Issuu

• LEARN TO SPEARFISH • GUIDE TO LAKE MACQUARIE • TESTED

Haines Hunter 675 Enclosed LE F300 Yamaha DES

QLD

NSW

VIC

TAS

Features

Step into spearfishing • Guide to Lake Macquarie • Starlo: Die like the carp • News: Blue Groper Ban • Tested: Shimano Raider Travel rods •

LOCATION SPOTLIGHT

Jamie Robley brings us the treasures of Lake Macquarie

FIND THE April, 2024

LOGO COMPETITION

ISSN 2652-5798

9 772652

579005

Registered by Australian Post Publication No:100002088

wp.fishingmonthly.com.au

$9.95

(GST inc.)

issuu.com/fishingmonthly

fishingmonthly

Fishing Monthly Magazines

FishingMonthly

Our Cover

Contents

From the Editor’s Desk... New South Wales fisheries have done some wonderful things over the years. Buying out commercial licences with the Recreational Fishing fee was a great start – even though the Fee seems to have morphed from the original purpose. As a whole, recreational anglers are very comfortable with good, science-based fisheries management. The recent decision on blue groper instantaneously undermines the trust that Fee-paying anglers have in their managers. Seriously, changing management

on an illegal breach is tantamount to shutting down a road because someone got a speeding ticket on it. It’s lunacy and frankly, lazy management. If we shut everything down because someone broke a law, then access to everything, everywhere will be banned. I bet every single one of you has had a fishing spot shut down by local council because it was easier to ban it than enforce the rules. We used to have a little bass lake near the office that was initially stocked BY council. Inexplicably, the “No

Fishing” signs went up a decade later. If you see it happening near you, complain! Complain to council It seems that whoever complains the loudest sways the decisions. Furthermore, if the signs go up and nobody says anything, the public servant rocks back in the chair and pats themself on the back for nailing their job. Fisheries Departments: do the right thing by anglers. We all want the same thing – at least as good a chance of catching a fish in the places we traditionally wet a line. Is that too much to ask?

INSIDE This Issue

TAS

FISHING MONTHLY MAGAZINE

Augusta

103

Batlow

Albury/Wodonga

Metro

104

Canberra

Lancelin

106

Kalberri

107

Exmouth

108

Karratha

108

Freshwater

110

VICTORIA Portland

Warrnambool

Cobden

Geelong

Port Phillip

Phillip Island

REGULAR FEATURES Guide to Lake Macquarie

Step into Spearfishing

Gippsland Lakes

Starlo: Die like the carp

Port Albert

Marlo

Tagging Tales

Mallacoota

Sheik of the Creek

Robinvale

What’s New Fishing

Yarrawonga

Wangaratta

Bendigo

Fun page

Shepparton

News: Blue Groper Ban

Ballarat

Eildon

PPB snapper, whiting

Crater Lakes

Trades and Services

112

Tournament calendar

113

Test: Haines Hunter 675

122

Tide page

126

TASMANIA Hobart

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Testing: Shimano Raider Travel rods

Qld Fishing Monthly Pty Ltd ABN 72-010-542-195 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.

Business Office: Unit 1, 11 Knobel Court, Shailer Park, Qld, 4128

FREECALL: 1800 228 244 Managing Editor: Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au Editorial Manager: Jacqui Thomas Editorial: Nicole Penfold Field Editors: Peter Jung Publisher: Steve Morgan Advertising Enquiries: Nicole Kelly: nkelly@fishingmonthly.com.au Phone: 0407 369 333 Peter Jung: pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au Phone: 0410 662 927 Printing: Printcraft (QLD) Pty Ltd Production: Jacqui Thomas Website: www.fishingmonthly.com.au Distribution: Are Direct Subscriptions: Kym Rowbotham Accounts: Marie Dykstra

COMPS AND OFFERS

Esperance

101

Subscription

Bunbury

102

Find the logo

Come and visit Fishing Monthly Group’s official Facebook page for all your monthly fishing information. Download QR Reader to access.

FISHING MONTHLY MAGAZINE PUBLISHED APRIL 2024

56 57 58 60 62 64 65 66 66 67 68 69 70 71 72

Hunter Valley

SUBSCRIPTION HOTLINE FREECALL 1800 228 244 $75 for twelve issues (GST inc.) 6 APRIL 2024

VIC

ISSUE: VOLUME 4 NO. 12

16 17 20 24 28 32 34 38 40 40 41 42 44 46

NEW SOUTH WALES Sydney Rock Sydney South Ballina Coffs Coast South West Rocks Forster Port Macquarie Port Stephens Swansea Central Coast Illawarra Batemans Bay Bermagui Tathra New England Rivers

QLD NSW

Published by:

QUEENSLAND The Tweed Gold Coast Brisbane Northern Bay Noosa Bundaberg Mackay Townsville Hinchinbrook Cairns Port Douglas Cooktown Cape York Freshwater

Cassidy Smith was over the moon catching this exquisite looking 70cm dusky flathead on a Hurricane Sprat 65 soft plastic. A Brett Geddes image.

FEATURE

Location

FMM

An essential guide to fishing Lake Macquarie CENTRAL COAST

Jamie Robley

The huge body of water known as Lake Macquarie has become a real angling magnet in recent years. Although it has always been a popular and productive waterway, there was a major turning point in 2002 when it was declared a recreational-only lake. All forms of commercial netting, trapping and other means of harvesting were banned, and a recreational fishing haven was established.

I started fishing the lake as a kid with my father and uncles, and I’ve now been fishing there for 50 years, which is a long time, no matter which way you put it. Overall, the fishing is still pretty good, despite the increase in human population and development in the area. Over the years, there have been significant changes in the way many of us fish. Techniques have changed since the advent of braided lines, lure casting, sounder technology and, of course, the influence of the bream tournaments. The biggest change for anglers, however, has been the impact of the

Above: The author caught this 45cm fork-length bream at the southern end of the lake after heavy rainfall. Main: Some solid tailor show up through the cooler months. This was one of many bigger fish encountered a few years back at Mannering Park. 8 APRIL 2024

internet. In the old days, you’d wait a week for your roll of film to be developed, then you’d pick up your blurry prints of a big bream or flathead, and perhaps show them to a mate a few weeks later. Nowadays, we can take much better photos of our catch with a phone and show them to friends within minutes. The same photos or videos can be instantly uploaded to social media to allow people worldwide to view them as well. Despite all these high-tech advances, the lake’s bream, flathead and other fish are basically the same as they were 100 years ago. Let’s take a closer look at how to catch them, focusing on the more popular species, times and places. BREAM Casual anglers and tournament fishers alike can enjoy catching bream around the entire lake. It’s no secret that some very big bream live here, and even though the XOS monsters can be elusive, some good, solid fish are always on the cards. Generally, the best time of year to target bream is from late summer to early winter. The second-best period is when the water warms up in October, November and December. Persistent north-easterly winds and noisy boat traffic are detrimental factors during the summer holidays, so keep that in mind. At this busy time, it’s better to head up the creeks or seek out some of the less popular bays and swampy backwaters in a kayak. Casting surface lures is productive

Soft plastics in the 100-120mm range are ideal for flathead. Try the shallows during the warmer months and go deeper as it gets colder. and entertaining, and works best early in the morning and later in the afternoon during the warmer months. February, March and April are the best months to use surface lures here. As things start to cool down more in April and May, you can also do well with sinking vibes, soft plastics and crankbaits. The cooler it gets, the slower and deeper you need to go. During late April, May and into June, I’ve found the best depth is around 2-4m,

Location FEATURE

FMM which is usually around 50m out from the shore in most parts of the lake. As it gets colder, the bream are more likely to be found deeper and farther out until the end of June, when they become harder to find. At this time, many bream either head up the creeks or head out to sea via Swansea. It’s still possible to encounter bream in the main body of the lake during July

casting techniques or small lures, fished slowly and methodically. FLATHEAD Flathead can be encountered anywhere from the channel mouth at Swansea right up into the brackish reaches of the various feeder creeks. To put it simply, if you’re fishing anywhere around the lake, you’re in with a

Silver trevally are generally caught in autumn and winter. They respond to a wide variety of small baits or lures and put up a great fight on light tackle.

Flathead are available throughout the lake, feeder creeks, bays and backwaters. Their average size is around 45-60cm. and August, but I find it’s not worth the effort when there are other species to play with. If you do really want to find bream at this time of year, either persist in the 3-4m zone adjacent to major structure like rocky points, bridges or marinas or better still, go to Swansea Channel and use good quality natural bait. You can also head up Dora or Cockle Creek and cast lures to bankside structure. Some winters, you can actually enjoy some pretty good bream fishing further up the creeks with fly

chance of a flathead. The nice, white sand and clear water around Swansea attract a lot of anglers, and yes, some good flathead are caught here. However, I much prefer to fish inside

Plenty of toothy critters inhabit the lake. Pike often chase small lures aimed for bream in the shallows.

the main body of the lake because it’s a lot easier to fish without the raging current at Swansea. You’ll catch flathead in every month, but the better months are September through to late December. As with bream, the 2nd best period is typically during autumn. Mostly, the fish will be in the shallows through the warmer months. You’ll get them on surface lures, but soft plastics or natural baits are recommended if you really want results. Flathead are also commonly caught in deeper water (2-6m) through the cooler months. Try working larger soft plastics or sinking vibes just out from the more prominent rocky points, or any noticeable deeper drop-offs or structure you

SCAN TO WATCH 2024 TWIN POWER PRODUCT VIDEO

2500 | C3000XG | 4000XG | C5000XG - RRP FROM $849.00

Check your local Shimano Stockists. Shimano.Fish

shimano.fish

fish.shimano.com/en-AU

ShimanoAustralia

APRIL 2024 9

QLD Southern

FMM

Change is in the air BRISBANE

Bob Thornton tackleworldlawnton@gmail.com

We’re in the meaty part of autumn and there’s a definite change in the air. Mornings are becoming a little crisp, while jumpers and trackies that haven’t seen the light of day for months will suddenly reappear. April can bring all sorts of surprises, and at this stage it’s difficult to say exactly how this one will play out. A reasonably wet summer has been good for local fisheries so far, but if this wet streak continues into April it could put a lot of locations out of action until winter.

This 60cm flathead coughed up an arrow squid as it was being lifted aboard. It’s amazing to think that while it was chewing on a food item almost as large as its head, it still had the energy to swim over and eat the author’s soft plastic! On the other hand, a drier April may offer the perfect opportunity to fish places that have been revitalised by the summer deluge, and this is a trend we’ve seen over the past few years. I know many anglers are sick of the biblical rain events that have become so common in recent years, so fingers crossed it holds off a little this month. As the temperatures drop we will hopefully see seasonal visitors arrive during April, such as squid, tailor and luderick. Some of these ‘visitors’ are already here, however, and arguably never left! Let’s see what’s been happening across the region. OFFSHORE The wind, storms and big seas that plagued summer and early autumn will hopefully abate this month and allow 24 APRIL 2024

more sessions out on the big blue. The pelagic fishing through summer was excellent, however a lot of anglers were unable to make the most of it because of the weather. Spanish and wahoo numbers have been very satisfying, and the Spanish closure this year seems to have given them the short break they needed to do their thing. Results on these migratory pelagics can vary in April year-toyear, but given their late arrival last year, they should begin their run back northward later as well. Going by this logic, Spanish and wahoo should be relatively available for at least another month or two. Anglers have caught these speedsters with a variety of techniques, however the most popular have been slow-trolled dead baits and cast lures. Trollers have reported success using gar, sauries and slimies, while the casting crews have put their faith in sinking stickbaits and poppers in the 160-200mm range rigged with trebles. Trebles are preferred when luring for Spaniards and ‘hoo, as these messy eaters like to slash at their prey and as a result will tend to get hooked on the outside the mouth. Having the extra hook points increases the likelihood of one of them sticking to their hard, bony faces. GTs have also been patrolling the offshore reefs, with areas like Hutchinson Shoal off Cape Moreton, Sevens Reef just north of Point Lookout, and 9-Mile Reef off Tweed Heads known producers of these beasts. If specifically targeting GTs, the same stickbaits and poppers work well, however those in the know prefer to run inline singles instead of trebles. Unlike Spanish and ‘hoo with their messy table manners, GTs usually engulf prey with their massive mouths in one clean motion. Therefore, a pair of large singles is better for scoring a solid hook-up in the corner of the jaw, rather than having the load spread out over several hook points. We sell a variety of offshore-ready trebles and inline singles ideal for retrofitting poppers and stickbaits, so be sure to swing by if you’re breaking out the heavy artillery! Mahimahi have started to thin out a little on the FADs, wave recorders and current lines, however if you’re out that way it’s still worth having a go for them. At this stage in the season these fish have had plenty of lures and dead baits thrown at them, so theymay be a tad shy. While these presentations will still work at times, if you want more consistent results on larger fish you’re far better off using live bait. Slimies, yakkas, gar, squid, sauries and pretty much any other live bait you can gather shouldn’t last long if there’s a big bull mahimahi swimming around. I like to keep it simple and use just a single

Moreton Bay longtails are notoriously flighty and hyper aware of their surrounds, but sometimes they let their guard down. April usually sees numbers of these fish peak in the bay, and with the extra competition they’re often easier to fool. Photo courtesy of Corey Warrell.

unweighted live bait hook, pinning the livey through the nose or back if using fish, and through the top of the hood if using squid. The reef fish action has been solid as well, especially on some of the closer grounds like Halls, Caloundra 5-Mile and the Inner Gneerings. Most days it’s easy enough to fill a bag of snapper, grassies, tuskies, hussar and Moses perch, but there’s also the odd coral trout, nannygai and red emperor out there to make things interesting. Out wider we may see an early run of trag jew in April, and hopefully numbers of pearlies start to climb as well. Deep droppers will be getting excited as the current out wide begins to slow down, making this highly technical form of fishing far easier. Bar cod, blue-eye trevalla and bass groper are the main prizes for deep droppers, but all sorts of monsters can be found beyond the 100m mark. We sell a range of electric reels and deep dropping rigs, so if this is something you’re looking to try come and have a chat to us! MORETON BAY So far this year the bay’s pelagics have been difficult to find and catch. Spotty mackerel and longtail tuna have been feeding, however getting close enough for a cast has been very challenging. Hopefully this changes in April. Through autumn we tend to see a lot of bait holding inside the bay and it’s usually when pelagic activity is at its peak, particularly the longtails. Though still not easy, they are less put off by boats and are therefore more willing to eat lures as it cools. As always, having a variety of lures to throw at them will give you the best chance of success. Longtails can become very fixated on a particular bait type or profile, so being able to replicate what’s on their menu (which changes often) is key. School and spotted mackerel have been easier to fool, and though the spotty season is coming to an end, the schoolies should stick around until the

start of the next spotty season. The arrival of spotties this summer was a huge relief, as the past few seasons have been sparse on these toothy bandits. They should stick around for another month or so, and trolling with hardbodies or spoons behind paravanes is a highly effective way to find them as the schools begin to break up. Spinning with metals around the shipping beacons will be worth a go too, as these large structures are wellknown for holding both school and spotted mackerel. If you find that there are fish holding in these areas but aren’t responding to metals, drifting a

Few lures mimic a cicada better than the Tiemco Soft Shell Cicada – even educated creek bass in the suburbs can’t resist them! pilchard on gangs either unweighted or under a balloon can be effective. By this stage the bay mackerel have endured a fair bit of angling pressure, so having the option to switch over to bait is a good idea. Tailor have shown signs of another cracking season, with a handful of big fish reported through late summer and

Southern QLD

FMM early autumn. We saw similar signs at this time last year, and by June and July there were regular captures of fish in the 50-60cm bracket. Bait and lure fishers were cashing in on the bumper season last year, and this year looks to be following the same trajectory. Last year In May and June I experienced some of the best tailor fishing of my life, and my highlight sessions occurred around the flats at Sandstone Point, Jumpinpin and the north side of Mud Island. On all those occasions I didn’t plan to chase tailor, however when the water erupted into bust-ups as far as the eye could see I just couldn’t ignore them. Metal slugs in the 20-40g range, 3-5”soft plastics, 80-100mm jerkbaits and saltwater flies did most of the damage for me. Another thing I noted was how shallow they were often feeding, and on numerous occasions the boat actually bottomed out on the sand as I was trying to get closer to them. A shallow water assassin of a different kind has also been active in the shallows, and they too have shown up surprisingly early. Squid, both arrows and tigers, have already made an impression on those fishing in the bay this year. As it cools these suckers will show up more and more in the bay’s shallows, particularly those with a weed, rock, coral or rubble bottom.

During a recent session with my brother chasing snapper in the shallows I hooked a flathead around 60cm, and to our amazement it coughed up a decent size arrow squid in the landing net. It’s crazy to think how voracious it must have been to eat my soft plastic while it was digesting a whole squid! There are many reasons why squid like hang out in shallow water, but escaping predation seems to be a large factor. As for snapper and reefies, we should see a continuation of the

fantastic fishing we’ve had over the last couple of years. As it cools down, more snapper should enter the bay in preparation for their spawning. The tropical species like grassies, spanglies, tuskies and estuary cod don’t tend to feature as heavily during winter, however snapper numbers generally make up for it. These fish will bite for longer through the day as the daytime temperatures fall, meaning early starts – while preferable – won’t be as necessary

Bass this size are a real handful in tight country, so the author likes to run 12lb leader when creek bashing.

for a good session in the bay. At sunrise or sunset I would be targeting any area with a rubble, rock or coral bottom in 2-3m, however while the sun is up I would stick to 3-6m depths. If you wish to target bigger snapper upwards of 70cm, deeper marks like Harry Atkinson, Captain Nielsen and Curtain artificial reefs are known to hold the larger models. Hopefully shark numbers have decreased enough to get some of these fish to the boat, because they were something of a nuisance through summer. As always, keep your eyes on the sounder while you fish, and if they turn up your only option is to move and hope they don’t follow you! RIVERS AND ESTUARIES We’ve experience excellent fishing in our creeks and rivers in recent months, but now the order is shifting. The mangrove jacks, barra and other summer delights have already started to slow down their feeding, making way for other highly sought estuary predators. During winter local anglers turn their focus to mulloway and threadfin salmon. These two species don’t mind a bit of freshwater in their gills and can often be found a long way up rivers and creeks during winter. Any deep holes in the Caboolture, Pine, Brisbane and Logan rivers will be worth closure inspection for either

SKIRTS CHECK OUT THE FULL RANGE !

JIGS

TROLLING LURES

www.rapala.com.au

TEASERS APRIL 2024 25

WHAT’S NEW FISHING

RAPALA SKITTER POP ELITE

Rapala has taken the original Skitter Pop to the Elite Level with the new Skitter Pop Elite 95. The Elite still features a body made from premium balsa wood, which gives it an action and underwater acoustics that is unachievable with plastic. However, the Elite 95 does differ from the original Skitter Pop in a few ways. First of all, this new lure features Rapala’s Elite heavy-duty construction. With a metal plate system connecting the hook hangers together, and new reinforced cup, it will hold up against any predator. Rapala has also given the Skitter Pop Elite 95 an Elite finish, with gilded and HD colour patterns to suit any inshore fishing situation. If you want a popper that will walk the dog, skitter and spit or send out bitetriggering bloops, check out the Skitter Pop Elite 95. Price: SRP $26.95 www.rapala.com.au

DAIWA CURRENT MASTER 93-EXDR

The new Steez Current Master 93-EXDR is the extra-deep running version of Daiwa’s popular mid-size jerkbait. Quickly becoming a go-to for anglers looking for a smaller profile barra or jack lure, the EXDR reaches depths of 11ft and lets you take advantage of forward-facing sonar to target suspending fish in open areas of lakes and rivers. This technique requires lures that dive deeper than traditional methods, and this is where the EXDR model comes in. This lure is equally at home where you need a lure to dive steeply into the strike zone. When fishing undercut banks or snags on a steep edge, you need a lure that can get down into the zone quickly and stay there, suspending in the fish’s face. Featuring Daiwa’s Maglock weighttransfer system, these lures fly long and true, making casting through tight tree lines a breeze. They are fitted with BKK Viper-41 trebles and HD rings. www.daiwafishing.com.au

SHIMANO CURADO 200M

Shimano’s Curado 200M incorporates state-of-the-art features for optimal performance in all conditions. The MGL SPOOL III Pinion O Ring, combined with the SVS Infinity Micromodule Gear, offers a lightning-fast response, exceptional casting accuracy, and a well-balanced feel. The gears’ silent rotation and reduced knocking sound make for a more enjoyable experience. The Hagane Body provides a solid and rigid frame to withstand the rigours of intense fishing, and the innovative MicroModule gearing ensures a super smooth and efficient performance. The specially plated pinion gear, breakwater wall, and drainage port offer superior protection against water intrusion and corrosion. The reel’s six-bearing system ensures smooth operation and reliability. The Curado 200M has a max drag capacity of 6kg, a spool diameter/width of 35/23mm, and a handle length of 45mm or 48mm, depending on the model. There are three gear ratios – 6.2, 7.4, and 8.5. www.shimanofish.com.au

PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY 50 APRIL 2024

SAMAKI ZING XTREME V3

The Zing Xtreme V3 by Samaki has been designed for anglers who demand the ultimate in performance. Crafted for angling excellence, this rod seamlessly transitions from conquering estuaries and dams to mastering inshore reef adventures. The Zing Xtreme V3 boasts top-tier components, including Fuji K Alconite Guides for precision casting, Japanese Toray Carbon Fibre for unmatched strength and sensitivity, and Fuji reel seats. Complete with a minimalist ash-coloured EVA grip and sleek silver highlights, it offers a compelling balance of design and capability. It’s currently available in 10 baitcast models and 13 spin models, ranging from 2-8lb through to 20-40lb. Price: SRP $249.95 - $259.95 www.samaki.com.au

ZMAN EZ EGGZ

ZMan’s 10X Tough ElaZtech is buoyant, durable, and has a super-soft, realistic feel, so it’s ideal for a wide range of soft plastic presentations, including eggs! EZ EggZ come in a pack of 6 x 4.5” egg strands, with 12 eggs per strand. These strands allow anglers to snip off individual eggs for rigs or fly patterns or to tie perfectsized egg clusters for targeting species such as trout and salmon. EZ EggZ are available in red, salmon, and translucent pink colours, are impregnated with natural shrimp scent, and perfectly mimic a favourite food of many species. Price: SRP $13.95 www.z-man.com.au

WILSON ELECTRIC ASSIST BATTERIES

Wilson Electric Assist 14.4V batteries are made for the hardcore angler, with an easy-to-view battery life indicator that takes the guesswork out of how much time is left. Useable on almost all modern electric reels, linking accessories and cables make these some of the most adaptable batteries on the market. Strapping the battery onto your rod (regardless of whether it’s the 3.5, 7 or 10Ah model) allows you to hand-hold the rod during a fight or when fishing shallower water for species such as snapper and kingfish. You can also walk around the boat while fighting larger fish, unobstructed. Of course, Electric Assist batteries are just as much at home on heavier outfits that sit in rod holders, so nobody will be tripping over floor-mounted battery cables. In testing, these 10Ah batteries have lasted a full day’s fishing, and with easy recharging accessories, you’ll never find yourself short of charge again. Price: SRP $229-$399 (battery only), $359-$499 (kit) www.wilsonfishing.com

5 Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

FUN PAGE AND COMPETITIONS PART I: RANDOM THINGS IN THE GARAGE/SHED

BATTERY BEARINGS BEER BIN BLOW TORCH BOXES BROOM BRUSHES BUCKET

Name:

Address:

There are 15 Logos hidden throughout the pages of Fishing Monthly.

The first correct entry drawn at the end of each month will win a LIMITED EDITION LSU Jighead Box

Fill in the entry form below with the page number of each logo location and go in the draw to win!

All correct entries received will then go into the Major Prize draw to win 1 of 3 Daiwa prize packs to be drawn on the 31st May 2024

MAJOR $ $ $ PRIZES 1000 500 200 1st PLACE

PAGE NO: 1

PAGE NO:

3 2

4 3

5 4

3rd PLACE

RRP worth of DAIWA products

RRP worth of DAIWA Products

9 9

10 10

11 11

12 12

13 13

NAME NAME

P/Code:

ADDRESS

QLD NSW

VIC

TAS

ADDRESS

MAILENTRIES ENTRIES TO: TO: MAIL

SUBURB SUBURB

FMM Find theDAIWA DAIWA Logo Competition, NSWFM Logo Competition, FMM FindFind thethe BAITJUNKIE Logo Competition, PO QLD 4129 PO BOX 3172, Loganholme QLD 4129 POBOX BOX3172, 3172,Loganholme Loganholme QLD 4129 Entriesmust mustbebereceived received Entries byby 30TH 31st DATEMAY 2019, 2021

Entries must be received by 30 April, 2024 Original entries photocopies. Original entriesonly. onl No y. No photocopies. Original entries only. NO PHOTOCOPIES.

Phone (day):

P/CODE P/CODE

PHONE

EMAIL I want to receive updates from Daiwa Australia on news & special offers (please tick)

FIND-A-WORD WINNER

The first correct entry at the end of each month will win the prize pack.

SEND ENTRIES TO: FMM Find-a-word Competition, PO box 3172, Loganholme Qld 4129

The Find-a-Word winner for February’s issue is M Baker of Gorokan, who won a Fishing Monthly prize pack. Prizes delivery can take up to 8 weeks. – FMM

FIND THE BAIT JUNKIE LOGO

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS F

2nd PLACE

RRP worth of DAIWA products

LOGO COMPETITION

DEC 23 APRIL 2024

FIND THE

CLIPS COBWEBS CROWBAR DECORATIONS DRILL DUST EARMUFFS EPOXY

FMM APRIL 2024

BULBS CABLES CAMP OVEN CHAINSAW CHAIRS CHAMOIS CHARGER CLAMPS CLEARCOAT

QLD

NSW

VIC

TAS

The Find the Bait Junkie Logo prize winner for February is K Roberts of Cudgen, who won a $1000 worth of Daiwa products. Prizes delivery can take up to 8 weeks. – FMM

Complete the Find the Word and go in the draw

It ’s a ise! Surpr

to win a Fishing Monthly Prize Pack containing:

Steve’s Mystery Fishing Lure Pack!

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

LOGO COMPETITION The answers to February’s Find the Logo were: 10, 13, 18, 26, 32, 34, 41, 54, 60, 62, 71, 76, 84, 91, 101. – FMM

YOUR SUBSCRIPTION WILL START WITH THE NEXT PUBLISHED ISSUE

FISHING MONTHLY MAGAZINE 12 issues $75 inc. gst

24 issues *$125 inc. gst

Name:

BUYERS DETAILS

SUBSCRIPTION FOR

for

Address: Suburb:

P/Code:

Daytime Contact No: Email:

PAYMENT DETAILS Cheque

Name: Address: Suburb:

P/Code:

Daytime Contact No: Email:

As the buyer, do you wish to receive annual subscription renewal notifications?

Money order

Mastercard/Visa

Yes

Signature:

Credit Card No:

Credit Card Expiry Date:

Card Holder’s Name:

Daytime Contact No:

CCV:

IF THIS IS A GIFT - PLEASE COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING AND A GIFT CARD WILL BE MAILED TO THE LUCKY ANGLER OR THE GIFT BUYER! Mail voucher to:

Subscriber

Buyer or Email blank voucher to:

To: Happy Birthday!

From or Happy ____ Birthday!

SUBSCRIBER

ADVANTAGES Free Delivery Entry into the monthly draws Save $$$

Other (20 characters max)

Love From:

Happy Fishing!

OUR GUARANTEE

Every now and again, a copy may not arrive through the Australia Post System. If this happens to you, a quick call to us and we will post out another FREE OF CHARGE

Merry Christmas!

Happy Fathers Day!

1 800 228 244

OR visit www.fishingmonthly.com.au and follow the links to isubscribe

Mail Coupon to:

FM Subscriptions PO Box 3172 Loganholme Q 4129

Email details to:

subscribe@fishingmonthly.com.au

Online - ANYTIME APRIL 2024 51

TESTING BOOTH

Shimano Raider travel rods – a simple solution FISHING MONTHLY

Peter Jung

Whether you are travelling for work, going on holidays or are simply curious about what fish a waterway may hold on your travels, it is not always possible to take your favourite outfit with you. The thought of rod tubes, extra luggage, oversize luggage and a strong likelihood of damage in transit sends shivers down my spine as I write this.

A travel rod always sounded like a great solution, however until recent times, a travel rod was a compromise. It may have got you fishing, but whether it be rod composition, length, strength, the ferule systems and weight (physical) it more than likely would not be 100% suited to what you need and then may not even get used. The beauty of the improvement in fishing rod technology now, is that you are more likely than not, to find a travel rod that is fit for purpose and take it everywhere you go. That is where the Shimano travel rod ranges fit

Many of the local creeks in SE Queensland are worth an explore at the moment. The Raider outfit has given the author the opportunity to check a few out with some great results.

PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY APRIL 20242023 52 1 NOVEMBER

in and in particular the Shimano Raider travel rod that has been put to the test in this issue. The Shimano Raider travel series of rods is the entry range of travel rods that Shimano do. They have three other options (Grappler, Zodias and Revolution) ranging in price from $675rrp to $189rrp, while the Raider series comes in at $159rrp. There are seven rod options within this range. What we tested For this testing booth we tried out the 23RDRT6104SP 6’10” four piece 2-5kg model. An all round rod suitable for targeting many of your saltwater estuary species as well as trout, redfin, bass and golden perch in the freshwater. The rod was matched with a Shimano Miravel 2500HG spin reel spooled up with 8lb Power Pro braid. A 1000 size reel would also match up with this rod nicely. This Raider travel rod is a perfect example of the advances made in travel rods, in particular the ferule systems used to put each of the pieces of the rod together. For whatever reason I still have a travel rod that I purchased about 15 years ago. It is a 3-piece rod and each join once put together created a flat spot in the working curve of the rod. It was clumsy to cast with because of it (lure casting) and actually came apart on a number of occasions when I hooked a fish. It ventured out once and has never been used again. The ferule systems have come a long way since then and it is great to see and know that the joins in the

Above: The Raider outfit as tested. The Raider 6’10” 4-piece 2-5kg spin rod matched with a Shimano Miravel 2500HG reel and 8lb Power Pro braid. Main: The Shimano Raider travel rod has given the author a great excuse to explore some of his local creeks for bass, that he would normally drive over. Raider travel rods have little or no effect on the working curve of the rods and if put together firmly, they hold in place. It is also impressive to see that the

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

TESTING BOOTH Raider rods are built using a 30 tonne high modulus Toray bland and they use Fuji Fazlite guides. They also come with a custom reel seat and have split EVA grips. A lightweight outfit (also a far cry from the old rod I have) that is a pleasure to use for extended periods of time. Exploring with the Raider travel rod South East Queensland has recently had its fair share of rainfall and with that many of its creeks have more water in them than usual. Many of these creeks have naturally occurring stocks of Australian bass in them or have been seeded with fish by the stocked lakes further up the system that have escaped as they overflow. I drive past a number of them every week and right at the moment they look even fishier than they normally do. What a great excuse it has been to stop at a few of them and cast a few lures around. At 6’10” the tested rod is a good

The rod comes in a hard case to provide protection when travelling. I have ditched this case and just wrapped it in a jumper while in my suitcase. The hard case can make it a fraction too big

The Shimano Raider travel rod was just one of many goodies the author was sent to test for Fishing Monthly magazines. there. A car packed full of other things meant the travel rod was a perfect option. Everything I needed fitted into a small backpack. The fishing was pretty simple too. A small hook on the end of the line baited with beach worm, cast at any fish that looked like it may eat it. The lack of casting weight didn’t prove to be an issue for the outfit and I got to have a fish when I normally wouldn’t have. Bait fishing at its simplest and one very happy angler. Final thoughts The first thing I would like to say is that it was nice to fish with a travel

Another Gold Coast bream that couldn’t resist the author’s beach worm bait.

The Shimano Raider travel would be perfect for throwing small lures or plastics around for trout, like this one from Lake Eucumbene. length sneak around these waterways and it easily casts finesse soft plastic set ups, small hardbody lures and surface lures. Thankfully it also has some pulling power as some of these bass don’t know when to give up. They hit hard and head for the nearest snag, so it was nice to have the stopping power I needed for me

to win the battle instead of them. As much fun as this has been, for me the real test was doing some very simple bait fishing for bream and flathead on a weekend away at the Gold Coast. Our accommodation was right on the water and no matter where you looked there was a bream letting you know it was

This pony fish was another capture while fishing unweighted baits from the shore while at the Gold Coast.

A beautiful Gold Coast bream that couldn’t resist an unweighted worm bait while the author had a weekend away with his family.

rod and not realise it was a travel rod. Once put together it was like fishing with something that I would normally use. I can definitely see this outfit going with me next time I visit the Snowy mountain lakes chasing trout, I think it would be an excellent option to use there whether I am casting lures or bait fishing.

to fit in a suitcase (depending or your suitcase size of course). Overall the Shimano Raider travel rod is an excellent option to have up your sleeve if you are travelling and wish to have a fish while you are. You can check out the full range at www. fish.shimano.com or check them out at your local tackle outlet.

APRIL 2024 NOVEMBER 2023532

NSW

Hunter Coast

FMM

Live baiting in April can be a lucky dip of species PORT STEPHENS

Paul Lennon

The estuary has been fishing extremely well, with plenty of big dusky flathead lurking in the shallows, waiting to pounce on anything that takes their fancy. The corners of most estuary beaches, where you have sandy patches spread over weed beds, are great environments to target flatties. Known flathead haunts include Shoal Bay, Nelson Bay, Bagnalls Beach, Dutchies Corlette and Wanda

on the change of tides. Use unweighted baits such as live nippers or prawns. When the tide starts to pick up, swap over to the inside of the wall, which has limited tidal flow. Berley is a great addition to this kind of fishing, and will increase your catch rate. It’s just a matter of mixing chicken pellets with tuna oil and throwing a handful out every few minutes or so. Luderick will get better with each month leading into winter. The rock wall at Nelson Bay is again the best spot to catch them in the Port, but you can also get decent catches at Tomaree

Norm with a frigate mackerel. leatherjacket all possibilities. BEACHES From the beaches, you’ll find good bream and whiting holding in the gutters

on Stockton, Samurai, One Mile, and Fingal, with live worms or pipis being the baits of choice. Fingal Spit and Box Beach have been producing some big tailor up to 2kg. A reliable way to catch them is with whole pilchards or gar rigged on gang hooks, and rolled back at a medium retrieve speed. The best times to fish are dawn and dusk. OFFSHORE Snapper fishing has been red-hot around Fingal, Little and Broughton Island, with both plastics and bait fishing methods accounting for good reds to 6kg. The deeper reefs such as the Gibber, 21 and Vee have also been producing a few reds and trag. A paternosterstyle bottom rig has been working best around these parts. If you put a live bait out around the islands and inshore reefs at this time of year, you never know what will eat it. There’s every chance you’ll hook a longtail tuna, cobia, kingfish or marlin.

Dial in on better fish SWANSEA

Jason Nunn

A ripper kingfish caught on a live bait. Head. While flathead are caught all year round in Port Stephens, they usually taper off a little after April, so make the most of it this month. Bream will turn it up a notch this month as they start moving in from the ocean, and most of the local rock walls have been holding some bangers to well over 40cm. The Nelson Bay rock wall probably produces more bream than anywhere else in Port Stephens, with fish caught both inside and outside of the wall. I recommend fishing the outside of the wall when the water starts to slacken off

Big bream will be on the chew over the next couple of months. 66 APRIL 2024

Torpedo Tubes, Little Beach and the Anchorage wall. The bay is filled with baitfish right now, with everything from garfish to whitebait. A range of pelagic species, from bonito to longtail tuna, are taking full advantage of it. A small 10g metal on a light 2-4kg set-up will usually suffice when targeting smaller pelagics such as bonito mac tuna, frigate mackerel, and tailor. If their bigger cousins show up, you’ll need a minimum of a 20lb outfit to stop them. ROCKS Land-based game season is in full swing, and the local ledges have not disappointed, with a few nice cobia recently landed from Tomaree, as well as mac and longtail tuna. The ledge at Tomaree can get pretty crowded at this time of year, but there are other places where you can catch quality LBG species. Fingal Headland will often produce longtails, as will Sunny Corner, and you will generally get these places to yourself. April is a top month for wash fishing from the rocks, especially on those days with a good bit of swell rolling in, stirring things up. Fresh cunjevoi or large peeled prawns, lightly weighted or suspended under a small float, work best when fishing the white water. It’s a great way to pick up multiple species at once, with bream, drummer, squire and

There are still good numbers of striped marlin, the odd blue and black marlin around, from the shelf right the way in to the close in-shore reefs. The striped marlin and blue marlin should stay through April. We haven’t seen as many juvenile black marlin coastally this year as in the past few years. People were getting 15+ marlin a day at this time last year, while this year, they’ve been getting pretty much nothing. The fish have been out a bit wider, with an average size of 50-60kg. That could be because we’ve had inconsistent water temperatures coastally, and the east coast current hasn’t had a clear run to bring warmer water inshore (inside 100m). Some pelagics seem to have skipped our past of the coast altogether. We’ve had one of the best mahimahi seasons for quite a while, with good quality dollies between 10-20kg over the inshore reefs and FADs. We haven’t had huge numbers, which is strange; usually small mahimahi are everywhere, but not this year. Still, nobody is complaining, with all the good-size fish getting around. We recently got a really nice 12kg mahi and saw a couple of others. The fish we caught had a juvenile 12” dolly in his mouth. Just before we caught him, we saw a tiny dolly swim past the spread and then boom – the big ones moved in. We caught the 12kg fish on a cup-face JB Dingo in lumo, and half an hour later, I got a striped marlin on the same lure. We went on to drop a few more fish, but it didn’t really matter – we still had a good time. If you’re fishing around the FADs, live baiting is the key to consistently catching

good fish. That’s because you can put the live bait down on a little bit of weight and get it deeper to where the bigger fish are. Trolling small skirted lures is a good option if you need to cover ground to find the fish. If you get some little guys jumping to chase the lure, you know there’s a good chance of bigger fish in the area. We’ve been getting reports of a few kingfish out on the Farm and down south towards Texas. When you’re planning to fish in this deeper water, you need to be aware of the current. Some days, you can have up to 3 knots of current, so you may need to focus on the inshore reefs at those times. Through March we’ve seen cobia coastally, not only along our inshore reefs but also in our estuaries. They haven’t been big, but they’re still good eating fish. Good numbers of bonito are still being caught along the coast, with some bigger models up to 4kg in the mix. You can troll for them, cast chrome lures or flick soft plastics. Most of the bigger bonito have been caught by anglers chasing inshore snapper, floating baits down a berley trail. Pillies have been working well and have been catching cobia as well. Plenty of good-size trag are still caught on the inshore reefs, along with some nice mulloway. We’re also starting to see the autumn flathead build-up in those areas. One species that’s been a bit slow is snapper; they are there but not in big numbers and sizes. When water temps get down to around 20-21°C, we should see a lot more snapper around, and I’ll have more to report next month.

Hunter Coast NSW

FMM

Get into the action before fishing starts to slow sinking vibes or good quality natural bait for the first few days after a stronger cold snap. A few calmer, sunny days will raise the water temp enough to cast the surface lures again. It’s normally a good month to look for mulloway in Brisbane Waters or the lower part of the Hawkesbury. Although my attention is more focused on smaller species these days, in the past, I spent

CENTRAL COAST

Jamie Robley

Welcome to another peak fishing month for the local area. Although April is normally one of our best months, we can expect a few changes from this point onwards. Along the headlands, rock ledges, beaches and inshore reef, calamari squid, garfish, and yellow-eye mullet are in peak numbers right now. This means predators like tailor, kingfish, mulloway, and whaler sharks are also likely to show up, particularly around dawn and dusk. The obvious way for anglers to take advantage of this is to catch some of the bait that the predators are looking for. Chasing calamari is reasonably popular along the Central Coast. Just out from the mouth of Swansea Channel, the rocks at Catherine Hill Bay, Munmorah, Norah Head, and Terrigal are perhaps our most known and reliable areas for calamari. Still, the truth is they’re generally in very good numbers over any area of shallow reef with a bit of kelp growth. Dawn and dusk are the prime times to chase calamari, as they are also predators. Garfish and yellow-eye mullet can be caught in most semi-sheltered bays, often at the ends of beaches. The mullet are a bit more common and easier to find than the garfish, but both are worth

chasing right now, with small bread baits suspended under small floats. Use white bread as berley and bait, and be careful to use only small amounts of berley. Just a handful of mashed-up bread every 15 minutes should be enough to attract and hold the fish close. A sharp, fine wire size 8 hook will do the job. Keep checking that your bait is still on the hook, as both species are good at taking the bait without hooking up. I also like to use light fly tackle and tiny imitation bread flies for these fish. The beauty of this is that the fish can’t remove the bait, and it’s not a complicated way to fish. An hour or two rounding up some

ROCK AND BEACH There are some good quality tailor around at the moment, with many fish between 50-60cm. Early mornings and late afternoons/evenings are the better times to go, particularly on the rocks. If you combine those low-light periods with a high tide, that’s even better. You can expect the odd salmon to turn up as by-catch. Mullet are starting to school up in the lake and the estuaries, but so far there have been no significant schools moving up and down the coast. We will probably see more of that in the coming weeks. Land-based anglers have been picking up a few bream, and flathead catches have been increasing along the beach. If we get a heap of rain, that will move more flatties out of the estuary and onto the beach. LAKE AND CHANNEL At this time of year, the flathead in the lake are less numerous because many have moved along the beaches and out to the inshore reefs. This is when anglers’ focus shifts to species like bream, tailor and mulloway in the lake and in the channel. There are still lots of squid around, with anglers taking home good bags for dinner or bait. Remember, the bag limit is 20 squid per person. Some really nice kingfish have been

reported in recent weeks, with most caught on live squid on a downrigger. There are some quality mulloway throughout the lake at the moment. If you want to catch one this month, your best bet is to use live squid or as fresh as you can get it, and fish into the evening. Plenty of tailor around 40-50cm have been caught over the past month, with the odd bigger one in the mix. We’ve been seeing a slow build-up of these fish, and their numbers will continue to increase in April. There are plenty of opportunities to catch blue swimmer crabs at this time of year – just be sure to keep an eye on your pots during the busy holiday season. A few cobia have been caught in Lake Macquarie, mostly at the southern end. Recently, a couple of 75cm cobia were caught inside the lake, and a bigger one was taken near Moon Island. It’s likely we’ll see more cobia in the lake in the coming weeks, depending on water temperatures. • Fisherman’s Warehouse Marine, run by Patrick Nunn, is your one-stop shop for outboard sales, repairs and servicing. They are the local Honda outboard dealer (sales and service), and also service Yamaha, Mercury, Suzuki, and Tohatsu outboards, and sell spare parts. For more information call 02 4945 2152, email enquiries@fishermanswarehouse.com.au, or drop in and see the guys at 4/2 Suite Street, Warners Bay.

The author has enjoyed a great run of bream fishing around the lakes in recent weeks. bait late in the afternoon means you can be fishing for the larger targets around sunset and into the night, or first thing the following morning. Live bait can be very effective, but fresh dead baits are just as good most of the time. Having said that, if you put out a live garfish or calamari squid near kingfish, it’s basically a sure bet the bait will be attacked very quickly! Bonito, frigate mackerel and possibly a few cobia are still around now, as are marlin a bit wider out. Closer in along the beaches, bream numbers start increasing at this time of year, and smaller chopper tailor are also likely to show up around sunrise and sunset. Whiting, dart and flathead are other species you’ll probably encounter at the beach. Although the water temps should still linger around 21°C this month, luderick and drummer can also be well worth chasing from the rock ledges. So, the only thing that can slow all this inshore action down could be the weather or big seas. If that occurs, we are lucky to have some good fishing still available back inside the calm water. Brisbane Waters and the lakes also go pretty well in April. Bream are the main species that most anglers will encounter, with baits or lures. Surface lures still work well at this time of year. However, when we get a cold snap, I would recommend sticking to soft plastics,

April is a peak month for southern calamari in our area, so get some decent quality jigs in sizes 3.0 or 3.5 and cast them over shallow reef and kelpy spots. a lot of time targeting mulloway, and found April to be one of the best months of the year. Exactly where you’ll find them depends on rainfall, but generally speaking, I’d be looking at Woy Woy and downstream around The Rip as a starting point. The Gosford end of the system is also worth a try, so if you live closer to that end, get some live mullet, herring, squid or bigger lures and give the tide changes a go at night or around sunrise or sunset. Although cooler days are upon us now, the water will remain warm enough to keep most fish active over the coming weeks. Take advantage of what’s on offer now, because we’re approaching the time of year when our fishing will start to slow down again.

As water temps begin to cool, soft plastics will be the weapon of choice for some anglers. APRIL 2024 67

VIC

Freshwater

FMM

Amazing time of year to catch redfin in the lakes WANGARATTA

Robbie Alexander

Oh, how I love April! The sun filtered by smoke from nearby burn-offs, the colourful leaves, cool nights and crisp mornings, and of course, the fishing.

known as ‘blocking highs’ can occur. They are very strong, high-pressure systems that drive potential cold fronts southwards. This can result in lengthy periods (two weeks or more) of stable weather for us. Usually the barometer is high and the fishing can be very good. I like to fish for Murray cod during these conditions,

Holly Alexander with a nice yellowbelly caught near Wangaratta recently.

There are still plenty of hungry carp around that will provide lots of angling enjoyment this month, but not lots of tasty meals. Not all of the fishing is amazing in autumn, but some of it definitely is. Read on to find out more. MURR AY COD The Murray cod fishing can be hit-and-miss during April in the Wangaratta area. In the rivers, April can be an amazing time to catch Murray cod – I have had some of my most memorable fishing sessions in April – but I have also had a lot of fish-less trips. In recent years, the lakes have tended to fish more consistently than the rivers. When fishing the Ovens River system for Murray cod in April, I like to fish during or towards the end of a lengthy run of stable weather. Consecutive days in the high 20s with blue skies and light winds, with a high barometer, are great. In April, high-pressure systems

Bait fishing in stunning surrounds at Lake Buffalo at sunset. Make sure you pack a jumper.

The Murray cod fishing can be quite hit-and-miss during April in the Wangaratta area. 94 APRIL 2024

especially towards the end of the high-pressure system ahead of an approaching cold front. YELLOWBELLY April usually sees the yellowbelly fishing begin to slow down. I usually catch a few during April, and like the cod they sometimes switch on depending on the weather, but overall the yellowbelly start to slow down in

the cooling water, especially later in the month. For lure fishers, many yellowbelly are caught as a by-catch by anglers targeting Murray cod. If you are bait fishing, I would suggest having one of your fishing rods (If you use 2) baited with a dedicated yellowbelly bait such as worms or live shrimp. REDFIN April is an amazing time of the year to fish for redfin in North East Victoria. In the Wangaratta region, Lake Buffalo and Lake William Hovell are the two best places to go. Both of these lakes fish well for redfin each year. Lake Buffalo seems

to have better numbers of larger fish than Lake William Hovell does (although there are still a few big ones in William Hovel). If you’re targeting redfin in Lake Buffalo in April, catching a Murray cod as a by-catch is a real possibility. If you’re fishing in Lake William Hovell, on the other hand, you’re much more likely to catch a trout as a by-catch, especially closer to the end of the day. In both lakes, try trolling small, deep-diving lures if you are in a boat or kayak. If you are fishing from the bank, soft plastics are the way to go. I recommend the Strike Tiger 1.5” curl-tail grub in banana shock colour. Bladed spinners will also work if you are casting lures from the bank, but diving minnows may foul up in weeds, depending on the water level. If you prefer bait fishing, it is hard to go past small live yabbies or live shrimp. Worms are another great option. TROUT The trout streams have a very healthy flow of water, and should fish very well in the coming weeks. April is one of my favourite times of the year to go trout fishing. Brown trout usually spawn in late May and into the start of winter. In April they start to make their way upstream looking for a mate, and during this time the fish from the ‘hard to access’ areas will swim through the public areas. So, just when you think a popular camp sire has been flogged during the Easter break, a big trout might turn up, having swam upstream from a place that may never be fished. Black is a great colour to use when lure fishing for trout during April. You can use small, black soft plastics, bladed spinners and even minnows. In the second half of April, fluorescent-coloured lures will be worth a try. I would start with

Freshwater

FMM

VIC

Lakes turning on some good fishing this month Nick Brown teamriverrats@hotmail.com

There should be plenty of angling opportunities in the Goulburn River this month. There’s been a heap of reports recently from anglers fishing around Rafterys Road, with some legal-sized cod caught amongst plenty of smaller fish. Bardi grubs and cheese have been the stand out baits for cod, with shrimp and worms working well for those chasing yellowbelly. Anglers targeting carp have been reporting that corn and worms are working great with some catching 8/10 in an hour period.

also been productive lately. A good idea is ‘switch baiting’ after a surface bite, i.e. have a mate cast a spinnerbait when you get a strike (or, if you’re alone, have a spinnerbait rigged and ready to go). BROKEN RIVER It’s been a surface bonanza recently in the Broken River, with heaps of cod being caught off the top. The key has been to cast your surface lures super tight to structure or the bank. The cod have been sitting close to snags or up shallow in low-light periods. Jackal Pompadours and soft plastic frogs have been the pick of the lures in recent weeks. Anglers fishing in the daytime have been catching both cod and yellowbelly on lipless crankbaits rigged with a single belly hook, or small Compact

The author with a Kialla Lakes redfin caught near the willow trees on a Jackall Chubby. Trolling small StumpJumpers and spinnerbaits has been a popular way to target natives around Rafterys Road and also in the heart of Shepparton. Casting surface lures and Compact spinnerbaits around Murchison has something black, and if that does not work, try something fluorescent. OTHER SPECIES The yabbies usually slow right down in most places at this time of year, and can be very hard to find. Carp fishing is still red-hot. Look for shallow backwaters along the river, or in the lagoons. In fact, April is often the driest time of the year. Pretty much any waterway that still has water in it will be worth fishing for carp. Lake Moodemere will be a great place to go carp fishing, and so too will Broken Creek and Boosey Creek near Katamatite. There should still be plenty of blackfish on the bite in the deep, dark pools in many of the trout streams as well.

spinnerbaits in a white colour. Bait fishing with shrimp has been great, with cod, yellowbelly and carp being caught. The best areas have been around the weirs and down towards the junction.

KIALLA LAKES There have been some nice-sized fish caught at Kialla, with both redfin and yellowbelly reported. Casting small divers around the willow trees has been the best way to target both species. Some bites will be right at your feet so make sure you angle your rod so the lure stays in the water for as long as possible. Bait fishing around the sand bars and near the island has been a great way to chase redfin, with small yabbies working well. There have been two stand-out ways to fish the yabbies – floating them shallow in low-light periods, or hard on the bottom when the sun is overhead. SHEPPARTON LAKE Shepp Lake can be a tricky spot to fish, but when the fish are on you can have a great time. Floating worms and shrimp around the weed edges has been a great way to target redfin lately, with some nice 30cm+ reddies caught. If you can get out deeper in a kayak you will find the yellowbelly are very active. You can catch them trolling small lipless crankbaits or casting weedless-rigged plastics near the towing lanes. Casting Bent Minnows in low-light periods has also been a great way to target redfin in the shallows. You want your lure to run just above the thick weed. WARANGA BASIN Catch rates have dropped off a little lately from the reports I’ve been getting, but there are still some quality fish amongst the smaller ones. The bigger fish seem to be sitting deeper in around 17/20ft of water. A good way to target them is by trolling around until you find the schools, then sit on top of them and vertically flick a blade off the bottom. Anglers fishing the edges have been catching a lot of smaller fish casting Jackall Chubbies, with plenty of

A feed of Lake Buffalo redfin. The author is thankful that redfin have no minimum size limit, or some days he’d go hungry! The minimum size depends on your filleting skills.

captures coming from shallow points. Bait fishing around Harrimans Point has been a good way to target both redfin and carp, with scrub worms and night crawlers working well.

Power for your GOPRO or VIRB from your navigation light socket

$250 + P&H

GOPRO not included

AVAILABLE FROM: www.tournamentboats.com.au

SHEPPARTON

APRIL 2024 95

BASS SERIES presented by

Cone Finally Masters VIC’s Lake Blue Rock Mitchell Cone had finished in second place the first two times he visited Victoria’s Blue Rock Lake - losing to mates Matt Langford and Mick Johnson in previous iterations of this event in the 13 Fishing BASS Pro Series on the picturesque Victorian impoundment. In fact, he’s led the event after Day 1 on all three occasions. Scan the QR code to watch the Boater Winners Interview

The Narrabri Basser finally took the top spot on his third attempt, along with $2,100 cash and a perfect score of 100 Angler of the Year points. He was nearly a kilogram ahead of two-time Grand Final winner, Braden Schuch at the end of the two days of fishing. Here’s how he did it. Day 1: 5/5, 4.12kg Day 2: 5/5, 4.189kg Total: 10/10, 8.309kg Cone has been refining a pattern ever since he’s been visiting the Victorian lake which has a great mix of open water and timbered habitat. He fishes shallow in the water column, finding bass in Forward Mode on his Garmin LiveScope and presenting a black Gulp! to them on spinning tackle. These fish sit between 5 and 8 feet down in anywhere up to 100 feet of water and relate to structure in the form on drowned trees - especially those with some sort of horizontal structure. “Last year I caught plenty of fish that were just roaming in open water, but this time, I had to target bass sitting on the timber. The more bass I could see on it, the better they would bite,” Cone explained. He’d see the bass on Forward Mode on his Garmin and cast a black Gulp 3”

Third time’s a charm for Mitchell Cone, taking out the opening round of the 2024 13Fishing BASS Pro Series. Scan the QR code to watch the Field Highlights

This year was all about targetting bass in timber using Forward Mode on the Garmin Livescope for Cone.

BOATER RESULTS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 114 APRIL 2024

Angler Mitchell Cone Braden Schuch Steve Muldoon Matthew Langford Mick Johnson Frank Carabetta Adam Mears Tom Deer Jesse Rotin Tim Jones

Fish 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10

Full results at abt.org.au

Weight(kg) 8.309kg 7.445kg 5.579kg 5.565kg 5.189kg 4.882kg 4.874kg 4.546kg 4.536kg 3.959kg

Payout $2,100 $1,000 + $250 Merc bonus $800 $600 + $125 Merc bonus $75 Mercury Bonus

Swimming Mullet rigged on a Bassman 1/4oz jighead with a stinger. He reported that 60% of the bass he landed were hooked on the stinger. He fished the bait on a Millerods XLFC rod paired with a Daiwa Kix spooled with braided line and 6lb Daiwa X-Link leader. He also caught a few fish in the shallows on an OSP Dunk that he cast on a Millerods Twitchfreak M and a 10lb leader, but all of his key fish came from the timber. “It was good to finally get the job done on Blue Rock and not choke on Day 2,” Mitchell remarked, “and leading the BASS Pro AOY after the first event is a real bonus. SCHUCH CONTINUES MOMENTUM Day 1: 5/5, 3.770kg Day 2: 5/5, 3.675kg Total: 10/10, 7.445kg After winning consecutive BASS Pro Grand Finals, Braden Schuch continued his momentum into 2024 with a solid second place at the Blue Rock opener. “I’d always kind of known what would win at Blue Rock for the last couple of visits, but I went and fished my way. This

BASS SERIES presented by time I committed to throwing that black Gulp! and it paid off,” Schuch said. Unlike Cone, Braden found that the fish roaming in the open water were quite receptive to targeting with live sonar - in his case, a Humminbird Mega LIVE that he set at 40 degrees in forward mode. He never fished water shallower than 40 feet and like Cone, his suspending fish sat between 5 and 10 feet down. “I’d cast to the fish that I saw in the beam and sometimes they’d spook and other times they’d follow the bait, I usually needed to vary the retrieve slightly to get them to commit. This might have been a quick stop and drop and other times a quicker twitch to get that reaction,” he said. Most of his fish came off the end of a long point a couple of kilometres up and into the trees. Braden fished the bait on a

On the final day he dropped leader size to 6lb to tempt the pressured fish. GOLDIE LOVES THE BACK OF THE BOAT Day 1: 3/3, 1.153kg Day 2: 3/3, 3.627kg Total: 6/6, 4.780kg 2023 boater, Victorian Corey Goldie, decided that he’d spend a year fishing from the back of the boat to make some content and help new non-boaters get started. His plan started the best way possible with Goldie taking a win at his first event as a co-angler, anchored by a 51cm bass that weighed more than the rest of his bags added together. He caught his fish in two ways - earlier in the session with cicadas on the surface -

Open water fish found using Humminbird Mega LIVE were key to Braden’s success at Blue Rock in 2024.

Scan the QR code to watch the Non-Boater Winners Interview

BIG BASS PRIZE

Corey Goldie has moved to the back of the boat in 2024 and kicked his season off in the best possible way.

Corey Goldie recorded the Maui Jim Big BASS from the back of the boat. The 51cm pig ate a chatterbait rolled through the treetops and earned him $500 cash plus a sweet new pair of Mauis.

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

Angler Corey Goldie Ben Faro Rob Tilley Luke Mason Stephen Mears Jake Hardie Kris Dillon Travis Aspinall Elyon Cloete Leigh Mirams

Fish 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 5/6 4/6 6/6 4/6 6/6 4/6

1/4oz Daiwa BaitJunkie jighead with a light #1 hook that he threw on a Daiwa Infeet S 722 LRS and Daiwa reel matched with 0.8PE Expedition J-Braid and a 8lb X-Link leader.

Full results at abt.org.au

Weight(kg) 4.780kg 3.582kg 3.113kg 1.945kg 1.735kg 1.623kg 1.609kg 1.369kg 1.339kg 1.219kg

Payout Rapala/13 pack + $500 Big BASS Duo pack Zman pack + $250 Rapala bonus Samaki pack + $125 Rapala bonus Bassman pack + $75 Rapala bonus Bassman pack

Sunline pack

specifically the DUO Shinmushi. He’d cast the bait as close as possible to the bank and shake the lure in the spot. The topwater bite was elongated by the steep banks upriver which kept the banks shaded for a long time. His big bass came on a chatterbait in the form of a HotBite Spectre rigged with assist hooks. The threw the lure straight out of the back of the boat into a timbered area and it got smashed on the slow roll. “We were pretty excited when that fish hit the deck,” Corey admitted, “It’s a true Blue Rock unicorn and to catch it in a tournament was amazing.” APRIL 2024 115

BASS SERIES presented by

Johnson the BASSiest Boater at Glenmaggie Mick Johnson added his name to the club of anglers who have won at both Victorian ABT venues after taking out the Ecogear Glenmaggie round of the 13 Fishing BASS Pro Series, the second of the two-event BASS Pro road trip to Victoria. Scan the QR code to watch the Boater Winners Interview

Johnson rode to victory on the back of a strong first day and kept ahead even though his second day limit was only 1/3 of the size of his first. Here’s how he did it. Day 1: 5/5, 3.008kg Day 2: 5/5, 0.995kg Total: 10/10, 4.003kg

Mick Johnson is now one of a handful of anglers who have won an event at both Victorian ABT venues (Lake Blue Rock and Glenmaggie Dam). all of my fish by 8.30am and not a bite after that.” Mick was throwing a bait that Braden Schuch had given him the day before - a Daiwa Spike 44EXDR in Suji Berry colour. He cast it on a 13 Fishing OMEN 6’10” spin rod with a Shimano reel, 8lb Sufix 131 braid and a Sufix 8lb fluorocarbon leader. The second day was

definitely not as kind to Johnson, with the bass in his limit measuring between 21 and 25cm fork length. Mick said that on the first day, he’d fish deeper water to get his bites early, but on the second day the fish actually got shallower as the day went on, which was counter intuitive. He landed 7 fish on Day 1 and 8 fish on Day 2.

A solid day one bag helped secure Johnsons victory and an automatic spot into the 2024 BASS Pro Grand Final. The practice day on Glenmaggie was wild and windy. In fact, few anglers were able to fish the rough side of the lake where there’s a slew of good, rocky banks that

are populated by bass. “My plan was always to fish the areas that were protected by the rough weather of the pre-fish day,” Johnson said, “and the bass obliged - I had

BOATER RESULTS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 116 APRIL 2024

Angler Fish Mick Johnson 10/10 Braden Schuch 9/10 Adam Mears 9/10 Mitchell Cone 10/10 Tim Jones 8/10 Keeghan Painter 7/10 Frank Carabetta 10/10 Jason DeForrest-Haddleton 10/10 Steve Morgan 8/10 Matthew Langford 7/10

Braden Schuch is leading the BASS Pro Angler of the Year race at the end of the VIC rounds.

Full results at abt.org.au

Weight(kg) 4.003kg 3.707kg 3.433kg 3.000kg 2.876kg 2.873kg 2.503kg 2.444kg 2.066kg 1.984kg

Payout $2,200 + $250 Merc bonus $1,000 + $125 Merc bonus $800 + $75 Merc bonus $600

“There’s something about fishing banks that look pretty plain on the second day at Glenmaggie - the good looking stuff usually gets hammered on the first couple of days,” he concluded. With automatic qualification for the BASS Pro Grand Final in the can, Mick can now concentrate on winning a BASS Pro Angler of the Year title, although

BASS SERIES presented by it’s shaping up to be a multifaceted competition this year - with 196 out of a possible 200 points he’s third in the rankings behind Braden Schuch and Mitchell Cone. SCHUCH TWO TWOS FROM TWO As it happens, a pair of second placings in the Victorian BASS events is good enough to be leading the 2024 13 Fishing BASS Pro Series Angler of the Year points table for NSW Basser, Braden Schuch. Schuch’s ascent up the leaderboard was remarkable after sitting in 14th place after Day One of competition. On the first day he didn’t bag a limit or a kicker fish in his 4/5, 0.778kg catch. These fish ate a prototype Daiwa Spike EXDR in bright colours. Day Two was a different story, with a 37.5cm bass

BIG BASS PRIZE

the crankbait to a silent lipless bait - in particular a silent Japanese Trinity’s Custom Reflex Vibe in a black/ purple colour. He fished this bait around bass suspending in timber in the main basin of the lake on a Daiwa Tatula 23 722 MRB rod teamed with a Tatula 100s reel and 10lb straight through Daiwa fluorocarbon. It was a definitive move. ONE SHOT, ONE KILL Noah Crook has had a pretty good start to 2024 fishing tournaments. He won an entry into the ABT by placing highly at a Central Vic Lurecasters Super Series event a week before at Blue Scan the QR code to watch the Non-Boater Winners Interview

The Maui Jim Big BASS was landed by non-boater Ben Faro. Measuring 43cm fork length (1.535kg), it ate a 2.5” Daiwa Bait Junkie Minnow rigged on a 1/6oz TT SnakeLock jighead rolled through the treetops. It scored him $500 cash and pair of Maui Jim sunglasses.

Noah has his sights set on the Lake St Clair Grand Final - a venue he has never set eyes on before.

Noah Crook fished his first ABT and took home the NonBoater Trophy - that’s a pretty good start to his ABT career! anchoring his 2.929kg limit and falling around 300g short of the win. What did he do to turn it all around? He switched from

Rock. And on his first attempt at fishing an ABT from the back of the boat, he won. By 600 grams over second placed Ben Faro.

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

Angler Noah Crook Ben Faro Corey Goldie Rob Tilley Nick Brown Jake Hardie Stephen Mears Luke Mason Elyon Cloete Leigh Mirams

Fish 6/6 2/6 5/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 4/6 3/6 2/6 4/6

Weight(kg) 2.334kg 1.751kg 1.328kg 1.253kg 1.227kg 0.891kg 0.529kg 0.475kg 0.363kg 0.345kg

Noah’s young enough to have to be driven to the events by his old man, who watched with pride as he accepted his winner’s trophy and prizes and completed his winner’s interview. He used a Wilson Blade n Tails rod that he also won at the first competition and paired it with a Daiwa TC

Full results at abt.org.au

Payout Rapala pack + $250 Rapala bonus Duo pack + $125 Rapala bonus Zman pack Samaki pack + $75 Rapala bonus Bassman pack Bassman pack Ecogear pack Atomic pack Sunline pack

Scan the QR code to watch the Field Highlights

Black reel and 10lb Sunline leader and braid to box a limit of 6/6, 2.334kg over the two days. His bass ate a couple of baits - both fished on the Spin Wright jighead - a Rapala Crush City Suspect in Baitfish colour and a black Gulp!. He fished with Bryce Abbot on Day One and Jesse Rotin on Day Two - and loved the experience of being in a bass boat for the first time. There’s a decent chance that he can talk the old man into taking him to the BASS Pro Grand Final at Lake St Clair in NSW later this year. APRIL 2024 117

BREAM SERIES presented by

Healey goes back-to-back at Mallacoota We have seen plenty of hot-streaks at ABT over the last 25 years. Anglers get on a roll and good decisions lead to more good decisions. Not many, though, have matched Mark Healey’s run over the last 12 months. Scan the QR code to watch the Boater Winners Interview

He won in 2023 at Hawkesbury and Lake Macquarie and after a third in the Grand Final at Port Stephens, has followed it up with wins in the first two season openers in 2024 in Victoria, proving himself a truly versatile tournament angler across both black and yellowfin bream. His Mallacoota win was unique in that it came from a single, 30m stretch of water that had fish passing through it constantly, right down near the entrance of the system. This is how he capitalised on that spot. Day 1: 5/5, 6.077kg Day 2: 5/5, 5.516kg Total: 10/10, 11.593kg “I caught 5 bream in 5 casts at the spot in practice, but I was sharing the water with another angler. We discussed it and agreed to share the spot,” Mark explained. It was the back of a bank where the water would drop into after entering the system at the bar and the yellowfin bream were lined up there during the rising tide for most of the session. “When I got there, Cam (Whittam) already had landed a couple of fish and for the first part of the session, he caught fish every cast. As the tide changed, though, it seems that

Mark Healey’s hot streak started last May at the Hawkesbury River, racking up his fourth boater win at Mallacoota in February. a run of bigger bream came past where I was fishing and I was able to upgrade most of what I had recorded. It was crazy,” he said. Indeed. In a couple of hours of fishing, Mark had caught more bream than he had in the entire Gippsland event campaign. He used several techniques to keep the fish biting, often changing as the bite slowed down. Showing them something new would turn them back on again. Mark rotated between a Cranka crab (heavy, olive), an Ecogear blade (40mm, colour 426) and a Jackall Chubby deep in brown Suji. He’d use the blade to get the lure to the bottom quickly when the tide was at its peak velocity, the crankbait when it got deep enough to roll over the shallows and into the deeper channel and the crab when the current

BOATER RESULTS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 120 APRIL 2024

Angler Mark Healey Mario Vukic Mark Crompton Brad Hodges Steve Morgan Declan Betts Ahmad Mahfoud Steve Pryke Cam Whittam Jamie McKeown Jarrod Healey Christian Wardini Liam Carruthers

Fish 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10

slowed down and a little more finesse was needed. The icing on the cake was a couple of last minute upgrades on Goodwin Sands - a 37.5 and 39cm yellowfin. That elevated his bag to over 6kg and gave him a solid lead on the rest of the field.

Trump might be number one to Mario, but Mario was number two to Mark Healey at Mallacoota.

Full results at abt.org.au

Weight(kg) 11.593kg 9.352kg 9.293kg 9.130kg 9.108kg 8.767kg 8.697kg 8.672kg 8.613kg 8.529kg 8.522kg 8.191kg 8.144kg

After boxing around 50 bream on Day 1, Healey said the bite slowed down a lot on Day 2, with about 20 bream hitting the deck. One of these, however, was the Maui Jim Big BREAM of the event. The 40cm fork yellowfin ate the Cranka Crab.

Payout $5,000 + $500 Big Bream $2,500 + $250 Merc bonus $1,500 + $125 Merc bonus $1,400 + $75 Merc bonus $1,300 $1,200 $1,100 $1,000 $750 $500 $500 $500 $500

He fished the baits on a variety of Shimano outfits the heaviest of which was a G Loomis heavy rod that he’d usually use in the racks paired with a Shimano reel, 6lb Kairiki braid and 6lb (Saturday) and 4lb (Sunday) Ocea fluorocarbon leader. Leading the BREAM Angler of the Year points race with a perfect 200/200 score, Healey has made the last minute decision to do the Tasmanian leg of the Daiwa BREAM Series to try and maximise his chance of winning that accolade for the first time.

BREAM SERIES presented by MARIO BEST OF THE REST Day 1: 5/5, 4.890kg Day 2: 5/5, 4.462kg Total: 10/10, 9.352kg Veteran Victorian BREAMer Mario Vukic Was the best of the rest of the field and targeted black bream in the Bottom Lake to amass most of his weight. He took it pretty easy on the practice day and identified some key spots in the deep and shallow water. Vukic started shallow and bagged out early by throwing a Hurricane Sprat on a 1/20oz TT HWS jighead. After that, he rotated several shallow spots to upgrade a couple of times, but it was a final-hour flurry in deeper water where he made three, key upgrades to finish with just under 5kg for the session. The flurry was in deeper water on a a Zman grub in Motor Oil on a TT jighead. “My non-boater Matt Perry and I put on a Motor Oil and a Bloodworm Grub to see what the fish preferred, and after Matt landed three in a row on the Motor Oil, we both then threw it to good effect,” Mario explained. By the end of that flurry, he’d added a 36 and 35cm black

shallow like they were the day before. Half way through the session he had scratched a mid-3kg limit together and noted that he was sitting in second place on the live scoreboards. He then went to a deep spot in 16 feet of water and pinned three, 35cm fish in a row on the Zman grubs, elevating his limit to 4.5kg and holding off challenged from Crompton and Hodges. It was a solid finish from an angler who has won at this venue in the past. Scan the QR code to watch the Non-Boater Winners Interview

Third time’s a charm for Liam Allan taking home the win in his third ever ABT event.

ALLAN TAKES TROPHY THIRD TRY Liam Allan had only fished two ABT events before taking the win the third time. One was the Gippsland event just days before and the other, the Mallacoota 2023 iteration. Living in Canberra now, Liam used to live an hour up the road in Merimbula and although he doesn’t consider Mallacoota his ‘local’, he’s pretty comfortable fishing there.

After boxing 3/3, 2.529kg with Peter Breukel, he bagged another 3/3, 2.640kg with Nathan Booth to steal the win by over 100g from Judd Kirkland.

With instant qualification to the Daiwa BREAM Series Grand Final on Lake Macquarie later in the year, Liam is pretty keen to see if his Sprats are the

BIG BREAM PRIZE

Liam now has his sights set of the 2024 BREAM GF! Allan’s weapon of choice for the weekend was a Millerod Grub Freak Lt that he paired with a Daiwa reel, 6lb 8-strand braid and 2-3 rod lengths of 4 or 6lb fluorocarbon leader. On the end he usually had tied a Hurricane Sprat rigged on a 1/20oz TT HWS jighead. “The prawns are running at the moment and that bait looks and swims just like a prawn and that rod has the backbone to set that tingle jighead hook,” Liam explained.

Mark Healey also took out the Maui Jim Big BREAM award with the only 40cm fork length bream recorded. The yellowfin ate a crab right at the front of the system and anchored his Day 2 winning bag.

bream to the tally. He threw the grub on a G Loomis GLX TSR842-2 matched with a Daiwa Exist 2500 reel, 16lb Sunline Castaway braid (1.0 PE) and a 4lb Sunline VHard leader. “My first big fish bit as I was untangling a wind knot, so that told me that I had to slow down the retrieve a little to get the fish to bite,” he continued. Mario tried to repeat the success of Day One on the Sunday and the fish weren’t

NON - BOATER RESULTS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Angler Liam Allan Judd Kirkland Neil Kelly Liam Curtis Tony Khouri Peter Messenger Phil Zentai Damien Dwyer John Fitzgibbon Dallas Blatchford Michael Thompson

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

Scan the QR code to watch the Field Highlights

go up there. He’s never seen the lake ever before. “I’m sure I’ll get paired with some guys in fast boats that know what they’re doing,” Liam concluded. “It’s the Grand Final, mate, they’re not there by accident,” Steve Morgan said at the interview.

Full results at abt.org.au

Weight(kg) 5.169kg 5.026kg 4.986kg 4.963kg 4.958kg 4.829kg 4.736kg 4.673kg 4.528kg 4.454kg 4.427kg

Payout Daiwa pack Daiwa pack Rapala pack Daiwa pack Samaki pack ZMan Pack Cranka pack Cranka pack Ecogear pack Atomic pack OBB Muss pack APRIL 2024 121

BOATING TEST

SCAN THE QR CODE FOR EXTRA CONTENT

FMM

MORE ONLINE

Haines Hunter 675 Enclosed LE F300 Yamaha DES FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

What can you do with the top-of-the-line Haines Hunter 675 Enclosed Limited Edition? We borrowed Haines CEO John Haber’s boat to have a look. Well, when I say ‘we’, I mean the team at Port Phillip Boating Centre and me. They are a decades-long Haines Hunter and Yamaha dealer at Point Cook – just down the road from the Haines Hunter factory. Phil Pierias is the captain of the team there and just loves what he sells. “When I started the dealership I wanted to sell gear that I was passionate about and that I believed in, and for me that was Haines Hunter and Yamaha. I still sell both of those brands 20 years later,” he said. In fact, they’re the only ones he sells – Yamaha and Haines Hunter. That’s words backed up by actions right there. The rig showed up on the back of

SPECIFICATIONS Length.............................................6.75m Beam...............................................2.43m Height................................................2.3m Hull Weight...............................1300kg Fuel.....................................................270L Max HP..........................................300hp what looked like a diminutive VW, but with the fancy EasyTow aluminium trailer, the BMT package weighed in at well under 3,000kg. “The alloy trailer saves hundreds of kilograms,” Phil said, “and the roller and bunk combination is really easy to use and provides great support for the hull.” The Limited Edition Haines Hunter hulls have an increased power rating with a beefed up transom and more glass in the layup, so John’s rig was matched with a white, 300hp Digital Electric Steer (DES), which fits the entire HelmMaster system. Of course, the LE had full HelmMaster autopilot and joystick.

On the water, the steering was smooth and consistent throughout the rev range and noticeably more quiet than the electric/ hydraulic versions on offer. As usual, the autopilot in one-touch and the joysick is so easy to use, a child could do it. Of course, you have to remember the single engine joystick doesn’t do the sideways movements like a twin-rig joystick can. Other features of an LE build over the standard build include upgraded helm seating and custom synthetic flooring throughout the boat. Matched with the custom colours of the LE, it sure was a rig

ergonomically functional. Back to Haines Hunter basics and the Enclosed model means that windscreens run all of the way up to the hard top and there’s no clears in between. The view is pretty seamless and you’ll stay dry when it gets nasty. The cabin is spacious and there’s room for a couple of adults to get some rest. Being lockable, it’s great for road trips where you can lock up the fishing gear inside it for peace of mind. Fishing room is limited to the rear cockpit and there’s plenty of space there

Main: There’s no disputing that this Haines Hunter 675 Enclosed (Limited Edition) is a good looking boat. The Limited tag means that it has an upgraded transom to hold 300 instead of 250hp. Above: This boat is rigged with the full HelmMaster setup with Auto Pilot and joystick. We’d expect nothing less in the boss’ boat!

Haines Hunter hulls are unashamedly heavy. They are very quiet on the water and eat up the small chop we had on the test day in Port Phillip Bay. 122 APRIL 2024

that’d turn heads at the local boat ramp. We liked the helm layout – a couple of big MFDs were able to be flush mounted and the space above the lockable cabin entry is great for this. And even with two screens, all the rest of the switches and gauges looked uncluttered and

for you and your mates to wet a line. A slide-out dive door also allows easy egress from the water or to boat a fish that’s bigger than expected. John had rigged the boat with game fishing accessories – like outriggers, as well as inshore rod holder gear. He

FMM

Top: The dive door is solid and it slides into the grooves while running. Above: The low, removable bait station hides the big Yamaha from the cockpit.

BOATING TEST

You can see the Digital Electric Steering barrel where the steering mechanism usually sits. The system is quiet and efficient.

Top: There is no wasted space in the hard top. Above: There’s a spacious passenger glove box that will hold phones and wallets out of the way.

Now that’s what we like to see – room for multiple, flush mounted screens, as well as the switches and HelmMaster kit. The use of space is efficient.

Here’s some sneaky rod storage in front of one of the side pockets.

Top Left: We love easily accessible and grouped isolation switches and circuit breakers. Top Right: Of course John’s rig is fitted with outriggers. Bottom Left: Both driver and passenger have places to put their feet. Bottom Right: There’s capacity for plenty of rods up in the rocket launchers.

Left: The Limited version has new black seating for the driver and the passenger. Right: The underfloor kill tank/wet storage area is massive. APRIL 2024 123