Tasmanian Fishing and Boating News Issue 091 2011 April

Print Post approved; PP 702512 00027

Issue 91 April - May 2011

$5

Small Streams Dawn ‘n’ Dusk Game Fishing Tenkara Rods Silver Trevally Hopper Time Sharks

Jim McKenna on Four Springs. Read about Todd Lambert’s season—including Four Springs on page 33.

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Fishing News - Page 2

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4

10 18

Trout everywhere — Craig Rist

4

Inland Fisheries Service News

8

Stocking the Western Lakes — Sarah Graham

10

New weather forecasting

12

Fishing on the wild side — Mike Fry

14

Dawn ‘n’ Dusk — Todd Lambert

18

Jan’s Flies — Jan Spencer

21

Tenkara fly rods — Nick Taransky

22

Game fishing heats up — John Orchard

29

Shore based St Helens — Jamie Henderson

32

Silver trevally from the shore — Daniel Paull

34

Hopper time — Peter Hayes

39

Reviews 40

29 H

Marine fishing news — Sharks

42

Fishing, boating and accommodation services directory

46

My Say Yep, Yep, Yep —tie on a Yep Yep —

tha

t is

Under $10

a Ye

p

7.5 kilos - on a Yep. Sworn to secrecy. Can’t say where or when.

But on a pumpkinseed Yep minnow.

Best thing! This fish is still swimming in the wild. Maybe it will be 8 kilos when you catch it. Yep, Yep, Yep.

Tasmanian Fishing and Boating News

Published by Michael Stevens PO Box 7504, Launceston, 7250.

Ph/fax; 6331 1278 Email; mike@tasfish.com Advertising: Quenton Higgs - 0427 129 949 Stevens Publishing, ABN 79 095 217 299

All material is copyright and cannot be reproduced without the permission of the publisher. Print Post approved; PP 702512 00027

For Subscriptions go to www.tasfish.com or phone 0418 129949

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Fishing News - Page 3

Mersey River Craig Rist

Galaxia feeders

B

y the time the month of April has arrived, the end of the brown trout season on our rivers is steadily coming to an end. Those magic days of trout rising to a hatch of insects are all but over. To the avid dry fly fisher, this is a reality that is hard to take at the end of every season.

For me, it’s time to change tact, just like the trout in a river have to do to survive. As the amount of fly life in the river starts to taper off, more and more trout in the lower Mersey revert back to feeding on the native galaxia (baitfish), just as they do at the start of the season. Although these trout in the lower Mersey River never really stop feeding on the native Galaxia, they seem to seek out these small schools of baitfish with even more determination at this time of year. The schools of baitfish, that are present in the river at this time, provide a perfect food source for these trout who are out to put on as much condition as possible in readiness for spawning.

Wet fly Fishing For some fly fishers, tying on a big wet at this time of year is hard to do after spending most of the summer watching fish come up to a dry fly. As with all fishing, wet fly fishing is what you make of it. There are still plenty of opportunities to sight fish and search those likely areas where trout like to hunt this small baitfish.

Blind Searching Sometimes, blindly searching the likely stretches of a river is the only option. The term blind searching may be a little harsh when it comes to fishing rivers, as any angler who has spent time on a river soon learns where trout are likely to be. A good systematic approach to effectively fish a river when things are quiet is to swing a fly down and across the width of the river. One of the things you learn relatively quickly in fly fishing is that fish don’t take kindly to a fly line landing over them. This is can be

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Fishing News - Page 4

BL10409

To Bronte Park

one of the biggest disadvantages of fly-fishing in any blind searching scenario. Using the down and across method is one way of ensuring your fly will be the first thing a trout sees as it swings from one side of the river to the other. Once you understand that, you’re really only fishing the length of your leader as it swings across stream. Any further lengthening of your line or movement down stream can be made with this in mind. This method of swinging a fly down and across stream is used to catch fish in rivers all over the world with great affect. The basic method is to cast a line down and across the river at approximately 45 degrees allowing it to swing across the river until it is directly below your position. This simple act gives the fly a unique action as it drifts down stream and then swims back into the current as the fly line straightens out. Trout often respond to this sudden change of speed and direction and will take advantage of what may look like a baitfish struggling to swim against the flow of the river.

Imparting some life into the fly by shaking the rod tip or stripping in line can enhance this basic technique to further trigger a response. Fishing deep water with a floating line can often require the cast to be delivered further up and across stream to allow the fly time to sink before it is swung across stream.

Any drag on the fly at this stage will slow or stop its ability to sink effectively. Manipulating the fly line on the water by mending the fly line is often needed to allow the fly to sink and to have a straight line by the time it is ready to be swung across at the usual 45 degrees position. Failure to do this may have the unwanted affect of the fly line being presented to the fish ahead of the fly. One other thing to consider when fishing down stream is the real possibility of getting broken off during a savage take when you have a tight line pointing straight down stream. A good way to avoid this is to leave a loop of slack line between the reel and the line held against the cork in your rod hand. This loose line can then be allowed to slip through your fingers as a fish takes the fly.

This extra line also allows time for a fish to turn down slightly which can also improve the hooking angle.

Fishing News - Page 5

Sight Fishing When you’re lucky enough to be on a river during a blue sky day, sight fishing with the aid of Polaroid sun glasses can be like fishing in an aquarium. It’s amazing just what you see and learn when you take the time to stop casting for a moment and observe the world of a trout from an elevated level. Basic things, like where trout like to position themselves in a river are not always obvious from the limited viewpoint you have when you’re standing in the river. As always, having a spotter positioned high on the bank to spot fish and then relay their position to you, is always going to give you the upper hand.

Sharing the role of spotter is especially useful when fishing areas such as backwaters where trout could turn up anywhere along these slower parts of the river as they patrol the edges. The use of a spotter is widely used in places such as New Zealand and is just as effective here. As winter approaches these blue sky days are also coming to an end. More often than not, clouds cover the sun at this time of the year causing the reflections of the sky to limit your vision beneath the surface, to those areas of the river that have high banks and over-hanging trees to shield the water surface from these reflective rays.

These small windows can offer the last possible viewpoint to spot fish during an overcast day. Slower side waters and backwaters are perfect places to stop and wait for a trout to return on its beat. This scenario presents the perfect opportunity to ambush a trout with a fly using a short bow and arrow cast from within the cover of the tree lined riverbank. At this moment you dare not move a muscle as the

fish responds to the sinking fly.

This can end in two ways, the fish rejects your fly or it inhales it before your eyes, prompting you to set the hook. If, however, the fish has not sensed the fly in the water, a slight twitch of the rod tip to impart some life to the fly will often get their attention. With the exception of watching a trout swim up to a dry fly, sight fishing doesn’t get mush better than this.

There are always going to be times when your vision into the water is going to be compromised by circumstances that are out of your control. During these times your sight fishing is going to be limited to the disturbances and sounds made by trout feeding on baitfish. Small baitfish seek refuge out of the fast water along the shallow rocky and sometimes weedy edges of the river. The quiet water, hard in under the willows, will also provide shelter for these small fish and unfortunately for them, large trout also. Knowing such basic things as the behavior of the trout’s food source gives you a better understanding of where to start. These sheltered waters often erupt with the sound and sight of a trout churning up the water as it eagerly tries to expose an easy target. With many trout hunting the

Fishing News - Page 6

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edge of the shallows or under the willows, sometimes the best place you can be is out in the middle of the river with the fly line stretched out behind you ready to make a quick cast in the direction of the next disturbance. If you can get the fly into the attack zone quick enough and then quickly strip the fly back out into deeper water, you stand a real chance of hooking up to a good fish.

Flies There are many different flies that are used to imitate small baitfish. Everyone has their “go to” flies when it comes to targeting trout feeding on small baitfish.

Old favorites, such as Black Woolly Buggers and fur flies, like the Yetti, are still used with great affect on the Mersey River Galaxia feeders. I like to use these flies tied with a bit of weight, on size 10 or 8 hooks. These small flies are easy to cast on a 4-weight rod and will sink as soon as they hit the water. Flies that are tied without additional weight can become aerated during the cast, causing them to float unnaturally on the surface at the most inappropriate time. As is often the case, presentation can be more important than the fly you choose.

Boating the Mersey A river of this size really lends itself to drifting down its length by boat. Fish that are usually out of reach are fair game when you have some type of watercraft to make them accessible. A well setup boat will have a rear anchor ready to deploy, whenever there is the need to hold off an area that may require more than one or two casts. This would almost certainly be the case if you were the sole occupant of any watercraft. Something to remember, during any float trip, is that it may be more beneficial to get out of the boat and fish a productive area from the shore, than to over shoot it with a boat.

After all, using a boat in a river is merely a tool to cover a lot of water and hopefully access more fish.

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Fishing News - Page 7

Bluefin

The best is yet to come

John Orchard

I

t was barely daylight, just the faintest tinge of light on the horizon heralding the start of a new day as we motored south from Eaglehawk Neck toward the infamous Hippolyte Rocks, home of our day’s target species – the mighty southern bluefin tuna.

of its beak. To top it all off there wasn’t a seal in sight, conditions just couldn’t get any better than this - our hearts beat faster in eager anticipation an we neared all the action – oh boy, we were about to kick some serious arse this day!

The sky was heavy with cloud, not a star insight, and a light south westerly wind rippled the tops of the moderate southerly swell as we ran out our spread of five lines. We had covered all bases when we chose our lures – the deadly Meridian ‘brown dog’ nestled into its favourite short corner, a green and gold ‘Mack Bait’ chugged away a few feet beneath the surface in the long corner, a black and purple Meridian ‘Bonito’ systematically broke through the surface in the short rigger position whilst someone’s home made blue and silver pilchard periodically splashed away back in the long rigger spot and, to finish off this searching pattern, we had a ‘green lumo’ way out the back on it’s own in the shotgun position; we were ready for action.

The next thing there was that dreaded sound ‘beep beep beep’ as the water temperature gauge for the outboard heralded an impending problem - damn!!!

As we neared the big Hippolyte we could see gannets dropping from up high like bits of molten plastic, one after the other disappearing beneath the surface only to pop back up moments later with some poor unfortunate fish protruding out the side

To make matters worse, the wife drove her elbow into my ribs and asked ‘are you going to turn off the alarm clock or not?’ Reality came crashing down like a bucket of cold water—as it always does—right at the good bit; it was Monday morning and time to get ready for another week at work. Oh well, it was good while it lasted!!

So, on the serious side what has been happening on the tuna front in the south?

Weather conditions have played havoc at times over recent weeks with so much wind out of the north and east making the fishing out of Eaglehawk Neck either ‘hot’ or as we found out recently - ‘not’.

We struck a day that was bright, sunny and very unpleasant with a strong north easterly wind making things decidedly hard work for one small “stripey”.

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Whilst there have been some good sized school bluefin around the 30 kilo mark there has also been quite a number of very small bluefin caught this year in comparison to previous seasons – in fact Stuart Nichols from Personalised Sea Charters said one or two of these fish have been the smallest bluefin he has ever seen – and trust me, there is a guy who has seen A LOT of bluefin!

It will be interesting to see what this means – whether it is a positive thing or not for fish stocks in the coming seasons as we don’t usually see many bluefin under the 10 to 15 kilo mark down that way.

Further south the fishing has been much more consistent with good numbers of bluefin reported around the 30 kilos and over mark being taken from ‘The Friars’ at the southern end of Bruny island right through to the south west corner of Tassie and particularly at the ever reliable Pedra Branca rock.

Lee Harris from GO Charters has had some absolute ‘cracker’ days down there this season with a few good sized fish thrown into the mix just to keep you on your toes when the reels start screaming.

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Realistically we have another two or three months of bluefin fishing left in front of us this season so anglers from the north of the state who would like to land a ‘Bluey’ should consider getting a group together and booking as soon as possible to ensure they don’t miss out on a charter with the guys that are out on the water every day and know where to look for them. It’s a lot easier than going to the trouble & expense of towing your own boat all the way south for a days fishing in uncharted territory and, it increases your chances of success.

Well, that’s it for this issue – may your eskies bulge at the seams on the way home!

John Orchard

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Fishing News - Page 9

Fantastic Foam

Addiction

Peter Broomhall

A

few years back when surfing the net I happened to come across a fishing report from renowned Tasmanian fishing guide and casting instructor Peter Hayes that mentioned that his clients were using Chernobyl Ant style flies to take a lot of fish on the Great Lake. In fact I believe the words went along the lines of ‘a pair of long nosed pliers were required to be kept in the boat to remove the big foam flies from the trouts throats because they were taking them so hard!’ The report also contained a photo of the flies. From this photograph I was able to knock up a few copies on the vice. A mixture of sheet foam, rubber legs from an occy strap and super glue was used to fashion up a couple of ‘flies’ that looked vaguely like the versions pictured.

The flies that were tied that night look so far removed from the accepted norm in Tasmanian trout fly patterns that they were immediately relegated to some obscure part of my flybox, more so to avoid embarrassment when I opened the box in public than for any other valid reason. My thoughts at the time were that Peter Hayes must be playing some sort of elaborate prank on us mere mortal flyfishers.

No self respecting Tassie Trout would possibly take such a creation!

A few weeks later found myself and good fishing mate Todd Lamprey quietly bobbing along the eastern shore of Great Lake in his little tinny. The early morning windlane fishing action had subsided hours before and the normally reliable Red Tags were struggling to bring any fish up from the seemingly barren depths.

Todd in his boredom or maybe desperation, I am not sure which, asked me for one of the almost forgotten Chernobyl Ants to tie onto his tippet. I made some derogatory comment about the flies but passed one over to him anyway. I watched him lay out a long cast towards the shore and then also watched incredulously as a rather large snout appeared over the Ant and took it. Todd missed the fish with his too fast reactive strike caused more by the shock than anything. We almost fell out of the boat in laughter!

When I recovered sufficiently I tied on the remaining foam Ant and only a few casts later found myself hooked up to a large Great Lake brown trout.

I can’t really remember the final tally of trout that fell victim to those initial Chernobyl Ant patterns that day but I can clearly remember that was the day that an addiction, or at the very least a strong fascination, to the foam type flies really started for me.

The evolution of the Bruisers Bug After the initial success with the ‘standard’ Chernobyl Ant this fly quickly became our staple Great Lake fly. It was initially only used in the middle part of the day in summer when large terrestrial insects could be expected to be found on the lake surface. This Fishing News - Page 10

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use was gradually extended to the pre-dawn midge feeders, where it was surprisingly far more successful than the tiny Red Tags, Cochy-bondhus and other flies of that ilk to the point where the foam fly was the only pattern that I bothered to tie on during an outing on the big lake. Those outings commonly started from pre-dawn continuing through to well after dark.

The one problem that I was encountering with the big Chernobyls was that they were way too large and bulky to use on my favourite little Sage TXL 2 weight twig rod. I began changing the fly size from the initial massive size 6 and 8s tied on long shank hooks down to size 10 and 12s tied on shorter ‘beetle’ style hooks but all the while still keeping the basic Chernobyl style proportions.

These smaller Ants were then used to broaden the use of these flies right down to the smaller creeks and rivers where they were equally as effective as we had initially found on the highland lakes. Admittedly it did take me a while to summon up the courage to tie on a foam fly out in the Western lakes wilderness fishery but what do you know they were also very effective on the renowned wily browns out there.

It was also around this time I obtained a copy of New Zealand fishing guide and tackle store owner Stu Tripneys amazing DVD titled ‘A Foam Odyssey’. This short movie featured a great mix of fly fishing action and fly tying instruction. It contained some great foam fly tying ideas including his signature ‘Bionic Bug’.

The ideas displayed in the movie were utilised to creative a hybrid fly using the best features from the Bionic

Bug and Chernobyl Ant patterns. These flies, I have dubbed them ‘Bruisers Bugs’, are tied in a range of sizes and colours from tiny size 14s up to size 8.

They have been used to take trout from the tiniest of Tasmanian creeks right up to the largest of highland lakes and also recently on the New Zealand South Island rivers and lakes.

My fly boxes now contain dozens of the Bruisers Bug style foam flies in various colours and sizes.

In fact my regular fishing companions joke that I don’t really need a life jacket when out in the boat as my fly boxes would certainly keep me afloat if I happened to fall in!

I put the trout catching ability of this fly down to of a number of reasons. Firstly, the weight of the bug is such that it hits the water with a decided plop. This splashy entry is especially effective at grasshopper time where you will often see trout bow wave across from metres away to smash the fly.

The weight of the fly also causes it to sit very low in the water, much like large terrestrial insects caught in the film that the fly imitates so well.(For those in any doubt just take the time to watch a grasshopper that has crash landed in the stream, it doesn’t sit on the surface like a newly hatched mayfly dun does it). Sitting low in the film probably makes the fly more visible to cruising trout as well. The dangling rubber legs and gaudy colours also seem to be great attractors or triggers to both Brown and Rainbow trout. I have recently read in a couple of publications that Brown Trout are reluctant to come up for brightly coloured foam fliesand this type of fly is aimed at suicidal Rainbow Trout. I can assure you after a few seasons field testing that is not the case at all, in fact on some days it seems the Rainbows are the more reluctant takers on the bug!

A couple of bonuses that I have found with this type of fly are the durability and floatability.

One single Bruisers Bug has been known to take upwards of thirty trout in a session before it was necessary to tie on a fresh one. There are quite a few in my fly box that wear their multiple teeth marks proudly! The Gink bottle has also taken a lesser importance in my kit. It wasn’t that long ago that if we happened to forget, lose or run out of floatant it was deemed a near disaster, almost akin to leaving the rod and reel at home. Not any more! I believe the current bottle in my vest has probably lasted for more than 3 seasons. There is certainly no need to apply floatant to this fly, in fact some days they just seem to fish better if they are a little water logged.

Seasonal Considerations The Bruisers Bug is essentially an early summer through to autumn fly pattern, really coming into its own when terrestrial insects such as beetles, stoneflies, cicadas, crickets and grasshoppers are in abundance around the streams, rivers and lakes.

The fly really excels at grasshopper time on the streams where the little (and some not so little!) trout really react to it with gusto. The fish at this time really take the fly hard, and in fact I have seen more than one trout almost beach itself in its attempts to reach a bug after a wayward cast!

Interestingly this type of fly has also been effective at Mayfly time. The bug will take fish during the dun hatch as well as being quite useful when the trout are switched on to spinners. A friend tied on a version of the bug on Little Pine Lagoon when the trout were taking spinners and the standard fly patterns were struggling to elicit a take. The end result was a couple of fine browns on a tough day.

Another fishing companion, regular TFBN writer Craig Rist has also had great success on Dun feeders in his beloved Western Lakes using his own version of the Bug. His reasoning behind the effectiveness of the big foam flies is that the trout see them as a huge “protein hit” is probably very close to the mark. What other reason could there be for these otherwise very selective trout to take a fly that couldn’t be further removed from their normal food source.

Bruisers Bug

A

s a fly pattern the Bruisers Bug is still evolving. As new materials and methods come onto the fly tying scene I may make small alterations. Most changes recently are probably just cosmetic and don’t really alter the overall fish catching characteristics though. The changes are made to make it more pleasing to me and that is what tying your own flies is all about.

Hook: Partridge Dry Beetle size 8 – 14, but any medium/short shank wide gaped hook will suffice.

Note that a heavier gauge hook will help to keep the fly upright.

Thread: DK Brown.

6/0 in colour of choice, usually Black or

Lower Body: 2mm foam sheet in Red, Orange, Yellow, Chartreuse or Tan (or any other colour that takes your fancy!).

Upper Body: 2mm sheet foam in Black or DK Brown.

Legs: Wapsi Barred Sili Legs in olive green or pumpkin colour.

Hackle: Any Reddish brown dry fly hackle sized to suit hook.

Wing:

Natural Coloured Coastal Deer Hair

Bind hook shank in thread from eye to a point just above the barb.

Pre cut a couple of strips of 2mm flat foam approx 5mm wide, one in the colour of choice, ie red, orange, yellow, tan, etc plus one in dark brown or black.

Put a couple of drops of superglue on thread base (this stops the foam body spinning around the hook shank).

Lay coloured strip of flat foam centred along top of hook shank with at least a 15mm overhang at the eye and at least 15mm at the bend.

Tie foam in down at point directly above barb with 2-3 turns of thread.

Lift foam slightly, take an open wrap or two of thread under the foam to a point just short of half way along shank and then tie down foam again with 2-3 turns of thread.

Repeat step again this time tying foam down just short of hook eye.

Lay strip of dark brown 2mm flat foam down on top of coloured foam extending it by a few millimetres past the eye. Tie it down at same point as the coloured foam near eye of hook.

Tie in rubber legs on each side of body in ‘Madam X’ style.

Tie in hackle at same point using 2-3 turns.

Tie in small stacked bunch of deer hair extending by approx 5mm past bend.

Pull bottom (coloured) foam strip back over in bullet head style forming a neat head and then tie off and remove thread (as pictured). Trim ‘tag’ end of this foam back to approx. 5mm.

Retie in thread at rear of hook at original starting point catching the dark foam then tie off once again.

Cut foam ‘tail’ off at around 10-15mm length. Superglue the upper and lower foam sheets together then use sharp scissors to shape a rounded butt.

Late Season Prospects for the Bug Grasshopper time on the streams!

The grasshoppers have put in a late appearance this season, no doubt due to the unseasonably wet conditions around Christmas and New Year.

The good news about this for fly fishers is that the grasshopper fishing should now extend through to seasons end on the small streams and rivers and this is where the little Bruisers Bugs will excel. My advice for anglers looking for good sport is to check out 1:25000 Tasmaps of the areas that they intend to fish and check out any of those little blue lines, especially those that flow through open paddocks.

Nearly every small stream will hold a good head of fish and some will really surprise with the numbers and size of the trout that they contain. Google Earth is also a great resource for fisherman looking for new locations. Importantly remember to seek permission from the landowner before entering private property. Most polite inquiries will be granted in the affirmative but if not take it in good grace and move on to the next spot.

Fish these rivers and streams by wading upstream wherever possible, covering all the likely locations. Deeper runs adjacent to grassy banks are the real hotspots for grasshopper feeding trout, as well as bubble lines flowing along the deeper edges.

Any well placed cast should bring any resident trout out to take the fly with gusto.

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Fishing News - Page 11

Late season on the lakes Usually the lake fishing in the highlands has a surge of hard feeding trout in the last weeks of the season. The Browns in particular seem to really start feeding in sometimes almost a frenzied mode in a late attempt to gather some more condition before spawning time. In some lakes the trout will school up and charge around in quite large groups. Seeing the commotion in the water when two schools of trout run into each other and then charge off in shallow water is akin to a school of surface feeding Australian Salmon in the ocean!. Concentrations of fish around major spawning areas can be effectively targeted at this time of the year. Remember to obey the 50 metre restricted zone in lakes where this applies though.

Late falls of Gum Beetles and hopefully Jassids will have these fish taking from the surface regularly.

As with the stream fish on the grasshoppers these trout are suckers for the Bruisers Bug. A Chartreuse or Yellow version is a good choice if the trout are feeding on beetles and the Red or Orange colour is very effective if there are any Jassids about.

A new recruit to the fly fishing fraternity!

Recently fishing mate Jim Schofield and I decided on an afternoon fishing session on a lowland stream that we had discovered after perusing 1:25000 maps and Google Earth. A short drive from home found us on the doorstep of the land owner seeking permission to fish his creek. After the required permission was granted it was decided that his teenage son Adam would also accompany us as a “guide” to the best spots.

On the way up to the creek it was discovered that the young guy had never caught a trout on the fly before. His usual methods were either soaking bait or spinning in the local dams and rivers. From that moment on the afternoons main goal was to get Adam his first fly captured Brown Trout.

After rigging up our Sage TXL 2 weights and selecting the flies, mine being my personal favourite red coloured bug, and Jim a chartreuse version of the same fly of course, we set off upstream. After establishing that the stream held a good population of solid little browns with a couple of fish each we then put Adam in charge of a rod. A short bit of casting tuition followed and then he was ready.

Adam was soon laying out about 20 feet of line with reasonable accuracy which was plenty of length on this beautiful little stream.

A few casts later the little red Bruisers Bug on the end of Adams line was snatched from the surface by a hungry trout. Adam watched mesmerised and actually forgot to strike! Once more some tuition was in order, this time on what to do when a trout takes the fly!

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It was only a few casts later again when the same thing happened. This time a trout bow waved across the stream after sensing the fly landing and grabbed the little bug. A clumsy strike followed but amazingly it resulted in a solid hookup. After a short struggle a fine fat small stream brownie was squirming in Adams hand. His face splitting grin told the story!

The rest of the afternoon resulted in the three of us going fish for fish up the stream. Adams first fly rod trout actually ended up being his first sixteen trout on the fly! A great result for his initial attempt at flyfishing and also a great advertisement for the fish taking qualities of the little foam bug!

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Fishing News - Page 12

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Jan’s Flies ripple and take a long hard look for any working fish. Have a firm plan on how you will approach the task, move quietly and be assured for best result you need an electric bow mount or transom motor.

Foam Ant Hook: Size 14 light shank Thread: Black Abdomen: Black or brown foam

Jan Spencer

Mid body hackle: Black or brown cock hackle

A

utumn is such a wonderful time of the year.

Cool nights, mostly sunny days and light winds. As I write this I am looking out over Great Lake – there is a slight ripple and some superb slicks gliding about here and there. I will go and look more closely at them after lunch.

Hatches of jassids and ants are on the trout’s menu and both of these small insects end up in the slicks that form with the morning breeze.

The trout often go crazy on them.

There are hundreds of ant species in Australia from small to large, brown and black, but none of these variations seem to matter to the trout. The trout love them all.

The pattern I have shown you here is used chasing these trout in slicks. Fishing it requires some stealth and I recommend you never drive into a slick, but sit off to the side in the slight

Mid body: Seals fur Head: Foam to match ant being represented

Method 1. Take thread along shank and halfway around the bend. Put a drop of varnish at this point.

This will stop the thread slipping.

2. Cut a small slip of foam and form a point on one end. Tie the foam by the point and bring thread forward two thirds of the way back along the shank. Now form an abdomen with foam which is normally nice and fat. Finish this at the thread and tie down.

3. Tie in hackle.

4. With a small amount of seals fur dub on a waist. Don’t take this too far forward. Now make four tight turns of hackle, tie down and cut off excess.

5. Cut a fine strand of foam, and tie it in in front of hackle. Make two turns to form head, tie down and cut away excess.

6. Whip finish, cut thread away and varnish.

7. Turn the fly so you are looking at the underside and cut the hackle off level with the bottom of the body. This will make the fly sit low in the water – and just how the trout like them.

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Fishing News - Page 13

Inland Fisheries News T

he 2010-11 Angling Season is drawing to a close but there’s still some great fishing for anglers between now and the end of the brown trout season on 1 May. Anglers can enjoy some of the best season’s fishing during April In the highlands with late beetle hatches and settled weather, and some of the low land waters like Four Springs Lake turn it on again late in the season. Rainbow waters remain open until 29 May and will offer quality fishing for an extra month, and then there are winter waters, which remain open all year. These are Craigbourne Dam, Great Lake, Lake Barrington, Lake Burbury, Lake Gordon, Lake Pedder, Meadowbank Lake and the lower sections of the Derwent, Huon, Tamar and Leven rivers.

Kids love the fishout pond at Liawenee open weekend. It is run by the Fishcare Volunteers.

Trout Weekend, Liawenee, Great Lake – on 21-22 May Don’t miss this showcase of Tasmania’s wild trout fishery. It’s a must for angling enthusiasts, suitable for the whole family, and it’s all for free.

Come and see hundreds of wild brown trout on their annual spawning run at Liawenee, Great Lake.

Watch the trout being trapped and stripped of eggs for culture by staff of the Inland Fisheries Service.

The hatchling are grown to young fish and used to restock Tasmania’s legendary wild trout fishery – an activity that’s been going on for nearly 150 years. It’s a unique piece of Tasmania’s angling heritage.

While you’re there, you can take a helicopter ride above the Lake or a bus ride along the Canal.

You can visit trade exhibits, with boats and fishing gear, and check out the displays with live freshwater fish aquaria. Kids can catch a trout for free in the kid’s fishout pond. You can talk to trout fishing and fly tying experts, and you’re welcome to ask questions of Service staff about fishery management.

You can enjoy refreshments, entertainment, competitions and give-aways, or you can buy something special, including a Trout Fish Tasmania souvenir beanie or mug.

Make it a day out with the family or a weekend away. Be prepared for highland weather and dress warmly. And don’t forget, Great Lake is open for fishing all year round.

Fishing News - Page 14

IFS Hatchery Prepares for Triploiding Wild Trout Eggs Inland Fisheries Hatchery staff are gearing up for the harvesting of wild brown trout eggs in the Central Highlands. Eggs and milt are collected each year from adult fish trapped in Liawenee Canal on their annual spawning run from Great Lake during May. The fertilised eggs are transported to the IFS Hatchery at New Norfolk where they are incubated and hatched; and the young fish are grown to fry and The hyperbaric triploiding vessel. It will allow the IFS to produce sterile fingerling stages before trout which are fast growing and suit waters with poor spawning creeks. being restocked into fisheries around the State to supplement wild trout wild trout eggs with varying degrees of success. This populations. The same activity has produced was partly due to limitations in the availability of the generations of Tasmania’s wild brown trout vessel and timing of the wild fish runs, as well as since the first live eggs were shipped here in the borrowed equipment. However, in August 2010, 1864. the Service purchased its own specially designed hydrostatic pressure chamber from France to This year, a proportion of the brown trout produce triploid trout. eggs will be developed as ‘triploid’ fish, which are sterile and have no reproductive organs.

This means that they avoid the stress of normal ‘diploid’ fish at spawning time and don’t become egg bound if unable to spawn.

A further advantage is that they tend to grow bigger at a faster rate once mature because they convert more of their food into body mass, expending less energy in reproduction and reproductive organs. This makes triploid fish more desirable for stocking in certain waters, particularly those with no natural spawning creeks and for the development of trophy fisheries. Triploids are the preferred stock for commercial aquaculture and also in ‘put and take’ recreational fisheries around the world.

Although small numbers of triploid fish occur naturally in most populations, much higher numbers of triploid offspring can be produced by treating newly fertilised eggs. This treatment involves a physical shock, such as applying a very high pressure on the eggs just after fertilisation and during cell division. The timing after fertilisation and the actual pressure are critical to the process, and vary depending on the species. The treatment process must be controlled exactly to achieve success; too little pressure or exposure time and nothing will happen, too much and the delicate egg membranes will be destroyed. The treatment of wild fish eggs tends to be more difficult than domestic stock and results in lower triploiding success rates.

The French vessel weighs approximately 440 kg, has a 10 litre hyperbaric chamber and jack set, and includes a hydraulic pump; all mounted on a moving, jointed galvanised stainless steel frame with retractable wheels. It represents the ‘state of the art’ in aquaculture – it’s the first of its kind in Australia – and is a vast improvement on the previous vessel loaned by the Service.

The vessel was trialled last year in the triploiding of wild rainbow trout eggs collected during the spring spawning, and the results were promising. It enabled the Service to treat an increased number of eggs in less time, and resulted in the successful hatching of 223,000 triploid rainbow fish. This number easily tripled the output of triploid rainbows produced in previous years and easily catered for the Service’s requirements for stocking the public fishery. The equipment will be used for the first time on wild brown trout eggs this May and hopefully will produce the same pleasing results as for the wild rainbows.

Sarah Graham

Over the past few years, the Service borrowed a triploiding vessel from Springfield Hatcheries to treat

Above: A female brown being stripped of eggs.

Below: Little trout starting to hatch.

IFS staff collecting browns ready for stripping.

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Fishing News - Page 15 28/03/11 9:46 AM

Game Fishing Daniel Paull

A different approach

A

s everyone is aware, with the current fuel prices and particular pelagic species becoming harder to find each year, we must become smarter in the way we approach our game fishing. St. Helens has been the game fishing capital for many years, but this has changed. Most people will agree that Eagle Hawk Neck is now the most popular fishing destination for large pelagic species such as the Thunnus maccoyii or southern bluefin tuna. St. Helens can still be a productive fishery if people start to use different techniques and tactics. I fish game fishing tournaments with a team of four keen anglers, and I having been doing so since I began attending the events. We have become very effective in the way we go about targeting specific species, including that of the albacore and southern bluefin tuna. Over the years, we have employed various techniques into our game fishing, live baiting and cubing have been our most successful methods.

While trolling is the undisputed method to catch the large fish that inhabit the temperate waters around Eagle Hawk Neck, burleying and cubing is becoming very popular amongst the anglers that fish from St. Helens. The north eastern side of the state has been producing a few very nice specimens of late. Large albacore have been caught in reasonably good numbers. Some solid fish have even exceeded the 21kg mark! At the beginning of the year, there

were even scattered reports of large striped marlin patrolling the warmer sections of the coast. Although some reports were sceptical, these fish do appear in small numbers each year. Easter appeared to be a very successful time to target Thunnus albacares or yellowfin tuna last year. It was nice to be zipping around in Georges Bay during Easter, knowing that there were big yellowfin tuna to be caught out in the deep! Regardless, I still had fun pursuing large black bream and silver trevally on the light gear. Easter is quickly approaching now; I wonder if St. Helens will produce yellowfin of that calibre again?

St. Helens Game Fishing Classic While we fished the St. Helens Game Fishing Classic in early March, we made sure that we had all the necessary equipment to tackle absolutely anything that may swim up our burley trail. Along with the usual trolling lures such as skirts and divers, we also packed soft plastics, top quality leader material and hooks for live baiting. Before we left for a location known as the ‘Plateau’ each morning, we stopped and collected numerous yellowtail scad for live bait. As some people will know already, these small yellowtail scad would help us take out the

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Fishing News - Page 16

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the Shimano Tiagra 50WLRS would have to be the best reel for the job. Loaded with top quality 24kg monofilament line and a pre set drag of approximately 8kg, a Tiagra 50W will never let you down, even if you do manage to hook something colossal!

Match the Tiagra 50W with either a custom built sabre or T-Curve Tiagra Game rod and you will be set to tackle something large! Just keep in mind that you will need to bring out the heavy gear while fishing at Eagle Hawk Neck. Down there on the Tasman Peninsula, you would be silly not to run at least two 37kg outfits, just in case you to hook one of those monster southern bluefin tuna!

competition. The live bait weren’t all that hard to catch, we used a really simple method. I believe the best way to catch these live bait is to use a sabiki rig. These light bait catching rigs can be purchased from every tackle store in the state and are well worth having in your arsenal.

After leaving the bait grounds, located just around the corner from the St. Helens Point boat ramp, we would then steam out to the Plateau.

We were considerably lucky with the weather; both days produced excellent conditions for both live baiting and cubing. Before we stopped the boat, we would deploy our home made burley cage. We slowly moved along the outside of the Plateau with a cage full of burley in tow. For really calm days, this method allows you to get a reasonably long burley trail happening without the need of oceanic currents or wind. As all shark enthusiasts know, you really need to be drifting to produce an effective trail so this tactic works wonders on still days. After ‘trolling’ the cage for approximately half an hour, we would then turn the engine off and begin to deploy the live baits.

On the first day of the competition, we started to pick small albacore up on soft plastics as soon as we stopped. It wasn’t until I hooked a nice albacore when we encountered our first ‘winning’ fish. As I battled a solid 8kg model to the boat, dad hooked up to his first big fish for the day. This specimen took the live bait we had prepared earlier in the day and took a little stopping on 6kg tackle! After we landed that fish, Jamie Harris quickly deployed the same 6kg outfit and almost instantly hooked up to something even larger. This fish, obviously another solid albacore, would take well over an hour to land!

During the fight, we even had a small mako shark swim curiously up to the boat. The shark was pretty aggressive and took to both the outboard and the burley cage on numerous occasions. We didn’t really know what to do with the shark. We literally had 1000 tag and release points swimming around the boat!

After considering what could happen if we actually hooked the shark, we decided to leave him alone as he menaced the birds floating around in the burley trail. As the fight progressed, the shark finally left us alone to continue the battle. As usual, I managed to get some fantastic underwater footage of him before he left. It wasn’t as grand as my last experience with a white shark but I was happy enough with the footage I captured! After an hour of fighting, the big albacore started to approach the boat with its usual circling behaviour. With the current weather conditions, it was great to watch the colossal albacore approach the surface. Throughout the fight, we could even see small albacore and striped tuna swimming under the boat in small schools! When we landed the fish, we couldn’t believe our luck. We knew that other competitors that were trolling would have a slim chance hooking into large fish like the one we now had laying on the deck.

The second day produced a few smaller albacore and a humble old blue shark. Some competitors were even lucky enough to catch a few very nice albacore of around the same size as the two

specimens that we had caught previously. At the end of the competition, we had claimed heaviest fish for the first day and heaviest fish overall with Jamie’s 21kg albacore. Paul Hicks, the skipper aboard ‘Wild One’ took out tag and release with a juvenile southern bluefin tuna he tagged on the second day.

This tactical decision was a wise choice and I’m sure Paul was rapt with the outcome! Along with a few other large albacore, there was one lucky crew that spotted a large striped marlin. Josh Hammersly, aboard his vessel titled ‘Hammerhead II’ spotted the marlin cruising around his burley trail on the first day of the event.

Tackle and Techniques Pelagic species, including sharks, can be successfully caught on most conventional game fishing gear. Ideally, an overhead reel with a smooth and reliable lever drag system is the way to go.

Shimano make an excellent range of overhead game reels to suit all elements of game fishing.

Small overhead reels such as the Shimano TLD 30A 2 Speed and Tiagra 30WLRS are perfect for both trolling and live baiting.

Obviously, while fishing Eagle Hawk Neck where the chance of running into something large is high, you would probably use much heavier gear. I always like to take something out with me that will handle just about everything.

If you end up targeting something big, like our southern bluefin tuna,

The most important element to consider while live baiting is presentation. Presentation is the key to success in nearly every aspect of recreational fishing. If you set out to specifically fish with live bait, you can choose from a multitude of lightweight game fishing combinations. The Shimano TLD 15 is the perfect all round live baiting reel. If you load one of these with 6kg or 8kg monofilament, you will be set to start live baiting. These reels maybe small and cheap in the scheme of things but they have to be one of the best overhead reels on the market, especially for lightweight trolling, live baiting and bottom fishing.

Match this reel with a Shimano Backbone Elite 10 Roller Tip or Triton Sportsfishing Series 6-8kg rod and you will be good to go. Custom built rods are another option; we have a range of custom sticks ranging from 6kg, to 37kg. It all depends on the amount of money you are willing to pay for an outfit.

The rig we use for live baiting is considerably simple. We run a small plaited double to a good quality snap swivel, try to keep the double as short as possible if you are fishing in tournaments as we have had trouble in the past with this! Because the possibility of running into a good fish is great,

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Fishing News - Page 17

we use pretty some pretty heavy leader material.

Anything between 80lb and 100lb Black Magic, Penn or Jinkai monofilament leader is usually the way to go. The traces don’t have to be all that long, just consider the size of the fish you will be targeting!

There are plenty of hooks on the market these days.

Gamakatsu, Mustad and Black Magic all make superb, chemically sharpened hooks. Anything from an 8/0 to a 10/0 circle or J-hook will catch just about any tuna that swims into your burley trail. Circle hooks work best as they role perfectly into the live baits back. That’s probably were a few people go wrong with live baiting, you only really need to pin them lightly, don’t go jamming a hook through their eye socket, they need to look lively after all!

Along with the large yellowfin, bluefin and albacore that can be caught of St. Helens, there are also the small striped tuna. As much as they are a nuisance, they can provide excellent fun on light tackle. When I say light, I mean the sort of stuff you would usually throw at salmon. I always pack an ultra light outfit when we head out for a burley, even in the Strait. We have caught some very nice fish on soft plastics, including a few very solid albacore.

The Squidgy Pro Flick Bait range of soft plastics provides an excellent array of bait fish imitations suitable for our both albacore and striped tuna.

We were basically using to patterns with our Flick Bait plastics, the 145mm Slimey and the 145mm Yakka. These two products are a must have in any game fishing enthusiasts tackle bag! Along with a top quality spinning outfit, you can basically catch albacore and striped tuna all day if you choose to do so! When choosing a suitable spinning outfit, remember not to go too light, or you will end up getting spooled! A 4000 size reel loaded with 10lb braid should do the job just nicely.

While live baiting, or burleying in general for that matter, you must be patient and commit the day to the style of fishing. Striped tuna make the best cubes, they are both easy to slice into bite sized pieces and they are oily enough to attract any ravenous tuna within your vicinity. Your cube trail must be steady, don’t go chucking in hundreds at a time! Just throw two over at a time and wait for them to disappear out of view before lobbing another two in. When hooking your live bait, place the circle hook a few centimetres behind the head. Gently roll

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the hook in so it just pierces the skin of the fish, this is a much more gentle approach and it almost ensures the survival of the fish while it is swimming around under the boat. After that, you can gently drop the live bait over the side. Keep your thumb on the spool while you let the fish swim down into the depths. Once your live bait has reached a suitable depth, push the drag lever up a little and wait for a hit.

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Fishing News - Page 19

The Mighty Craig Vertigan

Derwent River

I

t’s easy to forget what a great sports fishery we have on our doorsteps living here in Hobart. When I have a full day or a weekend to spare for a fishing trip nine times out of ten it will be somewhere other than my local system. This leaves me doing shorter trips from an hour to a half day on the Derwent.

Some of those trips can be just awesome and it leaves me wondering how good it could get if I concentrated my efforts for a whole day or two.

With autumn upon us and winter fast approaching short trips are often the go in chilly conditions. The River Derwent has a multitude of options for a short trip out in the kayak or a shore bash. The numerous bays on both sides of the river mean there’s usually somewhere sheltered to paddle a kayak. There’s also a good variety of fish to chase. From resident and sea run trout as well as the odd Atlantic salmon in the upper part of the estuary, to bream, flathead and salmon further down. Mixed in with these standard species there’s also snotty trevally, silver trevally, wrasse, cod, couta, squid, whiting, mullet, mackerel and even species such as dory and blue grenadier can be caught in the Derwent estuary.

For the purposes of this article I’ll divide the estuary up into three parts: the upper estuary from Bridgewater to New Norfolk; the mid estuary from Bridgewater down to the Tasman Bridge; and the lower estuary from the Tasman Bridge down to the South Arm.

The upper fresh water reaches The area from the rapids above New Norfolk down to Granton is a popular spot for targeting trout, especially when the sea runners are about. You’ll need an inland licence to take trout from above the seaward limit, which is from ‘the parallel of latitude of the eastern extremity of Dogshear Point’. For the bream angler you can fish for bream and other marine species all year round in the marine zone: ‘downstream from a line across the river at the plaque on the Lyell Highway approximately 8km above Granton’ to the seaward limit at Dogshear Point. If you don’t have a trout licence or the trout season is closed then all trout caught must be returned.

For the kayaker there are a number of places you can launch from including: the big boat ramp just down river of New Norfolk; the small gravel boat ramp between Granton and New Norfolk, and a spot on the opposite side of the river with a dirt road that crosses over the train track and comes to the edge of the river. This is also a good spot for a quick flick from the shore. Another option is to launch from the boat ramp next to the Bridgewater Bridge and head up river. If there is any chance of early morning wind I like to launch up near New Norfolk since the morning winds tend to funnel down the bend at Granton and around into the bridge, making the paddle upriver tough going as well as freezing on a frosty morning.

There are essentially two main techniques I use to catch the trout in this area: either by trolling hard Fishing News - Page 20

body lures or casting lures into the edges. A kayak or small boat is the ideal way to fish the area. You can get up close to feeding fish without putting them down by using a stealth approach on the electric motor on a small tinny. An even stealthier approach can be made by slowly paddling a kayak to the feeding trout. Here a Hobie peddle kayak is in its element as you can peddle against the current to stay in the same spot and repeatedly cast at the fish. When you aren’t seeing slashing trout, look for a bunch of golf ball sized bubbles hard up against the bank. That’s an indication that a trout slashed the water there a minute or so before you arrived. It could be still there ready for another ambush.

If you’re not seeing signs of feeding trout then trolling a bibbed hard body such as a Rapala F5 or F7 in rainbow or brown trout is a good option. Also the old faithful Tassie Devil lures are a great trolling lure. I find that paddling or peddling a kayak at a gentle cruise is the perfect speed for trolling. You’ll want a forward mounted rod holder with the rod angled out to the side so that you can see the rod tip moving as the lure works. If it stops vibrating then you’ll know the lure has picked up some weed. In a Hobie kayak you can forgo the rod holder and just hold the rod while you peddle. This makes it easy to quickly strike and start fighting the fish as soon as you hook up. Most action comes very close to the edges, where the trout are hiding amongst the reeds and trees ready to ambush the whitebait. I’ve found the best

zone for my kayak trolling is about two metres out from the edge. If you have a fish finder then you can use this to find and fish the drop offs of channels, which are another favourite ambush spot for the trout.

If you do see feeding trout, chances are that you are seeing fleeing baitfish and slashing trout hard up against the edges. Sometimes in lure losing territory right in underneath overhanging trees. This is a recipe for some fun and exciting fishing. Make sure you are confident with your casting and remember to feather the line on your casts with your index finger so that you can stop it short if need be. The feathering also helps to slow the lure down before it hits the water, which makes for a softer landing lure and less spooked fish. My lures of choice are Berkley Power Minnows in natural whitebait colours

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fished on light jig heads such as 1/24th ounce. On a second rod I’ll use a hard body such as a Stiffy minnow in brown snake colour or an Atomic Hardz Shad or Strike Pro BassX. The fishing method is to line up the kayak for a short accurate cast and a hasty retreat if I hook up. With the soft plastics I try to do my best impersonation of a dying minnow. I cast the plastic into the zone and let it sink down like a stunned fish for a few seconds. Then twitch it up with small lifts of the rod as if it’s coming back to life again.

With the hard bodies I’ll do a few cranks to get the lure in the zone and then simply twitch it 10cm at a time. A suspending lure works well on this retrieve. Or you can add some tungsten putty to turn your favourite floater into a suspender.

The mid section From Bridgewater down to the Tasman Bridge is the domain of the mighty black bream that the Derwent is famous for. You’ll also get trout, atlantics, flathead and Aussie salmon as by catch.

You can launch a kayak from any of the many boat ramps as well as from just about any park that allows water access. Some spots that are worth trying on the western shore are: Austins Ferry;

Dogshear Point; all the shallow mud flat bays from Claremont down to the DEC, including the deep rocky drop off in front of Morilla; Prince of Wales Bay; New Town Bay; Cornelian Bay. On the eastern shore there is: Kangaroo Bay; Montague Bay and the rocky shore all the way from here up to Geilston Bay; along Bedlam Walls you’ll often find bream feeding from one metre out to the drop off; the rocky shore at Store Point is great for bream and sea run trout; as is the rest of the shore all the way up past Old Beach.

For the bream fishing, the shallow bays offer great flats style fishing with shallow running hard bodies. To fish these areas the perfect time is a high tide during the morning or during an overcast day. Some of my best sessions have been during light drizzle on a big morning high tide. In these areas I sometimes use my Hobie Mirage drive fins to anchor me by holding the fins down when in 20cm or so of water. Other good methods are to slowly peddle against the wind or do a sideways drift with the wind. It seems surprising at first but the bream actually will feed all the way up to the edge in the shallows, often a fin or a swirl giving away their presence.

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Fishing News - Page 21

It can also be hard to pick the difference between a bream and a trout when you spot a fish smashing the whitebait. The bonus here is that the same techniques work on both fish.

Don’t cast onto their heads – believe me they don’t like that! Instead try to guess which way they

are swimming and cast your lure a couple of metres in that direction. When they are hard up on the shore try casting parallel to the shore a metre or two out, running the lure back past them. Also if you see feeding fish beyond casting distance, don’t go tearing off after them. That’s a recipe for spooking all the fish in between you and the others.

Instead I try to methodically work the whole area, knowing that those feeding fish will most likely still be there after I’ve put in another few casts in between. Using this approach you can pick up extra fish that you may have gone straight past before.

A good technique with the hard body lures on the flats is to make sure your lure is bouncing its bib into the rocks and mud every now and then. You may need to swap lure a few times until you work out which ones work best for certain depths. But once you’ve got that feeling of the lure bouncing its way along the bottom you know you’ve got a winning retrieve. Make sure you also put in some pauses of a few seconds every now and then too.

When fishing the deeper rocky shores to a couple of metres depth a deep diving hard body or a slow worked soft plastic will do the trick. You want to get your lure to follow the contour of the bottom as closely as possible and stay in the strike zone for as long as possible. Stick bait style plastics work well in these spots with a dying minnow retrieve of small twitches of the rod and then taking up the slack with the reel while the plastic sinks back down. The bream usually hook themselves on the pause with this retrieve.

The pylons and man made structure in the mid reaches provide a veritable smorgasbord of options to target bream. My favourite method here is a slowly twitched soft plastic deep into the snags. A good weapon is a six foot 2-5kg rod and a locked up drag under some of the wharves and jetties.

In the kayak you can actually get right under the jetties. In these situations hooking up to a decent bream requires some heavy handed rod work to get them out before they wrap the line and cut you off.

Soft plastics are excellent for fishing the man made structures. I find that the gulp fry in pumpkinseed work very well with a twitch, twitch, pause, retrieve.

The Squidgy wrigglers are excellent for free dropping down parallel to the pylons. The beautiful inbuilt tail action gets the bream munching them on the drop. Don’t just put in a couple of casts on these pylons. Sometimes you can pepper the structure with a heap of casts before a fish takes the lure.

The bottom end The lower reaches south of the Tasman Bridge are where you can catch just about anything. There are still bream around Bellerive and on the opposite side around Battery Point and Sandy Bay near the Casino.

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Fishing News - Page 22

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It pays to always be on the lookout for birds diving, since they’ll give away the position of schools of Aussie salmon. Also keep your ears open. I’ve been fishing for bream facing the shore before, only to then hear big sploshes behind me and find schools of salmon feeding on balled up baitfish. Or you can simply troll in the 1.5-3m depth areas for salmon. Once you find a school of salmon a kayak is a great way to keep catching them without putting them down. I’ve fished numerous times over schools of salmon and they keep feeding all the way to the kayak. You can manage the same stealth from a

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Clearance Old Stock Reduced to Clear Limited Stock and Colours boat equipped with an electric motor. But what does put the school down is when a motor boat comes along and trolls right through the middle of the school. To stop myself from drifting across the salmon on a windy day I either fish down wind of the school or use a sea anchor to slowly drift to one side of them.

Always take some squid jigs with you if you enjoy a feed of squid. Sometimes you start getting takes on a lure that have plenty weight and pulling power but just don’t stay connected.

This is often an indication the squid are attacking your lure and it’s time to tie on a squid jig. After you’ve felt a few squid pulling your soft plastic you get to know the feeling straight away.

For a challenge you can target some of the monster blue throat wrasse around the rocks and weed beds in places such as Kinston Beach. These fish fight mean and dirty and love snapping you off around rocks!

So put on some plastics and have a ball. They’ll keep eating them long after other wrasse have already bitten the tails off.

The mid and lower sections contain some monster flathead too. They may not be recommended for eating from the Derwent, but there are some big flathead in there.

At certain times of the year we’re also lucky enough to get schools of silver trevally and snotty trevally. Last year we even had striped tuna visit the river in April. One of those from the yak on the light spin gear would be a hoot. I think it’s just a matter of time until anglers start getting consistent catches of snapper and kingfish too.

We can only hope.

Wrap up Keep in mind that studies have shown that some resident fin fish and all shellfish in

the Derwent contain unhealthy levels of heavy metal toxins. The Derwent was rated one of the worst polluted rivers in Australia back in the 1970s. Since then government and industry have cleaned things up and stopped the extensive pollution. But since the pollution is heavy metals in the river sediment it will take many years for the levels to become healthy again. http://www.derwentestuary.org. au has some information on the levels of mercury found in different species. Bream come out as the worst affected and should not be eaten at all. You should limit eating other species such as trout and flathead to no more than one meal a week.

Personally I treat the Derwent as a sports fishing destination, employing catch and release on 99% of the fish that I catch.

There are plenty of other pristine waters in Tassie to go and get a feed of fish.

The weather can be very changeable, especially the bottom end of the estuary. On a warm day you may have calm conditions for the first half of the day but you can expect that a stiff sea breeze will come in the late afternoon. Keep an eye out down towards the mouth and if you see white caps forming down there then you’ll have a short wait until it is upon you and things get rough. For this reason I find the mornings are the best time for kayaking on the Derwent. For an afternoon session the sheltered bays and the upper reaches are a safe option.

The estuary provides a diverse range of structures to fish upon for a diverse range of fish. You’ll need a wide repertoire of techniques if you are to be versatile enough to catch fish in the many moods of the Derwent. So don’t forget about the sports fishing prowess of the Derwent. Especially those heavy metal bream – they go hard! For many of us the Derwent is right on our doorstep, only a short drive way, no excuses.

Craig Vertigan

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Fishing News - Page 24

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Smoking Jamie Henderson

An art worth learning

I

n my younger days I guess I never really understood the true significance of smoke flavoured food and smoked products. I ate Bacon and Ham readily without a single thought of how that magical taste was produced, as I grew older smoked onion soup, smoked Trout and Salmon and various other smoked goods found their place upon my plate. All the while I was enjoying the flavours and taste of the products but not really thinking too hard about how it was made.

that’s is good is never an easy task and requires complete control of many aspects.

The art of successfully smoking food has always been shrouded with much mystique and secrecy; many home recipes have been handed down through generations of families and closely guarded by those who practice it regularly, commercial producers guard their proprietary recipes with the law……serious business this smoking sometimes.

Smoking is one of the oldest methods of preserving a lot of fish, meat and game. Long before there was any technology such as refrigerators and freezers, people learned to use a combination of salt and smoke to keep fish and meat from forming harmful bacteria and spoiling. This was not endemic to any particular region, race or country and people from cultures all over the world have relied on the smoke-curing of fish and meat products for longterm storage.

How many of you have even been slipped a piece of fish or meat from the old guy down the road every now and then that tastes just magnificent and wondered how he manages to make it taste so great, or a mates mate who turns up at a back yard BBQ with some smoked foods that end up being the main conversation topic as many a alcoholic beverage is consumed.

For many years now I have practiced, experimented, failed dismally and sometimes produced some fantastic smoked foods and found the hardest aspect of the whole process is consistency…….constantly producing a product

Hopefully in the article that follows I can dispel some myths, offer some facts and science and guide you to being able to produce some great smoked foods and impress your families and mates with some tasty morsels.

The History of Smoking

In more modern times smoking is no longer considered a necessary process for retardation of food spoilage however it remains popular for the complex and tantalising flavours it gives to many different foods.

During the mid 1800s the industrial revolution influenced much of the food world and in particular the sea-fishing industry. Transportation of fresh fish produce was a hugely difficult task but with the advent of rapid transportation for foodstuffs a long

shelf-life was no longer so essential. As this became more widespread so did the availability of fresh fish, the popularity of heavily salted, heavily smoked products of the past then began to decline.

This is where the smoked fish products we now regard as traditional came into being; these are mildly smoked and dried and contain minimum salt content compared to the heavily salted fish of before.

During the mid to late 1900s the market for smoked fish underwent a major change yet the actual technology of smoking fish remained much the same as it had been for centuries. What we do see more of now is commercial cures that colour and flavour the products to please a huge consumer market and less of the traditional smoked produce based on these age old processes.

Ideally, smoked fish should get its flavour and mahogany colour from the smoke, but many cheaper smoked fish have smoke flavour added, and some varieties, like some hot-smoked and garishly coloured ‘kippered’ salmon, use artificial food colour as well. In fact, some of the brightly coloured cured fish sold in supermarkets are not smoked at all, simply flavoured with a cure that includes smoke flavouring.

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Fishing News - Page 25

There are two main reasons to smoke food, one is for preservation and the other is for texture and flavour, with food preservation not nearly as important as it once was the western world smoking today is used mainly to impart a pleasant mild smoky flavour.

What we can Smoke What can’t you Smoke...!! This is basically up to your imagination and personal tastes, Fish, Meat (Beef, Pork, Chicken, Turkey), Game (Venison, Wallaby, Duck), Vegetables, Cheese, Eggs even Salt…..if you can eat it fair bet you can probably smoke it, not sure how smoked Apple would go though…??

I am sure at one stage or another just about every type of food has probably been experimented with to see if it can be smoked.

As the old saying goes though….

‘You can’t make a silk purse from a sow’s ear’ But you can probably eat the sows ear when it’s smoked, but that’s another story.

You can’t make a first class smoked product from second rate food, if your smoking the fish you catch treat it well right from the start, straight on ice and remove all gills and gut contents, same with your meat if you hunt yourself, slaughter quickly, look after it well and treat it with respect and the final product will be well worth the extra effort. If your buying products use reputable butchers and fish processors, go for the best quality produce and when it comes to poultry always buy organically raised birds…..trust me it makes all the difference.

Some people are often under the impression that smoking can cover up mouldy or stale fish and meat off-flavours, this is completely untrue and

any unpleasant odours or flavours will be readily apparent very quickly.

Types of Smokers and Woodchips Smokers come in all shapes and sizes and all types of styles, you can purchase them from many tackle stores and camping shops and you can even make one at home from many thing, most of you would be very familiar with the small box shaped galvanised or Stainless Steel smokers, what I term the “lunch box” smokers of which I am sure a lot of people have done much of their smoking in. These come in a range of shapes, sizes and brands, are simple to use requiring only a bottle of methylated spirits for the burner or burners and a bag of sawdust. They do however only provide a hot smoke product and are not recommended for any foods other than fish as there is little if any control over the temperature or smoke quality, any attempt at cold smoking will require a much more sophisticated set up.

Smokers can be as simple or as complicated as you want them to be, a simple smoker is a hooded BBQ or small ‘Webber’ style BBQ and use some smoking woodchips while you are cooking. This is usually done by placing flavoured chips in a small vented box, placing it on the heat source and closing your lid, essentially smoking your food lightly as it cooks. Bradley Smokers create a perfect product for making this process even easier, the Bradley Smoker Bisquettes that are produced and designed for use with the Bradley Electric Smokers can also be used in any other style of hot smoker and also directly on the BBQ hotplate, no need for the vented box or any type of holder. Just get your BBQ plate or grill nice and hot, place a bisquettes directly on the plate, wait until there is plenty of smoke then cook your food with the hood down…..very easy and will work with any food you can cook on your BBQ. There are quite a few Electric and Gas smokers on the market today that become more and more expensive as you go but will generally offer great control over temperature and smoke, this will

allow you to smoke a wide range of foods very easily. Brands such as Masterbuilt make a digitally controlled Electric smoker that will hot smoke and has an internal box to place the smoking chips, as does Hark which is an almost identical design.

Hark also do a Gas smoker that is reasonably inexpensive but once again you can only hot smoke with these set ups. All of these smokers allow you to use your own sawdust or woodchips or any commercially produced wood chip product but this does have its draw backs. If not tended to constantly by the user to regularly change the smoking chips or sawdust when burnt they run the risk of burning the wood down to an ash and creating too much internal heat in the wood.

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Fishing News - Page 26

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Fishing News - Page 27

When smoking chips and sawdust burns, the smoke flavour is produced in the initial minutes of the burn; if burnt for too long they will impart a distinct after-taste to smoked food. The flavour would also be affected by fluctuating high temperatures, gases and resins and uneven burnt sawdust will produce fluctuating temperatures very easily.

The Bradley Smokers have what is in my opinion one of the best systems for smoking foods and is the only model on the market that allows you to both hot smoke (above 30 degrees C) and more importantly cold smoke (below 30 degrees C). They offer complete digital control of smoke time, cook

time and cook temperatures and use an ingenious system of Bradley Smoker Bisquettes on an automated heating pad that smokes each bisquette for 20 minutes before pushing it off the heating pad into a dish of water to extinguish it and slides a new one into its place. What this does is produce high quality, constant smoke for up to 8 hours continuously with no input from the user…..just set and forget.

A simple home made Hot-Smoker can be an old fridge, a barrel, one of the old clothes drying cabinets your grandmother had or any other similar object can work reasonably well; just make sure what you are using is clean.

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The basic design will involve some sort of container or pit for the fire, connected via a covered channel or straight up through a hole in the base and into the main smoking chamber. Here you should have a plate or box for the smoking sawdust or chips, a baffle plate to disperse the smoke evenly, some racks or hooks to secure the Fish or Meat, a door for access and some type of vent to create the ‘natural draft’ that is needed with hot smoking.

There are many designs and a quick look through some smoking books or on the internet will have you drawing up some plans very quickly.

Just as the old saying goes… ‘Oils ain’t Oils’

‘Woodchips ain’t Woodchips’ What type of smoking wood you use can at times be the topic of hot debate.

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Never use chip-board, particle board, pressed board, or any other kind of processed or treated wood or any wood that is held together with glues or other chemicals. The glue and chemicals will leach out of the pressed wood and taint the meat, this can cause you to be poisoned and make you very sick.

Basically it is just like the food products you wish to smoke; poor quality wood will produce poor quality smoke. Many people will suggest just grabbing any old sawdust or shavings from the Sawmill or after someone has cut a tree or log with a chainsaw but this is not advisable. Sawmills generally don’t just mill one type of wood at a time and very few would care enough to separate woodchips for you so whatever pile you are picking from may well have quite a mixture of woods and may contain some that are not suited to smoking at all.

Good clean and dry sawdust of a fairly uniform size is what you are looking for. If you can find it kiln dried woodchips or sawdust are about as good as it gets but not something you will come across every day. Most tackle stores will sell bags of commercially produced sawdust and smoking chips, look for the bags that contain the most uniform cut chips and not too much dust as this will burn too easily.

As the wood chips or coarse sawdust burn right from the ignition point to complete ash they will generate heat, the finer the sawdust the faster this will happen. There is a point where wood becomes self-consuming or will burn without any heat source; it’s at this point that it’s producing far too much heat.

This is when there is very little smoke produced and the temperature within the smoker is out of control.

A far superior tasting food will be produced if you can manage to keep the temperature and smoke at a constant and controlled level. It is often suggested to soak the wood in water to aid in smoke production and lower the ignition point however all this does is produce more moisture in the smoker. The food being smoked and the smoker environment needs to be as dry as possible in order to promote smoke absorption, if the food product is wet or moist in any way it will have less smoke flavour.

How We Smoke There are two main processes to producing quality smoked foods, the Brining and Drying portion and the Smoking itself; these two processes need to be considered both equally important in their own right as controlling one does not necessarily mean controlling the other.

As already pointed out Smoking methods can vary, but are based on a few common principles.

Firstly the fish is treated with salt, either in immersing in some form of strong liquid brine or by a surface coating of dry salt commonly referred to as a dry brine. This is essentially the curing stage which can last anywhere from a few minutes to many hours depending on the size and density of the fish or meat and strength of the brine. During this curing or brining process a two-way exchange takes place, with much of the moisture drawn out of the fish and some salt soaking in. This combination of reduced moisture and salt addition inhibits the growth of spoilage bacteria; this is the basic principle of all cured meats. But the addition of salt in this curing and brining stage also helps develop what is just as important as microbial retardation, and that is flavour.

As discussed earlier the smoke should be produced from a smouldering, coarse saw-dust or woodchip fire. Wood smoke is composed of millions of microscopic particles which rise like a fog, and by vapours. The fog is mostly water, carbon and trace solids and the vapour contains what we need, volatile oils. As the oils are released from the wood impart and furnish the characteristic Smokey flavours and preservative qualities that we are aiming for.

At this stage I bring part one of this article to a close, in the next edition of Tas Fishing and Boating news I will discuss in great detail the Brining/ Curing, Drying and Smoking stages including the differences in and processes needed to both Hot and Cold Smoke. I will also supply a few basic brine and smoke recipes for both Meat and Fish to help you start your journey into the addictive world of Smoking Food.

Jamie Henderson - St Helens Bait and Tackle

Only use hardwood from deciduous trees for smoking and avoid soft woods from evergreen trees as they are loaded with pitch and resin that will create a very unpleasant flavour.

Fishing News - Page 28

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Scallops

RECREATIONAL SEA FISHERIES NEWS

The scallop season for State waters is open from the Saturday before Easter (16th April) until the end of July. The D’Entrecasteaux Channel season is closed for 2011 to protect scallop stocks and reduce the likelihood of long term closures.

What’s Happening with Rock Lobster?

Georges Bay Beach Seine Closure

The rock lobster fishery review is in the final public consultation phase. An Information Paper on the Draft Rock Lobster Fishery Management Plan and draft legislation will be released by early to mid April for public comment.

After considering the feedback on the preliminary proposals during the second consultation period, many proposed management measures target the eastern half of the state where the recreational fishing effort is most significant and the stock issues are more serious

Commercial Catch Reduced In January, the Minister for Primary Industries and Water, Bryan Green announced a reduction in next season’s total catch for the commercial rock lobster fishery.

From 1st March 2011, Georges Bay has been closed to recreational beach seining. This closure has been put in place to reflect the original intent of changes made to the Scalefish Fishery Management Plan in 1998 when Georges Bay was declared a no-netting area. Unfortunately, the relevant rule was unintentionally altered during the drafting of the Fisheries (Scalefish) Rules 2004, resulting in this anomaly.

No nets (including beach seines and gillnets) are allowed in the area of Georges Bay. This is defined in the Fisheries (Scalefish) Rules 2004 as including all waters west of a line between Grants Point and St Helens Point, as shown in the map below. Bait nets can still be used in this area. The 2011/12 Recreational Sea Fishing Guide will be updated to reflect this change.

He said the total allowable catch for the commercial sector would be 1103 tonnes next season, 220 tonnes less than the current season while the catch for recreational fishers would remain at 170 tonnes.

The Tasmanian Marine Police will be enforcing the closure. Their efforts will be focused on education and information during the initial stages of this closure.

Abalone Disease Update At the time of printing, the Department is investigating whether to extend the closure of the recreational fishery for abalone around Bicheno.

The closure was put in place as a precautionary

“To ensure the industry remains viable in the future, decisions need to be made now because of declining fish stocks,” Mr Green said.

Harvesting levels have shown decreasing numbers over several seasons.

Open and Closed Seasons Remember to pick up a Recreational Sea Fishing Guide which has a pull-out fishing planner with all the fishing seasons on it so you can plan fishing holidays and weekends.

Banded Morwong The banded morwong season is currently closed and will re-open on 1st May. Banded morwong is the only scalefish that has a closed season, which is designed to provide protection for this territorial rocky reef species at the peak spawning period.

Rock Lobster A reminder that the season for female rock lobster finishes at the end of April in time for the breeding season. Although male rock lobster can still be taken until 31 August, all female rock lobster should be carefully returned to the water in the area they were caught.

Female rock lobster can be distinguished from males by the large pleopods (red flap-like structure) under their tails, which are used to hold the eggs, and the small nipper claw on their rear legs. Male rock lobsters have much smaller pleopods and no nipper claw on their rear legs.

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Fishing News - Page 29

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measure following the detection of abalone viral ganglioneuritis in this region.

The Department is currently seeking the views of the Recreational Fishing Advisory Committee and the commercial abalone industry in regard to extending the closure until such time as testing shows no presence of disease.

The waters between the southern point of diamond Island and Cape Lodi (see map) are closed to the recreational take of abalone. Fishers are strongly encouraged not to dive, fish or boat in the Bicheno area. If you do, be biosecure by cleaning and drying your boat and disinfecting any fishing, diving or other gear before leaving the water.

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If you see sick abalone outside the closed area, collect a sample in a sealed bag and record the location (GPS or best description). Contact DPIPWE’s emergency disease hotline on 1800 675 888.

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Well not anymore the SNOWBEE SFT glove is a huge leap in fishing gloves. Made of only 1 mm neoprene they form fit like a second skin to your hand especially because the seams are welded with tape and not stitched.

They feel comfortable and I can quite happily tie knots as they provide exceptional feel which is a benefit of them being so thin. They are 100% waterproof so your hands remain dry and they come in various sizes. The price isnt hard on the pocket and should be an easy choice for those looking to keep there hands warm.

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Fishing News - Page 30

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Fishing News - Page 31

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28/09/10 3:19 PM

One man’s Season

Todd Lambert

Todd Lambert offers this reflection on five of Tasmania’s more popular fisheries and how he as an ‘everyday angler’ felt they performed.

Below is his season 2010/11 review.

Another succesful day on Four Springs for Tod Lambert.

E

Tooms Lake

On the 7th of August 2010 (opening day) lakes such as Arthurs and Leake already had plenty of water in them but the general conscientious from most of the anglers I spoke to was that the damage had been done and this year was going to be ‘ordinary ‘ at best.

Due to an intensive stocking program and good rainfall increasing its levels towards the end of the 2009/10 season, hopes were high that Tooms was back in a big way, myself and some friends that I fish with thought the same as during the closing weeks of that year we had caught some well conditioned rainbows and browns that were obviously gorging themselves on the huge population of Galaxiad that had developed during Toom’s recent ‘lean times ‘.

ven though most of our Lakes and rivers are about to close, there are still a few trout waters remaining open for those keen enough to venture out in a cold Tasmanian winter, but for the majority of us it’s time to sit back, turn our interests to other things and reflect back on the season past.

Only months earlier the Cowpaddock at Arthurs Lake, was little more than a barren wasteland that one was able to walk over without even getting their feet damp (let alone find any fish), and when the rains finally did refill Arthurs, the water was turbid, it’s colour uninviting and many fish caught from its shores were what one could only describe as being in very poor condition.

Fish condition was obviously not going to be a problem here.

Armed with that knowledge, some of our group, alongside many others, set up camp a couple of day’s beforehand and waited until the opening morning to test our theory.

Many anglers were already making plans to fish waters elsewhere and Toom’s Lake was the ‘big white hope ‘.

As daylight broke on opening day, all the anglers that were there would remember the lake enshrined in a heavy fog and those with boats were forced to wait until it lifted before heading out safely to see what was on offer.

I will come back to Arthurs later in this article, but as one of many that ventured to Tooms Lake for the ‘opening season weekend ‘ this is perhaps where I should start.

I remember distinctly sitting around the campfire with my friends waiting for this to happen as an elderly angler pulled up beside us in his car and began to set up his grub hooks and rods.

Tooms Lake on opening weekend saw my good friend John Dekkers catch a couple of good fish.

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Fishing News - Page 33

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Fishing News - Page 34 01_10 FishWorld HB-Oct.indd 1

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28/09/10 3:03 PM

It was caught on one of his famous Yep Lures.

When cleaned, all fish were full of Galaxias, caddis and scud...and I mean full, so obviously there are still some very fertile weed beds left in this lake.

Opening day at Tooms was fun for all.

We watched amazed as he proceeded to pull in three plump rainbows before the fog had even allowed us to leave the shoreline and when we returned to camp for breakfast at 8.30 am, he had left, I assume with his bag.

first class.

Based on all that, in our opinion.... Tooms Lake is back and will be even better next season.

It was at this time that the first of the season’s fish were proudly displayed along with the first tales of the big ones that got away; unfortunately it was me running that line.

Johnny Dekkers had landed two nice browns on the fly, Virginia Mckenna had a brown pushing 3 pounds and Dale Howard had a small rainbow caught on soft plastics and as expected their condition was fantastic.

Our small group headed home on the Sunday with 26 fish between us, the biggest landed for the weekend was a monster brown weighing nearly six pounds, caught by Dale Howard on that Saturday evening at dusk.

For reasons unknown, perhaps it was lack of opportunity, perhaps it was easier to fish waters closer to home, but I personally never returned to Tooms this year, a couple of our group did with mixed results in terms of their catch rate, but the one constant that remained was the condition of the fish landed was always

Four Springs Lake Where does one start when writing about this place?

It is indeed a credit to the Inland Fisheries Service and those anglers that had the vision and determination to get it created early in the 1990s. Everything that was desired was achieved and it has already given so much pleasure to so many anglers of all ages, it is a fishery that just keeps producing the goods and this year was no different.

We fished it quite often for the first couple of months, and then, like many others, tended to

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Rose Muirhead with a Four Springs brownie. leave it alone from around December onwards as we pursued trout in other waters. I returned to fish it mainly with my children using soft plastics in the last month of the season and many fish in fantastic condition came to the net.

It is water where you always have the chance to hook up with something big and I was lucky enough to do that twice in twenty minutes on one memorable occasion this season with mixed results.

Whilst fishing a nymph in the direction of the disabled anglers jetty one morning I managed to hook a fish that tore off all my fly line and three parts of my backing within seconds, never before had I witnessed such a fish on the end of my fly rod, we even started pursuing it with the electric motor, as for a while it didn’t look like stopping.

To cut a long story short, I lost that fish after the hooks pulled around ten minutes into the battle and it was still around twenty meters away from the boat.

We saw it twice, it was a brown that we estimated would have come in anywhere between 6 to 10 pounds in weight.

Absolutely devastated I recast my line, only to see another monster hook up not twenty minutes later, luck was with me this time and once netted ,we found it weighed in at 6.5 pounds, my biggest ever trout caught on a fly but more importantly though, I feel I also landed a memory that will last me for a lifetime.

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Fishing News - Page 35

experienced some fantastic sessions here especially around Christmas time in the Boundary Bay area.

Most of our fishing was done with soft plastics.

Talking to fellow anglers, opinion is divided; trollers also seemed to have the better results to show for the time and effort they put in here.

We also heard of many excellent reports coming out of the Elizabeth Bay area, so perhaps my criticism is a bit harsh, therefore I will play it safe and leave the final judgement on Great Lake’s performance this season, ....up to you.

Arthurs Lake I’ve left the best until last, where does one start when writing about this fishery?

On the 16th of January 2009 my family and I were in the middle of the Cowpaddock walking on dirt and watching dust spring up violently with each passing gust of wind.

The Jonah bay boat ramp was closed to the public, the water clarity, resembled liquid clay and the car parks were empty.

Arthurs for all intents and purposes was, for the time being at least... dead.

It broke my heart, as no doubt it did many others as well, to see it in this state.

Early morning on Lake Leake can be spectacular, but the fish can be very hard to catch.

There are never many people there, and the author reckons it will really fire up next season.

All this and I was only half an hour away from my home, how good is that?

The only ‘complaint ‘ (for lack of a better word) that I heard come from some anglers was that the bait fishing was not as productive this year as it has been in years past, that issue (in my opinion) has since been well and truly addressed for next season with the Inland Fisheries Service stocking it with 750 domestic rainbows of around 1500 grams on the 8th of February 2011.

No doubt a few of these fish were caught as this season drew to a close, but I am certain that there will still be sufficient numbers remaining in its depths come opening day of the 2011/2012 season to keep shore based anglers interested.

Complimented also with the IFS’S regular stocking regime for this water, no doubt Four Springs Lake will be the place of choice that many head for again come that first weekend in August.

Lake Leake This is another water that suffered badly given the dry conditions of 2009/10. Whilst most of the rainbows were still around 70 per cent ‘condition wise ‘ at this time, the Lake Leake browns were found to be very slabby with big heads and a tapered body seemingly common place during that particular period. Many of the locals put the main reason for this down to the fact that there were a lot of old fish left in the lake and the very poor water clarity at the time made it even harder for them to come back to the three and a half pound (on average) freight trains that we all remember them being, prior to the drought.

As the water levels rose, bringing with it increased clarity and reclaiming a lot of the Lake Leake marshland, one could hear the many thousands of frog’s croaking, they had started breeding again and the resident trout could now find an easier meal, they began feeding...big time!!

The difference in the condition of a fish caught in November 2010 to one caught in early January 2011 was staggering to say the least, although rainbow trout now made up a larger percentage of the bags caught, they were fat, strong and healthy and one would imagine that they will be even better next season with another year of high water levels under their belts.

At the time of writing this article, The Inland Fisheries had stocked over 36,000 Triploid rainbow trout back into this lake over five separate stocking periods beginning on the 5th of November 2009.

Fishing News - Page 36

Their size ranged from 20 grams to 100 grams.

This is water that no matter how much you tell people about the fantastic fishing on offer and how good the wind lane fishing can be early morning, it still seems to fly largely under the radar by most of Tasmania’s angling fraternity.

Very rarely will one find more than a couple of boats on it at any one time, the locals like it like that and therefore not a lot of news comes out about it when it is firing...and who can blame them?

Opinion?...Lake Leake is back and getting better!!!

Great Lake It is hard to search for a positive when in the middle of a drought and we were witnessing so many of our popular waters deteriating into a state of demise, but perhaps the one ‘plus ‘ that we can draw some level of satisfaction from was the re emergence of Great Lake as a premier fishery during this period.

Any fishing guide or regular Great Lake disciple will tell you it has always been at the top of the tree, and they will also tell you that it is very, very, under utilised by a Tasmanian angling fraternity that up to a couple of years ago was spoilt for fishing options.

We were ‘spoilt ‘ with the season we had on this water in 2010/11 and to be honest, we were confident of the same success again this year, but that being said, in my opinion, this was the one fishery that disappointed us and failed to live up to our expectations, although I also expect many others will disagree with me.

As the rains came and it began filling I wondered if it would deliver the fly fishing that it was renowned for, after all , there was no weed, therefore it stood to reason there would be no dun hatches right?... wrong.

In the second week in February, myself and a handful of lucky anglers fishing the Cowpaddock witnessed the biggest hatch of duns I personally have ever seen on this water and it seemed every fish on the lake was on them, this is a memory I will never forget.

Although a hatch of this size was a ‘one off’ as far as I saw, the fishing around this time was outstanding with our boat landing a total of around 40 fish in the four consecutive sessions that we fished it, most were around the 2.5 to 3 pound mark.

I did fish other areas of the lake around this time, but nowhere did I find the water clearer and the renewed weed growth thicker.

Fish condition had well and truly returned with most of the fish coming to the net found to be in excellent buckle and very, very strong.

Our most successful method was that of fishing a nymph a couple of feet under a dry.

I also witnessed huge hatches of caddis of an evening that provided great sport in and around the Duck Bay area.

What a truly remarkable fishery this water is and what an asset it is, not only to Tasmanian anglers but also to the many mainlanders that visit it, bringing with them a substantial boost to the state’s economy as well.

Once again we saw Jonah Bay car park full of cars sporting mainland number plates and the local campgrounds bursting at the seams with a myriad of motor homes and tents.

Perhaps it was a case of us fishing all the wrong areas, I do not know, but on a personal level it was nothing like the ‘season previous ‘ in terms of catch rate and quality with our bags significantly poorer overall to those witnessed last year.

Let’s hope that due to the large amount of rainfall we witnessed over the summer, we seize on the opportunity in that we have been given a second chance at Arthurs and hopefully we will never see it at the low water levels witnessed in 2009.

The resident Cramps Bay browns were particularly ordinary, with the better quality fish succumbing to our soft plastics in the Sandbanks area.

Yes, in my opinion, Arthurs Lake is back at its rightful place as one of the state’s premier fisheries.

That being said, as Arthurs Lake began kicking into gear, we found it hard to give Great Lake the attention that perhaps we should have... and that it truly deserved.

We all know it is a hugely underrated fishery and one of the best around for those anglers that enjoy ‘shark fishing ‘ (a name given to polaroiding trout feeding in the waves) my information is that skilled exponents of this form of fishing such as Jim Allan

In summary, what started out being a year of pessimism in terms of my personal outlook for the season surprised both me and my fishing mates by delivering results well beyond our hopes and expectations.

How lucky we are to live in this great state and how lucky we are to have the fisheries mentioned in this article coming back as strong as ever.

That was my season fellow anglers; I hope yours was a success as well.

Todd Lambert.

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Exclusive technologies, superior performance and impressive power-to-weight ratios place Honda’s BF75/90 at the top of the class.

Inspired by the same EFI engine that powers Honda’s number one selling car, the powerful and economical 1.5L SOHC four-cylinder BF75/90 incorporate: • Boosted Low Speed Torque (BLAST™) – for explosive hole shot performance • ECOmo – delivering fuel efficiency that’s second to none • VTEC™ (BF90 only) – incredible top-end power Not forgetting Honda’s world-leading environmental performance and legendary reliability and durability, all backed by a five-year warranty, Honda’s BF75/90 exceed expectations on all fronts…

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honda.com.au Fishing News - Page 37

LOOK DEEPER INTO FOURSTROKE You’ll discover that Mercury has the widest range of FourStrokes on the market.

That are quick, reliable, fuel efficient, quiet, and backed by a warranty that goes deeper than the rest.

mERcURy

E-TEc

mERcURy

E-TEc

bIg ON PERFORmaNcE

SOUND OF SILENcE

0-48kmh acceleration under heavy load Mercury 90hp FourStroke beat Evinrude 90hp E-Tec by 3.9 seconds and Yamaha 90hp by 1.8 seconds.

Mercury 90hp FourStroke is 65% quieter than Evinrude 90hp E-Tec & 21% quieter than the Yamaha 90hp at idle.

For more engine performance comparisons and to locate your nearest dealer visit www.mercurymarine.com.au

WARRANTY REWARD

Source: Mercury Marine Engineering Dept -December 2005. Test conducted on a 16.5’ aluminium fishing boat using a Mercury 90hp FourStroke, an Evinrude 90hp E-TEC and a Yamaha 90hp EFI Fourstroke.

Port Sorell Marine 7 Club Drive Shearwater, Port Sorell Phone: 03 6428 7124 Fishing News - Page 38

Channel Marine Services Lot 10 Gemalla Road, Margate Phone: 03 6267 1456

www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

C.J. Marine Pty Ltd 8 Legana Park Drive, Legana Phone 03 63302277

Lessons Learnt Joe Riley

S

ome time ago, in fact while I was away at the World Championships in Poland, the Editor, Mike Stevens received an email from a reader asking the following.

‘I was only just thinking today that of all the magazine’s I’ve read, I’ve never read an article on how competition anglers differ from us recreational guys. If they have three hours on a given stretch of water or lake, how do they approach it?

What skills do they have that we lack? My hunch is they’re much quicker at zeroing in on what the trout are doing, where they’re feeding, what they’re feeding on etc. I suspect I try a certain fly setup or location or depth for too long.

I’d love to get in the head of a comp. fly fisherman and see how they do it. Maybe an interview?’

Rather than doing an interview I thought I would run through some thoughts, and what it takes to be successful as a competition angler. Hopefully this will be close to the mark and answer the questions of the reader suitably.

Australia is the lucky country we all know that, but from the anglers point of view we don’t know just how lucky we are.

Our fishing licence in Tasmania comes for the price that you would pay for a day of fishing in Europe. Further in fishing rivers, although you pay a fee, generally you are stuck to one river and probably one beat about three hundred meters long at that.

An angler overseas will need to fish every fish every square foot of water because he has no choice, on rivers that is the approach competition anglers need to take. Likewise on a lake an angler will purchase the right to catch 6 trout, once they are bagged you are finished even if it only takes an hour!

Furthermore I started competing in the early 90’s, at this stage when I started I was advised that if an angler caught 1 fish in each of the 4 x 3 hours sessions they would medal in the top three if not win the competition. Since that day the constant drive for knowledge, advances in technique and equipment have seen a massive increase in the numbers of fish now caught in order to win a competition. In the two rounds of the 2011 Tasmanian Championship I recently caught 32 and 28 fish respectively. Where once an angler required one or two fish to win a lake session now you generally need 6 or more, on a river you need about 12 or more often up to 20 fish for a session win.

Finding Fish: Trout live by simple rules, they need food to grow and survive and they can’t expend more energy in catching food than they get from it, so they will seek the lies of a river that place them near abundant

food while not exerting their selves too greatly. The pockets and seams in the faster current either at the head or where the current gathers pace again at the tail. These pockets and seams provide the ideal environment as food is concentrated here and the trout can sit in the seam at the side of a fast run and quickly dart out to take food from the run as it comes past. Good competition anglers can identify these hot spots and target them thoroughly as they hold more fish than the general angler will realise.

In a competition sessions are generally three hours, on lakes in Tasmania I will generally move every 15 minutes if I am not touching fish with regularity, and during that 15 minutes change depth and style of retrieve constantly to identify where fish are. Once a patch of fish is located they are worked over to make the most of the opportunity with the correct retrieve and depth of flies.

Likewise on a lake finding concentrations of food is a key to finding fish, looking for wind lanes, areas where food will concentrate in the downwind drift from points, behind weed beds or off shallows where food is hatching, all of these are likely spots for a competition angler to target.

In Tasmania the current rule is that up to three flies can be used on a leader at any given stage.

Competition Anglers will in most cases use a considered mix of three flies and range of colours in the leader to identify the ‘colour of the day’ or the type of fly trout are taking. On lakes when no hatch is happening and fish are on the top, bead head woolly buggers in various sizes and colours make up a lake leader for me, Woolly buggers are a proven fish killer and will perform time and time again in general conditions.

While it’s not everyone’s cup of tea fishing sinking fly lines on lakes has now developed into an art form such are their effectiveness in the hands of a skilled angler. The use of these lines around the areas I’ve just mentioned, matching the sink rate of the line to the depth being fished initially and the depth the fish are found at once located is a skill which a good competition angler seeks to use to his advantage as quickly as possible.

Multiple Flies:

On rivers I usually limit flies to two rather than three however again with nymphs I will use two different patterns e.g. a hares fur nymph and a pheasant tail nymph with tungsten beads of an

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Fishing News - Page 39

appropriate weight to get to the fish, paying attention to whether a particular fly is being picket out on the leader.

On the issue of flies, while there are stand out performers and flies that have stood the test of time, good presentation to the trout is far more important than the fly. In a competition many patters will catch trout, but if the best fly in the world is clumsily slapped onto the water or not fished at the right depth or with the right retrieve it will not. The fly is only part of the equation but the mix of colours and patterns fished well helps to maximise your result.

Practice: Competing in fly fishing is no different to competing in any other sport, particularly at elite levels, practice and training is required to hone skills. A professional golfer or tennis player would not go out once a fortnight and hit a ball, they hit practically thousands in constant practice. The same applies to competition fly fishing, practicing a large set of skills, wading , casting, playing fish, netting fish, tying leaders and knots smoothly and quickly, all are very important and all require regular practice. For any sport constant focus on skills and processes, identifying why things go right or wrong, noting mistakes and eliminating them from technique are all vital to success, fly fishing is exactly the same.

The one thing that no competition angler wants to do is lose fish, one fish can make the difference between Hero and Zero. In every competition there are several anglers who ‘would have won if they hadn’t dropped that fish at the net’. Practice is paramount in reducing the mistakes that cause these lost fish, when the pressure is on and you get one fish one the end of the line the temptation is to get it into the net quickly, of course this eagerness will lead to pressuring the

fish too greatly, trying to drag it across the surface and have it flip off the barbless hook. Having a set process for playing fish in given circumstances and playing the fish according to that practiced format will see the greatest chance of landing it. This is one of the major keys to success.

New Techniques: In the mid to late 1990’s the Loch Style of fly fishing and multiple fly techniques were widely introduced through the information sessions of visiting English competitor John HORSEY. These techniques were eagerly taken up and developed by competition anglers and resulted in catch rates increasing exponentially.

Likewise on rivers the ‘French Leader’ a long leader of 10 meters fished with a long soft rod has been a closely guarded secret amongst elite anglers overseas. Much subterfuge, study and practice with the odd failure here and there along the way has now seen the ‘leader to hand’ technique developed for Australian conditions.

Again this is a 10 meters leader fished upstream with a long soft rod and only leader extending from the rod. The technique allows gently presentation of nymphs with absolute contact, truly deadly.

These are some of the key aspects to being a successful competition angler, along with these preparation, fitness, and hydration during sessions all play an important role in winning competitions. Certainly finding fish quickly is important this is achieved by using systems to find fish and offering variation in flies which assists in quickly identifying what will maximise your opportunities. Making the most of opportunities by using a refined system of practiced techniques and processes is vital.

Many of these lessons can be applied by the recreational fly fisherman to increase catch rates, but my favourite saying applies; “The more I fish the luckier I seem to get!”

Why choose a Haines Hunter Why choose a fibreglass boat?

Fibreglass is tough and is well proven in a harsh marine environment. just like paint it will fade over time if not cared for but it won’t bubble, blister or corrode.

You see plenty of old fibreglass boats around these days. They are still quite serviceable and many of them gain the title ‘Classic’ and a simple cut and polish will revive their lustre.

Let’s look at a few things in regard to fibreglass.

Contrary to what some will tell you it is not fragile. Of course it will scratch and mark or chip, but it will not dent, rip or tear. And it takes a mighty impact to hole a fibreglass boat mostly they will deform and spring back to shape with the integrity of the hull in place.

Even if it does sustain a hole it can be easily repaired, temporarily if needed then permanently, retaining all the original strength.

Often fibreglass boats are heavier than an equivalent tinny, but in many boats this can often be an advantage offering a softer ride. Typically the smaller boat market is dominated by alloy boats due to types of usage, and very light boats can be made from aluminium.

The owner of Haines Hunter, John Haber explains construction methods to Hadley Deegan and Wayne Chilcott.

High performance and smooth sexy lines are just one reason to choose a Haines Hunter.

Intricate mouldings, both on the exterior and interior are easily obtained using fibreglass.

A well made fibreglass boat will provide many years of service, they keep on going without a drama. Many owners of old Haines Hunters simply repower their favourite boat and keep going for many more years.

Lifestyle with an Income Bigfin Sportsfishing, a well established tackle shop located in Devonport has been put on the market so Leroy can move into semi retirement.

Bigfin isnt just a store its a brand well recognised across Australia. Located in a large premises around the corner from the Spirit of Tasmania terminal Bigfin provides the first stopping point for the tourist fishermen, catering a large array of tackle from freshwater to gamefishing and everything in between. If your looking for the Fishing News - Page 40

lifestyle of doing very little and spending your time talking to anglers or go fishing whilst earning an income this is the business for you. Imagine loving your job and being excited to get to work so you can talk fishing and play with tackle all day everyday. If your’ve ever thought this is the life for you stop dreaming and start doing, it is as good as it sounds. $160,000 Phone Leroy 0428 347 736

Complex hull shapes are easily obtained. Smooth sexy lines and a high standard of finish and appearance, along with a quiet and comfortable ride is one of the biggest reason to choose a fibreglass boat.

Designers often want several different aspects within one hull. The wish list might be easy planing, stability at rest, dry ride, good sea performance and low power requirements. Designing these things into a hull requires complex shapes and being able to build a boat with those characteristics is (generally) only possible with fibreglass. Gentle, or severe curves, chines and strakes can be built into a mould and then reproduced exactly many hundreds of times.

The complex shape of most fibreglass hulls does allow designers to build what most boaties want – a soft, comfortable ride, with good stability at rest.

Of course many things need to be considered when purchasing the right boat for you But in most cases a fibreglass boat should be compared and seriously considered.

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We Take Tasmania Boating

Ready to Tow ‘n’ Go

Ready now for game fishing and fun

625 ProFis0h

585 R

Was $87 40

Was $77 700

Now $81 400

Now $71 900 585 R - In stock and ready to go.

Delivering superior performance and handling, the versatile R-Series is Haines Hunter’s most popular range. The low-profile cabin inherent in every R model adds to its sporty feel and allows greater vision at the helm, without compromising valuable cockpit space for maximum fishability.

With a length of 6.00m and beam of 2.4m this high-performance boat has true ‘go anywhere, do anything’ abilities. From offshore fishing to exhilarating watersports, it excels on all fronts.

WANT A BOAT FOR GAME SEASON? We have plenty of boats in stock right now - ready to Tow ‘n’ Go. Check out our extensive range now.

625 ProFish - Family and Fishing

The 625 ProFish has been designed purely for fishing with the ability to accept single or twin engine applications. As a bare bones packages it’s ready to head offshore to chase pelagic species, or option it up to create a comfortable family boat.

We have this model in stock now ready to go for summer. Features include two tone hull, boarding ladder, folding sst rocket launcher, fibreglass bait board, plumbed live bait tank, deck wash, clip in carpet, bimini, VHF radio, Lowrance HDS-7 sonar/chart plotter, boat and trailer rego, anchor kit, fire extinguisher, flare kit and more. Throw in a tandem trailer with alloy wheels and hydraulic brakes, 175 HP Honda 4 stroke and polished stainless steel prop and you have one spectacular boat ready for anything you can through at it. Drive away today and save $6000 - NOW $81 400. Finance available.

Fifty years of boat building

Drawing on over half a century of boat manufacturing experience, Haines Hunter has a deserved reputation as the most respected fibreglass boat brand in the Southern Hemisphere.

More than 24 models

With over two dozen trailerable models – from dedicated fishing boats to family/cruising and sports boats – in its award-winning range, the build quality and attention-to-detail in every Haines Hunter boat is second to none.

Seven year hull warranty

Only premium quality materials and fittings are used throughout and all hulls are backed by a full seven-year structural warranty.

Excellence in all areas

Setting the benchmark to which all other manufacturers aspire, Haines Hunter’s reputation for excellence stems from its unwavering focus on research and development, cutting-edge design, advanced construction techniques and unparalleled on-water performance.

Deegan’s commitment is to provide Tasmania with the most competitive deals, and service you can count on from a locally owned company that has been taking Tasmanian’s boating for over 30 yrs.

See us now for the best deal on your new Haines Hunter

We Take Tasmania Boating www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.

Fishing News - Page 41

Reviews which point the 8 L.E.D. bulbs engulf the encaged product with a powerful glow-enhancing light via a push of a button on the top of the spring loaded Charge ‘N Glow case.

You will never need to awkwardly shine your head lamp on a lure ever again with the NEW Charge ‘N Glow from Rapala.

3x AAA batteries not included, but required for operation.

Silstar Launches New-Look Website Since 1984 Silstar have been manufacturing high quality, affordable fishing tackle for anglers worldwide. We pride ourselves on individuality, originality and ability; the ability to individually design & create successful fishing products with originality for the Australian market.

Silstar Power Tip rods changed Australian angling forever in the late 80’s, with their unique composition and powerful fish-fighting action these rods were a national smash, and they continue to dominate the graphite composite market today (with a somewhat more modern look & feel).

Storm FlutterStick MadFlash 04 The FlutterStick MadFlash has an elusive dance/ darting action imparted by the twitching of the rod tip, and when stopped, it falls with a seductive rocking motion. NEW for 2011, the FlutterStick MadFlash is available in a Bream-gobbling 4cm size, perfect for all manner of estuary applications.

4cm in length, 5g in weight – available in 5 seductive colour patterns.

visit www.silstar.com.au

Okuma Oryx Reel Beach, rock and surf anglers appreciate a reel with the ability to be able to peg a cast out behind the breakers – something that the Okuma Oryx is famous for. Five stainless steel ball bearings with a machine cut brass pinion gear, antireverse, rigid diecast aluminium handle and its machined aluminium conical shaped spool are just a few facets that make the Oryx a brilliant saltwater casting reel.

Other features include the unique rotor brush system, which prevents line tangles during the cast and sweeps the spool clean of sand and other unwanted build up during the retrieve; a Hydro Bloc water-tight drag seal and a spare graphite conical shaped spool.

Sized 65 & 90; all covered by Okuma’s Lifetime Guarantee.

Rapala Charge ‘N Glow Glow baits & lures have proven their worth for years! But never before has there been a convenient way to ‘charge’ your lure like the Rapala Charge ‘N Glow!

The Rapala Charge ‘N Glow rapidly charges glow hard baits, soft baits, spoons, jigs, bait sprays & additives. This product is designed to be snapped closed over your desired lure, much like a sunglasses case, at Fishing News - Page 42

Shaped just like a minnow and designed for long casting, the Clackin’ Minnow upon retrieve darts from side-to-side with a twitching or jerking action, or anglers can simply apply a steady retrieve and let the lure do the work.

The Clackin’ Minnow is available in 11cm.

Not only do Silstar specialise in rods, we also offer a fantastic selection of high quality, Australian designed reels, combos, lures & accessories. Reels & Combos such as the popular Strike; lures such as the JigEm’s & SlapStix; and accessories including handy fillet kits and more!

Silstar boasts the best customer service & repair sector in the industry, and we back our products with a respectable warranty. Should you have any queries or special requests our team is always willing to help! We hope you enjoy our fresh website, and undoubtedly it will help you to find and learn more about all Silstar products.

hear but feel as it produces vibrations through the water. The Clackin’ Minnow combines characteristics from three tried-andtrue Rapala lures: the Clackin’ Rap, X-Rap® and Flat Rap®.

Those actions, combined with Rapala’s classic wounded-minnow action, give the Clackin’ Minnow its aggressive, hardflashing action that induces strike-after-strike.

Rapala X-Rap New Colours So you thought the Rapala X-Rap 04 couldn’t get any better? Think again! – introducing 4 brand new colours; Fire Tiger, Olive Green Muddler, Hot Pink and the Australian exclusive XR04 Ayu. At 4cm in length, 2g in weight, the Rapala X-Rap 04 embodies those same characteristics that have made “X-Rap” a tournament winning name.

X-Rap is “all about the action” and it triggers strikes. It has the three-dimensional shape of a minnow, prominent scales; and the lateral line on the fuselage and internal holographic foil capture and flash light like a beacon. It’s a lure that is designed for aggressive fishing.

Visit your local Rapala retailer to get hold of these lures – Available Now. www.rapala.com.au www.facebook.com/rapala.australia

Rapala and Sufix Earn Field & Stream Best of the Best Awards The Rapala® Clackin’ Minnow and Sufix® 832 Advanced Superline have been honored with the Field & Stream Best of the Best Award in the Lure and Accessories category for 2011.

The Field & Stream Best of the Best Award is presented to those products that are the most innovative and best-designed in their class based on the significance of the innovation, the quality of the design and the value they bring to anglers.

“Field & Stream magazine has been the leading authority in all aspects of fishing,” said Tom Mackin, president of Rapala USA. “We are honored that the Clackin’ Minnow and Sufix 832 have been awarded Best of the Best Awards in their respected categories.”

“Having the right gear is a huge part of fishing, and the Field & Stream Best of the Best Awards are our way of vetting and recognizing the best stuff out there,” said Jay Cassell, deputy editor at Field & Stream.

Like the original Clackin’ Rap®, the Clackin’ Minnow features a single stainless steel ball that transmits a loud cadence rattle that fish not only

Sufix, the leader in precision-engineered superior fishing line - in partnership with GORE®, the makers of GORE-TEX® Fabrics, created a breakthrough in fishing line technology: Sufix 832. Sufix 832 allows anglers for the first time to have a fishing line designed with all of the characteristics to match any application worldwide.

Sufix 832 is comprised of three main technology features. The first is Dyneema® fibers, which contribute to the small diameter, high strength and sensitivity of the fishing line. Secondly, the GORE Performance Fibers add improved abrasion resistance, noise and vibration reduction, along with improved casting length and accuracy. Lastly, the R8 Precision Braiding and fiber technology add superior strength, roundness and line consistency.

Formulated with eight fibers - seven Dyneema and one GORE - at 32 pics (weaves) per inch, Sufix 832 is the first fishing line to combine both Dyneema and GORE polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) fibers.

To learn more about the Rapala Clackin’ Minnow, visit www.rapala.com.au and for more information on Sufix 832, visit www.sufix.com

BLA launches new Humminbird website BLA has flicked live its new Humminbird website www.humminbird.com.au – complete with intuitive and informative product video footage and online Humminbird member community.

The new website showcases Humminbird’s full range of units including the newly released 587CXi HD Combo and 788CXi HD DI Combo fishfinder models. The site has been developed in collaboration with customers, product managers and pro team members, ensuring easy navigation through the site and user friendly information resources.

Pro Team member and Humminbird Product Manager, Tim Morgan, summarised the website as an interactive and easily accessible research tool.

“Everything you want to know about the

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Reviews Humminbird brand and its products is right at your finger tips. Anyone seeking to further understand the key functions of their unit and make the most of their time on the water, can now watch several step by step videos on the website as well as the BLA Lifestyle Channel on YouTube www.youtube.com/ user/blalifestyle.”

Those who want to see why some of the countries leading fishing personalities have chosen the Humminbird brand can browse the Pro Team page and follow the team by registering in the community section. Registering to the Pro Team community allows members to access articles, informative hints and tricks, and the real secrets behind catching more fish. Alongside establishing a personal fishing profile, members can also interact with other community members and Pro Team members.

TFO Rods Almost 3 decades ago, Gary Loomis founded G.Loomis® and quickly attracted the attention and admiration of the world’s most discerning anglers.

Throughout the evolution of carbon fiber rod design, Gary distinguished himself as the Master. Using leading edge technology and engineering, he designed tools that have defined High Performance in rods.

After selling G.Loomis®, in 1997, Gary dedicated his efforts into protecting & rehabilitating the fisheries of the Pacific Northwest. His devotion to the fishery helped establish Fish First (www.fishfirst.org) and the Coastal Conservation Association Pacific Northwest (www.ccapnw.org).

Yamaha Outboards launches a new Factory Bonus campaign Yamaha Motor Australia is excited to launch the latest Outboard promotion offering big savings across selected high and midrange horse power motors in Yamaha’s class leading range of four stroke outboard engines. The promotion comes just in time for customers considering a new boat or motor in the build up to the Easter holidays.

“We’re really excited about this promotion” said Brett Hampson, National Sales and Marketing Manager for Yamaha Outboards in Australia. “We realise the start of 2011 has been a difficult time for many areas of the country but boating is still a great way to spend leisure time with family and friends.

We urge our customers not to delay their purchase as these Factory Bonus prices are some of the best we’ve ever been able to offer.”

The Factory Bonus campaign includes motors from Yamaha’s 3.3 litre V6 range, from F250B down to F200A, with a massive $2000 off the current price. Yamaha’s F150A and F115A attract a $1000 bonus while customers purchasing an F100D and F80B will save $750. Even Yamaha’s popular four cylinder F60C and F50F attract a bonus of $500.

These savings come as good news to customers who may have been putting off their purchase due to the inclement conditions some states have experienced in the summer of 2011. There’s now great benefits for customers who purchase during this promotional period and with Australia’s peak boating season still in full swing there’s no need to delay any longer.

As an extra incentive Yamaha has also extended the 6.99% re-power finance rate. This great finance rate is available across Yamaha’s entire range from 15hp and above in both two and four stroke categories. The combination of these two great deals means a brand new four stoke outboard is easily in reach for many people.

The Factory Bonus offer and the 6.99% re-power finance are available at participating Yamaha dealerships from the 1st of March until the 30th of June 2011. Customers are urged to get into their Yamaha dealerships quickly as stock is limited and the best deals are likely to sell out fast.

Although, Gary is no longer affiliated with G.Loomis®, his desire to “build the best rods available” remains. He has agreed to share his unparalleled design skills and understanding of modern technology and materials with Dallas, TX based Temple Fork Outfitters to develop a new generation of Affordable High Performance rods. Gary is fully committed to increasing the participation in fishing and protecting our natural resources for future generations. He believes that TFO’s Affordable – High Performance approach forms a great base for this growth.

Working with TFO allows me to put high-quality rods in the hands of potential anglers that otherwise would not have access to this kind of gear. It is these new anglers that, through their enjoyment of the sport, will help us protect our threatened fisheries. ~ Gary Loomis TFO have a lifetime original owner warranty with $35 replacement sections for fly rods and $80 replacement sections for spin rods.

Take one (or more) of Gary’s Signature Series TFO rods fishing with you… and bend it often.

TFO 7’6” and 8’ 2 piece Ultra Light Spin Rods The 7’6” and 8’ 2 piece rods are new additions to the fabulous range of TFO’s Gary Loomis Signature range. The extra length in these rods will increase casting distance and improve line and lure control when playing a fish.

Not only are these rods for spinning, but would make excellent mudeye or float rods for baitfishermen looking for the extra distance in casting lightly weighted floats. The length will also help in controlling fish around weed beds etc for the shore based angler.

Line weights suitable are 2 – 6lb. Retail from $242

TFO BVK Fly Rods Engineered to the highest performance standards, the BVK utilizes new materials that dramatically reduce weight while creating an aggressive blend of power and strength. The result is an amazing performance at an incredible price.

BVK rods are fast action rods designed to excel in presentation and distance. The rich translucent olive blanks are topped with matching braided carbon fibre reel seats, REC recoil stripping guides, ultra lightweight stainless snake guides and flor grade cork grips.

Available in 3 – 10 weight from $310.

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Fishing News - Page 43

Fishing and Boating Directory Advertise here for $77. Contact Quenton Higgs 0427 129949

Tackle and Supplies

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• Over 30 years experience on all types of motors • Approved insurance repairer to boats and motors • Propellor rebuild and refurbishing • Repairs of all types - including skegs etc. • Contact: Cyril Stevens Phone 6431 3082 Fax 6431 1255

www.redtagtrout.com Guided Fly Fishing & Teaching Workshops

The options are endless. Fabulous 10x6m brand new sheds with wash bay facilities and super up to date security. Close to the bay or ocean and the sunny East Coast Township of St Helens these sheds will have toilet facilities installed on the grounds enabling them to be used to work from. If you have a special toy that needs storing or you would like to start that exciting new business then here’s the place for you.

Contact Annie Plummer Shop 2 / 10 Cecilia Street, St Helens TAS 7216 Phone: 03 6376 2249 Mobile: 0488 599 207 www.HarcourtsTasmania.com.au

St Helens Your every need catered for • Eight en-suite cabins • Convenience store • Hot takeaways • Groceries • Newspapers • Boat parking • Fuel • Bait and tackle • Boat and car wash

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Top Service – Top Price The Tamar’s fishing authority For the very best advice on fishing the Tamar River and surrounding area call in and see Sarah and Damon Sherriff.

For the best range of fishing tackle and watersport gear in the Tamar Valley.

Open: 9 - 5.30 weekdays 9 - 1 Saturday

44 Macquarie St George Town Ph: 6382 2373

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36’ Steber Sportsfisher Eaglehawk Neck - Jan-April Pedra Branca - July Bookings/info - Steve Gilbert 03 6261 1558 or 0408 105 311 www.moonshinecharters.com.au

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Gone Fishing Charters • East coast estuary and bay • Bream, salmon, garfish, flathead, mullet and squid • Specialising in BIG BREAM • Soft plastics, lures, flies and bait • 5.8 metre sportfishing boat.

Gone Fishing Charters St Helens Michael Haley 0419 353 041 mhaleycharters@bigpond.com www.breamfishing.com.au Fishing News - Page 44

Scott, 53 King Street Scottsdale.Ph. 63522357 Julie-Anne, 41 Quail Street St Helens. Ph. 63761390

Boat building and repairs

Specialising in stalking rivers and streams

E-mail: roger@redtagtrout.com ph/fax: (03) 6229 5896 Mob: 0419 348 070 All inclusive packages—one day and extended tours

Call in for all your fishing tackle including full range rods, reels, lures, landing nets and bait. Also life jackets plus diving gear and stuff for all water sports.

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Vandieman Seaman boats Proplate custom boats Boat repairs Propellor repairs Mark Tapsell 424 Hobart Road, L’ton Ph 6343 3341

the Tasman Peninsula is not a place for novice kayakers.

Safety gear: A marine VHF radio is especially handy, and I 28252_barton routinely car r y an stud_60x55fl 15/3/07 3: EPIRB, flares, whistle, paddle float, strobe light Advertise here for $77. Contact Quenton Higgs (for my own epileptic marine disco), map, Fish compass and a GPS. I Tasmania barely ever usefrom them, the secluded but its comforting to know they are all there.

Fishing gear: A Launceston’s Only Authorised handline is much cheaper than a rod and reel and seems to work fine for Self-contained accommodation for 6 people this type of game fishing A dream fulfilled and thankful to be on hard ground again. on the Macquarie River, Northern Tasmania providing you have a Handline P: 6398 5114 F: 6398 5170 trolling for bluefin from a kayak is not easy, but is way to securely attach it, achievable as the author shows. and plenty of line (I use Dealer and Service Centre Endurance: You might need to stockpile some patience, about 300m of 37 kilo mono). Don’t forget your gloves. Include a couple of lures that swim well at kayaking speeds, ideally fitted since the reality is you’ll be slow and with only one lure out with long heavy mono traces. A gaff, knife and club to pacify your chances are low compared to other boats. But when the fish are all potentially useful. You’ll need plenty of water your time finally arrives.... its hard to imagine any other fishing experience coming close. Best of luck out there. and high energy food to keep paddling for hours.

Bluefin tuna from a kayak, it is indeed possible.

Nick Gust 8 Legana Park Drive

ASE SCOOP PURCH OKUMA TITUS GOLD

15S $330.00 20S $350.00

Fishing and Boating Directory 0427 129949

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STORMY ZIP OUT SLEEVE JACKET NETT PRICE

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.95 and I began to Other Tasmanian $49loss, helped gradually ease the line $39.90 kayak fishin gain control of the fight as it tired from towing me.

Kayak-fishing is rapidly gaining popula After 15 minutes I was surprised to see its silvery around Australia. With appropriate equipm flashes only metres below the kayak. experience and favourable weather Tasmania ho Although the fight itself went smoothly and many diverse and exciting opportunities for ka ROD HOLDER OR far more rapidly than imagined, getting it onto the fishing. Taswegians RAIL MOUNare T getting in on the act with kayak, killing it and lashing it down by myself was first AV kayak-fi shing tournament held at Scaman AILABLE Kitchen and the Tessellated (or tiled) Pavement. You another thing altogether. I developed octopus envy; earlier this year. (see issue 85 for details). Kay will be impressed by the drama of these geological a few extra arms would have been very handy. My fishing has a rich historical legacy, particularly w wonders, sculpted by Mother Nature over millions Y keep it out DUTto VYlines HEA paddle was stashed under deck of years. indigenous people from the arctic, while the mod GAFF of the way during the fi ght.

Since the A mere 15 minutes south by car the history of version typically associated with exploring c GE is BAI $129.00 gaff was also LAR T BOA RD tied off to the edge deck line I chose not to use it Tasmania’s convict past comes alive at the former $9 TRE 9.9 ME 0 waters from open sit-on top plastic kayaks. T 1.8 380 Pirates Bay Drive penal settlement of Port Arthur andinother historical case the fish charged off and its leverage instantly growing sport enables quiet, peaceful and afford Eaglehawk Neck sites on the Tasman Peninsula. pulled me in. Instead I tried grabbing it by the tail trips into beautiful fishing spots, particularly riv Toll free 1800 639 532 (03) 6250 3262 Nearby you can also indulge in sports pastimes withand my right hand while clinging desperately to the lakes and sheltered coastlines. www.lufrahotel.com or lufrareception@bigpond.com like deep sea fishing, surfing, and trace bushwalking, or while simultaneously pinning the with my left, visit other nearby attractions like wildlife parks and reel under my left elbow. Despite getting a good grip Kayak game fishing clobber The Lufra - close to all the (fishing) wineries.

HALCO LAZER PRO 190 tuna thrashed away, surging off twice in a spray action $18 The Lufra Hotel offers comfortable the accommodation Many of the.90 techniques used in kayak fishing It is no exaggeration to say the Tasman Peninsula in a range of rooms and self-catering units of foam and whipping line.

A change of strategy as well as a essentially the same as those used on other fish is truly remarkable with possibly the best sport fishing, limited number of “fishermen’s rooms” at was required.

Eventually I got a hand inside the boats. The difference is in the set-up, how e very affordable highest sea cliffs, outstanding diving in giant underwater rates. operculum and a solid grip beneath its gills, which piece RAP ALA X-RAP 30 of equipment $34.95 is fitted to the kayak, and h kelp forests, renowned fine food producers, Australia’s Additional car parking development allows substantial allowed me to tilt the kayak and drag it on board. each activity is carried out on such a small cra leading convict site and some of country’s best bush car and boat parking. Our licensed restaurant and bistro I killed it with a knife and bled the fish to preserve suggest giving it some decent thought and set walks. restaurant are complemented by a games/recreation KILLER VIBE 160 the meat. Unfortunately there is not much room on yourself .90 particularly if game fish up$22 carefully, Situated at Eaglehawk Neck, and just one hour room, TV/lounge area with open fireplace, café/coffee a kayak, and with it lying virtually on top of me I For anyone entertaining the notion of tuna fish from Hobart, The Lufra provides relaxed affordable shop and two bars. ended up awash in blood. Luckily no seals or sharks from a sea kayak, I recommend considering accommodation close to Port Arthur and natural Australian aviation pioneer and tourism entrepreneur MERIDIAN DEMON seemed tothe have noticed the commotion or come to following attractions and is ideally located as the on base for you Sir Reginald Ansett is reputed to have described Self contained farm cottages things.

Lufra $39.95 investigate their options.

All that was left now was tothe enjoybanks many activities, sitting as it does at the narrow Hotel as “the hotel with the best view in the world.”

No Built in 1835 and situated in the heart of Speed: Not to snort, but to achieve. You’ll n of the Macquarie River isthmus which connects the Forestier and Tasman wonder there has been an accommodation anhistoric 8 kmhouse paddle home a 30oldest kilo bluefi n lashed it ison one with of the in Australia a fairly quick and sea worthy 6-8 WEST TAMARhotels ROAD, LAUNCESTON, TASMANIA 7250 sea kayak that is Peninsulas. Visit the Lufra and you’ll share more than the same site for more than 150 years.to the deck. The Hemingway dream was realised and6188 PHONE (03) by 6331 FAX and (03) 63342681 trained obeys your commands. still operating, and surrounded the beautiful Macquarie a stunning view because the area abounds in manyLouise & The Lufra Archer Hotel the grin has barely left my Phone face . & Mail Orders Richard and Elizabeth rivers.

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UR Close to the hotel are several amazing rock formations PARKING Email info@brickendon.com.au Phone 63815445HOfor enquires or bookings.

Toll free 1800 639 532 (03) 6250 3262 Stay and Fish the Penins

TAMAR MARINE TOP 4 SELLING BLUEFIN LURES

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Dohertys Man O’ Ross Hotel

in store

and attractions - The Blowhole, Tasman Arch, the Devil’s

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$59 pp twin share incl.

MON TO FRI 8AM TO 5.30 PM

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it out for mys enquires with Tasmanian frie Rex and Sue M Safety Cove Be highly recomm So after a peninsula from beautiful land little villages I Safety Cove greeted and obviously kee I strolled dow not twenty me and was joine a cold beer a plans.

As I gazed Fishing News - Page 45 My Stay at Sea B&B knowledge - Get the Change fish. clear waters at the swirling kelp fo My name is Nick and I recently visited Tasmania for along the cliffs of safety cove, out to Ta

Fishing News - Page 11 Sea Change Cove WWW.TASFISH.COM - Over 850 stories online. Get the knowledge–get theSafety fish. continental breakfast or Bed and Breakfast and $65 pp with hot breakfast.

Self-Contained absolute waterfront accommodation. Premier location to start · 66 Stylish Rooms your fishing holiday. · CBD Location • Breathtaking views of Tasman island, · Affordable Rates Cape Pillar and 50 steps away Safety Cove Beach. · Conference Rooms • Beautiful gardens and decks with barbeques all overlooking the ocean. · FREE Parking · FREE Movies • Central to all the activities on the Tasman Peninsula · FREE Fitness Room • Five minutes from the Port Arthur Historic site. · Wireless Broadband • Golf course and Tasman National Park. · Three Steps on George• See all activities on web site http://www.portarthurtasmania.net/ or fishing at Heritage Bar - Restaurant http://www.portarthurtasmania.net/fishing.htm www.colonialinn.com.au Great specials on at the moment see www.safetycove.com where you can book online or Phone 03 62502719 or email: safetycove@bigpond.com Contact Rex and Sue Mapley today Ph: 6331 6588

****

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Reviews

Honda announces new flagship BF250 outboard Honda today announced it’s adding an all-new flagship BF250 outboard to its proven highperformance, fuel-efficient marine engine line-up.

Making its debut at the 2011 Miami International Boat Show, the concept BF250 provides the first indication of the design direction for the new outboard, which is planned to be available in Australia towards the end of this year.

Based on a large-displacement 3.6L engine, the concept BF250 has been designed to deliver the optimum balance of performance and fuel efficiency, through exclusive Honda technologies including BLAST – air/fuel ratio linked ignition timing control technology; VTEC – variable valve timing and electronic control; and ECOmo – unique lean burn control system.

The concept engine is also NMEA 2000 compliant, allowing engine-to-electronics data communication to deliver engine management and performance data to compatible marine electronics displays.

Through its innovative design, the concept BF250 also incorporates a streamlined, striking and sleek exterior that reflects Honda’s position as a premium brand in the marine industry.

As the world’s largest engine manufacturer and the pioneer of modern four-stroke engine technology, Honda upholds its moral obligation as a company that society wants to exist while caring for the environment.

Honda’s current class-leading range of marine outboard engines – from the BF2.3 right up to the powerful BF225 – meets California Air Resources Board (CARB) standards and exceeds all European RCD regulations, which are among the most stringent environmental regulations in the world.

Located on the shores of the Great Lake - the gateway to Tasmania’s central plateau and over 3,000 lakes.

• Lounge with library, private bar, two open fire places and a restaurant/dining area plus conference room.

• Hearty home-cooked meals, soups, delicious deserts and a superb collection of Tasmanian and mainland wines.

• A traditional meeting place for keen fly fishers discussing the hatch on Little Pine or the big one you bagged over

Berkley Catch More Fish micromesh fishing shirts

The Berkley Catch More Fish series is a limited edition range of dye sublimated micromesh shirts from Berkley, only available via purefishing.com.au. Featuring stunning Shane Chalker underwater images, the Bream Reaper, Flathead Whisperer and Readhead styles are unique and capture these iconic Australian species like never before.

Made from quick drying, UPF35 rated micromesh fabric, the Catch More Fish series is ideal as a fishing shirt and a great gift idea for the angler in the family.

Subscribe to the purefishing enewsletter at purefishing.com.au to be notified of availability.

Make sure you don’t miss out on this limited edition series.

Only available online at purefishing.com.au a cold beer or a warming glass of wine around the fireplace.

• Private lake where you can brush up on your fly casting with a lesson or two from our trout guide or maybe even tangle the 2 to 4 lb wily browns, that cruise the edges!

The room facilities include ensuite bathrooms, heating, electric blankets, fridge, TV and tea and coffee making facilities, with wader hanging racks outside.

Relax in Comfort at Central Highland Lodge Ph: 03 62 598 179 www.centralhighlandslodge.com.au

Fishin

World class fishing in the heart of the central highlands

Stay in a luxury art deco 3 bedroom cottage Atmospheric Highlander Arms tavern on the doorstep 3 course meal provided each night Catch your own salmon in Tarraleah lake and learn how to prepare it with expert chef 18 lakes within 30 minutes drive

(03) 6289 0111 info @tarraleah.com www.tarraleah.com

cosy wood fires

wine & whisky tasting

Quality craftmanship, premium paints and the best products ensure your trophy will last a lifetime P: 0457 449 715 E: mrskinnem@bigpond.com W: www.airbrushedtolife.com Fishing News - Page 46

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guided fishing trips

great pub



AAA Rating

East Coast gliders yield valuable marine life data The influence ocean eddies have on marine life in the oceans surrounding Australia’s south-east is expected to become clearer after scientists examine data from new deep-diving research ‘gliders’ patrolling the East Australian Current.

Eddies can be up to 200 kilometres across and they distribute heat and nutrients around the ocean and form their own distinct habitat. An insight into ocean eddies is also an insight into how ocean dynamics influences regional climate.

CSIRO scientists and technicians last month retrieved one of three gliders working in south-east Australia after a five-month program criss-crossing the East Australian Current.

“We will see in significantly more detail than ever before the profile of the ocean eddies spinning off the East Australian Current which are critical to shaping the composition of the biological hotspots driving fisheries production and supporting marine life,” says oceanographer Ken Ridgway at the CSIRO Wealth from Oceans Flagship,.

South-west of Tasmania another glider has been measuring a deep ocean current called the Tasman Outflow, that feeds into the global network of ocean currents.

The research project is funded through the Australian Climate Change Science Program, a joint program between CSIRO, the Bureau of Meteorology and the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency.

Electronics engineer Lindsay Macdonald (left) and oceanographer Ken Ridgway with the deep ocean glider that has been generating substantial profiles of the Tasman Sea. Photo:CSIRO The glider observing the East Australian Current travelled up to 250km east of Tasmania, making eight crossings in total of the Current, and taking measurements of temperature and salinity to a depth of 1000m.

the ocean eddies formed in the EAC and moving southwards.

Mr Ridgway said CSIRO has been working with the Sydney Institute of Marine Science studying

“The latest design can descend to nearly 6000m and remain at sea for up to 18 months,” Mr Ridgway said.

“Gliders allow us to investigate these processes in considerably more detail and are a tremendously exciting option for ocean scientists

Mr Ridgway is Bluewater and Climate Node co-leader in Australia’s Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS), a $100 million project to observe the oceans and seas around Australia. IMOS provides research infrastructure around the country, including these gliders, to deliver data streams for use by the entire Australian marine and climate science community and its international collaborators.

The IMOS fleet of deep ocean gliders also operate in the waters off New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia.

They are piloted by staff at the University of Western Australia.

Background CSIRO’s marine scientists use an impressive array of sensitive and innovative equipment, deployed in some of the world’s most hostile environments, to deliver highquality ocean data.

unique problems associated with data gathering at or in the sea, with much of the technology used by scientists developed or refined inhouse.

The information is used to understand and monitor ocean currents and habitats, to determine the ocean’s role in climate, and even follow the journeys of fish and sharks in order to provide information for the sustainable management of fish stocks.

• towed deep-water devices that relay quantitative digital video of the seafloor in real time

CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research has a long history of developing practical solutions to the unique problems associated with data gathering at or in the sea.

CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research has a long history of developing practical solutions to the

These include:

• self-contained acoustic devices which are deployed from fishing boats to differentiate between fish species for stock assessments • Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) to survey the depths like small robotic submarines • winged gliders which take the temperature of the sea, along with other information, providing valuable information on our oceans’ health and their role in determining climate.

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Fishing News - Page 47