JTACKLE Sportsfishing Monthly VOL. 12

25 SEPTEMBER, 2015

MONTHLY

VOLUME 12

Welcome one and all and thank you for tuning in

QLD waters. Over the past decade almost every

to this month’s edition of JTSM, your local

likeminded sport fisho I’ve discussed the matter

sportfishing news. Spring has sprung, the winter

with has voiced strong views on removing the

angling season that never really was, has departed

commercial nets from our estuaries and bays.

for another year. Whilst air temperatures in patches

Follow the link below and sign the “Nets out

were quite brisk this winter, water temperature

Queensland” e-petition, it only takes a moment of

never dropped much below 20 degrees. Sustained

your time and could start a flow on effect

warmer waters didn’t encourage the winter fish

benefitting all fishos state wide. The Queensland

migration which ended up being little more than

parliament is finally willing to listen, let’s make

sporadic at best.

sure we are heard!

A busy month it’s been, we’ve welcomed our fourth Prime Minister in five years (not counting the forgettable Mr Rudd twice) and there’s been a strong push to remove more commercial nets from

Steve Kelly

EDITOR

image taken from “Waypoints - Chilean Patagonia” video

CLICK HERE

Waypoints - Chilean Patagonia

This month’s short video is a beautiful destination fishing piece shot by Denver Miller, part of the sequence that makes up the world renowned “Waypoints” DVD. Confluence films have produced some of the finest multi destination fishing videos over the past decade, I can highly recommend following the link and purchasing one of their productions.

Offshore Fishy

Frank Gilligan subdued this brute of a bludger trevally on a recent trip to Hervey Bay

REPORT

Damon Mclean with a healthy example of a hard fighting Cape Moreton Yellowtail Kingfish

Offshore Fishy

REPORT

Well it seems the greater blue water fish population

Western Rocks and Hutchison’s Shoal have both

of South East Queensland hasn’t been informed of

continued to produce excellent quality Spanish and

the benefits vitamin D and Omega 3 fatty acids

broad barred mackerel right through the cooler

have on the human body and brain. When sea and

months. Tepid winter time offshore waters played a

wind conditions have permitted for offshore

large part in this. It will be interesting to see if

fishing, the majority of our local angling fleet have

these toothy critters hang around throughout

found it tough to bring home a feed.

spring. The local light tackle marlin fleet is franticly re rigging and re skirting lures in

One of the more consistent areas for squire over the

preparation for the start of our juvenile black

past few weeks has been the shallow reef systems

marlin run. September last year had the first of the

and coffee rock under the lighthouse at Cape

junior blacks arriving at Hervey Bay, Brisbane

Moreton. Typically these areas start to fish well in

following in the weeks thereafter. Over the past

early spring; productive times tend to be when a

decade I have certainly noticed a trend, when we

high tide change coincides with dusk or dawn.

have an excellent mackerel season in SEQ we

Lightly weighted soft plastic jerkshad or prawn

typically have a poor juvenile black marlin run and

imitations cast well away from the boat while

vice versa. The exception has been at Hervey Bay

drifting these locations should attract attention. In

and Bundaberg, here’s to proving me wrong in

glassy calm conditions the shallow coffee rock

summer 2015.

patches tend to be more like an aquarium. Try fishing these locations when slightly turbulent

Pearl perch, squire and tusk fish have been caught

water lifts the nutrients and attracts the schools of

sporadically over the past few weeks, weather

bait. Bait schools will frequent the shore line along

permitting they should only continue to improve

the eastern beach at Moreton and Stradbroke

this month. Wide Caloundra and the shallower

Islands as we progress further into the month,

systems to the west should provide fishos with

larger predators often in close proximity.

quality perch right through spring time. This area is also home to some of the largest amberjack in

Sight casting to the large cobia or tuna that cruise

our local waterways. Both kingfish and amberjack

with the bait makes for entertaining sport fishing

have offered excellent sport on light to medium

on relatively light tackle. On your way offshore this

jigging tackle at Hutchy’s, Round Patch and Square

spring, try cruising the northern facing beaches at

Patch and should only continue to grow in size this

both North Stradbroke and Moreton Islands

month. Perl Perch or Snapper locations in depths

scanning for large bait schools in on the shallows,

ranging between 50 – 80m are all likely hotspots to

being mindful of the green zone surrounding

try high pitch jigging for kingfish or amberjack.

North Point on Moreton Island.

Fingers crossed for favourable conditions this spring so we can all get out on the salt and briny.

Moreton Bay and Estuary

REPORT

Flathead have continued to provide local inshore

channel edges and exposed coffee rock. The ledge at

enthusiasts with quality fishing throughout August

Bulwer and the Curtain Artificial Reef have been

and the first half of September. With the annual

two of the more consistent locations, soft plastics

Flathead Classic just around the corner many of

and micro jigs both popular choices for attracting

the participants have been getting in plenty of pre

all matter of species. Cobia are starting to move

fish time in the lead up to the event. The ever

into the northern bay with sporadic captures

popular Jumpinpin flats, gutters and deeper

already coming from the Wild Banks Artificial and

channels will be targeted heavily in this year’s

Curtain Reef. Cobia are a sucker for a well

tournament; fish over 90cm in length already

presented slow pitch jig, this technique allows the

caught and released this season. Nudgee Creek and

angler to very precisely present their offering

the flats at the entrance of Jackson Creek have

directly into a bait school or particular piece of

produced some of the best flathead and chopper

structure with a sense of urgency. Next time you’re

tailor captures we have seen for some years. The

venturing into the northern bay targeting cobia or

size of the flathead should continue to improve and

kingfish around the navigational markers, make

it will be worth targeting whiting on poppers in the

sure you have a 60-80 gram slow pitch jig in your

same locations in the later stages of this month.

arsenal.

Scarborough Reef and the southern end of the

It’s been a relatively slow winter season around the

Bribie Passage are offering quality bream of late

Southern Bay Islands. Warmer waters and a lack of

with the odd squire thrown in for tasty measure.

squire proceeding down through the bay have made

The Bribie Island Bridge has been a popular

for slim pickings in August and September.

location late at night with large jew fish and green

Flathead numbers around Macleay and Coochi

back tailor the prized quarry. The months of

have been positive, the region also experiencing a

September and October are historically excellent

good run of diver whiting. Although diver whiting

times to target large jew fish, shad styled soft

are not usually recognised as a sport fishing target,

plastics and sinking blades are proven lure choices.

the species that eat them are. Hopes are high

Look to target the mouths of the Brisbane and Pine

amongst locals in the southern bay that we should

Rivers or the Jumpinpin Bar and Gold Coast

see a good springtime snapper run. Tailor are still

Seaway either side of the tide changes.

frequenting the southern bay islands and in years

Northern Moreton Bay has been fishing reasonably

passed we have seen Australian salmon join them

consistently for schooling squire along the deeper

during early spring.

Here’s hoping they may turn up and inject a little

squid with a few big eye trevally and tailor also

life into what’s been a relatively slow sport fishing

present. The month of September often sees large

winter. Mud Island has also had an uncanny winter

schools of bonito and mac tuna arrive in the bay,

with only a handful of quality fish being recorded

fingers

thus far. Fortunately the shallow waters have

accommodating.

crossed

both

weather

and

fish

are

provided quality sight casting opportunities to

The delectable Lesley Marshall with her slice of Hervey Bay gold

Below: Frank Gilligan with a fine Spanish Mackerel.

Above: Cricket legend and keen fisho Andy Bichel getting amongst a few snapper at Moreton Island earlier this month

Freshwater REPORT

Noel Frost with a prehistoric looking North Pine Dam Saratoga

The punctuality of our local dam bass populations

Samsonvale. Almost unbelievable numbers of fish

has also been poor this winter; the usually reliable

were tagged over the 48 hour period, between 24

schooling bass have also been late to stack up in the

vessels (50 anglers) they managed to capture, tag

deeper waters. Locations such as Pelican Point and

and release 1,333 Australian bass. Very exciting to

Queen Street at Somerset Dam are both now

hear the fishery appears to be thriving and even

holding good schooling fish, the old creek bed off

more exciting to see one of our very regular

Platypus Cliffs at Wivenhoe still takes some

customers Noel Frost land a stunning saratoga over

beating in September. Recent bass tournaments at

75cm in length. Although small numbers were

Hinze Dam have uncovered excellent quality

stocked into the lake, saratoga has never really been

fishing with the majority of competitors all

thought of as a targetable species in the North Pine

weighing in hefty bags. Concentrate interests off

Dam. A stunning example of a prehistoric saratoga

the deeper points and around the underwater tree

Noel, many thanks for keeping us up to date with

tops using spin tails, vibes and ice jigs. Early

the happenings in and around PRFMA. The

October is often a magic time to fish the margins of

PRFMA’s Boating Access Scheme has just kicked

our local dams with surface lures and spinnerbaits.

off for another year and I’m led to believe there are

If the warm day time temperatures we are

still many permits available.

experiencing

continue,

then

I’m

confident

locations like Hinze Dam and Borumba will

For all the details regarding Lake Samsonvale

produce excellent sport fishing throughout spring.

Boating Permits or to check out the good work the folks

at

the

Pine

Rivers

Fish

Management

On the 29th and 30th of August Sun Tag in

Association are doing then be sure to follow the

conjunction with the Pine Rivers Fish Management

link. http://www.prfma.com.au/home

Association held a survey tagging event at Lake

New PRODUCTS

“The CRANKA Crab is an original and unique Crab design that has been more than 10 years in development. This lure was designed specifically for bream but as anglers are quickly finding out it is deadly on a wide range of different estuarine species. This lure features realistic floating foam claws that are attached to the treble hooks to make the lure come to life in the water. The foam claws float up above the crabs head in the water waving around just like a real "defensive" crab that is trying to defend itself from predators that are trying to eat it. These floating claws not only make the crab look extremely real in the water, but they also place the hooks into the perfect position for a positive hook up when a fish eats the lure... these floating claws also makes the lure extremely "snag resistant" as the hooks stay up off the bottom during the retrieve!”

Taking the Australian tournament bream scene by storm the latest designed Cranka Crab has earned pride of place on the wall at Jones’s Tackle. The tournament winning design, realistic looks and seductive swimming action are sure to account for many species down the eastern seaboard.

The Cranka Crabs bigger brother will be available in the coming months, wearing the same good looks and a single saltwater hook; a must have for the skinny water enthusiast.

“Every couple of years it seems the Shimano technical people grab hold of the Stradic spin reel lineup and make a great reel even better. Well the 2016 reels continue that tradition — big time. Firstly, a reel of this standing couldn’t be without the new Hagane Body. This metal frame delivers high rigidity, so there’s no flexing when under load and no loss of cranking power either. This is complemented by the Hagane Gear system — not cut gear teeth, but 3D design cold forging for increased resilience and longer durability.”

“The new Stradics have an additional SA-RB bearing and they’re all high 6:1 to 6.2:1 plus gear ratios, so cast lures will really motor on the retrieve. Aero Wrap II, the AR-C spool, One Piece Bail and G-Free Body all demonstrate that these reels are going to be are a repetitive caster’s delight to use, with better balance in the hand. While the new gen’ Stradics can be used just about anywhere, the presence of Coreprotect on the roller clutch, the drag, the body and the line roller, indicate that these reels are going to be perfectly at home in the world’s harshest environment — the salt.”

“Australia's leading manufacturer of custom made Spinnerbaits for the tournament angler, diehard fisherman and people who just want to catch fish. Made and manufactured in Australia using top quality components and silicone skirt material. Let Bassman build your own winning spinnerbait. We have a proven track record for attracting all freshwater and saltwater species.”

Bassman Spinnerbaits are excited to release this year’s new editions to their tournament winning range.

The new compact “Shorty” is available in ½ oz and comes rigged with tandem blades, compact wire and has a stinger hook. Bassman Shorty sinks faster, is more snag resistant and the compact design allows for tighter running at speed. “Yellaman” is the second edition to the range for 2015 weighing 3/8oz, donning a compact wire system with cupped tandem blades, stinger hook and includes a paddle tailed grub.

Yellaman is sure to tempt even the cagiest old Yellabelly.

Attention to the finer details, quality components and exceptional paint work are just some of the subtleties that make Bassman the number one Spinnerbait in Australia. To view a range of their products drop down to the store and say G’day or check them out at http://www.bassmanspinnerbaits.com.au/.

Final

WORD

Well this old pen is just about out of ink for another month. Phalanges crossed this prevailing southerly blow departs for elsewhere leaving magic conditions in its wake. We would like to thank our regular contributors for sending in their reports and images and welcome any of our readers to send us their favourite happy snaps. For any further information about what’s biting around the pond or to find out the latest tackle and tips be sure to email us at jtsm@jonestackle.com.au or drop into the store and say G’day. Enjoy the outdoors this spring, tight lines, Hooroo.

Steve Kelly

EDITOR