VIC/TAS FISHING MONTHLY DECEMBER 2017

CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS • COD SEASON OPEN

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Loving land-based cod • Essential cod lure guide • Christmas gift ideas • DIY Lure making: Flat Doc • Holiday destination: Mornington Peninsula •

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December 2017, Vol. 13 No. 2

Contents WEST COAST West Coast

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16

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Portland 18 Warrnambool 18 Apollo Bay

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Cobden 20

CENTRAL Geelong 22 Port Phillip West

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Port Phillip North East

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Port Phillip North

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Mornington Peninsula

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Western Port North

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Western Port South

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Phillip Island

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EAST COAST Gippsland Lakes

44

Marlo 44 Lakes Entrance

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McLoughlins Beach

46

Bemm River

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NSW SOUTH COAST Bermagui 48 Eden 48 Mallacoota 49 Narooma 51 Merimbula 50

VICTORIAN FRESHWATER Horsham 66 Robinvale 68 Yarrawonga 68

From the Editor’s Desk...

With Murray cod season open again, we’ve made sure that there’s plenty of cod content in these pages.

Cod fishing is definitely the flavour of the month amongst the trendy angler set, and the old stalwarts would be enjoying the yearly increase in stocks that sensible management practices (now synchronised between NSW and Victoria) are yielding.

Well done to the anglers with the resolve to leave these mighty Aussie fish alone during their spawning period.

You don’t need to be a gun angler to catch a spawning cod, and you don’t need them to be away from their nests for long to have a negative impact on fry survival.

If you ignored common sense and still targeted them anyway, I’m sure that your fellow anglers gave it to you on social media. It’s not worth it in the long term.

Speaking of social media,

The face you make when a $50,000 boat package is hanging in the balance! It’s nail-biting stuff at the BASS Pro Grand Final weigh-in. we know that it’s hard to circle a post on Facebook and leave it on the coffee table as a not-sosubtle suggestion regarding a potential Christmas gift, so we’ve given you the tools to do this inside. Our tackle arm, www. tacklejunkie.fish, has scoured the new releases and picked out a swag of new gear that needs to have your fingerprints all over it on December 25.

Instructions for use: 1. Pick cool gear.

2. Circle with red Sharpie.

3. Leave on coffee table at home.

4. Give hints with decreasing subtleness as December progresses.

5. Add gear to collection on

December 25!

And here’s a tip: if you give your partner a good present it’s more likely they’ll buy you something awesome. You can benefit from our experience there. You’re welcome.

WINNING TECHNIQUES You’ll also notice a pile of tournament coverage in this issue. Spring is the season end for plenty of bream, bass and barra events, and Fishing Monthly has always been the first to bring you the gear that got the job done. Even if you are not a tournament angler and aren’t interested in the concept, I guarantee that what happens here will influence the gear

you’re using in future years.

So why not stay a step ahead of the curve and master some of these techniques before they become mainstream? Early adopters in fishing often get a real head start in social fishing, and we all wouldn’t mind that.

ABT’s motto is “Who Shares Wins”, and we love it when you use these guys’ generosity to your advantage.

Finally, there is some great BARRA Tour content inside this issue. The BARRA Tour is run on the prime November moon in Queensland. It’s designed to take all of the guesswork out of the best dates and times to fish, to ensure that there’s maximum fish caught.

We fished next to a rookie team from Bathurst for a whole event, and they caught their full limit and loved the experience.

The moral of the story is that the best way to steepen the barra learning curve is to jump in and do it. We guarantee that you’ll enjoy it.

Jindabyne 69 Wangaratta 70 Shepparton 72 Ballarat 73 Eildon 74 Bonnie Doon

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Stephen Taylor with a lovely pre-dawn Murray cod caught at 5:30am using a Koolabung Codwalker surface lure.

A Robbie Alexander image.

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155cm 80lb+

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Cod Feature

For the love of land-based cod WANGARATTA

Robbie Alexander

It is not necessary to own a boat of any kind in order to access fantastic Murray cod fishing these days.

Gone are the days where you needed a boat to take

fishing for Murray cod is done in rivers and creeks, this article will be focused mainly on such waterways. In saying this, most techniques will work equally as effectively in impoundments.

Both bait fishing and lure fishing are very popular and

successful when land-based fishing for Murray cod.

BAIT FISHING Bait anglers should try using baits such as bardi grubs, yabbies and cheese.

With any of these three baits, the bigger the bait you use the more likely you will be to hook a larger Murray cod.

Bardi grubs Bardi grubs can be very expensive, ranging from $2 to $4 each. They are fantastic bait for Murray cod; however it is worth learning how to find them yourself. This alone is back breaking work for an old man like me.

In my younger, fitter days I chipped thousands of bardi grubs. Bardi grubs are found in deep small sealed burrows underneath gum trees. Try find a large old gum tree, and then chip the top few inches of soil off, exposing the bare earth.

Do not dig deep, there is no need and you will make an unnecessary mess. Chip the surface and look for a small hole around 1-2cm in

Pete Pimorski caught this lovely upland Murray cod in really clear water using a prototype Murray cod lure from Wildbait lures.

Catching Murray cod on bait from the bank has never been easier than it is today. The night this photo was taken about 10 cod were caught just fishing off the bank at the most popular swimming hole in Wangaratta, the North Beaches. The kids loved it! you to far away corners of lakes and rivers to find the elusive Murray cod in seldom fished pockets of the waterways.

Murray cod stocking combined with improved habitat and far better management of our waterways has led to the amazing Murray cod fishing that we experience throughout the Murray Darling basin today. From large impoundments such as Lake Eildon to small anabranches of rivers and creeks, Murray cod have infiltrated most of our lowland waterways that have a permanent flow of water.

As most land-based

Sandy Hector landed this magnificent 81cm Murray cod while casting a JD Superbug diving lure from the bank of a small river.

Shore-based fishing isn’t always shore-based when you’re Murray cod fishing in summer.

Actually getting into the water and wading is a relief on those really hot days.

diameter with a brown lining around the sides. Lower a bardi grub puller (available at many tackle stores) down into the hole and lasso the bardi grub. You may try dozens of different trees before finally finding one with bardi grubs underneath it. As this is disturbing the soil, make sure that you are on private property with the permission of the landowner and always clean up your mess.

Yabbies Yabbies are a tried and proved bait. As stated, the bigger the better. Murray

This Murray cod fell victim to a Bassman Codman spinnerbait being cast from the bank.

REMORA

Remora’s are named for a fish that hangs with some of the baddest sharks in the ocean; yet their petite frame provide style, grace and a hydrolite grip that won’t slip.

GRAY SILVER MIRROR: A good everyday choice for activities on the water and land.

• Gray base • 10% light transmission

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DECEMBER 2017

OPTIMAL USE: • Everday activities • Anti-fatigue • Overcast days • Reduces glare, especially off water

cod love a large food source. They do not like to leave the cover of their hide during daylight hours, so in order to entice them out, present them with a large yabby that is too good to refuse. No freshwater yabby could ever be too big for a hungry Murray cod.

Cheese Cheese is a relatively new bait for Murray cod.

While cheese itself has been around for many years, it wasn’t until the last decade or so that people started realising the potential of it as a Murray cod bait.

There is a myth surrounding the use of cheese as bait. Some people say that it shouldn’t be used as it blocks the

Jeremy De Haan with a lovely dark Murray cod from clear water.

cod up, causing them to die. Some people also have this strange belief that it is illegal.

Cheese is not an illegal bait, and with the amount of anglers catching Murray cod on cheese each summer in Wangaratta, there would be dead fish floating everywhere if the other stories were true.

I have gutted Murray cod with gold balls in their stomachs. In fact, Murray cod are well known for this. If they can pass a golf ball, surely they can pass cheese too.

Cod Feature Mozzarella cheese is the best, as it has a texture a lot like rubber and is more likely to stay on the hook when you cast it out. Tasty cheese certainly catches cod, but often falls off the hook when casting.

I cut my mozzarella cheese into small cubes about 1.5cm long and usually put 3

however I do find that they have a tendency to catch mainly smaller Murray cod.

Fishing with baits With any bait, try find a nice deep hole with a large log. Rather than cast all the way to the other side, just lower the bait down beside the log, hard up against it.

There’s every chance that the

lectures, those days have gone. Moving your bait regularly, even if it is in the same spot is all the rage these days. The Murray cod is more likely to strike the bait the moment it sinks a lot of the time.

LURE FISHING The current boom in lure fishing is real, and it seems everyone is making lures these days! The three types of lures most commonly used for targeting Murray cod are deep-diving lures, spinnerbaits and surface lures.

Diving lures Deep-diving lures are usually large, and take on the appearance of a fish swimming under water.

Popular lures are large

Scott Turnbull with a lovely Murray cod caught casting a number two StumpJumper from the bank.

Landing a small Murray cod caught while casting a spinnerbait from the bank. or 4 cubes on the hook. You would be amazed at how many Murray cod I catch doing this!

Scrub worms Large scrub worms are also a great Murray cod bait,

Murray cod will be sitting just underneath the log, and by doing so you will be putting the food in its face.

We used to get told to stop reeling in our lines all the time. Forget those

After the sun sets, it’s a great time to bring out the surface lures.

number 1 StumpJumpers, Wilson Slickbacks and AC Invaders, but there are many others.

One of my favourite deep-diving lures to use when land-based fishing for Murray cod is the large number 1 StumpJumper, with light green being my favourite colour.

A stiff, firm rod is needed when casting and retrieving such large lures as they displace a lot of water. I simply cast the lure out, and real it in, paying particular attention to snags in the water. Log jams in the

middle of the river are great places to find Murray cod.

A lot of the time, Murray cod will hit my lure within the first metre of the retrieve, as they are holding close to the banks under the tree roots.

When passing my lure through snag-infested sections, I slow my retrieve right down to a crawl to aid it to float over the logs a little bit and also to keep it in the Murray cod’s face for longer.

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Cod Feature From page 9

over the past two decades.

Although they have been around much longer than that, it has only been in this short timeframe that they have really been recognised as a leading Murray cod lure.

Spinnerbaits are great

very versatile lure and can be fished in any depth of water. Best of all, Murray cod love them!

Surface lures Surface lures are my favourite. There’s nothing I love more during the summer months than to walk along the banks of

Murray cod is more about the ‘boof’ than actually catching the fish.

The boof of a surface feeding Murray cod is quite explosive, and even the smaller Murray cod tend to give anglers a fright, especially when the boof is close to the angler’s feet.

Lure losses are much less frequent when fishing with surface lures, as the lures do not dive, meaning they do not often get snagged.

Occasionally they will get snagged on something just under the surface that may not be visible when making the cast, and a few find their way up into overhanging gum trees occasionally,

The Wilson Slickback is fantastic lure for Murray cod lure casting from the bank.

Brenton Richardson with a nice clear water cod caught while wading up a clear upland river. in that they can be fished my local waterways casting vertically. They can be cast surface lures into the most next to a good looking log snag-infested sections and allowed to sink straight of river where most down into the zone where deep diving lures would you think a Murray cod probably either die of fright might be holding. They or get lost! can be retrieved really The hook-up rate with slowly along the bottom in surface lures is not as amongst the thick structure, great as it is with diving or they can be worked lures or spinnerbaits, STA16076 509FM1/2_Layout 27/10/2017 11:32fishing AM Page shallow.

Spinnerbaits are a 1 however surface for 1

This versatile family/fishing b o a t g i ve s yo u t he b es t o f b ot h wo r l d s . Sm a l l e n ou g h fo r one to handle but will take 5 comfortably.

This boat is on the Evo Advanced Hull and f e a t u re s St a ce r ’s n ew V- b e r t h b u n k s a n d n ew o p t i o n a l c a s t i n g p l a t f o r m . O ve r a l l a winner with options of side or centre console.

Visi t w w w.st ace r. co m. a u fo r mo re d e t ai l s .

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DECEMBER 2017

This lovely Murray cod went ‘boof’ after sunset on a balmy summer evening.

but on the whole surface lures tend to live a much longer life in your tackle box than spinnerbaits and deep diving lures.

Most Murray cod surface lures swim across the surface making a plopping sound as they swim. Their retrieve speed can be varied and they can even be paused in one spot with a few twitches of the rod tip, sending out rings around the lure to attract a Murray cod’s attention.

Unlike diving lures or spinnerbaits, when a Murray cod hits a surface lure, it is important that

you do not lift your rod tip to set the hook. You need to pause, and allow the fish to hook themselves, which may take several boofs. If you lift the rod tip, you will pull the lure away from the fish, and potentially hit yourself in the face with a hook.

December is my favourite month of the year to go cod fishing and typing this report has only made me even more excited as my memory casts back onto some epic Murray cod fishing moments last season.

Good luck this Murray cod season everyone.

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Cod Lure Feature

Goodoo gobbles – an essential cod lure guide FMG

Rupe Instagram: @rupeisfishing

If reader feedback is anything to go by, you all seemed to enjoy my little bass lolly basics ramblings a few months back, so much that the big wigs here at Fishing Monthly have asked me to pen something similar for everybody’s favourite time of the year – season opening for the mighty and powerful Murray cod.

The undisputed heavyweight champion of the freshwater rivers that stretch across the majority of the Australian east coast and down into South Australia where the Murray River eventually meets the sea, the green beasts known for thousands of years as ‘goodoo’ remain close to, if not on top of the bucket lists of anglers all around the world.

Tales of Jurassic Park-sized fish that would attack Murray River paddle boats and photos of your mate’s great uncle’s sisterin-law’s second cousin who used to live on the Vic/NSW border in eighteen-whenever holding a 400lb fish (that is most likely a goliath groper from up north) refuse to go away and will probably never stop. It’s safe to assume they’re not real, but it sure as hell keeps the imagination going and the trigger finger shaky on your casting arm as you wind that expensive swimbait that cost more than your dad’s first car past the best looking tree in the river!

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

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Sharp, strong trebles are a must. This 110cm model only stayed connected to Dayne Taylor’s lure by a single pin in the top lip.

The good news is that despite being almost wiped from existence thanks to overfishing and environmental destruction during the late 1800s and early 1900s, Murray cod are really thriving as a species and it’s getting to the point where they’re nearly as accessible and easy to catch as they would have been all those years ago when numbers were strong and most fish would have never seen a lure.

Lure fishing for cod can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people and none of them are wrong. There are so many weird contraptions out there that look horrible to some of us but have accounted for massive numbers of fish over the years. Have you ever seen an aeroplane spinner? What the hell is that? What fish in their right mind would find something so clunky and metallic appetising? Cod would. That’s who.

A territorial species that is more of an opportunistic eater than a hunter gatherer who goes swimming for miles looking for tucker, the goodoo will eat almost anything that has even the slightest appeal if it’s close enough to its big bucket mouth. Having witnessed them eating small ducks, cormorants, lizards, frogs and even snakes, I know there is no bounds to their menu.

With that in mind, let’s get to the topic of looking at some essential lures you should have with you the next time you go in search of green monsters. I’ll speak a little about each category and then give you a ‘Rupe’s six-pack’ of my go-to lures for those categories. Who doesn’t love lures and who doesn’t love six-packs? Whether it’s a sixer of Great Northern Original or a mix of lures, you’re onto a winner!

TROLLING OR CASTING? As with most things fishing-related Down Under, we took our lead from the Americans.

When lure fishing came into vogue, choices were limited. Looking back, designs like the Flatfish or Kwikfish seem uninspiring, but thankfully times have changed and, as always, Australian ingenuity kicked in and we began to produce some fantastic lures in every category.

Trolling dominated the scene early, so lots of big-bibbed deep divers were thrust into the marketplace. Lures designed with cast and retrieve methods in mind soon followed and the fish quickly let everyone know what was strong enough and what crumbled under the immense pressure generated by a hulking cod.

Highlighted by the sheer volumes of lures coming out of a couple of hotspots in the Wagga/Riverina and New England regions of NSW, we were able to produce some absolute cracker lures which still catch fish today. The classics never die.

To troll or to cast has been the subject of rigorous conversations around campfires and now in 2017, on Facebook forums, with everyone having an opinion on what’s right, and what’s not. As long as people are catching fish, I’m happy. But onto the lures.

HARDBODY DIVERS A lot of cod fishers will tell you they’re either a hardbody guy or a spinnerbait guy. To me, it’s nice to have favourites but you’re going to miss out on fish if you’re not equipped with more options than that.

Hardbody diving lures provide a lot of things to the hopeful angler on the end of the rod that’s throwing them.

When purchasing a new lure or deciding what to tie on the first thing I look at is the bib. Long bibs at a shallow angle will usually dive deeper when given enough line.

Conversely, shorter bibs at a steeper angle will normally be shallow divers – great for rocky, snaggy holes in rivers.

A lot can also be learned about the action of the lure from the width of the bib. A wide bib will give the tail of a lure a nice, slow, wide wobble (think swimming platypus). The narrow bibs give the lure a much higher cycle rate (think nervous baitfish) They’re available in an endless line of local and imported options these days in timber and plastic form and in every colour you could think of, and some you’d never think of yourself. Remember, these old lure whittlers have inhaled a lot of thinners over the years.

RUPE’S HARDBODY DIVERS 6-PACK • AC Lures ‘Invader’ • Kuttafurra Lures ‘Mudhoney’ • Cutting Edge Lures ‘Tomahawk’ • Predatek ‘Boomerang’ • Basko Lures ‘Cudgee’ • Storm ‘Arashi Rattling Deep’

SPINNERBAITS Spinnerbaits are perhaps the most versatile thing you’re likely to find on the walls of your local tackle emporium.

Spinnerbaits can be fished in any depth, at any speed and for just about any species. You only have to look at my good friend Stephen Worley’s recent article (NSWFM April issue 2017) on catching massive snapper with them to see just how ingenious they are as a fishcatching invention.

The first guys to fish spinnerbaits here were using imported lures that proved to be incredibly successful at getting the bite, but weren’t up to the task of staying together during the intense and sometimes long battles they were having with big cod. Guys like Glen Casey from now world-renowned Bassman Spinnerbaits and a select group of other manufacturers went about devising a solution. Stronger hooks, stronger wires and better blades were the result and boy, have they brought some fish over the side since those early days.

Today, you’ll find hundreds of colours and choices of willow blades, Colorado blades and combination blade setups. The most important thing to think about here is the amount of weight on the head of the spinnerbait. Getting the weight right for your situation is paramount. For smaller water, go for less weight. You’re probably casting it at snags and you don’t want to be throwing 6oz bombs all day. Your chiropractor will love you but your wallet won’t. If you’re planning on trolling them, grab a heavy rod and spinnerbait in the 2-6oz range, troll very slowly, and hang on tight.

RUPE’S SPINNERBAIT 6-PACK • Bassman ‘Codman 4x4 5/8oz’ • DUO ‘Realis Spinnerbait 1.5oz’ • TT Lures ‘FroggerZ Snr 3/4oz’ • OSP ‘High Pitcher 1/2oz’ • Leavey Lures ‘T-Rex 1.25oz’ • Cod-X ‘Twin Spin’

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

Cod Lure Feature dominate the market, and as such, catch the most fish. Choose an appropriate weight and hook size when selecting a jig head.

CHATTERBAITS Much like their bladed cod bait cousins, the chatterbait is an extremely versatile type of lure to have in your tackle box. However, to me they really come into their own when you need to fish deep water slowly and methodically in order to get that tough bite to happen. Fish ‘em like Nan cooks a roast – low and slow while you throw back a couple of coldies.

RUPE’S CHATTERBAIT 6-PACK • Cod King ‘Natural bait series 2.5oz’ • Bassman ‘Mumbler Jaw Knocker’ • Nories ‘Hulachat’ • Imakatsu ‘Alive Chatter Monstro 120’ • Cod-X Lures ‘Chatterbait 5/8oz’ • ZMan ‘ChatterbaitZ’

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

VIBES AND LIPLESS CRANKBAITS I’ve seen a lot more accidental captures of cod on vibes and lipless crankbaits than I have of fish being actually targeted with them. Anglers fishing 50-60mm lures for yellowbelly or redfin with light gear are all Trolling can be a very effective technique even after dark.

Jason Price reeled this one in with some assistance from the skipper after the fish stubbornly buried its head in split boulders. in your local fishing emporium. It’s been around since 1938 and hasn’t been beaten in my eyes.

To page 14

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

SOFT PLASTICS These type of lures didn’t get a lot of love until people started having a lot of success with them as the trailer attached to the back of their spinnerbait or chatterbait. It also helped a lot when manufacturers began selling upsized versions of old favourites.

Lures up to 12” long are now commonplace and goodoo love to gobble ‘em up. Excelling in heavily weeded areas, soft plastics can offer you virtually snag free retrieve when rigged correctly. Paddle-tail presentations

of a sudden in the fight of their lives.

There are more ‘cod-sized’ options on the market these days and surprise, surprise – they love to eat them too. It’s not the first type of lure I’d tie on but still a worthwhile addition to any tackle box. These are best worked around weedbeds, heavily timbered areas and around broken rock by hopping and dropping.

RUPE’S VIBE AND LIPLESS CRANKBAIT 6-PACK • Samaki ‘Vibelicious 125mm’ • Harima ‘Mazzy Vib Forte 100mm’ • Storm ‘Arashi Vibe 70mm’ • DUO ‘Tide Vib Slim 140mm’ • Jackall ‘Doozer 85mm’ • Sebile ‘Flatt Shad 77mm’

SURFACE CRAWLERS This category was my first exposure to surface fishing for cod and at that point in my life easily the most exciting thing I’d ever done after dark. How the times have changed. No doubt built to mimic big insect life, distressed baby birds and the like, surface crawlers fall right into the lap of the opportunistic cod. If they can go through the drive-thru and grab a family meal for one, they will.

Bibs will either be bent at an appropriate angle to create a walking action that throws a lot of water or built with two cup faces which produce more of a ‘clip-clop’ sound.

I prefer the metal bibbed offerings both in terms of strength and sound, but that’s just my preference.

On some models the lure body will be jointed, while others are one piece. This is nowhere near as important as the bib itself.

If you need an idea of perfection when it comes to a surface lure bib, just pick up an Arbogast Jitterbug next time you’re

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

Two rough heads are better than one.

Adam Townsend and Ryan Thompson put in a lot of time on the water over winter and it sure paid dividends.

DECEMBER 2017

13

Cod Lure Feature Each lure will have its own subtleties that may demand more or less work from you, so have a play between key bite windows and get it right so you’re primed and ready to slay when it’s go time. When considering lure selection here, there is no such thing as too big. If you can cast it, you should and even people in our industry who make plastic lures will tell you nothing compares to timber lures in this category.

From page 13

SWIMBAITS AND GLIDEBAITS You’ve seen the pictures. Cod love a good swimbait. The trouble is not all swimbaits are good! Inside any decent tackle store these days you’ll find an assortment of swimbaits that range in size, colour and price. My recommendation would be to steer well clear of the $5 job with more dust on it than grandpa’s golf clubs and hooks so thin they could actually be figments of your imagination. Look to buy something built to last. There’s no point spending all your time and energy looking for a fish and tempting them to eat it only to have the lure fall apart mid-fight. Events like this can ruin you.

Whether you go for timber or plastic offerings, look for something with sturdy construction, thick wires, tough split-rings and trebles that won’t let you down.

Also consider how you want to fish it.

Floating or sinking and the rate of sink are all things you should be mindful of. ‘Horses for courses,’ as they say; just to be safe you better buy one of each.

If you haven’t got the coin to do that, consider chin rigging a floating or intermediate lure with a sinker or teardrop style weight.

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DECEMBER 2017

Cod will still aggressively take a well-placed lure even in dirtied flood water. Just take your time, work the water as you would any other time and you will be rewarded.

WAKES, SNAKES AND CREATURE BAITS To me, this is hands-down the coolest way to whack a green fish. When I think of wakebaits my imagination takes me to a glassed-out lake with my tinnie positioned far enough off the bank that I can cast my lure to right where the water meets the grass as the sun sets in the background. It is at first and last light each day when they are at their most effective.

This is when cod will push up into the shallows and look for a tasty feed of whatever swims past and, being a lazy creature, the bigger the meal, the better. Once again, a long cast coupled with a low and slow retrieve is what will serve you best with a wake, snake or creature bait. Think about how the real version swims. Lizards, ducks, mice and rats – they’re all on the menu.

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So that’s it. You should by now have a shopping list as long as the rods you’re meant to throw the lure with and hopefully some handy information on when and where to use your new toys. While we’re speaking of rods, don’t be afraid to ask Santa for a big new baitcast combo either. There are some fantastic rod options on the market from all your favourite brands – Wilson, Daiwa, Shimano, Samaki, Dobyns, EDGE and many more depending on your needs and budget.

Pair it with a quality reel with a nice deep spool and plenty of drag and you’re all set.

Catching Murray cod of any size is an amazing experience and something we should all treasure. I’d highly suggest you practice catch and release of this beautiful native species, but if you do plan on keeping a fish, make sure you check the local regulations. Best of luck to you all for the upcoming season.

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Get pumped for topwater perch This month’s West Coast report was compiled with the help of Brett from Nelson Boat Hire.

The Glenelg River is cleaning up after all the winter flows that muddied the water in spring. As a result, there’s more saltwater making its way up the river.

The mulloway should

If you plan to chase a few mulloway, vibes, lures and live bait are excellent options to get on the board.

Trolling lures for mulloway is a proven technique down this way, and some anglers are choosing to flick plastics, particularly ones in darker colours in the 5-7” size range. Some anglers have even been trolling live mullet

water clears and the amount of food around the edges increases, anglers get stuck into the local estuary perch with surface lures. A good mix of surface walkers and poppers should be enough to

get you into the action.

The bream fishing has been spread all throughout the system, with bait anglers doing better than lure anglers. This is normal at this time of year and is a result of

This is what many anglers in the South West wait for each year – surface perch!

Photo courtesy of Nelson Boat Hire.

in Nelson for mulloway, and catching some big perch as by-catch!

The surface perch fishing should have also started by now, or be very close to starting. Every year when the

Photo courtesy of Nelson Boat Hire.

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Bream will be a better bet for bait anglers this month as a result of their spawning.

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have come on by now, or should be very close to doing so. From down around the estuary to as far up as Wilsons Hall at Sapling Creek should be the areas to concentrate your efforts.

ED

Photo courtesy of Nelson Boat Hire.

To the east, a few gummies have been turning up along the beach in Discovery Bay in the national park.

Stay safe this month, and enjoy the warmer, more stable weather, and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

• For more up-to-date local information head on into Nelson Boat Hire at Kellett Street, Nelson or call them on (08) 8738 4048. - Brett, Nelson Boat Hire

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Mulloway are starting to become more and more common in the river with the water clearing up after the winter flows.

the spawning season. With the saltwater staying down deep below the fresher water, it follows that the bream are also down deeper and away from the edges.

If you plan to get stuck into some bream, baits of cockles and pipis should be the best.

Along the beaches, gummy sharks and mulloway have been taken around Piccaninnie Ponds, just over the South Australia border.

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DECEMBER 2017

17

Portland delivers goods again PORTLAND

John Johnstone

Once again Portland has cemented itself as the SBT capital of Victoria. The spring run of mega tuna is on again and a range of fish have been boated from 75kg up to the massive 152kg, with many more being lost for one reason or another.

This fishery is becoming an annual stop for anglers.

We recommend bleeding, gilling and gutting these fish before putting ice in the gut cavity; this helps preserve the fish and makes for much better eating quality.

Anglers venturing to the shelf for some deep dropping have had good catches of blue-eye to 20kg, pink ling and gemfish. Further inshore there have been snapper to 8kg and good catches of school and gummy sharks. Flathead and other species also continue to

feature in angler’s bags.

Whiting to 50cm are anywhere from Danger Point to the north shore for those looking to chase them, along with plenty of pinky snapper to keep people occupied. The Lee Breakwater has seen snapper to 8kg, whiting to 45cm, salmon to 2kg and barracouta as well.

This month will see kingfish start to feature as all the signs point towards a good season. With squid numbers starting to increase whiting will become more prevalent, as will school and gummy sharks. School tuna have traditionally appeared on the inshore grounds and anglers can target these fish from small boats launching from Wallys Ramp, and even people fishing from kayaks can chase them.

Pinky snapper will be in plague proportions again; the best place to target them is the north shore if you’re fishing from a boat. If you’re land based the Lee Breakwater and

George Hemmings with a 152.2kg SBT caught in 70m behind the rock.

Michael Goldby with a pink ling also caught on the shelf.

Keryn Millard caught this cracker 20kg blue-eye travella on the shelf.

the Trawler Wharf are the best places to target these fish.

For anglers wanting to fish further offshore, mako sharks are in abundance.

These are a great fish and tend to jump once hooked; caution is a must when bringing these close to the boat as they can jump into the boat.

Looking ahead to January we should see the summer run of SBT kick into gear and the kingfish starting to fire, as well as other species becoming more prevalent with the warmer weather.

• Portland Bait and Tackle is family-owned and operated stoking fishing tackle, bait and marine accessories. They are open 7 days a week from 7 to 7. Portland’s one stop

fishing tackle shop, we cover everything from chasing redfin and trout in fresh water to blue eye and other deep sea fish over the continental shelf. The new owner John Johnstone has extensive fishing experience for both fresh and saltwater. He has fished most areas of Australia,

from chasing trout in the high country to the jumbo tuna down the West Coast – the chances are John has done it. To get the latest advice on what’s been caught call Portland Bait and Tackle on (03) 5523 5213 or drop in and see them at 111 Bentinck Street, Portland.

Fun month on the river WARRNAMBOOL

Mark Gercovich mgercovich@hotmail.com

Early December is perhaps my favourite time for fishing the Hopkins River, before the holiday crowds really come out in force.

Warmer conditions often see shallow water and surface techniques providing some spectacular luring action.

Surface fishing with pink grubs, bent minnow-style lures, slippery dogs and the like can be super entertaining as the fish slurp, slash or boof the lure.

Big bream or estuary perch hooked in shallow water at this time of year really know how to make a drag wail. Mulloway should be also on the cards as they make their way back into the system as the waters clear. They can turn up as incidental lure captures

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December can be a great time to target the local perch population. while targeting bream or perch, or be specifically targeted on trolled live baits or cut fresh baits at anchor. The last couple of mulloway seasons have been pretty good in the Hopkins, so hopefully 2017-18 will be the same.

Trout should be the last thing on people’s angling agendas at this time of year.

A sudden rain event can freshen up the rivers, which often bring the trout on the bite. It’s also always a good

option if the weather curtails your desire to fish offshore.

Add the dimension of bream or estuary perch also pushing up into the lower freshwater reaches as the waters clear and it can make for a worthwhile session.

The inshore areas should also begin to fire as water temperatures rise.

The Killarney area and the inshore areas just out from the Moyne at Point Fairy and in Lady Bay at Warrnambool can produce some good

whiting in the 40-45cm range at this time of year as well. These fish taste great, but don’t forget how hard a good whiting can pull on light gear.

Drifting or using your electric motor to move around the shallow bay areas in calm, clear conditions sight casting to squid is a great way to get a quality feed and great fun too. Some good specimens are already being taken To page 19

Great start to summer APOLLO BAY

Wayne Diffey

This past month has seen an improvement in the weather and as a result there have been some good fishing days, both on and off shore. Salmon have been plentiful with good catches reported.

Fish up to 3kg have been caught by anglers using bait and spinning off the beach or rocks.

As usual, Wild Dog Creek Beach has been productive and the back beach at Marengo has also been working well, as has Skenes Creek Beach. There have been good catches of gummies and a recent report of decently sized snapper off the beach at Johanna at night.

On the days where the wind and swell weren’t too bad and boats could get

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A great local stream estuary perch coming up. out of Apollo Bay for a fish, the gummies and big flatties have still been about in reasonable numbers.

Bald Hill and Blanket Bay reefs have been very productive for the gummies in 40-50m of water.

Local charter operator Matt has been busy with some very productive trips.

A good catch aboard a Hit N Run Charter boat.

From page 18

from the Killarney region.

Cray season will also be in full swing with both divers and hoop netters hoping for flat conditions to target their quarry.

Don’t forget the new tagging system for amateurtaken crays.

Further offshore the good gummy/school shark fishing that has been occurring should still be

He’s had good catches of gummies, snapper, nannygai and other reef fish. There have been great reports of solid whiting being caught off the Bumbry and Marengo reefs, accompanied by some good-sized trevally.

The local streams and rivers are still flowing well, with some nice bream, brown trout and the odd estuary perch being caught.

One visitor to Apollo Bay was very surprised with the number of brown trout he saw in one of the local streams; he caught and released 11 fish in an hour and a half on a Mapso Saja bladed spinner. If you want to bait fish, a scrubbie will always tempt a trout or a bream in the local streams.

If you’re coming to Apollo Bay for a fish, be sure to pop in to get all your bait and tackle needs, as well as an up-to-date report, or call us on (03) 5237 6426. on in December. The first yellowtail kingfish of the season should also appear, although they can be hard to tempt early in the season if the water is a bit cool or green.

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Antony Lujbic with a fine 5kg snapper taken off Warrnambool recently.

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Cobden locals are getting out and getting fish COBDEN

Rod Shepherd

The slowly improving weather is gradually bringing more and more anglers out of hibernation and out onto the water in search of a fish.

Angus McConachy from the Cobden newsagency is a budding young angler and recently travelled down to the coast with his mates and wet a line from the surf at Peterborough main beach. For his efforts Angus brought home a brace of very chunky Australian salmon

for the table.

His father Andrew stated that he cooked one up for dinner and thought it not bad at all. On that note, I’d certainly like the recipe as unless it’s properly prepared, Australian salmon can be rather mediocre on the plate. Well done to them both. There are still plenty of salmon schools cruising our shipwreck coast beaches.

Another Cobden local and veteran bream aficionado, Jim Murfitt recently travelled down to Peterborough with a fishing mate and launched on Peterborough Lake in

search of bream. Using bait and working various spots around the estuary they managed their bag of 20 legal fish for the day’s outing. The bait used was locally caught shrimp and greyback minnows.

Another local had quite a shock when the bait he sent out for a bream in the Curdies River was picked up by a sizeable mulloway.

Kevin Dalton was chasing bream from his boat when a mulloway grabbed his bream bait. Using 4kg main line, it took Kevin only ten minutes to tire out and land the fish which weighed in at 6.3kg.

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Luckily his son and a good mate were also on board to help Kevin land the fish.

The Hopkins has been really firing. Good friend Craig Matthews from Melbourne spent a weekend there recently. Using only hardbodied minnow lures cast towards the bank, Craig managed to catch and release several excellent bream for his efforts. I was invited to join him, but unfortunately I had other commitments on the weekend. Craig spent his time in his mate’s boat rather than bringing down his kayak. All his fish fell to a Pontoon 21 Greedy Guts in natural yamame – Craig’s go-to bream lure in the Hopkins.

Another angler from Warrnambool recently spent the day on the river and between him and a mate they caught and released over 20 estuary perch as well as some bream. The surprise catch of the session was their biggest fish, an Australian bass.

I’ve seen the photos and can confirm this. Either this fish was an escapee from a privately stocked dam during a flood or it originated from a previous authorised stocking years ago and they have bred and or interbred with the Hopkins perch.

The Hopkins does have a population of golden perch,

Like the others, this one couldn’t resist the Pontoon 21 Greedy Guts in natural yamame colour. as many anglers have caught them in recent years in all different sizes and weights, so one can deduce that they are breeding.

Lake Bolac was originally stocked with golden perch years ago and is connected to the Hopkins via Salt Creek, so during a period of heavy rains it’s quite possible some

fish exited the lake and found themselves in the Hopkins.

Nowadays we stock Bolac and other lakes such as Struan and Hamilton with estuary perch that have been bred from locally sourced stock, but years ago we didn’t, so just how many bass are in the river and are they breeding?

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Craig with two of his Hopkins bream prior to release.

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Anglers love run of snapper of Clifton Springs broken ground there that not a lot of people actively fish. The turning buoy out off Clifton Springs is also a popular spot to try for a snapper bite.

Aaron Habgood has been fishing Clifton Springs over the last month and says there have been big fish in the open and schools of fish on

GEELONG

Neil Slater slaterbunch@optusnet.com.au

December is a time to chase snapper, seek the king, eat our bodyweight on the 25th and often take a wellearned break.

rough weather (like a big northerly) or even the Great Ocean Road rock platforms for pinkies on dusk.

Around the Bellarine Peninsula, they have been in less than 4m of water after dark. Your best bet during daylight hours is to move out past 8m of water. The top baits so far have been pilchards, silver whiting and fresh squid.

Squid can be easily caught most days on the way to the snapper possies by drifting

over the shallow weed areas in around 3-4m.

Trent Schiller fished with his dad Trevor and gun snapper fisho Danny Skene in Corio Bay last month. Danny really knows his stuff when it comes to Corio Bay snapper and they got stuck into some absolute donkeys up to kidneyslapping 8kg and 85cm using pilchards for bait!

Danny has also fished on the channel at Clifton Springs and had a few good sessions

Will fished inside Swan Bay with his dad Adam where they caught calamari over the weed beds.

Trent and his dad Trevor caught these beauties fishing with Danny Skene off Clifton Springs.

Snapper have been caught by anglers fishing at dawn and dusk around Clifton Springs, Portarlington and St Leonards.

Try north of the shipping channel, as there is some good

the structure with squid the dominant bait.

If you are land-based, try St Helens rock wall inside Corio Bay, Portarlington and St Leonards piers after

Aaron has been getting a few great snapper at Clifton Springs.

over the last month catching plenty of reds to 7.7kg on silver whiting and squid.

I fished with my eightyear-old son Max along with Andrew Sertic and his 11 year old son Fraser out off Clifton Springs last month in mirror calm conditions. We caught a few calamari straight out off the Dell in 3m of water on the

first drift and found them difficult to tempt after that.

We drifted off Portarlington for a few flatties to 32cm.

The snacks and fizzy ran out after that and the kids got bored, so we motored back to base.

Rod Ludlow from Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that

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clients have been getting their bag limits of calamari in a few short hours with the Governors Reef and Prince George bank areas the best.

Land-based anglers have also been catching plenty off the St Leonards pier.

Some good captures of flathead have been coming in from the 8-12m mark.

Successful anglers are drifting with pilchard pieces for bait out off Indented Head and St Leonards.

Rod had a couple more barracouta come in from the weed beds around the Prince George and back towards the shore. The fish were caught by flathead fishers, so they weren’t specifically targeted.

This leads Rod to believe there could be quite a few kicking about. Rod notes that more King George whiting are starting to move in close and should continue to improve over the next month.

Adam Jordan fished with his son Will inside Swan Bay last month where they both nabbed a few calamari casting jigs about. In glassed-out conditions, the lads were greeted by dolphins that chose to cruise alongside their boat for a while, which is always pretty cool.

Aaron Habgood has also been catching very large calamari around Queenscliff with size 3-3.5 jigs fished at the end of the tides.

Australian salmon have been flat-stick along the Surf Coast beaches, Great Ocean Road rock platforms and Queenscliff Harbour, and a few are showing up from time to time inside Corio Bay. Last month, Maaike Spoormakers managed to pinch her boyfriend’s boat while he was stuck at work.

She was casting soft plastics underneath the old Alcoa Pier where she caught around a

dozen Aussie salmon up to 48cm! Maaike says they were going nuts for about 45 minutes before they went off the bite.

Maaike headed out again on the spoil grounds in the outer harbour in search of her first snapper for the season but only managed a few snook on soft plastics and calamari using squid jigs.

I fished down the Great Ocean Road with Mick

Maaike snuck out in her boyfriend’s boat to nab these salmon in Corio Bay.

Allardyce last month where we used spin gear from the rock platforms in search of Australian salmon. It was tough going with each rock platform returning donuts.

Mick had an appointment in Apollo Bay so headed on while I hit Wye River rocks and caught four around 40cm during an hour-long casting session on the flood tide. We returned during the ebb tide but they had moved on. I lobbed out a pilchard hoping for a pinkie on dusk and managed a few draughtboard sharks.

Dave Reynolds had a crack out off Barwon Heads last month where there have been plenty of big gummy sharks and the odd snapper to 5kg+. Dave and his brother Brian managed a few respectable flathead drifting around the 50m mark.

North Shore Anglers Club is a newly established fishing club in the northern suburbs of Geelong trying to encourage local youth and families to get involved. Find them on Facebook or email northshoreanglersclubvic @gmail.com Now is the time to start looking for the hard-fighting yellowtail kingfish. They can be caught trolling squid strips when they are near the surface or deep jigging over reef areas out in Bass Strait.

Summer should see the salmon school up in the

Fraser enjoyed a day on the squid off Clifton Springs. southern half of Port Phillip Bay, which can make for some very exciting lure and fly casting for them.

• Catch a few around Geelong, Bellarine Peninsula or Surf Coast to Lorne recently? Send in a report to slaterbunch@optusnet.com.

au with ‘VFM’ in the subject field or give me a call on 0408 997 348. Please include where (without giving away your secret spot!), when, what on and who caught the fish.

Pictures are always great, but please make sure they are at least 1mb (file size).

DECEMBER 2017

23

Don’t miss festive fishing time in Melbourne PORT PHILLIP BAY WEST

Alan Bonnici alan@fishingmad.com.au

The festive season and the hot weather is finally upon us, and what better excuse could you need to get out for a fish around Melbourne?

It’s an exciting time when many of us get to relax and unwind with some muchneeded time away from the office with family.

Last month I received several emails from readers asking if it was possible to catch decent quality fish while land-based fishing only minutes from the Melbourne CBD. The answer, to the surprise of many, is an absolute yes. I took it upon myself to prove this point and teamed up with good mate and local fishing guru Nick Keeling. We set our sights on one of the most accessible fishing locations only 3km from the CBD. Albert Park Lake is only

minutes from the city and offers quality fishing all year round for both bait and lure fishers. For keen anglers like myself, the lake holds healthy numbers of golden perch, estuary perch, large European carp, some exotic carp and stocked trout. It’s an ideal fishing location to take the family during the school holidays as the lake is heavily stocked with rainbow and brown trout. You can also keep the kids busy with the walking and riding paths, adventure playgrounds and picnic areas.

For our test we would keep things quite simple, fishing solely with light spinning gear and a small selection of trusted hardbody lures and soft plastics.

We would remain active, flicking lures in one area for 15 minutes then continually moving on until we had covered a good percentage of the lake. On windy days we would fish with the breeze behind us to maximise our

A stocked trout from Albert Park. casting distance and natural movement of the lures and soft plastics. A key was to keep a close eye on the edges as we moved around, as quite often we would notice trout and carp moving along the banks.

The lake is quite shallow,

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only reaching depths of 1-2m in many areas. The bottom is quite weedy, so you’ll need to take some time to experiment with different weighted jigheads and retrieval speeds, to ensure your lure stays in the strike zone without being caught up in weed. After trialling a few techniques, it didn’t take long for the fish to start biting.

We caught and released many small trout without too much trouble, and they took a liking to minnow-style soft plastics and small hardbody lures. Catching small stocked trout is great fun on light spinning gear as even the small ones will jump out of the water attempting to spit the hook.

I’m generally a catch and release fisher, so I’ll never quite understand why people would want to keep recently stocked trout yearlings.

Victorian Fisheries do a tremendous job stocking trout in many locations around Victoria, therefore all anglers should show the required respect and release recently stocked trout to allow them to grow to bigger sizes and provide exceptional

fishing for years to come.

The trout fishing was hot; we caught many small ones and a few bigger ones that had likely been stocked years earlier. Occasionally while retrieving the rod would completely buckle

over with what could only be massive carp. It’s certainly a challenge trying to wrestle a 10kg+ carp on light spinning gear. I managed to land a couple of massive ‘mud marlin’ on my 1-3kg spin rod but got busted off several times. In the early mornings around Albert Park, you can see carp surfacing and sight casting for big carp on light gear can be a fun fishing technique.

The prized species to target at Albert Park is the golden perch and thankfully, with persistence, we landed several nice ones. Nick led the way catching a beautiful 57cm barrel on a grub-style soft plastic, which drew a crowd eager to watch and cheer. I was excited for Nick and eagerly awaited my moment to catch one. A few hours later I managed to catch two beautiful golden perch close together. Both were very healthy and around the mid 40cm mark

Estelle with a rainbow trout yearling.

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The author caught this massive urban carp.

in size. A couple of photos later the perch were released to fight another day, which I highly encourage other anglers to do.

Catching golden perch is fun, they hit the lures quite hard and then put on a sluggish fight. Their girth and weight forces you to take your time when trying to land one and they tend to go for a last-minute dash when you’re close to landing them, so keeping calm is key.

We caught many prized fish at Albert Park in only a couple of short sessions, which proves it’s a great fishing destination close to Melbourne. We fished with soft plastics and shallow diving hardbody lures but I’m convinced blades and lipless cranks could also produce great results.

Around Port Phillip Bay the snapper fishing is getting better and better. I have been receiving regular

reports from many of my angling mates who have been catching snapper around Black Rock, Sandringham, Port Melbourne, Altona, Williamstown, Werribee, and Geelong. Fishing for snapper on soft plastics has been a little hit and miss but going back to basics by using berley and sticking with trusted staple baits like pilchards, squid, and whiting continues to be a reliable method of catching some

Nick Keeling with a thumping Albert Park golden perch.

The author with a golden perch caught just outside the CBD.

nice big reds and pinkies.

Many of the local piers around Port Melbourne, St Kilda, Geelong, and Beaumaris have also been producing many pinkies and the odd big snapper, which is exciting news for Melbourne landbased fishos and kayak fishers who won’t have to go out too far to target some snapper.

I hope you have safe and

happy holidays with your family and friends. Hopefully, you’ll get some quality fishing time around Melbourne. If you have kids then remember to take them fishing during the break. If you need some location suggestions then feel free to check out my FishingMad website www. fishingmad.com.au, which has over 100 fishing location

suggestions around Melbourne and Victoria.

That’s all for this month.

I’d love to hear about your recent fishing experiences around Melbourne and Port Phillip Bay. Feel free to contact me by email on alan@ fishingmad.com.au, at www. fishingmad.com.au, or on Facebook via facebook.com/ fishingmad.com.au.

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DECEMBER 2017

25

Finally summer arrives after a strange season PORT PHILLIP NE

Wayne Friebe wfriebe@bigpond.net.au

After what seemed like a long winter, and a relatively mild start to the spring months as well, its feels good to get the summer started on the bay at last. This year has seen a strange fishing season in many ways; a few of the trends that we were used to experiencing both on the bay and farther afield weren’t as prevalent as in past years.

A slower-than-usual

start to the snapper season in some parts of the bay has also kept anglers guessing in our local areas over the last month or so. Judging by recent encouraging reports and captures on the bay and with increasing activity as well I reckon we’re in for a ripper summer on PPB. With the great three months of summer upon us, now’s the time to get out amongst the action.

This time of year is all about snapper. While traditionally for some anglers the peak activity is starting to wind down as the snapper begin to spawn, I reckon

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Harry Stanley from Mount Eliza proudly displays his first-ever snapper, caught on his firstever snapper trip! Harry’s prize red was taken from 18m out from Carrum on a fresh squid head. Harry’s fish weighed in at 6.5kg. we are in for some really good fishing right through this month into January and beyond.

The magic 16-17°C water temperature took a while to reach our local areas this year, resulting in prolonged activity in the shallower water in the northern reaches of PPB. Recently this trend has been steadily changing and it’s predicted to stay strong for some time to come.

Specifically, the wider marks out from Mornington, Mount Eliza and Frankston have been very productive, and although bite windows and activity have sometimes been shorted-lived, the quality and sizes of the snapper have well and truly made up for it. Many anglers have reported finding

snapper on the sounder near large areas of bait and that many fish have been holding in the same general areas together at the same time.

Recently, depths of 17-19m have been the most productive. Pre-dawn starts have also been very important so far this season, especially for anglers that have been doing well in the shallower water around Mount Martha and further north towards Frankston and Seaford.

It’s worth noting the importance of fresh bait as well, especially with so much natural fodder for the reds to feed on. Fresh-caught squid and oily fish baits like salmon, slimies and garfish have all been very productive. I’ve always been a big fan of fresh squid baits, both in strips and heads. This has been the go-to bait for many of the anglers I have spoken to so far this year.

Anglers prospecting and sounding for snapper earlier in the season also turned up some lovely gummy sharks, especially while fishing closer to the shipping channel. This is a great sign for the health of

Al Lesko with a ripper of a land-based red taken at first light off the rocks using fresh salmon for bait. Al’s fish measured an impressive 87cm and weighed in at 7kg.

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DECEMBER 2017

the bay and for the local shark population as well, and it gives anglers another great option and target species when fishing the deeper marks in PPB. Reports seem to get better and more frequent each year with fishing tackle getting better for the job. Some really big, quality snapper have been caught from the rocks and other land-based platforms along our eastern shores already this year.

Plenty of fish have been caught in the 3-5kg range with some proper big ones up to and over 7kg as well.

Dedicated anglers normally need to fish in the worst weather and conditions for the best results, but it means that anyone with a sturdy surf outfit and a keen mate or two has a chance at catching a quality red without a boat.

Anglers fishing lures and plastics in our local areas haven’t been outdone this month either. With most fish being in the 1-2kg range a few more decent specimens have been turning up as well, especially for the kayak anglers doing their first light missions

Jeff Chapman tops the lot this month with his chunky snapper taken on a soft plastic during the middle of the day while fishing for pinkies. Chappy’s fish weighed 8kg and took over 20 minutes to subdue on light spinning tackle.

along the inshore reefs.

Areas south of Mornington and Mount Martha, and the wider reefs out from Ansetts and Frankston, have been productive.

Expect late afternoon and evening sessions to be more productive as well, as the water warms up moving into the summer months.

Lastly, the squid fishing is really starting to fire up locally after being very good over the past few months down south. Some nice bream and perch are hitting the bank and boats of lure and bait anglers in the Patterson River. Plenty of garfish and salmon are still about for those looking for baits and tucker, and expect the whiting action to pick up over the coming months as well.

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The slow snapper season finally kicks off PORT PHILLIP NORTH

Lee Rayner info@fishingfever.com.au

A cooler start to the snapper season has seen the fish on and off like a light globe over the past couple of months, but at this stage it looks like December could be their month in this part of the bay. Some spectacular fishing has been on offer over the past month from St Kilda to Port Melbourne and as each week goes by and the top of the bay gets hotter, the fish are filtering their way down to Mordialloc and wide of Ricketts Point.

MORDIALLOC TO BLACK ROCK While the past weeks have seen some nice fish taken in the shallower areas, there have been some bigger numbers of fish found out wide. There is no doubt this month the wider areas will fish very well, as they always do at this time of the year, with huge patches of baitfish to be found all through the 17-20m areas.

Out here the key has been to find a patch of bait that is hanging close to or on the bottom and it will have fish nearby. If you

manage to mark a fish near or on the bait, even better.

From this point it’s a matter of berleying hard to get the fish firing.

Back in Beaumaris Bay there have already been some promising whiting reports from anglers getting stuck into a few King George whiting at locations such as Parkdale Pinnacles, Brickies and up off the Scout Hall Jetty with anglers reporting that the best results have been on squid and mussel.

As for the garfish and squid, they have been around, but not in great numbers over the past weeks. In saying that, the coming weeks should see them really fire up off the piers as the water gets really warm and clear.

Up off Ricketts Point the snapper are still around on the inner reefs with the kayak anglers having some really red-hot fishing on snapper between 2-5kg by casting soft plastics or trolling with deep diving

Ben Symons made the most of a great top end snapper bite with multiple trips producing fish like this one.

minnows. The coming weeks should also see the whiting fishing really fire up along this big reef area.

Out deeper, the Gasso and up around T1 and T2 and all the other favourite areas on the mud have been producing fish with good numbers of snapper to be found all day long.

Again, the bait out here is wall to wall with snapper happily chewing on it; this is also making for some great lure fishing recently.

In fact, the coming weeks often produce the best lure fishing with the warm water and active fish often sitting up off the bottom, to the point where it can be more effective than bait.

SANDRINGHAM TO ST KILDA In on the shallow reefs such as Yorkies the whiting have made a bit of an appearance over the past weeks and this should really get better over this month with both numbers and sizes of whiting getting better.

Out wider it’s still all about snapper for most anglers with plenty of fish to be found in a variety of locations. The outer edge of the Anonyma Shoal and the area towards the yellow yachting buoy off Sandringham, produced some quality fish on or just before the first light period.

Out wider the edge of the shipping lane has been on fire with the TI, T2, T3 and T5 areas holding solid numbers of fish over the past weeks, and it doesn’t look like they are going anywhere at any time soon.

Further north anglers are finding similar results up towards the Fawkner Beacon and its surrounds.

Just a word of warning – make sure you are anchored outside the channel, as

Fishing Fever store manager Lee McDuffie has been into the reds over the past weeks. fishing in it will see the Port Authority handing you a fine.

In closer to shore, Green Point through to Brighton has been fishing well with the 8-12m area holding good snapper on first and last light. Brighton Breakwall itself has also had some very good snapper taken off it over the past weeks with one of those fish being caught by gun land-based angler Bashir, who landed a 6.5kg red off the breakwall at 5:30 in the afternoon.

Up off Elwood and towards St Kilda breakwall, it’s shallow water big snapper time with some very good fish being taken late at night.

On the same reefs and in similar depths of water during the day there has been the odd decent catch of whiting, especially between Brighton and Elwood, with the reefs off North Road holding the best numbers.

ST KILDA TO PORT MELBOURNE It seems that all the rain over the past months

has proved to be a good thing with the top end of the bay producing some exceptional fishing lately.

The numbers have been good, and the overall size of the fish taken is great with multiple fish over 10kg, and too many fish in the 5-8kg bracket to mention.

Best of all has been the spread of the fish. Anglers putting in the effort on the shallow inshore areas are producing the goods while it has been a bit rough or during the night. The boats fishing out wider in the deep water along the edge of the channel are finding the bigger schools of fish.

We’re back in December once again and it’s time for Christmas.

While it was a bit of a slower start to the season with a super cold winter, it seems we are on the verge of an exceptional few months of fishing, as always happens after a pile of rain.

Have a great and fishfilled Christmas.

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DECEMBER 2017

Kobi Caldwell with a whopper 75cm, 5.21kg snapper caught at Rhyll.

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Fishing for a few Chrissy reds MORNINGTON PENINSULA

Julian Frank

December is finally here, and Chrissy is just around the corner, which means the boat ramps will start to fill up pretty quickly down this end of the bay! And although a lot of people can find it frustrating queuing up in the mornings and afternoons, you can look forward to a good day’s fishing all around the Mornington Peninsula regardless of boat traffic.

Get out there and enjoy!

MT MARTHA TO ROSEBUD Snapper out wide off Mt Martha have been fishing well throughout the tide changes. Before and after sunrise through to that midday period has been good for sessions. Most fish are between 3-5.5kg in around the 16m and 21m marks. The top end of the spoil ground is a good area to sound around for the odd bigger fish too.

Fresh calamari heads and pilchards are the go at the moment. Make sure you have plenty of berley to hold the fish behind the

boat for some full-on actionpacked sessions.

For land-based anglers fishing from the rocks, garfish have been in good numbers; a bit of berley should bring them in. Late afternoon is a good time for them, or try calm mornings

and you should manage a good bag. Use dough or maggots for bait.

Throughout Mt Martha and Rosebud there has been excellent fishing for squid and cuttlefish. Morning until lunchtime has proven worthy for most with good numbers

Snapper have been fishing well throughout the tide changes. Sessions before and after sunrise have been good.

This beauty was caught around Sorrento.

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taken around Safety Beach and Tootgarook.

Anthonys Nose Boat Ramp is a hotspot at night for whiting and garfish, so be sure to take a couple of setups to cover you. It also doesn’t hurt to take a heavier rod with you; I have seen the

1800 091 172

occasional gummy taken off the rock wall.

RYE AND BLAIRGOWRIE Fishing around the South Channel Pile will get you good catches of squid and whiting in the late afternoon.

If you can get the run-out tide, you’ll be in for a hot bite. Just look for the weed beds and see if you can find some scattered ground to the north of here just before the sand banks. This is usually an overlooked area for whiting in the evening.

If you’re chasing a few flatties for the dinner table, to the left of Rye Pier is White Cliffs. This area is worth wading and throwing lures or soft plastics for bigger fish of 65cm+. Also check out Camerons Bight, as there have been some really good size fish taken in the shallows, and try anchoring out the front of the Marina at Blairgowrie.

For land-based anglers the marina has numbers of slimy mackerel and scad coming in under the lights at night. There have also been plenty of smaller squid and trevally around.

Use maggots or small strips of pilchard on a paternoster setup.

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DECEMBER 2017

Cracker calamari like this have been taken from a number of places lately and they can be great eating or used for baits.

SORRENTO AND PORTSEA With the weather improving we have seen a greater number of gummy sharks being caught throughout the Sorrento area.

The Symonds Channel has always been a hotspot for me; I target them midway up the channel. I like to look for a gradual drop-off and fish the first few hours of a tide.

Other good areas to look are in the mouth of the Pinnace Channel and fishing up near the mussel farm at the top end of the Symonds Channel.

There is also a good chance of a Christmas red in this area.

Plenty of squid are being caught around the middle grounds out from Sorrento; there are some good-size ones about, but mostly hoods around 25cm. Whiting on the incoming tide have been fishing well out from The Sisters and in the moorings.

Sorrento Pier has been busy in the evenings with a number of species being targeted, including garfish, trevally and squid. If you can get there on the right tide you won’t be disappointed with the results. Berley up and fish small baits under a float.

Last but not least, Portsea at this time of year has always landed us good whiting from the late afternoon into nightfall off the beach. You will find good numbers around the moored boats all within casting distance. Just get there while there is still some light to spot out the sand holes amongst the weed. Use pipis and slithers of squid and wait.

Once they’re on they generally stick around for a while.

I hope everyone has a good Christmas and New Year. Stay safe out on the water and enjoy the fishing!

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Sourcing a seafood banquet for Christmas WESTERN PORT NTH

Adam Ring

I can’t believe we’re in December and another year is coming to a close!

The fishing continues to pick up as we head deeper into the year and though the snapper reports still dominate, there have been a few other little surprises along the way.

KINGFISH – THAT’S RIGHT, KINGFISH Before I get to the snapper I just have to write about this one first. It’s not every month that I get to sit here as the author of the top end of Western Port report and talk about yellowtail kingfish!

Ollie Weeding of the Warneet Fishing Club was after a snapper at Joes Island on a recent outing and ended up with a rather surprising

by-catch. Instead of the snapper he was after, an unreal 66cm kingy picked up a nice piece of squid fished on a snapper snatcher.

Now, the above report is pretty unusual but would you believe me if I said it wasn’t the only kingfish report that we received? Alex Shane launched from Warneet one afternoon and fished various spots throughout the top end of the port. Alex had a

Ollie Weeding and a Joes Island rat kingy!

Brendan Loizeau and his monster top end snapper.

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cracker day landing snapper, squid, salmon, snook, couta and – you guessed it – a yellowtail kingfish!

Is it time to start slow trolling live calamari around Western Port?

SNAPPER Generally at this time of year we start to put the snapper cue in the rack and start thinking about whiting.

The facts are that the snapper are just hitting their straps.

Brendan Loizeau fished the top end in style on a recent trip as he decided that fishing from a jetski is far cooler than any boat! It turns out that it was a pretty good call as he had an insane day on the water.

Brendan stopped early to catch some bait and got stuck into a few squid and salmon; the biggest squid measured 48cm hood length.

They were then converted into three snapper with the biggest weighing a whopping 9.1kg!

Epic stuff Brendan!

Jake Tognazzini, who is a bit of a legend, was another who found a monster red up the top end of the port. Jake ended up with an 8kg model and once again, fresh bait was the downfall of another trophy fish.

Sam Triplett spent a couple of solid hours at the entrance to Boulton Channel and landed a nice 3.5kg red and also ended up with a few small gummies as well. All the fish were taken on freshly caught salmon fillet – well played, Sam. Peter McConville fished up around Joes Island with his son Kane in rather average conditions. They were plagued by weed for much of the tide. With a little persistence they still managed a nice 66cm snapper to take home for a feed.

Lysaughts is really starting to come to the party on the snapper front. Pat Ellaby has a sweet little mark around Lysaughts that just has a knack for producing big fish. Pat whacked a big 7.4kg snapper mid-tide on a recent trip with the magic fresh squid strip getting the job done.

Chris Preston spent a

couple of days on the water around Lysaughts and though it took plenty of looking around and patience he did find quite a few really nice fish over the couple of days.

The biggest snapper weighed 5.4kg and a variety of different baits all caught fish. Fresh squid, couta and the humble pilchard all had their moments in the spotlight.

CALAMARI Like most months of the year, the calamari are still on fire with the only thing changing is that most are now being caught for bait, not food!

Hux Fysh has been dominating the Tyabb Bank with some seriously big calamari coming in. The white Sephia jigs in sizes 3.0 and 3.5 are luring most of the bigger models.

Adrian Waters had a crack at the Tyabb Bank and, amongst a few nice calamari, he managed a nice gummy in about 10m of water.

Mitch Chapman had the Japanese legends from Yamashita out on the port and they were trying some really cool techniques fishing the deeper water off the Tyabb Bank. They were dropping extra weighted jigs down in 10-12m of water and landed a heap of calamari and also found some pretty solid numbers of cuttlefish as well. It always pays to try something new!

That concludes another packed fishing report and also another year! Thank you to every keen angler out there that has sent in reports and an extra special shout out to the entire crew from the Fishing Monthly Group for another year of putting out a damn fine publication and another year of putting up with my extremely late submissions.

Have a great, safe and fishfilled Christmas. I’m already looking forward to sharing the reports of a huge 2018!

Hux Fysh and a sample of Tyabb Bank’s finest.

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33

Whiting take back the spotlight WESTERN PORT STH

Jarrod Day jarrodday@iprimus.com.au

It’s December already, where has the year gone? At least there are only a few weeks until the fat man slides down the chimney and hopefully stuffs your stockings with all things fishing.

With the holiday season about to kick into full gear,

things are starting to slow down a little on the snapper front. This is a common trend around this time and towards the end of the month snapper rods and reels will be put aside for the whiting tackle to take their place.

Still, if you’re after snapper then there are really no other places to look than the Corals and the western entrance this month. The Corals are relatively shallow,

fetching around 5-6m deep, and due to the thick cunjevoi growth on the bottom snapper love to search for food in this area.

It really is a late season mark and they tend to fire up now until early January. The western entrance on the other hand continues to fish well mainly with pinky snapper.

Drift fishing between buoys 17 and 11 is a good idea, whether the tide is running in or out.

Clair Morr enjoyed sounding around for some snapper in the Port and eventually connected to a cracking model. Photo courtesy of Shaun Furtiere.

34

DECEMBER 2017

The bottom along this section is quite reefy and holds good numbers of fish.

The current can run quite hard here so be weary when drifting. The best fishing and the easiest time to fish the area will be around an hour either side of a tide change when the tide is starting to slow.

Another good location to find some solid snapper, providing the conditions are calm and your boat is capable of heading out in the Bass Strait, is along the Kilcunda coastline. Drift fishing out here in 15-20m of water you’ll pick up a lot of bluespot and tiger flathead, along with plenty of snapper.

If you head out a little deeper onto the sand, you can pick up silver whiting, providing you use a paternoster rig with size 8 or 10 long shank hooks. Silver whiting are quite tasty on the plate and are also deadly on snapper.

Now that the focus is on whiting it’s hard to pick specific locations to target them. I prefer to fish in the deep water around 15-17m of water in the bottom end of the North Arm. This area fishes extremely well around a tide change and if you’re there at the right time, you should only have to use 4-5oz weights.

Big squid are still throughout the Port for those looking amongst the weedy banks. Photo courtesy of Shaun Furtiere.

If you have to use heavier, you shouldn’t fish the area; come back when the tide has slowed a little more. Berley is essential to get the fish going and you’ll often catch larger fish than anglers fishing on the shallow banks.

Tankerton is another top location to seek whiting and, more often than not, they’re pretty close into where the

Tankerton Jetty is.

From the Tankerton Jetty down to Tortoise Head the edge of the bank is quite weedy with patches of sand.

This location also holds good numbers of whiting. Berley is essential to get them going as they can be scattered throughout the area.

The Tortoise Head Bank is another hot location and gets

crowded when the whiting are going on the bank. It pays to try and get there first and set a berley trail to attract the fish to your area. The prime time for fishing this bank is generally two hours either side of a high tide change and as soon as they go off the bite it’s time to move, as the bank gets very shallow on the low.

Crossing the middle bank is not for all boaties, just those experienced with the area. The middle bank is a sand spit that is mainly 1-2m deep on a high tide and exposed on a low.

Even on high tide with calm conditions, ocean swell from Bass Strait can push in causing waves to break over the spit.

Inexperienced anglers

Phil caught some great trevally while targeting whiting. Photo courtesy of Shaun Furtiere.

Other locations that produce sizeable whiting from now on are Ventnor, Cat Bay, Flinders, Somers and Balnarring. Obviously getting to Somers and Balnarring from the western entrance is a tricky one; your only options are to drive right down and around into Flinders and then back up or to cross the middle bank.

could easily come unstuck, so if you’re thinking of crossing here, only go with an experienced person. Shooting through here does give quicker access to the Balnarring and Somers areas, but if you’re still not sure, head to Cat Bay in 8m of water where you’ll also catch a fair quarry of thumper whiting.

Calamari are also rife at

this time of the year with all the weedy banks holding good numbers. Finding them can sometimes take time, but when you do you can generally pick up a few from the one area.

One of the simplest ways of catching calamari is to flick a jig around while you’re fishing for whiting.

Whiting and calamari inhabit the same areas, so why not double up if you can?

Calamari will also come in on the smell of berley trails so there’s no better way to catch a feed of whiting and calamari at the same time.

While many anglers will go straight for casting squid jigs about, bait fishing for calamari is just as effective.

A simple squid prong with silver whiting threaded onto it suspended under a float in the berley trail works an absolute treat. From now until March big calamari will move into the Cat Bay and Flinders areas and can be caught quite easily using both jig and baited jig methods.

Summer is also a great time to be hitting the beaches throughout the night in search of gummy sharks.

Stockyard Point, Lang Lang and Grantville are all proven gummy producers, however Stockyard is a low tide-only fishery while the others are high tide-only due to the shallowness of the mud flats.

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THE FUTURE

Top: Fishing from the beaches is paying off with decent gummy sharks available. Photo courtesy of Shaun Furtiere. Above: Justin Blythe yet again proving he is a master of night-time gummy fishing. He caught this one from a local beach. Photo courtesy of Justin Blythe. rod to gain casting distance with a running sinker working best. There has been some sensational gummy shark fishing from the Somers area lately too. Justin Blythe and

his mate ventured down one evening and came up tight to two nice gummy sharks.

Towards the end of the month we should begin to hear reports of mako sharks

and kingfish from Bass Strait.

These two species really get the blood boiling. Until then, I hope you all have a very Merry Fishmas and a safe and happy New Year.

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35

Lots of mixed bags of summer holiday species PHILLIP ISLAND

Craig Edmonds

With the reports of larger snapper starting to slow down we will now see a run of pinkies for the next couple of months, as well as plenty of other species. Mixed bag reports will become the norm. It also means the year is almost over and Christmas is just around the corner, which will see the island population grow significantly for the summer holidays.

The influx of visitors brings plenty of anglers that have never been to the island before, which can actually be a good thing because they tend to fish in areas that the locals don’t fish and it’s surprising what they catch. Locals and regulars to an area tend to get very set in their ways and will fish the same few spots all the time, regardless of how many fish they aren’t getting.

The other thing that never ceases to amaze me is the people that do tend to fish familiar grounds have the best sounders and just don’t use them. You paid good money for a top-quality sounder, so spend time learning how to use it! Even if you’re only fishing in the bay, people forget it is always changing and washing away mud to expose new rough ground that will hold food.

Find the food, find the fish.

The whiting season was late, teasing us on the odd

good day. With very ordinary early spring weather it wasn’t as productive as in the last few years. With the water temperature getting so low over the winter, it turned out the couta were happy and they came in in their hundreds.

Plenty of small baitfish also helped bring them in. The problem was it seemed to put a halt to calamari and whiting fishing. As soon as the temperature began to warm up, the ‘couta started to move out and the reports flowed in.

The condition of the whiting hasn’t changed from last season at all and the very healthy 40-45cm ones are still common to many of the reports. The best place has been in the top end of the bay around Bass River, Dickies Bay and Coronet Bay. These fish have been caught mostly on dark with the sessions only lasting half an hour or so when there seemed to be less ‘couta.

In Cleeland Bight and out from Cowes it was better in the mornings before the sun got too high in the sky, then it was tough fishing during the daylight hours and often better in deeper water.

Something else that has continued from last season is the number of whiting being caught. If you managed to get 10 in a session it would be considered a good number and often it was six or eight in the bag, but as a few customers said, when one fillet is more than a meal even six whiting

is a good day.

The larger snapper are starting to move out but they won’t all go and we will still see the odd one caught all the way through until next season.

Lately the best of the reports have come from the shallower areas, Coronet Bay, muddy areas and the shallow corals, as the last of the snapper spawn before leaving.

The best time to target the bigger ones will be on the high tide in the evening, especially after a sunny day that has been warming up the mud. The bigger snapper have come from are both entrances, especially the western entrance in the deeper water as they head home.

Pinkies are starting to show up in numbers and you don’t need to do too much work to find them. I have had a few reports from the deeper channels but mostly from the corals area and in Cleeland Bight. A couple of reports even came from around Reef Island. As is always the case, every year seems to be a little different than the last and the difference this year has been that pilchards and sauries have accounted for around 80% of the reports we received, with all other baits including squid accounting for the rest. Last year 80% was squid.

Calamari have been very difficult to work out this season with them being very slow early while the ‘couta were in big numbers and then

Some quality salmon have been caught both in the boats and from the land. very patchy. We have seen some very good catches and excellent sizes caught from the San Remo jetty recently, but there hasn’t been any consistency to them and many good sessions have been at times that aren’t ideal.

From the jetty the best time is usually the change of light, but lately some of the best reports have come from the middle of the day.

The beach in Cleeland Bight has been inconsistent for numbers and the best time has been more predictable – late afternoon into the evening is best. One of the better spots for the whole season so far (and relatively couta free) has been at the Cowes and Ventnor beaches from the boat

ramp down, especially around the creek.

The numbers and sizes have been good. The best method is a baited jig under a float. Boats suffered early with the ‘couta but have picked up since then. While there aren’t a lot of reports, at this time of the year most are happy with a couple of calamari, then they head off to chase something else, unlike early in the season where people will try to get their bag of 10 to build up the bait supplies.

Attention will now turn offshore and it won’t be long until we get reports of flathead and the big arrow squid. The reports of kingfish will also start to come in as we get further into summer and mako

sharks will also start to appear.

There are plenty of other species that will also turn up offshore and that’s the best part of fishing outside in the deeper water. You just don’t know what might come along, so be prepared for all.

You don’t need the biggest boat to travel 100km with some of the better reports coming from inside around 5km. It’s open water, so you need to check and understand weather conditions and your local tackle shop is the best place to get that information.

From all of us here at Jims Bait and Tackle, have a safe and enjoyable Christmas. If you’re heading our way over the holidays, drop in for all the latest information.

Sustainable pipi fisheries for bait and plate

Victorian Fisheries Authority acting CEO Dallas D’Silva said new management arrangements would give eight existing licence holders the opportunity to access the pipi fishery over the next 12 months, during which time the Victorian Pipi Fishery Management Plan would be finalised.

These new arrangements will permit the tightly controlled commercial harvest of pipis from Victoria’s coastal beaches to meet domestic demand for human consumption and fishing bait.

New arrangements will permit the tightly controlled commercial harvest of pipis from Victoria’s coastal beaches to meet domestic demand for human consumption and fishing bait.

“Victoria’s beaches are home to healthy populations of pipis that can support sustainable commercial harvest, providing regional jobs and meeting increasing demand for the bivalve shellfish,” Mr D’Silva said.

“Pipis live on highenergy beaches in the intertidal and sub-tidal surf zone.

“They are highly prized for their eating qualities and as bait by marine anglers who use them to target premium table species, such as King George whiting.

“Currently, most pipis sold in Victoria are sourced

from well-established commercial fisheries in South Australia and New South Wales.

“At Venus Bay, where one licence holder has operated for several years, commercial harvest will remain excluded from beaches one to five, which are very popular with recreational pipi collectors over summer.

“Harvest by the eight commercial licence holders will be limited to 150kg per day, for only eight days of the month, and a minimum size of 35mm will apply.

“Most operators currently dip net for

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pipis on beaches, which minimises environmental impacts on what is already a high energy and constantly changing intertidal zone.

“Licence holders will be required to prior-report their intention to fish and post-report their harvest.

“Research has shown pipi stocks fluctuate from year to year due to natural changes in the patterns of coastal currents and winds, which drive the transport of small pipis.”

Mr D’Silva said there were no changes to recreational fishing rules for pipis. – Victorian Fisheries Authority

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Holiday destination: Mornington Peninsula WESTERN PORT STH

Jarrod Day jarrodday@iprimus.com.au

There is no denying that Victorians are travelling anglers and as nice as it is to travel abroad with the family for a Christmas holiday, interstate and overseas trips can be costly.

as enjoyable without all the added costs.

As anglers we always like to wet a line when we can and even more so when we’re on holidays. Without having to spend countless dollars on overseas or interstate holidays, Victoria itself has some amazing places worth exploring.

The Mornington

and beaches along with plenty of fishing charter options to accommodate the entire family without paying an arm and a leg.

The Mornington Peninsula can be easily overlooked as a holiday destination by some anglers, but it boasts some of the best and most consistent fishing to be had in Port Phillip Bay. In saying that, it is also only a 30-minute drive to Western Port, which is also an incredible area to go fishing.

What’s more – and many people are totally unaware of this – there is also a good amount of freshwater opportunities on the Mornington Peninsula from lake fishing for redfin, estuary perch and trout in the Devils Bend Reservoir to trout fishing in some of

The boat moorings from Portsea through to Rye are good places to fish for calamari, whiting and garfish.

The author with a nice snapper taken out from Mornington.

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Garfish can be caught from all the piers, jetties and from the rocks right around the coastline. the more hidden creeks on the southern side of the peninsula.

BEACH FISHING The Mornington Peninsula is surrounded by beaches all capable of delivering some very impressive fish.

On the southern side it is

up to 6oz of sinker weight.

Mounted to that, try a reliable 6000 sized reel loaded with a minimum of 15lb braid. Often you can experience strong side wash during a westerly blow as well as some broken up seaweed and kelp, which can make fishing difficult if you’re using lighter tackle.

Though there are a lot of beaches along this section of the coast, Portsea, Sorrento, St Andrews and Gunnamatta at Rye tend to be more favourable.

The suitable rigs tend to be a paternoster rig with

two droppers each containing a bait holder size no. 6 for Australian salmon, and a no.

10 long shank for yellow-eye mullet and silver trevally. If you’re keen on fishing the high tides at night, rig up a fixed sinker rig or running sinker rig with snooded 6/0 octopus hooks for gummy sharks.

If you’re more of a sportfishing angler, spinning the surf with metal slugs is very effective for salmon.

Lures in a 25-35g weight range are heavy enough and this style of fishing will allow you to explore much more of the coast rather than just standing in the one location bait fishing for the day.

On the northern side of the peninsula fishing from the

beaches in Port Phillip Bay is also very productive. You may want to hit the shore on first light before too many boats and swimmers are on the water, and you can catch King George whiting, silver trevally, salmon, garfish, flathead and calamari. The beaches on this side that fish their best at this time of the year tend to be around Portsea, Sorrento, Mount Martha and Mornington.

PIER FISHING Pier fishing along the Mornington Peninsula is very popular in the summer months with over 10 piers and jetties to try your luck, and all produce good fish from time to time.

Due to the large amount of holidaymakers that descend

CHARTER OPERATORS • Joe Farr Fishing Charters – Sorrento 0488 229 752 info@joefish.com.au • RIP Charters – Sorrento 0438 390 312 info@ripcharters.com.au • Relax Go Fishing – Mornington Peninsula 0428 986 381

Australian salmon are a common catch along the surf beaches. Bait fishing is the preferred method and they are also willing lure-takers.

Most of the time, sneaking away for quick flick with a rod or jumping on a charter can be difficult and expensive, and while it is nice to go on a big holiday from time to time, often heading somewhere local can be just 38

DECEMBER 2017

Peninsula in Victoria’s south east is one of those locations that can make you feel like you’re in another country or state with its pristine golden sandy beaches, beautiful blue coloured water and freedom to explore the countless piers

predominately surf beaches requiring anglers to suit up with fairly heavy tackle to combat the raging surf swell at times.

A sturdy 10-12ft surf rod in the 6-10kg range is more than suitable for casting

Australian salmon are frequent visitors to the Mornington Peninsula and can be caught using a range of techniques.

on the area throughout the Christmas period, fishing during the day is uneventful.

Swimmers and boat traffic spook the fish, sending them into deeper water. Ideally, getting up and fishing first and last light is when you’ll see the most productive fishing action.

Night time fishing is particularly productive for calamari and garfish from the Portsea Pier, Sorrento Pier, Blairgowrie, Rosebud and Rye piers in calmer conditions. You’ll require a range of coloured and size jigs depending on what they favour at the time. Black, white or the ones with a red foil belly colour are a good, safe bet.

the Mornington Peninsula.

Boat ramps such as Sorrento, Rye, Mount Martha and Mornington are all wellmaintained and suitable for launching most watercraft. Rye Boat ramp is the only ramp that can see sand build-up at times if not dredged regularly.

Out from Sorrento, you have plenty of options from drift fishing the Sorrento channel for flathead to drift fishing over the weedbeds along the northern side of the Sorrento Channel for calamari. Calamari can also be found right throughout the Mornington Peninsula from Portsea up to Mornington.

If you’re boat is large enough, kingfish can be targeted in the rip, however

whiting haunts tend to be around Portsea in 5m of water off Point Franklin, Point King at Sorrento and in 5-6m of

launch time is a safe option.

Anywhere along the Mornington Peninsula coastline where you can

If you’re keen for a swim in the nice weather, scallops can be collected in the Rye and Rosebud areas. get your car close enough to the beach has plenty of fish species worth catching.

Flathead, calamari, garfish and whiting are the main targetable species but if you’re keen on travelling further, head out to the Rye Wreck where you can encounter snapper and gummy sharks if you’re suited up right.

Working the shallow weedbeds around the Mornington Peninsula can lead you to some nice-sized calamari.

Calamari are a more common catch early in the morning.

The Portsea Pier is a great place to try your luck.

If the weather is a little rough, casting metal slugs from the Portsea, Rosebud and Rye piers should see you encounter some nice salmon.

If bait fishing is your preferred fishing method, providing you set up a paternoster rig from 15lb fluorocarbon leader with no.

6 long shank hooks, you can target whiting, silver trevally, leatherjacket and a host of

specialised techniques are required for live baiting and jigging. These fish are brutal and can be over 15kg.

Australian salmon are also commonly caught and provide some exceptional light tackle sportsfishing around Portsea, Sorrento and the rip. Often they can be found busting up schools of bait on the surface.

Motor up to the bubbling mass, cast metal slugs into them or

water along Blairgowrie, Rye and Rosebud.

If you’re going to try your luck on them, fresh tenderised calamari strips, pipi and mussel baits will do the trick.

Another tasty species that can only be caught from a boat is the scallop and there are plenty of them worth catching.

When schools of Australian salmon turn up, casting lures into the bubbling schools is a lot of fun.

FRESHWATER FISHING If you’re keen to try your luck at some freshwater fishing then head up to the

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The rocks at Mt Martha produce calamari, garfish, whiting, salmon and snapper. Care must be taken when fishing from this location. other small species from the Portsea, Sorrento and Rye Piers.

Ideally a small 7ft rod rated 2-4kg with a size 2500 size reel and 6lb braid is more than ample for these styles of fishing.

BOAT FISHING The boat fishing opportunities are endless along

troll around the school with 70-90mm diving hardbodies.

King George whiting are also in their prime throughout summer and are readily available to catch in close along the coastline. Firstly you have to set up with a paternoster rig tied from 15lb fluorocarbon leader, and it’s best to hit them up early in the morning. The

Obviously you have to jump in the water to gather them and it can be as simple as putting on a mask and snorkel and free diving in 3-4m of water out from Rye. You will have to do your homework on where exactly to find them, but there are plenty on offer.

KAYAK FISHING Kayak fishing is a very popular sport allowing anglers to still get out and about without the huge costs of owning a boat. It also allows anglers to access the inshore productive fishing grounds. With all the boat traffic during the summer months, heading out in the dark should be avoided, as this could be dangerous. During daylight savings a good 6am

Devils Bend Reservoir inland of Mouth Martha at Tuerong.

The lake is full of redfin, brown and rainbow trout and estuary perch, which can all be caught using bait and lures.

The lake is shallow in parts and quite weedy, making conventional fishing methods often difficult, but not entirely impossible.

You’ll just have to work your way around the lake to find areas where the

weed is thinner. Despite the weed growth, lure fishing is effective with both hardbody lures and soft plastics.

Hardbodies can be worked over the week and at times you will get snagged, but you can generally drag the lure through. Soft plastics on the other hand can be cast beyond the weed and brought back through it where a lot of the fish will be holding.

Aside from Devils Bend, if you enjoy a bit of exploring, Main Creek near Cape Shank can see you catch brown trout to 600g.

It’s a small creek flowing through farmland with the upper reaches only 2-3m wide in parts – good angling water for those keen on walking and casting lures into the shallow pools.

This is just a snapshot of what the Mornington Peninsula has to offer; there is certainly a whole lot more.

Unfortunately, it can’t all be done in a day, so scheduling a good few weeks of holiday should see you cover quite a few of the endless fishing opportunities.

January through to April is a good time to target kingfish around The Rip. They are challenging to catch and there are plenty on offer.

DECEMBER 2017

39

Understanding the importance of rod angles NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.com

Understanding the effects of varying rod angles while playing and landing fish can shorten fight times and greatly reduce the incidence of broken lines, pulled hooks and even busted rods!

“Keep ya rod up!” Most of us had the instruction rammed home whenever we

hooked a fish by whoever it was that mentored us in the sport – be it a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle or friend. Maintaining a reasonably high rod angle while fighting a fish isn’t a bad general rule of thumb, as it takes advantage of the shock-absorbing flex of the rod itself to reduce stress and strain on fish lips, hooks, lines and leaders.

But there’s a bit more to it than that…

The author applies a little high stick to help beach a hooked trout. High rod angles can provide a cushioning effect when using fine lines and small hooks.

Don’t be afraid to bury your rod in the water to steer a fish off a snag or clear line from the boat’s hull or motor. Think of your rod as an extension of your arms.

It’s a really enlightening experience to hold the end of a fishing line (or even better, attach it to a set of weighing scales) and have someone pull on the rod using various angles while you monitor the force effectively exerted where the hook would be (probably best if you don’t have a hook or lure attached, as you could end up with it buried in your hand!)

What you’ll quickly discover is that the higher the rod tip is held, the less force is applied at the business end of the line.

Conversely, lower rod angles allow much more ‘pull’ to be generated out

where the hook would be.

These are important things to know when it comes to setting hooks, fighting fish and (hopefully) landing them.

much more force on the fish and can dramatically shorten fight times. Low rod angles can also discourage acrobatic fish like barra, Australian salmon and trout

using ultra-light gear or tiny hooks (as is often the case in some forms of flyfishing, for example).

The other time when a high rod angle is almost mandatory is when you need to keep as much line out of the water as possible to avoid it being dragged across rocks or other obstacles, and also when attempting to wash your catch up onto a beach or rock ledge.

Where high angles can become extremely counterproductive (even resulting in broken rods) is when the angler “high sticks” a strong fish that’s close to the boat or bank. This can create a really dangerous bend in the rod, potentially resulting in blank failure. Such breakages usually occur in the top third of the rod.

Have a good, hard think about rod angles and carefully study the way you and other anglers apply the lever characteristics of the rod when fighting and

The high rod angle demonstrated here, while still reasonably safe, is fast approaching a critical point. If the hooked fish were to suddenly dive under the boat, a rod breakage would be a definite possibility.

Low rod angles can discourage fish from jumping… sometimes!

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In protracted fights with big, powerful opponents, lower rod angles and tricks like applying side strain (by angling the rod out to one side of your body or the other) can be really useful. Such angles exert

from jumping, thus reducing the number of thrown hooks.

Conversely, high rod angles reduce shocks and jarring impacts on the line, leader, hook and fish’s mouth. This can be critical in staying connected when

landing fish. Even more importantly, get out there in the backyard, wrap the end of the line around your hand and have someone pull on the rod at various angles.

You may be very surprised at the results!

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DECEMBER 2017

Inland Fisheries Service

DROP INTO YOUR LOCAL DEALER TODAY

Public comment invite IFS

Tim Farrell

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MORNINGTON PENINSULA M. Y. MARINE

The Inland Fisheries Service invites you to help shape the future management of our inland recreational fishery.

In October Jeremy Rockliff, Minister for Primary Industries and Water, released the Draft Tasmanian Inland Recreational Fishery Management Plan 2018-28 (Draft 2018-28 Plan).

The Draft 2018-28 Plan incorporates community, business and stakeholder feedback from proposals outlined in the Issues Paper: Proposals for the Tasmanian Inland Recreational Fishery Management Plan 2018-28. It is open for public comment until Monday 18 December 2017. Submissions can be emailed to infish@ifs.tas.gov. au or posted to PO Box 575, New Norfolk, 7140.

This is an opportunity for anglers and stakeholders to provide input to be incorporated into the Tasmanian Inland Recreational Fishery Management Plan 2018-28.

Once finalised, the 2018-28 Plan will be a guiding document for the Inland Fisheries Service in managing the recreational trout fishery.

The plan will be implemented at the start of the 2018-19 angling season commencing 4 August 2018.

A public meeting will

be held at the Great Lake Community Centre at Miena on Friday 17 November at 6pm to discuss elements of the 2018-28 plan.

For enquiries about the Draft 2018-28 Plan or to arrange a presentation at your Club or Association meeting, contact Tim Farrell on 6165 3805 or email tim.farrell@ifs. tas.gov.au.

WOODS LAKE COMPLIANCE ACTIVITIES During October, Inland Fisheries and Tasmania Police teamed up and conducted boat safety checks at Woods Lake in the Central Highlands of Tasmania.

While boat safety checks of equipment and PFD use are regularly conducted by IFS, on this occasion boat operators were also breath tested due to disturbing reports of poor behaviour from boaters while at the lake. The Marine Safety (Misuse of Alcohol) Act 2006 governs the legal blood alcohol limit for recreational boat operators is 0.05 in Tasmania and 0 for commercial boat operators.

It was pleasing to see that everyone tested was under the legal limit on the day of testing, however five infringement notices were issued to people not wearing their PFDs when required and one for fishing without an angling licence.

Failing to wear PFDs and excessive alcohol consumption

have been factors in several fatal boating accidents in Tasmania over the years.

Please enjoy your fishing and boating, but wear your life jacket when required and be mindful of your relevant alcohol limit, as these patrols will be common this season at Inland Waters.

TRAINING TO PROTECT OUR WATERWAYS Recently, Rob Freeman of the Inland Fisheries Service presented to a group of Forest Practices Officers (FPOs) as part of their requirement to develop and maintain the necessary skills to assess ecological values relating to forestry operations.

Over the week the FPOs received training on fauna, flora and legislative requirements. As part of this training Rob presented to the group about the need to recognise and consider the presence of freshwater fish and value the environment where they live. In particular, threatened freshwater fish such as the Swan galaxias, Clarence galaxias and Dwarf galaxias were looked at. The general theme was looking after fish habitat and our waterways.

Following the presentation, the group visited the Sandspit River at Wielangta near Orford where they observed five different species of fish and discussed the need to maintain suitable habitat for freshwater fish.

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DECEMBER 2017

43

The holidays are meant for hooking big fish GIPPSLAND LAKES

Brett Geddes b.geddes@bigpond.com

In this report I’ll share some tips and ideas for the holiday angler and include what I believe to be the best areas of the Gippy Lakes.

It’s that crazy season again as the Princes Highway fills with 4WDs, caravans, boats and kayaks strapped to roof racks. For us locals we surely need those dollar-wielding tourists, but we’ll have to find a few hidey-holes to avoid the water traffic.

There’s room for all of us to have some happy hooking.

HOT BREAM ACTION It’s been a busy time for those who love their lure and bait fishing for bream.

The Mitchell River has been extraordinary for really big fish with most of them 34-42cm. Some even bigger bream have been pulled out

with many weighing between 1.4-1.8kg. Mark Farrer posted pictures on social media recently of a Mitchell River bream that went 53cm. That’s one huge fish and even better – it was proudly released.

The area from the grassy banks all the way upstream into the Bairnsdale township and the backwater was on fire for a good six weeks. The same parts of the river are still producing now and the silt jetties will probably be better over the next month or so.

Some bream are also moving back out of the river onto the Mitchell flats and these fish are taking all sorts of lures in the lake there, between the silt jetties river mouth and the Nicholson River. The best time to work that area is while there’s a good chop on the water and the fish are less spooky. By the way, get hold of some quality local sandworms, because they’re by far the best

Flounder have been taking blade lures recently, but searching the shallows at night with a good light and spear should produce a lot more.

bait right now.

The Nicholson River has also started to produce the goods recently and some big bream have been taking deadly top water bent minnow-style lures. If you have yet to use them, I suggest you keep a lookout for these unique surface lures. When retrieved they dart in all directions and will even turn almost backwards on themselves and can even porpoise up and out of the water.

DUSKIES The flathead have been very quick to wake up this year and probably due to a couple reasons. The warmerthan-normal spring weather and the lack of rain over the last three months has kept the salinity levels and water temperatures up a lot higher than usual. My hot tip is that this season, especially into the new year, we will see a lot of dusky flathead action.

The big flatties will also fire up very early this December. To target the large flatties over 60cm you need to keep a couple of strategies in mind. Get on the water well before sunrise and start your search very close to the entrance, like the North Arm and Kalimna. To avoid boat traffic head up towards Metung and stop a few times here and there to flick lures or work your baits.

The fish will let you know where to search harder and what sort of depths to work.

Not many people know that dusky flathead are a schooling fish and often congregate in patches. If you’re after a fullsized dusky over 90cm then when you discover a good run of average sized flathead

Big bream have been lurking in the snags lately. while fishing, throw out a big live mullet on 20lb line in that same area. The big girls can sometimes ignore small or even big lures, but they hardly ever knock back a large, lavish, live bait.

OTHER SPECIES As usual the bottom end of the lakes will now fire the best for a number of other species. Look for where the most boats are anchored up, because that will be where

the most fish are. Whiting, mullet, flounder, luderick and even small snapper are right now coming online, so get to your favourite haunts and ask the locals for a few tips as well. Salmon or tailor are still hanging around in many areas; use lures for the best results.

A lot of people get all fired up about the prawns before the holidays and invariably get let down. By all means

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have a look around. The locals will tell you it’s probably still too early. A forgotten fish is the mighty flounder and if you get out at night and walk around in the shallows then take a spear out with you. I couldn’t survive summer if I didn’t put a few flounder under the griller. You can find flounder anywhere between Kalimna in the eastern part of the lakes right up to Loch Sport in the west.

Kirk caught this cracker kingy.

the same with anglers reporting it would be possible to capture heaps with a landing net if you were so inclined.

Large schools of luderick are also in the system and are schooling along the rock groins that surround the islands and along the riverbanks.

Estuary perch are not in big numbers yet but it won’t be long before they also enter the estuary in big schools and work their way throughout the whole system.

Sometimes when the fish are on their spawning run they can be hard to catch and often shy away from many different types of bait. Recently anglers are reporting getting good captures of bream fishing with sandworms in the Brodribb River with several measuring over 42cm and plenty of others well over the size limit of 28cm.

Fishing the same area, yelloweye mullet are also on the chew with most anglers getting plenty for the table, again using sandworms. Good captures of luderick have also been reported by anglers fishing lower down towards Marlo and To page 45

Summer holiday season at Lakes Entrance LAKES ENTRANCE

Steven Pryke

It’s that time of year again when Lakes Entrance holiday season is in full swing with visitors from all over the country flocking to the area to enjoy the local beaches, lakes and scenic areas.

As the weather patterns settle in it won’t be long before many anglers are taking advantage of the warm weather.

LAKES ENTRANCE Our local town wharves

have been fishing reasonably well, with anglers catching a range of species. Quality bream and trevally have been caught on lightly-weighted fresh prawns and grub-style soft plastics, usually in natural greens and browns. Light line has been the key. With how busy the town is at this time of year the fish become rather spooky, so fishing a 3-6lb leader and main line is a must.

It’s a risky game when fishing in close to pylons and boat hulls and it doesn’t take much before you’re being busted off. The annual run of

King George whiting is under way with sandy areas around Rigby Island and Fraser Island producing consistent catches. These fish have been targeted with traditional bait tactics with local mussels or prawns cast up tight to edge of the weed bed.

North Arm is beginning to fire up with large flathead on the move along with plenty of quality bream. Working the bank-side snags early and late in the day has been the most productive method with consistent numbers of bream being taken on topwater lures

Lake Tyers is spoilt for choice with easy access to fish like this great little flathead pulled from the upper reaches of the Nowa Nowa Arm.

Nikki Bryant with an awesome 76cm flathead caught at Lake Tyers during a recent trip to East Gippsland.

From page 44

fishing the rock groins that surround the islands and river banks using sandworms.

Reports from the Snowy River have been filtering in of decently sized bream taking prawn as they move up the river.

Big schools of mullet have also moved all the way up the Snowy to the highway bridge at Orbost. For anglers wanting to have some fun, big schools of salmon and tailor are moving into the estuary on the run-in tide. Anglers trolling or spinning metal lures are getting plenty of action down towards the entrance.

The surf beaches always fish well and it’s that time of year that the gummy sharks come closer to shore feeding on the swimmer crabs.

At this stage there are only a few reports of anglers catching sharks in the late afternoon and early evening using squid legs, fresh fish fillets and pilchards. There have been many reports of anglers getting plenty of captures of salmon and tailor.

Fishing offshore has been hard, mainly due to

Another solid Lake Tyers bream taken on the ever-faithful Atomic Crank 38. in natural prawn patterns.

Find lures with a slick design that cast a mile and reach fish that are unaware of you and therefore more likely to respond to your lure.

LAKE TYERS The lake has started to truly fire up with warming water temperatures throughout the system. The flats and timbered edges are beginning

to hold good numbers of bream and flathead. Areas such as the island in the Nowa Nowa Arm have held good numbers bream, mostly along the timbered edges. These bream have been caught from the deeper timber on grubstyle soft plastics.

The higher reaches of Nowa Nowa Arm have plenty to offer and the mud flats

have seen plenty of quality fish caught on slow rolled chubby style.

HAVE YOU BEEN FISHING? If you have been out for a fish lately and have a great pic, please send it to stevenprykefishing@gmail. com with a short description and you could be in the next edition of V&TFM.

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The few times they

have, the fishing has been good. Anglers have reported getting of flathead, gurnard, barracouta, pinky snapper and gummy sharks.

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45

Anglers are hooked on the new boat ramp BEMM RIVER

Robyn Sturgess

Another year is nearly finished and it has been a big a year for Bemm River.

Following completion of the new launching facility the entrance opened and the inlet was extremely shallow. It was evident

dangle a line.

Quality sandworms are plentiful at the general store and the luderick love them.

Typically we are informed where one angler will catch bream from one side of the boat and the other will land luderick from the other side, both using the same bait.

The entrance to Swan Lake/ Mud lake area has been

Hillston, NSW, had a lot of fun near the bridge at Bemm River chasing brown trout above the falls.

Flathead are coming on the bite, with a couple around 70cm being caught and released.

Please remember the dusky flathead limit is 55cm.

We’re very proud of our new launching facility comprising of a double ramp and two floating pontoons, in addition to a hoist for the disabled.

This project was completed in time for the September school holidays, after

contractors worked in very challenging conditions.

After completion there were a few teething issues, which were rectified in a most timely manner. The East Gippsland Shire and GPM Constructions are to be commended in their approach, construction and completion of this fantastic asset. It’s an asset that future generations can benefit from.

The surf is producing excellent salmon. All in all, this season is bound to be a cracker. Come to Bemm River, enjoy our

Bream and luderick love quality sandworms.

The new Bemm River boat ramp has been completed. that a number of fish had entered the system, as they were clean and healthy ocean fish. The warmer weather certainly makes it enticing for anglers to venture out to

popular for this reason with bream of 43cm being taken.

The luderick all seem to be around 35-37cm in size.

Recently, a regular visitor to the town from

Anglers have been catching some big bream up to 43cm.

new launching facility and be satisfied by our remarkable fishing.

• For on the spot and up to date fishing reports check out Robyn’s website: www. bemmaccommodation.

com.au or ‘like’ us on Facebook – Bemm River Holiday Accommodation Phone: (03) 5158 4233/ Mob. 0427 584 233 Email: bemmaccomm@ bigpond.com.

‘Tis the season to be chasing some snapper MCLOUGHLINS

Will Thompson allwaysangling@bigpond.com

This month has been all about the snapper.

The water has warmed and most of the inlet is around 15-16°C

it has been around 16°C and dropping to 14°C out wide in 40m+ of water.

The snapper aren’t in full-on bag-out mode yet but plenty of anglers are catching 1-3 fish in a session in the Snake Channel at Port Albert.

There have been good fish

sun up and sun down have been the best bet to get a snapper.

The other popular species has been calamari.

They have been going bezerk with most anglers managing their 10 calamari easily and there aren’t even any real special bite times now with the calamari almost committing suicide.

There are some absolute thumpers mixed in with hoods over 40cm as well with the average calamari being around 25-30cm.

Shane and Wrighty with a couple of good reds weighing 5.3kg each caught on running sinker rigs on the tide change.

Offshore the gummies have been going really good and there have been

The calamari are going nuts at the moment, with the Yamashita Live jigs doing the damage on this occasion. on average with the shallows reaching over 18°C on a warm day.

Offshore between the entrance and the islands

to 8kg caught and quite a few 5kg models as well.

Squid and pillies have been the best baits and those classic bite times such as

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quality specimens to 15kg caught and a lot around the 8kg mark on the 20m line. A few have been out wider near the islands in 30m. There are flatties everywhere from the 20m line out to the 40m line and plenty of pinky snapper to 40cm on the reefs in 30m of water. The couta are still around, and some spots are worse than others.

There are way more of them out past the islands – the temperature is lower out there as well. Now that the water has warmed offshore it’s definitely worth having a look for some kingies and I would almost guarantee that there will be a few about ready to catch on a jig.

There were some huge salmon down at McLoughlins and we managed to get stuck into them for a while. They were absolute thumpers tipping the scales to 3kg

and were getting caught on soft plastics in the 3-4” range as well as any type of metal lure.

Now that the inlet has warmed the salmon have disappeared. Flathead are on the chew with anglers catching plenty between 35-55cm and the odd big flatty to 75cm. Soft plastics in the 3-4” range have been the best way to target the flatties and are accounting for 80% of the fish, however the odd whiting angler is coming home with a good feed of bluespot flatties caught on whitebait and blue bait. The whiting are there, but aren’t going as well as previous years. However, some anglers are catching up to a dozen fish in a session on pipis and squid.

• For more information, contact Will at Allways Angling Bait and Tackle on 5174 8544. You will get expert advice and great deals on bait and tackle.

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47

Lock, load and summer return BERMAGUI

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

A lot of anglers may be ignorant to the fact that game fish like to sunbake in the shallow layers of the ocean, especially marlin.

The warmth of the sun will bring these fish to the surface where they will glide along with the wave force just sunning themselves.

When you spot a marlin doing this they might respond to a wellpositioned lure or bait. If that’s the case, lock in your position, load it into your GPS and return later in the

maybe tomorrow.

Marlin are already increasing in numbers along our coast following a series of warm water eddies. These eddies are hosting good numbers of game fish with plenty of yellowfin, striped and albacore tuna at the top of the list. Where there is tuna, there are sharks with plenty of makos, blues and hammerheads following the tuna schools. Berley trails will work well on sharks as will a bridled striped tuna, which will also entice a marlin.

With things warming up there are plenty of fish on offer closer to shore and around the reefs for

reefs in this depth of water will also encounter many of the ever-present snapper and morwong, both blue and jackass. As you drift off the reefs the flatties come into the equation, along with some nice gummy sharks that have been present.

Up at Montague Island the kingies are plentiful, although some weeding is required to find fish of decent size. Whether jigging, live baiting or strip fishing, one of these methods will work on the day.

For those who like the soft sands of beach fishing, the warmth of summer makes it more

Locked, loaded and hooked – anglers caught this marlin by revisiting an area where the marlin were seen sunbaking. day, maybe on the change of the tide. Those fish will be in that area for a reason – more than likely a food source – so at some stage they will feed. If not today,

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user-friendly during the daytime and also into the night. In the dark expect plenty of tailor, a couple of shark species and a good chance at a mulloway.

Salmon are a good night and day prospect, with bream, whiting or mullet preferring daylight hours.

Shallow water fishing is an art that requires patience, persistence and above all observation, and the rewards are worth it.

With that lovely summer warmth, fish will move over flats or into the shallows to sunbake as much as to feed, so where do we start?

Simply start by walking the flats and shallows at low tide looking for signs that fish have been feeding there when it was covered with water. Indications may come in the form of a flathead lie in the sand, a crushed crab or oyster from a bream, and indents in the sand over worm and nipper beds where mullet and whiting have been fossicking, or skittish mullet on the fringes as the tide rises.

There are several methods to catch the fish here, so be prepared to diversify. For those wishing to wade, it’s a way to keep cool and maximise the stealth factor by getting right up close and personal with your intended prey.

Short casts and plenty of polaroiding are all you need.

There is no better feeling to have sighted, hunted and captured your fish. If you’re in a vessel, you may need to lengthen your distance of

Fishing the flats is a stealthy way to find flatties. sight and cast to achieve the same results as if you were on foot. Sometimes this is an advantage in that the extra elevation allows you to see fish before they see you.

Lure fishing on the flats can be done either wading or boating, while sight casting or using long raking exploratory casts to tempt out any unsighted quarry.

For those bait fishing, nippers are arguably the best baits over the flats,

while fresh prawns or squirt worms will also take their share of the prize.

Whatever method you use, expect plenty of action. As the bream, flathead, whiting, luderick and many more estuarine species are in such good numbers this season, a sly angler fishing the stealth method should have a lot of their fantasies fulfilled.

Good fishing everyone and happy holidays.

Distance makes big difference EDEN

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

With Eden the last town on the far NSW South Coast before you head into Victoria, it’s amazing how different the weather can be from Eden to Mallacoota. It’s only a one-hour drive yet the inshore water temperature is 3°C warmer at Eden and the offshore water temperature is 2°C warmer; this brings about totally different fishing options.

Salmon are still being caught on all the local beaches and with the water warming the fishing for other species on the local beaches will only get better with bream, whiting, gummy sharks and even the odd mulloway available right through until Easter.

To page 49

Crystal with a blade-eating tailor that didn’t manage to steal the lure.

NSW South Coast

More activity forecast MALLACOOTA

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

As we race towards Christmas the weather is really starting to warm up, with the past month seeing some proper summer days, which in turn really livens up the town. The water temperature on the beach is only around 15-16°C with the shelf temperatures just getting to around 20°C. By the time the Christmas visitors get here things will be a lot warmer.

Around the local beaches, the salmon fishing is starting to slow down, with fish still being caught, just not in the numbers they were in past months.

As the water warms fishing the beaches starts to offer a lot more variety with sand whiting, yellowfin bream and gummy sharks featuring in the catch, along with the odd flathead.

Fishing the breakwall at the harbour is popular and can be productive; as the growth on the rocks gets more established the fishing should keep improving.

The fishing offshore is starting to liven up with kingfish still being caught.

Fish are turning up anywhere between Gabo Island and down as far as Little Ram. Sand flathead are being caught from 20m and as the water warms the tiger flathead should come on the bite. Gummy sharks are also being caught and the back of Gabo Island is a reliable place to catch a few fish.

When heading out to sea over the next few months you need to remember the northeasterly wind gets blowing early, so it pays to get out there early when the sea conditions allow and be back before the wind really starts howling.

The fishing in the lake is starting to pick up with the dusky flathead coming on the bite with fish being

caught from both the bottom and top lake and as far upstream as Gypsy Point.

A variety of lures have been catching fish including soft plastics and blades.

Bream, both black and yellowfin, are being caught along the edges of both lakes. With the fish spreading out it’s important to keep moving to find the area where the fish are. Soft plastic lures fished on light jigheads have worked well with bait fishers having good success using frozen prawns for bait.

Good numbers of luderick are being caught on weed fished under a float alongside the jetties in the bottom lake. This is the most successful way of getting a few fish. Plenty of silver trevally are still in the lake with a variety of soft plastic lures catching fish.

As we head into summer the fishing for bass will start to fire up and the best days for fishing are the hot days before a storm.

CREATE YOUR ADVENTURES

390 STALKER For more information visit

www.horizonboats.com.au or call your nearest dealer Chelsea Yamaha

13 Ashley Park Drive Chelsea Heights Victoria 3196 Phone 03 9772 1277 robert@chelseayamaha.com.au

Michael Parker Marine

4 Erica Court Albury NSW 2640 Phone 02 6043 1578 mick.parker.marine@bigpond.com Flying gurnard are often caught in the bottom lake and are amazingly colourful.

From page 48

The fishing on the inshore reefs has really started to pick up with good catches of sand flathead being reported, and tiger flathead are also being caught from the usual spots. Snapper and morwong are on the bite with fresh bait catching plenty of fish. A few fish are being caught by anglers using soft plastic lures.

While the odd kingfish has been caught, on the whole the fishing for

kingies has been slow with more to report down towards Mallacoota. On the gamefishing scene there has been little to report. Windy conditions made it hard for boats to get out there, but with the water warming it won’t be long before things start to fire up.

The fishing in the local estuaries has taken off with the dusky flathead on the chew. Fish have been caught on both bait and lures. If you are lucky enough to catch a fish, remember to release it so it

can make another person’s day; these big girls are a valuable resource in any river system.

The entrance to the rivers has fished well with good tidal flow firing up trevally, sand whiting and yellowfin bream. Fresh bait, nippers and worms have been catching plenty of fish with lures, small poppers and soft plastics also catching fish. In the fresh the bass are starting to fire up with a good rain needed to get fish on the move.

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Wonthaggi Motorcycles & Power Equipment 48-52 Inverloch Road Wonthaggi Victoria 3995 Phone 03 5672 3500 sales@wonthaggimotorcycles.com.au

DECEMBER 2017

49

Busy times for holiday-makers and fishers MERIMBULA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

Merimbula is about to get very busy with the holiday period, but if the fishing remains the same as now then everyone is in for some cracking fun.

Anglers fishing offshore are having a field day, especially those after a feed with flathead in awesome numbers. It’s the best I’ve seen it for a long time, with most boats venturing out getting their bags in a session.

The flatties seem to be everywhere at present, though water depths of 35-45m seem to be yielding the bigger fish. There’s a good mixture of sand and tigers amongst them, with the average fish around

45cm. That’s pretty good going for offshore, so let’s hope it continues. I can’t see why it wouldn’t.

Those anglers fishing the inshore reefs have been finding it a little tougher of late, but I expect that to change over the coming weeks. There have been a few snapper and morwong about but you do have to work for them. The guys I’ve talked to who are getting results are moving around a lot to locate the fish, and mainly fishing the edges of the reef and not on the hard stuff. It also helps to use fresh bait, with squid and tuna fillets working well. Another tip is to fish a little lighter with tackle, and only using enough weight to get to the bottom.

Changing your sinker weight with the conditions is always important for

consistent results, and sometimes a few minor tackle adjustments is all that’s required to get the fish to play the game.

Kingfish have been around in good numbers, and some very big fish are mixed in. I know of several 18kg greenbacks caught this week, with plenty more lost. Many anglers have been seeing them on the surface but they have been a little disinterested in some offerings. Anglers casting big poppers and stickbaits have fared best, but a fresh squid strip or live slimy mackerel should produce a fish or two also.

In the estuaries it’s all systems go, with all species chewing at times.

At the time of writing the Merimbula Lake is closed due to a septic spill, but it’s due to re-open way before

This little soapie of 58cm was released to get bigger. This was one of five little mulloway caught for the day.

Gotta love mulloway! This 7kg fish was released in super condition. the holidays start. Pambula, just down the road, has been excellent. You can expect to encounter bream, flathead, whiting, flounder and trevally, with both bait and lure anglers catching plenty. The main basin has been the place to fish, with the oyster racks being great for the bream.

With the warmer water the surface fishing has improved dramatically, and this will only get better as we head further into summer. You can expect whiting and the odd decent flathead when fishing like this also.

The river itself is holding some nice fish but the water is marked with that dreadful red algae that we seem to get every summer. It makes fishing difficult, but if you can put up with it you will be rewarded for sure.

On the beaches, bream, whiting, mullet and salmon have all played the game.

Most beaches with a decent gutter are producing the goods, with Haycock and North Tura the better beaches to try. Anglers using live beach worms and pipis will get the best bags, and the lighter the line the more fish you will catch, especially in calmer conditions with less white water.

There have been plenty of smaller whaler sharks caught over recent weeks, with the odd gummy shark too. If wetting a line after dark with fresh slab fillets is for you, it’s definitely worth a go. North Tura would be the beach to fish.

Most local rock platforms are still producing fish, with Short Point the pick of them if you’re targeting blackfish and drummer. I had a look

down there the other day and saw two anglers with their bag limits of blackfish. They were using cabbage as bait and were berleying pretty hard. The fish averaged 800g with the odd bigger specimen thrown in.

There’s still a few salmon around the washes of most headlands, with whole ganged pilchards and chrome lures the best way of catching them. This month will see bonito turn up too, with Long Point and Tura Head the better places to fish. It’s a bit of work getting there but the rewards will come.

I’d also expect to see a few more kingfish come from Tura Head. The lads in the boats trolling the headlands have got a few, so the rock hoppers might just get amongst the action also.

Live bait and big shiners are the go-to methods.

Local system receives a much-needed fresh NAROOMA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

Our region finally received some welcome rainfall in recent weeks.

The 50-60mL that fell wasn’t enough, but at least it put some muchneeded fresh into the upper reaches of the estuary river systems.

Tuross Lake to the north of Narooma was one such system that needed rain urgently. Sure – another 100mL would be great, but at least it got something. The local bass population aren’t complaining as they can now venture a little more further west up the river to do their summer time thing. I believe that this will only help the bass, and we can expect the fishing for them to keep getting 50

DECEMBER 2017

better as the weather and water warm further.

Bass can be targeted a number of ways, but surface presentations late into the afternoon with walkers, poppers and paddlers all working at times.

Concentrate your efforts in the deeper holes that have plenty of structure, fish a hard drag and hang on, but remember to let these pristine wild species go, they are way too cool to only catch once.

Below the fresh zone where the tidal reaches start, flathead, bream and whiting can be found in solid numbers, especially on the flats that have been exposed to long periods of sun. This is important early in the season and you will find some exceptional fishing when casting smaller hardbodies or surface lures particularly when it’s windy.

A lot of anglers tend to go

Estuary perch are a lot of fun as Scott found out. These little bruisers are abundant at present, with this model being average for the Tuross River system. home when the wind picks up, but this is the peak time to fish these techniques – you cover a lot of ground casting with the breeze and have a lot more cover with

the rippled surface.

Closer to the entrance there’s been solid reports of decent flathead, mulloway to 10kg and even better fish lost. There have also been

quite a lot of salmon and tailor on the flooding tide just west of the cafe. This water is quite deep and if you were after a mulloway this would be the place

to start targeting them.

Anglers using mid-sized soft plastics and vibes will catch a few, but the majority lately have been caught by fishos using live and dead baits after dark on the draining tide. It really just depends on how you want to target them and what you’re after.

Wagonga Inlet is really starting to fire up with croc-sized flatties, mulloway, bream, whiting, snapper and some decent tailor all playing the game at times. The main basin in the deep water around 8-13m is the go with the water clarity, so fishing the deeper sections of the basin will pay dividends.

Anglers fishing a variety of soft plastics and vibes have fared best, with the odd mulloway coming after dark on the freshest of squid. You should be To page 51

NSW South Coast

Fish firing up for summer MERIMBULA

FMG

There have been a number of kings about down off Eden and Mowarry Point lately, taking stickbaits on the surface. A number have also been taken on knife jigs. Most fish range in size to about 10kg, but there’s the odd better fish up to 15kg. Every time I go snapper fishing I have my rod ready to go for the kings, just in case.

Out off Merimbula there aren’t great numbers of kings, but there are some big specimens out there up to 20kg. You just have to be lucky enough to come across them, then manage to get a hook-up and stay connected.

Snapper fishing been From page 50

able to catch squid around the ribbon weed edges in Forsters Bay near the marina. It’s a hotspot with plenty available.

Anglers fishing the rocks at Mystery Bay just south of Narooma have been rewarded with some good catches lately. Some solid kingfish to 7kg have come from this platform of in recent weeks, with big salmon and bonito also falling to live baits.

Drifting the livies under a balloon has been the best method, and you can usually get all the bait you require from the northern end of the ledge. The last two seasons the kings have been good, with bigger fish lost also, so it’s definitely worth a look.

With the decent swell of late there have been

really good off Merimbula, Eden and Tathra of late, with good numbers of fish taken up to 3kg. Most have been caught on soft plastics, micro jigs, and baits floated down a berley trail.

The flathead have really come on in the past couple of weeks, becoming more active in the warmer water. All the known flathead grounds around Tathra, Merimbula and Eden are starting to produce good numbers and sizes.

On the game fishing scene anglers are catching albacore and small bluefin off the edge the shelf off Merimbula and Eden. Some yellowfin have also been seen.

Off the beaches at the moment there are good numbers of salmon up to 3kg being caught. A few tailor

are mixed in with them. Both are being caught lure casting and on standard paternoster rigs with a surf popper and a pilchard.

The estuaries fishing quite well, right down from Wonboyn, Pambula, Merimbula and the Bega River. Good numbers of bream and trevally are being caught, along with some very nice dusky flathead on soft plastics. Now is also a good time of year to start focussing on mulloway.

Brogo Dam is starting to produce some good bass, and the local streams are also providing some good sport on bass. Surface fishing towards Eden has been accounting for good numbers of fish.

In December we can expect some yellowfin out wide, and anticipate the first

marlin of the season. Snapper fishing should start to get better and better, and the

flathead fishing should ramp up as well. It’s a great time of year for estuary fishing, as

all our species are pretty well fired up over that summer period. - Bruce Libbis

snapper caught from the washes at the southern end of the main ledge, with full pilchards on gang hooks doing the trick. Berley has been the key here, with one

local getting four solid reds to 2kg recently, proving they are there.

The drummer and luderick have been a little quiet, but these guys will make their presence

felt when the conditions are ideal. If you’re after the bread and butter species you’re better off fishing the inside of the southern wall at the bar entrance. Some good

blackfish are being caught there on cabbage.

Those fishing offshore have had great success lately, especially at Montague Island. The kingfish have woken up big time, with the island back to its best.

There have been kings to 11kg caught regularly on live bait, with the northern end and Fowl House reef on the western side of the island both producing. Anglers using jigs are catching them too, though the jigged fish seem to be on the smaller side. Mixed in with the kings are solid bonito, with some of these speedsters topping 7kg. They’re good sport on the right tackle.

The bottom bouncing brigade are doing well at the moment, with young gun charter skipper Nick Cowley scoring a handful of cracking reds to 5kg with

clients on a recent trip. For here they are big fish, with plenty of pan-sized models to keep anglers interested as well. Both Tuross and Potato Point in the deeper water have been the places to fish.

On the beaches the bread and butter species like bream, whiting and mullet have been OK, but you do have to work for them. Those anglers doing best have been using the freshest of bait and fishing light tackle during optimum times. If you can coincide a flooding tide at dusk you should be rewarded with a decent feed. Better beaches to try include Brou, Narooma main, Coila and Tilba beaches. If you’re after a few salmon, most of these same beaches are producing fish on bluebait and pilchards.

Lachie Cooper caught this solid bream during the Pambula Fishing Club’s bream comp.

A 120kg of striped marlin just out of reach. This is where most fish are lost so patience is required, and some luck.

FISHING NEWS

Fishers face firearms and spearing charges Senior Fisheries Officer Errol Parmigiani said a targeted operation recently resulted in three local men likely to face court on numerous fisheries, firearm and game charges.

Sounds of gunfire led Gippsland Fisheries officers and police to a remote spot on the banks of the Tarago River, where three men were allegedly shooting and spearing trout during the closed season (13 June to 2 September 2017).

“Fisheries officers from Traralgon, Cowes and Victoria Police members from Neerim South swooped on the alleged offenders on the Tarago

River in West Gippsland, late on Thursday night,” Mr Parmigiani said.

“We will be alleging the men used a spear, which is considered commercial fishing equipment in this situation and a 22 calibre rifle to illegally take brown trout, some of which were in excess of 3kg and 60cm in length.”

Officers heard up to a dozen shots fired along the river before the alleged offenders were intercepted and apprehended.

The trout season closed at midnight on the Monday of the Queen’s Birthday weekend.

“The closed season is there to protect trout during

the major part of their spawning activity and runs until the first Saturday in September each year,” Mr Parmigiani said.

“It is totally illegal to take trout with a spear or firearm from inland rivers and waterways.

“Other than the two fish found when the three men were intercepted, it is also likely that many more were injured or killed on the night.”

There are heavy penalties for using this type of equipment to take fish.

Anyone who sees or suspects illegal fishing activity is urged to call the 24-hour reporting line 13FISH (13 34 74). – Fisheries Victoria

Sounds of gunfire led Gippsland Fisheries Officers and police to a remote spot on the banks of the Tarago River, where three men were allegedly shooting and spearing trout during the closed season.

DECEMBER 2017

51

Perfect

All I want for Christmas FMG

Nicole Penfold nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

Here it is – our bumper 2017 Christmas Gift Guide!

We have hand-picked these products from all the great releases we’ve seen over the past 12 months or so, and have included prices to work with different budgets. There’s something here for everyone, whether you’re buying a present or you want to let your loved ones know what to buy for you.

My only regret is that I couldn’t include big ticket items like kayaks, seeing as they don’t fit under the tree and require a lot of wrapping paper. However, every product that didn’t make the Christmas Gift Guide is at www.tacklejunkie.fish, so be sure to head there if you want more inspiration!

ACCESSORIES

First cab off the rank is the ZMan Bait BinderZ wallet (SRP$16.95). I love ZMans, but anyone who uses them knows that their supercharged plastic doesn’t play well with other soft plastics. I found this out the hard way, after one of my Jackall Masks got melted to death.

With a ZMan Bait BinderZ case you’ll keep your ZMans safely away from other soft baits, in a way that makes it easy to find the model and colour you’re after in seconds.

Bait BinderZ feature nickelplated, corrosion-resistant rings that have been spaced to fit the reinforced, pre-punched holes in the bottom of standard size

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

BLACK MAGIC LEADER FEEDER

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

52

DECEMBER 2017

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

CHASEBAITS ULTIMATE SQUID

Chasebaits Ultimate Squid (SRP$19.99), whose first in-water swimming video went viral within minutes.

It’s that lifelike! The best feature is the delicately moulded wings on either side of the mantle, which have a rolling, rippling action, exactly like a real squid.

Other features include realistic 3D custom squid eyes, supple tentacles and a potent squid scent for maximum attraction. You can work the Ultimate Squid in a variety of ways – twitching, jigging or just adding it to a dropper rig to waft naturally in the current.

In field testing the Ultimate Squid has been smashing snapper and other reef fish, even after its tentacles have been bitten off. If you buy it for someone (or get one of your kids to), be sure to whip out your phone on Christmas Day to show the recipient one of the Chasebaits Squid YouTube videos.

If you’d rather buy some plastics with a range of smaller sizes and colours, the brand new Squidgies Bio-Tough range (from

take them off.

The series is manufactured in Japan, and has taken the most reliable lure shapes from the original Squidgies range and redeveloped the design to improve their already great fish-catching ability.

The range consists of the Bio Tough Wriggler (100mm and 120mm), Fish (80mm and 100mm) and Flick Bait (75mm and 100mm). This provides anglers with a range of baits to suit a variety of estuary and freshwater applications. There are

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

for Black Magic leader, those spools are a perfect fit and the line comes off very smoothly and easily.

The Leader Feeder is convenient to use, minimises tangles, features high quality stainless-steel feed holes

tent poles, awnings, camper trailers, and more. It weighs only 85g but pumps out up to 100 lumens of light, and there’s also an orange light option to both reduce bugs and help your night vision.

The Unilight is IP66 waterproof and can be powered with either 3 x AAA batteries or Korr’s specially designed rechargeable lithium battery. The battery life is 4-6 hours on the high setting and 80-90 hours on the low setting. Like other Hard Korr lights it’s built tough with high quality materials, and is backed by a 2-year Australian warranty.

Keep one in your tackle box, tinny, garage or with your camping gear, and you’ll have instant light wherever you need it.

six UV-enhanced colours, ranging from bloodworm for bream right through to pink glitz for flathead.

As you’d expect, the actions are great too, both when twitched through the water column and at rest in

SQUIDGIES BIO-TOUGH

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

GOING SOFT

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

LIVE TARGET SWIMBAITS

award-winning Live Target Swimbaits (from SRP$23).

There’s a number of species in the series, including mullet, sardine, perch, and trout. Each one has been fitted with an oscillator that generates a side-to-side tail swing action. The finish is very realistic, and there’s also a hook guard built into the dorsal fin of each swimbait, so you can throw them into some gnarly cover!

Sizes range from 4.5” to 7.5”, depending on the model. You can see all the species at www.ejtodd.com.au.

STRIKE PRO TRUEGLIDE GUPPIE

HARD KORR UNILIGHT

ZMAN BAIT BINDERZ

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

and a clear pocket so you can label your choice of line weights. It’s strong and durable, and can be clipped onto your tackle bag for maximum convenience.

You can find more details at www.blackmagictackle.com.

low current conditions. And when a fish is caught, the bait’s Dura Stretch properties keep it in top condition and ready to be deployed again.

These baits are also verified to be 50% biodegradable within the first three years.

Other great new soft baits making a splash are the

There’s one more lure I want to mention which isn’t actually a soft plastic, but a hybrid glide bait. It’s called the Strike Pro TrueGlide Guppie (SRP$44), and it’s set to be a hit with anglers chasing mulloway, barra, threadfin salmon and more.

This 5.3” (13.5cm) glide bait is manufactured with paint or glitter on the inside shell of the bait, in addition to paint on the outside, to create a 3D effect. This procedure also prolongs the colour of the lure.

The Guppie has 3D eyes and a compact shape to maximize hookup rates, and its convex body shaping from the top to the belly exposes the hook points for better hook sets. The body profiling also adds extra flash and belly roll.

The most interesting feature though is the interchangeable soft plastic tails. A spring screw at the rear of the lure lets you modify the bait simply by screwing on or off one of the optional tail types. A paddle tail and grub tail are included, and replacement

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

LIGHT READING

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

Ideas

easier-to-use trip locator maps, fishing information and recommended places to eat, drink and stay the night. There’s also expert equipment advice regarding kayaks, canoes, stand up paddleboards, fishing and transport.

If you’re in Victoria or Queensland, there are

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

APPAREL

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

PADDLER’S GUIDE

contained in the first edition have been revised, updated and enhanced for this new book, and a massive 140 paddling destinations have been included.

Other improvements include 1 Attomic PRINT.pdf

a new Jack Attack II shirt (SRP$89.95). These shirts are available from a child’s size 2 right through to 5XL for the big boys, so there’s a size to fit everyone in the family. Like all Bigfish UPF50 shirts, they feature BFMaxFlow fabric – a high performance, moisturewicking material that is not only soft to feel, but durable, breathable and cool.

For more info head to www. bigfishgear.com.

And if you need a new pair of sunnies, you will not find a better range than Costa (SRP$269-$349).

These premium fishing

Paddler’s Guide books for those states too, and they’re priced at $35 each.

Both books include at least 65 paddling trips (with descriptions, maps and GPS coordinates), locator 31/08/2017 3:03:53trip PM

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

Dog Tee (SRP$39.95), which represents all tough old sea dogs, standing at the helm of a rocking boat, waiting for that bite. The quality cotton fabric used in this shirt is soft to the touch and very comfortable. The highdensity printing enhances the artwork, and the regular fit shape suits all body types.

It comes in navy/yellow and black/white, and sizes range from S-3XL. You can see the full range of apparel at www. samaki.com.au.

Another great fishing apparel company is Bigfish Gear, and they have released

BIGFISH JACK ATTACK II

Semi Hardz

CY

Hardz

CMY

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www.frogle

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DECEMBER 2017

53

sunglasses come in a huge array of styles and lens types, so there’s a shape to fit everyone and a lens to suit every angling situation. Their quality Bio Resin frames are built to last, and their 580 lens technology blocks the harshest light waves in the visible spectrum, and enhances the portions that help you see more clearly into the water. You really

off literal photos of baitfish species, and you can’t get any more realistic than that.

Released late last year, these shrinkable and inexpensive covers will help protect the paint on your new lures, or rejuvenate your old favourites after they have lost their paint. And if you have a ton of failed lures that haven’t caught a fish yet (let’s be honest, we all have

COSTA SUNGLASSES

have to try them on to see how great they are, so get yourself to your nearest Costa stockiest and choose the best model for you. To view the full range visit www.costadelmar.com.au.

FOR THE DIY-ER

You don’t have to be an expert tinkerer to use the next two DIY products.

They’re a lot of fun, are easy to do, and you get that bonus satisfaction of catching a fish on something you’ve done yourself.

The first DIY product is JigSkinz (SRP$20 for a 4-pack). It’s a bit like one of those slick vinyl boat wraps, but downsized so you can pimp your lures with an incredibly realistic finish.

Most of the skins are based

a bunch of unloved failures stashed away), this product can revamp them and finally get some runs on the board.

To apply the JigSkinz, you just slip the new skin over the lure and place it in hot water. The moment your lure hits the hot water, the skin will shrink tightly over your lure and boom – you are done! You now have a new lure in your favourite colour.

JigSkinz are suitable for a huge range of lure types, including poppers, stickbaits, slugs and slices, knife jigs, micro jigs, blades,

JIGSKINZ

Perfect

it to create bathymetric maps. The antenna ensures constant WiFi connectivity for the highest signal range.

The Pro model provides a 150ft (45m) depth and 160ft (49m) WiFi range, and the 3D model offers

PRO-TEC POWDER PAINT

jigheads, lipless crankbaits, bibbed minnows and skirted pusher heads.

The skins come in a dizzying array of colours and lifelike patterns, plus there’s a clear skin to help protect your new lures.

Patterns include: flying fish, mackerel, mullet, sardine, perch, holographic colours, lumo and more. You can check them all out at www. jmgillies.com.au.

Anglers who like flicking plastics will have a lot of fun with Pro-Tec Powder Paint (SRP$23.50) from the Atomic Trick Bitz range.

This powder coat allows you to customize your jigheads with no mess and no odour.

There’s no need for a primer or gloss overcoat – all you need is a lighter or heat gun and you will have a durable, high gloss finish in minutes.

To apply, you simply shake the pot of powder paint, and heat up your jighead with a lighter or heat gun for 5-6 seconds.

Next, dip the hot end of the jighead into the powder and remove it immediately. Once removed you will see the powder turn to a high gloss, smooth finish. Allow it to cool for a minute or so, then

you’re ready for action! It’s never been easier to match your jigheads to your soft plastics for the ultimate lure. You can also get fancy and coat the grub keeper in one colour and the head in another. When used with a transparent tail, your grub keeper will look like the innards of a baitfish. Too realistic to pass up!

There is enough powder in each 2oz (57g) jar to coat hundreds of jigheads.

Check it out at www. frogleysoffshore.com.au.

BIG SPENDER

If you have a couple of hundred dollars to spend this Christmas, a great new gadget on the market is the Lowrance FishHunter (SRP$173.90-$218.90) castable fishfinder, designed for anglers fishing from the shore or a kayak. It sends real-time sonar data via WiFi to view on your

DAIWA TD SOL III

a 160ft (49m) depth and a 200ft (61m) WiFi range.

The rechargeable battery lasts for 10 hours of active use. For the full list of specs and features head to www. lowrance.com/en-au.

If your budget is a bit higher, I strongly recommend you check out the redesigned Daiwa TD Sol III (SRP$399). These are the lightest reels for their size that Daiwa has

smartphone or tablet, and doesn’t require a cellular or internet connection.

FishHunter Pro features a tri-frequency transducer, offering four ways to view sonar data including Fish (fish symbols), Raw (arches), Bathymetric and Ice Fishing Flasher views. You can also troll

ever produced and, due to new engineering and manufacturing processes, they’re also one of the toughest. The 3000 size is a featherweight 190g, which you’d expect more from a shallow spool 2000 reel, not this 3000 workhorse with its great spool capacity. The 3000 also pulls a massive

*For orders over $125.00 (conditions apply)

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You get a lot for your money with these reels, and you can check out the full list of specs and features at www. daiwafishing.com.au.

And now for the final big spender item: a fishing drone! At Fishing Monthly we love drones, especially for boat tests where they provide a bird’s eye view that you never used to get on boats. However, in our excitement and enthusiasm

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10kg of drag.

There are six models in the series, ranging from the 2000D to the 6000D-H, and all feature Daiwa’s Magseal technology for maximum water resistance, performance and longevity.

we have crashed two of them into the sea (drones, not boats) which has cost us over $2000. Ouch.

If you don’t want this to happen to you, the smart thing to do is to get a drone that’s waterproof – and preferably one that can drop a bait in for you as well. You’ve probably

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seen videos of shore-based anglers using drones to catch big pelagics, and you can get in on the action with the Swellpro Splash Fisherman drone (SRP$2100). It comes with a fully secure, payloadrelease mechanism so when you see a fish/bait ball on your remote control screen,

Ideas

mackerel or shark. Before long it will bob up on the surface again.

Like all good drones it features auto take-off and landing; altitude sensor and lock; and auto return to home function (to stop you losing the drone due to mis-operation or it being

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you can drop the bait right on top of them.

Every component of the rugged Splash Drone 3 Fisherman is waterproof. It can take off and land on the water, and resist both fresh and salt water, with all metal screws and fastenings made from top quality stainless steel. It also floats, so you don’t have to panic if it gets pulled down by a giant tuna,

out of range). Its video transmitter has a range of up to 1km, and you can control it via a smartphone app. You can find out more at www. dogtoothdistribution.com.au.

THE TRAVELLING ANGLER

Shakespeare have brought out some combo kits that are perfect for people who are new to fishing, or

SHAKESPEARE CATCH MORE FISH KIT

for casual anglers spending their holidays somewhere new. Shakespeare Catch More Fish Kits (SRP $59.96 to $89.95) contain an outfit and tackle kit suited to specific target species or fishing situations, and include a tough and sensitive tubular composite rod with solid tip, balanced with a spin reel spooled up and ready to go. The kit also includes an integrated tackle box complete with terminal tackle such as hooks, swivels and sinkers selected to match the outfit.

The Catch More Fish range consists of the Bream Battla (a 6’6” outfit spooled with 10lb line), the Flatty Fighta (7’, 10lb), Whiting Whippa (6’, 4lb), Jetty Monsta (8”, 14lb), Beach Patrola (12’, 14lb) and the Ocean Brawla (6’, 14lb).

If you’re more serious about your fishing, and like to fly to far-flung

destinations, you’d know that air travel isn’t like the good old days where you could take heaps of luggage.

Back then you could fly with a big suitcase and a rod tube the size of a Saturn rocket – and possibly an esky for fillets as well. These days with Qantas economy, you can take two pieces of check-in luggage with no

to 23kg, with no individual piece more than 32kg or 158cm. With Jetstar you pay for each piece of checked baggage. No more big rod tubes!

There are plenty of good travel rods to choose from when it comes to freshwater and estuary fishing, but I haven’t seen a massive choice for quality offshore

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piece exceeding 32kg, and (this is the bad bit) the total dimensions of the two pieces combined can not exceed 270cm, with no single piece exceeding 158cm.

With Virgin economy you can take one piece up

travel rods. One great new release I have found though is the Bone Voyage series (SRP$310-$370) distributed

by Wilson Fishing. These 4-piece rods come in both spin and baitcast versions, with models ranging from

the 6’5” 8-16lb 8BVC654M, through to the 7’6” 20-40lb BVS764XXH. Wilsons say these fast-actioned rods are equipped with highmodulus carbon fibre layers with cross weaves, which makes the blank much lighter and stiffer without compromising strength.

Other features include Fuji K-Alconite guides for maximum sensitivity, and an enhanced butt section with X-Grip wrap for superior power. Each rod comes with its own soft pouch. The new Bone Black River series and Bone Combat Beast series also include one travel model each, both designed for subduing big fish.

But before you book your flights, check the airline websites for the latest baggage regulations.

I’m pretty sure the check-in staff won’t accept a Fishing Monthly magazine as proof of their regulations – although they might take one as a bribe.

Merry Christmas and happy gift hunting!

• The prices listed in this article are suggested retail only. They may vary from store to store.

The Superb range of XP Bait Butterfly Ice Jigs are going to be a must have lure in 2017!

These Baits feature many unique attributes and have many various Patents.

The XP Bait Butterfly Ice Jigs feature butterfly wings that open up on the drop to slow the glide down and makes the Jig flutter through the water column.

This keeps the Jig in the strike zone for longer so it allows for more strikes.

It also features a holographic foil on the body under the wings to emit light and attract the fish to the bait. Another key feature is the ‘TFLF’ Line System that allows you to drop your jig to a desired depth without fluttering to save time and get your lure to the strike zone quicker.

The new XP Bait Butterfly Jigs are going to be a huge hit with Bass & Redfin anglers across Australia.

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The main design feature of the bait lies in its ability

to open its wings. The construction is designed in a way that while lowering into the water, the wings are unfolded up to a certain angle, allowing the bait to glide, keeping it in the strike zone longer.

While lifting up, the wings are folded and that leads to a decrease in water resistance and the ice jig moving aside. It also features a Holographic foil on the body that emits a flash when the wings open up to attract fish and trigger a response.

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55

Hot Spot

Make the most of the mighty Maribyrnong CRANBOURNE

Mitch Chapman

Often overshadowed by the bigger, more famous Yarra River, the Maribyrnong River (the ‘Nong,’ as it’s known by most) is one of the most popular fishing destinations for anglers who love their estuary fishing.

The wide variety of species and methods you can fish is what draws the attention of anglers, including bream, mulloway, snapper and salmon, just to name a few.

This beautiful river is full of surprises and big fish.

PRIME TIME In the warmer months bream become active feeding high in the water column and

Dale Baxter with one of the resident bream that he probably knows by name, as he catches so many from this area.

can be seen hanging around rock walls and the abundant pylons. As the bait pushes up the river, including salmon and mullet, this is always a good time to test your patience on the everelusive mulloway that lurk in the shadows.

THE GEAR Light graphite spin rods are the go when targeting bream in the river. A 2-4kg rod with 6lb braid is ideal.

Long fluorocarbon leaders are a must when targeting tricky, spooky bream in clear, slow-flowing waters along the banks of the Nong.

You need to fish light to get the bite, and pull them out quick before it’s all over.

THE RIG If you’re bait fishing, a bait holder size 4 hook with a freshwater yabby or scrub worm is as good as anything.

Long, light 4lb leader fished really light is the best when targeting bream.

BAIT AND LURES There are a number of lures that are all effective when fishing the Nong. Small vibes, Cranka Crabs and sinking stick minnows hold their own when fishing the pylons and bridges. If you’re fishing the rockwalls and banks then hardbodied lures

Joel with a solid bream caught fishing a crab along the rocks. are the go, as well as small lightweight plastics. If you’re bait fishing then yabbies, mussels or scrub worms fished with a light running sinker are deadly options for bream. For mulloway, live mullet or fresh squid baits are the go.

BEST METHOD Lure fishing is a productive and effective way to fish. You’ll cover more area and you have a better chance at finding the fish by moving around

and searching for them. An electric motor is a must if you’re lure fishing and can be used to sneak around or hold position against the wind and tide.

MOTHER NATURE Make sure you check the rules and regulations and no-fishing zones. Port security is right onto anyone who is doing the wrong thing, so to enjoy this fishery and keep it going for years to come, do the right thing and do the research

before heading out.

HOT TIP Fishing the high tide is always a good place to start when targeting bream. The water is up high and covering structure like rock walls, which will push the bream onto the banks looking for food. This makes it easier to locate fish when you can spot them on the banks.

These fish are generally a little easier to catch as they are in a feeding mode.

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Summer is here and so are the big crayfish WEST COAST

Brett Illingworth

Summer is upon us, both the seas and skies are warm and the crays are back on. Many good snapper have been caught in the northern reaches of the bay, and kingfish have been seen, so it won’t be long before the madness really kicks in.

This transition period is my favourite time. I am full of anticipation as to what will transpire over the next few months. The doom and gloom is behind, and good riddance to it. Thinner suits and longer dive days are what this time of year is all about, where the urge to dive overpowers the urge to sleep in.

This is also the time of year where if you have had a break, dormant skills need to be rediscovered. Dive fitness needs to be re-established.

It is amazing how quickly diving fitness wanes. Ease yourself back in to it and it won’t take long. This is also the time of year people really think about expanding their spearfishing knowledge and abilities. The most frequent question fielded to me is undoubtedly “how can I improve my spearfishing and take it to the next level?”

The answer is simple – join a spearfishing club. There are currently three spearfishing clubs

allows participation in official local, regional, state level and national spearfishing competitions.

AUF membership also gives you insurance cover during club sanctioned dives and competitive events.

More importantly, the club environment puts you in contact with like-minded

information, provide buddies and be supportive in general.

The Southe rn Freedivers, currently based in Noble Park, is the leading competition club in the state.

One season of competition diving will teach you more about fish identification, stalking techniques for different species and an

The result of a successful cray hunt. post comp, fish are weighed and the scores later collated and posted on websites and Facebook pages.

These comps are great social events as well, so even if comp diving is not your thing, members are still welcome to come

As always, squid should be easy enough to find in December.

down and be a part of the dive group. Of course, after the comp, there is the obligatory BBQ and drinks session, where tales of adventures over the past six hours are relived with anyone who will listen.

As a part of our club

souls and instantly provides you with greater opportunities to dive with others in many varied locations and differing conditions. In other words, your horizons will be expanded. You should probably leave your ego at the door, as our club membership consists of

Snapper are still a viable option in December.

The crays are back on, so get excited! in Victoria. Each of these clubs is an affiliate of the Australian Underwater Federation, or the AUF. The AUF is the governing body for spearfishing, and we in turn are governed by the rules, regulations, standards and procedures of this body.

The AUF membership 58

DECEMBER 2017

multiple national and state title holders all the way down to the most raw of beginners.

There is a deep pool of knowledge from which the new diver can draw.

Everyone starts somewhere and those who have been around the block a few times are only too willing to share

overall better understanding of the behaviour of the ocean itself, than you will glean in years of normal diving activities.

Competition spearing is not about rampant slaughter.

We are limited to one fish per species from a restricted scoresheet. In some areas, divers may take up to fifteen different types of fish. These fish all have minimum weights and sizes, which are far in excess of minimum legal requirements. All fish on the scoresheet are edible, and no fish are wasted.

Competitions are generally six hours in duration and there are strict rules in place regarding safety equipment, as well as stringent sign on and sign off protocols. Immediately

aggregate there are eight competitions, which when combined will give us our overall club champion.

There are many divisions within this aggregate structure, and therefore many avenues for trophies and recognition within your own skill level.

We have divisions for competitors over 50 years of age, divers who use polespears, pairs, juniors, women, C grade, B grade and A grade. I have been a member of the Southern Freedivers since its beginning in 1994. In that time I have seen young kids work through the ranks to eventually become state champions and international representatives. Now we are seeing their kids beginning their competition careers.

Join a club, you won’t be disappointed. Southern Freedivers, Geelong Freedivers and Club Spearfish all have websites and Facebook pages, so look them up and join up.

You will never look back and will end up with a whole lot of lifelong friends!

Diving can really put you in touch with what’s underwater.

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59

Go Behind the Scenery

Tasmania

The game is on in time for the holiday season TASMANIA

Kelly Hunt

The large round man is on his way and so is some of the most exciting fishing Tasmania has to offer. I hope you have all your

gear in order and you’re ready to go, as it’s really on now. The last few months have just been practice and a chance to see what you need to purchase and get fixed in preparation for the real game. It’s a time when the fish start to play and

the weather does as well.

There is a heap of available light and some of the lucky people have time off.

It’s been a big working year again for most and now this month we can take advantage of some wellearned rest and get stuck into

our fishing. The activity in November was amazing to see unfold. You can see the excitement building for a good weekend with a just few fine days in a row. We will see a whole heap more fine weather in December; this should continue right

Fishing will help. I have also found their mini berley pots a real cracker as well. They come pre-rigged with a sinker in them already, or just the cage. These can be worked into any rig to help attract fish to your hooks.

The age-old question of where to go is always in the front of my mind, but recently I have just said ‘go and have a try.’ Put bait in the water and see what happens. Of course avoid any area that is snagridden, as that is just plain misery. Re-rigging is timeconsuming, frustrating and can get expensive, so an area free of snags is preferable.

Once you have a spot in mind the next thing to work out is when to go and what to take. I prefer an incoming tide and often start on a dead

the entire contents all over the ground. Nope… never had that happen…

Then you need a drawer full of hooks of varying design and size. You need to cover everything from whiting to school sharks. Add some easy clips to make some running sinker rigs and heaps of brass swivels. You will also need some premade paternosters until you learn how to make up your own.

With a few surf poppers and Halco slice lures of a few different sizes you are off to a great start. The top of the box can house some long nose pliers and a few differentlength knives for different jobs. If you see anyone using your good filleting knife for bait cutting duties, arc up!

Every tackle box needs a knickknack drawer for lumo lights for rod tips and the

A good beach session with or without kids can be done in the comfort that is rarely afforded anglers. Access to most beach fishing spots is very good, so taking some luxuries is a must. Things like rod holders are vital. No one has time for slamming valuable fishing gear into the sand or into a crack in a rock.

Get a proper sand spike rod holder or make your own from some PVC piping. Then it’s all about chairs from here on.

Beach fishing is just like any other form of fishing and there is a lot of waiting to be done. Once you have everything in order and your trap is set, you may as well sit in a comfy chair. This will leave you fit and ready to go once you are in the midst of a piscatorial battle.

Good lighting is crucial as a beach session can run into the evening or start in the dark as light breaks.

I have a stake I drive in the ground and I attach a headlamp to it. It makes a great work light and a spare headlamp if you need one. I always take plenty of headlamps, as they are so handy. I normally drive the stake into the ground right next to my card table. Yes, that’s right – card table. I have been using one for ages and it’s an awesome idea for beach fishing. You can sit at it to tie up new rigs and also have a chopping board on it to keep some baits ready at all times.

It’s a great inclusion to the beach fishing kit.

I prefer the tide coming

NORTH WEST The waters of the entire North West really come alive in December. The currents of warmer water bring in microscopic food sources that the teensy weensy baitfish feed on.

This inturn brings in the baitfish we fishos like to see. The mackerel and couta schools follow these food sources and are an attraction for all sorts of bigger fish.

The bigger predators like Australian salmon and yellowtail kingfish start to come on. Tailor and school sharks start to turn up in areas along the coast and so beach fishing into the evening becomes an option.

Beach fishing has really started to see a lift in numbers of anglers. Fishing doesn’t have to be always

up to January.

If you have a keen fisho in your family, make sure you get into your local fishing store and ask for advice on anything you may like to buy your loved one.

The good thing about local tackle stores is they have

knowledge of the area where they are situated, and often the person you are buying for. What fishing they do and what gear they might already have. This saves a heap of time in getting good gear well suited to what your loved one is actively engaged in.

James Howard has offered up some of his techniques for salmon success. in as I mentioned before, but certain spots perform better at other times in the tide depending on the bottom contour and gutters available.

Here are some spots to try.

Moorland Beach out past the Devonport Airport has easy beach access to the left and foot access to the right.

Fish the sand on the edges of the rocky and weedy edges.

Go out one day and look

at a very low tide to see where I mean.

Turners Beach has foot access via very short walking tracks to the beach. It fishes well all along but a little better down the Claytons Rivulet end. At Buttons Creek, either side of the water flowing out of the creek is a good place to start. There are also some rock channels

Salmon love a soft plastic, especially this one from Samaki. about the latest and greatest triple spiralled carbon fibre rod with molecular balls of rainbow marbles and unicorn droppings or ultra sexy hardbody lures that cost eleventy-squillion dollars.

There is nothing wrong with digging grandad’s old surf rod out of the shed and heading down to the water’s edge for a cast on an incoming tide. These rods are made out of good old-fashioned fibreglass and will launch a star sinker and paternoster rig for miles… often without the bait you have spent five minutes meticulously applying to your hooks.

Squid bait is the boss of this domain, but if you’re using other baits like blue bait and prawns some bait mate thread from Hook’em 60

DECEMBER 2017

low. This allows me to see and get an understanding of the bottom, and also to deploy some berley.

If you can find a device you can put a weight in and have heaps of rope, fill it with berley and just pull it in as the tide comes up. Tie a small float to it so you can see where it is as you pull it in. This gives you an idea where it is and you can cast to it as your berley starts to work for you. This technique works for open beaches and areas that have a sandy or small rubble bottom.

In a perfect world everyone should have a designated beach fishing tackle box. It would have a range of ball sinkers in varied sizes and the same in snapper and star sinkers. These can be kept in the bottom drawer as it saves the tackle box tipping over and spilling

obligatory sets of bite bells.

These trinkety little bells are fantastic for when the interest in the rod tip has waned a touch or it has gotten dark. The kids love them as well. Here is another great reason to get back into beach fishing – it’s a really kid-friendly way of getting in some quality fishing.

Normally the kids can rain a little misery on a fishing trip, but not with a few hours on the beach. The kids normally show some interest in what is going on for a while and then the ‘I’m bored’ symphony starts up. Don’t have any of that. Let them know there is an entire beach to play on and there might even be rock pools to explore. Just make sure you show them on your phone what a blue ring octopus looks like and stress that making one a pet is a no-no!

Beach fishing is a good way to wind down after a big day or week.

To page 61

Go Behind the Scenery From page 60

to the east. At Picnic Point the beach stretches either side of Black Jack Rock hold fish.

Salmon off the stones The size of the Australian salmon has really been impressive lately and in December these fish are a number one target for fun and fighting factor. On the light gear these fish are super fun. The coastline of Tasmania is littered with rocky points that are worth a try if you are land-based.

Australian salmon are more closely related to herring than the pink-fleshed Atlantic salmon and other Salmonidae species.

The name comes from European settlers that noticed a likeness to salmon at home. The fish are also known as bay trout, colonial salmon and kahawai New Zealand in. Interestingly a small one is called a cocky salmon in Tasmania and once bigger it’s a blackback salmon. They are very abundant in all coastal areas of Tasmania. One such spot is Boat Harbour and it’s a cracking place.

Boat Harbour is situated about half an hour from Burnie out past Wynyard. Once you turn off the highway, you drive down into one of the more

magical places in Tasmania.

The sand is amazing and white and the water colour and quality is superb. You can fish along the rocky point to the northwest or all along the beach to the rocks in the east.

James Howard has been on the salmon there lately and having a great time. He has shared some of his techniques for success with us this month.

James says he usually fishes the last few hours of incoming tide, including the high tide.

He finds he does best when the wind comes out of the south

and southwest.

James suggests to go right to the end of the point and cast parallel to the beach. You can cast in a fan shape to cover a good amount of water area.

He will also at this stage cast north off the point towards the structure. Having the wind at your back will aid in nice long casts and covering as much ground as you can.

James often looks on Google Maps to suss out an area. You will see how the reefy structure swings out towards the beach and then

Ella, Freya and Nan took down some good-size squid on a nice warm evening.

Tasmania

sweeps back in again. He finds salmon always track along the edge of this rocky ledge and are easily reachable from the point.

It’s crucial you cast long and hard and in a fan to cover ground. Once you find one and hook it that can bring on some activity, as his mates will wonder what’s going on. Often a quick pic and release and a cast in a similar spot will get some more interest.

The lure James has been having recent success with is the Muscle Shots by Jackson; he says these have the advantage of casting distance.

He is able to let them go and they fly a mile. This is helped by loading up a fast action heavy rod. He can easily reach the reefy structures off Boat Harbour.

The salmon find great side-to-side swinging action irresistible when ripped and jerked along with a fast action rod. James likes lures that swim just below the surface.

You often get to see some amazing strikes from the powerful blackback salmon.

Watching them follow and then smashing the lure in the clear blue water Boat Harbour is known for is great fun.

Given these fish are more fun to catch than eat, James often swaps over to single hooks for catch and release. I don’t want to start an argument

Jess Colgrave gave her dad heaps to be proud of after a big day out on the Derwent River. about these fish and their eating quality, as there are some nice ways to prepare them and eat them. However, when they are on you often can catch a heap of them and they don’t freeze well. Keep catch and release in mind. I often keep a few whole in my freezer as they make good gummy and mako shark bait.

James also uses soft plastics and prefers a heavier jighead.

This is again for castability and being able to cover a bit of ocean area. He mentions that they also hold the presentation down a little deeper if the fish are at a lower depth. James favours a heavy gauge hook as

a good blackback will peel a standard gauge hook open.

He uses a slow retrieve and he gives a pitch and jerk at regular intervals. He also uses a Slim Beauty knot because it’s nice and slick through the guides.

Kingfish These big, powerful brutes will be thickening up and becoming more and more active. We should start to see a few along the same rocky headlands where we go to look for big Aussie salmon. I say the headlands, as these fish like structure and they like some current.

To page 62

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61

Go Behind the Scenery

Tasmania From page 61

Pound for pound they are one of the most powerful and dirty fighting fish you will encounter in Tasmania. They use the water and current passing the headlands to great effect when hooked.

Don’t take my word for it – I have only caught a few here on the North West coast.

Daniel Paull and his father Mason Paull are the ones to watch in this space. They love to target these fish and have had some great success.

They say you will need some good, strong gear and go up a few line class sizes on rods and reels. Where you can take down a few big Australian salmon on your trout gear, the kingies will make you look silly and bust you off in a heartbeat.

These fish like to ambush their food, hit hard and head back to safety of cover. The boys say if you don’t have your reel near locked up, you are going to be in a lot

Dylan Loh found some squid for a quick session bag out. of trouble. The modern braid line is great for distance when casting and cuts the water

SOUTHERN DOMAIN The areas down south come alive in December.

Those that own boats or have a shed full of land-based gear start to remember that they fish.

The sun really comes out to play and waking up in the morning with Mount Wellington free of any snow puts everyone in a good mood. The boats get out from under cover and the banks of the Derwent River are lined with people all wanting to have a crack.

Let’s have a look at what’s biting and where.

The bream fishing is now in full swing with the Derwent, Jordan River and Browns River are all fishing extremely well.

Local young gun Harry

Foster recently had a very productive day fishing with soft plastics in the Jordan.

Slowly hopping 3” minnow-style plastics along the bottom seemed to be the key with almost every cast resulting in a hook-up. For those looking to travel a little further, the east coast lagoons and rivers are all fishing well with topwater lures being the standouts.

The tiger flathead have started to make a stronger appearance with some solid specimens being caught out off Eaglehawk Neck. Fishing paternoster rigs with squid has been working well. The 100m line has been the standout.

Having enough lead on to hold bottom is crucial to get

beautifully, but it doesn’t like abrasion under tension. If you aren’t prepared, a strong first your hooks loaded up.

Not to be left out, the sand flathead are being caught inshore in good numbers as well. While there are a few being caught in the channel, the shallows of Norfolk Bay seem to be the most productive lately.

A 3-4” soft plastic on a 1/4oz jighead is ideal.

The striped trumpeter season has been off to a great start. Locki Nichols got straight into them with a great session off Tasman Island. He managed to bag out in a short amount of time using squid and octopus as bait. Not only did he get into the stripies, but he was also lucky enough to come across an early season mako.

This is good angling and it pays to always keep To page 63

run will have the fish in the structure and looking to bust you off in a heart beat. All you

will be doing then is looking about to your mates with a silly, confused look.

Daniel and Mason say that Tassie kings aren’t too fussy with what they will take, but big slender soft plastics and poppers work well. You can use a slow retrieve and sink or a quick rip-rip retrieve to work out what they like on the day. Daniel says if you find some fish and they group up a bit, you can use a fast retrieve to keep them wound up. He added, “If a kingfish wants your lure, you won’t be able to wind too fast. They will chase it down and hit it hard.”

These two gents have done very well in and around the tricky waters of Woolnorth Point. I say tricky, as to access this area you need to come out of Montague. I have mentioned in the past that this area needs to be treated with respect. The water rushing off the flats on a falling tide creates quite a current.

It also empties out of there

quite quickly, so if you get stuck you best have some water and some sandwiches to eat while you’re waiting to get floated off on the next high water mark. I am no boat-handling guru by any stretch of the imagination, but I have enough experience to get by. I have put a 7m boat back on the trailer at the Montague Ramp on a two-thirds run-out tide; that still has me wake up at night in a cold sweat!

If you don’t want to head up to Montague you can try all our coastal points that have some deeper water with structure within casting range. They will have kingfish mooching about on the half tide rising. Fish the rising tide and the full tide and you never know what you will encounter. Vary your lures and rates of retrieve and fan the water covering all you possibly can for chance of success. Good luck!

Harry Foster found a gorgeous trout by-catch while chasing bream in the Derwent.

HYDRO TASMANIA WATER STORAGE INFORMATION Water Storage Information as at 8th November 2017 Lake/Lagoon

Metres from full

Comment

Lake Augusta....................................3.42...................................................................

Arthurs Lake.....................................0.83...................................................................

Great Lake........................................12.94.................................................................

Trevallyn Pond..................................1.19...................................................................

Shannon Lagoon...............................0.19...................................................................

Penstock Lagoon..............................0.09...................................................................

Lake Echo.........................................4.96...................................................................

Dee Lagoon.......................................0.27...................................................................

Bradys/Binneys/Tungatinah..............1.93...................................................................

Bronte Lagoon..................................0.97...................................................................

Pine Tier Lagoon...............................1.84...................................................................

Little Pine Lagoon.............................0.76...................................................................

Laughing Jack Lagoon.....................0.32...................................................................

Lake St Clair.....................................1.53...................................................................

Lake King William.............................0.28...................................................................

Lake Liapootah.................................0.71...................................................................

Wayatinah Lagoon............................0.07...................................................................

Lake Catagunya................................0.65...................................................................

Lake Repulse....................................0.21...................................................................

Cluny Lagoon..................................................................................................Spilling Meadowbank Lake...........................0.14...................................................................

Lake Pedder......................................0.84...................................................................

Lake Gordon.....................................22.21.................................................................

Lake Burbury....................................1.20...................................................................

Lake Plimsoll....................................2.00...................................................................

Lake Murchison................................15.55.................................................................

Lake Mackintosh..............................4.86...................................................................

Lake Rosebery..................................0.20...................................................................

Lake Pieman.....................................0.66...................................................................

Lake Mackenzie................................5.40...................................................................

Lake Rowallan..................................2.38...................................................................

Lake Parangana................................2.43...................................................................

Lake Cethana....................................4.50...................................................................

Lake Barrington................................0.18...................................................................

Lake Gairdner...................................11.55.................................................................

Lake Paloona..................................................................................................Spilling Woods Lake......................................0.94...................................................................

Whitespur Pond................................7.57...................................................................

Lake Newton.....................................3.35...................................................................

Lake Margaret..................................0.52...................................................................

These levels are provided for an indication of lake level only and can vary from day to day. For more up-to-date lake level information please visit www.hydro.com.au/home/Tourism+and+Recreation/Lake+Levels.htm

62

DECEMBER 2017

BOATS FOR SALE

Go Behind the Scenery

Tasmania

From page 62

some heavy tackle when hitting the bottom up just for this type of encounter.

You don’t need anything ridiculous, just a good wire trace of 200lb and a good stout hook, rigged and stored in a zip lock bag ready to deploy in an instant. It’s shaping up to be a good season.

The squid are still in good numbers and they have been reasonably large specimens lately. Locals Dylan Loh and Michael Gurner headed out to the back of Bruny Island last weekend and managed to bag out in just over an hour!

Fishing the reef edges around Dennes Point, Bull Bay and One Tree with 3g jigs in orange or white worked best.

School-sized bluefin up to 40kg have still been being popping up around Eaglehawk Neck. Hotspots include the Pillar, Tasman Island and the Hippolyte Rock. Trolling 5-6” skirts in red bait colour has worked best. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for birds and your eyes peeled for any surface action.

The back of the reef at Betsy Island has been producing some solid gummy sharks. Anchor up on high tide and pump a consistent berley trail as the tide starts to run out. Most baits will work but oily fish such as mackerel, couta or Australian salmon work best.

Rig this with a 5/0 circle hook and 40lb leader. If you’re extremely lucky, you might even find a snapper or two as they are starting to make their way into the bays.

The Derwent River has been fishing very well and December will see much of the same. The fish have been in close to the river edges and feeding on the ample bait in the river system.

Aaron Colgrave took his

on

SKEETER TZX170 Location: QLD

Lake Crecent has many suprises and Dylan was suprised to see someone else’s lure attached to this fish. daughter Jess for a fish. He said, “As a Tasmanian angler and proud dad, I really don’t think it can get much better than today...

“My six-year-old daughter Jess and I went out on the river Derwent in my alloy dingy today.

She is not often afraid, but usually fairly cautious, so I have been biding my time.

I have been cautious about her first boating experience as I don’t want to spook her unnecessarily, so waiting for the right day for her to have a great experience was paramount.

“Today was definitely that day. Thank you weather gods and thank you beautiful Derwent River; we had an absolute ball today. The questions came thick and fast with her first step on the boat with, ‘why is it wobbly?’

Jess loved going flat-out and especially the hole shot from stand still to up on the plane. Jess managed to not only catch her first bream, but two of them. This

Eythan Purton found some Lake Crecent corkers.

was a feat she repeated on the Derwent River trout – searunners to boot!

“She was a little champion all day, belting out cast after cast and either slow retrieving or trying to twitch ‘Louie.’ She named her lure Louie and would wind and say ‘C’mon Louie catch me a fish!’

“Using one of my bream outfits throwing a 70mm minnow lure, she had many follows from small trout and a great hit almost at the surface from one of the bream…”

Aaron summed up the day by saying, “Jess landed two bream and two trout today, which was a marvellous effort. Previously she only had one salmon to her name. It just doesn’t get much better and I was so super proud.”

Lake Crescent has been the go-to spot for most anglers lately. Dylan Loh went up last week and had a great day landing six solid fish using the Liquid Gold hardbody minnows. The average fish has been around 5lb, which provides great sport on the light gear.

The lake is said to be the ‘lake of a thousand casts’ and I can vouch for that. I went up for a look and worked out I did three casts a minute for a total of 780, so I figure I have 220 to go before I get a good one. We saw plenty of very good fish just porpoising and feeding, but couldn’t get one to eat. This is why people go back time and time again, even with little success. We saw fish that actually looked like small dolphins and were massive. It is the allure of one day hooking up with one of these big trophy trout that keep anglers coming back.

The water is so brown that you need to run a lure right past their nose. This is where the casting comes from as you must cast and cover a lot of the water to play the odds of getting a lure in front of a fish.

On the way up we had the age-old discussion about

which way was quicker to get there from Devonport – go up over the lakes and turn left at the Steppes or head down the highway to Tunbridge and up Tunbridge Tier and on through to Interlaken? I lean towards Tunbridge Tier.

Now that the rivers have settled down and flows are slowing, spots such as the Tyenna and Styx River are well worth a look, especially for those looking to try their luck at flyfishing. Warmer December weather will have some insect activity and the dry fly patterns being fished.

I have managed to take good advantage of the better weather myself lately. The evenings were so good late in November that I even took my dear mum out for a squid fish. My mother grew up in Somerset and my Pop was a very serious fisher and it wasn’t just a pastime to him.

In the early years of his life it was a way of survival and putting food on the table for his parents. Later as he became a young adult he fished to feed a family of his own. As such my Mum learnt to fish and clean fish from a young age and it was Mum who taught me how to gut and scale fish.

It was a huge buzz to take her and my young kids out off Lillico Strait and get into some squid. If it wasn’t for mum, we may have gone in with very few squid. She found a good squid and left it out the back for a bit and coaxed up a big pod of very large squid. Between me sorting three kids out and getting the fish off their jigs, they managed to get 15 bigguns and that was plenty.

Get out there and take advantage of this wonderful weather and just relish in this awesome place where we live. If you have a boat or a beautiful spot you fish, take someone out – they’ll love it.

Don’t overcomplicate things, just get out and wet a line.

Until next month, tight lines.

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$22,000 Like us on facebook for automatic updates DECEMBER 2017

63

DIY Lure Making

DIY lure making: Flat Doc BRISBANE

Greg Vinall support@makewoodenlures.com

Having a good selection of crankbaits that run at different depths gives you options under many conditions. Since we’ve already made a shallow running crankbait, we’ll continue our lure making adventure with a deeper running model.

Actually, this lure also has a different body shape. As the name suggests, ‘Flat Doc’ is a flat-sided crankbait. This style of body is perfect for imitating many of the deeper bodied bait species like

herring, perch, bony bream, glassfish and so on.

To get the lure down a little deeper, we’re going to use a slightly larger diving lip than we did on Doc’s Minnow. Don’t be fooled by the old myth that the angle of the diving lip determines the depth your lure runs.

Making the lip close to horizontal won’t increase diving depth unless the size of the lip is also increased.

On the subject of diving lips, I made mine from 2mm thick polycarbonate also known as ‘lexan.’ You might have to hunt around a few places to find this, or order some from EBay or Amazon. Don’t be tempted

Template: 1 Square = 1cm

to use ordinary Perspex as it’s too brittle and breaks when your lures hit structure.

FISHING WITH THE FLAT DOC Flat-sided crankbaits have a wonderful, tight shimmying action. If you’re used to lures with a wider action, you’ll notice this little guy doesn’t create much drag on the rod tip. In fact, when you first tie one on you might feel as though it’s not doing much.

Even with braided line it can be hard to feel the beat of the lure compared with other styles.

RELAX AND TRUST IN THE DESIGN! One of the advantages of

100% Scale

TOOLS AND MATERIALS

the flat sides is that every side-to-side movement of the lure moves a lot of water. That creates a strong vibration for fish to home in on, without creating drag on the rod tip I like to work flat-sided crankbaits in places where I know those aforementioned bait species are prevalent.

Often they’re schooled up around some kind of structure, or under lights if you’re fishing at night. Working the lure around the edges of a bait school makes it look like a stray fish that is easy pickings.

I’ll generally work the lure fairly slowly with occasional twitches of the rod tip. If the fish are hunting aggressively, it can sometimes be more effective to burn the lure through the water at higher speed. Watch how herring and perch behave when they’re relaxed and

Tools Utility knife, battery drill and bits, hacksaw, pliers.

Materials • 12mm x 12.5mm x 75mm balsa plank • 1-1.2mm stainless steel wire • 2mm thick clear polycarbonate (lexan) sheet • 120 and 240 grit sand paper • 240 grit wet sanding paper • Epoxy adhesive (with syringes and mixing sticks) • Ball sinkers (size 000) • Methylated spirits when they’re being pursued.

That’s what you’re trying to imitate.

MAKING THE FLAT DOC As with all of the lures in this series, we’re sticking to very basic tools and materials.

Balsa for the lure body, a little stainless steel wire, some size 000 ball sinkers, a piece of lexan and a good epoxy adhesive like 24-hour Araldite are all you’ll need.

PAINTING AND CLEAR COATING You can hand paint

your lures using a brush or some aerosol cans, or you can step up to an airbrush if you want to get a bit fancier. You might even like to take my free lure painting course at crazylureart.com/free-lurepainting-lessons-register/.

I use Envirotex Lite epoxy for the clear coat. It’s a bit challenging to use but creates a very attractive, tough and durable lure.

Otherwise, use a marine varnish for a durable, waterproof result.

1

Visit www.MakeWoodenLures. com/Fishing-Monthly/ to download all the templates in this series.

2

Print and transfer the side profile of the lure onto the piece of balsa wood. Use a utility knife to cut away most of the waste, but stop just short of the lines you marked.

3

Mark a centre line along the edges and use your template to mark the location of the hook hangers, tow point, weight and diving lip. Use a 2mm drill bit to make a small hole for the hook hangers and tow point. Be careful to get these holes centred accurately – and don’t drill into your fingers!

Use a 5mm brad point bit to make the hole for the belly weight.

Glue some sandpaper to a wood block. Place the lure blank on a flat surface and use the sanding block to clean up and square the edge. Use a curved sanding block to clean up the concave edge on the underside of the lure. The aim is to get everything nice and square in cross section.

4

5

Use a thin-bladed saw to make the slot for the diving lip. It’s really important that this slot isn’t crooked. A misaligned diving lip makes a lure difficult or impossible to tune, so it’s better to throw the lure out and start again if you mess up this step.

64

DECEMBER 2017

Now is the time to start shaping your lure body, so mark carving guidelines as in previous projects. You want the sides of your lure to remain flat, so the guidelines should be closer to the edge of the timber and not halfway between the centre line and edge.

DIY Lure Making 6

7

Slice away the timber between the carving guidelines. Use a sharp knife and take lots of light cuts for accurate results. Then go ahead and refine the shape by removing as many ridges and tool marks as possible. Finally, you can smooth the shape of the lure body using 120 or 240 grit sandpaper.

8

Make some twist eyes from 316 grade stainless steel wire and glue them into the holes you drilled previously. Use 24-hour curing Araldite and be sure to get as much adhesive into the holes and over the shaft of the eyes as possible.

Put some glue in the belly weight hole, push in a ball sinker and fill the hole up with extra glue. Wipe away any excess glue and set your lures aside to cure.

FINISHED LURE

You could install the diving lip at this stage of the process, but for this lure, install it after the painting is done (and before clear coating). Brush on a little epoxy thinned down with methylated spirit. This will soak into the wood to harden and waterproof it. Let it cure for a few days, then wet sand with 240 grit paper until the gloss has been taken off the epoxy. Then the lure is ready for painting.

• For extra information and video tutorials please go to Greg’s website MakeWoodenLures.com/Fishing-Monthly/ and complete the free registration. To check out Greg’s other work visit crazylureart. com and his Facebook page Wooden Lure Making.

for • Sign up updates!

• New products • Reviews • Videos

ch Is too mu t tackle no ugh? o n e y l r a ne

test s on the la aily update r and accessories. d r fo sh .fi g gea junkie kle, boatin Visit tackle fishing tac st te a re g and Fishing Monthly Magazines

www.tacklejunkie.fish DECEMBER 2017

65

All species open for business HORSHAM

James Perry

December signals the start of summer to most, but more importantly, it is the start of cod open season. This month is possibly the best time to fish the Wimmera region, as you can target all species. Be it early morning trout sessions, redfin by day or late afternoons for cod and yellowbelly, there’s plenty going on.

TAYLORS LAKE Taylors Lake is a red-hot option in December, as it gets forgotten about by most during spring due to closed season for cod. Spinnerbaits and vibes are great presentations for targeting both yellowbelly and cod, but don’t limit yourself to these methods.

Some quality fish

yabbies and scrub worms are best fished from the bottom.

Bobbing yabbies hard against the trees is another great method, just be prepared to have to fight the fish out of the snag. It’s well worth upsizing your leader and also lengthen it to two rod lengths, as the timber will bust your braid in no time.

LAKE CHARLEGRARK Lake Charlegrark is another worthy cod lake within the area that is well worth the drive. Trolling deep diving hardbody lures is the most used method. Go big with your lure choice and keep in contact with the bottom. Large StumpJumpers, Oar-gee Plows and Balitsta Dynos are a great starting point with lure choice.

ROCKLANDS Rocklands Reservoir has been producing cricket scores of redfin over the last month

redfin are very easy to spot in this lake due to the lack of weed and the typically rocky bottom. Work points and drop offs while aiming for three to 4m of water.

When trolling it’s hard to go past the good old pink or purple finesse StumpJumper.

Once you locate a feeding school, swap out to your favourite sinking options.

Vibes, plastics, chatterbaits, spinnerbaits and ice jigs are all stellar options.

Keep in mind the method of retrieve is more important

the hatch is very important at this time of year.

Plan your trout trips around foggy or overcast weather. For the fly angler, as always take the time to inspect the trees and sunken grasses for life to assist in fly selection. If you’re planning on bait fishing, try to get your bait as close to the weed as possible, be it under a float or rigged above a sinker.

WIMMERA RIVER The Wimmera River is alive of a late afternoon at this time of the year, with good catches of yellowbelly being

Jarrod Potter tricked this yella with a chatterbait on the Wimmera River. reported all the way along the river. As usual, the further you venture from the towns, the better the fishing gets.

Chatterbaits and spinnerbaits in dark colours have been getting good results, along with small hardbody

10-year-old Lachlan Whitelaw showing the grown-ups how it’s done at Lake Fyans!

Local angler Craig Clyne scored this healthy cod while working the shallows for yellowbelly. have been coming from the shallows, so consider subsurface and surface lures too. Taylors Lake also has a reasonable population of redfin, so downsizing your lure choice may open up an opportunity to score a Taylors trifecta.

For the bait fishos,

and will continue to do so.

While the average size has been down compared to other lakes, the volume has more than made up for it.

As always with Rocklands, your sounder is your best friend. Troll around while keeping a close eye on the sounder, as schools of

than the lure choice itself, so try various methods of twitching hops and pauses until you find the most productive method.

If bait fishing try slow drifting yabbies on the bottom, and if you’re land-based try targeting an exposed point instead of a sheltered bay, as it’s more likely to have fish moving through.

LAKE TIPS While trout in the local lakes can be hard to locate during summer due to them disappearing into the weed beds to escape the heat, it isn’t an impossible task.

The early bird gets the worm in this case. Get out early and keep a look out for what’s happening around you.

Take note of any insect activity and look for minnows and smelt in the water. Matching

lures. Vibes are also a great lure, but due to the snaggy nature of the river, expect to loose a few. Be sure to fish all the way to sunset, as the last hour of light truly is the golden hour.

Good luck this month.

A very healthy redfin caught by the author.

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Length Beam

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DECEMBER 2017

MODEL 310 FISHERMAN 370 FISHERMAN 420 FISHERMAN

Length Beam

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.38 .39 .44

33 38 38

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Your fishing licence fees at work Better access at Aire River

Fishing licence fees have helped the Association of Geelong and District Angling Clubs to build a boardwalk and all-abilities fishing platform on the Aire River, which is a popular spot with anglers chasing black bream.

Fish cleaning tables

The Warneet Fishing Club has managed the installation of two new fish cleaning tables at Crouchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Inlet on Western Port.

The tables are adjacent to the boat launching facilities and will make it easier for anglers to take home a feed of fillets without the mess!

The new tables will also reduce the pressure on nearby fish cleaning facilities at Blind Bight.

More snags into Broken Creek

The Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority has installed 190 snags into the Broken Creek near Nathalia to improve habitat for native fish.

The snags were sourced during the clean up following the Boweya, Lake Rowan and Wunghnu fires.

This was the final stage of the CMAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Instream Habitat Enhancement Project, which has added almost 950 snags since 2011, along more than 18km of creek.

Surveys have shown an increase in Murray cod numbers and a large increase in shrimp, an important food source for large bodied native fish.

Take golden moments in an uncertain future Wemen and beyond, but all are reporting good numbers of perch.

Of course, the carp are ever-present and about in numbers as thick as I have ever seen them. While they are great fun on the line, they are also a constant reminder of some people’s belief that they have the right to interfere with nature. Like rabbits, foxes and the prickly pear, the introduction of carp is in a long list of stupid ideas supported by supposedly learned people. With that in mind, are we staring down the barrel of the next environmental disaster with the proposed release of the carp herpes virus? Sure, you will see graphs with wiggly lines and numerous snippets of anecdotal evidence on the benefits of this release, but what of the unknown effects like those shown in cane toads?

Cane toads were introduced into Australia from Hawaii in June 1935 in an attempt to control the native grey-backed cane beetle. First released in northern Queensland, cane toads rapidly multiplied in population to a point where they now number

ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

Most sections of the Murray River have been fishing well with Swan Hill once again a bit of a standout destination.

Amongst the good number of golden perch being caught, Murray cod have been a constant by-catch and it seems they are hard to avoid. This is good news for the coming cod season. At the moment most of the perch are being caught on bait, but as the river clears I am sure the lure brigade will get in on the action. The local channels are also producing perch, as are the lakes. A few fish are being caught on vibes at both the Reidy and Kangaroo lake regulators.

The Wakool at Kyalite has golden perch taking bait and has been fishing fairly well, with most visitors managing a fish or two. Back onto the Murray River, Boundary bend has perch biting on bait amongst the carp.

There’s been no by-catch cod from this area right down through Robinvale,

The potential release of the herpes carp virus is just one of many factors effecting the future of our local rivers. over 200 million and are known to spread diseases affecting local biodiversity.

Unfortunately, there is no evidence that the cane toads have even affected the cane beetles they were introduced to predate on in the first place. The toads have steadily expanded their range through Queensland, reaching the border into New South Wales and the Northern Territory.

Now this is the bit that interests me the most. It seems the toads on the

western frontier of their advance have adapted for travel with larger legs, and this is thought to be related to their ability to travel faster and further.

It was estimated that cane toads migrated at an average of 40km per year as of 1994, but new research in 2014 indicated that the migration rate had increased to 60km per year on the western front.

So in the short time frame of just two decades, cane toads have evolved to

the point that they have increased their speed by one third. Pardon the pun, but what a huge leap forward in genetics. I could be wrong, but I am doubting researchers and scientists hypothesized this possibility before the cane toads were released into the wild. Will it be the same with the carp herpes virus?

What unforeseen treasure might escape Pandora’s scientific box this time around? When interviewed on the potential effects and impact of the virus, Professor Ross Thompson from the University of Canberra’s Institute Of Applied Ecology said, “The risks were enormous, but not unmanageable. Quite frankly, that line alone frightens the bajebas out of me. To quote another from the realm of science, “No human, no matter how ancient, or how popular, can be above the laws of nature.”

With the past two devastating black water events killing thousands of giant breeding size Murray cod, we look set to tempt fate once again. One of the potential outcomes of releasing the virus is another

black water event caused by the rotting carcases of countless carp. We are treating our greatest inland river system like a giant chemistry set and I for one am fearful of the outcome.

Add to this the plight of the lower Darling River, and I believe the future of Murray cod fishing will soon be in impoundments.

The MDBA is pumping the media with the hype of improved Murray cod numbers thanks to their environmental flows, when the real truth is the decimation of cod stocks along vast stretches of the Murray River, a good portion of the Murrumbidgee, the Wakool and Edward, not to mention many smaller feeder creeks. Once again, how can Murray cod numbers be on the rise? It appears that water will always be more valuable than fish, and for those we count on to protect the mighty Murray cod and other native species, it seems the weight of a secure job helps dull the conscience and the tongue.

Enjoy what fishing we have, as the future of this once great fishery is very uncertain.

Classic cod season is coming Wind the clock back to your early childhood and remember the anticipation in the lead up to Santa’s

YARRAWONGA

Tony Bennett codclassic@bigpond.com

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Following on from Mulwala’s best season ever where meterys were a common occurrence, I can’t see any reason why the lake’s great fishing shouldn’t continue. Lure

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DECEMBER 2017

choice is a never-ending debate of what’s best, when, where and why.

All things surface were the rage last season with sub-surface becoming very popular and rewarding in the later months. These trends will continue with an ever-increasing choice of swim, glide and wakebaits available. Don’t discount any of your traditional methods of casting or trolling either hardbodied lures or spinnerbaits, as these will be as productive as ever.

The simple equation at Mulwala is time on the water equals fish! After singing the virtues of all big cod lures, one thing learnt over time is that no lure is too small.

Recently a by-catch cod was reported and estimated at 95cm, taken on a 60mm crankbait. Hopefully this hasn’t confused you too much; the main thing is to put your lure in the right spot!

For those that prefer the use of bait over lures, bardi grubs or scrub worms (moon bait) should be your preferred option. Yabbies and cheese are other safe baits. Interestingly statistics show that more cod are caught on cheese than any other bait during the Cod Classic. Below the weir, the yellas should be fishing well if the trends of previous

Steven Hogan with a decent 76cm cod that would be very welcome early in the season, especially at the Cod Classic! years continue. Many small cod and trout cod also show up early in the season downriver, so please take care when releasing these.

Looking back, yella season got off to a slow start, until finally they turned up in their usual haunts. The 50 competitors that took part in the Golden Dollar$ competition in late October returned only 17 yellas for measuring for the day.

Ultimately, reigning Cod Nationals Champions and father-son combo Rick and Rueben Doyle – Team McGrath – took the cash with their three-fish bag. Only 16mm behind in second was Team Grizzly – Dave Adams and Paul Thomas. Sneaking into third was Simon De Oleveira and Matty Fitzpatrick. The Longest

Yella went to Jamie Beer and Kyle Dalrymple – Team Kuttafurra at 515mm.

Organisation is all but done for the 2017 Yamaha Cod Classic (on 1-3 December). The Cod Classic promises to be huge with something for everybody and yes, you can still enter on the weekend. Prizes include seven boating packages and plenty more.

• For more information, call in and see us at Lake Mulwala Fish Camp and Ski, the official Cod Classic shop (opposite the post office) in Mulwala, or find us at our Yarrawonga store located between Rivers and One Zach. For up-todate fishing reports or for further information call 0357 441 667.

Snowmelt still feeding the streams and lake JINDABYNE

Steve Williamson steve@swtroutfishing.com.au

Welcome to December and the summer months ahead. You must by now be thinking of Christmas and what Santa will bring you on Christmas Day. Well wouldn’t it be nice to get a holiday at Lake

but the best fly fishing has been in the evening and flies depend on what is on the surface of the water, so check out the bugs first before tying on a fly.

On the Thredbo River the fly fishing has still been good, with maybe the best fishing still with weighted nymphs, but you may see some dry fly fishing at times when there is a hatch.

floating minnows like the 5cm Bullet Lures are great in the deeper pools.

LAKE BAIT FISHING Lake bait fishing has been nothing but excellent for months now, but I guess that the summer heat has to hit us some time, and as the water temperature around the edges of the lake warms up, the best fishing may again be early in the day at sunrise.

You may find that it will be worthwhile fishing later in the morning, as at some time of the day the fish are coming back on the bite and you just need a line in the water to catch them.

Local scrub worms are best for brown trout while artificial baits of various colours are proving themselves for rainbow trout and salmon. If you want to catch yourself a big brown trout, then the best baits are still going to be a

to collect and you might find that purchasing local mudeyes may be difficult.

Even when you do find them, they are going to be at a premium price.

BOAT TROLLING For boat trollers, the usual techniques of fishing on the surface in shallow water at first light and then moving out into deeper water using lead core with 20-30m of line out will extend the better fishing well into the late morning.

You will do best using minnow lures early before sunrise, and then switching to Tasmanian Devil lures later in the morning. The best colour Tassies to use will be darker lures early with the number Y48 yellow wing red-nosed brown bomber or even Y94 are great. Try the yellow wing Tasmanian Devils a little later as the sun is about to rise. Lures like

Cariad Geary from Canada with the spoils of a productive morning.

Eve How and Ryan Leliard got amongst some great brown out on the lake.

The streams are fishing well and the lower streams have some great dry fly action already, with the usual dry fly patterns working well.

If you want to know what the best fly to use is, just call into my shop and I will show you what has been working the best over the last few days.

RIVER LURE FISHING Those who like throwing lures into rivers and streams will need to make certain the lure is getting close to the bottom in the faster running water on the days that are bright and sunny. The best fishing again will be early and late in the day.

Don’t forget soft plastics in the deep pools, as these can be very effective on trout. The Strike Tiger Nymphs have been fantastic.

Lures like Trollcraft spinners or Gillies spinners are well worth a throw in the running water while

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Eve How from South Africa holds up a solid brown. well-presented scrub worm, and these are fished with a greased line to stop it from sinking into the weed and getting caught up. Mudeyes, the dragon fly nymphs are a popular summer bait, but this year with the cooler conditions and dams full of water, they are harder

DECEMBER ROUND UP Best method: Best depth: Best lake lure:

Best lake area: Best fly method lake:

Best river for fly: Best River for spinners:

Tasmanian Devil and a minnow lure for example, will not get perfect results from both lures at the same time.

Let’s hope the summer season is a good one. At least we don’t have to worry about water this year!

• If you would like some personal guiding, I will be available over the coming months for fly-fishing tuition and lake trolling trips. Lessons can be booked from 2 hours’ duration, and trolling trips from 3 hours to a full day.

If you want to know more about the latest in fishing conditions, just give me a call on (0264) 561 551 or check out my website at www.swtroutfishing.com. au. You can also see our daily Facebook updates at https://www.facebook. com/LJTFA.

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Jindabyne and some trout to catch as well?

December is a great time to come to the Snowy Mountains as there is plenty to do and this year with all the snow still on the mountains there is plenty of water feeding the rivers and streams and the trout fishing will be the best it has been in many years.

The fishing has been good over the last month and with Lake Jindabyne’s water level still very high and the water temperatures quite cool for December, the surface trout fishing is actually very good with plenty of trout being caught.

FLYFISHING I predicted a late fly fishing season, and now there are more insects, beetles, caddis fly and grasshoppers about, we have had some very good dry fly fishing and the best is yet to come.

On the lake, fly fishing has been also very good,

the Bullet Minnows or the very popular StumpJumpers in brown trout and rainbow trout patterns are also good, but there are many good brands of lures on the market that will do the job if you know what speed to troll to get the best action out of the lures. It is not a good idea to try and mix and match different brands, as no two brands of lures will work best the same at the same speed.

The best lures to catch those trophy brown trout will be small minnows, and you need to troll these over the weed beds using longer dropbacks (to 80m) and lighter line or braid to keep the lures at the deepest depth possible. You need to do this well before the sun comes up to get the bigger fish.

Trying to run a

Gaden Rd (off Kosciuszko Rd) Jindabyne. 02 6451 3400 www.dpi.nsw.gov.au DECEMBER 2017

69

Best time to fish in Wangaratta WANGARATTA

Robbie Alexander

December is my favourite time of the year to fish in the Wangaratta area, and there’s something for everyone in December.

The trout fishing in the streams is usually alright in a lot of streams, the redfin fishing is great in some parts, there’s not many yellowbelly in the Ovens River catchment but the few that are here are usually active, and of course, the much anticipated Murray cod season opened on 1 December!

TROUT The most pronounced trout lake fishery in the Ovens River catchment is easily Lake William Hovell on the King River.

During December, the trout have usually pushed down into deeper water, which is likely to be cooler.

Not very many people target trout in Lake William Hovell in December, but if you want to give it a go, I would suggest that you use a downrigger or paravane to get your lure down into cooler water.

One lake in the Ovens River catchment that is seldom talked about is Lake

Both of the two rivers have been fishing very well this spring, especially the Buckland River, so it is hard to see it being anything other than good in December, especially considering recent rain events in the catchment.

The lowland rural

70

DECEMBER 2017

have a healthy population of yellowbelly as well as a few redfin.

MURRAY COD Murray cod fishing is where it is all at in December in the Ovens River catchment.

Many anglers around the

Josh Parsons with a nice stream brown trout caught recently. These lowland streams may fish slowly during December as the water warms up.

Murray cod season opened on 1 December and this season is shaping up to be a good one. streams could be a bit hit and miss in December, as these lower altitude streams tend to warm up much more quickly than the larger free flowing river. When this happens, the trout usually slow right down

Any waterway that holds redfin will be worth targeting this December. Large lakes, small dams and even small creeks will all be worth casting a lure into during December.

Catani on top of Mt Buffalo.

Lake Catani sits in a frost hollow at an altitude of 1400m above sea level and is often frozen over during the winter months. December is a great time to fish this pretty little alpine lake, however it can be pretty busy up there.

Boats are not allowed and the banks make it hard to access the water, so a kayak or canoe is your best option.

The stream trout fishing should be very good in December, particularly in the larger waterways such as the Ovens River upstream of Bright and the Buckland River, which should both have decent flows of cooler water throughout December this year.

not great.

Then there is Lake Buffalo, which fished insanely well back in autumn this year, but has fished poorly for a number of years now. It is very hard to predict how Lake Buffalo will fish for redfin in December.

and feed less frequently. I call it ‘sulking’. The trout will often sit low in the shaded sections of the deeper holes sulking and waiting for a decent thunderstorm to deliver some freshwater and trigger a decent trout bite!

REDFIN December can also be a great month for redfin anglers. Lake William Hovell fishes consistently well for redfin each year after Christmas, but in December it can be a little bit hit and miss.

In stark contrast to this, Lake Kerford at Stanley usually fishes very well for redfin throughout December, although the average size in Lake Kerford is usually

Lake Sambell in Beechworth will definitely be worth hitting up if you’re after a few redfin. Before going there, it might pay for you to search the internet and get a few pointers on how to rig your soft plastic weedless, as the ribbon weed may drive you nuts!

GOLDEN PERCH Golden perch or yellowbelly are not prolific in the Ovens River catchment. In fact, they are few and far between. I know that the Victorian Fisheries Authority stocked quite a few into the Ovens River from Wangaratta downstream last summer, but whether they are big enough to catch this summer or not I could not tell you.

The best yellowbelly fishery in the Ovens River catchment is Lake Sambell in Beechworth. The lake is in town, so you will not get much peace and quiet, however it does

region were counting down the days as they waited with anticipation to see what this year’s season would deliver.

Unlike the trout and redfin, the Murray cod in the Ovens River catchment seem to be much more consistent.

Every year seems to be really good.

a worm or a bit of cheese from any log, any sandbar or anywhere that you can access the Ovens River between Myrtleford and Bundalong and have a decent chance of catching a Murray cod, or an endangered trout cod.

Both the Buffalo River and King River have decent

A nice small brown trout from a rural stream. During December the best time to fish these lowland streams is straight after a thunderstorm, or deluge of rain has pumped some freshwater into the creek.

Lake Kerford is worth fishing for redfin during December. The fish in this photo is not large, but is much larger than the average. It was caught on a Strike Tiger T-tail soft plastic.

The average size of the Murray cod is not overly big, as the Ovens River really is just a nursery stream, which the Murray cod spawn in during the spring months, however in saying that a few larger cod turn up each year including a few up around the 120cm mark.

Anywhere from Myrtleford downstream to Bundalong is worth a try.

I do not think that there is any spot that is better than any other. I do have my favourite little hiding spots, many of which are on private property, but they are my favourites for a number of reasons, not so much for the better fishing!

These days, you can cast

numbers of Murray cod as well, however access in both of these rivers is much harder, especially the Buffalo River, which runs mainly through private property.

During the summer months, there are people fishing at the North Beach swimming hole in Wangaratta just about every night, and just about every night they are catching cod.

One evening last summer we landed 12 cod made up of both Murray cod and trout cod just angling with cheese and worms one evening.

There’s never been a better time to fish in the Ovens River for cod than right now.

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71

The wait is finally over, cod back on the menu!

SHEPPARTON

Nick Brown teamriverrats@hotmail.com

The wait is finally over! It’s cod catching time and all signs are pointing towards a bumper cod opening.

As I write this article, spring has been very dry and, up until at least early November, we haven’t had any dramatic rainfall. This has affected the catch rates of yellowbelly in both the Goulburn and Broken river systems, but it did see a steady water level. This seemed to result in a lot of cod by-catch.

This was not the fault of the local fishers, with most downsizing their lures while hunting spring yellowbelly, but this didn’t seem to worry the cod, as they were hitting lures and baits of all sizes around the start of November.

The long-term weather forecast looks to continue being dry and if that is the case, the rivers should be a nice steady height and hopefully a good water clarity.

There were limited reports of late spring yellowbelly, but those fishing the Goulburn around Rafterys Road or out towards Toolamba had the

most success.

The most successful lure fishing was for those targeting the sandbar edges and near any grassy or weedy banks casting small spinnerbaits or lipless crankbaits.

In years gone by the Broken River has usually had a decent river rise in spring, and this hasn’t occurred as yet, so targeting yellowbelly was a bit tougher.

It started to get all too easy in the past – you could pull up to the weir at Gowangardie or Caseys and cast a few lures around and land a handful of fish in a session when the water was flowing.

Many have found bait to be the best method, with a shrimp and worm cocktail working best.

Now we can target cod, I would expect a lot more locals will be using swimbaits in both the Broken and Goulburn rivers.

I am yet to really go hard on the swimbaits, but I hope have a bit more info on the best brands and types to use in coming months.

If you can’t wait for my next report, get into Boats & More or Trelly’s Tackle World and ask the staff for more info about swimbaits.

LOCAL CHANNELS I have been writing articles for a few of years now and I never expected to be writing about purposely targeting Murray Cod in the local channel system.

Over the past year or so, everyone’s perception of the channels have changed from targeting redfin to now targeting the might Murray cod.

Last season I managed to catch dozens of cod in the channels, sometimes pulling 5-6 off the same bridge. The more I talk about the cod in the channels, the more people opened up about their experiences.

Anywhere from Nagambie to Lemnos has produced good-sized cod amongst plenty of smaller ones.

Bait anglers have had success on cooked yabby tails or bardi grubs, and those using lures have caught the cod on spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits. This summer I look forward to targeting few bridges with surface lures, and I think it will make for an enjoyable time.

Those targeting redfin locally have really found it hard, and this may be due to more native fish feasting

on the redfin. The channels in and out of Waranga Basin have been the main ones for those chasing redfin in the spring.

SHEPPARTON LAKE The Shepparton Lake again was very difficult to fish in the spring months due to the weed. Floating baits around the weed edges seemed to be the only way to catch a trout in the spring months. There was the odd report of silver perch being caught on worms near the grass hill.

There has been some better news for those in boats or kayaks, with the council using a machine to clear out some of the weed around the rowing markers. This now gives us a bit more of a channel to target the fish, and trolling lipless crankbaits has been working the best for both redfin and yellowbelly.

The weed edges may for once serve an exciting prospect with dozens of cod being released in the winter months. I would expect that those using surface lures around the edges will see cod ambush their lures from the weed banks that have been a nightmares for years.

KIALLA LAKES Catfish are still in

the lake, and I have seen them with my very own eyes with one local angler landing one right in front of me. The technique was casting unweighted worms only about 4-6ft from the bank and letting the worms drift around.

There is a ledge around about the 4-6ft mark and it seems that if you can get your worms to drift down the ledge you will catch fish.

Yellowbelly and redfin have been reported using this same technique at lake number 1.

The lure fisho’s have found it a little hard going compared to last year’s spring, with the lower temperatures and less rain than usual contributing to this.

December can be a good month for fishing Kialla, as the water temperatures should be perfect for targeting yellowbelly. Stick to smaller spinnerbaits or lipless crankbaits if using lures.

CRAIGMUIR LAKE The lake has fished very on and off and this may be due to the colder start to November. This has resulted in not as many numbers of fish being caught compared to recent years.

There has not been the consistency or high numbers

of fish, but there is still some quality fish being caught at Craigmuir, with redfin up to 35cm and yellowbelly over 40cm.

Lure fishing has been the best form of fishing during the past month and I think this will be the case this month. The lake has a lot less fishing traffic on it during the summer months, with a lot of locals now focussing on the rivers in search for cod.

WARANGA BASIN There have been fewer reports of decent fish being caught at Waranga lately, with most anglers reporting smaller-sized fish and in smaller numbers.

There will be more speed boat traffic at the basin in the coming months, which can make fishing the edges near Harrimans and the Caravan Park difficult. There is still plenty of good areas to target over the Tatura side of the lake, with a report of a 75cm cod caught as by-catch in the off season in this area.

There have been metreplus cod caught in Waranga Basin, and I am sure there will be a few more reported in coming months, with plenty more locals willing to put in the time and beefing up their gear.

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DECEMBER 2017

December is prime trout time in Ballarat BALLARAT

Shane Stevens

Fishing in and around Ballarat and the Central Highlands Region of Victoria has really started to fire up with warmer temperatures and increased insect activity.

This has really brought the

emerger, Barry Lodge emerger and the Shaving Brush.

The mayflies aren’t the only insects that have started to hatch; the mudeyes have come out of their winter slumber and started to hatch into dragonflies, on evening and after dark. There seems to be an endless supply of food for the fish at the moment

Damien Keirl nailed this beauty from Wendouree using a mudeye for bait. Photo courtesy of Damien Keirl. hungry trout around the region on the bite in many of our waters.

Lake Wendouree, which is nearly always at the top of the fishing destinations in the region, is starting to show its true colours with some excellent fishing reports filtering through. Anglers from all over Australia who like to flyfish Wendouree, including myself, wait endless months it seems for the mayfly hatches to start and they have started off with a bang. Some of the local flyfishers recently witnessed a mayfly hatch they said was the biggest they had seen for 30 years. The trout are eager to eat these small insects mainly on overcast days from October to December.

The mayflies hatch during the middle of the day normally and they start from anywhere around noon until 3-4pm.

They hatch in three stages: the nymph stage, the emerger stage and finally the dry fly stage. Flyfishers need to match the hatch at each stage of the hatch to get the best opportunity to catch the mayfly feeders. My suggestion of fly patterns to use during the hatch are the brown nymph, possum

when Lake Wendouree was empty. Brad has been fishing Wendouree with mudeyes from the shore with excellent results catching lovely rainbow and brown trout up to 3lb.

Local gun angler Damien Keirl has been getting amongst some cracking Wendouree brown and rainbow trout on mudeyes fished under a bubble float. On one of Damien’s recent trips he nailed five trout in one session, which included a magnificent brown trout that weighed in at 3.1kg.

Andy Manson, a very keen Wendouree angler, has joined the 50cm redfin club recently with a magnificent 51cm horse of a redfin caught casting Fish Arrow Grub soft plastic.

Andy nailed this beauty while drifting out of a boat between the weed beds on the lake.

After a couple of happy snaps Andy released it back into the lake for some other lucky angler to catch. The fishing over the next few months will be awesome for all angling

you cast a fly, troll a lure or just like to fish a mudeye under a float or PowerBait on a running sinker, you can reap the rewards.

Brian Hughes has been flyfishing around Greenhill recently and had excellent results landing both browns and rainbows on Woolly Bugger fly patterns fished out of a drifting boat. Brian mentioned that a slow rolypoly retrieve has brought them undone; he also mentioned that overcast days with a bit of breeze have been the best to fish the lake.

At Lake Bolac the rainbow trout are still on the bite as they have been for months and

Brad Reynolds holding a lovely brown trout prior to release while fishing Hepburn Lagoon. Photo courtesy of Brad Reynolds.

Lake Bolac produced the goods for Emma Corbett with a lovely rainbow trout on PowerBait. Photo courtesy of Daniel Hon.

Andy Mason Welcome to the 50cm club with this horse of a redfin from Lake Wendouree. Photo courtesy of Andy Mason. and they are certainly making the most of every opportunity.

This plays into the hands of all anglers in Lake Wendouree and all waters in the surrounding districts, as the fish are in constant feed mode, especially with the mudeyes as trout and redfin find them irresistible.

Brad Reynolds has returned to Ballarat after being away for a few years and was blown away at how good the fishing is in the district. He last fished here during the drought

A magnificently conditioned Deep Lake Brown trout caught by Di McClelland on the troll. Photo courtesy of Brian Hughes.

methods on Wendouree for both land-based and boat anglers who like to chase trout and reddies.

Hepburn Lagoon is really starting to fire up with some lovely rainbow and brown trout being caught. It’s amazing what a bit of insect activity will do to bring the fish on the bite. Anglers using flies, lures and baits have been landing some lovely fish out there. Brad Reynolds scooped the pool on a recent trip; he caught and released five brown trout up to 3lb on mudeyes fished under bubble floats.

Hepburn will continue to fish well for all angling methods over the coming months and certainly for those anglers who like to fish mudeye hatches, whether it be flyfishing or bait fishing, as the lake has a massive population of spiders, bugs and mudeyes and the trout love to eat them.

I have mentioned Greenhill Lake at Ararat a fair bit over the past few months. It continues to fish well for landbased and boat anglers. The rainbow and brown trout have been on the chew. Whether

months now, however they have changed what they are biting on. During the winter months the rainbows were caught predominately on lures and now they are being caught on bait – mainly PowerBait or salted whitebaits. Daniel Hon and partner Emma Corbett have been fishing Bolac with excellent results.

Emma has shown Daniel how

it’s done by catching some lovely rainbows up to 2kg on PowerBait fished on a running sinker rig.

Lake Bolac will continue to fish well over the next month, but I expect it to slow down a bit. As the weather gets warmer and the water temperatures rise, anglers will need to focus on fishing early mornings and evenings for

the best opportunity to catch some of the lovely rainbow trout in Bolac.

At Deep Lake the brown and rainbow trout are still on the bite for anglers who put in the yards. Brian Hughes and partner Diane McClelland have been trolling lures at Deep Lake with excellent results. Di landed some cracking brown trout on gold-coloured winged and deep diving lures. The rockier shorelines proved to be the best areas to fish. Other anglers have been landing great rainbows using PowerBait from the shore with the roadside shore proving to be very popular.

The fishing in the region is going from strength to strength. Over the coming months, we will be blessed with the amount of waters we have to fish. However, we will need to start looking at the times of the day we fish, the weather conditions and more to gain the best results during the warmer months.

DAM LEVELS brought to you by w w w. b a r g a i n b o a t b i t s. c o m . a u

Dam............................... % Full

Dam............................... % Full

LAKE/DAM

Mulwala

Cairn Curran

Sept Oct 82

Nov

80 78

(Yarrawonga) 95 93 95

Dartmouth 82 84 87

Newlyn

Eildon

70 72 72

Nillahcootie 90 91 91

Eppalock

92 93 91

Rocklands 40 42 44

Fyans

87 87 86

Taylors

74 76 77

Greens

66 64 64

Tullaroop

74 76 74

Hepburn

100 n/a 98

Upper Coliban 101 100 100

Hume

89 87 87

Waranga

84 63 55

Lauriston

97 100 99

Wartook

96 98 99

Malmsbury 67 70 99

94 94 100

William Hovell 101

99 99

(All levels correct at time of going to press. Dam levels can change at any time, so please check with local authorities to ensure safe boating and fishing.)

DECEMBER 2017

73

Yellowbelly are back BONNIE DOON

Andy McCarthy

They took their time but the yellowbelly finally came on the chew in solid numbers and it all happened recently, which was quite bizarre

really, considering the weather conditions which were cold miserable and blustery – not what we are accustomed to up this way, that’s for sure.

Loads of yellas ranging from 32-52cm were being taken in the Delatite and Bonnie Doon areas. Trolling

is by far the most productive method lately and they will be well schooled up by now. Lipless cranks will be coming into their own on the rocky margins.

The most interesting thing last month was the staggering amount of fish caught. The weather was

Young Ned with a chubby Delatite yella.

Kirsty Jo-Ann Ealam with a cracking cod picked up at Bonnie Doon. average and the barometer was very low for the best part of the long weekend, when – looking at the prior

Relax and enjoy delicious food and warm hospitality.

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EILDON RIVERS

Gary Constantine

At present the Goulburn River is running a little high due to an early irrigation allocation, but it is crystal clear and fishing well.

Between Eildon and Alexandra there’s good size and numbers of both rainbow and brown trout, and they have been caught on a wide variety of techniques and baits.

Scrubbies, maggots, mealworms and PowerBait

Contact: Andy McCarthy – 0404 848 083

DECEMBER 2017

kept a legal-sized cod for the table. It’s unacceptable to abuse someone who is following the guidelines set by Fisheries and if you are going to keep cod for the table, Eildon is the best place to do so. It’s almost a 100% stocked fishery, so it doesn’t make sense. I don’t keep any river cod; it’s a personal choice, but I don’t begrudge others who choose to as long as it’s in the slot, so please be mindful of others’ feelings before

posting nasty stuff online.

This month is shaping up to be the best December in ages and it’s great for us locals who can sneak out after work for a quick session. It’s a busy time for everybody leading into the holidays, so finding a day off during the week should pay dividends when there is bugger-all boat traffic and good weather conditions. Have a safe and happy holidays all. May the fishing gods be kind.

Goulburn water high but clear

Southern Solo Skiff 74

forecast – my thoughts were that everyone would struggle. Instead there were heaps of good-sized cod up to 1m and plenty in the 55-80cm size range.

Heaps of bags consisted of yellas, trout and cod all mixed in together; it’s quite remarkable for this time of year.

One thing I must touch on is the way some people are getting quite abusive towards anyone posting on social media that they have

fished on a running sinker rig close to the bank has proven to be quite successful.

Small hardbodies such as Rapalas, Tassie Devils, Warlocks, King Cobras and even the Wonder Krocs are working in the faster water just that little bit further out from the bank.

Once irrigation gets into full swing the Goulburn will certainly be running much higher, however this does not mean it’s unfishable.

Anglers just need to adjust and fish closer to the banks and the over hangs. The temperature of the Goulburn takes quite a while to warm up when

large amounts of water are being released and the trout remain active well into the summer period.

Anglers having a crack at the smaller rivers such as the Acheron, Steavenson, Rubicon and Little rivers have been doing well using

Sam and Ben Dallogio with a 2.5lb brown trout taken from the Goulburn River on a Pink Tassie Devil.

To page 75

Eildon is great for all species EILDON

Daniel Piazza

Lake Eildon has been fishing great! Plenty of trout getting have been caught from Fraser National Park all the way to the Big River arm, and this is thanks to Mother Nature delivering us a good amount of snowfall this winter!

Let me tell you that this summer will be the one to remember, with new techniques to chase you’re desired species.

Trolling the humble hardbodies is a great past time and a good way to unwind from the working week. Covering all the grounds from the Alliance boat ramp to the tower is a great way to do it, but also exploring up around the powerlines in the main arm is also worth a try.

Cod are becoming more active, with more frequent catches by the weekend warriors and I’m so happy to see people catching cod while moving from tree to tree, actually looking for redfin and not cod. Cod in these areas are looking for

Jarrod Biles took this healthy little Eildon cod.

the redfin too. Yabbies are good bait to bob around trees, but you can also cast them outside the area of the tree you’re fishing. I like to drift a course through a patch of trees, casting and occasionally stopping to fish an area more thoroughly because it looks fishy!

Golden perch will be schooled up, but only in small numbers of 4-8 fish.

Strikes will come when the surface temperature is around 21°C. In October I fished Bonnie Doon for the first time, and I was very impressed with the facilities at Peppin Point Caravan Park. It’s only a short boat trip up to the bridge that spans over the lake and also to the famous Delatite River; this is where a lot of big fish are caught. This area also gets a lot of boat traffic.

We would all love to have a section of lake to ourselves.

But it’s not a perfect world, so be respectful of each other and keep safety as the first priority before getting angry.

Our trip up to the Doon saw us getting four nice yellas and a cod for the weekend, and I found heaps of redfin too. The smallest size Zerek Fish Trap in

From page 74

similar tactics as in the Goulburn, but it does pay to downsize the lures and use the floating varieties, as these rivers can be quite shallow in parts. These rivers are not affected by irrigation, therefore during the warmer months it will become necessary to tackle them in the early morning or late in the afternoon when the trout are more likely to be feeding.

The old saying of ‘match the hatch’ is very applicable when it comes to fly fishing, and recently flies such as emergers, ants, nymphs and small moth patterns have worked. But as I said, keep an eye on what’s annoying you

the redfin pattern was the standout lure in my eyes.

Trout will still be found on the lake, but mainly of an evening sucking down all the flies and bugs that found their way to the water to lay eggs during the heat of the day. Because they are eating off the surface, they can become very aggressive.

I have had the chance to fish an ant hatch, and it was a great two hours casting to rising brown trout in 40m of water.

Eildon is such a massive body of water and the fish are everywhere. If you think a particular species resides in a particular part of the lake, you’re very mislead by all the social media posts. The key for Eildon if you want cod is to fish rocky banks and snags. For the yellas, it’s a similar principle, but they predominantly favour old trees. Redfin move from tree to tree, and if you have a sounder, you can use it to fish schools of them, as they can move quickly, but are fun when found. As you spend more time on the water, you will easily figure out what works for your style of fishing.

Until next month, stay safe on the water! and crankbaits if you’re chasing the Murray cod in the area, there are some deep holes around the area and are well worth a shot.

Dean Barnett was happy with his first golden perch for the season.

• Accommodation includes cabins, powered and unpowered sites • 30 acres adjacent to Eildon Pondage • Plenty of activities • Fishing at your doorstep • Kiosk and convenience store • Net 4 Internet access • Boat and caravan storage

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Come in and see Gazza for all the latest fishing news

Craig Foulis with a nice brown trout caught in the Goulburn River on an emerger fly.

David Jansen with a brown trout he caught near Bluegums along the Goulburn River on a small hardbody.

when you’re trying to fish the rivers and see if you have a similar fly.

The Big, Goulburn and Jamieson rivers above Lake Eildon are running at a good level at the moment and also fishing well. In the Big River, small bladed fluoro lures, gold and green Tassie devils and lightlyweighted scrub worm have been doing the trick for small brown trout up to the 1.5lb mark, but there has been the odd 3lb fish being caught as well.

In the Goulburn near Jamieson, I would be using larger surface, spinnerbaits

03 5774 2712

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DECEMBER 2017

75

Fish are on the bite as water starts clearing BENDIGO

Roger Miles codhuntertours@bigpond.com

The Bendigo region has continued to experience a dry spring period. Rainfall over the last couple of months has been well below average. This has some positives as well as some negatives. On the negative side our impoundments haven’t received the inflows as anticipated and have failed to reach capacity.

On the positives the small amount of rainfall has seen water clarity slowly improve in most areas. Our daytime temperatures have also been below average so water temperatures are slowly increasing but are lower than normal for this time of the year. All these factors have combined to see a steady improvement in the productivity of the fishing.

LAKE EPPALOCK The water clarity is good at Lake Eppalock and at this stage the poorest water clarity is at the top of the lake in the Twin Rivers

section. We are seeing a good improvement in the numbers of fish currently being caught at this location.

Redfin are making up the majority of captures.

Some good numbers of redfin are being caught by anglers who are prepared to hunt around in order to locate a good concentration of fish. The most productive technique for the redfin has been casting a wide range of soft plastic lures.

Casting blades and working them aggressively along the bottom has been producing some good redfin. Trolling hardbody lures has also been working.

On a positive note, we are seeing an increase in the numbers of golden perch being caught at this location. These fish are being caught by anglers fishing off the bank with worms and yabbies being the preferred baits. If you make the effort and source some shrimp, these always make excellent bait for the golden perch. For anglers chasing golden perch on lures, the most productive technique has been casting

Some quality golden perch have been caught at Lake Eppalock recently. This golden perch was caught on a Jackall TN65 with a burn and kill retrieve. lipless crankbaits around the rocky shoreline and around standing timber.

This is encouraging and the numbers of golden perch should only increase at this location over the next couple of months. This is great to see and Victorian Fisheries have done a very good job with the number of golden perch that have been stocked into this location over the last few years. Anglers will see the benefits of these stockings in the next few years.

CAMPASPE RIVER The fishing has been slowly improving in the Campaspe River and water clarity is slowly improving at most locations. There was recently a lot of tannin in the water in the Campaspe River, so at first the water clarity looks poor. Once you get on the water you will see the water clarity isn’t too bad. There are small numbers of golden perch and the occasional redfin being caught here.

We should see a steady increase in the numbers of golden perch being caught by anglers along this river system over the next two months. Unfortunately at this stage Lake Eppalock hasn’t reached capacity and we haven’t seen the spillway overflowing as I anticipated.

As each dry week happens, the likelihood of the spillway overflowing decreases.

CAIRN CURRAN The water clarity has been ordinary recently. The good news is that the water clarity is improving slowly.

Lately redfin are making up most of anglers’ captures. The average size of the redfin has been small with the occasional quality fish caught.

The number of golden perch being caught has been low but the average size has been very good. We see should a good increase in the numbers of golden perch being caught at Cairn Curran over the next few weeks. The most productive areas for the golden perch have been around the rocky shorelines and, to a lesser extent, around standing timber.

LODDON RIVER Reports from the Loddon River are a real mixed bag recently. There has been some good productive fishing in the Loddon River below Cairn Curran and Laanecoorie. In both of these sections there have been some quality golden perch being caught as well as the occasional quality redfin. Casting lipless crankbaits and mediumsized hardbody lures has been the preferred option for most anglers.

The anglers who are fishing suspending hardbody lures are producing the best results on the days when the fish are less aggressive.

The water clarity at Bridgewater is very poor and the productivity of the fishing has been low. It looks as though it’ll be a significant while before the water clarity can improve in this section of the Loddon River.

Further downstream in the Loddon River at Serpentine the water clarity is currently good, but this can change quickly if they let a flush of dirty water from Bridgewater down the system.

Exciting summer days ahead WST/STH GIPPSLAND

Steve Haughton steve@habitatcreations.com.au

It’s hard to believe that another year is almost over. The late spring rainfall has been welcoming to the region, as stream flows have improved with plenty of insect hatchings getting stream trout excited.

Blue Rock Lake is sitting pretty steady at 100% capacity and the bass have

started hitting the surface with water temperatures lifting and action increasing.

Gone is the tag ‘Lake Disappointment’, as many anglers have been rewarded with solid bass in recent weeks taking lures, plenty of trout still being trolled up and redfin providing entertaining by-catch.

Blue Rock Lake should now be dubbed the ‘Lake of Opportunity’.

Boat restrictions have lifted, leading to a hype of recreational activity,

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www.codhunter.com.au 76

DECEMBER 2017

as fishing boats, kayaks and other vessels have harmonious fun on the lake.

Meanwhile on the shorelines, there are people everywhere enjoying themselves fishing, having picnics, walking and just genuinely loving the great outdoors.

More and more anglers are up challenging themselves targeting bass with lures and are starting to see the fruits of their labour.

Other anglers are enjoying the more relaxed nature of trolling the banks for trout, dropping a worm down against a tree for bass and redfin, or setting up a chair and catching a carp or two.

For those really getting into the bass fishing, there is no doubt that the coming months you’ll be dreaming about bass in your sleep.

This is the prime time to be getting out there. The intensity of the strike from an Australian bass is unlike any other freshwater fish south of the Great Divide, and some would argue even further abroad. It really is heart-thumping stuff when that lure is struck, so much so, that you’ll end up doing silly things like your hand will slip off the handle of the reel or you’ll panic that the drag is too loose and you’ll fumble to tighten it up. After a brief second or two of poor reaction time, you’ll get it together and enjoy an incredible fight. It’s this reason that anglers are

flocking to Blue Rock for the chance to experience this exciting sports fish.

Spend time fishing the banks in the mornings and evenings, preferably out of the direct sunlight. Bass will hide in the shadows, and up many of the coves in the Tanjil River Arm will provide ideal hideouts. The main lake itself offers plenty of coves that will host bass too. Just remember that bass like structure, and they’ll be rounding up shrimp and small schools of fish to gorge on in the morning and during the day, so hardbody lures varying depths and action are a must in the tackle box. Make sure you carry plenty of surface lures such as bent minnow styles, poppers and cicada imitations.

These are best fished in the evenings, especially if you hear the cicadas! A good bass angler will be focused on casting and retrieving their lures as well as keeping an eye out for surface activity.

December is also a good time of the year for stream trout anglers, as there has been plenty of insect hatchings providing a staple food source for hungry trout. Surface feeding fish means anglers can spot and approach their target carefully, which results in more strikes and ultimately more fish. If you haven’t sight fished for stream trout before, pick up a pair of brown polarised sunglasses; it adds a whole new dimension to stream trout fishing.

Paul Landmeter recently got this beauty on an ice jig at a Blue Rock Angling Club event.

We should start to see more and more big redfin caught over the coming months.

Most of the insect hatchings have been flying ants, various fly or midge species and small black beetles. When fishing the evening, ensure you have a collection of natural flies and beaded nymphs that will give you better luck in matching the hatch. Hatchings typically occur in the late afternoons when there is a thundery cool change expected after a warm day.

The key rivers for fly anglers looking at wading are the Toorongo, Loch and Latrobe rivers in the Noojee district. The whole stretch of the Toorongo River meanders through farmland and generally has bank vegetation on the far bank, therefore reducing the risks of annoying snags and tangles.

There is great access to the

river for most part and if you combine wading and walking the bank, then you can cover some territory in a couple of hours.

The Tarago River in the Neerim district has many sections meandering through farmland below Neerim South right through to Labertouche, which like the Toorongo, opens up a lot of potential fishing ground.

You’ll need to pick the areas you can wade, but much of it can be walked along the bank.

A reminder that the river blackfish season re-opens at the end of the month, and offers another target species for the streams and rivers of West and South Gippsland.

Feel free to send me a report or photo. Please email me any questions too.

Good flows are great for fishing CRATER LAKES

Rod Shepherd

All those cold, wet months that we experienced over winter are now really beginning to pay off with all of our lakes topped up and our rivers still in full flow.

The fishing has been nothing short of superb and although a couple of water quality issues have put a slight dampener on things, the overall piscatorial situation is humming along nicely.

The quality of the brown and rainbow trout coming out of Lake Elingamite has been exceptional. The vast majority of fish being caught were only stocked by Fisheries a year ago, but they are well conditioned and fat fish that are averaging around 1kg in weight.

Redfin are also plump and many are pulling the scales down at 0.8-1.4kg. Flat line

trolling medium diving lures still remains the number one method, closely followed by casting hardbodied minnow and soft plastics, and working a variety of flies such as the Bullen Merri Special on a floating line.

Recently on the lake, I have only seen the trout responding to Black Magic BMax minnows in white. Everything else has been overlooked, so I’d say the colour is currently taking precedence over the minnow’s action.

Late October saw Fisheries restock Elingamite with 2,000 brown and 1,000 rainbow trout – all yearling fish.

Sadly Lake Bullen Merri is choked with blue-green algae.

This isn’t stopping anglers catching fish, especially Chinook salmon close to shore. On any given day, a few boats can be seen out on the water and bank anglers are still trying their luck. Local rod builder Ken Carmen is

still catching Chinook salmon using Fish Arrow Flash J shads and huddles flicked out and worked close to the shoreline.

Currently I wouldn’t recommend keeping any fish caught here for the table and as summer is fast approaching, I can’t see any improvement in the water quality, which is a real shame.

Lake Tooliorook near Lismore has shaken off its algal problem and the nearfull lake is giving up some solid rainbow trout to boaters and bank anglers alike. Fish in excess of 1kg are falling to baits and lures. Trolled or cast lures and plastics have been accounting for many fish, as are baits such as mudeyes, earthworms and PowerBait suspended under a float.

Nearby Deep Lake near Derrinallum is experiencing similar fishing conditions to Tooliorook. Flat line trolling shallow to medium diving minnows well out back has

been accounting for quite a few fish. Bait fishing from the bank is also working well here. The same baits used at Tooliorook suspended under a float will produce the goods for many.

Lake Purrumbete has brown, rainbow and brook trout on offer with fish being caught in several classes, depending on when they were released. Throw some solid Chinook salmon into the mix and a great day’s fishing can easily be had here. The popular method is to cast hardbodied minnow lures and soft plastics from a boat towards the weedencrusted bank.

Horan’s Point around to the quarry has been a popular area to work.

Trolling minnow lures comes in at a close second, but is more successful in the early mornings and late afternoons. The water clarity here is superb, so low light conditions are best

crowds are normally away or interstate. Having your own little quiet patch can make for some good fishing and – even better – relaxing.

If it’s trout you’re after, head across to the foothills of the ranges and fish the upper Yarra River or down to Devilbend on the Mornington Peninsula. The smaller, shallower urban lakes such as Albert Park and Casey Fields will start to warm up too much and as a result the trout in these locations will retreat to the deeper, cooler water to conserve energy. They can still be caught using coarse fishing and berley methods, but the bite window is much smaller – pre-dawn and sundown are the main focus times.

A local freshwater icon

worth pursuing over the break is the mighty Murray cod. The Yarra holds some great size fish and can be a productive waterway to target cod on bait and lures.

Cod are found in the river from the Falls up to around Healesville at times, but the area around Eltham to Warrandyte seems to have a larger concentration of fish.

The Yarra is fishable in sections either for land-based access or small kayaks, with the latter being a good way to explore the river.

With very little winter and spring rainfall the river is running lower than normal and somewhat clearer than normal, which is great for cod fishing over the next few months.

While not always high

on the list of sportfish, the humble redfin is a great local target during summer. Most wetlands and drainage basins around the suburbs hold fish, but some can be harder than others to access or fish.

Devilbend Reservoir has been a standout for anglers chasing redfin, with plenty of fish responding to bait and lures.

There has been no shortage of small fish to keep anglers amused, but don’t be shocked to see a 40cm+ reddy come out and play – there are some very large fish here. To maximise your chance of catching that monster redfin it pays to upsize your baits and lures.

Small fish will pick away at a bigger lure, but the big guys will simply inhale it

Trout slow as other species fire MELBOURNE METRO

Dylan Brennan

With Christmas just around the corner now is truly the silly season; everyone’s busy and stressed out at work as the year comes to an end, and then to top it off there is last-minute gift shopping that we’re all trying to fit in when we can. If you’re one of the lucky ones still making time to get out and have a fish then kudos to you, it can be tricky at this time of year.

If you do plan on staying local over the break, the metro freshwater lakes can be quite productive as the majority of the

Bruce Roberts with his first-ever brown trout caught on a lure in Lake Elingamite. when you’re working from a moving boat.

If the trout aren’t firing for you, there’s always the redfin that are still sitting on the bottom – sometimes in schools. These can be found in around the 15m depth.

Jigging minnow-style soft plastics such as the Fish Arrow shads and huddles

works well. Bait anglers are suspending live minnows and gudgeons just off the bottom.

Not all redfin are caught at these depths. There’s plenty living and hunting in the weed beds where the trout lurk. Those specifically chasing trout in the weedy shallows often catch a sizeable redfin or three.

There are some horse redfin around the Peninsula for anglers over summer. Photo courtesy of Daniel Griffin. like there’s no tomorrow!

Be sure to enjoy your Christmas break; eat, drink and be merry, and stay safe on and off the water.

• For any of the latest metro reports and information, pop into Compleat

Angler Dandenong at 241-243 Princes Highway, Dandenong, give us a call on 03 9794 9397 or jump on to the ‘Melbourne Metro Freshwater Fishing’ page on Facebook.

Small stream trout fishers are over the moon CTL GIPPSLAND

Will Thompson allwaysangling@bigpond.com

Trout season is officially in full swing. With some good down pours of well-

deserved rain, our small streams are flowing beautifully and the trout are loving it in the Strzelecki streams such as Traralgon Creek and Morwell River.

The rivers are running

Rory Bull caught this great little brown trout locally on a 2” Berkley Dropshot Minnow.

with above average flow and have been discoloured after the frequent rains we’ve had. This hasn’t phased the trout one bit, and in fact it has made them slightly easier to catch. They are nowhere near as spooky as they are when the creeks are running low and clear.

The trout are being taken mostly by spin fishers with Mapso and Vibrax Spinners working best, however the soft plastics fishers using small 2-2.5” offerings like the Berkley PowerBait minnow are accounting for a heap of fish in the small streams as well.

The flyfishers are having a ball using bead head nymphs in the fast

flowing water as well, with size 12 and 14 in black, brown and hares ear working very well.

Most of the trout caught over the past month have been around the 30cm mark, which is above average and there have even been some rippers of around 40cm taken as well.

There has been the odd bass showing up as well; they’re being caught on worms lately as the water is very cold. Soon it will be time to start using surface lures such as cicadas and stickbaits.

• For more information, contact Will at Allways Angling on (03) 5174 8544.

You will get expert advice and great deals on fishing bait and tackle.

Anthony Kemp caught this brown trout on a Mapso spinner.

DECEMBER 2017

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING ZEREK FLAT SHAD PRO

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Taking in the revolutionary design features of the original Flat Shad, the Flat Shad Pro comes with a series of innovations to make these lures even more amazing.

The Flat Shad Pro is a softer TPE material.

This softer material allows the lure to swim at slower speeds with lighter weight jigheads.

The weedless worm hook has been constructed with a little less weight, as the softer material does not need as much weight to get the lure drifting through the water column attractively. There is also a stinger attachment loop moulded into the hook’s lead belly weight, which is prefect for attaching a belly stinger hook or tying a longer assist style hook to. You can also attach a small blade to provide extra flash.

Available in the 7, 5, 4.5 and 3.5” versions and 5 colours, the Flat Shad Pro make an already unbelievably successful lure even more successful. www.wilsonfishing.com

VIKING PROFISH 35

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The Profish 35 is a compact fishing kayak designed with lure fishing in mind.

The shorter 3.5m length offers excellent manoeuvrability while hull shape delivers great load capacity and stability.

This is a kayak for juniors and adults alike, and the large central storage well offers ample room for tackle and other essential gear. The removable lid provides security and easy access, and also makes an excellent mounting surface for electronics.

The flush rod holders are within comfortable reach for larger and smaller paddlers, and the rear well offers ample storage for both fresh and salt water anglers. Users can expect great stability, even when fully loaded.

Large central well storage and lid Perfect rear storage well for easy access 4 x flush mount rod holders Paddle holder 2 x The Viking Profish 35 comes in four colors: Kiwi (green and black), Lava (red and black), Storm (white and black) and Daybreak (blue, white and yellow). www.vikingkayak.com.au

NEMO DAGGER 2-PERSON TENT

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Now that spring has finally sprung, we can all rejoice that Australia’s glorious camping season is now open! Introducing the Nemo Dagger, a two-person tent built for ultra-light backpacking, that also offers interior dimensions that rival anything else on the market in this category.

Thanks to the higher positioned pole hubs the Dagger has more interior space than any other on the market, thankfully making cabin fever a problem of the past.

The Dagger’s trapezoidal fly design creates an additional 2.1 square-metre area on each side for storing gear outside of your sleeping quarters, making for a more comfortable night sleep amongst the stars.

Camp in sheer comfort in the season ahead with the freshest and most innovative outdoor equipment on the planet. The Nemo Dagger will be your true camp companion this season and many more to come.

Price: RRP $699.95 www.paddypallin.com.au 78

DECEMBER 2017

PRODUCT GUIDE

SAMAKI SALTWATER 4 BARRA SHIRT Samaki’s Saltwater Barra long sleeve shirt brings you one of Australia’s most iconic fish species. Her almighty beauty is so prominent you’ll want to take a moment to admire each and every scale as she launches from the depths to attack the Samaki Vibelicious.

With that elusive island in the background, stunning weather, copious amounts of bait and detailed rockery the Saltwater Barra is every angler’s dream come true.

The lightweight fabric is perfect for all outdoor elements, protecting you from the harsh sunrays with our UV50+ resistant technology, the soft touch 100% polyester material is comfortable on the body plus has the added feature of being breathable keeping you cool and dry.

Saltwater Barra shirts are available in adult, youth and kids sizes from a size 2 through to a 5XL allowing the whole family to get in on the action and out onto the water.

Price: RRP $59.95 (adults), $49.95 (kids) www.samaki.com.au

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DAIWA TOURNAMENT 5 ISO 6000 Daiwa has created the ultimate compact size surf spin reel with the release of the new Tournament ISO 6000.

These little beauties are rugged yet refined, which is what makes an absolutely perfect modern surf or rock fishing reel for the modern surf or rock angler.

Daiwa’s technologically advanced hybrid material, Zaion, is the basis for the rocksolid frame. Zaion is light, strong and resists corrosion, and far exceeds the strength of traditional reel body materials such as magnesium and alloy in a strength per unit weight comparison.

Because of this, the ISO 6000 will be able to handle the harsh punishment that surf and rock fishing is well known for, meaning that these machines will last you many fishing session and hopefully, trophy fish.

If you’re a serious rock or surf angler, you’d be mad not to add this incredibly modern and hardy reel to your kit. www.daiwafishing.com.au

GAMAKATSU SABIKI RIGS

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Gamakatsu has introduced three new versions of is popular sabiki rigs, which let you catch a whole school of live bait at once.

Each hook is rigged with an extremely durable, high grade latex attractant. This mimics small bait and prawns as the angler twitches and jerks to tempt the most wary baitfish. These sabikis are especially hot for catching slimies and yakkas, and can also be used for herring and mullet.

Every component of the rig is top-ofthe-line, and hand assembled for maximum durability so you can use them over and over.

The S150 model (size 3-9) has a UV-coated hook which mimics the ‘glow’ of plankton, prawns and squid in the dark depths. The SS203 model (size 3-9) is designed to naturally absorb sunshine and mimic the organic bioluminescent process and glow in deep, dark water. The S523 (size 5-8) is fitted with a UV glow bead as an added bait-luring addition to its lifelike pink shrimp jacket.

Price: from SRP $10.95 www.gamakatsu.com.au

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PRODUCT GUIDE

WHAT’S NEW FISHING BALISTA SMOKE 65

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RAPALA R-TYPE SPIN

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AQUAYAK OUTRIGGER KIT

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There is one thing we all have in common; we need to keep food cold. Whether it is the ice in our coolers when camping, fishing or just at a family BBQ, or the freezer in your home. There now exists a product that is the first of its kind to give you the block or volume needed to hold cold longer. Introducing the Kooler Kube.

The Kooler Kube was developed to be used in combination with KoolerGel to give you the ultimate cooling source, and it can be used with or without ice. The temperatures can range from 0º to -30º Celsius depending on the freezer, and will freeze down much lower but, average domestic freezers are -16 to -24. It’s also reusable and refreezable and can last for years.

Keep your food colder for longer with Kooler Kube! www.koolergel.com.au

The fear of ending up in the water rather than staying on top of the water is a big reason why many people shy away from using a kayak.

You can go a long way to avoiding this by adding a Aquayak Outrigger kit to your kayak. It is simple to install and can be used on all types of kayaks, and will put an end to the fear of falling off your kayak while out on the water.

Once the kit is attached it will make your kayak much more stable and safer for people of all ages to get out on the water, and see how much fun getting out in a kayak can be.

The Outrigger kit will even allow you to stand up in some kayaks, which will make for a much more enjoyable fishing experience.

This kit is reasonabley priced, and can be delivered to your door. For more information, specs and photos, visit the Aquayak website or look them up on Facebook.

Price: RRP $245 www.aquayak.com

ZEST SHOVELHEAD JIGS

VALLEY HILL JUNGLE RAPPER

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There are hundreds of deep diving hardbodied lures on the market, but not one of them is anything like the new Smoke 65.

The team at Balista Lures found that the action on other deep diving hardbodied lures was either too wide and slow, or too tight and fast.

They spent three years meticulously refining the action to have a specific combination of action and roll. A lure with a rolling action mimics a baitfish more closely and hence makes a huge difference in fish catching ability.

The Smoke 65 also features their revolutionary LED technology, which is a water activated flashing red LED. This technology has been proven to be noticeably effective in dirty water, low light conditions and after dark.

Other features include an internal rattle, UV paints, proven colour patterns and BKK ultra sharp and tough trebles.

They are proven to be highly effective on mangrove jacks, barramundi, bass, golden perch, Murray cod, redfin, flathead and many more. www.balista.com.au

KOOLER KUBE

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The superb new Shovelhead Jigs are a magnificent jig for jigging shallower water, when smaller baitfish are being targeted, and when a more finesse approach is needed.

The Shovelhead Jig features one side that is scalloped out and an opposite side that is rounded, which makes this jig really move and flutter through the water.

The Shovelhead Jig is 160mm long and weighs 125g, and it is rigged with the weight at the tail, which helps the jig get down. It also features a holographic finish on one side and a mirror finish on the opposite.

The Shovelhead Jig is available in four natural baitfish colours. It comes pre-rigged with quality Mustad Assist hooks that feature 200lb Kevlar heat shrunk with quality split rings and solid rings. These lures are outstanding on kingfish, amberjack, samsonfish and reef species. www.jurofishing.com

Recently we saw the release of the new concept Rapala R-Type Saltwater Spinning Reel.

Rapala engineers have developed the R-Type spinning reel for hard-core saltwater anglers, with large drags, large capacities and quality componentry, guaranteed not to let you down when that trophy fish latches on and goes hell for leather.

Rapala R-Type reels feature a full alloy body and rotor, ported ‘braid ready’ alloy spool with shielded drag, high drag output, CNC screw into gear handle arm, infinite anti reverse, six stainless steel bearings, left/right hand wind, and Ti line roller. The R-Type reels have everything to ensure you get the most out of each reel.

All models feature a 4.9:1 gear ratio and deep spools and are available in 5500, 6500 and 7500 sizes with drag ratings of 7.7kg, 16.8kg and a whopping 17.75kg respectively. Rapala have an R-Type reel to suit every kind of hard-core saltwater angler. www.rapala.com.au

Japanese Tackle Giant Valley Hill consistently produces some of the world’s best bass lures, and the Jungle Rapper is no exception.

With a nice profile and seven enticing colour combinations, the Jungle Rapper has only been available in Australia for a short time, however it has already been the undoing of many big bass.

Ideal for casting in any situation, the Jungle Rapper emits a popping sound along the surface which bass simply can’t resist.

In addition, the left and right wings ensure a good level of casting and retrieval control in windy and choppy conditions.

Even at rest, bass have been known to hit a Jungle Rapper out of curiosity.

Measuring 70mm and weighing in at 11g, and with all the quality and durability we have come to expect from Valley Hill, the Jungle Rapper is a must-have for all serious freshwater anglers. For more information on the Valley Hill range, visit the Dogtooth website. www.dogtoothdistribution.com.au

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

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING OKUMA HELIOS SPIN

TANGO SHAD NEW 13 COLOURS

The new Helios Spin from Okuma boasts an ultralight build with a heavyweight performance, the sort of top end performance perfect for tournament anglers and hardcore fishers alike.

The Helios is made from lightweight C-40X carbon frame and side plates, and C-40X Cyclonic Flow Rotor for corrosion resistance.

The Torsion Control Armor reduces twisting, and the 8HPB + 1RB corrosion resistant stainless steel bearings will ensure this reel is smooth and comfortable to use for long periods.

Precision AlumiLite alloy main gear and oscillating gears, as well as rigid, machined aluminium, anodised handle serve to help this reel last many battles.

To finish, it has lightweight, EVA handle knobs for comfort, machined aluminium, 2-tone anodised spool, heavy-duty solid aluminium bail wire, and a computer-balanced Rotor Equalizing System.

This fantastic piece of machinery comes in 3 sizes, the HSX-20, HSX-30 and HSX-40, weighing in at 201, 227 and 260g respectively. www.tackletactics.com.au

OBSESSION SPINNERBAITS

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Gamakatsu are proud to present a hook purpose-built for hard-core game fishing.

This handsome forged steel hook is super heavy-duty, and designed to handle big game fish species.

The sleek blade tapers into a knife point edge and will penetrate with absolute surgical precision, and will find home for a solid hook up. Gama’s new Tuna Blade Point fits into trolling skirts, can be stitched into baits and is also an excellent stiff rig hook, making this an extremely versatile bit of kit. It’s the ideal tool whether you are fishing for records or are a weekend game angler.

This great hook comes in sizes from 7/0 to 10/0, and is razor sharp out of the packet.

Make sure you’ve got some packets of these next time you’re planning to hit the big blue in search of big angry game fish!

Price: RRP from $43.95 www.frogleysoffshore.com.au

EGINNO PYONPYON 15 HALCO LASER SEARCH 3.5 The Eginno Pyonpyon Search 3.5 is the PRO 140

latest addition to Yamashita’s range of squid jigs. The Pyonpyon (‘pyon pyon’ means ‘jump jump’) has a number of unique features.

The first big feature is the Eginno Lip, a unique folding front flap which closes on the cast for improved casting distance, and opens on the retrieve. The flap creates a unique water resistance, very similar to a prawn swimming.

Eginno Leg Feathersplaced along the belly create a natural fluttering action, similar to the way a swimming prawn’s legs move. The combination of the water resistance created by the lip and the position of the feathers creates an enticing swimming action.

The body is also equipped with a tuned 600hz rattle, designed to replicate the sound of feeding and help attract interest from surrounding squid.

Yamashita have used 490 glow beads – designed to emit light at the best wavelength for squid to see – and placed them inside the body of the jig for a unique glow effect. www.ejtodd.com.au

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The incredibly popular and successful Zerek Tango Shad has had five new colours added to its 50mm, floating range, a design that has proven itself on many species.

These five colours are all UV active – some with a lot of UV and others with smaller UV highlights. Each colour has been chosen for its effectiveness in different water colours and clarities, and thorough testing has ensured these colours are fish producers.

The five colours are: A (albino) – a primarily white lure with UV coloured pink and green dots, G (So Much) – a black lure with UV pink tiger stripes and head, HD (Horn Dog) – a bright UV pink lure with UV green dots and white dots, MD (Moon Dog) – A black lure with UV pink and green dots, and SCD (Scum Dog) – A UV Green with UV pink dots and black dots.

The colours are available now and they are already producing fish such as flathead, bream, estuary perch, trout and redfin. www.wilsonfishing.com

GAMAKATSU TUNA 14 BLADE POINT

Australian-made Obsession Spinnerbaits are the brainchild of Raymond Parry. He has translated his passion for fishing with spinnerbaits into making them for other anglers. He produces a large range of quality products to target our native species, and his spinnerbaits are no exception.

Available in three sizes, 3/8oz, 1/2oz and 3/4oz, Obsession Spinnerbaits come in either a double or triple blade configuration. Couple that with nine head colour options and their hot tip or turbo-flared skirt colours, and there is bound to be a combination to suit your needs or the native fish that you are targeting.

To find out more about Obsession Spinnerbaits you can contact Ray on 0428 462 397, or to find your nearest stockist go to the Obsession website. www.obsessionspinnerbaits.com

PRODUCT GUIDE

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The Laser Pro family got a new member with the official launch of the Laser Pro 140 being released in late April.

While taking considerable time to come to market, the boys at Halco believe the Laser Pro 140 will be well worth the wait.

At 140mm long, it is just a perfect baitfish size, allowing anglers to closely match the hatch.

The lure is ranged in all of Halco’s most popular bluewater colours, for the best possible chance of taking that fish of a lifetime. Initially, the Laser Pro 140 will only be available with a deep diving bib that runs at around 2.5m and trolls at up to 9 knots.

Keep an eye out for the new Laser Pro 140 at your favourite tackle store. You can also find more information on the Halco Tackle website, like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HalcoTackle, or follow them on Instagram @halcotackle. www.halcotackle.com

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING

Find your obsession with Obsession Spinnerbaits I love testing products for the magazines, it gives me an opportunity to play with lots of new things and use products that I would otherwise never get the chance to.

Then there are occasions like this.

Anybody who knows me will know that one of my favourite ways to target Australian native species is with spinnerbaits. Hence, a chance meeting with Raymond Parry from Obsession Spinnerbaits at this years Melbourne Boat Show and then again at the Australian Lure Expo has led to me testing some of his spinnerbaits.

If the truth is to be known, I wasn’t going to let anyone else do this testing booth, I claimed it for myself.

I spent a bit of time with Raymond at the Lure Expo going through his range of products and picking out a few to try. I have to say that this was not as easy as it may sound. Ray’s range is quite expansive and I wanted to ensure that I gave the best overview I can. Needless to say, Ray was generous with his time and products and

The Obsession Hot Baits are a lure the author is keen to explore further. It offers anglers many different options. after purchasing a few extras just to make sure I was thorough, I then went about trying them for about six months. I will do my best to explain the outcome.

BIGGER IS BETTER There is a huge demand for large-profile heavy spinnerbaits at the moment. Anglers are casting and trolling them for Murray cod and golden perch. There are plenty of suitable lures within the Obsession range, from single spins all the way through to quad spins and depending on the model, they are available in weights up to 3.5oz.

The concept behind them is bigger baits catch bigger fish. I put a number of the quad, twin and single spins to the test at Lake Eildon. It is mind-boggling how big a profile these lures present, as well as the options they open up. I comfortably fished steep walls knowing that my lure was following the contour of the bank back to me. Trolling the same areas prospecting for fish was the real eye opener for me. We targeted fish around sunken timber in 20-30 feet of water, and I can guarantee that any fish in the area knew the lure was there. The feedback from the lure through the rod was amazing.

I would love to say that we came a away from a few days fishing with tales of huge fish caught or stories about fish that

got away, but poor weather and colder than normal water temperatures meant I was sent back to Queensland with my tail between my legs. However, after casting each of the Obsession spinnerbaits so many times over those days and fishing with a person who also produces spinnerbaits, my conclusion on these larger baits is that they cast amazingly well using the right tackle.

They have a strong action and my fishing buddy was impressed by the components used by Ray to make his spinnerbaits, so I have no doubts that if a big fish had jumped on, the spinnerbaits would have been up to the task. I look forward to having further opportunities to use them.

SMALLER PROFILE OPTIONS Queensland impoundment bass have a thirst for quality spinnerbaits and the size of the fish demands strength in construction.

Smaller and generally lighter options are preferred to cast around any edge structure.

Ray explained to me that he was slowly building up his range to suit this. There have always been spinnerbaits to suit, but he was adding single spins and mini baits that would also be ideal for this caper.

Maroon Dam is a great little impoundment that holds plenty of fish and is one of my favourite places to throw spinnerbaits. The structure you can fish varies from weed to timber and rock walls, and a spinnerbait is the ideal lure to use around these. I haven’t fished a lot of single spin spinnerbaits, so I decided to tie one of these on first and was instantly rewarded.

A number of bass and an over-sized golden perch (for Maroon) hit the deck.

You cannot help but be impressed with the simplicity that a single bladed spinnerbait offers. The Colorado blade instantly spins once in the water and puts out plenty of vibration and flash. Match this with the number of skirt options (Hot tip and Turbo flared) and head colours in the Obsession range and I am sure you find a colour to suit your needs. I stuck with natural goldbased colours and was very happy.

WAIT, THERE’S MORE The range of options doesn’t end there.

You will also find Clackerbaits, Mumblers and Hotbaits on the Obsession Spinnerbait website. The Clackerbaits are an interesting

The author hadn’t used single bladed spinnerbaits much before. He is now a convert after getting this 56cm golden perch the first time he used one. lure and can be fished either on the surface or below, depending on the speed of the retrieve. Although I played with it them at Maroon, I had missed the prime bite period for this style of fishing, but they certainly create plenty of commotion in the water to get the fishes’ attention.

The lure I really want to mention here and one that I will need to put more time into are the Hotbaits.

Although designed to target redfin and golden perch, switched on trout anglers have seen potential in this lure and I firmly believe that flathead in the saltwater will climb all over them. I have retrofitted a larger inline single hook to the one I have for flathead,

Large profile spinnerbaits are a must have for any Murray cod angler and Obsession Spinnerbaits has a great range to choose from.

LURE STYLES AVAILABLE • Spinnerbaits • Hot Baits • Single Spin • Quad Spin

TESTED

• Clackerbaits • Mini Baits • Twin Spin • Mumblers

All are available in nine head colours and either Hot Tip or Turbo Flared skirts

There was no question that the Maroon Dam bass wanted to eat the Obsession spinnerbaits. This one absolutely inhaled the single spin.

but I can see trout anglers adding some leader to the hook and trailing worms or a yabby behind it while trolling. I love the concept of this lure; I just need a bit more time to play, so watch this space.

TRY THEM YOURSELF Ray attends plenty of events selling spinnerbaits and also supports plenty of fishing tournaments in New South Wales and Victoria. He loves a chat and is always open to ideas and feedback. He even runs a metre club promotion through his website.

Send a photo of your fish caught on an Obsession Spinnerbait and he will send you two spinnerbaits as a reward.

He also has a strong retailer network through which you can buy one of his spinnerbaits.

In a nutshell, Obsession Spinnerbaits are well made. Quality components are used and there has been plenty of thought put into what each product in the range is going to be used for, with the end product meeting those needs in my mind. I have been impressed using them so far, but the testing isn’t over – I will need to hang onto these spinnerbaits for a little bit longer! For more info about their range, visit www. obsessionspinnerbaits.com – Peter Jung

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Rockhampton Net Free Zone turns it on I planned on doing part two of my app review this month but time pressures and the fact a much better story came along put that idea to rest. I plan to finish the review next month.

Speaking of planning – put a marker in your diary to be in Rockhampton for the opening of the barra season. If you are coming from interstate, make sure to drop in to see Bill Sawynok at Infofish and Stephen Pill and the boys at Barra Jacks – they will set you right on how to hook up with a monster.

This month I will talk about the bounty

much and I am inclined to agree with them. This seems to be the crux of the negative argument. This ignores completely what the good folk at Rockhampton Regional Council have been aiming for.

First and foremost, the plan for the Rockhampton fishery is to create an iconic location where fishers can come and catch big fish. Barramundi aren’t a species that you can catch consistently without some fishing skills, so if you want to catch them, they are there if you put the work in to learn how. That has been the core of the tourism plan – attract fishers who love that big fish experience. That

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

As a worker handling the scores at the event, it was probably a good thing that the dirty water eventuated; even though fishers were forced into a smaller area, they still managed 485 barra for the event. Given that almost all the fish from the Garmin Rockhampton Rumble Barra were caught in the centre of town, the fishing has been hot up that way.

Many of the fishers that failed to make inroads on the scoreboard were fishers that have performed well in the town region, so the chances were that without the muddy

ROCKY BARRA BOUNTY LINKS crystal-bowl.com.au/rocky-barra-bounty-live-monitoring/ crystal-bowl.com.au/rockhampton-barramundi-live-monitoring/ crystal-bowl.com.au/rockhampton-king-threadfin-live-monitoring/ *The live scoreboard is up at rockybarrabounty.com/scoreboard. experience and how the results should have you thinking of Rockhampton as a key destination if you’re looking for some great fishing memories.

In the interests of transparency all our key data is online in an easierto-understand graphical form, and it’s all accurate to the last 24 hours. You can get the data on the Crystal Bowl website.

The Rocky Barra Bounty Facebook page is also up.

THE NET FREE ZONE AND BARRA BOUNTY 2017 I want to address the

is the yardstick I am using to assess the Bounty and fishing through the year.

With that in mind, Rockhampton Regional Council endorsed a voluntary code of practice for fishing in the area, for fishers to voluntarily limit their take of barra and king threadfin to two of each between 60cm and 1m.

Rockhampton collectively has taken a long-term view that maintaining the fishery in as good a condition as possible is vital so that visitors have the maximum opportunity to catch big fish

water we may well have exceeded the 600 prediction.

In other words, anglers left more than a few fish for visitors come February.

TROPHY FISH In an analysis of Facebook post traffic over the years – it’s trophy fish that have dominated the traffic. Big fish equal social love. With that in mind there was plenty of social love to be had for our fishers in 2017.

On the barra side of the ledger there were 14 big fish – twice the number that have been caught in the best bounty before this (2013).

Catch mix for barramundi 2015-2017. negative types head on.

I am not an advocate for NFZs but I’m also sick of partisan, stupid politics that conveniently ignores reality.

Looking through the comments on the Barra Bounty page there were several comments from commercial fishers and others who seemed to expend a lot of energy finding that one golden stat that proved that the Net Free Zone doesn’t work.

On that front Queensland Fisheries reported in September that the fishing experience for the average fisher hadn’t improved 82

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and have a good time on the water. To me – that is a pretty progressive view, one I think other councils will adopt as they realise the value of fishing to their locals.

Now with that in mind – how do the bounty figures stack up with that plan?

CONDITIONS AT THE BOUNTY IN 2017 For the second year running the conditions were less than ideal with a run of fresh water immediately before the event making the river unfishable in town down well past Nerimbera.

That section has always been a prime producer in the

The best of the lot was a 1.33m beast that was pulled out in the first hour. The fisher involved, Lou Moore, said he wasn’t even trying. The story goes he we just swimming the lure in the current while helping his mate out, he put his rod in the rod holder and it went off like a rocket. Maybe I should try that more often.

On the king threadfin side of the ledger the news was even better. I was reduced to tears by how many trophy fish there were – having watched the decline in the king threadfin fishery in Brisbane, it showed what can be done. All up there were 48

Gavin Gaw with a 1.32m threadfin. king threadfin over 1m – a whopping 24% of the catch.

The battle for the biggest thready was intense with the lead changed every few hours. Evan Thompson nailed it on the last day with a 1.32m snorter. The year-

to-date proportion of trophy fish is around 16%, so no matter how you want to look at it, Rockhampton is as good as it gets right now for trophy fish.

CATCH MIX One of the markers

had a good spawning this year but it seems that few of those fish have survived. The reasons are unknown at this stage, but it’s not due to any factors caused by people.

The catch mix for the bounty has changed a

Figure 2: barramundi catch across the tide day one and two combined. of how the fishery has improved is the proportion of legal fish. There are two main factors that influence this criterion. The first is the fact that less legal fish are being taken out (no nets) and secondly recruits (new barra) from a few years back are reaching maturity.

There is a third factor that influences it as well – recent recruitment has been less than successful. This is one we are still ironing out as to what is going on; we

lot in the last three years and now looks close to ideal for visitors to come and experience that ‘big barra feeling’.

When it comes to king threadfin, the news is even better – so long as you know how to catch them. We had a couple of king specialists from Brisbane visit this year and even though they had spent next to no time on the Fitzroy previously, they managed to bag a trophy fish each, with one – Lochie Reed

Catch rates for barramundi in the Fitzroy.

– catching the most fish for the event and taking out the Other Species category on the first attempt.

AVERAGE LENGTH If the catch mix isn’t clear enough for you, then the next chart will be. Both barramundi and king threadfin catches were on average the largest they have ever been. This is

the recruitment hasn’t been as strong and that’s the period when the most effective fishers have an impact. Figure 1 shows there was reasonable recruitment from 2013-2015, which would have topped up the stocks. This year and last year have not been successful; Last year it was due to poor spawning and this year, even

fish into the system. Overall, the catch rates are down slightly. On the other hand, the catch rate for legal fish is heading into the best of times territory.

The legal catch rate of one fish per fisher per day based on annual monitoring is the highest it has ever been.

We end the year with 1,456

Fig.1 Barramundi Recruitment in the Fitzroy. the clearest indicator that the nets being removed has had a positive effect as big fish are exactly what the commercial fishers target.

While it could be argued that the removal of some of the fishing area distorted the results, the fact this is also true for the annual catch monitoring puts that one to bed. You can verify that via the Crystal Bowl website. For the record, the annual average length is 659mm – 30mm short of the 689mm registered in the Bounty.

CATCH RATES The last-ditch effort in the debate over whether or not taking the nets out has had an effect is in catch rates. The figure being used there is the overall catch rates, which are down. By some twist of logic, the nets have supposedly had no effect on catch rates for recreational fishers. I am somewhat in agreement with that statement.

A fishery is a balancing equation – fish-in verses fish-out. Wherever there is conflict it’s almost always on the fish-out side of the equation but the fish-in part is equally important. To a degree the fish-in and fish-out equation has been balanced in Rockhampton after a boom from 2007-2009. There are still fish from that period in the system.

In recent times however,

though there was a successful spawning, recruits don’t seem to have survived.

For this reason, we can expect that the catch rates would be slightly down due to mortality overriding new

barra reported (with some still to process yet) which makes this the best year in the last three for number of fish reported.

This year’s bounty was the third best on record for

Lou Moore with his 1.33m barra. legal fish, only bettered by be some absolute horses on 2012 and 2013. In the case of to Rockhampton. While offer for visitors when the king threadfin, the legal catch I won’t hand out maps of season opens in February. I rate was only bettered by where to catch them – again, wouldn’t leave out the king 2015 and many fishers were check in with Bill on what experience, either – they take running the other direction parts of the river are fishing a bit to work out but there are when they found the king well when you visit – I can some great lures made these because only the top 30 tell you that the tide is pretty days that are custom-made places were guaranteed a spot important. If you follow the for threadies. in the Bounty next year, so Bounty online, you will see a We always do our best barra were in high demand. lot more but here is a taste. not to cherry-pick evidence, ONE MORE THING – The chart (Fig. 2) below which means using multiple HAVE SOME CANDY shows the catch across the pieces of evidence where I have a Christmas gift tide. As you can see the early possible. When you look at for those thinking of heading morning low is pretty sweet the catch mix, catch rates

Catch mix for king threadfin 2015-2017.

The daily catch rates for barramundi and king threadfin.

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

with the catch declining as the tide rises. Look for those sorts of tides and know you can pack up mid-morning. That leaves plenty of time to take the family to the beach.

STOP READING, START PACKING The objectives of the local council to create a fishery that will attract fishers to try their hand for big fish are well and truly on track.

If the end of this season is anything to go by, there will

for legal fish and additional trophy fish that came out this year, the fishing was as good as it has ever been for big fish.

Just remember when you head to Rockhampton, this is a catch and release fishery that is being carefully managed so that everyone can have the best experience possible. Come, have a great time, catch some big fish and go home with a lifetime of memories. Leave the fillets in the water.

DECEMBER 2017

83

Gallagher takes the win at Hobie China Open Thanks to Hobie Fishing Australasia and Kayak Fishing Beijing, a team of 10 anglers were recently invited to represent Australia at the prestigious 2017 China Open held on Shengzhong Lake in the Sichuan Province of South West China.

The kayak event is just one of several events held on the lake as part of a larger festival of fishing. A field of 60 anglers from all over the world participated in the tournament.

The Australian team was lead

Corey Gallagher took out first place as well as the big fish prize and $16,500US in prize money.

by team captain Carl Dubois from NSW and team manager Matthew Petrie from Victoria.

Both have competed in the event several times in the past and they led the team superbly, providing the less experienced anglers with a wealth of knowledge on everything from lure choice to what to pack.

Anglers competed in identical Hobie Pro Angler 14s accessorised with Hobie livewells, Lowrance sounders and aft-mounted video cameras, which were used

by the referees to ensure all anglers adhered to the tournament rules.

The format of the competition was similar to Australian competitions – a pre-fish followed by two tournament days where anglers fish from 8am-2pm and weigh in their five largest fish with a total combined weight from both days deciding the winner. Three target species (redtail culter, topmouth culter and mandarin perch) were available for

anglers to weigh in.

PRE-FISH The event kicked off with a spectacular opening ceremony, traditional Chinese performances and several speeches from sponsors and event organisers.

The Australian team had decided to try and cover as much water as possible on pre-fish day. In the weeks leading up to the event the team had discussed everything from leader sizes to lure selection.

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 2017 DECEMBER

1-3 Dec

Lake Macquarie BREAM Grand Final

Lake Macquarie

1-3 Dec

Cod Classic

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www.abt.org.au

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10-11 Mar

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Although the area open to anglers was relatively small, it was full of islands with bays and coves and there were plenty of banks to explore. They moved around throughout the day, exploring different depths, lure choices and retrieves, and it didn’t take them long to land their first redtail culter on a bank close to the start line.

Although the tournament victory would be awarded to an individual, they worked together to try and get as many teammates into the top ten as possible.

DAY ONE Up at 5:30am, anglers readied their gear, and boarded the bus to the event arena.

Upon arriving they collected their UHF radios and waited for individual kayak numbers to be called out, allowing them to enter the dock and launch their Hobie Pro Angler 14s.

official results, confirming Gallagher’s victory and the Australian team’s captain Carl Dubois, who had put together a cracking day two bag of 1.01kg including a much sought-after mandarin perch, was propelled from 37th into 8th position. Carl Dubois took home $2000US and Gallagher was lucky enough to secure

Team Australia from left to right: (back row) Steven Pryke, Jon Clisby, Glenn Allen, Simon Morley, Tony Pettie, Jason Reid, (front row) Carl Dubois, Ben Harrison, Matt Petrie, Corey Gallagher.

The venue for the 2017 China Open – Shengzhong Lake in the Sichuan Province of South West China.

At 8am the Australian team set off at pace. Gallagher began by throwing a 40mm Strike Pro Cyber Vibe in JU006, which had been the standout lure during his pre-fish.

Fishing was slow at first but this didn’t put Gallagher off; other anglers had mentioned that the bite can be slow in the first hour or so.

After an hour and only one 26cm redtail culter in the well, he moved out slightly deeper and fished in the 10-15m range. This proved fruitful and he continued to catch redtail culter with several upgrades.

He also managed a small 23cm mandarin perch.

At the end of day one, most of the Australian team had managed to fill their bags. Ben Harrision faired the best, sitting in 7th overnight with a full bag of 850g.

Gallagher was next best out of the Australian competitors and 14th overall with 760g.

The field was packed tightly together and with only one larger fish weighed in at 930g it was still anyone’s game.

DAY TWO Carl Dubois, Stephen Pryke and Corey Gallagher decided to fish the same area as on day one. Gallagher fished a rocky point and within a few casts he had a 32cm redtail in the well. This raised his hopes of putting together a solid bag.

Sitting on the point in 4m

$1500US for the biggest fish and the $15,000US first prize.

On the final day they were invited by previous China Open champion Ma to fish a private lake filled with largemouth bass. Gallagher called it, “The perfect way to finish up a trip of a lifetime with a great bunch of mates!”

– Hobie Australia

of water, Gallagher cast out over the drop-off into 15m and allowed his Cyber Vibe to sink to the bottom. Once on the bottom he retrieved the lure using a quick burn retrieve followed by two long rips of the rod.

On the second rip his lure was crunched by something that felt significantly bigger.

With large carp a common catch, it wasn’t until he saw the distinctive red flash of a massive redtail culter that he began to get excited. He successfully worked the fish back to the kayak and managed to get it in the net. Some very nervous moments followed.

The fish was too large. He had to bend the culter to fit it in the livewell. Knowing the fish wouldn’t survive long bent up like that, he made a quick radio call to the referees to weigh the fish in early. After a frantic 20 minute paddle to get

celebrated when it swam away upon release. Confident he would now be sitting first on the water, Gallagher tried to settle his nerves and focus on filling his bag.

Gallagher struggled for the remainder of the day with nerves getting the better of him. He dropped several legal fish beside the yak and eventually managed to net a fourth legal redtail. Back at weigh-in, his bag went 1.9kg for a combined two-day weight of 2.66kg. On the bus back to the hotel, Gallagher still didn’t know if he had done enough.

When they arrived the referees posted the

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Ben Harrison from South Australia with one of the target species, a redtail culter. the fish back to the weigh-in, he carried it across a dodgy wooden plank bridge to the weigh station.

He successfully weighed in the redtail, which pulled the scales down to 1.4kg, and

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The $15,000 fish, a massive 1.4kg redtail culter landed

by Corey Gallagher on day two of the competition.

DECEMBER 2017

85

Rookies rule at Kinchant THE FUTURE IS HERE Self-contained Electric Outboards

STORM

The rookies drew first blood on the 2017 Zerek BARRA Tour with Brett Turner and Dean Jackson claiming a comprehensive win in the opening round of the series, the Mustad Kinchant Dam Evening Event.

Armed with the Zerek lures they received in the Rookie Pack at the event briefing, Team Flattop Fishing caught their limit on a Zerek Fish Trap fishing just wide of a flooded hump.

“We fished a little deeper than most of the other teams in the area at the start of the session and as the night wore on we moved in closer to the shallows,” explained Jackson.

Late in the session the pair would cast tight up into the shallows landing their lures in about 3ft of water. They would then burn it back fast to keep it above the weed and it was on the burn that the fish would bite – a fast and fun technique that delivered Team Flattop Fishing two fish over a metre, a 78.01kg limit and a 21kg winning margin.

BARRA T Presente our R1 d by M ustad

Team Flattop Fishing hit the ground running in round one claiming the Mustad Kinchant Dam win with a 78kg limit.

Their tournamentwinning tackle comprised of baitcaster outfits spooled with 40 and 50lb PE mainline and 50 and 60lb fluorocarbon leader.

ZEREK BIG BARRA R

Team Flattop Fishing (Brett Turner and Dean Jackson) picked up the Zerek Big Barra prize at Kinchant with the pair’s prize winning fish measuring 124cm. Tempted by the black jack coloured Zerek Fish Trap they received in their briefing kit, the fish found sanctuary in the weed before sufficient rod pressure extracted it and into the waiting net. – ABT

Plenty of chunky barra graced the Zerek Measure Mat.

On The Move move to second Team On The Move (Glen Smith and Nicholle Smith) finished second at Kinchant with the pair fishing a weed point on the lake to catch their fish.

Unlike most teams who fish out from a weed point and cast towards it, Smith and Smith anchored on a weed point and cast out into the deep.

Using a combination of 4” Yum and Shads paddle-tail soft plastics rigged on 1/4oz jigheads, the pair would cast out, sink their lure down then retrieve it back to the boat with the plastic just touching the top of the weed as it came through the water column.

“The 1/4oz jighead was just the right weight so it would just tickle the top of

the weed as we slow rolled the plastic back to the boat.

If the lure did foul up on the weed at all, we’d rip it clear; it was often just after the rip that the fish would eat it,” explained Glen Smith.

The pair caught their fish at 8pm and a total of 12 fish for session.

“The fishing was actionpacked at times; we would

have jumped off over a dozen fish, we got dusted by a few big fish, and there was one stage where we caught three fish in three casts,” explained Glen.

The kicker fish in their bag was their last fish for the session – a metre fish that Nicholle caught at 11.45pm, and a fish that welcomed her to the metre barra club.

RESULTS

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

86

DECEMBER 2017

Place

Team

Angler 1

Angler 2

Fish

TW (kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Flattop Fishing On The Move FishTec/EJ Todd Venom Lowrance Jackall Fishing Monthly Mustad Triton Boats/Edge Rods Mad Keen

Brett Turner Glen Smith Craig Griffiths Troy Dixon Peter Price Ash Sims Steve Morgan Jeremy Cornelius Rick Napier Shane Fahl

Dean Jackson Nicholle Smith Karim DeRidder Robert Payne Greg Thomas Dan Curry James Reid Lochie Reed Dustin Sippel Corey Fahl

5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5 4/5

78.01 57.09 53.41 51.87 50.35 49.29 41.41 38.85 34.57 32.36

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

Barratrauma bag out for round two win Peter Laine and Zac Hunt showed their hand as a team to watch on the 2017 Zerek BARRA Tour with the pair catching a 5/5, 45.94kg limit to claim top honours at the Lucky Craft Teemburra Evening Event.

Fishing a spot they located in the pre-fish, the pair used a two prong approach with Zac throwing small jerkbaits on a lighter outfit and Peter throwing a Stiffy Boney Bream on a heavier outfit. This approach allowed them to pick the small fish as they came through and still have a bigger fish lure in the water when the big fish bit.

Zac’s outfit was an Edge Rods Black Widow 705 rod that he paired with a fast retrieve baitcaster.

“The rod is ideal for jerkbaiting while the fast reel allows you to gather in line quickly when you need to,” explained Zac. Peter’s big fish setup was a step up with a 20-65lb

BARR

Presente A Tour R2 d by Luc ky Craft

Edge Rod and Megabass Black Jungle reel – the perfect combination for muscling big fish, including the kicker fish in their limit, a barra that ate his Boney Bream in behind a tree that many fish were holding on and moving past.

“That thing went stupid when I set the hook and it powered off towards the point. I loaded up on it and I eventually got it back to the boat and into the net,” explained Peter.

That fish measured 126cm and was the anchor for their maiden win on the Zerek BARRA Tour.

With a win to their name on only their second year on tour Laine and Hunt were now primed for the northern leg of the Zerek BARRA Tour.

Peter Faust would host the next two rounds and had the potential to deliver the biggest and best fishing of the tour. Laine and Hunt were to find out very soon just how true that was.

ZEREK BIG BARRA Team Barratrauma value-added their event winnings at Teemburra with the pair securing the Zerek Big Barra prize for their 126cm/32.6kg fish.

The first fish in the team’s limit, Laine caught the standout fish on a well-used Stiffy Boney Bream weighted to suspend and presented with an Edge Rods rod and Megabass Black Jungle reel. – ABT

Team Barratrauma secured the win and the Big Barra prize at the second round at Teemburra Dam.

Back on track 2016 Zerek BARRA Tour champions Griffiths and DeRidder returned to the podium in round two at Teemburra with the barra guns fishing the eastern side of the dam, targeting fish on a little point that dropped off into deeper water.

While the pair fished one location, they had a variety of lures that they used including Madness silicon vibes, hand poured swimbaits, and Squidgy Slick Rigs. The retrieve for the vibes involved big hops, with fish regularly eating the lure on the drop.

Their approach paid off with the pair with ten fishing hitting the deck by 10.30pm. “It was a consistent bite throughout the session and was much better than what we and I’m sure many anglers were expecting from Teemburra”, explained DeRidder.

The rod selection Griffiths used included an Edge Rods 666 Black Widow and a 705 Black Widow. DeRidder used a 6’8, 10-25lb Palms Molla rod matched with a Daiwa Zillion Type R for his smaller plastics and hardbodies, and a Dobyns

Champion 795 SB swimbait rod matched to a Shimano 300 Tranx loaded with 80lb braid for his larger plastics.

“The Dobyns swimbait rod is perfect for what we do.

It’s just under 8 foot long so you can really swing those big baits out there yet it’s light to use so you’re not tiring yourself from throwing lures hour after hour, I can use this all night long and not suffer for doing it. Matched to one of the new Shimano Tranx 300 reels, the outfit is very well balanced and a dream to fish with. When it come to leader I like to run 80lb Sunline FC for my heavier baits, I find it heavy enough for what we do and as long as you don’t go too hard on the fish they’re not going to chew through it”, explained DeRidder.

A slow start to the tour

by Griffith’s and DeRidders usual ultra high standards the next two events at Peter Faust had the potential to offer much for the barra duo.

“We’ve done very well at Faust over the years and we’re always confident that we can catch them there. What we can’t control is what the others teams catch, so we’re just going to go there focused on catching the biggest fish we can”, explained Griffiths.

Griffiths and DeRidder with their rewards for their 2nd place at Teemburra.

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

Team Barratrauma FishTec/EJ Todd Tree Huggers Jackall Mad Keen Lews Toray The Likely Lads Zerek Triton Boats/Edge Rods Lowrance

Angler 1 Peter Laine Craig Griffiths Mick Weick Ash Sims Shane Fahl Mick Thompson Geoff Newby Luke Mulcahy Rick Napier Peter Price

Angler 2 Zac Hunt Karim DeRidder Brendan Barnett Dan Curry Corey Fahl Tony Thorley Phil Lyons Michael Detenon Dustin Sippel Greg Thomas

Fish 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 2/5 4/5 5/5 1/5

TW (kg) 45.94 40.69 27.03 24.84 20.95 19.56 18.52 17.60 17.04 16.38

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au DECEMBER 2017

87

Back on top Griffiths and DeRidder claimed their first win for the tour in the Sunline Peter Faust Evening event with the defending Zerek BARRA Tour Team of the Year (TOY) champions going against the grain of what they normally do at Faust.

“This event’s been won at Faust Point for the last three years and we wanted to do something different this year so we looked a little further afield and found a spot up the back of the dam where it came up from 20

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BARRA T Presente our R3 d by Su nline

into about 15 then up to 9ft.

“When the wind blows on it the fish sit there in about 9ft of water and that’s where we fished for the tournament.

On day one we couldn’t get any during daylight hours then around 8.30pm when the tide changed the fish moved in and we caught our limit pretty quickly,” explained Griffo.

The pair weighed in a 70.47kg limit to grab the lead heading into day two. Day two proved a little lighter on the scales with the guys catching a

ZEREK BIG BARRA Wilson’s Troy Dixon picked up the Zerek Big Barra at the Peter Faust two-day event with the barra junky’s 119cm fish caught on a Zerek 110mm Fish Trap in baby barra colour (black and white). The lure was fished on the newly released Bone Voyage spin rod (4-piece BVS704XH) matched to the ATC Vigour 5000 reel spooled with 30lb Zerek HyBraid topped with 40lb Wilson fluorocarbon leader.

The lure was attached with a loop knot and the Fish Trap was fished vertically in 20ft of water to treetops on the windward side of the lake. – ABT

STORM

R

Team Fish Tec Solutions/EJ Todd were pushed to the wire in the Team of the Year (TOY) points race, claiming the title by one point over Team Barratrauma.

62kg limit. It was enough for them to claim another BARRA Tour win.

The standout lure for the duo was a custom poured swimbait modelled on the popular Squidgy Slick Rig, featuring a Gamakatsu main hook and a Decoy YS 22 treble.

“You can really set the hook with this setup and not worry about them falling off

if you give them plenty of drag,” explained DeRidder.

Faust lived up to predictions with the lake producing both quality and quantity. Craig explained, “Both nights the fish we got went hard. We were fishing 30m from the trees and fish were nearly getting you back to the timber. We had to thumb our spools to stop them.

The Faust Jackall juggernaut Ash Sims and Dan Curry continued their successful 2017 Tour finishing 2nd at the two-day Peter Faust event.

Fishing the northern side

of the lake, the pair focused on an area that they mapped extensively in the lead up to the event.

“It was a long treeline across a flat that was littered

Dan Curry proudly holds a solid Peter Faust barramundi.

with laydowns, and it had a creek that fed into to it as well. The area was also punctuated by two small 6-7ft deep humps,” explained Sims.

With their boat anchored in 10ft of water, the pair would cast a variety of different lures, altering the retrieve depending on what the lure was.

“I threw a Slick Rig for a lot of the time and fished it with the usual slow roll, while Dan was fishing a Delande Skeleton soft plastic that he worked with more of a lift drop retrieve.

Regardless of the lure being used, the key was to keep the lure in contact with the bottom throughout the retrieve,” explained Sims.

While other boats around them caught fish during daylight hours, Sims and Curry didn’t boat a fish until well after dark.

“Both days we got a little nervous not catching

anything for a while and it wasn’t until 8.30-ish that we caught our first fish.

The others soon followed and by 11pm we had our bag,” explained Ash. Day two saw the pair landed 10 fish for the session, while day two proved a lot quieter; Ash suspects this was due to the added boats in the area.

“Both days you could see the fish on our Humminbird 360 moving through the area. On day two there were a lot more boats and you could see it affect the fish’s path through the area. They avoid areas they moved through the day before and they seemed more conscious of what was in the area,” explained Ash. Catching a 10/10, 130.14kg limit, the pair claimed their best result so far for the 2017 tour and showed it was a sign of things to come for the next event.

RESULTS

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

88

DECEMBER 2017

Place

Team

Angler 1

Angler 2

Fish

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

FishTec/EJ Todd Jackall Lucky Craft/Edge Rods Triton Boats/Edge Rods Barratrauma Venom Cairns Custom Team DTF Tree Huggers Lews/Toray

Craig Griffiths Ash Sims Colin Brett Rick Napier Peter Laine Troy Dixon Wally Wilton Mark Donelly Mick Weick Mick Thompson

Karim DeRidder Dan Curry Steve Lill Dustin Sippel Zac Hunt Robert Payne Jake Mitchell Jack O’Donnell Brendan Barnett Tony Thorley

10/10 10/10 9/10 9/10 6/10 6/10 7/10 10/10 6/10 7/10

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

TW (kg) 132.47 130.14 111.20 105.43 99.79 93.88 83.96 76.58 69.65 67.78

Big fish beat-down from Barratrauma Round two victors Team Barratrauma made it two wins for the 2017 tour with Laine and Hunt bagging a big bag of barra to claim the Venom Rods Peter Faust Night Championship win.

Catching a 5/5, 85.10kg limit to secure the win, the pair returned to the big barra honey hole they found on the second day of the two-day Peter Faust event, and it didn’t take long for the pair to pick up where they left off the day before.

“That was a consideration – would they still be there – and Zac catching one on his first cast showed that they were still there,” explained Laine.

Their spot was a 10ft deep location that had a corridor and laneways through it that the barra would travel through. Each travel zone faced different directions, so regardless of which direction the wind blew from the fish would be holding in and travelling through one.

When it came to the baits the pair used, it was big swimbait fishing 101.

“We caught plenty of fish on 7” Castaics and 9” Zerek Flat Shads, but it was Pete’s 250 Savage Gear Line Thru Trout that did a lot of damage,” explained Zac. The fishing was red-hot

ZEREK BIG BARRA The big barra slayers Team Barratrauma claimed the Zerek Big Barra Prize at the Peter Faust Night Championship with Zac Hunt catching a 113cm fish to finish the tournament with the event win and Zerek Big Barra Prize to their name. The barra was caught in weed corridors on a flat, and was caught at 9.41pm on a 7” Castaic swimbait. – ABT

and the big Trout was effective, so that the pair both caught a hat trick (three big barra in three casts) during the tournament. The retrieve for the trout involved sinking it down to the weed, popping it out, then rolling it back.

The retrieve of the Castaics was similar, albeit with a touch more action.

“We hopped the Castaics up through the water a fair bit then let it fall back down into the fish’s face,” explained Zac. Laine used a baitcaster for delivering his Savage Gear Trout while Hunt opted for a spin outfit for his soft plastics, his primary outfit being an Edge Rod 708 Black Widow rod and 3000 Daiwa Certate reel.

The pair caught 12 fish for the session, dropped another 20.

“It was just unreal, your go out social fishing and you wish for stuff like that but to do it in an ABT is so special,” concluded Hunt.

BARRA T Presente our R4 d by Ve nom

Team Barratrauma nailed the big fish at Peter Faust Venom Rods Night Championship, catching a 5/5, 85.10kg to claim the win.

Bridesmaids again Ash Sims and Dan Curry claimed their second top-two result for the tour at the Fast all-nighter with the Team Jackall pair returning to their laydown-laden flat to catch their fish.

Using the same tackle and technique that had served them so well in

the event before, Sims and Curry even tried supersized swimbaits in an attempt to generate the big bite needed to win.

“We tried fishing big but we just couldn’t get the fish to respond to our lures like some of the teams did, so we stuck with what was working for us,” explained Ash.

Sims and Curry with the spoils of their second place at Peter Faust.

Once again it wasn’t until after dark that the fish came out to play and by 11pm the pair had filled out their limit.

“We moved around and tried some other spots. While we had some success, it was our laydown flat that produced better than anywhere else,” added Ash. “Those guys were just on a better class of the fish than anyone else. They found the big ones and they put them in the boat, and they certainly deserved to win, they just dominated at Faust”, explained Sims.

The pair’s tackle included an assortment of Millerods and Shimano products with Ash using a 7’ Millerods Control Freak rod, 2500 Shimano Biomaster reel, 15lb Power Pro PE, 30lb Sunline FC 100 fluorocarbon leader, while Dan used a Millerods Beast Freak rod, Shimano Exsence DC reel, 30lb Power Pro PE, and 60lb Sunline FC 100 fluorocarbon leader.

A smiling Ash Sims with another Faust barra.

RESULTS

Troy Dixon holds the Big Barra Prize winning fish from the two-day Faust event.

Place

Team

Angler 1

Angler 2

Fish

TW (kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Barratrauma Jackall Zerek FishTec/EJ Todd Lucky Craft/Edge Rods Triton Boats/Edge Rods Venom Lews/Toray Flattop Fishing Lowrance

Peter Laine Ash Sims Luke Mulcahy Craig Griffiths Colin Brett Rick Napier Troy Dixon Mick Thompson Brett Turner Peter Price

Zac Hunt Dan Curry Michael Detenon Karim DeRidder Steve Lill Dustin Sippel Robert Payne Tony Thorley Dean Jackson Greg Thomas

5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5 5/5 4/5 4/5

85.10 69.81 68.80 68.15 67.76 66.55 57.72 55.59 48.18 43.93

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au DECEMBER 2017

89

Nautical Marine (03) 5984 1666

BAIT & TACKLE

FISH TAXIDERMY

Melbourne Marine Centre (03) 9703 2003

WEST COAST Portland Bait & Tackle (03) 5523 5213 Compleat Angler Portland (03) 5521 1844

Regal Marine (03) 9874 4624

Fish Taxidermist 0428 544 841

Streaker Marine (03) 9729 8288

Neptune’s Treasures 0419 643 654

Triple M Marine (03) 9465 8787

CENTRAL

SCREEN PRINTING

Warragul Marine (03) 5623 6250

Hooked On Bait and Tackle Hoppers Crossing (03) 9748 3811 Fishing Fever Mordialloc (03) 9590 9899 Melbourne Marine Centre (03) 9703 2003 JV Marine World Braeside (03) 9798 8883 Compleat Angler Ringwood (03) 9870 7792 The Flyfisher Melbourne (03) 9621 1246

Wes Frost Marine (03) 5976 4622

Logan Specialised Screen Printing (07) 5546 4107

EAST COAST

BOAT TRAILER

Inverloch Marine (03) 5674 1502

FRESHWATER

EAST COAST

CENTRAL

Boats and More Shepparton (03) 5822 2108

Always Angling Traralgon (03) 5174 8544

Vic Marine & Trailer Warehouse 0412 264 450

Boats and More Echuca (03) 5482 1992

FRESHWATER

BOAT HIRE

Eades Xtreme Marine Echuca (03) 5482 2333

Compleat Angler Echuca (03) 5482 1992 Compleat Angler Shepparton (03) 5822 2180 Compleat Angler Wangaratta (03) 5722 4622

MARINE ACCESSORIES

MARINE MECHANICS

PROVEN WORLD LEADING

Naaj Marine 0421 955 371 Unique Marine Accessories (03) 5427 1802 CMC Marine Sales www.cmcsales.com.au Hunter Marine Boat Builders (03) 5032 2320

CENTRAL

ANCHOR DESIGNS

Boab Boat Hire Shepparton (03) 5822 2108 Boab Boat Hire Echuca (03) 5482 1992

HOLIDAY RENTAL

The SARCA EXCEL and SUPER SARCA are certified type approved Super High Holding Power Super Sarca

Sarca Excel

WEST COAST Warrnambool Holiday Park (03) 5562 5031

Chelsea Yamaha (03) 9772 1212

Stick with convex design and leave the mud behind

EAST COAST

Designed and manufactured in Australia

All you need to worry about are the fish

CUSTOMISED MAINTENANCE & SERVICE to meet your individual boating needs

Outboard service & repairs Complete boat & motor fitouts Electrical accessory installations

Check out the holding power figures on www.anchorright.com.au www.anchorright.com.au | 03 5968 5014

Anchor Right 03 5968 5014 or www.anchorright.com.au

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES PROVIDED…

Salt-away 1800 091 172 or www.salt-away.com.au SERVICE CENTRE

KRIS OAKLEY MARINE SERVICES

5 Quality Drive, Dandenong South 3175 Victoria Email: krisoakleymarine@hotmail.com Phone: (03) 9794 5524

ONLINE TACKLE PRODUCTS Specialty Fishing Products

www.specialtyfishing.com.au

On the Waters Edge

FRESH BAIT | HIRE BOATS | ICE

• Easy access for boats • 10 cabins (3 with ensuites) • LPG gas refills • Kiosk

• Plenty of powered and unpowered camping sites • BBQs • Playground

FREE ADVICE ON WHERE THEY’RE BITING

OPEN

from dawn to dusk

Lester Rd Yanakie WILSONS PROM E sicp@sicp.com.au

03 5687 1385

Shallow Inlet Caravan Park (03) 5687 1385

“Over 250 patterns to choose from”

S TO M E R

NTEED GUASRA C

ORDER ONLINE

E

CU

Nautical Marine has been providing all your boating and marine needs since 1976, and continues to ensure that your days on the water are enjoyable and safe.

SHALLOW INLET CARAVAN PARK

7 DAYS

Kris Oakley Marine Services (03) 9794 5524 JV Marine World Braeside (03) 9798 8883 JV Marine World Laverton (03) 9368 7100

ERVI

RE-POWER & SERVICE EXPERTS

NEW

Lake Eildon Houseboats (03) 9397 6977

Boat, motor & trailer packages!

www.adrenalinflies.com.au Adrenalin Flies

www.adrenalinflies.com.au

Korr Lighting

www.korrlighting.com.au

She Left

www.hdvcs.com.au

• HARD BAITS • SOFT BAITS • METAL BAITS • TERMINAL TACKLE

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION EAST GIPPSLAND

MARLO

21 Marine Parade MARLO VIC

OCEAN VIEWS CARAVAN & CAMPING PARK

03 5154 8268

• Deluxe cabins HOSTS: Les & Kathy HEYNE • Cabins with ensuite • Budget cabins • Premium ensuite vans • Powered & Unpowered sites • Pet friendly • Undercover BBQ areas in Marlo • Large oval • Kitchen Largest park • Camp fires • Kiosk the beach to lk Short wa • Coffee shops

www.marlocamping.com.au Marlo Ocean Views Caravan and Camping Park, Marlo (03) 5154 8268

Lures for the thrill of fishing...

This is where your copy will appear.

You will have approximately 30 words within a 5x2 ad size.

FINANCE AVAILABLE PH: 03 5984 1666 W: nauticalmarine.com.au E: info@nauticalmarine.com.au Nautical Marine: 139 - 141 Hotham Rd Sorrento Vic

SAMPLE AD - BUSINESS NAME

www.fishlures.com.au contact@fishlures.com.au – 0408 064 323 GT Lures

www.fishlures.com.au

$320 + GST for 6 months Email : pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au

This section in V&TFM 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.

90

DECEMBER 2017

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION

Geelong Charters & Fishing Trips, Geelong (03) 5275 7107 Katrina Louise Charters, Cheltenham 0402 828 140 Kestrel Charters, Queenscliff (03) 5258 1783

EAST GIPPSLAND (Continued)

Queenscliff Fishing Charters, Queenscliff 0458 504 058

Bemm River Holiday Accommodation & Boat Hire, Bemm River

Pro Red Fishing Charters 0421 442 775

(03) 5158 4233 or 0427 584 233

Rip Charters Fishing Trips, Sorrento (03) 5984 3664

Lazy Acre Log Cabins 1, 2 & 3 BEDROOM SPACIOUS COTTAGES ♦ Solar Pool ♦ Free Wi-Fi ♦ Air-Con/Heating ♦ Fishing Advice ♦ Boat Parking

Saltwater Charters, Queenscliff (03) 5258 4888 Quiet central location Ideal for all the family Close to 90 mile beach 5min drive to boat ramps

Off The Hook Fishing Charters 0419 554 916 St Kilda Fishing Charters, St Kilda (03) 9770 2200 Western Port Fishing Charters, Hastings (03) 9769 5544

EAST COAST Far Out Charters, Lakes Entrance 0428 401 819 Prom Coastal Charters, Yanakie (03) 5687 1248 or 0429 935 583 East Gippsland Charters 0400 564 032

(03) 5155 1323 ♦ 0418 516 555 ♦ 35 Roadknight Street, LAKES ENTRANCE

FRESHWATER Angling Expeditions Victoria, Tawonga (03) 5754 1466

Lazy Acre Log Cabins, Lakes Entrance (03) 5155 1323

TASMANIA

Highland Trout Lakes, Ballarat (03) 5368 9574 Millbrook Lakes Lodge, Ballarat (03) 5334 0404

TASMANIA & FLINDERS ISLAND

AMAZING ANSONS BAY

ABSOLUTE WATERFRONT HOLIDAY HOME • Stylish house with great water views • Bathroom on 2 levels • Access to the beach in front of house • Boatshed with bikes and kayaks for your use • Boat ramp at Ansons Bay • Great fishing due to remoteness

NEW 2018 MODEL!

$

Ausprey Tours, Launceston (03) 6630 2612 Gone Fishing Charters, St Helens (03) 6376 1553 Fish Wild Tasmania, Hobart 0418 348 223 Flinders Island Adventures, Flinders Island (03) 6359 4507

769

echoMAP CHIRP 65cv PLUS ClearVüTM Combo

Trout Territory, Northern Midlands (03) 6397 5001

NSW SOUTH COAST Reel Affair, Merimbula freecall 1800 233 247 Espirit Charters, Bermagui (02) 6493 4104 or 0407 260 110 Freedom Charters, Eden (02) 6496 1209 or 0415 602 446 Headland Fishing Adventures, Merimbula (02) 6495 1134 Island Charters, Narooma (02) 4476 1047 or 0408 428 857 K9 Fishing Charters, Merimbula (02) 6495 1681

House rents for $190 per night – sleeps 6 Contact Kevin 0457 778 097 or for more photos go to Stayz Property – number 220674

CHARTER BOATS WEST COAST Portland Fishing Charters, Portland (03) 5523 3020

CENTRAL

Timeout Fishing Charters

0400 440 705

www.timeoutfishingcharters.com.au Timeout Fishing Charters 0400 440 705 South-West Fishing Charters, Portland 0418 306 714 Gone Fishing Charters 0409 007 068 Able Fishing & Charters, Williamstown (03) 9502 3777

Merimbula Marina, Merimbula (02) 6495 1686 or 0427 951 080 Narooma Charters, Narooma 0407 909 111 O’Brien Charter Service, Bermagui 0407 214 124

Big Red Fishing Charters, Queenscliff 1800 805 587

39

99

•Grey/Charcoal •Grey/White •Blue/White •Camouflage

FISHING GUIDES NSW SOUTH COAST Wilderness Fishing Tours, Mallacoota 0424 625 160 Aussie Fish Estuary Adventures (02) 6495 9902 or 0400 062 504

LED 149 Series Trailer Lamp Set With Number Plate Lamp

TRADES AND SERVICES ADVERTISING Line listing from $90 + gst 6 months* 2cm x 2 from $195 + gst 6 months* 5cm x 2 from $320 + gst 6 months* 8cm x 2 from $590 + gst 6 months* Rates exclusive to Trades and Services Directory *Conditions apply Call (07) 3387 0835 or email pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au

If you have any other trades or services that you would like to see in this section please don’t hesitate to give us a call Email: pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au

ACE Fishing Charters, Bonbeach (03) 9773 4183 Adamas Fishing Charters, Barwon Heads (03) 5254 3320

$

Fishermans Fold Down Seat

CHANDLERY & ACCESSORIES

$

39

99 PAIR

Offshore 150N Manual Inflatable PFD

$

64

90

STORES

CELEBRATING

WIDE

YEARS

AUSTRALIA

25

www.bargainboatbits.com.au

Anchor Right (03) 5968 5014

Blue Magic Fishing Charters, Rowville (03) 9759 5301

Salt-away 1800 091 172 or www.salt-away.com.au

Calypso Fishing Charters, Tootgarook (03) 5985 8463

Techni Ice (03) 9783 1922

Advertisers wanting to be involved in this directory can call (07) 3387 0800 or email pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au DECEMBER 2017

91

FUN PAGE AND COMPETITIONS WATER MONSTERS

KRAKEN SIREN MERMAID CTHULU MURLOC NAGA WATER ELEMENTAL WATER WEIRD ABOLETH BULLYWUG KAPPA

BATTLE TOAD CAPRICORN LOCHNESS MONSTER GODZILLA GRINDY LOWS HIPPO CAMP KELPIE MARID LEVIATHAN SEA HAG

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: VIC Find-a-word Competition, PO box 3172, Loganholme Qld 4129

VIC DEC 2017

Phone (day):

FINS SCALES & TALES by A. Both

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

GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy

ORIGINAL

FIND-A-WORD

Congratulations to John Hines from Canowindra, who was last month’s winner of the Find-a-Word Competition!

Monthly winners receive a sponsor prize. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – V&TFM

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE

The subscriber prize winner for October is P Malov of Moorabbin, who won Okuma Fishing gear of your choice valued up to $300.

All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – V&TFM

of Coragulac, D Fitzgerald of Coldstream, L Gruar of Portland, B Lewis of Brookfield, B Wuestewald of Ballarat, K Scott of Gawler , M & D Doherty of Strathfieldsaye, G Smith of Stawell, P Cobb of Berrigan, R Eames of Essendon, H Kirk of Hadspen, E Forrester of Merricks, G Ball of Clifton Springs, T Richardson of Warrnambool, K Dowell of Highton, R Drummond of Moe, A Grant of Doreen, W Johnson of Morwell, C

Smith of Traralgon, M Stacey of Portland, P Geale of Georgetown, A Pollard of Darley, G Bell of Mernda, J Aquilina of Keilor Downs, D Baulch of Colac, I Lovel of Bealiba, M Meyer of Dartmouth, J Clarke of Newport, M Fryer of Balwyn North, S Andrighetto of Inverloch, B Bell of Wodonga, W Henley of Park Orchards.

Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – V&TFM

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS

FIND THE COASTAL BLACK LOGO

GUESS THE FISH?

The answers to Find the Coastal Black Logo for October were: 8, 12, 19, 23, 25, 28, 30, 33, 36, 40, 43, 45, 60, 86, 89. – V&TFM

92

DECEMBER 2017

This month’s Guess the Fish Answer: Saratoga

The Find the Coastal Black prize winners for October were: A Crawford of Enfield, D Robinson of Carisbrook, M Reynolds of Morwell, C Peeters of Colac, J Wilson of Boronia, H Long of Malvern, M Tansey of California Gully, P Dickinson of Langwarrin, A Bonner

Answer:

boats & kayaks

In the skipperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seat 94 Feeling edgey?

Inside story...

After WWII, the pace of life changed as a war-ravaged world now craved speed and excitement. This era saw enterprising young businessman Jim Whittley who, along with his brother Ossie, indulged a love of boating. In 1953, Jim produced his first timber boat out of a small shop in the Melbourne suburb of Bulleen. In the late 1960s they made the switch to fibreglass, and have been moving forward ever since.

Made for...

Whittley balances traditional core boating values with constant improvement and delivers on that original promise of quality and innovation.

This month...

Editor Steve Morgan jumps into the helm of the Sea Legend 20 powered by a 200hp Volvo Penta sterndrive. Check it out on page 104!

Corey Gallagher explains why you should be using your kayak to target the egdes this summer!

98 Kayak storage ideas Kayak storage is not an issue to be sniffed at, as Justin Willmer will show you this month.

100 Quintrex Outback Explorer series

Wayne Kampe checks out the newest car toppers in the Quintrex stable, on and off the water.

101 Hard Korr gifts

Looking for some boat lights, perhaps as a gift? Let Wayne Kampe take you through some ideas.

102 Fishmaster 430 SC

Clarkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new Fishmaster 430 SC is put through its paces by Peter Jung on the beautiful Lake Eildon.

DECEMBER 2017

93

Feeling edgy? Snag a bite!

MELBOURNE

Corey Gallagher

Who doesn’t love summer?

Often as the weather down south heats up, so does the fishing, particularly if you love fishing our coastal estuaries as much as I do. Warmer water injects a new life into systems, waking them from their winter slumber.

Fish also begin to fire up, moving from the sleepy depths of their winter doldrums to the shallow flats and edges prevalent in our estuarine systems around Victoria and Tasmania. Fish are far more active during this time and actively move around in the shallows looking for bait to feed on as they look to increase their weight before their feeding slows again and the next winter approaches.

One certainty in fishing is that all our estuaries have shallow structure of one type or another, such as the weed and sand flats that I covered in last month’s issue, or edges and snags, which I will focus on in this article.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR Even when fishing small systems, choosing a productive bank to fish can be a challenge in itself and one

fish on an edge?

As always local knowledge is worth its weight in gold and can be the key to knowing the best banks to target at any one time. I always try to speak to locals before venturing to systems outside my local range to gather as much intel as possible.

s d n e m m o c e r k a y a u q A when targeting the edges and snags

anglers need to keep in mind that they will often be targeting fish amongst snags such as rocks or fallen timber.

Pulling power is crucial if you are to successfully extract the bream or perch from the snags before they can bust you off.

For this reason I like

Shallow running hardbodies can be very productive on shallow banks over summer. chosen stick. Line is another key consideration; due to the potential to be busted off, abrasion resistant braided line is your best bet. I prefer to err on the side of caution and use 10lb, however this is a personal choice and lines from 6-20lb can be used depending on the conditions.

Leader choice is often determined by the water clarity and lighter line is good when the water is clear. A good starting point

Dale Baxter working a likely-looking snag in search of an estuary perch or bream. Photo courtesy of Darren Weda.

Speaking to friends in the area or a local tackle shop or boat hire operator can be very insightful; most are obliging, particularly if you spend a few

Using a kayak capable of reverse drive, such as the Hobie Pro Angler 14 with MD180, can make extracting hard-pulling fish from the snags that much easier. Photo courtesy of Darren Weda. that can make the difference between a successful day on the water or a dreaded donut.

So what do you look for when trying to locate feeding

eyes open; often there are key signs to look for that indicate the presence of fish on a bank.

The presence of baitfish, particularly scattering bait on the surface, is a giveaway that predatory fish are feeding in the area.

Often, when the water conditions allow it you will

dollars at their business.

I mentioned last month that surveying a system from the comfort of your home on Google Maps is also a great way to identify potential hotspots such as points, rock formations or large snags.

Once on the water keep your

see bream right up high under snags or boulders, flashing as they chew on shellfish.

When moving over sand or mud edges dirty patches of water are often the result of fish ‘digging’ in search of a crustacean or worm to feed on. Finally, make use of your sounder to mark up fish sitting in the deeper dropoffs. Often these fish will be sitting in wait to ambush bait as it moves along the edge.

THE TARGET SPECIES Many species are available on the edges during the warmer months and for me there are two standouts.

Bream and perch are both excellent sportfish and will eagerly take a well-presented lure. Both have explosive power and can pull plenty of drag. They are prepared to fight dirty in an effort to free themselves by making a beeline to the nearest snag as soon as they are hooked.

Flathead are also a common catch along the edges over the warmer months as they sit on shallow banks sunning themselves, waiting to ambush passing bait.

THE GEAR When fishing the edges

The author with a bream taken on a shallow mud bank using the ever-reliable motor oil grub. to use a rod with plenty of power down low and a light enough tip to allow you to throw the small, light lures required for bream and perch.

A 2-4kg rod in the 6-7’ range is perfect for this type of work; I prefer a rod around the 6’6-6’10 range. Rods of this length are well suited to accurate casting, which is critical when working edges, particularly when plenty of snags are present.

Match your rod up with a 2000-2500 size reel that balances out nicely with your

RANGER SUGGESTED ACCESSORY:

245

$

Specifications: Length: 3.7 metres; Weight: 25kg; Capacity: 170kg 94

DECEMBER 2017

is 6lb. Make sure you have lighter and heavier options on board your yak if the need to change arises.

THE TECHNIQUES One of the key considerations for kayak anglers fishing edges and particularly snags is the kayak’s position on the water as you work an edge or snag. Due to the vast pulling power of bream and perch, once hooked up they have the ability to pull the kayak through the water. This can be very problematic if you’re

trying to extract a fish from a snaggy bank.

Position your kayak with this in mind, making sure you have the bow pointing away from the bank so that you can use your pedals or paddle to manoeuver away from the edge or snag if required. If your kayak has reverse drive, this isn’t so much an issue, as you can engage reverse and back away using the power of the drive unit to move the fish away from the snag.

Lure options are almost endless when it comes to working edges and snags.

Shallow and deep running hards, crab imitations or a variety of soft plastics all are great depending on the type of edge you’re fishing.

For shallow banks stick to shallow diving hards or lightly weighted grubs and minnow profile soft plastics.

On rocky banks crabs can be hard to go past, whether it’s a soft plastic or hard style crab. These can be worked both shallow and deep, making them a very versatile lure choice. On deeper banks or when working steeper drop-offs deeper diving hardbodies or heavier soft plastics are your best bet.

CONCLUSION Fishing the edges can be a very exciting way of catching a bream, perch or flathead and summer is the prime time to snag a fish off the edges.

Often it is a very visual form of fishing and with any amount of fallen timber or rocky outcrops for the fish to bust you off on, it certainly is a very challenging and rewarding form of fishing, particularly when fishing from your kayak.

899

$

Manufactured in Melbourne, Victoria

Outrigger Kit

21B Randor St, Cambellfield, Victoria 3061

“See our website or call to find a dealer near you.”

Ph: (03) 9357 9992 – www.aquayak.com

WHAT’S NEW BOATING DUNBIER ACCESSORIES

1

Dunbier has announced the release of their Accessories and Parts Catalogue for 2017/18.

The new catalogue features some of the latest and greatest products from Dunbier Trailers, alongside some of the most reliable products that have been getting boaties to and from the ramp for the last 48 years.

Some of the new products that are available are: the original ‘Launch & Retrieve’ system; change of colour for most winches, bumper block, flippers and more; quality LED lighting and loom kits; customised tie-downs; retractable tie downs; stainless steel brake lines; brake line kits and much more.

With over 45 pages of parts and accessories to look at, and plenty of new products, this year’s catalogue is well worth a look. You can browse through it on the Dunbier website or visit your local dealer to pick up a copy. www.dunbier.com

MERCURY DIESEL 6.7L COMING

2

With production to commence shortly, the new Mercury Diesel 6.7L mid-range engines will be available Down Under in early 2018.

Unveiled at the 2017 Miami International Boat Show, the exciting new electronic, common-rail engines come in three power levels: 480hp, 500hp and 550hp. For further flexibility, they can be used as inboards or packaged with the Mercury Zeus pod-drive technology.

They are, of course, fully compatible with Mercury’s full suite of SmartCraft controls and electronics, including optional joystick piloting for inboards and joystick piloting for pods (Zeus).

Designed to deliver substantial improvements in acceleration and top speeds, the engines boast a matched turbocharger design coupled with electronic common-rail fuel injection technology and a state-of-the-art Bosch EDC17 engine control system. Utilising design features and materials specific for marine applications, the new Mercury Diesel 6.7L diesels are extremely durable with low fuel consumption and an extended travel range. www.mercurymarine.com/en/au/

DRIVE WITH YOUR PHONE

3

MAP MarineTechnologies (MAP-Tech) have partnered with AMI Marine to distribute its products throughout Southeast Asia, and one of the new products to hit our shores is the MAP-Tech Marine Autopilot, or MAP for short.

MAP lets you completely control your boat’s movement via an app on your handheld device. The mobile app interfaces with a compact, marine-proofed unit, housing a GPS, Wi-Fi, INS and solid state compass. This unit connects via Wi-Fi to a handheld Android or iOS app device that facilitates rudder control, battery monitor and other steering commands, allowing the vessel to travel along a pre-selected route to its destination, and at any time the skipper can take control with optional remote steering.

MAP comes pre-loaded with navigational charts, lets you manage unlimited waypoints and routes, and the GPS horizontal accuracy is within 2.5m. MAP is essentially a digital crewmate, combining a navigator’s expertise with a steady hand at the wheelhouse, leaving users free to fish. www.amisales.com.au

TRUDESIGN FITTINGS

PRODUCT GUIDE

4

1

BLA now distributes TruDesign’s extensive range of products including ball valves, skin fittings, load bearing collars (DAME Award Winner), skin fitting tools (DAME Award Winner), strainers, vented loops, non-return valves, connectors and tails.

TruDesign’s products are New Zealandmade, comply to the toughest global certification authorities, and conform to rigid ISO and ABYC Marine Standards. Thanks to more than 40 years’ experience designing, tooling and manufacturing complex injectionmoulded engineering plastics, TruDesign have developed a range of sophisticated products to meet the safety demands of the modern boating industry. TruDesign’s composite materials are: developed specifically for harsh marine environments; stronger, lighter, tougher and more chemically resistant than metals; immune to electrochemical and galvanic corrosion; UV safe and won’t discolour or become brittle from the sun like inferior plastic products can; and are designed to last lifetime of vessel. www.bla.com.au

BOAT COLLAR WELDED METHOD

2

5

After months and months of testing and trials, Kapten Boat Collar are thrilled to announce a new and different way to fit the Boat Collars, with the new ‘welded’ method.

The new method is suitable for most big boats, including plate and fibreglass boats where internal access is limited/non-existent, and/or for customers who don’t want to drill holes in their boats. We can now chemically weld or physically weld the Collars to the boats.

To chemically weld the Collars, we use ‘the strongest sealant adhesive on Earth,’ Soudal’s T-Rex Power Turbo (which has a grab/strength rate of 380kg/10cm2), and bonds everything to everything.

Due to the extra labour required for shaping and routering each Collar, the welded Collar is a little more in price compared to the standard fitting Collars.

Call today to see if your boat is suitable for this welded fitting method. www.boatcollar.com.au

VERADOS FOR FURY 6 DUAL CONSOLE Fitted with twin 225 Mercury Verado outboards, the new Fury 282 Dual Console is better than ever – faster, better-balanced and roomier.

“Having experienced the difference, the 225 Verados are now definitely our preferred motors on this boat,” said Fury Custom Boats owner/director, Scott Fury.

The Dual Console is a brilliant multi-purpose machine – a bow-rider with a protected helm, a large fishing area and plenty of comfort with a bedroom, toilet, galley and BBQ if you want.

The addition of twin 225hp Mercury Verados has made a very attractive package even better.

“Testing with the Verados we hit 46 knots (85 km/h) at 6,400 revs which is better than it’s ever done,” Scott said.

At 3,000 rpm the twin rig was using 40L an hour, giving the 9.1m Fury a range of 460km.

“As I said, ultimately it’s up to the owner which engines are used but I’m going to be recommending the Verados certainly.” www.mercurymarine.com/en/au/

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

SCAN THE QR CODE!

DECEMBER 2017

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Business Profile

Taking a closer look at Aquayak Kayaks FMG

Peter Jung pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au

Nearly 18 months ago I was introduced to Paul Varasdi from Aquayak Kayaks at the Melbourne Boat Show.

It was the first opportunity that Paul and his business partner Darren Dunn had to show off their locally made kayaks.

They had recently bought the business and were keen to further establish the Aquayak brand and expand upon the options that the manufacturing process offers.

A lot has happened since we first spoke, and I’ve tested a number of the Aquayak kayaks for the magazines. Paul and Darren have both actively sourced feedback on the kayaks tested, so I was super keen to visit the business and see how a kayak is made.

Aquayak produces seven types of kayak from their

electric motor and they have most bases covered.

They also produce six other products (this will expand further as the business grows according to Paul) including an outrigger kit that suits any kayak, a dive buoy, a water tank and a number of mooring buoys. All of this keeps the Aquayak team

it would. The process from start to finish is approximately 50 minutes long and (without going through all the steps) it basically involves plastic powder being poured into a mould, heated and rotated in an oven and then cooled. Then they add on the accessories.

It’s pretty simple really, but as Paul explained to me,

Production was in full swing for Christmas when the author visited.

Aquayak also produces other items like this outrigger kit. Their plan is to continue to expand their range of products. it’s the tooling required to make the mould and making adjustments so that they are continuing to improve the end product that takes time.

He showed me a large book

that he and Darren have put all of their thoughts into and they are certainly keen to expand and improve. A great example of this is the Outrigger Kit they produce. It can be attached to any kayak and will improve its stability so anybody can use it.

Their partnership with Railblaza has been a huge positive for them and for the end user. These versatile and easy to use products and

Aquayak uses Railblaza mounting systems, which is great for the end user.

A happy customer picking up their new kayak. head office in Campbellfield, Victoria. They range from an entry-level children’s kayak to a tandem yak that can be kitted out so that two anglers can fish from it. Add to that the option of including an

pretty busy.

HOW THE PROCESS WORKS The physical process of turning a tub of plastic powder into a kayak didn’t take as long as I expected

Once cooled the kayak is cleaned and all the accessories are added.

The plastic powder is placed in a mould and then heated and rotated in an oven for 24 minutes.

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mounting systems are second to none in quality and mean that every Aquayak kayak produced has accessories that match the quality of the kayak they’re on.

LEARN MORE Aquayak has a dealer network of over 70 stores nationally or you can order direct via their website www. aquayak.com.

Although they have a great range of standard colours and products, custom kayaks can be ordered and produced.

Paul has had special orders from quite a few AFL supporters who wanted their kayak made in their favourite club colours. I could see a few Tigers fans placing orders for Christmas. There is also a great range of accessories and other items for your kayak available through the website.

• If you want to know more about Aquayak kayaks and products they produce and sell, please go to their website or contact them on (03) 9357 9992.

Another option with the Aquayak kayaks is to add a Torqeedo electric motor to either their Scout or Ranger models.

MAJOR PRIZES

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DECEMBER 2017

97

Solutions for storing your kayak at home BRISBANE

Justin Willmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

Fingers-crossed you have been doing a bit more fishing than me over the last month. With only a couple of short bream and flathead sessions under my belt I am keen to get the yaks on the water more throughout December.

Some extreme weather put a dampener on fishing plans, along with the building of a new shed, however I made the most of the downtime and did some kayak and tackle maintenance, while also sorting out both kayak and kayak accessory storage in my new shed.

It’s definitely true that the easier it is to access and load your gear, the more likely you are to get out on the water and catch a few. My aim with the new shed was for everything to be easily located, easily accessed and also easily returned to its home when I return from a fishing trip.

After more than a year of using a small, crowded shed and bits and pieces in crates everywhere, here’s a rundown on how our kayaks and accessories are now organised. I hope it inspires you to look at storage options for your kit.

VERTICAL KAYAK STORAGE My parents, ‘the grey

nomads,’ are in their 70s and still love their kayak fishing.

They paddle Malibu Mini-X kayaks that measure about 2.7m long. The 3m high walls on the shed allow for vertical storage against the rear wall.

The two kayaks can be stored out of the way easily and the storage system I have used allows me to simply unclip a strap that secures them to the wall and lower them to the floor when I know my parents are visiting and will be heading out for a fish.

I took a set of Railblaza StarPort Wall Slings and mounted the StarPort mounts on the shed frame, inserting a small block of timber into the wall frame to ensure the

mounting was both strong and secure. In terms of placement, the crossbeam of the shed frame was about 1.5m from the floor, which worked out perfect, as it meant that the strap would be slightly above the halfway point of the vertical kayak, making this system more secure and stable. As my folks hadn’t dropped their kayaks off, I simply used two other kayaks that I had handy, while noting that their kayaks were around 85cm wide – I had to ensure I had adequate space for both to fit.

The two StarPorts were mounted on the shed frame about 90cm apart, to ensure the two kayaks would sit snugly together and assist in supporting each other, with

The kit crate is loaded, ready to grab and go for any kayak adventure.

Top: A block of wood inside the wall frame makes for a solid and strong fixing.

Above: The eye of the Railblaza StarPort Wall Sling close up.

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Horizontal kayak storage is sorted thanks to the Sea to Summit Aquaracks. Aquaracks support the cockpit section of the kayak, rather than the ends where they can cause the kayak to bend.

at least 45cm clearance on the other side of each mount.

I adjusted the Railblaza StarPort Wall Sling slightly so that the StarPort and eye were in the centre of the strap. Then I tied a knot in the strap around the eye so that the strap didn’t slide through the eye that’s locked into the StarPort mounted on the wall frame. This in turn ensured that the kayaks remained centred in position.

Then it’s simply a matter of adjusting the strap length so that the strap is tight around the kayak when it is stood on its tail and positioned in place.

It’s as easy as sliding the kayak into position, standing it up against the wall, hugging the kayak to grab the two strap ends that are hanging down from the StarPort and eye, and then bringing them around the kayak and clipping them together. To release the kayaks, simply hold a hand on it to keep it sturdy, unclip the StarPort Wall Sling and lower the kayak to the floor.

Vertical storage sorted.

HORIZONTAL STORAGE Kayak length and available height can often restrict the ability to stand

kayaks vertically and this is where horizontal storage comes into play. With an 11ft paddle kayak (and hoping to add a 12’ paddle kayak to the family) I ensured that one long wall of the new shed had no roller doors, allowing plenty of hanging space.

Measuring the wall, I allowed half a foot clearance from the roll of the roller door when rolled up and at its largest, as well as enough height off the floor to park the trailer and boat beneath the hanging kayaks.

It’s important to remember to measure twice and cut or drill once, to avoid the additional holes that I have in my shed frame.

The Aquaracks from Sea

to Summit have been great and I simply unscrewed them at the old house and moved them across to the new shed. They are excellent quality, inexpensive, simple to install, have a capacity of 80kg and are padded to avoid damage to your chosen vessel.

When installing them I ensure I have vertical clearance for both kayaks, install the lower set first and then clamp the second set on the wall above, adjusting them to allow both kayaks to be lifted in and out easily prior to fixing them in place.

If you don’t want to park or store anything else below them along the wall then you can comfortably hang

Robo Cup is a storage solution for many hardto-store items like these landing nets.

three kayaks on a wall of this height.

As I was fixing into the steel shed frame, I again inserted a piece of timber into the frame, clamped it in place and then drilled and screwed the racks in place to ensure a solid and strong fixing. That done, I had two kayaks wall-mounted, out of the way and easily accessed when required. If you have limited room out from the wall then Railblaza StarPort Wall Slings, used earlier for vertical storage, are designed to hang a kayak flush against the wall and are another quality, affordable and simple-to-install option.

OTHER OPTIONS My larger pedal kayak is currently stored on the floor, however I am looking to add either a hoist system or a kayak stand on wheels.

There are a variety of hoist systems available, designed for bikes, kayaks and other storage solutions; it’s just a matter of investigating the mounting system for installing the hoist, the attachment system for the kayak and the capacity to ensure that it suits your needs. Don’t hang the kayak by the tip and tail or you could end up with a banana, especially if it’s hot in the shed. Wide cradles under each end of the cockpit of the

These two kayaks are stored vertically with the Railblaza StarPort Wall Sling.

The Rack It Hook Plate and Double Hooks created an excellent paddle storage solution.

kayak that spread the weight and offer better support are the preferred option.

A kayak rack on wheels that holds four to six kayaks is a dream for me and I will be looking at DIY options as well as commercially available options, like those found in stores that sell kayaks. This allows the secure storage of multiple vessels and it can be wheeled hard up against a wall out of the way, or wheeled out into the open to easily access any of the vessels.

In the meantime, the floor is fine. A section of marine carpet the length of your kayak will make it easy to shift, flip and work on your kayak without scratching it up on the concrete.

PADDLE STORAGE I have always found paddles a pain to store and they end up in a corner, falling over, hard to get at and messy. On a recent trip to Bunnings I found that Rack It had added a Hook Plate and Double Hooks to their range. We use the Rack It shelving system in our shed to store all of our camping and fishing gear, using heavy-duty black crates to keep everything sorted.

The addition of a couple of Hook Plates and a handful of Double Hooks soon saw the paddles neat and tidy as well as out of harm’s way. If you don’t have Rack It shelving, don’t worry, I’m sure there are a wide range of double hook options available that mount

to various surfaces and will serve the same purpose.

ELECTRIC MOTOR MOUNT The grey nomads generally leave their kayak gear at our place and I wanted to ensure that their gear was easy to find and simple to access. I needed a rack for storing Ronny’s little 18lb Watersnake electric motor and, rather than hang it on the wall somewhere, I added a shelf beam to the Rack It shelving and hung the motor on this at a good height for his crook shoulder to handle. I killed two birds with one stone, as this also created a crossbeam to hold in annoying vertical items such as rod tubes, stake out poles, bait pumps and so forth, creating a module of vertical storage within the shelving unit.

ROBO CUP A cool storage solution that I have used in multiple applications over the years is Robo Cup. It is a dual cup holder that is joined with a clamp that allows you to clamp it almost anywhere and the bottoms of the cups can be left in for storing smaller items and drinks, or screwed out to store rods and more. I have attached Robo Cup to ladders, 4WD trays, milk crates, bikes, canoes and a stack of other places, to hold everything from drinks and rods to umbrellas, painting gear and lures.

I was trying to find a home for another awkwardto-store item – landing nets. The Robo Cup is a storage solution that can be attached to a beam in the shed without the need for a permanent fixing and it can be moved or repurposed in seconds. I generally give the net a hose when I get home from fishing and after a quick shake the net can be stored in the Robo Cup where it will dry and not create a mouldy mess anywhere in my kit.

KIT CRATES I have four black storage crates on the bottom shelf of one shelving unit – one for

myself, my wife and both of my parents – where we store the remainder of our kayak kit. If someone wants to go for a fish they put their kayak on their C-Tug trolley, grab their net, paddle and open the crate to load on their kayak kit.

Items in the crate may include an anchor, lip grips, Boomerang Tool,

travelling. Just grab and go!

Even though the weather and jobs list has kept me off the water lately, I have made the most of some short windows of time with a few bream and flathead, and more importantly I have made the most of the downtime to ready myself for the rest of the year, including the

With a shelf bracket the Watersnake has a home. sunscreen, bug spray, first aid kit, sounder and battery, water shoes, hat, phone case, dry bag, paddle leash, rod holders and other accessories, and a range of other bits and pieces to suit the crate owner. This also makes travelling kayak adventures much simpler, especially with early starts, ensuring that nothing important is left behind.

The crates also stack well and protect your kit when

upcoming holiday period.

My kit is sorted, everything has a home and is within easy reach and I feel prepared and fired up for a few adventures. I hope this article helps to inspire you to plan your kayak storage, think about different solutions for storing and managing you kit and prepare for those upcoming adventures, hot bites and short windows of time that present themselves.

Timber inserted into the shed frame ensures a strong fixing for the Aquaracks.

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Exploring the Outback the Quintrex way BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

The invitation was titled ‘Quintrex Outback Explorer Media Day’, which immediately made me envisage a day perhaps on

replace shore-based fishing.

Secondly, one for the traveller, hence the intriguing ‘Outback’ name to distinguish the new design. Lastly, the long time boater moving to down-size because a larger craft – great when it first came home – just does not suit overall requirements

enough to secure an invitation to the Quintrex factory, where we had the production line explained at length right from rolls of aluminium through to finished products.

Impressive is the best word to describe the factory, and it was a treat to see alloy sheets cut into various

Few tinnies designed to ride the roof racks are as purpose designed as the Outback Explorer range of craft, nor do they offer the security and safety of the high-sided Outback’s hull.

The 350 Outback Explorer was compact, stable and had a good turn of speed (37km/h) powered by the 15hp Evinrude.

Lake Moondarra at Mt Isa, or maybe on the Thompson River, Longreach.

Expecting to be boarding an early morning aircraft I was quite surprised to see – on a detailed look at the invitation – that the media day was in fact at Sanctuary Cove on the Gold Coast. So instead of flying, I’d be driving.

BRAND NEW MODELS At the Media breakfast, all was revealed. Quintrex being ahead of the game, as always, had released a brand new line of tinnies, which saw three new models introduced into the renowned Explorer range.

Lighter yet with more internal room and enhanced freeboard for more peace of mind in less-than-friendly environments, the newbies were aimed squarely at three market positions.

Firstly, that of the entry level boater; an affordable rig that will help the angler

DECEMBER 2017

bumps that waterways seem to enjoy throwing at us. The topsides have been raised by 135mm for even more space and security for those aboard, thanks to an overall internal depth of 0.87m. A 1.73m beam also sees four persons able to enjoy the smooth ride with maximum power of 20hp on the transom. At 92kg, it’s a useful car or camper trailer topper, and would be an ideal travelling companion.

390 Outback Explorer The flagship of the Outback range, the 390, is more than just a basic lightweight sports style tinny. Offering room for five persons and powered by up to 30hp, the 390 also sports a cast deck up front, with a decent sized storage hatch under it.

At 116kg it’s still a car topper, with a lift assist device, and would cater for the angler moving up from, say, a 350 into a larger rig

that still offers a great ride, has tremendous freeboard at 0.87m (an increase of 100mm) and ample beam of 1.82m.

THE OVERVIEW Quintrex have kicked quite a few goals with the new Outback series. The ride was exceptionally good (somehow they seem to have made a good thing even better) and I was particularly impressed with handling. In very hard turns, when the Outbacks seemed to run virtually on rails, there was absolutely no inclination to lean into the turn! That, in itself speaks volumes of the sort of R&D Quintrex have put into the Outback’s hull design to lift them to this level of performance and handling.

While available as basic rigs – at a very competitive price – there are glove boxes, factory floors, biminis, electric motor pads and other goodies on the option lists. You want it: they’ve got it!

The 390 Outback Explorer is the flagship of the range, and the sample here comes with a cast deck, decals and a big hatch in the cast deck. any longer.

But there was more to the media presentations than just an explanation of market targets and a run down on the new craft. As part of the media program we were fortunate

predetermined sections and welded together to form the various Quintrex models.

THE OUTBACKS – NEW FOR 2018 In a nutshell, the Outback Explorers are entirely new

Just part of the stock in the Quintrex yard.

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designs, and are offered in three sizes, namely 350 (3.58m), 370 (3.75m) and 390 (3.95m), with differing levels of appointments within the range. One of the first things you’ll see when you inspect the Outbacks is the tremendous freeboard and roominess within each craft. For little boats, these were mighty big! In fact, depth within the range has been increased by up to 230mm, with higher side sheets being worked into

each design.

350 Outback Explorer This might be the smallest in the Outback range, but it certainly packs a punch. The craft features the Quinnie F series bow and 80mm higher side sheets with an internal side height of 0.76m. As such, there’s all the freeboard a couple of anglers or crabbers might need. Weighing in at a modest 81kg, the 350 OE is by any standard an ideal car topper for lake, estuary or sheltered bay work. Engine rating is up to 15hp with a maxium of four people aboard. With a 15 Evinrude on the transom, I ran the 350 with three aboard and there were no issues. The ride was impressively smooth and stability of a good order.

370 Outback Explorer The 370 sports an increased deadrise to smooth those annoying lumps and

The new Outbacks on the dock. There are three new craft in the Outback Explorer line up, with small variations to fit out.

Hard Korr great gift ideas BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe

A U S T R A L I A

wkff@aapt.net.au

Hard Korr always surprise me with the ingenuity of some of their products.

Very useful electrical products are the norm and this month – just in time for Christmas – there are a couple of real beauties on offer.

THE 15W TRICKLE CHARGE SOLAR PANEL KIT Complete with a 5-year warranty, the Trickle Charge Solar Panel kit consists of a 270mm x 450mm ultra thin and extremely light panel, a solar controller, 5m of cable with bullet point connections plus a 1m battery connection cable with alligator clamps.

The panel (monocrystalline silicon) has a maximum output of 840 mA and is designed to operate in temperatures from -20 to 80°C, which is going

Margay 2017

$49,990

The Unilight in action set up here on a tackle box with its elastic strap holding it in place.

The kit is designed to keep charged batteries in tip top condition by keeping them topped up when not in use.

It’s brilliant for connecting to boat, car, caravan batteries or virtually any stationary battery that might be in need of continuous charging for

The light on the left indicates that the solar controller is doing its job. to survive our Queenlsand climate with ease.

The highly portable and easy to assemble unit is designed to trickle charge 12V batteries of AGM, gel, wet or calcium construction, so it’s certainly quite versatile.

best service.

Think of the poor old electric motor battery up front of a boat. How often do we give it a charge up after a fishing trip then leave it sit for quite a while hoping of course that it will be in tip top

shape for next use. Sadly this is not always the case as a lot of us have found out. Deep cycle batteries need to be kept fully charged for best life and the Hard Korr unit can fill the bill nicely.

As an exercise, I set up a test unit on my own boat – it was child’s play to connect the bullet point fittings – and even with the sun obscured by cloud cover there was sufficient charge output from the unit to set the controller flashing to indicate that charging was taking place.

With a very realistic warranty, and a modest price of only $129, this trickle charge unit is the original gift that keeps on giving, in the form of solar powered electricity!

HARD KORR UNILIGHT Korr are promoting their little Unilight as the most versatile light ever made, and after seeing one in action I’m inclined to agree. With a weight of only 85g, and well and truly small enough to fit into the palm of the hand, this

neat, rounded light about the size of half an orange takes lighting portability to a whole new level.

The potential seems to be endless; name the job and the Unilight can handle the task, given its high output of 100 lumens of light (at maximum) or a conservative 50 lumens in conservation mode of its three AAA batteries.

Default light output is white, but there is also, at the touch of a button, a handy orange to chase away the insects, as both white and orange LEDs are present in the unit.

The Unilight can also be set to a flash setting in Strobe Orange mode as a warning or attraction device.

Mounting the light is simple thanks to both an elastic strap, plus an inbuilt magnet on the actual light itself.

The Unilight is great value for money at $29.99 each or $99 for a four pack.

For more information about these products, or any others in their range, visit www.korrlighting.com.au. Wayne Kampe

• 17’7” • Single axle Basscat trailer • 115 hp Mercury 4 stroke • 24v electric motor (Minn Kota or Motor Guide) • 2 x sounders (Humminbird 597cxi HD Di or Lowrance HDS 5)

Pantera II 2017

$74,990

• 19’1” • Single axle Basscat trailer • 200 hp Mercury Optimax • 24v electric motor (Minn Kota or Motor Guide) • 2 x sounders (Humminbird 698cxi HD Si or Lowrance HDS 7 GEN2)

Yar-Craft 1785BT 2017

$59,990

• 17’5” • Single axle Basscat trailer • 75 hp Mercury 4 stroke • 24v electric motor (Minn Kota or Motor Guide) • 2 x sounders (Humminbird 597cxi HD Di or Lowrance HDS 5)

Sabre FTD 2017

$59,990

• 18’1” • Single axle Basscat trailer • 115 hp Mercury 4 stroke • 24v electric motor (Minn Kota or Motor Guide) • 2 x sounders (Humminbird 698cxi HD Si or Lowrance HDS 7 GEN2)

Left: The 15W trickle charge panel in action. Once set up it will keep a battery fully charged for next use.

Right: The entire 15W solar charge kit. The gift that keeps on giving…

We Build Dreams...

It’s a Family Tradition

A U S T R A L I A

Phone: 0410 173 060 basscataustralia@gmail.com DECEMBER 2017

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Clark Fishmaster 430 SC with Suzuki 40hp - SC

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Peter Jung pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au

Lake Eildon is Victoria’s inland freshwater playground. It is home to a flotilla of houseboats, has multiple accommodation options and is an angler’s paradise with Victorian Fisheries stocking a huge amount of native fish into it in recent years. It was also the perfect venue to put the Clark Fishmaster 430 side console through its paces with the team from Boats and More.

We have done a number of Clark tests for Boats and More in the past, but this was the first test on a boat from the Fishmaster range. Aimed firmly at the estuary, lake and river markets, it’s also available in tiller steer or centre console configurations.

The test boat was a side console and the boat was matched with a Suzuki 40hp 4-stroke outboard.

THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF THE FISHMASTER Any boat aimed at the lake, river and estuary markets must have a few things in my opinion. First

and foremost is fishing space. The Fishmaster has a reasonably large forward casting deck that incorporates some underfloor storage and a plumbed livewell.

The deck is large enough to comfortably cast lures from and could be used by two people if need be. If bait fishing is your go, both seats on the lower deck swivel and there is enough room between the rear storage for you to be comfortable.

You can easily put your feet up with fishing rods placed in the rear holders and enjoy a morning soaking a bait. Apart from the storage in the front deck, there are also a couple of side pockets for the items you need to get your hands on in a hurry and some space under the console.

There is certainly enough storage to keep your fishing areas clear of obstacles while you are on the water.

Second on my list of must-haves is the ability to mount electronics, in the form of sounders and gauges or an electric motor on the bow.

The side console of the Fishmaster isn’t huge, but is well planned out. Not only does the driver have ample room to drive the boat comfortably, there are

PERFORMANCE RPM......... Speed (km/h).....Economy (L/hour) Idle (750)................... 1.2............................. 0.4 1000.......................... 4.0............................. 0.7 2000........................... 7.2............................. 1.9 3000.......................... 9.6............................. 4.3 4000......................... 27.4............................. 5.6 5000........................ 39.1............................10.6 WOT (5600)............. 44.5............................13.8 102

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Main: Lake Eildon in Central Victoria was the perfect place to put the 430 Fishmaster through its paces. It was a stunning day to be on the water.

Above: The white Suzuki 40hp 4-stroke was a little different as far as looks go, but as you would expect with all Suzuki outboards, it performed well. also enough flat surfaces to mount any switches and gauges and plenty of room for a medium to large sounder. Although the test boat wasn’t fitted with a bow mount electric motor bracket, this is an available option. If your intention is to fish casting lures, this would be a must for me.

Lastly and just as important as the previous points, a small boat should be easily launched and retrieved by one person. The 430 Fishmaster was matched to a Dunbier trailer that was ideal for exactly that. You can easily drive it on and off or it can be winched by one person, depending on your preference.

The other plus of having a boat this size is that the family sedan will comfortably tow it with a minimum of fuss.

RIDE AND PERFORMANCE I have to say, of all

the Clark boats that I have tested, the Fishmaster was the best to drive so far. The handling was good at low and high speeds and it dealt with any chop we had on the testing day with ease.

It had good stability at rest. I was very comfortable standing on the forward casting deck taking photos for another test and after we finished it was great platform to fish from.

SUZUKI 40HP 4-STROKE The Clark 430 Fishmaster is rated to a 50hp motor. For testing and pricing reasons the crew from Boats and More fitted it out with a 40hp 4-Stroke from Suzuki and a white one at that. The white Suzuki certainly was a point of difference, but the colour really was the only change to what is a proven motor.

It got the Fishmaster up to a very nippy 44km/h and with the Lean Burn technology that Suzuki incorporates into their motors, it provides a good balance between economy and output. You could comfortably run around at between 3000 and 4000 revs all day and know that you will have enough fuel in the tank to get home.

FINAL THOUGHTS The Clark Fishmaster 430 is a great mediumsized sportsfishing boat.

You could add as many bells and whistles as your needs require and have a boat that will last you many years.

I think I would opt for a

50hp outboard, as I firmly believe this would maximise the performance of the boat, particularly if you intend to have 3-4 people in it.

As I said on the testing day, “that’s enough photos and videos – let’s get out and have a fish.” I think that is the reaction you want to have if you buy a fishing boat – you should want to use it.

SPECIFICATIONS Hull Length........ 4.38m Beam.................. 2.00m Depth................. 0.85m Bottom............3.00mm Sides...............3.00mm Weight (hull only).303kg Min hp.................. 30hp Max hp................. 50hp Max people........... Four You can find out more about the Fishmaster 430 and the Clark range of boats by going to the Boats and More website www.boatsandmore. com.au or give their Shepparton and Echuca stores a call.

The Fishmaster got up to a very respectable 44km/h at WOT.

The Lean Burn technology incorporated in Suzuki outboards ensures that users get a motor that provides maximum economy and output.

The layout of the console in the Fishmaster was well thought-out with plenty of legroom for the driver and ample space on the console to install electronics.

Comfortable seats are always nice to have in a boat and the Fishmaster definitely had that. The author could definitely see himself soaking a bait with his feet up out of the back of the boat.

An anchor well comes standard on the Fishmaster. An option with the boat is to add an electric motor bracket. This is a must as far the author is concerned.

You can easily tow the Fishmaster with a medium-sized family sedan. It came on a Dunbier trailer and was easily launched and retrieved by one person if required.

The casting deck has enough storage under it to keep your fishing space clear of clutter.

A couple of side pockets provide handy storage for those items you need to get hands on in a hurry.

The front casting deck provides plenty of fishing space and is large enough for two anglers to fish from.

Standard in the Clark Fishmaster range of boats is a livewell. This is handy if you are looking to upgrade your fish or if you want to release your fish at the end of a session.

Painted inside and out, the Fishmaster 430 SC looked great on the water.

The rear decks have storage for batteries, a fuel tank and room for a bit more gear.

A classic hull configuration provides great ride and handling at any speed.

DECEMBER 2017

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Whittley Sea Legend 20 with 200hp Volvo Penta - SC

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Length on trailer......7.5m Height on trailer......2.2m Width on trailer.......2.4m Beam........................2.4m Deadrise at transom.23° Fuel........................... 150L Dry tow weight... 1,980kg Max HP..................200HP

Main: Taking the Whittley SL20 for an afternoon around Queenscliff sure was a lot of fun. There hasn’t been a Whittley/Volvo Penta inboard combination we’ve tested that hasn’t been a whole lot of fun to drive.

Above: The SL20 tested is pretty easy on the eye and will turn heads at any boat ramp in the country. It also corners like it’s on rails.

Actually, it wasn’t that much of a stretch – we rocked up the day after Whittley’s on water event at the Queenscliff Marina – a lovely little clear-water berth

right by the entrance of Port Phillip Bay. Whittley are well known for taking their boats to the people. Their marketing includes shopping centre

Powered by a 200hp Volvo Penta single-prop inboard, the fishability of the transom is surprisingly good.

104

DECEMBER 2017

displays and on water events, as well as the more traditional boat shows and Alan Whittley’s theory for this is simple: Whittleys are family friendly, so they need to get the boats to where the families are.

That said, this is a serious fishing boat with some creature comforts more than a Whittley cruiser that you can fish out of.

Priced to impress (the rig is under $80,000, ready to fish), the SL20 is a great entry point to the Sea Legend range and entirely capable of taking you tuna fishing one day and whiting fishing the next.

There hasn’t been a Volvo/Whittley combo I’ve tested yet that isn’t fun to drive. Even though this hull is only rated to 200HP and is fitted with the SX iteration stern drive with a single prop (and not the water-gripping

DE FOR EX

SPECIFICATIONS Length....................6.37m

CO

s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

There’s five lengths of the Whittley Sea Legend available and the Sea Legend (SL) 20 is the smallest of them. And as most Whittley SLs are purchased with an inboard rather then outboard option, Alan Whittley organised us an SL20 with a 200HP Volvo Penta inboard to test.

duo-prop option) it still packs a punch when you drop the throttle and drives around likes a sports car.

Like all Whittleys, the finish is great. The cabin is lined and spacious, the decks have folded non-slip where not covered with custom SeaDek and the seat bases are designed for maximum practicality. This rig has a pair of ice boxes stashed under the seats with half-cut list to allow in situ access.

There’s a sliding, lockable door for cabin privacy and security.

At the helm, the dash is well laid out and there’s room to flush mount a sounder or multi function display.

Of course, the question

R

Steve Morgan

Q

RA

CON

AN THE

FMG

to hold some of your extra gear and the optional bait board confines the messy stuff to one area.

Under the deck, there’s a kill box to keep your catch in great shape.

PERFORMANCE 36 knots at 5,600RPM No fuel metering available Packaged on a twin axle Mackay trailer with electric brakes, Whittley definitely haven’t taken the cheaper option when putting together the cradle for this hull.

Overall, if you’re looking to get into a fishing Whittley, the SL 20 seems the natural

With the canvas canopy for shade and the rocket launchers to help your rods out of the way, two anglers can fish around each other with ease.

Both items are standard features on the SL20. most anglers ask when faced with fishing out of an inboard-powered boat is that of cockpit room.

You’ll be glad to know that the incursion of the engine bay into the cockpit is minimal and the design of the transom allows easy entry from either side.

There’s ample side pockets

place to start. In addition to watching the video of the Fishing Monthly YouTube channel (by scanning the QR code hereby), you can take a virtual tour of this boat by visiting the Whittley website (www.whittleymarinegroup. com.au) – it’s pretty impressive. You can also find your nearest dealer.

Top: The 23° of deadrise at the transom makes the Sea Legend hull soft-landing in rougher waters.

Above: If you’re converting from an outboard to an inboard, you need to get used to using your trim gauge and not just looking back when you’re trimming up to load the trailer.

Spring-style trim tabs are standard on the SL20 package. That bait board at the transom is the only optional extra on this package. Everything else is standard – and the rig comes in at under $80,000.

The router SeaDek floor inserts are standard, too.

The helm is comfortable and the dash well laid out. It can hold bigger than the 7” Garmin in the test boat.

Ample side pockets and an underfloor kill tank make this a practical fishing machine.

Enough room here to hold half-a-dozen of your favourites.

Top Left: The bait board drains via a pipe over the transom and is easy to remove if its not needed.

Top Right: Practical patterns in the SeaDek like rulers are fairly common in modern glass boats.

Left: We liked the easy access to the cranking battery and isolation switch.

Right: To get best use of the seat bases, Whittley custom-cut their ice box lids to enable access while they are half-hidden under the seats.

Whittley supply this rig on a twinaxle, electric brake trailer. They could get away with hydraulic, but opted for the safer path.

The bow is well set-up for anchoring and retrieval.

DECEMBER 2017

105

Victorian Tide Times

2017 2017 Local Time

POINT LONSDALE – VICTORIA POINT – 144° VICTORIA LAT LONSDALE 38° 18’ LONG 37’

JANUARY SEPTEMBER Time Time m

Time 0305 0016 0850 0717 SU 1452 1229 FR2050 1850 0343 0058 0928 0811 MO 1534 1315 SA2125 1940 0419 0146 1004 0910 TU 1615 1413 SU2200 2041 0455 0247 1042 1012 WE 1657 1524 MO2237 2149 0530 0401 1118 1111 TH 1740 1645 TU2317 2258 0607 0511 1157 1202 1827 FR WE 1748

11 22

33 44 55 66

m 1.61 0.44 0.63 1.36 1.37 0.75 0.27 1.34 1.64 0.48 0.57 1.32 1.39 0.82 0.27 1.28 1.65 0.52 0.52 1.30 1.40 0.87 0.29 1.24 1.63 0.54 0.47 1.31 1.41 0.87 0.32 1.24 1.61 0.54 0.43 1.35 1.40 0.83 0.38 1.27 1.57 0.52 0.39 1.42 1.39 0.74

Time 0344 0010 0920 0722 MO 1537 1233 SA2130 1903 0427 0104 1009 0831 TU 1627 1333 SU2215 2015 0506 0212 1054 0942 WE 1715 1450 MO2257 2138 0543 0335 1135 1046 TH 1801 1615 TU2335 2254 0616 0452 1214 1146 FR 1849 WE 1728

16 16 17 17

18 18 19 19 20 20

m 1.70 0.31 0.47 1.44 1.49 0.69 0.20 1.38 1.69 0.37 0.41 1.40 1.48 0.74 0.26 1.33 1.66 0.43 0.37 1.39 1.46 0.75 0.33 1.33 1.61 0.46 0.35 1.41 1.42 0.69 0.41 1.37 1.54 0.46 0.35 1.46 1.37 0.59

Time 0359 0013 0945 0814 WE 1603 1338 SU 2147 2002 0435 0156 1023 0912 TH 1646 1429 MO 2229 2104 0511 0249 1102 1015 FR 1730 1531 TU 2310 2217 0546 0357 1143 1118 SA 1817 1647 WE 2353 2332 0625 0515 1224 1215 SU 1909 TH 1800

11

22 33

44

55

m 1.62 0.46 0.44 1.33 1.46 0.74 0.30 1.24 1.62 0.52 0.37 1.29 1.48 0.78 0.33 1.20 1.61 0.57 0.31 1.28 1.49 0.78 0.38 1.20 1.58 0.60 0.26 1.30 1.48 0.74 0.44 1.25 1.53 0.60 0.23 1.35 1.45 0.64

Time 0437 0148 1031 0910 TH 1658 1424 MO 2236 2117 0510 0256 1108 1015 FR 1738 1542 TU 2312 2239 0540 0415 1143 1117 SA 1816 1703 WE 2347 2351 0611 0534 1216 1215 SU 1854 TH 1810

m 1.60 0.42 0.32 1.39 1.50 0.65 0.37 1.29 1.56 0.51 0.30 1.36 1.47 0.64 0.43 1.31 1.52 0.57 0.30 1.36 1.44 0.58 0.49 1.37 1.47 0.58 0.31 1.39 1.39 0.49

0023 0054 20 0644 20 0640 MO 1251

0.56 1.46 1.41 0.57 0.33 1.42 1.35 0.40 0.63 1.55 1.35 0.54 0.37 1.45 1.31 0.32

16 16

17 17 18 18

19 19

1307 FR 1936 1902 0101 0150 0719 0732 1328 TU 1353 SA 2024 1947

0014 0.50 0038 0.52 0000 1.45 0038 1.35 21 6 21 0649 1.48 1.48 21 6 0706 0557 0.44 0628 0.57 21 SA 1251 0.36 MO 1308 0.23 1240 TH1938 1826 0052 0100 0724 0649 1329 SU 1326 FR2030 1914

0000 0.45 1.34 22 770000 0645 0604 1.52 0.48 22 1238 0.35 SA 1248 1.48 TH1921 1835 1.37 0.63

18’ of High LONG 144° TimesLAT and38° Heights and Low37’ Waters Times and Heights of High and Low Waters MARCH FEBRUARY OCTOBER NOVEMBER Time m m Time Time m Time m

1.52 1.32 0.48 0.58 1.53 1.41 0.42 0.38 1.55 1.29 0.39 0.67 1.59 1.34 0.42 0.41 1.57 1.26 0.33

1307 FR 2009 1853 0126 0134 0754 0721 1358 TU 1353 SA 2116 1937

77

0142 0237 22 0800 22 0815 1408 WE 1432 SU 2119 2027

0447 0013 4 4 1042 1722 SA 0542

1.60 1.40 0.20 0.68 1.61 1.36 0.41 0.40 1.57 1.53 0.17 0.64 1.58 1.42 0.46 0.28 1.53 1.66 0.17 0.59 1.53 1.47 0.18 0.53 1.74 1.48 0.55 0.21 1.51 1.47 0.12

11

WE WE

22

TH TH

33 FR

FR

SA 1220 2259 1806 0525 0113 1125 0648 SU 1808 SU 1313 2342 1900 0605 0206 1207 0741 1858 MO 1402 MO 1948 0026 0255 0647 0829 1252 TU 1448 TU 1954 2036

55 66

77

Time 0330 0345 0923 1600 TH 1042 2138 TH 1638 2339 0403 0501 1000 1637 FR 1138 FR 1741 2214

16 16

17 17

m m 1.54 0.67 0.34 1.34 1.56 0.49 0.43 1.38 1.54 0.71 0.30 1.34 1.57 0.43 0.46

Time 0343 0226 0932 1625 SA0928 2200 FR 1509 2233 0323 0337 0918 1611 SU1029 SA 1615 2144 2345 0404 0456 1004 1658 MO1131 SU 1723 2228

11 22

0434 1.52 0040 18 1035 1.46 0.29 33 18 1711 0.70 1.56 SA 0612 SA 1230 2247 1832 0504 0132 1108 1744 SU 0707 SU 1316 2322 1917 0536 0217 1142 0752 MO 1817 MO 1358 2357 1958 0610 0256 1215 0830 1855 TU 1435 TU 2035 0032 0330 0646 0907 1248 WE 1511 WE 1938 2112

19 19

20 20 21 21

22 22

1.35 0.49 0.36 1.49 1.54 0.29 0.67 1.53 1.36 0.53 0.31 1.46 1.60 0.31 0.64 1.49 1.38 0.57 0.27 1.41 1.64 0.34 0.61 1.45 1.40 0.25 0.62 1.66 1.36 0.58 0.38 1.41 1.39 0.25

0447 0048 4 1049 4TU0611 1746

MO 1233 2313 1825 0533 0145 1135 0714 WE 1840 TU 1330 1922 0000 0238 0627 0806 1224 TH 1424 WE 1940 2015

55 66

0052 0732 7FR70328 0857 1318

TH 1515 2044 2107

m Time m m 0259 1.49 1.59 0415 0.68 0900 0.79 0.32 0.19 1.33 1543 1.29 1.64 1.73 SU1052 0.49 2123 0.41 0.58 0.47 SA 1701 1.32 0331 1.48 1.59 0015 0.75 0935 1.41 0.33 0.15 1.32 1615 0.80 1.62 1.72 MO0528 0.42 2158 1.28 0.60 0.48 SU 1145 1757 0.37 1.43 0405 1.46 1.57 0.77 0108 1008 1.48 0.35 0.15 1.34 1647 0.77 1.59 1.68 TU0631 0.32 2231 1.29 0.63 0.51 MO 1236 1845 0.33 1.53 0441 1.42 0153 1.55 0.19 1040 1.54 0.38 0.74 1.61 WE0723 1724 0.73 1.55 1.38 0.56 TU 1322 2306 1.31 0.66 1930 0.30 0.21 1.48 0518 1.38 1.67 0232 0.26 1112 1.58 0.43 0.68 0806 1.53 1804 0.68 1.50 TH 1.43 WE 1404 1.33 2342 0.69 0.13 2011 0.27 0.61 0600 1.33 0307 1.61 1.75 1.41 1145 0.47 0845 0.64 0.62 0.35 1850 1.36 1.44 FR 1445 1.48 1.46 TH 2049 0.27 0.08 0.66 0020 1.63 0.72 0340 1.79 1.34 0649 0.60 1.28 0923 0.56 0.46 1226 1.37 0.53 SA 1524 1.51 FR 1942 1.40 1.40 0.08 2125 0.28 0.69 0107 1.63 0.73 0413 1.79 1.30 0750 0.57 1.26 1000 0.50 0.55 SA 1317 1.38 0.60 SU1602 1.52 1.38 2041 0.30 1.37 2158 0.12

16 16 17 17

18 18 19 19 20 20 21 21

22 22

0157 0110 1.66 0.68 80415 23 0401 0850 0727 0.57 1.30 8 0944 0945 SA 1426 TH 1324 0.42

0203 9 0429 0836 1000 TH 1436

0316 1.75 0.68 0205 1.62 0.72 0151 1.64 0.74 90502 24 0433 240445 1008 0.46 1.31 24 0904 0.54 1.27 0815 0.56 1.25 9 1018 1035 1034 SU 1545 0.60 MO 1422 0.66 FR 1405 0.48

0445 0441 0316 0228 0.72 1.58 0319 0.82 1.62 0358 0.76 1.72 0427 10 1119 0915 0939 100240 25 10 0810 1.37 0.42 25 0853 1.23 0.47 10 0933 1.31 0.47 25 1105 1005 1728 0.31 1708 1517 0.28 1558 0.44

0307 10 0515 0951 1045 1547

0434 1.69 0.62 0313 1.59 0.66 0242 1.61 0.78 100548 250520 25 0506 1118 0.44 1.36 25 1024 0.52 1.35 0916 0.56 1.21 10 1054 1110 1124 1701 0.62 1538 0.70 1459 0.53

0029 0356 0.86 1.60 0442 1.46 1.72 0459 0312 0.77 1.62 11 110350 260426 11 0045 1023 1041 0607 0930 1.20 0.50 11 1016 0.71 0.48 26 0600 1040 0851 1.35 0.44 26 1630 0.26 1705 0.43 1217 1233 1.34

0430 11 0601 1112 1132

0346 1.57 0.78 0538 1.61 0.54 0423 1.56 0.56 110635 260555 26 0541 1030 0.57 1.21 11 1221 0.43 1.44 26 1135 0.50 1.46 1129 1215 1144

0355 1.48 1.63 0430 1.34 1.56 0530 0527 1.52 1.68 0122 120001 270021 12 0144 12 0933 0.78 0.47 27 1005 0.84 0.54 12 1115 1100 0.61 0.50 27 0705 0545 0510 0717 1600 1.58 1620 1.46 1724 1719 1.51

0019 12 0651 1221 0553

0500 1.52 0.73 0034 0.40 1.44 0527 1.51 0.43 27 0618 120024 270631 1203 0723 1218 1150 0.58 1.26 12 0629 1.53 0.46 27 1236 0.48 1.60

0614 1.58 1.61 0439 1.56 1.61 0504 1.40 1.51 0606 0209 130105 280113 13 0236 13 1145 0.51 0.54 28 0754 1015 0.72 0.52 28 1041 0.78 0.58 13 1151 0816 0626 0651 1804 1.46 1639 1.54 1655 1.42 1802

0118 13 0039 0745 0701 1315

0113 0017 0039 0.51 1.51 0038 1.46 1.38 0116 0.52 1.47 28 0658 13 28 1240 0813 0710 0623 1.46 0.32 0614 0.58 0.63 13 0712 1.46 0.40 28 1909 1.25 1400 0.44 1257 0.44

1.45 0.63 1.28

0209 14 0132 0845 0757 TU 1415

0205 0103 0129 0.59 1.56 0130 0.52 1.45 0153 0.63 1.48 29 0038 0742 0904 0753 14 29 0715 1.41 0.23 0712 1.41 0.50 14 0750 1.39 0.35 29 WE 1321 0.57 TH 1459 0.44 FR 1341 0.41

0.46 1.39 0.66 1933 1.23

0253 15 0233 0944 0843 WE 1527

0305 0158 0215 0.68 1.59 0217 0.60 1.51 0227 0.73 1.49 30 0127 0958 0844 0832 15 30 0805 1.36 0.17 0800 1.36 0.37 15 0826 1.33 0.33 30 FR 1600 0.44 SA 1433 0.37 TH 1410 0.54

FR 1330 1.54 2025 1915 1.37 0.52

SA 1407 2125 1957

SU 1436 2229 2020

0318 23 0229 0851 0854 TH 1455

0.70 1.61 1.29 0.53 0.41 1.47 1.27 0.28 0.77 1.65 1.23 0.52 0.45 1.47 1.26 0.26

m 1.54 0.59 0.45 1.30 1.49 0.67 0.35 1.21 1.58 0.65 0.35 1.30 1.56 0.62 0.35 1.28 1.60 0.69 0.26 1.32 1.60 0.53 0.37

0112 8 0343 0737 0915 WE 1340

0133 0053 0.53 1.42 0152 880048 0801 0729 23 0648 1.47 0.45 23 0735 SU 1324 0.32 MO 1411

0225 88 0219 0850 0807 WE 1455

1.41 1.41 0.51 0.61 1.47 1.42 0.53 0.25 1.47 1.39 0.39 0.69 1.59 1.36 0.49 0.28 1.52 1.38 0.28

Time 0252 0201 0837 0920 1505 1446 2050 2147 0331 0305 0918 1022 1552 1553 2133 2304 0410 0421 1000 1123 1637 1703 2215

Local Time APRIL DECEMBER Time Time m

MO 1508 2222 2104

0328 0220 0142 0.63 1.51 0238 0.75 1.62 0312 0.75 1.67 0355 99 0325 990140 1000 0817 0845 24 0729 1.42 0.43 24 0815 1.28 0.44 0850 1.32 0.47 24 0953 0930 TH 1607 0.31 FR 1555 MO 1416 0.30 TU 1459 0.43 SA 1409 1.58 2138 1954 1.38 0.43

SU 1444 1.56 2223 2036 1.26 0.30

TU SU 1446 1.60 WE MO 1516 1.54 2251 2323 2033 1.42 0.34 2114 1.29 0.29

WE TU 1548 1.51 MO 1524 1.60 TH 2149 0.30 2114 0.28

TU1137 1.35 WE1146 1.21 FR TH 2155 0.22 0.25 2224 0.40 0.33 1810 1745

WE1246 1.38 TH1248 1.24 FR SA 2238 0.19 0.24 2300 0.36 0.36 1851 1903

MO 1517 1.55 2339 2103 1.41 0.20

FR TU 1558 1.56 2147 0.16

SA WE 1637 1.54 1839 2232 0.29 0.15

TH 1338 1.39 SU 2317 0.27 0.18 1939

FR 1435 1.45 MO 2031 0.27

0.82 1.66 1.19 0.52 1.47 TU 1542 0.48 2328 2140 1.28 0.26

0.83 1.64 1.18 0.53 1.45 SA 1615 0.48 WE 2215 0.27 1.33 1.61 0.78 0.54 1.42 SU TH 1648 1.22 1822 2249 0.45 0.31

1.57 1.40 0.57 0.68 1.38 FR 1321 1.30 MO 2323 0.41 0.35 1919 1.51 1.48 0.60 0.57 1.33 SA 1415 1.40 TU 2357 0.37 0.40 2007

0004 1.61 0.24 0527 1.63 1.56 0542 1.47 1.45 0646 14 0321 140202 290159 0705 0.43 1.53 29 1228 1059 0.64 0.57 29 1117 0.70 0.63 14 14 0906 0730 0743 SA 1231 0.58 SU 1844 TH 1720 1.50 FR 1731 1.36

SA 1348 1.43 SU 1343 1.30 2322 0.17 0.26 2335 0.32 0.41 1950 1949

TU 1528 1.49 1855 0.29 1.40 2117

0620 1.68 1.50 0624 1.54 1.39 0053 1.62 0.33 0031 15 0401 150256 300241 1145 0.55 0.63 30 1156 0.62 0.69 15 0804 0.36 1.45 30 0730 15 0951 0828 0826 FR 1807 1.44 SA 1814 1.30 SU 1322 0.62 MO 1306

SU 1445 1.47 2043 0.17

MO 1432 1.36 2030 0.30

31 0320 0906

1.59 0.53 TU 1519 1.42 2108 0.29

WE 1615 1.51 1958 0.33 1.33 2159

31 0112 0822

0.52 1.34 TU 1351 0.68 2033 1.20

0.60 1.78 1.41 0.52 0.27 1533 1.53 WE 2058 0.10 1.41 2124 0.67 1.78 1.34 0.50 0.34 1618 1.53 TH 2207 0.12 1.37 2213 0.72 1.73 1.29 0.49 0.41 FR 1704 1.50 2315 0.18 1.37 2300

0.72 1.66 1.28 0.50 1710 1.45 0.44 SA 1753 2349 0.26

1.57 1.40 0.51 0.66 1225 1.38 1.32 SU 1848 1824 0.44

0.37 1.45 1.49 0.57 1.40 MO 1330 0.53 1958 1926 1.32 0.42 0.49 1.50 1.42 0.47 1.47 TU 1428 0.54 2118 2016 1.30 0.41

0.59 1.53 1.37 0.39 1.53 WE 1516 0.53 2232 2100 1.32 0.42

TH 1546 1.41 2028 0.27 1.34 2146

FR 1623 1.39 2127 0.30 1.30 2220

SA 1700 1.37 SA 2232 0.34 1.30 2253

1606 1.33 0.56 SU 1739 SU 2338 0.39 1.32 2324

1724 1.29 0.57 MO MO 1820 2358 0.45

TU TU 1259 1.36 1840 0.54

WE 1358 1.49 2007 1939 1.24 0.50

TH 1450 1.61 2117 2029 1.25 0.48

FR 1604 2146 2158

23 23

SA 1654 1.50 SU 1641 1.37 2248 0.19 1.38 2145 0.34 1.37 2230 2247

MO1745 1.45 MO TU1720 1.35 SU 2345 0.29 1.41 2248 0.38 1.40 2301 2336

1804 1.39 0.60 TU1845 MO

1659 1.33 0.69 WE1801 TU 2346 0.44 1.45 2337

1315 0.43 1.52 WE 1807 1.31 0.66 TU WE1306 TH1848 1955 1855 1.34 0.59

WE TH 1400 1.59 2106 1937 1.32 0.58

FR 1438 1.63 2213 2014 1.32 0.57

SA 1512 1.64 2315 2048 1.36 0.57

31 0300 0847

1.56 0.27 FR 1538 1.69 2115 0.46

CopyrightCommonwealth Commonwealth of of Australia Australia 2015, 2015, Bureau Bureau of of Meteorology Meteorology Copyright Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Timesare areininlocal localstandard standardtime time (UTC (UTC +10:00) +10:00) or or daylight daylight savings savings time Times time (UTC (UTC +11:00) +11:00) when whenin ineffect effect New Moon First Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon New Moon First Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon

TH FR 1331 1.72 1944 1903 1.30 0.63

SA 1422 1.80 2048 1953 1.31 0.60

SU 1511 1.83 2200 2040 1.35 0.58 0302 0.76 0941 1.33 SU 1535 0.32 2314 1.42

31

Last LastQuarter Quarter

Tide predictions for Port Phillip Heads have been formatted by the National Tidal Centre, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Copyright reserved. All material is supplied in good faith and is believed to be correct. It is supplied on the condition that no warranty is given in relation thereto, that no responsibility or liability for errors or omissions is, or will be, accepted and that the recipient will hold MHL and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology Australia free from all such responsibility or liability and from all loss or damage incurred as a consequence of any error or omission. Predictions should not be used for navigational purposes. Use of these tide predictions will be deemed to include acceptance of the above conditions.

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