Queensland Fishing Monthly April 2019 by Fishing Monthly

CATCH AN EASTER FEAST

Boating & Kayaking Prepping for winter kayaking • Three Savage boats put to the test • New Polycraft 300 Tuffy • Yakking in Pumicestone Passage •

NEW FIND THE

Features

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Rod handling techniques • Peacock bass update • Fly fishing for barra • Death of a river: fish kill

•

Tried & Tested Bone Voyage rod series • Strike Pro Guppie sinking glidebait • Bassco Tornado with 115hp Mercury Pro XS • Stessco Breezaway 460 with Yamaha F90hp •

April, 2019 Fishing Monthly G R O U P

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April 2019, Vol. 31 No. 6

Contents NORTHERN NEW SOUTH WALES Yamba 18 Ballina 20

Business Office: Unit 1, 11 Knobel Court, Shailer Park, Qld, 4128 Phone: (07) 3387 0800 Fax: (07) 3387 0801 Managing Editor: Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au Editorial Manager: Jacqui Thomas Sub-Editors: Bob Thornton Nicole Penfold Annie April Field Editors: Jason Ehrlich Wayne Kampe Publishers: Steve Morgan Matthew Drinkall

Advertising Enquiries: Ph: (07) 3387 0800 Nicole Kelly nkelly@fishingmonthly.com.au Printing: APN – News Corp Australia Production: Karen Millward Keith Hawley Website: www.fishingmonthly.com.au Distribution: Gordon & Gotch Pty Ltd Subscriptions: Kym Rowbotham Office Manager: Marie Dykstra

Jason Ford proudly displays his first big Spanish mackerel. A Mick Underwood image.

TO SUBSCRIBE SEE PAGE 29 FIND THE GAMAKATSU LOGO COMPETITION PAGE 85 Queensland Fishing Monthly magazine goes on sale the first week of each month (latest sale date 7th of the month).

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SINCE 1987

ION

QUEENSLAND FISHING MONTHLY

APRIL 2019

the years, including from companies that court events to come to specific council areas, estimate the spend of tournament competitors at around $1000 per competitor per event. That’s a big boost for a weekend in some regional areas. I’m all for commercial fishing – just not for longlived species, with nets, in areas that rely on tourism. GREENBACK TAILOR COMP Speaking of tournaments, the 32nd Lions Greenback Tailor comp is being held on 8-9 June, at Pottsville in Northern NSW. You can fish any tidal waters in Queensland or NSW, as long as you bring your catch back to the tournament venue at 9am on the Sunday. If you buy an earlybird ticket you’ll be in the running for a Fishing Monthly subscription, and you can find out more at lionsgreenback.com.

10 40 52 62 69

they start calling you names! If the pros created their Facebook page to help build their flagging social licence, they definitely need more compelling arguments. In any case, we are sure that the local businesses, accommodation providers and food outlets loved that fact that the travelling roadshow came to town, spent money and left with 100% of fish caught returned to the water. Numerous studies over

AUST

SPECIAL FEATURES Rod handling techniques Fishing with vibration lures Peacock bass update Fly fishing for barra Death of a river: fish kill

for their licences. I don’t know about you, but if and when my business becomes unviable I won’t be baled out with public money. It’s far more likely that the ATO will take my house! Of course, the online discussion went the same way as all discussions go on social media: first propaganda, then a bit of fake news and then playing the man and not the ball. You know you’re getting the upper hand when

REGULAR FEATURES Back to Basics 16 Camping and 4WD 70 Cooking 88 Dam Levels 60 Freshwater 60 Fun Page 94 Sheik of the Creek 89 Tech Tricks 14 Tournament News 77 Track my fish 86 Trades and Services 92 What’s New Boating 97 What’s New Fishing 72

We’re fresh back from a couple of weeks on the road, including some boat tests and BREAM tournaments in Victoria. The weather was great, the fishing was pretty good and the locals were friendly, no matter where we were. The only negative feedback we got was from the nameless complainer behind the Australian Professional Fishermen’s Facebook page, who thought that our sharing photos of caught-and-released fish from a tournament weigh-in showed that the Gippsland Lakes net fishers have been hard done by. The fact is that the net removal was an election policy, the people voted for it and now it will happen. Even better, the remaining netters in the increasingly unproductive fishery will be compensated

From the Editor’s Desk...

BOATING AND KAYAK

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Whitsundays 54 Ayr 55 Townsville 56 Hinchinbrook 56 Port Douglas 57 Cairns 58 Cairns NFZ 58 Lucinda 59 Cooktown 60 Cape York 60

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Hervey Bay 42 Rainbow Beach 45 Gladstone 46 Bundaberg 46 Gladstone surrounds 47 Monduran 48 Rockhampton 48 Yeppoon 49 Stanage Bay 50 Mackay 51

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SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND The Tweed 22 Southern Gold Coast 24 Gold Coast Canals 26 Jumpinpin 28 Gold Coast 30 Southern Bay 32 Brisbane 34 Northern Bay 36 Brisbane Offshore 37 Noosa 38

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Practising good rod handling techniques WHITSUNDAYS

Mick Underwood

As a fishing guide I get no points at all for having people on my boat not catch fish. It’s one thing for me to go out onto the ocean each day with a group of keen anglers, find some nice fish and whip them up into a frenzy. But to then have the crew onboard fail to get fish after fish to the boat is obviously not desirable. This can be due to a whole bunch of reasons, but often it’s due to poor rod handling techniques. If this happens I end up with a boat load of frustrated anglers, which isn’t exactly ideal. You can refer to someone in my position as a charter skipper or guide, but I consider my job to be more that of a sportfishing teacher. It is necessary for me to assume this role in order to consistently get good fish to the boat. The guide part to the job is at the beginning of each session where I take the boat and clients out to some location and do my best to find a pile of big, active and hungry fish. Once the fish are found, the guiding is finished. From that moment on I am a teacher – continuously talking to and assisting the crew onboard on how to firstly hook the targeted fish, keep that fish on the hook, and then to do whatever is necessary to get that particular fish to the side of the boat. These rod handling skills and techniques can be applied when targeting any fish by any means at any water. It doesn’t matter whether you’re throwing a

dry fly at a high country trout, dropping a jig down to a kingfish or casting stickbaits at flathead, the basic fundamentals of using a fishing rod don’t change. I am now going to take some time to share with you in print what I share

with people verbally every day. I hope that you get something out of it and that it assists you in some way with your future angling endeavours. First up, a little bit of history that I feel is highly relevant to this

Nick demonstrating high sticking on a deep fish. You can see that the tip section of the rod is working hard and taking the load. This will allow a fish to bounce around and work the hook loose and the fish can point its head in whatever direction it wants. As much as possible we need to dictate the terms of battle to the fish, not the opposite way around. It may be necessary to shoot a rod this high when striking a fish in order to set the hooks, but it is a fatal mistake to pause and rest at this angle. Straight away wind the rod tip back down to the water, load the butt section and lift the fish’s head.

whole subject. I’m sure that you have all heard our magnificent sport being referred to as angling and those of us that indulge in it as ‘anglers’. The term ‘angling’ derives from using a rod and line to create and use effective angles in order to get a fish to the net as efficiently as possible. With the exception of the next paragraph or two, the whole guts of this article will be talking about creating and using the correct angles required to fight fish effectively. LINE TENSION One of the first and foremost rules is that you must maintain constant pressure to your fish. Fail to do this and the rest simply doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter whether you’re using a 20/0 circle hook for billfish or a size #16 nymph hook for trout, when a hook is first set into a fish it is set into a small hole and that’s the way we want to keep it. By increasing or decreasing pressure to a fish, that hole will quickly transform into a slot or long elongated hole. Once this has happened all an astute fish has to do is create slack line for a brief second and the hook will simply fall out. This can happen in a myriad of ways and normally it’s in the blink of an eye. A fish jumping clear of the water, shaking its head at the side of the boat, and briefly

Nick demonstrating a good low angle for lifting stubborn fish. Note how the butt section is loaded and doing all the work. To achive this good fighting angle, keep the butt of the rod as high as you can. Up in your armpit like Nick has here is ideal. This may not be possible with some stand up tackle but with modern spin gear that the majority of us use, it’s not a problem. swimming at the boat are just a few examples of how this can happen.

The most common cause of these hook-loosening problems is when anglers

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Nick showing us a good angle for fighting a fish that’s out on the horizon somewhere – isn’t it nice when that happens. Note how Nick has the butt section of the rod loaded and taking all the strain. Don’t pull back too far in this situation, you won’t achieve anything trying to fight a fish with the rod tucked back behind your right ear lobe. When working high rod angles keep the butt of the rod low. Jam it in on your chest such as Nick has done here, or even lower down around your stomach/groin areas if that’s more comfortable.

are pumping and winding a rod in order to retrieve line on a fish. So many anglers rip back on a rod as hard and as far as they can increasing the pressure on a hook immensely and then decreasing pressure by bowing the rod towards the

fish as quick as they can, trying to see how many turns of the reel handle they can get in as little time as possible. This is where it all begins to go wrong. Lesson number one is keep your heart in your chest and take your

Nick showing us how to use side angles.

time – stay focussed on maintaining constant pressure to your hook. You don’t have to get 10 turns of your reel handle every time you drop the rod to retrieve line. On a stubborn fish you might only get half a turn of the reel handle, which in most situations is perfectly acceptable as long as you stay focussed on maintaining constant line pressure. If you take the time to watch tournament anglers plying their trade on YouTube or one of the fishing shows on television, you will notice that when these anglers are fighting a fish that the bend in their rod very rarely changes all through an entire fight. This is because these guys are experts at maintaining constant hook pressure. You don’t have to be a competition angler to gain this skill; it is a basic skill that we all need to use when we fish to help ensure regular success. FIGHTING FISH VERTICALLY (DEEP FISH) This is a common scenario for a lot of us, especially boat anglers. With so much coastline around this country and most of it littered with reefs and other forms of deep structure, a high percentage

With the side angle, once again note how the butt section is doing all the work. of Aussie anglers fish out of a boat with their lines dropped vertically over the side. Be it jigging for pelagics mid-water or soaking a bait for a tasty reef fish off the bottom, once a stubborn fish is hooked the technique required to get a fish up from the depths remains the same. In this situation it is imperative to keep the rod angle low so that the butt section of the rod is taking the majority of the load. Once a deep fish is hooked the tip section of

a rod serves little purpose, apart from that of a shock absorber. Raise the angle of your rod too high and load the tip section of your rod on a deep fish and you’re handing the odds straight back to the fish. This is for a couple of reasons. The first reason is that when the rod is raised high with a loaded tip section and you have a fish shaking its head from side to side somewhere in the depths underneath you, every time that fish shakes its head it is increasing and then

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decreasing pressure to the hook, slowly but surely working it loose. By using a high rod angle on a deep fish you simply lose your ability to maintain that ever-important constant hook pressure. The second reason for not using high rod angles on a deep fish, in particular a fish that you want to keep out of its snaggy home on the bottom, is that once the tip section comes into play the fish has the ability to turn its head whichever To page 12

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I’m fishin’ some good vibrations FEATURE

Joel Edwards

With so many lures available these days, it can be sometimes be some of the oldest creations, like lipless lures, that still catch the most fish. While not always the most effective choice, they are incredibly versatile and easy to use, and many fishless days have been turned around by using these strange lures.

Spot. I hunted one down with Australian bass in mind. I’d begun to notice a few guys I looked up to experiencing success on a whole manner of species using these noisy baits, I had to have one and try it out. I had no idea this would start a life long obsession with all things lipless. The appeal for me was that I could work this type of bait at any depth and almost any speed. The great thing about

Australian natives. Baits such as the Jackall TN series have been a go to for weed bed dwelling Aussie bass since their late ‘90s inception. The Maxy Vib has claimed more yellowbelly than most other baits. Having said that, these baits are equally deadly in the rivers and salt on a number of species. Our native fish are very responsive to the whiz and bang of a rattling lipless crank.

Lipless lures come in all shapes, colours and sizes, and can be used for just about any predatory fish species. GOOD LIPLESS VIBRATIONS Versatility is the first word that comes to mind when describing a lipless bait. Hard, soft, rattling, silent, sinking or floating – there is a lipless for your fishing needs. From cranking for Aussie bass to hopping a soft vibe for dusky flathead to deadsticking for yellowbelly, there is a plethora of baits, species and retrieves to explore that come under the ever popular ‘lipless’ banner. I purchased my first lipless lure when I was a teenager; it was a gold Cotton Cordell Rattlin’

these baits is they work for just about any angler, from tossing it out and cranking it in, to honing your techniques and increasing your productivity, the lipless journey can be as in depth as you make it. With the vast amount of lipless baits on the market and the techniques that accompany them, it would be impossible to cover them all in this article. So let’s focus on a few. The rattler The first thing that comes to mind when I think of rattling lipless cranks would be stocked impoundment fishing for

Bream are an excellent target when fishing blade style lipless lures. 40

APRIL 2019

versatile baits available to the modern angler. They have a silent, soft and more natural approach as opposed to the whiz-bang of the rattler. Soft vibes has become one of the most popular baits in Australian waters and the world. Soft vibes have a completely different sonic signature to other vibes due to their soft plastic construction. This construction produces a totally unique presentation. A lifelike, soft feel helps aid in the deception of your chosen quarry. Like all other lipless cranks, these baits can

The next big mulloway that snaffles a vibe won’t be the last.

Vibes, particularly blades, are just as deadly in the fresh as they are in the salt. Rattlers are designed to induce a strike from a predatory fish, often the sound is tuned to mimic the sound of a fleeing baitfish or in some cases designed to sound like a predatory fish attacking a bait school. This sound attracts the predator to an area where the lipless bait can be easily inhaled. There are some beautiful lipless cranks on the market. Each bait is designed meticulously to set them apart from the already flooded lipless market. So if you’re searching your box to find a bait that will induce a reaction, a rattler will 100% create a stir. The soft vibe In my opinion the soft vibe is one of the most

Soft vibes are perfect for offshore predators like snapper.

be fished at any depth with a variety of speeds. Most soft vibes are produced with a through wire construction that creates strength and security in the event of an XOS model eating your bait and you having to tighten down on it. The soft vibe, in particular the Fish Trap by Zerek, has been a deadly bait for me in deeper water. It impersonates a herring, small tailor or mullet, and these little beauties are irresistible to a host of estuarine dwellers –

particularly mulloway. The blade Now for the slimmer side of the family – the blade offers a slight twist on the lipless term. They are often constructed from lead, metal and even polycarbonate. These violent, vibing vectors are about as versatile as baits come. A good point of difference the blade has over many other lipless baits is that they often have multiple tow points. This creates an opportunity to

Fishing close to the bottom is the way to go with soft vibes.

vary the speed in which you fish the bait as well as changing the vibration level to suit your chosen application. Blades are a favourite amongst bream and bass anglers, and it has a place in many tournament anglers’ tackle bags. The blade is designed to be fished slowly and close to the bottom, inducing strikes from even the most timid of adversaries. I’ve even seen blades manipulated to mimic a piece of shell that has been dislodged from structure and simply come to rest on

Sometimes the smallest lures can fool some thumping fish, and blades fished for big yellowbelly like that are a great example.

Blades rigged with assist hooks are deadly on fish that bite lures timidly.

the bottom. If the angler ‘deadsticked’ the bait for a length of time the bream would mistake the bait for a shell and pick it up off the bottom. The blade is a lipless presentation you should never leave home without. TOP 3 TIPS TO LIPLESS SUCCESS Line control The biggest mistake anglers make when fishing lipless lures is not staying in contact with the bait. A good lipless crankbait angler will be in contact with their bait at all times. When hopping a soft vibe along the bottom it is vital to keep the line tort to control the sink rate of the bait. This not only ensures the lure is swimming nicely on the drop, it also keeps the angler ready for the often subtle bites that accompany this style of fishing. The same goes for medium rolling a rattling lipless – pauses need to monitored and controlled, as a lot of the bites will come at this stage of the retrieve. Keep in contact! Lengthen your leader Lipless cranks are more often than not rigged with treble hooks. While increasing the odds of a hook-up, small treble hooks can pull quite easily. With braided mainlines

being most anglers’ line of choice, including mine, I’ve found that adding an extra metre of length to my leader gives me that little bit more of a shock absorber or cushion to assist in keeping those hooks in. A lot of largemouth bass anglers in Japan and the U.S.A choose to use straight through monofilament or fluorocarbon line for this very reason. This results in more stretch and less pulled hooks. Vary and monitor your retrieve I’ve found that in many cases it can only take a slight change in retrieve to

induce a strike when fishing a lipless. For example, smaller hops or larger hops, letting your bait sit longer between hops, burn and kill, or fast then slow – it’s all trial and error. By all means mix up your retrieve, however, take a mental note of what retrieve you’re trying. There’s nothing worse than eventually cracking a pattern and getting that bite and not remembering what induced the strike. So, if you haven’t already, get some lipless baits in your box. They may just be the bait that fools your trophy!

Vibes often get eaten properly by hungry estuary dwellers like mulloway.

APRIL 2019

WHAT’S NEW FISHING NEW NEDLOCKZ COLOURS

With the growing popularity of the Ned Rig in Australia, the TT Lures NedlockZ, ‘mushroom’ style stand-up jighead is now available in two new colours, chartreuse and orange. Originally available in black and green pumpkin colours, anglers were looking for a couple of strike trigger colours. Chartreuse and orange are popular highlight colours on hardbodies and blades, and are the perfect fit for pairing up with plastics to attract fish and trigger strikes. The orange head is particularly good for teaming up with natural coloured plastics. The team from TT’s say that the NedlockZ combine perfectly with the buoyancy of ZMan ElaZtech plastics to create a presentation that is either fleeing when retrieved or standing up vertically in a feeding or defensive pose when paused, much like a crab, yabby or prawn. NedlockZ are available in four weights: 1/15oz 2H, 1/10oz 1H, 1/6oz 1H and 1/5oz 1H. Price: SRP $9.95 (5-pack) www.ttlures.com.au

SHIMANO REVOLUTION TRAVEL 2 Shimano have refined the travel rod concept even further, with this excellent seven rod Revolution Travel series that are perfect for the highly mobile angler. Travel rods aren’t necessarily just for jet setters though. In the car, on public transport – even people who don’t know have a lot of storage space at home shouldn’t miss out on using quality fishing tackle. Like the standard Revolution series, the Revolution Travel line-up now feature soft touch reel seats for greater comfort in the hand, full and split custom shaped EVA grips where applicable, and Fuji O Ring Guides, where the insert is protected by the frame from knocks and scrapes. Most importantly in a travel rod though, the ferruling system is pretty well undetectable, and in no way diminishes the feel and performance characteristics of these great baitcast and spin rods. They all break down in to three pieces, with the 904 Spin into four. www.shimanofish.com.au

DAIWA EMERALDAS LT

Light as air and strong as steel, the famous Emeraldas name receives the LT treatment with the release of the new Emeraldas Air LT spin reel. Gifted with Daiwa’s latest design innovations, and featuring the famous Emeraldas styling the new Emeraldas Air LT is the ultimate combination of technology, looks and performance. Daiwa’s new LT Concept heralds a new age of lightness and toughness, and the new reel also benefits from Daiwa’s famous Real Four design. The Emeraldas’ Tough Digigear heralds a revolution in gear design, with its high-precision cutting technique achieving perfect gear meshing and ultra smooth performance. MagSeal protects from the elements, while Air Rotor, ATD, LT’s new Longcast ABS spool, Perfect Line Stopper, and Air Bail combine for unrivalled performance, power and precision. Loaded with Daiwa’s latest design innovations and the legendary Emeraldas swagger, the new Emeraldas Air LT is the perfect combination of style, technology, and performance. www.daiwafishing.com.au 72

APRIL 2019

PRODUCT GUIDE

BASSDAY BACKFIRE

Bassday’s expertise in the surface lure market is second to none, with the Sugapen one of the deadliest surface lures available. Bassday’s newest creation, the Backfire, was originally designed for black porgy (sea bream) in Japan, but it has proven itself in our local conditions already. And like the Sugapen, this new lure is set to be a runaway hit. The Backfire is 65mm long and through wired, making it strong and dependable. It weighs 7.5g and casts exceptionally well for a small lure. The large cupped face is capable of both dramatic pops, and subtle, rippleinducing pops, when using a slow and light touch. The slim profile produces little wind resistance. The action is that of a classic popper and will be excellent for bass, bream and other surface feeders. It works best with a ‘pop, pop, pause’ technique. The new model comes in eight colours, and all but one have been designed exclusively for Australia. For more information visit the Bassday website or like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BassdayAus. www.bassday.com.au

UNIQUE ANYSINK

Brisbane inventor Creig Adams has set out to change the way Australians go fishing with his new AnySink. The AnySink lets you change sinkers easily and quickly with out having to cut and retie your line. The invention also allows anglers to change from using toxic lead sinkers to anything that sinks – hence the name ‘AnySink’. “As I entered my 40s and my vision started to deteriorate, I found that cutting and re-rigging was becoming more and more difficult,” Mr Adams said. “I set out to find a better system.” After experimenting with different designs, Mr Adams settled on a spherical plastic design that splits in half and allows the angler to place a weight inside it. “This weight can be a lead sinker, a pebble, nut, bolt or even berley,” Mr Adams explained. “Once you are ready to drop down your AnySink, you can also crush berley into the grated casing of the device, where it will slowly break off and attract fish.” Price: SRP $10 (pack of 10) www.anysink.com.au

RHINO-RACK GRAB HANDLE

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Rhino-Rack’s Pioneer range continues to grow, and the latest release is the Pioneer Grab Handle. It has been designed to aid in loading, unloading and securing your gear onto all Rhino-Rack Pioneer systems. We’ve all been there – you’re shifting item upon item up onto roof racks, tying your load for the trip and being left with nothing to hold onto while you make your descent. The new Pioneer Grab Handle solves this problem. Its large and sturdy form allows for a sturdy grip when used as a handle, and provides a strong anchor point when securing gear. Made from diecast aluminium that is powder coated to prevent rust and corrosion, the Rhino-Rack Pioneer Grab Handle has a 120kg load capacity, and installation is quick and easy. For more information on this and other products in the Pioneer range, visit the RhinoRack website. Price: SRP: $59 (2 pack) www.rhinorack.com.au

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PRODUCT GUIDE

ECOODA BLACK HAWK ROD V2

WHAT’S NEW FISHING

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

The Ecooda Black Hawk V2 puts Ecooda in the middle of the battlefield. The fast matt black blanks are ideal for lure casting off the banks or in the boat. With striking red aluminium anodized details, the cosmetics are appealing to a variety of anglers. The ultra-hard EVA grips and custom locking rings are comfortable in the hand, while stainless steel framed guides are light enough for blank reaction and smooth enough to let your line cast effortlessly through the insert. Whether you’re targeting bream or flathead with vibes or reef species with a plastics, there’s a Black Hawk II that’s perfect for the job. It’s available in five spin models (6’10 light, 7’0 Medium Light, 6’4 Medium, 7’0 Heavy and Extra Heavy) as well as two baitcast models (6’0 Medium Heavy and Heavy). Visit the new Ecooda website for more information and stockists, or check them out on Instagram and Facebook. www.ecooda.com.au

REVAMPED CELTA

Back by popular demand is the world’s most famous trout spinning lure, the Rublex Celta. The Celta has been retooled, and is now stronger than ever before. Of course, it still offers the legendary fish-attracting butterfly spinning action that has enticed thousands of rainbow and brown trout captures worldwide. The Celta has an inbuilt, anti-line twist system that rotates on the main shaft to prevent your line from twisting while fishing. Armed with VMC trebles, Celtas come in 10 natural fish-catching colours and three sizes, incorporating 2g, 3.5g and 5g weight variations. For more information visit the Rapala Australia website, or check them out at your local tackle store today. www.rapala.com.au

SILVER CREEK LT

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

Trout fishing perfection has arrived with the release of the new Silver Creek LT spin reel. Loaded with style and gifted with many of Daiwa’s most advanced technologies, the newest addition to the famous Silver Creek family features LT design, making it feather light and ultra strong. A Zaion body houses Daiwa’s high performance, ultra-strong Digigear II gear system, while Magseal provides unrivalled protection, ensuring ultimate durability and optimum performance. The Silver Creek’s Air Rotor enhances reel balance, strength and support courtesy of the highly sensitive, ultra-light, precision engineered Zaion rotor, while a lightweight aluminium spool, ABS, Air Bail and Twist Buster technologies combine for ultimate spool performance and line control. Other features include ATD drag, washable design, and a machined ‘screw in’ aluminium handle. www.daiwafishing.com.au

BONE FOCUS 130

The Bone Focus 130 is a multi-towpoint glide bait that is an ideal size for many fish throughout Australia. Featuring 4+1 towing eyelets, each with its own unique swimming action, this lure is truly revolutionary. The ability for anglers to choose the desired swim depth when fishing in different terrains is the focus of this lure. The first eyelet serves to create a swimbait with a seductive wide wobble and roll action, mimicking a lifelike swimming action. Attaching your line to the second or third eyelets gives the lure greater diving capability. A vibration mode can be imparted when the line is attached to the fourth eyelet, as it swims in a forward position with internal bearings knocking against the body. Additional weights can also be attached to the chin eyelet without impacting on the lure’s action, allowing the Focus to reach deeper in search of your prey. www.wilsonfishing.com

SAMAKI MAHIMAHI SHIRT

Bright, bold colours erupt from the water as this big bull mahimahi swims and attacks the baitfish and lures surrounding the FAD, revealing the true nature of the species. Capturing all the attractive elements of the warmer climate, with volcanic islands in the background, crystal clear waters and abundance of wildlife above and below the water, this new Samaki shirt has been a winner with all anglers. Samaki designs are brought to you by Australian anglers. These shirts feature lightweight fabric that’s perfect for all outdoor elements, protecting you from the harsh sun with Samaki’s UV50+ technology. The soft touch 100% polyester material is comfortable and very breathable, keeping you cool and dry. Samaki fishing shirts are available in adult, youth and kids sizes from a size 2 through to a 5XL, allowing the whole family to get in on the action and out onto the water. Price: SRP $59.95 (adults), $49.95 (kids) www.samaki.com.au

BONE HOVERJET

The Bone HoverJet brings together two topwater concepts in the one lure, and is unlike any other topwater bait on the Australian market. This multifunction lure is 130mm long and weighs an easy casting 28g. Its specially designed aerodynamic shape allows the plug to cast like a bullet and reach distant targets where wary fish hold. With its flaps closed, working the HoverJet as a topwater pencil bait on the surface is effortless as it slides from side to side, creating small splashes. With the flaps open, the HoverJet transforms into a topwater prop bait that can be worked with a variety of retrieves to produce aggressive strikes. In fizzer mode, a straight retrieve creates that classic chop of the blade on the water’s surface that drives fish like jacks and barra crazy. If a louder fizz is needed, sharp rod tip rips produce a distinctive fizzing chop which will draw fish from afar to investigate. wilsonfishing.com APRIL 2019

WHAT’S NEW FISHING BLACKWOLF DIRECTORS CHAIR

BlackWolf’s new Compact Directors Chair has a strong, supportive frame, non-slip foot design for all surfaces and a solid weight capacity of 130kg, the Directors Chair is safe, reliable and able to withstand almost any environment. The chair has padded seating, wide armrests and high back support for maximum comfort, and it also features a convenient foldaway table with a drink holder. The chair also boasts an accessory pocket with a safety zipper for stashing much-needed items such as your phone, keys, camera, sunscreen, or other gear, meaning you don’t have to get back up to get them. You can set up the Directors Chair in under a minute, and when you are ready to pack up, all you need to do is fold it down flat to its very compact size, and store it away for next time. Price: SRP $139.99 www.blackwolf.com.au

NEW BOMBER COLOURS

JM Gillies has just released new colours in the Bomber Long A and Longshot models. Bomber’s original Long A design is one of the most effective lures on the market, and is arguably Australia’s most popular barramundi lure of all time. The larger BSW16A (150mm) and BSW17A (175mm) sizes are the preferred choice for anglers chasing 1m+ barra in the big saltwater rivers of the Top End, and are also extremely effective in the impoundments throughout North Queensland. The new Long A colours are BMDI (brown back, pale blue belly), and ABM3 (orange head, green body, black stripes). The Longshot range of lures feature a weight exchange system that assists in super-long casts. The body is tough and durable as well as sporting saltwater hooks and hardware. It’s available in three sizes, 125mm, 150mm and 175mm. The new XM7 colour (black back, green body) is the perfect addition to the existing premium colour range. www.jmgillies.com.au

SHIMANO TEKOTA

APRIL 2019

NEMO HORNET

A lighter tent shouldn’t mean sacrificing a good night’s sleep. Trusted outdoor equipment brand NEMO have developed the master of ultralight hiking tents to save your back, without skipping on quality, comfort and livability. The NEMO Hornet is the ultralight hiking tent for adventures demanding a lighter load. The NEMO Hornet is the ultimate lightweight tent, weighing-in at a mere 900g for the 2P edition, and an even lighter 765g for 1P. The Hornet 2P is equipped with two doors and two vestibules, for ultimate comfort for sharing the space. And better still, the Unique Divvy dual stage stuff sack makes it easy to divide the load with your travel partner. The single-hubbed pole intersections of the Hornet allow for quick setup and spend less time setting up. The Hornet can be erected without the need for ropes and a fly. If you need more space, you can also pitch the triangular shaped cords for 15% more interior capacity. Price: RRP $549.95 (1P), $621.95 (2P) www.nemoequipment.com

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

150LB PINK SHOCK 17 LEADER Pink leader has been popular with bluewater anglers for some time, given that it is seen as less visible in certain water conditions. Although fluorocarbon options are common, Black Magic’s Pink Shock Leader is produced as a copolymer trace. This provides great value for money but still gives robust performance under stress – and Black Magic has now expanded the range up to 150lb. Features include: retains the high performance in abrasion resistance and knot strength seen in Black Magic tough and supple trace; coloured pink to provide less visibility, particularly when water conditions are a little murkier; and provides a more affordable option to anglers than fluorocarbon. Current breaking strains are 20lb, 40lb, 60lb, 80lb, 100lb and 150lb. www.blackmagic.com

OKUMA DISTANCE 15 SURF ARENA

Whether you’re bottom fishing for reef fish or trolling for pelagics, the latest Shimano Tekota is a great all-rounder. This enduring levelwind overhead has just undergone a big upgrade, with a number of new features that includes a main gear upgrade that is 50% stronger than its predecessor. The Hagane Body, coupled with the S-Compact Body Design, makes it comfortable to hold while waiting for a bite or fighting a fish. Gear size has been dramatically increased, and with it comes a super fast retrieve ratio of 6.3:1. A larger handle knob than its predecessor also helps in this regard. The CoreProtect system of seals keeps saltwater away from the internals, which includes three A-RB bearings and one roller bearing, and 11kg of drag will keep those reefies’ heads up and continuing towards the surface. Shimano recommends matching the Tekota to the Taipan 661 Overhead. It has quality Fuji componentry, and its graphite integrated fibreglass tip (G.I.F.T) construction can take the knocks. www.shimanofish.com.au 74

PRODUCT GUIDE

Okuma continues to offer anglers quality and excellent value for money with the release of the new Okuma Distance Surf Arena spinning reels. Features include a Slim Blade corrosionresistant graphite body, Worm Shaft transmission system, and a Hydro Block drag system (designed to ensure water and foreign materials do not enter the system and the drag washers perform to their optimum level), and FPD (Fast Progressive Drag). Designed for casting distance and handling big fish, with their lower gear ratios and 16kg max drag, Distance Surf Arena reels hold plenty of line on their machine cut aluminium spool, with the Even Flow line roller designed to reduce line twist. Other features include 3BB+1RB, Quick Set infinite anti-reverse system for rock solid hook sets, Rotor Equalizing System for precision balance and smooth cranking, Rigid Metal Handle and TPE T-shape handle knob. Built to take on the surf and its hard fighting species, the Okuma Distance Surf Arena is available in 60 and 80 sizes. Price: SRP $119.90-$139.90 www.okuma.com.au

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PRODUCT GUIDE

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING

TESTED

Strike Pro Guppie sinking glidebait Cooler nights and shorter days mean that the prime time to target big Murray cod on large lures is almost upon us. More and more anglers are getting out there and giving it a go using a growing range of lures, and I would like to add one to the list: the Strike Pro Guppie. This lure isn’t new but it’s very effective, and it’s well worth considering if you enjoy this style of fishing. Everybody notices I was lucky enough to receive a box of Guppies, and everybody I showed them to commented on the quality of the finish on the lures. It is exceptional. There are seven colours available and each has the ‘I would like to swim that’ appeal. The layering of

pattern and paint gives them an almost 3D effect, and also increases the durability. They are an outstanding looking lure. Strike Pro Guppie 101 The Guppie is a wooden sinking glidebait with an interchangeable soft plastic tail. The lure comes with a soft plastic paddle-tail and a curl-tail that you can interchange using the wire corkscrew on the end of the body. It is simple and easy and also allows you customise the tail if you like. On a slow, constant retrieve it glides from side to side and screams “eat me”. Changing the plastic tail doesn’t change the lure’s action, but it does give it a different feel through the rod. The paddle-tail definitely sends more feedback

At 120g and 13.5cm long it is important to have the right rod and reel to cast the Guppie.

The Guppie comes with two soft plastic tails that are interchangeable using the wire corkscrew on the rear of the lure. through the line and the rod. The other thing to note with the Guppie is its hardware. From the packet it comes with sturdy hooks and strong split rings – there’s no need to upgrade anything, just tie it on and fish it. At 120g and 13.5cm long you will need a rod and reel suitable to cast the Guppie, otherwise casting something of this size and weight will be daunting. Field Testing I haven’t yet had many opportunities to swim the lures I was sent, but I did get the chance to try them out at Lake Mulwala when I visited. There are huge expanses of water with lots of structure and Murray cod in Lake Mulwala. I quickly learnt that long casts were not the go; the hooks of the Guppie grabbed the structure, which was quite frustrating. The hooks are sticky sharp, and with how the lure swims, if they touch structure they grab it. However, adjusting my technique and throwing shorter casts beside and along the structure made all the difference.

In a matter of minutes a 52cm fish snaffled my Guppie as it snaked along a laydown. Wind and weather cut short the fishing that day, but with that initial success in mind, I can’t wait for my next opportunity to swim the Strike Pro Guppies. Check them out yourself To find out more about the Strike Pro Guppie and the other Strike Pro lures available, you can go to www.jurofishing. com or ask for them in your local tackle store. - Peter Jung

Success! It may not be a big fish, but it’s guaranteed to be the first of many cod caught on these lures.

The sky is the limit with the Bone Voyage rod series In 2017 Bone fishing rods were introduced to Australia through the team at Wilson Fishing. There are a number of ranges and models available but my interest was sparked by the Voyage series of rods. It’s a travel rod series designed for the angler who doesn’t want to compromise with the gear they use while traveling. In my mind, the words ‘travel rod’ and ‘compromise’ have always gone handin-hand. In years gone by, we travelling anglers have been content to use rods that weren’t ideal, just so that we could go fishing. Having to compromise was a necessary sacrifice when venturing far

from home, but not anymore. My interest in the Bone Voyage BVC704 XXH was twofold. Firstly, I wanted to jump on board the swimbait/big lures for Murray cod revolution, and secondly, I knew that my only opportunities to do this type of fishing would be travelling. The technology behind the rod The blanks used for the Bone rods, including the Voyage series, are Toray hi-modulus graphite. The key with the Voyage series is keeping the integrity of what is an elite level blank in a travel configuration. The designers have achieved this. When loaded, the rod has a smooth bend (no flat spots) in a fast taper format. Fuji K-Alconite guides

The heavy-duty soft carry case makes storage and transport easy.

TESTED

barramundi on similar sized lures to really put the Voyage through its paces. Where can you find them? Bone rods are built to a high standard so they’re not cheap. The Voyage series rods start from around $350 depending on the model you choose, and in my opinion they are worth every cent. To see the full range of rods you can go the Wilson Fishing website at www. wilsonfishing.com, or you can check them out at Tackle World Broome. - Peter Jung Taylor McKinney Smith has been using the Bone Voyage rods since they’ve been available and absolutely loves them. complete the package. There are 12 rods in the range in spin and baitcast configurations. Field Testing I have had the rod for over 12 months and it has gone to Lake Eildon, Lake Mulwala, Canberra and Glenlyon Dam with me. I cannot tell you how many big lures I have cast with it, from large swimbaits to 3oz spinnerbaits. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I have not compromised with this rod. It is well suited to the fishing I have used it for, and on each trip it has gone into a mediumsized suitcase (the heavy-duty soft case it comes with is great). Having said that, I haven’t yet caught a big fish on this rod. You can see a photo of my most recent catch in the review above (a Murray cod at Mulwala), but I am yet to really test the Voyage BVC704 XXH on a better quality fish. I will continue to try, and am planning a trip north targeting

Just a few of the lures the author has been casting with the Bone Voyage BVC704 XXH.

APRIL 2019

Nord nails the first Costa Bream Qualifier Peter Nord is a local Gippsland angler and has proven his knowledge of his home waterways by taking out the win in the first qualifier of the 2019 Costa Bream Series, also being the first angler to win on our new format for little systems, with one day on Bemm River and the second day at Marlo. This was Nordy’s maiden ABT win. Going into day one on the Bemm River Pete had a game plan in mind. He fished in anywhere from 5-10ft of water. The cool thing was that all his fish were caught on his own brand of lure. The go to lure was a Hurricane vibe 37mm in camo crab. He was hopping his blade along the bottom on a very small lift, no more than 20mm off the bottom. If the lure was hopped any higher the fish would not have had a bar of his lure. He also noted he had seen guys from NSW and QLD fishing a blade and hopping them way too high. The trick with blacks is the smaller the hop the better. He also caught some fish on his

Slam 47mm as well, but the majority came on the blade. His day one weight was 4.32kg. He used a Duffrod custom made for blading, 7ft in length and very stiff in action. He used 3lb line Fireline

Crystal with 4lb leader. Day two at Marlo he had two options, he could fish the Brodribb River or Lake Corringle. He had to make a choice. He didn’t think the Brodribb would produce enough weight, so

Peter Nord took out first place at the first qualifier for the Costa Bream Series.

Peter Nord managed to secure his win by over 500g with fish like this in his bag.

Lake Corringle it was. He fished a Hurricane Twitch 50 in UV prawn colour. It took him a while to figure out what was going on. The water in there was very dirty. So he would work the lure very slowly

banging the bottom and letting it sit. Because the water was very dirty he didn’t want to move the lure very fast, so he would just leave it sitting there giving the fish time to see it and eat it. He

would find his fish on his Humminbird side scan grazing around. Nord’s day two weight was down a little bit from the day before at 4.23kg but enough for the win with a total weight of 8.55kg.

BOATER RESULTS

Scan the QR code to see Boater winner, Peter Nord interview.

Place Name 1 Peter Nord 2 Brad Hodges 3 Tristan Taylor 4 Corey McLaren 5 Declan Betts 6 Charlie Saykao 7 Peter Stephens 8 Cameron Whittam 9 Darren Weda 10 Daryl Baird

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

APRIL 2019

Total Fish Total Weight (kg) Prize 10/10 8.55 $3500 + $500 Mercury Bonus 10/10 8.00 $2000 + $300 Mercury Bonus 10/10 7.38 $1250 10/10 7.01 $800 10/10 6.92 $700 + $200 Mercury Bonus 9/10 6.85 $500 9/10 6.81 $500 10/10 6.65 10/10 6.42 10/10 6.23

Scan the QR code to see Bemm day one highlights.

Bream Series presented by

Brad Hodges takes second... again! Brad fished day one at Bemm River in the middle of the lake sitting in 8-10ft of water doing long wind assisted drifts. He used a 1/16-1/12oz jighead rigged with a 3” Berkley Nemesis in camo to get his bag. Once he got his bag he changed to a

Berkley Jigging Shrimp and Berkley Turtleback Worm. He caught 25 legal fish for the day and upgraded about five times. He finished with a day one weight of 4.19kg. For the second day at Marlo he fished shallow flats in Frenchs Narrow using

BREAM SERIES

SECOND PLACE GEAR Rods: Abu Garcia KRX Salty Stage 7’2” and 6’8” Reel: Abu Garcia Roxani 2000 Line: Berkley Ultra 8lb Leader: 6lb Vanish

Scan the QR code to see Bemm day two highlights.

Nord didn’t get quite as good a bag on day two, but it was still enough to push him into first place.

Boater competitor Brad Hodges claimed second place, with decent fish like this making up his bag.

a Berkley Puppy Dog in the gauge colour. He used a subtle twitch before pausing for 1-2 seconds. It was slow fishing and he didn’t fill his bag until 12pm with a couple of upgrades after that. His day two weight was 3.81kg, leaving him with a total of 8kg.

Bowen Joiner takes J-Braid Big Bream Bemm River and Marlo are known for big bream and the 1.42kg black bream

caught by Joiner was a cracking fish. As this was his first ABT event as a

boater you can imagine he was stoked with his capture. Fish was caught on a camo

Gulp Nemesis rigged on a 1/20th jighead in a shallow drain near Lake Corringle.

NON-BOATER RESULTS

Bowen Joiner claimed the Big Bream prize this tournament with a cracking 1.42kg black bream.

Place Name 1 Neil Kelly 2 Travis Ryan 3 Colin Wilson 4 Doug Badrock 5 Daniel McNeice 6 Sam Ogden 7 Greg Cooper 8 Bernard Kong 9 Shannon Hush 10 Kim McIntyre

Total Fish Total Weight (kg) Prize 9/10 7.16 Daiwa Prize Pack + $200 Hobie Bonus 9/10 6.78 Fishtec Solutions Prize Pack + $100 Hobie Bonus 10/10 6.51 Cranka Prize Pack + $75 Hobie Bonus 9/10 5.72 Tackle Tactics Prize Pack 8/10 5.39 Sufix Prize Pack 6/10 4.98 Ecogear Prize Pack 6/10 4.95 Shimano Prize Pack 8/10 4.90 Lucky Craft Prize Pack 7/10 4.89 Keitech Prize Pack 8/10 4.71 Sunline Prize Pack

Kelly bags at Bemm and Marlo Neil is a very soft-spoken man and hard to get a word from, but he can make his rod and reel talk when chasing bream. It’s not his first win, as he won the 2017

Scan the QR code to see Non-boater winner, Neil Kelly interview.

Neil Kelly is no stranger to the tournament fishing circuit, and he showed everyone there that he still has it.

Bream Grand Final, and has now taken out the first bream qualifier. Kelly fished each day at the different venues the same way. He fished a ZMan curl-tail grub in bloodworm on a 1/8 and a 1/20, depending on wind and depth. He fished this lure on a Samaki rod he won in the 2017 Grand Final and a Shimano Static CI4. The technique he used was that he would cast in after his boater and catch them. On his first day he ended with a reasonable bag with five fish tipping the scales at 3kg neat. He secured his victory on day two with a bag of four black bream weighing 4.16kg. This left him with a total weight of 7.16kg.

Joiner managed to land the Big Bream prize during his first ABT tournament as a boater. He caught this beauty on a camo Gulp Nemesis in a shallow drain near Lake Corringle. APRIL 2019

Hodges breaks his bridesmaid streak to take first Brad Hodges proved he is a gun at Gippsland Lake during Round 2 of the Costa Bream Series, the Mercury Gippsland Lakes qualifier. Hodges fished day one up the north arm targeting snags on the edge using a Berkley Puppy Dog in the 12 gauge colour. Casting as deep into the snags as he could, he would twitch them into the strike zone and pause them for as long as possible – anywhere from 3-6 seconds – leaving the lure in the fish’s faces to trigger a bite. He only caught five fish on day one, finishing with a weight of 4.10kg; but he found a bank loaded with fish towards the end of the day, which would be his day 2 plan. Day two Brad had to wait for the tide to get up so he just junk fished

WINNER’S GEAR Rods: Abu Garcia Krx Salty Stage 7’2” Reel: Abu Garcia Roxani 2000 Line: Berkley Ultra 8lb Leader: 6lb Vanish

Brad Hodges had a winning bag on day two, and the biggest bag of the tournament.

With fish like this in his bag, it is no wonder Brad Hodges took out first place.

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888 80

APRIL 2019

Cunningham’s arm until about 10am for no fish. By then, the time was right to head to a bank that was loaded with fish he found late day one. He filled his bag on the first drift with the first fish weighing around 1.20kg. After the first drift he left the bank to rest before returning two more times. Each time he came back he got two upgrades fishing a 1/24oz jighead rigged with a curl-tail grub. He cast into 4-6ft of water and hopped his grub around the darker weedy patches. The fish would usually eat within the initial sink or first hop and if they didn’t he would burn the lure in and repeat the process to the next weedy patch. His day two bag weighed in at 5.64kg and is now his PB individual bag. This gave him a total weight of 9.74kg

Scan the QR code to see Boater winner, Brad Hodges interview.

Scan the QR code to see Gippsland day one highlights.

for 10 bream. Hodges told us that in 2016 he was also left in 8th place and came

back with the win using the same technique with another 5kg+ bag.

Hodges managed to win by over 1kg, and also shared the boater Big Bream prize.

Gary Carruthers takes second place Gary seemed to do a bit of running around for his second place at Gippy, fishing locations such as the mouth of the Mitchell River, the mouth of the Nicholson River, Jones Bay and ‘The Cut’. He fished the flats of these areas using a Hurricane Twitch 40. He didn’t catch a fish until the wind blew in around 11:30am, but once it did he had his five fish by 12:10pm and started upgrading from there. His technique for the Twitch 40 was a long wind assisted cast and

SECOND PLACE GEAR

Bream Series presented by

BREAM SERIES

Rod: Smith 6’6” Reel: Daiwa Luvias 2000 Line: Sunline 8lb Leader: FC Rock 3lb to shake the rod tip with some twitches and pauses and slow rolling mixed in between. Day two he had his bag a lot earlier as it was much windier. He had his bag by 10:00am, mirroring his day one technique. Gary’s total weight was more than a kilo off Brad, but enough to hold down second place.

Gary Carruthers had to do a lot of running around to earn his bag, but it paid off when he claimed second place. Scan the QR code to see Gippsland day two highlights.

Rodney takes his second qualifier While this is not Rodney ‘Rocket’ O’Sullivan’s first win at ABT, he says he will remember it for a long time due to his new PB bag

Scan the QR code to see Nonboater winner, Rod O’Sullivan interview. being weighed in on day two at Gippsland Lakes. His massive day two bag weighed in at 5.35kg and he also shared the Daiwa J-Braid Big Bream prize as well, which weighed in at 1.36kg.

Rod O’Sullivan didn’t manage to bag out, but with some crackers in there he won the non-boater category. Rocket couldn’t fill a bag on day one, he only made it to the scale with

This fish tied for the J-Braid Big Bream with Brad Hodges.

two fish for 1.16kg. But, what he did on day two was pretty impressive. Not only catching them at the back of the boat as a non-boater, he caught his PB bag fishing behind a true bream champion, Mark Crompton. Rodney had nothing for most of the day, well nothing until the trip back and last stop of the day. He decided to use a lure he had not used in a long time, an Ecogear SX43 in the 307 colour and the first fish he caught was a 1.36kg donkey hooked in the tail. They made one more quick stop to the snags at the mouth of the Tambo River where he filled the rest of his bag. This gave him the win with a total weight of 6.51kg. Still using the first lure rod, he brought a Shimano Rack Raider, a Shimano CI4 reel and 4lb straight through Yamatayo line.

BOATER WINNERS Place Name

Total Fish Total Weight (kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

10/10 10/10 9/10 9/10 10/10 10/10 7/10 10/10 10/10 7/10

Brad Hodges Gary Carruthers Tristan Taylor Steve Morgan Peter Stephens Alex Franchuk Declan Betts Christian Wardini Cameron Whittam Mark Crompton

9.74 8.33 8.32 8.19 7.98 6.73 6.37 6.18 6.15 5.15

Prize $3500 + $500 Mercury Bonus $1500 + $300 Mercury Bonus $1000 $800 + $200 Mercury Bonus $700 $600 $500 $500

NON-BOATER RESULTS

O’Sullivan was pretty happy with this day two bag weight.

Place Name

Total Fish Total Weight (kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

7/10 9/10 7/10 5/10 5/10 5/10 5/10 3/10 5/10 4/10

Rodney O’Sullivan Ahmad Mahfoud Stuart Walker Neil Kelly Darren Murphy Greg Cooper Shannon Hush Travis Ryan Glen Sturrock Shaun Egan

6.51 6.05 5.11 4.93 3.93 3.52 3.31 2.91 2.76 2.31

Prize Daiwa Prize Pack Fishtec Solutions Prize Pack + $200 Hobie Bonus Cranka Prize Pack + $100 Hobie Bonus Tackle Tactics Prize Pack + $75 Hobie Bonus Sufix Prize Pack Ecogear Prize Pack Shimano Prize Pack Lucky Craft Prize Pack Keitech Prize Pack Sunline Prize Pack APRIL 2019

Nelson goes back-to-back at Clarence River Mike Nelson completely dominated in the first round of the 2019 Sufix BASS Pro on the Clarence River with his second win in less than six months on this arena. This shows what a true river rat he is, winning the last two rounds at both ends of the mighty Clarence River.

Nelson knew the waterway like the back of his hand and that was part of his winning formula for going up against some of the best bass anglers from around the country. Nelson expected this stretch would cop a fair amount of pressure after his win up the Coldstream, this meant he needed a new game plan

when he came back. This time he fished upriver chasing the fresher water and concentrating on some schools of fish around Rogans Bridge that he found during the pre-fish. These fish were tricky and would only bite at certain times. They were sitting quite deep and hard to target, so he just sat on

Mike Nelson won the boater category with a whopping 7.72kg combined weight.

them knowing that every now and then some fish would push into shallower water to feed. Once the fish started pushing up around 10am he would pitch either a jig or ZMan Trick Swim to them and target them in a depth anywhere between 8-20ft. Running this pattern both days paid off nicely and

saw him catch 10 legal fish on the Saturday with a total bag weight of 4.11kg, and 8 fish on Sunday with that

weight going considerably lighter at 3.61kg. It was still enough for Nelson to take the win.

BOATER’S WINNING GEAR Rods Reels

ate Black Spin and an omen F green 6’8” Baitcast 2500 Daiwa Luvias and a 13 Inception Baitcast 8.1

Competitors were keen to check out the other catches as they headed back in.

BOATER RESULTS

Scan the QR code to see Boater winner, Mike Nelson interview.

Place Name 1 Mike Nelson 2 Rick Gough 3 Matthew Langford 4 Scott Sutherland 5 Taigan Heath 6 Simon Wilson 7 Graham Ford 8 Luke Draper 9 Kristoffer Hickson 10 Heath Blaikie

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888 82

APRIL 2019

Total Fish Total Weight (kg) Prize 8/8 7.72 $3,500 8/8 7.08 $1,300 8/8 6.88 $1,200 8/8 6.38 $1,100 8/8 5.48 $1,000 8/8 5.45 $900 8/8 5.41 $800 8/8 5.33 $700 6/8 5.21 $600 7/8 5.06

Scan the QR code to see Clarence day one highlights.

Bass Pro Series presented by

Andrew’s first ABT win Andrew Lollback is very new to tournament fishing and has taken to it like a duck to water, proving this with a win for his second ABT tournament. Lollback fished day one with Graham ‘Fordy’ Ford. Lollback said he did as Fordy told him to and fished the surface with a River2Sea bubble pop, while Graham fished deep with a jig. They had everything covered and were working as a team

and covering the bank from top to bottom. Lollback was fishing surface most of the day in the Coldstream. He would cast his lure deep under cover and as close to the bank as he could, working his popper slowly. The fish would eat the lure within the fist 10-15m of his retrieve. If he didn’t get a hit or boil in that time he would burn the lure in and make a new cast. For his effort, Lollback managed eight legals,

BOATER’S SECOND PLACE GEAR Rod

Pagotto Custom 7ft spin

Reel

Daiwa Freams 2000

Line

15lb Daiwa J-Braid and 12lb siglon leader

keeping the biggest four resulted in a day one bag of 2.87kg. Day two saw him heading upriver with Matty Langford to the Orara River. After only catching a few undersized fish they headed out and fished around the mouth of the Orara. Catching a legal on the second cast told them they made the right choice. This spot saw them filling a bag and upgrading a few times. Lollback again mainly fished surface and Langford fished jigs, which proved once again that boater and non-boater team was a winning formula. Andrew Lollback brought in four fish for a combined weight of 3.87kg. This sealed him the win.

Andrew Lollback took out first for the non-boaters, making this his first win at an ABT tournament.

Scan the QR code to see Non-Boater winner, Andrew Lollback interview.

Rick reins in Second

Rick started his day fishing up the Coldstream about 2km short of the Tucabia Bridge. He spent around two hours there for no fish. After that he knew he needed to change his plan as time was running out, so he headed further up the Coldstream to an area he calls the ‘Forks’. When

he got up there he started pitching jigs tight to the bank, which produced a fish pretty quickly. He spent the rest of the day there filling his bag, even managing to upgrade once. Day two Rick started his day up near the Forks once again. Nearly two hours went by for nothing, but

around 9:30am the switch flicked and triggered the fish to bite. Running the same pattern as the day before he started to pick a fish off here and there filling his bag of four. After he filled his limit his non-boater caught a decent upgrade on a Whopper Plopper.

Lollback (right) and Langford (left) proved that boater and nonboater working together gets results. Both anglers placed in the top ten in their respective categories.

Garmin Big BASS Scan the QR code to see Clarence day two highlights.

Rick Gough showed that persistence pays off, and his commitment to the area known as the ‘Forks’ had him bagging out for second place.

NON-BOATER RESULTS

Scott Sutherland managed the Garmin Big Bass. Local angler Scott Sutherland took out the Garmin Big Bass with a long 1.63kg bass caught on a lure that he made himself. He and the local Clarence guys know this lure as the

‘Thong Popper’. That’s right, this thing is carved from old worn out thongs. Not sure if it’s the action of the lure or its infused foot scent that makes this lure so appealing to bass.

Place Name Total Fish Total Weight (kg) Prize 1 Andrew Lollback 8/8 6.74 2 Craig Makings 8/8 6.40 3 Paul Mazaroli 8/8 6.25 4 Rodney Thorpe 8/8 5.99 5 Cody Banks 8/8 5.55 6 Matthew Cameron 7/8 5.46 7 Timothy Chevalley 8/8 5.43 8 Barry Reynolds 7/8 5.13 9 Mick Eastment 8/8 4.88 10 Trent Blake 7/8 4.85

Bassman Spinnerbaits Prize Pack Fishtec Prize Pack Tackle Tactics Prize Pack Sufix Prize Pack Daiwa Prize Pack Sunline Prize Pack Keitech Prize Pack Lucky Craft Prize Pack Ecogear Prize Pack Shimano Prize Pack APRIL 2019

Trades, Services, Charter BOAT MODIFICATIONS & REPAIRS

BAIT & TACKLE

CUSTOM ALLOY FABRICATION

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND BCF www.bcf.com.au

• Boat repairs & fitouts • Bait tanks • Transom rebuilds • Fuel tanks • Consoles

Davo’s Tackleworld Noosaville (07) 5449 8099 Davo’s Tackleworld Marcoola (07) 5448 8244

OVER 20 YEARS FABRICATING AND WELDING ALUMINIUM

Lazer Lures – www.lazerlures.com.au Tackle Warehouse Brisbane (07) 3398 6500

BOAT HIRE // HOUSE

MINN REPAIRS & SERVICING

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Great family and fishing boats! + 50km of sheltered waterways on the Gold Coast’s Broadwater + No Licence required + Boats from $274 per night + 2-12 berth

CALL FOR A DEAL

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PROFISH BOATS – Phone Peter 0417 782 114 Email: peter@profishboats.com www.profishboats.com

+ 07 5502 6200 + www.coomerahouseboats.com.au

NEW

Salt-Away www.salt-away.com.au

TINNIE HIRE AVAILABLE

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

MARINE MECHANICS // MOBILE

FRASER COAST

WYNUMM MANLY-BAYSIDE

Lake Monduran House Boat www.lakemonduranhouseboathire.com.au

Wondall Rd Marine (07) 3396 5633

Rainbow Beach Houseboats (07) 5486 3146

BOAT HIRE // TRAILER GOLD COAST

Boat Wrap Specialist www.xfactorsigns.com

Boab Boat Hire - 1300 002 622

SAMPLE AD - BUSINESS NAME This is where your copy will appear. You will have approximately 50 words within a 8x2 ad size.

$590 + GST for 6 Months

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND ASM Mobile Welding Brisbane 0409 624 402 Bluewater Windscreens Brisbane (07) 3382 7883 Boat Collar (07) 5441 3636 CMC Marine Sales 0409 910 808 Iconic Boats Brisbane 0475 311 447 Marine Windows and Doors Brisbane (07) 3284 5088 Small Craft Electrics (mobile) 0408 063 064

MARINE MECHANICS

nkelly@fishingmonthly.com.au BOAT PAINTING BRISBANE

FIBREGLASS Brisbane South and Gold Coas t

• Modifications • Detailing • Repairs JOE BONNICI

0410 480 203

MARINE TRAILERS Oceanic Boat Trailers (07) 5597 0577 Sea-Link Special Trailers (07) 3881 3568 Spitfire Trailers (07) 0400 866 323 Tinnie Tosser (07) 5498 7339

MARINE ELECTRONICS

MARINE ELECTRONICS SALES • REPAIRS • INSTALLATIONS

ONSITE AND MOBILE INSTALLATIONS

• Sounders • GPS • Electric Motors • Marine Radios and accessories • Stereos • Televisions • Radar Units • Autopilots

$449 USD (includes shipping)

www.hydrowaveaustralia.com GOLD COAST

Brisbane Boat Painting 0433 356 620

Repairs

• All electric motor brands • Australia wide freight • Quick turn around • Authorised Minn Kota/Watersnake repairer

T&S Marine (07) 5546 2599 Whitewater Marine (07) 5532 4402

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND Brisbane Yamaha (07) 3888 1727 Caloundra Marine (07) 5491 1944 Capalaba Boat Centre 04011 728 379 Coorparoo Marine (07) 3397 4141 Cunningham Marine Centre (07) 3284 8805 Holt Marine (07) 3353 1928 Northside Marine (07) 3265 8029 Stones Corner Marine (07) 3397 9766

NORTH QUEENSLAND Reef Marine Mackay (07) 4957 3521

www.trymax.com.au PHONE: 07 3245 3633

Unit 4/1440 New Cleveland Road Capalaba

MARINE OUTBOARD WRECKERS TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND North Queensland Outboard Wreckers Townsville 1800 812 748

FISH TAXIDERMY Fish Taxidermist www.fishtaxidermy.net.au or 0428 544 841

FISHING GUIDES CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Lake Monduran Barra Charters 0407 434 446

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Hooked On Hinchinbrook www.hookedonhinchinbrook.com

This section in QLD 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. 92

APRIL 2019

Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory MARINE TRIMMERS SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND Affordable Boat Covers Gold Coast 0419 424 587 Brisbane Yamaha (07) 3888 1727 Rays Canvas & Marine Caboolture (07) 5499 4911 Rowland Street Boat Trimmers Springwood (07) 3208 9511

Dave Gaden’s Yamba • Deep Sea

REEL TIME FISHING CHARTERS

ALL YOUR FISHING MONTHLY GEAR

The Islander Retreat, South Stradbroke Island 0420 967 557

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION FRASER ISLAND Apurla Island Retreat 0437 739 121 Cathedrals on Fraser (07) 4127 9177 Eurong Beach Resort 1800 111 808 Fraser Island Beach Houses 1800 626 230 Waddy Lodge on Fraser 0414 516 364 Yidney Rocks (07) 4127 9167

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Baffle Creek Holiday House 0419 624 833

COOKTOWN River of Gold Motel 4069 5222

MACKAY BEL AIR MOTEL, MACKAY - PLENTY OF ROOM FOR BOATS AND TRAILERS.............PH: 07 4957 3658 FRESHWATER Lake Boondooma Caravan Park (07) 4168 9694 Lake Cressbrook Regional Council 131 872 Yallakool Caravan Park on Bjelke-Petersen Dam (07) 4168 4746 Yallakool Park and Kiosk on Bjelke-Petersen Dam (07) 4168 4746

From

T-Shirts

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N O W AVA IL A B L E $

• 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

22 85

Phone Dave today: www.fishingyamba.com.au 0428 231 962 OPEN 7 DAYS

EASY PARKING

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

Phone Cases From

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CHARTER BOATS Clocks $

GOLD COAST BK’s Gold Coast Fishing Charters 0414 293 034 Coastal Sports Fishing Charters Gold Coast 0412 691 929 Discovery Fishing Charters Gold Coast 0427 026 519 Fish The Deep Charters 0416 224 412 Gold Coast Fishing Charters 0411 605 090 Gone Fishing Charters Gold Coast (07) 5529 7833 Hooker 1 Charters Gold Coast (07) 5528 6469 My Charter Boat Tweed Heads 0407 347 446 Paradise Fishing Charters 0403 531 428 RU4 Reel Tweed Heads 0449 903 366 Sea Probe Fishing Charters 0400 312 330 True Blue Fishing Gold Coast (07) 5510 9622

BRISBANE Big Cat Charters and Tom Cat Charters 0433 430 248 Brisbane Fishing Charters 0427 026 510 Bucket List Fishing Charters 0428 368 316 Frenzy Charters Brisbane (07) 3209 4576 John Gooding Outlaw Charters 0418 738 750 Moreton Island Fishing Charters 0413 128 056

SUNSHINE COAST Fish n Crab Charters Mooloolaba 0412 155 814 Fishing Offshore Noosa 0418 889 956 Hervey Bay Fishing Charters (07) 4125 3958 Incredible Charters 1300 655 818 Keely Rose Deep Sea Fishing Charters 0407 146 151 Noosa Fishing Charters (07) 5665 8170 Odyssey Charters Deep Sea Fishing (07) 5478 1109 Offshore Reef and Game Fishing 0413 485 402 Rainbow Beach Fishing Charters 0439 775 070 Smithy’s Fishing Charters Sunshine Coast 0407 574 868 Sunshine Coast Fishing Charters (07) 5500 0671 Top Catch Charters Sunshine Coast 0429 013 012

42 7 0

Carry Bags From

www.herveybaysportfishing.com.au

Andrew Chorley

0407 627 852

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND (Cont.) Bundaberg Fishing Charters 0429 017 217 Sport Fish 1770 (07) 4974 9686 Coral Coast Game Fishing 0447 347 437 Norval Reef Charters 1800 771 234 Iluka Fishing Charters Gladstone 0414 940 911 Kanimbla Charters Gladstone1800 677 202

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Action Charters Mackay 0417 452 346 Cairns Charter Boat 0427 533 081 Cairns Fishing Charters 0427 400 027 Cairns Reef Charter Services 1800 119 044 Eclipse FNQ Weipa Charters 0488 058 668 Fairdinkum Fishing Charters Townsville (07) 4751 5324 Fish’s Fly & Sportsfishing Weipa (07) 4069 9957 Fishing Charters Townsville 0403 386 722 JC’s Fishing Charters 0438 753 382

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

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Advertisers wanting to be involved in this directory can call (07) 3387 0834 or email nkelly@fishingmonthly.com.au APRIL 2019

FUN PAGE AND COMPETITIONS WHITING DORY SNAPPER PIGFISH MAHIMAHI FLATHEAD SALMON MACKEREL LUDERICK CUTTLEFISH

BEST EATING FISH IN TIME FOR EASTER

DTD - REAL FISH OITA

BOARFISH TILAPIA TROUT FLOUNDER COD KINGFISH AMBERJACK TUNA WAHOO GROUPER

Name: Address:

P/Code:

The first correct entry at the end of each month will win the prize pack. SEND ENTRIES TO: QLD Find-a-word Competition, PO box 3172, Loganholme Qld 4129

QLD APRIL 2019

Phone (day):

FINS SCALES & TALES by A. Both

The ‘Real Fish Oita’ is an incredible, award winning squid jig manufactured in Europe by leading Croatian company - DTD. Taking out the coveted ‘best new product’ in its class at the EFTTEX 2015 Expo in Warsaw, this wonderful range is now available in Australia through Dogtooth Distribution. The product imitates real fish species. This coupled with DTD’s use of only the highest grade materials available, ensures great balance and results in superior catching ability. With the unique ‘fish parasite’ feature, aimed at luring predators in for an ‘easy kill’, these truly unique jigs are set to explode into the Australian market. FEATURES - Double weight system with inner weight designed to produce sound while squid jig is in action. COLOURS - 7 different designs representing popular fish species. ADDITIONAL - Luminous body, fish parasite, great balance, sound effect, quality stainless steel hooks SIZES - 5 Sizes available www.dogtoothdistribution.com.au

SPOT THE

10 DIFFERENCES

GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy

ORIGINAL

FIND-A-WORD

Congratulations to, Ian Mackellar who was last month’s winner of the Find-a-Word Competition! Monthly winners receive a Fishing Monthly prize pack. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – QFM

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE

The subscriber prize winners for February are P Yarrow of Ipswich, C White of Taringa, and R Godwin of Gympie, who each won a Salt-Away kit valued at $99.90. All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

of Raceview, W Jolley of Scarness, D Mayers of Northfield, B Frankel of Urangan, J Paul of Inverell, P Larkin of Shoalhaven Heads, L Dewar of Roma, R Treacy of Frenchville, R Quill of Tin Can Bay, M Goodwin of Cardwell, B Mumbray of Yorkeys Knob, K Cook of Bli Bli, B Freier of Ningi, G Sprott of Glenlee, R Kunde of Beerwah, T Davidson of Guyra, M Gillett of Boonah, R Styan of Toowoomba, K

Goodman of Mount Morgan, T Gyte of Aspley, A Scott of Proserpine, T Grice of Caboolture, A Roods of Port MacQuarie, D Whaite of Tuchekoi, A Bragg of Mount Isa, G Watter of Ripley, B Tieman of Buxton, J Routledge of Kepnock, B Devine of Pialaba, J Bowyer of Blackall, and P Fels of Cushnie. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS

FIND THE GAMAKATSU LOGO

GUESS THE FISH?

The answers to Find the Gamakatsu Logo for February were: 10, 15, 26, 30, 40, 45, 49, 83, 86, 88, 96, 98, 112, 125, 129. – QFM

APRIL 2019

This month’s Guess the Fish Answer: Spanish Mackerel

The Find the Gamakatsu Logo prize winners for February were: A Hall of Lucinda, D Skewes of Bli Bli, C George of Carrara, P Fielder of Everton Hills, C Rowe of Loganhome, W Sommerfield of Toowoomba, C Bust of Mackay, A Hewlett of Mothar Mountain, K O’Brien of Burrum Heads, W Robinson

Answer:

boats & kayaks

In the skipper’s seat 96 Passage paddlin’

Inside story...

Troy Brown explores the water between Bribie Island and the mainland to uncover its yak fishing options!

Stessco is an Australian owned and operated family business. With a love of fishing and boating, Stessco has built a wide-ranging network of dealerships, with the goal of providing customers with dependable, value-for-money aluminium boats. Stessco prides itself on the wide variety of options available which can be added to the already wide range of different vessels.

98 Polycraft 300 Tuffy

Made for...

102 New from Savage

Anglers who are after a reliable tinny that can be customised to suit their individual requirements and fishing style.

This month...

QFM’s Bob Thornton climbs into the Breezaway 460 with a Yamaha F90hp. Check it out on page 106!

Bob Thornton checks out the updated version of the smallest member of the Polycraft family.

100 Winter kayak prep Justin Willmer looks at how you can prep your kayak for the winter ahead.

Wayne Kampe checks out three new hulls from Australia’s oldest aluminium boat brand!

104 Bassco Tornado

Editor Steve Morgan takes a ride in this exciting new inshore/ offshore rig, powered by a 115hp Mercury Pro XS!

APRIL 2019

Bassco Tornado CC with 115hp Mercury Pro XS - SC

TENT -

RE ONLINE MO

Main: The Bassco Tornado is a locally designed and built centreconsole that is a rare combination – it holds a stack of tackle efficiently and you can seriously tackle oceanic species. Above: Wayne Mauger is equally at home on an estuary of Port Phillip Bay in his Tornado. You’ll notice that Wayne has accessorised his Tornado to the hilt. boats seemingly well built, but they will hold the gear of the biggest tackle junkie for a social or tournament angler. Bassco customer Wayne Mauger brought his Tornado along to the test day. He came out of an American built Triton bass boat into the Bassco and couldn’t be happier. “This boat does

SPECIFICATIONS Length........................................................5.0m Beam........................................................2.07m Transom.Deadrise ...................................... 20° Capacity ............................................ 4 persons Max.hp ..................................................... 115hp (special build 150hp available) Hull.Weight .............................................. 690kg 104

APRIL 2019

everything that my bass boat used to do, but I can still get out and fish offshore,” Wayne said. “I like to sit down when I drive a centre console – which is unusual – but to me, this handles like a 7m boat,” he continued. Unfortunately, the test day was glamour , with not a ripple on the water, so we couldn’t independently test the tide in nasty conditions, but we did see how much tackle this thing gobbles up. With eight rods under the deck and another six around the console, the Tornado boasts 14-rod storage along with 20 tackle trays that are actually accessible. Whether you are needing

DE FOR EX

It’s hard not to get enthusiastic when talking to Michael Boag from Bassco boats. The Gippsland Lakes boat builder has a solid history in building big, dieselpowered fibreglass boats and only recently turned his hand to making smaller boats designed for fishing. Cleverly, though, when doing his R&D, Michael enlisted the help of anglers. “I know it’s a strange concept – actually talking to the guys who will use the boat,” he quipped sarcastically during the video interview (scan the QR code hereby for details), “but for me, layout and the ability for a boat to securely hold all of your gear and to keep it dry is a benchmark that I judge a fishing boat by.” After all, locally built craft have to compete with imported fishing boats that have had decades to evolve to a point where they are a pleasure to use. I’m happy to report that not only are the Bassco

s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

a livewell or a kill box, there’s a great, plumbed box under the console seat that serves both purposes. Powered by a 115hp Pro XS Mercury, this sure is a fun boat to drive. The 2.1L 4-stroke powerplant delivered great economy at 4,000rpm cruising speed (2.4km/L at 46km/h) but stretched out to a mid-70km/h maximum at 6,200rpm. There’s also a cavernous fuel tank underfloor, boasting 140L capacity and a theoretical range of around 350km, and that’s plenty for a weekend away! With a package price of $50,999 for the boat/motor and trailer, it’s up to you after that to accessorise with electronics and electric motors of your choosing. Wayne certainly hasn’t skimped in any of these

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PERFORMANCE RPM...... Speed.(km/h) Idle .......................... 4 1000 ......................... 8 2000....................... 12 3000....................... 29 4000....................... 46 5000....................... 61 6000....................... 74 6200 ....................... 76 areas, with top of the line Humminbird and MinnKota gear finishing his rig exactly as he likes it. For more information, give Michael Boag a call on 0417 545 593 or visit their Facebook page (Bassco Boats). They don’t have a website yet, so don’t look for them there. But if you’re considering a local alternative to an imported fishing boat, you do need to throw a Bassco into the mix!

The Tornado jumps onto the plane easily with the 115 Pro XS Mercury. Wayne likes driving his centre console while sitting down.

Top: It’s impractical to flush mount a sounder into the console, yet the Humminbird fills the console top nicely. Above: Step up to the front deck for your lure casting. From the console forwards, it looks and fishes like a bass boat (but without any carpet).

There’s plenty of room to move up front – and the grab rail is a handy place to grab while you are doing so.

I dare any angler to be unimpressed by the cavernous central rod and tackle storage. This one holds 8 rods and 14 tackle trays, while being dry and secure.

Moderate transom deadrise offers a balance between wave cutting ability and shallow water draft.

Top: Plenty of anglers nowadays appreciate a carpet-free interior. You do your cleaning with a brush and hose rather than a wet-and-dry vacuum cleaner. Left: The transom is clean with access points contained behind access hatches Right: You can store more rods in the side pockets if 8 isn’t enough in the central locker. Too many rods isn’t enough.

Top: A single-axled trailer with mechanical override brakes is all that’s needed and this rig is towable behind most family cars. Left: Single-axled trailers allow for easier manoeuvrability in confined spaces – like a standard garage. Right: Mercury’s 2.1L 115 Pro XS 4-stroke is a class-leading power plant that adds excitement to any performance craft. It matches the red hull nicely, just quietly. It delivered maximum economy of 2.4km/L, giving a theoretical range of around 350km with the 140L fuel tank.

You know that the Tornado will turn heads at the ramp and on the water. The boat drives on and off the trailer with ease. APRIL 2019

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Stessco Breezaway 460 with Yamaha F90hp - SC

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put on a purpose-built trailer, and not just any old trailer from a yard somewhere. For extra peace of mind, the Yamaha F70hp comes with a 4-year warranty.

easily achievable if you were on your own or with people less experienced in boating. Pulling the loaded trailer back out of the water can be done with a standard

Main: The 460 is the middle child in the Breezaway range, with a 440 and 480 also available. Above: Adrian Beil from Stessco certainly made the 460 look easy to operate in a little bit of chop – probably because it was! LAUNCHING Launching couldn’t be any easier with the Breezaway, with the boat quietly sliding off the composite bunk/roller trailer with ease, with retrieval being just trouble free. Even in windy conditions, launching this boat by yourself would be

family sedan or small 4WD, with no specialised towing vehicle needed. ON THE WATER The Breezaway 460 has been designed with one goal in mind, and that is to make it easy to operate, and Stessco achieves this by making everything as open

takes a ski pole or bait board, which Stessco can provide. The working space behind the cockpit is as open as possible, with only one underdeck storage hatch, which would make an ideal kill tank. There is also storage under both gunwales to stow any small or long items out

of harm’s way. This working space is extremely versatile, and perfect for taking extra people, ski tubes, fishing tackle or camping gear. Up toward the cockpit, the new Stessco bolster-style seats are super comfortable, even with the deteriorating conditions in South East Queensland’s Pumicestone Passage, and swivel easily. There’s no rocking or wobbling, even when punching through a bit of chop, and the seats are well-padded for comfort on those longer boating trips. The windscreen provided protection from any splash that made it over the bow, and featured a design that allows quick and safe access to the anchor well. Under the front deck is enough room to put any larger items that need to be kept dry, such as camping gear. A lockable glove box is another handy feature not often seen in boats of this size. The dash layout is very simple and easy to navigate, with a flush mounted sounder diminishing the need to fit and re-fit a unit every time you launch the boat, and gadgets and switches all within flicking distance of the steering wheel. POWER The test boat was fitted with a Yamaha F70hp – the maximum horsepower for

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Length (mm) ................................................ 5054 Beam (mm) .................................................. 2100 Depth (mm)...................................................1150 Bottom sides (mm) ........................................... 3 Top sides (mm) .................................................. 3 Max. hp ............................................................ 70 Max. transom weight.....................................175 Transom height ..............................................20” Max no. people ................................................. 5 Base boat hull weight (kg) ........................... 390

and accessible as possible. The transom is an open design, meaning there’s ready access to the battery, fuel filter and splash well, which at the same time are well housed and safe from the weather. A small transom door is perfect for accessing the boat from the rear, which is also possible from the bank, as this range of runabouts draws so little water. Not only was this boat easy to pull into the shallow water transom first – we still had to stop it from drifting away! With versatility being the middle name of this boat, it also has a simple mount above the splash well that

Stessco has always produced fantastic boat/motor/trailer packages, and being an Australian boat builder, they cater very well to Australian conditions and lifestyles. While they have always built great hulls for specific purposes, some buyers just want something that will get them out on the water for a day of fishing, skiing, or just relaxing with friends and family! Perfect for this caper is the runabout style hull, of which Stessco produce many. Boaters will be pleased to know that Stessco offer not one but a range of packages for this category of buyer. This time we will be focussing on the Breezaway 460, with the tested model sporting a Yamaha F70hp at the transom. The Breezaway 460 is part of a family of versatile runabouts, which also includes the 440 and 480. Adrian Beil joined the Fishing Monthly team to take the middle child of this family for a spin. ON THE TRAILER The tested Breezaway came to the ramp on a Stessco trailer OEM built by Dunbier, which comes in either a galvanised or aluminium option. The Breezaway, being part of Stessco’s premium range, when housed on one of these trailers comes with a warranty of five years, as opposed to 24 months when not on a Stessco trailer. Additionally, being a single axle trailer, it makes the whole rig very manoeuvrable not only when towing, but also in the garage with only one person pushing or pulling. There’s no doubt that a boat will have a longer life when

SPECIFICATIONS

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this craft – and it delivered fantastic fuel economy and a top speed of 57km/h in the choppy conditions. Amazingly, there wasn’t a lot of difference between the most economic cruising speed at 43km/h (4500rpm), which delivered 3.1km/L, and the top speed of 57km/h (WOT), which delivered only slightly less, at 2.6km/L. FINAL THOUGHTS This boat, if fitted out correctly, could head offshore, however there are more suitable boats in the Stessco range for regular offshore work. Where the 460 really excels is in the bays, estuaries and lakes with general boating, skiing, camping and fishing in mind. This rig is absolutely perfect for someone who wants maximum usage out of a boat and doesn’t want to have to rob a bank to afford it. As tested, this rig would come home for around the low to mid $30,000s, with different outboards and optional additions affecting this price. If you’d like to check out this boat or any others in the Stessco range, you can jump online and check them out on Instagram and Facebook at ‘Stessco’, or visit their website at www. stessco.com.au.

PERFORMANCE RPM .................. km/L ............................ km/h Idle ........................ 6.3 ....................................3 1000 ...................... 6.1 ....................................4 1500 ...................... 4.1 ....................................8 2000 ...................... 2.8 ....................................9 2500 ...................... 2.3 .................................. 11 3000 ...................... 2.6 .................................. 17 3500 ...................... 2.9 .................................. 27 4000 ...................... 2.9 .................................. 33 4500 ...................... 3.1 .................................. 43 5000 ...................... 2.9 .................................. 48 5500 ...................... 2.6 .................................. 55 WOT ...................... 2.6 .................................. 57

That square in the middle of the windscreen opens up to provide access to the anchor well.

An uncomplicated dash layout with a flush mounted sounder makes this rig very easy for a less experienced boater to operate.

The underfloor kill tank is a handy feature, and means there’s no need to drag a stinky esky on board if you’re after a feed of fish. The anchor well is sensibly-sized and shaped, and isn’t complicted by an anchor winch. Queenslanders are tough like that!

Top: The Stessco trailers OEM built by Dunbier improve the warranty deal, and almost definitely the longevity of the boat. Above: Launching the 460 was no hassle, with the rig sliding off without any back-breaking pushing or shoving.

Having an open transom means you can access the battery on the water should anything go wrong. Although open, it was well-housed and safe from spray.

Stessco’s OEM built trailers by Dunbier come in a aluminium or galvanised option.

Side pockets offered storage for small or long items, well out of harm’s way. The work area behind the cockpit is left deliberately empty and free.

Top: Extra seating via a lounge is a great idea, and gives younger passengers the chance to feel the open air and enjoy their boating experience with safety. Above: The open transom and work area would make any onwater activity very easy and safe for all passengers aboard.

While 70hp is the maxiumum horsepower the 460 can take, it felt just right for the boat, and offered excellent fuel economy, even at WOT! APRIL 2019

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