Queensland Fishing Monthly August 2018 by Fishing Monthly

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Features Estuary tactics and hotspots • More 4WDing options for Fraser • Macintyre mayhem • Catching bigger snapper • Fathers’ Day gift ideas •

Boating & Kayaking Brisbane River kayaking • Trailer boat care • Battery black magic • Stessl 485 Apache Pro • Sea Jay 610 Preda-King • Whittley CR2800 • Quintrex 530 Frontier •

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August 2018, Vol. 30 No. 10

Contents NORTHERN NEW SOUTH WALES Yamba 20 Ballina 22 SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND The Tweed 24 Southern Gold Coast 25 Jumpinpin 26 Gold Coast Canals 27 Gold Coast 30 Southern Bay 32 Brisbane 34 Brisbane Offshore 36 Northern Bay 37 Noosa 38 CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Hervey Bay 42 Rainbow Beach 43 Bundaberg 44 Lake Monduran 44 Rockhampton 45 Yeppoon 46 Mackay 47 Gladstone 49 TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Whitsundays 50 Ayr 51 Hinchinbrook 51 Townsville 52 Cairns 53 Cairns NFZ 53 Port Douglas 54 Lucinda 54 Cape York 55 Cooktown 55

From the Editor’s Desk... BRISBANE BOAT SHOW FEATURE Each year, we enjoy catching up with so many of our readers at the Brisbane Boat Show. The show itself has had its ups and downs over the years and has moved between the RNA Showgrounds and the Brisbane Convention Centre several times. A couple of years ago, Marine Queensland (the show organisers) was merged into the NSW BIA, and the professional team got to work getting the show back to where it should be. Last year saw an upswing in numbers for the first time in years. So we are enjoying a renewed focus for the show, and our expanded Brisbane Boat Show feature in this issue reflects that. Of course, the first thing you need to do when you come through the doors is

to track down the Fishing Monthly stand and come and get your free gift for subscribing or renewing at the show. We love hearing your feedback about the magazine, and lots of your ideas over the years have made it into the pages. Except the guy that wanted a free boat with each subscription. Sorry buddy – no can do! In a world where we’re spending way too much time staring at screens, we

know you’ll love our curated content on a printed page. Delivered straight to you, every month. FATHER’S DAY Of course, if you can’t make it to the show, a Queensland Fishing Monthly subscription is the Fathers’ Day gift that keeps on giving. Just think about how awesome Dad will think you are when his FM magazine arrives in the post every month. You can call the office on 1800 228 244 to get it done or

just follow the links on www. fishingmonthly.com.au. VON IRELAND Staff at the office were sad to hear of the passing of our Stanage Bay correspondent, Von Ireland after a battle with cancer. Famous for her updates from the popular fishing location, she was well known here for always emailing her reports to our editor, Bob. She’d send them to ‘editorbob@ fishingmonthly.com.au’ and we’d always have to track them down because that email address didn’t exist. After a while, we decided it would be much easier if we just made an ‘editorbob’ email address. It is now his official email address, and his nickname is now Editor Bob. So Von, rest in peace and know that you have a legacy at Fishing Monthly. And Editor Bob is proud of it.

Field Editors: Jason Ehrlich Wayne Kampe Publishers: Steve Morgan Matthew Drinkall

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REGULAR FEATURES Back to Basics 16 Black Magic Master Class 39 Camping and 4WD 64 Cooking 74 Dam Levels 58 Freshwater 58 Fun Page 82 Junior Southern 29 Politics and fishing 56 Sheik of the Creek 65 Suntag 72 Tech Tricks 18 Tournament News 75 Track my fish 80 Trades and Services 90 What’s New Fishing 68 What’s New Boating 86 SPECIAL FEATURES Estuary tactics and hotpots Catching bigger snapper More 4WDing option on Fraser Lure expo awards Mayhem on the Macintyre Father’s Day gift ideas Brisbane Boat Show guide

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Estuary tactics and hot spots BRISBANE

Sean Thompson

The term ‘estuary’ basically covers the transition zone between the mouth of a river (where it enters the open sea) and the upper limits its brackish reach. Estuaries include rivers, bays, harbours, creeks and lakes connected to the sea. The variety of fish

according to the time of year, the water temperature, water colour and more. This article outlines a number of estuary hot spots and provides a range of tips and tactics on how to fish them. KEY INFLUENCES Before we detail how best to target specific areas of the estuary, it is worth outlining a few key natural influences on how and where the fish might reside and feed in an estuary.

Rock walls are popular locations but if you don’t know how to fish them you can lose a lot of tackle. species available in Australian estuaries is nearly as diverse as the types of structure in which to fish. From whiting and bream to barramundi and mulloway, estuaries are a great location to fish, whether you want to soak a bait while relaxing on a chair by the river’s edge, or patrol up and down throwing lures from a boat. To successfully fish estuaries, anglers need to understand the types of habitat that will hold fish as well as how to fish them. Entrances, jetties, oyster racks, deep holes, rock walls, tributaries and bridges – the list of estuary habitats goes on and on. Anglers also need to know what species to target at these locations and be prepared to vary their location and strategy

Natural influences Some of the biggest natural influences on estuaries include: • Moons and tides; • The effect of the wind; • Rain and water colour; • Water temperature; • Whether the estuary is currently open to the sea; and • Current and tidal influences. This article will not go into the detail of the influence of the moons and tides as it was covered in the July 2016 edition of Queensland Fishing Monthly, and it’s also available on the new FM website at wp.fishingmonthly.com.au. The main consideration worth noting here is simply that the tidal movement in the estuary around the new and full moon will be greater, i.e. higher highs and lower lows. Otherwise, some of the key

natural influences on estuary fishing, and their impacts on the fishing, are outlined below. MAKING THE MOST OF NATURAL INFLUENCES Wind Wind lanes on the water attract insects and fish. You should use the wind to make longer casts and use an electric motor to position your boat when drifting against the wind. Fish the leeward (downwind) side of an estuary in strong winds. Be aware of the effect of winds from different directions, and remember that wind can affect water temperature as it can push currents along. Rain/water colour After heavy rain you should fish cleaner water near entrances. Saltwater is heavier than fresh, so deep holes will hold fish after heavy rain. Match your lure to the water colour, e.g. use black/dark lures (for a silhouette effect) or bright lures in dirty water. Fish the rising tide in dirty water as cleaner water pushes into the system. Water temperature In winter, the best fishing can be around midday as the estuary waters warm. Shallow bays, water near rocks and muddy bottoms all tend to have warmer water. Look for variations in temperature on your sounder to see if the water is too hot or cold. Fishing cooler water at night or early in the morning can be better for some species in summer. Open or closed Estuaries that have been open in the warmer months but closed during winter can have great prawning in spring. Estuaries which were closed but open up to the ocean will have fantastic fishing at the entrance as bait tries to escape to the open sea. Closed estuaries will have more even water temperatures, and on average warmer water.

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Closed estuaries that aren’t commercially fished can have some big fish in deep holes. Current/tide Estuary entrances are best fished around the change of tide due to strong current flow. Some fish, such as whiting, will follow the tide up and down an estuary, so you should follow the tides as well. Learn the ‘rule of 1/12s’ in terms of tidal movement, e.g. 6/12ths (or half) of the tidal movement occurs in the middle two hours of the tide. Aim your lures to ensure they move with the direction of the tide, not against it, for the best presentation. Other influences Man-made influences on an estuary include environmental spills, commercial fishing pressure and boat traffic. However, the timing and influence of these tends to be harder to predict. Anglers should just be aware of them and adapt as required. This means following Fisheries advice in the case of spills, fishing snaggy or shallow

A hook-up on a big Australian salmon behind an estuary entrance in big seas. Northern NSW, are surrounded by rock walls that host big fish such as mulloway, tuna and kingfish at times. Others, such as Noosa in South East QLD have mid-depth entrances and are popular locations in winter for tailor on pilchards and lures, and luderick on weed. Some estuary entrances, such as Jumpinpin on the Gold Coast, have deep water inside their entrance, which also attracts schools of tailor and

A small but feisty golden trevally caught in the busy Noosa River, in a bay away from the crowds. areas where commercial nets can’t get into, or moving away from areas that have heavy boat traffic. Finally, it is important that anglers have a bit of knowledge about their main target species and the best time of year to fish for them. It is no use fishing for them if they aren’t there! Now we have these key influences covered, let’s take a look at some estuary hot spots and how to fish them. ENTRANCES Entrances are top fishing locations, whether you’re fishing from a boat or from the shore. The fishing technique you should employ will depend on the structure, i.e. whether the entrance is rocky, sandy, shallow or deep. Be aware that entrances can also be subject to strong tidal flows, so they are best fished within 1-2 hours either side of a tide change. Eddies or channels behind the entrance are also good spots, and can be fished mid-tide due to their location out of the main tidal flow. Some deep estuary entrances, such as Yamba in

huge flathead. Others entrances can be quite shallow and are perfect to fish for species such as whiting, bream and flathead. These fish will sit in the surf just outside the entrance under the foam in melon holes and little gutters, or as the tide comes in, they will feed inside the entrance on the flats or in the shallow channels behind the beach. Entrances can also fire

after heavy rain has flushed fish from further upstream. The first few hours of the rising tide are best as new, clean water is pushed into the estuary, bringing with it predators chasing the bait that has been flushed out. Likewise, the protected water just inside the entrance can also fire for species such as tailor and salmon in heavy seas. Rough conditions force the baitfish inside to seek protection, and the predators soon follow. Closed lakes that only open to the ocean after heavy rain events, or by man-made intervention, are also brilliant spots to fish. All the prawns, baitfish and other bait that flees to the open ocean will attract bigger predators – everything from tailor and salmon to the mighty mulloway. BOAT RAMPS Some of the most underrated and under-utilised fishing locations are boat ramps. This is particularly true if the ramp has fish cleaning facilities, as all the discarded bait and fish offal from filleting brings fish into the area. These spots are best fished late in the day or at night when most of the boats have gone home. If the ramp has a permanent light source that’s even better, as it not only helps you see at night but it attracts baitfish as well, bringing even more predators into the area. Boat ramps are best fished using very lightly-weighted or unweighted fish flesh such as mullet, striped tuna or pilchard

Permanent light sources at night will attract baitfish and thus predators.

pieces, as these will be a common food source for the area. A good choice of hooks is 1/0 suicide or 1/0 circle hooks. BREAK WALLS Break walls are man-made structures at the entrance to estuaries that jut out into the surf zone, in an effort to create safe passage to open water for boaties. They are also excellent fishing platforms for anglers, and provide structure for boat anglers to fish as well. However, due to their rocky terrain, heavy loss of sinkers and rigs can result around break walls if they’re not fished properly. Many of the break walls at the entrance to rivers have a strong tidal flow that pushes rigs around easily, and they soon become snagged. So how should you fish them? Techniques From a boat, you should vary your technique according to the tide when targeting the break wall. Due to the strong water flow, plastics and vibes are best cast and retrieved during the hour and a half or so either side of the change of tide. Outside this period, ‘tea bagging’ (lifting your lure up and down) is possible while drifting with heavier jigheads, although trolling is another great technique with deeper diving lures. Land-based fishing from a break wall offers a lot of opportunities and is one of

Kayaks can be a great way to get around shallow flats and bays. the most popular locations for anglers to fish at night, given the access to deeper water and good fishing. Tailor and salmon are popular target species off rock walls in QLD and NSW, and for good reason. The best way to target these fish is to fish the white water right out the end of the wall, or cast and retrieve into the river or ocean towards the end of the wall around the change of tide. Run your light sinker (1-2 ball or bean) right down to your ganged hooks to help avoid tackle loss if you’re casting and retrieving. You can also throw heavier sinkers out and let the bait sit when there is less run around the change of the tide. Another technique to

target these fish is to use a ganged pilchard under a float to keep the bait off the bottom, reducing the chance of snagging up. You can also add a glow stick to the float at night to keep a watchful eye on it. Throwing metals (like Halco Twisties and Spanyid Raiders), bibless lures (like Duel Adagios) or big minnow lures off break walls is also a great option for tailor, salmon and mulloway. Mulloway like to the hunt at the river entrances after a flush. Bream and flathead are other popular targets off the wall. A good approach is to fish close to the wall, walking your baits. Alternatively you can cast against the tide and let your bait drift naturally with it,

then retrieve it as it gets close to the rocks. ‘Walking the wall’ involves casting the bait out and then walking parallel with the bait along the wall as far as possible with the tide, then retrieving and heading back upcurrent to start again. Luderick are another popular species off break walls, although they require a much more specialised technique. This involves walking the wall with small stick floats with cabbage or green weed baits. You can get green weed from the backwaters of nearby creeks, or cabbage weed from the rocks. ROCKY POINTS AND WALLS There are of course other rocks, both naturally occurring and man-made in and along estuaries that are also good spots to target fish. Man-made rock walls often drop into deep water and are best fished using similar techniques to break walls according to the tide. Once again, they are great places to ‘walk the wall’ from the shore, or drift parallel to them in a boat with lures, or even bait or trolling beside them during the middle stages of the tide. Isolated rock patches in an estuary can also hold bream, and are top places to use topwater stickbaits and poppers for bream and trevally, particularly if the rocks are

only just covered by water on high tide. Rocky points are also good spots to target as they break the current flow, and the backwaters created near them will often hold baitfish and therefore predatory species. These are top spots to anchor near with flesh baits. OYSTER LEASES Oyster leases are a wellknown hot spot for bream. However, several other species are caught around their perimeter including flathead, trevally and whiting. They are attracted not only by the molluscs growing on the racks (and those that fall off as they

are farmed) but also due to the amount of baitfish attracted to the structure of assorted posts and racks. There are a few ways in which you can fish oyster leases and their surrounds. Whichever way you choose, always be polite to oyster farmers and remember it is their private property and livelihood, so avoid damaging their racks and oysters. One less common but very productive method of fishing oyster leases is to troll shallow diving lures (such as Lively Lures Micro Mullets, Tilsan Minnows and Zerek Tango To page 12

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Tech Tricks

Exploring fly tying equipment PART TWO BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

In last month’s article we looked at the three most important tools required to get you into the fly tying arena. While a fly vice, scissors and bobbin are the only necessities for the fly tyer, there are a lot of other tools that can make certain tasks a lot easier, allowing you to tie flies faster and more accurately to generally produce a better end result. Let’s look at a few of the more commonly used fly tying tools and some of their more common uses.

BODKIN Basically a metal pick, a bodkin has a lot of uses for the fly tyer. It can be used to accurately apply head cement, epoxy and soft dip to your flies. Additionally a bodkin is great for teasing out individual fibres (such as dubbings), helping with thread positioning while whip finishing by hand, punching holes through foams and skins, cleaning out clogged hook eyes and many other tasks. Sometimes a bodkin will have a hollow ended handle designed to be used as a half hitch tool.

HACKLE PLIERS There are many different styles, sizes and shapes of these tools yet all have the same basic use. Hackle pliers are used to grip the tip of a hackle as you palmer (wind) it onto a hook. Trying to do this task by hand can be quite difficult as the hackle tips are quite slick and easily slip from grasp. Additionally as you get close to the hook it is difficult to grip the hackle between thumb and forefinger while tying off. The hackle plier grips the hackle tip and hangs beneath the vice while you complete this task. The conventional teardrop style of hackle plier is still used, however rotating hackle pliers (which have a rotating handle) have become very popular due to ease of use.

WHIP FINISHER The knot to secure fly tying thread once your pattern is completed is called a whip finish. While this is possible to do by hand, a whip finishing tool can make the task a lot easier, especially when tying small flies, such as those used for trout fishing. There are four main designs of whip finishing tools, the standard, improved, Dan and Matarelli. They all come in an array of sizes, some possessing a rotary style handle. The basic function and use of all whip finishers is the same – they make numerous wraps of thread over the main tag end to provide a secure knot that will not come undone. This is toughened and secured further by adding a drop of head cement, flex-cement or vinyl cement.

HAIR PACKER When tying hair patterns, especially floating flies such as Dahlbergs, bass bugs etc. it is important that the hair fibres are packed tightly onto the hook shank to increase and ensure floatation. Once the hair is tied securely onto the hook shank a hair packer is used to push it along the shank against the previous hair stack to compact it. Rolling the hair packer in your fingers as you do this can help to distribute the hair more evenly around the shank. While this is a task that can be done by hand, a hair packer makes the task a lot easier. Hair packers come in a few styles and sizes however most are a simple solid tube with a hole in the end that is large enough for the hook eye to enter.

HAIR STACKER For anglers tying Dahlbergs, Bass Bugs, Muddlers, elk hair caddis and other patterns using deer, bear, elk, antelope and other stiff hairs, a hair packer will be your best friend. This tubular device has an internal tubular insert and allows you to even up the tip or butt ends of hair fibres. The hair fibres are put into the stacker and then it is tapped on a hard surface so that all the hair ends stack evenly against the bottom. The insert is then slid out, the hair stack removed and the fibres tied into the fly. Hair stackers generally come in two different sizes.

BOBBIN THREADER The thin tube of bobbins is often hard to get thread through while setting up your bobbin. Over time wax from waxed threads can partially clog the bobbin tube. This can be removed periodically by boiling your bobbins for a minute or two in water, but a bobbin threader will assist in getting the thread sorted in the meantime. Additionally those with failing eyesight will find it much easier to thread their bobbin. A bobbin threader is an elongated version of a needle threader. The thin wire loop of the threader is inserted down through the bobbin tube then the thread is poked through this wire loop. The threader is pulled back out and the thread is dragged through with it. The older I get, the more I rely on my bobbin threader.

AUGUST 2018

Tech Tricks

MIDGE HEAD For tying extremely small flies, a midge head can make the task a lot easier. For those with conventional vices, holding a very small hook (size #12 to #24) is relatively difficult as the jaw is too wide. Also, cheaper vices may not close sufficiently to hold such thin hooks. A midge head is a small vice jaw that can be affixed into the jaws of a conventional vice. The hook is then held securely with these smaller jaws (the midge head) while you are tying. Instead of having to buy an entirely new vice to tie smaller patterns you only need a midge head. These come in two sizes and are less than $20.

TUBE FLY TOOL Not all flies are tied directly onto the hook. Some larger flies are tied onto a thin tube to create a tube fly. A leader is then threaded through the tube and the hooks tied onto it. Tube flies are commonly used for larger pelagic specimens where two hooks are snelled to the leader to promote maximum hook-up potential. Tube flies also allow the leader and hooks to be changed easily if they get damaged. To tie a tube fly you will need a tube fly tool. Without this tool it’s extremely hard (almost impossible) to hold the tube while you tie. Tube fly tools can start at less than $30 but can cost more than four times this for some of the high quality ones. The tube fly tool is firstly secured into the jaws of your vice. The tube is threaded onto the metal spike (generally with a bead at each end to stop it spinning) and this is tightened into the body of the tube fly tool. Without this tool you will find it almost impossible to tie any style of tube fly.

BONE COMB Although this handy item is commonly called a bone comb it is more commonly made from horn or antler. This is used to preen longer fibres and help combine and even them once they are tied into the fly. It will also preen out and remove any unsecured fibres. Many synthetic materials (especially Polar Fibre) will become frizzy if combed with a plastic comb however the horn/antler comb doesn’t affect it. The bone comb is especially handy for those tying larger streamer patterns with fine synthetic materials.

GARBAG While it’s not strictly a tool required to tie a fly, the garbag is an extremely useful item for the fly tyer. Basically this is a small canvas bag that is positioned under the jaws of your vice (both pedestal and clamp models) to catch all the trimmings of materials. The garbag attaches to the stem of the vice and is clamped into the desired position directly under the fly or just forward of the vice. For those tying indoors it will save you a lot of cleaning up afterwards.

TEASE TOOL This simple little tool is basically a metal handle with the hook side of some Velcro on one end. This is used to tease out the fibres of materials such as dubbings, leech yarn and wools. The tiny hooks of the Velcro pad will grab the individual fibres and pull them as you stroke it across the material. Errant fibres will be removed from the fly. The tease tool is especially useful for halo patterns such as Muz Wilson’s Fuzzle B ugger.

MATERIAL SPRING Many better quality vices come with this handy gadget however it can be purchased as an aftermarket attachment. A material spring or material clip is designed to hold long fibres when tying larger streamer patterns. It is attached to the neck of the vice and the tail fibres of the fly that is being tied are inserted into it to keep them horizontal and out of the way. AUGUST 2018

Awesome bass fishing on again in August SOMERSET DAM

Matthew Taylor

For most of this year, the fishing at Lake Somerset has been very hot and cold. Traditionally, the end of July and beginning of August marks the beginning of consistently productive fishing. It’s time to dust off your fishing gear and plan a trip to Somerset. The beginning of winter saw anglers catch cricket-score

is windy and rainy. On days of inconsistent weather, the schools will generally either scatter or will sit hard on the bottom, making them hard to target and catch. Generally, the only way to tempt these fish is to get them firing on ice-jigs. The 12g Smak Glider is the most proven and commonly used ice-jig, accounting for many large bass in such circumstances. Alternatively, fishing edges with lipless crankbaits is a method that catches a lot of fish on a tough

The gremlin coloured Hot Bite Gangbanger G2 did the trick on this nice bass at the bottom of Queen Street. This is a spoon that is quickly becoming a go-to lure for anglers. numbers of bass on some days, yet struggle to even get a bite on other days. Tough fishing generally coincides with inconsistent weather. By this I mean that one day may be sunny and calm and the next

bite. This has been working very well of late. When doing this, the ghost ayu and brown dog coloured silent Jackall TN60s are my go-to lures. If the weather is consistent for a few days in a row, the

fishing often becomes red-hot and bass over 50cm are nothing out of the norm for anglers. While the ice-jig is a sure way to catch some big fish, you have many more options when it comes to lure selection. Spoons, soft plastics and tailspinners are generally the most successful lures at this time of year, along with Jackall Mask Vibes. This is because it’s not a reaction bite like summer; they are after more subtle and realistic lure presentations. There is a plethora of different types of spoons that all work successfully on bass at different times. However, often it is a case of showing them something new that they haven’t seen before. With the long-awaited return of the brand Pimp My Lure, it would be crazy not to give their new Diamond Back spoon a go. Hot Bite spoons, both the Gangbanger G1 and G2, are also some of my favourites and have been catching a lot of big bass lately. The 3” Charlie Brewer Sliders have long been one of the most successful soft plastics both at Lake Somerset and on bass in general. With these you will need a 1/2 or 5/8oz jighead, as the fish sit deeper in winter and spring than in summer, generally around 30-45ft. There are many types of jigheads on the market; the Smak and Pimp My Lure versions are the two I use most. Of the tailspinners that anglers use, there’s no doubt

that the Hot Bite Jets are the most successful. The new Pimp My Lure S-Bait tailspinner is most definitely also worth a go, as it is a lure that the fish aren’t accustomed to. Tail spinners are a versatile lure that you can use year round, not just in winter and spring. With all these lures, there have been a few main retrieves that anglers have been successfully using. When the fish are suspended, wind your lure for about 8-15 winds and then drop back to the bottom. Minimise slack in your line when doing so, as the fish will often take your lure as it sinks back. When the fish are located on the bottom, slow hopping and super slow rolling will be your best options. However, the retrieve that the fish want can change daily, so mix it up until you find what they want. Schools of bass are still scattered from Pelican Point to Kirkleigh. With the thermocline now relatively deep, there are far more possible areas for bass to school in. Make sure to look at Red Rock, the Happy Clappers, Pelican Point, Bay 13, and the bottom end of Queen Street. The whole far side of the riverbed across from the Lake Somerset Holiday Park often holds numerous schools at this time of year. With the recent cold weather, the water has fully settled and cleared up. Due to this, whites, light blues, silvers, ayus and other light colours have been the most successful, along with

The author with two Smak ice-jig caught bass – it’s a lure you need in your arsenal for big bass from now until the end of spring. combinations of these colours. • When heading to the lake, make sure to set aside some time to drop in and have a look at Somerset Fishing Tackle’s wide range of gear. They are located next to the amenities block in the day use area, so you can’t miss it. For those of you have been waiting for the return of Pimp My Lure, Somerset Fishing Tackle stocks all their new products,

along with many other new innovations. Also offering boat hire, it’s a shop you can’t go past. Alternatively, if you can’t make it to the lake, check them out on Facebook and Instagram, along with their website at www.somersetfishing.com.au. To see more from Matt, you can find him on Instagram (@matthew____ taylor) and Facebook (@ matthewtaylorfishing).

Get set for the 2018 Barra Bash! LAKE TINAROO

Warwick Lyndon

The water temperatures are quite cool and the barra have been a bit harder to tempt recently, although the sooties have been biting reasonably well in the southern half of the lake for those persisting around likely structures. Towards the end of this month, water temperatures should start to increase and the barra usually start to make their presence known a bit more often. This will be when it pays to fish the wind-

blown bays and points where bait is present in order to lure a chrome beast. With the barra fishing having been a little slow, I’d like to take this opportunity to outline the most exciting event to happen all year at Tinaroo – the Tablelands Hardware Tinaroo Barra Bash. This amazing event is run by the Tablelands Fish Stocking Society, and is a key way for volunteers to raise extra funds for stocking the lake. With this in mind, if you ever fish Tinaroo, or have been intending to, you really need to support this event. Not only will you be contributing to the

The Barra Bash is a catch and release competition and fish must be photographed on a designated measuring device with a mystery item clearly displayed. 62

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welfare of this world-class fishery, but you will also be giving yourself a chance to win some amazing prizes. Add to this the chance of winning the major prize of $10,000 cash, which is randomly drawn from all adult entrants, and this event becomes an absolute must-do for anyone remotely interested in fishing. This year’s Tinaroo Barra Bash is happening on the first weekend of the school holidays over 21-23 September. The Barra Bash is a family-oriented event and entry is only $40 for adults, $10 for children (15 years and under), and $5 for a small fry (0-6 years old). You can enter by nominating at a range of local businesses or online. The Barra Bash is a catch and release competition and anglers enter their catch by submitting photographs of fish caught within competition hours. There are multiple prize categories that anglers can compete for. A full list of these can be found on the Tinaroo Barra Bash website. The event is based at Tinaroo Foreshore Park (at the northern end of the

lake opposite the Lake Tinaroo Holiday Park). Here you can sign on from 3pm on Friday 21 September, where you will receive your mystery item, which must be included in all photo submissions. Competitors will also have an opportunity to buy event merchandise and attend the briefing before the competition starts. The major presentation will also occur here, with several local vendors and many activities on offer. There’s something for everyone. If you’re lucky enough, you might even be able to grab a copy of this

John Wilkinson with the 2017 Barra Bash’s biggest barra – a 127cm beast! amazing publication while you’re there. Presentations will occur on Sunday 23 September with festivities starting from 8am. There will also be a release of around 200 juvenile barramundi occurring

Tablelands Fish Stocking Society volunteers Laurie Wright and Coral Abdy with juvenile barra ready for release at September’s Barra Bash.

at 10:30am, with kids encouraged to help stock the lake with the monsters of the future. The main presentations will occur once the fish have been released. For more info on this fantastic event, go to tinaroobarrabash.com.au or search ‘Tinaroo Barra Bash’ on Facebook. Stay tuned as next month we’ll tell you all you need to know about where the fish are biting in the lead up to the competition, and how best to target them. If you want to keep up with more of my FNQ adventures, you can like Wazza’s Fishing Page on Facebook or Wazza’s Fishing on YouTube.

Thug Lures Thug Cray BEST ORNAMENTAL PIECE Chris Anderson and Kim Baldwin had a pretty good 2018 Lure Expo, taking out three categories at the awards night. The standout was the Best Ornamental Lure, the Thug Cray. This one would look fantastic in the pool room, which is exactly what it’s for! This creation looked so real at the show, you almost expected it to crawl out of the cabinet and start terrorising children and small dogs! The boys also took out the Best Stand award, with

their small but jam-packed stand with dozens of amazing designs on display. If you’d like to learn more about Thugs Lures, see some of the crazy designs, or maybe even buy one or two, be sure to visit the ‘Thug Lures’ Facebook page.

BEST BIBBED DIVING LURE

to resemble claws, this can either be fished as a trolling or casting lure. If you’d like to find out more about these incredible

Matt Fraser from Barambah Lures is well-known for making amazingly life-like creations for big fish, and the Manic Budgie is no exception. Matt got the idea while fishing for Murray cod in some of the western rivers when he noticed

lures, visit the ‘Kuttafurra Lures’ Facebook page.

BEST BLUE WATER LURE

MB Custom Lures are put together by Le Ve Hua, who makes the blanks, and Darcy Paton, who does the amazing art work. Darcy hand-paints each of these fantastic lures, which are designed to be used on bluewater pelagics, but with such a beautiful finish on

TENT CON RA

HALL OF FAME AWARD This year, the Lure Expo inducted two very important people from the lure industry into their Hall of Fame. Peter Pakula has been making bluewater lures for years, and is a recognised name in the industry. No doubt thousands of marlin have been landed on his lures. Anthony Curtis has been making the very widely-used and respected AC Lures, or Australian Crafted for around 25 years. Any seasoned cod fisher will have used or at least know about these great Aussie classics. Marcus Walker Blowfly

BEST PRESENTED STAND

Kuttafurra Lures Yabby

Aaron from Kuttafurra Lures is wellknown for making some of the most imaginative lures available anywhere in Australia, and this year’s winner seems to have raised the bar even further! Rigged with assist hooks on the rear

Thug Lures decided that the smaller Swagga from last year needed to be pumped

up to cod size! Now this intriguing design can be used for all manner of freshwater species.

Thug Lures Cod Swagga

BEST BLADED METAL LURE

AN THE

Lure Expo Award winners impress in 2018

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16-17 JUNE 2018 • IPSWICH SHOWGROUNDS

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Lure Fly & Outdoors

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The Australian

Peter Pakula

Anthony Curtis FLY TYING CHAMPION Marcus Walker from the Brisbane Fly Fishing Club may have entered the smallest fly, but it was good enough to take out the Best Fly Award! Marcus has already caught trout on this very tiny fly. If you’d like to join the Brisbane Fly Fishing Club, you can do so by visiting www.bffc.org.au. You can participate in events, including fishing days, and learn more to improve your own fly fishing.

BEST TOP WATER / SURFACE / WAKE BAIT the amount of birds that were flying around the river. With no other lure makers producing anything like it, it seemed like the perfect chance to introduce this wonderful creation to the fishing world. The lure is a wakebait, meaning

it wobbles like a normal bibbed lure, but it doesn’t dive. If you’d like to see more of Matt’s lures, or even buy a few yourself, you can do so by visiting the ‘Barambah Lures’ Facebook page.

Barambah Lures Manic Budgie This is the second year in a row Chilton Tackle Co. has won the Best Swimbait category. Blair Chilton from Chilton Tackle Co. designed this lure from a photograph

of a baby barra, hence the ultra-realistic appearance! And given that barra are known for being canabilistic, there’s no doubt these swimbaits will catch their fair

BEST SWIM BAIT share of barra! f you want to buy any of these amazing lures from Chilton, visit www.chiltontackleco.com.au.

MB Custom Lures 222 Twitch them, it would almost be a sin to throw them into such risky territory! This is backed up by the fact that these lures average around $400 each when auctioned off, however some have sold for as much as $855! Given that the boys can only put

out around two per week, it makes sense that the finished product is just that much more special, and worthy of these quite high prices. If you want to get a hold of any of Le and Darcy’s lures, visit www. mbcustomlures.com.au.

Chilton Tackle Co. Chilton Barra AUGUST 2018

WHAT’S NEW FISHING DAIWA FREAMS LT

One of the more popular reels in the Daiwa spin reel range receives an overhaul in 2018 with Freams experiencing the LT makeover to elevate it to a new level of strength and performance. With the LT principles of Light and Tough the foundation of the new Freams LT this is a reel that is loaded with Daiwa’s finest spin reel technologies to deliver anglers a reel that is classic in looks yet light years ahead in design and performance. Air Bail, Twistbuster II, MagSeal, Air Rotor, an ultra light aluminium spool featuring Long Cast ABS, a redesigned line keeper, High Grip I-Shape knobs, and a super sized ATD drag provide unmatched design and performance enhancements, while the heart of the reel, LT’s new Tough Digigear delivers unmatched refinement, strength, and power. Revamped, restyled and reborn, the new Freams LT has set a new standard in value, performance and design possibilities, and will be available in six different sizes, ranging from the finesse, shallow spooled, 2000S, through to the big daddy in the range the 6000D-H. www.daiwafishing.com.au

REPAIRS ON THE GO

Two of the latest outdoor accessories released by EJTodd are Gear AidTenacious Tape and RevivX Water Repellent Spray. Tenacious Tape by Gear Aid is an allpurpose, weatherproof repair tape that fixes rips, holes and gashes in almost all outdoor gear. It stays put no matter how bad the conditions are, and leaves no sticky mess. Tenacious Tape repairs camping gear, sleeping bags and mats, tents, clothing, vinyl rafts, down jackets—whatever needs a quick patch. You can make your raingear shed water like new again with ReviveX Durable Water Repellent Spray. This breathable DWR repels water, oil, and stains, and is ideal for use on raingear, tents, nylon jackets, pants, waders, and gloves. You can either restore the DWR treatment on waterproof breathable garments, like eVent, NeoShell, and Gore-Tex jackets, or add DWR to gear that isn’t pre-treated, like down jackets. The continuous, air-powered sprayer dispenses every drop in a wide, even application, and can even be sprayed upside down. www.ejtodd.com.au

X-RAP MAGNUM XTREME

The new shallow running X-Rap Magnum Xtreme trolls true at over 15 knots, allowing you to cover more water and trigger the speedsters of the deep. Sleek flat sides create a tight rolling action while its tail keel adds stability at all speeds. You can troll the X-Rap Magnum Xtreme fast or slow through reef terrain or around rocky outcrops, amongst skirted lures or other Rapala lures in your spread. Designed with Rapala’s Magnum level of strength, each X-Rap Magnum Xtreme comes complete with through-wire construction, heavy-duty split rings and VMC 9626 3x strong treble hooks. For more information on this and other new gear from Rapala, along with catch photos and videos, check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/rapala.australia. You can also find them on Instagram (@ rapalaaustralia), YouTube (www.youtube.com/ user/RapalaVMC) or visit their website. www.rapala.com.au 68

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NOCQUA PRO POWER KIT

PRODUCT GUIDE

The Nocqua Pro Power Kit, brought to you by Hobie, is the first truly portable fishfinder battery for powering your sounder, GPS, and other outdoor electronics. Lightweight, durable, and water resistant, the Nocqua Pro Power Kit utilizes the same battery technology developed for light systems, with openended connections to easily power your electronic devices. The Pro Power Kit (#72025010) comes in two capacity sizes, 4.4Ah and 10Ah, to power every adventure. While not a perfect fit, they can be stored in Hobie mountable Fish Finder Battery Holders. For more information on these and other Hobie accessories for sounders/GPS, visit Hobie.com.au. For all the latest news on upcoming events and new releases, visit their Facebook page at www.facebook. com/HobieCatAsiaPacific. Price: SRP $224.95 www.hobie.com.au

SHADOW RAP JACK 5 DEEP 5 Rapala VMC Australia has added the new Shadow Rap Jack Deep 5 to the ever-popular Shadow Rap family. This 5cm lure certainly packs some punch. It consists of full through wire construction, and VMC hooks strong enough for predators far bigger than the bait would lead you to believe. It will also stay in the zone for longer thanks to its slow rising, deep diving action. With a weight of 6g it can cast a mile, making this bite-size lure such a versatile option for a variety of different species from bream and trout through to flathead, sooty grunter and mangrove jack. Available in 15 of the coolest fish catching colours, the Rapala Shadow Rap Jack Deep 5 is due to hit tackle store shelves in August 2018. www.rapala.com.au

NEW MUSTAD GLOVES

Mustad has released three new gloves: Landing Gloves, Casting Gloves and Sun Gloves. The Landing Gloves are designed to help you land fish without damaging your hands. These are heavy-duty, reinforced gloves designed for offshore fishing, however, in Australia anglers chasing raspy-toothed fish like flathead and Murray cod will appreciate the build of these gloves. Specifically designed for handling fish, the gloves feature a flip top on the index finger, Velcro wrist strap and heavy duty padding in all the right places. The Casting Glove is designed to be used while casting big lures on big tackle offshore. A mesh matrix top fits like a second skin and allows sweat to evaporate. There is extra padding in high stress areas. The Sun Gloves are UPF 50+ rated and lightweight. They feature reinforced grip pads so that rods and reel handles are held securely while the thumb, index and middle fingers are cut off to allow for a better feel. A strong Velcro wrist strap ensures a perfect fit. These gloves are available now in sizes M, L and XL. www.wilsonfishing.com.au

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PRODUCT GUIDE

WHAT’S NEW FISHING DAIWA RYOGA 1520

An ultra strong, alloy frame and side plates is the foundation of the Daiwa Ryoga 1520 baitcaster, providing an immoveable foundation for this stunning reel, regardless of what’s thrown at it. Integrating many of Daiwa’s most famous technologies, the Ryoga once again takes baitcaster design to the next level with Magseal, ATD, Hyper Mesh Gear System, Speed Shaft, Magforce Z and Zero Adjuster combining to deliver a level of refinement and power rarely seen in heavy duty baitcasters. A G1 Duraluminium spool, swept handle, and clicking star drag further enhance performance and features, and combine with the new High Grip I Shape knobs to provide unmatched cranking power, balance and control. Flawless in design, stunning in looks and style, and unparalleled in performance and power, the new Ryoga 1520 is the pinnacle of heavy-duty baitcaster design and the ultimate big bait reel. www.daiwafishing.com.au

MUSTAD WORM BINDER

Mustad has just released two Worm Binders, a single and double. Constructed from tough, waterproof 500D tarpaulin, these Worm Binders are sealed with a waterproof zipper for the ultimate in safety for your gear. Zip locked inner plastic pockets for lure storage (10 in the single version and 20 in the double) allow anglers to carry more than enough rigs, hooks, plastics, spinnerbaits or chatterbaits for any fishing session. The bags also contain plastic accessory pockets for things like jigheads, snips and small leader spools, while a larger mesh pocket can also store gloves, larger line spools and other accessories. The plastic pockets are held in place with a rust-proof nylon split ring, ensuring longevity in this traditional weak area, and there is also an elastic small tool storage area inside the binder. Outside there are two Velcro straps for attaching the binders to backpacks, tackle bags or boats, and the handles are finished off with soft neoprene for the ultimate in angler comfort. www.wilsonfishing.com.au

NEW LURES FROM JOLLIP

Australian lure company Jollip Lures has refined its Jaboa 55 diving crankbait, which is designed primarily for bass and yellowbelly. “This lure has evolved significantly since its initial design, and we have added saltwater colours to the range with a narrower bib and beefed up trebles,” said designer Joey Urquhart. “The deeper bib dives to 8ft and the narrower bib dives to 6ft.” The Jaboa 55 will catch a range of species, from jacks and barra to bass, yellowbelly and cod. Another new model is the River Rodent Fizzer, which is 100mm long and features twin blades that work at a slow and fast retrieve. This lure works at its best with a short, sharp retrieve, creating lots of noise and bubbles. “It’s hand crafted from timber and assembled using only the best components,” Joey said. “You can instantly feel the quality of the build and know it’s going to be up to the task of taming those river monsters.” Price: $20 (Jaboa 55), $35 (River Rodent Fizzer) www.jolliplures.com

REDINGTON BEHEMOTH

The Behemoth reel combines the most powerful drag in its class with stunning aesthetics that push the limits of fly reel design. The Behemoth’s unique, un-machinable, die-cast construction is coupled with a durable, interlocking, large-arbor spool design that both looks and functions like a premium reel. A super heavy-duty carbon fibre drag package brings the utmost in drag strength, reliability and performance to the family. Sized for your favourite 5wt trout rod and all the way up to the saltwater ready, big-game sizes. Features include: large arbor design that speeds retrieve and reduces line memory; oversized drag knob for easy adjustment; easily converts to left or right hand retrieve; deep V-spool for increased backing capacity; twin moulded, softtouch ergonomic handles; included nylon reel case; and a lifetime warranty. The Behemoth is available now in black or gunmetal. www.jmgillies.com.au

GAMAKATSU LONG SHANK BLACK

Gamakatsu are the benchmark in high quality, chemically sharpened Japanese steel hooks, and they have now added a black colour to the existing long shank red. Long shank hooks are versatile and perfect for worms, pipis, prawns and cut flesh baits either fished from a boat or land as well as mud eye in the fresh. They are perfect for kids starting out as they are available in a wide variety of sizes, and they are also easy for anyone to get fish off quickly, often without touching the fish at all. In addition the long shank offers protection from toothy species such as leatherjackets, a wharf staple for many young anglers. Beach anglers are also extensive users of this hook style for whiting and bream, while boat anglers will find them effective at catching yellowtail and slimy mackerel allowing a quick turnover from de-hooking a fish to getting another bait in the water. This new colour is available in sizes 12 up to 2, and in pre-packs and 25 packs. www.frogleysoffshore.com.au

OKUMA LRF RODS

LRF rods feature Okuma’s patented UFR technology (Unidirectional Fibre Reinforcement), which uses an outer layer of longitudinal fibres around the blank. This increases the lifting power and also the maximum strength of the rod by up to three times that of a standard blank. Other features include quality Seaguide XO guides, with SS316 frame and SIC inserts for long, smooth casts, full grip design for comfort and use in rod holders, comfortable reel seat design, hi-vis yellow tip section and slick looking black and gold highlights. The result is a series of strong and durable rods that cast lures well and offer excellent feel, while also having the sensitivity to transfer well to bait fishing applications. There are seven models, covering everything from skinny water bass and trout missions with the 5’ 1-3kg, through a selection of line ratings in 6’ to 7’ rods and a 7’4” 2-5kg model that’s perfect for long casts on the flats. Price: SRP $89.90-99.90 www.okuma.com.au

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

Gift

FATHERS DAY GUIDE GARMIN ECHOMAP SAMAKI RED 1 PLUS SNAPPER SHIRT

The new Garmin ECHOMAP Plus features powerful sonar capabilities, preloaded charts and mapping, and built-in WiFi. The Plus series features a bright, sunlightreadable 4”, 6”, 7” or 9” display. The 7” and 9” units have a new keyed-assist touchscreen, providing quick access to the features you use most. Thanks to built-in Wi-Fi, anglers can take advantage of the free ActiveCaptain mobile app. You can use the app to access, update and purchase maps and charts on a mobile device anytime, reference the ActiveCaptain community for marina and other points of interest details, and more. The app provides notifications directly to the plotter/combo, software updates, off-vessel planning capabilities and more. Once the unit is turned on, the maps and charts will be instantly available. All units have built-in CHIRP traditional sonar and CHIRP ClearVü and SideVü scanning sonar. The 7” and 9” Plus models also provide support for all Garmin Panoptix allseeing sonar transducers. The entire range is preloaded with BlueChart g2 HD cartography. Price: $499-$1599 www.garmin.com/newmarine

COSTA REEFTON

Black Magic has added the exciting slow pitch Flipper jig to their range. Their original design stands out with a dramatic spoon-like scoop on one side of the jig. They fall with a wide and sweeping side-to-side flutter and retrieve with a large darting action, giving them a strong visual presence which will be attractive to a wide range of species. Flipper Jigs come in four striking colour options with lumo spots or stripes. There are two strong hooks attached with Kevlar thread, and the available weights are 60g, 80g, 100g, 150g and 200g. Flipper Jigs are available now from Black Magic dealers nationwide. For more information, photos and videos, visit the Black Magic website or check them out on Facebook (www.facebook. com/blackmagictackle), or Instagram (@ blackmagictackle). www.blackmagictackle.com 70

AUGUST 2018

ZMAN BEANIEZ

With the weather cooling it’s perfect timing for the arrival of ZMan’s BeanieZ. Constructed from quick-drying 100% acrylic, these comfortable beanies feature four topseam knit construction and embroided ZMan ‘Z’, in a one size fits most cool weather headwear option. These beanies are a quality Richardson Sports product. Richardson Sports is a company who has served the team sports market both in the US and internationally since 1970, and its products are known for their quality and reliability. Today Richardson is recognised as a leader in the sports product industry, delivering performance-inspired headwear to millions of athletes around the world. It makes sense then that they should make headwear for the largest recreational sport in the world: fishing. The new ZMan beanies come in two shades, charcoal and grey, and are available now. Price: SRP $19.95 www.z-man.com.au

SUGAR DEEP 90 BARRA TUNE

BLACK MAGIC FLIPPER JIGS

Samaki’s new Red Snapper shirt is striking and full of colour. It features hungry snapper in a baitfish-filled rockery, chasing down a Samaki Boombait. This shirt is made from lightweight fabric that features UPF50+ technology, providing the highest level of protection against the harsh sun. The soft touch, 100% polyester material is comfortable on the body and has the added feature of being breathable, keeping you cool and dry. Samaki designs are brought to you by Australian anglers who love to design Australian species. Red Snapper shirts are available in adult, youth and kids sizes, ranging from a size 2 through to a 3XL, allowing the whole family to get in on the action and out onto the water. For more information, including the location of your nearest stockist, visit the Samaki website or like them on Facebook and Instagram. Price: SRP$59.95 (adults), $49.95 (kids) www.samaki.com.au

One of Costa’s latest models is named after a popular fishing destination: Reefton. With 12 different river systems less than an hour’s drive from town, it’s no wonder New Zealand’s Reefton is world-renowned for its freshwater fishing. These size large frames are the perfect companion to explore any body of water. They will stay put on larger heads under any condition, thanks to their co-moulded temples, Hydrolite nose and temple pads, and cam action spring hinges. All Costa lenses have 100% UV blockage for maximum protection and 100% polarization to kill reflected glare. Their 580 lens technology effectively blocks the harshest light waves in the visible spectrum, and enhances the portions that help you see more clearly into the water. Costa’s Bio Resin frames now come available in four new colours, including two new brilliant matte teak finishes. To check out the full range of Costa sunglasses, plus their range of apparel and accessories, visit the Costa Australia website or look them up on Facebook. www.costadelmar.com.au

Japan produce some of the most lifelike lures in the world and the Bassday Sugar Deep 90 Barra Tune is no exception, except this time it’s been tuned for Aussie conditions. This realistic 90mm jerkbait is available in seven fish-attracting colours, covering everything from clear to dirty water, making them ideal for inland dams as well as rivers, streams and estuaries. The Bassday Sugar Deep 90 Barra Tune has heavy-duty construction and extra strong trebles. It has a life-like appearance and can be cast accurately, quickly diving to a depth of 2.5m. This versatile lure can be used with a slow, steady retrieve producing a sharp wobble or a fast erratic stop-start retrieve which will have the lure darting about, imitating a dying baitfish. It also works well in heavily fished waters or on days where the fish are timid, as its neutral buoyancy lets you pause it near structure and it will suspend right in the strike zone. The Barra Tune will be perfect for barra, threadfin salmon and other species as well as flathead down south over flats. www.frogleysoffshore.com.au

Guide

FATHERS DAY GUIDE LOWRANCE FISHHUNTER

BIG WILLY BAIT PUMP

The Lowrance FishHunter castable fishfinder is designed for anglers fishing from the shore or a kayak. It sends realtime sonar data via WiFi to view on your smartphone or tablet, and doesn’t require a cellular or internet connection. FishHunter Pro features a tri-frequency transducer, offering four ways to view sonar data including Fish (fish symbols), Raw (arches), Bathymetric and Ice Fishing Flasher views. You can troll it behind a boat to create bathymetric maps. Incorporating five tri-frequency transducers, FishHunter 3D offers five functional views including 3D Fishing and Ice Fishing Flasher, as well as a Directional Casting View that pinpoints fish depth and location relative to the transducer. FishHunter 3D can be trolled to create bathymetric or structure maps. FishHunter’s antenna ensures constant WiFi connectivity for the highest signal range. FishHunter Pro provides a 150ft depth and 160ft WiFi range, and FishHunter 3D offers a 160ft depth and a 200ft WiFi range. The rechargeable battery lasts for 10 hours of active use. Price: SRP $173.90-$218.90 www.lowrance.com

Pumping worms and yabbies is a great way to get the freshest of fresh bait for your day’s fishing. Having the right tool to get the job done is an important step to success and one that needs careful consideration. The Wilson Big Willy Bait Pump gives users an extra long 39” shaft meaning you do not have to bend so far down when pumping. This is a great asset for those who want to collect bait comfortably and easily. Stainless steel and brass construction mean that this pump will go the distance, giving you years of faithful service and opening up your fishing options. Available at all leading tackle stores, the Big Willy will become a vital part of any bait collection trip. For more information on this and other bait collecting products from Wilson’s, visit the Wilson Fishing website. You can also catch up with the latest news, catch photos and videos at www.facebook.com/LWilsonAndCo. www.wilsonfishing.com.au

10.

11.

DAIWA DUCKFIN LIVESHAD

12.

The Duckfin Liveshad has a very effective design, which delivers outstanding action that resembles the swimming movements of a real fish. By applying 3D design and modeling around the realistic natural baitfish shape, this premium grade soft bait is one of the most accurate lifelike shads available on the market today. Suited to fast and slow retrieves, the Duck Fin tail creates a strong rolling and swinging action. Combined with its enticing swimming action, the lure’s streamlined shape, fins and large tail make it a very lethal lure. Features include: realistic patterns; 3D eyes; UV active prevents fading; fins for stabilization; and large Duckfin tail. The special soft material is also tough, and can endure multiple takes from predators. There are two models, a smaller size that measures 150mm long and weighs 28g, and a larger model that measures 200mm long and weighs 64g. They are available now in tackle stores around Australia. Price: from SRP $19.99 www.daiwafishing.com.au

HOBIE BARNACLE +

The Hobie Barnacle + is a durable floating speaker with Bluetooth connectivity, a built-in microphone for taking hands-free calls, and the capacity to hold 1000 songs, so you don’t have to use your phone. It mounts to any smooth surface using an industrial suction cup base, and is perfect for the kayak, SUP or tinny. This new speaker is designed to go where other speakers can’t; it’s 100% waterproof, and can be submerged to a depth of 6ft for up to an hour. It also floats! No matter how it is dropped in the water, the Barnacle will always surface with the speaker facing up, keeping your tunes afloat and jamming. As well as being waterproof, the Barnacle is sand and dust proof. Its all-terrain design is sealed tight, and is engineered to withstand the most demanding elements. No matter how dirty your speaker gets, you can freely wash it off in water and you’re good to go. It also has built-in 4GB memory, produces surprisingly bold sound, and has a battery life of up to five hours. www.hobie.com

LIVETARGET BAITBALL 11 SPINNER RIG

The LiveTarget BaitBall Spinner Rig is one of the latest LiveTarget lures to be released by Australian distributor EJ Todd. With three different wire-frame sizes, the LiveTarget BaitBall Spinner Rig is a versatile lure which can be fished at any depth. The three teaser bodies and willow blade create a vibration and flash which call in nearby predatory fish. When bass or cod see the BaitBall, they will strike the primary target body, which is strategically placed away from the teaser fish in the BaitBall. The LiveTarget BaitBall Spinner Rig is available now in six colours to match various water conditions. There are three sizes – small (11g), medium (14g) and large (21g). For more information head to the EJ Todd website, or for news, photos and videos check them out on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ EJ.Todd.Australia) or Instagram (@ej_todd). www.ejtodd.com.au

PLANO WEEKEND SERIES

For 2018, Plano’s successful Weekend Series includes three distinct, reimagined models that work as hard as you do. These models are called the Weekend Series Tackle Cases, Weekend Series Softsider Tackle Bags and Weekend Series Speed Bags. Each one is available in Plano’s popular 3600 and 3700 sizes to build – or integrate seamlessly into – any tackle management system. And they look better than ever in brand new, classy and clean tan or grey colour schemes. In addition to standout new aesthetics, these bags feature upgraded, no-fail zipper pulls and tactical-inspired MOLLE exterior webbing for easy attachment of fishing tools or accessories. Best of all, these handsome and durable standout performers are available at very reasonable prices that any working angler can afford. For more information on this and other Plano tackle storage solutions, visit the JM Gillies website. You can also get all the latest news and catch photos on the JM Gillies Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ jm.gillies. www.jmgillies.com.au AUGUST 2018

Wyaralong Dam shows promise The third stop of the Casino Outdoor and Disposal BASS Electric Series was held at Wyaralong Dam. This location had never been visited by the electric series before and 47 anglers held high hopes as it has been producing some massive bass over the last few months. Recent drops in water temperatures had shut things down with only 21 anglers weighing fish and only 9 full bags of bass. Taking out 1st place and the only person to weigh in over 3kg was BASS Electric organiser Joey Urquhart, weighing 2/2 for 3.120 kg and taking out the round’s Big Bass of 1.715 kg.

Taking out 2nd place was Chris Osley, getting his 2/2 for 2.65kg. Chris fished in a similar area to Urquhart, midway up the lake. Osley fished a timbered point throwing Jackall TN60s in a gill pattern and worked his way through the carp to fill his limit and upgrade once. He would slow roll his lure, then pause, letting it return to the bottom, before starting the retrieve again. Osley fished in around 9ft of water targeting those feeding fish. His rod of choice was a Megabass spin rod matched up with a Stradic 2500 Ci4 spooled with 8lb braid and 14lb leader. Osley took

STORM

The biggest fish for the session was this 1.715kg beast caught by event organiser Joey Urquhart. Look at how chunky that bass is! home $300 for his efforts. In 3rd place was Les Smith with his 2/2 for 2.285kg. He fished the same location as Osley and used the same lure and technique. There were 30 fish weighed in with an average

With fish as deep-bodied as this, the lake’s future looks promising.

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

AUGUST 2018

Urquhart had never fished the lake before prefish on Saturday, so he covered lots of ground trying to find areas he liked. He came across two key areas, which had good showings of fish. With the start of the tournament underway Urquhart returned to the first key area midway up the lake and filled out his limit in 30 minutes. His approach was to sit wide of the bank casting to the edge slow rolling silent lipless crankbaits and crankbaits in natural colours. Urquhart fished only 50m of bank for the session. “The area is what I call a transition bank. That’s where the fish are holding wide of the bank, but moving up to feed, and it’s those active feeding fish that I targeted. The magic depth was the 20ft mark,” he explained. His choice of tackle was a Daiwa Pixy matched up with a Valley Hill Raison Odessa 6-16lbs rod, which was perfect for this application. His reel was spooled with Sufix 832 15lb braid and Sufix Super 21 leader in 10lb. Urquhart explained that this lake played right into his favour, as this is his favourite technique. He took home $420 and $150 for Big Bass.

of 1.01kg per fish, which is fantastic given this is a relatively new dam. Joey would like to thank everyone who attended and those who helped out. The last and final round is at Lake MacDonald on the Sunshine Coast.

The event had a great turnout, and it was great to see such a new fishery attracting so much attention.

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

Angler Joey Urquhart Chris Osley Les Smith Brandon Goulding Liam Fitzpatrick Robert Butler Brett Kleinsmitt Nigel Skyring Michael Rowswell

Fish 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 2

Weight 3.12kg 2.65kg 2.285kg 2.28kg 2.135kg 2.065kg 1.525kg 1.485kg 1.465kg

Prize $420 + $150 (Big Bass) $300 $220 $180 $140 $120 $120 $80 $80

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

TT Lures Round 6 Hobie Kayak Bream Series The Hobie Road Show headed north for the TT Lures Round 6 of Hobie Kayak Bream Series

10, returning to the site of the 2016 Australian Championship on the spectacular Gold Coast.

Congratulations must go to Jamie McKeown from Pimpama in Queensland for his win in Round 6 at the

The top three placed anglers were Jamie McKeown, Steve Crawley and Andrew Hancox.

Gold Coast in Queensland. McKeown moved from a very close 2nd place on day one to take the win in the second and final session, with a two day combined 6/6 bag of bream weighing in at 4.09kg. The runner up was Steve Crawley from Queensland with his 3.85kg 6/6 bag of bream, and 3rd place was taken out by Andrew Hancox from New South Wales with a 6/6 3.82kg bag over the two sessions. The Atomic Big Bream winner was Steve Crawley with a solid 1.15kg. Jamie said it was painted Cranka Crabs that scored him the win. “These were definitely the winning lures for me RESULTS Place Angler 1 Jamie McKeown 2 Steve Crawley 3 Andrew Hancox 4 Simon Morley 5 Warren Cossell 6 Scott Sandilands 7 Jack Gammie 8 Michael Maas 9 Scott Marcinkowski 10 Guy Struthers

Steve Crawley won the Atomic Big Bream cheque with his 1.15kg kicker fish.

over the weekend,” he said. “I usually use olive or brown but I noticed a few weeks back what colour the crabs were on the bridges around the Gold Coast, so I had a go at replicating them. I would start each morning with olive and when the bite slowed I

Massive bag wins QTS event Round 2 of the Queensland Teams Series has been run and won. Calm, icy cold conditions greeted the eager teams as they launched their boats from the Jacobs Well boat ramp. With the forecast, tides and moon phase it was expected that the bream fishing would be red-hot and the anglers weren’t disappointed. Coming in 3rd with a cracking 3.21kg was ‘Mr Consistent’ Gary Middleton and his wife Ros from team Bonzo. Gary and Ros made the cold run south to the Gold Coast and fished lightly weighted Gulp Crabbies in camo around pontoons and boat hulls at Sovereign Island. The pair consistently upgraded all day. Finishing 2nd was Steve ‘the wizard’ Wilson fishing as team Berkeley/ Simrad. Steve fished solo around the deep edges down towards the Jumpinpin bar. The go-to lure was the evertrusty 2” Gulp Shrimp in swamp gas. Steve made special mention about being able to see bream stacked

up on his Simrad sounder, but was unable to get them to bite. Steve, being the wizard, sat tight and waited for them to switch on. He managed a cracking Pin bag of 3.24kg. Finishing in 1st place was Team NuLook Floors.

any Frogley’s Offshore Product and he would automatically go into the draw. The competition was hotly contested but rumour has it Andrew entered up to five times to increase his chances.

The winning team – Team NuLook Floors’ Jamie and Andrew. Jamie had a special partner with him this week: Andrew Buhagiar won a competition to be the lucky angler that would get to fish with Jamie in the tournament. All Andrew had to do was go into Sporty’s Fishing and spend $50 or more on

The boys took the long run option up to Sundale Bridge on the Gold Coast where Jamie has had a lot of success in the last few months. The plan was to sink Cranka Crabs down and sift through the smaller fish until a big one grabbed it. The

plan worked a treat and they managed to return a huge Gold Coast bag of 4.24kg. Andrew was beside himself with the result. Not only was it the first time he had caught a bream on a Cranka Crab, it was his first tournament win and he also managed his PB bream. Jamie also managed to take away the rod donated by Frogley’s Offshore for the biggest bream of the round with almost 900g. Jamie made special thanks to Cranka, Frogley’s Offshore, Sporty’s Fishing, ABT and the VMR Jacobs Well. Queensland Teams Series managed to raise over $150 for the VMR at Jacobs Well, who were kind enough to allow QTS use their facilities and BBQ for the weigh-in. The VMR play an important role in keeping boaties safe, so get behind them. Round 3 will be run from the Gold Coast in late August, so look for Queensland Team Series on Facebook and come along to this great 100% payback tournament series. – Stuart Robinson

Jamie McKeown’s winning Cranka Crabs. The top crab is olive, and the others are custom painted. State QLD QLD NSW NSW QLD QLD NSW QLD NSW QLD

Division Total(kg) Open 4.09 Open 3.85 Open 3.82 Open 3.76 Open 3.54 Open 3.50 Youth 3.43 Open 3.35 Open 3.34 Open 3.28

changed to the painted crabs. It kept the bite constant throughout the two days when it seemed to almost shut down for the other competitors fishing close by. “I’m not certain whether it was the fact that the colour was very similar to what the bream eat there or the fact that it was different from what the fish had seen all weekend, but it worked. The other add on that kept me in

Prize $1,500 $890 $540 $360 $270

the strike zone longer was a 10g weight glued to the bottom of the 65mm crabs.” The next event is the Cranka Lures Round 7, to be held on the Central Coast of NSW from 15-16 September. The location is the beautiful Brisbane Waters near Gosford, which is possibly a new favourite bream fishery on the Hobie tour. For more information visit www. hobiefishing.com.au. - HKBS

AUGUST 2018

Hickson’s Hawkesbury win After several years and plenty of top-10 finishes, Taree’s Kris Hickson bounced back to the top of the podium with style, taking out the Atomic sponsored round of the Costa BREAM Series on the Hawkesbury River. “I spent the whole weekend just fishing places I have caught big fish before and places I thought big bream live, and it worked out this time,” Hickson explained. Anchored by a bream in the 1.4kg class each day, Hickson did what he usually does and rotated through a selection of proven baits fished in nasty country to get the bites he needed to contend for the win. The

A cool trophy, $3,400, and novelty cheque for the pool room that Happy Gilmore would be excited about was the reward for Hickson’s Hawkesbury heroics.

STORM

Bream like this really launch you up the leader board. Hickson presented a 1.4kg-class fish to the weighmaster on both days. fact that he landed his big kicker fish was the edge he needed to get the job done. “I fished three key baits and mainly in oyster rack country. They were a ZMan 2.5” bloodworm grub on a

thousands of dollars in events all round the country, but it was the subtle differences in presentation that got Kris the bites he needed. “The bream were only nipping at the tail, so I’d use a slower, dragging retrieve more than the standard hop-and-drop and sometimes I’d change to the Cranka Crab to convert some of those bites,” he said. Also helping the fish eat the lure was a liberal application of Pro Cure scent in blue crab flavour. Although fishing with an assortment of Daiwa tackle, Hickson singled out a favourite rig that was virtually impossible to pull drag from. Spooled with 10lb fluorocarbon leader and 10lb Daiwa J-Braid, it consisted

of a Silver Wolf rod and 2500 sized Daiwa reel. Best of all, both of Hickson’s kicker fish were captured on his on-board Garmin camera and you can watch him catch them on the highlights reel on the ABT YouTube channel (ABT Tournaments). Although suffering a setback (in the form of forgetting to screw in the bung) on the Sunday, Kris managed enough bites to box a 4.02kg bag and steal the win from Matt Hall by 170g. The win propelled the Manning Valley breamer back to no. 1 in the national rankings with two Qualifiers and a Grand Final remaining on the 2018 Costa BREAM Tour.

1/16oz, #1 HeadLockz head, a heavy, olive Cranka Crab and a deep diving Jackall Chubby in brown suji,” Hickson said. Between them, these baits have won hundreds of

WINNING TACKLE Rod: Reel: Line: Leader: Lure 1:

Daiwa Battler Water Zombie Daiwa Exist 2015, size 2003 Daiwa Evo-braid 14lb Yamatoyo Chinu Harris Gulp! Shrimp 2.5” camo and banana prawn Lure 2: Cranka Crab 5.9g olive Lure 3: ZMan 2.5” Grubz Lure 4: Jackall Deep Chubby brown suji

Canberra non-boater Tani Konsul landed the Daiwa J-Braid Big Bream with this awesome crab eater on a rocky river bank.

TOP 10 BOATERS

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

AUGUST 2018

Scan this QR Code for the complete Hawkesbury River YouTube highlights Playlist.

Place Angler

Fish (kg)

Weight

1 2 3 4 5 6

Kris Hickson Matt Hall Liam Carruthers Jason Mayberry Ross Cannizzaro Steve Morgan

10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10

7 8 9 10

$3,150 + $250 Merc Bonus $1,500 $1,250 + $150 Merc Bonus $1,000 $900 $800 + $150 Merc Bonus + $200 Pro $700 $600 $500

Russell Babekuhl 8/10 5.66 Cam Whittam 10/10 5.61 Phil Nix 9/10 5.58 Todd Riches 9/10 5.34 For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

7.15 6.98 6.96 6.32 6.18 5.97

Payout

Matt Hall Junk Fishes Way to Second

Making his ABT debut at the Franklins Australian Open earlier in the year, Matt Hall consolidated his position as ‘a-boater-to-watch’ by logging a solid second place amongst a big field of quality anglers at the event. Falling 170g short of Hickson, Matt Hall, a 25-year-old fire protection technician from St Clair in Western Sydney, started each day on the Barrenjoey flats, throwing 2 1/2” Gulp! Shrimps in camo and banana prawn colours on 1/24oz HWS jigheads. “I picked up a quality fish each morning there before the pressure got too heavy,” said Hall. “I’d throw a long cast and sink the bait into the weed, then I’d pop it out again. The bream Matt Hall and his blue Bass Cat have been making a splash in the ABT events in usually hit it on the drop.” 2018. He narrowly missed his first win at the Hawkesbury event with bream like this.

Cranka Crab

He then left the flat and fished windblown points with washes near Juno Point in the main river using the ubiquitous Cranka heavy, olive crabs. As the tide dropped, he’d switch to ZMan Grubs fished on the secondary drop-offs. Adding a vital final day fish on a Jackall brown suji Deep Chubby, Hall, like Hickson, displayed the versatility needed

BREAM SERIES to catch the fish to contend. Hall’s gear consisted of Daiwa Battler Water Zombie rods, high end Daiwa reels (his favourite a 2003 Exist 2015), 14lb Daiwa Evo-braid and 4lb Yamatoyo Chinu Harris leader. “For me, it’s all about the wind. If it’s calm I struggle, so the windy conditions really played to my strengths,” Hall concluded.

DUFFRODS BIG BAG NSW breamer, Liam Carruthers presented the Duffrods Big Bag to the scales (4.32kg) on the second day. Fishing 65mm Cranka Crabs in Cowan Creek, Liam lamented that he hooked the fish to win the event on Day 1, but too many made it back home into the sandstone rocks.

HICKSON’S WINNING PATTERN

Liam Carruthers won the Duffrods Big Bag with a 4.32kg limit on Sunday.

Shuey Finally First after 4 Years Victorian Ben Shuey has been non-boating the ABT circuit for around four years and snatched his first title from the back of the boat at the Hawkesbury. Fishing exclusively the heavy, olive Cranka Crab, Ben assembled his limits in Cowan Creek (Day 1) and Berowra Creek (Day 2).

“There was a bit of a knack to getting the bream hooked up. We were getting lots of bites and had to keep the crab moving until the rod loaded up. Then we just wound them on,” Ben said. Ben used his favourite 13 Fishing Envy Black 7’1” light spinning rod paired with a Shimano Ci4 reel spooled with Sunline Castaway 10lb braid and 4lb Sunline Bream FC leader.

Ben’s winning margin was significant (1.47kg) but would have been much more so if he’d added another couple of legal fish to his Sunday 3-fish for 2.61kg bag. He was definitely catching quality fish. Qualifying for the 2018 Costa BREAM Series Grand Final in 2018 in his home waters in Victoria, Ben will be a great draw

in the season ending event where the winning boater will take home a Bass Cat Margay and Mercury motor package.

DAIWA J-BRAID BIG BREAM The event’s Big Bream was a 1.44kg giant yellowfin landed by non-boater Tani Konsul from Canberra. It ate a 5.9g olive Cranka Crab fished along a rocky wall up the river with braided line and a 4lb fluorocarbon leader. Running back into the rocks several times, boater Bradley Young described her as excited as any non-boater he’d ever seen.

TOP 10 NON BOATERS Place

Angler

Fish(kg)

Weight

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Ben Shuey 8/10 5.79 Michael Thompson 9/10 4.32 Chris Micallef 6/10 3.51 Craig Johnson 6/10 3.38 Jim Hickson 4/10 2.61 Wayne Siow 3/10 2.45 Grant Oliver 5/10 2.45 Tani Konsul 3/10 2.28 Nathan Gregory 4/10 2.21 James Morgan 4/10 2.10 For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

Payout Prize pack Prize pack Prize pack Prize pack Prize pack Prize pack Prize pack Prize pack Prize pack Prize pack

Victorian Ben Shuey weighed only three fish on the Sunday, but they were all donkeys. AUGUST 2018

Trades, Services, Charter BOAT MODIFICATIONS & REPAIRS

BAIT & TACKLE

Lazer Lures Catch Fish

New Lazer 60g with premium VMC hooks, a must-have lure in every serious tailor fisherman’s tackle box.

CUSTOM ALLOY FABRICATION OVER 20 YEARS FABRICATING AND WELDING ALUMINIUM

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BCF www.bcf.com.au

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

Davo’s Tackleworld Noosaville (07) 5449 8099 Davo’s Tackleworld Marcoola (07) 5448 8244 Lazer Lures – www.lazerlures.com.au Tackle Warehouse Brisbane (07) 3398 6500

BOAT HIRE // HOUSE GOLD COAST

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BOAT HIRE // TRAILER GOLD COAST Boab Boat Hire - 1300 002 622

BOAT PAINTING BRISBANE Brisbane Boat Painting 0433 356 620

Brisbane South and Gold Coas t

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

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND

Reef Marine Mackay (07) 4957 3521

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

CUSTOM TRANSOMS 20-75hp $750 75-150hp $890 150-225hp $980 Freight can be arranged Australia wide www.lazerlures.com

NORTH QUEENSLAND

MINN REPAIRS & SERVICING • All electric motor brands • Australia wide freight • Quick turn around • Authorised Minn Kota/Watersnake repairer Minn Repairs & Servicing Call Troy 0412 605 080 – W: minnrepairs.com minnrepairsservicing E: minnrepairs@gmail.com

MARINE MECHANICS // MOBILE WYNUMM MANLY-BAYSIDE Wondall Rd Marine (07) 3396 5633

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

SALES • REPAIRS • INSTALLATIONS

ONSITE AND MOBILE INSTALLATIONS

• Sounders • GPS • Electric Motors • Marine Radios and accessories • Stereos • Televisions • Radar Units • Autopilots Unit 4/1440 New Cleveland Road Capalaba www.trymax.com.au PHONE: 07 3245 3633

MARINE OUTBOARD WRECKERS MARINE MECHANICS GOLD COAST T&S Marine (07) 5546 2599 Whitewater Marine (07) 5532 4402

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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. 80

AUGUST 2018

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

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NORTHERN NSW

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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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• 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

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1 7 27

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

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HERVEY BAY

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Fully Guided Lure & Fly Fishing •

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• 5.5m Custom sportsfishing Vessel • 4.4m Estuary Sportsfishing Vessel • Quality Fishing Gear Supplied

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and lots more... www.herveybaysportfishing.com.au

Andrew Chorley

0407 627 852

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Ultimate Sportfishing Charters 0450 753 726 MV Capricorn Star 0408 755 201

MANY DESIGNS TO CHOOSE FROM ON A WIDE VARIETY OF PRODUCTS ALL MADE TO ORDER

Mikat Cruises Fishing Charters 0427 125 727 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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Advertisers wanting to be involved in this directory can call (07) 3387 0834 or email nkelly@fishingmonthly.com.au AUGUST 2018

FUN PAGE AND COMPETITIONS PISCIVORES

HUMAN AQUATIC GENET BULLDOG BAT SEALION WOLVES TURTLES OTTER SHREW AMERICAN MINK CAT OTTER

DOLPHIN SEAL PENGUIN EAGLE SNAKE SHARK SPIDER TIGER BEARS JAGUARS

Valley Hill Rocketeer Slicer

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 AUGUST 2018

Phone (day):

BARRA COUNTRY by Brett Currie

The Rocketeer Slicer from Japanese tackle giant Valley Hill is a real feat of Japanese design and engineering. The Rocketeer Slicer has a unique metal plate at the nose of the jig, which lets you secure line in two places, and ensures a superior swimming action even through debris. In addition, its tail system lets you cast more effectively into the wind. The Rocketeer Slicer is available in two sizes (3.0 and 3.5) and 13 different colour combinations. It has proven to be highly effective on Australian squid. www.dogtoothdistribution.com.au

SPOT THE

10 DIFFERENCES

GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy

ORIGINAL

FIND-A-WORD

Congratulations to Chub Chalmers from Kingaroy, who was last month’s winner of the Find-a-Word Competition! Monthly winners receive a sponsor prize. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – QFM

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE

The subscriber prize winner for June is B Hull of Bundaburg North, who won a Hard Korr 8m Blue and White Boat Light Kit and T600 Headlamp valued at $328. All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

Cauchi of Kepnock, B Botting of Wattle Camp, R Forse of Prosperpine, P Fels of Cushnie, J Paul of Inverell, R Thompson of Taigum, A Thompson of Mango Hill, K Edwards of East Innisfail, G Walker of Warner, C Saler of Coomera, B Stephan of Donnybrook, T Ryan of Wagga Wagga, T Gallagher of Heathwood, R Quill of Tin Can Bay, J Boneham of Eight Mile Plains, P Carrington of Deception Bay, G Herring of

Gympie, R Stevenson of Redbank Plains, K Willmann of Windaroo, L Randles of Capella , B Hale of Maroochydore, P Fielder of Everton Hills, D Skewes of Bli Bli, A Hewlett of Mothar Mountain, E Booghen of Regency Downs, N Humble of Rockhampton, S Davies of Emerald, G McGrath of Avoca. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS

FIND THE DAIWA LOGO

The answers to Find the Daiwa Logo for June were: 16, 20, 21, 28, 32, 38, 42, 48, 50, 62, 69, 88, 91, 102, 106. – QFM

AUGUST 2018

This month’s Guess the Fish Answer: Cobia

The Find the Daiwa Logo prize winners for June were: M Gillett of Boonah, C Thorne of Roma, W Gore of New Beith, R Kroll of Minnie Water, R Brown of Edmonton, B Tieman of Buxton, C Layt of New Auckland, O Noffke of Kulangoor, G Priestly of Silkwood, J Higgins of Caboolture, K O’Brien of Burrum Heads, G Oliver of Seventeen Mile Rocks, P

GUESS THE FISH?

Answer:

BRISBANE BOAT SHOW 2018

boats & kayaks

In the skipper’s seat 84 Capital city yakking Inside story...

Sea Jay Aluminium Boats has been family owned and operated for over 25 years, and the name has become renowned for strength, quality workmanship and customization with the angler in mind. Whether you’re fishing in fresh or salt, inshore or offshore, Sea Jay will provide you with a model to suit your boating and fishing needs.

Made for...

Sea Jay specialises in boats for sports anglers, offering a stable fishing platform and plenty of storage.

This month...

Steve Morgan has a run in the Elliot River aboard the Sea Jay Predaking 6.1. This giant plate boat is a beast! Check it out on page 98!

Troy Brown explores the lower Brisbane River’s kayak fishing opportunities, and uncovers a few of Brisbane’s secrets.

89 The hour of power Justin Willmer shares a few tips for prepping your kayak for prime bite windows.

94 Stessl 485 Apache Wayne Kampe takes this rig through its paces on the Gold Coast on a warm sunny day.

102 Whittley CR2800

Peter Jung has a ride in the largest towable Australian-made boat in its class on Lake Eildon.

106 Quintrex 530 Frontier Steve Morgan tests out this beauty, repping the now famous Apex hull, and powered by a Yamaha F90.

AUGUST 2018

BRISBANE BOAT SHOW 2018

Stessl 485 Apache Pro with Yamaha F75hp

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Apache handled fast turns and powered over the Seaway chop with only the slightest of bumps. At rest it was also very stable, which is a factor for family boaters to consider as well. The power from the 1.8L F75 Yamaha was

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

It was another hard day at the office, with the sun shining gently in the early morning light, a subdued hissing of waves from the Southport Broadwater, and our morning’s work: a shiny white Stessl 485 Apache easing off its Dunbier trailer into some of the cleanest water on the east coast. The Stessl Apache Pro is a good looking rig with a small amount of vee aft and prominent reversed chines, straight sides with around 600mm of freeboard, extruded, fully-welded decks and a full-height transom. At 4.85m in length, it is the largest in the Apache Pro

PERFORMANCE

Main: A great looking boat on a great day! Here you can see the ample freeboard, reversed outer chines on the straight sided hull and the very clean wash. Above: This shot gives an idea of the floor depth of the Stessl plus the full height transom tucked ahead of the 75hp Yamaha. SMART LAYOUT Surveying the 485 Apache at length, I decided that I agreed with Scott. As an uncluttered side console

SPECIFICATIONS Hull length.................................................... 4.85m Hull beam..................................................... 2.20m Depth.............................................................1.20m Bottom and Sides.......................................... 3mm Weight boat only.......................................... 370kg Min H.P........................................................... 70hp Max H.P......................................................... 90hp Number of people.................................................5 range, with 460, 450 and 440 models also available. Scott James of Stessl Boats welcomed me aboard the all new Apache, and took pride in showing me just what the 485 offers. He explained that the largest Apache is primarily a very serious fishing rig, but added that a family looking for boating fun would enjoy it just as much. 94

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a near silent 3500rpm at 37.25km/h (3.71km/L) with just Scott James and I aboard. SUMMING UP The Stessl 485 Apache is pretty much an all rounder in my view. It’s well finished, roomy, stable,

craft there was fishing room to spare, yet the addition of four seating positions also allowed flexibility in seating arrangements. Well-padded, high backed pedestal seats for skipper and mate were installed, with the skipper’s perfectly placed aft of the console with its recessed storage box up top, grab rail

and instruments linked to the Yamaha F75. A Raymarine sounder was mounted atop the console, although there was room to recess a 12” sounder within the console’s face depending on the owner’s preference. There is an elevated casting deck up front, with storage underneath. This deck offers room for an angler to either sit (a seat spigot was installed), or to stand to cast. The craft is carpeted, as you’d expect, and within the main work area there are useful features for anglers including side pockets, a 30L plumbed live well in the transom, a large underfloor storage area able to be used as a kill tank, and enough space for at least two anglers to work in comfort. The 610mm freeboard linked to the full-height transom astern also means that on the right day you could go for a run offshore.

This boat’s versatility is one of the best things about it. Whether it’s impoundments, estuary, the bay or bluewater work, the 485 Stessl Apache would be ideal for the job. RIDE AND PERFORMANCE With the Apache having a 2.2m beam and the hull featuring reversed chines outside the vee, it was no surprise to find how easily and precisely the Stessl

RPM................. Speed (km/h) Economy (km/L) 1000................................ 6.60 3.38 2000.............................. 10.75 2.83 3000.............................. 29.90 3.57 4000.............................. 43.90 3.39 5000.............................. 56.20 2.57 5700 (WOT)................... 65.10 2.16 nothing short of impressive. Although the 485 Apache is rated for up to 90hp, the F75 certainly was no slouch off the mark or lacking grunt. It provided smooth, seamless power at virtually any revs. Silent at idle and quietly efficient at speed, the Yammy impressed me when we managed – with three aboard – just over 60km/h! The sweetest cruising was

soft riding and inspires confidence. In combination with that smooth F75 Yamaha, it would be an ideal rig for both experts and beginners to enjoy. At around the $39,990 mark as reviewed, it’s also great value for money. Visit www.stessl.com.au for more information or like Stessl Boats on Facebook for updates on the entire Stessl range.

With just two anglers at work it’s not hard to see additional room for a couple more to enjoy some action as well.

BRISBANE BOAT SHOW 2018

A carpeted floor throughout is a nice touch, as is the seat spigot up front. Note the high backed seats as well.

Careful placements of floor spigots allow a lot of latitude in passenger placement.

Although not full power, the 75 Yamaha did a praiseworthy job on the Stessl’s transom.

A side console makes a lot of sense on a dedicated fishing boat, and the Stessl’s was large enough to be useful without being intrusive.

A bird’s eye look at the interior reveals plenty of uncluttered work room for anglers to use to their advantage. High backed seats for skipper and mate are a big plus for the Apache owner. The practical console is set up with a storage compartment, sounder and instruments.

The Apache’s livewell is strategically placed at the transom so anglers can easily grab a livie when it’s needed.

A plumbed live well is an asset for anglers intent on keeping live bait in top condition, and this one is a decent size.

The well formed and strong side ribs are carried under the floor of the Apache to maximize strength and rigidity.

An underfloor compartment is very useful for storage, and the Apache is set up with both fore and aft compartments. AUGUST 2018

BRISBANE BOAT SHOW 2018

Sea Jay 610 Preda-King with Yamaha F150hp - SC

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Main: Sea Jay’s 610 Preda-King is a great looking, classically designed plate boat. All of Sea Jay’s Plate Xtreme rigs are factory built and factory sold from their Bundaberg, Queensland headquarters. Above: A steep entry flattens to 16° at the transom and provides a good balance between ride and stability. this line of boats from Sea Jay is appealing to hardcore anglers, with wait times for a build at around a year. And you can’t buy them from your Sea Jay dealer – you need to buy them straight from the factory. That’s a good thing. Sea Jay boats is a family business and the Glass family are happy to discuss customisation when it comes

Length overall.......................................... 6.34m Beam........................................................ 2.45m Bottom sheet............................................. 5mm Side sheets................................................ 4mm Transom deadrise......................................... 18° Capacity..........................................Six persons BMT Weight............................... approx. 1.35km Rec hp...........................................................115 Max hp......................................................... 150 Fuel............................................................. 220L AUGUST 2018

casting at a tuna or pulling in crab pots. And with a boat that looks as sharp as this Sea Jay, we’re sure that you’ll have plenty of mates lining up for the experience.

PERFORMANCE

SPECIFICATIONS

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I love boat tests when the weather gets nasty. I especially love it when the weather gets nasty but there’s still somewhere to get some nice photos and a video to get the job done. That was our test day on the Elliott River in Bundaberg. With a newly launched Sea Jay plate boat in tow – a PredaKing 6.1m from their Plate Xtreme range – we headed down to the ramp eager to get the new hull wet. Sea Jay Sales Manager Garry Fitzgerald said that this model, which was launched at the 2017 Brisbane Boat Show, lasted only a day on the floor before being snapped up by an eager customer. “There’s been a few changes to this model, including an upgrade of the hull plate size to 5mm, more deadrise and a massive 220L fuel tank, so it ticks a lot of boxes for anglers wanting an entirely seaworthy rig that you can travel a long way in to catch fish,” he said. There’s no doubt that the design and build quality of

s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

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to putting together your dream plate aluminium boat. The test boat was fitted with the maximum allowable horsepower in the form of Yamaha’s F150 4-stroke, the 2.7L workhorse that’s done millions of hours on boats worldwide. Quick out of the hole, the engine delivered 2.0km/L at the most economical cruising speed of 45km/h and 3800rpm. Drop the hammers to wide-open throttle and you’ll get 75km/h at 5900rpm but you’ll only get 1.1km/L. But the best bit of the test was heading out the mouth of the river and punching into a solid 20knot northerly that represented about the nastiest conditions that I’d be headed out fishing in. At a speed of around 25km/h, the upswept bow stayed high and dry –

even when we tried to bury it – and the ride was dry both punching into and riding with the slop. Quartering, of course, will get you wet, no matter

RPM............................................. Speed (km/h) Economy (km/L) Idle.................................................... 4......... 4.3 1000................................................... 8......... 3.5 2000................................................. 12......... 1.9 3000................................................. 24......... 1.4 3800................................................. 45......... 2.0 4000................................................. 46......... 1.8 5000................................................. 60......... 1.5 5900................................................. 75......... 1.2 to side in the console. I’m a great believer that keeping the connections out of the weather makes your gear last a little longer. As for fishability, there’s plenty of room for you and your mates to fish all around this rig, no matter whether you’re dropping for reefies,

As tested, this customer’s rig priced out at $79,590, with the electronics, eskies and aluminium trailer, however packages start at $60,195. Visit www.seajayboats.com. au for more information or like Sea Jay Boats on Facebook for updates on the entire Sea Jay range.

Sea Jay is proud of their complementary trailers. The aluminium, fully welded I-beam trailer under this rig looks great and gave the hull maximum protection while trailering.

BRISBANE BOAT SHOW 2018

Left:Yamaha’s F150 is the maximum horsepower for this rig and delivered economy of up to 2km/L at 3800rpm. Combine that with a 220L underfloor fuel tank and there’s over 400km of range to get you to where the fish are. Right: The hull’s 2.45m beam allows Sea Jay to place this broad console and still have plenty of space for anglers to walk around.

The big T-Top folds away for storage in some garages.

Top Left: The transom bait and rigging station combines extra rod holders with a cutting board and drink holders. Left and Right: The starboard transom door and ladder allow for easy boarding from the water or the bank.

There are welded-in battery trays at the bow to power the electric motor up front. The test rig didn’t have one fitted.

With a few anglers on board, access is important and the Preda-King offers 360° fishability.

The new model of the Preda-King was released at the Brisbane Boat Show in 2017 with a 5mm hull sheet.

In Queensland, men are still men and pull up their anchors by hand.

The transom is as neat as it gets in an Australian-built plate boat.

Optional electric motor mounting plates are a near necessity on a modern boat and it’s a popular factory option.

You could mount a pair of 12” screens in this console. That’s some solid space available for keen anglers. AUGUST 2018

BRISBANE BOAT SHOW 2018

Whittley CR2800 – the adventure begins - SC

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Peter Jung pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au

The Whittley CR2800 is the largest Australian-made towable boat in its class. At Fishing Monthly we usually take no longer than a day to test a boat, but with the CR2800 we decided to go about it in a slightly different way. Beautiful Lake Eildon in central Victoria was the venue for the test, and the idea was to spend a couple of days using the boat, as we would expect a consumer to do. SPECIFICATIONS

these boats for many years, and here is his advice. Vehicle The car you tow with can make all the difference. Alan uses a 200 series LandCruiser for all his larger boat towing, and says it has been the best option for the business over the years. However, these days there’s a number of other cars that are suitable. Trailer set-up All Whittley Cruiser models come on a custom Mackay trailer, and in the case of the 2800 it’s a dualaxle trailer with electric brakes. Electric brakes are an essential component of safe

Overall length ��9.0m Length on trailer �� 10.10m Height on trailer ��3.30m Width on trailer ��2.49m Fuel capacity ��200L Water capacity ��100L Dry towing weight �� approx. 3.35 ton Standard engine �� Volvo Penta V6-280hp DPS Max hp ��380hp Max people ��9 Stay on board as we explore everything that Eildon and the CR2800 has to offer. TOWING I can imagine that people would have concerns about towing a boat this big, and fair enough too. The size of the boat is daunting, however being under 3.5 ton and having a 2.5m beam means all you have to worry about is having the correct set-up and vehicle, not whether you need lights, signage and permits any time you want to go somewhere. Alan Whittley and his family have been towing 102

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towing with a boat this size. The Mackay is also a drive on, drive off trailer; winching this boat by hand would not be ideal. We had no difficulty driving it on and off, it’s just a matter of taking your time. The supplied trailer made that easier. Think long Alan’s biggest tip for towing the 2800 was to ‘think long’. It is a big boat and you need to give yourself room to turn or turn around. You should also give yourself a little extra space from vehicles in front.

Main: The CR2800 is a compact luxury cruiser with a sleek modern design and look. Above: Alan Whittley can be very proud of their flagship boat the CR2800. Although the trailer has assisted breaking, you still have over three ton behind you, so stopping on a dime is not going to happen. LAUNCH AND RETRIEVE As with the towing, some care and a little practice is required when getting the 2800 on and off the water. It is by no means difficult, however. We launched at the Jerusalem Creek ramp at Lake Eildon, and at around 64% capacity this ramp is safe but not very steep. Other than needing to have the vehicle in the water (there were plenty of smaller craft needing to do the same), getting the boat on and off the trailer was a simple two-person job. Once off the trailer, front bow thrusters assist with maneuverability. Who would have thought it could be so hassle-free? A CRUISER WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS Whittley Marine has been at the forefront of building

cruisers since their inception, and the CR2800 is the culmination of many years of boat-building experience. This boat combines a sleek, modern look with a clever use of space, and because the designers understand what boaters want, they provide features and options to fulfil those needs. And feature packed it is. Above the deck Ladders are situated

at the front and rear of the craft. The forward ladder is optional to provide assistance getting to and from the shore if you are parked on the bank, and the rear ladder gives easy access into and out of the water. Complementing this is full walk-around side decks with rails at the bow of the boat, and a large marlin board with rails at the rear.

The rails provide some peace of mind for anyone who’s not accustomed to scampering around a vessel. Above the cabin there is a pack rack for additional storage of larger items, and it’s a great place for any towable products or inflatables to keep them out of the way. Marlin board The marlin board was most probably the most used area of the boat over the couple of days we were at Eildon. We cooked meals on the BBQ, we cast lures and soaked baits from it, and with the weather as good as it was on the first day, we spent plenty of time swimming from the back of it. The addition of the bait station adds to the fishing component. It has some rod storage and keeps the bait preparation out of the main cabin and away from your food and living area. Rear cabin The rear cabin is a wonderful space to sit, relax and enjoy your surroundings.

First light at Jerusalem Creek, Lake Eildon. Time to go and explore.

BRISBANE BOAT SHOW 2018 The seating is comfortable and has a couple of table options. The main dining table is stored in the roof of the cabin, which is a fantastic solution for an item that would be very difficult to store otherwise. There is plenty of storage under all the seating and throughout the cabin area, keeping it clear to be the social space it is meant to be. The lounge and table come together to create a double bed. Full clears can be put in place to keep insects at bay or to keep the weather out. Galley and amenities If the rear cabin and marlin board are the social areas of the boat, then the galley provides the practical component of spending time on the boat. There is a food preparation area with a sink, a two burner mentholated spirits stove and a fridge. There is an esky under the skipper’s seat for drinks, so the fridge can be used for food items. Cooking

the weekend. Unfortunately it went untouched. Opposite the galley is a stand up shower and toilet with a privacy door. From a family perspective this offers privacy and the ability to clean up after a days activities. As far as our weekend was concerned, it kept five blokes looking and smelling sharp? Forward cabin The haven that is the forward cabin has a true sense of luxury. The area has multiple configurations from a seated area with a table to a large bed. There is a lockable door for privacy for people to get changed or simply for someone to chill out and have some quiet time. Practical things like storage under the seating and a hanging closet for your clothing ensure that the space is kept clear and tidy. There are plenty of windows for natural light during the day and a hatch that can open to allow airflow.

is at your fingertips. The throttle is comfortably positioned and the skipper has great visibility through the cabin windows. Both side windows open to assist with airflow. You can also pop your head through the electric sunroof if you need to see more while launching or manoeuvring in tight spaces. The truly impressive feature is the new dash configuration. Housing a 16” Garmin screen, part of the Whittley Pulse system. The Pulse system is a fully integrated digital switching system that at the touch of your finger, controls everything electronic in the boat from the lights and wipers to letting you know you are low on fuel. It has a number of modes that allow the user to set their craft up for what they want to use it for (cruise, tow, entertainment etc.). The menu includes the fuel management system,

management system and just to the side of it the toggle for the bow thrusters. All in all a well thought out helm, that any skipper would be happy to in whether it is a short or long trip. VOLVO PENTA V6 280HP WITH DUO PROP SYSTEM Not surprisingly the Volvo Penta V6 motor in the CR2800 came up in conversation a number of times during our time at Eildon. From a useable space perspective there are a number of advantages of an inboard motor. First and foremost is that your cabin and deck spaces are above the motor and with the design of the CR2800 (all of the Whittley Cruisers for that matter) they have used

economy that is comparable with any outboard motor. What we found over the couple of days was that for what is a very powerful motor it also had a great deal of finesse about it. And no I haven’t gone crazy. The Duo Prop system provides an immense amount of grip to the water resulting in excellent trust, acceleration and top end speeds. However it also allows for lower planing speeds, which means you can cruise around all day with great fuel economy. Definitely something that you would want if you plan to be on the water for an extended period of time. The motor is also beautifully quiet. One final observation about the inboard motor set up is that lowers the centre

experience with the CR2800, my extended family in South Australia own one and I have spent a little bit of time with them over the years. They have travelled much of the East coast of Australia with the Whittley in tow. It has offered many years of memorable experiences and many more to come. Ultimately that is what this boat is all about. It can be towed from A to B with no hassles, launching and retrieving is hassle free with a bit of practice and the fit out offers plenty of comfort and sophistication. Spending time on this boat for whatever reason is something you are bound to enjoy and something you will want to invite your friends to come along for the ride.

Sneaking around casting lures for natives is not the primary function of the 2800. That doesn’t mean you can’t do it.

Lake Eildon is the home of many houseboats. We brought our own for the weekend. utensils also have a place to be stored as well as cutlery etc. The remaining space at the back of the skipper’s seat has a bar in it storing glasses and on this trip a nice bottle of single malt whiskey. This was to be the reward if you caught a Murray cod over

Overall it is a well-planned space that like the rest of the boat begs to be used. Helm/Skippers seat The hub of the CR2800 is the driver seating area. There is an oversized seat for the driver, which is positioned so everything

links to the Fusion sound system and the main screen can be customised to the users needs. Other things housed on the dash are the Garmin VHF radio, the Zipwake automatic trim system (no more manual trimming), the battery

this space to the max. The comfort and functionality of the rear lounge area is a clear testament of this. Secondly only having the leg of the motor at the rear (not a big outboard) means the transom area is free of obstruction, so it can be used to cook on the BBQ, ski or swim from the back and it also provides an obstacle free fishing platform. From a performance perspective, you get a lot of motor for your money and fuel

of gravity of the boat. This improves the stability at rest and the performance of the hull underway. LASTING IMPRESSION The CR2800 is the flagship vessel of the Whittley fleet of boats. It is also a significant investment. This investment translates into a boat that offers a vehicle to explore this great country of ours both on land and from the water. The weekend at Eildon was not my first

Available from just under $206,000, the CR2800 comes with many standard inclusions. Go to www. whitleymarinegroup.com. au and click on the Cruiser 2800 link. There is a build a boat option that has all the information, inclusions and optional extras that are available. This boat is well worth experiencing for yourself and has left a lasting impression on me.

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Quintrex 530 Frontier with Yamaha F90hp 4-stroke

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Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

It’s no secret that when I first tested one of the new Quintrex Apex hulls last year (we went for a run in the 590 Frontier on the Gold Coast), I said that it was the greatest improvement in hull design by the company since they first stretchformed a flared bow all those years ago. I still stand by those comments and it seems as though the major shift in design and looks of these boats have had nearly universal acceptance by dealers and customers alike. They’re soft riding,

Main: Admittedly the test day was glamorous, but the hole shot, stability and ease of use of this Quintrex/Yamaha package were impressive. Above: The Apex hull doesn’t bank into turns like other aluminium hulls, retaining a flat attitude throughout the manoeuvre.

SPECIFICATIONS Hull Length...............................................5.26m Beam.........................................................2.07m Depth........................................................ 1.10m Bottom and sides......................................3mm Weight (boat only).................................... 506kg Min hp.........................................................75hp Max hp...................................................... 115hp Hole Shot...................................... 4.27 seconds Number of people............................................6 beamy, deep and perform well, even with outboards well under the maximum allowable. Recently, we got to test a Frontier 530 powered by the new Yamaha F90 – a 90hp 4-stroke 1.8L outboard released a little over a year ago. Importantly, the 106

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outboard was 45 horses less than the maximum allowable on this hull. Replacing the older Top Enders, the Frontiers have several advantages over their predecessors. They’re beamier (and carry their beam more forward than the older rigs), have more

freeboard, are softer riding and are more stable than the older designs. The ‘pickle fork’ bow shape is a few years old now, but is a distinguishing feature of the new generation Quintrex rigs. I really liked the ease of access to this boat when it’s on the trailer, with a fold down ladder and an inviting transom door. Supplied on a Quintrex aluminium I-beam trailer with their Catch-n-Release launch system, the package is both easy to manoeuvre and will tow behind virtually any vehicle, weighing in at just over 1000kg. Being a single axle, it’ll make it easier to fit into smaller,

modern garages. The Catch-n-Release system allows you to launch and retrieve this boat very easily by yourself, making solo trips not just possible, but easy. Although fuel metering wasn’t available on the test boat, the same motor on a smaller Frontier hull delivered 3.28km/L, meaning that this rig would easily get you over 3km/L at the most economical cruising speed. Flat out, the test boat travelled 57km/h at 5600rpm and jumped onto the plane easily with two on board and no gear apart from safety kits. Filling the livewells, there was

no noticeable decrease in performance. The test boat was also fitted with an enclosed rod locker in the port gunwale. I’m not a fan of using these for anything but locking rods away at the end of the session. Anything designed where gravity can help the lid fall on your tackle will eventually do so. I’m also a long-time critic of the underfloor storage being not more resistant to inundation. If it rains, your tackle will get wet. For anglers with a pile of expensive tackle, this is sometimes an expensive problem.

These minor points aside, I’m in love with the package as a whole. It’s easy to launch and retrieve, ridiculously economical and easy to drive. Its high gunwales make it safer for kids and it’s customisable to a level where a serious fisher can add the electronics necessary to maximise their time on the water. As tested, this package priced up at $55,390 and packages start at less than $50,000. Contact Brisbane Yamaha for more information. Full hull specifications can be found on www.quintrex.com.au.

Although 45hp under maximum, the 530 jumped onto the plane with ease, two-up.

BRISBANE BOAT SHOW 2018

Single-handed launch and retrieval is easy with the Quintrex Catch-n-Release system.

Access to this high-sided boat is through the folding ladder and transom door at the stern.

Synthetic decking material on the bow sheets make it a practical place to fish from (and to store anchors underneath).

Left and right: The new Frontier design boasts acres of room inside and the ability to add features like the enclosed rod locker.

Quintrex rotomolds all of their console shrouds in house. Yay for the ability to flush mount large electronics choices into the helm.

With the seats in this position, three anglers can make long runs in comfort.

Above top: The front livewell has clever baffles that help to stop slop. Above lower: While not 100% dry storage, there’s still lots of room under the high casting decks to store your gear.

Clear fronted bait tanks are very much in fashion at the moment and with good reason – it takes just a glance to know your livies are in A1 condition.

Now that’s a casting deck. We challenge you to find a beamier casting area in any rig on the water of this length.

The high sides make the Frontier a rig that’s nearly as comfortable in the open water as it is in rivers and estuaries.

There’s not much to say about Yamaha’s 1.8L 90hp. It’s very unlikely to let you down and has been a hit with customers since it was released last year. AUGUST 2018

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BRISBANE BOAT SHOW 2018

BRISBANE BOAT SHOW The Brisbane Boat Show returns to the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (BCEC) from 24-26 August 2018. The show, being one of the largest recreational boat shows in Queensland, fills more than 20,000 square metres of floor space across four halls at the South Bank venue. With a history spanning over 50 years, this three-day celebration of recreational boating is sure to please both committed boaties as well as those new to the lifestyle.

Popular with locals and those from the city’s surrounds, the Brisbane Boat Show is where industry comes together to display and offer the best in recreational boating. The boats are the show’s heroes, but all the boating gear you might need or just want plays a big part too. Andrew Fielding, Chairman with the Queensland Council of the Boating Industry Association Ltd who organise the 110

AUGUST 2018

event, said given Australia’s recreational boating manufacturing powerhouse lies at Brisbane’s doorstep, visitors can be assured of seeing the best and latest designs at this show. “Boat manufacturing plays a big part of the Queensland economy and this event showcases the quality and innovation that Australia has to offer,” he said. Over 60 organisations have booked exhibition space, and they will bring with them more than 500 vessels, which will present an excellent array of boats catering to various interests. They include fishing, waterskiing, wake boarding, personal watercraft, canoeing, kayaking, stand-up paddle boards as well as others. Once again, family cruisers are proving as popular as ever at the show. While the show is the best place to see boats and the best place to buy boats, the BIA also aims to entertain and educate at the show. With a commitment to safe boating, show organisers have pulled together an excellent line up of government agencies to ensure visitors have the opportunity to better understand how to stay safe and maximise their time on the water. On stage will be a mix of educators and entertainers, and the fishing masterclasses make a welcome return. All the details about the show, ticket prices, where to park and show hours can be found on the website at brisbaneboatshow.com.au.

VELOCITY SPORTS

CRUSADER

For fu

NEW MODELS

VELOCITY SPORTS TD

The new Tuff Deck Range is a new variant of the popular Velocity Sports Range. With all of the features of the Velocity Sports the TD models come standard with sealed checker plate floor draining into a sump box. This no-nonsense deck layout is perfect for crabbing, prawning and general dirty or hard yakka work while offering a hull with a proven performance record. If you’re hard on your gear, the Tuff Deck may be just what you’re needing. Available in 520 & 550 sizes.

BOATING IN A SEA JAY Full Range on Offer

AVENGER RS SERIES

The new RS Series from Sea Jay Boats offers a stylish new look on the proven design of the Adrenalin Hull. Featuring a Raised Sheerline, the RS Series offers all of the great features of the Avenger (tiller) and Avenger Sports (side console) models and incorporates the re-designed rear deck for better functionality. Available in sizes 448 and 468.

NEW RELEASE

4.88 AVENGER SPORTS NEW RELEASE

4.88 AVENGER SPORTS 490 RANGER VELOCITY SPORTS SPORTS

· Checker Plate Self Draining Deck · 4mm Plate Bottom (5083) CRUSADER · 50mm Capped Keel · 115 Litre Fuel Capacity

· Wide Body 2350mm Beam · Live Bait Tank · Max 90hp

DISCOVER

For further information visit

VELOCITY SPORTS

CRUSADER

DISCOVERY SPORTS NAVIGATOR DESIGN STRENGTH PERFORMANCE

To like us on

For further information visit www.seajayboats.com.au To like us on Facebook visit www.facebook.com/SeaJayBoats AUGUST 2018

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UNBEATABLE 75–115hp FourStroke

Unbridled power, unexpectedly compact, uncompromising reliability, unbelievably fuel efficient. Mercury’s 75–115hp FourStroke Range. Unlike anything the world has ever seen.

UNEXPECTEDLY COMPACT 115HP FOURSTROKE MERCURY

OPTIMAX YAMAHA EVINRUDE SUZUKI TWOSTROKE TWOSTROKE

DISPLACEMENT COMPARISON 115HP FOURSTROKE HONDA

2.4L

2.2L 2.0L 163kg 170kg

(54kg Heavier)

2.1L 2.0L

1.8L

171kg 177kg

182kg

217kg

1.8L

1.6L

MERCURY YAMAHA SUZUKI HONDA FOURSTROKE FOURSTROKE FOURSTROKE FOURSTROKE

THE MERCURY 115HP FOURSTROKE COMES IN AT AN INCREDIBLY LIGHT 163KG MAKING IT THE LIGHTEST IN ITS HORSEPOWER CLASS – 4.6% LIGHTER THAN YAMAHA AND 24% LIGHTER THEN HONDA.

EVINRUDE TWOSTROKE

THE MERCURY 75–115HP RANGE HAS CLASS LEADING DISPLACEMENT TO WEIGHT, HELPING OUT GUN THE COMPETITION.

Based on Mercury’s 115hp (L) model. Information based on all manufacturers’ claimed horsepower and weight figures.

mercurymarine.com.au

1.7L