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July 2019, Vol. 31 No. 9
Contents NORTHERN NEW SOUTH WALES
10
Yamba 18
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34
Ballina 20 SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND The Tweed
22
Southern Gold Coast
24
Gold Coast Canals
26
Jumpinpin 28 Gold Coast
30
Southern Bay
32
Brisbane 34 Northern Bay
36
Brisbane Offshore
37
Noosa 38 CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Hervey Bay
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Rainbow Beach
43
Gladstone 45 Bundaberg 46 Monduran 45 Rockhampton 46 Yeppoon 47 Stanage Bay
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Mackay 48
From the Editor’s Desk... Fishing Monthly publishes the business-to-business magazine Australian Fishing Tackle Retailer. It’s where the back end of the tackle industry discusses industry issues. Recently we printed an article inside it discussing the difficult retail environment and the reasons why small tackle stores can sometimes struggle. We had more feedback about that article than any we have published in that magazine. Ever. It struck a nerve with operators who have lost the joy of being in the industry due to eroding margins and digital disruption. We all have a local tackle store. Sometimes it’s a stand-alone tackle store.
Sometimes it’s a part of a servo, or camping store, or toy shop. I’ve seen nearly every combination in my travels around Australia. They’re usually staffed by locals who have an excellent idea about what’s happening in the area. Rewind 20 years and the first thing you’d do is drop into the local when you go fishing to get a head start for your time on the water. You’d buy your bait and terminal tackle there, too. I reckon that there’s fewer small, independent tackle stores around now than at any time in my lifetime and that’s sad. It’s sad for the owners who struggle to make ends meet, and it’s sad for the areas who now lack that local, finger-on-thepulse advice.
Maybe Facebook reports from your mates are good enough nowadays? But remember, they only tell you what they’ve caught, not when they’re going next or what’s on the horizon. They don’t want you there catching ‘their’ fish. It’s the same premise for Fishing Monthly magazines, we like to tell you what’s coming up and to help you plan your trips and less about what happened a month ago. That’s why lots of our contributors work in these local tackle stores. Do you want your local, independent tackle stores to survive? Make sure that you involve them in your trips! Talk to them about what’s been happening and what’s expected to happen in the close future. Buy your tackle there. Buy your bait there.
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Tag them in your posts when you’re showing off your catch online. I don’t like the idea of a future without my local tackle store, and I bet that you don’t either. Keep that in mind next time you buy your lures from a dodgy Internet seller and shamefully drive past their door on the way to the river. Well, that might be going a little over the top, but you get what I mean. Does your internet supplier sponsor local kids fishing days, help the local school or help your local fishing club with prizes? I bet not. Look after your local tackle store and they’ll keep looking after you as long as they can stay in business.
TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Whitsundays 58 Ayr 59 Townsville 60 Hinchinbrook 62 Port Douglas
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Cape York capers
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Production: Karen Millward Keith Hawley
Liam Edridge was stoked with this cracking Trinity NFZ permit taken at Half Moon Bay. A Dan Kaggelis image.
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Publishers: Steve Morgan Matthew Drinkall
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Mastering the art of fishing the beach 10
Sub-Editors: Nicole Penfold Bob Thornton Annie March Lucette Eggleton
SINCE 1987
ION
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BOATING AND KAYAK
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Cape York
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Cooktown 64
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Lucinda 63
PRO
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SH
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TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY. JULY 2019
9
Mastering the art of how to read the beach BRISBANE
Sean Thompson
Beach fishing isn’t just a sport, it’s a passion. Get it right and it can be incredibly productive. Not only that, but in our fast-paced world filled with digital gadgets and deadlines, it can be damn good for your mental and physical health. The sights, sounds and feel of the waves as they wash away your woes is something special. Even better if it is interrupted by a screaming reel and buckling rod! GENERAL RULES To get your best results from the beach, you need to understand how, where and when to fish. The number one rule in beach fishing is that you
need to be able to read the beach to understand where the fish might be. Inexperienced anglers often make the mistake of just throwing in a line wherever the sand track leads them out to the beach, and then expect fish. Even if there is fishable water there, these same areas are also popular with swimmers and surfers, and thus tend to spook flighty fish. There are a few other general rules and tactics that will significantly increase the odds in your favour when beach fishing. These include knowing your target species and seasons, having the right gear, and knowing the right time and techniques to catch them. You also need a few plan Bs and Cs for when the fish play hard to get.
The author and his son in a double hook-up in a shallow gutter at high tide. One fish is being landed while the other is being played out.
An elevated position gives a good view of a big long channel. Note the smaller whiting gutters close to shore and the big entrance halfway along at the back.
When you have some sneaky little tactics up your sleeve, it can turn a very ordinary session into a very good one! For now, let’s start by learning how to ‘read’ a beach. CHOOSING THE RIGHT WATER You can have the best tackle, baits, lures and surf conditions, but if you’re fishing where the fish are unlikely to be, you won’t catch much! This is why it’s is so important to know how to read a beach. Gutters, holes, channels, spits, rips, sweep, back banks… fishing has a vocabulary all of its own, but these areas aren’t that complicated to spot or understand. Basically, the colour of the water (darker water is deeper) and the wave patterns are the main giveaways, and when you know what to look for you’ll maximise your catch rates. Gutter Gutters are stretches of deeper water scoured out of the sand, characterised by darker, greener water. They generally have a back sand bank where the water
is shallower, and the waves break over this bank before reforming in the gutter,
Light, long graphite outfits are an inexpensive yet effective option as a second outfit for spinning the gutters for tailor.
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JULY 2019
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and don’t break again until they get closer to, or hit the shore. Fish like tailor, salmon, bream and big dart will prowl the edges of the back bank, and these same fish may roam inside the deeper water of the gutter looking for food. The shore break of a gutter (where waves are breaking on the shore) is the place to target foraging fish such as whiting, flathead, smaller dart and bream. These predators roam in the shallower gutters just beyond the shore, and as the waves break and surge up the beach, the fish quickly follow the water in and help themselves to the worms and pipis exposed, or any vulnerable baitfish. Entrance An entrance is often found with a gutter, and it’s like a funnel of deeper, cleaner water that channels faster flowing water from the inner gutters or holes out to the open sea. This
Tailor are a popular target for beach anglers over the winter months, but you need to choose the right water for them.
is known by swimmers as a rip. A break in the rolling waves can indicate an entrance, and this area is also characterised by more rippled water. Fish use these entrances to enter and exit the shorebased gutters that hold a smorgasbord of food for them. Fish like to use entrances because they don’t like sand in their gills or becoming disorientated by breaking waves. One entrance to a gutter is good, and two entrances is even better! Gutters can also vary in size and depth, with deeper
gutters tending to hold bigger fish like tailor, salmon and mulloway at the right time of day. Shallower gutters are perfect for smaller forage fish such as whiting, dart and bream. Fish like whiting
is within castable distance for species such as tailor and salmon. Outer channels can be described as a second channel running parallel to an inner channel closer
of white wash from waves as protection. Beach corner Beach corners are another part of the beach fishing vocabulary. These are areas where permanent
30 YEARS OF BOATING EXCELLENCE
When choosing where to fish channels look for a sloping beach into deeper water and a back bank breaking within casting distance. can be found in a couple of to shore and the beach. holes have been chiselled different types of shallower These are the highways out next to headlands or gutters. Examples include for very big fish, including large patches of rock. shallow inner gutters that fill sharks and pelagics such These can be great places over an exposed back sand as mackerel, tuna, giant to fish, especially when the bank at high tide, or shallow trevally and more. You can seas are very calm and the low tide gutters that have reach these outer channels baitfish seek shelter from a blind end. A blind end is at low tide if you choose the calm, clear conditions where the gutter closes off to an inner channel with a in these locations. the shore or a sand spit and, close back bank, and cast Vantage point provided it has a little bit of over it using big grapnel To most effectively read white water for protection, sinkers and running ‘slide the beach, it’s important to the fish will feed right up in baits’ of live fish or big get up on a higher vantage this corner. flesh baits out to this deep point. This may be a sand Hole water. Another alternative dune (provided it isn’t Holes are pockets of is to cast out with a more closed for regeneration), scoured-out sand in the standard rig but with a big a headland or simply the surf which are formed as bait into an entrance or rip, highest point on the beach. a result of big seas. They and let the fast-flowing rip Even better if you can do are evidenced by their take the bait out to this this at low tide during the darker blue/green colour outer channel. middle of the day, so you and also by waves, which Sand spit get a clearer picture of the don’t break at all over Sand spits are areas sand build up and areas of them. Holes can either be where the sand on the shore deeper water with the sun fully enclosed as they are surrounded by sand bars, or they can have an opening to the sea. These are great locations to fish at night on the high tide for predators such as mulloway, particularly if the hole has an opening or entrance to the sea. At low tide they can be good locations for flathead and bream. Smaller ‘melon’ holes NEW RELEASE are indentations of around a metre or so in diameter, and can often be found on sand spits or smaller gutters. Whiting like to forage for worms and yabbies in melon holes. Channel Channels are simply very long gutters which are Hooked up to another Fraser Island scoured out parallel to the tailor on a light graphite outfit. beach. They can run for several hundred metres or juts out to form a point in directly overhead. even kilometres at times. the surf zone. These areas Likewise, an elevated They act like a fish highway, can be exposed at low tide view will also allow you with fish travelling along and are great worming to see how close a back them in search of food.VELOCITY If locations. They are usually sandbank is to the shore, SPORTS CRUSADER there are few other features surrounded by a hole or a as indicated by waves nearby to fish, your best gutter so you can fish from breaking and spilling foam option when confronted them at low tide, or fish into the darker, greener with a long channel is to over them at high tide for water of the gutter. If look for areas where the fish like whiting, flathead you’re chasing fish like beach shelves away steeply and smaller dart – provided tailor or salmon, choosing on the shore into the they have a sufficient a deep green gutter with channel, or the back bank coverage of water and a bit To page 12
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Tech Tricks
Pimp up your jig rigs with some assist hooks BRISBANE
Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com
Jig rigs, or assist rigs as they are more correctly known, are added to numerous metal free-fall and flat-fall jigs when
targeting a host of pelagic and demersal species. These kinds of jigs really come into their own in deep water, especially when currents are fairly strong and hamper getting other offerings into the zone. The enticing action of
these jigs helps to solicit a strike. Good technique is the key to successful jigging. Put simply, assist rigs are basically a single hook on a short length of tough cord that are designed to hook a fish when it attacks the jig. Why is the hook on a cord, I hear you ask! It is
Assist cords are commonly made out of Kevlar, Spectra, Dyneema or a combination of these fibres. Although available in breaking strains between 30-400lb, the more common sizes are 150-300lb for use with deep water metal jigs. Assist cord is relatively flexible yet has very abrasive resistant properties. Most specialist tackle stores should have at least one brand available.
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Choose the appropriately sized assist cord based on the application. Obviously it needs to be heavier than the main line used. For most deep water jigs I will use a minimum of 150lb and a maximum of 300lb. Once you have cut your assist cord, use a heat gun or naked flame to melt and seal the end and eliminate the chance of fraying. 16
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mainly to minimize fouling on the leader. Even if the hook does catch on the leader, the suppleness of the rig allows it to easily fall back in position. When you are fishing depths in excess of 50m the last thing you want is for the hook to foul and make the jig
inoperable. A lot of time would be wasted and fishing opportunity lost if you needed to retrieve to sort the problem out. Having the hook on an abrasion resistant cord means that it will waft and bounce around as the jig is worked. Adding a little
flash or colour to the hook will increase its appeal. The extra movement the material adds is also an enticement. Let’s look at a simple way to make your own assist rigs plus some ways to pimp them up, which increases their appeal to a host of fish species.
Most major hook manufacturers will have a jigging hook pattern suitable for this application. The Mustad Hoodlum is probably the easiest to find, however, the Mustad 10881 Jigging Single, the Owner SJ-41 and SJ-51, the BKK 8090 and 8070, Shout Kudako and Ijika, and Gamakatsu Single 60 are some of the more readily used patterns. Jigging hooks are inline, eliminating the possibility of them twisting during the descent or ascent and subsequently fouling. Hook size will depend on the size of the jig, but I recommend that the gape of the hook is wider than the jig at the position where the hook will hang. This means that when the fish grabs the jig, the hook will find its mark and not be impeded by the jig’s width.
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Pass the assist cord through the eye of the hook and then tie a simple overhand knot (granny knot) close to the end you sealed with heat. Pull this knot up as tight as possible. This is the start of the Japanese jigging knot, the easiest knot to make this assist rig with.
Tech Tricks
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Using this knotted end, make another overhand knot around the main portion of assist cord so the knotted tag end is facing away from the hook as shown. As you can see, the Japanese jigging knot is simply one knot locked against another.
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Repeat the process with the other end of your cord, however, this time secure it to a suitably-sized solid ring, or a heavy duty swivel if you wish. You can add some heat shrink over the knots if you want a professional look but this is not integral to the overall strength of the rig.
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However, if you want to add more appeal, there are several options when it comes to pimping your assist rig. There are many types of flash materials (as you would use when fly tying), ones with glow–in-the-dark or UV properties are ideal. Small octopus skirts will also exhibit a lot of movement and most of these have glow-in-the-dark eyes. Hookem Fish Skin has an iridescent Mylar reflection to it and will glow in low light conditions. This is the type of material that is on many bait jigs. I have also seen assist rigs adorned with marabou (fluffy feather), soft furs and many other materials.
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Snug the second knot tight around the main portion of cord so that the initial knot in the end stops it coming undone. Snug this up as tight as possible. You can pass the hook over the handle of your pliers to provide some purchase and apply extreme pressure to ensure the knot is locked together tightly against the eye of the hook.
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Attaching the assist rig to your jig is done using a heavy duty split ring. The leader is then attached directly to the solid ring using a sliding uni or similar. With this configuration, you are not relying on the split ring for any strength once you hook-up. You are now connected directly to the fish and the jig is hanging to the side. The solid ring is quite thick so that the leader will not suffer abrasion where it is attached. You are now ready to go jigging.
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The whole purpose of pimping your assist hooks is to add more movement, visibility and appeal to the jig. There is a myriad of material types, colours and combinations that you can use. You can make them to match the jig or contrast it. Some will even put two assist hooks on the one jig, each with a different adornment. The main hook on any jig is attached to the top eyelet, as this limits snagging on the bottom and hook fouling yet offers great hook-up potential. Extra hooks could be added to other eyelets if fishing it mid water, although this can increase fouling. Making your own assist rigs allows you to customize it for any jig you own and is a fairly cost effective exercise. JULY 2019
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WHAT’S NEW FISHING SAMAKI TEFLON PLIERS
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Samaki premium stainless-steel tools have been developed from the ground up. The perfect combination of stainless steel and Teflon coating makes these pliers rust resistant, strong and durable. Every tool has been hand finished to ensure comfortable use and long-term performance. There are three precise models: two 160mm split ring models in straight nose and bent nose, plus the heavy-duty 130mm side cutter. Each plier sports Samaki’s exclusive handle, which has been designed for superior comfort and durability. For more information on the Samaki range of tools and accessories, or to find your nearest stockist, check out the Samaki website. You can also like them on Facebook (www.facebook.com/samakifishing) to see the latest news and catch photos, or follow them on Instagram (@samakifishing). Price: from $14.95 www.samaki.com.au
SNAPPER SNACK IN 2 BANANA SMASH Black Magic has announced the release of the new Snapper Snack in banana smash colour. The perfect combination of lure and rig, the Snapper Snack is designed with high UV and luminous skirts which slide above the premium KLT hooks to provide a fantastic action. Snapper Snacks are best fished with a thin strip of bait to help maintain the natural swimming action of the skirt. Available in sizes 3/0 and 5/0, there are a wide variety of species being caught on these effective rigs. The banana smash colour is a proven and popular colour, and it’s hitting all good tackle stores now. You can ask to see the Snapper Snacks at your local Black Magic stockist today, or head to the Black Magic website to find out more. You can also find more information, news and catch photos on their Facebook page (www.facebook. com/blackmagictackle), check them out on Instagram (@blackmagictackle) or subscribe to the Black Magic YouTube channel. www.blackmagictackle.com
DAIWA TATULA RODS
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Daiwa has announced that the new Tatula rod series is set to strike for 2019. A reboot of the popular Tatula range, the new series introduces new looks, technologies and models to elevate the series to a new level of style and performance. SVF blanks featuring 3DX carbon is where it all begins, with a new spiral palming grip, new Fuji LKW Alconite guides, carbon butt cap, and Fuji PLS Palming Support reel seats combining to deliver anglers performance and comfort well above the rod’s price point. Featuring eight baitcaster and three swimbait models in the range the new Tatula rod series is the mid range series designed for the angler looking for that ultimate balance between performance and price. Whether your taste is for bass, barra, cod or mangrove jack the new Tatula series is one that’s sure to draw you in to its angling web. www.daiwafishing.com.au 52
JULY 2019
PRODUCT GUIDE
GIANT KILLING BIG GAME
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The 2019 release of the Major Craft Giant Killing Big Game features major changes to the range, with new rod lengths added and updated cosmetics. It still stays true to the series’ focus: hard-fighting offshore fish. The rods feature the new Fuji Silicon Slim K Frame guides bound onto a supremely strong and light blank. This offers a superb feel in the hand while still delivering the low down power needed to stop big fish. There are five rods in the series, with lengths ranging from 7’6” through to 8’6”. This makes them all excellent casting rods and perfect for lure chasing tuna, kingfish and topwater or sub-surface reef species. The rods come with PE ratings starting at 1.5-3.0 for the 7’6” and go up to 8.0 PE for the 8’6” Tuna model. There are two rods aimed at Hirimasa (Japanese for ‘kingfish’), a 7’7” and 8’6”. Both are rated to a max PE of 6.0 and 100g lures. The Buri (Japanese for ‘amberjack’) is an 8’ offering with a PE rating of 2.0-5.0, and it’s capable of casting 25-80g lures. www.majorcraft.com.au
SHIMANO STRADIC FL
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The new Stradic FL will carry forward most of the Shimano technologies that have made the Stradic series so strong, durable and uncompromising. The Micromodule Gear II ensures that the gears can align and perform with minimal resistance, and SilentDrive technology educes the smallest of clearance gaps and tolerances within the gearing system. The Hagane Gear has been upgraded for added strength and smoothness. On top of all this, X-Protect has also been added to the Stradic FL. The internal labyrinthtype structure gives the reel a superior level of water-resistant performance without impeding the rotation or lightness of the reel. The new Long Stroke Spool has been incorporated to improve casting distance, giving you the ability to cover more water when fishing. The 1000, 2500 and 4000 models have felt washer drags whilst the C3000 and C5000 models have upgraded cross carbon drags. With 6+1 ARC ball bearings, the new Stradic is sure to impress anyone who picks it up. Price: SRP $339.95-$389.95 www.shimanofish.com.au
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NEW STUMPJUMPER 6 COLOURS Born on the Victorian banks of the mighty Murray River in 1986, the StumpJumper range of lures have the world’s only truly successful interchangeable bib system. As unlikely as it sounds, it’s an idea that really works. With the deep diving bib, the No.1 StumpJumper is a great cod lure, but switch to the pointy, shallow running bib and you have a minnow lure capable of taking saltwater speedsters like mackerel and tuna or even barramundi. Not many other lures can do that. The four new colours that are now available in stores are set to be a sure-fire hit amongst both freshwater and saltwater anglers alike. The new colours are chartreuse tiger (#107), pink tiger (#108), chartreuse scale (#109) and pearl scale (#110). www.jmgillies.com.au
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STORM 360GT SOFT BAITS
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The Storm 360 GT Coastal Largo Shad offers highly detailed, universal baitfish appeal. This effective soft bait has a deadly body rolling action and an exaggerated tail swing that fish can’t resist. It can also be customised by removing the ‘tail tendon’ to create a wider and more erratic swimming action for those times when the fish are more aggressive. It swims both on the retrieve and on the fall. The 360GT Coastal Mangrove Minnow has a more slender profile, and its hard thumping paddle tail produces a tight body roll. Like the Largo Shad, the tail action can be customised by removing the tail tendon to deliver a wider tail swing, which mimics an erratic, panicking baitfish. It swims both on the retrieve and on the drop. Both the Largo Shad and Mangrove Minnow are available unrigged in 3” and 4” sizes in packs of seven, and are currently available in eight colours (Arkansas glow, electric chicken, hot mama, limetreuse, pilchard, pearl, silver mullet, and salt and pepper/chartreuse tail). They can be rigged weedless or on a standard jighead. www.stormfishing.com.au
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SAMURAI EGI RODS
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Samurai produces some of the finest, lightest and crispest feeling rods in the world, and they have turned their attention back to squid or egi rods. When Samurai began, they had some of the sleekest, multi-tapered graphite blanks for this style of fishing, and the new models take that technology even further. The new Samurai Egi rods use cross woven, hex axial carbon graphite to deliver a blank that is ridiculously light and strong. They press and cross the fibres in a process that results in a crisp, precise machine rolled multitapered blank. These rods have the action that’s essential for the lunging runs of large squid. The tip of the rod remains light and whip sharp, imparting crucial, instant action to the jig as soon as the angler initiates any movement with the rod. There are three models, an L, M and ML, covering jigs from 1.5-4.0, and all employ class-leading Fuji Titanium Torzite guides and EVA foam grips. www.samurairods.com.au
ULTRA-SIL VIEW DRY SACK
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TD COMMANDER RODS
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Built to perform and ready to unleash fury the TD Commander series has been revamped and restyled. An evolution of the original TD Commander series the new lineup has been expanded and now features 14 models (7 x spin and 7 x baitcast). Featuring proven Daiwa rod technologies such as HVF Nanoplus blanks, 3DX, AGS and Fuji Titanium SiC guides, the TD Commander series also launches some of Daiwa’s newest and most advanced technologies including the ultra light, ultra strong, SVF Carbon Air Sensor reel seats, and X45 Cobra Shield that greatly enhances blank responsiveness and allows for long accurate casts and better hook-sets. Dressed in classic green and featuring stylish cork grips the new TD Commander series is a range that delivers in looks and swagger and high-end performance. From ultra-light finesse models tailor made for bream and trout through to extra heavy models tuned to muscle cod and trevally from cover the TD Commander is ready for the Australian angler who’s looking to go to battle. www.daiwafishing.com.au
The Ultra-Sil Dry Sack from Sea To Summit is perfect for land-based anglers and those fishing from an open boat or kayak. The Ultra-Sil Dry Sack has a clear TPU window to allow you to easily view the contents inside. The window is RF welded into the side panels of the dry sack, producing a super-strong bond. Features of the Ultra-Sil Dry Sack include: siliconised high-tenacity Cordura nylon fabric for exceptional strength; Hypalon roll top closure does not wick moisture; Polyurethane coated and fully seam sealed for water resistance; reinforced stitching for greater seam strength; super compact and ultralightweight; and round base design. It also uses the Sea to Summit Field Repair Buckle for a tighter closure, and even better water resistance. The Ultra-Sil View Dry Sack comes in five colours and six sizes, ranging from 1L to 20L. The larger sizes are particularly useful for groups storing their belongings in the same bag. Price: SRP $14.99-$41.99 www.seatosummitdistribution.com.au
RUMPL PUFFY BLANKET
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BIWAA DEUS 5” AND 6”
Born out of a crisis, with its founders trapped in their immobile van at sub-zero temperatures in America’s northwest, the Original Puffy Blanket by Rumpl, incorporates the latest outdoor technical material technologies, providing a much needed update to the traditional blanket. A new arrival to Australian shores, the Original Puffy Blanket is water, stain and odour resistant, with an ultra-warm 3D Hollow Fibre synthetic insulation – the same stuff as premium sleeping bags and down jackets. It’s not just warm, but super lightweight and easily packable, making this the perfect blanket to get warm and cosy with this winter. Available in three sizes and a plethora of plain and printed colour designs, Rumpl’s Original Puffy Blanket fits easily into its water resistant drawstring sack, which ideal for packing your blanket away with the change of seasons. Available sizes are the Throw size (127 x 178cm), 1-Person (137 x 203cm) and 2-Person (224 x 213cm). Price: SRP $149.95-$269.95 www.rumpl.com.au
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The Biwaa Deus is a custom designed soft finesse swimbait, and it’s now available in 5” and 6” sizes. The dense belly allows it to keep an balanced keel, even while unweighted. Hook slots are provided to create a perfect weedless presentation, or you can use a standard jighead or use it as a trailer. A pre-positioned hole lets you add weights, while not compromising the balance and action. The Eco formulation plastic has the softness and durability that allow the maximum action to be coaxed from the design. Biwaa’s unique B2A Scent is a natural attractant that is infused into the body during manufacturing, as well as on the outside. The shrimp based, water-soluble additive creates a strong scent trail, activating aggressive feeding behaviour. The Deus’ tapered spear-tail design works at any speed, and the scale pattern gives the Deus an added level of realism. It’s now available in 3”, 4”, 5” and 6” sizes and a range of fish-catching colours. www.ejtodd.com.au
Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au JULY 2019
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WHAT’S NEW FISHING
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TESTED Let’s talk tackle storage solutions Outside of using your fishing gear, one of the next most important things is how you store it. There are many options available, from individual tackle trays to full scale tackle stations. Queensland-based Wilson Fishing has a wide range of tackle storage solutions, and
Wilson lure wallets come in two sizes (large and small) and have heavy-duty zip lock pouches to house your lures. I have been using mine for my big Murray cod lures. I can take a selection of lures in my suitcase with the peace of mind that the lures will be protected, and that the items
Simple and effective tackle storage solutions are important to every angler.
All smiles for the author, but this trip could have been a disaster if the tackle tray that went in the drink had been a regular one instead of a Wilson Deluxe Waterproof model. we have reviewed a number of their products, from their standard tackle bags to the awardwinning Platinum Series Tournament bag and Wilson backpack (check them out at www.tacklejunkie.fish). This time I’ll be focusing on Wilson’s new waterproof tackle trays and their lure wallets, which I have been testing for the last six months. WILSON LURE WALLETS Lure wallets give you the ability to easily pack items that can be awkward to store. Items like spinnerbaits, rigged game fishing lures and larger lures are just plain difficult to transport, and a lure wallet is a good solution.
The author’s kayak bass tray. It may look a little messy but it holds everything needed for a bass session, plus there’s room for the car keys!
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in my suitcase are safe from hooks. The case is strong, and the zippers have held up well to regular mistreatment. WATERPROOF TACKLE TRAYS Wilson’s has always had a range of basic tackle trays, which are available individually or come included in their tackle bags. In 2019 they have upped the ante, releasing a new range of waterproof tackle trays. They come in Standard and Deluxe versions in a number of configurations (go to www. wilsonfishing.com to see the range). The Standard trays are a simple four latch system, while the Deluxe version has larger heavy-duty latches and has a few more options when it comes to tray configuration and depth. What I expected and what I found The first thing I wanted to know was how waterproof these trays are, so I submerged them for a minute. The Deluxe version had no water enter it, while the Standard tray did let a little bit of water in (maybe a teaspoon’s worth). A pretty good result, as you’d realistically never fully submerge the trays like this; even with quite a few jigheads in a tray, it still floats. The ability to adjust the compartments in the trays is also important. The Deluxe trays provide more options for the user and have a couple of deep tray versions to hold larger lures. As anglers we always want more options, and I think the team at Wilsons have done pretty well. Last but not least, I wanted to know how the trays would hold up and protect their contents. Extra latches can mean extra things to break. I’m happy to report that after six months of regular use I have had no issues. I
have seven trays in total and have had no breakages or damage. Final thoughts I may not be a total convert to waterproof tackle trays, but there are certain scenarios where they become almost essential. For instance while fishing one of our local waterways in my kayak, I was able to put all the lures is a single Deluxe Waterproof tray. During that trip not only did that tray end up in the water (very easy to retrieve a floating tackle box), but a storm hit, saturating us. Everything in the tackle tray remained dry and safe, including my car keys! A common concern with waterproof tackle trays is that moisture can get trapped in them, and this is true. You can avoid this problem by not putting wet items into the trays, or by leaving a couple of latches open so that any moisture can find its way out. Likewise on hot days the air in the trays expands, which plays havoc with the trays and the items inside them. You can avoid this by keeping the trays out of direct sunlight, or by leaving a latch disengaged. Overall, both the lure wallets and the waterproof tackle trays have been a great
addition to fulfilling my tackle storage needs, so the next time you are looking at your tackle storage options, check out the complete range of Wilson Fishing products in your local tackle store. – Peter Jung
The Wilson Fishing Platinum Tournament bag won the Best Tackle Storage award at the 2018 AFTA Tackle Trade Show.
All set for a bit of flathead fishing.
BEST BIBBED/ DIVING LURE Under $30
BEST BIBBED DIVING Over $30
The fact that a big, territorial cod has no problem attacking a small cod is what inspired Matt Fraser to create this lure. The body is timber, with lead weights along the belly. This jointed lure
than a cod lure, and dives to about 6-8ft on the troll. It’s been doing very well on bass and yellowbelly, and lure show visitors have ordered pink versions for flathead.” Paul is now working on a miniature version of original surface walker. Barambah Lures JD Cod
Following the success of the Arancini fizzer, Joey Urquhart made a scaled down version to suit the likes of bream, bass and jungle perch. “A good fizzer needs to sit low in the water, be heavy enough to cast, and the blades need to spin
without you having to move it too quickly,” he said. “The Chisai ($20) can be worked with the standard jabbing action or walk the dog, and it’s been going great in field testing.” Joey sold out of Chisai fizzers at the show, and said he’s keen to come back next year.
BEST TOPWATER / SURFACE / WAKEBAIT Over $30 Feralcatt Lures Dragon
has aluminium side fins for stability and action, and the rest of the fins are silicone for durability and natural look and feel. The length is around 250mm with bib and tail included, and it dives down to around 20ft.
When Greg from Feralcatt decided to make a dragon, he had interest right away. “People were buying my original Dragons so I decided to make a special version for the show,” he said. “The collector’s version ($250) has more
Halfcast Customs 200mm Dot Art Popper and then 4-5 coats of two-part epoxy,” he said. “I chose the dot painting pattern to share a bit of my culture, and to present something different.” Randy said the Dot Art popper ($140-$180) has performed really well in field
Jamie Dunn’s 85mm Wiggle Bum ($29.95) is actually one of his other lure designs turned upside down and cut in half. “I went through 10 prototypes, tinkering with the size and width, and making sure I had enough
testing, but that about 95% of buyers are choosing to keep it as a collector’s item. He’s planning to experiment with different colours. “I’m definitely going to the show next year,” he said. “I had a great time!”
spikes, more hand carving and a more detailed paint job than the regular version ($200). Both swim and catch fish equally well. With a lure like this you have to get the joints at just the right length to get that realistic wiggle.
Marcus Walker Butterfly
An upcoming barra trip inspired Chris Anderson to make the Git blade ($30). “It’s a modified version
TENT CON RA
Gobsmacked Lures Wiggle Bum
weight in the hooks to get it to sink at a decent 1ft per second,” he explained. “It’s in my standard range now, and I’m working on a 130mm model for guys chasing the bigger cod.” There are six colours available.
BEST BLADED / METAL LURE Under $30
Jollip Lures Chisai Fizzer
BEST BLUE WATER LURE
Randy Keeble was tired of wasting money on poppers that couldn’t stand up to a GT attack, and he felt that he could do better. “The timber is fully sealed in a marine varnish, and then paint is applied,
on it, but now I doubt it!” Jamie said. “Once I get it back I’ll swim it and see.”
BEST TOPWATER / SURFACE / WAKEBAIT Under $30
Muggos Peewee
After making mainly cod lures, Paul Muggleton decided to try downsizing for bass, and created the Peewee ($20). “It’s a white beech timber body that’s 85mm overall length,” Paul said. “It has a much tighter action
but there are seven people who really want it, or at least another dragon. So I may have to part with it after all!” So does it swim? “It would have swum before I put the wings
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When Jamie Judd created this doubleheaded dragon, he had no particular design in mind – he just sat down one day and
started cutting. It occurred to him that he had never seen a two-headed lure, so he set about making one. “It probably took around 60 hours to finish,” he said. “I enjoyed making it and wanted to keep it
BEST SWIMBAIT Under $30
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Gobsmacked Lures Two Headed Dragon
BEST ORNAMENTAL PIECE
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Lure Expo Award winners impress in 2019
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The Australian
Grumpy Lures Git
of one of my cod lures,” he said. “I designed the Git to fish the rock bars in the Fitzroy River for barra, but it can be used in a wide range of scenarios. It’s lighter and slimmer than the cod lure, and I have changed the weight positioning so it paddles on the drop as well as while jigging or on a straight retrieve.” Chris had a swim video at the show, and he said when visitors saw it they had to have it!
BEST BLADED / METAL LURE Honeyhole Over $30 Crusty Chatterbait
Peter Standing said he’d never seen a lifelike crayfish chatterbait before, and so decided to design the Crusty Chatterbait ($35). “It was the first time I had made a moulded lure,” he said. “As well as saving time, it means the
lure doesn’t lose any detail, because I don’t have to drill holes to put the lead inside.” After moving the claws around so that they floated up defensively, he had the lifelike chatterbait that he wanted. Peter has plans to make a bass version. BEST FLY Marcus Walker has taken out the Best Fly award for the second year running, with last year’s winning entry being his tiny and very realistic Blowfly. This year his submission was the stunning Butterfly, which has found its way into the collections of some very happy show visitors. We look forward to seeing what he comes up with at next year’s show. JULY2019 2019 55 JULY 2
Hutchison clinches first ABT win with topwater The Sufix BASS Pro took place over 25-26 May at Glenbawn Dam. The weather was cool but the fishing was hot. Scott Hutchison claimed his first ABT win over a massive 68 boat field. He didn’t have much of a pre-fish getting on the water at 9am cruising around looking for likely spots, like weed edges, muddy flats and timbered edges that might hold fish. He found some key areas and was off the water by 12pm, leaving the fish alone until comp day. He said that you can’t win a comp on pre-fish, but you can lose it by burning your fish on practice. Wise words for people looking to get into comp fishing. Day one he left in 51st place out of 68, he got to his spot in the bays on the right hand side of the boat. Throwing topwater for the first 20 minutes saw Scott landing his first fish within 10 casts. He then headed to Pelican Point, trying topwater once again for nothing. He then moved on to some muddy flats in 3-4m of water, throwing a 3/8oz Keitech jig and picking up a fish every hour or so. He only landed five fish for
BOATER WINNER’S GEAR Rods: Reels: Line: Lures:
Ian Miller Rip Freaks Shimano Exsence 20lb Sunline and 12lb Seaguar leader 3/8oz Keitech jig and a River2Sea Whopper Plopper
BOATER 2ND PLACE GEAR Rod: Reel: Line: Lure:
Scott Hutchison claims his first ABT win and the biggest tournament pay-out in ABT history. day one and finished with a weight of 4.32kg, which had him sitting on 4th place going into day two. Day two he tried the same run, but it was a lot windier and his surface bite didn’t work. So, he headed
straight to his muddy flat working his 3/8oz Keitech jigs. Once again, fishing was quite slow for him and he was only picking up a fish every hour or two. He worked that flat methodically all day for only four fish. He
was getting worried as he had a 1pm finish. At about 12:10pm he saw a swirl in 30ft of water and didn’t think it was a carp. He picked up his topwater rod with a River2Sea Whopper Plopper and cast straight into
Samurai 201 Shimano Stradic Ci4 1000 Berkley x9 6lb braid 6lb Momoi leader Keitech Easy Shiner
the rings and boom, his 5th bass came on surface in deep water with sunny skies in the middle of the day on a surface lure. He couldn’t believe what had just happened, nor could anyone else after telling them how he caught it. You can see it in the day 2 highlights video. Scott weighed his five fish for 4.40kg and a total of 8.72kg and locked his first ever ABT Sufix BASS Pro win and the biggest qualifying cheque in about five years of $4000.
Scan the QR code to see Glenbawn day one highlights.
BOATER RESULTS Place Name 1 Scott Hutchison 2 Troy Boulton 3 Mark Lennox 4 Russell Babekuhl 5 Luke Draper 6 Robert Tilley 7 Graham Ford 8 Greg Beattie 9 Mitchell Cone 10 Tom Slater
Total Fish Total Weight (kg) Prize 10/10 8.72 $4000 10/10 8.70 $2000 + $500 Garmin Big Bass 10/10 8.39 $1750 9/10 8.20 $1500 10/10 8.00 $1250 10/10 7.81 $1000 10/10 7.80 $750 + $250 Evinrude Bonus 9/10 7.51 $650 10/10 7.47 $550 9/10 7.38 $550
Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888 76
JULY 2019
Boater winner Scott Hutchison and his non-boater Mark Larsson with a couple of their day one fish.
Mick Eastment’s first win in second event Day one Mick headed out with boater Mark Parriot in 16th place. They headed up Glenbawn Dam to just before the 8 knot zone to some trees in about 20-30ft of water. Once again, the 2” Keitech came into play. Fishing definitely wasn’t easy for Mick, only getting a bite about once an hour and not filling a limit of five until about 12pm. Those five fish were all that Mick and Mark caught for the first session of the second round of the 2019 ABT Sufix BASS Pro. The pair weighed a decent bag of five for a total weight of 3.57kg. Day two Mick headed out with Russell Babekull, not going too far up the dam to Big House Bay. They were targeting banks in about 2-6ft of water with Russ fishing a jerkbait and
Mick sticking to his plastic pattern. Russell filled the shared weight bag by 8am before Mick caught a fish. After the sun hit the bank they were fishing, Russell’s jerkbait bite had stopped and this gave Mick’s plastic pattern a chance to work. He was casting beside trees and letting them sink to the bottom and would twitch them out. He ended up getting two good upgrades in the afternoon. Mick would like to give a big thanks to his boaters Mark Parriot and Russell Babekull for an amazing tournament and leading him to his first ABT BASS Pro win. Taking a Bassman Prize Pack that will fill his box with spinnerbaits, jigheads, chatterbaits and skirted jigs for the next couple of seasons. Mick Eastment claimed the non-boater win with a total weight of 8.38kg.
Boulton bags boater second Day one Troy Boulton fished Big House Bay targeting deep edges. He was casting a Keitech 2” Easy Shiner in pumpkin
chartreuse on a 1/4oz Bassman jighead. He told me the first hour was crazy. He would land a fish first cast, drop a fish
on the second, and then him and his non-boated had double hook-ups three casts in a row. Catching his bag by
Troy Boulton and his non-boater Anthony Melchior with a couple of their fish, which helped score them second place in their respective categories.
7:10am, and he only started at 6:55am. He lost count of how many times he upgraded. After a while the bite slowed and became a grind, and he only caught two more fish for the day. But that first flurry was enough to give him a bag of five fish for 4.59kg. Day two he ran straight back to his spot. Bolton said that the fishing was slow on day two, and saw him not catching a fish until his 5th cast and not filling his limit until 7:30am. I hope he was joking on the slow fishing comment, because filling a limit in 35 minutes is just sick. By 9am the bites had completely stopped. So, he moved around looking for new ground. He found one area holding fish but only got one to bite around 11am, which turned out to be a nice upgrade. By then he was happy with what he had in the well and just junk fished for the rest of the day for no more fish. For his effort, Troy Boulton took out the $500 Garmin Big Bass with a healthy 1.25kg fish taken on a 2” Keitech Easy Shiner.
Bass Pro Series presented by
Scan the QR code to see Glenbawn day two highlights.
NON-BOATER WINNER’S GEAR Rod: Reel: Line: Lure:
Shimano Zodias Shimano Stradic Ci4 1000 6lb main line 8lb leader 2” Keitech pumpkin on a 1/6oz jighead
Non-boater Leaon Walker came in third with a total weight of 7.97kg, and walked away with this Tackle Tactics Prize Pack for her efforts.
NON-BOATER RESULTS Place Name 1 Mick Eastment 2 Anthony Melchior 3 Leaon Walker 4 David Welfare 5 Eathan Martin 6 Robert March 7 Allan Price 8 Thomas Konen 9 Ryan Bates 10 Tim Steenhuis
Total Fish Total Weight (kg) Prize 10/10 8.38 Bassman Spinnerbaits Prize Pack 10/10 8.27 Fishtec Prize Pack 10/10 7.97 Tackle Tactics Prize Pack 10/10 7.84 Sufix Prize Pack 10/10 7.80 Daiwa Prize Pack 10/10 7.50 Sunline Prize Pack 10/10 7.41 Keitech Prize Pack 10/10 7.39 Lucky Craft Prize Pack 9/10 7.35 Ecogear Prize Pack 10/10 7.25 Shimano Prize Pack
Competing anglers waiting at the bump tubs before the weigh-in. JULY 2019
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Alan Lister annihilates ABT record at Albany The 2019 Costa BREAM Qualifier took place at Albany in WA from 30 April to 1 May. The weather was freezing, raining and blowing a gale, but that didn’t stop keen anglers from getting out there and producing some cracking bags. Alan Lister is a bream legend from Canberra. He follows the ABT Costa BREAM Series everywhere it goes. He has had some highs and lows on the tour over the years, with a couple of top tens in Tasmania and having a cracking bag disqualified at the Tweed River because his phone was on NSW daylight savings making him an hour late. This year at Albany was another high to add to his list. Lister’s pre-fish started pretty good considering he had never fished or seen the water at Albany before. He picked up a legal fish not far from the boat ramp, but that good luck didn’t last. Not only was it freezing cold, wet and windy, he only caught small undersized fish the rest of the day fishing the Kalgan River. He soon realised he would have to try a different area, so Alan made the move to King River. This move
BOATER WINNER’S GEAR Rod: Daiwa Gen Black Instant Noodle 702 Reel: Daiwa Aird 2000 Line: Sunline Castaway 10lb Leader: Sunline FC Rock 4lb Lures: OSP Dunk ZMan motor oil GrubZ
Alan Lister didn’t even need to fish day two to win this round. He finished with a bag total of 6.28kg. was perfect and saw Lister catch five black bream with a combined weight of 4kg. He left the pre-fish at King River in a good mood, believing he had found something special. Day one saw Lister head to that sweet spot he found in the pre-fish and he caught his limit of five bream by 9am. Alan was throwing an OSP
Dunk in a metre or less of water. He was dredging the bottom with his Dunk, giving the rod a couple of big jerks with his rod to really puff the sand up, then pausing the lure and as it would just sit there the bigger fish would smash it. Alan upgraded though the day. With 10 minutes to go he
He only caught three small fish in his spot, so he decided to head further upriver fishing the edges. This saw him catch two more legals on a ZMan grub. Heading back to the weigh-in site he was a little worried he had not done enough. Lister weighed five fish for 1.65kg and a total weight of 6.28kg. Alan Lister could of got a doughnut day two and still won his first ABT Costa BREAM Series Qualifier.
Scan the QR code to see Albany day one highlights.
upgraded his smallest fish for a 39cm black bream, which weighed 1.3kg and also won him the Daiwa J Braid Big Bream. His day one bag was an impressive 4.63kg. Day two conditions were different from day one – it was glassed out and Lister was worried. He stuck to his guns and went back to his flat.
BOATER RESULTS Place Name 1 Alan Lister 2 Charlie Saykao 3 Tristan Taylor 4 Mark Crompton 5 Alex Greisdorf 6 Joseph Gardner 7 Wally Fahey 8 Callum Dowell 9 Steve Morgan 10 Peter Degroot
Total Fish Total Weight (kg) Prize 10/10 6.28 $1100 + $500 Big Bream 10/10 3.48 $750 7/10 3.33 $500 8/10 3.25 Keitech Prize Pack 8/10 2.89 Sunline Prize Pack + $500 Mercury 8/10 2.62 7/10 2.34 $300 Mercury 5/10 2.16 5/10 2.15 4/10 2.05 $200 Mercury
Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888 78
JULY 2019
Fishing Monthly’s Ian Sewell and Steve Morgan checking out some of the catch.
Walker strolls away with the top win Stuart Walker is by far the most consistent non-boater of the last five years, with wins and top tens all around the country fishing in the ABT Costa BREAM Series. He is looking to take out his 5th AOY title in consecutive years. Walker pre-fished with Wally Fahey for the WA round at Albany. He said they didn’t catch many big fish on practice day, but caught good numbers of small fish. This gave him a strong game plan for day one of the 2019 ABT Costa BREAM Series held at Albany WA. Day one he was paired up with Mark Crompton. The first thing Crommo said to Walker as they were boarding the boat was, “Hope you got good wet weathers as we’re gonna get wet.” How right he was. They headed up the Kalgan River to start the day. Mark was fishing tight to the edge, so Walker worked the secondary drop-off in around 8-10ft of water using his much loved ZMan GrubZ in motor oil on a 1/16oz jighead. He picked
BREAM SERIES
Scan the QR code to see Albany day two highlights. Non-boater winner Stuart Walker and boater winner Alan Lister. up a couple of keepers working the drop-off. They didn’t spend too much time there, and they decide to head to the King River just past the bridge in the mouth. Walker found his groove here, catching a fish a cast. They weren’t big fish, but he
was getting a keeper every now and then. He managed a 36cm fish that weighed 1kg and tipped his five fish bag to 2.68kg. Day two Walker was fishing with Tristan Taylor, who had motor problems day one that carried on to day two.
They fished just past the King Bridge for 20 minutes before the motor problems started again. They managed to get a mechanic to come down and fix the problem, and then they were off again right up the King River. Walker caught his five
Saykao claims second prize For Charlie Saykao, the pre-fish suggested it was going to be a grind, not because of a lack of fish, but because of a lack of legal bream, even with a 26cm tip minimum. At the start of day one, Saykao changed his strategy and opted to hit the open flats and try to put an early bag together. The wind was forecast to pick up, so it was better to hide in the Kalgan River later. Fishing the flats leading into the Kalgan River produced many undersize fish. A few drifts saw Saykao only pick up two legal fish. The move into the Kalgan didn’t see much change, except calling a legal for his non-boater if he cast at a rock they had drifted past. He made the cast and bang, legal. The rest of the session went the same, undersize after undersize. The Slim
fish limit up there. So, they headed back early, giving themselves time to get back and have another shot at the bridge. With 15 minutes to go, Stuart picked up a vital upgrade of a 39.5cm bream at 1.27kg and his five fish. This gave Walker a day two
Second place boater Charlie Saykao was stoked with the fish he brought to the weigh-in. SlimZ in bloodworm kept hooking up and he managed to get to four legal fish.
With high winds and not much time left, Saykao drew on his knowledge
from being an Albany local for 14 years and headed to the Bayonet Head flats.
Total Fish Total Weight (kg) Prize 10/10 5.30 Daiwa Prize Pack + $200 Hobie 9/10 3.81 Fishtec Solutions Prize Pack+ $100 Hobie 8/10 3.04 Cranka Prize Pack + $75 Hobie 5/10 2.17 Tackle Tactics Prize Pack 4/10 2.03 Sufix Prize Pack 5/10 1.66 Ecogear Prize Pack 2/10 1.42 Shimano Prize Pack 4/10 1.39 Lucky Craft Prize Pack 4/10 1.34 3/10 1.26
weight of 2.62kg and secured his second non-boater win of the 2019 Costa BREAM Series Qualifiers. He thanks his boaters Mark Crompton and Tristan Taylor, and gives a shout out to Wally Fahey for the pre-fish.
NON-BOATER WINNER’S GEAR Rod: Reel: Line: Lure:
NON-BOATER RESULTS Place Name 1 Stuart Walker 2 Michael Sammut 3 Craig Wise 4 Fred Fraser 5 Michael Hodges 6 Mike Sutcliffe 7 Richard Wootten 8 Dallas Batchford 9 Travis Ryan 10 Oliver Seear
BREAM Series presented by
Silver Wolf 7’2” 1-4kg Silver Wolf 2004 6lb Daiwa Evo 8 braid and 4lb Sunline Bream Special leader ZMan motor oil GrubZ on a 1/16-1/12 jighead
It would be protected enough from the high winds and hopefully produce a legal or two. It ended up being a good call. Saykao resorted to his new trusty Berkley 3B Puppy in 12 gauge colour. With only 20 or so minutes left, the Puppy Dog hooked up on his 5th legal. He ended his day one with a 1.69kg bag, which was good until Lister dropped his 4.63kg bag. It was swing for the fences on day two. Charlie Saykao decided to head upstream of the Kalgan River. There is a history of big bags coming from above the rapids, and Saykao knew he had to go big. The Puppy Dog came out to play in the shallow rocky zones to pick up a few legals, but the undersize fish were dominating. Sometimes Saykao and his non-boater thought they had snagged a legal only to be disappointed. The plan was to fish one side of the bank on the way up, and the other on the way down. Saykao
switched between ZMan GrubZ in the deeper water and Puppy Dog in the shallow rock zones. The upper reaches saw some legals caught, but it was upgrading 1mm at a time. He thought it was going to turn on when his non-boater hit a 30cm bream in the middle of the river, but nothing came. They hit a few spots on the way back and even managed a couple more upgrades, but still only by millimetres. Returning to the weigh in Saykao was sure he didn’t have enough, but his 1.79kg bag was enough to snag second. Charlie would really like to thank Shane and Steve Owens for loaning their Nissan Patrol and boat for the week. The round sponsor was Power Pole and it is so hard fishing flats on a boat without Power Poles, especially in the windy conditions they had in Albany. Saykao was using Millerods matched with Daiwa Luvias and loaded with Daiwa Evo 8 in 6lb. This meant he had a setup for each occasion. JULY 2019
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Degroot dominates at brilliant Blackwood It was a great weekend at the Okuma Blackwood River BREAM Qualifier – the fifth stop of the 2019 Costa BREAM Series. It was a one, two and three WA finish, with Mandurah local, Peter Degroot holding onto his day one lead to take out the champion’s trophy for this event. His 10/10 limit for 6.11kg put him nearly 100g ahead of Perth’s Alex Greisdorf, who brought in 10/10 bream for 6.02kg to finish in second place. Degroot is a Perth local and he has had a few top 10 finishes in the ABT bream circuit over the years. Now he has taken out his first ever ABT win. He only fishes the
WINNER’S GEAR Rod: Reel: Line: Lure:
SECOND PLACE GEAR Rod: Reel: Line: Lures:
Despite Blackwood not being his favourite fishing location, Peter Degroot still managed to claim the win with a combined weight of 6.11kg.
Scan the QR code to see Blackwood River day one highlights.
Atomic Arrowz 7ft Shimano Stradic Ci4 2500 Sunline Siglon braid and 6lb FC Rock leader River2Sea Baby vibe
Blackwood River roughly six times a year as it’s not his favourite venue, even with his win that hasn’t changed. Peter went into the pre-fish not so confident and fished upriver just past the ski zone. He caught a few nice fish on a reedy bank in the mid 30s on a River2Sea Baby vibe. He left there happy enough to go back and fish this area on day one.
On day one he headed straight upriver to the reedy bank. He was casting his Baby vibe hard to the bank in under a metre of water, working it down the bank to about 4m of water and usually getting bit on the edge. He filled his limit fast and started upgrading by 8am. Peter started to get the bigger bites as the wind picked up and the tide got higher. He finished
day one with five fish for a weight of 3.54kg and a lead of about 400g. Day two Peter went straight back to where he fished the day before, a little worried about whether his spot would handle the pressure and hold up for a second day. His fears were confirmed when he got there, as the fishing was a lot slower and he didn’t get his limit until well after 9am.
Duffrod Daiwa Exist and Luvias 2004 10lb Daiwa Evo 8 and 6lb Yamatayo leader Jackall Chubby shallow and a ZMan GrubZ
The bites did become more consistent as the tide got higher, but it then became hard to land the fish as he started pulling hooks and busting some good fish off. Peter’s persistence paid off, and he managed to land some nice upgrades
at the end of the session giving him five fish for 2.57kg and a total weight of 6.11kg. This secured his first ABT Costa BREAM qualifying win and saw him taking home $1300 and the first place $500 Mercury bonus.
BOATER RESULTS Place Name 1 Peter Degroot 2 Alex Greisdorf 3 Charlie Saykao 4 Steve Morgan 5 Joseph Gardner 6 Tristan Taylor 7 Mark Crompton 8 Alan Lister 9 Callum Dowell 10 Kim McIntyre
Total Fish Total Weight (kg) Prize 10/10 6.11 $1300 $500 Mercury 10/10 6.02 $750 $300 Mercury 10/10 5.76 $500 10/10 5.18 Keitech Prize Pack 10/10 5.09 Sunline Prize Pack 10/10 4.93 10/10 4.77 10/10 4.52 10/10 4.42 10/10 3.70
Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888 80
JULY 2019
Anglers lined up and ready to take on the Blackwood River.
BREAM Series presented by
Blatchford boomed at Blackwood Dallas Blatchford hails from the Wangi Wangi area and loves his bream fishing. He will tell you himself, he doesn’t compete to win the ABT Costa BREAM Series, he just comes because he loves it. This passion is what makes the win so special to him and all the anglers he competes against. Day one he fished with Wally Fahey. They headed upriver hitting snags and natural structure on the edges of the Blackwood River. Throwing 2.5” Berkley Gulp camo Crabby on either a 1/32 or 1/24 jighead depending on the wind was his method of choice. Dallas said he had a ball fishing with Wally. They bounced off each other, just having a laugh and catching fish in the mean time. Dallas had filled his limit by 10am and he upgraded a few times after that by 10-20g, fishing in a depth of 0.5-3m of water. His day one bag weighed in at 1.94kg. Day two he went out fishing with Steve
Blatchford stuck to his Crabby pattern, catching a fish here and there with two keepers. As the tide turned in and stated to run hard they headed behind Molloy Island hitting reedy banks with white weedless Ecogear Aqua Bream prawns. Dallas landed two more legal fish there, just missing out on a limit bringing four fish to the scales for a weight of 2.09kg. This gave him a total of 4.03kg and secured Dallas his first ABT Costa BREAM Series win. Steve Duff took out the Daiwa J-Braid Big Bream on the Blackwood with a 1.96kg bream using one of his own Duffrod Urban Bones rods Okuma reel and an OSP Dunk 48 in colour T23.
BREAM SERIES
Scan the QR code to see Blackwood River day two highlights.
NON-BOATER WINNER’S GEAR Dallas Blatchford claimed first place for the non-boater category and took home a Daiwa Prize Pack for his efforts. Morgan, and they headed downstream. They started on some flats but left pretty
quick as they were covered in snot weed. They made a move to the jetties and
artificial structure and it was totally different to the first day.
Rod: Reel: Line: Lures:
Daiwa Black Label V2 Daiwa Luvias 2506 Sunline Siglon 8lb 6lb FC Rock leader Gulp Crabby and Ecogear Bream Prawn
Upgrades paid off for Griesdorf Day one Alex headed downstream of the Blackwood River, fishing banks less than
a metre deep targeting overhanging paperbark trees. His lures of choice were a shallow
Jackall Chubby in black and gold, and brown suji shrimp, and ZMan GrubZ in
Boater first and second place, Peter Degroot and Alex Greisdorf, with some of the catches that made up their winning bags.
gudgeon on a 1/16 TT HeadlockZ jighead. Alex just kept going through the motions, knowing that any cast with one of his three lure choices was bound to get bites and fill the limit of five bream a day. He only got his five fish day one for a total weight of 2.88kg. Heading out on day two he was a little more confident in his pattern and filled the limit of five Blackwood black bream by about 10am, far better than his first day. Not only did he fill his limit quite quickly, he also got three upgrades before the end of the session and the three upgrades were his best three fish for the weekend. Bumping his five fish for a day two weight of 3.15kg and a total weight of 6.02kg saw him win $750 and the $300 Mercury bonus.
Everyone was having a great time fishing the Blackwood River!
NON-BOATER RESULTS Place Name 1 Dallas Blatchford 2 Tani Konsul 3 Stuart Walker 4 Richard Wootten 5 Oliver Seear 6 Mike Sutcliffe 7 Fred Fraser 8 Michael Sammut 9 Bernard Kong 10 Michael Hodges
Total Fish Total Weight (kg) Prize 9/10 4.03 Daiwa Prize Pack + $200 Hobie bonus 10/10 3.85 Fishtec Solution Prize Pack 10/10 3.70 Cranka Prize Pack + $100 Hobie bonus 7/10 3.61 Tackle Tactics Prize Pack + $75 Hobie bonus 9/10 3.39 Sufix Prize Pack 9/10 3.30 Ecogear Prize Pack 8/10 3.10 Shimano Prize Pack 7/10 2.90 Lucky Craft Prize Pack 7/10 2.86 6/10 2.23
Wally Fahey missed out on top 10 boaters by 120g. So close! JULY 2019
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FUN PAGE AND COMPETITIONS FISHY BLOCKBUSTERS
LEGALLY BREAM THE GODFISH REEF WARS FLATTY GUMP SNOW WHITING MURRAY CODDINS JIGGING PARK LURE KING DIVE HARD
DTD - REAL FISH OITA
TROLLINATOR WAHOO OF OZ TACKLE STORY SCHOOL OF ROCKFISH BLADE CASTER BERLEY CLUB GARBUSTERS BARRA BEGINS KILL BILLFISH
Name: Address:
P/Code:
The first correct entry at the end of each month will win the prize pack. SEND ENTRIES TO: QLD Find-a-word Competition, PO box 3172, Loganholme Qld 4129
QLD JULY 2019
Phone (day):
GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy
The ‘Real Fish Oita’ is an incredible, award winning squid jig manufactured in Europe by leading Croatian company - DTD. Taking out the coveted ‘best new product’ in its class at the EFTTEX 2015 Expo in Warsaw, this wonderful range is now available in Australia through Dogtooth Distribution. The product imitates real fish species. This coupled with DTD’s use of only the highest grade materials available, ensures great balance and results in superior catching ability. With the unique ‘fish parasite’ feature, aimed at luring predators in for an ‘easy kill’, these truly unique jigs are set to explode into the Australian market. FEATURES - Double weight system with inner weight designed to produce sound while squid jig is in action. COLOURS - 7 different designs representing popular fish species. ADDITIONAL - Luminous body, fish parasite, great balance, sound effect, quality stainless steel hooks SIZES - 5 Sizes available www.dogtoothdistribution.com.au
SPOT THE
10 DIFFERENCES
FINS SCALES & TALES by A. Both
ORIGINAL
FIND-A-WORD
Congratulations to, A Bowyer who was last month’s winner of the Find-a-Word Competition! Monthly winners receive a Fishing Monthly prize pack. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – QFM
SUBSCRIBER PRIZE
The subscriber prize winner for May is P March of Wellington Point, who won an TT Lures Prize Pack valued over $400. All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM
Cauchi of Kepnock, K White of Aspley, R Pool of Godwin Beach, Z Steinhardt of Tivoli, M Hever of Childers, A Bragg of Mount Isa, G Watter of Ripley, O Dillmann of Southbrook, G Poor of Taromeo, C Thorne of Roma, M Kras of Goodna, L Randles of Capella, E Lezuchewski of Darra, J Willmann of Windaroo, P Craft of Coomera, B Nicholson of Bundamba, R Harrison of Cooktown, B Stephan of
Donnybrook, I Wogandt of River Heads, C Renz of Crestmead, R Waters of Temora, J Bowyer of Blackall, L Dewar of Roma, C Scott of Currumbin Waters, K Aldridge of Rockville, M Baker of Gorokan, B Freier of Ningi, F Heiniger of Woombye, T Gyte of Aspley, J Bugno of Bardon, R Treacy of Frenchville. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM
LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS
FIND THE DAIWA LOGO
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JULY 2019
GUESS THE FISH?
This month’s Guess the Fish Answer: Australian Bass
The answers to Find the Daiwa Logo for May were: 10, 14, 19, 24, 28, 30, 34, 36, 45, 57, 58, 64, 76, 86, 93. – QFM The Find the Daiwa Logo prize winners for May were: B Brown of Lota, P Carrington of Deception Bay, W Geaney of Beecher, S Davies of Emerald, P Fielder of Everton Hills, M Hughes of Uralla, J Conte of Tullera, A Svaikauskas of Alligator Creek, B Newton of Trinity Beach, P
Answer:
boats & kayaks
In the skipper’s seat 88 Stuck in the Middle with you Inside story...
Revival delivered its first boat, a R525 Cuddy, 11 years ago in mid-June, 2008. The company has crafted around 1500 hulls in its Melbourne-based facility since that time. Revival Boat’s founder, Sam Catanese, has designed and constructed countless thousands of hulls in his six decades as a local boat builder.
Made for...
Revival Boats create value-focused family fishing, lifestyle and offshore-oriented craft that are meticulously hand-crafted in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne.
This month...
Troy Brown launches his kayak in the beautiful fishrich waters of Middle Creek on the Discovery Coast.
90 A paddle through foreign waters Justin Willmer takes his love for kayaking on holiday, and provides some top tips for yakking far from home.
92 Preventing storage woes between trips Wayne Kampe looks at ways you can save coin when storing your boat.
We’re checking out the 640 Offshore with Mercury 150hp 4-stroke. Check it out on page 94!
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Revival 640 Offshore with Mercury 150hp 4-stroke - SC
TENT -
RE ONLINE MO
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Length................ 6.40m Beam.................. 2.40m Max HP.................. 225 Tow weight...... 2000kg Capacity...... 8 persons Fuel...................... 200L The current fleet comprises 6 models from 5.25m to 6.5m each with unique editions that span a vast array of boating options and offer unrivalled value in their respective markets. According to their website, “Revival currently builds around three (3) hulls per week in its 94
JULY 2019
DE FOR EX
SPECIFICATIONS
CO
s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au
We’ve tested a few Revivals in the last year, ranging from their Cruiser to the crossover X-Rider. Revival Boats create valuefocused family fishing, lifestyle and off-shoreoriented craft that are meticulously hand-crafted in the Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne, Vic. Launched in the wake of the GFC, Revival Boats is the creation of founder, Sam Catanese, former captain of iconic Aussie boat brand, Stejcraft. Rather than merely replicate his previous efforts, Sam started with a clean sheet and crafted a tougher and more versatile family of hulls that could cater to every environment and boating experience.
R
in a happy place when they’re on the water. Weighing in at under 2,500kg, it’s eminently towable by a twin cab ute or 4WD. You’d probably need to leave the small family SUV at home on a trip with the 640.
Steve Morgan
Q
RA
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AN THE
FMG
your smartphone. There’s plenty of commentary and running footage there if you’re not within striking distance of Western Australia’s southwest. For more information or custom pricing, contact your local dealer or visit
PERFORMANCE
Main: There’s no way anybody would rather be at work on the test day – it was immaculate. Above: On the open ocean side, we could really get a feel of how this hull handled the ocean swells. A bit more wind would have been nice to run it through some swell plus wind chop. Melbourne facility making it one of the most prolific manufacturers of fibreglass trailer boats in Australia. Each hull is painstakingly hand-crafted to exacting specifications and unlike many brand owners, Sam proudly has his hands (literally) on every hull produced in his factory.” The test boat was powered by a 3.0L 150hp Mercury, which is a solid platform that’s been around for years and it’s pushing along a Revival 640 Offshore. For those outside the industry, this ‘work/ demo’ boat is one that the West Australian guys put together so that they can go fishing and boating on their days off. And the business gets to own it. After all, there needs to be SOME advantages of owning a boat shop.. The smooth water
on the test day let us measure some figures like speed and economy. With the hammers down, the boat reached 66km/h at a reasonably thirsty 1.1km/L and 5,500rpm. Drop it down to cruising speed, though (32km/h at 3,500rpm) and all of a sudden you’re getting just under double that range. Combine that with a 200L fuel tank and well over 300km is on the cards for an extended fishing trip. Pushing out into the ocean swell, the ride was very pleasant and it definitely punched above its price point. You can see the fit out in the images, but the test craft’s equally rigged for a fishing mission or a family day on the water and there’s not a lot of time needed to switch between the two. Is the Revival the top-of-the-line all-singing,
all dancing fishing machine? Definitely not, but it does have all of the attributes of a highly capable offshore boat that keeps the less-keen anglers
RPM......Speed (km/h).......... Economy (km/L) 650............................5................................ 2.5 1000..........................8................................ 2.3 2000........................ 13................................ 1.7 3000........................ 28................................ 1.8 3500........................ 32................................ 1.9 4000........................ 45................................ 1.8 5000........................ 60................................ 1.3 5500........................ 66................................ 1.1 You can see the video of the boat test on the Fishing Monthly Magazines YouTube channel – or you can scan the QR code on
www.revivalboats.com.au. As tested, this Revival came in at $93,000, however, packages start from around $80,000.
The Mercury 3.0L has proven itself to be a real workhorse since its launch. Optimum cruising speed delivered 1.9km/L economy at 32km/h and 3,500rpm – decent for a 6.4m boat.
Top: The boat features a folding rear lounge and a removable bait station. It’s pretty easy to convert this from a serious fishing rig to a family day craft. Below: With carpet lining and padded pocket fronts, it’s a reasonably luxurious cabin up front.
When the Mercury dealer puts the 150 4-stroke on their own demo boat, you know that they are confident with it.
Rounded seat bases aren’t as common as they once were, yet there’s still storage underneath for tackle you need close to hand. Folding seat fronts are becoming more and more common, offering support whether you are seated or standing.
The rig sits on a twin axle Dunbier Glider roller series trailer. Ready for fishing it weighs in at under 2,500kg.
There is a hard top in the Revival 640 range, however, the shop rig is a soft top. There’s still plenty of shade and shelter from the elements with the added clears.
Left: The passenger seating is mounted on a stainless base that holds a cooler box underneath. Right: You can mix and match seat base options.
With everything flush mounted, the helm is neat and tidy. It is one of the more tidy layouts we’ve seen. JULY 2019
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