Hooked Up 154 March 2025

AUSTRALIA’S ONLY FREE FISHING & TACKLE MAGAZINE

FREE #154 MARCH 2025

SET NEW EXPECTATIONS The NSS® 4 chartplotter and fishfinder redefines what’s possible out on the water.

simrad-yachting.com/NSS-4 With a trio of hybrid controls, a lightning quick Qualcomm® 8-core processor, and dual channel CHIRP sonar, NSS 4 is our premium, all-in-one offering for sportfishing enthusiasts and cruisers.

C-MAP® REVEAL® X charts sold separately.

Reg. U.S. Pat. & Tm. Off, and ™ common law marks. Visit www.navico.com/intellectual-property to review the global trademark rights and accreditations for Navico Group and other entities.

®

NEW REVELRY FC MQ

NEW REVELRY HD MQ

Finesse Custom - 3 Models Available

Heavy Duty - 4 Models Available

BODY

WHICH

ALUMINIUM

BODY

WILL SUIT YOU?

www.daiwafishing.com.au

AUST RALIA ’S ONLY FREE

HOOKED UP MAGAZINE - MARCH 2025 - ISSUE #154

FISHI NG

& TACK LE

ON THE COVER: Colby Lesko with a solid coral trout taken on a Samaki Vibelicious.

FREE #154 MARCH

2025

CONTENTS

AUTUMN IS HERE Autumn is here, and with it comes some of the best fishing of the year. The change in season brings stable weather patterns, cooler mornings, and prime conditions across the board—whether you’re heading offshore, working the bays and estuaries, or casting in the rivers. Pelagics are still firing, estuary species are feeding up before winter, and freshwater fish are active, making this the perfect time to get on the water.

Planning a fishing trip is half the fun, and researching a destination before wetting a line can make all the difference between success and frustration.

This issue, we take a deep dive into Port Lincoln, one of South Australia’s most iconic fishing locations. From bluewater pelagics to inshore favourites, the region has plenty to offer, and Hooked Up has always prided itself on delivering quality information to help you get the most out of your time on the water.

For those who love simple yet highly effective techniques, we break down soft vibing the reefs up north. It’s an easy, enjoyable way to target reef species, and with the right approach, it can produce serious results. Then, we shift focus to New South Wales, where we cover the ins and outs of targeting spanish mackerel, breaking down different techniques to get you hooked up.

Buying a new sounder, boat, rod or reel is a big decision, and the goal is always to enhance your fishing. Doing your research before making a purchase ensures you get the right gear for your needs, but don’t overlook the value of walking into your local independent tackle store. They can provide important, nuanced information on rigging, colour selection, weights and sizes—insight that often makes a real difference on the water.

As always, our news section is packed with the latest releases, from rods and reels to lures and major electronics, keeping you up to speed with what’s new in the market.

6-19 FISHING & TACKLE NEWS 20-27 SOFT VIBING THE REEFS 28-35 SPANISH MACKEEREL 36-45 PORT LINCOLN

PUBLISHER Hammerhead Media Pty Ltd EDITOR IN CHIEF Kosta Linardos kosta@hookedup.com.au

SUB EDITOR Ian Gilbert

ONLINE EDITOR Adam Hewson info@hookedupmagazine.com.au

GRAPHIC DESIGN Cassandra Li, Stephen Tan

CONTRIBUTORS

Kosta Linardos.

Editor-in-Chief

Colby Lesko, Sam Gilchrist, Jamie Crawford

ADVERTISING info@hookedup.com.au

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Find Us Online hookedup.com.au

MAGA ZINE

COMING COMING

SOON SOON

ULTIM ULTIMATE ATEEVOLU EVOLUTION TION THE ULTEGRA FD REPRESENTS THE PINNACLE OF SHIMANO’S MID-PRICED REELS, THEBRINGING ULTEGRATOGETHER FD REPRESENTS THETECHNOLOGY PINNACLE OF SHIMANO’S MID-PRICED TOP-TIER AND UNBEATABLE VALUE. REELS, BRINGING TOGETHER TOP-TIER TECHNOLOGY AND UNBEATABLE VALUE. AVAILABLE FD MODELS: 1000 | C2000HG | 2500HG | C3000HG | 4000XG | C5000XG | - RRP from $ 289 AVAILABLE FD MODELS: 1000 | C2000HG | 2500HG | C3000HG | 4000XG | C5000XG | - RRP from $ 289

Check your local Shimano Stockists.

Check your local Shimano Stockists.

fish.shimano.com/en-AU

fish.shimano.com/en-AU

Shimano.Fish

Shimano.Fish

shimano.fish

shimano.fish

ShimanoAustralia

ShimanoAustralia

ShimanoAustralia

ShimanoAustralia

@shimanoaustralia

@shimanoaustralia

FISHING & BOATING NEWS

SIMRAD DEBUTS NEW NSS 4 Simrad Yachting has introduced the NSS 4, the latest premium chartplotter and fishfinder in the Simrad portfolio, offering an elevated design, premium performance, and enhanced control capabilities designed for cruisers and offshore sportfishing boats.

“NSS 4 is the next step in our evolution of premium multifunction displays, representing our commitment to never settling,” said Kevin Steinbraker, VP and General Manager, Digital Systems of Navico Group. “Anglers want tactile interfaces for total control in any sea conditions, they want a quick user experience, and they want all of this in a sleek, modern design that will elevate their helm. With the new NSS 4, there is no need to compromise. Our team works diligently to provide versatile solutions to anglers so that they can set new expectations out on the water.”

Available in 10, 12 and 16-inch screen sizes, the NSS 4 redefines what is possible out on the water. Whether cruising or fishing, offshore performance is significantly enhanced with the all-new Qualcomm 8-core processor, enabling smoother page transitions, faster auto-routing and, ultimately, faster boating. Users will notice a remarkable improvement when switching between apps. No lag or rendering delays, just seamless, lightning-fast transitions. The new multifunction display also features a trio of hybrid control options – touch, rotary dial, and keypad – allowing users to have total control in all conditions. An updated glass-to-edge design delivers a more premium look and feel to the helm, which continues once powered on with a streamlined interface optimized for ease of use. The NSS 4 ushers in a new era of fishfinding capabilities with built-in dual channel 1kW CHIRP sonar and support for Active Imaging HD sonar. As an added new feature, anglers can track four sonar sources on a single display for the first time. The chart experience on the NSS 4 helps anglers find the best fishing holes with detailed C-MAP DISCOVER X and REVEAL X charts, while superior connectivity enables confident navigation with seamless radar connectivity, and support for the latest trolling motors, including Simrad RECON. With Simrad Yachting’s latest operating system at its core, the NSS 4 offers the best in integration. Beyond seamless integration with the full Simrad suite, NSS 4 also boasts extensive support for third-party technology, including multiple IP cameras, CZone digital switching, RGBW lighting, audio, and much more. Additionally, Simrad Yachting leads the industry in Mercury integration, offering unparalleled compatibility with features like onscreen cruise control, active trim, and autopilot. Integration with other popular engine brands, such as Honda and Suzuki, is also available, with features like fuel managers and fault diagnostic tools.

Key Features • • • • • • • •

6

A trio of hybrid control options – touch, dial, and keypad – and a premium glass-edge design New 8-core Qualcomm processor delivering a lightning quick user experience Simplified operating system Built-in dual channel 1kW CHIRP echosounder and support for Active Imagining™ HD Compatibility with C-MAP® and third-party charts Simrad® RECON™, Rhodan® Trolling Motor Compatible Full Simrad® suite compatibility, including S3100 & S5100 sonar modules, radar and more.

Support for Mercury®, CZone®, SiriusXM®, and more

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FISHING & BOATING NEWS

The NSS4 offers a four way split of cameras.

New C Map Discover X and Reveal X mapping shows highly detailed underwater features.

The NSS4 features a new 8-core Qualcomm processor for fast operation and a cleaner button layout.

The NSS4 features hundreds of fish icons so you can specifically mark each species on your GPS..

Clear easy to use application icons make navigating menus a breeze.

Existing Simrad radars will work with NSS4 systems.

The NSS4 is now rear mounted from behind and features an improved dust cover.

You can split your sonar three-ways and run high, medium and low frequencies simultaneously.

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FISHING & BOATING NEWS

SHIMANO AERLEX XSC

Shimano’s Aerlex 14000XSC is an exciting new spinning reel crafted to achieve optimal casting distance and pinpoint accuracy, even at extreme range, meeting the demands of land-based fishers. Whether throwing bait rigs or lures from beaches, rocky headlands, jetties, piers, or breakwaters, the Aerlex has you covered. Thanks to its Super Slow 5, it lays mono or braid neatly onto the friction-reducing AR-C spool, eliminating loops and tangles while enhancing line flow for long, powerful casts. Its G Free design and Parallel Body configuration move the reel’s centre of gravity closer to the rod for better balance and reduced fatigue, ensuring a seamless match with Shimano’s shore-casting rods.

Instant Drag allows a quick transition from free spool to fight mode, while SilentDrive ensures smooth, silent rotation. With sleek aesthetics and impressive performance, the Aerlex XSC puts power and precision in the hands of the landbased angler. shimanofish.com.au

GOSEN ANSWER JIGGING BRAID

Gosen Answer Jigging Braid is designed to meet the demands of serious offshore anglers, delivering exceptional sensitivity, strength, and durability. Engineered with a high-density weave for superior tensile strength, this premium braid maintains a thin profile while ensuring maximum abrasion resistance. Gosen Answer Jigging refreshingly comes in 400m spools which anglers will welcome as they can spool their high capacity jigging reels without needing excess nylon backing. Developed specifically for jigging applications, it offers outstanding knot retention and minimal stretch, allowing anglers to maintain direct contact with their jig for precise control and instant strike detection. Its smooth, low-friction coating reduces guide wear, making it a perfect choice for high-performance setups. With colour changes at set intervals for easy depth tracking, Gosen Answer Jigging Braid gives anglers the edge in targeting fish at specific depths. Whether working slow-pitch or high-speed jigs, this braid is built to perform. gladiatortackle.com.au

SAMAKI RIBCAGE SLOW FALL

The Samaki Ribcage Slow Fall is a shorter, larger-profile jig crafted from zinc for lighter weight and dynamic movement in shallower waters. Its ribcage design creates an erratic darting and fluttering action, mimicking injured baitfish while generating enticing bubbles. Centre-balanced for a natural presentation, it comes in eight UV-infused colours and is fitted with premium Decoy DJ-88 Twin Pike Assist hooks for reliable performance.

A hardened exterior coating ensures durability, making it a top choice for slow-pitch jigging. samaki.com.au

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KILLALURE TROPIC LOLLY

The new Killalure Tropic Lolly is built to withstand tough fishing conditions while delivering lifelike movement. Crafted from TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer), it offers exceptional flexibility and durability, allowing it to bend, stretch and move naturally in the water while standing up to aggressive strikes. Featuring advanced hooks and hardware, this lure boasts a strong vibrating action that fish find irresistible, whether you’re working it for mulloway or barra in rivers or fishing offshore reefs for demersals. Available in eight colours, measuring 130mm and weighing 60g. jmgillies.com.au

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FISHING & BOATING NEWS

DAIWA 25 REVELRY

The Daiwa Revelry spin reel range takes another step forward in its evolution with the release of the new 25 Revelry. Like its predecessor the latest Revelry features two line-ups, the Revelry MQ FC (Finesse Custom) and Revelry MQ HD (Heavy Duty) to deliver anglers two distinct, and differing, reel options. The 25 Revelry FC is the ‘Finesse Custom’ model, crafted from a single-piece Monocoque (MQ) Zaion frame. This model is one of the lightest spinning reels in Daiwa’s family, making it perfect for finesse anglers. The Airdrive Design upgrade provides smooth winding and highly responsive rotation, while the forged machine cut Tough Digigear ensures buttery smooth rotation and a long-lasting drivetrain. The MQ body combines toughness with lightweight construction, and the updated cosmetics add a sleek, modern look. Daiwa’s Air Rotor and Air Bail deliver precise line control and a refined feel, while Magseal technology coupled with the MQ body prevent water and debris ingress. The 25 Revelry HD is the workhorse of the range, built on a sturdy aluminium Monocoque body (MQ) for extreme strength and robustness. Airdrive Design has been introduced to enhance rotational responsiveness and control, while the forged machine cut Tough Digigear provides unmatched rotation power and torque. The MQ body offers increased winding power and durability, and the new black, gold, and red cosmetic gives the bold, striking appearance that Revelry is known for. With features like Air Rotor, Air Bail, ATD Carbon drags, and Long-Cast ABS spool design, the 25 Revelry HD is one of the most well-rounded reels in Daiwa’s line-up, perfect for anglers requiring ultimate strength and performance. Whether you’re a finesse angler or need a reel for heavy-duty applications, the 25 Revelry has you covered with its advanced technology and stylish design. daiwafishing.com.au

Revelry FC.

Revelry HD.

REBEL LIVEFLEX RANGE

The Rebel LIVEflex range brings scent-infused, ultra-durable soft plastics designed to fool even the wariest fish. Built for all-day performance, these lifelike lures mimic natural prey with realistic shapes and colours. Each comes pre-rigged on the unique KEG head jig, enhancing their lifelike appearance and natural movement. Whether you’re ned rigging, bouncing through current, dragging bottom, swimming, drop-shotting, Texas rigging, split-shot rigging, or fishing weightless, there’s a LIVEflex model to suit. The LIVEflex Cata Crawler measures 2 inches and is prerigged with a 1/16 oz KEG head jig. The LIVEflex Creek Craw and LIVEflex Creek Creature both measure 1-7/8 inches, with the Craw featuring a 1/10 oz jig and the Creature a 1/16 oz jig. The LIVEflex Hopper comes in at 1-3/4 inches with a 1/16 oz jig, while the LIVEflex Shore Shiner also measures 1-7/8 inches with a 1/16 oz jig. Each pack contains six lures, making them a versatile addition to any tackle box. jmgillies.com.au

Cata Crawler

Creek Craw

Hopper

Creek Creature

Shore Shiner

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FISHING & BOATING NEWS

EAGLE CLAW TROKAR MAGNUM SWIMBAIT Designed for maximum penetration, the Trokar TK160 features triple-sided Cutting Point technology, delivering extreme sharpness for effortless hooksets. Built with a heavy-gauge wire and a wide gap, it’s ideal for rigging swimbaits and frog baits. The attack position, slightly above the hook eye, enhances bite-to-hookup ratios, while the weedless design allows anglers to fish confidently around structure. Made in the USA and available in 3/0, 5/0, 7/0 and 9/0 sizes, with a weighted version (TK170) also on offer. tacspo.com.au

SALTY CREW HOOK UP PANT The Salty Crew Hook Up Pant is built for comfort and everyday wear.

Featuring an elasticated waist with an adjustable drawcord and resindipped aglets, these track pants offer a secure fit with a relaxed feel.

The slim-leg profile, elasticated cuffs, and bold side-leg prints add a modern edge, making them perfect for both laid-back days and postfishing sessions. Crafted from Salty Crew’s signature 300gsm cotton/ polyester brushed fleece, they deliver warmth, durability, and a softtouch finish. Available in Black and a full range of sizes from S to XXXL. A$89.99 MSRP salty-crew.com.au

NS BLACK HOLE SW GAME INSHORE

The new SW GAME inshore rod range is built on 4-axis nano carbon X-wrap blanks, delivering strength and sensitivity in a lightweight package. Fitted with FUJI K guides and FUJI double-locking reel seats, these rods are designed for serious inshore anglers. Each model measures seven feet and features a handle join butt, making transport and storage easy. With options in PE2, PE3, PE4, and PE5, the SW GAME inshore series caters to everything from light tackle work to heavier inshore applications. Whether you’re chasing snapper in the shallows or targeting powerful reef species, there’s a rod to suit.

Available now. ejtodd.com.au

SAMAKI PACEMAKER CAST The Samaki Pacemaker Cast Series features two meticulously designed lures that excel in a variety of saltwater environments. The Cast Stickbait delivers an erratic, darting action that flutters on the drop and mimics fleeing baitfish on the retrieve, making it an excellent choice for enticing surface strikes. The Cast Minnow offers a natural swimming motion and can be retrieved at any speed, making it highly versatile for different fishing styles. Both lures are crafted with precision, featuring supersonic welding for durability and Decoy Y-S22 trebles for secure hook-ups. Finished in vibrant, fish-attracting colours with a reinforced coating, the Pacemaker Cast Series delivers reliable performance, whether casting off the rocks, beach, or boat. samaki.com.au

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FISHING & BOATING NEWS

YOZURI MAGNUM 3D & 3D DIVER The 3D Magnum & 3D Diver features a tough ABS Resin body, 3X strong treble hooks with a through wire construction in the 180mm making it the most durable trolling lure of its type on the market. Yo-Zuri’s proprietary and patented Internal 3D Prism finishes are extremely durable and put off light in all directions, makes these baits stand out in any fishing condition!!! They are designed to be fished with a crimp, loop knot, cable or single strand wire, to give the bait the freedom to swim correctly. 3D Divers are deadly on a number of offshore species including Tuna, Wahoo, Dolphin and Mackerel, just to name a few.

This versatile trolling lure can be pulled from 4-9 knots with a wide swimming action and runs true out the box, no tuning necessary! The 3D Divers comes in two sizes and six colour patterns to cover a variety of fishing conditions and species. (Available in two sizes 140mm/48 grams with a dive depth of 3.5-5.5 meters & 180mm/100 grams with a dive depth 5-6.5 meters) tacspo.com.au

McLURES SEA NUGGET 6

McLures pride themselves on creating high-performance lures built with the latest technology and materials. All McLures are designed in Australia and built to the highest possible standards. The Sea Nugget is a classic cup-faced lure that is versatile and can be used in most sea conditions and from any position on the boat. They come with many different head colours matching the skirts, with some glow heads, some tinted, and some offering kauri shell. Most of the range features a UV over-skirt, while the underskirt offers McLures’ exclusive “Luminite,” which glows in the dark on all colours. They also come with red crystal 3D eyes, and the resin heads are near indestructible. The Sea Nugget measures 7.25” overall, with a skirt length of 6” and a weight of 58 grams. Available in 12 splendid colours, they are ideal when marlin are on smaller prey and deadly on yellowfin, southern bluefin tuna, and mahi mahi. jurofishing.com

VEXED SINKER SACKS

Storing sinkers has always been a hassle—until now!

The Vexed Sinker Sacks make organising grapnel, star, spoon, snapper leads, or any type of sinker simple and efficient. Designed with convenience in mind, these durable sacks feature sturdy handle straps for easy transport and quick access. Available in three sizes, there’s a Sinker Sack to suit every angler’s needs, whether you’re packing light for a quick session or loading up for an extended trip. Keep your tackle bag neat, your sinkers secure, and eliminate the frustration of loose weights rolling around. vexedfishing.com.au

SAMAKI VIBELICIOUS NEW COLOURS

Samaki’s Vibelicious soft vibe range expands with two proven colourways: Coral Trout and Golden Carrot. Coral Trout, a favourite from the Pacemaker and Redic series, delivers bold orange and blue contrasts to trigger aggressive strikes. Golden Carrot, a standout from the Live Shrimp range, features a glowing amber hue with orange tiger stripes, ideal for inshore and offshore predators. With the same lifelike vibrating action and ultra-durable TPE body, these new additions enhance an already deadly lineup. samaki.com.au

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FISHING & BOATING NEWS

SHIMANO ULTEGRA FD Shimano’s new Ultegra FD range of six surprisingly affordable models marks the “Ultimate Evolution” of modern, mid-priced spinning reels. Packed with Shimano’s benchmark proprietary features — including InfinityXross, InfinityDrive, and the remarkable Anti-Twist Fin originally developed for the premium Stella range — these Ultegra FD reels offer levels of precision, power, and performance typically associated with far more expensive products. From the diminutive ULT1000D at just 180 grams to the powerhouse ULTC5000XGD with a snappy 6.2:1 gear ratio capable of retrieving over a metre of line per turn, there’s an Ultegra FD for every ultra-light, light, and medium class fishing application.

Perfect for trout, bream, flathead, mulloway, Murray cod, barramundi, and midrange pelagics, these reels deliver smooth, stable cranking power for working swim baits, deep divers, vibration lures, soft plastics, or natural baits. The Ultegra FD isn’t just an entry-level reel—it’s built for all anglers. shimanofish.com.au

TORAY JIGGING PE POWER GAME X8 300M Toray’s new Powergame Jigging PE X8 is suitable for all jigging applications and doubles

as a quality casting line also. A huge range of breaking strains are available, and multicoloured to assist in taking down your target. The Toray Jigging PE Power Game X8 braid is made with the original 8-strand method from the Power Game+ series. It has a special coating that reduces water absorption which is ideal for jigging. In addition, this resin surface coating offers better abrasion resistance and allows the jig to descend smoothly.

This coating also reduces the stress of guide friction from slow pitch through to heavy high-speed mechanical jigging. Jigging PE offers a new metred colour pattern of green, pink, blue, yellow, red every 10m. Toray Jigging PE Power Game X8 is a top-of-the-line braided line made in Japan whose uncompromising performance makes it the first choice for fans of sea jigging in many regions of the world. vivafishing.com.au

PALMS SMELT

The Smelt from Palms Japan is a versatile casting metal with a long, slender profile that closely matches a variety of baitfish, making it an ideal choice for targeting a range of species. Fitted with both a rear treble and a front assist hook, the Smelt offers the flexibility to be used as a metal slug for casting and retrieving or as a jigging metal for deeper presentations. Its proven track record has made it a favourite among rock fishers, particularly around Sydney, thanks to its effectiveness and adaptability. Available in 20g, 30g, 40g, and 60g sizes, the Smelt is a must-have in your tackle box for versatile fishing applications. ejtodd.com.au

CATCH A GRANT TO IMPROVE FISH HABITAT

Victoria’s world-class marine, estuarine and freshwater fisheries will continue to flourish with more fish habitat thanks to the second round of a $2.5 million grants program. Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) CEO Travis Dowling said the Victorian Government’s $96m investment to improve fishing, boating, piers and aquaculture was backing round two of the Fish Habitat Improvement Fund, which enables the installation of habitat so fish can rest, feed and breed while boosting aquatic ecosystem health. Grants are available through two funding streams – one open year-round to projects from recreational fishing groups for up to $50,000 and another for largerscale projects up to $200,000 requiring co-investment. This continues a proud history of habitat projects like kingfish reefs in Port Phillip, shellfish reef restoration and rocky reef modules in Corio Bay. Eligible applicants include catchment management authorities, fishing bodies, councils, water authorities, traditional owner groups and community organisations. vfa.vic.gov.au/fishhabitatfund

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FISHING & BOATING NEWS

SALTY CREW HOOK UP MW FLEECE

The Salty Crew Hook Up MW Fleece is designed for warmth and all-day comfort. Made from Salty Crew’s signature 300gsm cotton/polyester brushed fleece, it delivers a soft feel with reliable durability. Featuring a two-piece hood with an encased drawcord, rib-knit cuffs and hem, and a self-fabric kangaroo pocket, it’s built for both function and style. Bold screen-printed graphics on the front and back, along with a Salty Crew clamp label at the hood opening, add the finishing touch. Available in Black and a full range of sizes from S to XXXL. A$89.99 MSRP salty-crew.com.au

ZEXUS ZX-R740 HEADLAMP

The Zexus ZX-R740 is a cutting-edge headlamp delivering an impressive maximum brightness of 1300 lumens. Even with a single irradiation equipped with a focus control lens, it exceeds 1000 lumens, providing unparalleled brightness for any task. Supporting this power is the newly adopted ZR-03 battery with a massive 5000mAh capacity, ensuring extended use at high brightness levels. Designed for versatility, the ZX-R740 includes four high-performance red chip LEDs for tactical night operations and a focus lens for precise illumination adjustment. It also features a dimming memory function, allowing seamless brightness adjustment from 100% to 5% with a simple press and hold. Whether for fishing, outdoor activities, or professional use, the ZX-R740 delivers reliability and performance in low-light conditions. vivafishing.com.au

STRIKE PRO SPINNERBAITS

Strike Pro has released a new updated and redesigned version of the popular Strike Pro Spinnerbait range of lures. This lure features a colour matched painted head, silkcut silicon round skirts in some amazing new colours with some also featuring added Krystal Flash, Ball Bearing Swivels and Worm Keepers on the hook so you can attach a soft plastic for added attraction. The new Spinnerbait range also offers a bigger size range selection with 3 size options now available. They are now available in 1 1/2 oz, 3/4oz and 1/4oz options in 6 brilliant colours. They are outstanding quality and action and are ideal for Murray cod, yellowbelly, bass and redfin. jurofishing.com.au

GAN CRAFT SHIFT 113

The Gan Craft Shift 113 is a premium swimbait and a smaller version of the popular Shift 183. With its sleek, compact size and ultra-realistic action, this lure is built to attract even the wariest fish. Measuring 113mm, it offers the perfect balance of size and movement, making it ideal for targeting bass, barramundi, flathead and a range of freshwater and saltwater predators. The Shift 113 features a unique internal weight system that ensures a smooth and stable swimming motion across various retrieve speeds. Whether worked with a slow, steady retrieve or a fast twitch-andpause technique, it delivers lifelike, erratic movements fish can’t resist. Designed for long-distance casting, its built-in weight system enhances both stability and casting performance, allowing anglers to reach hard-to-access spots. With its finely crafted details and realistic body profile, the Shift 113 mimics a struggling baitfish to trigger aggressive strikes. gladiatortackle.com.au 14

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A 100% fluorocarbon leader that features high abrasion resistance and high sensitivity. The design allows for a perfect transfer of movement to your jig or lure to hook a fish. Even though it is fluorocarbon, it can withstand big shock becasue of its smooth and tenacious features.

Knot strenght is excellent. Parallel spooling decreases line surface damage.

Siglon PE AMZ is a new braid in Sunline’s Siglon series, featuring breakthrough Performance Sustainable Processing (PSP) that extends its lifespan. The 4 and 8 strand lines stay smooth, durable, and resistant to fraying, ensuring longer casting distances and consistent performance.

Woven 33% tighter than other Siglon PE lines, it offers reliability for any angler.

This copolymer nylon blend with TRP processing offers impressive power, abrasion resistance, and water-repelling properties. It remains supple and easy to handle, with excellent knot strength.

The leader absorbs shock from strikes and hook sets, preserving lure movement offering tenacious performance to land big fish.

Made in Japan.

Available in: 50m 12lb to 50lb.

30m 60lb & 100lb

Made in Japan.

Multi-Colour 300m PE: 0.6 TO PE8.

Made in Japan.

Available in: 50m 4lb to 150lb.

www.ejtodd.com.au

FISHING & BOATING NEWS

HUK PURSUIT VENTED HOODIE

The Huk Pursuit Vented Hoodie is packed with Huk Performance Technology to handle the elements on the water. This lightweight crew neck shirt with mesh vented sides is an ideal layer on cooler days and perfectly worn by itself when it’s hot. With +UPF 50 to block UVA and UVB rays for all-day sun protection, stain-resistant, anti-microbial treatments, and superior breathability: the Pursuit shirt is a must-have for any anglers arsenal. jmgillies.com.au

BIWAA STINGER RIG

Biwaa has made rigging big soft plastics easier with the release of its Stinger Rig, designed specifically for 10- and 12-inch models. Anglers often struggle with homemade rigs that don’t always sit right, but this ready-made option ensures a secure and effective setup. Built with 150lb stainless steel wire, it features a screw-in eyelet, two rigging pins and a pair of strong 3/0 3X trebles. The design provides a reliable hook-up rate while maintaining the natural action of large soft plastics, making it a solid choice for targeting big fish. Available now. ejtodd.com.au

VEXED JIG WIG SHRIMP’N’SLEEVE

MERIDIAN SPECTRE SERIES

The much-anticipated Vexed Jig Wig Shrimp’n’Sleeve is here! These lifelike shrimp imitations are tied with high-quality fly materials and feature realistic black beady shrimp eyes, making them irresistible to flathead, bream, trevally, bonefish, permit, tailor, and salmon. Designed for versatility, simply slide a Jig Wig Shrimp’n’Sleeve onto your preferred jig head to swap hook sizes, weights, and colours quickly. Available in 3mm, 4mm, and 5mm, they fit most jig heads within a certain size range. Paul Willis created this concept after struggling to find the perfect bucktail jig for different conditions, despite having plenty of jig heads. Pair them with the Vexed Buckabou Jig Head range, designed for a snug fit, with weights from 2.5g to 28g and a super-strong cutting point hook. Get yours now and experience the next level of jigging innovation. vexedfishing.com.au

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Meridian Tackle is a family owned and run business that has been around since the mid 1990’s. Meridian lures are now manufactured in Tasmania and are all hand made and polished, with unique custom handmade skirts with an original and unique style including the “Lumo” range. The lures are now being manufactured and continued to be developed by Danni and his family. All Meridian designs have had thorough field testing prior to their release, so you can be assured that your Meridian lures perform just the way they are intended.

The Spectre Series offers a unique range of six sizes, designed with an innovative offset 10-degree cup face and an offset tow point. This distinct design makes it highly effective for attracting billfish and large tuna, which find it hard to resist. The lure is best suited for long corner, long rigger, and shotgun positions, and it runs most effectively at speeds between 5 to 9 knots. meridiantackle.com.au

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FISHING & BOATING NEWS

DAIWA DYFC ANNUAL TOURNAMENT RETURNS

Daiwa’s DYFC Annual Tournament is back, giving young Aussie anglers the chance to test their skills against competitors nationwide. Running from 24 March to 24 May, this app-based multi-species event offers over $7000 in prizes. Entry is simple—sign up to DYFC for $10 (two years), enter the competition, head out on the water, catch some fish, take two photos and submit your catch via the DYFC Fishing App. A live scoreboard on the DYFC website will track results, with 25 species categories, plus prizes for Overall Winner and Runner-Up. It’s the perfect excuse to grab a rod, round up the family and hit the water. daiwafishing.com.au

GAFF-MANN FLYING GAFFS

When you’re targeting the biggest fish in the ocean such as broadbill and you’re wanting to keep it for a feed, you need a flying gaff, and it has to be able to withstand extreme pressure. Gaff-Mann’s range of flying gaffs are hand built in Melbourne, Australia. Gaff Mann builds flying gaffs in varying sizes and strengths to suit your target species. In the Flying Gaff range all handles are fully anodised, finished in Gaff Mann’s iconic gold colour scheme and range from 25mm through to 32mm in diameter and are available in varying lengths. Each handle has the option of switching the flying gaff head for a harpoon head or a screwing gaff head. The Pro-Series flying gaff are lighter in weight and come in 2 models 16x150mm (6”) or 19x230mm (9”) feature black and gold premium double braided rope. All the stainless-steel gaff heads from 16mm through to 20mm are reinforced with 10mm double welded mounting plates and can withstand extreme pressure. They also come with 8mm stainless steel anchor swivels standard and premium grade rope.

MERCURY SINGLE-ENGINE JOYSTICK PILOTING WITH THRUSTER Mercury has unveiled its latest innovation, Joystick Piloting for Single-Engine Vessels with Thruster, expanding its industry-leading joystick control systems. Announced at the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show, this system integrates a bow thruster with the V12, V10, and V8 Verado outboards, delivering precise control for single-engine boats. By combining throttle, shift, steering and a compatible bow thruster into a single joystick interface, boaters can now execute complex manoeuvres such as 360-degree rotation and sideways movement—capabilities previously reserved for multi-engine setups. This innovation significantly improves control during slow-speed operations and docking, making close-quarters handling easier, even in challenging conditions. Mercury has also enhanced its Joystick Piloting system with Skyhook, Bowhook and Drifthook features, further refining stationkeeping capabilities. In addition to existing compatibility with Vetus and Sleipner bow thrusters, Mercury has partnered with Quick, expanding options for seamless integration. While Mercury won’t supply thrusters directly, Quick’s range will integrate with both single- and multi-engine Joystick Piloting systems. Additionally, a software update arriving in Q2 2025 will introduce position-hold functionality for Single Engine Joystick Steering applications without a thruster, further improving vessel control. mercurymarine.com.au

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The Lox Yoshi range has been revered for by experienced anglers for many years now and Lox has just released the new and improved Series IV. Lox rod blanks are crafted from high-modulus 30 tonne + 46 tonne (46 tonne butt section) Japanese Toray carbon and feature advanced IV core loop technology.

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Red emperor are a prime target on the reefs and they love a soft vibe.

GOOD

VIBRATIONS Soft vibes are super-effective for a range of offshore species – so be ready to change it up when nothing else is working Words & Images: Colby Lesko

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Soft vibes have long since dominated deepwater scenarios when it comes to estuary and freshwater lure fishing. With soft vibes so effective in these situations it was only a matter of time until we saw tackle companies making bigger and heavier soft vibes than ever for the offshore market. Over recent years offshore soft vibing has really taken off and is extremely effective for a range of fish.

I’ve been lucky enough to fish a lot of soft vibes offshore on the Great Barrier Reef over recent years with lots of success. These are my tips to get you into some quality fish even if you have never fished a soft vibe before.

It’s the Vibe of It Soft vibes come in a range of shapes, sizes and weights, but they all have one thing in common – they vibrate on the lift. This vibrating action is what attracts and tricks those fussy big reef fish into biting when they won’t hit a jig. Match this vibrating action with a fish-shaped profile and some dangling appendages, and you have a great lure for smart fish. I’ve found shape of the soft vibe doesn’t matter too much and while some resemble fish and some resemble squid, they all get eaten. The vibrating action of the soft vibe is a far more important factor. You want a vibe with a strong action so you can feel the lure working 50m metres down and have it working at slower speeds. This will result in attracting and convincing more fish to bite – more so than shape. Soft vibes can be fished extremely slowly and still be effective. They are slow to sink and many bites come on the drop after a lift and vibration has tempted the fish into biting.

Deep Vibes I like to focus my soft vibing really close to the bottom. While soft vibes will get eaten

midwater and on the way up, I find them most effective on big reef fish when they are hopped along the bottom. Once you hit the bottom with your soft vibe, I give the lure a big lift with the rod to feel the vibration of the lure working. This makes sure the lure hasn’t tangled on the way down from a hit or current, and it hasn’t fouled on weed or something on the bottom. If I feel the vibe’s action and it is swimming away like normal, I’ll let it sink back down and do another big lift. I repeat this a few times and if no bites, I’ll give the lure a couple of big lifts in a row to get it further up off the bottom before dropping it back down. Most of the time, this ‘on the bottom’ retrieve gets the best reef fish for me but vibes do work well on a whole range of retrieves. Basically, once the soft vibe is low in the zone with the fish on your sounder, just let the vibration and profile do the work with a slow retrieve. If you miss a bite the fish love to come back for a second crack with the soft vibes and will often hit the soft vibe a number of times before they hook up.

Heavy Vibe Weight and size of the soft vibe will depend on speed of drift and depth of water you are fishing but if you want to target fish offshore you need something at least 30 grams in weight. My personal favourite is the 50g 150mm Samaki Vibelicious. This vibe works well in 20 to 50m of water with a slow drift.

If you’re fishing deeper or on a faster drift you will want to go heavier again. When fishing soft vibes, you really do need a slow drift in deeper water to keep vertical on the lures and fish them effectively. My best results have come from very slow drift days where you really hang on the spot or use the electric motor to anchor so you can really get the vibe down in the zone. If you have a few good

A nice jobfish that fell for the Samaki Vibelicious in colour Tiger UV. WWW.HOOKEDUP.COM.AU

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marks where you usually do well on the reef fish by fishing bait, anchor on these marks and fish a soft vibe. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how effective they are.

Best areas to drop soft vibes are proven marks you know to hold good fish or areas where you have great soundings of good fish. Due to them being slow to sink and slow to retrieve, they are not a great prospecting lure – they do their best work when dropped directly into fishy areas. Wonky holes, wrecks and large drop-offs or bommies are a few of my favourite spots to soft vibe.

Good Vibrations Soft vibes, like any lures have their advantages and disadvantages. Some massive advantages of soft vibes are they are extremely lifelike, have a great action and an ability to fool smart fish. If you’re targeting a specific fish that you know are down below the boat and are not biting other lures such as jigs, they may produce a bite and change your day. Some disadvantages are that they take a lot longer to get down to the fish than jigs and are a lot less durable than a jig. When toothy critters such as mackerel and trigger fish are around, they can be destroyed quickly or after a single fish.

Even pelagics like Spaniards love a soft vibe, but they’ll destroy them pretty quickly.

This can become expensive when compared with jigs. But when the fishing is tough, they can make your day by getting you a trophy fish when nothing else is working. So, it’s always worth having them in the tackle box ready. Soft vibes fish great both vertically and on the cast. When fishing deeper waters, you will have to fish the vibes vertically to keep a good connection. Casting them around shallow edges and reef drop-offs is also extremely effective.

Overhead outfits designed for slow pitch jigging are great for soft vibing on the reefs.

While soft vibes are highly effective, they aren’t the most durable lure.

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I fish my soft vibes on a PE 2 to 4 jig stick around 6ft long in water 20m or deeper. In shallower water of 20m to the shallows, I like to use a more casting-style rod around 7ft long but again in that PE 2 to 4 range. Braid is essential to help you get the vibe down quickly while maintaining a great feel for the lure’s action and bites on the drop. I use an 8000 or 10000-sized spin reel spooled with PE 2 to 4 braid. Leader size is up to personal preference and I often use 100lb leader but do go as low as 60lb, while I have still caught many good reef fish in heavy reef terrain with 200lb leader. It depends on the situation and fish you are targeting. Hooks depend on personal preference as well, and I’ve used trebles and singles with great results. I find trebles are better when targeting smaller fish or fishing out over lighter bottom and the single hooks are better for targeting bigger fish or when fishing on heavy reef.

All the different varities of coral trout love a well presented soft vibe.

Storage Storage of soft vibes is important – you must store them correctly so they don’t melt or become bent in your tackle box. I try not to remove them from the packet until I’m going to fish them. Once you have fished with them, make sure you store the used vibes straight and away from other lures.

The author uses the Samaki Vibelicious in a range of sizes, weights and colours.

RED EMPEROR, NANNYGAI, FINGERMARK AND CORAL TROUT ARE ALL SUCKERS FOR A SOFT VIBE AND ARE SOME OF MY MAIN TARGETS.

A big trout taken on a deep reef.

Species Red emperor, nannygai, fingermark and coral trout are all suckers for a soft vibe and are some of my main targets. I’ve also caught a massive range of pelagics such as cobia, trevally, dogtooth tuna and amberjack on them.

I don’t know too many species of fish that won’t eat a soft vibe offshore. They have quickly become my go-to technique for catching a feed of coral trout and are the most effective coral trout lure I have used.

While I have mainly used them to target reef fish on the GBR, they will also be supereffective on snapper and other reef species down south. It’s worth having one in the tackle box for those days when the sounder is lighting up with fish but you can’t convince them to bite.

A rare and welcomed capture- the diamond trevally. This one taken on a Vibelicious in colour Turbo Mullet.

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Red emperor are a prime target on the reefs and they love a soft vibe.

FLYING

HIGH

Spanish mackerel are one of the most exciting species to go after in our warmer waters – hook up and watch them go!

Words & Images: Sam Gilchrist

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Mackerel are found, generally speaking, from Sydney, then north and around the top of the continent over to Cape Leeuwin in Western Australia and everywhere in between. They are a migratory species that generally move with the East Australian Current and the Leeuwin Current.

Advancements in tracking technology make it easier than ever to follow their migratory patterns, though this is the macro lens of tracking Spaniards.

Let’s now look at the local, more microfocused approach to chasing these speedsters.

Current, and the lack of it, can be linked to all aspects of fishing in one way or another and like most species, mackerel love current.

Current above all else will keep the Spanish happy and will concentrate them into schools, holding in zones that can make them an easy target for anglers.

A common misconception is that mackerel will not frequent dirty water, but if the current is there, they will hold and feed in dirty water.

With time on the water, you need to understand what parts of the reef the current hits de-pending on the direction of flow. Once you work that out you’ll quickly predict where the Spanish will sit – and they can often sit in that area for weeks, only moving when the cur-rent changes or there’s a significant change in their environment.

It sounds obvious but if the mackerel are not where you are, you might as well be fishing in a carpark – so keep moving until you find fish.

There’s a huge difference between active and shut-down fish. I’ve spoken to spear-fishers on several occasions who are seeing schools

of 30-plus mackerel passing through, though they’re holding deep, often just off the bottom and presenting as uninterested. When things line-up that same fish will sky-rocket upward to annihilate your bait or lure.

Tide changes and moon phases will directly affect the feeding patterns of Spanish, so keep a journal of when you get your bites and you will establish a very reliable pattern of behaviour.

Techniques There are so many options when chasing Spanish. From high-speed spinning through to dead baits, or a floating pilchard, so I’ll cover off on a few to get into the action.

High-speed trolling: Put out your favourite hard-bodied lure that can handle a troll speed of 7-10 knots and you’re away. It’s not complicated or terribly difficult, but it is proven across the country to bring a hungry Spanish unstuck.

Live baiting (trolling): A favoured method among many anglers who target Spanish, espe-cially further south. The best baits are your slimy mackerel, tailor, bonito, frigates, pike and the humble yellowtail scad. Do not sell yourself short with the size of your baits – large mackerel (30kg and over) will consume enormous baits; they are not intimidated so go big.

Rigging your baits perfectly is also a skill, and carefully formed wire rigs are essential. Mix up your use of multi and single-strand wire to match your baits, and make sure your hook sizes match. The finer details make all the difference when presenting baits to barries.

Arguably the pinnacle of inshore sportfishing across the warmer parts of the country, the ever-popular Spanish mackerel – or barred mackerel, ‘barrie’ – is a formidable test of both angler and equipment. They’re sleek in design, magnificent to look at, incredible on the plate and readily accessible to inshore anglers, boaties and land-based enthusiasts alike.

In this article we’ll explore the Spaniard in all of its glory to inspire you to go after these beautiful creatures of the sea. Who knows, you might pick up a tip or new technique along the way.

Behaviour and Patterns Spanish mackerel are rather predictable, which I guess is probably the easiest part when targeting them – though there are some significant myths that may be dispelled below.

This spaniard regurgitated some large bait right after being caught.

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Dead baiting: Apply similar principles to live baiting, though with dead baits you’re a) trolling them slightly faster than a live bait and b) your rigging must be absolutely spot-on. You’re essentially attempting to rig a dead bait to swim like it is alive. This will take prac-tice and patience – no mackerel has ever eaten a spinning dead bait and your line will not appreciate the twists.

Topwater: Get ready! There is not a more spectacular strike by any other fish via any other method. The aerial show is something to behold: one second you’ll be sweeping your lure along, next second there’s an 8 to 38kg mackerel 5 to 15 feet in the air with your lure somewhere in the same vicinity!

Like all topwater applications, when it’s on, it is really on. We’ve had sessions of 40 to 60 bites and you might land 10 to 20 fish, and we release most boat-side as macks do not tolerate being taken out of the water, and they most certainly die. You’ll never have more fun. But when it’s off, you have to work your butt off for the bites, be mobile and actively hunt active fish, and put the casts in... but trust me, it’s worth it.

Off the stones a carefully presented live tailor is a very robust, appealing live bait, a stick-bait and the old fashioned high-speed spinning are all effective.

The Battle The mackerel fight is exhilarating and there are usually two types of fight you can expect to experience. One is a fight of screaming runs, the first being the longest and upward of sev-eral hundred metres which will see your fish burn out and return to the boat for landing fair-ly quickly, often exhausted and easy or straightforward to land.

The second fight, often an indicator of larger fish, is a close-quarters dog fight, the fish

It was all smiles for this young fella landing a mackerel almost the same size as he is.

will not run far, often just far enough that it cannot see or sense the boat. You’ll go back and forth from this position for 30 minutes or more depending on the size of the fish and its atti-tude.

Monofilament lines generally lead to longer fight times due to the stretch in the line and the subsequent reduction in pressure on the fish.

Braided lines and topwater lures irritate the fish by way of hook and lure placement, while applying exponentially more pressure to the fish, so generally speaking you’ll land these fish in five to 15 minutes.

If your mackerel does take off on a hurried run, enjoy the ride, only wahoo and sails pull line faster... oh, and blues too!

Topwater mackerel provides extreme excitemnet with crazy aerial displays.

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Keep your fingers and toes away from those teeth when handling mackerel.

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Danger The Spanish mackerel’s teeth are not to be taken lightly and should be treated with extreme care.

Often referred to as a part of the razor gang, this nickname is a direct reference to the teeth of a Spaniard as they will cut to the bone with the slightest touch and the wound will bleed profusely.

I really cannot stress this enough: if you run your fingers across a Spanish mack’s teeth, expect to require medical assistance and stitches.

Once subdued in the boat, they won’t move too much, but the teeth are still sharp postdispatch, make no mistakes there.

Caring for Your Catch Ice, ice and more ice! You’ve done all of the hard work, you’ve hooked and secured your magnificent Spanish mack, so invest the time and a little bit of money (compared to co-op prices for seafood) in your kill-bag or ice box and some ice.

Early morning is a great time to traget mackerel.

We take three to six bags each trip depending on how many fish we plan to take and how long we plan to be at sea. A large mackerel of 15kg or more will melt your ice quickly just with their body temperature.

We bleed our mackerel as seen as they are on the deck (well, post-photo), and we allow the fish five minutes or so to effectively bleed out.

Then we spear the fish into the ice and make sure the fish has plenty of cover.

If you plan to keep more than two you’ll need more than three bags of ice. Be mindful that mackerel have taken a beating in recent years from commercial and recre-ational fishing alike.

Trolling is a highly effective method when targeting mackerel.

They are a high-yield species, meaning you get lots of meat off each fish, so be mindful of how many you take and if you can, be conservative.

When cared for correctly there are many ways you can enjoy your mackerel. Sashimi is a popular way of prepping them and the good old barbecued mackerel steak is as good as any fish you’ll eat, or their flesh is perfect for curries, too.

We’re so lucky to have such an amazing sports fish at our fingertips, and I can still remem-ber the first Spanish I saw as a 14-year-old off Hat Head in NSW, when another angler spun one around the 20kg mark and I was in awe – an obsession was created!

Get among ’em, team.

The author with a great sized mackerel taken on a stickbait.

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Bluespot flathead are available from the beaches and rocky shorelines around Port Lincoln during the cooler months.

PORT

LINCOLN There are abundant fishing options from land and boat at this gem on the tip of the Eyre Peninsula.

Words & Images: Jamie Crawford

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Port Lincoln is 260km in a straight line from Adelaide, but the orientation of two gulf systems makes it a 650km drive by road.

There are multiple flights operating daily from Adelaide to Port Lincoln through Qantas and Regional Express, with a flight time of only 45 minutes.

But doing the drive in your own vehicle will allow you to load the car with an assortment of rods and reels so you can tackle the variety of fishing on offer. There are many options around Port Lincoln, whether you are landbased or towing your own boat, and with the size and positioning of the bay system, there is always a fishing spot to explore.

Land-based Options For those travelling to the area without a boat in tow, there are still plenty of land-based options to satisfy the itch. Four jetties around the town are open for recreational fishing: North Shields, the Town Jetty, Brennans Wharf and Kirton Point tourist park are all popular platforms for chasing a feed of fish or calamari.

There are also some rocky shorelines close to town that offer up a few squid, with Snapper Rocks, the Stenross groyne, Snooks Landing and Billy Lights Point all offering calamari from around the broken bottom fringing this shoreline. Early in the morning and late afternoon are the peak times for casting squid jigs for southern calamari, with smaller 2.5-sized jigs ideal. Slow-sinking jigs such as the Shimano Sephia Clinch Long Appeal in size 3.0 is a deadly jig from the shore. If you don’t mind fishing after dark, that can be a good option for our land-based calamari, along with some snook that are often seen feeding under the lights at night.

Tasty King George whiting can be caught from the shore in a number of locations, with the North Shore, the base of Brennans Jetty, the Town Jetty, Snooks Landing, Tulka and Stenross all offering a few. It’s uncommon to get a bag limit of whiting from these locations, but does happen on occasions, but a regular catch would consist of a couple of King George along with by-catch such as silver trevally, tommy ruff and salmon. Again, try fishing around twilight or at night during the full moon with cockles, green prawns or strips of squid all effective baits.

During the warmer months of the year, rat kingfish of around 50 to 70cm visit the bay and they frequent our local jetties around sun-up. They are fussy feeders, with live baits, white soft plastics and small stick baits getting results.

Travelling out of town and into the nearby national park, there are endless options for the land-based fisher, with King George from the sheltered rocks between Wisemans Shack and Fishermans Point. Try identifying areas of broken seagrass with sand holes, and cast into the nearby white holes.

There is some more rock fishing on offer along the eastern-facing shoreline from Cape Donington to MacLaren Point, and down to Memory Cove and West Point for the more adventurous. These rocks drop into deeper water, with sweep, silver trevally, salmon, red snapper, queen snapper and bigger King George all on offer – among the plethora of wrasse!

Also within the national park there are plenty of sheltered sandy beaches that offer some nice southern bluespotted flathead during the cooler months.

Located on the south-eastern shores of the Eyre Peninsula, Port Lincoln is a beautiful seaside city nestled around the natural harbor of Boston Bay. Famous for bluefin tuna farming, shark cage diving and being the seafood capital of Australia, Port Lincoln is a must-visit destination for food lovers and outdoor adventurers.

With a stunning national park located on the southern side of the city, along with nearby surf beaches, sheltered bays and coves, the coastline is as diverse as it is beautiful, and with a light population the region has managed to retain much of its natural beauty. There are some breathtaking four-wheel drive treks in the national park for those who enjoy getting off the beaten track, and there’s always a quiet beach away from the crowds waiting to be explored.

Blue swimmer crabs can be caught from within the bay with February to April being the peak months.

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Try fishing around high tide by casting paddle tail soft plastics on 1/8oz to 1/6oz jig heads.

This is visual fishing and loads of fun. Expect a few salmon and good-sized tommy ruff as well.

The south coast of the national park is exposed to the full energy of the Southern Ocean, with Sleaford Bay offering some stunning beaches for the keen surf fisher.

Salmon are available year-round from these beaches, but May to October is the peak time when we see schools of salmon push into the near-shore gutters. The surf fishing can be spectacular along this coast, with fish varying in size from around 1kg up to big 4kg models.

Casting 40g to 60g metal lures into the surf is an effective way of hooking a few salmon, along with bait fishing on the building tide.

Inside The Bay If you’ve got your own boat in tow, then the fishing options are boundless around Port Lincoln. There are two main boat ramps around the town, with Bily Lights Point ramp to the south of the city, and Stenross Boat ramp to the north. There are a few beach launch sites as well, but we’ll just stick to the concrete ramps in this feature.

King George are caught from Port Lincoln’s bay systems and around the islands to the south.

Fishing within the bay, there are good calamari grounds around the slow tapering shoreline to the north of the township, plus around the numerous islands dotted close to Boston Bay. When targeting our local calamari, look for water depths of two to six metres with plenty of broken bottom and weed beds nearby. I favour larger squid jigs of size 3.5 and 4.0 when drift fishing from a boat, which ensures the jig gets down deeper into the feeding zone.

King George are probably the number one target for Port Lincoln boaties, with some good whiting grounds in Proper Bay,

King George can be caught from land based locales around Port Lincoln, especially from within the nearby national park..

along the southern coastline of the bay that borders the national park, plus around Boston Island, which is the large land mass to the east that guards the bay.

Look for sand holes in depths of three to seven metres with light eel grass nearby.

Whiting can be caught year-round from the bay, with the southern grounds offering better fishing during the cooler months, and the northern grounds better in the summer months. Try not to berley too heavily during the warmer months, as trumpeters and other pest fish can be prolific.

Port Lincoln is not well known for blue swimmer crabs compared with other nearby hot spots such as Franklin Harbour and Streaky Bay, but Lincoln’s crabs are a sizeclass of their own.

The Port Lincoln National Park is a hot spot for salmon during the cooler months.

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Your fishing licence fees at work Recreational anglers can look forward to even better fishing opportunities in the years ahead thanks to 17 projects, worth nearly $1.5 million, to be funded by fishing licence fees. » $74,000 to help replace the gantry at the Warrnambool boat ramp » $55,000 to improve angler access by building two landings at Navan Park Lake » $110,000 to increase fish habitat in Lake King and Jones Bay by installing 30 snags » $74,000 to assess the performance of stocked estuary perch in 10 waterways » $60,000 to build a new all-abilities fishing platform at Rainbow Lake » $46,000 to repair seven timber fishing platforms along the Maribyrnong River » $24,000 to construct three more fishing platforms at Dunyak Moira Lake, near Shepparton » $80,000 to build a second jetty at Lake Marma, Murtoa » $74,000 to help the Red Tag Fly Fishers plan a fly fishing precinct at Yarra Bend Park Learn more at www.vfa.vic.gov.au/feesatwork2024

Go Fishing Victoria More people fishing, more often

» $66,000 to monitor the health of six native fish species in waterways including the Goulburn, Ovens, Mullaroo and Macalister rivers » $44,000 to help RecLink Australia deliver 40 more FishAbility clinics » $20,000 for OzFish to trial a fishing litter prevention program and install line disposal bins » $50,000 for a fish cleaning table at Fisherman’s Beach, Torquay » $40,000 for a fish cleaning table and lighting at Williamstown foreshore jetty facilities » $169,000 to undertake catch and effort surveys in Port Phillip, Western Port, Corner Inlet, the Gippsland Lakes and off Lakes Entrance » $201,000 for educational products including the Recreational Fishing Guide, rulers and measures » $300,000 for a range of First Nations fishing opportunities.

Walking the beaches and casting soft plastics is a fun style of fishing around Port Lincoln.

We see big and meaty blue swimmer crabs push into the shallow fringes of the bay from early January through to late April, and a good drop potting session should yield anywhere from a dozen blue swimmers upwards, which is plenty for a feed for the whole family. Proper Bay and Spalding Cove are a couple of the favourite locales for blue swimmers, with baited hoop nets the popular method. Try leaving them set for around 15 minutes and move the pots around until you find some cooperative crabs.

Still staying within the bay, we see quite a few salmon up to around 1kg along with some nice snook and silver trevally around Billy Lights Point, Sapphire Waters, Grantham Island, the North Shore, Spalding Cove and around Boston Island. This is easy fishing where a couple of 50mm to 70mm diving minnows can be set behind the boat, and slowly trolling at 5 to 7km/h until some fish are located. Occasionally small kingfish will also join the action.

Offshore The boat fishing options increase exponentially once you leave the confines of the bay waters, with more King George grounds, plus bluewater reefs for pelagic and reef species.

Travelling past Point Boston to the north and Cape Donington to the south denotes leaving the sheltered waters of Boston Bay and into southern Spencer Gulf waters. The influence of ground swell is negligible just outside of the bay, but the further south you travel, the closer to open and exposed waters you will be.

There are some good King George grounds to the south of Lincoln, starting at Carcase Rock, MacLaren Point, Taylors Landing and through to Thistle Island. The whiting from these grounds are a good class of fish, with plenty around the 40cm mark, with the occasional fish nudging the magic 50cm barrier. These grounds

Some nice squid are available around the tapering shoreline.

fish well during the cooler months with depths of eight to 14 metres productive. By-catch over the whiting grounds includes red mullet, silver trevally and a few flathead. There are some big calamari in this area too, with Taylors Island and Memory Cove outstanding locations for XOS squid.

This area is referred to as The Passage, named after the narrow body of water between the nearby chain of islands. The Passage funnels the movement of water in and out of this area, which can create choppy water during big tidal movement.

At the bottom end of The Passage, the water starts to taper away from a maximum of 20m down to around 55m, offering plenty of tapering reef edges for tasty species such as red snapper, queen snapper, school and gummy sharks plus the occasional harlequin fish.

The deeper reefs to the south of Port Lincoln offer a variety of reef species including red snapper and queen snapper 42

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The southern side of Williams Island is a hot spot for these reef species. Look for tapering edges and markings of fish holding close to the seafloor.

We see plenty of pink snapper around these same offshore reef systems, but at the time of writing we are still within an extended snapper ban (scheduled to lift in mid-2026), which covers all reef systems in this region.

When summer rolls around it signals the arrival of our school bluefin to the grounds to the south of Port Lincoln. We see a good run of school fish through our local area, with fish in the 8-15kg bracket found in offshore areas such as Low Rocks, Williams Islands, Neptune Islands and the Cabbage Patch. These areas are a fair run from the ramp, so good weather is needed for most trailer boats. Look for bait and birds feeding around these offshore reefs and islands, and run a spread of lures to locate some fish. Some of these same offshore areas also offer a few yellowtail kingfish and samson fish during summer and autumn.

Port Lincoln is famous for school bluefin.

WITH A POPULATION OF AROUND 15,000 PEOPLE, PORT LINCOLN OFFERS ALL THE AMENITIES YOU WOULD EXPECT FROM A REGIONAL CITY OF THIS SIZE.

The launching facilities are first rate at Axel Stenross boat ramp

Amenities With a population of around 15,000 people, Port Lincoln offers all the amenities you would expect from a regional city of this size. The big-name supermarkets are present in town, along with the usual takeaway food options, in addition to restaurants and four pubs.

Accommodation options are vast and varied, from Airbnb housing to rental flats and cabins.

There is a well-appointed caravan park on the southern side of town at Kirton Point, with stunning views overlooking the bay.

Port Lincoln is a beautiful regional city with a spectacular coastline to match.

The fishing is first-rate, and if you haven’t explored our local area yet, I would encourage you to do so.

Port Lincoln is a beautiful seaside city located on the shores of Boston Bay.

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