Queensland Fishing Monthly November 2019 by Fishing Monthly

FLATHEAD CLASSIC WRAP UP • ACCESSIBLE REEFIES

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November 2019, Vol. 32 No.1

Contents NORTHERN NEW SOUTH WALES

Yamba 20

Ballina 22 SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND The Tweed

Southern Gold Coast

Jumpinpin 28 Gold Coast Canals

Gold Coast

Southern Bay

Brisbane 34 Brisbane Offshore

Noosa 37 CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Rainbow Beach

Hervey Bay

Gladstone 44 Bundaberg 46 Rockhampton 46 Stanage Bay

Yeppoon 48 Mackay 50 TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Whitsundays 52 Ayr 53

From the Editor’s Desk... You don’t have to be a tournament angler to appreciate what Australian bass angler, Carl Jocumsen, achieved on the final event of the American Bassmaster Elite Series last month. I reckon all of Australia knows by now. Carl won USD $100,000 and secured his very first top-level tournament win over there. He’s become an overnight sensation after a lifetime of honing his skills and nine years of hard work in the USA, learning the habits of a fish species that we don’t have in this country. Frankly, his achievement is bordering on ludicrous. Fishing against a seasoned field of full-time professional anglers, Carl has climbed to the top thanks to a combination of sheer determination and his refusal to give up. Tournament fishing in the US is demanding and expensive – there are high

entry fees, a lot of travel and no guaranteed income – so it hasn’t been an easy journey for Carl. God knows how awful the years must have been living out of his truck and cheap motels, trying to scrape the money together to learn his craft. I reckon nearly all of us would have given up after a tough couple of years. Imagine the stress and loneliness on the road, getting beaten down time after time. All this with no friends or family within 20 hours flying time… it was a hard road. If any of you saw the

replays of Carl catching his last fish, you could see the emotions coming out. The tears washing away the stresses that he’d endured over that time. I challenge any angler or sports lover to dismiss the moment as not profound. I watched it unfold live at 2am and was shedding tears with him, and I’m proud to admit that. We met Carl as a teenage angler in 2000. His first ABT cheque was a $500 win for Big Bass at a BASS Electric event at Lake Moogerah. And we love that he has now taken his passion the highest level

possible on the planet. At the time of writing, Carl is getting married to his American fiancée, Kayla. He’s now living the dream – he’s well funded for the next season and is sharing the journey with his life partner. Congratulations on your success, Carl, and we know that it’s built on strong foundations. If you’d like to follow Carl’s progress, check out www.carljocumsen. com. You can also buy a supporter jersey at wp.fishingmonthly.com.au.

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Prue Urquhart caught and released this awesome flathead while fishing the flats with her favourite gold Daiwa Double Clutch. A Joey Urquhart image.

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Mid range reef fishing BRISBANE

John Loeskow

Fishing outside the protection of rivers is defined as either inshore or offshore fishing. Weather dictates which areas are accessible, as strong winds restrict opportunities to get to the wider grounds.

of the more desirable species are prevalent in 60-100ft of water. Coral trout, red emperor, grass sweetlip and a range of other tasty and hardfighting fish are available for those anglers prepared to alter their methods to suit the prevailing conditions. AREAS TO TARGET Most of the mid-range areas off the South East

Mike Dunning with a solid trout that ate a live bait on the bottom. The first 10 seconds of the fight are crucial in getting these fish away from structure. Light winds and neap tides usually see the bigger boats heading offshore to target the deeper water where the fishing can be sensational. While the inshore fishing can be excellent for fish like snapper and mackerel, some

Often there is better fishing to be had on some of the more subtle changes that are found away from the prominent structure around contour lines and well-known marks. This subtle structure can take the form of a slight change in substrate composition where sand changes to gravel or soft corals and scattered hard reef. To find these locations you have to be prepared to put time and effort into sounding new areas, looking for potential spots to try a drift or anchor. Searching for new country on each trip can be time consuming, but it will definitely pay off in the long run – and working over ground between adjacent spots is an excellent way to discover new areas. Off the coast of South East and Central Queensland, there are also a number of wrecks that hold good numbers of pelagic and

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chosen spot, have a thorough sound around the area. Depending on the current and the presence of bait schools, the better shows of fish can be found up to 100m away from the designated mark. Quite often bigger numbers of small fish like hussar, Moses perch and tuskfish will hold pretty tight to the more prominent structure as they look for food while trying to avoid the predatory fish in the area. Away from the harder structure you will find some of the larger fish working the edges of the reef. Big grass sweetlip and red emperor normally patrol the ground close to hard structure, so working the edges and adjacent country is well worth the effort. The other advantage of

Using an electric motor or sea anchor is a great way to slow down your drift speed to stay in direct contact with your bait, jig or soft plastic. TACKLE The absence of lots of hard structure on the majority of spots I fish dictates the type of rigs that I use. Because I don’t specifically target snapper and other mid-water fish, I try to fish hard to the bottom with only as much weight as is needed to keep the bait in that zone. Most of the time I fish a modified paternoster rig, but when the current is minimal a running ball rig also works pretty well. I usually fish smaller baits on a 4/0 or 5/0 hook to try to convert the more subtle bites, especially from grass sweetlip. Just ensure

Blue Maori are an uncommon catch, and Clint Collins was more than happy with this one.

RINCON

NOVEMBER 2019

demersal fish. Most of these wrecks are sunken trawlers and yachts, and as they age they become a haven for large schools of baitfish and in turn the predatory fish that feed on them. Over time the wrecks may disintegrate or become covered by sand, which reduces their appeal to fish, but plenty of wrecks produce

Queensland coast are fairly well known to anglers who fish on a regular basis. Steep dropoffs, ledges and bommies are all pretty obvious on a decent fishfinder these days, so these spots receive a significant amount of fishing pressure.

The most highly prized fish on the reef – red emperor. Lorne Stuppart got this fish on a flesh bait.

Hooked up just before the sun dips below the horizon. Where would you rather be?

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well for decades. Some of the well-known wrecks get fished quite regularly, but in spite of that they still produce a range of pelagic and bottom fish. Lesser-known wrecks are often much more productive though, which is why anglers in the know don’t like to tell anyone about them. Hotspots like these are another example of why it’s good to spend time sounding around. You don’t have to fish right on a wreck to get good results. By spending time sounding the areas adjacent to the wrecks you will often find patches of structure that hold some good fish. Many of the bait schools and pelagic fish will often move between the wrecks and these adjacent grounds, and if you happen to be on these nearby spots at the right time the fishing can be very rewarding. Once you reach your

A cracker grass sweetlip caught in near glass-out conditions. fishing less obvious structure is that the fish can hold over a wide area. When the current and wind permits, using a slow drift can allow you to effectively fish a big area while prospecting new ground away from your chosen marks.

that whatever pattern you use is sharp and strong to get a solid hook-set. Bigger flesh and cocktail baits like pilchards inside squid tubes are fished on a 2-hook snell or gang hook rig. You need to be patient to wait out the

This migrating humpback whale wanted to get up close and personal to the boat.

little picker fish until a better quality fish shows interest in your bait. Live baits can be fished on a single hook if the fish are aggressive, but a snelled rig allows a second hook to be pinned a bit further back in the bait. I normally run 50lb braided line on medium size overhead or spin reels. You can probably get away with

LURES Artificial offerings are another good option in these mid reef areas. Soft plastics are a proven performer and can be adapted to fish a range of situations. Most bottom fish will readily hit

dead baits and 80lb mono for live baits. For this kind of fishing I recommend using compact reels with sufficient drag capacity and strong, lightweight rods which can be fished for long periods without resulting in angler fatigue. BAIT Poorly-presented and re-frozen baits aren’t overly appetizing to most fish.

a well-presented plastic, but pickers like needletails and the dreaded triggerfish can make this fishing unbearable at times. Soft vibes in the 20-30g range are normally heavy enough down to the 100ft range and don’t seem

Large prawns, small cuttlefish and scad mackerel make great baits. Scad fillets often work better than whole dead offerings.

Occasionally red emperor will hit a jig fished close to the bottom. They put up a good fight on the right tackle. lighter line the majority of the time, but if a big fish hits you could run into difficulties. When you need to turn a big fish away from the bottom, 50lb line lets you apply as much pressure as you’re game to without worrying about breaking the line. Leaders vary from 40-60lb mono for fishing

Freshly-caught bait including mullet, squid, and pike can make all the difference for some of our better-eating species like grass sweetlip, tuskfish, coral trout and red emperor. Backup baits like IQF pilchards, squid and cuttlefish are handy to have though, and you should

try to get the best quality you can find. We also use smaller fish caught at our fishing spots like blue-faced whiptail and baldy bream (just make sure you observe minimum legal sizes for the fish you’re going to use). Taking the time to secure live bait can take up to an hour when the bait schools are finicky, however they can make all the difference for the bigger predators. While most live baits can attract the attention of the bigger fish, there are usually certain species that can tempt these trophy fish when other options go untouched. In our area, mackerel scad are definitely the preferred species for a range of demersal and pelagic fish species. Mackerel scad can be difficult to catch

at times, but spending the time to catch 20-30 live baits will ensure you can always have a livey in the water.

The business end of a pretty coral trout.

Dave Liston nailed two nice reds on this trip. Big flesh baits fished on snelled hook rigs will produce the goods.

to get chewed as badly as the plastics. We do a fair bit of micro jigging on these reefs, and these lures can be very productive. Depending on the amount of current, jigs in the 20-80g range are suitable for getting the right amount of action without taking forever to reach the bottom. Retrieves will vary from day to day, but employing short, sharp lifts of the rod tip will normally see the jig get hit just before it reaches the bottom. When you’re fishing wrecks, a more erratic To page 12

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Tech Tricks

Gamefishing prep BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

With summer upon us, warmer water conditions will cause an increase in the numbers of pelagic species throughout offshore waters. Holidays are not too far away for many anglers, so now is

the time to start thinking about the gamefishing season ahead. Gamefishing is a fairly expensive yet exciting sport. With so many hours put into the actual fishing as well as money spent on boats, fuel and equipment, it pays to have everything in perfect working order for when that strike and screaming run is forthcoming.

Being prepared now for when you finally get out on the water will increase results and decrease frustration. It is not just the boat that you need to get serviced, your tackle and rigging also needs attention. Let’s look at a few items that should be checked for the upcoming gamefishing season. Prepare or despair – it’s up to you.

RODS Whatever rods you have in your arsenal, checking them will greatly reduce the chance of having frayed or broken line after that pelagic takes a screaming run. Because line runs across the guide or roller at speed, you need to check every one methodically for faults. Rollers can become stiff to the point of seizing if salt causes corrosion of the roller bush or pin. Even if the roller is running freely, it is a good idea to remove every screw and pin to lube the thread of the screw, otherwise you may go to remove it at some stage and you won’t be able to get it undone. All roller parts should be lubricated with a viscous grease or oil before reassembly. Inspect rod guides visually for cracks in the frames or inserts. A small blade can be run around the inside of the insert lightly to check for any hairline cracks. Tip runners cop a large amount of the abuse and are most likely at fault. If you have a rod with a detachable butt, cleaning the thread and applying a light coat of grease is recommended. Check over the rest of the rod to determine any additional issues.

REELS Even the best quality reels will need regular servicing to keep them in good condition. Some anglers have the time and skills to service their reels themselves but if you don’t, taking them to a store with a qualified reel mechanic is the obvious choice. Your reels will be disassembled and each part cleaned and checked for any serious wear or faults. Noisy bearings (usually slightly corroded) can be replaced and drag washers checked for wear. Before reassembly, the gears and other relevant parts are lubricated with quality water-dispersing grease and the bearings are oiled. A final check of functionality is completed once reassembly is completed. The reel should be removed from the rod so that the reel clamp nuts and area around them can also be cleaned, because this is an area where salt build up is common.

KNOTS Game fishers can use a lot of different knots, including splices, plaits, bimini twists, spider hitches and uni knots. As with your line, a knot failure can quickly disconnect you and the fish. Although you need to check some knots on a regular basis (usually daily) when gamefishing, retying all of them at the start of the season will have you ready for that first hit out. If using a hollowcore braid or Dacron backing, redoing your top shot splices is recommended. This is a little tedious but should be done at the start of every season, or at least checked and inspected thoroughly. Doubles (usually using a bimini twist, plait, Cairn’s quickie or spider hitch) should be retied and also checked for length compliance if fishing under GFAA or IGFA regulations.

LINE Due to a change in IGFA rulings a few years ago in relation to line backing and top shots, there are now numerous ways to spool your reel. Some choose straight monofilament, others do Dacron backing with a 100m or more of top shot, and others use braid backing (often hollow core) with a top shot of IGFA monofilament. Being IGFA compliant is only required if you are wishing to fish under their regulations for tournaments, club point scoring or record purposes. For the average angler, there is no stipulation on line brand, type or breaking strain. Monofilament main line and monofilament top shots should be checked for wear. If your monofilament line is becoming opaque or rough then it has deteriorated or worn out and needs to be replaced. Braided line and Dacron will also be worn if it is rough, ratty-looking or they have individual fibres protruding. Don’t skimp on line, as it’s the only thing connecting you and the fish. If you break off a fish, you are also losing an expensive lure. 16

NOVEMBER 2019

TOOLS Gaffs should be sharpened and re-shaped if necessary. Hook-out guns, pliers, crimping pliers, knives, bill-snooters, tail ropes, flying gaffs, tag poles and the like should be checked for function and corrosion. If you use outriggers or downriggers, check the release clips and the cord/wire/mono on them, replacing or adjusting any likely to let you down. Ensure you have enough tags if necessary and that your pen for the tag cards actually writes.

Tech Tricks

DRAG SETTING

WIND-ON LEADERS A well-made wind-on leader will last a good amount of time, often a season or more, but should be checked regularly to see whether the monofilament has slipped through the Dacron or whether the whipping thread that stops the Dacron from fraying at the end has begun to come undone. If both are the case then you need an entirely new leader; however, if only the whipping thread is frayed or ragged, it can be redone. Replacing all your wind-on leaders with new ones at the start of the season is a good idea. Last season’s ones can be kept for spares. Additionally, you may need to check the length of your leaders for IGFA compliance. The ball-bearing snap swivels on the end of your leaders should be checked to confirm they are spinning freely and if in doubt, replaced. Check the crimped loop attaching this snap swivel for wear, however I would always suggest cutting off the old snap off and re-crimping it or replacing with a new one.

LURE RIGGING The single or twin hook rigs in your skirted lures should be checked for wear and corrosion. Monofilament and fluorocarbon leaders should be replaced if badly chafed. Wire leaders must be corrosion free or replaced. Crimped loops should be checked for wear and redone if necessary. Hooks need to be checked for fatigue and sharpened. Anode tape may need replacing on chemically sharpened hook rigs and worn-out heat-shrink should be redone. Piano wire leaders on bibbed and lipless minnows will fatigue with numerous uses and may need replacing. Give all rigging a good check over and replace anything that is worn or in doubt.

Once your rod and reel outfit is serviced and back together with line checked or replaced, you will need to re-calibrate your drag. If you are a seasoned angler, you will have a particular drag setting that you like and will know how to do this. If you are a newbie to the gamefishing world, you can follow the basic rule of thumb with drag settings of one-third the breaking strain of the line. This means that at the full strike drag setting, the pressure needed to pull line off the spool is a third of the line’s breaking strain (i.e. 5kg for 15kg line and 8kg for 24kg line). To do this (assuming you are using the conventional lever-drag overhead) set up your rod and reel and then thread the line through the guides/rollers. Attach the line to a set of weighing scales. With the lever drag in the strike position, the scale should pull down to the desired weight as the line starts to peel off the reel. The drag adjustment knob is on the same side as the drag lever but should not be adjusted unless the lever is pulled back to the freespool position. You will probably need to do several adjustments to set the drag. Put the reel into strike and test the drag. If it’s not right, put it back into freespool to adjust tension. Repeat until you get the desired amount of drag pressure set at the strike drag position. Once the required drag pressure is set, return the lever drag to the freespool position (or just above it) so there isn’t constant pressure on the drag washers while the reels are not in use.

RIGS If you do any live baiting, you can make up extra live bait rigs that are ready for use when needed. These can be stored in a clip seal bag or a tackle wallet. You may also need to check your supply of bait jigs used to catch live baits. Other items used regularly by gamefishers such as skipping and swimming garfish rigs, rubber bands, spare hooks, an assortment of ball sinkers for live bait rigs and other rigging purposes, octopus skirts, crimps, bait stitching needles, bridling needles, waxed thread and anything else you use should all be checked and restocked. NOVEMBER 2019

Barramundi bonanza in the Queensland lakes TOOWOOMBA

Jason Ehrlich fishability1@bigpond.com

It would be wrong not to spend a little more time reporting on the fish I love to catch most of all – barramundi. It may be barra closed season in the salt until early next year but luckily we have our stocked impoundments to get our barra fix. The dams have been fishing well and there are a lot of options now to consider. For the southern anglers, the distance to travel to chase the big scaly battlers is a lot less with Monduran, Awoonga and Callide all producing drag peeling fish. The beauty of this is you can hit the lakes over a long weekend. The drive further north for southern anglers is still worthwhile but I

prefer to hit these before the summer scorching heat arrives. Proserpine, Kinchant and Teemburra are all worth a look and receive a lot of attention. The Mackay/ Whitsunday region is famous for its barra lakes. There are also the lesser known lakes, which will be worth a look for those keen to explore and try something a little different. We will start to see more and more filtering through from these destinations as the cat is let out of the bag. Places like Theresa Creek, Fairbairn, Burdekin and Copperlode Falls dams, just like Tinaroo, are further out of the way but definitely worth a visit. Barra fishing in the dams is usually good at this time of year but you will need to follow the movements of the fish if you want to catch them day and night.

SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND CRESSBROOK CLOSEST TOWN: CROWS NEST The fishing has been slow at Cressy for the last month. The bigger schools of fish have been harder to find and this has affected catch rates. Warming water temperatures will see the thermocline rise and this will force fish out of the deeper water areas. Once they leave the depths, they tend to suspend more where they find comfort, food and oxygen rich water. Suspended fish are easier to find on the sounder so I expect the catch rates to improve this month. Trolling deep diving lures through areas holding fish is a good way to get into the action. There will be some quality bass to over 50cm long

mixed in with the smaller models. Deeper lures like Blitz Bagas, Golden Childs,

The warming water will start to send the fish a bit deeper and in some cases they can be hard to find during the day. Night sessions can be great though, as the fish band together and start to hunt shallower through different regions of the lake. In the South East, the golden perch will be firing up. Trolling diving lures will be a good option when chasing these fish. Lure trolling will be good for most species over the next few months. Barra, bass and Murray cod are a few of the likely suspects to want in on the action. As water temperatures warm up, the fish scatter and favour the deeper water areas. When they spread out, trolling is a good way to cover heaps of water and get the bites. Until next month, buckled rods from The Colonel!

14 31

Weipa

Toowoomba

BRISBANE

IMPOUNDMENT DAM

the fish should be found in the deeper sections out from the ramps and just through the buoy line past the pump tower. Lure casters can work the better concentrations of suspended fish. Schools may also be present with the ends of the longer points worth a look. Stick to the main basin rather than heading right up the lake as the better fish are likely to be in the deeper middle section of the dam within a couple of

Gold Coast

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

Little Rippas and 50mm Poltergeist Crazy Deeps are ideal for probing through the deeper water where the fish are likely to be holding. With the dam getting low,

Mitchell Petty had some good sessions on the big Wivenhoe bass. He found fish on ledges out from Billies Bay and slow rolled a Gang Banger G2 spoon in gremlin colour to get the bites.

Gympie

Cairns 1

Townsville 2

3 4

Proserpine 6 Mackay

Rockhampton

Emerald 29 7

Highlighted dams are covered in this issue

Gladstone

30 8

Bundaberg 9

Maryborough

Roma

kilometres of the boat ramp. With the fish so close, they are easily accessible to boats and kayak anglers. • For all your fishing supplies and the latest reports on the surrounding dams, call in to see Fish’n’Bits in Alderley Street. They have a great range of lures and fishing gear. The boys can sort you out with the right gear and give you some tips on where to find them. The gates to the boat ramp are now open from 6am to 8pm.

BRISBANE

SOMERSET CLOSEST TOWNS: ESK, KILCOY Last month, the bass were surprisingly tough to tempt. Big schools of fish could be located but the bites were hard to come by. This is unusual, as this time of year is generally very good. As things heat up more, the fish will move a bit shallower and spread out through the water column. This will be a great month To page 63

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

        

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

AUG SEP OCT 5 5 5 70 68 66 5 5 4 26 25 24 95 92 88 97 92 86 43 41 39 69 66 64 0 0 0 33 33 30 6 4 3

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

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

9 9 8 38 38 38 3 3 3 100 100 99 17 16 14 9 8 3 92 90 89 87 85 82 99 93 86 69 55 40 4 4 4 101 97 93

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

Maroon 73 70 64 Monduran/Fred Haigh 76 73 71 Moogerah 52 47 45 North Pine/Samsonvale 68 65 63 Peter Faust/Proserpine 79 77 75 Pindari 5 5 5 Somerset 76 71 69 Teemburra 100 99 98 Tinaroo 92 87 81 Toonumbar 63 55 48 Wivenhoe 54 52 50 Wuruma 83 78 75

For fortnightly updates on Sunwater dams visit www.sunwater.com.au This symbol indicates that a Stocked Impoundment Permit is required to fish these dams. All figures are % readings Current as of 16/10/19

(All levels correct at time of going to press. Dam levels can change at any time, so please check with local authorities to ensure safe boating and fishing.) 62

NOVEMBER 2019

From page 62

to start trolling the dam. Trolling diving lures capable of reaching 10m will put you in with a good chance of nailing bass and the occasional golden perch. As the deeper areas hold less fish, they will move to shallower grounds around the 10m mark or stay out deep and suspend where they are easy to spot on the sounder. This will be a change from the last few months when they have had the habit of disappearing in deep water and hugging the bottom. As thermoclines get stronger and begin to rise in the water column, water over 12m deep becomes less favourable for any length of time. I assume this has a lot to do with depleting oxygen levels in the deeper water.

have started to make a comeback and have again dominated catches. The smaller profile spoons will be ideal as we move into the warmer months. Try a mixture of hopping and slow rolling. Tail spinners are another good option on the suspended fish. When they sit off the bottom, these lures are good for hopping or winding through the fish. It was around the end of November last year that chatterbaits came into their own. We trolled and wind drifted with this lure for some remarkable results. I am only guessing, but based on the last two years, it will be one of the most soughtafter lures for this lake. With most session producing in excess of 30 fish when other lures failed to get noticed, it was as close to finding a

9-12m of water out from Billies Bay and Logans Inlet should help you to locate them. It is a vast expanse of water and spending time on the sounder to find fish is very critical to success on this lake. When found, show the fish a spoon and they are likely to eat it. Long casts with spoons are the way to go. Cast as long as possible when searching the flats and then shorten casts up only if fish are found closer to the boat. Other lures worth using are blades and soft vibes. If the wind is up for drift fishing, or you want to troll and wind the reel doing frequent drop backs, spinnerbaits and chatterbaits will really start to shine. Lure trollers will be successful when using deeper offerings along the edges of the flats. It is sometimes necessary to

Kylie Bridge managed to haul this golden perch in from the Borumba timber. The lure used was a Spectre Vibration Jig. Lure casters have been doing it tough for the last month. The fish, while easy to locate, have refused to eat just about anything some days. Luckily, there are still those few special days where they drop their guard and chew. Sometimes the window is short and you need to capitalise on it while it is on offer. Welcome to Somerset! This type of hot and cold action seems to be commonplace on these waters. Never has the saying “You should have been here yesterday” been more true. The bass were quite fussy about which lures they wanted the last couple of months. When they are like this, it really pays to have a few rods on the go and mix the lure selection up. Blades, tail spinners, soft plastics and chatterbaits all shone at different times when the ever-popular spoons seemed to fail. In more recent times, the spoons

magic lure as you are ever likely to get. If the action picks up again on these lures, I will be sure to post some more how to videos on the Hot Bite Fishing Facebook page. Once you master the basic technique, you will see why these lures are so productive. • Somerset Fishing has their store based at the area above the day use boat ramp. The store is open over holidays and otherwise from Friday to Sunday. Orders can also be made online via the website www.somersetfishing.com. au . They have an excellent range of gear suited to fishing for bass and golden perch. WIVENHOE CLOSEST TOWNS: FERNVALE, ESK The bass fishing has been pretty reliable on Wivenhoe and now things have warmed up, you can expect to see a lot more golden perch and catfish. The Wivenhoe bass seem to be holding around the deeper flats in the middle of the dam. Searching in

push lures past 10m deep to get consistent bites and to do this you will need to fish lighter than 8lb braid. Keep lures well behind the boat at 40-50m and troll faster to get the maximum depth out of them. Smaller profile lure capable of diving to 10m metres will put you in with a good chance. Keep a lure retriever on a long rope handy as there are quite a few snags on some of the drop offs. These areas are very good for golden perch. • The guys at Charltons Bait and Tackle at Redbank are the boys to see about Wivenhoe, Moogerah and Maroon. Their impressive wall of lures is enough to make any freshwater angler drool. Call in, stock up and get a few tips on where to head before your next trip to the lakes. MOOGERAH CLOSEST TOWNS: BOONAH, RATHDOWNEY Lake Moogerah will produce bass and golden perch this month. The flats

have been a bit quiet but are still worth a look. Sound around The Spit near the northern boat ramp, the point leading into the deep Quarry Bay and out from The Palms south of western facing, southern ramp. If nothing is around head into the timber. The fish should be holding on the flats and tight to the trees. Early in the day, try casting lipless crankbaits, blades and tail spinners. Trolling through the trees can also be successful. Medium diving hardbodies should be devoured. When all else fails, stick to trolling a lipless crankbait. Using your electric motor alter the speed so the lure is just swimming. Check the action beside the boat and then fling it a full cast out behind the boat. Make sure you carry a lure retriever as you will no doubt need it sooner or later. MAROON CLOSEST TOWNS: BEAUDESERT, BOONAH We should see a bit of a change this month at Maroon. The bass which were munching soft plastics and suspending hardbodies and jerkbaits should start to hone in more on reaction style offerings. Spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and beetle spin rigged soft plastics would be my first pick. Flicking lures that weigh 1/4-1/2oz to the weedy edges should get the bites from the better quality fish. Look for broken weed during the low light hours and fish over the top of the holes. As it gets brighter, work the deeper edges of the weed. Broken weed is very attractive to fish as it forms shadows for the fish to hide in. Topwater action will also pick up this month. You will need to hit the water before sun up to get the early morning bite. In the afternoons, wait until the light is fading and even try

Nigel Middleton found the bigger profile spoon was just what the Borumba bass wanted. your luck into the dark. Work surface lures over the tops of weed beds in areas out of the wind. Smaller lures around 60-70mm long are perfect. When the fish are eating topwater, they aren’t usually too fussy but play around with different styles. Things like the O.S.P. Bent Minnow, C’ultiva Zip’n Ziggys, Rapala Skitterpops and small fizzers are all worth a toss. BORUMBA CLOSEST TOWNS: IMBIL, NOOSA The bass have been chewing well at Borumba. The main basin points and the flats areas around 10m deep near The Junction are the places to be. Bigger spoons weighing in at 20-30g have been doing well with the Gang Banger G1 working very well for Nigel Middleton recently. The Spectre Vibration Jig has also excelled on the Borumba bass and golden perch population. This will be a great

AWOONGA GATEWAY LODGE

“ Right on Awoonga’s doorstep. All set up for fishos, with tranquil surroundings. “

month to target saratoga in the dam’s upper reaches. Casting lures to the structure-lined edges will get the bites. The fish will venture further from cover in the mornings and late afternoon but during the day look to fish any shadows. These fish feed quite shallow so you can start retrieving as soon as lures splash down. Small plastics, beetle spins, spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits all perform well. These lures are great for covering heaps of water. There has been a growing trend to throw swimbaits at these fish as well. • Davos at Noosaville has all the gear you’ll need to tackle the fish at Borumba and Lake MacDonald. The store caters well for fresh and saltwater anglers. They can be found in the Homemaker Centre on the corner of Mary and Thomas Streets. To page 64

k pin a a rr ch Cat ed Ba 00! g tag in $20 to w

• Pet friendly • BBQ areas • Saltwater pool www.awongagatewaylodge.com awoongagateway@bigpond.com NOVEMBER 2019

What’s NeW FIshING Storm BiScay minnow and Shad 1 Designed with long casting and fast winding in mind, but still at home fished slowly in shallow and deepwater situations, the 360GT Coastal Biscay Minnow features a slim, supple body rigged to a tapered jighead with a fixed hook. An additional chin eyelet gives the option of adding an assist hook or blade. The weighted head and body combination allow you to cast further and fish deeper, and the paddle-tail kicks with lifelike action and incredible vibration, even at slow speeds. The Storm 360GT Biscay Shad swims with a particularly realistic action compared to most other baits. The super supple body is fixed to the head by a free-swinging screw and VMC hook that rest perfectly hidden within the soft body’s weedless channel system. When attacked, the body collapses and the large hook gape is exposed for a clean hook-up. Every 360GT Coastal Biscay is extremely visually detailed with each body perfectly matched to its own jighead with a heavyduty VMC hook. Bodies are also sold separately. www.stormfishing.com.au

daiwa tierra Lt

The Daiwa Tierra has a long history of delivering class-leading performance at a great price, and the latest version, the Tierra LT, is no exception. An alloy body is where it all starts, with its rigid construction unyielding in the heat of battle. Highly resistant to corrosion and flexing, the alloy body is the foundation of the Tierra LT and its dominance as an ultimate saltwater reel. The Tierra LT boasts many innovative, performance-enhancing features, including new LT Concept, Tough Digigear, and a new Long Cast ABS spool. The Tierra LT is also gifted with a host of Daiwa’s tried and true technologies, including Air Rotor, ATD drag, CRBB bearings, EVA Knob, and Wire Bail. With striking blue livery, the Tierra LT excels whether you’re drifting baits for whiting or hopping plastics for snapper. It’s available in six deep spool sizes from 2000D to 6000D, and you can find out more at Daiwa Australia’s new website. www.daiwafishing.com.au

Lumica Puni ika Squid

Lumica Japan has released two new soft plastic squid: the 90mm Puni Ika Squid X-Wing and the 65mm Lumica Puni Ika Squid Wave. Both are built to hold a light, to provide maximum attraction. These realistic new squid imitations have been designed, developed and made in Japan. They feature an ultra-tough 10X material that is strong and stretchy. The Squid’s tantalising action is irresistible to any predatory fish that feeds on squid, cuttlefish or octopus, and the supple plastic is scent impregnated. A rigging slot makes rigging a breeze, whether you’re using a standard jighead, hidden weight or worm hook. The final key feature is a second slot that allows the angler to insert a Kemihotaru 25mm light inside the body to allow it to glow for added attraction. 70

NOVEMBER 2019

Product Guide

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The Puni Ika Squid X-Wing and Puni Ika Squid Wave are available now in packs of three. www.jurofishing.com

BLack magic gift Pack

Black Magic’s gift pack range has always offered anglers a well-chosen selection of quality tackle for their specific style of fishing but equally, they provide excellent value for money. Now the range has a new entrant: the Freshwater Gift Pack. As the name suggests, this pack targets the freshwater fisheries around Australia, but the tackle is also suited to most estuaries. Included in the pack are some of Black Magic’s tried-and-true favourite lures like the BMax bibbed lures, the Spinsect and the Enticer. Also included are their latest spinning lures – the Spinmax and the Rattle Snack. Top this off there’s a Black Magic beanie and some Deception leader, giving you the perfect range of freshwater gear to get you started. www.blackmagictackle.com

daiwa J-thread nyLon

J-Thread Nylon is Daiwa’s newest addition to the J-Thread family of premium Japanese fishing line. Like all J-Family products, J-Thread Nylon is made in Japan from the finest raw materials to deliver a monofilament line that is extremely supple, with outstanding shock resistance and knot strength. J-Thread Nylon has been designed for the Australian market, where the use of straightthrough nylon monofilament line is still popular, especially along the coasts where beach fishing is prominent. J-Thread Nylon is clear in colour, and comes parallel spooled to further reduce memory, aiding in long smooth casting and tangle free use. Daiwa J-Thread Nylon is available in 6lb through to 40lb line weights in 300m spools, and 50lb in a 250m spool. Price: SRP $19.99-$24.99 www.daiwafishing.com.au

aLvey orBiter SPinning reeL

Alvey side cast reels have been manufactured for 100 years to best practice standards, and they are still as tough and durable as they ever have been. For the last two years Alvey has been running an R&D program to expand its range of products, spending over $1 million to ensure it continues to produce the very best tackle. To this end, Alvey has launched the Orbiter range of spinning reels. There are four models, SR60, SR80, SR100 and the SR200, and they have the kind of durability we’ve come to expect from Alvey. The reels are a dream to use with 9+1 stainless steel ball bearings, 5.8:1 ratio and excellent line capacity. The drag strength is incredible, and the large handle knob makes commanding the fish a breeze. Of course, the legendary side casts are still king of the beach, but these reels are set to become king of the estuaries, flats, bays and reefs! They are a must for Alvey brand lovers and spinning reel enthusiasts. Orbiter reels can be pre-ordered at Alvey authorised retailers or on www.alvey.com.au, and will be in store from December 2019. Price: SRP $199-$289 www.alvey.com.au

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

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PRODUCT GUIDE

WHAT’S NEW FISHING

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

BLUEWATER SINKING 7 STICKBAITS 7

The new Floating and Sinking stickbaits from the popular Bluewater stable are built tough to take on the most ferocious predators when targeting bluewater species, including giant trevally, tuna, tarpon and more. The Sinking Stickbait weighs in at 98g, which is ideal to cast or troll for pelagics. Like the Floating Stickbait, this lure is hand crafted using a super clear hand-poured resin, and features a heavy-duty wirethrough construction to withstand attacks from the hardest-hitting brutes of the ocean. You can find more information on the range at the JM Gillies website, or for the latest news, catch photos and competitions, check them out on Facebook (facebook.com/jm.gillies) or follow them on Instagram (@jm.gillies). www.jmgillies.com.au

RAPALA RIPSTOP DEEP

The new Rapala RipStop Deep tail design creates a fast ripping, hard stopping, flashing swimbait action. The RipStop Deep’s forward motion stops on a dime, with a subtle shimmy before coming to a rest. Then it ever-soslightly lifts its head with a super slow rise. You just cast and wind, wind and stop, twitch, rip and suspend. The Rapala RipStop Deep is currently available in 10 colours, weighs 15g and has a swimming depth from 1.2m to 2.4m. It is the ultimate bait for a range of species and fishing scenarios, from large flathead on the flats to barramundi deep in cover, and it’s available now in all good tackle stores. For more information check out the Rapala Australia website or Like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/rapala. australia. www.rapala.com.au

SHIMANO SPEEDMASTER LD II 9

Compact lever drag overheads with dual gears and castability — the new Shimano SpeedMaster Lever Drag II are multi-purpose reels that will slot right in to a number of offshore fishing scenarios. There are two sizes to choose from — a 12 and a 16 — and both feature Hagane gearing in two speed ratios (5.7:1 dropping down to 3.1:1), with the lower gear being handy when you have to bust a fish out of a deep-sounding mindset. Line capacities are 350m and 440m of 10kg nylon respectively, which increases dramatically if you spool up with fine diameter braid. Being a lever drag, they are also versatile enough to fish a variety of line classes and drag settings, with a maximum drag power of 18kg, which is a lot for a little reel. The single piece Hagane Body means the stresses and strains associated with higher drag settings keeps all internals in perfect alignment and meshing smoothly, assisted by the presence of four SA-RB bearings. The SpeedMaster’s S Concept Design is reminiscent of Shimano’s Talicas, and increased corrosion resistance will have them looking good for years to come. And on top of all this the new SpeedMasters are also highly castable, which is excellent versatility for a lever drag overhead. Price: SRP $399.95-$419.95 www.shimanofish.com.au

HALCO SLIDOG 125

ZMAN 2.75” TRD BUGZ

VENOM OCEAN GLADIATOR

The new Slidog 125 joins Halco’s stickbait pack just under the Slidog 150, and is sure to bark just as loud! Featuring the same highly versatile action that attracts beasts from the deep, the 125 is packed into a compact body profile that will be applicable in countless shallow and midwater situations. The lure is in its element being belted out over bubbling bait schools to entice pelagics at pace, and is just as deadly being slowly twitched amongst shallow bommies, terrorizing territorial coral trout and spangled emperor populations. Featuring the ever-reliable 1/0 Mustad trebles and Halco’s ultra tough 4xx fish rings, the Slidog 125 is equipped to fight well above its weight class. The lure is 125mm long and weighs in at 52g, allowing for epic castability with a medium casting outfit, inevitably covering more ground and finding more fish. www.halcotackle.com

The ZMan 2.75” TRD BugZ are a deadly finesse presentation for bream, bass, flathead, redfin, trout and loads more, rigged standard, weedless or combined with a TT Lures NedlockZ jighead as part of the Ned Rig system. TRD BugZ feature the texture, ribbing and appendages to represent many different aquatic and terrestrial creatures that make up the diet of a variety of fresh and saltwater species. Additional features include a hook pocket for easy weedless rigging and two larger ‘claws’ and two offset smaller ‘claws’ that come to life thanks to ZMan’s super-soft and flexible, naturally buoyant ElaZtech material. As well as a deadly finesse soft plastic presentation, TRD BugZ also make an excellent skirted jig trailer, making them a versatile addition to your soft plastics arsenal. TRD BugZ are available in eight colours (bloodworm, greasy prawn, hot craw, hot snakes, motor oil, mud bug, the deal and watermelon red) in packs of six. Price: SRP $11.95 www.z-man.com.au

The team at Venom Rods has designed a series of rods to take on the biggest predators in the ocean: the Ocean Gladiator series. There are four rods in the range: a 15kg slick butt stroker, a 24kg slick butt stroker, a 36kg slick butt stroker and a 60kg bent butt stand-up rod for when things are getting serious! All rods in the range feature ALPS Zirconium guides that are constructed from SS316 anti-rust stainless in a onestamp finish to increase strength and reduce weight. The rods also make use of the ALPS CAH reel seat, a reel seat that is built from marine grade aluminium and presents with a locking centre hood and a newly designed hexagon locking nut for the ultimate in reel security. The Venom Ocean Gladiator series is built on the high modulus Venom blank, which provides incredible lightness and unparalleled strength. This ensures that while fighting a fish, the angler is not unnecessarily fatigued from fighting the weight of the outfit, and can concentrate on using the strength in the Venom blank to dictate terms to the most stubborn of fish. www.wilsonfishing.com

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

WHAT’S NEW FISHING

TESTED

PRODUCT GUIDE

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

New arrivals from Yamashita are set to make their mark

Who doesn’t love targeting squid, whether it’s off the rocks, on the boat or a local jetty? Chasing them is on my to-do list on nearly every boating adventure, and I love to adapt with new techniques to get more strikes. New technologies are always developing, and they can change your ideas of how these animals hunt. Yamashita has updated its popular Egi Oh Live Search 490 Glow and Egi Oh K jig ranges, and earlier this year I decided to try them out. The Live Search 490 now has new colours and a tin sinker, and the Egi Oh K now has shallow and super shallow versions and new UV glow colours (called ‘keimura’ in Japanese). I’ve been using Yamashita jigs for a number of years and have found them to be reliable producers, and I wanted to find out whether these new models made a difference or if I should stick with the originals. The results were interesting. FIELD TESTING For both jigs I used a Shimano Zodias 6’8 3-5kg rod paired with 8lb braid and 10lb fluorocarbon leader on a Shimano Stradic 2500 ci4 reel. For this kind of

fishing your rod needs to have some give and flex for the action that’s needed to get the jigs moving around. I tied on the Egi Oh Live Search 490 first. The colour range is excellent, and I decided to start with the orange colour. Although the 490 picked up squid throughout the day, it really came into its own for those first light squid that were actively hunting their prey. The jig’s 600Hz rattle and glow, coupled with a sharp darting action, was deadly. However, when the squid were a bit flighty and wary, the 490’s sound/rattle tended to spook them. In that situation, I replaced the 490 with my old Egi Oh Live jig without the rattle, and sometimes dropped down a size if the conditions allowed. While I definitely will keep the 490 as my go-to for when the squid are actively feeding, I will continue to rely on my quiet jigs in most situations. The second product I tested was the Egi Oh K, which has a rear hydro fin for better stability on the sink. I selected the purple colour and tried it on a day when the conditions were a bit rougher, which is when you need a jig with a steady, natural sink rate. Squid can be easily put off by an unnatural looking bait. The Egi Oh K’s unique rear fin helped to create a natural flutter as the jig dropped down. As the day progressed

NOVEMBER 2019

and I was faced with some choppy seas and a howling southerly off South Head in Sydney, the K secured some great live baits in the nasty conditions. This model is available in sizes 2.5, 3.0, and 3.5, in regular, shallow and super shallow versions. My favourite colours are gold tape, red tape and UV body. All in all, I found the Live Search 490 and Egi Oh K to be simple to use, easy to cast and very responsive to the smallest amount of action you create by whipping or lifting the rod. They’re simple enough for the novice squid fisher and technical enough for the more advanced. I matched these with long 6’8”-7’ foot rods to really allow me to whip the jigs around. You want a fair amount of give in your rods for when a big squid decides to start pulling some drag! When it comes to the price, these jigs are middle of the range, and are great quality for the price. They retail from $15$20 at most stores, and their high quality and clever design makes them significantly more effective than cheap jigs. Overall, I have been very impressed with the continuous innovation in Yamashita’s squid jigs. If you’re looking to target a new PB calamari or just want to try out this exciting form of fishing, I highly recommend them. You can view the full range at www. ejtodd.com.au. – Ben O’Brien

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Lismore local lands a victory Nick Anderson is a Lismore-based local and knows the Richmond River well. His knowledge of where to fish on what stage of the tide helped him secure his first ABT win and a spot straight into the 2019 ABT Sufix Bass Pro Grand Final at Lake St Clair. Nick’s Friday pre-fish was going to be spent driving for 40 minutes up Bungawalbin Creek, but he changed his mind in search of some new areas. While he found a few fish here and there, it wasn’t until he got to a spot in Swan Bay that he formulated a plan for his tournament to come. On day one Nick went straight to his spot at Swan Bay. It took him 15 minutes to get there, and he knew he had about 20-30 minutes to kill before the tide started to run in. He had time to set himself into position on a 20ft drop-off that came up to a 15ft flat. He was using an Ecogear ZX blade in colour 447 on a 6’ Millerod and a 2000 Daiwa Freams reel. Once the tide started pushing in it was on, and Nick was catching fish straight

Nick Anderson used his local knowledge to put together a winning bag on the Richmond River. away, and by watching his Garmin LiveScope he could see what type of hop of the blade the fish would react better to. Nick said you could see them getting

excited and flaring the gills the crunching his blade when he got twitched it the way they wanted. Catching a limit in an hour and a half and

BOATER RESULTS Place Name 1 Nick Anderson 2 Chris Deland 3 Keeghan Painter 4 Braden Schuch 5 Joe Allan 6 Aaron Swanson 7 Peter Phelps 8 Philip Nix 9 Brett Hyde 10 Andrew Lollback

Total Fish Total Weight (kg) 8 8.21 8 7.10 8 7.09 8 6.84 8 6.82 8 6.52 8 6.49 8 6.09 8 6.05 8 6.05

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

NOVEMBER 2019

upgrading about eight times, he then headed to Bungawalbin Creek, but unfortunately couldn’t get any more upgrades. Nick finished day one

NICK ANDERSON TACKLE Rod: Reel: Line: Lure:

6’ Millerods spin rod 2000 Daiwa Freams Berkley X9 10lb and 8lb FC Rock leader Ecogear ZX Blade in colour 447 Nick also attributes his success to his Garmin Panoptix LiveScope sounder

coming to the scales with four fish for 3.75kg. On the second day Nick went straight back to Swan Bay. He had a lot longer to wait for the run-in tide that was so kind to him on day one, but the benefit of being local was that he had a run-out spot on the other side of Swan Bay. His non-boater Mitchell Rose opened the account by catching a good one on a spinnerbait, and before too long the tide started to push back in. Nick motored over to his flat and started catching them using his same technique from day one, hopping a ZX blade on the same 15ft flat, watching them on his Garmin Panoptix LiveScope. He ended up catching a limit by 11:00am and getting a final upgrade at around 12:00pm. He brought the heaviest bag that day to the scales, with four fish for 4.46kg, and a combined weight of 8.21kg, which sealed Nick’s first ABT win.

Scan the QR code to see Nick Anderson Interview.

Scan the QR code to see Richmond River Highlights.

NON-BOATER RESULTS Place Name 1 Paul Mazaroli 2 Mitchell Rose 3 Rodney Thorpe 4 Blair Shapland 5 Adrian Melchior 6 Mitchell Petty 7 Anthony Melchior 8 Angus Meyndershagen 9 Shaun Beekman 10 Ben Biggs

Total Fish Total Weight (kg) 8 7.91 8 7.39 8 7.19 8 6.81 8 6.77 8 6.42 8 6.42 8 6.39 8 6.15 8 6.13

First-timer from Forster scores second Chris Deland is a Forster local, and this area is known for having produced some champion anglers over the years. Chris really stepped up to the mark, earning 2nd place in his first ABT Bass Pro on a river he had never seen, let alone fished. For day one Chris had local angler Adrian Melchior as his non-boater, and the team headed up the Wilsons River for nearly an hour before getting to the spot. Chris started throwing a topwater rat around for half an hour for not even a boil before changing to a Vex blade. The blade caught some fish, but they weren’t coming in thick and fast. It wasn’t until he changed to a black and blue PF cover jig that he begun to work out a pattern. Pitching it into laydowns, weed, and whatever snags

and cover he could find, the fish just couldn’t resist this offering being dragged and twitched slowly along the bottom. Once the tide started to push in, he really started turning some numbers over, filling his bag by 10:00am and upgrading every so often after that. His limit of four bass for day one weighing 3.49kg had him in a strong position ahead of day two. For his second day Chris had Anthony Melchior (son of his day one non-boater) on board. Deland made the same run up the Wilsons arm and fished the same way as he had on day one, working his jig through snags and bouncing over rocks. He managed to find new snags and angles he left on day one, and found this was the key to catching his day two limit. He squeezed anything he could out of there,

early, which may have cost him first place, but he and Anthony fished hard all

Mazza finishes season strong Paul ‘Mazza’ Mazaroli made the trek all the way from Sydney, and loves any type of sport; he probably takes marbles seriously. One thing he really loves, however, is fishing, and he’s not too bad at it either!

this technique often. Once they got there and the tide started to run in, they went to work hopping blades down deep and catching plenty of fish, even upgrading eight times. Once the bite stopped at Swan Bay, they spot

Scan the QR code to see Paul Mazaroli Interview.

Forster local Chris Deland (right) relied on his experience fishing on other rivers to secure a podium finish. It probably didn’t hurt to have father and son Adrian and Anthony Melchior (pictured) as his non-boaters on day one and day two respectively! catching four keepers by 11:00am. He also got busted off by some big fish

of 3.75kg. For day two Mazza drew Keeghan Painter, who had a totally different plan to his day one boater. They went in the other direction, going upstream. Pulling up at the first spot, Keeghan caught a

and certainly good viewing! The bite did slow down with the tide, so they headed to the launch point to see what was around, and even pulled up for lunch before heading back out once the tide started again. After lunch they upgraded once and caught a few 900g fish that were no help to them. When the pair stepped up to the scales everyone could tell they had enjoyed their day on the water. Their four bass came in at 4.16kg, giving Mazza a total weight of 7.91kg, which was enough to score him his first ABT BASS Pro win and also earn him the 2019 ABT Angler of the Year title!

BASS Pro Series presented by

day, upgrading gradually to finish with a limit of 3.61kg and total of 7.10kg. This

gave him automatic entry to the 2019 ABT Sufix BASS Pro Grand Final.

GARMIN BIG BASS Barry Reynolds managed to land an absolute horse for the Richmond River, weighing in a 1.95kg bass that he caught on a 3/8oz Bassman spinnerbait in white.

Paul Mazaroli (left) travelled up from Sydney to enjoy two spectacular days of fishing on the Richmond River, and ended up taking out the non-boater division and Angler of the Year! For the first day, Paul was fishing with boater winner Nick Anderson, which saw him heading to Swan Bay to fish a 20ft ledge with a rise to a 15ft flat. Mazza was at home fishing to schooling bass with blades, as he has competed for a few years on the ABT BREAM tour and uses

hopped around a bit, even running right up Bungawalbin Creek, but they only managed some small fish here and there. Paul said it was one of those days where he was in the zone and having a great day. They ended up bringing four fish to the scales for a total day one weight

1.1kg bass first cast. Paul thought to himself that this was going to be a good day, and it turns out he was right. Between them they had caught their limit by 8:30am fishing blades on the riverbank drop offs. To have been a fly on the wall watching this pair of clowns having a good day would have been hilarious,

Winners Nick Anderson and Chris Deland display a sample of the well-conditioned bass the Richmond has on offer. NOVEMBER 2019

Cooking

Trio of prawns throwback: Asian style edition BRISBANE

Lynn Bain

The trio of prawns was one of the very first recipes I submitted to Fishing Monthly many years ago.

Back then in the days of slide film, the article featured just a single photograph! Over the years I have continued to tweak, fiddle and adjust the recipe. They are still as easy to make and in some cases, they have

Garlic Prawns

as a main course with either steamed rice or noodles. You can serve the prawns either tail on or tail off. If I am serving the prawns as finger food, I prefer to leave the tails on as a little handle to hold onto the prawns.

Chilli Prawns

Before juicing, roll the whole lime across your work surface several times. This will make it easier to squeeze out the juice. Feel free to use whatever peppercorns you have to hand. Over the years, I have

used all sorts of peppercorns such as black, drained green peppercorns, pink peppercorns as well as a mixture of all of them. You may like to try Szechuan peppercorns to keep with the Asian theme.

Pepper Prawns

Ingredients

• 250g green prawns, peeled and deveined • 2 tablespoons canola oil • 3 tablespoons coriander • 3 cloves garlic, finely grated • 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine • 1 tablespoon salt reduced soy sauce

• 250g green prawns, peeled and deveined • 2 tablespoons chilli sauce • 1 teaspoon chilli jam (optional) • 1 tablespoon kecap manis • juice and zest of 1 lime • 1 tablespoon canola oil • 1 green shallot, finely sliced

• 1 tablespoon canola oil • 250g green prawns, peeled and deveined • 1 tablespoon freshly crushed peppercorns • 1 tablespoon salt reduced soy sauce • 1/2 cup light (fat reduced) coconut cream • 1 tablespoon coriander leaves, finely chopped

In either a mortar and pestle or a food processor, process 1 tablespoon of canola oil with the coriander and garlic. Grind until smooth(ish). In a frypan, heat the remaining oil over a medium heat. Add the garlic/coriander mixture to the frypan and stir-fry for a couple of minutes.

In a glass bowl, combine the chilli sauce, chilli jam, kecap manis, lime zest and juice. Add the prawns to the chilli sauce mixture and stir gently to coat the prawns. Allow the prawns to marinade for at least an hour in the fridge.

Heat the canola oil in a frypan over a medium heat. Add the prawns to the pan and stir-fry for a minute or so. Then add the crushed peppercorns to the prawns and stir.

Add the prawns to the pan and continue to stir-fry, ensuring the prawns are well coated in the garlic/coriander mixture. Stir the Chinese cooking wine and soy sauce through the prawns in the pan. Continue to cook for a minute.

3 82

become a little healthier. In this edition’s Garlic Prawns recipe, I have veered away from the cream based sauce to a more Asian vibe by using soy sauce. The prawns can be served either as finger food or served

Remove from the frying pan and the garlic prawns are now ready to serve.

NOVEMBER 2019

When you are ready to cook the prawns, heat the canola oil in a frypan over a medium heat. Add the prawns as well as the marinade to the pan and stir-fry until the prawns are cooked.

Pour the soy sauce and coconut cream into the pan. Continue to stir-fry for a further couple of minutes or until the prawns are cooked and the coconut cream is bubbling.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the finely sliced green shallot. The chilli prawns are ready to eat.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir through the coriander leaves. The pepper prawns are ready to eat.

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Email: onshoremarine@ozemail.com.au

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BRISBANE HOLT MARINE

AIRLIE BEACH WHITSUNDAY OUTBOARD CENTRE

25 Queens Road, Everton Park 4053

17 William Murray Drive, Cannonvale 4802

Phone: (07) 3353 1928

Phone: (07) 4946 7286

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Email: woc@whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au

Website: www.holtmarine.com.au

Website: www.whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au

BRISBANE NORTH SOUTHERN FISH MARINE 9/11 Spinnaker Drive, Sandstone Point 4511 Phone: (07) 5497 6733 Email: info@southernfishmarine.com.au Website: www.southernfishmarine.com.au

NOVEMBER 2019

Trades, Services, Charter BOAT MODIFICATION & REPAIRS

BAIT & TACKLE

Boat Collar (07) 5441 3636 CMC Marine Sales 0409 910 808 Iconic Boats Brisbane 0475 311 447 Marine Windows and Doors Brisbane (07) 3284 5088 Small Craft Electrics (mobile) 0408 063 064

Allfly Outfitters – 0428 615 885 Alvey - www.alvey.com.au Bait Tackle Store - www.baittacklestore.com Barambah Lures - www.barambahlures.com Bayside Bait & Tackle – 07 3820 9757

MARINE MECHANICS

C & Horsey Lures - 07 3275 1881 Chilton Tackle Co - http://www.chiltontackleco.com.au/ Coomera Bait & Tackle - www.coomerahouseboats.com.au Crab’n Gear - www.crabngear.com.au

Halco - www.halcotackle.com

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

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

NORTH QUEENSLAND

Sportys Fishing - www.sportyswarehouse.com.au Wilson Fishing - www.wilsonfishing.com

North Queensland Outboard Wreckers Townsville 1800 812 748

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

FISHING GUIDES

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND

Gem Bait & Tackle - 07 3287 3868

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND

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

Fisho’s Tackle World - www.fishostackleworld.com.au

MARINE OUTBOARD WRECKERS

Reef Marine Mackay (07) 4957 3521

SAMPLE AD - BUSINESS NAME

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Lake Monduran Barra Charters 0407 434 446

TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND Hooked On Hinchinbrook www.hookedonhinchinbrook.com

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

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION

This is where your copy will appear. You will have approximately 50 words within a 5x2 ad size. $320 + GST for 6 months Email nkelly@fishingmonthly.com.au

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

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION FRASER ISLAND Apurla Island Retreat 0437 739 121 Cathedrals on Fraser (07) 4127 9177

BOAT HIRE // HOUSE

Great family and fishing boats! • 600km2 of sheltered waterways on the Gold Coast Broadwater.

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• Fantastic Fishing • Tackle Shop • Bait and Ice

NO LICENCE REQUIRED

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

NEW

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MINN REPAIRS & SERVICING

Eurong Beach Resort 1800 111 808

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

Waddy Lodge on Fraser 0414 516 364

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

MARINE MECHANICS // MOBILE WYNUMM MANLY-BAYSIDE

Lake Monduran Houseboat – www.lakem.com.au Moreton Bay Holidays Afloat - www.moretonbayholidaysafloat.com

BOAT MODIFICATION & REPAIRS

FIBREGLASS Repairs

Brisbane South and Gold Coas t

• Modifications • Detailing • Repairs JOE BONNICI

0410 480 203

Salt-Away www.salt-away.com.au ASM Mobile Welding Brisbane 0409 624 402 Bluewater Windscreens Brisbane (07) 3382 7883

Wondall Rd Marine (07) 3396 5633

SAMPLE AD - BUSINESS NAME This is where your copy will appear. You will have approximately 50 words within a 5x2 ad size. $320 + GST for 6 months Email nkelly@fishingmonthly.com.au

Fraser Island Beach Houses 1800 626 230 Yidney Rocks (07) 4127 9167

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Baffle Creek Holiday House 0419 624 833

COOKTOWN River of Gold Motel 4069 5222

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

ONLINE TACKLE PRODUCTS

A GREAT BIT OF KIT JUST GOT BETTER The ultimate FG knot tool for braid/ leader joins large and MODIFIED small DESIGN

allows braid tension adjustment

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

CHECK IT OUT ONLINE ORDERS

www.fgwizz.com.au

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. 86

NOVEMBER 2019

Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory CHARTER BOATS

NORTHERN NSW

N O W AVA IL A B L E

Evans Head Deep Sea Fishing Charters 0428 828 835

GOLD COAST

Reel Time Fishing Charters Yamba 0428 231 962

BK’s Gold Coast Fishing Charters 0414 293 034 Coastal Sports Fishing Charters Gold Coast 0412 691 929 Discovery Fishing Charters Gold Coast 0427 026 519 Fish The Deep Charters 0416 224 412 Hooker 1 Charters Gold Coast (07) 5528 6469 Paradise Fishing Charters 0403 531 428 RU4 Reel Tweed Heads 0449 903 366 Sea Probe Fishing Charters 0400 312 330 True Blue Fishing Gold Coast (07) 5510 9622

SAMPLE AD - BUSINESS NAME This is where your copy will appear. You will have approximately 50 words within a 5x2 ad size. $320 + GST for 6 months Email nkelly@fishingmonthly.com.au

ALL YOUR FISHING MONTHLY GEAR

Wooli Fishing Charter (02) 6649 7100

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Ultimate Sportfishing Charters 0450 753 726

From

T-Shirts

MV Capricorn Star 0408 755 201

Mikat Cruises Fishing Charters 0427 125 727

22 85

Dave Gaden’s Yamba • Deep Sea

REEL TIME FISHING CHARTERS

• 6am to 2pm $150pp • 3 boats – holds up to 30+ people • All fishing gear and bait is supplied • No fishing licence req. • Pickup from Yamba Marina or Iluka ferry wharf

Phone Cases From

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

29 45

Mugs

From

OPEN 7 DAYS

EASY PARKING

BRISBANE

1 7 27

Big Cat Charters and Tom Cat Charters 0433 430 248 Frenzy Charters Brisbane (07) 3209 4576 John Gooding Outlaw Charters 0418 738 750 Moreton Island Fishing Charters 0413 128 056

MARINA BOAT & TACKLE, YAMBA MARINA

YAMBA’S LARGEST TACKLE STORE

Fishing Offshore Noosa 0418 889 956

• Chandlery • Boat Sales • Ice & Gas • Bait & Tackle • Trailers Sales & Parts • Charter Bookings Ph: 6646 1994 or 0428 231 962 Email: dave@gaden.com.au

Hervey Bay Fishing Charters (07) 4125 3958

Now Agents For

SUNSHINE COAST Fish n Crab Charters Mooloolaba 0412 155 814

Clocks $

42 7 0

Carry Bags

Incredible Charters 1300 655 818 Keely Rose Deep Sea Fishing Charters 0407 146 151

HERVEY BAY

From

Noosa Fishing Charters (07) 5665 8170 Odyssey Charters Deep Sea Fishing (07) 5478 1109 Offshore Reef and Game Fishing 0413 485 402

Fully Guided Lure & Fly Fishing •

• Custom Sportsfishing Vessels • Quality Fishing Gear Supplied

Throw Pillows

Smithy’s Fishing Charters Sunshine Coast 0407 574 868 Sunshine Coast Fishing Charters (07) 5500 0671 Top Catch Charters Sunshine Coast 0429 013 012

Jump onto our website and place your order today!

20 3 3

BORN AND BRED LOCAL GUIDE

Rainbow Beach Fishing Charters 0439 775 070

Get your very own Fishing Monthly shirt, carry bag, stubby cooler, or neck scarf...

From

25 4 2

and lots more...

www.herveybaysportfishing.com.au

Andrew Chorley

0407 627 852

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND (Cont.) Bundaberg Fishing Charters 0429 017 217

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

Sport Fish 1770 (07) 4974 9686 Coral Coast Game Fishing 0447 347 437 Norval Reef Charters 1800 771 234 Iluka Fishing Charters Gladstone 0414 940 911 Kanimbla Charters Gladstone1800 677 202

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

wp.fishingmonthly.com.au

Fishing Charters Townsville 0403 386 722 JC’s Fishing Charters 0438 753 382 Roko Island Fishing Charters 0488 074 593

fishingmonthly.redbubble.com

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

FUN PAGE AND COMPETITIONS FISH THAT PUT UP A FIGHT

GIANT TREVALLY AMBERJACK BLACK MARLIN BLUE MARLIN STRIPED MARLIN LONGTAIL TUNA SOUTHERN BLUEFIN ALBACORE KINGFISH SWORDFISH

DTD - REAL FISH OITA

COBIA JACK SAMSONFISH BARRAMUNDI SPANISH MACKEREL SAILFISH DHUFISH SALMON SNAPPER BASS

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 NOVEMBER 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

BARRA COUNTRY by Brett Currie

ORIGINAL

FIND-A-WORD

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

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE

The subscriber prize winner for September is M Dean of Bonogin, who won a Fishing Monthly Subscriber prize pack. All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

Higgins of Caboolture, R Quill of Tin Can Bay, R Brown of Edmonton, P Fielder of Everton Hills, G Winterton of Kawungan, J Routledge of Kepnock, R Jordan of Glenvale, K White of Aspley, I Hamson of Conondale, A Needham of Blackbutt, K Audridge of Rockville, R Morrison of Forbes, R Poor of Godwin Beach, J Kelly of Deception Bay, C Watson of Torquay, D Richter of Toogoolawah, K Picking of

Calliope, R Skeet of Marian, M Hever of Childers, B Scholz of Tingalpa, J Carvolth of Peak Crossing, B Frankel of Urangan, G Hazelwood of Bundaberg South, B Steers of Redbank Plains, E Heathwood of Mission Beach, M Chadwick of Burrum Heads, M Boyle of Slacks Creek, R Benson of Boondall. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – QFM

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS

FIND THE DAIWA LOGO

NOVEMBER2019 2019 8888 NOVEMBER

GUESS THE FISH?

This month’s Guess the Fish Answer: Yakka

The answers to Find the Daiwa Logo for September were: 10, 12, 24, 29, 30, 32, 36, 37, 40, 42, 45, 68, 71, 73, 76. – QFM The Find the Daiwa Logo prize winners for September were: E Lezuchowski of Darra, C Robinson of Edmonton, D Parker of Branyan, B Barratt of Bucca, B Mackey of Parkwood, M Baker of Gorokan, G Goubareff of Mt Warren Park, C Renz of Crestmead, J Paul of Inverell, P Carrington of Deception Bay, A Bragg of Mount Isa, K O’Brien of Burrum Heads, J

Answer:

boats & kayaks

In the skipper’s seat

Inside story...

Northbank Marine was established at Port Adelaide in 1996, in the historic Fletchers slipway. In 2006 they moved south of Adelaide to Lonsdale to purpose-built facilities to cater for the demand for the Northbank range of product. This 4000 square metre facility is state-of-the-art for the production of high-quality fibreglass boats. Northbank Fibreglass Boats is a family owned and operated business that today produces some of Australia’s finest boats.

Made for...

Northbank aim to build the best boats they can at a price that is sure to satisfy the buyer’s budget without compromising safety, integrity or style.

This month...

Editor Steve Morgan had great fun putting the Northbank 650C through its paces. Check it out on page 98!

90 Cruising Cabbage Tree Creek

Troy Brown takes shelter from the spring winds, and explores Cabbage Tree Creek in the yak.

92 Measuring success in the kayak

Sometimes we need to appreciate the little things in fishing, and this applies to kayaking as well, as Justin Willmer explains.

94 Is it worth going out in the boat?

At times you need to cut your losses and leave the boat at home, and Wayne Kampe provides a guide to help you decide when it is or isn’t worth taking the boat out.

NOVEMBER 2019

WHAT’S NEW BOATING FORMOSA SRT PLATE HULL

The new Formosa SRT Plate Hull combines the best boat designs from the Sea-Rod and Tomahawk brands, packaging them into one skilfully engineered plate boat. The new plate hull features excellent levels of performance, handling and stability, with a stronger Lock-Cell hull and deck structure with a Quad4 Water Ballast option available across the whole range. An increased deadrise, custombuilt cambered strakes and large reverse chine create hydrodynamic lift and superior traction. In addition, the SRT hull uses the Formosa Step Down Active Transom design, delivering smart storage solutions, easy on-board battery access, and flush-folding door and seating systems. The transom door and lounge fold down to create more sitting areas or fishing platforms, and fold away flush against the side of the boat when not in use for a clear deck area to move around. The folding lounge is also removable. There are four Active Transom designs to choose from, with optional extras available. www.formosamarineboats.com.au

BUILD YOUR FISHING WEAPON

Australian plate aluminium boat builder Bar Crusher has pushed live the latest version of its website – and with it, v2 of the brand’s online boat builder. Launched several years ago, Bar Crusher’s online build-and-quote system allows website visitors to review the huge list of standard features in every model and personalise each boat by selecting options such as hull colour, engine horsepower and additional factory-fitted accessories. Bar Crusher’s 26-model range spans 4.9-7.8m and is available in a number of configurations – cuddy cabin, hard top, hard top pilothouse, centre console, open hard top, walk around, and bow rider. Renowned for quality construction, superior performance and maximum fishability (with a range of standard fishing-related features other manufacturers charge as extras), every Bar Crusher boat is factory-packaged on a customdesigned trailer to ensure towing, launching and retrieving is a breeze. Self-centering and aligning perfectly every time, Bar Crusher’s innovative Bar Catch system also allows for single-handed launch and retrieve. The new boat builder function is now online and ready to go, so head to the Bar Crusher website and get started on building your fishing weapon. barcrusher.com.au

ACR REMOTECONTROLLED LIGHT 3 The new RCL-85 LED searchlight from ACR was designed for the boater who wants to ditch the hassle of halogen searchlights, but still wants their affordability. With an impressive 240,000 candelas using six High Flux (30W) LEDs, you have visibility over half a nautical mile to light the way to your destination. The simple installation only requires running your 12-24V power to the searchlight, and all operations are completely wireless. The RCL-85’s sleek design makes it an attractive and cost-effective choice for small to medium sized vessels. The searchlight comes with a wireless handheld remote to rotate the light 350°. With an 8° beam angle, the light can tilt an impressive 90° degrees to make lighting structure a breeze. There is also a strobe function to signal for help. The RCL-85 is weather resistant with the electronics located in the IP68 water-resistant light head instead of the base for increased protection. The ASA housing and lens are 96

NOVEMBER 2019

PRODUCT GUIDE

sealed against the elements for years of troublefree operation. Price: SRP approx. $700 www.acrartex.com

TOHATSU MFS60A

The new VFS60A outboard from Tohatsu weighs only 98.5kg, which is 7kg lighter than its nearest competitor and 15% lighter than Tohatsu’s renowned M60C 2-stroke. Tohatsu are fully aware of the implications that weight has on a boat’s performance, and this is for those boaters who are re-powering from a 2-stroke. The MFS60A has a proven pedigree, with its core being based on the popular MFS40 and MFS50A. However, this model features some interesting developments to pistons, intake valves, manifold and camshaft design, along with introduction of Roller Rocker Arms. The end result is responsive performance, superior fuel economy within a sleek and environmentally designed outboard. It’s available in aquamarine and white, forward control or large multi-function tiller, and retains all of the core features of the smaller MFS40/50A such as: Tohatsu Onboard Communication System (optional cables required); Trolling Assist; 21 amp charge system; electronic fuel injection; and Easy Flush System. www.tohatsu.com.au

MERCURY FOURSTROKE DEALS 5 For the first time, Mercury is offering a trio of great deals across its FourStroke range from 3.5-150hp. With Deal 1 you can save up to $800 on 3.5-60hp FourStroke engines. With Deal 2 you get free SmartCraft rigging on 75-150hp FourStroke engines (SmartCraft gauges bring all your vessel’s information together onto one simple-to-navigate device – including speed, rpm, trim, depth, alarms, water pressure, fuel flow etc – as well as allowing control of specialist systems such as Mercury’s Active Trim). And if you take advantage of Deal 3, you get the benefit of 3.99%* Mercury Finance on 40-150hp FourStroke repower. Even better, the mighty 150hp ProXS is included in Mercury’s summer deals for the first time, as are all SeaPro and ProXS models in the relevant horsepower categories. All three deals end on 18th November 2019, so you’ll have move fast if you want to secure your saving. *For full terms and conditions visit the Mercury Marine website. www.mercurymarine.com.au

FUSION FM SERIES

Fusion FM Series flush mount marine speakers and subwoofers are engineered to deliver high-quality acoustics. The lowprofile, near-flat installation allows for a visually appealing finish never before seen on a marine speaker or subwoofer. Combining optimized speaker drivers with aluminium dome tweeters to produce highquality audio at any volume, the FM Series also give you the ability to create a 2.1 audio zone. A new mounting system allows for nonintrusive, easy installation. You simply place the unit in the cutout, tighten the screws and the speaker legs will tighten against the panel without creating any screw holes. The FM Series complies with ISO12216 Annex D1.1 for Areas II, III and IV, due to its strength and watertightness. Available in round or square models and white or black colour options, they come in two sizes, 7.7” 200W and 6.5” 120W. Matching 10” 400W FM Series subwoofers are also available. www.fusionentertainment.com.au

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Northbank 650C with Mercury 250hp V8 Verado - SC

TENT -

RE ONLINE MO

T NOVEMBER 2019

DE FOR EX

Main: Some would call it the Butter Bean-mobile. We call it the Northbank 650C. Built in South Australia and retailed in Melbourne by Melbourne Marine Centre, this is an impressive craft. Above: Radio dialogue. FM: “Righto, give it some this time.” BB: “No worries. Thought you’d never ask!” drive this rig, either. He did well for his first boat test. There were no problems ‘sending it’ for the camera. None at all!

Length.......................................................... 6.5m Beam.......................................................... 2.44m Height on trailer.......................................... 2.4m Capacity...............................................8 persons Max hp........................................................... 250 Transom Deadrise......................................... 21°

with their rig.” Packages that are by no means basic for a Northbank 650C and Mercury start from $126,000, ready to go and catch a snapper in the Bay. Dean’s rig with all of the extra fruit came in a lot

PERFORMANCE

SPECIFICATIONS

to see if one would fit in his garage. It took a couple of modifications, but they made it fit and the rest is history. He now has around 40 hours on a Northbank 650C (cuddy cabin) that’s powered by a V8 Mercury Verado (250hp) and sitting on a custom Mackay trailer. And yes, it even has a pie warmer on board. Dean’s not afraid to

s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

I’m unsure if I’m allowed to actually call him by his nickname, Butter Bean, but Craigeburn’s Dean Pallone rocked up to the Patto River launching ramp in his pride and joy for this test. Dean’s a customer of Andrew Stephens’ Melbourne Marine Centre and the story of the sale reminded me of a joke that’s probably a little too saucy to delve into here. Regardless, he went shopping for a repower of his old fibreglass boat and came back with this weapon of a boat on order. Well, it wasn’t really that simple. Dean’s meticulous about his toys and Andrew was up to the task, even driving out to Dean’s place

the cockpit floor and the suite of LED lights (from underwater on the transom through to the cockpit all add up to make this a really neat looking rig). “It’s good to get positive feedback from our

Steve Morgan

CON

AN THE

FMG

As expected, if you drive this big rig hard, it’s fast and less than totally economical. We got it to 86km/h, which is hauling ass for a cabin boat. At that speed, it delivered even money, a kilometre for each litre burned. Back off the stick, though, and you get 50% more distance for your dollars. We achieved 1.5km/L at 57km/h and 4,500rpm.

Like all Northbanks I’ve tested, the hull sounds and feels solid underfoot. We’ve driven these boats in all conditions – from a Port Phillip Bay you could waterski on behind an outboard to a choppy Sydney Harbour with a diesel inboard – and these Rob Cuming designed hulls all ride the same. In the spectrum of fishing to family boats, this one swings well towards fishing. There’s drop in snapper racks, multiple places to store your rods (in the rocket launchers or upright along the gunwales) and a suite of electronics that lets you find where the fish are. That’s not to say that there’s a Spartan level of comfort. Shade, a lockable cabin and a neat gunwale door to allow easy ingress, while the boarding ladders

and transom door make it easy to load and unload while the rig is on the trailer. Small luxuries, like the custom SeaDek on

RPM....... Speed (km/h)......... Economy (km/L) Idle............................ 4............................... 1.6 1000........................... 8............................... 1.5 2000..........................13............................... 1.1 3000......................... 26............................... 1.0 4000......................... 47............................... 1.3 4500......................... 57............................... 1.5 5000......................... 68............................... 1.3 5900......................... 86............................... 1.0 customers and it’s great to have Dean so happy with his rig,” said Andrew. “We like going the extra mile to make sure that our customers are 100% happy

closer to $150,000. For more information visit northbank.com.au, email info@northbank.com. au or contact your local dealer for a test drive.

All the owners are impressed by their V8 Mercury 4-stroke. This is the first owner of the Verado iteration, with AMS (advanced mid section) which deletes nearly all vibration. They’re ridiculously smooth and quiet.

These pocket-mounted vertical rod holders take those extra four rods that make all the difference. Anyone who says you have too many fishing rods is dead-set wrong.

The only thing better than a rocket launcher is a second, offset one that lets you get more rods up there. Butter Bean’s definitely one to feed the addiction.

The folding ladder, duckboard and transom door are essential for boarding the boat while it’s on the trailer. They’re pretty handy as well when you’re going for a swim.

That’s a Mercury Vessel View up top, a big ol’ Simrad below and a digital throttle and shift to the right. The fire extinguisher is within easy reach of the helm and helps you sort out any pie warmer incidents.

21° of transom deadrise means that you need a special talent to land this rig hard. Specifically, if you can get it launching at a 21° lift to port or starboard you can bang it good. That’s harder than it sounds.

Underwater LEDs on the hull and LEDs on the trailer, where were boaties without them?

There’s a mountain of space in the cockpit and the SeaDek custom flooring matches perfectly. Dean says that it’s easy to keep clean.

The optional side door lets you bring in fish that surpass your expectations (but not your ability to plan). Or it lets the kids in, your choice.

We think that the ruler on the deck is a special touch.

It’s like a snapper deck of cards: Spigot, bait board and six rods.

If you’re serious about live bait nowadays, you need the clear panel to let you connect with your tasty treats at an emotional level before you send them to their death.

You can tell a Verado version of a Mercury from the standard V8 by that silver midsection. It called an AMS and contains all of the engineering that insulates the boat from engine vibration. Standard V8s are all black.

NOVEMBER 2019