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CRACKING COD FEATURE • CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS

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Murray cod open tips Goodoo gobbles – a guide to cod lures Get that first mangrove jack More DIY Lure making

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Boating and Kayaking

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Kayak storage solutions • Gearing up for Ginninderra • Quintrex’s new Outback Explorers • Sea Trail Ultimate 5.2 CC • Sea Adex 6.5m Armour Hard Top •

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3: For family, friends & the furry ones You may like travelling solo or holidaying with family and friends. Our parks are the perfect place to share memories and reconnect with your tribe. From friends who love extreme-adventuring or simply letting small feet explore the beauty of nature. Reflections Holiday Parks are for everybody, including the four-legged members of the family. Twenty-four of our parks welcome pets, making it easy for the whole family to share the experience.

As children, we’d play among nature everyday. But it’s not until we’re older that we truly understand how beautiful, calming and invigorating it can be.

1: Unforgettable experiences When you reflect on your past, it’s not just the moment you remember, but the emotion: the joy, fun and excitement or the calm and serene. A perfect destination is one that lets you experience all this and more. Imagine relaxing ocean side, exploring stunning bushland, or kayaking across pristine waterways. Just thinking about it lets the stress drift away. There’s something to be said for the feeling of sand between your toes or cool grass under your feet. The quiet moments of a sunset and the mesmerising trance of a camp fire. You deserve to treat yourself and the family to an experience they’ll cherish for life.

2: Locations as magic as the experience Reflections Holiday Parks are uniquely located on some of the most iconic sites in Australia. From magic stretches of unspoilt coast, to the best kept inland secrets. This lavish, natural beauty is only possible on Holiday Parks located on Crown land. You’ll discover pristine landscapes as individual as you. The perfect place to fuel your wanderlust!

4: Accommodation options Campers come in all shapes, sizes and levels of enthusiasm. Regardless of whether you are a beginner or highly experienced, we have accommodation that suits. Maybe you like the idea of being close to nature but still desire the creature comforts of air conditioning or a bit of glamping! That’s fine, a holiday should always be a holiday. Choose from luxury or basic cabins, or caravan and camping grounds with powered or unpowered sites.

5: We give back to communities What goes around comes around, and unlike other holiday destinations we actively invest back into our parks and the surrounding reserves. This helps to ensure that our natural and community spaces are preserved and maintained for generations to come and wonderful for visitors now. As you unwind, remember that funds raised from your stay go back into caring for and re-developing local parks and surrounds. Your break reinvigorates both you and the environment.

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December 2017, Vol. 23 No. 5

Contents BYRON COAST The Tweed 32 Tweed Inshore 33 Ballina 34 Yamba 36 COFFS COAST Coffs Harbour 38 Coffs Game 40 Nambucca 41 South West Rocks 42 South West Rocks 43 MACQUARIE COAST Port Macquarie 44 Forster 46 Harrington-Taree 49 HUNTER COAST Port Stephens 51 Hunter Coast 50 Swansea 52 Erina 53 SYDNEY The Hawkesbury 16 Sydney North 18 Pittwater 20 Sydney Harbour 22 Sydney Rock and Beach 23 Botany Bay 24 Sydney South 26 Western Sydney 28 ILLAWARRA COAST Illawarra 56 Nowra 58 BATEMANS COAST Narooma 64 Merimbula 65 Batemans Bay 66

From the Editor’s Desk... With Murray cod season open again, we’ve made sure that there’s plenty of cod content in these pages. Cod fishing is definitely the flavour of the month amongst the trendy angler set, and the old stalwarts would be enjoying the yearly increase in stocks that sensible management practices (now synchronised between NSW and Victoria) are yielding. Well done to the anglers with the resolve to leave these mighty Aussie fish alone during their spawning period. You don’t need to be a gun angler to catch a spawning cod, and you don’t need them to be away from their nests for long to have a negative impact on fry survival. If you ignored common sense and still targeted them anyway, I’m sure that your fellow anglers gave it to you on social media. It’s not worth it in the long term. Speaking of social media,

The face you make when a $50,000 boat package is hanging in the balance! It’s nail-biting stuff at the BASS Pro Grand Final weigh-in. we know that it’s hard to circle a post on Facebook and leave it on the coffee table as a not-sosubtle suggestion regarding a potential Christmas gift, so we’ve given you the tools to do this inside. Our tackle arm, www. tacklejunkie.fish, has scoured the new releases and picked out a swag of new gear that needs to have your fingerprints all over it on December 25. Instructions for use: 1. Pick cool gear. 2. Circle with red Sharpie. 3. Leave on coffee table at home. 4. Give hints with decreasing subtleness as December progresses. 5. Add gear to collection on

December 25! And here’s a tip: if you give your partner a good present it’s more likely they’ll buy you something awesome. You can benefit from our experience there. You’re welcome. WINNING TECHNIQUES You’ll also notice a pile of tournament coverage in this issue. Spring is the season end for plenty of bream, bass and barra events, and Fishing Monthly has always been the first to bring you the gear that got the job done. Even if you are not a tournament angler and aren’t interested in the concept, I guarantee that what happens here will influence the gear

you’re using in future years. So why not stay a step ahead of the curve and master some of these techniques before they become mainstream? Early adopters in fishing often get a real head start in social fishing, and we all wouldn’t mind that. ABT’s motto is “Who Shares Wins”, and we love it when you use these guys’ generosity to your advantage. Finally, there is some great BARRA Tour content inside this issue. The BARRA Tour is run on the prime November moon in Queensland. It’s designed to take all of the guesswork out of the best dates and times to fish, to ensure that there’s maximum fish caught. We fished next to a rookie team from Bathurst for a whole event, and they caught their full limit and loved the experience. The moral of the story is that the best way to steepen the barra learning curve is to jump in and do it. We guarantee that you’ll enjoy it.

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SPECIAL FEATURES Murray cod open tips Essential cod lure guide Get you first jack Christmas gift ideas DIY lure making

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ING TRADE

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Cod Feature

Tips for the Murray cod open this month MURRAY COD

Jacko Davis

December marks the return of Murray cod fishing after a threemonth closed season in our rivers and the majority of our impoundments. The Murray cod is the Australian icon of the freshwater – our largest growing freshwater fish and a major target for many anglers throughout the country. The best thing about December is not only the fact we can target these amazing creatures again, but it’s also the most productive time to do so. It has been a long three months for a lot of anglers, myself included, and luckily spring is the most fruitful time to target golden perch and bass, which keeps us freshwater anglers somewhat entertained while

we count down the days until 1 December. The closed season started at the end of winter (31 August), a time when conditions can be tough, for both the weather and fishing. The open season in December offers a completely different scenario. The mercury and water temperature are on the rise, the days are getting longer and aquatic life responds right through the food chain from new weed growth to the dominant predator’s mouth. The cod have spent the last three months going through their natural spawning procedure (if conditions allowed) and they will be eager to feed back up after this process. Cod can get very aggressive over this breeding period and they can carry this aggression post-spawn. Add in the fact these fish haven’t had any angling

A stunning river cod taken on a surface lure at first light. pressure over the past three months and it’s a recipe for some hot fishing action. For

me, the opening weekend in December produces the most fish hands down and the aggression they show early in the season is incredible. It’s not uncommon to land plenty of fish. RIVER OR DAM The fishing should be hot across all freshwater bodies and sometimes it’s

hard to decide between rivers and impoundments. Although impoundments can provide some great fishing throughout summer, early season is all about the river fishing. There is generally less water between you and the fish and the fish are more willing to unload on anything that comes within

range. The low light surface bite in rivers throughout summer is one of the most addictive experiences across the board. A great way to explore your local river system is by doing an overnight hike and the December weather provides the perfect conditions to do so. By starting at a certain location and walking as far down or upstream from this spot and then setting up a makeshift campsite for the night is the perfect way to explore a system. This technique also allows the opportunity to be fishing the best holes at the prime times. Often I’ll use this method and set up camp at a location that seems productive. This allows the spot to be fished in the late afternoon, at night and early in the morning – all prime times for Murray cod. Preparation for trips like these is important and packing a decent-weight hiking bag with essentials is critical. I carry one tackle box filled with a range of lure options in my bag; the rest of the space is used to carry food, water and a camera.

Don’t discount impoundments early on in the season.

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Getting into the water with big fish for a photo keeps them in good health.

Cod Feature To the outside of my bag I attach Boga Grips, a Billy can or pan and a sleeping bag. Other luxuries include toilet paper, a sleeping mat and a personal hygiene kit. Packing water purification tablets lets you drink the

Murray cod are predominantly an ambush predator that hold tight to structure. In the low light, especially on late afternoons after a warm day, they will venture away from their home and search for food.

LURE SELECTION – TRENDS Each cod season there is a lure trend or phase that seems to fool a large portion of the fish caught, from the spinnerbait to the surface lure and, last season, the

Our river systems are so diverse and each provides a new aspect.

It’s not just the fishing, walking the riverbank offers so much more. water from the river, which saves you lugging a lot of extra weight. PRIME TIME Prime time is a bit of a cliché in fishing and anytime you’re on the water is better the sitting at home. If you have the luxury, these prime periods offer the best fishing conditions. Early season Murray cod can be caught at any time, day or night by changing your approach, though late afternoon is consistently the best time to be on the water. With the hot days December provides the fish will often take refuge during the middle of the day when the UV index is at its highest. Once that sun begins its descent behind the western mountains and shade is cast on the water, the fish come out to play.

These fish that are on the hunt will be the most aggressive and likely to crunch your offering, so changing your approach to target these fish is key. Shifting your cast from tight into snags and structure to more open water like the tail of a pool or the base of a rapid or fast water can produce some great fishing. During the middle of the day, however, you want to focus your attention on fishing deep in the structure where the fish will hang out most of the time. If a large afternoon storm system is forecast, don’t be shy, the build-up before a storm can provide some crazy fishing. The fish can really turn it on as the barometric pressure rapidly fluctuates, but often once the storm has passed the fish will shut down.

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swimbait. All forms of lures still catch fish of course, but it appears that trends are starting to occur in lure phases each season. Nonetheless the stable approach of spinnerbait during the day and surface walker at low light is perfectly suited to early season cod. As the fish are at their most aggressive this month, lures like spinnerbaits and chatterbaits

that are most likely to catch the fish’s attention seem to get whacked pretty quickly. Fishing surface lures in the low light is a staple when cod fishing, and lures that paddle across the surface create the biggest surface eruptions, which is addictive. As the season moves on, the fishing will naturally get tougher and this is when lures that fool the fish with their natural attributes like

Lip grips allow the fish to be handled in the water and not on the dry bank.

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swimbaits come into their own, but keeping it simple early in the season generally finds the fish. For the sake of it, I believe this year’s lure phase will be glide baits, similar to swimbaits but fished a little differently. We’ll see what unfolds. FISH SAFETY Looking after the fish is always priority when on the water, especially when dealing with Murray cod. Over the past decade we have seen respect for these fish move in a real positive direction. Most anglers nowadays are strictly catch and release when it comes to cod and it’s great to see. I believe they should all go back, especially in rivers where they are wild stock. As great as catch and release fishing is, it still needs to be completed in the right manner to ensure the survival of the fish. December temperatures can be quite high and keeping the fish in the water is essential. Only remove the fish for a quick photo before sending them home. The bigger the fish, the more care is needed. Supporting the weight of the fish at all times is critical in ensuring these big fish aren’t under excessive stress, which can lead to serious injury. To page 10

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Cod Feature From page 9

Sometimes getting in the water with the fish for a photo is the best option. With summer temperatures high, sometimes a refreshing swim is needed anyway. Preparation is key; always having a pair of lip grips handy will save both you and the fish a lot of drama. The fish can be held in the water while the camera is set up and the hooks can

be removed from the fish safely, there is no need for the fish to be dragged up onto the bank. We all want to see healthy populations of Murray cod in our western rivers, so it’s great to see a real positive shift in fish safety year by year – let’s keep this going. ENJOY IT The closed season for Murray cod is very important and as anglers it’s our responsibility to respect

these great fish, and give them a break and a chance to breed. It might be a tough three months for us freshwater fanatics but it’s all worth it once you’re on the water in December and the withdrawals all go out the window when you land that first beautiful Murray of the season. It makes you appreciate them that little more. Early season is the best time to be on the river –

Left: Swimbaits dominated the cod scene last season, expect the same this season. Right: The old faithful spinnerbait is a great choice early in the season. may it be walking, kayaking or boating. The fishing is consistently good and the weather is perfect to spend

Pack light so you can cover as much ground as possible.

DECEMBER 2017

a day fishing or even camp for a few days. Get out there this December and chase our largest freshwater

fish, respect the fish and our waterways and most importantly enjoy your time on the water.

Surface fishing after dark can leave you shaking at the knees when they hit right in front of you.

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Goodoo gobbles – an essential cod lure guide FMG

Rupe Instagram: @rupeisfishing

If reader feedback is anything to go by, you all seemed to enjoy my little bass lolly basics ramblings a few months back, so much that the big wigs here at Fishing Monthly have asked me to pen something similar for everybody’s favourite time of the year – season opening for the mighty and powerful Murray cod. The undisputed heavyweight champion of the freshwater rivers that stretch across the majority of the Australian east coast and down into South Australia where the Murray River eventually meets the sea, the green beasts known for thousands of years as ‘goodoo’ remain close to, if not on top of the bucket lists of anglers all around the world. Tales of Jurassic Park-sized fish that would attack Murray River paddle boats and photos of your mate’s great uncle’s sisterin-law’s second cousin who used to live on the Vic/NSW border in eighteen-whenever holding a 400lb fish (that is most likely a goliath groper from up north) refuse to go away and will probably never stop. It’s safe to assume they’re not real, but it sure as hell keeps the imagination going and the trigger finger shaky on your casting arm as you wind that expensive swimbait that cost more than your dad’s first car past the best looking tree in the river!

Casting steeply diving hardbodied lures at snags can get you in the strike zone quickly, as Shaun Cubis found out.

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Sharp, strong trebles are a must. This 110cm model only stayed connected to Dayne Taylor’s lure by a single pin in the top lip. The good news is that despite being almost wiped from existence thanks to overfishing and environmental destruction during the late 1800s and early 1900s, Murray cod are really thriving as a species and it’s getting to the point where they’re nearly as accessible and easy to catch as they would have been all those years ago when numbers were strong and most fish would have never seen a lure. Lure fishing for cod can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people and none of them are wrong. There are so many weird contraptions out there that look horrible to some of us but have accounted for massive numbers of fish over the years. Have you ever seen an aeroplane spinner? What the hell is that? What fish in their right mind would find something so clunky and metallic appetising? Cod would. That’s who. A territorial species that is more of an opportunistic eater than a hunter gatherer who goes swimming for miles looking for tucker, the goodoo will eat almost anything that has even the slightest appeal if it’s close enough to its big bucket mouth. Having witnessed them eating small ducks, cormorants, lizards, frogs and even snakes, I know there is no bounds to their menu. With that in mind, let’s get to the topic of looking at some essential lures you should have with you the next time you go in search of green monsters. I’ll speak a little about each category and then give you a ‘Rupe’s six-pack’ of my go-to lures for those categories. Who doesn’t love lures and who doesn’t love six-packs? Whether it’s a sixer of Great Northern Original or a mix of lures, you’re onto a winner! TROLLING OR CASTING? As with most things fishing-related Down Under, we took our lead from the Americans. When lure fishing came into vogue, choices were limited. Looking back, designs like the Flatfish or Kwikfish seem uninspiring, but thankfully times have changed and, as always, Australian ingenuity kicked in and we began to produce some fantastic lures in every category. Trolling dominated the scene early, so lots of big-bibbed deep divers were thrust into the marketplace. Lures designed with cast and retrieve methods in mind soon followed and the fish quickly let everyone know what was strong enough and what crumbled under the immense pressure generated by a hulking cod.

Highlighted by the sheer volumes of lures coming out of a couple of hotspots in the Wagga/Riverina and New England regions of NSW, we were able to produce some absolute cracker lures which still catch fish today. The classics never die. To troll or to cast has been the subject of rigorous conversations around campfires and now in 2017, on Facebook forums, with everyone having an opinion on what’s right, and what’s not. As long as people are catching fish, I’m happy. But onto the lures.

HARDBODY DIVERS A lot of cod fishers will tell you they’re either a hardbody guy or a spinnerbait guy. To me, it’s nice to have favourites but you’re going to miss out on fish if you’re not equipped with more options than that. Hardbody diving lures provide a lot of things to the hopeful angler on the end of the rod that’s throwing them. When purchasing a new lure or deciding what to tie on the first thing I look at is the bib. Long bibs at a shallow angle will usually dive deeper when given enough line. Conversely, shorter bibs at a steeper angle will normally be shallow divers – great for rocky, snaggy holes in rivers. A lot can also be learned about the action of the lure from the width of the bib. A wide bib will give the tail of a lure a nice, slow, wide wobble (think swimming platypus). The narrow bibs give the lure a much higher cycle rate (think nervous baitfish) They’re available in an endless line of local and imported options these days in timber and plastic form and in every colour you could think of, and some you’d never think of yourself. Remember, these old lure whittlers have inhaled a lot of thinners over the years. RUPE’S HARDBODY DIVERS 6-PACK • AC Lures ‘Invader’ • Kuttafurra Lures ‘Mudhoney’ • Cutting Edge Lures ‘Tomahawk’ • Predatek ‘Boomerang’ • Basko Lures ‘Cudgee’ • Storm ‘Arashi Rattling Deep’

SPINNERBAITS Spinnerbaits are perhaps the most versatile thing you’re likely to find on the walls of your local tackle emporium. Spinnerbaits can be fished in any depth, at any speed and for just about any species. You only have to look at my good friend Stephen Worley’s recent article (NSWFM April issue 2017) on catching massive snapper with them to see just how ingenious they are as a fishcatching invention. The first guys to fish spinnerbaits here were using imported lures that proved to be incredibly successful at getting the bite, but weren’t up to the task of staying together during the intense and sometimes long battles they were having with big cod. Guys like Glen Casey from now world-renowned Bassman Spinnerbaits and a select group of other manufacturers went about devising a solution. Stronger hooks, stronger wires and better blades were the result and boy, have they brought some fish over the side since those early days. Today, you’ll find hundreds of colours and choices of willow blades, Colorado blades and combination blade setups. The most important thing to think about here is the amount of weight on the head of the spinnerbait. Getting the weight right for your situation is paramount. For smaller water, go for less weight. You’re probably casting it at snags and you don’t want to be throwing 6oz bombs all day. Your chiropractor will love you but your wallet won’t. If you’re planning on trolling them, grab a heavy rod and spinnerbait in the 2-6oz range, troll very slowly, and hang on tight. RUPE’S SPINNERBAIT 6-PACK • Bassman ‘Codman 4x4 5/8oz’ • DUO ‘Realis Spinnerbait 1.5oz’ • TT Lures ‘FroggerZ Snr 3/4oz’ • OSP ‘High Pitcher 1/2oz’ • Leavey Lures ‘T-Rex 1.25oz’ • Cod-X ‘Twin Spin’

A badge of honour amongst anglers, cod thumb is a proudly displayed sign you’ve had a good day chasing the green meanies.

Cod Lure Feature dominate the market, and as such, catch the most fish. Choose an appropriate weight and hook size when selecting a jig head. CHATTERBAITS Much like their bladed cod bait cousins, the chatterbait is an extremely versatile type of lure to have in your tackle box. However, to me they really come into their own when you need to fish deep water slowly and methodically in order to get that tough bite to happen. Fish ‘em like Nan cooks a roast – low and slow while you throw back a couple of coldies. RUPE’S CHATTERBAIT 6-PACK • Cod King ‘Natural bait series 2.5oz’ • Bassman ‘Mumbler Jaw Knocker’ • Nories ‘Hulachat’ • Imakatsu ‘Alive Chatter Monstro 120’ • Cod-X Lures ‘Chatterbait 5/8oz’ • ZMan ‘ChatterbaitZ’

RUPE’S SOFT PLASTIC 6-PACK • ZMan ‘SwimmerZ 6” model’ • Daiwa ‘Duckfin Liveshad 8” model’ • Westin ‘Shadteez 9” model’ • Zerek ‘Flat Shad Pro 9” model’ • Live Target ‘Trout 7.5 model” • Dynamic ‘FX Fury 8” model’

VIBES AND LIPLESS CRANKBAITS I’ve seen a lot more accidental captures of cod on vibes and lipless crankbaits than I have of fish being actually targeted with them. Anglers fishing 50-60mm lures for yellowbelly or redfin with light gear are all Trolling can be a very effective technique even after dark. Jason Price reeled this one in with some assistance from the skipper after the fish stubbornly buried its head in split boulders. in your local fishing emporium. It’s been around since 1938 and hasn’t been beaten in my eyes. To page 14

Spinnerbaits like this OSP High Pitcher have accounted for cod of all sizes from last year’s spawn to the true giants.

SOFT PLASTICS These type of lures didn’t get a lot of love until people started having a lot of success with them as the trailer attached to the back of their spinnerbait or chatterbait. It also helped a lot when manufacturers began selling upsized versions of old favourites. Lures up to 12” long are now commonplace and goodoo love to gobble ‘em up. Excelling in heavily weeded areas, soft plastics can offer you virtually snag free retrieve when rigged correctly. Paddle-tail presentations

of a sudden in the fight of their lives. There are more ‘cod-sized’ options on the market these days and surprise, surprise – they love to eat them too. It’s not the first type of lure I’d tie on but still a worthwhile addition to any tackle box. These are best worked around weedbeds, heavily timbered areas and around broken rock by hopping and dropping. RUPE’S VIBE AND LIPLESS CRANKBAIT 6-PACK • Samaki ‘Vibelicious 125mm’ • Harima ‘Mazzy Vib Forte 100mm’ • Storm ‘Arashi Vibe 70mm’ • DUO ‘Tide Vib Slim 140mm’ • Jackall ‘Doozer 85mm’ • Sebile ‘Flatt Shad 77mm’

SURFACE CRAWLERS This category was my first exposure to surface fishing for cod and at that point in my life easily the most exciting thing I’d ever done after dark. How the times have changed. No doubt built to mimic big insect life, distressed baby birds and the like, surface crawlers fall right into the lap of the opportunistic cod. If they can go through the drive-thru and grab a family meal for one, they will. Bibs will either be bent at an appropriate angle to create a walking action that throws a lot of water or built with two cup faces which produce more of a ‘clip-clop’ sound. I prefer the metal bibbed offerings both in terms of strength and sound, but that’s just my preference. On some models the lure body will be jointed, while others are one piece. This is nowhere near as important as the bib itself. If you need an idea of perfection when it comes to a surface lure bib, just pick up an Arbogast Jitterbug next time you’re

RUPE’S SURFACE CRAWLER 6-PACK • Arbogast ‘Jitterbug JB700’ • Water Stalker ‘Spook Walker 140mm’ • Mudeye Lures ‘Triple Paddler’ • Croaker Lures ‘Big Betty’ • Leavey Lures ‘Moth’ • Kingfisher ‘Mantis Articulated’

Two rough heads are better than one. Adam Townsend and Ryan Thompson put in a lot of time on the water over winter and it sure paid dividends.

DECEMBER 2017

Mangrove Jack

Learn how to get that first jack of the season from Wilson rods punch well above there weight with the parabolic action of their Kilwell blank that allows for a positive hookset with power to burn down low. Your line is also extremely important, and a braided main line of 20-30lb is right where you want to be. A lot of anglers prefer the thicker braids, which provide a bit more abrasion resistance, but it is very hard to go past the 8 carrier Japanese braides. Sunline PE 8 is a value for money favourite and performs very well. This coupled with a leader of 20-50lb fluorocarbon, depending on

THE TWEED INSHORE

Tim Latter

The Northern Rivers region as well as just over the border to the north is home to arguably the most exciting estuarine species to catch on a lure, bait or fly. It goes by many names these days, but I always refer to them as mangrove jack or, simply, jacks. It is no secret that during the summer months these fantastic sportfish really start to fire up, and the anglers who chase them do just the same. Once you crack your first fish for the season, it feels like the only colour you want to see in the net is red and when water temperatures start to cool off in March and April, a sort of 6 month grieving process takes place until early spring. You only have to check out social media pages regarding mangrove jack, or follow

Stickbaiting for jacks is unreal fun, regardless of the size. pulled hooks, missed surface bites and getting your soft plastics pulled down are all worth it when one hits the deck. Regardless of the size, a great sense of achievement

come down to preference. If the reason you don’t use a baitcaster is because you don’t know how – then it might be worth learning. There is certainly a place for spin

Burning a plastic around this bridge resulted in a nice jack. those switched on fishers on Instagram to see how massive it has become. There is a great pride among those that manage to land the trophy fish, and a great respect to the small bunch that have developed the standout techniques and shared that information with the rest of us. The bust offs,

is felt and I feel privileged to pen a few words regarding my favourite saltwater species. THE GEAR When it comes to accurate casting deep into structure where jacks dwell, it is hard to go past a quality baitcaster setup. The spin or baitcast debate will always be around, and to be honest, it will always

setups, like fishing light around the shoulders of the season or throwing light topwaters or vibing deep rockbars. The ability to control a raging 50cm+ jack by a thumbing the spool before you get buried into the sticks is another added bonus of baitcasting reels and more often than not you be will glad you didn’t flick a

Some fruits to look out for in your local tackle shop. 30

DECEMBER 2017

locked drags, as they break just below 100% and their low profile means your can run long leaders without it effecting your cast by bulky knots catching on your guides. The FG and PR knots are very worth learning if you haven’t already. THE LURES Without doubt the lure that catches the most jacks is the lure that spends the most time in the water. What I mean by this is that time on the water equates to more fish boated, full stop. You could bet that most jack fishers have enough lures to decorate a giant Christmas tree, but could hold their

lure into that gnarley mess on a spin setup. It is always important to spend as much as your budget will allow on your outfits. You always get what you pay for in fishing gear and with jack fishing the cheap stuff just doesn’t cut the mustard. I love the smooth gearing and tight oscillation of the new Shimano Curado K series, but the cast control magnetics and spool technology in the Daiwa baitcast reel range is a cut above in my opinion. When it comes to rods a lot of manufacturers produce the goods and a choice of one between 5’9”-6’6” is ideal. Something in the 5-9kg line class will have you sorted, as they will cast from around a 1/4-1oz, which most jack lures fall into. This is not a hard and fast rule, of course, and more specific techniques will require further setups. The Daiwa Tatula range of rods sit in the mid range price bracket and have plenty of options if you are looking to get a full quiver together. Samurai Refraction rods have one of the crispest actions on the market if you were looking to spend a little more, and the Venom range

The first jack for the season is always a special catch and always very welcomed into the net. the situation, is ideal. There is no one leader line class that covers all scenarios, so be sure to have a range on hand. A solid mangrove jack will always find a weakness in your terminal chain. Hooks of 3X strength and decent split rings of around 50lb are the standard if not the minimum, and well tied leader knots like the FG or PR knot are a must these days when running tight or

favourites in one hand. It is easy to walk into your local tackle store and be dazzled by all the pretty colours, but like the gear it is important the lures you buy are also of quality. For soft plastics you want something durable, like ZMAN Diesel MinnowZ or Swimmerz. If you want to skip cast then Castaic Jerky Js or Ecogear Balts are killer. Most reputable lure companies each have a

Jetties and marinas can certainly pay off, especially when you’re the only one on the water.

Mangrove Jack massive range of hardbodied lure options within their stable, and with a list way longer than my arm I will name drop a few options of tried and tested favourites. Lucky Craft Pointers are synonymous with jack fishing, and come in a range of sizes and running depths. They have a fantastic finish on them and the terminal tackle is above par. The Jackall Squirrel 79 SP Hank Tune is another heavyweight in this category and would probably be the next best seller in any tackle shop. The new Rapala 3x Shadow Rap and Shadow Rap Shad have an outstanding action when twitched hard, have had a terminal upgrade for this season and the finish on them is outstanding, which is typical of Rapala. If you’re looking for more info, I highly suggest checking out the My Lure

the 4-6” range rigged on a 1/2oz jighead or heavier worked with a fast burn retrieve could result in a rod buckling reaction bite. Bridge pylons are usually encrusted with oysters and barnacles, so leaders of 50lb are almost essential if you plan on landing a trophy jack from a major bridge. Rockbars and retaining walls Rockbars and retaining walls are another man made structure that can hold fish. There is a lot going on below the surface and it’s the back eddies and current breaks where the fish will hold to chase unsuspecting bait. Casting surface poppers or stickbaits during low light late in the season is without doubt the most exciting way to target these areas, although jerkbaits twitched hard and paused to suspend in their face would

The Tilsan Barra in red baron is a great lure on the troll.

A nice jack pulled from a small creek hits the mat. Box Facebook page, it is full if info from local jack angler John Costello. He does a lot of the leg work when it comes to lure selection and techniques and watching his videos is a great way to get psyched for an upcoming session. WHERE TO FISH? Bridges For any first timers out there who are trying to figure out where to start, the truth is that mangrove jack in the Northern Rivers region are quite prolific. Bridges that have plenty of flow with an abundance of bait are always worth a throw, and when casting it is usually a better option to cast upstream to allow your lure to present more naturally. Soft plastics in

result in more opportunities. Slow trolling deep diving hardbodies will allow you to cover a lot of ground, but in my opinion, a jack caught on the cast is far more rewarding. Natural structure The natural structure found in the middle to upper reaches as well as the creek systems is where the stealthy angler can really come into their own, and spending the early morning in a tiny backwater is the best way to start the day, especially during the height of summer. A bow mount electric motor to help you sneak around is as important as oxygen in these waters and soft plastics rigged weedless to allow you to fire them into the thick of it is paramount.

You won’t find as many of the bigger fish in these areas, but the rush of trying to extract one a fish from middle of a fallen gumtree is an adrenalin overload, and a worm hook in the corner of the jaw will give you a little more leverage over a standard jighead, and generally once you hook up with weedless presentations, they rarely pull as long as you keep the pressure right on. Canals Canal systems right throughout the region hold good numbers of big jacks and are a literal labyrinth of tidal flow and bait. Jacks hold up on these structures and trying to entice a reaction bite is the way to go in here. The water is usually much clearer in the canals, so you may only have one chance with your cast to not spook the fish, and because of this it’s important to be stealthy and use natural coloured plastics. Colours like pearl and mullet imitations will increase your chances of a bite. If you haven’t seen The Jack Guide or Monster Jacks DVDs, they are an

invaluable tool to give you a great insight and visual medium into this style of fishing, which is growing in popularity as fast as the sport itself. Jetties, marinas, trawlers, boardwalks, cane drains and pretty much anything that looks like it would be impossible to get a jack out of will most likely hold fish ,so spend as much time searching and learning and in time you will find your confidence baits and favourite spots. Remember to be respectful

of other peoples’ property when fishing canals, because nobody wants to wake up and find scratches all over their moored boat or worse. THE VARIABLES It can be a very confusing concept when just starting out any new style of fishing, and chasing jacks is no exception. Having fished my local waters for years, it can still be daunting trying to figure out the best area to target at a certain tide or time of the day. Sometimes you might only have 2-3 hours

on the water each week, and I’m sure I am not alone when I say that when you are left fishless and wondering, the second guessing can cause a drop in confidence. This is destroyer of seasons…. Everyone has their favourite period of the tide or moon phase, and for me it happens to be a neap tide running out early morning, preferably blowing from the north. This is not only because I have had success during these periods, but during preparation for the following mornings session, knowing I will be met with this instils me with confidence. It’s casting with confidence that will catch you more fish. Some fishers monitor storm activity and love the sharp drop in pressure to bring them on the bite, or the fresh that comes after to stir them up. Many anglers say fish don’t mind it raining, because they are already wet? Low light periods are an obvious one for topwater enthusiasts too. Basically what I’m trying to get at with this, is that you should get out and chase the mighty mangrove jack whenever time permits. It isn’t always about your count for the season, it’s about getting that next solid hit, that next chance of seeing a monster jack on the mat, and seeing your mate do it too. Hopefully everyone out there chasing them this year bangs a few and is kind and courteous in the process. Isn’t it just lovely being out there?

Rock retaining walls within canal systems are prime spots for suspending jerkbaits.

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Perfect

All I want for Christmas FMG

Nicole Penfold nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

Here it is – our bumper 2017 Christmas Gift Guide! We have hand-picked these products from all the great releases we’ve seen over the past 12 months or so, and have included prices to work with different budgets. There’s something here for everyone, whether you’re buying a present or you want to let your loved ones know what to buy for you. My only regret is that I couldn’t include big ticket items like kayaks, seeing as they don’t fit under the tree and require a lot of wrapping paper. However, every product that didn’t make the Christmas Gift Guide is at www.tacklejunkie.fish, so be sure to head there if you want more inspiration!

ACCESSORIES

First cab off the rank is the ZMan Bait BinderZ wallet (SRP$16.95). I love ZMans, but anyone who uses them knows that their supercharged plastic doesn’t play well with other soft plastics. I found this out the hard way, after one of my Jackall Masks got melted to death. With a ZMan Bait BinderZ case you’ll keep your ZMans safely away from other soft baits, in a way that makes it easy to find the model and colour you’re after in seconds. Bait BinderZ feature nickelplated, corrosion-resistant rings that have been spaced to fit the reinforced, pre-punched holes in the bottom of standard size

Bait BinderZ are constructed from 500-denier nylon for durability, and feature a carry handle for easy transport. They will hold 10-15 packets of ZMan plastics. You can check them out at www.zman.com.au.

BLACK MAGIC LEADER FEEDER

If you know an offshore angler who could do with some organising, here’s the perfect present: the Black Magic Leader Feeder (SRP$35), which is back by popular demand. This quality leader dispenser holds up to five spools of monofilament

DECEMBER 2017

The last cool accessory I want to mention is the waterproof Hard Korr Unilight (SRP$29). This small, versatile light has an inbuilt magnet and a strong, long lasting elastic strap that attaches to grab rails, tackle boxes, wheel wells,

CHASEBAITS ULTIMATE SQUID

Chasebaits Ultimate Squid (SRP$19.99), whose first in-water swimming video went viral within minutes. It’s that lifelike! The best feature is the delicately moulded wings on either side of the mantle, which have a rolling, rippling action, exactly like a real squid. Other features include realistic 3D custom squid eyes, supple tentacles and a potent squid scent for maximum attraction. You can work the Ultimate Squid in a variety of ways – twitching, jigging or just adding it to a dropper rig to waft naturally in the current. In field testing the Ultimate Squid has been smashing snapper and other reef fish, even after its tentacles have been bitten off. If you buy it for someone (or get one of your kids to), be sure to whip out your phone on Christmas Day to show the recipient one of the Chasebaits Squid YouTube videos. If you’d rather buy some plastics with a range of smaller sizes and colours, the brand new Squidgies Bio-Tough range (from

take them off. The series is manufactured in Japan, and has taken the most reliable lure shapes from the original Squidgies range and redeveloped the design to improve their already great fish-catching ability. The range consists of the Bio Tough Wriggler (100mm and 120mm), Fish (80mm and 100mm) and Flick Bait (75mm and 100mm). This provides anglers with a range of baits to suit a variety of estuary and freshwater applications. There are

or fluorocarbon leader. You can use other leader brands in it besides Black Magic, but because the Leader Feeder has been designed

for Black Magic leader, those spools are a perfect fit and the line comes off very smoothly and easily. The Leader Feeder is convenient to use, minimises tangles, features high quality stainless-steel feed holes

tent poles, awnings, camper trailers, and more. It weighs only 85g but pumps out up to 100 lumens of light, and there’s also an orange light option to both reduce bugs and help your night vision. The Unilight is IP66 waterproof and can be powered with either 3 x AAA batteries or Korr’s specially designed rechargeable lithium battery. The battery life is 4-6 hours on the high setting and 80-90 hours on the low setting. Like other Hard Korr lights it’s built tough with high quality materials, and is backed by a 2-year Australian warranty. Keep one in your tackle box, tinny, garage or with your camping gear, and you’ll have instant light wherever you need it.

six UV-enhanced colours, ranging from bloodworm for bream right through to pink glitz for flathead. As you’d expect, the actions are great too, both when twitched through the water column and at rest in

SQUIDGIES BIO-TOUGH

SRP$12.95) is the go. Instead of being made of traditional plastic, they feature a synthetic bioplastic that is highly durable, stretchy and more environmentally friendly. And unlike some other bio baits, they won’t dry out and turn into concrete on your hook if you forget to

GOING SOFT

A couple of packs of plastics is an affordable if not exactly mind-blowing gift – unless it’s something totally new and different. That’s exactly what you get with the

LIVE TARGET SWIMBAITS

award-winning Live Target Swimbaits (from SRP$23). There’s a number of species in the series, including mullet, sardine, perch, and trout. Each one has been fitted with an oscillator that generates a side-to-side tail swing action. The finish is very realistic, and there’s also a hook guard built into the dorsal fin of each swimbait, so you can throw them into some gnarly cover! Sizes range from 4.5” to 7.5”, depending on the model. You can see all the species at www.ejtodd.com.au.

STRIKE PRO TRUEGLIDE GUPPIE

HARD KORR UNILIGHT

ZMAN BAIT BINDERZ

ZMan packets. This means you can store your ZMans in their original packs, which means no double handling opening sleeves to get packets out, or leaving loose packets where they can blow away.

and a clear pocket so you can label your choice of line weights. It’s strong and durable, and can be clipped onto your tackle bag for maximum convenience. You can find more details at www.blackmagictackle.com.

low current conditions. And when a fish is caught, the bait’s Dura Stretch properties keep it in top condition and ready to be deployed again. These baits are also verified to be 50% biodegradable within the first three years. Other great new soft baits making a splash are the

There’s one more lure I want to mention which isn’t actually a soft plastic, but a hybrid glide bait. It’s called the Strike Pro TrueGlide Guppie (SRP$44), and it’s set to be a hit with anglers chasing mulloway, barra, threadfin salmon and more. This 5.3” (13.5cm) glide bait is manufactured with paint or glitter on the inside shell of the bait, in addition to paint on the outside, to create a 3D effect. This procedure also prolongs the colour of the lure. The Guppie has 3D eyes and a compact shape to maximize hookup rates, and its convex body shaping from the top to the belly exposes the hook points for better hook sets. The body profiling also adds extra flash and belly roll. The most interesting feature though is the interchangeable soft plastic tails. A spring screw at the rear of the lure lets you modify the bait simply by screwing on or off one of the optional tail types. A paddle tail and grub tail are included, and replacement

tails are also available separately. For more info visit www.jurofishing.com.

LIGHT READING

We’ve found a great new book for yakkers: the second edition of the Paddler’s Guide to New South Wales (SRP$44.95), available from the Aquayak online store at www.aquayak.com. The expert advice and guides

Ideas

easier-to-use trip locator maps, fishing information and recommended places to eat, drink and stay the night. There’s also expert equipment advice regarding kayaks, canoes, stand up paddleboards, fishing and transport. If you’re in Victoria or Queensland, there are

maps, historical information and local points of interest, expert equipment advice regarding kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddle boards, preparation advice, and over 150 full-colour photos.

APPAREL

Samaki have made fantastic fishing shirts over the years, featuring a wide SAMAKI SALTY DOG TEE

PADDLER’S GUIDE

contained in the first edition have been revised, updated and enhanced for this new book, and a massive 140 paddling destinations have been included. Other Attomic PRINT.pdf improvements include 1

a new Jack Attack II shirt (SRP$89.95). These shirts are available from a child’s size 2 right through to 5XL for the big boys, so there’s a size to fit everyone in the family. Like all Bigfish UPF50 shirts, they feature BFMaxFlow fabric – a high performance, moisturewicking material that is not only soft to feel, but durable, breathable and cool. For more info head to www. bigfishgear.com. And if you need a new pair of sunnies, you will not find a better range than Costa (SRP$269-$349). These premium fishing

Paddler’s Guide books for those states too, and they’re priced at $35 each. Both books include at least 65 paddling trips (with descriptions, maps and GPS 31/08/2017 3:03:53trip PM coordinates), locator

range of species, including barra, mangrove jack, mulloway, snapper, mudcrab and Murray cod. Now they have branched out into T-shirts, and the first design to be released is the Salty

Dog Tee (SRP$39.95), which represents all tough old sea dogs, standing at the helm of a rocking boat, waiting for that bite. The quality cotton fabric used in this shirt is soft to the touch and very comfortable. The highdensity printing enhances the artwork, and the regular fit shape suits all body types. It comes in navy/yellow and black/white, and sizes range from S-3XL. You can see the full range of apparel at www. samaki.com.au. Another great fishing apparel company is Bigfish Gear, and they have released

BIGFISH JACK ATTACK II

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DECEMBER 2017

WHAT’S NEW FISHING ZEREK FLAT SHAD PRO

Taking in the revolutionary design features of the original Flat Shad, the Flat Shad Pro comes with a series of innovations to make these lures even more amazing. The Flat Shad Pro is a softer TPE material. This softer material allows the lure to swim at slower speeds with lighter weight jigheads. The weedless worm hook has been constructed with a little less weight, as the softer material does not need as much weight to get the lure drifting through the water column attractively. There is also a stinger attachment loop moulded into the hook’s lead belly weight, which is prefect for attaching a belly stinger hook or tying a longer assist style hook to. You can also attach a small blade to provide extra flash. Available in the 7, 5, 4.5 and 3.5” versions and 5 colours, the Flat Shad Pro make an already unbelievably successful lure even more successful. www.wilsonfishing.com

VIKING PROFISH 35

The Profish 35 is a compact fishing kayak designed with lure fishing in mind. The shorter 3.5m length offers excellent manoeuvrability while hull shape delivers great load capacity and stability. This is a kayak for juniors and adults alike, and the large central storage well offers ample room for tackle and other essential gear. The removable lid provides security and easy access, and also makes an excellent mounting surface for electronics. The flush rod holders are within comfortable reach for larger and smaller paddlers, and the rear well offers ample storage for both fresh and salt water anglers. Users can expect great stability, even when fully loaded. Large central well storage and lid Perfect rear storage well for easy access 4 x flush mount rod holders Paddle holder 2 x The Viking Profish 35 comes in four colors: Kiwi (green and black), Lava (red and black), Storm (white and black) and Daybreak (blue, white and yellow). www.vikingkayak.com.au

NEMO DAGGER 2-PERSON TENT

Now that spring has finally sprung, we can all rejoice that Australia’s glorious camping season is now open! Introducing the Nemo Dagger, a two-person tent built for ultra-light backpacking, that also offers interior dimensions that rival anything else on the market in this category. Thanks to the higher positioned pole hubs the Dagger has more interior space than any other on the market, thankfully making cabin fever a problem of the past. The Dagger’s trapezoidal fly design creates an additional 2.1 square-metre area on each side for storing gear outside of your sleeping quarters, making for a more comfortable night sleep amongst the stars. Camp in sheer comfort in the season ahead with the freshest and most innovative outdoor equipment on the planet. The Nemo Dagger will be your true camp companion this season and many more to come. Price: RRP $699.95 www.paddypallin.com.au 70

DECEMBER 2017

PRODUCT GUIDE

SAMAKI SALTWATER 4 BARRA SHIRT Samaki’s Saltwater Barra long sleeve shirt brings you one of Australia’s most iconic fish species. Her almighty beauty is so prominent you’ll want to take a moment to admire each and every scale as she launches from the depths to attack the Samaki Vibelicious. With that elusive island in the background, stunning weather, copious amounts of bait and detailed rockery the Saltwater Barra is every angler’s dream come true. The lightweight fabric is perfect for all outdoor elements, protecting you from the harsh sunrays with our UV50+ resistant technology, the soft touch 100% polyester material is comfortable on the body plus has the added feature of being breathable keeping you cool and dry. Saltwater Barra shirts are available in adult, youth and kids sizes from a size 2 through to a 5XL allowing the whole family to get in on the action and out onto the water. Price: RRP $59.95 (adults), $49.95 (kids) www.samaki.com.au

DAIWA TOURNAMENT 5 ISO 6000 Daiwa has created the ultimate compact size surf spin reel with the release of the new Tournament ISO 6000. These little beauties are rugged yet refined, which is what makes an absolutely perfect modern surf or rock fishing reel for the modern surf or rock angler. Daiwa’s technologically advanced hybrid material, Zaion, is the basis for the rocksolid frame. Zaion is light, strong and resists corrosion, and far exceeds the strength of traditional reel body materials such as magnesium and alloy in a strength per unit weight comparison. Because of this, the ISO 6000 will be able to handle the harsh punishment that surf and rock fishing is well known for, meaning that these machines will last you many fishing session and hopefully, trophy fish. If you’re a serious rock or surf angler, you’d be mad not to add this incredibly modern and hardy reel to your kit. www.daiwafishing.com.au

GAMAKATSU SABIKI RIGS

Gamakatsu has introduced three new versions of is popular sabiki rigs, which let you catch a whole school of live bait at once. Each hook is rigged with an extremely durable, high grade latex attractant. This mimics small bait and prawns as the angler twitches and jerks to tempt the most wary baitfish. These sabikis are especially hot for catching slimies and yakkas, and can also be used for herring and mullet. Every component of the rig is top-ofthe-line, and hand assembled for maximum durability so you can use them over and over. The S150 model (size 3-9) has a UV-coated hook which mimics the ‘glow’ of plankton, prawns and squid in the dark depths. The SS203 model (size 3-9) is designed to naturally absorb sunshine and mimic the organic bioluminescent process and glow in deep, dark water. The S523 (size 5-8) is fitted with a UV glow bead as an added bait-luring addition to its lifelike pink shrimp jacket. Price: from SRP $10.95 www.gamakatsu.com.au

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PRODUCT GUIDE

WHAT’S NEW FISHING BALISTA SMOKE 65

RAPALA R-TYPE SPIN

AQUAYAK OUTRIGGER KIT

There is one thing we all have in common; we need to keep food cold. Whether it is the ice in our coolers when camping, fishing or just at a family BBQ, or the freezer in your home. There now exists a product that is the first of its kind to give you the block or volume needed to hold cold longer. Introducing the Kooler Kube. The Kooler Kube was developed to be used in combination with KoolerGel to give you the ultimate cooling source, and it can be used with or without ice. The temperatures can range from 0º to -30º Celsius depending on the freezer, and will freeze down much lower but, average domestic freezers are -16 to -24. It’s also reusable and refreezable and can last for years. Keep your food colder for longer with Kooler Kube! www.koolergel.com.au

The fear of ending up in the water rather than staying on top of the water is a big reason why many people shy away from using a kayak. You can go a long way to avoiding this by adding a Aquayak Outrigger kit to your kayak. It is simple to install and can be used on all types of kayaks, and will put an end to the fear of falling off your kayak while out on the water. Once the kit is attached it will make your kayak much more stable and safer for people of all ages to get out on the water, and see how much fun getting out in a kayak can be. The Outrigger kit will even allow you to stand up in some kayaks, which will make for a much more enjoyable fishing experience. This kit is reasonabley priced, and can be delivered to your door. For more information, specs and photos, visit the Aquayak website or look them up on Facebook. Price: RRP $245 www.aquayak.com

ZEST SHOVELHEAD JIGS

VALLEY HILL JUNGLE RAPPER

There are hundreds of deep diving hardbodied lures on the market, but not one of them is anything like the new Smoke 65. The team at Balista Lures found that the action on other deep diving hardbodied lures was either too wide and slow, or too tight and fast. They spent three years meticulously refining the action to have a specific combination of action and roll. A lure with a rolling action mimics a baitfish more closely and hence makes a huge difference in fish catching ability. The Smoke 65 also features their revolutionary LED technology, which is a water activated flashing red LED. This technology has been proven to be noticeably effective in dirty water, low light conditions and after dark. Other features include an internal rattle, UV paints, proven colour patterns and BKK ultra sharp and tough trebles. They are proven to be highly effective on mangrove jacks, barramundi, bass, golden perch, Murray cod, redfin, flathead and many more. www.balista.com.au

KOOLER KUBE

The superb new Shovelhead Jigs are a magnificent jig for jigging shallower water, when smaller baitfish are being targeted, and when a more finesse approach is needed. The Shovelhead Jig features one side that is scalloped out and an opposite side that is rounded, which makes this jig really move and flutter through the water. The Shovelhead Jig is 160mm long and weighs 125g, and it is rigged with the weight at the tail, which helps the jig get down. It also features a holographic finish on one side and a mirror finish on the opposite. The Shovelhead Jig is available in four natural baitfish colours. It comes pre-rigged with quality Mustad Assist hooks that feature 200lb Kevlar heat shrunk with quality split rings and solid rings. These lures are outstanding on kingfish, amberjack, samsonfish and reef species. www.jurofishing.com

Recently we saw the release of the new concept Rapala R-Type Saltwater Spinning Reel. Rapala engineers have developed the R-Type spinning reel for hard-core saltwater anglers, with large drags, large capacities and quality componentry, guaranteed not to let you down when that trophy fish latches on and goes hell for leather. Rapala R-Type reels feature a full alloy body and rotor, ported ‘braid ready’ alloy spool with shielded drag, high drag output, CNC screw into gear handle arm, infinite anti reverse, six stainless steel bearings, left/right hand wind, and Ti line roller. The R-Type reels have everything to ensure you get the most out of each reel. All models feature a 4.9:1 gear ratio and deep spools and are available in 5500, 6500 and 7500 sizes with drag ratings of 7.7kg, 16.8kg and a whopping 17.75kg respectively. Rapala have an R-Type reel to suit every kind of hard-core saltwater angler. www.rapala.com.au

Japanese Tackle Giant Valley Hill consistently produces some of the world’s best bass lures, and the Jungle Rapper is no exception. With a nice profile and seven enticing colour combinations, the Jungle Rapper has only been available in Australia for a short time, however it has already been the undoing of many big bass. Ideal for casting in any situation, the Jungle Rapper emits a popping sound along the surface which bass simply can’t resist. In addition, the left and right wings ensure a good level of casting and retrieval control in windy and choppy conditions. Even at rest, bass have been known to hit a Jungle Rapper out of curiosity. Measuring 70mm and weighing in at 11g, and with all the quality and durability we have come to expect from Valley Hill, the Jungle Rapper is a must-have for all serious freshwater anglers. For more information on the Valley Hill range, visit the Dogtooth website. www.dogtoothdistribution.com.au

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au DECEMBER 2017

Booming bass for BASS Megabucks Somerset may have disappointed with the weather but it still produced a host of big bags and fish hitting the scales for the ABT BASS Megabucks held on 18-19 October. While raining conditions made for uncomfortable angling the lake’s famous springtime bass bite still

THE FUTURE IS HERE Self-contained Electric Outboards

onto the flats in about 30ft of water. There wasn’t any bait really coming past, but there were definitely healthy fish sitting there. With the heavy inflow of rain and wind I was worried it may have changed a little, but the dirty water hadn’t made it that far down the dam at that stage,” explained Rayner.

WINNING TACKLE Craig Simmons Rod: Lews Team Pro Custom Reel: Lews TLP 1000 Line: 12lb Toray Seabass Leader: 8lb Lews fluorocarbon Ross Cannizzaro Rod: 7’ Abu Garcia Salty Stage Krx Reel: 3000 Abu Garcia Revo Alx Line: 6lb Berkley Ultra 8 Leader: 6lb Toray fluorocarbon

STORM

put smiles on angler’s faces with 127 bass caught and weighed for the 38-angler field. A skins format event, Megabucks saw the money shared amongst the field with six of the 19 teams banking a cheque. Two teams dominated in the event with Teams Bass Cat Australia (Craig Simmons and Ross Cannizzaro) and Team Nexgen Lures (Matt Johnson and Shaun Falkenhagen) grabbing the lion’s share of the prize money. Team Bass Cat Australia also secured the champion team title. SESSION ONE SMASHED BY SOMERSET BAIT AND TACKLE Robbie Rayner and Mike Connolly drew first blood for the event with the pair fishing the old creek bed in front of Bay 13. With a 4/4 bag for 5.47kg, the team walked away with the $1000 prize money for session one. “There was a rise next to the old creek bed which we casted to and pulled back

Big bass were on the menu for Craig Simmons and Ross Cannizzaro from Team Bass Cat Australia.

Their technique involved throwing a PML custom painted (shimmer green with a chartreuse tail with some UV) Halco Twisty, letting it fall to the bottom on the cast, then giving it a slight jiggle, followed by six cranks of the reel handle, then stopping and letting it sink back to the bottom. At the end of the retrieve they would burn it back.

The fishing was hot from the get-go with the pair catching their limit in their first ten casts. “We picked up regular upgrades throughout the session and finished with 30+ fish over 40cm for the session,” explained Rayner. Their Halco Twistys were rigged with a BKK Super Slide treble and a #2 BKK single on the top split ring, while the ever-reliable Silver Fox soft plastic rigged on a 1/2 Impact Tackle jighead also accounted for a few fish.

The limit that delivered Team Bass Cat Australia the win in session three and overall honours.

NEXGEN FOR SECOND Team Nexgen Lures came 2nd for session one with a 3/4 bag going 4.36kg on the scales. What they may have lacked in numbers they made up for in quality with Matt Johnson and Shaun Falkenhagen catching three solid fish for the session. “We fished the Eagles Nest area and it wasn’t until the middle of the session that we got them to bite, and when they did we caught three fish in ten casts,” explained Johnson. Searching for active fish away from the crowd at Eagles Nest, Johnson and Falkenhagen focused on a drop-off that saw the water drop from 34-45ft and threw John Deere coloured Slider Grubs rigged on 1/2oz jigheads. “The technique was to make long casts and let the lure sink before aggressively twitching and shaking the plastic off the bottom for a few winds. We’d then give the lure a fast burn before letting the lure sink to the bottom and repeating. The fish hit the plastics with gusto – no bites or nibbles.

RESULTS

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888. 92

DECEMBER 2017

Place

Team

TW (kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

Bass Cat Australia: Craig Simmons and Ross Cannizzaro Nexgen Lures: Matt Johnson and Shaun Falkenhagen Two Dams One Destination: Corey Goldie and Brett Hyde Lews/Duffrods: Mark Lennox and Michael Thompson Simon And Glen: Glyn Barkhuizen and Simon Barkhuizen Ballina Marineland/Barra Jacks: Adrian Melchior and Steven Otto Somerset Bait And Tackle: Robbie Rayner and Mike Connolly Laguna/Duffrods: Barry Reynolds and Alan Britcliffe Joey Featuring Matt Langford: Joe Allan and Matthew Langford Warwick Outdoors: Cody Haynes and James Bucher Need The Money: Paul Aldous and Graham Ford Atomic: Aaron Sharp and Steve Eldred Mako Eyewear/Sentury Lithium: Greg Mitchell and Mick Johnson Grumpy Old Men: Peter Morgan and Dan Stead Yamba Bait And Tackle: Tony Thorley and Paul Gillespie Queensland Fishing Monthly: Steve Morgan and Peter Leggett Bass Brothers: David Young and Stuart France Valley Hill/Tackle Warehouse: Charles West and Adrian Wilson Tennesse: John Brider and John Trigg

11/12 9/12 10/12 8/12 11/12 7/12 8/12 8/12 9/12 8/12 5/12 6/12 4/12 6/12 5/12 6/12 4/12 1/12 1/12

18.66 15.05 13.42 11.03 10.93 10.92 10.18 9.76 9.14 8.92 7.75 7.31 6.78 6.70 6.44 6.23 4.04 1.14 1.04

The rain didn’t deter the bass from biting and Team Nexgen Lures from securing top prize in session two. We found working as a team and casting to where the other had just hooked up would result in another hook-up from the active fish,” explained Johnson. Team Nexgen Lures walked away with $600 for their efforts in session one. Goldie and Hyde take Big Bass Corey Goldie and Brett Hyde from Team Two Dams One Destination secured the Big Bass Prize for session one with the pairing picking up the money-winning bass on a 20g silver coloured Halco Twisty in 30ft of water at Happy Clappers. The retrieve involved sinking the lure to the bottom, giving it a slow roll, pausing then sinking it back to the bottom and repeating. They nabbed $150 for their 2.29kg bass. TEAM NEXGEN LURES TAKES OUT SESSION TWO Returning to Eagles Nest, which delivered them three quality fish in session one, Johnson and Falkenhagen once again picked up their jighead rigged Slider Grubs to catch their fish, but the fish made them wait for the bites. “We didn’t have a fish or a bite until about one and a half hours before the end of the session. We had nothing so we moved spot and fished a flat near by. Shaun also swapped Slider colour and started throwing a blue ice coloured version,” explained Matt. The change paid dividends with the pair having an hour of madness catching 20 fish, including several upgrades. The winning retrieve involved twitching the plastic aggressively and erratically off the bottom. “We were in about 45ft of water and the fish were suspended at 20ft and when you threw your plastic in they’d follow it down to the bottom, and when you twitched it off the bottom they’d eat it,” explained Falkenhagen. The team won $1000 for their 7.51kg, 4/4 bag. The tackle the pair used to catch their winning limit included a combination of Edge and Barrabass rods, matched to

spinning reels loaded with 8-10lb Sunline and Toray PE. Team Bass Cat’s Big Bass Team Bass Cat Australia came 2nd for session two with their 4/4, 7.02kg bag, earning the $600 prize along with $150 for the session’s Big Bass. Craig Simmons and Ross Cannizzaro from Team Bass Cat Australia started their charge at the Somerset Megabucks in session two breaking the 7kg mark in

out, letting it sink to the bottom, then slow rolling it back while adding the occasional twitch and quiver to the rod tip. TEAM BASS CAT AUSTRALIA TOPS SESSION THREE Picking up where they left off in session two, Simmons and Cannizzaro returned to the Eagles Nest in the third and final session and it didn’t take long for them to put fish in the well with a 4/4, 7.85kg bag for the $1000 prize money. “We had our limit by 8am and caught our five biggest fish between 7.15am and 7.45am, all of which came on the twitched, quivered and rolled Halco Twisty,” explained Simmons. Landing ten fish for the session, the pair claimed the session win by 1.5kg over second-place team, Team Duffrods/Lews. While the pair weighed their heaviest limit for the tournament and the tournament’s heaviest limit – in this session the number of fish was down. “The fish were feeling

Corey Goldie with the session one Big Bass for the tournament. the rain. Fishing in front of Eagles Nest the paired target suspended fish holding 23-25ft down in 40-45ft of water. “The bigger fish were holding high in the water column and they would follow the lure down as it sunk towards the bottom,” explained Simmons. One of the keys to success for the pair was their eyes on the water, Craig explains, “A quality sounder is essential at Somerset for identifying bottom structure and detail, and the fish and their moods, and my Garmin units show me in ultra clear detail and clarity exactly what I need to know. I’d be lost without them and I certainly wouldn’t have the same level of confidence in what I’m doing”. The lures that did the damaged were customized 20-30g Halco Twistys – one painted purple with a chartreuse-dipped tail and the other a green Twisty with a chartreuse-dipped tail. The technique with the Twisty involved casting it

the angling pressure and were less inclined to bite as a result,” explained Simmons. Team Duffrods/Lews bags the Big Bass Mark Lennox and Mick Thompson cashed in for the final session in 2nd place. Like many anglers in the field, they fished the Eagles Nest area to catch their 4/4 bag, which weighed in at 6.11kg winning them

$600 and the $150 for the session’s Big Bass. Fishing a small creek bed that joined the main arm of the flooded river, the pair focused on the southwestern section of the area casting along the drop-off into deeper water. “The fish would move through in dribs and drabs with some fish hugging the bottom and others positioned underneath the bait as it moved through the area. We caught four fish for the session, two of which came from the bottom and the other two which were suspended,” explained Lennox. Their first fish came one and a half hours into the session and would prove to be the kicker fish in their bag, and the session’s Big Bass. Their technique involved slow rolling 30g Halco Twistys through the fish holding in 30-45ft of water, regularly dropping lure back to the suspended fish to keep the lure in the strike zone. It wasn’t until the last cast where the pair sealed the deal and pencilled their name in on the secondplace cheques. “Mick mentioned on that second morning that he’d never caught a fish on a last cast, and that’s exactly what happened with him catching the last fish of our limit on his last of the session,” explained Lennox. Taking it down to the wire the pair finished their tournament $750 richer. OVERALL CHAMPS – TEAM BASS CAT AUSTRALIA Team Bass Cat Australia came up trumps in the end with 11/12 fish for the event for a total combined weight of 18.66kg. Craig Simmons and Ross Cannizzaro secured the champion team title at the Somerset BASS Megabucks with Simmons finally securing top honours after many attempts. “I’ve been fishing the Megabucks event for well over a decade and it’s nice finally come out on top. Ross has been in outstanding form this year and I was confident that if we could find the right size fish that were willing to bite, we’d be in with a shot, and that’s

exactly how it played out,” added Simmons. When quizzed postvictory Simmons attributed one key thing to their success. “I’ve spent many years fishing with and watching Steve Kanowski catch the big fish when others around him struggled and the thing that I always see him do is work his lure all the way back to the boat, and it’s at the very end of the retrieve when the lure is right near the boat that the big fish will often

bite. We did this at the Megabucks and it certainly made a difference,” concluded Simmons. The results speak for themselves when it comes to looking for proof for Simmons’ theory. The ABT BASS Megabucks drew the curtain on ABT’s BASS Pro calendar for 2017. Visit www.abt.org. au for details and dates for the 2018 schedule. – ABT

Mike Connolly and Robbie Rayner with their session one winning bag of bass.

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Mark Lennox looks happy with his Big Bass from the third and final session.

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Rockhampton Net Free Zone turns it on I planned on doing part two of my app review this month but time pressures and the fact a much better story came along put that idea to rest. I plan to finish the review next month. Speaking of planning – put a marker in your diary to be in Rockhampton for the opening of the barra season. If you are coming from interstate, make sure to drop in to see Bill Sawynok at Infofish and Stephen Pill and the boys at Barra Jacks – they will set you right on how to hook up with a monster. This month I will talk about the bounty experience and how the results should have you thinking of Rockhampton as a key destination if you’re looking for some great fishing memories. In the interests of transparency all our key data is online in an easierto-understand graphical form, and it’s all accurate to the last 24 hours. You can get the data on the Crystal

finding that one golden stat that proved that the Net Free Zone doesn’t work. On that front Queensland Fisheries reported in September that the fishing experience for the average fisher hadn’t improved much and I am inclined to agree with them. This seems to be the crux of the negative argument. This ignores completely what the good folk at Rockhampton Regional Council have been aiming for. First and foremost, the plan for the Rockhampton fishery is to create an iconic location where fishers can come and catch big fish. Barramundi aren’t a species that you can catch consistently without some fishing skills, so if you want to catch them, they are there if you put the work in to learn how. That has been the core of the tourism plan – attract fishers who love that big fish experience. That is the yardstick I am using to assess the Bounty and fishing through the year. With that in mind, Rockhampton Regional

Lou Moore with his 1.33m barra. the value of fishing to their locals. Now with that in mind – how do the bounty figures stack up with that plan?

the Bounty and as a result we downgraded the forecast for the event from 400-600 barra to 200-400 barra. As a worker handling

event. Given that almost all the fish from the Garmin Rockhampton Rumble Barra were caught in the centre of town, the fishing

the muddy water we may well have exceeded the 600 prediction. In other words, anglers left more than a few fish for visitors come February. TROPHY FISH In an analysis of Facebook post traffic over the years – it’s trophy fish that have dominated the traffic. Big fish equal social love. With that in mind there was plenty of social love to be had for our fishers in 2017. On the barra side of the ledger there were 14 big fish – twice the number that have been caught in the best bounty before this (2013). The best of the lot was a 1.33m beast that was pulled out in the first hour. The fisher involved, Lou Moore, said he wasn’t even trying. The story goes he we just swimming the lure in the

ROCKY BARRA BOUNTY LINKS • crystal-bowl.com.au/rocky-barrabounty-live-monitoring/ • crystal-bowl.com.au/rockhamptonbarramundi-live-monitoring/ • crystal-bowl.com.au/rockhamptonking-threadfin-live-monitoring/ *The live scoreboard is up at rockybarrabounty.com/scoreboard. Bowl website. The Rocky Barra Bounty Facebook page is also up. THE NET FREE ZONE AND BARRA BOUNTY 2017 I want to address the negative types head on. I am not an advocate for NFZs but I’m also sick of partisan, stupid politics that conveniently ignores reality. Looking through the comments on the Barra Bounty page there were several comments from commercial fishers and others who seemed to expend a lot of energy

Council endorsed a voluntary code of practice for fishing in the area, for fishers to voluntarily limit their take of barra and king threadfin to two of each between 60cm and 1m. Rockhampton collectively has taken a long-term view that maintaining the fishery in as good a condition as possible is vital so that visitors have the maximum opportunity to catch big fish and have a good time on the water. To me – that is a pretty progressive view, one I think other councils will adopt as they realise

Figure 2: barramundi catch across the tide day one and two combined. CONDITIONS AT THE BOUNTY IN 2017 For the second year running the conditions were less than ideal with a run of fresh water immediately before the event making the river unfishable in town down well past Nerimbera. That section has always been a prime producer in

Figure 1: Barramundi Recruitment in the Fitzroy. 102

DECEMBER 2017

the scores at the event, it was probably a good thing that the dirty water eventuated; even though fishers were forced into a smaller area, they still managed 485 barra for the

has been hot up that way. Many of the fishers that failed to make inroads on the scoreboard were fishers that have performed well in the town region, so the chances were that without

current while helping his mate out, he put his rod in the rod holder and it went off like a rocket. Maybe I should try that more often. On the king threadfin side of the ledger the news

Gavin Gaw with a 1.32m threadfin.

was even better. I was reduced to tears by how many trophy fish there were – having watched the decline in the king threadfin fishery in Brisbane, it showed what can be done. All up there were 48 king threadfin over 1m – a whopping 24% of the catch. The battle for the biggest thready was intense with the lead changed every few hours. Evan Thompson nailed it on the last day with a 1.32m snorter. The year-to-date proportion of trophy fish is around 16%, so no matter how you want to look at it, Rockhampton is as good as it gets right now for trophy fish. CATCH MIX One of the markers of how the fishery has improved is the proportion of legal fish. There are two main factors that influence this criterion. The first is the fact that less legal fish are being taken out (no nets) and secondly recruits (new barra) from a few years back are reaching maturity. There is a third factor that influences it as well – recent recruitment has been less than successful. This is one we are still ironing out as to what is going on; we had a good spawning this year but it seems that few of those fish have survived. The reasons are unknown at this stage, but it’s not due to any factors caused by people. The catch mix for the bounty has changed a lot in the last three years and now looks close to ideal for visitors to come and experience that ‘big barra feeling’. When it comes to king threadfin, the news is even better – so long as you know how to catch them. We had a couple of king specialists from Brisbane visit this year and even

though they had spent next to no time on the Fitzroy previously, they managed to bag a trophy fish each, with one – Lochie Reed – catching the most fish for the event and taking out the Other Species category on the first attempt. AVERAGE LENGTH If the catch mix isn’t clear enough for you, then the next chart will be. Both barramundi and king threadfin catches were on average the largest they have ever been. This is the clearest indicator that the nets being removed has had a positive effect as big fish are exactly what the commercial fishers target. While it could be argued that the removal of some of the fishing area distorted the results, the fact this is also true for the annual catch monitoring puts that one to bed. You can verify that via the Crystal Bowl website. For the record, the annual average length is 659mm – 30mm short of the 689mm registered in the Bounty. CATCH RATES The last-ditch effort in the debate over whether or not taking the nets out has had an effect is in catch rates. The figure being used there is the overall catch rates, which are down. By some twist of logic, the nets have supposedly had no effect on catch rates for recreational fishers. I am somewhat in agreement with that statement. A fishery is a balancing equation – fish-in verses fish-out. Wherever there is conflict it’s almost always on the fish-out side of the equation but the fish-in part is equally important. To a degree the fish-in and fish-out equation has been balanced in Rockhampton after a boom from 20072009. There are still

The average length of barramundi and king threadfin exceeded the average length of fish for the last 10 years.

The daily catch rates for barramundi and king threadfin. fish from that period in the system. In recent times however, the recruitment

recruitment from 20132015, which would have topped up the stocks. This year and last year have not

seem to have survived. For this reason, we can expect that the catch rates would be slightly down

Catch rates for barramundi in the Fitzroy. hasn’t been as strong and that’s the period when the most effective fishers have an impact. Figure 1 shows there was reasonable

Catch mix for barramundi 2015-2017.

Catch mix for king threadfin 2015-2017.

been successful; Last year it was due to poor spawning and this year, even though there was a successful spawning, recruits don’t

due to mortality overriding new fish into the system. Overall, the catch rates are down slightly. On the other hand, the catch rate for legal fish is heading into the best of times territory. The legal catch rate of one fish per fisher per day based on annual monitoring is the highest it has ever been. We end the year with 1456 barra reported (with some still to process yet) which makes this the best year in the last three for number of fish reported. This year’s bounty was the third best on record for legal fish, only bettered by 2012 and 2013. In the case of king threadfin, the legal catch rate was only bettered by 2015 and many fishers were running the other direction when they found the king because only the top 30 places were guaranteed a spot in the Bounty next year, so barra were in high demand. ONE MORE THING – HAVE SOME CANDY I have a Christmas gift for those thinking of heading to Rockhampton. While I won’t hand out

maps of where to catch them – again, check in with Bill on what parts of the river are fishing well when you visit – I can tell you that the tide is pretty important. If you follow the Bounty online, you will see a lot more but here is a taste. The chart (Fig. 2) below shows the catch across the tide. As you can see the early morning low is pretty sweet with the catch declining as the tide rises. Look for those sorts of tides and know you can pack up mid-morning. That leaves plenty of time to take the family to the beach. STOP READING, START PACKING The objectives of the local council to create a fishery that will attract fishers to try their hand for big fish are well and truly on track. If the end of this season is anything to go by, there will be some absolute horses on offer for visitors when the season opens in February. I wouldn’t leave out the king experience, either – they take a bit to work out but there are some great lures made these days that are custom-made for threadies. We always do our best not to cherry-pick evidence, which means using multiple pieces of evidence where possible. When you look at the catch mix, catch rates for legal fish and additional trophy fish that came out this year, the fishing was as good as it has ever been for big fish. Just remember when you head to Rockhampton, this is a catch and release fishery that is being carefully managed so that everyone can have the best experience possible. Come, have a great time, catch some big fish and go home with a lifetime of memories. Leave the fillets in the water. DECEMBER 2017

103

A value package – the Sea Trail Ultimate 5.2 CC

BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Boat reviews are always dominated by weather. Overly calm conditions can make a craft’s ride quality more difficult to assess. On the other hand, it certainly makes taking photos real easy and provides some interesting top performance figures from hull and motor. In the Sea Trail Ultimate’s case we launched at Manly on Moreton Bay on a day of beguiling calmness, and that’s how things stayed. Ray Dial of R & M Marine (Hemmant) assisted with the launch and review and I doubt I’ve seen many craft leave their trailers – and be driven back on later – as easily as the 5.2 Sea Trail. The trailer was a custom-made Sea Trail trailer featuring alloy C channel construction which combined strength, a functional design and light weight quite superbly. A no-nonsense sort of alloy rig, the Sea Trail had a rigid feel about it thanks to 4mm plate all around. I noted that although welds SPECIFICATIONS Length: 5.25m Beam: 2.25m Hull construction: 4mm plate alloy all round Weight hull: 655kg Engines: 90-150hp Engine fitted: 90hp Evinrude E-TEC Fuel: 95L Persons: six Towing: Family wagon or a 4x4 ute 116

DECEMBER 2017

Main: On the move and doing it well; the Sea Trail’s hull design sees the craft planing very freely and kicking displaced water well away from the hull. Above: With the its interesting design, the craft rides very freely up on top of the water, not through it, which is a bonus for performance and fuel consumption. were not smoothed, they were continuous and of a fairly high standard. The wide non-skid decks looked good to sit on in quiet conditions and with check plate on the self draining floor and raised forward deck, the fishing team would enjoy sure footing on the water with the owner having an easy wash-out back home. I love hose-out style boats. PLENTY OF FISHING FEATURES Full cockpit-length side pockets looked great for stowing long items and with a 60L in-floor kill tank/ storage compartment and a shelf within the centre console a fair amount of equipment would find a home for a day on the water. The rail and windscreenequipped centre console offered some breeze protection with a Raymarine

Dragonfly 7 GPS/sounder and a compass. Marine radio, gauges for the 90 E-Tec astern and switches were all handy, and the wheel was linked to hydraulic steering, which was easily reached from the fore/aft bolster seat set onto a big storage box. Bolster seats are great when travelling then easily reversed when watching a couple of baited rods and enjoying a snack. I noted a 30L livewell aft and a transom-mounted bait station equipped with a cutting board, tackle drawer, four rod holders and side tool compartments as well. A folding rear seat is standard but was removed for our water test with only the backrest in place. The full transom-height lockable boarding gate to port would be appreciated by an angler hauling in a big one or a swimmer returning to base.

There is a grab rail and ladder tucked into the transom for that latter purpose. 90 E-TEC AMPLE POWER Powered modestly by a 90hp Evinrude E-TEC – top power is rated as 150hp – the Sea Trail Ultimate 5.2 performed quite well. A 15” Viper prop kicked the solid 655kg hull onto the plane at a modest 3000rpm and 13.7km/h. It turned more revs into forward motion at the following rate: 4000rpm for 32.3km/h, 4500 for 38.2, 5000 for 45.2 and 5800 for 58.3. Although it’s a small engine compared to the maximum 150hp, the 90 E-TEC still had plenty of power given the ease with which it kicked the rig (with two on board) quickly onto the plane and had ample power reserves throughout the rev range. Evinrude’s fuel injected 2-strokes are like that, of course, and with that sort of get up and go even having four anglers aboard should present no problems.

In the prevailing conditions, fast runs and sharp turns were a breeze. The hull with it’s massive double reversed outer chines tracked like it was on rails and was then rock steady at rest, so it’s good for virtually all fishing pursuits. Ride assessment was facilitated by some big Moreton Island-bound ferries leaving Manly and I guess the excited youngsters aboard might have wondered why an alloy boat with two grinning persons aboard came zooming in on their wash and jumped straight through it a couple of times. The Sea Trail handled that bit of sport quite well; there were no hard bangs or jarring, just a smooth impact with spray thrown well away. SUMMING UP Stability’s assured, an excellent and well-controlled ride’s a bonus, and with 1.45m high sides the Sea Trail 5.2 Ultimate certainly had plenty of freeboard. The Chinese-made Sea Trail boats are somewhat

new to our market and offer a range of craft extending from 5m right up to 7m in length. With everything from cuddy cabs to both centre and side consoles on the books there’s a pretty good choice on hand. Keen anglers and family boaters could enjoy them equally. For a test run, contact Ausmarine, 128 Carrington St, Revesby, NSW 2212, phone (02) 9772 4857. They are happy to assist potential owners to open the throttle and experience the ride and handling of these Vee hulls. The price as reviewed was $42, 990 (with high-end C channel trailer) – good value for money. • 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.

The Sea Trail Ultimate 5.2 CC is a handsome craft with great potential.

Top: That’s a 26° Vee there; those wide reversed outer chines gave the hull terrific stability. Above: Among the angler-friendly features was a well-equipped aft bait station.

A sensibly-sized centre console makes a decent hub for controls and gauges and still allows plenty of workroom around it. Note those great non-skid decks as well.

The Sea Trail has room for up to four to fish in comfort. The check plate floor is nice and grippy underfoot and easy to wash out back at base.

Some of the features that make the 5.2 Sea Trail Ultimate an excellent fishing or family craft are easily seen here. Note the great freeboard, wide decks, well set-up bait station, console seating for two and neat boarding platform. While it was a long way from maximum allowable power, the 90 Evinrude E-TEC did a very good job of powering the solid Sea Trail hull.

Top: Useful fishing features here are the long side pockets, great toe rail under the pockets and paired rod holders within decks. Left and Right: Bolster seats are great in small craft. With their two-way backrest it’s just as easy to watch a baited rod astern as it is to study the sounder at the hotspot. Allocating storage duties to the shelf in the centre console makes sense.

Top: Easy launch and retrieve capability is a great feature of the custom C channel trailer that the Sea Trail Ultimate 5.2 is carried on. Above: A deep Vee with a difference – those two larger outer reversed chines certainly provide ample stability to the Sea Trail’s hull both underway and at rest. DECEMBER 2017

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Hiring the Sea Adex 6.5m Armour Hard Top

SYDNEY SOUTH

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

When I was asked whether I was interested in taking out the Sea Adex Armour 6.5m Hard Top powered by a 250hp 4-stroke Suzuki outboard for a boat test, and at the same time go down rigging for kingfish in Sydney Harbour. I couldn’t resist an offer like that? In this boat review I am going to cover two aspects of the Sea Adex Armour 6.5m Hard Top. Firstly, an insight into the design and construction of the rig, and secondly, the advantages of hiring it from Finz Boat Hire. When I first saw the Sea Adex Armour 6.5m Hard Top on their website, I saw a beast of a boat. It looked SPECIFICATIONS Designer: Sea Adex Hull Construction Material: Aluminum Hull Type: Hard Top Construction Material: Aluminium Length: 6.4 M Beam/Width: 2.49 M Number of Fuel Tanks: 1 x 250L underfloor Passenger capacity: 5 for offshore and 7 for inshore Length maximum on trailer: 7.2 M Width: 2.49 M Side thickness: 6mm Bottom thickness: 6mm Max Motor hp: 400hp Tested on the day: 250hp Tow Vehicle: Heavy 4WD or 6 sedan 118

DECEMBER 2017

Main: The Sea Adex Armour 6.5m Hard Top Godzilla Finz Boat Hire rig has been built to 2C restricted survey, which will allow you to travel within 15 nautical miles offshore. This will allow you to have five onboard for those offshore trips and seven people when fishing inshore. Above: The Sea Adex Armour 6.5m Hard Top slides up very easily onto the Dunbier trailer and then clips onto the Boat Catch System. as solid as a brick and tough as nails while having at the same time the sleek lines of an extremely well-designed boat that would give you hours of safe, pleasurable boating and fishing time on inshore and offshore waters. The idea of the design of the boat came from a Brisbane-based company called Sea Adex. The owner Adam Mortimer put many hours into designing a boat that would deliver ultimate safety in really bad conditions. To learn more about how the design of the Sea Adex Armour range came about I watch a short video that Steve Morgan from Fishing Monthly put together when reviewing another one of the Sea Adex range. Adam explained that around six years ago he built a 4m prototype in a weekend and then sea trialled it in 30 knots. It didn’t sink even though it was completely full

of water. So, his next step was to show his designs to a naval architect, and together they created the range you see today. On the day that I tested the Sea Adex Armour 6.5m Godzilla that you can hire from Finz Boat Hire, I was only able to meet Chett and Andrew at the Rose Bay ramp at 10:30am. So, getting the preferred kingy bait squid proved to be a bit difficult. Chett did have a couple of slimies and a yellowtail in the plumbed live well. As the 250hp V6 Suzuki 4 stroke outboard pulled us out of the hole and onto the plane within 50m from idle, the rig settled down to a slow cruising speed at 20 knots. Once we rounded the corner at the entrance to Rose Bay, we encountered some very large wake from a passing ferry, which Andrew powered the boat through and over with ease. So much ease that it felt

like we were floating on a cushion of air. While idling at at 1000 RPM, it only took the an increase to 1200 RPM to achieve an increase of 10 knots. Once the boat was pushed to its limit at 44 knots, the RPM was at 4300, giving you great fuel economy for a large boat. This would be due to the design of the 23° constant deadrise of the hull at the transom and the slightly reversed 30cm chines/ sponsons on the side of the boat. What also adds to the stability and safety of the boat is that over 2 cubic metres of surveyed approved foam has been jammed into the hull. At one stage we had three adults on one side and there was very little tipping of the boat and the high sides gave you plenty of reassurance that you weren’t going overboard. Its 6mm aluminium sides and bottom, which have been full-length welded, lock the entire build of this boat together. It also has a selfdraining, scuppered deck that makes it easy to wash out and clean the floor after a hard days fishing. At one stage I lost count at the number of different places that you can store items on the Sea Adex Armour 6.5m Hard Top Godzilla. At last count there was at least 10. Maybe the design of this rig doesn’t suit your needs. Not a problem. Adam will customize the boat to suit your needs. Customisation options include: different configurations with kill tanks, live bait tanks and full tanks; dash layout; side door access; single/dual/triple motor options; placement of hand rails; where and how

FEATURES The Sea Adex Armour 6.5 metre Hard Top comes with a Fusion Sound System, Garmin GPSMAP 7416, a Garmin GPSMAP 7408, a Garmin Autopilot with Shadowdrive, 1kw Chirp TM256LM Transducer, a 600w Chirp GT51M Transducer, Wishbone Outriggers, 250L Fuel Tank, Live Bait Tank, Boat board, Garelick Seat Suspension, Windscreen Wiper, King/Queen Seats, EPIRB, fire extinguisher, 27mhz and UHF Marine Radio’s, Fish Bag/Box, 16 rod holders and all the required safety gear. many rod holders; what type of bait board you would like; the seating arrangement and types or anything else that you may want. Now the question for you is, “Do I buy one or do I hire one?” Let’s face it, if you were interested in this rig you could hire the boat for a day or two and if you were impressed with it, you could contact Adam from Sea Adex and get him to custom design one for you from their great range. If you want to buy one you can contact Adam

at: info@seaadex.com.au or call 0435 453 455. You could also visit their website, at www.seaadex.com.au, or call into the office at Shed 2/82 Redland Bay Road, Capalaba QLD if you’re up that way. If you would like to hire the Sea Adex Armour 6.5m Hard Top Godzilla, you can contact Chett at: fbhsydney@gmail.com, or visit their website at www.finzboathire.com.au. They also have a Facebook page, which is called simply Finz Boat Hire.

Plenty of rod holders, comfortable seats for you and the crew, plus everything you need for a day’s fishing and boating on the water. After you have finished your days fishing, all you need to do is ring up Chett from Finz Boat Hire and he will meet you at your prearranged pick-up point and take the boat away for you.

Top: Everything that you need is at your fingertips on the dash in front of the helm. The touch screen Garmin GPS 7408 is showing a number of kingfish arches on the screen, but we weren’t able to temp them into biting. Above: While in the cabin and you are driving the vessel, you have plenty of clear vision out the front and on the sides. The 27mhz and UHF Marine radios are just at arm’s length making it easy to communicate with other vessels. There is also a light for inside the cabin for those dull days.

Even though I am a bit on the short side, I could easily see over the dashboard while sitting at the helm. It was also very easy to see and use the array of electronics that I had in front of me.

From the area of the cockpit, you are able to access the front bunk area where you could store some of that extra fishing gear or the esky with the food and drinks. It could also be used as a small change room if needed.

Andrew, our skipper for the day, was giving us a safety talk and explaining where the life jackets and other safety gear is stored.

The Sea Adex Armour 6.5m Hard Top Godzilla is powered by a 250hp, 4-stroke Suzuki Outboard. When the motor is just in gear and moving forward at about 4 knot the RPM is at around 1000. Even though the 15hp 4 stroke outboard is there as a survey requirement you could also use this for trolling at a much slower speed.

The plumbed live well at the rear of the boat would hold enough squid or other live baits for a fishing session. What I would do is maybe put some kind of netting over the opening, as on the day we had one small yellowtail jump back into the water.

Top Left and Right: When you hire the boat Chett will include the use of the Scotty Depth Master down rigger if you need it. Bottom Left and Right: At the rear of the boat you will find an extremely sturdy chopping board that has more storage underneath. There is a wash down hose that will come in handy when cleaning up at the end of the day. The four rod holders are spread far enough apart so that the reels won’t bump into each other when get one out to fight the fish. There is also a number of hatches that will give you access and storage along with a collapsible/removable seat with a non-slip cover, that can be used when you have more onboard.

Left: Anchoring up with the powered winch and the Scarca anchor makes it so easy. It’s just a flip of the switch. The forward hatch will give you access to the front of the boat to tie off the rope to the front bollard. The non-slip covering on the front will save you from slipping. Above: The access ladder on the trailer makes launching and retrieve to boat by yourself so easy. All you need to do is drive the boat onto the trailer and allow the Boat Catch System to attach the boat. Turn off and raise the motor. Climb down the ladder, attach the safety chain and then just drive off. DECEMBER 2017

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