Spooled Magazine Autumn Issue 2022 by Spooled Magazine

Autumn

2022

SPINNING

TROUT SOFT

PLASTICS

& JIG HEADS PART 1

SEEING

RED

MURRAY COD

START AT THE BEGINNING

Contents EDITORIAL

Our Cover... Jarrod Day spun up this beautifully coloured brook trout. (see article page 8)

8 22 YOU SPIN SOME, YOU LOSE SOME

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SEEING RED

40 66 SOFT PLASTICS & JIG HEADS PART 1

START AT THE BEGINNING

78 94

THE GREENLY ISLAND SWAN SONG

THE LURE OF IT ALL WHAT’S NEW

106

118 COMPETITION PAGE www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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From the Editor

From The Editor

SHANE MENSFORTH

WEATHER – ONE THING WE CAN’T CONTROL

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As I write this Editorial, most of coastal New South Wales and South-East Queensland were being pounded by gale force winds, hail and torrential rain. Lives have been lost and literally billions of dollars’ damage has been caused to property and business. As a South Aussie, all I’ve been able to do is watch on 04 with dismay and pray for those caught up in one of the country’s worst natural disasters. Down here in SA we have more than our share of bushfires to contend with, but catastrophic rain events of this nature are few and far between. I can recall towing a big trailer boat to Bermagui in late February a few years back, fishing just one day out of a planned ten. It blew and rained so hard and so consistently, there was never going to be a chance of catching a marlin, and our long-awaited trip was aborted after just four days. I remember trolling out wide of Bermi’ during the one session we managed, and having to steer a slalom course through tree trunks and assorted debris washed out by the incessant rain. But these, of course, are extreme weather events. What about the general weather that we fish in and around? How does it affect where we fish, when we fish and what we fish for? In my home state it’s pretty windy from October through to March, but we don’t cop a lot of rain until June through until September. We rarely see the sort of weather systems that have pounded much of the East Coast this year, so it’s generally easier to plan ahead and organise your fishing accordingly. And while the wind is often a pain, it’s at least predictable enough to cope with. Weather forecasting these days is pretty accurate too, both for the major cities and regional areas, significantly reducing the margin for error and keeping anglers safer than ever before. Consecutive La Nina weather patterns have certainly thrown a bit of a spanner into the works lately, particularly for those along the country’s south and west coasts. Speaking from a South Aussie perspective again, La Nina has markedly changed things around for most who go fishing in my state. Two cooler than average summers on the trot have essentially merged spring and autumn, impacting on water temperatures, rainfall levels and wind. We scarcely had a hot day during the summer just past, we experienced record rainfall in January, and had to endure literally weeks of strong wind without so much as a break. The fishing – and in particular the inshore fishing – suffered dramatically as a result. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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From the Editor

Meteorologists tell me it’s very unusual to experience consecutive La Nina events, and I’m hopeful we don’t get to make it three in a row. I love my shallow water wading for yellowfin whiting, and with the catch down by over 50 per cent this season and last, I would head towards a nervous breakdown if it happened again. The mean water temperature over our Gulf sand flats during the summer whiting season is around 22-24 degrees, but we struggled to climb beyond 18 this year and the yellowfin simply stayed away.

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Exactly how much we are contributing to all of this is open to major conjecture, and I remain a fence sitter on the entire climate change debate. 06 However, there is no doubt we need to do as much as possible to minimise our impact and reduce pressure on an obviously struggling planet. La Nina certainly doesn’t need any assistance to create further havoc!

COMP WINNERS

Congratulations to our competition winners from last issue, Michael Hennessey (NSW), Brad King (QLD), and Quade Broughton (QLD), will all receive an Atomic lure pack. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

You Spin Some, You Lose Some

JARROD DAY

You Spin Some, You Lose Some SPOOLED MAGAZINE

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JARROD DAY TAKES A LOOK AT THE HUMBLE SPINNER – STILL ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE TROUT LURES YOU CAN CARRY.

The last 20 years have certainly seen huge developments in fishing lures, and none more so than soft plastic and hard bodies.

One thing is for sure though. Even with all the new developments in lure technology, not much has changed with the humble spinner. Sure, some new colours, bigger blades and blade shapes to emit different sounds under the water have been developed, but in essence a metal spinner is still a metal spinner today – as it has been since the 1950s. Despite the hundreds of thousands of different lures available, I think it is fair to say the majority of fresh water anglers would still have at least one metal spinner tucked at the back of a tackle box drawer. Maybe it is stuffed in with a bunch of other old lures left to go rusty, yet still it’s one of the most effective lures to use on trout.

Find a deep hold, find a trout. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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The lures I’d use when I was just starting out didn’t really allow you a lot of choice. In fact, we probably had just a handful to try in an attempt to fool a cunning trout, and soft plastics were barely a thing back then. In more recent times, having such an extensive collection of lures can be quite confusing. I have been known on a few occasions to be so confused as to what lure to tie on, that I had to sit on the riverbank and take a few deep breaths.

You Spin Some, You Lose Some

It is easy to get caught up in the world of new lures and their effectiveness. However, the age-old technique of casting and retrieving a spinner is still one of the easiest and most effective forms of fishing for trout by anglers from all levels of skill.

//SPINNER SELECTION

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Aside from the hundreds of brands and styles of hard body and soft plastic lures, spinners do have a much smaller brand range, consisting mainly of Rublex, Blue Fox, Wordens, Tasmanian Devil and Mepps. Each of the brands have many different 10 models, sizes and colours, all of which are important when building your arsenal. The basis of a spinner is quite simple – a main stainless steel wire shaft with a spinning blade, a solid body and, in most cases, a treble hook. Don’t be fooled when purchasing spinners though. Cheap no-name brands are more likely not to spin on the retrieve, mainly due to the design of the blade. Despite the array of sizes, styles and colours, it is important to have a good selection yourself. You don’t always know the depths or layouts of every river you stop past to have a cast in, but having a selection of different spinners can allow you to fish any and every river that holds trout.

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The green/gold Celta is the number one colour in my book.

Is this an obsession or just covering all bases? A spinner’s size depends on its weight, with many classed in size 1 (2g), size 2 (3.5g) and so on; the higher the number, the heavier/larger the size of the lure. Size 1 spinners lend themselves to being used in smaller and shallower streams and rivers where the current isn’t really an influence. This may be during the summer months where rainfall hasn’t caused the waterways to swell. Size 2 spinners, on the other hand, are larger for faster/deeper rivers, should you want to make further cases upstream. They are better for use throughout those times where the water is higher and more turbulent, such as winter or spring. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

You Spin Some, You Lose Some

Spinner colours span far and wide, and while my personal collection has every colour of the rainbow, different colours work better than others. Water clarity plays a big role in colour choice, with blacks, whites and greys being highly effective to use after rain when the rivers have dirtied up. When water is clear, gold, copper, silver and anything else that reflects the sun I find more effective.

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Brighter colours, such as orange, yellow, greens and pinks, I tend to favour throughout April, May and June when the fish are beginning 12 to or have already started their spawning cycle. These colours can represent trout eggs, which are released throughout these months.

Shallow rivers are difficult to fish with hard body lures, but this river is a spinner’s paradise. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

The shape of the spinner comes into play according to the river being fished. In fast flowing currents more slim-line spinners such as Wordens or Celtas are particularly good, as they aren’t quite as affected by the water’s current. This allows them to be easily retrieved, maximising the spin of the blade. Larger, bulkier bodies can take a few seconds longer to begin to spin after the initial cast, as well as being affected by the current. Unless you have a tight line, the minute the lure hits the water, the current can drag it into any debris, causing you to become snagged.

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Colours, sizes, weights and styles. It is good to have a wide selection. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

You Spin Some, You Lose Some

//MAKING THE CAST Most spinners weigh anything from 2-5g and, being so light, require a light rod and reel that allows them to be cast accurately. 1-3kg or 2-4kg graphite rods with 1000-2500 size reels loaded with 4lb or 6lb braid are recommended. Heavier outfits or heavier lines will only impede the ability to get a good cast, and you just won’t be covering the water you need to get a strike.

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The right cast gets the result. Before making any cast though, it is important to read the water. Rely on casting accuracy and drop the lure in the exact position to bring it past a known trout holding spot. Long stretches of slow-moving water are more likely to have trout along both edges of the river or, if the head of the pool is in sight, there is bound to be a fish holding in or near the turbulent water. Long casts that allow the lure to work back, passing those features, are more likely to be seen rather than just casting anywhere without a care. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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Where there may be boulders or fallen timber, casts made so the lure is well above these features and allowed to pass by on the retrieve tend to catch the eye of a hungry trout. With each cast made it is important to get the lure into these areas. When a river is running high, these features may be under water and not visible, let alone accessible. With complete control of the lure you can allow it to sink for a second or two once it hits the water, enabling it to be retrieved a little deeper. This is particularly effective if you know you are casting into a deeper pool. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

You Spin Some, You Lose Some

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Can you pick locations to cast to? www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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You Spin Some, You Lose Some

Don’t underestimate skinny and shallow rivers and streams, as there are usually some quality fish to be found.

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//TIGHT LINES Despite the effectiveness of spinners, like everything, they still have their faults. Spinners all come with a treble hook, which is secured to the main body either with a fine metal pin or the main stainless wire looped through the eyelet. This makes it difficult to change the treble should you need to, as you’d have to cut the eyelet of the hook and, once removed, replace it using a split ring or remove the pin, then add a new hook and re-bend the pin in the body.

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With the Goulburn River now heavily stocked with trout, you really can’t miss catching them.

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You Spin Some, You Lose Some

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The reason I bring this up is that even with a good sharp treble hook, trout can easily be lost during the fight. When they jump, they flex open their jaw hinge while flinging their head from side to side. This action uses the weight of the lure (even at 2g) to shake, and if you don’t have a tight line, the lure will flick out. This is a regular occurrence, and while it is often an afterthought when the fish is lost, keeping that line extremely tight 20 throughout the entire fight is what ultimately prevents the fish from throwing the treble. If you have the time and enjoy a bit of lure tinkering, you can replace the treble with a single in-line hook to prevent losing fish. This is a tedious job, but worth it in the long run. Doing this will make a lure only slightly lighter in weight, as the treble hook is heavier than a single, but in no way will it impede the lure’s action and be of more benefit preventing lost fish in the long run. Spinning for trout a great fun and a lure fishing style that everyone can enjoy, from the first timer to the most experienced.

It is fiddly work, but swapping the treble to a single can prevent fish loss.

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Seeing Red

LACHLAN JONES

Seeing RED SPOOLED MAGAZINE

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LACHLAN JONES TAKES A LOOK AT ONE OF OUR MORE POPUL AR FRESH WATER IMPORTS – THE REDFIN PERCH.

“I’ll be home by dark” was my farewell cry as the creaking pedals brought to life my old push bike. Homework had been done (rushed), jobs completed and the closing credits of Rex Hunt Fishing Adventures were rolling down the TV screen. As I left the driveway and pointed the old work horse down the hill, I channelled my inner Cadel Evans, hurtling down the path to my local dam, such was my excitement to go fishing. For years I repeated the narrative above, spending hours upon hours learning the ropes of our much-loved craft, cutting laps of this tiny little waterhole without a worry in the world. As a young kid this was paradise, and at the heart of it all was the search for a fish that, in hindsight, formed the building blocks for a lifetime of fishing adventures – the humble redfin.

Vertically jigged blades account for high numbers of fish in reservoirs and lakes.

Redfin perch, commonly referred to as English perch or simply redfin, are an aggressive fresh water fish that have become dominant in many southern waterways since their introduction from England in the 1800s. Characterised by olive green flanks that are divided by multiple dark bands and bordered by striking red fins, reddies have become a staple target for fresh water anglers due to the relative ease with which they are caught, their impressive looks and terrific table qualities. These ferocious feeders and breeders make short work of a range of baitfish and crustaceans that inhabit inland waterways. Such is their aggression and appetite, many watercourses host populations of fish with growth rates stunted due to their prolific numbers and a www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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Fast forward many years and much has changed. The bike’s been swapped for a car, old Rex has stepped away from the cameras, and I no longer need to ask Mum for permission to go fishing! I do, however, still have a soft spot for chasing these wonderful fish, and with the developments in fishing technology and equipment, the opportunities to tussle with these fresh water bullies are greater than ever before!

Seeing Red

lack of tucker! Unfortunately, the introduction of redfin to Australia has contributed to the demise of many native species, as their fingerlings make the perfect food source for ravenous redfin. Moreover, their prolific breeding results in habitat competition for our locals, giving us anglers all the more reason to go and target them! While it is absolutely troubling that the aggressive attributes of redfin give our native fish a hard time, the plus side is that redfin make the perfect focus for anyone who is looking at getting into fishing, or indeed, keen to try and hone their craft with lures or fly. Apply a few pointers from the bag of tricks below and you’ll be amongst them in no time!

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//LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! Through a range of means, both natural and unfortunately human-induced, redfin populations have spread significantly since their initial introduction to Australia. From major river systems such as the Murray to tiny farm dams, reddies can be found in a huge variety of locations and you’ll be surprised at some of the bizarre waterways where these fish can show up! On one occasion I remember my brother and I receiving some patronising looks from a group of dog walkers as we enthusiastically cast soft plastics into a park dam the size of a public swimming pool. Not long after they’d rounded the corner, both he and I

The search for redfin can take you to some pretty special places!

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Seeing Red

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dragged up a pair of redfin that would have given 40cm a nudge – sometimes you just have to give it a go! While any waterway that permanently holds water is worth a shot, I have noticed that watercourses that lack a strong flow and have relatively clear water are the better producers. I’m not suggesting that fish won’t be present in muddy and fast-moving water, however I tend to avoid these spots, particularly as 26 I almost solely fish with lures these days. Part of the fun when chasing redfin is prospecting for new water, and with the luxury of Google Maps these days, it’s not too hard to identify some likely looking locations. Often this can lead to an adventure, and those looking to tap into the less-fished regions by foot should dress accordingly, as there’s every chance of encountering other animals with scales as your traipse your way through the scrub! Once you have found some water that looks the goods, it’s time to start prospecting. To discern whether there are indeed redfin in the system, I’ll often start casting small soft plastics such as the 65mm Squidgy fish, as these allow me to connect with fish of any size. Once confident that there are fish around, I’ll up my lure size in an effort to target the bigger models.

//HONING IN Like in almost all fishing scenarios, fishing for redfin around structure is key. Snags, obvious drop-offs and weed beds are where you should be focusing your attention, primarily as these features are where baitfish tend to linger. As a young fella I quickly www.spooledmagazine.com.au

“Whatever your fishing situation, think about and try to observe where baitfish congregate...”

In the instance that you’re lucky enough to have access to a sounder and fish from a kayak or boat, try to identify sharp changes in depth, as a similar theory can apply, with large schools of reddies rounding up bait against the edges of holes and depressions. Whatever your fishing situation, think about and try to observe where baitfish congregate, as if redfin are in the system, their appetite would suggest they won’t be too far away!

//TACKLE Given that redfin don’t grow to mammoth proportions, they are an extremely accessible option for all anglers, regardless of equipment and budget. While they can give a good account of themselves on light tackle, especially around tight structure, it’s rare for a reddie to really put your equipment to the test. This means there’s no real need for highly specialised or sophisticated rods and reels. Light spin rods around the 6-7ft mark will do the trick, and I like to pair mine with a 2500 size spin reel spooled with 8-10lb braid. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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noticed that long casts into the middle of my local waterhole produced very little until the lure was just about at my feet. My theory is that redfin hunt the edges, corralling prey up against weedbeds and banks, giving them little chance to escape. Hence, much of my casting is now done parallel to the shore.

Seeing Red

The benefit of spin gear is that it tends to cast a little further than other options, and the use of braid will allow you to sense any knock or bump on your lure, given its lack of stretch. Baitcaster outfits can be beneficial where pin-point casting accuracy is required, but this is the exception rather than the rule. Finally, ensure you attach a metre or so of monofilament leader to your braided line, as this will hold up well to the often regular contact with rock bars, submerged timber and other fish-holding structures.

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Packing a diverse range of lures is essential to fishing a range of redfin habitats.

//LURES There’s no doubt in my mind that lure fishing is by far and away the most enjoyable and efficient way to chase these sweet water scrappers. The fact that they are aggressive by nature and often schooled in large numbers makes them an achievable proposition on a range of artificials. I’d say the first 50 fish I ever caught on a lure were all reddies, so if you’re thinking of ditching the smelly stuff and trying your hand at lure casting, why not make redfin your ‘guinea pigs’? While convincing reddies to nail a lure is not www.spooledmagazine.com.au

rocket science, it certainly pays to ensure you’ve got a variety of different lure styles in the kit bag, as a range of different scenarios can be present within the one waterway. From shallow and almost ‘unfishable’ weedbeds to deep drop offs and tangles of timber snags, it’s vital to have the right gear to fish the full range of fish-holding habitat.

//DEEP DIVERS

The Classic 97 does it again.

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Deep diving lures are a ‘must-have’ when searching some of the deeper regions of a waterway. They are a great ‘prospecting’ lure, and when fishing larger systems such as lakes and reservoirs in the kayak, I almost religiously commence the session by trolling in an effort to find a school of fish. The list of suitable divers is endless, however I can’t go past the ‘Classic 97’ in the +10 model and Guns‘n’Roses colour. Originally purchased when living in the Top End and chasing barra, this pocket rocket has now become a favourite of mine down south, and has claimed big numbers of solid reddies and Murray cod! Given this lure dives sharply and floats on the pause, I have no qualms in trolling them along rock bars and amongst snag ladened banks, as taking tension off the lure when making contact with structure allows them to simply float over boulders and branches with ease.

Seeing Red

Rocky ledges provide a great ambush point for these predatory fish.

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Seeing Red

Redfin have no troubles in taking on big lures.

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//SOFT PLASTICS If I could only pack one style of lure for a redfin outing, soft plastics would, without doubt, be my go-to choice. The fact that they come in all sorts of weird and wonderful shapes, sizes and patterns, and can be matched with a huge variety of jig head weights, makes plastics an incredibly versatile option. Small plastics on light jig heads can be tossed confidently amongst the timber and across shallow weedbeds, while larger profiled plastics on heavily weighted jig heads allow you to get to those fish that are sulking down deep. These life-like and relatively cheap options are adored by redfin anglers but, as a matter of sustainability, remember to discard old or beaten up plastics in the correct manner. Again, suitable options are endless, but my preference would be any curltailed grub rigged on the brilliant TT Lures Revlockz jig heads. These heads come with a chin-mounted swivel attached to a spinning blade, and this added flash and vibration has been an absolute game changer. I won’t go fishing without them! www.spooledmagazine.com.au

A Squidgies Wriggler on a TT Revlockz jig head – a deadly combination. //BLADES AND SOFT VIBES Upon locating a school of fired up reddies in deeper water, I quickly make the change to lures that will plummet through the water column quickly in order to efficiently target these fish. Enter blades and soft vibes. While they may look a little benign on face value, these lures really come to life once they hit the water, producing violent vibrations when vertically jigged and slow trolled. These vibrations seem to be particularly effective in deep water, where perhaps other presentations may not be noticed.

A soft vibe claims another victim.

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Seeing Red

Both traditional metal blades and soft vibes account for great numbers of fish, and it pays to pay close attention to your line as the lure descends after a short hop. Like many species, redfin will often hit these lures on the drop, so keep a keen eye out for small ‘ticks’ in your slack line as the lure falls, and be prepared to set the hooks quickly. While terrific in open water, one of the down sides to fishing blades and vibes is their tendency to snag easily. If you’re keen to throw some around the timber, consider removing the back set of trebles, as this significantly reduces the instance of getting caught up, yet doesn’t seem to heavily reduce conversion rates.

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There’s no guessing where they get their name from!

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//SURFACE LURES Each year, as the weather warms and water temperatures rise, weed bed growth can quickly turn some of the smaller redfin honey holes into a tangled mess of matted weed, rendering them unfishable with many of the lures mentioned above. While this provides a challenge, it also creates a great opportunity to experiment with various surface lures that will hop their way across the top of the water, avoiding the annoying growth below. I must admit I’ve only recently begun experimenting with top water options, and found that popular whiting and bream lures lend themselves perfectly to some fresh water fun. Gladiator Kozamis and Bassday Sugar Pens attract a lot of attention, particularly on still mornings and evenings. It is, however, a good idea to swap the back trebles out for assist hooks, as this can improve the hook up rate remarkably. While topwater success requires a little more patience than sub-surface options, having some of these lures up your sleeve can keep you fishing in situations that would otherwise see you heading back to the car – not to mention it’s a whole lot of fun!

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Seeing Red

Soaking a bait – a great way to spend an afternoon.

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A session on the reddies is a win for the environment and the taste buds!

//BAIT FISHING For those who prefer a more casual outing on the water, soaking a bait is a great way to round up a few fish. I remember watching an episode of Rex Hunt Fishing Adventures where the great man used a twisty as bait, and whilst I’m not about to rush out and stock up on the yellow bags of indulgence, it does go to show the no-fuss approach these fish can have to eating. For those looking to take a more traditional approach in bait selection, fresh earthworms, small yabbies and shrimp suspended under a float make the perfect ingredients for a relaxing session by the water. Better still, these baits can often be collected at your fishing location, resulting in fresh offerings that you know the resident redfin will be partial to. If fishing deep holes and drop-offs, paternoster rigs with two droppers make for a suitable option, but try to tie both hooks well above the sinker to avoid weed, leaf matter and sludge that often accumulates on the bottom of dams, waterholes and lakes. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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Seeing Red

Cleaned up and ready for the kitchen – the joys of a day on the reddies.

//ON THE PLATE

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Given that redfin perch have been introduced to Australia, many state jurisdictions have made it illegal to return them to the water. By heading out and filling a bucket with 38 reddies, you’re not only doing your bit for the environment, but also your stomach, as these fish are delicious! Commonly referred to as the ‘inland whiting’, redfin surprise many by their terrific table qualities. They offer a firm, white flesh with a mild flavour, lending themselves to be cooked in a wide variety of ways. Those who are sceptical should really give them a go! At the filleting table you’ll need to skin each fillet, as the armour-like scales are almost impossible to remove. Once prepared, try frying fillets in a cold beer batter or simply coat them in flour and rest them until the flour becomes moist and pan fry them in hot butter. The results are terrific, and a good day on the water can provide a number of meals for family and friends.

Beer battered and ready to serve. These fish make for seriously good tucker!

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Redfin are a great option for land based anglers keen to experiment with lure casting. As an introduced species, it is illegal to return redfin to the water in some states, so it’s worth checking your local regulations.

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//A FINAL WORD Often anglers become so salt water focussed, they forget about the potential of their inland waterways. Targeting reddies in the fresh can be a simple, exciting and productive way of spending a few hours solo or with loved ones. With the added bonuses of improving the environment, catching a meal or even introducing newbies to the joys of lure casting, there’s a lot to be said for targeting redfin. Stock up on some lures, unleash the sense of adventure and I’ll see you out there! www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Soft Plastics & Jig Heads Part 1: The Big Picture

STEVE ‘STARLO’ STARLING

Soft Plastics & JIG HEADS PART 1: SPOOLED MAGAZINE

The BIG Picture

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FEW COMMENTATORS ON THE AUSTRALIAN FISHING SCENE ARE BE T TER QUALIFIED TO PROVIDE A DE TAILED OVERVIEW OF MODERN SOF T PL ASTIC FISHING THAN STARLO. STEVE HAS BEEN AT THE CUT TING EDGE OF WHAT HE REFERS TO AS THE “THIRD WAVE” OF THE SOF T PL ASTIC REVOLUTION SINCE THE END OF THE 1990S. HERE, IN THE FIRST PART OF A GROUND-BREAKING DOUBLE FEATURE, HE OFFERS SOME FASCINATING INSIGHTS INTO THIS EXCITING AND CONSTANTLY EVOLVING ST YLE OF LURE FISHING... AS WELL AS SOME GREAT TIPS TO INCREASE YOUR CATCHES!

for a popular podcast, I was asked to list the most significant advances in recreational fishing I’d witnessed during my lifetime on the water. Obvious candidates included graphite rods, braided gel-spun polyethylene lines, bow-mounted electric motors and the mind-boggling leaps that have been made in marine electronics such as depth sounders and GPS plotters across the five decades I’ve been fishing. But I also threw in what I called the “soft plastic revolution” — a phenomenon that I’ve not only observed with great interest, but also been actively involved in. Truth is, soft lures of one sort or another were around well before I was born. A few years back, while researching a book on this subject, I did some serious digging into the history of commerciallymade soft plastic lures. It’s a fascinating rabbit hole to dive down. I won’t go into detail here, but suffice to say that there appear to have been two roughly parallel evolutionary pathways in the mid-west of the United States

Long-nosed emperor are very cool fish, and incredibly hard fighters! Jo Starling nailed this one on a chartreuse coloured Squidgy Shad. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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Recently, while being interviewed

Soft Plastics & Jig Heads Part 1: The Big Picture

during the late 1940s early ’50s: one driven by brothers Nick and Cosma Crème of Ohio, and the other by father-and-son team, Bill and Vern Norman, from Indiana. There are also some rather interesting intersections and overlaps between these two separate family sagas… As I said, it’s a fascinating story, and if you’re keen to pursue it further, a simple Google search makes a great starting point.

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Of course, it’s highly likely that other innovative anglers were already making their own “soft” lures well before the Crèmes and the Nortons launched their rubber worms onto the US market. Even here in Australia there are vague tales of frog shapes cut from inner tubes and the like being fitted with hooks and used to tempt 42 barramundi and other fish as far back as World War Two, and perhaps even earlier. These historical footnotes aside, the first that most Aussie anglers really knew of true soft plastic lures (as opposed to soft-bodied plugs, like the Frenchmade Rublex Flopy) came with the arrival on our shores of the earliest Mister Twisters and Blue Fox Vibrotails. This happened around the beginning of the 1970s. These innovative offerings caused quite a stir in the embryonic sportfishing scene that was already sweeping our nation, driven to a significant degree by Ron Calcutt’s trend-setting “Australian Angler” magazine.

Back “in the day”, soft plastics had limited availability and were held back by the rather agricultural nature of the “hardware” (jig heads, etc) available to rig them on. For these reasons and others, they often took second place to hard-bodied lures in Aussie anglers’ tackle boxes, if they appeared there at all. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Snapper are just one of the many, many species now regularly targeted on soft plastics.

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Soft Plastics & Jig Heads Part 1: The Big Picture

//THREE WAVES By the time I went to work for Calcutt at the start of the 1980s, soft plastics had gained a significant toehold here, and had even featured on the cover of Ron’s influential publication, which had by now changed its name to “Fishing World”.

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Softies had become especially popular among switched-on anglers targeting flathead down south — where the Mister Twister single and double-tailed grubs had become favourite choices — as well as barra up north, where the fish-shaped Vibrotail was more of a hit. This era — from the very end of the 1960s to the early 44 ’80s — is what I refer to as the “first wave” of the soft plastic revolution in Australia. Interestingly, the widespread use of soft plastics didn’t really extend far beyond flathead and barra during that first wave, despite the fact that many other species were hooked on these lures as “incidental’ or “accidental” catches.

Starlo spent a year or so living and working in Canada near the end of the 1980s, where he got to fish with soft plastics that had yet to make a real splash back home. These fish are North American crappies that Steve caught on a range of lures, including one of his favourites at the time: the Mister Twister Sassy Shad, shown in the centre of this old photo. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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A scene the author got to see repeated many, many times in those early golden days of the “third wave”: Bushy hooked up to yet another good fish on a prototype plastic from his little tinnie, “Scuppers”.

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Soft Plastics & Jig Heads Part 1: The Big Picture

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It wasn’t until the early 1990s that a more diverse “second wave” of interest began to develop around soft plastics, driven in large part by the writings of adventurous travelling anglers, especially those doing extended road trips across the north of the country. Their breakthrough discoveries finally began to open the eyes of other fishers to the almost endless opportunities presented by these lures. Now the only real stumbling blocks were limited availability, excessive cost (especially for a lure that could be destroyed by a single tailor or leatherjacket bite), and the fact that almost all of the plastic tails, jig heads and other paraphernalia then available (when you could find them) were handme-downs and cast-offs from the American bass fishing market. Some of these suited our needs and others didn’t. Finding the right ones was something of a lucky dip.

Who remembers these? Those beautifully finished Renosky Shads were one of the very few quality plastics available in Australia prior to the new millennium. However, they were hard to find and not cheap.

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//THE SQUIDGY PHENOMENON It was around the turn of the new millennium that my good mate and fellow fishing communicator, Kaj “Bushy” Busch, and I began to get super excited about the potential for soft plastics to completely revolutionise the styles of fishing we loved best — especially finessing bream on lures, which was something that had lit a fire under us and a lot of other anglers

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Soft Plastics & Jig Heads Part 1: The Big Picture

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An archival image from the early 2000s of Starlo, Tim Morgan and Bushy with a catch of Gold Coast bream and whiting taken on soft plastics during the “pre-fish day” for an ABT BREAM Tournament round. at the time, and even spawned a new tournament circuit. We began scouring mail order catalogues and obscure local tackle inventories for smaller, more subtle plastics we could press into this role, and we were beginning to kick some serious goals as a result. By a stroke of serendipitous good fortune, Bushy and I were both on the Shimano pro anglers’ team at the time, and already doing a fair amount of product testing, promotional work and tackle development for that company. One memorable day, our friend and Shimano Australia’s then-boss — the late, great John Dunphy — came to us with an intriguing prospect: how did we feel about the idea of designing a range of soft plastic lures and hardware specifically for the Aussie market? Naturally enough, www.spooledmagazine.com.au

we all but fell over ourselves in taking Dunph’ up on his offer! I suspect that, even if we’d had an inkling ahead of time about just how much work would be involved, or how long it would all take to get it done properly, we’d still have knocked Dunph’ down in the rush to sign up. It was simply too good an opportunity to miss. The rest, as they say, is history. The initial production run of three Squidgies designs (Wriggler, Fish and Shad) in half a dozen sizes and colours finally hit the market in about 2002. We already knew how well they worked (we’d spent hundreds of hours field-testing and refining them by then), but we also understood that simply having the right products was only part of the story. What was also required was a multi-pronged education program designed to teach Aussie anglers how best to use these deadly lures.

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Starlo lists the parallel development of “finesse” luring for bream and the blossoming ABT Tournament circuits as major drivers of the “third wave” of the continuing soft plastic revolution here in Australia. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Soft Plastics & Jig Heads Part 1: The Big Picture

Through magazine articles, books, TV segments, how-to videos and a rolling series of “Squidgy Nights” live stage presentations that saw us travel the length and breadth of the nation several times over, we literally took the Squidgy “phenomenon” on the road, and helped to forever change the way that so many Australians fished.

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Bushy with yet another bruising estuary perch taken on one of the prototype soft plastics he was helping to field test at the time. Starlo and Bushy’s benchmark series of Squidgy how-to videos opened the eyes of thousands to the incredible effectiveness and versatility of these remarkable lures… Our fishing was never quite the same again!

I still feel immensely proud of what we achieved through those busy years. Sure, there was a strong commercial imperative to it all: Shimano sold a LOT of Squidgies and, through the modest royalties we received as payment for our ongoing services, Bushy and I found ourselves with reasonably steady incomes for the first time in our long careers as freelance writers and presenters. They were golden days… But above all, they were incredibly rewarding times, especially in terms of the broad smiles we saw etched on the dials of successful anglers once they’d cracked the pattern and learned how to use these newfangled lures. Revisiting regions we’d gone into just a year or two earlier to “spread the word” among sometimes cynical and conservative fishers, only to be mobbed on our return by enthusiastic converts, all wanting to show us photos of the amazing fish they’d caught, was such a blast!

Naturally, we only had the running to ourselves for a handful of years, and other local tackle companies soon saw the writing on the wall and got on board. Today there are scores of excellent brands and styles of soft plastic lures available here, many now designed with considerable local input, to better suit Australian species and conditions. But Bushy and I feel quietly justified in claiming that we were there at the very start of this momentous “third wave”, and that we helped to finally bring the soft plastic phenomenon to the masses and the mainstream by sharing what we’d discovered on our own journeys. It’s not a bad legacy to leave for future generations of fellow fishers. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

//WHY ARE THEY SO GOOD? Soft plastics work. In fact, I would argue that — as a class of artificial baits or lures — they are far and away the most effective fish-catching tools ever conceived by the minds of inventive men and women. There are plastics available today that will catch everything from the tiniest trout finning in a trickling mountain brook to barrel-sized tuna riding ocean currents far beyond the edge of the continental shelf. There are plastics that can be bounced on the seabed at extreme depths beyond the reach of sunlight, and others capable of wriggling their way seductively through the exposed upper branches of a shallow snag, or over the

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Estuary perch are yet another species that responds with particularly enthusiasm to soft plastics. Indeed, the popularisation of these lures allowed many anglers to finally crack the EP “code” for the first time in their lives. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Soft Plastics & Jig Heads Part 1: The Big Picture

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Convincing more conservative regional anglers that trout would happily eat soft plastics took a little doing at first. Starlo nailed this nice brownie and a bunch more like it during a “Squidgy Tour” to Tassie in the early 2000s. The locals took note! www.spooledmagazine.com.au

rails of an oyster rack in a tannin-stained estuary backwater. These remarkable lures appeal not only to every predatory fish species you could possibly think of, in both fresh and salt water, but also to many omnivores and even delicate, small-mouthed vegetarians not normally considered as legitimate lure fishing targets…They simply work! The reasons good soft plastics are so incredibly effective at fooling fish are both blindingly apparent and also a little less obvious: Sure, they can be made to look and swim like living critters… but they also feel like the real thing when a fish chews or crunches on them. In fact, they can even be made to smell and taste real! Combine all those attributes and you come up with an extremely convincing “lie” to tell to a gullible fish; a lie so believable that these cunning lures often get eaten when simply sinking through the water or lying motionless on the bottom. There aren’t too many hard-bodied lures you can make that claim about.

Catching mulloway on soft plastics went from front being front page news to a ho-hum, every day event in an amazingly short span of time. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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For all these reasons soft plastics are, and will remain, an important string in the bow of almost every serious lure fisher… But, as effective as they are, you still need to get a few absolute basics right when selecting, rigging and presenting soft plastics.

Soft Plastics & Jig Heads Part 1: The Big Picture

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Bushy with a Tasmanian trout on a Squidgy, taken during one of the educational and promotional tours he and Starlo undertook between about 2002 and 2015. //PICKING PLASTICS Lots of anglers still seem to be deeply challenged when it comes to actually selecting that first soft plastic to try at a new location, or even to kick off a new day’s fishing at a well-known spot. Over the course of a year I get to talk to a lot of soft plastic fishers from around the country. Some I meet at seminars and shows. Others I chat with via the various pages on Facebook that I run or help to administer (especially the Starlo’s Fishotopia and Squidgy Soft Plastics pages), through my blogs, or via feedback about YouTube videos www.spooledmagazine.com.au

on my “Starlo Gets Reel” channel. Still others send their letters or emails to me through the various publications I write for. However, no matter what the source of the enquiry, one question (or variations of it) tends to dominate the calls for advice that I receive. Typically, that query begins with the words: “What’s the best soft plastic to use for…?” The rest of that sentence almost always contains a species of fish and a precise location: What’s the best soft plastic to use for bream in Sydney Harbour? What’s the best soft plastic for trout in Lake Eildon? What’s the best soft plastic for flathead on the Gold Coast? What’s the best soft plastic for snapper off Perth? What’s the best soft plastic for barramundi in the Top End’s Daly River? And so on it goes…

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Big lure, big fish! This is one of Starlo’s home-made rigs for targeting XOS dusky flathead in shallow water. Note the customised colour scheme, courtesy of a couple of marker pens. I can’t help but smile at the geographic specificity of these well-meaning questions. Anglers clearly have their favourite fishing spots and they seem to expect that the fish they chase in these beloved haunts will behave differently to those living further down the road, around the bend, or across the border. Generally speaking, this is not the case. I’ve caught redfin perch in the New England rivers of north western NSW, and also in the very “Old England” rivers around the historical university city of Cambridge, in Great Britain (where they’re simply known as perch). Rather unsurprisingly, these fish looked exactly the same, behaved in a very similar manner and happily ate identical lures in both locations, literally a world apart. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Soft Plastics & Jig Heads Part 1: The Big Picture

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Rather than asking me (or someone else) to nominate the best softie for catching trout in Tasmania’s Arthurs Lake, an angler would be far better off seeking advice and opinions regarding the optimum approaches for targeting brown trout in relatively shallow, fertile lakes with fairly clear water and lots of healthy weed beds. That way, the answers they received would be applicable across a whole range of waterways featuring similar target species and conditions. The message I’m trying to get across to you as I explore the process of picking plastics is a simple one: fish are fish, and a particular species will behave in a very similar way when presented with a particular habitat type, season, degree of water clarity and set of food sources, regardless of its precise geographic location. This is a great thing to know because it means that once we sort out some effective guidelines for one place and time, we can apply them in the future whenever we encounter similar conditions, even if we’re a long, long way from home. That’s a useful lesson to learn.

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This solid black bream hit a naturalcoloured plastic rigged on a rather bright, fluorescent jig head.

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Soft Plastics & Jig Heads Part 1: The Big Picture

//DECISIONS, DECISIONS! It still surprises me how daunted some anglers are by the thought of making that initial choice, tying on that first lure and actually beginning to fish. It seems that the entire process genuinely freaks out some folks. They open their tackle box at the water’s edge, scan its contents with a confused, worried expression, sit in a silent agony of tangled indecision for several minutes, then turn desperately to look for someone to direct their burning question to: “What should I use?”

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If you truly have absolutely no idea where to start, then take the plunge 58 and make a guess! Tie something on, give it a swim and see if the fish show any interest at all in it. If they don’t, change your lure and try again. In truth, your approach rarely needs to be quite that experimental. You should at least have an idea of what lives in the waterway and what some of the most important food sources are likely to be. This basic knowledge is a big help in fine-tuning your initial selection. If it’s a piece of water renowned for producing yellowtail kingfish or bluefin tuna, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to kick off with a 5cm worm or grub imitation! Conversely, if it’s a gin clear trout stream with a good population of aquatic insect nymphs, it will most likely be counterproductive to tie on a 15 or 20cm fish-shaped plastic swim-bait Engage your basic common sense and begin by pruning down at least the size selection process. If you’re chasing big fish that you suspect are eating big things, then choose a biggish lure. If you’re after smaller fish that you think are eating tiny food, pick a little lure… It’s not rocket science!

Get your lure selection right and the fish will indicate their approval by absolutely inhaling your plastics!

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While you’re at it, at least have a think about roughly matching the shape, colour and swimming action of those likely food items. Fly fishers call this thought process “matching the hatch” and it’s one of the most important steps in successful lure selection. However, be willing to accept that you might be wrong in your initial selection… It happens! Just occasionally those big kingies or tuna might actually be dining on tiny baitfish half the size of your little finger. Or the larger trout in that high country waterway may actually be eating their smaller cousins. That’s okay. You’ll find this out when they ignore your first choice! 59 SPOOLED MAGAZINE

What I’m trying to tell you is that nothing and no one can give you better feedback on your lure choices than the fish themselves. Let them tell you what they want and, when they do, make sure you’re listening.

It’s often all about “matching the hatch”. Choosing a plastic that at least vaguely resembles the local bait fish or other food sources in terms of size, shape, action and colour is a great starting point when picking plastics. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Soft Plastics & Jig Heads Part 1: The Big Picture

//QUESTIONS OF COLOUR The next most common question I field after the perennial “what’s the best lure for…?” is “what’s the best colour for…?”.

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In my opinion, far too many anglers expend far too much time and energy agonising over the lure colour issue. Yes, sometimes it’s important. Occasionally it’s absolutely critical. But I’ll let you in on a little secret: most of the time the actual colour of your lure is far, far less important than its size, action and running depth. And that’s exactly where I usually rate colour in the lure selection process… Behind size, action and running depth. Yet I’m so rarely asked “what’s the best depth to target this fish at?” or “what sort of speed and lure action do they like?”. Instead, most anglers seem to believe that if they’re told the magic colour to use, success will instantly be theirs. If only fishing were so simple. Once again, matching the hatch is a very good place to start. If the mudeyes (drangonfly nymphs) crawling up your wader legs in a trout lake are all light brown, then try using light brown lure. If the most common smaller fish (and therefore a likely food source) in a bream estuary have green backs and silvery bellies, try a greenish lure with a pale belly… Remember what I said before about rocket science? If no obvious food sources are present and you’re not sure what the fish are actually eating, look at the water itself. Is it clear or dirty? And if it’s somewhere in between those extremes, is it green-tinged, brownish, or tanninstained like a cup of tea? Whatever it is, the little critters living in it are likely to be wearing a roughly similar hue. So if it’s greenish, go for a green lure. If it’s tea-like, choose a red or brown plastic. Again, this is just a starting point. The tick of approval (or otherwise) will come from the true experts on this issue: the fish themselves. In other words, if your first choice draws a blank, try something else. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Many modern soft plastics have built-in ultra-violet hues that most likely look very different to fish than they appear to our eyes.

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Soft Plastics & Jig Heads Part 1: The Big Picture

As a final word on colour selection, there’s a rule of thumb I’ve used for many years that usually stands me in pretty good stead. It goes something like this: If the water is gin clear, start with very subdued, natural and even semitransparent tones. If it’s a bit dirtier, choose something a little brighter. If it’s very discoloured, go for vivid, fluorescent tones. If it’s absolutely filthy, try solid black or purple… or revert to smelly old bait… or go home! Finally, if you’re mate’s catching fish and you’re not, then use exactly what he or she is using…

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In clearer waters, make subdued, natural and even semi-transparent plastics your first choices.

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A selection of large, lightly-weighted plastics customised with marker pens and fitted with stinger hook rigs. The author uses these to target over-sized flathead in shallow water, but they will also work on barra, mulloway and many other species. //ROCKET SCIENCE I used the expression “it’s not rocket science” earlier. But in closing, I’ve got a little admission to make… Consistently successful lure selection can be both a lot simpler and also a lot more complex than rocket science! Let’s face it, a rocket is just a tube full of propellant fuel, ideally with some stabilising fins near the tail end. If you point it heavenward and ignite the fuel, it should fly. So, maybe rocket science isn’t really so complicated after all. On the other hand, fish can be incredibly fickle critters. Their “moods” (for want of a better and less anthropomorphic term) constantly change, as does their behaviour and their choice of food. Sometimes they simply stop feeding altogether for lengthy periods (perhaps a lot of the time). When they do, the smartest lure choices in the world may still leave you with a limp line and a straight rod. After all, if we were always successful, this wonderful game of ours would be called “catching”, not “fishing”, and I’d wager that we’d soon grow bored with it. So, don’t be afraid of the lure selection process. Take the bull by the horns or the rocket by the fins and have a go. Start by narrowing the parameters of size, depth, action and colour (in that order) and making some educated guesses, then test your hypotheses. Sometimes you’ll find the right answer. Sometimes you won’t. And sometimes there is no right answer… That’s fishing! www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Soft Plastics & Jig Heads Part 1:

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A northern saratoga taken on a weedless-rigged plastic. The range and versatility of the “delivery vehicles” and rigs used to present soft plastics grows by the year, and is far more diverse now than it was just two decades or so ago. //PRESENTATION VEHICLES One extremely vital area I haven’t yet touched on in the first instalment of this two-part feature is the jigs, hooks, weights and other “presentation vehicles” needed to effectively rig soft plastics, get them into the water, make them swim as they should and, hopefully, allow you to connect with a few fish. I can’t stress just how important this subject is, and how much it was deficiencies in this area that conspired to hold back those first two “waves” of the Australian soft plastic revolution I talk about in the 1970s and 1990s. During those decades it was, in my opinion, the lack of choice, nuance and finesse in these “presentation vehicles” that prevented the soft plastic phenomenon from really taking off here. When Bushy and I first started playing around with the few smaller, more subtle and sophisticated “finesse” plastics we were able to get our hands on around the turn of the millennium, we were constantly frustrated by the lack of suitable presentation vehicles for actually fishing with them. Ultimately, we overcame this serious deficiency by making our own: painstakingly bending and re-shaping hooks and crimping split shot to their shanks in order to craft our own customised finesse jig heads. We learnt a great deal in the process that we were later able to apply via the Squidgies brand. In the next issue of Spooled, I’ll look at this critical area of jig heads, hooks, weights and other “presentation vehicles” in great depth (pardon the pun!), as well as the popular styles and profiles of soft plastics and how to rig them for optimum results. Make sure you check it out. Meanwhile, happy soft plastic fishing and Tight Lines! www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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Always Start At The Beginning

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The Beginning

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AS ROD MACKENZIE EXPL AINS, THERE CAN BE A LOT MORE TO CATCHING COD THAN TRADITIONAL LURE FISHING TECHNIQUES.

The Autumn break is a great time to hunt for surface cod. Jamie Stewart with a good sized surface muncher.

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Always Start At The Beginning

Does there exist such a place in fishing where secrets are few and hardsought information flows with the fluent ease of a well pulled beer? In the early years these places were one and the same – where the pungent smell of tobacco lingered amidst the rustic charm of the local bar. It helped that my affliction for well brewed ale was aligned with the need to seek the facts on all fishing-related matters, especially those surrounding Murray cod – a fish that, at the time, seemed shrouded in a myriad of myth and half-truths.

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And so it was that the local watering hole provided numerous cod fishing yarns that were often stretched as wide as an angler’s arms. Amongst the 68 tall tales and banter, slivers of truth and know-how would often hold good company. Over the years many a good spot or trip was fuelled by a well versed conversation between ales. But back then it was still all new. Mind you, not all the information was spot on, and none less than a tip on where and how to dig giant bardi grubs. A favourite snack for Murray cod, these grubs lay hidden in silk-lined tunnels. All you had to do was dig them up. It all sounded so easy. In 40 degree heat I took shovel and new-found info into the bush and preceded to turn over enough top soil to plant a good sized veggie patch. My bounty, other than a set of blistered hands, were two rather large spiders and one very pissed off centipede. It seems I was digging under the wrong sort of trees, obviously a fraudulent oversight by my learned informants. In their defence, they were quite hammered when they gave me the information!

Clean water or dirty, bait is a real big fish option when lures are not working.

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In time I did gain the skills required to find these grubs, and caught many a cod on these hard-earned baits. From the beginning, bait has been and always will be a consistent producer of big Murray cod when conditions suit. This I learned early in the piece, but failed to fully capitalise on until recent times. How many big cod have gone begging over the years courtesy of my lure-obsessed tunnel vision?

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In the past three seasons a conservative number of 30-plus metre cod have graced both boat and bank on bait, not to mention numerous others pushing this mark. The method is simple enough: fish wide of the bank above the snags using large baits. Grubs, yabbies, chicken and cheese all work, especially when fished on 8/0 circle hooks. Dirty or clear, it matters little when fishing baits – or variations in water temperature for that matter. We have caught them through summer into the dead of winter, and the best bite windows generally coincide with a shift in barometric pressure. Every life has a limited amount of angling opportunities, so don’t squander them with elitist ideals.

I look back now and think of the missed opportunities on bait. It doesn’t have to be hard work either a chunk of chicken or a boiled egg in a bait sock it all works on Murray cod.

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Always Start At The Beginning

There is no reason to reinvent something if it works. StumpJumper lures were catching fish way back when just like they are today.

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It seemed a natural progression from bait to lures and at first a rather daunting task. Back then the social media gurus of today still had tails, and any info sought was in print or once again gleaned from the watering hole. With the basics in tow and a handful of lures, we set off to the river in hope of learning a new set of skills. As luck might have it, a solid golden perch sucked down one of the wobbling lures www.spooledmagazine.com.au

in the first half hour and the lure seed was well and truly sown. Two trips on, a monster Murray cod of iconic measurement inhaled the small plastic lure before finding the floor of the tinnie. At 128cm and 86 pounds, it was a dream catch and the beginning of an unquenchable thirst for knowledge on the workings of these fish. At first, trolling was the method of choice and, given time, the art of riding the deep timber with diving lures took form. We racked up countless fish and worked out the winter bite that can be relied on every season to produce giant cod. Back in the day most cod fisho’s would hang up the gear during the winter months, believing these fish to slip into a lockjaw stasis of hibernation, but it wasn’t so. Now every season, anglers trolling large lures during winter catch some very big fish, even though it is snubbed by many social media experts as an unworthy method. This could not be further from the truth, as like all angling techniques, proficiency comes with its own set of skills. 71 SPOOLED MAGAZINE

Bassman spinnerbaits are one of the best big cod lures available and get crunched every season by giant cod. Clinton Hann with a solid fish on the DT.

Casting was our next challenge, and one that opened the doorway to the use of spinnerbaits. I can still remember the doubt in these lures coming from my old fishing mate Gus Storer. “Sure, they will catch small fish mate, but do you really think a big cod is going to eat that?” he would ask. By the end of the first season www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Always Start At The Beginning

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casting the shallows, the flashing blades had scored Gus his two biggest cod to date. His doubts were laid to rest and the tally of giant cod grew. To this day they are still one of the best possible casting presentations to tempt big cod and we continue to catch every season. The autumn break would provide our next lesson, and one that’s a visual delight to behold. With the coming change of season, crisp mornings trigger the need to feed and these giant fish drop their guard a little in the chance for one last glut. Easy edibles, like river shrimp and yabbies, start to become scarce as the water temperature falls away .Other opportunities on the wing take their place, and it happens every season as nature intended. I remember all too well the first time this opportunity presented itself, and the utter disbelief in the top water take. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

The author with an absolute tank that couldn’t resist the Bassman 4x4.

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As the chops cooked on the campsite barbecue, a slight sprinkle of rain bounced and spat as each drop landed on the sizzling hot plat. At first it was just one giant moth that spiralled the overhead light, ricocheting off almost everything in the well lite radius. Within a few short minutes it was joined by several more, and by barbecue’s end there were dozens of out of control moths spiralling and crashing into anything, including the embers 74 of the glowing campfire.

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At first light next morning it was clear that many of the moths had crash landed onto the water. Struggling in circles, they littered the river’s course – an easy opportunity for a hungry fish. A loud surface detonation downstream was music to the ears as we cast our lures towards the snags. Mid retrieve, one of the surface lures was ripped from the top in a lip-clad detonation as a monster Murray cod scoffed the lure. This moment was etched in my angling mind and has played out again many times since that first boof.

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Since those early years much has changed, and with it the working of these fish. A continuous fishing-related bombardment has tuned the cautious nature of these fresh water giants, to the point they almost know your entire lure repertoire and how each will be delivered. In saying that, they still have their weaknesses and fall for some things time and time again. It’s just understanding how and when this will happen.

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Always Start At The Beginning

Hardbody Lures and Spinnerbaits

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To watch the full DVD of COD ALMIGHTY!

My cod fishing journey is far from complete, and every season another piece of valuable information puts an extra giant on the deck. We were lucky to live in a time where information was less and lessons were learned through trial, error and observation. This I can tell you. If you want to consistently catch big fish, do not put all your techniques in one basket. Use baits when it suits, troll when it’s slow or the water is deep. Cast early or late when the fish sit high or the water is shallow, and remember that top-water bites are not just confined to low light periods. The winter bite is real, and trolled or cast hard-bodies and spinnerbaits will catch just as many fish as squillion dollar swimbaits. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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The Greenly Island Swan Song

SHANE MENSFORTH

Greenly Island

Swan Song SPOOLED MAGAZINE

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SHANE MENSFORTH DESCRIBES HIS FINAL INCREDIBLE TRIP WITH ONE OF SA’S MOST SUCCESSFUL LONG RANGE OPERATORS. UNFORTUNATELY, COVID HAS RECENTLY FORCED ABSOLUTE FISHING CHARTERS TO PULL STUMPS, LEAVING A MASSIVE VOID IN HIS HOME STATE’S BLUE WATER FISHING SCENE.

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A Greenly anchorage kingfish – tagged and ready to go back www.spooledmagazine.com.au

The Greenly Island Swan Song

On a kilo for kilo basis, the two seriola cousins – yellowtail kings and samson fish – are the toughest opponents you can expect to encounter in SA waters. Bluefin tuna might be fast and bronze whaler sharks might be stubborn, but when it comes to low end torque, stamina and an endless repertoire of dirty tricks, kings and samsons are in a league of their own. I love both of them to pieces, and especially kingies – to the point where if I had to choose just one species to target for the rest of my angling life, the kingfish would be a hands-down winner.

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Due to the huge increase in popularity of SA locations like Coffin Bay, Port Augusta and Point Lowly, I’d been away from the local kingfish scene for quite a while. 80 Competing with dozens of other boats in any fishing situation has long since lost its appeal for me; I’d rather stay home and weed the garden than join the ‘kingfish wars’ that seem to have become the norm in most popular locations. Consequently, I was delighted when a group of close mates agreed to join me on a live-aboard charter expeditionrecently, particularly as the venue would be the magnificent Greenly Island. Absolute Fishing Charters have long offered regular long-range trips to Greenly out of Coffin Bay between late January and April, targeting kings, samsons, tuna and just about anything else that’s big, nasty and rips off line against heavy drag. I’d fished with skipper, Ryan Carlisle, on several occasions in the past, and knew my fishing buddies and I would be in good hands. Not only did he operate a great boat, but also had an uncanny knowledge of big kings and samsons and their seasonal movements. On these two species at least, Ryan has no equal in SA. For Absolute Charters our group would be considerably different to most who book the boat during its long-range season. Ryan’s clientele consisted mainly of young, fit and generally experienced fisho’s – guys who can jig 300g metal lures all day long, slug it out with giants on heavy tackle and then party until they drop. All in my group were 60-plus, maybe a tad short in the fitness department, and accustomed to hitting the sack quite early after a glass of red. I made a point of letting the skipper know that our charter would be far less intense and definitely more laid-back than he was used to. Things on the weather front weren’t looking great in the lead up to our departure. That seemingly incessant south-easterly pattern that had dominated the late South Oz summer period looked like dishing out more of the same. But 15-20 knots of sou’-easter is manageable in a boat as big and capable as Reel Therapy – so long as the ocean swell isn’t throwing up rolling mountains at the same time. Fortunately for us, the swell was predicted at between just 1-1.5m, which gave cause for at least some optimism. Of the six fisho’s on board for this expedition, only Jack Laidlaw, Peter Nicholls and I had caught kings and samsons before. To the others it would all be new and challenging. They had the right gear and had read all there is to read about www.spooledmagazine.com.au

heavy tackle reef fishing, but I knew they’d be in for a shock when that first big hoodlum climbed on! You really have to experience first-hand the power and absolute brutality of a 20 kilo king to appreciate what I’m saying here. The plan for our three-day adventure was to depart the Coffin Bay wharf at around 2pm on a Monday, fish right through on Tuesday and Wednesday, then steam back to Coffin Bay after lunch on Thursday. We would stay in the Greenly Island anchorage overnight, fishing a variety of deep reefs, washes and pinnacles during the day and maybe stickbaiting some surface-feeding tuna if they bobbed up within range. It’s possible to cover a lot of water in three days in a boat like Reel Therapy, which is exactly what we had in mind.

For those who don’t know much about Greenly Island, it really is a magnificent place. Towering some 230m above sea level, it is windswept, isolated and inhabited only by a few small reptiles, seals and seabirds. Greenly is right up there on my list of favourite offshore islands, second only to the magnificent Pearson Island, situated 100km further north. It boasts a terrific anchorage on the northern side, offering a lee shore in any winds from south-east around to north. The bottom is sandy, and the water is deep right up to the rugged shoreline.

A lobster boat at anchor in the Greenly harbor

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It might surprise some that bluefin would rate well down the list on an expedition like this. Ryan isn’t keen on ‘wasting time’ trolling for them, which suited our group just fine. However, if we happened to run into an obviously lit-up school smashing into baitfish, casting and retrieving surface lures would be a bit of fun, so this is how we decided to operate. Taking a bit of bluefin home for sashimi emerged as a popular option, too, so our tuna plan was laid out clearly from the start.

The Greenly Island Swan Song

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Jack Laidlaw hooked up and working hard on a 20kg kingy Like several of SA’s larger (and particularly taller) offshore islands such as Thistle and Pearson, Greenly seems to create its own weather patterns. It can be quite pleasant away from the island, with light winds and gentle seas, but as you motor into the anchorage, wind strength can increase and direction can vary noticeably. Unless you’re a meteorologist it’s a phenomenon that’s hard to explain, but I’m sure it has something to do with heated rock being licked by cooler air, resulting in crazy downdrafts and vortex-like wind gusts. On occasion the taller peaks even create eerie clouds that hang like halos; it really is a weird and wonderful piece of offshore real estate! We dropped the pick in the Greenly anchorage at around 5pm, which provided the opportunity to get the boat squared away, assemble our tackle and sit back to enjoy a cold beer before dinner. There had been a few lumps and bumps during the trip out from Coffin Bay as we ran with the 20 knot south-easterly sea beam on, and it made a pleasant change to move around the boat without having to hang on. To our collective delight, the late afternoon weather forecast indicated less wind for our first full fishing day ahead, followed by even better conditions during the remainder of the trip. It looked as though the Fishing Gods were set to smile on us for a change! Collecting a tankful of live baits is an integral part of the process when fishing for kings and samsons around Greenly Island. As soon as it was fully dark, Ryan switched on Reel Therapy’s aft deck lights, loaded the berley bucket and rigged a couple of rods with bait jigs. The type of baitfish usually encountered include chows (also known as yackas or scad), slimy mackerel and sometimes sauries, as well as arrow squid that are often drawn to the light pool. All make great baits for the seriolas. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

By 10pm the transom tank was looking pretty healthy, and most of the yackas were big and fit. Rigged correctly, they would make livies no king or samson could refuse. We also had four big arrow squid on ice, so things were definitely taken care of in the bait department. It wasn’t long before the snoring started. In fact, within ten minutes of us hitting the sack, Reel Therapy’s forward accommodation began to sound like a lumber yard, with multiple chainsaws ripping through an endless pile of hardwood. Most on board have a bit of a reputation for snoring, but put six of us together in a confined space and the result can be mind-boggling. Our skipper simply couldn’t believe what he was hearing, and next morning commented that if snoring was an Olympic sport, our crew would make up the entire Australian team!

We had just cleared the island’s southern end and were starting to look for promising bottom fishing activity, when a big school of bluefin hit the surface a few hundred metres away. Ryan sensed the excitement on the boys’ faces, and within seconds we were rigged with casting outfits and stickbaits. Baitfish were flying in all directions, with hungry tuna right on their tails. Casting a surface lure into the feeding mayhem virtually guaranteed a hook up, and in the blink of an eye three of us were tight to bolting bluefin. These were typical school-sized bluefin, averaging 15 kilos or so, and a lot of fun on light threadline gear.

Peter Nicholls caught this chunky little bluefin on fly

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After a quick breakfast, Ryan pulled the pick and headed the boat for Rocky Island, about 16km to the south. Rocky is much smaller than Greenly and is surrounded by a series of reefs and pinnacles that regularly hold big fish. With the wind puffing at a manageable 15 knots from the south-east and low swell, conditions were pretty good, enabling us to fish in quite close if we wished.

The Greenly Island Swan Song

Not one to be side-tracked easily, however, Ryan motored away from the frantic surface activity as soon as those who wanted to catch a tuna had one on the deck. We had bigger, meaner fish to fry! There’s a fair bit of gnarly reef to the south of Rocky Island, some of which breaks in heavy weather. The pinnacles and drop-offs are really quite spectacular, providing plenty of likely kingfish-holding ground. The usual plan involves searching around until baitfish aggregations are found, then either jigging or dropping livies down into them. If the kings and samsons are in the immediate vicinity, it’s rarely long before someone scores a hook-up.

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It’s all drift fishing over these reefs, and on just our second drift of the morning Jack Laidlaw connected with an absolute freight train. Jack is a big guy with plenty of heavy tackle experience, but despite a brutal drag setting on 80 pound gear, the fish had him pinned to the rail and was still taking line from his 20 000 Stella in powerful bursts. There was absolutely no doubt about what he’d hooked! Once away from the menacing bottom below, the fish began circling, throwing its head around and using its obvious bulk to resist Jack’s efforts to lift it. Slowly, however, he began to win the battle; a short, powerful rod, heavy line and well-tied knots will usually prevail, even against fish as bulky and stubborn as a decent kingy. In the crystal-clear water we could eventually make out the profile of an exceptionally big fish as it circled 30m down. But just when it looked like Jack had gained the upper hand and deckie, Garry Letton, was reaching for the landing net, two large, menacing brown shapes joined the game. Sharks have occasionally been a problem in this area, and before Jack could do anything about it, the big bronzies were all over the kingfish, reducing it to a tattered head in about five seconds. There’s no doubt this kingy would have given 30 kilos a definite nudge if the sharks hadn’t intervened, which was both frustrating and sad that a fish as majestic as this one should meet such a gruesome end. Had Jack managed to bring it aboard intact, the kingfish would have been photographed, tagged and released within 20 seconds. Such is fishing, I guess! Fearing further toothy issues, Ryan immediately drove a couple of kilometres further south to another set of pinnacles. Once the sharks get a taste for hooked fish, it’s hard to shake them, and shifting location is the only viable option. They have all but destroyed Perth’s world famous samson jigging charter industry, and no one wants to see the same thing happen here.

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The Greenly Island Swan Song

Although the bite was rarely fast and furious, there were enough samson fish on our second ground to keep us interested. Most were in the 8-15kg size range and rarely a match for the 24 and 37kg tackle in use, but going lighter invariably lengthens fight time and increases the chance of being ‘sharked’. The lads were all pretty stoked with their first samson fish, particularly the handful caught on jigs, and it was smiles all round when we eventually took a break behind Rocky Island for lunch.

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David Reid with a typical Greenly Island tuna of around 16kg With the sou’-easter freshening noticeably as the afternoon wore on, we pulled a few more samsons and a couple of medium kingies before making our way slowly back towards the Greenly anchorage. Tuna schools bobbed up intermittently during the trip, and a couple more solid bluefin on stickbaits rounded out what had been a thoroughly enjoyable opening day. While we enjoyed a beer and chat about what we’d just experienced, Ryan and Garry set about cooking a barbecue dinner. Juicy steak and quality red wine made the perfect accompaniment to a typically spectacular Greenly Island sunset. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Once the live bait tanks had been topped up with yackas and a couple more arrow squid had hit the ice, it was off to bed for more Olympic snoring practice. Despite inserting some quality gel ear plugs, I found it nearly impossible to sleep, and immediately nominated Jack and Peter as captain and vice-captain of the team. Ryan still couldn’t believe what he was hearing from the forward accommodation!

Half a dozen samsons up to about 12kg were caught, tagged and released before breakfast, kicking things off nicely. Our plan for the day was to motor out to what’s known as the ‘western lump’, a reef system that lies about 32km west of Greenly. Over the years this has proven to be the most consistent location for samson fish in the whole area; in fact, I’ve been there a dozen times or more and never returned without stretched arms and an aching back. The fish vary between 8-30kg and are usually available in prolific numbers, so we were all pretty excited to be heading in this direction.

12 weights are a good idea out on the blue water

With just a light breeze to contend with, Ryan set up a long drift when the first schools of fish appeared on the sounder. There were obviously stacks of big fish below us, and the first live baits to hit the bottom were snaffled in seconds. Those on jig rods also joined the action quickly, indicating we were in for a hectic session. Obviously, nothing had changed since I last visited this incredible reef system. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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I staggered out of my bunk shortly before the sun popped up, dropped a live bait over the side and was tight to a small samson fish within seconds. My second drop resulted in a 10kg kingfish, which was perfect size to be put on ice for dinner that evening. Both samsons and kings visit the Greenly anchorage from time to time, and that pre-sunrise period often rewards those out of bed early enough. Fish size varies, with the occasional 30kgplus kingy hooked and plenty of smaller ones, depending on what’s around at the time.

The Greenly Island Swan Song

While most of the samsons in residence were what I class as ‘medium’ fish rather than giants, their amazing strength ensured we were all kept honest, even on heavy gear. Bill Farmer, David Reid and John Synon, the guys who hadn’t caught samsons before, were obviously enjoying every hook-up.

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Much to the amusement of Ryan and Garry, Bill had brought along one of Shimano’s electric reels and was keen to give it a run on a decent fish. These reels are built tough to handle the likes of hapuka and sea bass in ultra-deep water, and we were all interested to see how it would go on a samson. It didn’t take long to find out, as the live bait went off even before it hit bottom and the rod loaded nicely under 88 the weight of a powerful fish. I’d never seen an electric reel in action before, and was impressed with the way it performed. The samson took line against a typically smooth Shimano drag, then the reel retrieved line automatically when the pressure came off. Bill had an ear-to-ear grin as Garry eventually slipped the net under a 15kg samson, then packed the outfit away while the rest of us applauded! I guess we’d caught at least 50 samsons before I noticed the collective enthusiasm of those around me start to wane. When you’re not accustomed to slugging it out with fish after fish, using muscles that rarely get a gig and generally increasing your energy output to near maximum levels, a session like this can be exhausting. In the end it was just Jack and me at the rail, neither of us willing to wimp out before the other. Finally, however, we decided that enough was enough, collapsing on a seat while Ryan and Garry prepared the boat for the 80- minute ride back to Greenly. You know you’ve had a proper fishing session when your whole body aches – and trust me, we were all sore, but high from what we’d just experienced! Fresh kingfish cooked in tempura batter proved an instant hit with everyone on board that evening. There are few offshore fish that taste better, especially when served within hours of being caught, and the lads scoffed it down like there was no tomorrow. Red wine, beer and bourbon combined to toast what had been a marvellous fishing day, which I suspected would wind down quickly once the sun disappeared. Due to their collective exhaustion, it wasn’t easy convincing the boys to stand out on the back deck under lights to restock the live bait tank. However, somehow I managed to get a couple to stay up with me and fish and, luckily, the yackas were about in plague proportions. In half an hour we had more than enough on board, as well as the obligatory squid or two. Again it was difficult to sleep through the snoring mayhem, and one stage I recall the skipper jumping out of bed and throwing shoes and sundry other accessible items randomly into the accommodation space. Despite the barrage of missiles, however, the raucous din from below continued unabated. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

I know I was very happy to notice the first hint of daylight through the cabin porthole and climbed out on deck to begin our third and final fishing day. Jack was only a few seconds behind me, announcing he’d enjoyed a restful night and couldn’t work out what all the fuss was about. I guess that when you’re creating most of the noise, you tend not to hear much at all! I rigged up a whole large arrow squid on dual hooks while Jack bridle-rigged a live slimey, both of which were sent down to within a few metres of the bottom. Outriggers are an integral part of the static live bait system, enabling the baits to be well separated and keeping the line clear of the boat hull. Specially designed release clips hold the line near the end of the outrigger poles and the rod is placed in a holder with the reel set at about two thirds of strike drag. When a fish takes the bait, the pressure forces the clip to open, the line comes tight and, if things go to plan, the circle hook plants itself firmly in the fish’s jaw hinge. It’s a system that generally works very well.

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Livies rigged and ready to deploy

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The Greenly Island Swan Song

Jack and I were just thinking about organising some coffee when the port side outrigger clip let go with a sharp crack and Jack’s rod loaded up in the holder. Seconds later, my squid bait went off in similar fashion. Double hook-up!

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From the get-go it was obvious these were no little samsons. We both lost 37kg braid at an alarming rate, despite a measured 12kg of drag and no-nonsense rods. These were decent kingies – the sort of fish for which the Greenly anchorage has become famous over many years. Jack’s fish made its way up towards the bow while mine opted to run wide of the stern, which is exactly the way you want it in a double hook-up. It took at least ten minutes to subdue our kings, both of which were in the 20-22kg class 90 – not as big as many that have come from this location, but nice fish nonetheless. All this commotion naturally stirred the others into action. With our fish unhooked, tagged, photographed and released, Jack and I stepped back to let the others have a chance. No one had to wait long, and two more double hook-up situations soon had everyone on the scoreboard. Peter, John, David and Bill had all caught their best ever kingfish, and their smiles said it all. With the school obviously still in the vicinity, Jack and I then rejoined the fray and were almost instantly rewarded with another double. This was Greenly Island at its best – something I hadn’t seen in quite a few years. We’d boated eight kings from as many hook-ups, all of which had been measured, tagged, carefully unhooked and retuned to the water in good condition.

Bill Farmer with his personal best kingy

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Samson fish love Mustad’s Ink Vader

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The Greenly Island Swan Song

Although we did manage a few smaller kings and samsons down at Rocky Island later in the morning, everything else was anticlimactic after the incredible dawn session. Peter Nicholls, who is a very keen fly fisherman, managed to pin a couple of small kingies and a bluefin on his 12 weight outfit, pleasing him no end, but the rest of us were spent. We ate hot dogs on the return trip to Coffin Bay, drank pretty much every drop left on the boat, and reminisced about what had essentially been three amazing days.

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Dawn at Greenly is prime bite time

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There’s no doubt our adventure had been an eye opener for those who hadn’t experienced anything like it before, and it’s an absolute shame we probably won’t ever see it again. Reel Therapy has been sold interstate, Ryan has taken work on a prawn trawler, and the only way to sample the magnificence of Greenly Island is by trailer boat. COVID has changed many things, of course, and I dare say there are many other charter operations around the country that have suffered a similar fate.

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The Lure of it all - Aaron Young

the lure of it all

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STEVE ‘STARLO’ STARLING

STEVE STARLING INTERVIEWS AUSSIE LURE MAKER AND FOUNDER OF KUT TAFURRA LURES,

Aaron Young Renowned lure crafter, Aaron Young, lives a long cast from the legendary Murray cod waters of Lake Mulwala and the Ovens River, but he doesn’t get a chance to fish quite as often as he’d like to these days: such are the drawbacks of success!

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Anyone who is into high quality Aussie-made timber lures will surely have heard the name Kuttafurra, and most likely admired some of the incredibly life-like creations carrying that label. But far fewer readers will be instantly familiar with the modest, low-key guy who drives the Kuttafurra brand. I think it’s high time that situation changed, and for that reason, I’ve chosen to shine the spotlight on the man behind Kuttafurra in this second instalment of our new “The Lure Of It All” column.

These days, Aaron and his partner, Andrea, call Bundalong home — right in the heart of Murray cod country, near Lake Mulwala. But Aaron laments that he no longer gets as much opportunity to fish as he’d like. “It’s funny,” he told me, “we live just five minutes from Mulwala and the Ovens River, but with the house slowly being worked on, and setting things up just right on the lure-making side of things, I tend to be too busy a lot of the time. But I do love getting out there chasing a few yella’s and cod locally. It’s great just being on the water, so fish are often a bit of a bonus, to be honest.” I asked Aaron how he first caught the lure-making bug: “I mucked around when I was young, trying to copy a Rapala in balsa, but my efforts were pretty rough. Then, around 1999, I started to tie flies, and I did that for about six years. I was in the printing game at the time, and I’d come home from an evening shift and often tie flies right through until four in the morning or even later, while everyone else in the house was asleep. I became almost addicted to making flies… and then one day, I just stopped!” So, how did he make the switch from flies to lures? “When I was in my mid-20s, a mate called Deano introduced me to Lenny, from Lenny’s Lures,” Aaron explained. “Deano built some similar equipment to Lenny and started to dabble in lure making himself for a bit. I watched with some interest, but his lures were a bit rough and he never really did much with it. But another mate by the name of George had knocked a few out as well, and they looked pretty cool! That got me a lot more interested. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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Award-winning Kuttafurra Lures’ maker, Aaron Young, doesn’t remember the first fish he caught, but figures he can’t have been much more than four years old at the time, as it happened in Western Australia on an extended family road trip that took in more than half of the country. What Aaron does remember very clearly is chasing trout and eels in the little creeks around Pakenham, in Victoria, where he grew up. He also fondly recalls regular trips to Lake Eildon and the Murray with his father, who was passionate about the outdoors, camping and four-wheel driving. Along with these frequent inland forays there were also numerous outings onto Westernport to chase a feed of saltwater fish.

The Lure of it all - Aaron Young

“It was around 2009 when I decided to have a crack at making a lure myself,” Aaron continued. “I cut some timber out the hard way — with a jigsaw — and had a play around with it, but it took me ages to make just one lure! Then, towards the end of that year and into 2010, I stumbled across a few websites and lure collecting groups, before getting really hooked on the LureLovers.com site. “I kept cutting, shaping, dabbling and posting on LureLovers, while also talking lures on there with the other regulars. I was carving with cheap box cutter knives from work back then and, believe it or not, I still use the same knives today!

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“But I really wanted to paint stuff, so I bought some cheap airbrushes, some auto paints, set up a compressor, and I was away! “I met some good people through LureLovers. Their positive words and advice kept me going. Chris Sinclair from Fugly Lures encouraged me to cut more lures, as he could see that I just wanted to paint!

A batch of timber Kuttafurra bodies awaiting painting and hardware fit-out. Make no mistake: building quality lures like these is hands-on, time-consuming and highly demanding.

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That’s the best way to test’ em! Aaron with a chunky golden perch from his local waters.

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The Lure of it all - Aaron Young

“I’d take my lure blanks to work with me on night shifts. Once the binder was running, I’d start carving. Back home in the morning I’d clean them up on the belt sander, then take them back to work next night, get the binder running sweetly, then keep sanding by hand. Once I had enough, I’d start painting. “On LureLovers, you could ask questions or just read other people’s posts. A lot of the guys would help out if you had a question, although I tended to just try things for myself. I soon found out what worked and what didn’t! But Carl Grist, Chris Sinclair, Paul Kneller, Shane Murphy, Travis Powell and a number others all gave me excellent advice and lots of inspiration. They definitely played a part in what I’m doing today.”

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A gorgeous line-up of Aaron’s very popular 75mm Mudhoneys awaiting hooks, rings and tow points. These are amongst Kuttafurra’s biggest sellers — for good reason!

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Why “Kuttafurra Lures”, I asked Aaron… where did that name come from? “Kuttafurra was my old man’s nickname when he was young,” Aaron replied. “When he was working on the graders out Mildura way, he’d sometimes go missing, and when they finally caught up with him at the end of day he’d say ‘I was cutting furras down here’. So, he’d get called kuttafurra! I told him I was going to call the lures Kuttafurra, as they are cutting a furrow each way with their bib as they swim. Then, in October 2011, the old man passed away. Around six months later I told my mother I was going to make sure his name was remembered in the fields he loved: fishing, camping, gold prospecting and horse racing.

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“I had an accident not long after he passed away, and I was off work and on the mend for six months or so, but still wounded. Making lures kept me busy and active instead of sitting on the couch feeling sorry for myself. So, Kuttafurra was born, and I feel like I’ve fulfilled the fishing and camping part of my promise. A few years later a great couple I know — Brent and Kirsty — managed to get a horse race named after Kuttafurra, so that ticked the racing box, too. Maybe one day I’ll find the gold connection as well… who knows? Maybe it’ll be a lure colour or something like that.”

The Lure of it all - Aaron Young

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A swarm of 135mm Joe Rats from the Kuttafurra stable. These classy topwater plugs are killers on cod! As for his love of timber lures, Aaron explained to me that he’d grown up with them, and that he simply loves working with timber. “For me, it’s the easiest to start with,” he explained. “You learn from each error you make. If you get one lure wrong, it’s fairly easy to knock out another one pretty quickly.” But Aaron can definitely see room in his future for other lure-making materials, and is currently busy learning the finer points of producing moulded lures from the master himself: Alan Dolan of Queensland’s Lively Lures. The aim is to eventually transfer that successful operation south to Bundalong and greatly expand its range, using Aaron’s obvious skills in lure conception and design. I asked Aaron to tell me about his proudest achievements, expecting him to name the prestigious Lure Expo awards he’s picked up for his amazingly life-like creations. His response surprised me a little: “Making a lure that you think won’t swim and then getting it all together after many attempts,” he replied. “For me, that’s a real achievement. Most people don’t see the excitement you get when you finally make it work. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

“Yes, sure, those Lure Expo Awards are up there as well,” he continued. “But I’ll also never forget when [fishing communicator and tournament gun] Adam Royter reached out to congratulate me early on. He said something along the lines of: ‘You did it! From a guy fishing with his missus and kid in a boat on the Murray River to making waves in the local lure market. You’ve done this all yourself, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. I was watching like a science major looking into a petri dish. You were the right guy at the right time and you love social media. Triple bang! I can only wish you the best.’

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Aaron Young’s amazing Jointed Joe perfectly portrays the combination of form and function that has helped to stamp the name Kuttafurra firmly on the Aussie crafted lure scene.

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The Lure of it all - Aaron Young

“For me, that was pretty bloody cool!” Aaron continued, “I’ve never forgotten that message, especially as I used to read articles from blokes like Adam back in my printing days, while the magazine was actually being printed. “I’ve met some good eggs through fishing,” Aaron went on. “People like Kyle Dalrymple, Ian Painter-Rogers, Connor Heir and Stephen Booth, to name just a few. They always give me feedback. Anyone making a lure needs feedback: good or bad. Carl Grist used to give me plenty of constructive criticism. I thank him for that.”

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Kuttafurra’s 100mm Surface Creepers mark 102 the beginning of a partial transition to moulded polyurethane bodies, using methods perfected over many years by Lively Lures… But fear not, there will still be plenty of timber models in the Kuttafurra line-up!

I asked Aaron to tell me roughly how many models there are in his current lure line-up, if it was constantly changing, and if there were any that he was especially proud of. “I’ve made so many different lures, and I put out small runs of stuff here and there, so it’s impossible to put a number on it!” he laughed. “But I guess the Mudhoney and Joe the Rat are two of my best known models, and they certainly catch lots of fish. “Some years back I made an ugly looking one I called the Reddie, due to its shape. A www.spooledmagazine.com.au

young bloke named Kaleb Oxley and his father caught so many fish on them… It was crazy! It worked so well here at Mulwala, and still does today. I’ve made these Scorpioninfluenced nose-tow divers in five sizes — from 85 up to 200 mm — and I was especially pleased with the bigger ones, as they really hang in there at speed, with no blow-outs. They may even be one of the styles we go moulded with, using Lively Lure’s technology. “I enjoy doing the Murray cray display lures, too. I’d love to have more time to be able to get the carving blades out and tackle some more special projects like that — more on the collectable side of things.” I asked Aaron where he gets his inspiration from:

This response prompted me to ask Aaron how customers could best get their hands on some of his lures these days:

Now, those are pretty flash bottle openers! Something for the fisho who has everything. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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“I tend to look at photos of fish [and other critters] and create a shape from the outline, with changes to keep it simple,” Aaron explained. “But also I just draw on timber or paper then cut out and make. These days, I can get most of them to swim pretty quickly. But then, of course, you’ve got to get them out there and into the hands of people who are fishing.”

The Lure of it all - Aaron Young

“My lures are in a number of shops now,” Aaron responded. “Places like Fish Camp & Ski, Mulwala and also Intents in Mulwala, Boats and More in Shepparton, Trelly’s Outdoors in Bendigo, Jerusalem Creek at Lake Eildon, Tackleworld Cranbourne, McCredden’s in Bendigo, Mo Tackle up at Coffs Harbour, and a few others I can’t remember at the moment. I also have a small website on the Australian Lure Shop, but I have trouble keeping that loaded up, so people need to look each week to see what’s been added, or contact me on that one. And I also do small runs of different things that I load up sometimes on my Facebook page: Kuttafurra Lures.”

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Finally, I asked Aaron what advice he’d offer to any young (or not-so-young) guy or girl out there with the dream of perhaps one day becoming a lure maker: “I reckon just give it a crack,” he said. “Learn from your own errors. The more you make, the more you learn. Try new things all the time with the shapes of bibs, weights and so on. Test them in the water to see what they do. They don’t need to be painted to test them. Start out making them and swimming them, then add some paint once you’re happy with them. But realise that making lures in any numbers is a hard slog. Your days quickly turn into days and nights. Depending on how hooked you get, you’re likely to find yourself fishing less and less.

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“You’ll need support, too. I couldn’t have done it without the help of my partner, Andrea, and my mother, Maureen. 105 Finally, get onto that LureLovers.com website. It’s a lot better than social media, where you may get slammed and criticised by others. If you do use social media, create your own page and let people follow your journey, but control who you let on and block out the haters and trolls. The one thing I’ve learnt is that life’s too short, so if you want to do something, just get out there and have a crack!” Wise words indeed from one of Australia’s most admired custom lure crafters!

Aaron’s exquisite crays, bardi grubs, sharks and other inventive creations show why his Kuttafurra brand is held in such high esteem by anglers and collectors alike… and also why he regularly wins prestigious awards for his work. They blur the line between art and angling!

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What’s NEW? SPOOLED LOOKS AT WHAT’S NEW IN THE MARKE T. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ANY OF THE PRODUCTS, SIMPLY TAP THE BUT TON SHOWN.

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ZMAN NEW COLOUR ADDITIONS Tackle Tactics are always pumped to announce the release of new ZMan colour additions and this batch is sure to contain a few future favourites. ZMan is known for its 10X Tough, super-soft and flexible ElaZtech construction, natural buoyancy, and proven actions, along with some truly unique colours and colour names. Joining the lineup in the popular ZMan 3” MinnowZ, is Fried Bologna, Beer Run, Troutcicle, Tater Salad, and Gitter Done. You will also find Gitter Done and Troutcicle in a ZMan 4” DieZel MinnowZ, Gitter Done in a 4” and 5” Scented Jerk ShadZ, along with Fried Bologna and Beer Run also in the 5” model. Some ZMan favourites, in some cool new colours, that are sure to get the approval from both ZMan fans and their favourite target species. Fish on!

Info www.spooledmagazine.com.au

CERTATE SW 5000/6000 SPIN REELS The rockstar of the saltwater spin reel world, the Certate SW range welcomes two new smaller models with the release of the 5000 and 6000 Certate SW. Tailor made for the angler who wants the power and precision of 20 Saltiga but in a smaller package, the 5000 and 6000 Certate SW features all the designs and features of their big brothers with a Monocoque body headlining the list of features.

Whether it’s muscling kings from cover, terrorising the local snapper and fingermark population, or jigging and spinning for tuna and macs the new smaller sized Certate SW’s is the reel to get the job done.

Info www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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A large G1 Duralumin drive gear, Zaion Air Rotor, Magseal line roller and body, ATD Drag, Infinite Anti-Reverse, Air Bail, and Eva Power Knob help complete the reel’s extensive list of design brilliance and technologies and combine to make the new smaller Certate SW models the ultimate pocket rocket powerhouse.

What’s New?

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OKUMA CELILO SPIN RODS Whatever your ultralight passion the range of Celilo Finesse Spin rods have you covered, with their softer, balanced actions and quality materials. Angler requests have led to an almost doubling of the available models, expanding the angler applications for this affordable rod series. Sensitive graphite composite blanks and quality cork grips have made the Celilo range a favourite for anglers chasing species such as trout, redfin, bass, whiting and bream, with the actions of these rods allowing them to transfer easily from bait fishing to casting ultralight lures, especially when making accurate casts in tight country. A classic look and feel, with a modern performance and affordable price tag.

Info www.spooledmagazine.com.au

SHIMANO STELLA FK The legacy of Stella represents the long history of Shimano’s industry-leading design and manufacturing technologies; the development is never-ending. This new generation of Stella sets an unmatched performance standard, with a number of upgrades for the ultimate fishing experience. True to its rich history, Infinity Evolution continues.

A revolutionary new Anti-Twist fin has now been incorporated into the bail assembly, sitting just below the line roller to maintain line tension and prevent line wrapping around the spool in an uneven manner to stop any unwanted wind knots. Dura Cross, a revolutionary new woven drag washer design, provides up to 10 times more durability and super smooth drag performance.

Info www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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The new Stella features a number of major technology upgrades for 2022. Infinity Xross achieves improved gear durability through a revised drive and pinion gear design with improved surface area contact and meshing. Infinity Loop creates a precise winding pattern that drastically reduces friction as line leaves the spool, resulting in exceptional casting performance. Infinity Drive greatly decreases frictional resistance, increasing power transmission and torque when winding under heavy loads.

What’s New?

21 LEXA TW BAITCASTER A reel that’s synonymous with strength, power and value the Lexa line-up welcomes a new arrival with the 21 Lexa TW.

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A step forward in design and performance the new Lexa 110 features many of the technologies that have made Daiwa baitcaster reels industry leading with CRBB Bearings, EVA Knob, UTD Drag, and now TWS (T-Wing System) leading the roll call of design features. TWS delivers a new level of performance and control to the Lexa, while a stainlesssteel pinion gear, high grade brass gears, aluminium frame and side plate, and Swept Power Handle provide ultimate strength and power. The Lexa WN features 13kg of drag, 8 CRBB and is available in two sizes (300 and 400) and four models. Whether it’s targeting the giants of the estuaries or muscling offshore species the 21 Lexa TW is the ultimate heavy-duty baitcaster.

Info www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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DOUBLE CLUTCH 48SP The famous Double Clutch family welcomes its newest, and smallest member, with the arrival of the Double Clutch 48SP. Designed as the ultimate finesse twitchbait, the Double Clutch 48 features Daiwa’s patented Silent Gravity Oscilation System (S-GOS) weight transfer system, delivering unmatched casting performance and Double Clutch’s unmatched responsiveness when twitched and worked. The key to the S-GOS system is that it shifts the baits centre of gravity on every twitch, making the lure shift and pivot differently with each movement of the rod tip. Perfectly suited to both fresh and saltwater, the Double Clutch suspends in freshwater and slowly rises in saltwater. Fitted with ultra-sticky BKK Spear 21SS treble hooks the DC48 is ready to fish straight out of the pack and is available in an expansive array of fish catching colours. The legend and the family continue to grow with the new finesse Double Clutch 48SP.

Info www.spooledmagazine.com.au

What’s New?

OKUMA AZORES XP SPIN REELS – POWER MODELS Built for big fish, with lower gearing for plenty of outright cranking power and the build quality to back it up, the ‘P’ at the end of the part number is all about Power.

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High density gearing and machine-cut brass pinion gear roll on high performance, grease-packed stainless bearings for a smooth, precise and solid mechanical system. High performance bearings are at least 10 times more resistant to salt water than standard stainless steel bearings. A hydro-blocked hybrid drag delivers consistent, smooth and powerful resistance against hardrunning fish, while the machined screw-in handle ensures a positive connection and solid feel. The machined aluminium anodised, large-capacity spool features Okuma’s LCS lip for increased casting distance and accuracy. The Azores series is packed with features and built for power, backed by Okuma’s 10 year warranty.

Info www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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ZEREK FLAT SHAD X JIG HEAD New from Zerek is the Flat Shad X jig head. It comes with patented belly slits that allow the plastic to easily compress in any direction, exposing the hook to ensure solid hook ups. The jig head-rigged Flat Shad X incorporates a Kevlar webbed tail that is segmented to provide incredible movement. This creates a rolling action, as well as a beautiful undulating tail that fish can’t help but attack when retrieved at the slowest of speeds. In the two larger sizes (145mm and 170mm), the exposed jig head hook sits proud on top, while a supplied stinger hook is fitted under the belly of the lure. There is also a further stinger attachment above the eye of the lure on the head, just behind the towing eyelet. This allows anglers to place a treble up on top on weedy or snaggy country and swap out the bottom stinger for a flashy blade or similar. The two smallest (90mm and 130mm) Flat Shad X models feature an internal jig head with a stinger attachment hidden in the collapsible belly area. Available in 11 colours that include natural patterns and attractor colours, the jig head rigged Flat Shad X will be available in a 90mm/8g, 130mm/28g, 145mm/60g and 170mm/73g options. Available from stockists of Wilson tackle. www.spooledmagazine.com.au

Info

What’s New?

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STEEZ RPM CRANK MID-10 The Steez RPM Crank is the perfect size and depth to target a host of Australian native species, including callop and Murray cod. Designed and tuned to deliver a high cadence and wide swimming action, the RPM equally excels as a slow rolling bait that can be walked over structure, or as a faster-actioned open water search bait. The Steez RPM Crank dives to around 3m, which is perfect for hitting that middepth range that Aussie native species love, especially when sitting tight to cover. Designed for optimum performance, the RPM Crank’s rounded lip excels in deflecting off cover, triggering reaction bites as the lure changes direction. It is available in a variety of colours and fitted with high quality hooks and rings to handle tough fish.

Info www.spooledmagazine.com.au

TD BLACK MQ SPIN REEL Understated in looks yet outgoing in design and performance the TD Black spin reel range is elevated to another level with the release of the TD Black MQ. Combining Daiwa’s advanced Zaion V material with Monocoque body (MQ) design results in a TD Black reel that is lighter, stronger, and more precision designed than ever before. 115 SPOOLED MAGAZINE

Daiwa’s biggest evolution in spin reel design, MQ allows for the use of larger gears for enhanced power, precision and longevity, with its single piece construction increasing body strength and rigidity and eliminating unwanted water and grime ingress into the reel. The TD Black MQ’s list of designs and features doesn’t end there with LT Concept combining with Tough Digigear for optimum reel power and refinement, while Zaion Air Rotor allows for flawless rotational balance and minimal start up inertia. A Magsealed body provides unmatched protection from the elements, and ATD Drag delivers ultra-smooth stopping power and control. LT’s Long Cast ABS spool, Machine Cut Screw-In Handle, Airbail, and CRBB bearings complete the TD Black MQ’s extensive list of design features and technologies and combine to make this one of the standout reels for 2022.

Info www.spooledmagazine.com.au

What’s New?

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INFEET SPIKE 44SP MR/EXDR CRANKBAIT The Spike legend continues to grow with the release of the smaller Spike 44. The ultimate shad size crankbait the new Spike features an impressive swimming action, even at the slowest of speeds, an essential element for when the fishing gets tough, and fish are timid and lure shy. Available in two sizes, a MR (6 Feet) and EXDR (12 feet) version, the Spike 44 has you covered for all depth ranges. Careful internal weight placement and a slender shape ensures the Spike 44 flies straight and true, and is tuned for maximum casting distance and performance. Bib design is equally considered and optimised with its blunt nose lip design aiding in deflection, and maximising lure action to convert follows into bites. Fitted with high-quality split rings and BKK hooks, the Spike 44 is ready to fish straight from the package.

Info

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22 EXIST SPIN REEL The flagship spin reel in the Daiwa light tackle range once again elevates spin reel design to a new level with the release of the 22 Exist. A beacon of design possibility and performance since the original Exist was released in 2006, the 22 models introduces new designs and technologies to deliver anglers their most advanced light tackle Daiwa spin reel to date.

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The foundation of the 22 Exist’s design is Daiwa’s new Airdrive Design, a four pillar (Airdrive Rotor, Airdrive Bail, Airdrive Spool, and Airdrive Shaft) design concept that reduces weight, and enhances rotational smoothness and responsiveness to create a reel that is next level in both form and function. A leap forward in Daiwa light tackle spin reel design, Daiwa’s Airdrive Design concept combines with proven Daiwa technologies including Monocoque Body, Magseal, Tough Digigear, ATD, and Twistbuster, to deliver anglers their most advanced Exist reel ever. Lighter, smoother, more balanced and free flowing than ever before the 22 Exist delivers the future in the anglers’ hands.

Info www.spooledmagazine.com.au

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