Queensland Fishing Monthly June 2018

2018 LURE EXPO GUIDE • WINTER SPECIES KICK INTO GEAR

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Boating & Kayaking New engines from Mercury • Bar Crusher 780HT • Cruise Craft 595EX • Doubling up kayaks •

Features Moreton Bay snapper • Top tips for winter flathead • Lure Expo sneak peek • Lowdown on leaders • Halco Madeyes Review •

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June 2018, Vol. 30 No. 8

Contents NORTHERN NEW SOUTH WALES Yamba 20 Ballina 22

dirt cheap and there’s the odd early morning around the campfire with an ale or three. So why am I banging on about it? If you’re jaded by boat shows that are big on boats you can’t afford and low on tackle, we know that you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what these little Aussie battlers have on offer. Of course, Fishing Monthly will have a stand there and will be offering great gifts for those of you who choose to sign up or renew at the show. And I’ll be kicking around the show all day, either at the Fishing Monthly stand or at the Social Media hub. Make sure you come and say gidday – I love talking fishing with keen readers. See you there! The details are in the Lure Show article inside this magazine, or you can visit www.lureshow.com.au.

BUY & SELL LURES TACKLE BARGAINS FREE ONSITE PARKING Adults $10

TICKETS Kids U16 FREE

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Our first Front Cover Comp winner is Chris Munro, who hiked a long way to catch this striking jungle perch around Innisfail. A Thomas Ragh image.. TO SUBSCRIBE SEE PAGE 60 FIND THE DAIWA LOGO COMPETITION PAGE 75 Queensland Fishing Monthly magazine goes on sale the first week of each month (latest sale date 7th of the month).

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And then there’s the other half of the equation: nearly all of the lures are for sale. As a keen angler, I find it hard not to become excited when browsing the stalls and indulging in the creations that lure makers have spent the best part of a year devising, carving, painting and presenting. So be warned. The impulse buying can be hard to control! Plenty of exhibitors also camp at the Showgrounds. It’s

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JUNE 2018

The key to the show’s success is its accessibility. Stands are only 20% of the price of a booth at a big boat show, and entry is $10 with free parking. Kids are free. What that means is that those guys and girls who literally run a garage business can afford to come and sell their wares. And a family can come and join in the fun for $20 entry. I can’t even park a car for a day in Brisbane or Sydney for that.

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It’s a little cool this morning as I write this Editorial. For anglers, the drop in temperature means lots of things. It gets the bream and tailor moving, the Murray cod start to get itchy and you put the warm water techniques in the cupboard for another season. But for the last few years, winter is becoming all about the Lure Show. The brainchild of freshwater fishing advocate Garry Fitzgerald, it’s grown to become a festival of Australian lure making and innovation. And it’s populated by the coolest group of Aussie-backyardshed innovators you’ll ever meet. From humble beginnings in the Fernvale community centre in the Brisbane Valley, it quickly outgrew that venue and was welcomed by the Ipswich Showgrounds.

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REGULAR FEATURES Back to Basics 18 Camping and 4WD 76 Cooking 93 Dam Levels 70 Freshwater 70 Fun Page 96 Junior Northern 69 Junior Southern 34 Politics and fishing 45 Sheik of the Creek 77 Sunfish 85 Suntag 82 Tech Tricks 16 Tournament News 88 Track my fish 84 Trades and Services 94 What’s New Fishing 78 What’s New Boating 98 SPECIAL FEATURES Snapper in Moreton Bay Tips for winter flathead 2018 Lure Expo

From the Editor’s Desk...

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BOATING AND KAYAK

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TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Whitsundays 62 Ayr 63 Townsville 64 Hinchinbrook 65 Cairns 66 Cairns NFZ 66 Port Douglas 67 Lucinda 67 Cape York 68 Cooktown 68 Weipa 69

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CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Hervey Bay 46 Rainbow Beach 48 Bundaberg 48 Lake Monduran 49 Gladstone 49 Rockhampton 50 Yeppoon 50 Stanage Bay 51 Mackay 52

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SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND The Tweed 24 Southern Gold Coast 26 Jumpinpin 28 Gold Coast 30 Southern Bay 32 Brisbane 36 Brisbane Offshore 38 Northern Bay 40 Noosa 42

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Fishing Diary Angler: Andrew Garner Location: FAD off Coffs Harbour Date: March 3rd 2018 Conditions: NE 8 kts, turn of tide Black Magic Tackle: KS 7/0 hook 60lb Tough Trace Note: “Black Magic gear never fails me, even when dealing with an acrobatic fighter like this fella”.

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Snapper

Snapper fishing in Moreton Bay MORETON BAY

Spero Kartanos

Snapper are as good an eating fish as you will find in Moreton Bay and, depending on what gear you’re using, they are a great fighting fish as well. Those of you who read my weekly fishing reports (reports.fishingmonthly. com.au) would know that I love catching these fish. I get a lot of questions from readers asking for advice, so I decided to write an article to help all the local snapper hopefuls out there. Follow these tips and you should be on the path to success! LEARNING THE ROPES I started catching snapper in the 1960s with my dad, fishing in the very fast running tides in the entrance to Port Philip Bay

A steady stream of berley attracted this fish to the bait.

Green Island is easy for small boats to get to. in Victoria. We used lead the size of a small Coke bottle and a 30-40ft trace, with smashed up blobs of squid for bait, or alternatively fresh barracouta (with the bones broken) or salted pilchards. During snapper season there were plenty

of big fish around 20lb, although my dad loved eating the smaller 20-30cm ‘pinky snapper’, which we Queenslanders call ‘squire’. After moving to Brisbane 42 years ago, it was time to put the knowledge my dad had

passed onto me to catch the snapper in Moreton bay. However, I discovered that it’s not the same as fishing for them in Victoria – especially the type of baits and rigs to use. I remember sitting at the Harry Atkinson Artificial Reef for months on end when there were only a handful of boats, even on the weekends, and I caught hardly anything – just a small fish every blue moon. And yet, a lovely old fisherman would turn up, anchor 50ft from me and within an hour (depending on the tide) he would have two or three huge snapper in the boat. All I could do was sit and stare, wishing I knew what he was doing. After a while he must have felt sorry for me, because one day, after catching his snapper, he came over and said, “I see

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JUNE 2018

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you’re not getting very many.” He proceeded to let me know how and when to target them, and what was and wasn’t the best bait for snapper in the bay. On my next trip I went back to the same spot on a grey and drizzly summers day, with a bucket of whiting for bait, and I caught 11 snapper in an afternoon session. Four or five of them were over the 15lb mark, and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing! Everything changed from that day on. Some 40 years later, we obviously don’t have the numbers that we did then. However, it’s not all that hard to catch a keeper if you put the time and effort in, and the weather and tides are on your side. Moreton Bay has plenty of fish for all, and snapper are one of the best eating fish there is. You can also pick up a tasty bycatch of grassy sweetlip while you’re at it. BAIT AND BERLEY Whiting is my first choice of bait. Live whiting are best, but whole dead ones are excellent too. Even just the whiting heads are good baits, with a hook through the nose and the frame cut up for berley. Over the years I have found other baits that are extremely good are garfish, pike, razor pillies, small horse mackerel, cuttlefish, small octopus and whole squid. If you’re running low you can also try grinner fillets, if you can put up with the stink. In the past I have also used mullet strips and pillies, but I’ve found that the small picker fish rapidly demolish soft baits, so most of the time you are sitting there with an empty hook, waiting in vain for a

The author with a quality snapper caught in the middle of the day. fish to bite. Yes, there’s a chance you may catch a big fish on a pilly, but for me whiting is the safest bet. This tough bait will resist the pickers for a long time, giving bigger fish a chance to home in on it. Another thing I strongly recommend is to always berley when you’re fishing for snapper. I can’t believe the number of times I’ve found heaps of my berley in their stomachs. You can berley with just about anything, including mashed up fish frames, old

bait, prawn shells, cat food, livestock pellets with added tuna oil, or just pre-made berley from a tackle shop. However, my preference is to simply berley with whatever you are using for bait. You should deploy small pieces of berley (no larger than 2cm) and keep a steady stream going. Add a bit more every 3-5 minutes. People worry about overfeeding the snapper, but with the amount they can hold in their stomachs, and the sheer number of

With their iridescent blue spots, juvenile snapper are a pretty fish.

Snapper small fish around, I don’t think you can overfeed your quarry. Berleying does attract unwanted species like gummy sharks, stingrays and such, but I don’t really mind because that just means the berley is working! TACKLE When fishing for snapper, I find baitrunnerstyle reels to be by far the best. As well as the original Shimano Baitrunner, I use similar style reels from Penn and Daiwa in 450 and 550 sizes. The rods I prefer are around 7ft with a fairly solid body and a lighter tip, rated to around 8-20lb. My favourites are Wilson

SEQ SNAPPER TAGGING DATA In 2013 Suntag published some interesting results from their South East Queensland snapper tagging data. Of the 12,477 snapper tagged in SEQ from 1985-2013, there were 731 total recaptures, including fish recaptured more than once. Growth rates Of the recaptures, 344 were at liberty for over 90 days and showed positive growth. Most of the fish tagged were in the size range 200-299mm. The projected growth of these fish is approximately 80mm at the end of the first year, 140mm by the end of the second year and 175mm by the end of the third year. Movements From 1985-2013 there were 14 fish tagged in Moreton Bay that were recaptured outside the bay. Of those, 12 moved to the north while two moved south. The furthest distance moved was a fish tagged at Green Island and recaptured on the inside of Fraser Island, having moved 290km. However, the vast majority of fish moved less than 20km, and many fish were recaptured in the same place they were first tagged, even after a long period of time – up to four years later.

is dependant on how fast the tide run is. I love fishing with no sinker when possible. WHEN AND WHERE When you are considering where and when to fish, remember that it all comes down to the winds and tides. I prefer the outgoing tides in the shallow grounds of Green, St Helena, Mud and Peel islands, especially with the wind in the same direction. I find afternoon tides to be the best, but I have also caught many fish

in the middle of the day. Cloudy days are best. My two favourite spots for snapper are the eastern side of Green Island in about 16-20ft of water, and the Lazaret Gutter at Peel Island, only a couple of hundred feet into the gutter. The place to target these fish in the bay is not on the top of the shallow grounds, but on the drop-offs, as that’s where the fish will end up as the tide recedes. This is the To page 12

Google Earth views of locations where snapper tagged are available from the Suntag website at www.info‐fish.net/suntag.

Always remember that you’re not home and hosed until the fish is actually in the net!

Blue Steel and Penn Regiment rods. I recommend using 18-25lb line, and I find that dark green mono works very well in Moreton Bay. Tortue Tournament Super Control, Penn Super X and Berkley Trilene Sensation are all good lines for this purpose. The hooks I use are Mustad Big Red suicide hooks in 4/0, 5/0 and 6/0 sizes. Using larger hooks minimises unwanted by-catch. If you use smaller hooks you’ll catch all the little fish like bream, Moses perch, baby snapper and sweetlip, and of course,

those spiky happy moments. When it comes to the rig, I have traded in my old Victorian deep sea paternoster rig for a running sinker in the shallow reefs around the islands in Moreton Bay. However, I have kept the long traces (up to 30ft) with a running sinker where the tides are strong in the deeper waters, like the artificial reefs and Cowan reefs. Everywhere else I use a 2ft trace on a small ball sinker, or the small sinker on the hook. You should use just enough lead to get you on or close to the bottom, which of course

When targeting snapper you can get a welcome bycatch of sweetlip.

JUNE 2018

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Tech Tricks

Basic bits and tricks to catch a luderick BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

From the waters of Southern Queensland to well down the East Coast,

cold weather means it’s time to chase luderick. These estuarine brawlers, also known as blackfish, are aquatic vegetarians, predominately eating weed baits. Cooler conditions

REEL While any reel can be used for this form of fishing, a centrepin style is definitely desirable. When drifting the bait along under a float, the minimum resistance obtained from a centrepin reel as the line slowly trickles out will mean that the float will stay upright and drift at the same speed as the current, offering a natural presentation. Centrepin reels like this Alvey model have a bearing on the shaft to offer free, effortless rotation of the spool. The line will play out slowly and you will stay in touch with the drifting float. Once a ‘down’ is registered (when the float dips down as the fish mouths the bait), clamp your hand down on the spool and lift the rod to set the hook. Free play of line with virtually no resistance isn’t available when using any other style of line. Alvey are continuing to make luderick reels, which is great as they are the best value centrepin reel on the market and Aussie-made.

ROD Rods for targeting luderick can vary in length (generally between 2.7m and 3.6m) yet all are slow tapered rods that have plenty of bend and shock-absorbing ability. I opt for a 3.15m model as that suits the estuarine places I fish. For open ocean rock fishing you would often use a longer model, and while fishing in more confined areas (such as under a low bridge). In this case, you may require a much shorter rod. One difference with a rod designed for use with a centrepin reel is that the first guide above the reel is much lower on the rod. This is so that the line trickling off the reel is supported and will transit through the guides smoothly and without sagging between the first guide and reel, which would stagger line flow. A decent rod specifically made for luderick fishing using a centrepin reel can start from as little as $100, however some anglers will simply add an extra (lower) guide onto a suitable rod that they already have in their possession. 16

JUNE 2018

promote weed growth of several kinds on the estuarine and oceanic rocks, which attracts greater numbers of luderick to lurk in these areas as they begin their spawning cycle. Targeting

these estuarine eaters can be a real challenge, with special tackle, technique and tricks needed for a consistent outcome. Let’s look a little at some of the tackle required and why it is needed.

LINE For float fishing, it’s better if the line floats on the surface so that the drift of the float is unimpeded and you are directly connected to the float when striking without any line sag. To achieve this you have two main options. Sunline make a floating line called Fine Float 2 that comes in breaking strains between 6lb and 20lb. I have been using this for a long time (previously called Unitech Float) and find it ideal for the purpose, as the high visibility makes it easy to determine the path of the line. It floats consistently and has a degree of stretch to absorb the lunges of the fish. The other option is to use a quality monofilament line and then add some fly line floatant or Vaseline to it to aid it in floating. This will need to be reapplied at least once a trip. If the line doesn’t float and sinks then it will impede the natural drift of the float affecting presentation and reducing the striking ability. I commonly use 5-6kg floatline, however I would go a little heavier if using a dressed monofilament line. One thing to keep in mind is that your main line needs to be heavier than your leader. If the hooks become snagged and you need to break off the rig then the lighter leader will break first and you won’t lose your float, which is attached to the main line.

FLOATS Floats for targeting luderick are a little different to many other floats and possess a long stem, which is weighted at the bottom to make the float sit upright in the water. Due to the fact that the weed baits often need to be fished deep in the water column the float must slide along the line, therefore it has small eyelets through which the main line is threaded. I like a float with straight sides as these tend to be more stable in the water and will travel at a more consistent rate with the current. When weighted correctly, there will be no change in resistance as the float is pulled down under the water. I make all my own floats (see July 2017 QFM), however you can purchase some fairly decent ones these days. A bright colouration to the top stem will make it easier for you to detect the slightest dipping of the float.

FLOAT STOPPER To stop the transit of the float up the main line, a float stopper is used. This is threaded on the line by passing the main line through the small wire or monofilament loop on which the stoppers are currently threaded and then sliding the stopper down so that the main line kinks over and the stopper passes onto it. This stopper can be slid along the line with a small amount of pressure to adjust the depth at which your bait can sink to. This float stopper is small in profile and smooth enough on the outside so it will wind through the rod tip on the retrieve. When deployed, the bait will sink down until the stopper rests against the top of the float eyelet. A small bead is often put on the line below the float to stop the knot of the swivel (which joins the main line and leader) from jamming on the lower float eyelet.

LEADER Luderick can be very spooky and pedantic at times, so having a leader with minimal visibility in the water can go a long way to improving results. Fluorocarbon leader is reputed to neither attract nor deflect light; it has a low visibility and is ideal for this purpose. A neutral coloured monofilament line is also a respectable choice. The leader line should be slightly lighter than the main line you are using to prevent float loss. I commonly use 5kg main line and 3.6kg leader for fishing estuarine rock walls, however in some areas you may need slightly heavier.

Tech Tricks SPLIT SHOT Although your float will generally be weighted on the bottom of the stem to guarantee it sits bolt upright in the water, additional weight may need to be added to the leader to make the float sit low in the water. Ideally, just the top stem of the float should protrude from the water’s surface, which reduces the resistance required for the luderick to pull the float under. If there is too much pressure required, the luderick will often refuse the bait quickly, generally before you have opportunity to strike. Split shot (a small ball of lead with a split down the middle) is added to the leader to get the weighting right and fine tune the float to near-neutral buoyancy. Simply put the line in the slot of the sinker and then apply pressure to close the slot, securing it to the leader. These come in numerous sizes (some of which are designed to be easily removable) so you can be very precise in the weighting of the float. Often they come in dial packs with an array of sizes at your fingertips.

HOOKS In years past anglers would use any small, strong bronze hook (such as a Mustad 540 or 542) to catch luderick. Today speciality patterns exist that are ideal. These patterns are strong enough to withstand the jaw pressure of the fish, green in colour to be less obvious within a weed bait and chemically sharpened to provide better penetration. The Mustad Sneck and Gamakatsu Panfish are two readily available patterns. For purple and black weed (less commonly used) the Gamakatsu SL45 or a strong, short-shank, bronze hook would be a better choice. For areas luderick fishing in South East Queensland sizes #6 to #10 are generally suitable.

DROPPER LOOP For attaching the hook to the leader, a dropper knot (or paternoster loop) is the best choice. Having the hook on a loop is ideal for using long weed strands (such as string weed) as the weed can be passed through the leader loop before wrapping it around the hook, which assists in holding it in place. Also the hook is held away from the leader, which reduces the chance of the luderick biting (and possibly damaging) the leader when it mouths the bait. The hook must be put on the leader before tying the loop knot and tensioning it, as shown. The loop should roughly be large enough to pass the tip of your finger through. You will generally have two hooks on your rig and will use the dropper loop for the upper hook and a perfection loop (or Lefty Loop Knot) to secure the bottom hook. The hooks should be around 25-40cm apart.

BAIT BUCKET When you gather this weed it needs to be kept cool in salt water until use. I like these small plastic containers designed for beetroot, olives and others as there is an internal colander, which allows the weed to be removed while you change the water and they don’t leak. I often gather weed a few days before use and keep it in a container filled with salt water (from where I gathered the weed) in the vegetable crisper in the fridge. Once I’m fishing, I will remove a portion and put it in my bait bucket on the belt, which makes it convenient to re-bait. Leftover weed can be kept frozen for berley (weed, dry sand and bread crumbs) for future trips.

WEED There are numerous types of weeds that can be used for targeting luderick however cabbage and string weed are the most common. Oceanic rocks and estuarine rock walls often have these green growths on them, however you may need to visit at low tide to gather some. String weed can often be found in tidal drains and muddy banks and cabbage can be gathered from rock walls, jetty pylons and floating pontoons where it grows around the waterline. Gathering weed from the area where you intend to fish makes sense as this is the weed that the fish are most likely to be eating.

LANDING NET Many spots where you target luderick will be around rock walls and concrete structures, so a landing net will be required to secure your prize. Ideally the net should have a handle at least 2-3m long and be light enough that you can hold it at arm’s length to net a fish yourself. Due to the light leader, soft action of the rod and chunky weight of the luderick, you will find it extremely difficult to swing a luderick up onto the platform on which you are standing. A decent landing net is the only way to avoid losing quality fish.

KEEPER NET Luderick have a black gut lining which begins to taint the flesh of the fish once it’s dead. For this reason you must either dispatch and fillet the fish immediately upon capture or keep it alive until you do so. Having a decent keeper net allows you to put the luderick back into the water until you want to dispatch it, making life easier and your fish feast more tasty. Luderick are fairly hardy and will even live for a decent time in a hessian bag, so long as it’s in the water, however ringed keeper nets like these will keep your catch alive for hours on end. JUNE 2018

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Anglers will be enjoying the Mackay ‘winter’ MACKAY

Keith Day habdays@bigpond.net.au

June sees us moving into winter proper, and this change in season affects species availability throughout our waterways. Having said that, our winters are pretty mild in comparison to more southern areas, and that’s why the nomads head north in numbers. The first noticeable change is the drop in water temperature, and with it the considerable slowing down of the barra bite. This year to date has been a pearler for barra, both in the salt and in the freshwater, but their metabolism will slow right down over the next couple of months. They are still around and still feed, but they get to be pretty hard work – so much so that many anglers don’t bother chasing barra over this period. However, there are a few clues where you might find barra willing to smack a live bait, lure or fly. They will be looking for warmer water, so in the creeks check out the sandbars which are exposed at low tide. The sand warms

up and as the flood tide covers the banks, barra will move into the warmer water to feed. This is skinny water fishing so stealth is of the essence – long casts, electric motors and quiet anchoring will be needed. If you roar up and hurl the anchor over, you may as well go home as the barra will have shot through. In the dams the same principle applies, i.e. find the warmer water and chances are you will find the barra. Look for areas that get the most sunlight during the day

and work those spots. Use the same pointers year round, such as weed bed edges, lily pads and laydown timber in the warmer areas, and again you should find fish. SALMON Winter sees our salmon season in full swing, with both king threadfin and blue salmon moving around in all our creeks and estuaries. Blue salmon in particular can be found in large schools, which unfortunately makes them attractive netting fish. They will congregate in the

Young Jack Walker looks a little wide-eyed at this 3kg mud crab his dad caught south of Mackay.

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channels both inside the creeks and out in the open areas seaward of the creeks. The NFZ centred on Seaforth will have a real positive impact on blue salmon numbers in that area, and some top sport can be had. Blues are also a good eating fish in my opinion, provided they are iced down straight away after bleeding the fish. Often on a hot bite it’s hard to stop and attend to the fish, but the result on the plate is worth the effort. Blues will take strip baits, livies, yabbies and prawns, so the bait angler has plenty of choices. These fish will hit smaller barrastyle lures, but lure anglers will probably get the best results from small plastics and small metal vibes. Fly fishos should look to weighted prawn imitations and simple patterns like Clousers. The colour does not seem to be an issue with blues, and the action seems the catalyst for a bite. Because blue salmon are schooling fish, there’s the temptation to keep catching more and more, but it’s not necessary as three or four good-size blues will provide plenty of top class meals. Both blues and king threadies will move almost into freshwater on the big moon tides. They can be found working baitfish or small prawns way up the creeks, which are sometimes so narrow that a boat can’t turn around. Both species are impressive fish and fight well, and deserve more recognition than they get. Anyway, enough about the salmon, let’s look at what else is about the place! BREAD AND BUTTER SPECIES In winter we see genuine elbow-slapper whiting moving into places like Bassett Basin and Cullen Island, both of which are right in the centre of the city. Many shore-bound anglers prefer to fish the run-up tide from the city centre road bridges, while boat anglers generally like to move upriver with the tide, picking off a few whiting here and there. It’s not a bad way to spend a clear night, with all the stars and the city lights in the background. Pikey and silver bream are also on the move as they prepare to spawn. Pikeys in particular can often be sight cast to as they mooch around mangrove roots and other structure. They are good fun to catch, and are great on the plate. In common with most species of bream they will take a variety of baits, lures and flies. It’s just a shame they don’t grow to about 5kg or so! There should be plenty of flathead around during

Sooties in the shallows are always fun, especially on a 6wt fly outfit. June, and they are easy to find by checking out areas at low tide for the tell-tale indentations in the sand. Come back as the tide rises and you can almost bet on catching a lizard. Don’t think all the big girls are down south either, as we have a fair smattering of big female flatties here. If you are cleaning fish on a sand bank, then throw the entrails back as berley and set out a small livey or bunch of yabbies to score a lizard or two. CRABS The crabs are still being caught in good numbers, but as the weather cools off more they will be less prevalent. In the local magistrate’s court a commercial fisherman recently copped a substantial fine for lifting other people’s pots, and in one case he was filmed removing a crab from some one else’s pot. It’s good to see the Patrol staff targeting the ‘share farmers’ who rob people’s pots. OFFSHORE So far we have had a few weeks of quite calm, still weather, and that has bought the bait schools in close. Longtail tuna have been hanging around the harbour walls and up towards Lamberts Beach, and there have been some solid fish caught already. Just like mackerel, the smaller

models usually turn up first, but so far we have had 10kg+ longtails being caught, some within a decent cast of the shore. The bigger bait schools and the smaller mackerels may put in an appearance around the end of the month, but this will depend on whether we get some decent northerly winds. The calm weather has also let the boats get well offshore, with great catches of nannygai, trout and sweetlip (emperor) all being reported. Winter time is also Spanish mackerel time, and there are plenty of these fish moving out around the islands. As the bait comes closer inshore the Spanish will surely follow, which means there are good times ahead for mackerel anglers! FRESHWATER Back on shore, and in the freshwater my old friend the sooty grunter will stay on the chew throughout the colder months. The other day I managed 15 sooties in a couple of hours in the Pioneer River near Marian. A small black foam popper and a 6wt fly rod gave me heaps of fun, and a very pleasant couple of hour’s fishing. So as we progress into our ‘winter’ why not head north and come and stay in our piece of paradise. See you at the ramp.

A few barra are still about, like this mid 60s salty caught by Adam Walker in the heart of Mackay.

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING DAIWA RYOGA 1520

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

BLADE N TAILS ULTRALIGHT ELITE

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The Live Fibre Blade N Tails Ultralight Elite redefines what Australian built quality is in a market full of imports. The Ultralight Elite uses K-Frame silicone guides to deliver smooth casting and high performance, whether that’s casting small bladed lures or jigging soft plastics in the trees or over the flats. The guides are strategically placed to increase casting distance and minimise friction or sharp angles. The rear end has been upgraded as well, with high performance EVA merged seamlessly into a comfort grip reel seat that fits perfectly in the palm of your hand. The rear grip has been split to provide the perfect balance while in use. Rated at 4-8lb, the 7ft one-piece Ultralight Elite is ideal for fishing small blades for bream, flathead, golden perch and bass, as well as fishing lightly-weighted plastics for a host of estuary and freshwater species. www.wilsonfishing.com

ATOMIC TIMS PRAWN COLOUR

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Prawns are a staple for feeding fish in all depths of water, and it makes sense that the Atomic Semi Hardz range adds a colour already present in the iconic Atomic Hardz range. Tims Prawn, a shrimp pattern, quickly became a go-to for anglers all over the country when it was introduced in the Hardz line-up, and now that popular natural colour is available in the full range of Atomic Semi Hardz Vibs in sizes 40, 50, 60, 75 and 110 as well as the Minnows in 40, 55 and 65mm models. Semi Hardz can be fished from the surface down to any water depth, making them usable in a wide range of conditions and for a huge range of species. Our ambassadors have already landed whiting and flathead as well as offshore favourites like snapper and pearl perch, and even coral trout. Semi Hardz are also very effective on mulloway. Tough rubber construction with wire running through the lure allows them to stand up to even the toughest adversary. Price: RRP $13.95 www.atomiclures.com.au 78

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ZMAN BEANIEZ

PRODUCT GUIDE

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

BLACK MAGIC FLIPPER JIGS

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

MUSTAD XL JIG WALLET

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Jig fishing anglers will love the Mustad XL Jig Wallet, a jig wallet designed to accommodate all of your jig fishing needs. The XL Jig Wallet contains storage pockets that are constructed from tough mesh to allow the jigs to breathe and dry, yet remain safe in transport and use. There are five extra large jig slots that will take jigs up to 30cm, 18 jig slots that will take jigs up to 20cm and 12 jig slots for smaller jigs up to 15cm. That’s a total of 35 jigs that can be carried in one handy wallet that is easy to store and transport. The XL Jig Wallet also features a large mesh pocket on the outside to store accessories such as assist hooks, leader and more. If you’re into fishing jigs and you’ve been having trouble storing them, then the Mustad XL Jig Wallet will give you the answer you’ve been looking for. www.wilsonfishing.com

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PRODUCT GUIDE

WHAT’S NEW FISHING EUREKA JELLY VIBES

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Eureka Jelly Vibe lures are made from a durable soft material and feature a balanced internal weight system, for superior vibration and action on the drop and lift. Eureka Jelly Vibes also feature a multistrand wired through construction, a holographic head for added attraction and quality black nickel chemicallysharpened treble hooks. They are superb on mulloway, barramundi, mangrove jacks, flathead, bass, bream, redfin and more. The Eureka Jelly Vibes are available in two sizes, a 67mm model that weighs 7g and a 95mm version that weighs 20g, and both lures are available in four brilliant colours. www.jurofishing.com

SHIMANO TIAGRA ULTRA RODS

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All serious gamefishers know that their gear needs to be up to the challenge of prolonged fights with exceptionally large fish. This is why the new Shimano Tiagra Ultra series are proving so popular, especially with increasing numbers of bluewater anglers using braid. Factory built, but with that custom rod style, the componentry on the Tiagra Ultra series is first class: braid friendly Alps RX guides, Winn foregrips for comfort and grip, and either detachable Pacific Bay Channel Lock straight carbon or curved butts depending on the model. The blanks all this wizardry sits on though is where the action begins: Biofibre High Pressure Carbon 300 blanks across five line classes from 10-15 to 24-37kg, with sweet, smooth parabolic actions. This is just what you need when fishing braided line for marlin, tuna, swordfish and sharks. Match one of these beauties up with a Talica overhead and enjoy all the advantages braided line brings to game fishing. www.shimanofish.com.au

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ABU GARCIA REVO ALX

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Based on high quality components and a lightweight design, the Abu Revo ALX incorporates new technology including the Salt Shield Concept bearing and AMGearing systems within the compact Revo design. SSC (Salt Shield Concept) bearing employs newly developed ball bearings coated with a water-repelling shield, which greatly reduces rotation noise caused by salt adhesion, improving operation and durability. SSC is applied to key HPCR (High performance corrosion-resistant) bearings to provide an increase in durability, smoothness, and corrosion resistance. The AMGearing System combines a precision-machined aluminium gear with Abu’s COG (Computer Optimized Gear) gear design, for the ultimate in smoothness and durability. The C6 carbon body and rotor provides significant weight reduction without sacrificing strength and durability. Revo ALX is equipped with the Rocket Line Management System, which is a combination of bail angle, spool lip design and slow oscillation that gives anglers the ability to cast further and manage line more effectively. There are six models, ranging from 2000 to 5000, for everything from bream on hardbodies to snapper on plastics. sizes. All models feature 7+1 bearings with super

smooth carbon drag systems, with drag force from 3-10kg. Price: SRP $299 www.abugarcia-fishing.com.au

REDINGTON MINNOW

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The new Redington Minnow rod was designed and tuned to meet the needs of younger anglers and flyfishing novices. It’s built with enough power to throw a wide variety of flies, but the shorter 8’ length offers less swing weight to make it easier for casters of smaller stature to make effective stops at the end of their casting stroke. This 2-piece, 8’0” 5/6wt graphite rod has a medium action, attractive trim details and cosmetics, and alignment dots. The packaging design is kid and parent friendly with additional tips, techniques and games for kids to get started flyfishing. The Minnow rod is matched to a Crosswater 4/5/6 reel, which as lightweight construction that lessens the overall weight of package. It has a large arbor design for easier and quicker retrieve, and a durable design with an easy to change spool. It also has a strong disc drag system for great fish stopping power. The reel is pre-spooled with backing, RIO Mainstream WF fly line, and knotless leader. This combo comes complete with a Cordura rod tube and is backed by a 1-year warranty. www.jmgillies.com.au

LIVETARGET BAITBALL 11 SPINNER RIG

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

REESE TARP CLIPS

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Quick and easy, the Reese Tarp Clips are designed to create a handy anchor point anywhere along the edge of a tarp. There is nothing worse than trying to secure a tarp when the eyelet is broken. The Reese Tarp Clips eliminate this issue. The handy tarp clips provide a vise-like grip on the material to supply additional attachment points. Quick and easy to tighten and release, the Reese Tarp Clips are ideal for tarps, canopies, awnings, tents, covers and much more. Made with high impact resistant material the tarp clips are heavy duty and crack resistant. Sold in a handy 4-pack, the Reese Tarp Clips come in a handy reusable container. They are available for purchase from Repco stores nation-wide. Reese has been producing a quality range of vehicle accessories since 1952. Full of features, the quality designs are safe and reliable for everyday use. Price: SRP $9.99 reeseproducts.com.au

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

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING TESTED

PRODUCT GUIDE

Halco Madeye soft plastics tick all the boxes

The author’s biggest bream in quite some time was caught on the Madeye Flutter Shrimp in coffee’d shrimp colour. Australian lure company Halco began manufacturing lures in Western Australia back in 1950. Their range of products includes iconic lures like the RMG Scorpion, Halco Laser Pro, Twisty and many more. There would have to be a Halco lure in most keen anglers’ tackle boxes. After many years of being at the forefront of hardbody lure design, Halco have branched out into the soft plastic side of things with their purchase of Madeye soft plastics. As you would expect, the company has expanded and developed this budding range with the same vigour and quality that defines their hardbody lure ranges. They have six styles in the Madeye range, and I grabbed four of them to test out for the magazines. MADEYE SOFT PLASTICS 101 The range of Madeye Plastics covers the full spectrum of soft plastics fishing from finesse styles for bream and whiting through to deep water jigging with larger offerings. The six styles of plastics are the Paddle Prawn, Flick Stick, Octoskirt, Flutter Shrimp, Whippy Worm and Mad Craw.

These days most anglers expect their soft plastics to have substantial longevity, and Halco has achieved this with their Rubber Stretch Technology (RST). The copolymer material that the plastics are made from has up to five times the durability of a regular soft plastic, and it is also incredibly buoyant. The advantage to the angler with this is that pickers are less likely to destroy your plastic before your target species has a chance to have a crack at it, and if pickers do attack the plastic they are less likely to render it unusable. The buoyancy also adds to the natural look of the lure; it sinks in a realistic manner, and at rest it sits upright and has a natural movement to attract predators. Mad Craw The Mad Craw is a lifelike yabby imitation that is 2” long. The attention to detail in this plastic is second to none, right down to the fold in the tail of the yabby. The Mad Craw comes in four colours, of which I grabbed three – the Jelly Prawn, Salt and Pepper, and Marron. My first intention was to use these lures to target bream. These fish love what

The Madeye Paddle Prawn has a sensational action and the flathead loved them.

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Flounder are a welcome by-catch. This one took a Paddle Prawn in the raw prawn colour.

many people would call a creature bait, and the Mad Craw fits into this category. During my testing, the bream definitely took a liking to the Mad Craw. The various legs and claws provide plenty of movement, and most of the bream caught grabbed them as the lure was dropping. I guess they had to, because if their prey did reach the bottom there was every chance a flathead would grab it before the bream had a second chance. No complaints here, but you will note in the images that the flathead didn’t mess about. On a side note, it is really surprising just how buoyant these plastics are. I would normally use a 1/24oz jighead in the areas we fished, and had to up it to a 1/16oz or 1/12oz jighead depending on the current. Also, I found that a small drop of super glue on the grub keeper helps reduce the plastic slipping down the hook. As well as chasing bream, I can also see me using these lures chasing trout in the lakes and the rivers. What trout can resist a yabby if it’s on offer? Flutter Shrimp The next plastic I tested was the Flutter Shrimp. This small prawn imitation is pretty much the opposite of the Mad Craw in that it has a simple design – a traditional prawn profile with a small curly tail. It is available in five colours and is 2.5” long. I grabbed the Jelly Prawn and Coffee’d Shrimp colours. When the plastics arrived I was most excited to see the Flutter Shrimp, because small curly tail plastics have been the undoing of many species of fish, especially the bream I wanted to target with it. I was a little surprised by the smaller profile the Flutter Shrimp had (I had pictured something a little less finesse), but was stoked with the colours I had chosen. They were spot on. Like the Mad Claw I used slightly heavier jigheads and targeted bream around man-made structure and across the flats. I was met with instant success, and was immediately wondering why I hadn’t gone to this lure first. While hopping it across an open area with structure nearby, I scored the biggest bream I have caught in some time. It went nearly 40cm to the tip, which is a solid fish for the area. Both colours were effective and, unlike the Mad Craw, super glue wasn’t a necessity when rigging them. The plastic still slips, but mainly due to a fish grabbing it, rather than it moving by itself. Paddle Prawn When it comes to the Paddle Prawn,

The unexpected bonus when fishing the Mad Craw was how much the flathead loved them. There is a marron-colored Mad Craw in there.

PRODUCT GUIDE there is a lot going on. It is available in four sizes (3, 4, 5 and 7”) and has up to seven colours, depending on the size. The profile of the plastic is a prawn-style head with legs and feelers attached to a body that tapers back to a paddle tail. The wrist of the tail is thin, maximising the action. I chose to use the 4” version, and picked the Ivy Flash, Jelly Prawn and Raw Prawn colours to test.

WHAT’S NEW FISHING TESTED

Flick Stick The Flick Stick is the most traditional of the profiles in the Madeye range. It has a largish body that tapers to a long tail. Available in three sizes (3, 5 and 8”), it is a baitfish imitation and comes in up to seven colours depending on the size of the lure. The model I tested was the 5” version. The beauty of a plastic with this profile,

Double hook-ups are always welcome. Nicholas Willett showing off a couple of nice fish caught during the fishing challenge.

to make excuses, but given slightly better wind conditions, I am pretty confident the challenge would have been achieved. The results are a great testament to how well the Madeye plastics work. My final word Testing the Halco Madeye Soft Plastics has been great fun. Overall, each had the correct attributes to be successful and this was proven during the fishing challenge. Traditionally plastics made of tougher material tend to be a problematic to rig, but I didn’t find this to be the case with the Madeyes. A dab of glue on the Mad Craw was my only thing out of the ordinary, and the longevity of the plastics themselves was great, with only the paddle tail of the Paddle Prawn going a couple of times. I would love to see a few more natural

Some solid bream came to the author’s Madeye party! The Paddle Prawn was the surprise packet of the plastics tested. You cannot understand how much movement this plastic has until you rig it and get it into the water. The tail has a very strong movement, as you would expect, but it is the body roll that is awesome. The vibration this plastic produces can be felt

is that with its streamlined design is it gets into the strike zone faster and stays there better during a retrieve. The trade-off for this is that the angler needs to impart the action to the lure. This is the case with the Flick Stick, however with the suppleness of the tail there is some movement, which can’t hurt the effectiveness of the lure. A

The jelly prawn coloured Mad Craw was the downfall of this bream. testing the Madeyes. The challenge was this: five hours on our favourite waterway to catch a fish on each Madeye plastic and each colour tested, making it 10 overall. We picked favourable tides and had a crack. In total, three species and 19 fish were caught in the five hours, and we managed to get fish on all bar two of the plastics. Not

colours in the range, as my preference with most of my fishing is to use natural colours, but I am sure that will be in Halco’s plans, as I believe the Madeye plastics are well and truly here to stay. To find your nearest stockist and more about the Halco Madeye soft plastics, go to www.halcotackle.com. They are well worth trying. - Peter Jung

The author generally prefers natural colours when fishing for flathead. However when fish like this take your jelly prawn coloured Paddle Prawn, you can’t help but smile. with every movement of the fishing rod and wind of the reel. During testing the target species was flathead, and it was no surprise that they took a liking to the Paddle Prawn. Fished on a 3/8oz jighead, you can use a hop or slow lift retrieve. It was extremely effective during the slow movement periods of the tide, when the action of the lure really came to the fore. When there was a lot of flow, the buoyancy and action of the lure means it grabs too much water, moving the plastic more than you would like. A simple adjustment to your retrieve helps keep it in the zone and catching fish. All three colours were effective, but I need to make special mention about the Raw Prawn colour. It looks fairly plain in the packet, but the clear UV belly provides added appeal, and if the fishing is tough I believe that UV makes a difference.

jerk shad shape is a proven fish catcher, and the team at Halco have done a good job with the Flick Stick. I used the raw prawn and ivy flash colours during testing, and both proved to be big fish catchers. The majority of the better quality flathead fell to them. The Fishing Challenge It’s always fun to get to test lures for the magazines, but it’s not always easy to find new ways in which to do it. Most of us tend to have favourite species or types of fishing we prefer. Certainly in my case, chasing flathead and our other estuarybased species is what I love. My friends and I tend to have reasonable success, and have a lot of fun doing it. Given the fact that we know how to consistently catch fish in our local waterways, I decided to set a high bar for myself and friend Nicholas Willett while

The Flick Stick is the most traditional of the Madeye plastics tested. It proved to be the big fish catcher, with plenty of flathead over 50cm hitting the deck for the author.

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Howarth homes in on the Goldy

STORM

The 2018 Costa BREAM Series has returned to the spiritual home of tournament bream fishing – the Gold Coast – for the Ecogear BREAM Qualifier and has seen the coming of age of bream young gun James Howarth with his first tournament victory with 10/10 fish for 5.5kg. On day one Howarth took the long journey to Raby Bay canals. “I really wasn’t confident in the canals of the Gold Coast, so I took the hour-long journey up to the less-pressured waters of Raby Bay and targeted fish around the pontoons and boat hulls with a mix of Ecogear SX40 and Cranka Crabs,” said Howarth. Once in location Howarth would use a two-pronged approach to extract the most fish from each location. On the boat hulls and expansive pontoons he would target fish with an Ecogear SX40 in bluegill making long parallel casts to the structure before starting an aggressive retrieve along the structure with the intent of keeping the lure away from the smaller

The champion James Howarth and his spoils of victory. fluttered to the bottom or as it just came in contact with the bottom. While his day one limit of 2.46kg kept him in touch of the leader, he knew he would need to find bigger fish on

area. With the water being a dirtier Howarth changed his key crankbait to a Zipbait Khamsin Tiny DR in a chrome finish to grab the attention of the fish in the area.

pontoons with cleaner water and wind pushing on them. From there it’s just about triggering the big bites and an erratic aggressive retrieve gets them to bite,” said Howarth.

DUFFRODS BIG BAG The Duffrods Big Bag went to tournament winner James Howarth with his tournamentwinning 3.04kg day two bag. The key bait for his big bag was a Zipbait Khamsin Tiny DR.

Howarth’s plan of attack was a carbon copy of his day one approach – using his aggressive and erratic retrieve on his crankbait and mixing it up with the slower presentation of the Bream Prawn and Cranka Crab on the poles and vertical structure. With his limit in the boat by 8.30, he was able to focus the rest of his session on upgrading his bag. “The key for me on the Gold Coast is to find the

This change in location paid dividends and saw Howarth take the Duffrods big bag with a 3.04kg limit. “I really had a great weekend catching up with all the other anglers. I need to thank everyone who helped me out: Lowrance Electronics, Northside Marine, my work and Minn Repairs and Servicing who came out on Friday night to fix my wiring issues,” said Howard.

WINNING TACKLE James Howarth proudly holds two of his Gold Coast winning bream.

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888. 90

JUNE 2018

bream that plague the canals and tempting one of the bigger fish. His tackle of choice for this presentation was a Nordic Stage matched with a Daiwa Ingis spooled with 8lb Daiwa J Braid and 6lb Yamatoyo FC leader. Once Howarth felt he had extracted all that he could from his crankbait presentation, his attention would then turn to the poles and anchor structures. For these areas Howarth used a combination of lightly weighted Ecogearaqua Bream Prawns and Cranka Crabs. His aim with these lures was to cast his lure tight to the structure before allowing it to slowly float down the side of the structure with most of his fish intercepting the lure as it

day two if he was going to step it up and take the victory. With this in mind Howarth opted to stay closer to the start/ finish area and targeted similar structure in the Jumpinpin

Rod: Nordic Stage Reel: Daiwa Ignis Line: 8lb Daiwa J-Braid Leader: 6lb Yamatoyo fluorocarbon Lure: Ecogear SX40 in bluegill colour, Zipbait Khamsin Tiny DR, Ecogearaqua Bream Prawns and Cranka Crabs

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

Angler James Howarth Wally Fahey Denis Metzdorf Steve Morgan John Siggs Chris Britton Todd Riches Aaron Sharpe Michael Thompson Kristoffer Hickson

Total Fish 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 9/10 9/10

Total Weight (kg) 5.50 5.13 5.01 4.89 4.74 4.68 4.57 4.38 4.24 4.01

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

Fahey finds them upriver Wally Fahey has continued his strong form in his maiden season as a boater on the Costa BREAM Series taking out second place with 10/10 fish for 5.13kg. In contrast to Howarth, Fahey headed upriver to the area around the casino to start his session fishing pontoons

and bridges in a milk run of spots throughout the area. When targeting the pontoons Fay used a combination of Ecogearaqua Bream Prawns in salt and pepper colour and Gulp Crabbies in camo rigged on 1/40oz TT Hidden Weight jigheads. To cast his plastic tight into the cover Fahey used a

DAIWA J-BRAID BIG BREAM Walley Fahey secured the Daiwa J-Braid Big Bream Prize at the Ecogear-presented event with the SA local value adding his event winning for his 1kg+ kicker fish caught on day one.

Daiwa Sol UL701 matched with a Sol 2000 spooled with 6lb Evo8 Tournament Braid and 4lb Sunline FC Rock. While the pontoons allowed Fahey to fill his limit early, he knew there would be larger fish holding tight to the bridge pylons. When targeting the fast flowing waters of the bridge pylons Fahey opted for the ever popular Cranka Crab heavy in olive colour, Fay would cast his crab tight to the structure before allowing it to drift down into the eddies. For this presentation Fahey used a Daiwa Zero

BREAM SERIES

701ULXS matched with a Sol 2000 spooled with 6lb Evo8 Tournament Braid and 4lb Sunline FC Rock. While he was able to get the bites around the bridges it proved to be a hard challenge extracting the better fish. While on day one Fahey was able to extract those better fish, on day two he was unable to seal the deal and missed that one key upgrade to clinch the win, but with his experience as a boater growing, it won’t take long for Fahey to put it all together and take his maiden ABT victory.

Ecogear SX40LC

Walley Fahey lead on day one of the event but was overtaken on the final day to finish second.

Pontoon

Quick retrieve with regular twitches and jerks of lure.

Thompson tames the Bay Popular angler Mick Thompson has taken victory in the Non-Boater division Ecogear Bream Qualifier with 3.67kg and in the process reached his goal of making the 2018 BREAM Grand Final. Thompson was paired with Aaron Sharp and Steve Eldred, which played to his bay fishing strengths, “I love fishing the shallow stuff, so I had the perfect draw for the tournament,” said Thompson. On both days Thompson fished shallow broken weed and rubble areas in 3-6ft of water. In

these areas he would make long wind-assisted casts throwing his Atomic Crank 38 Deep in ghost gill brown as far as possible before dragging and bouncing his lure through the weed and broken, reefy bottom. With lots of fish only biting the lure tentatively, his key adjustment was to hold off striking on the fish and slowly winding fish onto the lure. While the big bream that the bay is known for didn’t show their heads, his slight adjustment meant Thompson had a consistent tournament catching over 20 fish each day and managed to fill his limit by 9:30 each day.

To land all his fish Thompson used a 13 Fishing Omen Black 7ft 1-3kg rod matched with a Daiwa Certate 2506 spooled with 8lb J Braid and 6lb Sunline Bream Special FC. When asked after the event, Thompson explained that his aim was to qualify for the 2018 Grand Final, “All I wanted to do was to come here and qualify for the Grand Final; to finish first is unbelievable,” explained Thompson. On stage he was also very quick to thank the people that have helped him get into tournament fishing, “Everything I know about bream fishing has come

from Grayson Fong – we fish together a lot trying to perfect a lot of different techniques. I also have to thank both Aaron and Steve for all the little things I picked up off them over the weekend,” said Thompson. With the Ecogear round of the Costa BREAM Series run and won attention now turns to the West Coast Qualifier and Hawkesbury River Qualifier. For information on this or any other ABT event near you head to abt.org.au.

Mick Thompson was a popular victor, claiming the non-boater title at the Ecogear-presented event.

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

Angler Michael Thompson Paul Langley Grayson Fong Mark Saric Tyson Hayes Khoi Pham Louie Wardini Colin Wilson Rodney O’Sullivan Cristian Bermudez

Total Fish 10/10 8/10 8/10 8/10 7/10 7/10 7/10 6/10 7/10 6/10

Total Weight (kg) 3.67 3.34 3.10 3.09 2.93 2.81 2.64 2.55 2.53 2.42

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

The boys cashed in for Hobie Bonus bucks. JUNE 2018

91

Swanson swoops in for win The Casino Outdoors BASS Electric Series bounced back with a vengeance after a fishless opening round of the series with 66 anglers and plenty of limits featuring at Clarrie Hall Dam for the second event of the series. One of the more popular stops of the BASS Electric Series, it was Casino local and BASS Electric regular Nathan Swanson who claimed top honours at Clarrie weighing in a 2/2, 2.185kg limit to secure the win. With no pre-fish under his belt Swanson started his tournament in the upper reaches using a three-lure approach, throwing an OSP Bent Minnow, Jackall TN50 and a beetle spin rigged jighead soft plastic.

STUART STRIKES GOLD FOR SECOND Stuart France continued his good form on the BASS Electric tour with the former BASS Electric Convention champion securing a podium finish at Clarrie Hall. Fishing behind the island in the middle reaches of the lake, France starting off throwing a ZMan CrusteaZ topwater for little reward. France pulled the pin and moved down the lake to a location where he’d caught fish while pre-fishing the week before. “I caught my first fish at around 8.30am on a plastic in the back of shaded bay in 18ft of water and it took the plastic tight to the weed edge,” explained France. Nathan Swanson with his brace of Clarrie Hall winning bass.

BIG BASS

STORM

Nathan Swanson secured the Big Bass prize at Clarrie Hall with the event champion value adding his event winnings for his 1.155kg fish caught early in the session on an OSP Dunk.

fresh fish. It was during this move and search that he found his third fish – an upgrade – once again caught on a soft plastic. This fish would prove to be his last fish for the session and was the fish that moved him into second place. The tackle France used included a Barrabass IP841

and XSB822 rods, Daiwa Luvias 1003 and Caldia 2500 reels, 10lb Sunline Siglon PEX8 mainline, 8lb Sunline V Hard fluoro leader, camo coloured Berkley Gulp Worm rigged on a 1/6th jighead, and an ayu coloured OSP Power Drunk crankbait.

Stuart France returned to the winners podium, securing the runner-up position at the second event of the series.

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888. 92

JUNE 2018

Moving through a weedchoked section that narrowed as the lake merged into the river Swanson swapped lure and began working an OSP Dunk in about 13ft of water. “The water was a milky colour up there. I threw the crank tight to the weed edge and worked it with a pausejerk retrieve, allowing the lure to suspend and sit still for 5-10 seconds,” explained Swanson. The approach paid dividends with Swanson putting his first fish in the well at 7.30am when it slammed his paused crankbait. Swanson fished his way further up the creek until he reached the bridge then he turned around and fished his way back down the lake. “I caught nothing until I got back to the spot where I caught my first fish and at about 10.30am another fish ate my crankbait,” explained Swanson. Swanson’s second bite and fish was it for the session, and he got no other bites. Swanson’s quality certainly made up for his lack of quantity with his limit securing him a 120g winning margin over 2nd place.

He second fish came at 9am, this time it was on a hardbody, an OSP Power Dunk fished at suspended fish holding on a main lake point. While France could find suspended fish getting them to bite proved very difficult. “They seemed to be between seasons – not in summer mode, yet not quite in winter mode – when they schooled up on a point,” explained France. France decided to move up the lake to get away from the crowds and hopefully find

Anglers waited patiently in the rain for the 7am start.

WINNING TACKLE Rod: 3-8lb, 6’7” NS Blackhole Reel: Daiwa Certate 2004 Line: 6lb Sunline Super PE Leader: 8lb Black Magic FC leader Lure: OSP Bent Minnow, Jackall TN50 and a beetle spin rigged jighead soft plastic, OSP Dunk

TOP 10 BOATERS Place Angler 1st Nathan Swanson

Fish 2/2

Weight (kg) 2.185

Big Bass (kg) 1.155

2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th

2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2

2.065 2.005 1.940 1.835 1.825 1.790 1.755 1.655 1.625

1.075 1.045

Stuart France Luke Clark Jesper Noisen Chris Osley Deegan Graham Scott Byrant Steve Kanowski Shaun Falkenhagen Darren Painter

1.080

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

Prize $440,Trophy, $150 Big Bass $320, Trophy $240 $200 $180 $140 $120 $100 $100 $80

Cooking

Making perfect sushi rice and scattered sushi BRISBANE

Lynn Bain

Sushi rice is the basis for all types of sushi recipes including maki (rice wrapped in nori seaweed sheet), uramaki (rice on

the outside), nigiri (small amount of pressed sushi rice topped with seafood), tempi (cone shaped sushi) and chirosizushi (scattered sushi). Rice for making sushi rice is available in most supermarkets in either the rice aisle or the Asian section. If

INGREDIENTS

Scattered Sushi • 1 nori sheet, toasted • 1 cup either vegetable or seafood stock • 2 tbsp soy sauce • 2 tbsp mirin • 250g green prawns, peeled and deveined • 250g prepared squid • 250g piece salmon, skin on or off • 1 fillet white fleshed fish • 2-3 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise • 2-3 green shallots, finely sliced • 1 small cucumber, cut into fine batons Rice • 3 cups sushi rice • 3 and 1/2 cups water • 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar • 2 tbsp sugar • 2 tsp salt

2

Wash the rice in a fine-mesh strainer until the liquid coming off the rice runs clear. Rinsing the rice removes excess starch so the rice doesn’t turn into a glutinous gloopy mess when cooked. Cook the rice then remove the saucepan from the heat and allow it to stand for 10-15 minutes.

5

Place the salmon skin-side down in a clean frypan. Cook a minute on each side – this will leave it raw in the middle. Remove the salmon from the pan and allow it to cool, then break the salmon into pieces and place it to one side. Do the same with the squid. Shallow fry over a medium heat and add a little cooking oil to the pan. When the oil is hot, add the squid pieces for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the squid from the pan and place the pieces to one side.

you can’t find specific rice for making sushi then a short grain white rice will suffice. Having made your sushi rice, get ready to make rice into a simple scattered sushi. Scattered sushi is served on special occasions in Japan such as Doll Day, birthdays and anniversaries. I like it because it is an uncomplicated

freeform presentation that is the simplest of the sushi dishes to put together, and it’s fun! Scattered sushi is basically sushi rice with a variety of toppings scattered over a bed of rice. It uses all sorts of seafood (both raw and cooked) as a complement to the rice. In this version of scattered sushi we use

a few different methods of preparing the cooked seafood – poaching and sautéing. I have used Japanese mayonnaise to coat the white fleshed fish in this recipe. Japanese mayo is available in the Asian section of most supermarkets. It’s different in thickness and flavour from Australian mayo; it’s thicker,

usually made from egg yolks only and the acid component is rice wine vinegar, instead of lemon juice. You can usually purchase your nori sheets already toasted but if you have untoasted nori, simply pop the nori sheet into a dry frypan over a medium heat for a minute on each side.

1 3

Measure the ingredients for the sushi rice dressing (rice wine vinegar, sugar and salt) into a small saucepan and heat them over a low heat until the sugar and salt have dissolved in the vinegar. Then remove the saucepan from the heat and with a wooden spoon ladle it into a bowl. Cool the rice quickly by lifting the rice up with the spoon and letting the heat out. You can help this process by fanning the rice at the same time. Tip the dressing over the cooled rice and gently fold the liquid in. Your sushi rice is now ready for making sushi.

6

Spread some Japanese mayonnaise over both sides of the fillet of white fleshed fish. Using the pan in which you cooked the salmon, wipe it out (to remove any salmon scales), add some more oil and then heat the pan again over a medium heat. Place the coated fish into the hot pan and cook the fillet on both sides until just cooked through.

4

Combine the stock, soy sauce and mirin in a saucepan and heat it on your hotplate to bring the liquid to a gentle simmer. When the stock mixture is hot, add the green prawns and poach them until the prawns turn pink. Using a slotted spoon, remove the poached prawns from the stock and place the prawns to one side.

7

To assemble the scattered sushi, place a generous amount of sushi rice on each serving plate. Alternatively serve it family style on one large platter and let the diners serve themselves with their seafood of choice. Next scatter the salmon and mayocoated fish pieces over the rice. Then place the poached prawns onto the sushi rice, add the calamari, sprinkle on the sliced green shallots and cucumber batons and tear a toasted nori sheet over the almost-finished sushi rice ingredients. Once you’ve sprinkled the nori pieces across the top you’ve completed your scattered sushi. JUNE 2018

93

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Rowland Street Boat Trimmers Springwood (07) 3208 9511

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND The Islander Retreat, South Stradbroke Island 0420 967 557

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. 94

JUNE 2018

Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION FRASER ISLAND Apurla Island Retreat 0437 739 121 Cathedrals on Fraser (07) 4127 9177

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Advertisers wanting to be involved in this directory can call (07) 3387 0834 or email nkelly@fishingmonthly.com.au JUNE 2018

95

FUN PAGE AND COMPETITIONS STUFF YOU FIND INSIDE FISH

ANCHOVY SHAD ALEWIFE PILCHARD MINNOW KILLIFISH GUDGEON BALLYHOO GARFISH ROUND SCAD MULLET

LEATHERJACKETS ARROW SQUID CARPET SNAKES CICADAS FROGS CORMORANT SHRIMP PRAWNS CRABS SOFT PLASTICS

Valley Hill Rocketeer Slicer

Name: Address:

P/Code:

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

QLD JUNE 2018

Phone (day):

FINS SCALES & TALES by A. Both

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

SPOT THE

10 DIFFERENCES

GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy

ORIGINAL

FIND-A-WORD

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

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE

The subscriber prize winners for April were T Berber of Moorina, J Duncan of Miles, J Van Der Glint of Winfield, M Petersen of Taringa, B Wild of Griffin, I Hutchinson of Theodore, who won a prize pack of Sufix braid and leader. All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

W Geaney of Beecher, M Powell of South Grafton, P Hardie of Gatton, B Fisher of Roma, F Brook of Leeton, B Mumbray of Yorkys Knob, C Simpson of Woodbury, G Sprott of Glenlee, D Deppeler of Burpengary East, G Essex of Toowoomba, D Hopf of Kingaroy, R Dowden of Bundaberg, R Elworthy of North Bundaberg, B Devine of Pialba, M Sheen of Norman Gardens, M Collis of River Heads, K Baggett of The Caves, D McCristal of Fig

Tree Pocket, J Higgins of Caboolture, J Ryan of Yeppoon, A Duxbury of Caboolture, R Smith of Chinchilla, B Nimmett of Lowood, J Paul of Inverell, A Morrison of Forbes, A Kittel of Logan Village, R Whillans of Bellara, A Hewlett of Mothar Mountain, P Moody of Kingston, J Maguire of Kalkie, M Mahony of Canungra. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS

FIND THE GAMAKATSU LOGO

GUESS THE FISH?

The answers to Find the Gamakatsu Logo for April were: 12, 16, 20, 28, 34, 42, 44, 47, 53, 58, 63, 64, 68, 76, 99. – QFM

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This month’s Guess the Fish Answer: Redfin

The Find the Gamakatsu prize winners for April were: T Perry of Edge Hill, D Park of Highfields, J Rogers of Tambo, M Chadwick of Burrum Heads, L Stewart of Capalaba, E Lezuchowski of Darra, G Green of Currumbin Waters, N Humble of Rockhampton, K Martin of Dalby,

Answer:

boats & kayaks

In the skipper’s seat

Inside story...

Bar Crusher leads the industry in design and quality to produce some of the most advanced plate aluminium fishing boats on the market. Incorporating exclusive innovations, Bar Crusher Boats are renowned for their superior performance.

Made for...

Bar Crusher’s philosophy is all about ensuring the buyer ends up with a boat that’s ideal for their offshore boating needs. Bar Crushers deliver a super-smooth ride – a far cry from the uncomfortable, pounding ride of traditional aluminium boats – and superior stability at rest.

This month...

Steve Morgan recently tried out the 780HT model, and he had a lot of fun putting this offshore beast through its paces! You can check out his findings on page 108.

102 Doubling up!

Justin Willmer looks at the joys of joining two kayaks together for a different kayaking experience.

104 New from Mercury

Steve Morgan recently caught up with Mercury Marine to see what’s new in the Mercury world.

106 Kampey’s new rig one year on Wayne Kampe was happy with his new 4.5m Galeforce a year ago when he bought it, but has it stood the test of time?

110 Cruise Craft 595EX The challenge with this test was to see whether the 595EX rides as well as it looks.

Bar Crusher 780HT with Yamaha F300hp 4 stroke

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RPM........................ km/h....................... km/L 1000 .............................. 9 ..........................1.9 2000............................ 13 ..........................1.0 3000............................ 36 ..........................1.5 4000............................ 54 ..........................1.1 5000............................ 67 ..........................0.8 5600 ............................ 80 ..........................0.8 * Figures from Yamaha Performance Bulletin Main: What do you get when a Bar Crusher dealer says, “Let’s see if we can order the most optioned-up Bar Crusher ever?” A 780 Hard Top with a 300hp Yamaha 4-stroke and all the fruit. Above: This 780HT has been fitted with a 500L (instead of the standard 330L) fuel tank, but at the expense of an underfloor kill box. It gives this rig a theoretical range of over 700km at the economical cruising speed. toilet – you know, all of the things that are necessary for a big day on the water. That’s what you get for

Length:........................................................... 7.8m Beam:.......................................................... 2.45m Weight.on.trailer.(dry):............................2,380 kg Fuel: ...................................... 500L (330 standard) Max.hp: ........................................................... 300 Capacity: ...............................................6 persons Materials:...................... 5mm bottom, 4mm sides

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door and boarding ladder arrangement. You can watch a video review of the boat test on the Fishing Monthly Magazines YouTube

PERFORMANCE

SPECIFICATIONS

this rig. It’s long enough to bridge the waves, heavy enough to move the water (and not vice versa) and dry enough in the wheelhouse to cop a gale warning and still keep you warm and comfortable. And it had all of the accessories – a fridge, radar,

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I asked Stones Corner Marine’s Glenn Baker if he was in an option-ticking mood when he put together this demo rig for their dealership in Brisbane. After all, this 780 Bar Crusher hard top with a 300hp Yamaha 4-stroke was one of the most kitted out boats that we’ve tested in the last couple of years. “We like to have all of the good gear on our demo boats, because customers see the finished product, relate to it and then want to take it home,” Baker smiled, “and that’s exactly what a demo boat should do.” We knew we were in for a great day on the water in this epic rig – even though Moreton Bay was white capping and there was hardly another trailer at the ramp. It didn’t matter in

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of the rough water and the waterline length bridged the gaps. Quartering the slop, you’d definitely get wet if it wasn’t an enclosed hard top design, but the cabin and

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$165,000. A great Australian built boat with enough gear and range to take you to a different state. We had Stones Corner salesman, Troy Wegner, take us out for a spin on a day that was perfect for seeing what hulls like this can do. “This boat has a 500L

fuel tank rather than the 330L standard, but it comes at the expense of an underfloor kill-box,” said Troy on the test day. After running the numbers, we calculated that this rig would have a theoretical range of over 700km with that tank and a captain sitting on 3,000rpm. At those revs, the Yamaha pushed the 780 along at 41km/h and delivered 1.6km/L of fuel burned. If you’re showing off to your mates at wide open throttle, you’ll only get 700m/L, but you’ll have plenty of fun. It all depends on how much you like spending money at the bowser. The way that the Bar Crusher ate up the sub-metre

chop was impressive – the faster you went, the more the hull got on top

new hard top design kept the cabin warm and dry. There’s a lot to like in a rig like this, but I was particularly impressed with the lockable cabin, the dash that can flush-mount any of your electronics and be visible from where you’re fishing and the practicality of the transom

channel or by scanning the QR code hereby with your smartphone. Or better still, get in touch with the guys from Stones Corner Marine to check out this weapon of a rig yourself, they’re at www.

stonescornermarine.com. au and at Stones Corner

Marine on Facebook.

Like all boats, economy varies with how heavy you are on the stick. Drive this rig as fast as it will go and it will sting you with 700m/L performance. You’ll at least double the range at 3,000rpm and still travel at 41km/h.

Yamaha’s 300hp 4-stroke is an imposing piece of machinery. It’ll give you 1.6km/L at 3,000rpm and 41km/h.

How’s this for luxury? An Engel fridge/freezer that slides out from under the seat. No use having over 700km of range if you haven’t got a fridge.

As you’d expect, there’s enough cockpit space in the 780 to take all of your mates fishing. And most likely a few of their mates as well! The chequer plate deck is easy to clean and very practical for an offshore boat.

There’s a mile of visibility with Bar Crusher’s new Hard Top design and the forward-sliding windows allow the ventilation that you need in warmer climates. The helm is well laid out and there’s a lockable sliding cabin door. To keep your gear secure when you’re on the road. It also offers the family privacy if needed.

Top: Now that’s a bait board! There’s nothing worse than a cluttered bait station. Left: There’s both a fresh- and saltwater deck wash on the 780. The freshwater version has a 60L tank. Right: With folding rear ladder, transom door and non-cushioned rear lounge seat, egress from the boat is as easy as it gets.

Top Left: The cabin-fitted macerator toilet will make the weekends with the family more comfortable for everyone. Top Right: Although an option, I’d call the Stressfree anchor winch on this boat a necessity. Left: These are neat. They can caddy up to 4 rods, as well as your favourite lures along the side pockets. Right: There’s enough room in here for a day’s worth of live baits and the clear lid allows you to continuously assess their condition. JUNE 2018

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Cruise Craft 595EX with Yamaha F200 4-stroke - SC

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Main: At full cry, the Cruise Craft 595 looks, sounds and feels great. It’s what you’d expect from a premium Australian boat builder. And Cruise Craft have a sound relationship with Yamaha – the F200 is an ideal power plant for the type of fishing you’d do in this rig, delivering just under 1.9km/L at cruising speed. Above: Although the test day on Port Phillip Bay was glamorous, the rough water ability and quietness of the Cruise Craft hull is legendary. We can report that it goes well on flat water! the test boat was fitted with the maximum 200hp. At over 2t on the trailer, it’s not a light rig, however the F200 delivered maximum economy of 1.8km/L at 3600rpm and a comfortable cruising speed of 40km/h. Want to drive this rig flat out? No worries, it’ll give you a smooth 77km/h at 5900 rpm and 1km/L, so ease up on the throttle if you want less pain at the bowser.

Length.......................................................5.95m Length Overall..........................................6.35m Length on trailer.........................................7.5m Height with targa.....................................3.22m Height with screen..................................2.43m Tow weight............................................. 2100kg Beam.........................................................2.44m Transom deadrise........................................ 20° Transom height..............................................XL Max hp......................................................200hp Recommended hp................................... 175hp Capacity.......................................... Six persons Fuel............................................................. 190L JUNE 2018

important if you need to store your boat undercover in an area with limited height. Want to know more about this rig? You can watch the video review on YouTube on the Fishing Monthly Magazines

PERFORMANCE

SPECIFICATIONS

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If you’re a fan of Fishing Monthly boat tests, you may remember the test that Streaker Marine’s Sean Savage and I did on the $200,000 Cruise Craft 685HT. Powered by a 300hp Yamaha, it’s a dreamboat for plenty of anglers out there, and Sean has seen plenty of them roll out the door ever since. This time, we’re taking one of the smaller Cruise Craft models for a spin – the 585EX with a 200hp Yamaha. Built in Brisbane to exacting standards and factory fitted with motors and trailers, Cruise Craft boats have a reputation for quality and a price tag to match. Incidentally, the Cruise Craft factory also makes the Streaker boat brand now in Brisbane. This test is for Streaker Marine. It’s a small world in the boating industry. The 595EX (Explorer) is the third smallest and third largest fishing boat in the Cruise Craft range. Designed to run a 175hp outboard,

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made from scratch from the water up and it carries its beam a long way forward. That gives it the ability to stay on the plane at slower speeds, which helps while driving in rough water. When looking at the

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From bow to stern, the build and design quality is obvious and the boat rides quietly on the water. At the helm, there’s ample space for whatever suite of electronics you want to fit to be flush mounted. The helm seating is comfortable and designed to store coolers underneath. I’m a particular fan of the soft top fitted with a slide out sunshade, especially in northern climates where it’s virtually mandatory to fish undercover. The test boat was also fitted with clip-in carpet, which makes life easier at the wash-down stage, especially if you’ve had a busy day on the fish. Sean Savage has sold plenty of Cruise Craft packages and rates the 595EX as “The best bang for buck in the Cruise Craft range.” “And the resale value of these rigs is also amazing. The fact that everything is plush and factory-fitted

means that there’s ultimate confidence from both the dealers and the customers that everything is done right. We love selling them,” Savage continued. “What I also like about the hull design is that it was

RPM................... km/h.................... km/L 700............................5........................ 1.7 1000..........................7........................ 2.5 2000........................ 15........................ 1.9 3000........................ 24........................ 1.6 3600........................ 40........................ 1.8 4000........................ 45........................ 1.7 5000........................ 61........................ 1.3 5900........................ 77........................ 1.0 *As tested with a 17” S/S propeller differences between the base model price (packages start from low $90K) and the test boat ($111,850), a lot of the cost is made up of the stainless steel, factory-fitted folding Targa top. Erected, the boat’s height tops out at 3.22m, but folded down you can fit it into a garage with a 2.45m clearance. That’s

YouTube channel, or by scanning the QR code on the page hereby with your smartphone. For a face-to-face chat call into either Wynnum Marine (07) 3396 9777 www.wynnummarine.com. au; or, Townsville Marine (07) 4774 3777 www. townsvillemarine.com.au.

At wide-open throttle, like all boats, the economy drops. If you want to go 77km/h at 5900rpm, the fuel calculations become easy – you get 1km/L burned.

The 595 is supplied from the factory on an Australian built Easytow trailer with twin axles. Indeed, the whole boat/motor/trailer is factory rigged for the best in quality control.

There’s plenty of cockpit space and removable carpet to aid cleaning after a big day on the water.

Here’s the rear bench seat deployed. The mechanism is strong and neat to pack away.

You can store a few rods or gaffs in the side pocket as well as tackle in the bottom section.

This model comes with a sliding, lockable cabin door for privacy and security.

Now there’s a helm that’ll hold all the electronics you’ll want to put into a $100K+ boat. Cruise Craft cabins are always a combination of style and practicality. This one takes an optional toilet for a weekend away.

The 20° of deadrise at the transom and a 2.44m beam combine to offer good ride and stability at rest.

Cruise Craft’s bait stations have evolved over the years to this design, and it’s removable for family days.

The slide out shade option on the targa top is wonderfully practical and you can keep your excess rods out of the way above it.

The Stressfree electric anchor winch is bordering on a standard inclusion rather than an option. Once you’ve had one, you’ll never go back.

Cruise Craft’s Yamahas are factory fitted in Brisbane for the best in quality control. JUNE 2018

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A NEW ERA in FourStroke

The All New Mercury V-8 & V-6 175-300hp FourStroke Range The new era of revolutionary Mercury FourStrokes deliver unprecedented performance, reliability and efficiency, never before imagined in an outboard. Mercury’s advanced design and engineering delivers best in class performance, with superior torque and faster acceleration in a smooth, compact, quiet and fuel-efficient package. With features previously not seen in an outboard including Advanced Range Optimisation (ARO), Transient Spark Technology, Adaptive Speed Control and Idle-Charge battery-management. The all new range of Mercury V-8 4.6L and V-6 3.4L 175-300hp are the only choice when considering high horsepower outboards. All round excellence. A performer in every situation.

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