NSW Fishing Monthly July 2018 by Fishing Monthly

HOT WINTER BITES REVEALED

Boating & Kayaking • • •

Flats fishing from a float tube Anchoring tactics Yakking at Copeton

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Features • •

Awesome Aussie salmon Exploring Iluka

Tried & Tested • • •

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July 2018, Vol. 23 No. 12

Contents BYRON COAST The Tweed 28 Ballina 30 Yamba 32 COFFS COAST Coffs Harbour 34 Nambucca 36 South West Rocks 37 MACQUARIE COAST The Hastings 38 Forster 39 Harrington-Taree 41 HUNTER COAST Port Stephens 42 Hunter Coast 43 Erina 44 Swansea 46 SYDNEY The Hawkesbury 12 Sydney North 14 Pittwater 16 Sydney Harbour 17 Botany Bay 18 Sydney South 20 Sydney Rock and Beach 21 ILLAWARRA COAST Illawarra 48 Nowra 49 BATEMANS COAST Narooma 51 Merimbula 52 Bermagui 58

From the Editor’s Desk... It’s been a busy time at the Fishing Monthly offices in the lead up to this magazine going to print and we are excited to be launching a new magazine in an environment when most publishers are a bit negative about their future. West Australia Fishing Monthly will deliver its first issue in September this year and although that’s not particularly relevant to you, it does show that this format is popular and there’s a need for it in parts of Australia that don’t have it yet. You may not know that all Fishing Monthly titles come out of the head office in South East Queensland. From there, we assemble the teams of contributors who provide the up-todate information that lets you know what’s biting and where. West Australia will be the same. We have some

great guys on the ground over there to get the work done and we will present our unique mix of reports and predictions to motivate the readers to get out there and into ‘em. Welcome to the family, West Australia! PRIZE WINNERS DRAWN There was another amazing response to the Gamakatsu Find the Logo competition for the last 6 months. We’ve drawn the winners and they are published in here. Like always, we filmed the draw and published it on our Fishing Monthly Magazines Facebook page. Head over and give it a

Like if you want to be notified when these things happen. Congratulations to the winners, who shared in $1750 worth of Atomic and Gamakatsu gear. The next version of the comp? Look for the Daiwa logo in these pages. DIGITAL PLATFORM AVAILABLE Although 99% of you consume your Fishing Monthly in the printed form, there is a digital version available for those who like a paperless environment. It’s on www.issuu.com and there’s detailed instructions in the magazine on how to do it if

you want to give it a crack. Best thing about the digital version? You get to read it about two hours after it gets submitted to the printers. And that’s about a week and a half before the printed version hits the newsstands. LURE SHOW A SELLOUT Even though the Lure Show was in Queensland last month, at the time of printing it was a sellout (from the exhibitor side), so this popular fishing tackle event was growing quickly. A real grass roots event with local manufacturers who put together their unique lures for cash sale on the weekend. There’s nothing like it anywhere else that I’ve seen. For me, the take home message is that there’s still a great market for locally produced products – lures, magazines – we know you love ‘em all!

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Awesome Aussie salmon Exploring Iluka

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SALMON

Sensational sportfishing for Aussie salmon FEATURE

Joel Edwards

As we approach the coldest part of the year here in New South Wales, there’s an abundance of hot angling opportunities to be excited about.

of sensational light tackle sportfish. I mean, what’s not to love? They are dogged fighters, willing lure and fly takers, and are striking in appearance. Their acrobatic performance above the surface is matched with lineburning, drag-scorching runs that will empty your

very end of the fight. These Aussie battlers can be found right down the coast, from Tweed Heads through to Port Philip Bay in Victoria and even in Tasmania, so there’s literally miles of coastline where salmon can be encountered.

Up close and personal with a light tackle surface thug, which was taken on a Zerek Poparazzi.

The author with his personal best East Coast Australian salmon, pulling the scales down to just over 10lb. It was taken on a Zerek Trail Weaver in less than 1m of water. In this article I’ll be focussing on one of our cool water sportfishing targets. Arripis trutta or Australian salmon are the epitome

reel quick smart. Their erratic directional changes will keep you on your toes as well; Aussie salmon give their absolute all until the

A perfect example of a winter Australian salmon fooled by a surf candy fly tied by Greg Finney.

These speedsters are always on the move, and a yearly migration is a huge part of the salmon’s lifecycle. They follow those comfortable, ‘feel good’ conditions up and down our coastline in search of various food sources, including tiny pelagic baitfish, krill, squid and pilchards. Salmon can be often found in large schools, herding small baitfish into nervous, quivering balls of anxiety, shadowed by the ever-present flocks of sea birds. Salmon are regularly accompanied by tailor, which are a welcome by-catch. WHERE THE BLOODY HELL ARE YA? ‘Sambos’ turn up in the strangest places at times, but they do have some

TUNA ALLEY

Named after the legendary 15-mile stretch of sand cutting through the deep blue Bahamian waters where the Bluefin tuna migrate north.

GREEN MIRROR: Enhanced vision and contrast for fishing inshore and on flats. • Copper Base • 10% light transmission

JULY 2018

OPTIMAL USE: • Sight fishing in full sun • High contrast

regular hangouts where they like to loiter and harass those poor little baitfish. Focussing your pursuit around river mouths, beach gutters/holes, estuarine lakes and headland washes will have you well on your way to tangling with these powerful opponents. In my local hangout on the Central Coast of New South Wales, we experience an influx of Australian salmon schools that have to be seen to be believed. Football field-sized schools can be found moving in and out of Swansea channel, which is the narrow entrance to Lake Macquarie. These beautifully marked fish usually first start showing their faces around the large full moon tides of the month of May, and can usually be found in the area right through until the middle of spring. HOW DO I FOOL THEM? Australian salmon can have some serious mood swings when they are feeding. Sometimes they can be downright ferocious feeders, eating literally everything you throw at them. You can see them competing for the lure or fly, pushing each other out of the way to inhale the bait. It’s incredible to experience a hot salmon bite like this, and it’s not uncommon to break double figures in a short timeframe. Topwater lures, soft plastics, metal slices,

flies, hardbodied minnows – they’ll eat it all. A word of warning though: you have to strike while the iron is hot. Sambos are the masters of the shut

fixated on a certain baitfish. At times like these the salmon are very hard to tempt. In super clear, shallow water you can regularly have the privilege of watching these

A selection of the author’s favourite baits, which cover the entire water column. You should always pack a variety of baits to cover every situation. down! They can turn off like a light switch for a variety of reasons, such as angling pressure, tidal movement, barometric pressure or being

JJ’S TOP 3 TIPS 1. Vary your retrieve speed to find out exactly what they want. 2. Extend your leader or trace length a little bit more for salmon. The extra length gives you more stretch and increases the odds of the hooks staying in the mouth of these acrobats. 3. Always keep an eye on bird activity. These feathered friends are our eyes in the sky, and at times this is the key to the salmon’s whereabouts.

fussy buggers refuse every lure or fly you drag past their pompous little noses. In times like this, only the most subtle approach will work. If you want to turn refusals into follows and then into strikes, you should choose a super light fluorocarbon leader of 4lb or less, scale down your lure size and profile, and (most importantly) slow down your retrieve speed. This is the epitome of finesse fishing, and it can

SALMON be the only tactic that will unlock those stubborn jaws. Now that you’re using trout tackle to interest these bruisers, remember to fish with a nice, light touch. Salmon will lunge with zero warning and peel line on even the most well adjusted drag setting.

Without a calm, soft hand they will easily break your fine lines with their sudden directional changes and powerful lunges. So lighten up your approach when these guys are having a sook for whatever reason, and I assure you – success won’t be far away.

WHAT DO THEY EAT? Now that we’ve established where salmon can be found, let’s take a look at which baits will tempt them. Headland hoppin’ When in search of sambos from the rocks, I’ve found that a fast

Start them young! Salmon are a perfect way to introduce sportfishing to young kids. Brook and Max were stoked with their double hook-up.

moving metal slice, such as a SureCatch Knight, is irresistible to a hungry salmon pod. Early in the morning and late in the afternoon are ideal times to go for a wander. A long cast followed by a quick retrieve as soon as the lure enters the water is super productive. You get the feeling they’re hitting the slice on instinct, rather than following it for a long time to decide whether it looks edible. Salmon are not afraid to launch themselves out of the water, and have evolved to be the masters of aerial head shakes, often throwing the hooks and earning their premature freedom. I like to combat this by swapping out the standard treble hooks on my metals and retrofitting the bait with opposing single hooks. Spending a little more time tinkering with your hook set-up can keep the hooks in those cunning acrobats a little better. This technique is equally as productive from the sand when the salmon are patrolling the beach gutters and holes. Beach combing A nothe r re a lly productive way to target Australian salmon is to hit the beach, find a nice gutter, and send out a bait. The sambos can be regularly

The author’s better half Shannon looking mighty proud of herself after taming this topwater beast. found mooching close to shore feeding and resting in the turbulent water the beach offers. This is a great place to dust off the favourite Alvey side caster, 12ft rod (I use Snyder Glas), soak a bait, sit back and relax. Australian salmon are very much an opportunistic species, and

can be super susceptible to a well-presented flesh bait. The top salmon bait in New South Wales waters is the humble pilchard. Whether you rig it on ganged hooks or a two-hook snelled rig, it’s a great way to come into contact with these awesome sportfish. To page 10

JULY 2018

Iluka’s got the lot! BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

When I first visited Iluka the massive sea walls on the mighty Clarence River were still being constructed. Rail lines were carrying huge natural rocks dug from a quarry, as well as man-made behemoth blocks out on the

the main bitumen road leading from the Pacific Highway (around 30 minutes south of the town of Woodburn and just north of the bridge on the Clarence if you’re heading north from Grafton) into Iluka was improved and the rough tracks to main fishing spots had been sealed. There were also decent parking areas and even toilets and picnic tables to enjoy for family groups as well.

tide is out the Shark Bay rocks offer a wide variety of fish from bream to black drummer, mulloway and tailor. There’s also excellent beach fishing right at, or adjoining, the neat picnic area for whiting, dart and bream as well. WOODY HEAD A little further along the road towards town is the Bundjalung National Park Woody Head Camping area.

It doesn’t get much better than this: a small swell and low tide at the Bluff. will be required to access the area, obtainable at the park’s office. There are numerous rock fishing hot spots at Woody Head suited to both high and low tide, with the safest

favourite all rounder, and it’s quite common to see a dozen or more rods in action on the rocks of a calm afternoon or early morning. During my recent visit I again employed a sliding

on the southern side. A road leads into the car park and this is a very popular beach fishing hot spot, as a hole often forms just south of the rocks. Tailor and mulloway are the main targets.

If you have a trailer boat, the ramp at Woody Head presents few problems. The tuna proudly displayed by the young couple were taken from a 4.2m boat! evolving structure, where they were carefully placed for maximum effect. My mate and I would walk out on the gravel and stones between rows of railway sleepers to cast a line, then plod back under the weight of a big mulloway or bag of tailor. Getting to most of the Iluka fishing areas in those days was tricky, as we had to negotiate rough potholed and sometimes boggy tracks, but

LAND-BASED OR LAUNCH THE BOAT? Basically, there’s the mega attraction of the massive Clarence River, plus great bluewater fishing to be enjoyed as well, but as many anglers simply like to fish from the shore we will look at land-based fishing first. All of these land-based areas are well-signed, easily reached by motor vehicle or on foot, and can produce excellent fishing on the day

This is my all time, long time, favourite camping area, and if you like camping in a peaceful, ocean side, very clean and well-grassed camping area with ample facilities for young and old, this is the one for you! If you like to do a bit of rock or beach fishing, or launch the boat into the South Pacific in suitable conditions, or maybe survey a few kangaroos nibbling around the camp sites while

Sunrise is tailor time at Iluka, and here the author is working rocks at the Bluff. access always dependant upon calm sea conditions. The main targets will be bream, tailor, mulloway, luderick and snapper, but anglers do catch some quality flathead and whiting right in the small bay near the boat ramp or out front of the picnic tables and BBQ units. Low tide seems to be the

bobby cork rig from the rocks and caught bream, dart, tailor and a decent Australian salmon. Over several sessions I did not have one snag. BACK BEACH The next shore fishing locality is the Back Beach area, which adjoins the main Woody Head rock platform

FRASERS REEF A few kilometres south of Woody Head, a signed turn-off on the left leads to Frasers Reef, which is a rocks and beach area. From the car park and picnic area there’s a small walk to the beach and a 5-minute walk to the nearby small rocky island, with the main Frasers Reef

The north wall on the Clarence is a magnificent structure and there are numerous places from which to fish. our efforts were likely to be rewarded. Fishing pressure was very light but like all shore-based angling, sea conditions governed results. A love of Iluka evolved that has stood the test of time, and not having enjoyed even a look at this fabulous fishing area for a few years I spent a some days there last month to check things out. I was pleased to note that 24

JULY 2018

when conditions are right. By that I mean not too rough or boisterous! Once you’re off the highway and heading to Ikula, the first hot spot is accessed via the well-signed Shark Bay picnic area. The beach there offers pipis and worms for bait, and you can drive the 4x4 for many kilometres north to look for a likely beach gutter. If the

a scrub turkey or two are quarrelling over a bread crust, then this is most definitely for you! The entire Woody Head camping area is unpowered, so there won’t be anything drowning out the gentle ambience of the waves caressing the rocks at night. The campgrounds are within the Bundjalung National Park and a permit

A look at the small island at Frasers Reef. Easily reached at low tide, it’s a great place for the rock angler. That headland in the background is the Bluff.

headland just to the north. Both of these spots offer excellent rock fishing for all the usual suspects, with tailor and bream predominating at this time of year. The main

there’s ample parking and lots of fishing area to enjoy on virtually any part of this low rock platform, which can see the rod bending to anything from a luderick

MAIN BEACH AND THE SEA WALL There are several golden kilometres of sand between the Clarence north wall and the Bluff, and fish-holding

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Spinners work just as well on tailor at Iluka as elsewhere. Frasers Reef headland is fairly high and offers some shelter from incoming waves. It’s a great spot to spy on a whale as well. THE BLUFF No visit to Iluka would be complete without a look

to a mulloway or even a blue groper. It’s also a favourite spot for tailor anglers, with several attractive white water and wash areas holding these scrappers, particularly at low tide.

gutters will likely see rods in action of an early morning or evening. The main northern sea wall is a massive structure extending for a considerable distance into deep water. This is a good place to snag a mulloway on

CALL YOUR LOCAL DEALER TODAY Beach anglers will find there’s some fabulous beach to fish north of the Iluka Bluff. at the main Bluff area. The view from the top is well worth the climb, and as this area is outside the Bundjalung National Park boundary, a permit won’t be necessary to access it. Again

A very attractive beach stretches between the Bluff and Frasers Reef to the north, and there are worms on hand plus a series of gutters that hold whiting and dart year round.

The author with a bream from the rocks. In the wash and suds they are a far easier proposition than in calm conditions.

a big lure or live bait as well as a feed of tailor or bream, especially in or behind the area adjoining the wall where the waves are breaking. Sea walls usually require serious lifting of fish, and a long gaff can be an invaluable asset if you’re targeting big ones. It’s interesting to see that in summer many anglers float out a livey or fresh cut bait under a balloon to give the tuna and mackerel a try. Winter is mulloway time and when a big fresh is staining the mighty Clarence River, a big lure on strong tackle can reap rewards. The river side of the big wall, just where waves are breaking, is also an excellent fishing spot when the river is a bit discoloured, and this is when bream are usually very active. Again, it pays to find a place where the lower rock area is easily accessed. ILUKA HARBOUR WALLS Iluka Harbour shelters the local professional fishing To page 26

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For more information visit www.stessl.com.au JULY 2018

WHAT’S NEW FISHING STRIKE PRO GUPPIE

Accounting for numerous Tournament wins and huge fish as well as filling up collector’s cabinets, one of the things you notice first about the Guppie is the artwork. Up until now, these colours have only been available on hand painted wooden lures produced by Joe Peterson. Strike Pro/CWC in partnership with Peterson are bringing these unique colours to the market for the first time. The paint schemes incorporate using paint or glitter on the inside shell of the bait, in addition to painting the outside shell. It also prolongs the colour of the bait after many fish. Strike Pro has even replicated the 3D eyes that TrueGlide are famous for! The Guppies body profile allows the lure to produce an amazing body roll and it slides from side to side. The Guppie also features an innovative cork screw at the tail, allowing the angler to fish with either a curltail or paddletail soft plastic tail. www.jurofishing.com

VIGILANTE POWER DOWN JACKET

Vigilante have announced their latest innovation: the Power Down Jacket, for both men and women. Airy-light and yet completely warm, this jacket ensures minimal bulk and maximum heat retention for an ideal body climate. Vigilante has ensured the perfect active weight for any pursuit with the technically woven stitchless quilted down, which ensures a perfectly balanced warmth to weight-ratio. The absence of stitching holes prevents both wind and down leakage, so if you’re somewhere with especially icy winds, the Power Down Jacket will keep you warm. Raining too? This jacket boasts a Durable Water Repellency coating, to help keep you dry. It also has an active fit, designed to hug you in the all right places, and down fill spandex cuffs for heat insulation. The Power Down Jacket is tough thanks to the durable high denier fabric, preventing abrasion and tearing for longevity of use. When you’re back home, simply pack the Power Down Jacket into Vigilante’s smallest stuff sack yet. Price: SRP $169.99 www.escape2.com.au

NEW GULP MANTIS SHRIMP COLOURS

The Berkley Gulp Mantis Shrimp was created and designed to look like a shrimp. It has a slender body, feelers at the front, and tiny legs that wriggle in the current or when moved. Now, these great plastics have some new colours in the range! This lifelike Mantis Shrimp can be rigged and fished with any technique you choose. Fish them on the bottom with short sharp jerks to imitate a fleeing prawn, rig them weedless for fishing structure, or even unweighted over sand flats and weed-beds! Gulp! releases 400 times more scent than plastic baits, expanding the strike zone so you catch more fish. Made from 100% natural ingredients, Gulp! is environmentally and fish friendly. The Mantis Shrimp comes in six natural and high-vis colours, natural, new penny, pearl white, molting, pearl white chartreuse and glow, all of which hungry shrimp-eating predators will love! Price: RRP $13.99 www.berkley-fishing.com.au 56

JULY 2018

PRODUCT GUIDE

SHIMANO BACKBONE 4 ELITE RODS Shimano’s Backbone Elite rods have proven hugely popular with the offshore game fishing community, delivering a range of line class options at really good prices. The 2018 line-up has just been given a well-deserved tweak! There are eight rods in all; a 10kg stick with fixed guides and a roller tip, and three 15kg options in a selection of fixed guides, fixed guides with a roller tip, or fully rollered. The same choices are available in 24kg, and finally there’s a serious 37kg weapon with a roller tip. Of single-piece construction and 1.7m (5’ 7”) in length, the Backbone Elite blanks now utilise Shimano’s legendary TC3 material, which is the same threeply graphite weave the early Tiagra Game Series rods were built on. The cosmetic has also been upgraded to a traditional game fishing colour scheme of black, gold and silver, making these rods an even sweeter pairing with Shimano’s TLD and Tyrnos lever drag reels. www.shimanofish.com.au

MUSTAD JIG WALLETS

Jig fishing anglers will love the smaller Mustad Jig Wallet, a jig wallet designed to accommodate enough jigs for a day on the water. The Jig Wallet S contains storage pockets that are constructed from tough mesh to allow the jigs to breath and dry, yet remain safe in transport and use. There are 22 jig slots for smaller jigs up to 15cm and two large mesh areas to stare things like pre-tied rigs and leader.. The Mustad Jig Wallet S forms part of the Slow Jigging System that includes a range of assist hooks, stainless steel accessories and now 2 jig wallets. If you’re into fishing jigs and you’re having trouble storing them, then the Mustad XL Jig Wallet gives you the answer you’ve been looking for. MB021 Mustad Small Jig Wallet (22 jig slots) 330x180x20mm www.wilsonfishing.com

FIN-NOR PRIMAL

The new Fin-Nor Primal lever drag fishing reel sets a new standard for lightweight and heavy-duty overhead fishing reels. Designed specifically for tackling big saltwater fish on the latest braided lines, the Primal weighs less than 400g and offers a modern ultra-light alternative to traditional overhead designs. The Fin-Nor Primal will be a hit with anglers using modern jigging techniques and those seeking a powerful overhead reel that is comfortable to use all day long. The Fin-Nor Primal is available in two sizes. The Primal PR10 narrow spool has a line capacity of 415yd/30lb braid, while the Primal PR12 wide spool has a capacity of 440yd/50lb braid. Both sizes are available in a low gear ratio of 5.8:1 for cranking power or a high gear ratio of 7.3:1 for a quick haul. Inshore and offshore anglers will finally get their hands on a powerful braid-friendly overhead reel that is exceptionally light and easy to use and perfect for targeting trophy pelagic and reef fish. www.finnorfishing.com.au

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PRODUCT GUIDE

WHAT’S NEW FISHING LIVETARGET HOLLOW 7 BODY MULLET Lures are becoming increasingly lifelike, and they don’t come much more lifelike than this! The LIVETARGET Hollow Body Mullet features one of the most a realistic profiles and life-like colour patterns available anywhere. Its versatile swimming action makes it exceptionally easy to use. The angler can ‘walk-the-dog’ with ease, or simply skip it across the surface to generate a tantalizing bubble trail for any following predators. The hollow body snag-proof design enables it to be fished through mangrove cover, skipped under branches and fished through the weed. It can be put into places where other presentations just can’t be put! It is equipped with an extra-strong forged hook for powerful penetration and durability. An anglers can also add a treble hook to the belly pin to enhance hook-ups in open water. These great lures are available in three sizes, 95mm and 3/8oz, 115mm and 1/2oz and 135mm and 5/8oz, as well as a range of colours. www.ejtodd.com.au

OKUMA AZORES BLUE

The new upgraded Okuma Azores Blue spinning reel offers anglers a true heavyduty saltwater reel and big fish stopper that won’t break the bank. Designed specifically for saltwater fishing, with proven power features and a patented interior design, the Azores Blue is much more durable, strong and smoother than other reels in its class. Features include 6HPB + 1RB corrosion resistant stainless steel bearings, more than 10 times more resistant to saltwater than standard stainless steel bearings, dual anti-reverse system for maximum security, CRC: Corrosion-resistant coating process and HDGII: Corrosion-resistant, high density gearing. Dual Force Drag, a system designed for maximum high-end drag pressure, efficiency and overall smoothness, providing maximum drag pressures well above many equivalent size reels, including those in a much higher price brackets. All of these features and more combine to create a true affordable, saltwater reel that is capable of handling trophy sized saltwater fish. www.okuma.com.au

DAIWA J-BRAID GRAND

Daiwa’s J-Braid goes to another level with the release of the premium braid in the line-up, the new J-Braid Grand. A premium 8-strand PE, J-Braid Grand is made from an advanced new raw material (IZANAS) and is J-Braid’s strongest, most abrasion-resistant line ever. Four times more abrasion resistant than other lines, J-Braid Grand has a short pitch fibre construction that significantly reduces line damage and failure to dramatically increase line abrasion resistance and line strength consistency. Like all true premium Japanese 8-strand PE lines, J-Braid Grand maintains a true round profile for optimum line performance through the guides and on and off the reel. Made in Japan and available in sizes ranging from 6lb (0.6PE) to 150lb (PE16) and in multi and island blue colours, J-Braid Grand is the smoothest and best performing J-Braid they have ever made. www.daiwafishing.com.au

RAPALA X-RAP PETO

The X-Rap Peto combines Rapala’s fish-catching X-Rap construction with a beautifully colour-matched soft tail to create a seamless hybrid bait, suitable for all manor of big angry predators in Australia. With its slow sink rate and perfectly horizontal fall, the X-Rap Peto is the ideal lure choice for targeting big Murray cod and barramundi. The tail kicks with a wide action on a simple cast and retrieve technique, but you could also try a ‘jerk and pause’ retrieve, allowing the bait to slowly swim into the depths. The soft tail is firmly secured to the body with a 6-point stainless plate, but there is a spare tail included. Fitted with VMC Coastal Black hooks, an ABS Body with soft PVC Tail, these amazing baits will last you many big fish encounters. Available in eight fish catching colours, the X-Peto is 20cm long and weighs in at 83g. www.rapala.com.au

SFT TAKUMI

SWL Distributions is proud to bring Super Fishing Tackle to Australia. SFT is an exciting range of lures and fishing tackle where quality and toughness go hand in hand. SFT lures are built to withstand the toughest offshore species, with a range suited for the offshore anglers chasing GTs, Tuna, kingfish, billfish and more. They also do a finesse range for those targeting bass, bream, flathead, mulloway and may more, with a great range of hardboardies and plastics. One of the most diverse lures in the range is the sinking Takumi, which comes in range of sizes and weights. The SFT Takumi range comes fully wired through and with super sharp Owner Cultiva trebles straight out the pack. They have a tight wobble high speed and a more natural look when retrieved slowly and a free rolling fall on the pause that looks amazing. Whether it be trolling or casting, the SFT Takumi range is a genuine fish producer! www.swldistributions.com.au

SAMURAI PREMIUM 12 SERIES BLANKS The raw materials for Samurai rod blanks are sourced from only high quality graphite suppliers, with each batch tested to ensure it meets our standards. Each individual blank is cut, rolled and baked to a precise Samurai recipe to ensure that every blank they produce is of the best quality with an action that suits its intended purpose. Samurai’s focus is solely on creating the ultimate fishing rod blanks unequalled in technology and design and they have released a new Premium Series of task specific blanks covering travel, land-based and light jigging. Samurai is continually evolving and introducing new blanks and expanding the range available, and the last six months have seen the largest expansion yet. Samurai now has over 70 blanks available in Australia and can now even find blanks suited to a very specific type of fishing. Make sure you check out the new Premium Series, there’s bound to be a blank for you! www.samurairods.com.au

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au JULY 2018

WHAT’S NEW FISHING LIMITED EDITION SAURY

NEW 60G 13 LAZER

JM Gillies is celebrating its 90th Anniversary this year, and to mark the occasion they have been releasing special limited edition versions of some of their most popular lures. The latest lure to get the special 90th Anniversary treatment is the Saury. Limited edition, hand carved Saury lures are now available from participating stores for a limited time. Each lure has been personally signed and numbered by legendary indigenous lure expert Lance Butler. Lance spends thousands of hours on the water every year, fine tuning and developing some of the most innovative and spcialised lures in the world. His range has some of the best colours and designs available, and all lures are constructed from the highest quality materials and fittings. In addition, they are all are vigorously tested to ensure they perform perfectly, fish after fish. www.jmgillies.com.au

OTTERBOX DEFENDER SERIES

When you’re about to head out on your next big fishing adventure, a damaged smartphone is something you don’t want to worry about. However, with OtterBox Defender Series, you can fish with the confidence of knowing your phone is protected from a barrage of wear and tear. The rugged Defender Series is built tough, ensuring your smartphone is well protected against scrapes, drops and dings. Built to last, it blocks out dust, dirt and grime and comes with OtterBox Certified Drop+ Protection, meaning it has been put through more than 238 hours of testing across 24 different tests. Each case features an attachable, practical holster that clips to most belts and straps, meaning your phone can be with you on every adventure. It even doubles as a kickstand in case you need help capturing that all-important photo or video of your antics. Price: from SRP $74.95 www.ottocasestore.com.au

HOBIE LIVEWELL V2

JULY 2018

The new Lazer 60g is a must-have lure in every serious angler’s tackle box. This new size Lazer was designed for beach and rock fishers who like to cast long in search of the likes of tailor and Australian salmon. Lazer Lures have been proudly making lures in Australia since 1978. All Lazers are fitted with quality stainless steel ring and VMC hooks. The colour range is extensive, with 19 proven colours, and there are multiple models for a host of applications. Collectively these lures have accounted for a wide variety of species, including bass, barracuda, bonito, flathead, jewfish, kingfish, mackerel, pike, perch, queenfish, salmon, tailor, trevally, tuna, wahoo and more. Visit the website for further information or look them up on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lazerlures. www.lazerlures.com

DAIWA LEXA WN

Strong, unyielding and designed for battle, the legendary Lexa baitcaster has received an overhaul for 2018, with new ultra-comfortable, ultra-stylish Winn grips elevating the Lexa WN to a new level of comfort, power and performance. Featuring the rock solid construction that has made the Lexa name famous, the new WN version features many of Daiwa’s best designs and technologies including UTD (10kg) Infinite Anti Reverse, Dual Stopper, and Magforce cast control braking system. Comfort and control is ensured with the Lexa’s new eye-catching, ergonomically designed Winn Grips. They provide a tacky, sure grip to maintain maximum contact between angler and reel, regardless of temperature or moisture levels. A 6.3:1 retrieve ratio, seven ball bearings, and a well balanced 298g body weight further enhance the reel’s in-hand performance and combine with the Lexa’s solid construction to make it one of the most refined, yet rugged, large baitcasters available. www.daiwafishing.com.au

NEW BOOKS FROM 15 AFN

The newly redesigned Hobie Livewell V2 sports a fresh colour scheme, modern lines and more built-in features than ever before. This livewell is plug-and-play with most Hobie kayaks, and includes all the same built-in functionality of the Livewell XL. There are several upgrades over the original livewell, including a sealed marine switch for on/off control. Also included is a high output pump that circulates aerated water to keep bait alive, and the battery and charger are included as well. Another feature is the adjustable downspout for water level control and drainage, and it holds up to 30L of water. Other standard features include removable tank partitions to provide a rounded surface for keeping live bait healthy and out of hard-to-reach places; three vertical rod holders with pre-marked locations for adding more; and heavy-duty straps to secure the Livewell V2 to the cargo area. Price: SRP $539 www.hobie.com.au

PRODUCT GUIDE

To maximize fishing success, every angler needs to record their catches and the conditions on the day, to put together all the pieces of the fishing puzzle. When a journal also contains useful technical information, it’s even more valuable. The latest Anglers Journal & Almanac has solar and lunar peak fish activity and feeding times, the tides for each state with local variations, basic knots and rigs, selected fish weight from length conversion tables, basic boating regulations, and lure colour selection charts based on depth and the prevailing conditions. It also has plenty of pages to record catches and trip details. Another new book is the Complete Book of Fishing Knots, by The Fishing Show hosts Bill Classon and Nigel Webster. It covers all the knots anglers need, from the basic knots through to some of the more advanced. Whether you’re a novice or a more seasoned angler, there’s something in it for you. Superbly illustrated by Trevor Hawkins, the knots are easy to follow and master. As they say, if your knot holds you’ll catch the fish! Price: SRP $12.99 (Almanac), $16.99 (Knots) www.afn.com.au

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visit www.tacklejunkie.fish for the latest tackle news - AS IT HAPPENS!

SCAN THE QR CODE!

PRODUCT GUIDE

WHAT’S NEW FISHING

Mako prescription sunglasses: I can see clearly now As we grow towards middle age certain changes become apparent in our everyday lives. Groaning when we bend down, being irritable about new technology and the lack of ability to see things clearly when close to us becomes part of everyday life. History has not been kind to baby booming anglers; as our sight diminishes the fishing industry moves towards finer braided lines and clearer fluorocarbon leaders to increase our frustration. For me, the continual swapping from sunglasses to reading glasses has proven to be a real pain in the backside. Mako sunglasses recently came to my rescue, with the delivery of a new pair of Mako multifocal prescription sunglasses. Mako have faithfully reproduced their stunning glass G2H5 polarised rose lens in my corrective prescription, and then fitted the lenses to the Mako frame of my choice. Being a multifocal lens, I can look through the top section of the lens

The lens has a hydrophobic coating, so when you’re bringing a thrashing fish aboard you won’t have to wipe splashes off your lens. glass prescription multifocal lens readily available in Australia. In addition to this, the green mirror is internal to ensure maximum durability of the lens surface. Mako use the latest digital freeform lens-grinding technology in their manufacturing processes, and the prescription accuracy and ease of use of these lenses is second to none. Wrap sunglass curves can distort prescription lenses of lesser technical specifications, but not so with these Mako lenses as they offer super-clear vision at all focal lengths. The smudge-free hydrophobic coating is a winner too, as any water

to see distant objects clearly while the lower zone gives sharp vision to closer reading and knot tying focal lengths. In fact, most prescriptions – whether multifocal, long sighted or short sighted – can be produced in Mako frame and lens combinations to suit every wearer and outdoor activity. My chosen lens colour, the rose G2H5, was selected for its high contrast capabilities which allow me to see subtle differences in below water structure and individual fish at greater depth. There is no doubt that my stream craft when trout fishing is greatly improved wearing

the Mako lenses, as the layout of the river becomes obvious. My lure then spends more time in the strike zone, spelling trouble for the resident brown and rainbow trout. It’s the same story on Port Phillip Bay, where the location of weed beds and sand patches mean the difference between a good and bad day on the calamari and whiting. The G2H5 lenses are ground in Italy using a high density glass which produces a super thin lens to reduce the weight of the sunglasses. We anglers love the scratch-resistant properties of glass lenses, and the Mako G2H5 is the only

TESTED

that splashes on the lens simply beads up and drains off. That means no more wiping with dirty hands or shirts, actually making more smudges on the lenses than you started with! Please pay attention to the fit of the frame during your selection process, and try to leave a small amount of airflow around your face. Glass lenses have many great advantages, however they do tend to fog a little more than acrylic lenses and the airflow will eliminate this problem. If you want to order a pair of prescription Makos, remember that some frames are less suitable than others. Wrap prescription lens design requires careful design calculations to keep the lens thickness low, and prescription accuracy over the entire lens surface. It requires significantly more expertise than standard reading glasses! Enquire about the ability of your chosen retailer to deliver these designs before committing your purchase, and always reserve the right to seek further advice. We all deserve the best vision solution available. From trout in a stream to tuna on the shelf, I have found my Mako multifocal sunglasses an irreplaceable part of my fishing day. David is a qualified Optical Dispenser & Mechanic with over 35 years industry experience currently managing Karingal Optical, a large Optometry Practice in Frankston. A keen angler and diver, he spends large amounts of time on and around the water in between consulting to his customers with their prescription and sunglass requirements. - David Glennie

The author’s streamcraft has been improved thanks to the Mako lenses.

JULY 2018

Morgan moves in at Mandurah

STORM

Queenslander and Fishing Monthly Magazines publisher Steve Morgan travelled west to the Mandurah BREAM event with winning the furthest thing from his mind. As it happened, a reduced arena and a shutdown of the bite meant that he rode the weight of a solitary 1.2kg black bream on day two of the event to victory. Mandurah is a unique black bream fishery. With a massive estuary called Peel Inlet looking amazing (but barren of black bream), the fishing usually happens in the local Mandurah canals, which have fewer but bigger fish, or the Murray/Serpentine rivers, which hale many more smaller bream. On day one of the event, calm weather meant that the entire arena was open to fish, and local gun, Jayden

Steve Morgan secured his 11th ABT BREAM win and his second in Western Australia with the close-fought Mandurah victory. a 1.20kg Mandurah canal fatty to the scales and moving from 4th to 1st in

a finish more fitting of a Bradbury than a Morgan. “When I realised how

Morgan described the victory as a Steve Bradbury finish, with the anglers in front of him all failing to weigh a bream on the wind-reduced Sunday arena. Webb, bagged a solid 5-fish limit for 2.88kg up the Murray River to have daylight between him and the rest of the field. With a strong wind warning on the Sunday, the tournament was completed in a reducedboundary arena, which left the door open in the trying conditions. Getting only one bite all day, Morgan landed the fish that mattered, presenting

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888. 74

JULY 2018

Scan the QR code to see the winners’ interview.

WINNING TACKLE Rod: Daiwa Mebaru 7’8” MX 78MML (released August 18) Reel: Daiwa Exist 2500LT Line: Yamatoyo Spinning Fluoro (4lb) Lure: Z-Man 2.5” Slim SwimZ in motor oil Jighead: JA’s Jigs 1/32oz round head with #4 Owner hook.

tough the fishing was in the strong winds on the Sunday, I thought that a big bite would make a real difference, but I didn’t think that I was going to be the one who got it,” Morgan said after the presentation. He caught all of his weigh-in fish on one outfit. It was a Daiwa 7’9” Mebaru rod paired with a new Daiwa Exist LT 2500 reel. Spooled with 4lb Yamatoyo Spinning Fluoro, Morgan used this rig to cast, pitch and skip a motor oil coloured ZMan 2.5” Slim SwimZ in and around docks and pontoons. It was rigged on a JA Jigs Round Head 1/32oz head with a #4 Owner hook, made by Albany’s Jim Allen. “I actually rigged the little swimbait on that hook because I was out of anything bigger,” Morgan explained, “but when I did it, it looked awesome in the water with the body rolling from side to side. And as an added bonus, it skip-cast amazingly. “Since, I’ve found that plenty of black bream guys use small hooks like that because it helps with the hookups on blacks.” Morgan fished the lower Murray on day one for a 4/5, 1.85kg bag before adding the 1.2kg brute on day two.

TOP 10 BOATERS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Angler Fish Weight Payout Steve Morgan, QLD 5/10 3.05kg $2,000 + $200 Pro option Jayden Webb, WA 5/10 2.88kg $1,100 Cam Whittam, Vic 4/10 2.58kg $800 Shane Owens, WA 5/10 2.19kg $725 + $250 1st Mercury Greg Cooper, WA 5/10 2.09kg $150 2nd Mercury Mark Crompton, NSW 3/10 1.90kg Paul Burton, WA 3/10 1.86kg $100 3rd Mercury Paul Siemaszko, WA 4/10 1.85kg Warren Carter, Vic 3/10 1.44kg Matthew Jeffery, WA 2/10 1.28kg For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

Webb Narrowly Misses Maiden Win Native West Australian Jayden Webb is a perennial contender on the Mandurah arena and wasn’t rattled when the event was relocated to Mandurah from Perth because of bridgeworks cutting the arena in half. Webb grew up fishing the Murray River, holidaying on Yunderup Island since birth, so he had a solid plan on day one of the event that

he executed to perfection. “I fished man-made structure early and deep, snaggy banks later on in the day,” Webb said, “I’d have a couple of casts to the structure with an OSP Dunk first, and after that, I’d throw in an Ecogearaqua Bream Prawn rigged weightless on a Gamakatsu worm hook.” The pattern proved productive for Webb, who

DUFFRODS BIG BAG Mike Hodges’ day one bag secured the Duffrods Big Bag prize for his first day’s efforts. His five biggest of his dozen legal bream for the day went 2.95kg.

DAIWA J-BRAID BIG BREAM ACT’s Stuart Walker boxed a cracking 1.38kg bream from the Murray River to take home $500 and a Daiwa J-Braid pack. It was fooled by a ZMan motor oil coloured grub fished along a laydown snag.

landed around a dozen legal bream on the first day and justified the 100 minute drive from the start line through the various slow-zones. “I landed basically everything that I hooked on the Saturday, and you can’t ask for any more than that,” he said. Webb used identical outfits for both techniques: Shimano gear consisting of Zodias rods, Twinpower 1000 reels, Mission Complete 14lb braided line and Ocea 6lb leaders. It was a heartbreaking day on the Sunday to land a bream only a few millimetres short of legal length, and a single Sunday fish of any legal size would have secured him the win. “It’s great to get the national circuit over here to WA and fish against the eastern anglers,” he concluded.

BREAM SERIES

Perth’s Jayden Webb landed a dozen bream on the Saturday to head into day two with the lead. His fish came in the Murray River on a mixture of OSP Dunks and Ecogearaqua Bream Prawns.

2.5” Slim SwimZ in motor oil Scan the QR code to see day one highlights.

Scan the QR code to see day two highlights.

Canberra’s Stuart Walker landed this stunning 1.38kg Murray River bream on the first day to take the $500 Daiwa J-Braid Big Bream from the back of the boat.

Magic Mike’s Second 2018 Non-Boater Win Eastern non-boaters filled the podium in the Non-Boater division, with Victorian Mike Hodges taking the trophy. Fishing with Jayden Webb on the Saturday, the best five of his nine legal bream landed on the

first day weighed in at a tournament-best 2.95kg, gaining him the Duffrods Big Bag and what turned out to be an insurmountable lead for the event. Improvising in a baitfishrich environment, Hodges distilled his presentation

down to a Squidgy Flickbait rigged on a Gamakatsu Wide Gape #4 hook, which was weighted with a 0.4 BB Split Shot (which weighs about 1/40oz). Hodges’ preferred outfit was 7ft 1-3kg Nitro Vapour rod, matched to a Fin-Nor

Affinity 2.0, which he loaded with 6lb Berkley Nanofil, with a 3m FC Rock 5lb leader. “The key to the presentation was to keep

the bait just moving along the bottom. Then you’d feel the fish nipping at it and eventually one would eat it properly,” Mike said.

“I’ve been carrying these baits around for years but they were exactly what the fish wanted this weekend,” he concluded.

TOP 9 NON BOATERS Place Angler 1 Michael Hodges, Vic 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Fish 5/10

Weight 2.95kg

Payout $200 Hobie +Costa + Prize Pack + $300 Pro option Stuart Walker, ACT 3/10 2.78kg $100 Hobie + $500 + Prize Pack James Morgan, ACT 3/10 1.36kg $75 Hobie + Prize Pack Graeme Kovacevic, WA 2/10 1.22kg Prize Pack Michael Sammut, WA 2/10 0.83kg Prize Pack Brendan McNamara, Vic 1/10 0.63kg Prize Pack Andy Mitchell, WA 1/10 0.62kg Prize Pack Chris Hill, WA 1/10 0.56kg Prize Pack Don Johnson, WA 1/10 0.32kg Prize Pack For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

Victorian Michael Hodges collected his second non-Boater trophy of 2018 on the back of a cracking first-day bag of 5/5 for 2.95kg. JULY 2018

Allwood’s first ABT Qualifier win

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Queenslander Terry Allwood wasn’t that confident fishing jerkbaits for Australian bass coming into the Hunter Valley swing of the Rapala BASS Pro Tour, but by the end of the Deps Qualifier at Lake St Clair, he’d accumulated a pile more experience and a $3,000 winner’s cheque to help him add to his collection of suspending hardbodies. Weighing a 12/12, 10.88kg limit over the three sessions, Allwood rode the early morning jerkbait bite followed by a later-inthe-day plastic pattern to a 300g victory over fellow Queenslander, Matt Johnson. It was his first and only ABT Qualifier win after a recent Grand Final victory at Bjelke-Petersen Dam. The Atomic sponsored angler used a slew of his supporter’s gear to catch his bass, including Samurai 181 (3-6lb) rods coupled with Daiwa Certate 2004 and Luvias 2004 reels

Being a clear water impoundment, St Clair’s bass are a magnificent golden colour.

In ABT BASS’s unique shared weight format, boaters and non-boaters combine to compile a limit of four bass per session. Terry Allwood and Matt Flynn combined perfectly to weigh big bags and take their respective trophies.

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888. 76

JULY 2018

spooled with Unitika Light Jigging DLX 10lb braid and Unitika 6lb Nightgame FC Rock leaders. His go-to plastic was an Atomic Plazo 2.5” Paddle Tail (avocado glitter colour and cut down to about 2”) with a 1/6oz Seekerz jighead (#1 hook) while the jerkbait preference was a clear 61mm Jackall Squirrel with an orange back and yellow head. The outfits remained the same regardless of whether he was throwing the plastic or hardbody. “I fished the Falbrook arm and had an amazing practice,” Allwood admitted, “there were fish everywhere and they were basically receptive to everything. At around 10am the bite slowed down a little and I made my way into the main basin fishing any shade pockets I could find and the fish kept coming.”

And that’s how the tournament-winning plan was formed. Allwood noted that the jerkbait fish tended to be bigger, while the plastic eating fish were smaller and more plentiful. “I suppose that if I was to identify if I was doing

anything different, it’d be that I tried to fish the jerkbait gently and quietly. Rather than trying to rip the lure hard, I’d rather swim it down and gently twitch and pause it. That was getting better results for me,” he said. “Also with the plastics, I tried to sink them into pockets in the weeds. You’d feel a little tick in the line, you’d strike and they’d be on,” Terry continued. And there’s no arguing with the results. “Anglers are always happy when they are catching fish and the lake didn’t disappoint during the event, with a bite as good as any we’d seen in recent times resulting in lots of limits to the weighmaster,” he concluded.

WINNING TACKLE Rod: Samurai 181 3-6lb Reel: Daiwa Certate 2004 Line: Unitika Light Jigging DLX 10lb Leader: Unitika Nightgame FC Rock 6lb Jerkbait: Jackall Squirrel 61 Plastic: Atomic Plazo 2.5” Paddle Tail (avocado glitter) with 1/6oz Seekerz #1 jighead

TOP 10 BOATERS Place Angler 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Fish

Weight (kg) Payout

Terry Allwood 12/12 10.88kg $3,000 Matt Johnson 12/12 10.58kg $1,500 Graham Ford 12/12 10.40kg $1,000 Kristoffer Hickson 12/12 10.37kg $900 Matthew Langford 12/12 10.10kg $800 Simon Marchant 12/12 9.89kg $700 Brian Everingham 12/12 9.60kg $600 Mark Lennox 12/12 9.35kg Troy Danes 12/12 9.31kg $250 Evinrude Bonus Glenn Hayter 12/12 9.27kg For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

Johnson makes it a Queensland double Camping with Terry Allwood, it seems as though the Queensland camp pooled knowledge to defeat the local anglers on their home turf. “I fished one of the arms and Terry fished the other,” Matt Johnson said, “and our techniques were very similar.”

Johnson used a 61mm Jackall Squirrel in albino chartreuse and lime squash colours to catch his quality fish at the expense of number of bites. “My co-anglers were happy to throw plastics and that suited me just fine,” Johnson said, “they could keep the bag ticking over

GARMIN BIG BASS Again, the Garmin Big Bass came from the back of the boat, with non-boater Caine Goward winning $500 for landing a magnificent 1.44kg St Clair bass on a Keitech Easy Shiner.

DUFFRODS BIG BAG Kris Hickson saved the best until last on St Clair, weighing the Duffrods Big Bag with Matthew Flynn on the last session. Their 4.20kg limit was one of only two bags that topped the 4kg mark all weekend.

while I chased kicker fish. It was only when it calmed right off on the Sunday that I threw a plastic too.” Johnson’s kit consisted of a BarraBass P704 made on a North Fork blank, a 25 sized Quantum reel, 10lb Siglon PE-8 braid and 10lb Siglon V-Hard leader. When he fished a plastic, it was a Keitech 3” Swing Impact in Baby Ayu colour on a 1/6oz TT jighead. Unlike others, Johnson only used short pauses with his jerkbait. “For me, the bass would hit the suspending lure on the first second of the pause, so I tended to work my bait a little faster then everyone else,” Matt said, proving that if you fish with confidence, the bass will respond.

BASS PR O

Matt Johnson followed up a forgettable Glenbawn performance with a nearperfect campaign on Lake St Clair - mainly using jerkbaits in the clear water.

Atomic Plazo 2.5” Paddle Tail in avocado glitter

Sink and slow wind

Non-boater Caine Goward won $500 for landing a magnificent 1.44kg St Clair bass on a Keitech Easy Shiner.

Flynn Follows up BASS Electric Convention win Proving that his 2017 BASS Electric Convention win wasn’t a fluke, Lismore’s Matt Flynn added a non-boater trophy to the cabinet. Confident in the jerkbait bite, he

added fish to the will with a Jackall Squirrel in Suji colour and on a Keitech soft plastic. “I’d use small, fast rips and long pauses to get the reaction,” Flynn said, “and I mean long pauses. It was

common for a bass to eat the bait after it was suspending for over five seconds.” Learning to bass fish in lakes, Flynn’s learning curve was steep on St Clair. He wasn’t really confident throwing a plastic, but

caught plenty of fish on a 2” Keitech Easy Shiner. Flynn’s gear consisted of a Shimano Rarenium 2500 reel, NS Hurricane 4-10lb rod, 10lb Sunline

braid and 8lb Sunline FC Rock leader. “I drew Terry Allwood and Kris Hickson, so when you’re fishing with guys like that and throwing back

800g fish for upgrades you are going to have a good time,” he said. It seems as though the trophy and prizes were just a bonus.

TOP 10 NON BOATERS Place Angler 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Fish

Weight (kg) Payout

Matthew Flynn 12/12 11.78kg Bassman prize Pack Caine Goward 12/12 10.73kg Hobie Polarizes sunnies + $500 Lochie Rutherford 12/12 10.40kg Hobie Polarizes sunnies Dylan Byron 11/12 10.11kg Tonic sunnies Scott McIntyre 12/12 9.56kg Samurai Reaction rod Paul Mazaroli 12/12 9.55kg Prize pack David Hedges 12/12 9.46kg Prize pack Cole Hutchinson 12/12 9.30kg Prize pack Brendan Pieschel 12/12 9.16kg Prize pack Joe Smith 12/12 8.91kg Prize pack For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

Non-Boater Matt Flynn drew Kris Kickson on one of the days and enjoyed a fantastic jerkbait bite. JULY 2018

Danes Tops Glenbawn at the top

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Blue Mountains resident, 40 year old Troy Danes lives four hours from Glenbawn, but fished it like a seasoned local on his way to a dominant win at the biggest ABT BASS event held in recent years. Taking $3750 home for his efforts, it was a two-pronged approach that gained Danes the trophy and he plied his trade in the upper reaches of the lake on both tournament days. “I fished the colour change right up the top of the dam where the water went from clear to algae coloured,” Danes said. “On the first day it was where the colour change started and on the Sunday it was right up the top of the lake.” Danes’ key baits included an Ecooda 65mm jerkbait and a Keitech 2” Easy Shiner plastic bait rigged on a 1/6 or 1/8oz TT jighead that he’d painted with his daughter’s nail polish to match the colour.

Troy diligently worked the very top of the lake and took home $3,500 as well as the $250 Evinrude Bonus. he rigged the plastics on 8lb leader. “The strike zone was definitely where the flat would drop into the old creekbed and we could fish

GARMIN BIG BASS Non-boater Dylan Byron took home the $500 Garmin Big Bass after presenting a 1.28kg specimen to the weighmaster. It ate a muscadine coloured Slider Crappie Grub on a 1/6oz TT jighead hopped in around 12ft of water at ‘the Boot.’ There was some quality air-rooting when it hit the net.

Leading the event on the Saturday meant Troy copped a lot of media attention on the Sunday from Peter Phelps.

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888. 78

JULY 2018

“On the Saturday, the jerkbait yielded quality fish while the plastic delivered numbers,” Troy continued, “ and it was amazing how long you could let the jerkbait sit before they ate it. It could sit stationary for 10 seconds before getting hammered.” The Sunday, however, was when the teamwork came into play. “I’d rip and fish the jerkbait fast – probably too fast – but when I ripped the hard lure hard, it’d stir up the bass and Collin, my non-boater, would clean them up on the plastic. It really was Who Shares Wins,” Danes said. Troy used very similar outfits to fish the different baits – 1-4kg Duffrods Broken Bones with Shimano Stradic Ci4 reels that were spooled with 6lb Sunline PE-4. With the jerkbaits, he fished a 10lb V-Hard leader, whereas

the trees on this breakline. I’d wind the Ecooda down to this point and then twitch it and let it sit,” Troy concluded. As well as the winner’s cheque, Danes also added the $250 cash Evinrude Bonus to his payday for being the highest placed angler running an Evinrude.

Dylan Byron earned the Garmin Big Bass from the back of the boat.

DUFFRODS BIG BAG Greg Beattie started and finished the qualifier with a bang. Indeed, his final session 4.37kg was the Duffrods Big Bag of the event. We don’t know what happened in the Session 2 donut, but it definitely cost him a shot at the win.

TOP 10 BOATERS Place Angler 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Fish

Weight (kg) Payout

Troy Danes 12/12 11.96 $3,500 + $250 Evinrude Bonus Tom Slater 12/12 11.43 $2,000 Kristoffer Hickson 12/12 10.63 $1150 Mitchell Cone 12/12 10.57 $900 Glenn Hayter 12/12 10.28 $800 Scott Hutchison 12/12 10.19 $700 Grant Clements 11/12 12.01 $600 Greg Beattie 8/12 8.01 $600 Grant Manusu 10/12 7.76 $600 Paul Aldous 9/12 7.74 For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

Slater swims skirted jigs for second New NSW resident and ex-Queenslander Tom Slater obviously feels quite at home at Lake Glenbawn with his second-placed performance continuing a string of high placings at the Hunter Valley venue. Each morning Slater started in ‘the Narrows’ – a section of the lake about halfway to the 8knot zone. Targeting shallow rocky points with scattered weed and small shrubs, Slater used a Daiwa Double Clutch 75SP in a new colour called lemon sight special, which will be released as part of a new range of Double Clutch lures in August this year.

“The first morning myself and my non-boating partner Alan Clarke put two nice fish in the boat using the Double Clutches. We then looked to fill out our limit using small soft plastics before heading to weigh-in around the middle of the time zone.” “The afternoon sessions were where I was really confident,” explained Slater. “I keyed into a really good skirted jig bite fishing as shallow as 30cm out to about 10ft. The fish were up shallow, holding on standing and fallen timber and I targeted them with a Pro’s Factory 3/8oz Motion

Ecooda Jerkbait 65mm Pearl Shrimp

Jig with a 3” craw trailer.” His rod of choice was a prototype Daiwa rod, which he is designing as part of a new range, which will be released later this year. “My jig rod I’m working on is 7’2” in length, rated 10-17lb and medium power – it’s the perfect Australian jig rod for fishing these lakes and rivers using a skirted jig.” Slater paired his prototype rod with a Daiwa Steez A baitcast reel in 8.1:1 ratio, which he notes is essential for fishing a skirted jig. His line of choice was the new Daiwa J-Braid Grand in 20lb and a Daiwa J-Thread FC fluorocarbon leader in 12lb.

BASS PR O

Tom Slater’s infatuation with skirted jigs paid off with a solid second place in the Hunter Valley lake.

Keitech Easy Shiner 2” Lime Chartreuse

The highest placed Evinrude owner at each ABT BASS Pro event gets a $250 bonus.

Khouri SwimZ to maiden ABT non-boater win Topping the non-boater division, Sydney’s Tony Khouri was a popular winner. Sharing a boat with Troy Danes and Mitchell Cone, Tony’s primary weapon was a cut-down ZMan Slim SwimZ plastic in motor oil colour that he’d trim to about 1.5” long. Tony’s just as adept at using this bait on the Costa BREAM Tour as he is using it on the Rapala BASS Circuit. Rigging it on a Dam Deep 1/8oz jighead, Tony fished it across upper

lake breaklines on the first day, catching fish where the water dropped into the old creek bed. On the second day, fishing mid-lake with Mitchell Cone, he would slow roll it deeper in the water column. Khouri fished the baits on a couple of Daiwa Battler Water Zombies – one with an Exist 2500 and the other fitted with a Shimano Stella 2500. Both were spooled with Sunline Castaway 10lb and terminated with Toray and Sunline Invisible fluorocarbon leaders between 4lb and 6lb.

“It was great to fish as a team in this BASS format,” Khouri recounted after the event, “The afternoon session ended with a bang and we were frantically upgrading bass after bass in the last few minutes.” A participant in ABT’s BREAM and BASS events, it was only a matter of time until Tony topped the non-boaters and added the trophy to his pool room. “The ABT format is a great way to accelerate your learning curve and I encourage anyone who is interested to sign up.”

Tony Khouri was stoked with his breakthrough ABT win.

TOP 10 NON BOATERS Place Angler 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Fish

Weight (kg) Payout

Tony Khouri 12/12 11.68 Bassman Prize Pack Collin Robinson 12/12 10.85 Hobie Polarized Prize Pack Matthew Flynn 12/12 9.89 Hobie Polarized Prize Pack Dylan Byron 10/12 9.72 Samaki Zing Rod Bill Rose 11/12 9.65 Tonic Sunnies Orton Marchant 10/12 8.67 Prize Pack Alan Clarke 9/12 8.03 Prize Pack Scott Chard 9/12 7.76 Prize Pack Tim Steenhuis 8/12 7.68 Prize Pack Tani Konsul 8/10 7.24 Prize Pack For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

The Boater and Non-Boater Champions fished together on the Saturday. JULY 2018

Trades, Services, Charter HOLIDAY RENTAL

CHARTER BOATS

MACLEAY VALLEY COAST

CLARENCE COAST

CRESCENT HEAD HOLIDAY RENTALS

Evans Head Deep Sea Fishing Charters, 0428 828 835 Reel Time Fishing Charters Yamba 0428 231 962 Wooli Deep Sea Tours (02) 6649 7100

A U S T R A L I A

COFFS COAST Freshest Fishing Tours 0421 405 221

Margay 2017

For all your accommodation needs, house, units & townhouses for every budget. Contact the friendly team at Crescent Head Real Estate for your free holiday brochure.

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Coffs Coast Sport Fishing 0434 517 683 The Rocks Fishing Charters 0412 074 147 Trial Bay Fishing Charters, 0427 256 556 South West Rocks Fishing Adventures 0411 096 717

6 MAIN ST, CRESCENT HEAD NSW 2440

Phone: 02 6566 0500

Crescent Head Holiday Rentals (02) 6566 0500 Macleay Valley Coastal Holiday Parks 1300 262 782 • • • •

$49,990

17’7” • Single axle Basscat trailer 115 hp Mercury 4 stroke 24v electric motor (Minn Kota or Motor Guide) 2 x sounders (Humminbird 597cxi HD Di or Lowrance HDS 5)

www.southwestrocksfishingadventures.com.au

HUNTER COAST Wangi Point Lakeside Holiday Park (02) 4975 1889 Blacksmiths Holiday Park (02) 4971 2858

PORT & REEF SFISHING GAME ERS

CENTRAL COAST

CHART

Central Coast Holiday Parks 1800 241 342

Pantera II 2017

ILLAWARRA COAST

Contact: David Hayman (Stumpee) Mobile: 0411 096 717 info@swrcharters.com.au

FRESHWATER

• • • •

19’1” • Single axle Basscat trailer 200 hp Mercury Optimax 24v electric motor (Minn Kota or Motor Guide) 2 x sounders (Humminbird 698cxi HD Si or Lowrance HDS 7 GEN2)

Yar-Craft 1785BT 2017

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u Mid week packages from $420 p/p* u Weekend packages from $320 p/p*

MACQUARIE COAST

Burrinjuck Waters State Park (02) 6227 8114 Winter Keep (Snowy Mountains) www.winterkeep.com.au Grabine Lakeside State Park (02) 4835 2345 Alpine Tourist Park (02) 6454 2438 www.alpinetouristpark.com.au Milani Trout Cottages (02) 6775 5735 www.milanitroutcottages.com Wyangala Waters State Park (02) 6345 0877 Chifley Dam Cabins 1800 68 1000 Copeton Waters (02) 6723 6269

FISH TAXIDERMY

Castaway Estuary Charters 0427 239 650 Ocean Star Fishing Charters 0416 240 877

SYDNEY Harbour and Estuary Fishing Charters (02) 9999 2574 or 0410 633 351 Sydney Sportfishing Adventures 0405 196 253 Ocean Hunter Sports Fishing 0414 906 569

ILLAWARRA COAST Sea Lady Charters 0411 024 402 Shell Harbour Fishing Charters 0425 216 370

Fish Taxidermist 0428 544 841

QUEENSLAND

CHARTER BOATS

Mikat Cruises Fishing Charters Swains & Coral Sea 0427 125 727

Dave Gaden’s Yamba • Deep Sea

REEL TIME FISHING CHARTERS

• • • •

FISHING EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME!

$59,990

17’5” • Single axle Basscat trailer 75 hp Mercury 4 stroke 24v electric motor (Minn Kota or Motor Guide) 2 x sounders (Humminbird 597cxi HD Di or Lowrance HDS 5)

• 6am to 2pm $150pp • 3 boats – holds up to 30+ people • All fishing gear and bait is supplied • No fishing licence req. • Pickup from Yamba Marina or Iluka ferry wharf

Sabre FTD 2017

Phone Dave today: www.fishingyamba.com.au 0428 231 962 EASY PARKING

• Reef, Deep Sea and Sport Fishing • Swains, Samurez, Cap Bunker Group • Dories available • LUXURY 20m Cat. New V8 Scanias. Large comfortable and stable. • Air conditioned and fast (cruise up to 16 knots) • Professional crew (over 22 years experience) • Cater for groups up to 12 people from 3 to 10 days • BYO or fully licenced bar • Desalinate unit • Trips designed to suit your requirements

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OPEN 7 DAYS

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• • • •

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$59,990

18’1” • Single axle Basscat trailer 115 hp Mercury 4 stroke 24v electric motor (Minn Kota or Motor Guide) 2 x sounders (Humminbird 698cxi HD Si or Lowrance HDS 7 GEN2)

MANNING RIVER MARINE 13 Victoria Street, TAREE (02) 6552 2333 jim@manningrivermarine.com.au www.mercurydealertaree.com ABERDEEN FISHING & OUTDOORS 69 New England Hwy, ABERDEEN (02) 6543 7111 aberdeentackle@gmail.com www.aberdeenfishingandoutdoors.com.au

We Build Dreams... It’s a Family Tradition A U S T R A L I A

Phone: 0410 173 060 basscataustralia@gmail.com

MARINA BOAT & TACKLE, YAMBA MARINA

YAMBA’S LARGEST TACKLE STORE • Chandlery • Boat Sales • Ice & Gas • Bait & Tackle • Trailers Sales & Parts • Charter Bookings Ph: 6646 1994 or 0428 231 962 Email: dave@gaden.com.au Now Agents For

FISHING GUIDES PORT STEPHENS Fish Port Stephens Estuary Charters 0434 370 687

ILLAWARRA COAST Bay & Basin Sportsfishing 0413 610 832

EDEN COAST Captain Kev’s Wilderness Fishing Tours (02) 4474 3345 or 0424 625 160

This section in NSW Fishing Monthly consolidates the trades and services in your area that are relevant to your fishing and boating. Whether you’re a local looking for more options or a travelling angler fishing around the state, this guide will direct you to reputable businesses in the area you’re searching. 82

JULY 2018

Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory KAYAK DEALERS

ba Prawn Blade s” “Yam

The Life Aquatic - Mona Vale – (02) 9979 1590 Australian Bass Angler - Penrith – (02) 4721 0455 Hunts Marine - Yallah – (02) 4284 0444 Bunyips Great Outdoors - Lismore – (02) 6622 1137 Maclean Outdoors - MacLean – (02) 6645 1120 Wetspot Watersports -Fyshwick – (02) 6239 1323 Graham Barclay Marine – Forster – (02) 6554 5866 Hunter Water Sports - Belmont – (02) 4947 7899 Totally Immersed Watersports - Nowra (02) 4421 5936 Hunts Marine - Batemans Bay – (02) 4472 2612 Compleat Angler – Merimbula – (02) 6495 3985

MARINE MECHANICS

BAIT & TACKLE

CLARENCE

YAMBA BAIT & TACKLE “Yamba’s Leading Tackle Shop” “IN THE MAIN STREET” Shop 3, 8 Yamba St, Yamba

CANBERRA/ACT H2O Marine (02) 6280 0555 Aussie Boat Sales ACT & NSW 0433 531 226

TWEED/BYRON COAST Tweed Coast Marine (07) 5524 8877 Ballina Marineland (02) 6686 2669

COFFS COAST North Coast Boating Centre (02) 6655 7700 Jetty Boating (02) 6651 4002 www.jettyboating.com.au

MACQUARIE COAST Graham Barclay Marine (02) 6554 5866 Manning River Marine Taree (02) 6552 2333

Phone Cases

Marina Boat and Tackle (02) 6646 1994 Yamba Bait & Tackle (02) 6646 1514 Wooli Bait & Tackle (02) 6649 7100

From

COFFS COAST

The Boat Pimpers (Sydney) (02) 9792 7799

Mugs

From

1 7 27

MACQUARIE COAST Ned Kelly Bait n Tackle Port Macquarie (02) 6583 8318 Graham Barclay Marine (02) 6554 5866 Manning River Marine Taree (02) 6552 2333

HUNTER COAST Port Stephens Tackle World (02) 4984 2144

SYDNEY Gabes Boating & Fishing Centre Narellan (02) 4647 8755 Australian Bass Angler www.abafishing.com.au

FRESHWATER Aberdeen Fishing & Outdoors (02) 6543 7111 Dubbo Marine and Watersports (02) 6882 2853 Loomzys Fish and Fix (Forbes) (02) 6851 1425

42 7 0

Carry Bags $

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25 4 2

and lots more...

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From

ZMAN GRUBZ

MINN REPAIRS & SERVICING

SYDNEY

29 45

Compleat Angler Kempsey (02) 6562 5307 MOTackle (02) 6652 4611 or www.motackle.com.au Rocks Marine Bait & Tackle South West Rocks (02) 6566 6726 Outdoor Adventure South West Rocks (02) 6566 5555

ZX BLADES

Bonanza Trailers 0408 299 129 www.bonanzatrailers.com.au Salt Away 1800 091 172 www.salt-away.com.au

22 85

Drop in to see Mick & Kelly

ONLINE TOURNAMENT TACKLE STORE

MODIFICATIONS & REPAIRS // BOAT & TRAILER

• Stocking all Major Brands • Experienced Local Knowledge • Tournament Bream Gear in Stock • Snorkelling gear in stock

www.fishin.com.au

Minn Repairs & Servicing Call Troy 0412 605 080 – W: minnrepairs.com minnrepairsservicing E: minnrepairs@gmail.com

From

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SYDNEY Penrith Marine (02) 4731 6250 Moby Marine (02) 9153 6506 or www.mobymarine.com.au Cohoe Marine Products (Sydney) (02) 9519 3575 Blakes Marine (02) 4577 6699 Watersports Marine (02) 9676 1400 Marina Bayside (02) 9524 0044 Shannons Outboards (02) 9482 2638 Hi Tech Marine (02) 4256 6135 TR Marine World (02) 4577 3522

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0425 230 964 – info@fishin.com.au SHOP 18, 29 KIORA RD MIRANDA NSW 2228

www.fishin.com.au 0425 230 964 Blue Bottle Fishing 0409 333 380 or www.bluebottlefishing.com MOTackle (02) 6652 4611 or www.motackle.com.au Adrenalin Flies www.adrenalinflies.com.au Anglers Warehouse www.anglerswarehouse.com.au

fishingmonthly.redbubble.com

Advertisers wanting to be involved in this directory can call (07) 3387 0800 or email ads@fishingmonthly.com.au JULY 2018

Stessco Sunseeker 620 with Yamaha F150hp - SC

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PERFORMANCE RPM......Speed.(km/h)...... Economy.(km/L) 1000 .......................7.2 ........................... 2.3 2000.................... 12.0 ........................... 1.6 3000.................... 26.4 ........................... 1.8 3500 .................... 36.6 ........................... 1.9 4000.................... 44.2 ........................... 1.8 5000.....................57.8 ........................... 1.5 6000.................... 71.5 ........................... 1.1 92

JULY 2018

Main: Stessco’s Sunseeker 620 features a new, fibreglass hard top that provides plenty of shade or cover from the rain, as on the test day on the Noosa River. Above: With a beam of 2.48m, the Sunseeker provides a massive platform for virtually any on-water activity. It’ll cost you nearly twice as much at the pump to keep this rig at wide-open throttle all day. Your choice. Stessco Standard structural warranty on their premium boats is 2 years, if it is purchased on a Stessco trailer or Stessco trailer by Dunbier, then their structural warranty is increased to 5 years/60 months. “We’re very happy with the way we build our packages, so five years of warranty isn’t a worry for us,” said Stessco’s Adrian Beil. Indeed, if you shop around, you’ll find very few rigs with that after-sales coverage. Combine that with Yamaha’s four-year warranty and there’s plenty

DE FOR EX

Stessco’s 2018 Media Event on the Noosa River was held in between rainsqualls. As it happened, those were ideal conditions in which to test out a cabin boat. After all, that’s exactly what cabin boats offer – a space out of the weather, be it sun or rain, and a massive platform to fish with several of your mates. And I’ll be upfront here – one of the most attractive parts of this Stessco/Yamaha package is the price. These Sunseeker packages start from the mid $50K. As tested, this unit priced up at around $65,000. You get a lot of boat for your bucks. Stesscos are made in Brisbane and have only recently outsourced their trailer supply out of their factory. The 620 is a new release and the biggest model in the Sunseeker range (the others are 490,

of trouble-free boating ahead for the owners of this package. We were pretty impressed with the massive cockpit area in this boat, the high cabin and the dimensions of the fibreglass hard top. The new windscreen design of the modern Sunseekers is also on point. The hard top does need a little extra support and the guys in the factory are already on it. If you want to see this rig in action, check out the video review of this boat by scanning the QR code hereby or by searching for it on the Fishing Monthly Magazines YouTube channel. Subscribe

s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

520, 550 and 580). The hull is aluminium bottom and sides with a fibreglass cabin bolted on top to go with the fibreglass hard top. It gives the hull a smooth look up top but the resilience and light weight of a tinnie down below. The test boat was headed to Whitsunday Marine for a northern customer, so it was ordered with the new fibreglass hard top option to keep the tropical sun out, but this iteration of the Sunseeker hull will be suitable for all Australian environments from Port Phillip Bay through to the Great Barrier Reef. Powered by Yamaha’s bulletproof F150 4-stroke outboard, the Sunseeker delivered remarkably good fuel economy. At best cruising speed (3500rpm) it yielded just under 2km/L burned. With a 145L fuel tank, this gives a theoretical range of over 250km – plenty for any day trips you’ll do. Drop the hammers and you’ll get over 70km/h, but at the expense of economy.

Steve Morgan

CON

AN THE

FMG

while you’re there for notifications about all of our video boat and tackle tests. For more information, check out stessco.com. au or email sales@ stessco.com.au. SPECIFICATIONS Length.overall .. 6.55m Beam................. 2.48m Depth ................ 1.48m Hull.weight ....... 750kg Weight.(on trailer). 1550kg Bottom ................ 4mm Sides ................... 4mm Maximum.hp ........ 175 Fuel.capacity ...... 145L Capacity .. Six persons

The test day on the Noosa River was both raining and hot – standard Queensland weather in autumn.

Left: Under the hard top, the layout is pretty simple with lots of cockpit room to fish you and several of your mates. Right: With a fold-down boarding ladder that gets you on the duckboard, it’s easy to get in when the boat is parked stern-on to the shore. The transom door also helps.

A pair of comfortable seats are mounted on bases that have some clever storage underneath. The helm is simple and made of moulded fibreglass.

Now there’s some cockpit space to work with.

This underfloor kill tank will hold plenty of fish on ice until you can get back to fillet them.

A freshwater deck wash is a real luxury and rare in a boat in this price range.

Yamaha’s F150 is an ideal match for this rig and delivers nearly 2km/L at optimum cruising speeds. Theoretical range is over 250km on the standard 145L tank.

It doesn’t need to be tackle stored in here. Anything that doesn’t like salt spray will be happier in here than in the side pockets.

Pop up through here from the cabin to stow and deploy the anchor. Unlike Victorians, Queenslanders haven’t really discovered anchor winches… yet.

If you’re a side-pocket lover, the Stessco isn’t for you. There are a couple of small spaces to store your frequently used gear.

There’s no denying that the bait station is sturdy. This one holds a couple of rods as well.

Preparing to disembark, the hull draws very little water at rest and allows you to get up close and personal with the shore. JULY 2018

Horizon 515 Northerner with Yamaha F115hp

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BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

If there’s a better place in South East Queensland to review a boat than the Southport Broadwater, I’m yet to find it. The launching is easy thanks to several sheltered ramps, the scenery is quite picture perfect, and there are a variety of conditions ranging from the near calm of the Broadwater to the open ocean just through the Seaway entrance to test a craft’s mettle. AN ENTIRELY NEW BOAT I’m grateful for Scott James of Horizon Boats for arranging my time with his new 515 Northerner and he pointed out that this year there’s an entirely new craft in the Northerner range with 4mm bottom sheets, 3mm

Main: A great place for a boat review; a great looking boat, and check out that classy wrap! Above: The 515 Northerner’s excellent hull design ensures there’s minimal lean in a hard turn to port. family fun days as well as serious ‘set the alarm for 4am’ angling pursuits. The new Horizon 515 Northerner combined virtually everything that makes alloy mid-sized craft

PERFORMANCE Rpm........ Speed.(km/h).......... Economy.(L/h) 1000 ......................... 7.4 ............................ 2.4 1500 .......................10.6 ............................ 3.5 2000....................... 11.8 ............................ 5.6 3000.......................36.2 ............................ 9.1 4000.......................41.3 ............................. 7.0 5000.......................53.3 ............................ 8.6 WOT .......................62.5 .......................... 40.1 side sheets, a new transom and a massive front storage area, just to name some of the additional features. The entire Northerner range – craft from 4.155.40m – all focus on fishability and a large degree of user-friendliness that carries over to laidback 94

JULY 2018

so popular. It’s strongly built and offers a compact, easily towable size involving versatility in both storage and mobility while the economical side console layout always provides as much work room as possible for a given size of craft. Two anglers fishing up front and

another two aft would be entirely feasible in quiet conditions. The rail and windscreen equipped console was a lesson in practicality as it offered mid-shelf storage, foot room within the base plus a large area up top to set up even a very large sounder as well as multi-function gauges for the Yamaha 115 on the stylish new Horizon Fast Back Transom, which is 700mm high – same as the sides. Offshore runs on good days – why not? Bolster-style console seating is a bonus for the skipper and mate, but another additional two seating positions provide options with balance and fishing space. Up front an elevated deck sat watch over a massive hatch, concealing a 110L ice box, with adjoining side storage compartments also handy. Not to be

overlooked, of course, was the big under-floor storage aft, which doubled as a catch well. All the floor areas were carpeted, naturally, and an electric motor pad

and cockpit side pockets completed the picture. Decent freeboard is a big feature of the Northerner and it’s certainly a feature that adds to overall versatility. Confidence in sea conditions is a great asset in any craft and the easy, soft ride of the 515 Northerner – whether in the calm of the Broadwater or out towards the end of the Seaway walls – was a bonus. SMOOTH YAMAHA 115 In my view the 115hp Yamaha 4-stroke on the transom certainly contributed a lot to that particular boating experience. Whisper-quiet at idle, the 1.8L engine easily shot the rig onto the plane at 15.6km/h (2700rpm) and ran her up to almost 62.5km/h at full throttle. Top speed doesn’t tell the whole story; at one point we had five folk (maximum) aboard her yet the 515 cruised smoothly at

4800rpm/47.3km/h. In a nutshell, the 515 Northerner is a very competent fishing package and combines plenty of work area, excellent storage, comfortable seating and great sea keeping and handling. Best of all was an overall feeling of comfort while underway or walking around the hull to note its steady attitude in the water. SPECIFICATIONS Hull.length...........5.15m Beam ...................2.40m Depth ...................1.23m Bottom ..................4mm Sides......................3mm Weight.hull ..........480kg Min.hp ...................90hp Max.hp ................ 115hp Hole.Shot 4.80 seconds Number.of.people..Five

The Northerner’s freeboard certainly shines through in this image, as does the fact there’s room for additional anglers to work as well.

The Northerner’s name is well recognized but the 515’s eye catching design represents an entirely new boat.

Under the Northerner’s 40cm high front casting platform there’s a generous hatch which conceals a 110L ice box.

A full height transom allows the 515 Northerner’s lucky owner to enjoy a huge range of fishing activities, all enhanced by a wide work area.

A dedicated fishing craft needs a live well and the Northerner’s is a beauty at 75L capacity .

A boat with off shore capability deserves a large anchor well so just check out the size of the 115 Northerner’s!

A carpeted cockpit aft offers plenty of room for a couple of anglers to work in comfort.

The Northerner’s under floor storage is complemented by the big catch well in the cockpit area.

At 1.8L capacity the 115 Yamaha certainly made easy work of powering the solid Northerner’s hull.

This image gives a complete look at the easy, uncomplicated work area of the Northerner. Note the close spaced side ribs for extra rigidity, the additional seat spigots to provide flexibility in seating.

Bolster seating of this quality is a rare feature in a mid sized sports boat and certainly represents a bonus to skipper and mate.

Seeing is believing; there’s a 110L ice box set under the northerner’s front deck area. JULY 2018

Nobody knows your engine like we do

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