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Features Flathead estuary tactics • Tricks to fishing the Flathead Classic • Yakking for chrome glory • Mundi magnets: essential barra lures • AFTA Best of Show •

Tried & Tested Sunline Siglon PE braid • Clark 520 Legend SC • Barcrusher 575C vs 615C •

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September 2018, Vol. 30 No. 11

Contents NORTHERN NEW SOUTH WALES Yamba Ballina

18 20

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND The Tweed Southern Gold Coast Jumpinpin Gold Coast Canals Gold Coast Southern Bay Brisbane Brisbane Offshore Northern Bay

22 23 24 25 28 30 32 34 36

Noosa

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Hervey Bay Rainbow Beach Bundaberg Lake Monduran Gladstone Rockhampton Yeppoon Mackay

44 46 46 46 47 48 49 50

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Whitsundays Ayr Townsville Hinchinbrook Cairns Cairns NFZ Port Douglas Lucinda Cape York Cooktown

52 51 54 53 55 55 56 56 58 57

BOATING AND KAYAK

119

From the Editor’s Desk... ALL THE AFTA TRADE SHOW NEWS Each year the fishing tackle trade conducts a businessto-business show on the Gold Coast in the middle of winter, and it’s always an event to remember. Distributors and fishing tackle stores from all over Australia gather to show off new products and do deals. This show is not open to the public, so we at Fishing Monthly and www. tacklejunkie.fish are bringing you the latest and greatest tackle via social media, YouTube and print. To those of you who missed our videos broadcast straight from the Gold Coast Convention Centre, where we interviewed wholesalers showing off their latest gear, you can check them out on the Fishing Monthly YouTube channel. One of the most exciting things about the AFTA Show is the Best In Show awards. It starts with retailers voting

on what they judge to be the best new gear, the votes are tallied, and the awards are presented at the formal Gala Dinner. We have compiled the winners and runners-up for you in this issue, and some of them are particularly innovative and exciting. And just quietly, we hear that there’s a good chance there will be a public (non-buying, look and see only) day next year. It’s not confirmed yet but we’ll bring you news of this as it comes to hand! FLATHEAD, FLATHEAD, FLATHEAD We all know that it’s

flathead time of year – we have a real focus on this popular fish at this time of year. There are plenty around, and don’t forget the Flathead Classic. Who doesn’t want to tangle with one? We even have an office flathead comp at this time of the year. $10 in. Usually Peter Jung takes home the cash. Whether you’re a bait or lure angler or a caster or troller or a soft plastic or hardbody fisho, there’s something inside for you. Just remember to release the ones you catch over 75cm. BARRA TOUR INFO INSIDE You’ll also notice a 16-page guide inside inviting you to

the Zerek BARRA Tour. The BARRA Tour is in its teenage years now, after starting in 2005. It boasts a friendly group of competitive barra anglers that have a brilliant week fishing and touring together through the hottest Queensland barra lakes at the time. Be aware that we screwed up a little (there are a couple of incorrect dates in the Guide, which was printed earlier than this magazine) and that the correct BARRA Tour Dates are in the Tournament Calendar, on the entry forms and on the website (www.abt.org.au) – just not in the introduction. The Zerek BARRA Tour runs from the 19th to the 25th November, 2018. Just to be clear. There are articles about getting started, getting better and getting involved. Find a mate, find a boat and we will see you there.

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Flathead estuary tactics 10 Trick to fishing the Flathead Classic 14 Yakking for chrome glory 76 Mundi magnets: essential barra lures 80 AFTA Best in Show 84

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Flathead

Flathead tactics: trolling, casting and baiting BRISBANE

Sean Thompson

What a great winter season it was in South East Queensland. Now we can look forward to the best time of the year for flatties. This article is focused on flathead and on the techniques to target them according to your location and the stage of the tide. In particular, we will focus on trolling, casting lures and bait fishing methods for flathead. TIME OF YEAR Before we go into flathead techniques and methods, the time of year is an important consideration for where you should be targeting fish. Over winter, flathead head upstream in rivers and creeks. The cooler waters mean that good results can be achieved during the middle of the day in such locations when the sun warms the shallows and upper

Keep your rods tucked in close to the boat when trolling up narrow tributaries. the water temperature on your sounder pays off. Spring (in South East Queensland) or late spring and summer in Southern NSW are spawning times for flathead, so they will head to the mouths of rivers, creeks and bays and gather to spawn.

Even drops of 0.5m will hold flathead as they prey on baitfish as the tide rises over the flats into small gutters. surface layers of the water. Likewise, darker sandy/silt bays can be very productive, as can areas close to exposed rocks as such locations absorb the heat and provide slightly warmer waters for the flathead to lie and feed in. This is where an eye on

In summer, the fish will disperse to cooler waters and are best targeted early in the morning or in cooler, deeper waters. TROLLING FOR FLATHEAD Trolling for flathead is one of my favourite fishing

techniques. I have read and heard some people suggest that this technique is boring and lacks skill and while it is a case of each to their own, for my it is both an enjoyable and very successful style of fishing. Why would you not want to try it when the fish are hard to find? Trolling is very successful, as you cover a whole lot of ground searching for fish. When you find a patch, you can then turn around and troll over that spot again (and again) or you can change over to casting lures in the vicinity. So, what is trolling? In very basic terms, trolling can be described as towing a lure or lures behind your boat while it is underway, but it is much more than that. The most successful trolling anglers are alert skippers who watch their sounder or sounders like a hawk and keep a close eye on the water colour, depth, temperature, current, wind direction and wind strength. They also change their lures and vary the distance and spread of the lures behind the boat according to water conditions, boat traffic and the ‘width’ of the target water they

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are trolling over. They will also watch their rod tips to ensure they are continually nodding and not fouled by weed. Successful flathead skippers will also hold a rod when they can and impart extra action by way of a number of rips to the rod, retrieving or releasing more line or varying the speed and direction of the boat trolling line. Tackle and equipment While trolling with an ultra-quiet electric motor is ideal, today’s modern fourstroke motors are incredibly quiet and don’t seem to spook the fish much at all, even in relatively shallow water.

also a critical factor to trolling success. You want to ensure your lure is hitting the bottom regularly to stir up the sand and so the flathead doesn’t have to rise up too much off the bottom to grab it. That is, you want to match your lure to the depth you are trolling. In ultra-shallow water (less than 1m) I like either soft plastics or small crankbaits are a good choice. I am not on my own with my appreciation for the Lively Lures Micro Mullet, with pink or pink/purple being my favourite lure in water under 2.5m. But a very close second that I will fish side by side with these are the wooden

A nice flathead picked up on a ZMan MinnowZ from the smaller gutter shown above. Trolling rods are ideally light-medium graphite (2-4kg), as their sensitivity imparts not only extra action to the lure from their ‘nodding’ action, but they also clearly show any fouling on the lure behind the boat by stopping their action abruptly. These rods are best combined with braided line, which keeps a tight line to the lure and very quickly shows any hits or fouling of weed or sticks on the lure. I only use 5-6lb braid in the shallows, but might go up to 8-10lb at the absolute most in deeper water over 6m. At the business end of the line, I like to add about 2.5-3m of fluorocarbon leader down to the lure. You want fluorocarbon leader near your lure for a couple of reasons. First, it is virtually invisible under water and second, it also gives you the stretch you want when the flathead hooks up and makes lunges near the boat. To ensure the hardbodies you are trolling are delivering their best action, I also like to tie a loop knot to them. Your choice of lure is

Tilsan Minnow 55 lures. These lures have a natural baitfish profile and very lifelike decoration. Furthermore, it dives slightly deeper, up to 3m. So if I am working sand flats with a slight gradient to the channel I will fish the Micro Mullets on the shallower side and the Tilsan Minnows on the slightly deeper sides. For a bit of variety, I will also use a Zerek Tango Shad 50 in water under 2m, with some of the natural colours a brilliant option in very clear

water. For slightly deeper water again, I will change over to the Tilsan Bass 55 which dives to 4.5m or the Lively Lures Mad Mullet 4” Deep. For deeper water again, I will use the Tilsan Big Barra lure (which dives to 5m), the Zerek Ripper Diver (5m) and Lively Lives Mad Mullet 6”, amongst others. Finally, I will also apply scent, such as Pro-Cure Inshore Saltwater to the lure and hooks to mask any unnatural human smells such as sunscreen or fuel. If a fish hits the lure with the scent but doesn’t hook up, I find if I drop the rod back quickly or let it some line the fish will occasionally come back for a second bite. I also use the scent on my soft plastics for the same reasons. Trolling distance and locations Watching the sounder regularly to check depth is critical while you are trolling. You want to ensure you are in the right zone for your lure’s diving depth. To ensure that your lure is diving to its maximum depth, you should keep your rod, whether in a rod holder or your hand, low and parallel to the boat or water. If the water is very clear or there is a lot of boat traffic, I will set my rods back further from the boat (up to about 30m or so if I am trolling in a relatively straight line). Otherwise, in creeks with tight turns or discoloured water you can set your rods much closer to the boat, say 10-12m or so. Either way, if you find fish, be sure to troll back over those areas or pull up and cast lures, as flathead will be found in small schools, particularly smaller males around a bigger female. Top flathead trolling locations include, the edge of channels, around creek and river deltas, and in front of creek entrances and drains on the falling tide, past the tips of rocky outcrops or rocky points on the shore, around current disrupting structure (such as bridge pylons or fallen trees), deep holes and channels at low tide, in close proximity to oyster leases and posts, parallel to breakwalls, over the sandflats and in shallow bays at and around high tide,

A brace of flathead caught in a double hook up by the author and his friend after spotting flathead lies in the area on low tide.

Flathead and up narrow creeks and tributaries in and around the high tide. All these locations have one thing in common – they attract baitfish. Most of the above areas require the same sort of trolling techniques, although trolling up small creeks and tributaries requires some

out very fast, so it can pay to cut your motor every now and then to slow your troll down to the usual walking pace, which delivers best results on species like flathead, bream and the occasional mangrove jack. In a recent exploratory trip up a small tributary, I was surprised to come across a hole

A perfect trolling target area. It’s always worth trolling just past the entrances to small drains and creeks. slight variations. One trick to be aware of when trolling in very narrow systems is to keep your rods tucked in close to the boat so they don’t stick too far out and catch on trees, but are still wide enough apart to ensure the lines and lures avoid tangling. Furthermore, when the tide starts to run out, the narrow waterways can run

while trolling well upstream where I caught and released four flathead from 41-67cm, in an area no bigger than an average bedroom! Trolling soft plastics A surprisingly under-used yet successful technique is trolling soft plastics or soft vibes behind the boat in ultrashallow water. This method is

best employed in water less than 1m deep when using jighead weight of around 3/8oz so that it bounces along the bottom stirring sand or mud. The best type of soft plastics for this technique are curl-tails or paddle-tails, as they swim enticingly behind the boat under motor. This is one technique where I have found that if your prop is just off the bottom and stirring up the sand and mud, it can pay to have the soft plastic very close to the boat. This can be as close as 5m or so behind the boat, particularly if the water is a little discoloured and thus the fish have some cover. Otherwise, in clear water conditions, I will run the plastics as far as 20-25m behind the boat. Another trick with this technique is to really rip your plastic behind your boat to maximise its action. By this I mean holding your rod over your shoulder parallel to the water and giving the rod 4-5 rips or jerks to raise the rod from parallel to the boat (or 90°) to directly over your head (180°) and then slowly dropping the rod back behind your shoulder to 90°, keeping the line taunt the whole time. CASTING LURES Probably the most popular technique for targeting flathead on lures is throwing or casting soft plastics. This is for good reason, as it is fairly simple

and it works! Anglers have a couple of options when luring for flathead, that is either fishing them from a boat or wading the flats. In a boat, anglers can drift likely areas casting soft plastics or vibes and either set the rods in a holder and let the plastics do the work themselves (curl-tails are good for this set and forget technique) or for better success rates, you can drift and casting at likely looking areas. If you find fish, or your target area is quite small, it is worth pulling up and anchoring or employing ‘spot lock’ if you have an electric motor. Wading the flats of an estuary is without a doubt my favourite lure casting technique for flathead. While you can’t access as much ground as you could in a boat, it is the greatest challenge in my view, pitting you the angler against the fish without access to your boat technology or comforts. Locations All of the locations mentioned under trolling techniques are also good spots to target flathead by casting lures like soft plastics. There are a few additional areas you can cast lures however, or indeed have a better chance of success in some areas where fish might be concentrated. Examples of spots you can cast lures into that you can’t troll is in and under structure

such as fallen trees, very shallow waters a boat can’t get into, or under man-made structures like oyster leases, pontoons, moored boats. Throwing hardbody lures or soft plastics into such spots on very light jigheads of 1/201/6oz can be deadly in such spots. Another advantage of being out of the boat and wading is you might spot things you can’t see from a boat. A good tip is to look for flathead lies at low tide, where

they’ve buried in the sand on the higher tide. Anglers can come back and fish that same area when the water covers it again. Another advantage of casting lures is the ability to pepper the same area again if you find fish, or your want to cast to areas very close by. Similarly, ‘tea-bagging’, which is described below, will keep your lure in and around the same spot in deep To page 12

One of many decent flathead caught in an area where a number of drains emptied from the flats into deeper water.

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Estuary species start feeding in full force subdued winter fishing. Anglers in the know will have used all the tricks in their arsenal to track down barramundi over the traditionally tough months of July and August. Some of these guys get good results by finding congregating fish with a high-tech sounder, and dropping down vibes or weighted plastics amongst them to trigger a reaction bite. September should be a catalyst for estuarine species such as barramundi to begin feeding in full force. Fish will often spread throughout the systems before male fish in the 50-70cm range start to push

CAPE YORK

Tim O’Reilly wildrivercompany@gmail.com

Now that we have escaped the ‘chill’ period in the tropical far north, it’s time to look at the types of fisheries which thrive with the return of warm weather in September. Multiple fisheries in Cape York come to life in spring with the onset of warmer water temperatures. Each year the currents converge on various parts of the Great Barrier Reef, bringing with them nutrients which feed food webs. The shoals of baitfish attract smaller predatory fish such as mackerel, queenfish, tuna and rainbow runners, which in turn become the favourite prey of billfish such as black marlin and queenfish. The run of smaller black marlin, which are prevalent in September in the southern parts of Cape York’s east and west coasts, will push further south as the season progresses. Already some great captures of sailfish

A small barra lured from a Cape York bay. and small black marlin have shown up in the central eastern Gulf of Carpentaria. Similar success will be played out on the eastern Cape adjacent to shoals and throughout the ‘paddocks’

which make up the vast areas between the inshore and outer reef. Mackerel fishers chasing mainly Spanish and grey mackerel up and down both coasts will be

A shallow East Coast Cape York creek showing gutters and sand bars.

in full swing throughout September. These fish will start to congregate around well-known marks that culminate up towards the far northern sector of the Great Barrier Reef. Spring is a natural time in terrestrial, aquatic and marine environments for spawning to take place. The Indigenous residents of Cape York often draw a direct parallel between a particular flower in bloom and the abundance of a marine resource. Plenty of coral reef fish will be starting to move into spawning mode. Shallow reef areas and shoals will play host to many a passing school of fish, especially while water temperatures remain cool. It takes time and usually a monsoonal shift for water temperatures to rise sharply, which means that September, October and November are perfect for spawning fish in relatively shallow water. In the Cape York estuaries and rivers, September will represent a turnaround in conditions and a shift away from

A nice little GT caught from a creek mouth.

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downstream into the lower reaches, bays and coastal areas. This leads to some great fishing before the barramundi season closes on the both the east and west coasts of Cape York. All up, September is a fantastic fishing month. Pockets of calm weather will emerge with a break in the pattern of high pressures systems off the East Coast. There is a great chance that angers of all persuasions, from big game enthusiasts right the way through to sweetwater explorers, will be taking brilliant spring snaps and releasing their quarry to fight another day.

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BARRA TOURTournament

FREE GUIDEBOOK

Guide 18

Australian Bass Tournaments A Peter Jung cover image

ABT.ORG.AU

abt

Tournament Angler Guide

abt.org.au

2018 zerek barra tour calendar Welcome to the 2018 version of the BARRA Tournament Angler Guide or TAG as we like to call it in the office. For the third straight year Zerek is the naming sponsor and for the third straight year it looks like they’ll have a range of baits that both the barra and the barra anglers will love. Whether you’re throwing their Flat Shads, Fish Traps (in the small or new larger sizes) or the new Zerek large hard swimbaits, you will be covered in each of the lakes the BARRA Tour visits. One of the highlights of last year’s BARRA Tour was watching tour newbie Dean Jackson tie on the Zerek Fish Trap he received

in his tour sample bag and land the biggest barra recorded at the Kinchant event. It was a great reward for a team who decided to give the BARRA Tour a go and tasted success in their very first event. Each year the Zerek BARRA Tour is a mix

of seasoned veterans and aspiring newcomers. It doesn’t take the newbies long to get into the swing of things, the routine of fishing, driving, having a few refreshing ales and doing it all again not only accelerates your barra learning curve but also

forges great friendships. The fact that Camp Kanga at Peter Faust Dam will be open again for this year’s tour only adds to the excitement and the social atmosphere. We definitely missed this social gathering point in the 2017 tour. Once again, we will be using the TrackMyFish powered ABT Tournament Series App to record catches. On lakes likes Kinchant, it allows ABT to deliver live scoreboards to those keen on following the results. Inside this guide you will find calendars, how-to articles and stories from teams who have given it a go for the first time. You’re all welcome! Just

DATE

LOCATION

EVENT

SPONSOR

SESSION TIMES

19 November

Kinchant Dam

BARRA Tour Round #1 (Evening Event)

Hobie Polarized

4pm - 12am

20 November

Teemburra Dam

BARRA Tour Round #2 (Evening Event)

Wilson Fishing

4pm - 12am

21 November

Peter Faust

BARRA Tour Round #3 (Night Championship)

Westin

4pm - 8am

23/24 November

Peter Faust

BARRA Tour Round #4 (Evening Event)

Lucky Craft

4pm - 12am

fill out the entries, make your travel plans and we will see you on the 2018 Zerek BARRA Tour.

You can download the entry forms, rules and event information at www. abt.org.au

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Tournament Angler Guide

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Finding the ‘perfect funnel’ TNQ

Karim DeRidder

For the average angler, stepping into the tournament scene for the first time is a massive leap out of the comfort zone. For most, there is a high level of anticipation for that first dabble into competition, and every

current tournament angler has felt this at some stage. Tackle preparation, boat organisation and research into their likely destinations builds a solid level of excitement. Anglers traveling to the Mackay area and sampling the delights of fishing talk around the Camp Kanga Dongas near Lake Proserpine will most likely hear plenty

of chatter about certain productive spots, key areas of the lake, and when the conditions are perfect, hordes of barramundi on their side imaging units each session. While some anglers may pass on valuable information to help find those sweet spots, these areas are generally fairly close kept secrets for each angler, especially for the tournament angler

who will generally work extremely hard to find the ultimate spots, which may lead to tournament success. The questions will develop in new anglers trying to take in all that key information that may lead to success on their part; a 1m+ barra hitting the deck. What do these areas generally look like? What characteristics do they share? What separates poor locations from good locations, and what makes great ones? The following explanation will hopefully enlighten the average barra angler and turn them on the right path towards finding their own ‘perfect funnel.’ The perfect barra funnel is a concept discussed to some extent in most victory speeches after an ABT BARRA round every year. The talk will cover techniques and tackle used and briefly describe a location on the lake where its physical characteristics and environmental conditions have ensured a consistent confluence of barramundi directed past the victorious angler’s boat. This is essential to any success during the barra tour and

Craig Griffiths with a solid deepwater daytime capture. Large schools of barra can be targeted successfully in lakes when knowing where to look and what to throw. generally requires a level of understanding of what to look for, ensuring that you are maximising your time spent on the lake. During pre-fish prior to the start of a tournament, it’s important to spend a significant amount of time sitting in front of the sounder to identify areas that are most likely to see movements of fish during critical times in a tournament session. A good starting point is to identify river beds and creek channels – areas of deep water that are the arteries of the lakes. Their role in directing fish movements around the lakes is essential to

understand. The perfect funnels will generally be fed from these deep water areas, transferring fish to ideal feeding zones via these pathways and hopefully right to your interception point – an area where each cast has the highest probability of interacting with moving, feeding fish. Structure such as tree lines and weed beds will determine these fish movements and act as physical steering mechanisms to direct them to feeding zones. Both Faust and Teemburra have vast amounts of standing timber including vivid

TOURNAMENT RODS FOR ALL ANGLERS TOURNAMENT TOURNAMENT RODS RODS FOR FOR ALL ALL ANGLERS ANGLERS The ideal location for the perfect barra funnel.

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The ABT Faust round in 2015 required very specific boat positioning and identifying fish movements through vast, open water weed beds. When the perfect funnel was identified, this was the result: a 110cm class fish.

lines along creek channels and sparse flooded forests; both influence the barra movements in their own way. It can be quite interesting to compare fish movement and behaviour in these structure-rich locations to the more open water areas; this movement and behaviour changes by the hour and it’s important to keep in touch to ensure you are casting to the most viable locations. As Kinchant is mostly void of timber, the weed edges influence their movements in similar ways. Being a smaller lake, Kinchant is easier to work out than Faust and Teemburra. Both weed and timber are key structures in their own right, and both work together as perfect ingredients in

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abt.org.au the development of the ultimate funnel. As most ABT rounds are afternoon/evening sessions, it’s important to understand the movement of the barra as they relate to these particular times of the day, and generally their movement to feeding zones. Gradual sloping ridges that enter the lake (commonly referred to as ‘points’) and wide extended flats are well known as reliable feeding zones, by identifying a close relationship to the deep waters as discussed previously, more knowledge is built towards identifying funnels to these areas. The perfect shallow areas will have significant ambush zones and, as discussed earlier, structure such as a

LURES TO USE Deep water creek channel to flat Transam 95, Madness Vibe Tree line of creek and at end of point Lucky Craft 100XD Pointer, Madness Vibe, Transam 95 Weed edge to boat position Lucky Craft 100 pointer (shallow), Rapala X-Rap XR14 or 12, any 130-250mm paddletail plastic such as Slick Rigs, Castaic Jerky J 5/7”, Berkley Hollow Belly Weed-edge and lantana towards water edge Same plastics as above, suspending hardbodies such as Lucky Craft 100 Pointer, X-Rap, glide baits.

weed bed, weed channels, significant snags or tree lines. On most occasions the barra will feed close to these structures. The cover presents as the perfect ambush spot for an unsuspecting bony bream. Faust has been well known to produce insane sessions when the lake was at capacity; places where masses of old lantana had long died off were ideal areas for barra to hunt and the no-holds-barred, hand-to-hand combat is still discussed by many barra anglers who experienced this type of fishing. For relating those areas to specific bite times, the old saying, ‘make hay while the sun shines’ relates well to barra fishing. Interchange the sun with moon and you have a winner. The standard bite time that all lakes exhibit right on dark generally starts and fades quite quickly, however a gradual build of action usually progresses with the moonrise towards its upward extremity during most ABT events. The last important aspect discussed here is the geographical location of the area and environmental factors, as these directly influence the amount of fish that will travel through these areas. As most successful tournament anglers are well aware, the weather patterns

The author with a dark coloured weed-dweller. A perfect funnel was identified on the point of a vast weedbed with high activity of moving barra observed. This fish bit as the lure broke free of the weed into clear water right on the point. and prevailing wind that drives the current in the lakes must be studied and adapted in the plan of attack. Bulk barra movements will locate themselves in areas of the dam in significant numbers; a steady single or minimal variant direction of wind can develop these quickly. At the same time, the presence of a drastic change of stability influenced by wind direction

change and velocity can disperse them as quickly as they arrived. During your pre-fish, keep track of areas where a majority of barra are identified on your SI, where the winds have been pushing current and nutrients to certain areas of the lake. Keep narrowing your focus until you are seeing mass movements of the fish into small specific areas. These areas will be like a

convergence of footpaths to a multidirectional crossing, waiting for the green ‘walk’ light to illuminate. Identify your deep water/shallow relationships, locate your structure, pre-empt your bite time and stay flexible to your environmental factors; the lights will turn green and the restaurant doors will open. Now you may read this and wonder what my To page 6

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2018 AFTA Tackle Trade Show Each year the fishing tackle trade conducts a business-to-business show on the Gold Coast in the middle of winter, and it’s always an event to remember. Distributors and fishing tackle stores from all over Australia gather to show off new products and do deals. This show is not open to the public, so we at Fishing Monthly and www.tacklejunkie.fish are bringing you the latest and greatest tackle via social media, YouTube and print. To those of you who missed our videos broadcast straight from the Gold Coast Convention Centre, where we interviewed wholesalers showing off their latest gear, you can check

them out on the Fishing Monthly YouTube channel. One of the most exciting things about the AFTA Show is the Best In Show awards. It starts with retailers voting on what they judge to be the best new gear, the votes are tallied, and the awards are presented at the formal Gala Dinner. We have compiled the winners and runners-up for you in this issue, and some of them are particularly innovative and exciting. And just quietly, we hear that there’s a good chance there will be a public (non-buying, look and see only) day next year. It’s not confirmed yet but we’ll bring you news of this as it comes to hand!

JOHN DUNPHY MEMORIAL FISHING TOURNAMENT Every second year the John Dunphy Memorial Fishing Tournament is run in conjunction with the AFTA Trade Show. John Dunphy was one of Australia’s greatest tackle innovators, and Australian Bass Tournaments (ABT) uses the event to help debut new technology and improvements to fishing tournament data capture. This year was no exception. Seven tournament pros took out 14 industry identities with the aim of catching their biggest bag of five bream. However, they didn’t bring and fish back to the weigh-in. Instead, all of the captures were recorded on the ABT Tournament Series App (powered by TrackMyFish). At the same time, the majority of the field were live streaming their fishing day via a collection of Garmin action cameras. This live stream was curated and presented on at the Trade Show on two massive screens. “ABT’s aim is to make fishing a real spectator sport,” said ABT founder

Steve Morgan, “and with live streaming technology getting smaller, cheaper and easier to manipulate we are enjoying taking the lead in this area.” The live stream is managed by InfoFish, and it’s a great partnership. Not only does the company (which administers Queensland’s tagging program) run the back end of this system, but the data gets used meaningfully after the tournament. With over a million fish recorded in the InfoFish database, the company believes that monitoring the top 20% of anglers gives a great snapshot into the structure of a waterway’s fish stocks. This means that catch and release fishing can become an important part of community monitoring of the resource. That’s a great position for catch and release fishing. For the record, team Costa won the day with a cracking Gold Coast bag with over 4kg for five bream. Well done to Jamie Mckeown (ABT); Jenny Gordillo (Costa) and Tanya Konsul (Costa).

INDUSTRY RECOGNITION AWARD In an age when everything has a use-by date and companies and brands come and go, longevity is rare. J.M. Gillies has written its story into history and has significantly helped shape the fishing industry in Australia. For J.M. Gillies this story now spans 90 years. Over the years J.M. Gillies has been responsible for the distribution of brands such as Plano, Rapala, Maxima, Berkley, Redington, Sage, Arbogast, Classic, Bomber, Killalure, Warlock, Tassie Devil and SeaDog. J.M. Gillies was established in 1928 by John Malcolm Gillies in West Melbourne, and his vision was to service the fly industry. Fly tying was the core business, and this built a foundation and a name for the brand in Australia. The start of 1987 saw Pat Levy, who at the time was a young storeman and packer, risk everything to buy the business. Gillies had a number of warehouse moves in a short period of time due to the expansion of the business, before

finding a base in Port Melbourne in 2000. The business continued to expand, and a number of neighbouring warehouses were taken over before finally running out of space, and the company moved to a purpose-built warehouse in 2009 that is still home today. During the company’s 90 years, J.M. Gillies has distributed and manufactured more than 70 brands of fishing products and other sporting goods. For Pat, it’s always been about providing the best service and brands. The service side has been a foundation for the business, with a core sales team and internal staff that’s being largely unchanged for the past three decades. Although brands and products come and go, the team at J.M. Gillies have become a family with a common goal, and have established great relationships with tackle stores all around the country and also other countries around the world. Pat Levy was inducted to the AFTA Hall of Fame at the 2018 AFTA Gala Dinner and Awards Night, in recognition of his services to the fishing tackle industry.

WOMEN IN RECREATIONAL FISHING Also represented at the show were members of the WIRF leadership program (Women in Recreational Fishing). Focused on unearthing tomorrow’s female fishing leaders, this scholarship program gave 10 women the chance to attend the AFTA Gala Awards and contribute their voices to the future of the industry. The network has been created by the VFA (Victorian Fisheries Authority) as part of the Target One Million program to encourage females to participate in the fishing activity with the family, rather than just watch. It is linked to the Target One Million drive to increase participation to get one million Victorians fishing by 2020. Some of the goals of the program

include how to better share knowledge about the skills and equipment need to fish, to empower women with the right info; how to get more women on boards and in leadership roles within the fishing industry; and how to advertise women in fishing in a more positive way. An interactive Facebook group has been created for women to enable them to talk, gain and share knowledge to engage in recreational fishing activities in a comfortable manner. Female anglers of all levels are encouraged to join, post and learn from one another. Interested parties can check it out at www.facebook.com/ groups/womeninrecfishing. And that’s all the news from the AFTA Show. Read on to check out all the product winners!

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BEST ROD CATEGORY WINNER Abu Garcia Real Finesse Abu Garcia Real Finesse

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Abu Garcia is ushering in the next generation of sleek design and high performance rods with the Real Finesse range. Featuring 100% carbon blanks with Abu’s Triarchy Force production methods, finesse rods deliver sensitive, ultra-light blanks with higher break strengths and improved impact and fracture resistance. Features include: nano carbon (super high modulus Nano Carbon 55t material); 4 Axis Cross (carbon tapes are wrapped around the blanks in an X shape, both from 45° and

135°, enhancing torque and preventing twist); equipped with Advanced Fuju Torzite Micro Guide System; Triarchy Force (100% carbon material arranged in both length and width directions with unique multilayer construction and finishing techniques, increasing hoop and overall rod strength). There are five models in the range, all 2-piece: 51OULS (EXF action, 5’10”, 0.14g rig weight, 0.1-0.3 PE line), 67SULT (F action, 6’7”, 0.1-7.0g, 0.1-0.5 PE), 610LS (EXF action, 6’10”, 0.1-5.5g, 0.1-0.3 PE), 76LT (F action, 7’6”, 0.1-7.0g, 0.1-0.5 PE), 79ULS (EXF action, 7’9”, 0.1-7.0g, 0.1-0.3 PE). www.abugarcia-fishing.com.au

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For smarter, more efficient lure casting under a variety of circumstances, the new Curado DC changes the game and represents the latest in Shimano Technology development. Shimano’s Digital Control (DC) braking system is the star element of this reel and gives you the ability to make every cast count. The Curado DC offers four adjustable settings that enable anglers to fish a wide variety of lures of different shapes and sizes, in all weather conditions, without having to constantly fiddle with internal brake settings. It can also accommodate different casting techniques and even line type. Housed within the aluminium Hagane Body, Micromodule gearing provides seamless gear

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meshing for smoother winding performance, whether on the retrieve or when hooked up. There are four reels in the Curado 150 DC stable, including a choice of a medium (6.2:1) to an extra fast (8.5:1) gearing ratio, and a lefthand wind option is also available. www.shimanofish.com.au

RUNNER UP Daiwa Exist LT 3000 DC Celebrating 60 years of innovation isn’t easy, and that’s why Daiwa held nothing back in creating the new 18Exist LT. The flagship model, the Exist, has personified excellence throughout Daiwa’s history, and now the new 18Exist LT, which stands for Light and Tough, introduces even more ground-breaking technology, and it was the 3000 DC that was recognised in particular at the AFTA show. Monocoque body also debuts in the 18Exist LT for the first time through the entire size range. Monocoque body is a truly one-piece frame with no side plate. Instead, the side plate is replaced by the main drive gear housing, which screws into the body allowing for maximum gear diameter and ultimate rigidity. You will find the brand-new Machine Cut Tough Digigear inside the new 18Exist LT is up to 109% larger than non-monocoque reels. The 18Exist LT’s monocoque body is Daiwa’s most advanced body they’ve ever developed, and they’re available from 1000 to 4000 sizes. www.daiwafishing.com.au

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The clear winner in the Best Combo category was the Abu Garcia MGXtreme spin reel matched with a Real Finesse rod. The Abu Real Finesse also won the Best Rod category. MGXtreme spin reels are Abu Garcia’s lightest and most compact spinning reels. These brand new reels feature the CMg carbon rotor and one-piece X-Mag alloy gear box to reduce weight to 5.6oz (159g). The high performance, durable AMGearing system is combined with HPCR and Salt Shield bearings for both freshwater and saltwater use. This extremely lightweight, versatile reel is also equipped with an innovative removable sinker keeper that eliminates tangling when using a drop shot. Features include: 11 stainless steel HPCR bearings (Salt Shield ball bearings for pinion gear and line roller) + 1 roller bearing; CMg rotor; AAMGearing system; Carbon Matrix drag system; one-piece X-Mag alloy gear box; C6 carbon body; Rocket line management system; compact bent carbon handle arm with cork knob; always on, instant anti reverse; and attached sinker keeper. abugarcia-fishing.com.au

An evolution of the popular Generation Black rod series (HVF blanks), the new TD Black series of rods has taken a leap forward in blank design and now features HVF (High Volume Fibre) Nanoplus blanks. With higher graphite density able to be achieved through Nanoplus technology, the result is a lighter, crisper, more powerful rod, while the addition of Braiding X technology further enhances rod performance by increasing wall strength and reducing blank twist. This allows a lighter, more dynamic rod to be created. For the perfect reel to match the new TD Black Rod, you can’t go past the new TD Black LT reel. Bearing the famous Black name that has been featuring so strongly in the Daiwa line-up over the last few years, the TD Black LT features the LT’s Light Tough Concept to deliver anglers a reel that impresses in looks and wows in performance. Both these great innovations from Daiwa combine to create one deadly combo. www.daiwafishing.com.au

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Chasebaits 200mm Ultimate Squid

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The Zerek Live Swimbait takes the famous Live Mullet body profile to the next level. It uses the same concept as the widely acclaimed Live Shrimp – to emulate natural prey movements to trigger strikes. The segmented TPE (thermoplastic) body is held together with a Kevlar webbing, providing superior strength and freedom of movement. The main body section hides an ingeniously designed one-piece wire frame that connects the tow point to the hook hanger, giving even more strength. The wire frame also has additional hangers – two on top for attaching a spinnerbait arm or extra hooks, and a hanger underneath for chin weights such as the Mustad Fastach Football Weights and the traditional hook hanger. Easily workable with a straight retrieve, the lifelike 3D eyes and detailed finishes (natural and attractor patterns) make the 8” Zerek Live Swimbait very effective on barra, Murray cod, mulloway and more apex predators. Available in 12 proven colours, the new Zerek Live Swimbait is designed to sink in freshwater at the rate of 1ft per second, allowing anglers to effectively target suspending fish, thermoclines or bait schools easily. www.wilsonfishing.com

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The original Chasebaits Ultimate Squid has taken Australia by storm, catching a huge range of species in both fresh and salt since its 2017 release. Now, in response to angler demand, the Chasebaits team has released a 200mm version for anglers targeting larger offshore species. The larger model has all the same features that made the original such a smash hit – those trademark rippling wings, extended candles that flutter with any movement, contracting tentacles, custom 3D squid eyes, and custom scent. Designer Grainger Mayfield said the new model has been performing very well in field testing. “Naturally it has been catching a variety of pelagics and reef fish,” he said, “but anglers may be surprised to know that it’s also effective on cod and barramundi in the fresh. The Squid may not represent a specific freshwater prey item, but neither do spinnerbaits and it doesn’t deter the fish. As more anglers start changing their mindset, we’ll see a lot more freshwater catches on the Ultimate Squid.” Another new release is a custom jighead called the Ultimate Squid rig, made from ultra high tensile steel. It comes in 21g and 42g versions, has twin 4/0 assist hooks, and makes the Squid falls at a natural 45° angle for the most natural presentation possible. Keep an eye out for both the Ultimate Squid and Ultimate Rig from October. Price: approx. SRP $13 www.chasebaits.com.au

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The Sayori-S mimics one of the world’s most common baitfish – the garfish. Not only is the Sayori-S the perfect shape, but it also swims with the perfect, natural ‘S-type’ motion, just like the gar that it’s imitating so well. This sinking lure can be used for shore casting or for casting and trolling from a boat. At low speed, it swims under the surface with a tight, snaking action, while at higher speeds it will skip and splash across the surface like fleeing prey. You can also add a trolling weight or use a downrigger without affecting the lure’s action. If you remove the hooks, Sayori-S also makes a great teaser. The Sayori-S HD-Saltwater edition is fitted with premium quality 6X strong saltwater-grade ODZ Trinity SX hooks by Maruto Japan. Matched with HD stainless steel split rings, this lure is ready to tackle the biggest and strongest fighters in the sea. No aftermarket terminal upgrades are required. The Sayori-S 235 measures 235mm and weighs 58g, and will be available from October. Price: SRP $34.95 www.unitedtackle.com.au

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Building on the success of the original Pompadour, Jackall has released the much-anticipated 120mm Mega Pompadour. The Mega Pompadour is aimed squarely XOS freshwater fish such as Murray cod and big impoundment barramundi, and in a short time it has already gotten a number of 1m+ cod captures under its belt. This top-of-the-line crawler bait has been built to demanding specifications for Australian conditions, so there’s no need

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The new Frill Seeker is one of the latest lifelike creations from Chasebaits, and when you watch a video of it swimming you’ll know why it caused such a stir at the AFTA Trade Show. The Frill Seeker can be used as a surface wakebait or subsurface, diving to 1ft. Its fluid, lifelike movement comes from its segmented body, soft segmented tail and supple frill that shakes when the lure swims. When paused, the frill flares out, adding an extra dimension to the lure’s realistic appeal. As well as imitating a lizard, its profile also mimics a swimming mouse or rat. This durable lure features an ultra strong 10X soft tail attached securely with a corkscrew wire, and is fitted with ultra sharp and sticky BKK trebles. It measures 175mm (95mm body and 80mm tail), which is an ideal size for bass, small cod, small barra, jacks and any other fish that feeds on terrestrial animals like lizards or mice. Frill Seeker comes with a spare tail, and will be available from December. A larger model is in the pipeline, so watch this space! Price: SRP $24.95 www.chasebaits.com.au

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to upgrade hooks or rings – it's ready to go straight out of the pack. The Mega Pompadour’s wings close on the cast, and its magnetic weight movement allows the lure to be cast long distances while keeping its flight attitude. It also has a unique noisy rattle system, comprised of a glass rattle and brass ball. The Mega Pompadour has a strong crawling action made by metal wings, two types of loud rattles, and additional water disturbance made by the rear prop. It creates a massive noise and commotion on the surface, which large predators can’t resist. Price: SRP $59.95 www.jackall.com.au

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The new HC Stickbait from the JM Gillies Bluewater stable is built tough to take on the most ferocious predators in the sea. The HC Stickbait is handcrafted, and both the insert and body are made with polyurethane material. The lure also features a heavy-duty wire through construction. This new lure measures 175mm long, weighs 120g and is initially available in five reactive UV colours with internal shell. It is set to be a smash hit with anglers targeting the likes of tuna, mackerel, wahoo and giant trevally. It won’t be available in stores until October, but in the meantime you can find more news and photos at the JM Gillies website, on their Facebook page (www.facebook.com/jm.gillies) or Instagram (@jm.gillies). www.jmgillies.com.au

When fishing offshore, anglers often like to troll between spots to maximise their chances of catching a feed, and now Rapala has come up with the perfect bait for this application. As we know, Rapala makes lures that perform well, and look absolutely fantastic, and the Xtreme 160 is no exception to that, and with the new High Definition colours, they’re sure to see hungry fish launching themselves at it coming over the side. With the ability to handle trolling speeds of 15-20 knots, you can rest assured that this bait will stay in the water, and won’t come to the surface. This bait is perfect for tuna, mackerel wahoo, mahimahi and many, many more. Fitted with quality VMC trebles and built tough to handle the riggers of pelagic teeth, this is an absolute winner for anyone wanting to troll at high speeds offshore. www.rapala.com.au

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The Entice Gamefishing Bench Crimper from Viva won the AFTA Best Game Fishing Accessory Award by a large margin. This reliable bench crimper can be used with nylon, wire, brass, copper, aluminium – any kind of crimp and any leader material. Owning a bench crimper is ideal if you want the power to do the biggest crimps, and the Entice does crimps up to 400lb. And if you’re making a lot of crimps, it makes the job much easier. Viva director Ran Feng said the Entice had gotten a great response in the short time it’s been available. “We gave it to a number of gamefishermen to try out, and they loved it,” he said. “It’s just so easy to crimp, thanks to the leverage from that long handle. Everyone wants to be sure that their crimps are 100%, and with the Entice you can achieve this with very little energy.” The Entice Gamefishing Bench Crimper has interchangeable dies, and is excellent value for money. Price: SRP $249 www.vivafishing.com.au

Learning how to tie the correct knot is one of the fundamental necessities of this great sport, because the knot is a critical connecting point between you and the fish. If your badly-tied knot fails, your fish is gone! This latest book from AFN will set you on the right path. The Complete Book of Knots has been put together by Bill Classon and Nigel Webster, hosts of the popular TV show The Fishing Show. . In this fully illustrated publication the pair outline all the knots anglers will ever need. This book caters for everyone, from the beginner to an expert, and has everything in it – from the basic knots through to some of the more advanced. Whether you are a first timer or a seasoned angler, there is something in it for you. Superbly illustrated by Trevor Hawkins, the steps are easy to follow, making it easy to master the process, and to tie dependable knots. Price: SRP $16.99 www.afn.com.au

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series, which feature Fuji Guides on the runner models, Pacific Bay rollers, Pacific Bay bent butt, and a carbon butt on nonbent butt models. All Ocean Assassins are built using SLS3 construction, which uses inner and outer spiral wrap layers of carbon fibre to sandwich middle layers of alternating longitudinal carbon and glass. The spiral wraps maintain a round cross-section in the blank when under load, which helps the blank handle higher loads. The middle layers of unidirectional carbon and glass create the backbone of the rod by utilizing the strength of glass combined with the light weight of the carbon fibre to deliver a strong, balanced and thin rod blank. www.pennfishing.com.au

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Daiwa’s J-Braid goes to another level with the release of the premium braid in the line-up, the new J-Braid Grand. A premium 8-strand PE, J-Braid Grand is made from an advanced new raw material (IZANAS) and is J-Braid’s strongest, most abrasion-resistant line ever. Four times more abrasion resistant than other lines, J-Braid Grand has a short pitch fibre construction that significantly reduces line damage and failure to dramatically increase line abrasion resistance and line strength consistency. Like all true premium Japanese 8-strand PE lines, the new J-Braid Grand maintains a true round profile for optimum line performance through the guides and on and off the reel. Made in Japan and available in sizes ranging from 6lb (0.6PE) to 150lb (PE16) and in multi and island blue colours, J-Braid Grand is the smoothest and best performing J-Braid they have ever made. www.daiwafishing.com.au

Utilizing the latest 9-carrier technology, the award-winning Berkley X9 Braided Line Crystal is an extremely smooth and strong line that has been designed for optimal strength and casting distance. Featuring a 9-carrier construction with a PE core, Berkley X9 braided line is extremely round and smoothly flows through guides for increased casting distance. Its high strand construction also enhances wear resistance for fishing over rugged structure, and provides higher knot strength. It is finished in Berkley’s highly visible crystal and flame green colours for easy strike detection. Berkley XP Braided Line Crystal is currently available in 150m, 300m, 2000m spools in crystal and flame green, and Berkley has also released a 5-carrier version (X5). For more information on these and more new releases from Berkley, visit their website or check them out on Facebook (www.facebook.com/BerkleyFishingANZ) or Instagram (@berkleyfishing). Price: SRP from $34.99 www.berkley-fishing.com.au

Daiwa J-Braid Grand

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Berkley X9 braid

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Berkley X9 Braid 300m

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Penn Ocean Assassin Game Rod

When it comes to quality and value for money, Penn’s Ocean Assassin range of offshore rods are a definite winner. Since their launch, they have accounted for a wide range of bluewater species. For 2018, Penn has added a series of Game models to the Ocean Assassin range. There are eight models in the new Game

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Penn Ocean Assassin Game Rod

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Wilson Fishing Live Fibre RLF46FRD

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The Live Fibre RLF46FRD from Wilson Fishing brings together years of development in a package that has been designed to be more affordable yet retain all the qualities Live Fibre rods are known for. Rated at 37kg, this fully rollered bent butt game rod features premium quality, big foot roller guides, a deluxe leather foregrip and a detachable butt. The blank features a composite build with world leading Toray carbon cloth that places the pressure on the fish, not the angler leading to shorter fight times and less angler fatigue. Built to Australia’s exacting demands, loaded with features to put the fight in your favour and now awarded the AFTA Best Game Fishing Rod for 2018, the Live Fibre RLF46FRD will be available in December. www.wilsonfishing.com

Wilson Live Fibre RLF46FRD

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Much of the best fly fishing in our amazing country exists in the tropical regions of the north, and now Rio have provided the perfect fly line for tropical climates. Rio’s Jungle Series of fly lines are designed to withstand the heat of tropical jungle destinations. Each line is built on Rio’s low-memory DirectCore that is extremely easy to anneal (stretch) and lies perfectly straight on the water, yet retains the stiffness

needed to cast on hot conditions. Each line has a short, quick-loading head that will easily cast and turnover typical large flies used in the tropics, and a range of density options ensures anglers are covered for all species, conditions and waters. So next time you’re headed north in search of a tropical fly fishing fix, or even overseas to a typically humid fly fishing Mecca, be sure to load up your reels with something that’s up for the job – Rio’s got your back! www.jmgillies.com.au

RUNNER UP Primal fly rod series Primal Fly Rods are the newest brand from Manic Tackle. They deliver a high premium performance and finish quality at an affordable price. They’re ideal for anglers looking to upgrade from an entry level package. At the heart of all Primal rods is a helical core of Nano matrix prepreg. As well as making the rods strong, it means they cast a very smooth, tight loop with very little tip bounce and exceptional tracking. Casting is smoother and more accurate. The award-winning RAW freshwater series of rods are lightweight and fitted with customised machine cut skeletal reel seats with double locking rings and stabilised timber inserts. The stripping guide is a titaniumframed SIC and the guides are custom light wire single foot guides. The rod actions are fast while still maintaining enough feel to drop a tiny dry at close range off the rod tip. The RAW freshwater rod range includes an 8’6” 4wt, with 9’ 5wt, 6wt, 7wt and 8wt, all 4-piece. Price: SRP $499 www.manictackleproject.com

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The most demanding conditions require a different kind of tool, whether it’s a strong head wind, a fish at a distance, bulky rigs, or a heavy sink tip. The new Igniter from Sage is tuned to handle the most technical of conditions. This is not a rod for the everyday angler, the Igniter is equipped with a high line speed taper to carry large amounts of line at distance with wind cutting performance. This rod is absolutely perfect for streamer fishing with heavy sink tips or covering big water when conditions turn south. Made form quality materials, like Fuji ceramic stripper guides, hard chromed snake guides, KonneticHD technology, laser etched line weight on slide band, Sage retains its reputation for being some of the best fly gear available anywhere. The rod also comes with a black powder coated aluminium rod tube with a Sage medallion. If you bring the will, the Igniter will supply the way. www.jmgillies.com.au

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Sage Igniter

Manic Tackle Primal Raw Fly Rod

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Tackle Tactics TT Lures Swimlockz Jigheads

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Berkley Snap Jigs

TT Lures SwimlockZ jigheads have been designed for fishing large soft plastic paddle tail swimbaits, with a tapered head design that shifts the bulk of the head weight below the hook to control the torque of the tail, and reduce the tendency of big plastics to roll onto their side. Built on heavy-duty, black nickel Mustad chemically-sharpened hooks to handle big fish, SwimlockZ also feature TT Lures’ ‘head lock’ grub keeper to secure your soft plastic in place, and a stainless steel connection point moulded into the underside of the head to secure stingers or a blade for added flash and vibration. Lock it on! SwimlockZ are initially available in three hook sizes (8/0, 9/0 and 10/0), and four weights: 1/2oz (14g), 3/4oz (21g), 1oz (28g) and 1.5oz (42g). Keep an eye out for them in tackle stores from September. Price: SRP $15.95 www.ttlures.com.au

An innovative take on a time-tested technique, the Berkley Snap Jigs deliver all of the fish-catching performance of an ice-jig, but with the ability to attach your favourite soft plastic. The Snap Jig can be fished both vertically over structure and for suspended fish in open water, or cast and retrieve for side-toside and backward-and-forward dynamic darting action. This versatile jighead naturally glides on the fall, and can be worked over points, open water, and on a straight retrieve for an enticing side-to-side action. Along the underside, the Berkley Snap Jigs feature a hook hanger that allows anglers to increase attraction with the addition of a blade, and improve hookup rates with a stinger hook. Offered in a number of lifelike colours, the Berkley Snap Jigs provide a unique take on a lure that has been putting fish in the boat for years. www.berkley-fishing.com.au

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Samaki Black Marlin Sublimation Shirt

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When relentless heat threatens to cut short a pleasant afternoon tossing carefree casts, arm yourself with cool comfort and keep chasing those elusive fish. Simms’ SolarFlex Armor Shirt features hard-working COR3 technology, with all-day oudor-fighting and moisturewicking protection. The shirt shields against the sun’s harmful rays with a UPF 50 rating. The Coolcore fabric chills down as it gets wet, giving you natural relief from the heat. Mesh panels on the sides and arms add breezy ventilation that will keep you feeling fresh on the water from dawn until dusk. It is finished with a full-coverage built-in gaiter for all over protection. Features include: COR3 technologoy (quick‐drying, wicking and UPF 50), Coolcore fabric technology (up to 30% lower surface temperature when wet), Polygiene fabric treatment (natural and permanent odour‐ control), patent‐pending full coverage gaiter design, and mesh inner side and arm panels for ventilation. Price: SRP $199 www.manictackleproject.com

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Wilson Fishing has just released the Venom Deluxe Multifunctional Headscarf, which takes a well-accepted product and improves it to make the headscarf much more user friendly. For starters, the material is much softer, being constructed from 95% polyester and 5% spandex. This makes the user far more comfortable during the day’s fishing. The design is also tapered to provide vital protection in two areas. Firstly there is a hump designed into the top of the front that more effectively covers the nose of the wearer. A similar, but slightly larger hump is also designed into the bottom to cover up that annoying spot

Venom Deluxe Headscarf

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Getting plenty of looks, feels and votes at the AFTA show this year was the Black Marlin Sublimation shirt from Samaki. Samaki have a history of providing anglers with good quality, reasonably priced and sun protective fishing apparel, and this fantastic design will fit in nicely with the rest of the range. Just like the rest of the range, the eyepopping images on the material will let other anglers know you mean business. As usual, Samaki have used their UPF 50+ Fish Dry fabric, which is a lightweight 100% polyester material, and will keep you incredibly cool, will dry quickly, yet still breathes. All of Samaki’s fishing shirts are available in adult, youth and kid sizes, allowing the whole family to get in on the action and out on the water, and still say sun safe. www.samaki.com.au

Samaki Black Marlin shirt

at the base of the neck that is left exposed by zippered or buttoned fishing shirts. Rated by ARPANSA at 15+, the material is also moisture wicking, making it perfect for anglers fishing in hot weather. Comfortable and cool to wear, ideal for all outdoor activities and machine washable, the Venom Deluxe Multifunctional Headscarf is a brilliant clothing accessory to keep you on the water longer. www.wilsonfishing.com

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Venom Deluxe Neckscarf

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BEST SUNGLASSES CATEGORY WINNER TIED Mako Edge All anglers are looking for that extra edge when out on the water, and Mako Eyewear have delivered with their aptly named, Edge frames. Designed for style, flexibility and comfort, these lightweight warp resistant nylon frames have an 8-base wrap to reduce side light entry. The TR90 frame material has rubber grommets in all the essential places, the tapered arms and bridge, to make sure they stay put all day. The polarised lenses are available in polycarbonate and glass and in all Mako’s popular colours. makoeyewear.com.au

WINNER TIED Spotters Fusion Spotters have done it again with their new Fusion frames. It combines style and functionality with a matt black frame contrasting with an ice mirror lens. The modern wrap frames are comfortable and light enough to wear all day. Cleverly designed with ergonomic

non-slip grips on the arms, they’ll securely stay in place when you need it most. The Fusion comes in a wide choice of lens material and colour tints to suit your fishing style. The grey-based lens give incredible colour definition, glare reduction and superior depth perception delivering 100% UV protection and perfect visual clarity. spotters.com.au

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RUNNER UP Tonic Tango Tonic Eyewear know good design, so it is no surprise that this year’s newest offering, Tango, has balanced sleek style with supreme comfort. The Tonic Tango is incredibly lightweight with a mere 1.7mm lens, and a streamlined arm that doesn’t rely on rubber grips to stay on your head. The cleverly designed fit holds smoothly and securely to ensure you won’t be constantly pushing them up the bridge of your nose. An update to the lenses haven’t been forgotten. Keeping anglers in mind, extra yellow has been added to perfect fishing tactics for flats fishers. www.toniceyewear.com.au

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Yeti LoadOut Bucket

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The YETI LoadOut Bucket is no ordinary bucket. It’s well-nigh indestructible, and is built to last a lifetime. Essentially, it’s the last bucket you’ll ever buy. This 5 gallon (19L), super-tough bucket can handle any tough job on the boat or out camping. It features a HeftyHauler Handle for a comfortable, secure grip, as well as a LipGrip Handle, making it easy to carry when full. It’s food safe and has a BearFoot Non-Slip Ring, so the bucket will stay where you put it, and not leave scuff marks on the deck. The LoadOut Bucket is made from high-impact-resistant, high density polyethylene construction, and has AnchorPoint Tie-Down Slots for securing to your boat or vehicle. It measures 10.25” x 12.875” x 15.875” ( Weight: 5.8 lbs. If you want to cover the contents of the Bucket, you can purchase a Loadout Lid separately. The Loadout Lid keeps contents safe from salt spray and contained when conditions get rough. It’s transparent, easy to remove and water-tight. It’s also super strong; the HeftHex Construction makes for a durable framework that resists cracking, even in extreme temperatures, with over 130kg of pressure. If you didn’t think lid technology

was a thing before, this might get your attention. And thanks to the Four-Finger Release Tab, it takes just four fingers to get the lid off. Price: SRP $69.95 (lid not included) au.yeti.com

RUNNER UP Hook’em Teaser Bar The new Teaser Bar is another quality Australian-made product from Melbourne-based company Hook’em. This new dredge boom allows anglers to run dredge teasers further behind the boat, eliminating the problem of dredges going into the prop wash on turns. It’s an effective and affordable option for smaller boats which don’t have outriggers. The Teaser Bar goes in both straight and 30° rod holders. The drag of the dredge puts a lot of pressure on rod holders, so Hook-em have added an extra support hole at the top of the Bar. This hole, which sits above the dredge connection, has been added to take a retainer, to greatly reduce the weight and pressure imparted to the rod holder. As you’d expect from a Hook’em Product, the Teaser Bar is made from all stainless steel and is over-engineered for superior strength. It’s also great value for money. Price: approx. SRP $275 www.hookem.com.au

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Yeti LoadOut Bucket

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Wilson Platinum Tournament Bag Daiwa Tactical Tackle Box

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The Wilson Fishing Platinum Tournament Bag is a large hold-all tackle bag supplied with eight waterproof tackle trays, to fit enough tackle for any trip. There are three outer pockets, two of which are constructed with open mesh to allow the stored product to breathe and dry out, making them perfect for things such as fishing gloves, packets of plastics and more. The front pocket is fully enclosed and will suit lure sleeves and the like, and on the front of this pocket is a tool holder that can accommodate any tool you’re likely to need, and may even be used to dry lures on! Up top there is clip-attached cover that houses a carry handle and a mobile phone and wallet compartment. Underneath this cover is the zippered top that gives access to the eight waterproof trays. On the sides are two sturdy, plastic sleeve covered carry handles and a padded shoulder strap. The bottom of the bag is constructed from waterproof, formed and condensed plastic foam, giving your tackle protection from water ingress from below and creating a solid base that will never collapse. www.wilsonfishing.com

Daiwa have come up with a tackle storage solution to allow you to keep all of your different accessories in one place. Daiwa’s series of Tactical Tackle Boxes have tons of storage, and the large top pocket will hold five 3600-sized trays (medium) or five 3700 sized trays (large). Tactical Tackle Boxes also feature a moulded sunglasses holder, two zippered side pockets on the back, a mobile phone/ GPS holder on the front, and a pliers holder on both of the side pockets. All of this clever, space-optimising placement means you don’t have to leave anything behind to save on space. Large carry handles, padded shoulder strap and great tackle organization will allow the angler to take the Tactical Tackle Boxes everywhere. Each box comes with five Modular Storage Trays, which are perfect for lures, jigs, terminal tackle, sunblock and tools. The DTTB-60 model (medium) is 9” x 13” x 14”, while the DTTB-70 (large) is 12” x 14” x 12”. www.daiwafishing.com.au

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The Zexus ZX720 Motion Sensor Headlamp can be used in traditional on/off mode, or you can put it in motion sensor mode, and trip the sensor by waving your hand in front of it. This feature is very useful when you have wet or dirty hands, and is designed to not get tripped accidentally by other moving objects. This bright LED light (550 lumens) runs on 3 x AAA batteries, and when left on it will shine for around nine hours. During normal use, however, when it is being switched on and off, it lasts for weeks. The ZX720 Motion Sensor Headlamp features a very wide band to provide the most comfortable fit possible, and it’s fully adjustable to fit a wide range of head sizes. It’s also splashproof, rainproof and corrosion resistant, which makes it the perfect choice for fishing, hunting and camping. Price: SRP $199 www.vivafishing.com.au

Zexus Motion Sensor Headlamp S

The Hopper BackFlip 24 fuses the durability of the Hopper Flip with a new, convenient-to-carry design. It is Yeti’s first cooler engineered to double as a backpack, using the best tech of both worlds. Built taller and wider than its Hopper Flip counterparts, the Hopper BackFlip is designed to efficiently distribute the weight of your goods. Yeti designers have added supportive, ergonomic shoulder straps to help lighten the load, and a removable chest strap and waist belt are included for added stability and security. And like the rest of the Hopper family, it promises superior cold-holding, a 100% leakproof zipper, and a tough DryHide Shell. The Hopper’s high-density fabric is waterproof and resistant to mildew, punctures, and UV rays. The liner is made from an FDA-approved food-grade material. Closed-cell rubber foam offers far superior cold-holding to ordinary soft coolers. With a DoubleBarrel frame and Diehard joint construction, the Hopper BackFlip 24 is strong enough to support up to 227kg

Yeti Hopper BackFlip 24

without losing its shape. Price: SRP $449.96 au.yeti.com

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Watersnake Prowler Kayak PFD

AFN Kool Bag

BEST WATERSPORT/DIVE PRODUCT RUNNER UP

The new Watersnake Prowler Kayak Vest combines the storage capacity of a traditional fishing vest with the essential safety requirements of a PFD. The clever design is ideal for kayak fishing, canoeing, or any lightwatercraft activities. The Watersnake Prowler includes multiple zip pockets on the front and back for storing fishing tackle, tools, and personal items. It also features easy-to-adjust straps, durable buckles, tough zippers, and a camo print design that enhances the stealth factor by blending into the surroundings. The Prowler’s PFD 50S rating provides adequate buoyancy for swimmers in sheltered waters, while the streamlined construction also allows plenty of freedom for paddling and casting. In fact, it’s so comfortable you’ll forget it’s even on! The Watersnake Prowler Kayak Vest is available in four sizes (small, medium, large and extra-large) to suit a range of body weights, from 40kg to in excess of 70kg. www.watersnake.com.au

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The AFN Fish Kool Bag is a new fish chiller bag that has been designed to store your catch in a hygienic environment, ensuring fresher, longer lasting fish. This durable insulated bag holds ice for days. It’s portable, ideal for boats, and has a flared bottom to ensure it doesn’t tip over. The Kool Bag is insulated with 1/2” dense foam, and is UV and mildew resistant. Other features include comfortable and strong carry handles, a waterproof zip and fish ruler. The bag includes wheels for easy transport of heavy loads, and has a drain plug so it’s easy to empty out at the end of a trip. This fully sealed bag comes in four sizes: Small (750mm x 400mm x 200mm), Medium (1000mm x 400mm x 200m), Large (1400mm x 400mm x 300mm) and X-Large (2000mm x 600mm x 400mm). Price: SRP $99-$300 www.afn.com.au

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Chasebaits Rip Snorter Vibe

Daiwa Exist LT 3000 CXH

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Costa Untangled Pescador

Chasebaits Rip Snorter

Costa have absolutely pushed the envelope this year at the AFTA show, with a completely new concept to the world of fishing accessories. Introducing the Untangled range, which has taken a positive step towards cleaning up our environment. What makes the Untangled series so unique, is that the frames are actually made from discarded fishing nets! Every year, thousands of tonnes of fishing nets are left in the ocean to rot and be hazardous to marine life. Taking out the prestigious John Dunphy Award for Innovation this year is a member of the Untangled family, the Pescador, which is available in for lens colours. On top of all this, the cases are made from recycled material as well, and in this case, they are made from old Patagonia clothing. They look as good as the other frames in the Costa range, and by wearing them you’ll be saving the environment as the same time! www.costadelmar.com.au

With so many vibes on the market, the creative team at Chasebaits set out to provide something truly different. After many months in R&D, they have achieved their goal with the world’s first truly weedless vibe. It’s great news for anyone who’s lost a lot of expensive vibes, or who is too afraid to fish them in snaggy country. Designer Grainger Mayfield said it took a long time to get the design exactly right. “The hook design in particular was very complicated,” he explained. “Even when we had finished the design, it took another eight months to find the right factory to combine the quality, strength and shape that we wanted. It was a great feeling when we finally achieved our goal of creating a fantastic hook that works seamlessly in the lure to make it a true weedless vibe.” An obvious concern with any weedless lure is the hook-up rate, but that’s not an issue with the Rip Snorter. Field testers have been using it deep into snags and rock beds to great effect, catching bass, cod, mangrove jack and more. Its ease of use means that even novice anglers can catch fish. The Rip Snorter is 90mm long, weighs 16g and will be available from October. Keep an eye out for a 12mm version in the coming months. Price: SRP $17.95 www.chasebaits.com.au

The new Penn Spinfisher VI features IPX5 sealing so whether it gets hit with a wave, or you let it ride in the spray all the way home, you don’t have to worry about saltwater getting into the gearbox or drag system. The HT-100 drag washers are housed in a fully-sealed spool to give the stopping power needed for big saltwater fish. A Full Metal Body and sideplate keep the CNC Gear System in precise alignment under heavy loads. Durability, Smoothness, and Precision is what CNCGear Technology delivers. By using state of the art software and CNC machinery brass drive, pinion and oscillation gears are cut to exact tolerances. The new Spinfisher VI live liner system has four ‘on’ positions which progressively increase the rear drag when needed. Factory matched settings have been applied for each size reel, and can be user adjusted to the angler’s preference with the included tool. With the turn of the handle, the live liner is automatically disengaged and back in fighting mode. The Spinfisher VI is available in standard, Live Liner and Long Cast models. Price: from SRP $199.99 pennfishing.com.au

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RUNNER UP TIED Daiwa Exist LT 3000 CXH Celebrating 60 years of innovation isn’t easy, and that’s why Daiwa held nothing back in creating the new 18Exist LT. The flagship model, the Exist, has personified excellence throughout Daiwa’s history, and now the new 18Exist LT, which stands for Light and Tough, introduces even more ground-breaking technology, and it was the 3000 CXH that was recognised for innovation at the AFTA show. Monocoque body also debuts in the 18Exist LT for the first time through the entire size range. Monocoque body is a truly one-piece frame with no side plate. Instead, the side plate is replaced by the main drive gear housing, which screws into the body allowing for maximum gear diameter and ultimate rigidity. You will find the brand-new Machine Cut Tough Digigear inside the new 18Exist LT is up to 109% larger than non-monocoque reels. The 18Exist LT’s monocoque body is Daiwa’s most advanced body they’ve ever developed, and they’re available from 1000 to 4000 sizes. www.daiwafishing.com.au

Tim the Bream shows bass class

STORM

After a 5-year absence from ABT Qualifier fishing, former #1 ranked ABT BASS angler, Tim Morgan, returned to the bass tournament scene with a bang, winning the second event of the Rapala BASS Pro Series Queensland road trip at Cania Dam, presented by Lew’s. He’d dusted the cobwebs off the previous year at the Storm Australian Open on the same lake, and the knowledge gained at that event provided the foundations for the win this year. “I don’t know what it is about everyone chucking tailor lures out in the middle, but I fished lower lake points that I’d identified in the Australian Open last year with a technique that (my brother) Steve and I used here 20 years ago - twitching Rapala jerkbaits,” Tim said. Back then it was Rapala Husky Jerks in bright colours, but this time it was

A five-year absence from ABT BASS Qualifiers did nothing to stop Tim Morgan charging to the win at the Cania event of the Rapala BASS Pro Series, presented by Lew’s. John Francis won the non-boater division. a pair of baits that landed the fish needed to win. “Early on I’d throw a 9cm Rapala Shadow Rap Shad (clown colour) right up amongst the structure and

work it down into the strike zone, pausing for 3-5 seconds between rips. Later on I’d switch to a pre-production Rapala Jack Deep (5cm) that I’d wind down to 10ft and

Tim’s a great believer in the naming sponsor products. The Rapala Shadow Rap Shad Deep 9cm in clown colour did the damage for him early each day.

twitch at that depth,” Tim continued. Tim fished the jerkbaits on a Rapala Koivu 652 rod (6-12lb) with an Okuma 3000 Ceymar reel loaded with 8lb Sufix Nano braid and 8lb Sufix Invisi-line leader. In the afternoon session he committed to schooled fish and landed two on a pearl Slider Grub fished on a 1/2oz Impact Tackle jighead. “There were plenty of schooled fish, so we just sat on them until they bit. Luckily we got three decent ones in the afternoon,” he concluded. A popular winner, who knows how many other retired bassers saw the win and are thinking of dusting off the rods? Scott Towner also made a successful re-appearance at a BREAM event last month. Now, the upcoming Storm Australian Open is well within his sights on Glenbawn Dam in mid-October.

Tim’s Cania Jerkbait Pattern

Rapala Shadow Rap Shad Deep

Rapala Jack Deep

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888. 108 SEPTEMBER 2018

Allwood rues slow second session Allwood has all but locked up the 2018 BASS Pro Angler of the Year title, but he was unable to run down a slow finishing Morgan on one of his favourite lakes. Finding a motherlode of bass in the lead up to the pre-fish ban, Terry was surprised that the fish had all but disappeared come tournament time. Allwood said, “Often the bass head to the edges after a strong southwesterly, like we had in the days leading up to the tournament, but I was too slow in working that out to win the event.” Allwood’s first session

fish came from the deeper waters. Fishing a Majorcraft 20g Jig Parra spoon (slow version), he’d sink the lure to the bottom and retrieve with a six-turnand-drop retrieve. That yielded Allwood four bites and four fish in the first stanza, which gave him the confidence to continue with the technique. “I went shallow for a little in the second session and lost three fish, but for some reason I went back deep and suffered the consequences,” Terry continued. When he did commit to the edges in session three,

not only did he box a limit in the first 90 minutes, he had the luxury of upgrading for the rest of the session, ultimately dropping 4.31kg on the scales – the 4th heaviest bag of the event. His baits for the edges included a Jackall Squirrel 79 and a Bassday 90B jerkbait – both in bright colours. The key was to get the baits down to the 8-10ft range and twitch them there. All of Allwood’s presentations were on a Samurai Reaction 302 rod with a Daiwa Luvias reel loaded with 10lb Unitika Light Jigging Deluxe line and 10lb FC Rock leader.

BASS PR O

Terry Allwood rode a jerkbait bite to a solid last session and a nearunbeatable position in the BASS Angler of the Year race.

Francis bags out to bring non-boater win home Reflecting John Francis full bag was a variety of techniques that he used

to help catch it. His 12/12, 10.23kg total was a kilo and a half bigger than

Tim Morgan’s. Kingaroy’s Francis fished with Casino’s Joey

John Francis was the only competitor at the event to weigh-in a full bag of 12/12 bass and thoroughly earned the trophy.

Urquhart on day one, jerkbaiting the edges early and then dropping back to deeper water with ice jigs and spoons later in the day. On Sunday, he snapped Dave Young out of his rut and proceeded to rack up the event’s biggest bag off the edges on jerkbaits at first, and then with spoons out deeper. A Jackall 67 Squirrel and Halco Twisty 20g both got a bit of a workout. Francis fished these baits on a Westin Twitching Jerkbait rod, Daiwa Freams Z reel spooled with Sunline Siglon 8-strand, 10lb braid and a 10lb Sunline Shooter leader.

Tim Steenhuis took the Garmin $500 for Big Bass.

WINNING TACKLE Rod: Rapala Koivu 652 (6-12lb) Reel: Okuma 3000 Ceymar Line: 8lb Sufix Nano braid Leader: 8lb Sufix Invisi-line Lure 1: 9cm Rapala Shadow Rap Shad (clown colour) Lure 2: Rapala Jack Deep (5cm) Lure 3: pearl Slider grub fished on a 1/2oz Impact Tackle jighead

Tim also won the $250 Evinrude Bonus for running a 200hp H.O. E-Tec on his boat.

Watch the day two Highlights by scanning this QR Code or visiting the ABT Tournaments YouTube Channel.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Fish

Weight (kg)

After a very slow day-one donut, Dave Young came back strongly on Sunday to weigh the Duffrods Big Bag of 4.53kg. He caught the limit on jerkbaits fished around the edges.

TOP 10 NON BOATERS

TOP 10 BOATERS Place Angler

DUFFRODS BIG BAG

Payout

Tim Morgan 9/12 8.75kg $2,000 + $250 Evinrude Bonus Terry Allwood 9/12 8.38kg $1,100 Keeghan Painter 9/12 7.56kg $800 Mick Thompson 10/12 7.53kg $600 Jono Bale 7/12 7.06kg Lew’s reel Craig Simmons 7/10 6.67kg Braden Schuch 7/12 6.45kg Bill Schloss 8/10 6.32kg Matt Johnson 7/12 6.22kg Shaun Falkenhagen 6/12 6.18kg For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Angler

Fish

Weight (kg)

Payout

John Francis 12/12 10.23kg Prize Pack Mark Parriott 9/12 9.40kg Liam Dutton 10/12 8.76kg Brett Hyde 9/12 8.18kg Mitchell Rose 8/12 7.15kg Tim Steenhuis 7/12 7.12kg $500 Big Bass + Pack Dylan Byron 7/12 6.87kg Warren Howe 7/12 6.23kg Mark Lawson 6/12 6.17kg Angus Meyndershagen 6/12 6.14kg For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au SEPTEMBER 2018

109

Lennox blades Boondooma BASS

STORM

Armidale builder Mark Lennox added to his list of Rapala BASS Pro wins in a tough bite at Lake Boondooma. He won the JML sponsored qualifier with a 10/12, 11.33kg bag that was nearly 2kg clear of the rest of his competition. A seasoned blade fisherman, Lennox has won both bream and bass events on blades and used his skills amassed over the years to perfection on the winter bass bite at the South Burnett lake. Each session, Lennox started at the dam wall to box a small limit of fish before heading up the Boyne arm to upgrade these to much bigger specimens. His choice bait for the bottom end of the lake was a cream coloured Keitech Swing Impact on a 1/4oz N itro jighead with a #1 hook. Fishing it in 20ft of water, it was a natural choice for the schooled fish. “I’d sound the creek bed

Mark Lennox reinforced that he is a competitor to be feared when there’s a blade bite going on in fresh- or saltwater. and look for rock between 12-22ft down. That’s where the bass were sitting,” he said. After pulling up on his sounded bass, Lennox used a Duffrods 3-5kg rod with a

Daiwa Battler 2500 reel, 8lb Unitika line and 8lb FC Rock leader to deliver a Yamba Pro blade to the depths, where he would fish it vertically. After that, it was just

Lennox targeted the better class of bass with blades around boulders and rock in the Boyne arm on Yamba Pro Prawn blades.

Lennox’s Boondooma Boulder Technique

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888. 110 SEPTEMBER 2018

a matter of enticing them to bite. Lennox used small hops, leaving the lure close to the bottom until the bass ate it. Mark said, “Sometimes the bass would come up and eat it off the top of the boulders, and other times you’d need to drop it down beside the rocks to get a bite.” Adding to complexity of the presentation was that strong winds would blow Mark around and he was using a standard, cable steer electric motor with no spot lock function. You really have to know how to position a boat to get results on days like those. “Lots of fish were sitting in the little secondary channels beside the main river bed over gravel, but those fish were the hardest to catch - you needed to find the isolated fish relating to rock to get the bites,” Mark concluded.

Ben Biggs best in back of the boat The Gold Coast’s Ben Biggs proved that versatility in the back of the boat is the key to increasing bags and ascending the scoreboard. He used a variety of techniques to contribute to limits and take home the ultimate non-boater prize.

Paired with Paul Aldous on day one and Bass Cat’s Craig Simmons on day 2, Ben’s successful bait collection included Evergreen Little Max blades, Imakatsu IK 800 crankbaits and OSP Blitz extra deep running crankbait. On day one, Biggs

hopped the blades early to put together a limit and then used the crankbaits to upgrade later in the sessions. Ben fished the blades on an Edge Black Widow 6101 dropshot rod with a Daiwa Certate 2004 spooled with 10lb Toray Jigging PE braid, while

the crankbaits were cast on a 704 Black Widow with Daiwa Steez 100H spooled with the same line. Day two with Simmons was spent fishing blades and spoons down deeper. Interestingly, Ben fished the big Imakatsu at Pelican Point in 20-30ft of water, throwing long casts and banging the lure into the bottom. He also caught a couple on a weighted Blitz (with a bullet weight straight in front of the lure on the line). “It pays to fish differently from the boater and to really listen to

BASS PR O

Ben’s big tip for non-boaters? Fish differently from your boater. what they are saying,” Ben advised aspiring non-boaters. Sometimes the techniques you bring along

Matt Johnson presented the Duffrods Big Bag to the weighmaster in session two – a cracking 6.23kg limit.

will make the difference in this shared-weight format. It’s sage advice for no-boaters in any event.

Scan this QR Code to watch the highlights from the final day of fishing in Mark and Paul’s boats.

Paul Aldous two short of a limit

Kilcoy’s Paul Aldous admitted to being quite surprised that his 2-fish bag in the last session actually elevated him into second place. He committed to Pelican Point for the entire event and based his fishing on a two-lure approach – a 20g Halco Twisty and 1/4ox Little Max blade in brown/red. Paul would make long casts with the Halco and let it sink to the bottom. After it touched down, it was a six-winds and let it sink back to the bottom retrieve. The bass would usually bite the lure as it fluttered back to the bottom. Paul modified the lure by replacing the treble with a pair of assist hooks, fished off the rear split ring. His tackle included a

Duffrods 7’6” 4-7kg rod with a Shimano Stella 3000 reel spooled with 10lb Sunline PE and an 8lb Sunline FC Rock leader.

His Little Max rig was lighter, consisting of a 7’, 2-5kg rod and Daiwa Certate reel spooled with 6lb Sunline Braid and 6lb leader.

“I’d cast the blade as far as I could and hop it back to the boat – it’s a pretty standard retrieve for blades,” Paul reported.

Craig Simmons took home the $250 Evinrude Bonus for running his Bass Cat/G2 rig and finishing 6th.

WINNING TACKLE Rod: Duffrods 3-5kg rod Reel: Daiwa Battler 2500 reel Line: Unitika 8lb braid Leader: FC Rock 8lb leader Lure: Yamba Pro Prawn blade

DUFFRODS BIG BAG Matt Johnson boxed a spectacular 4-fish, 6.23kg limit in the second session to take the Duffrods Big Bag. Struggling in the Kilcoy’s Paul Aldous teamed up with non-boater champion Ben Biggs to bag bass that won them both plenty.

Weight (kg)

bite to a 5th place finish for the event.

TOP 10 NON BOATERS

TOP 10 BOATERS Fish

morning sessions, Matt rode the afternoon

Place

Angler

Payout

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Mark Lennox 10/12 11.33kg $2,250 Paul Aldous 10/12 9.59kg $1,150 Graham Ford 11/12 8.74kg $800 Shaun Falkenhagen 7/12 8.73kg $700 Matt Johnson 8/12 8.67kg $600 Craig Simmons 11/12 8.40kg $250 Evinrude Bonus Terry Allwood 10/12 7.95kg Simon Marchant 11/12 7.94kg Steve Kanowski 8/12 7.86kg Keeghan Painter 12/12 7.50kg For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

Place

Angler

Fish

Weight (kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Ben Biggs 11/12 10.18kg Bill Rose 10/12 9.96kg Nick Price 8/12 9.16kg Trent Blake 9/12 9.16kg John Francis 9/12 8.90kg Adrian Wilson 9/12 8.88kg Mathew Flynn 10/12 7.81kg Shaun Beckman 12/12 7.65kg Jim Hickson 10/12 7.07kg Mitchell Petty 8/10 6.8kg For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

Payout Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack

SEPTEMBER 2018

111

Last BASS Electric Qualifier The last qualifying round for the 2018 Casino Outdoor and Disposal Bass Electric Series was held at the beautiful Lake McDonald. The 40 competitors were keen to get underway on what was a glorious glassed-out morning on the lake. The fishing was great with only one angler not coming to the scales and 31 anglers weighing their full limit of fish. Taking out first place was Daniel Patton compiling 2/2 for 2.49kg and claiming the Casino Outdoors Big Bass with an impressive fish weighing 1.445kg. Daniel used his local knowledge to his advantaged and headed to a weeded flat at the back of the lake, which he knew

Daniel Patton took out the win and the event’s Big Bass at 1.445kg. casting bloodworm ZMan Trick SwimZ rigged on a 1/6oz jighead. A slow roll with the occasional hop was the retrieve that brought these fish undone. Hansen opted to throw this presentation on an Abu KRX rod matched with a Daiwa Gen Black 2000 spooled with 9lb line. The next stop on the 2018 Bass Electric Grand Final at Wivenhoe Dam where one lucky angler will win the trip to Japan to check out the 2019 Osaka Tackle Show. I would like to thank all the anglers on a fantastic series that has been one of the biggest in years. – Joey Urquhar

STORM

Here’s your top 10 from the penultimate Casino Outdoors and Disposals BASS Electric Series.

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888. 112 SEPTEMBER 2018

held good fish. On arrival Patton went to work and capitalised on a small bite window, landing around 12 fish for the session. Patton opted for an aggressive approach to catch his fish by Casting White Slider Grubs rigged on 1/2oz Smak jigheads across a weeded flat and ripping it out of the weed. He would then let it sink back down to the bottom and commence a slow roll back to the boat. Patton chose to throw this presentation on a 7ft Shimano Zodias rod matched with a 2500 Stradic spooled with 6lb braid and 8lb leader. For his efforts he took home $380 and $150 for big bass. Claiming second place was Stewart Hansen compiling his 2/2 limit for 2.41kg. Hansen fished at an area called Three Ways fishing for the larger scattered fish, which he saw coming through on the sounder in waves over a weeded flat. Hansen would pick one off at time as the fish passed through. He opted for a finesse approach

Fishing in the same boat, Daniel and Stewart came first and second.

TOP 10 BOATERS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Angler Daniel Patton Stewart Hanson Scott Bryant Adrian Wilson Tom Reynolds Chesley Lennon Thomas Patton Nathan Swanson Paul McHugh Aaron Kemp

Daniel Patton

Fish 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2

Weight 2.490kg 2.410kg 2.295kg 2.285kg 2.090kg 2.025kg 1.985kg 1.980kg 1.915kg 1.780kg

Prize Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack

1.445kg Big Bass For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

Cooking

A non traditional ebi nigiri BRISBANE

Lynn Bain

This presentation of sushi isn’t 100% traditional ebi nigiri. Ebi refers to a style of presenting prawns by ‘butterflying’, where the prawns are sliced open from the underside and laid out flat. Typical/traditional ebi (prawn) nigiri uses prawns that are cooked so that they remain straight and then the prawns are butterflied out/opened. To cook the prawns so they stay straight, start with raw prawns and skewer them through the body before cooking so that that they ‘set’ straight when cooked. In this article’s variation, we use prawns that have retained their normal curvature. The curve in the prawn adds a slightly different shape to the finished nigiri. The tail of the prawn will extend down the side of the rice at one end rather than just sitting on top.

Cooked and peeled prawns Ingredients •• Prepared sushi rice hand-pressed into oblong mounds

Carefully scrape the vein out of prawn (using a small spoon) and discard. Open out the prawn carefully, without breaking the prawn flesh, and flatten with the blade of a chef’s knife. Rinse the prawns in lightly salted water and then lay the prawns on paper towel to drain.

Nigiri is traditionally served in pairs, they have been topped with thinly sliced salmon, tuna and butterflied prawns.

• Wasabi paste • Soy sauce

Place the opened butterflied prawn in one hand and the prepared sushi log in the other hand.

The dipping sauce is a mixture of soy sauce and a little wasabi paste. The technique is to roll the sushi nigiri over (upside down) so that you dip with the prawn on the underside of the sushi rice.

Cut the underside (inside of the curve) of the prawn from head to tail along the belly of the prawn with the knife blade only going halfway into the body. Cut on the belly side until you feel a pop.

Place the prawn on top of the sushi rice and press down gently upon it, ensuring that the edges of the sushi log stay intact. You may need to ensure that this happens by pressing in the sides of the sushi log with your fingers.

Be careful dipping the rice too deeply into the soy sauce mixture as this may cause the rice log to start to fall apart. The strip of fish flesh helps support the rice as you eat it.

SEPTEMBER 2018

113

Trades, Services, Charter BOAT MODIFICATIONS & REPAIRS

BAIT & TACKLE

Lazer Lures Catch Fish

New Lazer 60g with premium VMC hooks, a must-have lure in every serious tailor fisherman’s tackle box.

CUSTOM ALLOY FABRICATION OVER 20 YEARS FABRICATING AND WELDING ALUMINIUM

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Salt-Away www.salt-away.com.au

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• Boat repairs & fitouts • Bait tanks • Transom rebuilds • Fuel tanks • Consoles

CUSTOM TRANSOMS 20-75hp $750 75-150hp $890 150-225hp $980 Freight can be arranged Australia wide www.lazerlures.com

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MINN REPAIRS & SERVICING • All electric motor brands • Australia wide freight • Quick turn around • Authorised Minn Kota/Watersnake repairer Minn Repairs & Servicing Call Troy 0412 605 080 – W: minnrepairs.com minnrepairsservicing E: minnrepairs@gmail.com

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MARINE MECHANICS // MOBILE

Tackle Warehouse Brisbane (07) 3398 6500

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MARINE OUTBOARD WRECKERS

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FISH TAXIDERMY 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

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. 116 SEPTEMBER 2018

Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory MARINE TRIMMERS SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND Affordable Boat Covers Gold Coast 0419 424 587 Brisbane Yamaha (07) 3888 1727 Rays Canvas & Marine Caboolture (07) 5499 4911 Rowland Street Boat Trimmers Springwood (07) 3208 9511

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N O W AVA IL A B L E

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1 7 27

MARINA BOAT & TACKLE, YAMBA MARINA

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Advertisers wanting to be involved in this directory can call (07) 3387 0834 or email nkelly@fishingmonthly.com.au SEPTEMBER 2018

117

FUN PAGE AND COMPETITIONS SEA CREATURES THAT USE CAMOUFLAGE

STONEFISH PYGMY SEAHORSE RIBBON EEL LIONFISH FLATFISH MIMIC OCTOPUS COLEMAN SHRIMP TAPE TAIL REEF SQUID MAHI MAHI

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Valley Hill Rocketeer Slicer

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 SEPTEMBER 2018

Phone (day):

The Rocketeer Slicer from Japanese tackle giant Valley Hill is a real feat of Japanese design and engineering. The Rocketeer Slicer has a unique metal plate at the nose of the jig, which lets you secure line in two places, and ensures a superior swimming action even through debris. In addition, its tail system lets you cast more effectively into the wind. The Rocketeer Slicer is available in two sizes (3.0 and 3.5) and 13 different colour combinations. It has proven to be highly effective on Australian squid. www.dogtoothdistribution.com.au

SPOT THE 10 DIFFERENCES

FINS SCALES & TALES by A. Both

GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy

ORIGINAL

FIND-A-WORD

Congratulations to Gregory Poor from Taromeo, who was last month’s winner of the Find-a-Word Competition! Monthly winners receive a sponsor prize. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – QFM

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE

The subscriber prize winners for July are: B Meth of Varsity Lakes, N Barker of Manly, J Hammond, T Donohue, who each won a OtterBox Defender Series phone cases valued at $74.95. All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

of Emu Park, A Needham of Blackbutt, A Stoffels of Yarrabilba, P Cox of Edmonton, A Scott of Proserpine, C Thorne of Roma, W Farlow of Angourie, A Hall of Lucinda, J Ryan of Yeppoon, B Freier of Ningi, D Dunk of Proserpine, S Whitfield of Broadbeach, P Cauchi of Kepnock, G Walker of Warwick, D Hope of Kingaroy, J Weier of Burrum Heads, M Chadwick of Burrum Heads, R Maynard of Nundah, J

Conte of Tullera, J Lowik of Churchill, P Fill of Turkey Beach, J Rogers of Tambo, T Gradischkie of Maryborough, T Davidson of Guyra, S Dawson of Gympie, J Dawson of Cordalba, B Harkness of Coolum, G Mason of Kalkie, R Dowden of Bundaberg, R Ramsay of Taylors Beach. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS

FIND THE DAIWA LOGO

GUESS THE FISH?

The answers to Find the Daiwa Logo for July were: 10, 14, 24, 29, 32, 46, 51, 56, 61, 68, 73, 82, 91, 96, 101. – QFM

118 SEPTEMBER 2018

This month’s Guess the Fish Answer: Flathead

The Find the Daiwa Logo prize winners for July were: D Culshaw of Banyo, J Varley of River Heads, R Schefe of Point Vernon, P Carrington of Deception Bay, C Renz of Crestmead, J Dodd of Bongaree, M Sterling of Waterloo, D Gibson of Bongaree, G Walsh of Bongaree, B McGarry of Mount Pleasant, G Anderson

Answer:

boats & kayaks

In the skipper’s seat 120 Kayak Kurwongbah Inside story...

Troy Brown explores this beautiful lake, which is tantalisingly close to Brisbane.

Something of an Aussie icon, Clark Aluminium Boats has earned this enviable status by serving generations of commercial and recreational boaters. In the boating world, Clark Aluminium Boats is a name synonymous with strength, durability and safety. Combine these features with class, leading levels of performance, a quality finish and modern fit-outs and it’s easy to see why for nearly four decades, Clark have been the first choice of many boaters.

123 New Bass Hunter

Made for...

Seating options in boats can be confusing, so let Wayne Kampe help you through the process!

Clark Aluminium Boats will provide you with many years of safe, trouble free boating enjoyment!

This month...

Peter Jung has a run with the Clark 520 Legend SC with Suzuki 4-stroke. Check it out on page 128.

With the release of Stessco’s newest bass Hunter, there’s a lot to be excited about!

124 Family kayak fun

Justin Willmer looks at kayaking as a means of spending time with the family, and why it’s important.

126 Take a seat!

130 Bar Crusher 575C vs 615C – which is best? Fishing Monthly put two very formidable rigs head-to-head. See which one is best for you!

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Clark 520 Legend SC with 115 Suzuki 4-stroke - SC

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SPECIFICATIONS Overall Length... 5.38m Beam.................. 1.35m Depth................. 1.06m Hull weight........ 560kg Min hp.................. 70hp Max hp................115hp Bottom and sides.3mm Max people............. Six FIRST IMPRESSION The 520 Legend really gives the feeling of being bigger than it is. The cockpit area is wide and open, with high gunwales and grab rails. The skipper’s seat and console are roomy, with the console providing a reasonable amount of space for gauges and switches as well as room to mount a good-sized sounder. The forward casting deck is 128 SEPTEMBER 2018

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The Clarke 520 Legend was launched at the 2017 Melbourne Boat Show and has proven to be a very popular addition to their range. We have wanted to test one for a while, but sales have been so strong that it has taken us up until now to find one available to review. The range of Clark Boats available on this year’s boat show circuit will have the 520 Legend the headline act. This is the largest of the Clark boats we have tested for the magazines, as the majority of boats tested in the past have been focused on fishing in our estuaries, lakes and rivers. The 520 Legend offers a greater range of opportunities for fishing and recreational boating.

pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au

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nearly 400km out of the boat’s 110L fuel tank and plenty for any day’s fishing! At the end of the test, Mark Frost volunteered to have a ski behind the boat (the outside temperature was nice, but the water temperature had a little chill to it). Within five

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package is likely to be doing a fair bit of travelling – the dual axle trailer provides better highway towing. It was also set up to be launched and retrieved by one person if necessary, and on the day we drove the boat on and off the trailer with ease.

PERFORMANCE

Main: The Clark 520 Legend SC was a pleasure to drive. It really shows what a well-matched hull and outboard can offer. Above: Aimed first and foremost at the sportfishing market, Mark Frost shows here how stable a platform the boat is for casting lures. also a good size and has a huge amount of storage beneath it. If there were a single word to describe it, that word would be ‘uncluttered.’ This space and a solid hull design are the base of what proved to be a very nice boat to test. VERSATILITY EQUALS OPTIONS The Legend is definitely targeted at the sportfishing market. The large forward casting deck, option to put an electric motor on the bow and excellent stability at rest all make it a great platform to cast lures from. Add to that a livewell and plenty of storage for your gear, and you have a boat where 2-3 anglers can comfortably terrorise all the fish in a location like Lake Mulwala, where we did this test. From a fishing perspective, the additional option with the higher gunwales and width of the hull mean fishing bays and even open waters is possible in the right weather. The bait board, rod holders, cockpit space and live bait tank at the stern of the boat make soaking a bait or swimming a livey feasible. From a family perspective,

fishing is not the only option. The bait board is removable and can be replaced with a ski pole, so you can spend a few hours fishing and then tow the kids around on a tube or water ski, depending on their age. To swap the board and pole is simple and takes less than a couple of minutes. Towing an adult is also no issue, depending on the motor you match with the hull. RIDE AND PERFORMANCE The test boat had a Suzuki 115hp 4-stroke outboard on the back of it, which is the maximum horsepower for the 520. Simon from Boats and More explained to me that they had sold a number of packages with a 90hp and they had performed well, but running the maximum horsepower opens up the full range of options of the hull. He also mentioned that you could upgrade the 3mm bottom sheet to 4mm plate and increase the rating to 150hp. Driving this boat is an absolute pleasure. The transition from at rest to on the plane and full power was smooth and effortless.

Minimal trim was required to get to the sweet spot for maximum output and steering. Sharp cornering and turning at speed were done easily. It really shows what a wellmatched hull and outboard offer. The maximum speed achieved during testing was 66km/h, with the most economical cruising range at 3500 revs. At this rpm the package achieved 37km/h at 3.6km/L of fuel burned – that’s

RPM......Speed (km/h)............Economy (km/L) Idle (850)...................3.................................. 3.4 1000..........................7.................................. 4.5 2000........................ 11.................................. 2.6 3000........................ 16.................................. 1.7 4000........................ 42.................................. 2.8 5000........................ 54.................................. 2.0 WOT (6000)............. 66.................................. 1.7 minutes we went from fishing to skiing, and again the motor and hull did this easily. LAUNCH AND RETRIEVE Boats and More had the 520 Legend set up on a dual axle Alloy Series Dunbier trailer. A dual axle trailer is not a necessity for this hull, however – keeping in mind that a person buying this

The versatility of the 520 means you can fish in the morning and ski in the afternoon.

Always tell your dealer what your needs will be when it comes to towing, launching and retrieving. They will know the best option, like in this case; a slightly upgraded trailer provides hassle-free travel and makes it easy to get your boat on and off the water. CHECK IT OUT YOURSELF It’s hard not to be impressed by the Clark 520 Legend SC. It’s a combination of multiple use options: it’s family-friendly, fishing-friendly, ski-friendly, tows well and is a fabulous boat to drive with good economy. If I was going to ask anything, I would like to see some fishing rod storage, as most anglers tend to have multiple rods. Some storage out of the way would make the Legend even better than it already is. As tested, the 520 came in at $52,490. The starting price is $36,990 with a smaller outboard. You can find and contact your local dealer by visiting www.clarkboats.com. au. Ask them for a test drive – you will enjoy the experience.

The Clark package was on a Dunbier Alloy Series trailer. This trailer upgrade offers great towing and an easy launch and retrieve.

The transition of power of the 115hp Suzuki was smooth and effortless.

The forward casting deck has a huge amount of storage, as well as a large livewell.

There are two side pockets to store all those things you need to get your hands on quickly.

A great feature of the Clark 520 Legend is that the bait board can be removed if not in use, or replaced with a ski pole for a bit of family fun. The nose of the 520 has a self-draining anchor well and a plate to install an electric motor.

The cockpit of the 520 has plenty of space and multiple seating positions.

There is a live bait tank in the transom if live bait fishing is something you enjoy.

The console is large enough to hold all your switches and gauges, and to mount a reasonably sized sounder. SEPTEMBER 2018

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Bar Crusher 575C vs 615C, which is best for you? *Manipulated image

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one to two anglers, locally, and want a cheaper (by around $10K) rig that’s a little easier to launch, store and handle by yourself, then the 575 may be the rig for you. If you like to travel more to fish and do it with a couple of mates and want a bigger tank that translates to more range, then the

DIFFERENCE TABLE Main: Definitely not the natural environment for a pair of tough-as-nails Bar Crushers, but even a thoroughbred needs a little bit of quiet paddock time, right? Above: All Bar Crusher hulls feature their unique water ballast system that fills while the craft is at rest and empties quickly as the boat takes off, giving the best of both worlds – stability and performance with minimal beam. through its water ballast system. Both of these boats feature Bar Crusher’s Gen 2 hull design with incorporated water ballast system. Overall, the Bar Crusher hulls are a little narrower than most hulls for their length, which explains their sea legs. At rest, the water ballast fills up and sinks the

chines deeper in the water, giving the hull greater stability. When you take off, the water virtually instantly runs out the back of the cavity, vented through the anchor well. It’s a neat system that’s stood the test of time. “The length beam equation in a bit of a dark

Feature 575C Length: 5.75m Beam: 2.15m Material: 4mm bottom/3mm sides Trailer: Single axle for local trips BMT weight: 1360kg Internal gunwale height: 730mm Height on trailer: 2.15m Horsepower: 115hp Price: from mid-$50K Top Speed: 62km/h@6,000rpm Best economy: 2.6km/L@4,400rpm Theoretical range: 280km Price: from mid-$50K

615C 6.15m 2.25m 4mm bottom/4mm sides twin axle for longer trips 1500kg 780mm 2.20m 140hp (max. 150hp) from mid-$60K 60km/h@6,000rpm 2.7km/L@3800rpm 370km from mid-$60K

that are options on most other brands. “These boats come with a bait board, boarding ladder, through transom door, bilge pump, twin batteries, live bait tank, hard top roof,

615 will offer all of these benefits, and it’s price tag justifies the extra abilities. It’s a simple conclusion and definitely stands up to the ‘boat ramp test’, which is the nautical version of the ‘pub test’. Whichever you choose, you’ll enjoy the features and never break these Aussie-built tanks of boats. Make sure that you watch the video review of this comparison on the Fishing Monthly Magazines YouTube channel - you can do it on your smartphone by scanning the QR code hereby. For more information, visit www.barcrusher. com.au They’ll have everything you need to help decide which is the best Bar Crusher for you in their range.

575C

The 615 is 10cm wider than the 575 and offers an extra 5cm of internal gunwale height. Doesn’t sound like much but it makes a difference, especially offshore. 130 SEPTEMBER 2018

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We recently had the opportunity to test a couple of Bar Crushers out on Port Phillip Bay in Melbourne; the 5.75m and 6.15m Cabin versions that are incredibly popular rigs in the Bar Crusher range. Instead of presenting a couple of very similar boat tests, we thought it’d be a great opportunity to look at the similarities and differences in these two rigs to help you make the decision about which one is the best for your fishing and boating needs. And although there’s only a legal snapper-anda-half difference in length between these boats, it equates to a lot more than you’d think by the time the boats are on a trailer and ready to fish. BAR CRUSHER 101 Bar Crusher is a Melbourne-made boat that’s famous for its build quality, finish and stability at rest

s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

clears and a rocket launcher,” said Matt, “You only need to choose your electronics like sounder, radio and maybe an anchor winch to complete the package.” WHAT DO WE RECKON? After looking at the differences between these two rigs, there’s a couple of conclusions that

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art that I think we’ve got pretty much right for both these hulls,” said Bar Crusher’s Sales Manager, Matt Urzia, who is much more comfortable 10ft above the water off the back of a wave than he is in front of a camera. Matt also outlines the standard feature list in these boats, which includes many

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we’ve come to. Firstly, these rigs’ standard inclusions are, indeed, very generous and the fact that they’re matched with locally made Easytow trailers means that Bar Crusher will ensure that the cradle is suitable for the hull. Urzia also says that if you want a single axle or twin axle on either rig, that’s legal and achievable. So, you’d opt for a twin axle if you’re doing a lot of highway miles; or, a single if you need manoeuvrability or use your boat locally most of the time. We’re particularly impressed with the cleverness of the fold-down hard top and windscreen that allows you to fit these boats in most garages. If you usually fish with

615C

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You’d think that the 140hp was faster than the 115hp? Wrong. The 575 was a little bit faster than the 615 at WOT, even if slightly less economical.

Although both models can be fitted on single or twin-axle Easytow trailers, there’s a good case for twin axle for long trips and a single axle for local journeys. Single axles can also be manoeuvred around easily in a tight garage.

Interestingly the 140hp Suzuki delivered marginally better fuel economy than the 115hp on the 575.

Erected, the folding hard roof/top offers rod storage and shade. The 575 folds down to 2.15m while the 615 is 2.20m high when folded down.

Both the windscreen and folding hard roof/top folds down on both models and there’s ample space to flush mount electronics of your choice.

Both models feature an enclosed cabin with bunks for overnight comfort. The 615’s wider beam gives it a little more space.

Bait boards are options on most boats on the market. On the Bar Crushers in this size range, they are standard.

Plumbed livewells and transom doors are also Bar Crusher Standard. Take this into account when comparing boats of different brands. SEPTEMBER 2018

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UNBEATABLE 40–60hp FourStroke

Mercury’s unbeatable 40–60hp FourStroke range. With class leading speed and fuel economy you won’t find a better all round performer.

50HP FOURSTROKE SPEED

50HP FOURSTROKE ECONOMY

HIGHEST

Mercury Honda

Mercury

56.33

Honda

53.27

Suzuki

50.21

Yamaha KM/H

56.33

THE MERCURY 50HP WILL GET YOU THERE SOONER, ACHIEVING THE HIGHEST TOP SPEED IN ITS HORSEPOWER CLASS.

*Based on Mercury’s 50hp model. Information based on manufacturers’ claimed horsepower.

mercurymarine.com.au 132 SEPTEMBER 2018

4.55 4.51

Suzuki

3.87

Yamaha

3.7

KM/L

BEST

3.5

4.5

5.5

MERCURY’S ADVANCED ENGINEERING MEANS THE 50HP DELIVERS PLENTY OF PUNCH, BUT USES THE LEAST AMOUNT OF FUEL COMPARED TO THE COMPETITION.