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December 2019, Vol. 32 No.2

Contents NORTHERN NEW SOUTH WALES Yamba 20

Ballina 22

BOATING AND KAYAK

REGULAR FEATURES Back to Basics 14 Car Review 72 Cooking 78 Dam Levels 66 Freshwater 66 Fun Page 94 Sheik of the Creek 70 Tech Tricks 16 Tournament News 79 Track my fish 90 Trades and Services 92 What’s New Boating 101 SPECIAL FEATURES Fishing on Fraser Island Maroochy’s elbow-slappers New Queensland fishing regulations Barra facts: fish feelings Christmas gift ideas

10 24 45 57 74

PARTNER CONTENT

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We’ll all be away for those two weeks, so if you’re after a gift subscription for Christmas or a Carl Jocumsen jersey, get your orders in by 12 December. Kym and Marie in the front of house will be happy to get you hooked up with what you want. If you’ve left it too late, you can still buy gift subscriptions on iSubscribe right through the holidays. Just look at the most popular magazines on the Boating and Fishing section – you’ll find us at the top! From all of us at the Fishing Monthly offices, thank you for your business throughout the year and for keeping a small, independent local publisher that prints in Australia going. We still love doing it – even if it’s a heavier workload than before.

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Whitsundays 58 Ayr 59 Townsville 60 Cairns 61 Port Douglas 61 Hinchinbrook 62 Cairns NFZ 62 Lucinda 63 Cooktown 63

as a brick and just about as clever as one, my kids (10 and 11) love nothing more than a stick, line, #14 hook and bread sight-casting to toadfish. I reckon that it comes down to the visual aspect. I’m a dead set sight-fishing addict. It doesn’t matter if it’s a carp or a tuna, if I can see it eat, I throw at it. The kids are the same. If they can walk along and see the prey and then try to catch it, it triggers something primal in all of us. They’re definitely not a big or prestigious fish, but I see them learning lessons about how to stalk and present to a fish and be patient enough to catch it. So that’s what we may well do lots of in the two week break where we shut the office down over Christmas. Watching cricket and chasing the ultimate river toadfish bite.

Mackay 56

things include events, video content, websites and web stores. And by default we need to volunteer to help the industry in other ways. Currently I serve on the Australian Fishing Trade Association (AFTA) and Australian Recreational Fishing Federation (ARFF) boards. All voluntary. Sometimes it leaves little time for fishing and little time for family. With a hefty away-from-home calendar each year, it’s sometimes great to get the time to spend simple times with the kids on a riverbank. And with mulloway, threadfin salmon, bream, bull sharks and catfish in my local, do you know what the kids want to catch most? Toadfish… Those little brown toadies – the ones that swim around the shore looking to mop up whatever has dropped in. As hydronamic

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Hervey Bay 46 Rainbow Beach 47 Gladstone 48 Lake Monduran 48 Bundaberg 50 Rockhampton 50 Stanage Bay 52 Yeppoon 52

Every year, it seems as though we become more busy. Fishing Monthly is no exception. We all seem to be working harder for the same rewards. There’s thirteen employees at the Fishing Monthly head office who work hard to put out 48 monthly magazines each year – the Qld, NSW, Vic/Tas and WA Fishing Monthlies are the biggest state-based monthly magazines in their respective regions. But modern magazine publishing has its challenges. It’s not like it was 20 years ago when there was a stream of companies wanting to spend their marketing budgets with you. The modern publisher has had to become multi-skilled. Nowadays, we don’t just make magazines, we make magazines and other things. The other

Noosa 43

From the Editor’s Desk...

PRO

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND The Tweed 28 Southern Gold Coast 30 Jumpinpin 32 Gold Coast Canals 33 Gold Coast 34 Southern Bay 36 Brisbane 38 Brisbane Offshore 40 Northern Bay 42

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Fishing Fraser Island BRISBANE

Justin Willmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

Whether you call it ‘Fraser Island’, ‘K’gari’ or simply ‘paradise’, this natural wonder draws tourists and anglers from around the

Heritage listed Fraser Island is located approximately 250km north of Brisbane. It’s accessible by vehicle barge from River Heads (east of Maryborough) to Kingfisher Bay and Wanggoolba Creek, or alternatively via Inskip Point, 15 minutes drive

Paddle-tail soft plastics produced the bite when other styles of lures went untouched. world, visiting both the island itself and the fishing Mecca that is Hervey Bay and the Great Sandy Straits. Hervey Bay is just one of the popular mainland fishing destinations inside Fraser Island, which is the largest sand island in the world – over 120km long.

mix of camping, rental houses and units, and quality resorts. Ecotourism is a massive drawcard, with natural wonders that include Lake McKenzie with its clear blue water and white sands, along with many other lakes; the 72 different coloured sands that make up The Cathedrals, The Pinnacles, Rainbow Gorge and Red Canyon; and the crystalclear waters of Eli Creek. The many other visitor highlights include the Champagne Pools, Indian Head, Waddy Point, Wathumba Creek, miles of beaches and walking tracks. Fraser Island is the only place in the world where tall rainforests grow on sand dunes… it really is a spectacular location. My family and I have been visiting Fraser Island for over 30 years, and I am a little ashamed to say that I have seen very few of these visitor hotspots up close. I enjoy the spectacular natural

Looking south toward Indian Head from the Champagne Pools. sure the serenity, beauty and remoteness of many sections of the island are an important component of my overall experience, because although I can catch fish in many other

from Rainbow Beach at the southern end. Driving on the island consists of beach and sand tracks that are recommended for experienced 4x4 drivers only. There are also many tours that operate on the island, including 4WD buses and light aircraft. Accommodation is a

multiple trevally species, queenfish, mackerel, tuna, kingfish and more. As is often the case, if there are schools of bait around they will attract other species, such as tailor, that in turn attract top level predatory species. Let’s have a look at a few of the main target species that are available, and discuss how you can target them on your adventures. WHITING An excellent table fish and a species that pulls hard on light gear, whiting can be caught virtually anywhere around the island. These fish favour smaller gutters

beach worms’ videos on You Tube so that you’re ready for action. When it comes to catching beach worms, you should select the bottom half of a dropping tide, and look for an area where the water washes up over a large area and then falls back into the gutter. This will give you time to spot the tell-tale ‘V’ in the receding water, created by the worm’s head as it looks for food. Get your ‘stink bag’ of fish frames washing in the water to attract them, and try to keep your footsteps light as you move around on the sand. Worms are more wary and harder to catch when you’re

Jude getting stuck into a few whiting.

All loaded up after a great week on the beach.

beauty of the island, however it’s the fishing that is the primary focus of my visit. I’m

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places, Fraser Island keeps drawing me back. The fishing on offer includes sheltered beach fishing on the western side of the island, along with a few creeks, more exposed surf fishing on the eastern beaches, and rock fishing from a selection of headlands and coffee rock outcrops. For the keen and more experienced boat operators, you can cartop tinnies or tow larger boats up the island, launching through the surf to target reef and pelagic species. We launched tinnies from Sandy Cape on the northern tip for many years, but these days we prefer to focus on the safety and simplicity of beach fishing. For many visitors, the main attraction is the annual run of tailor. These fish school in large numbers during the winter months. For other anglers it’s the whiting and swallowtail dart fishing that keep them coming back. For me it’s the multitude of other species that can be encountered, including

Catching beachworms. where they can escape larger predators, and are often caught from deeper holes at the ends of these gutters. Freshly caught beach worms are the go-to bait, so check out the ‘how to catch

stomping around, or when there are large numbers of people. I often tie a fish frame around my ankle and move away from the crowds. Windy conditions make worms harder to catch, too.

Working a patch of tailor (on the righthand side of the photo).

Pipi is the best bait for catching worms as it is nice and firm, making it difficult for the worms to pull pieces off, encouraging them to grip

sand. If you miss the timing, the worm will lock all of its little leg like fibres down its body into the sand, and you won’t be able to pull it out.

A handful of trevally spun up on a Fish Inc. Lures Flanker sinking stickbait. on firmly. As they grab the pipi, slide your fingers in to replace the sand being washed away by the wave. You will feel your fingers replace the sand around the worm, most importantly below the sensitive white section of the head. Once you are holding the worm gently, as the sand would, you will feel it push up through your fingers ready to pull the bait back down into the sand. As the worm ‘arches up’, you should push up, simply squeeze them tighter and keep the momentum going to pull them out of the

Other popular baits for whiting include pipis gathered on the beaches, along with squid and saltwater yabbies brought from the mainland. In terms of rigging for whiting, we fish 7’-10’ rods, depending on the size of the surf being fished, loaded with 8-10lb monofilament line, with a running 2-4 ball sinker, small black rolling swivel, 30-50cm of 8-10lb mono trace, an inch of red plastic tube and a #4 Mustad Bloodworm longshank hook. Once cast, we slowly retrieve the bait so that we can stay in contact with it and wait for the bites of a whiting – hopefully that slow, sucking weight that is often the calling card of a larger whiting – and then set the hook. Handy accessories when

Spinning a point with light gear.

Nkgala Rocks can be an interesting proposition at times, with many visitors opting to stick to Waddy Point South. you are beach fishing include a wading bag for carrying your fish, a ruler, small tackle tray of basic terminal tackle, and a belt with a bait bucket for carrying your beach worms or other bait. If you are using beach worms, keep a couple in your bait bucket and the remainder in a bucket of water, changing the water a couple of times a day and keeping it in the shade. Finally, always remember to check your local rules and regulations on both bait and fish species landed. SWALLOWTAIL DART You should keep an eye out when you’re fishing the surf gutters as dart can often be spotted surfing in the waves. Dart are another hard-

pulling fish on light gear and they are a reasonable quality eating fish if they’re bled immediately on capture and iced down. Like tailor, they smoke well too, so it may be worth including a fish smoker with your gear. Better quality dart are generally found in the larger surf gutters, so we fish with light to medium rods around 9-12’, 12-15lb monofilament line, a running size 4-6 ball sinker, small black rolling swivel and a 40-50cm trace of 15-20lb mono, finished off with a slightly larger Mustad Bloodworm longshank hook than we use for the whiting, or alternatively a Mustad Long Baitholder hook, because the small bait holder barbs

on the shank of the hook are ideal for securing softer baits such as pipis. Pipis are my go-to bait for dart, and these can be gathered on the lower stages of the tide, along the water’s edge. Vehicle traffic along the beach can reveal their location, as each pipi creates a small lump protruding from the sand. Dig down below the lump, often a few inches, and you will find the pipi. Another way to find pipis is to head to the water and bury your feet into the sand, moving your hips and doing ‘the pipi shuffle’ twist, to locate pipis in the sand. When it comes to opening pipis, I always warn people away from using knives To page 12

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Tech Tricks

How to make your own rod and reel tube BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

Most anglers take great pride in their fishing tackle and want to look after it to ensure its longevity.

Regardless of the price of the tackle, getting it to and from your fishing destination safely is a necessity. The last thing you need after driving a distance to your destination is to take your rod out of the car and find that you have a dislodged guide

insert or, even worse, a broken blank. There are plenty of rod tubes available that will protect your rod, however most require that you take the reel off. Therefore, being able to transport a rod ready rigged will maximise your fishing time.

Many anglers enjoy various forms of land-based fishing using lures and baits targeted at an array of species. Sometimes anglers may try several locations during an outing, especially when casting egi for squid, popping for whiting, fishing

the shallows for flathead or probing lighted areas of the Brisbane River for threadfin. Unrigging your rod to store it securely in a tube between each location can be rather tiresome. Being able to store your rod ready rigged with a lure or terminal tackle still

attached will protect your rod and also eliminate the chance of a hook penetrating the car’s upholstery or another passenger. After trying several options, I have come up with a rod and reel storage tube that works a treat and is simple and cheap to make.

The tools required to complete this project are fairly basic: a drill and an assortment of drill bits from 4-13mm, a hacksaw, coarse sandpaper, file, marker pen, a screwdriver and a spanner to suit the M4 screws and nuts. If you don’t have a drill and drill bits, a sturdy pair of snips will do a sufficient, yet cruder, job. The tools are so simple that this project could even be attempted by younger anglers, with adult supervision.

Materials required are a length of PVC pipe (50mm in this case), two end caps and a relevant sized PVC connector. These can all be purchased at a hardware or plumbing supply shop. The PVC pipe can usually be purchased in a 1m length (only suitable for 2 piece rods of 1.95m or less in length) or a 3m length, which will allow you to make at least two tubes for rods to 2.4m. You will also need a bungee strap, button and two screws, which can be purchased at a chandlery outlet. I used M4 (5/32”) 316 stainless bolts with M4 Nyloc nuts, which were just long enough to get the nuts on after attaching the bungee loop and button to the pipe.

The size of PVC pipe will be dictated by the size of the lowest (stripper) guide on your rod. Obviously the tube must be wider than the guide so the rod can be slid in. For this rod I used 50mm PVC pipe, you may need to use the 65, 80 or 100mm. A 3m length of the 50mm PVC cost around $18 but I was able to make two tubes with this. End caps, connectors and other bits needed to completely make two tubes brought the cost to around $40 total, $20 per tube.

Place the connector beside the rod so that the lower edge of it is level with the reel foot (stem). Mark the position on your PVC pipe that coincides with the middle of this connector. This will be the second cut. 16

DECEMBER 2019

This rod is 7ft (2.12m) total length, or around 1.1m long when separated. I made my tube around 1.2m long so I could use it for other rods that may have different length butts to this one. Rod wraps can be used to hold the two sections of your rod securely together. Lay your rod beside the pipe and mark the overall length you want the tube to be. This will be the first cut.

Cut the pipe all the way through with your hacksaw at these two marks. Use sandpaper to smooth off and slightly taper the lip of the PVC where you cut the pipe.

Tech Tricks

Put the connector onto the shorter section of PVC (which will encase the rod butt) and mark on the pipe where the end of the connector will be. About 10mm below this line, drill a hole with your smallest drill bit. Widen the hole more using the next sized drill bit.

Take the connector off and use your largest drill bit (13mm in this case) to enlarge the hole further. This hole needs to be a fraction wider than the reel foot – you may need to use a file to widen it if you don’t have a large enough drill bit.

10 9

Use a hacksaw or cutters to cut a slot from the edge of the PVC pipe down to each side of the drill hole. Check to ensure it is large enough to accommodate the reel foot as shown. Use the file and sandpaper to smooth the edges of the slot.

Secure the bungy and button in place using your M4 screws and Nyloc nuts. Ensure the screws do not protrude from the nuts or they may scratch your rod as you are putting it in and out. If they are too long, then either use shorter ones or remove, cut to length and re-insert. Your rod can be inserted into the tube (even with a lure on) before the rear section is slid on with the reel stem positioned in the slot. As you slide the two ends of the tube over your rod, ensure there is a little slack in the line because it needs to come back against the reel stem.

Put the end caps on both pieces of pipe and the connector onto the longer section. Tap these firmly down into position. Use some PVC pipe glue to secure them if you wish. Position the bungy strap and button as shown so that the bungy will stretch slightly to secure over the button. Drill the two holes where these will be affixed with your 4mm bit. I prefer to put the clasp on the side of the tube at 90º to the reel foot slot so the small nuts inside will not rub the rod blank.

Once the two sections are slotted together and the bungy clipped over the button, you can add a quality reel bag to further protect your reel. This particular one will go around the rod tube and fasten. The neoprene flap also covers the bungy and button. You can paint the tube if you wish or attach a few stickers. Once at your destination, you only need to take the rod out of the tube, connect the two sections together and you are ready to fish. This tube is not only convenient but, more importantly, it will protect your ready-rigged rod from mishaps while in transit. DECEMBER 2019

It’s a top time to troll in impoundments TOOWOOMBA

Jason Ehrlich fishability1@bigpond.com

Water temperatures should really start to soar this month. Even I would brave the temperature for a quick dip at this time of year! This rise in temperature changes the way the fish behave. Shallow holding fish will be forced a little deeper and those that like the depths may actually rise with the thermocline. Warmer water encourages fish movement during this time, so the fish tend to suspend and move around a lot. This makes it

the perfect time for trolling. Trolling lures is a great way to target most of our freshwater species. Diving hardbodies are usually the go-to lure but fish can also be fooled by a trolling sinking lure. If it can be cast and retrieved, it can be trolled. Working out how deep your lure will track by altering the amount of line out and the speed of the boat takes a bit of time but it is certainly worth the effort. The ability to offer different lure styles while trolling can make a huge difference. Just like casting, choosing the right type of lure to troll can soon turn

SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND CRESSBROOK CLOSEST TOWN: CROWS NEST There are still some quality bass being caught,

but they have been a bit tricky. Trollers are having plenty of success on the deep fish suspending way out in the old creek beds. Extra

a bad day into a good one. The most important thing to keep in mind is placing the lure right in front of as many fish as possible. Work out your lure’s running depth by noting the depth it starts to bump the bottom, you will improve your chances way more than using just guesswork. The bearded man in red and white will be on his way later this month so rather than unwrapping undies and sock, I suggest leaving a few hints around the house. You can’t beat a few new fishing toys on Christmas Day. Until next year, buckled rods from The Colonel!

14 31

Weipa

Toowoomba

BRISBANE

1 Tinaroo Falls Dam 2 Peter Faust Dam 3 Burdekin Falls Dam 4 Eungella Dam 5 Teemburra Dam 6 Kinchant Dam 7 Cania Dam 8 Lake Monduran 9 Isis Balancing Storage 10 Wuruma Dam 11 Lenthalls Dam 12 Boondooma Dam 13 Bjelke-Petersen Dam 14 Lake MacDonald 15 Gordonbrook Dam 16 Borumba Dam 17 Somerset Dam 18 Wivenhoe Dam 19 Pindari Dam 20 Copeton Dam 21 Moogerah Dam 22 Maroon Dam 23 Leslie Dam 24 Connolly Dam 25 Coolmunda Dam 26 Clarrie Hall Dam (NSW) 27 Hinze Dam 28 Lake Cressbrook 29 Callide Dam 30 Lake Awoonga 31 Lake Samsonvale 32 Fairbairn Dam 33 Koombooloomba Dam 34 Cooby Dam

need to run 4-8lb braid and fish the lures well back. Trolling with the outboard is fine as the extra speed pushes the lures a bit deeper. Adding a few stop/ starts to the regular trolling routine can also make a big difference. A lot of the fish have been taken when stopping to wind in lures or during tighter turns when the lure speed changes. Casting has been hard work when the fish are scattered. When you sit in a spot for a while they will

Gold Coast

24 IMPOUNDMENT DAM

deep divers were the way to go last month but the fish may start to rise a bit more in the water column. Lures that dive to 10m are perfect. To achieve this depth with smaller profile lures you will

Bass have scattered at Somerset. Trolling hardbodies has worked a treat. The Spectre and HD Vibration jigs are another great option for lure casters.

Gympie

Cairns 1

Townsville 2

3 4

Proserpine 6 Mackay

Rockhampton

Emerald 29 7

Highlighted dams are covered in this issue

Gladstone

30 8

Bundaberg 9

Maryborough

Roma

tend to come and go from the boat as they school up a bit below you and then move on. Flicking G2 Gang Bangers and soft plastics has been a good way to get bites from these fish. Take advantage of them when the action is hot. Often a few fish can be caught before they get lockjaw. On the good days, they will return and chew again but when it is tough, move on, rest them and return later. There were quite a few golden perch caught casting

BRISBANE

around the edges of the lake with lipless crankbaits a bit over a month ago. This is always worth a quick try early and late in the day. Goldens do tend to hold in the shallower areas of this lake while the bass have been preferring deeper water. • For all your fishing supplies and the latest reports on the surrounding dams, call in to see Fish’n’Bits in Alderley Street. They have a great To page 67

QLD AND NORTHERN NSW DAM LEVELS Dam............................ % Full

        

DAMS Atkinson Awoonga Bjelke-Petersen Boondooma Borumba Burdekin Falls Callide Cania Clarendon Cooby Coolmunda

SEP OCT NOV 5 5 5 68 66 64 5 4 4 25 24 23 92 88 83 92 86 80 41 39 37 66 64 63 0 0 0 33 30 28 4 3 2

Dam............................ % Full           

Copeton Cressbrook Dyer/Bill Gunn Eungella Fairbairn Glenlyon Hinze Julius Kinchant Koombooloomba Leslie Macdonald

9 8 7 38 38 38 3 3 3 100 99 97 16 14 12 8 3 3 90 89 87 85 82 78 93 86 76 55 40 34 4 4 3 97 93 86

Dam............................ % Full           

Maroon Monduran/Fred Haigh Moogerah North Pine/Samsonvale Peter Faust/Proserpine Pindari Somerset Teemburra Tinaroo Toonumbar Wivenhoe Wuruma

70 64 63 73 71 69 47 45 41 65 63 61 77 75 74 5 5 5 71 69 68 99 98 97 87 81 76 55 48 39 52 50 48 78 75 71

For fortnightly updates on Sunwater dams visit www.sunwater.com.au This symbol indicates that a Stocked Impoundment Permit is required to fish these dams. All figures are % readings Current as of 14/11/19

(All levels correct at time of going to press. Dam levels can change at any time, so please check with local authorities to ensure safe boating and fishing.) 66

DECEMBER 2019

From page 65

range of lures and fishing gear. The boys can sort you out with the right gear and give you some tips on where to find them. The gates to the boat ramp are now open from 6am to 8pm. SOMERSET CLOSEST TOWNS: ESK, KILCOY Trolling has started to dominate a lot of catches and it is great to see so many different boats out on the lake enjoying the action. One thing to keep in mind is to give everybody their space. Try to fit in with the patterns other guys are trolling and give the lure casters working schools of fish the chance to fish them. There are plenty of fish around to share between the crowds. On the trolling front, deep diving lures have been ideal. Recently, Somerset Tackle added a lot of quality Aussie-made timber lures to their range. Timber lures hold a special place in my heart as I know how effective they can be. With a great range of Dave’s Lures, Voodoo Timber, Kezzas and AC Lures along with many others you will be spoilt for choice. Last year, casting got tough but when the wind was blowing, we were able to wind drift over the schools of bass and catch heaps. Blade baits, chatterbaits and spinnerbaits seem to perform well over the summer months but you need to keep the boat moving so the fish don’t follow you around. If it isn’t windy, we use the electric to move the boat along at 1.5km/h and fish the lures with a few winds before dropping them back to the bottom. Chatterbaits should come into their own using this approach. If you find the fish suspending high off the bottom, burn your lures faster through them to get the bites. Tail spinners and soft plastics are ideal for this. You really need to pinpoint the tighter concentrations to be successful. Move the boat a cast away and work them for a few casts. If I have no success I move on, as often the fish will be on the move and are no longer where you are casting. Pelican Point has been holding less fish this year, but I expect it to produce again soon. There have been schools of smaller bass around Kirkleigh and Queen Street flats. Bigger models have been found around The Spit and up to the start of Pelican Point. Golden perch numbers started to pick up last month and there will be plenty around now as well. Casters and trollers are getting quite a

few. You can target them by hopping ZX blades around the drowned timber. Finding laydowns near the drop-offs or in 7-10m of water can really pay off. Spend a few minutes hopping and jigging the blades around each one, then try another. • Somerset Fishing has their store based at the area above the day-use boat ramp. The store is open over holidays and otherwise from Friday to Sunday. Orders can also be made online via the website www.somersetfishing.com. au. They have an excellent range of gear suited to fishing for bass and golden perch.

Bait and Tackle at Redbank are the boys to see about Wivenhoe, Moogerah and Maroon. Their impressive wall of lures is enough to make any freshwater angler drool. Call in, stock up and get a few tips on where to head before your next trip to the lakes. MOOGERAH CLOSEST TOWNS: BOONAH, RATHDOWNEY Trolling will be a good option at Moogerah Dam. The Spit and flats out from The Palms will be holding less fish now as they scatter through the lake.

Cressbrook Dam bass will be keen on trolled lures. You can also fool a few with spoons by fishing wide on the points. WIVENHOE CLOSEST TOWNS: FERNVALE, ESK A lot of anglers have started to give up on the lake. Fork-tailed catfish numbers increase and this scares away some of those more focused on the bass and golden perch. December is usually the last chance to tangle with the big numbers of bass that can be found on the flats out from Billies Bay. Searching the drop-offs, where the flats are around 10m deep before falling away into the old riverbed, and creeks is the way to go. For bass fishers, there are good spots straight out from the Billies Bay boat ramp and then out in the middle to the north. The fish here can be mobile and in years past it seems like they migrate to the buoy line closer to the dam wall. There are a couple of humps here on the eastern side of the lake, which can hold good numbers of fish. Golden perch don’t mind the deeper water in this lake. If you can find rocky or timber structure along a drop-off ledge then you are in with an excellent chance. We have found a lot of goldens just by winding spoons vertically up and down below the boat. If they are in good numbers, you can switch to blade baits and hop them on the bottom. Catfish do tend to hold together with goldens and bass so they can be a nuisance when fishing lures hard on the bottom. • The guys at Charltons

Trolling through the start of the timber will be a good option. Keep a close eye on the sounder as the warmer water temperature seems to make the fish suspend off the bottom. The depth the fish are holding will dictate lure selection. Lures like the 3m diving 50mm Poltergeist will be ideal. On light gear, these lures dive way deeper than

their rating but you can lift the rod tip high or shorten the line up to keep them up higher in the water column. When the fish are only 3-4m down, trolling lipless crankbaits with an electric motor is a great way to get them to bite. MAROON CLOSEST TOWNS: BEAUDESERT, BOONAH The surface action will be at its best early and late in the day. You will need to be up well before the sparrows to be in with a chance of a morning topwater bass. As soon as the sun peaks its head over the horizon, the bite will slow and the fish will go deeper. In the afternoon the reverse is the case. As the sun sets, the action will improve and be at its best just before dark. Some keen anglers will continue flicking into the night and get a few fish to bite. The warmer water will see the fish holding tight to the weed beds and around the base of them in smaller schools. The fish tucked into the weed are often of better quality. To get the bites, try working reaction style lures. Spinnerbaits and beetle spins have always been my go-to offerings over the warmer months in this lake. I am yet to throw a chatterbait in these waters but believe they will excel. When the water is clear, try a chatterbait. • For all your fishing needs call in to see the team at Charltons at Redbank. Drew heads out to the lakes regularly and keeps fish fingers on the pulse. The store has a great range of lures for freshwater species.

NORTH PINE (LAKE SAMSONVALE) CLOSEST TOWN: BRISBANE, LAWNTON, PETRIE The edge bite has started at North Pine Dam. From the kayak area, bass have been common around the edges when flicking 1/2oz and 3/8oz spinnerbaits. The deeper schools will be more scattered so dragging a trolled lure while on the move and watching the sounder can help you find them. Once found, switch over to spoons and you should produce good numbers. Those lucky enough to have boating access through the permit area have been scoring fish from the edges and in schools – the trick is finding them! Once found, these fish don’t seem too fussy about what they will eat. Of course, this is fishing and they are never predictable. If you strike them on a tough day, rotate through lures until you find what they want to eat.

• Tackleworld Lawnton is an ideal port of call for all your fishing needs if fishing the lakes on the north side of Brisbane. The guys can point you in the right direction and help you experience some awesome fishing close to the heart of Brisbane and even further afield. KURWONGBAH CLOSEST TOWN: BRISBANE, LAWNTON The bass fishing has been a bit steady. Weekends can be busy with skiers but if you venture out early you may get some peace. When paddling across the dam keep a close eye on your sounder for any signs of schooling bass on the flats. While the bass have been a bit quiet, the saratoga have been willing. These fish can be found further up the lake at the end of the ski run where there are heaps of lilies around the edges. Flicking spinnerbaits, plastics, small, shallow hardbodies or even surface lures early can tempt them.

SUNSHINE COAST REGION BORUMBA CLOSEST TOWNS: IMBIL, NOOSA The bass schools will be found on the points through the basin. Sometimes these fish can be a bit smaller than those holding a bit further up the lake. Look around The Junction for the better quality fish. You will find a few flats areas outside the old creek bed where the fish hold in around 7-11m of water. If these better schools are found, try working spoons, blade baits and plastics through them. Up the creeks on the

edges of the lake, bass, golden perch and saratoga will be encountered when tossing lipless cranks, spinnerbaits and chatterbaits. The early morning will be the prime time before the bright sun and heat drives the fish into the deeper shadows. • Davos at Noosaville has all the gear you’ll need to tackle the fish at Borumba and Lake MacDonald. The store caters well for fresh and saltwater anglers. They can be found in the Homemaker Centre on the corner of Mary and Thomas Streets. To page 68

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DECEMBER 2019

CHRISTMAS BLACK MAGIC 30LB LEADER

NEW SENSHI RELEASES

Pink leader has been popular for some time amongst serious anglers, as it is viewed as being less visible in certain water conditions. Although fluorocarbon options are common, Black Magic’s Pink Shock Leader is produced as a copolymer trace, which provides great value for money while still giving robust performance under stress. The recently released range has now expanded to include a 30lb line weight. This will be popular as it’s suited to a wide range of fishing applications. Whether you’re lure fishing, surfcasting, or general bait fishing, it’s sure to be a popular addition. This leader is ideal to use in murky water, deep water or when being viewed from below looking up at the line near the surface. It also retains the excellent abrasion resistance and knot strength seen in Black Magic Tough Trace and, like the name states, it gives excellent shock absorption as well. And of course, it’s a more affordable and more supple option than fluorocarbon. Keep an eye out for it at your favourite tackle store. www.blackmagictackle.com

Senshi has released a range of boxed hooks after demand from anglers for bigger quantities in its most popular models. Senshi hooks are produced using the finest quality raw materials, and are made to the highest standard. The range of hooks have chemically sharpened needle points, use high grade carbon steel and are all a black nickel finish. The boxed hooks are available in the following models: octopus/beak, long shank, baitholder and finesse, and are in the most popular six sizes in each model. One of Senshi’s latest releases is the G-Point hook – the next generation of high quality chemically-sharpened hooks. The G-Point Iseama Pro series hooks are extremely strong and offer no extra coating over the hook point itself, creating an extremely sharp hook point. The Senshi G-Point Iseama Pro hooks are a 2X Strong, straight eye with straight beak hook that are available in pre-packs of 10 hooks in sizes 2 through to 12. They are suitable for many fish species. To find out more about the Senshi hook range visit the Juro Oz Pro Tackle website. www.jurofishing.com

DAIWA LEXA HD

GIANT KILLING JIGGING RODS

Beauty and brawn blends with quality and performance in the new Lexa HD baitcaster. A sleek and stylish ergonomic profiled aluminium body sits comfortably in the hand, and combines with the Lexa’s advanced technologies and designs to create a mid priced heavy-duty reel that’s unmatched in style and strength. Featuring many of Daiwa’s best technologies and innovations including Magforce, UTD, Infinite Anti-Reverse, Power Handle, EVA knobs and CRBB bearings, the Lexa HD has left nothing on the table when it comes to strength, with a stainless steel gearing system ensuring ultimate power cranking power and precision. An amalgamation of strength, looks, and performance the Lexa HD is the heavy-duty baitcaster for those on a budget and those looking for power and strength in a reel. Whether it’s muscling kingies down south, barra in the north or samsonfish in the west, the Lexa HD is the reel that does it all, and has it all. www.daiwafishing.com.au

PRO LURE FISHTAIL UPDATE

Over the past 12 months, Australian company Pro Lure has been working on some modifications to the popular Fishtail soft bait. Looking to increase the versatility and make the Fishtail easier to rig, the designer has made several changes. A shallow split belly has been added to aid weedless rigging with worm hooks, and the dorsal fin has been removed, replaced with a shallow groove along the back. This makes it easier to rig straight and align jigheads, as well as having a protecting channel for weedless worm hook points to sit snugly. The final change is a slight narrowing up the front of the Fishtail, so that standard jigheads will sit cleaner. The addition of a white albino colour to the range and more rigging options will provide more possibilities. The Pro Lure Fishtail is available in three sizes, 80mm, 105mm, and 130mm. Trade enquiries can be directed to sales@ prolureaustralia.com.au. www.prolureaustralia.com.au 74

DECEMBER 2019

Never before has there been such a highend and comprehensive range as the 2019 release of the Giant Killing Jigging rods. These are the ultimate in Majorcraft jigging rods, with overhead and spin models for light, standard and slow jigging tasks. As the name suggests, the design principles are focused around large predatory trophy fish. There are 15 rods in the series with varying lengths from 6’2” up to 6’6”, and they all feature updated cosmetics. The Fuji SiC Slim ring material makes the rods even lighter than before. The rods come with PE ratings starting at 0.6 for the Light Jigging all the way up to the Jigging models with a PE of 4.0 at the upper end of the range. For more information on this and other rods in the range, visit the Major Craft Australia website or look them up on Facebook (facebook.com/ majorcraftaus). www.majorcraft.com.au

SAMSON LURES

4 5

Samson handmade lures are long casting and virtually indestructible made for Australian fishing. With five separate lure designs, all wired through and ranging from 15g to 150g, Samson lures cover everything from lighter tackle fishing right through to chasing big pelagics like tuna. The range includes various surface and subsurface lures, all with the capability of casting long distances and covering as much ground as possible. Samson fishing has successfully established its lures range on the UK market, where they have been very effective in catching sea bass. Of course, the lures are effective for a wide variety of Australian fish species – everything from tailor, Australian salmon and kingfish right through to Spanish mackerel and tuna. All Samson lures are wired through and are virtually indestructible, making them an ideal choice when up against the razor sharp teeth of mackerel or against hard fighting kingfish. The Samson lure range is available from tackle retailers and online. For more information visit samsonluresaustralia@gmail.com or visit the website. Price: SRP $13.99-$59.99 www.samsonluresaustralia.com

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

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CHRISTMAS SAMURAI ROD ACCESSORIES 7

Transporting fishing rods is often fraught with danger. Bundles of rods are hard to carry, often arranged more like a game of ‘pick up sticks’ than an easy-to-carry group of fish-catching devices. They splay all over the place and invariably get damaged. The Samurai Rod Belts are made of high quality neoprene and Velcro and are designed to make it easy to transport multiple rods without the hassle of trying to carry multiple individual outfits. They are slightly stretchy and come in two sizes, small and medium. Simply wrap one around your group of rods near the butt end and another up near the tip and voila – neat and tidy. While transporting rods, even in neatly arranged groups, you wouldn’t be the first angler who has smashed the tip of your favourite rod into something and ruined it. The Samurai rod tip protector is designed to protect your rod tip from damage during transportation. Made from the same material as wetsuits, the tip protector is easy to slip on and protects the sensitive part of your rod. To see more information on these and other Samurai accessories, visit the Samurai Australia website or check them out on Facebook (facebook.com/samurairods). www.samurairods.com.au

ZMAN 7” DIEZEL MINNOWZ

11 12

Requests from anglers chasing a big 10X Tough swimbait have seen the release of the ZMan 7” DieZel MinnowZ, a beast of a paddle tail plastic. Featuring the same realistic and proven profile and action as the 4” and 5” models, the 7” takes things up a notch in terms of bulk, water movement and big fish attracting qualities. Whether you’re chasing barramundi, Murray cod, mulloway or kingfish, searching the depths or slow trolling for bluewater bruisers, the 7” DieZel MinnowZ has you covered, teamed up with a brutally strong TT Lures HeadlockZ Extreme, SwimlockZ or ChinlockZ jighead. Other features include a belly slot for easy rigging and adding scent, along with a split top fin for simple and effective weedless rigging. The increased softness and flexibility of ZMan’s 10X Tough ElaZtech material dramatically improves hook set when weedless rigging when compared with standard soft plastics. If big fish are on your to-do list, check out these mega paddle tails at your local ZMan dealer. ZMan 7” DieZel MinnowZ are available in 12 colours, with three per pack. Price: SRP $17.95 www.z-man.com.au

DAIWA PHANTOM HYPER LT

Daiwa’s new light tackle workhorse has arrived with the introduction of the Phantom Hyper LT. This new reel blends design and leading edge technologies with excellent value to deliver anglers one of the most feature-packed mid-range spin reels for some time. Daiwa’s LT Concept provides strength and weightlessness, quality and performance, while a machine cut forged Tough Digigear delivers class-leading gear strength and smoothness. A metal alloy body enhances reel sensitivity and strength while Air Rotor provides balance and support for ultimate reel performance. A Long Cast ABS spool, Air Bail and ATD technologies combine for untouchable line control, while a machine cut handle keeps weight down. The Phantom Hyper LT is available now in four deep spool sizes, ranging from 3000D-6000D. www.daiwafishing.com.au

SHIMANO SQUIDGIES RODS

Specifically designed for the soft lure enthusiast, the new Squidgies rods are a cunning combination of performance and value. Featuring T45 blank construction and quality Fuji K guides, this series of rods are light and sensitive yet strong and reliable for anglers who demand a lot from their gear. All Shimano Squidgies series rods have been carefully designed to ensure their actions and lengths complement a range of lure weights and fishing techniques, catering for a wide range of applications and fish species. With eight performance spin and two sturdy baitcast models, these rods may find you in the remote wild gorges chasing cod and trout, to the hard-running rivers of the country’s tropical north. No matter your chosen style of fishing there’s a rod in the range to suit. Featuring comfortable full-length camo EVA grips and varying actions across the series, nine of the 10 models are two-piece construction, so you’ll always be able to pack a Squidgies rod on your next adventure. Look for them in your nearest tackle store now. Price: SRP $159.95 www.shimanofish.com.au

7/0 SNAPPER SNACK

Black Magic is expanding the range of their popular Snapper Snack rigs to include a NEW 7/0 version. These will be available at all good tackle stores soon. As with all Black Magic rigs, confidence in the components is not in question. In this case they are rigged on the premium PTFE coated 7/0 hooks and 80lb Tough Trace. The natural swimming action of the Snapper Snack skirts, coupled with the scent of your bait is hard to beat when it comes to catching snapper and other NZ fish species. Now with the bigger size you’ll be able to target an even wider range of fish from XOS snapper to hapuku, kingfish and more. Features include: twin lure rig incorporating high UV luminous skirts; cast, bottom bounce, or just drop and wait - versatile and simple; best fished with bait, but will still catch without; most hook-ups are in the corner of the mouth, and; available in six enticing colours. You can browse all the sizes and colours at the Black Magic Tackle website. www.blackmagictackle.com

BONE HERO DARTER

The Hero Darter is a soft, multi-function vibration lure that has a number of awesome features. There are three tow points on top of the Darter that provide three slightly different actions, and there is another tow point on the nose, which gives the lure a cast and retrieve option. This essentially gives anglers four lure fishing options in the one lure! However, the big thing with the Darter is that when the lure is in the jigging/vibration mode, a chin weight can be attached to the front nose eyelet that will allow this lure to be sent on deeper missions or fished in faster currents. The real beauty of this option is that the action of the lure is unaltered – in fact, while testing, the nose weight increased catches! The Hero Darter is a beautiful fishmunching 90mm long lure that is initially available in eight colours. www.wilsonfishing.com

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au DECEMBER 2019

CHRISTMAS SAMAKI MAKO SHIRT

SHIMANO 13 TREVALA S

The mako shark is impulsive, aggressive, agile, and every shark-lover’s dream! The blue green details of Samaki’s new Mako Shirt are enhanced from the background through to the underbelly of the sharks. With not just one but two mako sharks attacking at speed, the yellowfin has no chance! The lightweight fabric of this shirt is perfect for all outdoor elements, protecting you from the harsh sun with Samaki’s UPF50+ resistant technology. 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. The shirts are available in adult, youth and kids sizes from a size 2 through to a 5XL allowing the whole family to get in on the action and out onto the water. For more information and stockists visit the Samaki website, or like them on Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date. Price: SRP $59.95 (adults), SRP $49.95 (kids) www.samaki.com.au

SAMAKI SLICK

Designed for shallow water jigging,Trevala rods feature lightweight C4S blanks and parabolic actions specially designed for slow fall and flutter jigs like the new Tiger Baku Baku. The fine diameter one-piece C4S blanks are extremely strong and lessen the respective rods’ overall weight, which allows the angler to focus on fighting the fish and not the tackle. Fuji Alconite guides and reel seats are complemented by shaped EVA grips that are specifically intended for jigging work. The slow tuned actions are very precise, and allow the angler to effectively work the jig with minimal effort. Shimano recommends matching these rods with the Shimano Tranx series of 300 and 400 sized baitcaster reels, for an outfit that is super balanced and ideal for getting the most action out of your jigs. Available in power ratings from XL to MH, there are five spin models in 6’ 3” and 6’ 6” sizes, and a 6’ 3” overhead model. They are available in-store now. Price: SRP: $229.95 www.shimanofish.com.au

OBSESSION 17 BASS SERIES 14 Australian-made Obsession Spinnerbaits

Samaki’s extensive range of sunglasses just got bigger. The Slick is here to stay, and alongside the current range are two awesome new colours: brown tort with an amber lenses and matt black with a copper lenses. Each model is designed for your target species and most loved fishing environments. The square-shaped Slick is so comfortable that you won’t want to take it off. Each one of the Samaki-designed frames gives you great coverage from the elements and provides you with the polarised lenses you need when you’re out on the water. Slick colour options are available in matt black/green revo, matt black/blue revo, matt black/grey, brown tort/amber and matt black/ copper, giving you multiple options to suit all anglers and fishing scenarios. For more information and stockists visit the Samaki website and like them on Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date. Price: SRP $49.95 www.samaki.com.au

have a strong following amongst Murray cod and golden perch anglers. Owner and designer Raymond Parry was keen to expand his horizons, and with the assistance of some keen bass anglers he has produced a range of spinnerbaits focused on Australian bass. This new series is called the ‘Bass Six Pack’, and Obsession Spinnerbaits is releasing six new colours (WB, BG, DONC, GM, GOAT and PBJ). They will be available in 1/4oz, 1/2oz and 5/8oz through your local Obsession Spinnerbait stockist. Head to the Obsession Spinnerbait website to view their complete product range, which includes single, twin, triple and quadbladed spinnerbaits, mumblers and buzz baits. Jigheads are also available from 1/8oz3.5oz, and there’s an extensive range of skirt colours, as well as soft plastic curl-tails in 4”, 5” and 8” sizes. The product range can be customised to your requirements or you can design your spinnerbait from scratch. www.obsessionspinnerbaits.com

NEW FROM STRIKE PRO

ATC VIRTUOUS

Two of Strike Pro’s latest lure releases are the Bass Beetle and the Hunch Walker. The Bass Beetle is an ultra-shallow running Beetle imitation. This lure is perfect when the Christmas beetles and cicadas are buzzing around. The Bass Beetle offers extreme realism in its shape, and this shallow running lure has an enticing body roll and dives to approx. 1ft. The Bass Beetle is 4cm long, weighs 5.7g and comes in six fish-catching colours. It’s sure to be a hit with anglers targeting bass, estuary perch, bream, trout and jungle perch. The new Hunch Walker is a wakebait version of Strike Pro’s popular Hunchback range of lures. The Hunch Walker works on the surface and sub-surface, just under the surface in the scum line. When it is retrieved across the surface it creates a commotion and paddles, looking just like a frog or cicada kicking across the top, with a head-down, tailup, wide swaying action. The Hunch Walker is 5.5cm long, weighs 6.5g and comes in six proven colours. It is irresistible to bass, estuary perch, Murray cod, sooty grunter and more. www.jurofishing.com 76

DECEMBER 2019

15 16

New to the ATC range of reels is the Virtuous – a range of reels with a host of features that combine to make them tough, dependable and affordable. An aluminium body and rotor ensure these reels are built to last, and the 9+1 stainless steel ball bearings give these reels a smooth feel that doesn’t wear the angler down. Add into this an ergonomic handle for the ultimate in comfort when fighting large fish, and the Virtuous is one of those reels that will stand the test of time. All of these comforts are backed up by a brilliant and exceptionally smooth dual drag system. This system is built to provide two drag surfaces on the top and underneath the spool, allowing for ultra-fine adjustments and exceptional smoothness. The dual drag system also means that when you need to wind up the drag, the ability is there to give you some real stopping power. Sizes range from the 2000 light line special all the way up to a 10,000 that swallows almost 500m of PE4 line and has a max drag of 20kg! www.wilsonfishing.com

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

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NEWS FROM

ADVERTORIAL

HOBIE MIRAGEDRIVE 360 AND PRO ANGLER 2020 Truly the Ultimate Fishing Machine, the 2020 Pro Angler with the MirageDrive 360 and Kick-Up Fins delivers power in every direction for unprecedented manoeuvrability and control. Two decades ago, Hobie revolutionized kayak fishing with the invention of the original MirageDrive. The radical engineering was met with worldwide acclaim and leg-propulsion became the new standard for kayak fishing locomotion. Imitators eventually arrived on the scene, but Hobie remains the industry benchmark. Hobie knew improving on its revolutionary MirageDrive wouldn’t be easy, but they weren’t deterred. Six years in the making, for 2020, Hobie is proud to announce the greatest achievement to date in the form of an astonishing 360-degree rotating pedal drive—an all new paradigm in kayak fishing boat control, complete with a nearly 100-page

SPECIFICATIONS Pro Angler 12 Length Width Height Capacity Vantage seat capacity Fitted hull weight Fully rigged weight Pro Angler 14 Length Width Height Capacity Vantage seat capacity Fitted hull weight Fully rigged weight

366cm 91cm 51cm 227kg 159kg 49.7kg 60.1kg 417cm 97cm 51cm 272kg 159kg 56.5kg 67.4kg

patent registration. Put simply, the remarkable new Hobie MirageDrive 360 propulsion system is a 360-degree rotating pedal drive that allows anglers to easily manoeuvre their 2020 Mirage Pro Angler 360 12 and 14 fishing kayaks in every direction—backwards, forward, sideways, diagonally—or even effortlessly spin on its own axis. Upping the ante with all-new Kick-Up Fins, which automatically retract upon impact, the new MirageDrive 360 delivers precision boat control and closequarter manoeuvrability that’s unrivalled by any other human-powered watercraft. With the MirageDrive 360, anglers go where they want and fish how they want with total control and complete confidence. The MirageDrive 360 is designed for versatility on the water and to help anglers catch more fish. Infinitely more manoeuvrable, anglers will immediately discover they spend less time positioning their boat, and more time catching fish. Boat control is brought to an entirely new level, affording anglers the ability to surgically position themselves to make the best cast and presentation to the fish, as well as staying right on top of fish once found, shallow or deep or anywhere in between. The MirageDrive 360 allows access to tighter quarters and more fishing scenarios. Imagine being able to turn on a dime in every direction. It also allows you to follow shorelines or underwater structure in a way kayak anglers have never experienced. “The MirageDrive 360 completely changes how you engage with your boat and the environment,” says Philip Dow, Lead Design Engineer for Hobie. “For example, if you’re fishing along a shoreline or highly contoured underwater structure, you can follow those nuances exactly with boat placement. Similarly, with the Kick-Up Fins, shallow and structurefilled waters become far more manageable. Hobie’s MirageDrive 360 completely

redefines boat control.” “In the same way a trolling motor can hold an exact point, you can do that with the MirageDrive 360. You can hold an exact location and direction against wind or current, too. Previously, when you drifted out of position, you had to pedal in a circle to point the hull in the right direction between casts. Now, when you’re sitting idle,

additional angling equipment. “In every environment there’s the need for better control in order to position yourself to present your bait to the fish in the most natural way possible,” says Morgan Promnitz, Hobie’s Senior Fishing Brand Manager. “Whether you’re fishing offshore, inshore, or freshwater, the benefits are numerous. We’ve tested the

ENGINEERED TO SWING FINS A FULL 360 DEGREES

if you turn the drive and start to pedal you’re immediately turning. It’s extremely effective for place-holding in an exact location. You feel like a sniper. If you want to swing the bow past a rock, you can do it exactly and make your next cast without any unnecessary boat movement.” Designed to accept Hobie’s vast array of accessories, the Pro Angler 360 fishing kayaks can be easily outfitted with

boats in a multitude of fishing environments and our test team’s response has all been the same—the MirageDrive 360 gives anglers a huge advantage that results in more fish caught, period.” “The Kick-Up Fins add peace of mind to anglers exploring waters with submerged objects such as rocks or tree stumps because the fins will automatically retract upon impacting an object. This greatly reduces any chance or damaging the propulsion system and allows anglers to explore with confidence—no more damaged props or bent fins.” – Hobie Fishing Asia Pacific

and durable Thermoform construction, the Passport is a well-rounded kayak that truly offers something for everyone, from novice to experienced kayakers alike. It is the ideal kayak for casual recreation and family outings, but is ready for all kinds of adventures on the water. Designed to accept most of Hobie’s vast array of accessories, the Passport can be easily outfitted with additional equipment. Powered by Hobie’s first-of-its-kind Classic MirageDrive pedal system, the Passport makes kayaking smooth and efficient, cruising seamlessly through the water. The shorter hull length and wider body provide great stability, while the

intuitive steering system and stowable rudder enable easy manoeuvring. Standard equipment on the Passport includes a suspended mesh-back, aluminium-frame seat, two-piece aluminium paddle, two rod holders, accessory mounting tracks, Lowrance ready, Power-Pole Micro bracket indent and an accessory mount that accepts the kayak sail and new bimini. Kayakers will also enjoy moulded-in, cross-bungee cargo areas on the bow and stern, as well as Hobie’s ‘twist-n-seal’ hatch. You can create your ultimate setup from weekend fishing to a family day sailing on the open water. – Hobie Fishing Asia Pacific

HOBIE MIRAGE PASSPORT 12 Hobie is proud to announce the latest addition to its renowned line-up of pedal kayaks, powered by the brand’s signature MirageDrive – the original pedal propulsion system for kayaking. The Passport was built

with simplicity in mind, delivering efficiency, ease of use, versatility and comfort in a highly accessible package. The Passport has been designed to help break down those barriers of entry that may be keeping people off the water and make pedal kayaking more accessible and affordable. The goal of the Passport is to be able to bring the experience that Hobie’s MirageDrive technology has delivered for more than 20 years to a broader audience. With its excellent value, transportability, simple and sleek design

DECEMBER 2019

Healy a safe pair of hands at Port Stephens The final qualifier of the 2019 Costa BREAM series saw the competitors heading to a new arena, Port Stephens. While only a short drive from other great bream venues such as Sydney Harbour, the Hawkesbury River and Lake Macquarie, only a few of the competitors had fished the area for bream previously. Lake Macquarie local Mark Healy managed to take top honour in the boater division, using his very limited experience bream fishing in Port Stephens to grind out a winning bag. “I’ve fished Port Stephens a couple of times, but not for many years – probably 7-8 years ago,” he said. “I do fish the area offshore of the port fairly regularly though.” During pre-fish, Mark’s plan was to cover a lot of water and search for active fish. Doing this, he managed to find catchable fish in three spots, with two areas in the Soldiers Point area and one down at the Tea Gardens. On day one Mark’s plan was simple: hit the three spots he found on pre-fish

MARK HEALY’S WINNING TACKLE Rod: Reel: Line: Lure

Mark Healy spent most of his time fishing one rock wall to grind out a much-deserved win at Port Stephens. and try to put together a decent bag of fish! The first spot he pulled up to was a timber jetty near the starting line in the Soldiers Point area, where he had been blown away three times on pre-fish. Mark had a brown

Cranka Crab in heavy tied on, and sure enough, after only a few casts he was hooked up to another decent bream. Deciding to fish slightly heavier than he did during pre-fish proved to be the right decision, and within minutes of leaving

BOATER RESULTS Place Name 1 Mark Healey 2 Vaughn Lewis 3 Tristan Taylor 4 Steve Morgan 5 Todd Riches 6 Andrew Stubbs 7 Scott Wilson 8 Brett Crowe 9 Charlie Saykao 10 Tim Vickers

Fish 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 8/10 9/10 10/10 7/10 8/10 6/10

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

DECEMBER 2019

Total Weight (kg) 7.32 7.10 6.17 5.50 5.40 5.39 5.34 4.88 4.81 4.04

the start, Mark had a 35cm bream in the livewell! Mark and his non-boater then fished their way around Soldiers Point, catching nothing but one small legal for his non-boater waiting for the tide to start running in. Finally the current started running in, and the pair went to the Tea Gardens. While Mark wasn’t overly confident by this point, he decided to methodically work over one particular rock wall called The Cut. With the tide rising, the seemed to be moving in from the bay and onto the wall to feed, and Mark could see the fish he wanted to catch. Mark had been fishing with a 6lb leader but decided to drop down to 4lb. His

Shimano Zodias 701UL 1000 Shimano Stella 4-6lb braid, 4-6lb fluorocarbon Jackall Chubby 38 Deep in brown suji shrimp, Cranka Crab Heavy in brown

choice of presentation on the rock wall was a Jackall Chubby 38 Deep in brown suji shrimp. With the strong current making fishing difficult, he still managed to catch six more legals to round out a decent bag of 3.69kg, putting him in a strong position ahead of day two. On the second day Mark knew there would still be good fish to be caught from his wall down at the Tea Gardens, some decided to leave the fruitful jetty from the day before, knowing that it had been hit hard by other anglers. Mark figured that as the tide was slightly later on day two, he might get in a good half hour of fishing with the run-out tide. He executed his plan perfectly, got in there and landed a kilo fish early, and about 2-3 casts later he hooked another one that looked bigger, however the hooks pulled. To keep the hooks in Mark was using size 14 Decoy trebles on his crankbaits, because they were only getting lip hooked and were biting very timidly. The tide slowed up for about two and a half hours as the tide changed and Mark and his non-boater fished around the area, landing no keeper bream. As the tide started pumping in, he arrived back at the wall. About halfway

along, he hooked a good fish, which he estimated to be about 1.3-1.4kg. “I got it away from wall and we were drifting back with the tide,” he said. “There was nothing around for him to get me on, and I had him just out of reach of the net and the treble on lure rolled off split ring; I was spewing!” Mark said it took him a good half an hour to regroup after this setback, however soon after he landed a another fish of about 30cm, which gave him confidence to keep fishing. For the remainder of the session he ground out 3 more fish and returned nervously to the weigh-in. As it turns out, he had nothing to worry about, as he had managed to weigh the heaviest overall bag of 7.32kg. This was Mark’s first ABT BREAM qualifier win, and he couldn’t have been more stoked!

Scan the QR code to see the Day 1 highlights.

BREAM Series presented by

Tough fishing no match for Lewis Sliding in behind Healy by just over 200g was Newcastle local Vaughn Lewis, who prior to the tournament, also only had limited exposure to the arena. Vaughn used these limited experiences to rule out some areas and narrow his focus to some areas he knew would hold hungry fish. In the pre-fish Vaughn identified the bottom of the Myall River, the Kuruah River and some islands in the middle of the bay would be his primary targets. Come comp day, Vaughn had some decisions to make. “I thought on comp day that lower Myall would be the car park of spots, so I wrote it off, and focussed on the Kuruah River and some of the islands,” he said. With the early low tide on day one, Vaughn focused on structure while waiting for tide to come in. He started at some oysters racks at the bottom of the Kuruah, fishing the poles rather than the trays. Cycling between a soft plastic and a crankbait, he managed two decent keepers. He then moved to some bridges in the river itself and

“I was fishing around an island, and there was a point with tide coming around and wind blowing onto it,” he said. “Using 3lb straight through fluorocarbon and a black Jackall Chubby 38 Shallow, I was able to fish right up on the rocks and that’s where I got him.” Vaughn didn’t manage any upgrades on day two, just a solid bag of bream and many undersize fish to keep the day interesting. Returning to the

weigh-in tent on day two saw his overall weight dip to 7.10kg, relegating him to second place.

DAIWA J BRAID BIG BREAM

Vaughn Lewis used his limited experience at this venue to find some productive areas in this tough arena. managed two more quality fish as he waited anxiously or the tide to come in. At around 10 o’clock the flow slowed and the prime time for an edge bite came on. “I spent the rest of the day fishing rocky edges, islands, and a few other rocky edges to pick up good fish,” he said. “I also managed two upgrades.”

Vaughn returned to the weigh-in on day one with a respectable bag of 3.62kg. Vaughn decided to start in North Arm Cove on day two, once again fishing oyster racks with similar presentations. The rack fishing was slower on day two, which made Vaughn and his boater all the more anxious for the tide to come in so they could fish the edges.

Once it did, the edges really fired, and with a bit of overcast weather and wind direction change, Vaughn and his non-boater were able to fish right up in the shallows. In doing this he managed to catch the biggest bream for the tournament, a stonking 1.16kg monster, which is huge for the Port Stephens area.

Vaughn Lewis managed to wrangle a 1.16kg beast from the shallows in North Arm Cove by throwing a black Jackall Chubby 38 Shallow.

Johnson grinds it out for non-boater honours Craig Johnson is from the South Coast of NSW, however this was his first time fishing the Port Stephens area for bream, because as he puts it, “there’s just too much good water down there.” It seems that applying some of the tricks and techniques he has learned fishing further south helped him take out top honours in the non-boater division! While Craig did pre-fish with boater Tim Vickers, the pair didn’t do a whole lot of fishing. Rather, they fished very little and just looked for good-looking water to store in the memory bank. For the first day Craig found himself fishing with Jason Mayberry, and the plan was to head downstream of the starting line and fish some shallow weed beds,

edges, flats and points. Like most competitors, the pair was waiting for the tide to

come in and bring the bream on the bite. Craig only weighed one

fish on the first day, which he caught at around 10:30am throwing a Gulp Crabby on a

1/20oz jighead in Salamander Bay. Craig said he just had to cycle through baits to find something that would work. Despite fishing some amazing looking country around Garden Island and the oyster leases, Craig didn’t catch any other weighable fish on day two. The second day would prove more fruitful, however, as some favourable conditions brought the fish on the bite. Fishing with Charlie Saykao, the pair decided to head to where Craig and Jason had finished their previous day at Garden Island. With the wind now swung around to the west and southwest and some overcast weather overhead, the fish seemed to be biting better. Craig had his first fish in the boat before

8:00am. Seeing that the fish were now biting in the area, Craig and Charlie stayed in this vicinity all day. Heading to the Correebah Island area, the pair found lots of random bits of reef and oysters and noticed lots of fish cruising around. Once the tide came in they started hauling in fish one after another, and hooked lots of fish but only stuck three. Fishing these flats, Craig was cycling between various topwaters, including a Jackson Pygmy Popper and a Sugoi Splash. Returning to the weigh-in Craig was nervous but found that the rest of the field had struggled, and was pleased to see the scales dip to 2.76kg.

Non-boater Craig Johnson took out top honours in his division with only 5 fish over two days, proving just how tough the fishing was!

NON-BOATER RESULTS

Scan the QR code to see the Day 2 highlights.

Place Name 1 Craig Johnson 2 Nick Penprase 3 Daniel McNeice 4 Bernard Kong 5 Gordon Pullin 6 Darren Murphy 7 Shaun Egan 8 Justin Reeves 9 Richard Wootten 10 Rebecca Fazio

Fish 5/10 3/10 2/10 2/10 2/10 2/10 2/10 1/10 1/10 1/10

Total Weight (kg) 2.76 1.63 1.10 0.99 0.97 0.89 0.80 0.76 0.58 0.56

Everyone could agree that there were worse places to start a morning! DECEMBER 2019

Ford redeems his recent Grand Final loss The Rapala BASS Australian Open has cemented its place in the Australian BASS calendar with another huge turnout of boaters in ABT’s only boateronly BASS Pro event. Using a special permit to retain five live bass for weigh-in, competitors fought for $30,000 in prize money on a hot spring Lake Glenbawn bass bite. Weighing in the biggest bag of the event on day two (5/5, 5.48kg, total 10/10 10.17kg), Ford jumped from 13th place to the top spot and earned

himself $10,000 cash to cap off a stellar year for the Narrabri boater. Trying hard to knock him off was Queensland boater Braden Schuch (10/10, 9.95kg), who fell short with his day two bag but still pocketed $5,000 for his efforts. Rounding out the top five was Tom Slater (10/10, 9.86kg for $3,000) Mark Ferguson (10/10, 9.86kg for $2,500) and Liam Carruthers (10/10, 9.75kg for $2,000). As predicted, the skirted jig bite was in full swing for the event – a pattern for which this premier bass lake is

quickly becoming famous. Most of the top-ten threw jigs for a majority of the time and each of the top 12 pocketed at least $1,000 prize money. Aberdeen Fishing and Outdoors’ Nick Price picked the winning weights before the event started. “You’re going to need 5kg a day to be up there this weekend,” he said at the event briefing, which was held at his store and full of bass angler treasure. And he was right on the money, with Ford the only angler to break the 10kg mark. But 9.24kg also got you a paycheque!

Graham Ford with his kicker 1.37kg bass that got him to first place.

Ford eyed off ignored water for final day bag Graham had been keeping his eye on a stretch of water that hadn’t seen much in the way of angler pressure over the previous two days. Finally, he decided to fish it mid way through the second day and it immediately paid off. “I caught that big bass (1.37kg) off it first up,” he said, and then several other

big fish that helped him towards victory. I didn’t see many anglers fishing it and my gut just told me to give

it a go. It was windblown on the (incredibly windy) Saturday and with the calming conditions, it was quite

fishable,” he said. Ford used the jig rig that had helped him nearly win the Grand Final just days earlier

– a black JigPro skirted jig with no hook guard fished on a Baker Custom Rods extra heavy jig rod. On it he strapped a 10:1 Abu Garcia baitcast reel with a braid and leader set-up rather than straight through fluorocarbon. Ford’s rod is typified by the fact that it hardly bends, even when a good bass is hooked. “I like to get them out of the structure and get the hook in solid,” he said when asked about the stick that most would say is more suited to barra than bass. The $10,000 Open

cheque capped off a remarkable win for the NSW basser, who actually lives hours away from his nearest bass fishery. He took out the 2019 Sufix BASS Pro Tour Angler of the Year with a string of top 10 finishes, finished second in the BASS Pro Grand Final by 40g and then came from 13th place to win the Rapala BASS Australian Open. That’s quite a year and it proves that hard work and talent can overcome obstacles, like distance, when it comes to fishing as a sport.

GRAHAM FORD’S WINNING TACKLE

Scan the QR code to see day one highlights

Rod: Reel: Line: Lure: The scales never lie – Fordy weighing in his winning bag.

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

DECEMBER 2019

Baker Custom Rods extra heavy jig rod 10:1 Abu Garcia baitcast reel Straight through fluorocarbon JigPro skirted jig in black (no hook guard)

Queensland basser ascends to second South Queensland basser, Braden Schuch, fell a little short on day two after logging a 5kg+ bag, but seemed quite happy with his $5,000 consolation prize. “Each morning I’d crankbait an early limit off the dam wall and then go searching for upgrades with skirted jigs as the session

Scan the QR code to see day two highlights

wore on,” he said. Using a deep diving OSP crankbait on exclusively Daiwa baitcast tackle, he’d pound the rock wall with the bait until the fish bit. After bagging a limit on the wall, he’d then move up the lake looking for bigger fish. On day two in particular, Schuch searched for trees that were deeper than most other anglers were fishing, from 15-25ft, to target his upgrade fish. To do this he used a ProS Factory skirted jig. “I think I cottoned on to the fact that the fish were biting a little deeper too late on the second day,” Braden said, “But crawling the jig around the structure in that deeper water is an awesome way to fish and the last couple of hours were sensational.

You can’t be too upset placing second when you take home a $5,000 cheque for your efforts.

BASS Pro Series presented by

Scan the QR code to see the Open Pre-Show

Slater sneaks into third Sydney’s Tom Slater was the instigator of the five-bag concept and helped ABT get the permit from Fisheries to get this tournament happening. And Tom

a great second-day bag and secure his cheque. Fishing 1/2oz ProS Equip Hybrid jigs on a Daiwa TD Commander 712MFB Basilisk rod, Slater described the last

It’s the only chance we get to fish an event like this on the Australian tournament calendar and to have $30,000 in the prize pool definitely turns heads.” The Rapala Australian

Braden Schuch with one of the many bass he took over the tournament.

Third place getter, Tom Slater, was instrumental in helping ABT get a special permit for a five bag bass bag. benefitted from the good Karma, taking $3,000 for third place. One of the leaders in getting jig fishing adopted as mainstream in Australia, Tom used his signature technique to bring home

couple of hours of his Sunday session as some of the most fun jig fishing he’s ever had, tournament or not. “It’s great to see so many anglers enjoying the five fish tournament limit and the boater-only format.

Open also signalled the end of the ABT BASS Calendar for 2019 – a huge year for anglers, sponsors and organisers alike. Dates for 2020 have been released on the www. abt.org.au website.

BOATER RESULTS Place Name 1 Graham Ford 2 Braden Schuch 3 Tom Slater 4 Mark Ferguson 5 Liam Carruthers 6 Glenn Hayter 7 Dane Pryce 8 Kristoffer Hickson 9 Jake Schwerin 10 Ben Hay

Total Fish Total Weight (kg) 10/10 10.17 10/10 9.95 10/10 9.86 10/10 9.86 10/10 9.75 10/10 9.71 10/10 9.61 10/10 9.54 10/10 9.52 10/10 9.34

A nail-biting finish! The front-runners waiting to find out who takes home the $10,000 cheque. DECEMBER 2019

Pryce pulls $15,000 for win Lake Macquarie’s Dane Pryce topped the field in the fishiest ABT BASS Pro Grand Final in history on the Hunter Valley’s Lake St Clair. With the entire field of 60 anglers weighing a five fish limit on every day of competition, it

yield better quality fish. But on the official practice day, I found that Carrow had the better fish, so that’s where I fished for the event,” Dane said. The decision proved critical, as it was quality, not quantity of fish that took Dane to a 40g win over the

timber at the base of trees to get his bites. He fished it on a Millerods SwitchFreak UL rod that was matched to a Daiwa Tatula baitcast reel, Daiwa Evo8 braid and 10lb Sunline leader. “I pre-ordered one of those rods when it came out and when it arrived, I

DANE PRYCE WINNING TACKLE

fish during the event,” Dane said and given the terrain he was fishing, that’s an incredibly good conversion rate. You can see some of his highlights and some of the difficult fish extractions on the embedded videos on the ABT website - go to the results page and look up the BASS Pro Grand Final. Dane’s pathway to Grand Final success is a typical one for ABT. “I first started tournament fishing in the Hobie BREAM events but Shae Ferguson got me onto the BASS events and after the first one of these, I was hooked,” Dane continued. This year Dane fished

Rod: Reel: Line: Lure:

Millerods SwitchFreak UL Daiwa Tatula baitcast Daiwa Evo8 braid and 10lb Sunline leader Black and brown Vex jig fitted with a Berkley creature bait trailer

his first season as a boater and his goal was just to make the Grand Final on his local lake. He did that and, combined with a lot of practice, it fasttracked him to BASSing’s ultimate prize. What’s Dane got planned for the biggest cash payout in ABT history? “I’m going to buy a faster boat,” he concluded. Nice one, Dane. Spoken like a true bass boater who has got the bug!

Scan the QR code to see Grand Final Pre-Show.

Dane Pryce took out top spot and a $15,000 cheque. was always going to take something special to get your hands on the $15,000 winner’s cheque. And that’s exactly what Pryce did. Here’s how he did it. “I did a lot of practice leading up to this event in both the Fal Brook and Carrow Brook arms of the lake and, to be honest, the Fal Brook arm seemed to

2019 BASS Pro Angler of the Year, Graham Ford. Ford led the event after day one but fell painfully short at the final day’s weigh-in. Pryce targeted timber most of the time, but did pull a couple of key fish off steep rock walls over the two days. He used a black and brown Vex jig fitted with a Berkley creature bait trailer and crawled it through the

immediately ordered two more. They’re perfect for jigs, chatterbaits and a lot of the techniques that I like to use on my home lakes,” he said. Winning tournaments is all about having your execution match your good decisions and Dane was blessed with a near-perfect record in that department. “I lost only one key

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888 84

DECEMBER 2019

It was a close call for first and second place boaters, with only 40g dividing the two scores.

Graham ‘Forty’ Ford misses by 40 grams Narrabri’s Graham Ford acquired a new nickname at the Grand Final – ‘Forty’ (rather than Fordy). Crystallising the weight that he missed out on winning $15,000. After leading the first day of competition and weighing one of the only 5kg+ five fish bags, Graham’s first day was destined to be great after the current BASS Pro Angler of the Year drew the non-boater Angler of the Year, Paul Mazzaroli. And the dream pairing didn’t disappoint, with the top reaches of the Fal Brook arm yielding a string of kilo-class bass for the pair. Weighing fish on a combination of jigs and

jerkbaits, Ford’s confidence rig consisted of a 3/8oz JigPro black gig (with no weedguard) that he fished on a super-stiff custom rod by Peter Fogarty (Baker Custom Rods). On it, he has an Abu Garcia 10:1 baitcast reel that he used to take up the slack line before driving the hook home. Gracious in defeat, Ford acknowledged that he’s had a cracker of a year - culminating in his win at the Rapala BASS Australian Open in the following days. Reports from that event are in this issue. We look forward to seeing ‘Forty’ on the BASS circuit next year.

What a team! The 2019 Angler of the Year boater, Graham Ford, randomly drew the 2019 Angler of the Year non-boater, Paul Mazzaroli, on day one.

Martin makes top spot as non-boater Taree basser Jason Martin has won ABT BASS events before, but has never taken home the sport’s ultimate prize from the back of the boat, until now.

weight bag. Later in the day, he reverted to a 3/8oz jig and had some tips for those looking to try the technique. “It’s like Cranka Crab fishing, you throw it out and drag it really slowly. Just

BASS Pro Series presented by

Scan the QR code to see day one highlights

Freams 2500 reel, 8lb Daiwa J-Braid and Sunline 10lb FC Sniper leader. Martin’s also a fan of the shared weight format. “I love working as a team with by boater each day and Scan the QR code to see day two highlights

Lake St Clair was the perfect venue for the 2019 BASS Pro Grand Final. want to become a boater, so maybe I’ll sit out a year, save for a boat and be back as a boater. But I’ll still do my

local rounds.” Martin also experienced a super topwater session with Kris Hickson on the second

day, with bass all around the boat sipping at insects and topwater cicadas doing the damage. Anytime you’re winning tournaments and using topwater baits is a day to remember!

First-time winner as a non-boater, Jason Martin scored big at the back of the boat. Fishing with eventual winner Dane Pryce on day one and fellow Taree angler, Kris Hickson on day two, Jason fished to his strengths and used a chartreuse/silver Jackall Squirrel jerkbait to contribute to the shared-

wait for the tick in the line and then you can set the hook,” Martin explained. Catching 50 fish over the weekend (between him and his boaters), Martin’s favourite outfit was a Daiwa Gen Black rod paired with a

it’s a great way to introduce new people to the sport. You get to fish with some of the best anglers in Australia,” Martin concluded. When asked whether we was going to defend his title in 2020, Jason said, “I really

BOATER RESULTS Place Name 1 Dane Pryce 2 Graham Ford 3 Luke Draper 4 Steve Chang 5 Robert Tilley 6 Jake Schwerin 7 Kyle Lewis 8 Mike Nelson 9 Keeghan Painter 10 Mick Johnson

Total Fish Total Weight (kg) 10/10 9.84 10/10 9.80 10/10 9.71 10/10 9.18 10/10 9.15 10/10 8.91 10/10 8.67 10/10 8.64 10/10 8.43 10/10 8.41

Jason Martin was teamed up with BASS Pro circuit regular Kris Hickson.

NON-BOATER RESULTS Place Name 1 Jason Martin 2 Mitchell Petty 3 Malcolm Draper 4 Tom Deer 5 John Francis 6 Mark Caneris 7 Ryan Bates 8 Darren Greenstreet 9 Ian Wratten 10 Anthony Melchior

Total Fish Total Weight (kg) 10/10 9.50 10/10 9.23 10/10 9.02 10/10 8.91 10/10 8.86 10/10 8.85 10/10 8.76 10/10 8.71 10/10 8.65 10/10 8.60 DECEMBER 2019

Schwerin strikes in first Electric Open Jake Schwerin has put his name in the history books as the first ever winner of the Valleyhill BASS Electric Australian Open. Schwerin was consistent across both days of the tournament, which saw him bring in an impressive 10/10 bass limit for 14.81kg and take home the Champion’s Trophy and a $3,000 prize cheque. All up, Jake won about $6,000 in prize money just fishing bass tournaments, so reckons bass fishing is pretty good! Prior to the tournament Jake had fished the dam twice, but still hadn’t had a proper taste of what this dam could offer. The spring

Jake Schwerin was consistent all weekend and walked away with $3,000 for his effort out on Lake Wyaralong. bite at Wyaralong is certainly a special one, and Jake weighing 10 fish for a near

1.5kg average is very telling. For the tournament, the competitors were faced with

two very different days of fishing, and therefore there were two different patterns that worked for Jake. Day one saw overcast and rainy conditions, which Schwerin believed had the fish a bit more willing to bite. For the first day he headed up the lake to a patch of timber where he had caught them last time, and decided to throw an OSP Blitz, which is a little square bill crankbait. The fish appeared to be suspending quite high in the water column in what is a relatively deep patch of timber. By cranking this bait into the timber, Jake reckons this was crucial to triggering that bite. Jake moved around very little on day one, and slowly picked apart his little patch of timber. Day two saw finer conditions, and while Jake

started off throwing his square bill crankbait that worked so well on day one, he realised that the fish had gone deeper, and had begun holding closer to the structure. With this now noted, Jake tied on a 1/2oz Smak Lures SMAKO Spinnerbait. Jake soon worked out that sinking the SMAKO down a bit further, and slowly winding them back to the boat, could draw a strike out of these more timid fish.

Bostock almost backs it up Peter Bostock came close to backing up his recent BASS Electric Grand Final win, with his 10/10 limit for 13.14kg. He took

home a $1,000 cheque for his efforts. Pete did extremely well to put together two bags that almost won him the

tournament, especially given that he rocked up to the competition sporting a foot injury that upon doctor’s order, couldn’t get wet!

Pete was grateful that competitors were there to help him launch and retrieve his boat, and said he couldn’t have managed this impressive result without the support from everyone at the competition site. A big thank you to Valleyhill for getting behind this event – ABT are looking forward to putting it on the calendar again in 2020!

Competition organiser Joey Urquhart wasn’t far out from a podium finish, and had a good weekend pulling chunky fish like this.

SCHWERIN’S WINNING TACKLE Rod: Reel: Line:

Edge Black Widow ISR703 Daiwa Steez 2508 Toray F4 Nage 0.8 braid and 12lb Toray Powergame leader Lures: OSP Blitz 65 in ghost minnow and Smak Lures SMAKO Spinnerbait in IB

Peter Bostock was not far behind Schwerin, and given a few setbacks he had to endure leading up to the comp, he did an amazing job to slide in second!

Scan the QR code to see day one highlights.

RESULTS

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Total Fish Total Weight (kg) 10/10 14.81 10/10 13.14 10/10 12.22 10/10 12.16 10/10 11.62 10/10 10.30 10/10 10.09 9/10 8.64 8/10 8.26 8/10 8.24

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Scan the QR code to see day two highlights.

The money-winners stand proud after the presentation.

Bostock blitzes field at Grand Final The Casino Outdoor and Disposal BASS Electric series drew to a close on the Richmond River at the 2019 BASS Electric Grand Final. On the banks of the Richmond, 29 anglers

were eager to see what the river was going to produce and more importantly, who would be crowned the champion on Sunday afternoon. It was BCF manager

Peter Bostock caught a huge amount of fish on both days, and amongst all those fish were the right ones to take out the win!

BIG BASS Day one’s Big Bass winner was Charles West, who landed a cracker on a Whiplash Noise Addict buzzbait. The Big Bass on day two was Mark Palazzi, which was the biggest bass for the entire tournament, on a beetle spin.

Peter Bostock who rose to the top, compiling a 4/4 limit for 3.85kg. For his efforts he took home a Motorguide X3 electric motor and a 24v Green Energy lithium battery package. During pre-fish, Bostock made the decision to make the one hour 40 minute trip downriver to the Swan Bay area where the larger concentrations of bass were holding. This proved to be a great decision. Upon arrival on the first day Bostock already had one small fish in the well. He made a quick stop on the way and picked up a keeper on a jig, although this fish got upgraded in a matter of casts at Swan Bay. The fish continued to bite for the entire session, with Bostock landing around 60 legal bass for the day. His technique was simply hoping blades on a small drop off and, with the bass hunting prawns, this technique proved very successful. He switched between an Ecogear ZX40 and a Savage Gear blade, but the key was making long casts across the current and brining the blade up the drop off through the schools of prawns. Returning to the weigh-in on day one, Bostock was sitting in second place, and not too far off the lead. With the amount of fish he was catching it was going to make for an exciting day two. With more favourable tides at the start of day two, the trip down to Swan Bay was a little quicker, although the bass didn’t bite until around 8am. When they did however, is was a quick flurry and the well was full in no time at all. Bostock

also managed to make some key upgrades toward the end of the session. Bostock switched up his technique on day two to a more finesse approach with a soft plastic rigged on a 1/4oz jighead, which he would simply drag along the bottom.

His choice of tackle was a 2-5kg Lox Yoshi spin rod matched with a Daiwa Certate 2500 spooled with 6lb braid and 12lb leader. Pete would like to thank all the naming sponsors as well as everyone that assisted him through the year.

Urquhart finishes strong

Event organiser Joey Urquhart slide into second behind Bostock, and also managed to take out the Angler of the Year trophy. Relegated to second place was BASS Electric event organiser and Richmond River local Joey Urquhart. Urquhart compiled his 4/4 limit for 3.56kg and also took home a Green Energy 24v lithium battery. Urquhart also made the huge run downriver to Swan Bay and fished about 15ft away from Bostock for the entire weekend. His technique was the same as Bostock’s, where he hoped blades up a drop off targeting the concentrations of prawns. Day one saw him fill his

limit before the other anglers arrived and he continued to upgrade through the day and landed around 60 bass for the session. Starting day two in third place he was ready to move up the leader board. Upon arrival at Swan Bay he filled his limit very quickly and continued to make small upgrades all session. Urquhart threw a 6g Issei GC Zari Metal when there was less flow in the tide, and a 9g when the tide picked up. His choice of tackle was a Raison Jaburo 65L matched

with a Daiwa Tierra LT 2500 spooled with 8lb Sufix Aqua and Sufix Super 21 10lb leader. Urquhart also took out the Angler of the Year trophy for his outstanding year, consisting of a first place, two second places, a third, fouth and a 12th. Joey would like to thank all of his sponsors that supported him through the year. That brings this year’s series to a close, but keep posted for the 2020 BASS Electric calendar!

RESULTS

Scan the QR code to see highlights from the Grand Final.

Place Name 1 Pete Bostock 2 Joseph Urquhart 3 Tom Reynolds 4 Mark Palazzi 5 Nathan Swanson 6 Matt Williams 7 Glenn Swanson 8 Felippe Gapski 9 Stephen McLean 10 Liam Dutton

Total Fish Total Weight (kg) 4/4 3.85 4/4 3.56 4/4 3.36 4/4 3.19 4/4 3.07 4/4 2.81 4/4 2.65 4/4 2.63 4/4 2.49 4/4 2.38

The banks of the Richmond River were awash with anglers ready to fish its snaggy waters.

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888 DECEMBER 2019

Trades, Services, Charter BOAT MODIFICATION & REPAIRS

BAIT & TACKLE

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

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Halco - www.halcotackle.com

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Hillies Lures – www.hilliesspinnersandlures.com Hot Bite Fishing – 0427335343 JML - www.jmlaa.com Lazer Lures – www.lazerlures.com.au Nomad Design Tackle – www.nomaddesigntackle.com Tackle Club - www.tackleclub.com.au Southern Cross Lures – 0428 667 550

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This section in QLD Fishing Monthly consolidates the trades and services in your area that are relevant to your fishing and boating. Whether you’re a local looking for more options or a travelling angler fishing around the state, this guide will direct you to reputable businesses in the area you’re searching. 92

DECEMBER 2019

Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory CHARTER BOATS

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

A layman’s look at propellers PART I BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

For years I took my boat’s propeller for granted as little more than a big screw. The reality, however, is that a propeller is quite complex, and is designed for maximum efficiency. In this article I’ll discuss propeller components, before going into more detail next issue. Before going further I have to thank Glenn Gibson of Yamaha Motor’s Marine Division here in Brisbane for his invaluable advice on the subject. THE NITTY GRITTY A propeller consists of a hub attached to an engine’s

see that it is inscribed with two numbers. One number describes the diameter, which is the overall size measured across the circle of the tips. The other number is the pitch, which is the theoretical distance the propeller will move the boat in one revolution, as the raked blade moves through the water. Why a theoretical distance? Because there will be some slip as the prop bites into the water. But here’s the secret: the less slip there is, the more efficient the propeller! With all propellers we have two main things to consider: the diameter and then the pitch. There’s no denying that the larger the propeller’s diameter, the more power it has to push

The less the pitch, the less ‘bite’ the prop has, and the easier it is for the engine to turn the prop. However, while this means the engine might pick up revs very rapidly to provide faster acceleration and extra pulling power, it’s the norm to have reduced speed. It’s similar to gearing in cars, where lower gears provide lots of grunt but reduced

the reduced pitch, while a prop with a higher pitch might cause a reduction in engine revs but at the same time will be biting harder into the water and kicking the boat further with each engine revolution, despite the inevitable slip. The ideal situation is for the propeller to have just the right amount of size to push plenty of water with each revolution, but

Here you can see the degree of rake on the propeller blades, which is linked to the propeller’s pitch.

Every aspect of a propeller’s construction is designed to maximise efficiency.

The larger the prop’s diameter, the more water it can push. gearbox, usually with a flexible bushing, ensuring that the connection can withstand a bit of jarring from time to time. On the outside of the hub there are blades of the same length and size. These blades are manufactured to a rigidly set shape or pattern so they displace water to propel the boat. Propeller blades actually have two working surfaces. First of all, the back of the blade creates a low pressure area that moves the boat forward as it rotates. The front of the blade (the face) creates high pressure as it rotates and forces a stream of water away from the propeller, to the rear, and thus does its bit to aid forward motion. All we see is a big stream of water heading away from the engine as we push the throttle forward, but there are come interesting things occurring at the end of that gear case. DIAMETER VERSUS PITCH If you taking a close look at a propeller, you’ll 100

DECEMBER 2019

water behind it, which means that really heavy loads are best handled by larger diameter propellers. However, let’s not lose sight of the fact that it’s the pitch that determines efficiency in many respects.

basic knowledge isn’t enough for us to decide what’s best for the boat. The selection of a prop for any given craft will usually come from the consideration of trained experts in the field, given that engines’ outputs are very standard, and to a very large extent so are boat hulls. Whether a boat is designed with a flat

top speed. Higher pitched propellers, on the other hand, are akin to higher gears in a car because they produce more forward travel with each prop revolution, with the downside being more load on the engine, reduced low speed pulling power and acceleration, but a higher top speed. So we can see that although revving hard the boat might not gain much extra forward motion due to the lack of bite from

There’s more to propellers than meets the eye.

Here you can see the diameter (13.7/8) and pitch (15”) figures marked on this prop.

at the same time have just the right amount of pitch to ensure the engine is in its correct operating range for best efficiency. Yet that propeller should be generating as little slip as possible in each revolution. Propeller manufacturers devote a lot of R&D to achieving this balance of physics. LEAVE THE HARD STUFF TO THE EXPERTS So where does that leave you and I when it comes to selecting the right prop for a given engine and boat? The reality is that our

bottom, a slight or large degree of vee in its design, or is manufactured from fibreglass, alloy or timber, there won’t be much radical departure in design. Large or small, lightweight or behemoth, there’s a pointy end to broach the water, and a blunt section at back for an engine to be fitted. Boat design parameters from virtually any established boat maker have now been in existence long enough that when a manufacturer turns out a boat, that craft will have engine ratings specified as ideal for the size,

design, and weight of the hull pre-determined and prominently displayed on a compliance/manufacturer’s plate. Accordingly, a chosen engine (whether minimum or maximum horsepower) comes with best performing propellers (size and pitch) specified as well. When we look at any propeller we are looking at a complex bit of machinery, designed for best efficiency, with the blades having just the right amount of size and rake against the hub for a given task. SUMMING UP As you can see, there’s a whole lot more to propellers than meets the eye. And yet I’ve really only rippled the waters; created no waves at all. Next issue, we’ll look at why different propellers have two, three, or even four blades per hub, and the steps that propeller manufacturers are taking to safeguard their products against damage. We’ll also look at the choice of alloy vs stainless steel props, and also investigate the effects of cupping, ventilation and cavitation on overall propeller performance. Last but not least, I earnestly believe that the selection of the right propeller should be left to the professional to decide, after considering all relevant factors such as the maker’s recommendations for the engine, plus the proposed use and anticipated load during that use, which should be provided by the customer as accurately as possible. There’s definitely some leeway there, but it’s best left to data reference and the experience of the professional to determine the right outcome.

WHAT’S NEW BOATING BAR CRUSHER FOLDING HARD TOP 1

SIMRAD HALO20 AND HALO20+

Innovation has always been at the core of Australian plate aluminium boat builder Bar Crusher, and the latest upgrade to its cuddy cabin ‘C Series’ is case in point. The completely-redesigned folding hard top of Bar Crusher’s popular 615C and 670C looks – and is – all business. Like the previous folding roof design (which Bar Crusher had for 20 years), this latest beefed-up version – together with the folding, toughened safety glass windscreen – reduces the on-trailer height by around a metre for easy storage in standard garages and carports. With front and extended side clears delivering all-weather protection, the folding hard top and rock-solid superstructure is a huge plus for those who want a serious offshore fishing boat but have limited storage at home. Along with the increase in strength, the new folding hard top incorporates an LED cabin light as standard, allows for easy mounting of rear-facing LED cockpit lighting and a removable shade awning, provides a solid base for a radar, and also has the option of side-mount roof-top rod storage for another six outfits, in addition to the standard rearmounted rocket launcher. www.barcrusher.com.au

Simrad HALO20+ and HALO20 radars are compact, pulse compression radome units, ideal for smaller sportfishing vessels. Both radars provide excellent detection with unrivalled short-range performance, but HALO20+ features the fastest RPM rotation on the market, VelocityTrack, Dual Range operation and can detect targets from a greater distance. HALO20+ radar delivers a full 360° sweep every second at ranges up to 1.5nm, giving boaters an almost real-time view at close range. It has a compact dome antenna and delivers high-quality short-, mid- and longrange detection. Boaters can monitor two distance ranges at once in Dual Range mode, and beam sharpening provides enhanced separation between small or distant targets. VelocityTrack Doppler technology delivers instant feedback on whether targets are coming toward you or moving away. HALO20 is a compact, cost-effective solution for boaters to increase situational awareness and collision avoidance, detecting collision hazards and other targets nearby and up to 24nm away. Both models offer MARPA Target Tracking, InstantOn technology and Harbor, Offshore, Weather, Bird, and custom modes. Price: from SRP $2,399 www.simrad-yachting.com

YANMAR YD42 MFD

The Yanmar YD42 MFD and YD25 LCD Switch Panel Display have innovative functionality and a compact style. Featuring a low-profile glass helm design and a 4.1” colour screen, the YD42 reads and displays Yanmar engine alarm and diagnostic codes. Users can also view additional info, from engine speed and load, oil pressure and coolant temperature, to speed and depth. It’s compatible with a range of NMEA 2000 devices and allows engine data to be easily transmitted to other MFDs. The water-resistant YD42 is suitable for all weather conditions, and eliminates fogging. It has a 170˚ viewing angle, superior daytime visibility, and a night-time mode. It has an easy front-mount option, requiring no access to the back of the console or panel. In addition to engine start/stop functionality, the compact YD25 LCD Switch Panel Display shows all Yanmar engine data, alarms and diagnostic codes, and integrates with MFDs and glass helm systems. The info can be viewed on four customisable screens. Ideal for boats with limited dash space, the weather-resistant YD25 has a 2.5” LCD screen with a 80˚ viewing angle. www.yanmar.com

FUSION SM SERIES

Fusion’s new SM Series shallow mount marine speakers, are engineered to deliver high-quality acoustics ideal for installations where mounting depth is limited. The sealed enclosure design provides a truly shallow mounting solution without compromising sound quality, and protects all components from damage, making the SM Series capable of being installed in positions such as cabinets without needing rear speaker cups that often reduce sound quality and complicate installation. In addition, concealed mounting holes allow for a more uniform, cleaner look. There is also an optional two-surface corner spacer, which fits perfectly into perpendicular spaces where two walls meet, and a threesurface corner spacer, which is ideal for angling the speaker down from a ceiling corner for better acoustics. There are two colour options: fabric white and black for interior installations. www.fusionentertainment.com

SIGNATURE STOCK CLEARANCE

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The Haines Signature stock clearance offer is now on, with a combined value of up to $2,700 free extras with new boat purchases. These extras include: 12 months’ Nautilus Marine insurance valued up to $1,000; a $1,000 Missing at Sea voucher; and a safety bag kit (including 4 x inflatable life jackets) valued at $700. The stock clearance period lasts until 16 December 2019, and is available only on current dealer’s stock boats. This special offer can not be used in conjunction with any other offer. Refer to your local authorised Signature dealer for more information, or visit the Haines Signature website. You can also see all the latest news and photos on Haines Signature’s Facebook page (www.facebook. com/hainessignatureboats) and Instagram (@ hainessignature). www.hainessignature.com.au

CLUB MARINE PROMOTION

PRODUCT GUIDE

Club Marine is giving away over $260,000 in prizes to eight lucky members in its ‘Win the Dream’ member promotion. One lucky member will win the keys to a car and boat package comprising of a RAM 1500 Laramie Pickup Truck and Northbank 600C boat with a Mercury Pro XS 150 HP FourStroke engine and Easytow trailer. There is a host of other prizes on offer as well, including a Sea Doo Fish Pro, Kimberley Cruise, NT Outback Adventure and YETI prize packs. Qualifying for automatic entry is easy. To be in the running to Win the Dream simply have a Club Marine Pleasure Craft Insurance policy and a Club Marine Magazine subscription in either Australia or New Zealand at the time of each draw. Winners will be contacted directly and announced in Club Marine Magazine. To find out more about how you can be in the running, visit the Club Marine website. www.clubmarine.com.au

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

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Yellowfin Plate 7000CC with Evinrude 200hp E-Tec - SC

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Length................ 6.98m Beam.................. 2.40m Max hp................... 225 Bottom Sheet...... 6mm Side Sheet........... 4mm Capacity...... 7 persons Hull weight...... 1075kg Fuel...................... 320L a show in 2019, you got a 10-year warranty for your own peace of mind. At the launch, Yellowfin Plate National Sales Manager, Drew Jackson said, “Yellowfin Plate is all about the one-percenters. We’ve taken the best welders and boat makers at Telwater and 102

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SPECIFICATIONS

s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

2019 saw the re-launch of the Yellowfin Boats brand as Yellowfin Plate by Queensland boat building giant Telwater. Subsequently, the company sold a major interest to BRP, the manufacturer of Evinrude outboards. A such, you’re likely to see plenty of Evinrude powered Yellowfin Plate boats in coming years, and there’s nothing wrong with that. As the last remaining manufacturer of 2-stroke technology outboards, these guys do 2-stroke better than ever. They deliver the famous 2-stroke acceleration and torque throughout the rev range while boasting industry-leading emissions. And if you bought at

they were nowhere near as trim responsive and as quiet as this rig. Also, the centre cab is positioned well forward on this rig – offering maximum cockpit space. You only have to look at the images to see that there’s plenty of room in this boat for you

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dirty and for you to do a lot of cleaning with a hose when you get back. Additionally, a 300L+ fuel tank gives you the range to get to the most distant reefs. At optimum cruising speed, the G2 delivers 44km/h and 1.9km/L. That’s a theoretical range of around

PERFORMANCE

Main: There’s a whole lot of space in this boat for you and a handful of your mates to embark on a 600km adventure to fishing paradise. Above: This iteration of Yellowfin feels 100% solid and quiet in the water. Granted, it was a choppy day and not a full blown ocean test. moved them across to the Yellowfin Plate team. You won’t find a more talented and dedicated team of boat builders anywhere,” said Drew, “and these guys have made sure that we have got everything right. These boats look and perform like nothing we’ve ever built.” That said, there’s not much change in the hulls. The Marine Core construction features over 100 hours of welding and a design that simply won’t break. It’s the top deck and the modifications where we have seen the most improvements. “The small changes we’ve made have all come about from dealer and customer feedback – there have been lots of little things that we’ve changed to make the boats look amazing and to add to the on-water experience,” Drew continued. On the water, this thing is a beast. We shared time

on it pre-launch with JV Marine owner, Mark Stav. And he was excited about the boats. You can see the full video review on the Fishing Monthly YouTube channel or by scanning the QR Code at the top of the page with your smartphone. “As a dealer, there are a couple of things I like about this boat. The first is the Offshore HD hull – it’s soft, stable and dry. The way they build these things means that they’re super solid and super quiet. That’s what a rigid hull gives you,” Mark said. “The second is that the boat and motor are made in the Yellowfin Plate factory, and so is the trailer. The Evinrude G2 is fitted there and, as a dealer, all we need to do is add a battery and we’re ready to go. It means that we can turn around a boat in a day at the yard. You get to drive it home just after we get it,” he said.

This version of the Yellowfin Plate is the best riding that I’ve driven to date. The hull is solid and quiet and it seems as though the balance is just right. I have driven Yellowfins in the past that weren’t as well balanced and

RPM....................... km/h........................km/L Idle.............................. 4........................... 3.8 1000............................. 7........................... 3.4 2000............................12........................... 1.3 3000............................34........................... 1.8 3500............................44........................... 1.9 4000............................51........................... 1.5 5000............................66........................... 1.2 5600............................ 74........................... 1.1 and three of your mates out on the deep blue. On the spectrum of family comfort to serious fishing, this boat is no family cruiser. It’s designed to get out and

600km – imagine where that will take you! For more information you can contact the team at Brisbane Quintrex or visit www. brisbanequintrex.com.au.

The 200hp Evinrude H.O. is a torque efficient powerplant that matches the hull perfectly.

Above top: With all of that cockpit space, the compromise is that there is just enough room to walk around the cabin. Above: It’s the small things, like the tip-down rod holders that let short people like me load them, that makes this a very fishable boat.

Above top: The starboard side transom door allows easy entry. The port livebait tank has a clear front for keeping an eye on your live baits. Above: Plenty of room to get things done at the bait station, with room for 5 rods, a couple of cans, half a block of pillies and a shelf for the popular terminal tackle.

If you bought an Evinrude at a boat show in 2019, you got a 10-year warranty!

If you’re a chequer-plate fan, the Yellowfin Plate is the boat for you. A good hose out at the end of the day and you’re well on top of maintenance.

The helm and instruments are on the starboard side of the console, with a cabin door on port side. We liked the ability to flush mount large electronic choices.

Top Left: The for’ard deck is raised a little. Watch the steps. Bottom Left: Transom mounted live bait tanks are nearly a standard feature of boats of this size. Right: The cabin is roomy enough, yet not the biggest we’ve seen in a boat of this length. The WR is all about cockpit size!

Left: There are two steps on the starboard side walkaround. Right: The huge esky under the seat is practical and big enough for extended trips. DECEMBER 2019

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Formosa 550 SRT with Suzuki 150hp 4-stroke - SC

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Centre Cab that Formosa make. With models extending up to 7.4m in length and the simplification of the Formosa range (these SRT hulls were

The Suzuki 150hp 4-stroke partnered perfectly with the Formosa 550 SRT.

Main: The jury is out on whether this type of shot is appealing to a boat customer or not. Rupe said that landing was “much softer than expected” after searching out some stand-up swell at the mouth of the harbour. Above: Stability at rest is where this Formosa shines, with a 2.45m beam and the Quad4 water ballast system fitted.

Suzuki’s 150hp Lean Burn engine pushed the Formosa 550 SRT up and over the swell at a good, comfortable running pace. 104

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After hundreds of boat tests, we finally made it to Coffs Harbour to get some hulls wet. Hosted by Dayne Taylor and the team at North Coast Boating Centre (NCBC), it’s definitely a part of the world that offers lots – not just for fishing but also a compact array of conditions to test the abilities of hull and motor combinations. NCBC is a Formosa and Suzuki dealer and both come from South East Queensland – the hulls are manufactured there and Suzuki’s local head office is also located there. Although the quality of the main Coffs Harbour boat ramp is a bone of contention amongst locals, on the test day it coped fine with the launch and retrieval of a black and grey 5.5m Formosa

s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

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Centre Cab, loaded with features and turning heads with a new Suzuki 150 bolted to the back. “The locals here love the

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Formosas and we sell plenty of them here,” said NCBC’s Dayne Taylor. “We always make sure that we order boats with the features that local anglers want.” The 550 is the smallest

released on the 2019 boat show circuit), navigating their line up has become a lot easier. There’s a surprising amount of room in the centre cab, as much as in some 7m models that I’ve tested

If you’ve ever been offshore from Coffs, you’ll know this wall. A calm wind with some leftover swell presented ideal testing conditions.

in the past; however, the flipside of that is the front deck space is compromised in this model. If front deck space is important to you, check out the longer models in the line up. Exiting the ramp, there’s a fair expanse of semisheltered water that we could use to do some speed runs

than through the swell. Add a deeper vee in the hull and you would lose stability in favour of a smoother entry to waves. It’s the perennial boating dilemma. Otherwise, the boat is well finished and definitely

shows that this rig has been designed by anglers – or at the very least, by builders who listen to their customers. Price wise, this rig is right in the ballpark for those looking to move into a plate boat and not have to sell the

SPECIFICATIONS Length................. 5.7m Beam................. 2.45m Bottom ................ 4mm Sides ................... 4mm Fuel ..................... 150L Dry hull weight . 840kg Max hp .................. 150 Transom deadrise .19° Capacity ..... 6 persons

Our first test in Coffs Harbour, but with mornings like this it won’t be our last. The dual axle Dunbier trailer provides easy towing and access when at the rigging area of the ramp.

North Coast Boating Centre’s dual-cab ute is the perfect tow and launch vehicle. in. Although the specs show economy of 2km/L, I’m sure that with more granular metering this would actually register in the low 2s. It’s no slouch either, with a flat-water test yielding 74km/h. Unfortunately, conditions didn’t allow us to run at wide open throttle on the test day – that was

a quoted reading from the team when they were prop testing in the local river. Creeping out of the harbour, the calm day belied the decent ocean swell that rolled through. Indeed, it was fun to do a few jump shots off the colourful south wall. Sneaking up along the coast, we took the opportunity to do some running and fishing shots in the slop. You can check these out on the Fishing Monthly YouTube channel or by scanning the QR code on this page. The other compromise in this boat is stability versus ride. With a near 2.5m width and the four-tube Quad4 water ballast system in play, the hull was rock solid in the water. Even with 19 degrees of transom deadrise, the hull tended to ride over rather

When they look this good it’s easy to see why NCBC have moved so many Formosa boats this year!

This is why you invest in the Quad4 option. Stability at rest makes it easy to catch a few! turns heads at the ramp. Its practical features, such as the removable underfloor kill tank, an entirely practical transom and transom door coupled with a folding bench seat that redefines simplicity

As the swell continued to build, this Formosa 550 SRT really showed off how balanced and stable it was. PERFORMANCE RPM Speed (km/h) Economy (km/L) Idle ..........................5 ...............................5 1000 .........................7 ............................3.3 2000....................... 12 ............................2.5 3000....................... 28 ............................2.0 3500 ....................... 30 ............................2.0 4000....................... 46 ............................2.0 5000....................... 59 ............................1.4 5900 ....................... 74 ............................n/a

Building seas were no problem for the newly released SRT hull.

There’s room up front and back for fishing so you’re not on top of each other and can cover more ground.

house to do it. As tested, this rig comes in at under $60,000 and if you want to drop to a 140hp outboard, you can shed another five or six grand again. QLD DEALERS Gold Coast Boating Centre 64 Kortum Drive Burleigh Heads P: 07 5576 7388 W: goldcoastboating centre.com.au Townsville Marine 943 Ingham Road Townsville P: (07) 4774 3777 W: townsvillemarine.com.au The Tinnie Shack 2 Shepherd Close Mission Beach P: 07 4088 6125 W: thetinnieshack.com.au

Even when Josh and Rupe did get the hull out of the water the landings were smooth as the beam really carried the weight. DECEMBER 2019

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Above: We’ve seen plenty of kill tanks under the floor of boats, but this one is removable. Below: There’s more room than you think in the centre cab, with plenty of space to get out of the elements when things get hot and nasty.

Egress is easy on the trailer with the fold-down aluminium steps.

Above: Side pockets are short but feature room for your toes underneath them and a high gunwale to keep you in while out in the ocean. Below: The trade-off of a large centre cab is less casting deck up front. There’s plenty of room to circumnavigate the cab, but two anglers casting lures up here is a crowd.

Main: The fold-down rear bench seat is a neat and practical solution – with no fold-down legs required. Inset: The transom door folds inwards and forms a step to give access to the Active Transom.

Top Left: The helm is simple and although the throttle box initially felt a little cramped, it offered plenty of places to support the throttle hand while varying revs in lumpier water. Bottom Left: Next to the anchor box there’s an electric motor mount. Either a self or standard manualdeploy would work, as you can easily access the mounting area. Right: Although basic, there’s plenty of storage room in the seat pedestals and simple foot bars. 106

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The new Suzuki 150 is an EFI double overhead cam, 2.8L inline 4-stroke that throws this centre cab up and out of the water.

The hard top offers shade for driver and passenger and accommodates a handful of rods up and out of the way. It folds down for garage storage.

Left: There’s ample room to shuffle around the centre cab and the deck remains the same level all the way around. Right: The short windscreen is in the ideal place – you can look through it while seated and over it while standing.

FIND THE THERE ARE 15 LOGOS HIDDEN THROUGHOUT THE PAGES OF FISHING MONTHLY. FILL IN THE ENTRY FORM BELOW WITH THE PAGE NUMBER OF EACH LOGO LOCATION AND GO INTO THE DRAW TO WIN!

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THE FIRST 40 CORRECT ENTRIES DRAWN AT THE END OF DECEMBER ‘MIDNIGHT OIL’ COLOUR SOFT PLASTICS. WIN A PACK OF ALL ENTRIES WILL THEN GO INTO THE MAJOR PRIZE DRAW TO WIN ONE OF THREE PRIZE PACKS TO BE DRAWN ON 30th APRIL, 2020

MAJOR PRIZES 1ST: $1000

MAJOR PRIZE WINNERS GET TO CHOOSE FROM THE HUGE TACKLE TACTICS RANGE OF BRANDS AND PRODUCTS:

RRP OF TACKLE TACTICS PRODUCTS

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RRP OF TACKLE TACTICS PRODUCTS

NAME ............................................................................................................

MAIL ENTRIES TO: QFM Find the ZMAN Logo Competition, PO BOX 3172, Loganholme QLD 4129 Entries must be received by 31ST DECEMBER 2019 Original entries only. No photocopies.

SUBURB .................................................................P/CODE ........................... PHONE .......................................................................................................... EMAIL ............................................................................................................

QFM DECEMBER 2019

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