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• LAST CHANCE FOR A WINTER FISHING TRIP • TESTED

Stacer Wildrider 589 SE with Yamaha 150hp

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Features

Winter action in Mallacoota • South East Queensland squid • Starlo: it’s called fishing, not catching! • Bone Drago 610M review • Boat Test: Stacer Wildrider 589 SE • Local area reports •

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Matt Young shines a spotlight on fishing Mallacoota this winter

August, 2024 ISSN 2652-5798

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From the Editor’s Desk... I have been to Japan at least half a dozen times in the last 20 years. For me, it used to be a trip of awe and wonder. Checking out a tackle show or a tackle store presented me with a massive variety of lures and tackle, most of which I had never seen before. Fast forward to 2024, and a family holiday landed us in the Land of the Rising Sun. Of course, I took the opportunity to check out a variety of tackle stores. This time, however, it was really difficult to find Japanese

lures that we use in Australia on the shelves of the local shops over there. I was actually very happy about this. The Australian industry has evolved to a level where local designers tailor local baits for our local fish. No longer do we need to use lures designed for other species in other parts of the world to catch a bream, bass and barramundi. It’s taken a while, but we are starting to grow up as an industry. In unrelated news, the Australia

Post price rises kicked in for this issue. Thanks to all of the readers who reached out after last month’s editorial. I don’t mind sharing the challenges of bringing a high quality, glossy publication out each month, especially when readers can relate to the spiralling costs. Rest assured, we still produce and print in Australia (in Brisbane) and won’t offshore anything – even if we are being crushed by the boot of our national postal carrier.

A Matt Young image.

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FISHING MONTHLY MAGAZINE Published by:

INSIDE This Issue

Qld Fishing Monthly Pty Ltd

WESTERN AUSTRALIA Esperance

Bunbury

Tathra

Gold Coast

New England Rivers

Jumpinpin

Hunter Valley

Brisbane

Batlow

Northern Bay

Albury/Wodonga

Sunshine Coast

Canberra

Bundaberg

Mackay

Townsville

Hinchinbrook

Cairns

Port Douglas

Cooktown

Cape York

Freshwater

Sydney Rock

Sydney South

Ballina

Coffs Coast

South West Rocks

Forster

VICTORIA Portland

Warrnambool

Cobden

Geelong

Port Phillip

Phillip Island

Lakes Entrance

Port Albert

Gippsland Lakes

Marlo

Mallacoota

Robinvale

Bendigo

Wangaratta

Shepparton

Augusta

Metro

Mandurah

Lancelin

Exmouth

Karratha

Freshwater

REGULAR FEATURES

Winter action in Mallacoota 8 South East QLD squid

Starlo: art of ‘catching’

Tagging Tales

What’s New Fishing

Bone Drago 610M

Sheik of the Creek

Phases of the moon

Tournament calendar

Fun page

100

Tournaments

102

Ballarat

Tide page

106

Port Macquarie

Gippsland Freshwater

Stacer Wildrider 589 SE

108

Port Stephens

Eildon

Trades and Services

110

Swansea

Crater Lakes

Central Coast

Illawarra

TASMANIA

Batemans Bay

Hobart

All material is © copyright, and cannot be reproduced in part or in full, by any means, without written permission of the Managing Editor. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher.

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FISHING MONTHLY MAGAZINE PUBLISHED AUGUST 2024

The Tweed

NEW SOUTH WALES

ABN 72-010-542-195

Bermagui

ISSUE: VOLUME 5 NO. 4

QUEENSLAND

6 AUGUST 2024

Crystal clear water makes casting and fighting salmon an exciting visual experience!

GEN III

The Ultimate 115HP & 140HP Outboard Motor Range now ﬁtted with the Suzuki Micro-Plastic Collecting Device. Suzuki’s third generation 115hp & 140hp outboard motors boast more torque, quicker acceleration, and improved top speed thanks to revising the cylinder head and piston design and increasing the compression ratio to 10.6:1. The new cowling and semi-direct air intake greatly reduce intake noise resulting in quieter operation. Suzuki’s Micro-Plastic Collecting Device (MPC) is part of Suzuki’s Clean Ocean Project initiative, which collects micro-plastic without any eﬀect on performance when boating. The third generation 115hp & 140hp are available in both Suzuki Precision Control (Drive-by-wire) and mechanical-drive variants and backed by Suzuki’s 3+3-year recreational warranty.

FEATURE

Location

FMM

Winter action in Mallacoota VICTORIA

Matt Young

The summer coastal fishing getaway— it’s about as Aussie as meat pies and thongs. Sweaty, zinc-covered skin, desperate barefoot dashes across scorching sand, mozzie welts

tarnished by a handful of less memorable experiences. Expensive accommodation, crowded beaches, busy boat ramps, and some very overfished waters are just a few downsides. Heavy boat traffic, water skiers, and jet ski enthusiasts can churn your favourite calm-water fishing spots into wash-muddied white water.

plastered across global news media outlets during the devastating 2019 Black Summer bushfires. Thousands of trapped residents and tourists fled to the lake and beaches to escape the raging fires that eventually destroyed 120 homes in the area. Sadly, the town is still recovering from the impacts. It’s not hard to see why Mallacoota was so vulnerable during the bushfires. A quick search on Google Maps immediately reveals the town’s isolated location. If that’s not convincing enough,

Above: A typical Mallacoota blurter or silver trevally taken around the main inlet into the bottom lake. Main: The Mallacoota foreshore is a great place to visit at sunrise and sunset. After arriving back at the ramp, the boys usually rig up the bait gear and fish around the town wharves.

During winter, huge schools of Australian salmon make their way into the estuaries to feed on baitfish. Keep an eye open for surface bust-ups or diving birds. and saunas disguised as tents. For generations, the iconic Australian coast trip has sparked passions for fishing, surfing, camping, and boating, fostered quality time with family and friends, and formed the foundations of many warm memories. Yet, like most things in life, the pros of a summer getaway are occasionally 8 AUGUST 2024

At times, summer holiday fishing is frustrating. A few years back, we decided to cancel our usual summer coastal holiday. Instead, we replaced it with a mid-winter fishing trip to the magical Victorian border town of Mallacoota. This spectacular seaside township is notorious for the apocalyptic scenes

Kem Young with a superb shallow water bream. The deep, muscular profile gives these fish plenty of fighting power.

the 25-minute drive down GenoaMallacoota Road (the only entry and exit to the township) through the thick shadows of Mallacoota State Forest hits home. Mallacoota is a quaint coastal oasis hidden deep within a vast expanse of dense bushland. MALLACOOTA MAGIC In winter, Mallacoota transforms into a relatively sleepy town with numerous businesses closing shop for the slow season. A handful of locals greet each other as they pass the bakery on their morning stroll, but otherwise, the streets are empty of the hustle and bustle of summer. It’s a refreshing

Location FEATURE

FMM fun at the main public wharves in town! WINTER ESTUARY TARGETS Our primary winter targets in Mallacoota are bream and flathead. However, we also look forward to encountering winter schools of Australian salmon for explosive fun on light tackle. Additionally, dropping baits at the local public wharves for bream, flathead, leatherjacket, salmon,

subtle bite and lacklustre battle. For black bream, fish deep and slow along shorelines with steep banks or drop-offs and in areas with deeper weed beds. In contrast, the winter yellowfin bream in Mallacoota are often aggressive and fight like firecrackers. The deeper body profile and larger surface area of yellowfin bream might help them sustain a tougher fight. The

Numerous stunning creeks branch off the bays and rivers, providing plenty of fishy terrain to explore. contrast, and although the centre of town is quiet, a handful of eateries and small grocery stores provide all you’ll need to sustain your fishing days. To explore the lake foreshore and encounter empty boat ramps and sparse water traffic is invigorating. You’d be hard-pressed to cross paths with any more than half a dozen active boats in an entire day during winter. There are no ramp queues, the banks are unfished, and the fish are eager to eat! It is angler bliss. The only downside at this time of year is the temperature— especially in the morning. A sunrise launch is often greeted with chilly winter temperatures in the vicinity of 6°C or less, so rug up and pack a thermos for a warm cuppa or two. Mallacoota lies on a vast estuarine coastal lake fed by the Genoa and Wallagaraugh Rivers. The lower system is an expansive open area known as the bottom lake, which opens to the sea via a maze of sandbars and channels. The smaller top lake is another open area separated from the bottom lake by a deep stretch of water known as TIPS FOR WINTER • If travelling from NSW or further afield, don’t forget to purchase a Victorian fishing licence. • Layer up! The mornings are freezing, but it can warm up fast once the sun is out. • Keep your eyes open for surface action or bust-ups! Winter salmon schools provide action-packed fishing. • Pack a variety of jigheads to target different water depths. • Fish slow for bream in the deeper water and stay ready for timid bites. • Target flathead around sandbars and sand spits, especially as the tide drains out. the Narrows. Further upstream, past Gypsy’s Point, the river splits into the two feeder rivers that wind inland and into the freshwater reaches. Numerous boat ramps provide easy access to the estuary system, and a ramp at Bastion Point offers a launching platform for

those who wish to fish offshore. We usually launch from the ramp that provides the quickest access to our intended fishing spots and use multiple ramps during a trip. You’ll appreciate the shorter run-out on the freezing winter mornings! Research shows Mallacoota is also home to hybrid black and yellowfin bream. This suspected hybrid took to a small hardbody minnow.

An enormous salmon school balled up toward the estuary floor. In these conditions, the action comes thick and fast. Drop down a jig and hang on! There are plenty of areas that offer estuary access for shore-based anglers. These include tracks to bushland banks, estuary and coastal beaches, headlands, open foreshore areas and several public wharves. All these locations can produce fish and a variety of species at times. We’ve had hours of family fishing

and silver trevally keeps my sons entertained for hours. I love watching them experiment with baits around the wharf pylons—it’s an incredible learning experience on fishing fundamentals and reminds me of my childhood. Bream Mallacoota is home to southern black bream (Acanthopagrus butcheri), yellowfin bream (Acanthopagrus australis), and hybrids between the two species. The average size of bream at Mallacoota is larger than anywhere I’ve experienced, with plenty of 40cm plus models lurking. Our trips usually bag a combination of both species depending on the locations fished and techniques used. We predominantly capture black bream in deeper water (4-10m) by sinking small soft plastics to the bottom and working them slowly with pauses. The bites can be excruciatingly timid and even the fight may be a little subdued during winter. We’ve been shocked to slide a sleepy 40cm plus bream into the net following a

Double and triple hook-ups are the norm when the salmon are around!

other factor that could contribute to their powerful runs is that most of the yellowfin bream we have encountered in Mallacoota have been found over shallow weed beds in 1-3m of water. The yellowfin bream will hit the same grub and minnow-style plastics that work on the black bream, but generally, the bites are less subtle. We target the yellowfin bream along shallow shorelines covered in patchy weed and seagrass. Bream commonly patrol seagrass beds and

The town wharf produces salmon when schools move through the channels. explode onto small lures that enter their attack zone. Flathead Mallacoota and most of the estuaries in south-eastern Australia are famous for monster dusky flathead. This is the land of giant lizards, and 90cm plus specimens are a real possibility. We’ve captured many flathead across tidal sandbars and on sand spits surrounding the numerous islands. However, flathead are also hooked close to the shoreline throughout the estuarine reaches of the system. The flatties eagerly inhale plastics and lures intended for bream, so they are a common and welcome AUGUST 2024 9

WHAT’S NEW FISHING

MERCURY AVATOR 75E AND 100E

The Avator 75e and 110e electric outboards from Mercury feature industry-first transverse flux motor technology, which generates high torque with minimal effort, maximising battery life, and ensuring quick acceleration. The 75e generates 7,500W (the equivalent of a 10hp engine), while the 110e generates 11,000W (comparable to a 15hp outboard). Both models are available with digital remote controls for boats with console steering. The 75e has a multi-function tiller handle, while the standard power tilt system makes it easy to trim or raise the outboard. Engineered for marine use, the Avator lithium-ion batteries provide reliable and efficient power, and have modular and portable designs. The outboards connect to an Avator 5400 Power Centre, which facilitates seamless battery integration and lets you connect up to four batteries. The Power Centre delivers singlepoint charging for multiple batteries simultaneously. A full-colour display offers comprehensive info, including speed, distance, time remaining, battery level, power output and alerts. The 75e and 110e come with a preinstalled Mercury SmartCraft Connect module that wirelessly connects to the Mercury Marine app on a smart device. This app allows users to monitor range, battery state of charge, a GPS map with range estimates, and more. www.mercurymarine.com.au

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J-THREAD FC X-LINK

A new line needs a new leader, and Daiwa’s J-Thread FC X-Link is the perfect match for J-Braid Expedition. Made in Japan, J-Thread FC X-Link is a revolutionary fluorocarbon line developed exclusively by Daiwa, and is made with a process that alters the molecular structure of the line itself and bonds individual particles on a chemical level. This change in the chemical composition results in a line that is significantly stronger for its given diameter, and is incredibly limp and supple, resulting in a more manageable line with higher knot strength and performance. J-Thread FC X-Link is available in 4-20lb breaking strains in 70m or 50m spools. www.daiwafishing.com.au

ZMAN MULLETRON

The ZMan Mulletron is a realistic mullet profile that appeals to a variety of fresh and saltwater species. It comes in a range of proven colour options and its rounded, wedge-shaped tail activates a realistic swimming action at all retrieve speeds. From faster retrieves for aggressive predators, to those super slow retrieves that are required to get the bite when the fish are sluggish, or the bite shuts down, the Mulletron makes them eat. Other true-to-life body design features include natural gill plates, eyes, and fin detail. ZMan’s ElaZtech construction makes Mulletron naturally buoyant, allowing it to be rigged for fishing from the surface to the depths, while back and belly hook pockets simplify weedless rigging and perfect jighead alignment. Available in 3.3” (4-pack) and 4” (3pack) sizes, this realistic presentation will be a favourite for mullet-loving predators such as barra, jacks, flathead, mulloway and more. Price: SRP: $13.95 www.z-man.com.au

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SHIMANO STRADIC FM

Built to withstand the harshest fishing conditions, the Shimano Stradic FM has a host of revolutionary features inspired by Shimano’s flagship Stella FK. The Anti Twist Fin feature ensures flawless line management, so you can say goodbye to line twists and tangles. The Duracross high-density felt washer combines the smoothness and sensitivity of felt with the remarkable durability of Cross Carbon Drag. This advancement guarantees superior drag performance, enabling you to effortlessly control the fight. Shimano InfinityXross has wider teeth that offer 50% increased surface area compared to its predecessor, delivering superior strength, reliability, and smoothness with every turn of the handle. The Stradic FM is available in sizes ranging from 1000 to C5000, including a new C2000 model. fish.shimano.com

The Samaki Redic SF110, the latest addition to the renowned Redic series, has a diving depth of 0.8m (2.5ft) and weighs 16g. This versatile floating jerkbait is ideal for fishing in shallow water. The SF110 features the cutting-edge LongCast Magnetic Transfer System, ensuring impressive casting distances and precise accuracy. Its robust construction includes a one-piece stainless-steel wire-through design and sonic welding, providing excellent strength and durability. Equipped with Decoy YS-81 treble hooks, the SF110 guarantees superior hook-setting power and reliability. The signature Redic durable paint finish not only offers a stunning visual appeal but also withstands the harshest conditions. Whether you’re targeting barra, jacks, mulloway, bream, salmon, or tailor, the Redic SF110 is up to the task. It’s available in the beloved original Redic colours, along with six new colour options. www.samaki.com.au

The Precision Xtreme Pencil range from Rapala features three models: the Precision Xtreme Pencil, Precision Xtreme Pencil Saltwater, and the Precision Xtreme Pencil EXO. Ranging in size from 87-127mm, there’s a model to suit most inshore topwater fishing applications. The Precision Xtreme Pencils all feature a full wire construction, durable impactresistant plastic body and an internal sliding casting weight that doubles as a dual frequency knocker that drives the predators crazy. This allows for maximum distance and increased accuracy when casting around structure. Designed to walk-the-dog effortlessly, the Precision Xtreme Pencil glides from side to side with the slightest rod twitch. The ability to walk-the-dog on the spot is deadly on ambush predators like Murray cod, barra, jacks and bass, as you can keep the lure in the strike zone longer than other lures. The Precision Xtreme Pencil range features Rapala’s new holographic eye, printed scales, and a huge array of fishcatching colours. Price: $23.95-$26.95 www.rapala.com.au

PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY 44 AUGUST 2024

••••••••••••••••••••••••••

PRECISION XTREME PENCIL

SAMAKI REDIC SF110

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INTRODUCING NEW

FISHFINDERS

BORN TO FISH EAGLE® was born to make fishing as simple and enjoyable as possible. Easy to use and quick to install, Eagle features newly designed TripleShot™ HD and SplitShot™ HD sonars with FishReveal™ technology and autotuning for a fast, optimal set up. With truly EAGLE-LIKE vision, it really is so easy to find and see fish. Relevant transducers required. 4x model is not compatible with enhanced sonar features or mapping

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

TESTING BOOTH

Bone Drago 610M is definitely worth the wait FISHING MONTHLY

Peter Jung

I say the Bone Drago 610M was worth the wait, but in reality, it is the six models of the Bone Drago rods that have been worth the wait. In late 2021 the Bone Drago

range of rods was discontinued awaiting new models and a new configuration to be released in 2022. The latest iteration hit the ground running, winning the “Best Rod in Show” award at the 2022 AFTA Trade Show. However, this ended up being a little bit of a tease, as Bone Lim (the

Somerset Dam was the first location the author used the Bone Drago 610M. Once the first golden perch hit the deck, several others did as well. PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY 46 AUGUST 2024

designer and manufacturer of the rods) wasn’t 100% happy with the for-sale production of the rods and wasn’t prepared to release them until he was satisfied that they met his standards. He wanted what is one of his marque rods, within the ranges he does, to be as close to his vision as possible. Production issues sorted, the Drago range of rods was released through Wilson Fishing towards the end of 2023. I wanted to get my hands on the Drago 610M as soon as they were released, however I needed to be patient, as tackle stores had customers who were as keen as me to get their hands on the new rod. My patience was rewarded and I eventually got the opportunity to put the new 610M through its paces, as well as the 6’5” medium light model for more finesse baitcast applications. Here is what I think of the new Bone Drago rods. What is different I will base this on the 610M as the 65ML is a new model. It has a slightly lower line rating, changing from a 1020lb to 8-16lb. The Fuji K-SIC guides remain, however the guides on the top third (the last 5 before the tip) of the rod seem to be one size bigger. Only a small change but one that those fishing heavier leaders will appreciate, as slightly bulkier knots

Above: The author isn’t necessarily superstitious, but the first fish on any new rod is a very important one. Main: The latest iteration of the Bone Drago 610M has a space-aged carbon look to it. A truly modern version that is a positive twist on the original. will now pass comfortably through the guides. The biggest change from a visual point of view is from the reel seat down. The EVA grip has been replaced by a full carbon fibre option. It has a real space aged look to it and is very comfortable to use when fishing, which further enhances the feedback the angler gets

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TESTING BOOTH through the rod. This is a point I would like to expand upon. Looking back at my review of the original Bone Drago 610M, I emphasised how good the feel was through the rod. This is something anglers have now all grown to love and you cannot underestimate the importance of being able to feel what is happening at the end of your fishing line. Rod feel comes through the blank of the rod, in the case of the Bone Drago rods a 100% TorayCA M40 T110G graphite blank, the rod guides and then finally the reel seat

different? Would I like it as much as I liked the original model? Would it meet with my expectation? Way too many questions and unfortunately it took me way too long to get on the water to find out the answers. My first opportunity on the water to play with the new Drago 610M was at Somerset Dam. I love getting up into the 6-knot timbered zone casting spinnerbaits around the standing timber and log piles. The importance of being able to feel what your lure is bouncing through or over is vital, and having the power to move the fish out

Versatility is an important feature for the author. This saratoga ate a DUO Boostar Wake soft plastic rigged on a 1/4oz jighead with jig spinner attached. No worries for the 610M.

The author loves throwing lures like this Live Target Sonic Shad using the 610M. He can feel the weed he is rolling the lure through, while having the confidence that the rod has plenty of power to stop the fish from returning to the weed when they bite. and handle. Each component used in the Drago rods are premium quality and I am happy to say the feel in the new models has improved from the original version. Time to get on the water No matter how much you wobble a fishing rod or have someone load it up for you, it is not until you have that

of harm’s way is just as important. Within a few casts I was already impressed by the sensitivity (feel) of the new Drago. It felt lighter (weight) in the hand and the sensitivity was impressive. It’s definitely a step up from the original. I had big expectations of the new Drago, particularly when it came to the types of lures I cast with it and the range of cast weights within the

lures I use: 1/4-5/8oz spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits that start at 1/6oz and then some larger crankbaits. It was the lower end cast range that was impressive with the original, would this new version (with the lower line class) still have that ability as well as deal with the heavier lures? The answer was yes, although I felt anything over 1/2oz began to test it too much. Back to Somerset and the fish were playing hard ball. The fish mojo my original Drago 610M has is second to none, amongst my favourite rods and so far, the new version was yet to have a bite after a full day on the water. Not that I am superstitious, but the first fish on any rod is important and thankfully very early on the second day a solid golden perch smashed my spinnerbait as I bounced it through a log pile. Three others followed and any questions about mojo had disappeared, as well as any about the power of the rod

The author’s Bone Drago 610M has been used for many different species. On this occasion he was casting spinnerbaits for Murray cod on the Murrumbidgee River in Canberra. first cast or hook that first fish that you can really offer a true opinion. And I was keen as mustard to give the 610M a try! Would it be very

Bone Lim and Kord Luckus celebrate the latest iteration of the Bone Drago 610M winning the AFTA Best Rod in Show award.

to deal with fish in structure. It was simply fantastic. Final thoughts Quite a few trips have occurred

Although the author predominantly uses spinnerbaits when using the Drago 610M, it will also cast smaller hardbody lures like this DUO Kabuki 48MR. since that initial test at Somerset Dam. Many from my kayak playing with my local bass. It took me a little while to get used to how light (weight of rod) the rod feels, but you truly appreciate it at the end of a full day’s fishing. The sensitivity and power balance is also first class. It has definitely been worth the wait. The new look Bone Drago 610M (and the other rods within the range) are well worth checking out and well worth spending a few extra dollars on. For more information on the Bone Drago rods you can go to www. wilsonfishing.com or you can check them out at your good local tackle retail outlet.

AUGUST 2024 47

NSW

Macquarie Coast

FMM

Hot fishing action along the Macquarie Coast current during the start of July, I would expect deep drop fishing to really fire throughout August. Take advantage of the winter glass-out conditions and put those electric reels to good use. • Kate Shelton is the proud owner of Bay Explorer Marine Services,

PORT MACQUARIE

Kate Shelton

The crisp mornings of August are a prime time for fishing on the Mid North Coast. Don’t let the slight chill deter you – fantastic catches are being reported across various locations, making it a month to remember for anglers of all experience levels. This August, grab your rod and head to the rocks for an unforgettable

Power for your GOPRO or VIRB from your navigation light socket

$250 + P&H

AVAILABLE FROM: www.tournamentboats.com.au

GOPRO not included

56 AUGUST 2024

Ned Kelly’s Bait ‘n’ Tackle owner Jim Gardner with a fantastic drummer he caught using cunjevoi near Oxley Beach. fishing experience. July had some of the best hauls of the year, with reports of enthusiastic anglers reeling in impressive catches. Drummer seem to be particularly plentiful, with their numbers surging off the rocks between South West Rocks and Seal Rocks. Local ledges are also worth exploring – South West Rocks Gaol, Queens Head, Tacking Point Lighthouse, and Crowdy Head all offer excellent spots protected from both calm and rough conditions. Soak up the beautiful coastal scenery while you wait for your line to go tight. The rivers are packed with life this August. Bream are practically begging to be caught, readily accepting bait and lures in both the Camden Haven and Hastings River. If you’re after a different challenge, flathead fishing remains excellent, with live bait and all types of lures proving equally effective. July even saw some lucky anglers in the Camden Haven land mulloway exceeding a metre in length, shattering personal bests. For luderick enthusiasts who faced a slow start earlier in the year, worry no more – catches from the break walls in all the local rivers have shown steady improvement in recent weeks, bringing smiles back to their faces. If you prefer the feel of sand between your toes, August’s beach fishing won’t disappoint. Consistent hauls of bream and tailor are being reported at Lighthouse and North Shore beaches in Port Macquarie. Beachgoers casting a line at Lake Cathie and North Haven beaches are also in for a treat, with reports of larger mulloway joining the usual presence of school-sized fish. Lake Cathie, recently reopened to the ocean after a much-needed cleanse, is showing all the signs of a healthy ecosystem. This is fantastic

news for anglers, especially young enthusiasts who are having a blast catching bream, school mulloway, and flathead around the bridge and ocean side. Lures of all varieties are the go-to method for many, but traditionalists can still rely on yabbies or prawns for effective bait. As August progresses, the seas should calm down and light westerly winds will become more frequent, making it the perfect time to venture offshore for a thrilling fishing expedition. Snapper fishing is particularly promising, especially off Port Macquarie and Lake Cathie. While bait has been the most productive method recently, expect soft plastics to take over soon as water conditions change. Offshore enthusiasts seeking a true challenge can set their sights on pearl perch and kingfish lurking in the deeper reefs off Crescent Head and Point Plomer. With a challenging split

Zayne Cassidy reeled in this beauty of a pearl perch recently. Image courtesy of @zaynecassidy.

and she specialises in making deep-drop fishing rigs for blue-eye trevalla, bar cod, king fish, and bass groper. For more info look up ‘Bay Explorer Marine Services’ on Facebook and Instagram, or find her store on eBay.

Ben Hill and Brett Main with big smiles and even bigger blueeye trevalla. Image courtesy of @kegrocks and @nuggettbrett.

Macquarie Coast NSW

FMM

Good reports from anglers fishing with bait FORSTER

Luke Austin

Things are slowly starting to feel a bit more like spring out there! I don’t think I’m alone in saying that I’m loving these warm days (although it does feel a bit weird given it should be more ‘wintery’), and with plenty of fish getting about, there isn’t any reason to not go fishing! Our estuary is chugging along perfectly, and there have been loads of fish caught lately. The luderick are about

week, but the flats and weed beds should really start to fire up with this warm weather. It’s definitely worth heading up for a bit of a look! Local flathead are really starting to move about now, and reports of good sessions are filtering through every day. Most of the better reports have still been coming from a little way up the river, but there are more and more fish being caught down along the rock walls and around the bridge each day. Hitting the jetties and rock walls down around the Fish Co-op with a handful of soft plastics

Matt with a cracking snapper from the shallows.

Riley had a ball tangling with the local tailor on a picture-perfect winter’s day. in huge numbers and there are a lot of big fish mixed into the schools. The big bronzies that like to sit along our rock walls have really had anglers on their toes, and short bite times and a bit of fussiness when it comes to bait has made the fish a little difficult to fool. Anglers using fresh cabbage weed and weed flies have been faring the best by far, so if you’re keen to have a go for some big luderick get to the beaches and track down some cabbage first. Further up into the oyster leases around The Paddock or Wallis Island, you will find the fish much easier to fool, particularly if you fish on the run-out tide. There have been some monster bream caught lately, with plenty of fish up in the high 40s coming in on the rock walls. The fish haven’t been fussy when it comes to bait. Something like mullet, chicken or bonito that holds onto the hook for a while is always a good option. Fooling these big blue-nosed beasts has not been so easy for the lure fishos, though. The fish are in a post-spawn state now, and in the super-clear water they are much more calculated in their actions than they were a month ago. In saying that, if you fish a nice light outfit with light braid and leader (4-6lb), matched up to some super light jigheads and small plastics, you will almost certainly get a few fish. I haven’t heard much from further up the system this

is very easy fishing, and you will almost certainly land a handful of nice 50-70cm fish, with a really good chance of snagging that trophy fish we all dream of. Our local beaches are still fishing well for big tailor. It’s been a great season

until about an hour after it gets dark. Those low-light periods are when tailor really fire up and will smash your baits or lures on every cast! There are still some good bream sitting under the tailor in the gutters, as well as the odd mulloway. Reports from the stones have been a little thin on the ground of late; we need a good bit of swell to get the drummer fired up, and also to clean out the huge amount of sand that has built up in a lot of places. In saying that, those anglers who know of spots that only need a little bit of swell to get churned up have been finding a few nice fish. The best results come to those who toss a good bit of berley into the suds. Along with drummer, there are some great luderick, bream and even snapper getting about. The weather has been very nice for heading out over the bar lately. On the fishing front, things have been challenging for many anglers, but there are definitely plenty of fish out there. With regards to snapper, the single biggest factor at the moment is water clarity. The shallow inshore reefs are ridiculously clear, which means that the fish are wary of anything that shouldn’t

be in their environment. What does this mean for anglers? It means we need to fish in low-light or darkness, use as light a line and leader as we dare, and our bait or lure presentations need to be perfect. Boats choosing to head out onto the deeper grounds have been faring much better, with good numbers of fish schooling up on reefs in depths of 40-90m. These same reefs (particularly up north) become loaded with trag once the sun sets, with some boats ‘bagging out’ in a matter of minutes! Heading to the wider deep drop grounds has been worth the travel time of late, with plenty of solid pearl perch, cod and kingfish about – and you never know when you might run into a pod of yellowfin tuna or some striped tuna out there! • Luke is the owner of Great Lakes Tackle - your ‘local’ bait and tackle store. We only sell the best brands and offer sound, friendly advice on where to land your next trophy fish while visiting the wonderful Great Lakes region! We’re open 7 days in the main street of Tuncurry, and you can call us on 02 6554 9541 or find us on Facebook to see what we have been up to!

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Luderick are on the chew all over the place, and are loving the weed flies! so far, and the fish should hang about for a little while yet. While you can snag the odd fish throughout the day, to give yourself the best chance at getting stuck into them, try to fish either really early in the morning or late in the afternoon

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AUGUST 2024 57

VIC

East Coast

FMM

Late winter salmon and estuary perch PORT ALBERT

Brett Geddes b.geddes@bigpond.com

August is one of the toughest months of the whole year, and you have to love the humble Aussie salmon. Winter fishing can be a real challenge, and the salmon often save the day. The estuary perch numbers have slowly started to recover, and there’s some positive news from keen surf anglers. AUSSIE SALMON Every year in late winter, I see more anglers embrace the sporting attributes of our salmon that pour into Corner Inlet and the entire Gippsland

plenty of salmon around, and it just takes the right tide to get them firing. That’s usually two hours each side of high tide. Next month there will be heaps of salmon of all sizes at McLouglins entrance or Manns and Port Albert, and they can turn up in deeper channels almost anywhere in between. Even from jetties, you can find salmon running, and even a few trevally or small flatties. 90 MILE BEACH We have had yet another winter where beach anglers have noticed the average run of salmon are a bit bigger than years gone by with plenty of 2kg fish. But mostly the schools are mainly

this year have done some strange things to the perch. I reckon they have gone for a ‘big swim’ somewhere. I have seen it all before; just when I think they are gone for good and I go into major depression, they mysteriously turn up again – sometimes in numbers and sizes that are better than ever before. I hope that’s the case this time, and they’ll reappear soon. For now, a few winter perch are lurking around and I hope they call in all their mates for the spring and summer ahead.

Salmon are suckers for small soft plastics and surface lures.

The best thing about estuary perch is that cold weather doesn’t slow them down. coastline. They provide hours of lure fishing fun when a lot of other species are shut down or have relocated until the warmer months return. The best thing about them is they faithfully turn up in huge numbers every year without fail. And even when they are quietly schooled up and not feeding, you can cast lures into the vast schools and get them all fired up and even ‘hangry’. They will aggressively eat just about any lure or bait you launch their way. This is when I get the fly rod out or cast surface lures in front of them to get that visual fishing fix for hours on end. The fish are so easy to catch that after a while the novelty can wear off, and that’s when I take the hooks off my lures. It’s a whole new level of fun. At times I’ve seen up to 10 big salmon constantly attack a bare, hookless lure, with some fish clinging onto it for ages and even pulling serious drag. Some even launch themselves clear out of the water when hitting the surface lures. It’s so entertaining and sometimes even more fun than struggling to haul hooked fish all the way to the net. Without hooks the fish never get harmed and I find myself laughing out loud while watching them battle frantically over the lure! In recent weeks, there have been 76 AUGUST 2024

fish just under the 1kg mark. Quite a few solid tailor are also in the mix and I suggest you think about using at least 8kg leaders or even stronger because both species are hardly line-shy. Surf rigs using the standard bluebait or half pilchard will work fine, but always try surf poppers if the crabs get out of hand. I reckon the best option is to cast lures if the surf conditions permit, and quite often we get light winds during this month. Use a long spin stick around 9ft long and toss small metal slugs or 3” soft plastics on heavy jigheads. Braided mainline around 10lb will allow a super-long cast. Just use a very short but heavy 14lb leader and ensure the leader knot won’t have to go anywhere near your rod guides while casting. Another handy tip is to superglue your soft plastics to the jighead so they don’t get ripped off or pulled apart. You want your plastics to last for many hook-ups. Some very keen drone anglers are already out on the surf beaches, and they know all about how big gummy sharks can turn up in late August and early September. ESTUARY PERCH I always worry about perch when they disappear from well-known

hotspots. Have they moved on for good? Are anglers like me putting too much pressure on them? Have they been netted? The biggest changes come after floods, when EPs can disappear for months or even years. In the Port Albert and Welshpool area, perch have just about disappeared for some unknown reason (at least to me). I’m thinking those three massive floods around Christmas last year and into

Drone fishing from the beach can return some big gummies at this time of year.

NEW PRODUCTS

Daiwa new releases Daiwa has released an impressive range of new products so far this year, and two of the latest arrivals are the Saltiga Over There lipless minnow and Wilderness X Refresh travel rods. SALTIGA OVER THERE The Saltiga Over There has been specifically created to cater to the rigors of Australian saltwater fishing. A heavy weight lipless minnow that excels at long-distance casting, Saltiga Over There is a standout choice when chasing fish that always seem to be just out of reach. A centre-balanced weight ensures that the Over There produces an enticing shimmy action whilst sinking, allowing anglers to use it at varying depths. The Over There is a multi-use lure, whether it’s burning it across the top to imitate a skipping gar or saury, or worked with long sweeps and pauses to produce an enticing lift-and-fall action. The Over There features a full through-wire construction, while belly swivels ensure a higher landing percentage as the middle hook always has free movement thanks to the swivel. BKK Diablo inline singles are rigged straight out of the box so you can

simply tie it on and get casting. The 80S features a single rear hook, while the 110s and 130S feature a belly and rear hook. The Over There is currently available in three sizes (80mm, 110mm and 130mm) and eight colours.

East Coast

FMM

VIC

The fishing can be hit-and-miss for tricky bream GIPPSLAND LAKES

Brett Geddes b.geddes@bigpond.com

If you are up for a challenge, the Gippy Lakes are for you! Winter is traditionally the toughest time of the whole year, but I have some tips on how and where to beat this trend. Before we get to that, though, let’s review the year so far. THE YEAR SO FAR Most of us know the prime time for hooking big bream here in the Gippy Lakes is from early February until the end of June and boy, this season was one of the best. The first real signs of big bream showing up were a bit late this time due to massive floods late last year. Bigger bream around 40cm started firing at the end of February from around Metung to Paynesville. Eventually, by the middle of March they turned up at the Mitchell Flats, Hollands Landing and Lake Wellington. The greatest stand-out action was the shallow lake sport, where we all found thumping big bream in skinny water on the edges of Lake Victoria. I’ve never caught so many big fish in water just half a metre deep. During those months I caught six bream measuring 47cm, four at 46cm and dozens of fish between 43-45cm. Just incredible and mind-blowing sport, and amazing tallies of between 20-50 fish a session. They were caught on hardbody lures, lightly-weighted soft plastics, and WILDERNESS X REFRESH Now is the perfect time for a mid-year fishing getaway, and the Wilderness X travel rod series from Daiwa is the perfect rod to pack. Wilderness X takes the popular 3-piece models from TD Hyper and TD Black and upgrades them into a single, dedicated travel series, with more models and more joints than ever before. Wilderness X rods come in 4-piece and 5-piece versions to significantly reduce packed length, allowing them to easily fit into backpacks and small suitcases for local or international travel. Daiwa’s V-Joint technology eliminates the old-school flat spots and weak areas associated with multi-piece rods, producing actions akin to those of single piece rods. Packability and portability doesn’t come at the expense of performance and quality, with HVF Nanoplus and X45 blank technology. Stainless-steel Fuji Aluminium Oxide Ring guides deliver classic Daiwa strength and performance. The range features six spin and three baitcast models. Whether you’re flying into Tassie for a sneaky trout session, heading to the NT to chase barra and toga, or taking a long-haul flight to the US or South America to catch tarpon, there’s a model in the Wilderness X range that has your baggage tag and

Nikki Bryant continues to score some of the biggest bream almost anywhere in the Gippy Lakes. even on surface lures like Hurricane bent minnows. When the word eventually got out, it was nothing to see a dozen boats searching skinny lake water and exploring far and wide. It’s fair to say many very experienced bream anglers found a new PB or two. When a few bream comps were held, teams were dumping five-fish bags of 7kg onto the scales each day, and often netting up to 30 bream a session. MONSTER FLATHEAD As for the duskies, the last two years have gone down as the best on record.

big tally of fish of all sizes from 30-44cm, using live baits like crab, shrimp and soft shell. Look out for the show, which should air late this year. I fished lures that day with two mates, Ben and Havo. We scored about 40 bream between us, with Ben being the real star, releasing two 45cm brutes. Bryan and son of a gun Isaac had a cracking day out with about 50 fish caught on blades, including perch and a new PB for Isaac in a 45cm truck bream. About a week later I scored 22 estuary perch and 13 bream to 42cm one trip and then a few days later an amazing 60 bream, mostly 40-45cm, all on blades. That was one of the last days when the bream were around in good numbers. Sadly, they have really thinned out now, and the big fish are almost totally gone. My

Cricket scores of big flatties were caught and released from 65-80cm, along with an ever-increasing tally of even bigger dino crocs going 80-95cm. This year a lot of switched-on anglers used huge lures, 15-22cm long, to tempt the very biggest fish around. It worked brilliantly. I won’t go into more details now but look out for what turns up in summer. No doubt it will be a race for the first fish pushing a metre or more. To celebrate, the Victorian Fisheries Authority are offering a $1000 tackle prize to the first person who catches a metre dusky flathead in the Gippsland Lakes (the comp started in March this year). You need to provide photos of the fish as proof

Merv Hughes and Frank Aloisi recorded a fishing show recently in the Gippy Lakes and caught bream of all sizes.

The Gippy Lakes are full of estuary perch around 36cm, and gun angler Isaac Lazzaro knows how to trick them on blade lures.

name on it. For more information on these and other new releases from Daiwa, visit www. daiwafishing.com.au.

of the capture, so make sure you take a clear photo of your dusky on a brag mat or other measuring device. Go to the VFA website to check out more details. HIT-AND-MISS BREAM ACTION I was lucky to bump into Merv Hughes recently, and he recorded another fishing episode with big Hollands Landing bream on show. Merv and Frank Aloisi scored a

last two 6-hour trips have sadly resulted in few fish, with only three caught on the first trip and five on the second. That’s the hit-and-miss nature of the Straits, and it’s likely the bream won’t be back until early next year. LOOKING AHEAD The rivers will now become the real focus for bream and possibly even large flathead action. Nikki Bryant is proving that right and always finds big bream in the Nicholson River. They are schooled up anywhere from the entrance and about 2km above the highway bridge. Another gun angler in Ruth Beeby has found bream to 46cm in the lower Tambo River. The Mitchell River between The Cut and right up to the town bridges is holding flathead to 70cm, scores of perch all around 35cm and bream anywhere from 20-47cm. These areas will become the main focus for all serious anglers and the trick is to fish any of your lures super slow. The best baits are live shrimp or sandworm. AUGUST 2024 77

Freshwater

FMM

Quiet bays will yield good results FRESHWATER

Peter Fragomeni

This month normally sees a transition in the weather pattern with a warming trend towards the end of the month. This can increase insect activity in our dams with rising water temperatures around the shallower areas. Trout tend to move into these locations that correlate with rising water levels. If

night fishing with the fly-rod, I still get it wrong on occasions. Rivers are totally different this time of the year because they can be very high in August and virtually impossible to fish. This may not be the case this year as the continuing dry conditions has resulted in very little inflow into catchments. REDFIN If there is a positive to come out of our dry season then it would have to be

It’s very rare you see a rainbow in this condition come out of the Warren River these days. The full tail would indicate that it’s not a large hatchery stocked fish. Andrew Thomas was lucky to land it without a net. I’m pleased to see he released it and spotted it the next day swimming nicely. the area happens to be well grassed it can result in good fishing towards the evening and early morning. If you can find a nice quiet bay you could be in for some exciting fishing, especially with the fly. I tend to concentrate on these areas and on occasions have caught up to a dozen trout fly-fishing well into the night. You will normally find the rainbows hang around until just after dark, however, if there happens to be browns around it pays to persist as they feed well after dark. This theory worked on a recent trip with two nice browns coming to the fly a couple of hours after dark. You need to be handy with the wand at night as it’s not for everyone. It can be unpleasant if you get into tangles in the dark and, even after four decades of

Some impressive redfin are coming out of our dams. The low water is concentrating them to a smaller area. Alex Vermeulen nailed these two beauties on a recent trip fishing hardbodies over the deeper areas. photo of two dead browns laying on the bank recently, I can’t stress enough how important it is to practice catch and release than in this particular water. I spent a few days here recently and found it tough trolling with most of my fish coming from the bank at night fly-fishing using my favourite fly the Craig’s Nighttime in a size 8. The

One of the author’s two browns that fell to a Craig’s Nighttime fished slowly well after dark in one of our dams. Most anglers give it away at night but it pays to persist.

This brown trout has an injury from a possible cormorant attack. It was still healthy enough to take a flyfished deep on a sinking line from the boat. 98 AUGUST 2024

the redfin fishing. It seems they love the low water with plenty being caught in all bar a couple of our waters. Some of our dams got so low that it concentrated large numbers into small areas with some nice specimens being caught over autumn and early winter. The rivers around Pemberton have turned on some great fishing as well, with one YouTube regular having a cracker of a session off the bank. AUSSIE NATIVES Things have been quiet with the exception of a few Murray cod being caught in metro areas. DAMS Waroona Dam Unfortunately, this has been the worst start to the trout season since the recommencement of the stocking in 2018. This could be the result of the lack of stocking because of the extreme weather conditions, which caused fatalities and slow growth rates at the hatchery over summer. Whatever the reason it seems unlikely to improve anytime soon. Luckily, the redfin have filled the gap to some extent however, not everyone has been successful with those on boats and kayaks having most of the fun. Drakesbrook Weir The same can be said for this water with trout being hard to find. I fear, with

all the anti-outdoor government attitudes being projected recently, that if the green movement was to have their way, it could result in excessive pressure being applied on trout stocking in this state. This would be devastating for our small band of dedicated freshwater anglers and country towns throughout the South West. This would leave redfin as our only option as a freshwater sportfish. For those that think this is far reaching then look at what they have done to the gun laws and proposed marine parks already. Logue Brook Dam As our only sole trout water it’s very important that we conserve the stocks in this fragile waterway. After seeing a

The boys having a field day on the Warren. Photo courtesy Andrew Thomas. lower water levels have resulted in the rear section being closed to skiing so it was pleasant to have the dam to myself. The only negative is they removed all the boys and 5 knot signs from the back section,

Freshwater

FMM so unless you are up near the Caravan Park closer to the wall you would be unaware, especially if you launch up the back like I did. Harvey Dam A few trout have been rumoured on the socials however, I can’t confirm this. Low water levels and delays in stocking has most anglers returning home empty handed. There are a few redfin getting caught with many failing to make 30cm. Wellington Dam Low water levels has prohibited myself visiting this water as the banks

visit as good redfin can be had at this time of the year. Big Brook Dam The dire lack of decent rains can be measured by the current level of this dam that sits in a reliable rainfall zone. It was only 40% capacity as at the time of writing. Since its construction in 1986 to supply water for the trout hatchery this dam normally fills by July in any average year. This very small storage is the most important for the 10,000 freshwater anglers in WA. It’s not because it provides a limited trout

A few winter cod are getting caught but locations are kept secret.

A good boat equipped with a sounder and an electric motor is handy as you can find where the fish are holding. However, better success was had fishing the shoreline on a recent trip.

to my Celtas in the deeper sections, however, it wasn’t until I swapped over to a Berkley Black grub when the action increased. I couldn’t get any of the larger models that I know inhabit these areas. Northern Jarrah Streams The lack of decent rains have delayed any real movement of trout upstream this year. I am sure it will occur once we get a decent rain. A word of warning if you happen to explore these streams, you must be careful as some are patrolled by Watercorp

are extremely soft in many areas making launching difficult. No reports of trout recently however, a few redfin are turning up in isolated areas. Glen Mervyn Dam Very low with a few nice redfin still being caught. The lack of rain is a concern for future irrigation if we don’t get good rain in the next couple of months. Lake Kepwari No reports recently but it’s worth a DAM LEVELS South West WA Overall storage in our dams that allow public access and recreational activities are currently 33.3% at the end of June compared to 51.1 % as of the same time last year. Apart from a few good fronts coming through its still not enough to increase dam levels. Things are getting very desperate with Glen Mervyn being basically empty and Waroona, Harvey and Wellington dams in need of decent rain over winter. Even the ever reliable Big Brook Dam is suffering from low rainfall. The previous predictions were well out, which rarely occurs this time of the year so I’m being conservative. WAROONA DAM DRAKESBROOK WEIR LOGUE BROOK DAM HARVEY DAM WELLINGTON DAM GLEN MERVYN DAM BIG BROOK DAM

40% 85% 58% 47% 33% 15% 58%

Extremely low rainfall may result in redfin being our only freshwater species. The Pemberton Hatchery relies on Big Brook Dam which was only at 46% by the end of June. Modern chilled recirculating ponds may carry a small amount of trout through the hot summer but good rains are needed urgently. fishery but, it provides the only water source for the trout hatchery that sits 10km downstream. If it doesn’t obtain at least 70% by summer then we could see massive problems with water flow to this facility and jeopardising over 50 years of selective trout breeding. RIVERS Murray River Low water levels have resulted in some ideal fishing conditions although, the perfect conditions haven’t increased the numbers of trout caught. I gave this once famous trout water a fairly good go but, unfortunately didn’t manage to raise a single trout. A few redfin fell

and are in prohibited areas with heavy fines if you are caught fishing or, in some cases even being in the area. Please release any trout as most are self-sustaining with no stocking taking place. Collie River below Wellington Dam Water is very low so I would give it a miss. Collie River above Wellington Dam Reports have been hard to come by however, good redfin are available as long as the flow isn’t too fast. Capel River A few redfin are still being caught from kayaks upstream of the bridge.

Soft plastics are the go- to bait with any of the paddle tails working well. Blackwood River No reports of trout with only redfin being caught well upstream of Bridgetown. Warren River A superb trout was caught in this river of a standard I haven’t seen for a couple of decades. It was a rainbow in superb condition and judging by the tail it wasn’t one of the large trout from the Hatchery. It was caught in a very popular spot that gets a hammering by locals and tourists yet still managed to produce this quality fish. The redfin fishing has been outstanding with most anglers managing to get a good feed on most occasions. As with most redfin waters they tend to take a variety of lures so my advice is to change it up if one particular style isn’t working. Lefroy Brook There still seems to be a good head of trout in this stream that meanders through a gentle valley adjacent to the town of Pemberton. The heavy traffic it receives can make the trout wary so a stealthy approach is required. This will vary with water levels, as higher water tends to mask your presence. Fly-fishing or using small lures can produce good trout however, I would seek out the hard to get to areas with those that don’t mind a bit of bush bashing getting better results. Donnelly River A few trout are getting caught however, this river needs good rains so the trout push up from the bottom section where they seem to hold out. Some of the feeder streams might hold trout. Please release the them as they are normally up there spawning. As can be seen the trout fishing has been inconsistent recently however, if you persist in the right areas you should tangle with a few. Leave only footprints and please practice catch and release, you may be surprised of the feeling. AUGUST 2024 99

BREAM SERIES presented by

Slater breaks BREAM drought at Hawkesbury Daiwa and Maui Jim are two of the great ABT BREAM event sponsors, so it was no surprise that Tom Slater, fishing Daiwa gear and wearing Maui Jim shades took out a close fought Maui Jim round of the Daiwa BREAM Series on the Hawkesbury River. In a strong, talented field of BREAMers from Sydney and beyond, Tom and Canberrabased Joe Darmody had their own competition going over a kilogram ahead of the rest of the pack. The pair were separated by a mere 15 grams when the dust settled. To put it into perspective, that’s around three teaspoons full of water. And although their weights were similar, their approach to the arena was totally different, with Tom fishing big, Cranka crabs way upriver and Joe crankbaiting washes in the Hawkesbury’s confluence with the Pacific Ocean. Scan the QR code to watch the Boater Winner’s Interview

SLATER’S FIRST WIN IN 8 YEARS Tom’s last ABT Qualifier win was in 2016 on the Clarence River in northern NSW. He amassed some of his bag that event on a 50mm Cranka Crab lure. The lure stayed the same, but the size changed this time around. He upgraded to the 65mm version and the big fish came thick and fast. Day 1: 5/5, 4.460kg Day 2: 5/5, 4.335kg Total: 10/10, 8.795kg Each day, Slater travelled out of Pittwater and up the main river as far as Spencer. Concentrating on a short stretch of steeper bank with broken bottom up to 40m offshore, Tom repeatedly drifted the stretch of river. It was a small stretch Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 102 AUGUST 2024

Tom Slater waited eight years to secure his second ABT BREAM Qualifer win - earning him a spot in the 2024 BREAM Grand Final. of rocky bank that Slater assumed would be left alone by fellow anglers, given its diminutive size. “I could see all of the broken bottom and fish on my Humminbird Mega Live and there country is so varied I don’t reckon that you can ever drift the same line twice. Your crab is always drifting over a different rock or different shelf. We did the same drift around 20 times each day,” Slater said. Tom didn’t pre-fish on the Friday and was confident that his favourite stretch of river would hold quality fish. He wasn’t mistaken. The tides were perfect for his style of fishing - high early and running out all day. He would painstakingly drag the large (65mm) Cranka crab (in Olive) across the rocks and rubble, detecting bites on a Daiwa INFEET ‘crab rod’ (Z 782LFS-ST) and Certate 2500 reel spooled with PE 1.2 Expedition J-Braid and 14lb Daiwa X-Link leader. Even the heavy line setup didn’t stop three fish roasting him on the Sunday. Tom recounted the upgrades that did it for him after hearing of the narrow winning margin.

BOATER RESULTS Angler Fish Tom Slater 10/10 Joe Darmody 10/10 Steve Morgan 10/10 Liam Carruthers 10/10 Paul Langley 10/10 Dane Tomaszewski 10/10 Jamie Johnson 10/10 Mark Crompton 10/10 Matt Vaccaro 10/10 Jamie McKeown 10/10

“Each day, I’d pull in at Bar Point on the way home and one each day, this was good for one, crucial upgrade. I wouldn’t have won without those fish,” he said, which proves that it’s always worth maximising your time in the water. DARMODY DROPS 15G SHORT In reality, Joe Darmody doesn’t live in Canberra - just a little town of Bungendore to the east of the nation’s capital. It’s a couple of hours’ drive to the nearest bream. Joe fished the 2023 iteration of this event in a borrowed boat and landed in 33rd place after running out of fuel on the first day and dropping just

under 3kg of bream on the scales on the second. He turned his Hawkesbury fortunes around massively, dropping an event-biggest 4.61kg limit onto the scales on Day One and another 4kg+ bag on Day 2, falling just that tiny bit short of his first ABT win. Here’s how it went down. Day 1: 5/5, 4.610kg Day 2: 5/5, 4.170kg Total: 10/10, 8.780kg

Dragging a large Cranka Crab across rocks and rubble was Tom’s go-to technique for the weekend.

Full results at abt.org.au

Weight(kg) 8.795kg 8.780kg 7.610kg 7.270kg 6.945kg 6.765kg 6.930kg 6.240kg 6.215kg 5.980kg

Scan the QR code to watch the Field Highlights

Payout $4,000 + $250 Merc bonus $2,000 $1,400 + $125 Merc bonus $1,200 + $75 Merc bonus $1,100 $1,000 $900 + $500 Big Bream $800 $700 $600

Joe fished a lot of his favourite spots in the river, Pittwater, Mullet and Cowan Creek in the prefish, yet nothing gave him the feeling that he was on any kind of quality. He had a hint from his travelling mate, Adam Kennedy, that there were some fish on Lion Island and after getting a few on the wash edges, he decided washes were, indeed the go.

BREAM SERIES presented by Starting the comp around various washed in Broken Bay, he eventually ended up on Lion Island and immediately started catching better quality fish. The bite improved when the dirty water started flowing out of the river proper and hit the island. Joe’s biggest fish came not off the edges, but a deeper, rocky ledge in over 10 feet of water, and his biggest fish of the event, a 1.26kg beast, hit the lure right next to the boat, showing that they would leave the bottom to chase a lure. His gun bait was the Jackall Chubby Deep on Brown Suji colour that he fished on a Millerods Brawler, Shimano Sustain 2500, 10lb Sunline Castaway braid, terminated

Joe Darmody found the right fish on the Hawkesbury, missing out on his first ABT win by 15 grams. Scan the QR code to watch the Non-Boater Winner’s Interview

- a 34cm fork length fish - on a curly tailed grub in the racks. Sunday, though, is where he shone, averaging nearly a kilo per fish on a day where the Boater AOY leader didn’t catch a limit. “We used the same tackle, but I think I was working the

lure more slowly than Mark. I tried to touch and feel the rock with the lure and leave it sit for longer and this is where I was getting the bites,” he explained. He fished the crab on a Millerods Brawler, Daiwa Revelry 3000 reel, 15lb Daiwa Expedition J-Braid and an 8lb fluorocarbon leader. “The trophy at home will remind me of the good times at this event,” he concluded.

MAUI JIM BIG BREAM PRIZE Cristian Bermudez secured his first ABT win - averaging nearly 1kg per fish on day two of the tournament. with 8lb Sunline FC Rock leader. Like Slater, he figured that heavy line and leader would give him the best chance of extracting the kicker fish he needed to win. Eventually, Darmody spothopped other washes in the area, but the money spot was always the southern side of Lion island at the time when the dirty water rolled in. “Like everyone, I did lose a fish that would have gotten me over the line. There was a lot of debris in the water and one fish ran around a floating stick. I didn’t think that this was much of an issue until it somehow caught me solidly around it and got off,” Joe said. Indeed, it’s when the story ends differently on fish like that that you end up taking hime your first bit of ABT BREAM hardware. BERMUDEZ DELIVERS FROM BACK OF BOAT Sydney BREAMer Cristian Bermudez is a pretty quiet bloke. We can imagine him asking Mark Healey very politely for

the net time after time on Day 2 of the event where he boxed 2.8kg for three fish and nearly doubled his Day 1 catch. Cristian had what his fellow non-boaters called the ‘dream draw’ for the weekend, with two previous winners of the event in consecutive days - Michael Colotourous on the Saturday and Mark Healey on the Sunday. “It still depends if we are able to fish well together,” Cristian said, “it’s definitely not a given that I’m going to catch them.” With Michael on the Saturday he caught his limit on Cranka Crabs with an upgrade

The Hawkesbury Maui Jim Big Bream of 1.365kg was caught at the end of a retrieve while fishing a rockwall in 4.5m of water, up river. It ate a Jackall Chubby Vibe 40 in pink eye suji. It was a double hook up with Jamie Johnson and his non boater (Kevin Lin) on Day 2. Jamie had to pull rank for the net and made Kevin pole his in.

NON - BOATER RESULTS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Angler Cristian Bermudez Jacob Kelly Duncan Jameson Neil Kelly Scott Scicluna Van Ho Nguyen Allan Morrison Lance Marsh Grayson Fong Mitchell Simmonis

Fish 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6

Full results at abt.org.au

Weight(kg) 4.355kg 4.340kg 3.965kg 3.790kg 3.700kg 3.600kg 3.550kg 3.460kg 3.280kg 3.255kg

Payout Daiwa pack Daiwa pack Rapala pack Daiwa pack Samaki Pack Tackle Tactics pack Cranka pack Cranka pack Ecogear pack Atomic pack AUGUST 2024 103

BREAM OPEN presented by

Bonaccorso’s Big Day 3 Takes Out BREAM Open It’s taken him near a couple of decades to do it, but Sydney BREAMer, Daniel Bonaccorso finally fulfilled his dream of winning the Daiwa BREAM Australian Open. Fishing 7 events since the inaugural one in 2004, his 2024 campaign was a lot more comfortable than his first attempt, where the boat he fished from didn’t even have an electric motor - instead the team used oars to position the craft for a cast. Day 1: 5/5, 3.275kg Day 2: 5/5, 3.710kg Day 3: 5/5, 4.610kg Total: 15/15, 11.595kg It what has become common over the years of the Open Daniel started with a 3kg+ bag and built weight every day until he rose from 4th to 1st of the final day with the biggest bag of the event. Such a come-from-behind win was reminiscent of the late Greg Lee (after whom the Greg Lee Memorial Trophy is named), who famously dropped a 5.5kg bag on the final day of a previous Open to move from 10th place to first. Although the weather improved over the the duration

Sydney’s Daniel Bonaccorso has fulfilled a dream of winning the Daiwa BREAM Australian Open. Scan the QR code to watch Daniel Bonaccorso’s Interview

quality fish from certain spots day after day - usually a tactic that doesn’t work that well in the three-day event. He relied on one main presentation over the competition days. Fishing the middle section of the Harbour,

Daniel favoured the nasty weather as it helped his fish recover each day. on a TTT HWS 1/28oz jigheed and fished on 4lb Sunline Bream Special FC leader and 4lb Daiwa J-Braid (4 strand) delivered on a Shimano Zodias 270UL rod combo. “I love that bait because it skips easier than other baits and I can get it where it needs to be,” he explained. For Daniel, light leaders were the key. “I always fish 4lb in the Harbour, no matter where I cast, I reckon that it gets the bigger bites. Don’t get me wrong - I lose a few fish on it, but I don’t use anything else,” he said. There were times when he

Daniel improved his bag each day - putting the biggest bag of the event on the scales on day three. of the event, Bonaccorso favoured the wind and the rain, because he said that it helped his fish recover each day and we has able to milk Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 104 AUGUST 2024

he targeted isolated structure that the thought would be overlooked by the majority of the field. He used a 3” Gulp Craw that he cut down and rigged

BOATER RESULTS Angler Fish Daniel Bonaccorso 15/15 Jamie McKeown 15/15 Steve Morgan 15/15 Kris Hickson 15/15 Mark Crompton 15/15 Liam Carruthers 15/15 Tom Slater 15/15 Steve Lampsakianos 15/15 Matthew Perry 15/15 Dane Tomaszewski 15/15

Full results at abt.org.au

Weight(kg) 11.595kg 10.545kg 10.305kg 10.210kg 9.765kg 9.465kg 8.760kg 8.445kg 8.315kg 8.310kg

Payout $6,000 $3,500 $2,500 $2,000 $1,500 $1,000 Daiwa gear Daiwa gear Daiwa gear Daiwa gear

Scan the QR code to watch the Field Day 1 Highlights

Scan the QR code to watch the Field Day 2 Highlights

lost fish - especially on the final day - where he thought that the escape would cost him dearly, but ultimately he landed over a kilogram ahead of two-time champion Jamie McKeown and three-time winner Steve Morgan. “That trophy will live on the mantelpiece for the next year for sure,” Daniel concluded, “so I can look at it every day when I get home from work. It’s pretty special.” MCKEOWN MISSES THIRD TITLE Showing Sydney Harbour as an arena where anyone in the country can excel, Jamie McKeown again put up a strong showing in an event that’s 1000km away from his home waters.

BREAM OPEN presented by Famous for winning the event twice on Sow and Pigs reef in the lower Harbour, this time McKeown used his expertise in crankbaiting moored boats with a de-tuned Zipbait to turn up the heat on day 2 (with the biggest bag of the day). Day 1: 5/5, 2.935kg Day 2: 5/5, 4.115kg Day 3: 5/5, 3.485kg After a sub-par Day 1, he boxed over 4kg on the second say and put himself very much into the running. That bag was anchored by a 37cm fork length fish that are a crankbait and stuck. “I had a few decent fish eat the crankbait and not hook up and I told my observer that when you land all of those bites, that’s when you win the Open,” McKeown lamented. Jamie started the first day on the reef, but baled on the plan after an hour. “I have learned my lesson

Jamie McKeown weighed a sub-par bag on the first day, followed by a limit of over 4kg on the second. His key to success was refining his boat crankbaiting pattern. Scan the QR code to watch Jamie McKeown’s Interview

Jamie’s worst finish in an Australian Open has been 6th place, which he recorded in 2023. not to stay there if the fish aren’t around and it wasn’t until late in the session that the boats showed themself as the pattern to be on,” he said. Jamie used a ZipBaits Khamsin Jr in colour 473 that he would slightly de-tune with a pair of pliers to run either left or right after splashdown. “ You just tweak the towpoint and it means that the lure will swim sideways into the boat hull. It also means that if your cast is a little off, that’s no problems as sometimes the lure landing away from the boat is good. It means that it doesn’t spook the bream,” he continued. His outfit of choice was a Samaki Zing Xtreme C12 paired with a Daiwa Freams 2500 spooled with X-Brais PE 0.6 and a short, 6lb fluorocarbon leader. He also retrofitted the hooks on the lure with Decoy trebles. Riding the pattern on Day 2 yielded his biggest bag of the event.

“Queenslanders do well down here because it suits our style of fishing,” Jamie concluded, “and there’s so many fish in here. I would have caught 10, 29cm fork length fish in the last hour. This place is full of fish.” MORGAN CLAIMS ANOTHER OPEN PODIUM 2023 Australian BREAM Open Champion, Steve Morgan, continued his love affair with Sydney Harbour, boxing over 3kg every session to again end up on the podium in the iconic event. Having landed all the fish that mattered in 2023 in Middle Harbour, it was no surprise that he again milked that corner of the waterway for a string of 30cm+ fish, albeit on a greater variety of baits and techniques than the previous year. Morgan used the 65mm Cranka Crab in Olive, the Outback Breamer Baits mussel, a fishin.com.au stick minnow

and a weightless Ecogearaqua in salt and pepper to collate his bags, varying the baits and techniques to suit the conditions on the day. Day 1: 5/5, 3.17kg Day 2: 5/5, 3.645kg Day 3: 5/5, 3.49kg “Because I only get to fish Sydney Harbour a handful of days a year, I find it’s better to pick a part of the Harbour and learn that bit well, rather than try to do everything at once. Each year I put a bit more of the puzzle together,” he said. For Morgan, that puzzle is to avoid weighing bream smaller than 30cm fork length at all costs. “If you don’t weigh a bream smaller than 600 grams (30cm fork) the whole event, you’ll always be up there. Each morning, Morgan would start in the Eastern Harbour to try and assemble a quick limit on moored boats before junk fishing up Middle to upgrade the catches. “For the first two days, it seemed like I could only get bigger bites late in the session as the tide started to run in. Some of those were on the edges and some off structure like navigation markers and

I’d catch most of the upgrades on the larger Cranka Crab. I’m getting really confident in that bait as an upgrade lure,” he said. Fishing the baits on a variety of Daiwa INFEET rods and spinning reels, it was a full straight-through fluorocarbon presentation for everything except the big crabs. “I fished those on braid and 7lb Daiwa X-Link leader to give me the confidence to throw them into some truly nasty structure,” he said. With anglers being tracked through the Estimator scoreboards while live on the water, the Daiwa BREAM Australian Open has become Australia’s premiere, spectator friendly event. A heap of volunteer observers add to the coverage with mobile phone footage from out on the water. Make sure you scan the QR codes hereby to see the interviews, highlights and Daiwa’s Pursuit video coverage links. Scan the QR code to watch the 2024 Daiwa PURSUIT Video.

Steve Morgan always seems to be haunting the podium at the Open. The 2023 Champion finished 3rd. AUGUST 2024 105

BOATING TEST

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Stacer Wildrider 589 SE with Yamaha 150hp FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

When it comes to Bowrider boats on the Gold Coast, Steve Jenkins from Whitewater Marine summed it up nicely: “The husband comes in looking for a fishing boat, then he returns with his wife, and they end up driving out with a Bowrider,” he said, confidently, on a sparkling Gold Coast winter’s morning. We were standing next to the Stacer Wild River 589SE Bowrider – a locallyproduced model that’s popular on the sun-drenched Gold Coast and, more broadly, around Australia. It was the shop’s demo boat (that was looking for a new home at the time of testing) that the staff use to take potential customers out on test drives. When we suggested that the boat’s design was a good compromise between fishing and leisure, Steve politely disagreed. “This boat will do everything,” he said. The rig was supplied on a twin-axle

SPECIFICATIONS Length ............................................. 5.95m Beam ................................................ 2.30m Max HP...................................................150 Capacity.................................8 persons Fuel .........................................................110L Hull weight....................................750kg Top Sides..........................................3mm Bottom Sides.................................4mm Transom ............................................4mm Stacer trailer, which has a few advantages over a galvanised steel, single-axle trailer, which is also an option for this boat. “The aluminium trailer is considerably lighter than the steel version,” Steve said. “This lighter weight, plus the second axle, mean that you can safely load up this boat with all the things you need for your holiday. Lots of people use their boat like a box trailer.” Indeed, with the Telwater ‘Catch and Release’ system, this boat is dead simple to launch and retrieve single-handedly, which will keep dad happy when he heads

out on a solo mission. The angler of the family will also appreciate the front casting deck, which simply converts to a bow lounge with the addition of the floor infill and some cushions. Add an electric motor base plate and you’re ready to take on some lure casting from the bow. At the stern, the ski pole converts into a bait station with the addition of the custom tray, and the rear lounge folds away to let you get right up against the transom. There are a couple of underfloor wet areas that can be used for fish boxes at a pinch, so on paper, Steve’s correct. This boat can be set up to do most kinds of fishing, and do a great job at it. From the amenity side, the split windscreen and twin consoles offer plenty of shelter for the family when you’re travelling, and an extended bimini gives you shade at rest – even though the bimini on the test boat was a little short to walk under without having to stoop over. Powered by a Yamaha DEC150XCA motor (which is HelmMaster compatible), this is the maximum horsepower that the boat is rated for. The economy was pretty good across a range of revs; anywhere between 3,000 and 4,500rpm saw economy in the 1.8-2.1km/L range. Couple this with a 110L underfloor fuel tank, and theoretical ranges over 200km PERFORMANCE RPM Speed

(km/h)

The Wild Rider 589SE was fitted with the maximum HP allowed – a Yamaha 150 4-stroke. 108 AUGUST 2024

Economy

(km/L)

600 ................................ 6 ......................... 3.1 1000 .............................. 9 ......................... 3.1 2000 ........................... 13 .........................1.6 3000 ...........................27 ......................... 2.1 3500 .......................... 38 ......................... 2.1 4000 .......................... 44 ........................2.0 4500 .......................... 49 .........................1.8 5000 .......................... 56 .........................1.5 6000 .......................... 68 .......................... 1.1

on water are entirely possible. Drive it at wide open throttle, and this figure drops to just over 1km/L at 68km/h and 6,000rpm. This is standard for a modern 4-stroke outboard. At the dash, a small sounder will fit flush-mounted, and there’s a mountain of storage space under the consoles,

Main: Steve from Whitewater Marine says the Stacer Wild Rider is very popular with couples on the Gold Coast. He says it can do everything! Above: The most economical cruising speeds were between 3,000 and 4,000rpm. although placing your feet underneath is a little awkward, and there’s nowhere to really wedge them in. Getting in and out of the craft is easy both on and off the water, with a transom door and drop-down dive ladder working on the trailer and on the water. Pricing for this model Wild Rider starts at around $75K for a boat/motor/ trailer package, although as tested, the demo boat would cost you $82K if you wanted the identical model. It’s always worth a call to Whitewater Marine if you want a deal on this demonstrator. They’re ready to sell it. Visit www.whitewatermarine.com.au for more information.

FMM

Top: An alloy I-beam, twin-axle Stacer trailer is made in the same factory as the hull – at Coomera on the Gold Coast. Above: The Catch and Release launching system means you can easily launch and retrieve the craft by yourself.

BOATING TEST

Top: With the deck infill, the front deck can be a casting deck (without cushions) or a lounge (with cushions). Above: The Wild Rider had deep gunwales, which helps keep smaller kids onboard.

Top: The Yamaha gave this rig a top speed of 68km/L while delivering 1.1km/L at 6,000rpm. Ease up to 4,500rpm and 50km/h for significantly better economy. Above: The Wild Rider features a rotomolded dash insert that will flush mount a small sounder.

This rear lounge folds away for when you’re fishing with your mates.

The ski pole doubles as a base for the bait board on this boat.

Top Left: There are some long side pockets to swallow up your day gear. Top Right: Egress from the water or into the boat is easy with the folding dive ladder and transom door. Bottom Left and Right: Tuck the dive ladder away and shut the door for a full-height transom.

Left: There are two of these underfloor wet storage areas that can double as fish boxes. Top Right: The bimini is large, but in the test boat it was a little low for an adult to walk under. Bottom Right: There’s plenty of room in the console box for all your valuables. AUGUST 2024 109