors whose support will help ensure the community and the event continue to thrive.

For more information on the Riverina Classic Fishing Competition weekend, like us on Facebook or visit www.riverinaclassic.com. – Riverina Classic

Left: The event was a great success with $20,000 raised and donated to the Griffith and district NSW support group for Motor Neurone Disease – thumbs up to that!

Right: The Riverina Classic is a family event and has something for everyone.

APRIL 2017

85

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THE F Self-co U ntaineTURE IS H d Elec tric OuERE tboard s

Howarth homes in for win

BASS EL ECTR SERIES IC

James Howarth has claimed his maiden bass electric win at the opening round of the 2017 ePropulsion Bass Electric Series at Clarrie Hall with 2/2 fish for 1.95kg.

Not to be outdone, bass tournament regular Matt Johnson kicked his season off with a bang taking out second place and the Big Bass for the event with 2/2 fish for 1.92 kg.

Howarth used a two-pronged approach to catch his winning fish.

He would first cast a Ima Foxy Fry tight to the weed edge before imparting an aggressive and constant jerking retrieve.

“I would impart the same action I use for chasing bream around pontoons on the gold coast. The aggressive approach was really firing them up,” said Howarth.

If Howarth missed bites

back into the same structure and sink it a little deeper before rolling the lure back.”

To fish these baits, Howarth used identical JML Perfection Torz 6’10 rod matched with a 2004 Daiwa Gekkabijin spooled with 10lb braid and 6lb Yamatoyo Chinu Harris leader.

With the extreme temperatures during the tournament Howarth knew that he would need to find areas that would allow the fish to retreat to cooler water as the day progressed.

“The key areas for us were in the top quarter of the lake, I used a previous tournament and my Insight Genesis maps to locate weed beds adjacent to deeper water and look for shady pockets,” said Howarth.

For Howarth it was reward for putting in the homework, “It was great to win the event using Ecogear and Lowrance products and I am really thankful for their James Howarth with the fruits of his victory in the opening round of the ePropulsion BASS Electric Convention. always one to watch on the tournament trail, having another consistent finish with 2/2 fish for 1.92kg, which was anchored by the event Big Bass of 1.14kg. Johnson headed down the lake and targeted fish holding in the small bays in the middle reaches of the lake.

“It was all about finding edges with broken weed and pockets for the fish to hold in,” explained Johnson.

Once he had located the fish, Johnson targeted them with a Jackall Derabuzz in blue gill. He cast his lure onto the lily pads behind the weed bed before burning the bait back to the boat.

“I really had a short bite window. I had my bag by 8:30 and the bite died off soon after.”

Johnson’s rig of choice for this work was a Barra Bass XSB 843 matched with a Quantum EXO 25 spooled with 10lb Unitika braid and 10lb Unitika fluorocarbon.

“It was good day fishing with Shaun Falkenhagen and I am looking forward to the Electric season ahead,” explained Johnson.

The ePropulsion Bass Electric series heads north to the pristine waters of Lake Lenthalls on 18-19 March.

For all the information on an event near you head to abt. org.au. – ABT

THE FUTURE IS HERE Self-contained Electric Outboards

STORM

R

James Howarth with his Clarrie Hall winning bass. on his jerkbait, he would then cast a cut down Ecogear Power Shad in black and gold into the same spot and slow roll the lure back to the boat.

“Once I had them fired up I would cast the plastic

support. I also need to thank Steve Morgan and Tristan Taylor for the loan of the boat and motor.”

JOHNSON BUZZES INTO SECOND Matt Johnson showed once again why he is

RESULTS Place Angler

Bag

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2

James Howarth Matt Johnson Tom Pearson Chesley Lennon Stephen Mclean Brady Ellis Tim Currie Jono Bale Nigel Skyring Tim Nangano

Total Weight (kg)

1.95 1.92 1.82 1.79 173 1.63 1.61 1.52 1.43 1.42

Matt Johnson with his second-placewinning bass at Clarrie Hall.

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888.

APRIL 2017

87

Morgan’s Metung Madness

THE FUTURE IS HERE Self-contained Electric Outboards

STORM

Fishing Monthly’s own Steve Morgan has claimed victory at the Mercury Marine Gippsland BREAM Qualifier, the second stop of the 2017 Costa BREAM Series.

Morgan has enjoyed his fair share of tough fishing on the Gippsland Lakes in the past, with the Queenslandbased BREAMer struggling to forget three consecutive donuts during the wind-shortened 2013 BREAM Grand Final.

2016 was slightly kinder, with Morgan bagging out the first day, but the plague of tournament fishing crept up, when he could only catch a small limit during day two.

“I’ve learnt here in the past that fish at Paynesville don’t last. I learnt that last year and although I caught good fish there during pre-fish this year, I also saw plenty of other boats hitting the spots. I wasn’t going to make that same mistake again, so I looked for similar structure back towards the start at Metung between the pub and Lakes Entrance and hardly saw another boat all tournament.”

“I also talked to fellow Queenslander James Howarth, who I shared accommodation with last year. We both caught good bags on day one in 2016 and joked that we had enough fish

Steve Morgan with a pair of his Gippsland Lakes winning bream. between us to win the event.”

His plan played out to perfection, with Morgan not only claiming a wire-towire victory, but also taking the Big Bream prize for his 1.55kg kicker from day one.

For Morgan, it was a case of fishing to his strengths, and coming from the urban waterways of South East Queensland, fishing artificial structure like jetties, pontoons and oyster encrusted poles is right up his alley. Morgan used the same technique and approach on both tournament days, and relied heavily on one lure to complete his 10/10 9.75kg limit.

“A heavy Cranka Crab in olive colour was the standout lure. Even if the water was shallow I’d throw the heavy.

R

WINNING TACKLE The winning tackle was a Nordic Stage Artis rod paired with a Daiwa Steez 2004 reel, Berkley Nanofil 4lb line and 6lb Yamatoyo Chinu Harris fluorocarbon. Morgan’s lure of choice was a Heavy Cranka Crab in olive colour.

The key with fishing a crab and probably the difference between myself and my non-boaters who struggled with the technique was making sure the crab sunk on a slack line vertically straight down the structure.

“It’s a very similar skill to what I learnt throwing stick minnows many years ago. You need to lay the line down to allow the crab to sink straight and not pendulum away from the structure on a semi slack or tight line. If it sinks like that it looks unnatural, and when these bream are this big and this old, they don’t get to that stage without being pretty smart.”

Morgan targeted any artificial structure between Metung and Lakes Entrance and put together two consistent bags of thick and heavy Gippsland bream. So confident in the lure was Morgan that he didn’t have anything else rigged up.

“I’ve worked out a system now that I probably should have a long time ago.

Pre-fish day I lost five crabs, so that night I spent probably more time rigging up than I ever have before, and I proceeded to tie on heavy crabs to rods ranging from 2lb straight through Yamatoyo spinning fluorocarbon, through to heavy braid and 10lb leader. When I’d approach something like a moored boat, I’d opt for the 2lb or maybe 3lb leader. If I was faced with the nastiest pontoon you’ve ever seen, I would ditch the light tackle and pick up the heavier stick with up to 10lb leader.”

Having rods ranging from 2lb, through 3lb, 4lb, 5lb, 6lb, 8lb and 10lb leader let Morgan choose the best chance of first getting the bite, then having the ability to extract the fish once it had been hooked.

Once hooked, Morgan would opt not to pump and wind the fish to extract it from the structure.

“I always would rather use the electric motor to gently steer the fish out. The harder you go on them, the quicker they bury you in the structure, so it would always be a case of guide the fish out with the electric, then pump and wind once it was clear.

If a fish did get me around a rope or pole, I’d immediately back the drag right off, and go in close to try and gently guide the fish back through the maze and into the net.”

For his effort, Morgan pocketed the $3300 winner’s cheque, the $500 Big Bream, the 1st place Mercury Bonus cheque and the Duffrods Big Bag for his day one 4.94kg limit.

Carter old school for runner-up Picking up where he left off last year, the 2016 Power Pole BREAM Angler of the Year Warren Carter started strongly with a 3rd place finish at the BKK Mallacoota BREAM Qualifier, and he’s now backed it up with a runner-up at the Mercury Gippsland Lakes BREAM Qualifier to again be sitting joint atop the Power-Pole Angler of

the Year race with Mario Vukic after two rounds.

Whenever the Costa BREAM Series visits Victoria, Warren Carter is always a name that pops up as one to watch at the bump tubs. He has a habit of winning and is certainly showing no signs of letting up on his quest for backto-back Angler of the Year trophies.

Seeing fish in Gippsland

Warren Carter continued his good form from 2016 finishing 2nd at the Mercury event.

TOP 10 BOATERS

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888.

88

APRIL 2017

Place Angler

Fish Weight (kg)

Payout

1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

10

10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 9

$3300 + $500 Big Bream (1.55kg) + 1st Mercury Bonus ($250) + 1st Pro ($100) $1400 + 2nd Mercury Bonus ($150) $1,100 $1000 + 3rd Mercury Bonus ($100) $875 $700 $575 $500 $500 + Yamaha Bonus ($300)

Steve Morgan

Warren Carter Mario Vukic Kristoffer Hickson Stephen Wheeler Steven Pryke Steve Gill Cameron Whittam Tom Slater Andy Parkinson

9.75

9.26 8.7 8.51 8.22 8.12 8.11 7.74 7.73 7.67

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

Lakes is never the problem, and after venturing a few hundred metres into the mouth of the Tambo River on pre-fish day, Warren knew there would be enough fish there to grind out a limit both days of the tournament.

It was a venture back to the old school for Carter during the two tournament days, as he stuck tight to the rocky banks of the Tambo River and jerkbaited his way Continued over

From previous page

to a 10/10 9.26kg limit.

“It was a return to what I do best, old school twitching hardbodies on the banks. You really can’t get better than that on the Gippy Lakes.”

Carter turned back to an old faithful, the Smith Jade in ayu colour to get quick bags in the Tambo River both mornings. He used an Edge Black Widow 701 rod to cast and impart the perfect action on a seriously lightweight lure.

“The Smith Jade is a light lure, but with the right rod it casts just fine.

That Edge 701 is perfect; the action I can impart with that soft tip is incredible

and second to none in my opinion.” He matched the Edge up to a 2500 size Shimano Stella, which he spooled with 15lb PE0.8 Varivas braid and 4lb Varivas fluorocarbon leader.

Both afternoons Carter ventured out of the

Tambo River to exploit the afternoon winds for bigger bites on the flats adjacent to the entrance of the Nicholson River. On day one this approach proved perfect, upgrading with his second biggest fish of the day (1.07kg) on a Smith

BREAM

Presente SERIES d by Me rcury

BIG BREAM The event Big Bream was joint between boater champion Steve Morgan, and Andy Parkinson for a truly behemoth 1.55kg specimen. Andy Parkinson caught his pig on the Nicholson River flats, while Steve Morgan extracted his from a pontoon not five minutes from the event’s start line at Metung. The tales of the big one that got away haunted many at Gippsland like they always do, which just proves what a special fishery the Gippsland Lakes are for bream.

Steve Morgan’s day one kicker fish (1.55kg) won him in the Big Bream Prize for the event.

DD Panish. Unfortunately during the second day, the wind never played the game

for Carter’s favoured spots and the big bite he needed never eventuated.

Carter now takes the joint Power-Pole Angler of the Year lead into the next rounds, the Western Australian double-header.

Carter is committing whole-heartedly this year, and is making the journey across our country to back up his win at the Blackwood River in 2015. With the WA double coming up, Carter is going to be a hard man to topple again for the AOY crown in 2017. Only time will tell.

Weedless Weda’s Winning Ways Darren Weda claimed victory by a healthy margin after two days competing on one of the largest and most diverse locations visited every year by the Costa BREAM Series.

Weda’s 10/10 8.14kg limit was more than enough to edge out non-boating veteran Simon Johnson to second place.

Weda started his assault on Gippsland Lakes with none other than Warren Carter, and the pair quickly identified a game plan that

would have them both able to be competitive. “Warren was fishing up tight to the bank with a hardbody, so I worked

out on the initial drop-off and secondary drop-off with plastics and blades,” said Weda.

DUFFRODS BIG BAG Steve Morgan also claimed the Duffrods Big Bag for his day one 4.94kg limit. Catching 12 legals for the day and not losing one fish is going to mean a big bag in Gippsland more times than not. Each Duffrods Big Bag winner receives a personally crafted Duffrod made especially for the venue at which it was won by 2006 ABT BREAM Grand Final Champion Steve Duff.

Noticing the abundance of small baitfish in the entrance to the Tambo River, Weda opted to match the hatch as best as possible. He rigged up a ZMan 2.5” Slim SwimZ on a 1/12oz jighead, which he fished slow off the bottom, hopping it back to the boat. Weeding his way through bag fillers, Weda managed a couple of kicker fish throughout the day to end with just over 4kg sitting in third place.

“It was probably good for me to not be leading, to

Darren Weda claimed his first victory on the ABT BREAM Tour winning the non-boater title at the Mercury presented event.

Heavy Crank Crab

Morgan heads to the start line on day two of the Mercury Gippsland Lakes BREAM Qualifier.

TOP 10 NON BOATERS Place Angler

Fish Weight (kg) Payout

1 2

3

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

10 10

10

9 10 9 9 5 8 8

Darren Weda Simon Johnson

Clint Voss

Nick Penprase Michael Hodges Stuart Walker Shaun Egan Jack Healey Jesse Rotin Allan Murray

8.14 7.35

7.3

6.77 5.92 5.81 5.64 4.55 4.49 4.47

Costa Sunglasses & Prize Pack Costa Sunglasses & Prize Pack + 1st Hobie Bonus ($100) JML Alliance Rod & Prize Pack + 2nd Hobie Bonus ($50) Prize Pack + 3rd Hobie Bonus ($35) Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

be honest. I would have been pretty nervous taking the lead into the final day, but being in third probably made me fish slower and more relaxed, knowing the pressure was on the guys ahead of me not to falter.”

Day two saw Weda paired with the current number one ranked BREAM angler Mark Crompton and it was going to be a completely different day fishing over 50km away from the previous day’s hotspot.

“Crommo had located fish down at Hollands Landing and I knew the big ones lived there, so I rigged up a heavy outfit with a weedless plastic to try and get the fish out of those shallow snaggy edges.”

Weda’s outfit consisted of a Daiwa Gen Black Albino rod, matched with a 2506 Daiwa Certate spooled with 12lb braid and 8lb leader. He rigged a ZMan 2.5” GrubZ weedless on a Decoy Nailbomb jighead

to throw into the gnarliest country he could find.

“I managed three good fish from Holland’s before the bite shut down, then Crommo moved back to the Nicholson flats and I managed to fill my bag with two legals which ended up being plenty enough to leapfrog the guys in front of me.”

Darren’s victory saw him walk away with a brand new pair of Costa 580 sunglasses and a stacked prize pack full of the best breaming gear from all of ABT’s sponsors.

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89

Hayes small boat to big victory

THE FUTURE IS HERE Self-contained Electric Outboards

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Despite owning the smallest boat in the 60-strong field, Victorian breamer and long time ABT angler Mark Hayes brought it home to claim victory in the opening round of the 2017 Costa BREAM Series. The 2017 season kicked off with the BKK Hooks Mallacoota BREAM Qualifier, where anglers were greeted with one of the biggest fields for the past several seasons. A total of 60 of Australia’s best BREAM boaters and 56 non-boaters lined up for their shot at the perfect start to a tournament season.

A lot of ABT anglers will tell you this same story. A bad pre-fish almost always equals a good tournament, and a good pre-fish will almost always end in disaster. Call it lucky for Hayes then that his Friday pre-fish featured a sole fish catch – a 39cm fork kicker that he caught on a Bent Minnow fishing an area on the eastern side of the Goodwin Sands.

Starting day one on a spot that had been good to Hayes in the past, his intuition told him he needed to go back to where he’d landed his only legal the day before. It was then that his non-boater partner Doug Badrock would make

the discovery that ultimately led Hayes to victory.

“There’s no doubt I wouldn’t be sitting here if it wasn’t for my non-boater Doug Badrock on day one,” said Hayes. “We turned up at the eastern side of Goodwin Sands exactly where I’d caught the big fish the day before in pre-fish and I again went to the Bent Minnow right up in the shallows. Doug then began fishing behind me and immediately caught a kilo fish from in the deeper water. It was then I realised I was fishing it all wrong. My first cast out into the deeper water landed me a legal and then I had it worked out. The fish were holding just off the edge of the shallows and were staging there while it was calm.”

Hayes quickly went to work and put a limit together. While it wasn’t what we’ve come to expect from Mallacoota in years past, 2017 saw the weights lower than average. So Hayes’ 5/5 3.19kg limit was good enough for third place, only 420g behind overnight leader Mario Vukic.

For an overnight leader to improve on their day one bag and still get pipped at the post for the victory usually

WINNING TACKLE R

Hayes’ winning rod was a Samaki Zing 2-4kg rod matched with a Daiwa TD Sol 2000 reel. His lure of choice was a 65mm Smith DD Panish jerkbait.

Mark Hayes fished out of one of the smallest boats in the field to claim the win. requires a pretty special second day bag from someone down the field, and that’s exactly what we witnessed as Mark Hayes dropped 5/5 4.23kg on the scales Sunday afternoon to leapfrog Vukic and take the win by 100g. The only 4kg bag weighed in on an uncharacteristically tough Mallacoota weekend was exactly what was needed, and Hayes delivered in spades.

Returning to his primary area after his day one success, Hayes quickly put numbers in the boat. “The wind was up in the morning on day two and the fishing was great.

We caught plenty of legals and I thought I was done by 10am.”

As the morning winds died off to produce a lake surface slicker than a pane of glass, Hayes began catching the quality of fish that had eluded

most of field all weekend.

“We plugged away for hours in the afternoon for not many bites, but the ones we did get were the right ones. I probably caught the tournament winning fish around 1:30pm with less than an hour to go.”

Hayes’ lure of choice was one that seems to always do well when the Costa BREAM Series ventures south – the Smith DD Panish. Measuring 65mm and featuring a slim profile body, the DD Panish is a true jerkbait. Fish it with a rip and pause retrieve and watch big black bream climb all over it.

This was a win for the tinny brigade and goes to show you don’t need a boat that does 100km/h to win a BREAM tournament.

Fishing skill and intuition will always top the flashiest gear and fastest boats!

Mario’s Mallacoota magic Mario Vukic has been quietly going about his business over the last few seasons of the Costa BREAM Series, carving out his space as a serious threat when the tour travels south across the Victorian border.

He proved those threats are warranted after dropping two of the biggest bags and the two most consistent bags on the scales to finish with 10/10 7.32kg.

There’s generally two ways a tournament is won. On a pattern, or on a hotspot, and there’s no

TOP 10 BOATERS

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888.

90

APRIL 2017

Place Angler

Fish Weight (kg)

Payout

1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

10

10 10 10 10 9 10 10 10 9

$3750 + $250 1st Mercury Bonus + Costa Sunglasses + Duffrods Big Bag (4.23kg) $1800 + Costa Sunglasses $1300 + $150 2nd Mercury Bonus $1100 + $300 1st Yamaha Bonus $1000+ $100 3rd Mercury Bonus $1,000 $750 $750 $600 $600

Mark Hayes

Mario Vukic Warren Carter Tom Slater Brad Hodges Charlie Saykao Wal Balzan Cameron Whittam Jason Mayberry Ben Phayer

7.42

7.32 6.34 6.03 5.86 5.49 5.46 5.38 5.24 5.18

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

doubting Vukic found a hotspot during the BKK Mallacoota BREAM Qualifier. Of his ten fish, nine were caught from one 300m section of steep rocky bank on the Genoa rockwalls.

“I think I would have fished that one section over twenty times during the tournament,” he said.

“On Sunday I basically went back and forth for six hours.”

It was one of those special places that Continued over

the rock wall out from the bank that seemed to hold the fish.

“I think the key to this spot was the ledges.

Nowhere else on that rock wall had ledges that ran parallel like that, and that’s where we were getting most of our bites.”

Vukic relied on ZMan 2.5” GrubZ in motor oil

From previous page

seemed to hold the quality of fish that were hard to come by elsewhere in the system, and Vukic had them worked out. Sitting 20m off the bank, Vukic would cast straight in to the wall, and work his lure down the face of the steep rock wall, but it was the ledges that ran parallel to

DUFFRODS BIG BAG Mark Hayes claims the Duffrods Big Bag thanks to his hefty day two 4.24kg bag. Hayes now receives a personally crafted Duffrods, custom designed to fish the waters of Mallacoota where it was won. With many of ABT’s top anglers relying on Duffrods as their fishing rod of choice, there’s no doubt we’ll see this stick aboard the tinny on Hayes’ next fishing adventure.

Mark Hayes delivered the tournament’s only 4kg+ bag to the scales on the final day to claim victory at Mallacoota.

colour, and he would vary his jighead weight from 1/12 to 1/16oz depending on the current and the wind to keep contact with the lure as it sank to the bottom.

His outfit of choice was a G Loomis GLX SR842-2 rod paired with Daiwa Steez and Exist reels, spooled with 10lb Sunline Castaway and topped with a 4lb Sunline FC Rock fluorocarbon leader.

“I was worried I’d fished it too hard on the Saturday for it to hold up going into Sunday, but they seemed to replenish quickly in the deep water,” Vukic commented. “It’s hard to have regrets when your bag weight goes up on day two, and it took

BREAM Presente SERIES d by BKK

something special from Mark Hayes to knock me off first place. I really couldn’t be happier.”

Vukic pocketed almost $2000 for the runner-up position as well as a brand new pair of Costa 580 sunglasses.

After his success at the Gippsland Lakes BREAM Qualifier the week after Mallacoota, Mario is now also jointly leading the Power Pole BREAM Angler of the Year race after the first two rounds.

Bowen Joiner bides his time You don’t get a much better start than winning your first ever ABT event, and that’s exactly what Bowen Joiner did as he won the non-boater title at the BKK Hooks Mallacoota BREAM Qualifier.

“I’ve been wanting to fish tournaments since I can remember, growing

the tournament, he won by almost a kilo to his nearest rival Clint Voss. To make it even more memorable, his day two bag came entirely on unweighted Ecogear Grass Minnows pink grubbing in under 2ft of water.

Day one saw Joiner fish the deep water around the

BIG BREAM Brian Everingham made the long journey to Mallacoota from his home in Taree, NSW and was rewarded with the $500 Big Bream. Everingham caught his prize winning fish in the bottom lake on day one on a Austackle Ranger lure, G.Loomis rod and Lews reel.

a 1/12oz jighead. Targeting the same secondary drop as event runner-up Mario

venture upriver with his boating partner, where they located a school of fish in shallow water. This is

65mm Smith Panish DD jerkbait

Bowan Joiner secured the non-boater title in his first ABT event.

Pause

where the pink grub was deployed and just as quickly engulfed, as Joiner went

Twitch

up watching guys like Bushy and Starlo on AFC. I couldn’t wait until I turned 16 and to win my first one is just an awesome feeling.”

Joiner didn’t just win

rock walls of Genoa. He opted for arguably the go-to plastic for bream fishing in 2017, the ever-faithful ZMan 2.5” GrubZ in a variety of colours rigged on

Vukic, Joiner was able to quickly put together the second biggest bag for the non-boaters sitting second overnight.

Day two saw Joiner

TOP 10 NON BOATERS Place Angler

Fish

Weight (kg) Payout

1

2

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

10

8

7 8 7 7 7 8 8 5

5.66

4.88

4.56 4.45 4.42 4.33 4.18 4.09 3.89 3.76

Bowan Joiner

Clint Voss

Allan Murray Jesse Rotin Ross Lamotte Grayson Fong Scott Wilson Mark Young Joel Corrie Stuart Walker

Costa Sunglasses + Prize Pack + $100 1st Hobie Bonus Costa Sunglasses + Prize Pack + $50 2nd Hobie Bonus JML Alliance Rod & Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack + $35 3rd Hobie Bonus Prize Pack Prize Pack

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

Taree’s Brian Everingham picked up the Big Bream Prize at Mallacoota with his day one kicker fish (1.24kg).

to work in the shallows bagging up a 5/5 2.40kg limit, which on a normal Mallcoota weekend might see you midfield. On a glass calm Sunday it was more than enough to hold off a fast finishing Clint Voss.

Joiner is definitely one to watch as he climbs through the ranks of the ABT pathway, and judging by the company he keeps, he’s got a mature head on those young shoulders.

Joiner thanked his sponsors Tackleworld Merimbula, Millerods, Humminbird and Minn Kota and his long-time fishing buddy Dean Gamble for the guidance over the last few years. Joiner walked away the proud new owner of a brand new pair of Costa 580 sunglasses and a prize pack bulging with the very best from all of ABT’s sponsors.

APRIL 2017

91

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2017 2017 Local Local Time Time

SYDNEY (FORT DENISON) NEW SOUTH WALES SYDNEY DENISON) – – SOUTH SYDNEY (FORT (FORT – NEW NEW SOUTH WALES WALES LATDENISON) 33° 52’ LONG 151° 13’ JANUARY JANUARY Time Time JANUARY m

Time Time 0432 0432 1101 0432 1101 1738 1101 1738 2339 1738 2339 2339 0516 0516 1142 0516 1142 1819 1142 1819 1819

m m 0.50 0.50 1.78 0.50 1.78 0.34 1.78 0.34 1.37 0.34 1.37 1.37 0.52 0.52 1.74 0.52 1.74 0.35 1.74 0.35 0.35

0025 33 0025 0603 0025 0603 1225 TU 1225 TU 0603

1.37 1.37 0.55 1.37 0.55 1.69 0.55 1.69 0.37 1.69 0.37 0.37 1.38 1.38 0.58 1.38 0.58 1.62 0.58 1.62 0.39 1.62 0.39 0.39 1.41 1.41 0.61 1.41 0.61 1.53 0.61 1.53 0.42 1.53 0.42 0.42 1.45 1.45 0.62 1.45 0.62 1.46 0.62 1.46 0.43 1.46 0.43 0.43 1.52 1.52 0.59 1.52 0.59 1.40 0.59 1.40 0.43 1.40 0.43 0.43 1.62 1.62 0.52 1.62 0.52 1.39 0.52 1.39 0.41 1.39 0.41 0.41 1.73 1.73 0.41 1.73 0.41 1.40 0.41 1.40 1.40

11

SU SU SU

22 MO MO MO

1902 TU 1225 1902 1902 0114 0114 0656 0114 0656 1312 WE 1312 WE 0656 1950 WE 1312 1950 1950 0207 0207 0755 0207 0755 1406 TH 1406 TH 0755 2042 TH 1406 2042 2042 0306 0306 0902 0306 0902 1509 FR 1509 FR 0902 2138 FR 1509 2138 2138 0407 0407 1017 0407 1017 1620 SA 1620 SA 1017 2237 SA 1620 2237 2237 0509 0509 1134 0509 1134 1732 SU 1732 SU 1134 2336 SU 1732 2336 2336 0609 0609 1244 0609 1244 1841 MO 1841 MO 1244 MO 1841

44

55

66 77

88 99

0033 0033 10 0705 0033 0705 10 1345 TU 1345 TU 0705

1942 TU 1345 1942 1942 0129 0129 0800 0129 0800 1441 WE 1441 WE 0800 2038 WE 1441 2038 2038 0221 0221 0852 0221 0852 1531 TH 1531 TH 0852 2130 TH 1531 2130 2130 0313 0313 0942 0313 0942 1620 FR 1620 FR 0942 2220 FR 1620 2220 2220 0402 0402 1030 0402 1030 1706 SA 1706 SA 1030 2309 SA 1706 2309 2309 0452 0452 1115 0452 1115 1749 SU 1749 SU 1115 2355 SU 1749 2355 2355

11 11 12 12 13 13

14 14 15 15

0.39 0.39 1.84 0.39 1.84 0.30 1.84 0.30 1.43 0.30 1.43 1.43 0.36 0.36 1.93 0.36 1.93 0.22 1.93 0.22 1.46 0.22 1.46 1.46 0.35 0.35 1.98 0.35 1.98 0.16 1.98 0.16 1.47 0.16 1.47 1.47 0.34 0.34 1.99 0.34 1.99 0.16 1.99 0.16 1.48 0.16 1.48 1.48 0.36 0.36 1.96 0.36 1.96 0.19 1.96 0.19 1.47 0.19 1.47 1.47 0.41 0.41 1.87 0.41 1.87 0.25 1.87 0.25 1.44 0.25 1.44 1.44

LAT 33° 52’ LONG 151° 13’ LAT 33° 52’ of High LONG 151° 13’ Times and Heights Times and Heights of High and and Low Low Waters Waters Times and Heights of High and Low Waters MARCH FEBRUARY MARCH FEBRUARY Time m m Time Time MARCH m TimeFEBRUARY m

Time Time 0540 0540 1159 0540 1159 1831 MO 1831 MO 1159 MO 1831

m m 0.47 0.47 1.76 0.47 1.76 0.33 1.76 0.33 0.33

0041 0041 17 0628 0041 0628 17 1241 TU 1241 TU 0628

1.42 1.42 0.55 1.42 0.55 1.63 0.55 1.63 0.42 1.63 0.42 0.42 1.39 1.39 0.62 1.39 0.62 1.49 0.62 1.49 0.50 1.49 0.50 0.50 1.37 1.37 0.69 1.37 0.69 1.37 0.69 1.37 0.56 1.37 0.56 0.56 1.37 1.37 0.73 1.37 0.73 1.27 0.73 1.27 0.60 1.27 0.60 0.60 1.39 1.39 0.73 1.39 0.73 1.21 0.73 1.21 0.62 1.21 0.62 0.62 1.43 1.43 0.70 1.43 0.70 1.19 0.70 1.19 0.62 1.19 0.62 0.62 1.49 1.49 0.63 1.49 0.63 1.21 0.63 1.21 1.21

16 16

1912 TU 1241 1912 1912 0127 0127 0717 0127 0717 1323 WE 1323 WE 0717 1952 WE 1323 1952 1952 0215 0215 0811 0215 0811 1409 TH 1409 TH 0811 2035 TH 1409 2035 2035 0307 0307 0913 0307 0913 1503 FR 1503 FR 0913 2123 FR 1503 2123 2123 0402 0402 1022 0402 1022 1608 SA 1608 SA 1022 2217 SA 1608 2217 2217 0500 0500 1133 0500 1133 1716 SU 1716 SU 1133 2313 SU 1716 2313 2313 0555 0555 1235 0555 1235 1820 MO 1820 MO 1235 MO 1820

18 18 19 19 20 20 21 21

22 22 23 23

0005 0005 24 0644 0005 0644 24 1326 TU 1326 TU 0644

1913 TU 1326 1913 1913 0052 0052 0728 0052 0728 1409 WE 1409 WE 0728 1958 WE 1409 1958 1958 0135 0135 0808 0135 0808 1446 TH 1446 TH 0808 2038 TH 1446 2038 2038 0215 0215 0846 0215 0846 1523 FR 1523 FR 0846 2116 FR 1523 2116 2116 0255 0255 0925 0255 0925 1559 SA 1559 SA 0925 2155 SA 1559 2155 2155 0335 0335 1003 0335 1003 1635 SU 1635 SU 1003 2234 SU 1635 2234 2234 0417 0417 1043 0417 1043 1714 MO 1714 MO 1043 2316 MO 1714 2316 2316 0502 0502 1125 0502 1125 1753 TU 1753 TU 1125 TU 1753

25 25 26 26

27 27 28 28 29 29

30 30 31 31

0.60 0.60 1.56 0.60 1.56 0.55 1.56 0.55 1.25 0.55 1.25 1.25 0.57 0.57 1.63 0.57 1.63 0.47 1.63 0.47 1.29 0.47 1.29 1.29 0.53 0.53 1.69 0.53 1.69 0.40 1.69 0.40 1.34 0.40 1.34 1.34 0.49 0.49 1.75 0.49 1.75 0.35 1.75 0.35 1.38 0.35 1.38 1.38 0.45 0.45 1.80 0.45 1.80 0.30 1.80 0.30 1.42 0.30 1.42 1.42 0.43 0.43 1.82 0.43 1.82 0.28 1.82 0.28 1.45 0.28 1.45 1.45 0.42 0.42 1.82 0.42 1.82 0.27 1.82 0.27 1.48 0.27 1.48 1.48 0.42 0.42 1.78 0.42 1.78 0.28 1.78 0.28 0.28

11

WE WE WE

22

TH TH TH

33 FR FR FR

44

SA SA SA

55

SU SU SU

66

MO MO MO

77

TU TU TU

88 WE WE WE

99 TH TH TH

10 10 FR FR FR

11 11 SA SA SA

12 12 SU SU SU

13 13 MO MO MO

14 14 TU TU TU

Time Time 0000 0000 0551 0000 0551 1208 0551 1208 1834 1208 1834 1834 0047 0047 0643 0047 0643 1256 0643 1256 1919 1256 1919 1919 0140 0140 0741 0140 0741 1349 0741 1349 2009 1349 2009 2009 0237 0237 0848 0237 0848 1451 0848 1451 2107 1451 2107 2107 0340 0340 1006 0340 1006 1606 1006 1606 2212 1606 2212 2212 0447 0447 1126 0447 1126 1725 1126 1725 2318 1725 2318 2318 0553 0553 1237 0553 1237 1836 1237 1836 1836

m m 1.50 1.50 0.45 1.50 0.45 1.71 0.45 1.71 0.32 1.71 0.32 0.32 1.51 1.51 0.49 1.51 0.49 1.61 0.49 1.61 0.37 1.61 0.37 0.37 1.52 1.52 0.53 1.52 0.53 1.50 0.53 1.50 0.43 1.50 0.43 0.43 1.53 1.53 0.56 1.53 0.56 1.39 0.56 1.39 0.48 1.39 0.48 0.48 1.56 1.56 0.56 1.56 0.56 1.32 0.56 1.32 0.51 1.32 0.51 0.51 1.62 1.62 0.51 1.62 0.51 1.30 0.51 1.30 0.50 1.30 0.50 0.50 1.70 1.70 0.42 1.70 0.42 1.33 0.42 1.33 1.33

0021 0021 0654 0021 0654 1338 0654 1338 1936 1338 1936 1936 0119 0119 0748 0119 0748 1430 0748 1430 2029 1430 2029 2029 0212 0212 0839 0212 0839 1516 0839 1516 2115 1516 2115 2115 0301 0301 0926 0301 0926 1559 0926 1559 2200 1559 2200 2200 0348 0348 1010 0348 1010 1639 1010 1639 2243 1639 2243 2243 0432 0432 1052 0432 1052 1715 1052 1715 2323 1715 2323 2323 0516 0516 1131 0516 1131 1751 1131 1751 1751

0.47 0.47 1.78 0.47 1.78 0.33 1.78 0.33 1.38 0.33 1.38 1.38 0.42 0.42 1.86 0.42 1.86 0.26 1.86 0.26 1.44 0.26 1.44 1.44 0.38 0.38 1.90 0.38 1.90 0.22 1.90 0.22 1.49 0.22 1.49 1.49 0.36 0.36 1.90 0.36 1.90 0.22 1.90 0.22 1.51 0.22 1.51 1.51 0.36 0.36 1.86 0.36 1.86 0.25 1.86 0.25 1.52 0.25 1.52 1.52 0.39 0.39 1.78 0.39 1.78 0.30 1.78 0.30 1.51 0.30 1.51 1.51 0.44 0.44 1.68 0.44 1.68 0.37 1.68 0.37 0.37

0002 0002 15 0600 0002 0600 15 1209 WE 1209 WE 0600

1.49 1.49 0.51 1.49 0.51 1.57 0.51 1.57 0.45 1209 WE 1825 1825 1.57 0.45 1825 0.45

Time Time 0042 0042 0644 0042 0644 1246 0644 1246 1859 1246 1859 1859 0123 0123 0731 0123 0731 1328 0731 1328 1937 1328 1937 1937 0209 0209 0828 0209 0828 1417 0828 1417 2023 1417 2023 2023 0303 0303 0933 0303 0933 1520 0933 1520 2120 1520 2120 2120 0405 0405 1048 0405 1048 1636 1048 1636 2227 1636 2227 2227 0509 0509 1157 0509 1157 1749 1157 1749 2330 1749 2330 2330 0607 0607 1252 0607 1252 1846 1252 1846 1846

m m 1.47 1.47 0.57 1.47 0.57 1.45 0.57 1.45 0.52 1.45 0.52 0.52 1.44 1.44 0.64 1.44 0.64 1.34 0.64 1.34 0.58 1.34 0.58 0.58 1.42 1.42 0.69 1.42 0.69 1.25 0.69 1.25 0.64 1.25 0.64 0.64 1.40 1.40 0.71 1.40 0.71 1.18 0.71 1.18 0.68 1.18 0.68 0.68 1.41 1.41 0.70 1.41 0.70 1.16 0.70 1.16 0.70 1.16 0.70 0.70 1.44 1.44 0.65 1.44 0.65 1.18 0.65 1.18 0.67 1.18 0.67 0.67 1.51 1.51 0.57 1.51 0.57 1.24 0.57 1.24 1.24

0025 0025 23 0656 0025 0656 23 1337 TH 1337 TH 0656

0.62 0.62 1.58 0.62 1.58 0.49 1.58 0.49 1.31 0.49 1.31 1.31 0.56 0.56 1.66 0.56 1.66 0.41 1.66 0.41 1.38 0.41 1.38 1.38 0.49 0.49 1.74 0.49 1.74 0.33 1.74 0.33 1.46 0.33 1.46 1.46 0.42 0.42 1.80 0.42 1.80 0.28 1.80 0.28 1.53 0.28 1.53 1.53 0.37 0.37 1.83 0.37 1.83 0.24 1.83 0.24 1.59 0.24 1.59 1.59 0.34 0.34 1.82 0.34 1.82 0.24 1.82 0.24 1.64 0.24 1.64 1.64

16 16 TH TH TH

17 17 FR FR FR

18 18 SA SA SA

19 19 SU SU SU

20 20 MO MO MO

21 21 TU TU TU

22 22 WE WE WE

1932 TH 1337 1932 1932 0112 0112 0740 0112 0740 1416 FR 1416 FR 0740 2013 FR 1416 2013 2013 0155 0155 0820 0155 0820 1453 SA 1453 SA 0820 2051 SA 1453 2051 2051 0236 0236 0900 0236 0900 1530 SU 1530 SU 0900 2130 SU 1530 2130 2130 0319 0319 0941 0319 0941 1606 MO 1606 MO 0941 2210 MO 1606 2210 2210 0403 0403 1024 0403 1024 1645 TU 1645 TU 1024 2252 TU 1645 2252 2252

24 24

25 25 26 26 27 27

28 28

Time Time 0451 0451 1108 0451 1108 1725 1108 1725 2337 1725 2337 2337 0541 0541 1154 0541 1154 1807 1154 1807 1807

m m 0.33 0.33 1.77 0.33 1.77 0.26 1.77 0.26 1.66 0.26 1.66 1.66 0.35 0.35 1.68 0.35 1.68 0.32 1.68 0.32 0.32

0024 33 0024 0635 0024 0635 1245 FR 1245 FR 0635

1.67 1.67 0.40 1.67 0.40 1.57 0.40 1.57 0.40 1.57 0.40 0.40 1.65 1.65 0.46 1.65 0.46 1.44 0.46 1.44 0.49 1.44 0.49 0.49 1.62 1.62 0.51 1.62 0.51 1.33 0.51 1.33 0.56 1.33 0.56 0.56 1.61 1.61 0.52 1.61 0.52 1.27 0.52 1.27 0.60 1.27 0.60 0.60 1.62 1.62 0.50 1.62 0.50 1.28 0.50 1.28 0.60 1.28 0.60 0.60 1.66 1.66 0.44 1.66 0.44 1.34 0.44 1.34 1.34

11

WE WE WE

22

TH TH TH

1853 FR 1245 1853 1853 0115 0115 0735 0115 0735 1340 SA 1340 SA 0735 1944 SA 1340 1944 1944 0213 0213 0845 0213 0845 1445 SU 1445 SU 0845 2044 SU 1445 2044 2044 0319 0319 1002 0319 1002 1604 MO 1604 MO 1002 2155 MO 1604 2155 2155 0430 0430 1119 0430 1119 1725 TU 1725 TU 1119 2309 TU 1725 2309 2309 0541 0541 1227 0541 1227 1832 WE 1832 WE 1227 WE 1832

44

55 66 77

88

0015 99 0015 0642 0015 0642 1324 TH 1324 TH 0642

1928 TH 1324 1928 1928 0113 0113 0735 0113 0735 1411 FR 1411 FR 0735 2015 FR 1411 2015 2015 0203 0203 0823 0203 0823 1453 SA 1453 SA 0823 2057 SA 1453 2057 2057 0250 0250 0907 0250 0907 1530 SU 1530 SU 0907 2136 SU 1530 2136 2136 0333 0333 0947 0333 0947 1605 MO 1605 MO 0947 2214 MO 1605 2214 2214 0414 0414 1026 0414 1026 1638 TU 1638 TU 1026 2249 TU 1638 2249 2249 0454 0454 1102 0454 1102 1709 WE 1709 WE 1102 2324 WE 1709 2324 2324

10 10

11 11

12 12 13 13

14 14

15 15

0.55 0.55 1.72 0.55 1.72 0.37 1.72 0.37 1.41 0.37 1.41 1.41 0.48 0.48 1.77 0.48 1.77 0.32 1.77 0.32 1.49 0.32 1.49 1.49 0.43 0.43 1.79 0.43 1.79 0.30 1.79 0.30 1.54 0.30 1.54 1.54 0.40 0.40 1.78 0.40 1.78 0.31 1.78 0.31 1.58 0.31 1.58 1.58 0.39 0.39 1.73 0.39 1.73 0.33 1.73 0.33 1.60 0.33 1.60 1.60 0.41 0.41 1.67 0.41 1.67 0.38 1.67 0.38 1.60 0.38 1.60 1.60 0.44 0.44 1.59 0.44 1.59 0.44 1.59 0.44 1.59 0.44 1.59 1.59

Time Time 0533 0533 1139 0533 1139 1739 1139 1739 2359 1739 2359 2359 0615 0615 1216 0615 1216 1812 1216 1812 1812

m m m 0.49 0.49 1.50 0.49 1.50 0.50 1.50 0.50 1.57 0.50 1.57 1.57 0.54 0.54 1.41 0.54 1.41 0.56 1.41 0.56 0.56

0036 0036 18 0700 0036 0700 18 1257 SA 1257 SA 0700

1.54 1.54 0.59 1.54 0.59 1.33 0.59 1.33 0.63 1.33 0.63 0.63 1.50 1.50 0.64 1.50 0.64 1.25 0.64 1.25 0.69 1.25 0.69 0.69 1.46 1.46 0.68 1.46 0.68 1.19 0.68 1.19 0.75 1.19 0.75 0.75 1.43 1.43 0.68 1.43 0.68 1.17 0.68 1.17 0.77 1.17 0.77 0.77 1.44 1.44 0.65 1.44 0.65 1.20 0.65 1.20 0.75 1.20 0.75 0.75 1.49 1.49 0.58 1.49 0.58 1.27 0.58 1.27 0.69 1.27 0.69 0.69 1.56 1.56 0.50 1.56 0.50 1.36 0.50 1.36 1.36

16 16 TH TH TH

17 17 FR FR FR

1847 SA 1257 1847 1847 0118 0118 0751 0118 0751 1345 SU 1345 SU 0751 1931 SU 1345 1931 1931 0208 0208 0852 0208 0852 1445 MO 1445 MO 0852 2029 MO 1445 2029 2029 0309 0309 1001 0309 1001 1558 TU 1558 TU 1001 2139 TU 1558 2139 2139 0417 0417 1111 0417 1111 1713 WE 1713 WE 1111 2251 WE 1713 2251 2251 0522 0522 1208 0522 1208 1813 TH 1813 TH 1208 2353 TH 1813 2353 2353 0617 0617 1256 0617 1256 1900 FR 1900 FR 1256 FR 1900

19 19 20 20 21 21

22 22

23 23 24 24

0045 0045 25 0704 0045 0704 25 1337 SA 1337 SA 0704

1942 SA 1337 1942 1942 0131 0131 0748 0131 0748 1415 SU 1415 SU 0748 2021 SU 1415 2021 2021 0216 0216 0832 0216 0832 1454 MO 1454 MO 0832 2102 MO 1454 2102 2102 0302 0302 0916 0302 0916 1533 TU 1533 TU 0916 2144 TU 1533 2144 2144 0350 0350 1003 0350 1003 1615 WE 1615 WE 1003 2228 WE 1615 2228 2228 0440 0440 1052 0440 1052 1657 TH 1657 TH 1052 2315 TH 1657 2315 2315 0533 0533 1143 0533 1143 1742 FR 1742 FR 1143 FR 1742

26 26 27 27 28 28

29 29

30 30 31 31

0.60 0.60 1.65 0.60 1.65 0.41 1.65 0.41 1.47 0.41 1.47 1.47 0.50 0.50 1.72 0.50 1.72 0.34 1.72 0.34 1.57 0.34 1.57 1.57 0.41 0.41 1.78 0.41 1.78 0.28 1.78 0.28 1.67 0.28 1.67 1.67 0.33 0.33 1.80 0.33 1.80 0.25 1.80 0.25 1.76 0.25 1.76 1.76 0.28 0.28 1.78 0.28 1.78 0.26 1.78 0.26 1.82 0.26 1.82 1.82 0.27 0.27 1.73 0.27 1.73 0.30 1.73 0.30 1.84 0.30 1.84 1.84 0.29 0.29 1.63 0.29 1.63 0.37 1.63 0.37 0.37

Local Time APRIL APRIL APRIL Time m

Time Time Time 0003 0003 0630 0003 0630 1237 0630 1237 1830 1237 1830 1830 0056 0056 0632 0056 0632 1237 0632 1237 1825 1237 1825 1825 0055 0055 0742 0055 0742 1345 0742 1345 1930 1345 1930 1930 0201 0201 0855 0201 0855 1503 0855 1503 2045 1503 2045 2045 0315 0315 1005 0315 1005 1618 1005 1618 2200 1618 2200 2200 0424 0424 1107 0424 1107 1719 1107 1719 2306 1719 2306 2306 0524 0524 1159 0524 1159 1810 1159 1810 1810

m m 1.83 1.83 0.34 1.83 0.34 1.52 0.34 1.52 0.47 1.52 0.47 0.47 1.79 1.79 0.40 1.79 0.40 1.41 0.40 1.41 0.57 1.41 0.57 0.57 1.72 1.72 0.46 1.72 0.46 1.32 0.46 1.32 0.65 1.32 0.65 0.65 1.66 1.66 0.49 1.66 0.49 1.29 0.49 1.29 0.69 1.29 0.69 0.69 1.63 1.63 0.49 1.63 0.49 1.33 0.49 1.33 0.67 1.33 0.67 0.67 1.64 1.64 0.46 1.64 0.46 1.40 0.46 1.40 0.62 1.40 0.62 0.62 1.66 1.66 0.43 1.66 0.43 1.48 0.43 1.48 1.48

0003 88 0003 0615 0003 0615 1242 SA 1242 SA 0615

0.55 0.55 1.67 0.55 1.67 0.41 1.67 0.41 1.56 0.41 1.56 1.56 0.50 0.50 1.67 0.50 1.67 0.40 1.67 0.40 1.62 0.40 1.62 1.62 0.46 0.46 1.65 0.46 1.65 0.41 1.65 0.41 1.66 0.41 1.66 1.66 0.45 0.45 1.61 0.45 1.61 0.44 1.61 0.44 1.68 0.44 1.68 1.68 0.45 0.45 1.56 0.45 1.56 0.47 1.56 0.47 1.70 0.47 1.70 1.70 0.46 0.46 1.51 0.46 1.51 0.51 1.51 0.51 1.69 0.51 1.69 1.69 0.49 0.49 1.45 0.49 1.45 0.56 1.45 0.56 1.68 0.56 1.68 1.68 0.52 0.52 1.39 0.52 1.39 0.62 1.39 0.62 1.64 0.62 1.64 1.64

11

SA SA SA

22

SU SU SU

33 MO MO MO

44

TU TU TU

55

WE WE WE

66

TH TH TH

77

FR FR FR

1853 SA 1242 1853 1853 0052 0052 0700 0052 0700 1321 SU 1321 SU 0700 1932 SU 1321 1932 1932 0136 0136 0742 0136 0742 1355 MO 1355 MO 0742 2009 MO 1355 2009 2009 0216 0216 0821 0216 0821 1427 TU 1427 TU 0821 2043 TU 1427 2043 2043 0255 0255 0858 0255 0858 1458 WE 1458 WE 0858 2116 WE 1458 2116 2116 0332 0332 0934 0332 0934 1528 TH 1528 TH 0934 2148 TH 1528 2148 2148 0411 0411 1012 0411 1012 1559 FR 1559 FR 1012 2222 FR 1559 2222 2222 0451 0451 1050 0451 1050 1631 SA 1631 SA 1050 2259 SA 1631 2259 2259

99

10 10 11 11 12 12 13 13

14 14 15 15

  Copyright Copyright Commonwealth Commonwealth of of Australia Australia 2015, 2015, Bureau Bureau of of Meteorology Meteorology  Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2015, Bureau of Meteorology Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tidedaylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect Times Times are are in in local local standard standard time time (UTC (UTC +10:00) +10:00) or or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect New First Moon Full New Moon Moon First Quarter Quarter Moon Phase Phase Symbols Symbols Full Moon Moon New Moon First Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon

Time Time 0533 0533 1132 0533 1132 1709 1132 1709 2338 1709 2338 2338 0622 0622 1219 0622 1219 1752 1219 1752 1752

m m m 0.57 0.57 1.33 0.57 1.33 0.68 1.33 0.68 1.60 0.68 1.60 1.60 0.61 0.61 1.27 0.61 1.27 0.74 1.27 0.74 0.74

0025 0025 18 0717 0025 0717 18 1315 TU 1315 TU 0717

1.55 1.55 0.65 1.55 0.65 1.23 0.65 1.23 0.79 1.23 0.79 0.79 1.50 1.50 0.66 1.50 0.66 1.22 0.66 1.22 0.82 1.22 0.82 0.82 1.49 1.49 0.63 1.49 0.63 1.26 0.63 1.26 0.80 1.26 0.80 0.80 1.51 1.51 0.58 1.51 0.58 1.34 0.58 1.34 0.74 1.34 0.74 0.74 1.56 1.56 0.50 1.56 0.50 1.45 0.50 1.45 0.64 1.45 0.64 0.64 1.63 1.63 0.42 1.63 0.42 1.57 0.42 1.57 1.57

16 16 SU SU SU

17 17 MO MO MO

1846 TU 1315 1846 1846 0120 0120 0819 0120 0819 1421 WE 1421 WE 0819 1953 WE 1421 1953 1953 0225 0225 0922 0225 0922 1531 TH 1531 TH 0922 2107 TH 1531 2107 2107 0332 0332 1018 0332 1018 1631 FR 1631 FR 1018 2215 FR 1631 2215 2215 0432 0432 1107 0432 1107 1722 SA 1722 SA 1107 2313 SA 1722 2313 2313 0526 0526 1152 0526 1152 1806 SU 1806 SU 1152 SU 1806

19 19 20 20

21 21

22 22 23 23

0005 0005 24 0615 0005 0615 24 1234 MO 1234 MO 0615 1850 MO 1234 1850 1850 0055 0055 0703 0055 0703 1316 TU 1316 TU 0703 1933 TU 1316 1933 1933 0145 0145 0753 0145 0753 1400 WE 1400 WE 0753 2018 WE 1400 2018 2018 0237 0237 0844 0237 0844 1445 TH 1445 TH 0844 2105 TH 1445 2105 2105 0330 0330 0937 0330 0937 1531 FR 1531 FR 0937 2154 FR 1531 2154 2154 0426 0426 1032 0426 1032 1621 SA 1621 SA 1032 2245 SA 1621 2245 2245 0524 0524 1130 0524 1130 1714 SU 1714 SU 1130 2340 SU 1714 2340 2340

25 25 26 26 27 27

28 28

29 29 30 30

0.53 0.53 1.70 0.53 1.70 0.36 1.70 0.36 1.70 0.36 1.70 1.70 0.42 0.42 1.74 0.42 1.74 0.31 1.74 0.31 1.82 0.31 1.82 1.82 0.32 0.32 1.75 0.32 1.75 0.29 1.75 0.29 1.92 0.29 1.92 1.92 0.26 0.26 1.72 0.26 1.72 0.31 1.72 0.31 1.98 0.31 1.98 1.98 0.24 0.24 1.66 0.24 1.66 0.36 1.66 0.36 2.00 0.36 2.00 2.00 0.25 0.25 1.58 0.25 1.58 0.44 1.58 0.44 1.96 0.44 1.96 1.96 0.30 0.30 1.49 0.30 1.49 0.53 1.49 0.53 1.89 0.53 1.89 1.89

Last Last Quarter Quarter Last Quarter

Tide predictions for Sydney (Fort Denison) have been formatted by the National Tidal Centre, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Copyright reserved. All material is supplied in good faith and is believed to be correct. It is supplied on the condition that no warranty is given in relation thereto, that no responsibility or liability for errors or omissions is, or will be, accepted and that the recipient will hold MHL and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology Australia free from all such responsibility or liability and from all loss or damage incurred as a consequence of any error or omission. Predictions should not be used for navigational purposes. Use of these tide predictions will be deemed to include acceptance of the above conditions.

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boats & kayaks

In In the the skipper’s skipper’s seat seat 96 Bundanoon bass Inside story...

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Editor Steve Morgan takes the Sea Jay Editor Steve Morgan takes the Sea Jay Velocity Sports 550 out for a run in Velocity Sports 550 out for a run in Raby Bay. Raby Bay.

Toby Grundy travels to an incredibly beautiful kayak fishery. This time, he stops at beautiful Bundanoon.

97 New Yamaha models Steve Morgan takes a look at the new 25 and 90hp models from Yamaha.

98 Yakking with Deeper Justin Willmer explains how to make the most of the new Deeper fish finding unit in the kayak.

100 The right boat

Wayne Kampe looks at how to choose a boat that’s right for what you want to do.

106 G2 Tournament 2000 Bluewater Wayne Kampe takes this fantastic offshore rig with a 200hp Suzuki for a spin.

Bundanoon Dam for rough and tough bass fishing CANBERRA

Toby Grundy

Bundanoon Dam is located about forty minutes from Mittagong and about 30 minutes from Mossvale in the Southern Highlands of NSW. Both of these towns have all the usual amenities including supermarkets, petrol stations, cafes and so on.

If you’re headed to the dam, stock up at one of these two towns. There is nothing close by the dam and should you get bogged in for the night (a distinct possibility), you will need plenty of food and water. There is a small tackle shop in Bowral where you can get fishing supplies.

Bring heaps of gear – there are a lot of snags.

I found out about Bundanoon Dam after talking to Team FishFlix. Tim, Ben and Dylan are three excellent bass fishers who spend a lot

that first trip and I broke my finger, but I did get a few bass. Since then, I have returned to the dam twice.

Though the fishing is not always easy, it’s a fun spot to cast a line for Australian bass.

FACILITIES There are no facilities in or around the dam area and the track to the dam is 4WD only. I really want to stress that the drive in should not be done in anything other than a 4WD, because the track is very rough and if it rains during the day or the night before, it can be almost impossible to get in or out in a regular car. This also means that it is very hard to bring a boat to the dam. It is far more suited to kayak fishing.

I recommend bringing a life jacket and a beacon to ensure you have contact with the outside world, as there is no phone reception.

SPECIES Bundanoon Dam is stocked with Australian

Tim and Ben have worked out the bass fishing at Bundanoon Dam. they do fight really hard.

They fight harder than river bass. I’ve been told a few big specimens also remain from a failed stocking program many years ago. I have yet to catch one.

Dylan with a solid Bundanoon bass. of time fishing the creeks, rivers and dams around the South Coast. They suggested I give Bundanoon a crack during the summer holidays.

My truck got bogged on

bass. This was organised by the Bowral flyfishing club in conjunction with NSW Fisheries. The bass aren’t big, as the stocking only began a few years ago, but

TECHNIQUES Tim from Fishflix recommended I throw a blade for my first visit, and I can attest that this is by far the most effective lure type

Polaroids are important for figuring out what the fish are feeding on.

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to use at Bundanoon. There must be a lot of little shrimp or yabbies in the dam, because the bass hit blades with ferocity as they sink through the water column or when slow rolled near a snag. Black is the best colour and the Ecogear ZX35 is a great size.

Other lures which work well for me are small Squidgy Wrigglers in 65mm and 80mm. Fast twitching these lures near the bottom and then up through the water column can result in a big hit and a larger than average specimen. Orange, green and black are great colour choices and a 1/8oz jighead gets the plastic down deep nice and quick.

There is a surface bite at dawn and dusk in January and February. Fish can be very skittish, even during these prime times – I’m still working out the surface bite. If you are after surface action, be on the dam before first light and be prepared to throw lots of different surface lures to discover what they are feeding on at that time.

THE KAYAK I used my trusty Native Slayer Propel 13 and it handled the dam well.

I will say that this kayak can be hard to manoeuvre in tight spots, and there are several parts of the dam where the water gets very skinny. We also took a very inexpensive paddle yak to test out. The dam is protected by significant hills on all sides, so there is very little wind. It’s very easy to fish with just a rod, reel, a handful of lures and a basic kayak setup.

LOCATIONS The area near the dam wall is a good place to start and the majority of the reedlined banks also hold fish.

Sometimes the bass will move deeper. If you don’t get a strike in close, move out deeper, look for the dropoffs, put a plastic right on their heads and jig up.

There are several rocky points that are worth a look, especially if the bass are holding deeper. I know that the experienced anglers pick up a lot of their better fish in these areas.

TACKLE The bass in the dam can be a challenging proposition,

through. This is very light and though I have lost a few big fish, I catch a lot more now than I did the first time I fished the dam with a heavier outfit.

Polaroids are an important part of any angler’s arsenal if fishing Bundanoon. Sometimes the bass will be holding high up the water column and won’t be hitting lures. It pays to watch them for a while and figure out exactly what size baitfish or yabby they are chasing and then match the hatch.

TIMING I recommend fishing the dam around the end of summer when the water is warmer and the bass will go for surface offerings, which is really exciting. I have also found that the fish bite well during a full moon or during cloudy/rainy days.

CONCLUSION Bundanoon Dam represents a significant challenge for any bass fisho, as it is very hard to get to and the bass are

The author hooked up to a serious fish. as they are sometimes completely disinterested in chasing lures. Therefore, it is really important to use the lightest gear possible. Finesse pays at Bundanoon Dam. I use a Daiwa Gekkabijin 7’6” spin stick rated 1.5-3kg and a Daiwa Certate 1003 spooled with 3kg fluorocarbon straight

often shut down. However, it is a beautiful place to fish and a place that is, for the moment, relatively untouched. For that reason, it’s a great place to have a paddle. While you may not get a fish, the wildlife, rolling hills and gin-clear water make it a must for the experienced kayak fisho.

The Ecogear ZX blade is a super effective lure to use at Bundanoon.

Yamaha launches new 25 and 90hp models FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

At the recent Yamaha Dealer Conference and Media Launch at Couran Cove on Queensland’s Gold Coast, Yamaha proudly announced a suite of new products, but the highlight for media and dealers

If you thought this 90 looks like a 115 mated with a 70, then you’d be right.

The 90 borrows from the 115B’s four-cylinder power unit and also the valve train technology of the uberpopular F70. In technical speak, it’s a single overhead cam (SOHC), 16 valve, 1.8L, four-cylinder engine.

Yamaha says, “The F90 is compatible with

good economy – and well over 4km/L for larger and heavier craft.

Console-steer and tiller steer models are available to suit whatever fitout you need and pricing starts at under $5,000.

ON THE WATER On the water, dealers are treated to a variety of Australian-made and imported boats to take

Fuel economy for the new 25 was fantastic – this Stessco Catcher delivered 5.2km/L burned.

System (VTS) – a switch on the tiller that increases or decreases rpm between 750 and 1050.

Battery-less EFI ensures that pull-starting the motor is as easy as possible. Initial testing reveals that the new F25 delivers up to 6.5km/L of fuel burned – ridiculously

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outboard with a 25hp sticker on it.

Currently, it’s the lightest 25hp fourstroke on the market today, weighing it at between 57-64kg depending on the configuration and clever design ensures that this motor outshines even Yamaha’s own two-stroke version in all aspects – economy, acceleration and ease of use.

It’s a single overhead cam (SOHC), two-cylinder outboard that displaces 432cc. And unlike previous 25s, the F25 allows the user to control the throttle at idle with its Variable Throttle

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SPECIFICATIONS - F90B Shaft Lengths.......................L, XL Dry weight............................from 162kg Operating range...................5000-6000rpm Idling Speed.........................700-800rpm VTS adjustment...................550-1000rpm Engine Type..........................four-stroke, SOHC, ..............................................L4, 16 valve Displacement.......................1832cc Lubrication...........................Wet Sump Engine oil capacity..............3.2L Alternator.............................35A Cooling.................................Raw water Exhaust.................................Through propeller Emission Rating...................three star Fuel.......................................Regular unleaded

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You could be thinking that a F70 mated with a F115 to make the F90, and it’s pretty true. The 90 shares technology from both platforms.

Yamaha’s comprehensive range of Command Link digital gauges, with options of both basic back-lit LCD and premium full colour displays. The engine is also NMEA2000 compatible, allowing the F90 to share information with third party multi-function displays, GPS and fish finders.”

“The F90 shares the same mounting holes as other outboards of similar sizes making for an easy switch from a two-stroke, or other brands to a latest generation Yamaha 4-stroke engine.

F25 Although only a small outboard, the new 25hp wasn’t outshone by its bigger brother at the dealer launch.

Noticeably smaller and lighter than its predecessor, it seriously looks like a 15hp

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alike was the unveiling of their new 25hp and 90hp models. These outboards effectively complete their four-stroke range, which now offers everything from 2hp to 350hp.

F90 The 90hp Yamaha will really hit a sweet spot, especially with locally built boats. Many manufacturers have models that are rated to 90hp. Surprisingly, Yamaha’s previous line-up only had an 80 and 100hp options.

The new F90 comes in with 300 more cc (1.8L displacement compared with the previous 1.5L models) and it’s also 10kg lighter that the 80/100 platform.

Understandably, this equates to better performance and economy at nearly all levels of operation. Yamaha quotes 10% better efficiency that the previous platform.

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There’s a pile of Aussie boat manufacturers that have a maximum rating of 90hp on their hulls. The new Yamaha F90 will broaden the powerplant options for these users.

electronics packages in the small trailer boats,” he said.

Stones Corner Marine’s James Cullen was just as excited about the new aluminium K-series propellers that provide

Brisbane Marine’s Aaron Goodchild was also excited, mainly because he’ll have a pile of the new outboards bigger than you could jump over, as well as the remaining stocks of the older models.

Overall, the Yamaha staff were justifiably proud Not only is the Yamaha F25 lighter than its predecessor, but it’s only a two-cylinder and has a substantially smaller physical size.

SPECIFICATIONS - F25 Shaft Lengths.......................S, L Dry weight............................from 57kg Operating range...................5000-6000rpm Idling Speed.........................850-950rpm VTS adjustment...................750-1050rpm Engine Type..........................four-stroke, SOHC, ..............................................L2, four valve Displacement.......................432cc Lubrication...........................Wet Sump Engine oil capacity..............1.1L Alternator.............................16A Cooling.................................Raw water Exhaust.................................Through propeller Emission Rating...................three stars Fuel.......................................Regular unleaded these motors for a test drive.

Fishing Monthly took the opportunity to chat to a few of the dealers as they departed the marina to get their initial impressions.

You can see these in the extended video coverage of the launch by scanning the QR codes on this page. Can’t do it? Hand your phone to the nearest teenager and get them to set up the app for you.

Yamaha’s Glenn Gibson was revved about the batteryless EFI of the 25. “What does this mean? It means you get to the water, you turn the key or pull the rope, and it starts first pull, every time. That’s the advantage of battery-less EFI,” he said.

Likewise, Stuart Smith loved the [electronic] power output of the new F90.

“These motors are a lighter weight and have a big alternator – 35 amps – and they produce 28 amps at 1000rpm, so they’re great for those guys with their big

brilliant performance at a fraction of the cost of a stainless steel propeller.

“It’s been a gap in the market for sure and it’s great to have a propeller that gives great performance for not a lot of coin,” he said when departing the dock.

of finally completing their range of modern four-stroke outboards and the dealers mirrored their enthusiasm.

Both models are available now, so you can check them out at your nearest Yamaha dealer or visit www.yamahamotor.com.au.

Big Willie Lee used to work for Fishing Monthly, but he seems at home here demonstrating the new F90 to Yamaha dealers. Good work, Big Willie!

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Product Profile

Getting Deeper into kayaking BRISBANE

Justin Willmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

Whether it’s a lake, river or the open ocean, the surface of the water hides many secrets below, including changes in water depth, holes, drains and depressions in the bottom, along with structure such as weed, rock, oysters and timber.

sneak peek at what is below the surface. A depth sounder or Fishfinder is what truly opens your eyes to the world beneath the kayak.

For the many anglers that love the simplicity of kayak fishing, a sounder can seem a complicated option with its transducer and transducer cable, head unit, power cable and a battery requiring installation and management.

For others, it’s not worth the

weight and lack of portability when accessing hard to get at launch points or portaging from pool to pool.

When I stumbled upon the Deeper wireless Fishfinder for smartphones at one of the annual fishing expos, I got chatting with the guys from Deeper and was blown away with how far this portable technology had evolved. Needless to say, being the gadget freak

or even fish land-based.

I effectively have a highpowered Fishfinder that I can hold in one hand.

The setup was simple and I soon had my charged Deeper and a fully charged smartphone, in its Lifeproof waterproof case, ready to hit the water. I was looking for a quick and easy location on the kayak to clamp my flexible arm mount and the Railblaza Camera Mount, mounted on the kayak using the Railblaza StarPort system, was the perfect option.

I use this camera mount for taking photos using the timer while holding fish.

With a little effort it can be rotated, allowing me to swing the flexible arm and Deeper in and out of the kayak as required. This is handy as the Deeper has two contacts on the bottom that power the unit

The Deeper, carry pouch and box – is that a sounder in your pocket?

The Flexible Arm Mount allows the Deeper to be swung back into the kayak when not in use.

It also conceals bait and schools of fish that are often attracted to this structure, as it offers shelter, food and a break from the current where there is flow. Polarised sunglasses cut the glare off the surface of the water, allowing you a

IN THE BOX • Deeper Smart Fishfinder • 2 Attachment Bolts • Carry Pouch • USB Cable • Instructions

The smartphone in a Lifeproof case, connected to a Deeper.

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that I am, I soon had one in my arsenal and was keen to get out on the water and put it to the test.

Out of the box the Deeper wireless Fishfinder fits in the palm of your hand with its 6.5cm diameter. It only weighs 100g. It floats, allowing you attach your line to one of its screw in attachment points to cast it and map an area if you are land-based, or simply attach a cord and allow it to float beside the boat or kayak.

I opted to grab their flexible arm mount that simply clamps onto the kayak. The Deeper then has a thread which screws quickly and easily into the other end of the arm.

Then you bend the arm so the Deeper is positioned in the water.

I plugged the included cord into my home computer and unscrewed the two halves of the Deeper, allowing it to be plugged in to charge. It was then time to grab my smartphone and load the Deeper app. My smartphone was about to get even smarter, becoming the head unit of my sounder as it connects to the Deeper via Bluetooth. It’s a smart, simple and extremely portable system.

I can fit the Deeper unit in one pocket and my phone in the other if I’m heading on a fishing adventure. I can throw it in my luggage when travelling to locations where there’s a chance I can get my hands on a boat or kayak,

Drop off into the drain located and bream are on!

up when placed in water.

By lifting the unit out of the water when travelling between fishing spots, having lunch or at other periods when it’s not required, you can extend the run time of the unit and also switch off your Bluetooth to conserve phone power. In saying that, I fished for a few hours each session on the water without flattening the battery.

Remember when mounting your flexible arm to ensure it is clear of your paddle stroke before fixing it in position.

For performance, I was impressed with the detail and accuracy, as well as the operating speed of the Deeper. Within a few minutes I had worked out the basics of the app and it felt to me like I was looking at the head unit of a traditional hard mounted sounder. It was time to find some fish.

On my maiden voyage with the Deeper, the plan was to locate a boat that had sunk in recent months during a violent storm. Find the structure, find the fish. I soon located the sunken vessel,

Without a sounder it’s just a big flat expanse. The sounder opens your eyes to what’s below.

Product Profile positioned the kayak to cast up current, past the structure and retrieve my small paddletail plastic naturally back past the structure with the water flow.

bottom dropped away and I was in the drain.

I then repositioned the kayak to fire my casts up the drain and retrieved the little paddle-tail back with

and locating my drain, and catching the bream, I headed over to fish for flathead on a large weed flat. My plan here was to use the Deeper to locate a sandy drain that

A bream landed from the sunken vessel located using Deeper.

The Deeper is a simple and effective sounder option for kayak anglers.

On the first cast I got a tap. Second cast, I was hooked up to a reasonable bream. After six solid bream and two smaller ones in an hour I was convinced that the Deeper was going to find me plenty of structure, bait schools and fish.

The plan for my second session with the Deeper was to really put it to the test, with an hour on the water to find a bream and a flathead

a few hops, followed by a slow roll with the occasional twitch. My second cast got a solid take from a fish that bolted out of the drain and into deeper water.

There was plenty of current as the tide built toward a big high and this fish was giving a good account of itself. A couple more runs and I was surprised to see a cracker bream come up yakside. A quick photo

runs through the weed flat, allowing me to cast plastics up the length of the drain without fouling in the weed.

At first I attempted to position the kayak without the sounder, simply using landmarks to try and locate the gutter. I found weed, weed and more weed. I then used the Deeper to locate where the weed gave way to clean, sandy bottom and it’s surprising that even when

start shaking it like crazy and wear through your leader in seconds.

Finally the flathead was in the net and unfortunately it had been hooked deep in the gills and was bleeding heavily, so I opted to take it home for dinner. I would normally release a fish in the high 50s, preferring to keep the smaller fish

and within a few minutes the alarm sounded to signal the end of my fishing time, mission successful.

Having a depth sounder on the kayak had definitely improved my chances of finding fish and allowed me to locate the structure and bait that often leads to a successful session. I enjoyed the portability and simplicity

DualBeam sounder option and an excellent sounder option for kayak anglers.

Now I think I’ll pull out the instruction manual so that I can learn about all of the other features of the Deeper, including calendar, camera, weather, notes, maps and sharing. Whether you keep it simple and find a few fish or explore

Quick and simple, the Deeper is mounted with no cables and no heavy battery.

Water depth can change dramatically over a short distance.

Deeper keeps you fishing the right areas. for this article. It was half tide and the 34cm fork length fish in, far from my favourite tide was returned to the water for and I would use the Deeper to someone else to catch. I was locate a drain that crosscuts a all smiles and the first half of large flat that I fish, with the the plan had come together. hope of throwing a few casts With only an hour on the up the drain in search of a water available before I had to bream. With the Deeper as my be somewhere else and almost eyes, I drifted the flat until the half of it gone pedalling to FEATURES Diameter....................... 6.5cm Weight........................... 100g Connectivity................. Bluetooth Compatible................... Android & iOS Range........................... Up to 40-50m away

from phone Depth............................ 40m Battery Life................... Six hours Sonar ........................... DualBeam Frequency..................... 290 kHz (15°) / 90 kHz (55°) Find more at: ............... www.buydeeper.com

using landmarks you can be a good couple of casts away from where you need to be.

After half a dozen casts and no touches in the drain, I was beginning to second guess my choice of location and then on the eighth cast – clunk. I love that feeling of a flathead nailing the plastic as it is paused, after a couple of hops up off the bottom.

The flathead took off across the weed and as it came to the surface I noticed it had swallowed the plastic right down. This creates a lot of tense moments as the flathead plays up close to the kayak and the leader begins to wear. Just keep its head under water so that it doesn’t

from 45-55cm and leave the larger breeders to their business, but there was a high chance that this fish would not survive a release.

I began my paddle home

of the Deeper, but also the speed, power, display and effectiveness of the unit when combined with a smartphone.

This is a legitimate,

all of the features this unit has to offer, it’s worth looking… Deeper. For more information, check out the Deeper website at www.deepersonar.com.

The author’s second challenge required the Deeper to find the sandy channel through the weed, producing this nice flathead.

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How to select the right boat for the task BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Boat selection sounds simple enough, although it would take pages and pages to cover all the variables involved! Instead, I will confine my comments to cover some of the more important things involved with finding the right fishing boat for the job!

and water conditions that the owner expects to deal with for the majority of his or her fishing (and how many people they expect to have on board).

Note that very important word, ‘majority.’ A wise boat owner selects a rig that will be ideal for the majority of the fishing in mind, with or without crew aboard.

These conditions should govern the choice of boat, with perhaps three main criteria to consider in the

conditions in line with the design parameters of the rig – really come into their own. In essence, it’s the combination of both of these qualities that make a boat great to own.

FREEBOARD Freeboard must be adequate for the conditions you expect to encounter. It must also be adequate to cater for what can amount to the worst situation on the day.

Clearly, a craft to be used in smooth waters such as rivers

The Iconic 5.5m is a fabulous offshore or wide bay rig but would be hard to justify in the stealthy corners of a barra dam.

Tailored Marine’s half cabin rig would be just the ticket for offshore work with fishing confined to the cockpit’s work area.

When most people choose a fishing boat, they look at how suitable it is for the kind of fishing they usually do and the places they go, whether it’s smooth water such as impoundments or rivers, the not-quite-so-smooth going estuaries and bays, or far out into the bluewater environment.

Such a diverse range of fishing environments will cover all manner of watercraft, from kayaks to specialised boats set up for far offshore travel, with everything from manual power right up to very serious horsepower involved in their propulsion.

In between there are many options, each specifically tailored to suit the fishing

selection of that elusive right boat for the job.

RIDE QUALITY AND SEA KEEPING Firstly, ride quality and sea keeping capability are very important. We go fishing for enjoyment, not for punishment. Nobody wants to be driving a wet boat or one that it so rough riding that it’s a relief to finally get out of the thing at the end of the day.

Water conditions will always vary so much that what might start out to be a lovely calm morning at the boat ramp can turn very nasty when a breeze kicks in and chop develops. This is exactly when ride quality and sea keeping – the ability to handle sea or other water

and impoundments might not need as much freeboard as one heading out into the bay or over a bar crossing on a regular basis.

It’s smart to remember that we boat owners are notorious for biting off more than we can chew, so to speak, and when things have turned from nice to nasty, a boat that has plenty of freeboard in regard to length will always be an asset. Combining excellent sea keeping and ride quality with ample freeboard is an art form, and most major boat manufacturers have this well in hand these days.

FISHING ROOM Fishing room is the one element that seems to cause the most teeth gnashing and

Light weight, easy performance from the Suzuki and room for a couple to fish in comfort makes the Cross Country ideal for rivers, lakes and the like.

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hand wringing. We all seem to want a fishing boat of just the right size – not too big, not too small – but one question always arises: is there enough fishing room?

Looking again at the broad spectrum of boats available, there’s no question that an open tiller-steer craft has all the fishing room. However, no one is very happy to be out on the bay or offshore (or even on a windswept and choppy impoundment for that matter) in an entirely open boat.

Where’s the waterproof gear?

It’s far better to keep the tiller steer jobs for the smooth water, the centre or side console rig for the bay along with rivers and dams, and a full or half cabin craft as the offshore option. Fishing room then comes down to maximum use of the space available, even if it might be a bit of a compromise given the other features aboard the rig.

Centre and side consoles take up room, but they provide ample convenience while full or half cabins confine fishing room to the cockpit area aft of the cabin.

MAKING THE SELECTION With those criteria in mind, it’s pretty obvious that the selection of the right fishing boat – putting aside things such as glass vs alloy and cost issues for now – will come down to ticking as many boxes as possible.

Remember that all boats are a compromise. They always have been and always will be. Anglers live with those compromises and work around them. The clue is to sit down at the desk and make some headings, setting out just what the craft will be mainly used for, and what will be involved in getting it to the chosen fishing location.

Power selection is very important. It’s wise to always select the power needed for the main situations, taking into account the number of

people who will usually be aboard the rig, and the sort of fishing in mind. Look at what would make the rig just that little bit better for the selected tasks, and how things can be brought together to make it happen.

Other important criteria to consider are the overall size, trailerability, ease of launching and retrieving along with comfort aboard, both when travelling on the water and when fishing. The end result will hopefully be the ideal combination of all of these things.

The fact is that it’s difficult, but not impossible, to get a one-boat-fits-all craft.

Think about the waterways you like to fish, and the different kinds of fishing you like to do. If they aren’t drastically different, you’re

sweet. If not, you’ll have to make concessions. Common sense dictates that an extra fast, low-freeboard bass boat that can scoot to the far corner of most of our impoundments within minutes won’t be much use heading out through the Southport Seaway on a sloppy day with a bit of swell about. Likewise, a fabulous 7m offshore rig will be a pain to use in confined shallow water sections of places like Monduran or Kinchant dams in search of barra.

Still, it might well be possible to combine freeboard, excellent sea keeping, ride quality and fishing room in one craft suited to a wide variety of fishing pursuits, if you go about things correctly.

Next month we will take a closer look at ways of going about this.

A lot of impoundment barra are taken from small boats, where low profile craft are in their element.

Fishing Fill-its

All 4 Adventure Rhino Rack Swag From larrikin exploration TV personalities, All 4 Adventure, and veteran Australian outdoor brand, Rhino-Rack, comes the Swag you’ve been waiting for: The All 4 Adventure Rhino Rack Swag.

This swag has been designed to tackle even the toughest and most unforgiving of terrain.

Waterproof and durable, this domed unit is strong enough to be laid down on almost any surface, without fear of tearing – it even forms a

protective outer shell when rolled up.

The screens are made from the highest quality of mesh, this swag is midge proofed. This means that even the smallest of biting insects are kept out.

Within the body of the swag is a thick, fully bonded, water resistant, self

inflating mattress, featuring four valves for fast inflating or deflating when you’re in a hurry. Add the non-slip base and 190T polyester foam core and you get the perfect recipe for a great night’s sleep.

The Rhino-Rack All 4 Adventure Series swag also comes with a compact adjustable, anodised 25mm diameter pole, built to resist rusting and to easily hold the roof of the swag.

And thanks to an easy grip and twist lock mechanism,

you’ll be afforded fast setup and pack down, leaving you with more time to get on with your escapades.

The three end poles

are in league of their own, each 11mm in diameter poles, making them thicker than most swag poles on the market - this is to stop them from breaking during setup or packing down, as well as to withstand extreme weather conditions and help the swag hold its shape.

The All 4 Adventure Rhino Rack Swag even boasts guy ropes with reflective strips to improve nocturnal visibility, for a safer camping experience.

With its easy-access interior and external zippers, and the backing

of trusted names like All 4 Adventure and RhinoRack, this swag will come through for you when you need it to, every time. It has a RRP of $599, and more information is available at www.all4adventure.com. – A4A/Rhino Rack

Never run out of water again When you’re trekking through the outdoors, it’s vital to have plenty of clean drinking water.

Leading outdoor water filtration brand Katadyn have developed the BeFree – a lightweight, collapsible water filtering flask to keep you hydrated, even if you run out of water.

The Katadyn BeFree EZ-Clean Membrane works by removing 99.999% of the bacteria and protozoan cysts commonly found in lakes, rivers and streams, making the water collected safe for consumption. With regular cleaning, the filter cartridge is able to process 1000L of water before replacement is required.

Cleaning the EZ-Clean Membrane couldn’t be any easier thanks to the Free Flow Channels. Simply add clean water and shake or swish water over the filter to keep it maintained and ready for use.

Weighing in at 59g, the BPA-free soft flask packs down to almost nothing, meaning that this drinking vessel can be stored away almost unnoticeably until it’s required. The 600mL capacity will keep you hydrated for hours, and the

wide 42mm mouth makes refilling a breeze, ensuring total ease of use.

The BeFree Water Filtration System by Katadyn has already received Gold at the ISPO Award 2017 in the Outdoor Accessories segment. The ISPO Award has established itself as seal of quality for the global sporting and outdoor goods industry.

Ideal for hiking, camping and travelling in remote areas where clean water is scarce, the Katadyn BeFree could be the difference between a grand adventure and a nightmare situation. It is priced at RRP $69.95 is available nationally through all good outdoor retailers. - Katadyn

The perfect boats for barra, bass or bream

You’ll find them where the fish are... since 1967 Mako 214 CC

For more than 20 years, Nitro have continually refined and delivered serious fishing boats for serious anglers.

Nitro boats are foam-filled to exceed US Coast Guard survey requirements.

This gives you the safety of level floatation, security and comfort – and additional fishing stealth – all backed by a Limited Lifetime Warranty.

Mako 234 CC Mako 284 CC

Fishing with Nitro is a blast!

Whether you’re a tournament pro or a weekend warrior, Nitro boats will ignite your passion and pack more fun into your day. Just getting there is half the fun!

The latest offerings from Mako feature the deepest internal freeboard of any boats in their class, while still providing large underfloor fish boxes, and the huge safety benefits of a true self-draining cockpit and foamfilled hull.

You’ll enjoy your offshore fishing more knowing that Mako’s 100% composite construction is totally rot-free, enabling Mako to give you the best warranty in the business – the Mako Assurance Life Time Warranty

The world’s #1 aluminium fishing boats!

Tracker’s outstanding quality and unique manufacturing process have made them the world’s largest boat builder – producing more than 40,000 aluminium fishing boats per year. Their foam-filled, unsinkable, 3mm plate alloy hulls are robotically welded to deliver superior quality at a lower cost – and are backed by a Limited Lifetime Warranty.

Tracker’s Pro Guide series is designed with a deep-vee hull for exceptional performance, even in rough waters.

Their Diamond Coat finish is a Tracker exclusive that resists oxidation, providing protection and a shine lasting 70% longer. Standard features include a Minn Kota trolling motor and Lowrance colour sounder, plus tournament-ready live well systems and rod lockers.

Call Tim Stessl now on 0429 680 504 to arrange a test drive or email tim@flboats.com.au Hopefully it will be rough, as you’ll be stunned by the performance of these boats when the weather gets challenging!

Fishing and Leisure Boats, 167 Currumburra Road, Ashmore, QLD 4214

www.fishingandleisureboats.com.au APRIL 2017

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WHAT’S NEW BOATING NEW SUZUKI OUTBOARD RANGE

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The Haines Group, distributors of Suzuki outboards, have announced the arrival of the sleek, new 2017 range of outboard models to the Australian market.

The range has been given a sophisticated and stylish overhaul. Aside from the popular Cool White option, the new range is now available in Pearl Nebular Black, which is inlaid with blue micro-metal flakes which absorb light and sparkle in the sun. As well as the colour update, the new models also feature renewed graphics with decals that provide a more modern and polished look.

Suzuki’s drive by wire series (DF150AP, DF175AP, DF200AP, DF250AP, DF300AP), are distinguished by 3D monochromatic graphics and a solid emblem.

National Marketing Manager, Mr Sean Allen, says the range still offers the same features and innovations Suzuki is known for.

“Our award winning products provide more value with unique features, such as Lean Burn fuel technology, offset driveshaft and maintenance-free timing chains, just to name a few,” said Mr Allen.

www.suzukimarine.com.au

HDS GEN3 AND ELITE-TI UPDATE

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Software updates for Lowrance’s HDS Gen3, Elite-5 Ti and 7 Ti displays include significant sonar enhancements, new Navionics functionality and general improvements.

Surface Clarity functionality has been significantly enhanced to remove clutter without affecting targets, allowing anglers to reveal fish near the surface without filtering all sonar returns. Live Network Sonar allows HDS Gen3 users to view and control two independent, live sonar sources from a single display.

SonarChart Live lets you create 0.5m HD bathymetric maps in real time on HDS Gen3 and Elite-Ti series displays, and Navionics Dock-toDock Autorouting creates intelligent, detailed routes for navigating through cramped, narrow channels (both features require a Navionics card with an active chart updates subscription).

Plotter Sync lets you easily download the latest Navionics chart data and transfer waypoints and routes between the Navionics app and a mapping card via the wireless connectivity of HDS Gen3 and Elite-Ti displays.

Plotter Sync requires a subscription to the Navionics app and a Navionics mapping card with active daily updates. www.lowrance.com/en.au

GARMIN VHF 110 AND 210

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Garmin’s powerful VHF 110 and VHF 210 AIS marine radios complement the latest GPSMAP multi-function displays and offer full integration with Garmin systems.

The VHF 110 offers 25W of transmit power and Class D Digital Selective Calling (DSC) compatibility, and NOAA weather alerts and Position Tracking, which lets you locate and keep tabs on up to three boats that use a Garmin system.

Offering the same features as the VHF 110, the VHF 210 AIS also incorporates a built-in AIS receiver for improved situational awareness, and comes with a two-way hailer system that can be connected to a hailer horn or external speaker on the deck or tower for on-board communication.

The VHF 210 AIS also provides DSC functionality, including distress calling and direct calling with Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI).

Price: SRP $429 - $899 www.garmin.com/en-AU

NEW WHITTLEY ON-BOARD OS

PRODUCT GUIDE

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Using technology from Garmin, Fusion, C-Zone and Volvo, Whittley has created the next-gen fishing station for its SL range and cruising helms on its range of CR models: the Whittley Pulse.

Volvo offers car-like integration – everything is operated by the one waterproof ‘eKey’.

The eKey runs the battery management system and features battery protection and automatic start aid, borrowing energy from the auxiliary battery to ensure there’s always power to start the engine.

The system is connected to a Garmin or Volvo Penta glass cockpit display, which provides a clear visual on everything in 7’’, 12’’ and 16” options. It’s clean and minimalist with no gauges. It is also connected to FUSION-Link, which talks to a concealed unit and can be operated via Bluetooth or by the Garmin Helm app. All functions of the boat can be operated through this app, including a second screen. Additionally, all the Volvo Penta engine data is displayed digitally on the Volvo Penta glass cockpit or Garmin screens.

Visit the Whittley website to find out more. www.whittleymarinegroup.com.au

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HONDA’S NEW CONCEPT OUTBOARD 5 Honda Marine broke the mould for marine engines at the 2017 Miami International Boat Show with a bold, new concept engine.

For exceptional aerodynamics, the tailored packaging of the Honda Marine concept engine includes a sculpted centre channel inlaid with a honeycomb mesh trim.

The heat ducts feature an interwoven design with black honeycomb mesh reminiscent of the intakes on the 2017 Honda NSX. The most striking part of this innovative outboard, however, is the floating winged blade, inspired by the 2017 Honda NSX Supercar.

There is currently no production intent for this specific design concept, but it will be interesting to see what design variations it may inspire in the future. www.marine.honda.com.au

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RAYMARINE AXIOM 6 MFDS The new Raymarine Axiom MFDs feature lifelike imagery via Raymarine’s RealVision 3D for superior fish and structure identification. The new glass touch screens are available in 7”, 9”, and 12.1” sizes and come installed with the new LightHouse 3 operating system. Combined with a fast quad core processor, LightHouse 3 delivers a powerful navigation experience that is quick to learn and easy to personalise.

RealVision 3D Sonar lets you see what’s below, behind, and to the sides of the boat, all at once and in 3D. It reveals structure and fish in stunning detail. You can easily pan, tilt and zoom the 3D image to examine from any angle, even from unique POVs like looking up to the boat. A tap on the point-of-interest anywhere in the 3D space allows easy waypointing.

RealVision 3D transducers combine CHIRP DownVision, CHIRP SideVision, High Frequency CHIRP, and RealVision 3D in one housing, and gyro-stabilized sonar technology compensates for boat movement.

Price: SRP $1199-$4999 www.raymarine.com.au

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

SCAN THE QR CODE!

APRIL 2017

103

Sea Jay Velocity Sports 550 – a big, versatile tinny

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Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

It’s a real lucky dip when we get to take a boat out for a test. Sometimes we’re cursed with billiard-table flat seas. Other times we are blessed with a bay that looks like a washing machine. It’s these rough days where you can really find out what a hull can do.

After all, there’s no such thing as a crappy ride on a calm sea.

Sea Jay’s Velocity Sports models are based on the Samurai hull – built with a steep entry, which tapers off to around 16° of deadrise at the transom. Couple that with some wide reverse chines and you get Sea Jay’s iteration of a perfect compromise between the

ability to carve water and stability at rest.

There are three models in the Velocity Sports range and we tested the largest of them. The test boat was fitted out by Stones Corner Marine as a staff and demonstration model. Powered by a Yamaha F130 four-stroke, it wasn’t missing any of the fruit you’d expect, kind of the same way you never see a butcher with an iron deficiency.

After completing the

obligatory performance statistics in the sheltered waters of Raby Bay, Stones Corner’s Troy Wegner and I got the opportunity to take the rig out in more exposed waters to see what it could do. Anything up to around 0.75m the Velocity took in its stride – the length of the hull and mass of the boat allowed the craft to bridge the ‘holes in the road.’

When wind blew against tide and the waves really stood up, you needed to

PERFORMANCE RPM. Speed (km/h) Economy (km/L) 650.................................. 8......................................6.8 1000................................ 9......................................5.2 2000...............................14......................................2.7 3000.............................. 22......................................2.2 4000.............................. 42......................................2.9 5000.............................. 54......................................2.2 6300.............................. 70......................................1.4 * Fitted with a SOLAS 13.5” x 16 pitch propeller.

You can see how deep the sides of this boat are.

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Main Pic: Sea Jay’s 550 Velocity Sports is a big, beamy boat. With nearmaximum allowable beam (for towing) and a mile of deck space, this rig covers a pile of inshore and offshore applications. Above: The raised front casting deck sees the angler up the bow fishing with their feet well above the waterline when the boat is at rest. The rails are low enough to cast sidearm. come off the throttle and drive the boat through the troughs and that’s standard for a boat of this length.

Also standard, if you decide to quarter the sea while off the plane, you will get spray blown back across you.

Overall, though, there are few aluminium open boats that you’d take on the bay with the same confidence as the Sea Jay. The 1.3m depth allows you to crawl through the nastiest slop without stuffing the bow under.

As usual, a mid-range Yamaha provides superlative fuel economy, yielding 2.9km/L at the optimal cruising range (4000 rpm) and backs it up with great hole shot (four seconds to planing speed).

If, for any reason, the bright yellow hull didn’t turn heads at the ramp, the

optional accessories certainly would, especially when you decided to remote-deploy the MinnKota 80lb Ulterra. It’s a neat party trick.

Coupled with a Humminbird Helix 9, you have all of the tools you need for tracking down and effectively catching fish anywhere from your local freshwater lake through to offshore and everything in between.

Completing the package is the OEM Sea Jay Trailer, built specifically for this hull by Dunbier trailers. Constructed on an alloy I-beam backbone and fitted with braked mag wheels on its twin axles, you can be sure that your investment is being well looked after.

Sea Jay are so confident with the combination that they double the warranty on the hull to two years if you

choose this option.

As tested the boat rolls off the yard in the low $60Ks. You can get into a lower-spec Velocity Sports 550 package for under $50,000. For more information or a test drive of your own, contact Marina Bayside in Taren Point on (02) 9524 0044 or visit www.marinabayside.com.au.

SPECIFICATIONS Bottom...................4mm Sides......................3mm Beam....................2.45m Depth.....................1.3m Floor Ribs.................. 14 Capacity..... six persons Hull weight..........660kg Rec hp.....................100 Max hp..................... 150 Max Motor Weight....230 Overall Length.....5.60m

Matched with a Sea Jay trailer OEM built by Dunbier, the Velocity Sports gets an extra year of warranty. It’s a damn sexy trailer, too. Aluminium I-beam construction and alloy mag wheels would make anyone feel funny inside.

A steep bow entry tapers down to a 16° deadrise at the transom. On the water, this translated to the ability to punch across a chop of about 0.75m. After that, you need to slow down and navigate the troughs.

Top Left: Lots of anglers appreciate the ability to either anchor or use the electric motor, depending on conditions. There’s room in that anchor well to fit an anchor winch, too. Bottom Left: The 60” of MinnKota shaft were just enough to use in calm waters.

Right: Humminbird’s Helix 9 is a great all-round unit and combines side image, down image, GPS and mapping features.

The Yamaha F130 threw the Sea Jay up and onto the plane in around four seconds. It definitely wasn’t a slouch out of the hole.

Clever use of underfloor space allows for a variety of wet and covered options in the final layout of the Velocity.

Left: Everything you want in a console is right here – room for big electronics, plenty to hold on to, double shelves out of the weather and the ability to drive from a standing or seated position. Right: The tackle trays in the side of the console were the icing on the cake.

If this console was any more hotted up, it’d leave skid marks.

There’s a whole lot of workspace on this front deck. This image doesn’t really do it justice. You could lie across it.

If you’re a deeper water angler, you’ll appreciate the lower cockpit floor behind the casting deck. There are no rod lockers in this hull layout – the vertical rod storage in front of the console does just fine.

APRIL 2017

105

G2 Tournament 2000 Bluewater with Suzuki 200 BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

The second generation 2000 Bluewater sits mid range in the Tournament range of pleasure craft manufactured by the busy Haines Group. At 6.29m in length and with a 2.34m in beam it’s a lot of boat, sure to be appreciated by many people – especially those who need to have a great all rounder suited just as well for family pursuits as for dedicated fishing.

The addition of an optional hard top, built on a very strong framework, is one of the distinguishing characteristics of the new G2 Tournament 2000 Bluewater range. Next comes extra cockpit fishing room – some 22cm – plus substantial redesign of the transom area to incorporate a locking door, live bait tank, fold down rear lounge plus hatches that provide access to both batteries and bilge for utmost end user convenience.

Up front, there’s 106

APRIL 2017

provision for a drum winch to handle ground tackle although the option of walking around the hard top via the cuddy’s wide side decks is certainly viable in calm conditions.

I used the walkaround to exit the craft onto a beach and it was quite satisfactory.

Tucked below the massive hard top, the skipper and mate’s seats, on their massive hinged storage boxes, are far enough apart to allow easy cabin access via a sliding door.

Bunks within the cabin are large enough to sleep on, an infill is available, and useful storage under bunks is sure to be appreciated, as is be the cabin’s full-length side shelving. A Porta Potti is also available.

At the helm the skipper and mate will appreciate the comfort and support of the Bluewater’s slideadjustable bucket seats.

The sliding windows on each side of the craft’s four-piece, wiperequipped windscreen will be great in hot weather or

in times of bad visibility.

Whether seated or standing, the visibility from the helm area is perfect. The Tournament’s 3m long, full-length cockpit side pockets, of very generous capacity, extend right up to the cuddy cab so both skipper and mate can easily access the storage area by their sides. Very handy indeed!

The Tournament’s raised dash layout is as

craft’s big Garmin GPS map 7407XSV unit. It was located above the wheel with banks of switches somewhat lower.

Up to four anglers could work in the large, 800mm high cockpit of the G2 Tournament Blue Water (the boat’s rating is for six people).

Highlights of the cockpit include generous amounts of side padding, stainless foot rests atop the

SPECIFICATIONS Length: ......................................................................6.29m Length overall (including bowsprit):........................6.5m Height on trailer:........................................... approx. 2.4m Height on trailer with hardtop:...............................2.85m Beam:.........................................................................2.34m Hull weight: .............................................................. 960kg Power rating: . .................................................. 130-200hp Max persons: ................................................................... 6 modern as tomorrow, with state-of-the-art dedicated Suzuki gauges that provide every possible piece of information, from engine revs to helm positioning, even exact global position!

Suzuki certainly packed a lot of usefulness in those gauges!

The pride of place on the dash went to the

long side pockets, two rod holders per side in gunwale tops, along with large hand rails, a non-skid cockpit floor plus a boarding gate to port.

The Tournament’s livewell was to starboard within the redesigned transom, while a drop down three-person aft seat

provided comfort underway, yet could be lowered when fishing to form a brace point. Incidentally, the Tournament 2000 Bluewater’s 960kg hull proved very stable at rest, well suited to all manner of fishing or family pursuits.

A large bait board aft was also equipped with rod holders. Adding those to the six mounted on the rear of the fibreglass hard top and those in the gunwales brought the total of rod holders aboard to 12.

Plenty of rod storage there!

Engines range from 130-200hp and power was courtesy of a Suzuki’s new four cylinder DF200A. Interestingly, the new 2.9L four weighs 30kg less than its six cylinder 200 counterpart, and on the transom of the Tournament it certainly proved its worth. Planing occurred at 2800 rpm, travelling at 17.8km/h. I saw a sensible cruising speed of 38.5km/h (3500rpm) with the Suzuki 200 sipping 16.75L per hour. Full throttle application saw 76.4km/h recorded, 6300rpm on the Suzuki gauge.

The Tournament was a pleasure to drive thanks to electric/hydraulic steering, which was extremely direct yet fingertip light. Ride and handling were spot on, as expected of a 21° vee hull with plenty of grip on the water. This boat is well suited to bay, estuary and offshore fishing as well as all manner of family boating.

The finish, as per usual with Haines Group products, was up with the very best on offer anywhere, and the hull’s 10-year structural warranty should please owners as well.

The displayed price for the 2000 Bluewater is $104,500.

To view the range of Tournament boats get down to Bay Boat Sales in Salamander Bay, call them on (02) 4982 7899, or visit www.bayboatsales.com.au • Quoted performance figures have been supplied by the writer in good faith. Performance of individual boat/motor/ trailer packages may differ due to variations in engine installations, propellers, hull configurations, options, hull loading and trailer specifications.

Angler-friendly features abound in the Tournament 2000 Bluewater Gen 2, including massive side pockets with footrest, cockpit side coaming and handy grab rail.

Strong under-hull strakes, visible here where they start at the bow section, serve to keep the Tournament level and stable at rest, and right on track underway.

Here you can see the Tournament’s clean lines, large work area for anglers plus the very tidy arrangements around the transom.

A drop down seat in the cockpit serves to provide a more spacious area. This will greatly aid fishing, and provides seats for up to three people underway. In this photo you can also see the boarding gate, bait board and bait tank to starboard within the full height transom.

There’s room to spare on the dash area for even larger sounders or nav aids. The test boat’s layout featured state-of-the-art Suzuki gauges and the Garmin 7407XSV unit, on upper levels, wheel and switches are located lower down.

Standing to drive is easy when you have a sliding helm seat with a drop down bolster section. Note the size of the seat storage boxes, strength of the hard top supports and the neat fitment of the sliding cabin door.

A cavernous under seat storage box is a handy feature of the G2 Tournament 2000.

The cabin offers somewhere to have a spell out of the weather, or can be used for gear storage underway. There’s ample lighting, big side pockets and enough floor depth for a Porta Potti to be installed.

UNBEATABLE 75-115HP FOURSTROKE

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Purchase a 75-115hp FourStroke before April 21st and receive a bonus SmartCraft upgrade to a VesselView 502 multi-function digital display, plus also get Mercury’s exclusive Active Trim – the first and only GPS based automatic trim system.

So for a truly unbeatable deal, see your participating Mercury dealer today.

See website for full program terms & conditions.

mercurymarine.com.au

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