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February, 2020 Fishing Monthly G R O U P

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February 2020, Vol. 32 No. 4

Contents NORTHERN NEW SOUTH WALES Yamba 20 Ballina 22

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Fundraiser, and it will be great to be able to put some cash back into that tight-knit community. Remember that ABT events are for everyone. In both the BREAM and the BASS events, you don’t even need a boat because you are paired with anglers who own boats. It’s a great way to steepen your learning curve and add that extra dimension to your fishing.

stocks for when the pendulum swings the other way. TOURNAMENT ANGLER GUIDE In this issue you can check out the 2020 ABT Tournament Angler Guide, which is stitched into every Fishing Monthly magazine nationwide in February. Even if you’re not directly interested or involved in tournament fishing, you should know that plenty of the techniques and lures that you use today have had their origins in the bream, bass and barramundi events. Ironically, the second event of the Costa BREAM Series was scheduled to be held at Mallacoota in early February; ABT anglers from all over Australia love this East Gippsland venue. ABT is aware that it’s important to start spending money back in Gippsland as soon as possible, and so have moved the event to Gippsland Lakes. The second round will now be a Mallacoota

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you, and spend money at the local businesses. Remember that a lot of these places were emptied out during the peak holiday season, which they rely on for most of their revenue. ARE FISH KILLS NEXT? At the time of print, we’re starting to see fish kills in areas where the ash is washing into rivers. I think that sadly, we will see more of this as we get rain. It’s a double edged sword, isn’t it… we need the rain, but we know that it will cause damage to the already fragile and drought-stricken rivers when it comes. The best you can do as an angler? Leave the stressed fish alone. Sometimes they are pretty easy to catch when they are confined to a small area, but the last thing they need is to be caught, even if you plan to release them. Instead, go elsewhere and find yourself an unstressed fish to catch. It’s a better challenge as an angler and better for the

10 79 95 47

PARTNER CONTENT

It has been a testing month for Australia. Some of our favourite fishing areas and holiday destinations have been under attack from one of the worst bushfire seasons many of us have lived through. In the recreational fishing community, we all know people who have been affected. Some of my mates are regulars at Mallacoota every year and they were faced with a terrifying decision – pack up the family and drive through severe fire areas to get home, or stay with the family and ride out the event. Scary when you have young kids. Fortunately, they all made it home and are planning their next trips because they’re aware of how vital tourism is to most of these communities. An anglers, this is what you can do to help this year – visit these communities when they’re ready to take

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REGULAR FEATURES Back to Basics 14 Camping and 4WD 98 Cooking 96 Dam Levels 90 Freshwater 90 Fun Page 112 Sheik of the Creek 99 Tech Tricks 16 Tournament News 102 Track my fish 108 Trades and Services 110 What’s New Boating 95 What’s New Fishing 104 SPECIAL FEATURES Chatterbaits in the tropics Learning to fish close to home Barra facts: water clarity and colour ABT Tournament Angler Guide

From the Editor’s Desk...

BOATING AND KAYAK

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Whitsundays 82 Ayr 83 Townsville 84 Cairns 86 Cairns NFZ 86 Port Douglas 87 Hinchinbrook 87 Lucinda 88 Cooktown 88 Cape York 89

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Rainbow Beach 40 Hervey Bay 41 Gladstone 42 Lake Monduran 42 Bundaberg 43 Rockhampton 44 Yeppoon 45 Mackay 46

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SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND The Tweed 24 Southern Gold Coast 26 Jumpinpin 28 Gold Coast Canals 29 Gold Coast 30 Southern Bay 32 Brisbane Offshore 33 Brisbane 34 Northern Bay 36 Noosa 37

ING TRADE

Chatterbaits are the talk of the tropics WHITSUNDAYS

Mick Underwood

It’s not very often that you get the opportunity to try something relatively new in

the world of sportfishing. When mucking around with something different, it might not work as expected and you could end up trying to ‘re-invent the wheel’. Luckily, that’s

not been my experience with my recent foray into chatterbaits. I’ve been testing them out for the first time and am happy to share my experience with them, as I’ve found they

Young Reef Underwood scored this PB gold-spot cod. These lures stand up to punishment well, even with hefty fish like this.

Red-throat aren’t just fun to catch and eat, they’re also extremely photogenic!

A visiting angler from Spain was amazed at how simple chatterbaits are to use.

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are big fish magnets and deserving of a spot in all tackle boxes. LEARNING A NEW LURE One day, I was online ordering a pile of soft plastics and I happened to notice that my preferred supplier was also making and selling freshwater native lures, so out of curiosity I took a little gander. In amongst the spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and the like, I came across these fancy, shiny looking things called chatterbaits, which up until that moment (as I’m not much of a native fish angler) I had never heard of before. Like a lot of lure anglers, I have the attitude of a bowerbird – if it’s shiny, I have to have it. That first lure was relatively small and the trailer was dark purple in colour, pretty typical of the style used by a lot of Murray cod anglers. I remember when I was first attaching the lure to a leader that I wasn’t really convinced and was wondering what I’d gotten myself into! As when trialling any new style of jig, I lowered it over the side, dropped it down a couple of metres and gave it a couple of jigs so that I could observe its action. Straight away my jaw dropped to my knees and any negativity was dispelled from my mind. When jigged, the way that the blade in the front of the lure pivoted, catching the sunlight and reflecting it 360º, was mesmerising, and feeling the heavy pulse rise up from the lure through the line up to the rod tip also captivated me. Before even putting this lure in front of a fish, I was sold. At the time, I happened to be drifting over a school of deep baitfish and was jigging for various pelagic species, so I put the lure down into the midst of the bait. On the very first jig of the lure, it got bit, the rod buckled over and

the tip pulled well under the surface of the water. After a short but intense battle, a 2m bronze whaler came boat side. Although not exactly a desirable species, it got me thinking straightaway – if the sharks will eat this thing so readily, what else will? That first foray with a chatterbait was brief, but it got me well and truly hooked. From that day began the lengthy process of working out what fish would eat these things and in what

situations, what depths of water they would work in, what techniques to use, what weights to use in various situations, what colours, sizes and styles of trailers to use, what tackle to use and so on. I didn’t bumble my way through all of this alone and was fortunate enough to have the assistance of a good lure maker. It is important to point out that I am not sponsored by or have any commercial arrangements with any tackle companies,

Jason Fisher managed to land a ripper queenfish after it had been leapfrogging all over the ocean.

but I do need to tell you about Ricky Sherwood from Whacked Lures Australia. I purchased all my chatterbaits from him and without Ricky’s assistance and willingness to work with me, putting all the pieces of the puzzle together would have been much harder. He even went out of the way to design new trailer colours for me to experiment with! Initially, I was purchasing lures straight from Rick’s store in various

weights, styles, and colours, but success was intermittent. Most of the lures that I was using were dull to dark in colour, reasonably light in weight and the trailers were in the small to mid-sized range. Apparently this is great if you’re a Murray cod angler, but they weren’t working for me in a tropical saltwater environment. I got Rick to make a few in lighter and brighter colours, while I kept mixing up the trailer styles and jighead weights. I

started to enjoy slightly more regular success but it still wasn’t good enough. At this point, I started to get better and more regular bites from the deeper reef fish, so I concentrated mainly on those species, using heavy models (2oz) in order to be able to get down to them, and that’s when things started to gel properly. It turns out deep fish, whether they are pelagic or bottom demersals, love chatterbaits. Trailer style and size was

Pretty in pink! Black jew are drawn to chatterbaits like a magnet.

the last bit to work out and that was just a process of elimination. I thought that the subtleness of curly-tail trailers combined with the aggressive vibrations of the jig blade would be a winner but it was not so. Terrestrial patterns turned out to be no good as well. I moved onto using big paddle-tail trailers and voila, I had a winner! Now, I use 2oz models all rigged with 6” paddletail trailers in the brightest colours imaginable. They are proving to be dead set winners and on most days I have them out fishing fresh bait. Not only are they attracting more bites than bait, but also they are getting bitten sooner and are attracting a better calibre of fish. Vermin species and smaller fish generally leave them alone, meaning that the bites you get more often than not are from the fish you actually want. When I’m out drifting on the deeper country these days, depending on the nature of the clientele on board, I normally have a mixture of baits and lures being sent down to the bottom. If the baits and other styles of jigs being used are catching either small or undesirable fish and the chatterbait hasn’t been touched, that tells me that there are either no big fish down there or I’ve timed it

Kasey Gardner caught this solid black jewfish. wrong and they’re not on the chew. I’m at the point now that if the chatterbaits aren’t getting eaten then I don’t persevere; I get everyone to wind their lines in and I

move to another patch of turf and try again. I’ve gained enough confidence in these lures now that I can use them as an indicator of how To page 12

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BLACK MAGIC

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Chasing the dream: fishing off the beach Ocean beaches are a great place to catch a range of species, from bread and butter stuff like bream, whiting and tailor through to larger predators like mulloway and sharks. Most of the time these areas are not only productive fishing areas but also easily accessible by foot or 4WD, making them ideal locations for anglers of all skill levels from kids to hardcore mulloway anglers. Regardless of what species you want to target from the beach, it’s important to get the fundamentals right, as without them you will struggle. Some beaches are dozens of kilometres long and only a small percentage of that will be typical fish holding country. Shallow areas that are constantly bombarded by waves should be avoided. Instead, look to fish the deeper gutters

as they usually disappear once the low light period is over. LARGER PREDATORS Mulloway are without doubt the holy grail for beach fishers and while they can be caught a variety of different ways, the most effective method is fishing after the sun goes down with large baits. In order to cast out larger baits, you need a stiffer rod around 10-12’ matched to a 10,00020,000 sized reel spooled with 10-15kg mono line. My preference again is the Black Magic Velocity Surf Line, as it casts great and provides

Black Magic has you covered when it comes to beach fishing.

A promising looking gutter. and troughs. These can be easily identified by places where waves don’t break and darker coloured water. Gutters will often funnel back out to sea while some troughs can run horizontal behind, in front or between sand bars. Fish are attracted to these places, as food sources like pipis, worms and crabs are pounded out of from adjacent banks and washed into them. On top of this, the deeper water also offers a bit of protection and rest zone for large schools of fish especially during annual mullet, luderick and bream migrations. Once you’ve narrowed down where to focus your efforts, it’s time to fish the area in the right manner for the desired species. There are three ways to fish from the ocean beaches 18

FEBRUARY 2020

once the sun goes down. The easiest way to rig a mulloway bait is to use a three way swivel with a star sinker attached to the bottom swivel eye and a 60-80cm length of 40-60 Black Magic fluorocarbon leader coming off the side swivel eye. Hook size will depend on your bait size and can be anywhere from 6/0-10/0. I always snell two hooks together when targeting beach mulloway and the best hooks I’ve ever used for them are the Black Magic C Point range. With

– one for your bread and butter species like bream and whiting, another for smaller pelagics like tailor and salmon, and then the third for larger predators like sharks and the mighty mulloway. BREAD AND BUTTER FISHING This is the simplest way to fish the beaches, but it’s extremely effective when done right. Use a 10-12’ rod with a light soft tip paired with a 40006000 size spin reel spooled with 6kg mono, preferably something like Black Magic Velocity Surf Line, as it’s made specifically for this type of fishing. Mono line is far better suited than braid when fishing the beaches, as the swell and turbulence will often throw the braid over itself and make some epic knots and birds’ nests. The rig is very simple and Black Magic makes it

even simpler, with the perfect pre-made rig ready to go in the Sandy Snatcher. It is a twin long shank rig, which is the ideal hook to use from the beach. Bait these up with live beachworms or pipis and you can’t go wrong. This is an effective way to catch things like bream and

whiting but you can also score loads of welcome by-catch species with dart, salmon, flathead and even mulloway often taking a Sandy Snatcher Rig. The best time to fish these areas is around the high tide, especially when you can get one that corresponds with dawn and dusk periods. Smaller pelagics like tailor and salmon also frequent the surf zone, making them a popular target for recreational anglers. The best rods to target tailor on ocean beaches are between 8-10’, with a 40006000 sized reel spooled with 20lb Black Magic Rainbow Braid to a 30lb 80cm length of fluorocarbon leader. Braid is the preferred option in this instance as you are constantly casting and retrieving, which eliminates the problems braid can give to anchored baits in the surf. The best thing to use is a whole pilchard, garfish or a metal lure around 20-40g. Early morning and late afternoon are prime times for both fish, especially for tailor,

The Sandy Snatchers are lethal on bread and butter species. unmatched knot strength. The favoured mulloway baits are whole squid or even better if you can source it, some live yellow-tail, mullet, whiting or tailor. Many anglers will get to the beach well before dark in order to catch a live whiting or tailor to put out

The ultimate prize for every beach angler: the mighty mulloway.

these hooks, you will rarely miss a hook-up. CASTING FURTHER Occasionally you’ll come across good-looking mulloway territory by way of a trough or gutter that’s just out of casting range and this is where Black Magic Longreach Rig comes into its own. It’s great for smaller live baits such as small yellow-tail or dead baits like whole squid. It comes pre-rigged with a KL5/0 and 3/0 hook attached to a plastic clip at the bottom of the rig near the sinker. This makes it super aerodynamic, allowing for much further casts than traditional rigs. It also has a small, inbuilt float that lifts your bait up to waft around rather than letting it sit on the bottom and be picked apart by crabs and rays.

Good prawn run indicates bumper barra bounty MACKAY

Keith Day habdays@bigpond.net.au

Good rain late in December and early January saw all the creeks and estuary systems get a good flush out. This triggered a good run of prawns and, as everyone knows, prawns are the top barra tucker down in the salt. Provided we don’t get huge flooding rains in February, we can expect a bumper start to the 2020 barra season. Conditions permitting, I know where I will be the first few days of February – haunting a couple of our saltwater creek systems on the hunt for some barra. The Pioneer River system fishes well early in the season as long as it is not in flood, and barra can be found from the headwaters above

the weirs right through to the mouth and nearby Flat and Round Top islands. The Gooseponds in North Mackay hold good numbers of smaller barra, with the odd one up around 80cm. In the salt, the pick of the spots will be around the highway bridge and nearby rocks, the main city bridge, and the rock walls running down to the V. For bait anglers, prawns can usually be cast netted near the boat ramp or there is mullet and whiting available on the flats. In the river, the run-out seems to be the most productive and low light or during the night misses the heat of the day and can be prime times. In the Gooseponds and further upriver in the freshwater, most anglers prefer to lure or fly fish. The variety and brands of lures seems almost endless

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these days but a good selection of large plastics, vibes, hardbodied minnows and surface lures should see plenty of action. With topwater, use both the popper style and walkthe-dog style lures. One of my all time favourites is the Cultiva Tango Dancer in the largest size. Dam barra will still be on the chew and the same lures work in the dams. One disturbing practice has been noticed at Kinchant Dam when Sunwater are pumping into the dam – people have been using live bony bream for bait. There’s no sin in that, but a lot of these people have been using a cast net to get bony bream and it is illegal to use a cast net in freshwater. Unfortunately, a live bait that has gut-hooked a big barra will reduce its chances of survival, compared to a lure-caught fish that is usually hooked around the

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Anglers will be out in force chasing saltwater barra, like this 78cm beauty Tim Galletly caught at the mouth of the gully behind him.

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mouth area, which is much easier to remove. I also usually de-barb two of the three hook points on a treble to simplify removal. There will be plenty of barra options elsewhere in the district during February but again this will be affected if we have flooding rains. Mangrove creeks in the NFZ around Seaforth will surely garner plenty of attention, as will nearby areas like Reliance and Constant creeks in the north and Bakers, Sandy, Alligator and Plane creeks to the south of the city. Hotspots will include any creek junction or run-off gully as the tide turns to run-out, and any rock bars or isolated rocks. Keep an eye out along

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understand and get their head around, so I suggest dropping into the local tackle shops to get some up-to-date advice on where the barra are biting and on what. The staff are often keen anglers and can give sound advice regarding tides and the like. While barra will be the main target in February, due to the reopening of the season, there are other opportunities for locals and visitors. There will still be good supplies of creek prawns around. The recent rains have seen muddies on the move and out of the hard-to-reach gullies and holes. Drop in a pot or two while chasing barra and if you score a doughnut on the barra, a couple of

humble whiting through to big king threadfin. If the water is dirty from flood rains, threadies will be the best bet. They roam right up almost into freshwater and tiny prawns flicking in the shallows can be a good sign they’re around. They also show up pretty well on modern sounders including those with side scan capabilities. Threadies turn up in the most unlikely places and are at times a very frustrating fish, but they are great fun to catch and not too bad on the plate either. The offshore scene has quietened down, as most of the smaller pelagics have moved on following the bait schools towards the end of January. Queenfish are still active around the headlands and close inshore islands along with several varieties of trevally, so the pelagic scene is not a complete loss. However, if there is a great plume of freshwater extending out from the creeks and rivers, the pelagic activity will come to a grinding halt. Deepwater reef fishing is still pretty hot during February, but strong winds and rain will hamper this activity. There is also the chance of cyclone activity, and if one threatens, then all areas will fish well immediately before the cyclone. However, most people are too busy getting cyclone ready to be going fishing. Overall, February can be a month of outstanding returns, particularly for barra, but if we have floods then it

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Balin Tweddle knows the Gooseponds well and recently caught and released this 72cm barra. the mud and sand banks for nervous baitfish or jumping prawns, as that is a very likely sign of barra activity. Single mangrove trees will often have a couple of barra under them, particularly around the top of the tide. The big tides can be a problem for visitors to

mud crabs may just save the day. Good pot baits include fish frames, mullet, or even a couple of pilchards (but as they are soft, put them in something like a piece of gutter guard secured with cable ties or wire). All other creek species will be available, from the

can still be a productive time spent servicing your gear and checking the boat over. Whatever the weather, there is always somewhere in the area worth casting a line at, so fingers crossed for enough rain to keep the prawns and muddies running and the fish hungry! See you at the ramp.

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We are ready to roll! From a little company established in 1998, ABT’s done some pretty big things over the years. Established in the era of consolidated media and a real bait fishing and trolling culture, I truly think that we have changed the way we fish. You guys are innovators and early adopters. You’re

always the first to take on new tackle, techniques and gear and happy to share the fruits of your labours. Every year, more and more of you are happy to run cameras and show the fans what you’re doing out on the water. ‘Who Shares Wins’ has never been more relevant or more widely adopted. Thank

This is where we all want to be – holding up the perennial trophy at the end of the season and enjoying the accolades being an ABT winner offers. The new boat is nice, too. 4

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you for that. It helps the industry grow, our sport grow and it helps you raise the bar as anglers. Increasingly, we are able to reach more and more people with what we do. Fifteen years ago, it was magazines and the AFC TV show that promoted growth in our sport. Nowadays we still use the magazine network (after all, you’re reading this in one) of Fishing Monthly Magazines, and a variety of other channels to get out our other content. Last year, ABT produced videos reached 549,000 people through our digital platforms. That number rises every year. All of it has a hub on the ABT website (www.abt. org.au). Each event, the front page story for that event has links to the preview stories, results, image galleries, videos and everything else we publish - wherever we publish it. So you don’t need to trawl through a site, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram to get what you need. Just visit the site and it’ll all be there for you. On that note, it’s worth mentioning that we will be transitioning our platform for our live weigh-ins from the Facebook platform to our YouTube channel in 2020. It may take a while to train our viewers to look for it there, but remember, it’ll also be embedded in ABT’s page for that event. If in doubt, go to www.abt.org.au. If you’re a YouTube

Main: You’ll see this van kicking around the ABT circuit again this year, sometimes with a stage trailer on the back and sometimes with the Fishing Monthly boat. Say g’day if you see us on the road! Above: The ABT website is the hub of all ABT information and media streams. You’ll find the 2020 weigh-ins embedded here from this year forwards. subscriber, the channel to follow is ‘ABT Tournaments’. Make sure you subscribe and hit the little bell – that way you’ll be notified when we go live from each weigh-in – just like Facebook occasionally does for you now. And like we see every year, you can watch it from your phone, from your computer at work or streamed to your 70” telly at home! We have a new boat sponsor this year – Bluefin Boats is back. Bass Cat is still a minor ABT sponsor (through Manning River Marine) but the declining Aussie dollar has put the brakes on a Bass Cat for a major prize for the moment. We’ve given away plenty of Bluefin boats in the past, some at BASS Electric Conventions and some at the ABT Grand Finals. Graham Franklin and Neil Kelly won a pigeon pair at the Lake

Macquarie BREAM Final in 2017 and Jeremy O’Connell won one at a BASS Electric Convention at Hinze that I saw on the water at the Australian Open this year. Brad and his team from Bluefin Boats have been long time supporters of ABT. This year, we have a prize boat for the boater winners of both the BREAM and the BASS Grand Finals AND for the winner of the BASS Electric Grand Finals. That’s three Bluefin boats that’ll go to new owners at the conclusion of the tournament season. A BassPro 498 in the BASS, a Bass Pro 463 in the BREAM and a decked out P-Series in the BASS Electric. And if you think that we’re just giving away tinnies, think again. Bluefin’s new Alloycraft Bass Pro

models have the looks, the storage and the affordability to be a serious contender for boater bucks when it comes to getting on the water. Check out their rigs on www. bluefinboats.com.au. ABT also gets great support from outboard motor suppliers. After all, at our first BASS series in 1999, the average horsepower on a tournament boat was under 30hp. Nowadays, most fields average between 150 and 200hp and we are definitely spending more money on our boats than ever before. Mercury in the BREAM and Evinrude in the BASS offer owner bonus programs to reward ABT anglers who perform well and support their product. We also have some out-of-industry sponsors who help the machine roll. Neil Carstairs from Mortgage

Corp immediately saw the value of live broadcasting and has been helping us do it ever since. Without Neil’s help you’d still be wondering what’s going on at weigh-ins and on the water. Instead, we can stream it to you – LIVE! What you mightn’t know is that Neil can also help you with your fishing. He’s a specialist at re-financing your mortgages in your favour. The way it works is that the less you have to pay the banks, the more you can spend on boats and doing what you love. Seriously, give him a call if you think that you’re a slave to your bank and see what he can do about it for you. It won’t cost you a cent to ask and he has helped more of your fellow anglers than you’d think. And lastly, of course, there’s the broad range of tackle sponsors that keep ABT ticking. We’ve always had a theory that a lot of companies kicking the can a little bit is the healthiest thing for our sport. A GFC, dozens of natural disasters, a massive change in the media landscape and a generational change in the anglers and we are still going strong thanks to their support. They provide the product for the prize packs and some coin to pay our

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After 20 years, there’s plenty of history being created. Aaron Sharp named the Queensland Open trophy ‘Geoff’. After all, he’s been looking after it for a lot of its life. hard working ABT staff. New sponsors on board this year include VMC hooks, Megabass and we see the return of Atomic, BKK Humminbird and ProLure. We have a new ABT Tournament Director starting this year, so we hope that you’ll make him welcome.

Want to know who it is? You’ll find out at the BREAM Queensland Open when he starts his role. Nicholle Smith has become the backbone of ABT sponsorship and media and Kym Rowbotham the hub of all entries at the ABT head office in Shailer Park

in Queensland. Plenty of you met them during the year and at the Grand Final dinner on the Gold Coast. Keep playing nice with these ladies and they’ll make your tournament smooth and enjoyable. And finally, there’s you guys. Thank you for your business and your

membership of ABT. Your membership fees help to keep the wheels turning back at the office and it is appreciated. We’ve had excellent uptake of the digital subscription tokens that we send out each month with the ABT member email newsletter. Instead of a single,

posted copy of the magazine for your state, we now offer you all four of the Fishing Monthly magazines in a digital form for you to read at your leisure. Going to a tournament interstate? No worries – read up about the areas before you go. That’s where it’s powerful. Not getting your ABT member newsletter? Call the office and make sure that we have your correct email address. Also, check your Junk Mail folder, sometimes your mail server doesn’t know the difference between quality email content and that letter from the Nigerian millionaire that wants to give you all the cash. Prefer a printed copy? Call the office and Kym will swap you across to a print version for your state. Call (07) 3387 0888. There are several event changes in 2020, you can read about them in the pages of the 2020 Tournament Angler Guide. We’ve added a BARRA event in Tinaroo, added an event to the Costa BREAM Series, changed the Samaki BREAM Queensland Open to a multi-venue, weekend event and we’re leaving the BASS Pro tour exactly as it is! See you on the water in 2020.

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Humminbird BASS Electric Open to boom in 2020 ABT

Joey Urquhart

With the new year upon us and the regular BASS electric season about to get underway, let’s fast forward to the end of the season to the pinnacle of the calendar, the BASS Electric Australian Open. 2019 saw the inaugural Valleyhill BASS Electric Open take place at Wyaralong Dam in Southeast Queensland, and following

its initial success, it’s back in 2020 with a new naming sponsor: Humminbird. It promises to be bigger and

Day 1 Highlights

better while offering 100% pay back in cash plus prizes to all bass anglers wanting to get their hands on the trophy. Most people won’t have heard of Wyaralong Dam as it only finished construction in 2011. Only weeks after construction, however, the large catchment area received massive rainfall which filled the dam in a matter of weeks. Located about 15 minutes’ drive west of Beaudesert and only a 1-hour drive from Brisbane and northern NSW, it’s perfect for day trips.

This puts a new meaning to catching them in the trees. Blades fished right amongst the timber yielded results in 2019.

Two typical size Wyaralong bass. That’s right – this is the average size when you fish reaction baits in the right places. These fish came from heavy timber.

TAG 2020 abt

Wyaralong is an up and coming lake that is jam-packed with plenty of big bass and huge numbers of small bass – but rest assured that the by-catch of carp and tilapia will keep you busy. The dam offers great access for all types of boats, whether it’s a 3m tinny or a 20ft bass boat, with great car park facilities to accommodate all trailers. You can leave your petrol motors attached, you just

can’t use them. BRINGING IN THE BASS Wyaralong is really a bass fisher’s dream, offering everything from rocky banks, sunken timber and lily pads to reed-lined foreshore. There’s something for every angler to target, no matter what your favourite technique is. 2019 saw the bar being raised yet again in the BASS Electric Australian Open held there. Wyaralong turned

it on with nine 6kg+, 5-bass limits, with the largest for the tournament coming in at just over 8kg. The Big Bass prize was fiercely contested, and the eventual winner tipped the scales at 2.03kg. It is really one of those lakes where you can catch them on anything, although there were some stand-out lures from the 2019 Open. Day one leader Charles West chose to target sunken timber using his lipless

cranks to great effect, and I also opted for the same technique, which helped to put me in the top three going into the last day. Talking to anglers after the tournament showed that more then half the field opted for this same technique, while eventual

Day 2 Highlights

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There are plenty of these in Wyaralong – big timber standing in open water. The bass love these areas.

Adrian Wilson weighed a cracking bag on Day 2 of the 2019 BASS Electric Australian Open with quality fish like this.

Want to be treated like a BASS Pro angler? The BASS Electric Australian Open has the same payout percentage and coverage as the BASS Australian Open on Glenbawn. Boom.

winner Jake Schwerin fished the same structure throwing a spinnerbait, keeping it in contact with the timber at all times. The trusty old blade played a big part in filling people’s limits, although the average fish size on blades was a lot smaller than those caught on reaction baits. You can see lots of the angler highlights in the videos captured at the event – just scan the QR codes hereby or search on ABT’s YouTube channel (ABT Tournaments). WHAT’S IN STORE IN 2020 Jumping forward to this year’s event, I think we will see a lot more of this lake

unlocked as anglers search and find that something a little different. In saying that, I think if you were going to fish this event you would be silly not to have a lipless crank tied, and searching different ground from the community spots could prove crucial. Rain could also play a big part in this event. Having large amounts of rain that cool the water down could see the edges fire with jerkbaits, but that’s totally weather dependent. Another way to bring in a large limit I feel could be the very popular skirted jig. It’s a technique that hasn’t been fished there a lot and To page 16

Dean Thompson’s old man was the inaugural BASS Pro Angler of the Year in 1999. The young bloke can catch them pretty well, too.

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From page 18

fish and still land nearly all of them. When the water is dirtier or the structure I’m fishing is more rugged, I’ll up the line class to 3lb or 4lb when I think I’ll still hook plenty of bream. If I’m fishing a bridge pylon in dirty water or the same water over rocky reef, 5lb or 6lb fluorocarbon is the natural choice – I don’t have to make long casts in those conditions, the fish aren’t put off by the diameter, and the pulling power is sometimes a blessing. There’s a fine balance, though, between having the pulling power and actually using it. Sure, fluorocarbon stretches, but it’s still possible to tear the hooks out of a bream’s mouth with stretchy line. When I used to fish crankbaits on braid,

Straight-through fluorocarbon should be right in the zone for crankbait anglers, especially for yellowfin bream where a straight retrieve often works well.

I’d lose heaps of bream with pulled hooks. It didn’t matter how soft my rods were, there was still a percentage of fish that wouldn’t stay connected, no matter how skilful I thought I was. The answer is to fish all line classes as if the bream is only just hooked. Treat your extra diameter (and breaking strength) in your fluoro as simply more abrasion resistance. Just because you’re fishing 6lb doesn’t mean that you have to have a heavy drag. The bonus with doing this is that if the fish does make it home into some structure, it will be much harder for the fish to break a line under less pressure. Any line, at breaking point, will part instantly when it touches a sharp, underwater object. The same line at only To page 22

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Fishing unweighted plastics, you need to set those hooks hard, which means the braid and leader combo is the natural choice.

SPOOLING FLUOROCARBON

SPOOLING BRAID

I’ve read plenty over the years on the best ways to spool line. Spooling light fluorocarbon onto a small spinning reel is the easiest process ever. 1. Thread the line down the guides and tie it onto your reel. 2. Stick a pen through the middle of your spool. 3. Wind the line onto the reel with a small amount of pressure. There’s none of this having the line come off this side or that side of the spool to counteract the twists. That’s all rubbish. The line is untwisted when it’s sitting on the spool you buy it on. It twists slightly as the line is spooled onto the reel. As you cast, these twists are removed. Don’t make it any more complicated than that. The main danger in spooling up fluorocarbon is to not overheat the line. Heat kills fluoro very quickly, and you can create too much heat if you’re trying to wind the line on under too much pressure. Add the pressure with your bare fingers, and if it gets too hot for your fingers, it’s too hot for the line.

You spool braided line in exactly the same way that you spool fluorocarbon, apart from the pressure. A little bit of heat doesn’t damage the braid the way it can destroy fluoro, and braid spooled under too little tension can cut into itself and create problems. Use a piece of rag to add enough pressure to keep the braid tight as you’re winding it on. If you’re using a shallow spool that doesn’t need backing, use some sticky tape to help anchor the braid to the spool. If you don’t do this, the whole spool of line can slip on the spool. A deeper spool that needs backing can be backed with cheap nylon monofilament line. The braid will never slip on mono backing. Just make sure that the knot between the backing and the main line is good. You never know when you’ll need the connection to remain fast.

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20% of its maximum tension will be very forgiving. This leads me into my ‘softly-softly’ approach. FIGHTING A BREAM SOFTLY If a bream swims around structure when you’re fighting it, the worst thing you can do is to pull as hard as you can. This will invariably break your line. In contrast, I have landed hundreds of bream from sticky situations by

Tournament Angler Guide easing the drag back to nearly nothing and slowwinding the fish back out the way it came. Let me explain. When a bream is hooked, it will, naturally, swim away from the perceived danger. When the pressure is relieved, the bream will often stop and then focus on the lure in its mouth. At this time, gentle pressure will often result in you being able to ‘lead’ the fish back along the lay of the line. If it is swum around a

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couple of pylons, then very often, it will let itself be led back the way it came. It’s pretty important to do all of this work with the reel and not to move the rod much. If you try to ‘pump and wind’ the fish, the pressure is uneven and each time you drop the rod tip, the bream has a chance of turning its head around and changing direction. You don’t want it to change direction. You want it to keep swimming the way you’re

Left: It’s a dead-set walk in the park to re-rig your fluorocarbon rods. Cut the line, tie a knot and you’re done. Right: When it comes to connecting your braid to a leader, modern knots like the FG are vastly superior to the Albright connectors we all tied when ABT started.

The shadow of the line spooking fish may be a foreign concept to some, yet braid throws a much bigger shadow than light fluorocarbon does. Food for thought.

winding it. Whenever I extract a bream like this, I make sure that I don’t do the drag back up when it’s clear. The line may be damaged and break at a fraction of its advertised strength. The fish will eventually see you – or the boat – and try to swim away again. There’s no better example of why you should do this than the 1.47kg yellowfin bream I landed on the second day of a

BREAM Australian Open on Sydney Harbour. I was fishing a flat in around 3ft of water with two, large rocky outcrops on it with an SX40 and 3lb fluorocarbon straight through. The lure bounced over a rock pile and got clobbered by the bream, which then bolted up the gap between the two rocks and buried itself in a crack. Instinctively, I loosened the drag, put the electric motor on 100% and headed straight for the rock. The

armature of the motor hitting the rock at around two knots spooked the fish, which then took off over the flats. Drifting with the current and after nearly 10 minutes of back and forth with the light drag, the bream succumbed to the net. When I removed the hooks and tested the line, it broke at around 250g of pressure. Keeping the drag backed off with the damaged line make a kilogram difference to my final bag.

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Joseph Urquhart

Nathan Swanson

Adrian Wilson

2019 BASS ELECTRIC RANKINGS Ranking 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 10 12 13 14 15 16 17 17 19 19 19

First Name Joseph Nathan Adrian Charles Aaron Jesper Matthew Pete Tom Mark Scott Dale Jake Paul Glen Nick Alan Steve Chelsey Drew Liam

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Charles West

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2019 BASS ELECTRIC AOY

Surname

Points

Urquhart Swanson Wilson West Kemp Noisen Flynn Bostock Reynolds Palazzi Bryant Lucas Schwerin McHugh Swanson Nutley Britcliffe McLean Lennon Sharpe Dutton

229 203 200 192 170 168 146 139 130 129 129 119 102 99 93 90 88 88 85 85 85

Rank

First Name

Surname

Points

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 15 17 18 19 20 20

Joey Mark Adrian Dale Tom Nathan Alan Glenn Charles Jake Liam Aaron Peter Mattew Matt Stephen Jesper Luke Drew Mark Wade

Urquhart Palazzi Wilson Lucas Reynolds Swanson Britcliffe Swanson West Schwerin Dutton Kemp Bostock Flynn Williams McLean Noisen Albone Sharp Mckay Walker

298 292 290 289 287 284 283 282 280 278 277 276 274 270 265 265 261 260 257 247 247

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ABT BREAM and BASS rankings by the numbers 2020 marks ABT’s 21st year, and over that time a total of 659 boaters and 903 non-boaters have competed in 180 BREAM events since rankings calculations started. Many Australian anglers dream of winning an ABT event, however Anglers not only seek to win events during the year but compete for Angler of the Year (AOY). AOY rewards the angler who is the most consistently highly-placed angler throughout the BREAM rounds, with points per round allocated according to placing. Tristan Taylor (Boater) and Stuart Walker

only 102 boaters can claim to have won an ABT bream tournament. This of course means there are anglers who have won multiple ABT BREAM events. 31 of these winners have won more than once, making them our superstars of the sport. (Non-Boater) took out this prestigious title in 2019. ABT also tracks the form of anglers through rankings. Rankings use the best five scores in the last 12 months added to the best five scores in the preceding 12 months (12-24 months ago). The top five ranked anglers coming into 2020 are:

TOP FIVE RANKED BREAM ANGLERS 1 2 3 4 5

BOATER Steve Morgan, QLD Jamie McKeown, QLD Mark Crompton, NSW Denis Metzdorf, QLD Charlie Saykao, QLD

1 2 3 4 5

NON-BOATER Stuart Walker, NSW Mike Hodges, VIC Craig Johnson, NSW Tanya Konsul, ACT Neil Kelly, NSW

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ABT BREAM MULTIPLE EVENT WINNERS Steve Morgan Chris Wright Warren Carter Kris Hickson Russell Babekuhl Tim Morgan Darren Borg Szarn Tink Brad Hodges Tristan Taylor Cameron Whittam Andrew Howard Chris Metcalfe Scott Towner Mark Crompton Dror Pietsch Jamie McKeown Mark Mangold Steve Steer Ross Canizzaro Ben Godfrey Ian Seeto Jarrod Healey Jay Morgan Michael Metcalfe Nigel Webster Patrick Sullivan Scott Butler Spiro Spiropolous Steve Starling Graham Franklin

11 9 9 8 7 7 6 6 6 6 5 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

ABT BASS in 2019 saw a massive increase in numbers, which we assume is due to the collapse of BASS Nation. As such, competition for the AOY and Rankings placings was tighter than

weighed at the BASS Grand Final in 2019 at Lake St Clair. After a cracking year, where he won the BASS Boater AOY and the Rapala BASS Australian Open, Graham

TOP FIVE RANKED BASS ANGLERS BOATER 1 Graham Ford 2 Kris Hickson 3 Keeghan Painter 4 Stephen Kanowski 5 Jonothan Bale in recent years. In fact, Grand Final spots were at a premium. We think that it will be a long time before an entire Grand Final field logs a perfect score, like the 300/300

1 2 3 4 5

Jason Martin ended the year at the best ranked angler in the back of the boat, and 2019 BASS Non-Boater AOY Paul Mazaroli landed just out of the top five after a stellar year. NON-BOATER Jason Martin Nick Price John Francis Mitchell Petty Trent Blake

Ford topped both lists, displacing fellow NSW angler Kris Hickson who spent a lot of his year deciding which country he was going to fish in next. After his Grand Final win,

It’s great to see that ABT is rewarding the increased participation in BASS with a prize boat again in 2020. The numbers back this decision up.

Anglers of the year (AOY) The other game in town, of course, is the Angler of the Year. These coveted trophies reward the angler who does the best in the season that year. Angler of the Year

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Cooking

Spice up your summer with smoked trout dip BRISBANE

Lynn Bain

Dips are one of the most versatile snack foods, whether you are having a party or just an attack of the nibblies. Savoury crackers, bagel chips, vegetable straws (carrot, celery),

melba toast and corn chips are all good choices to act as carriers for the dip from bowl to mouth. HANDY HINTS Any type of hot-smoked fish could be used in this recipe. Smoked mullet or smoked tailor are two options that spring to mind. You can also substitute natural

yoghurt for the mayonnaise. There are various options for sprinkling over the top of the completed dip – chopped capers, fish roe, finely chopped cornichons, additional finely chopped chives or dried chilli flakes. You could even use a combination of two or three of these options.

Ingredients

• 200g smoked trout fillets

• 1 clove garlic, finely grated

• 3tbsp chives, finely chopped

• 2 tbsp mayonnaise

• 1tsp fresh dill, finely chopped

• 200g cream cheese, softened

• 1tbsp horseradish sauce

• 1/4 cup lemon juice

• Pinch dried chilli flakes

Fish roe for the topping (optional)

Flake the smoked trout flesh into pieces, discarding the bones.

Stir the lemon juice through the cream cheese mixture.

Spoon or sprinkle the top of the smoked trout dip with your choice of toppings.

FEBRUARY 2020

Place the chives, dill, horseradish, chilli flakes, garlic, mayo and cream cheese into a large bowl. Use the back of a wooden spoon to combine until the mixture is smooth.

Add the smoked trout flesh and fold into the mixture.

When combined, spoon the mixture into a serving bowl.

In this recipe I have used fish roe as the dip topping.

Serve the smoked trout dip with a variety of crackers, toasted breads and chips.

Add the lemon juice.

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING SFT TAKUMI

SFT is a new tackle brand to hit Australian shores, and the range includes some serious lures for serious offshore anglers. Anyone who keeps an ear to the ground would have already heard of the SFT Takumi lure last tuna season in South Australia. The Takumi has been the must-have lure to use, with countless fish caught on it. The Takumi comes in three sizes, 75mm, 95mm and 125mm. It can be trolled or cast, and being a weighted lure it tracks straight and quite fast, allowing it to be trolled at speeds up to 15 knots. Boasting fully wired though construction and Owner trebles straight out the pack, the Takumi also runs well with inline singles for catch and release anglers. The SFT range also includes lures to suit salmon, kingfish, GTs, mulloway, barramundi, snapper and more. You can check out the range and stockist locations at the SWL Distributions website. You can also follow SFT Australia on Facebook and Instagram. www.swldistributions.com.au

DAIWA LEGALIS RODS

The new Daiwa Legalis series is light in the hand yet heavy in quality. Featuring advanced design and excellent value for money, this rod series performs well above its price point. The Legalis’ Braiding X graphite blank, with its robust and rugged construction, boasts superior lightness, sensitivity and responsiveness. The Legalis’ impressive blank is matched by its equally impressive hardware, with stainless steel O ring guides, Daiwa Surround Hold reel seats and a combination of cork and EVA grips providing comfort, control and stylish design and looks. With a range that includes 16 models (10 spin and six baitcaster), the Legalis series has tapers and designs to suit a variety of angling types, from ultra-light estuary to heavy-duty freshwater and inshore. If you’re in the market for a good quality budget baitcaster, check out the range at your favourite tackle store. www.daiwafishing.com.au

NEW ZMAN COLOURS

There have been some exciting new ZMan colour additions, including purple death, the Wright stuff and hot craw. Purple death is making a name for itself in both the fresh and salt, thanks to its UVreactive green belly, translucent purple back and micro glitter that adds a natural scale flash. It is available in both the 3” MinnowZ and 4” DieZel MinnowZ. The Wright stuff colour is named after US angler Jesse ‘Redfish’ Wright, who helped design it. This natural translucent brown colour contains a mix of black, gold and copper fleck, making it dynamite in dirty and tannin-stained water, along with targeting species that reside around muddy and weedy environments. Available in the 3” MinnowZ and 4” DieZel MinnowZ, these two new colours will be on the menu for flathead, barra, jacks, mulloway, bass and more. The hot craw colour has a dark back over a bright red, with a black and gold glitter. Hot Craw is an excellent reaction colour, and it stands out from the natural colour range offered in these models. It’s available in both the 2.5” TRD CrawZ and 2.75” TRD BugZ. The 2.5” TRD CrawZ, 2.75” TRD BugZ and 3” MinnowZ have six per pack, while the

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PRODUCT GUIDE 4” DieZel MinnowZ has five per pack. Price: SRP $11.95 www.z-man.com.au

TICA BRUTE WOLF REEL

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

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TiCA has released a new large sized spinning reel for the budget conscious angler, and it’s jam-packed with quality features at an affordable price. The TiCA Brute Wolf features a high tensile strength slim body frame that helps to keep weight down. Other features include a forged aluminium spool, computer-balanced rotor, multi anti-reverse, TiCA’s IOS Intelligent Oscillating System, and four TiCA rust-resistant bearings. The Brute Wolf also offers a robust 10kg of drag pressure, and comes with an extra large, round EVA power handle for extreme cranking power. The Brute Wolf will retrieve 90cm of line per handle turn on its 4.4:1 ratio, and will hold 320m of 20lb line. All in all, it’s the perfect entry level reel for the angler wanting a large line capacity while fishing the rocks or surf. Price: SRP $70 www.jurofishing.com

TASSIE DEVIL BLADES 5 AND SPOONS The new Tasmanian Devil Blade features a uniquely designed spinner blade which has been created to match the famous Tasmanian Devil lure. The blade provides a distinct, enticing action as it spins through the water. The Devil Blade range features custom Tasmanian Devil paint designs that have been created specifically for freshwater species. Devil Blades are available in two sizes, 3.8g and 5.4g, and each lure is equipped with quality terminal tackle and VMC treble hooks. Another new release is the Devil Spoon, which has the dual attraction of vibration and flash. As the spoon travels through the water it flutters from side to side and emits a vibration that attracts fish, even in cloudy water. The polished underside of the Devil Spoon produces a flash attraction which is particularly effective in clear, running water, and it’s a proven trigger for predatory species. It’s available now in 7.5g and 12.5g sizes. www.jmgillies.com.au

BIWAA BALTIK 7” PADDLE TAIL

The Baltik Swimbait 7” is one of the newest members of BIWAA’s soft swimbait line-up, and has been designed by one of BIWAA’s most innovative pro staffers, Kevin Hernandez. The Baltik Swimbait 7” looks as good as it performs, and is great for a wide variety of presentations. It can be fished with great effect at any speed. This big 7” paddle tail is what you need if you are targeting barramundi, mulloway or cod. You can rig it with weighted or unweighted weedless hooks, or use a jighead with a 7/0 hook. Other features include: durable and long lasting plastic formulation; 3D eyes; photorealistic paint designs; and 3D scales to create an ultra lifelike appearance. The BIWAA Baltik Swimbait 7” is available in six colours (08 – herring, 19 – aurora gold, 22 – hitch, 008 – pearl white, 303 – pro blue, 305 – lavender) and comes in packs of two. You can view the full colour range on the EJ Todd website. www.ejtodd.com.au

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PRODUCT GUIDE

WHAT’S NEW FISHING

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

SAMAKI MANGROVE JACK

The Manic Jack shirt takes red dogs to a new level! Aggressive by nature, this powerhouse of a species pounces at speed, attacking the Samaki Redic lure – and lurking in the background is the school of pups waiting for an opportunity to join in on the feast. The lightweight fabric is perfect for all outdoor elements, shielding you from the harsh sun with UPF50+ protection. The soft touch 100% polyester material is comfortable on the body, and has the added feature of being breathable, keeping you cool and dry. Samaki designs are brought to you by Australian anglers who love to design Australian species. These shirts are available in adult, youth and kids sizes, ranging from size 2 through to a 5XL, allowing the whole family to get in on the action and out onto the water. You can find more information and stockists on the Samaki website. You can also see the latest releases, catch photos and special promotions on Facebook and Instagram. Price: SRP $59.95 (adults), SRP $49.95 (kids) www.samaki.com.au

RAPALA X-RAP MAG CAST

Built heavy and aerodynamic for extreme casting distances, the new Rapala X-Rap Magnum Cast delivers even in the most demanding saltwater fishing conditions. Heavy-duty construction ensures that the X-Rap Magnum Cast stands up to the strongest of saltwater beasts. Featuring a perfectly balanced swimming action for fast retrieves, it will run straight even with the fastest cast-and-burn presentations. Its fluttering action on the drop also adds lifelike flash. Other features include: full wire through construction, extreme casting performance, perfect balance, new generation high definition colours, 3D holographic eyes, and durable in-line VMC single hooks. For more information head to the Rapala website, or look them up on Facebook (www.facebook. com/rapala.australia) or Instagram (@ rapalaaustralia). www.rapala.com.au

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SAMAKI TEFLON KNIVES

Following an extensive design process, Samaki have produced a knife to suit all anglers. This knife fits comfortably in your hand, is built strong with a German stainless steel blade, and is rust resistant with a Teflon coating. The ultra-sharp German stainless steel blade is of the finest quality, with excellent durability and longevity, and a Teflon coating for rust resistance. The handle has been carefully shaped and moulded to suit a variety of anglers’ hands, fitting comfortably and allowing you to apply pressure when necessary. The two-toned Samaki design allows for a good grip and protection of your hand. Our sheaths are custom designed from the ground up, and have a sharpener at the tip for that quick touch up, a scoop for innards removal, rear belt clip for fast access and screw holes for attachment to your bait board or chopping board. This sheath has it all! With two lengths of 6.5” and 7.5”, Samaki offers a fine boning blade, two all-rounder fillet knives, and a super flex fillet. For more information and stockists, check

out the Samaki website. You can also join them on Instagram and Facebook for updates and catch photos. www.samaki.com.au

ZEREK ICE GIGOLO

The Ice Gigolo is a classic ice jig that is 40mm long and available in six colours. Weighing an easy-to-use 10g, the Ice Gigolo is ideal for targeting suspended Australian bass, redfin and trout in our many lakes and reservoirs. Work it with a subtle hop or with light taps on the rod butt to shake the Gigolo in the fish’s face to ensure solid strikes. With a specifically placed tow point that allows the Ice Gigolo to dart from side to side easily, this lure is fantastic for shut down and hard-totempt fish. Equipped with two strong single hooks on the ends and a belly treble underneath, hookup rates compare very well with all other ice jigs on the market. Clever anglers adjust this lure’s capabilities by removing the belly treble and placing a sinker on the hanger to give the lure greater depth capabilities without the loss of action. www.wilsonfishing.com.au

LIVETARGET SLOW ROLL SHINER

The award-winning LiveTarget Slow Roll Shiner features Injected Core Technology (ICT) which produces a lifelike ultra-realistic metallic core with lifelike eyes and scale patterns produces large amounts of flash and providing perfect balance, while the outer Exo-Skin generates a hard-thumping paddle tail action. The result is a perfect looking, shimmering baitfish profile inside a larger, clear paddle-tail soft plastic. Unlike other soft plastics, the Slow Roll Shiner’s thumping tail creates a whole body rolling action. This subtle and enticing roll is irresistible to a range of species, including bream, bass, flathead and barra. It can be rigged weedless for fishing in snaggy country, and it’s also very effective when rigged on a traditional jighead and retrieved along the bottom. LiveTarget Slow Roll Shiners are currently available in six colours and three sizes. The 3” and 4” models come in a pack of four, and the 5” version comes in a pack of three. LiveTarget lures are distributed by EJ Todd, and you can check out the full range on their website. www.ejtodd.com.au

DAIWA X TIDE COLLAB

It’s time to dress to impress with the Daiwa X Tide Collab range. Featuring a more generous sizing than previous collabs, the range ticks the boxes in both looks and comfort and welcomes some new stylings to the popular Daiwa X Tide Collab line-up. Featuring six pieces in the range, including two short sleeve T-shirt designs (Barramundi and Locked Up designs), Lake design long sleeve tee, and two-toned (black and camo) Nature Boardshorts, the new collab series is Daiwa streetwear with that classic Tide flavour. On the water the new Nature Jersey and Facemask will have you protected from the elements with their SPF 50+ rating, and the contemporary style will stand out in a crowd on the beach, boat or headland. Look good and stay protected this summer with the Daiwa X Tide Collab summer series. www.daiwafishing.com.au

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au FEBRUARY 2020

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING

PRODUCT GUIDE

JIG STAR SHIMANO BLUE STARWALKER LURES 13 ROMANCE Jig Star evolved after its founder and acclaimed jigging expert Chris Wong in New Zealand had spent many years jigging with some of the world’s most renowned big fish anglers from Japan, USA, Southeast Asia, South Africa and New Zealand. Hundreds of hours were spent testing products. One of his latest releases is the Starwalker, an inexpensive but productive topwater stickbait that has proven highly effective on yellowtail kingfish, tuna and giant trevally. Starwalker lures cast like bullets, are perfectly weight balanced, and don’t tumble during casting. These lures feature a hi-tech laser etched holographic finish, and come in eight vibrant natural baitfish finishes. Starwalker lures are 18cm long and are available in both floating (100g) and sinking (130g) models. Each lure features a wire through body construction for added strength, and stainless steel tow points. These lures come un-rigged to allow the angler to determine their chosen configuration. Jig Star recommends using 8/0-9/0 inline hooks, such as Jig Star In-Line Hooks, to ensure a perfect swimming action. To find out more about the Jig Star range visit the Juro Oz Pro Tackle website. www.jurofishing.com

SHIMANO BRENIOUS 14 JIGS The Brenious NT (bottom style) jigs are an exciting new way to fish soft plastics, introduced to Australia direct from the Japanese domestic market. This innovative snag resistant jig is designed for bottom style fishing and can be hopped, slow rolled, jigged and dead sticked and consistently accounts for fish in a diverse range of environments. This finesse jig can be used with a variety of plastic styles in the Squidgy Bio family and has proven deadly on a range of Australian species ranging from bream, flathead, snapper, trevally, bass, and yellowbelly. The Brenious NT jigs are available in three weights (5g, 7g and 10g) and four colours (flash purple, flash green, flash pink and suika red). Price: SRP $8.95 www.shimanofish.com.au

PRO LURE FISHTAIL

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Designed by Shimano Japan, the new Blue Romance series incorporates the most popular actions from the Australian TK3G series and unique Shimano rod components. Featuring Shimano’s High Power X graphite blanks, which features 0 and 90° wrapped graphite sheets and spiralled Infinity Tape prevents the rod twisting during the cast and the fight. A CI4+ reel seat provides weight reduction advantages, EVA grips for functionality and comfort, and Fuji’s classic K aeries Alconite guides throughout. There’s a choice of spin rods in one and two-piece in a range of line weights, from ultra-light up to heavy-duty. Baitcaster users are well covered also, with a single piece 5’8” and a 6’0” option featuring the same componentry, but with trigger grip reel seats. www.shimanofish.com.au

PLATYPUS STEALTH 17 FC LEADER Manufactured in Japan to exacting specifications, Platypus Stealth FC is an advanced fluorocarbon leader that offers cutting-edge technology and excellent value for money. With over 120 years of line development and manufacturing in Australia, Platypus has comprehensively tested its fluorocarbon leaders to deliver a world-class product. This leader has extreme abrasion and impact resistance, excellent knot strength and a refractive index close to that of water, making it virtually invisible underwater. Stealth FC also has a quicker sink rate than mono, making it ideal for maintaining contact with baits and lures when sinking, while not absorbing water and in turn maintaining its strength throughout extended fishing sessions. An elastic line tamer comes with each spool, protecting and controlling the leader on the spool, while allowing easy dispensing via the eyelet on the line tamer. This avoids the spaghetti mess of leaders without keepers, and the difficulty of locating the end of the leader in hank style, clamshell spools. Platypus Stealth FC is available in breaking strains from 2lb-50lb, and spool lengths from 50-100m. Price: SRP $18.95 - $22.95 www.fishplatypus.com.au

RAPALA 15 RIP STOP

Over the past 12 months Pro Lure have been working on some modifications to the popular Fishtail soft bait. In order to increase the versatility and make the lure easier to rig, several changes have been made. A shallow split belly has been added to aid weedless rigging with worm hooks, and the dorsal fin has been removed, replaced with a shallow groove along the back, making it easier to rig straight and align jigheads, as well as having a protecting channel for weedless worm hook points to sit snugly. The final change is a slight narrowing up front so that standard jigheads will sit cleaner. The addition of a white albino colour to the range and more rigging options will provide more possibilities for the Fishtail. The Pro Lure Fishtail is available in three sizes, 80mm, 105mm, and 130mm. Trade enquiries can be directed to sales@ prolureaustralia.com.au. www.prolureaustralia.com.au

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

The new Rapala Rip Stop is described as ‘fast ripping – hard stopping’. Its unique boot tail design acts as a break when paused, and when the lure stops it perfectly suspends, triggering the bite. The one-of-a-kind tail design generates a fast-ripping and flashing swimbait action. The unique body style lessens forward travel after each twitch, delivering an action that is unlike anything the fish have ever seen. Built with a secondary lip towards the rear of the bait, the Rapala RipStop Jerkbait stops on a dime, and produces a subtle shimmy before coming to a rest, then ever-so-slightly lifts its heard with a super-slow rise. You can fish it for a range of species using a variety of techniques, and cast it far with little effort. This suspending lure is available in two sizes, 9cm (7g, 0.9-1.2m running depth) and 12cm (14g, 1.3-1.6m). There is also a Deep version, which is 12cm long and dives to 1.22.4m. www.rapala.com.au

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PRODUCT GUIDE

WHAT’S NEW FISHING

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Mangrove Outdoors M-Series Coolers – built tough, excellent cooling The 2020 cooler market isn’t quite as crowded as the sublimated fishing shirts scene, but the number of offerings – both good and bad – has certainly grown significantly in the last few years. When Mangrove Outdoors launched mid-way through last year, this Aussie small business set out to break the mould and offer features you won’t find in most other coolers at a price that’s not going to cost you a second mortgage. While there are big plans in place to expand the Mangrove Outdoors range, their first offering is fairly simple: three different sized coolers (20L, 45L and 70L) in three colours (Uluru Red, Daintree Camo and Thredbo White). Accompanying the coolers is a small range of accessories and apparel. Each is well made and features only subtle labelling.

The rubber latches keep a great seal but are easy enough to open that my 9yo daughter, Asha can easily open them.

20L CONSTRUCTION Rotomolded in the same fashion as your kayak might be, the walls of the coolers are made from BPA-free, UV-stabilised material and are smooth and easy clean after a trip. In between those walls is plenty of high-density poly foam insulation to keep your essentials cooler for longer. From the first time you pick them up you can feel they are built to last, and every cooler has its own unique pattern. FEATURES It’s clear that plenty of thought and research has been put into configuring each of the current sizes. All come with strong XL-sized hinges which don’t protrude from the main body, have comfortable non-slip handles, and oversized rubber latches that keep a tight seal but are easy enough to use that my 9yo daughter can open them. Perhaps my favourite feature though is the marine-grade, slip-resistant pad with a pair of cut-outs that fit your stubby perfectly. It also provides extra insulation and makes it comfy to sit on. The 45L and 70L models come standard with a dry goods basket, drink holder and an acrylic cutting board which also doubles as a divider. This is very handy for keeping your catch separate from your other food and drinks if you decide to keep a couple for the table. All models feature lockable lids and tiedown loops so you can leave them in the boat or ute tray without having to worry some scumbag will help themselves to your precious cargo. On the Mangrove Outdoors website there’s a handy guide of just what you’ll fit inside your new icebox, measured by beers + bags of ice. From my own ‘research’ they are accurate, and are as follows:

• 20L: 12 beers + one bag of ice • 45L: 30 beers + three bags of ice • 70L: 60 beers + four bags of ice When you add the storage basket to the larger two models you can also keep those other fishing trip essentials fresh and cool, – i.e. a couple of servo pies, a box of Pizza Shapes and two king-sized Chunky Kit-Kats. PERFORMANCE So far so good, but what happens when the sun starts to sizzle and you need to keep the T-bones and marlin cans cold? This is was the most impressive part for me. The M-Series coolers exceeded all my expectations when it came to

Plain old servo party ice was lasting up to three full days in the smaller two coolers, and when I went on a camping trip and took the big rig, I used the supplied info sheet and combined block ice I froze myself with 4L ice-cream containers. I was able to get five days of stable, dependable cooling before heading home for a much-needed shower! This is with all with very little maintenance from myself as far as opening the bung to drain the excess water. If I was more attentive it would have extended the life of the ice even further, but for the purpose of this review I wanted to just let it do its thing and report back on what you guys can expect as a basemark for performance.

OVERALL To say I’m impressed by the Mangrove Outdoors M-Series would be the understatement of the year. My family spends a lot of time in the outdoors, and being able to keep food fresh and drinks icy-cold away from home makes our lives so much better. For my kids to be able to easily grab themselves a drink or snack without me having to get up again might just be my favourite feature. With prices ranging from $229-$449 with free shipping available to most areas, Mangrove Outdoors are making it easy for Aussie fishos and families to have a premium quality cooler without the price tag you might see from overseas owned companies. If you’re tired of poor performance and durability from your current ice-box, jump onto www.mangroveoutdoors.com.au and order one for yourself. - RUPE

45L internal temperatures and how long the ice lasted in the red-hot Queensland summer. I’ve had all three out and about with me camping, at Christmas BBQs and running around the Gold Coast broadwater islands on a sweltering New Years Day. Each time they stood up to the heat and to my kids constantly opening them, despite growing levels of threats from myself!

70L

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au FEBRUARY 2020

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Trades, Services, Charter BOAT MODIFICATION & REPAIRS

BAIT & TACKLE Allfly Outfitters – 0428 615 885 Alvey - www.alvey.com.au Bait Tackle Store - www.baittacklestore.com Barambah Lures - www.barambahlures.com Bayside Bait & Tackle – 07 3820 9757 C & Horsey Lures - 07 3275 1881 Chilton Tackle Co - http://www.chiltontackleco.com.au/ Coomera Bait & Tackle - www.coomerahouseboats.com.au Crab’n Gear - www.crabngear.com.au Fisho’s Tackle World - www.fishostackleworld.com.au Gem Bait & Tackle - 07 3287 3868 Halco - www.halcotackle.com Hillies Lures – www.hilliesspinnersandlures.com Hot Bite Fishing – 0427335343 JML - www.jmlaa.com Lazer Lures – www.lazerlures.com.au Nomad Design Tackle – www.nomaddesigntackle.com Tackle Club - www.tackleclub.com.au Southern Cross Lures – 0428 667 550 Sportys Fishing - www.sportyswarehouse.com.au Wilson Fishing - www.wilsonfishing.com

ONLINE TACKLE PRODUCTS FG Wizz – www.fgwizz.com.au

Boat Collar (07) 5441 3636 CMC Marine Sales 0409 910 808 Iconic Boats Brisbane 0475 311 447 Marine Windows and Doors Brisbane (07) 3284 5088 Small Craft Electrics (mobile) 0408 063 064

MARINE MECHANICS T&S Marine (07) 5546 2599 Whitewater Marine (07) 5532 4402

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND Brisbane Yamaha (07) 3888 1727 Caloundra Marine (07) 5491 1944 Capalaba Boat Centre 04011 728 379 Coorparoo Marine (07) 3397 4141 Cunningham Marine Centre (07) 3284 8805 Holt Marine (07) 3353 1928 Northside Marine (07) 3265 8029 Stones Corner Marine (07) 3397 9766

NORTH QUEENSLAND

Fish Taxidermist www.fishtaxidermy.net.au or 0428 544 841

FISHING GUIDES CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Lake Monduran Barra Charters 0407 434 446

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Hooked On Hinchinbrook www.hookedonhinchinbrook.com

MARINE TRIMMERS SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND Affordable Boat Covers Gold Coast 0419 424 587 Brisbane Yamaha (07) 3888 1727

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND The Islander Retreat, South Stradbroke Island 0420 967 557

allows braid tension adjustment

CHECK IT OUT ONLINE www.fgwizz.com.au BOAT HIRE // HOUSE

Great family and fishing boats!

FRASER ISLAND Apurla Island Retreat 0437 739 121

MINN REPAIRS & SERVICING

Cathedrals on Fraser (07) 4127 9177

• All electric motor brands • Australia wide freight • Quick turn around • Authorised Minn Kota/Watersnake repairer

Fraser Island Beach Houses 1800 626 230

• 600km of sheltered waterways on the Gold Coast Broadwater. • Fantastic Fishing • Tackle Shop • Bait and Ice

NO LICENCE REQUIRED

+ 07 5502 6200 + www.coomerahouseboats.com.au

NEW

TINNIE HIRE AVAILABLE

Lake Monduran Houseboat – www.lakem.com.au Moreton Bay Holidays Afloat - www.moretonbayholidaysafloat.com

BOAT MODIFICATION & REPAIRS

FIBREGLASS Repairs

FISH TAXIDERMY

Rowland Street Boat Trimmers Springwood (07) 3208 9511

MODIFIED DESIGN

CALL FOR A DEAL

North Queensland Outboard Wreckers Townsville 1800 812 748

Rays Canvas & Marine Caboolture (07) 5499 4911

Ideal for braids and leaders large and small.

ORDERS

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND

GOLD COAST

Reef Marine Mackay (07) 4957 3521

GET THE ULTIMATE FG KNOT TOOL

MARINE OUTBOARD WRECKERS

Brisbane South and Gold Coas t

• Modifications • Detailing • Repairs JOE BONNICI

0410 480 203

Salt-Away www.salt-away.com.au ASM Mobile Welding Brisbane 0409 624 402 Bluewater Windscreens Brisbane (07) 3382 7883

Minn Repairs & Servicing Call Troy 0412 605 080 – W: minnrepairs.com minnrepairsservicing E: minnrepairs@gmail.com

Eurong Beach Resort 1800 111 808 Waddy Lodge on Fraser 0414 516 364 Yidney Rocks (07) 4127 9167

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Baffle Creek Holiday House 0419 624 833

Bottlecreek Farm Accommodation ENQUIRIES : STACEY AT REMAX ON [04 3887 7403] OR STACEY@REMAX.COM.AU

MARINE MECHANICS // MOBILE WYNUMM MANLY-BAYSIDE

$150p/n

Sleeps 10 people

Wondall Rd Marine (07) 3396 5633

SAMPLE AD - BUSINESS NAME This is where your copy will appear. You will have approximately 50 words within a 5x2 ad size. $320 + GST for 6 months Email nkelly@fishingmonthly.com.au

1.3km River Frontage Boat Ramp

Excellent fishing and crabbing Huge games room cres 150 a Enjoy ourself! y all to

• Pool table • Ping Pong

All this for only...

only $150p/n

COOKTOWN River of Gold Motel 4069 5222

MACKAY BEL AIR MOTEL, MACKAY - PLENTY OF ROOM FOR BOATS AND TRAILERS.............PH: 07 4957 3658

MARINE TRAILERS Oceanic Boat Trailers (07) 5597 0577 Sea-Link Special Trailers (07) 3881 3568 Spitfire Trailers (07) 0400 866 323T Tinnie Tosser (07) 5498 7339

FRESHWATER Lake Boondooma Caravan Park (07) 4168 9694 Lake Cressbrook Regional Council 131 872 Yallakool Caravan Park on Bjelke-Petersen Dam (07) 4168 4746 Yallakool Park and Kiosk on Bjelke-Petersen Dam (07) 4168 4746

This section in QLD Fishing Monthly consolidates the trades and services in your area that are relevant to your fishing and boating. Whether you’re a local looking for more options or a travelling angler fishing around the state, this guide will direct you to reputable businesses in the area you’re searching. 110

FEBRUARY 2020

Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory CHARTER BOATS

NORTHERN NSW

N O W AVA IL A B L E

Evans Head Deep Sea Fishing Charters 0428 828 835

GOLD COAST

Reel Time Fishing Charters Yamba 0428 231 962

BK’s Gold Coast Fishing Charters 0414 293 034 Coastal Sports Fishing Charters Gold Coast 0412 691 929 Discovery Fishing Charters Gold Coast 0427 026 519 Fish The Deep Charters 0416 224 412 Hooker 1 Charters Gold Coast (07) 5528 6469 Paradise Fishing Charters 0403 531 428 RU4 Reel Tweed Heads 0449 903 366 Sea Probe Fishing Charters 0400 312 330 True Blue Fishing Gold Coast (07) 5510 9622

ALL YOUR FISHING MONTHLY GEAR

Wooli Fishing Charter (02) 6649 7100

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Ultimate Sportfishing Charters 0450 753 726

From

T-Shirts

MV Capricorn Star 0408 755 201

Mikat Cruises Fishing Charters 0427 125 727

22 85

Dave Gaden’s Yamba • Deep Sea

REEL TIME FISHING CHARTERS

BRISBANE Big Cat Charters and Tom Cat Charters 0433 430 248 Frenzy Charters Brisbane (07) 3209 4576 John Gooding Outlaw Charters 0418 738 750 Moreton Island Fishing Charters 0413 128 056

SAMPLE AD - BUSINESS NAME This is where your copy will appear. You will have approximately 50 words within a 5x2 ad size. $320 + GST for 6 months Email nkelly@fishingmonthly.com.au

• 6am to 2pm $150pp • 3 boats – holds up to 30+ people • All fishing gear and bait is supplied • No fishing licence req. • Pickup from Yamba Marina or Iluka ferry wharf

Phone Cases From

Phone Dave today: www.fishingyamba.com.au 0428 231 962

29 45

Mugs

From

OPEN 7 DAYS

EASY PARKING

1 7 27

MARINA BOAT & TACKLE, YAMBA MARINA

YAMBA’S LARGEST TACKLE STORE Fishing Offshore Noosa 0418 889 956

• Chandlery • Boat Sales • Ice & Gas • Bait & Tackle • Trailers Sales & Parts • Charter Bookings Ph: 6646 1994 or 0428 231 962 Email: dave@gaden.com.au

Hervey Bay Fishing Charters (07) 4125 3958

Now Agents For

SUNSHINE COAST Fish n Crab Charters Mooloolaba 0412 155 814

Clocks $

42 7 0

Carry Bags

Incredible Charters 1300 655 818 Keely Rose Deep Sea Fishing Charters 0407 146 151

HERVEY BAY

From

Noosa Fishing Charters (07) 5665 8170 Odyssey Charters Deep Sea Fishing (07) 5478 1109 Offshore Reef and Game Fishing 0413 485 402

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Sport Fish 1770 (07) 4974 9686 Coral Coast Game Fishing 0447 347 437 Norval Reef Charters 1800 771 234 Iluka Fishing Charters Gladstone 0414 940 911 Kanimbla Charters Gladstone1800 677 202

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Action Charters Mackay 0417 452 346 Cairns Charter Boat 0427 533 081 Cairns Fishing Charters 0427 400 027 Cairns Reef Charter Services 1800 119 044 Eclipse FNQ Weipa Charters 0488 058 668 Fairdinkum Fishing Charters Townsville (07) 4751 5324 Fish’s Fly & Sportsfishing Weipa (07) 4069 9957

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111

FUN PAGE AND COMPETITIONS TYPES OF LURE COLOURS

CAMO

REFLECTIVE

IMITATION

LUMINOUS

NATURAL

HOLOGRAPHIC

FLUORESCENT

FLASH

METALLIC

SHINY

CHROME

BRIGHT

CLEAR

DULL

TRANSLUCENT

ULTRAVIOLET

Name: Address:

P/Code:

The first correct entry at the end of each month will win the prize pack. SEND ENTRIES TO: QLD Find-a-word Competition, PO box 3172, Loganholme Qld 4129

QLD FEBRUARY 2020

Phone (day):

GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy

Complete the Find the Word and go in the draw to win a Fishing Monthly Prize Pack containing a limited edition neck scarf and a Fishing Monthly environmentally-friendly tote bag.

SPOT THE

10 DIFFERENCES

BARRA COUNTRY by Brett Currie

ORIGINAL

FIND-A-WORD

Congratulations to Trevor Gyte, who was last month’s winner of the Find-a-Word Competition! Monthly winners receive a Fishing Monthly prize pack. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – QFM

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE

The subscriber prize winner for December is P Cincotta of Tinana, who won an Alvey prize pack valued at over $300. All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

C Robinson of Edmonton, C Watson of Torquay, T Hurwood of RedHill, E & V Jackson of Long Flat, R Whillans of Bellara, D Ferguson of Kewarra Beach, N Humble of Emu Park, D Harrison of Millbank, D Richter of Toogoolawah, L Saunders of Mt Hallen, R Waters of Temora, B Rosenthal of Thornlands, R Mann of Salisbury, M Thoday of Elanora, M Gillett of Boonah, L Peters of Raceview, K Martin of Dalby, R

Davis of Sarina, C Gray of Jambin, R Treacy of Frenchville, A Svaikauskas of Grasstree Beach, J Northam of Mudgeeraba, A Hewlett of Mothar Mountain, T Davidson of Guyra, R Brown of Edmonton, B Devine of Pialba, M Couchman of Roma, R Ramsay of Taylors Beach, D Gretton of Springsure, B Freier of Ningi. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS

FIND THE ZMAN LOGO

112

FEBRUARY 2020

GUESS THE FISH?

This month’s Guess the Fish Answer: Giant Gruoper

The answers to Find the ZMan Logo for December were: 10, 13, 25, 30, 33, 34, 36, 38, 40, 47, 57, 64, 68, 72, 90. – QFM The Find the ZMan Logo prize winners for December were: R Wright of Urangan, D Starr of Rockhampton, L Etter of Toogoom, J Kruwinnus of Carindale, D Skewes of Bli Bli, A Reeves of Ryde, R Maher of Woombye, C Renz of Crestmead, J Paul of Inverell, B Harris of Ingham,

Answer:

boats & kayaks

OVER

In the skipper’s seat

$260,000 IN PRIZES TO BE WON!

WIN THE DREAM WIT H CLU B MAR

INE

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Inside story...

In 1987, in a backstreet workshop in Invercargill, New Zealand, Paul Adams and Bruce Dickens built the first rigid hulled aluminium chambered boat – a Stabicraft 3.5m dinghy called the ‘Ally Duck’. Later that year the operation moved to leased premises at 245 Bluff Highway, Invercargill, and has remained there ever since.

Made for... Stabicraft’s chambered design allows occupants to move freely about the deck, even all on one side. Few other boats on the market can match Stabicraft’s positive buoyancy and design safety.

This month...

Editor Steve Morgan checks out the 2250 Centrecab with a Yamaha 225hp. Check it out on page 120!

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CLUBMARINE.COM. AU

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114 Borumba bonanza

Troy Brown visits this little jewel just north of Brisbane, and unveils some of its fantastic kayak fishing opportunities!

116 Yak barra challenge Barramundi fishing from the kayak is a real challenge, and Justin Willmer has a crack at Queensland’s premier sport under pedal power!

118 Boat ramp knowledge Wayne Kampe shares some knowledge worth having when it comes to launching and retrieving boats.

FEBRUARY 2020

113

Stabicraft 2250 Centrecab with Yamaha 225hp - SC

TENT -

RE ONLINE MO

“These are one of the safest hulls you’ll ever ride in,” he said. “The sealed pontoons and 360 Life Ring not only offer amazing stability, but an unsinkable hull.” Sitting on the maximum 2.5m beam, this hull uses all of that width to provide an excellent balance between ride, walkaround ability and fishing space, and the Stabicraft packs all of it into this rig.

PERFORMANCE RPM................... km/h.................... km/L 1000 ....................... 10 ....................... 1.9 2000....................... 14 ....................... 1.6 3000....................... 32 ....................... 1.3 3500 ....................... 42 ..................... 1.35 4000....................... 49 ..................... 1.15 4500 ....................... 55 ..................... 1.05 5000....................... 60 ..................... 0.91 5700 ....................... 69 ..................... 0.82 120

FEBRUARY 2020

Although this boat is all about a big cockpit space (and there’s plenty of it), the cabin is long enough to sleep in, thanks to a couple of bunk extenders that fold out under the helm seating. With an enclosed cabin, it’s obviously very comfortable to ride in. The side windows offer plenty of cabin ventilation, and the helm and passenger seats have great visibility. The helm has a massive, flat dash that will hold all of your electronics, flush mounted. Switching is compressed to the lower part of the dash to keep the main dash free. The test boat was fitted with a large Simrad unit and a Yamaha digital engine gauge, and there was still room to burn. Stabicraft have put plenty

of thought into how this boat is laid out and how it fishes. At the transom, there’s the integrated live bait tank and bait station, with battery access underneath. We loved that you can fish out

DE FOR EX

Main: The Stabicraft 2250 Centrecab sure does create interest, and not just at the ramp – the Fishing Monthly test video was the quickest ever boat test to reach 20,000 views on our YouTube channel (Fishing Monthly Magazines). Paired with the Yamaha F225 it’s a rig that opens up nearly all of your offshore fishing options. Above: Stabicraft’s main hull feature is the 360 Life Ring, which is a sealed pontoon that runs up both sides. It offers great stability at rest and a softer than expected ride in the chop.

s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

There must be something appealing about the Stabicraft 2250 Centrecab, because it’s the quickest boat test on our YouTube channel to reach 20,000 views (it took a little over a week). We’re unsure if it was the burnt orange colour or the ‘dream rig’ nature of this boat, but it sure got people clicking and watching. The 2250 turned heads at the ramp, too, as Mark Golden from Brisbane’s Northside Marine rocked up with the NSM Landcruiser and this rig behind it. That’s quarter of a million dollars worth of metal coasting into the Clontarf launch. For many people, this is their dream boat. It looks the part, can play the part on the water in anywhere from glassy to dubious weather conditions and, because it’s eminently trailerable, it will travel to wherever you want it to go – without ‘OVERSIZE’ signage. Mark is a real Stabicraft expert, and has visited their manufacturing headquarters in New Zealand.

your livies right through the bait board. And that there is a multi-leader dispenser incorporated. Classy. Powered by Yamaha’s 4.2L F225 4-stroke, the rig was 75hp short of its maximum rating, yet still jumped onto the plane when you jammed the DTS throttle down. Planing at 3,000rpm,

Steve Morgan

CON

AN THE

FMG

you need it, but if you’re not as throttle-happy as me, then the 225 will do you just fine and keep the package price down a little. Packages start from $139,000. A tested, this Stabicraft hits the register at around $162,900 – that’s with the Minn Kota Ulterra and the 12” Simrad fitted. Hit up

SPECIFICATIONS Length......................................................6.85m Beam........................................................2.50m Max.hp .........................................................300 Fuel ............................................................300L Test.weight ............................................ 2335kg Capacity ............................................ 8 persons it cruised most economically at 3,500rpm and 42km/h where it delivered 1.35km/L. Drop the hammers and the economy dropped to just over 800m/L where the engine reached 5,700rpm at 60km/h. Would I fit the maximum horsepower to this boat? Definitely! I’m a big fan of having the power there when

Mark or the Northside Marine team for full details and for a package price that suits your type of boating and fishing. For more details visit www.northsidemarine.com.au, call 07 3265 8000 or drop into their premises on 2294 Sandgate Rd, Boondall. For all the latest updates you can Like their page on Facebook (Northside Marine Brisbane).

The 2250 is a boat with true 360° fishability, from the padded anchor deck to the stern.

Yamaha’s F225 achieved a best economy of 1.35km/L at 3,500rpm and 42km/h. With 300L of fuel underfloor, this gives a theoretical range of around 400km on a full tank.

Everything in a Stabicraft is there for a reason, such as this walkaround step which makes life easier on the water.

We loved the abundant dash area that can be used to flush mount electronics, and the rigging is as neat at the back of this panel as it is at the front.

With the fully welded checkerplate deck, you can use the raw water deck wash to keep everything tidy while you’re fishing.

Rear steps over the transom are simple and sturdy.

The demo model has rocket launchers, lighting and stereo speakers in the rear of the hard top.

The test model was fitted with a pair of poly coolers with padded tops. You can segregate these between your food and bait.

Even without the folding extenders the bunks are long enough for a quick kip.

Looking back from the anchor deck you can see the breadth of the walkaround. You can also see the Minn Kota Ulterra stowing neatly out of the way.

The central bait station/live tank and battery storage is a real Stabicraft thing. The access to the bait tank through the cutting board is next level!

Here’s something else you don’t see on every boat you test – a leader dispenser with two different sizes!

Plenty of thought has gone into this area. You can stand and cast here because there’s a front rail the right size and shape to keep you in, not throw you out. FEBRUARY 2020

121

WHAT’S NEW BOATING POWERWINCH 912 TRAILER WINCH

The affordable Powerwinch 912 electric trailer winch is designed for power-in and free-wheeling out. Features include an efficient gear train system for smoother pulling action and less amperage draw, a level wind system that prevents snarls and cable wear, aircraft-quality cable fitted with safety hooks, and a super-tough, ABS weatherresistant housing. This winch suits boats from 7-9m L.O.A. The maximum single line pulling capacity is 1587kg, the maximum double line pulling capacity is 2721kg, and the maximum approx. boat weight is 4535kg. The Powerwinch 912 is supplied with a simple-to-install wiring harness that can be hooked up to any 12V auto or truck battery in minutes. www.powerwinch.com

RAILBLAZA RODSTOW

The RodStow rod holder system is a vertical fishing rod storage rack and caddy for boats. RodStow rod racks will hold your rods above deck, safely and securely, until you’re ready to fish. These rod holders have a removable gimbal pin that you can leave in to support the rod and stop rotation, or remove to let the rod pass through. RodStow is a modular system, so if you buy more you can add them together to make longer rod racks. If you buy a Double or Triple kit you can easily join the components together with the provided stainless steel fasteners, and install it in minutes. The attached storage caddy holds lures, leader and other tackle, and it’s even big enough to hold a small tackle box. The Double kit has one caddy, and the Triple kit has two. Offset mounting is possible, preventing large reels from hitting each other. The vertical RodStow rod rack is suitable for most rods and reels, including spinning, baitcast and game reels, and any length of rod. It’s made from UV Stabilised, fibreglass reinforced engineering polymers, and comes in black or white. Price: SRP $49.99 (Double model with caddy) www.railblaza.com

FUSION MS-RA210 STEREO

Fusion has launched the successor to the highly popular MS-RA205: the MSRA210. Packed with Fusion Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technology, it delivers an exceptional audio experience in a compact form. The MS-RA210 features a 2.7” optically bonded colour LCD display, built-in Class-D amplifier, Multi-Zone technology in two zones, and Fusion-Link integration. The brilliant, fullcolour LCD display offers colourful album art with information such as the artist, album and track title. Meeting both IPX6 and IPX7 international standards for water resistance from the front panel, the MS-RA210 is built to last in the harsh marine environment. Fusion’s DSP technology delivers premium audio to all speakers, subwoofers and amplifiers. Every step of the audio chain is optimised to deliver a technically superior listening experience, without the need for boat owners to have a technical understanding. Setting up DSP profiles is simple with the free Fusion-Link app. With just a few clicks, you can set up the preconfigured DSP profile to play high-quality audio, customised for your ears and the environment. Precisely calculated loudness curves are optimized to ensure quality audio delivered at every volume level. www.fusionentertainment.com 122

FEBRUARY 2020

VESPER CORTEX

PRODUCT GUIDE

The Cortex from Vesper Marine is the world’s first radio with wireless touchscreen handsets, built-in Class B SOTDMA smartAIS transponder and remote vessel monitoring. Cortex alerts boaters of collision risks, providing information about the potential threat and making it easy to communicate with them. The touchscreen handset makes typically complicated functions easy to use. For example, touching a vessel onscreen and pressing ‘call’ makes a direct DSC call. Cortex continuously shows crossing situations, navigation light sectors and even allows trial manoeuvres while a boater talks on the VHF radio. A 10W speaker output enables louder audio and alerting even while handsets are turned off. Cortex includes dual-watch, favourite channels and onehanded operation. Pressing the man overboard button activates a track back mode on all handsets and marks the waypoint on NMEA 2000 connected MFDs. Cortex combines data such as wind speed, GPS and AIS to prioritise alerts, such as potential collision or anchor drag or MOB. For the full list of features visit the Vesper website. www.vespermarine.com

STAR BRITE HULL CLEANER

Star brite Hull Cleaner gel formula sticks where it’s applied, to maximise cling time and cleaning power. This product completely covers stains to penetrate and dissolve them. It’s specifically formulated to remove the toughest stains, including rust, dried fish blood and leaf stains. It works on all fiberglass and painted surfaces and is ideal for vertical surfaces. This product does not contain harmful acids, and it’s safe and easy to use. You just spray it onto the surface being cleaned (rubber gloves are recommended), let it remain on the surface until the stain disappears, then rinse thoroughly with fresh water. Stubborn stains or spots may require a repeated application with longer soak time and gentle scrubbing. Price: SRP $35 www.starbrite.com

YELLOWFIN PLATE CC

All models in Yellowfin’s updated Centre Console series come standard with Yellowfin Plate’s Spartan Console. This rugged, wide console has plenty of room for electronics and grab rails. For additional cover, a Dolphin Pro T-Top can be installed. The biggest of Yellowfin Centre Consoles (7000 and 7600) can be optioned up to the Mega Console. This aluminium folding console is 220cm high with six rod holders, space for a 16” sounder and room for a radio or other accessories in the top. Standard fishing include 6-side deck rod holders, a live bait tank and self-draining deck. The Platinum Pack includes a bow mount plate, removable bait board, deck wash and more. To get up to the 520mm high raised casting platform, there are steps on either side of the boat with a space in the middle so you can fish at sea level or raised up. Inside the casting platform is a large hatch that can fit a big icebox. he strike chair in the Centre Console is wide enough for two passengers and can quickly be reversed with two release pins. Yellowfin Plate owners can be driving one minute and fishing the next, and the Offshore HD Hull will keep drivers stable and dry. www.yellowfinplateboats.com.au

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

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